A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney

 

Looking for a cozy witchy read this fall? Look no further ya'll.

Synopsis:

Hecate Goodwin, Kate to her friends, has curated the perfect life as a hedge witch, living in a secluded cottage with only a black cat for company. She spends her days foraging herbs from the Ipswich forest, gardening and creating tinctures to sell at the apothecary she owns. Most evenings pass without her speaking to another human being, an arrangement she quite prefers.

Kate's solitude is thrown into disarray when her older sister, Miranda, reaches out and asks her to host their coven's annual Halloween gathering. The day marks the beginning of the new year for witches and is also Kate's birthday. The pressure from her coven to make the evening memorable mounts as the event draws near. To complicate things further, a handsome man from Kate's past turns up at her cottage, asking for sanctuary. It is Kate's duty as a hedge witch to honor this request, much to her dismay. Matthew Cypher is no ordinary lost soul -- he's a practitioner of forbidden magic who's tricked Kate once before and her guard is up.

As she juggles Matthew's arrival and the preparations for Halloween, Kate comes across an old tome shrouded in dark magic. She is horrified when she realizes the blood-red inscription is written in familiar handwriting: her recently deceased mother's. Afraid to even touch the dark magic her mother secretly studied, Kate can turn only to Matthew for help. Her idealized memory of her mother begins to distort, and as she and Matthew grow closer, Kate has to reevaluate whom she can really trust.

Thoughts:

This was my first cozy witchy read of the season, and I am surprised how much I enjoyed this one.  It's written in a first person based narrative, and the author's writing style was easy to sink into.  She wrote vivid descriptions that didn't become too wordy, but lead to me very easily being able to imagine the world Kate was in. 

I also love that she went into great detail about the foods Kate made. Kate's mother was a kitchen witch, so food was an obvious part of the story...and perhaps our author is a bit of a foodie too. I think a fun idea would be to make a recipe book from this book. Maybe in the style of the Necrononomicon...oh the possibilities. 

This was a low stress read with an unexpected HEA, that I really didn't see coming. So grab your tea, a cozy blanket, and dig in. 

A Dark and Secret Magic will be released October 8, and is currently available for pre-order on Amazon or Bookshop.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book free for review.  This however does not affect my opinions, as I do not leave a review for each book I receive. There are links to Amazon, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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Ale and Tale -- Cozy Game Review

 

Just out this week, I had a chance to take a look at Ale and Tale Tavern by Scien Art Games.  Ale and Tale Tavern is a Fantasy Co-Op Tavern Sim that takes place in a cute and cozy fantasy world. I can definitely see myself enjoying this one for hours....

First impression:

For character creation there are tons of options...so many clothes. I kept it simple this round, but I could have easily wore lingerie with a bucket on my head. The sky is the limit.

The graphics were good enough, and had a bit of a World of Warcraft style to them. The world was beautiful, and the night sky...just perfect.

The directions and quest line sets you up to learn the game mechanics and figure out how to play the game. There's a merchant you talk to first, but he's not who you click on to purchase stuff. You have to click on the cash register next to him, and I found that to be a bit wonky. 

Decorating and running the inn is a good chunk of this game, and I enjoyed the rhythm of running the tavern. As you move along you gather more recipes to serve at the tavern, and you learn how to garden, hunt, and forage for ingredients. 

There is a co-op option, but I played solo, which was a bit tough to keep everything going. So far there isn't an option to get any helpers, so the running of the inn is all up to you. You can make meals and drinks ahead of time, which helps tremendously. Be on your look out though, because creeps come out at night. 

My biggest complaint with this game however is that it's only in first person, with no option to scroll out to third person. I tend to get motion sick with first person games, and this one was no exception. I could only play this one in small doses with out getting sick. I tried changing some settings and making the game very small on my screen and it didn't seem to help. 

Overall Score: 4/5

Pros: 

• Beautiful world
• Love the cozy vibe
• Tavern upkeep has a good rhythm to it

Cons:

• First person only
• Wonky NPC interactions

Ale and Tale Tavern was released September 5, 2024 on Steam.

Disclaimer: I received a key of this game free for review from https://www.keymailer.co .  This however does not affect my review or opinions. There are links to Amazon on this blog, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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A Curse of Breath and Blood by K.W. Foster

Looking for some new authors to mix into your reading? Girl...same. I am super excited to work with The Nerd Fam to get some fresh arcs to review. Stay tuned, there will be more!

Synopsis:

A queen turned mercenary. A long-lost love. An ancient evil reborn.

With her home kingdom destroyed and her family considered dead, Aelia Springborn makes a living, using her abilities to break minds for anyone with enough coin. Content to live a life in the shadows, her world is turned upside down when her former lover, Caiden Stormweaver, tracks her down at the edge of the world with a proposition she can’t refuse…. help him thwart her former husband, King Gideon, from obtaining the deadly army of the Alder King.

With a chasm of hurt between them, the pair strikes a deal; once their mission is complete, Aelia will wipe his memories of their relationship, releasing them both from their tumultuous past.

Bound by magic and aided by friends, Caiden and Aelia set off on a journey to save the continent from ultimate destruction. However, as their mission progresses, Aelia and Caiden find themselves reigniting the flames of their past.

But in Moriana, breaking a bargain is deadly.

Things become even more complicated when Aelia meets Tharan Greenblade, a charming playboy whom she cannot help but fall for. With the threads of their fates entwining, the trio will be forced into a high-stakes game that will test their loyalties and raise the dead.

Thoughts:

This was a fast moving book, and having just finished the entire Throne of Glass Series, a fast moving and quick read was welcomed. You won't find any lengthy info dumping here, and sometimes it was almost to the book's detriment.  We hit the ground running and there wasn't much explanation of magical systems or world building, and histories. We learned what we could as the story moved along, and I feel like readers might find the magical system either mysterious, or confusing.

Aelia is reunited with her former lover Caiden and she learns he has information to track down her sister who has been missing for five years. Caiden and Aelia work through some of their troubled past so they can work together to find her. Aelia is still a bit of an anomaly to me. She's had an awful history, specifically with men. She falls for them fast, and during her quest to find her sister she meets Tharan, and acknowledges she has feelings for both Tharan and Caiden. 

If you like, fantasy books with some spice, a love triangle, with a side of "who did this to you" I think you'll like this book.

A Curse of Breath and Blood will be available September 17, 2024 and can be purchased at Amazon and Bookshop.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book free for review.  This however does not affect my opinions, as I do not leave a review for each book I receive. There are links to Amazon, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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New Book Releases for July 2024

I hope you're enjoying your summer! Here's a few books that I'm looking forward to this July! Are any of these on your list?

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen 

Release Date: July 2, 2024

Genre: Fantasy/Fantasy Romance

The entire town of Eternity was shocked when widowed, middle-aged Twyla Banneker partnered up with her neighbor and best friend, Frank Ellis, to join the Tanrian Marshals. Eight years later, Twyla’s rewarding career patrolling the strange land of Tanria remains a welcome change from the domestic grind of mom life, despite the misgivings of her grown children.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) a recent decrease in on-the-job peril has made Twyla and Frank's job a lot safer ... and a lot less exciting. So when they discover the body of one of their fellow marshals near an enormous footprint—and Frank finds himself the inadvertent foster dad to a baby dragon—they are grateful to be back in action.
 
Soon, the friends wind up ensnared in a nefarious plot that goes far deeper than any lucrative Tanrian mineshaft. But as danger closes in and Twyla and Frank's investigation becomes more complicated, so does their easy friendship. And Twyla starts to realize that her true soul mate might be the person who has lived next door all along...

Dream Walker by Brittany Gossin 

Release Date: July 2, 2024

Genre: Fantasy

In the aftermath of a harrowing nightmare, seventeen-year-old Ella Windsor must face a chilling reality as the wounds from her dreams appear on her body. To add to her terror, she witnesses the intrusion of a nightmarish creature come to life, lurking on her high school campus.

