Looking for a gay book to read? Well I'm going to be giving my reviews on the books I've read, so maybe I can give a hand.
Check out the About to learn what to expect! Also check out the Master List for all the reviews I've done!
Hope you find something you enjoy!
Mike lives in the 1950′s town of Amorea where everyone knows everyone and there’s not a single thing wrong. A perfect place where Mike owns a small bookshop and has a best friend named Sean Mellgard. Sean, who’s he loves yet has spent the last three years dancing around the fact. The whole town can’t understand why they haven’t settled down together, but Mike takes hit time.
And while everything might seem great in Amorea, Mike might just be losing his mind. There are birds in the sky only he sees, voices in this home late at night, and things he can almost remember.
Si-Fi, Mystery, Romance
If you like the twilight zone and a book that can be thought provoking in a philosophical sense, you may like this one more than me.
The plot is mainly split into two sections. The first part is Mike in the town of Amorea interacting with the residence and Sean while experiencing all these bizarre events. This is the very twilight zone aspect of this book. A bunch of weird stuff is happening and he’s the only one who seems to be experiencing it. Then the second half of the plot is Mike discovering the truth about those strange events. This is where I say the book gets more philosophical in nature. I think it offers up some food for thought about the human psyche and could lead to deeper contemplation about the book’s plot in general.
So why did I rate it so low? This book was way too long. It was a chore to get through and I almost didn't finish it. This was also a complaint I had about the other Klune book I read. This author has interesting plots but suffers from dragging too much. The start of the novel when the weird things are happening could have been cut in half. It's very repetitive by the time he moved onto the explanation, I was 70% through the novel and a bit bored. Then the explanation felt dragged out. While the plot was inserting, it wasn’t happening at a pace that felt satisfying, more frustrating.
Overall, it’s a book that starts off with bizarre happenings and ends with bigger questions about freedom, life, and the human psyche. It wasn’t necessarily a unique plot, but Klune makes it his own. Thought it’s a long read and very slow to get through.
Kelly Cannon is a college professor who has a good life. Good friends, a wonderful family, and a great job. But his love life is looking poor as he’s fallen for, not just any straight guy, but his best friend Britton “Blue” Montgomery. Blue is an NFL standout who’s been feeling the pressure of his family and career. So when Kelly confesses his feelings for him, Blue’s going to have to decide what’s really important to him.
Romance, Contemporary
This novel is about Kelly trying to start a relationship with Blue and Blue trying to figure out what kind of relationship he wants with Kelly. Blue is very uncertain if he’s ready to admit he wants to openly be with Kelly while at the same time does not want to lose him. The NFL aspect adds some really interesting story elements into the plot, like how he manages his career and fan base. The author also does some interesting things with Blue’s perspective on the situation and how he confronts Kelly’s attraction.
As for characters, they were good. Kelly is practical and enjoyable to read about. Blue is interesting, he’s an NFL player with rough family connections and heavily relies on Kelly for support. He has a very interring way of thinking and his public perception/fear of being ostracized is what mainly holds him back.
Overall, it was more interesting than some of the other contemporary novels I’ve read. The author gave themselves a good premise to work with and it set itself apart from other novels with modern-day settings. The plot was good and the characters enjoyable.
Freshman Parker Osborne is having a rough time adjusting to college and the TA of his easy film class, Adam, just gave him a bad grade on his paper. He hoped to drop the class and move on until a virus broke out turning people into zombies. Parker only escaped the overrun campus when Adam came in with his motorcycle and got them away from the chaos. Now they’re stuck together trying to survive. But Adams got a big secret he’s not sure Parker will accept and the two can’t stop bickering. Can they pull off surviving the zombie apocalypse?
Romance, Supernatural
I didn’t know how a werewolf- zombie apocalypse novel was going to go and it turned out pretty good.
The plot isn’t short of action and suspense. I think the author did a good job balancing tense moments with mild ones. At no point were the characters not doing something for so long that it got boring. I also think the werewolf aspect added a good plot device into the mix. It made surviving the zombies more reasonable in a funny way.
The characters were enjoyable. Both made good strides throughout the novel as people. Parker grew up a lot and could hold his own in a bad situation. Adam was dynamic and compelling. Their relationship was also well developed. I think the author did a good job of not having them like each other too soon for a story that starts off with them hating one another.
Over all, a good novel. The plot was probably the best part, the author did a really good job with the external conflict and even the internal conflict was good. The characters were enjoyable and they had a good relationship.
When artist Siôn Ruston retreats to the seaside village of Rosewick Bay, Yorkshire to recover from a suicide attempt, he encounters a ghost who appears in his bedroom every morning at dawn. Even more startling than that is when he meets Mattie, the ghost’s friendly decedent who looks just like him. But Mattie’s great-great-grandfather isn’t the only ghost in Rosewick Bay. So Siôn and Mattie begin to investigate an ill-fated love affair from lifetimes ago as they begin to grow close.
Romance, Paranormal
A good ghost story.
The author did a great job with the plot of this novel. It follows Siôn and Mattie as they try to learn about the history of two ghosts that haunt the village. The unraveling of the story was very well written. The ghosts were creepy and they did a wonderful job of framing the story. It’s told through Siôn POV and the author did a great job using that to influence the reader's thoughts and options of the horror. In my opinion, the weakest aspect of the plot was the relationship between Mattie and Siôn. It wasn’t awful, just not quite up to par with the rest of the novel.
That being said, Mattie and Siôn as characters were great. Mattie’s a social butterfly who’s positive and outgoing. Though he still had a naive aspect to him that pairs well with Siôn’s logical nature. Which is a refreshing character trait of Siôn’s. Though he struggles with mental health, he’s very rational about everything and understands the flaws of people and himself. A very aware character who’s no coward and suborn as hell. They were both great protagonists.
Honestly, my complaints about this novel are all pretty nitpicky. I didn’t care for how Mattie and Siôn’s relationship unfolded early in the novel. It improved, but it just didn’t interest me as much as everything else going on. And some of the novel’s mechanics are a little on the nose.
Overall, I really enjoyed the ghost story and the protagonist. The author did a great job unraveling the mystery and created a creepy and suspenseful tale.
Ersel, a mermaid, has always been adventurous. She’s never conformed to the expectations her fellow mermaids had of her. The day she rescues a shield maiden by the name of Ragna, Ersel knew she wanted a life far away from her home. But when her childhood friend catches them, she’s forced to go to drastic measures to keep her freedom and Ragna.
Romance, Fantasy
A cute story about fighting for your dreams and accepting who you are.
So the plot of this novel takes place primarily within the mermaid world. It’s all told through Ersel’s perspective as she defies tradition. The story’s plot revolved around more adolescent themes like bullying, growing apart from childhood friends, learning who you are, and transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Because of that, there weren’t any overly suspenseful parts. There were some pretty surprising and interesting moments in the last third of the book. In fact, I’d say that the last part of the book is where the most interesting things took place.
One of the best parts of the book by far was the mermaid lore the author created. Ember created such an interesting and unique take on the classic mermaid. In this world, they all live in ice waters and have adapted to the cold temperatures. I really loved reading about all the mermaid’s traits from them needing to sunbathe to building their homes from glaciers. It was all very interesting and great world building.
As for the characters, Ersel made for a good protagonist. She was strong-willed and brave. She also had many flaws and made mistakes, which I think is accurate for a young 19 year old trying to define herself in a place always pushing traditions onto her. She gets frustrated, she questions herself, she makes mistakes. She’s a good heroin for a coming of age story. As for Ragna, she’s not really explored in this book. She’s really only a side character whose main role is to motivate Ersel. She’s more present in the last part of the book but very little of her is explored.
There is a second book that I believe follow Ragna’s point of view and a part of her story.
Overall, this book is a good coming of age story about a young mermaid defining tradition. With the adolescent plot points and minor adult content, I think teens between the ages of 14-16 would really enjoy this book.
Military historian Luke Alcott goes to live at the old Royal Military School of Medicine while he catalogs its archived. Though while he’s there, he starts to experience strange occurrences like hearing foots steps and voices. The only person he can go to for help is Jay, a veteran who’s employed as the groundskeeper. Together they have to unravel the secrets of the old school.
Romance, Paranormal
A compelling paranormal story.
This novel takes place from Luke’s perspective as he writes down his experience from the Royal Military School of Medicine years later. I really liked how it was written. I thought it was very interesting to be able to read how the character recalled the events and get their take on it after things occurred. The novel also had good suspense as it built up some very creepy moments. Additionally, there was a lot of romance mixed into this book. I’d say it was a hard 50-50 on spooky ghost and romance.
I really liked the characters. Luke was smart and a good narrator. He had an interesting past that enriched his character. Jay was similar in that his time in the military had greatly influenced the individual he’d become. He’s a disabled character, but I’d say a very confidant and positive one. Jay had a very positive effect on Luke and the same for Luke on Jay. They both complimented each other well and it was nice reading about how they helped one another.
My one complaint about this book was Luke’s narrations would get off track sometimes. Luke is writing out his experiences and would sometimes break from the story to give a current update on what’s happening as he writes. It makes the way Luke writes feel more like a personal memoir than a novel, but it took me out of the story. It happened too spontaneously and dragged a bit in places. I found myself just wanting him to get back to the story.
Overall, this was an interesting story with a very cute romance. I really enjoyed the plot and the characters were well written. This novel feels like a personal story between Jay and Luke and was well executed and spooky.
Nate Cartwright has lost it all. He lost his job, his parents are dead, and his brother wants nothing to do with him. So he decides to go to his family’s cabin in the secluded woods of Roseland, Oregon. When he shows up, he’s expecting an empty cabin and isolation. However, what he finds is a big guy named Alex with a little girl named Artemis Darth Vader. Alex is holding a gun to him and Artemis is the strangest kid he’s ever met. Nate would then find himself in the middle of government secrets, dangerous adventure, and two compelling characters.
Science Fiction, Romance
A really cute story that has a compelling plot and great characters.
The plot of this novel is very exciting and interesting. It’s about three people on the run from a secret government organization. There’s suspense, action, and interesting plot devices. It’s not a ridiculously original idea, but it’s executed fantastically. Also, the book took place in 1995, which I thought was a good choice. The setting creates a limit in technology that played well into the plot. A modern setting couldn’t have pulled off this plot as well as the 90s.
The characters of this book are great. Nate is a very grounded character, he’s the average person thrust into chaos and learning how to cope with it. Alex was awesome because the author does a great job of showing small acts that reveal details about his character. He’s kind of an unknown with only small details being revealed to the reader at a time. Artemis was such a cutie. She was really fun and worked as a great plot device.
One of my favorite thing about his book is that Klune really took his time to build the relationship of the characters. It took a long time for Nate and Alex to even begin to trust each other and even more time for it to become something romantic. It was realistic and felt genuine. Their relationship wasn’t the only great one either. Artemis and her relationship with Alix was really cute. They had a great father-daughter relationship that had the added twist of Artemis not being a normal little girl. And once Nate grew to love the duo, he fit right in with them.
My only complaint about this book is that there were times when it dragged. There’s this one radio host who popped up and that guy can rant for like three-quarters of a page. And honestly, it wasn’t anything interesting or important. Some plot points could have been sped up, it’s a little too long.
Overall, this was a very well written and cute story. The character relationships are done fantastically and their dynamics are really cute. The plot is compelling and filled with suspense and action. My only complaint is there are a few slow parts in the book. Definitely read this if you’re looking for a story with a strong plot and action.
Sidewinder medic, Kelly Abbott, was shot in New Orleans and has a month to suffer through recovery. When fellow Sidewinder Nick O’Flaherty comes along with him to help with his recovery, it’s no surprise to him. That’s what teammates are for. But when the two share a kiss and their relationship starts to change.
Romance, Contemporary
OK, so apparently this book (and series) is a spin off from another book series. However, that’s not advertised anywhere. I only know because I couldn’t understand why this book had such high ratings, so I was reading the reviews and one person mentioned it. They didn’t even mention what it was a spin off of, just that it was a spin off.
So I’m going to review this book as a stand alone, because that’s how it's advertised, that’s how I read it, and that’s probably why this book got such a low rating. So here we go.
This book throws you into the fire, and not in a good way. The kind of way where you’re really confused because a bunch of stuff went down, and you don’t know what any of it was. I checked several times to make sure I was on chapter one and I was reading the first book because so much had gone down that I was convinced I missed something (makes sense now). The whole book just covers Kelly’s recovery. That’s it. They don’t talk about the incident that injured Kelly, they only briefly touch Kelly’s and O’Flaherty’s past, and all the development between them was already set up and not explored. The whole meat of this book was one dude trying to convince the other they should go out, the other convinced they should take it slow, and them fucking a lot. That’s it. The whole book took place in one house and there was so little plot I don’t know how a book was made out of it.
As for characters, I don’t know. So much of them weren’t explored because it felt like it was already done. You were just told about all the characters' heart-wrenching experiences and their bonding moments that already happened. You don’t really get to experience it. So the characters aren’t really explored and don’t do enough for me to care about them.
Overall, there wasn’t really a plot (not a interesting one at least) and it skips over so much important information that it’s confusing and disappointing. I feel like this book went 125 pages without accomplishing anything.
And to be fair, the fact that this book is advertised as a stand alone novel to a new series kills it. Knowing it’s a spin off makes a lot of sense, it explains why so much is skipped. However, if you’re starting a new book series without even the mention of it being connected to another series, I don’t think it’s good to leave so much out of the first novel. I’ve read lots of books that are spin-offs or take place in the same universe, and most of the time it’s fine. The authors reestablish the important parts and the only times you need the other novels is to understand small details that don’t affect the main plot. That is not the case with this book.
This doesn’t even feel like a spin off novel, it feels more like a short story about side characters from another story. And that’s probably my biggest problem with this novel. It presents its self as the start of a new series, when it’s really just a side story with an entire series preceding it.
And if it’s going to present its self as a full novel, then I’m going to review it as a full novel. And unfortunately, it doesn't preform well like that.
Danny’s lived on the cold streets of London for a while now. He’s kept to himself and doesn’t talk much. So when his only friend, Dashiel, turns up dead, Danny feels compelled to take action. He’s started walking the street at night keeping an eye out for “sharks”, those who might hurt the people working the streets. Things begin to change for him when he meets an American named Micky working the streets. Danny’s lonely life will get thrown askew and he’ll have to face all-new challenges in order to protect those he cares about.
Romance, Contemporary
It had me, then it lost me.
When it comes to contemporary works, I feel the conflict can get pretty dual or repetitive because there’s only so much you can do. That being said, I was really into the conflict and environment of this book. The gritty reality of living on the streets created a dangerous environment that kept things interesting. The characters face cold, homelessness, hunger, etc. It was really compelling to see how they overcame these challenges.
The plot was where this book lost me. I was really interested in Danny’s search for Dashiel’s killer and his pursuit to protect those on the street. And for the first half of the book, it created this really tense environment of external danger. So I was very excited to see where that mystery lead. Unfortunately, the author ended that plot point pretty simple and unexciting. I was disappointed it wasn’t a bigger solution or had a more interesting conclusion. The story continued on, but it was more focused on the character's personal challenges internally. It was a bit of a let down when the novel went from a compelling external conflict to a less interesting internal conflict. I got kind of bored and uninterested towards the end.
The characters were great though. Danny was awesome. He genuinely cared about people and worried about those around him. He just wanted to help those who needed it, even if they weren’t always nice to him. A very genuine character. Micky was fine. Honestly, I didn’t have a very strong opinion of him. He did absolutely love Danny and played an important role in helping Danny develop as a character, which was nice. Their relationship throughout the whole book was very well written. It was flawed and took a lot of build-up which was good. It really got flushed out.
Overall, well written environment that’s filled with tension and conflict. Danny and Micky have a well-formed and supporting relationship. They really work together to find a better future for both of them. Don’t read this book if you’re expecting a thrilling mystery of murders and danger. It’s much more a book of internal conflict, dealing with mental health, and change.
Knife (Naef) is the freak of his small fishing village on a remote island. Born with a clubbed foot and crooked spine, he’s grown to be a bitter young man who works wood. When his beloved sister, Gwennie, turns down a suitor to stay with him, Knife is desperate to find a way to ensure her happiness.
Aerie-Smith is a man cursed to walk as a beast along with the rest of the townspeople he rules over. He needs someone to be his companion for a year in order to help break the curse. Aerie-Smith believes Knife can be that person and gives him the offer with the promise that his family will be well paid and Gwennie can marry her love. Knife agrees, and the two begin their year together on the mystic island that Aerie-Smith rules.
Fantasy, Romance
A story with a lot to say about appearance, attitude, and self worth, in the best of ways.
The plot is pretty simple if you boil it down. Aerie-Smith needs someone to break his curse and he’s hoping Naef can do it. Naef is looking to stop being a burden on his sister and give her a chance to be happy. So he doesn’t really care if he has to go be a companion for a year. It’s a kind of spin on Beauty and the Beast.
This book shines with the characters, it’s what gave this book 5 stars for me. Naef is a character with a ton of different personality traits that make for such a dynamic character. He’s really bitter and pessimistic and does it in a confident and absolute manner. It makes for a kind of character that’s grounded but also causes conflict where he goes. I really liked this about him. I think many would have written him shy and nervous, but Naef just goes for it. He’s not a coward and he won’t be pushed around. That being said, he also has a caring side that shows with his actions towards family and Aerie-Smith’s people.
Aerie-Smith is like the polar opposite of Naef. He doesn’t put a lot of value in looks or statues. He’s genuine and really wants to make Naef happy and end the curse. He’s a character who’s consistently trying to do good and feels genie remorse for his mistakes.
Also, the supporting characters were just as amazing and the ending of this novel was straight up wholesome.
Overall, a very cute story about acceptance and looking past the surface. Each character is enjoyable and the ending is just warm and wholesome.
Tom Paretski is just your average plumber with a bum hip going around fixing busted pipes and leaky sinks. Just your average man, besides his uncanny sixth sense to find hidden things. When the police have Tom help them find the body of a missing lady, he meets up with his high school bully, Phil Morrison, who’s now a private investigator. As the evidence begins to compile, Tom finds himself working with his former classmate to find out the truth.
Romance, Contemporary, Mystery
I don’t have much so day on this book. I feel pretty neutral on it. Also, it’s the first book in a five book series.
The plot was okay. I don’t feel it built the suspense of mystery as much as a typical mystery novel would. Even the really suspenseful scene didn’t feel that suspenseful. It wasn’t awful, just nothing crazy to note.
The characters were fine. I think Tom was a lot of fun. He had a great sense of humor and was quick to crack a good joke. Phil was harder to understand because he didn’t externalize his thoughts or motives, but he was still enjoyable. Their relationship was a bit rocky. I feel like they didn’t have a very strong foundation for their relationship and it kind of just went along anyways. That being said, it wasn’t like their relationship was rushed or anything. The author did take their time getting to it. Also, there’s a pretty diverse set of side characters, some of which were definitely entertaining.
Overall, this story just wasn’t much to me. The mystery aspect was simple and didn’t spark a lot of interest. The characters were enjoyable but didn’t have any moments that stuck out. If you like a simple mystery with a cute cast of characters, then it’s worth a read. It’s not that long and I can definitely see beginner readers liking this.
Deputy Roman survived Afghanistan where he lost his best friend, James to find himself living in the quiet town of Mad Creek. Here the town is made up of quickened, dogs that can turn into humans, like him. It’s a mixed feeling of comfort from his own kind and isolation. He’s just focusing on getting by till an officer named Matt Barclay comes by to keep an eye out for drug farms. Barclay has a job to do, but the town wants him gone. It’s up to Roman to keep an eye on him while Barclay tries to figure out what’s going on in this weird town.
Romance, Paranormal
Okay so this is the second book in the How to Howl At the Moon series by Eli Easton. I’ve already reviewed the first book, but wanted to do a separate review for this one. You do not have to read the first book to understand what’s going on. There’s a few references to things from the first novel, but nothing too dramatic.
I feel the plot of this book is much more exciting/high risk than the first book. The first one was fun and pretty light, but this book has a lot more action and moments of suspense. This was part of the reason I wanted to do a separate review, because they were very different books. The plot follows Barclay as he looks out for any illegal drug farms that may have made their way into Mad Creek while Roman helps him/keeps an eye on him. This book has a good strike of external and internal conflict. The danger of the criminals is mixed well with the internal conflict between Roman and Barclay.
I loved the characters. The first book's protagonists were good, but I personally liked these two more. Roman is really dynamic and has a great backstory. His origin plays an important role in his personality and demeanor. He’s also a German Shepard, to which I’m bias. Barclay is also a good character who contrasts Roman in struggles. Barclay is dealing more with family issues and frustration, while Roman struggles with sense of purpose and figuring out what being human means. They’re both great characters who I feel had really good points of struggle and development.
Overall, a good story with action and suspense. The main characters are the kind you’re rooting for the whole time and I loved their dynamic throughout the whole story. Definitely worth a read.
The small, tight-knit community of Mad Creek has a secret that needs to be kept. That being that most of the town is made up of “quickened”, dogs that can turn into humans. It’s up to Sheriff Lance Beaufort to make sure this secret is kept and the people are protected. So when a nervous and sketchy man named Tim Weston shows up in town and begins to grow a mysterious plant, Lance fears the worst and begins to investigate. Though Tim Weston is just a shy botanist looking for a fresh start. Too bad he’s not good with talking to others, especially sexy police officers like Lance Beaufort.
Romance, Paranormal
So, I’m very cautious when it comes to shifting books because they can take some crazy turns that border furry kinks. Especially with dogs or wolves. For me personally, I’m not a fan of that kind of thing, so I actively avoid it. That’s why I’m happy to report, this book was solid through and through. Also, this is the first book of a four-book series. (Update: The author had come out with another book for this series.)
The plot was kind of comedic and fun. It’s about the misunderstanding of Lance thinking Tim’s growing weed and Tim not liking this hot cop bothering him. Lance also recruits the help of the community, intentionally and unintentionally, which leads to some funny mix-ups. The plots pretty light, even at the worst of times, but I enjoyed it.
All the characters were great. Lance is a family man who has that classic “cop” vibe to him. Really protective of his community to the point of obsessive, which makes for a good positive and negative trait. Tim is timid but will dig his heels into the ground when getting pushed around, which I liked. He’s not a pushover like he might seem.
Overall, this was a cute story of silly encounters and fun characters. The quickened is a great plot point that adds a lot of fun elements to the story.
Check it out here
Side note! I highly recommend the second book! I've done a separate review just for that one because I loved it so much! If you end up liking this one or want something with a bit more action and danger, read the second book in this series!
Jonah Pastern is a magician who uses his unique abilities to be a master thief. He’s never stuck around long or got close to anyone, courtesy of this profession. That is until he meets a police officer named Ben Spenser and for six months he was floating on cloud nine. However, when faced with jail or escape, Jonah betrays Ben and leaves.
Ben just got out of jail and he’s looking for revenge for Jonah’s betrayal. Yet when the opportunity presents its self to him, he can’t seem to go through with it.
Romance, Fantasy, Historical
So this book is the fourth book/continuation of the three book Magpie Lord Series. It takes place in the same universe, after the first three books, and follows Jonah who was introduced in the original series. You do not have to read the first three books to enjoy this book, they recap the important parts. This is why I’m creating a different review for it and not including it in the first review.
The plot of this story is much more simple than the original series but very well done. It follows Jonah and Ben kind of getting stuck together as they run from the law. Ben wants Jonah to turn a corner, which is hard for a seasoned criminal. This is what the bulk of the book covers, two individuals at odds who try working towards a happy ending.
The characters were really great. Jonah is a flawed character who tries very hard to improve. Ben is a complicated character. He’s a former cop with a strong sense of justice, who falls for a criminal. Even after serving time, and having a very legal, and beneficial way to put his former lover behind bars, he still can’t do it. He’s very compassionate towards Jonah, but still holds resentment towards him. It makes his actions and inner thought interesting. Their relationship was also really well done. There was a long time of just building it up, which was really good because of how badly it was hurt from the betrayal.
Overall, a cute story about two individuals growing as they seek a new life together. Jonah and Ben are great characters with a compelling dynamic. They take their time to learn each other and figure out what their future holds for them. Definitely worth a reads and you really don’t need to read the other books to enjoy it.
Anthony Carrino is a middle school guidance counselor who loves his job and tight nit family. Dean Pierce is a career military man working with the Night Stalkers in Afghanistan. When Dean's sister suddenly dies and leaves behind a thirteen years old niece he’s never met, he has to go back to the states to settle the matter. Dean doesn't know the first thing about kids, so Anthony will have to lend a hand to help the man and his niece get through this difficult time.
Romance, Contemporary
The story follows Dean and Anthony as Dean tries to connect and care for Nikki, his niece. This also means helping her process and cope with the death of her mother and for him, adjusting to civilian life. Anthony helps along the way to provided guidance to Dean. As this happens a relationship formed between the two. It makes for a rather simple plot, but well executed. There were many times in the book I thought the author was going to fall into many over used tropes and drag it though the mud, but they were resolved rather quickly, in a good way. It allowed for the book to dedicate a good portion into developing Dean and Anthony’s relationship.
The author had very well written characters. Cates did a great job with handling the grief of a child. Nikki’s actions seemed very realistic and understandable, but she wasn’t an impossible case. Anthony was a caring, patient person who had so much love to give. He also wasn’t perfect, which was nice because it felt more realistic. Dean was a very dynamic character. He’s a clueless guy walking into a world he thought he left behind for good. He’s also incredibly caring and sympathetic. He does a lot of growing throughout the book. Not to mention, the supporting characters were all written very realistically and were entertaining.
Overall, a cute story about family and love. It has a happy ending and was full of people taking care of each other while they figure things out.
Lucien Vaudrey has returned to England after being exiled to China for the past twenty years. He’d rather be back in China but after the mysterious death of his father and brother, the new Lord Crane has an inheritance to deal with. That is until something magic tries to kill him so he has to seek out help. That help is found in a magician named Stephen Day who’s had a bad past with the Crane family. Now, it’s up to Stephen to find out who’s trying to kill Crane. The two will face all kinds of danger as they try to solve the many mysteries.
Romance, Fantasy, Historical
A great three book series with lots of mystery and suspense.
The story of The Magpie Lord is really cool. The plot is well constructed across the three books with each book having its own compelling story. There were also a lot of really cool magic elements. Magic is very unique to people and unique to individuals. Not everyone can do all types of magic, which created some really interesting plot devices.
The characters were really great as well. Lord Crane is an aristocrat with street smarts and not afraid to use it. He has a very composed and calm air about him, but can be intimidating as well. Stephen is also a little ball of attitude and power. He doesn’t take shit from anyone and is very calculated. That, coupled with the fact that he’s super short, makes him a fun character to read about. He and Crane have a good dynamic and they work well together. It’s fun reading their interactions. Crane's bodyguard/friend and Stephens magician friends are great supporting characters who are also really fun to read about.
If I had any complaints about the book, it would be that the sex scenes could have been reduced a bit. Sometimes it felt like they would interrupt the plot, but it’s a small complaint.
Overall, a good series with lots of mystery and suspense. Crane and Stephen were great main characters. The story was interesting and the magic was done really well. Definitely worth a read, especially if you like a bit of mystery.
Rune Saint John is hired to search for the missing son of Lady Judgment, Addam. Accompanied by his bodyguard, Brand, they search the island city of New Atlantis for leads and answers. However, they soon find more than just a missing son but evidence of a dangerous creature and answers to an old mystery.
Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Romance
A very well written story with a very creative premise.
The Last Sun has a very creative plot that builds on the Major Arcana of a tarot deck. The urban fantasy is really cool and Edwards creates a really interesting world. The history of Atlantis and the hierarchy set up is very well crafted. The conflict of the plot kept me interested the whole time and the world Edwards build was very compelling.
The characters were awesome. Rune was a ton of fun; he had great humor, was practical, and handled himself like a champ in bad situations. Brand was kick ass. He’s a big tough guy who, by every definition, is cool and manly. He’s the best at his job of being a bodyguard but even better than that, he makes a fantastic friend. He and Rune have the best relationship because they are best friends and Brand just wants Rune to be happy and safe. This defies the stereotypical heartless brute Brand would typically be presented as. Their relationship is a fantastic example of what a caring platonic relationship can be. Addam is another important part of this story. He was also really great. I didn’t think I was going to like him. At first, I wasn’t a big fan, he seemed a little too perfect and good. But dang, by the end I loved him just as much as the others. He and Rune get together, though their relationship isn’t explored that much as it’s new.
My biggest complaint is that there were many interesting story elements and plot devices introduced and then not really explored or explained. The whole bodyguard aspect had entire elements that were only very briefly touched on. There were so many cool things going on, but they weren’t explored enough. It really just left me wanting more. Though this is the first book of a future series, so my hope is that these elements will be explored more in future books.
Overall, a very well written novel. Edwards knows how to write a book and this shows it. It has a compelling plot and a well built world. The characters broke stereotypes and have dynamic relationships with fun interactions. This book is definitely a fantasy book before it’s a romance. So if you're interested in more plot and story elements, with light romance, this is worth a read.
