GODSGRAVE by Jay Kristoff

Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle #2)

by Jay Kristoff

A ruthless young assassin continues her journey for revenge in this new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff.

Assassin Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church ministry think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending Consul Scaeva and Cardinal Duomo, or avenging her familia. And after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to suspect the motives of the Red Church itself.

When it’s announced that Scaeva and Duomo will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end them. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between loyalty and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.

What I thought: 

Holy shit! This book! THIS BOOK! 

Okay, first things first. If you haven't read NEVERNIGHT, here's my review: MY REVIEW OF NEVERNIGHT. 

Go ahead, read it. Then read the book. I'll wait... Well, maybe I won't wait. I'm sure you'll catch up. 

So what did I think about GODSGRAVE?

Jay Kristoff is... IDK. I can't judge him personally but his writing is brilliant. Mia is the most kick-ass character to ever bleed on the sand and WTF just happened? I was worried that GODSGRAVE would be a pale imitation of NEVERNIGHT and I could not have been more wrong. Sass and sarcasm. Check. Sex. Check. Blood and guts and gore. #stabstabstab. 

There is violence and then there is violence and Mr. Kristoff has elevated hacking off limbs and severing heads to fucking poetry. It's like a brutal ballet and I couldn't stop watching the blood splash across the page. The story is all twisty and turny (yes, that's a word now) and... and... and... I need the next book. 

What the fuck just happened! Jay Kristoff is a monster. He's my favorite monster. 

*screams incoherently for hours* *stares at mailbox waiting for my special editions to arrive* *makes room on bookshelf next to 3 versions of NEVERNIGHT*

Rating: ****** (6 bloody stars)

*I received an ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, and I honestly loved it! Huge thanks to St. Martin's Press! Getting this ARC made me so happy.

NYXIA by Scott Reintgen

Nyxia (The Nyxia Triad #1)

by Scott Reintgen

Emmett Atwater isn't just leaving Detroit; he's leaving Earth. Why the Babel Corporation recruited him is a mystery, but the number of zeroes on their contract has him boarding their lightship and hoping to return to Earth with enough money to take care of his family.

Forever.

Before long, Emmett discovers that he is one of ten recruits, all of whom have troubled pasts and are a long way from home. Now each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden--a planet that Babel has kept hidden--where they will mine a substance called Nyxia that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe.

But Babel's ship is full of secrets. And Emmett will face the ultimate choice: win the fortune at any cost, or find a way to fight that won't forever compromise what it means to be human. 

What I thought:

This book started out slow for me. A dozen plus names in the span of a few chapters and not much happening and I almost DNFed it. Then the action started and carried me along. There is a lot to like here. I'm all in for contests and rivalry, and that the game changes along the way certainly upped the tension. I loved the diversity. I wish I connected more with the MC. Sometimes he felt a little flat, but overall a really good story and I will definitely pick up the next book in the series to see what happens next. 

Rating: **** (4 stars)

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Have you read Nyxia? Had you heard of it before? What are you reading? What are you dying to get your hands on next? I love comments and you can always find me on twitter @chellypike!

What I'm reading next: 

STARFISH by Akemi Dawn Bowman/ THE BORDER by Steve Schafer/LEGS by Kelly Siskind:

Starfish

by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Kiko Himura has always had a hard time saying exactly what she’s thinking. With a mother who makes her feel unremarkable and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn’t quite understand, Kiko prefers to keep her head down, certain that once she makes it into her dream art school, Prism, her real life will begin.

But then Kiko doesn’t get into Prism, at the same time her abusive uncle moves back in with her family. So when she receives an invitation from her childhood friend to leave her small town and tour art schools on the west coast, Kiko jumps at the opportunity in spite of the anxieties and fears that attempt to hold her back. And now that she is finally free to be her own person outside the constricting walls of her home life, Kiko learns life-changing truths about herself, her past, and how to be brave.

From debut author Akemi Dawn Bowman comes a luminous, heartbreaking story of identity, family, and the beauty that emerges when we embrace our true selves. 

What I thought:

Wow. Just, wow. This book is everything. Is. Not has. Is. This book IS everything. This is the book I needed, well, let's just say twenty years ago, because that's a nice round number. Kiko Himura. Sigh. I want to hug her. 

The writing is gorgeous. The imagery is insanely good. No matter where you're from, what you look like, how you're raised, I think most teenagers suffer the same range of insecurities--to varying degrees, of course. I think a lot of people suffer from the feeling that they're on the outside looking in, and I loved how well this book portrays that emotion. 

I finished reading this around midnight and had to stop myself from barging into my daughter's room and waking her up so she could start reading RIGHT NOW. 

All the feels. READ this book! 
  

Rating: ***** (five sparkly starfish)

________________________________

The Border

by Steve Schafer

One moment changed their lives forever.

A band plays, glasses clink, and four teens sneak into the Mexican desert, the hum of celebration receding behind them.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

Not fireworks―gunshots. The music stops. And Pato, Arbo, Marcos, and Gladys are powerless as the lives they once knew are taken from them.

Then they are seen by the gunmen. They run. Except they have nowhere to go. The narcos responsible for their families' murders have put out a reward for the teens' capture. Staying in Mexico is certain death, but attempting to cross the border through an unforgiving desert may be as deadly as the secrets they are trying to escape...

What I thought:

This isn't a title I would've picked up on my own. That said, there were parts of it that I really enjoyed and parts that I found just meh. The pacing is strong and the story moved forward at a good rate, which is probably what kept me reading until the end. 

Lots of action. Even where the story slows, things are still happening and the tension is there. I think the biggest thing that held me back on this one was that I never really felt a connection. I kept turning pages to find out what happened next, but not because I cared specifically for the fate of any particular character, but in that train-wreck sort of way where you just stare at the carnage. There was an emotional distance here and, while the characters were well-drawn, for me, they remained mostly flat. 

The story is well-written and fast-paced and, even though it's fiction, I think it helps paint a face on current immigration issues and what some have to sacrifice in order to survive. Overall a good read.  

Rating: **** (3.5 stars)

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
________________________________

Legs (One Wild Wish, #1)

by Kelly Siskind

Running into your one-night stand is a special kind of awkward. Competing against him in a wine tasting contest is delicious torment…On Rachel’s twenty-seventh birthday, she wishes to finally find a rewarding job. What she doesn’t wish is to drink a boatload of wine, sleep with a tattooed bad boy, and drunk email her boss in one glorious, career-ending move. But the fiasco pushes her to pursue a career inspired by her late father’s love of wine: sommelier. 

Unfortunately, she’s competing against her infuriating one-night stand, a man as intoxicating as a Pinot Noir.

Two years ago, Jimmy was set to inherit his family winery. Then it got ripped from his grasp. To close that dark chapter of his life, he plans to win a local sommelier contest and use the press to expose his family’s tainted wines. 

Jimmy loves studying the streaks of alcohol that cling to a wineglass, known as the wine’s “legs,” but other shapely legs are stealing his focus. Tantalizing legs. Legs that had wrapped around his waist for one wild night. Jimmy, sadly, has a weakness for legs. 

He also hates to lose.

What I thought:

Yes. Just yes. Yes to Rachel. Yes to Jimmy. And the two of them together... wow! Hot! I didn't really need a plot. I mean, yes, there is one, and it's great, but I'd have been content with 250 pages of them banging away. The chemistry here is off-the-charts. So, just yes.  

Rating: ***** (4 1/2 stars)

*I received an eARC of this title from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Happy reading. If you liked my reviews, please leave me a comment or find me on twitter @chellypike.

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

Kushiel's Dart (Kushiel's Universe #1)

by Jacqueline Carey 

The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good... and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt. 

Phèdre nó Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission... and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one.

Phèdre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Phèdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair... and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Phèdre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear. 

Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of Kushiel's Dart-a massive tale about the violent death of an old age, and the birth of a new.

What I thought:

So, I read this last year, but never formally reviewed it because it's been out in the world a loooooong time and I was way late to the party. But, this book is on my keeper-shelf for a reason. 

This book destroyed me the first time I read it. It's an emotional boulder falling off a cliff, and, I, like an idiot, keep walking beneath it. Because, really, the second time, I know what happens. I'm prepared. Right? 

*Snorts* How could I have been so naive? But, much like Phedre, (the main character), I'm drawn to the pain of it, and I will read this book again and again. 

Never has a story consumed me like this one. Never. I have never been so devastated over a character. I've never sobbed so freaking hard over fictional happenings. OMG, every love and every loss is magnified because they're Phedre's first, and then they're mine. 

So, yeah, I've never seen so clearly through the lens of a character before, but it's not just one of them. There is quite a cast here and there's not a single one without depth. I mean, seriously, when you prop this book open, there should be holographic people walking across the damn pages. 

Epic. 

Sweeping plot. 

Intrigue. 

Love. 

Loss. 

Betrayal.

Loyalty.

Passion.

This book is everything. I'll say it's probably not for the squeamish, I think. I'm hard to shock, really, so it felt perfectly natural to follow a prostitute across a continent or two. I suppose that might be a moral hurdle for some. But the prose here is gorgeous and Phedre's trips though the occasional boudoir are tastefully done.

I love this book.   

Rating: ****** (6 stars)

P.S. Ms. Carey, if you're reading this, you've broken me. I hereby request 900 pages of freaking closure. *Kneels at your feet* *Bows head*  

P.P.S. Anyone else looooove this book? Squeee with me in the comments. Or, you know, tell me what book you looooove. :)

THE HUNDREDTH QUEEN /THE RED /KILLING JUNE

The Hundredth Queen (The Hundredth Queen #1)

by Emily R. King

As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she’s an unlikely candidate for even a servant’s position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood’s mountain temple.

But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik.

Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death—and her growing affection for Deven—Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her.

In Emily R. King’s thrilling fantasy debut, an orphan girl blossoms into a warrior, summoning courage and confidence in her fearless quest to upend tradition, overthrow an empire, and reclaim her life as her own. 

What I thought:

For me, the best thing about this book was the cover. I had high hopes. I wanted to love it. Reviews compared it to THE WRATH AND THE DAWN by Renee Ahdieh and I was all grabby hands. The first page was promising... 

And then it swirled down the toilet from there. 

Gaping plot holes. For example, something very important that happens is supposed to be an act of revenge, but it happens before the MC does the thing that pisses the guy off. Wut? 

The writing was flat. The voice was monotonous, plodding along like a tired horse. And then it was a camel without any explanation. (Sorry. Notsorry.) Lazy metaphors and a sprinkling of blood and gore are not enough for me. There was no tension. None. There was insta-love. No sparks. No chemistry. Kalinda had so much potential, but then she describes the first man she sees (from a distance) and suddenly she's waxing poetic about boy-parts and manly man-ness. Nope. 

The surprises weren't surprising. I made it all the way to the end, but this one was not for me. Other people really love it, so judge for yourself. 

Rating: ** (1 1/2 stars)

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

________________________________

The Red

by Tiffany Reisz

Mona Lisa St. James made a deathbed promise that she would do anything to save her mother's art gallery. Unfortunately, not only is The Red painted red, but it's in the red. She soon realizes she has no choice but to sell it.

Just as she realizes she has no choice but to sell it, a mysterious man comes in after closing time and makes her an offer: He will save The Red if she agrees to submit to him for the period of one year.

The man is handsome, English, and terribly tempting...but surely her mother didn't mean for Mona to sell herself to a stranger. Then again, she did promise to do anything to save The Red...

The Red is a standalone novel of erotic fantasy from Tiffany Reisz, international bestselling author of The Bourbon Thief and the Original Sinners series. 

What I thought:

First book I've read by this author and yes, yes, yes. I'm a fan. I would've bought this one just for the sex, but, conveniently, there was a great story wrapped around that sex. Hot. Hot. Hot. Like erotic romance? Like fantasy? Then this book is for you. 

Rating: **** (4 stars)

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

________________________________

Killing June: A Dark Romance (Saved by Sin #1)

by May B. Bridges

SEDUCED BY PAIN
At night I’m June, dominating with the whip, even as I crave the hot, searing blow of the cane, myself. I loathe this side of who I am, but I can’t deny it or escape it. And as my clients cry out for me, begging for mercy, I can't help but want June dead.

By day, I’m Alex Ryan, the good, successful Southern woman everyone thinks I am. I’ve compartmentalized my life to make it bearable, and to get what I want most: revenge. I can have a future with June dead, as soon as I confront the man that terrorized my past.

SAVED BY SIN
Cade Brannon is the local gun for hire, part of the seedy underworld of Dallas, but he may also be my savior. I want his help and he wants me. But Cade refuses to play by my rules and is forcing his way into every one of those compartments that I want to lock away. Now the parts of my life I’ve fought so hard to keep separate are bleeding together and it’s tearing me apart.

I just want to go back to being Alex Ryan. But at what cost am I willing to kill June? 

What I thought:

Dark and sexy. Did I mention dark? I love the darker side of romance. June/Alex dominated the pages, (wink wink) but it's not just BDSM for the fun of it. There's an emotional current here that takes the story to a deeper level. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Like your romance dark? Then this one's for you!

Rating: **** (4 stars)

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.



-Chelly

TOWARD A SECRET SKY by Heather Maclean & MASK OF SHADOWS by Linsey Miller

Toward a Secret Sky

by Heather Maclean

Shortly after 17-year-old Maren Hamilton is orphaned and sent to live with grandparents she’s never met in Scotland, she receives an encrypted journal from her dead mother that makes her and everyone around her a target. It confirms that her parents were employed by a secret, international organization that’s now intent on recruiting her. As Maren works to unravel the clues left behind by her mother, a murderous madness sweeps through the local population, terrorizing her small town. Maren must decide if she’ll continue her parents’ fight or stay behind to save her friends.

With the help of Gavin, an otherworldly mercenary she’s not supposed to fall in love with, and Graham, a charming aristocrat who is entranced with her, Maren races against the clock and around the country from palatial estates with twisted labyrinths to famous cathedrals with booby-trapped subterranean crypts to stay ahead of the enemy and find a cure. Along the way, she discovers the great truth of love: that laying down your life for another isn’t as hard as watching them sacrifice everything for you. 

What I thought:

I loved the setting. Scotland. Pretty much all I need to say about that, because, Scotland. Sigh. I found the main character, Maren, interesting. She's portrayed as intelligent and she's got this thing for solving puzzles. The story's well-written and the plot kept me turning pages, but I couldn't get on-board with the romance. Insta-love. Sure he's dreamy and whatnot, but the oh-my-God-so-many-feels drama was too over the top for me. Hopefully, the next installment will have less swooning and more action. 

Rating: *** (3 stars)

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

_________________________

Mask of Shadows (Untitled #1)

by Linsey Miller 

Perfect for fantasy fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo, the first book in this new duology features a compelling gender fluid main character, impressive worldbuilding, and fast-paced action.

Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class―and the nobles who destroyed their home. 

When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand―the Queen's personal assassins, named after the rings she wears―Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge. 

But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.

What I thought:

The MC, Sallot Leon is unlikable, which I loved. In fact, there are very few likable characters in this story, and I'm totally on-board with that. 

I loved the premise and the pacing is so well-done. I didn't really connect with the MC, but the action was ongoing and fast-paced and dragged me through the pages. There's a love-interest, which, yay, but the action is what hooked me and kept me dying to know what happened next. The tension in this is remarkable. The writing here is great and I'm definitely looking forward to book 2.

So why not 5 stars? 

The gender-fluid aspect left me wanting more, as it kind of seemed an afterthought--a few lines dropped in every now and then for flavor--and incidental. Taken out, nothing would really change except the wardrobe. But maybe book 2 takes it to the next level. IDK.

And the ending. The very end. Like, the last 10%. No spoilers, obviously, because I don't spoil, but allow me to butcher a metaphor: Yeah, sure, you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet, but I expected some of those eggs to be really hard to crack. The ending seemed way too easy and, because of that, kind of, sort of, implausible. 

So, I was a little disappointed, but it wasn't enough to destroy all the great stuff that came before that point.

I recommend this book for those who like their stories on the darker side. Instead of comparing it to Maas and Bardugo, I'd say for fans of NEVERNIGHT by Jay Kristoff and AND I DARKEN by Kiersten White. 

Rating: **** (4 stars)

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What are you reading? Any books out there that I will totally need but don't know exist? I love recommendations and comments. :D 

If you like my reviews, please subscribe via email (I will never use your email for anything else ever. Pinky promise.) or Bloglovin. And you can find me on twitter: @ChellyPike

Happy reading,

Chelly

A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN by Sarah J. Maas, A GATHERING OF RAVENS by Scott Oden

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3)

Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places. 

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.

What I thought:

I've been impatiently waiting for my next dose of Feyre and Rhysand and, well, pretty much everyone. But mostly Rhysand, TBH. I've been team-Rhysand since book 1, before we knew the things we know--things I can't tell you in case you haven't read it. Because I shall spoil no things. Ahem. 

So why not 5 stars? There were a few parts here and there that earned eyerolls, a sprinkling of huh? moments, and the sex... I'm definitely for sex, but here it was meh. And the ending (the ending after the ending, really) dragged for me. Instead of icing on a cake, it was more like the MCs each trying to get the last word. 

But, overall, amazing. I love this world and the characters and I'm already twitching a bit thinking on how long I'll have to wait to find out what happens next.  

Rating: **** (4.5 stars)

_______________________________

A Gathering of Ravens

by Scott Oden

To the Danes, he is skraelingr; to the English, he is orcneas; to the Irish, he is fomoraig. He is Corpse-maker and Life-quencher, the Bringer of Night, the Son of the Wolf and Brother of the Serpent. He is Grimnir, and he is the last of his kind--the last in a long line of monsters who have plagued humanity since the Elder Days.

Drawn from his lair by a thirst for vengeance against the Dane who slew his brother, Grimnir emerges into a world that's changed. A new faith has arisen. The Old Ways are dying, and their followers retreating into the shadows; even still, Grimnir's vengeance cannot be denied.

Taking a young Christian hostage to be his guide, Grimnir embarks on a journey that takes him from the hinterlands of Denmark, where the wisdom of the ancient dwarves has given way to madness, to the war-torn heart of southern England, where the spirits of the land make violence on one another. And thence to the green shores of Ireland and the Viking stronghold of Dubhlinn, where his enemy awaits.

But, unless Grimnir can set aside his hatreds, his dream of retribution will come to nothing. For Dubhlinn is set to be the site of a reckoning--the Old Ways versus the New--and Grimnir, the last of his kind left to plague mankind, must choose: stand with the Christian King of Ireland and see his vengeance done or stand against him and see it slip away?

Scott Oden's A Gathering of Ravens is an epic novel of vengeance, faith, and the power of myth.

What I thought:

First let me say that I love me some unlikable protagonists. Liars, murderers, thieves... Yes, I'm all down. The badder the better. The MC here has unlikable down to a science, but he's boring AF. And boring is a sin I cannot tolerate.  

Then there's the girl issue. And it was an issue for me. The main female protagonist is carted around like a lazy sack of vagina, making the men do all the work, rescuing her and whatnot. No agency. Her character arc reads like a paint-by-numbers. 

There are other characters and they show up at convenient times to do convenient things, but the entire plot is Grimnir trudging around looking for his revenge. Plenty of gods and gore. But victory is ensured before the battles begin and all the foes are easily defeated. 

Sigh. The premise intrigued me but the book didn't deliver. Not for me and can't recommend. 

Rating: * (1 sad star)

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.



Happy reading. Share your thoughts and book recommendations in the comments and find me on twitter: @chellypike.

Chelly