Creatuers of Chaos by Julie Hall

 

Chaos, the vicious supernatural competition where heroes are born and riches are won.

To most, it's just an urban legend whispered in the darkest shadows, but that all changes when my best friend drags me into a savage world where vampires, shifters, and fae compete for glory and fame.

As a creature without magic, I’d be a fool to enter Chaos, but the prize—a dagger of untold power—could change my powerless existence. With that dagger, I could wield magic, earn respect, and maybe, just maybe, win the heart of the dragon heir… it’s a risk I have to take.

Now, I'm pitted against beasts in a ruthless battle with no powers, no plan, and an infuriatingly attractive ally who’s just as likely to slit my neck as save it. Every round of Chaos leads me closer to seizing my deepest desires or losing everything.

In Chaos, survival is the only rule. And winning is all that matters.

Review: 

First of all, the cover on this book makes it 100% worthy to sit on any reader's shelf. I personally started reading Julie Hall's books with her Life After series. If you haven't read it, you should. The Life After series continues to be one of my favorite comfort reads. It follows the story of a young girl who dies (she thinks) and lands up in heaven...with a job to do. It is a beautiful series.

Anyway, this review is about Creatures of Chaos. Overall, I liked this book! I have a weakness for shape shifters, dragons, stories with strong and loyal friendships, and academy-based adventures. This book checks all those boxes. When I picked up this story, I wasn't expecting "Chaos" to be an underground 'hunger games' type competition (love it!). That was a twist (one of many) that hit throughout. Chaos was a fantastic plot driver and was so creatively done!

Let's chat about Locklyn. It was refreshing to read a story where the FMC wasn't the 'all powerful' one gifted with mega magic. In a world where all the creatures are gifted, Locklyn only has what she's worked for: combat skills and a quick mind. Everything she has and everything she gains during this adventure she has to earn. Props to this. 

Creatures of Chaos does feature a love triangle, or at least, the beginning of one. It's not a trope that I love...but it was well done. Personally, I'm a huge fan of loyalty and dedication, and Locklyn's struggle between her attraction and friendship with Beck and her new draw to Talon made me uncomfortable. However, the questions and doubts that she has about both guys are legit. Talon and Beck both have some very attractive features (physically and otherwise) but they also have some less attractive tendencies. I'm really interested to see how these relationships play out in the next installment. 

Looking forward to reading the next book!

Cold Hearted by Julie Hall and Leia Stone

 

To save my kingdom, someone must die.

Every hundred years, a curse descends on Faerie, ravaging its lands and killing its people. For the last two millennia, the Summer Court princess has always been the one to stop it.

Now it’s my turn.

My entire life I’ve prepared to become one thing: the perfect assassin. My mission is simple. Travel to the mirror realm, find an Ethereum Lord, return to Faerie with his magical heart. But when I step through the portal, I’m immediately taken captive and find myself at the mercy of Zander, a handsome royal guard.

Now I’m forced to play by his rules, because if I fail at my task everyone and everything I’ve ever known and loved perishes. But Zander has secrets, and when I find out what they are they make me question if everything I’ve ever been taught was a lie...

Review: 

I really enjoyed Cold Hearted. It kept me entertained from start to finish, and there were definitely several "oh my goodness!" moments mixed in with a lot of swoon and "I want more!"

It is a fast-paced novel, which is something I always appreciate in a book. I'm not a fan of getting bored, and Cold Hearted did not disappoint. Basically, the story begins with a princess who has been trained, literally since birth, for one purpose: assassinate the Ethereum Lord and cut out his heart (ewww!). She is fast, efficient, and knows the rules (Run, prince! Run!). Rule number one: focus on your target during magical transport (Yeaaah, about that...). Rule number two: don't let him speak (Hmmm, I wonder why?). Rule number three: follow the rules. You guessed it, rule number three is a stinker, and our slashy princess is neck deep in trouble from the moment she enters the Ethereum Lord's lands (mwahaha).

Needless to say, I'm excited for books 2, 3, and 4 of this series. This was a fun read and a great way to unwind after a stressful week.

 

Labyrinth of Lies and Sacrifice by C.F.E. Black

                                           Madness comes to all who enter the Labyrinth.

Review: Who can help but read a book with a cover like this one? Exactly. Me neither. My favourite aspect of this book was 100% the labrinth. It was brilliantly done, and I loved the dark, edgy feel to this character. Yes. I know I called it a character. It was. The labrinth was a living, feeling, reacting dark entity. 

