Gail Z. MartinRecensioni

The story follows Jake, Rick, and Nicki as they travel and attempt to fulfil a mission when they are interrupted by dangers in New Pittsburgh. This is a friends- and family-orientated book, lengthy, and contains plenty of action and genre elements.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to Hidden Gems Books and author.

The story starts immediately, showing a fight against Brent and Travis. Suddenly, the narrative slows and delves into Brent's and Travis's friendship before starting again with the plot. The two friends have contrasting background that help with their mission. It might help to read the first book, but the book works as a standalone. The book is dialogue-heavy.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to Hidden Gems Books and author.

The story follows Jake, Rick, and Nicki as they travel and attempt to fulfil a mission when they are interrupted by dangers in New Pittsburgh. This is a friends- and family-orientated book, lengthy, and contains plenty of action and genre elements.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to Hidden Gems Books and author.

The story starts immediately, showing a fight against Brent and Travis. Suddenly, the narrative slows and delves into Brent's and Travis's friendship before starting again with the plot. The two friends have contrasting background that help with their mission. It might help to read the first book, but the book works as a standalone. The book is dialogue-heavy.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to Hidden Gems Books and author.

Travis Dominick is an X-Priest, and his creature hunting partner, Brent Lawson is an ex-FBI agent. Together they make up the bad-ass team that hunts demons, monsters, and other supernatural troublemakers. Brent gets a call for help from an old army buddy, so he and Travis head to central Pennsylvania. The town is experiencing strange and really gruesome and unexplained deaths by demonic creatures that are taking the paranormal activity to a new level. The murders are similar to crimes that took place decades ago. These creatures aren't bad enough, so let's throw in a shady government experiment that, as can be expected...make the bad situation even worse. Imagine that! Constant rain and overflowing rivers mean there's no way to escape the creatures from the shadows of Hell. The creatures are found to be the results of people's deepest fears and thoughts. They literally feed on human terror. With the lives of everyone in the town at stake, Brent and Travis are their only hope. They'll have to uncover the dark secrets, which includes the secret supernatural government program, as well as Brent and Travis's own not so pleasant memories. C.H.A.R.O.N. is a dark fantasy filled with old world spirits, legends and lore. Add some vengeful ghosts, magic, secret government agencies, Vatican ninja-priests, family, small-town secrets, grouchy but helpful bartenders, psychics, mediums, witches, small-town heroes, and an unshakable bond of friendship, then mix well and you have the recipe for a scary, creepy, well told tale that just may have you leaving the lights on at night. What more could you ask for? I have met these two heroes, Brent and Travis, before as they have made appearances in other series of books authored by Gail Z, Martin that she writes as Morgan Brice. She's one of my favorite authors and her books are some of my always go-to rereads. "Badlands", "Witchbane", and "Deadly Curiosities" have hosted these two characters, many times as they come to the assistance of the main characters of these books. Gail Z. Martin, a.k.a. Morgan Brice is a wonderful author that gives life to Brent and Travis as well as their many friends.

The third book in the series, I haven’t read the other two but felt that this can be read as a standalone, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything.
Cassidy is the main character; she works with her friends dealing with ghosts and supernatural beings.
I was captured from early on, I do like books that are a bit on the spooky side and this definitely had that. The storyline was great, it flowed nicely and the characters were likeable.
I gave this a 4 stars because I did really enjoy the storyline, it was one of the best I have heard for a while, however, I didn’t click with the narrator, I felt that she could have given more expression, It seemed kind on monotone. Therefore I am going to read the book too, so I get the expression that is lacking from my imagination.

Originally posted on Just Geeking by.

Book two of the Assassins of Landria series continues the adventures of Ridge and Rett, King’s Shadows, official assassins for the King of Landria. Having gotten in over their heads in previously, they ended up saving the day and the King, all while breaking several rules along the way. While the King is happy to be alive the commander of the assassins, Burke, passes on the ruler’s displeasure at them doing so by way of stepping on so many of his rules. It’s not just the King who’s not happy with them; they’ve never been popular with their fellow Shadows, even more so now who see them as getting special treatment and after foiling the Witch Lord’s plans they’ve undoubtedly put a target on their backs there too.

Neither assassin is thrilled when Burke starts sending them on random assignments that seem beneath their skills, especially when the Witch Lord has done a disappearing act and they’re eager to sniff him and his supporters out. It becomes clear though that the Shadow Master hasn’t forgotten about the Witch Lord either, and has been carefully managing their assignments to keep them out of the firing line and on the Witch Lord’s tail. Despite his juggling, Ridge and Rett do what they do best and get themselves in hot water yet again. Unsure of who they can trust the pair are on the run again, using every ally and skill they have to stay one step ahead.

If you read my review of the first book, Assassin’s Honour, you’ll know I mentioned Gail Z. Martin’s interest in writing about ghosts and magic related to them. That gets amped up in this book with some interesting new characters as Ridge and Rett’s allies grow. Once again I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved the new additions to the cast of characters.

For more of my reviews please visit my blog!

Originally posted on Just Geeking by.

Content Warnings - There is a recurring theme of child abuse and kidnapping, and other than a brief scene at the start of the novel that shows the after-effects of the abuse there is no explicit details. There is no sexual abuse.

As this is a book about assassins there is a lot of violence. I wouldn’t say it is overly gory, it could easily be much more so, but there is a lot of death and in various ways. There is also drug use, specifically opium and laudanum, and using these drugs to control others against their will.

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I’ve been trying to get my hands on another Gail Z. Martin book ever since I finished the last book in the Chronicles of the Necromancer series, so when I found Assassin’s Honor on Kindle Unlimited it was the first book I read on my one month trial. I’m going to put it straight out there; it’s no Chronicles of the Necromancer – but that’s not to say it’s not good. As always Gail Z. Martin weaves a fantastic tale and considering how awesome Jonmarc was in that series, how could I not read an entire series dedicated to assassins?

We’re in a different land, however, there’s still hallmarks of Martin’s writing that fans of Chronicles of the Necromancer will recognise in this new series. Cocky but lovable rogues who don’t mean to get into trouble yet undoubtedly do, yet have a heart of gold and there’s magic linked to spirits again. Not anywhere near as complex as in the other series, but it’s clearly something that interests Martin.

Unlike Chronicles of the Necromancer and her other fantasy series The Ascendant Kingdoms (both 500 pages), Martin purposefully wrote this new series to be a lot shorter (203 pages). There’s a note at the end of the book explaining that this is a fast-paced fantasy adventure for people who don’t want to hurt their wrists while reading. Personally, I love a good fantasy epic and I think the faster pace is where this book loses that little bit of magic that would make it as great as Chronicles of the Necromancer for me. It’s certainly got the chops to me as good, and the characters are fantastic. If you don’t fall in love with their squire then I’ll be shocked.

For more of my reviews please visit my blog!

Originally posted on Just Geeking by.

Trigger Warnings -

There are some major torture scenes in this one using potions and poisons which lead to hallucinations. There is some discussion about the effect that the torture had had on the character, suggesting permanent damage such as brain damage or disability. There are no details given, it’s just implied. While the subject is treated respectfully and it is brief I wanted people to be aware that it’s in the book.

As this is a book about assassins there is a lot of violence. I wouldn’t say it is overly gory, it could easily be much more so, but there is a lot of death and in various ways.

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As this was the third book in the series I thought it might be the final book; I was very glad to find out that is not the case although now I am stuck waiting for the next one! Better than then it being finished as I am very much enjoying the adventures of Ridge, Rett, Henri and their growing band of merry allies. Another couple of allies are added in this book and we also learn more about Malachi and Kane who we met in Sellsword’s Oath. I certainly didn’t see that one coming! I had several theories in regards to Malachi’s identity and I was way off.

The action really ramps up in this one and for a while there it is touch and go, and this is the first time that I wondered if our two assassins were going to be able to pull off one of their unconventional plans. Things are getting more serious and even though this was as fast-paced as the other two books Martin’s clever writing made things slow right down, making you feel like you were stuck waiting for news right alongside the characters in the book. Based on where this one ended the next book is going to be a real page-turner and will be more explosive than any adventure Ridge and Rett and their allies have had before.

For more of my reviews please visit my blog!

Originally posted on Just Geeking by.

Content warnings:
There are scenes of death, blood, violence and torture. There are also references to torture including flashbacks as a result of torture.

The fourth book in the Assassins of Landria series picks up directly after the events of the previous book. Ridge and Rett are reunited after the terrible events that separated them for a time, leading to both men believing the other to be dead. Ridge’s daring rescue paid off and with the help of friends he managed to save Rett from captivity and torture. While Rett survived, barely, the effect of the magic used to harm him had consequences and in Exile’s Quest both men struggle to come to terms with those.

Desperate to get back into the fight and prove himself, Rett worries about being replaced by Kane, while Ridge only sees the spy as a means to the end until Rett is back on his feet. All Ridge is concerned for is his friend’s health and wellbeing. This book had a different feel to it than the other books in the series so far because it’s the first time the two main characters have spent time apart where one of them wasn’t under duress. They were still working together, just on separate parts of the mission. This allowed Martin to dive deeper into their relationship, showing their more vulnerable sides as they tried to navigate these new changes.

The world that they are operating in is very different to where they were at the start of the series, and Rett’s new abilities are just one new change that happens in Exile’s Quest. Everything previous has been leading to the revelations in this one. Mysteries begin to unfold, and for the first time since the King’s death it looks like there might be a solid way to end the Witch Lord’s hold. While I missed Rett and Ridge causing chaos together in this book, I could see why it was necessary for the story to take the path it did. It was also interesting to see them working with different partners for a change, and learning more about Rett’s magic, about any magic, in this series is always fascinating. Martin has a fabulous talent for magic world-building, and it gets even better in Exile’s Quest!

As always Henry was on top form, and watching hardcore spy Kane stumble over Henry’s matter of fact approach to taking out the enemy was hilarious. I wish we could have had a bit more of Lady Sally Anne, Loretta and the kids, but I loved the way that Martin passed on updates of what they were doing to the idiots men who were besieging their castle. It injected some humour into the despairing situations Rett and Ridge were dealing with.

Overall, Exile’s Quest was an enjoyable continuation of the Assassins of Landria series. The normal status quo was shaken up in this book, and Martin used that to explore a lot of other scenarios. We get to see Malachi and Kane as separate characters rather than a pair, and I think the same can be said about Rett and Ridge, to be honest. For the whole series they have been a pair, and that’s not a bad thing, but in the last two books they’ve both become their own entities. That’s not a bad thing, people change, and due to what Rett went through he’s changed more than most. They still have a strong bond, and I think we’ll see them come back together stronger than ever in the next book. They have always been a great team, but their enemies have made the mistake of making them a formidable one.

For more of my reviews please visit my blog!

Super cool premise, and one I don't think I've read before. The magical abilities aren't ones that I've seen much used in Urban Fantasy. The author's use of the history of Charleston makes the city practically another character and not some bland could-be-anywhere place. But I couldn't connect with the style and a lot of things just seemed to fall into place.

I think I'll give a couple of the shorts a whirl, since there was so much potential.

The story starts immediately, showing a fight against Brent and Travis. Suddenly, the narrative slows and delves into Brent's and Travis's friendship before starting again with the plot. The two friends have contrasting background that help with their mission. It might help to read the first book, but the book works as a standalone. The book is dialogue-heavy.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to Hidden Gems Books and author.

Love this author as Morgan Brice. I have all her books in the "Witchbane" and the "Badlands" series, but I just can't get into this one. Some of the characters from the forementioned series filtered through the story but the overall topic just wasn't something that held my interest. It was a short book, only 114 pages so it only took a couple of hours to finish, and it also finished a challenge for me. Not a bad book at all, just not one that really interested me. I did like the dog, Demon...a lot:)

Recensione su World of Interests

Iron & Blood è il primo volume di una serie steampunk ambientata nella città di New Pittsburgh nel 1898. La città è estremamente moderna grazie alle macchine a vapore ed è sede principale dell’industria americana. La città è governata dalla misteriosa Oligarchia.

Assieme allo steampunk è mischiato del fantasy. Di fatto, a New Pittsburgh vivono maghi, streghe e creature sovrannaturali. In particolare, nelle miniere si trovano creature maligne ed estremamente pericolose che si cibano dei minatori.

La storia segue Jake Desmet e Rick Brand, amici ed eredi della Brand & Desmet Import Company: i due viaggiano per il mondo e si occupano di oggetti magici e inusuali per i loro clienti. I due sono accompagnati da Nicki, cugina di Jake. Quando i tre devono recuperare un artifatto per un mago polacco, vengono attaccati e quasi uccisi. Gli assalti si ripetono più volte e i nostri protagonisti si trovano immischiati in una storia molto più grande di loro che coinvolge magia nera, assassinii per la città, vampiri e sabotaggi industriali.

Insomma, come potete vedere in questo primo volume viene data molta carne al fuoco. Ero indecisa se leggerlo o meno, in quanto il resto della serie non è stato ancora pubblicato. Comunque l’ho fatto, per la maggior parte tramite la versione audio letta da Edoardo Ballerini (è in inglese, non in italiano).

È stato un po’ strano, perché, almeno per me, è stato più difficile concentrarsi senza avere le pagine davanti e camminando per strada. Bisogna sforzare di più l’immaginazione; è una cosa che ritengo positiva, ma è complesso abituarsi. In parte l’ho anche letto semplicemente in e-book, e in parte assieme (la cosa che ho preferito). Ballerini è un ottimo narratore che consiglio vivamente.

Per quanto riguarda la storia, l’ho trovata complessa per quanto riguarda la quantità di personaggi coinvolti e i generi nel mix. Ho pensato che fosse molto interessante anche l’uso fatto della magia e delle tecnologie disponibili ai personaggi (in particolare gli esperiementi sulle persone) nonché le creature sovrannaturali che vengono utilizzate, i gessyan. Non voglio parlarne approfonditamente perché è tutto così estremamente collegato che rischio di fare degli spoiler enormi.

Parlando invece dei personaggi, credo che in questo primo libro si siano capite molto bene le loro caratteristiche.

Jake e Nicki sono entrambi molto coraggiosi, ma lei rischia sempre molto di più del cugino. È intraprendente e curiosa e, anche se a volte fa delle azioni un po’ sciocche, apprezzo molto la sua tenacia e la sua intraprendenza. Jake invece è, nel trio, quello che mi è piaciuto di meno. Non perché sia un brutto personaggio, anzi, ma è quello a cui ho fatto più fatica a legarmi.

Rick è invece quello più curioso e intelligente, quello che si ingegna per fare nuove scoperte tecnologiche. Credo sia il mio preferito.

Devo dire però che, in realtà, i miei personaggi preferiti del romanzo sono stati Mitch e Jacob. C’è un volume di storie brevi a loro dedicato e spero di poterlo leggere a breve.

Per quanto riguarda i “cattivi”, per così dire, Thwaites è più che altro una marionetta e poco interessante, mentre il vero pericolo è Drogo Veles: è un vero stronzo e, seppur in modo in un certo senso attenuato, possiamo vedere attraverso di lui a quanto si può spingere qualcuno per la propria sete di potere.

Lo stile di scrittura è, forse, un po’ pesante e l’inglese utilizzato richiede un’ottima conoscenza della lingua; per questo non lo consiglio a chi si appresta a leggere in lingua straniera per la prima volta. Nel complesso l’ho trovato un ottimo libro e spero che il seguito sia pubblicato presto!

Four paranormal books packed into one volume, this was a great urban fantasy series. The stories included do have some common threads running through them, but there was clearly a different focus for each. Definitely more thriller than horror, you still get a few chills when reading. A great introduction to the series, and makes me want to read more.

I love the main characters, especially when they appear in the other wonderful series that Gail Z. martin writes as Morgan Brice. Cassidy Kincaide is the cousin of Simon Kincaid, one of the main characters in the Badlands series. She advises the main character's in Witchbane, Treasure Trove, and Kings of The Mountain series. This story is a good standalone introduction to Cassidy and her support group that will make the main series books more interesting. The only thing I don't care for is the reader for this series in the audiobooks. I would like to make a plea to the author to please, please give poor Sorren somebody to keep him warm at night...well, as warm as a 600-year-old vampire can get. Everybody has somebody but him. There must be a gentleman or lady vampire out there that would volunteer. He seems to be way too much alone.

I love this author’s "Witchbane, Badlands, Treasure Trail, and Kings of the Mountain" series. I picked this one up because I recognized the characters of Travis and Brent that have made cameo appearances in those other series that I can't get enough of and have read over and over again. That’s one of the big attractions for me with Gail Martin/Morgan Brice book series...we never lose track of the characters we have learned to love in the other books. I had some of the same issues with this one that I had with some others that I was expecting more of. The plot meandered, and there was a lot of detail about research and rituals that added weight but not especially interest. Danny, Bret’s ghost brother, apparently had several conversations with Travis, but they were only mentioned in a sentence at the end and never detailed. That was frustrating, as I felt that the relationships between Danny, Brent and Travis, would have added to the story. Danny obviously had lots to tell in spite of being dead. I love this author and I already had formed an interest in the two hunters so I will continue to explore this series. Perhaps it will come to mean as much as the others that I mentioned. I’m giving it 4 stars because of the author. Gail Z. Martin/Morgan Brice has given me hours and hours of reading pleasure, and so many wonderful characters that have helped to enrich these series. I listened to the audio book of this one, and even though the narrator had a great voice, he read very fast and didn’t give the characters enough of their individual voices. For me the individual voices of the different characters do so much to make the story more enjoyable.

Deadly Curiosities
(Deadly Curiosities #1)
by Gail Z. Martin
This book goes in my favorite folder for sure! It has wonderful main characters, super creepy atmosphere when needed, evil abounds, ghosts, supernatural elements, and so much more! The further I went into the book the more I loved it. The main character, Cassidy, can see the past when she touches an item. Her partner to the shop is a vampire. They work to get evil items out of circulation. They also have another guy helping and at the end of this story they may have recruited another. I will have to wait and see if I am right about that.
I got this when it was on sale on chirp and the narration was great!

Mark Wojcik...who I first met in the “Witchbane” and “Badlands" series... is a mechanic by day and monster/ghost/paranormal mystery solver by calling. He doesn’t get paid to get rid of ghosts or monsters but it’s a huge part of his life. The 4 stories are broken into pieces by monster or event but are connected overall. There are recurring characters...so if you didn’t turn the page and go into another story you could think that Mark is just chasing another monster. The story of the Sentient painting was a little creepy. Everyone has seen those paintings where the eyes seem to follow you around the room. a little difference her is that the painted characters actually turn to face out to look at you. There is some humor throughout... some situational...some in the monsters themselves. The repetitive butchering of his last name sometimes gets a little old, but is explained by the fact this is 4 books combined like a TV series into a single season. I don’t think it really matters which book or season you start with as background for Mark and what he does and has done, is well explained in each story. At the end there is a cliffhanger on the last monster hunt. Overall, it can be called intriguing and entertaining. Not quite on the true horror level... but fans of Gail Z. Martin, will add these stories to their ‘to read” list. If you, like me, are mostly a fan of her writing as Morgan Brice will find that these stories are quite a bit different than her series written under that name. Even though Mark makes some appearances in those books, the atmosphere and the characters are very different.

