Audiobook Review: What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher

My thanks to Netgalley, Tor Publishing, Macmillan Audio and T. Kingfisher for the audiobook in exchange for a review.

Let it be known far and wide that I am a big fan of T. Kingfisher. So much so, that I have made it a goal to read all of T. Kingfisher's works and I have been slowly making my way through everything I can find for the last few years. One such series I've been following is the Sworn Soldier books featuring the character Alex Easton. Alex has been through several let's say "adventures" and each has been their own unique take on horror.

The first, What Moves the Dead, had readers introduced to Alex, who served in the army for Gallacia and has since left said army and moved on with their life. A letter from a childhood friend brings Alex to Usher Manor, where something sinister is growing, invading the lake, the land and the house. The second book, What Feasts at Night, has Alex, their closest friend Angus, and Miss Eugenia Potter, a mycologist and illustrator seen in book 1, traveling to a hunting lodge that belongs to Easton's family for the sake of rest and relaxation and as a favor to Miss Potter. Instead they find rumors of a monster that steals the breath of those that stay in the lodge and together have to discover the truth to the story and survive their stay.

I've loved each book, the second maybe a little more than the first, so the anticipation for the third book of the series has been keeping me on edge since September started. I'm happy to report that this adventure is just as good as the previous books. This novella, What Stalks the Deep, has Alex and Angus traveling to America to help their friend Dr. Denton, who was originally seen in the first book and helped Alex with what was happening in Usher House. This time around, Denton has asked for Alex to come help find Denton's missing cousin, who was studying an old mine that belongs to Denton's family. They put a team together and work to investigate the mine, the disappearance of Denton's cousin and what is hidden deep undergound in the mine.

First of all, this is a little more light-hearted in tone. The dread and horror has more to do with the confined spaces at first, which Alex repeatedly states do not bother them, and the threat of gas and explosions in the mine. When what is hidden in the mine comes to light, the desciptions reminded me of some classic horror films but if I get into namimg those, I'm afraid I'll reveal too much and the joy of this novella will be spoiled. Suffice to say, the monster of this book had its moments of being the thing that creeps in the dark but Kingfisher changes things up by also making it the hero in moments of need. All together, it was an unexpected surprise and it makes this another brilliant installment in what has become a favorite series of mine.

This was my first time listening to an audiobook and narrator Avi Roque is incredible with this story. There were accents to distinguish separate characters and the tone was the perfect voice to bring Alex Easton to life. As a result, I'm looking into other books narrated by Roque because the performance here impressed me that much. I can't believe I never truly took the time to listen to an audiobook. This production has cemented that I'll be listening to more in the future.

Rating on my scale: 9 Stars!! Honestly, I still love What Feasts at Night just that much more. It's a miniscule, tiny quibble, but enough to make me reflect that in my rating. Still, it seems there will be more in the future for Alex Easton's adevntures and I will be sitting here patiently, listening to Avi Roque narrate the previous audiobooks, until book 4 is ready for readers to enjoy. The wait will be worth it, I'm sure.

Book Review: The Holiday Hookup List by Alexis Daria

My thanks to Netgalley, Montlake and Alexis Daria for the eARC in exchange for a review of this book. 

I've been reading books by Alexis Daria since I tried You had me Hola five years ago. I also get Daria's newsletter, so I had this on my radar and when it was mentioned that it was up on Netgalley, I rushed to see if I'd get the chance to read it. I should also mention that I generally, mostly, hate Christmas, so my still wanting to read a novella that is based around the holiday should show that I'm reading this for the fact that it is written by Alexis Daria.

First of all, the dedication made me cackle. It helped set the mood for what I expected to find in this story. There was a sparkling charm to the introduction of our lead getting ready for a dance party (literally sparkling, as FMC, Valencia ends up wearing twinkling lights not long after we meet her) and I was immediately invested in the story of a workaholic lawyer trying her best to enjoy the holidays despite the year she's had. Add to that a run-in with a former classmate that Valencia used to butt heads with, lawyer Gideon Noble, and I was ready to settle in and watch the sparks between them fly.

The characters were sweet and well-developed, easy to cheer for as they navigated the tricky set-up of figuring out how to make their connection work while working through the issues they had with each other when they were in school. I was angry for Valencia when she mentioned her ex-fiancé and for Gideon when he talked about his father. I laughed at their antics and smiled as they made their list of things to do so they wouldn't spend the holdiays alone. It was all sweet and swoony and their romance was enough to keep me so  invested in the story that I read this in one sitting. Daria has a way with these shorter works that is able to provide enough dimension to the leads that allows for readers to grow to enjoy the characters and never feel like something is lacking. Everything is revealed at the best time, developed in a way that flows with the story and keeps readers hooked. I wanted these two people to be happy together, I wanted their second chance to work out, and I loved their quiet moments together as much as their spicy scenes made me want to blush.

As much as enjoyed this though, it feels slightly unresolved with the scene involving Valencia's ex. With the way the scene unfolded and the implications it made, I wanted more comeuppance to hit that guy in the head with the force of a crowbar. But I can be a little vindictive, so most likely it's just a me thing and no one else would be very happy with a little bloodshed in their Christmas novella. Also, it just stops and while yes, it had an ending, I wanted more with the happily ever after in the future. Some kind of epilogue would have been the cherry on top, but again, that's just me.

Rating on my scale: 8.5 Stars. I wanted a little more overall but it in no way detracts from the overall impression of the book. This is a sweet and spicy story about two people realizing that the past does not define them and that sometimes they belong somewhere they least expect and that's okay too. 

Book Review: He Knows When You're Awake by Alta Hensley

My thanks to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Alta Hensley for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. 

I'll start by saying that I did not read the first book. My hope was that I did not have to read it first and for the most part, I think I'm right in saying it's not necessary. I'll also say that I'm not the biggest fan of Christmas but the title intrigued me. The focus is not necessarily about the holiday itself though, it's more of a backdrop and occasional set piece for certain moments, think ice skating, gift shopping and looking at Christmas trees and so on. With all that said though, I'm sorry to say I didn't like this as much as I'd hoped I would.

The book follows Sloane Whitmore, a jewelry designer who is feeling stifled at her job where she is unable to design jewelry pieces that she would love. She's tried getting loans from the bank to start her own business but she keeps getting turned down. A chance encounter with Cole Asher, a billionaire and a recluse, leads Sloane to the opportunity of a lifetime: work for Cole Asher and design the jewelry line of her dreams. The catch is that she has to move into his penthouse, where he's built a workshop for her and her jewelry line needs to be done by Christmas for it to launch by New Years. Their attraction grows and soon they try their luck at being together. But Cole has other motives behind funding Sloane's jewelry line and there are people who would do anything to destroy him. Including hurting someone he has come to love.

My first issue had to do with inconsistent characters. Sloane seemed like she was tough and had a good head on her shoulders but she was quick to follow and do anything and everything for Cole. She would talk about her struggles with pleasing her mother in one breath and then in the next, mourn the fact that she wasn't going to spend the holidays with her family. Now, usually this is par for the course, the lead character has issues with a parental figure and it explains some of the character's background. But readers don't get more than just the talking about what happened in the past. It didn't have much reflection as it was being revealed and as a result, the emotional impact felt like it was nonexistent.

I can't even tell you anything about Cole's background. I think his father was a drunk and abusive? Other than that, I don't know where he used to live, why he came to the city, what he was interested in most to make himself money. He had a mentor with questionable morals and followed his way of things for a while before he made changes. He was more consistent in character but not by much.

The characters being inconsistent then lead to a lack of chemistry. I'm reading this book for the romance and it all felt very bland. Their connection felt like it was only surface level, nothing felt like true depth and as a result, I found their connection to be bland. Even their steamy scenes felt boring. It's not a good sign when the couple you're supposed to root for feels like they would be better off moving on from each other.

Which leads to issues with the pacing. The book has scenes focused on Sloane making her jewelry, Cole watching her on cameras and then the two of them together. Wash, rinse and repeat. Which would have been fine if they were interesting together but the lack of chemistry made it difficult to enjoy them as a couple. Not to mention, the biggest threat of the book is Cole's former mentor, a character that spends most of the story off page. There was no sense of urgency, no real feeling of peril. Readers know that there is something Cole is hiding about that man but we don't get enough of a chance to feel true concern for what could befall our leads. And then it wraps up in the blink of an eye and the book is over.

I wanted to love this, really I did, but I'm left thinking this might not be the best fit for me as a reader. I might try another book by Hensley somewhere down the road but it won't be anytime soon.

Rating on my Scale: 3 Stars. I hope this book finds its audience. I'm sincerely sorry this book and I didn't click. 

Book Review: Road Trip with a Vampire by Jenna Levine

My thanks to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Jenna Levine for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review.

I have a confession to make. I actually have the rest of the My Vampires series. I remember borrowing the first book from my city's digital library and enjoying it so much that I bought myself a copy and returned the library one. Then I proceeded to get to about the 40% mark and then left it unfinished. And I bought the 2nd book not realizing that it was actually a series and left it on my tablet for another day.

I had to go searching for it on my tablet because it's been a few years and it had fallen way down on my list of things to read in my digital library. And then I went ahead and hunted down the details of the first book because I could not for the life of me remember why I put the first book down for so long. Looks like it came out around the time I was coming out of the newborn trenches, the ones so deep the Mariana looks at us floundering in the deeps and gives a nod of respect to the trench we're in. I'm in them for a second time now but I like to think I have more experience with sleep deprivation to the point that I can read all the books I want while simultaneously handling screaming tantrums and soothing lullabies.

I was tempted to read both previous books as fast as possible before reading Road Trip with a Vampire before I realized this would be the perfect opportunity to try a book and see if it could stand on its own without depending a lot on the previous installments for me to enjoy the story. I am happy to report that YES, you can read this book without having read the others. Also, you will most definitely WANT to read the other books once you're done with this one.

This was just so sweet, it made me want to curl up with my hands under my chin and just sigh and smile because awww, that was so good.

This book follows Grizelda Watson, known as Zelda, a witch who has left her bad reputation behind for a new start in California as a yoga instructor. Zelda used to hang out with vampires but has spent the last 10 years avoiding them and her magic, in favor of a new peace and being an overall better person than she was in her long and storied past. That all changes when amnesiac vampire Peter Elliot shows up, having been sent by her old friend Reggie, so that Peter can have someone to look out for him while he tries to regain his memories. Zelda decides the least she can do is help him and together they try to figure out who Peter used to be. When Peter gets a threatening note about a job left unfinished, Peter and Zelda come up with a plan: visit places mentioned in Peter's journal to see if they can jog his memories before the sender of the message tracks them down.

I loved Zelda. I loved her name, her attitude, and I even loved her past, which is that apparently she had a reputation for pulling off elaborate pranks. She made me chuckle and smile and that is everything when you're following a romatic lead through their trials and tribulations. I thought Peter was charming and enjoyed hiw flustered he got with Zelda and how the two of them would flirt and slowly learned about each other. It was all just exactly what I wanted to read after the last week of horrible weather and horrible stories on the news about the floods that happened less than an hour away from me. Zelda and Peter made me forget about worrying enough so that I could be able to fall in love with their story. I'm starting My Roommate is a Vampire in the morning because yeah, okay, I NEED to sleep, tell me what else is new.

The book is written from Zelda's point of view, allowing us to see how hard Zelda has worked to become someone better. We can see the pain she feels for mistakes she made in the past and how it drives her to choose to change. I liked how that theme, making a choice to be better, was worked into Zelda's story and into Peter's, because the more we learn about Peter, the more readers see that Peter wants to believe that change is possible, even for him. Funny enough because as is, Peter doesn't know who he used to be. All he knows is that Zelda makes him want to be better, to be deserving of someone like her, and isn't that just exactly what romance needs? It gives me fuzzy feelings and makes me smile just thinking about it. Some of the chapters start with a bit about Peter, filling in things from his past about what his job used to be and how all of it brought him to Zelda. Others have bits about Zelda's past and how her practical jokes created a reputation with a mind of it's own, practically. I liked how reserved he was and how little details like his music choices were enough to expand on who Peter was and who he chose to be for Zelda. The story just worked for me with making me love the characters and then, in turn, love the story of how they fall in love.

If I have to make any complaint, it would be about how I wanted to know a little more about Zelda's past, where she came from, who her family was, things like that. The same for Peter. I was also a little irked by the final conflict of the story, the reasoning that Zelda came up with for why she and Peter would not work out. I thought she was being way too stubborn and refusing to see the truth about what had happened and I wanted someone to tell her that earlier but she did eventually work it out, better late than never. Still, I would have slapped her upside the head because really? You were going to give up on love because you were what? Mincing words about what had happened and what you thought had happened? Ugh, romantic leads, I tell you. There always has to be something, no matter how small, to make their happily ever afters feel earned. Still, sigh, this sweet couple earned their love story ending and this author has earned a new fan. Seriously, I will be reading the rest of the series, probably within the next week, and I'll be keeping Jenna Levine on my list of automatic preorders. If the pattern holds, my hope is for a new book by this time next year. I'm looking forward to it.

Rating on my scale: Going with 9 stars because Zelda really did need a smack to head. Just a few times, nothing too violent, I wouldn't want a vampire coming after me for knocking some sense into his love. Still, this is a great book, exactly what I want to see in romance stories, and I hope the rest of the series is just as good.

Book Review: Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey

My thanks to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and Tessa Bailey for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. 

Let's start by saying I have read a LOT of books by Tessa Bailey. Seriously, I think I've lost count of just how many I've read. Off the top of my head, I loved the Bellinger Sisters books. I HATED 2 out of the 3 of the Hot & Hammered series. I mostly liked the A Vine Mess duology, I didn't like Wreck The Halls. I've also read the first, let me check, 3 books of this series, and I'll be honest, I haven't been consistently rating them very high. Still, I keep coming back because when I find a Tessa Bailey book that is AWESOME, it knocks me off my axis and I decide to read the next book set for release by Tessa Bailey.

I'll be reading book 5 of this series, no doubt about it.

Okay, first off, this book can be read on its own. All that is needed to understand this world is that the books mainly focus on some kind of professional sports figure and their love interest. Book 1 followed a professional golf star, book 2 followed said golfer's best friend, a professional hockey player. That set up, the hockey team, is where the next 2 books continue, with book 3 being focused on another teammate from that hockey team and book 4, THIS BOOK, now focusing on a rookie player from the same team. The reader sees some of the team interaction from said previous leads, and the introduction of this book is a scene from a previous installment, just from a different perspective. I appreciated this because let's face it, I read that book a while back so while I figured that couple would end up the focus of a future book, I didn't remember all of the specifics about their encounter. It also helped to fill in the background of our leads and cement them as a couple I genuinely wanted to read about and see them get their happily ever after.

So Pitcher Perfect follows Skyler Paige, a senior softball pitcher at Boston University who attracts the attention of rookie hockey player Robbie Corrigan at what was supposed to be some kind of challenge between a group of baseball players versus the hockey team I mentioned before. She's a no-nonsense, tough-as-nails, one of the guys type of character who thinks Robbie is only making fun of her when he keeps calling her hot and tries to get her to go out with him. A bet leads to a short coffee date where the truth is revealed. Skyler is in love with her brother's best friend and she has no idea how to get him to notice her. Robbie volunteers to fake date Skyler in the hopes that the guy will get jealous and relaize his here to now unknown affection for Skyler. All the while, Skyler wants Robbie to tutor her in how to keep her true love's attention, starting with flirting lessons and escalating from there. At the same time, Robbie is trying hard to prove that he can be the guy of her dreams by participating in a week long competition with her family where the pair are forced to make a united front to her family, where Skyler has always felt like the odd man out.

And that's all the first quarter of the book!

By this point, I was charmed I tell you. I loved Skyler's quips and her sense of humor. I loved the sudden realization that Robbie had that his past had come back to bite him when he finally met the girl of his dreams. Their interactions were sweet and yearning and their chemistry made me almost swoon except I was smiling the whole time so it was more giggling than falling back in a faint. I can't remember the last time a couple felt like something I wanted to read. The pacing of this book just flies by because of the banter and the nature of the setting, being the family competition back at Skyler's childhood home. I read every scene and just wanted them to get on the same page but at the same time I enjoyed the journey of them getting to the right place for their relationship to work. I'm even invested in what I believe will be the future leads of upcoming books in this series. Which is funny, because as I said before, I read the other installments of this series and I have not felt quite so eager to get to the next book until now.

I could go on but I'll end this by saying I'm buying a copy of this soon to go with the other Tessa Bailey books I've loved. It deserves the place it has earned on a shelf with my other favorite romances.

Rating: I'm going to play it safe and say 8 Stars on my scale. I'd rate it higher but I worry that this might be a fluke for the series for me and then I'll have to wait for yet another Tessa Bailey book that I fall head over heels with again in the future. Best to temper my expectations and wait with crossed fingers for book 5. Here's hoping I love it to bits, like this one.

Book Review: Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai

My thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and Tesia Tsai for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. 

The title is what first snared my attention. Followed quickly by the eye-catching cover. So with my interest sufficiently piqued, I read the synopsis and all the pieces fell into place. I wanted to read about Kang Siying and her work as a priestess that can make the dead walk. I will say my initial impression was that this would be something akin to a romantasy story, focused on the developing relationship between Siying and Prince Ren. I'm happy to say this was secondary to the main plot of court intrigue and the precarious balance between two countries on the brink of war. Never judge a book by its pretty cover. Let it snare you but then stick around for the unexpected story. You won't regret it. 

Deathly Fates is about Kang Siying, a priestess taught by her father to raise the dead and help guide them home. When her beloved father falls ill, Siying takes a job that leads her across the border and into Wen, where the people are displeased with the King of Sian. Her task is to find a particular dead soldier and bring him back to Sian. Except, when Siying places her talisman on him, the soldier returns to a state of living. He also turns out to be the missing prince of Sian, younger son of the King. Prince Ren is living on borrowed time though and now Siying and Ren have to find ways to gather qi, or life force, to bring Ren fully back to life. Together they begin a journey back to Sian, working to restore Prince Ren's qi by purifying evil spirits along their path. As they travel, they start to uncover the truth about the state of the country and that there may have been more to Ren's death than what is seems.

I loved Kang Siying. This is the no-nonsense, level-headed priestess of my dreams. She's cool and collected, working hard to keep her family safe and to provide everything she can for them with enough of a sardonic edge to her that had me squarely in her corner from page one. Prince Renshu, Ren, is the perfect opposite of Siying, hopeful and teasing and loyal to a fault. Together they make quite the pair, working together to save Ren's life and learning to trust each other more and more with every new obstacle that comes their way. I was rooting for them together within pages of their meeting. They are the kind of couple that make hearts sing. I loved their banter, their conflicts and their hope as they came together to be a force that could change the fate of the kingdom.

One unexpected aspect of the book was the actual work that Siying does as a priestess. I understood that she could raise the dead in order to return them to their families but the actual act of it on the page was thrilling to see. The vengeful spirits needing to be exorcised for Ren were tragic and terrifying in equal measure, and the addition of these characters and their backstories helped to fill in pieces of this world. I enjoyed the vibe of mixing romance with murderous ghosts. All in a day's work for our heroes. 

The only complaint I have is with the pacing. In stories like these, a lot of the time spent on the actual act of journeying from location to location does not make it into the book. Understandable of course, as I'm sure it would make for dull reading and make the story drag if the journey is not the focus of the plot. Still, in this book it felt like the characters are here and then quickly end up there, making scene changes feel like more of a snap of your fingers type of move instead of a smoother transition. As a result, some things felt a little rushed with the development in the middle of the book. It doesn't detract too much from the story and I still loved where the characters ended up. If this is where the story leaves them for good, then I'm okay with that.

Rating on my scale: I'm going with 9 stars. The pacing just irks me a little, enough that I feel like the stars I give this should reflect that. Read this if you like romance and women who can make skeletons do their bidding. It's a surprising combination but the payoff is worth it.