Saturday, December 30, 2017

Debut Authors Bash- J.C. Welker

Welcome back to the 2017 Debut Author Bash! I'm excited to be showcasing author J.C. Welker and her debut novel The Wishing Heart! 

This LGBTQ YA fantasy looks oh so promising and I have not doubt the story is fabulous if the exceprt I'm sharing today is anything to go by!

With a book in her bag and a switchblade in her pocket, Rebel's been thieving her way through life while hoping for a cure to fix her ailing heart.

But when the bejeweled vase she just tried to hawk turns out to be a jinni's vessel, Rebel gets lost to her world and dragged within another. Now every magical being in the city wants the vase for himself.

Thrust into a game of cat and mouse in a world she never knew existed, Rebel must use her uncanny skills to find a way to free Anjeline the Wishmaker.

But wishes have consequences. And contracts. Anjeline's freedom could unravel a love like Rebel has never known, or it could come at the cost of Rebel's heart...



Purchase: 
The Book Depository | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

From The Wishing Heart....

“Hand it over, pigeon.” The officer gestured to her bag.

Rebel sighed. How ironic. Could her life get any worse? “As you can see, I’m poorer than a vagabond.” She gazed down at herself. “There’s nothing in my bag except my hopeless dreams.”

“Is that why it looks so heavy?” His lips curved into a grin, and his teeth gleamed against his beard. He was a beast of man, his vast shoulders pushing the uniform to its absolute limit. “Don’t be foolish. Give it here, girl.”

Woman. You hobnocker,” she spat, in no mood.

A chuckle vibrated in his throat. “Skinner said you were a spitfire and a slippery grift.”

Rebel stiffened as awareness caught up to her, the satchel heavy at her side. He was no officer. Even worse, this had trap written all over it. But was it Skinner’s trap, or whoever had been on the other end of that phone call— someone even more brutal? Her eyes darted about, scouting an escape. Nothing good ever happened when a girl was snatched off the streets from a henchman twice her size.

The man glanced at her satchel. “I’ll be taking that now.”

When in doubt, distract. “Fancy outfit just to rob me of a vase? You’re not overcompensating for something, are you?”

“Don’t play stupid. The vessel’s not the prize, we want what’s inside it.”

Rebel squinted. “There’s nothing inside it, you tool.”

“Wrong answer.” He growled, sounding more animal than man, and something changed in his features. His eyes glowed amber in an extremely inhuman face.

“What the…” She lurched back, her nose twitched at an odd scent, and dizziness emerged. Now wasn’t the time for her heart to hamper reality. “This has got to be the weirdest panic attack.”

“No attack, unless you refuse.” The man inched closer.

“Touch me and I’ll carve Repent on your chest.” Rebel fumbled at her belt, grasping the bone handle of her switchblade. She never actually used it on anyone, never wanted to.

“All’s we want is the vessel,” he warned. “There’s no need for it to go there.”

“You don’t want it to go there,” said another.

Shadows moved out from behind the man.
 A young female appeared, followed by a male version of her, both cloaked in animal-hide coats. The twins’ blood- red hair spilled over their shoulders like lions’ manes, the girl’s pelt trimmed in fur of equal shade. As they moved, between one second and the next, they shifted into a wave of rippling fur. Bones snapped out of place, and jet-black muzzles emerged from their faces, until they formed into four-footed shapes. Their backs contorted, and slowly, bone plates elongated down their spines like an armadillo’s shield.

They were not human. Not even close.

Werewolves. 

“Wolves?” she voiced it aloud.

“Lycanthrope,” the man corrected. His eyes burned like embers as his ears tapered skyward, and his vastness seemed to increase compared to the others. Obviously, the alpha. “A thief knows a thief as a wolf knows a wolf. Didn’t legends ever teach you about the big bad one?”

Want more? Get your copy of The Wishing Heart today!

 
 THE WISHING HEART from Welker on Vimeo.
 