The teamwork and discoveries within the labrynth were wonderful, and the revelations revealed within really pulled the story together. I'll admit, I felt like the romance could have delivered a touch more (but we all know I'm a romance lover at heart, and I want all the swoon) so I was left wanting a bit more. However, If you like dark fantasy with strong Maze Runner vibes, then you should give this book a try.

Back Cover: All Vera wants is to survive her wedding day and fade into the rhythms of a normal life, no easy task for a quarter-mage like her. But her worst fears come to pass when her faulty magic once again lets her down—only this time, she’s branded a criminal.

Tossed into the kingdom’s enchanted prison known as the Labyrinth, Vera must keep her wits about her as she navigates this deadly place full of monsters and a wicked force that feeds on fear.

When she encounters another mortal trapped within, she doesn’t know if she can trust him. But as their paths continue to cross, it seems as if the maze is forcing them to work together. Can they help each other defeat the monsters and survive in this nightmare world? Or is the Labyrinth deceiving them all?

Perfect for readers looking for no-spice romance, Labyrinth of Lies and Sacrifice delivers plenty of heart-pounding action and swoon-worthy moments. If you loved the survival aspect of The Hunger Games and the forbidden romance of Shadow and Bone, try Labyrinth of Lies and Sacrifice today!

Labyrinth of Lies and Sacrifice is book 6 in the Sacrificed Hearts multi-author series, a collection of stand-alone fantasy romance short novels inspired by monsters of legend, each tale packed with strong heroines, swoony heroes, and sacrificial themes.

Hunting Sirens by Mary Mecham

Review: Another new author for me! This is my first book by Mary Mecham; I kept seeing her name in my Instagram feed and decided to give her novels a try. I’m glad I did.

 

This is book two in the series, but it read perfectly fine as a stand alone. I loved that Treva, our heroine, was deaf. It was fascinating read a story from her perspective... you don't realize how much you, as a reader, use audio cues until they are gone. Mary Mecham did an admirable job of helping the reader understand and navigate Teva's  silent world by leaning into her other senses. Her use of different fonts and italicise to show sign language communication and other cues was brilliant. For this reason alone, every author should read this book. It is a real study on how to adapt to a character that is missing a key sense. I've written a blind character before, but I think that is a lot easier than a deaf one. I’m was impressed.

 

The story itself was engaging… I loved the flip gender role of the siren vs warrior. This book is definitely a one-sit read. By chapter three I was invested and needed to know what was going to happen. The interactions between Teva and the siren are fascinating. I really enjoyed this story.

 

Back Cover: She was destined to hunt sirens to extinction… but can she complete her mission before one of them captures her heart?

Trapped on an island nation and surrounded by bloodthirsty sirens, the starving people of Haven Harbor are losing hope. Treva, a Deaf blacksmith immune to the tempting call of the sirens lurking in the deep, steps into the perilous role of Siren Hunter. If she can rid the waters of enough sirens, her people could be free at last.

Unbeknownst to her, another creature dwells in the sea, even more ferocious than the dreaded sirens. When Treva faces the monster and loses, her life is saved by a handsome siren who has no voice. Can mortal enemies set their differences aside long enough to unite their nations? Or will Treva ignore her growing feelings and finish what she started?

Treva is certain of one thing—that the famed Siren Hunter of Haven Harbor would never fall for one of her prey.

Dragon Isle Wars Trilogy by Frost Kay

Review:
Well, I binge read this entire series last night. I finally turned the last 'page' of my kindle around 4 am. I will admit, there was a decent amount of skimming through the last book— not because it wasn't good, but because I was tired and wanted to know how the story ended. Oops.
Dragon Isle Wars Series:
Court of Dragons
Queen of Legends
Throne of Serpents

 As a full disclosure, I've never read anything by Frost Kay before, but she popped up on my kindle recommendation list, and I liked the covers so I decided to give this trilogy a go. I'll keep my review brief, as I'm tired (haha), but I liked this series. Two things really stood out to me as excellent. First, this was a true enemies-to-lovers. I was suitably impressed with how strong and believable their mutual hatred was (for good reason), how their relationship was portrayed, and how cautious the ebb and flow of their trust was. Second, the sea dragons were incredible. I was not expecting this twist in a non-mermaid/Atlantas type setting and I loved it. What a neat twist on dragon riders! The court setting of the Dark Elves was intriguing; it suited their name perfectly. If you like intrigue — this book is for you.

