Tag: urban fantasy

This Chick Read: Shattered Bonds (Jane Yellowrock #13) by Faith Hunter

Jane returns to the Asheville area to recoup after the blood duel between Leo Pelissier MOC of New Orleands and the European vampires. Recovering after the loss of some friends, as well as healing her wounds Jane is lying low when evil finds her. Not at full strength, Jane has to find a way to defeat this ancient enemy to keep her friends and family safe.

In Shattered Bonds we see a Jane Yellowrock that we haven’t seen before. Weak and wounded both mentally and physically Jane isn’t at all prepared to fight the brother of the big bad who had been chained in Leo’s basement for all of those years. This vampire is all powerful and it takes digging deep for Jane to find her fighting form so she can take him on.

Each story in this series we have seen Jane’s power grow so it was really interesting to see her fight the weakness buried inside her body. Shattered Bonds told the story of Jane’s internal struggles as well as giving us those action sequences we have grown to love while reading these novels. I’ll admit this book was harder to read. I don’t like seeing one of my favorite characters weak but after reflecting on it I realized that her sickness made her human. Something that she was starting to lack in the previous novels. She can’t always be powerful and strong, but in fighting through adversity she gains a different kind of strength. Shattered Bonds took Jane back to her Indian roots spiritually, in a way we hadn’t see previously. I still prefer the kick butt heroine, but I can see why the author took Jane on this journey.

I often wonder how long Faith Hunter can keep up the fast, action-packed pace. Selfishly, I hope it’s for a good long while.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Shattered Bonds (Jane Yellowrock Book 13)

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Dark Queen (Jane Yellowrock #12) by Faith Hunter

When the Master of the City of New Orleans has been issued a blood challenge by the the Emperor of the European vampires Jane has her work cut out for her as enforcer. If Leo loses, the city of New Orleans and all areas under Leo’s rule will belong to the Emperor. Something that Jane doesn’t want to see happen. Preparing for the duel requires all of her focus and it becomes immediately apparent that she can only trust those who are her closest allies. Everyone else has an agenda and skin in the game.

Every time I finish one of the Jane Yellowrock books I think ‘this is the best one yet’ and that was certainly the case with Dark Queen. This novel had everything that appeals to a huge urban fantasy fan who has made it to book 12 still invested in all of these characters and their futures. The past couple of books and all of the mentions of this blood challenge did not prepare me for all that it encompasses. It is like a hunger games where all of the weaker characters are taken out early with the stronger characters outwitting and outlasting their competitors. As the enforcer to Leo’s MOC, Jane is challenged to a LOT of duels, but as the Dark Queen and the master of her own house, she has scion’s who take on those challenges for her. Characters I’ve come to like and love may or may not lose their lives. My heart was totally invested in the outcomes, as was the heart of our queen, Jane. This novel held a powerful emotional punch that I just wasn’t prepared to feel and boy, it rocked my world.

A new character arrives on scene claiming a familial relationship with Jane that opens her character to new emotions helping her character evolve even further. Ayatas’ claim brings on a lot of flashbacks to her earlier life with her tribe and she has to face those feelings again of killing a man at age 5. This sub-plot was one that I had eagerly anticipated having read the Soulwood series alongside and sometimes in advance of the matching time line in Jane’s own books. I knew the truth of their relationship before I read it on these pages but it still held a heck of a punch!

This series has been so great and like I said above my enjoyment has escalated with each book, but none of the past books compare with how this story knocked me flat. It was such a powerful, action-packed, emotionally driven novel. So, so good. If I could give a book a 10 rating this one get’s the prize. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Dark Queen (Jane Yellowrock Book 12)

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (5/3/21)

I have been on a listening jag lately, finding it hard, again, to pick up a book and lose myself in a plot. I think in part this is because my husband has been traveling and I find listening to an audiobook to be soothing. I’ll admit to putting in my ear buds and falling asleep to some old favorites. It’s a comfort when I’m tired of hearing myself talk to the dog. Does anyone else do this? 🙂 The book I just finished is an oldie but goodie. However, I do have an ARC deadline this week so I have actually started reading the book so I can get a review out on time.

This post originated over on Book Date, so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion about what books I am reading.

JUST FINISHED

For those of you who have only watched the TV series True Blood, you are truly missing out. I am one of those people who read the books back when they were originally released and couldn’t watch the tv program because it wasn’t anything like the books. This series is narrated by Johanna Parker who does an outstanding job imbuing Sookie with the humor that her narration warrants. That humor was totaling missing from the show which was all glorified sex and blood. I’m so glad I’ve rediscovered this series and I’m slowly using up my Audible credits one book at a time. It’s totally worth it.

JUST STARTED

I met this author many years ago at a book convention. I was just starting out as a book blogger and she gave me her first book to review. Now, years later, I still find myself lucky enough to receive an ARC of all of her releases. I just started this book last night and it comes out on Tuesday. As with her other novels I’m immediately drawn in by the interesting characters. I can’t wait to see where this story takes me!

I hope everyone has a great book on their nightstand that they are looking forward to reading in their downtime. I’d love to hear what book has caught your eye. Please share in the comments below.

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads5 Comments

This Chick Read: High Voltage (Fever #10) by Karen Marie Moning

Dani O’Malley has always been an integral part of the Fever series. As a young girl she acts as an energized sidekick and little sister to Mac, who this series has always revolved around. We have seen her grow up, quite suddenly when she gets lost in the Silvers and returns to Dublin older and with a new identity- Jada. She is a protector of the people of Dublin, as is Mac, but for her it’s retribution for the horrible things she did as a child used at the hands of Rowena. Assassin, murderer, and innocent are all descriptors that can be used for Dani O’Malley. In High Voltage, she gets her own book. Mac has become the Queen of the Fae and is out of the picture trying to become accepted. Barrons has disappeared with her. At the beginning of the novel Ryodan and the 9 who all run Chester’s and who have become part of Dani’s group of accepted frenemies also leave Dublin. Her boyfriend Dancer died in the last novel. With the exception of her Hel-cat, she is alone for the first time. Or since she was lost in the Silvers for two years. She flounders emotionally, but puts all those insecurities in a box and moves on. Still trying to keep Dublin safe, when she see’s things change and a new enemy comes to life. The Gods are back and they seem to have her in their sights.

I admit, I like Dani as the sidekick but was not eager to read her story. This is why this one say on my shelf since it’s release. I LOVE Mac and Barrons. I like Dani and Ryodan, but was never that curious about where these two would end up. Ryodan spent too much time as an anti-hero, dating and sleeping with many and holding Dani at a distance. Dani was too busy growing up, hiding her insecurities and feelings, and well I got tired of it all. It took me finding out that the next novel was coming out next month for me to go ‘uh oh’ and decide that I needed to get past my own feelings and read this novel.

High Voltage helped me understand this character a little bit more. Unlike Mac who wanted to be good, be liked, and who was secure in herself, Dani knew that she wasn’t normal. She didn’t want to be good per se, but she wanted to do good things. She see’s herself as a protector, a superman of sorts whose role was to help the helpless, as she once was. We saw a little bit more of her back story and in this novel saw her morph into a different being. I think everyone leaving made her undergo this emotional change and the novel was better for it. When Ryodan returned, (yes he doesn’t leave her forever. shockers!) she is ready to take their relationship to the next level. But this novel isn’t just about her emotions, it’s also another novel that moves forward the evolution of Dublin and all of the beings who have made it their home. The Fae, the Sidhe-seers, and humans are all affected by the Gods return and they mystery of why and how is really interesting!

I love complex books and characters and High Voltage continued to deliver on why I like this series so much. It’s dark, magical, gross, riveting, and sexy. Who wouldn’t like all of those emotions mixed into one novel? LOL. Yes, I did add gross because honestly some of these beings are truly the big ick and are really hard to read about. These stories get your imagination going, grab you by the throat, and make you invested in the outcome. High Voltage was no different. So, even though I Dani is not my favorite character, this author still did a really good job of making me care what happens, and that is a reason enough to read this novel. It moves the story forward and I know the next novel which features Mac and Barrons again, will deliver.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* High Voltage (Fever)

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chicks Audio Review: Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1) by Charlaine Harris

Sookie is a waitress in Bon Temps, Louisiana. Sounds pretty normal, right? Well, Sookie is not your average pretty blonde who serves customers for tips. Well, she does do that, but she also has to try really hard not to listen in to their thoughts. You see, Sookie can hear what people are thinking and she has to throw up walls in her head to keep them out of it. When a vampire comes in to her bar and sits at her table Sookie is completely captivated. You see, she doesn’t have to keep his thoughts out. He’s silent, and because of this he’s very attractive to Sookie. She’s not afraid of his vampirism, but once she gets to know him she see’s that there are many things she doesn’t like about the world of vampires. In this first novel in the series that birthed a popular HBO series called True Blood, we get to know the people of Bon Temps, as well as the others that live on the fringes of this town.

I read this series as they originally came out. This novel was published in 2001, 20 years ago. When the series True Blood came out, I was initially excited. However, I’m one of those people who believe that the series didn’t capture the tone of the original novels and although set in Bon Temps and having the same characters, can’t really claim to be the same series. I still have all of these books on my shelf, but truthfully, haven’t picked one up again because the goriness of that series is the image that my mind recalls instead of the original stories and the heart their characters portray. I am a huge fan of listening to some of the series I’ve read and when I saw the first two novels in this series on sale I decided to re-visit Sookie, Bill, and the characters I used to love and I am so happy I did! They were dark, but the humor and heart were exactly as I remembered and I really enjoyed Johanna Parker’s narration. She nailed Sookie’s character and read this novel with the naiveté and resolve that this character deserved. If, like me, the tv series turned you off and tainted your memories of these books, give these audiobooks a try. I truly was pleasantly surprised.

Dead Until Dark as the first novel in the series is an introduction to Bon Temps and the world Charlaine Harris created. We get to know Sookie, Bill the vampire, Sam her werewolf boss, and other fan favorite characters. Sookie stumbles upon some murders and is determined to help solve the mystery when her brother is implicated and is about to be charged. She knows he didn’t do it, because she hears people’s thoughts, but she has to help find proof. Her bright eyed optimism sets the stage for how Sookie lives and the reader can’t help but be charmed by her, but also by how she see’s the world. The secondary story of her relationship with Bill is also intriguing because he is her first boyfriend. These two stories intertwine and I am once again reminded why I loved these books originally and am so happy that fate decided to place them on sale in front of me. 🙂 ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood, Book 1)

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads3 Comments

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (2/1/21)

I have my reading mojo back! I’m not sure what triggered it but I have been able to enjoy not only books I’ve read before, but new books and I’m able to concentrate on the plots. yay! Seriously, though it’s been tough these last 8 months. I read about 60 books less in 2020 than in 2019 so it’s nice to be upping my book count again. I will admit, that I’m still reaching for old favorites, but I am reading many more new to me novels as well. Here is what I’ve been reading!

This post originated over on Book Date, so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion about what books I am reading.

JUST FINISHED

I love the Fever series, but I had been holding back on reading High Voltage because it focused on Dani who hadn’t been one of my favorite characters. I LOVE Mackenna and Barrons and Dani and Ryodan were just ‘eh’ for me. However, having now read this novel and like them so much more. I understand them more. Are they my favorite characters now? No. I am glad I read their story and a new book in the series is coming out next month so I needed to get this one read!

JUST STARTED

You will definitely be seeing this book on my list for the books I’m looking forward to being released in March. I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this novel and jumped it ahead (which I never do!) because an Urban Fantasy mystery sounded like just what I needed to round out my reading this month. Anna and Charles are fascinating and although I just started this one, it is off to a great start!

I have mixed in some romance novels with the Urban Fantasy books you see above. What am I missing? Let me know what books you’re reading that may or may not need to be added to my TBR?

Happy Monday!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads6 Comments

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (1/25/21)

I haven’t felt well for a couple of days (bad back) so I’ve been listening to an old favorite while trying to sleep and distract myself from my aches and pains. Isn’t it interesting how you can divert your brains attention in another direction? I’m sure there are a ton of medical papers on that but I’ve found that an audiobook will help me fall asleep when my brain won’t shut down, and in this case distract me from the pain I’m feeling. Enough about that, let’s talk about the books that I’ve been reading.

This post originated over on Book Date, so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion about what books I am reading.

JUST FINISHED

Mercy Thompson is one of my favorite female fantasy characters. She’s tough, but doesn’t mind having a soft side. She’s loyal to a fault, but she’s also a lot of fun. If you’re looking for an action packed fantasy series to listen to I do recommend this one.

JUST STARTED

The third book in the Central Park Pact and one I look forward to getting into. I have enjoyed the first two novels and really have gotten to like this author’s style. This is the only series of her’s I’ve read and I’m looking forward to digging into some others.

Happy Monday everyone! What book are you reading to help jump start your week?

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads11 Comments

This Chick Read: Cold Reign (Jane Yellowrock #11) by Faith Hunter

The eleventh installment in the Jane Yellowrock series finds Jane and her crew anticipating the visit from the European vampires when revenants start popping up around New Orleans killing masses of humans and providing a great distraction for Jane, Eli, and George. Investigating why these newly risen vamps have rose after having their heads cut off when buried uncovers a mystery that is centuries old and ties directly back to those soon to be visiting vamps. Cold Reign shows the evolution of Jane’s power, her growing love for her family and boyfriend, and the peace she has created with her inner beast.

I have tried to tell people why I love this series so much and I don’t think I do a very good job of it. It’s hard to describe how book 11 is so much better than book 1-3 and how the author found her groove with this character. When people see this kick butt heroine on the cover of the novel it’s easy to think that it’s all action and no plot. It is certainly a high octane story, but each plot have subtleties that tie each book together. That Jane’s every emotion has nuances that harken back to the early novels when she was a loner and lived only on surface emotions. The fact that this loner has built a family and found love, all while living in the same body as a dominant panther spirit who wants to show her and everyone else who’s in charge.

Having read Faith Hunter’s Soulwood Series first, I was always curious about what happened between Rick who is a featured character in Soulwood, and Jane. Cold Reign does delve into the past and answers a lot of questions. It also brings resolution to that story line, at least up to this point. I enjoyed how having Rick in the picture brought Jane’s emotions to the front, but not in the direction you’d think. It made her claim George and his reaction is priceless.

This novel is again a fast paced, action-adventure, emotionally driven piece of fiction. Going from my every day life to this story was like driving a Honda daily and being given the keys to a Maserati. You can’t help but hit the gas pedal and seeing how quickly you can get to 100. If you’ve not read this series, consider this me giving you the keys to the car. You need to hit that gas pedal right now. You won’t regret the ride and may enjoy the wind in your hair. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase! Cold Reign (Jane Yellowrock Book 11)

Copyright 2020 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Shadow Rites (Jane Yellowrock #10) by Faith Hunter

Jane Yellowrock is the enforcer to the Master Vampire of New Orleans, Leo Pellissier. Handling vampire politics is never easy but when she is magically attacked she finds a link to the upcoming Vampire-Witch enclave. A meeting that is planned to align the American witches with Leo’s territory, and include their safety, before the European vampire meeting in a few months. Jane’s attack means someone is trying to undermine that meeting and Jane needs to find out who and destroy their chances of success.

Jane has a lot riding on finding who and what may be trying to ruin her chances of protecting the vampires and witches. Her job as enforcer is one, but more importantly the safety of what she considers her family; her partners ElI and Alex, her boyfriend George, and her best friend Molly and her children. Connections are new to Jane, and she is determined to protect them all, even if it’s from herself.

This novel again brought out something new in our hero. Frailty. Physically she’s still strong, but her feelings make her insecure. In Shadow Rites Jane pushes herself past the barriers she has put up to protect herself and allows herself to imagine that she may not be able to keep everyone safe and she may just have to let them save themselves. I think this was a big step for this character and makes her so much more interesting! In both Broken Soul and Dark Heir she allowed her emotions to overcome her inner objections, but in Shadow Rites she has to allow herself to trust. In both herself and those around her she cares about.

All of these changes should lead to a stronger heroine to protect her friends and family when the European vampires finally come to New Orleans. We may have another book or two before that happens as the author gets Jane fully prepared to handle the danger that is still to come. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase!* Shadow Rites (Jane Yellowrock Book 10)

Copyright 2020 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chicks Audio Review: Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows #1) by Kim Harrison and Narrated by Marguerite Gavin

One of my new favorite things to do is to revisit previous favorites by listening to them as audiobooks. Kim Harrison’s Hollows series has been one of my favorite urban fantasy series and recently when she came out with a surprise novel in what was a completed series I decided to take a look back and listen to the first novel, Dead Witch Walking. Narrated by Marguerite Gavin, I was pleasantly surprised at how much the main character Rachel Morgan, still resonated with a much older me.

The Hollows series is set in a world just like ours, but where magic and paranormal beings are commonplace ever since “The Turn” when a genetically altered tomato killed a good portion of the human race. Rachel Morgan is a witch, but she’s also an investigator, and Dead Witch Walking is the start of her story and her investigative team of Ivy, a living vampire, and Jenks, a pixy. The three of them live and work out of an old church in the Hollows, the more magical part of Cincinnati. Rachel has a price on her head and in order to pay it off she tries to bring in evidence against mysterious millionaire Trent Kalamack, that shows he’s dealing in Brimstone a street drug. In Dead Witch Walking you get a lot of set up, not only to the world, but also to the characters and Marguerite Gavin does a great job at voicing all of them. My favorite voice being Jenks, who’s a small pixy (picture tinkerbell sized) and his voice somewhat matches that size. It’s too cute.

Rachel Morgan, despite her witchiness, attracts trouble. She’s somewhat of a blunderer but she has great instincts and in this case she’s taken on a bit more than she can chew in Trent Kalamack who exhibits supreme bad guy vibes in this first novel. In the end, Rachel gets what she wants by paying off her debt and getting rid of the price on her head, but it’s not exactly done in the way that she hoped. Dead Witch Walking is a mad-cap adventure story with great characters that develop into true friends and a great investigative team, and also sets the story for many of the things that happen to and for Rachel in the next 15 novels. If you love well done urban fantasy novels and have the patience to see your character grow into the kick a&$ she becomes, please pick this up, listen to it, or plug it directly into your brain in whatever means possible. This book is good, but the series is even better and I’m excited that Marguerite Gavin does such a great job with the narration because I’ll be listening to them for a while to come. (15 books! Sixteen if you count the flashback, The Turn.)

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase the audiobook!* Dead Witch Walking: Hollows, Book 1

Copyright 2020 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads