Tag: romance

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon (The Embraced: Book 3) by Kerrelyn Sparks

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon (The Embraced, #3)

4 Stars

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

Date of publication: March 27th, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Series: The Embraced

How to Tame a Beast in 7 Days – Book 1

So I Married a Sorcerer – Book 2

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon – Book 3

Where you can find Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon: Amazon | Barnes and Nobles

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

From the brilliant imagination of Kerrelyn Sparks comes a bold new fantasy romance series in which passion and magic collide. Behold the Embraced…

Gwennore has a talent. An Elf able to track down the cause of an illness and heal it, she’s a valuable asset to her people. When the kidnapping of a young girl thrusts Gwennore into the very heart of the realm of the dragons, she discovers not only a place of power and magic but also a haunted land, plagued by an ancient curse that all but ensures extinction to the royal family. But when she meets the smoldering General Silas Dravenko, they strike a bargain—save the country from its cursed illness, and he will return the kidnapped girl. She’s been raised never to trust a dragon, but never did making a deal with the devil feel so good…

Silas has no way of curing the family he’s loyally served for years. But when a beautiful elf, long considered the enemy of the dragons, comes bursting into his world, Silas is awakened to passion and desire in a way he’s never felt before. But can he trust a sworn enemy to save the very existence he holds dear? And can their love survive those that threaten to tear them apart?

My review:

First off, I want to comment on the model for the cover of the book. Can we say “Yum?” He is what I pictured Silas would look like. Thank you to whoever had to good sense to choose this model. He will help boost sales on this book.

I had an “Oops, I did it again” type of hiccup when I signed up to review this book on NetGalley. Usually, if I get the hint that the book is part of series, I look it up on Goodreads and make my decision. As it turns out, I didn’t see the “A novel of the Embraced” on the blurb that NetGalley puts up. Or the series list that Goodreads has. I was distracted when accepting this book. I am glad I did. Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon was a great read. I did get lost with some of the references made about the plotlines of the earlier books and the Chameleon.

Image result for the chameleon tuff puppy
Picture Credit

The plotline for Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon was interesting. Gwennore is an Elf who was raised on a secret island with 4 other girls. They all have had the misfortune of being born when the two moons of their world eclipse. Any child who is born when that happens is born with a magical power.

Gwennore was watching her adopted sister’s 3-year-old daughter when a dragon suddenly appears and snatches the toddler up. Gwennore clings to the dragon in a desperate attempt to rescue her. After being thrown from the dragon and being caught by another, Gwennore is brought to the land of Novreshka. A land that is dangerous. A land that Gwennore will fight for her life, to get to the bottom of an ancient curse, to heal the people of Novreshka, and for the love of a man who has many secrets. What Gwennore doesn’t know is that her secrets, secrets that have been hidden from her, could be the undoing of everything that she has fought so hard for.

I liked Gwennore even though I felt bad for her. She was not accepted outside of her sisters because she was an Elf. That whole scene with those Lords made me mad. She was too sweet to even stick up for herself and she refused to let Brody shift and bite them. I did think that when she spoke Novreshkaish, it was a little odd. But when she told Silas where she learned it from, I laughed. She was speaking like they did centuries before. I liked that she was willing to do anything to find a cure for the curse that was affecting Novreshka. I figured out her parentage fairly early in the book. I did think it took her a little longer to figure out the connection between Puff and Silas. I figured it out before her…lol.

I loved Silas. I thought he was awesome the entire book. He would do anything for his family. But if it crossed a line, which kidnapping Gwennore’s niece did, he was willing to right the wrong. He was such a mystery in the first half of the book. I liked how the author gradually leaked his background. His biggest secret, though, I guessed halfway through the book. I like it when the main character can make me laugh. Silas certainly did. He was a cheeky bugger.

There is Instalove in Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon. I don’t like Instalove. I know most people do but I like a believable romance. One where the love is built up. Not one where all it takes is one look and bam, you are in love. Strangely, it does work in Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon. But just because it works, doesn’t mean I will start liking Instalove.

The chemistry between Gwennore and Silas was off the charts off. The author did a great job of maintaining that spark between them until they had sex. And let me tell you about the sex. Holy crap was it good. Silas couldn’t have picked a better place to deflower Gwennore. At their version of the North Pole, under the Northern lights. It was beautiful and unbelievably sexy.

What I didn’t like was that past books were referenced. While the author did a great job of following up with an explanation about what the characters were talking about, I still felt that I was out of the loop.

I loved how the author kept the secret of the dragons a secret until almost the end of the book. Saying that I did guess the secret halfway through the book. I also liked how the author connected that secret to the issues that had befallen the kings and queens. It made for a very interesting read.

The end of the book was not what I expected. It was a bittersweet ending. Silas’s happiness was tempered by something that happened towards the end of the book. The author ended Silas and Gwennore’s romance in a way that satisfied me. But she didn’t end all the storylines. She left enough leeway that you know there will be a book 4. I am wondering if it will be Maeve or Sorcha???

What I liked about Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon:

A) A fun, flirty storyline

B) Gwennore and Silas’s romance

C) Plot twists were kept secret until they were revealed

What I didn’t like about Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon:

A) 3rd book in a series

B) Instalove

C) Past books were referenced and leaving me confused

I would give Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon an Adult rating. This is a book that I wouldn’t let anyone under the age of 21 read. There are explicit sex and violence. No language. There is one scene where a man is pushed into a boiling hot spring and boiled alive. I didn’t easily get that scene out of my mind.

There are trigger warnings in this book. They would be kidnapping, murder, and attempted murder. If you are triggered by any of these, I would suggest not to read the book.

I would recommend Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon to family and friends. I would include a warning about the triggers. I would reread this book and I would happily read the rest of the series.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Paperbacks, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon.

All opinions stated in this review of Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon are mine.

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

Scoring off the Field (WAGS: Book 2) by Naima Simone

4 Stars

Publisher: Entangled Publishing LLC, Entangled: Brazen

Date of publication: March 12th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: WAGS

Scoring with the Wrong Twin – Book 1 (review here)

Scoring off the Field – Book 2

Where you can find Scoring off the Field: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Tennyson Clark is getting a life. First step: quitting her job as assistant to Dominic Anderson, star quarterback for the Washington Warriors, her best friend … and the man she’s been secretly in love with for years. But since the gorgeous, if overprotective playboy has only ever seen her as his BFF, she’s finally ready to relinquish her tattered fantasy and move on. Enter steps two and three: new job and new man.

Football is Dominic’s life, and with his contract soon up for renewal, all his focus needs to be on the game. But Tennyson—dependable, logical Tennyson— is making that next to impossible with her mysterious new job and her sudden interest in online dating. He doesn’t do relationships. But the thought of another man touching her sexier-than-hell curves has him suddenly wanting more from his best friend.

Indulging in hot, dirty, what’s-my-name sex with no strings and lots of benefits is simple, uncomplicated…until it’s not.

Each book in the WAGS series is STANDALONE:
* Scoring with the Wrong Twin
* Scoring Off the Field

My review:

I was excited to read Scoring off the Field. I had enjoyed reading Scoring with the Wrong Twin and I figured that Tenny and Dom’s romance would be next. I wasn’t wrong and what a romance it was.

Scoring off the Field had a pretty straightforward plot. Tenny is Dom’s PA and best friend. She also has been in love with him for years. She decides that she has had enough and that she needs to go on with her life. That leads to her giving her notice to a very surprised Dom. Dom realizes that Tenny means more to him than he cares to realize. But can he convince her of it? Can he make her realize that his feelings for her are genuine?

What made this book fun to read is that the characters had a friendship of many years before they took things to the next level. The ease that they both have with each other made the romance more believable. I like it when the main characters have a history together. It adds a depth to both of their characters that aren’t there if there are two strangers meeting. Dom and Tenny’s relationship was one of those relationships.

I liked Dom, even if I wanted to shake some sense into him for about 90% of the book. He was your typical man. Can’t see what he had until he almost loses it. I didn’t like that he ran hot and cold with her at points in the book. Kept measuring every woman up to his college girlfriend. Again, I wanted to shake some sense into him. His backstory made me want to cry. Having lost a parent the same age he did, I can understand his feelings. I can also understand why he felt the need to protect a young Tenny and how that molded his life.

Tenny was such a doll in this book. She was sweet, kind and she was heads over heels for Dom. I thought that her background was tragic. I can’t even begin to comprehend how a mother could do that to a child. Made me angry to read that. No wonder she had a fear of hospitals!! I also understood why she was afraid to let Dom know how she felt about him. She got rejected when they were in college and she did that. So she wasn’t willing to let herself get embarrassed like that again.

The romance was cute but I wish more time was spent building it up. The book went from Dom and Tenny being best friends to lovers within a few chapters. I kind of felt cheated that there wasn’t any more build up. But, Dom and Tenny were friends before lovers so I can get why the author chose not to have an extended build up. Still, I wish it was there.

The sex was beyond hot. Once the weirdness of being together like that wore off, Dom and Tenny were like freaking bunnies. The sex they had wasn’t boring sex, it was adventurous sex. They did it everywhere. My Kindle was fogging up from the heat those two generated.

The end of the book was great. I loved the way that Dom apologized to Tenny. Talk about perfect!!!

What I liked about Scoring off the Field:

A) Hot sex

B) Relatable characters

C) Dom and Tenny’s relationship

What I disliked about Scoring off the Field:

A) Dom being clueless about how Tenny felt about him

B) Tenny’s and Dom’s childhood

C) Dom’s treatment of Tenny in the hospital.

I would give Scoring off the Field a rating of Adult. There are graphic sex and language. No violence.

There are trigger warnings in Scoring off the Field. They are the death of parents and child abuse by Munchausen’s Syndrome. There are no details given about Dom’s parents’ death other than they died in a car crash. But there are details given about Tenny’s child abuse. So if those trigger you, I suggest not reading the book.

I would recommend Scoring off the Field to family and friends. I would give a heads up about the trigger warning. This is a book and a series that I would reread.

I would like to thank Brazen, Entangled, Entangled Publishing LLC and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Scoring off the Field.

All opinions stated in this review of Scoring off the Field are mine.

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

Hot and Badgered (The Honey Badgers: Book 1) by Shelly Laurenston

Hot and Badgered (The Honey Badger Chronicles Book 1) by [Laurenston, Shelly]

4 Stars

Publisher: Kensington Books, Kensington

Date of publication: March 27, 2018

Genre: Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Number of pages: 400

POV: 3rd person

Series: The Honey Badgers

Hot and Badgered – Book 1

Where you can find Hot and Badgered: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

It’s not every day that a beautiful naked woman falls out of the sky and lands face-first on grizzly shifter Berg Dunn’s hotel balcony. Definitely, they don’t usually hop up and demand his best gun. Berg gives the lady a grizzly-sized t-shirt and his cell phone, too, just on style points. And then she’s gone, taking his XXXL heart with her. By the time he figures out she’s a honey badger shifter, it’s too late.
 
Honey badgers are survivors. Brutal, vicious, ill-tempered survivors. Or maybe Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan is just pissed that her useless father is trying to get them all killed again, and won’t even tell her how. Protecting her little sisters has always been her job, and she’s not about to let some pesky giant grizzly protection specialist with a network of every shifter in Manhattan get in her way. Wait. He’s trying to help? Why would he want to do that? He’s cute enough that she just might let him tag along—that is if he can keep up . . .

Trigger Warning: None

Continue reading “Hot and Badgered (The Honey Badgers: Book 1) by Shelly Laurenston” →

Bad Buisness (Bad Boys of Sports: Book 2) by Nicole Edwards

Bad Business (Bad Boys of Sports, #2)

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing, Loveswept

Date of Publication: March 27th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Sports

Series: Bad Boy of Sports

Bad Reputation – review here

Bad Business

Where you can find Bad Business: Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

This player’s got a lot to learn if he wants to score . . . with the boss’s daughter.

Stone: Football is more than a game to me. It’s my calling. Becoming the Dallas Wranglers’ starting quarterback before I retire is a dream come true, but with a few wins under my belt, suddenly everyone wants a piece of me. And even though being in the spotlight has its perks—beautiful women, star treatment, more beautiful women—what really gets me sweating is the watchful gaze of my sexy-as-hell PR coach, Savannah Andrews. The catch? Her father is kind of my boss. . . .

Savannah: In my family, football is big business. When your dad owns an NFL franchise, you learn a thing or two about schmoozing, and from what I can tell, it’s not a skill in Jason Stone’s playbook. Sure, the veteran quarterback is literally larger than life. With broad shoulders, muscles on muscles, and a mouth made for kissing, he may be one of the hottest men in the league—and I should know. I’ve turned down enough players to start my own all-star team. But those guys just wanted to get close to my father. Meanwhile, Stone is getting temptingly close . . . to me.

Trigger Warning: None

Continue reading “Bad Buisness (Bad Boys of Sports: Book 2) by Nicole Edwards” →

We Own the Sky (The Muse Chronicles: Book 1) by Sara Crawford

We Own the Sky (The Muse Chronicles #1)

4 Stars

Publisher: 

Date of publication: August 15th, 2017

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance

Series: The Muse Chronicles

We Own the Sky – Book 1

Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming – Book 2

Where you can find We Own the Sky: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

What could you create if you fell in love with a Muse?

16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been different. She’s the only one who can see the “flickering people.” When she sees a gorgeous flickering man named Vincent, she learns that they are Muses.

With his help, she finds herself creating exquisite songs that she loves almost as much as songs by her favorite bands–Radiohead, M83, and The Black Keys–and she is falling in love in a way she never knew was possible. While trying to maintain her newfound friendships and her band, she falls deeper into the world of the Muses. 

When the original Greek Muses wake to find a world in which the internet has given everyone the tools to be an artist, a battle between traditional and new methods of creation ensues. As Sylvia discovers how she is connected to the world of the Muses, she learns that this war may put her music, her love, her very life at stake.

My review:

I have read a few books are centered around Greek mythology. Some have been horribad, some have been eh, and others great. We Own the Sky falls into the great category. I thought that it was a different and original take on the myth of the Muses.

We Own the Sky’s plot is original and sad at times. Sylvia is a 16-year-old musician who happens to see flickering people. That bit of information she keeps to herself because of her past mental health issues. So when one of the flickering people talk to her, she is shocked. Her shock turns to awe when Vincent tells her that the myths about the Muses are real and that he is an Earthly Muse. The same time that Sylvia and Vincent’s relationship turns to love, one of the Original Muses awakens from a 500-year sleep. Angered by what she finds, Clio decides that a culling of the Earthly Muses is needed. Starting with Vincent. At the same time, Sylvia’s world is rocked and not in a good way.

I loved how the author handled alcoholism, substance abuse and mental illness in We Own the Sky. They were written about realistically. Mental illness, substance abuse, and alcoholism are often written like there is a magical cure. That everything will be alright after the addict stops using/drinking or when the person with mental illness is put on medication. That is so far from the truth it isn’t funny. Like in the book, there are setbacks. There is rehab. There are interventions. We Own the Sky showed the messy side that most authors will not write about.

I liked and pitied Sylvia. She had dealt with so much in her life. Her mother OD’d when she was younger. Her father, a junkie, and alcoholic spiraled down until he hit rock bottom and went into rehab. Sylvia herself did a stint in rehab. Not for addiction but because she was depressed. I wanted to give her a hug. Writing in her journal and playing music was her solace. I loved her surprise when she realized that the flickering people weren’t a figment of her imagination.

I didn’t know what to think about Vincent. I know his sole purpose was to inspire his charges but to fall in love with each one of them? Uggh, typical guy…lol. What he did to his last charge was horrendous. I don’t know how Sylvia wasn’t scared off by it when he told her. I did think he did the right thing by not going near Sylvia after Clio started her rampage.

When Clio was introduced, I could understand why she felt the way she did. She was used to inspiring a few people by whispering in their ears. But now, in the age of the internet, anyone could be an artist and that bothered her. I also understood her anger at Urania. She was the one left awake for 500 years and in Clio’s mind, she should have put a stop to it instead of encouraging it. But I don’t understand why it pushed her over the edge. Because what she did after she had that dagger was very unMusely.

That brings me to the biggest issue I had in the book. If Urania knew that Clio was that unstable, why did she ask another Muse to create a room to hide it. Why didn’t she hide it and not tell anyone? That didn’t make sense to me. But then again, if she did that, then Clio wouldn’t have trapped her, gotten the dagger, and started her rampage.

The storyline with Sylvia’s mother bothered me too. I didn’t understand why she was brought into the book so late and why the author chose to have her do a 180. But, it made perfect sense once everything was brought together at the end of the book. Of course, there was a twist in her storyline that made me go “Shut up” when it was revealed. 

The storyline with Sylvia’s friends was pretty rough. The only one who actually wanted to be her friend was Bianca. Everyone else talked to her because of her father owning a bar that plays live music. I kind of wanted to smack Travis and Ryan when Sylvia was butt dialed. Talk about jerks. But Travis did end up being a true friend in the end. It takes a true friend to do what he did.

The romance part of We Own the Sky was actually very sweet. Sylvia was heads over heels for Vincent. She fell hard for him. He was also heads over heels for her. Which is what made the end of the book so hard to read.

There is no sex in We Own the Sky. At least I don’t think there is. Vincent slept in Sylvia’s bed a few times and they kissed. I didn’t get the feeling that anything happened between them other than kissing. If it did, it was so vaguely written that even I didn’t catch it.

The end of We Own the Sky made me cry. It was heartbreaking on so many levels. It was not a happy ending. I cried for Sylvia. She got the rough end of the stick. I liked that there was an epilogue and I loved that the chapter of the next book was included. I am very interested in reading Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.

What I liked about We Own the Sky:

A) Greek mythology. Loved that the Muses were used

B) Addiction/substance abuse/mental illness were correctly portrayed

C) Sylvia and Vincent’s romance

What I disliked about We Own the Sky:

A) Vincent falling in love on a dime. Every person he mentored, he fell for.

B) Urania knowing Clio was unstable and not hiding the dagger where only she knew where it was.

C) The storyline with Sylvia’s mother.

I would give We Own the Sky an Older Teen rating. There is mild violence (mostly Clio and nothing graphic, just implied), mild language. There are no sexual situations. Vincent and Sylvia do kiss but I believe that it stopped there. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

There are trigger warnings in We Own the Sky. They are drug use, alcoholism, talk of suicide, talk of OD‘ing, talk of depression and talk of rehab. If you are triggered by any of these, I would suggest not to read the book.

I would recommend We Own the Sky to family and friends. I would include a note on the trigger warnings. This is a book that I would read again.

I would like to thank Sara Crawford for allowing me to read and review We Own the Sky.

All opinions stated on We Own the Sky are mine.

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

The Darkest of Dreams (Annika Brisby: Book 4) by Emigh Cannady

The Darkest of Dreams(Annika Brisby, #4)

5 Stars

Publisher: Silver Poplar Press

Date of publication: January 29th, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Series: Annika Brisby

The Flame and The Arrow – Book 1 (review here)

The Silver Thread – Book 2 (review here)

The Scarlet Tanager – Book 3 (review here)

The Darkest of Dreams – Book 4

Where you can find The Darkest of Dreams: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A heinous crime. An empire in turmoil. And a modern girl at the center of it all.

Darkness has fallen on the Marinossian family, leaving ruined lives in its wake and leaving Annika to pick up the pieces. With a deadly doppelgänger still on the loose, she’s escorted back to America to wait out the storm…however long that may be.

A world away, Talvi has been dragged to the desolate prison on Bleakmoor Island where he awaits trial for murder. His time in solitary confinement has pushed him to the brink of madness. The only thing keeping him from completely losing his mind is the mysterious inmate in the cell across from him. He’s one of the Näkki—the half-demon dark elves who were banished from his country hundreds of years ago. As Talvi gets acquainted with his new friend, he learns another version of his country’s history that makes him question his convictions. He vows to get some answers…if he ever gets out alive.
The question is, will Annika be there if he does?

My review:

I could not wait to read The Darkest of Dreams. I have read the earlier 3 books and I have become involved with the series. I needed to know what happened next. I needed to know what was going to happen with Talvi and Annika. Especially after the events of The Scarlet Tanager. Well, I wasn’t disappointed. The Darkest of Dreams exceeded my expectations.

The Darkest of Dreams starts after the cliffhanger in The Scarlet Tanager. Annika and the rest of the Marinossian family are left reeling and heartbroken. Annika is sent away for her own protection because there is a doppelgänger still out there. A doppelgänger that still wants to harm her. Annika throws herself into her work and exercising to cope with her grief. But, Annika soon finds out that what she thought happened that fateful night is not what anyone thinks it is. Determined to make things right, Annika travels to the one place she is not welcome.

Meanwhile, Talvi is in solitary confinement on Bleakmoor Island. On trial for murder, he is hoping to get out on a self-defense claim. But until then, he has to deal with abusive guards, sub-par living conditions and his own mind. When another prisoner is brought into the same area as he is, Talvi befriends him. Talvi soon learns that this prisoner is not who he seems. He also learns that what he has been taught about his country’s history might not be true.

Annika rocked in this book. From the first chapter, she dealt with the aftermath of what happened. I thought her scene with Heron was fantastic. When she got back to America, she had to deal with the fall out there too. James and her bandmates were there for her. Patti Cakes, not so much. I loved seeing the change in her, physical and mental. I cheered her on during the last half of the book. She did the right thing when faced with a huge surprise. Not going to get into it but it was awesome. Also, I will never look at glass elevators the same again.

Talvi broke my heart. He was suffering mentally over what happened. But to be punished for marrying a “modern” (ie non Elf) girl went too far. He was surviving in conditions that were horrible. Not only did he have a broken jaw (in 4 places) but he had to eat food that was disgusting. His cell was tiny. His bed was infested with bedbugs and lice. I did a literal “eww” when he was killing the bedbugs and nits. I was happy when Nillin was introduced. It gave Talvi something to focus on other than Annika and the events leading up to him going to jail. I wasn’t surprised when Nillin revealed who he was. There were little clues that I picked up on (which is a miracle because I don’t pick up on anything….lol).

This book focused on Talvi and Annika separately. It showed the deep rift in their marriage, no thanks to Finn. But, it also showed that if you worked towards something, it can be healed. I am not going to go much into the book. I will say that I enjoyed the self-help scene and was laughing at the notes left in the book.

There is a huge twist in the book. It wasn’t at the end, though. It was in the middle when Annika was touring in Japan. I was very surprised at this twist because it came out of nowhere. My jaw dropped, I went “Noooooo waaaaayyyyy” out loud and continued to devour the book.

The end of the book was good, very good. Again, something I can’t get into because in doing that, it will give away some major spoilers. Let’s say that the next book is going to be fantastic.

I will not be a Pros/Cons of The Darkest of Dreams. If I did them, I would be giving away some major spoilers.

I would give The Darkest of Dreams a rating of Adult. There are mild violence, language, and explicit sexual situations. I would not recommend anyone under the age of 21 reading this book.

There is no trigger warning in The Darkest of Dreams.

I would recommend The Darkest of Dreams to family and friends. I would give a warning about the explicit sex but other than that, tell them to read. This is a book that I will be rereading.

I would like to thank Emigh Cannaday and Silver Poplar Press for allowing me to read and review The Darkest of Dreams.

All opinions stated in this review of The Darkest of Dreams are mine.

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

Illera’s Darkliete: A Fantasy by Gail Gernat

Illera's Darkliete: A Fantasy

4 Stars

Publisher: Andrea James Publishing

Date of publication: December 28th, 2017

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Series:

Lera Sorrow – review here

Where you can find Illera’s Darkliete: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

When the messengers from Frain arrive to secure the hand of Princess Illera to their selfish air to the throne, Torul, she hides. Forced by circumstances, and her father, Illera and her three companions journey to the cold, dark north. Fighting against her fate, Illera plunges the quartet into danger. But when she accedes to the demands of cruel destiny they must fight against a ravening evil that knows no restraint. Using her mixed blood heritage, can this innocent child learn and mature fast enough to control the forces ripping her world apart? Can she negotiate the political intrigues and defeat the hordes of Shul, the pirates of Carnuvon and the hatreds of Frain?

My review:

As I said in my review of Lera’s Sorrow, I wasn’t looking for another book to review. But something about the blurbs of these books called to me. I am very glad that I decided to read and review these books because they were fantastic.

Illeria’s Darkliete’s plot was great. It follows Illeria as she is forced into a marriage with the son of a kingdom that is threatening to invade. Illeria fights with everything she has against the marriage. Her guards, Lark and Raven, are won over to her side after she saves them. Forced on the run, Illeria makes allies from the most unlikely people. Will she have what it takes to defeat the King of Frain? Or will her world rip apart?

I like Illeria but not in the beginning. I thought she was acting like a brat when her father announced that he was sending her to Frain to wed Torul. I mean, come on, she hid in the walls of the castle to avoid meeting the ambassador. But as the story went on (and taking in the prequel with the King of Frain), I could understand why she acted the way she did. Made sense. She also rose to the occasion once she arrived back in Madean. I also thought that she did a great job of mastering her magic during her adventures.

Speaking of her magic, I loved reading about her powers. The author did a great job of increasing what she could do a little at a time. It made for a more pleasurable read for me. Illeria got to master a bit of her magic at a time before either her magic strengthened or a new aspect showed up.

I thought that the pseudo love triangle hinted at in the book wasn’t needed. But, saying that, I did not know who Illeria was going to choose. It was a big mystery until she actually did it. And yes, I was very surprised by it. I did get a giggle when certain people in the book kept referring to Illeria and her supposed pseudo-love triangle.

I did like Raven and Lark. I thought that their backstories were sad. I also thought that they were stubborn and headstrong in parts of the books. Lark always seemed to be the one getting kidnapped and used as bait to lure Illeria out. Raven seemed to take risks that were a little unnecessary. But, like I said, I did like them.

The bad guys in this book were bad. I had chills reading about Torul and the King of Frain. Out of all the bad guys in the book, they were the baddest of the bad. I can’t even describe them. You need to read the book to find out.

There was a twist towards the end of the book that made me go “Whaaaaattt“. I was not expecting this twist. It came out of nowhere. Talk about being blindsided.

The end of the book was what I expected. I liked that Illeria made her choice of who she was going to be with. I also liked that she took total control of her kingdom. What I liked, even more, was seeing Illeria and her family in the future. Makes me wonder what book 3 will be like!!!

Pros of Illeria’s Darkliete:

A) The world building was out of this world (pun not intended)

B) Relatable and likable characters

C) The ending

Cons of Illeria’s Darkliete:

A) The pseudo love triangle

B) The King of Frain

C) The whole journey through the swamp

I would rate Illeria’s Darkliete as a book suitable for Older Teens. There is violence, some of it graphic. There is no language. There is a scene where Illeria kisses someone (can’t say, big plot reveal) but nothing sexual. I would feel comfortable with anyone over the age of 16 reading this book.

There are triggers in this book. They would be the talk of rape, talk about past domestic violence. So, if those trigger you, don’t read this book.

I would recommend Illeria’s Darkliete to family and friends. I would include a warning of the triggers. This is a book that I would reread.

I would like to thank Andrea James Publishing and Gail Gernat for allowing me to read and review Illeria’s Darkliete.

All opinions expressed in this review of Illeria’s Darkliete are mine.

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

Lera’s Sorrow by Gail Gernat

Lera's Sorrow4 Stars

Publisher: Andrea James Publishing

Date of publication: November 28th, 2017

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Where you can find Lera’s Sorrow: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Lera and her cousin have completed their long childhood and their training as healers. Sent to their grandparents back in Madean, they must negotiate the strange new world, attain their werwinstans. Fate intervenes in the shape of handsome young Ian, very human and very poisonous to the elven. Trying out her independence for the first time in her life, what will Lera decide? Where will she discover her loyalty to lay, with love or with duty?

My review:

When I was approached to review Lera’s Sorrow and Illeria’s Darkliete, I was a bit hesitant to accept.  I was running behind on my reviews and didn’t think I would have time to read another two books. But, once I read the blurb of both books, I made the decision to read them. I am glad I did because these books were wonderful.

Lera’s Sorrow is the prequel to Illeria’s Darkliete. In this book, Illeria’s mother, Lera, is introduced. Lera is an Elven healer who has finished her training. She is sent to her grandparents in Madean to learn about the human world. Lera meets Ian, a human prince. That meeting throws everything that Lera has worked for into chaos. There is also an unexpected result of her actions. It is those consequences that force her to make a decision that shouldn’t have to be made.

This book was a very quick read at 60 pages. But the author did a wonderful job for packing in a whole bunch of information into those 60 pages. She also did a wonderful job of building up a world that would be continued in the next book.

I did like Lera but I didn’t like how the elven community treated her after what happened with Ian. She didn’t have control over it!! Considering that the Elves were having trouble conceiving, I would have thought that they would be happy about half-elves. Anyway, I thought Lera dealt very well with what happened. I also felt that she dealt very well with the mother in law from Hell. I don’t know if I could have been as…nice….as she was. Thinking about it more, nope. Definitely not as nice.

The romance between Ian and Lera was sweet. I did think that Ian could have stuck up for Lera more. But then again, he did stick up for her when it mattered.

The end of the book was sad. Not going to get into it but it broke my heart to read it.

Pros of Lera’s Sorrow:

A) The author laid a great foundation for the next book

B) Great character building

C) Lera’s sweetness

Cons of Lera’s Sorrow:

A) The Elves and their unwillingness to deal with humans. Understandable but still

B) Ian’s mother. I wanted to punt her off the castle wall. Couldn’t stand her

C) The end of the book.

I would give Lera’s Sorrow a rating of Older Teen. There is mild violence. There are sexual situations but they were very vague. There is no language. I would feel safe recommending this book to anyone over the age of 16.

There are no triggers in this book. None, zilch, zero.

I would recommend Lera’s Sorrow to family and friends. This is also a book that I would reread.

I would like to thank Gail Gernat and Andrea James Publishing for allowing me to read and review Lera’s Sorrow.

All opinions stated in this review of Lera’s Sorrow are mine

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

Thirsty (Eastside Brewery: Book 1) by Mia Hopkins

Thirsty (Eastside Brewery)

5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: March 13th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Series: Eastside Brewery

Thirsty – Book 1

Where you can find Thirsty: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

My name is Salvador Rosas. Back in the barrio, my past is written on the walls: ESHB. Short for East Side Hollenbeck, my father’s gang—my gang. Hell, it’s a family tradition, one that sent both my brothers away. They used to call me “Ghost” because I haunted people’s dreams. Now I’ve got nothing going for me except a hipster gringo mentoring me in a new career. An ex-con making craft beer? No mames.

Still, people in this neighborhood look out for one another. That’s how I became Vanessa Velasco’s unwelcome tenant. Chiquita pero picosa. She’s little, but with curves so sweet they’re dangerous. I remember Vanessa from the old days, the straight-A student with big plans. Plans that were derailed by another kid stupid enough to think he was bulletproof. Now Vanessa knows better than to believe in empty promises. There’s a fire in her . . . and if I touch her, I might get burned.

I’m trying everything I can to go straight. But when East Side Hollenbeck comes calling, I might have to risk it all to find out if there’s a future for Vanessa and me. Because she’s the only one who can quench my thirst for something real.

Trigger Warning: self-harm, anxiety, gang violence

Continue reading “Thirsty (Eastside Brewery: Book 1) by Mia Hopkins” →

The First Kiss of Spring (Eternity Springs: Book 14) by Emily March

The First Kiss of Spring (Eternity Springs #14)

4 Stars

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

Date of publication: February 27th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: Eternity Springs

A Callahan Carol – Callahan Brothers book 3.5

Angels Rest – Book 1

Hummingbird Lake – Book 2

Heartache Falls – Book 3

Mistletoe Mine – Book 3.5

Lover’s Leap – Book 4

Nightingale Lane – Book 5

Reflection Point – Book 6

Miracle Road – Book 7

Dreamweaver Trail – Book 8

Teardrop Lane – Book 9

Heartsong Cottage – Book 10

Reunion Pass – Book 11

Christmas in Eternity Springs – Book 12

A Stardance Summer – Book 13

The First Kiss of Spring – Book 14

Where you can find The First Kiss of Spring: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Spring has come to Eternity Springs in the newest installment in this New York Times bestselling series by Emily March.

When Josh Tarkington gets stuck on a gondola with the lovely Caitlin Timberlake, he thinks his consistently bad luck might have changed.

After their blossoming romance is interrupted, Caitlin realizes that her encounter with Josh was a sign that she needed to make a major life change. So she packs up her things and moves to Eternity Springs, opens a daycare, and sets her cap for the town’s mechanic—Josh.

But Josh is hiding a well of secrets that would ruin him, and his relationship with everyone in Eternity Springs—especially Caitlin. When tragedy strikes, Josh and Caitlin find themselves, and their relationship tested beyond imagining. Will they be able to find their way back to each other?

Child abuse (physical and sexual), drug addiction, loss of a child, suicide

Continue reading “The First Kiss of Spring (Eternity Springs: Book 14) by Emily March” →