The Shadow Reader Series (Sandy Williams)

* * * * * *     6/10   10

Volume 1 Book The Shadow Reader Series (Sandy Williams): The Shadow Reader (2011)
There can only be one allegiance. It’s her time to choose. Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies. A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword master and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden. But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.

Reviews of The Shadow Reader:
The Shadow Reader was a wonderful, action filled book, with many tense moments.  The lead characters, such as McKenzie, Aren, Kyol and many other great secondary characters were ..
http://www.thereadingcafe.com/the-shadow-reader-by-sandy-williams-a-review/

I encourage all readers with a love of Urban Fantasy to run, not walk, to your nearest book store and get your very own copy. Ms. William’s Shadow Reader is a must read for 2011..
http://smexybooks.com/2011/11/the-shadow-reader-by-sandy-williams.html


While reading The Shadow Reader, I sucked up the tension and quickly flipped through the pages. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of a love triangle when I began reading, but it wa..
https://scooper.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/reviewanalysis-of-the-shadow-reader-by-sandy-williams/


I do have two criticisms of the novel, one more serious than the other. The first is that I wasn’t completely sold on the Aren-McKenzie part of the love triangle. I was never in ..
http://reflectionsonreadingromance.blogspot.com/2011/10/early-review-of-sandy-williams-shadow.html


One element that I enjoyed immensely was the interaction between McKenzie and Aren (one of the rebels). Yep, theirs is part of a love triangle (cue groan of distaste if that’s no..
https://www.bookloversinc.com/2012/03/01/review-the-shadow-reader-by-sandy-williams/


The characters as a whole are filled with personality, at least the important ones. I like how that the good guys and bad guys aren't clearly defined. Both the Court faes and reb..
https://imaginaryreads.blogspot.com/2014/01/review-shadow-reader-by-sandy-williams.html


There were several aspects about this book I liked.  I enjoyed the politics – the rebels against the realm storyline, while not new, was suitably entertaining, there was some nic..
http://www.soireadthisbook.com/2012/08/review-shadow-reader-by-sandy-williams.html



Volume 2 Book The Shadow Reader Series (Sandy Williams): The Shattered Dark (2012)
McKenzie Lewis has a gift. It allows her access to a world few have seen, and even fewer can comprehend. It’s her secret. And it exists in the shadows…  McKenzie was a normal college student, save for one little twist: she’s a shadow reader, someone who can both see the fae and track their movements between our world and the Realm. It’s a gift for which she has been called insane, one for which she has risked family and friends and one that has now plunged her into a brutal civil war between the fae. With the reign of the king and his vicious general at an end, McKenzie hoped to live a more normal life while exploring her new relationship with Aren, the rebel fae who has captured her heart. But when her best friend, Paige, disappears McKenzie knows her wish is, for now, just a dream. McKenzie is the only one who can rescue her friend, but if she’s not careful, her decisions could cost the lives of everyone she’s tried so hard to save.


Reviews of The Shattered Dark:
THE SHATTERED DARK has a number of emotional scenes that I love just as much as these. There are confrontations and fights, choices and revelations. It’s a high action novel that..
http://darkfaerietales.com/giveaway-shattered-dark-sandy-williams.html

My one complaint about this book was the lack of time McKenzie and Aren were able to spend together romantically. But this is urban fantasy, not paranormal romance, and one of th..
https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-shattered-dark-by-sandy-williams.html

To be clear though, I didn't dislike this book but I didn't love it either. It reminds me of The Lord of The Rings : The Two Towers - an in-between story, a stop gap until the ma..
https://ahellofawoman.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-shattered-dark-by-sandy-williams.html

I know I should say something about Sandy, but I don’t know what, there are no words to describe how magnificent she is! Her writing is flawless, the world-building is incredible..
http://bibliophilemystery.blogspot.com/2012/10/review-shattered-dark-mckenzie-lewis-02.html

The main conflict is a treacherous path filled with deception, misdirection, and betrayal. You never know who is telling the truth and just when you think you’ve figured it out, ..
http://smexybooks.com/2012/10/review-the-shattered-dark-by-sandy-williams.html


Volume 3 Book The Shadow Reader Series (Sandy Williams): The Sharpest Blade (2013)
Torn between two worlds. Torn between two lives. McKenzie Lewis’s ability to read the shadows has put her and …those she loves in harm’s way again and again. The violence must end, but will the cost of peace be more devastating than anyone ever imagined? After ten years of turmoil, the life McKenzie has always longed for may finally be within her grasp. No one is swinging a sword at her head or asking her to track the fae, and she finally has a regular albeit boring job. But when a ruthless enemy strikes against her friends, McKenzie abandons her attempt at normalcy and rushes back to the Realm. With the fae she loves and the fae she’s tied to pulling her in different directions, McKenzie must uncover the truth behind the war and accept the painful sacrifices that must be made to end it. Armed with dangerous secrets and with powerful allies at her side, her actions will either rip the Realm apart or save it.


 Reviews of The Sharpest Blade:
Aside from a wonderful romance, there's also the adventure of the Fae Realm. Every time the characters enter the Realm, and honestly quite often when they're just minding their o..
https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2014/01/

There were plenty of twists and twists on twists that I never saw coming.  This book would build me up to these wondrous highs and then drop me to crushing lows in the span of a ..
https://thisisnotacliffhangerbookblog.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/review-the-sharpest-blade-by-sandy-williams/comment-page-1/

The plot was tied perfectly well at the end. I was pleased that there were losses that were sad and not everyone ended up in a happy couple. Those always annoy me. But the main p..
https://zeenatkwon.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/arc-review-the-sharpest-blade-by-sandy-williams/

I’ll miss these characters and this world and am sad to see this series end, but will most definitely be picking up whatever this author comes out with next..
http://fictionvixen.com/review-sharpest-blade-sandy-williams/

There is no doubt that The Sharpest Blade gives us a tougher and stronger McKenzie, who is fully in the middle of this civil war.  Though Kyol and Aren are on the same team, to p..
http://www.thereadingcafe.com/the-sharpest-blade-by-sandy-williams-a-review/

The Sharpest Blade does wrap up an ending but there was still quite a bit left open. I kind of felt unfulfilled by the ending. If there was a next book, I’m not sure I would read..
http://darkfaerietales.com/review-sharpest-blade-sandy-williams.html










 
First pages / excerpts and first chapters of The Shadow Reader / The Shadow Reader Series (Sandy Williams):  

The Painter Mage series (D.K. Holmberg)

* * * * * *     6/10   10

Volume 1 Book The Painter Mage Series (D.K. Holmberg): Shifted Agony (2015)
My name is Oliver Morris and I’m a painter. I can use color and shapes and patterns to infuse them with power. In that, I’m more like a wizard than anything, except I don’t have any spells or incantations. Sometimes I wished I did; it might be easier than working the magic I command. After my father's disappearance not dead, though I'm the only one to believe he's not I was exiled from Arcanus, the only place to learn painter magic and discover what happened to him. Or so I thought. For the last ten years, I was forced to learn the dangerous arcane patterns, patterns forbidden in Arcanus. And now I've finally returned home, determined to find out what happened to my father. Only, it turns out my father was hiding more secrets than I realized. When another painter from Arcanus shows up, she unleashes a deadly threat that our world hasn't seen in centuries.  Somehow, I'm the only one able to stop it.




Volume 2 Book The Painter Mage Series (D.K. Holmberg): Arcane Mark (2015)
Oliver Morris has survived the hunter attack, creatures who feed on magical ability, nearly sacrificing himself to protect his best friend Devan. But to truly keep her safe, he’ll need to help Taylor return to Arcanus before she releases any other dangers on his city. Then Devan is abducted by a dangerous painter, one who might be more deadly than anyone he’s ever faced, and demands that Oliver hand over a mysterious and powerfully magical item. Oliver knows he can’t save her on his own, but he’ll need to find a way to trust Taylor, forge new allies, and learn to control magic he believes beyond his ability if he wants to save his friend, or a fate worse than death awaits Devan.


Volume 3 Book The Painter Mage Series (D.K. Holmberg): Painter For Hire (2015)
Painter and master of arcane patterns Oliver Morris knows that he must stay on this side of the Threshold or he risks the Trelking, a being of incredible magical power as well as his best friend Devan’s father, forcing him to kill the Druist Mage. When a dead painter is discovered near the local diner, a place that should be protected, Oliver realizes that he has even less time to prepare than he thought. Then an old friend appears with power he should not possess, putting everyone in the city in even more danger. Oliver is forced to depend on knowledge that he still doesn’t fully understand and must make a choice to protect the city or risk losing Devan, something he can't allow happen again.




Volume 4 Book The Painter Mage Series (D.K. Holmberg): Stolen Compass (2015)
My name is Oliver Morris, and I’m a painter. I can use color and shapes and patterns and infuse them with power. And somehow, the Trelking claims I’m destined to kill the Druist Mage. After defeating my old friend Nik, I now have a teacher, but first I have to figure out how to animate him and then I can try to convince him to teach me how to defeat his master. As if that wasn’t impossible enough, the Trelking himself crosses the Threshold and demands that I recover a dangerous shardstone box, one that had been protected by my father. If I don’t, I know what steps the Trelking will take, especially now that he knows about Devan and I. But what can be so important for the Trelking to risk making the crossing? Something else has crossed the Threshold while the Trelking held it open that places the city in incredible danger. Now I have to protect Conlin from magical attack once again. Only this time, I suspect the Trelking is the one attacking the city.




Volume 5 Book The Painter Mage Series (D.K. Holmberg): Stone Dragon (2017)
After surviving the last attack on Conlin, I now serve as the city’s protector while studying with Nik as he teaches me the magic he learned from the Druist Mage. It’s knowledge I’ll need if I’m ever going to be able to kill him and prevent his marriage to Devan. The power I’ve demonstrated has drawn the attention of something else, a power unlike anything I’ve ever faced, and one that intends to test me. If I fail, not much will happen only that the balance of magic is disrupted and the barrier between our world and that on the other side of the Threshold will fall. I’ve got three days to prepare, and I know that won’t be enough to get ready, but what choice do I have?








 
First pages / excerpts and first chapters of Shifted Agony / The Painter Mage Series ((D.K. Holmberg)):  

Haven Series (Kalayna Price)

* * * * * * *     7/10   10

Volume 1 Book Haven Series (Kalayna Price): Once Bitten (2009)
Kita Nekai, on the run and the smallest of her shifter clan a calico cat among lions and tigers is being hunted. She was expected to accept her role as her father’s successor whether or not her cat was up to the task of leading the clan. She disagreed. Now she’s less than a step ahead of the hunters, bone tired, cold, and living hand to mouth in the city of Haven. And that’s the high point of her day. She’s also drugged, "accidently" turned into a vampire, and sentenced to death for recklessly creating a rogue shifter who tortures its human prey. She’s got seventy two hours to find the rogue, evade a city full of hunters, prove she’s not responsible for the rogue, and keep the vampire council from killing her. All while sorting out an apprentice mage, a married ex-boyfriend shifter hunter, and the vampire who made her.

Reviews of Once Bitten:
Ms. Price pens a tale of fantasy and dangerous adventure, spicing it up with a touch of romance that’s sure to keep readers coming back for more. I’ll be watching for book two i..
http://darquereviews.blogspot.com/2009/02/review-once-bitten-by-kalayna-price.html
 
So, I guess what I'm saying is, Price has created another delectable piece of fiction with Once Bitten. She has thrown me into this crazy world of Haven where vampires are sadist..
http://intheclosetbibliophile.blogspot.com/2011/02/once-bitten-haven-no1-by-kalayna-price.html

 Once Bitten despite flaws was a solid start to the Haven series. This first installment created questions regarding the world. While the reader is giving a basic understanding, i..
https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2014/09/bitten-kalayna-price.html
 
 
Refreshingly, Once Bitten wraps up without the usual ubiquitous series cliff-hanger and ends on a positive note. Once Bitten is a solid urban fantasy debut with enough original i..
 http://www.scifiguy.ca/2009/02/review-once-bitten-by-kalayna-price.html

   


Volume 2 Book Haven Series (Kalayna Price): Twice Dead (2010)
Newly undead shifter turned vampire Kita Nekai is coming to grips with the reality that her cat has not awakened since her change. What she needs is a little time to adjust to her new liquid diet and the increasingly complex attraction to her sire, Nathanial. What she gets is a headless harlequin.  With the body count rising, Kita is dragged into a dangerous game of vampire politics. Her involvement draws the attention of an ancient vampire known as the Collector who has a penchant for acquiring the unusual like a pureblood shifter turned vampire. Kita still has unfinished business of her own and finds herself deeper in magical debt. It's a bad time to be a kitten who can't slip her skin...

Reviews of Twice Dead:
I think readers would definitely benefit from reading Once Bitten first to get all of Kita’s history and Twice Dead is a solid sequel into this Haven world...
http://smexybooks.com/2010/02/review-twice-dead-by-kalayna-price.html

If you have not read this series yet- what the hell are you waiting for? It is awesome...
https://fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com/2010/12/review-of-once-bitten-and-twice-dead-by.html

I think readers would definitely benefit from reading Once Bitten first to get all of Kita’s history and Twice Dead is a solid sequel I enjoyed this book even more than the first..

http://intheclosetbibliophile.blogspot.com/2011/02/title-twice-dead-haven-no.html


Volume 3 Book Haven Series (Kalayna Price): Third Blood (2018)
Going home after five years is difficult. It's harder still if you've changed species in the interim. Kita Nekai, once the smallest shifter in Firth but now the newest vampire in the city of Haven, has no intention of returning home or informing her father and clan what she's become. Not that she has a choice. When the mage who holds her death certificate in his hands demands Kita return to Firth as his errand runner, she has to comply. Of course, there is no leaving her sire, Nathanial, behind. Which means introducing daddy dearest to the man well, vampire she may be falling for and confessing that she's lost the ability to shift. Talk about awkward. Her homecoming goes from bad to worse when an attempt is made on her life, and Kita finds herself facing an unknown threat in a hostile world she never fit into in the first place. Can she survive long enough to complete the judge's task, stand trial before the elders for the rogues she created while on the run, and help defend her father's territory from an encroaching band of misfit shifters? Or is this cat down to her last life?







