Book Review: Cheetahs Never Run by Suki Selborne

     As maid of honor for her best friend, April's, wedding there was nothing she wouldn't do for her. That is until April springs on her at the last second that her ex, Quinn, will be the man of honor. April promises that she didn't know until the night before. But now Tyla has to deal with the man who left her five years ago, pregnant. Not that he knew or knows, but still. How was she ever going to get through this night?

    This was an impulse buy from BookBub in 2017. I didn't at the time know that it was a short story. In fact it took me less than an hour to read the entire thing. In earnest I can't tell you much about the book without giving everything away. I don't even know if there was enough substance to it to know if I enjoyed it or not. It was cute. Little melodrama. I feel like Quinn let her off a bit easy for not telling him he had a daughter for 5 years. Yeah, I get why she did it but in his place I'd have been PISSED. 

    There wasn't enough of the book for me to have a favorite character. I don't know if Quinn was actually the playboy Tyla made him out to be or if it was just her internal justification. It was a cute little fluff piece. That being said if you also want to read this book I wish you all the luck in finding it. I was able to locate it on the GoodReads page, but the links for purchase go to a "sorry" page for Amazon and "no results match your search criteria" for the other options. I only checked 5 of them, but still. 

Book Review: Doubting Thomas by Elizabeth Rose (Tarnished Saints Series Book 1)

     Thomas has always tried his best to be the best father to his six sons, but when the murder of his second wife casts him as a murderer his already difficult life becomes even harder. Between trying to raise six boys in a one bedroom cabin in the woods, proving he isn't a murderer, and making a living Thomas can't seem to catch a break. Now the neighbors are complaining that he can't raise his boys correctly and saying they should be taken away. At the request of her best friend, Tillie, Angel makes an unofficial trip to meet this alleged murderer and find out if he really is abusing his boys. If so she will file a case at her CPS office and get them placed in good homes. However, there is more to this family than meets the eye and when the boys are on the verge of being removed from the home Angel takes drastic steps to save this lost family. 

    I got this book as a BookBub suggestion in 2019 and enjoyed it. With 'bad-boy' in the title I had a bit higher hopes considering all who know me know if I impulse buy a book it is highly doubtful that I actually read the synopsis. Yes, it is my own fault. No I likely won't change. I really like getting books based on their covers. It has lead to some interesting reads. On to the review!

    I can't say that I had a favorite character in this book. I had a love hate relationship with them all. Maybe Daniel, the oldest son. He had a strong sense of duty to family, but wasn't stuck in his ways as his father. Angel was...difficult. I loathe CPS workers due to childhood issues, so I really wanted to hate her. She gained points for quitting, I'll give her that, but the grudge remained. Thomas I was a bit back and forth on as well. Internal monologue was very "I don't have emotions. Emotions is for the weak!". Then proceeds to have extreme mood swings for the entire book. No emotions my ass. Also, doesn't allow his children to cry? Processing emotions is a THING. 

    Lets move away from the characters to the story itself. I can understand going to extremes to keep a family together, especially if it was due to your nosiness that the kids are in danger anyways. The fact that Thomas is a preachers son and has 11 bothers who were all named after apostles is definitely different. I liked the book for the most part. Sexy backwoods mechanic trying to do right by his family against the gossip of a small town. I am down. Him being tall and a brunette is a total plus. Besides, there is just something about a man who knows his way around a vehicle. I am, however, still trying to figure out why he refers to himself as an outsider to the town and is thereby not accepted when he used to own a garage in town and his parents were from the town. Didn't make a lot of sense to me.

    I seen the "who did it" coming from the beginning. No real surprise there, but other reviews I have seen were surprised by who the murderer was. It was just a bit obvious to me. I can't say that this book has turned me off the series, however. I am curious about the other brothers and their stories. I am sure that the next story will be between Levi and Tillie and I may enjoy that one more. Especially considering she isn't a social worker. 

    If you don't have anything against CPS workers I am sure you will enjoy this book more than I did. Personal grudges and all that. This book is available on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. This is available on Kindle Unlimited. 

Book Review: Beauty and the Beast by Vivienne Savage (Once Upon a Spell Book 1)

     Anastasia has always been a free-spirited princess, even going so far as to cast a spell to sneak out of the castle to be a normal girl for an afternoon. She didn't think anything would change that, even being accepted into the collegium so she could continue her studies without having a husband. However, with her mother's failing health her father had become desperate to get a rose with healing properties from an abandoned castle. Upon learning the castle was guarded by a dragon he made a deal with a neighboring kingdom for Ana's hand in marriage in exchange for the rose and the dragon to be slain. When things don't pan out Ana ends up the captive of the Beast, forced to spend her days with the very dragon who threatened to burn her kingdom. Will she be just as trapped with this fire-breathing beast as she was with her betrothed?

    I got this book as one of the deals on BookBub in 2019 because Beauty and the Beast has forever been my favorite fairy tale and so far I have loved all variations I have ever read of it. This book is no exception. A new take on an old classic is always worth a read. 

    For the most part I loved this book. It really was a new take on the old story. We still had a cursed prince with a deadline. We had a promise that someone would come along and it would be up to the pair if they would fall in love. We have a castle and even a vast library. But there are also differences. For instance, the Beast in this story is a dragon shifter. Then there is the witchcraft. And of course the general descriptions of those involved. Very Scottish vs the traditional French. 

    For the goods. I loved all the classic aspects, of course. Then the Dragon shifter. If you have been reading my reviews for a while you know I have a mild obsession with all things dragon related. Witchcraft is always great and this is not the first Beauty and the Beast rendition I have read that includes it. The change from French to Scottish was definitely different, but not necessarily a bad thing. 

    I can't say I loved Beast as much in this book as I did in the classic as I have a personal vendetta against ginger males. I know I shouldn't, but bad experiences for the most part romantically with gingers. Odd considering my best male friend is a ginger, and I love him. But, to each their own in their choices of males. My biggest issue was actually that I don't get how the dragon was talking. Telepathy is normally how shifters are portrayed as talking while in their beast forms, but in this Beast paused talking when he had food in his mouth as if he was actually speaking while in beast form. Very odd.

    I have to say that this is an author I will very likely be reading more of in the future. In fact, I am considering getting more books in this series because of how much I enjoyed this book. For this book, though, it is free on Amazon by clicking here so there should be nothing stopping you from enjoying it as well!

Book Review: Animus by Ophelia Bell (Sleeping Dragons Book 1)

      Erika had dreamed of discovering the Dragon Temple her entire life. Just as her father had before her, but she has finally found it with her team. Full of jade dragon statues that are warm to the touch it seems there is the ability to "wake" them from their slumber. Are she and her team willing to "go the distance" to bring back the dragons? 

    I got this book on BookBub in November, 2017 because of the title. I didn't remember anything about the cover and I know I didn't read the synopsis. It wouldn't have stopped me, mind you. I have an obsession with all thing dragon related. In fact when I would look at it from my list I always thought it was going to be an Assassin's Creed type book. Was really looking forward to it. I was a bit disappointed, but only because it wasn't what I was expecting. 

    That being said I am always down for a little smut. This book is one of those god-awful books that the author has decided to take one book and break down into multiple books. I suppose that is why this one was free, but I won't be reading any more of it. Pet peeve of mine. I would rather pay for the whole story than have a cliff-hanger. 

    If you can ignore that glaring fact then this is a decent smut book. Odd...very very odd...but decent. All sex and build up to sex. Even comes equipped with a sacrificial virgin. I'd give more details, but this book doesn't have enough meat to it to do so without giving away the entire "book". 

    This book is still free so if you want a smutty book that doesn't solve any real curiosity you can get it on Amazon by clicking here.

Book Review: Kalala by A. B. Neilly

     Kalala has lived her entire life in the Congo. Her mother deserted her to Momma Belvie and she has had a good life so far. She has great friends, has a band, and loves Momma Belvie. Everything is going great until Kalala and her friends play Ouija and the Black claims her. Now the demon has killed, her friends hate her, and a priest tried to kill her during an exorcism. With the return of her mother, Mereveille, a new hope emerges. Maybe she can outrun the demon in Spain and they have a new life together. But, are her problems able to be outrun or will things get worse in this new land? 

    I was approached by the author and sent a physical copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book didn't strike me as my normal genres, but it seemed interesting enough so I agreed. I think because of this it has taken me so long to get through the book. It isn't poorly written, although it does have things that seemed lost in translation or words that shouldn't be there due to translation issues, but otherwise the writing is fine. 

    I think my biggest problem with this book is large sections of it are in other languages and when I used the Google image translate app on my phone it was frequently unable to translate what was written. I don't know if it was just gibberish in the book or if the app was having struggles as I have never had that issue with the app before. Even if it wasn't a defined language it wouldn't have been a problem if they didn't say things and then move on without translating it or providing context. I ended up skimming half of the book it felt like because I seen no point in reading words that didn't make sense to me or my app. 

    Outside of this it is a decent Young Adult book that is probably considered horror. Not sure what other genre this would fall into. My favorite character in this book was Mari as she had a large personality and a different outlook on life that wasn't regulated to superstitious nonsense like in the Congo. In this book I enjoyed that Supernatural was referenced as it was one of my favorite TV shows before it ended, so it is a dot of relatability in this story. Kalala is an overly dramatic teenager, but that is to be expected from teenagers so can't say much about that. 

    This book will show you how other countries are governed by superstitious beliefs to the point of murder and leave you wondering what the Black truly is. Kalala is available on Amazon for $3.99 by clicking here

Book Review: Heart of the Goblin King by Lisa Manifold (The Realm Book 1)

     Brennan has always had to keep a tight reign on his emotions. When you are a Fae if you don't terrible things could happen, like the loss of life. It is best to not have strong emotions for others. And it was easy, especially with an arranged marriage planned for him in the future. Until he and his brother, Drake, were sent into the Human Realm and came face to face with Iris. She stirs so many feelings in him. Her ire sparking his own, but her strong emotions that she readily accepts may lead to disaster. 

    I got this book from BookBub in 2017 because my favorite movie is Labyrinth. Who doesn't love David Bowe? So I got a book about a Goblin King. There was even some talk of goblins taking babies that were wished away. Minor part, but it was like a tip of the hat to Labyrinth so I loved that part. 

    A feisty romance with goblins, dragons, and the Fae. What could go wrong? I really liked some parts of this book and was a bit bored by others. For instance, at the beginning of the book Brennan talks about how his mother never shows great emotion then for the rest of the book she is headstrong and overly emotional. Then the "who did it" was so overly obvious. There was no shock factor in the book at all. Everything went just as expected. 

    But, I can't say I didn't enjoy this book at all. For the most part I did enjoy it. The world was well built. Some aspects of the Fae were as they always are while others were different. Nothing wrong there. There was enough going on to keep your interest. Iris was feisty and spoke her mind, which made her my favorite character in the book. Drake was a jokester who was fiercely protective. I hope that he gets his own mate in future books, although I do hope that it isn't the girl he likes in this book. She is awful. 

    This is a clean romance with no sex in it, but there is cursing. Seems like a good enough trade. I enjoy both, but the story did well without it and have a feeling it will be portrayed in future books if the same characters remain. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $3.99 by clicking here. This is available on Kindle Unlimited. 

Book Review: The Unwelcome by Jacob Steven Mohr

     Kait Brecker had escaped her ex-boyfriend Lutz and ran to her best friend, Alice. Whatever horror Lutz had forced on her Katie hadn't been able to tell. Instead, shutting into herself. But, that is okay. Alice would always be by her side. Now Kait was going with Alice, her boyfriend Ben, and Riley to Ben's family cabin in the woods for the weekend. Perfect place for Kait to get her head on straight and come back. That is until Lutz follows them and the bodies begin to pile up. Would any of them survive this weekend or would Lutz get what he wanted all along?

