An entertaining dark fantasy set in a city’s demonic underworld.
A demon agent goes undercover to infiltrate a rival gang in Fey’s urban fantasy novel, the first in a series.
Enzo is a Fel: a fallen angel, a demon locked in perpetual warfare with the servants of God. In practice, he spends his nights riding his BMX bike around Atro City as a food deliveryman, partying with witches and trolls, and using his magic to find pleasure wherever he can with little regard for who gets hurt along the way. Enzo can’t kill humans directly—to do so would be to risk his own immortality—but he’s not above bringing about their deaths through other means. Generally, he and the other demons try to keep low profiles: “While exposure couldn’t be prevented in all cases, it was better if credible rumors about paranormal encounters never got started to begin with. Ignorance kept the humans docile and compliant.” One night, after unintentionally rescuing (and then intentionally bedding) Nadine, the queen of the local werewolf pack, Enzo is summoned to the offices of his boss, Dreadlord Mulct, and given a special mission: Nadine’s partner, the pack alpha Lorcan, has gone missing. Presumably, he’s either dead or being held hostage by the Unfallen, a rival (and allegedly “good”) sect of demons. On the orders of Lucifer himself, Enzo must infiltrate the Unfallen and free the captured werewolf. As Enzo goes about convincing the Unfallen that he’s one of them, he makes progress with a delivery customer, one that he’s been slowly seducing for the past year—a vegan enchilada-lover named Hailey. The deeper Enzo gets into his mission, the more he starts to understand the reputation the Fel have among their enemies. For the first time in his life, Enzo is forced to question his own allegiances.
Enzo’s world is full of all manner of ghouls and monsters, which the author humorously renders in her sharply observed prose. Enzo returns to his apartment to find that the wyrm he’s keeping there hasn’t eaten the food he left out for it: “Humphrey was tucked around a chair leg, quivering with guilt, but then it shamelessly proceeded to swallow the remains of a plastic bottle it had been chewing on during Enzo’s absence….The cold cuts he had left were still on the paper plate and hadn’t been touched. ‘You’ll eat plastic, but not meat?’ ” The world is richly drawn, and the narrative doesn’t take itself as seriously as many other novels in the angels-and-demons fantasy space do. The romance content is tamer than the cover suggests, though the profanity is abundant and the story can get quite violent at times. The characters are fairly stock, and Enzo’s cool-guy schtick is a bit humdrum in a city populated by so many varieties of night children. Even so, fans of the Halloween aesthetic will enjoy this tale enough to come back for future volumes.
An entertaining dark fantasy set in a city’s demonic underworld.Pub Date: April 1, 2021
ISBN: 979-8731739580
Page Count: 353
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A thrilling, immersive tale that shows that some bargains demand more than just a crown.
A reluctant princess is thrust into deadly political intrigue in Perry’s sweeping, high-stakes romantasy.
Odessa is the overlooked and underestimated princess of Quentis, whose life takes an unexpected turn when a deal is struck between her father and the formidable Turan warriors force her into an arranged marriage with their enigmatic prince, Zavier Wolfe. Intended as a mere formality to secure trade routes and military alliances, the betrothal spirals into something far more dangerous when ancient magic, a ruthless Guardian, and a looming war threaten to upend everything she knows. Finally emerging from the shadow of her seemingly perfect half sister, Mae, Odessa must navigate court politics, monstrous creatures, and her own uncertain place in a world where survival often depends on strategy rather than strength. As tensions rise, she finds herself entangled with the dangerous, enigmatic Guardian—a man whose silver eyes hold secrets of their own. Perry’s worldbuilding is lush and immersive, crafting a kingdom rife with old magic, deadly beasts, and political machinations that add depth. The pacing is relentless, carrying Odessa from one life-altering event to another as she grapples with duty, defiance, and a destiny she never chose. Her internal conflict is compelling, torn between the expectations placed upon her and the fierce independence that threatens to make her an outcast in her own kingdom. Romance simmers as Odessa struggles to reconcile her obligations with her growing attraction to the Guardian, whose past is as shadowed as his reputation. Mae is introduced as Odessa’s political foil, and although her presence drives much of Odessa’s internal drama—being constantly overshadowed or underestimated—she’s mostly seen through Odessa’s perspective. Her motivations, ambitions, and political maneuverings might have benefited from deeper exploration to give more nuance to the power dynamics. However, Perry’s evocative prose and intricate plotting make for a gripping tale. Readers looking for a slow-burn romantasy with rich political intrigue and a protagonist forced to create her own fate will find much to enjoy.
A thrilling, immersive tale that shows that some bargains demand more than just a crown.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9781649378514
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Unrelenting, and not in a good way.
A young Navarrian woman faces even greater challenges in her second year at dragon-riding school.
Violet Sorrengail did all the normal things one would do as a first-year student at Basgiath War College: made new friends, fell in love, and survived multiple assassination attempts. She was also the first rider to ever bond with two dragons: Tairn, a powerful black dragon with a distinguished battle history, and Andarna, a baby dragon too young to carry a rider. At the end of Fourth Wing (2023), Violet and her lover, Xaden Riorson, discovered that Navarre is under attack from wyvern, evil two-legged dragons, and venin, soulless monsters that harvest energy from the ground. Navarrians had always been told that these were monsters of legend and myth, not real creatures dangerously close to breaking through Navarre’s wards and attacking civilian populations. In this overly long sequel, Violet, Xaden, and their dragons are determined to find a way to protect Navarre, despite the fact that the army and government hid the truth about these creatures. Due to the machinations of several traitorous instructors at Basgiath, Xaden and Violet are separated for most of the book—he’s stationed at a distant outpost, leaving her to handle the treacherous, cutthroat world of the war college on her own. Violet is repeatedly threatened by her new vice commandant, a brutal man who wants to silence her. Although Violet and her dragons continue to model extreme bravery, the novel feels repetitive and more than a little sloppy, leaving obvious questions about the world unanswered. The book is full of action and just as full of plot holes, including scenes that are illogical or disconnected from the main narrative. Secondary characters are ignored until a scene requires them to assist Violet or to be killed in the endless violence that plagues their school.
Unrelenting, and not in a good way.Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374172
Page Count: 640
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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