BLOODLUST is an intriguing fantasy
344318
BLOODLUST is an intriguing fantasy book where a potential romantic relationship happens to play a pivotal role.

Characters: I'll admit I love Ivy and Lukor. A barbarian and a goliath, they couldn't be more different. Yet, at the same time, they are much more alike than you might expect. Two strong characters facing incredible challenges, Nicole created them so they were still relatable.

Relationships: When Lukor and Ivy first meet, they form an uneasy alliance. As the book continues, the relationship continues to evolve as you learn more about the world where they exist. In the grand scheme of things, their relationship is both the driving force behind certain events and secondary to the big picture. The relationships of the main characters with those of their own species and members of the other species are key to the story, especially where you're never quite sure whom to trust.

Too Perfect or Perfectly Flawed: Ivy and Lukor aren't perfect. They are conflicted. As a reader, you're constantly wondering what decision they are going to make, and how it will pan out in the grand scheme of things. This is one of the elements that kept me reading.

World Building: The world of BLOODLUST is far different from ours. Though the humans play some small part in the story, Nicole built a world full of fantastical elements. There were a few times that I got a bit disoriented, but overall the world came together well, and I was always able to figure things out.

Final Rating: 4 stars. I really enjoyed BLOODLUST, and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys fantasy.
2218074
Who here likes fantasy but also loves blood and violence? *raises hand* Well, if you raised your hand, too, look no further.  Featuring magic, mischief, and general mayhem, Lament of the Fallen (and it's predecessor Blade of the Destroyer) is the book for you. Following a bloodthirsty and possibly insane MC, the nameless Hunter, we see him brought low, a mere outcast.
Like most good fantasy, there is a majestic quest for something, riddled with potholes and a large cast of supporting characters and adversaries (mostly adversaries). The Hunter is not exactly a good guy, yet he's still the hero/antihero of the story, the one you root for as he meets dark magicians and fights against his own bloodthirsry desires.
I can't say much without giving too much away, but this series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Perfect for horror fans and fantasy lovers alike!
660002
The author creates a believable fantasy world and fills it with well-rounded characters understandably influenced by the dark city around them.  The action sequences are especially well done and are woven into a well-paced story.  Tough to put down.
4872777
4 stars

Witchbane by Morgan Brice is the first book in the Darkwind series. Seth Tanner has a traumatic and tragic introduction to the paranormal world, prompting him to use his military skills to pursue ending a monstrous reign that has targeted a slew of unwitting victims. His fortuitous connection with Jackson Malone complicates his mission to protect the man who is oblivious of the danger and his significance in the struggle against evil, but they must become a team if either is going to survive long enough to make a difference.

This adult m/m urban fantasy story is a dark action-packed and erotic tale featuring two main characters who each has had to overcome a troubled past to reach this point in life. Those who are squeamish should be advised that this is a gritty story with a fair amount of violence, although much of it is off-stage. The descriptions are vivid and breath-stealing, so my advice would be to read this in the daylight if you tend to be a little jumpy, lol. There are a fair number of strings still dangling, as this is the beginning of the series, and I look forward to learning more about these charismatic guys, who are still a little two-dimensional to me but entertaining to read about. I have enjoyed this authors alter-egos stories and I am delighted to have another series to read that is penned with her characteristic flair for exciting and captivating stories.

A copy of this story was provided to me for review
4727708
There is a a lot of creativity that went into the writing of this book.  The premise is somewhat familiar with a great evil that needs to be conquered by a rag tag group, but new twists are introduced that I believe most fantasy fans will appreciate.  Characters have depth and are easy to connect to. The action scenes are fast paced and described in a way that really sucked me into what was happening.  I'm not much of a reader but had you seen me with this book, you would think otherwise.  On the couch, in the bed, at my table, I was always reading this thing.
2470548
Assassin extrordinaire, the Hunter always gets his man. But his latest will pit him against the toughest opponent so far, and the complications that arise harm his friends, reveal who really runs his city and reveal much of his hidden past. Bloody, a bit melodramatic but ultimately hard to put down this is a fine fantasy. I'll be checking out the sequels in due course.
1146392
It is an interesting fantasy with many fantasy ingredients, adversity and adventure.
This story is better written than Arena One by the same author. The characters and scenes unfold in a more natural manner. I found the sudden change to a new character a bit strange at first and felt the the story left too many loose ends, some of the characters were unnecessary for this book, they could have been introduced in the next.
But I enjoyed the read. It was entertaining and I will look out for the sequel.
356714
Gael joins his master and Lord to go to the aid of another lord who is besieged by barbarians . They are joined by a strange being, the last of his race, and a young boy . Once there the battle begins. Characterizations and place settings are done very well in this medieval fantasy .  The plot is quite engaging and the action scenes are particularly convincing .
3662490
The Pearl is a fantasy story filled with an amazing array of individuals and creatures from dragons and vampires to a gnome-god who can stop time. The journey to the Spirit Mountains for the main characters is filled with danger in the midst of a power struggle. As the story progresses, Pearl, the first of her kind, gets a new body and Xiao gets a newly established kingdom. Beyond those small tidbits it's not good to say much more without spoiling the story for new readers. But the author has a great imagination and has woven an intricate story that keeps you engaged to the end. Read it and see for yourself.
4367283
An entertaining, action-packed fantasy, that is written extremely well.
Shift of Shadow and Soul is in a class of its own, cannot be boxed into the typical fantasy book.
We have some major characters, namely Corinne and Sy, but at times we can get a glimpse of other people's point of view, which gives the story more of depth. Characters are well developed and become friends (or not) to the reader.
I had received this book as an ARC, and this is my honest opinion about it.
An enjoyable read, difficult to put down and I am looking forward to continuing the adventure/quest.
1101646
As this book is slightly different from my preferred reading list, I didn't expect to find it as enjoyable as it turned out to be.
You've read the book blurb so you know what the book's about so I won't repeat it here.
The book is well written, well formatted and I didn't noticed any incorrect grammar or spelling.
What this fantasy adventure story has is an intriguing plot, I mean, who doesn't like a quest for a hard to obtain object with adversaries trying to stop you? Engaging, well written characters populate this well described and atmospheric fantasy land. I like good world building and the author hasn't let me down here.
My judgment of a good book is whether I am willing to invest time and money reading another book by the author, and in this case I have no qualms about doing so.
The book isn't perfect and doesn't push the boundaries of the genre, but it is unmistakably an entertaining read.
I wandered between giving the book 4 or 5 stars and if possible I would have settled on 4 1/2.
4848043
If you like intrigue, mystery and intense fantasy, you will enjoy reading the debut novel of The Darkwater Saga by Patrick W. Carr. Carr introduces us to Lord Dura, the kings reeve. Assigned to investigate a recent grisly murder, Lord Dura finds himself bequeathed with an unusual gift. This gift he does not understand, but soon realizes he must or it will consume him.

The Shock of Night follows Lord Dura on his investigation and his quest to understand his gift. Author Patrick Carr draws us into an intricately created fantasy world of intrigue, deception, and shrouded memories. With detailed descriptions of scenery and characters, Carr introduces readers to the imaginary realms that surround the mysterious Darkwater forest.

While I appreciated Carrs detailed descriptions he used to create the backdrop and settings for The Shock of Night, at times I found details overwhelming which distracted me from what was actually happening. Although this was a novel of mystery and suspense, I felt that some of the characters were so enigmatic it was hard to understand who they were and follow their significance in the plot. Finally, while the characters were strong and developed, the details kept me from getting quickly involved in the plot.

I thought The Shock of Night was well written, but a bit too heavy on the details which slowed down the story. Also be aware the violence is quite graphic. Bethany House gave me a complimentary copy of The Shock of Night by Patrick W. Carr for my candid review.
4375918
Black Blade Blues isn't just another urban fantasy with vampires, werewolves, and fae.  The author moves us in a whole new direction; bringing us into the subculture of Renaisance Faire afficionados as they battle bad guys from Norse mythology. And it works.

The protagonist, Sarah Beauhall, is a bit difficult to like for the first part of the story, but as the author sucked me into Sarah's unique  landscape, she faces some tough decisions, and I found myself sympathizing with her.  There's some terrific world-building here, and I found all the characters in the story interesting.  Good resonance at the end, but I'll bet there's a lot more adventure to come.

I'm a new fan, and looking forward to reading the next in the series.
3293335
This book is a fantasy about a quest with men from different areas of life  experienced warriors, a scholar, a rich man, a fisherman, young men, etc. They must work together to save Mavinor.
Along the way they will experience near-death experiences, mythical creatures, and a world very different from our own. This mission for their king is wrought with obstacles but the characters are very fleshed out and the environment is detailed and full of wonder.
It's an action, adventure, a fantasy, and a quest  all rolled up into one exciting book and judging by the Book 1 title, there are more to come, which is a welcome thing for those who loved this one, like myself.
4364586
This middle grade fantasy read is quite a bit off the beaten path as far as MG fantasy goes. Glewwe's intelligence and excellent phrase crafting shine to create a lush, rich read with social issues as the driving force behind the plot. The main characters are on the search for a cure to a deadly magical disease in secret, which is also pretty dang exciting in and of itself.

The writing is captivating. The story has a nice, slow build you yearn for in a fantasy book. SPARKERS celebrates books and music through the main character, Marah, and the story is deeper for it.
802931
Garden of Stones is not a lightweight debut for Mark Barnes - it's an ambitious and detailed novel most closely akin to high fantasy, but unlike many books to be found in that genre, the background and mythos of the world he's created are not phoned in.

Magic and spellcraft are given an interesting treatment, and the world of a is populated by knights and warriors who are as likely to be mages as they are to be scholars and skilled artisans. In the nation of Shrian, a civil war threatens to provoke a rekindling of an ages old war between the Humans and the Avn. Of the Avn, the main protagonist is Amnonindris, who covers his father in law Far-ad-din's retreat from battle into the wilds of the Rmarq when Far-ad-din becomes the target of a massive frame, complete with armies. Indris' assistance in shutting down the unrest is courted by Vashne, the Asrahn (leader of all the Great Houses), but it's not enough to draw Indris further into the conflict.

The ultimate reason for the pending civil war is betrayal by the rahn, the patriarch of Erebus, one of the Great Houses. Before he could be exposed, Corajidin had framed Far-ad-din for his own treason, only to be thwarted by Indris. Corajidin is driven, by a crippling disease, a prophetic vision told by a witch and an ambitious young wife Yasha. He will place his House, and the lives of everyone in it, including his children, in jeopardy to achieve a destiny that may not be what he thinks. He's already acted at the expense of countless lives, and his daughter's Mariam's honor.

Mariam is a warrior-poet sworn to the service of the Asrahn, the man her father means to usurp. I actually found her a more interesting character than Indris; The deadly 'Queen of Swords', neck deep as she is in her father's treachery, and forced into a harsh decision. Once Corajidin moves openly, Indris is in the wrong place at the wrong time, but his actions seem destined.  Mari, on the other hand, is deeply conflicted and there is no easy way out for her. She must either stand with her family, committing herself to her brothers and father's treachery, or stand with those who will strike her entire House down.

When the pieces fall into place, Indris takes his Immortal Companions back into the Rmarq, seeking the man who he believes will ruin Corajidin's day and bring peace back to the Great Houses and Amnon: Far-ad-din.

On the Pre-order, Purchase, Borrow or Pass scale, Garden of Stones gets a Purchase. It's not a quick read - Take not lightly the novel that comes with a glossary of people, places and common terms!  Like other books I have enjoyed, I picked it up, set it aside, then picked it up again, compelled by the characters and plot. Barnes is laying a lot of detail and backstory down to start off the series (and it's got the makings of a series written all over it), so the first installment is bound to be top heavy.  You may find yourself for several chapters consulting the cast of characters to keep things straight for a while. There are a lot of details and new concepts to embrace.

The characters are interesting and for the most part, not generic two dimensional constructs of the fantasy genre.  If Barnes manages to not get mired down in future installments and pick up the pace, it should be a very interesting series.
3023648
Actual score: 4.5/5

Earth's Knot is a great first instalment of a new dark fantasy series. And even though it's a short read, what the book lacks in length, it makes up with high paced plot development and interesting, immediately charming characters as well as a unique dark fantasy setting.

Because it's short, it's hard to write too much about the story without spoiling it, but suffice it to say that there are monsters and there is magic. There are ancient legends at work and foul play at hand that threatens innocent and not so innocent lives. And at the center of it all a great city, called the Knot, which is unlike any city you've ever experienced.

The book flows well and is well edited and formatted. No complaints in that regard.

Due to its shortness it was difficult to predict how the story would develop, which I think is actually a very strong point for this book. The ending came at me from nowhere and instantly begged for me to grab the next book in the series to continue where I left off. You just can't read the book and stop at the end. It cuts off right as you're about to get some answers and be presented with a possible twist in the story.

I recommend this short read to anyone who is looking for a few hours of entertainment in a gritty dark fantasy world, and looking to immerse themselves in a new series.