Review: Blood Heir (Aurelia Ryder #1, Kate Daniels World)

Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews is the first novel in the Aurelia Ryder series. Below is a summary from the back cover:

Atlanta was always a dangerous city. Now, as waves of magic and technology compete for supremacy, it’s a place caught in a slow apocalypse, where monsters spawn among the crumbling skyscrapers and supernatural factions struggle for power and survival.

Eight years ago, Julie Lennart left Atlanta to find out who she was. Now she’s back with a new face, a new magic, and a new name—Aurelia Ryder—drawn by the urgent need to protect the family she left behind. An ancient power is stalking her adopted mother, Kate Daniels, an enemy unlike any other, and a string of horrifying murders is its opening gambit.

If Aurelia’s true identity is discovered, those closest to her will die. So her plan is simple: get in, solve the murders, prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled, and get out without being recognized. She expected danger, but she never anticipated that the only man she’d ever loved could threaten everything.

One small misstep could lead to disaster. But for Aurelia, facing disaster is easy; it’s relationships that are hard.

Blood Heir is a new spin-off series from the best-selling Kate Daniels novels. It takes place approximately eight years after the finale of Magic Triumphs. I was a big fan of the Kate Daniels novels, so I was uneasy if this new series would actually interest me. Aurelia Ryder is Julie's new name as she chose to start a new life with Kate's aunt, Erra. She is no longer the awkward teen who felt out-of-place among the shapeshifters. She is now a 20-something princess who mastered her God-like powers and honed her survival skills. With the blood of Roland in her veins, she looks completely unrecognizable to people except her family.

Returning to Atlanta is not a homecoming for Julie. Rather, she is trying to change the ominous fate of her adopted mother. If Kate sees Aurelia, Kate will die. When Julie arrives in the city, she stumbles upon a murder case that involves powerful ancient magic. During her investigation, the past collides with the present. A man that she loved and thought she would never see appears before her eyes. Despite this unexpected reunion, Julie will do anything to keep her mission--and heritage--a secret.

The first few chapters started off slowly, but the plot picked up in action and suspense as other characters from the Kate Daniels world began to appear. I am impressed with how Julie has become a mature woman with her own wits. With more experience, she will become a suitable successor to Kate. The novel also describes what happened to Derek Gaunt, a werewolf protégé of former Beast Lord Curran, after he disappeared from Atlanta. It's hard to believe he's in his early 30s at this point in time. I was caught off guard by the budding romance between Julie and Derek. In fact, I forgot that Julie had a childhood crush on Derek. The difference is they are now adults without insecurities. In other words, they know who they are and what they desire. I am now intrigued by what the authors have in store for these two characters.

Overall, I recommend this novel. Stay tuned for the next novel in the Aurelia Ryder series.

Review: The Faerie Games series (Dark World Universe, Books #1-5)

The Faerie Games is a five-book series by USA Best-Selling author, Michelle Madow. The series is part of the Dark World universe. The book titles consist of the following: The Faerie Games, The Faerie Pawn, The Faerie Mates, The Faerie Wand, and The Faerie Plague.

Below is a description from Goodreads:

I’m Selena Pearce, and in the past few days I’ve been kidnapped by faeries, gifted with powerful magic, and forced by the gods to compete in a twisted game to the death.

Growing up on the magical island of Avalon should be great... but I have no magic to speak of. And my parents forbid me from leaving.

So when I sneak out to Earth for a night and meet a hottie named Julian with ice blue eyes that leave me breathless, of course I say yes to a date with him. But when Julian pulls me through a magical portal, I realize he isn’t human. He’s a half-blood fae sent to bring me to his realm of the Otherworld. Because apparently, I’m a half-blood fae, too. And I’ve been chosen to compete in the annual Faerie Games—a brutal, gladiator-like competition where half-bloods fight to the death.

Too bad I can’t get my new magic under control. But with all eyes on me, I only have two options: Die in the Faerie Games, or win and earn my freedom.

Now the other players—including Julian, who still captivates me even though I should hate him—better watch out. Because I’m determined to get home.

And I’ll fight anyone blocking my path to get there.

Selena Pierce is an inquisitive teen who dreams of exploring the world outside of Avalon. She has no magical abilities and wishes she could be fight like the warriors of Avalon. Due to the circumstances surrounding her birth, her adopted parents cannot reveal her real heritage. When she finally reaches the real world, she is lured by a mysterious handsome young man to another realm beyond her imagination--the Otherworld. To her surprise, she learns that she is a half-blood fae. 

She meets her birth father and learns upon arrival that she is registered to compete in the Faerie Games, an annual event where half-blood fae contestants fight to the death. Each contestant is gifted magic from the Roman gods. It is The Hunger Games meets the Roman Coliseum. It is later revealed that her captor, Julian, is also competing in the Faerie Games. She feels a strange attraction to him, but she refuses to let down her guard. While Selena finally possesses magic, she must first survive the land of gods and legends until her friends rescue her.

So far, I have enjoyed every series in the Dark World Universe by Michelle Madow. She writes fascinating and action-packed plot twists that feature coming-of-age strong female characters. In the Faerie Games series, Madow weaves the supernatural and Roman mythology. It was a nice refresher to revisit my knowledge of the Roman gods and goddesses. Similar to Raven's transformation in The Angel Trials series, Selena also unlocks her own potential throughout the series. It was thrilling to watch her grow and use her magic. Meanwhile, the readers will uncover important details about Selena's rescue team. Overall, it is best for new readers to begin with the Dark World series. If you enjoy mythology and urban fantasy with action-adventure undertones, I recommend this series.

Stay tuned for my next review on the fourth spin-off series, The Dark World: The Dragon Twins. This series will focus on sisters who are thought to be descended from witches but discover the truth about their secret heritage.

Review: Tale of the Nine-Tailed (2020)

Tale of the Nine-Tailed (2020) is a South Korean television drama starring Lee Dong-wook, Jo Bo-ah and Kim Bum. The paranormal romance story is based on East Asian tales and legends of the nine-tailed fox (gumiho in Korean, kyuubi no kitsune in Japanese). The show contained 16 episodes.

In the past, Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-wook) is a mythical nine-tailed fox who is able to transform into human form. He abdicated his guardian position as a mountain spirit of Baekdudaega to resurrect his true love, Ah-eum (Jo Bo-ah). He followed her soul up to the Samdo River and gave her the fox bead as her mark when she is reborn again. Determined to reunite with her again, Lee Yeon enlistshis service under Taluipa, an Afterlife Judge, in exchange for Ah-eum's reincarnation. In the present day, Lee Yeon moved to the city where he is being assisted by his loyal subject and fellow gumiho, Goo Shin-joo (Hwang Hee). Under Taluipa's orders, Lee Yeon eradicates supernatural beings that threaten the mortal world. However, his real aim is to find the reincarnation of his lost first love. He has lived in his human form for hundreds of years. Throughout centuries, Lee Yeon encountered several lookalikes of Ah-eum but none had the fox bead.

Meanwhile, the mountain became unprotected as well. With its guardian gone, humans were able to set fire in the mountains. As a result, Lee Yeon's half-brother, Lee Rang (Kim Bum), exacted revenge on human beings through various killings. Lee Yeon later reunited with his half-brother, only to execute the Afterlife Judge's order to punish Lee Rang by death. Nonetheless, Lee Rang managed to escape death through the help of a mysterious man. Since then, Lee Rang developed a deep personal grudge against Lee Yeon for choosing Ah-eum over him and being the mountain's guardian. With the assistance of gumiho Ki Yoo-ri (Kim Yong-ji), Lee Rang continuously harms humans as a way of pestering his brother.

Back to the present day, Nam Ji-A (Jo Bo-ah) works as a project director (producer) of documentaries at TVC Station. She seeks out unexplained mysteries on the supernatural. Back in 1999, her parents were involved in a car accident in Yeou Gogae. Ji-A survived the accident that presumably killed her parents, though no bodies were discovered. Undaunted, Nam Ji-A believes her parents are still alive somewhere and is determined to locate them. Now, Nam Ji-A reviews CCTV footage from a wedding hall where the bride mysteriously disappeared. She sees the man who saved her as child walking out the wedding wall with a red umbrella. His name is Lee Yeon. And he is her only lead in finding her parents.

It is later revealed that Nam Ji-A is the reincarnation of Ah-eum when the fox bead appears on her. As a result, Lee Yeon vows to protect her at all costs so that she could live a longer life. Because an ancient evil is bent on repeating their tragic love story.

After the popular success of Goblin, I was delighted to learn that Lee Dong-wook (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God ~Goblin~, Hotel King) finally got his own leading role in a supernatural K-drama. He was a perfect fit for the gumiho character. Each episode kept yearning to learn what was next for Lee Yeon and Nam Ji-A as their journey to save her parents became more dangerous and suspenseful. Just when they seemed ahead of the villain, unexpected setbacks delay them and sometimes come with a price. The show's ending seemed satisfying, but audiences should embrace for an interesting twist. Furthermore, Kim Bum has come a long way from his boyish, gentlemanly charm as F4 member So Yi-jung in Boys Over Flowers days. Not only has his acting skills improved, but he also seemed to enjoy the role. Kim Bum's portrayal of the villain was excellent. Both men are on my list of Korean actors to follow! Overall, I highly recommend this K-drama. Watch the trailers below:






Below is a sample song from the original soundtrack, Moonchild Ballad by LYn.

Review: Grave War (Alex Craft #7)

Grave witch Alex Craft is getting pulled back into deadly fae politics in the thrilling new novel in the USA Today bestselling series.

Grave War, by Kaylana Price, is the seventh novel and final installment in the Alex Craft series. Grave witch Alex Craft has somewhat of an uneasy truce with the world of Faerie. At the same time, she wants some semblance of a normal life in the human world. She hopes the fae courts' conflicts stay contained within their borders. Meanwhile, former Winter Knight Falin Andrews is now the Winter King. He has to choose a consort from one of the other courts as well as face challengers to his crown. Falin is very protective of Alex because her planeweaving ability makes her a target for every court in Faerie.

