No Gods, No Monsters was an incredible book. It stuck with me. The audiobook was more incredible in that it was the most immersive audiobook I had listened to. We are the Crisis follow this path. The story picks up several years after the end of No Gods, No Monsters. Life is not better. The future does not look brighter. The characters have to negotiate through so many obstacles as they try to live their lives, including fear founded in reality. A hard book to read or listen to but incredible all the same. I received an advance review copy from Netgalley. I read it and wrote an honest review. #Netgalley #CadwellTurnbull
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Ghost Station was an easy choice for me because I enjoyed Dead Silence the author’s first book so much. Dr. Ophelia Bray joins a small crew as a psychologist studying and preventing ERS, a space sickness that causes violent psychosis. The station she and her crew are sent to was abruptly abandoned by a previous crew for unknown reasons. Imagine a locked room mystery where the locked room is a planet. Instead of a storm raging outside, there is a hostile environment that will kill. Inside there are a handful of people with secrets and suspicious of each other. Then the killing begins. I enjoyed Ghost Station quite a bit. I rated it five stars. It is a nice combination of horror, science fiction, mystery, and thriller. I recommend Ghost Station. I received a copy of Ghost Station from Netgalley. After reading it I wrote an honest review. I have not read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. It is one of those books that always seemed too difficult to attempt. When I came across Manga Classics Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, M. Chandler, and Linus Liu on Netgalley, I remembered long ago when I was a kid, the older kids passing around the Illustrated Classics to complete high school reports. The Manga seemed like a good way to try Frankenstein again. The book is 336 pages long. It is, as best I can tell, the complete story. The artwork is the manga style. It is detailed. The faces are individualized. They clearly show emotion and physical state. The objects in the story are also detailed. Frankenstein’s monster is incredibly detailed. He truly looks put together of various parts more so than any other representation I have seen. I enjoyed the book. I am looking forward to reading more of the Manga Classics. I received a copy of Manga Classics Frankenstein from Netgalley. After reading it, I have written an honest review. His Sinful Need is the fourth book in Leighton Greene's West Coast Mobsters series. I have loved all the books (and her Morelli Family series). This fourth book is another five-star book. The main characters in this book are Max Pedretti, the Castellani head of security, and Bricker Soldano, a Capo for the Esposito family. This is a very well-written story that brings the two families into contact through Max and Bricker.
Exploring other families and how they interact is one of the things the author does very well. I got a good idea of the power structure for the Espositos. The head of the family is a woman, a smart and powerful woman, and that is a nice change. Characters from previous books drop in to help, like Jack with his Pinto driving people around. Or to scare the ever-loving-$hit out of people, like a smiling Julian offering to send Max's friend (Bricker) "straight to the cells? They're partially filled in, but the cement's still wet, so --". The plot has a mystery, lots of action, and a May-to-December romance. The mystery took me as long as the characters to solve. I did not guess the solution earlier and that is always fun. The romance was hot, angsty, and sweet. I pre-ordered the fifth book in the series today. The Morelli Series is being released on audio and I am buying them as they come out. If you enjoy gay mob romances (three years ago I did not know this genre existed), you will enjoy the Morelli and West Coast Mobsters series. I received an advanced review copy from the author. I had already preordered the book. I read the arc, wrote an honest review, and was happy to receive my paid copy when it was released. Slay Ride is the first book in a new series by Davidson King. Last year's O Deadly Night charity anthology contained the seeds for this novel. I am so glad the author expanded it into a full novel (and a series). Mason is a young man who was orphaned as a child and was taken into his best friend's, JJ, family. He grew up loved and financially secure. He has my dream job, working at a bookstore and bakery/cafe combo. His favorite thing to do is snuggle up with blankets and read. He is perfect. The Saint brothers crash into Mason's calm life and nothing is ever the same. The brothers have a very dark tale of horror and grief that they are still processing. They process it by killing the people who destroyed their family. It is like Santa's naughty list but longer and blood splattered. The story of how Mason joins the brothers and where they all end up is a fast-paced page-turning ride. I enjoyed all the main characters. Mason and JJ are men trying to deal with an ugly world while maintaining who they are. The Saint brothers are morally ambiguous. That is what makes this story so interesting. The moral divide between the characters, how they initially interact with each other, and how they grow because of that interaction is very well done. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I received an advance review copy from the author. After reading it, I wrote an honest review. Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh was a lovely audiobook. The story is similar to the Jane Austin story but has some very modern twists. Audrey Cameron is graduating from high school very soon. Her plans to attend an art school collapsed under the negativity of her boyfriend. She is working in her family's convenience store and putting in time waiting for inspiration for her art portfolio. Lucy Sinclair was living in England in 1812. She is dangerously close to being forced into a marriage to one of her father's business partners. If she does not find a way to escape safely, she will be trapped. Society's rigid roles will destroy any individuality Lucy possesses. Audrey finds herself in a field. In England. At first, she does not believe it is 1812. She thinks she has been dropped in some very detailed reenactment. As Audrey comes to believe the horrifying truth of her location, Lucy begins to see what a wonderful place Audrey came from. One with freedom for women. Now Audrey and Lucy just have to discover how to get back to Pittsburgh—both of them. Natalie Naudus and Shakira Shute do a fine job narrating. Besides the obvious British vs. American accents, both narrators do an excellent job showing the emotions the author wrote. I received a copy of the audiobook from Simon and Schuster. After listening to the book twice, I wrote an honest review. Grief that is so fresh it seems like there will never be a day when it is better. The inability to move forward because you cannot stop reliving it. The way the author wrote about grief makes The Light from the Grave an extraordinary book. The Zayne Family of Charleston, SC, has lost their eldest, Vivian, to death. They have lost a great deal more because no one can open the family spell book leaving them vulnerable to attack. No one really misses Vivian because she was a hateful woman. They just want access to her spell book. Vivian, cruel even in death, left a son who is the only one who can open the book. The family never knew she had a son. The son knows nothing about his birth family. Keller, a type of witch considered a weapon, is sent to retrieve Dylan. He is to bring Dylan back to open the Book of Spells and then dispose of him. Sounds easy. Only Dylan is more than a young man dealing with grief at the loss of his adoptive mother, his true mother. Dylan is more than he knows. Add in a spider named Earl and a cat named Bix and the story gets moving quickly. I really enjoyed all the characters in The Light from the Grave. I hope that the author writes more books in this universe. I received an advance review copy from the author. After reading it, I wrote an honest review. I read Love & Monsters last year and enjoyed the story. The story is a lovely mix of mystery, suspense, and romance. When the opportunity to review an advance copy of the audiobook, I took it. The narrators, Simon Dornet and Javi Wilder, were new to me. I enjoyed their voices. I found all the voices in the book to be well done. Noah and Jake are likable characters whose relationship develops naturally from coworkers. Noah's friends, who become Jake's also, were a lovely mixed bunch. I enjoyed the scenes with them all together. Noah and his friends have a book club which I loved. Each meeting of the book club unveiled new ways to share and consume books. I did not find anything that I found detracted from the enjoyment of the book. Grab a drink and join The Book Club Boys. I received an advance copy of the audiobook Love & Monsters. After listening to it, I wrote an honest review. Before I review Holly, I must address two essential details, Tigger Warners and whether it is a standalone. Tigger Warners for Holly contain the usual King tropes of murder, death, cruelty, and violence. Holly though has a particularly serious warning. Without giving away a major plot point, I would class this, after a discussion with a trusted friend, as body horror. If you do not do well with slasher type horror, be careful with Holly. I think you can still get the gist of the story by skipping every time it gets very messy. Or get a friend to read it first and tell you witch chapters to skip. Standalone or not. Holly's origin story is found in Mr. Mercedes (2014), the first book of the Bill Hodges Trilogy. Many of Stephen King's Constant Readers grew to love Holly as much as he did. The Outsider (2018) was the first book where Holy was front and center. Next is If It Bleeds (2020) which is the title story in a new collection. The collection has amazing stories that are not frightening as much as they are thought provoking. If It Bleeds takes place following the events of The Outsider. Holly follows closely on from the events of If It Bleeds. You could read Holly without reading the preceding books but I think you would miss so much. Holly is one of the most dynamic characters King has ever written. Do yourself a favor and get to know her before jumping into Holly. Now on to my review. I enjoyed Holly. She has continued to grow as an individual and overcome the abuse she suffered at the hands of her family. The abuse did not stop when she was an adult. It continued to the day her abuser died. Holly deals with that death in this book and it is an important event in Holly's decisions that follow. While Holly has the support of her found family, she faces much of this horror by herself. Each outing with Holly, Kind discovers new strength in her. If you enjoyed the preceding Holly stories, you will enjoy this book, keeping in mind the earlier Trigger Warning. Definitely listen (or read if you have the written word) the Author's Note by King. It is an eye opening to trip into his choices for this novel. I adore that he gives credit to his researcher. Robin, his Goddess of Research, certainly deserves the accolades. Justine Lupe did a very good job. Her voices fit the characters. I especially liked her voice for Holly. She nails her determination. She also does a good job of changing Holly's voice based on who she talks to. I will definitely seek out another book narrated by her. I received a copy of Holly by Stephen King narrated by Justine Lupe from Simon & Schuster. After listening to the audiobook, I wrote an honest review. @SimonAudio @StephenKing #JustineLupe #Holly Blog https://gatun.weebly.com/ Blue Sky @gatun.bsky.social Twitter https://twitter.com/Gatun_CZ Amazon https://smile.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/?ie=UTF8&ref_=ya_your_reviews&sort_by=MostRecentReview Audible http://www.audible.com/listener/N-H/A4RWNK5ZN8BM8/ref=a_pd_Myster_c2_1_review1?asin=B01AO0OXGW Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4911730-nhalliwell Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/3678328414 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gatunczone/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nannettech/ I have purchased every book in The Hanged Man series. Even though I had an advance review copy, I purchased the book. Diomedes, Dio to all, is the middle son of Jove Alms. Not the oldest, to take over the businesses. Not the youngest, expected to be a f*ck up. Dio is just drifting through life, attending parties, one night stands with beautiful women, and living the "aimless, manwhore life." I was not even out of the first chapter when I said, "Holy $hit!", loudly. while in the eye doctor's waiting room. I was excited that one of my favorite characters from the previous books, William Izawa, strolled into the book. The book never really let go from that point on. I read it in one day because I had to. The growth Dio shows in the book is very interesting. If you have read the first to books in The Hanged Man series, let me reassure you that your favorite "pets" make an appearance. I received an arc from the author. I wrote an honest review and bought a copy of the book. What a delightful murder mystery! Maybe delightful isn't the polite word to use when discussing murder, but The Other Half was definitely delightful. The characters were great, not all good people, but they do live on the page in more than two dimensions. The book begins with a death and Satan's birthday party. Both do not occur in the same place or exactly the same time. The main characters, Nell and Alex, are both from wealth but not the nobility. They occupy a specific social circle that intersects with upper classes but tries not to socialize with the lower classes. They have been friends for years. Rupert is also a main character. He is minor nobility. His character slowly fills in from Chapter Two. The relationship between these three is complex and complicated and should have as asterisk indicating that it reaches new levels of both. The story, starting with the murdered individual in Chapter One, dips in and out of several storylines but always meandering back to the murder. It is well