YA Feminist Horror with a wide range of sexual/racial/body type representation...can this please be a new fad because I LOVE IT.

This story was beautifully written. Every element of it. It was atmospheric, lyrical, thoughtful, edgy, bloody, and chillingly evocative. I can honestly say I've never read anything quite like it. Sawkill Girls covered so many things but I never once felt stretched thin by it. Legrand weaved this tale seamlessly together, much like a spider weaves a beautiful dew kissed web in the breaking light of day. It ensnares you and you can't help but admire the sheer beauty of it even as you're trapped in its sticky thrall awaiting inevitable doom.

I first found Legrand when I read Furyborn (book 1 of the Empirium trilogy) which I also loved. I had high hopes for this book when I picked it up, but I had no idea how vastly different they would ultimately be from one another, in the best possible way. There was an unexpected range to Legrand's storytelling I was not aware of before this. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! Whatever it may be will be an auto-buy for me right off the jump. I don't even need a description, I'm officially a super fan and can't wait to be wowed again and again.

This story snuck up on me. At first I wasn't sure if I was going to love it. I don't want to say it felt simple, because that isn't quite right, but maybe as if it was kind of immature. In a sense some of it is a bit immature, with the constantly bickering sisters especially, but honestly it ended up just being so much fun! The plot was interesting, the action was an ever flowing gift from the gods, and the characters and their banter were wildly entertaining.

Can we also just talk about how freaking awesome it is to have kickass heroines that aren't stunningly beautiful without knowing it?! A big-burly-hammer-toting-foul-mouthed-warrior-blacksmith-queen....YAAASSSS.

That alone really sets this one apart from many others in this genre and I'm so here for it. I mean how could you not love Keely extra hard? That girl has a heart of gold and a fierce unrelenting spirit. The whole Smythe clan was a riot, not to mention the myriad of magical/mmythical beings they befriend along the way. Even the animals were captivating! Long live the demon dogs!

* "THEY ARE WOLVES" Caid adamantly reminds *

This book was full of little surprises like that. I also wasn't expecting it to be as brutal as it was in the fighting scenes either, but it was, in the best possible way. I love that this author doesn't shy away from things, she goes for it...with gusto. Whether it be bloodshed, swearing, or even just traversing a giant willful family dynamic. It also managed to feel very light to me even though there was so much destruction and danger. The banter and camaraderie kind of helped give it this awesome balance. I really appreciated that.

This was a bolder book in a lot of little ways like that and it made the journey incredibly entertaining and just so darn fun! I see this author has other books out and I can't wait to read more by her.

Love with a Notorious Rake - Karyn Gerrard 

You now that feeling when you already like an author's work and then you read their newest and you're totally reminded of why you like it? This was a perfect example of it for me. 

With a course hovering over his head, Aidan has spent his entire adult life in debauchery. His last stint lands him in the care of Cristyn's father's sanatorium, where she acts as kind of a physician's aid to her father. He and Cristyn form a friendship that eventually transforms into more but because of Aiden's reservations they end up parting ways.

I loved Cristyn's openness and candor. She still behaved as a proper lady however that never stopped her from acknowledging her feelings, speaking her mind, and demanding the respect she knew she deserved. 
I found Aiden's true feelings touching and the perfect basis for his addictions. There was honesty in what he did and as a character he grew immensely, trying to make up for past mistakes, and by taking up on his family's radical ideas of helping those in need. He was frank about his mistakes and totally owned them. I particularly loved how he handled his association with an old paramour, which in the eyes of his society would have been total ruin, possibly even worse. 

Other characters from previous books make appearances here giving us glimpses of Aidan as part of a loving family. It also provided a sort of epilogue for the other men of Wollstonecraft stories, which I always consider a treat. Overall, I thought it was an endearing, charming, and unique story. I would recommend this series and author to anyone that enjoys history along with their romance.

* I received a copy of this story at no cost to me; this is my honest opinion and in no way was it influenced by the author or publisher. *

First Earl I See Tonight - Anna Bennett 

Fiona seeks out the help of Grey, the Earl of Ravenport, because she can’t forget how he very gracefully “rescued” her after she made a fool of herself by tripping in the middle of a ballroom. In her mind he’s an honorable man that would at least listen to her plight and with any luck she could convince him to marry her. I had some trouble connecting to her in the beginning because more than trying to be in good terms with him (after all, SHE was asking HIM a huge favor) she tended to correct, challenge, and even berate him. And what did he do? He found her attitude “refreshing” ¯_(ツ)_/¯ I don’t know, I’ve never thought rudeness a refreshing trait but what do I know… Fiona was a romantic at heart so I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt and say that she acted that way because she thought she was going to marry for other reasons than love.

Gray was an honorable man that just happened to be cynical about love, and with good reasons. He was not exactly surly but I wouldn’t call him the life of the party either. His parents left his life and earldom in shambles and the few people he’d come to love and trust ended up betraying him. But even with all that baggage he was still considerate and caring. Once he realized Fiona and he made a good match he took upon himself to make her feel at the very least admired and protected. Of course it didn’t take long for either one of them to admit being in love and once they did I thought Gray did a wonderful job at declaring his love.

As far as the blackmail, I was glad Fiona was smart enough to open up to Gray and that he didn’t act like she had betrayed him as well. I think they both acted accordingly and to the best of their abilities given the situation. I didn’t like much how they took care of the blackmailer because to me his punishment was kind of vague and left me wondering if he’d come back after our couple in later books. All in all it was an enjoyable read and I recommend it for anyone in search of a light read.

*I received this book at no cost to me and I volunteered to read it; this is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher**

Unmask Me If You Can (The Survivors #4) - Shana Galen 

At one point in her life, Olivia didn’t have more worries than to wear pretty gowns and attend the most fashionable balls. Now? Now she has more pressing, more important things to worry about, mainly her full of life and curious five year old son Richard. Jasper may have looked scary with that mask covering half his face but his considerate and honorable behavior was enough to bring down the walls Olivia had erected around her heart. 

I have to say that Jasper was not exactly how I imagined him, he was way better! I loved the way he patiently let Olivia trust him with her body and hers and her child’s life. He knew the ordeals she had gone through and so he painstakingly let her take the lead when it came to the intimate moments. That’s basically what I love the most about Jasper. Even though he was reluctant to let her love him at first, once he understood her needs he was more than willing to accommodate her, and not just because of his desire for her, but because he understood her and wanted to give her what she needed. If that’s not love then I may be reading the wrong books. He truly was the perfect lover for Olivia. 
Olivia, although not the smartest of women in my opinion, was resourceful and level-headed. Perhaps at times she didn’t make the right decisions and trusted the wrong people but she always considered all of her options. It made me really upset how the scheming of others affected Jasper, Olivia, and of course little Richard. That poor child had been so happy for the first five years of his life and all of a sudden his life turned upside down. The villains deserved so much worse than what they got but at least they got some kind of punishment. 

To top it all off, we get a little glimpse at the life of Lieutenant-Colonel Benedict Draven! Just as the men he leads, he may appear as a brooding man but if my hunch is correct, just like the other men in his troop, that is just a façade to keep all the feelings from pouring out. In all honesty, I cannot have enough of these men and I cannot wait to read the rest of their stories. 

*I requested and received this book at no cost to me and I volunteered to read it; this is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher*