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Grigori Cycle #1
Unrelenting
A glowing symbol painted on a crumbling wall.
Sentient smoke that chokes and burns.
An ancient magic, long hidden from the world. Bridget’s most important job has always been protecting her younger sister, Dahlia. But as adults, their relationship has become strained. Then, Dahlia vanishes. Nine months later, everyone has given up hope. Everyone except Bridget, who launches her own amateur investigation. The search leads Bridget to something far more sinister than a typical missing persons case—a carefully-guarded plot tied to powerful, age-old magic. To uncover the truth of what happened to her sister, Bridget must confront this dangerous world, even if it means putting her own life on the line.
Sentient smoke that chokes and burns.
An ancient magic, long hidden from the world. Bridget’s most important job has always been protecting her younger sister, Dahlia. But as adults, their relationship has become strained. Then, Dahlia vanishes. Nine months later, everyone has given up hope. Everyone except Bridget, who launches her own amateur investigation. The search leads Bridget to something far more sinister than a typical missing persons case—a carefully-guarded plot tied to powerful, age-old magic. To uncover the truth of what happened to her sister, Bridget must confront this dangerous world, even if it means putting her own life on the line.
454 pages, Paperback
First published April 19, 2022
19 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 18, 2022
I received an ARC in order to write this objective review. Unrelenting catches your attention with the first page and refuses to let go! If you have any laundry or dishes to do, just go ahead and accept that they won’t get done for a bit. Throughout Bridget’s unwavering resolve to find her missing sister, she stumbles into a covert world of ancient forces living among humans. She joins up with an unlikely crew and runs unabashedly toward some horrific foes.
After her sister Dahlia disappears, Bridget bumps heads with the lead detective on the case, who seems to have completely different priorities. Bridget teams up with James, a classmate of Dahlia’s, to begin their own investigation. They uncover far more than they bargained for and find themselves in the middle of ancient disputes, life-binding contracts, and incredible power. How did her sister get mixed up in all of this anyway? How far would you go to bring someone back?
This story is a delightful weaving of newfound friendships, love, suspense, and the supernatural. Fellow members of the Alphabet Mafia will be excited to read about strong LGBTQIA+ characters portrayed in a refreshingly normalized way. I am excited to read what these fantastic authors write next!
After her sister Dahlia disappears, Bridget bumps heads with the lead detective on the case, who seems to have completely different priorities. Bridget teams up with James, a classmate of Dahlia’s, to begin their own investigation. They uncover far more than they bargained for and find themselves in the middle of ancient disputes, life-binding contracts, and incredible power. How did her sister get mixed up in all of this anyway? How far would you go to bring someone back?
This story is a delightful weaving of newfound friendships, love, suspense, and the supernatural. Fellow members of the Alphabet Mafia will be excited to read about strong LGBTQIA+ characters portrayed in a refreshingly normalized way. I am excited to read what these fantastic authors write next!
April 19, 2022
Wow! The main character of this book is "unrelenting" in her search for her missing sister, but the pace of this book is also unrelenting and you won't be able to put it down! Get comfy because once you start reading you'll keep turning pages long after you should have gone to bed. Or to work... The authors have seamlessly crafted a good old fashioned suspense/mystery novel which packs a supernatural punch. Although (spoiler alert) Bridget succeeds in finding and rescuing her sister, nothing will ever be the same for either of them and I can't wait to see where book 2 takes them. Marie & Jessi - I hope you've been hard at work because I can't wait to delve deeper into the world of the Grigori!
April 19, 2022
Amazing Debut Urban Fantasy
A great new urban fantasy novel. Fast pacing and thrilling action. I couldn’t stop turning pages. Finished it in a single reading session. I love all the characters and the great diversity of perspectives and experiences. I don’t think I’ve read fight scenes as exciting as these since Sanderson. Great read. So glad I found this.
A great new urban fantasy novel. Fast pacing and thrilling action. I couldn’t stop turning pages. Finished it in a single reading session. I love all the characters and the great diversity of perspectives and experiences. I don’t think I’ve read fight scenes as exciting as these since Sanderson. Great read. So glad I found this.
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April 28, 2022I received an ARC in order to write this objective review.
Unrelenting is an awesome mystery / fantasy / thriller that kept my attention throughout the whole book! It's fast-paced and constantly keeps you guessing—I kept trying to guess where the book was headed, and I swear I was wrong every time. I absolutely loved it!
Unrelenting is an awesome mystery / fantasy / thriller that kept my attention throughout the whole book! It's fast-paced and constantly keeps you guessing—I kept trying to guess where the book was headed, and I swear I was wrong every time. I absolutely loved it!
April 22, 2022
This is a smooth, paranormal thriller. If you like that genre and you like it without the horror element, but with other tropes like a headstrong main character, vivid descriptions, and fun side characters that all bounce off each other in delightfully mismatched ways, then you'll love Unrelenting.
April 24, 2022
Fun, fast paced thriller that I couldn’t put down. Can’t wait for the sequel.
June 10, 2022
I love the way this starts as a thrilling story of a sister refusing to give up on her missing sister, then twists and builds into something even wilder! I don't want to give anything away, but you should grab this and dive in!
August 13, 2022
I don't typically read the genre of fantasy fiction, but the bond between sisters Bridget and Dahlia in Unrelenting drew me right in. The Grigoris, keepers of ancient secrets and holding the power to save or destroy the humankind, hide in plain sight. An ancient symbol is a portal to vaults of dark magic. The authors deftly create the sinister web of paranormal activities with the use of magical symbols, skills and a compelling cast of characters. I particularly appreciated the sensory details of our day-to-day world; descriptions of rain-soaked evenings and derelict parts of Cleveland. The fast pace and the high stakes kept me at the edge of my seat and I rooted for Bridget all the way in her mission to find her sister.
May 14, 2022
How far would you go to find someone who’s been missing? What if that person was your sister? In Unrelenting, Bridget Keene is about to find out just how far she’s willing to go, especially when it seems like the Cleveland Police Department has given up on finding her sister Dahlia. Even when Bridget receives a grainy video that seems to show her sister is alive the lead detective, Detective Ivanova, brushes Bridget aside. So, Bridget begins to investigate on her own with the help of James, the person that made the video. As Bridget and James dig deeper into Dahlia’s disappearance they are soon confronted by a mysterious group whose members can use magic. Bridget’s search for her sister leads her deeper and deeper into a carefully guarded plot and a world filled with age-old magic. The situation spirals out of control for Bridget and James as they are soon caught between two waring factions of powerful magic users and Bridget must put her own life on the line to save her sister.
I was very impressed with Unrelenting, the first book in The Grigori Cycle. Jessi Honard and Marie Parks have created a wonderfully complex, detailed, and quite ordinary (on the surface) protagonist in Bridget Keene. Bridget is, well… she’s unrelenting in finding out what happened to her sister, despite the risks and odds that seem to be stacked against her. Confronted by the realization that magic is real and controlled by very-powerful magic users, most people would be unable to adapt, but Bridget manages to surprise even herself as she navigates the machinations of friends and foes alike. That Bridget manages to do this while remaining an ordinary human, with no magic of her own – only her wits and determination, even at her own expense – is another thing that makes her an attractive character.
The other thing I loved about Unrelenting is the world that Jessie and Marie have created. There are many unique urban fantasy settings, each with their own take on magic and magic-users. What is hard these days, when there is a saturation of many good such settings, is to create something that is new and different. And that is just what Jessi and Marie have done. The magic used by the Grigori is both limited and powerful. They act more like superheroes with unique powers than the typical “spellcaster” you might encounter in other settings. Combine this with a well-crafted conspiracy of mysterious origins, lost and forgotten powers, and a hidden agenda among the Grigori, you have a setting that makes you want to turn the pages to learn more.
Unrelenting is a fresh offering in the urban fantasy genre with a unique take on magic wrapped within a finely-crafted conspiracy. Jessie Honard and Marie Parks are rising stars within the urban fantasy genre with a character that readers will be able to relate and connect with and a story that will keep you turning the pages.
