Book Review: Blood Born by Shelley Wilson

Title: Blood Born

Author: Shelley Wilson
Genre: YA Horror - YA Vampires - YA Fantasy
Publisher: BHC Press - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: May 23, 2023
ISBN: 9781643973401
Read: May 5-8, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Emma's brutal death at the hands of a vampire should have been the end, but a mysterious hooded stranger steps in, changing her life forever. 

As seventeen-year-old Emma struggles with her new vampire gifts and cravings, her grandmother isn't surprised at all. Hinting that she knew this day would always come, she leaves to get help, promising to explain everything when she gets back, but she never returns. 

Instead, the beautiful and enigmatic Cara, a fellow vampire, shows up at her door. Promising to help her locate her missing grandmother and uncover her ancestry, she brings Emma to the Haven, a sanctuary for half-blood vampires. 

Thrust into a war between the Immortal vampires and the half-blood rogues, Emma's simple life begins to unravel as blood and secrets entwine to reveal a dark history and an even darker destiny. She'll need to survive long enough to discover who she really is and which side she wants to be on.

Review: Vampires. I love them. From the folklore to their modern re-imagining at the hands of authors like Anne Rice, Jay Kristoff, Charlaine Harris, Jonathan Maberry, and so many more, I can't get enough of the Fanged Folk. (As long as they don't sparkle. Sorry, Twilight fans, but no...just no.)

Shelley Wilson has created a blend of the old and the new vampire tropes. Each vampire has their own set of abilities and powers with a few commonalities. Yes, they're stronger than humans but not supernaturally strong. Yes, they're faster than humans but not supernaturally faster. Yes, they require blood and have issues with sunlight. But the uniqueness of Wilson's vampires makes for interesting reading.

Blood Born is definitely aimed at a young adult audience, and the younger side of YA, truth be told. While it's fun to learn about the vampires and the differences between them, especially the Immortals and the Rogues, from Emma's point of view, we never really dive deeply into the relationships she's forming with the other vampires in Cara's group. I would have like to have spent a little more time exploring these budding relationships, and perhaps this will be something Wilson plans to cover in the continuation of the series. 

Overall, Blood Born is a promising start to a new series. How Emma and the others develop over time will be interesting to watch.

Book Review: The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowena Miller

Title: The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill

Author: Rowena Miller
Genre: Fantasy - Historical Fantasy - Folklore 
Publisher: Redhook - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: March 28, 2023
ISBN: 9780316378475
Read: March 14-19, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warnings: Abuse (spousal), classism

Synopsis from Publisher: In the early 1900s, two sisters must navigate the magic and the dangers of the Fae in this enchanting and cozy historical fantasy about sisterhood and self-discovery. 

There is no magic on Prospect Hill—or anywhere else, for that matter. But just on the other side of the veil is the world of the Fae. Generations ago, the first farmers on Prospect Hill learned to bargain small trades to make their lives a little easier—a bit of glass to find something lost, a cup of milk for better layers in the chicken coop. 

Much of that old wisdom was lost as the riverboats gave way to the rail lines and the farmers took work at mills and factories. Alaine Fairborn’s family, however, was always superstitious, and she still hums the rhymes to find a lost shoe and to ensure dry weather on her sister’s wedding day. 

When Delphine confides her new husband is not the man she thought he was, Alaine will stop at nothing to help her sister escape him. Small bargains buy them time, but a major one is needed. Yet, the price for true freedom may be more than they’re willing to pay.

Review: I'm on the fence with this book. On one hand I love Fae bargains and how they can go so very wrong. The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill feature such a bargain, which pleases my dark little heart. However, it take fooooorrreeevveeerrr to get to it so on the second hand, I wanted to slam the book against the wall far more times than I care to count and scream, "Get to the freakin' point already!" My antagonistic view of the first half of the book wasn't helped by the disconnect I felt as a reader to the two sisters, Alaine and Delphine.

The sisters don't exactly see eye-to-eye on several issues, but that's to be expected. I have two sisters and if the three of us ever agree on anything, then chances are Hell has frozen over. I do like the naturalness of that sibling relationship, especially once it become obvious that Delphine is in over her head, both with her abusive husband and with the Fae. 

