Book Review: Charnel House by Graham Masterson

 

Goodreads Summary: Edgar Award. A demon-possessed house in San Francisco is out to devour the world in this horror tale by the acclaimed author of The Manitou. A desperate, terrified old man appears at John Hyatt's office in the San Francisco Department of Sanitation with a chilling complaint. His house, Seymour Willis insists, is breathing. Hyatt suspects a rat infestation, but the truth is worse. Much worse. An ancient demon out of darkest Native American folklore lives within the walls and floorboards of Willis’s home—an all-powerful malevolent being determined to break free and wreak havoc on the City by the Bay. Soon, a tiny cadre of believers in the impossible—including Hyatt, Willis, and a Native American shaman—hold the fate of all humanity in their hands. The monster’s hunger for blood and flesh is insatiable, and it is determined to escape its prison and become whole. And once it does, the entire world will be its feeding ground. A haunted house story like no other—a gory and terrifying tale of demonic possession—this award-winning supernatural thriller by the acclaimed author of The Manitou provides substantial chills on every page. A tale of unrelenting terror reminiscent of the works of H. P. Lovecraft, Graham Masterton’s Charnel House will haunt your dreams long after you’ve turned the final page.

Goodreads Rating: 3.64 stars with over 1,700 ratings

Genre Listing: Horror, Fiction, Supernatural, Paranormal, Fantasy, Demons, Native American

Goodreads/Storygraph challenge: 5/48 books

2026 Reading Challenge: #1 Read a book that is under 250 pages long (find the whole challenge here)

Book Review:

    Hello, Readers! I hope everyone had a safe St. Patrick's Day. It was a Tuesday, so I worked. I just finished Charnel House by Graham Masterson and wanted to post my thoughts before they slipped my mind. At 143 pages, this fits perfectly for the first prompt of the challenge. I actually didn't expect to like this story. I'm not really sure what made me purchase it or decide to read it, but I'm glad I did. It was an interesting little horror story. I will say that I don't think it will be everyone's cup of tea. It was published in the 70s, and some of the language and topics reflect that. It's pretty gruesome and gory in some scenes. As a trigger warning, it also mentions sexual assault/rape. They're not described in detail, but are mentioned. 

    The story follows John Hyatt, who gets a strange request for help from Seymour Willis to deal with his house that appears to be breathing. I was really hooked on the story when it was going through the secrets of the house, and weird things kept happening. I sort of lost interest once John and company figured out what was the cause of the events and tried to defeat the entity. It was still as interesting, but it wasn't as suspenseful. I appreciated the Native American lore involved, even though I didn't find it as suspenseful. I don't really know how much of it was accurate, but it was entertaining. 

    I actually found some of the gore and story creepy. This is a pretty big compliment for me in regard to horror. I love it deeply, but I rarely find it scary. There were a few scenes that got my heart pumping a little, however. Given that the book is under 200 pages, I find it even more impressive. I think what surprised me the most with this story is that there was some really dry and dark humor incorporated in it. 

    This story gave me bad horror movie vibes, and I'm here for it. I don't know if this has ever been turned into a movie, but I could see it being one of those horror movies that's so bad it's good. I mean that as a compliment. I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates this vibe. 

Book Review: Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

 

Goodreads Summary: The three Beauchamp women--Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid, live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret--they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.
With a brand-new cast of characters, a fascinating and fresh world to discover, and a few surprise appearances from some of the Blue Blood fan favorites, this is a page-turning, deliciously fun, magical summer read fraught with love affairs, witchcraft, and an unforgettable battle between good and evil.

Goodreads Ratings: 3.52 stars with over 19,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Witches, Paranormal, Fiction, Romance, Magic, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural

Goodreads Challenge: 15/48

2022 Reading Challenge: #44 Read a book that a movie/show you've watched is based on but have yet to read (example: Watched The Hobbit, but never read the Hobbit) ( Find the entire challenge here)

Book Review:

Hello, readers! I hope everyone is doing well. I just finished up a Buffy the Vampire binge with Tress. We finished up season three. I'm excited to start in on Angel's spinoff. Also, fun news. Tress is coming out to visit during our birthday week in July. I'm very excited, and we have a fun thing planned for our respective blogs. Stay tuned!

Okay, so on to Witches of East End. I watched the show a few years ago and loved it. I'm super bummed that there were only two seasons. As usually with adaptations, the book is better, and there was a lot in the show that wasn't in the book and vice versa. I'm curious to read the other two books to see if any of the show stuff was from the rest of the series. 

I was instantly drawn to this book. I think a lot of that was I already felt so familiar with the characters because of the show. The book itself is actually pretty short. I think it's around 270 pages. There was a lot of story crammed into those few pages with a connection to Norse Mythology that I didn't expect. It was interesting but felt a little misplaced. I think it was mainly because the ending, where a lot of it is, was so rushed. There was so much buildup to the weird toxicity that was going on in the town, then the last 60 pages just felt too cleanly wrapped up. It was more tell than show, so it felt like I was just getting a recap.

I really enjoyed the magic aspect of Witches of East End. I liked how Joanna, Freya, and Ingrid had their own magic brand. I thought there was a lot of really good explaining of what they could do. I think their magic and Freya's relationships were the first book's focus. I'm curious to see if their magical talents grow in the rest of the series.

Overall, I really liked this book. The only reason I haven't already dived into book two is that I've bought a lot of books lately and am trying to be good. Plus, I've got a ton of categories on the challenge still. If you like paranormal and witchy books, I'd recommend this one unless you don't want to read sex scenes. It's a quick read, enjoyable, with many details on the actual magic system. 

Book Review: The Haunting of Leigh Harker by Darcy Coates

 

Goodreads Summary: Sometimes, the dead reach back...
Leigh Harker’s quiet suburban home was her sanctuary for more than a decade until things abruptly changed. Curtains open by themselves. Radios turn off and on. And a dark figure looms in the shadows of her bedroom door at night, watching her, waiting for her to finally let down her guard enough to fall asleep.

Pushed to her limits but unwilling to abandon her home, Leigh struggles to find answers. But each step forces her towards something more terrifying than she ever imagined.

A poisonous shadow seeps from the locked door beneath the stairs. The handle rattles through the night, and fingernails scratch at the wood. Her home harbors dangerous secrets, and now that Leigh is trapped within its walls, she fears she may never escape.

Do you think you’re safe?

You’re wrong.

Goodreads Rating: 4.06 stars with about 200 ratings

Genre Listing: Horror, Fantasy, Paranormal, Adult, Mystery, Fiction, Ghosts, Thriller, Gothic, Supernatural

Goodreads Challenge: 35/50 

2021 Reading Challenge: #41 Read a book where the main character is elderly (find the complete challenge here)

Book Review:

Hello readers! I hope everyone is doing well. I'm off for the next few days while we deal with our move. Yay! I'm super ready both to be done packing and to be in the new house. I'm also super excited to not have to work for two days.

I've wanted to read more horror for a while, and I recently discovered Darcy Coates on Kindle Unlimited. The Haunting of Leigh Harker seemed pretty interesting, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I managed to pry it out of my hands the first night, and then the following night, I was up until 4 am reading it because "I've only got eighty more pages left." Man, that was stupid. I was so tired the next day! It was definitely worth the read, though. 

I really liked how this book started out creepy. There wasn't a slow build to gain suspense. From the first page, I was curious as to what was happening to Leigh, who she was, and why she was in the situation, she was in. Given that I stayed up until 4am reading it, I think it's safe to say that I never lost interest either. 

I cheated a little bit on where I put this on the challenge. Leigh is very much the main character, and she's not elderly. However, an elderly woman in the story is very much a pivotal character in the book. This story very much couldn't happen without her, and thus this book landed on #41. Plus, I didn't want to burn one of my last two free spaces. 

I really enjoyed the story, and I liked figuring out with Leigh what was going on and more about her. If you need all of the character's backstory upfront, this is not a book for you. Most of Leigh's story isn't fully explained until the end of the book. It is, however, under 300 pages, so it's not that long of a wait. I'm actually really impressed that this story was able to be told in so few pages. 

I felt like a lot of the ending was pretty predictable, but I still felt engaged with the story. If it had been anything else, it just wouldn't have made sense with how the book played out. There were some surprises mixed in, but the overall went how I expected. Sorry for being so vague. I'm trying really hard not to spoil everything. Many of the themes within this book were reminiscent of a very famous thriller movie from the late 90s.  I still think it's worth the read and would recommend it to someone who likes Horror and wants to be a little creeped out but not outright terrified. It's also good if you don't want to dedicate a lot of time to a book but still get a good story. 

Book Review: Haunting Charlie by Wendy Wang

 

Goodreads Summary: Ignoring the dead can get you killed...

All Charlie Payne wants is to lead a normal life and to be a good mom. But Charlie’s not exactly normal. She's from a long line of witches, and she can see the dead.

Susan Tate has inherited a beautiful old southern mansion on the coast. Unfortunately, the property came with a million necessary repairs. And ghosts.

When Charlie meets Susan, the woman is desperate for help. Taking on a spirit who doesn’t want to see the light can be dangerous but ignoring it? Ignoring the dead can get you killed.

Haunting Charlie is the first in a spine-tingling new Supernatural Suspense that will have you clinging to the edge of your seat. If you like Darcy Coates, Shani Struthers, or JL Bryan, then you will love the Witches of Palmetto Point Series by Wendy Wang!

Goodreads Rating: 4.13 stars with over 6,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Paranormal, Fantasy, Horror, Ghosts, Fiction, Witches, Urban, Supernatural, Mystery

Goodreads Challenge: 17/50

2021 Reading Challenge: #25 Read a book by a Self Published Author (find the full challenge here)

Book Review:

Happy Weekend, readers!  I hope everyone is doing well. I picked up Haunting Charlie by Wendy Wang on Kindle Unlimited. I wasn't really sure where I would put this on the challenge, but it sounded interesting and had me curious. It worked out that it's self-published. 

The first scene really drew me into Charlie's story. It takes place with her working in a call center. I actually took a screenshot of the first page and sent it to Tress because it was so dead-on, and we had a good laugh about it. If Wendy didn't have call center experience, she really did her research. 

Because the book is so short, it got into the paranormal pretty quickly. I was impressed because it still gave quite a bit of backstory into Charlie's life. She was really relatable, and I felt sorry for her with everything going on with her jerk of an ex-husband, Scott. Her affinity for ghosts was interesting, and it reminded me of the show Dead Files. There was definitely a lot of thought about how Charlie would interact with the spirits and what the ghosts could do. 

Charlie ends up using her ability to try and help solve a series of girls going missing from their town. The story behind what's happening to them goes back to the 1800s and continues today. When I do the genre listing, I just copy what's on Goodreads, which I think is just people's bookshelves, so it may not always be accurate. This one got considered a mystery, but I didn't really feel like there were any surprises to it. It made it pretty clear who was at fault for the girls going missing and why. It was creepy, but I don't really think it had a lot of mystery to it. 

So this next piece, I generally don't care about, but I know it will bother a few people. There are a handful of places where there are commas in the middle of words. Stuff like this use to really put me off on some books, but now the closer I get to publishing my own book, I realize it's just part of the process, and it happens. 

Overall, I really enjoyed Haunting Charlie. I'll probably read a bit more of the series since it's on Kindle Unlimited, but I'm trying to be good and not get completely sucked into my typical binge of series for now. This book was a quick and interesting read, and I'd recommend it if you're looking for a mix of paranormal meets True Crime.

Book Review: Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

 

Goodreads Summary: Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.
For Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, there have been worse assignments than going undercover on the set of an adult film. Dodging flaming monkey-poo, for instance. Or going toe-to-leaf with a walking plant monster. Still, there's something more troubling than usual about his newest case. The film's producer believes he's the target of a sinister entropy curse-but it's the women around him who are dying in increasingly spectacular ways.

Harry's even more frustrated because he only got involved with this bizarre mystery as a favor to Thomas, his flirtatious, self-absorbed vampire acquaintance of dubious integrity. Thomas has a personal stake in the case Harry can't quite figure out until his investigation leads him straight to Thomas's oversexed vampire family. Harry is about to discover that Thomas's family tree has been hiding a shocking secret: a revelation that will change Harry's life forever.

Goodreads Rating: 4.29 stars with over 118,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Magic, Vampires, Wizards, Supernatural

Goodreads Challenge: 11/50

2021 Reading Challenge: #11 Read a book with exactly two words in the title (Find the complete challenge here) 

Other reviews on the series: Death Masks, Fool Moon, Grave Peril, Storm Front, Summer Knight

Book Review:

Happy weekend, Readers! I am delighted that it is finally Friday. I'm currently spending it doing an Amazon Watch Party with Tress as she introduces me to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I never really hopped on the hype because it started airing when I was around 10 or 11. So far, I'm really enjoying it. We're nearly done with season one.

Anyways, on to a whole different universe of Vampires, the ones that Harry Dresden, wizard extraordinaire, sometimes fights and sometimes befriends. Blood Rites is the sixth book in the Dresden Files series that follows Harry Dresden. If you aren't familiar with the series, I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a light, funny urban fantasy. 

With Blood Rites, I kind of lost track of what happened in the last book but was quickly caught up thanks to a Fandom Wiki. Now that I've finished this one, I have mixed feelings about it. There were a lot of good background story reveals, which I loved. There was a healthy dose of sarcasm, which is always appreciated, but the book just felt different. I felt like it lacked a lot of overall plot and character development. It was primarily focused on the Raith Vampire Clan, and honestly, it made Dresden seem like a giant pig. That stuff usually doesn't bother me much beyond an eye-roll, but it just seemed really over the top and excessive. 

I felt like the entire book was Dresden either drooling over Lara or someone hitting on Murphy and just being downright gross. Apparently, at some point, it became necessary for Karrin to take her pants off to diffuse a bomb because her ass might trip the tripwires. For the vast majority of the book, I felt like I was reading those memes of male authors writing female characters. 

The thing that really saved Blood Rites from all of this was the fact that I enjoy the series and the sarcasm. We got some interesting back story about Dresden's mom and some other long-lost relatives he didn't realize he had. There's also quite a bit of story behind why he was sent to Ebenezer. I'm really intrigued by these inclusions and am curious to see where it takes the story. 

Overall, I enjoyed parts of the story and look forward to continuing the series at some point. Hopefully, in between books 6 and 7, Dresden takes a cold shower and calms down the caveman behavior. I'm somewhat begrudgingly giving Blood Rites three moons. I don't do half-moons, and I don't feel it warranted a two. I'm not sure what's up next for reading yet. I have a massive to-be-read list, per usual. So many books, so little time. 

Book Review: Everwild and Everfound by Neal Shusterman

 
Goodreads Summary: After the events of Everlost, Nick and Allie are on separate paths--and Everlost, the limbo land of dead children, is at war in this riveting novel from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Neal Shusterman.
Nick wants to help the dead reach the light at the end of the tunnel, but Mary Hightower, their self-proclaimed queen and a dangerous fanatic are determined to keep them trapped in Everlost for all of eternity. Traveling in the memory of the Hindenburg, Mary is spreading her propaganda and attracting Afterlights to her cause at a frightening speed.

Allie travels home to seek out her parents, along with Mikey, who was once the terrifying monster the McGill. Allie is tempted by the seductive thrill of skinjacking the living, until she discovers the shocking truth about skinjackers that makes her question her place in both worlds.

Goodreads Ratings: 4.21 stars with over 12,000 ratings

Genre listing: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fiction, Supernatural, Adventure, Ghosts, Death

Goodreads Challenge: 9/60

2021 Reading Challenge:  #16 Read a book with a person on the cover ( Find the complete challenge here)

Goodreads Summary: In the stunning conclusion to the Skinjacker trilogy by New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Neal Shusterman, the final battle for the very soul of Everlost rages on. As Mary Hightower slumbers in a glass coffin waiting to be reborn back into Everlost, her allies and henchmen begin to carry out her terrible mission. Mary's army is joined by a newcomer: Jix, a spy for the Mayan King of Everlost. A furjacker who skinjacks great cats, Jix has his own agenda.
Meanwhile, Mikey McGill desperately tries to rescue Allie the Outcast. At his side is Nick the Chocolate Ogre, who has become pure chocolate and hardly remembers himself at all. Mikey encounters a creature that scares even the mighty McGill: a scar wraith, whose touch can extinguish an Afterlight forever.
As fights and schemes come to a head, it becomes clear that the outcome of this battle will determine not just the fate of Everlost but the fate of the living world as well.

Goodreads Rating: 4.30 stars with over 9,700 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fiction, Supernatural, Adventure, Ghosts, Death

Goodreads Challenge: 10/50

2021 Reading Challenge: #37 Read the next book in a series you've started (find the entire challenge here)

Other Reviews on the series: Everlost

Book Review:

Happy Wednesday, readers! I decided to do a combined review for Everwild and Everfound by Neal Shusterman. I would do separate reviews, but I got distracted and then was around 200 pages into Everfound, so I just decided to do one review. 

Everwild and Everfound follow the story Everlost started with Nick and Allie and some of the friends they meet. Towards the end of Everlost, Nick really starts to learn his purpose in the afterlife. Nick, Allie, Mikey, and some of their allies plot on how to take down Mary, who won't let Afterlights move on. 

What I liked most about this series is the world-building. The idea of two separate realities being co-existing to an extent is fascinating to me. Just little details like deadspots and how things cross over gave the story a lot of character. I also liked how there were different powers and different reasons for why those powers exist. The reason that Allie, Jix, and the other skinjackers could walk between both worlds wasn't all that surprising, but I liked the spin that it gave those characters. 

Part of the world-building that I think would just be a remarkable story on its own was Jix's King's ability to unremember. Essentially, he would decide he didn't remember something being a rule or law of Everlost, and it'd just wholly change the physics of whatever it was. It was really fascinating. It's just another detail that Shusterman gave readers that was just really well done.

Allie was the strongest character in the series by far, but I didn't really care for her ending. Overall the series ended as it should have, but her personal conclusion to the story fell a little flat. I think that Nick had the most appropriate ending. It could be interesting to see a continuation of his story, but I doubt there will be one. I thought that Mary's ending was pretty appropriate as well and really fit with her character. Initially, her and Nick's relationship just made me cringe because it didn't make a whole lot of sense. Through much of Everwild and Everfound, there's this idea that they love each other even though they're enemies. I never really got that because I didn't think there was a lot of chemistry there, but then it really gets explained towards the end of Everfound, and that reasoning made sense. Mikey and Allie's relationship was probably the only one that didn't make me roll my eyes through most of it. Jill and Jix's wasn't too terrible either.

There ends up being another character called a Scar Wraith, largely in Everfound. Initially, his placement in the story seems kind of weird. He doesn't really fit the story thus far and kind of stands out. Until the end, I wondered exactly what his purpose was going to be because he's just such an odd addition that he can't possibly just be there for background. I won't give too much away, but he ends up being a really intricate part of how the series unfolds.  

I think of the three books my favorite was Everfound. There is so much that happens in it that just brings the story altogether. Everything comes full circle in it, and there's a certain sense of balance to how it all plays out. Everything leads up to the need for that balance, and I really enjoyed it. All three of the books were really good, and Everwild didn't have that middle book syndrome where it dropped and was just a vessel to get from point A to B. It had its own unique story and was pretty enjoyable as well. Nick, Allie, Mikey, and Mary all had to take their own journies and really had to do some self-discovery. 

Overall, I really enjoyed each of the books. If you like dark YA fantasy, this would definitely be something I'd recommend. They aren't super long, with Everfound being the longest of the three books at a little over 500 pages. The entire series puts an exciting spin on death, the afterlife, and purpose. Neal Shusterman has a way with details that really make this story pop.  I give both Everwild and Everfound five moons.

Book Review: The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

 

Goodreads Summary:  The #1 New York Times bestselling series finale and sequel to A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night
Bringing the magic and suspense of the All Souls Trilogy to a deeply satisfying conclusion, this highly anticipated finale went straight to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. In The Book of Life, Diana and Matthew time-travel back from Elizabethan London to make a dramatic return to the present—facing new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home, Sept-Tours, they reunite with the beloved cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency.

Goodreads Rating: 4.17 stars with over 115,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Witches, Vampires, Magic, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Paranormal Romance

Goodreads Challenge: 8/50

2021 Reading Challenge: #28 Read a book published in the 2010s (find the full challenge here)

Book Review:

Apparently, today is Easter. If you celebrate it, Happy Easter. I usually have no clue of when Easter is until right before since I don't celebrate. Case point, my husband and I got married on Easter Weekend and didn't know until we had people decline invites because of it. Whoops. Anyway, if you don't celebrate happy Sunday, or whatever day it is in your part of the world. 

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness could have landed in a few places on the challenges this year, most likely. However, putting it on #28, a book published in the 2010s, completes a category that requires thinking and research on my part. So the less I have to use my brain, the better. So with this being published in 2014, it felt like a good fit. 

I think it's been a bit since I read the second book of the trilogy. When I first started The Book of Life, I had a hard time getting into it because I couldn't remember what happened other than they time traveled and Diana got new powers. Once I got four or five chapters in, my memory was mostly refreshed, and I started enjoying the book again. 

Like its predecessors, The Book of life follows star-crossed lovers Matthew and Diana and their battles with the covenant that forbids their relationship. They've got all kinds of enemies because, now that Diana returned pregnant, the number has only increased. There is speculation on whether the offspring will be a witch, vampire, or something in between. I thought that the science that Deborah Harkness put into this was exciting. I'm not a science person, but she does it in a way that still sounds realistic but not overly technical. For the world she's created, the genetics discussed seems plausible. 

The way that Diana's powers evolve in The Book of Life is like nothing I've ever read before. It's really unique, and I found it fascinating. Also, I feel like she became who she was supposed to be. I loved reading her transition through the series from a meek university professor trying to ignore her magical roots to being an absolute powerhouse.

As usual, Matthew was overprotective and brooding. He did have some sweet moments. His mom is my favorite in the series (I can't figure out how to spell her name. It's hard.) I would really be interested in reading a prequel about her and Phillip. We get a little more of her backstory in this one. There are some admissions from Glassgow that aren't really surprising, but I do feel sorry for him. 

Overall, I really liked it and found it hard to put down. I think this is the end of the series. I know there's a fourth book, but it seems to focus more on Marcus and Phoebe and Matthew's past. I have it on Kindle, so I'll probably read it eventually. When I originally got into the series, I thought the academia aspect would be really dull, but it's not. It's definitely a unique and creative story, and I highly recommend it for paranormal romance fans. 

Book Review: Everlost by Neal Shusterman

 

Goodreads Summary: Nick and Allie don't survive the car accident...
...but their souls don't exactly get where they're supposed to get either. Instead, they're caught halfway between life and death, in a sort of limbo known as Everlost: a shadow of the living world, filled with all the things and places that no longer exist. It's a magical, yet dangerous place where bands of lost children run wild and anyone who stands in the same place too long sinks to the center of the Earth.

When they find Mary, the self-proclaimed queen of lost kids, Nick feels like he's found a home, but Allie isn't satisfied spending eternity between worlds. Against all warnings, Allie begins learning the "Criminal Art" of haunting, and ventures into dangerous territory, where a monster called the McGill threatens all the souls of Everlost.

In this imaginative novel, Neal Shusterman explores questions of life, death, and what just might lie in between.

Goodreads Rating: 3.96 stars with over 30,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fiction, Supernatural, Ghosts

Goodreads Challenge: 7/50 

2021 Reading Challenge: #15 Read the first book in a series you've wanted to start (find the full challenge here

Book Review:

Happy Monday, readers! I am eagerly waiting until it's a good time for bed because I am exhausted. I read an actual book this weekend. By that, I mean a physical book instead of an e-book. For Christmas, the husband and I had bought our friend a trilogy of books by Neal Shusterman. I had got her hooked on the Arch of Scythe series, and after finding more of his work, she thought this one sounded interesting. After she read it, she thought I'd like it as well and loaned me the first two while she read the third. 

The friend was right. I really enjoyed Everlost quite a bit. I can't remember the last time I read YA either, so that was nice. Everlost takes a fascinating take on kids dying. In the Skinjackers series, kids end up in Everlost when they die but didn't make it to where they were supposed to go. In Allie and Nick's case, they were in a car crash and bump into each other in the tunnel to the light. 

The world-building of Everlost is fantastic. There are just little nuanced details sprinkled in that just seem really well thought out. There's this whole aspect of what they can touch or stand or do based on whether or not something died there. It's really interesting, and I felt like it really made the characters interact with their environment. There are also exerts from books that two of the characters write before each chapter. It's very similar to the journal entries before each chapter in the Scythe trilogy that Neal Shusterman wrote. I enjoy them because it gives you additional details about the world that may have not otherwise made it into the story. They're very centered around the perceived rules of Everlost.

I can't really explain why, but this book in my mind was a cross between The Maze Runner and Peter Pan. I tried to explain it to my friend when we discussed the book, and I couldn't give actual reasons for it. It's just that the entire time I was reading it, I either thought of Peter Pan or Maze Runner. 

Character-wise, I liked Allie and Leif more than Nick. I thought he was kind of whiny, and then the whole story arc between him and Mary was just eh to me. I kind of rolled my eyes during a lot of it. Mary was probably my least favorite character. She just seemed kind of uppity to me. I thought The McGill's storyline was pretty interesting, and I figured out who he was pretty quickly. I thought many philosophical questions were surrounding The McGill, but if I go into them, I think that'd give more spoilers than I've probably already given. 

Overall, it's a good story, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes YA Fantasy/Paranormal type stuff. It's under 400 pages and moves pretty quickly. So if you want more of a light read, it'd be good for that. Even though it does cover death, it doesn't come across as particularly morbid. It's a little sad in some spots because of the deaths, but it stays pretty light and humorous. There are even some well-placed puns. I'll definitely be reading the second book soon. The only reason I didn't pick it up last night was the kindle was closer, and my bed was comfy.

Book Review: Hexed by Kevin Hearne

 

Goodreads Summary: Atticus Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn’t care much for witches. Still, he’s about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty—when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they’re badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.
With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence, and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor’s rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked the wrong Druid to hex.

Goodreads Rating: 4.22 stars with over 56,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic, Mythology, Supernatural, Witches, Vampires

Goodreads Challenge: 47/60

2020 Reading Challenge: #23 Read a book recommended by your local library's website (Find the full challenge here ). Get ready for the 2021 Challenge (here)

Previous reviews on the series: Hounded

Book Review:

Happy New Year's Eve, readers! I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday. I wasn't entirely sure that I was going to finish this book before 2020 ended, but I just made it! I'll do a full review of the books read in 2020 later this weekend. For now, on to talking about Hexed.

So, I kind of cheated for this prompt. My library had recommended Hounded, but I decided it was a series recommendation and picked up Hexed instead since I already read the first book. Truthfully, I just wanted to read it and needed a place for it. Whatever.  As Co-Creator of the challenge,  I do what I want. :)

Hexed picks up a couple of weeks after Hounded ends. Atticus is trying to clean up the mess from his last battle and finds himself facing a new enemy in an unlikely alliance with the local witches. It's effortless to get back into the story, though, for some reason, I had forgotten Atticus's name and, in my head, had been referring to him as "Iron Druid." 

I think what I like most about Hexed is I get Paranormal, Mythology, and Humor. I feel like this series doesn't take itself too seriously. There's always a joke or a snarky comment, even in the most serious action moments. It doesn't ever really feel cheesy, or out of place though, it just feels like Atticus's personality to make light of things. There were many times when I just started cracking up because of some of the dialogue, especially between Atticus and Oberon. 

I think my favorite characters in Hexed were The Widow and Oberon. They're just too pure, and the Widow is just so sassy. She just seems like a fun old lady that would have some great stories. I could not stop laughing at her scene towards the end of the book when Atticus is trying to protect her. It was probably one of the most hilarious book chapters I've read in a while. I really needed the laugh that it provided.

If you've read my blog for any amount of time, you've probably realized that when I read, I get really weird and random pop culture references in my head (See any Wheel of Time review for proof where I let it be unchecked in Tress's twitter thread of our conversation.) I can't help it, and this is how my brain operates most of the time. I don't know if I mentioned this in Hounded, but when The Morgaine is described, the only thing I can picture for her is Yzma from The Emperor's New Groove. I don't know why this is the image my brain conjured up, but it's there to stay. Which made a particular scene with Atticus incredibly terrifying.  I would like some kind of brain bleach, please.

For those who don't know what I'm talking about when I say Yzma:

Anyways, back to the review. I really liked the Mythology and history that was in Hexed. I don't remember if, in Hounded, Atticus gave any great detail about specific points in time, but I enjoyed that we got a glimpse of what he was doing in WWII. I think it just gave great context for how old he actually is. I really hope that there are more glimpses into his history in the rest of the series. 

I absolutely adored Hexed, and I can't wait to read more in the series. I highly recommend it for anyone who likes Urban Fantasy and likes to laugh. The books aren't terribly long; I think Hexed was around 300 pages. It's a quick and fun read, and not hard to stay into the story between books. 

Book Review: The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates

 

Goodreads Summary: There's something wrong with Ashburn House...The ancient building has been the subject of rumors for close to a century. Its owner, Edith, refused to let guests inside and rarely visited the nearby town.

Following Edith's death, her sole surviving relative, Adrienne, inherits the property. Adrienne's only possessions are a suitcase of luggage, twenty dollars, and her pet cat. Ashburn House is a lifeline she can't afford to refuse.

Adrienne doesn't believe in ghosts, but it's hard to ignore the unease that grows as she explores her new home. Strange messages have been etched into the wallpaper, an old grave is hidden in the forest behind the house, and eerie portraits in the upstairs hall seem to watch her every movement.

As she uncovers more of the house's secrets, Adrienne begins to believe the whispered rumors about Ashburn may hold more truth than she ever suspected. The building has a bleak and grisly past, and as she chases the threads of a decades-old mystery, Adrienne realizes she's become the prey to something deeply unnatural and intensely resentful.

Only one thing is certain: Ashburn's dead are not at rest.

Goodreads Ratings: 4.02 stars with over 8,600 ratings

Genre Listing: Horror, Paranormal, Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Gothic, Ghosts, Supernatural

Goodreads Challenge: 36/60 (Still really behind, because of who I am as a person)

2020 Reading Challenge: #17 Read a Suspense or Horror book (Find the full challenge here)

Book Review:

I have no idea what day it is, and I blame The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates. I've been up very late reading this book since I started. It's totally a good idea to read a horror book beginning at 2 am, just FYI.

It may have just been the haunted house and potential for ghosts, but I was instantly drawn into Adrienne's world. I thought she was a likable character. Her story was a little bit of a sad one, but it was short, so the introduction to her wasn't bogged down with all these details of her life before the book starts. I dig that she named her cat Wolfgang.

At first, I wasn't sure if The Haunting of Ashburn House was actually going to be scary. It didn't seem like it at first, but I was enjoying the story, so I didn't mind too much. Some things were a little bit creepy at first, but I wasn't turning on the lights to make sure the ghosts weren't in my apartment. That all changed around chapters 29 and 30. 

I'll try to be vague because I don't want to ruin the surprise in the book, but I wasn't expecting the haunting thing to be what it was. Hopefully, that makes sense. The clues were to what was going on were kind of there, but I was so engrossed in the story that I didn't really try to figure it out. I just wanted to be in the moment reading. 

I really liked how the story concluded (again, trying to be vague because I don't want to give spoilers). I thought it was kind of a sweet ending, which was surprising for a ghost story. The one knock I really have is the friends that Adrienne made. The sweetness kind of seemed a little fake to me, but I could just be jaded and expect there to be ulterior motives behind nice gestures. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't even halfway through, and I was telling friends to read it. I also went through and added a bunch of Darcy Coates' books to my want to read list. It was one of those books that just caught my attention early on and never let go. There were a couple of spots that I thought were kind of funny as well, so it was a nice balance. A lot of Darcy's books are on Kindle Unlimited, so after I finish an author requested review, I'll probably go on a book binge. 

Book Review: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Goodreads Summary: A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.
Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.
Goodreads Rating: 4 stars with over 300,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Paranormal, Vampires, Witches, Magic, Supernatural
Goodreads Challenge: 18/50
2019 Reading Challenge: #11 A New York Times' Best Seller (Past or Present). Find the full challenge here.

Book Review:

Hurray! I finished a full tier on the 2019 reading challenge. This worked out well for A New York Times' Best Seller, especially considering it was already on my kindle. I thought I was going to have to buy something specifically for this category.

I honestly wasn't sure how I was going to like A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I had a few people tell me it was good, but the description above mentioning Twilight made me cringe. Seriously, if you ever want to recommend a book to me do not compare it in a positive light to Twilight or 50 Shades. That is almost a guaranteed way to get me to not read it. Early on in the book, I couldn't really take Diana seriously. I felt like there was a lot of hypocrisy surrounding her magic and lack of using it. I also rolled my eyes a lot at Matthew's initial mood swings and possessive creepiness. Because of this, it made getting into A Discovery of Witches kind of hard. I thought it was interesting, but I wasn't completely engrossed in it. I also expected to completely detest it. I mentioned to some friends that I was "torn between liking it, being completely annoyed by it, and disgusted with myself for liking it."

I eventually got into the book. I think it was somewhere around 40% where I really took an interest in what was going on. I think most of what initially kept me going was the fact that two of my closest friends had highly recommended it. Neither of these ladies has steered me wrong so far in their book recommendations. Once I hit that moment of where I got completely absorbed into A Discovery of Witches, I couldn't put it down.

A lot of Diana's story is based on her unwillingness to use her magic and her study of Alchemy. I thought that with how the story played out, it felt destined that she was a Historian with a specialty in Alchemy. I want to dive more into this topic, but I feel like if I do, I'll just give out all kinds of spoilers. I'll be honest, I didn't understand a lot of the Alchemy stuff. It's not something I've really read anything on (fiction or otherwise), however, despite my lack of knowledge, I found it really interesting. I would have loved to see an image of the alchemy books and pictures described. I think it would have added so much to the story.

I loved the history in A Discovery of Witches. There's a lot of witch history and urban legends as well as Vampire history. I was amused when Diana and Matthew had an entire conversation based on what was true about witches (in their world) and what was made up by humans. I also liked that Matthew and his family are very ancient vampires. I feel like in most vampire stories, the age range is around 500 years. Matthew is much older than most vampires. Because of his age, there is a lot of history involved.

I liked that Deborah Harkness provided a glimpse of life with each very different family. I think that I liked Matthew's family a bit more than Diana's. Because of the tension between Vampires and Witches portrayed in the story, both families were a little standoffish when meeting the spouse. I feel like Matthew's family was quicker to accept Diana, and it felt more genuine than when Diana's family met Matthew. House wise though I loved Diana's house more, except for Matthew's library. The Bishop House is a fantastic character in its own right. It's moody, opinionated, and has a life of its own. The Bishop House finds and loses objects, adds rooms on when it thinks there will be guests, and slams things around when it wants attention. It's a perfect addition to a witchy house.

I was actually kind of bummed when I finished A Discovery of Witches. I think when I bought it, I got it on sale, so I couldn't dive right into the second book. Why, you ask? Because I'm cheap as hell and not going to pay $14 for an e-book. I don't even pay that for paperbacks. The BFF, however, has a copy of the 2nd and 3rd books and promised to mail them to me. I can't wait to indulge. Now that a Discovery of Witches is finished, I'm moving on to the second tier of the challenge. I'm currently working on "A book with a color in the title." So, stay tuned for that post!

Book Review of Doom and Broom and Spell's Bells by Annabel Chase

Goodreads Summary: 
Welcome to Spellbound, where paranormal is the new normal.

Emma Hart hasn’t had a moment’s peace since her arrival in Spellbound. Her fear of heights hits an all-time high when she’s tasked with mastering a broomstick. It doesn’t help that Lady Weatherby seems determined to make basic witch training feel more like the magical ninja warrior championships.

When a werewolf is found dead and Daniel is named as the prime suspect, Emma takes the initiative to prove that the angel’s halo is firmly intact, once again stepping on the hooves of the cranky centaur, Sheriff Hugo.

The heat is on as Emma struggles to get a grip on her broomstick and identify the killer before it’s too late.

Doom and Broom is the second book in the Spellbound paranormal cozy mystery series.
Goodreads Rating: 4.33 stars with over 1,100 ratings
Number of Pages: 294
Book in series: 2/10

Goodreads Summary: Welcome to Spellbound, where paranormal is the new normal.

When a sleeping dwarf is found entombed in a glass coffin and remedial witch Sophie is blamed, Emma Hart must defend her friend while trying to get to the bottom of the enchantment. The investigation lands Emma smack dab in the middle of Spellbound’s matchmaking scene, where plenty of the town’s residents are eager to find her an appropriate suitor.

Emma knows it's time to kick her witchy skills up a notch if she expects to survive Thursday night speed dating and keep sweet Sophie from a life in paranormal prison.

Spell's Bells is the third book in the Spellbound paranormal cozy mystery series.

Goodreads Rating: 4.36 stars with over 1,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Paranormal, Supernatural, Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Fantasy
Get the Books: Doom and Broom Spell's Bells
Goodreads Challenge: 23 and 24 out of 30.
Number of Pages: 274
Book in series: 3/10
Previous Review: Curse the Day

Book Review:

You may be wondering what's going on with the format above. Well, the thing is I have problems. I downloaded Doom and Broom from Kindle Unlimited right after finishing Curse the Day, the first book in the Spellbound Series. I finished the cozy mystery either late Friday night or Saturday night and read Spell's Bells until 4 am in the morning. When I finally put it down, I was about 88% finished with it. Since I read both books back to back like that they've merged in my brain, so I figure I'll do one post for them. Plus, I'm lazy.

So, as you can probably tell from the binging, I adore this series. I think I relate to Emma with the whole working and going to school full-time thing. There's a lot of details that make the town of Spellbound enjoyable to read. I can tell that Annabel Chase put a lot of effort into including a broad mix of species in her stories. I like that she's slowly getting into Emma's background as far as being a witch goes. I think that's what I want to read the most. Towards the end of Spell's Bells, there is some interesting foreshadowing going on.

Daniel's growing on me the past two books. I won't say I'm entirely for team Daniel, but he's a better option than some of the other choices that she's presented with. I do feel like she's using the Vampire friend a lot though. I can't remember his name at this moment in time. I guess he's not making a huge impact in the story if I can't remember the name.

I'm keeping this short and sweet tonight. I'm recommending the series for anyone who needs something quick and enjoyable to binge read on Kindle. The books are under 300 pages. The stories move quickly. There's good detail, but not so much that it bogs the story down. The characters are enjoyable for the most part. Interesting mysteries. I won't say they're complete shockers, but the conclusions seem reasonable. I will say that I pegged who the murder was in Doom and Broom fairly easily. I was admittedly wrong about the crime in Spell's Bells.


Here's a couple of quotes I liked from the books: 

"This was supposed to be the remedial class. We should all suck equally." -Somewhere around 12% in Doom and Broom

"I had people I cared about, then I risked losing them. In my experience, the negatives far outweighed the positives." -Somewhere around 57% in Doom and Broom

"Maybe you want to be tall, but your DNA has other plans."- Somewhere around 73% in Doom and Broom. (Also, my life.)

"Unsurprisingly, he was mistaken. I never set out to make him look like an idiot. He managed to do that all by himself." Somewhere around 7% in Spell's Bells.

""I'm warning you, Silas. Get your genie butt out of here before I shove you inside the nearest lamp.” She gave him a pointed look. “And I won’t be rubbing it.” - Somewhere around 27% in Spell's Bells. I audibly cackled at this one, I think. 

I'm giving both books 4 moons :)

Book Review: Curse the Day by Annabel Chase

Goodreads Summary: 

Welcome to Spellbound, where paranormal is the new normal.

The only magic Emma Hart believes in is caffeine and the power of the dryer to lose one sock per load. A public interest lawyer buried under a mound of student debt, Emma’s whole life has been one turn of bad luck after another.

Her streak seems to continue when she gets lost on the way to see a client in the remote Pocono Mountains. A chance encounter with a suicidal angel lands her in Spellbound, a town where supernaturals have been cursed to remain for centuries--probably not the best time for Emma to discover that she's actually a witch.

Between the recent murder of the town’s public defender, a goblin accused of theft, remedial witch classes, and the attention of one smoking hot vampire, Emma struggles to navigate this unfamiliar terrain without losing her mind...or her life.

Curse the Day is the first book in the Spellbound paranormal cozy mystery series.

This is a full-length, humorous paranormal cozy mystery novel.

Goodreads Rating: 4.19 stars with just over 1,400 reviews

Genre Listing: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Paranormal, Supernatural, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

Get the Book: Amazon
Number of Pages: 290 pages
Book in series: 1/10

Goodreads Challenge: 22/30

2018 Reading Challenge #3, A Cozy Mystery. See the full challenge here

Book Review:

After I finished up Thunderhead, I wanted to start something quick and relatively easy to read. I figured it was a good time to knock out the Cozy Mystery category for the 2018 reading challenge. It took me a while to find one, but I'm glad I took my time and decided on Curse the Day by Anabel Chase. It's around 290 pages and is fairly fast-paced. I finished it in a day. Which with my current insanely busy schedule is pretty impressive. (When I say busy, I'm not kidding. I work full time, go to school full time, run a jewelry business, and run this blog. Send help in the form of coffee!)

Curse the Day by Annabel Chase was an enjoyable cozy paranormal mystery story that was entertaining from the start. I found Emma to be a likable main character. Her inner monologues with herself are pretty funny. I found myself laughing (out loud, even) quite often while reading this story. I enjoyed that she gets shoved into a remedial witch class with several misfits who take her under their wing. I ADORED that she gets them to watch The Craft. It's one of my favorite movies. Oh, and there are several Harry Potter references in the story. 😍

Anabel provided a nice variety of paranormal species in this one story. The entire town is paranormal, so I was glad to see it wasn't just the typical weres, vamps, and witches. These types are there, but there's also goblins, harpies, fairies, incubus/succubus, elves, gorgon, and of course a grumpy hairless cat that's an insult to all cats. (That's a reference to the book. It'll make sense if you read it.)

I like that Emma's background is a mystery. It sets up the series for exciting twists and turns, especially since she's not quite like the other witches in Spellbound. I imagine it'll be an ongoing mystery in each book. I will say I thought the actual conclusion of who the killer/thief was in Curse the Day came out kind of abruptly. It's revealed around 80% into the book, and while it makes sense, the reveal didn't necessarily wow or surprise me. I will say I'm glad that it was a logical character choice instead of some random off the wall surprise with nothing leading up to it.

There are a couple of potential love interests already lined up, but both make me roll my eyes. The suitors so far are the typical love interest of "He's so HAWT" and zero depth. I'm reserving judgment for now. Maybe they'll grow on me. One of them certainly isn't going away any time soon.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and already started on book two. Now hopefully I can get a chance to finish it soon. I recommend it if you like cozy mysteries, paranormal books, or need something quick to get you out of a reading slump. The entire series is on Kindle Unlimited for those of you needing a series to binge on.

I only had one part that I highlighted during my read, but it's a good one.

"Sometimes we seem to forget that the entire reason we're trapped here is because we mistreated someone. It's important that we strive to do better and look out for one another." - located around 70% of the book.

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Book Review of Death's Hand by S.M. Reine

Goodreads Summary: Policing relations between Heaven, Hell, and Earth is messy and violent, but Elise Kavanagh and James Faulkner excelled at it-- until coming across a job so brutal that even they couldn't stand to see one more dead body. Now they've been pretending to be normal for five years, leaving their horrific history a dark secret. Elise works in an office. James owns a business. None of their friends realize they used to be one of the world's best killing teams. After years of hiding, something stirs. Bodies are vanishing. Demons scurry in the shadows of the night. A child has been possessed. Some enemies aren't willing to let the secrets of the past stay dead...
Goodreads Rating: 3.72 stars with over 2,900 ratings
Genre Listing: Fantasy, Paranormal, Demons, Witches, Magic, Horror, Supernatural
Get the Book: Amazon, The Descent Series Book 1-3

Book Review:

I've had the Descent omnibus (books 1-3) on my kindle for ages. I finally got around to reading the first book in the series by SM  Reine, Death's Hand.

The concept of Death's Hand was very interesting. Elise is a young demon hunter partnered with a witch named James. The bond is called something along the lines of Kopis, and I forget what the other term is... Apsis? I don't think that's right, but it hardly seems relevant considering SM Reine didn't actually go into detail about it. Apparently, Elise is the only female Kopis and is the most powerful one at that. James is some super powerful High Priest witch. I really would have liked more detail here, because I feel like something was missing. I felt like the reader was just supposed to know what this magical bond was with little guidelines. Through context clues, I gather that the bond is a warrior and a witch pairing. History on this would have been really helpful. Why were they bonded? How did they become bonded? Did they chose one another or was it fate that made them a fighting duo? I can't answer these questions because they weren't answered in Death's Hand. I can't even start to explain how frustrating this is.

In addition to the lack of detail regarding this magical bonding between Elise and James, I feel like I'm missing part of the story. For about half of the story, the timeline is non-linear, which drives me absolutely insane. It bounces between James finding Elise several years ago in a field nearly dead, a few years ago when they apparently saved the world, and then the present timeline. It's incredibly hard to keep up with, especially with so little detail on their origins and back history. I kept having to check to make sure I was reading the first in the series because it definitely doesn't seem like it. Side note to this, I skimmed some reviews on it, and apparently this is a companion series to something called Death's Avatar where these events are explained. This only makes me even more frustrated because this really isn't made known. I'm going to guess this other book makes this one make more sense, but if that's the case don't list this as the first in the series. That is just incredibly misleading. 

I didn't really feel like any of the characters were particularly likable. Elise is robotic and cold, with no actual feelings. James is okay, I guess, but I'm not sure what the relationship is with Elise. At times it seems more like a father/ daughter relationship, but then sometimes it seems like it could be pseudo-romantic. I just don't get any feelings towards either of the characters. The side characters aren't much better.

Faithful to the rest of this story's form, there are no details on the demons. Apparently, there are all these different classes of demons, but no real information is given on them. The most you get is oh this Demon is David, and he's this. Okay, that's super. Why is that important to me as a reader? This just continues on with the theme that this does not seem like it begins the series. I can't get over the missing information. I'm trying, but it's not going to happen. 

 I want to be impressed with Death's Hand by SM Reine, I really do. The truth, however, is that I'm not impressed at all. Combine the missing details with the fact that this book could use a serious once over by an editor and you have an interesting concept that ended up being a total let down. I need facts, I need details, I need characters to have feelings. This book has none of these things. I think my feelings may have been different if I knew this was a companion series to another book. Perhaps that book explains all of my questions, who knows. The point is if that book should be read first then it needs to be stated, and this shouldn't be marked as the first in the series.