Category: Fantasy

Review: Heat

1/30/2018

Heat
Dark Kings #12
by Donna Grant

Synopsis

Nikolai is a dragon shapeshifter who knows well the meaning of loss. Orphaned and raised to be a Dragon King, he never accepts defeat. Now, Nikolai prefers his solitude . . .until a beautiful, irresistible woman calls upon him for help—and Nikola’s whole word goes up in flames.

Ever since MI5 agent Esther woke to discover her mind taken over with magic, she feels like stranger to herself. She looks to a notorious dragon, one who has the power to help her find her memory. But as she and Nikolai come closer to discovering what really happened to her, a dangerous passion ignites between them. Can this lone Dragon King help the woman he’s grown to love to uncover the truth about her past—or will a deep and fiery danger tear them both apart?

Review

This review is going to be a bit strange.

I was given the opportunity to review Heat (unsolicited), and I did because - uh, hello? DRAGONS. What I was unaware of at the time was that Heat is #12 in the Dark Kings series. I usually do not review books in a series where I have not read the previous books. What can I say? I am a completist.

With that said, I can review what I know from what I did read of this book. I enjoyed learning what I could of the dragon clans. It reminded me of J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series because of the connection each of the "brothers" has with the other.

There is definite chemistry between Esther and Nikolai that is steamy off the pages. However, there is obvious background on both of these characters that must have been discussed in the previous books. In the reviews I've read from other readers, it seems that this book is in perfect conjunction with the others in the series.

I will definitely add this series to my TBR list, but I believe that anyone wanting to take it on will definitely be pleased.

0 Comments

Cover Reveal! Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

1/29/2018

0 Comments

In a new series Publishers Weekly has listed as “one of the most anticipated YA's of 2018”, we're excited to share the cover for Bring Me Their Hearts! NYT bestselling author Sara Wolf delivers a fast-paced, gritty fantasy sure to thrill fans of Holly Black, Sabba Tahir, and Sarah J. Maas.

About the Book...

Zera is a Heartless—the immortal, unaging soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.

Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum: if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy Zera’s heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.

Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him—every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him—until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.

So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.

Winner takes the loser’s heart.

Literally.

--
Entangled Publishing: https://entangledpublishing.com/bring-me-their-hearts.html
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07232WZBF
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bring-me-their-hearts-sara-wolf/1126358416
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bring-me-their-hearts/id1237042410
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/bring-me-their-hearts
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35144326-bring-me-their-hearts

Release Date: June 5th, 2018

--

About Sara Wolf:

Sara Wolf is a twenty-something author who adores baking, screaming at her cats, and screaming at herself while she types hilarious things. When she was a kid, she was too busy eating dirt to write her first terrible book. Twenty years later, she picked up a keyboard and started mashing her fists on it and created the monster known as the Lovely Vicious series. She lives in San Diego with two cats, a crippling-yet-refreshing sense of self-doubt, and not enough fruit tarts ever.

0 Comments

Review: To Find You

11/4/2016

2 Comments

To Find You
by Cerece Rennie Murphy

Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: November 29, 2016

Two Souls
One Desire
To Find Each Other...Again

The journey begins with Ama and Ekow ~ Two lovers betrothed, then torn apart by an enemy disguised as a friend. And in the midst of an unthinkable bargain, their freedom is sold for a bag of gold.

But what their enemies thought would break them only unleashed a power greater than life itself.

From the ancient shores of Ghana to the streets of pre-colonial India,
From the burning embers of Oahu to the heart of a nation’s capitol,
Their souls risked war, death, and betrayal to bend destiny to their will.

Will they survive?
Will they succeed?

Join them on this timeless journey and see…

Review

First of all - can we talk about that gorgeous cover??? I know people say not to judge a book by its cover, but we have to admit that the cover is what draws us in most of the time. And that up there, dear reader, is a fantastic cover. Gorgeous.

Okay, now on to the book. Murphy does a fantastic job writing a well-thought out and thought-provoking novel. The teaser tempts us with describing this work as a timeless tale and it is so fitting, because together (and separately) with Ama and Ekow, we travel to distant lands and times to find out their story. What the reader might be surprised in realizing is that we get the story through 4 individually told tales. There is dealings with reincarnation, so you don't let go of the characters of each story. Entwined and connected, Ama and Ekow somehow find their way back to each other.

Is this book a romance? Fantasy? Science Fiction? All of the above? I think that is for the reader to decide. Although the reader can definitely tell there is a formula to each story, I did not find that it took away from the main concept of these two lovers finding their way back to each other. If anything, it cemented the idea of soulmates for me. Murphy is able to tell this tale without it seeming cliche. If anything, it felt monumental - important. So, whether it's the love story or the concepts of reincarnation and fantasy that get you hooked - no worries. It is definitely a work to be read.

About the Author

Cerece Rennie Murphy fell in love with writing and science fiction at an early age. It’s a love affair that has grown ever since.

In addition to working on the release of the 2nd book in the Ellis and The Magic Mirror children’s book series with her son, Mrs. Murphy is developing a 2-part science fiction thriller set in outer space. Mrs. Murphy lives and writes in her hometown of Washington, DC with her husband, two children and the family dog, Yoda. To learn more about the author and her upcoming projects, please visit her website at www.cerecerenniemurphy.com.

Twitter: @cerecermurphy
https://www.facebook.com/Cerece-Rennie-Murphy-205753729546299/
www.cerecerenniemurphy.com

2 Comments

Review: Magic Bites

7/11/2016

0 Comments

Magic Bites
Kate Daniels #1
by Ilona Andrews

Synopsis

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn’t want it any other way…

Review

I had been curious about books by the author Ilona Andrews (the husband and wife writing duo), and I thought I would try out this series. I'm very glad I did, as it was a very different book than I'm used to. I usually like my fantasy/urban fantasy with some romance, and this had a very small inkling of that - but it was not the focus of it at all. I really enjoyed that change because it meant I got to focus on the world-building which is done well.

Now, I'm going to be honest - it took me awhile to get into this book. The world-building took a bit to take shape, and it was a slower-moving story. All these facets add to what makes the book interesting - I just had to get used to the pace. Now, Kate Daniels is a different story. I loved her from the very beginning. There isn't much focus placed on her looks (or lack thereof, which seems to be the case in some moments) which I LOVED. Instead, the emphasis is on her badassness....badassery? You know what I mean. Kate Daniels is a strong woman and she feels no need to hide it, nor does she play the damsel. Her thoughts are always on what she's doing and what has to be done.

I especially enjoyed the sparring between Kate and Curran, the Beast Lord. Curran is the leader of the shape-shifters. Their banter bordered on flirting, which was a little something extra I enjoyed. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

0 Comments

Review: Dreamfever

4/29/2016

0 Comments

Dreamfever
Fever Series Book 4
by Karen Marie Moning

Synopsis

MacKayla Lane lies naked on the cold stone floor of a church, at the mercy of the Fae master she once swore to kill. Far from home, unable to control her sexual hungers, MacKayla is now fully under the Lord Master’s spell.…In New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning’s stunning novel, the walls between human and Fae worlds have come crashing down. And as Mac fights for survival on Dublin’s battle-scarred streets, she will embark on the darkest adventure of her life.

He has stolen her past, but MacKayla will never allow her sister’s murderer to take her future. Yet even the uniquely gifted sidhe-seer is no match for the Lord Master, who has unleashed an insatiable sexual craving that consumes Mac’s every thought—and thrusts her into the seductive realm of two very dangerous men, both of whom she desires but dares not trust.

As the enigmatic Jericho Barrons and the sensual Fae prince V’lane vie for her body and soul, as cryptic entries from her sister’s diary mysteriously appear and the power of the Dark Book weaves its annihilating path through the city, Mac’s greatest enemy delivers a final challenge.…

It’s an invitation Mac cannot refuse, one that sends her racing home to Georgia, where an even darker threat awaits. With her parents missing and the lives of her loved ones under siege, Mac is about to come face-to-face with a soul-shattering truth—about herself and her sister, about Jericho Barrons…and about the world she thought she knew.

BONUS: This edition includes and excerpt from Karen Marie Moning's Shadowfever.

Review

Ugh. Break my heart.

You know that when a book breaks your heart - you have something.

BUT I must tell you - this is filled with spoilers. You've been warned.

Don't confuse intensity of emotion with quality of emotion, baby. - Mac's dad

I did not do a review on the third book (Faefever) because it seriously broke me. Mac goes through one of the most traumatic experiences anyone can go through - and entwining that with fae magic did not dull it one bit. Mac was basically raped by 4 fae princes (well, the fourth is yet to be determined) and was made pri-ya. It really scarred me as much as a piece of fiction could.

So you can understand why it took me FOREVER to pick up book 4. I was honestly contemplating not picking it up. What convinced me was a note to the reader by Moning at the end of Faefever that basically said, "Hey - remember what I said at the beginning - Mac made it through this." So, I kept on. And I'm really glad that I did.

There were so many feelings surrounding this part of the story. We finally get some insight into Barrons and follow Mac into the deeper areas of her personality and being. We understand, along with Mac, just how emotionally and physically strong she is.

Don't lose yourself in anger, Mac. It's gasoline. - Ryodan

I really appreciate how far Mac has come as a character - Moning has really made these characters, specifically the characters of Barrons and Mac, into such complex characters. And I truly love these characters. *heavy sigh*

And then the second traumatic thing, so far, in this series happened at the end of book 4. And that dear readers, I will not divulge.

There was another Moning note to the reader though - which I appreciated.

0 Comments