Tag: fantasy books

Review: Good Omens (Updated)

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Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, WitchGood Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’ve never read anything by either Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchett before, so I went into Good Omens with no expectations. The story focuses on the coming apocalypse, its players, and how the forces of Good and Evil are working to sway things their way.

This is a repost of my original December 2016 book review, with an update about the May 2019 Good Omens miniseries.

UPDATE (June 2019): Good Omens has been released as a miniseries on Amazon (and is free for Prime members to watch). It encompasses the heart of this book and (in my opinion) excels it through its engaging visuals, actors, and storytelling. My criticisms regarding the book are not an issue in the miniseries. Watch it here!

(The book review continues below.)

The story is a fairly quick read, though the first 50-60 pages are a bit tough to get through. I consider myself to have a good sense of humor and enjoy a lot of British humor, and while I could recognize all the things that should be funny, I have to admit none of them actually made me laugh. (Had I been about 10 years younger? Probably.) But the writing was lighthearted and poked fun at everything, a contrast that worked well with the subject matter.

Continue reading “Review: Good Omens (Updated)” →

Review: Kingdom of Exiles

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Book CoverKingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau
My Rating: 4.5-Stars
 Genre: Fantasy Romance
 Release Date: June 25, 2019
 Formats: eBook ($6), Paperback ($7)

Kingdom of Exiles is a unique, action-packed fantasy romance. The strong start to this series promises that great things will follow.

Leena Edenfrell is a Charmer, a person who can tame magical beasts of varying classes. “Taming” sounds simpler than it is, too — sometimes the act requires self-sacrifice or willingness to endanger oneself. An unfortunate circumstance led to Leena being exiled from her homeland and she seeks a way to return home. Continue reading “Review: Kingdom of Exiles” →

Review: Holy Crap! The World is Ending!

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Book CoverHoly Crap! The World is Ending! (Anunnaki Chronicles #1) by Anna-Marie Abell
My Rating: 3.5-Stars
Genre: Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Release Date: September 21, 2017
Formats: Kindle Unlimited, eBook ($3), paperback ($16), hardcover ($29)

Unique, bizarre, interesting, funny, outlandish. Non-spoiler alert: the Earth is going to be destroyed.

I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was angry when I originally finished Holy Crap!, but at the time it was unclear on Netgalley that it was book one of a trilogy. The author reached out and explained this, and with that understanding the unresolved ending makes sense. However, consider that a warning if you’re someone who doesn’t like diving into a series before it’s completed.

The president has announced that Earth is going to collide with a rogue moon, and in the process, our entire planet is going to be smashed to bits. As one would expect, upon hearing this news, humans went ballistic. It was as if every sports team in the world lost their championship game at the same time. No car was left unrolled—but oddly enough, Taco Bell remained open and made unfathomable profits in the last days. Apparently, Doritos Locos® Tacos were a popular last meal.

Continue reading “Review: Holy Crap! The World is Ending!” →

A Month of Reading: April Book Reviews (Part Two)

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Picking up where I left off yesterday, today’s batch of books include both fantasy and romance titles:

Fantasy – Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell and White Sand Volume 1 (graphic novel).

Romance – Fire in His Kiss (also fantasy), the new Beauty novella quartet (also fantasy), Sonata for a Scoundrel, and Wrong Turn, Right Direction.

Reviews are in order of date read. (My star ratings are explained here.)

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Fire in His Kiss  by Ruby Dixon 4.5-Stars

I reviewed the first book in Dixon’s newest post-apocalyptic dragons-on-Earth series last month and while it was enjoyable, I was left unimpressed with the world building and had hoped Dixon would start explaining why, or at least who, these dragons are. With Fire in His Kiss she managed to do just that.

“Emma pulls out her gun with shaking hands and points it at Dakh. ‘W-what the f*ck is he?'”

This book reveals quite a bit about the dragons’ past lives before they were forced onto Earth. The exact cause of the cataclysmic event called the Rift is still unknown, but that’s okay–for now. We also discover ways that non-fort dwellers are hiding from attracting the attention of dragons.

“This is about my survival, and I’m just going to have to suck it up. Women have been trading their bodies for safety ever since the Rift. I’m no different from any of them at the end of the day.”

Continue reading “A Month of Reading: April Book Reviews (Part Two)” →

A Month of Reading: April Book Reviews (Part One)

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Another month flew by with me reading a bunch between courses, work, side work, and remembering to occasionally sleep. For Netgalley I reviewed a new release, Making Waves, a couple weeks ago and have another review for Pieces of Me (releases in May) coming up likely on Wednesday.

Like last month I don’t have time for a lot of individual reviews, so instead I’m giving a summary and overall impressions for each book. There’s quite a few books this time so this will be divided into two posts, one tonight and one tomorrow. Today’s titles include:

Romance – How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days, So I Married a Highlander, Making Waves, Duke of Pleasure, The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland, Haunted on Bourbon Street (also fantasy/paranormal), and Barbarian’s Lady (also fantasy).

Reviews are in order of date read. (My star ratings are explained here.)

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How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days  3-Stars
So I Married a Highlander 1.5-Stars
What Happens in Scotland series #1 & #2, by Kate McKinley

This short regency romance introduces us to Pippa Welby, daughter of a wealthy tradesman who is against marrying into higher society due to their treatment of her, and Lucas Alexander, the ninth Duke of Arlington. Lucas meets Pippa at a ball but gives her the impression that he is aloof to her existence, when really he desires to make her his. So he concocts a plan that makes sense only to one of the most powerful men in London: announce their engagement ball and invite Pippa to it.

Things heat up quickly between the two, and though Lucas’s motives were questionable for a while, things get sorted out and these two lovebirds get their happily-ever-after. The characters are both likeable, but both could use more development (a constant problem in shorter novels).

“I just want you by my side, Pippa, however I can get you. I don’t know how to do this. If I want something, I take it. I always find a way. But this, with you… us… I feel so damned lost.”

Continue reading “A Month of Reading: April Book Reviews (Part One)” →