Guardians of Talons and Snares

September 27, 2022September 26, 2022Leave a comment

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

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, Guardians 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 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

September 20, 2022September 8, 2022Leave a comment

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.

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.

Rise of the Fire Queen review

September 13, 2022August 27, 2022

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.

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

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

Stolen by the Shadow King review

September 6, 2022August 27, 2022

Stolen by the Shadow King (Kingdom of Lore: Underworld Book One), by Alisha Klapheke (Romantic Fantasy; February 15, 2022)

This book had me majorly rooting for its main characters by the end. Since I haven’t read the Kingdom of Lore series before this, it took me a minute to get used to all the characters and their banter. The pacing was also quick, leaving little time to catch up. But Stolen by the Shadow King is one of those books that gave me faith it was going somewhere good, so I strapped in for the ride to the Underworld.

MC Maren’s ability to speak to spirits is heartwarming (not spooky), and it makes her very easy to like. High Shadow King Kynan is gruff at first but an extremely honorable character–like a romantic version of Ned Stark. He proves to be a character I couldn’t help shipping Maren with.

With a complex battle scene so well-written I had a clear picture of everything, plus real chemistry between characters, this is a fun and highly enjoyable read. By the end, I was so glad book two is out now, because I really needed to know what happened next.

My rating:

 4/5

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

Protected: The Fishermen’s Princess, Chapter Seventeen

September 1, 2022September 1, 2022

Indie Author Spotlight: Tessonja Odette

August 28, 2022August 27, 2022

As the author of 16 titles and counting, plus a new series of retellings called Entangled with Fae, Tessonja Odette should be on your radar, especially if you loved books like The Cruel Prince or A Court of Thorns and Roses. I adored her first book in The Fair Isle Trilogy (To Carve a Fae Heart…my review can be found here), so I was thrilled to find out her new series ventures back into Faerwyvae.

From what I’ve read of Odette’s work, I’d describe it as crowd pleasing fantasy with a sharp bite. There is romance to be had and swoony moments, but they are hard-won by the protagonist.

Tessonja Odette was on my “author TBR” for a while when, for the second time, a book of hers fell in my lap through a Book of Matches Media tour (there’s one happening right now, in fact, for A Taste of Poison—see my Instagram for giveaway details for a contest through Book of Matches Media, which ends August 28, 2022 at midnight PST). I clawed my way out from my endless TBR pile to read this one. Once I started To Carve a Fae Heart, I wondered what had taken me so long!

While my summer of ARC reading has prevented me from getting more than a chapter into A Taste of Poison, her latest, you can be sure I’ll be returning to Faerwyvae as quickly as possible.

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

The Crown Plonked Queen review

August 26, 2022August 22, 2022

The Crown Plonked Queen (The Western Lands and All That Really Matters #4), by Andrew Einspruch (humorous fantasy; July 7, 2022)

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

How could such a good-natured, funny series have so much to say about grief and not feel like a curve ball? But that’s exactly what The Crown Plonked Queen does, and it’s a more complete, yet still silly story (thanks to town names like Festering Resentment and Eloise’s ever affable sidekick Jerome de Chipmunk) because of it.

As Eloise works to solve a couple big mysteries and figures out how to rule, this always heart-filled series takes on issues like self doubt, grief and responsibility when you just aren’t ready for it. It never covers Eloise’s struggles with humor. That seems like a hard line to walk, but the humor always stands in compliment to the plot, even as it heads in a more serious direction. And who wouldn’t love the magical Sparky?

I do feel a bit grumbly about all the ceremonial scenes, but I flew through the final third of the book, turning pages well into the night. After many chapters of me wanting to yell “Figure it out, Eloise!” as she came so close time and again, The Crown Plonked Queen ends with what I’d call a satisfying cliffhanger. Even so, I’m very glad the next book comes out soon.

My rating:

 4.5/5

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

Droplets of Magic review

August 9, 2022July 31, 2022

Droplets of Magic (Unstable Magic #4), by Emily Bybee (fantasy adventure; May 2022)

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

This interesting contemporary fantasy starts out in Zimbabwe, then moves across Africa with serious Indiana Jones vibes–if all parties were witches and Indy was being hunted for his defective gifts. Though Droplets of Magic was book four in the series, I had no issue reading it first, though it’s not a standalone because of plot points that continue on in the series.

A witch whose gifts have been underestimated, MC Kira has been traveling drought-stricken areas, using her unique ability to bring rain to areas most in need. While on the run from the council that would kill her for her gifts, she uses them for good. That alone is a unique premise, but the journey across the African continent with Kira’s childhood love turned vicious gang boss on her heels is a fantastic adventure unlike anything I’d read before.

I didn’t feel the chemistry between Kira and her attractive would-be rescuer, but a line near the very end won me over. The ensemble cast, introduced later, had a memorable earth witch, who has some fun, creative potions up her sleeve, plus a giant dog familiar to round out the cast. This was an exciting fantasy adventure and a swift, action-packed read.

My rating:

 4/5

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

Rise of the Fire Queen is here!

August 7, 2022July 31, 2022

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!

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.

That’s all for now!

Cheers,

CKB

To Carve a Fae Heart review

August 2, 2022July 31, 2022

To Carve a Fae Heart (Fair Isle #1), by Tessonja Odette (Upper YA romantic fantasy; May 2022)

Note: I received a copy of this book as part of a Book of Matches Media tour and am leaving an honest and voluntary review.

Love enemies to lovers, or squeal at the thought of a heroine in STEM starring in a fantasy novel? Like The Cruel Prince but wish it was less…cruel? (And no, I’m not talking about The Queen of Nothing!) To Carve a Fae Heart is all that and more.

For me, this book did everything right. King Aspen is proof of how well Tessonja Odette knows her readership. He was the perfect dark and growly fae king, with all the right hints that there was more to him than met the eye. His character hit all the notes a fae king in a (semi) arranged marriage to a human should, the Beast and the handsome prince all in one.

Having a heroine who relies on logic and scientific knowledge dropped into fae lands was also a lot of fun. And I can’t stress how much I appreciate that Evie is a STEM girl! I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and romance, and that familial love (both the comfort and the pain) is so bound into the story, too. Fans of Helena Rookwood and Elm Vince’s An Enchantment of Thorns will also appreciate this one. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next in To Wear a Fae Crown.

My rating:

 5/5

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