Month: November 2020

Review: Forbidden Magic (Magic and Claws #1) by Liam Kingsley and Jill Haven

DNF 46%. The enemies-to-lovers idea was all enemies no lovers. Literally no romance at all.

2.5 out of 5 stars

DNF 46%

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 230 pages. Published April 15th 2020

Blurb:

How can my enemy want me when no one else ever has?

Oil and water. Shifters and mages. There are certain things that just don’t mix. But I’m in Porter’s Peak for a reason, and I’m not about to let a pack of wolves drive me away. And I’m certainly not going to fall into bed with the alpha … not even if he says we’re fated mates.

But evil magic is swirling around town, and the only way to keep my new home safe is to team up with the alluring older shifter and try to find the cause of the problems. As we grow closer, my resolve to stay out of his arms is slipping. No one has cared about me enough to stick around before … why should I trust an old enemy to be any different?

But evil magic is not the only problem, and when secrets threaten to tear us apart, we might bring the whole town down with us. Can we put aside ancient hatred and forge a new path? Or is our bond doomed from the start? 

Likes:

  • The reason shifters and mages don’t like each other.

Dislikes:

  • Unnecessary prologue.
  • Little world building.
  • Writing doesn’t flow well.
  • Leo has the emotional maturity of a teenager.
  • Leo’s inconsistency.
  • No romance or building to romance.
  • Blind belief that an entire group of people are evil.

DNF 46%

This book’s basic premise had potential. I liked the idea that shifters and mages had been at war. I also liked the reason why, as well as how the world turned out after the war ended. It was different and unique. I was excited to read how a shifter and a mage would fall in love. It definitely had hints of Romeo and Juliet.

Except there was no romance. No romantic feelings. Just Leo and Zac hating each other for what they were. Obviously the romance would have shown up if I continued reading, but I got to 46%. It’s not like I stopped early. And there was literally nothing romantic at all. No flirting, no trying to get to know each other, no tender moments.

The blame falls squarely on Leo. He’s got the emotional maturity of a teenager. He knows Zac is his fated mate, but he doesn’t want to admit it. Instead, he’s a douchebag. He acts like he can barely tolerate Zac’s presence, and does nothing but glare and threaten Zac whenever they’re together. Take this quote from Leo, who remember, is the pack alpha and a father.

“Zac didn’t say another word. And just like that, we were right back to our usual attitudes. I sat down and crossed my arms, and Zac didn’t spare me another glance. I gritted my teeth. Fine. It wasn’t like I wanted to get to along with him anyway. I was only being nice because he’d been hurt.”

I get that the romance is supposed to be enemies to lovers, but it didn’t work. Add in the fact that Leo keeps oscillating between wanting Zac to leave and knowing its his duty to protect him. It would be one thing if Leo had conflicting feelings but was a mature, responsible adult who did what he was supposed to. But no. Leo is unable to stop himself from voicing exactly what he’s thinking. He has no diplomacy and no patience. Several times, when his wolf’s instinct to mate Zac gets out of control, he calls himself a Neanderthal. I disagree. He’s just immature. The only reason he’s pack leader is because it was passed down to him by his father.

Blame where it’s due, Zac isn’t exactly a scintillating character either. He’s a mage who doesn’t use magic much, works as a mechanic, and was a foster kid. The book’s prologue, which was unnecessary, shows him at sixteen, right before he’s taken in by the mysterious Dylan. Then there’s no real talk about what he’s been up to for the past decade. He finished high school, learned magic and mechanics, and has been moving around from place to place. That’s about it.

The whole book has a very surface level feel to it. There’s no real world building. The magic isn’t explained, the fact that the human townspeople know about shifters is revealed like it should have been obvious which it totally wasn’t, and the shifted werewolves are somehow bigger than people. There aren’t even any physical descriptions given, aside from Leo and Zac.

This book would have problems even if the romance and main characters were well written. The writing doesn’t flow well. Its not terrible, but it’s not as polished as I’m used to. I also didn’t like that both Leo and Zac blindly believed what they were taught about their enemies, and had no problem thinking that an entire group of people were pure evil. I know neither of them have interacted with people from the other group. It’s the fact they believed it without question that annoys me.

I feel kind of bad for not having much good to say about this book. I usually try not to focus solely on the bad things, but all of my notes are complaints.

Review: Witchblood (Kitsune Chronicles #1) by Lissa Kasey

Some interesting concepts, and well written, but not a series I will continue.

3 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 1st edition, 350 pages. Published March 8th 2019 by Self-Published

Blurb:

Sebastion survived as a fox among wolves by running from everything he ever loved.

Sebastian is an omega who has never even dreamed of finding his alpha. A fox raised among werewolves, Seb has spent his entire life fighting to survive, until Liam rescues him from a demon from his past.

As an alpha werewolf, Liam is everything Sebastian has spent the last year, and his entire life, avoiding. Except that when they are together everything makes sense, the stars align, and fated mates becomes Seb’s reality rather than fiction.

When Seb’s past catches up with them, he and Liam will need to accept the bond or die fighting the darkness that is determined to tear them apart.

This MM romance features fated mates, an alpha and omega, a ghost cat, a snarky kitsune, a lot of action, and some super hot romance. 

Likes:

  • Some interesting concepts.
  • Liam’s pack was different from the traditional structure.
  • Sebastian wasn’t a pushover.
  • Omegas weren’t weak or submissive.
  • Good fight scenes.
  • Liam and Sebastian were both interesting characters.
  • Full Metal Alchemist reference.

Dislikes:

  • The prologue was dark as fuck.
  • Most of the werewolves were too ‘dominant assholes’ for my tastes.
  • Sebastian made some TSTL decisions.
  • Liam was too perfect.
  • Rape.
  • The Underhill chapters had me confused.

I picked up this book because I wanted something angsty. And, yes, it was angsty. The entire book was absolutely saturated in angst. Which was what I was expecting.

What I wasn’t expecting was how dark the first chapter was. The book literally starts with Sebastian having been beaten, raped, and left for dead in a pool of his own blood. It was darker than I wanted, and I put the book down. But I was lazy, and didn’t want to go searching for another book to scratch my angst itch, so I ended up picking it up again.

Credit where it’s due, I was interested enough to finish the book. But it’s not the kind of story I usually gravitate to, and I won’t continue on with the series. The werewolves were a little too ‘macho dominant assholes’ for my tastes. Misogyny, homophobia, and bullying are huge factors in the Volkov’s pack.

On the other hand, Liam’s pack was different. He had high ranking women and was open about his relationship with Sebastian. It was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise oppressive culture, and it made the book readable for me. Liam was a genuinely nice guy. In fact, I’d say that he’s perfect. It almost felt like he couldn’t have any problems of his own because Sebastian had enough for the both of them.

Obviously, Sebastian had a whole heap of problems, and not just because of the situation he was in at the beginning of the book. His problems were almost a character in and of itself. But I liked that he was trying. Trying to live, trying to find a place where he could be happy. Most of Sebastian’s actions and decisions made sense given what he’s endured. However, there were a few TSTL – too stupid to live – moments that really pissed me off. Still, for all his faults, Sebastian wasn’t a weaking, despite the fact that he was an omega.

In fact, one of the things I liked most about the world building was that omegas weren’t actually submissive, despite what people thought. Sebastian described them as “They were other. Neither dominant nor submissive.” Omegas settled a pack and made it better.

There was more to Sebastian than just his omega status. It was obvious what it was since it’s in the series title, even though Sebastian himself didn’t know until later in the book. When it was revealed, it gave me Naruto vibes, and I can’t help but wonder if Naruto was an inspiration for the story, since the author clearly knows at least a little about anime given the Full Metal Alchemist reference. But whereas Naruto is an upbeat guy, Sebastian felt like a combination of Naruto’s situation and Sasuke’s issues.

I did get confused during the Underhill chapters. I wasn’t sure if they were real or a dream. This book definitely had a lot in it, and I got the feeling that the author was trying hard to build a world that could easily contain several books, and that the foundation was being laid. It made the story take some unnecessary detours that I wish had been cut out.