J.C. WELKER is an author who's been, among other things, a fashion designer, a graphic designer, a filmmaker and a kickboxer (seriously). ​

She’s best known for writing and producing the documentary short films focusing on homeless Iraq vets and LGBTQ+ issues in the military, which was selected by the North Texas Film Festival and featured on CURRENT TV. Her recent novel placed first in the paranormal category of the 2016 YARWA Rosemary Awards, and she continues to work towards giving a voice to stories that are needed, while facing magic and monsters along the way.

Visit J.C: 

Friday, December 29, 2017

Top 10 Favourite Books of 2017!

2017 has been a fantastic year of books and as it comes to an end, I can't help but think back on some that I especially adored.

I've both discovered some new authors and read the latest releases by old faves, each and every tale that make this list have managed to sweep me up into strapping tales of adventure or thrilling tales of love and romance.

Here are my Top 10 Favourite Books of 2017!


I have to admit Trust by Kylie Scott was the stand out this year--one of the best books I've EVER read--but the others also managed to absolutely steal my heart!

What were some of your favourite titles of 2017?


Monday, December 25, 2017

Merry Christmas!


Wishing you all a safe, happy and merriest of Christmas's here at The Rest Is Still Unwritten!

May your day be filled with family, joy and plenty of books!

Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #207

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on.....

The Darkest Warrior by Gena Showalter 
Releases on: June 26th 2018
Add on Goodreads
!

A searing Lords of the Underworld tale by New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter, featuring a beastly prince and the wife he will wage war to keep.

He is ice...

Puck the Undefeated, host of the demon of Indifference, cannot experience emotion without punishment, so he allows himself to feel nothing. Until her. According to ancient prophecy, she is the key to avenging his past, saving his realm, and ruling as king. All he must do? Steal her from the man she loves—and marry her.

She is fire...

Gillian Shaw has suffered many tragedies in her too-short life, but nothing could have prepared the fragile human for her transition into immortality. To survive, she must wed a horned monster who both intrigues and frightens her...and become the warrior queen she was born to be.

Together they burn.

As a rising sense of possession and obsession overtake Puck, so does insatiable lust. The more he learns about his clever, resourceful wife, the more he craves her. And the more time Gillian spends with her protective husband, the more she aches for him. But the prophecy also predicts an unhappily ever after. Can Puck defeat fate itself to keep the woman who brought his deadened heart back to life? Or will they succumb to destiny, losing each other…and everything they’ve been fighting for?



Thoughts:
Honestly? I feel like I died a little inside as I read the description of this novel. 14 books! 14 books I have waited for the day Gena Showalter would tell Gilly and Williams story, only to discover that The Darkest Warrior is about Gilly and PUCK!?!? God! How can Gena Showalter do this to her readers?!?! I got over the fact that Cameo and Torin found happiness with other people, but to do the same to Gilly and William??? I feel like this is taking it too far in the effort of earning more money; was it really necessary to tear Gilly and William apart? Why? Just WHY?

I will read this book most likely, but after so many years as a loyal fan (and I consider Gena my favourite author) I'm REALLY heartbroken over this decision to not pair two characters we as readers always thought would be together. I think we deserve better.  

What do you think? Have you ever been dissapointed in an author before for their choices?
And what are you waiting on this week?

Saturday, December 16, 2017

Debut Authors Bash- Mark Maciejewski

Welcome to my stop on the 2017 Debut Author Bash presented by Ya Reads where I'm showcasing debut author Mark Maciejewski and his novel I Am Fartacus.

It’s jocks vs. nerds as a tween and his cadre of misfits go to hilarious lengths to bring down their enemies in this laugh-out-loud MAX novel.

Chub is a short, accidentally bald, middle school outcast with no chance of ever becoming one of the popular kids. With help from his personal band of like-minded misfits (not to mention tactics gleaned from the Colonel, a US military vet with toenail issues), Chub’s determined to bring down his nemesis, class hero and now potential class president, Archer, or the Arch—the very guy who betrayed Chub with the lice-killing potion that left him bald as a billiard ball. If the Arch gets to be president, Chub knows his life is officially over.

Chub’s got a lot of dirt on the Arch: embarrassing photos and underwear about to fly from the school flagpole, for starters. But then he discovers that there are some very dangerous skeletons in Archer’s closet, and more at stake than just a few middle school reputations.

With a lot of help from his friends, Chub sets off to bring down an evil empire—and inadvertently become the least likely hero that Alanmoore Middle School’s ever seen
.


Puchase:

Mark Maciejewski writes funny but smart middle-grade fiction. He lives in Seattle with his family.

Mark Maciejewski’s stories will make you snort into your latte. He’s a very funny man, but his debut, I AM FARTACUS, is much more than just cliched boy-gags; it is about friendship and turning your life around by being brave.

In his day job, Mark manages the Pacific North-West and Alaska for a steel company. As a writer he’s a member of PNWA and SCBWI and an amazing critiquing group called “The Paper Cuts”.

Visit Mark:
 

Friday, December 15, 2017

Book Shelf: Shadowblack (Spellslinger #2) by Sebastien de Castell

The second book in the page-turning SPELLSLINGER series for all teen, YA, adult and fantasy readers.

It's a few months since Kellen left his people behind. Now aged sixteen, Kellen is an outlaw, relying on his wits to keep him alive in the land of the Seven Sands. He misses home, he misses family and more than anything, he misses Nephenia, the girl he left behind.

Then he meets Seneira, a blindfolded girl who isn't blind, and who carries a secret that's all too familiar to Kellen. Kellen and Ferius resolve to help - but the stakes are far higher than they realise. A Shadowblack plague is taking hold - and Kellen can't help but suspect his own people may even be behind it.

Perfect for fans of The Dark Tower, Firefly, The Hunger Games and Guardians of the Galaxy.


More info on Goodreads....


Review:

Shadowblack is the thrilling second novel in Sebastien de Castell’s Spellslinger series and is another hilariously entertaining tale of magic, mayhem and adventure in what is a well told and fantastically paced novel!

It’s been a few months since former Jan’Tep mage Kellen walked away from his people and the life they had planned for him. Now an outlaw, Kellen and his companions, the Argosi wanderer Ferius Parfax and squirrel cat Reichis, journey through the land of Seven Sands. Surviving only thanks to his wits and occasional quick thinking, Kellen can’t help but miss his family and his old life. Yet when he meets Seneira, a blindfolded girl who isn’t actually blind, Kellen discovers shocking similarities between her ailment and his own secrets. A Shadowblack plague is effecting the people of the Seven Sands and Kellen and Ferius are determined to help them, but will the threat be too much for even them to face?

After enjoying Spellslinger so much, I was thrilled to continue on with Kellen and his story and feel that Sebastien de Castell did a brilliant job with this sequel. All the humour, excitement, wit and entertaining dialogue I loved about the first novel was evident once more. The storyline is developing even further and de Castell mixes plenty of moments of action, humour and fun into the novel. There’s so much about this series I love so far.

Kellen continues to be a solid protagonist to follow. He has a good head on his shoulders, and even as a female reader, I feel that he reads very well. I find him likable and easy to get behind as the storyline progresses. He makes me smile with his occasionally hopeless nature and I love that he’s determined to do the right thing. He’s just a genuine joy to read about.

Although, as much as I like Kellen, if I’m honest the best part about this series for me is Reichis. He steals (pun totally intended!) the show every scene he's in and I just adore the thieving, murderous little fur ball! He constantly makes me smile and I think he and Kellen are developing a truly strong bond as the series progresses. Not that Reichis would ever admit it!

Fast paced, exciting and riveting fantasy, Shadowblack was a brilliant follow up to its predecessor, easily as good as the first novel and leaves me dying to see what Sebastien de Castell has in store for his characters and his readers next!

