Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt

Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt

My Rating: ★★★

There's a curse on Black Spring. Anyone who settles in this town can never leave for long because they've become wrapped up in the curse. Black Spring is haunted by a 17th century witch named Katherine. With her eyes and mouth sewn shut, she appears wherever she wants. She's a forced to be reckoned with because messing with her means you're subject to her wrath, so people throw dish washing cloths and sheets to hide her when she appears in their home or workplace. A small group of teens decide they want to break the town's strict rules regarding her and go viral with her presence and what goes on in their town. Instead, their plan backfires and everyone begins to deteriorate under the power that Katherine holds over them.

There isn't a dull moment throughout this book. We've got a group of teenagers going to their secret blog and planning how to go public with Katherine and the town's curse, and we have various characters that we follow dealing with the curse. At first, Katherine is presented as a dark entity that is seemingly cursed to walk the living world for the sins she committed during her life. People are forbidden to talk or touch her because it could be a death sentence. However, as the story goes on, Katherine is at the bottom of the list of evil entities. She just does her thing and people fear her for it. They fear the day that she brings forth the end of times, so anyone unlucky enough to live in town is stuck planning their lives around the curse and hope they don't live to see her evil eye turn on them.

Katherine's a sad spirit lurking around town. We start to see how people blame her for their actions and the consequences they face. A few of the teens who want to go viral with their town's story become out of control. They begin to become violent, which results in the death of an animal and some people. Some view her as a goddess of sorts and leave her offerings, much to HEX's surprise. As the town starts to deteriorate and turn into an angry mob, we see history begin to repeat itself. The people of Black Spring believe she has turned her evil eye onto them when they begin to turn into the worst version of themselves. It's interesting to watch how Katherine is a solemn entity who doesn't want to cause harm. She is merely stuck in this world with the descendants of those who harmed her during her life.

It's an action packed story that doesn't have a dull moment. I know it kept me turning the pages to see what happened next. I am disappointed with the way it ended. It has an open ending, which left me with many questions about Katherine and the surviving people of the town. I think I really just want Katherine to be able to rest in peace rather than being forced to walk this world.

Still Star-Crossed by Melinda Taub

Still Star-Crossed by Melinda Taub

My Rating: ★★★★★

Still Star-Crossed picks up a few weeks after the events that take place in Shakespeare's famous play, Romeo and Juliet. The Montagues and Capulets have agreed to make peace after Romeo and Juliet secretly married and died in the midst of both houses ongoing feuds. However, the peace agreement is merely a band-aid that's barely holding on. Tension is high throughout Verona as its citizens are increasingly unable to stick to the agreement. Rather than finding a way to live in peace, they continue the feud to avenge the lost members of their houses. However, Prince Escalus as devised a plan to force everyone to hold the peace. He has ordered Rosaline, a childhood friend who hails from the Capulet house, and Romeo's friend Benvolio Montague to marry. Escalus believes that this marriage will be what cements the peace agreement in place.

Taub brings Rosaline to life as the female protagonist of the story. Unhappy with the cards that life has dealt her, Rosaline plans to enter a nunnery rather than marry. However, fate has other plans for her as her childhood friend Escalus tries to force her into a marriage with a Montague of all people. Rosaline is a stubborn character who has spent most of her life living independently with her sister on her aunt's property after they were orphaned. However, she is also intelligent, caring, and level headed. Her characteristics and overall attitude make her relatable and even funny at times. Benvolio is also brought to life as the male protagonist who compliments Rosaline as a cunning, wise, and intelligent character. The pair detests one another from the beginning, but their witty exchanges left me eagerly awaiting their next meeting.

I love the way that Taub brings this world to life in a new way. These characters, some of which did not show their faces much in the drama, are fleshed out. I found myself identifying with Rosaline and Livia because they are realistic siblings. They may not always agree, but they deeply care for one another and are concerned for each other's well-being. Benvolio is brought to life as a genuinely caring person even for those he does not care for. He's the person that one would describe as all around good fellow even if we did not particular care to get to know him. Squished together, Rosaline and Benvolio face some entertaining drama as they seek to find out who is fueling the fire between their houses in an attempt to nullify their engagement, only to fall in love every step of the way. It's fun to see various characters, such as Father Friar and Paris, come to life in new ways. I found myself glued to the pages, and I am more excited about the upcoming television series than I was before.

