Blog Tour Review: City of Light by Keri Arthur

, by Kt Clapsadl

City of Light by Keri Arthur
Outcast #1

The first in an all-new futuristic fantasy series from Keri Arthur—the New York Times bestselling author of the Souls of Fire novels.

When the bombs that stopped the species war tore holes in the veil between this world and the next, they allowed entry to the Others—demons, wraiths, and death spirits who turned the shadows into their hunting grounds. Now, a hundred years later, humans and shifters alike live in artificially lit cities designed to keep the darkness at bay....

As a déchet—a breed of humanoid super-soldiers almost eradicated by the war—Tiger has spent her life in hiding. But when she risks her life to save a little girl on the outskirts of Central City, she discovers that the child is one of many abducted in broad daylight by a wraith-like being—an impossibility with dangerous implications for everyone on earth.

Because if the light is no longer enough to protect them, nowhere is safe...

In the Urban Fantasy genre, starting a new series is always somewhat of a challenge. There's always so much world building needed to set the stage for the story, which can really bog things down. Or sometimes the reverse can be true where not near enough is explained, which worse in my book. However, every so often a series opener comes along that just perfectly nails that balance. One where you can immerse yourself into the story with enough backstory and information to blend along with the action at the forefront to keep you fully hooked from the start. CITY OF LIGHT nails this balance in every way. The world behind this story is incredible, from the post apocalyptic feel after the war, to the variety of species and the prejudices that go with them. That and all the various dangers brought an interesting mix that kept me hooked.

Speaking of hooked, the characters were stellar in this one, particularly Tig. While she may be slightly reminiscent of Arthur's other heroines from other series, Tig is fully her own character. The similarities lie more in writing style than repetition, and that doesn't detract one bit, in fact it makes her shine a bit more as I found myself understanding her more quickly, and sinking in faster due to the same flow of Arthur's writing style. But getting back to Tig, she's incredibly strong, but despite or rather perhaps in spite of, some staggeringly horrific past events she's not hard. Far from it. She risks life and limb over and over in this book for those who would just as soon as see her dead. She truly is admirable. 

All in all, CITY OF LIGHT proves Keri Arthur is truly a master at her craft. Plain and simple this series should be on every urban fantasy lover's list. I'll be counting down the days until the next book is released. Bravo!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     Carol's Random Life
     Koeur's Book Reviews
     125 Pages

Review: Liam Takes Manhattan by Thea Harrison

, by Kt Clapsadl

Liam Takes Manhattan by Thea Harrison
Elder Races #9.5

Reeling from a deep loss, the magical prince of the Wyr, Dragos and Pia’s son Liam Cuelebre, turns inward and withdrawn as he struggles to come to terms with who he is, along with the challenges that lie before him.

Hoping to ease his heartache and offer comfort, a concerned Dragos and Pia offer him a gift, something he has desired for a long time. Liam’s response has a ripple effect across all of New York. Soon miracles of all kinds start arriving just in time for Christmas, along with a visit from a mysterious person who gives Liam hope and a vision of his future.





I love this series, and all the characters, but Dragos/Pia/Liam hold a special place for me. So this novella trilogy has been a real treat, and I especially enjoyed Liam's story rounding things out. His incredibly rapid growth made him a bit of an unknown, and this peek inside his head really opened things up. I mean abstractly while he showed to be very intelligent and extremely fast developmentally, both I and Pia/Dragos still saw him as only a child. But what else could you expect when you consider that technically he's less than a year old. This novella while incredibly short showed a turning point for Liam, and paved the way for full novel(s) from his perspective. After reading this and the previous two installments in this novella trilogy, I'm only more desperate for the next book in this fantastic series, a sure sign of a great read. A perfect bonus treat for fans of the series, LIAM TAKES MANHATTAN is not to be missed.

(Received a copy from the author)

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Other Reviews:
     Smexy Books
     Coffee, Cookies, and Books
     Tome Tender

Previous Books:
     1. Dragon Bound
     2. Storm's Heart
     3. Serpent's Kiss
     4. Oracle's Moon
     5. Lord's Fall
     6. Kinked
     6.5. Dragos Takes a Holiday
     6.6. Pia Saves the Day
     7. Night's Honor
     8. Midnight's Kiss
     8.6. Pia Does Hollywood

Kirsten Reviews: The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss by Max Wirestone

, by Kt Clapsadl

The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss by Max Wirestone

For anyone who has ever geeked out about something and for fans of The Guild, New Girl, Scott Pilgrim, Big Bang Theory, Veronica Mars.

Meet Dahlia Moss, the reigning queen of unfortunate decision-making in the St. Louis area. She is unemployed, broke, and on her last bowl of ramen. But that's all about to change.

Before Dahlia can make her life any messier on her own she's offered a job. A job that she's woefully under-qualified for. A job that will lead her to a murder, an MMORPG, and possibly a fella (or two?).




The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss by Max Wirestone navigating the tenuous divide between the absurd and the hilarious, and manages quite well.

The odds of Dahlia successfully navigating adulthood are 3,720 to 1. But never tell her the odds.

Meet Dahlia Moss, the reigning queen of unfortunate decision-making in the St. Louis area. Unemployed broke, and on her last bowl of ramen, she's not living her best life. But that's all about to change.

Before Dahlia can make her life any messier on her own she's offered a job. A job that she's woefully under-qualified for. A job that will lead her to a murder, an MMORPG, and possibly a fella (or two?).

Turns out unfortunate decisions abound, and she's just the girl to deal with them.

Dahlia Moss is broke and unemployed, one might even say chronically. Her social life is likewise abysmal. Her roommate, Charice, is a buggy, (no, really, there's unexpected surveillance), and sometimes ridiculous force of nature prone to scheming and basking in any sort of attention. However, one thing Dahlia does have going for her is she knows her way around video games.

Of note is the fact that she's not a detective. Not a licensed detective, this is an important distinction, but not one that will stop her from getting her spear. Yes, there's a spear to be found, a murder to be solved, and is essential. The police are not amused by any of this, and perhaps most of all, Dahlia's interference. However, some of these same cops can’t recognize the insidious power of Candy Crush, so their contempt should be taken with a drop or three of invisibility oil.

Something else Dahlia has in spades is a low-level of embarrassment at her lack of accomplishments - she's distanced herself from college friends because of her lack of a good career, and that sort of determination most millennials will recognized. We may not know how something is going to turn out, but we'll figure out a way to get to our destination, be it Zoth or the Land of Secure Employment and Retirement. Maybe it can be unlocked after reaching level 30 in Kingdoms of Zoth.

Readers who are any type of geek will enjoy the many pop culture references, the story’s use of, and respect for gaming culture, which can be presented as zany, but is never denigrated, and a heroine who finds her footing, even in costume and while juggling a lyre.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     The BiblioSanctum
     Badass Book Reviews


Shadow's End by Thea Harrison

, by Kt Clapsadl

Shadow's End by Thea Harrison
Elder Races #9

The author of Lord’s Fall and Midnight’s Kiss returns with an enchanting and sizzling new tale about debts that cannot be repaid and hunger that cannot be satisfied…

For Beluviel, consort to the Elven High Lord, and Graydon, gryphon and First Sentinel of the Wyr, even the slightest desire for each other is forbidden. But two hundred years ago, after a desperate play to save Beluviel’s stepson left them indebted to the cruel Djinn Malphas, they found their fates inexorably linked together—and the hunger between them growing too strong to ignore…

Two centuries later, with their debt to Malphas coming due, Beluviel and Graydon realize that, if they are to stand any chance of saving their souls, they must once again work together—this time more closely than ever before. But every moment they spend with each other brings them nearer to losing something even more vital—their hearts…

This is one of those books that brings everything together in a long running series. There's been so many different pieces leading up to this book and so many threads, that it was really enjoyable to finally see how everything ties together. From the elves, to the Djinn, the Nightkind, plenty of politics, and a long running forbidden romance, this book has so much going on tying those threads together from all the books and I enjoyed every moment of it.

The convergence of all the threads would have kept me more than thrilled with the book, but when you consider that I've loved Graydon from the very first book, the romance took things a step further. Sure their epic love affair is a bit of a instalove stretch if you really think about it, but it worked nonetheless. I couldn't help feeling so much for Graydon and Beluviel, making for the best kind of romance.

I could go on and on, but I'll keep vague to avoid spoiling. A seriously game changing installment in the Elder Races series, SHADOW'S END is a must read for fans of the series. It proves once and for all that Thea Harrison is a master at her craft and I can't wait to see what happens next.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
     Hot Listens
     Red Hot Books
     Smexy Books

Previous Books:
     1. Dragon Bound
     2. Storm's Heart
     3. Serpent's Kiss
     4. Oracle's Moon
     5. Lord's Fall
     6. Kinked
     6.5. Dragos Takes a Holiday
     6.6. Pia Saves the Day
     7. Night's Honor
     8. Midnight's Kiss


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