written. It is also full of surprises. At certain points, it is difficult to read. I am sure there will be trigger warnings when it is published. It is really a good book. I am planning on buying a copy as a Christmas gift. I received a advance review copy from Netgalley. After reading it, I have written a honest review. #Netgalley #TheOtherHalf #CharolotteVassell I did not have the same reaction to Witch King by Martha Wells as the majority of readers. I want to state that is solely on me and not on the author. I am sure it is a wonderful book but it is one I will need to reread or relisten (I purchased the audiobook) several more times. What I found so difficult were keeping the names of places and people in mind as I read. I flipped back to the Dramatis Personae several times in each chapter. I also struggled with the positions the various characters held. I purchased the Audible version. Often books with unfamiliar names are much easier in audio. Unfortunately, the audio did not work its magic for me. I think if I could have kept those things present as I read, it would have been a better book. Again, this is on me not Martha Wells. I received an advanced review copy from Netgalley. After reading it and listen to the audio book, I wrote an honest review. I am aware how messy this site is. I hope too redo the entire set so that it is searchable by author, title, genre, and format. Until that time, please bare with me.
I have enjoyed The West Coast Mobsters. The series is an offshoot of The Morelli series which I also love. Each book in The West Coast Mobsters series focuses on a different character. Julien has been the character that even the toughest guy fears. He is often called a psychopath to which he replies, "Never officially diagnosed." I love his character. In the previous books, Julian has appeared as an uncontrollable monster of chaos. In this book, Julien reveals his secrets. He is still dangerous as hell but the reasons start to make sense. The other main character is Leo, the Lion, Bernardis who is the enforcer for his father. Don Bernardis uses Leo as a weapon. Other than that, he ignores him and treats him as if he no value. Leo's older brother, AJ, following their father's lead treats him badly. His Don tells him to seduce Julien and turn him. He wants Julien to kill his older brother and Don, Sandro. The relationship between Julien and Sandro is intricate and changing during the book. The clarity that they gain with each other is wonderful. Three books in and I am still enjoying this series. The next book will be out at the end of the year. As soon as it is ready to preorder I plan to. I think that is the highest recommendation. I purchased a copy of His Fatal Love but I also received a copy from Gay Romance Review. I loved Peacemaker (Sharps & Springfield #1). Imagine Artemus Gordon and James West, but hotter with true monsters like vampires as villians. Owen Sharps and Calvin Springfield are secret service agents, Supernatural secret service to be exact. They met on a train to St. Louis and amiably chat until they arrive. That is when Owen and Calvin find out the other is their new partner. Good beginning for characters who had the time to get to know each other. Both men are queer in a time when it was illegal and very dangerous to be queer. It is so dangerous that they never discuss it at all. People are missing in St. Louis, including the first two agents sent to investigate the problem. With the support of side characters, Owen and Calvin set out to solve the mystery. Owen and Calvin are great characters. They are smart and brave without being careless. Their relationship is grown organically from the chatting on the train to caring for each other. I like that there is such a solid base before their relationship becomes physical. I enjoyed the side characters. They are strong and not two dimensional. I am excited to read the next book in the series. I have enjoyed and finished four out of five of Morgan Brice's series. I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review. Anubis Book 2 in the Wolves Incarnate series Author Adrienne Wilder Narrated by Kirt Graves Publication date Mar 28, 2023 Running time 21 hrs 16 min Audio review: Hearing Kirk Graves's narration of Anubis was wonderful. Hearing Nox, Luca, and Dante again was like listening to an old friend after an absence. His distinct voices for NoX, Luca, Dr. Reese Dante, and Mrs. Laura Phillips are joined by the new characters like Jonathan, Seung, and Isaiah. Kirt Grave's voice creates a masterful narration, the uncertainty and fear of Dr. Dante, the power of the Anubis, the love between Luca and Nox, Isaiah's zealotry, and Jonathan righteousness. It is a joy to lose myself in Adrienne Wilder's story brought to life by Kirt Graves. Book Review: For almost two years I sung the praises of Nox. In a year where I read or listened to 511 books in total, Nox easily outshone the others. I wanted more, as people tend to do when they love something. When that more arrived, it was glorious. Anubis is a worthy successor to Nox. The world-building in Anubis is complex and very good. It opens up a world that Nox only hinted at. The reader finds out what the Anubis truly is and how it fits in the world of the Varu. Adrienne Wilder is one of my favorite authors. His ideas are intriguing. The language and descriptions paint such detailed pictures in my mind. For example: "The wolf appeared from nothing beside Isaiah. The lack of light and night vision of the Anubis didn’t strip away its gold coloration. Stars glittered in its coat, and nebulas filled its blue eyes." That description stopped me in my tracks the first time I read it. Wolves are beautiful animals but imagine one made of stars with swirling nebulas in its eyes. It is beyond beautiful. Characters that I loved from Nox had significant growth and depth in Anubis. Luca and Nox are still my all-time favorite couple. The concept of loving someone so much you are willing to die to protect them is something I think everyone yearns for. Dr. Reese Dante is in the center of the action this time. His motivation is simple: “I’m not brave. I’m paying penance. There’s a difference.” He is also one of my favorite characters because he is such a good man. Watching him grow into a fuller character was wonderful. The action is well written. It is easy to follow. I could easily discern what was happening to who. The big battle scene is exciting and helps push the story forward. It is not just fighting for fighting's sake. Adrienne Wilder has promised there is more to come. I am ready to preorder the next book as soon as it is available. Go on a journey with Luca, Nox, and Dr. Dante. Explore this world. New friends and foes, not necessarily signaling who is what at first, are waiting. I received an advance review copy from Tantor Media. I listened to Anubis and wrote an honest review. I also bought a copy through Audible. Breathe My Name is the second book in the Welcome Boulevard series by Davidson King. The first book was They Call Him Levity (review here: https://gatun.weebly.com/blog/audio-review-of-they-call-him-levity-by-davidson-king) I enjoyed Breathe My Name. Two of the side characters, not the main characters, from the first book, were Clove and Marcel. Marcel is the right-hand man of Sal the mafia boss. Clove is Levity's best friend. Clove and Levity are similar to fighters standing back to back. They take care of each other, fight for each other, and want all the best for each other. Clove has had a thing for Marcel from the beginning. But being homeless and often living on the streets he did not think Marcel was within his reach. Clove doesn’t wear thousand-dollar suits like Marcel. Marcel on the other hand has been captivated by Clove since the first time he saw him. But he feels a responsibility to his boss not to do anything to mess up the business. So it takes a while for Marcel and Clove to finally act on their attraction for each other. It also takes a little meddling. But when they do it is amazing. If you enjoy a good romance with opposites attract and a little bit of possessive protection, you will enjoy Breathe My Name. I received an advance review copy from the author. I read it and wrote an honest review. Sinful Mafia Prince Book 2 in the Malvagio Duet series Author Ella Frank, Brooke Blaine Narrated by Aiden Snow Publication date Mar 21, 2023 Running time 6 hrs 14 min Sinful Mafia Prince is the second book in the Malvagio Duet by Ella Frank and Book Blaine. It is the not a standalone. You can find my review of the first audiobook here gatun.weebly.com/blog/audio-review-of-forbidden-mafia-prince-by The audiobook is narrated by Aiden Snow. If you have read any of my previous reviews, you know I am a big Aiden Snow fan. Spoilers from Forbidden Mafia Prince start here. The first book ends with the attack in the parking garage that has the Fiores capturing Luca. Sinful Mafia Prince picks up immediately after the ending of the first book. Luca is locked in the trunk of the Fiore's car and he has no idea of what is happening. Same day, same sh*t for poor Luca. No matter what the Fiores have planned for their lost heir, Dom will not allow any harm to come to Luca. Luca is his and he is going to get him back. I loved the narration of this book. Aiden Snow has a versatile voice. Dom's voice can be commanding, full of rage or, in this book, vulnerable. Luca sounds exactly what he is, a young man ripped from his life. He too has moments of rage but also frustration at his situation. First the prisoner of the Rossettis, then the Fiores. Aiden Snows voice catches the many