Book Review: Making Demons Bright by Casey Blair

Making Demons Bright caught my attention with just its title alone. I've honestly been singing that to myself since first reading the name of the book. Can't you hear it in your head? With the charm of the title alone, I knew the tone of the book from the start and the contents of this story lived up to the expectations the title set. This book was charming and spicy and now I need to find more books by Casey Blair. 

First of all, the world-building was easy enough to step into. Bailey has been escaping to Holly Dell for years, a tiny town that is slowly dying as its residents age and pass on and the younger generations have moved out. Bailey wants to save this place that has been a comfort to her for nearly her entire life and she's on her way to her cabin for a much needed vacation. Everything needed to understand the setting is given and it feels familiar enough for readers to be able to understand exactly what is going on here. The book switches point-of-view with Bailey and Dreziel, showing us how the two start to work out what it means know that they are essentially stuck together. Through Dreziel, we see a little more of the outsider perspective of saving the town as Dreziel's only reason for caring to save Holly Dell is for Bailey, so his actions in moving closer towards Bailey and helping her with her dream helps us to understand just how important this task is for Bailey and for others in the town.

As for the characters, I was charmed with the banter between our two leads. I loved how quick Bailey was to take charge and make plans. I could understand how she could lead a team back at her job that love her enough to want to help her with her new dream. I loved this woman, I thought she was brilliant and the fact that she understood how to get through to Dreziel showed how compassionate and thoughtful she really was. Dreziel was tragic, this unsung hero type who really didn't understand how everyone didn't judge him for the mistakes he had made. I loved how Bailey worked to make him feel comfortable, to help the trauma of his past, and I loved how quick he was to realize his mistakes and then tried to rectify him. I just have to say, these two were just so level-headed, they were reasonable, they were understanding of each other and it felt so healthy to see a couple come together the way that they did to the point that they would fight someone to keep the other safe. And their connection once they got there felt earned and the spicy scenes only added to the depth of their relationship, they weren't there for nothing, Bailey and Dreziel deserved their happiness in each other and it was exactly what they needed to continue to grow together.

As for the plot, Dreziel has escaped from his world with a few companions and has anchored himself to the first person he finds, Bailey. But Bailey surprises Dreziel with her everything and Dreziel finds himself drawn to her despite his intention to leave. Everything just works with the way the plot unfolds. We have a traumatized demon who needs to learn and accept that deserves happiness and we have a young woman who needed to learn how to reach out and take the happiness she deserved. They were two characters meant to be together, the exact being needed to help the other to overcome their past and find something better for themselves. After the way events unfolded in this book, I can't wait to see what comes next for the other characters seen in this book.

Read this book for the fun and a couple willing to do what it takes to bring some sparkle and holiday cheer into the lives of their town and each other.

Rating on my Scale: 9 Stars. I wanted more. Seriously, this was such a fast read and I wanted to spend more time with Bailey and Dreziel because they were just so darn cute together. I'm looking forward to coming back to read more books set in Holly Dell in the future.

My thanks to Behind the Pages LLC and Casey Blair for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Binding by S.J. Sastre

Some books click with you the moment you read the opening sentence and others take time for you to really get into the story and like the journey. For me, Binding by S.J. Sastre only really started to click around the halfway point but then something happened and I lost that feeling. There were parts that I enjoyed but while I am interested in seeing where the book goes from here, I think I need to set this aside until more installments are published, as it says that this book is part of the Kalmian Chronicles, and that is usually what? Four books or more? I don't have it in me to wait to see what happens with the villain of this book, a true monster if I've ever seen one, from book to book for who knows how long. Still, I'm sure this will find the audience that it is looking for and that I am going to be only the one of a very few people that didn't love and adore this book, if the current rating is any indication.

First of all, I feel like this book drops us in the middle of a story. We know that Elaine was in love, an all-encompassing passionate love, and that she lost him years before the book starts. Except that Darian is alive and well, and circumstances outside his control forced him to break Elaine's heart, but now the opportunity to rectify that is finally arrived and here is where the book starts. Except that I didn't feel anything for the love story. I understood her pain but I didn't think the way she reacted to the fiancé was necessary to explain how she would never be able to move on from the love of her life. And when Darian arrives, I didn't feel any spark between them. I was angry for Elaine, I thought that there had to have been some way to have them come back together before this. Why did it have to be SIX YEARS before he finally fought back? I think it would have been better if we'd had more scenes from the past to show just how devoted they were. Instead, it was a lot of this snarky back and forth that felt more like fighting than anything else, and it was actually him starting to put distance between them and I just didn't believe the love story. As the book continued, their connection felt very surface level, based on the physical, as they really didn't work to show us why they truly loved each other to begin with, either in the present or the past.

Next, I wasn't a fan of the characters. I felt bad for their situation but I didn't really like Elaine or Darian. Elaine had a tendency to be unnecessarily cruel and Darian was apparently some kind of dark, twisted man in his professional life and that was about it for him. They said they loved each other but a lot of their conversations were about the things Darian hid from the past or the developing situation between them. Again though, it was very surface level. You can tell me you love someone over and over but I won't believe it if I don't see a little more action to show that it's true.

The same goes for Moira. This was supposed to be Elaine's "sister" and yet, other than the fact that she's marrying the love of her life and that she rescued Elaine when she was severely depressed, I don't know much about her. Elaine and Moira studied Spanish when they were in school and they apparently love the language so much that they sprinkle it in their everyday conversation but to tell the truth, it felt stilted every time they dropped a "hermana" in their talks and as a Hispanic, I personally never call my sister "hermana" unless I'm making fun of her for not speaking enough Spanish so this just made me narrow my eyes a lot. But that is just me, maybe it's more prevalent in other communities? Honestly, thought, it felt like an act because you are again TELLING me she's your sister, albeit in a different language, but you are still not SHOWING  me that she is your sister. And then you add in Liam, Moira's true love, and besides being protective and in love with his future wife, I know NOTHING about this character. And this is my point. I feel like I didn't learn enough about these people and what I did learn, I really didn't like. And the villain was despicable but I have no idea why there's so much inherently wrong with this guy because jealousy only goes so far unless this is just supposed to be the classic cartoonish villain. I do hope Darian gets the chance to torture him though, that will make my heart sing because YES, that guy deserves all of that and WORSE.

Last of all, the way that wedding played out. Was it necessary? It got bleak FAST and then when you find out the specifics followed with the time frame of just how long this lasted and I just wanted to throw in the towel because then the book just ENDS and we have to wait for some kind of resolution in another book. After everything that happened, we don't have enough time to see any kind of recovery, we are only told that a specific lead is dealing and then there is one last back and forth with most of our leads and DONE. I'm sorry to say that this was just not enough to really draw me in. I hated the situation, I wanted to see more of the characters together being truly in love, but it felt like a lot of lust and not enough deep connection between, well, ANY of the characters. 

I wanted to love this book. It had all the things that usually make for an amazing read for me but unfortunately, for me, this book and I did not mesh. But again, I'm pretty sure I'll be the only reviewer to say that. My bet is that this will be a big favorite in the book community, and I will be happy to catch up reading the series in the future, once more of the storyline is settled.

Rating on my Scale: 5.5 Stars. I wanted to like it, I really, truly did, but this book and I will part ways here and hopefully meet again in the future so I can see a bloody end to the villain.

My thanks to Rattle the Stars PR and S.J. Sastre for the eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Her Ravening Heart by A.J. Vrana

This book was a reckoning and I was all for it.

There is so much packed into this book and for the page length, it's impressive to feel like I know everything about this world and the people who live in it after such a short amount of time spent with them. I adored Senka from the start and I never wavered in my belief in her. And that ending? Perfection.

It was easy to step into the world of this book, it felt like the setting of your every familiar folk horror location. We have the remote village, the one where they are living in a place that makes no sense, where you'd think the logical conclusion would be to try to pick up and move somewhere more favorable. Instead, these people choose to stay and they've somehow made a deal with some supernatural entity that ensures that their circumstances improve so long as they keep their end of the bargain. The fact that their bargain includes sacrificing a young bride to the god of life, well, it's no matter to stress over because this is what appeases their god and they will hold to their traditions with no questions asked. I can think of several other works that remind of this setting but the point is, stories like this NEED these settings. They need the isolation to have lasted generations, they need outside assistance to be non-existent. Otherwise, logic enters the equation and these people would rather that not be an issue. With the interactions between the neighbors and lead character, Senka, Vrana fills in the town with every necessary detail to truly see the division between the village and Senka, and how that division helps Senka to grow into the character we need to lead this story.

My dear Senka, that village did not deserve you. Senka questioned everything, as well she should have when a bargain for the well-being of her home could lead to her being offered up to their god. Everything she said made sense and the fact that no one wanted to believe her truly showed the, well, delusion the town was under. They were so quick to dismiss her and the fact that Senka continued on her quest for the truth, for the sake of saving the girls of the village, made Senka truly admirable. I loved her curiosity, her tenacity, and her determination. Her actions frustrated me the slightest bit because I knew where it would lead for Senka, it's the way these stories usually go, but Vrana turns things on their head and that's why I loved this novella.

What could have been like so many other stories where the lead rises above their situation and attempts to change things for the better decides to make a different point here. The village is shown to have been given all the proof they needed to change their ways, to give the girls a better understanding of the bargain, and what they chose to do with that information instead made this book a little heartbreaking. I wanted these people to grow and learn and instead, Senka was the only one who evolved into something more and I say, good for her. A little knowledge goes a long way and in the end, the village made their choice. The fact that they made the wrong one? Well, serves them right.

Read this book if you love a story where the main character decides on what's best for themselves, the whole world be damned.

Rating on my Scale: 10 Stars. I can be a little vindictive, I'll admit, when it comes to stories and this book spoke to that piece of me and I LOVE it for that alone. The fact that Senka was brilliant was perfect and the life she manages to create for herself was, in a word, divine, and the ending made me smile.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to pre-order the copy of this book that comes with all the bookish goodies because I need a copy of this on my shelves for all time.

My thanks to The Nerd Fam and AJ Vrana for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own. 

Book Review: Ocean Eyes by Taubin Dupavillon

You know that feeling, of being swept away by the water, the exhilaration of the push and pull of the waves and the water coming over your head? The rhythm of the tide making something in you steady and then grow with every moment you spend watching the water, being a part of it for just a small amount of time?

That's what it felt like to read this book, Ocean Eyes by Taubin Dupavillon. I am still so bereft at the loss that it took me a few days to come back and put into words just what this book did to me. And that ending?

Chills. Followed by a thought that was simply this:.......NOOOOOO! DON'T END THE BOOK THERE!! IT CAN'T END THERE, MY HEART CAN'T TAKE IT!!

*clears throat* Can you tell I loved this book? If not, here's the rest of the review, just to really convince you.

In terms of writing, Dupavillon was able to build a story here that had the tension, the yearning, the finding of true family and all of works to make this a story that pulls you in and doesn't let you go. There is so much information in this book and every moment is necessary in the whole of the story being told here. There are so many threads here being woven together and while some things seem likely, Dupavillon manages to surprise the readers with ideas and revelations that make this book just amazing overall. The world-building here is easy enough to step into and a lot of what readers learn here is able to expand things in ways that can feel familiar and at the same time unique. Readers will be able to pick up this book and be absorbed by the story within pages of the opening chapter.

As for the characters, it takes talent to make it that I ended up loving nearly every character we spend time with on the page. There are a couple I'm not so keen on and readers of this book will probably know exactly who I mean but the majority of this cast of characters were amazing. Starting with Kaida, the pain and the heartache in this character, coupled with the astounding loyalty, made me want to fight people for this girl. Kaida made my heart ache and the journey she took in this book made me smile because after years spent as a weapon, Kaida was finding something else to be and I wanted the world for this girl. Reave took a little convincing for me to thaw towards, especially after that introduction, but the tension between these characters made everything worth it in the end because of every moment we saw where these two characters pushed and pulled at each other until they finally started working together. There connection felt earned and I love when a love story feels natural in the way the characters grow, both together and on their own.

I loved the group that traveled with Kaida on her mission, every single one of these people are completely indispensable. I loved Kahan and his ways of looking out for the group. Damiano surprised me with his wit and wonder at learning new things. Messer also surprised me with how much he endeared himself to me with his quick actions to defend his friends and then his jokes to keep spirits up. And I loved how Piper was quietly making herself important to the group, helping with tasks and being a steady friend for Kaida as the entire group slowly became a family I wished I could be a part of. There's also Syraah and Luca and gosh, trust me when I say that there are so many characters in this book and not one of them can be left out of this story, they are all necessary.

As for the plot, cursed mermaid story is what drew me in but it's not the only draw to this story. Sure, enemies to lovers and found family are definitely of interest but this book is so much more than that. Kaida has known one way of life for a long time and has come to accept her role in the kingdom as being it for her. This story shows what it takes for someone to come to terms with what has been done to them and decides to make a change. There is pain with change, nothing in this book comes easy for these characters and yet, there is beauty in the way they grow together, in the way Kaida lets herself open up to the others and starts to step out of the role she thinks is all there is to her. The love story was a bonus for me because my focus was mainly on Kaida's journey and I can't wait to see what Dupavillon does with this world next because, and I'll say this again, I'M STILL NOT OVER THAT ENDING!!

Read this book if you like stories about the assassin who decides to fight for themselves for a change.

Rating on my Scale: 10 Glorious Stars!! I want to go back and read this again as soon as I have the chance. This was such an amazing read, beautiful and haunting and it will live in my mind for years to come.

My thanks to BookCovenPR and Taubin Dupavillon for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Book Review: The Guardians of Alistile: The Ashborn by Samantha Vargas

After the ending to book 1, I immediately opened book 2 and got to reading. I'll admit, I was trying to ignore the myriad of things that were just bringing me down in life, but there's nothing better for the soul than opening an anticipated sequel and diving in. Vargas has created this expansive landscape, a world that feels like something you could believe in, and has filled it with so many familiar faces while also expanding it in ways that were unexpected. I had some new favorite faces and while some information was discovered, there are still so many questions left unanswered which means I am sitting patiently while waiting for book 3 to arrive.

After the events that ended the first book, Kienna and Moira have decided to try to make a home in Dove Port, where they first stay with someone who turns out to have been a friend to both of their mothers. They are told that they will find an occupation so that they can earn funds that will pay for everything they need, including a place of their own. Kienna decides to work for a woodcarver, a person she was told to find to help her. It was interesting to see the group placed in different settings. Dove Port was a piece of the past for Kienna and Moira and it showed how their lives could have been different had Vaerin not stolen them away. Both women manage to establish a home and set down roots that start to feel like a real home, somewhere that they would not only feel safe but would also want to defend. Seeing the both of them work hard and come together as family was heart-warming to see which definitely left me on edge because with the way these books go, I knew the peace would only last so far. Danek is still working on his magic but Broan has been sent to find his family and ask for their aid in the war. There are so many moving pieces and while readers have an idea of what the end goal is, there are still so many moving pieces in play before we get there. Showing more of the world helped to up the stakes, showing exactly who was at risk while Vaerin was still in a position of power.

As for characters, Kienna still got to me but her relationship with Ruva and with the woodcarver helped me to like her a little more. Ruva is the voice of reason in Kienna's head, literally, and I liked the pair of them together more than keeping them apart. The woodcarver was the perfect example of what I thought Kienna was turning into, someone keeping themselves cut off because of losses and haunted by things in the past that are painful. The fact that Kienna was able to change the way things were for the woodcarver showed me that there was hope for Kienna and that's why I liked her more in this book. I loved the developing friendship that Moira had with Tislin, the trust she had in him to help her when she needed it. I liked how she could see what she had before and how this new friendship was already better than her past and I want Moira to have everything possible to keep her happy. Danek grew so much in this book but I'll admit, I wish he wasn't so hung up on Kienna. Kienna had too much around her going on for them to really feel like their relationship was developing into something more and I just feel like he deserved more. Thankfully, Kienna agreed with me. As for Broan, he was much of the same, which I could appreciate because as much as his circumstances have changed, he was still the same Broan I was growing to appreciate. After a particularly gut-wrenching development, there was a moment where Broan made a stand that made my eyes get misty and suddenly Broan became so much more important to me. I just hope my favorites continue on to fight for more and than they get what they want when all is said and done in this series.

As for the plot, there are several key turning points in this book that just made me sit up straight and others that just flat out made me gasp. I have a few questions about where Kienna grew up that still need to be answered so here's hoping we see some more come from the reveals that Vargas gave us in this book. There are so many pieces moving across the board, some have changed sides, others are more important than we thought, and everything has been woven into a story that still has so many twists and turns to come and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Read this book if you love stories about finding where you belong and making a stand.

Rating on my Scale: 9 Stars. There was a particular twist that felt like a knife to my gut and I'm still not over it, two whole weeks later, writing this review. I need time to mourn and recover.

My thanks to Rattle the Stars PR and Samantha Vargas for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Guardians of Alistile: Risen from Ash by Samantha Vargas

I've said it before, how sometimes cover art manages to catch my eye and I just can't get that image out of my head so I go back to find out more about the book. That is what happened with Risen from Ash, the first book of the Guardians of Alistile. The burgundy offsets an image of a wolf and it just stayed in my head. I had to read this book but at the same time, I had to recover from reading this book. Vargas has created a truly brilliant, realized world, while at the same time, has made us care so deeply for the people in it. There are questions that have had answers and answers that still need to be found. Once I was done reading Risen from Ash, I had to take time to myself, to really consider the events, and then dove right into book 2. I loved this world and I can't wait to see where the series goes in the future.

The world-building caught my eye from the start. The Guardians live behind an orb that circles their city of River Storm. They train and fight together on a daily basis and are responsible for keeping the orb up so the city will be safe. Right away, Vargas throws us into a training, showing lead character Kienna trying hard to prove her worth in a fight, basically hitting the ground running, and the book keeps a steady pace as everything continues. We have multiple points-of-view, seeing things from the point of view of every Guardian as well as a few other important characters we meet along the way. By having so many voices, the book is able to show every aspect that could be explored while also giving the personal impressions of every character. We know some are impulsive while others hate certain characters. We know that some have pinned their hopes on others and others could not care less about certain people. All of this builds the world into something that lives and breathes on its own, filled with people with real emotions and a real threat hanging over their heads.

Here's where things get a little awkward though, so bear with me. I do not like Kienna. There, I said it, and really I'm so sorry about that and after two books with her, I still only barely think she's okay. I'm much more interested in Danek and Moira, sometimes Broan and only a little bit of Baila. Vaerin could take a long walk off a short pier. I don't know, there was something about Kienna that I couldn't relate to as much as the others. I didn't understand her motivation and a lot of the book had it so that Kienna figuring out who she is was the point, it just felt like she waited for things to happen instead of actively trying to understand herself. She could fight and she made so many strides that proved she was brave but I still felt a little removed from her so I'm not much of a fan. As for the rest, I loved Danek and his ability to really see the best in people. I loved Moira's sunny attitude and the secret she was keeping as her driving force to get somewhere safe. Broan grew on me but it took a while but I did love how much he loved his brother Danek, his chosen family after growing up in the orphanage together. It took time to understand Baila but at the same time, I could only stand so much of her. She felt like the other side of Kienna, what Vaerin wished Kienna to be but wasn't turning out that way. As for Vaerin himself, his actions appalled me and the less seen of him the better. And who could resist Ruva and her steady support?

Plot-wise, readers have to know from the start that a city that keeps a magical barrier up to keep them "safe" probably has more than a few skeletons in the closet. What I was not expecting was the true origin of each Guardian and how they came to be in River Storm. Vargas didn't pull any punches here and the circumstances continued to be more and more intense as events passed. The reality of the situation served as wake up call and now the Guardians were going to have to figure who they each truly were and what that meant in the war they were thrust into and it all was so much to take in but so deftly written that the story just flowed. I wanted so much more for these characters by the time the story ended and I was so grateful that I had book 2 to start once I was finished.

Read this book if you like magical wars and people who are meant for greater things being the ones that will save the day.

Rating on my Scale: 8.5 Stars. The less said about Vaerin the better but his actions in this book but my stomach turn a bit so when I compare this book to book 2, that one rates higher than this one.

My thanks to Rattle the Stars PR and Samantha Vargas for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: The Phantom of the Opera: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Paul and Gaetan Brizzi

I don't remember all the points of the original novel and I'm only marginally familiar with the musical. I have read several adaptations of this book, The Phantom of the Opera, and I've come to conclusion that I'm just not a fan of the love story at all. I'm a fan of the Phantom and Christine but not necessarily the two of them together (awkward, I know), so why did I pick this up?

That cover art is exceptional.

So I thought, yes, give this a read, if the book is half as beautiful as the cover, it'll be worth it. And it is worth that and more because I was awed by every page of this graphic novel.

I don't profess to be any kind of expert in art. I can't tell you what tools were used in the creation of this work, only the impressions that I got from the style. It seems to have been done in graphite, giving the impression of someone sketching this out in practice for themselves only they are a genius, so nothing more it needed to convey the scenes of the book. There are shadows and blurring, adding to the mystery of the Phantom at the center of the story. There is more grays and blacks than white used in the artwork, the idea being the shadows where the Phantom feels safest being everywhere in the art for this adaptation. Details can be seen on every page in the clothes and the surroundings. The design for Erik is particularly impressive, the choice to use a full mask paired with the hat and long hair giving Erik more of an aristocratic appearance as opposed to the usual impression given as the tragic outcast hiding in the depths under the theater. The impression also seems to be that of a plague mask, emphasizing the distance that Erik feels because of his appearance and his treatment by others. The half mask seemed to be for the sake of showing the two warring sides of the character, the angel of music and the phantom, so to switch to a full mask makes it intentional. Erik is no longer the tragically misunderstood figure of the past and he has cut himself off from everyone, including himself.

A lot of the emotion comes through in the eyes of the characters. Christine could run the gamut of emotions within a couple of pages, her pain and anguish coming through with a shift in her eyes and her brows. At the same time, the lack of eyes for the Phantom helped with showing how far his obsession with Christine went because when the art actually showed his eyes within the mask, one could tell that emotions were running higher for the Phantom.

I found it interesting that several of the men in this story handle the women with violence. There's the page where Madame Giry is thrown out of office by the new owners and the way it's drawn made me recoil a bit. There are a few instances where Erik throws Christine aside when she goes against him and I thought yes, this makes sense, she won't love him because he's violent, there's no middle ground with the way he treats her in person compared to when he tutored her for her singing. There's also the way Raoul comes across with his eyes, almost the other side of the same coin that Erik is, because as quickly as he looked concerned, he could switch to being judgemental and controlling and it was all seen in the eyes. Both men want to control Christine, they want more from her than they should, that's what I've always thought, and in this art, I can really see that coming through, at least for me.

I guess I need to finally pull my book off the shelf and give it a read again. This adaptation has inspired me to rediscover that classic and if anything, it will help me appreciate this work of art all the more for the way it brought this story to life.

My thanks to NetGalley, Abrams ComicArts, Paul Brizzi and Gaetan Brizzi for the eARC of this graphic novel in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.