In 2021 I read/wrote reviews for 74 books! Of those, of course there were some favourites, both of books in general and authors. My top three authors that I quite enjoyed this year and would recommend would be:
K. M. Shea:
Amazon Author Page – Website
She writes some amazing fantasy books. I first got hooked on The Fairy Tale Enchantress books, but there hasn’t been a book of hers I’ve read that I haven’t loved. Her writing is refreshing and her plotlines interesting and you’re never quite sure what you might be getting yourself into. Also absolutely loved her Court of Midnight and Deception book series!
Melanie Karsak
Amazon Author Page – Website
Be still my steampunk loving heart. You got gothic steampunk mixed with fantasy elements and magic? You got it! I got hooked on the Steampunk Red Riding Hood books and couldn’t put any of the others she’s written down once I started. She really draws you in to a detailed and well flushed out steampunk world leaving you wanting more and more, even at the end.
Kel Carpenter
Amazon Author Page – Website
Carpenter isn’t like the other two authors I’d recommend in that she’s very much fantasy (mostly modern fantasy) but quite romance based. Her books are definitely R rated, and some I enjoyed quite a bit more than others. A few of her series feature reverse harems.
Kel Carpenter
Review of Black Swan by Kel Carpenter and Aurelia Jane
![Black Swan (A Demon's Guide to the Afterlife Book 3) by [Kel Carpenter, Aurelia Jane]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51XqRubNbPL.jpg)
Synopsis:
Everyone wants to be different, until they are. Take it from a true Heinz 57, being special isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Especially when it sets off a series of events that will end the world. You know, the catastrophe I was sent to prevent in the first place.
Fate has a funny way of doing whatever it wants.
In trying to change the future, I’m now the catalyst for destruction.
I should have known it was a bad omen when I shifted into a white raven instead of a wolf.
Our enemies may be more powerful than we ever imagined, but I’ve got a talking crow and Bloody Mary on my side.
I have friends now—and family. Not to mention, one hell of a love life I have no intention of giving up. I would die for any of them, but that’s not the plan.
It’s time to see if I can stop this black swan.
Tick. Tock.
BLACK SWAN is book three in A Demon’s Guide to the Afterlife series. This is the FINAL book in Fury’s story. Start the series with DARK HORSE right now!
This is an adult paranormal romance series with multiple love interests and some dark elements. If you don’t like strong but flawed women and alphahole heroes that need to learn a thing or two about boundaries–this book is not for you. If you love works by Tate James, Ivy Asher, Raven Kennedy, Joely Sue Burkhart, and CM Stunich, then dive right in to the Afterlife. It’ll be one hell of a ride.
Review:
This was a decent ending for Fury’s story. There were definite aspects I never saw coming, but it flowed well and I quite enjoyed it. The relationships were and are really what drove this book/the series. I love Hades and Fury’s relationship and the dynamic there. There were a few times that I didn’t read fully and was skimming, but it was never for that long. One great take away is the depth of what being forced into situations can do to a person, and how unhealthy hoping mechanisms can’t be encouraged and it’s okay to get outside help for problem behaviours. It’s also okay to not put up with people who abuse you. All in all, I can’t wait to read the last (?) book in this series of Hades and Jules, but I greatly did love getting to be in Fury’s world.
Star rating: ✯✯✯✯
Review of Long Live the Soulless by Kel Carpenter and Lucinda Dark
![Long Live the Soulless (Dark Maji Book 5) by [Kel Carpenter]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/514CQmmEq-L.jpg)
Synopsis:
She died protecting the man she loved. She died by his hands. And on that blood soaked grave, vengeance grew.
Quinn Darkova leads a listless existence in the dark realm. As honored guest and beloved by Mazzulah, she wants for nothing. But when Risk enters the realm to save her, the dark god can’t resist a good bargain.
Lazarus is not the man he once was. Consumed by his own grief, he’s a beast whose sole motivation in life is getting revenge on the man who took Quinn from him.
Fate isn’t done with either of them.
There’s still one game left to play.
Winner takes all, and no matter the victor, the Sirian continent will never be the same again.
This is the fifth and final book in the Dark Maji series. This series must be read in order.
Review:
While this was a good end to the series, I will say that this book ramped up a few things that I’m not certain readers will quite enjoy. Firstly, the depravity of Nero is fully seen on display, both in actions he actively takes part of and things he did in the past. That depravity (of a different sort but equally heinous) is shared by another king, and his end was well deserved. Secondly, the editing in this particular book left a lot to be desired. There were several mistakes, which while they didn’t necessarily take away anything from the story, the rest of the series was so well done that it did take me out of the book/world, if only for a few moments. All in all I didn’t feel cheated by the ending, and it seemed a good way to leave things- though I would love a side story to tie up the loose ends.
Review of For King and Corruption by Kel Carpenter and Lucinda Dark
![For King and Corruption (Dark Maji Book 4) by [Kel Carpenter]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51z8L8fHjWL.jpg)
Synopsis:
After five months of journeying across the continent with her sister, Quinn is finally ready to return to the king she swore to serve.
But war has been brewing over Norcasta in her absence. While Lazarus may reign as king, there are those that would see the blood heirs in power instead.
Quinn, however, will never let that happen. Her brutality threatens to drive a wedge between her and those she cares about, but they should know she would do anything to protect them.
Caught between the wills of his Left and Right Hands, Lazarus must navigate the pit of vipers that is his court and decide what sort of king he wants to be. But when Quinn pushes too far, she ignites a series of events that will either cement his rule, or destroy House Fierté entirely.
Review:
I loved the development that Risk makes in this novel, and how Quinn and Lazarus have their reckoning. The end of this book was… soul destroying, and of course I immediately had to start the next and final book in the series. I quite enjoyed the book, and how everyone in Lazarus’ dark vassal/emissary court fits in with the average court fixture.
Star Rating: ✯✯✯✯
Review of Twisted is the Crown by Kel Carpenter and Lucinda Dark
![Twisted is the Crown (Dark Maji Book 3) by [Kel Carpenter]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51DKCV1VF6L.jpg)
Synopsis:
Quinn Darkova made a vow from the very beginning.
And now she’s home.
For revenge . . .
Except N’skara isn’t the same as it was ten years ago, and the person she came for is nowhere to be found. After being taken ashore by armed guards of the same Council they came to sway, Quinn knows it’s up to her to uncover the truth about what really happened, while seeking the retribution owed to her.
Lazarus knew she was hiding something. He knew she had unfinished business in N’skara. But never could he have known this. He hadn’t predicted how set in their ways the people were. He hadn’t listened to the warnings when Quinn spoke of secrets and lies. He hadn’t realized that the woman he couldn’t stay away from was forged as much by blood as she was by darkness.
Now it was time to learn.
In a land of sheep, it pays to be a wolf.
Review:
This is the back story we have been waiting for; what led Quinn to doing what she did, and becoming what she is. Carpenter and Dark have said it was the driving force behind the series and you can certainly see why. There is such treachery and heartbreak; there could be no greater title for this book. This is where the series turns dark, and where the depravity is seen. Quinn has to face her past demons but also move Lazarus’ agenda along and forge a completely new path and life for the N’skara… whether they want it or not.
I absolutely loved this book. It showed such depth of Quinn and even of Lazarus. Quinn is better understood in this book, and their relationship deepens with the level of trust and understanding they had to give and use. This book is also where the true spice between them is finally fully out there.
Star Rating: ✯✯✯✯✯
Review of Blessed be the Wicked by Kel Carpenter and Lucinda Dark
![Blessed be the Wicked (Dark Maji Book 2) by [Kel Carpenter]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51vxz0afWPL.jpg)
Synopsis:
Some will try to trap her in hopes of harnessing her dark power.
Others will seek to end her, deeming it too terrible to risk.
In the end, he will destroy them all—because Quinn is his weapon, and he plans to keep it that way.
Lazarus was warned that Quinn’s power might be too great, even for him, but nothing prepared him for the truth of it until she held a dagger over him, and he was powerless to stop it. Now at odds with himself, the future king of Norcasta must find a way to regain control of his house and secure an alliance with the Pirate Queen…before fate tips its hand once more, and his carefully laid plans are led astray.
Quinn’s loyalty is not easily won, but Lazarus has managed to do it. Now the vassal and right-hand of Lord Fierté, Quinn seeks to gain him an alliance with Ilvas all the while challenging him at every turn. With the Cisean tribes won over, and the blood heirs behind them, Quinn expects this to be an easy task, but soon finds herself entangled in a web of lies.
Forced to gamble with her life—and the lives of her comrades—Quinn must make a choice that will either save or doom them all.
Review:
Now this book went much like the first; I was enthralled and pulled deeply into it. In many ways this series seriously differs from Carpenter’s usual works. There is that delicious tension between Quinn and Lazarus, but it hasn’t become more than tension; she’s still his vassal, but honestly, that adds so much more to the stakes within the story. I won’t say the “mystery” was all that hard to solve for I had figured it out before it really became an issue, but the real treasure of this story was getting further backstory for some of the Ilvas people. Like all Carpenter novels I couldn’t put it down, and can’t wait to continue onto book 3. This book was a bit shorter than the last, but it felt just right. If you like sweet heat and slow build, smart women this is definitely a series for you!
Star Rating: ✯✯✯✯✯
Review of Fortune Favors the Cruel by Kel Carpenter and Lucinda Dark
![Fortune Favors the Cruel (Dark Maji Book 1) by [Kel Carpenter]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Vh-rSvLpL.jpg)
Synopsis:
Throne of Glass meets Black Jewels in this twisted yet alluring dark fantasy tale.
Quinn Darkova, freed from the chains of slavery, wants nothing more than vengeance against those who sold her. But with her dark powers on the rise and her ascension nearing, Quinn’s blood retribution will have to wait in favor of her immediate survival.
Lazarus Fierté is a nobleman without equal. He’s as controlling as he is stubborn, and for the last six years he’s been waiting for a woman to appear—but not just any woman. A Maji of great power, capable of terrible things. She could be the key to everything he holds dear.
His savior … or his destroyer.
The only thing he didn’t predict was that she would become both.
*Please note, this is a dark fantasy series. There is a heavy romance subplot between two consenting adults but the material is dark in nature. The characters are not heroes. This isn’t a story about saving the day.*
Review:
From the beginning, this book had me drawn in. From the beginning we’re shown that Quinn has something to fear, something to run from, and something she wants vengeance for. There are different stakes at every turn, and every choice leads to potential ruination. The multitude of subplots gives the book a great build where you never really want to set it down, because who knows what might happen next! The slow build up of relationship between Quinn and the other vassals and Lazarus is both gradual and intense at the same time. I quite enjoyed falling into Quinn’s world, and am greatly looking forward to continuing on in the series.
Star Rating: ✯✯✯✯✯
Review of White Raven by Kel Carpenter and Aurelia Jane
![White Raven (A Demon's Guide to the Afterlife Book 2) by [Kel Carpenter, Aurelia Jane]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51-XOegCe-L.jpg)
Synopsis:
An alpha wolf, a seductive vampire, and a dominant fae all walk into a bar. What do they have in common? Being mated to me, apparently.
My dreams of retirement crashed and burned when the rogue shifter bit me. Not only have I changed into something neither world has ever seen before, but my mission just became even more impossible. To find the answers about what I am, I enlist the help of an infamous ex-poltergeist, a shifter freak, and my least favorite pigeon.
What a team we make.
Oh, and did I forget to mention that my mate’s bloodthirsty daughter is awake and hunting my ass now? Because that’s a thing too.
Why?
I have no idea, but we have every intention of finding out.
An angel is playing games with me, but little do they know—I’ve got three alphas by my side, and this dark horse plays for keeps.
Review:
There are twists and turns in this book for days! As always, Carpenter delivers and Jane is keeping up there! This book has everything that keeps readers coming back for more- depth, passion, and introspection on what makes one happy and want to stay someplace, what home can mean, and how trauma can last long after it has stopped actively happening.
This book picked up with all the spice and connections that Carpenter has used as a draw in the past, and I quite enjoyed every bit of it. This felt perfect, well done, and like I never wanted it to end and simultaneously couldn’t put it down. The worst part was realizing I have to wait until December 1st for the last book in this trilogy!
Star Rating: ✯✯✯✯✯
Review of Blood be Damned by Kel Carpenter
![Blood be Damned: Magic Wars (Demons of New Chicago Book 3) by [Kel Carpenter]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51lZ4PodpTL.jpg)
Synopsis:
When the Underworld burned, I thought that was the end. Turns out it was only the beginning.
Lucifer’s death was a shot heard around the world. The sudden loss of magic turned the tides for the first time in over two decades.
The humans are rallying. Rioting.
It feels like the stirrings of war.
As if that wasn’t enough, Bree isn’t the sister I remember—and her desire to return to Hell is creating more fires than I know how to put out.
Things are changing. Lines are drawn. Everyone must choose a side.
Even me.
Sometimes the world needs a hero. In a city that’s already gone to hell in a hand basket, it might just need a demon.
Review:
This book was awesome. Piper had to really become introspective to think about what caused the strife and heartache she had in life and how to move on. There were interesting twists and turns, and seeing her further develop both herself and her relationship with Ronan was nice. It’s always good when a heroine has flaws, ones that they recognize and try to work through. Did not see the ending, but very much looking forward to continuing the story when Forged by Fury comes out February 11th.
Star Rating: ✯✯✯✯✯
Review of Dark Horse by Kel Carpenter and Aurelia Jane
![Dark Horse (A Demon's Guide to the Afterlife Book 1) by [Kel Carpenter, Aurelia Jane]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51YZSvrnonL.jpg)
Synopsis:
My husband killed me.
Instead of spending my immortal Afterlife pissed off and angry, I moved on. I became someone.
Sure, that someone was a demon with the highest track record of reform, AKA punishment, in Hell. But who’s bragging?
I’m right on my way to retirement behind the pearly gates. Everything was going fine . . . until the Risk Witches saw a terrible vision.
Three men. Each scarred in their own way, born with powers that haven’t been seen in eons.
Upper Management sent the best to correct their path. Angels. Poltergeists. Nothing worked.
These men were too stubborn. Too bad. Too untamed…
So they sent me.
Roman. Ezra. Dorian.
Combined, they have enough power to end the world—and they will.
Unless I find a way to stop them first.
Breaking people is my job. But this time…my job might break me.
Author’s Note: This is an adult paranormal romance series with multiple love interests and some dark elements. If you don’t like strong but flawed women and alphahole heroes that need to learn a thing or two about boundaries–this book is not for you. If you love works by Tate James, Ivy Asher, Raven Kennedy, Joely Sue Burkhart, and CM Stunich, then dive right in to the Afterlife. It’ll be one hell of a ride.
Review:
So, clearly I love books by Kel Carpenter, and this was no exception. I will say that I found the beginning very jarring and wasn’t sure if I was going to like it if that was the tone expected, but the surprise factor was indeed there perhaps because, as Fury would say, you can’t do what people expect. I really enjoyed the differentiation of abilities for the different species, and how they had their own special skills, and how that influenced Fury’s connection to them.
While I did enjoy this story and trying to figure things out, I found that it lacked a lot of the jabs and tension that most Carpenter books seem to entail, and it certainly lacked the intimacy that most books hold. I also found that the descriptions weren’t quite right in my head, though perhaps that’s because the word amber was used to describe both eyes and skin tone.
All in all, I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Star Rating: ✯✯✯✯
Amy S. Brown 