Blog Archives - Alyce Caswell - Author

Alyce Caswell - Author

Reality TV Bites

28/2/2023

Here for the Right Reasons (Marry Me, Juliet #1)
by Jodi McAlister

Cece is in desperate need of money, which is definitely NOT the right reason to be on the reality dating show Marry Me, Juliet. But she only lasts one episode before being eliminated. Game over - right? Nope! The pandemic has stranded her on location. The show's Romeo, Dylan, offers to help Cece out with some extra screen time. Cece accepts: a decision that definitely won't come back to bite her. Ha!

AHHHHHHhhhh ommmgggg squeeeeee. Right, that's dealt with. I think I remember how to do words now. I discovered this series via an ARC of the sequel, which I loved (bi rep wooo!) and I thought I might like this one too. Didn't expect to love it just as much! Cece bulldozed her way into my heart and I was desperate for her to have her HEA. She and Dylan were such an amazing couple too. This book was amazing and I need more.

I just have one question. Lily Fireball book - when?

A Match Made in Sydney

27/2/2023

The Matchmaker by Saman Shad

Saima is a matchmaker with a string of successes - and a lot of debt. She has no choice but to take on new clients, even though she's already met their son and she absolutely cannot stand him. The dislike is mutual. Kal doesn't appreciate Saima's opinion on his life and his choices, but she wears him down and he agrees to go on some dates. But his perfect date might actually be his matchmaker!

Great setup, great start, great chemistry - I was so keen. And I have such a weakness for stories that use Sydney as a setting! I spent most of this book thinking it would make a fun movie on Stan, but towards the end I got quite fed up with Kal. Also... I don't like MCs who hook up with another character 81% of the way through the book. Somewhat spoiled the fun for me.

Fae Twofer

21/2/2023

Fae's Song (Fated Mates of the Fae Royals #1)

Niamh is a Fae with the gift of an enchanting voice, but it is more curse than blessing. Men who hear her sing believe she is theirs. So when a Fae prince decides she is his mate, she is sure he must be mistaken. But what if he's right?

This was a sweet story that didn't take too long to read, so it was a good decision to pair it with my evening pot of tea. I did find the multiple - and lengthy! - time skips a bit jarring, however. For readers not looking for anything too complicated.

Fae's Wolf (Fated Mates of the Fae Royals #2)

Saoirse is a Fae princess forbidden from entering the world of humans, but it's the easiest way to scratch a persistent itch. A hot firefighter is exactly what the Fae ordered. A hot firefighter who wants to do a lot more than scratch that itch, on the other hand...

Whew, that was a steamy read. A marked improvement on the first book, partly because there were no time skips - and mostly because Arrow was a very loveable hero. It's also the perfect length to read in bed before lights out.

Expanded Universe Round-Up #4

19/2/2023

Spiral (Lost Tribe of the Sith)

Ah. The Lost Tribe of the Sith. My guilty pleasure. I'm glad there was one last piece of their history left to read - and of course I enjoyed it. Sure, we've had secret starships and secret inhabitants on the planet in other stories already... but this was undeniably fun (if a bit bonkers). Hilts was a fave of mine in the Lost Tribe print collection so I was pleased to see him. Too bad there's no more. I'd have happily read more of these.

Aflame (Knight Errant Vol 1)

Kerra Holt is given the correct medium this time (the novel did her and her storyline no favours) and she is able to truly shine in the comics. It's by no means a blinding shine, more of a dull gleam, but it's there. Kerra does get on my nerves a bit... I am hoping that some character development occurs. Alas, there aren't many TPBs in the series, so I suspect not.

Deluge (Knight Errant Vol 2)

I wish I could say this was an improvement, but at least it wasn't a step backwards. I'm rather bemused that John Jackson Miller, who is responsible for my favourite Star Wars comics (KOTOR), managed to create this lacklustre series. I do think it was a good decision to show Kerra's homeworld. The interactions she had there helped to add...at least one dimension to her character lol

Escape (Knight Errant Vol 3)

I suspected that Kerra Holt would enjoy no character development in this series and I was right. This is a disappointing volume in general and extremely disappointing as a conclusion (given the timing, it's obvious that the sale to Disney is the reason the series ended - a mercy killing, really). I felt underwhelmed by a storyline that should have done Big Things for Kerra...but didn't. We are left with the same old ending. More people to save. On repeat. Ad nauseum.

Jedi vs. Sith

I vaguely recall reading this a long time ago... back then it was considered a key piece of Legends canon. It isn't worthy of its prior status. Cartoonish in both art style and storyline, it impressed me when I was a younger, but now I see that it's somewhat nonsensical and there is no solid connection to the galaxy at large. It just seems strange that all this action would be limited to one world. But I still enjoyed this TPB, flaws and all. Perhaps nostalgia is to blame!

Plot Errant

18/2/2023

Knight Errant (Star Wars Legends)
by John Jackson Miller

Kerra Holt is a Jedi stranded deep in Sith space with no way out - she doesn't even have the coordinates she needs to get home. But she is not aimless. She continues to do what she can to free the beings under Sith rule and that includes making strange, untrustworthy allies. Forget lightsabers and explosions - Sith politics may be the greatest challenge she has ever faced.

This story should not have been presented in the format of a novel. I realise it was meant to complement a comics line, but it was segmented in a way that doesn't really work in prose. It would have made far more sense to be published as part of the comics (that way it's divided suggests that it was the equivalent of three TPBs). The pace was negatively impacted by this and I struggled to get into the story - so many days and so many attempts. Kerra is at times a fun character (mostly she seems a bit flat), but this was not the right vehicle for her.

Not At All Level

9/2/2023

Path of Deceit (Star Wars: The High Republic)
by Tessa Gatton & Justina Ireland

Padawan Kevmo Zink arrives on Dalna as part of an investigation into missing artefacts and quickly encounters the Path of the Open Hand, which is definitely not as chill and peaceful as they appear. Marda is a devout follower of the Path and her beliefs bring her into instant conflict with Kevmo. She likes him...but how can she befriend a Jedi who abuses the Force?

The most important aspect of this book is the introduction of the Leveler. It is also the only interesting aspect. I was not interested in meeting Marchion Ro's relatives and I'm finding that I'm just not interested in seeing how the whole shebang began. Most of Path of Deceit is an unimportant snorefest. The delightfully dark ending...was a brief glimpse into this book's potential. Alas, it was a potential that was not lived up to.

Simply Wonderful

6/2/2023

Can I Steal You for a Second? (Marry Me Juliet #2)
by Jodi McAlister

I received this ARC from Simon & Schuster Australia (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Mandie is a longtime watcher of reality show Marry Me, Juliet, but she would never have applied to be on it - before she got dumped by her toxic girlfriend, that is. She's not even sure she has the courage to go through with it. But then she meets Dylan, another romantic hopeful - who should be her competition, not her new obsession! After all, they're on the show for a chance at love - with a man.

How can you not love that premise? Two contestants on a Bachelor-style show falling in love (which has actually happened IRL!)? Sign me the heck up! To say I enjoyed this would be a vast understatement. There was plenty of delicious drama to be had, so much heart-twisting angst, and a strangers-to-friends-to-lovers tale that had me up past my bedtime.

But the best part? Representation. Oh my gosh. YES.

I don't usually see myself in romcoms. I will devour ALL the sapphic romances, but I'm always keenly aware that bisexual women like myself are generally not going to be the heroines. Unicorns are more visible than us lol. So imagine my delight to discover that both heroines were bi!

And pandemic fiction is my biggest weakness atm, so I ate up that aspect of the story. xD

The Name's Shan, Theron Shan

2/2/2023

Annihilation (Star Wars Legends)
by Drew Karpyshyn

Theron Shan is one of the best loose cannons working for the SIS and that makes him the best candidate for a daring mission into Sith territory in an attempt to destroy a deadly starship. His past and background will either help or hinder him - especially when decisions must be made by those in far more senior positions. Trust goes both ways...or it should!

Hmm. I did enjoy aspects of this book. Theron Shan is a great protagonist and he's Force blind despite his pedigree, which makes him very interesting. I appreciated that the story continued on from the comics and dealt with the outcome, but it was slow going at times and I felt jarred by the overly obvious 20th-century influences present in the novel. Including the less-than-stellar use of female characters (which was also a failing of Karpyshyn's other Old Republic entry, Revan).