ARC REVIEW From Flame and Ash by Carrie Ann Ryan

Elements of 5 #2, This book pick up a year after Lyric returned home in that year she started college and trained with another person from the Maison realm. She knew it was only a matter of time before they needed her so she was prepared when it happened. Lyric has studied the history of the Maison realm and trained all that she can now she needs to awaken her other elemental powers. When she is called back it's not by her friend Rosemund and her brother Rhodes it's the new leader of the Obscurite, Easton.

Lyric learns that like the Obscurite the Lumiere has people against her and will do anything to keep her from becoming the Spirit Princess. Lyric and her friends, both new and old, must figure out who is behind this fraction that wants Lyric dead. New lines of the prophecy are learned just confusing everyone even more and Lyric deals with her new feelings for Rhodes and developing feelings toward Easton as well as learning to control two new elemental powers.

Overall, it was an outstanding book a great continuation of the series. Lyric's circle of friends and allies is growing but the cast isn't so large you get confused and with it being in first person it's easy to keep track of everyone with just the one POV. I love the action fighting scenes Carrie Ann Ryan is a wordsmith with description it's like a movie playing in my head it's so easy to visualize. She also does well when it comes to refreshing our memory on the events of the last book, but it would be best of the first book was read first. My only complaint is that Lyric gets a bit repetitive in her train of thought, I understand she's has a dilemma and is trying to sort through it but to mention one event over and over gets kind of tiresome especially when it's at the beginning of the book but the rest of the book is so awesome that it doesn't affect my star rating ( totally 5 stars).   

ARC REVIEW The Blacksmith Queen by G.A. Aiken

The Scarred Earth Saga #1,  I'm no stranger to Shelly Laurenston but this is my first time reading her under the name Aiken. I'm picky about the fantasy genre I read and I was hesitant to pick this one up fearing it would be overly dramatic, long winded, and full of political backstabbing bs but then I remembered who the author was and read it........And loved it. The beginning of the book with The Old King dying and the sons all killing each other off kind of reminded me of Stardust except less humorous and way more violent. I didn't dislike all the violence, because this book is full of it, I was surprised by how gorey it was described, again not a bad thing for me I just wasn't expecting it. True to form Aiken writes her female characters full of snark. With Keeley you see many sides of the strong fighter standing up for those who can't and when she's around her family you see a funnier side but overall she is protective. But when it comes to her sister, Gemma, you see a more childish side like picking fights doing things she knows bug her. Gemma and Keeley are both head strong and very similar which causes them to butt heads and argue at the drop of a hat but you see throughout the book they are starting to trust each other more and more and that there is love between them. Keeley has plenty of depth. Aiken wasn't gratuitous with the sex either, for which I am grateful. I loved how the story played out and how the narrative switches to other characters so you get the full picture, one reason I prefer third person I must know everything. I liked the characters everyone has quirks that make them unique and memorable. Caid, I really like, he's a good strong warrior and you can see the gradual change in him the more he's around Keely.

It all started as a simple journey protecting her sister, the girl who would be Queen, but turns into an all out war with Keeley in the lead. Keeley must now find allies to fight with her against The Old King's remaining sons. Overall, it was a fun read. There is no cliffhanger there is a definite end to the book but it's far from over.   

ARC REVIEW From Breath and Ruin by Carrie Ann Ryan

Elements of Five #1, debut YA book Carrie Ann Ryan's newest series might not be for everyone and as someone who doesn't typically read young adult I loved it. It didn't feel like a young adult at times I even forgot that Lyric was just eighteen and as per usual Ryan played with my emotions it seemed like I was reading one of her PNR books just without the sex. There is romance in it and I think I know where she's going to go with it but I always expect the unexpected with Ryan. But the story has grabbed my attention and now I won't be happy until I've read them all.

Lyric is just your average teenager who's good at so many things but nothing she wants to do forever. She stuck trying to figure out what she wants to do for the rest of her life when a classmate and her cute older brother ask Lyric and her friends Braelynn and Emory to go hiking. But when something happens on that hike it sends Lyric's life into a tailspin of events that will forever change her life.

The Maison Realm and the wielders remind me of several things from my childhood, specifically The Dark Crystal, and I loved it, it was like The Last Airbender meets The Dark Crystal and Alice in Wonderland. A once happy kingdom now divided into light and dark and one person with all the combined powers is destined to reunite the kingdom. Lyric is said to be this Spirit Priestess with the combined powers of all the elements. Whether or not Lyric actually believes she is is another matter, for now she just wants to help Rhodes get his sister back.

I loved the characters in this book. Lyric is the main character and narrator so we see first hand how she reacts to everything going on around her; her feelings for Braelynn her best friend, Rhodes her crush, Emory her ex-girlfriend and all the others they meet on their journey. Lyric is very conflicted and is unsure about almost everything she's at a crossroads in her life and throw in the fact that she's some prophesied priestess that will stop a war and fix what's broken just compounds on to her insecurity and her self worth. Everyone believes in her but herself so there is quite a bit of internal struggle going on with Lyric along with fighting off bad guys.

Overall, outstanding book. From the start this book pulled me in and kept me entertained the whole time. Engaging characters and descriptive narrative, I can't wait for more Carrie Ann Ryan knows how to set the hook.

ARC REVIEW Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon by Kerrelyn Sparks

The Embraced #3, I love each book more and more. Each of the sisters, so far, have had their own style to fit there story. How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days very much felt like I was reading a fairy tale, So I Married a Sorcerer felt like a old pirate romance to me. I don't have a point of reference for dragon fantasy, (only other dragon shifter modern romance) so I couldn't tell you if it had that feel to it, but I loved it; ancient curses, kidnapped Princess', mountain trolls, conspiracies to overthrow the King, dragons, a great HEA, what's not to love. I especially loved that there are actually eight rules for dating a dragon. It's just stuff that Silas makes up for Gwennore especially after she starts calling his dragon Puff, and he starts teasing her about liking Puff more than she likes him, but of course at the time she doesn't know that Silas and Puff are one in the same. Rule number one for dating a dragon when he takes you for a ride hold on tight and never let go. Rule number four: Never tell his secrets. Whenever he tells her a new rule it's always pertinent to the story at the time. Number five is my favorite, Beware of kissing a dragon, he won't burn you but he might make you melt, and Silas will make you melt.

It's been about three years since the events of the last book and Gwennore has put up with a lot of crap and discrimination from people in court, being elf hasn't helped her even if two of her sisters are Queens. The only reason she says is for the kids. One particularly beautiful day everyone is enjoying a birthday picnic celebration when Gwennore and Eviana, Luciana's little girl, are out picking flowers when out of nowhere a dragon grabs Eviana, without even thinking Gwennore jumps on the dragon and tries to free Eviana but she gets taken away too. Not long after another dragon shows up and catches Gwennore after she loses grip and falls off the first dragon. Gwennore realizes she can hear the dragons talking and can communicate with them also. Her dragon promises that everything will be alright. But it's not alright, when they reach Norveshka Gwennore discovers the Queen is dying and going crazy and the King isn't any better off. General Silas makes a deal with her that they will send Eviana home right way if Gwennore stays for a month and tries to cure the Queen. With the deal struck Gwennore strives to find out as much about the curse and the Queen's illness as possible.

Gwennore and Silas have such a witty rapport with each other. She tries so hard not to show she likes him and is utterly embarrassed when she learns that not only can he read her mind but two other people can also and she's been calling Silas General Gorgeous. Silas is enthralled with Gwennore and has no problem letting people think she's his mistress, Gwennore has a problem with it but it's not long before she lets her feeling be known. But she holds out, I'm proud of her, she holds out on succumbing to his smoldering kisses and hot looks until over half way through the book. 

Silas for being the badass general and big bad dragon, he's such a sweetie; he's very protective of Gwennore and when he finds out that it's Eviana's birthday he has the cook bake her a cake. Gwennore really grows as a character growing up so isolated then spending time in court and being excluded and insulted she finally has the chance to come out of her shell and find out who she really is, and not to mention Silas finds out who she really is as in who her parents are... yep. On top of the curse the Chameleon is back and trying once again to overthrow the king only this time they find out more about who is behind it but as one question get answered five more pop up.

Overall, I am so loving this series and I really hope Sorcha is next because white and lavender equals royal elves *excited squeal*.             

ARC REVIEW Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

A wonderfully unique book from Zen Cho, Sorcerer to the Crown is the first book from the Sorcerer Royal series. I loved this alternative world where magic leaks from the adjacent Fae world and is fully accessible to certain people to use. Of course it's taboo for a woman to use magic because the whole Dark Ages period was blamed on women. Now women are forced to suppress their powers. The magic energy flow in the atmosphere above England has been dwindling down to the point where it's almost all gone. The premise of this book is fascinating at times it seems like just a fantasy story but then it switches gears and starts to play out like a classic romance and then switches back to fantasy. The romance is there hiding in the background you see it, it is subtly worded the attraction between them but it's not the main focus of the story.

Zacharias Wythe was born a slave, but as a baby was noticed by an important British man and bought. Sir Stephen saw something in the little baby, he knew with the right training he could have a very powerful sorcerer and prove the stogie society that a "man of color" can be just as powerful as any other man. Zacharias as much as he loved his adoptive parents still resented them slightly for making him a charity case. After the death of Sir Stephen, Zacharias still step up to the position of Sorcerer Royal just like Sir Stephen had been training him and expected him to do. Zacharias despite the insults, and the insinuations that he himself murdered Sir Stephen, makes a good level headed Sorcerer Royal. He is able to look at the bigger picture and knows even the littlest involvement can change everything. He has been concentrating on the lack of magic in the air and has been trying to find a way to fix it, he just has to survive all the assassination attempts.

Prunella Gentleman is an orphan her father left her under the care of a local widow, Mrs. Daubeney, who in turned used her knowledge of raising Prunella to open a school for gentlewitches. Prunella has no idea who her mother is she just knows she is treated as a second class citizen because it is obvious her mother was an "exotic" and the maternal nature of the widow decreases the older and darker Prunella's skin became. Prunella has a great degree of magical ability and that another reason for discord, Mrs Daubeney firmly believes a woman doesn't have the fortitude for handling magic. Cleaning out the attics Prunella finds some items that belonged to her father and now knows she has something great in her possession. Prunella appeals to Zacharias, after a visit to the school, about wanting to learn how to be a sorcerer. Her real reason is just to get to London her dream is to have a season and find a husband. After seeing her in action Zacharias knows there is greatness in her and plans on using her an example for the new reform for Society.

The plot thickens when it becomes known that a group of men plans to overthrow Zacharias and do so the old fashion way, the outlawed way. Things get even more complicated when a small island seeks help from the Sorcerer Royal against a groups of witches who are threatening the island. The head witch herself travels to England. The heredity of Prunella is revealed and her powers are unprecedented.  Amazingly it all fits together, there is a line that comes to mind when reading this and trying to find a way to describe it without really giving anything away; "What a tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive". I find that very accurate.

Overall this book was fascinating, and I look forward to the next.

 

REVIEW Her Sexy Sentinel by Jenn Burke

Jenn Burke's His Sexy Sentinel I really enjoyed, it's one of those books where I hope the author writes more about this sentinel universe. I loved the concept and the secondary characters have piqued my curiosity to want to find out more. Callie and Derrick are hot! Trying to not give in to the sexual desire quickly building between the two. It was a fast paced emotional story that had me enthralled to the very end.

Callie ran when some bad stuff went down in her home town. She ran to Ottawa for reasons she herself could quite understand and when she got there she was assaulted by some local thugs. Something strange happened to Callie then she was able to defend herself using a strange power she never had before. Already with some psychic powers she saw what would happen if she didn't do something to stop it. As soon as she does she runs scared and the only person she can think of to call is Derrick. Friends in college who dated briefly but Derrick cut and ran leaving a brokenhearted Callie behind. . Callie always thought Derrick wasn't interest but he is her only hope little did she know Derrick was more than interested in her but had his own reasons for breaking it off. Now a call in the middle of the night brings Derrick and Callie together again.

Callie's magical talent of controlling air has finally emerged, saving herself but now she thinks she has killed her attacker. Derrick has already know of Callie's potential and tried to avoid her for that reason,but now that she is back and needs his help. To make matters worse Derrick's sister was murdered and Callie became her replacement as the Magus. Callie is thrown into the world she has no clue about. The Sentinels are two magic users designated to kept the town safe. The two of them made up of the Magus, the highest magic user, and The Knight, the one who defends and protects the Magus. They are connected; bonded in a way that bring them mentally closer to each other and the sexual tension between the two becomes almost unbearable. In Derrick's grief he forgets to tell Callie some important things and since she has no clue what she is doing when Derrick is injured beyond repair Callie does the only thing she can and forms the forbidden bond between the them.

The first Sentinels formed such a bond and ended up killing all but one of the council. The two Sentinels claimed the council member was a demon and that he killed the other council members. They were put to death and the council band that bond between the Sentinel stating it would slowly drive them crazy. Derrick and Callie try to hide it both still unsure about the others feelings but they both still love each other and that bond was inevitable. Derrick is upset with it after being told since childhood that it was wrong but Callie is adamant that she was just doing what felt right, and it still does.

The death of Derrick's sister was just the start of it. Soon Derrick and Callie are evading sniper attacks, tracking the killer of several young women and when the council finds out about the bond Callie wants to continue to avoid them and continue trying to find the killer before he strikes again, but Derrick wants to explain. It all comes together in an explosive "what a twist" ending.