Author: Kelley Armstrong

August 2022

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I can’t believe it’s already September despite the fact that August honestly seemed like the longest month of the year so far – but that’s probably because I’m not a fan of the heat!! Still it was nice to see the sun even if it got a little hotter than I think anyone wanted and it was a little dry too where I am. I hope you had a good summer and managed to get some reading in. I’m actually really really pleased reading-wise this month.

By the time my last post went live I’d just recieved all the books I got last month, so I thought I’d share them here. They’re all books I was super excited to read. Only one of them was from a new to me series, which I’m really pleased with because as I said last month the goal is to get rid of my tbr pile.

The books I got end of July/beginning of August
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Review: Rituals by Kelley Armstrong

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Rituals by Kelley Armstrong (UK edition)

Title: Rituals (A Cainsville Novel, 5)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Sphere (15th August 2017)
Blurb:

Olivia Jones must make a choice.

Caught between two rival supernatural forces, she hs been given a brief period in which to make her decision. Now that time has run out.

Whichever side she chooses, someone she loves will pay. Her lover, Ricky. Gabriel Walsh, the man she knows she cannot, must not love. Her parents, already trapped in prison.

And how there is a new, terrifying power rising – one that doesn’t distinguish between good and evil intentions. It feeds on chaos and  destroys without mercy. Unless Liv acts fast, no one will survive.

In this gripping supernatural thriller, international bestselling author Kelley Armstrong brings the Cainsville series to a powerful, richly rewarding finale.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 stars)
Review:

RITUALS by Kelley Armstrong is the fifth and final book in the Cainsville series. Over the previous four books Olivia Taylor-Jones has had her world turned upside down. She has discovered the truth about her past, and her link to the mysterious Cainsville. Along the way she has grown close to Gabriel Walsh and to Ricky Gallagher. They negotiated a truce, but now the time has come and she must finally make a choice between the Twyelth Teg and the Cwn Annwn. Whichever side she picks someone she loves will pay. All the while a new power rises; one that doesn’t distinguish between good or evil, and that destroys without mercy.

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Review: A Darkness Absolute by Kelley Armstrong

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A Darkness Absolute by Kelley Armstrong (UK edition)

Title: A Darkness Absolute (A City of the Lost Novel/Casey Duncan 2)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Detective Novel, Mystery, Thriller
Publisher: Sphere (7th February 2017)
Blurb:

The secret town of Rockton is the perfect place to hide. The only problem is – once you’re in, there’s no way out . . .

After a shaky start, Casey Duncan is settling into her role as the town’s much-needed detective. She’s also found love with Sheriff Eric Dalton, a man who appreciates her unconventional ways. But when Casey discovers a young woman trapped in a tiny cave in the mountains, she is soon caught up in a terrifying new case. Someone has been abducting woman and holding them captive deep in the forest. Is he from Rockton, or from the wilderness beyond?

Battered by winter storms and sudden blizzards, the town is cut off from the rest of the world. And as Casey races to find a killer, she becomes his next target . . .

With her gripping new novel, bestselling author Kelley Armstrong has written a heart-stopping, edge-of-the-seat, standalone thriller and a sequel to the highly acclaimed City of the Lost.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Review:

A DARKNESS ABSOLUTE is the second book in Kelley Armstrong’s fantastic The City of the Lost Novels series. This book continues the story of Casey Duncan and her life in Rockton: a secret town in the Canadian wilderness where people with a past go to hide. Casey has settled into life in the town, and as a detective on the town’s police force. She is in a relationship with the town’s sheriff Eric Dalton, something they are both still adjusting to. When Casey finds a young woman trapped in a tiny cave in the mountains, she finds herself caught in a terrifying case where women are abducted and held captive deep in the forest. The question is, does the perpetrator come from Rockton?

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Review: Betrayals by Kelley Armstrong

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Betrayals by Kelley Armstrong (UK edition)

Betrayals by Kelley Armstrong (UK edition)

Title: Betrayals (A Cainsville Novel, 4)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Sphere (4th August 2016)
Blurb:

Olivia Jones knows a lot about betrayal. On the eve of her wedding, she discovered she was adopted – and that her biological parents were serial killers.

