Tag: new adult fantasy romance

ARC Book Review: Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Lyndall Clipstone
Publisher: Fierce Reads
Release Date: October 17th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A bloodstained tale of a girl torn between her vows and her heart, where falling in love may be the deepest sin of all…

Everline Blackthorn has devoted her life to the wardens—a sect of holy warriors who guard against monsters known as the vespertine.

When a series of strange omens occur, Everline disobeys orders to investigate, and uncovers a startling truth in the form of Ravel Severin: a rogue vespertine who reveals the monsters have secrets of their own.

Ravel promises the help she needs— for a price. Vespertine magic requires blood, and if Everline wants Ravel to guide across the dangerous moorland, she will have to allow him to feed from her.

It’s a sin for a warden to feed a vespertine— let alone love one— and as Everline and Ravel travel further across the moorland, she realizes the question isn’t whether she will survive the journey, but if she will return unchanged. Or if she wants to.

Thank you to Fierce Reads for the eARC.

WELL.

I tried really hard to give this one a chance. It had all of the hallmarks of things I love. New adult, dark fantasy, enemies to lovers/forbidden romance. Buuut, I was missing some things.

Namely, the world building. The first chapter you are THROWN IN and it was chaos. And as the pages stretched out I never felt like I had a full grasp on the vespertine vs. warden situation. The fold area and why the magic involved bones and blood. Oh and vampires, why was there one vampire?

I did like the main character, Everline. She cared for those in her circle and fought to mend broken fences while looking for answers about her past. This is a standalone and I did think it wrapped up well that I felt satisfied in closing the book (besides the previous paragraph issues). The romance was a bit up and down. It grew on me, and there is some good enemies dynamics, I think with a standalone it felt more surface level overall.

This one didn’t quite click for me but might for others?

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: a little strong
  • Romance: 3 brief/vague open door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of life, loss of a parent, near death experiences, murder, battle themes

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Book Review: House of Pounding Hearts (The Kingdom of Crows #2) by Olivia Wildenstein

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Rating: ★★★★.25
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 521 pages
Author: Olivia Wildenstein
Publisher: Self Publish
Release Date: January 29th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I MEANT TO CAPTURE THE PRINCE’S HEART . . . AND ENDED UP WITH A KING’S.

My desire to sit upon the Lucin throne led me to revive an ancient, winged monarch; one I deemed a friend until that friend duped and imprisoned me.

Lorcan claims he’s holding me captive for my own safety, but then he also claims I belong to him. Slumbering for five centuries has evidently given the Crow King severe delusions.

We may share an unfortunate mind-link, but we are still masters of our own destiny, and I intend to steer mine away from the Sky Kingdom and its prophecies . . . away from him.

I quickly find out there is no escaping the possessive male. In all honesty, I’m no longer certain I want to.

Get swept away in the second installment of a slow-burn shifter fantasy series full of heartbreaking deceit, wicked supernaturals, and alpha males.

POUNDING HEARTS INDEED.

I had seen a review before I started this that mentioned the FMC is a bit of a punk (more or less) for the first half of the book. I can agree with that sentiment and am glad I knew that going in because it allowed me to give her space to grow (even when I was frustrated). Here’s your sign to push through!

BECAUSE IT GETS SO GOOD.

There’s something really magnetic about Wildenstein’s writing that kept me enthralled. I usually like to juggle multiple books at once and you won’t find that here because I kept wanting to see this story progress.

I loooove Lore. He’s the perfect dark, broody lead that I know we all love. I thought there was great banter between him and Fallon and there was some solid relationship development too. I appreciated the slow burn aspect that let the characters shine first before steam was added in.

For a plot surrounding war I thought there would be a little more action (seems like it’s coming though!). I adore all of the friendships and tight knit group that has been formed over the first two books. This is of course a romance, but the other scenes play in so well that it helps surround the story with even more fullness.

Overall audience notes:

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

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Book Review: Esperance (Esperance Trilogy #1) by Heather Frost

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 512 pages
Author: Heather Frost
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 18th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Twelve strangers. Six marriages. One year in Esperance.

Amryn has many reasons to hate the empire. Her latest is her forced marriage to General Carver Vincetti, better known as the Butcher. If he learns even one of her secrets, he will kill her. And Amryn has many secrets. Not only is she an empath with forbidden magic, she’s also a newly recruited rebel intent on destroying the empire—starting at Esperance.

Carver knows the rebels have infiltrated the remote temple of Esperance. His job is to hunt them down before they can wreck the emperor’s new peace. Despite the demons that haunt him, Carver is intent on his mission—but he’s not prepared for Amryn. From her fiery red hair to her surprising wit, his new wife has captured his attention. The attraction that flares between them is undeniable. Now he just has to determine if she’s the enemy.

When the newly married couples become targets in a violent game, Esperance becomes more dangerous than anyone anticipated. Carver and Amryn are about to discover that no one is exactly who they appear to be—especially each other.

INVESTED.

This book and I had a journey.

We started off super strong. I loved the premise for the plot and I am ALWAYS here for a arraigned marriage situation. There was good action to get the blood pumping and many mysteries afoot.

Then in the middle we lost me for a bit. The magic system and world building still needs some help. I think the confinement in one location caused a lack of understanding for the outside world and why there’s magic in the first place. I’m hopeful this is further explained in the next book since there’s going to be many new locations. I did struggle with the romance too, there was a bit more tell vs. show. Buuut I will say, once I got pass the 60% mark things progressively picked up.

And the ending. The whole last quarter was a wild ride. I loved having reveal after reveal after reveal. Some twists I saw coming, others, totally surprised by. And even better? NO THIRD ACT CONFLICT between the main couple. There’s plenty of other things happening around them and the fact they actually decide to TRUST one another was amazing. I love that kind of hope and communication.

I official consider myself invested in continuing this trilogy. I’m excited and hopeful about the next book!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses; mentions of closed-door between other couples
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, kidnapping, loss of loved ones, weapons violence, poisoning

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Book Review: Scarlet Princess (The Lochlann Feuds #1) by Robin D. Mahle and Elle Madison

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 304 pages
Author: Robin D. Mahle and Elle Madison
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: August 27th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A reckless princess. An enemy kingdom. And a mistake that could cost her everything.

Princess Rowan thought she knew her place in the world.
She never expected to feel like an outsider.
She certainly never imagined she would fall in love, least of all with a man from a barbarian kingdom half a world away.
But when series of missteps lands her in the hands of the people she was brought up to hate, she is forced to reconsider everything she thought she knew about both lands.
And about herself.
After a lifetime of animosity between the kingdoms, will the Socairans ever accept her as one of their own?
Or will her mistakes push her people into yet another war?
*This enthralling story from the Lochlann Realm takes place after The Lochlann Treaty, but can be devoured and enjoyed all on its own.*

GOOD START.

I found myself really enjoying this fantasy read. It wasn’t quite what I was after, but still held a lot of good things.

I loooove short chapters. And these are barely a few minutes long that keep the pace going quick. I flew through it and each chapter kept me wanting more. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters. It is VERY light on the genre fantasy. There’s little to no world building and there might be a magic system? But that also isn’t explained well. While this is a negative for me, I think it would be a solid gateway fantasy for those interested in trying out the genre.

The romance had me shaking my head. I wasn’t here for Theo from the get-go. But you know who I am here for? EVANDER. So that better be where this series is headed or I’m going to quit while I’m blissfully unaware. There’s good banter and kisses. Continual one bed scenarios and plenty of older YA antics.

I think this was a good start to the series. There’s enough open plot lines that I want to continue and I’m happy to have found a KU fantasy series to dive into.

Overall audience notes:

  • Upper YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses/make-outs
  • Violence: mild
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping, physical altercations

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