 
First pages / excerpts and first chapters of Once Bitten / Haven Series (Kalayna Price) :  

Blood Destiny Series (Connie Suttle)

* * * * * *     6/10   10

Volume 1 Book Blood Destiny (Connie Suttle): Blood Wager (2011)
"I agree to pay Sergio Velenci one million pounds if the female takes less than nine days to fully turn." Lissa's life as a vampire begins on the day her husband is removed from life support. Turned by rogues who wager her life, Lissa is running from her maker who is determined to kill her, hunted by the Council who has branded her a rogue and blackmailed by werewolves, who utilize her newly developed talents for their own gain.

Reviews of Blood Wager:
It’s a poor book. It’s a poor book largely because the set up is dubious, the writing is clumsy and it relies far too much on huge leaps of logic and coincide..
http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2013/12/blood-wager-blood-destiny-1-by-connie.html


First four books of the series are to die for. Pure, clean, hard-boiled urban fantasy, even if a forth book goes somewhat unexpected way. The rest 2 are all o..
http://nocturnalbookreviews.blogspot.com.es/2011/12/why-you-have-to-read-connie-suttle.html

So I’m going to leave it at that, but if you like vampire series then you should really consider this one.  It has turned into one of my favorites and I have ..
https://mistressofthedarkpath.wordpress.com/2011/12/18/review-of-the-blood-destiny-series-by-connie-suttle/

There were only a few minor negatives about the novel itself.
I loved the main character, Lissa, as she is a kind, strong, and sassy character. However, I di..
http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com.es/2016/07/blood-wager-blood-destiny-1-by-connie.html

Rather than having a strong plot, I felt like Blood Wager was simply random things happening to the main character. I didn't get a real plot, and felt like I ..
http://bornabooklover.blogspot.com.es/2016/06/book-review-blood-wager.html

Volume 2 Book Blood Destiny (Connie Suttle): Blood Passage (2011) 
"The sight of three naked, bloody men wandering into the clearing with moonlight clouding their eyes would probably send anyone else running for their life. I just sighed and watched them walk toward me." As the first female vampire successfully turned in 700 years, Lissa finds herself in demand by the Vampire Aristocracy. Forced into an unexpected engagement as a result, Lissa feels trapped and stifled as she continues training with her surrogate sire. When a request comes from the Grand Master of the werewolves, Weldon Harper, Lissa leaps at the opportunity to work as his bodyguard once more. Wlodek, Head of the Vampire Council, in an effort to solidify vampire/werewolf relations, allows Lissa to provide protection for the Grand Master during his yearly travels across the U.S. The only vampire ever named Pack, Lissa is permitted to work with the Grand Master without supervision from others of her kind. Things become complicated and then downright deadly as old enemies reemerge. Intent on exacting revenge for a failed coup against the Grand Master, rogue werewolves join with new and perilous allies. Now, Lissa must find a way not only to keep the werewolf race alive, but the vampires as well.


Reviews of Blood Passage:
I enjoyed this audiobook overall, although not as much as I did the first novel in the Blood Destiny Series, Blood Wager: Blood Destiny #1 by Connie Suttle. M..
https://captivatedreader.blogspot.com.es/2016/07/blood-passage-blood-destiny-2-by-connie.html

In all, so much of this book makes me think I need to read the next one. How bad everyone’s treatment of Lissa is and her reaction to it needs the next book. ..
http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2014/09/blood-passage-blood-destiny-2-by-connie.html

This is another book filled with action and mystery that keeps you wondering who the one pulling the strings and why. Make sure that you’ve read the first boo..
https://www.the3dman.com/blood-passage-book-review/

Volume 3 Book Blood Destiny (Connie Suttle): Blood Sense (2011) 
Saxom is dead. The vampires know this. Anthony Hancock, Director of the Joint NSA/Homeland Security Department knows it as well. Tony and the vampires are now on the hunt for Saxom's brood, all of whom are determined to avenge their sire's death. Neither Tony nor the vampires are aware of the other's efforts to search out these rogues, who may number in the hundreds at the very least. Tony holds information the vampires don't he knows that Xenides, Saxom's eldest vampire child, has allied with terrorists (both foreign and domestic). Tony also neglects to provide valuable information to Wlodek when he requests Lissa's help. While struggling to recover from a near fatal bout with the sun, Lissa fails to understand why Wlodek willingly sends her away on assignment so quickly. With very little information provided to her, Lissa is forced to face an enemy more deadly than anyone can imagine and unravel a plot that could kill millions.


