Geetha Krishnan's Blog, page 6

Review of imPerfect Gods (imPerfect Cathar 6) by C.N. Rowan

Blurb

And so it comes to this. A showdown. An ending. But if we fail – if I end – then reality might follow along behind me.

We’ve been through so much. Torture. Murder. Trap after trap mainly sprung by me blundering head first into them and one of my friends saving my stupid behind.

But there’s no room for mistakes now.

We’ve got an inkling of what the scumbag we’re up against is after. Enough to know what his next target is. Enough to know it’s probably his last one. Enough to know it’s everything he needs to complete his nefarious plans.

If we don’t get there first, he wins. Simple. And I’m not sure … but my gut says if that happens, every living thing in the universe loses.

No pressure, right?

imPerfect Gods is the sixth book in The imPerfect Cathar series, and completes the first story arc. It is a darkly funny supernatural suspense mystery, containing dark humour and graphic violence.

My Review

The sixth and last book of the first arc of the imPerfect Cathar series, this one was an absolute banger.

We open the book where we left it off in the last book. Demon Fart has stolen the rib cage which means the only bone left is the skull in Isakob’s custody. Isakob has managed to create a robot made of titanium and put the skull, with Jakob and his angel-inside. No offence, but I keep forgetting whose angel is which, like I know they’re called Nith and Nan, but I can’t keep straight who is bonded to Nith and who to Nan.

They’re attacked while there by a group of people whose minds have been taken over by Demon Fart. Since they’re innocent, Nith and Nan lets them in through the wards, but when they try to break the mind control, they realise that a bomb is implanted in them which detonates if the mind control is lifted. One of the attackers is Otto, and Paul tries to save him which makes Demon Fart activate all the bombs and kill all of the attackers.

They also realise that all the bones belonged to Almeira, whose latest iteration is as another zealot who’s flying to Bordeaux. They go to the Mother but their quarry is abducted straight from under their nose. They form alliances with all others, since they believe that whatever Demon Fart is going for can affect the whole universe.

In a twist, as soon as they reach Toulouse, a dark magic ward springs up, neutralising their own wards and ensuring their allies can’t reach them. So, Paul, Aicha, Isaac and Jakob in his new robot body make their way to Bogarach which is where Demon Fart is.

The final battle was thrilling, but I had a feeling it dragged on too much. Like I was ready to yell and tear my hair because LET THE GOOD GUYS CATCH A BREAK! PLEASE!

If you love books that keep you on the edge of the seat, urban fantasy, dark humour, friendship and found family feels, this is the book for you!

Review of imPerfect Hunt (imPerfect Cathar 5) by C.N. Rowan

Blurb

At last a warm trail, through blood and bones and long dead kings. The hunt is on…

We’re back in Toulouse, and for once we have the upper hand. Our foe has no idea I’ve escaped from his trap in Fairie and we’ve got an actual lead. The famous discovery of a certain hunchbacked English king’s remains gives us a tantalizing clue, and now we’re hot on our enemy’s heels with him none the wiser.

Except nothing ever runs that smoothly. Hob kings, goth vampires and back-stabbing double-crosses are all lying in wait. And that’s just for starters.

To make it back to France we’re going to need serious magic, might and high-level brainpower.

Two out of three’s not bad, right?

Because if we don’t manage it, the hunter might just become the hunted.

imPerfect Hunt is a darkly funny supernatural suspense mystery that spans the south of France, England and Paris. Contains dark humour and graphic violence.

My Review

The 5th book of the imPerfect Cathar, this one continues the hunt for De Montfort who has now been rechristened as Demon fart, which, appropriate. Isakob is doing research, Paul has to get used to a female body and heal from his trauma, and Aicha is being Aicha.

When they discover a possible location for De Montfort, Paul and Aicha skip across the channel to England. On a plane. With Aicha complaining all the time. There, they meet Craig, a half fae who is also the king of the Hobs and who’s high out of his mind, but stupid powerful. Demon Fart has made an alliance with vampires but with Craig’s help, Aicha and Paul are able to enter his lair undetected. Still, Demon Fart hasn’t spent all these years and centuries plotting for nothing, and he’s able to use the bones he already has to fire a spell at Paul, which Aicha jumps in the way of and which disintegrates her instantly. Paul slaughters the vampires in a haze of grief and rage, but Aicha does manage to reform.

They return to France after exchanging numbers with Craig who shamelessly flirts with Paul who’s still in Maeve’s body because he doesn’t want to lose his talent. They realise that the only bones left are the skull in Isakob’s possession and the rib cage with the stupid powerful fae, Leandre, who’s ruling Paris. On their way to him, they’re double crossed and there’s a hit out for Aicha and Paul.

This one kept me on the edge of my seat and I had to stop frequently because I was so anxious for the characters. I was screaming bloody murder when I thought Aicha was dead. About to hop on a plane to England to gut the author murder. Fortunately, it wasn’t needed.

I’m so anxious about the next book now and have a feeling that nothing good isn’t going to come of it.

If you love supernatural entities, urban fantasy, dark humour, badass female characters who constantly save the day, villains who you love to hate, friendship and found family feels, this is the book for you!

January Wrap up

January Wrap up

Review of The imPerfect Curse by C.N. Rowan

Blurb 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙢 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙨? 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙖𝙮. I’m exhausted. Done in. Needing a stiff drink and about a week’s sleep. But that’s not going to happen. Because Franc is dying, struck by a curse placed on him by the Sistren Of Bordeaux, one of the most powerful groups of Talented […]

Review of The imPerfect Curse by C.N. Rowan

NEW YEAR, REVAMPED SITE AND OTHER MATTERS

I have revamped my site, which I had been wanting to do for a while, but you know, procrastination is like my middle name. I hope it looks better these days. (The site, not procrastination).

I’m through reading the SPSFC quarter finalists and till the semi finalist announcement, I have a little time left to read other stuff. I again caught a fever last night and even something like cooking is tiring me out. Brain is mush on most days, so not able to do much.

I’m doing the edits of Endless Lives and Astamite right now. I love these books and I want them out in the world! Blade Broken and Shades of Spring are with betas as is The Knights of Fedoris. I want Endless Lives and Astamite to go to betas by the end of this month or the start of the next.

ARC sign ups for Wizard’s Debt is now open! I do hope I get some responses, lol, because well, ARC!

Curse of Souls is due to release this month and ARC sign ups are still OPEN!

Last year I really crossed $1k in gross earnings. This year, I’m keeping expenses down and hopefully, that would help make me some profit.

Amazon has the lion’s share in my earnings and print forms the second largest chunk.

Don’t forget that you can subscribe to my newsletter to get all the latest news and updates. Even if I forget this blog, I will be sending my newsletters out to my readers!

I’m also planning to have some cool stuff for my Ream subscribers! It’s going to be a fun year!

Also, today is the last day of sale for Durga! It will be back to its regular price tomorrow, so if you want to get a book with strong female leads, morally grey characters, found family vibes, friendships, revenge, rebellions all set in an Indian mythological setting, this is your chance!

Hope to see you all soon! Till then, stay safe and take care of yourselves (Pluto agrees)

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2023 hasn’t been fun and it’s leaving, after giving me a fever. I hope 2024 will be better. 2023 also saw me getting broke despite my gross earnings from royalties surpass $1k in the year.

I don’t have many goals for 2024, but financial stability is one of them. I don’t think I can afford another year like the last. My family can’t afford another year like the last.

I plan to write my books, publish them, shout about them whenever I can. Today I finished the edits of Blade Broken and after applying all the beta feedback, it has grown by another 14k words. On to the next round of betas and hopefully, I can get it ready for publication somewhere around 2025.

You can see the books I will be publishing in 2024 in the Book for pre-order link in my home page.

I have also decided to put back the prices of most of my free books. I feel like I’m undervaluing myself and my hard work when I give away my books for free. Other than Deeper Chaos and the books for my subscribers, everything else will be not free from January onwards. Depends on how quickly each retailer updates the prices.

Have some Pluto to round off the year. She wishes you all a happy new year and wants you to stay safe and take care of yourselves.

