Book Reviews

Witch for Hire (Witch for Hire #1) By: N.E. Conneely

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Witch for Hire (Witch for Hire #1) By: N.E. Conneely

Plot:

Most witches don’t work for police departments, but Michelle isn’t your average witch. She’s clanless, looking for a warlock who isn’t offended by her lack of family connections, and in danger of losing her job if she can’t find the escaped trolls before they start eating the local residents. Trolls, angry police, and misbehaving spells are the least of her problems. Statues attacking homeowners might be problematic for your average witch, but to Michelle it’s another day at the office. Her real concern is the wizard suddenly interested in dating her and an old elf set on pestering her. When her happy family is rocked by a long kept secret her stable life falls apart faster than she can pick up the pieces. And she still hasn’t found those trolls.
Review:

This was a pleasant surprise. I honestly can’t remember when I got this book, it’s been sitting on my kindle for a long time apparently.

First off, the world that was created was fleshed out and felt new and interesting. Well, maybe not new, but it wasn’t just your typical add supernatural elements and stir. The supernatural has always existed and humans at some point had been slaves. There was history and little things for each species, it was interesting and fresh for me.

Second, I really liked how the story progressed. You were basically just following Michelle around in her life with no indication that anything bigger might happen. It was fairly chill up until the end and even that wasn’t too balls to the wall. It was a nice change of pace from constant action in an urban fantasy, but it was by no means boring. Getting to see the world and all that was going on made things fun.

Those two points really made me enjoy the book. Michelle as a character isn’t anything amazing, but she has the possibility to grow on me. There were also a few other characters that I enjoyed, though, I hope the secrecy around her parents isn’t dragged out.

All in all, I’m excited to have found this book and I’m looking forward to the next.

4/5

Scared Witchless (Bless Your Witch #1) By: Amy Boyles

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Scared Witchless (Bless Your Witch #1) By: Amy Boyles

Plot:

A witch. A murder. A wedding dress?
Dylan Apel is having one heck of a summer. She knows her hand-made clothing is special, but magical? Discovering that she’s a witch is bad enough, but when Dylan realizes there are folks who’ll kill to possess her witchy powers— that’s enough to make a girl want to hide out in the back of her boutique. Only problem is, Queen Witch is in town, itchin’ to make sure Dylan learns to cast spells, and this witch won’t take no for an answer.

Dylan must learn fast—someone just killed her best client with a poisoned gown meant for Dylan. Was it the tall, mysterious hottie in black, who’s suddenly everywhere she goes? After all, the first thing Roman Bane says is he doesn’t like witches. Is he here to save her, or kill her?

Dylan is barely getting a handle on her new powers when she finds herself surrounded by witches bossing her this way and that, local police nosing about, and wary clients—death by clothing is not good for business. And the solstice is coming … a time when witch powers are at their peak. Can Dylan survive the chaos long enough to figure out her new life?

Review:

A while ago I was looking for a paranormal cozy and I kept picking up books that weren’t what I was looking for, this, finally, is exactly what I was trying to find. An interesting magic system and a nice cast of characters. I did think there could have been more development on the character front, there might have been too much focused on magic, but they did just discover they were witches. I found the grandmother to be more annoying than kooky or endearing. I also didn’t like how the romance ended, Dylan was being too insecure on that front and I’m concerned that might dominate too much in future books.

3.5/5

Wedding Bells, Magic Spells (Raine Benares #7) By: Lisa Shearin

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Wedding Bells, Magic Spells (Raine Benares #7) By: Lisa Shearin

Plot:

Name: Raine Benares
Race: Elf
Job: Seeker, bride, peace talks referee
Problem: Back-stabbing diplomats, bride-hating mother-in-law

You would think that after having successfully destroyed the Saghred (aka, a legendary soul-sucking rock) and sending an evil goblin demigod to the Lower Hells that I would get some time off to plan my wedding to my sexy paladin fiancé Mychael Eiliesor, right? Wrong. Not only do I have to brace for meeting Mychael’s parents and cope with my burgeoning new powers, but it seems there may be another calamity brewing.

After the recent change in goblin leadership, the new—thankfully non-psychotic—king is willing to participate in an elf/goblin/human peace treaty. The Isle of Mid is the site of these delicate negotiations, meaning all hands on deck for Mychael and his Conclave Guardians. When the head of elven intelligence (and my wedding guest) Duke Markus Sevelien is nearly assassinated upon his arrival, I suspect my mother-in-law will be the least of my concerns. Sabotaging these talks may be only the first salvo in a treacherous and deadly new apocalyptic plot!

Review:

There were four years in between when this book was published and the last one, so it’s been a while since I’ve read these characters. It’s kind of weird because from what I do remember the last book was supposed to be the last book so I’m not sure why this book was made.

As a reader there are series that I absolutely love and the idea of them ending causes an almost physical pain, but at the same time I’ve seen enough series run too long and suffer because of it and I’d much rather still love the series when it ends. Some characters and worlds will always have stories to tell, but sometimes you need to at least leave some characters alone and move on.

As an author I understand that it can be difficult to get readers to go with you to a new series, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. When you rely on one series for your entire income and the second one isn’t doing as well it can be tempting to go back to your cash cow. I don’t know Shearin so I don’t know if that’s what happened here, but I wonder.

Looking at a few reviews on Goodreads there were several people complaining about the ending on the previous book and the lack of closure so maybe this book is for them.

Anyway, Wedding Bells, Magic Spells was alright. Plenty of epic stuff going on, lots of governments in peril, it was just difficult to get back into caring about the characters since it’s been so long since I read them. Also it ended on a cliffhanger which means that there will be more books.

3/5

Lost Stars (Journey to Star Wars- The Force Awakens) By: Claudia Gray

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Lost Stars (Journey to Star Wars- The Force Awakens) By: Claudia Gray

Plot:

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

Eight years after the fall of the Old Republic, the Galactic Empire now reigns over the known galaxy. Resistance to the Empire has been all but silenced. Only a few courageous leaders such as Bail Organa of Alderaan still dare to openly oppose Emperor Palpatine.

After years of defiance, the many worlds at the edge of the Outer Rim have surrendered. With each planet’s conquest, the Empire’s might grows stronger.

The latest to fall under the Emperor’s control is the isolated mountain planet Jelucan, whose citizens hope for a more prosperous future even as the Imperial Starfleet gathers overhead…

Review:

Wow was not expecting this when I picked up a young adult Star Wars novel. I’d heard good things, but I still didn’t expect to have a book that so capably portrayed both sides of a conflict. Gray showed how two people raised on the same planet with different ideals could look at the same things and come to different conclusions. It didn’t make one better than the other either. Yes one ended up on the “right” side, but you could see clearly why the other was still on the “wrong” it was very well written.

From the start I suspected that the ending would be sad and when I got to the halfway point I thought it was pretty much guaranteed but I ended up being pleasantly surprised. I wish there’d been a bit more, but the ending was touching.

Very happy with this book and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who’s a Star Wars fan, no matter what the age.

5/5

One Fell Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #30 By: Ilona Andrews

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One Fell Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #30 By: Ilona Andrews

Plot:

Dina DeMille may run the nicest Bed and Breakfast in Red Deer, Texas, but she caters to a very particular kind of guest… the kind that no one on Earth is supposed to know about. Guests like a former intergalactic tyrant with an impressive bounty on her head, the Lord Marshal of a powerful vampire clan, and a displaced-and-superhot werewolf; so don’t stand too close, or you may be collateral damage.

But what passes for Dina’s normal life is about to be thrown into chaos. First, she must rescue her long-distant older sister, Maud, who’s been exiled with her family to a planet that functions as the most lawless penal colony since Botany Bay. Then she agrees to help a guest whose last chance at saving his civilization could bring death and disaster to all Dina holds dear. Now Gertrude Hunt is under siege by a clan of assassins. To keep her guests safe and to find her missing parents, Dina will risk everything, even if she has to pay the ultimate price. Though Sean may have something to say about that!

Review:

The Innkeeper Chronicles is posted piece by piece on Ilona Andrew’s blog and this was the first one I read that way. It’s probably the last too if I can resist. I love Andrews books and I really love this series, however reading a book that slowly piece by piece is excruciating and I’m not sure if I could handle it again.

Thankfully once the books are complete they release them on kindle and anyone not able to take the blog route can just buy it and enjoy it like normal. Once I could I pre-ordered and with my Christmas vacation time I read this like a normal Ilona Andrews book, meaning I stayed up until almost four in the morning and I’m eternally thankful that my husband was home that week and I didn’t have to wake up with our daughter.

In book form the story has been edited and little things were added, not really enough to make someone who read on the blog feel cheated, but enough to tighten up the story and make it feel more polished. I don’t completely remember the ending on the blog, but the ending in the book really set up the next and it’s going to be difficult (impossible) for me not to read it online again.

I love Dina and the person she is. She’s nice and caring and even though she’s surrounded by excellent fighters she still brings a lot to the table in a battle situation. Sean is a wounded soul that you just want to cuddle and he hasn’t fallen into the much used trope of feeling he’s unworthy of love. There was a lot of character development for both of them and we got to meet more family which was awesome.

This is really such an awesome treat of a series and I feel so blessed that Andrews keeps writing more.

5/5