As a result, Alex is selected to lead the Fae Investigation Bureau (FIB) in Nekros. This was an career path she clearly did not anticipate because she finds herself under-qualified for the job. More disturbing, someone is leaving blood roses addressed to "Lexi." She becomes suspicious as only two people ever called her by that name, and one of them should be dead. It has only been her first week at FIB when an explosion at the Eternal Bloom threatens to upend the fae who make their home in the human world. The doors to Faerie are suddenly bombed, which cuts off the fae from leaving the human world. To survive, Alex takes on new responsbilities as she tries to save the fae in Nekros before they start fading.

It's hard to fathom that this is the end of the Alex Craft series. I took a chance on this new series more than five years ago because I was interested in exploring the world of the fae. Kaylana Price is one of the new authors in the urban fantasy genre. Alex Craft, the protagonist, was a complex character who found herself inadverently getting involved into Faerie politics. She is a grave witch who has the power to raise shades (the disembodied spirits) and speak to the dead. The investigations were always fun to follow. The level of difficulty increased as the series progressed, causing Alex to delicately balance the customs of Faerie and survival in the human world.

Her life as a private investigator and consultant to the police turns upside down when she discovers her fae heritage. Overall, the investigations were always fun to solve as Alex battles dark magic and improves her supernatural abilities. Furthermore, she also gains the confidence, through trial and error, to deal with her relationship commitment issues. Although the pacing of the novel felt somewhat rushed towards the ending, I am satisfied with how things turned out for Alex. I hope that Price decides to explore other characters in the Grave Witch Universe. Overall, I recommend this series, especially if you are inquisitive about fae culture.

Review: Clean Sweep and Sweep in Peace (Books #1-2, Innkeeper Chronicles)

Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself.

This post focuses on the first two books in the Innkeeper Chronicles series by husband-and-wife duo team, Ilona Andrews: Clean Sweep and Sweep in Peace.

Clean Sweep is the first novel in the Innkeeper Chronicles series. Dina DeMille runs a quaint bed-and-breakfast inn in a small Texas town. Dina is the perfect neighbor: she has a Shih Tzu named Beast and serves meals for her guests. But Dina is different: her broom can turn into a deadly weapon, her dog is actually a monster, and her inn possesses magic. Her permanent guest is a retired aristocrat who has a galactic bounty over her head because she's responsible for the deaths of millions. Under these circumstances, Dina is anything but normal. 

Meanwhile, a mysterious creature with sharp teeth and claws is wreaking havoc at night in her community. Dina feels fully responsible for the safety of her neighbors. She decides to get involved, even though innkeepers are expected to remain neutral outside the walls of their inns. Immediately, she stumbles upon a handsome, ex-military soldier named Sean Evans. He also happens to be an alpha-strain werewolf designed to fight and protect on the battlefield. A gorgeous cosmic vampire soldier named Arland appears on her doorstep seeking assistance. He has his eyes set on wooing the innkeeper. Despite this unexpected love triangle, Dina must face a vicious and deadly enemy unlike anything she has ever encountered. And putting herself between the creature and the neighbors may cost her entire livelihood...

Sweep in Peace is the second novel in the Innkeeper Chronicles series. Dina DeMille owns a bed-and-breakfast inn that defies the laws of physics. The magical property needs guests in order to thrive. When an Arbitrator from another galaxy shows up at Dina's doorstep and asks her to host a peace summit between three warring species, it was an offer she couldn't refuse. She jumps on the chance to improve her reputation in the Innkeeper Directory. Unfortunately, the gap between the vampires, the Hope-Crushing Horde, and the merchants of Baha-chair prove more difficult than expected. To make the peace summit a smashing success, she need to hire a master chef, remodel the inn, and shelter her guests from murdering each other. The risks are great, but she is willing to risk everything, even her life, to receive clues on her missing parents' whereabouts and to save the man she might have fallen in love with. As an Innkeeper, nothing could possibly go wrong under her watch...

Ilona Andrews are a dynamic team who produce quality novels no matter what genre. While the best-selling Kate Daniels Universe novels have a more dystopian background, the Innkeeper Chronicles is one of the few quality paranromal series weaves the complexities of science fiction and urban fantasy together so well. Clean Sweep does an excellent job in providing the backstory to the Innkeeper society and the galactic species. The action and suspense are double-packed in Sweep in Peace, as Dina must race against time to solve the dangerous mysteries inside her inn. It is the secondnovel where the authors' writing ablity shines brilliantly, reminding me of why I enjoyed diving into Kate Daniels' investigations. What is unique about this series is the illustrations to help readers envision the main characters' backgrounds and the cosmic realms. I hope that the authors continue to use the images in future novels. Overall, I highly recommend this series. Stay tuned for the next novel in the Innkeeper Chronicles, One Fell Sweep, and a bonus novella, Sweep with Me.