Reviews of Blood Sense:
 I liked the series but after book 3, I had to take a break. Why? Because I hate to see how people she trusts keep on hurting her. She is developing powers no ..
https://www.mrsleifs.com/2011/12/blood-sense-by-connie-suttle-blood.html

In the end, I am just so angered by these series. I’m angered because I think I could like Lissa, her strength her power, her somewhat intelligence. But I’m c..
http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2015/03/blood-sense-blood-destiny-3-by-connie.html

Another action filled book that was a quick and entertaining read. Make sure that you’ve read the first two books before starting this, otherwise you’ll be lo..

https://www.the3dman.com/blood-sense-book-review/

Volume 4 Book Blood Destiny (Connie Suttle): Blood Domination (2011)
"To whom are you taking her?" Merrill asked, uncharacteristically curious. "Dragon," Griffin grinned. I stared at Griffin, my mouth surely open in surprise. Dragon? There was somebody named Dragon? That didn't sound promising. Who named their kid Dragon? Xenides has witnessed Lissa's talents first hand and now he is desperate to find her. After all, under his compulsion, Lissa can topple governments and bring any race to its knees. Wlodek understands Xenides' motives all too well. As a result, he looks to hide Lissa in perhaps the most unusual place of all....

Reviews of Blood Domination:
  I like that new characters and beings are introduced with awesome skills and assets that help Lissa and look forward to the new worlds she visits next...
https://www.the3dman.com/blood-domination-book-review/

  So I really don’t like this book because of its immense laziness on just about every level, but the fail does not end there – let us now look, with a due sense of dread, at the d..
http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2015/09/blood-domination-blood-destiny-4-by.html



Volume 5 Book Blood Destiny (Connie Suttle): Blood Royal (2011)
"Rene', what will you do if I kick his ass?" I jerked my head toward Tony. "Nothing, as long as you do not inflict permanent harm," Rene' smiled slightly. I got up to go after Tony, but Wlodek hauled me back. "We will not allow a brawl between our two youngest," he declared and settled me back in my seat. "Now, Anthony, where may we find your father and does he have other children?"
Xenides is searching for Lissa and out for blood. Nothing less than total destruction is his ultimate objective, beginning with the Vampire Council. After all, much of his elite fighting force was destroyed by Wlodek and his allies on a single night. Now, Xenides must regroup and looks to command the dregs of vampire rogues and human criminals to accomplish his goals.


Reviews of Blood Royal:
Now the cess pool. This book continues on the series’ habit of having one of the worst relationships I’ve encountered. And, ye gods, that is saying something considering what I h..
http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2016/02/blood-royal-blood-destiny-5-by-connie.html


Volume 6 Book Blood Destiny (Connie Suttle): Blood Queen (2011)
"Thousands of Copper Ra'Ak fought throughout Veshtul, killing many as they lashed out, or crushing others as they crawled along. Screaming Comesuli ran before them, desperate to escape the deadly creatures. In the distance, Dragon's roar sounded as he fought off one of the monsters. Three other Dragons fought beside him; I saw them as they charged their prey a Black Dragon, a Silver Dragon and a Gold Dragon. Others were fighting Ra'Ak as well; a Black Gryphon fought alongside a huge Snow Leopard. Giant birds swept the sky, screaming in anger as Ra'Ak leapt at them, attempting to sink rows of deadly teeth into feathered flesh." Lissa has been transported 300 years into the future, to save the High Demon world and the Saa Thalarr. But what she doesn't understand is that they aren't the only things she is meant to protect. The balance and survival of all worlds rests in her hands.

Reviews of Blood Queen
  This book hits the ground running from the get go with lots of action, and even after all the fighting is over the challenges she has to face keep you engrossed and cheering for ..
https://www.the3dman.com/blood-queen-book-review/

  This is really common in the genre and this series in particular can have books with dozens of male characters and one or two female characters at most. So, when we have women wi..
http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2016/06/blood-queen-blood-destiny-5-by-connie.html


Volume 7 Book Blood Destiny (Connie Suttle): Blood Rebellion (2012)
"I believe you have visitors," Giff said, setting the coronet on its velvet stand. "I know." I rubbed my forehead where the pale line showed from wearing the gold band. "People waiting on me and I have hat lines." Lissa expected her life as Queen of Le-Ath Veronis to run smoothly. At least for a little while. Reality has a way of intruding on even the most idyllic of circumstances. Complications arise in the form of creatures created by the Ra'Ak; creatures who now seem bent on destroying the universe, one planet at a time. The former Ra'Ak and Elemaiya who were left on Kifirin are determined to rebel; vampires are clamoring for entertainment and other distractions on Le-Ath Veronis and family that Lissa never suspected she had show up some of them in the most unexpected of ways. Lissa is forced to juggle the difficulties in her life while dealing with the ugliest of betrayals.


Review of Blood Rebellion:
  I’m going to keep reading this series because I’m almost in awe at the terribleness of them and Lissa in particular – considering the terrible things I’ve read, this takes a spec..
http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2017/02/blood-rebellion-blood-destiny-6-by.html

Volume 8 Book Blood Destiny (Connie Suttle): Blood War (2012)
"Tsk, tsk," Erland muttered, shaking his head in mock sympathy. "Perhaps Lissa should raise the topic of Diplomatic Immunity at the Conclave." "That, my friend, would be inadvisable. She is new and many will be waiting, as vultures do when an ox is dying." "I know. At times, I feel the need to cover myself in oil, just to slip through the tripe and garbage of Wylend's court. Lissa will have to contend with five hundred times that when she goes to Conclave." "I fear that no amount of diplomatic oil will keep her from the shock that is coming. She will be snubbed and mistreated by many, I fear. Not only because she is a new monarch, but because there is a price on her head. Most will be placing as much distance between that and themselves as they can get. It is never wise to befriend one who is marked by the Assassin's Guild. That is usually a death waiting to happen." Death has come to Le-Ath Veronis. A would be assassin, aiming at Lissa, kills someone close to her instead. A price has been placed on Lissa's head by Black Mist, an assassin's guild who have been paid by a reassembled Solar Red. Throw in a spin off religion, betrayal, a misguided kidnapping and the Five Year Conclave for the Reth Alliance, and you have the seeds of war.



Volume 9 Book Blood Destiny (Connie Suttle): Blood Redemption (2012)
"Radomir handled the meeting, because Gavin wanted to kill Norian Keef. Norian sat inside Gavin's office at the palace, nervously tapping a foot. That in itself irritated Gavin to the point of red-eyed, lengthy-fanged murder. Radomir worked to calm Norian while Gavin looked on, mentally considering the many, painful ways Norian might meet his end." Assignments are handed out at the end of every Conclave, and Lissa has been given the assignment to act as Liaison for the ASD (Alliance Security Detail) the Founder and Twenty Charter Members of the Reth Alliance have made that decision. As Lissa says, "you don't show up for the meeting, you get the assignment." She doesn't realize, at first, that the Founder intends her position to be hands on. Norian Keef, Director of the ASD, is hot on the trail of Solar Red, which is working its way into the Alliance, posing as legitimate religions and offering payouts to kings and governors to slip past Alliance rules. Solar Red has hired Black Mist to kill Lissa, but Black Mist has its own agenda where Lissa is concerned.  Viregruz, Black Mist's founder, has a personal vendetta against Lissa and will stop at nothing to eliminate the Vampire Queen. All it will take, in his estimation, is a few unguarded words to one of the spies placed on Le-Ath Veronis…..



Volume 10 Book Blood Destiny (Connie Suttle):  Blood Reunion (2012)
"My love, the child almost died." Lissa looked up at Roff's words. His wings rustled after he spoke he normally didn't involve himself in the politics of Le-Ath Veronis. Not to this extent, anyway. "I know, honey. And now two other children are likely to die as a result. Yes, I know they did this, but I'm not convinced we have all the ones involved in the crime." Toff's life is in danger someone from the Green Fae village wants him dead. In fact, the entire Fae community has begun to grumble as Kifirin's judgment looms. With only a few exceptions, the Fae focus their anger (and the blame) on Toff, who fails to understand why everyone now seems to be against him.


Volume 11 Book Blood Destiny (Connie Suttle): Blood Recall (2018)
A vampire, a werewolf and a Larentii walk into a bar...  Lissa, Winkler, Zaria and Breanne are forced into the past to protect the timeline from rogue gods. What seems a simple task at first turns far more sinister and deadly, when the rogues' true goals are discovered.  The rogues' objective?  To reverse the outcome of the God Wars in their favor…





 
First pages / excerpts and first chapters of Blood Recall / Blood Destiny Series (Connie Suttle) :  

The Nevernight Chronicle (Jay Kristoff)

* * * * * * * *     8/10   10

Volume 1 Book The Nevernight Chronicle (Jay Kristoff): Nevernight (2016)
In a land where three suns almost never set, a
fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family. Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined. Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves. Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?

Reviews of Nevernight 

"Finally, Nevernight was brutal and violent.  I should have known going in, since it’s about assassins, but for some reason I expected something tamer.  Maybe .."
https://birdiebookwormblog.com/2017/10/13/review-nevernight-by-jay-kristoff/

"So, even though I LOVED portions of this book, I felt like I was slogging through parts of it – it left me feeling quite conflicted! That’s why, in the end, I.."
https://feedyourfictionaddiction.com/2016/08/nevernight-jay-kristoff-conflicted-review.html

"I have seen some negative comments online regarding the overly descriptive and metaphorical language used, but I guess that’s a matter of taste. You’ll defini.."
https://www.pendoramagazine.com/book-reviews/2017/9/4/book-review-nevernight-by-jay-kristoff