The writing is beautiful, I must admit. It has a lovely lyrical quality that's hard to capture and reminds me of so many fairy tales I read as a child--and still love to read, if I'm honest--and yet, the slow pace of the beginning almost made this a DNF for me. But once the plot truly clicked into place--namely the major bargain demanded of the sisters--the pace picked up and I blew through the pages. Getting to that point, though, was more of a chore than it should have been.

Overall, Rowena Miller has crafted an interesting blend of fantasy, feminism, and Fae bargains. If you enjoy a slow build fantasy book with a fast payout at the end, then you'll be happy with The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill. 

Book Review: What Walks These Halls by Amy Clarkin

Title: What Walks These Halls

Author: Amy Clarkin
Genre: Young Adult Horror - YA Dark Fantasy 
Publisher: The O'Brien Press - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: April 10, 2023 (Kindle edition); June 10, 2023 (Paperback edition)
ISBN: 9781788493734 (Kindle edition); 9781788493734 (Paperback edition)
Read: April 2-3, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: A prickling sensation grew on the back of her neck, spreading up her scalp. It was the feeling of being watched. She whirled to face the doorway but it was empty. 

Raven O’Sullivan doesn’t remember what happened in Hyacinth House five years ago. When her father died during a paranormal investigation there, everyone said it was an accident, but she’s pretty certain it’s her fault. 

Her brother, Archer, wasn’t there that night. When asked to investigate the supposed ghost of Hyacinth House, he can’t resist saying yes. Even if his sister wants nothing to do with it. 

Éabha McLoughlin has grown up seeing and hearing things no one else does. Now that she’s starting college, she finally has the freedom to find out why. The daring Archer and his eclectic team seem like a good place to start. 

But everyone has their secrets, and they all lead back to Hyacinth House …

Review: I love ghost stories, haunted houses, and paranormal investigations so I was excited to come across What Walks These Halls by Amy Clarkin. With it being in the young adult genre I wasn't expecting the same level of thrills and chills as would be in an adult market novel. However, I was surprised by the level of creepiness Clarkin attains while still keeping the writing suitable for younger readers.

The cast of characters is varied, and there's a touch of romance peppered throughout the story that seems a little forced or out of place. The standard teenage/young adult angst is in full swing among the characters. I did appreciate the inclusiveness of the author by representing LGBTQIA+ people among the romance. However, that doesn't make up for the seemingly forced nature of said romances. It's as though the romance angle was an afterthought rather than an organic byproduct of the story itself.

As for the characters, I struggled with them from time to time. Sometimes they read a well-defined and other times they seemed underdeveloped. This inconsistency made it hard to fully connect with the characters, but as for the plot of the story, I was all-in. The plot was intriguing and the pacing was good because it kept my interest. I wanted to know what happened next, and that's the hallmark of a good plot.

Overall, What Walks These Halls is a good book and definitely a positive step for a debut author. I'm curious to see what comes next from Amy Clarkin.

Gone by Ruby Speechley

Title: Gone

Author: Ruby Speechley
Genre: Suspense - Thriller - Mystery 
Publisher: Boldwood Books - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: February 21, 2023
ISBN: 9781837513765
Read: February 16-18, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Last night my son, Shay, sneaked out of the house and didn’t come home. He promised not to go to the illegal party in the woods. But someone’s been attacked and Shay has gone missing. The police want to know if he saw what happened. I’m worried he could be involved.

After all the trouble he’s been in lately, mixing with the wrong crowd, coming home beaten up and scared, I thought we’d put it all behind us. Trouble is, Shay resents me moving my new boyfriend into the family home. I found all sorts on his laptop, including a half-written email warning me not to trust David. What does he know that I don’t? 

I’m beginning to fear for his safety. What is David hiding from me? Who have I let into our lives? 

I don’t know who I can trust. Will I ever see my son alive again?

Review: As suspense thrillers go, Gone by Ruby Speechley is really good, but I have read better. There were some thing that seemed out of place or not fitting the to story Speechley is telling. First, the cover. Swing sets always make me thing of young children, but the kids in this story are teens so the swings on the cover are the first thing that seem out of place, even though it does make for a striking cover that draws your attention.

The second issue I had is with the third person point of view. Normally, this works very well in suspense books, but for some reason it doesn't seem to fit this story. I tried reading some of the story in first person, from Rachel's (the mother) point of view, and I honestly liked it a lot better. If Speechley had chosen to write from Rachel's POV in first person, the suspense, the motherly panic of wondering where her child is, and the suspicion of those around her would've all be heightened and given more insight into Rachel's character, which I had a hard time connecting to Rachel.

But, overall, these are minor issues. The plot is very well constructed and the characters are well-rounded. The story's pacing is good and the ending is worth the read. Speechley does a great job of laying out clues, building suspense and suspicion, but I wish I'd had more of an "edge of my seat" reaction to reading the book. 

Book Review: Big Bad Me by Aislinn O'Loughlin

Title: Big Bad Me

Author: Aislinn O'Loughlin
Genre: Young Adult - YA Urban Fantasy - YA Fantasy
Publisher: Little Island Books - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: April 11, 2023
ISBN: 9781915071040
Read: April 2-4, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warnings: Animal harm (brief), blood drinking, self-harm, drugs/being drugged without knowledge, and mild gore.

Synopsis from Publisher: Canadian teenager Evie Wilder just found out she’s a werewolf. Now her mom’s gone missing, she and her sister Kate have to go into hiding, and there’s not a single helpful vampire slayer to be found. 

With the help of Kevin, the dorky-hot manager of the guesthouse where she and Kate lie low, Evie starts to harness her wolfish side. But Kevin seems to know a suspicious amount about vampires… 

Meanwhile, animal attacks are increasing, local teens are going missing, and Evie is about to find herself at the centre of a supernatural showdown.

Review: I loved this book! As a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, I was often reminded of the beloved series, and yet Aislinn O'Loughlin's writing comes across as fresh and immediate.

Told from the dual perspective of sisters Evie and Kate, Big Bad Me is a fun romp filled with werewolves, vampires, slayers, snark, and humor. Evie is just learning that the slightly odd life she thought she had is actually much, much weirder because she's a werewolf and her mom and sister have been trying to keep that fact from her. Now their mom is missing and it's up to Kate--who's a Buffy-esque hunter--and Evie to find her. Throw in a hot guy who knows far more than he should, Kate's crush on the girl next door, general teenaged mayhem, and it's a party!

O'Loughlin's world definitely pays homage to Buffy, Scooby-Doo, Stranger Things, and others in the young adult urban fantasy genre, but also stands on its own as a new voice within that genre. The characters are multi-dimensional and the world is familiar and yet new in its approach. Some of the pop culture references may not hold up over time, but that shouldn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the book. Overall, Big Bad Me is worth the read simply for the pleasure of having read a great book.

Book Review: The Echo of Old Book by Barbara Davis

Title: The Echo of Old Books

Author: Barbara Davis
Genre: Historical Mystery - Romance
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: March 28, 2023
ISBN: 9781662511608
Read: March 4-9, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer’s affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather. She can feel the echoes of the books’ previous owners―an emotional fingerprint only she can read. When Ashlyn discovers a pair of beautifully bound volumes that appear to have never been published, her gift quickly becomes an obsession. Not only is each inscribed with a startling incrimination, but the authors, Hemi and Belle, tell conflicting sides of a tragic romance. 

With no trace of how these mysterious books came into the world, Ashlyn is caught up in a decades-old literary mystery, beckoned by two hearts in ruins, whoever they were, wherever they are. Determined to learn the truth behind the doomed lovers’ tale, she reads on, following a trail of broken promises and seemingly unforgivable betrayals. The more Ashlyn learns about Hemi and Belle, the nearer she comes to bringing closure to their love story―and to the unfinished chapters of her own life.

Review: The Echo of Old Books is the first book I've read from Barbara Davis, and I really enjoyed it. Part historical mystery, part historical romance, part modern "coming to terms with self," the story is emotional and haunting.

