Tabitha Tomala

True to the title, Blackveil sees Karigan and the green riders venturing into Blackveil Forest. For centuries the forest has been kept at bay by the Dyer wall, but as the wall grows weaker, Second Empire seeks to unleash the evil within. Yet the riders are not alone in their venture, for the Eletians have taken an interest in the forest as well. To what ends they will not fully reveal. Together the Green Riders, members of the King’s army, and the Eletians will face off against the cursed beings of the forest. But will they be able to contain it?

The audiobooks for The Green Rider series are always such a joy to listen to. The narrator, Ellen Archer, brings the characters to life with such soothing tones. And the variety at which they are able to capture each different character in such a wide cast is astonishing.

In Blackveil politics starts to become a larger presence in the story. But the level of subterfuge displayed in the story will further engage the reader in Karigan’s fate. There are members of the court obsessed with the future queen’s success and see Karigan as a barrier to it. Though future queen Estora would never harm her friend, those of her own retinue would not hesitate. And while Karigan is away in Blackveil, members of the own King's court plot to secure the marriage in other ways.

For those who enjoy romantic subplots, The Green Riders series has one steadily growing with each passing book. It has both the hint of a love triangle and forbidden love, but the characters themselves aren’t really sure what direction they will go in. While they understand they do have feelings, duties call them away and force them to reevaluate each book. And make no mistake, it isn’t the highlight of the series. There is still a major focus on dealing with a greater evil and discovering the past truths of magic long buried in history.

Blackveil was an immersive and compelling addition to The Green Rider series. Kristen Britain has a beauty with words and developing the world piece by piece. Such an intricate series is given careful attention in each passing story, building a stronger foundation and allowing characters to stretch beyond their limits. And with the way this one ended, readers will demand the next book immediately.

Aubrey Finch’s past life was less than legal. And even though she has moved on, started life with a wonderful man, and has a young daughter, the past lingers in the back of her mind. Untold secrets pick at her, causing her to doubt herself as a wife and a mother. Ultimately it is also the downfall of her marriage. Yet, it will also be the skills she gained in her past that will allow her to search for a missing child when no one else will listen.

Aubrey is a hyper-focused mother. She’s constantly doubting her decisions and comparing herself to the other mothers she sees. Yet it’s this part of her personality that allows her to know something isn’t right and witness a child abduction. Many judge her for being the type of mother she is when ultimately she’s trying to do what is best for her child.

When Aubrey’s past begins to align with the future, readers will see her abilities in action, yet she still constantly doubts herself. Aubrey is also the type of person to try and appease others without thinking of herself first. Because of this, she throws herself into the investigation to find the missing child when the police won’t listen. She becomes so focused on the investigation, that her regular life begins to suffer.

While it is nifty seeing Aubrey in action, she doesn’t face many obstacles. Most of the conflict that arises is centered around her family and the police trying to steer her away from the investigation. If there had been more action involved with sleuthing around such as close calls or built-up tension, this would have been a much more interesting read.

Readers who enjoy books with themes of motherhood and marital difficulties would enjoy Wherever She Goes. While mystery plays a part in the story, it is more so the catalyst to Aubrey’s already tense relationship and serves to drive the family problems forward.

Dust returns readers to Silo 18, and the way life in the silo continues after an uprising. With the knowledge Jules now has, she is determined to find out what happened to the world. But the ally they’ve gained isn’t completely in control. One small move and Silo 18 will cease to exist like Silos in the past. Set on her path to connect Silo with Solo’s, Jules will be blinded to the consequences until it is too late.

The desperate struggle for Jules to find answers to her questions, and provide a better life for those in the silos is touching. And true to her personality she charges forward without thinking of the way things might go wrong, or if people even want what she is dragging them into. Jules finds herself balancing between the destruction the people are capable of when pushed too far and the uncontrollable forces at play outside the silo. Navigating between the two has to be done delicately, and Jules is anything but delicate.

When all of Jules’ cultivated plans go awry, she’s left with making split second decisions not everyone will come back from. Yet even when she is beaten down and feels alone, she stands right back up and tries again. And this time there is also a secondary storyline taken from book two, working in parallel. Even if they aren’t fully aware of the other’s intentions, ultimately they’re striving for common goals. It brings the cast of characters into alignment for this final novel.

Despite some great action sequences, there are many low points for Dust. Things such as exploring the engineering side of the silo machines are gone into great detail. Simply knowing the machine's purpose and intent for the plot would have been enough. There are also many loose ends still left after this final novel.

Readers who enjoy Dystopian novels may enjoy Dust. Just bear in mind there will be questions left lingering at the conclusion of the series, and the pacing is not consistent from novel to novel.

Embracing her role as the Subrosa for the city, Rachel is giving her all to maintain order. And despite the larger challenges looming over her head, she does not back down on her morals to keep the supernaturals in line. She may be a demon, but she refuses to twist dark curses and behave as the others do. Rachel’s humanity and steadfast beliefs are such an anchor point for her as a character. And while it may cause her more heartache in the end by not taking the easy way out, Rachel provides readers with an entertaining ride.

Trouble with the Cursed also explores coming to terms with the new appearance of demons and learning to embrace them as fellow citizens. This forces people to walk the fine line of trying not to judge before knowing them. But even if the demons appear to be on good behavior, Rachel knows what they are fully capable of. It’s only a matter of time before they push their boundaries and force Rachel’s hand. But Rachel won’t realize until it’s too late just how manipulative and crafty some can be.

Yet demons aren’t the only ones Rachel has to worry about. She’ll have to balance between keeping them in line and dealing with a visiting undead vampire. The dance of vampire politics is always a thrilling addition to the story. Especially when it allows Ivy to return. The love between Ivy and Rachel is so beautiful. Knowing each other’s boundaries and caring deeply for one another as friends is heartwarming.

Kim Harrison has created yet another wonderful addition to The Hollows series. With each new story, there's a fresh new take on the challenges facing Rachel and her loved ones. There is never a dull moment and the emotional depth of Rachel as a character is profound. Urban fantasy readers will love The Hollows.

When Malik lost his mother at a young age, it was violent and traumatizing. And with the rush of emotion at seeing his mother torn from him, his magic exploded into life. Igniting everything around him. Placed into the foster system, he not only had to cope with the loss of his mother but also abusive foster parents and a power he had no idea how to control.

The trauma Malik endured is deeply seeded into his character. Flashbacks of the night his mother disappeared constantly plague him, and his trust does not come easily. He immediately goes on the defensive with all adults. Even when they are trying to comfort him, it is heartbreaking to see people try to make a connection, yet readers will also understand why Malik isn’t ready for them yet. He is easily overwhelmed by affection, and when he suddenly has a family he never knew existed it is way too much for him to handle.

However, Malik’s foster brother is one of the most important people in his life. As soon as he is able, Malik tears his brother away from his abusers. In the process, Taye enters a life filled with magic and family alongside Malik. While Taye remains a secondary character, he is never far from Malik’s mind.

Blood at the Root aligns with the younger generation's grasp of the world. There is also a fair bit of generational slang young adults would connect with and understand. The romance is pretty reflective of the genre involving a long-lost childhood crush. This would be best enjoyed by young adults.