demons – Page 2 – Past Midnight Book Reviews & More

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Format: E-book

Pages: 507

Publication Date: June 11, 2019

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Romance, Young Adult

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Book Blurb:

Eighteen-year-old Trinity Marrow may be going blind, but she can see and communicate with ghosts and spirits. Her unique gift is part of a secret so dangerous that she’s been in hiding for years in an isolated compound fiercely guarded by Wardens—gargoyle shape-shifters who protect humankind from demons. If the demons discover the truth about Trinity, they’ll devour her, flesh and bone, to enhance their own powers.

When Wardens from another clan arrive with disturbing reports that something out there is killing both demons and Wardens, Trinity’s safe world implodes. Not the least because one of the outsiders is the most annoying and fascinating person she’s ever met. Zayne has secrets of his own that will upend her world yet again—but working together becomes imperative once demons breach the compound and Trinity’s secret comes to light. To save her family and maybe the world, she’ll have to put her trust in Zayne. But all bets are off as a supernatural war is unleashed…

MY REVIEW

Thank you Harlequin TEEN and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this free e-arc for an honest review.

I’ve read a few books by Jennifer L. Armentrout and really enjoy them but I did not read the The Dark Elements series. Maybe I should have because Storm and Fury is a spin-off from that series.

With that said, I struggled a little with this one.

Trinity Marrow is special. She is half human, half something else, and that “something” is very powerful. Trinity lives in a regional seat of the Wardens somewhere bordering West Virginia and Maryland. Wardens are human looking but when they need to fight and protect, they shift into their true forms: gargoyles. I thought that was really cool and different. They protect the world against demons and all things evil.

I really liked getting to know Trinity because she’s quirky, tough, spunky and skilled in combat. She can also see spirits and ghosts. Peanut, is a ghost that lingers around her and he is pretty funny. Trinity is also very impulsive and wants to help kick demon butt, but the Wardens need to keep her safe. Thing is she’s always getting into trouble or trouble seems to find her.

Zayne is a Warden with a past, apparently all of which can be read in The Dark Elements series! 🤦🏻‍♀️ He’s a gorgeous, strong Warden and he and Trinity have sparks right away. It’s all good until it kept getting a bit repetitive. At first I enjoyed their dialogue, but I felt like it could have moved along quicker.

Once Trinity and Zayne leave West Virginia is when the action and romance really picks up. This happens all in the second half of the book which is my favorite part. The sparks really ignite between them but also it’s all very complicated because of Zayne’s past. And then the ending was a surprising twist that left me sad. Also it reveals some things about Zayne and Trinity that didn’t leave me feeling satisfied about the outcome (trying not to mention any spoilers here).

For me, the second half was the best part of the book and a lot of the first half could’ve been trimmed. Also, I thought the 80’s pop cultural references were funny but because that’s my childhood and I got it. It’s why I adored Peanut. ☺️ I think fans of the Dark Elements series will love this one but it was just an okay read for me.

Get it here: Amazon

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My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Heather Fawcett

Format: Hard Cover

Pages: 432

Categories: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Magic, Witches, Stars, Demons

Book Blurb:

After the terrifying events on Mount Raksha, the witches have returned, and River has betrayed Kamzin to regain his dark powers. The witches’ next step: march on the Three Cities and take over the Empire—led by River’s brother, Esha.

If Kamzin is to save Azmiri and prevent the destruction of the Empire, she must find a star that fell in the Ash Mountains to the north. Fallen stars have immense power, and if Kamzin and Lusha can find the star, they can use its magic to protect their homeland. To get there, Kamzin has allied with Azar-at, the dangerous and deceptive fire demon, who can grant her great power—in exchange for pieces of her soul. But River wants the star too, and as their paths collide in dangerous and unexpected ways, Kamzin must wrestle with both her guilt and her conflicted feelings for the person who betrayed her.

Facing dark magic, a perilous journey, and a standoff against the witches, can Kamzin, Lusha, and Tem find the star and save their Empire?

MY REVIEW

The adventure continues in this sequel to Even the Darkest Stars but with less mountaineering. Lusha, Kamzin’s older sister who is a seer, is with her every step of the way on this journey. She strives to remind Kamzin to make the right decisions regarding the task ahead – finding a fallen star and bringing it to the Emperor to bind the witches’ power again. I never quite took a liking to Lusha – she’s so hard on Kamzin and hardly ever lets up. Tem is also with them, using his shamanic skills to protect them as best he can.

“Some truths aren’t meant to be found, even by the most determined explorers.”
All the Wandering Light by. Heather Fawcett

This story was told through a few different perspectives: Kamzin and River obviously but at one point there was a few chapters told through Mara. Not sure if Mara’s perspective was needed though, he became a non-issue in the end. Mingma, the ghost also made a cameo and then he was gone! His time was brief in the book but so impactful, Kamzin needed to hear from an explorer who didn’t succeed in his mission, because sometimes that’s just life.

“Choosing to lock yourself up in a life that doesn’t suit you is its own sort of death, wouldn’t you say?”
All the Wandering Light by. Heather Fawcett

The beginning was slow but I understand why – we get to learn more of River’s story. We meet his brothers, and learn about River’s family history. With the binding spell gone, it seems River is the most powerful witch in the Kingdom, but he never wanted power, in essence all he wanted was freedom. His romance with Kamzin doesn’t show up really until the very end, talk about a slow burn romance! They really did put the issues of the Empire before the lovey-dovey stuff.

I really love the action scenes in the end, witches lunging out of the wall? Give me more! That was the one thing about this book that gave me a slight pause. I was trudging through the beginning, then at the end I was reading so fast through the action and all of a sudden it was over! 🤔 The author did wrap things up nicely in the end but can there be more stories to be told in this world? Oh – most definitely.

What I adored about this series is the magical entities. I fell in love with the familiars, Ragtooth and Biter. I loved the demons in this story too. And yes to the witches, ghosts and pet-like dragons! Also, what about that falling star? I adored her – I wanted to put her in my pocket and keep her forever – she gave me giddy feelings. The writing is beautiful and drew me into this world filled with lore and magic.

I enjoyed this series very much. I could totally envision myself wearing kinnika bells around my neck (I figured I’d be a shaman instead of an explorer) with my own feisty wing-demon. Fire-demons stay away from me though, I might be too tempted by them!