This book definitely had some interesting concepts. The fight scenes were well written, and the romance was fine. Despite that, I have no desire to continue on with the series.

Series Review: Blackstone Manor by Kassandra Lea

An interesting series, but it needed more development.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Likes:

  • Unique premise.
  • Gargoyles.
  • Both Io and Cinder are nice.
  • Sweet romance.
  • Short, quick reads.
  • Everything was wrapped up nicely.

Dislikes:

  • Needed more world building.
  • Minor errors in every story.
  • ‘I don’t know how things really work’ style lazy writing.
  • The villain was cliché.
  • Didn’t feel like the author had sketched out the characters well.
  • Wanted more character development.

I am a child of the 90s, and as such I have fond memories of the Gargoyles cartoon show. So when I saw that there was an MM romance short story series featuring gargoyles, I knew I had to read it. Gargoyles are underrepresented in romance, which makes this series really stand out.

Aside from the gargoyle aspect, the series has another unique aspect. Masonry gargoyles protect important old buildings, which keeps the balance between the worlds of the living and the dead. Unfortunately, this aspect isn’t developed. Not only that, but you can be forgiven for forgetting that it’s part of Io’s life at all, since he doesn’t protect any building other than Blackstone Manor, and even that was only to win Cinder’s favor.

My biggest disappointment about this series was the lack of world building. Lots of interesting things were hinted at but never expanded on. A little bit of extra information would have brought the stories up to the next level. I suspect the lack of world building was due to lazy writing. Neither main character knew how or why the old buildings they protected were capable of keeping the balance between worlds. Not only that, but neither man was interested in finding out. I accepted that with Io, but it didn’t fit Cinder’s personality.

Luckily, both Io and Cinder were nice characters. They weren’t perfect, with Io being a little too immature for my tastes, but he had a good heart. Again, I wanted more from the stories, this time in terms of character development. I wanted Io to mature a little. Cinder does relax and learn to let loose at the end, which was nice to see.

Their romance, while quick, was sweet. I was a little worried about their compatibility at first, but it turned out all right in the end. There was some nice smut in the first two stories, but the last two were completely devoid of on-page smut.

The non-romantic plot stretched over all four stories. It wasn’t bad, but I don’t think it was strictly necessary. I would have preferred more depth to the characters or the world building. As it was, the villain was cliché, I never worried that Io was really in danger, and the way everything was wrapped up at the end of story three was really underwhelming. I was glad for the fourth story, which tied up the final loose threads, and ended everything on an upbeat note.

I don’t have much interest in reading anything else by Kassandra Lea. She’s clearly got the imagination and the writing skill, but I felt like she didn’t have a great grasp on the characters. A few times, developments came from left field, making it seem like they were thrown into the story just because.

Review: Captive Mate (Mismatched Mates #2) by Eliot Grayson

Not as good as book one, but still a good read.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 207 pages. Published August 25th 2020 by Smoking Teacup Books

Blurb:

Captured, imprisoned, and…falling in love?

Arik is many things. Shaman, necromancer, a little on the snarky side…no one could ever accuse him of being boring. But one thing he never intended to be was imprisoned by angry werewolves. Maybe casting that love spell on the sexy alpha pack leader wasn’t such a great idea after all.

Matthew Armitage has a problem. Several of them, actually. And the biggest one is Arik. The shaman can’t be trusted. He’s dangerous enough to get the entire pack killed. Matthew knows that. But knowing doesn’t make it any easier to keep his mind (and hands) off Arik. Surely everything he’s feeling is a side effect of the spell…right?

It’s not long before enemies of the pack start circling—including one intent on claiming Arik as his unwilling mate. If they have any hope of surviving, Arik and Matthew will need to work together. And if they want a shot at happily ever after…well, they’ll just have to cross that bridge when they get to it.

If they get to it…

Captive Mate can (sort of) be read as a standalone, but works best when read in order as part of the Mismatched Mates series, beginning with The Alpha’s Warlock. This book contains a vivid memory of a sexual assault, but the assault occurs in the past and off-page and is not between the main characters. 

Likes:

  • Interesting non-romantic plot.
  • Matthew was a good guy.
  • Still like Nate and Ian.
  • Arik’s shifted form.
  • Happy ending.

Dislikes:

  • The past sexual abuse was an inescapable part of Arik’s past.
  • I had trouble warming up to Arik.
  • Arik was oblivious to his own feelings.
  • Not as good as book one.

I was excited when I saw this book was out. The Alpha’s Warlock was the book that first introduced me to Eliot Grayson, and I loved it (it got a 4.5 star rating). But when I saw the note at the end of Captive Mate‘sblurb saying it should be read as part of a series, I knew I had to reread The Alpha’s Warlock. It was a little embarrassing to admit that I couldn’t remember more than the main plot points of The Alpha’s Warlock a mere eight months after reading it, but 2020 has been like five years long, so whatever.

I do think rereading The Alpha’s Warlock was a good decision. Captive Mate picks up right after it, and the events flow seamlessly from one book to the next. But there was a downside to my choice. I really enjoyed Nate and Ian. And Arik and Matthew simply weren’t as captivating.

The blame lies a bit with both men. Matthew is a little bland. He’s a nice guy, does the right thing most of the time. But he doesn’t get any point of view sections, and isn’t shown to have hobbies or a job outside of running the pack.

Arik can be described by any synonym of aloof. He deliberately keeps people at a distance, trusting no one but himself. It was hard for me to warm up to him. Arik wasn’t given the chance to do anything to make me care for him.

The way Arik was supposed to be sympathetic was mainly because he was captured by Matthew and his pack. Especially after reading The Alpha’s Warlock right before starting Captive Mate, I didn’t have a ton of sympathy for Arik. Yes, being captured sucked for Arik, but he was massively uncooperative.

This was because Arik expected the worst in people. It was how he’d been treated his whole life. Which brings me to what I disliked most about the book. It’s true that there’s no on-page rape. But it’s mentioned constantly. The sexual abuse Arik suffered left a permanent mark on him, one that’s inescapable.

When I wrote my review for The Alpha’s Warlock, there was a preview of Captive Mate. My comment from that review was “the sneak peek for the next book made me a little hesitant. I thought Nate had a bad life, but Arik definitely had it worse. I’m okay with angst and traumatic pasts, but expecting to be raped because it had happened before is a little too intense for me. I’ll give the next book a shot when it comes out, and hope that Arik gets to spend most of it healing.”

Ultimately, Arik was able to heal. He got his happy ending, with Matthew and with the pack. But he still had to go through a lot of shit to get there. Including facing his most recent rapist. I don’t consider myself a squeamish person, but Arik had a lot of trauma. He was damaged. And it got a little hard to read at times.

Arik’s resilience and determination was what ultimately made me warm up to him. His distance was for self-protection. It made him oblivious to his own feelings, which made things between him and Matthew draw out longer than they otherwise would have.

The non-romantic plot was just as good as in The Alpha’s Warlock. A lot happened, which tied in with book one and set up a lot of potential trouble in the future. No other members of Matthew’s pack were introduced, but Colin Kimball from the neighboring pack got some page time, so I’m assuming he’ll be the focus of the next book.

I’ll definitely keep reading the series. I enjoy Grayson’s writing, and I love seeing previous couples pop back into the story. It was great to see Ian and Nate during this book, and I hope that in the next book, Arik will be shown to have healed and settled into the pack even more.

Review: A Gargoyle Christmas (Blackstone Manor #4) by Kassandra Lea

A fluffy, no angst ending to the series.

3.5 out of 5 stars

E-book.  43 pages. Published December 10th 2016 by JMS Books LLC

Blurb:

Just like he did for Halloween, Io has decided to go all out for Christmas, a holiday not typically celebrated by the family. With the decorations up, the only thing he needs make it perfect is a blanket of fresh white snow. What’s Christmas without snowmen? There’s also the messy task of trying to, yet again, find the right gift for Cinder.

Meanwhile, Cinder has his plate full. Not only is he dealing with the sudden explosion of holiday decorations in Blackstone Manor, but the time has come for him to pick a new beta. Who is right for the position? If he doesn’t pick Io, will his beloved be hurt? 

Likes:

  • Quick, easy read.
  • Mostly fluff.
  • Wraps up the series well.
  • More information about the gargoyle pack.
  • Cinder shows his love for Io in many little ways.

Dislikes:

  • No substance.
  • No tension.
  • Cinder and Daisy are old friends.
  • Cinder doesn’t know why old buildings protect the balance.
  • No smut.
  • Minor editing mistakes.
  • Snowmen and snow angels at the same time.

All things considered, this was a good ending to the series. Despite what the blurb tries to push, no extra drama was introduced. Cinder never seriously considered Io for the position of beta, and once he brings it up, the whole conversation is over in a flash.

This story is more like a Christmas special, with Io desperate to make his first Christmas with Cinder perfect. In fact, he stresses out so much that he drags others into his orbit. Both Daisy and Cinder do things to make Io happy, things they know they shouldn’t do. But, because this is a short story and the consequences are never dire, everything turns out fine.

If I was going to put a good spin on this story, I would say that it’s a quick, easy read with lots of fluff. If I was harsher, I’d say it has no substance. There is one point that is serious and has the potential for character growth. It came out of the blue, and was over without much fanfare.

I did like that there was a little more shown about the gargoyle pack, as well as the mention of another supernatural species. A part of me wishes that all the stories had been written to be more focused on the characters and their actions like this story was. Actions speak louder than words, and the little ways Cinder shows his love for Io really made this story. It’s too bad there was no on-page smut.

The deep friendship between Daisy and Cinder felt like it came from left field. It made me feel like the author didn’t really have a good knowledge of the characters, and was just adding things in willy-nilly. Again, there were minor editing mistakes that really stood out. And I couldn’t help but notice something that went contrary to my personal experience. Io and Cinder enjoyed making both snow angels and snowmen in the same afternoon. But in my experience, you want light, fluffy snow to make snow angels, and wet, clumpy snow for snowmen. I’m sure it was just artistic license to make the afternoon fun, but it definitely caught my eye.

It also made me realize that Io doesn’t really do gargoyle work. He spends his nights baking, decorating, having fun with Cinder, or watching movies with Daisy. What about guarding the old buildings? And speaking of old buildings. The fact that even Cinder doesn’t know how the old buildings keep the balance between the worlds of the living and the dead was bullshit. I believe it if Io doesn’t know, but for Cinder not to know and not to care, struck me as lazy writing.

I definitely prefer this story to the last. It ends on good notes all around. Cinder and Io are happy, the pack has a new beta, all the drama is over. And in the end, my complaints about the story are overshadowed by the happy ending.

Review: Promised (Blackstone Manor #3) by Kassandra Lea

My least favorite of the series.

3 out of 5 stars

E-book. 47 pages. Published October 8th 2016 by JMS Books LLC 

Blurb:

Blackstone Manor is complete, and what better way to celebrate than a Halloween party? At least, that’s how Io sees it. He’s already splurged on candy and decorations. Cinder isn’t entirely on board, however, hating the look of disappointment on Io’s face when he nixes the idea.

Yet somehow Io gets his way, and the party goes ahead as planned. It can’t be all that bad, right? But throw in couples’ costumes, Daisy acting weird, real ghosts, and the secret Cinder has been harboring from Io, and it’s sure to be a night none of them forget. 

Likes:

  • All the key plot points wrapped up.
  • Finally met other members of the pack.
  • A little more world building.
  • Daisy is asexual.

Dislikes:

  • My least favorite so far.
  • No character development.
  • No smut.
  • The way things were wrapped up was anticlimactic.
  • Classic ‘don’t know how/why things happened.’
  • Minor editing mistakes.
  • Cinder knows his actions are hurting Io and does nothing about it.

This is definitely my least favorite story so far. It does wrap up all the key points that have been brought up over the past two stories. But because that’s the main focus, there’s no character development.

This story is also low on romance. Chapter one opens with Io lamenting that things between him and Cinder have “fizzled.” The two aren’t communicating and haven’t been intimate in months. Io blames himself, but I blame Cinder. Cinder knows his lack of attention is hurting Io, but he doesn’t do anything about it. His excuse for not addressing the growing rift is lame. Honestly, this story made me feel like Cinder and Io simply aren’t a good match.

I’m not even happy with how things with Ran’imy were wrapped up. It was anticlimactic, with vague outside forces stepping in at the last minute. Add in the classic ‘don’t know how/why things happened’ non-answer when asked about those outside forces, and it wasn’t particularly satisfying.

I am happy that there was a little more world building this time around. We finally get to meet other members of the pack, as well as find out how many members the pack has. But my favorite thing about the book has to be that Daisy is asexual. I love when there’s more LGBTQ+ representation in mm romance books.

Once again, there are minor editing mistakes, that seem much more obvious because of the shortness of the story. There’s even multiple instances of the first letter in a sentence not being capitalized, which struck me as a very simple mistake to catch.

I’m glad this isn’t the last story in the series. Even though everything was wrapped up, I’m hoping for a better overall ending. One that sees Io and Cinder happy throughout most of the story. There wasn’t even any on-page smut this time around. Here’s hoping the final story will end on a high note!

Review: Heart’s Triumph (Blackstone Manor #2) by Kassandra Lea

A cute followup to the first story.

4.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. 38 pages. Published August 13th 2016 by JMS Books LLC

Blurb:

Two months have passed since Masonry Gargoyle Io came clean with Cinder about his feelings. Of course, in the process, he broke a major rule. Cinder stood by him, at a price, as the Council planned to pay a visit to decide their fate. Io may still be thrown out of the pack, and there’s no telling what punishment would be bestowed on Cinder.

As if that isn’t bad enough, Ran’imy is mad, jealous, and no doubt cooking up some nefarious plan. After all, she had her sights set on Cinder, too. How could he pick Io, the bumbling fool, over her?

Io has to stand by Cinder’s side before the Council, but their relationship is still new. Will their love be strong enough to withstand the Council and Ran’imy’s revenge? 

Likes:

  • Not much time passed between the stories.
  • There are consequences of Io’s actions.
  • More from Cinder’s point of view.
  • Some action and drama.
  • Budding relationship.

Dislikes:

  • Io felt childish at times.
  • Continuity error.
  • Lots of minor editing mistakes.
  • Rain’imy is still a cliché villain.
  • Not much world building.

I really liked that this story takes place soon after the first. Cinder and Io have gotten closer, but their relationship is still growing. They both really like each other, but at the same time they’re still settling into a routine.

I also liked that there were consequences for Io’s actions in the last story. It would have felt wrong for Io to get away with summoning a Guardian without consequence. It was a nice touch that Cinder, as the family alpha, got dragged into things too, for not automatically banishing Io for breaking the rules.

While the resolution of the council meeting was simplistic, it fit with the style of the story. It also worked because the council meeting turned out not to be the main point of the story. Rain’imy returned, still a cliché villain, and her actions drove a significant portion of the plot.

I never really worried about Io getting seriously hurt. This series simply doesn’t give off a dark vibe. It’s a light, quick read with the focus on romance with a hint of smut. And I think it does well. It gave me the satisfaction of seeing Io and Cinder grow closer, while also navigating the fact that neither of them has ever been in a long-term serious relationship.

Cinder got the lion’s share of the point of view, which was a nice change from the first story. It did make Io feel a little childish, with Cinder commenting at once point that they were decades apart in age. I wish Cinder had been shown doing things that had more to do with the family of gargoyles in general. As in the last book, there’s not a ton of world building in this one.

I am usually willing to overlook minor editing errors in self-published or small press books. This time, however, there were a number of errors sprinkled throughout the story, as well as a glaring continuity error between chapters six and seven. It wasn’t enough for me to take points off my review, but it was noticeable.

I’m looking forward to the next story in the series. I like Io and Cinder more now, simply because I’ve spent more time with them. I think they’re both interesting characters and I’m looking forward to seeing their romance continue to grow.

Review: Blackstone Manor (Blackstone Manor #1) by Kassandra Lea

A quick read with an unusual spin on gargoyles.

3 out of 5 stars

 Ebook. 38 pages. Published June 4th 2016 by JMS Books LLC 

Blurb:

Io is a Masonry Gargoyle tasked with looking after old buildings to help maintain a balance, and he’s hopelessly in love with his alpha, Cinder. If only he wasn’t such a screw up. With Cinder’s birthday right around the corner, Io is convinced he has found the perfect gift — Blackstone Manor, an estate that has captivated Cinder for years. He just needs to find the deed before the house is demolished.

Of course, keeping the gift a secret from the bitter beta Ran’imy may prove easier said than done. She has her sights set on Cinder, too. But Io is willing to do whatever he has to, including crossing a line that could get him banished from the clan.

He’s about to make a stand for love.

Likes:

  • Gargoyles.
  • The idea of gargoyles as protectors of old buildings.
  • Cinder checked for consent.
  • Short and sweet.

Dislikes:

  • Ran’imy was a typical female mm romance villain.
  • Needed more world building.
  • Strangely dated fashion choices.
  • Is Cinder a good leader?

I both love and hate stories that are this short. They’re great when you want something short and sweet. But more often than not, they leave me wishing for more world building or character development. In this case, a little of both.

The story itself is unique. Gargoyles are a type of supernatural being that I don’t see a lot of in mm romance. I liked that they fit in with the main thing I think about gargoyles in popular culture – they turn to stone if exposed to sunlight. But the author also added her own spin. There are two types of gargoyles, Masonry and Guardian, and the masonry types are responsible for guarding old buildings as a way of keeping balance between the worlds of the living and the dead. Gargoyles live in groups, with an alpha leader, and all the other members are divided into betas and omegas.

I thought the basic setup was interesting, and the main character, Io, wasn’t bad either. He’s basically the lowest rung on the ladder, and is constantly bullied by the story’s main villain, Ran’imy. His single-minded determination to win the affection of the group alpha, Cinder, help make him likeable.

I almost thought I wasn’t going to like Cinder. There was a moment where he was really pushing the boundaries of abusing his position to get Io in bed. Then he redeemed himself by asking “Are you doing this because you want to or because you feel obligated?” That double check about consent made him likeable.

I wish both men had been fleshed out more. I have no idea why Ran’imy goes out of her way to bully Io so much, other than him being an easy target. I also don’t know what specifically it is about Cinder than Io likes so much. Cinder isn’t described physically, and we learn next to nothing about him. In fact, I have to wonder if he’s a good leader. He doesn’t like Ran’imy, despite the fact that she’s his second in command, and he spends a lot of time wondering if his actions will make him look weak.

I also wish the gargoyles had been physically described. They have wings, but otherwise seem human. They wear clothes, including Ran’imy’s bedazzled jeans, which are an unfortunate piece of dated pop culture.

Ran’imy is what I think of as a traditional female mm romance villain. The kind of woman who wants to sleep with one of the men, despite having been rebuffed. It’s not a trope I enjoy, because it lacks depth, and there’s a trend in mm romance to portray women as potential homewreckers.

When I reached the end of this story, I couldn’t help but wonder why it wasn’t a little longer. A few more paragraphs of description would have really fleshed it out. Not to mention that for a story that’s been published by a small publisher, there were a number of glaring errors, including some dialogue at a pivotal moment that was tagged wrong.

I’m glad there are more stories in this series. Hopefully we’ll get more world and character building. I’m also looking forward to seeing Cinder and Io get closer.

Review: Mastering the Flames (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #4) by S.J. Himes

The romance didn’t really take off until the second half of the book.

3.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 394 pages. Published October 4th 2019 by SJ Himes

Blurb:

Guilt-ridden after the massacre of his family, Isaac Salvatore turned to binge drinking to escape the pain. Now twenty-four years old, Isaac is a recovering alcoholic woefully out of practice in the magical arts, leaving his fire affinity hanging on the edge of disaster. After a month of rehab, he returns to Beacon Hill and his family, determined to remain sober, learn to control his magic, and figure out a plan for his life that doesn’t involve drinking.

Constantine Batiste is the oldest, most powerful vampire in the city. Born in ancient Gaul, the bastard son of a Celtic king, his long life has been shrouded in tragedy and horrors. Recent mistakes have left him wary and determined to guard his clan from all foes. When two of his clan members fall victim to an ancient evil, he summons the Necromancer of Boston for aid. Accompanying his older brother to the Tower is the handsome young fire mage once wounded by Constantine’s arrogance, and their encounter reignites an attraction that burns within both Constantine and Isaac.

The answer to who is targeting the vampires of Boston is buried in the dark, early days of Constantine’s transition to an immortal life. Isaac finds himself saddled with a painful insight into the evil cutting a swath through the supernatural population of Boston. While his brother, Angel, takes over the hunt to find and stop the threat to the city, Isaac struggles to find a balance between helping his brother and finding his own purpose and place in the world, free from his brother’s shadow.

Falling in love wasn’t part of his plan, but mastering the flames that burn between him and Constantine soon becomes the most important thing in his life, even as an ancient evil seeks to destroy them.

Likes:

  • Isaac finally gets his own story.
  • How much Isaac struggled, even after he left rehab.
  • Interesting non-romantic plot.
  • Isaac is working to get himself better.
  • Constantine and Simeon are family now.
  • Good smut.
  • Isaac was allowed to be the hero.

Dislikes:

  • Isaac and Constantine didn’t interact until the 23% mark.
  • So many other things going on besides the romance.
  • Constantine’s backstory didn’t need to be so long or show up at the beginning of the book.
  • Romance feels rushed.
  • Angel is a douche.

I have been looking forward to this story ever since Batiste and Isaac kissed. I dove right into the book, eager to see the younger Salvatore brother and the sexy City Master meet again. Then I waited. And waited. Wondered why a part of Constantine’s backstory was placed so early in the book. Then waited some more.

Isaac and Constantine don’t interact until 23% into the book. That’s right. Almost a fourth of the book passes with no romance. And honestly, very little plot. It was mostly about Isaac getting out of rehab and trying to find his place in the world, which I appreciated since it was necessary to his character development, and part of Constantine’s backstory, which I thought was really boring.

Constantine’s personal history does end up being important to the non-romantic plot. But it didn’t need to be so long and it didn’t need to show up so early in the book. I came to this book for one thing – the romance between Isaac and Constantine. Being forced to wait for it wasn’t enjoyable.

And while I see the point in letting Isaac adjust to sober life before throwing him into a romance, especially since this adjustment made him realize that he was bored, it made me feel like Isaac would have been better served if Daniel’s book had come before his. Yes, that would have screwed up the timeline. I don’t care.

The romance between Isaac and Constantine felt rushed. There were so many other things going on in the book. The blood mage problem, Isaac’s recovery, the fight with Angel, making sure Daniel is safe with Rory, multiple attacks, Isaac relearning magic, therapy sessions, Constantine’s backstory. Oh, yeah, and romance that has to be squeezed in around all that.

Credit where it’s due, I enjoyed the book so much more after about the 50% mark. That was when Isaac asked Constantine on a real date and their romance really took off. I do think the men were super sweet together. I simply wanted more. More time for them to get to know each other. More time for their bond to form. As it is, how much time did they really spend together? It felt rushed, similar to werewolf stories where two people turn out to be mates and boom! Everything’s great and they love each other.

I think my favorite thing about the book was that Isaac was allowed to be the hero in the end. Seeing things from his point of view made me realize that Angel could be a huge douche. There were so many times he treated Isaac like a child who couldn’t take care of himself, and the fight they got into was entirely Angel’s fault.

Isaac was working hard to better himself, and this book really reflects that. I wish Isaac got another book or two, the way Angel did. Isaac is going to keep growing and evolving into the man he wants to be and I wish we got to see that. It would also help my feeling of being shortchanged with the romance. Honestly, Isaac should have gotten his own spinoff trilogy.

Simeon’s comment of “Our family” at the end gave me the feels. Constantine and Simeon are connected in many ways, but they’re family now, and I thought that was great. I was also glad that my prediction from A History of Trouble turned out to be true. Not sure how that will come into play in future books, but I’m sure it will.