Tag: fantasy

This Chick Read: Dire Bound (The Wolves of Ruin #1) by Sable Sorenson

This debut fantasy novel did not read like a debut novel at all. I can’t wait to find out who the mysterious writing duo is that makes up Sable Sorenson and fully expect to read a couple of recognizable names. The world building was amazing, the characters well developed, and the action kept me turning the pages. I knew after the first few chapters that this would be a five star rating from me and crossed my fingers the author wouldn’t disappoint, and she didn’t!

Meryn Cooper helps her family survive by training and fighting in the underground arena and as a side job, teaching the kids in her neighborhood how to defend themselves from the “Nabber”. Someone who sneaks into their rooms at night and steals them and gives them to immortal monsters, never to be heard from again. Meryn is one tough cookie but she can’t save her sister Saela from her fate of being kidnapped. Knowing the only way to save her is to fight in the war at the front, Meryn enlists in the army. What she doesn’t realize is that the enlisted will be put through the bonding trials- bond with a direwolf or die trying. Meryn has never imagined being one of the Bonded but when she bonds with a direwolf, she also doesn’t expect that direwolf to completely ignore her. She and Anassa will have to learn to communicate or they will be seen as weak and be culled from the pack.

Meryn was such a great character. She had to learn to be hard in order to survive the poverty in her neighborhood, but her feelings for her sister, her boyfriend, and her mother showed different facets to her personality. As she was going through the Bonding Trials, her loyalty and honor also became apparent and it was hard not to like her. The one critique I’d give is that she had a one track mind and sometimes that became annoying and didn’t allow her to see the whole picture. She had tunnel vision and despite her need to save her sister, that tunnel vision became a weakness. Could I over look that? Sure! This world she was living in was really fascinating, her bond with Anassa was difficult but I couldn’t wait for them to connect and kick butt, and although I had doubts, the romance was also sizzling. What’s not to like?

If you liked the Fourth Wing series, you will love this book. No there aren’t any dragons, but there are Direwolves! They are huge, deadly, and have interesting personalities. I found them just as fascinating and really enjoyed learning all about this new world. I’m going to guess that if you love fantasy novels, you will too. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Dire Bound

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This Chick Read: Spark the Flames (Secret of the Syphon #1) by Ivy Asher

I haven’t loved all of Ivy Asher’s books, but this one hit all the right notes. It’s an epic fantasy with a strong female protagonist, the characters shift into dragons, the male lead is kind of quiet but strong and hot, and did I say there are dragons? The book starts off super fast. Ever has escaped from a stronghold where she’s tortured for her blood, the bad guys are after her and she chooses jumping off a cliff to a certain death instead of ending up back in her cell. Instead of dying she wakes up in a hospital where she’s told that the Horde has been called to retrieve her and again she must escape her fate. She’s been taught that the Horde (also dragons) killed her family and is her enemy, but when she comes face to face with them she sees a unit that acts loyal to their leader, is snarky, and makes her curious. The leader is Aeson Noctis, the King’s second son and he is fascinated with Ever.

The fast paced action and quick-witted dialogue kept me turning pages, but it was the mystery of Ever’s origin story that I was really curious about. She’s a kind of dragon called a Syphon, and her brand was supposedly wiped out with the killing of the previous king’s reign. Her identity as a Syphon is mysterious, as is Ever’s mission, to kill the people who took the Syphon powers away from them. As a plot, it’s not a bad one, but everything Ever thinks she knows about what happened to her family is not necessarily as she believes it, which throws a big kink into her revenge. Oh, and then there’s the love interest, Aeson- she doesn’t count on falling for one of the Horde.

As with most of Ivy Asher’s books, there are some great side characters, some of whom we want to know more about and don’t get to, but they do certainly add some much needed warmth and color. If the plot were only going to be about Ever’s need for revenge it would be kind of boring, but she develops some feelings for the people around her which makes her plotting even more tremulous. The reader is left hoping she knows the truth and her plans will be a redemption arc instead of Ever turning into an anti-hero. We’ll have to wait for the next book to find out which side of the coin she lands on. I can’t wait!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Spark the Flames

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This Chick Read: Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy #1) by Callie Hart

Saeris Fane has lived in the Queen’s third ward living off ounces of water a day, stealing to survive. When she starts a chain of events by stealing the wrong item she is taken prisoner and the Queen orders her death. Fighting for her life, Saeris uses the powers she has kept secret her whole life and opens a gateway between realms and death comes walking through it’s door. Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior kills her enemy and sweeps her into this other realm filled with ice and snow. Unknowingly Saeris ties herself to Fisher and he uses her magic to achieve his own agenda.

