A good enough effort, though I can’t say I’ll be coming back for more.

As a concept, this book was intriguing. People who make some sort of contract with demonic beings, and then become vessels for such beings and the previous owners of their contract. Evil fae creatures out to get them – either to use them to destroy and/or rule the world, or to kill them.

Honestly, I was prepared to be amazed by the story the synopsis promised to show me. But I was left hanging and that was just sad.

There were too many characters coming and going, some even for a mere scene or two. The action was fast-paced, and that sort of saved the story and helped me finish it, but I’m telling you now, it was no page-turner. I took forever to get to the end, and only by pushing myself to do so. The dialogues were… stiff, and the main character was the stereotypical whiny girl who finds fault in every friend who ever kept a secret from her but dives right into traps and refuses to tell those who are meant to protect her every important detail when asked. But, oh yeah, she is all too powerful, fear her.

I dare say I enjoyed the side characters and the villains much more than the protagonist. Remy was a delight, and Elias was a brilliantly planned villain, flawed yet ominous and disturbing in his calm threatening presence. I got chills every time he appeared on the page. And you know what they say, when the villain is more interesting than the main character, something is wrong in this whole ordeal… The only thing I didn’t like was the way the danger he imposed ended – anticlimactic for such a thought-out persona and foe, I mean, off-screen? Really? After all this talk about how powerful he is and how dangerous?!

I don’t think I’ll be staying with this series any longer. It had a lot of potential, and it wasn’t all bad, but it didn’t have what it takes to keep me hooked…

***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***

A Glimmer of Hope is the first novel in a new series set in the same world as The Hellequin Chronicles. While I loved The Hellequin Chronicles and was happy to see appearances by some of the characters in this book, I'm a bit on the fence about this book. It ook a long time for me to really get into this book and I really can't put on the reason why.

First of all, there was a lot going on. That doesn't really bother me as it usually comes together in the end and I am also not afraid of being introduced to a bunch of new characters and trying to figure it all out; in fact, I tend to look forward to the challenge. When you are introduced to too many characters however, without fully understanding their purpose or how they fit in, but they suddenly appear and have major parts, that's when it gets confusing. And I have the benefit of being familiar with this author's writing style to boot. That being said, I do think the story was somewhat original and I did like the concept; I am curious as to what the author will do with Layla and her abilities in the future as there is so much potential here. And the story definitely picked up towards the end, with quite a bit of action, even if the suspense was not quite as high as I was expecting. And I have to admit, I liked a story with no romance in it. I still enjoy the magic system and am quite intrigued by the world building. I would love to see more of the characters from the other series continue to play a role as I wasn't quite ready to let them go.

Layla, at first, is your typical heroine, tough, smart, tormented, and ...well, boring. However, as she came into her powers and had to deal with a world with which she was unprepared, she became a bit more interesting, and more vulnerable, making mistakes, seeming more human. I grew to like her a lot more as the book progressed. Luckily, Layla's powers seem to be a lot more complex than originally thought and I am looking forward to the development of those powers and what that might mean, both for Layla and the world. The author usually spends time developing his secondary characters. and while I have grown fond of Layla's friends and look forward to their continuing impact, I did feel they were a little flat without a lot of personality.

A Glimmer of Hope was one of those books that just missed the mark for me overall. First of all, I didn't really care for the villain and while I know that sounds odd, I still like my villains to have personality or to have something going for them. The magic system however, was very interesting and I am curious enough about it to want to read the next book in the series, A Thunder of War. Because I had read the author's previous series, I felt very familiar with the world so I am not really sure if it is a necessity or not for this book. It is worth taking a look at though.

Layla Cassidy has always wanted a normal life, and the chance to put her father’s brutal legacy behind her. And in her final year of university she’s finally found it. Or so she thinks. But when Layla accidentally activates an ancient scroll, she is bestowed with an incredible, inhuman power. She plunges into a dangerous new world, full of mythical creatures and menace—all while a group of fanatics will stop at nothing to turn her abilities to their cause. To protect those she loves most, Layla must take control of her new powers…before they destroy her. All is not yet lost—there is a light shining, but Layla must survive long enough to see it.
This was a pretty good book. It was a good introduction to a new world that I enjoyed. I really liked Layla and look forward to reading more books from this author.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Having never read any of the Authors previous books I thought this could be a struggle.
The story was absolutely brilliant and I was sucked into the story right from the first chapter.
Brilliant characters and world building made for a thoroughly enjoyable read.
I will definitely be reading more.

For me this was a slow burn initially...which is odd because there was plenty of action....but it took about 250 pages for me to practically yell FINALLY!!! (I was at work, so I didn't...but yeah).

I really liked all the characters...although I did have trouble keeping them straight once they were all in one place. There were a lot...but their personalities came through and it got less confusing.

I have NOT read the other related series (Hellequin), and was not confused at all. The world building was great, and kept me in the loop.

Looking forward to book 2, A Flicker of Steel.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley as an ARC. This review contains no paid promotion for receiving this ARC and my review is given truthfully with no influence outside of my own opinion.
Spoilers
I’ll admit- Starting your book in Wisconsin is a good way to earn an extra star from me. I’m biased, I’ll admit that, but I’m a Wisconsin girl through and through. The forests, the snow, the solitude, the cliffs all are some of the greatest parts about this state.
The first chapter gives a real X-Men kind of feeling. You learn that Elias has a hand in experimenting on giving at least a few people extraordinary powers. Some that can’t be controlled. Some that turn them into ravenous beasts. As the book progresses the veil between reality and mystical shifts from x-men to more Supernatural. It’s a good blend of demons and folk tales.

I was drawn in by the description of A Glimmer of Hope. It sounded right up my alley so I was eager to start reading. Somehow I could quite get in to the book. I liked the general plot of A Glimmer of Hope but somehow could not connect that well with the main character, Layla. That's not to say she isn't an interesting character. I just wanted more out of her. Perhaps because I have not read any of Steve McHugh's other books I may just dropped myself in to a new world. Overall, this was a good read. It is worth picking up to see if the story and characters resonate with you.

What says it all is that Layla has had 3 months of martial arts training and she is a master. Wow. Can I study at that dojo please? I didn't finish the book and my notes say things like "Offensive", "What kind of T-shirt has a lapel?" (she swings her sparing partner into the air by grabbing her T-shirt lapel), "How does a massive man spar with someone who is 5"4'." My notes go on. Layla and her friend Chloe are obnoxious excuses for modern young women. No one ever should behave like this and I am distressed that this is the kind of reading material we are providing for young people today.

I received this book for an honest review from NetGalley.

Layla Cassidy is trying to leave behind the legacy of her father's brutal reputation, but the minute that she thinks she has succeeded she accidentally opens a scroll that opens her to a world of monsters and demons.

This is my first read by Steve McHugh. He has an easiness with words that can grab the reader. I did not really connect with the characters and nothing really memorable happened. I did like the action scenes because it brings out the classic fantasy so much that almost made me forget that it was urban fantasy.

I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest reviwe.

I requested this book in hopes of finding a new and awesome urban fantasy series. Well it was not exactly what I was looking for but it was good for one read. I can’t say that I necessary going to follow this series because there was something in the writing style that didn’t click with me.

It took me quite a while to get into the story and more importantly to figure out what was going on. However in the end I loved the world building and saw a lot of possible potential in Layla character.

I didn’t read the other series that also takes place in this world and maybe that’s the problem because probably the people who read that will enjoy this book more.

Far more violent than I expected, but an interesting read. While I didn't love this one, I did enjoy the setting.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review A Glimmer of Hope
by Steve McHugh. A fast paced Urban Fantasty novel that I could not put down. i was very interested in everything this story had to offer. Layla Cassidy is a great heroine. I am very excited to see what else is to come from the The Avalon Chronicles !

This arc has a lot of things going for it. It’s got a strong main character and starts off strong. There’s a villain POV and he’s a redcap. I liked how there were more monsters of fantasy in an urban setting, like redcaps and trolls.

Also the idea of a soul scroll was interesting.

But this book dragged after the halfway point. This book is set in a previously established world, and fans of the other series will like this addition to it. I’d recommend if you are in the mood for no romance urban fantasy..

This book was the first one I have read from this author. It’s the first in a new series, but a spinoff from his popular one. I only made it to chapter five before I decided I have a big pile of books to read, and I’m just not interested in this one. The “world” seemed interesting. I was curious about the “monsters.” I wasn’t in love with the characters, it seemed slow, and was too graphically violent for me.
I received an ARC from the publisher through Net Gallery.

A GLIMMER OF HOPE is a spin-off of McHugh's Hellequin series, although it seems like you don't really need to know anything about that series to understand this book. It started out slow for me, but eventually picked up the pace unraveling a complex magic filled world and interesting plot. I enjoyed the world building, the unique take on magic, and the central plot which became pretty interesting once the plot finally picked up its pace and stopped over explaining things.

Layla comes off as your typical tough urban fantasy heroine with a tormented past which at first had me feeling bored by her. But eventually she warmed to me as I enjoyed seeing how she handled being thrown haphazardly into a magical world just by touching something she shouldn't. After she is faced with her understandably scary new power she starts to show some more vulnerability and tenacity which had her her evolve slightly away from the generic urban fantasy heroine. Her powers are pretty cool and are a tad more complex then I had imagined they would be upon first impressions.

Like Layla, we learn that her powers are tied to a more complex plot that will be addressed in future books in this series. I enjoyed A GLIMMER OF HOPE well enough and it's a good, albeit slow start to an interesting sounding series.

This was free on Netgalley and it sounded like a book I would like. Turns out it was not one I liked and it was a did not finish. Nothing wrong with writing just did not like the characters or the plot.

So I really enjoyed this book written by the fabulous Steve McHugh. This book made me laugh, scream, and cheer on Layla and her friends.

This book is a dark fantasy filled with a deep and devious plot, evil mythological beings that are very powerful and deadly, and people who never asked to be thrown into the chaos of the hidden world and its war against the evil Lord Nergal. My favorite part of this had to be the battles and descriptive detail of the bloody battles between the monsters as well as the spirits. It was also really cool because this book was told from two perspectives the heroine Layla, and the villain Elias. Both perspectives were completely opposite but it was really interesting to read the story from the twisted and murderous mind if Elias.

I have loved Steve McHugh's books and didn't know if I would like a non Nate book but I am really glad to say I was wrong. I loved this book. My Husband loved this book. So that is 10 stars from us.
Looking forward to meeting more of the gang and seeing the story progress.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of A Glimmer of Hope (The Avalon Chronicles #1) by Steve McHugh from NetGalley and 47North in order to read and give an honest review.

...a well written, unique and fast-paced #urbanfantasy novel!

 Layla Cassidy, daughter of an infamous serial killer, spent her life running away from her old life and the possibility of turning into her father.  She changes her name, hides her past and settles into a routine of night clerk at a train depot and student of metallurgy during the day. One night while at work she is kidnapped and her friends slaughtered in an attempt to gain information on her father’s secret prison. She is kidnapped and held captive in a secret compound underground guarded by vile supernatural creatures. She manages to escape but not before activating secret scrolls which bind her with three spirits and a demon, all of which now residing in her head and giving her powers outside of her realm of understanding.
Now she must learn to cope with them all talking to her, control her new powers and tame the demon inside her head threatening to turn her into the murderer. After her escape, she learns she is not alone, there are others just like her who will help protect and guide her.

I enjoyed A Glimmer of hope, although slow to start it is well worth the wait. A caution to those squeamish about violence, there are some gory scenes but on the whole, the book has well-developed characters, a unique and interesting plot culminating in a heart-stopping conclusion.  If you want to a well written, unique and fast-paced #urbanfantasy novel, this is for you.

Time to indulge in a bit of fantasy. Stories where anything goes are a very welcome change from the usual diet of crime and police procedurals I tend to favour. I love the idea that mythical creatures could be real, that they interact with humans or that they hide from them and live in the shadows.

Readers are introduced to Layla Cassidy, she is a kick-ass character who takes no nonsense. An unpleasant scene in the pub with her ex followed by a clash with annoying neighbours shows she is a girl who can hold her own in a scuffle but can also show the self-restraint to know when to walk away from a situation without taking matters too far.

We find out in the fullness of time why Layla wants to show restraint. Her father has a notorious reputation, jailed for horrific crimes which few could ever emulate. Yet a dangerous faction of non-humans want to recruit Layla’s father and they need to know where to find him. Unfortunately for Layla this means they will use her as a pawn intended to hold her captive until Layla will share her father’s location with them. Layla has other ideas and makes attempts to escape from captivity before her captors can try to “influence” her to assist with their plans.

During her attempted escape Layla will accidentally activate an ancient scroll and acquires new powers which make her a formidable opponent and will ope her eyes to a world she had no idea existed. From this point on the action will really hot up and A Glimmer of Hope will twist and enchant.

I really enjoy Steve McHugh’s writing, he builds strong characters that I want to read about. His stories have been well paced (A Glimmer of Hope is no exception) so there is a natural build up into the action and then events keep coming with twists and turns which bring me back for “one more chapter”.

A welcome and refreshing change to my normal reads – bring on the next, I enjoy these.