Of Roses and Rituals review

A review of Of Roses and Rituals, by S.L. Prater

Of Roses and Rituals (Witches Ever After #2), by S.L. Prater

Steamy fantasy romance, fantasy retelling; October 24, 2022

Note: I received a copy and this is an honest, voluntary review. This book is for mature readers, with steamy open door romance, and also deals with grief/the death of a child and a fiancé)

I thought this Beauty and the Beast retelling was incredibly well-plotted and an enjoyable read. While it is very (very!) spicy and steamy, author S.L. Prater took the time to show her characters connecting intellectually and emotionally instead of just relying on the fated mates trope. Of Roses and Rituals also has some fun horror elements and surprising depths.

Both Fiona and her love interest, Elias, are dealing with grief. Elias has had time to acknowledge and cope with his, while Fiona has tamped hers down. The treatment of grief here is honest and thoughtful.

Of Roses and Rituals Mockup with fall decor

Of Roses and Rituals also touches on body image, with the message that everyone deserves to be loved and feel attractive. It’s an extreme case, of course (a curse has changed Elias’s body to that of satyr-like beast), but I thought it worked and deepened the characters’ connection. The action parts were also smoothly worked into the plot and pleasantly spooky.

This was a very well-rounded steamy romance and a great addition to the Kriegspiel world.

My rating:
4.5/5

To learn more about this author, visit streetwitch.net.

Married by War review

A review of Married by War, by Sarah K.L. Wilson

Married by War (Arranged Marriages of the Fae #4), by Sarah K.L. Wilson (Romantic fantasy; September 30, 2022)

Note: I received an ARC and this is an honest, voluntary review.

What a beautifully written story, and the darkest in the series so far. Full of grim depictions of war and its effects on those fighting it, Married by War has its Goose Girl moments in the plot and no shortage of heartbreaking scenes. But dog lovers should be careful! My heart still aches when I think back on certain scenes.

The cover of Married by War, surrounded by fall leaves and lights

There were so many wonderfully written lines in the book that I highlighted, most of them full of the heartache of its characters. The romance is born of genuine shared kindness and humanity amidst a lot of darkness, and I very much rooted for the two narrators.

I think it’s not a spoiler at this point to say these are all HEAs in the series, and this one is incredibly hard-won. My heart still aches a little after this one, but it was also so gorgeous, like finding a bit of goodness after wading through dark times.

My rating:
5/5

To learn more about this author, visit sarahklwilson.com.

Of Thorns and Beauty review

Of Thorns and Beauty review graphic

Of Thorns and Beauty (Twisted Pages #1), by Elle Madison and Robin D. Mahle (fantasy retelling, romantic fantasy; September 14, 2020)

Note: I received a copy and this is an honest, voluntary review.

If you love mystery, a snowy setting and a big brooding love interest in your romantic fantasy, Of Thorns and Beauty is for you. Besides being a Beauty and the Beast retelling, this engaging story has all the elements to keep the pages turning well into the night, which is exactly what I did.

Of Thorns and Beauty Cover

Zaina, the narrator, uses contemporary language, in contrast to the king she marries through a mysterious scheme by her conniving mother-figure. His more old-fashioned language gives the whole kingdom a traditional feel, like she’s stepped back into another era. The atmosphere at the castle, where servants are masked at all times, was one of the best parts for me.

Though this ends on a cliffhanger, I enjoyed reading it all the way through and seeing the slow-burn romance. The push and pull between Einar and Zaina was wonderfully executed, too. I look forward to reading more of this series.

My rating:
5/5

To learn more about these authors, visit mahleandmadison.com.

11 Questions with Anastasis Blythe

11 Questions with Anastasis Blythe

With her new book, Guardian of Talons and Snares, debuting just yesterday, prolific Kindle Vella author and romantic fantasy novelist Anastasis Blythe was the perfect person to interview. Known for her romantic stories, her East Asian-inspired fantasy world Zheningai and the rambunctious cats that punctuate her videos on social media, Anastasis has earned the notice of romantasy queen Sylvia Mercedes as well as her many readers. I sent the questions about her new book, her process and what’s next off via email, and Anastasis replied with her usual cheerful and accessible demeanor.

To learn more about this author, visit anastasisblythe.com and read on below!

The mockup cover of Guardians of Talons and Snares with candles, a Kindle and a plush background
Guardian of Talons and Snares (The Zheninghai Chronicles #1), by Anastasis Blythe, began life as a Kindle Vella serial

Guardian of Talons and Snares is your latest release, but you’ve set multiple stories in Zheninghai now. When did you first develop the idea for this setting?

Yes! Originally, almost two years ago now, I was brainstorming a Sleeping Beauty retelling where the main character could leave her body while she slept. That story wound up being the three books that follow Princess Meiling in the middle of the Zheninghai Chronicles (that has almost nothing to do with Sleeping Beauty at this point!) I spent quite a lot of time setting up the world before I wrote a single word of the story, and in the process of trying to understand a prominent character, I ended up with the story of Maiden of Candlelight and Lotuses. Then, the more I worked to fill in my understanding of the world, Guardian of Talons and Snares was born. 

