Nightmares (The Carolina Files, Book 4) - Willa Blackmore

Willa Blackmore - (The Carolina Files, Book 4) Nightmare

Hell has come to town, and it’s not playing nice.

Urban Fantasy meets Horror in this tale of living nightmares. A superb addition to this excellent series. This is the fourth book in the series and each one is better than the last. 

This book sees the introduction of a new character, one which I hope we will see much more of in future books. There is also more of a horror aspect to this book, as Hell pays the town of Henley on Hale a visit and Tula has to make a deal with a demon to save the townsfolk from a grizzly end.

As with book three, there was a twist at the end of this book and now I cannot wait for the next book. I love how these characters are developing, the world building is excellent and the story arc which runs through the series is fantastic. I am hooked!

I devoured this book in one long sitting. Roll on book five!

The reading order for this series so far:

Book 1, Witchwood

Book 2, Undertow

Book 3, Masquerade

Book 4, Nightmares

Available from Amazon

 

Ironclad (Raven Cursed, Book 6) - McKenzie Hunter

Enraged Elves, Furious Fae, Vindictive Vampires. All in a day’s work for Erin.

I loved this book. I have read everything else this author has published and this is by far my favourite series of hers. I love the characters; they are so relatable and the character development since book one for all the characters has been outstanding. The world building, the magic, the action; all of it is superb. 

McKenzie Hunter has such a fluid style of writing. I flew through this in a day. The story was well-paced and engaging. Like the others in this series, this book started with a bang and ended with another. I had thought maybe it was wrapping up and Erin, our fabulous FMC, was finally going to get a bit of stability and maybe a Happy Ever After. Not so. There’s a beautiful big shiny hook at the end to reel us all in for book seven. I really cannot wait to read it. 

I’m off to nurse my book hangover with a cuppa.

This is the sixth book in McKenzie Hunter’s Raven Cursed series. It’s an Urban Fantasy set in modern day USA. There is some romance but it’s not the main focus of the story. There are some scenes of a sexual nature between consenting adults.

If you haven’t read the rest of the series, please do yourself a massive favour and grab them. The reading order for this series so far is:

Book 1 Fireborne

Book 2 Silverfall

Book 3 Nightsoul

Book 4 Shadowmark

Book 5 Hellcrossed

Book 6 Ironclad

Available from Amazon

Masquerade - (The Carolina Files, Book 3) Willa Blackmore

Urban Fantasy Meets The X-Files

Just fantastic. This is the third book in this series and each one is better than the last. I’m very excited to see where this is going. This is Urban Fantasy meets X-Files but the investigator is a member of the paranormal community.

I love Willa Blackmore’s writing style. I find myself drawn into her world and the character development throughout these books has been excellent. The story has subtle ties to the first ones and we are starting to see the bigger picture now. What had seemed to be local events in books one and two now appear to have been part of a far larger plan.

I love the ending of this book. Massive twist. No spoilers here but I really didn’t see this ending coming and I am so excited to read the next book.

The reading order for this series so far:

Book 1, Invasion

Book 2, Undertow

Book 3, Masquerade

Available from Amazon

 

Blood Knight (Chimera, Book 0.5) - Anca Antoci

The Hunter, The Witch and the Vampire. The Chronicles of Chimera: An Introduction.

Blood Knight is a novella prequel to the excellent Chimera urban fantasy series. If you haven’t read that series, you should definitely get it after you’ve read this.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s an excellent introduction to the Chimera series and gives us a better perspective of some key characters. I love the writing, the world building and the characters. 

Ella is a witch who is running for her life. Her family has sold her magic to the High Priestess of the coven who wants it all but Ella is not willing to comply. 

Hot on Ella’s heels is a bounty hunter who is known for fulfilling his contracts every time. He is not willing to give up on his hunt.

Ari is a centuries-old vampire. He spends his nights running a bar in a quiet town. His relatively calm life is interrupted when Ella arrives at his back door, bleeding and scared. Despite the age-old animosity between vampires and witches, Ari is not willing to leave Ella to the whims of either the bounty hunter or Ella’s coven.

If you like your books focused on the world of the paranormal, I definitely recommend this. 

Reading order:

Blood Knight, Chimera, Book 0.5

Forget me Not, Chimera, Book 1

Blue Shadow Prophecy, Chimera, Book 2

Blue Shadow Legacy, Chimera, Book 3

Available from Amazon

 

Hellcrossed (Raven Cursed Book 5) - McKenzie Hunter

Being dragged kicking and screaming to the demon realm can really change a person’s perspective on life

This is the fifth installment of McKenzie Hunter’s Raven Cursed series. It’s an Urban Fantasy set in modern day USA with some crossover into the demon realm. There is some romance but it’s not the main focus of the story. There are some mild scenes of a sexual nature between contenting adults.

This series is my favourite of all the work McKenzie Hunter has published so far. The character development is outstanding. The world building and magic systems are well thought through. These are long, action-packed books with believable relationships and complex story arcs. 

Being dragged kicking and screaming to the demon realm and then being forced into a blood-oath with an untrustworthy demon can really change a person’s perspective on life. Erin is no slouch but this experience really lights a fire under her. There are too many people either trying to kill her or make her life a misery and it’s time they all went. If she wants to live a peaceful life, she needs to improve her already impressive magical repertoire and in order to do that, she has to find out how her elven magic works. No mean feat when the elves are nowhere to be found.

This book started out with a bang and ended on a much bigger one. There were unexpected twists and there may also have been an audible gasp and mutterings of ‘oh my god!’ from me when I got to the end. Every book is better than the last so far and now, because I raced through this one so quickly, I have to attempt to wait patiently for the next one.

The reading order for this series so far is:

Book 1 Fireborne

Book 2 Silverfall

Book 3 Nightsoul

Book 4 Shadowmark

Book 5 Hellcrossed

Available from Amazon

 

Dark Redemption (The Dark Creatures Saga, Book 4) - Ella Stone

An excellent urban fantasy. Great story and really well developed characters.

This is the fourth book in the Dark Creatures Saga, an Urban Fantasy from Ella Stone. This book is set primarily in modern day Europe and the UK. There is some romance and a brief non-descriptive scene of an adult nature.

This series just gets better with each book. The writing is beautiful. The story is well paced and quite intense. The constant change of scenery as they travel from country to country keeps the story alive and interesting. Each story arc is well thought through.

Familiar characters are continually developed and new characters added. They are well written and very individual. Naz, the main female character, has grown exponentially since book one. Her experiences, losses and forced positions of responsibility have made her grow up fast. 

Naz’s relationships with Calin and Oliver have changed. She’s angry about the death of her Mother being kept secret and she is struggling to deal with that grief. She has the added responsibility of trying to find a cure for her friend while managing the ever growing band of shifters who all want her to take on the mantle of Alpha. The Vampire Council are far more devious and dangerous than had first been thought and in order to try and stop them, Naz must put her own life and safety on the line. It’s a huge gamble and it’s one that might not pay off.

As ever, the book ends with a hook and I am definitely caught on it. I cannot wait for book five. 

Available from Amazon

Dark Deception (The Dark Creatures Saga, Book 3) - Ella Stone

Naz is in trouble. Yet again. What’s New? She’s out of the Packs, out of the Country and almost out of friends. 

This is the third book in the Dark Creatures Saga, an Urban Fantasy from Ella Stone. This book is set primarily in modern day Europe. There is no romance and no scenes of an adult nature.

I’m really enjoying this series. Ella Stone’s fluent style sets a good pace and the change of scenery in each book so far has kept her world interesting. The story arcs are well thought out and her characters have continued to grow and develop throughout. 

In this book, Naz has outdone herself. Her existence and her actions seem to have riled up all supernatural beings. Not only does the Vampire Council want her dead but they’ve effectively destroyed the Werewolf North Pack and recruited the help of the Werewolf South Pack to try and flush her out. 

She’s out of the packs, out of the country and on the run, reluctantly helped by her long time friend, Oliver, who it seems is still furious at her for the whole situation. Former vampire lover, Calin, continues to work behind the scenes in London to see what he can do to clear her name with the Council but it looks like the odds are stacked against her. Time is running out, friends are scarce and the Vampire Council is hot on her heels.

