Blood of Assassins - RJ Barker

Paperback, 434 pages

Published February 15th 2018 by Orbit

Series: The Wounded Kingdom #2

Fantasy

Own

My thoughts:

Make it short, make it short..ok I will try. I am pressed for time

SO 5 years have passed. Girton and his master comes back to these crappy hellforsaken lands (srsly why do anyone still live here! This place is hell). His old friend Rufra has been fighting with Thomas (FU Thomas), and Aydor all this time and they all claim the kingdom. Like this place could go to hell any more. Yes it can. Now there are maneating pigs too.

He meets Rufra again and is given a task.

That camp is another snake nest. Sometime is a spy, but who? Those dang witchhunters are there and ugh! But ok so I get why they need to find sorcerers, but they mostly kill innocents.

Girton has his job cut out for him.

I said short! I mean to finish this sentences ago!

Right, so this is a detective story in a way then. And war is looming, and there will be fighting. And Girton is trying to keep his magic under control. I fear for him, I really fear for him now. Either he will burn a hole in the country, be killed or no, I can not see a happy ending for him.

I really want book 3 now so that I can find out what happens next. All is good for now, but who knows what the years will bring

Synopsis:

The assassin Girton Club-foot and his master have returned to Maniyadoc in hope of finding sanctuary, but death, as always, dogs Girton's heels.

The place he knew no longer exists. War rages across Maniyadoc, with three kings claiming the same crown - and one of them is Girton's old friend Rufra. Girton finds himself hurrying to uncover a plot to murder Rufra on what should be the day of the king's greatest victory. But while Girton deals with threats inside and outside Rufra's war encampment, he can't help wondering if his greatest enemy hides beneath his own skin.

Bloodmage - Stephen Aryan

Paperback, 528 pages

Published April 12th 2016 by Orbit

Series: The Age of Darkness Trilogy #2

Fantasy

Own

My Thoughts:

The last book was all about war, while this one have spies, "cops" and criminals.

Byrne and Fray are guardians who are investigating horrible murders. I liked them and their hunt for the killer.

Choss is trying to find what happened at a recent fight and that brings us the underworld. I was not that keen on Choss or his investigations. The best part was when Butcher showed up

A character from book 1 is hanging about and I so wanted more about him, but alas.

Katja is a spy who is sent to infiltrate bad guys who are trying to assassinate two queens. I think I like what she did during the daytime more than her spying, her daytime was interesting. Everything these characters are doing will come together at the end one way or another.

I enjoy this series. It is light (in the way written!) I know I say that a lot and everyone thinks ohh light, no no, not the actual story. I mean people are butchered. But who it is written cos the story flows and I read it fast. And now I want book 3! Which again will be about new character! Arghh, I so want the Gods stuff! Please just give that to me.

Anyway, I guess I know what I am telling SO to give me for my birthday! Book 3 and the next series ;)

Conclusion:

Enjoyable and fun!

Synopsis

The people of Perizzi have survived the battlemage war, but their future is looking darker than ever.

BYRNE is a Guardian of the Peace, investigating a series of murders in which the corpse was drained entirely of life.

FRAY's expertise with magic is needed to catch the killer, but working with the Guardians destroyed his father, years before.

CHOSS is a champion fighter, trying to diffuse a war in the underworld that threatens to turn the streets red with rivers of blood.

KATJA is a spy from a foreign land, attempting to prevent a massacre that will topple two dynasties and destroy the fragile peace in the city for ever.

Guardians and spies, assassins and criminals will clash on the streets in this magic-fuelled adventure from the author of Battlemage.

Audio: All I want for Christmas is a Cowboy - Jessica Clare

Narrated by: Abby Craden

Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins

Release date: 01-22-19

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Contemporary romance

Thank you Tantor for this copy!

My Thoughts

Snowed in for Christmas, oh that makes for the perfect winter book!

Cass is an assistant (and oh my, she should quit, she can not see how much she is used, not to mention her boss' fiance keeps hitting on her, creep!) But she is a nice hardworking woman (that should take a chance). So she goes away for the holidays to be alone. Boom car accident, stuck int he mountains with a cowboy!

Eli was omg the sweetest. All he does is work work and no time for a woman. He is just too sweet and has let go of all of that. He might be a bit grumpy since he wanted alonetime too, but alas no.

They get to know each other. She is a complete mess at things. They start to fall in love and the snow keeps on piling up. 

There will be drama as she starts to remember things, and there she does something so silly. I mean just talk with him woman! But I guess we need drama. Still, talk to him!

And then they lie happily ever after! Awwww.

Sweet and a great book this winter.

Abby Craden: narration
I liked her Cass voice, it showed sweetness and innocence. While I totally saw the grumpy Eli before me too. She did well with setting the scene.

Synopsis

Christmas may be coming, but it's just another day at the ranch as far as Eli Pickett is concerned. Someone has to take care of the herd and that means no holiday vacation for him. But that's just the way he likes it--it’s not like he has a woman to spend time with anyways. Most women don't want the ranch life, or the surly, silent cowboy that comes with it. Fine with him. He'd rather have the quiet of a roaring fire and the company of his dogs.

Cassandra Horn is trying to make it to her parents' winter cabin in Wyoming before the blizzard hits. She desperately needs a vacation from the chaos of Manhattan...and her boss’s boyfriend, who is making her life miserable. But Cass never makes it to the cabin. 

A raging snowstorm causes her car to crash, where she's found unconscious by Eli. When Cass wakes, she has no memories of who she is. Eli takes one look at Cass's big blue eyes and dark curls, and like a Christmas miracle, falls head over heels in love. But while the attraction is mutual, can she give her heart to this cowboy if she’s not sure it’s hers to give?

Carole's Sunday Review: Lady of the Eternal City - Kate Quinn

Author: Kate Quinn

Narrator: Elizabeth Wiley

Title: Lady of the Eternal City (The Empress of Rome #4)

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: Audiobook

Published: March 3rd 2015

Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

Elegant, secretive Sabina may be Empress of Rome, but she still stands poised on a knife’s edge. She must keep the peace between two deadly enemies: her husband Hadrian, Rome’s brilliant and sinister Emperor; and battered warrior Vix, who is her first love. But Sabina is guardian of a deadly secret: Vix’s beautiful son Antinous has become the Emperor’s latest obsession.

Empress and Emperor, father and son will spin in a deadly dance of passion, betrayal, conspiracy, and war. As tragedy sends Hadrian spiraling into madness, Vix and Sabina form a last desperate pact to save the Empire. But ultimately, the fate of Rome lies with an untried girl, a spirited redhead who may just be the next Lady of the Eternal City . . . 

Oh no! The last book in the series. I have been dreading this day but also really excited to see everything come to a conclusion. 

Sabina and Vix are back. So much has happened. So many years. Sabina is now the empress and her husband, Hadrian, is not all sane. Smart and brilliant, but the man has a lot of demons. Especially after a certain event occurs. Vix just wants to live a simple life but his fate seems tied to the empress and emperor.  The fate of the empire may rest on the shoulders of a young girl. 

This was loooonnnnngggggg. Super long, but I didn't mind it really. I actually enjoyed it. I didn't want it to end tbh. I love Sabina and Vix. I also grew to adore Annia. There are even bits of me that like Hadrian. The man needed serious therapy. He is so smart, but he lacks normal human emotion. I do really encourage you to read the others of the series. I felt like they all built up to this one. I would at least read book 3 in order to really appreciate Vix and Sabina. 

The format was still a little odd for me. Everyone's POVs were in one format, but Vix was 1st person. I forgive this and understand it especially when we learn that Vix is writing his memoirs SOOO it does give a reason why the author did what she did. 

Other than that, I adored this book. I think it was one of my favorites of the series. It made me cry. It made me cheer. It gave me all the feels! 

I did listen to the audio of this and I really loved it. The narrator really did a good job. I think she was the same from the last book. But yes, I loved her voices. Every character (and mind you...there are a LOT of characters) had their own voices. Kuddos there. 

Overall, this was really good. It's hard not to give away some spoilers. But this made me feel! This ended perfectly and I can't wait to read more by this author. She is one of my favorites. She really knows how to get you hooked and absorbed. Worth the read. I'll give this 5 stars since the ending gave a good reason why the format was the way it was. 

Got it, thanks!Thanks, I'll check them out.Thank you!