"I am late to the Nevernight train (despite my friends’ frustration), but I knew I would like it if I just read it. From the beginning, I already loved the wri.."
https://yasminereads.wordpress.com/2017/10/12/book-review-nevernight-by-jay-kristoff/

"I say, if the synopsis hooks you, disregard the complexity! Pick it up and see if you can follow. This is one heck of a phenomenal read, the type of book that.."
https://www.inwonderlandbookblog.com/2016/10/review-nevernight-by-jay-kristoff.html

Volume 2 Book The Nevernight Chronicle (Jay Kristoff): Godsgrave (2017)
A ruthless young assassin continues her journey for revenge in this new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff. Assassin Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church ministry think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending Consul Scaeva and Cardinal Duomo, or avenging her familia. And after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to suspect the motives of the Red Church itself. When it’s announced that Scaeva and Duomo will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end them. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between loyalty and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.

Reviews of Godsgrave:
 "As far as “second in a series books” go, Godsgrave held its own and then some. Kristoff wisely leads his characters away from the setting of Nevernight, the R.."
http://booksbonesbuffy.com/2017/09/05/godsgrave-by-jay-kristoff-review/

"At the beginning chapter, we’re blessed by Jay Kristoff’s magnificent introduction to the distinct smell of corpses, like starting from the very first sentenc.."
https://bibliophilicmedstudent.wordpress.com/2017/12/03/godsgrave/

"To be honest, I haven’t the faintest idea where to start. I am actually in proper shock, for so many reasons; but this book was nothing short of phenomenal an.."
https://brooklynthebookworm.wordpress.com/2017/11/12/book-review-godsgrave-by-jay-kristoff/

"And while it was, there was still that hint of disappointment because I felt like I had already been through this story. Granted, there were no chariot matche.."
http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/?p=13514

"I found this sequel easier to get into than the first book. The refresher included at the beginning was a clever tool. It proved to be a big help in jogging m.."
http://bookcatpin.blogspot.com/2017/09/review-godsgrave-nevernight-chronicle-2.html

The Master Thief Series (Ben Hale)

* * * * * * *     7/10   10

Volume 1 Book The Master Thief (Ben Hale): Jack of Thieves (2016)
The Thieves Guild is renowned for their ability to steal anything. Its elite members have robbed nobles of wealth, reputation, and even their honor. The Guildmaster rules them with brutality and fear, yet his name and past are a mystery. From the depths of the Evermist swamp he seeks a master thief, one who can help him reclaim his lost power. Young and brash, Jack Myst has drawn the Guildmaster’s attention. His feats mark his potential, but his audacity and cunning make him dangerous. After years of preparation an invitation from the guild is exactly what he desires. When he gets it his hunt begins, and there is nothing he cannot steal.  Even the Guildmaster’s secret.

Volume 2 Book The Master Thief (Ben Hale): Thief in the Myst (2016)
Jack Myst infiltrated the Thieves Guild to avenge his mother’s murder, but never expected to find a home. Now a master thief, he grapples with his new identity as he unravels the secrets of the fallen Guildmaster. The trail of questions will lead to a shocking truth, that his foe is a remnant of an ancient race, the very devil of Lumineia. Skorn.  Seething with hatred and cast out by the thieves, Skorn is not without allies. Forcing an assassin into service, he journeys to the forgotten fortress of Margauth, where a cult worships him as a god. With such an army at his command he seeks a return to power, and two keys that unlock a legendary vault.  The Vault of the Eternals.

Volume 3 Book The Master Thief (Ben Hale): The God Thief (2016)
Now infamous for his exploits, Jack Myst is a master thief. As a member of the Thieves Guild he has fought assassins, reavers, and even a devil but now he faces his greatest challenge yet, the rank of guildmaster. Ascending to the office after defeating Skorn at Margauth, he launches a daring plan, one to steal what cannot be stolen.  A god.  But Skorn has retrieved the fragments of an ancient artifact, and has begun construction on the Necrolith, the beacon of ending. He issues a king’s bounty on Jack’s head, turning governments and guilds against him. Hounded by soldiers and hunted by assassins, it will require all of Jack’s skill to triumph over Skorn.  He couldn’t be more excited.

First pages / excerpts and first chapters of Jack of Thieves / The Master Thief Series  1 (Ben Hale:  

Echoes of Empire Series (Mark T. Barnes)

* * * * * * *     7/10   10

Volume 1 Book Echoes of Empire (Mark T. Barnes): The Garden of Stones (2013)
An uneasy peace has existed since the fall of the Awakened Empire centuries ago. Now the hybrid Avān share the land with the people they once conquered: the star born humans; the spectral, undead Nomads; and what remains of the Elemental Masters. With the Empress in shadows an estranged ghost, it is the ancient dynasties of the Great Houses and the Hundred Families that rule. But now civil war threatens to draw all of Shrīan into a vicious struggle sparked by one man’s lust for power, and his drive to cheat death. Visions have foretold that Corajidin, dying ruler of House Erebus, will not only survive, but rise to rule his people. The wily nobleman seeks to make his destiny certain by plundering the ruins of his civilization’s past for the arcane science needed to ensure his survival, and by mercilessly eliminating his rivals. But mercenary warrior mage Indris, scion of the rival House Näsarat, stands most powerfully in the usurper’s bloody path. For it is Indris who reluctantly accepts the task of finding a missing man, the only one able to steer the teetering nation towards peace.