We see a lot more of Oliver’s character in this book and I am so happy about it. He appeared in book one but was a very secondary character. His appearance in book two was fleeting. In this book he is a main character and we really get to see what makes him tick, as well as how he feels about his friendship with Naz, who seems to make a habit of throwing his orderly life into absolute chaos.

As ever, there is a nice big, shiny hook at the end of the book which just reels me in and I find myself wanting to read the next one immediately. I can’t wait for the next installment!

Available from Amazon

Blue Shadow Prophecy (Chimera, Book 2) - Anca Antoci

Another excellent book in this Fantasy series. 

This is the second book in the Chimera series. The book is set in modern day USA. There is no romance in this book, although the potential for it is alluded to.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It went in a completely different direction to the one I had expected and it was all the better for it. The writing was really easy to read despite English not being the first spoken language of the author, there were a few things which the editor should have picked up but nothing insurmountable and it didn’t interrupt the flow. The story is well paced and interesting. There are a plethora of new characters, all of which are well developed. 

Rae’s introduction to the supernatural was more of a trauma than an adventure. She wasn’t meant to remember it but she does. She is persuaded that it is her destiny to join the Resistance and she sets off on that path but her life is once more derailed after the induction ceremony which gifts her the powers of The Huntress. Her eyes are opened to wider issues, she learns about other realms and once again, it appears that her world was not all that it seemed. Rae has important decisions to make; some of which mean life or death for those around her. 

If you love fantasy books, I’d definitely recommend this series. I’m looking forward to reading the third one when its published, which I believe is not too far off. 

Available from Amazon

Forget Me Not (Chimera, Book 1) - Anca Antoci

Things which go bump in the night. An excellent start to a new series. 

Forget me Not is the first book in a new Fantasy series by Anca Antoci. The book is set in modern day Alaska. There is the potential for romance but none in this book and no descriptive scenes of a sexual nature.

I really enjoyed this book. The story was refreshing and different. The writing was really easy to read and although there was the odd hint at English not being the first spoken language of the author, there wasn’t anything which stood out as being incorrect. The story was well paced and interesting. The characters developed well as the book progressed and I ended the book very much wanting to see what the second book will bring.

Rae’s life has crashed down around her ears. Everyone in her immediate family is gone. Dead. She’s the only one left, apart from an estranged aunt who she’s had no contact with in almost a decade. After her sister’s funeral, Rae travels to Alaska to find her long-lost aunt. What she finds instead is a long empty cabin and news that her aunt has been missing for the last eight years. Grief and depression combine and she makes a foolish decision which has life altering consequences. 

Don’t go wandering in the forest at night. More specifically, don’t go wandering barefoot in the forest at night after downing a cocktail of booze and antidepressants. Definitely don’t go wandering barefoot in the forest at night wishing for death. There are creatures out there who might just answer your request and who won’t want to listen if you change your mind. 

Rae’s venture into the forest at night has opened her life to a world she never knew existed and one which has given her life purpose. Vampires and Shifters are real; not just characters in the books she reads. Her own life has not been what she believed it to be and there’s a good chance she herself isn’t the person she thought she was. Sadly for her, the only way for her to get out of the forest alive is for her memory to be wiped. How will she manage going back to the empty shell of life she had before? Will she manage to live up to her full potential without the new information she has learned? Can she figure out an alternative before its too late?

Book two is already out. It’s on my list to read. 

Available from Amazon

Dark Destiny (The Dark Creatures Saga, Book 2) - Ella Stone

Naz is in trouble. Again. Worse than before. How is she going to survive this time?

This is the second book in the Dark Creatures Saga, an Urban Fantasy / PNR series from Ella Stone, set in modern day Britain. There is some romance and some fade to black scenes of sexual activity.

I really enjoy Ella Stone’s writing. Her style is easy to read and well paced. The world building is great and the characters are interesting and well developed. There are some I love and some I love to hate, which makes for a really interesting read.

Naz is in trouble. Again. She’s avenged her father but the consequences of that are far greater than even she could have imagined. The Vampire Council wants her dead and she finds herself being whisked north to Scotland by Calin, her only ally within Vampire society. She’s heading to hide with a remote and secluded pack of Werewolves. The pack contains more surprises; one in particular which no-one saw coming. 