I saw this on a best Fantasy of 2024 list and boy did this one NOT disappoint. I really don’t understand those reviews that gave it one and two stars where those people said they couldn’t finish the novel. What??!!! Despite the page count (615 pages), I thought this story was fast-paced, the characters were really interesting, and the romance riveting. I do love a good romantic fantasy and Quicksilver was all I’d hoped it would be.

Saeris is the type of heroine I just love. She struggles out of love for her family, and when she finds herself in this untenable position she fights to return to them, despite the horrifying way they live and how much better her situation is in this new world. When she meets Fisher, she hate him with a passion. He obviously has an agenda, which she doesn’t really understand, and is pretty awful. However, there are unguarded moments where the reader is given a glimpse into his own horrible past that lead you to believe that if these two got their act together they’d make a pretty amazing team. Despite their immediate sexual chemistry it does take them a while to like each other but I, unlike some other reviewers, reveled in that hate to like and like to hate reality.

The story’s fast pace was driven by a lot of action, fighting, and changes of scenery. I have to say the world building was pretty amazing and very easy to follow. We were left with some question marks at the end of the story so I can’t wait for this author to complete the next novel. I’m ready to jump back in!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Quicksilver

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance (The Legacy Series #3) by Melissa K. Roehrich

After how dark the last novel in this series got, I wondered if I’d ever be in the mood to pick up the third book. At 672 pages you not only have to be in the mood, but also be invested in these characters to tackle the story and give it the time it needs to live in your head. The book came out in October and I broke down in February and read it. So, I guess I wasn’t too disturbed by how that last book ended.

I’m going to assume that if you are reading my review for a book #3 in a series that you’ve read the previous novels and not give you a recap, which would be very exhausting. Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance starts off pretty much where the last one left off. Tessa is living in the Achaz Kingdom away from Theon, who despite her conflicted feelings, she believes she’ll one day have to kill. They are still tied together, but now she has given him a mark that makes him bound to her as she is to him. So she has access to his powers and can use them as needed, just like he can with hers. Luka has been sent by Theon to the Achaz Kingdom to guard and train Tessa in the use of her powers. As he lives and resides with her their already close relationship gets even closer. She is haunted by nightmares and he seems to provide her with a peace so she can sleep, so she is now sleeping in his bed. He seems much more conflicted by this than she does, but she trusts him and as he’s also bound to she and Theon they have a triad type of dynamic that adds an interesting diversion to an otherwise pretty dark story. She is still the biggest threat in Devram and everyone seems to either want a piece of her or to kill her. It’s a toss up.

I still love the strength in Tessa’s character, but in this book she seems to be slightly off her rocker. She talks to herself, can’t control her power, and has this depth of hate for pretty much anyone. I’m actually surprised that she hasn’t continued to try to harm herself, but she feels like she’s in this situation for a purpose, even if that purpose is skewed and crazy, she’s going to carry it out. Theon has backed off from the threats to Tessa and has now become a softy. He seems to have come to grip with his feelings, realized he had the wrong approach with her, and has switched to a long game in trying to rebuild trust. I really like that in him and like him much better in this book than in the previous novels. Luka has taken the romantic lead which is conflicting for him, but not really for anyone else. Curious, right? There are all sorts of sub plots, sidebars, and ulterior motives in all the rest of the cast. All of interest and help bring the story together so that by the end the reader is left with the feeling that Tessa, Luka, and Theon are more of a cohesive unit than they’ve been since the beginning. I actually was left with a more positive feeling than the last novel and am curious how the author will move this story forward and am almost looking forward to it!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Dusk’s Portent (Aileen Travers #7) by T.A. White

When Aileen finds fae trespassing in her woods and her best friend attacked on the same night she is soon neck deep in trouble. The local werewolf pack has been taken hostage and the fae barrow has fallen. In order to help Caroline, she travels to Las Vegas, the territory of a dangerous supernatural. Surrounded by her own family of vampires, she soon finds herself also having to save her entire family line. Aileen has to embrace that darkness inside in order to save those she loves.

I’m going to admit that this series, for me, started off a little rough. As this is the seventh book in the series and I’m still reading it, I’ve obviously gotten invested in Aileen’s story and care about each characters storyline. Caroline, her best friend, was turned into a werewolf early in the series- actually not too long after Aileen was turned into a vampire, so we’ve gotten to watch both of those characters evolve, although as the main character we care a bit more about Aileen’s outcome. In this story the lives of both of these characters will be affected by the outcome of their interactions with this dangerous new character in Las Vegas and I have to admit the descriptive scenery of the fae barrow grabbed me and I knew we were going to be in for a fun ride.

Aileen’s vampire family continues to grow and her relationships to each of them while still contentious, seems to also mean more to her. I like that they are becoming “family” instead of vampires that she just has to deal with to survive. Her hesitation to become involved or allow herself to care about them seems to be crumbling which makes me look forward to the next book even more. What will her relationships look like? How will her character keep evolving? Will the other paranormal species continue to be threatened by her? Those unanswered questions as well as the non-stop action will keep me coming back to the next novel. I’m kind of surprised because I didn’t start out the series feeling this way, but I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for Aileen.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book! Dusk’s Portent

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This Chick Read: The Unity Experiment by N.K. Brown

Seventeen year old Anna is chosen to enlist in The Unity Project, a government run team-building exercise to promote unity between the species. She’s on a team with another human, a werewolf, fae, shapeshifter, and a spirit who only she can hear. It’s a race to the death in a competition between other interspecies teams to complete the course and hold the Vessel of Unity, which allows them to leave the game alive, that species to skip the next game, and gives them a voice during interspecies talks. Anna’s gift of speaking to the spirit world makes her an invaluable tool that all of the teams would like to use but Anna only wants to help the species find peace. Of course, she’ll have to avoid being killed by everything and everyone around her.

The Unity Experiment had elements that were reminiscent of other books I’ve read like The Divergent Series and The Hunger Games, but with a fantasy twist, introducing multitudes of species whose interactions are rife with secrets, distrust, and violence. Anna has lived a pretty mundane human life in comparison with her other teammates, with the exception of her childhood when her father performed experiments on her in their basement, and then again when she became of age and became eligible for the Unity Experiment lottery. I say mundane, but the world she lives in is much darker than our own world yet the humans live and work in “regular” jobs in between lottery picks. When Anna gets dropped into the experiment and lands in the jungle full of violence and subterfuge she relies on those instincts that her father helped her develop. As her character moves forward in the experiment you can see a light bulb turn on and her drive to know what happened to her father when he entered the experiment becomes her driving force- besides surviving, of course.

On her team, everyone has an ulterior motive, but she is drawn the most to Dylan, the werewolf who has sworn to protect her and keep her alive. There are elements of an attraction that makes this novel feel at times somewhat romantasy, but the author seems to have more interest in other aspects of the plot and leaves the readers emotions hanging a bit, which if there’s another novel is totally ok by me. There was enough action, and subterfuge to engage my mind and keep me reading. In fact, I blew through this novel in about four hours I enjoyed the writing so much.

As with any new world that I enter as a reader, there were moments of confusion. At times, Amura who could shapeshift, would turn into quite a few different insects, birds, etc. that a couple of times it took me a moment to catch on to who and what was going on. Despite a little confusion with that character, I loved how the author made each team member a different species (with the exception of Chris who was human) and gave the reader a new world to explore with each characters back story. So interesting!

Needless to say, I really enjoyed this novel! There were only a couple of moments where something happened from Anna’s viewpoint that took me out of the story and I said “what just happened?”. It was a new novel by a new to me author and I thought it was practically perfect in every way. Unless there isn’t going to be a second book. If that’s the case I may need to re-think my feelings for that ending! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a copy of this ARC from the author for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Unity Experiment

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick’s Audio Review: The Sam Quinn series by Seana Kelly

Thanks to my sister who pointed me in the direction of these audiobooks, I spent a few weeks immersed in this really great paranormal fantasy series by Seana Kelly. The heroine, Sam Quinn, runs a bookstore/bar called the Slaughtered Lamb, which caters to the local San Francisco paranormal community. I’m talking fae, werewolves, vampires, mermaids, etc. You name it and that species frequents her bar. Learning about all of these species and the way this author imagined them captured my imagination and held my interest.

There are seven books in the series, the first being ‘The Slaughtered Lamb’ and the seventh ‘The Bloody Ruin’. All are narrated by the very talented Samantha Desz, who imbues the character of Sam Quinn with such humanity, even though she is a werewolf-witch hybrid. There is a ton of humor in these novels and the narrator is spot on with the snarky dialog, accents, and good vs. evil personas. I was hooked from the first chapter and spent all of my time with this fascinating new character- watching her evolve, fight to survive everyone who is trying to kill her, and fall in love with Clive- the Master Vampire of San Francisco. If you are in the mood for a bit of fun, well these books are certainly that.