Which came first, the characters or the world-building?

In terms of the whole series, the characters of Meiling and Shang (who will be introduced vaguely in this book, and featured as main characters later in the series). But by the time I wrote Guardian, I already had much of the world developed, so for that book, the world came before the characters.

Important question I’ve long wondered about: Is it pronounced Zhe-ning-hai, or Zhe-nin-ghai?

LOL, the most important question! It’s actually pronounced Jen-ing-hai. The “zh” makes a “j” sound. 

You recently announced that you are now a full-time author! First of all, congrats! Second, how has writing becoming your day job changed your process?

Thank you so much!! It’s a dream come true for sure. Writing full time has honestly been wonderful. Most days fly by and it’s hard to tear myself away from my computer to go make dinner (though not every day, mind you! Sometimes I’m dying to be done!). The main thing that it’s changed about my process is that I can keep up with admin things better now and I’m able to make faster progress on manuscripts.

The amount of sleuthing in Guardian of Talons and Snares had my British detective drama-loving senses all a-tingle! How did you handle writing the mystery portions of of the story?

LOL! I’m glad to hear that! It definitely helped that I’d already written a trilogy around the overarching plot featured in Guardian, so I already knew exactly what was going on behind the scenes. The challenge was finding ways for them to discover “clues,” as it were, without revealing everything at once or without it being too easy. I won’t lie: the sections involving the mystery were the ones I rewrote and banged my head against the wall the most over. 

Cover of Blade of Dusk
The recently revealed cover of the forthcoming book in The Zheninghai Chronicles

This book was originally one of your many titles on Kindle Vella. What’s your favorite part of writing in an episodic format?

What’s funny is that I actually don’t love writing in an episodic format! I prefer to fly through a first draft, and writing week by week isn’t as exciting to me. With that said, it’s really nice for difficult drafts because you HAVE to finish that week’s episode or else your readers will be unhappy and you won’t get paid! If I hadn’t been writing in an episodic format, I’m not sure I would have ever finished Guardian. So even though I don’t love writing week by week, I do love releasing stories that way. It’s exciting when you have a particularly juicy episode up your sleeve that you cannot wait to share! I think the episodic format makes every chapter more exciting since you have to wait between them. I love the way it makes me look forward to certain days of the week like, “Ahh! Tomorrow is Monday, which means a new episode of that webtoon or Vella is releasing!”

When I read Maiden of Candlelight and Lotuses, I was sure you had martial arts training! How did you write your fight scenes so accurately?

You are too kind! I’d get so beat up if I wandered into any kind of martial arts . . . anything. LOL! Since I have no training, I just watched a LOT of YouTube videos. Both training videos and choreographed fighting scenes. Seriously, we’re talking like over an hour of videos per fight scene. Sometimes I’d watch two hours worth of videos, pausing and rewinding and slowing down, just to write a few paragraphs. Now my husband will randomly send me videos like, “Here’s a good fight scene as inspiration for your novels!” (He’s the best!)

One of my goals is to take jujitsu lessons, though. So maybe someday I’ll have some training!

The romance in GoTaS falls firmly in the enemies to lovers trope—much like the setup of The Assassin Bride. Is this your favorite trope to write?

Actually, not necessarily. I do love writing enemies to lovers, but sometimes I get frustrated when my characters are so SET on being enemies and REFUSE to become lovers. Every time I write an enemies to lovers, I inevitably hit a point where I begin to doubt if they’ll EVER become lovers. I definitely hit that point with Kai and Aranya from Guardian multiple times, and it’s been even worse with Assassin Bride! But I think we’re getting there. 😉

Maiden of Candlelight and Lotuses Cover With Background
The author's debut: Maiden of Candlelight and Lotuses (Click the image to read my review.)

What other tropes would you love to tackle?

I’m excited to have a few projects ahead of me with “insta-click.” This is DIFFERENT from insta-love, ha! But I just love it when the characters immediately hit it off and are so obviously perfect for each other, even if it takes them time to fall in love.

Ok, this is the part where you finally tell me everything about Bride of the Fae Prince! Is this a new serial coming to Vella?

This might be a new serial, yes. 👀👀👀 I don’t have a release date yet, but I DO have the cover and it is STUNNING. My prettiest cover yet, I think! Here’s a little teaser:

A shy, dutiful human princess. A cunning, vengeful Fae prince.

Will their arranged marriage cost them their hearts . . . or their lives?

Thank you so much for joining me for this interview! I always like to end with a challenge: Tell us a story in 10 words or less!

Whyyyy do you do this to me.

Fine. Here it goes.

I wanted ice cream, so I got some. The end.