Reviews of The Garden of Stones:
"From the very first page of this epic, Mr. Barnes immerses his first time reader in a world filled with vivid cultures, unusual species, ancient mysteries, an.."
https://bookwraiths.com/2014/01/27/the-garden-of-stones-by-mark-t-barnes/

"The Garden of Stones is a grab-bag of what’s cool – airships, large swords, brightly-hued armor, lost cities, ancient civilizations, epic artifacts, Machiavel.."
http://www.adventuresinscifipublishing.com/2013/11/book-review-the-garden-of-stones-by-mark-t-barnes/

"In the competition between paper and audio, I really do think The Garden of Stones would probably work better in paper, though it’s definitely enjoyable in au.."
http://www.sffaudio.com/review-of-the-garden-of-stones-by-mark-t-barnes/

"The beginning is where my first critique comes in. It’s very confusing. From what I’ve gathered, people are comparing it to the jarring start of Erikson’s Mal.."
https://acerbicwriting.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/the-garden-of-stones-by-mark-t-barnes/

Volume 2 Book Echoes of Empire (Mark T. Barnes): The Obsidian Heart (2013)
A plot to overthrow the Shrīanese Federation has been quashed, but the bloody rebellion is far from over...and the struggle to survive is just beginning. Warrior mage Indris grows weary in his failed attempts to thwart the political machinations of Corajidin, and faces the possibility of imprisonment upon his return to his homeland. Moreover, Indris’s desire for Corajidin’s daughter, Mari, is strong. Can he choose between his duty and his desire…and at what cost? Left alienated from her House, Mari is torn between the opposing forces of her family and her country especially now that she’s been offered the position of Knight Colonel of the Feyassin, the elite royal guards whose legacy reaches back to the days of the Awakened Empire. As the tensions rise, she must decide if her future is with Indris, with her family, or in a direction not yet foreseen.
As he awaits trial for his crimes, Corajidin confronts the good and evil within himself. Does he seek redemption for his cruel deeds, or does he indebt himself further to the enigmatic forces that have promised him success, and granted him a reprieve from death? What is more important: his ambition, regaining the love stolen from him, or his soul?

Reviews of The Obsidian Heart
"Even though The Obsidian Heart begins with a recap of previous events from the first book, the story as a whole owes some of its intense immersiveness to the .."
https://www.readingreality.net/2014/02/review-the-obsidian-heart-by-mark-t-barnes/

"And it is. Where The Garden of Stones created a world and set the table for an epic adventure The Obsidian Heart delivers on that promise in spectacular style.."
https://bookwraiths.com/2014/05/12/the-obsidian-heart-by-mark-t-barnes/

Volume 3 Book Echoes of Empire (Mark T. Barnes): The Pillars of Sand (2014)
Prophecy declared that corrupt politician Corajidin would rule the Shrīanese Federation, even become its new Emperor and sinister magic has helped him defy death in order to do it. But his victory is not assured, thanks to clashing rival factions that hinder any attempts to unify the nation. Though he has taken increasingly brutal measures to eliminate all obstacles in his path, the dark forces supporting him grow dangerously impatient. And the harder they press, the more drastic Corajidin’s actions become. Soon, only his most powerful adversaries will stand in his way: Indris, the peerless swordsman and sorcerer who has long fought to end the Federation’s bloody turmoil; and the warrior poet Mari, Corajidin’s own daughter and the woman Indris loves. Fate has torn them apart, forcing them into terrifying personal trials. But if Indris can bring to bear the devastating knowledge of the Pillars of Sand, and Mari can rise up as a rebel leader, Corajidin’s enemies will rally and the decisive battle for the soul and future of the Shrīanese will begin.


Reviews of The Pillars of Sand :
"I spent my time savoring each word, each drop of philosophy soon rolling into a river of eurekas. Blinding flashes of vivid storytelling I cannot fully compre.."
https://acerbicwriting.wordpress.com/2015/01/12/the-pillars-of-sand-by-mark-t-barnes/

"I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank both of them for allowing me to receive this.."
https://bookwraiths.com/2014/05/19/the-pillars-of-sand-by-mark-t-barnes/
First pages / excerpts and first chapters of The Garden of Stones / Echoes of Empire Series  1 (Mark T. Barnes):