Two short reviews of urban fantasy books I’ve read recently!
Title: Wildfire
Author: Ilona Andrews
Release Date: July 25, 2017
Rating: Highly Recommended
I stayed up until 4:30 this morning reading Wildfire, the third book in Ilona Andrews’ Hidden Legacy series. I’m exhausted and am running on way too much instant coffee, but it was worth it.
It was so worth it.
Wildfire is one hell of a ride from start to finish. I started reading it at 1:30 am, thinking that I’d just power throuh a few chapters and be in bed by 2:30. The next thing I knew, it was two hours later than that and I was so keyed up from all of the incredible action that I didn’t know how I was going to fall asleep. (Until I passed out of course.)
Wildfire is a book about magic, super-powers, and political conspiracies that need thwarting. However, it’s also a book about finding and keeping your family together. Nevada’s family has grown and she has even more at stake than she did back when the biggest worry she had was about whether or not an egotistical Prime was going to burn down the whole city.
I don’t know if Ilona and her husband/co-author Gordon will be putting out more books in this series, but I really hope they do. This was a fantastic read and I’m already eagerly awaiting more!
Title: Lover’s Knot
Author: Karen Chance
Release Date: June 27, 2017
Rating: Highly Recommended
At this point in my life, there are only a few things that Karen Chance could write that I wouldn’t read. I’ve been reading her Cassie Palmer series since I was a high school senior in 2006 and I legitimately can’t get enough of her Dorina Basarab series. (Even though I will always be obnoxious about dhampirs.)
Lover’s Knot is a free novella that takes place after Fury’s Kiss, the third Dorina Basarab novel but takes place between 15th century Venice and the 21st century. Dory and her father Mircea are the main characters of this quick, but intense read and I really enjoyed this return to the characters’ relationship.
The book opens with Dory coming back from a blackout to a room full of baby vampires (not literal baby vampires, but like newly turned ones) that her formerly dormant vampire side has been well… baby sitting. Or… holding hostage.
I’m still not sure.
(She’s probably not sure, to be fair.)
I’m a huge fan of the book’s flashbacks to Mircea’s time in Venice in 1457 because those flashbacks are set a little while after the events of Chance’s standalone Mircea novel Masks. (Which is a great book that y’all should read asap.) At that time, he’s also kind of a baby vampire himself. The flashbacks set up Mircea’s power and also give us (and Dory) a clue to something integral in the present day plot.
(A plot that I’m not describing in detail because I know I’ll spoil the hell out of it.)
There are some dark moments as Dory’s lover Louis-Cesare is once again pretty in peril, but for the most part Lover’s Knot manages to be both funny and fun while serving up fast-paced action and some world building that I feel is preparing us for the next books in Chance’s two series.
The only downside to the novella is that I don’t think that you can read it without being vaguely familiar with the characters. If you haven’t read a Karen Chance book in a while, you might be able to pick things up on the go.
If you’ve never read any of her books, you need to start. This is a free read so take your time moving through the series until you’re caught up, but get caught up.
I command it.
Stitch's Media Mix 
You must be logged in to post a comment.