Digging Up the Dead (Willie E. Dalton)

 

Digging Up the Dead
Willie E. Dalton

⭐: 4/5

Pros: this is the second book in the series and so far, I'm still hooked! I usually lose interest quickly when it comes to series, but not this one. The intrigue of "are things what they really seem?" haunts my mind, constantly leaving me hungry for more.

Speaking of hungry, new creatures are introduced feeding my appetite, mixing the world with creepy and mythology. I'll be starting book three shortly. Still need to figure out what happened to the earth loves of these dead souls!

Also, I'm a bit obsessed with the Romanov family, which is how I came to know about Rasputin, and even in book one, was humored by that. It's been intriguing to see the old mystic in this new, creative spin.

Cons: I actually can't think of any for this one. My con for the first book doesn't even apply, as there's not as much in this one as there was in that. (Go read my review to know what I'm referring to.)

Conclusion: if you're gunning for a paranormal book with an original take, this is your slice of cake, baby!

The Girl Who Digs Graves (Willie E. Dalton)

 

The Girl Who Digs Graves
Willie E. Dalton

⭐: 4/5

Pros: I'm fascinated with death and the afterlife, as well as morbid professions, so this book easily drew me in with all of those.

I'm new to this genre, but I'm guessing this is still a very original story that I read in one setting! I love how direct the MC is, how she doesn't care what others think, and just does what she wants to.

I definitely am interested to see what Hel (MC) finds out about the mysterious wall, where her earth love ended up, and what happens next! I'll be binging these books on study breaks for sure!

Cons: I'm not a fan of romance or sex in any genre, but can handle them in moderation. There is SO MUCH sex in the book, though! I'm not a conservative person, I just don't care to read about it, so I skimmed quite a bit. If you love that kind of stuff, you'll love this.

Conclusion: if you're dark and twisty and love paranormal, give this one a try!

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All the Blood We Share (Camilla Bruce)

 

All the Blood We Share
Camilla Bruce
⭐: 5/5

Pros: AS ALWAYS, Bruce writes about such fascinating topics and this book is no different!

I had no idea the Bender Family existed until the very end. Bruce knows how to blend fact and fiction so convincingly that I never think to wonder, despite being familiar with her affinity with female true crime, if something is inspired by true events.

I feel she captured Kate Bender's psychopath personality brilliantly, but also really did well developing every character and giving them each their own traits that appeared in their dialogue and movement.

History doesn't know the truth of all the identities or how the murders happened, but I was, once again, sucked into how warped Bruce's mind could be to write such scenes and am always impressed with that imagination!

Cons: given the Bender Family was never found after leaving KS, this book is a bit of a cliffhanger, but at least for that, fiction meets fact.

Conclusion: if you're into twisted, well-developed plots with excellently written characters and hardly a single edit missed in the book... This is your read. Just be sure you don't end up playing the, "Just one more chapter... Yeah right" game that leaves you saying "what the..." at 1A when you finish reading. EASY five out of five stars! Bruce NEVER disappoints for me!

The Crowns of Croswald (D.E. Night)

The Crowns of Croswald
D.E. Night
⭐: 5/5

Let me begin with the fact that fantasy is not typically a genre I’m easily drawn into. I knew within two chapters that I absolutely wanted to read and review this book for Night! 

Pros: It’s a bit Harry Potter reminiscent in some ways, but the plot itself is original and captivating. There’s plenty of foreshadowing, but not so obvious that it gives the plot away. Night also is a brilliant wordsmith - I cannot count how many times I giggled or smiled seeing wordplay! I also was intrigued with how well she built not only Coswald, but the characters and even inanimate objects such as quills and bottles (both are very important to the storyline). 

There isn’t a detail in this book that doesn’t belong! Every last description, personification, and scene all work together as a cohesive whole! I especially love that the ending wasn’t rushed, given the enormity of building that went on for the world, characters, their interactions, and plot itself. I truly cannot wait to read the next few books in the series!

Cons: There were a few times I was slightly confused, but those moments were answered in time. I just had to exercise some patience. Otherwise, I really don’t know that there are any cons I can think of, truthfully. 

Conclusion: If whimsy, original, similar to Harry Potter, and magical are your things… this is a book you need to try out. I feel it’s not a story that’s been said before, so open the cover for yourself and see if you agree!

P.S.: There's a bit of an Easter egg with one of the Scrivenist's names. See if you can figure it out! If you haven't by the end, message me and I'll tell you! So clever!

P.S.S.: If you're interested, the author is looking for readers! You can obtain the email addresses to contact from her Instagram if interested!

Alive Again (TW Piperbrook; Book 2)

 

T.W. Piperbrook
Alive Again 2
⭐: 5/5

Pros: well, I've learned that you don't always get immediate answers when living in an apocalyptic world, but I definitely am okay with it... For now.

Piperbrook had me wondering constantly and just when I couldn't figure out what more he could possibly do to make the story interesting... He showed me once again!

The characters are wildly fun and easy to understand while still being complex enough to hold water.

I also enjoyed the many pop culture references - clearly Piperbrook is an author who reads and those are the best kinds!

Cons: CLIFFHANGER. This book is a cliffhanger and the next isn't out until who knows when! Sad day!

Conclusion: if you like zombies but are sick of the same ole, same ole, give this a read, but be sure to start with the first book!

Alive Again (T.W. Piperbrook)

 

Alive Again
T.W. Piperbrook
⭐: 4/5

The premise of this book is what made me pick it up. How often do we see zombie books? ALL the time! How often do we see them from the zombie's perspective? Hardly ever!

Pros: again, the plot is what initially drew me in. As a real life scientist, zombie infections annoy me because they never seem realistic, but I was glad this book seemed so for the most part.

I was also intrigued because a vaccine actually exists, though we don't know that much about it. Hopefully book two releases soon!

Cons: if you're an action lover, this story is super led by it. I'm not personally, so I honestly skimmed through many of the scenes until it was dialogue and story driven again. Not a bad thing overall, but all my reviews are pros/cons format, so I had to put something here.

Conclusion: if you're sick of the same zombie apocalyptic reads, give this one a chance and see what you think!

*Available on #KindleUnlimited for free*

Cleopatra's Vendetta (Avanti Centrae)

 Cleopatra's Vendetta
Avanti Centrae
⭐: 5/5

Pros: okay, this isn't my usual kind of read, but the history the entire plot is rooted in definitely caught my attention when I was asked to be an ARC!

I was surprised at how well researched all the aspects of this story are, but furthermore, how beautifully sewn into Centrae's imagination they were. She took me on a journey that included becoming invested in the characters, their well-beings, backgrounds, and overall development. In addition to that, I was drawn into the dark world of human trafficking, something that I've been meaning to learn more about in general.

Overall, the plot and character development, writing style, and delivery is definitely a five out of five. You can tell when an author is meticulous with their work and sets the bar! I was impressed with the ending, too. There was absolutely nothing rushed about it and it felt thorough through the very last line.

Cons: I'm not a huge fan of espionage, modern day, covert operations stories, so it was a little difficult, at first, to stay focused. This con can be easily overlooked, as the nature of interactions between the characters and the story itself became irresistible as it progressed.

Conclusion: if you're looking for history-meets-modern day (without too much of a dual timeline), give this read a shot! Just be prepared to have your heart broken and mended a couple of times, though! Also, if you're passionate about women's rights and leads, this book will feed you in all the right ways!