A. M. Dunnewin

Thank you, NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.4 ⭐

This book was hard to rate but I believe 3 stars is a good qualification. I enjoyed the read. The writing was great, and I quite liked how descriptive it was, it made it easy to envision the scenes in my head.

I liked the premise of this story. A woman executioner? That's not something you find often. Besides, you can see that the author made a lot of research because the historical details are on point. I found it fascinating to read about such a complex character. Someone who kills and tortures in the name of the law but it's seen as a monster by the citizens. I want to read more about Joss, I didn't get enough of her past and her family's history.

The rest of the plot was not something new in this genre. A "lost" heir, schemes, and politics, a kingdom tangled in war, a villain working in the shadows, etc.

The book was too short for my taste. I don't mind slow-paced stories but this one had almost no action until the last few chapters. I was just getting interested in the story when I noticed there were only a couple of pages left...I guess the author was building the atmosphere, presenting the main characters and a basic rundown of what's coming next. That's okay but I would have preferred a longer novel (maybe combining the first two volumes?). The end's not abrupt but it leaves too many loose ends and there was not enough information to make any deductions.… (més)

I just finished All the Dark Souls, and it is just wow ! I loved the story. I loved the characters. It is a short novel (about 150 pages), but it is packed with action.

Joss Brevyn is not like any woman. After the death of her father, she had no choice but to become the next executioner. It is a job that runs in the family and she didn’t have any say as she is the last heir. So most of her days she prepares for the next person she will be asked to kill. What is ambivalent is that she is a really sweet person, full of compassion and empathy. So as a side job, she does her best to help people. She has a great knowledge in healing and human anatomy and does her best to cure the unfortunate wounded humans that cross her path.

And it is how she meets the second main character Aric Kayden. Aric is an assassin who decided to refuse to finish a job. As a result, he was left almost dead on the side of the road. Joss found him and decided to bring him home, hoping to bring him back to health. The relationship slowly building between the two is at the heart of the novel. That and a government conspiracy.

All the Dark Souls is a great Dark Fantasy novel with two characters bound by their duties and where death is always at the corner. Lots of action and a little romance. If you like unusual topics and strong women characters. Read it !… (més)

OH. MY. GOD! What an intriguing story. I loved princess Skylar and her great strength as she endured one assault after another on her body and I can't imagine how she endured when most everyone against her and those that wanted her kingdom! I fell in love with her knight who guarded her like a hawk and countless times risked his life for her. With her brother and father dead, she was now queen, a title she had never planned to take, but Sir Harlin went missing and because she would not agree to a marriage with a vicious kingdom she was kidnapped, tortured, yet she still fought and NOW I CAN'T WAIT TO READ BOOK TWO!… (més)

Eddie Durante is the owner of a speakeasy and a mobster under his Uncle, the boss of the Durante family. Eddie is still recovering from the death of his wife, Kate who was killed by the rival Caprice family in a territory dispute. Amidst this, Eddie is notified that the Caprice's have a hit out on him within his own speakeasy. As the bodies start piling up, Eddie realizes that this is more than a regular hit. This is payback, revenge in the purest form imaginable for the decisions he made for his family.
Speakeasy is a fast-paced historical suspense novella set in the 1920's. I was quickly brought into the glitz and mystery of Eddie's speakeasy as the writing describes the intrigue and glamour of the hidden speakeasy and the people who frequent it. Since this is a novella, there wasn't much about Eddie's background or character other than he cares a lot about his family and business, however this adds to the mystery of why Eddie is being so mercilessly hunted. The action and suspense ramped up quickly as everyone around Eddie began dying. As Eddie begins to unravel the reasons behind this particularly merciless hit, I could sense who the mastermind behind Eddie's demise was in an amazing, vindictive and twisted ending.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.… (més)