Each novel has its own mystery of sorts, but there’s a common theme or plot that runs through all of the books. Sam’s werewolf bloodline goes back to the origination of werewolves and her witch line is similarly historic. Those two things mean that she finds herself with some cool physical traits and powers that develop during these stories, but also that other beings find her too dangerous and are always out to kill her. Clive, too, has his own historical storyline, being centuries old, so between the two of them there is never a dull moment in these books and their characters are a constant surprise, revealing hidden depths to their backgrounds and nature. I loved each moment and really found these audiobooks unputdownable. Seriously, they were very addictive so beware.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Slaughtered Lamb

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This Chick Read: A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson

In an alternate London in 1923, one girl accidentally breaks the tenuous truce between dragons and humans in this sweeping debut and epic retelling of Bletchley Park steeped in language, class, and forbidden romance.

When Vivian Featherswallow inadvertently helps break the truce between the dragons and humans she is taken to Bletchley Park where she’s put on a team of codebreakers set to crack the secret dragon language that could help the humans win the war. If she succeeds, she and her family will survive, if she doesn’t they’ll all die. No pressure! As she unravels this new language she discovers corruption in her own government and has to make a decision between the lives of her family and doing what’s right for the world.

S.F. Williamson does a wonderful job of building a world that feels familiar but is completely different than a world where the reader lives. I loved the different dragon species and Finley’s ability to speak different dragon languages really adds to that global feel of different lands where these dragons lived. Her 1920’s London felt very post world war era appropriate that added to the ambience and set the mood.

The story flowed so well. All of the characters were interesting, added to the story and theme, and helped build Viv up into someone who the reader could like. She didn’t start off that way, but by the end of the book she had a redemption arc that left me wanting to know more about her, this world, and what would happen next. All in all I thought it was a solid fantasy novel, with hints of greatness. I’ll definitely be picking up the next novel when it comes out. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase this book!* A Language of Dragons

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: A Broken Contract (Fractured Conclave #2) by Vanessa Nelson

I’m not sure how an author whom I’d never heard of before a year ago made my “must read” list as soon as one of her new books gets released, but Vanessa Nelson is that author for me. For those of you who’ve followed my blog for awhile you know that I read a mish mash of romance and fantasy novels. If those two genre’s are ever combined I’m all over it. Ms. Nelson’s books lean more towards fantasy than romance, but there’s always that hint of chemistry between two of the characters that make me take the leap and it’s her stories that keep me coming back for more.

The Fractured Conclave is her newest series that follows Hallie, who is a skip tracer. Kind of like a bail bondsman and investigator all rolled into one. She lives in a society that is segmented between the elite and then the lower caste, which she was born into, but somehow, through no fault of her own she has inherited some genes that have turned her from being human, into a member of the higher caste. Something that she’s kept secret but has also made her family disown her. Each of these books finds Hallie and Special Investigator Girard combining their strengths into finding someone or solving a mystery. In A Broken Contract, Girard comes to Hallie and asks for her help because some members of the elite have gone missing. As she investigates, Hallie does help Girard, but she also unveils things about her true nature that helps define her in her new place in the world.

Both books in this series have been really great and if you love great world-building and urban fantasy novels you will love these books. Then, just like I did, you will look up her backlist, become overjoyed with the number of books and series that she has written and you will spend the next few months catching up and then eagerly anticipating more.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* A Broken Contract

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above affiliated link, I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Bride of the Shadow King by Silvia Mercedes

Princess Faraine has been shunned by her people and sent to live in a convent, but when her sister is affianced to the Shadow King Vor, she is brought from the convent by her father to attend her sister and make sure the marriage he wants happens. Faraine and Vor meet on the road when he saves she and her brother from some disreputable Fae and make a connection but knowing a relationship with her would not help his kingdom he chooses her sister to marry.

I have a weakness for romantic-fantasy novels and was really pleased with this plot, characters, and their world. Silvia Mercedes spun a really interesting take on an arranged marriage trope- most likely because their two worlds were so vastly different and viewing those differences through Faraine’s eyes held my attention. Needless to say, the above summation of the plot wasn’t exactly how the story played out but the betrayals and deceit were balanced out by heroics and good deeds making both Faraine and Vor easy to root for because they were so likable.

Some of my favorite moments were prior to the “wedding” when Vor and his people were experiencing the strangeness of Faraine’s world, and then when Faraine was in the depths of Vor kingdom and she was discovering the differences in her new home. Those small details are for me what makes good world building so great and this author did a nice job of painting a picture for the reader, not only of the characters, but of their surroundings. These details gave the book such a nice roundness. As this is a re-release, I immediately go the second novel and continued to read their story- and it was just as good.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Bride of the Shadow King

Copyright 2024 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- If you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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