Embrace of Shadows by Jes Drew

Synopsis:

She’s a mortal with no memories.
As her fae liege, he knows only that he must protect her.
But is he her hero . . . or her captor?

Salma knows only her own name. She doesn’t even remember why she’s ill. Then a fae lord who claims he knows her snatches her back to his manor, and she learns that some things are more sinister than death. Like the Court of Dusk where everyone seems to know more about her than she does and nightfall is a deadly affair.

Adom’s book of truth tells him that the woman he doesn’t recognize is a vital member of his household. But the Manor keeps its secrets well, even from its own master. And even the Shadows seem to want the beautiful, mortal nuisance he has pledged to protect.

As the threat of an invasion from night itself continues to mount, Adom knows there will be consequences if he can’t protect her. And Salma wonders if she can trust him to protect her from himself. Because sometimes Adom isn't the begrudging, aloof fae he appears to be. Sometimes he's someone— or perhaps something— else.

The beginning of a haunting, slow-burn, closed-door fae romance with elements of Beauty & the Beast, Hades & Persephone, and Egyptian mythology. Perfect for fans of Sylvia Mercedes, Tara Grayce, and Emma Ham.

Thoughts:

First of all, I inhaled this book in about 24 hours. It's a quick, light read that's a slow burn with no strong female character. She is constantly tripping, falling down, and needing her love interest to rescue her. I can't read books like this all the time, but from time to time it's genuinly a guilty pleasure.

You have the slowest of the slow burns.  Adom is a bit grouchy and stand-offish and Salma is sweet, innocent, and somewhat naive, specially since she has had her entire memory wiped. The world building was gradual, we learn what's happened as Salma does. There's a mention of Hades, but honestly this reminds me a bit more of Beauty and the Beast then Hades and Persephone type story.

If you're looking for a quick easy read, with lots of damsel in distress, be sure to add this one to your TBR. Fair warning...the ending is a bit unresolved, not quite a cliffhanger but definitely with questions unanswered.  Looking forward to book two!

Embrace of Shadows is available at Bookshop and Amazon.

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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Death in a Dark Alley by Bradley Pay

 

Synopsis:

Tracey Lauch may be a murderer, but he is still a man. Although his childhood abandonment trauma began decades ago, now his compulsion to strangle women who resemble his mother has begun to evolve. Outrunning his past, embracing love in the present, and creating a future free of investigation proves increasingly complicated.

Isabelle’s life in Brazil is burdened with mistakes and abandonment, too – but not in the same way. She falls in love with all the wrong men at all the wrong times, and her best friend Frank shows his true colors when, over and over again, he is not there for her when she needs him most. Aside from the stark difference that Isabelle is not a murderer, she and Tracey both desire love, a life partner, and the warmth of a family. 

But what does Isabelle’s story have to do with Tracey? How can an innocent trip to Strasbourg, France, become a heart-stopping event that changes their lives forever?

Trigger Warnings: violence, sexual content

Thoughts:

This is book two in the Spectrum Series, book one being The Killings Begin. In this book, we are taken through the past history of some of the characters we met in book one. We find out how Lydia and Mari met. We meet Frank and learn about his history, his troubled past, his relationships. We meet Isabella and how she had a friendship with Frank. We also find out the struggles of Isabella and what she does to survive when she strikes off on her own. Frank takes Isabella on a trip to meet his Uncle Victor; Isabella and Victor have their own story. And we meet a whole host of other characters.

 We get just a bit more of the relationship between Tracey Lauch and Charlotte, and some of their travel adventures. Tracey is a wildly captivating man, but he has a darkness to him. Personally, I want more of Tracey’s story, what makes him tick, the reason he does what he does, the meaning behind his triggers. What makes Charlotte so special to Tracey?

I absolutely enjoyed this book. It was filled with drama, romance and intrigue. It is amazing how these books in the Spectrum series can stand on their own. Can't wait for the next one.

Death in a Dark Alley is Book Two in Bradley Pay's Spectrum Series and is available on Amazon and Bookshop.

Contirbuting Reviewer:

My name is Lissa I am a wife, mom aspiring author and new Florida transplant who loves all things books and coffee! Self proclaimed nerd who refuses to stop believing in Fairytales! If you want to follow along on my book review journey you can follow me on Instagram at @reviewsonwheels.

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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Blog Tour: Secrets of Isoria by Cristina Macari

 

Ya'll, I'm excited to participate in my very first creative blog tour! This tour is for Secrets of Isoria by Cristina Macari, and is hosted by MTMC Tours. Set in an elite academy for sorcerers filled with magic, romance, betrayals and some serious twists and turns. Secrets of Isoria is the first installment in the YA Contemporary Fantasy series published on December 13th 2021.

About the book:

Title: Secrets of Isoria

Author: Cristina Macari
Series: Secrets of Isoria #1
Publication Date: December 13th, 2021
Genres: YA Contemporary Fantasy
Format: eBook, Paperback, Hardcover
Purchase a copy: Amazon | Book Depository |
Barnes &Noble | Indiebound | Blackwell's

Add on Goodreads!

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Orion Candor has always felt like an outsider. Concealing her weird, unexplained abilities hasn't been easy, and a near-death experience turns her world upside down. She learns she has elemental powers and must train at an elite academy in Isoria, a hidden country for sorcerers. But dark forces begin to test Orion in ways she couldn’t have imagined.

Fear and treachery haunt Isoria's streets as the country’s most malicious sorcerer, Cyril Obsidian, craves domination. But Orion discovers her late grandmother hid clues leading to a relic that can turn the tide of evil. Determined to solve the mysteries of her past, Orion finds herself on the run from Cyril and entangled in a spy ring with questionable motives—the same spy ring her grandmother once belonged to.

In a world that thrives on deception, Orion must choose her allies carefully. One wrong move and she could lose Isoria’s last chance at freedom—along with her life.

Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book you guys. If you enjoy fantasy, magic school type books definitely check this out. The world building was gradual, as the MC was basically as much in the dark as you are when we start this story. We learn as she does what Isoria is and her place in it. It's a little bit of who dunnit, a little bit of who's actually the bad guy, and the good guy that will just kind of keep you guessing. 

This definitely feels like a YA book, as Orion is just sixteen. She is coping with so much for being such a young main character. Her closest allies are Rae, Julian and Alec...along with Banden who took her in while her mother had to be away.  She deals with lots of trust issues as EVERYONE seems to know things she doesn't, and even her mother kept her in the dark about her having powers.

We have a spy ring, a heist, political intrigue, a mystery all wrapped up in one book. 

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For my part of this creative blog tour, I pushed my graphics skills a bit and worked on a book mark for you guys! It has one of my favorite quotes in this story. I had so much fun making it while learning a new thing. Click on the image to download the free PDF, be sure to print it out on cardstock paper! Let me know what you think! 

INTL Tour-wide Instagram Giveaway!

Head over to my Instagram account to enter the tour giveaway where three lucky readers will win a physical copy of Secrets of Isoria!

Ends on December 24th, 2022. Winner will be announced on @mtmctours’ Instagram account.

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Tour Schedule:

December 12

@paperfury - Bookstagram; Book Blog

@dreaminginpages - Bookstagram

December 13

@bookspired - Bookstagram; BookTok

@monikasbookblog - Bookstagram

December 14

@thereaderandthechef - Bookstagram; Book Blog

@itbeganwiththestars - Bookstagram; BookTok

December 15

@gwendalyn_books_ - Bookstagram; Book Blog

@bookishqueenreads - Bookstagram

December 16

@amordeluna0 - Bookstagram; BookTok

@over.on.my.bookshelf - Bookstagram

December 17

@afaerytalee - Bookstagram; BookTok

@myrelationshipwith - Bookstagram

December 18

@dovireads - Bookstagram; BookTok

@purely_bookish - Bookstagram

December 19

@pavlinamich - Bookstagram; Book Blog

@mels_booksandhooks - Bookstagram

December 20

@rozanne_visagie - Bookstagram; BookTok

@dbookishprincess - Bookstagram

December 21

@heathen_booker - Bookstagram; Book Blog

@mulberryreads - Bookstagram

About Cristina Macari:

Cristina Macari is the author of the young adult contemporary fantasy series, Secrets of Isoria. She grew up in New Jersey and is the proud child of Italian immigrants. She holds a B.S. in History and double minored in Creative Writing and INternational Business at the Ramapo College of New Jersey. She has always loved the idea of magic hiding in our modern world and gets lost in creating in-depth worlds filled with secrets and danger. She hopes that she can help readers escape the everyday with her writing while entertaining and finding themselves and those they care about in her books. Just like her character, she hopes readers will discover they too have a place in this world. When she’s not writing or reading, she can be found horseback riding, spending time in nature, gaming, weightlifting, doing yoga, or playing piano.

Website | Instagram | Twitter

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The Forbidden Realms by H.C. Newell

 

An immersive continuation of the Fallen Light Series

If you haven't read the first book, stop and hop over to the review for Curse of the Fallen.

Synopsis:

Nerana is a sorceress. An exile. The Child of Skye.
And she isn't alone.

After a vicious attack against the Order of Saro, Nerana finds herself lost in the wastelands of Aragoth. Forbidden of humans or evae, the desert is a land teeming with fire and vengeance, and Nerana's only hope for survival lies in the trust of another.

Aélla, a powerful evaesh sorceress, travels the desert on a pilgrimage of sacrifice and strength. Determined to enter the Realms of elements and see her quest completed, she must survive the hardened warriors of the desert, the vaxros, who banished her kind for their land centuries ago.

But the vaxros aren't the only threat, and the weight of such imbalance could shift the fate of the world.

Thoughts:

I had a bit of a book hangover after reading this one.  In the best of ways. I love the world, and how immersive and complex it is. The characters and their development are also deeply complex, but don't let this intimidate you. Just dive in. 

We are still following Neer's story, and we have some new characters that were talked about in book 1 but we never met. Like I had hoped, we get to hear more about Avelloch's sister in this book.

Neer teams up with Aella, and we meet some new characters Y'ven, Dru, and Thallon.  These are all such unique, multidementional characters, and I love how they all come together to form this group. HC Newell writes her characters like real people with a history, triggers, and their own coping mechanisms. I think this is why I get so pulled in. There's so much thought in this entire series. I'm here for it.

 If you enjoyed GoT, LOTR, ACOTAR you will love this series. 

The Forbidden Realms is available on Amazon and is also on KU!

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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The Killings Begin by Bradley Pay

  Please enjoy this debut contributor post by Lissa, and be sure to check out their instagram page  to follow this amazing aspiring author and reviewer!

Immerse yourself in a complex romance and suspenseful serial-killer psychology that break all expectations. The Spectrum Series is one of the most creative takes on storytelling in the last century, weaving toegether innovative plots and completely unforgettable characters!

Blurb:

When Gia escapes her arranged marriage, she enteres into a contract with three complicated men in Madrid. She'll pretend to be their "no strings" wife, whether they want to display her in public or lead her to the bedroom. They are bound to secrecy, and no one is allowed to fall in love.

Tracey is destine to tear Gia's life to shreds. As he tries to cope with his abandonment trauma, he loses control. Now a serieal killer, he flees to Europe, hoping a change of venue will quell his murderous desires. Can he heal his past, or will his anger and pain enslave him forever?

Thoughts:

The Killings Begin is a dual plotline novel. One plotline follows Gia as she flees an arranged marriage and enters into an unconventional relationship with three men in Madrid, Spain. The other follows Tracey, a respected judge in Raleigh, as he struggles to keep his serial killer lifestyle separate from his “normal” lifestyle. Gia and Tracey’s worlds collide when they meet on a Spectrum cruise. What happens on that cruise will forever shape Gia and Tracey’s life.

I liked Gia. She had a great outlook on life, and she cherished her friendships. My only issue is that she didn’t end her contract with Sal sooner. I understood why she didn’t do it (loving an addict is hard), but in the end, she was forced to. I also loved how supportive she was of her friends. Overall, she was a lovely person. 

I thought Tracey was a fascinating character and wished the authors dedicated more book time to him. I was fascinated by how he turned into a serial killer and his reasons. That scene with his mother explained everything. He was remorseful and horrified at what he was doing, and escaping to Europe was supposed to be a reset for him. I knew that it wouldn’t be and was eager to see when he would get triggered into killing. What I wasn’t expecting was who it was.

The thriller angle of the book was well written. The authors did a good job keeping me guessing at what was going to happen next with both Gia and Tracey.

The Killings Begin is available on Amazon and Book Shop.

Contirbuting Reviewer:

My name is Lissa I am a wife, mom aspiring author and new Florida transplant who loves all things books and coffee! Self proclaimed nerd who refuses to stop believing in Fairytales! If you want to follow along on my book review journey you can follow me on Instagram at @reviewsonwheels.

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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Rise of a Dark Throne by Ligia N. Cushman

A Dark Fantasy, Enemies to Lovers with lots of Spice

Synopsis:

When Sole awakens from the darkness, a terrifying plague that killed her family, she is left with the one thing she never wanted, Magick. She soon discovers that this rare power, thought to be long lost, has the ability to save her world. The tyrant King of Sundom summons her to serve his own purpose, setting her on an incredibly perilous journey. Sole soon finds herself navigating a dark web of politics, alluring power, desire, and great evil.

Rivian Alacor had his life all planned out. As the high-born second prince of Sundom, he could never be heir to the throne. Instead, he would lead the Sundom Guards, and when his brother became King, he would be part of his high council. Rivian would secure alliances by being mated to Selah Grado, the fairest and fiercest woman in Sundom. But, when his cruel father becomes infected with the Darkness, Rivian is sent on a journey to retrieve the first mage in generations. Meeting Sole changed everything.

Will they be the future of Transea, or will they burn it all down?

Thoughts:

What a whirlwind! This was a unique story, with a immersive world. The world building was done in a semi-gradual way with only minor info dumping.  I love love love the world discriptions, the beautiful sea, the otherwordly surroundings...I want to live there.

Sole was tough, and she met difficulties with an impossible strength.  She was often unyeilding...and I was here for it. Except for when she wasn't and then I was confused. She had such a tough spine while on the ship, but then when she was in front of the king she seemed to cave a bit. She was purposefully slighted, and I thought she was going to kill them all...but then she didn't. 

The romance was also hit or miss for me. Other then being physically attracted to each other and having to share close quarteres (on a ship), I didn't see how they really connected other than them both being second children of their parents. I also would have liked to hear more about the differences in the cultures, and I'm hoping book two further develops both the romance and the setting.  Overall I enjoyed the book, and I'm looking forward to book two. 

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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