Liv has found sanctuary in Cainsville, but she’s learned not to trust the town’s mysterious elders. So when her boyfriend Ricky is linked to a series of murders, she’s reluctant to ask for their help. Meanwhile, things have turned complicated with Gabriel Walsh, her boss and sometime friend. The fact that their fraught relationship is connected to an ancient myth in which they were passionate lovers doesn’t help . . .

As Liv fights to clear Ricky’s name, she discovers that her own life is at serious risk. Soon Ricky, Liv and Gabriel are tangled in a web of betrayal. In order to survive, they will have to trust one another. But given their dark history, is that even possible? Or wise?

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Review:

BETRAYALS by Kelley Armstrong is the fourth book in the brilliant Cainsville series. It continues the story of Olivia Taylor Jones, who found sanctuary in the town of Cainsville when it came out that she was the biological daughter of convicted serial killers. But Cainsville holds its own secrets. In this book, Liv’s boyfriend Ricky is linked to a series of murders. Determined to clear his name Liv seeks the help of her boss and friend Gabriel. All three soon get caught up in events and with an ancient story hanging over them, complicating their relationships who can they trust?

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Review: Forest of Ruin by Kelley Armstrong

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Forest of Ruin by Kelley Armstrong (UK edition)

Title: Forest of Ruin (Age of Legends, 3)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Atom (5th April 2016)
Blurb:

THE WORLD IS IN CHAOS. TWIN SISTERS MORIA AND ASHYN HAVE BEEN TORN APART, FORCED ON THEIR OWN SECRET MISSIONS.

Moria – strong-willed and brave – must confront sorcerer Alvar Kitsune, father of her once-friend Gavril. Meanwhile soulful, compassionate Ashyn faces an even more terrifying task. She must bring to life a dragon.

The sisters have been forced down separate paths. But the time is coming when they must face the greatest battle of their lives – together.

The third volume in the Age of Legends trilogy, Forest of Ruin brings this epic tale of romance, magic and power to its thrilling conclusion.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 stars)
Review:

FOREST OF RUIN by Kelley Armstrong is the final book in the Age of Legends trilogy. This book concludes the story of twins Moria and Ashyn, Seeker and Keeper. At this point in the story the twins have been split up. Moria looks set to confront Alvar Kitsune the sorcerer who set events into motion, whilst Ashyn faces the prospect of bringing a dragon back to life. Yet even as the twins’ world balances on a precipice, there are those who believe that the twins can complete their tasks. Armstrong brings the trilogy to its dramatic conclusion in this final book.

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Review: City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong

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City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong (UK edition)

Title: City of the Lost (Casey Duncan, 1)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Detective Novel, Mystery, Thriller
Publisher: Sphere (14th January 2016)
Blurb:

Detective Casey Duncan has a dark past, and it’s about to catch up with her. When her best friend Diana is attacked by an abusive ex, the two women realise they have to disapper, fast. Diana’s heard of a hidden town that’s so remote it’s almost impossible to reach. A town that desperately needs a new detective.

Casey has barely arrived in Rockton when a body is discovered. A man’s been murdered and there’s no time to waste. Casey’s job won’t be easy: everyone in town has a secret. Meanwhile her boss, Sheriff Eric Dalton, is a troubled man who’s hard to read and even harder to please.

With no chance of help from the outside world, Casey will have to rely on her wits to solve the case. But she’s running out of time. Rockton’s killer is on the hunt, and this deep in the wilderness, no one is safe.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

CITY OF THE LOST is, I believe, the first book in a new series by the brilliant Kelley Armstrong. CITY OF THE LOST tells the story of Casey Duncan, a police detective with a past that’s about to catch up with her. Her best friend Diana, who is running from an abusive ex, hears about a town where people who want to disappear can go and live. Rockton desperately needs a detective; when Casey arrives she quickly gets pulled into a case of murders. In a town where everyone has skeletons in their closets, it is difficult to tell whom you can trust.

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Review: Deceptions by Kelley Armstrong

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Deceptions by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Deceptions (A Cainsville Novel, 3)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Sphere (20th August 2015)
Blurb:

TRUST NO ONE

Olivia Jones is desperate for the truth. The daughter of convicted serial killers, she has begun to suspect that her parents are innocent of their crimes. But who can she trust, in a world where betrayal and deception hide in every shadow?

RISK EVERYTHING

Liv does have one secret weapon: a mysterious sixth sense that helps her to anticipate danger. The trouble is, this rare power comes with its own risks. There are dark forces that want to exploit Liv’s talents – and will stop at nothing to win her to their side.

FACE THE TRUTH

Now Live must decide, before it’s too late. Who does she love? Who is really on her side? And can she save herself without burning down everything that matters most?

A twisting and atmospheric thriller, Deceptions is a fast-paced, gothic tale laced with passion, mystery and murder.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

DECEPTIONS is the third title in Kelley Armstrong’s gothic thriller series Cainsville. This novel continues the story of Olivia Jones, as she unravels more about her past and the secrets of Cainsville. Armstrong reveals more of the secrets of Cainsville and of Olivia’s past in this book.

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Review: Empire of Night by Kelley Armstrong

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Empire of Night by Kelley Armstrong (UK edition)

Title: Empire of Night (Age of Legends, 2)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Atom (1st April 2015)
Blurb:

TWO SISTERS. AN EMPIRE ON THE BRINK OF WAR. AND A RUTHLESS TRAITOR PREPARED TO UNLEASH HELL UPON THE WORLD.

Moira and Ashyn have lost everything except each other. Betrayed, orphaned and kept under close guard at court, they are desperate to find help for the children of their village, kidnapped by a terrifying enemy.

But their quest is tangled in a much greater battle – for the fate of the empire itself. Torn apart by violence and intrigue, the sisters will learn a great deal about their powers and their potential. But they will also learn the heartbreak of betrayal and loss, as those they love reveal their dark secrets . . .

The second volume in the Age of Legends trilogy, Empire of Night is a breathtaking dark fantasy from international bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

EMPIRE OF NIGHT by Kelley Armstrong is the second book in her Age of Legends trilogy. The book continues the tale of twins Moira and Ashyn – Keeper and Seeker. After the events of SEA OF SHADOWS (review) Moira and Ashyn are kept at court, but they long to know the fate of the children from their village. Both sisters feel trapped, and want to help the children but war is brewing.

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Review: Led Astray: The Best of Kelley Armstrong by Kelley Armstrong

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Led Astray by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Led Astray: The Best of Kelley Armstrong
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Fantasy, Short Stories, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Tachyon Publications (15th September 2015)
Souce: Publisher
Blurb:

With her signature twists and turns, New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong (Otherworld, Cainsville, Darkest Powers, Age of Legends) always gives a fresh spin on city-dwelling vampires, werewolves, and zombies. She is equally exciting when traveling further afield, to a post-apocalyptic fortress, a superstitious village, a supernatural brothel, and even feudal Japan.

Here is the first time that urban fantasy, young adult, mystery, and crime author Kelley Armstrong has had her stories collected from Otherworld and beyond. From humorous to heart-stopping, and including two original tales, Led Astray showcases Armstrong at her versatile best.

Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Review:

LED ASTRAY by Kelley Armstrong is a new collection of twenty-three short stories. The stories feature new and familiar characters, as well as new and familiar worlds. This collection brings together some favourite short stories from previous volumes, as well as two new pieces.

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Review: Wild Justice by Kelley Armstrong

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Wild Justice by Kelley Armstrong (UK edition)

Title: Wild Justice (A Nadia Stafford Thriller, 3)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Publisher:Sphere (26th November 2013)
Blurb:

Wild Justice: the dramatic finale to the Nadia Stafford trilogy

Ex-cop Nadia Stafford has a dark secret. After taking the law into her own hands she was kicked off the force . . . and entered the shadowy world of guns for hire. She has her own strict code – works only for one crime family, only kills the really bad guys. But when a hit goes tragically wrong, Nadia is devastated. Is is time to leave the business for good?

Before she has time to decide, Nadia discovers that her own life is under threat. And worse – that terrifying events from her past may have triggered the attacks. With the help of Jack, her enigmatic mentor, Nadia is forced upon a dark path – towards the truth and towards her final destiny.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

WILD JUSTICE brings to a conclusion Kelley Armstrong’s brilliant Nadia Stafford trilogy. When a hit goes tragically wrong, Nadia is left adrift and unsure of her future. Wanting to help her, Jack presents her with a case that might very well provide Nadia with the closure she is looking for…

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