Naz will have to do a lot of learning and growing up and she doesn’t have the luxury of time. Secrets from her past come to light and she has to learn to live with her new reality. Her relationship with Calin is changing both of them. They have both spent each of their lives in a very insular bubble until now: Naz being solely fixated on her own needs; surviving and avenging her father were the only things she could focus on. Calin spending his time as a Vampire just existing rather than living. The chaos Naz has brought to his ordered existence seems to have woken him up and given him purpose.

There are several new characters who I hope are carried into the rest of the series. The interaction between all characters is believable, even when some of them make questionable decisions. The motives are clear and the outcomes are feasible. The character development in this book is excellent. There is growth and change in both main characters as a result of the events around them. The story is well paced and the writing is easy to read and flows with the pacing. As with the first book, this one ends with an unexpected twist and now I want to dive straight into the next one.

More from this author, please!

Available from Amazon

Raven's Moon (Raven Tales, Book 1) : JB Dane

Really enjoyable start to this new UF series. Great characters and interesting plot.

Raven’s Moon is the first book in Raven Tales, the new Urban Fantasy series from JB Dane. The book is set in modern day Detroit and features an interesting array of supernatural beings. There is no romance in this book.

JB Dane’s easy to read and humourous writing style drew me in from the start. She created characters which differ from the usual UF tropes, have depth, flaws and a few attitude problems. The world building and supernatural elements are well crafted and I was easily drawn into this story.

Bram Farrell is the fictional star in author, Calista Amberson’s best selling series about The Raven, an investigator known for taking down the seedier elements of the supernatural community. Fictional only until Calista decides to pull him, without warning, from the world of her imagination into her own world. Turns out that Calista is not only a famous bestselling author, she is also a witch, well known in the real supernatural community. 

Everyone in the supernatural community felt his arrival and all of them want to know why he is here. 

Calista may have her own reasons for summoning her mind’s famous PI but it seems that the supernatural community also have a use for him; the two missions he is presented with might just collide and there’s no guarantee that Bram will survive intact from the chaos which ensues. He’s neither supernatural nor human. What he is remains to be seen.

I really enjoyed this book. For quite some time I was questioning whether Bram had really been pulled into the mundane or whether he was living his new adventure in Calista’s imagination. The story is well written, not full of predictable elements and alongside the usual witches and vampires, has some supernaturals not often found in the UF books I’ve read before. 

I’d definitely recommend reading it and I’m looking forward to diving into more work from this author.

Available from Amazon

Dark Creatures (Dark Creatures, Book 1) - Ella Stone

Murder, corruption and a broken pact which threatens the peaceful status quo. A great start to this new UF series. 

This is the first book in a new Urban Fantasy series from Ella Stone, set in modern day London, UK.

This book is beautifully written and fast paced. I was glued to it and read far into the early hours of the morning because I didn’t want to put it down. 

There is a 200 year old pact between humans and vampires. Most humans are blissfully unaware of the supernatural world around them. Vampires no longer hunt but are supplied with blood bags and the occasional live donor. Killing humans is expressly forbidden. 

Not all vampires are happy with the status quo. Murders still happen. Naz is searching for the vampire who killed her Father in front of her when she was a teenager. Her desire for revenge is all consuming and controls every decision she has made in the decade since his death. 

Her mission takes her into the heart of the Vampire Council, where she encounters the corruption and bloodlust which she had suspected was there but also help and support which she hadn’t expected. Her journey puts her and her friends in mortal danger. Can she find the guilty vampire? Even if she does find him, can she and her friends survive the encounter?

I loved the characters. They are very relatable. The interaction between them is believable. There is good development of all the main characters throughout the book. The world building is excellent and the supernatural elements easy to understand. There is a beautiful, big, shiny hook at the end and I’m definitely being reeled in for book two. It can’t come fast enough. 

Available from Amazon 

Dark Legacy (Crawford Investigations, Book 7) : JC McKenzie

There’s no such thing as a quiet life for the Queen of Corvids. 

This is the seventh book in the Crawford Investigations series.The book is Urban Fantasy with some level of romance. There are mentions of sexual activity but no descriptive scenes.This book once again focuses on Raven Crawford and is set six years after the first book and follows on directly from the books about Raven’s sister, Juni. 

There’s no such thing as a quiet life for the Queen of Corvids. It seems that everyone needs Raven’s attention: the young Troll Prince is missing and the Trolls are requesting her help to find him; her brother, Mike, is investigating another case of a missing boy and needs her help to find him; yet another Roller group is causing problems, attempting to link their souls to the Realm of Light; to top it all off, Juni has been coerced into binding herself to the Lord of War and Raven is forced to look for a way to break the binding. 

As ever, JC McKenzie’s style of writing is fluid and easy to read. The story is well paced and although there is a lot going on, we don’t lose track of it. The world building is very good. We get more of a glimpse into the Realm of Light in this book. The characters are well developed and interact with each other in a believable and relatable way. The story is increasingly complex; the big shiny hook at the end has definitely reeled me in and I want to know more.

I’m enjoying this series. If you like to read predominantly Urban Fantasy with a touch of Paranormal Romance and worldbuilding which takes you beyond the mortal realm, then this is the series for you.

Available from Amazon

Undertow (The Carolina Files, Book 2) : Willa Blackmore

Urban Fantasy meets Horror in this tale of kidnap, murder and possession.

This is book two of The Carolina Files Series; Urban Fantasy meets Paranormal meets Horror. The book is set in the town of Henley-on-Hale, North Carolina. A unique town where supernatural beings mix freely with local mundane humans.

Tula Whitlow is one of three witch sisters who run a local Inn for Supernatural beings. The three had let their talents lapse and were living the high life until recently, when trouble landed on their doorstep and they were forced to start learning their witchcraft to defend the town. 

Trouble continues to plague the town. A series of gruesome murders of local teenagers comes to light. Demonic sigils found tattooed on the dead teens and daubed at the sites where their bodies are left leads local law enforcement to call in Tula to help investigate. All signs point to a ritual sacrifice which took place 15 years before. Were the teens involved in a demonic cult or are they paying for the sins of their parents?

I really enjoyed this book. The descriptive world building and character development is great; I like Willa Blackmore’s style of writing. It’s well paced and draws you into the story. I like that we see a bit more of what Tula’s sisters can do. I hope we get to know them better as the series progresses. I like that Tula hasn’t suddenly become an all-powerful, all-knowing witch and is having to actually learn her craft and hone her skills. I love Ruby and I like the way she is pulled in to help and uses everything as a teaching moment. I love that Tula hasn’t leapt into a relationship with the vampire, Victor, even though I kind of really want her to. 

This story is more complex than the first book and it’s all the better for that. I was completely immersed in this tale from start to finish. I really enjoyed it. I’m excited to see what the next book will hold. This is definitely one of the more interesting new series I’ve read lately. Willa Blackmore is an author to watch.

Available from Amazon

Invasion (The Carolina Files, Book 1) : Willa Blackmore

A paranormal mystery story with a touch of comic horror  

This is the first book in The Carolina Files; a planned Urban Fantasy meets PI series. I originally read and reviewed this book in April 2021.

The story features Tula Whitlow, a magic user who has let her talents lapse. She is one of three witch sisters, living in the small town of Henley-on-Hale, North Carolina. The town is a peaceful one and is made up of a good mix of magical and non magical inhabitants.

Mystery and peril arrive, brought by visitors who are caught up in events just outside of the town’s borders. This is a tale of magic, villainy and a summoned malevolent ancient god. What could possibly go wrong? 

I loved this book. The main and secondary characters are well defined, grow throughout the book and I found myself invested in their journeys. I could definitely relate to the main character, who finds herself thrust into situations she has no idea how to manage, yet somehow makes it through, often by the skin of her teeth. She grows from a young lady who is winging her way through life and not really taking anything seriously, to a woman whose need for magical skill has been thrust back upon her, giving her a focus and sense of purpose by the end of this story arc. 

The writing is easy to read, funny in places and there were no grammatical issues to pull me out of the flow of the story. I found myself staying up into the early hours because I wanted to know what came next and I couldn’t put the book down.