 

Content warnings (slight spoilers): There was a fair share of sexual innuendos throughout. A scene in the third book told of child sexual abuse, but it was done in a conversation and nothing was explained. Thankfully. There was marital sex... it was consensual and it was kept to the PG13 level. Not closed door, but fade to black (though it went a touch further than what I normally read, I would still throw it in the PG 13). The violence was definitely up there but not the point of being too much. There were murders, betrayals, executions, torture... you name it. Overall, I wouldn't throw this book in the YA category but into NA.

Back Cover of Book ONE: 

As a daughter of the Dragon Court, Wren knows three truths: never show weakness, pay the tithe, and never trust the elves.

When the enemy strikes on the eve of her wedding, Wren has no choice but to fight. Captured, she's dragged before the elvish king and given two choices.

Death or marriage.

She submits, biding her time as she plots and spies, determined to strike at the heart of the elvish royalty and take back her family's throne once more. But the more time she spends with her dangerous and achingly handsome husband, she finds herself wavering.

Only the strong survive the hash moors of the Dragon Isles, and she can't afford to question her loyalties, leaving only one final choice.

Strike hard and fast. Never waver. It's his heart or hers.

A Court of Dragons is the first book in a new fantasy romance series, inspired by the tales of Beauty and the Beast with Reylo viking vibes. It's perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash, A Deal with The Elf King, and The Bridge Kingdom. If you're looking for enemies to lovers with a delicious slow burn romance, scroll up and read now!

 

A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell

 

Review: 

    Clara has a lot to do. But first, she needs to coax her mother away from the storefront where she is ardently and poetically protesting the use of animal furs in fashion... while wearing a very real and very much alive ermine around her neck.
 
    It’s honestly no small wonder that society has gobbled up the sinister gossip Clara's ex-fiancé has poisoned the town with, declaring that madness runs in her family.

    Correcting said rumors would be a lot simpler if her grandfather hadn't hired an unknown war veteran with a secretive past on a feeling, if her mother would stop bringing wild critters into their home, and if whimsical inventions didn't flutter around their rafters.

    All Clara needs is for everyone to act normal, and maybe she can put it all to right. Maybe, just maybe, she can protect her family against the scandalous rumors that they seem to care so little about.
 
    If only grandfather would keep his flying machine out of the sky...How is this her life?

    Honestly... loved this book. It was a delightfully fun romp that swept me away from life for several blissful hours. It was perfect.

*Book purchased by myself, no biasis to announce
 
Back Cover: London, England, 1860
    When Clara's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.

    Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond haunted by the war, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any cost.

Seaspoken by Sarah Delena White

 

An ocean consumed by rage. A challenge that demands blood. A love that defies everything.

Battle-hardened mermaid warrior Evya Atathari longs for a truce between her sea-dwelling tribe and the elven invaders. But her mother, the powerful and vengeful Seamother, will stop at nothing to see the elves destroyed.

Then the Seamother enacts a brutal rite of challenge for Evya’s hand to gain a powerful ally in the war. But even as the greatest warriors of the sea vie for her favor, her heart is captured by a man who should be her mortal enemy.

Keliveth Dalzana is a failed prophet of the elven king’s court—until a vision leads him to Evya and a chance at ending the war. Drawn to Keliveth’s idealism, Evya agrees to help him win the deadly contest for her hand and establish a peace treaty through their marriage. Together, they dare to dream of a better future.

But when their own peoples turn against them, Keliveth and Evya must find the courage to embrace their true destinies—and decide how great a price they can pay for their love.

Seaspoken is a standalone fade-to-black fantasy romance perfect for fans of star-crossed love, epic stakes, and atmospheric world building.

Back Cover: Evya doe not need love. She does not need kisses or words of wooing. She does not need a husband. What she needs more than anything, is peace. Battle weary, she has nearly forgotten what it feels like to drift in a calm ocean or to taste the salty sea without the tang of blood souring her tongue. Her soul is heavy.

Then a song from across the ocean's angry surface reaches her ears... a song of forbidden hope and peace. A song that seems to know her innermost desires and hopes.

Through the crashing waves, Evya finds the giver of the song. An elf. The sworn enemy of the Seamother. Keliveth, a prophet of the elves, already knows Evya's heart... and by some wild hope, gambles his very life in a desperate bid to win peace... and her.

I really loved this story. Seaspoken is sweet, insta-love, heroic. honorable, and creative adventure. It is a perfect YA book. Content: there is magic (ruins for strength and such, power over the seas...) and there is a fade-to-black marriage night scene. The violence is minimal.