Tag: book 1

Mage of Legend (Dragon Highlands: Book 1): A Kal’brath Novel by Jennifer Amriss

Mage of Legend (An M/M Gay Fantasy Romance): A Kal'brath Novel

Title: Mage of Legend

Author: Jennifer Amriss

Publisher: Magelight Press

Date of publication: February 3rd, 2017

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, LBGTQIA

POV: 3rd person

Number of pages: 352

Series: Dragon Highlands

Mage of Legend – Book 1

Kal’brath Novels

Race Against the Dark – Book 1 (review here)

Healing Wounds – Book 2 (review here)

Twilight’s Children – Book 3 (review here)

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes, the first book in the Dragon Highlands series

Where this book can be found: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Dimensional Rifters Were Nothing But Legends.
Until now…

Ages ago, one of the old gods threw Minuvel, the last Ivari, into a dimensional prison. She was too powerful to kill and too dangerous to let roam free. But her vault was lost.

A Spoiled King and A Skilled Hunter.

After a beautiful stranger saves his life, Xastrian, the new Dragon King, owes Velithor a life-debt. But as the two join forces to battle the crazed Ivari who shares their prison, he discovers he wants so much more. Soul-bonding with the shy, resourceful hunter would be worth anything. Even facing death a second time.

Trapped and Hunted.

Xastrian must rely on Velithor’s knowledge of the forest. Velithor must help Xastrian regain his power. And one of them must tap into the magic of legend to become a dimensional rifter before the Ivari drives Xastrian mad and ruins their chances of ever finding their way home.
Reading Order

Mage of Legend
Lurir: Going Home (Short Story)- COMING SOON!
*Dragon Court- COMING SOON!

Dragon Highlands Book 1.

This side duology to the Kings of Kal’brath series is set in the same universe where Mother, the sentient planet, cradles the races of three parallel worlds: Adradis of the elves and other magical races where the continent of Kal’brath resides, Earth of the magicless humans, and Morka of the magic-negating bashkai. If you loved the Kal’brath books, this duology brings back Velithor for more fun, romance, and gripping adventure.

These light fantasy romps are sure to be favorites you will want to read again and again.

Please note that this is book contains an M/M (Gay) Fantasy Romance subplot.

Want to know the reading order for the entire universe? Here you go!

1. Race Against the Dark (Kings of Kal’brath Pilot) [Het]
2. Healing Wounds: Mother Book One (Kings of Kal’brath 2) [Het]
3. Twilight’s Children: Mother Book Two (Kings of Kal’brath 3) [Het]
4. Mage of Legend (Dragon Highlands 1) [Gay]
5. Lurir: Going Home (Dragon Highlands Short) [Clean]
6. Dragon Court (Dragon Highlands 2) [Gay]

My review:

I was so excited when Jennifer contacted me to let me know that not only did she have another Kal’brath novel coming out and it was going to have Velithor in it, I was super excited. I didn’t come out and squeal like a teenager at a boy band concert but it was pretty close.

I am going to admit, I wasn’t a fan of Xastrian at first. He takes off after an assassination attempt (hello, an unknown person wanting to kill you!!) to practice his magic, which he isn’t very good at and not only did he end up blasting the area he was in (with everything in it) in between dimensions but he also almost died. After Velithor saves him, he acts like a spoiled brat. There were times I wanted to smack him. But he did start to grow on me. Slowly but he grew on me. By the end of the book, I really liked him.

Velithor, oh Velithor. I was so happy to see that he had a love interest that worshipped him. I actually cried a few times in the book. Once when Niral died saving him from the harpies (which, btw were not what I thought they would look like. WoW totally ruined that for me…..lol). Once when the mama grizzly died, leaving the cubs orphans and once when Velithor explained why he has white hair and Xastrian told him that he should feel cherished. Ahhhh…waterworks.

The sex scenes between Velithor and Xastrian were beyond hot and so sweet. The feelings between both of them just came off the pages and to be honest, it made the sex even sweeter to read. What I really liked, though, was that they had sex twice. The rest of the time, it was them making out and letting their feelings grow between each other.

The storyline involving Minuvel was awesome. She was a witch with a capital B and didn’t fail to pull out all the stops when he flat-out told her no. I was neutral about her at first (I mean, I would be little witchy if locked in a prison for as long as she was) but when she tortured Xastrian in the tunnels, I hated her. But she did get what was coming to her so I felt vindicated.

The storyline with the sithak was interesting. Mainly because how he was connected to both Velithor and Xastrian. I wasn’t expecting to like him that much or for him to actually care about them both. From the last book, I thought that he was a monster and I am glad that my image of the sithak was changed. I hope that he makes appearances in other books!!

The end of the book was pretty open-ended. I do have some questions that I hope will be answered in the next book. Like how will a certain engagement end up? And who is the assassin? Will the cubs stay with Velithor and Xastrian?

How many stars will I give Mage of Legend? 4

Why: I really liked this book. I couldn’t put this book down. I had to find out if Xastrian and Velithor defeat Minuvel and escape the prison. I couldn’t put the book down and finished it within a day and a half. It was that good.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and violence

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

The Devil’s Library: The Windhaven Chronicles by Waston Davis

The Devil's Library (The Windhaven Chronicles) by [Davis, Watson]

Title: The Devil’s Library

Author: Watson Davis

Publisher: Unknown

Date of publication: February 8th, 2017

Genre: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy

POV: 3rd person

Number of pages: 283

Series: The Windhaven Chronicles

The Devil’s Library – Book 1

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes, the first book in series

Where you can find this book: Amazon | Goodreads

Amazon synopsis:

A Rogue, A Renegade, and a Treasure Beyond Belief

Gartan finds a map to a treasure across the sea, and he decides he must have it. He plots and plans and refuses to be denied the greatest raid in history, even if he has to face down two of the greatest empires in the world.

And then the dragon arrives.

In this action-packed sword and sorcery novel of The Windhaven Chronicles, Watson Davis tells a tale of pride and greed, of magic beyond comprehension, and creatures beyond belief.

Buy it today.

My review:

As most of you know by now, if you have followed my reviews on Amazon or reading my blog long enough, I am a huge fan of anything in the dark fantasy genre. So when I was approached by Watson Davis to review this ARC, I jumped at the chance and I wasn’t disappointed.

Gartan, the Onei leader, reminded me of a 3-year-old. Very impulsive, selfish and prone to just doing what he wanted without thinking of the consequences. He drove me nuts for about half the book and I seriously wanted to smack him at times. Around the middle of the book, after the battle with the kraken, he started turning around for me. I believe it was when he kept Dyuh Mon from drowning after the kraken destroyed the boat he was on.

On the other hand, Tethan, Gartan’s son, the exact opposite of him. He spoke Shiran, so was able to communicate with about almost everyone that they came into contact with….not that it did any good with Gartan just killing them. He was against Gartan’s quest (following a map on human skin to a great prize….sounds like a good time (sarcasm here). But like a good son, he followed his father into battle. Hell, he even killed a dragon, earning the respect of the clans and his father.

I didn’t trust Dyuh Mon when he first appeared in the book. I don’t know if it was because you could tell that he was lying or his pointy teeth or what but he rubbed me the wrong way. For someone who used to be the Librarian for the Eternal Council, he was a weak little thing and he was more than happy to let Gartan do his dirty work for him. I did feel vindicated at the end of the book about my feelings for him (want to know what, read the book).

There are so many secondary characters that this post would be taken over. When I say I got very upset when some of these characters died (like Nohel), I am not lying. Normally, the secondary characters are flat and two-dimensional. These are not and they add so much to the story.

I will say that I liked the take on the magic users in this book. They were not all good, they used their magic in battle and they killed people with it. Which was utterly refreshing to read. Listen, I am all for magic being used for good with hearts and sparkles everywhere. But sometimes, you need to have magic that can blow a head off or explode a person.

I did get a laugh out of the book. Sorry, but I was gigglesnort laughing at the description of a honking kraken. For some reason, I had the image of a very angry goose…..lol.

I will also warn everyone, there is a lot of violence in this book. The Onei are barbarians and they definitely act like it. Between people getting blasted by magic, attacked by a mind-controlled dragon and getting killed in raids or by ships being attacked, the violence was through the roof and it was bloody. Now, it didn’t bother me any but it might bother someone who hates any type of violence.

I will say that the Gartan/Dyuh Mon storyline, once it merged, did surprise me at the end. I was not expecting what happened to happen. I don’t want to give too much of that away but the chick that was freed…….she was creepy.

The end of the book was pretty open and I really wasn’t surprised at by what I read. The way the book was set up at the end, though, would make a great intro to book 2.

How many stars will I give The Devil’s Library: 4

Why: I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters were well written and very 3 dimensional. I also liked the fact that magic wasn’t fluffy and cute in this book. It was used for good and bad. While the violence portrayed in the book didn’t bother me, it might bother other people who are sensitive to it.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes but with a warning about the violence

Age range: Adult

Why: Violence

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

A Cunning Plan (Sloane Harper: Book 1) by Astrid Arditi

A Cunning Plan (Sloane Harper Book 1)

Title: A Cunning Plan

Author: Astrid Arditi

Publisher: Self Published

Date of publication: November 11th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Mystery, Thriller

Number of pages: 378

POV: 1st person

Series: Sloane Harper

A Cunning Plan – Book 1

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes, 1st book

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

The First Sloane Harper Novel
Determined to put her family back together, Sloane Harper stalks her ex-husband and his annoyingly stunning mistress, Kate Stappleton. But she’s not the only one. Handsome IRS agent Ethan Cunning is surveying Kate too, but for entirely different reasons. He is attempting to nail Kate’s playboy boss. Ethan and Sloane decide to help each other, which sends Sloane’s wobbly life spinning out of control. She’ll have to face danger, humiliation, and – scariest of all – the dating scene, to lure her daughters’ father home. Losing control was the best thing to happen to Sloane…until it turned lethal.

My review:

I am going to come straight out and admit this, I didn’t think I would like A Cunning Plan by what I read in the synopsis <hangs head>. What I didn’t expect was the humor that was in the book. I wasn’t expecting to laugh as much as I did.

I actually felt very bad for Sloane in the first few chapters of the book. She was blindsided by her divorce and refused to accept it. She had the mindset that her divorce was only temporary and that her husband will eventually come back and remarry her. I actually wanted to hug her during that part of the book. It was so sad to read. But, once Ethan began his campaign to get her to do his dirty work (get into for Gabriel Varela) for him, the book took off.

Tom, Sloane’s ex, was a huge jerk and I really wanted to punch him. He knew that Sloane wanted him back and he kept stringing her along. To be honest, I couldn’t stand how he treated her. Like she was beneath him. Always laughing at her when she would trip or make a mistake. When Sloane decided to start living her life instead of waiting for him, in other words…dating, he freaked out. Hardcore freaked out. I think I said out loud during that point of the book “Can’t have your cake and eat it to sweetpea”.

Ethan Cunning, oh where do I begin with him. I had a love/hate relationship with him, like Sloane. He kinda did creep me out with all the stalking he did. I mean, he showed up everywhere Sloane was and it was freaky. But, in a way, Sloane was getting hers for stalking Tom’s mistress/new girlfriend. I also didn’t like how he could change in a minute. When he called Sloane desperate (all because he was jealous of her dating Gabriel), I wanted to reach through the book and smack him. Hard.

I loved the friendship that Sloane had with Claudia. It was one of the most honest ones in the book and oh boy, did Claudia not hold back. She was brutally honest and did not hold back of her dislike for Tom (which made me love her even more). She truly had Sloane’s best interests at heart and she was truly a best friend to Sloane.

The relationship Sloane had with her mother, Bizzy, was very complicated. To be honest, I did think was very selfish in taking advantage of her mother for 6 months but then again, I didn’t think it was selfish. Bizzy was not a great mother….always putting Sloane down, buddying up to Tom and harping on Claudia. Plus, she was always drinking her “lemonade” and was always half lit. The whole day after a binge with Claudia was hilarious.

What I liked the most about this book was that Sloane cherished her children and Tom was a great father, even if he was a jerk in every other area of his life. They made a united front to co-parent as peacefully as possible for Rose and Poppy. I will say that the highlight of this book was the horse/whore conversation and its after-effects. I couldn’t breathe, I was laughing so hard.

The storylines of A Cunning Plan were great. I couldn’t decide if I was Team Ethan or Team Gabriel for most of the book but I can tell you that I was most definitely not Team Tom. I do like that Sloane’s super secret spy mission did get results, even if it did go a little haywire (well, a lot haywire). I do have some questions that needed to be answered (what about Alina and Sloane’s friendship? Will it survive what happened?) but I am sure that it will be answered in the next book.

How many stars will I give A Cunning Plan: 4

Why: A very fast paced mystery that kept you guessing. Also a great look into how a woman blindsided by her divorce got her life and self-worth back.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Language and violence

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Her Valiant Dragon (Her Biker Dragon: Book 1) by A.J. Tipton

Her Valiant Dragon: A BBW Interracial Paranormal Romance (Her Biker Dragon Book 1) by [Tipton, AJ]

Title: Her Valiant Dragon

Author: A.J. Tipton

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Date of publication: June 1st, 2015

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Dragons

Number of pages: 90

POV: 3rd person

Series: Her Biker Dragon

Her Valiant Dragon – Book 1

Her Delicious Dragon – Book 2

Her Rock Star Dragon – Book 3

Her Hacker Dragon – Book 4

Her Alpha Dragon – Book 5

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes but I would recommend reading them in order

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Sexy dragon shifter Dylan Masters seeks redemption for his past by hunting for the Iron Claws, a motorcycle club of exiled dragons with an illicit agenda. When Dylan finally joins them, he is thrown into a new world of shady dealings and powerful enemies. Even in the midst of chaos, everything changes when he lays eyes on the Iron Claws’s brilliant Latina nurse, Marie.

Curvaceous Marie rides alongside the Iron Claws as their human medic, journeying from town to town dispensing magical remedies to those in desperate need. Experience has taught her to shield her heart, but when the dashing Dylan joins the club, she may have finally found a reason to let her guard down. But will her dangerous past cut her happiness short once more?

This adult novella includes naughty nurses, dramatic dragon brawls, and a passionate love that heals all wounds.

My review:

I know I have said this in past reviews, but A.J. Tipton is fast becoming one of my favorite paranormal/fantasy/romance/erotica writers. I was super excited to read the Her Biker Dragon series and I wasn’t let down. This series was fantastic and the books had me hooked. I think I devoured the series in 2 days.

Dylan was a hottie with a sad history. I can see why he wanted to join the Iron Claws and distribute Puff (by the way, love the play on wordage there….I was singing “Puff the Magic Dragon” in my head the entire series). He was an investigator and wanted to bring his skills to the club. His reaction, and his dragon’s, to Marie was great and I really like that he didn’t beat around the bush to get what he wanted.

Marie had an equally sad back story. She found out about Puff when Big Joe gave her some while she was dying of cancer in a hospital and she decided to join their cause. But there was also a far more sinister reason she was more than willing to go on the run with the Iron Claws as their medic (read the book!!).

The sex scenes between Dylan and Marie were hot, hot, hot. I was also pretty excited that I finally got a peek into the back room at AUDREY’s. I was a little let down, though. I thought it was going to be more interesting instead of being your standard backroom…lol. But still, the sex went there….haha.

The storylines were pretty simple. The Puff one wasn’t resolved by any means (even though there was a pretty awesome fight scene) but Marie’s was.

How many stars will I give Her Valiant Dragon: 4

Why: I enjoyed reading this short story. The storylines were great, the sex scenes were hot and I loved the dragon MC!!

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, language, and violence

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Royal Scandal (Royals in Exile: Book 1) by Marquita Valentine

Royal Scandal (Royals in Exile, #1)

Title: Royal Scandal

Author: Marquita Valentine

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: January 24th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 176

POV: Alternating 1st person

Series: Royals in Exile

Royal Scandal – Book 1

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Forced to flee to the United States with his siblings after their parents’ assassination, Crown Prince Colin Sinclair takes it upon himself to become the caretaker of his family while hiding out near Charlotte, North Carolina. But after a decade in hiding, the secret’s out and Parliament demands that Colin wed a princess of their choosing. Unwilling to play their game, Colin decides to marry an American instead, and he has the perfect candidate in mind.

As a home-service professional, Della Hughes doesn’t believe in storybook endings. But when her best friend and secret crush reveals that he’s a flesh-and-blood prince, she doesn’t know what to think. Still, she’ll do anything for Colin, including becoming his wife—in name only, of course. But when their plans to stay purely platonic go by the wayside, their fake honeymoon turns all too real. After a week of white-hot nights, Della can no longer deny her feelings—not with a happily ever after so tantalizingly close.

My review:

Colin Sinclair’s parents, they were assassinated by a rebel faction in their home country, the Isle of Man. Almost immediately after they were killed, Colin and his siblings were exiled from their kingdom by that country’s Parliament. Where were they exiled too? America, more exactly a suburb one hour outside of Charlotte. Which is a pretty crappy thing to do to two teenagers, two tweens, a toddler and an infant.

Colin meets Della during an angry confrontation over him evicting her family from their cottage on the grounds where Colin’s house is. After realizing that he might have signed the papers without looking at them (and possibly being sleep deprived), he apologizes to Della and tells her that her family can stay indefinitely. During this time, Della meets Pierce and Aiden and falls in love with them.

Fast forward 10 years,

Della and Colin have become best friends (and each is harboring a secret crush on one another) and are co-raising Colin’s brothers, Pierce and Aiden. Della doesn’t know that Pierce and Aiden are Colin’s brothers. Even more, Colin hasn’t come clean that he is royalty. Actually, any of his family, to be honest. Imogene, his sister, is the Queen with Charlotte, Theo, Pierce, and Aiden as Princes. Della just thinks that Colin is a suave businessman who goes to London, a lot.

Colin is summoned to London by Prime Minister Davies, a nasty old man who is the head of the Parliament of Colin’s kingdom. He has news regarding their exile (which Colin has been tirelessly petitioning to lift it) and needs Colin to fly into London ASAP. When he goes to the meeting, he gave a proposal. Their exile will be lifted if he A) marries a woman of their choosing and B) Parliament crowns him as King. Bit of a side note, this is a matriarchal rulership. There has always been a Queen… never a King.

Colin decides to take matters into his own hands regarding who he is going to marry. He refuses to be pushed into a marriage like his grandmother and mother and he refuses to let the Parliament push him around anymore. He decides that he is going to tell Della who he is and then ask her to marry him.

The sex between Colin and Della seemed forced and I saw no connection between them, sexually. Not that it wasn’t hot, because they were flaming hot. Maybe it was because I thought that there was really no attraction. We had no build up. No flirting. Just, getting married and hopping into bed.

I did like Colin a lot. From the minute his parents died, he assumed responsibility for his brothers and sisters and he started working on getting their exile repealed. At only 19. Of course, he had Beaumont, Tressie, and Della helping him. But still.

I liked Della too. She was sweet, sassy and loved Colin for who he was, not who he is (if that makes sense).

There were a couple of plot twists that took me by surprise and I thought I had figured out one but there was more to it and I was genuinely surprised. The other plot twist, which was revealed around the same time as the other one, kinda blew my mind. Not what I expected.

The ending was what I expected, with everything wrapped up neatly with a bow. And I loved the epilogue, that was 5 years later. Made me all teary eyed. I honestly can’t wait to read the rest of the books.

How many stars will I give Royal Scandal: 3

Why: I loved the book but I felt that the dialogue was stilted and the romance between Colin/Della seemed very forced. The book did lag in the middle but the author did recover nicely. Overall, a nice book that would be perfect for the beach/pool.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

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

Curse Breaker: Enchanted (Curse Breaker Saga: Book 1) by Melinda Kucsera

Curse Breaker: Enchanted: [The More Epic Version] by [Kucsera, Melinda]

Title: Curse Breaker: Enchanted

Author: Melinda Kucsera

Publisher: Self-published

Date of publication: September 27th, 2016

Genre: Fantasy

Number of pages: 565

Series: Curse Breaker Saga

Curse Breaker: Enchanted – Book 1

Stars and Angel’s Sing – Novella

Standalone – First book, so yes

Where you can find this book – Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Secrets threaten, but magic kills.
Plagued by sanity-twisting magic, Sarn must unravel a deadly mystery. But he’s prevented at every turn because his life is not his own. Haunted by one of the victims, Sarn must find out what happened before the ghost drives him mad. As plans collide beneath ensorcelled boughs, one thing is certain. If Sarn can’t get his magic under control, he’ll never discover why enchanted trees committed murder. How far is he willing to go to find the answer? The search might cost more than his sanity. Exposing the truth might claim his life and destroy the secrecy protecting his son from a killer. Something lurks in the enchanted forest and its sights are set on Sarn and the magic in his blood. First, in a new series, Curse Breaker: Enchanted is a fast-paced, character-driven fantasy tale with a murderous twist. Sarn’s story unfolds over three action-packed days in his double life leading to a breathtaking finale.

My review:

Curse Breaker: Enchanted starts off Sarn hurrying through a crowded tunnel in the mountain fortress in which he lived. He was going to be late to his job and was cutting through an area that indentured servants were not allowed access. Indentured meaning slave. In this world, debts didn’t go away when parents died. Their children inherited them and if they couldn’t afford to pay them, then they became indentured servants until the debt is paid off.

Sarn, though, is a different case. To get his brother a chance to get out of the mountain fortress, he indentured himself to a very influential politician for 4 years. The time that it would take his brother to complete his classes and get into a university. The politician greed. In a few months, his brother will be graduating and Sarn will be a free man, he hopes.

See, Sarn is also something else. He is a mage and his magic manifests through his eyes. So they glow a luminous green. He has kept his magic a secret from everyone but his masters’, owner and his family. So, as he is hurrying through the crowd, he is doing so with his eyes shut and using a map that is generated by his magic in his head.

He eventually decides to take a turn and ends up on a balcony….where he senses that someone died in the enchanted forest. His magic wants out but after a struggle, Sarn is able to push it back down. Sarn decides that if he wants to meet with his masters on time, that he needs to jump off the balcony to the balcony below.

There, he is met by Gregori. Gregori is part of the Rangers….who Sarn works for as part of his indentured servant deal. He is blindfolded and brought back to the Ranger stronghold.  Before they get there, they are met by Nolo, one of Sarn’s masters and they make haste to the enchanted forest. Once at the enchanted forest, he passed through the barrier that was erected and was taken by one of the trees that patrolled the forest. He was taken to a murder site….where the ghost of a child attached itself to him. He is upset to find out that the trees allowed the murder of a child inside its woods. He also keeps hearing the phrase eam’meye erator and seeing symbols flash across his eyes. Symbols that he has no idea what they mean.

He is met by Nolo at the murder site and Nolo is shaken to see how much Sarn is affected by seeing a dead child. He thought that it is because of something that happened in Sarn’s past. See, Sarn was found half-frozen in a snow bank with his younger brother 6 years earlier. He was sent to work in the mines, with his brother, and was caught in a cave-in. Only he and his brother were saved…..because of his eyes. Sarn was sent to live in an orphanage, where he was severely abused by the Headmaster. He ran away, with Miren, his brother, time and time again to the Rangers and he was returned 5 times. The last time, though, the Headmaster was caught and a severely injured Sarn was nursed back to health. After the execution of the Headmaster, he indentured himself to the politician and the rest was history. It was Nolo who would send Sarn back and it was Nolo who finally discovered the abuse. Nolo feels extremely guilty over what happened, as do the Rangers who had seen what happened.

So when Sarn starts breaking down in the forest, Nolo starts to go to him. But, as he does that, the Queen of All Trees shows up. She takes a hold of Sarn and starts to read his mind. She is upset because Nolo (who she refers to as the Painted Man) hasn’t healed Sarn and he was still broken on the inside. If he isn’t fixed, his magic will expand and kill him. She refers to Sarn as the Child of Magic. While trying to bind him to her, she finds that he is tied to the mountain. Looking through his memories, she finds out something that surprises her. Sarn has a son. The child of a loophole, who shouldn’t statistically be alive and who will be watched closely as he grew into his magic. Troubled by what she has seen and by two deaths that she must prevent (if Sarn died before his son turned seven, then his son would die with him), she released Sarn and goes on her way.

What will happen to Sarn and his son? Will Sarn come to terms with his past? Will he figure out why the ghost child was killed in the forest and why the trees killed his murderers? Will he gain control of his magic? Will he learn to trust anyone outside of his brother and son?

This is just a taste of what this book has to offer. If you want to learn more….read the book!!!

****************************************

I really, really liked this book but it did take me a long time to get into it. The book starts off very slow and stays slow until about 50% of the book. But after that, the book picked up the pace. Now, I am not saying that I didn’t like that the book was slow in the beginning. Just the opposite, I loved it. The character and world building were phenomenal. The glimpses you got into Sarn’s past, but not by him…by others who were involved, was heartbreaking.

I did like Sarn. He is doing the best to raise his son and his brother by himself. He believes that he couldn’t go to the Rangers for help because they would separate him from his son…..because he thinks that they consider him mentally deficient. He does have a chip on his shoulder but if you were abused and kept running to people who you thought would help and they kept returning you to your abuser…..wouldn’t you have a huge chip too. Plus, he has his best friend, Shade, to deal with. Shade, who once protected him, has turned to drugs and is no longer reliable as a friend. Which pains Sarn to no end.

Of all the Ranger’s, I could not stand Gregori and I was so happy when his wife laid him out. Gregori had tests that he put Sarn through. All consisted of Gregori kidnapping Sarn, dropping him in a remote area and seeing if he came back. When I read that, I was like “WTH”???

I loved the Queen of All Trees. She was such a huge presence in this book and so feared by everyone….including Sarn. But she was creepy too. I mean, she was a huge walking tree that just showed up places and would call to Sarn to try to get him to come out to the enchanted forest. But, she also held a piece to the mystery of the ghost child….so I can see why she was trying to get Sarn to go out there. Still, creeped me out a little.

The end of the book was great and most of the storylines were wrapped up in very satisfying ways. The author did a great job setting up for book 2 and the epilogue….well I am very curious about where that goes.

How many stars will I give Curse Breaker: Enchanted: 4

Why: This is a wonderfully written book. While it starts off slow, it does pick up speed in the middle of the book. The characters are wonderfully fleshed out and the plot is very engaging.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age Range: Young Adult

Why: Violence. No sex or language. Very clean.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden

The Bear and the Nightingale: A Novel (Winternight Trilogy Book 1) by [Arden, Katherine]

5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine, Del Ray

Date of publication: January 10th, 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Winternight Trilogy

The Bear and the Nightingale—Book 1

The Girl in the Tower—Book 2

The Winter of the Witch—Book 3

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Winter lasts most of the year at the edge of the Russian wilderness, and in the long nights, Vasilisa and her siblings love to gather by the fire to listen to their nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil.

Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village.

But Vasya’s stepmother only grows harsher, determined to remake the village to her liking and to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or a convent. As the village’s defenses weaken and evil from the forest creeps nearer, Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed—to protect her family from a threat sprung to life from her nurse’s most frightening tales.

My review:

The book starts on a late winter night in northern Rus’ (Russia) in Pytor Vladimirovich’s house. Dunya and the children were gathered around the oven. Dunya was about to tell the children a folktale about the frost-demon, the winter-king Karachun, when their mother, Marina, came in and joined in listening. Pytor was outside, assisting a ewe in giving birth. When he came in, Marina told him her news. She was expecting another child. This child would be like her mother, who was known as a witch-woman and had mysterious powers. She could tame animals, dream the future and summon rain. Pytor was worried about the news. Marina wasn’t a young woman, and he was afraid that she wouldn’t be strong enough for birth.

He was right. Marina died shortly after giving birth to Vasilisa (Vasya), and what she predicted came true. Vasya was a headstrong, willful, and almost feral. She also inherited her grandmother’s powers.

When she was six years old, she got lost in the forest outside her house and came upon an older man sleeping in the roots of a tree. Thinking that she could wake him up and he would know the way to her father’s house, she shook him. Only to find out that he is a hideously disfigured man. One eye was missing, with the socket sewn shut and with hideous scars on that side of her face. Still, she invites him back to her house if he can take her home. Then a genuinely supernatural thing happens, as she goes to take this stranger’s hand, a man on a white horse comes thundering to where they were, makes the older man go back to sleep and frightens Vasya, who ends up being found by Sascha, her beloved older brother.

After that escapade that Pytor decides to head to Moscow and get a wife for himself. He takes Sasha and Kolya with him. While he was there, he meets a mysterious stranger who gives him a beautiful jewel and tells him to hold on to it until Vasya gets older. If he doesn’t, this strange man will come after and kill Kolya.

Pytor does find a wife while in Moscow. His late wife’s half brother’s daughter, who sees demons and is classified as mad by her father, stepmother, and servants. Anna is her name, and she becomes my least favorite person in the book. After discovering that Vasya can talk to the household spirits and non-household spirits, Anna would beat her to get her repent. Not that it did any good. Vasya only became more feral, more headstrong.

When Vasya turns fourteen, a new priest is sent to her village since the old one has died. Anna begs the Metropolitan to send a new one, and they did. A young priest named Konstantin Nikonovich, who is considered somewhat of an upstart, is sent there to straighten him out. Anna is thrilled because he is driving out the demons (aka the household spirits) that she sees. Vasya, not so much, and she resorts to leaving offerings for them where her stepmother can’t see them or in rooms where she doesn’t go.

It is during that time that the mysterious man makes an appearance in Dunya’s dream, and he demands that she give Vasya the necklace. Dunya makes a bargain with him to wait another year to give it to her. In that year, everything that can go wrong does go wrong.

I loved Vasya. She was a spunky girl who called it like it was and wasn’t afraid to stand up to anyone or anything. I did think, at one point, that her spunkiness was going to get her killed, but it didn’t.

The end of the book is a must-read. It was fantastic. The very end of the book, though, is what got me, and it made me smile.

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

I would reread The Bear and The Nightingale. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

The Keeper (Crossing Realms Series: Book 1) by Rebecca E. Neely

The Keeper (Crossing Realms Book 1) by [Neely, Rebecca E.]

4 Stars

Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing

Date of publication: April 27th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Suspense

Series: Crossing Realms

The Keeper – Book 1

The Watcher – Book 2

The Betrayer—Book 3

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Nick Geary, jaded clan leader of human guardians, the Keepers, is doomed to love a human woman who’s forgotten him, time after time, for thirteen years: Libby Klink, a skittish accountant who’s as terrified of her recent and strange intuitions as she is of her mundane existence.

When Nick is ordered by the clan’s guiding force to seek Libby’s help in defending the clan against enemy Betrayers, romance sizzles as the pair forms an unlikely alliance in their desperate search to discover the key to the clan’s salvation–which Libby alone holds.

But a haunting secret could cost Nick everything, and in a race against time, both will be forced to choose between their hearts and duty. Can their love, and the clan, survive, or will the very forces that drew them together ultimately destroy them?

My review:

A mysterious group is meeting on the top of a mountain to discuss specific events. Events that could be disastrous to their people if not stopped. The only way to stop/change the events is to set in motion a series of events that could help them or could mean the end of their people.

Meanwhile

Libby Klink is stuck in the mother of all traffic jams, late for work, and about to have a massive panic attack. She has severe anxiety about driving because of the accident she was in when she was 12. That accident killed her mother. Not only that, but she is smelling different scents around people, and she is having dreams about people that she doesn’t know. She also is still recovering from the death of her father six months before. To put it mildly, she’s a mess.

As she inches along the highway, she notices a man walking down the highway, looking into cars. Looking for someone, and he is heading in her direction. When he gets to her car, not only does he know her first and last name, but he seems vaguely familiar. Lowering her passenger side window, he says that he is unarmed, and when she asks who he is, says his name is Nick Geary and that he needs to talk to her. Knowing her name freaks her out, so she lays on the horn. That attracts the attention of the guy in the truck in front of her.

While she is staring at Nick, she experiences something like a day-dream that involves her father and a fishing trip that they had taken when she was younger. She blinks, comes to the present, sends her would-be rescuer away, and lets Nick into her car.

They drive to Nick’s truck, where he tells her that he needs her help but can’t tell her what because he doesn’t know. Then he tells her to get into the car, which she refuses to do. It is when Nick tells her that her life might be in danger and explains a few things that she gets into the truck

Nick explains that he is a Keeper, and he protects humans like Libby from these evil guys called Betrayers. Betrayers feed off of human weaknesses and Keepers Vitality (a stone that they wear around their necks). He validates everything that he said by telling her of the memory of her father she had in her car. He promises to protect her; she believes him and gets into the truck.

As Nick and Libby have that conversation and Nick are taking Libby to his parent’s house, the bad guy is introduced. His name is Haenus Vickery. He is wondering why Nick was protecting Libby and wants to know what her deal is. As he walks, he remembers his mate, Genevieve, who I am going to assume died at some point in his past, and he is thinking out the details of the next step in the war against the Keepers. Haenus is hoping to overthrow them, somehow, so that fear and hopelessness reigned.

Nick explains more of what a Keeper does as they drive to his parents. He shares that his cousin and best friend, Dev, died after a Betrayer got him alone and stole his vitality, last week. Nick explains that the Watchers, beings that live in another realm parallel to the humans, send things called Compulsions to the Keepers with who they are supposed to help. He explains that Keepers live in Clans and that they are all connected.

Then a weird thing happens. Nick and Libby are hit by a car and approached by a knife-wielding woman who is screaming that they cut her off. Seeing no choice, Nick cuts across the highway median to make his getaway. As they are driving the opposite direction, Libby is full of questions about Nick, and he does his best to answer them. It was during that conversation that both get a compulsion about a woman in trouble in an alley.

On their way to help her, Nick discovers that she can smell things, like the whiskey that the woman had been drinking. She confirms that and tells him that only since her father died that she has been able to smell things. Libby tells Nick that she wants to help him, and he says no. But she doesn’t listen and is forced into a confrontation with Haenus. As he is draining Nick, she hurts Haenus, and that makes him stop. Nick, before the encounter with Haenus, kisses Libby and finds out something startling. She isn’t what she seems to be.

This book was not what I thought it was going to be. I felt that it was going to be a thriller/suspense book. Not a romance/thriller/suspense, and it took me by surprise. I loved it!!!

I could relate to Libby. As someone who has pretty severe anxiety, I liked how she was portrayed. I liked how her taking medication wasn’t used as a crutch but explained that she needed it to do daily things. She was such a strong person, and I thought the author did a great job of bringing it out.

Nick was perfect for Libby, and I sincerely wish that he existed in real life. He waited 13 years and had to deal with her forgetting him every time he helped her, which sucked because he was head over heels for her. I do think that the way that they finally met was a tad weird (hello, middle of the freeway), and maybe the love angle was rushed. But when the end of your world is about to happen, you can’t wait for months.

Haenus was a bad dude. My mental image of him was like a vampire except that he could come out during the day. I did also have a smidge of sympathy for him because his wife died, but that quickly got swept away with how evil he was to Libby.

The sex between Nick and Libby was hot, and dare I say sweet? I have never said sex was sweet before, but this was, and I might have wept a little during it because of the feeling between both of them. As I said, I wish Nick was real.

The ending was PERFECT!!! I couldn’t have ended a book any better, and the author did a great job in setting up Dev’s story.

I would give The Keeper an Adult rating. There is 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 The Keeper. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

Alpha’s Heir (Bear Shifter Billionaire: Book 1) by A.J. Tipton

Alpha's Heir: A BBW Paranormal Romance (Bear Shifter Billionaire Book 1) by [Tipton, AJ]

4 Stars

Publisher: Savvy Storytelling LLC

Date of publication: February 12th, 2015

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Erotica

Series: Bear Shifter Billionaire

Alpha’s Heir – Book 1

Alpha’s Mates – Book 2

Alpha’s Domain – Book 3

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

A sexy billionaire controlled by his clan. A voluptuous chef who’s never felt good enough. Will they find the freedom that only love can bring?

Handsome billionaire shifter Orson has everything a man could want — money, looks, respect — except the power to control his own life. His father, the clan’s alpha, has arranged for Orson to marry a woman from another clan for strategic purposes, leaving him trapped in a life without passion. That is until he meets the curvy woman of his dreams…

Casey is a talented chef who dreams of having her own catering business. But the only real passion she’s been able to find is in giving people pleasure through the food she cooks.

When Orson invites Casey to his home, a misunderstanding gives way to a life-changing passion that could change both their lives. His freedom comes at a high price… but has Orson finally found a love that’s worth the cost?

Alpha’s Heir is a BBW paranormal romance novella in the “Bear Shifter Billionaire” series, a set of stand-alone stories that sizzle and satisfy. If you like steamy romance, drool-worthy cooking, and harrowing shifter battles, then you’ll love AJ Tipton’s breathtaking book.

My review:

Alpha’s Heir starts with Orson’s father, Nikolai, trashing his house after finding Orson in bed with a human woman. Nikolai looks down on Orson because, while he has padded the coffers for the clan. Nikolai keeps telling Orson that he had defeated the Alpha of the clan at his age and seems to think he is weak because he sells computer software. Nikolai is just waiting for the day that Orson breaks and challenges him, which Orson refuses to do.

Nikolai is also dead set on keeping the arranged marriage between Orson and Cleo, the Alpha of another clan. Both Cleo and Nikolai are dead set against marrying each other but cannot find a way out. That is until Orson meets Casey.

Casey works at a supernatural bar called Audrey’s as a waitress and has become friends with Audrey, the proprietor, and Lola, another waitress. Casey meets Orson one night after he wins the Shift Challenge (think of a Tough Mudder competition but for shifters). She talked to Lola and Audrey about the truck full of food that she has parked outside because someone canceled on her. Orson, overhearing her with his keen shifter hearing, follows her out and pays for the food.

Orson has always been attracted to Casey and was excited to find out that she doesn’t date. He starts fantasizing about her and well, starts pleasuring himself. Which is excellent but with a greasy fried chicken hand? All I can think of is the smell. Just think, cum and greasy chicken. Yum.

Anyways, Cleo walks in and talks to him about making a move on Casey and ending the engagement. Cleo thinks that he should challenge his father for Alpha, in two weeks. She also feels that he should make a move Casey.

Which he does.

The sex was hot, hot, hot. Orson and Casey were all over each other from the minute they were both undressed in Orson’s bedroom, and it just didn’t stop.

I couldn’t stand Nikolai. He came off as an abusive jerk who was a very sore loser. What I couldn’t understand was why he felt the need to trash Orson’s place every time he was there (mainly to break up sex and scare the humans). I felt, at the beginning of the book, that he was the ultimate cockblocker.

For a short story, this packed a lot of punch and I liked that there were really no other storylines except the Orson/Casey/Nikolai one. The one between Orson and Cleo was wrapped up rather early. I do have to say that I liked Cleo.

The end of the story was cute and perfect for the book.

I would give Alpha’s Heir an Adult rating. There is 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 Alpha’s Heir. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

The Hobgoblin Queen (Tales of Dovewood: Book 1) by Anna B. Madrise

5 Stars

Publisher: Black Quill Enterprises

Date of publication: August 21st, 2015

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Tales of Dovewood

The Hobgoblin Queen – Book 1

Wrath of the King – Book 2

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Mundane Bergamot is just a simple Kitchen Witch from Whistlestoppe Village who thinks that there is more to life than gardening and cooking up spells with her Aunt Dovie. While traveling to Bettelburghal she meets Javen, a mysterious Book Mage from Nettlespire, who gifts to her a most unusual magic book which triggers a visit from two very extraordinary adventurers. She learns from her newfound friends that they need her help to save them and their kind from a terrible fate. Through Javen’s gift, clues begin to reveal themselves that sets them on their quest. But the evil King Vezzen of New Taleggia has plans of his own for the elusive creatures that inhabit the mountains beyond Dovewood Forest. Where previous kings have failed, King Vezzen is determined to succeed and impatient for a new war that could elevate his name above all others. Now Mundane must see if she has what it takes to out-smart the wicked king, save her friends from the brink of extinction, and quite possibly lift the curse that binds them all to Dovewood Island.

My review:

The Hobgoblin Queen starts in the village of Whistlestoppe. Whistlestoppe is a village of Kitchen Witches, and the village is getting ready to celebrate Yule. They celebrated with a feast and with a bonfire in which they burn a large timber bird and call out to the four corners (North, South, East, and West). After flames consume the bird, the party begins.

At this party, Mundane Bergamot is sitting with her best friend, Absidee Valerian, and Absidee’s baby sister, Lottie. They are taking in the Yule feast and talking about crushes (mainly Absidee’s crush, Brason Vervain) and Mundane’s upcoming trip to the town of Bettelburghal to help her aunt’s friends sell their wares.

Mundane feels that something is missing from her life, and she can’t figure out what. While she loves Whistlestoppe, she is restless and wants to travel. She gets her chance when Henley and Gittel Lovage go to Bettelburghal. She would never move away from home. Her Aunt Dovie, who has raised her since she was 8, lives there plus all of her friends. Her mother died giving birth to her and her father died in a horrible accident at sea. Everything she knows and loves is in Whistlestoppe, and she could never leave for good.

The next day, she is getting ready to travel with the Lovages when Aunt Dovie gives her a beautiful green cloak for Yule. After saying goodbye to Aunt Dovie and traveling a little while, the Lovages decide to take a break and then take a different path to Bettelburghal. The way that they are going to take takes them to The Crossway (where all the roads to all the different areas meet). This is where Javen the Book Mage lives. Javen is one of the few survivors of war in the Book Mages ranks that happened at Nettlespire. That war almost wiped them out. Mundane is excited because she is going to meet a Book Mage finally.

By the time they reach The Crossway, it is night, and Javen is waiting for them. As Mundane is admiring Javen’s books, he gifts her with a blue, leather-bound book with the letter B on the cover. She doesn’t get to read right away. She fell asleep the first night, traveled through a snowstorm, and then was helping the Lovages unload their cart.

She notices chickens out at the stable and thinks that it is odd for them to be outside in a snowstorm. After a bath and her musing about how the seas around Dovewood were not allowing the residents to cross that she opened the book. And oh, boy, she was in for a surprise.

The book was full of blank pages that all of a sudden started to fill. A map of Dovewood appeared with all the cities drawn in extreme detail. Mundane is surprised to see that her treehouse is prominently featured, along with other features in other cities. On the map itself, there are X’s and arrows but no words. After taking her fill of the map, she turns the page, and a riddle appears on the next page. About the riddle, Mundane has no clue, but she does know one thing, she has a Goblin book. Goblins are creatures of myth in Dovewood, and no one in recent years has seen one.

The next day, Mundane puts in morning work. While working, she notices that the chickens from last night seem to follow her. Telling Gittel that she is tired, Mundane goes to her room to nap. As she approaches her room, the same two chickens run into her room and morph into two small men. They introduce themselves as Fickle and Frazzle, hobgoblins.

After getting over her shock of seeing hobgoblins up close, Mundane shows them the magic book that Javen gave her, and they reveal something significant. She is chosen to find the gems that were scattered by two brave hobgoblins, Guile and Grouse. She needs to put them in a necklace called the Simulacrum, and save the hobgoblins that were turned into Trow by their anger over being hunted by King Vezzen. The magic book that Javen gave Mundane was written for her and could be only for her. It is a lot for Mundane to take in, and she asks until before she leaves town to make up her mind if she is going to help them or not.

While Mundane is being told everything, King Vezzen is on an obsessive hunt to exterminate all hobgoblins and find their city. He believes that destroying the hobgoblins will lift the curse that keeps the island isolated, and he also wants the treasures that are in their mountains. He has become consumed by his obsession. He has a secret in the dungeon of his castle, a secret that could be the undoing of the hobgoblins. He also has enlisted the help of the only other Book Mage alive. That Book Mage is Lorcan, Javen’s brother.

Mundane makes up her mind to help the hobgoblins after reading a letter from her long-dead father. Her father was instrumental in making the Simulacrum and the gems that go with it.  After she arrives home, she discovers that her Aunt Dovie is also part of the plot to help the hobgoblins. Dovie sheds even more light on the hobgoblin saga. They come up with a plan to send Mundane out-of-town on an apprenticeship. That way, her going missing wouldn’t raise the suspicion of a mysterious spy in their midst.

With those plans in place, Mundane is off on her grand and dangerous adventure. Meanwhile, King Vezzen is getting more bloodthirsty and more obsessed with having enormous power over Dovewood. Will Mundane be able to gather all the gems in time? Or will King Vezzen succeed in getting what he wants?

I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did. From the names (Absidee gave me a big laugh) to the people to the adventure, it sucked me in. I couldn’t read enough of it. I also love that I can be very comfortable with my 11-year-old reading it!!

I felt a connection with Mundane. I loved how she looked for the positive in everything, even when she falls out of towers. Her commitment to the hobgoblins was impressive and touching.

I also connected to Fickle and Frazzle. They were fighting for their people’s lives, and they were willing to follow Mundane on her quest and help her with it. Plus, they could shapeshift into anything.

I am still on the fence about Javen. While he is coming across as a good guy in this book, I have my doubts about how good he is and what his agenda is.

The end of the book does end in a cliffhanger, and it made me crazy. I wanted some closure on individual storylines. I guess I will have to read book 2 to find out what happens.

I would give The Hobgoblin Queen a Young Teen rating. There is no sex. There is no language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 13 read this book.

I would reread The Hobgoblin Queen. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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