ARC Book Review: The Rightful Bearer (The Maiden Ship #3) by Micheline Ryckman

May 26, 2022March 25, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 298 pages
Author: Micheline Ryckman
Publisher: Whimsical Publishing
Release Date: May 30th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Make peace with your past, lest it ruin your future.

Dain Alloway has been tasked with finding the rightful bearer and stopping the oncoming invasion of the four kingdoms. But as he begins the journey, self-doubt invades first, and he finds his confidence waning—Dain is no longer sure he’s the right person for this job. Who is he to challenge an emperor and his monstrous creations? Who is he to stop a war?

Meanwhile, Sable Cortham’s talent has grown, and every new lesson brings her another step closer to becoming one of the most powerful adept in history. But wielding this kind of magic makes Sable a target. She’s begun to wonder, even if they can find the rightful bearer and stop the emperor, how many more villains will come for her power? Will the four kingdoms ever be safe for the adept?

Elden Grayspire has recently been rescued from a centuries-old prison of stone, and while he rejoices in his newfound freedom, he laments the fact that his beloved remains a prisoner still. Mourning the loss of so many things past, feeling lonely and helpless, Elden struggles to find a place in this new time and era. As he embarks on a secret mission against the very man who cursed him long ago, will he finally discover a purpose and a way to belong?

The adventure concludes in The Rightful Bearer! Join Dain, Sable, Elden, and the rest of the Maiden Ship crew in this final seafaring adventure.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

GREAT FINALE.

What a solid conclusion to a great trilogy I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.

One of my favorite aspects are the CHARACTERS. They are thoughtfully crafted and even the smaller side ones come alive. I love how deeply they’re created and how beautifully it plays into every part of the novel. The romance between Dain and Sable is the sweetest. There were plenty of soft moments between them where my heart swooned. I loved the connection they shared and the strength they had on their own, but also the way they leaned on each other when needed too.

The only thing I don’t quite understand was the mermaid subplot that bled over from book two? Though honestly towards the end I was wondering if there’s a future book with more of this?! I need answers. That tidbit is my only meh thing about these books.

With the last 30% it was intense. I loved the action, reveals and how things amped up. It was well written and every angle of the final battle was executed. I liked the villain takedown and the true rightful bearer?! I was pleasantly surprised at those answers too. This has been a wonderful series to read and I look forward to future books by Ryckman!

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy Romance
Language: very little
Romance: closed door
Violence: mild
Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, battle scenes, physical and magical altercations, weaponry

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ARC Book Review: The Godborn and the King (The Raven and the Dove #4) by Kaitlyn Davis

May 23, 2022April 1, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5)
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 486 pages
Author: Kaitlyn Davis
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: May 23rd, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Return to the world of The Raven and the Dove, where winged people rule the skies, a lost kingdom lives at sea, and two star-crossed lovers hold the fate of each in their palms. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!

A love written in the stars…

Thrown into a world of claws and flame, Lyana and Rafe must work together to survive. Dragons abound. Danger lurks. And the hybrids are out for blood. But perhaps more terrifying are the questions in their hearts. Are they ready to lead? Were they ever truly in love? Or with the prophecy realized, will everything they thought they had fall apart?

A clash five hundred years in the making…

With the isles now returned to the sea, two worlds have become one. The avians will do anything to protect their homes. The mages will do anything to take them. And without a king or queen of prophecy to guide them, peace is no longer an option. Xander must decide where his loyalties lie—with the ravens he’s sworn to serve or the woman he can’t help but love.

Find the chosen one or face the end of everything…

Deep in the skryr’s dreams, Cassi bears witness to the prophetess’s final vision. A rift mage lives and Cassi is the only one with the power to find her. She’ll sacrifice anything to save the world, including her future with Xander, but even the queen of secrets never anticipated the mysteries waiting for her in the mist.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

WHAT A CONCLUSION.

I’ve been enjoying this series since the start and I am so excited to be able to say I loved the conclusion. It had a lot of things I look for in a finale and gave me all the feels.

I adored these romances. Rafe & Lyana getting some alone time and finding an even deeper bond between them. Xander & Cassi both looking past their faults and seeing how strong they can be on their own and together. YES TO ALL THE ABOVE. I thought Brighty’s romance was sweet too, but it wasn’t well developed. It was like one chapter she saw the other woman and was interested, and the next, confession of love. I just wanted more build-up there, but I’m glad she found someone too.

The plot stayed moving. I know I’m not loving a book if I find myself skimming to dialogue, this was not the case for me here. I wanted to take in every word and enjoy the story’s pace and the unfolding drama. Plenty of action, moments to cheer, moments that had me gasping all barreling towards an ending that’s easy to be satisfied with. I would have loved a bit more from Rafe and Lyana in regards to the plot. They were stuck somewhere else for so long that I feel they missed out on a lot. I know part of the ending with them will be polarizing but I LOVED it. I thought it made a lot of sense and got me alllllll in the feels.

Great read, I seriously can’t wait to see what Davis writes next. I’m glad I hopped onto this fantasy romance because it’s a gem. If you haven’t added to your TBR already, now it’s complete so you SHOULD DO IT.

Overall audience notes:

NA Fantasy Romance
Language: very little
Romance: vague and brief open door
Violence: mild to mid-high
Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent, loss of loved ones, kidnapping, torture, near death experiences

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: April 2022

April 30, 2022 GoodeyReads2 Comments

A wishy washy reading month. I threw away way to many DNFs, but there were some diamonds in the rough here.

Favorites: The Godborn and the King, Double or Nothing, The Love Connection, Long Story Short, Lodestar, A Brush with Love, The Saltwater Heir, Heir of Fire, The Diamond Eye

[ARC] The Godborn and the King (The Raven and the Dove #4) by Kaitlyn Davis
The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
Mr. Hoa (Fake It #1) by Carina Taylor
[Novella] Inheritance (American Royals #0.5) by Katharine McGee
Souls of Fire and Steel (Frozen Sun Saga #3) by Jill Criswell
The Atlas Six (The Atlas #1) by Olivie Blake
[ARC] Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle
[Novella] Passion or Penalty by Leah Brunner
[Novella] Falling for Your Brother’s Best Friend by Emma St. Clair
[ARC] Double or Nothing (A Pride and Pranks Romance #2) by Cindy Steel
[Novella] There Goes the Groom (Romance of Rank #1.5) by Esther Hatch
The Shadow Rising (The Wheel of Time #4) by Robert Jordan
[Novella] The Love Connection (Airport Novellas #1) by Denise Williams
The Ace of Hearts (Larkhall Letters #1) by Ashtyn Newbold
One for All by Lillie Lainoff
[Novella] Below Zero (The STEMinist Novellas #3) by Ali Hazelwood
The Fine Print (Dreamland Billionaires #1) by Lauren Asher
[Novella] Somewhat of a Ruse by Jess Heileman
Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor
Lodestar (Keeper of the Lost Cities #5) by Shannon Messenger
[Reread] Air Awakens (Air Awakens #1) by Elise Kova
[ARC] Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor
My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen
In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer
Four Aunties and A Wedding (Aunties #2) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
A Brush With Love by Mazey Eddings
Scarlet Princess (The Lochlann Feuds #1) by Robin D. Mahle and Elle Madison
[ARC] The Dachshund Wears Prada by Stefanie London
The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa
[Novella] Finding Cinderella (Hopeless #2.5) by Colleen Hoover
Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
Tarnished Crown (The Lochlann Feuds #2) by Robin D. Mahle and Elle Madison
An Offer From a Gentleman (Bridgertons #3) by Julia Quinn
The Saltwater Heir (The Blood and Water Saga #1) by Cassidy Clarke
[Reread] Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas
Pretending at Love (Greenbank Romances #2) by Karen Thornell
The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
Terms and Conditions (Dreamland Billionaires #2) by Lauren Asher
Crimson Kingdom (The Lochlann Feuds #3) by Robin D. Mahle and Elle Madison
Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson
The No-Show by Beth O’Leary
[ARC] When in Rome by Sarah Adams

Did we read any of the same books? See any you want to read? Leave a comment!

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Book Review: A Fate of Wrath & Flame (Fate & Flame #1) by K.A. Tucker

April 4, 2022July 10, 2021 GoodeyReads3 Comments

Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 634 pages
Author: K.A. Tucker
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: May 25th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Gifted thief Romeria has flourished from her days as a street kid pilfering wallets to survive. Now she thrives, stealing jewels from the rich under the involuntary employ of New York City’s most notorious crime boss. But when an enigmatic woman secures her services at swordpoint, Romeria is plunged into a startling realm of opposing thrones, warring elven, and elemental magic she cannot begin to fathom.

Her quest is straightforward: Steal a stone from Islor’s sacred garden without anyone discovering her true identity, which would earn her certain death. But the identity she has inexplicably assumed is that of the captured Ybarisan princess—an enemy to Islor after she poisoned their beloved king and queen on the day she was to marry the prince.

Her betrothed, the newly crowned King Zander, detests her with every grain of his handsome being. Fortunately for Romeria, she is more valuable to him alive than dead. Zander gives her a choice: life in a cell, or an acquittal of all charges in exchange for her help in exposing the growing plot against him.

Romeria sees no other option and embraces the tricky role of smitten queen-to-be until she can escape, a ruse that brings her far closer to the king than she anticipated and threatens more than her safety. As she digs deeper into this sacred garden and the ancient feud between Ybaris and Islor, she discovers monstrous truths that could spell ruin for all.

She would know the world of vengeful gods and monsters, and the lengths one would go for love. And nothing would ever be the same for her again.

TOOK AN UNEXPECTED TWIST.

Was it a good twist?

Not from my perspective.

Sooooooo I’m feeling a bit disappointed over this. I was SO EXCITED for this fantasy by one of my favorite authors, and maybe I hyped it too much? Maybe this fantasy just didn’t click? Maybe some combination of a handful of things.

I liked the romance between Romy and Zander. It’s a slowwww burn, but works so well here. I thought the chemistry was there (would have loved even more) and the banter was great too. I look forward to more of them based on how this ended so I’m definitely looking towards the sequel for a lift.

What fell really flat was the world-building and the magic system. Romy spent most of the time in the dark, so I spent even more time in the dark. I have SO MANY QUESTIONS. I could form a list for you, but it would probably spoil most of the story, ha. There’s some info dumping pages where I kind of caught up on what was happening, but frankly, I have no idea what’s going on. The whole quest to get the stone wasn’t even the plot of this book. Many mixed messages.

Speaking of mixed message, I’m still upset over the twist. It felt like it only added to the confusion. Why was it added? Why do they need to be that way? And once again, many more questions.

Even though the story wasn’t the necessarily like the summary led me to believe, I did like most of it. It was entertaining most of the time and I’m still curious enough to see what’s next.

Overall audience notes: