Tag: dark fantasy

Book Review: The Ever King (The Ever Seas #1) by L.J. Andrews

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 408 pages
Author: L.J. Andrews
Publisher: Victorious
Release Date: September 16th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

They stole his crown, so he stole their daughter…

For years Erik, the scarred king of the Ever Kingdom, has thought of nothing but vengeance against the man who killed his father and trapped him beneath the waves, making him a prisoner in his own realm.

Until his enemy’s daughter unintentionally breaks the chains on the Ever, and Erik makes her the unwitting pawn in his vicious game of revenge.

She’s innocent. He’s vicious. But he will take back what he lost, no matter the price.

Unless she steals his heart first.

Welcome to the passionate world of the Ever Kingdom where pirates, sirens, and fae collide with Vikings in a dark fantasy romance between a villain and the innocent princess who holds his heart.

*Please note: This series is set in the same world as the bestselling Broken Kingdoms series, but can be read independently, and readers are encouraged to read the list of triggers inside*

MY NEW OBESSION.

Holy cow. I LOVED THIS BOOK Y’ALL. It was dark and gruesome and full of all the things that make me love dark fantasy romances. This is the one to pick up.

I looooved how the romance was written. The fated sense, the enemies banter, the I just can’t stop coming near you, AH. ALL OF IT. I was a puddle of a person highlighting just about everything Erik said to Livia. Both were compelling characters that really set that opposites attract to flame.

The world building and magic system was fantastic and I was obsessed with the whole pirate theme. And the whole crew?? Loved them. Loved them all. There were just enough secrets being held and plenty uncovered and some of those closing scenes had me gasping.

NEED BOOK TWO LIKE AIR.

Overall audience notes:

  • Dark fantasy romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 3-4 open door
  • Violence: high

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Book Review: The Sin of Saints (Benevolence & Blood #1) by Lauren M. Leasure

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Dark Fantasy
Length: 382 pages
Author: Lauren M. Leasure
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: June 28th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Growing up in Eserene’s slums, Petra’s life is marred by unimaginable tragedy. Things finally begin to look up when she meets Calomyr, member of the Royal Guard and keeper of just as much heartache as Petra.

Once again, though, her life is upended when her mother remarries a Lord, forcing Petra to undergo a brutal initiation ceremony in order to ascend to the Royal Court.

As Petra prepares for initiation, news of a drug-fueled fanatical rebel regime reaches the high walls of Eserene. No one seems to panic, so Petra doesn’t either.

Until the city is smoldering before her.

Outside the city walls, Petra must untangle a smoke-shrouded web woven long before she was born. She finds her entire life has been orchestrated for one purpose, a purpose kept hidden from her until she unveils the secret that thrums through her veins. As everything she thought she knew unravels, Petra is forced to confront ghosts she didn’t know she had – and the monsters and demons that now join them…

From author Lauren M. Leasure comes the sexy, action-packed first installment of the Benevolence & Blood Series.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED

This was a type of read where I couldn’t tell you what was happening for 90% of the book and I wasn’t mad about it at all. It felt like I was on the journey with Petra as discoveries became relevant to her and betrayals from others brought her to her knees.

I enjoyed this one so much. The past and present timeline chapter flipping worked well. It did slow the pace down a bit, but the continual need to know what happened next was always there. I liked seeing where Petra came from, and how that shaped all the stuff she was going through in the present.

This is definitely a dark read. I honestly can think of maybe two things that could be considered good that happened. It’s gritty and disturbing and I just need MORE.

I’m already chomping at the bit to get my hands on book two. This one felt a bit prequel-esque with the pacing style so I know the second is going to fling us through the ringer after those ending reveals. The writing was wonderful and there were some beautiful quote worthy lines.

Overall audience notes:

  • Dark Fantasy + Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: two open door
  • Violence: very high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of family, torture, sexual harassment, loss of parents, drug addiction, mass enslavement, kidnapping, physical altercations, weapons violence, explosions, loss of a sibling

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Book Review: Blood Scion (Blood Scion #1) by Deborah Falaye

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 432 pages
Author: Deborah Falaye
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: March 8th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

This is what they deserve. They wanted me to be a monster. I will be the worst monster they ever created.

Fifteen-year-old Sloane can incinerate an enemy at will—she is a Scion, a descendant of the ancient Orisha gods.

Under the Lucis’ brutal rule, her identity means her death if her powers are discovered. But when she is forcibly conscripted into the Lucis army on her fifteenth birthday, Sloane sees a new opportunity: to overcome the bloody challenges of Lucis training, and destroy them from within.

Sloane rises through the ranks and gains strength but, in doing so, risks something greater: losing herself entirely, and becoming the very monster that she abhors.

Following one girl’s journey of magic, injustice, power, and revenge, this deeply felt and emotionally charged debut from Deborah Falaye, inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, is a magnetic combination of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin and Daughter of Smoke and Bone that will utterly thrill and capture readers.

ENDING SAVED IT.

Note: this book is super dark and does not hold back. Please check trigger warning and make sure you’re in the right frame of mind for it!

This was something different, without a doubt. I’m not sure my mood reader self was quite read for everything, buuut I did really enjoy this story overall.

One of the best aspects was the strong female main character, Sloane. I loved her. She had to make the hardest choice over and over again and she kept rising and pushing forward. The audiobook did a fantastic job at narration and I think this also helped bring the story to life.

So much of this plot is heavy and unforgiving. There’s complex characters and a compelling plot. I did find it at times a little slow and I occasionally had a hard time getting fully into the story. The ending though? WOW, I did not see that coming at all. It was full of twists and wildness that set up for book two.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Dark Fantasy
  • Language: light
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: very high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: racism, colorism, rape mentioned, sexual assault, self harm, child abuse, child soldiers, suicidal ideation, death of a parent, genocide, torture, executions, gun violence

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