Immortal Consequences (The Souls of Blackwood Academy #1) I. V. Marie

 

Immortal Consequences (The Souls of Blackwood Academy #1)

By: I. V. Marie

Recommendation: 🌕🌕🌕 - (Out of 5 🌕)

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romantacy, Romance

Length: 512 Pages

Pace: Slow

Moods: Challenging, Dark, Emotional

'Immortal Consequences' is your typical high school academy fantasy story. It has rivalries, alliances, romantic relationships and a difficult challenge that the main characters must compete in in order to win an ultimate prize. The one interesting twist in the story is that the main characters have all died and now find themselves in a place similar to, if not exactly, purgatory. They are responsible for 'escorting' the souls of recently deceased people who are struggling to pass on to the other side.

Blackwood Academy is comprised of approximately 500 student. All of the students are young adults who when alive had had a near death experience. One draw back to this in between life, is that after a about 500 years, a student will begin to lose their memory and will no longer be able to function in their role. They will then aimlessly wander the 'Ether'.

".....so what's the point of the Ether?" "Think of it like a passageway. A place neither here nor there. When you die, your soul ends up in the Ether. When someone dies without extra baggage, they usually cross over to the Other Side without a hiccup. But if they've got things holding them back...unfinished business..." "We have to help them, ...."

Out story follows a group of six students. Each looking to win the Decennial, a competition that occurs once every ten years. The winner from the Decennial has the option to pass over to the Other Side or become a member of Blackwood Academy's magical elite group. Each student has a reason that they want to win the ultimate prize and each elects to keep that reason secret. They find themselves forming an alliance in order to survive. To keep things interesting, they are being forced to fight against members of an evil order.

I didn't hate this story but I also didn't love it. There were parts that flowed very easily for me and others that seemed to drag. In my opinion, the premise of the story is very interesting. The setting, an elite high school, is common in young adult fiction. The between life and death aspect is unique and intriguing. I got overwhelmed at times because even though we are for the most part following six main characters, we are also introduced to several side characters; others competing in the competition as well as those that are a part of the Demien Order. At one point, the author introduced some new material that was confusing to me and didn't add to the main story; it just felt unnecessary with so much already happening amongst the main characters, the side characters, and the main plot.

 I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.                                            

Available July 29th, 2025

Amazon

An Unexpected Everything (The Cage Family #2) Carrie Ann Ryan

 

An Unexpected Everything (The Cage Family #2)

By: Carrie Ann Ryan

Recommendation: 🌕🌕🌕🌕 - (Out of 5 🌕)

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance

Length: 290 Pages

Pace: Medium

Moods: Emotional, Hopeful, Tense, Happily Every After

'An Unexpected Everything' is an wonderful second chance  surprise romance between two individuals that are both incredibly engaging characters. Isabella is an independent, intelligent, successful woman who has been through some things. Weston is a sexy hunk of a man who has had fatherhood thrust at him before he was ready to be a parent. These two amazing people completely deserved their unexpected second chance.

Isabella is the eldest Cage sibling from the 'secret' family side. Just like her counter part, Aston Cage, she has had to step in and act as a parent to her younger brother and sisters. Because of this, Isabella has a very no-nonsense attitude. Unfortunately, a violent encounter with a stalker has left her mentally scarred and bruised. A visit to the family's remote small town unexpectedly brings her face to face with a man from her past. Never in a million years would she have imagined finding Weston Caldwell at Cage Lake. Weston is the only man Isabella has truly ever loved. Too bad that man irreparably broke her heart in the cruelest way possible; leaving her with no earthly explanation as to why.

Weston Caldwell grew up in Cage Lake. He is close friends with two of the Cage brothers. He never imagined that Isabella Cage Dixon was associated with his friends or his small town. The couple had dated briefly while they were attending college but an unexpected accident causing the death of both his parents left him to raised his younger brother and two sisters. After meeting up with Isabella in his home town he vows to not let her go a second time. 

I totally relate to Isabella as a person. I love her quirks, her seriousness, her organizational skills, and her love of post-its, flash cards, and color coding. Her strength is truly what gets her through the life situations she has been forced to live with, a missing father, a mother who doesn't parent, a violent stalker, siblings she was never aware of, and losing the love of her life for no known reason. Weston's life situations make him completely lovable. He never hesitated to drop his life plans in order to raise his siblings and ensure that they would have a successful life. All the residents of Cage Lake consider him to be stand-offish and unapproachable in love but in truth he had already given his heart away. 

'An Unexpected Everything' was a great read with some very serious life situations weaved throughout the story. I am happy that Isabella and Weston were able to finally get the happily ever after that they both deserved.

 I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.                                            

Available June 9th, 2025

Amazon

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