Tag Archives: paranormal

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Book Review: Adored by the Grumpy Ghost, by Ivy Knox

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I somehow picked up a BookFunnel copy of Adored by the Grumpy Ghost (by Ivy Knox). The problem is that I have lost track of who gave me the book and why, and I suspect I was supposed to post something on Instagram that got lost. (which means I probably flaked on someone, sorry.) So, I opted to read it instead.

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Unemployed, broke, and on the verge of homelessness is not how Natalie pictured life in her early 40s, but since being her mother’s caregiver wiped the last of her savings, she’s forced to grieve her mother’s death in a state of panic as she looks for a job. Any job that’ll pay enough to keep a roof over her head.

Luckily, her college roommate just inherited an old Victorian mansion in the mountains of northern New Hampshire, and doesn’t have the time to fix it up or rent it out herself. Natalie can stay rent-free as long as she needs. There’s gotta be a catch, right?

A grumpy ghost set in his ways …

There’s nothing Winston hates more than roommates. Now this irritating blonde woman has moved in, she won’t stop crying, she leaves crumbs everywhere, and she plays way too much Taylor Swift for his liking. It should be easy enough to scare her away.

As much as he hates sharing a space with her, though, he can’t deny his attraction. Those soft lips. Her luscious curves. The adorable scrunch of her nose when she’s frustrated. He can’t get her out of his mind. But this isn’t her house. At some point, she’ll have to leave. How can he keep her by his side when she deserves more than a penniless ghost could ever offer?

my review

This was cute, but it is very low stakes. Other than the obligatory 3rd act breakup, there is almost no tension in the plot. Even the discovery of ghosts and monsters, more generally, is glossed over with no reaction, not once, but twice (two characters). Once, it was such a non-issue that it was even off-page.

This low angst, shallow plotting is often fine for a sweet, cozy romance. And it likely would have been here, except that this book is 268 pages long. That is dragging a wafer-thin plot a looong way. The characters deal with some heavy topics in their past. But other than that, the plot is about as deep a puddle. And it struggled to stretch to the page length.

adored by the grumpy ghost photoI did like the main character a lot and appreciate that she is both plus-sized and in her 40s, not to mention child-free and without a successful career. She is relatable, is what I am saying. The MMC is not without issue, but he is also eager to please and careful about his partner. That’s a whole lot in his favor.

All in all, if you’re just looking for a cotton candy, feel-good read. This will likely fill the bill, but won’t do much more.

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Book Review: Terror at the Gates, by Scarlett St. Clair

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I purchased a signed copy of Scarlett St. Clair‘s Terror at the Gates at a local bookstore.

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She is the beginning and the end.
She is peace and chaos.
She is terror knocking at the gates.

Estranged from her powerful family, Lilith Leviathan finds refuge in Nineveh, a district in the city of Eden devoted to sin. There, she uses her magic to steal for a living, attracting the attention of the five governing families as well as the church, which expects women to remain pious and silent. When Lilith comes into possession of a beautiful blade, she thinks all her worries are over…until her usual buyer dies while inspecting it.

Frantic, Lilith turns to the only man who can help her: Zahariev, head of the Zareth family and ruler of Nineveh. His currency is information, and his power is extortion, though he’s always had a soft spot for Lilith. But when the dagger appears, he isn’t sure he can protect her from what’s to come.

Together, they embark on a mission to discover the true power running their world. As their lives intertwine, Lilith realizes Zahariev is more than just a friend, but their devotion to each other is a threat—to the truth, to the church, and to those who want to tear it all down.

my review

I thought this was ok. It kept me interested. But ultimately, I didn’t think there was anything particularly special about it. I liked Lilith well enough. She’s got a backbone and seems to be a good person. But she also would have been significantly less able and dynamic without her connection to Zahariev. It’s her connection to his social power that enables her to do the things that make her interesting in the book. And I’m a little like, ‘meh’ on that fact. For his part, Zahariev is interesting on the surface. I enjoyed his quiet longing. But he’s a cardboard cutout. The reader barely gets to know him and never learns when, why, or how he fell so in love with Lilith. The villains are villainous. But it’s basically just a fantasy version of the Catholic church, and I’m always a little like, ‘unless this turns out to actually be some post-apocalyptic earth, either bite the bullet and use (and name) the Catholic church or make your vile religion different enough from the church to not feel so very much like a lazy copy.’ All in all, I’d be willing to read the next in the series. But I’m not running out to buy it.

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Amphibian Authors: Book Review: Terror at the Gates

 

 

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Book Review: Blood Sings, by Denisa Mih

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I was recently lucky enough to win a giveaway on Instagram that included a copy of Denisa Mih‘s Blood Sings.

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An heir…
Destined for a throne soaked in blood, Aurora Tepes must navigate the intrigues of court and the brutality of battle. As heir to the Crown Republic of Transylvania, she is bound by duty to protect her people, wielding her sharp mind and mastery of blood manipulation—no matter the sacrifice.

A century of war…
Beyond the walls, a conflict meant to be without casualties stains the hills with innocent blood while the powerful turn a blind eye.
But Aurora cannot.
Armed with the magic of her ancestry and revolutionary technology, she joins the Outliers—the oppressed, deemed inferior by the Republic—on the frontline, vowing to bring justice once she claims her crown.

A desire for more…
Dark secrets, deadly creatures, and new alliances test Aurora’s convictions as she confronts the savagery of her nature and an uncertain future that could unravel everything. But when she meets the longest-lived Outlier, a mysterious moon-haired captain whose magic holds world-changing secrets, destiny and duty collide.

my review

This was OK. I enjoyed it well enough. I don’t regret reading it or anything. But I also felt like everything was just skimmed over or surface-level. There were time jumps in places I would expect to see what happened on-page, for example. But mostly it was just kind of the overall tone of the novel. Where I wanted to understand the complex world and multi-species intersections thoroughly, I didn’t. Where I wanted to see a relationship bloom, it just appeared on the page. I liked the characters, but I neither got to know them well nor saw much in line of character growth. And there were a lot of them to keep track of, all of whom eventually got a second set of names, which meant I only had a loose grasp of who was who.

All in all, I’d read book two if it were out. But, honestly, by the time it comes out early next year, I suspect I won’t even remember having read this one.

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