Rating: 
Source: Won from Allen & Unwin Teen's Facebook page (Thank you guys!)
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Format: Paperback

Release Date: October 5th 2017
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: I genuinely loved this book as much as the first and can't wait until the next one is released!




 

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Book Blitz: Beauty and Beastly by Melanie Karsak- Excerpt & Giveaway

Welcome to the Book Blitz for Beauty and Beastly by Melanie Karsak thanks to Xpresso Book Tours! As someone who absolutely adores the Beauty and the Beast classic, I love the opportunity to read or feature any retelling of this wonderful story. 
Beauty and Beastly sounds really good and I hope you enjoy the excerpt I have to share today!
__________________________________
In this tale as old as time, Isabelle Hawking must tinker a solution to a heartbreaking mystery. 

When Isabelle Hawking and her papa set out from London on a sea voyage, Isabelle is thrilled. Visiting foreign courts, learning from master tinkers, and studying mechanicals is her dream. And it doesn't hurt that the trip also offers Isabelle an escape from her overbearing and unwanted suitor, Gerard LeBoeuf.

But Isabelle never arrives. Swept up in a tempest, her ship is lost.

 Isabelle survives the storm only to be shipwrecked on a seemingly-deserted island. The magical place, dotted with standing stones, faerie mounds, and a crumbling castle, hints of an ancient past. Isabelle may be an unwilling guest, but her arrival marks a new beginning for the beastly residents of this forgotten land.

See how NY Times bestselling author Melanie Karsak puts a steampunk spin on the classic Beauty and the Beast fairy tale.

Add on Goodreads or purchase on Amazon


From Beauty and Beastly.....

My hands shook nervously as I slid on the yellow ball gown. It was quite silly, really, feeling so nervous. What was there to be worried about? I had done something to help the mechanicals, and they found a way to thank me the best they knew how.

Adjusting the dress, I sat down and looked into the vanity mirror. I smoothed my hair back once more. I’d styled it as Elyse Murray often wore her hair. Then I adjusted the small bumblebee hairpin in my hair—its cousin gifted to the fairies. I dabbed some perfume on my neck. By now, the Scottish lord who Papa and I had traveled to meet was already married. I’d missed that wedding. The ball gown was going to go to waste. At the very least, I would enjoy dressing up for just one night.

I adjusted the off-the-shoulder sleeves of my dress then pulled on my long, yellow gloves. Even my pair of heeled silk dancing slippers had survived in the box. I was suddenly very grateful for them. It would not due to wear traveling boots under a ball gown.

I took a deep breath, steadied my nerve, then rose and headed to the stairwell.

To my surprise, all of the candelabras in the main foyer had been lit, even the massive chandelier that hung overhead. The hall, which had seemed so dim before, was bathed in orange light. Everything felt so cheery and alive.

At the bottom of the stairs, Mister Flint, Missus Silver, Bronwyn, Missus Smith, the cook, and Mister Steele, another of the servants, stood waiting. All of them were dressed in their finest. It pleased me to see Missus Silver with her arm wrapped around Bronwyn’s waist.

And alongside them was Rhys who was dressed in a handsome suit. He wore a dark blue doublet trimmed with gold embroidery, a white silk collar, breeches and leggings, and boots. His metallic face glimmered as if it had been polished.

My stomach rocked with butterflies the size of ravens.

Isabelle, you’re being ridiculous. He’s just a machine. 

You cannot possibly be falling in love with an automaton. 

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, the ladies curtseyed, the men bowed.

Rhys offered his arm.

I linked my arm with his, and we moved down the hallway opposite that which led to the library. At the end of this hall was a set of double doors.

Mister Flint opened the doors to reveal a massive ballroom.


New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Melanie Karsak is the author of The Airship Racing Chronicles, The Harvesting Series, The Burnt Earth Series, The Celtic Blood Series and Steampunk Fairy Tales. A steampunk connoisseur, zombie whisperer, and heir to the iron throne, the author currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children. She is an Instructor of English at Eastern Florida State College.


Visit Melanie:

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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #206

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on.....
 
Graevale by Lynette Noni 
Releases on: February 1st 2018

“Light or dark, only one can win. This world cannot survive in shades of grey.”

Now that Aven Dalmarta sits upon the throne of Meya, Alex must race against the clock to save the rest of Medora from the Rebel Prince’s wrath.

Haunted by an unspeakable vision of the future, Alex and her friends set out to warn the mortal races. But making allies out of ancient enemies proves difficult.

With her nights spent deep in the Library under the guidance of a mysterious new mentor, Alex is desperate to strengthen her gift and keep all those she loves safe. Because in a world where nothing is certain, she is sure of only one thing:

Aven is coming.


Thoughts:
 Graevale is the fourth installment in The Medoran Chronicles by Lynette Noni and I CANNOT WAIT for it's release! The Medoran Chronicles is quite easily one of my favourite series ever written by and Aussie author and I absolutely adore it. It's fantastic. I'm dying to be with Alex and Jordan and Bear and the rest of the gang again. 

Have you heard of this series before? 
What are YOU waiting on this week?

 

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Book Shelf: Shadow Rise (Shadow Fall #2) by Audrey Grey

Terrorist. Rebel. Traitor.

One rash decision during the Shadow Trials led to unspeakable horrors that left innocents dead, friends injured and hunted by the Empire, and Maia Graystone imprisoned in the Tower at the Archduchess’s mercy.

Unsure if Riser Thornbrook survived, Maia must find a way to battle the Empire from within its own walls and escape so she can fulfill the promise to her father and stop the asteroid. But when she breaks free and joins Nicolai's Rebel army, she discovers she’s been branded a traitor. With war between the Rebels and the Empire looming, old alliances shifting, and suspicion hanging over her head, she must fight in the Rebel Blood Courts—and win command—to regain their trust.

Only problem is, first she has defeat the reigning champion, someone she knows all too well. Will Maia’s emotions lead to her defeat, or will she rise up and claim her victory?
 


More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

Shadow Rise is the sequel to Audrey Grey’s debut novel Shadow Fall and is a superb follow up to its predecessor that is filled with action, danger and thrilling moments of excitement and romance.

Maia Greystone made one rash decision that left her a prisoner of the Empire and dozens of innocent people dead. At the mercy of a cruel overlord, Maia’s only hope is escaping her prison and joining the Rebel forces determined to overthrow the Emperor. Yet when she eventually reaches the Rebels, Maia finds herself labelled a traitor. The two people she cares for more than anything in the world either do not remember her or want nothing to do with her and those around her ostracize her for her believed loyalty to the Empire. The Rebels plan to wage war against the Emperor, but with Maia sure there is another way, will she have the courage to fight for the Blood Throne to take control of the Rebels? Or will Nicolai and his army bring the world to its knees in its thirst for revenge?

Having adored the first book so very much, I was once again entranced with Shadow Rise. I very much enjoy this perilous dystopian world author Audrey Grey has created and can’t help but get lost in it. After loving the first book so, I was stoked to jump back in and have appreciated seeing new elements introduced and explored in this sequel, including the Fienian Rebels.

From the very beginning, I have found myself adoring the strong willed and tenacious heroine featured in this series and the complex world she inhabits that is full of danger; both in the form of the political and monarchical uprising that is going on and the looming threat of the asteroid that is on a collision course with Earth and is getting closer every day. Audrey Grey seems to have taken all my favourite elements of dystopian/apocalyptic novels and woven them together to give us Shadow Fall—and by golly is it brilliant! Personally, I just love it.

There’s so many fantastic characters in this series, including a lot of new ones in the form of Rebel members we meet in Shadow Rise. Maia finds herself some true friends in Teagan and Lash who often made me smile throughout the story and who were honestly likable and fun. Riser continues to be my guy (I’ll always be Team Riser) and Maia is still the incredibly strong willed and likable character we met in the first book.

