Beautiful historical fiction with so much research done that you can clearly tell this author put their entire being into this piece. The story and world-building reach heights that most series hope to accomplish without being too overdone and lengthy. This series, the first installment in itself holds the reader well, the plot twisting and winding as we follow Thorfinn’s adventures without the slightest hint of hesitation. The ability to fully immerse the reader is an admirable quality, one that was done well here, and there was just the perfect blend of historical fiction and fantasy.
A great mix of characters’ ages and depictions along with a fast-paced plot has the reader hoping and wishing for more – one that I was excited to see granted! Overall, a very good read, and without throwing any additional spoilers in this review, a very great series.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-07-24 22:26:342022-07-25 10:32:42Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse (The Forerunner Saga Book 1) by Jay Veloso Batista – Review By Christen Ware
Onto the next! Having read this series without any wait between books is a relish in itself, but the attention to detail and dedication to research while adding a twist on history is another thing entirely. We once again follow the adventures of our beloved characters that leave us wanting more. The precision and tone of the entire piece are beautiful, and the craftsmanship that goes into creating it doesn’t go without notice. The touches of fantasy that litter just adds the perfect amount of twist that draws readers of all genres in.
Truly a good installment into the series that touches on more than just one solid character and helps to give multiple facets to the created world. Overall, a good read. I recommend!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-07-24 22:25:012022-07-25 10:32:09The Vardoger Boy (The Forerunner Saga Book 2) by Jay Veloso Batista – Review by Christen Ware
Arguably the best yet, Batista does it yet again. An incredibly immersive story that draws in, captivates and leaves the reader wanting that much more. Having read the two before this, they seem to keep getting better and better. This is no loss of detail or rushing through the storyline. It picks up directly from the last book and doesn’t leave anything out. I continuously feel immersed in the story, and it’s hard to put down! Absolutely worth a re-read!
This author was utterly new to me, but after reading this series, it’s awesome to have experienced their work and to be hopeful for more in the future!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-07-24 22:23:172022-07-25 10:31:25On Viking Seas (The Forerunner Saga Series Book 3) by Jay Veloso Batista – Review by Christen Ware
The love story developed here is endearing, and the witty banter adds to the appeal. There are many concepts at which the story hits on, “I can fix him”, strong female heroine, and “tough guy with lots of layers” pretty much sums it up. It’s a good drive for the book and overall plot, but instances of the heroine rushing in to save the day and being amazing adds a stretch that seems both unrealistic in terms of the characters backstory but as an overall unrealistic feel.
Overall a good, quick read that tugs in the heart strings and leads the reader feeling satisfied with the happy ending.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-07-07 16:09:172022-07-08 13:18:32Levi (The Brothers of Creekside Ranch Book 1) By Edith Mackenzie Reviewed by: Christen Ware
A multiple-POV masterpiece that encases everything that a fantasy reader hopes to encounter: raging battles, the fight for a crown, and a love that defies all odds. The Draco Sang series has been one of beauty, strength, tears, and perseverance. Suza and Ferth, Jade and Tobin, and all of the characters that warmed this book with their witty banter and sharp skills. They have earned a place as much loved characters, and it is a shame that this appears to be the last of the installment as I would have loved to see their development further.
This story pick up in the heat of battle and follows each of these characters as they face hardships that most do not even imagine. Their decisions and quick wit leads them on periodically intertwining paths that encourages the story along in a fast-paced read without feeling rushed. It leads the reader through the multiple lives and personalities to match as the story continues. This book was a lovely refresher because most fantasy tends to hint at similar themes and occurrences. But this? A work of art that is both a palate cleanse and a lovely book to get a reader out of a slump. The characters were easily loved and my emotions always seemed to match alongside their ever changing ones.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-06-19 14:17:472022-06-20 07:24:56Human Hearts (Draco Sang Trilogy Book 3) by Mary Beesley – Review by Christen Ware
This lighthearted book with lovely illustrations highlights very important themes that young children, and even some adults, can have integrated into their experiences to help deal with real-world scenarios. Fear of the unknown, recognition and acceptance of different individuals, and knowing when to speak out vs. internal situation resolution. All these complex themes and situations are presented in a simplistic version designed so children can learn in a non-judgment and open way while still seeming fun and age-appropriate. It was a quick read that hit heavy in terms of message, and that is something that is never too early to experience.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-06-09 08:09:372022-06-09 08:09:37Jake the Growling Dog Shares His Trail (Jake the Growling Dog Book 3) by Samantha Shannon – Review by Christen Ware
A suspenseful thriller where the reader is just as out of the loop as the characters continue to develop. This Multiple POV style mystery followed Nora, a Norwegian runaway turned Cayman police officer as she is thrown into a vicious battle between sides, and no one is safe. Physically and mentally tested to save the life of someone she’s never met, Nora battles against the odds where most humans would fail.
As she runs from a burdened past, Nora is a strong-willed fighter that has gone through hell and back just to be thrown into more turmoil. As she runs from the grief of a past love, Nora distracts herself as much as possible. The relation to not wanting to feel or acknowledge life after the loss of someone you loved is where sympathy plays a huge role in this literature. As she continues on to play puppet in the games where multi-millionaires are revealed to be more than what meets the eye, Nora faces some of her greatest fears.
An easy read with a twisting and compelling plot that leaves the reader on their toes and wanting more, the author does a fantastic job of drawing you in and taking you for a wild ride. Happily able to say that the remainder of the series and related books will be happily read in the near future.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-06-01 07:48:032022-06-01 07:48:03Deadly Sommer (Nora Sommer Caribbean Suspense Book 1) by Nicholas Harvey – Review by Christen Ware
A quick read that winds like a road. A very dystopian-style read that hints at Native American storytelling roots that takes the reader along like the shotgun rider in a vehicle. The attention to detail is nice as we follow along with the movements and shifts of Coyote and all of the chaos that ensues with it all. A lovely example of neutral chaos with a classical tease that is neither good nor evil. Coyote is a loveable and respected character with a glint of mischief hiding in his eyes. The writing style is very different but quickly appreciated, and overall an easy read. The wind and turns quickly hold the reader and the attention to detail, as well as the storyline, pull the reader in easily.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-06-01 07:43:172022-06-01 07:43:17Coyote’s Road Trip by Laura Koerber – Review by Christen Ware
This book follows the story of Chloe, a strong headed and strong even stronger opinionated apothecary who quite literally runs herself ragged trying to place the needs of others before herself. As her mysterious background is revealed, the reader is shown that although she has direct relation to the fae, her thoughts and desires regarding Faerie are quite the opposite. Having quite literally vowed to never return, it is not until a mysterious illness begin sparking up in mortal realm that threatens more than just the people,that Her past comes barging in. Quite literally.
Que Quinton, a brooding fae male who is more mysterious and closed off than Chloe herself. The reader follows along as Chloe desperately grasps for a cure and finds herself back in the one place she never wish to be, doing something she never thought that she’d be doing. The witty banter, storyline, and overall flow of this book makes it very difficult for the reader to put it down. Having finished it in a day, and then being struck by a cliffhanger, it makes for a wicked anticipation lying in wait for the next installment of the series.
As a lover of both fantasy and the fae, this is an easy read that leans toward more traditional lore, and it is lovely seeing the side of apothecary as well and the strain that being a caretaker can have on an individual. Very well written indeed.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-05-22 21:42:122022-05-22 21:42:12Flame and Crystal Thorns (Fae and Crystal Thorns Book 1) by Kay L. Moody – Review by Christen Ware
A lovely retelling of three well-known installments, but from the feminine point of view. These retellings are a fresh new perspectives on stories that have been twisted and turned many times throughout their lifetime. It is lovely to see the different thoughts from a new perspective that had been caged and stifled for far too long. The majority of retellings require a basic knowledge of what the actual story is beforehand, but with the reads like these, you don’t need to have a decent foundation built to understand it. The character list was greatly helpful in identifying characters and added to the help of refreshing the reader’s mind beforehand.
It would be amazing to see work such as these included in the literature regimen that has their source material mandated to allow readers and students to have numerous perspectives that aren’t just from the masculine point of view.
Overall, a good read and a refresher from most retellings. It was easy to love the characters in these new lights and offer even more insight into already well-known and loved stories. I would read again.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-05-22 21:12:572022-05-22 21:12:57Ancient Reflections: A Mythic Trilogy by Tamara Agha-Jaffar – Review by Christen Ware
A Veil of Gods and Kings (Apollo Ascending Book 1) by Nicole Bailey – Review by Christen Ware
Captivating, heart-wrenching, and a smooth read that was finished within a day. This book was a beautiful work of art worthy of the Greek gods themselves, and this dip into the retelling of their lives rivaled the top places. The reader is not only entirely and absolutely immersed within their world, but the way this story is written, it felt like you were walking right beside Apollo and Hyacinth while they continue to steal glances and touches. A beautiful tale laid out in an even more beautiful way, this read was one that held and caused so much emotion within so few pages.
It was an experience to witness the multiple POV style, and truly learn each character’s thoughts and wishes, and it was hard to not fall in love right alongside them. The author’s ability to paint the scenery so it felt like we as readers were too learning to nock and shoot an arrow for the first time, or lay amongst the stars as the lyre was played for us. Watching and being captivated by such an emotional story of betrayal, hope, and duty leads us to root for the forbidden lovers.
This gorgeous retelling of Apollo and Hyacinth truly held up so beautifully. A must-read and I hope to see this being raved about in the future. Patiently but painstakingly waiting for the second book in this installment.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-05-12 07:29:322022-05-12 07:29:32A Veil of Gods and Kings (Apollo Ascending Book 1) by Nicole Bailey – Review by Christen Ware
A multiple POV read leads you through the lives of numerous characters, each with their own prejudice and opinions about what the world is. Each marked with an ability that some view as a gift and others a curse, the reader is led through multiple tiers of struggle, betrayal, romance, sense of duty, and longing for acceptance. The journey for each began in a part of the world where their “kind” is far from accepted. With abilities that must be hidden or face extreme prejudice and belittling circumstances, the reader is taken along the journey of found family and development of powers to quite literally, save the world they know.
The author draws deep both historical and religious contexts to portray a story that truly draws out the horrors of what human beings are capable of. The blanket of fantasy adds a foggy glass through which the reader is able to view the world, but the pinpricks of realism draw all the nearer with each new revelation. A captivating read deems you into a hold that the pages fly by, and the world comes alive around you.
All the characters, despite their numerous backgrounds and stories, all merge together in a singular plot for their survival against genocide. A reader can do little more than root for each new POV that is splayed across the pages, their emotions sometimes in stark contrast to one another. It is oftentimes that I found myself loving one character through a viewpoint, and then hating them upon a switch. It just proves the talent that the author portrays.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-05-05 22:01:062022-05-05 22:01:06Taming of the Few (Guardians of the PHAE Book 1) by Rowan Dillon – Review by Christen Ware
The start of the Casket Girls Series submerges you into a realm where the supernatural lurks just beneath the surface, ready to pounce at any moment. Greer, the steadfast and strong-willed woman of the hour, finds herself in the midst of an unraveled life that continues to be further unwound by secrets, a dark-haired knight, and far more than just a few twists and turns. She and the other “casket girls” have to find their way in a new land, deal with a forced marriage, and learn to survive even when some seem to be dying. Fueled by rage and confusion, Greer finds herself deeper than she thinks and ends up in the midst of something much larger than she could’ve ever imagined.
When her dark knight no longer seems so knightly, Greer presses harder into the secrets of the world. She uncovers the mystery that is Theron, her dark-haired and even darker-eyed love interest that has the possibility to lead her into the same exile and damnation that he has riddled himself with. When the tension begins to build, both between Greer and Theron and between the normal and supernatural world, the pair must fight through hellish demons that rival the nightmares of the Earth. The stubborn and feisty-natured group of females that had once been shivering and timid as they were torn from their homes wreak havoc on the supernatural. The reader is left rooting for the morally gray villain, and a love story that didn’t begin as one.
Just when you think that another turn isn’t possible, you get thrown into a different direction, following at the heels of the fated pair. Their draw to one another is of pure intoxication, and it is all the reader can do to stay on their heels as they uncover more and more of a dark past. Demons, vampires, and even facing hell itself tries to tear apart the lovely duo, but bonds forged in blood are scarcely broken. Greer’s life will never be the same, and the world is in wake of the to be told stories of the other casket girls. The words flew over the pages for this read, and it is safe to say that the next book is awaited in hungry anticipation.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristen2022-04-27 07:50:122022-04-27 07:50:12Blood & Ravens (The Casket Girls Series Book 1) by A.D. Brazeau – Review by Christen Ware
We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.
Essential Website Cookies
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
Google Analytics Cookies
These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.
If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:
Other external services
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
Google Webfont Settings:
Google Map Settings:
Google reCaptcha Settings:
Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:
Other cookies
The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:
Privacy Policy
You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.
Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse by Jay Veloso Batista