Beckoning Darkness (The Damned and The Pure #1) by J.D. Stonebridge

Beckoning Darkness by J.D. Stonebridge

My Rating: ★★★★

After committing a terrible sin against heaven, Ariel spent centuries serving her heavenly prison sentence. She has finally been released and has had her memory swiped so that she will not be tempted to repeat the mistakes of her past. Freshly released, Ariel is selected for a special assignment on Earth, giving her the second chance she needs. However, mankind is not what it once was, which challenges her mission. A demon throws a wrench in her assignment, pushing her to her limits. However, all is not what it seems and she finds herself unwillingly teaming up with the odd demon that messed with her assignment so they can both find answers to their questions.

J.D. Stonebridge has taken the world we live in and added a supernatural and divine spin to it. Rather than following the perspective of a prophet, we follow an angel and a demon. Heaven and Hell meet in the human realm, and we see how these characters view our world. I love that Ariel is kept in the dark. She doesn't remember her sin, nor does she remember her punishment. She believes what the angels have told her, but she has questions that she is urged to keep to herself. It opens the door for more questions, which kept me on the lookout because I knew that all is not what it seems. There has to be more to Ariel's story, as well as her mission.

The story is a balancing act between Ariel and Caelum. Ariel is a devout angel determined to redeem herself, and Caelum is an odd demon who has no memories of anything other than his life as a demon. He is drawn to her because he's never seen an angel before, and she also reminds him of the women in the dreams he believes are his human memories. As the story continues, we see that there seems to be something bigger working against the pair. It ultimately cements the pair together in a seemingly temporary partnership that is interesting to watch. Ariel is so straight and narrow compared to Caelum, who is a fun spirited demon. I enjoyed watching the pair's interactions as well as their interactions with other characters as I was drawn deeper into the story. I knew that I was in for the whole series by the end of the book because it's such a compelling story that kept me glued to its pages.

A Toxic Trousseau (A Witchcraft Mystery #8)

A Toxic Trousseau by Juliet Blackwell

My Rating: ★★★★★

When Lily is served papers detailing a lawsuit involving a certain rogue familiar, she decides to pay Autumn a visit in an attempt to come to a peaceful agreement. Sadly, she stumbles upon Autumn in some of her final moments, leaving her with a new mystery on her hands. Meanwhile, Aidan leaves Lily in charge when he leaves town, allowing her to finally see what his daily job entails.

Blackwell has brought yet another delightful installment into our lives. I like that A Toxic Trousseau takes a different path than previous installments. We see more into Lily and Sailor's day to day relationship with one another, which allows us to become more invested in the pair. We're also given a glimpse of what is to come as Lily tries to figure out Aidan's motive behind leaving her in charge. If anything, learning some of his more popular duties piqued my interest because it allowed Lily to become acquainted with a different side of the magical folk in her city. We now see who Lily and company will be going up against even if we do not know the specifics of what is in store. It was interesting to see the light and dark sides of some of these new characters, so I'm looking forward to seeing them again.

This installment takes a bit of a different path than previous installments. The mystery itself seems to be a bit in the air while being connected to multiple parts of the story even if we do not see it at first. We have the cursed trousseau, a mystery house, and mysterious death that weigh heavily on Lily's mind. We also continue to see Lily grow as she tries to get to the bottom of these different aspects that are plaguing her. Rather than jumping into these mysteries alone, she asks for help and takes her friends along with her. She has made a family for herself that she trusts and relies on, and I love seeing her realize that she can count on these people as much as they count on her. The story is captivating from beginning to end. I also I found myself wanting to attend any party with Bronwyn and company. The final chapter had me yelling in excitement. I am now eagerly awaiting the ninth book!

The Mime Order (The Bone Season #2)

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

My Rating: ★★★★

The Mime Order picks up right where The Bone Season left off. Like the series opener, this installment is a slow burn. However, the slow pace is worth it because the world building continues as we follow Paige's struggles. She sees the world that she fought so hard to return to differently now that her eyes are open. It's a dark and oppressed world full of lies, hidden agendas, and two-faced people sitting out in the open. One wrong move can end in death, especially for Paige since she's now on the most wanted list. It really allowed us the time to fully understand what Paige is facing at every turn.

It was interesting to get more detail about some of the characters we know from the previous novel, such as Jax and the various big players of the syndicate. Learning the history of The Rephiam as Warden knows it is fascinating, and I'm sure it will play a big part as the series continues. Learning the politics of the syndicate was also interesting, especially as we begin to see how deep the corruption has seeped. The slow pace might be something that won't pull everyone in, but it allows us to see what Paige and company will be facing as they become immersed in the war. The story becomes fast paced toward the end, and we see how Paige's decisions come back to bite her. I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters, new and old, every step of the way. I can't wait for the third installment!

A Ghoul's Guide to Love and Murder (Ghost Hunter Mystery #10)

A Ghoul's Guide to Love and Murder by Victoria Laurie

My Rating: ★★★

M.J. and Heath are back from a well-needed vacation only to discover that Gilley lost his mind and loaned one very dangerous dagger to the museum for their ghostly exhibit. His mistake causes M.J. and company to battle some of the scariest spooks that they've ever faced in this series closer. Will they find who stole the dagger before he or she has time to cause a significant supernatural disaster?

I must say that I'm a bit sad to see this series end. However, all good things must come to an end, and M.J. and company go out with a bang. The opening of this installment seemed more like a summary of the series than an opening to the final book. It just made me a little sad to see the series end, but I was ready to jump into the story and see some of our favorite characters enter a new phase of each of their lives as the story closed. The good news is that the story quickly picks up, and we start to see some of our favorite characters return to the story. I don't know about anyone else, but I was a little excited to see some old spooks and some characters from early in the series. It was kind of like a small portion of the ghost family was getting back together for their last hurrah.

I love how M.J. and Gilley truly seem like siblings all the way to the end. I can relate to the two of them feeling like they're both leaving the nest at the same time after being so close in proximity for most of their lives. It was also interesting to see a non-believer discover that these spooks are real. All in all, I really enjoyed the story and the nice non-supernatural twist that was thrown into the mix. Laurie did a great job highlighting the different books in the series while also giving us a glimpse of where these character's stories will go after the final pages. The series may have ended, but I feel good about where everyone was at once I made it to the last page.

The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1)

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

My Rating: ★★★★

Paige Mahoney is a clairvoyant living in Scion London. In 2059, clairvoyants are widely feared and considered unnatural by much of society. If found, find themselves sentenced to prison, or looking for other clairvoyants to arrest. Paige is among the many that haven't been found. Working in the criminal underworld, she is paid to find information by using her ability break into other people's minds. Paige enjoys her life and her work until she is discovered. She is drugged and transported into a secret city that is controlled by a mysterious group called the Rephaim. The Rephaim collect, use, and feed on clairvoyants under the guise that they are helping Earth. Paige must tread lightly and figure out who she can trust as she seeks to escape this new prison, or die trying.

The story follows Paige, a dream walker that is highly sought out by the leader of the Rephaim. After accidentally killing someone with her abilities, she is located, drugged, and transported to a city under the Rephaim's control. The plot of The Bone Season is a slow burn, but the story is so compelling that it does not feel like it gradually moves forward. There is a lot of technical information about this world and what it means to be a clairvoyant as Shannon slowly builds this world. I am fascinated by how the plot takes place in an alternate universe of sorts where people started developing psychic abilities as little 200 years ago. There are so many layers to this world that continue to unfold as the pages fly by.

I love that Paige is not a natural badass, nor is she weak. She's not perfect, and she certainly has her flaws. We can feel her confusion as she's removed from her old life and dropped into a new and confusing one that is more dangerous than the one that she was torn from. Her confusion, stubbornness, and determination in this new setting make her seem very realistic. She is someone that people can relate to as a person from the very beginning. I also love many of the characters that she meets and befriends, who are each realistic and relatable in different ways. Even the Warden is a fascinating character. I still don't quite know what his true motives are, but I am interested in seeing where his story goes in the future. Many of the characters are frightening, including some of Paige's fellow clairvoyants. I found myself glued to the pages because I was captivated by the characters and the story itself. I can't wait to see how it continues!

Second Coming (First Fruits #2)

Second Coming by Amanda Carney

My Rating: ★★★★

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Parsley finally has everything that she's ever wanted: friendship, love, and mutual acceptance. However, not all is as it seems in Allswell because vampires are not on the list of potential refugees. Faced with planning a future without Jesse or risking everything to be with him, she must choose between living a safe life or risk everything to reunite with Jesse. What will she do?

Second Coming picks up right where First Fruits left off. Carney brings us one action packed story that had me glued to the pages. Jesse's battle is torturous. It was absolutely heart wrenching to see him make tough choices so that he could ensure that Parsley would remain safe. His story allows us to see more into Patrick's terrifying mind. Getting a glimpse into what Patrick has put him through during his second lifetime gave me a better idea of how awful and manipulative Patrick truly is. It also makes me wonder how many of his "sons" are loyal because of his manipulation in the long run.

I really feel for Parsley, especially when she knows that all is not what it seems once she makes it to Allswell. I enjoyed seeing her enter this world and get to know the people there. I love that we had some chapters from the perspective of characters from Allswell so that we could get to know the town and its people a little better. It truly is a magical place that I wish I could visit. The characters are so bright and endearing that I found myself hoping that they would safely come out of the battle that was soon to come. Plus, this new environment allowed Parsley to find her footing, fully accept herself, and make new connections with like-minded souls.

I highly recommend this series if you are looking for an action packed paranormal novel. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story as well as the many characters that it features. Carney presents a series of complex characters, many of them relatable in different ways. I hope to see these characters again if the story continues in a third installment!

First Fruits (First Fruits #1)

First Fruits by Amanda Carney

My Rating: ★★★★

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Parsley is a telepath who has been on the run for several years of her life. Never able to stay in one place for too long, she has learned to keep her distance from most people. She must protect herself while also creating new friendships that she will grow to miss when it is time to move on. However, she finds herself lured in by a mysterious man with a serious problem. Jesse is a vampire that has been under the way of his maker since he was reborn 300 years ago. Parsley is not only his target, but also the love of his life. Their meeting is a recipe for a dangerous new life on the run for the both of them.

If you’re looking for a dark vampire novel, this is the book for you! This series opener constantly balances between light and dark. For every scene with Parsley or Jesse, we see who the pair will eventually be faced with. Parsley is kind and caring, but she’s definitely jaded by her past experiences. We slowly learn why she’s constantly on the move as the story unfolds. There’s a bit of mystery surrounding her because of this, which makes her more intriguing. We also see the inner struggle that takes place in Jesse. He’s finally woken up and struggles between what he truly wants and what he has been commanded to do. As the story continues, we meet Patrick and learn how sadistic he is every time his chapters appear. His characterization is bone chilling. He is used to having his way and he will do whatever he wants to fulfill his wishes.

The story is written in multiple perspectives. Each perspective is unique to the character, which makes it easy to tell which character is narrating. There’s a little bit of romance, suspense, mystery, and horror mixed together to create this page turner. The way the characters develop and blossom is interesting and gripping. There are some passages that contain sexual assault, so I would issue a warning so that anyone who might be triggered can decide on wither or not they want to read it.

Organize Your Corpses (A Charlotte Adams Mystery #1)

                                    

Organize Your Corpses by Mary Jane Maffini

My Rating: ★★★★

Charlotte Adams, a budding professional organizer, has found herself back in Woodbridge after dumping her cheating fiancé. Unable to be picky about her clients, she finds herself agreeing to take on none other than her former hellish teacher, Helen "Hellfire" Henley. After Hellfire turns up dead at the scene of her new job, Charlotte's former good friend and current enemy is determined to stick her with the murder. It is up to Charlotte to find the real killer so that she can clear her name and put her former teacher to rest.

If you're looking for a touching and light, cozy mystery, then you've come to the right place. Organize Your Corpses is a wonderful series opener that introduces us to the town and characters. Charlotte is relatable as the kind-hearted protagonist who tries to look at the best in people. She truly enjoys helping others even when they are not the nicest of people themselves. She's also an animal lover, which leads to some goofy and relatable scenarios as her adorable dogs strike. Charlotte is determined to find out what happened to Hellfire to relieve her guilt and clear her name. She's also trying to help her friends, strangers, and slowly dip her toes back into the dating world. She's a kindhearted character that I relate to. She does a lot less organizing than I expected, but it is not something that is too noticeable because the story and the characters are incredibly compelling.

Jack and Sally are Charlotte's entertaining best friends that double as her family. They are scandalized that she's working with Hellfire, the teacher who tormented majority of the students that she taught. The pair are soon sucked into the gossip and mystery that surrounds Hellfire's death and stick with Charlotte until the very end. Jack and Sally are not central characters; they are still relatable as we begin to see them more often throughout the story. I personally enjoyed Jack's antics as Charlotte reentered the dating world, and Sally's perpetual and untamed messiness. I can see why these three remain best friends and something close to a family long after their high school years.

While the characters and their lives are enjoyable, the mystery is also compelling. I still didn't put two and two together until the big reveal. I was successfully duped! I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series, and I hope to find out what happened between Charlotte and Pepper soon.