Book Review: All Down But Nine (Lingua Magika #2) by Kat Ross

All Down But Nine (Lingua Magika #2)
by Kat Ross
December 10, 2020

342 pages

HARD TO CATCH. HARDER TO KEEP.

Lee Merriweather has fled across the line into Pedro Braga’s jurisdiction, an untamed desert too vast for even the ruthless Guardia Territorial to keep any semblance of order. The Carnarvons want him dead or alive – and with Lee’s attitude, the first seems most likely.

The trail south runs straight through two thousand miles of badlands. To find him, Ruth and Sebastian must survive sabotage, bloodthirsty bandits, and fresh horrors at the Reverend Jolly’s church in New Jerusalem. The hardships draw them into a passionate affair, but loyalties are put to the test when they finally reach the capital of Aguadulce and all hell breaks loose.

Ruth has privately vowed to stop Sebastian from killing Lee, even as the young savant seems bent on his own destruction. And he’s just a pawn in a game with higher stakes than anyone realizes. One that goes beyond empires. One that encompasses worlds.

The phantoms are the key. But can Ruth uncover the truth in time to save them all?

Amazon

Ruth and Sebastian are in pursuit of the elusive and talented criminal Lee Merriweather. It becomes clear quickly that while Merriweather is reckless, the Reverend Jolly is downright diabolical. And while Ruth and Sebastian’s entanglement becomes far more intimate than either of them expected, their disparate loyalties are put to the ultimate test. This wild west meets steampunk fantasy series is not to be missed. This has been one of my favourite new series in recent memory.

Lingua Magika is an outstanding, wildly creative series. Its original combination of genres and wholly unique premise have made for a completely fantastic series so far. Ross’s writing is grippingly entertaining, thoughtful, and intelligent. The duty-bound Ruth is a beautiful combination of innocence and experience. Her undaunting determination makes her an admirable main character. Sebastian is a sexy, understated partner for Ruth. Their partnership, however, is tenuous at best. The Reverend Jolly is a truly chilling villain with endless creativity for mayhem. The danger he poses is completely terrifying.

I don’t want to give anything away for readers who haven’t read the first installment. By the end of the book, Ross has set the table for an explosive conclusion to the series, Devil of the North. I am endlessly curious.

Book Review: A Feast of Phantoms (Lingua Magika, #1)

Five Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

 

About the Author:
Website-FB-Twitter
Goodreads 
Kat Ross worked as a journalist at the United Nations for ten years before happily falling back into what she likes best: making stuff up. She’s the author of the Fourth Element and Fourth Talisman fantasy series, the Gaslamp Gothic paranormal mysteries, and the dystopian thriller Some Fine Day. She loves myths, monsters and doomsday scenarios. Check out Kat’s Pinterest page for the people, places and things that inspire her books.

Second look Book Review: A Feast of Phantoms (Lingua Magika, #1) by Kat Ross

A Feast of Phantoms (Lingua Magika, #1)

by Kat Ross
February 18th 2020
272 pages
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Steampunk, gaslamp,
Lingua Magika is Kat’s latest series, a fast-paced Western steampunk fantasy with a dash of romance and adventure! A Feast of Phantoms is Book #1, with at least two more to follow.

THE JOB
It was supposed to be simple.

Help Marshal Sebastian Hardin escort his prisoner one stop on the railway to Charter Oak.

Just one stop.

But when that prisoner is a savant who talks to ghosts, even the simplest plans have a way of falling apart.

THE LAW
Sheriff’s Deputy Ruth Cortez always does the right thing. Lucky Boy is a company town, dependent on the rich and powerful Carnarvon family. Besides which, the charismatic Sebastian Hardin isn’t an easy man to say no to. When his transport derails in the middle of the prairie, Ruth begins a relentless manhunt that leads straight into the dark heart of the Carnarvon empire.

THE FUGITIVE
Lee Merriweather favors sharp suits and fast trains – especially when he’s stealing them. At the ripe old age of 18, he’s managed to become the most wanted criminal in three territories. Lee can’t resist playing cat and mouse with a small-town deputy, but what starts as a game becomes deadly serious.

THE FIXER
Sebastian Hardin is the Carnarvons’ right hand, loyal to the death and willing to keep any secret to protect the family. They want Lee alive, but with the young savant’s disturbing abilities it won’t be an easy proposition. Whoever catches Lee gets the keys to the kingdom and the Carnarvons aren’t the only ones hunting him down. Sebastian has enough problems without falling for Deputy Cortez – but you can’t always choose who you love.

THE PHANTOMS
They terrorized the settlers until Calindra Carnarvon learned to speak their language. Her empire relies on controlling their telekinetic powers, but Lee Merriweather could destroy it all. And not even Lee suspects the shocking truth of the phantoms’ real nature.

Goodreads-Amazon

A paranormal wild west meets steampunk aesthetic in A Feast of Phantoms the first stellar installment in Kat Ross’ new trilogy. In the Lingua Magika world, phantoms are a potential plague on humankind, and savants – those who can control phantoms with language – are boss. The series opener follows Ruth Cortez, a small-time deputy with a huge sense of righteous justice and bravery to match. Ruth is absconded from her town, Lucky Boy, to assist the highly reputable chief of special services, Sebastian Hardin, as he transports a dangerous fugitive by rail to the big city to face justice. When Hardin’s operation is literally derailed, Ruth independently forges on with an unparalleled determination to seek justice. 

Ross has easily become my new favourite author. I fell in love with her work while reading her Gaslamp Gothic series. A Feast of Phantoms is a wildly imaginative fresh perspective on a classic trope. The creativity within is top-notch. I enjoyed every second of this read and the new, wild world brought forth. Ruth is a stellar character with loads of potential. I cannot wait to see her character bend to the complexity of the world that’s not so black and white. Sebastian Hardin is written with a barely contained sex appeal waiting to explode. I eagerly anticipate book two. 

At the end of the book, readers are teased with book two of the planned Lingua Magika trilogy, All Down But Nine, set for a late December 2020 release. Readers anxious for more Kat Ross will not have to wait quite that long. The author assures me Balthazar’s Bane, book six in the Gaslamp Gothic series, is nearly complete. 

Five Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

 

About the Author:
Website-FB-Twitter
Goodreads 
Kat Ross worked as a journalist at the United Nations for ten years before happily falling back into what she likes best: making stuff up. She’s the author of the Fourth Element and Fourth Talisman fantasy series, the Gaslamp Gothic paranormal mysteries, and the dystopian thriller Some Fine Day. She loves myths, monsters and doomsday scenarios. Check out Kat’s Pinterest page for the people, places and things that inspire her books.

Book Review: A Feast of Phantoms (Lingua Magika, #1) by Kat Ross + giveaway

A Feast of Phantoms (Lingua Magika, #1)

by Kat Ross
February 18th 2020
272 pages
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Steampunk, gaslamp,
Lingua Magika is Kat’s latest series, a fast-paced Western steampunk fantasy with a dash of romance and adventure! A Feast of Phantoms is Book #1, with at least two more to follow.

THE JOB
It was supposed to be simple.

Help Marshal Sebastian Hardin escort his prisoner one stop on the railway to Charter Oak.

Just one stop.

But when that prisoner is a savant who talks to ghosts, even the simplest plans have a way of falling apart.

THE LAW
Sheriff’s Deputy Ruth Cortez always does the right thing. Lucky Boy is a company town, dependent on the rich and powerful Carnarvon family. Besides which, the charismatic Sebastian Hardin isn’t an easy man to say no to. When his transport derails in the middle of the prairie, Ruth begins a relentless manhunt that leads straight into the dark heart of the Carnarvon empire.

THE FUGITIVE
Lee Merriweather favors sharp suits and fast trains – especially when he’s stealing them. At the ripe old age of 18, he’s managed to become the most wanted criminal in three territories. Lee can’t resist playing cat and mouse with a small-town deputy, but what starts as a game becomes deadly serious.

THE FIXER
Sebastian Hardin is the Carnarvons’ right hand, loyal to the death and willing to keep any secret to protect the family. They want Lee alive, but with the young savant’s disturbing abilities it won’t be an easy proposition. Whoever catches Lee gets the keys to the kingdom and the Carnarvons aren’t the only ones hunting him down. Sebastian has enough problems without falling for Deputy Cortez – but you can’t always choose who you love.

THE PHANTOMS
They terrorized the settlers until Calindra Carnarvon learned to speak their language. Her empire relies on controlling their telekinetic powers, but Lee Merriweather could destroy it all. And not even Lee suspects the shocking truth of the phantoms’ real nature.

Goodreads-Amazon

I read my first Kat Ross book “Dead Ringer” a few months back. I knew then that I had found someone in my top 10 go-to authors for a good read. This book is the first of a new trilogy about a post-apocalyptic world run by 2 factions...both with great abilities to control phantoms (or as I see them: major and minor demons. Sorry Kat, don’t mean to rename!) Those trained to speak the most phantom languages (polygotes) control a whole lot of power and maybe some of them are a little tired of being controlled.

By a stroke of bad luck, Ruth Cortez (an 18-year-old sheriff’s deputy) gets drafted to help transport a notoriously dangerous polygote by train to the Carnarvon City. Naive, ethical, loyal and insightful, Ruth proves that her position as Deputy in her small town of Lucky Boy is well deserved. She becomes the major player/pawn in this manhunt for the notorious renegade(because, yes, he escapes the train!). Is he good or bad? She has to decide while still performing her duties to the letter.

It took only a minute to acclimate myself to the new world and characters then I was hooked on this soft-spoken intuitive young girl that wants nothing but to return to her small town and neighbors. BUT...she’s not afraid to kick some butt!

Hop on this train and ride because there are many memorable events and scenery. I am so looking forward to the next installment!

Getting 4.25 “class x” sheep!

Jeanie G

About the Author:
Website-FB-Twitter
Goodreads
Kat Ross worked as a journalist at the United Nations for ten years before happily falling back into what she likes best: making stuff up. She’s the author of the Fourth Element and Fourth Talisman fantasy series, the Gaslamp Gothic paranormal mysteries, and the dystopian thriller Some Fine Day. She loves myths, monsters and doomsday scenarios. Check out Kat’s Pinterest page for the people, places and things that inspire her books.

Giveaway:

Tour-wide giveaway (INTL) 

The new ebook Boxed Set of the first five Gaslamp Gothic books

a Rafflecopter giveaway