Tabitha Tomala

Thank you to Mark Cushen for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!

Over the roaring flame of the hearth and bubbling food pots in the palace kitchen, Garlan dreams of becoming a knight. Despite the harsh words of others, he continues to train with his wooden sword, unwilling to give up his dream. When an injured man stumbles into town warning of future disaster at the hands of Winter, Garlan is unknowingly caught up in a quest. Lord Winter, sealed away after the war between seasons, seeks to return and plunge the world into a forever winter. Standing between him and success is Garlan.

What can one kitchen boy do to protect the world? Everything within his power to make sure those he loves are safe. Garlan is kind and has a big heart, but his journey will be riddled with challenges and hardship. There are times when the odds will be stacked against him allowing guilt and self-doubt to creep in. But the friends he meets along the way will stand by his side when able, and encourage him to continue.

As Garlan and his friends forge their paths forward, readers will be entertained by the creative settings and encounters. From meeting small fae and their colorful forest guardians to fighting those who would turn Garlan into stew, there are so many delightful and startling experiences in store.

Little White Hands is a wonderful novel for mid-grade readers interested in adventure and fantasy settings. The conflicts throughout the book are exciting and tailored for a younger audience, yet adults will also find this a joy to read. Not to mention the themes of friendship and never giving up resonate within the writing.

Robin and Zylas’s time spent uncovering the mysteries of the ancient Demonica grimoire and Xavier’s true goals have forged a connection neither would have predicted. As they grow closer to their final showdown with Xavier, Robin begins to doubt her original promise to send Zylas home. But a promise is a promise, and despite how she feels Robin will keep her word. Together they will face off against Xavier and either die trying to stop him, or succeed and be torn apart.

As their time together grows ever shorter, Robin is faced with a choice. Either send Zylas home and never admit to how she feels, or risk telling him everything and breaking her heart when he leaves anyway. The power play between the two characters and the forbidden romance edge will take hold of readers and demand their attention.

But the romance angle remains a small part of Delivering Evil for Experts. The use of Demonica and different forms of magic amped up the action in this final novel. Robin and Zylas tear down boundaries and throw risks to the side as they go all out to defeat Xavier and his demon. Both sides will pull in allies to have a final showdown, and try to viciously tear each other apart. Pulling unexpected twists and turns with magic neither will see coming.

This final novel in The Guild Codex: Demonized will pull in events from the Spellbound series and put together missing pieces of character disappearances and reappearances. It will also give a wonderful amount of information on Zylas’ past and home. This was a great companion series to Spellbound that urban fantasy readers will love.

Thank you to Raina Nightingale for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!

Heart of Fire is a story full of lore and world building. As Camilla, Flameheart and the other key characters begin their journey, the reader will be told the history of elves, Dragonriders and unique creatures created by the gods. The break to tell history does slow the story down a bit, but gives needed background knowledge.

The writing style of this novel focuses on dialogue and the inner thoughts of the characters. Due to this it is a telling versus showing style of storytelling. There is less focus on the settings, and instead dives into how the characters feel about what has happened to them. Camilla in particular has moments where she is working through her anger over past events as a slave, and is actively learning how to understand why she is angry.

This novel does not go into depth of detail with battles, or conflicts. Conflicts that do arise are quickly resolved. Whereas discussion on things such as choices, and the cause and effect of them are explored in great detail. Heart of Fire focuses on the love between characters without turning into a romance. It shows the platonic side of love, and the connection between characters. This novel can be enjoyed by both young adults and adults.

Thank you to Jamie Jackson for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!

Isolde is the only sorcerer in the king’s court. And as such, she is a valuable asset and tool. When a mysterious child appears from a forest no one has ever returned, the king sends Isolde to the town of Perdition to deal with him. But when Isolde and her guardian Bear arrive, the two will find there is much more to the tale than a mysterious child.

The Sparrow and the Oak Tree is a slow-burn enemies to lovers romantic fantasy. When Isolde is kidnapped by a fae in the mix of the mystery she is to solve, her basic instinct is to run away. All her life she's been told the stories of fae who trap humans. But there is a hard to ignore allure surrounding him—a constant temptation at war with the warnings in her mind.

The connection between Isolde and her fae captor grows in intensity as the story progresses. Readers will have a chance to see through both Isolde and the fae’s eyes, causing a back and forth temptation readers will need to continue reading to watch. And the varying levels of frustration they both feel when Bear does what he can to keep them apart.

Bear takes on the persona of a big brother, truly shining through with his name. And while his interventions will cause frustration there is also comedy and an ever growing romantic tension his actions induce. The relationship between Isolde and Bear is a great counterbalance to the smoldering relationship between Isolde and the Fae.

Romantic fantasy readers who enjoy slow-burn enemies to lovers, The Sparrow and the Oak Tree should be your next read! While it is a mythological retelling, there is no prior knowledge required to enjoy this story.

Robin may have found her family’s grimoire, but there are still pages within Claude’s possession. Determined to find the lost pages and discover Claude’s goals, Robin and Zylas continue their hunt. But the closer they come to Claude, the more danger they will face. Claude has allied with powerful magic users who can directly combat Zylas’s demon magic. The pair will have to ramp up their teamwork and abilities to overcome this latest threat.

Robin and Zylas have come such a long way from two characters who could hardly see eye to eye. But while they’ve made great steps towards becoming a team, the danger is increasing the closer they get to Claude. With each new challenge, their lack of communication and trust shows. Robin and Zylas are equally stubborn and they’re going to learn some hard lessons when they find their separate abilities have little power.

The ramp up of romantic tension in the series has gradually built from book to book. And while it by no means takes over the plot, the character interactions are influenced by their feelings. The ability to work magic together is intricately tied into Robin and Zylas trusting each other with their innermost thoughts and feelings. The power balance between the two has always been unequal, yet if they can learn to communicate and sync with one another, they will make a dynamic team. And the tension between the two is just as exciting as the plot tension.

Each book in the Guild Codex: Demonized series improves on the last and the audiobooks bring such a wealth of emotion to the characters. The narrator does a fantastic job changing pitch and tone to reflect how the characters are feeling. Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped is an action-packed fast-moving read. Urban fantasy readers need to visit the Guild Codex world.

The emperor controls his land and people through bone shard magic. Each person in the empire is forced to give up a bone shard from their skull. But not all who undergo the brutal chipping survive. And even if they do, their shard may be chosen to give life to one of the emperor’s constructs. Lin and Bayan are rivals for the throne, and each has been learning to use bone shard magic, vying for the emperor’s keys which unlock more secrets and knowledge in the palace. But Bayan is steadily making progress, whereas Lin is held back. All she wants is to earn her father’s praise, but the emperor seems to favor Bayan over Lin. Determined not to fall behind, Lin steals keys to make copies. But as she delves deeper into the secrets of the palace, she will uncover unspeakable horrors the Emperor has kept hidden for years.

The evolution of Lin and Bayan’s rivalry was intense. They are nearly at each other’s throats constantly, yet there is a spark of chemistry between them. Lin’s greatest challenge is the loss of her memories, and because of this, she is held back from studying construct magic. But Lin will not let the emperor’s disregard hold her back. And while Lin is ambitious, she does not fully understand the consequences her actions will have. In her drive to outpace Bayan, she will put those outside of the palace in danger.

While Lin and Bayan’s story gives background information on bone shard magic and the degrading state of the emperor, Jovis opens readers' eyes to the common people. Hired to smuggle children away before their bone shards are taken, Jovis sees the everyday horrors. And after one job goes awry he finds himself with an animal companion named Melphie. Melphie is absolutely adorable and gives Jovis’ storyline a humorous balance. Jovis has no idea what kind of animal Melphie is, but their companionship grows throughout the storyline as they become further involved in the revolution of the empire.

And then there is the pairing of Phalue and Ranami. Phalue is the daughter of a governor, and Ranami is a rebel actively working with the revolution. The two have a complex relationship as they are on opposing sides but in love with each other. While Phalue wants to slowly fix governing from the inside, Ranami wants immediate action. Ranami is similar to Lin in her actions, where she does not see the potential consequences that may occur. Blinded by her need to do better for those she sees suffering, she will drag Phalue into situations they will not be able to come back from.

Then to add another layer of mystery to all the hints, and tidbits dropped throughout all the storylines, is Sand. A woman who one day falls from a tree and realizes she's been brainwashed and taken from her home. She lives on an island with multiple others who have had their past erased.

Each storyline, whether it focuses on the inner workings of the empire, ongoing unrest with the emperor’s rule, or even day to day life, carries dark undertones surrounding the use of bone shard magic and the disregard for humans as living beings. There are many character points of view, but each adds another intricate layer to the plot. And when the atrocities that are occurring are fully realized for the reader, they will be horrified. The Bone Shard Daughter is for those who enjoy characterization and richly developed plot lines.