Author: Patty

Jael Quinlan is a freelance exorcist based in Australia. Uriel is the angelic guardian that watches over and guides her. “The Exorcist and the Demon Hunter” is a book with two distinct stories. The first story follows Jael as she battles to remove a demonic invasion in Melbourne. She is helped by Uriel and, much to her surprise, exorcists from the Catholic Church. The second story follows Jael and Uriel, in addition to Mychal and Gabriel, in an epic battle against the Devil himself to save humanity.

This book is on the longer side. With the two distinct stories, the author could have chosen to make this story two books instead of one. That being said, the plot is well-crafted and it progresses nicely. The story does slow down a little at the start of the second half, but it does not last long. The writing is wonderful – the dialogue was very natural (including humor), bringing life to the characters and their interactions.  The story was suspenseful and kept me guessing as to what would happen next. The ending wrapped up the story in a satisfying manner while still leaving the door open to more adventures with Jael and Uriel.  

Thanks to LibraryThing, Amy Kuivalainen, and BHC Press for providing a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The 1933 Chicago World’s Fair takes place in the middle of the Great Depression. People got to the Fair to escape the harsh reality and poverty of their everyday lives. At the World’s Fair, people can experience people, places, and things that they only dreamed about.

Madame Mystique, aka Rosa Mancuso, is a burlesque performer, working her magic at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. She, along with her fellow performers, move along the margins of society. What no one knows is that she is planning a very special vendetta for an Italian pilot scheduled to perform in an air show at the Fair very soon. Her plans are in danger of being uprooted when her estranged cousin, Mina, comes to the Fair, begging for her help with a family problem.

Anika Scott is a wonderful storyteller. The story travels from Chicago to Sicily and back again.  Scott’s writing style is smooth and uncomplicated, yet the reader feels immersed in the scenery she describes for the reader. Throughout the story, Scott switches between the perspectives of the three main characters, but it is never confusing. It lends itself to building layered characters that show growth as the plot progresses.

Scott uses the backgrounds of the three main characters to touch on topics we are all familiar with today, such as race, interracial relationships, politics, family honor, and the problems faced by those that do not fit the mold of “polite society”. This is all accomplished while the reader is immersed in the magic of the Fair before being hit with a shocking and brutal conclusion.

Thanks to BookSirens, Anika Scott, and Duckworth Books for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A thousand years ago, the immortals were slain, their power passed down to a chosen few known as aspects. The competition between noble families for control of these aspects has plunged the land into a never-ending cycle of war and bloodshed.

The Tevulun family has been driven to the brink of extinction by the most recent war. When Tarana Tevulun, who possesses the abilities of Calamity, learns of her family’s intention to murder her, she flees with the assistance of a band of mercenaries. The Tevulun’s enemy, the Ma’isans, take advantage of her absence to advance and besiege the capital city of Vicrum. Tarana returns to fight for the city but faces a difficult challenge due to the involvement of the mortal aspect of Death – thought to be the sole remaining neutral aspect.

Meanwhile, a young soldier named Micol deserts the army after his first taste of battle. When he ends up in the besieged city of Vicrum, he finds himself embroiled with a group of outlaws. Thrust into a world of thieves and rebels, he must confront his deepest fears and make a decision that will change his life forever.

I will be honest – it took me a little while to get into this book. I struggled the first 30% of the book. However, it is not the fault of the author. I don’t read a lot of high fantasy, something I am actively trying to change, so I had a little trouble keeping characters straight at first. The author does include a list at the beginning of the book, something I probably should have looked at more often than I did. The book is a great mix of action and character development. There are three very different threads to the plot at the beginning, but by the end the author brings them all together in a well thought-out and beautifully written package. I am looking forward to reading more from this author and I hope they are already working on the sequel to this book.

Thanks to LibraryThing and Quinn Thomas for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book is scheduled to be published on July 18, 2023.

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lara Love Hardin recounts her slide from soccer mom to opioid addict to jailhouse shot caller and her unlikely comeback as a highly successful ghostwriter in this harrowing, hilarious, no-holds-barred memoir.

