Review: Bewitched Shadows by Autumn Blake

I received a copy of e-arc from Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review!

Author: Autumn Blake
Publisher: Autumn Blake
Publishing Date: April 2023
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SUMMARY:
A fiery witch…
Ember Belle is a total mess. When she’s not partying with the local shifter pack or causing mayhem around New Orleans with her three sisters, she does anything to avoid confronting her out-of-control fire magick and the grief from losing her parents. However, when an opportunity arises to obtain a magical item that could solve all her problems, she decides to take her life into her own hands.

A cold-as-ice demon…
Killian Inferno’s only desire is to spend his final weeks of freedom in New Orleans, away from his duties as the future Lord of Pride. What he doesn’t expect, is to be summoned by the amateur witch who has been haunting his dreams. A seductress who needs his expertise to solve a recent murder by any means necessary. Even sorcery.

Ember now has no choice but to enter a demon pact with Killian. The terms are simple: remove the spell she may have cast on him before Samhain, or return to Hell with him, kicking and screaming. Can the two enemies set aside their animosity to uncover the city’s secrets and unlock Ember’s true magical potential, or will they be undone by the enemies they didn’t see coming?

REVIEW:
I could not stop reading this book. It was so good and so many things happening!! If you like vampires, witches, demons, wolves and more, then this book is for you. The story mainly focuses on Ember and Killian.

The story is told from Ember and Killian’s view point. The author switches back and forth between the two which is easy to understand how each character is feeling, thinking and doing.

The summary up above tells you what the book is about. It definitely ticked all the boxes off for me. This kind of stories are so fun to read.

The moment Ember and Killiam meet is epic. The banter between them is awesome. I loved it. You could sense they have something going on there. Could it be lust? Could it be love? Could it be from the spell? What will ever happen?

They eventually work together to solve the murders that are going on. Plus Ember wants to get that magical item to help herself. Killian has his own plans as well. Will all the plans go the way they want them to or will they be thrown all over the place?

There’s passion, there’s pretending, there’s drama, there’s heartfelt moments and then there is spicy parts happening. Whooo! A great combination between Killian and Ember.

I love Ember’s sisters: Jade, Audra and Isla. They are all unique sisters and they look out for each other. Best ever. A nice family touch in the story is great! The sisters even somewhat warm up to Killian in time. I will say I love movie night moment. Oh my gosh. Movie nights are the best aren’t they?

I did mention other supernaturals that pop up in this book like vampires, wolves, demons, faes, and witches. The vibes I got off off of the wolves: being cocky, vampires: snobbish, faes: evil, witches: keeping everyone on task, and demons: having their own agenda. I love having the supernatural elements in this book. It gave off the feel of an urban fantasy genre.

I will say that I did like Killian’s friend: Taliah. She is pretty bad-ass.

I will point out there is one part in the book that could be scary regarding to the fae party. So to those who may have triggers, you might want to skip that part? Also there is murder mentioned and fighting between supernaturals.

For some reason I wanted to point out that the places that you are immersed into is great.. The library, the underworld area, the houses, the areas of the parties and so much more, you could literally picture yourself there. I know I did! Ember’s favorite place was the hedge maze. I wanted to go there and explore that place. Then for some reason I kept thinking of Bram Stoker’s Dracula movie scene of the hedge maze. It popped into my head.

Isn’t the cover so pretty???

Go pick it up today!

I just really liked this story. The adventure, the drama, the spice, the family, the magic, the everything!

I believe the author may have another book after this one and I want to read it!!

I just absolutely loved the story and writing!

This amazing world is epic!

I spy Fiction

Which book are you going to pick up today to read?

Don’t they all look so good?

I may want to read all of them……
although I have quite a few other books that are telling me to read them now.

The Owens family has been cursed in matters of love for over three-hundred years but all of that is about to change. The novel begins in a library, the best place for a story to be conjured, when beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the deathwatch beetle and knows she has only seven days to live. Jet is not the only one in danger—the curse is already at work.

A frantic attempt to save a young man’s life spurs three generations of the Owens women, and one long-lost brother, to use their unusual gifts to break the curse as they travel from Paris to London to the English countryside where their ancestor Maria Owens first practiced the Unnamed Art. The younger generation discovers secrets that have been hidden from them in matters of both magic and love by Sally, their fiercely protective mother. As Kylie Owens uncovers the truth about who she is and what her own dark powers are, her aunt Franny comes to understand that she is ready to sacrifice everything for her family, and Sally Owens realizes that she is willing to give up everything for love.

Welcome to Little Bridge, one of the smallest, most beautiful islands in the Florida Keys.

Jo Wright always swore she’d never step foot on Little Bridge Island—not as long as her nemesis, bestselling author Will Price, is living there.

Then Jo’s given an offer she can’t refuse: an all-expense paid trip to speak and sign at the island’s first ever book festival.

Even though arrogant Will is the last person Jo wants to see, she could really use the festival’s more-than-generous speaking fee. She’s suffering from a crippling case of writer’s block on the next installment of her bestselling children’s series, and her father needs financial help as well.

Then Jo hears that Will is off-island on the set of the film of his next book. Hallelujah!

But when she arrives on Little Bridge, Jo is in for a shock: Will is not only at the book festival, but seems genuinely sorry for his past actions—and more than willing not only to make amends, but prove to Jo that he’s a changed man.

Things seem to be looking up—until disaster strikes, causing Jo to wonder: Do any of us ever really know anyone?

Back in high school, Lily Wang wanted to be popular, but she considered herself lucky to be part of a tight group of oddballs and honors students called the Nerd Herd. Now, at twenty-eight, she feels like she’s finally on the cusp of succeeding as a beauty influencer―if she can hit five million subscribers, brands will take notice and she could get her own makeup line.

Fellow Nerd Herd alum Tobin Bui has had a lot of success as a YouTube gamer. But the road to online stardom has been rocky. First, he disappointed his parents by dropping out of college, and now, after years of pranks, skits, and playthroughs, he’s struggling to come up with new content to satisfy his ever-growing fan base. His agents say he needs cross-audience appeal, a new twist.

When Nerd Herd frenemy Lily approaches Tobin about teaming up to do a video to bolster her brand and reinvigorate his, he agrees. But when their first collab video goes viral, their relationship heats up too. With the whole internet watching, will these two former misfits finally realize they’re perfect together?

A firebird is reborn on the borders of Russia, a gate to a world of monsters and magic is breaking, and only a reluctant, untrained shaman stands in the way of a flood of supernatural darkness…

Anya is still reeling from the death of her grandfather when a strange encounter with the Finnish God of the Dead changes her life forever: Her family has been guarding the gates to the Russian otherworld on their farm for centuries, and she’s the new gatekeeper. Worse, if she doesn’t awaken her magical abilities and assume her new role, the gate will break, unleashing a flood of monsters and dark gods into their world.

As Anya struggles to make sense of her changing world, she can’t deny the strange encounters. She’ll need to accept her fate and work with the legendary firebird if she hopes to survive—and protect humanity.

At nineteen, Auris Afton Grieg has led an . . . unusual life. Since the age of fifteen, she has been trapped in a sinister prison. Why? She does not know. She has no memories of her past beyond the vaguest of impressions. All she knows is that she is about to age out of the children’s prison, and rumors say that the adult version is far, far worse. So she and some friends stage a desperate escape into the surrounding wastelands. And it is here that Auris’s journey of discovery begins, for she is rescued by an unusual stranger who claims to be Fae—a member of a magical race that Auris had thought to be no more than legend. Odder still, he seems to think that she is one as well, although the two look nothing alike. But strangest of all, when he brings her to his wondrous homeland, she begins to suspect that he is right. Yet how could a woman who looks entirely human be a magical being herself?

Death needs a vacation. Badly. But there’s a catch: There are people who cheat the system, always falling through the cracks and not dying like they’re supposed to. Who’s going to take care of them while Death’s sipping on sangria?

The answer is simple: Death needs an intern, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that one prospect, Buck Palasinksia—a bankrupt hitman with a roleplaying addiction—might have what it takes. While scoping out his next target, Buck gets drilled in the forehead by a bullet and falls right into Death’s lap.

If they shove him back into his body, he’ll have a few weeks to prove that he has what it takes to be Death’s right-hand.

All he has to do is take out Public Enemy No. 1, John Dillinger, and quit smoking.

I spy Fantasy Fiction

I spy some Fantasy Fiction books….all of these look soooooo good.

Which one are you going to pick up to read?

Many millennia after the fall of Eden, Adam, the first man in creation, still walks the Earth – exhausted by the endless death and destruction, he is a shadow of his former hope and glory. And he is not the only one. The Garden was deconstructed, its pieces scattered across the world and its inhabitants condemned to live out immortal lives, hiding in plain sight from generations of mankind.
 
But now pieces of the Garden are turning up on the Earth. After centuries of loneliness, Adam, haunted by the golden time at the beginning of Creation, is determined to save the pieces of his long lost home. With the help of Eden’s undying exiles, he must stop Eden becoming the plaything of mankind.
 
Adam journeys across America and the British Isles with Magpie, Owl, and other animals, gathering the scattered pieces of Paradise. As the country floods once more, Adam must risk it all to rescue his friends and his home – because rebuilding the Garden might be the key to rebuilding his life.

n the quiet streets of Prague all manner of mysterious creatures lurk in the shadows. Unbeknownst to its citizens, their only hope against the tide of predators are the dauntless lamplighters – secret elite of monster hunters whose light staves off the darkness each night. Domek Myska leads a life teeming with fraught encounters with the worst kind of evil: pijavice, bloodthirsty and soulless vampiric creatures. Despite this, Domek finds solace in his moments spent in the company of his friend, the clever and beautiful Lady Ora Fischerová – a widow with secrets of her own. 
 
When Domek finds himself stalked by the spirit of the White Lady – a ghost who haunts the baroque halls of Prague castle – he stumbles across the sentient essence of a will-o’-the-wisp captured in a mysterious container. Now, as its bearer, Domek wields its power, but the wisp, known for leading travellers to their deaths, will not be so easily controlled. 
 
After discovering a conspiracy amongst the pijavice that could see them unleash terror on the daylight world, Domek finds himself in a race against those who aim to twist alchemical science for their own dangerous gain.

Briar, bodyguard for a body-stealing sorceress, discovers her love for Rose, whose true soul emerges only once a week. An apprentice witch seeks her freedom through betrayal, the bones of the innocent, and a meticulously plotted spell. In a world powered by crystal skulls, a warrior returns to save China from invasion by her jealous ex. A princess runs away from an arranged marriage, finding family in a strange troupe of traveling actors at the border of the kingdom’s deep, dark woods.

Concluding with a gorgeous full-length novella, Marjorie Liu’s first short fiction collection is an unflinching sojourn into her thorny tales of love, revenge, and new beginnings.

Lady of shadows, keeper of changes, plant the seeds of faith within me, that I might grow and flourish, that I might find my way through danger and uncertainty to the safety of your garden. Let my roots grow strong and my skin grow thick, that I might stand fast against all who would destroy me. Grant to me your favor, grant to me your grace, and when my time is done, grant to me the wisdom to lay my burdens down and rest beside you, one more flower in a sea of blooms, where nothing shall ever trouble me again.

Rose Marshall died when she was sixteen years old and on her way to her high school prom. She hasn’t been resting easy since then—Bobby Cross, the man who killed her, got away clean after running her off the road, and she’s not the kind of girl who can let something like that slide. She’s been looking for a way to stop him since before they put her body in the ground.

But things have changed in the twilight world where the spirits of the restless dead continue their “lives.” The crossroads have been destroyed, and Bobby’s protections are gone. For the first time, it might be possible for Rose to defeat him.

Not alone, though. She’ll need every friend she’s managed to make and every favor she’s managed to add to her account if she wants to stand a chance…and this may be her last chance to be avenged, since what is Bobby Cross without the crossroads?

Everything Rose knows is about to change.

Update on Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

I am still reading….

So far… in NeverNight by Jay Kristoff has been quite adventurous and dark.
The story flips between Mia’s past and present which is interesting to me.
I am at the part of the book where Mia enters the quest for the Church–we shall see what happens.
It’s a competition.

Currently Reading

The Sidekicks

 

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Date: October 17, 2017

Ryan, Harley and Miles are very different people—the swimmer, the rebel and the nerd. All they’ve ever had in common is Isaac, their shared best friend.

When Isaac dies unexpectedly, the three boys must come to terms with their grief and the impact Isaac had on each of their lives. In his absence, Ryan, Harley and Miles discover things about one another they never saw before, and realize there may be more tying them together than just Isaac.

In this intricately woven story told in three parts, award-winning Australian author Will Kostakis makes his American debut with a heartwarming, masterfully written novel about grief, self-discovery and the connections that tie us all together.

I think this book looks great. It’s a book of dealing with life, themselves and others.  Self-discovery is important!   It kind of reminds me of The Outsiders in a way and The Breakfast Club (the movie)..how we are different and yet on the same path.  I have not read this book yet but I think I will eventually.  

Some more Fiction to check out

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
• (February 6, 2018)

Scott Ferdowsi has a track record of quitting. His best friends know exactly what they want to do with the rest of their lives, but Scott can hardly commit to a breakfast cereal, let alone a passion. With college applications looming and his parents pushing him to settle on a “practical” career, Scott sneaks off to Washington, DC, seeking guidance from a famous psychologist who claims to know the secret to success.

He never expects an adventure to unfold. But that’s what Scott gets when he meets Fiora Buchanan, a ballsy college student whose life ambition is to write crossword puzzles. When the bicycle she lends him gets Scott into a high-speed chase, he knows he’s in for the ride of his life.

Soon, Scott finds himself sneaking into bars, attempting to pick up girls at the National Zoo, and even giving the crossword thing a try—all while opening his eyes to fundamental truths about who he is and who he wants to be.

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
• (March 27, 2018)

Around the time that Freya loses her voice while recording her debut album, Harun is making plans to run away from everyone he has ever loved, and Nathaniel is arriving in New York City with a backpack, a desperate plan, and nothing left to lose. When a fateful accident draws these three strangers together, their secrets start to unravel as they begin to understand that the way out of their own loss might just lie in help­ing the others out of theirs.

 

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
• (April 3, 2018)

Iris Thorne wants to blaze her own path. That’s easier said than done when you’re the granddaughter of M. E. Thorne, famous author of the Elementia series, hailed as the feminist response to J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. And with a major motion picture adaptation of her grandmother’s books in the works, Iris can say goodbye to her dream of making her own way in the music industry.

So when Iris and her brother get invited to the film set in Ireland, she’s pretty sure the trip will be a nightmare. Except Iris can’t deny the rugged beauty of the Irish countryside. And brushing shoulders with the hot, young cast isn’t awful, especially the infuriatingly charming lead, Eamon O’Brien. Iris even finds the impassioned female director inspiring. But when the filming falls into jeopardy, everything Iris thought she knew about Elementia―and herself―is in question. Will making a film for the big screen help Iris to see the big picture?

 

• Series: Brooklyn Brujas (Book 2)
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
• (June 5, 2018)

Three sisters. One spell. Countless dead.

Lula Mortiz feels like an outsider. Her sister’s newfound Encantrix powers have wounded her in ways that Lula’s bruja healing powers can’t fix, and she longs for the comfort her family once brought her. Thank the Deos for Maks, her sweet, steady boyfriend who sees the beauty within her and brings light to her life.

Then a bus crash turns Lula’s world upside down. Her classmates are all dead, including Maks. But Lula was born to heal, to fix. She can bring Maks back, even if it means seeking help from her sisters and defying Death herself. But magic that defies the laws of the deos is dangerous. Unpredictable. And when the dust settles, Maks isn’t the only one who’s been brought back…

Brooklyn Brujas Series:
Labryinth Lost (Book 1)
Bruja Born (Book 2)

 

• Series: Reign of the Fallen
• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Razorbill
• January 23, 2018

Odessa is one of Karthia’s master necromancers, catering to the kingdom’s ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it’s Odessa’s job to raise them by retrieving their soul from a dreamy and dangerous shadow world called the Deadlands. But there is a cost to being raised: the Dead must remain shrouded. If even a hint of flesh is exposed, a grotesque transformation begins, turning the Dead into terrifying, bloodthirsty Shades.

A dramatic uptick in Shade attacks raises suspicions and fears around the kingdom. Soon, a crushing loss of one of her closest companions leaves Odessa shattered, and reveals a disturbing conspiracy in Karthia: Someone is intentionally creating Shades by tearing shrouds from the Dead–and training them to attack. Odessa is forced to contemplate a terrifying question: What if her magic is the weapon that brings the kingdom to its knees?

Fighting alongside her fellow mages–and a powerful girl as enthralling as she is infuriating–Odessa must untangle the gruesome plot to destroy Karthia before the Shades take everything she loves.

 

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
• (October 3, 2017)

Victoria-Margaret is the crown princess of the empire, a direct descendent of Victoria I, the queen who changed the course of history. The imperial tradition of genetically arranged matchmaking will soon guide Margaret into a politically advantageous marriage. But before she does her duty, she’ll have one summer of freedom and privacy in a far corner of empire. Posing as a commoner in Toronto, she meets Helena Marcus, daughter of one of the empire’s greatest placement geneticists, and August Callaghan, the heir to a powerful shipping firm currently besieged by American pirates. In a summer of high-society debutante balls, politically charged tea parties, and romantic country dances, Margaret, Helena, and August discover they share an extraordinary bond and maybe a one-in-a-million chance to have what they want and to change the world in the process.

Set in a near-future world where the British Empire was preserved not by the cost of blood and theft but by the effort of repatriation and promises kept, That Inevitable Victorian Thing is a surprising, romantic, and thought-provoking story of love, duty, and the small moments that can change people and the world.

 

Notes From Ghost Town

 

By Kate Ellison
Hardcover, 336 pages
Published February 12th 2013 by EgmontUSA

They say first love never dies…

From critically acclaimed author Kate Ellison comes a heartbreaking mystery of mental illness, unspoken love, and murder. When sixteen-year-old artist Olivia Tithe is visited by the ghost of her first love, Lucas Stern, it’s only through scattered images and notes left behind that she can unravel the mystery of his death.

There’s a catch: Olivia has gone colorblind, and there’s a good chance she’s losing her mind completely—just like her mother did. How else to explain seeing (and falling in love all over again with) someone who isn’t really there?

With the murder trial looming just nine days away, Olivia must follow her heart to the truth, no matter how painful. It’s the only way she can save herself.

 

I finished this book a few days ago.  I liked it.   I thought the book was going to be a bit boring but it had my attention.   To be honest the cover caught my attention first.  Then I read what the summary was and thought maybe I’ll give it a shot.  Well the poor book sat around since 2013….(Yeah my to read pile has books from all kinds of years….)

Anyways the journey that Olivia goes on is pretty intense.  One thing after another and her emotions comes out in wanting to forget all the bad stuff and hoping that there is a light for her at the end of the tunnel.   She decides to try to solve the mystery.   There were some moments that caught me off guard and some moments that were sweet.   I was surprised that I liked this story.  Give it a shot and tell me what you think of the book! 

Darynda Jones

Darynda Jones has quite a few books!

She has Charley Davidson series and the Darklight series.  Plus she also wrote a few short stories.  This is is all mentioned on her website.

I have not had a chance to read any of her books but I want to.   I may have to check out the Darklight series first because there are only three books.  Her Charley Davidson has tons!   All the covers are cool.  I love covers because they are a work of art and they catch my attention.

The first book of the Darklight series is : Death and the Girl Next Door

About the book: Ten years ago, Lorelei’s parents disappeared without a trace. Raised by her grandparents and leaning on the support of her best friends, Lorelei is finally beginning to accept the fact that her parents are never coming home. For Lorelei, life goes on. High school is not quite as painful as she thinks it will be, and things are as normal as they can be. Until the day the school’s designated loner, Cameron Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it, standing outside her house in the dark, night after night. Things get even more complicated when a new guy—terrifying, tough, sexy Jared Kovach—comes to school. Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other and Lorelei seems to be the reason for their animosity. What does Jared know about her parents? Why does Cameron tell Jared he can’t have Lorelei? And what will any of them do when Death comes knocking for real? Thrilling, sassy, sexy, and inventive, Darynda Jones’s first foray into the world of teens will leave readers eager for the next installment.

Other two books of the Darklight series!

 

Now her Charley Davidson series – There’s 12 books!  12!!  I’m impressed.  Maybe I should read these too… I am not going to post every single book (Tempted tho! Maybe when I read them..)

First book:  First Grave on the Right

About:
A smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time grim reaper.  Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an entity who has been following her all her life…and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

Are you going to read these?

Life and Death

Life and death happens every day.

The reason why I am writing about this today is because it’s the anniversary of my father’s death.  It was quite unexpected and hit the entire family pretty hard.  I have realized it can happen to anyone and that we should treasure every good moment you have with family, friends, co-workers and even people you occasionally talk to in real life and the social media world.

I have seen death come slowly to those who are failing health and that is hard to see someone you know so strong to succumb to being so frail.   I think one can kind of be prepared for that aspect but it’s hard.  That person won’t be with you anymore and that you will miss them.  I saw this happen with both my grandmothers.   I rather think of them as strong women compared to the illness that took them.  One of them had a stroke as the other had Alzheimer’s.  My one uncle had a battle with PKD (kidney disease) and it was tough everyone.     Everyone reacts differently to this.   Some remain hopeful and make the best of it.  Others may change.  Some may not accept the fact their loved one is going to die.  It’s hard and scary.

I grieved for my grandmothers but I felt relieved for them. They were not to in pain any more.  Funerals are tough for some and for others they may give relief.  Each funeral is different.  My one grandmother’s funeral was in August as it was hot as the other was in January as it was freezing.    My uncle funeral was warm because it was in Georgia.  It is always warm there but the funeral was so nice and simple

I’ve realized life is scary at times.   The happy moments are the best though.   Am I being morbid talking about this topic?   Are people afraid of talking about this?   For some it’s too emotional to talk about, others move on and others just talking about it might bring some comfort.

Then there’s the aspect of death when it hits you in the gut.  This means a total unexpected death.  That was with my father.   I had seen this happen to two friends of mine and then it happened to me.   The way my two friend’s parents and my father, there was no way you could predict this. One minute they are here and then the next they are gone.   Whew.  It cuts into you like a knife.

Reacting to the way my father died, it was exhausting. I literally grieved right there and then after I heard the news.  I felt like I had an out of body experience or that it was all a really bad dream.   It took me a moment to realize no it can’t be real and then the sobbing came.   Everyone reacted differently to this.    I did not know the exact details because I was out of town when it happened.  That crushed me.   The rest of my family grieved in their own way.  I knew it had to be tough on them.  Everyone..I mean everyone that my father was in contact with literally could not believe it.    There were tons of people that came, sent flowers and everything.   I think it was over 400 people.   That’s how good of a person my father was.   Overwhelming!

He died in 2002 so today is 2017.   Long time! My life has changed.  I realize life also gives you good things such as my two awesome children that I love.   They have taught me quite a bit and I’m still learning.   I’m also figuring out who I am as a single mom too.  I am going back the whole being of me.   Plus on a path of figuring out myself.   Life can bring you happiness in little ways.

Some things that make me happy in life:
Birth of my children
Being a mom
Falling in love (hopefully again one day)
Going on adventures
Meeting new friends
Connecting with old ones
Family reunions
Finding good deals of clothes
Leaves falling down for autumn.
Nature giving out its beauty
Sound of the ocean
Birthdays
Dancing
Music
Appreciation
Positivity
And the list can go on.

Be thankful and try to find good in everything.   I’ve come to realize life is not a straight clean path.  It’s a crooked messy one.