Tag: fantasy romance

ARC Book Review: The Shards of Ophelia (The Curse of Ophelia #2) by Nicole Platania

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 436 pages
Author: Nicole Platania
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 22nd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The quest is over, but the curse has only just begun.

During her journey to the Mystique Mountains, Ophelia uncovered twisted secrets of love and war. Now, she’s left to pick up the pieces while stepping into her new role. But when a chancellor of a minor clan delivers a destructive premonition, Ophelia’s appointment is challenged, forcing her into a trial period–one that heightens the tensions already brewing in her relationships.

Amid the battles for alliances, the Angel, Damien, returns with more prophetic musings and threats. In order to defeat her political enemies, prove her worth, and solve the Angel’s message, Ophelia must fight to unravel the secrets of her opponents and heal her own wounds. But with war looming and scars of the past surfacing, can she find answers before time runs out?

The second installment in the The Curse of Ophelia series is rife with trials of growth, challenges of love, and games of politics. The Shards of Ophelia is perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, Raven Kennedy, and Carissa Broadbent.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

SOPHOMORE SUCCESS.

Excuse me? THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING.

From the beginning I was wrapped up into this story. I enjoyed book one, and this blew it out of the water. I am officially attached to these characters, the plot and everything else in-between.

I loooove that it was dual POV. There’s a lot of complex emotions and hard choices to make. It all tore at my heart and made me ache. I love how this was written though. It felt real, with flawed characters doing their best, trying to take that next step forward and realizing what things you have to let go.

The romance picked up in ways I had been hoping for and I am HERE FOR IT. I love this found family and the new people that are being taken into the group. The other subtle relationships that may be popping up. The intensity at which I hate the antagonists. How the plot moves through fast and quiet times seamlessly. THE ANGST AT WHICH THIS ROMANCE BRINGS ME TO MY KNEES.

It’s all here, it’s all fantastic. Time to read this series.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: a little strong
  • Romance: 1-2 open – low/moderate explicit
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of life, near death experiences, torture, physical and magical altercations, battle themes

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Book Review: Slaying the Vampire Conqueror (Mortal Enemies to Monster Lovers) by Carissa Broadbent

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 432 pages
Author: Carissa Broadbent
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 27th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She was commanded to kill him with a single strike to the heart. She didn’t expect her own to betray her. Sylina has sacrificed everything for her goddess–her soul, her freedom, her eyes. Life in service to the Arachessen, a cult of the Goddess of Fate, has turned Sylina from orphaned street-rat to disciplined killer, determined to overthrow Glaea’s tyrannical king. But when a brutal vampire conqueror arrives on their shores, Sylina faces an even deadlier adversary. She’s tasked with a crucial mission: infiltrate his army, earn his trust… and kill him. Atrius is a terrifying warrior carving an unstoppable path through Glaea. Yet when Sylina becomes his seer, she glimpses a dark and shocking past–and a side of him that reminds her far too much of parts of herself she’d rather forget. Sylina’s orders are clear. The conqueror cannot live. But as the blood spilled by Glaea’s tyrant king runs thicker, her connection with Atrius only grows stronger. A connection forbidden by her vows. A connection that could cost her everything.

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is a standalone fantasy romance set in the Crowns of Nyaxia world, full of heart-wrenching forbidden romance, dark curses, and epic battles – perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom and the From Blood and Ash series. It i s an installment of the heart-pounding fantasy romance series, Mortal Enemies to Monster Lovers . If you like forbidden romance, dark curses, bad*ss heroines, and morally-gray heroes, you’ll devour this sexy, addictive series.

I LOVE THIS WORLD.

After four books in this world I just love it. I love being back in it and seeing another couple and other parts of the land.

I really enjoyed this romance! I liked that the main vampire, Atrius had a different vibe than the previous love interests we’ve seen so far. He’s almost soft. He’s a warrior with a back story, and we love a backstory folks. I liked the slow burn build he had with Sylina. I wouldn’t flat out call it enemies to lovers, but there’s some tension from not knowing if you can trust another person and that worked well here.

Plot wise, there were a few slower moments. Especially initially it took me a second to feel invested. Once things got going I did enjoy the progression. The spice fits well into the story and the ending has some good reveals and I can easily see how this will work into future books in the Crowns of Nyaxia world.

Definitely recommend reading this because the author mentioned we’ll see Atrius and Sylina again (!!).

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 2-3 open door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: physical and magical altercations, loss of life, battle themes, creature attacks, weapons violence

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: July 2023

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SUMMER. And my biggest reading month ever.

**As a little reminder note. Reviews for these books come out over the following months. But consider anything on the Favorites list a must read from me!**

Favorites this month:

  • Windsong Manor
  • The Shards of Ophelia
  • Tower of Dawn
  • Upping the Ante
  • Dark Age
  • The Deal
  • One Kiss Alone
  • Safe Harbor
  • The Magic Of Lemon Drop Pie
  • The Wall of Winnipeg and Me
  • All Alone With You
  • Kingdom of Ash
  • The Bones of Benevolence
  • Glimmers of You
  • The Fake Out
  • Light Bringer
  • Glow of the Everflame

Least favorites:

  • Hideaway
  • House of Striking Oaths
  • Kingdom of Nomads
  • The Phoenix King
  • [Novella] Snapshot by Brandon Sanderson
  • Will They or Won’t They by Ava Wilder
  • [ARC] Windsong Manor by Julie Wright
  • [Graphic Novel] Dark One by Brandon Sanderson
  • Dark One: Forgotten by Brandon Sanderson
  • [ARC] The Shards of Ophelia (The Curse of Ophelia #2) by Nicole Platania
  • [Reread] Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6) by Sarah J. Maas
  • [Novella] Upping the Ante (Sheet Cake Love Stories) by Emma St. Clair
  • [Reread] Dark Age (Red Rising #5) by Pierce Brown
  • [ALC] The Honeymoon Crashers (The Unhoneymooners #1.5) by Christina Lauren
  • The Deal (Off-Campus #1) by Elle Kennedy
  • [ARC] One Kiss Alone (The Penn-Leiths of Thistle Muir #3) by Nichole Van
  • The Queen of Dawn (Shadows and Crowns #5) by S.M. Gaither
  • Safe Harbor (Scoops Series #1) by K. Sinko
  • Sing Me to Sleep (Sing Me to Sleep #1) by Gabi Burton
  • The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden
  • [ARC] Immortal Longings (Flesh and False Gods #1) by Chloe Gong
  • [Reread] The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata
  • The Comeback Summer by Ali Brady
  • [ARC] First Impressions of You by Gabriela Graciosa Guedes
  • [ARC] All Alone With You by Amelia Diance Coombs
  • [Reread] Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass #7) by Sarah J. Maas
  • Hideaway by Bekah Overbey
  • Garden of the Cursed (Garden of the Cursed #1) by Katy Rose Pool
  • House of Striking Oaths (The Kingdom of Crow #3) by Olivia Wildenstein
  • [Novella] Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee
  • Friends Don’t (Fall in Love #1) by Leah Dobrinska
  • A Lady’s Guide to Scandal (A Lady’s Guide #2) by Sophie Irwin
  • The Bones of Benevolence (Benevolence & Blood #1) by Lauren M. Leasure
  • [ALC] Glimmers of You (Lost & Found #3) by Catherine Cowles
  • Play for Me by Libby Hubscher
  • [ARC] The Scarlet Alchemist (The Scarlet Alchemist #1) by Kylie Lee Baker
  • Cupid’s Compass (The Soulmate Seeker Series #1) by Ashley Weiss
  • The Fake Out by Sharon M. Peterson
  • A Kingdom of Nomads (Outcast #2) by S.B. Nova
  • The Hardest Fall by Ella Maise
  • Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino
  • Coach (Treasure State Wildcats #1) by Devney Perry
  • The Bombshell Effect (Washington Wolves #1) by Karla Sorensen
  • [ARC] The Phoenix King (The Ravence Trilogy #1) by Aparna Verma
  • [Gifted] A Royal Competition (Royal Hearts #2) by Amanda Schimmoeller
  • Light Bringer (The Red Rising Saga #6) by Pierce Brown
  • Glow of the Everflame (Kindred’s Curse #2) by Penn Cole
  • Mile High (Windy City #1) by Liz Tomforde
  • Off to the Races (Gold Rush Ranch #1) by Elsie Silver

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ALC Book Review: Dark Water Daughter (The Winter Sea #1) by H.M. Long

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 464 pages
Author: H.M. Long
Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: July 11th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A stormsinger and pirate hunter join forces against a deathless pirate lord in this swashbuckling Jacobean adventure on the high-seas.

Launching the Winter Sea series, full of magic, betrayal, redemption and fearsome women, for readers of Adrienne Young, R. J. Barker and Naomi Novik.

Mary Firth is a Stormsinger: a woman whose voice can still hurricanes and shatter armadas. Faced with servitude to pirate lord Silvanus Lirr, Mary offers her skills to his arch-rival in exchange for protection – and, more importantly, his help sending Lirr to a watery grave. But her new ally has a vendetta of his own, and Mary’s dreams are dark and full of ghistings, spectral creatures who inhabit the ancient forests of her homeland and the figureheads of ships.

Samuel Rosser is a disgraced naval officer serving aboard The Hart, an infamous privateer commissioned to bring Lirr to justice. He will stop at nothing to capture Lirr, restore his good name and reclaim the only thing that stands between himself and madness: a talisman stolen by Mary.

Finally, driven into the eternal ice at the limits of their world, Mary and Samuel must choose their loyalties and battle forces older and more powerful than the pirates who would make them slaves.

Come sail the Winter Sea, for action-packed, high-stakes adventures, rich characterisation and epic plots full of intrigue and betrayal.

Thank you to RB Media and Titan Books for the ALC.

SAVED BY THE SECOND HALF.

Audiobook review: LOVED. I loved the narrators. They kept this book going for me. I loved that this was dual POV. Great audio read!

For the first half of this book I wasn’t quite sure where things were going. There was a lot of chasing Mary around as she was captured back and forth between pirates. Not a lot going on at the moment. Fortunately the second half picked up the pacing in a multitude of ways and now I’m curious where book two will lead.

I liked our two main characters, Mary and Samuel. They are both on different sides of the current conflict and slowly find out that they might actually be allies (and that there might be a romance in the future??).

What really kept me going was the vibes. If you’re looking for a high seas, pirate filled book, this will give you that. I thought the magic system was interesting and there were just enough twists in the second half that had me going, well what happens next.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: light
  • Romance: kiss
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: attempted murder, kidnapping, brief sexual assault (unwanted kissing and touching over clothes), near death experiences

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