I am a huge fan of several of this writer's other series...Witchbane. Badlands...and Treasure Trail which I have reread numerous times and she writes under the name of Morgan Brice. In the last Witchbane book Cassidy Kincaide and her team helped the characters from Witchbane with a hunt that they were on. Seems that she is the cousin of one of the hunters in Witchbane and she has also given advice to the characters of Badlands and Treasure Trail. It’s what I love about this author’s works...she never lets our favorite people disappear. For some reason I hadn’t read any of this series until I spent time in her shop with the two guys from Witchbane. I decided then that I had to know more about Cassidy and Teag and Sorren. I liked the characters when they were in the series above, but to my surprise I couldn’t get into this series. I can't believe that I would not devour anything Gail Z.Martin/Morgan Brice wrote. In all fairness I may try it again when I can get the book instead of the audio book. The reader either has a terrible southern accent, or is trying to too hard to come across as “southern”. I’m not prejudice...I’m from the south... but this didn’t do anything to help the story at all.½

This is the first book I've read of this author under this pen name. I can't say I enjoyed it as much as the Morgan Brice books, it lacked the emotional connection of the paranormal gay romances. But the plot was good, the monsters/ghosts/curses were interesting and the book was well written. The cast of characters was enormous and at times I struggled to keep everyone straight. And while the excitement and dangers come thick and fast I never really worried for anyone's safety and I think that can only be down to the lack of emotional connection. If this had been a Vic and Simon books I'd have been on edge the whole time.
But overall a fun read. I may pick up some of the other books in the connected series from this pen name.

I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

It has been several years since reading the Chronicles of the Necromancer, but remember Jonmarc. As I recall it, he attracted my attention more, because Martin never really got into his backstory. This collection of short stories are events in Jonmarc's history to explain some of his skills he has later in the Chronicles. For me it was pretty quick read, though I think there are about 8 of the short stories in all.

Gail Z. Martin's books have always grabbed my attention with her ability to weave together characters with a good story line, and throw in some action as well. I look forward to her 'Ascendant Kingdoms' series to grab my attention just as well.

It's a steampunk New Hampshire (the story actually starts in London but things move pretty quickly to America) and the characters are determined to survive and thrive. They have to return because Jake's Father is dead and there is a suggestion that the death wasn't natural. There are also more deaths going on and rumour has it that the mines under the city are producing something unusual that's killing. Jake has to take on a variety of enemies to try to save the city and his friends.
It felt like a lot of ideas were thrown at the story but it's quite readable and entertaining.½

This is the first book I've read of this author under this pen name. I can't say I enjoyed it as much as the Morgan Brice books, it lacked the emotional connection of the paranormal gay romances. But the plot was good, the monsters/ghosts/curses were interesting and the book was well written. The cast of characters was enormous and at times I struggled to keep everyone straight. And while the excitement and dangers come thick and fast I never really worried for anyone's safety and I think that can only be down to the lack of emotional connection. If this had been a Vic and Simon books I'd have been on edge the whole time.
But overall a fun read. I may pick up some of the other books in the connected series from this pen name.

I am having so much fun with reading authors that are new to me, and I certainly enjoyed, Inheritance and quickly signed up for the news letter!! Cassidy was cool and levelheaded when she fought a vicious demon who had me shaking like the last leaf that Hurricane Katrina blew! Her friends and now family all had something to bring to the table even if it was just good cooking! I loved the "family" taking care of the other during a terrifying battle as they sought help from a water goddess, and I can't wait the rest!!