As you’re reading Turns of Fate, those two sentences, above gain traction and as the characters learn have meaning when you are on the Isle of Wyrd. Most people come to Destiny Park for entertainment but some come to the Arcana to make a bargain- to change their fate. Some people come to the park for dark reasons. Detective Beth Fahey is the newest member of the police department who has direct contact with the Arcana of the Isle of Wyrd. When she goes to the park to investigate a “ghost gun” it’s the start of a journey where she learns to navigate the Arcana’s unforgiving laws while at the same time learning secrets about her own past. As tensions rise between the Arcana and their human neighbors across the river Beth makes decisions that alter her own future.
Anne Bishop is one of those authors who I eagerly anticipate a release from, but am never sure what kind of book I’m going to read. I LOVE the Others series but I couldn’t get into her Black Jewel series at all. I’ve tried to read that first book three of four times and never got past the first couple of chapters. When I read the synopsis for Turns of Fate I got excited. It sounds like it has similar elements to the Others series but the added bonus of a main character who is a Detective. I was picturing a Mystery/Fantasy hybrid and I was not disappointed. There were a lot of little mysteries to be solved, but the overall story was definitely urban fantasy.
Beth is a mysterious character. At first she seems very straightforward, but as the story progresses we notice that although we (the reader) love Beth, she’s not understood by her fellow detectives and people just don’t click with her and vice versa. She’s a conundrum, not just to her co-workers and neighbors, but also to herself. This is the mystery that I relished solving and boy was that story fun! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!
Click this link to purchase this book!* Turns of Fate
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.
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.
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.
When Mercy’s brother turns up at her home unable to see or speak she and her husband Adam travel to Montana to investigate the origination of the spell he is under. When they arrive they are trapped in a Lodge in a magical winter storm with the family and guests for a wedding that must happen or the world as they know it will come to an end.
This series is one of my all-time favorite urban fantasy novels. I have read each novel, some multiple times, including listening to the audiobooks and I am truly invested in Mercy, Adam, and the Tri-Cities pack. As Coyote’s daughter, readers have seen Mercy grow from a woman living on her own to a woman connected to a pack, Fae leaders, and her own magic growing at a pace where she is viewed as a threat. She is all of these things but it is her humanity and instinct to protect others that draws me to these books. She is tough, yes, but she is the weakest of all of these “beings” living around her and somehow she, like the being she is related to “Coyote”, she outwits everyone and somehow survives attacks that would kill a normal human. Her heart is her greatest asset and her biggest weakness and each novel showcases that humanity in a way that makes me love her even more.
This story does an amazing job of introducing the reader to new mythology in a way that is interesting and somewhat easy to understand. If you are a reader of the entire series you are used to learning as you read, and dissecting this new information and parsing it into whether what you are reading will hurt or help Mercy. How will she get herself, and in this case her brother, out of this mess, and if Mercy will come out of this investigation whole, or at least in the same shape she was in when she started. In this case Mercy carries a hole in her magic from the previous novel. She starts from a position of weakness. How will she possibly come out of this without being hurt more? It’s worth the read to find 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!* Winter Lost
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.
I can’t believe I’m writing these words…. Final Heir, the 15th book in the Jane Yellowrock series, is the conclusion and final story in the series. After fourteen books, I knew that she was leading us toward the conclusion and yes, this one is it. My history with these novels started with the spin-off series, Soulwood. I was intrigued enough about one of the characters, Rick LaFleur, and wanted to know his back story so started listening to Jane Yellowrock’s books because I had a boatload of audible credits saved. If you find yourself in the same boat, Khristine Kvam narrates those books, as well as Soulwood, and she is uber talented and it’s worth the many hours of listening enjoyment. Anyhow, I wanted to know about Jane, Rick’s ex who is mentioned in Soulwood, and once I started that first novel I was hooked. Jane is everything I look for in an urban fantasy heroine. She is strong, unselfish, sassy, and carries an emotional depth that makes you want to dig deep and learn more. Did I mention I was hooked? LOL.