I’m delighted that there will be more books to come. I loved the humour and the comic horror element and I am really looking forward to what has the potential to be an excellent paranormal PI series. 

Available from Amazon

Shadowmark (Raven Cursed Book 4) : McKenzie Hunter

This is the fourth instalment of McKenzie Hunter’s Raven Cursed series and this is turning out to be my favourite of all the work she has done so far.  If you’ve read the previous books, you’ll definitely want to dive headlong into this. Once again, I paused everything else I was reading to immerse myself back into this universe. I originally read this book in January 2021.

I love McKenzie Hunter’s style of writing. It flows well and pulls you along at a pace which matches the scenes being described. I can read these books with confidence, knowing there won’t be any glaring grammatical or continuity errors to break the suspension of my disbelief.

I am fully invested in all the characters and they are so well developed. I read a lot, often around seven books a week and I can honestly say that Erin is one of my favourite female characters. I relate to her so strongly. In terms of character development, there has been a marked growth in her maturity and magical ability over the series and I found myself really rooting for her.

In the last few books we have had the question of #teammephisto or #teamasher. Without spoilers, I can confirm that a decision was finally made and I, for one, was very happy with that decision. Here’s hoping that there are more of these scenes in future books.

I finished the book having had many questions answered as one story arc closed but with many more raised as a new arc began. As ever, the ending was dramatic and brilliantly done. I hadn’t seen it coming and I’m delighted. That big shiny hook has definitely reeled me in and I’m hankering for book five. It can’t come soon enough.

If you read and enjoyed the previous books in this series, you won’t be disappointed. If you haven’t read the previous books, what are you waiting for? Go and get them.

I’m off to nurse my book hangover with a cuppa and a lie down. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. 

Available from Amazon

Nightsoul (Raven Cursed Book 3) : McKenzie Hunter

This is the third instalment of McKenzie Hunter’s Raven Cursed series and each book is better than the last.  If you’ve read the first two (Fireborne and Silverfall), you’ll definitely want to jump right into this. I paused everything else I was reading to immerse myself back in this universe. This is Urban Fantasy and PNR. I originally read this book in June 2020.

Erin is a well developed character and in this book we find out more about her heritage and see a massive change in her magical abilities.  We finally discover what Mephisto is and a lot more about what makes him tick. The dynamic between these two is intense with a forbidden feel to it and is further complicated by input from other characters. 

We see a continuing development in the relationship between Erin and Asher, the powerful Shifter Alpha and are given more insight into his character and feelings for her. There’s a definite call for #teammephisto or #teamasher here. Not your average paranormal romance. 

The book is well written and flows seamlessly. The characters are complex, relatable and I found myself invested in what happens to them. There is a lot going on in this story. New characters and plot twists abound. Questions are answered but more are asked. As always, the book closes on a dramatic crescendo, leaving us dying to know more and wanting to dive headlong into the next book. 

Available at Amazon

Silverfall (Raven Cursed Book 2) : McKenzie Hunter

This is the second book in the Raven Cursed series. It falls under Urban Fantasy and PNR with a slow burn. I originally read this book in January 2020.

If, like me, you were completely taken with book one (Fireborne) and were waiting with anticipation for this second book, you won’t be disappointed. McKenzie Hunter has outdone herself. It’s packed with action, intrigue, believable world building and well developed characters. 

Erin is the main character. Her inner monologue gives us a fantastic insight into who she is and frequently provides an element of comedy. She remains one of McKenzie Hunter’s most relatable female characters and is definitely one of my favourites. 

The Raven mark which was revealed in book one has signified that she is far more dangerous than anyone had anticipated. Erin doesn’t know how or why but she does know she’s attracting attention from all sides and it’s hard to tell who is friend or foe. There are only a few people she can trust but they might not be able to keep her safe. In an attempt to discover more about her magic and protect her from Mephisto, her friend accidentally unleashes a powerful entity which poses a threat to the shifters. Erin really doesn’t need the shifters and their powerful Alpha as mortal enemies, so she has no choice but to turn to Mephisto for help in order to protect her friend.  

Despite great character development and more insight into his magic, Mephisto‘s background and history remain a mystery. He is willing to help Erin but at what cost to her? 

You can buy the book from Amazon UK