Category: Fantasy

Snow by Mikayla Elliot

Title: Snow
Author: Mikayla Elliot
Pub. Date: 31-Jul-2017
Rating: 4.5

As a lover of fantasy and paranormal I have read a lot of vampire stories some good, some bad. Snow by Mikayla Elliot most definitely falls into the good category. It is a different take on the standard vampire tale.

Neva is a young woman who is working in her parents’ bakery until one day she is whisked away to the castle of a nearby Lord as a potential wife. Once at the castle she is turned into a vampire by Lord Thedryk. She is told she is the person that the vampire world has been waiting centuries for to be reborn.  She is the one that will change the course of all vampires forever.  Because of this, she is the target of the vampire Zachariah who wants to stop her fulfilling her destiny. Before she even has a chance to figure out what her destiny will be she must deal with Zachariah.  Continue reading “Snow by Mikayla Elliot”

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

Title: The Rules of Magic
Author: Alice Hoffman
Pub. Date: 10-Oct-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

I could not wait to get my hands on this book. Therefore, I was super excited to see it was a selection at Book of the Month. I loved Practical Magic and just knew that The Rules of Magic would be the same. I was right!

The Rules of Magic is the prequel to Practical Magic and in it we meet Jet and Franny, when they are young, along with their brother Vincent. The story starts in New York when the three siblings are still children living under what they consider harsh parental rules. They can’t wear black, red shoes, or have any books on magic, among other things. They know they are different but their parents refuse to discuss their heritage with them. Then one day an invite from their Aunt Isabelle arrives and the trio sets off to Massachusetts on their summer break for a visit.  Continue reading “The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman”

The Devil and the Muse by Mandy Beverly-Jackson

Title: The Devil and the Muse
Author: Mandy Beverly-Jackson
Pub. Date: 12-Jun-2017
Rating: 4 Stars

The Devil and the Muse by Mandy Jackson-Beverly is the second book in the Creatives Series. I did not read the first book in the series, while I would have liked to, I found it not necessary. The author did a good job of catching the reader up to date. It helped that a description of the characters was included in the very beginning of the book. I referred to it several times until I got caught up on the cast and their roles in the story.

The Allegiance is a group of individuals headed by immortals under the protection of the goddess The Lady and the Rose. Their purpose is to protect and nurture Creatives and other magical beings from those who would do them harm. Creatives are those individual that have a unique gift of being able to see events that lie hidden underneath a painting. In the past, Creatives have been hunted down and killed as witches. Now the Creatives are using their power to help a group of girls who have been kidnapped, raped, tortured and killed by the soldiers of an evil vampire named Kenan who is the devil incarnate. The Allegiance must work quickly if they are to save these young girls.  Continue reading “The Devil and the Muse by Mandy Beverly-Jackson”

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Pub. Date: 8-Aug-2010
My Rating: 5 Stars

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare has been on my to-read list for a very long time. I do not entirely know why it has taken me so long to get to this book. After all, the book has all the elements I enjoy, strong plot, memorable characters and excellent world building.

Tessa Grey arrives in England not long after her grandmother dies. Her brother, Nathaniel, has arranged for her passage and upon arriving at the dock she is meet by the Dark Sisters.  Her brother has been unavoidable detained and has sent them in his stead or so Tessa is lead to believe. The Dark Sisters quickly imprison her in their home and set about teaching her how to use her powers that she herself did not know existed.  Continue reading “Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare”

The Scholar by J. J. Anders

Title: The Scholar
Author: J. J. Anders
Pub. Date: 21-Nov2017
Rating: 5 Stars

The Scholar by J. J. Anders is the first of two books in The Genoa Chronicles. It is a YA fantasy story about Anna a young girl who has never fit in on Earth. She knows she is different, all she has to do is look in the mirror and see her white hair and translucent skin to confirm this. She also has this unique magical gift where she can acquire all the knowledge in a book just by touching its cover.

Despite searching all her life, Anna has never found another like herself. She has absorbed knowledge from books in libraries all over the world and successfully avoided capture by the military in her quest to learn about herself.  It appears her luck has run out, or maybe she has become complacent, because she has been spotted in the library and must flee to avoid capture.  Just as the military surrounds her and Anna thinks all is lost, a young man, Leian, comes to her rescue. Continue reading “The Scholar by J. J. Anders”

The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso

Title: The Tethered Mage
Author: Melissa Caruso
Pub. Date: 24-Oct-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

The Tethered Mage is the debut novel of Melissa Caruso and is the first book in the Swords and Fire trilogy. This book is truly a great way to start a new series. The author has built a wonderful magical world full of intrigue and characters to die for.

Lady Amalia Cornaro just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She is the Cornaro heir and will one day take her mother’s place on the Council of Nine. Therefore, when she inadvertently binds a young fire warlock to herself while trying to aid her it goes against all convention. The Empire does not allow a member of the council to be a Falconer for this could tip the balance of power. Continue reading “The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso”

Awakening Magic by Neely Powell

Title: Awakening Magic
Author: Neely Powell
Pub. Date: 14-Dec-2016
Rating: 4 Stars

Awakening Magic by Neely Powell is a paranormal story, with a touch of romance, about a family of witches that have carved out a safe haven for themselves and others like them in north Georgia.  When an old enemy returns to their normally quite community they must use their strength as a family unit to protect and save the ones they love.

Brenna Burns, one of the Connelly coven witches, has recently returned to New Mourne after spending several years in Atlanta. She is not the only entity that has returned to the small town. You see, every generation a Woman in White demands a sacrifice of one of the coven’s own as a tribute. As a precursor to the sacrifice of one of the Connelly witches an evil settles over the town causing death and destruction. Continue reading “Awakening Magic by Neely Powell”