Tag: Vanessa Nelson

This Chick Read: An Unwanted Heir (Fractured Conclave #4) by Vanessa Nelson

Hallie has always wanted to travel and when she’s invited to join an investigation by Conclave investigatory, Girard Abbott, to help with a murder out in the country she jumps at the chance to join the group. The murder has happened at the estate of Cotovatre, one of the most powerful people in the world, but also someone whom Hallie has a personal connection. This is her chance to get to know Cotovatre a bit better and to use her magic to help solve the case.

This is the fourth novel in the series and it is recommended that you read this series in order, because there are parts to the story that are a continuation from earlier books. Also, reading all the books in order will give you a great appreciation of how this author has built this world, and how these characters connect and have grown since the first novel. In An Unwanted Heir, we are seeing a Hallie that is very different than the person we met in the first novel.

At Cotovatre’s estate one of the members of the Conclave have been murdered in a gruesome manner and Hallie, Girard, and their team are snowed in with a group of the most powerful people in the country, one of whom may be the murderer. As they investigate Callie’s own relationship to Cotovatre becomes more clear adding another element of tension to a situation that was already extreme. As readers, we have seen the evolution of Hallie and her magic and finally we get the reveals we’ve been waiting for!

Vanessa Nelson, in all of her series, gives our female main character a love interest, but her books are mostly focused on the investigations of her characters, not on romance. This series is a bit different as Hallie and Girard become even closer and “gasp!” even reveal their feelings for each other. I’m a romantic fantasy fan, so this gave me hope that the fifth novel will lead to not only a great mystery but a happily ever after for these two characters. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* An Unwanted Heir

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On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

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.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: A Usual Suspect (Fractured Conclave #1) by Vanessa Nelson

When a friend calls Hallie in a panic, she races to her side to investigate. As a skip tracer, she is used to finding the lost who don’t want to be found. What she finds in Rosalie’s house is a murdered member of the elite and some assassins who try to finish the job by killing them too. Hallie needs to use all of her skills to remove she and her friend from the suspect list and find the killers before they find her.

I can always count on Vanessa Nelson to deliver some great world-building, a strong female lead, and a mystery that hooks the reader into the story and doesn’t let them go until the story is finished. A Usual Suspect delivers on all of these things but is also delivers the promise of more great books to come.

Hallie was a big mystery herself. Being of mixed race, she is not considered human after a near fatal attack in her childhood. She was saved by a mysterious person and has gained inhuman strength, quickness, and healing abilities that are more common among the elite. She also has a truth sense which helps her succeed as a skip tracer with a 100% close rate. As the reader quickly finds out, this is one woman you don’t want on your trail! Not only is Hallie interesting, but this world she lives in as well as the characters we’ve been introduced to are ones I’d like to explore more, but will have to wait a few months for the second novel to be released. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* A Usual Suspect

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.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Ascension Day (Ageless Mysteries #6) by Vanessa Nelson

The final novel in the Ageless Mysteries series, Thea March finds herself investigating another murder, or a series of them. The city is preparing for Ascension Day a day to celebrate the Archon, one of the most powerful beings in the world. As Thea investigates she uncovers a revolt that she and her friends need to stop before the Archon destroys their city.

There are so many things I’ve loved about this series. I love how Thea starts off hating the Ageless and wanting to stay beneath their notice, but then she develops a relationship with her father that makes her see that not all was as she thought, but that ageless came in both good and evil, just as humans did. Thea’s self also evolves. She knows now, that she is an Ageless, as her wings made an appearance in past novels at pivotal moments and in this novel the appearance makes it impossible for her to pretend she is human anymore. This series is not a romantic fantasy, but there are hints of a romance between she and Niath. I’m a sucker for those moments between the two of them. The last thing I like is that this series is a classic trope of good vs. evil. For most of the series the evil is unknown, but in this novel the plot is revealed and it’s quite a doozy.

Ascension Day was everything I wanted from the final book in a great series. The mystery was well-written and the final reveal was awesome and vicious. Our heroine proved herself to be selfless, and honorable. Fighting for the good of others and not for her own self interests. She wasn’t superhuman at all but in the end proved herself to be something pretty special.

If you are looking for a quick reading fantasy series, the Ageless Mysteries are a lot of fun and rewarding to read. Start with the first book because the development of the characters are crucial to your enjoyment of these novels! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Ascension Day

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*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: Deadly Night (Ageless Mysteries #1) by Vanessa Nelson

Vanessa Nelson has created a truly unique world and set our main character in the midst of a gruesome murder investigation, pitting her against the ruling elite. With the help of a prominent mage assigned to helping her find the killer by the Archon herself, newly promoted Watch officer Thea March uses her instinct and skills to find the killer.

I should’ve remembered that once you pick up a novel by Vanessa Nelson you are addicted to reaching for the conclusion to the underlying story. I zipped through all five of the novels in this series and am eagerly anticipating the sixth out this November. In this first novel, I learned a lot about this world that our heroine inhabits. Thea March is not one of the elite, but as a March officer, a police officer of sorts, she holds a little status among the residents of the city she lives in. However, she, just like all of her fellow city-dwellers, are minions in comparison with the beings who inhabit the skies and the city where the Archon, or ruler, lives.

Each of these novels in the series gives us more insight in to Thea and I became fascinated with her story. As with all of my favorite fantasy novels, Thea seems to be just like those who surround her, but her actions show a bravery and hint of something “other”. I’m totally interested in finding out who and what she is while at the same time enjoying these really great mysteries that she must solve. Each mystery solved moves her character forward and the reader becomes more invested in her story. This first novel gives us the first hints of Thea’s personality and backstory and I think if you read this first novel you, like me, will be sucked into these fantastic fantasy novels.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Deadly Night

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*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: The Taellaneth Series by Vanessa Nelson

This series was recommended to me but I could never remember the author in order to look it up. It just so happened that it was recommended to me AGAIN and I was getting ready to look for my next book. It’s a Kindle Unlimited series, which I do subscribe to, so I thought “no harm no foul” if I don’t like it I’ll just close the book and send it back. Little did I know that I would read non-stop, with only breaks to go to work, eagerly reading this fun series until I turned that last page in book #5.

Our hero Arrow is half human and half Erith, a race that is magical with elf-like physical traits. Having been determined to have magical talent at a young age she is entered into an Academy where she overcomes the odds and becomes a war mage despite all sorts of discrimination from the Erith for her half-human blood. As we get to know Arrow she is oath-bound to the Taellen to solve any task she is given. In the first novel she is given the task of investigating the death of the mate of the highest ranked shape-shifter, traveling to human lands to complete her task.

In Concealed, Arrow eventually solves the mystery but reveals an even bigger dilemma that all three races need to work together to solve, each book leading to Arrow becoming a stronger mage, important ally of the shifters, and eventually free from her ties to the Taellen- the committee of law-makers among the Erith. Her identity is also revealed in stages that keep the reader fascinated and the plot draws you in deeper until you have to read until the end to see how Arrow and the mystery resolves.

If you, like I, have never heard of this author then you are in for a treat! This series is fantasy-candy. There is only a hint of romance, it is pretty much straight up magical-fantasy. There are some very likable characters and you’ll certainly have your pick of who you want to follow but there is no better than our heroine Arrow. Misguided, misunderstood, and straight-up bad-@$$. I loved her to death and hope that this author’s other series are just as addictive. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase the first book!* Concealed

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.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads