ceLEStial books

4/5 stars Sparkwood promises magic, intrigue, and strong-willed bisexual men, and it definitely delivers on those promises. After a sluggish start, the book drew me in and demanded that I finish it.  THE POSITIVES My favourite aspect of this novella was the setting. I didn't connect with the characters immediately (I did by the end!), but thanks to the initial description of the small town of Sparkwood, I started to really engage with the writing. I also loved how much the author managed to convey about the 'other' Sparkwood (a different realm) with very few words.  The enemies-to-lovers story-line that acts as a backdrop to the central mystery is handled very well. I, personally, don't tend to enjoy books where the romantic elements overpower and overshadow the genre tropes and/or genre conventions. As such, the fact that Sparkwood lets the romance develop as a result of the paranormal mystery, rather than using the mystery plot as a convenien...

Daimonion by J.P. Jackson My rating: 4 of 5 stars __________________________________________________________ "But this is what I am bid to do. I am Dati Amon, a D'Alae, and we gather back the children who belong to us." __________________________________________________________ This is a well-executed story of conflict, horror, magic, and desire. Shape-shifters, witches, demons, creepy burrowing insects, elementals, satyrs and even a deliciously evil succubus make for a colourful cast of characters to guide readers through a beautifully described series of paranormal events, culminating in a satisfying end to Book I of the Apocalypse series. I was most impressed by the skilful manner in which imaginative and unique magical goings-on were described. Certain paranormal tropes and clichés were explored in new and creative ways. Without giving too much away, I was particularly amazed by the wonderful descriptions of what happened to a certain charact...