Married by Wind review

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

Married by Wind is my definition of cozy fantasy. With a unique take on the tale of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp and djinn, the story is pleasantly familiar as we see two characters on a romantic collision course undertake a dangerous journey through the desert.

I was so pleased to see this series start out with a second chance love story. This made the characters’ feelings very believable despite the brevity of the story; they had three months together to develop feelings before the story even began! Note that the marriage is more of necessity due to circumstances, rather than an arranged one, and you shouldn’t expect the spice you may be familiar with in Angela J. Ford’s other romantic tales.

Married by Wind cover

Another caveat: If you’re expecting fae from this story (as I was, based on the series title), you’ll only encounter any in a roundabout way. Instead, Married by Wind focuses on deities, sacred places and a cursed lamp. I did wish Vinn’s character, who has a long backstory that’s mostly just alluded to, was more fleshed out, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

My rating:
4/5

To learn more about this series, visit arrangedmarriagesofthefae.com.

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

The Last Dragon King cover reveal!

It’s cover reveal time once again!

Both the cover and the description of this book caught my eye. The Last Dragon King: Kings of Avalier Book One, by Leia Stone, is available for preorder from Amazon, but releases September 29, 2022. You can also head over to my Instagram page for details about an Amazon gift card giveaway run by Book of Matches Media (rules in my post–ends September 4th, 2022).

The synopsis:

The Dragon King is looking for a wife. 


This news throws the women in my village into a tizzy. King Valdren will be sending out the royal guard to bring women of childbearing age to his castle in Jade City, but only those who carry enough magic to produce an heir for him.

I’m a watered-down human with a mere ten percent dragon magic lineage. I know I won’t be chosen, but for some reason the magic sniffers command me to present myself to the king as a possible wife.

I’m ready to go to Jade City until my mother tells me a terrifying secret. A secret that could get me killed… by the king himself.

The Last Dragon King cover
The gorgeous cover of The Last Dragon King
The Last Dragon King cover
I wonder what the MC's secret will be?

Up next, a review! See you again tomorrow,

-CKB

Of Thieves and Shadows cover reveal!

Authors Robin D. Mahle and Elle Madison (aka Elbin to their fans) were not on my radar until recently, and I’m kicking myself! I’m currently reading Of Thorns and Beauty, and absolutely loving it (especially Einar…lol). If you’re partial to a good fairy tale retelling, too, you’ll be interested in this series.

If this sounds like something you’d love, you can preorder from Amazon here.

For Instagram users, head over to my account (@ckbeggan) to learn how to enter an international giveaway run by Book of Matches Media! (Open through August 29th–see details on IG.)

About this Cinderella retelling, the fourth in the Twisted Pages series (and yes, you do need to read them in order!):

They say a dream is a wish your heart makes, but what happens when you’re trapped in nightmares?

Aika is playing a dangerous game.

Torn between the loyalties she thought she had and revelations she wishes she didn’t, she will burn the city down to get the answers she needs.

To get the vengeance she craves.

But when the boy from her past starts asking questions that could get them both killed, she is forced to choose between the people she needs to die and those she wants to save.

Even if it costs her the only thing true in a lifetime of lies.

Even if it costs her him.

A Cinderella retelling unlike any you’ve read before, where the stroke of midnight is just the beginning.

Of Thieves and Shadows Invite
You're invited: Of Thieves and Shadows releases September 23, 2022
Of Thieves and Shadows Cover Reveal
Of Thieves and Shadows book cover

What do you think? Isn’t it so eye catching? So far, each book in this series has a simple but impactful cover that makes me want to grab it off the shelf (or my Kindle TBR, if you will).

That’s all for now! Your regularly scheduled review will be here on Friday. And don’t forget to head over to Instagram for that giveaway!

Cheers,

CKB

Rise of the Fire Queen is here!

This indie author has been on my author TBR for a while, and also on my Kindle! Known for her romantic fantasy, Alisha Klapheke is back with her sequel to Stolen by the Shadow King (my current read! It’s very fast-paced and I can’t wait to see where it’s going in the romance plot. It’s all very fun so far). Look at just one of the pretty covers of Rise of the Fire Queen!

And a giveaway for series swag and a $25 Amazon gift card is happening on Instagram right now. Check out my account for details on this giveaway through Book of Matches Media!

Rise of the Fire Queen digital cover
Ebook cover of Rise of the Fire Queen

Synopsis for book one, Stolen by the Shadow King:

A human witch. A dangerous elven king. A betrothal set to save the world.

When the vicious king of the shadow elves drags Maren to the underworld and claims her as his fated match, she fights to escape. 

But when Maren learns she is the legendary seer of the underworld, everything changes. She discovers a magical poison spreading, and the only way to save both realms from complete destruction is to bind her power with the king’s to heal the land through their union.

Maren isn’t heartless. Of course, she’ll sacrifice herself to save her beloved family and the world. And her feelings for the protective, mercurial shadow king are changing…

When another shadow lord steals the key to the king’s power and demands Maren’s hand in marriage, she realizes what evil truly is in the underworld.

Now, she must either fight alongside the king and hope they don’t run out of time to save the realms, or surrender to the evil lord and stop the poison’s spread before it’s too late.

Maren can still save the realms, but it will require a true sacrifice of the heart.

The naked hardback and digital book cover with Tayto Potato
Rise of the Fire Queen with Tayto Potato
The ebook cover and hard cover of Rise of the Fire Queen (plus Tayto Potato, who is not affiliated)

That’s all for now!

Cheers,

CKB

From Storm and Shadow cover reveal!

Yes to fae fantasy and unlikely allies!

From Storm and Shadow, by Rachel Morgan, is the first in a new series, Storm Fae, and set in the same world as her Creepy Hollow series. It’s also one of my favorite cover types, but we’ll get to that…

Giveaway and Deals

For a giveaway through Book of Matches Media, head to my Instagram page for details. Otherwise, you can pick up Ms. Morgan’s entire previous series, Creepy Hollow, for just $2.99 until tomorrow (May 31, 2022). And in case you’re wondering, there are nine books! Get the deal through this UBL.

Synopsis
Return to the beloved bestselling World of Guardians…
 
When Silver’s parents are murdered in front of her by the people she’s trusted for years, she flees the fae realm and begins a new life pretending to be human.
 
More than two years later, she believes she’s finally safe—until the night someone from the Guild shows up.
 
Ash.
 
The boy who was once her best friend. The boy who tried to kill her.
 
He’s on the run now as well, after discovering the same secret that led to Silver’s parents’ deaths. Or so he says.
 
The forest they grew up in has become a dangerous place, crawling with fae monsters, and Ash claims he needs Silver’s help. The discovery her parents made years ago could be the only thing to save their home.
 
Silver knows Ash is only using her—he’s a guardian, after all, and they’re the ones who took everything from her—but she can’t turn her back on the home she still loves.
 
And so she forms a fragile truce with the boy who broke her heart. Stepping back into the world she swore never to return to, she sets out on a dangerous path to unlock the secrets of the past.
 
But neither Silver nor Ash are prepared for the true horror of what they will find lurking in the shadows of Stormsdrift.
 

From Storm and Shadow can be purchased here. And now for the pretty picture…

From Storm and Shadow cover

I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for ominous covers with blossoms.  Maybe it’s from my childhood The Secret Garden obsession, but I always want to dive on in!

That’s all for now!

Cheers,

-CKB