Jennifer Estep

So Many Great Books!!! 2016 Bests

Hi there! Well, it’s been a YEAR! Ugh! I’m not going to bemoan it too much, because this blog is a way for me to escape the everyday drama. So, let’s do that, shall we!

First, it’s been a book-filled year! 279 books, and 58,968 pages logged through Goodreads, though I’ve forgotten some and ran out of time to add others. So, you’ll see those reviews in the coming year.

I usually make a whole long list, and this year is no exception. It isn’t a Top Ten countdown, or anything. I’d recommend any of these books equally. Hit the links for a full review.

FLIP-THE-BIRD-2Awesome YA books:
Flip the Bird by Kym Brunner. A high school freshman and training falconer falls for a girl whose parents are animal rights fanatics. Big trouble, great messages.

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan. Slice of life book about questioning young gay persons. Really got my heart engaged. Also fell into the Most Challenged (Banned) category that I was interested in exploring.

Girl Against The Universe by Paula Stokes. A girl struggles to get past her guilt, and rebuild her life after tragedies take away half her family.

Simon V. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli: Coming out shouldn’t be this way. Simon’s awesome, and lovely.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz. I felt transported to 1987 Texas. It’s not a place I’d want to be–but I’d go there just to be with Ari and Dante. Thick book devoured in a day.

Great anybody reads:
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by John Tiffany, James Thorne, and JK Rowling.  Harry’s all grown up, and saving the world, yet again. This time his son is the biggest problem.

illusory-prophetCrossing the Horizon by Laurie Notaro. Brave and bawdy ladies of the air try to be the first to cross the Atlantic.

Illusory Prophet by Susan Kaye Quinn.  A futuristic saga with an enhanced human trying to save the rest of humanity. This is the third book in a series. Get them all.

Goldfish by Nat Luurtsema. Lou is a champion swimmer whose been cast out of the pool. It’s pants-wettingly funny.

Great Gay romance:
My goodness. I read SOOO many of these. (more than 100! in 2016) Here’s a few hightlights:
Fave Hurt/Comfort: WHAT REMAINS by Garrett Leigh. Man. This one broke my heart into a million pieces by the end. A man struggles to support his lover after a traumatic brain injury destroys his partner’s memories of their love affair.

A Bear Walks Into A BarFave Dirty Pleasure read: A BEAR WALKS INTO A BAR is a straight up gay erotica from Eden Winters. There’s no man the big bad bear won’t have. Once, or twice. Multi-partner, orgy and various shifters dead ahead.

Fave Paranormal: WOLFSONG by TJ Klune. Pick this one up to curl up with over a cold weekend. It’s really long, yet the unconventional prose had me riveted. It’s a fated mates, shifter story that blew me away.

Fave Virgin Lover: PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT by Jay Northcote. This is so fun, with a nerdy college student trading love lessons for stats tutoring with his sporty neighbor. I enjoyed every moment of them crossing sexytimes off the list.

Fave Steampunk/Alt History:
CLOCKWORK HEART by Heidi Cullinan. A French tinker saves a dying Hungarian with the long-sought clockwork heart technology his master has been hiding for years. Let the pursuit begin.

walk-like-a-manFave Shifter romance: HOW TO WALK LIKE A MAN by Eli Easton. This is the second book in a series, and I think readers will enjoy all of them, but this one is my favorite, so far. The story revolves around a man who used to be a dog, and how he copes with being human, and finding love with a fellow police officer.

Fave Ugly Cry: SELFIE by Amy Lane. Features a Hollywood star living through the death of his closeted partner—and his complete and utter heartbreak. Suicide ideation, depression, coping, and new love. It was a rollercoaster of feels—all of them intense.

Fave Series: CAPTIVE PRINCE by C.S. Pacat. I read all three of these books in a week back in March, because I lost my mind with the first book and dove headlong into the series. Sleepless for at least one night so I could get to the end. Amazing if you like fantasy/political intrigue. PRINCE’S GAMBIT KINGS RISING, are the other two books. Must read.

Fave Sequel: FIGHT THE TIDE by Keira Andrews. This is the sequel to KICK AT THE DARKNESS and it kicked ass. Surviving in a post-apocalyptic world is rough, but it’s easier when your boyfriend is a werewolf. So many zombies…

TOO HOT TO HANDLE - coverFave Het Romances:
TOO HOT TO HANDLE by Tessa Bailey. A chef burns sown her mother’s former restaurant, and cobbles her busted family to go on a vision quest trip from San Diego to NYC. Sweet and raunchy by turns.

JACKSON’S TRUST by Violet Duke. Love for two sports reporters/analysts with an unhealthy dose of crappy family drama.

COCKY BASTARD by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland. Very fun story about a lawyer running from her disastrous past, and the sexy soccer player who scoops her up in the middle of nowhere.

bright-blazeFave ending to a series:
BRIGHT BLAZE OF MAGIC by Jennifer Estep. This is the third book in an urban fantasy YA series that rocks. I recommend all the books highly, but this finale did NOT disappoint. Magic, magical creatures, fighting for your family until the death, a wee bit of love and romance? Bam! It’s all there.

MANNERS AND MUTINY by Gail Carriger. I’ve completely fallen for this steampunk world of intrigue and assassins.

Fave transgender YA read:
THE ART OF BEING NORMAL by Lisa Williamson. Heartbreakingly freaking awesome. Some part of me will always remember this one. For kids/parents who are questioning gender dysphoria, I highly recommend.

Okay, so lots of different stuff to pick from because I have eclectic tastes. Hopefully something piques your interest, too. Share your fave reads in the comments so I can find something new, or just commiserate.

Going forward into 2017, I have a plan to pick up TBR reads on Thursdays, because, wow, to I have a lot of books in my queue. And, I probably won’t be posting quite as many reviews…because I’m back to teaching in February, that shaping young minds takes up a LOT of reading time, yo.

As always, thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Deadly Consequences–BRIGHT BLAZE OF MAGIC-A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a fantastic YA magical suspense adventure from Jennifer Estep. BRIGHT BLAZE OF MAGIC is the third book in the Black Blades series. You’ll remember that I loved DARK HEART OF MAGIC and it’s the same for this one.

Bright Blaze of Magic (Black Blade, #3)About the book:
Bad Things Always Come In Threes…

As a thief, I’m good at three things: hiding in the shadows, getting in and out unseen, and uncovering secrets. I put these skills to work for the Sinclair Family, one of the magical mobs that run the tourist town of Cloudburst Falls.

Everyone knows Victor Draconi wants to take over all the other Families–and kill every last Sinclair. What they don’t know is that I’m on to him, and no way will I let the man who murdered my mom get away with hurting all the other people I care about. Especially when I’ve got places to break into, stuff to steal, and Devon Sinclair fighting right by my side…

My Review:
This is the third book in a series, and I’d encourage readers to read the previous books for best enjoyment.

Lila Sterling is an orphaned teen in a magical world. She’s got plenty of magic herself, including the ability to sense magical power and transfer power used against her into magic she can use for herself. These are rare Talents, and she could find herself fighting for her life if power-hungry demagogues, like Victor Draconi, could get his lethal hands upon her. See, Victor has already killed Lila’s father and mother, and he’s the brutal leader of one of the four Families (think magic mafia) that control the power and commerce in Cloudburst Fall, NC.

Lila is employed by the Sinclair family as a bodyguard to Devon Sinclair, a beefy Bruiser, only son to Claudia Sinclair, head of the Family. Lila’s mother had worked for the Sinclairs many years ago, and Lila feels safe in their world–except she’d discovered a cache of magic infused weapons that had been collected by Victor. These mark the capstone in Victor’s plan to kill the other Families and seize all power in Cloudburst Falls, so Lila, Devon and Felix steal the majority of the weapons–with the help of Deah, Victor’s daughter (and Lila’s cousin)–and replace them with fakes.

It’s not long before all-out war is declared. It’s a bloody business and many lives are lost. It sould have been a massacre if Victor’s minions had the magic-infused weapons, however. Lila has the ability to end the siege, and bargain for the release of captives, using the very blades she stole from Victor. Oh, and win also a magic duel to end all battles.

I love the tension in this book. So many life-or-death moments, and increasing suspense. It’s a tough road for Lila, who wants to kill Victor, but needs to use her head, and plan the perfect revenge. When the time comes, she’s still a girl, one fighting for her life–and those all whom she loves. She and Devon are a couple in the book series, and they have appropriate levels of affection, which are wholly clean. Expect Lila to be hurt, downtrodden, and nearly out of the game altogether, but to persevere against all expectations. The magical elements of this world are truly charming, with unique fauna that have deadly abilities. Who knew I’d love me some Lochness monster? Yes, even a tentacled beast of the deep had me going Aww!

The end of this book marks a hard break in the series, with some small plot threads left open for use in another book–though I have no idea if a fourth book is forthcoming. 😉 That said, I’d totally read on. Lila was one of my Kick-Ass Heroines of 2015, and she’s a shoe-in to claim the title again in 2016. Between her thievery, her strength and her indomitable spirit, she’s a gal who gets the job done. If the job is protection, theft and saving the day, that is…

Interested? You can find BRIGHT BLAZE OF MAGIC on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and libraries/bookstores everywhere. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

About the Author:

Jennifer Estep is the New York Times bestselling author of the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series; the Black Blade young adult urban fantasy; the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series; and the Bigtime paranormal romance series.

Her books are available in print, audio, and e-book formats from a variety of retailers, including the following: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books-A-Million / iTunes / Kobo / Audible / Brilliance Audio.

You can catch up to Jennifer on her website, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Mystery and Murder in The DARK HEART OF MAGIC–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a paranormal YA adventure/romance from Jennifer Estep. The DARK HEART OF MAGIC is a book I really enjoyed. It’s got a cool fantasy story with neat world-building, and a realistic revenge plot.

Dark Heart of Magic (Black Blade, #2)About the book:
Something Wicked This Way Comes…
As a thief, I stick to the shadows as much as possible. But when the head of the Sinclair Family picks me to compete in the Tournament of Blades, there’s no escaping the spotlight—or the danger.

Even though he’s my competition, Devon Sinclair thinks I have the best shot at winning what’s supposed to be a friendly contest. But when the competitors start having mysterious “accidents,” it looks like someone will do anything to win—no matter who they hurt.

As if I didn’t have enough to worry about, mobster Victor Draconi is plotting against Devon and the rest of my friends, and someone’s going around Cloudburst Falls murdering monsters. One thing’s for sure. Sometimes, humans can be more monstrous than anything else…

My Review:
This is the second book in a series, but I read it out of order and had no problems with the storyline.

This book is set in the fantastical realm of Cloudburst Falls, West Virginia in a contemporary time period with the addition of magic, mobs and mayhem. Okay, so really it’s only magic that’s a game changer. In this bookscape, there are people who possess magical Talents, like super speed, strengths, divination etc. There are also magical creatures–which are highly concentrated in the mountainous area of Clouburst Falls, or so says the tourism board. Still, lochnesses, tree trolls and copper crushers are part of the fauna, and one must know how to deal with these creatures in order to get on.

Lila Merriweather is not who she claims to be, and there are few who know the secret of her identity. She was born Lila Sterling, child of Serena Sterling, a powerful woman who fled Cloudburst Falls after Lila’s father was murdered by his benefactor, Victor Draconi–head of the Draconi Family and the same dude who later murdered Serena, stealing her magical Talents.

Lila wants to avenge her parents, but she’s only 17 and still honing her magic, plus she knows it would be a suicide mission to take out the head of the most powerful Family in Cloudburst Falls. Instead, she’s the personal bodyguard of Devon Sinclair–son of Claudia Sinclair and second-in-command of the Sinclair Family. Lila recently saved Devon from certain death and is just getting used to her new position in the Family, as she’s been living on her own and stealing for a living since her mother’s murder four years ago. Also, she’s totally gaga for Devon, and he for her, but she holds off on making anything physical because she has lost too many people close to her to let Devon get in close.

This book is the set-up before the major clash between the Sinclair and Draconi families. We learn, intimately, just how underhanded the Draconis can be–and how ruthless some of these people in this world are.

The set-up is a tournament, which is meant to showcase all the Talents of the Families to themselves and the tourists. It’s a major attraction and has been won by Deah Draconi for the past two years. Deah’s not the biggest or strongest, but her mimic magic is a distinct edge. Devon and Lila are part of the competition this year, as is Katia Volkov–an outsider who comes down from New York to compete. She lost to Deah the past two years and is angling to win it all.

I really liked the bit of mystery that was woven into the story. Lila and Devon notice that the magical monsters are moving around, coming out from their normal habitats into areas that are more highly populated. This seems to be a defensive move because they also find many carcasses strewn about the woods, with suspicious markings and clearly malicious stab wounds. I had the culprit and motive pinpointed early on, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t happy with the reveal. Also, it made for some good suspense.

Lila has a lot to learn about the Family life, but she embraces the affection and support given so freely by the Sinclairs. Her mother and Claudia had been best friends in their girlhood, and Claudia is happy to have Lila with her. Of course, there are lots of secrets about Lila’s mother, and who best to relate them than Serena’s sister–not that Lila knew she had an aunt. Or a cousin, one who is poised to become her enemy and her ally. That twist was really excellent, and also sets up the next book stunningly.

Lila is a dark horse to win the tournament, but she performs exceedingly well, and it’s hers to lose. I won’t reveal any of that, but the depth of empathy Lila exhibits in the course of competition made her truly likable as a character. I liked that the love story between Lila and Devon is a side issue, one that Lila continues to set to the side, because her duty lies elsewhere. She has the right mindset, and I was glad that she behaved like a woman with a brain, and also a heart. I’m looking forward the next book.

Interested? You can find DARK HEART OF MAGIC on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble–and probably your local library, too.  I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin adult urban fantasy series for Pocket. Books in the series are SPIDER’S BITE, WEB OF LIES, VENOM, TANGLED THREADS, SPIDER’S REVENGE, BY A THREAD, and WIDOW’S WEB. THREAD OF DEATH, an e-novella, is also available.

HAINTS AND HOBWEBS: AN ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN SHORT STORY can be found in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF GHOST ROMANCE.

DEADLY STING, the eighth book, is set to be released on March 26, 2013.

Jennifer also writes the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series for Kensington.

Books in the series are TOUCH OF FROST, KISS OF FROST, and DARK FROST. CRIMSON FROST, the fourth book, is set to be released on Dec. 24, 2012.

FIRST FROST, a prequel e-story to the series, is available as a download. HALLOWEEN FROST, an e-short story, is available in the ENTANGLED e-anthology.

Jennifer is also the author of the Bigtime paranormal romance series. Books in the superhero-themed series are KARMA GIRL, HOT MAMA, JINX, and NIGHTINGALE. A KARMA GIRL CHRISTMAS, an e-story, is also available.

Excerpts, free short stories, and more information on Jennifer’s books can be found on her website. Catch her also on Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!