Tag Archives: PNR

They Had Eyes of Silver

Book Review: They Had Eyes of Silver, by S E Davis

I accepted a review copy of S E DavisThey Had Eyes of Silver, as part of it’s blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources. The book as also featured over on Sadie’s Spotlight. So, you can pop over there for more information on the book and author.

they had eyes of silver cover

A secret lineage. A family cursed. A forbidden love that can’t be denied.

Veterinarian Reina Kirke is exhausted. So, when her best friend suggests a European vacation, she doesn’t hesitate. A much-needed break and a chance to investigate her mysterious family tree sound perfect. Too bad she’s in no way prepared for what she finds. The fairytale town in Belgium hides family secrets grounded in the supernatural. Legends of werewolves and witches surround her, and a taboo love affair threatens to pull her into a danger she might not be able to handle.

What seems like a chance encounter with Blaise Woodward, a brooding hunk with his own secrets, sets up a sequence of events that could unravel both of their families as they realize their deep connection to each other is generations old. But only one thing is certain.

Their lives will never be the same…

my review

I am trying to walk a very narrow line with this review. Because I have to acknowledge that a lot of readers like predictability. Certain tropes and plot types are used frequently because they are enjoyed, but also because they are comforting in their predictability. For a lot of readers it’s a feature, not a bug.

But I’m not one of those readers. And when the villain was introduced—the first page they appeared—I said, that’s the villain. I even had a fairly good guess at what their motivation would turn out to be. And almost every other aspect of this book is as transparent as the villain. There is absolutely nothing new or unpredictable about this book—not in the plot, not in the world, not the way wolves shift (the legend of the wolf-strap with evil origins is from Germany and Poland), not the romance, not the mystery, not the heroine’s deus ex machina save at the end, not the conclusion, etc. Nothing. I read on in the hope that there might be at least one red herring in there, but there isn’t. It’s all just as obvious as at first glance.

they had eyes of silver photoBut, again, I’m not calling it bad. Because a lot of people really do enjoy this in a book. It’s safe. And I would say the same for other aspects of the book, not just the predictability. The characters adhere to all the right mores and characterizations, and the undercurrent of kindness and care hits the right notes to appeal to those who enjoy over-arching sweetness and light in their stories. No one’s worldview is going to be challenged. Again, it’s safe…if that’s your thing.

The writing is fine. Names and endearments are used a little too often occasionally, creating an unneeded formality. But it’s mostly fine and the editing is without issue. So, whether you enjoy this book or not will come down to the question of whether you are a reader who enjoys knowing there will be no unpleasant surprises or one who would rather go in blind and risk it.


Other Reviews:

eBook Review: They Had Eyes of Silver by S E Davies*

 

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Book Review: Chaos, by J.B. Trepagnier

I received an Audible code for a copy of Chaos, by J.B. Trepagnier, narrated by Anneliese Rennie, Portia Kay Winters, Austin Barringer, Carl Mason, Antonio Amato, Aaron Shedlock, Liam Di Cosimo, and Mike Johnson.

audio cover Chaos

The Library of the Profane has everything your black heart desires. But we don’t just allow anyone to get a library card.

Need to summon a demon? Raise the dead? A clan of vampires bothering you? Do you like the really nasty werewolf erotica? The Library of the Profane has all of that, but not everyone can handle the contents (Some people can’t handle their werewolf erotica). I’ve been a librarian here for five years and when I say I killed to get this job, I’m not being facetious.

You can’t check out our books. Some of the books are sentient and don’t like it. We have rooms to perform the spells in or hell, we do have a copy machine (copies are extra). When a witch came in and said they needed to do a little necromancy, I didn’t question it. They wouldn’t have been given a library card if they were going to raise someone really bad. I helped with the necromancy because it’s just my job as a librarian.

Except it wasn’t a normal resurrection. It was the physical embodiment of Chaos and when he woke up, he saw me first and now he’s attached. Chaos personified is a horrible library guest and he won’t leave with the witch who raised him. He’s constantly getting into things he’s not supposed to and he’s really into the werewolf erotica.

It’s not like I can let him out because the Library of the Profane is meant to contain Chaos. The rest of the world isn’t. He’s awful about keeping his identity secret too. A warlock, a Hellhound, and a vampire know he’s here and they are bugging me to let Chaos have a little fun.

I just want a normal day of summoning demons, cursing people, and telling people to be quiet in my library. This is too much.

my review
Sooo, this was a flop for me. I’m not certain which I liked less, the story or the narration. This book has nine narrators, and it is not a feature. I found it super distracting (and hated one of the voiced characters entirely). The narrators did a fine job (even if I disliked one), but there didn’t need to be so many of them. It detracted from the experience. Why would anyone choose to do this?

As for the story, I found it flimsy and unsubstantial. Ripley exists. All the men who are forming her harem exist. That’s about all I can say for them. There is so little character development that they all remain virtual strangers (to the reader and each other).

Lastly, the book barely introduces all the characters and the mystery before it ends on a cliffhanger. As much as I hate starting stories I don’t see the end of, I won’t be continuing this one.

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Other Reviews:

BOOK REVIEW: Chaos (The Library of the Profane) by J.B. Trepagnier #reverseharem #urbanfantasy

 

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Book Review: Luna Wolf, by G. Bailey & Regan Rosewood

I accepted a review copy of G. Bailey and Regan Rosewood’s Luna Wolf through Love Books Tours.

Luna-Wolf-Kindle (1)I’ve been rejected by everyone—but an alpha heir wants me to be his pretend mate.

As the only wolf shifter in my pack not to shift, being rejected from my home when I turned eighteen was not unexpected when the shifter war is so close. But being sent to a secret academy full of immortal wolf shifters, demons, and teachers with no morals wasn’t something I planned for.

Luna Alpha Academy is for rejects only.

They choose wolves that no one cares about if they go missing and if I can survive long enough to learn the dark magic they teach, I might even be welcome back home as a wolf-witch.

Only catch?

My tutor is a hot shifter asshole who takes what he wants—this time it’s me.

In exchange for extra training, Atlas wants me to pretend to be his.

Every kiss, every possessive touch, every growl to anyone that comes near me only makes me want him more.

But I can’t have him. Not really.

He’s the alpha heir.

I’m a wolf who can’t even shift.

We don’t belong together, and it’s fake. It can’t ever be real.

Dark magic is my future and my only way back to my pack.

my review

I have very middle-of-the-road feelings about this book. Or rather, I liked the book fine, with the exception of a few critical elements, and I’m afraid that if I innumerate them, this review will come across as far more critical than I intend. So, let’s establish up front that I liked the book fine but have a few critiques that shouldn’t nullify the previous statement.

My biggest issue is the inconsistency in the characters, Atlas especially. He literally acts as if Nyx is a huge imposition on one page, and by the next, he’s hitting on her and has had a complete personality transplant. There is literally no transition between his attitude shifts. It was abrupt, unfollowable, and pulled me out of the narrative harshly. (Worse, it happened more than once.)

luna wolf photoMy second issue is how cliched and predictable the plot lines are. The primary immediate villain is a scorned woman fighting over a man—sometimes I want to shake authors and scream in their faces that women really can have motivations that don’t involve men—and the big reveal is seen coming from…well, basically, the beginning. Honestly, it all felt a little too focused on these small-scale dramas instead of the larger end-of-the-world level drama that is sketched out at best.

The writing is mechanically fine, if a little rough around the edges. The over-arching world seems interesting and I think I’d read another in the series. But, again, I’d call this a middle-of-the-road read.

On a totally unrelated note, I’m SO GLAD the book got a new cover. I’ve stumbled across the old one (with the pretty girl on the cover). And it made me seethe. A big deal is made in the book about Nyx being ‘curvy’ (and I do love a plus-sized heroine). That girl on the cover was not. So, I’m glad I don’t have to be irritated about that.


Other Reviews:

The Moon Alpha Series by G. Bailey and Regan Rosewood

Nocturnal Predators Reviews: Luna Wolf, by G. Bailey