Book Review: Vampires of Moscow by Caedis Knight

Finally, I can share my review for Vampires of Moscow by Caedis Knight. I read this and Sirens of Los Angeles last month and been itching to tell you all about them. Scroll down to find out why.

Vampires of Moscow by Caedis Knight

Title: Vampires of Moscow

Author: Caedis Knight

Publisher: Independent

Genre: Fantasy, Magic

Release date: Kindle out  Thursday 15th Oct

Paperback out Friday 13th Nov

Amazon.com links:
Vampires of Moscow – https://amzn.to/2EKx3pH
Sirens of Los Angeles – https://amzn.to/32afzNm

Blurb:

Saskia de la Cruz is a Verity Witch – her only magic being that she can tell the truth from a lie.

As an investigative reporter for The Blood Web Chronicle, the biggest news outlet on the paranormal dark Blood Web, Saskia spends her days cracking twisted para cases hoping that someday, some case, will bring her closer to finding her missing sister.

In snowy Moscow drained corpses of illegal workers have begun to turn up, with hundreds more reported missing. When Saskia is sent on assignment to investigate an oligarch Vampire crime ring that might be behind the deaths, she plans to get in out of the city’s frozen grasp quickly…preferably with her neck intact.

But beautiful ballet dancer Konstantin Volkov and his wildcard brother Lukka complicate things. The vampire brothers have their own reasons for solving the string of murders, reasons that conflict with Saskia’s mission. Soon, Saskia finds herself enmeshed in the city’s glittering web of crime, passion, and violence, where truths and lies are one and the same.

With vibrant characters, page-turning suspense and steamy romance, this new series has been dubbed by early readers as “a fun crime-solving sexual adventure across Europe.”

Co-authored by two established fantasy authors Jacqueline Silvester and N.J Simmonds, and set across a christmassy Moscow, Vampires of Moscow is the first book in the Blood Web Chronicles series. Perfect for fans of Crescent City, True Blood and Veronica Mars.

My Thoughts

I am a big fan of NJ Simmonds work which includes The Path Keeper and Son of Secrets, so was excited when I heard she was co-writing a series based on paranormals. I was even more excited when I heard her and Jacqueline Silvester’s enthusiasm for the characters and world they were building on a Facebook live. When authors glow while talking about their work, you know the reader is in for a treat. The energy and love both writers have for this series shines through, making it a fast-paced, addictive and imaginative read.

From sunny Los Angeles chasing sirens, Saskia finds herself in freezing Moscow infiltrating a club owned by two hot vampires searching for a story for the Web Chronicle. Saskia is independent and strong-willed but is still finding her feet in her new career, as an investigative reporter. This means she will take risks to prove herself, but her sense of justice also leads her into danger. With her low magical skills, she has to rely on her intelligence to get through. After constant put downs about her lack of magical ability, I enjoyed watching her learn to use her truth seeking skills and consider being a verity witch as an advantage rather than something to be ashamed of. 

The description of the locations made me shiver with cold when walking through Moscow and shudder when thrown into the seedy and murky world of vampire nightclubs. The vamps in this series are not your sparkly, tame versions from Twilight; these adore the taste and thrill of drinking human blood and have inventive ways of drinking it. With graphic descriptions, this novel is not for you if you have a blood phobia.

The idea of a vampire trained in ballet with rippling muscles and toned physique was inspired. I am currently binge watching ballets and the moves the dancers make are out of this world. Giving a vampire this ability made me fall for him hard. It took me a while to feel the same for Lukka, but the contrast between the two brothers won me over. I never expected to fall in love with two killers, but these characters have depth.

Would I recommend?

Yes, if you are a fan of witches, vampires, shape shifters and all things paranormal.  The Web Chronicles is a clever, intense and addictive fantasy crime series , perfect for winter nights and lockdown. They are steamy in places so not for under 18s and you may blush if you are reading in company. I can not wait for the next one and discover where Caedis Knight takes us.

I also have a new author, Jacqueline Silvester to read and follow.

Author biography

Caedis Knight

Caedis Knight is the pen name of two established fantasy authors, Jacqueline Silvester and N J Simmonds. Silvester began her career in screenwriting and lived all over the world before going on to pen her highly successful YA series Wunderkids. Spanish Londoner Simmonds’ background was originally in marketing before writing her fantasy series The Indigo Chronicles, along with various Manga stories and writing collaborations. Together they created Blood Web Chronicles – their first paranormal romance series set in Europe. Great friends and avid travelers, you can find them whizzing between one another’s homes in Germany and the Netherlands, or having Zoom calls to excitedly plot Saskia’s next humorous sexy adventure.

Website: caedisknight.com
Twitter: @CaedisKnight
FB: facebook.com/AuthorCaedisKnight
IG: instagram.com/caedis_knight

Thank you Caedis Knight for an advanced copy so I could give my honest and unbiased opinion. I can not wait to read the next instalment.

If you would like to discover more about this series and the author pop over to the other blogs on this tour.

Love

Book Review: Son of Secrets by N J Simmonds

Nearly three years ago, I shared my review for an amazing book, The Path Keeper by NJ Simmonds.  The new adult novel blew me away with the pace, plot and characters. It was the beginning of a series; I longed to read more. I waited and, like many others, reread my treasured copy while we waited for news about the sequel’s release. The release was delayed but I am excited to say the waiting is over. The second book of the Indigo Chronicles, Son of Secrets is here! I was lucky to receive an advanced copy to review and it was one of those books I have been desperate to shout about ever since. Scroll down to see why. 

Son of Secrets by NJ Simmonds

SON OF SECRETS BLURB:

Ella has been waiting for Zac for three years. She’s convinced he’ll return for her, but fate has other plans. When Josh is thrown back into her life, Ella has a choice: step back on to her rightful path, or wait for the one who dared her to rebel.

But Ella’s not the only one missing Zac. Luci has been searching for her blue-eyed boy over two millennia and will stop at nothing to get him back. Even if that means hunting down the only girl he ever loved.

From Tuscany 5BC to 17th century witch hunts, Ella, Zac, Luci and Sebastian’s lives have been forever intertwined. The time has finally come to complete the circle.

In a fight against destiny – who will win?

LINKS:

njsimmonds.com
Facebook 
Instagram 
Twitter   
Goodreads
Amazon pre-order

My Thoughts

Oh, my! My love of the first novel in the Indigo Chronicles, The Path Keeper, is immense. I’m lucky enough to own a physical copy of the original run and it holds a treasured spot on my forever shelf. The wait to read this second instalment has been excruciatingly long, but it was worth every second.

Fate is battling to right itself after the heart stopping conclusion of The Path Keeper and the characters are reintroduced along with new ones. Ella is as feisty as always and handles her pain in her own way. She was never going to be a weeping damsel in distress and I respect and love her for it. The sorrow she and Zac feel leaps off the page and her step-brother’s hatred gave me goosebumps. It is an emotional, soul ripping read and the writing is more developed than before which I did not think was possible.

The introduction of Luci is inspired and is a character I will always remember and aspire to be for her strength and clarity. The novel blends historical events, fantasy and emotions perfectly to produce a study of the treatment of women in the past and present as well as exploring how the fear of strong women and those who refused to fit to the constraints set by stereotypes triggered the hysteria surrounding witchcraft. 

With angels galore, and passion sizzling between characters, it is definitely not a YA book. The central theme of reincarnation is captivating and with the well-developed characters and many twists and turns it kept me reading through the night. NJ Simmonds  has cast a spell on an idea to create something amazing.  I’m going to struggle to find a better book to read this year and a reading hangover is looming.

Would I recommend?

Yes, get it now and if you have not read The Path Keeper, you need to add it to your shopping basket. This is a series you can not read out of sequence. Son of Secrets is an emotional, thrilling novel of empowerment, grief, magic and eternal love.
I will be counting the days to read the sequel. It is one for my forever shelf. In fact I can not wait to get a hard copy of the series to admire.

Author Biography

N J Simmonds

N J Simmonds is the author of the fantasy series The Indigo Chronicles – she also writes Manga comics and is one half of Caedis Knight. Her stories are magical, historical and full of complex women. page-turning twists and plenty of romance. Originally from London, she now lives with her family in the Netherlands.

Thank you NJ Simmonds for inviting me to this tour and the advanced copy. If you would like to know more about the book or author visit other blogs on this tour for extracts, interviews and discussions on the characters. 

Love 

 

Perfection in YA: book reviews

Last month I was blown away by two Young Adult books and they both deserve to be on the bookcase of forever books so they can be reread when needed.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

I have seen this book many times  but it was always pushed further down the TBR list. A friend urged me to read it and I am so glad I did. It is a gem and a Technicolor explosion of a book. I was mesmerized from first page to the last  by the descriptions and storytelling.

The blurb of Caraval

It is a tale of 2 sisters, living under the power of their strict and cruel father until an invitation to the magical game, Caraval, appears days before Scarlett’s arranged wedding.
When Tella,  her beloved sister is kidnapped, Scarlett has no choice to play the game to find her. The plot twists and turns like the tunnels in the island so you never know where you are but the pages leap with colour and imagination. It is reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland as you do feel like you have fallen down the rabbit hole into a vibrant Tim Burton set.
Words can not express how much I love this book and I recommend it if you enjoy the fantastical. I long for an illustrated copy to sit amongst my Harry Potter ones if one exists and if not, there needs to be one pronto.

The Path Keeper by N J Simmonds

I had heard great things about this book and it did not disappoint. Classed as YA it has more depth, swearing and sex than you would expect and would happily fit comfortably on the adult fiction shelf.

The Path Keeper blurb

The Path Keeper is a beautifully written book that makes you want to forget the world and just read in one sitting. The characters are strong and realistic. Feisty Ella falls in love with Zac despite fate dictating she is destined for someone else but it is much more than a girl meets boy plot.  It is about soul mates, fate and how decisions made in one life impacts your next.

If you want a multi-layered story with twists and loops as you follow Ella’s journey in love and discovering secrets, this unique book is for you. It is the first of a trilogy and you will counting the days until you can read  the next instalment.