Faced with no choice but to escape the nightmares and search for why she's the only one who can see them, Ella ventures into the mysterious Astral Realm. Alongside Ethan Wessex, a stunningly gorgeous Lieutenant of the Queen's Astral Guard with his own air of mystery, Ella discovers a realm on the brink of war.

Azvameth, the King of Nightmares, harboring secrets of his own, seeks dominion not just over the Astral Realm but every waking world. With the assistance of other dream walkers, including the devastatingly handsome Cole, a Fae Prince, and Rhea, a feisty Elven female, each armed with latent magic, Ella may prove to be the missing piece in destroying Azvameth and saving her precious Mortal and Astral Realms.

In this epic romantasy, Ella grapples with love and betrayal, torn between the mysterious Ethan and the potential true love of Cole, all while embarking on a journey of self-discovery and found family. The nightmares have awakened, but so has she.

The Blackbird Oracle by Deborah Harkness 

Release date: July 16, 2024

Genre: Fantasy Romance/Romantasy

Deborah Harkness first introduced the world to Diana Bishop, an Oxford scholar and witch, and vampire geneticist Matthew de Clermont in A Discovery of Witches. Drawn to each other despite long-standing taboos, these two otherworldly beings found themselves at the center of a battle for a lost, enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. Since then, they have fallen in love, traveled to Elizabethan England, dissolved the Covenant between the three species, and awoken the dark powers within Diana’s family line.

Now, Diana and Matthew receive a formal demand from the Congregation: They must test the magic of their seven-year-old twins, Pip and Rebecca. Concerned with their safety and desperate to avoid the same fate that led her parents to spellbind her, Diana decides to forge a different path for her family’s future and answers a message from a great-aunt she never knew existed, Gwyneth Proctor, whose invitation simply reads: It’s time you came home, Diana.

On the hallowed ground of Ravenswood, the Proctor family home, and under the tutelage of Gwyneth, a talented witch grounded in higher magic, a new era begins for Diana: a confrontation with her family’s dark past and a reckoning for her own desire for even greater power—if she can let go, finally, of her fear of wielding it.

In this stunning new novel, grand in scope, Deborah Harkness deepens the beloved world of All Souls with powerful new magic and long-hidden secrets, and the path Diana finds at Ravenswood leads to the most consequential moments yet in this cherished series.

Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan 

Release date: July 30, 2024

Genre: Epic Fantasy/ YA Fantasy Romance

Princess Jasalyn has a secret. Armed with an enchanted ring that gives her death’s kiss, Jas has been sneaking away from the palace at night to assassinate her enemies.

Shape-shifter Felicity needs a miracle. Fated to kill her magical father, she’s been using her unique ability to evade a fatal prophecy.

When rumors of evil king Mordeus’s resurrection spread through the shadow court, Jasalyn decides to end him once and for all. Felicity agrees to take the form of the princess, allowing Jas to covertly hunt Mordeus—and starting Felicity on the path that could finally take her home.

While Jasalyn teams up with the charming and handsome Kendrick, Felicity sets out to get closer to the Wild Fae king, Misha. Kendrick helps Jasalyn feel something other than anger for the first time in three years, and Misha makes Felicity wish for a world where she’s free to be her true self. Soon, the girls’ missions are at risk right alongside their hearts.

The future of the human and fae realms hangs in the balance as fates intertwine. Between perilous tasks, grim secrets, and forbidden romances, Jasalyn and Felicity find that perhaps their stars are the most cursed of all.

Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews 

Release date: July 30, 2024

Genre: Fantasy

It’s not easy serving Chernobog, the God of Destruction, Darkness and Death…especially during the holidays; and especially when you’re out of eggnog and one of your pesky, freeloading mythic creatures has eaten your last cookie.

Roman would like nothing more than to be left alone, but when a wounded boy stumbles into his yard and begs for sanctuary, Roman takes him in. Now elite mercenaries are camped out on his property, combat mages are dousing the house with fire, and strange priests are unleashing arcane magic. They thought Roman was easy pickings, just a hermit in the woods, but they chose the wrong dark priest to annoy. For while Roman might be patient, he is the Black Volhv, filled with the love of his terrible god. For his adversaries, it's a fight to the death, but for him, it's just another day in the neighborhood.

Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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Faebound by Saara El-Arifi

 

If you're looking to add more fantasy books to your collection that are written by African American authors and have LGBTQ representation then add this one to your list.

Synopsis:

Yeeran was born on the battlefield, has lived on the battlefield, and one day, she knows, she’ll die on the battlefield.

As a warrior in the elven army, Yeeran has known nothing but violence her whole life. Her sister, Lettle, is trying to make a living as a diviner, seeking prophecies of a better future.

When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran’s exile from the Elven Lands, both sisters are forced into the terrifying wilderness beyond their borders.

There they encounter the impossible: the fae court. The fae haven’t been seen for a millennium. But now Yeeran and Lettle are thrust into their seductive world, torn among their loyalties to each other, their elven homeland, and their hearts.

Thoughts:

This one feels like high fantasy, and I'm here for it. The world took some time to unfold and understand, with the pacing a bit slower than some of the quicker novels I talk about. Grab your favorite tea, and a cozy blanket and just dig in.  

The set up, the character development, and the romances, they were all so well laid out.  I can't wait to read the next book in this trilogy!

You will like this book if you like:

❤️ Unique magical systems
🧡 Beautiful world building
💛 Slow burn romances
💚 Enemies to lovers
💙 Twists and mysteries you can’t see coming
💜 Strong sister bonds

Faebound by Saara El-Arifi was published January 23, 2024, and is available on Amazon or Bookshop.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book free for review.  This however does not affect my opinions, as I do not leave a review for each book I receive. There are links to Amazon, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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Full Moon Rising by Ruby Dixon

 

Have you ever been pulled in by a cover? That would be me and this book. I thought the cover was so pretty, and you guys, look at those sprayed edges. If you're a Ruby Dixon Fan already and have read any of her Ice Planet Barbarian books, then just pre-order it now.

Synopsis:

As a Holder’s daughter, Aspeth Honori knows the importance of magical artifacts . . . which is why it’s a disaster that her father has gambled all theirs away. Now that her family is in danger of losing their hold—and their heads—if anyone finds out the truth, Aspeth decides to do something about it. She’ll join the Royal Artifactual Guild and the adventurers who explore ancient underground ruins to retrieve the coveted arcane items.

It’s a great plan—with one big problem. The guild won’t let her train because she’s a woman. Aspeth needs a chaperone of some kind. The best way to get around this problem? Marry someone who will let her become an apprentice. Who better than a surly guild member who requires a favor of his own? He’s a minotaur (it’s fine) who is her teacher (also fine) . . . and he’s about to go into rut (which is where it gets tricky). He also has no idea she’s a noble (oops), and he’ll want nothing to do with her if he discovers her real identity.

Now Aspeth just has to pass the guild tests, thwart a fortune hunter, and save her hold—oh, and survive a rut with her monstrous, horned husband, whom she might be falling in love with.

It’s time to dig deep. Literally.

Thoughts:

Ya'll...I thought this one was cute. Aspeth acted very young, even though she was 30 in the book. She definitely was a sheltered aristocratic daughter, and was only slightly annoying in the beginning of the book.

Hawk was our big grump, and was facing a "rut" that his kind is subjected to every 5 years once they reach the age of 18. They lose their minds, and all they want to do is breed. Hawk wanted a partner instead of finding a prostitute willing to put up with him during the rutting season, and Aspeth needed a chaperone so she could join the guild. They both decide  entering a "fake marriage" was the solution,  both agreeing to divorce and go their separate ways once the rut was over.

Ya'll...we have all the spice that we expect from Ruby Dixon, it's a bit of a slow burn, but once we arrive it's all very spicy. 

All in all, a quick, fun easy, steamy read. 

Bull Moon's Rising is currently available for pre-order in this gorgeous special first edition copy. You can preorder  it on Amazon or Bookshop.  It's release date is October 15, 2024.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book free for review.  This however does not affect my opinions, as I do not leave a review for each book I receive. There are links to Amazon, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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New Book Releases for June 2024

Upcoming Sci-Fi/Fantasy Releases for June  2024

Ya'll Summer is right around the corner and here are a few new books that have caught my eye. I hope to snag these as I'm cozying up by the poolside, or relaxing in my hammock. Which one are you looking forward to the most?

Moonstorm by Yoon Ha Lee

Release Date: June 4, 2024

Genre: Y/A Sci-Fi

In a society where conformity is valued above all else, a teen girl training to become an Imperial pilot is forced to return to her rebel roots to save her world in this adrenaline-fueled sci-fi adventure—perfect for fans of Iron Widow and Skyward!

Hwa Young was just ten years old when imperial forces destroyed her rebel moon home. Now, six years later, she is a citizen of the very empire that made her an orphan.

Desperate to shake her rebel past, Hwa Young dreams of one day becoming a lancer pilot, an elite group of warriors who fly into battle using the empire’s most advanced tech—giant martial robots. Lancers are powerful, and Hwa Young would do anything to be the strong one for once in her life.

When an attack on their boarding school leaves Hwa Young and her classmates stranded on an imperial space fleet, her dreams quickly become a reality. As it turns out, the fleet is in dire need of pilot candidates, and Hwa Young—along with her brainy best friend Geum, rival Bae, and class clown Seong Su—are quick to volunteer.

But training is nothing like what they expected, and secrets—like the fate of the fleet’s previous lancer squad and hidden truths about the rebellion itself—are stacking up. And when Hwa Young uncovers a conspiracy that puts their entire world at risk, she’s forced to make a choice between her rebel past and an empire she’s no longer sure she can trust.

A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette 

Release Date: June 12, 2024

Genre: Fantasy Romance/Gaslamp Fantasy

They say never bargain with the fae. They also say don’t get drunk on fae wine. Yet romance author Edwina Danforth has managed a blunder with both on her first visit to the infamous faelands. Now she's trapped in a magic-fueled bet she barely remembers with a man she’d be happier to forget. The terms? Whoever can bed the most lovers during their month-long dueling book tour wins a coveted publishing contract.

The win should be easy for Edwina. She’s known for penning scintillating tales of whirlwind romance. There’s just one problem: her imagination vastly exceeds her bedroom experience. But when failure means plummeting her career back into obscurity, losing isn’t an option.

Her handsome fae rival, William Haywood, poses an even greater challenge. Not only are his looks as aggravatingly perfect as his track record behind closed doors, but he has his own reasons for playing to win, and he won’t go down without a fight. Unless, of course, it’s a different kind of going down. In that case, he’s fair game.

Edwina and William clash in a rivalry of romance. But what happens when their objects of desire…turn out to be each other?

Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen 

Release Date: June 18, 2024

Genre: YA Fantasy

Mulan meets Iron Widow in this thrilling silkpunk fantasy about a girl who must disguise herself as a boy and enter the famed and dangerous Engineer’s Guild trials to unravel the mystery of her father’s murder.

Eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying dreams of becoming a world-class engineer like her father, but after his sudden murder, her life falls apart. Left with only a journal of her father’s engineering secrets and a jade pendant snatched from the assassin, a heartbroken Ying follows the trail to the capital and the prestigious Engineers Guild—a place that harbors her father’s hidden past—determined to discover why anyone would threaten a man who ultimately chose a quiet life over fame and fortune. 

Disguised as her brother, Ying manages to infiltrate the guild’s male-only apprenticeship trial with the help of an unlikely ally—Aogiya Ye-yang, the taciturn eighth prince of the High Command. With her father’s renown placing a target firmly on her back, Ying must stay one step ahead of her fellow competitors, the jealous guild masters, and the killer still hunting for her father’s journal. Complicating everything is her increasingly tangled relationship with the prince, who may have mysterious plans of his own. 

The secrets concealed within the guild can be as deadly as the weapons they build—and with her life and the future of her homeland at stake, Ying doesn’t know who to trust. Can she avenge her father even if it means going against everything he stood for, or will she be next in the mastermind’s line of fire?

Saints of Storm and Sorrow by Gabriella Buba  

Release Date: June 25, 2024

Genre: Fantasy/LGBTQ Fantasy

In this fiercely imaginative Filipino-inspired fantasy debut, a bisexual nun hiding a goddess-given gift is unwillingly transformed into a lightning rod for her people's struggle against colonization.

Perfect for fans of lush fantasy full of morally ambiguous characters, including The Poppy War and The Jasmine Throne.

María Lunurin has been living a double life for as long as she can remember. To the world, she is Sister María, dutiful nun and devoted servant of Aynila's Codicían colonizers. But behind closed doors, she is a stormcaller, chosen daughter of the Aynilan goddess Anitun Tabu. In hiding not only from the Codicíans and their witch hunts, but also from the vengeful eye of her slighted goddess, Lunurin does what she can to protect her fellow Aynilans and the small family she has created in the convent: her lover Catalina, and Cat's younger sister Inez.

Lunurin is determined to keep her head down—until one day she makes a devastating discovery, which threatens to tear her family apart. In desperation, she turns for help to Alon Dakila, heir to Aynila's most powerful family, who has been ardently in love with her for years. But this choice sets in motion a chain of events beyond her control, awakening Anitun Tabu's rage and putting everyone Lunurin loves in terrible danger. Torn between the call of Alon’s magic and Catalina’s jealousy, her duty to her family and to her people, Lunurin can no longer keep Anitun Tabu’s fury at bay.

Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

 

If you're thinking you might want to try reading fantasy, or fantasy romance this is possibly one of the best places to start.  This is a must-read fantasy book for anyone who already loves fantasy or is looking to read more fantasy books. 

Throne of Glass is the first book in the series, and begins with Celaena Sardothien, a witty 18-year-old assassin, who is fierce, intelligent, and unapologetically flawed. She is serving a life sentence in the salt mines of Endovier. She is offered a chance at freedom by competing in a tournament to become the King's Champion, a personal assassin to the tyrannical ruler of Adarlan.

Synopsis:

In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not come to kill him. She has come to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three murderers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she will be released from prison to serve as the King's Champion.

Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. And a princess from a faraway country will befriend her. But something rotten dwells in the castle, and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying mysteriously, one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival-and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

Thoughts:

This year is actually my second read through, and honestly it's about time I did a Throne of Glass Review.  Not many books I read I ever deem worthy of a re-read. This book has it's own strict fanbase for a reason, and anyone who has any interest in fantasy books with a strong female lead should not skip this one.

The world building is easy to follow, the pacing is excellent, the storytelling is vivid to the point where I personally found myself losing track of time while reading. The romance subplot adds color to the story, but Celaena's drive for finding her own identity, while reconciling her past is a theme I feel like anyone can relate to. 

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas was released August 2, 2012 and is available on Amazon or Bookshop. It is also available as an audiobook on Audible.

Disclaimer: I purchased this book for my own reading enjoyment.  There are affiliate links in this post, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco

 A Clean Fantasy Young Adult Series

A new author and a new series for me, I was initially pulled in by the beautiful cover, and I'm always here for anything fantasy related.

Synopsis:

Tea can raise the dead, but resurrection comes at a price...

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother, Fox, from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she's a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha―one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.

Thoughts:

I recently finished up Bone Witch, and I have mixed feelings on this book, but I think I'm the problem, and not the book.

First of all, this book is a YA Fantasy Novel, but this is a *young* young adult possibly borders middle grade to me, and I didn't feel like there was any coming of age. Yet? Maybe that comes later in the series.

The book had two timelines but really only in the beginning. We meet an older Tea, an exiled Tea, and the what and why never was resolved. After meeting older Tea, we go back to when she is 15 and she first realizes she is a dark asha. Most of this book is about her finding out who she is, accidentally raising her brother from the dead (as you do), and going to school to be a dark asha, also known as a bone witch.

I'm not one to get caught up in school drama stuff, which is why YA books aren't always my thing. There's a bit of that in here, a bit of mean girl stuff, a bit of girl crush stuff, jealousy, etc. The book seemed to wander until suddenly it was a who dunnit, and then it was over. There are two more books in the series, and I do plan on at least reading the next one.

The Bone Witch was originally released February 1, 2018 and is available at Amazon or Bookshop.

Disclaimer: I purchased this book for my own reading enjoyment.  There are links to Amazon, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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January Planning Printables

 

Do you use planners?

Ya'll...I made the mistake of skipping the planning part of my weekend in December, and it was chaos. I'm taking my time Sunday mornings to refresh, recuperate, and get myself together for the week, and I'm bringing you with me. 

I've decided to make my own daily and monthly planner since it seems like planner prices have gotten so expensive. I'm offering them up month by month, so you can try it out yourself with out making a huge investment. Afraid of commitment? I see you.

This month's theme is Winter Witch, and you can grab yours right here.  I've found the best paper to print these out on is Hammermill 28lb paper. It's a bit thicker than your standard printer paper, but these will print out on regular printer paper just fine. I personally like mine to be large, your normal printer paper size, but if you prefer to size down you should be able to make those adjustments just fine.

For pens, I can't break the bank here either. I use the Primrosia Dual Tip Marker Pens which comes in a cute holder that can sit on my desk all the time. I've had mine for almost two years now, and every pen still works. There's so many colors, it's a good deal for 60 pens.

And ya'll, I'm in love with this binder, it looks like my favorite green, and it's the right size for full size paper, which is my preference for planners.

If you check out my beacons store, for those who like to plan ahead February is up, too. I'm just not mentally there yet, so I'll get that month printed and situated soon. 

If having a planner and being more organized was part of your new year's goals, I hope you'll check mine out. Can't wait to hear what you think of them!

Disclaimer:  There are links to Amazon in this post, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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January 2024 Releases

Who's looking for some good books to read next month? Here's some new releases to carry us through they greyest month of the year.

A Fragile Enchantment  

Allison Saft, January 2, 2024 

From the author of A Far Wilder Magic we have a new book to take us away. I can't wait to dig into this sone, it sounds like it's going to be a wonderful cozy read.

Synopsis:

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more―until an anonymous gossip columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wild, #2)  

Heather Fawcett, January 16, 2024

I really enjoyed book 1 of this series, you can read my review on it here. Book 1 was a sweet cozy read, that was perfect to just grab your cup of tea and snuggle up with.  I can't wait to dig into book 2!

Synopsis:

When mysterious faeries from other realms appear at her university, curmudgeonly professor Emily Wilde must uncover their secrets before it’s too late, in this heartwarming, enchanting second installment of the Emily Wilde series.

Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore who just wrote the world’s first comprehensive encyclopaedia of faeries. She’s learned many of the secrets of the Hidden Ones on her adventures . . . and also from her fellow scholar and former rival Wendell Bambleby. 

Because Bambleby is more than infuriatingly charming. He’s an exiled faerie king on the run from his murderous mother and in search of a door back to his realm. And despite Emily’s feelings for Bambleby, she’s not ready to accept his proposal of marriage: Loving one of the Fair Folk comes with secrets and dangers. 

She also has a new project to focus on: a map of the realms of faerie. While she is preparing her research, Bambleby lands her in trouble yet again, when assassins sent by his mother invade Cambridge. Now Bambleby and Emily are on another adventure, this time to the picturesque Austrian Alps, where Emily believes they may find the door to Bambleby’s realm and the key to freeing him from his family’s dark plans.

But with new relationships for the prickly Emily to navigate and dangerous Folk lurking in every forest and hollow, Emily must unravel the mysterious workings of faerie doors and of her own heart.

Rising Dawn (Guardians of the Maiden, #4)  

Beck Michaels, January 16, 2024

This series has been on my TBR for a while now, and now that it's about to be complete I have no other reason not to jump on this one. I already own the first three, but added perk these are all on Kindle Unlimited. 

Synopsis:

Left shattered by a shocking betrayal, Dyna has no choice but to harden her heart and move on. She sets her sights on finding her remaining Guardians and reaching Mount Ida—at any cost.

But when the Druid arrives to call in his favor, she soon discovers he may hold the key to unlocking new secrets of the island. Driven by anger and the reckless need to defeat her enemies, Dyna makes a crucial mistake that leads to devastating consequences. To solve it, she must meet with new acquaintances and reluctantly reunite with old ones.

Including her mate.

Cassiel spirals down a path he can’t return from as his vengeance burns through the Realms. It was a price he was willing to pay until the one he left to protect unravels his plans. Struggling to keep Dyna safe and recover what they lost, he is faced with a choice that could echo the tragedy of his past that he had tried to prevent in his future.

As Dyna and her Guardians endure a journey of heartbreak and misfortune, they must learn how to forgive and find the strength to rise.

House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City, #3) 

Sarah J. Maas, January 30, 2024

The Queen herself, who brought us a Court of Thorns and Roses, finally gives us some new material.  I'm currently finishing up book two so I am ready to dig into this one when it comes out.

Synopsis:

Bryce Quinlan never expected to see a world other than Midgard, but now that she has, all she wants is to get back. Everything she loves is in Midgard: her family, her friends, her mate. Stranded in a strange new world, she's going to need all her wits about her to get home again. And that's no easy feat when she has no idea who to trust.


Hunt Athalar has found himself in some deep holes in his life, but this one might be the deepest of all. After a few brief months with everything he ever wanted, he's in the Asteri's dungeons again, stripped of his freedom and without a clue as to Bryce's fate. He's desperate to help her, but until he can escape the Asteri's leash, his hands are quite literally tied.


In this sexy, breathtaking sequel to the #1 bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath, Sarah J. Maas's Crescent City series reaches new heights as Bryce and Hunt's world is brought to the brink of collapse-with its future resting on their shoulders.

A Reckless Oath (Witch's Dice, #2) 

Kaylie Smith, January 30, 2024

Synopsis:

In this sequel to the spellbinding A Ruinous Fate, more action, romance, and magic abound as Calla and friends must deal with their losses and come to grips with their own part to play in the Fates’ War ahead.

After the heart-wrenching death at the end of book 1, Calla and the other witches are sent reeling. Still stuck in the deadly Neverending Forest, the group must decide their next steps as the Fates’ War looms near. Calla, torn between past allegiances and new circumstances, finds herself pushing away the one person who can unlock her future.

With the still-beating heart in her hand, Amina is finally able to return to her home in the Land of the Valkyries. But when she finds that everything she left behind has irrevocably changed in the six years she’s been gone, she turns her sights to revenge on the one who banished her all those years ago: the Valkyrie Queen.

Meanwhile, everyone’s favorite siren, Delphine, has been dragged down into the depths of the sea, and is imprisoned by the ruthless Siren leader. As past lovers turn into enemies and former foes into allies, Delphine must navigate the dangerous court and her play her part until she’s able to escape and return to the surface.

From deep within Siren’s Sea to the skies above the Land of the Valkyries, A Reckless Oath takes readers on a new journey where stunning revelations will have them questioning everything.

Destroy the Day (Defy the Night, #3)   

Brigid Kemerer, January 23, 2024

Synopsis:

Left for dead, but desperate to survive . . . they have one last chance to save their kingdom.

Prince Corrick is out of options. Held captive by the vicious Oren Crane, he's desperate to reunite with Tessa, but will need to ally with the rebel leader Lochlan, who until now wished him dead. An unlikely but deadly pair, Corrick and Lochlan must plot their next moves carefully. . .

An island away, Tessa Cade is heartbroken and angry. Grieving Corrick, and unsure how to find a way back to Kandala, she doesn't know who to trust. Until Rian--the man she trusts least--makes an offer: aid in a plot to finally oust Oren Crane and see what the future holds. . .

Meanwhile in Kandala, Harristan is dethroned and on the run. He's struggling to unite the rebels in his fractured kingdom, but he finds support--and maybe more--in unexpected places.

Can Harristan be the king his people need? Can Corrick and Tessa find their way back to each other? As outside threats loom and the fires of revolution burn from within, time is running out to save their kingdom.

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