Tag: black sheep books

ARC Book Review: Silver and Bone (Silver and Bone #1) by Claudia Cain

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Urban Fantasy Mystery
Length: 334 pages
Author: Claudia Cain
Publisher: Black Sheep Books
Release Date: October 31st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Jennifer Jones is trying to be a better person. As a vampire with a history of serial killing, she probably can’t get any worse.

For seventy years, things have gone well. She has a job, she’s in a steady relationship, and she hasn’t killed a single human. As far as she’s concerned, she’s turned over a new leaf.

Then a body turns up in an alley. A Necromancer warns of an approaching menace. And as more bodies appear, repeating a very familiar pattern, Jennifer finds herself being framed for murder.

You might be able to ignore your past, but you can’t outrun it, and Jennifer’s has just caught up to her. The life she has built is beginning to unravel, and if she doesn’t prove her innocence, she will lose everything.

And maybe she deserves it.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

WHAT A START.

OH my gosh I loved this book y’all. I need book two ASAP. I LOVE Jennifer Jones. Her whole character is immaculately crafted and I am obsessed with her snarky personality that is also filled with love and loyalty to those around her. This book kind of reads like one of those NCIS types of shows but throw in a whole bunch of paranormal characters.

I loved the entire cast. I just don’t have one negative to say about the entire book. I was hooked from the get go and the slow reveals were fantastic. It’s fast paced and full of action. I loved the flashback chapters and the world set-up. As someone who’s generally not an urban fantasy lover, this one HIT ALL THE MARKS.

But excuse me, THE ENDING. I am shooketh. And I’m so curious how this story will continue and where things will lead to next.

Claudia Cain is a hidden gem and you absolutely need to take a chance on her books.

Overall audience notes:

  • Urban Fantasy Mystery
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Content Warnings: blood/gore depiction involving deaths from vampires, murder, kidnapping, torture, werewolf attacks

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ARC Book Review: The Binding Season (Fallow Creek #3) by Claudia Cain

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Paranormal Horror / Romance
Length: 382 pages
Author: Claudia Cain
Publisher: Black Sheep Books
Release Date: November 30th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Cassandra Reilly has faced monsters and devastating losses. Now she’s overcome death itself, completing the rite to become the Witch of Fallow Creek.

It’s a shame it didn’t work.

Cass has survived the rite, but with an unexpected result: she can’t control her magic. Haunted by ghosts and struggling with her damaged family, she already has enough to deal with when a body is found in the woods, and the local Fae task her with tracking down the killer.

But this murder is more than it seems. Power never comes unchallenged, and not everyone is happy about the new Witch.

This challenge might be more than Cass can handle.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

NEW SERIES FAVORITE.

Y’ALL. THIS BOOK.

This is definitely my new favorite of the series and ohhhh my gosh I loved it so much. My favorite (of course) was how much romantic development I finally got! This slow burn was going to end me and YAYYYYYYYY. Basically my giddy little self this entire book. Merich must be protected at all costs.

I loved this edition and how we got to see a little more of the world and characters in the woods. While focusing on one issue I loved seeing the hints toward the final showdown coming in book four. The complex sibling dynamics are wonderful as always. I love how they protect each other and fight and love and all the things a tight knit family unit does.

This is as gruesome as always (and I’m not even a horror reader, THESE are my exception). The Binding Season is an hidden gem that I need more readers to get their hands on.

Overall audience notes:

  • Paranormal / Horror + Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mild body horror, near death experiences, blood/gore depiction

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Book Review: Wicked Walking (Fallow Creek #2) by Claudia Cain

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Urban Fantasy
Length: 370 pages
Author: Claudia Cain
Publisher: Black Sheep Books
Release Date: August 30th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After killing a monster and dragging herself home from another world, Cassandra Reilly has become more than a witch – she’s a hero. Sure, she can’t sleep through the night and she’s haunted by what she saw, but things should be looking up. Right?

Except something followed her out of the woods that day. And despite her best efforts – and the help of Merich, the handsome Fae Warden – Cass has failed to find any trace of it. Vanishing entities rarely bode well, but maybe no news is good news. And with a ticket out of town and her future on the horizon, Cass could really use a lucky break.

She’s not going to get one.

Thank you to the author for a gifted e-copy!

INVESTED.

I thought book one was good. And I think this one was even better. It is written so well and I am captivated by this really creep story and all of the characters involved. I liked the progression of the initial plot and the expansion of ideas surrounding The Child. There were many super spooky moments with the possessions and lights flashing and things showing up in the dark. It’s a book that I felt like I needed some lights on to keep going.

I liked Cass a lot more in this book too. She still holds to her wants, and also strives to solve the problems before her. I LOVED that we got more Merich content (sub plot of romance that I am adoring). And I still love Theo. There’s some good twists in here too that I was surprised by and have been wondering where in the world things will progress to next.

This has been a great urban fantasy series so far. I’m hopeful to possibly see new locations and characters be mixed in with the next book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Urban Fantasy
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings:  death, mild gore and depictions of injury, mild body horror, mentions of suicide and depictions of anxiety

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