Final Heir brings back all of my favorite characters. Leo Pellissier ex-Master of the City of New Orleans, Edmund- Jane’s primo and the now King of Europe, Gregoiré- Leo’s love and Jane’s enforcer, Bruiser- Jane’s honey, as well as the whole Everheart gang of witches, her brother’s of choice Eli and Alex, etc. There are too many to name them all. As I was reading and all of these characters came together I knew that this was the final book. Each character had their own moment that meant something to Jane and I hope Faith because there are a couple of characters I’d love to see in future novels, although Faith may be more tired of these characters than her readers (Edmund and Angie anyone?).
It must be noted that Jane’s position as Dark Queen puts her in the rear of battles more than at the front of them, something that she may have gotten a little used to as she was fighting cancer a couple of books back, yet sitting on the sidelines isn’t something that comes naturally. Never fear though, the penultimate scene is all Jane in her bad-a@@ glory and I relished every moment. Speaking of moments, I had a few favorites in this novel; Bruiser and Jane having loving moments together, Jane and Eli’s connection both emotionally and spiritually, but the moment that struck me the most was a scene where Edmund, now the King of Europe portrays a moment from his past by braiding Jane’s hair before a ceremony. Those two characters have come a long way and their connection in that moment made me tear up, as I’m doing as I write it down in this review as well. To me, that moment brought the two of them full circle. It was fabulous. Thanks Faith, for bringing us with you.
Needless to say, I totally enjoyed this finale. There were more sweet than bitter-sweet moments and I got to see my girl nail the biggest fang-head of them all. It was fabulous!
I came across a review and interview with Faith Hunter where she confirms that this is the last novel and I thought I’d share that review/interview on my blog. I enjoyed it so much. Also, please note an excerpt from the first chapter below the cover picture. Enjoy!
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I received a copy of this ARC through NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review and it is honest!
Click this link to purchase this book!* Final Heir
Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved
*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.
Excerpt:
Like a Stray Animal Haunting Aggie’s Home
Eyes closed, I felt the movement of unexpected cool air as the sweathouse door opened and shut. Last week, I had learned that Aggie One Feather, the Cherokee elder leading me into understanding my personal and tribal history, sometimes left and reentered when I was sweating through a haze of her herbal infusions and my own hidden memories. She said humans couldn’t survive five or six hours in a sweathouse like I could, let alone all night, so she would slip out and back in. I had asked her if she had a nanny camera hidden in the sweathouse to keep track of me. Her reply had made me laugh: “You need a legion of angels to look over you, but a nanny cam could help.” The rustling of her cotton shift, the sound of her breath, and the crackle of flames seemed loud as she settled across the fire from me and fed the coals. I smelled cedar and burning herbs and heard the scritch-grind of her mortar and pestle. Behind my lids it seemed lighter than before. It had to be near dawn.
It occurred to me that the ceremonial fire was, itself, symbolic. It was parts of this world and the next, the two halves of the universe, energy and matter. It was wood and air and energy, and together they made flame and smoke, the destruction of matter into energy. Then that thought wisped away with the fire. Aggie said, “Drink.” I opened my eyes against the crack and burn of dried sweat, and studied the small pottery cup she held. On the third try I managed to croak, “Eye of newt? Ragweed? Mold off your bathroom floor? Peyote?””That never gets old,” she lied, amusement hidden in her gaze. “I have no mold on my bathroom floor.” Which meant the liquid could be composed of the other three. Or not. I took the cup and drained it. The decoction tasted of lemon peel, fennel, wild ginger, something I couldn’t identify, and salt. I turned the empty, handleless cup in my fingers. It wasn’t traditional Cherokee work, but something fired in a modern kiln and given a bright blue glaze.
“What did your dreams show you?” Aggie asked. I handed back the cup and said, “Same as last time. The angel’s location looks a little like my soul home. Walls that curve in toward the ceiling, dark streaks of water on them. Wings that seem to lie flat across the ceiling and down, as if dripping to the floor. Light that comes from nowhere and everywhere. There might have been a puddle of blood on the floor. Hard to tell. But unlike my soul home, I keep seeing people standing along the walls.”
“People or other angels? I frowned at the question. Had there been wings behind the people? “Maybe. Maybe a suggestion of wings, like shadows. Or maybe I just want to have seen that and so I remember it now.”
“Did you see yourself in your dream-state?” If I watched myself, as opposed to being an active part of the dream, that would tell her a lot about whether this was a vision teaching me about myself and my life path, a prophetic dream portending something about the future, or if it had been a memory. I closed my eyes again and pulled at the fragments. The angel’s wings draped, so much larger, longer than in artwork depicting the messenger beings. I heard the faint drip of water, but the echo was different from the usual loud reverberations of my soul home. This place itself was subtly different from previous visions. In the memory of my vision, I saw myself. My hair was braided into a fighting queue and I was dressed in armor, one of the latest models Eli, my brother of choice, bought these days, now that money wasn’t an object. In teaching visions, I usually wore tribal clothing, the kind my father had worn when I was a child. In addition to the armor, at my waist I was wearing the Mughal blade that Bruiser had given me. That was interesting. In the dream-state I did nothing, said nothing, so it probably wasn’t a vision teaching me about who I was or guiding my path through life. Seeing myself meant it wasn’t a memory. The ancient knife itself was part of a prophecy, and I seldom wore it, mostly for ceremonial occasions when the prophecy did me no good. Only rarely had I worn it into battle.When he gave the blade to me, Bruiser had said, “A certain wily salesman suggested that the damascene blade is charged with a spell of life force, to give the wielder the ability to block any opponent’s death cut. Pure balderdash, but it makes a nice tale.” Except that Alex, the tech-genius of Yellowrock Securities and Clan Yellowrock, had traced the blade back to the seventeen hundreds, and there were stories over the centuries about people surviving the death stroke of an opponent’s blade.”Prophecy?” I asked the universe. Or God, if he was listening. Not that anyone answered, not even Aggie. And since I hadn’t looked for the future in rain droplets in months, I might not know what this meant until it was too late. However, if I went searching for the meaning in the future, I probably wouldn’t understand it anyway, and if I saw danger-and I would-I might feel forced to meddle in time. Meddling in time-timewalking, time-jumping- might trigger the return of the magic cancer. All of which was why I hadn’t tried. Seeing the future was like that. Helpful. Until it wasn’t. And then it tried to kill me.
I inhaled and caught a familiar scent. He had to be close because I was human-shaped, and my nose in this form was unspectacular. I cleared my throat again and warned, “Werewolf.”
The vampire, Wulfe, has been quietly stalking Mercy, playing music outside her home and just generally hanging out watching. A vampire stalker is definitely worrying so his disappearance should relieve Mercy but instead Mercy is determined to find out where he is and who is behind his disappearance.
I kind of wish this book had been released closer to Halloween because it definitely had that creepy, scary story vibe. A lot of the books in this series are kind of creepy so what made this one feel like it rode that line into horror? I think it was the participation of the regular old humans that gave it that vibe because Mercy already lives in creepy-town with vampires, werewolves, and the fearsome fae, but if humans are involved and one of their stories you tell around the campfire become true? That is scary! I couldn’t help hunkering down while I read this novel and enjoying my reaction just a little too much.
Wulfe going missing brings an awareness to an even bigger problem in Cincinnati and Mercy and her pack are the protector’s of that city so it’s their job to take on whoever has created this problem but when she checks around it isn’t any of the usual suspects. As they investigate what they unearth may become an even bigger problem for their pack in the future so the outcome of this investigation is of the utmost importance. All of my favorite characters take part in Soul Taken and I reveled in the fact that I was back with the pack and could enjoy seeing where Mercy and her proclivity for trouble and problem-solving would lead. What I found was that it’s a little creepy and a lot of fun!
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I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!
Aileen has come a long way from the vampire she was a few years ago. No longer avoiding the supernatural community Aileen is now the go-to investigator and has created a name for herself despite her being a relatively new vamp. When she takes a job to find a lost bracelet for the harpy’s she comes to the attention of a group of supernatural assassins who seem to be either trying to kill her or kidnap her. Dodging shadows is keeping her on her toes and is making it hard for her to do her job.
I just listened to this entire series over the past week. Narrated by Natasha Soudek, I had trouble getting into the pace of the narration through the first book. I will say that once Aileen started acting more like a vamp in book 2 the pace of the story took off and I forgot how much I was struggling with the narration. I’m not sure it was Natasha Soudek’s fault because I’ve listened to book by this author that she’s narrated and not had a problem and my feeling of ho-hum disappeared by the end of book 2. Twilight’s Herald as the fifth book in the series was one big action-adventure jaunt and really fun verbal snark by our main character, Aileen.
Aileen is now over her predilection of avoiding the vamps and is dating Liam, the enforcer to the Master of the City. While he is very dominant and alpha, Aileen has the tendency to do whatever she wants and sass her way into situations that are way above her pay grade and vampire strength. Each novel has revealed more about Aileen and by Twilight’s Herald we know that despite her youth in the vampire community she has an ability to “see” magic and either count attack it or unwind a spell. This has come in handy as these assassins seem persistent in getting their hands on her.
Another thing that has evolved over this series is her relationship with Liam, now her boyfriend. She has stopped fighting him at every turn and has slightly embraced her friendships with his crew and tolerates her maker, Thomas, the Master of the City. I really enjoyed her new friendship with Connor, Thomas’s son and Liam’s true nephew. He is a slightly odd character and attaches himself to Aileen’s side as her “brother” and has an innocence that is sweet and dangerous. There are plenty of chuckles in this novel and a dodgeball scene that was awesome. Yes, vampires play dodgeball!
Aileen Travers #6 comes out later this year or is it early next year? I can’t remember exactly when but I do know that I will be reading it when it comes out. This was a slow build up but I’m totally invested in these characters now and I want more Aileen! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Rachel Morgan, witch-born demon, has one unspoken rule: take chances, but pay for them yourself. With it, she has turned enemies into allies, found her place with her demon kin, and stepped up as the subrosa of Cincinnati—responsible for keeping the paranormal community at peace and in line. Life is . . . good? Even better, her best friend, Ivy Tamwood, is returning home. Nothing’s simple, though, and Ivy’s not coming alone. The vampires’ ruling council insists she escort one of the long undead, hell-bent on proving that Rachel killed Cincy’s master vampire to take over the city. Which, of course, Rachel totally did not do. She only transformed her a little. With Rachel’s friends distracted by their own lives and problems, she reaches out to a new ally for help—the demon Hodin. But this trickster has his own agenda. In the end, the only way for Rachel to save herself and the city may be to forge a new understanding with her estranged demon teacher, Al. There’s just one problem: Al would sell his own soul to be rid of her. . . .
I was mulling over how to write up my own short synopsis without giving away every intricacy in the plot and decided ‘the hell with it’ and quoted it off the back of the book. Trouble with the Cursed is the sixteenth novel in the Hollows series with my favorite heroine and witch-born demon, Rachel Morgan. Rachel is back living in the church with Jenks, but that’s the only thing that seems slightly normal. Her roommates are the demon Hodin, and her friend Stef. Hodin has driven a wedge in between Rachel and the demons, a wedge that gets more complicated as this story unfolds. Rachel, as the sub-rosa for the demons, has the tough job of keeping the peace in Cincinnati. Something that she’s been able to do with the help of vampire scion Pike, but it all seems to be getting out of hand. The demons are in disarray, her boyfriend Trent’s business deal has gone awry, and Jenks is developing feelings for a new pixie. Plus Ivy is headed back to town with a DC vamp named Finnis who needs to be convinced that Cincinnati’s master vampire, Constance is still alive (she is but she’s now a mouse). Rachel is a people pleaser and wants everyone to be happy, but she may have bitten off more than she could chew with this one!
Trouble with the Cursed ties up a LOT of loose ends and I’m wondering where Kim Harrison is going to take my favorite heroine next? The “is he or isn’t he” on Rachels side when it comes to the much maligned demon Hodin comes to a head and everything quite literally hits the fan in the most wondrous and fascinating way. Rachel’s version of “I’ve got this!” does not follow a straight line and the fireworks that follow light up the city and paranormal world. This book ends with a big bang and I can’t help but think that the world as our heroine knows it will be much different in the next novel. The only things that I’m completely confident in is that Rachel’s friends have her back and she would absolutely die for them as well. I can’t wait to find out what happens next. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!
Atticus has spent the last twelve years in hiding while training his apprentice Granuaile. Forced to fake their deaths in order to get all the gods off their backs they are surprised to hear that Loki has escaped his realm and is destroying the realms of those who killed his brother Thor, and Earth may well be next. With only the final rites needed for Granuaille’s graduation to a Druid they must travel to Mount Olympus in order to complete that ritual. Unfortunately, it seems that word is out that he is, in fact, alive and they have to avoid gods, dark elves, vampires, and of course Loki to accomplish their task.
I’ll admit, this wasn’t my favorite of the Iron Druid Chronicles series. Luke Daniels still did a stand up job as narrator, but there were times that the story dragged on. Yes, everyone was out to kill them- and I do mean everyone! It’s just that it got a little old. The tattooing of Granuaile’s marks were interrupted three or four times and they had to keep moving or fighting and well, I hate to say this, but boring. I wanted to see how Granuaile would change after becoming a druid and it seemed like it would never happen.
Sometimes in a series there are those books that becomes a bridge between one plot and the next step in the characters journey and Trapped was that type of book. If it weren’t for the humorous musings of Oberon, Leif the vampire and Atticus’s ex-friend showed up again, and the fact that Granuaile finally made Atticus face his feelings for her this book could be a throwaway. I would tell you all to just skip it. It wasn’t horrible it was just, well, a placeholder for the next book, which is I’m sure a great one. BUT, Oberon was pretty charming, and well, feelings were revealed. I guess that made it worthwhile. ❤️❤️❤️❣️
This throwback Thursday post links to my interview with Faith Hunter, author of both the Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood series. At the time, her third Soulwood novel, Flame in the Dark was released and I was (and still am!) obsessed. Soulwood is a spin-off series to Jane Yellowrock and at the time Dark Queen, book #12, had just been released. That series will have the 15th book released this fall. A HUGE urban fantasy fan, I stumbled upon Soulwood having never read one of the Jane Yellowrock books. Yeah, I know, big miss! However, I quickly figured out this author’s talent for the supernatural and dove into Jane’s series and at the time of this interview I had read three books of each. I knew I was missing a lot of context about a couple of the main characters but thought I did a pretty good job of delivering thoughtful questions about her characters. After having re-read it just now and being caught up in both series I’m surprised to say that I think I succeeded!
My interview with Faith Hunter was released on December, 3, 2017, which seems so long ago, but it took me that long to catch up on the Jane Yellowrock series that now sits at 15. You see, I fell in love with the audiobooks and would listen to each one with a great patience, enjoying all of those action scenes and Khristine Hvam’s voices for each character. If you’d like to read my interview, please follow the link below!
If you’d like to read my reviews of the Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood series here are a couple to get you started. You can search at the top by author to find all of the others. I hope you enjoy this throwback to 2017!
The Reading Chick 
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