Book Blogger Hop: Would you or do you choose a book solely on the cover?

Would you or do you choose a book solely on the cover?

I know, I know!
You should never judge a book by its cover but sometimes I do and I'm not sorry!

This has resulted in buying some awful books (but with pretty pretty covers!) and it has resulted in my buying some pretty awesome books (with pretty pretty covers).

It also means that sometimes I miss absolute gems of books because their covers are ugly.

There are just so many books!
You can't read the descriptions of them all, something has to catch your attention and for me, it's definitely the cover and sometimes the cover is convincing enough on its own that I listen to it and buy the book everything else be damned.

What about you?

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To view the linky list of this weeks Hop participants, please visit The Coffee Addicted Writer.

Review: Demon Magic and a Martini by Annette Marie (Guild Codex:Spellbound #4)

When I first landed a bartending job at the local guild, I didn't know a thing about magic. These days, I'm practically an expert on the different magical classes, but there's one nobody ever talks about: Demonica.

Turns out they have a good reason for that.

My guild is strictly hellion-free, but some people will risk life and soul to control the biggest bullies on the mythic playground. And now a demon has been loosed in the city.

My three best friends are determined to slay it, but even badass combat mages are critically out-magicked. And that's not all. The monster they're tracking--it's not hiding. It's not fleeing. It's not leaving a trail of corpses everywhere it goes.

The demon is hunting too. And in a city full of mythics, it's searching for deadlier prey.

If we can't unravel the demon's sinister motivations, more innocent people will die, but finding the answers means digging into dark secrets ... and learning truths I never wanted to know.

*Read via Kindle Unlimited*

ebook

~ 269 pages

First person, single pov.

Yes.
The book recaps things but you really need to have read the previous books.

Nope but the plot definitely thickens in this one!

HFN.

No, romance isn't a thing really in this series.
However, I'm hoping (especially after the events in this one!) that romance will feature more in later stories.

Demons.
This book has demons and lots of fighting.
Our beloved characters get messed up pretty badly but nothing is full on in your face type violence.

You'd think with a name like Demon Magic and a Martini that I'd have maybe cottoned on that this book would be a little bit darker than the others so far in this series but alas, I did not.
So, let me say it out loud... Demon Magic and a Martini is darker and more serious than the earlier books in this series.
That's not to say the book is harder to read, any less funny, or enjoyable for it isn't. I
t is every bit as charming and captivating as its predecessors, it's just more nerve-wracking.

The events in this book... Well, I don't want to spoil them but it's safe to say the stakes have never been higher for our beloved characters.
If book three was the book where we truly got to know Kai then this is the book of Ezra!
We get to know more about his background, his powers and a little about how the 3 mages became the tight group they are. We also get to see just how much they mean to each other and how far they are willing to go to protect each other. The question in this book is whether Tori is all in too.

The book is very guild focused. An unbound demon is on the loose and every guild in the city is on a co-ordinated hunt and destroy mission.
We get to meet members of other guilds, get to see guild dynamics in full flow. and the Crow and Hammer (aka Tori's guild) get some interesting new members!
(Interesting to the point they are the focus of a parallel series set to launch in the autumn...)

This book left me with so many questions on what comes next... For every piece of information revealed about the characters and their pasts there feels like there are a million pieces I still don't know and I want to.

I hope that in the coming books we see Tori finally take training seriously for she really needs to start taking responsibility for herself. She's brave, she's loyal and she's smart but she relies too much on luck and the strength of those fighting beside her. It makes her a bit of a liability where she really could be an asset.

Once again - and yes I'm going to cry about it in every review! - there is no romance but my Ezra hopes from book one are looking more and more likely now! Especially since Zak is gone...
(Gasp! What will happen if Zak comes back?! I think I'll die from the conflict although I don't think Tori will have any such conflict... This isn't a love-triangle kinda series.)

For every book in this world I read, I love it more and more! I'm so happy this series exists and I can't wait to read the sister series and more of this series when they release later this year!

Nice and atmospheric!
Annette Marie's cover designer needs all the love because her covers are on point!

🌻

My thoughts on the other books in the series

Book 1: Three Mages and A Margarita
Book 2: Dark Arts and A Daiquiri
Book 3: Two Witches and A Whiskey

TTT: Books On My Summer 2019 TBR

Books On My Summer 2019 TBR

Most of my summer TBR is back list books that I own but haven't gotten around to reading yet, however, there are a couple of upcoming releases mixed in too that I have on preorder.
😊

Ilona Andrews 

I read this one last year when it was released as a web serial and can't wait to read it once it's released as a completed novel all shiny and edited with extra scenes. 

The Hidden Legacy series is a little gem and even though it's not Nevada who is continuing the world (but instead Nevada's sister), I'm still excited!

Karen Chance

It's been a long year to wait for the next instalment but book 9 is almost upon us!
In even more good news, book 10 will apparently release in December!
Yeay!
That's one silver lining from the author's publishing house dropping the series... Shorter waits between books! Thank god for self-publishing!

Kristen Ashley

I'm finally ready to read Rush's book and say my goodbyes to Chaos!
*sobs*

Devney Perry

This is a new to me author and a new to me book (only found out about its existence a week or two ago) but it sounds so good!

Helen Hoang

Everyone seems to love it and I'm looking forward to finding out what the fuss is about!

BB Easton

I love the cover, I love the blurb, I love the title... Hopefully, the book is also something I'll love!

Christina Lauren

This writing duo get a lot of love and I have so many of their books on the TBR but am sad to say I've read none of them!
Since Josh & Hazel aren't just on my TBR but are actually on my kindle I'm starting here!

Karina Halle

I have a love/hate thing going on with Karina Halle's books and I've had this one checked out on Kindle Unlimited for almost a year now... It's about time I read it.
It sounds like it'll be awesome so fingers crossed!

Emma Chase

I've never read an Emma Chase. I know, I know... I hang my head in shame. This one has been sitting on my kindle for years now. It's about time I read it!

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What's on your summer reading list?

Review: Two Witches and a Whiskey by Annette Marie (Guild Codex:Spellbound #3)

Three months ago, I landed a job as a bartender. But not at a bar—at a guild. Yeah, the magic kind.

I'm not a badass mage like my three smokin' hot best friends. I'm not a sorcerer or an alchemist, or even a wussy witch. I'm just a human, slinging drinks like a pro and keeping my non-magical nose out of mythic business. Seriously, I know my limits.

So why am I currently standing in a black-magic ritual circle across from a fae lord?

Somewhere behind me, my three mage friends are battling for their lives. Somewhere near my feet is the rogue witch I just knocked out with a stolen spell. And I have about five seconds to convince this very angry sea god not to shmoosh me like a bug.

I'm pretty sure this wasn't part of the job description.

*Read via Kindle Unlimited*

ebook

~ 281 pages

First person, single pov

Yep, read the earlier books...

No.
Series elements are open but each book is its own story.

HFN.

Nope.
Low/no romance and thus no romantic drama.

Yep of the magical battle/brawl variety,

Oh, Tori... Tori, Tori, Tori.
How can one woman get herself into so much by accident?!
Okay, maybe it shouldn't be a surprise with three mages as her BFF's and considering she's a human working at a magic guild but damn!
In Two Witches and A Whiskey, she really gets herself into a pickle but it's okay! Because it's awesome! And nothing rallies our favourite characters more than our favourite human being in trouble.
Yes! That's right! Kai, Ezra, Aaron and Zak are fighting to save Tori from potentially lethal consequences and this made me a very very happy lady!

Tori is struggling in this one.
She's terrified of losing her job, her friends and her little place in this magical world she so desperately wants to belong to but at the same time can't truly belong to as she is a plain ol' vanilla human.
It completely broke my heart.
The way she struggles with her identity, her insecurities, fears, desires... They're all too relatable and understandable. If I was Tori, I'd also be wishing for some undiscovered power that would allow me to live my life the way I want to.
I can't say too much without spoilers but what I'm glad to say that this thankfully gets resolved in the end! And it gets resolved in a way that makes you happy but without any trite "ta da! She has previously undiscovered magics!"
I'm so excited to see what comes next now that her 'status' is resolved within the guild!

Two Witches and A Whiskey is a heavily fae orientated instalment in which we get to understand more about them, more about rogue guilds and more about the workings of the magical world.

As I said before, all of Tori's crew is out in force this book trying to save her life but there is a particular focus on Kai in this one. We get a whole load of background information on the lightning mage and on his family and I definitely didn't predict that!

We also have to say goodbye to a character but I hope it's not forever!
(I love him! It can't be forever!!!)

Romance is still on the down low but I live in hope!!!!
(At least the non-starter thing with Aaron is over...)

The book felt faster paced than the others in the series. The stakes were higher and shit got real but it was an absolute pleasure and a delight to read and I'm having so much fun with this series.
Must read more!

All the love for the covers of this series!
They rock and I love how they incorporate little elements of each of the book's story.

🌻

My thoughts on the other books in the series

Book 1: Three Mages and A Margarita
Book 2: Dark Arts and A Daiquiri

Review: Dark Arts and a Daiquiri by Annette Marie (Guild Codex #2)

When I found myself facing down the scariest black-magic felon in the city, practically daring him to abduct me, I had to wonder exactly how I ended up here.

It all started when I accidentally landed a job as a bartender—but not at a bar. At a guild, populated by mages, sorcerers, alchemists, witches, and psychics. Good thing this lame-o human is adaptable, right?

Then my favorite guild members—three sexy, powerful, and intermittently charming mages—asked for my help. Did they want access to my encyclopedic knowledge of cocktails? Oh no. They wanted to wrap me up in a pretty ribbon and plunk me in the crosshairs of a murderous rogue to lure him out of hiding.

So that's what we did. And that's why I'm here. About to be kidnapped. Oh, and our grand plan for safely capturing said murderous rogue? Yeah, that completely fell apart about two minutes ago.

Why did I agree to this again?

*Read via Kindle Unlimited*

ebook

~ 265 pages.

First person, single pov.

I guess you could read this without book one but you'll have a lot of gaps to fill in so I would not.

Nope, series elements are left open but the book has a self-contained story which is wrapped up.

Once again, Tori ends the book in a good place and is happy for now.

Nope but I'm seriously torn between who I now think Tori should end up with... If the series is going to have her end up in a relationship with anyone! And neither of my preferences are the guy she's kinda, sorta, maybe, dating!

Magical violence mostly. Not too much of it either really.

Dark Arts and a Daiquiri kicks off about a month or so after the events of Three Mages and A Margarita. Tori is still working under MagiPol's (the magical governance body) radar and still getting into mischief with her new mage besties.

It's as fast paced as the first book, just as easy to lose yourself in as the first book and even more awesome than the first book.

The world is expanded a lot more, you get to meet some fae, there's a new dark and mysterious character to swoon over in the shape of the mysterious Ghost and so many twists and turns you'll be guessing at what's to come long after you finish the final page!
Also, there are dragons and you've got to love dragons... Even weird fae ones.
You've also got to laugh at Tori's new fae roommate who has a penchant for replicating horror movie characters and scaring the crap out of people in a bid to keep them from 'his' house.
(I hope we see a lot more of him in later books! He reminded me of Dobby but less helpful, lol.)

This book gives you a lot more information on Tori's background which was very welcome and, as mentioned above, you get to meet a new character called the Ghost and at least half the book is centred around the Ghost - who he is, what he does and why... He's incredibly easy to become intrigued with and fall in love with so I'm not complaining. However, this meant that there was far less page time for our three beloved mages, Erza, Kai and Aaron and that kinda sucked for I missed them. I want to know more about them than the surface information we were given in the previous book and the teasing little hooks planted in this one.
Ah well... Maybe in the next?

Romance is still on the down low in this series but despite Tori having no such internal struggles (she just enjoys the eye-candy and isn't infatuated with anyone, yet) my heart is crazy torn between the Ghost (aka Zak) and Ezra.
I'm super super curious as to what direction Tori will go when (if? *sobs*) the romantic element of the plot kicks off... I was right that the flirtation from the previous book isn't going to go anywhere.

I must say, I have quickly developed a rather insane attachment to this world and these characters and can't wait to read more!

All the love for the pretty covers!
I love the colours and how they capture Tori and little elements from the book.
They're fun and capture the essence of the series too.
Love them!

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“Independence is an admirable trait, but it can be rooted in pride, insecurity, and fear as easily as it can stem from strength, confidence, and self-reliance. Be sure you know what drives yours.”

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