    I received this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review. He asked me once if I had any idea what was going on and it made me think that there was some kind of twist to the book. Something unexpected instead of what was implied. I kept searching for it and waiting for the other shoe to drop. It didn't, but it didn't detract from the book. In fact, I really enjoyed this book. Very body-snatchers. I had said it gave me skin-walker vibes when I spoke to him, but I knew that wasn't the right term even at the time. I had Covid and was a bit brain-fogged. I knew what I meant, but was hard to put it into words. Body Snatchers is better. 

    This horror book is different than others I have read and it is always great to find something new. It is a novel I think even King would be happy to read, based on his normal recommendations and his own writing styles. Maybe he will read it and give his opinion on it at some point. Who knows. Either way this was a great read and I look forward to more books from this author in the future. 

    My favorite character in this book was Alice, which is amusing considering the ending. Not that I will give the ending away, but you will see what I mean when you finish this book for yourself. She is so sweet and loveable while having a bit of a bite. Besides, you know I have a weakness for female redheads. This book is available on Amazon for $4.49 by clicking here.

Books by this author: 

Daughter of Man

Book Review: Digging the Wolf by Steffanie Holmes (Wolves of Crookshollow Book 1)

     It seems all Anna has been trying to do since she came of age was to escape Crookshollow, but something always kept her here. Her mother needing her after her father died so she stayed at university close to home. Her mother again when her boyfriend died. And now she was convinced by a professor to trade places with another girl for her archeological dig in Sicily to stay 20 miles from home at a cave in the woods. She couldn't catch a break. Now, there is a new Park Ranger who is breathing down their necks about safety regulations. A big, sexy park ranger. Too bad he is as much of an "arse" as he is hot. But, the unfollowed safety regulations are the least of this expeditions issues as werewolves fight for control of the caves. 

    I impulse bought this book on BookBub in 2018 because I have a huge soft spot for paranormal romances. Anyone who has been reading my reviews for a while knows this. They are my go to. When in doubt find something with a big, sexy man. Preferably one who is possessive and turns into an animal. It has seemed to work well for me time and again. Can't say I am disappointed with this book, either. I will let you know that this book is very British. Nothing wrong with that, at all, but I had to look up some words from time to time. And the spelling of some words is so odd to me since we use z's in certain words where they use s, such as visualise. 

    I seem to be on an unintentional foreign book reading binge and am curious how long it will last for. This book, the last book, and one of the books I am currently reading are all set in different countries. Interesting how other areas live. Back to the book. Luke is tall, dark, and sexy. I mean who doesn't love a tall possessive man who gets a little hairy? Yes, I am personally thinking of my husband when I write this, but lots of girls have similar fantasies and tastes in men. Luke is just a little messed up, but not enough where he is "damaged goods" he just needs a little TLC. Then there are the other wolves. I really really don't want to like Caleb, but I think that is more of a personal vendetta against gingers than anything else. Well, male gingers. I won't give away who the third wolf is, although it is painfully obvious throughout most of the book. 

    On to the only bad things I have to say about the book. One of them I listed above. The third wolf. I mean come on. It wasn't even well hidden. No big shock factor there. And I don't suspect we have seen the last of him by this author. The other thing was the sex scenes. I love a good sex scene as much as the next girl, but after a few pages of one sex scene it gets a little boring and I start skimming. Skimmed more than once in this book, that is for sure. No matter how good the sex is it really doesn't need to be described for so long. Also, what is up with the bracelet? It seems to be such a big part and then nothing. Just annoying. 

    This book is good, though. Full of nerdy references, archeology, and the paranormal there is something here for everyone. My favorite character in this book is Luke. Yes, he comes off as a bit of an ass, but most everyone has the ability to be such. Besides, the best men are generally assholes at least part of the time. Where is the fun if they don't give as good as they get?

    This book is available on Amazon for free by clicking here.

Book Review: You Don't Have to be Dead to Work Here...But it Helps by Michael Christopher Carter

     After Ann retired she moved into a small stone home where she could be completely self-sufficient and changed her name back to the original use. Everything has been going well, in fact, she was juts approved to work with youths with certain issues to help them with basic life skills. That is until she begins to hear someone calling for her by Ann, even when no one can be around. Just what could this disembodied voice possibly mean about Ann and her life?

    I got this eBook on impulse from BookBub in 2017 and thought about it occasionally as I would search for my next read in my lists, but never paid it much mind. I thought it was going to be some kind of vampire/ghoul supermarket thing. I don't know why. I never read the synopsis on the book. It happens when I impulse buy books. I never know what I am getting myself into. Have permanently deleted more than one book in my library as a result of what I have discovered in the pages, that is for sure. This book was...disappointing. 

    The title is long and sets up a certain expectation. It is just clunky and useless. I know that is harsh and I am sorry. Mostly. I will say that this is a Novella, not a full book. I can't say that I hoped for much more than that, so it didn't disappoint in that way. The book is set in Wales and is understandable and the scenery is depicted beautifully. That's about all the good I have to give. The plot was just...boring. Seriously. I can't give any more away then what I put into my synopsis at the top without telling you all there is to know about the book. It was all just so...expected. There was no thrill. No what happens next. And believe you me. I read this book from start to finish in less than 3 hours. 

    If you want to find out who is chasing Ann then by all means open the pages. This book is available on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. Personally, I am glad that this book is one that I got during one of BookBub's deals and I didn't spend any money on this book. 

Book Review: Against the Odds by Mara Jacobs (Anna Dawson Book 1)

     Johanna is a professional gambler, and has done well for herself, Ben, and Lor in Vegas. Other than occasionally doing jobs for Vince to pay off a debt she has managed to stay out of trouble. That is until someone kills one of the Corporation, Jimmy. Poor Ben is beside himself, and with Gus being targeted next the police are in a race to find who is after the boys. Detective Jack is on the case and believes it is a revenge ploy. Between Anna and Jack can they solve this case before their demons get the best of them and those that remain of the corporation meet a similar fate?

    I got this book on impulse from Amazon in January of 2020. I didn't know this eBook was about gambling at the time as I have a bad habit of choosing books based on their covers instead of synopsis sometimes, but I really liked this book. I can't say that I understood half of the sports information as I don't know anything at all about sports. If I did it probably would have increased my enjoyment. As it was I mostly skimmed those parts of the book to get back to the murder mystery. 

    When we were getting more details throughout the story I have to admit that I suspected the reason why, but I didn't suspect the who. For some reason I thought the result knew one of them was the reason and was picking the Corporation off one by one as a result. The person I thought was the result wasn't either, instead they were just a random character in the story. I am glad it is who it is, but still. I am not sure if I will read more of this series in the future just because I don't understand sports. If I do I hope that I see more of Jack in the future. He was such a sweetheart and I completely understood where he was coming from. 

    He wasn't my favorite character, though. That spot is reserved for Ben. Who doesn't love the adorable old man who takes the younger generation under his wing? His "Hannah" would definitely have been lost over the years without him. I hope he finds out what we found out eventually. I think he will handle it well and it will give him something that he has always wanted. 

    If you are looking for a murder mystery filled with revenge and vices look no further. I seen some other reviews saying there were cliff-hangers, but I don't feel that way. It would be possible for the book to end where it is at and not be left wanting. Sure all of the characters don't know everything, but the same thing often happens in real life so it could end here without issue. This book is available for free on Amazon by clicking here.

Book Review: After the Cure by Deirdre Gould (After the Cure Book 1)

     Eight years ago saw the beginning of the December Plague. A disease that started as an attempt to alleviate mental illness instead turned many of the population into cannibalistic zombies. For two years the immunes battled for survival against the infected until a cure was discovered. With the cure being provided to the infected the world must come to terms with the things they have done. The Cured, as the previous zombies are now referred, remember everything they did and what is left of the world wishes they could forget their deeds. Now it is time to seek justice against those that caused the infection in the first place. Dr. Rider and Lawyer Frank must work together to make sure a more potent strain isn't released to the masses. But can one Cured and one Immune really stop something to which there will never be a cure?

    I got this book for free on Amazon in 2017. It just sat unread for a long time, but with the pandemic going on in the world I thought it might be a good time to start it. This book is as if someone discovered that all of the zombies in the walking dead were just sick people then Rick and everyone else had to deal with their actions. It would be very traumatic and I can tell why there was such a high suicide rate. That being said I really enjoyed this book and I wondered if they would be able to stop the contamination before release. 

    In an odd turn of events I actually got Covid while reading this book. My vaccinated mother in law came to my house last Saturday and ended up giving it to me. It honestly isn't that bad. Headache that doesn't want to go away and some dizziness. Nothing major. Back to the book. Zombies able to be cured with all their memories of the events that happened isn't something that you see very often. In fact, it is the first time that I have read a book with this concept and it is always great to find uncharted territory. Not really something that happens very often, especially when you read as many books as I do. 

    I liked the characters in this book and I find it hard to pinpoint one that was my favorite.  I wasn't a fan of Dr. Carton, Dr. Schneider, or especially Dr. Pazzo. I suppose that is to be expected considering who they are and what they did. I don't think Dr. Carton's end was befitting, but otherwise I am pleased with the result. There is one thing that really bothered me during this book and it only happened at the end. Where the new strain was hidden. It was so painfully obvious and it wasn't even considered for so many pages. It was disappointing to say the least. Otherwise I really enjoyed this book and hope you enjoy it as well. 

    An original and new take on zombie books that is worth the read. This book is available on Amazon for free by clicking here.

Book Review: Storm Front by Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files Book 1)

     Harry is a practicing wizard who locates missing items and consults with the police on all things mystical. He's behind on rent and most everyone who calls just wants to know if he is serious. And, if you're wondering, he is. To say things are slow is an understatement, but they are about to pick up with two appointments in one day. Murphy, the cop he helps with mystical deaths, has a gruesome double homicide while his private client is missing her husband. In order to solve the crimes and satisfy his client Harry must walk an edge between light and dark magic while battling demons and killer arachnids. The biggest threat in this wizard's life is no longer He Who Walks Behind or the Doom of the White Council. What will he lose in the attempt to save others?

    "Harry Dresden. Practicing Wizard. Finder of lost objects. Yes, I'm serious. I'm in the phone book. Look me up." This is actually said at multiple points in the book and I find it amusing. As if he has to keep reminding the reader who he is and what he does. Can't say I blame him. Not a job title most would believe. I downloaded this book as an impulse from the Libby app and immensely enjoyed it. I had tried 3 audiobooks before finally landing on this one and wasn't sure if I was going to find anything that would capture my interest at first. What better thing to latch onto than a paranormal crime mystery?

    It did take me a week to get through, but my household has been sick. Anyways. Time for what you came here for. My review. This is a fast paced magical book that makes you wonder how everything will tie together and who is responsible. I must say when I started this book I thought Harry lived in a farmhouse off the beaten path. Don't ask me why, that is just what my brain conjured during the post-man scene. I have since realized that was his office and is, in fact, in downtown Chicago. Oops. Things happen in your brain. Nothing can be done for it. 

    Harry is an odd creature. He is human, so maybe odd duck is a more correct term. None the less, it is hard to get a feel for him. One moment he is dripping bravado and good humor. The next he is locked in internal conflict. He bounces back and forth and it is hard to sense if he has any real attachment to anyone in his life. He refers to Murphy as his friend, but doesn't trust her. I don't know it was just odd to me. Also, the fact that he uses the same incantation for different results at different times bothers me a bit. I feel like each thing should have it's own word. I may be a one off in saying this, but still. 

    Then there are the females. I've said it before and I will say it again. Spare me the male descriptions. It is like some male authors only know how to describe women using their dicks. I am not saying some women don't do the same for men in their stories, but I definitely notice it a lot more from men. Serious gag factors. 

    My favorite character in this book was Bob. I won't spill too much about him, but he was great. Kind of an in your face horn dog, at least as much as a spirit can be. I am curious what he got up to during his 24 hours of reprieve, but I suppose that is a question that will never be answered. Besides. Living in a skull? Seems great other than the whole tethered forever thing. 

    On to the good. I was able to keep guessing as to who the killer was and if the cases had anything to do with each other. I know in a lot of books if there are two things going on at once they normally tie together, but you never know. I don't generally choose the obvious choice. I won't let on if this book does that or not. You will just have to find out for yourself. As this was an audiobook on my part I don't know how well it was written, but the audio sounded good and there were no obvious issues that I caught. The speaker did well throughout and it never felt as if he was stumbling over words. I do need to say that I don't suggest reading the synopsis on Amazon for this one...I actually had to blink a few times and highlight it with my mouse to make sure my 2:30 AM brain wasn't misreading it. I wasn't. It's not great. I can't say that I will be checking out any of the other 16 books in this 17 book series, even after mostly enjoying this one. 

    It is an option to check out if you are into paranormal or crime mysteries. This book is available on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here.

Book Review: The Final Decree by Shami Stovall

     Since the battle between the old Gods, which lead to the reign of mankind, a God-King has been ruler of different realms. These God-Kings and God-Queens have the power to utter decrees to govern the populace. Anyone who breaks these decrees receive a curse. The curse can come to fruition within hours or years, but there is no escape from it.  Everyone knew of their crime, except Artemis. She had been born with her mark and had lived the last twenty years of her life fearing the change to a Forsaken, the beast which mimicked the crime committed. 

    God-King Elizar had now commanded that she be killed, going so far as to have the High Guard after her. Everywhere Artemis turned there was loathing and no one had shown her kindness. Why would they? She was cursed and deserved her fate. Until someone scared away her newest attackers and was kind to her. This mysterious stranger, Rylion, gave her a purpose and guaranteed if she were to change she would not become a danger to those around her. But, with the God-King's guard closing in, Forsaken around every corner, and the possibility of turning at any time will there be any real future?

    I received this book as an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. When I read the initial synopsis of the book I thought it sounded mildly interesting, but wasn't overly excited about it. When you read a lot of a genre, like Fantasy, they all begin to meld together. That being said, I love Fantasy books and if I am at least a bit intrigued I am more than willing to read the book and give my opinion. This is one Fantasy book that is interesting, exciting, and makes you want to know more. 

    I loved how the book was mostly from the point of view of Artemis, but would occasionally jump to another character for one chapter. It allowed a brief glimpse of how another thought and felt without changing the direction of the story. Because of that insight you, as the reader, were able to more easily relate to and understand what was going on in the story. For instance, without knowing Thea's internals the grin on her face would have been unknown as for her reason behind the mark. 

    There are some opinions I formed during the book ended up being true while others haven't been given a definite answer. However one I believe is likely false, now. I won't say which is which, but I wonder if as you read this book you reach the same conclusions. I would love to know if you did! First: Rylion and Wulf are not full brothers. Second: Artemis and Alexavier are related. Third: Artemis is one of the old-gods returned, but has not unlocked those memories or came into her powers. Fourth: Growing up Artemis was used as a "gun" for hire, in a manner of speaking. 

    In a lot of cases with ARC books and indie authors the books are littered with typos, grammatical errors, or are simply tedious to read. Shami Stovall does not have that issue and I commend both she and any editors that she used. I found less issues within this book than you will find in a Stephen King novel. In fact there isn't a thing I would change about this book. Some encounters were a bit awkward, but that was how it seemed to be intended. Everything played well together including the obsessions and jealousy. Artemis is a bit overwhelming with her emotions, but considering her upbringing I am not surprised. I do hope there is more to this story in the future as there are things left unanswered.

    Definitely a read I suggest pre-ordering now. The Final Decree released on 10/12/2021 on Amazon for $5.99 and you can get yours by clicking here. This is available on Kindle Unlimited. 

    Books by this author:

The Nexus Games (The Nexus Games Book 1)

The Nexus Knight (The Nexus Games Book 2)