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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The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford

Outsiders are always given a choice: the Forest or the lake.

 Either way, they’re never heard from again.

Synopsis:

Leelo has spent her entire life on Endla, coexisting with the bloodthirsty Forest and respecting the poisonous lake that protects her island from outsiders who seek to destroy it. But as much as Leelo cares for her community, she struggles to accept that her younger brother will be exiled by his next birthday, unless he gains the magic of enchanted song so vital to Endla.

When Leelo sees a young outsider on the verge of drowning in the lake, she knows exactly what she’s supposed to do. But in a moment that will change everything, Leelo betrays her family, her best friend, and Endla by making an unthinkable choice.

Discovery could lead to devastating consequences for both Leelo and the outsider, Jaren, but as they grow closer, Leelo realizes that not all danger comes from beyond the lake—and they can only survive if Leelo is willing to question the very fabric of her society, her people, and herself.

Rating:

Thoughts:

Things that grab my attention...when the antagonist is an ancient forest that requires blood to survive. This book was not what I expected.

The atmosphere of Endla is almost like religious zealotry when it comes to their thoughts and feelings of the Wandering Forest. Protect the forest, and the forest will protect them is what they believe. For some, the sacrifices they make to live the life they are used to becomes too much.  Leelo's emotional struggle was so raw when her brother is sent across the poisonous lake to the mainland because he doesn't have magic. Then followed by moral decision when she finds an outsider on the island shortly after.  Does she do what she's been taught to do, and kill him, or does she listen to her heart and help him survive? What I don't think she expects, is the very sweet, and slow way both her and Jaren fall for each other. 

If you're looking for a sweet, emotional fantasy read with a clean slow burn romance be sure to add this one to your list! 

The Poison Season is available on Amazon and Bookshop beginning December 6th!

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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Flip the Script by Callie Crown

 

  Please enjoy this guest post by Callie Crown, and be sure to check out her personal links to follow this amazing aspiring author!

Flip the Script by Callie Crown

Do you have a book or series you just adore? Perhaps, you enjoy the author’s style of writing. Perhaps, it's the way they tell a story. Perhaps, it’s the stories they tell. Do you think you’d notice if one day that author’s style started to change? 

I want to be completely honest with you dear reader. I love to read series, I typically can’t put them down. A few years ago I was gifted The Secret Circle by L.J Smith, and I finally got around to reading it. The book follows a young teenager, Cassie Blake, through her adventures of moving to a new town and finding out she was a witch. The series is made up of a total of six books. Three of these books were written in 1992 by L.J. Smith, and three were written in 2012 under the name L.J. Smith using a ghostwriter. 

You may be looking at the author’s name wondering, “where else do I know her from?” L.J. Smith wrote the now-famous, Vampire Diaries series. Well, she started the series at least. L.J. Smith has been vocal about her contract with her publisher noting that she was young and naive so she didn’t realize she was selling the rights to her stories and her pen name. This leads me to ghostwriting, unsolicited by the author. 

I have never read the Vampire Diaries but as I stated before, I am reading The Secret Circle. I loved the first three books, they were an easy read with a reader-pleasing storyline. It made sense that the books ended where they did, left for open-ended interpretation. However, I was horrified when I picked up the fourth book in the series. The characters felt toyed with. They weren’t important to this new author, nor was the prior storyline. The ghostwriter got simple details wrong (possibly on purpose). The previous novels talked about how powerful witches Cassie and her friends were only to make them quiver in fear in the next three novels at problems they had already faced fearlessly.

So, I want to pose a question to you, how would you feel if another author took over your favorite book series without input from the current author? In this case, I believe it was not worth the continuation of the series. It felt as though the new author was writing fan fiction, and not the good kind. I was very bummed reading these books since I felt they frankly took a big dump on the originals. Spoiler Alert, the ghostwriter quite literally killed the old characters just to replace them with her own. I understand some characters may be killed off in a series, but this just felt cruel since there was a clear lack of respect for the 1992 story. I will say this isn’t always the case with ghostwriters, but I feel the original author should have some input with their beloved characters. 

. 

Callie Crown is an aspiring author who is looking to have her first book published by the end of 2023. You can find out more about her and her upcoming book as well as other publications on her website, www.calliecrown.com. You can follow Callie’s writing journey on her instagram @calliecrown_author where she provides tips to other aspiring novelists.

