Literary Quest

This week, we discuss A Soul of Ash and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout. This is the fifth installment in the From Blood and Ash series, and in the book, Casteel recounts the events in From Blood and Ash from his perspective, while he, Kieran, and their trusted friends guard Poppy who has slipped into stasis to complete the culling. Join us for our discussion!

In this episode we discuss Ruby Dixon's 4th book in the Ice Planet Barbarian Series - Barbarian Mine. When Harlow finds herself captured by a large blue alien she must quickly adapt. Rukh was left an orphan at 7 years old and since then has been on his own. When his kuhi resonates with Harlow, he wastes no time taking her. He is unable to speak English or the common language so they must find...

This week, we’re discussing Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. Violet Sorrengail has not had an easy life. Between being injury prone due to a connective tissue disorder, siblings who were born to be dragon riders, and her mother, the general of Navarre’s armies, Violet just wants to pursue a relatively safe life as a scribe. However, her mother refuses to allow it, forcing her to become a dragon ride...

We wrap up pride month with The Fate of Stars by SD Simper. When Tallora, a mermaid saves the disgraced princess of Solvira, she is not expecting to be captured instead of thanked. Dauriel, the disgraced princess, is constantly seeking her mother's approval and she believes that kidnapping a mermaid for a pet would be appreciated. However, it does not go as planned when Tallora and Dauriel beg...

For our first Pride Month read, we’re discussing Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune. For Wallace Price, death is just a beginning. When he is brought to Charon’s Cross, a tea shop and way station for the dead, he meets and befriends several people, including ferryman and proprietor of the tea shop, Hugo, who help him to realize that it’s never to late to develop compassion, empathy, or to be br...

In this episode we discuss Beyond the Highland Mist. Adrienne is hurled back in time to 1513 to be the wife of Hawk, who believes he is marrying someone else. Adrienne has sworn off men but Hawk is determined to win her over. However, forces beyond their control are working against them. Will Adrienne return to 1997 or has she found a new home? Can two people centuries apart fall in love? Find out...

This week we discuss Dark Lover, the first installment of the Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward and we are joined by our resident horse expert, Sydney! Wrath, the last remaining purebred vampire, skillfully leads his brothers in the Black Dagger Brotherhood, destroying leaders who would seek to eliminate all vampires. When one of his oldest friends is killed by a lesser, his duties become even m...

This week your hosts discuss Katee Robert's newest addition to her Dark Olympus series. This book focuses on Apollo and Cassandra. There is a new player in town - Minos, but he is a mysterious character. When Apollo is invited to Minos' house for a week long party, he brings Cassandra along to help find any suspicious activity. As the party progresses sinister events begin to happen, plus-...

For the Throne by Hannah Whitten picks up where the first book in this duology, For the Wolf, ends. (Btw, we discussed For the Wolf last fall with Stacey McEwan—go check it out if you need a refresher!) In her desperate attempt to save her sister, Redarys, from the Wolf, Queen Neve ends up stranded in the Shadowlands with Solmir, one of the original kings who were trapped there, as her only guide...

This week, your hosts discuss a book that has spent a lot of time on their TBR - Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. This book follows several characters, Ead, Loth, Tane, and Niclays. The characters must overcome their differences to work together to defeat the Nameless One. Can they overcome their personal, political, and religious differences to save their world? TW: Suicide and off...

This week, we're discussing Toughest Deal by Alessa Thorn! This installment of the Mercenaries and Magic series follows Julian Burbank and Altun Baruk, who team up with the Edgeworths to stop Altun's sister, Dee. Julian and Altun are both dominant and demanding in life and in the bedroom, and as the work together to bring Dee down, their connection only grows. We've discussed the other two books i...

This episode your hosts discuss The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. In this best-seller Linus is chosen to evaluate an orphanage by the sea. Management seems to think that it is dangerous and should be shut down. It turns out that this is no ordinary orphanage, the children are powerful and very special. As Linus gets to know the children and the keepers of the orphanage it becomes clear th...

This week, we're discussing Book of Night by Holly Black.  Charlie Hall, talented thief and con artist, has spent much of her life stealing for gloamists, people with quickened shadows.  Though Charlie tries to leave that part of her life behind, her plans disintegrate when a man comes to her bar trying to sell part of the Liber Noctem, a mysterious, famous book that was stolen from Lion...

This week your hosts discuss Desire in His Blood by Zoey Draven. This is the first book in her newest series. Azur is looking for revenge on the Hara family and thinks that marrying the eldest daughter, Gemma, will help him. What he couldn't predict was the chemistry between himself and Gemma. Will Azur be able to put the past aside and let himself love Gemma? Or will the bad blood between their f...

This week, we discuss The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab.  Sketchy deals with dark gods have unexpected and life-altering consequences.  When young Addie LaRue makes a desperate bargain to live the life she desires, she obtains immortality but at a steep cost:  to be forgotten by everyone she encounters.  She finds small ways to leave her mark on history over the...

This week your hosts discuss A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer. Harper is stolen from Washington D.C. and taken to Emberfall in the hopes that she will fall in love with Prince Rhen and break his curse. However, Harper is not one to be wooed and she is determined to go home but when she sees the state that Emberfall is in she wants to help. She and Rhen grow closer as they visit villag...

Join us for our discussion of The Book of Azrael by Amber Nicole.  Dianna has made herself a villain, serving Kaden for hundreds of years in repayment for saving her sister.  In seeking out the Book of Azrael, a powerful relic, for Kaden, Dianna discovers that the World Ender, Samkiel, is still very alive, goes by Liam now, and is displeased with her.  Though they start as enemies,...

This week your hosts discuss These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan. This is the first book of a young adult duology. Brie and her sister have been living with a massive amount of debt. Their aunt decides to sell Jas to the fae. Determined to get her sister back Brie braves going to Faerie to rescue her sister. However, she finds much more than she expected. She unlocks new powers, discovers secrets, and...

This week, your hosts discuss A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  After discovering that she carries the embers of life within her, Sera grapples with realizing that she wants a life beyond the one that was pre-determined for her.  But first, she must figure out how to survive the culling as her power continues to grow.  With the help of Nyktos, they begin the search fo...

In this week's episode your hosts discuss A Queen of Ruin by K.F. Breene! This book wraps up Finley and Nyfain's storyline. Finley and Nyfain are finally reunited but now they must deal with the sudden appearance of the old queen while deciding how to take down Dolion for good. Will they take down the demon king? Can Finley restore Nyfain's wings? Or will the old queen try to reclaim power?

We are wrapping up Monster Smash month with Luxuria by Colette Rhodes.  When Ophelia, rejected Hunter, is given the opportunity to fulfill the terms of the treaty between Hunters and shades by entering into an arranged marriage with Allerick, King of the Shades, she enthusiastically accepts, believing that she'll finally have her monster fantasies come true.  There's just the little issu...

MonsterSmash continues with a minotaur and human pairing in C.M. Nascosta's Morning Glory Milking Farm! To avoid having to move back in with her parents, Violet is desperate to find a job. After quite a bit of searching she discovers Morning Glory Milking Farm. The facility "milks" male minotaurs and uses their donations in pharmaceuticals. It is a well paying job and Violet is happy to accept. Wh...

We're kicking off MonsterSmash October with A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne. Reia is an outcast in her town and when it comes time to have a bride ready for the duskwalker she is the obvious choice. However, the duskwalker is not what he seems. He may look scary with a wolf skull and impala antlers but he is just looking for a companion. Unfortunately, this is difficult for him since his bloodlust is...

This week, your hosts discuss Ledge by Stacey McEwan (@stacebookspace) and are thrilled to have Stacey join us for our discussion of her book.  Dawsyn Sabar has lived a hard, brutal life, surviving the perilous and bitter cold on the ledge, where she and its inhabitants do whatever is necessary to survive, even if that means killing another to live.  On Selection day, Dawsyn is taken by the Glacia...

This week, we’re discussing Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning! MacKayla Lane was just a young woman living her best life, when a devastating phone call has her leaving behind all that she’s ever known to go to Dublin to discover the culprit behind her sister’s death. She quickly learns that her sister Alina was keeping secrets from her. A chance run-in with Barrons, a man who screams danger, gives M...