I was very impressed with Unrelenting, the first book in The Grigori Cycle. Jessi Honard and Marie Parks have created a wonderfully complex, detailed, and quite ordinary (on the surface) protagonist in Bridget Keene. Bridget is, well… she’s unrelenting in finding out what happened to her sister, despite the risks and odds that seem to be stacked against her. Confronted by the realization that magic is real and controlled by very-powerful magic users, most people would be unable to adapt, but Bridget manages to surprise even herself as she navigates the machinations of friends and foes alike. That Bridget manages to do this while remaining an ordinary human, with no magic of her own – only her wits and determination, even at her own expense – is another thing that makes her an attractive character.
The other thing I loved about Unrelenting is the world that Jessie and Marie have created. There are many unique urban fantasy settings, each with their own take on magic and magic-users. What is hard these days, when there is a saturation of many good such settings, is to create something that is new and different. And that is just what Jessi and Marie have done. The magic used by the Grigori is both limited and powerful. They act more like superheroes with unique powers than the typical “spellcaster” you might encounter in other settings. Combine this with a well-crafted conspiracy of mysterious origins, lost and forgotten powers, and a hidden agenda among the Grigori, you have a setting that makes you want to turn the pages to learn more.
Unrelenting is a fresh offering in the urban fantasy genre with a unique take on magic wrapped within a finely-crafted conspiracy. Jessie Honard and Marie Parks are rising stars within the urban fantasy genre with a character that readers will be able to relate and connect with and a story that will keep you turning the pages.
August 4, 2022
There must be a sequel!
Well-written fantasy page-turner. The subject matter of two sisters bonded across time and space even though they could not be more different from one another hit close to home for this reader. 5 stars, assuming there is a sequel!
Well-written fantasy page-turner. The subject matter of two sisters bonded across time and space even though they could not be more different from one another hit close to home for this reader. 5 stars, assuming there is a sequel!
May 6, 2022
This book is a fabulous fun-house mirror. It is polished from front to back and edge to edge. Look into this work and you see a world that is distorted and surprising. The focus reflects a Cleveland, Ohio dripping in rain and noir, but shift a bit closer and discover another, mysterious reality is revealed. The only aspects that is unchanged and unchangeable is the fixed love the main character Bridget has for her sister and her determination to find that missing sister Dahlia.
The story drives forward with fascinating characters, growing tension, and harrowing discoveries in a world full of skewed surprises. If you are a fan of sophisticated fantasy, I recommend this 400+ page fun house.
The story drives forward with fascinating characters, growing tension, and harrowing discoveries in a world full of skewed surprises. If you are a fan of sophisticated fantasy, I recommend this 400+ page fun house.
March 31, 2022
I received an ARC ebook from the publisher and greatly enjoyed this high-energy thriller about an ordinary woman who will not give up the search for her missing sister even when obviously out of her depth. That sibling bond is the most important relationship in the book, without even a hint of a romance subplot to distract from her goal.
Bridget’s sister Dahlia has been missing for months and the investigation has hit nothing but dead ends. When a promising new lead arises, Bridget travels to Cleveland for some amateur sleuthing, with help from an acquaintance of Dahlia’s who may have caught her on video long after she disappeared. When they stumble on a community of immortals with supernatural powers, Bridget knows she’s in over her head—and just keeps going. The danger and obstacles increase the closer she gets to finding Dahlia, but she refuses to give up even when injured, imprisoned, or worse.
This is a fast-paced read, packed with violence (both supernatural and garden variety) but warmed by the unbreakable bond between these young-adult sisters, even when the younger wants to break free of the elder’s protection. And the ending points toward at least one sequel!
Bridget’s sister Dahlia has been missing for months and the investigation has hit nothing but dead ends. When a promising new lead arises, Bridget travels to Cleveland for some amateur sleuthing, with help from an acquaintance of Dahlia’s who may have caught her on video long after she disappeared. When they stumble on a community of immortals with supernatural powers, Bridget knows she’s in over her head—and just keeps going. The danger and obstacles increase the closer she gets to finding Dahlia, but she refuses to give up even when injured, imprisoned, or worse.
This is a fast-paced read, packed with violence (both supernatural and garden variety) but warmed by the unbreakable bond between these young-adult sisters, even when the younger wants to break free of the elder’s protection. And the ending points toward at least one sequel!
November 24, 2025
Unrelenting absolutely hooked me from start to finish. The world that Jes Honard and Marie Parks built is one of the most unique and compelling urban fantasy settings I’ve read in a long time. I loved the tension between the different factions of Grigori — the politics, the power struggles, and the way history is woven naturally into the story all made the world feel deep, lived-in, and real.
The Grigori themselves were a huge highlight for me. The magic system, the mystery behind their origins, and the way each faction had its own motives kept me constantly curious about what was coming next. And that twist near the end? I didn’t see it coming at all, and it made the final act land perfectly.
This was such an exciting read, full of great pacing, memorable characters, and a world I can’t wait to return to. I’m already diving into the second book!
Highly recommended to anyone who loves modern fantasy with ancient roots, intense power dynamics, and killer twists.
The Grigori themselves were a huge highlight for me. The magic system, the mystery behind their origins, and the way each faction had its own motives kept me constantly curious about what was coming next. And that twist near the end? I didn’t see it coming at all, and it made the final act land perfectly.
This was such an exciting read, full of great pacing, memorable characters, and a world I can’t wait to return to. I’m already diving into the second book!
Highly recommended to anyone who loves modern fantasy with ancient roots, intense power dynamics, and killer twists.
June 7, 2025
Despite being just over 400 pages, this book was an incredibly fast read! This can be attributed to it's fast paced narrative. The twists and turns keep coming in the case of Bridget's missing sister. I loved learning about the magic system here and the action was well done throughout. There were a few negatives that I noticed (a few typos including one where the character closes a lid twice on the same page and a few plot points that weren't explained enough) but overall this was a fantastic read. It had great representation in diversity as well, including asexual characters and either bi or pan characters as well. I am very excited to read book two when it becomes available!
October 19, 2023
"Unrelenting" is a tapestry of emotion, that effortlessly weaves the threads of grief and obsession into a supernatural thriller. With an innovative magic system at its core, this book immerses you in a world where the boundaries between reality and the supernatural blur.
In full disclosure, I picked it up because I liked the authors and was curious. Then I Just. Kept. Reading. I needed to know if Dahlia was dead. I needed to know what the Grigori were. I needed to know what the heck was going on with the living smoke that bites people.
And now I need the second book.
In full disclosure, I picked it up because I liked the authors and was curious. Then I Just. Kept. Reading. I needed to know if Dahlia was dead. I needed to know what the Grigori were. I needed to know what the heck was going on with the living smoke that bites people.
And now I need the second book.
June 25, 2024
Was so excited to read this independent authored book but it wasn’t until almost page 245 that we find out more about the grigori and even then not barely enough. It’s action writing for sure, unrelenting action description, but it doesn’t bring us to character development or plot development. Was disappointed.
May 28, 2022
What a fun read! I love learning about the Grigori, and I have many questions . . . hopefully Book 2 will answer some. I can't wait! The characters are great and the action scenes are so vivid. I don't read much fantasy or action fiction, but this was great.
April 1, 2024
I had to read the whole book in almost 1 go because from about page 100 on there was no putting it back down for me.
October 13, 2025
Got to p. 112. Didn't find the main character or the setup compelling.
April 25, 2022
Total page turner
I couldn’t put this book down! The characters drew me right in and the writing was so descriptive and engaging.
Eagerly awaiting the next one!
I couldn’t put this book down! The characters drew me right in and the writing was so descriptive and engaging.
Eagerly awaiting the next one!
July 12, 2022
A phenomenal debut novel from two authors that I will now be following. Love, loss, sisterhood, and magic combine to make a story that I devoured in a day. It's refreshing to read a novel with queer representation that doesn't feel like a forced plot device. I'm highly anticipating the next book in the series.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews