midnightrose_reads's reviews
342 reviews

The Exorcist’s House: Genesis is a follow-up prequel/sequel to Nick Roberts’s The Exorcist’s House. It follows two different timelines: 1967 and Merle Blatty and his adventures as an amateur exorcist, and 1997 where we catch up with the Hill family 3 years after the events of the first book.

It was really fun to be back in this world again! Bigger scares, humor, and touching moments. Highly recommend both books!

Look Closer by David Ellis audiobook is narrated by Will Damron, Hilary Huber, Elizabeth Garrett, and Steve West.

“I feel half drunk with my own power over these men who rule London society.”

‘Now Comes The Mist’ is a Dracula retelling, this time from the perspective of Lucy Westerna who is of Vietnamese descent. Being beautiful, rich, and flirtatious she enjoys the life of a well-bred lady. But what no one knows is that she is fascinated by death, ever since her beloved father passed away. Her loved ones don’t know the extent of her fascination however, despite her frequently sleepwalking and ending up in the graveyard near the Westerna mausoleum.

One night while she’s dreaming she meets a mysterious figure that intrigues and fascinates her. She feels a connection with him and feels he understands her as no one else has, even over her best friend Mina Murray or her mother…..

This was an equal part beautiful and heartbreaking story. You really feel for Lucy and  the position she was in being a woman in the Victorian era, when this story is set. The expectations for women were enormous and suffocating to a free spirit like her. You can very easily understand how seductive the possibilities that she could have with Vlad influenced her decisions. Can’t wait to read book 2, ‘So Blooms The Dawn’, next year!

Thank you to Podium Entertainment for the gifted copy of this book.

Kuxtal Academy: The Beginning is the first book in a Mayan inspired urban fantasy romance series and follows the Canek siblings as they navigate their world among the fae. 

After the first 60 pages or so both Mira and her best friend Sienna get to Kuxtal Academy and the plot really starts. Before that we basically are getting to know Koa and Mira individually. They have a complicated harrowing history because of their parents way of thinking and the way they grew up. Mira is a science oriented recent graduate who unfortunately loses her beloved aunt at the start of the novel. She’s going through the grieving process while also trying to control her anxiety.  She unexpectedly gets the mark on her arm that she’s been accepted into Kuxtal Academy, a graduate college, which is an unwelcome surprise for her. Her parents pull strings and get her best friend Sienna a scholarship to attend the school to persuade her to attend. While there she finds out several things about her self (like she’s a level 1 magic user), and her aunt might have been hiding some big secrets. She gets romantically involved with Wren Ikari, (a Ix or jaguar shifter and her brother’s business partner).

Koa, Mira’s older brother is a level 1 magic user, a Chikchan (a basilisk shifter that has venom and psychic abilities) who is a junior at Kuxtal Academy. He also owns a nightclub called The Vortex that has a secret club on the lower level that he runs called The Underworld where his fellow fae handle less than legal business deals. His more illegal dealings bring him in conflict with the Cynod (think this world’s version of historical romances ‘The Ton’) the elite group that his and Mira’s parents are apart of. When he meets Mira’s best friend Sienna, everything changes. He’s never felt this way for anyone the way he feels for her….. Not to mention someone has interfered  (aka: stolen) a transportation of ‘goods’ he was having delivered, that Wren was overseeing, putting them all in a dangerous position.

I really enjoyed this first book overall. Like I mentioned it’s, not until after the first 60 pages that the plot at the school really gets going. I like both Mira and Wren and think that they both ( particularly Mira) starts becoming a more interesting character towards the middle/ end of the book (IYKYK) so I was happy to see that occur. Especially because for most of the book you only get the dual perspectives of Koa and Mira at first (it becomes multi-POV with the inclusion of Sienna and Wren toward the end of the book).

Koa, on the other hand is compelling from the start. You’re trying to figure out what exactly he’s up to which keeps you guessing. He has many layers in addition to his bad boy persona. Sienna is an intriguing character because she’s enigmatic in many ways since you don’t get any of her POV chapters until the very end. Not to mention I wasn’t sure what magic she would ‘emerge’ with so that was fun to see when that happened. Also….. HER AND KOA’S CONNECTION! THE INTENSITY, OMG!!! (if you’ve read other fae fantasy romances you can guess what they ultimately are to each other) It was executed so well! It will definitely leave you swooning.  Cannot wait to explore more about their relationship in future books.

I liked the addition of Katia to Mira and Sienna’s friend group and hope we see them making additional friends in the future. The Mercers (Jed, Adler) along with the other Ikari (Atlas and Zane) who are shady business acquaintances of Koa’s were a fun addition and I hope they are used more in future installments (maybe even having their own POV’s).

This book is perfect for fans of Zodiac Academy, and urban fantasy romance.

Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma is the first book in a new upper YA trilogy. Kidan Adane is hellbent on finding her sister June, even if it means attending the mysterious Uxlay University. She only has one clue, a name, Susenyos Sagad. Kidan must live with him at her family’s House for a certain length of time, all the while attending the university in order to inherit the House. She reluctantly agrees if only so that she can find her beloved sister. There’s one problem however, Susenyos and Kidan might kill each other first.

I absolutely devoured this story! I loved the chef’s kiss pacing of this book. I wasn’t bored and I was on the edge of my seat trying figure out where it was going next. It’s an enemies to lover’s romance, but so much more than that. This book has layers! A toxic relationship that speaks of deeper meaning sprinkled throughout the book.  The best unhinged gasp out loud moments. I was having the time of my life consuming the intricate world building. And all the characters look like me so that’s always an added bonus. I need book two immediately, especially after that ending.

This paranormal dark academia novel is perfect for fans of Black vampires, The Vampire Diaries tv show, Klaus Mikaelson, Legendborn, The Cruel Prince, Ninth House,  and morally grey characters.

Atmospheric ghost story.  Audiobook narration by Gregory D. Barnett, Sam Slade, Kimberly Bonny, Louis B. Jack, James Lewis,  and Jay Aaseng

The audiobook narrator is Elizabeth Knowelden.

Started off well-paced, then slowed down considerably.

The Final Act audiobook was narrated by Vivienne Leheny.

This Summer Will Be Different is a solid contemporary romance from Carley Fortune.