Ashlyn Greer hasn't had the easiest life after losing both parents at a young age. However, things seem to be on the upswing when she inherits An Unlikely Story, a rare and used bookstore, where she's spent many happy hours and learned the craft of restoring old books. Beyond her love for books is a special ability Ashlyn is only starting to fully understand: she can sense and connect with the residual psychic impressions left behind by a book's previous owner(s). It's a gift that makes running An Unlikely Story interesting, but when Ashlyn happens upon two unique books, her gift quickly takes a slightly darker turn.

The books she discovers are written by two authors, Belle and Hemi, but are alike in appearance. One is titled "Forgetting Belle" and is written by Hemi, and the other is titled "Forever and Other Lies" and is written by Belle. However, both books detail the same torrid love affair between the two authors but from different perspectives. It doesn't take long for Ashlyn to become obsessed and soon finds herself in the midst of a decades old romance and mystery.

The Echo of Old Books is well-written and obviously benefits from a lot of detailed research on Davis's part. The stories of Hemi, Belle, and Ashlyn are seven together like a beautiful tapestry hanging against the backdrop of old books. Given Ashlyn's psychic gift, there is a touch of magical realism to the story, which only serves to bring emotions to the forefront and heighten the reader's need to keep turning pages. 

Book Review: Oh My Goth: Jokes for When You Feel Dead Inside by Andrew Shaffer

Title: Oh My Goth: Jokes for When You Feel Dead Inside

Author: Andrew Shaffer
Genre: Humor - Jokes
Publisher: Indigo Dot Press - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: May 22, 2023
ISBN: 9781949769470
Read: March 26, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Even the most jaded of Hot Topic clerks will crack a smile at this morbidly funny joke book compiled by New York Times bestselling humorist and low-key goth Andrew Shaffer. 

This illustrated collection is perfect for Halloween-or anytime, really, since true goths know that every day is Halloween.

Review: "You know it's hot out when goths start wearing purple." This direct quote is one of the many sad attempts to create humor in Oh My Goth: Jokes for When You Feel Dead Inside by Andrew Shaffer. The so-called jokes aren't really funny. The witticisms aren't all that witty. I feel as though I should apologize to the Hot Topic clerks mentioned in the synopsis because even they deserve better than bland goth-dad jokes.

"Some people are such treasures that you just want to bury them." That's precisely what I'd like to do with this book, unfortunately, I can't because I received a digital review copy. I may not be able to bury it, but I can delete it and try to forget I ever read it.

Book Review: Fractured Oak by Dannie Boyd

Title: Fractured Oak

Author: Dannie Boyd
Genre: Thriller - Mystery - Magical Realism
Publisher: Indigo Dot Press - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 9781958160046
Read: March 19-21, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: It’s hard to catch a killer when the only witness is a tree. 

In 1853, after Catherine Miller is murdered for daring to become a doctor in a field full of men, a molecular fusion between human decay and natural rebirth transforms her into a Northern Red Oak. One hundred and seventy years later, she remains a mute but sentient tree, rooted near a secluded Northeast Ohio house. After she watches in horror as the newest homeowner murders one of his PhD students, Catherine is resolved, somehow, to see that justice gets served. 

Fortunately, present-day Catherine has an unwitting ally: Lani Whitaker, a fourth-generation detective facing mandatory retirement and sick of being treated like a dried-up relic by her young chief of police. When the body of that same PhD student turns up in the woods, Lani is determined to solve the case and go out with a win. 

Two women, generations apart, linked to each other through murder. Can solving a twenty-first-century homicide shed light on a nineteenth-century killer?

Review: First, let me say that Dannie Boyd is a pen name for author Carrie Rubin, who has several medical thrillers published under her own name. Apparently she chose a pen name for Fractured Oak because it deals with magical realism, a departure from her normal books, in addition to the mystery of who killed whom. With that being said, on to the review...

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. Catherine, the third woman to graduate from medical school in the United States, is murdered in 1853, discovers her soul melded with that of an oak tree, and then finds herself witness to a modern-day murder. This alone was enough to hook me into the story because trees live silent lives, and honestly, I have often wondered what they may have witnessed over their lifespans--especially the long-lived trees like oaks and redwoods. What horrors have they seen? What joys? What forgotten moments and forgotten people have they known? At least in some way, Boyd has answered a few of these questions by telling part of the story from Catherine the Tree's point of view.

