indie authors – GoodeyReads

My reading went out of control this month when I went on a Sanderson graphic novel/novella binge. I am DETERMINED to get caught up on all of his major works.

Pretty great reading month all around. Check it out and let me know if you spy any of your favorites!

Favorite Books this Month!

The Isles of the Gods
A Class of Her Own
If Only You
Crown of Midnight
How to Kiss Your Enemy
The Bridge Kingdom
Jade Shards
Hello Stranger
Heir of Fire
The Traitor Queen
Properly Kissed
The Inadequate Heir
Pier Pressure
From Lukov With Love
Appointment in Bath
Heir of Fire
The Endless War
When Kingdoms Fall
One Last Play
Celestial

Least Favorites…

To Hunt a Demon King
Friendshipped
A Sea of Blood and Sapphire
Winter’s Heart
The Last Word

[ALC] The Isles of the Gods (The Isles of the Gods #1) by Amie Kaufman
A Class of Her Own (The Thornback Society #1) by Aspen Hadley
[Novella] Defending Elysium (Skyward #0.5) by Brandon Sanderson
If Only You (Bergman Brothers #6) by Chloe Liese
The Secret Service of Tea and Treason (Dangerous Damsels #3) by India Holton
To Hunt a Demon King (King and Coven #1) by Madeleine Eliot
[Reread] Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Maas
The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson
[ARC] How to Kiss Your Enemy (Hawthorne Brothers #3) by Jenny Proctor
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde #1) by Heather Fawcett
[Reread] The Bridge Kingdom (The Bridge Kingdom #1) by Danielle L. Jensen
[ARC] Jade Shards (The Green Bone Saga #0.75) by Fonda Lee
Feather (Angels of Elysium #1) by Olivia Wildenstein
[ARC/ALC] Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
[Reread] Heir of Fire (Throne Of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas
Iron Gold (Red Rising Saga #5) by Pierce Brown
[ARC] King’s Bride (The Chronicles of Urn #1) by Beck Michaels
[Reread] The Traitor Queen (The Bridge Kingdom #2) by Danielle L. Jensen
[Novella] The Original by Brandon Sanderson
Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher
Cursed Crowns (Twin Crowns #2) by Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber
[Short Story] The Hope of Elantris (Elantris #1.5) by Brandon Sanderson
[Novella] Properly Kissed (Bradwell Brothers #0.5) by Kasey Stockton
Friendshipped (Getting Shipped #1) by Savannah Scott
[Short Story] The Eleventh Metal (The Mistborn Saga #0.5) by Brandon Sanderson
[Short Story] Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania (The Cosmere) by Brandon Sanderson
A Sea of Blood and Sapphire by Florence Gray
[ARC] A Lady’s Promise by Ranee S. Clark
The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren
[Reread] The Inadequate Heir (The Bridge Kingdom #3) by Danielle L. Jensen
The Blameless (The Blameless #1) by E.S. Christison
[Novella] Mistborn: Secret History (Mistborn #3.5) by Brandon Sanderson
[ARC] The Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley
[Graphic Novel] White Sand Vol. 1 by Brandon Sanderson
[Graphic Novel] White Sand Vol. 2 by Brandon Sanderson
[Graphic Novel] White Sand Vol. 3 by Brandon Sanderson
Winter’s Heart (The Wheel of Time #9) by Robert Jordan
Pier Pressure (Deadlights Cove #4) by Aimee Vance and B. Perkins
[Reread] From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
[Novella] Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell by Brandon Sanderson
[Novella] Sixth of the Dusk by Brandon Sanderson
One Night Only by Catherine Walsh
Beautifully Broken Pieces (Sutter Lake #1) by Catherine Cowles
[ARC] Appointment in Bath (Somerset Stories #4) by Mimi Matthews
Dust (Heirs of Neverland #1) by Kara Swanson
The Endless War (The Bridge Kingdom #4) by Danielle L. Jensen
[Reread] Iron Gold (Red Rising #4) by Pierce Brown
When Kingdoms Fall by Callie Dahl
The Stolen Throne (Dominions #2) by Abigail Owen
Love on Camera (The Wonder Boys #1) by Dana LeCheminant
One Last Play (Sweet Peach #4) by Annah Conwell
Celestial (Angels of Elysium #2) by Olivia Wildenstein
The Last Word by Katy Birchall

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy + Romance
Length: 432 pages
Author: Renee Dugan
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: December 1st, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Princess Cistine Novacek is a prisoner of Valgard.

Facing unbearable grief and the revelation of her own formidable power, Cistine battles her captor’s cruel games in a fight to escape. Her only hope for survival lies in her own cunning, a surly guard, an imprisoned beast with his own reasons for seeking freedom, and an unexpected ally who will risk everything to bring her home.

Tatiana and Quill are on the hunt. Far from the familiar, they search the shadowy corners of Valgard for their lost princess. But to rescue Cistine, they may be forced to pay a higher cost than either of them bargained for—a choice that unearths an old darkness lurking at the door of their kingdom, waiting to be let inside.

Banished for betrayal, Asheila Kovar hatches a daring plan to find the princess she’s sworn to protect. But a pair of unlikely companions will guide her on a journey she never expected, with enemies she never foresaw and revelations that will change her understanding of Talheim’s past – and the course of all their futures.

Lines must be crossed. Lives must be given. Answers must be unveiled. And in order to thwart a tyrant’s madness, sacrifices are demanded of the cabal…a price that will alter the fate of the Three Kingdoms forever.

AMAZING.

I am sincerely hooked on this series and hopefully these reviews are convincing y’all to pick these books up. They need more love.

This will be a more vague review to keep away from spoilers, but know I LOVED IT.

I love this entire cast. There’s so many fantastic people. All with unique personalities, common goals, strengths and weaknesses. It’s all there. I love that they don’t always make the exact right choice. They’re flawed and growing and it’s my favorite.

There’s a few romance sub plots that got a little more speed this time and I ADORE them. Seeing some of those kiss scenes finally happen, HECK YEAH.

The ending hurt. Oh it did. I love the flow of story with rises and falls and how Dugan always leaves me wanting more.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy + Romance
Language: very little
Romance: kisses; an implied closed door
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of rape and sexual assault, PTSD, sexual assault and harassment , physical and weapons violence, abuse, torture, war themes