In this book, Hardin recounts her descent from respected soccer mom to opioid addict, committing crimes to feed her habit. She discusses frankly how her addiction not only impacted her life, but the lives of her children. It is easy to judge Hardin for thinking her addiction was hidden from her family. Her addiction leaves her blind to the risk to her family as she commits crime after crime to feed her growing habit.

Eventually, Hardin is caught, and she goes to jail. It is in jail that this story becomes interesting, a story of strength and resilience. She shows strength in beating her addiction for herself and her children and resilience in jumping through all the loopholes put in place by an unsympathetic system once she is on probation.

In reading her story, one may think that if Hardin can succeed after jail time, any one can and those that don’t succeed are either lazy or born criminals. Hardin herself address that, making it clear that although she struggled, she had it easier than most. She is a well-educated with a talent for writing and a support system that helped her succeed. This in no way diminishes her many accomplishments. If only the other women she encountered in jail had a similar support system, perhaps more of them would succeed out in society like Hardin.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book is scheduled to be published on August 1, 2023.

Make sure you preorder your copy today! (affiliate link)

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kyoko is a young woman driven by the desire to avenge the death of her mother by killing the man she blames for driving her mother to her death. Daniel is her clueless quarry, a once celebrated violinist who nowadays is only invited to play music for the terminally ill. However, Kyoko’s plan goes awry from the beginning and what follows is a black comedy the confronts whiteness, Asian femininity, and anti-Asian racism.

This is not a “happy” book. The three main characters are dealing with heavy issues, from chronic illness to depression to immense anger and grief. At first, it is hard to feel sympathetic towards a couple of the characters. While you eventually see the redemption of one character, it is hard to read another character destroy one life after another with little care other than his own selfish needs.

What this book is is beautifully written. The writing kept me reading even when I wasn’t so sure I wanted to continue on with these characters. It is character driven, so don’t expect a lot of action like a thriller. The ending felt a bit rushed and I wish it had been drawn out a bit more. That being said, Katherine Min was an excellent writer and I appreciate her daughter fighting to get this novel published posthumously.

I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to read a piece of fiction that has a different plot and tackles issues that aren’t normally seen in your more popular books.

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book. The book will be published on January 30, 2024.

Make sure to preorder your copy today! (affiliate link)

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

When a spy is stranded on a dead planet with her mortal enemy, she must figure out how to survive before she can uncover the conspiracy that landed them both there in the first place.

When I saw this book called a “space opera”, I must say I was doubtful that I would enjoy it. I imagined a huge book that overwhelmed me with the large number of characters and several competing plot lines. I am so happy that I took the chance on this book, because I was so wrong.

This book has a focused plot, smooth pacing, and great character development. I enjoyed that, although there was a slight romance between the two main characters, the romance did not change the essence of their characters. The plot touches on the unintended consequences of technological advancements, consequences that impact not only the environment, but humanity itself. I did not see the plot twists coming and the ending was satisfying, but left the door open for a second book.

This book is the first in an expected duet. I highly recommend this book to anyone willing to try out a sci fi book. Thanks to Net Galley and Orbit Books for providing a review copy to me in exchange for my honest review.

Get your copy of this fantastic book! (affiliate link)

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The year is 2025, and a mysterious virus has broken out in Scotland – a lethal illness that seems to affect only men. When Dr. Amanda MacLean reports this phenomenon, she is dismissed as hysterical. By the time her warning is heeded, it is too late. The virus becomes a global pandemic – and a political one. The victims are all men. The world becomes alien – a women’s world.

I read this book just after going through the pandemic, so premise that seemed a bit far-fetched a couple of years ago seems so much more plausible now.

The plot deals with a virus that is 90% fatal to men and what would become of the world if most men died. Could humanity continue with women filling in roles previously occupied by men? I will say that I had expected an ending where the surviving men “saved the day” and was pleasantly surprised that it was a much different ending.

Purchase your copy of this great book here. (affiliate link)

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