There’s plenty of action, sizzling chemistry and danger fuelled moments within Shadow Rise. Alliances form and war is imminent with Audrey Grey ending Shadow Rise is excellent fashion. Highly entertaining and so addictive, I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book as soon as it’s released!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher via Netgalley (Thank you guys!)
Publisher: Blaze Publishing
Format: Kindle ebook via Netgalley
Release Date: November 14th 2017
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: I'm absolutely adoring this series and thought Shadow Rise was a great follow up--can't wait for more!


Monday, December 11, 2017

Free Ebooks

Hello fellow book lovers and happy Monday! I hope you enjoy these Amazon freebies I've got to share with you.

 

Did you manage to find something new to fill your Kindle with?

Friday, December 8, 2017

Book Shelf: Wild Invitation (Psy-Changeling 0.5, 4.5, 9.5, 10.5) by Nalini Singh

In Beat of Temptation , innocent Tamsyn has always had a place in her heart for Nathan, a blooded DarkRiver sentinel. But is she ready for the fierce demands of the mating bond?

In Stroke of Enticement , a wary young teacher, skeptical about love, arouses the man—and the animal—in an aggressive leopard changeling who must prove his affections are true.

Plus 2 NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED NOVELLAS

In Declaration of Courtship , Grace, a shy submissive wolf, finds herself pursued by the last man she ever would have imagined: a SnowDancer lieutenant said to be “mad, bad, and dangerous to know.”

In Texture of Intimacy , SnowDancer healer Lara discovers the searing joys—and unexpected challenges—of being mated to quiet, powerful Walker, a man used to keeping his silence.


More info on Goodreads.....


Review: 

Wild Invitation is a novel made up of four different novella’s set in Nalini Singh’s exhilarating Psy-Changeling series and details four highly enjoyable stories of romance and sensuality!

I’ll be first to admit that the reason behind my purchase of Wild Invitation was that I was dying to read the prequel story featuring Tammy and Nate, two beloved DarkRiver members who have been steady features throughout the series. Nalini Singh writes a wonderful novella featuring them, but I also loved the other three that make up Wild Invitation, including one that features Lara and Walker, two characters we’ve previously followed and saw mate in Kiss of Snow. 

DarkRiver solider Zach and his human mate Annie were completely new characters for me and I loved them. Honestly, Zach and Annie were just two cute for words and even though their story was a short one, I found their romance to be well told and believable. Again, I would have loved a full length novel to follow them extensively as they were such great characters who had fabulous chemistry.

Wolves Cooper and Grace featured in the third novella and made for a very interesting read. Though I’ve followed couples who were at different positions in the SnowDancer hierarchy fall in love, none have been to the extent of Cooper and Grace. They really were on opposite ends of the spectrum with Cooper highly dominant and Grace extremely submissive. Grace was a shy but comfortable individual and it was the wolf within her that was so submissive to Coop. I liked seeing Grace reconcile both parts of herself the the steady relationship she developed with Cooper.

Lara and Walker’s story began in Kiss of Snow when we saw their budding romance intertwine with Hawke and Sienna’s tale. Picking up right where Kiss of Snow left off, this novella sees Lara and Walker continue to navigate their new mating and begin to build a life together, though with a few speed bumps here and there.

A great collection of stories that true Psy-Changeling fans won’t want to miss, Wild Invitation is worth a read for those like myself who can’t get enough Nalini Singh!


Rating:
Source: I bought
Publisher:
Berkley Sensation 
Format: Paperback
Release Date: March 5th 2013
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: Well worth a read if you're a die hard fan of this series!



Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #205

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on.....
 
Allied by Amy Tintera 
Releases on: May 1st 2018
 
In the final book in the New York Times bestselling Ruined series, the romance of The Selection and the epic stakes of Red Queen come together in a story of revenge, adventure, and unexpected love.

