REVIEW My Warrior (Bewitched and Bewildered #13) by Alanea Alder

My Warrior (Bewitched and Bewildered #13) by Alanea Alder
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: August 25, 2020
Format: eBook (Personal Library, Kindle)
Publisher: Sacred Forest Publishing

“You respect my job and trust in my abilities, yet, still know when to treat me like a woman.”

My Warrior, the thirteenth book in the urban fantasy meets paranormal romance series Bewitched and Bewildered by Alanea Alder was another humorous and entertaining read. There’s still a lot of tragic and terrible things going on in Eire Danu (the home of the fae), but the warriors and their mates are getting a lot closer to figuring out what’s going on. Enter Brie, a deputy sheriff working under local law enforcement. After her surprise mating with lion shifter warrior Ari, they work together to save more people and outsmart the ferals and reapers working against them. 

Ari and Brie have an entirely different dynamic that most of the other couples and I loved it. Brie is a warrior in her own right, and not really domestic at all. Ari embraces that, and never tries to stifle who she is. Brie also ends up being an integral part of outsmarting the enemy, as she’s not stuck in the same way of thinking as the paranormal warriors (who have developed their methodologies over the course of hundreds if not thousands of years). She works well with Menace (a.k.a. Meryn) and they both kick butt. It’s sad that the middle books of a city’s story arc leave so much hanging, but there’s still a lot of action happening to satisfy readers. 

Overall, an excellent read with great worldbuilding. We’ve been building towards heading towards the final paranormal pillar city Storm Keep (home of the witches), and I’m so excited to see Meryn and company wreak havoc and chaos on the witches (especially considering how much shady stuff they’ve been up to). I highly recommend this series to those who enjoy humorous mixes of urban fantasy and paranormal romance. 

BLOG TOUR Nightweaver (Nightweaver #1) by RM Gray

 

Hi friends! Welcome to my stop on the tour organized by TBR and Beyond Tours for Nightweaver, the first book in the Nightweaver series by R.M. Gray. Check out my post to learn more about the book, my thoughts on the book, the author, and learn how you can get your own copy. Make sure you show the other tour hosts some love as well. The link to the tour schedule is below. Happy reading everyone!

Nightweaver by R.M. Gray Tour Schedule (TBR and Beyond Tours)

About the Book

Violet Oberon had never stepped foot on land.

Six hundred years after the Nightweavers claimed human lands for their own, the ocean is a haven for seventeen-year-old Violet and her family. Notorious pirates of the Western Sea, the Oberon clan are undefeated in battle—until an Underling murders Violet’s brother, and she discovers there are monsters more fearsome than the Nightweavers that have taken them captive.

When the son of a wealthy Nightweaver shows Violet and her family mercy, offering employment at his estate rather than enslavement, Violet vows not to forget that he is everything she hates. But as she adjusts to her new role as a kitchen maid at Bludgrave Manor, she finds that hatred is a curious thing. Arrogant, entitled, right hand to the wicked prince, William Castor might be the key to avenging her brother-and reclaiming her freedom.

But mercy always comes with a price. As Violet hunts the Underling responsible for her brother’s death, dark secrets threaten to unravel everything she thought she knew about the Nightweavers, herself, and her world. Torn between family loyalty and a chance at revenge, the cost of learning the truth about her brother’s murder could be her life.

Content Warning: murder, blood and gore, death

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publishing date: October 13, 2023

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BOOK REVIEW
Rating: 4 Stars

Nightweaver by R.M. Gray was a very intriguing read. With a Pirates of the Carribean vibe (very Curse of the Black Pearl), its an intriguing fantasy novel and a great debut. There's also hints of romance throughout the story, but the lore and the emphasis on family loyalty are two big themes in this novel.  

The worldbuilding in this book is fantastic. Readers are thrown straight into the action of the story, with Violet and her family's ship being attacked by the feared Nightweavers. After they (unsurprisingly) lose the battle and are brought to shore, Violet is shocked to learn that all the stories she's heard for years are not as they seem on land. While they are spared by the generosity of a Nightweaver noble, Violet's loathe to trust him since "Kindness is the great deceiver". They are forced to work together, however, when humans on the estate keep getting attacked by monsters out of myths and legends. 

The characters were also great. You could feel Violet's resentment towards her family towards settling in as servants to the Nightweaver so easily, while also recognizing that they'd been fighting for a very long time. Will was an enigma of a character whose motivations were unclear during parts of the book. And the mystery of Captain Shade's identity was a fun one to unravel, as I guessed wrong multiple times before the big reveal. 

Overall, this was a fun read. I'm excited to see what's next in the series. This book is a great read for young adult fantasy enthusiasts who enjoy adventure, mystery and romance. If you enjoyed Pirates of the Carribean or The 100, this would be a great option for you. 

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and the team at TBR and Beyond Tours for providing me with a complimentary review copy of this book as part of my participation in the tour. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the book immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 

About the Author

R.M. Gray lives in Texas with her husband and two giant dogs, where she enjoys writing stories about pirates, magic, mystery, and all things fantastical. A self-proclaimed expert at whistling and a dedicated collector of lightsabers, she spends her days drinking too much Earl Grey tea, re-watching old cartoons, and thinking up new ways to break readers’ hearts. She invites you to visit her online at rmgraybooks.com or @rmgrayauthor.

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