Alyce Caswell - Author
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Book Reviews

Lightning Strikes...Three Times?

3/7/2022

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The Highlander's Secret Son by Jeanine Englert

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Brandon is now the Campbell laird and has just discovered that he is also a father. The mother of his child? The woman who betrayed him and his clan. Fiona MacDonald was trying to flee a bad situation with her son, but now she might have landed in another situation that is no better. Brandon's clan wants her dead. As for the laird himself, he might want her alive - but his plans can still hurt her.

I'm rather pleased that I discovered jeanine Englert's Scottish romance books this weekend. They've been an excellent diversion whilst I've been sick (oh hello, I lost Ronageddon today) and The Highlander's Secret Son is no exception. I'm astonished at how much plot (and drama!) Englert managed to cram into this book, along with a lovely second chance romance. Loved it.

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Lightning Strikes Twice

3/7/2022

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​The Lost Laird from her Past (Falling for a Stewart #2)
​by Jeanine Englert

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​Garrick has been lost to all who knew him for over a year, haunted by a mistake. He hoped that Brenna, the woman he loved, would think him dead. This falsity would have continued to succeed - if he hadn't come across her left for dead in a carriage surrounded by dead men. Brenna gave up on Garrick and is due to wed another man. But she may need Garrick around to save her life once more.

Another excellent entry in the Falling for a Stewart series from Jeanine Englert. You expect some changes between books, but I was almost as shaken as Garrick but how much had occurred - it's bold to do something like that and it really paid off. I also really enjoyed seeing Garrick and Brenna together again and I'm looking forward to Ewan's book (which I hope is on the horizon!).

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Falling for a New Author

3/7/2022

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Eloping with the Laird (Falling for a Stewart #1)
by Jeanine Englert

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Moira must choose her husband before her father chooses one for her - and the first man he chose for her was an awful match that she has no intention of repeating. So the choice seems obvious once she discovers Rory, Laird Death, who only has months to live. Rory needs an heir before he dies and Moira's proposal is the only one he is likely to get. But he'll have to convince her father - or elope.

I loved this book so much I'm now in the process of debating whether or not I can fit another physical book on my already cramped shelves (I bought and read the Kindle version, so this is A Big Deal). The premise is so intriguing and so well executed. I've read longer books that failed to deliver as well as this one has. Jeanine Englert may be my new favourite author of Scottish romance.

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The Troublesome Middle Child

2/7/2022

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​Fevered Star (Between Earth and Sky #2)
by Rebecca Roanhorse

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Convergence has come and gone - and so has the Crow God, leaving behind Serapio, an empty vessel. Serapio is surrounded by new worshippers and new enemies, including the Sun God's vessel who survived via betrayal. He is divided from Xiala, who has found herself caught up in what might be the beginnings of a war. Meanwhile, Tova remains darkened by a black sun.

The fascinating characters and world building from Black Sun are still present here, but as happens with all fantasy trilogies, book 2 was always destined for Middle Book Syndrome. Characters are moved about and separated for the sake of being separated - not unusual when MBS has struck - which bogged things down a bit for me. Looking forward to the conclusion, which I hope will deliver.

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Worth the Wait

29/6/2022

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Black Sun (Between Earth & Sky #1)
​by Rebecca Roanhorse

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The Convergence is coming to Tova, a city ruled over by its priests - and a city due for upheaval. The Sun Priest, Naranpa, is too busy to do anything about it, as she must outmanoeuvre her political enemies of risk losing her title. Elsewhere, Xiala is given a ship, a crew, and cargo due in Tova before the Convergence. But that cargo includes Serapio, a blind man whose destiny is steeped in blood.

I really enjoyed this, for the most part. Roanhorse has created some fascinating, flawed characters that I didn't know what to make of - which usually would bother me, but didn't on this occasion. Roanhorse's writing is impeccable and perfectly fits the epic fantasy genre here, showing just how much range she has underneath the sci-fi/fantasy umbrella. Overall, an excellent book, but it stumbled at the last hurdle. Novels like this one obviously need to set up the sequel - however, it was done at the cost of this book's climax.

Note: I first preordered this on Kobo back in 2021, only for the preorder to fail when the publisher (presumably) yanked it and then went radio silence for months, before throwing it onto Kindle only. I was very annoyed by this, which delayed my reading of this book. But it was worth the wait.

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A Fun, Flirty Fling

19/6/2022

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The Highland Fling by Meghan Quinn

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Bonnie is feeling directionless and unsuccessful in life, so obviously the solution is to agree to her friend Dakota's mad plan - respond to an ad requesting people to look after a cafe in the Scottish Highlands for six months. Leaving LA was the easy. Surviving the Scottish roads AND surviving Rowan MacGregor's grumpiness and disdain for her? Not so much.

I had an absolute blast reading this, even if it did have its flaws. The first half was fun and fast paced, though I found Bonnie to be somewhat irritating (and the "American in Scotland" thing was played a bit OTT for my liking), and then I was pleasantly surprised by just how many FEELINGS Quinn managed to evoke in me during the second half. This is a good book, but a good book with a rather dislikable heroine.

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Time Wounds Some Books

30/4/2022

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The Good, the Bad and the Undead (The Hollows #2)
by Kim Harrison

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Rachel Morgan is struggling to make bank, to avoid a demon who's marked her, to not get eaten by her vampire roommate - and oh yeah, now she has to catch a serial killer who's going after witches who know a thing or two about ley lines. So it'd be dangerous if she, a witch, also started acting like she knew something about ley lines...

This was a MUCH stronger novel than the first one and I'm glad I gave it a chance. I was really drawn in by Rachel's struggles and she irritated me less - clearly Harrison managed to get a better grasp on her the second time around. I would have rated this more had I read it when it was published...but the rampant sexism - and oof that homophobic joke - had me cringing so hard in 2022.

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Marvel It Ain't

27/4/2022

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House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2)
by Sarah J. Maas

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Bryce and Hunt are trying to lie low and also trying not to "get together" in any fashion, but of course this won't last for long. A boy rumoured to have great power is missing and on his way to the city. Rebels are rising seemingly everywhere - and they are hardly unified. And more of Danika's secrets will be revealed, along with the truth about Asteri.

Hmm. I actually think this is Maas' best work. Her previous books weren't very good, but they were all training grounds for House of Sky and Breath. I feel like this is the book where she finally hit her groove. I was actually invested in this plot and the laborious info-dumping from the first Crescent City book was missing. I was honestly loving this. I was thinking "damn, do I like Maas' writing now?"... and then the ending happened. Such a lazy, self-indulgent thing to do. Look, I get it. It's something most writers think about doing... when they're teenagers (yep, even I've had those thoughts). But while it might be fun to do for your own amusement, it's best kept as an idea and not as an actual plot device in a published novel.

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Living Book Limping

19/4/2022

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Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows #1)
by Kim Harrison

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Rachel Morgan has just quit Inderland Security to strike out on her own and her former boss has it in for her - as in, he's put a price on her head because she took one of his best employees with her. This makes investigating a guy who is running - possibly evenly creating - biodrugs somewhat difficult. There's also the matter of her vampiric roommate...

Hmm. This is definitely a product of its time. I've reread my fave UF serieses too many times so I thought I'd give it a go...can't say I'm impressed. Dead Witch Walking is a typical 2000s urban fantasy novel and a surprisingly weak first entry for a series of this longevity. Rachel isn't a particularly strong or likeable character, though I'd be interested to see how she develops - hopefully she loses her "gay panic" over Ivy? It's somewhat common for characters from the 2000s to insist "I'M STRAIGHT" in certain situations, but honestly it reads like Rachel/Ivy is meant to be endgame lol. And I know that's not the case.

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You've Got Regency Romance

15/4/2022

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Love Letters by the Sea (The Siren's Retreat Quartet #4)
by Alyce Caswell

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The Siren's Retreat has featured many great love stories, including Deborah Cartwright's own - but now she is a widow. Her inn is her home and her child. When Patrick Gretham shows up on behalf of his employer to take it from her, it's obvious there will never be anything between them. And of course, there is that mysterious man Deborah has been corresponding with...

I think You've Got Mail is one of the greatest movies in existence and I've been sadly disappointed by books inspired by it before. But yay! That didn't happen here. I freaking loved Love Letters by the Sea and I know I'm going to reread this novella to death. The perfect choice for an evening in with tea. Lastly, this quartet has been such a delight to read - I hope both authors consider gifting us with more. ;)

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    About

    Alyce Caswell, when she isn't buried in a book or drinking her way through a giant pot of tea, is a keen writer of science fiction and romance. She has published two novels and four novellas in her space opera family saga, The Galactic Pantheon Series.

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  • Home
  • Books
    • The Galactic Pantheon >
      • The Tortured Wind
      • The Twisted Vine
      • The Flickering Flame
      • The Shifting Ice
      • The Whispering Grass
      • The Creeping Moss
      • The Galactic Pantheon Novellas
      • The Adventures of Grace Pendergast, Galactic Reporter
    • Dealing with the Demon >
      • Giveaway
    • Love and Lockdown
    • The Eyes of Charon
    • Sweet Delights
  • Other Works
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