Thanks so much for having me, Caitlin! <3

Guardian of Talons and Snares

A review of Guardian of Talons and Snares, by Anastasis Blythe

Guardian of Talons and Snares (Zheninghai Chronicles #1), by Anastasis Blythe (romantic fantasy, fantasy mystery/adventure; September 30, 2022)

Other books in this series:
Maiden of Candlelight and Lotuses (#0)
Warrior of Blade and Dusk (#2)

Note: I received an ARC and this is an honest, voluntary review.

Enemies to lovers romance meets a (mostly) cozy mystery in this East Asian-inspired fantasy novel by Anastasis Blythe (Maiden of Candlelight and Lotuses). Full of action and a comrade/enemy best described as considerate Loki, the budding romance feels legitimate and the mysteries are thrilling.

Like much of Blythe’s work, Guardian of Talons and Snares began as a Kindle Vella serial. There’s more to come, so don’t expect a tidy ending—and better still, the dance between ultimate morning person Aranya and trickster Kai will keep you guessing throughout the book. From the very first prank Kai plays on her, it’s clear these two have a long way to go. Their developing (and then collapsing) romance is so well done, I can’t wait to read what comes next for them!

The mockup cover of Guardians of Talons and Snares with candles, a Kindle and a plush background

The villains are very villainous, the mysteries are well-plotted and there is political intrigue tied throughout the story. Better still, it’s also the story of a young woman caring for her grandfather, who would do anything to protect him and return to him. The story (and the stakes) really heightens as Aranya and Kai set out on assignments together. I’m really looking forward to see where their multi-layered journey will take them.

My rating:
4.5/5

To learn more about this author, visit anastasisblythe.com.

The Eastie Threat review

A Review of The Eastie Threat, by Andrew Einspruch

The Eastie Threat (The Western Lands and All That Really Matters #5), by Andrew Einspruch (humorous fantasy; August 18, 2022)

Note: I received an ARC and this is an honest, voluntary review.

What a whirlwind this book was! Not only is Eloise still adjusting to her role as queen, but the entirety of The Eastie Threat has tension building under the usual humor and heartfelt moments.

And boy does it work! I had to stop reading before the climax, and I found myself daydreaming about what might happen next. I was that into the story.

The Eastie Threat Cover

There are some really poignant moments in The Eastie Threat, and a lot of my own beliefs about the familiar characters were turned upside-down. We see Eloise learn her mother was a person with flaws, and assert herself in a way that earned many a silent cheer from me, even as it felt she might lose control of her reign at any moment. I think it’s fair to say that none of the primary characters emerged from this book the same way.

This is my favorite book I’ve read in the series yet.

My rating:
5/5

To learn more about this author, visit andreweinspruch.com.

Married by Fate review

A review of Married by Fate, by Jenny Hickman

Married by Fate (Arranged Marriages of the Fae #2), by Jenny Hickman (Romantic Fantasy; September 16, 2022)

Note: I received an ARC and this is an honest, voluntary review.

I’d never read a book by Jenny Hickman before, and I’m now a fan! Married by Fate was an awesome enemies to lovers fae romance, with similarities to Tessonja Odette’s To Carve a Fae Heart.

The magic in this story is limited to the far and fits more of a low fantasy model. The character dynamics are so well-executed, and it’s easy to root for the two leads who are drawn to each other despite themselves. There’s even an optional spicy scene offered in a link at the end!

Married by Fate mockup

This a true romance, with no strong external conflict to make up the climax of the book, focusing more on the couple and their relationship as it develops. The writing in Married by Fate was great and the story carefully crafted, and I practically cheered at so many moments.

My rating:
5/5

To learn more about the Arranged Marriages of the Fae event, visit arrangedmarriagesofthefae.com.

To learn more about this author, visit jennyhickman.com.

Rise of the Fire Queen review

A review of Rise of the Fire Queen, by Alisha Klapheke

Rise of the Fire Queen (Kingdom of Lore: Underworld Book Two), by Alisha Klapheke (Romantic Fantasy; July 31, 2022)

Note: I received a copy and this is an honest, voluntary review.

The hunkiest brooding king in the Underworld, Kynan, is back with a delightful ensemble cast and his own perspective this time, which was a great addition. Rise of the Fire Queen has some wonderful Voyage of the Dawn Treader vibes, as well as Maren’s quest to escape from a castle.

Rise of the Fire Queen Hardcover
The hardcover version of Rise of the Fire Queen

I thought the writing in the second installment was fantastic. The banter is better developed and well-placed in scenes, the heroes are endearing–and the villain is very, very villainous. This was an entertaining and page-turning read, driven by the reader’s desire to see Kynan and Maren together again.

Have I ever rooted this hard for a book couple? I’m not sure I have! Kynan and Maren are very worthy of this distinction, and the romantic tension is THICK. I thought Rise of the Fire Queen made for a fantastic conclusion to this duology, and is hands down my favorite of the two books.

My rating:
5/5
Rise of the Fire Queen digital cover
Rise of the Fire Queen digital cover

To learn more about this author, visit alishaklapheke.com.