The Start of a new Month

I got to my goal of 100k during November and finished 3 WIPs. I’m honestly very proud and also very tired.

I added another service for authors in addition to editing. I will be offering custom plot outlines for as low as $25. I don’t plan on doing premade outlines just yet since the outlines take a long time and if I create one from my own ideas, I may get attached to it and then won’t be able to sell it.

I am planning to take December off from writing. After last month, I need a break.

I set up pre-orders for 2024, and also started three new WIPs last month.

I’m really tired, lol. I slept almost all day today, and my brain still feels like mush.

Don’t forget that you can get early access to all my works in Ream, and you can also buy me a coffee and download my free books.

Maybe next time, I’ll have something more to say. Right now, I just need my coffee and another nap.

Take care and stay safe, all of you.

NANOWRIMO

I had planned on doing 100k words for nano this year. Since it’s a heavy target, I went all out and got the first 50k words in 10 days.

Consequence: I’m exhausted.

Also, I had planned on working on 11 WIPs, but I have realised that 11 is too much for me at one time. At most I can handle five at a time. So, at this point, I had to reassess my WIPs and change my goals, till I’m left with something I can handle.

Anyway, I’m in love with all my WIPs, so to pick and choose is really difficult. Still, I know it’s not possible for me to write all of them at once.

Leaving you all with a snippet from The Escaped Princess, which is one of my WIPs, that I won’t be working on this nano. Big Sad, but I have to do what’s best for me at this time.

FROM THE ESCAPED PRINCESS

As soon as she entered, the door banged shut, plunging the room into instant darkness. Something touched her back, and a woman’s voice spoke, “I know you have a gun, but mine is at your spine. Take it out slowly and drop it.”

Grace debated if she would be able to use her rusty martial arts skills, but it was possible that she would get shot before that. Her eyes were not yet used to the dark whereas the woman had been waiting inside, so she could see better than Grace. Grace breathed out slowly in an attempt to calm her racing heart as she took the gun and dropped it.

“What now?” she asked.

The object at her back was removed. “Turn around,” the woman said. “Hands where I can see them. Slowly. I’m very skittish right now, and sudden movements can cause the gun to go off.”

Grace turned around slowly, keeping her hands at her shoulder level. A light came on, shining onto her face, and she blinked at the sudden brightness, squinting to see. All she could see was a shadow.

“You’re Grace,” the woman said. “It is said that you’re Prince Anselm’s favourite. Is that true?”

The woman spoke in an even tone, calm and cold, no inflection at all.

“He visits the Jade Palace,” Grace replied. “And I work there. We have interacted.”

“Lying won’t get you anywhere, Grace. Neither will it help your aunt.”

Grace felt cold again. “What do you want with my aunt?”

“Nothing. It’s you I’m interested in. More specifically, Prince Anselm’s fascination with you. I would like to use that.”

“I won’t do anything against the prince.”

“Oh, you’re in love with him.” For the first time, there was emotion in the voice. She sounded delighted. “This is better than I hoped. He’s always had a soft spot for weaklings who look at him adoringly. Like I’m sure you do, with those pretty brown eyes whenever you see him, don’t you?”

Grace swallowed. The way the woman spoke made her feel smirched. “I told you we’ve interacted,” she said. “And I won’t help you do anything to him.”

“You will if you want to see your aunt alive again,” the woman said.

Grace went still. Her aunt. This woman had her aunt. And if Grace didn’t do as she asked, she would kill her aunt.

That’s it for today. Hope to see you all again, soon, and till then, stay safe and take care of yourselves.

Long time no see!!

I have switched over most of my posts to substack these days. I won't say I'm posting regularly there, but it's happening more frequently than here. Right now, I'm on a cruise, my first overseas trip, and my first real vacation in over a decade. I needed this break. It has been really enjoyable not… Continue reading Long time no see!!

Happy Holidays!!

Hey all!! I hope you all have a marvellous and amazing holiday and a great new year to come. I've been dealing with health issues, both physical and mental on top of tech issues with my laptop. It's in the shop for the third time this month, and honestly, at this point I'm not even… Continue reading Happy Holidays!!