Category: Fantasy

Vow of the Shadow King cover reveal!

I’m fully sucked in to this romantic fantasy series by Sylvia Mercedes. Bride of the Shadow King (read my review here) took my breath away, and the cover was just as arresting. But I think the cover for Vow of the Shadow King is even better!

The Synopsis:

Warning: contains spoilers for book one!

A treacherous bride. A heartbroken groom. Is their marriage over before it’s begun?

Her deceit discovered, Faraine finds herself trapped in the Shadow Realm at the mercy of her new husband. She’s surrounded by enemies, far from any allies, and her best bet for survival is to convince Vor to send her home.

But to do so means to give up on the alliance. Which would spell disaster for her people.

With the tremors growing worse and poison spreading through his realm, Vor is more desperate than ever to find a solution. Only, it cannot involve his wife. Vor wants nothing to do with the woman he has inadvertently married. At one time, he thought he might love her, but now? How can love flourish where trust is broken?

When circumstances require them to spend more time together, however, Vor’s blood is stirred in ways he doesn’t like to acknowledge.

Can two lost hearts find healing and hope in one another? Or is their love already poisoned beyond recovery?

Book two of this epic romantasy trilogy, Vow of the Shadow King will sweep you away in a tale of betrayal, heartbreak, and forbidden love. Perfect for readers looking for their ideal “book husband” and a slow-burn romance ready to ignite!

Vow of the Shadow King is expected late summer 2022.

Without further eloquence…

Vow of the Shadow King cover

Preorder from Amazon

That’s all for now!

Cheers,

– CKB

To learn more about this author, visit www.sylviamercedesbooks.com.

The Theft of Sunlight review

Fans of Tamora Pierce won’t want to miss this one. Up next is my much belated The Theft of Sunlight review!

The Theft of Sunlight review graphic

The Theft of Sunlight (Dauntless Path #2), by Intisar Khanani (YA fantasy; March 23, 2021)

The Theft of Sunlight is an issues book without compromising action and story, and I am there for it! Like in Thorn (Dauntless Path #1–find my review here), there are challenges relating to an abusive family members, corruption and class disparity. There’s also sweet romance—this time, between country girl turned lady-in-waiting Rae and a thief.

Rae’s story continues after The Bone Knife, which appeared at the end of Thorn. Cleverly, we haven’t  left Princess Alyrra behind, either, even with the protagonist switch. The Menaiyan palace is viewed with fresh eyes, we have disability rep and Rae becomes a crusader to stop human trafficking after her best friend’s sister is snatched. It’s a dark road to go down, yet the story is well-balanced and never hopelessly grim. Delving into the underbelly of the capital brings an array of colorful, dangerous and riveting thieves with it. Think Lila Bard in V.E. Schwabb’s A Darker Shade of Magic.
The Theft of Sunlight cover

This book reminded me a lot of Alanna: the First Adventure (my review here), with an altruistic but grittier version of George in Bren (it’s generally much darker than Alanna, even in the glittering palace). I also think of Vanessa Len’s Only a Monster (my review) as a good “if you liked that, read this” title. Rae is a great protagonist up against an almost hopelessly powerful enemy (enemies, really), and I felt like she was really coming into her own by the end of the book. I don’t think the cliffhanger was too bad, either. I do need that next book, though!

My rating:
5/5

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

A Throne of Shadows cover reveal!

Do you have an author TBR list? Tessonja Odette is on mine. That’s why I was thrilled to see this positively gorgeous eclectic cover for A Throne of Shadows (Prophecy of the Forgotten Fae #1) as a cover reveal opportunity. I have serious heart eyes for this one, and can’t wait to read it!

Note: this is an epic fantasy/romantic fantasy with mild steam and fantasy violence.

The Synopsis:

A feisty outlaw. A conniving prince. A war of magic and shadows.

Wanted by the crown for a murder she didn’t commit, Cora dreams of getting revenge on the mage who framed her. In the meantime, she hides in the forest and hones her magic. But when she discovers her enemy’s violent hunt for faerie creatures, she forms a plan for vengeance.

Prince Teryn, heir to a bankrupt throne, will do anything to keep his country from sinking into ruin. When he meets a feisty outlaw wanted by a neighboring kingdom, he gets his chance. The woman has an impressive bounty on her head, one that could pay off his kingdom’s debts.

If Teryn can help Cora save a few magical creatures, he can gain her trust, hand her over to her king, and collect the bounty. But Cora has plans of her own, and none of them include being betrayed by her handsome new traveling companion.

The closer Cora and Teryn get to their desires, the harder their tasks become. And it isn’t just their budding attraction that’s the problem. A secret war is coming, one stemming from ancient feuds and forgotten fae magic. They must work together to stop it, or else both their kingdoms will crumble to ash.

A Throne of Shadows is the first book in the Prophecy of the Forgotten Fae trilogy. Perfect for fans of Throne of Glass and Shadow and Bone. If you like breathtaking magic, fierce heroines, and enemies-to-lovers romance, then you’ll love this epic fantasy tale.

 
A Throne of Shadows releases May 4, 2022. You can order your copy here.
And now for the reveal!
 
A Throne of Shadows cover

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

Of Heists and Hexes review

If you like your fantasy romances extra spicy, my Of Heists and Hexes review is here! This is the first time I’ve read anything by S.L. Prater, and she certainly knows how to turn on the steam. Read on!

Of Heists and Hexes review graphic

Of Heists and Hexes (A Witch’s Ever After #1), by S.L. Prater (steamy fantasy romance, fairytale retelling; April 19, 2022)

Note: I received a free copy and have voluntarily written this honest review. Contains steamy open-door scenes, disturbing violent content and depictions of capital punishment.

Noah is an honest, likable sheriff. Robin is a witch and a thief on a mission to feed the people of Arm. The two are fated mates thanks to their magic, though Noah knows he should arrest her. The last thing he wants is for his young sister Marian and his nan to get caught up in Robin’s rebellion against the political status quo.

I loved the world-building, the witches and the cat and mouse game between Robin and Noah. Seeing Robin thwart him is genuine fun, and the tension, between them and throughout the kingdom, make it binge-worthy. There is a very serious side, too, as Noah brings depraved criminals to justice (the crimes are heartbreakingly real). Combined with depictions of poverty, these scenes show how broken their society is, because Noah and the witches are practically the only ones to do anything about it. With all he has to face, it is a challenge for Noah to be an honest law man.

Of Heists and Hexes book cover

I wish there’d been more in-person emotion between the two love interests. Much of the heart is in the form of notes, and when together they’re all heat (and yes, the heat level is VERY high). I was waiting for an emotional breakthrough to back the fated romance between these two that I never quite got, though they sometimes came close. I also thought the climax came up suddenly. Though the ending didn’t disappoint me, I’d invested enough in the characters that I wanted the epilogue to be longer, so I could learn the particulars of what they did next. And really, is that such a bad problem to have?

My rating:
4/5

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

A Darkness at the Door cover reveal!

If you’re familiar with me through my blog or social accounts, you know I’m an Intisar Khanani super fan. As such, I could not be more excited for her next book release in the Dauntless Path series, A Darkness at the Door! I’m fortunate to be a part of her latest cover reveal by the excellent Jenny Zemanek (who has done all of her indie covers, too) at Seedlings Design Studio.

For those not familiar with the series, it begins with a goose girl retelling in Thorn (read my review here), then continues Princess Alyrra’s story in a really interesting way. With new protagonist Rae, the series delves into the social problems of Menaiya and its missing children in The Theft of Sunlight.

The Dauntless series…

A Darkness at the Door (Dauntless Path #3) quote
  • has disability rep through Rae
  • reps middle eastern culture and peoples through its kingdom and Menaiyan characters
  • deals with abusive families through Alyrra
  • is full of sweet romance (and a somewhat star-crossed one with Rae and thief Bren)
  • draws from real life to bring attention to human trafficking in The Theft of Sunlight (and undoubtedly in A Darkness at the Door)
  • has tons of action and cool, interesting magic…
  • …yet none of the MCs have it! So well executed
  • all have 4 🌟 or higher ratings from me

At the moment, Intisar Khanani is also running a Kickstarter for the audiobook and special edition hard cover of A Darkness at the Door, and the gift swag is gorgeous! You can find the campaign here.

So, without further ado…

A Darkness at the Door (Dauntless Path #3) cover

Coming July 22, 2022 from Hot Key

Preorder here

Publisher’s description:

The truth I carry can’t be allowed to die . . .
 
Only Rae knows how deep the corruption at the heart of her kingdom runs. Imprisoned on a slave ship, she effects a harrowing escape – but her freedom comes with the weight of dangerous debts and terrifying magic. Now, to free her land from the growing darkness, Rae will need every ally she can find, including Bren, the thief who may have stolen her heart. But Bren is hiding his own bloody secrets, and the curses that encircle Rae have sunk their claws into her mind.

While the truth could save Rae’s kingdom, it might destroy her first.

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

Her Dreadful Will review

Do these words check any boxes for you? Slow-burn romance. Spice. Witches. Southern gothic. Modern technology meets magic society. Opposites attract. If all that sounds good to you, you need to read this Her Dreadful Will review (and maybe pick up a copy!).

Her Dreadful Will review

Her Dreadful Will, by Rebecca F. Kenney (fantasy romance, southern gothic, urban fantasy; April 6, 2022)

Note: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Her Dreadful Will contains violence and adult content.

This book was an unusual find for me. I read a limited number of contemporary fantasies and fantasy romances. Thanks to Her Dreadful Will‘s clever combination of modern technology and a hidden, highly regulated society of witches (and later, that slow-burn spicy romance), I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Fans of Kingdom of the Wicked will likely enjoy it, too.
 
Another unusual thing about this book is its wholesome main character’s love interest. While Soleil just wants to prove her rare mind-flex powers can be a force for good, bad boy (dentist!) Achan is all about tearing things down and causing mayhem. The dance between these two feels like it could be deadly at any moment, yet Soleil finds herself drawn to Achan. At times, she even agrees with him.
Her Dreadful Will cover

The magic system is amazing. The witchcraft and rituals in Her Dreadful Will are extremely well-defined and immersive,  to the point that they’re almost another character. Supporting characters have interesting personalities, too, and short story-style chapters, centered on the townspeople Soleil tries to help, really drew me in to the story. I wasn’t a fan of Achan at first, so the early middle dragged for me, but soon I was eager to see what happened next again.

I’d pick up another book from this author anytime.

My rating:
4.5/5

To learn more about this author, visit Rebecca F. Kennedy’s website.