Belle Chasse (Sentinels of New Orleans #5) Review + #Giveaway

Belle Chasse

Sentinels of New Orleans Series

Book #5

Suzanne Johnson

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Release Date: November 8, 2916

Publisher: TOR Books

ISBN: 978-0765376992

ASIN: B01E3PFTCQ

Pages: 336

Word Count: 93,000

Goodreads Rating: 4.19

My Rating: 5.0

Book Description:

Suzanne Johnson's "strong and intriguing" (Publishers Weekly) urban fantasy series continues with Belle Chasse. The Sentinels of New Orleans series has earned starred reviews from Library Journal ("a resourceful heroine who relies on her magical ingenuity") and PW ("vivid...a lively tale jam-packed with action, magic, and intriguing plot twists").

With the wizard-elven treaty on the verge of collapse, the preternatural world stands on the brink of war. Unless former wizard sentinel DJ Jaco manages to keep the elven leader, Quince Randolph, focused on peace and not personal matters.

With no one on the throne, Faerie is in chaos, with rival princes battling for power. The still-undead pirate, Jean Lafitte, is building his own army of misfits, and DJ stripped of her job and hiding in the Beyond to avoid the death sentence handed down by the wizard Council of Elders can’t get anywhere near her beloved New Orleans or her significant something-or-other, Alex.

It's time to choose sides. Friends will become enemies, enemies will become allies, and not everyone will survive. DJ and her friends will learn a hard lesson: sometimes, even the ultimate sacrifice isn’t enough.

My Take on the Book:

I don’t know how it’s possible but this book was better than the last 4. Every time I read Ms. Johnson’s work I get so drawn into the world she creates. The characters, the story arc’s, the settings are all superb.

Out of all the books, I feel like this one had the strongest character development. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop and I can’t wait till the next installment. Every day since book 4 was reviewed here, I would sift through my emails for word on a review opportunity for this book so I responded immediately when this book came up. I knew I was gonna get sucked in, but I don’t think I expected how much I would love this book. By now, you would think I’d be used to the colorful and tangible word the author creates but I’m always so shocked.

 5 Quills

D.J. is by far one of the best and most believable female leads in an Urban Fantasy and only second to my first love Mercy Thompson from a series by Patricia Briggs. Her adventures are so enthralling and the characters around her are super lovable. There are some new characters introduced in this book and you get more insight on some characters that we as the readers know little about. 

Amazon | Indie Bound | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | BAM

About The Author

Suzanne Johnson is the author of the award-winning Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series but perhaps is best known for her romantic suspense and paranormal romance books written as Susannah Sandlin, including the Penton Vampire Legacy paranormal romance series, the Wilds of the Bayou suspense series, and The Collectors romantic thriller series. Her awards include two Holt Medallions in 2013 and 2015, a 2015 Booksellers Best Award in romantic suspense, and nominations in 2014 and 2015 for the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award. A displaced New Orleanian, she currently lives in Auburn, Alabama. Suzanne loves SEC football, fried gator on a stick, all things Cajun, and redneck reality TV.

Web | Blog | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Enter The Giveaway Here

1 $50 Amazon Gift Card and 5 $10 Amazon Gift Cards

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Thanks for stopping by,

Tour Organized By:

 

“I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher for my honest opinion. I was in no way compensated for this review and all opinions are expressly my own”

Between the Bleeding Willows Review + #Giveaway

Between the Bleeding Willows

Demon Hunter Series

Book #1

D.A. Roach

Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy

Release Date: March 8, 2016

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

ISBN: 978-1680585274

ASIN: B01C4VVPII

Pages: 282

Word Count: 64,000

Cover Artist: Deranged Doctor Designs

Goodreads Rating:

My Rating: 4 Quills

Book Description:

At eighteen years old, Cassidy has suffered more loss than most…

At the end of her senior year, her boyfriend, Jace Peters, was killed in a car accident, and her grandmother died only weeks later of a heart attack. Emotionally lost, Cassidy desperately searches for an heirloom her boyfriend was wearing in the crash—her mother’s gold ring. But during her search, Cassidy discovers more than her ring.

