The Soul of Power (The Waking Land: Book 3) by Callie Bates

The Soul of Power (The Waking Land Book 3) by [Bates, Callie]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Ray

Date of publication: June 4th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Waking Land

The Waking Land—Book 1 (review here)

The Memory of Fire—Book 2 (review here)

The Soul of Power—Book 3

Where you can find The Soul of Power: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book synopsis:

One young woman learns the true nature of power–both her own and others’–in the riveting conclusion to The Waking Land Trilogy.

Sophy Dunbarron–the illegitimate daughter of a king who never was–has always felt like an impostor. Separated from her birth mother, raised by parents mourning the loss of their true daughter, and unacknowledged by her father, Sophy desires only a place and a family to call her own. But fate has other ideas. Caught up in Elanna Valtai’s revolution, Sophy has become the reigning monarch of a once-divided country–a role she has been groomed her whole life to fill.

But as she quickly discovers, wearing a crown is quite a different thing from keeping a crown. With an influx of magic-bearing refugees pouring across the border, resources already thinned by war are stretched to the breaking point. Half the nobility in her court want her deposed, and the other half question her every decision. And every third person seems to be spontaneously manifesting magical powers.

When Elanna is captured and taken to Paladis, Sophy’s last ally seems to have vanished. Now it is up to her alone to navigate a political maze that becomes more complex and thorny by the day. And worse, Sophy is hiding a huge secret–one that could destroy her tenuous hold on the crown forever.

My review:

I was excited when I saw that the final installment in The Waking Land series was available for review. I had reviewed the first two books and enjoyed them. I had high expectations for The Soul of Power. And guess what? It didn’t let me down.

I do want to give everyone a heads up about the timeline of the book. The Soul of Power starts after Jahan is sent to Paladis. Elanna’s capture and torture by the witch hunters are going on during the events of The Soul of Power. So keep that in mind while reading this book.

The Soul of Power is Sophy’s story. Crowned queen at the end of The Waking Land, Sophy desperately wants a united country. But, with a court that hates and questions her and a country that is at the point of imploding, it looks like that isn’t going to happen. On top of all that, Sophy has a secret. A secret that could cost her the throne.

I can’t even begin to express how excited I was when I got the ARC for The Soul of Power. I had been hoping that this book was going to be Sophy’s story. When I read the blurb and saw that it was Sophy’s story, I did a happy dance. I couldn’t wait to read this book.

The amount of stress that Sophy was under was insane. I know that I wouldn’t have been able to function under that amount of stress. Plus, not knowing who to trust. I would have said, “Here’s the throne, see ya” and left. But, she stayed and I admired her for that.

I enjoyed watching Sophy grow as a character in this book. She started unsure and resentful of Elanna’s popularity. She wanted to do the right thing but kept getting lousy advice from her council. But, as the book went on, she blossomed. She found her backbone. She overcame her insecurities about Elanna. By the end of the book, she became the queen she needed to be. I loved it.

The plotline regarding Sophy’s father was interesting. I was curious to see how it was going to play out. I wasn’t expecting it to go the way it did. I was shocked. I was also shocked at what Sophy did at the end of the book. I think she was too lenient. After what her father did to her and Rhia, I expected something more. But, thinking about it, what she did was a more fitting punishment.

The author didn’t hide Sophy’s secret. During the first chapter, it was mentioned a few times. How Teofila didn’t notice it when they were together was beyond me. But she did have other things on her mind.

The Soul of Power was also violent. I lost count of how many times Sophy was attacked. Along with the violence, there was also death. Some people deserved it. But there were some deaths that surprised me. And there was one death that broke my heart. I wasn’t expecting it.

The magic angle of the book was well written. I liked that people were starting to experience magic. I loved that the magic didn’t pick and choose who it wanted. I did feel that Sophy’s magical awakening was drawn out. It got to a point where I felt like saying “Just get it over with!!“.

Rape was brought up in the book. I thought that the author explained what happened to Sophy’s mother in a tactful way. She left just enough unsaid that I understood exactly what Mag went through.

The end of The Soul of Power kept me enthralled with the book. So much happened that I almost couldn’t keep it straight. But, it was the last chapter that closed the book for me. Loved it!!

I would give The Soul of Power an Adult rating. There is mention of sexual situations. There is violence. There is no language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Soul of Power. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Soul of Power.

All opinions stated in this review of The Soul of Power are mine.

Have you read The Soul of Power?

What are your thoughts?

Have you ever hidden something from someone?

Let me know!!

Waltz of the Crows (Steam and Shadow: Book 3) by L.G. Rollins

Waltz of the Crows (Steam and Shadow Novel Book 3) by [Rollins, L.]

4 Stars

Date of publication: June 4th, 2019

Genre: Steampunk, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Romance

Series: Steam and Shadow

Masked by Moonlight—Book 1

Buried in Blue—Book 2

Waltz of the Crows—Book 3

Where you can find Waltz of the Crows: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Leila Hale’s orders are clear: impersonate a nurse, make contact with her fellow spy, and get London the information it needs without being caught or killed; or worse, tripping up so horribly her superiors deem her incompetent.

Samuel Rowley has returned to find his hometown disease-ridden, with many on the brink of madness. Not a man to sit back and merely hope for the best, he determines to explore every resource available until he finds a solution.

Together, Leila and Samuel sort out the relevant from the distractions and tease truth from lies. But as they uncover various secrets, it becomes evident that this insanity isn’t a disease at all, but a meticulously infiltrated poisoning; and the perpetrator has them in their sights.

When all is made known, will Leila and Samuel have enough wit and strength to save themselves, their future, and a town full of innocent victims?

Waltz of the Crows is Book 3 in the Steam and Shadow Series; all books in this series are stand-alone and can be read in any order. Waltz of the Crows is a Victorian Era Steampunk (think Woman in White but with cool gadgets) bundled up with a cozy mystery and sweet romance. Perfect for lovers of Marissa Meyer’s Cinder and Stephanie Garber’s Caraval.

My Review:

When I read the blurb for Waltz of the Crows, I got excited. It has been a long time since I have read a good steampunk book. I was hoping that the book lived up to its blurb. I am happy to report that this book lived up to the blurb and then some!!

The plot for Waltz of the Crows was simple. Leila was in France on a mission. There is a deadly flu that has been confined to a village in France. Leila is to gather intel on the flu and send it to London. While in France, Leila meets the dashing Samuel. With his help, Leila discovers that the people are being poisoned. Soon, it becomes a race to find out who is poisoning the village and why. Can Leila and Samuel expose the villain without getting themselves hurt? Can they stop the poisoning?

I loved Leila. She had been forced into the field early and hadn’t been able to complete her training. She was terrified that she was going to get killed or be labeled incompetent. It made her cautious at the beginning of the book. But once Victor was compromised, she started to shed her doubts. I loved watching her character grow. I cheered her on when she was intel gathering. I liked her.

I liked Samuel too. At first, I did wonder why he was being brought into the book. But as the book went on, his role in everything became crystal clear. He had a set of skills that Leila needed. He also wanted to get to the bottom of who was poisoning the village. I loved watching him fall for Leila. It was sweet.

The steampunk angle of the book was well written. This book was set in Victorian England. There were motorcars, steam run submarines, gears, and airships. I couldn’t get enough of reading about that. I couldn’t get enough of reading about that.

The mystery angle of the book was well written also. The author did a great job at keeping who was poisoning the village under wrap until the end of the book. I did have my suspicions about who it was, and I was wrong. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I loved it!!

There was also a romance angle in Waltz of the Crows. The romance between Leila and Samuel was sweet. It was innocent. It was a perfect fit in with the story.

The end of Waltz of Crows was action-packed. I was surprised at who the villain turned out to be. The author did a great job of keeping it under wrap. The other surprise is what happened to Leila and Samuel. I never predicted what happened to happen. It was a fantastic end to the book.

I would give Waltz of Crows an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Waltz of Crows I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Crown of Contempt (Novi Navarro Chronicles: Book 2) by Emigh Cannady

Crown of Contempt (The Novi Navarro Chronicles Book 2) by [Cannaday, Emigh]

5 Stars

Publisher: Silver Popular Press

Date of publication: June 3rd, 2019

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Series: The Novi Navarro Chronicles

Prince of Persuasion—Book 1 (review here)

Crown of Contempt—Book 2

Where you can find Crown of Contempt: Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

The illusion of choice.
The burden of the crown.
If Prince Fallon is to succeed, he cannot do it alone.

Novi Navarro’s life hangs in the balance after being sentenced to serve in the Temple of the Chimera. The Prioress in charge seems intent on breaking not only her spirit, but the spirit of every living thing within those impenetrable walls. When a chance encounter leads to an unexpected friendship with one of the sacred creatures inside, she discovers a new reason to go on.

Betrayed by his own blood, Prince Fallon has given up on his family, but he hasn’t given up on his dreams of a better world–preferably one with Novi by his side. When he presents her with three different choices of how her fate will unfold, Novi must decide which path to take…

…and there will be no turning back.

My Review:

I rarely give 5-star reviews to 2nd books in the series. In my experience, these books are fillers. There is no real plot progression—the characters flounder. But, in Crown of Contempt, none of this happened. I was happy to have my expectations blown away by this book.

I hated seeing Novi broken. She wasn’t the same person that she was before going into the temple. She still had a sharp tongue and a more intelligent mind. But her humor, which is what made me love her, wasn’t there.

I felt bad for Fallon. The stress that he was under came off the pages. He was trying to install a new government, save Novi, and fend off his mother. I was surprised that he didn’t snap sooner.

I felt bad for Callie, too. The things she was forced to do and see. The abuse she put up with. My heart broke for her every single time she appeared in the book.

I want to see more Kai!! I thought his character was adorable. He had unconditional love for Novi and protected her the best he could.

If I didn’t think that Fallon’s family was dysfunctional in Prince of Persuasion, I think it now. That family makes me shake my head. The mind games that are played between parents and children sicken me. No wonder Tristan turned out the way he did.

I wasn’t surprised by what was revealed about Queen Laena. I was expecting something like that. I also wasn’t surprised at how cruel she was to Callie. Nothing about that woman surprised me. I am curious to see what will happen in the next book. I wonder how everything will work out for her.

Tristan bothered me in the book. I was prepared not to like him. I mean, he did shoot Novi with an arrow. But, there was another side to him that was shown in the book. He was the same abusive jerk to Callie and Novi. But, there were scenes where he acted like a hurt child. I am wondering what he will be like in the next book.

There is dual main plotline in Crown of Contempt. The first plotline centers around Novi. It shows what she has overcome and what she has to overcome. I did feel that the decree the king threw down was unfair. The second storyline centered around Fallon and his work to make the country equal. I found it fascinating.

The end of Crown of Contempt was satisfying. I am not going to say much. But I will say that I was right about the character from The Darkest of Dreams. I did a fist pump when it was revealed. It is going to make the next book enjoyable.

I would give Crown of Contempt an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Crown of Contempt. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Professor with Benefits (Beta Brothers: Book 3) by Hazel Kelly

Professor with Benefits (Beta Brothers #3)

4 Stars

Publisher

Date of publication: May 30th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Professor with Benefits: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Sadie’s no princess, and she doesn’t appreciate being treated like one. As far as she’s concerned, women who don’t wear ridiculous shoes don’t need to be swept off their feet, and the last thing the world needs right now is one more hopeless romantic maiming one more unsuspecting daisy.

But when a handsome, young professor takes an unprofessional interest in her mossy green eyes and muddy attitude, she can’t help but enjoy the sparkly feeling his attention stirs in her. And the more he lays on the charm, the more she fears she’s not as attached to her loneliness as she once thought.

Too bad he’s off limits. Then again, limits have never really interested Sadie.

But dreamy professors with penetrating blue eyes and sinfully sexy stubble? That’s a subject that’s about to make her senior year very interesting indeed…

When I read the blurb for Professor with Benefits, I knew that I needed to read it. The blurb screamed easy to read with hot sex scenes. After the month I have had, I needed something that I could enjoy and lose myself in. Fortunately, with Professor with Benefits, I was able to do that.

What I Liked About Professor with Benefits:

Sadie: She was introduced in Friends with Benefits as Nina’s older cousin. She caught my attention from the minute she was introduced in the book. When I saw that this was her romance, I was pleased. Her character in this book was nothing like I thought it would be. She had mental health issues stemming from the suicide of her younger sister. Her mental health became a focal point of the book. I loved seeing her transform from this damaged young woman who needed to be handled carefully to someone who was working on her issues.

Kellan: I liked him from the minute Sadie puked a rainbow all over his shoes. He had his issues. I loved that Kellan realized how fragile Sadie was. While he did push in some areas, he let her call the shots in their relationship. He understood Sadie’s grief and he understood her issues. I loved how smart he was too. He owned his nerdiness. That made him even more hot to me.

The author’s realistic take on mental illness and grief: Sadie was traumatized from her sister’s suicide. I believe that along with deep depression, she had PTSD. Sadie was self-medicating before she met Kellan. Her record at school reflected that. The author didn’t gloss over Sadie’s issues. Instead, she made them a part of who Sadie was.

The sex scenes: Sadie and Kellan’s sex scenes were some of the hottest that I have read to date. But, even before they had sex, their chemistry was off the charts. There were points in the book where I had to put it down and fan myself.

The end: I am not going to say much about the ending except that I loved how it turned out. The epilogue brought tears to my eyes.

What I Disliked About Professor with Benefits:

Sadie’s landlady: I couldn’t stand her. She was unlikable and treated Sadie like dirt. The whole “you need to leave as soon as possible” scene made me want to reach through and smack her upside the head.

Thomas’s dropped storyline: I was enjoying Sadie’s interactions with Thomas. He added a much-needed bit of humor to the storyline. But, he went poof after the bar fight. What happened to him?

Dean Schwartz: Another character that I couldn’t stand. She seemed to have it out for Sadie. The infractions that Sadie got in trouble for were silly. Except for the alcohol one. I also understood why she made Kellan make a choice. But still. She was cold and heartless.

I would give Professor with Benefits an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Professor with Benefits. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Smitten by the Brit (Sometimes in Love: Book 2) by Melonie Johnson

Smitten by the Brit (Sometimes in Love Book 2) by [Johnson, Melonie]

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: May 28th, 2019

Series: Sometimes in Love

Getting Hot with the Scot—Book 1 (review here)

Smitten by the Brit—Book 2

Once Upon a Bad Boy—Book 3 (expected publication date: June 25th, 2019)

Where you can find Smitten by the Brit: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Synopsis:

DEFINITELY, MAYBE…OR LOVE, ACTUALLY?

English professor Bonnie Blythe expects her life to play out like her favorite novels, especially now that her long-term boyfriend has finally proposed. So when a shocking discovery leads Bonnie to end her engagement, she decides to close the book on love. But the plot thickens when a brand-new character enters the scene—and quickens Bonnie’s heart.

With his brilliant blue eyes, sexy accent, and irresistible charm, Theo Wharton is like a romantic hero straight out of a Jane Austen novel. When fate places Bonnie in England for a summer—conveniently close to Theo—she realizes a hot friends-with-benefits fling is exactly what she needs to start a fresh chapter. Just as Bonnie begins to believe she’s falling in love, an eye-opening revelation into Theo’s life makes Bonnie feel like she’s wandered into one of her favorite books. Will Bonnie have the courage to risk her heart and turn the page with the dashing Brit to find her true happy ending after all?

My review:

I was interested in reading Smitten by the Brit. The sparks that Bonnie and Theo had in Getting Hot with the Scot was terrific. But, since Bonnie was engaged and Theo was a gentleman, they didn’t do anything about it. So, yes, I was interested in the book. I needed to know if they got together.

The plot for Smitten by the Brit was pretty straightforward. Bonnie walks in on her fiancee having sex with another woman on her bed. Devastated, she decides to take a summer job teaching in England. Where Theo is. The more Bonnie hangs out with Theo, the more she starts falling for him. Is it a rebound? Or is what she’s feeling for Theo the real thing?

I liked Bonnie. She was one of the more relatable characters that I have read in a while. I liked that she was quirky, loved Shakespeare, and loved to read. She was a sweet girl in this book.

Theo annoyed me, but I liked him. He was between a rock and a hard place the entire book. I wish that he grew a backbone sooner than later.

Bonnie and Theo’s relationship was a huge focal point of the book. I mean, it is a romance novel about them. I loved that the author didn’t have Bonnie fall heads over heels for Theo right after her break up with Gabe. It wouldn’t have sat right with me. Instead, she was an emotional mess. She was dealing with the baggage of Gabe cheating on her (and blaming her for it, flipping tool!!). That baggage had to be dealt with for her to move onto Theo. In that sense, the book did go slowly. Which I didn’t mind, weirdly enough. But, once she arrived in England, their relationship sped up. And that was months after her breakup with Gabe.

The sexual attraction and sexual tension carried over from Getting Hot with the Scot. I loved it. I haven’t read a book where the sexual tension between secondary characters was carried over as flawlessly as it did in this one. The author did a fantastic job of building it up and keeping it up. For the entire book. Loved it. Each sex scene was explosive. Each sex scene was fantastic.

I also liked the humor in Smitten by the Brit. From the beginning, I was giggling at the one-liners that Bonnie, Ana, Sadie, Delaney, and Cassie had. The whole scene with Ana showing Bonnie how to give a blowjob on a popsicle was hilarious.

As much as I liked the book and its characters, there were some parts of it I didn’t like. I couldn’t stand Theo’s mother. Talk about a controlling, cold woman. She had absolute control over Theo. I also didn’t like how Bonnie refused to talk to Cassie about her feelings. I understood why she didn’t want to talk to Cassie. But, she should have been honest with her.

The end of the book was fantastic. I am not going to get into it. I will say this. It was the perfect ending for this book!!

I would give Smitten by the Brit an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Smitten by the Brit. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Smitten by the Brit.

All opinions stated in this review of Smitten by the Brit are mine.

Have you read Smitten by the Brit?

Your thoughts on it?

Could you date a man whose mother is constantly up his butt?

Let me know!!

Attracted to the Earl (Imperfect Lords: Book 3) by Bronwen Evans

Attracted to the Earl (Imperfect Lords Book 3) by [Evans, Bronwen]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: May 28th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Imperfect Lords

Addicted to the Duke—Book 1 (review here)

Drawn to the Marquess—Book 2 (review here)

Attracted to the Earl—Book 3

Where you can find Attracted to the Earl: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Unable to read or write, an earl discovers love in the last place he expects to find it—within the embrace of a brilliant woman—in this sexy, irresistible novel from USA Today bestselling author Bronwen Evans.

What’s an earl to do?
The Earl of Argyle has died suddenly, leaving his brother Guy Neville at a complete loss. The dull-witted second son, as his father used to call him, Guy is now responsible for the estate and his brother’s seat in the House of Lords. Shamed by an inability to read or write, his distress is multiplied by an inquiry from a dyed-in-the-wool bluestocking who wishes to use the Argyle library and study a rare plant on the estate. Guy’s first instinct is to decline her request—until he catches a glimpse of Miss Abigail Pinehurst.

How’s a girl to behave?
Abigail cares for only one thing: plants. She is unconcerned about how she looks, what she wears, or the impression she makes on men. An orphan who turned to books for solace in a miserly, cruel institution, she now makes her living illustrating the greenery she adores. Lord Argyle, in fact, with his uncanny memory and chiseled features, is the first man to capture her attention—a ridiculous distraction since he is so far above her station. But her unreasonable heart has a mind of its own.

My Review:

Guy Neville doesn’t know what to do. His older brother passed away, leaving him The Earl of Argyle. The reason Guy is at a loss is that Guy doesn’t know how to read or write. If it came out that he was illiterate, it could cost him the Earldom. When Guy meets the beautiful Abigail Pinehurst, Guy knows that his cousin has sent her to spy on him. Can he trust her? Or will she be the one to uncover all his secrets and use them against him?

Abigail Pinehurst is being used to spy on Guy. She doesn’t want to spy on him. With her reputation at stake, as well as her sister’s, Abigail would do anything to keep her blackmailer from talking. But, once she gets to know Guy, she wants to help him. Can Abigail do that without letting him know about her past? Can she protect her sister?

I am going to start this review with a trigger warning. There are several explicit scenes of child abuse. Guy endured emotional, physical, and psychological abuse that took years for him to get over. I went cold reading what he went through. Some people might think that the descriptions were too much, but I disagree. Those graphic scenes only showcased how strong he was. If you are triggered by child abuse, then do not read the book. Unfortunately, Guy’s abuse is a significant part of his character and part of the plot.

Guy’s inability to read or write had me wondering. Did he have a form of dyslexia? Everything that was mentioned made me think that he did.

Whenever Guy remembered his childhood, I got tears in my eyes. He had cracked ribs at 7. He was forced to sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. He was dunked into wells. He was starved. He was beaten. All because he couldn’t read or write. My heart broke into smithereens every time he remembered something. I was thrilled that he had a secure support system when he was an adult. The support and love that he was denied as a child were there tenfold.

Abigail didn’t have a much better childhood. Her childhood wasn’t talked about until the latter half of the book. I was heartbroken when it was revealed where she came from. Then I got angry. When everything was explained, I understood why she decided to spy on Guy. She had Dora to protect.

Abigail and Guy had some serious chemistry going. From the minute she showed up, dripping wet, the sparks flew. I wasn’t too surprised when their chemistry exploded.

Their sex scenes were intense. I liked that Abigail wasn’t a shy virgin. She was able to look at Guy and not shrink from the size of his member. She was able to take intense pleasure from them having sex. I liked that Guy didn’t have to be gentle with her.

The main plotline, Guy’s disability and Abigail being sent there to spy on him, was well written. I liked that Guy went from being terrified that his disability would get out to not caring. He was willing to have someone else take over rather than have Patrick take over the estate.

I felt terrible for Abigail in this plotline. She was being blackmailed into doing something that she didn’t want to do. All she wanted to do was sketch the Ghost Orchid. Instead, she was forced to look for anything that would give Patrick leverage over Guy. It was a horrible position to be in.

I couldn’t stand Patrick. He was a slimy man who got what was coming to him. I wished that Kit did what he threatened earlier. It would have taken care of a lot of things.

I did figure out what Abigail’s secret was early in the book. The author dropped enough hints. But it wasn’t until Patrick saying something that it was confirmed.

I liked the end of Attracted to the Earl. I loved the note that Abigail got from her mother. The epilogue made me smile. I loved seeing them in a good place!!

I would give Attracted to the Earl an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is no language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Attracted to the Earl I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Realm by Alexandrea Weis

3.5 Stars

Publisher: Vesuvian Books

Date of publication: May 14th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction

Where you can find Realm: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Based on a true story.

When her homeland is conquered by the mighty Alexander the Great, Roxana—the daughter of a mere chieftain—is torn from her simple life and thrown into a world of war and intrigue.

Terrified, the sixteen-year-old girl of renowned beauty is brought before the greatest ruler the world has ever known. Her life is in his hands; her future his to decide.

Without formal education or noble blood, Roxana is chosen by the Greek conqueror to be his bride. Soon she comes to know profound happiness and unyielding desire in her warrior’s arms.

However, being the king’s consort comes at a heavy price. To survive her husband’s treacherous kingdom, she must endure continuous warfare, deadly plots, jealous rivals, victory-hungry generals, and the stigma of being a barbarian. Persian blood will keep her from claiming the grandest title of all—queen—but her reign will seal the fate of an empire.

History tells his story. This is hers.

My Review:

When I read the blurb for Realm, I was intrigued. Like everyone else, I have heard of Alexander the Great. I have watched movies made about his life. I have read books about his exploits. But I had never heard of Roxana. There were mentions of a beautiful Persian princess, but no details were given. So, when I read that this book was about that mysterious Persian princess, I needed to read the book. I am glad that I read it because I got an insight into what being a woman was like back in those times. I also got a great insight into what being the wife and consort of Alexander the Great was like too.

Realm was hard to read at times. I am not a shrinking violet when it comes to violence, but I couldn’t get past certain scenes. An example would be Roxana witnessing the execution of some of Alexander’s troops. I was disgusted by the description. I will never be able to look at elephants feet the same way again.

I did like Roxana at first. I liked how she handled Alexander from the moment she met him. She wasn’t afraid to back down. But, after he died, her spirit dimmed. She wasn’t outspoken enough, in my eyes. I mean, she was being used as a political pawn. All because she was the mother of Alexander’s child. She did regain some of her fire in the middle of the book. Only to lose it at the end. I was disappointed by that. I would have loved to see her fire present the entire book.

I liked how Alexander and Roxana’s relationship was allowed to go at its own pace. There was no Instalove, well at least on Roxana’s part. It took her a long time to develop feelings for Alexander.

I know that many marriages were common back in those days. I loved how the author chose to portray Roxana’s reaction to it. Loved it!!

Once Alexander died, the book became confusing and boring for me to read. I know that the author was following timelines and real events but still. It became a dry read for me. There were only so many assassinations, murders, and generals out for themselves that I could take. But, it did illustrate how trapped Roxana was. I couldn’t even imagine living as she did. After her son was born, she was on the run for seven years. I can’t even imagine doing that.

The end of Realm broke my heart. I knew what was going to happen and was hoping so bad that the author would put her spin on things. Of course, it didn’t happen, and my heart broke into tiny little pieces.

I would give Realm an Adult rating. There is sex. There is violence. There is no language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Realm. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Touch of Smoke by Karissa Laurel

5 Stars

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Date of publication: February 8th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, New Adult

Where you can find Touch of Smoke: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Three years ago, Rikki Albemarle watched her best friend die at the hands of a supernatural evil. Certain she was slated to be the next victim, Rikki fled her small Smoky Mountain hometown, vowing to never come back. Plagued by nightmares and knowing she’s the only one who believes Mina’s death was no accident, Rikki returns with hopes of finding answers and holding the killer accountable.

Rikki is convinced the key to unlocking the secret of Mina’s death lies with Owen Amir, the alluring young army vet who once claimed her heart. But the deeper Rikki digs into Owen’s past, the more she’s torn between the urgings of her heart and her memories of him on the night Mina died.

After falling further into the rabbit hole, Rikki lands at the feet of an ancient and powerful evil determined to finish what it started years before. To survive, she’ll have to make a decision: believe Owen is the monster she always feared he might be or trust him enough to stay and fight for a second chance at love.

My Review:

Touch of Smoke was a fantastic read. I don’t give 5-star reviews easily. A book has to capture my attention and keep it. I have to form a connection with both the male and female lead. Touch of Smoke hit all those and then some.

Touch of Smoke has a dual plotline. One takes place in the past and the other in the present. Usually, I don’t like that type of plotlines. In my experience, this type of plotlines generally gets me confused. Which in turns makes me lose interest in the book. In this case, though, the author was obvious when she was switching from the past to the present/the present to the past. She also did not give away what happened in the past. There were hints, but nothing prepared me for what happened. She also did a fantastic job of merging the two storylines mid-book. It was flawless.

The main plotline of Touch of Smoke centers around Erika (or Rikki), Owen and what happened that night her best friend, Mina, was killed. Rikki came back to town to face her demons, which meant that she had to face Owen and his role in what happened that night. When an ancient evil arrives in Evansville, Rikki needs to make a choice. Will she trust Owen and help him? Or will Rikki stand aside and let that evil destroy him? If she does help him, what will be the price that she pays?

I loved Rikki. She was a tough cookie. She was also the hardest working character that I have come across in a while. This woman worked two jobs while going to a community college. She was an EMT, and she worked in stable, cleaning stalls. I did think she was silly for pushing Owen away. I wanted to reach through the book and shake her. Her actions at the end of the book were amazing. And selfless.

I fell in love with Owen every time he showed up in the book. Who wouldn’t? He was an Army veteran who fell head over heels with Rikki. I loved that he didn’t push her into doing anything that she didn’t want to do. He let her set the bar for their relationship. He did have his secrets, though. I liked how the author revealed them.

The romance angle of Touch of Smoke was terrific. I loved seeing Owen and Rikki’s relationship evolve. It wasn’t Instalove (far from it). The author chose to have Owen and Rikki date and go from there. The scene where Rikki decides to throw caution to the wind was poignant. Mainly because of what happened a few days (at least I think it was a few days) later.

The fantasy angle of Touch of Smoke was terrific also. I liked how the author took the jinn myth and made it her own. I had no issue believing that jinns weren’t like Genie from Aladdin. Instead, they were out for themselves. The story that Owen tells about the boy, the ring and the jinn explains everything.

The end of Touch of Smoke broke my freaking hearts into little bits. Like I mentioned above, what Rikki did was selfless. I was ugly crying in the chapter after that. Of course, I liked how the author had Owen explain everything to Rikki in a story, including what he did after. But still. Ugly Crying. In the middle of the day. Enough said!!

I would give Touch of Smoke an Older Teen rating. There is sex (nothing graphic). There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Touch of Smoke. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

An Indigo Wind (The Four: Book 2) by Margaret Watson

An Indigo Wind (The Four Book 2) by [Watson, Margaret]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: May 14th, 2019

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Series: The Four

The Third Eye—book 1 (review here)

An Indigo Wind—book 2

Dark Matter—book 3

Red Dawn Rising—book 4

Where you can find An Indigo Wind: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Firefighter Gianna Fallon struggles to hide her unusual talents – especially her ability to control fire. But when she and Callan Doyle are tasked with taking down a compound creating warriors with superpowers, both will need every tool they possess.

Callan Doyle, surfer and former SEAL, hates what happened when he began receiving the mysterious injections that changed who he was. Still, he’ll use those changes to help destroy that compound.

But a powerful evil hides in plain sight in the compound, making their task more treacherous. As a net slowly surrounds them, can they neutralize the evil in the compound before the net pulls tight and evil eliminates them?

My Review:

I was excited when I read the blurb for An Indigo Wind. I was wondering who would be the next couple featured in The Four series. So, when I read that it was going to be Gianna and Callan (Cal), I was super psyched. Sparks flew between them in The Third Eye. Because of that, I was curious to see how their relationship was going to progress.

I liked Gianna. I was fascinated by her ability to control fire. Forget her superhuman strength; I liked that she could control fire. I was also intrigued that her fire manifested with her emotions. Any strong feelings and flames would appear on her hands. I also liked her super hearing. It helped her in more than one situation.

She was a born mutant. I do wish that the author had gone more into how she discovered her powers. There was an explanation about it manifesting when she went through puberty. An example was given about when she was lighting a magazine on fire. Other than that, nada. I would have loved to know how Gianna knew she had powers.

I liked Cal. For a former surfer, he didn’t give that laid back “brah” attitude that most have. If he hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have known that he surfed before joining the SEALS. I was fascinated with his ability to teleport. He was able to go anywhere. What I liked, even more, was that he was able to take people. Usually, if teleportation is mentioned, the person couldn’t take people.

Cal kept insisting that he was a made mutant, but I wondered. It wasn’t until the middle of the book that Cal admitted that he had powers before getting injected with Jack’s blood. He had an affinity with water. Jack’s blood gave him the ability to teleport, increased his affinity with water, and gave him the ability to control the weather. I did feel bad for Cal, though. He felt violated because of how he got his powers.

Cal and Gianna’s romance started slow but morphed into something hot. The sex scenes were out of this world!! I will say that I liked what happened when fire and water mixed. Not saying much on this but I will say that the title of the book is appropriate!!

I liked how the storyline from The Third Eye progressed. Enough was revealed and explained in An Indigo Wind that made me excited for Dark Matter. I have a feeling that I know how the next pairing will be and I can’t wait.

I do have to mention Rickart. All I will say is that I have a feeling that he is about to become a significant player in the remaining books. I am not going to say much more than that.

An Indigo Wind is not a stand-alone book. You need to read The Third Eye before reading this book. If you do read The Third Eye, read the epilogue. It explains a lot.

The end of An Indigo Wind was satisfying. I am not going to get into it, but I was surprised by what happened. It set up book three perfectly.

I would give An Indigo Wind an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence. I would reccomend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread An Indigo Wind. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Have you read An Indigo Wind?

What are your thoughts on it?

Let me know!!

The Night Window (Jane Hawk: Book 5) by Dean Koontz

The Night Window: A Jane Hawk Novel by [Koontz, Dean]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of publication : May 14th, 2019

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Series: Jane Hawk

The Bone Farm—Book 0.5

The Silent Corner—Book 1 (review here)

The Whispering Room—Book 2 (review here)

The Crooked Staircase—Book 3 (review here)

The Forbidden Door—Book 4 (review here)

The Night Window—Book 5

Where you can find The Night Window: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book synopsis:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz brings Jane Hawk’s one-woman war to an explosive climax as the rogue FBI agent wages her final battle against a terrifying conspiracy–for vengeance, for justice, and for humanity’s freedom.

Groundbreaking, wholly involving, eerily prescient and terrifyingly topical, Dean Koontz’s Jane Hawk series sets a new standard for contemporary thrillers. Since her sensational debut in The Silent Corner, readers have been riveted by Jane Hawk’s resolute quest to take down the influential architects of an accelerating operation to control every level of society via an army of mind-altered citizens. At first, only Jane stood against the “Arcadian” conspirators, but slowly others have emerged to stand with her, even as there are troubling signs that the “adjusted” people are beginning to spin viciously out of control. Now, in the thrilling, climactic showdown that will decide America’s future, Jane will require all her resources–and more–as she confronts those at the malevolent, impregnable center of power.

My review:

I was excited when I saw that The Night Window was available for review. I was waiting for this book. I needed to see how Jane Hawk’s quest to bring down the Arcadian’s would end. And I wasn’t disappointed. This book was a fast-paced ride from beginning to end.

All the storylines were fast paced and well written. I had issues putting the book down, that is how into I got. I needed to find out if Jane was going to expose the Arcadians and reunite with her son. I needed to know if Tom was going to outwit Hollister. Also, let’s not forget the secondary storylines. Instead of distracting me from the storyline, they added to it. They added that little bit of extra depth to the book that was needed.

Jane, by far, was my favorite character in The Night Window. Her determination to protect her child and to expose the Arcadian’s came off the pages. She took more risks in this book. Her near misses with the Arcadian’s were incredible and nerve- wracking. I did feel bad for her, though. She was exhausted from all the running that she had to do. She wanted to be with her son. She wanted it to be over and justice for her husband.

I wanted to shake Vikram. He took a lot of risks to help Jane. Like going to Ricky and getting the modified RV. He made me nervous. But he was brilliant. It was that brilliance that kept them ahead of the Arcadians. It was also that brilliance that had him do what he did during the last chapters.

Warwick Hollister was one of the evilest characters that I have read to date. The glimpses of him that I got in the previous books didn’t prepare me for what was in this book. I shuddered every time he appeared in the book. But, I did enjoy his descent into madness. Without giving anything away, let’s say that he got paid back tenfold.

The Night Window was a perfect fit into the thriller genre. As with any of his books, Dean Koontz knows how to deliver a thriller. I was kept on edge the entire book. The build-up of that angle was fantastic.

The mystery angle wasn’t there for me. I wasn’t feeling it. The only time I even got a tiny bit of feel for it was when the Arcadians were chasing after Jane and Vikram. But even then, it was more of a thriller.

I loved the end of The Night Window. I did not expect it to go the way it did. But, in hindsight, it was the only way. The author did what few do. The author did what few do — showing what happens after the fact. It was also a fitting ending to the series.

I would give The Night Window an Adult rating. There is no sex (but there are references to sexual situations). There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Night Window. I would recommend this book to family and friends.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

I would like to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Night Window.

All opinions stated in this review of The Night Window are mine.

Have you read The Night Window?

What were your thoughts on it?

Do you think that something like the Hamlet List could exist?

Let me know!!

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