Review: Kingdom of Bones

Kingdom of Bones by James Rollins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A giant thank you to William Morrow for sending me a physical advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I've been a big fan of James Rollins since I randomly picked up Map of Bones to have something to read in the car on a road trip with my brother - that should tell you how long I've been following this series!

This one had a breakneck speed - the story hits the ground running and doesn't really ever stop. I very much enjoyed some of the new characters that were introduced. Even though they might just be one-offs, I hope we get to see some of them again!

Definitely pick this one up. There's a bit of backstory that you'll miss out on if you haven't read the rest of the series, but it's not 100% vital to have done so. Maybe 80% vital? :)

Highly recommend this series!

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Review: His Fresh Start Cowboy

His Fresh Start Cowboy by A.M. Arthur
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Carina Press for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I heard the Clean Slate Ranch was done, I was so sad, so finding out there was going to be a spinoff involving Colt's family, I was over the moon! Hugo was the perfect character to start this series off with.

I felt so bad for the guy. He's had a lot of disappointment and heartache in his life and had the courage to face his past head on... and it was a bumpy ride. But of course, the story took us where we needed to go.

This is a little reminiscent of Red Dirt Heart by N.R. Walker - not a ripoff or anything like that, just a similar setting. That made me love this one so much more because I adored Red Dirt Heart and there just aren't many books like it out there.

The miscommunications were a little cheesy but typical for the genre.

All in all, a great start to a spinoff series. Bring on book two!

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Review: The Starless Crown

The Starless Crown by James Rollins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I'll be honest here - I had a hard time getting into this book at the beginning. Whether it was my own personal mood or just a slow start, I can't say. But I pushed through, and am SO glad that I did.

The story really started picking up steam in the middle, and the more I got invested in the characters and intrigued by the mysterious nature of most of the events, I was hooked.

I did drop half a star for the slow beginning. I felt it wasn't fair to drop a whole star for that, since it could have just been me. It also lost another half a star for the sheer volume of losses that poor Nyx had to suffer in this book. After a certain point, it was just pure cruelty and I don't know how she's still functioning. I know it's fantasy, but yeesh. Spread the suffering around a little!

All in all, an excellent start to a new fantasy series from one of my favorite authors, James Rollins. I'm excited to see where it goes next.

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Review: Where the Drowned Girls Go

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Tordotcom/Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love this series! I really don't know how the author has all these amazing stories in her head from all of her different series and the ability to get them into words so well. I wish I had 10% of her talent!

Anyways, on to the story. Cora has gone through her door and back again, and then through other doors and back again on quests, and now she's in trouble. The Drowned Gods of the Moors have their eye on her, and want her for their own. And she's scared. So she makes a decision. It's time for a change - and she's decided to go to...that other school... the one Eleanor West tries very hard to be different from... The Whitethorn Institute is a very different place. They are rigid and structured and any talk of quests or other worlds is strictly forbidden. It's a rehab facility and a prison, basically. So Cora must figure out whether or not she wants a normal life or to accept her place in another world and fight against the Drowned Gods. The problem is... her new school isn't quite welcoming to the idea that she gets a choice.

I loved some revisited characters in this one, and I really enjoyed the new setting and new characters. The new school felt very realized and detailed, without spending too much time with overly long description.

Pick up this series, but start at the beginning. The beginning might just be YOUR door.

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