Emelina Flores and her sister, Olivia, were determined to bring peace to the people of Ruina. But as the war for liberation raged on, what triumph and freedom meant to Em and Olivia slowly changed. As Olivia’s violence and thirst for vengeance became her only ambition, Em was left to pick up the pieces.

But it’s not only Em who is upset by Olivia’s increased violence. Other members of the Ruined army are beginning to see the cracks, and soon a small group of them defects from Olivia’s army and joins Em instead. The two sisters are soon pitted against each other in an epic battle for the kingdom and the future, and only one will win.
 

Thoughts:
I'm soooooooo excited for Allied. I absolutely ADORE Amy Tintera and her books and I'm so very excited for this third book in the Ruined series. I love Em and Cas and cannot wait to see what Tintera has in store for them in this final installment. I'm really sad about the prospect of the trilogy ending, but I'm sure it's going to be just brilliant!


Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Book Shelf: The Fire Queen (The Hundredth Queen #2) by Emily R. King

In the second book in The Hundredth Queen Series, Emily R. King once again follows a young warrior queen’s rise to meet her destiny in a richly imagined world of sorcery and forbidden powers.

Though the tyrant rajah she was forced to marry is dead, Kalinda’s troubles are far from over. A warlord has invaded the imperial city, and now she’s in exile. But she isn’t alone. Kalinda has the allegiance of Captain Deven Naik, her guard and beloved, imprisoned for treason and stripped of command. With the empire at war, their best hope is to find Prince Ashwin, the rajah’s son, who has promised Deven’s freedom on one condition: that Kalinda will fight and defeat three formidable opponents.

But as Kalinda’s tournament strengths are once again challenged, so too is her relationship with Deven. While Deven fears her powers, Ashwin reveres them—as well as the courageous woman who wields them. Kalinda comes to regard Ashwin as the only man who can repair a warring world and finds herself torn between her allegiance to Deven and a newly found respect for the young prince.

With both the responsibility to protect her people and the fate of those she loves weighing heavily upon her, Kalinda is forced again to compete. She must test the limits of her fire powers and her hard-won wisdom. But will that be enough to unite the empire without sacrificing all she holds dear?


More info on Goodreads......


Review: 

The Fire Queen is the sequel to Emily R. King’s fantastic debut novel, The Hundredth Queen and is a stellar follow up to its predecessor, drawing readers further into a lush and dangerous desert world that’s as appealing as it is threatening…..

Having only just managed to escape with her life, warrior queen Kalinda finds herself forced into exile at the hands of the warlord who has invaded the palace of her late husband, Rajah Tarak. Haunted by dreams and memories of the tyrant she was forced to marry, Kalinda and those closest to her--including her enemy-turned-friend Natesa and the man she loves Captain Deven Nirik, now disgraced and striped of his rank for his actions against the rajah--seek asylum and assistance from one of the Kingdom’s neighbouring Sultan’s. Kalinda hopes to find the heir to the empire of Tarachand, Prince Ashwin and restore him to his rightful place on the throne, but when the only way to do so includes participating in another brutal tournament, can Kalinda once again harness her fears or will enemies bring Kalinda once again to her knees?

Taking place almost two months after the conclusion of The Hundredth Queen, The Fire Queen picks up with a flourish; exploring new aspects of the desert landscape Emily R. King introduced her readers to in the first novel. The Fire Queen was as well paced as the first novel and I loved seeing the characters from the first novel back, as well as new friends and allies for Kalinda and Deven.
 
One of the biggest changes King brings to this second novel is the alteration of the way in which the novel unfolds. After following Kalinda for the whole duration of The Hundredth Queen, I was both surprised and then delighted when I began reading The Fire Queen and discovered that the story was now told through both Kalinda and Deven’s alternating POV’s. Considering the nature of The Fire Queen and the fact Kalinda and Deven spent a large portion separated from each other, following Deven as well helps offer a better rounded version of the story than if we were still following Kalinda only. It also didn’t hurt to have a glimpse into the mind and heart of our male lead and love interest.
 
Personally I think this series is shaping up very well. Kalinda continues to grow into her powers and her capabilities and remains a strong heroine to follow. I enjoy the relationships she has with the other characters and the way they interact with each other. I think Natesa and Yatin are sweet and really want more of Brac. I’m still on the fence with my feelings for Prince Ashwin, although I am fully behind Deven and Kalinda’s relationship.

The Fire Queen is filled with plenty of twists and turns you won’t necessarily anticipate. Emily R. King ends The Fire Queen with a story shaping development that leaves the characters once more facing a massive challenge. Personally I can’t wait until the third novel releases and will be looking to read it as soon as possible!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher via Netgalley (Thank you guys!)
Publisher:
Skyscape 
Format: Kindle ebook via Netgalley
Release Date:
September 26th 2017
Purchase: Bookworld | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: A very impressive and engaging sequel. I can't wait for more.





 

Sunday, December 3, 2017

Book Blitz: Nectar of the Gods by Mary Bernsen- Excerpt & Giveaway

Welcome to the Nectar of the Gods by Mary Bernsen blitz thanks to Xpresso Book Tours. I hope you all enjoy the excerpt and giveaway I have to share today!
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Ambrosia has spent her life preparing for the day she would avenge her mother’s death. Working undercover as a prostitute, she draws in the man who took her mother’s life. Not realizing who Ambrosia is, the man admits to her that her mother is actually still alive—and he’s on a quest to finish what he started twenty-three years ago. Desperate to find the mother she’s never met, Ambrosia convinces him to let her help. It’s a partnership of necessity and founded in deception, but Ambrosia is faced with an uncomfortable truth: this man is not the monster she has always envisioned him to be. Worse yet, she finds herself drawn to him…craving his touch. How can she reconcile these intense feelings for the man who shattered her life?

The first novel in the exciting new Beyond the Gods series, Nectar of the Gods is a fantasy romance steeped in Greek Mythology and full of passion that will leave you breathless.


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From Nectar of the Gods.....

“What in Hades is wrong with you?” I hissed, trying to keep my voice down.

“You,” he growled. “Tramping around with my brother alone at night!”

“Why should anything I do with your brother concern you?”

I managed to pull my arm away, but he pivoted on his heels and came at me with wild, dangerous eyes. I retreated to a corner, and he pinned me in. With one arm on each side of my head, he leaned in and pressed himself against me.

“For the love of Zeus, Ambrosia. Don't you see what you do to me? I can't handle the thought of you with anyone least of all that spoiled sniveling excuse for a demigod.”

His words came out as desperate pleas. I fought hard against them, but I couldn't ignore the fire they lit in my heart. How did it come to this? He was supposed to have met the sharp side of my blade by now. Everything had spun horribly, horribly off path, and it was too late to regain control.

My heart thumped so strongly it caused a pain in my chest. His breathing was so chaotic and unbridled it was all I could focus on. His lips hovered over mine, and I wanted to reach up to bring them to mine, but I didn't dare.

 He smiled the same forbidding smile he had shown me the night we first met. I melted in place, my knees nearly giving out at the sight of it. I had never seen a man as tempting as the one here in front of me.

“He can't have you, Ambrosia. You are mine.” He lowered his lips down onto mine, forcing me to breathe in his groans.

Any small restraint I had left was gone. My body trembled under his hands. I tried to gasp when he finally pulled away, but the air caught in my throat as his mouth trailed it with rough, lingering kisses.

Mary Bernsen is a southwest Florida native currently living in North Port with her two beautiful children and a third, much larger child that she affectionately calls husband. She is the Amazon Best Selling Author of Healing The Bayou, The Ganga Shift, and Beyond the Gods series.

She also writes young adult romances under her pseudonym, M.E. Rhines.

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