As you can plainly see, October was not a strong month for reading. For some unknown reason, our calendar filled up really quickly. While I might not have read many books, we filled the month with an abundance of memories. Visiting the pumpkin patch, harvesting and canning a ton of green beans, homeschool activities, haunted corn mazes, crafts, and so much more. Let me know what kind of spooky things you recommend I read next year!
Smoldering Hunger by: Donna Grant
What can I say? This series has yet to disappoint. The closer we get to the end, the more theories I come up with.
Darius and the doctor do not completely follow the same cliché route the rest of the dragon kings have mostly followed. To be fair, Donna Grant has done a pretty good job at making sure each book is not a cookie-cutter copy of the previous.
Their relationship started not quite in the middle, but not in the beginning either. First, they were nothing more than bed buddies. Of course, Ulrick has a way of ruining things for most people. By people, I mean the dragon kings.
Ry, I am still in love with her and the unfolding of her story. A story that is unfolding way too slowly! This was a bit slower on the dark fae/dragon/Ulrick war front.
It was a bit of a transitional book from the last few, having some huge revelations. This was more of a slow-down and catch-up type of situation. Wasn’t as exciting as others, but Con is slowly losing it as yet another dragon king finds his mate. Ulrick is farther up his ass. Ry went from the top of his sh*t list to the queen of all that’s wrong in his life. I’m very curious to see how Con and the Fae Queen pan out. I still think he will hypocritically will find a human mate. At least I hope. On to the next. Only like, ten more books to go…..
Black Knight by: Aleatha Romig
Dear A. Romig,
Thank you for writing characters that are strong and stay true to who they are. Characters that grow to adapt in their environment and their personal development blossom along with the story.
Thank you for writing couples who work together to overcome the trials of the world. Using their love, bond, and trust to strengthen themselves and to bulldoze outside conflict from within.
Where there is no need for trite misunderstanding, these two use their intelligence as sane human beings and listen to one another. What a concept! Neither one flies off the handle at the other’s words or actions. They know the end goal and keep it within their sights. Them versus the world. Sure, they have their allies and loved ones. Julia and Van are the pinnacle; they all revolve around them as they should. It’s their story.
After quite the cliffhanger of the last book, I eagerly jumped into this one. Everything comes to a head. All the mystery, suspense, truth bombs, and fuzzy feelings. Where other authors use the precarious line of need-to-know revelations as a catapult to sew tension, Romig uses it as a platform for good. A way to advance the relationship through understanding.
The entire endgame with Philip and Madison is brought to light. A rally of allies, some are quite the surprise, to accomplish that HEA we have been waiting so long to see. I absolutely love the path these two characters take. Each character, main and side, is believable and brought to life with each interaction. So many plot twists and turns, but never overcomplicated. Sucks you in with each new development. She did it again, I have been Aleatha’d and can’t wait for it to happen more.
War by: Laura Thalassa
Pestilence had its quirky problems, nothing big. Still fell into the characters and the story.
War was not the same. Even without reading any of these books, other than the publisher’s summary, we know each horseman is going to fall for a human who will eventually show enough love that said horseman will ultimately choose them over their mission. That could get repetitive after the first book. So when I realized the circumstances for War are different than Pestilence, I was relieved.
War and Miriam are different not just because it’s a different plague the world is facing. From the moment War laid eyes on Mariam, he knew with absolute certainty that she was made for him by God, his wife. As any sane person would, Mariam fought against War and her supposed destiny. Defying his mission and vying for the survival of humanity. Even those who didn’t seem so deserving.
Learning just how corrupt and self-serving some humans can be.
One thing is clear after reading two books. The horsemen are on a mission sent by God, who is displeased with the directions humans have taken. The message is clear: you had your chance. But not all is lost. Through careful wording, the two horsemen, so far, subtly announce there is a way out. Humans can change their ways. Of course, War and Pestilence are not optimistic of that possibility and therefore will not stop their divine mission.
A few catches. Each plague seems contained to the horesman’s immediate vicinity. Disease only breaks out where Pestilence rides. Same with war. It doesn’t really spread on its own accord. No worldwide pandemic or another world war. Very localized.
My problem with War and Mariam is that it was too cyclical. A constant rinse and repeat of Mariam wanting to do everything she can to save as many as possible, only to give in to War’s wants as a bargaining chip to gain leeway, then deny her feelings because he is a monster in her eyes. War exercises divine stubbornness while still giving an inch. This happened over and over. Same thing, different part of Eur-Asia. Quite honestly, the only reason I am continuing the series is that I want to make it to Death. He has made a quick appearance in both books, and I am officially intrigued. And not only because he seems to be the only horseman to have a name other than his plague. I can’t wait to see who will be the one to beat Death.
God of Malice by: Rina Kent
I wanted to really like this, and I could have if it weren’t for a few details. Mainly, the characters are all 19 doing things 19-year-olds have no business doing. That may be an unpopular opinion, but there it is.
This is very dark and raw. A whole lot of skirting the line of consensual acts, sociopathy, and rising mafia offspring. Think Haunting Adeline, but Zade and Adeline are just newly sprouted, legal adults attending a prestigious university, and Zade is not interested in what he does to save anyone, only repressing his bloodlust. It’s actually a bit disturbing and not in a good way.
Glyn is the innocent virgin exploring some socio and sexual tendencies of her own.
Killian would make the best MMC of a dark romance if he weren’t a teenager. Dripping with bloodlust and the urge to dominate.
A genius 19-year-old in fourth year medical school with a heart of coal. Of course, Glyn is in denial, wanting him or liking anything associated with him.
While I’m usually the first one to jump on a dark romance with these themes, reading this made me unsettled. And the chapters from the parents’s pov, completely random and not necessary. Yes, they probably laid some foundation for the coming books in the series. Most of it was information we could have easily obtained from either Glyn or Kill’s POV. An adult chapter at the end, bridging the next book, would have flowed better. Having an abundance of perspectives from Killian’s parents broke the flow of the story for me. Since I will not be continuing, it makes no difference, personally.
Don’t get me wrong, the writing is not bad at all; it is actually very well done. Some of the choices were not for me.
Black Ties & White Lies by: Kat Singleton
First, I get the whole love/lust at first sight. One partner knowing the other person is made for them instantly. Because of plot, the other person has no idea.
Margo is not a great character. She’s a good person that just happens to not be well written.
Beck is your typical billionaire who does whatever he wants to get whatever he wants and expects everyone to just fall in line, eventually. This whole book is one big cliché.
It is a case of TikTok made me read it. The reel summarized a scene where Margo is under Beck’s desk pleasuring him, when his brother, her ex, comes in and she doesn’t stop. It gave the impression that Margo wasn’t as boring and whiny as she really ended up being. Carter, the ex, could have caused so much trouble, and it
was set up like he was going to be a huge thorn in their deal. Umm, nope. He made about three appearances. He was a pain in the tuckus the entire time, but kinda tame.
The big reveal of what could tear them apart was even more lame than Carter’s tantrums. Margo had spent so much time getting to know the person Beck is, then freaks out over the lengths he went to ensure he had a chance to even be in her life. She believed her creepy ex more than the man she was falling for. It was one of those ridiculous situations that completely turned me off romance books like this. I rolled my eyes more times than I liked to admit. It wasn’t a horrible story, but I will also not be ready any more of this series.
Missed last month’s reads? Find them HERE