She finds a gate to the Demon Realm….

A battle is brewing, and Killian—head of the Demon hunters—preps his Clan for the approaching conflict. They’ve been working to secure the gate between his realm and the mortal world. But it’s been nearly impossible since Rya—a voracious demon on a quest to expand her power—devoured the soul of his Clan’s necromancer. Now Rya is possessed with the necromancer’s powers and she may break through the gate at any moment.

Apparently Rya isn’t the only one Killian has to worry about…

When Cassidy accidentally crosses into the Demon Realm, Killian can’t understand how a human girl survived the transition. Now he has to find a way to return her to her own world, or risk her being caught in the crossfire, which is a complication he definitely doesn’t need. Once back in the Human Realm, Cassidy readies herself for battle. She signs up for Krav Maga classes, where she meets Tyler Romaitis—a handsome, tenacious, humble guy. He seems almost perfect, but nothing is ever that easy.

And as the balance between good and evil shifts, Cassidy finds herself—and her ring—at the heart of the conflict for the survival of mankind.

My Take on the Book:

I’m at a slight loss for words.

This book was really interesting. It was the kind of book many people could read in one extended sitting. I liked the characters and the connections being formed but I didn’t love them.

I also found myself slightly annoyed with the speed of the book. It never seemed to have a steady flow. At times the story would just rush past, leaving me feeling robbed of an experience and then at other times I felt like it dragged on. To me, pace is one of the most important aspects of a book. The premise was solid. The story was great. But the pace left me feeling unsatisfied.

As for the characters, as I stated earlier, they were likeable. Some characters just had more on page charisma than others. At first I liked Cassidy, a lot but as the story progressed I felt like she just kinda stayed put. There was a lot of growth that could have happened, a lot of self-discovery but she fell a little flat. She was strong willed and that is a definite plus and I appreciated her kind heart but there were some actions that never had a follow through or follow up that I caught myself thinking about when she questions the motive of other characters.

Casper, was one of those charismatic characters that you just wanted to get to know. It was that way from the moment is shakily stepped foot on page; Lena was another character with that strength. I was bummed when I realized they wouldn’t get to shine much in this story.

Killian is another character that left me feeling conflicted. He has the making of a devastatingly beloved book boyfriend but since the story felt rushed, I don’t think he got the time he needed to make us fall in love with him.

4 Quills

I struggled with this rating because I really liked the idea of this book. When I read the first passage, I was hooked. Curious. But then the story progressed and I didn’t build those connections you do as a reader. It’s a really interesting and good book with a gorgeous cover and some truly likeable characters. But in the end, the author did write a truly interesting story and I’m compelled to continue the journey and read the next installment.

Amazon Kindle     AmazonPaperback

About The Author

               

D.A. Roach has been telling stories since she was a young girl in the suburbs of Chicago. In college she met the man of her dreams, her happily ever after, and married him 2 weeks after graduating. They have 3 kids together and a pet cockatiel named Gimli. D.A. did not find a love for books until after college. Her parents were immigrants from Lithuania and found tv and radio easier ways to hear stories so they did not do much reading or encourage it. But once she finished college and D.A. had free time, she discovered how amazing it was to get lost in a story.

D.A. is a full time mom and wife. When she is not doing domestic things (laundry, bills, etc) she is writing, reading, creating mixed media art, and helping beautify her kids' school landscape. Oh, and she is ALWAYS listening to music. Her favorite authors include Rebecca Donovan, Richelle Mead, Larissa Ione, Stephanie Meyer, E.L. James, and Sylvia Day. Reading great works from authors like these has motivated D.A. to write her own stories. She hopes to make positive changes in the world with her art and writing.

"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."

— George Bernard Shaw

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Book Gorrilla | Amazon Author

 Enter The Giveaway Here

  1 $25 Amazon GC 2 signed copies of Betweeen the Bleeding Willows   a Rafflecopter giveaway
  Thanks for stopping by,

 
Tour Organized By:

 
 “I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher for my honest opinion. I was in no way compensated for this review and all opinions are expressly my own”