ARC Book Review: The Wrath by Gena Showalter

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The Wrath
Rise of the Warlords #4

Author: Gena Showalter
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Released: 02/06/2024
Review Source: Author provided

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with a new book in the tantalizing Rise of the Warlords series, featuring a brutal Hell king and the irresistible beauty who upends his world.

For centuries, Rathbone the Only, King of Agonies, has existed for one recovering the enchanted bones of his slain wife to bring her back to life. He’s never been closer to success. But a new enemy has risen. A band of deadly war gods who have thirty days to destroy her or suffer the consequences. With time running out, Rathbone hires a maddening harpy-oracle, unaware she has an agenda of her own.

Neeka the Unwanted is a fierce warrior on a stop Rathbone and the gods. She’s seen the future if either is victorious, and it’s horrifying. She’ll do whatever proves necessary to forge a new path, even seduce the ruthless royal from his purpose. What she can’t predict? How the intense male will shatter her hard-won defenses along the way.

As Rathbone battles unexpected betrayals, cunning foes and the wild temptress he craves with every fiber of his being, he knows he must hold on to a cold dream or embrace a new flame.

Having been here since the very beginning starting with The Darkest Night, The Wrath was like catching up with dear friends - nostalgic in the best way, but also full of surprises and the witty humour you come to expect with Gena Showalter. Gena, in my opinion, writes some of the best characters and banter I’ve ever read, and I was SO excited for Neeka and Rathbone’s HEA.

Neeka and Rathbone come together to form an unlikely alliance when Rathbone hires her to help him bring his wife back, but Neeka has her own agenda…

The harpies have always been a favourite of mine in this world - they are unmatched with their fierceness and wittiness. The top layer of Neeka is full of madness, all bark and all bite, and the biggest wall around herself. She shrugs off the Neeka The Unwanted title but my heart hurt for her on occasions. And when she got possessive? Absolutely YES. Always. There’s something next level when the female character is “touch him and die”.

The romance was 10/10 - they kept us waiting for the kiss with a slow burning romance. There were moments where Rathbone was boneheaded and thoughtless (unintentionally, but what can you expect from an adopted child of Hades) but it was made up with some well-written groveling.

Anyways - I loved this book. Everything from the main character’s romance, to Neeka and Taliyah’s solid friendship and everything else. I loved that it wasn’t just a romance between two characters - there were insights to so many other elements and I think that’s why these books never get stale or boring. The Wrath was well-rounded, well-written, hilarious with kickass characters.

ARC: Game of Gravestone by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe

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Game of Gravestones
A Jane Ladling Mystery #3

Author: Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Cosy Mystery
Released: 09/26/2022
Review Source: ARC provided by authors

She suspects everyone of everything. Except her oldest friend. Who's found next to a body. Holding the murder weapon.

For the first time, things are just right for cemetery owner Jane Ladling. Her cat only kind of hates her sort of boyfriend, Special Agent Conrad Ryan, and she isn't flat broke. When she's asked to host a murder mystery fundraiser for the people of Aurelian Hills, Georgia, she'd totally on board. Champagne, intrigue, and community. Yes, please. Then game night happens and a fake murder turns into a red one, leaving her mentor and knitting buddy Fiona at the top of the suspect list, with heir best pal Beau a close second. Oops?

Jane's not about to leave the fate of her loves one to, well, fate. On the hunt for clues, she turns the small town upside down. As scandalous secrets surface, a single truth becomes clear: if she doesn't solve the murder fast, Jane will be the next victim.

I will say this until I'm blue in the face - Lane Ladling  is one of my favourite characters. Ever. Her quirkiness and humour just calls to me and I always finish an instalment with the warmest feeling in my heart. I adored both previous instalments and you can read my review for Romancing the Gravestone (book one) here and No Gravestone Left Unturned (book two) here - both five star reviews, by the way.

Game of Gravestones is the latest instalment in the Jane Ladling Mystery series and of course, there's been another murder, but fear not - Jane is on the case! Her plan to solve the mystery? Befriend everyone with a cat and make playdates between Rolex and other cats....duh. Between Jane, Fiona, Conrad, Beau and the three hunks, there is never a dull moment here - and there's even new character's who pop up and become frequent throughout.

This cosy mystery series is heavily focused on plot and characters so I was pleasantly surprised when there was a smidgen more romance here -  flirty banter and a first date with Conrad. There was romantic progress here (and did I sniff a love interest for Beau too?!) and it was my favourite thing about this book. Conrad has me in a chokehold and I'm not even mad.

