Fused in Fire

“I smell drunk and look crazy. Trust me. My appearance IS the first line of defense.

What is happening? the vampire thought. Does she not need blood to survive?
“You are like a puzzle. What fun I will have figuring you out.”

(Fire & Ice 3) Fused in Fire by K. F. Breene

Audibook Narrator: Nicole Poole

Basic Info: Epub via PocketBook Android App has 34 Chapters containing 267 Pages. Audiobook on Smart Audiobook Player Pro: runs 9 hours and 9 seconds.

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My Rating:

I would recommend this 4-star fantasy about Reagan Somerset to those who enjoy paranormal romance, humor, and world building that includes nearly all things rumored to exist from Tolkien to Rowling. The Fire and Ice Trilogy is for those who may like werebadgers, werewolves, and vampires, including powerful elder vampires like Vlad and Darius.

If Ms. Breene's Fire and Ice world were on TV it would blend X-files, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them with Portland's detective Nick Burkhardt, one of the last Grimm's to confront the wild "Wessen" of Portland Oregon.

No offense to the cameo appearances of minor species like unicorns, dragons, T-Rex, or beloved evil clown demons. You may be surprised to find common goats and llama grazing unconcerned in the hallucinogenic wilds of hell, however.

Generally: (Entering Possible Spoiler Zone).
Our protagonist is Reagan Somerset who appears to be a rather unpredictable human female

The Poppy War

“What’s the worst that could happen?” “You’re so young,” he said softly. “You have no idea.”

“Great danger is always associated with great power. The difference between the great and the mediocre is that the great are willing to take the risk.”

(Poppy War 1) The Poppy War by Rebecca F. Kuang

Narrator: Emily Woo Zeller
Basic Info: Epub via PocketBook Android App: 39 Chapters, 274 Pages - Audiobook by Brickshop Audio Inc. 09:33:57. Review approximately 1,000 words.

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My Rating:

The Poppy War was highly recommended to me. I liked it. I recommend it, and think you'd enjoy this fantastic coming of age, heroic journey novel based in a multicultural-mythologies set in a historic China type setting.

The Poppy War fictionalizes historic conflicts between Japan and China. It throws in Greek and other mythologies into the fantastic theological beliefs portrayed in this story. Most of the names have been changed to protect historic mythology and historic accuracy.

Best of all, to me, The Poppy War is a character driven fantasy. You'll care about the characters more than the fantasy or mythology, which is also entertaining.

Raised in Fire

“You are wearing a leather outfit with a sword, gun, and fanny pack strapped to your person. What about that look says nice girl?”

“I probably will see humor in someone kicking your ass. But I promise to avenge you right after I stop laughing.”

(Fire & Ice 2) Raised in Fire by K. F. Breene Review

Narrated by: Nicole Poole

You can find where to purchase it from Katie's website

Adroid Pocketbook App - e-book Chapters-37±2 Pages-274, Audiobook 09:33:57 by Brickshop Audio Inc.

My Rating:

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Recommended 3.5 star paranormal romance novel. That description and rating doesn't suit though as the romancee is a woman bounty hunter who stops bad magical people, beings, and demons. She's called in when the supernatural cops and others who deal with these things find themselves against something truly unholy. I sort of think of her as a special woman "Dog the Bounty Hunter".

Memento

“I remember you telling me when I was younger that a man without a library is a man without romance in his soul.”

“I understand now that the idea of unconditional “wrong” is flawed. To acknowledge life’s complexity, one must acknowledge the subjectivity of morality, and know that all manner of atrocity might be justifiable if done for the greater good.”

(Illuminae 0.5) Memento by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Audiobook Narrator: List of Links below...

LINKS to get the book: via Goodreads

My Rating:

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Recommended 4 star Science Fiction prequel novella to the Illuminae Files series. This book is largely about a new engineer, Olivia Klein being posted to the UTA Battlecarrier Alexander just weeks before the beginning of the Illuminae files. It's largely about the interaction between the Artificial Intelligence Defense Analytics Network (AIDAN) and this newly assigned engineer. The theme and most content give us some reflection on how and why her replies to AIDAN's inquiries later leads us into the the Illuminae Trilogy.

Generally:
It's an interesting novella.

My Notable Notes:
Olivia... our protagonist in this novella, so reminds me of myself and so many young impressionable people anxious to begin their lives, always thinking they are doing well when in fact they are not thinking at all. Even worse, as is too often the case, the best intentions inevitably lead to the worst possible unintended consequences.

(Illuminae 3) Obsidio

“Hey, if hostile battleship takeovers were easy, everybody would do it.”

“The die is cast. But today we will shake the table upon which it lands.”

) & full cast

(Illuminae 3) Obsidio by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Audibook Narrator(s): See List Below...
epub - 539 pages. Audiobook - 13:02:00 total

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My Rating:

HINT: This is book three of a trilogy. There are spoilers in this review. If you read the first two books in the trilogy, you'll be starving for this one.

Highly recommended 4.5 star science fiction novel. Obsidio is book three in the Illuminae series and here, at the end of the trilogy, we learn what Illuminae files are. But that's largely the conclusion of this book.

We start in a darker place. What started as a criminal hijacking of a criminal mining operation so far from the civilized galaxy that the nearest taco truck of a jump point station feels like it's a light year away - yet this bad actor company attacking another loose cannon company is now teetering on... not killing billions of people. No, not even trillions of people, but 2 entire universes. Billions of galaxies in each.

Generally: Spoilers certainly.
What? Two freaking UNIVERSES?

Yes, on a macro scale: This little SNAFU has developed some serious consequences. But this is a people story!