different characters in a way that makes them distinct from each other. The Malvagio Duet is wonderful for fans of M/M romance and Mafia romance (my favorite genre). I received a copy of Sinful Mafia Prince from Tantor Media. After listening to it, I wrote an honest review. #TantorAudio #AidenSnow #Ella Frank #Brooke Blaine I choose The Cabinet of Dr. Leng because I really enjoyed The Cabinet of Curiosity, an earlier book in the series. I did not realize how many books I missed in the series. It left me confused and trying to pick up the series threads. This is on me and not the authors. Prendergast is one of my favorite characters in literature. He is odd and compelling. Constance is a good character. For a woman out of her time, she is independent and fearless. Without understanding how the events/characters of this book connect to the last book I read, I still enjoyed the book. Preston and Child are terrific writers. Both their joint books and individual books are worth reading. Netgalley provided a copy of the book. After reading it, I wrote an honest review. @Netgalley The River Prince is the second in the Realms of Love series. Both books are lovely stories that I really enjoyed. Elia is the youngest son of the King of Eistrea but he is not treated well by his family or the people of the kingdom. In a land that outlaws magic, where having magic can lead to death or slavery, Elia must hide his gifts. Elia's family is composed of a sister and two brothers, one of whom beats Elia regularly to the point of serious injury. An ambassador from the Hellebore Empire and his retinue travel to meet with the king of Eistrea. In this group, is Merrick a soldier in the highly respected Hellions. Merrick sees Elia and knows he has magic. Both the Helleboren and Eistrea groups travel together to the Holy City to celebrate the Soltice and renew their treaty. Elia's older sister is expected to marry the Helleboren Emperor. Nothing goes as the King of Eistrea and his daughter plan. There is a spy in one of the groups and they will turn both groups of royalty upside down. I really enjoyed this story. I look forward to hearing it narrated by Joel Leslie. I received a copy of the book from the author the day before it was released. I bought a copy of the book the next day. Subsequent titles in this series will be an automatic buy. Blurb: After the murder of his parents, the rules of high society dictate that omega werewolf Shay find an alpha mate—and fast. While struggling with his overwhelming grief and being forced into a marriage he's never wanted, his courting celebration yields yet another nightmare when fate makes an unfortunate appearance. Alfie is a gossip reporter and alpha werewolf who latches onto the same theory as everyone else; that Shay is responsible for the deaths of his parents. When Alfie sneaks into a courting party to get a look at the guilty young man for his column, he expects to see a murderer but finds his fated mate instead. Despite mutual disdain, Shay and Alfie are now inescapably entangled—all while a double homicide remains unsolved. As their affections grow, so does the danger to their lives. Shay and Alfie might be fated, but can love conquer suspicion, grief, and the threat of death? Fate of the Moon has two premises that have to be understood from the start. The wolves (wolf shifters) are part of society. Wolves are born, not made by bitting. The wolf society is arranged by ABO (Alph/Beta/Omega) principles. Mpreg is discussed but not on the page. Shay is the main character. He is a young Omega. The only child of an Alpha/Omega pair. As the heir, society would expect Shay to make a marriage based on selecting an Alpha to run his father’s company and sire the next generation of heirs. But Shay was raised differently than the majority of Omegas. He learned about his father’s business by working with his father at home. At twenty, he is unmarried because his parents were seeking the perfect match for Shay, not his fortune. When Shay’s parents are brutally murdered, the human authorities believe Shay is to blame but cannot find proof. Shay must now select a husband—no more delays. While Shay is preparing to meet the pool of Alphas who will vie for his hand, he tries to stave off panic, a stranger walks into the room. Alfie Evans works for a newspaper, think gossip rag as opposed to New York Times. He had planned to sneak into Shay’s house to report firsthand on the Murder Boy’s coming out. When he follows his intuition, he stumbles into the room and sees Shay. Everything changes at that moment. The story follows Shay and Alfie’s journey to become a cohesive team who trusts each other. Many obstacles stand in their way: Alfie’s status as an Alpha from the middle class; Shay’s father’s business’s demands that his husband runs the company, not shay; Shay’s belief in his right to be enough; and last, Alfie’s belief that Shay is responsible for his parent’s death. Tanner, Shay’s best friend, and Oscar, the family retainer/butler, support Shay. This is not the first book by the author I've read. I have enjoyed her other books. What I enjoyed about this book was how she was able to overcome society's expectations of who and what he would be. He had to help of Alfie Oscar and Tanner. They did not try to change him or redirect him. They accepted his dreams and helped him achieve them. I always appreciate an underdog who is thought to be helpless and only has one purpose for being rising above it all and living their own life. I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review. Wasteland Marshals Volume One Book 1 in the Wasteland Marshals series Author Gail Z. Martin, Larry N. Martin Narrated by Roger Wayne Publication date Feb 21, 2023 Running time 14 hrs 7 min The Wasteland Marshals series is an action-packed near-future post-apocalyptic thriller full of grim ghosts, legendary creatures, shifters, and elemental spirits, brave survivors, loyal friends, and found family. This omnibus includes the first four novellas: Wasteland Marshals, Witch of the Woods, Ghost of the Past, and Shutdown Crew. Wasteland Marshals was wonderful. It contains the four novellas that make up the beginning of the series. And what a series it is. Lucas and Shane were US Marshals before. Best friends since third grade, they served in the Army before becoming Marshals. Their history together allows them to survive the many dangers of their world. After the lights go out, monsters come out of the shadows. Werewolves are the monster in this volume. There are natural werewolves, genetically created werewolves, and hybrid werewolves. This is a world rich in description and characters. Roger Wayne does a nice job narrating. He creates different voices for the characters. One of the characteristics he uses as the story dictates is bone weariness. The series begins three years after The Events. He does an excellent job of portraying characters who survive without the energy to live. I would like to ask the authors to write a book showing The Events and how the world changed. I think seeing Lucas and Shane in those early days would be fascinating. Tantor Audio provided a copy of Wasteland Marshals. I listened to it, several times, and wrote an honest review. I first read Just for Tonight through the YBBB promotion early in 2022. I enjoyed the story. Ben, the owner of Supernal, is a character who has been marked by grief. He struggles each day with guilt and remorse. He has kept himself separate from everyone, especially his employees at the high-end male bordello. When Crew arrives as his new employee, Ben finds himself struggling to maintain his distance. Crew is able to see behind Ben’s cool front and determined to be there to provide comfort to him. Just for Tonight has a lot of promise as the start of a new series. The secondary characters were interesting and have potential. I would love to see more about each employee including the support staff. I enjoyed the relationship between Ben and Crew. I received a copy of Just for Tonight from the author. I read it and wrote an honest review. When Philip and Richard find themselves staring down an impending war, they must choose between their desire for one another and their grand ambitions. Will their love prevail, if it calls to them from across the battlefield? Teeming with royal intrigue and betrayal, this epic romance reimagines two real-life kings ensnared by an impossible choice: Follow their hearts, or earn their place in history. Solomon’s Crown is historical fiction and could be classified as historical romance. The important word in the classification is fiction. No one knows what really transpired between Richard and Phillip. Even historians have to make guesses on many details. Fiction authors must do the same. Natasha Siegel does a good job of filling in those details. The Author’s Note at the beginning of the book is excellent in explaining her take on the relationship. I have read a lot of non-fiction on England’s Plantagenet dynasty. I went into this knowing there was not a happy ending. That makes the story sweeter, that knowledge of the future. Richard and Phillip’s relationship is a moment in time before their own destinies carried them away from each other. The author does a wonderful job creating the world as it was. Her descriptions of the setting, from castles to battlefields, helped me sink into the story. She also describes the characters’ physical being as well as their clothing. The book was very good. I am glad that I was able to request it from Netgalley. @NatashaCSiegel @Netgalley |
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