ARC Book Review: Tarnished Empire (Dark Shores #0.5) by Danielle L. Jensen

November 13, 2020November 13, 2020 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy + Romance
Length: TBD
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Publisher: CLA
Release Date: January 26th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

DEFIANCE IS TREASON. TREASON IS DEATH.

A siege is laid against the last resistance to the Senate’s rule. As the battle rages, a commander, a soldier, and a rebel will decide how far they are willing to go for victory.

THE COMMANDER

Marcus is forced to choose between destroying the rebel forces and liberating his legion. He must face the true cost of being a leader. And an oppressor.

THE SOLDIER

Agrippa sets his sights on glory to fill the deepening void within him. He discovers that the price of fame might not just be paid in blood, it might be paid by his heart.

THE REBEL

Silvara joins the rebel forces to fight against the legions who would see her family dead. While she dreams of being a warrior, she finds her sharpest weapon is seduction. But to defeat the Empire, she’ll have to betray the young man who now has her heart.

Inspired by the harsh world of ancient Rome, readers are obsessed with this martial tale of fiery romance, friendship, and enmity. Told from three points of view, TARNISHED EMPIRE is filled with twists you’ll never see coming but will keep you turning the pages all night.

TARNISHED EMPIRE is set in the world of Danielle L. Jensen’s DARK SHORES. But readers new to the world can begin here.

Thank you to the author for an eARC. All opinions are my own!

A MUST READ.

Set in the Dark Shores world, this book about Marcus (and some new characters) is definitely worth the read. It’s especially recommended before Gilded Serpent (book three), but can be read at any time!

I loved this. So much. I love Marcus, and getting more of his background was exactly what I wanted. I didn’t realize how much I would fall in love with the other characters too. AGRIPPA? Yes, please. He is a new addition I didn’t know I needed. He’s snarky and funny (actually laughed out loud a few times). Agrippa keeps you on your toes and has a strong heart full of loyalty and bravery. Oh goodness, y’all need to get to know him too.

This book burns hot and fast, yet doesn’t feel over done. I loved the romance and how it developed. The push and pull, leaving me with many questions. All beautifully written.

I don’t want to spoil much of the story or what happens and more. It’s filled with a lot of fitting information and characters I wouldn’t mind getting even more stories from. I’m even more excited for Gilded Serpent now and can’t wait to dive in.

Overall audience notes:

Young adult fantasy + romance
Language: some strong
Romance: kisses / make-outs; one little detailed fade-out love scene
Violence: battles, swords/arrows, loss of friends/loved ones, starvation

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: October 2020

November 1, 2020 GoodeyReads2 Comments

What a month!

I devoured another 31 books and can’t believe my eyes. I finished and caught up on series. Read a smattering of genres and really enjoyed my October reads!

Favorites: The Extinction Trials, the Wayfair Witches series, Kingdom of the Wicked, Empire of Storms, Code Name Helene, Enjoy the View

Least Favorites: The Guinevere Deception, Fire Study

Tunnel of Bones (Cassidy Blake #2) by Victoria Schwab – (☆☆☆☆)
The Extinction Trials (The Extinction Trials #1) by S.M. Wilson – (☆☆☆☆☆)
The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (☆☆☆☆)
Loved Up (Wayfair Witches #6) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
Lost Roses (Lilac Girls #2) by Martha Hall Kelly – (☆☆☆☆)
Small Spaces (Small Spaces #1) by Katherine Arden – (☆☆☆☆)
[ARC] Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked #1) by Kerri Maniscalco (☆☆☆☆ 1/2)
The Boyfriend Project (The Boyfriend Project #1) by Farrah Rochon – (☆☆☆☆)
Steelheart (The Reckoners #1) by Brandon Sanderson – (☆☆☆☆)
Rocking Out (Wayfair Witches #7) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising #1) by Kiersten White – (☆☆☆)
London Prep (London Prep #1) by Jillian Dodd – (☆☆☆☆)
[Reread] Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) by Sarah J. Maas – (☆☆☆☆☆)
Fire Study (Poison Study #3) by Maria V. Snyder – (☆☆☆)
Acting Up (Wayfair Witches #8) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆☆)
The Kinder Poison (The Kinder Poison #1) by Natalie Mae – (☆☆☆☆)
London Prep No. 2 (London Prep #2) by Jillian Dodd – (☆☆☆☆)
Legally Red (Wayfair Witches #8.5) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon – (☆☆☆☆☆)
Swotting Up (Wayfair Witches #9) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
[Reread] A Reaper at the Gates (An Ember in the Ashes #3) by Sabaa Tahir – (☆☆☆☆☆)
London Prep No. 3 (London Prep #3) by Jillian Dodd – (☆☆☆☆)
Age of Death (The Legends of the First Empire #5) by Michael J. Sullivan –(☆☆☆ 1/2)
Forget Me Knot (Wayfair Witches #10) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
[ARC] Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer – (☆☆☆ 1/2)
If It’s Perfect (The Wedding Business #1) by Summer Dowell – (☆☆☆☆)
The Storm Crow (The Storm Crow #1) by Kalyn Josephson – (☆☆☆)
All Hallowed Out (Wayfair Witches #11) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
Holiday Heist (Wayfair Witches #11.5) A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
[ARC] Enjoy the View (Moose Springs, Alaska #3) by Sarah Morgenthaler – (☆☆☆☆☆)
Age of Empyre (The Legends of the First Empire #6) by Michael J. Sullivan – (☆☆☆ 1/2)

How was your month? Do you have a favorite book you read? Lets talk in the comments!

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ARC Book Review: Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked #1) by Kerri Maniscalco

October 23, 2020October 9, 2020 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Young adult paranormal fantasy romance
Length: 448 pages
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson
Release Date: October 27th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Kerri Maniscalco introduces her next series, a dark tale of a beautiful young witch, a troubled demon, and their epic romance, set against a 19th century Italian backdrop.

Emilia and her twin sister Victoria are streghe – witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Victoria misses dinner service at the family’s renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin…desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to discover who did this, and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, the outlier among the seven demon brethren, always choosing duty over pleasure. He’s been tasked by his master with investigating a series of women’s murders on the island. When Emilia and Wrath’s fates collide, it’s clear this disturbing mystery will take a bewitching turn.

Thank you to Jimmy Patterson and Netgalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own!

YOU DON’T KNOW IT YET, BUT YOU NEED THIS BOOK.

I don’t even know how to start this review, I LOVED this book y’all! I enjoyed Maniscalco’s first series, Stalking Jack the Ripper, but mainly for Thomas Cresswell. Seriously, don’t ask me what I think about Audrey Rose. That being said, it made me initially nervous to read this because I worried for the main character again.

And I can say, for at least this first book, I am wrong. I adored Emilia as the main protagonist. She was bold and fierce. Made her own decisions based on what she knew and was told, and yeah, maybe ran off into danger a time or two, but what heroine doesn’t? Emilia was the missing puzzle piece I needed to love this.

Enter in, our Prince of Hell, WRATH. Ohhhh can Maniscalco right a love interest amazingly well. I feel a solidified new book boyfriend coming in over the course of this series. I loved the banter and enemies to lovers dynamic. Being forced to work together to solve witch murders led to some close knit and quiet scenes that I JUST CAN’T HANDLE. Part of his character is left very open-ended and I will sit here anxiously waiting to know if some of my thoughts/assumptions are true.

May be wondering why the half-star take down? For one of the characters involved I could spot from a mile away that they were one of the villains. I didn’t like how quick that was to pick out from the get-go. What I did love was meeting all of Wrath’s brothers. Who knew I was so interested in the Princes from hell? All so cunning and manipulative. Filled with arrogance and doing as they please. Couldn’t help myself, I loved them (and hated them, ya know) too.

There’s a lot of action, heat, and mystery involved here. I was absolutely entrenched in this Italian backdrop atmosphere. It fit this story well and only increased my adoration. Give me book two ASAP.

Overall audience notes:

Young adult paranormal fantasy romance
Language: very little
Romance: kisses / make-outs; a scene where characters are undressed, but that’s as far as it goes
Violence: murder, torture, animal attacks, physical altercations
Content warnings: loss of a loved one

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Book Review: We Hunt the Flame (Sands of Arawiya #1) by Hafsah Faizal

October 16, 2020June 24, 2020 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Young adult fantasy + romance
Length: 472 pages
Author: Hafsah Faizal
Publisher: Straus and Giourx
Release Date: May 14th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the king. If Zafira was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would punish him in the most brutal of ways.

Both are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya—but neither wants to be.

War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the king on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds—and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine.

Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, We Hunt the Flame is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.

A GOOD START.

I’ve decided I’m into this. Enough to check out the next in this series.

It’s hard to judge a fantasy series off of the first book because I know fantasies can take a long time to build. I think that was the case here. There was world-building, magic systems, personalities of characters to begin to figure out. This was all present here and makes me hopeful that in the next one we’ll get get to the real deepness of the book now that the groundwork is laid out.

I love the setting and it felt good to be back in a YA fantasy world. It’s my favorite genre for a reason! I love Zafira and Nasir. Hot dang the tension between them was aaaaamazing. Hardcore shipping them and better get a HEA with them or I’ll just be obliterated. They had good banter, moments of strength and weaknesses, and you could really feel them.

Things started off strong with pacing, but oh wow, dragged in the middle. It unfortunately showcased one of my lower favorite tropes, traveling. Most of the book focused on Zafira going on a journey to restore magic. Plenty of things happened along the way, yet at times felt like it things were moving rather slowly. Luckily in the last quarter they sped up again and the action took off, leaving me wondering what’s going to happen next.

These side characters were fantastic too! I didn’t find the forgettable or annoying. I wanted to know more about them and was also blown away when plot twists came in involving them. They weren’t wasteful additions and clearly are bringing a lot to the story.

Overall audience notes: