Tag: cassidy clarke

Book Review: The Crownless Queen (The Blood and Water Saga #4) by Cassidy Clarke

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy + Romance
Length: 845 pages
Author: Cassidy Clarke
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 23rd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

ANIMA, GODDESS OF LIFE, IS A TRAITOR TO HER KIND.

After losing the kingdom of Nyx to her chaos-hungry brother, Anima has pledged herself wholly to protecting her mortal friends…starting by returning her host’s body to its rightful owner. But when she discovers her power wasn’t the only thing released during the ritual, she must join forces with the ruling family of Arborius—including its most withdrawn, secretive. prince—to try and halt Tenebrae’s vengeful hand before it smothers the life from her beloved island.

SOREN ATLAS IS ENTERING A BATTLEFIELD SHE’S NEVER DARED BREACH BEFORE.

Freed from Anima’s influence on her body, the long path to recovery has begun. But to win her Arborian relatives’ support in taking back Atlas’s throne, she must brave the heart of a mountain to convince a stone-hearted king, an arrogant prince, and their faithless people to fight alongside an Heir with no crown. Because if they are to have any hope of defeating the god holding her family hostage, the kingdom of Tallis must agree to part with a weapon none have seen since its the fabled god-killer.

ELIAS LOCH IS CARRYING A BURDEN HE WASN’T BUILT TO BEAR.

His best friend has sacrificed himself. His people are scattered and leaderless. His dreams are haunted by chaos’s song. And if that wasn’t enough, the ring on his battlemate’s finger has crowned him with a new, terrifying the future King Consort of Atlas. With his goddess issuing commands that twist his conscience, a potential ally fraying the threads of his belief, and new vows calling the old into question, the time has come to choose which he will the convictions of his heart, or the demands of his faith.

MISSING SOMETHING.

I have loved this series (and still do) but I felt like this book was missing one key piece for me. It’s EIGHT HUNDRED FOURTY FIVE PAGES and I was missing at least four other POV’s from other characters of previous books and I didn’t like that at all. This book was heavily focused on Soren, Anima and Elias and I wanted to see what others were up to as well. With the gaps between books I worry how much I’ll remember now.

I still genuinely enjoyed the plot. Cassidy Clarke has a quality of writing that makes it easy to come back to. I love the conversation dynamics and banter between characters and there was a new romance added that I could not get enough of.

I think this progressed the larger arcs to some degree. I’m still obsessed with everyone here and I can’t wait for the finale!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy + Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: The Mirror Game (The Blood and Water Saga #5) by Cassidy Clarke

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 835 pages
Author: Cassidy Clarke
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: December 20th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

FINNICK ATLAS is playing with stolen godhood.

Proclaiming himself the Trickster God and sealing Occassio within the confines of a mirror was only the beginning of this long con. Now, it’s up to him to impersonate the Goddess of Time long enough to pull off another freeing his parents from their own dungeon.

To act the part, he’ll need to use his new magic to step into the past and find the truth hidden behind Occassio’s shimmering secrets. But when he accidentally comes face-to-face with her mortal self, he finds himself fighting a much different battle than a battle between his heart and his head.

RAQUEL ANGELOV has a promise to keep.

After a devastating loss, she has only one mission to assist Finnick Atlas in his schemes to save his people and his parents, despite her lingering animosity toward Atlas and its Queen. But when her spywork puts her in the path of a group of rebel Atlas citizens and soldiers, she may find more common ground between them than she expected…and her obligation to a fallen prince may soon become something far more precious.

GOT ME GOOD.

Oh it’s a thick book y’all. But a thick book that delivers. There’s something about those last 200 pages that always gets me going in this series. The increase in action and intensity and love and betrayals, this was headed right where I was hoping and gave me what I was after tenfold!!

I love Finn. While I missed the characters from book four, I love Finn enough that honestly, I hardly noticed. His story involved some deeply flawed characters and I loved the journey and arc they went on together. Who knew I would be so into this romance?? I love that each romantic line in this series has a different feel and edge to it. They are not cookie cutters and will leave you feeling all the things.

I can’t believe this series is almost over. I am highly looking forward to the sequel and seeing how these meddling gods are taken down one last time. I love the way these characters have bonded together, I love the action and tender flow of the story and all the things in between!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: The Goddess Eye (The Blood and Water Saga #1) by Cassidy Clarke

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 651 pages
Author: Cassidy Clarke
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 25th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

RAQUEL ANGELOV is going home.
To keep yet another Atlas royal from falling to a deity’s influence, Raquel must return to a place she was banished from long ago…Skyhaven, a community of Tempest-blessed zealots that exists outside all kingdom borders. But she vowed never to return for a reason, and when seeking the God of Nature’s relic puts her in the path of a dangerous old “friend,” it will take all her strength to escape from Skyhaven a second time…and to protect the Atlas princes who followed her there.

THE ATLAS BROTHERS are fighting a new war.
Taunted and tempted by deities intent on their own purposes, Kallias and Finnick Atlas are in for the fight of their lives. Long-kept secrets and long-held grudges threaten the vows sworn between them, and if the brothers can’t find their way through the kingdom of their enemies, Atlas may lose its last line of defense..and its last remaining successors.

SOREN ATLAS loves both her kingdoms…but torn loyalties are the perfect seeds for chaos to bloom.
On the run from mercenaries who would see the host of a goddess dead or worse, Soren and Elias find themselves taking shelter somewhere they never thought they’d see again…home. But things in Nyx are not the same as they were. Corrupted magic has crept its way across the Atlas border and brought Tenebrae’s influence with it, wiping out entire towns without a single soldier in sight. With the Chaos God gaining ground, the weight of a goddess’s soul breaking her body piece by piece, and both of her families in danger, Soren must find a way to save one without sacrificing the other…and without falling prey to the song of discord winding its way through the very heart of Nyx.

THE EMOTIONAL DESTRUCTION.

I HAVE NOT RECOVERED. How does Cassidy Clarke right these massive fantasy books that don’t feel long at all? I am in love with all of these characters and now I’m sad I have to wait for book four. READ THIS SERIES.

I love how heavily character driven this series is. I am deeply and emotionally attached to each and every one and I love how many POV’s we get. This book was the most romantic book of the bunch. I loved the increase focus on some of the couples and where there stories are taking them. While this book HURT it also had this softer quality that I’m absolutely sure is gearing up for some destruction in future books.

This is such a hidden gem of the indie fantasy world and I beg of you to give it a try. There’s MEDDLING GODS, politicking, battles, ROMANCE, magic and world building that is well crafted and not overwhelming. I love this series so much.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: torture, whipping, loss of life, loss of loved ones, physical and weapons violence

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Book Review: The Phoenix Priest (The Blood and Water Saga #2) by Cassidy Clarke

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 780 pages
Author: Cassidy Clarke
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 22nd, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Elias Loch has nothing left to believe in.

After the loss of his battlemate, all he wants is to go home to Nyx and lose himself to grief. But when the Goddess of Death summons him to Artem, a kingdom of fire and steel, he finds himself plunged into a series of trials to earn him and his princely companion an audience with Artem’s Empress—trials that will force him to confront what it truly means to have faith in his goddess…and himself.

Finnick Atlas is playing a game against the gods, and he’s used up all his cheats.

Burdened by his new title and the two gods walking his halls, he needs to be at the top of his game to keep control over his kingdom. But with a maddening magic threatening to steal what’s left of his sanity, a goddess puppeting his little sister’s body for nefarious ends, and an arranged marriage with the Queen of Lapis looming on the horizon, he’s running out of sleeves to slip aces into. Luckily, a new friend from the Lapisian delegation may just be the key to winning all his games…if he can trick a worshipper of the Trickster Goddess.

Soren Nyx can’t seem to die.

Trapped inside her own body, she has only one goal left: to keep Anima, Goddess of Life, from seeing into her memories and finding her family’s weaknesses. But retreating into the depths of her own mind has unintended consequences, and with the help of an old friend, Soren must navigate the lost memories of her childhood as Soleil, all with one question in mind: will she finally give in to the death that’s been chasing her since girlhood, or will she rise again as someone new?

READ THIS SERIES.

I am so impressed by this series. 800 pages and I hardly notice. I love the writing. It’s captivating and keeps the pace moving. The characters are extremely easy to get attached to and I can’t believe some of the things that happened this round?! NOT OKAY.

I love how much depth we got from many characters. Specifically this time, Elias. He went through the ringer (and fire, literal fire) and now I can see just how strong of a character role he’s going to continue to play. And his bromance with Kallias? ADORE!!!!! We stan strong friendships. Moving towards Kallias, do I spy a romance? The slow burn is torturous, but oh so good.

MY SWEET BABY FINN. Easily my favorite character for this book. Wow his story took so many turns. I loved it. I love his morally gray, but fiercely protective self. My heart hurts for where his arc may lead. I need him comforted ASAP.

The plot moved beautifully. A mix of action and politicking. Sneaking out at night and creatures coming out of the woodwork. I loved the changes in scenery and all of the new characters that I got to meet. Everyone felt pertinent to the story and only added to how much I love reading these books.

ADD TO YOUR TBR ASAP PLEASE.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: med/high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping, torture, physical altercations, creature attacks, near death experiences, poison, grief depiction

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