Della

Hours of Darkness started off as a very classic High School drama, reminding me heavily of the 2004 Mean Girls movie. I thought the whole book was going to be that classic coming-of-age High School drama, so I was surprised to find that Hours of Darkness took a drastically 'dark' turn. Lauren Daniels goes through immense trauma in this book. She also begins learning how to cope with all that has happened to her. I believe the book should have ended around Chapter 13. The ending felt rushed, and could have been the introduction to the second book instead, though it does lead quite nicely into the second book where she will be dealing with the memories of all that happened in High School, and a devastating loss from the end of book 1, all while navigating Adulthood on her own in Hours of Light.

Creation of a Fated Thief is a heartwarming Novella that further expands on characters and storylines from previous novellas, enriching the world of Thaumoria, while also introducing new characters for the readers to fall in love with. This Novella encapsulates the idea of Found Family and the apprehension that comes with finding yourself if a new environment unlike any you've known before. I adored the characters in this Novella and cannot wait to see more of them in the upcoming books. I also loved getting to see more of characters from previous novellas as it really ties them together, building up an amazing world for the reader to delve into.

I cannot get enough of this series! The Dark Magic Series has captivating characters, an amazing magic system, and an incredible plot. Red Lands and Black Flames focused on family and interpersonal relationships, while also delving in fantasy politics and warfare that is so prevalent in the fantasy genre. Red Lands and Black Flames is a well executed sequel to the fantastic book that is The Butcher and The Bard. It expanded on the world and characters while adding so much more. The ending to Red Lands and Black Flames had me crying and absolutely shocked! I cannot wait for the third book in the Dark Magic Series to come out!

The Butcher and the Bard was like the epitome of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign as a book. The story was fun and adventurous, perfectly encapsulating the best parts of the fantasy genre. Each new location our two main characters came to was more interesting than the last, and I absolutely adored the main characters. They had subtle banter and chemistry that led to the romance in the Butcher and the Bard slowly building up throughout the story. The magic system is very intriguing, and I feel like every question answered about the magic system caused 3 more! I am very excited for the rest of the Dark magic series, especially after the ending!! The Butcher and the Bard ends on a very heavy and exciting cliffhanger.

The Phoenix King is a Fantasy story with Science Fiction elements that add a lot to the world building. I really liked all three of the main characters from whose perspectives we got to see throughout The Phoenix King. They were each very unique in their motivations and how far they were willing to go for what they wanted. I also loved the magic, and how it's grounded in religion. The idea of the prophet was especially interesting to me. I spent the whole book trying to guess who was the prophet! The end of The Phoenix King was amazing, and I'm excited to see where the story goes from here. I also can't wait to see more of Elena and Yassen!

Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door is a fast-paced, fun filled Romantic Comedy meets Paranormal Crime Solving Mystery. I enjoyed the Plot and Characters immensely! I really liked Riley's clairvoyance and am excited to see more of her abilities in the rest of the series. However, it took me well over 50% of the book to get over the writing. The comedy in Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door heavily relies on Slapstick and Gag jokes, which, if that's your thing, great! For me, it made the writing feel juvenile though. On top of the way the comedy was written, there's the fact that this book contained a lot of excess. There was an abundance of descriptions that dragged the scenes out and added little to nothing to the overall story.

This was a fantastic ending to the Innisfail Cycle Series, and a beautiful setup to what I believe may be more stories set in Innisfail. The Children of Danu has some of the most well written battles I have ever read. This book had me on the edge of my seat, made me laugh, and made me cry. I loved all of the characters and found myself overjoyed and heartbroken over the fates of these beloved characters. The Innisfail Cycle has given me a newfound appreciation for High Fantasy, and has me desperately awaiting more books by L.M. Riviere.