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Raven Unveiled by Grace Draven

 

Congratulations to Grace Draven on the release of Raven Unveiled! 

I can't wait to dig into this book! Here's a snippet. 

Gharek held a small lamp aloft to illuminate the path ahead. He didn't worry that the fragile light might be seen in the distance and alert someone. His mount's hooves crushing sticks and brittle deadfall would accomplish the task long before the light did.

The music of insects and bird calls had been loud just before he crossed the tree line, a cacophony of whistles, rustles, and chirps. Those sounds died away the closer he rode to the ruins of the dead city until the silence itself held its breath and only the gloom shrouding the trees breathed. His amiable mare stopped suddenly then pranced backward, tossing her head and snorting. Gharek tapped his heels against her sides to coax her forward. She'd have none of it, fighting the bit in her mouth as she pivoted on her hooves to trot back the way they'd come.

Gharek reined her to a halt, considering whether it was wise to continue his scouting in another direction or make camp nearby and wait until morning to resume his hunt. He'd lose time with camping but trying to find anyone in this darkness while riding a spooked horse was an exercise in futility. Besides, he could make up the time in daylight. Siora was on foot, he on horseback.

He'd cover far more ground in less time than she would, and the chance she'd outrun him if he spotted her was nonexistent. He guided the mare to retrace her steps, and this time she readily obeyed the command, eager to put distance between them and the city that squatted like a pustule on the landscape. But she'd taken no more than a pair of steps when something wrapped icy fingers around Gharek's spine and wrenched him backward. He flew off the saddle as if lassoed from behind and landed on his back. The ground beneath him vibrated from the beat of his mare's hooves as she bolted past him into the labyrinth of trees.

He lay there for a moment, stunned and winded. The ice shard wedged against his backbone remained, though whatever had ripped him from horseback didn't press him into the dirt. A few more breaths and he lurched to his feet, unsettled by his unusual clumsiness, alarmed by the violence of an invisible force that had so thoroughly unhorsed him. There'd been no trip rope to clothesline him, nor had he been riding fast when he fell. The lamp he held had fallen when he did, lost somewhere in the underbrush when its flickering light had guttered. Darkness hungthick enough to scoop with a spoon.

His muttered curses sounded loud to his ears as he peered into the sepulchral black, hoping he might spot the mare standing nearby or at least find a partially cleared path that led back to open pasture. He took a step only to suffer a hard clamp on his backbone, as if the icicle there had suddenly transformed into a shackle locked around his middle. Invisible tethers seized his arms and legs and he was jerked to one side and then the other as if by a drunken puppeteer with their hands on the strings.

Gharek staggered, struggling to keep his feet, struggling to free himself from the bonds that held him in an unbreakable grip that both dragged and yanked him in the direction of Midrigar's walls. He careened through the dark, along a jagged path that propelled him into tree trunks before spinning him away to tear through the underbrush. He tried planting his feet in the dirt to no avail, his boots carving skid marks as he was pulled along like a cur on a leash. His palms left bloody smears on the bark of those trees he tried to grip for purchase and was wrenched away with little effort.

The iciness slithering down his spine spread in creeper tendrils throughout his body, wrapping around his lungs and heart, his liver, even his tongue so that his curses and snarls slowly ebbed away and his struggles waned. Speaking was an impossibility, breathing a challenge, and he was reduced to nothing more than a grunting, shambling mute driven inexorably toward an ancient city of the damned and a fate he could not know but feared with every part of his soul.

I hope you enjoyed this excerpt from Raven Unveiled!!

You can purchase Raven Unveiled on Amazon and Bookshop.

Excerpted from Raven Unveiled by Grace Draven Copyright © 2022 by Grace Draven.

Excerpted by permission of Ace. All rights reserved.

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Last Fable: Fraudewolf by J.M. Congdon

Synopsis:

Over a century ago, a hero single-handedly brought an end to an age of horrors and monsters, and the world has mostly recovered from the devastation since. But the world once again is threatened by darkness. In the realms of carnivores and herbivores, a female jackrabbit has spent ten years in search of a wolf, seeking to be taught what he fears above all else.

Thoughts:

This was my first experience with anthromoporphic fantasy, and I'm going to be real...I wasn't sure how I would like it. It was out of my normal scope of things, but you guys...read on. This book is worth looking into.

First of all, I just want to point out how beautiful this book is. There are a total of 44 images in this book, and every time I came upon one I just loved it. They really helped me build a picture in my mind what was going on, and mentally picture all the characters. I had a few trepedations going into this book..it was labeled fantasy romance, and no offense fellas...but there haven't been any romances that I like that have been written by men. This was done just ok...don't come in expecting a SJM level of depth when it comes to the romance.

The characters though were deep and complex. Eni, our hare female lead was the quiet, kind, feminine lead with a hidden intese power just under the surface.  The picture above with the Slayer and Emi walking through a fair describes the two of them well. She sees the world with a sense of wonder and innocense, and he is dark and brooding always looking a layer deeper at everything.

 The world was immersive and complex.  The world building was done gradually, with out the awful info dump. I specially love how the world celebrated the Slayer, with stories, plays and festivals...but didn't know he continued to walk among them.  I felt that some of the transitions were abrupt, however the overall storytelling was well done and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I'm looking forward to book two!

The Last Fables 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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A Few Things I've Learned about writing a Book Blog

Back in late Febraury when I started this blog I had no idea what I was doing. I had been a blogger for years, starting a green blog back in the early 2000's, which then morphed into a food/parenting blog about 8 or 9 years ago. Back then parenting and home making really was the center of my life. With two out of three of my children about to leave the nest I knew I needed to return to myself a bit. Reading books was the one constant throughout my whole life. I've always considered myself to be a big reader, with the type of reading style that could really get expensive. So...my first step, other than creating this blog was to get myself an account on Netgalley. 

1. Sign up as a book reviewer on a major platform. 

Two of the major platforms is Netgalley, and Book Sirens. Both platforms have many opportunities for books to review. The more you review the more opportunities you will have to get books that publishers are holding out for.  Lots of publishers won't approve you right off the bat, but as you go along you'll get more and more yes's.

2. Start an Instagram and work on building it.

The "Bookstagram" community is a really amazing and supportive network. Things have changed so much in the last 15+ years I've been blogging, and Instagram has really taken the lead. In the last six months I've joined groups of readers, and they are from all over the world. It is so amazing to have all these people to talk books with! I now chat with authors and readers alike just about every day. I really love it.

3. Read what you love.

I have a pretty firm niche here with fantasy and fantasy romance books, and occasionally I stray...but the best reviews for both readers and the authors will be from reviewers who already like the genre they're reading. Don't let anyone book shame you either.  Love smut? You'll find a group of readers who also love smut..or mysteries, or horror, or fantasy too. You'll find your people if you're authentically you. 

4. Don't be greedy.

Piggybacking a bit on #3....when a publisher offers to send you a book, only accept books that are in genres that you love.  This was a mistake I made early on thinking I could read anything they sent.  Whether e-book or physical copy, don't grab a middle grade sci-fi if it's not your thing. It doesn't benefit anyone and just costs the publisher money...specially if they've sent you a physical copy.

5. Join book tours.

Joining book tours is another way to network, make friends, and have the opportunity to read books that otherwise you might have to wait for. A book tour is usually lead by a company that's been hired to have reviewers read their books.  You'll often recieve either an e-book or physical copy, and usually they'll send you some book swag too.  I currently participate with about four different book tours, but I always fall back to rule #3...I only join tours with books that are primarily in the genres I already love. 

6. What if I hate a book?

It happens. You can't be expected to like everything. Often times, specially if I was approached by the author, I will explain why I don't like it...kindly. My career as a music teacher has taught me how to kindly give constructive critism, and I use that skill here. I break it down, whether it's grammar, cliche, a story I've heard before...whatever it is, I give the author my review. However if I've come to the book on my own, and the author hasn't asked for my feed back or reached out to me in anyway I will post it here publicly.  In cases like those I won't reach out to the author because they didn't ask for my opinion to begin with...I'll just post it here and leave it at that.

7. Do not sell books authors have given to you, or share e-books they have given to you.

This isn't a legal thing, but more of a moral thing. You have every right to sell a book that's in your possession but some would argue it's unethical due to you benefitting from the sale instead of the author.  If you need to purge, consider donating it, or ask the author if you can sell or offer it as a giveaway.  It's kind to reach out to the author first, and wait until after the book has been publicly published.

8. Use your own photos as much as possible.

This is one of those I've known for a long while now having been a blogger for so long, but I figured I'd put it here anyway.  Using your own photos means not running across any copyright issues. You cannot use what ever photo you google to suit your needs. I have heard horror stories about bloggers who have made NO money at all get fined tens of thousands of dollars for using a photo that wasn't theirs. Don't take my word for it, look up the law. It doesn't matter if you've profited, you've redirected the photo to you from it's original creator possibly costing them money...which is why you can be sued. Don't do it. If you need to use other photos, try using websites like Pixabay 

9. Don't expect to earn any money.

Blogging can be lucrative for some, but it is a slow going slow building type of thing.  Slow and steady wins the race here for views and income. If you make $100 in one year off your blog you're doing better than most. My blog for me is a creative outlet. One I use to connect with other people who like the same things I do. If I make some money off the side that's just an added bonus. Most of my income for this blog comes from being hired to take photos.

Things that I plan on exploring in the next few months with my blog is...ahhh Tiktok. You might start seeing some reviews on there.  I will also experiment and see if it's worthwhile to build up my pinterest board. I may do it just for my own enjoyment and inspiration. Are you on pinterest? You can follow me here. 

Another idea floating around patreon. I might..I'm thinking about it. 

Do you write a blog? Tell me about yours in the comments!

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The Revivalist by Christopher Hood

 

Ya'll I stepped a bit out of my typical reads with this one, and it was soo good. My main hope for a book is that it takes me someplace else...and this one delivered.

Synopsis:
Bill and Penelope are the lucky ones. Not only do they survive the Shark Flu emerging from the melting Icelandic permafrost to sweep like a scythe across the world, but they begin to rebuild a life in the wreckage of the old. A garden to feed themselves planted where the lawn used to be, a mattress pulled down to the living room fireplace for warmth. Even Bill’s psychology practice endures the collapse of the social order, the handful of remaining clients bartering cans of food for their sessions. But when their daughter’s voice over the radio in the kitchen announces that she’s joined a cult three thousand miles away in Bishop, California, they leave it all behind to embark on a perilous trek across the hollowed-out remains of America to save her.

Their journey is an unforgettable odyssey through communities scattered across the continent, but for all the ways that the world has changed, the hopes and fears of this little family remain the same as they always have been. In The Revivalists, Christopher M. Hood creates a haunting, moving, darkly funny, and ultimately hopeful portrait of a world and a marriage tested by extraordinary circumstances.

Thoughts:

So much drama! This wasn't like most post-apocolyptic books I read.  When I hear post-apocalyptic I think of movies like Mad-Max, or I am Legend, or books like After the Plauge, by Imogen Keeper.  This one was different. This one felt more real in a lot of ways..information was cut off.  Bill and Penelope didn't know how the rest of the world survived...there were no news casters to tell them. It was a complete societal collapse...and not really enough people left to create scenarios like Mad-Max. 

Bill and Penelope stayed in their home, they grew food in their backyard. They spoke with their surviving neighbors, and Bill even started back up his therapy practice...for barter.  People had trauma from what they went through...and Bill needed a sense of purpose. 

When Bill and Penelope set off on their journey to find their daughter Hannah, they run into quite a few different communities as they go. People just trying to survive a new world. There are some crazies, but most people are kind.  Most people are willing to share knowledge, food, supplies and are just happy to see someone alive. Their journey across the country is a dangerous one never-the-less, with no safety nets in case of an accident, or injury. They met some really fascinating people on the way.

If you're looking for a book that is a quick read, that will stick with you for a while, be sure to check out it out.  Bonus points for the Colin Kaepernick pseduo-cameo. 

The Rivivalist is available on Bookshop and Amazon.

Special thanks to Harper Publishing for the advanced copy.

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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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Queen and Conqueror by Isabelle Olmo

If you enjoy fantasy with a side of feminism and diverse main characters and a head strong female main character grab this book!

Synopsis:

Almira was raised by a calculating father who forged her in political cunning. She’s prepared for this moment since childhood. Like pieces on a board, she lays out the players one by one.

One. King Alton, the brother-killer. The spare heir who killed his brother for lust of throne.

Two. The perfect seamstress. The people must admire a queen and welcome her with open arms. Even with a deadly armada behind her.

Three. The Queen’s Red Guard. The group of warrior women who have one purpose; to protect the queen at all costs. Even from her husband. Even from herself.

Queen & Conqueror is the first book in an epic feminist fantasy series told from the perspective of the women who rule and shape the future.

“Men will never be ready for women like us and it is not our job to ready them.

Rating: 

 Trigger warnings: death, child abuse, sexual content

Thoughts:

I want to be Alimira when I grow up you guys. She is volunerable, and headstrong, she second guesses herself, and she's just so real. She not only surrounded herself with women, she uplifted them, and they sometimes checked her.  Like the truest friends will.

---Almira smiled and nodded. "Men will never be ready for women like us, and it is not our job to ready them."---

I love the elements fantasy tied in with feminism and diversity. This book was so refreshing. Almira was born in nobility, raised to lead by her father as his only living child. He makes sure she has the education and the tools to accomplish whatever she sets her mind to. She forms her Queen's Guard..a group of completley badass women who are her armoured guards.

When her husband dies in a war, she divises a plan and submits a marriage proposal to the king who killed her husband. And ya'll...he accepts. His initial plan is not necessarily a kind one, but things slowly begin to warm up. They both are cautious about giving their hearts to each other...it was the SLOWEST of slow burns. So refreshing.

This book is filled with so many twists and turns and surprises. Of course I'm not going to tell you the juicy bits, but have tissues close by. Olmo really does a wonderful job pulling you into the characters and making you feel deeply connected to them.

If you enjoy a slow burn, or even an enemies to lovers with a side of strong women leads that is full of diversity then be sure to grab this book.

Queen and Conqueror can be purchased on Amazon.

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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 Darkening by Sunya Mara

 

Sometimes the library temps me...and ya'll I was not dissapointed.  I found this book scrolling at the bottom of my library's main page while trying to get books my son needed for school for the next few weeks. This is one book that had escaped my radar, so I want to scream it from the rooftops.  I couldn't set this one down. If you're looking for a fantasy novel that's unique and fast paced -- you'll want to pick this one up.

Synopsis:

Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. When her mother was caught by the queen’s soldiers, they gave her a choice: death by the hangman’s axe, or death by the Storm that surrounds the city and curses anyone it touches. She chose the Storm. And when the queen’s soldiers—led by a paranoid prince—catch up to Vesper’s father after twelve years on the run, Vesper will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing that fate.

Even arm herself with her father’s book of dangerous experimental magic.

Even infiltrate the prince’s elite squad of soldier-sorcerers.

Even cheat her way into his cold heart.

But when Vesper learns that there’s more to the story of her mother’s death, she’ll have to make a choice if she wants to save her city: trust the devious prince with her family’s secrets, or follow her mother’s footsteps into the Storm.

My Rating!

Content Warnings: Death, Violence, Parent death

Thoughts:

This book grabbed me from the start. I couldn't set it down, and it was a quick easy read. The world was unique, and the world building was brilliant. I love that Vesper wasn't a perfect person...she made mistakes, like all of us. She constantly walks with guilt and feeling like she's dissapointed her Pa. She has good intentions, but often finds herself in trouble...even as she is trying to do the right thing. She feels that their current predicament is because she didn't listen to him, and wrecklessly tried to save people from the storm as it came in. Don't play hero he had told her..and instead he ended up having to come to their rescue.

As she went along and her distrust of the people around her was very relatable. Her Pa is taken into custody..which again she feels guilty for, but an opportunity to help is given. So instead of listening to her Pa and trying to lay low and stay unseen, she joins forces with Dalca, the prince who leads the Wardana...an elite group of warriors who protects their city from the Storm. Even our bad guys were morally grey, with stories of their own. I wasn't sure if I wanted to like them or not...and some of them I did. It was a really emotional ride.

If you're looking for a unique read that will likely make you cry be sure to grab this one.

You can purchase The Darkening by Sunya Mara on Amazon or on Bookshop.

Disclaimer: This review was done on my own accord. I recieved this book from my local library on loan. 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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