Then there's Lani, the detective trying to solve the murder. Faced with ageism, she's determined to not let everything she's worked her entire life to achieve go down without a fight. I loved her spirit and her humor. I've known my fair share of cops, and Lani would be right at home among any of them. 

The best part about Fractured Oak is that as a reader I got a two-for-the-price-of-one murder plot. Told in alternating points of view between Catherine and Lani, and although the murderer is known for the contemporary death, there's no lack of tension because that comes in the form of the uncertainty of whether Lani will catch the killer. The resolution of Catherine's murder in 1853 is left until the end but is no less satisfying. 

Fractured Oak is a unique blend of mystery, psychological thriller, and magical realism that simply works in a beautiful blend of colorful characters, detailed world building, mysterious clues, and a touch of magic.

Book Review: Piñata by Leopoldo Gout

Title: Piñata

Author: Leopoldo Gout
Genre: Horror - Occult Fiction - Latinx Fiction
Publisher: Tor Nightfire - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: March 14, 2023
ISBN: 9781250781178
Read: February 28 - March 5, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warning: Graphic violence including child abuse/death and gore

Synopsis from Publisher: It was supposed to be the perfect summer. 

Carmen Sanchez is back in Mexico, supervising the renovation of an ancient abbey. Her daughters Izel and Luna, too young to be left alone in New York, join her in what Carmen hopes is a chance for them to connect with their roots. 

Then, an accident at the worksite unearths a stash of rare, centuries-old artifacts. The disaster costs Carmen her job, cutting the family trip short. But something malevolent and unexplainable follows them home to New York, stalking the Sanchez family and heralding a coming catastrophe. And it may already be too late to escape what’s been awakened… 

They were worshiped by our ancestors. 

Now they are forgotten. 

Soon, they’ll make us remember.

Review: Where do I begin to explain my love for this book? It's creepy. It's visceral. It's atmospheric. It's dark. It's everything good horror should be and more.

Carmen Sanchez is an architect and single mother of two daughters: sixteen-year-old Izel and eleven-year-old Luna. When she's hired to spearhead the renovation of an ancient abbey to a sleek, modern hotel in Mexico, Carmen sees it as a way for her to give the girls a first-hand view of their cultural heritage. In typical teenaged fashion, Izel hates being uprooted from her friends back home in New York while Luna embraces the experience with open arms. But Carmen's problems are soon to extend beyond her daughters' attitudes. When a job site accident exposes a long-forgotten chamber within the abbey, Carmen finds herself on the losing end of employment. The family returns to their urban home but something seems to have tagged along and is focused on Luna. Can Carmen find a way to save her daughter before an ancient Aztec god can exact its revenge on the world?

One of my favor subgenres of horror is folkloric horror, and Piñata nicely fills that category. Drawing on the rich history of Mesoamerica, Gout creates a new twist on the traditional possession story. Laced throughout the narrative are the echoes of colonialism, past and present misogyny and sexism, indigenous religions, and violence. The imagery is intense and graphic, which some readers may find difficult to read, and the fear is palpable. At times Gout seems to fall into the "info dump" trap and this drags the pace of the story down a bit, and at other times, the dialogue seems a bit stilted and unnatural. However, overall, Piñata is a wonderfully horror-filled dark tale that any fan of dark fiction will enjoy.

Book Review: Gone to the Wolves by John Wray

Title: Gone to the Wolves

Author: John Wray
Genre: Literary - Coming of Age
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Read: April 16-20, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Kip, Leslie, and Kira are outliers―even in the metal scene they love. In arch-conservative Gulf Coast Florida in the late 1980s, just listening to metal can get you arrested, but for the three of them the risk is well worth it, because metal is what leads them to one another. 

Different as they are, Kip, Leslie, and Kira form a family of sorts that proves far safer, and more loving, than the families they come from. Together, they make the pilgrimage from Florida's swamp country to the fabled Sunset Strip in Hollywood. But in time, the delicate equilibrium they've found begins to crumble. Leslie moves home to live with his elderly parents; Kip struggles to find his footing in the sordid world of LA music journalism; and Kira, the most troubled of the three, finds herself drawn to ever darker and more extreme strains of metal. On a trip to northern Europe for her twenty-second birthday, in the middle of a show, she simply vanishes. Two years later, the truth about her disappearance reunites Kip with Leslie, who in order to bring Kira home alive must make greater sacrifices than they could ever have imagined. 

In his most absorbing and ambitious novel yet, John Wray dives deep into the wild, funhouse world of heavy metal and death cults in the 1980s and '90s. Gone to the Wolves lays bare the intensity, tumult, and thrill of friendship in adolescence―a time when music can often feel like life or death.

Review: As a teen in the 1980s, I fell in love with metal, mostly thanks to one of my older brothers, and then, thanks to that same brother, before the decade was over, I knew all too well the pervasive anxiety caused by Satanic Panic. It was a dichotomy that was hard to understand, much less resolve, and John Wray has captured those feelings of belonging and alienation, power and helplessness, life and death, and heavy metal's innate appeal to youth looking for something to call their own. 

Kip, Leslie Z., and Kira are three teens looking for "something real" in 1980s Florida and find one another through their shared love of metal music. They quickly become inseparable and, as many teens vowed they would do during that era, they make the pilgrimage to Hollywood's Sunset Strip after graduation. However, things aren't as shiny and golden as they believed it to be and soon the trio drift apart. It's only years later when Kip and Leslie Z. reunite to save their troubled friend Kira they discover the "something real" they were searching for in their youth. 

Gone to the Wolves pays homage to one of the greatest musical eras with all it's hair-raising, head-banging glory. It's poignant, nostalgic, and humorous while somehow feeling relevant to modern times. At times the writing seems to drag a bit, but it soon picks up again. The characters are engaging with Leslie Z. as a queer person of color into heavy metal being the most intriguing of the three. The ending seemed a little rushed given the build up to Kip and Leslie Z. tracking down Kira in Norway, but overall, Gone with the Wolves is a fun read, especially for anyone who remembers the "good ol' days" of the 1980s.

Book Review: Broken Promises by Stavros Saristavros

Title: Broken Promises (A Fateful Force Adventure)

Author: Stavros Saristavros
Genre: Fantasy - Adventure - Dungeons & Dragons
Publisher: Stavros Saristavros - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: May 16, 2023
Read: April 12-15, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Street gangs, corrupt merchants, and a powerful thieves guild. What could go wrong? 

Fighting orcs and hobgoblins on the frontier has seasoned Akke, but her return to the city of her birth could prove just as challenging. 

In a race against time to rescue an old friend, Akke and Ailuros land in the middle of a brewing gang war, where a person’s safety must be bargained for with more than just gold. 

But Akke must be careful what she promises and to whom, for dangers lurk everywhere. Some of them harder to see than others.

Review: Broken Promises takes place in the aftermath of the events detailed in The Tome of Syyx and follows Akke--a half-elf--and her friend Ailuros--a panthor--as they return to Akke's hometown to fulfill a promise she made long ago. Once again, Saristavros has created a rich, vibrant setting and intriguing characters that make you want to join their adventures and even settle in at the tavern to share a pint.

While Akke doesn't think for a moment that making good on her promise will be easy, she and Ailuros soon learn that things aren't the same as they were when Akke left town...and yet very little has truly changed. Street gangs still rule the night and certain parts of town within the confines of an uneasy truce. However, when that truce is shattered, Akke and Ailuros find themselves in the middle of a brewing turf war, and more than a few old enemies are looking to exact a pound of flesh from the half-elf. Time isn't on the friends' side as they race to find the one Akke had promised to protect so long ago, keep themselves and new friends alive, and maybe stop a gang war that will tear the city apart.

Crisp writing, strong character development, and a vivid world are the trademarks I've come to expect from Saristavros, and Broken Promises is no exception. Anyone who loves fantasy adventure filled with magic, swashbuckling, and a good dose of humor will love The Fateful Force book series and side adventures.