Tag: fantasy romance

ARC Book Review: Furysong (The Aurelian Cycle #3) by Rosaria Munda

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: YA Fantasy + Romance
Length: 496 pages
Author: Rosaria Munda
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Release Date: August 9th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this explosive conclusion to the epic trilogy that began with Fireborne, Annie and Lee are fighting for their lives—and for each other—as invading dragonfire threatens to burn their home to the ground.

A new revolution is underway, and nobody will emerge unscathed.

In New Pythos, Griff is facing an execution by the dragonborn, who are furious at his betrayal. He has allies on both sides seeking to defy his fate, but the price of his freedom might come at a dear cost. And Delo will have to make a choice: follow his family, or finally surrender to his conscience.

Meanwhile, Annie must race home to hatch a plan to save her Guardians and their dragons. With Callipolis on the brink of collapse and the triarchy set to be reinstated, she may be the one person who can save the city—if she can overcome her own doubts about her future.

Lee is a revolutionary at heart, but now he’ll have to find a way to fight with diplomacy. Going up against the dragonborn court and a foreign princess, he faces a test of loyalty that sets his head against his heart.

As the fate of Callipolis darkens, Annie and Lee must determine what they are willing to sacrifice in order to save each other, defeat their enemies, and reclaim their home.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the eARC.

EPIC.

This series is TOTALLY UNDERRATED AND EVERYONE SHOULD GO READ IT PLEASE.

Now with that business out of the way let me give a non-spoiler review.

I LOVED this story. It is slow for YA, but as someone who loves fantasy across the board I was into it. Packed with a punch from the get-go the action did not cease for awhile. I loved the drift it took into slower territory, where building of armies, tension, and romance was able to happen. I was absolutely smitten with both romances. Lee and Annie are too precious for this world. This incredible bond formed when they were orphaned children that grew into something unquantifiable. It was passionate and TEARS WERE SHED at some specific, not to be named scenes.

I also adored the romance between Griff and Delo. It had a whole different vibe to it with a changing of position and having to be let the festering anger burst before bonds could reform. I love the hope that came from between them even when things were at there bleakest.

Can we also discuss the side characters??! Holy cow they brought it too. Power has got to be one of my new favorites. He was everything I love about morally gray dynamics. Caught wanting to better his life, falling into unrequited love and more that I wish I could say. His scenes were next level.

And the plot is full of DRAGONS, politicking, action and more. I think this plot flowed really well and I truly didn’t know how things were going to end up working out in the end. I did nick 1/2 star because I wanted a little more *oopmh* in the ending (though I do promise it ends perfectly well and you will not throw your book). Besides that hard to nail down thought with the ending, I NEED Y’ALL TO PLEASE READ THIS SERIES.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy + Romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: closed-door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: battle themes, loss of life, loss of loved ones, grief & depression depiction, near death experiences, torture, animal cruelty, fires, indentured servitude, harassment

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: July 2022

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It was a great reading month around here!

Favorite Books: Air Awakens reread, Would You Rather, Songs of the Wicked, These Hollow Vows, These Wicked Bonds, Kulti, Master of Iron, Catherine Cowles books!

  • The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall
  • Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
  • A Crown of the Gods (Shadows and Crowns #4) by S.M. Gaither
  • A Thousand Miles by Bridget Morrissey
  • [ARC] Hearts of Briarwall by Krista Jensen
  • [Reread] Earth’s End (Air Awakens #3) by Elise Kova
  • Mischief, Mayhem, and Marriage (Supposed Scandal #2) by Rebecca Connolly
  • Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho
  • Naked in Death (In Death #1) by J.D. Robb
  • The Last of the Talons (Talons #1) by Sophie Kim
  • Fake it Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley
  • [Reread] Water’s Wrath (Air Awakens #4) by Elise Kova
  • [ARC] Would You Rather by Allison Ashley
  • [Reread] Crystal Crowned (Air Awakens #5) by Elise Kova
  • Blood and Moonlight by Erin Beaty
  • [Novella] Finding Perfect (Hopeless #2.6) by Colleen Hoover
  • The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
  • The Sin of Saints (Benevolence & Blood #1) by Lauren M. Leasure
  • Dream On by Angie Hockman
  • A Cowboy for Keeps (Colorado Cowboys #1) by Jody Hedlund
  • When He Was Wicked (The Bridgertons #6) by Julia Quinn
  • Songs of the Wicked (A Dreamer’s Misfortune #1) by C.A. Farran
  • [Reread] These Hollow Vows (These Hollow Vows #1) by Lexi Ryan
  • [ARC] Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus
  • [ARC] The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe
  • These Twisted Bonds (These Hollow Vows #2) by Lexi Ryan
  • [Reread] Kulti by Mariana Zapata
  • [Novella] Commit (The Sweet Rom”Coms” #2.5) by Kortney Keisel
  • [ARC] Master of Iron (Bladesmith #2) by Tricia Levenseller
  • Tattered Stars (Tattered & Torn #1) by Catherine Cowles
  • Mother of Death and Dawn (The War of Lost Hearts #3) by Carissa Broadbent
  • Falling Embers (Tattered & Torn #2) by Catherine Cowles
  • [ARC] The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart #2) by Stephanie Garber
  • The Heart of a Cowboy (Colorado Cowboys #2) by Jody Hedlund
  • Doing Time (Wayfair Witches #12) by A.A. Albright
  • Tokyo Dreaming (Tokyo Ever After #2) by Emiko Jean
  • The Enemy and Miss Innes (Tales from the Highlands #2) by Martha Keyes
  • City of Gods and Monsters (House of Devils #1) by Kayla Edwards
  • The Beach Trap by Ali Brady
  • Class Act (The Thornback Society #1) by Aspen Hadley

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ARC Book Review: Master of Iron (Bladesmith #2) by Tricia Levenseller

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: July 26th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In Master of Iron, the conclusion to Tricia Levenseller’s exciting Bladesmith YA fantasy duology, a magically gifted blacksmith with social anxiety must race against the clock to save her beloved sister and stop a devastating war.

Eighteen-year-old Ziva may have defeated a deadly warlord, but the price was almost too much. Ziva is forced into a breakneck race to a nearby city with the handsome mercenary, Kellyn, and the young scholar, Petrik, to find a powerful magical healer who can save her sister’s life.

When the events that follow lead to Ziva and Kellyn’s capture by an ambitious prince, Ziva is forced into the very situation she’s been dreading: magicking dangerous weapons meant for world domination.

The forge has always been Ziva’s safe space, a place to avoid society and the anxiety it causes her, but now it is her prison, and she’s not sure just how much of herself she’ll have to sacrifice to save Kellyn and take center stage in the very war she’s been trying to stop.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy audiobook.

ABSOLUTELY LOVED.

Tricia Levenseller books are some of my absolute favorite YA reads. She is an auto-buy author for me and once again, has hit it out of the park. I was a bit neutral after the first book in this duo, but this ending, AMAZING.

I loooooved Ziva. The social anxiety rep here feels so spot on and I could relate 1,000 different ways to how she was feeling talking to others, making friends, and being assertive when the time came. Ziva showed great character growth and the ability to listen and learn how to communicate with those she loved.

The ROMANCE. SO DANG SWEET. I adored Kellyn. I liked that they got a lot more time together and that there were legitimate relationship struggles they worked through. It was authentic and I liked how both parties learned to COMMUNICATE and lean on one another as a bond of trust deeply formed. Oh my gosh they were just the best y’all. And some well placed pet name use had me swoooooning.

There’s also a beautiful sister relationship here. Temra and Ziva have one of the tightest connections I have read about. And I liked they way they were always there for each other and also could say, I can do this myself, too. There was a great give and take and acknowledging ones’ place in the world.

Within all of this greatest was a solid plot of action and battles. I love that I felt like nothing overshadowed one plot aspect over the other. There was balance between the romance, the big plot, friendships and subtle quiet moments. I devoured this book and anxiously await Levenseller’s next great read.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: mentions of closed-door
  • Violence: medium
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, war themes, kidnapping, physical and magical altercations, torture

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Book Review: The Call of the Void (Shadows and Crowns #3) by S.M. Gaither

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy + Romance
Length: 504 pages
Author: S.M. Gaither
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: October 18th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

War is building. Blood is spilling. And the gods are not pleased.

Casia has survived her brother’s attempts to crush her and her growing army, but the battle for their empire is just beginning. Bitter and wounded, carrying the curse of a dark and dangerous upper-god, and desperate for more allies, she charges northward to seek the elves who once walked alongside the divine beings.

The elven Court of Moreth holds knowledge. Secrets. And power. The kind of power that could shift all of Casia’s wars in her favor. If she can survive the dangerous politics and treacherous magic of the elf-kind.

While these outer battles rage, so too do the ones within. Elander is losing what remained of his divinity. His court. His powers. His grasp on what he once was and what he once knew. But he’s determined to keep fighting, gathering his own ancient allies and working to aid Casia in her wars. He lost her once. He won’t do it again.

But his devotion to her may be the very thing that destroys him.

And when that destruction comes, it comes with a twist—one that could change their entire world.

ANOTHER GOOD READ.

I am just highly enjoying this series!! Such a hidden gem that I can’t get enough of.

I read this book rather than listened and I think that made a difference in my rating. I thought it was a bit slower off the bat and that not as much happened in the overall plot. I was hoping for a bit more political intrigue and action, but that didn’t happen until the late second half.

What I did get a lot of was the roooomance! And I loved it! The spice was definitely stepped up a bit (which wasn’t my full cup of tea, but it’s cool). I love the progression and depth Elander and Casia with each other. They work together and build each other up and I love a supportive relationship like that. It’s always unique to see a fully formed couple before the series is even half over.

I can’t wait for the next read! I adore this entire cast and all of the close friendships. There’s some good movement here and I am thoroughly enjoying every moment.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: three open door
  • Violence: strong blood/gore
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: physical and magical altercations, war themes and battles, near death experiences

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