"I love you, Jane Ladling, and I'm never letting you go."

Major swoon, right?!

Book Review: No Gravestone Left Unturned by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe

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No Gravestone Left Unturned
A Jane Ladling Mystery #2

Author: Gena Showalter
and Jill Monroe
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Cosy Mystery
Released: 03/28/22
Review Source: Purchased

She suspects everyone of everything. Now, everyone suspects her.

For cemetery owner and world’s best fur-mom Jane Ladling, death is her business, romance is her misfortune and suspicion is her passion. When she discovers a fresh body on her porch, she calls Special Agent Conrad Ryan, her smoke-show of a boyfriend. Who isn’t actually her boyfriend. Whatever. It’s complicated, especially now that she’s being framed for the murder of the only “hard-hitting” journalist in the small town of Aurelian Hills, Georgia.

Determined to clear her good name, Jane dives headlong into following the clues––with best friends Fiona and Beau at her side. But can she identify the killer before she goes to jail? Or worse…there’s another victim?

I highly suggest reading book one, Romancing the Gravestone before diving into No Gravestone Left Unturned - you'll get a great backstory of the drama, why the body was dumped on Jane's front porch and most importantly - an introduction to Conrad and Beau. It isn't a book you want to miss. You can read my review of Romancing the Gravestone here.

The absolute best thing about the Jane Ladling series is its ability to hook you instantly. Straight from the prologue her hilarious, quirky personality shone through and I was addicted. Jane is quirky and slightly bonkers and a firm favourite of mine. 

Argh! Earlier, she'd lost her sunglasses. What would be next? Her good sense? Her dignity? Or had she already parted with those?

This series put the cosy mystery genre onto my radar and I regret nothing - it is the cutest, funniest and quirkiest series I've read in years. This series literally makes me laugh out loud and I don't think I'll ever forget it. The romance is very minimal yet the grip Conrad has on my heart is insane (I'm also very partial to Beau). Jane is convinced her family is cursed as none of the women of her family have found true love and been able to to keep a hold it - but it's looking like Ladling curse with a certain hunky cop named Conrad. Or Beau. You know what, I'll be happy with either....or both.

What was my favourite part of the novel, you ask? Oh, I'll tell you. Have you ever witnessed somebody refusing to be dismissed by a cop? Jane Ladling did. In fact, she convinced the Sheriff to lock her up, and I completely lost it when she said this:

"I'm done arguing about this Sherriff. you lock me in the slammer and throw away the key, or ill be lodging a formal complaint with the city council. Then I'll come after your job! ill find a way to become next sheriff, just see if I don't.

Jill Monroe and Gena Showalter are the best and they have created such an iconic character with Jane Ladling. I will read anything they write - separately or together - and if you haven't read this one then you are missing out on a cracking series!

ARC Book Review: Ruthless by Gena Showalter

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Ruthless
Immortal Enemies #2

Author: Gena Showalter
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: GENRE
Released: DATE
Review Source: ARC provided by author

Forbidden. Powerful. Ruthless.

Micah the Unwilling, fae King of the Forgotten, can tame even the most violent of beasts. Forged on the battlefield, this iron-willed warrior considers his soldiers his family, and he will stop at nothing to reclaim their dispossessed land. Gearing for war with a sadistic enemy, he is disciplined and focused—until a feral beauty he encountered long ago wanders into his camp.

Viori de Aoibheall wields a terrifying ability to sing monsters to life. Having spent her childhood in a forest, raising herself and her frightening creations—the only friends she’s ever known—she’s ill prepared for the scarred royal and his fearsome brutality. Not to mention the ferocity of their connection and the carnality of his touch. But the real problem? Her brother is Micah’s greatest foe. And though the sensual king makes her burn, she must stop him, whatever the cost.

We met Viori in Heartless - Kaysar's long lost sister, and I was thrilled when I realised she was the heroin of Ruthless. And the enemies to lovers ordeal? Yes please! Arguablly one of the best tropes for a paranormal romance. I won't lie, I was slightly worried as the miscommunication trope slide in but it was written really well and I actually enjoyed the ride of miscommunication! This whole book was *chefs kiss*.

As a teenager Micah stumbled upon Viori while she was submerged in one of her deep sleeps and years later they cross paths again. Even in the first book I just knew Viori would be fiercely independent and she was exactly that - after raising and keeping herself alive, she is fierce and dangerous with a mountain of walls built around her - her actions portrayed a lot of her characters past trauma I think - and one of my favourite things was experiencing Viori coming out of her shell and accepting and exploring Micah and his adoration.

Ruthless was a brilliant addition to the Immortal Enemies series - it was energising, fun and packed with unhinged characters who are hard to resist. Gena Showalter has yet to write something I haven't love and this was no exception. At "The End" I felt happy, content and gooey over the latest happily ever after. If you like fast paced paranormal romance with the best banter and unique world building, you will love this series. 

Book Review: Heartless by Gena Showalter

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Heartless
Immortal Enemies #1

Author: Gena Showalter
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Released: June 29th 2021
Review Source: Purchased

Vengeance is irresistible…

Kaysar the Unhinged One, fae King of Midnight, can drive anyone to madness with his song. A ruthless warrior forged in hate, he lives to force his enemies to their knees. He will stop at nothing to succeed—even abduct and seduce his foe’s beloved bride, ensuring his own child one day sits on the male’s throne. Except, his prize escapes to the mortal realm before the first kiss, her heart transplanted into a mortal beauty with dangerous secrets…

Chantel “Cookie” Bardot is a professional gamer girl great at trash talking, bad at peopling. After a long awaited surgery, she begins to morph into a powerful fae princess. Catapulted into a strange land ruled by a cruel but seductive villain, she must battle flesh and blood monsters and navigate royal intrigues. But the true danger is Kaysar, whose every wicked touch tempts her beyond reason. Should she run…or descend into the darkness with him?

Heartless introduces a brand new world from Gena Showalter which introduces us to a world of fae and most importantly - Kaysar, King of the Dusklands. Kaysar is certifiably mentally unstable (they don't call him Kaysar the Unhinged for nothing) and I loved his character. He, alongside Chantal, were a perfect introductory couple to the series.

I never annotate my books - it's just not my thing but I actually used some of my university stationary to tab sections of my book because there were so many moments I loved - comments, thoughts, feelings that I wanted to flick back to. 

Kaysar has a lot of rage within from a childhood full of death, pain and torture so watching him go from angry and vengeful - a man who didn't like to kiss or touch and used pleasure as a weapon to use, and he turned into a man who could not live without his woman. Kaysar turned me into mush over his love for her. 

 "My affections are yours, Chantel. I will see to your every need and slay your every dragon."

Gena Showalter excels in writing witty female characters who have tonnes of character - just one of the many reasons why I will read anything she chooses to write. I know it will include amazing writing, witty characters (and an unhinged psychopath if we're lucky) and a plot I'm bound to love. Heartless was a brilliant read - from the main character to Cookie's sixty-two-year-old roommate and Jareth, the ex-lover of Cookie's heart donor and I am already bouncing on my seat impatiently for Ruthless!

 

Book Review: Romancing the Gravestone by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe

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Romancing the Gravestone
A Jane Ladling Mystery #1

Author: Gena Showalter
and Jill Monroe
Reading Level: Adult 
Genre: Mystery | Romance 
Released: 09/27/21
Review Source: Purchased

She suspects everyone of everything. Sometimes she gets it right.

Jane Ladling is the sole proprietor of her family's landlocked cemetery, Garden of Memories. She's responsible for the, er, guests, but there's a slight problem. Well, besides her moody cat, Rolex, and her sixty-two-year-old best friend's unrequited crush on the sheriff. An extra body now rests in Plot #39.

Enter Special Agent Conrad Ryan. He's gruff, he's gorgeous, and oh, yes, he kind of suspects her of murder. What's an innocent—and very single, not that it matters—girl to do? Solve the crime herself. Even if she must turn the small town of Aurelian Hills, Georgia upside down.

The only line she won't cross? Falling for the first man to make her heart flutter. Nope, not happening. Not even a little.

Romancing the Gravestone is the first book in the Jade Ladling series by authors Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe and it was the cutest book I've ever read (can a book even be called cute if there's a dead body, a murderer on the loose and the main setting is a grave site?).

Dubbed "The Cemerary Girl", Jane is the sole owner and caretaker of Garden of Memories, a private cemetery she inherited from her Grandma Lily. In the middle of making her to-do list, Jane discovers a dead body, which isn't usually for someone who owns a cemetery, but what is unusual is the fresh body in grave of a well established closed casket. Cuddling isn't all that common in caskets, especially when only one body was buried. 

Jane is a special character - she is quirky with a mouth that doesn't know when to stop talking, a sixty-two-year-old best friend, an unhealthy obsession with hats and a passive aggressive cat called Rolex (who was really the star of the show). There's also Special Agent Conrad. The hotter than the sun detective who's assigned to Garden of Memories murder case. 

The romance in Romancing the Gravestone is a slow burn and Conrad clearly has a thing for Jane (although we're waiting on Jane catching up) and I am already gasping for air to read No Gravestone Left Unturned to get my fix. There's also Beau - a quite character but I hope we see more of him, because all it takes is a quite, manly man character to get me hooked. 

Although the book is not long, it is mighty and packs a punch. I was gripped from the very first page and everything from the stunning cover to the charming chapter headers add so much personality and I truly adored Romancing the Gravestone. It made me smile and I developed an unhealthy crush on Conrad (Beau too, not going to lie) and book two is much anticipated.

Cover Reveal: Fifty Shades of Graves by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe

We are so stoked about this cover reveal for Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe's latest novel!

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Fifty Shades of Graves
Author: Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Author Talk Media LLC

She suspects everyone of everything. Now, everyone suspects her.

For cemetery owner and world’s best fur-mom Jane Ladling, death is her business, romance is her misfortune and suspicion is her passion. When she discovers a fresh body on her porch, she calls Special Agent Conrad Ryan, her smoke-show of a boyfriend. Who isn’t actually her boyfriend. Whatever. It’s complicated, especially now that she’s being framed for the murder of the only “hard-hitting” journalist in the small town of Aurelian Hills, Georgia.

Determined to clear her good name, Jane dives headlong into following the clues––with best friends Fiona and Beau at her side. But can she identify the killer before she goes to jail? Or worse…there’s another victim?

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Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over seventy books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld series, the Gods of War series, the White Rabbit Chronicles, and the Forest of Good and Evil series. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs and cats.

Jill Monroe is the international best selling author of over fifteen novels and novellas. Her books are available across the globe and The Wrong Bed: Naked Pursuit has been adapted for the small screen for Lifetime Movie Network. When not writing, Jill makes her home in Oklahoma with her husband, enjoys daily walks with her dog Zoey, texting with her two daughters who are away at college and collecting fabric for items she’ll sew poorly

Book Review: Everlife by Gena Showalter

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Everlife
Everlife #3

Author: Gena Showalter
Reading Level:Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy / Dystopia
Released: 27th February 2017
Review Source: Bought

STAND TOGETHER OR FALL ALONE.

THE FATE OF THE EVERLIFE HANGS IN THE BALANCE.

At seventeen years old, Tenley “Ten” Lockwood had to make the ultimate choice—where to live after she died. Loyalty to her selected realm has not wavered…until now. She is out of time. Sacrifices must be made, and a terrible price must be paid. But is she too late?

As the Everlife descends into darkness, a single truth becomes clear: Troika and Myriad must unite—or perish. In order to bring sworn enemies together, Ten must enter forbidden territory…and destroy the powerful Prince of Ravens. But there’s only one way inside—bonding with Killian Flynn, a deadly rival who sets her blood aflame.

When nothing goes as planned and betrayal leads to the edge of utter defeat, Ten and Killian will have to rebuild trust from the ashes of their hearts. Victory seems impossible, the odds stacked against them. In the end, how far will they be willing to go for the sake of their realms and the Everlife?

Everlife brings the conclusion--the end of this unique, fantastic trilogy.

The Everlife trilogy has truly been a breath of fresh air. Tenley Lockwood is such a unique character. Being a young adult with the weight of the world on her shoulders, she handled it as any other teenager would. With maturity (with flickers of immaturity) and indecisiveness. After all, who wants to make such a life changing decision without some deep thought? Especially when that decision could destroy a whole realm.

The evolution of Ten and Killian was...definitely a journey. After a rocky journey down a forbidden path, they do the one thing that seems right--bonding to each other. Not only because of the love they share but because if Tenley wants any chance at getting into Many Ends again, Ten needs to bond to Killian. For better or for worse. Things don't turn out quite as they planned and she finds herself with an extra enemy. Victory is not in sight and it feels like fighting a losing battle. But they cannot give up...the other path is not an option.

Very rarely am I happy with trilogy endings. I'm not a huge fan of cliffhangers, open endings or huge tragedies that bring the story to an end. I don't think I've been as happy or content after finishing a series before. Seriously. You cannot read Everlife if you have not read the first two installments but I will keep this review short and sweet to avoid any spoilers.

I'm sad that the series is over. I will miss each and every character and the world Showalter created but I can eagerly say I (im)patiently await the next Gena Showalter book (and I reccomend you all check out her other series' too!)