Category Archives: books/book review

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Book Review: Accused, by M.N. Jolley

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I accepted a review copy of Accused, by M.N. Jolly from The Write Reads. However, I later was looking for an audio book to borrow from Hoopla—to listen to as I did chores—and when I saw Accused, I thought, I might as well just listen to it. So, I went the audio book route instead. I should probably note that this book was a bronze medal finalist in the 2021 BBNYA competition, since that’s the reason for the book tour. However, I wasn’t part of the judging.

acused audio cover
My name is Levi. I’m a journalist, I’m autistic, I’m bad at magic, and I swear I didn’t kill her.

Research for the paper usually falls into a few basic patterns. Someone in the city says there’s a troll under Buck O’Neil Bridge, or they’ll call just so a friendly ear will listen to them complain about a pixie infestation.

That sort of content carries me through slow news weeks. It’s rare that I uncover a murder.

Being framed for murder, though? That’s a first.

With the Wizard’s Council hunting me for a crime I didn’t commit, I’ve got no choice but to solve the murder and clear my name. If I don’t unravel this case, nobody will, and I’ll go down for it so hard I might never see the light of day again.

my review
Some aspects of this book I really liked. I loved that Levi was on the autism spectrum and gay, but they’re just aspects of his character, same as being brunette or riding a motorcycle. There wasn’t a plot-related excuse for it or any particular drama about it. He was just allowed to be as he was. I also just plain like Levi as a character and thought the world interesting.

However, I was a little iffy with Ben—the magical equivalent of a Tinder date—being all-in for the danger and law breaking, after their first meeting with Levi. It just felt like there was a lot more trust there than there should have been. And I never quite grasped if the crime committed that led to the murder was business as usual or if anyone within the system was outraged over it. Not to mention if the perpetrators were actually caught and punished. And this left me feeling a little uncertain.

All in all, however, I liked a lot more than I didn’t and will happily read another Jolley book. (How dad-joke cheesy would it be to say it was a jolly good read?) Plus, Nikola Hamilton did a great job with the narration.

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Other Reviews:

The KC Warlock Weekly: Accused by M.N. Jolley – #BBNYA2021 Book Review!

#TheWriteReads #BBNYA Blog Tour Review – The KC Warlock Weekly: Accused by M.N. Jolley

BLOG TOUR – Review: M.N. Jolley – The KC Warlock Weekly: Book One: Accused

 

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Book Review: These Darker Streets, by Abigail Linhardt

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Earlier this year, Abigail Linhardt‘s These Darker Streets was featured over on Sadie’s Spotlight and I was lucky enough to win a copy of the book.

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Tragic loss. Eternal love. Ancient magic.

Brigit is dealing with the loss of her mother and brother while trying to run her mother’s shop of magical oddities. She used to believe in magic and had hopes for a great future. When fate took her family away before she was ready, all of her belief in happiness and love died with them. When a mysterious man named Ildanach appears and is everything Brigit is not–happy, fun, adventurous, and extremely handsome–she feels her stable life of hiding being threatened as he calls her out into a vulnerable relationship. There is more to this man than meets the eye. He brings with him a life Brigit is not sure she believes in. One that doesn’t even exist in her reality. Plagued by visions of past lives, Brigit’s trust in a magicless existence is about to be shattered.

Ildanach has been the fairy guardian for centuries. Every few lifetimes, he meets a woman who is the reincarnation of his love and together they can protect the earth. Ildanach thought he had found his love in this century, but she was killed by a rogue fairy from the underworld, taking his hope. Now he has met Brigit, a woman hell-bent on denying anything that she cannot touch in this reality. When he sees the spark of his love in her, he knows she’s the one with whom he can stop the dark spirit for good. However, she is dead to the world of magic; too wrapped up in her trials and the darkness that mortal life has given her.

The world is in danger as the lord from the underworld, Arawn, taints mortal souls in order to grow his army of the underworld and stop the guardian and the goddess once and for all.In a battle of life or death, Idlanach must save the mortal world before time runs out and Brigit must decide once and for all if she can believe in something as mysterious as magic.

my review
I think the idea of this story was bigger than the author’s ability to relay it. She very clearly wanted to show big emotions and a moving moral dilemma, cast over millennia. But the writing is just too shallow to pull it off. Instead it feels contradictory and stilted. All of the fantasy elements feel secondary to the very simple romance plot. And none of it has the feel or tone to match the awesome cover.

Having said all of that, I did like Idanach and Brigit. It was interesting to see elements of old Celtic lore (or Celtic-like lore) incorporated. Robin was a delight (my favorite character) and the book wraps up nicely (with a bit of an epilogue setting the stage for a sequel). So, I wouldn’t call it a total failure, just not as good as it might have been or I’d hoped it would be.

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Other Reviews:

Jessica Belmont: Book Tour These Darker Streets Book Review

 

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Book Review: Wake of the Phoenix, by Chelsea Harper

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I accepted a copy of Chelsea Harper‘s Wake of the Phoenix for review, as part of it’s tour with R&R Book Tours. It’s also over on Sadie’s Spotlight. You can hop over there for author info and contact information, as well as an excerpt.

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War Hero. Thiefmaster’s apprentice. Traitors. Every title comes with a price.

Arkaen is a gods-damned saint. He sacrificed his childhood innocence fighting for the beleaguered rebellion in a civil war and relinquished a comfortable life with the man he loves to reclaim his place as high lord from corrupt nobles. Now, a hidden enemy is manipulating his lower lords into talk of rebellion, including the powerful Rogue Baron who is slowly swaying the city into questioning every move Arkaen makes.

With the help of his near-omniscient lover’s gift of foresight, Arkaen finds a potential ally in Niamsha, a reluctant thief trying to pay for her brother’s education. But Niamsha owes an insurmountable debt to the mysterious leader of her thieves guild and failing to pay means death—for her entire family. When her guild leader demands she join forces with the Rogue Baron himself, she finds herself caught in a political battle beyond her skills. Torn between protecting her family and following her conscience, Niamsha doesn’t know who to trust.

If Arkaen can win Niamsha’s loyalty, he might just prevent a second civil war and the destruction of everything he fought to protect. Or he might get them all killed.

my review

I really enjoyed this. It took me a little while to get into it. Or rather to figure out what was what, with the fantasy land and a few fantasy words. But I caught on pretty quickly and even more quickly came to adore the characters. Each was trying desperately to do the right thing in difficult situations, with the information available to them at the time. All of which often set them against one another and, at times, their own interests.

I’d probably have given this a 5-star rating right up until the end. The writing/editing is clear and easy to read. As I said, I liked the characters. And the plot kept me gripped. There is a lot of history hinted at, which felt a bit like there should be a previous book. But even still, I think I’d have given it 5 stars, except for two things. Even if shocked, I couldn’t buy Niamsha believing as she did at the end and not seeing through the ploy. She’d been too savvy up to that point. And I was ready for the story to wrap up and it didn’t. It came to an acceptable place to pause, true, but I was ready for an ending. I felt denied by the lack.

All in all, however, I was really pleased with the story.

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Other Reviews:

Eye-Rolling Demigod: ARC review – Wake of the Phoenix

https://wealthofgeeks.com/review-wake-of-the-phoenix/