Book Blitz: A Tale of Two Houses by Susan Harris- Excerpt & Giveaway

Welcome to the Book Blitz for A Tale of Two Houses by Susan Harris thanks to Xpresso Book Tours! This sounds like a magical twist on Romeo and Juliet and I'm excited to be sharing it with you guys today.

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Centuries ago, the royal house of witches in Vernanthia split into two factions: House Cambridge and House Montgomery. These two houses warred with each other for an age, causing widespread bloodshed and death. Those without magic—the Nulls—suffered the most. One day, a favored daughter of the Nulls was slain. With her dying breath, she cursed the covens to know no peace until love was possible between the houses. 

That curse had long since been forgotten—until now. 

Julian Montgomery is the reluctant Prince of House Montgomery and Rowan Cambridge is in no rush to become the Queen of House Cambridge. Both heirs long for freedom from their birthright obligations. When fate throws these two star-crossed lovers together, it sends them on a collision course with destiny that neither could have predicted. 

Shakespeare’s classic Romeo & Juliet is reimagined in this compelling drama about two young people drawn by fate into an unwinnable situation. If you think you know how this story ends—think again!

Add on Goodreads!

Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Google 

From A Tale of Two Houses......

Underneath the window, a trellis crept up the wall, vines of ivy weaving in and out of the wood. I cupped my hands over my mouth and breathed out to try and put some heat into them. My heart began to beat a steady rhythm against my chest as I placed a booted foot on the end of the trellis, my cold hands less painful than the pit of magic in my stomach.

Creeping up the wall, I managed a quick incline, resting my butt on the window ledge as I considered that I might just be mad enough to knock on his window and beckon him to open it up. The wind whipped my braid against my face as I lifted my head and gave a gentle tap.

Nothing happened, so I tapped again, this time hearing a heavy footfall come toward the window. For a split second, I feared that the Montgomery heir would open the window, pushing me to my death before I could even blink, but as I perched myself on the window ledge, I rolled my shoulders and braced myself for whatever reaction I received.

Susan Harris is a writer from Cork in Ireland. 

An avid reader, she quickly grew to love books in the supernatural/fantasy and Dystopian genre. She writes books for young adults and adults alike.

When she is not writing or reading, she loves music, oriental cultures, tattoos, creepy snow globes, DC shoes, stationary, anything Disney, Marvel movies, psychology and far too many TV shows. If she wasn't a writer, she would love to be a FBI profiler or a PA for Dave Grohl or Jared Leto.

Visit Susan:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Shelf: The Iron Flower (The Black Witch Chronicles #2) by Laurie Forest

Elloren Gardner and her friends were only seeking to right a few wrongs, but their actions have propelled them straight into the ranks of the realm-wide Resistance against Gardnerian encroachment. As the Resistance struggles against the harsh rulings of High Priest Marcus Vogel and the Mage Council, Elloren begins to realize that none of the people she cares about will be safe if Gardneria seizes control of the Western Realm.

With tensions heating up in Verpacia, more and more Gardnerian soldiers continue to descend upon the university…led by none other than Lukas Grey, now commander of the newly rebuilt Fourth Division base. Though Elloren tries to keep him at arm’s length, Lukas is determined to wandfast to her, convinced that she has inherited her grandmother’s magic—the prophesied power of the Black Witch. As his very nearness seems to awaken a darkness inside her, Elloren finds it more and more difficult to believe that she’s truly powerless, as her uncle always claimed.

Caught between her growing feelings for the rebellious Yvan Guriel and the seductive power offered by Lukas Grey, Elloren must find a way to stay true to what she knows is right and protect everyone she loves…even if that means protecting them from herself.

More info on Goodreads....


Review:

The Iron Flower is the explosive second novel in The Black Witch Chronicles by Laurie Forest and is a sensational follow up to her debut novel, giving its predecessor a run for its money with plenty of action, excitement and heart pounding romance.

Elloren Gardner and her friends were only seeking to right a few wrongs when they set in motion the start of a rebellion. As the High Priest Marcus Vogel and the Mage Council begin to seize control of the Western Realm, destroying and imprisoning any being not born to the Gardnerian race, the Resistance is rising up. Determined to help those who can’t help themselves, Elloren stands beside her friends to stop the cruelty and brutality her people are responsible for. As soliders descend on the University, led by Lukas Grey who is increasingly determined to fast to her, Elloren fights to keep him at arm’s length while navigating the increasing attraction she has to Yvan Guriel, a rebel whose secrets threaten to keep them apart. Torn between the darkness in Lukas that calls to her and the fire in Yvan that makes her burn, Elloren fights rumours she is the next Black Witch, knowing that her choices will impact those she loves and change their lives forever….

When I first began The Black Witch, I was in no way prepared for how much I would love the story. Laurie Forest completely sucked me into the lush and vivid fantasy world she has created and The Iron Flower only went to cement my feelings for this series—I think it’s spectacular! Largely underrated in my opinion, The Iron Flower picks up where the last novel left off and draws readers into an action packed story of danger, forbidden romance and delectable characters, set amongst a vibrant and complex fantasy world where oppression and segregation run rampant and a few dare to make a change.

The Iron Flower follows a strong and personable protagonist in Elloren Gardner. It’s really impossible not to like Elloren as far as I’m concerned; she’s a well-rounded and clear headed young woman who genuinely wants to do the right thing and stand up against the injustices of her world. Though she is one of the “pure” Gardnerian race, Elloren is a kind spirited individual and doesn’t share the beliefs many of her people do. I love that Elloren is both tenacious and willing but also natural and down to earth. Despite being a replica of her infamous grandmother in looks, Elloren is nothing like her ancestor and is instead caring, kind and just—the perfect type of heroine of these kinds of fantasy novels.

Though it is filled with fast paced chapters, shocking developments and heartbreaking moments, much of the beauty of this series comes not from the riveting storyline, but the incredible cast of characters Laurie Forest has written and the bonds they share. Alongside Elloren, Forest includes so many wonderful friends and family members in The Iron Flower. And that’s truly what they are as they stand alongside each other—a family. Yvan, Diana, Rafe, Jarrod, Trystan, Ariel, Wynter, Ashlyn, Andras, Tierney and Marina all bring so much to the story and though it may seem like there is a lot of people and personalities, the familial bonds, romances and connections they all share give the story such life and vibrancy.

Growing in intensity, The Iron Flower is a novel of revelations and developments as well as pain and loss. Secrets are revealed and loyalties put to the test as Elloren discovers new friends and new enemies in this instalment. Laurie Forest seems to include a lot of developments within the book. There is undoubtedly a lot going happening within the storyline as well as a lot of different groups of races being brought together in their shared desire to stand up to the Garderian’s (Kelts, Lupines, Amaz etc) but there is clearly a reason behind the madness as Forest moves the story forward.

Emotional and bewitching, The Iron Flower was an addictive and thoroughly enjoyable read. I adored every moment I spent with Elloren and her friends. I wasn’t prepared for it to end and I’m already dying for the next book to come out stat as I’m ready to get lost amongst this incredible world Laurie Forest has created once more!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher via Netgalley (Thank you guys!)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Kindle copy via Netgalley
Release Date: September 18th 2018
Buy: Angus & Robertson | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: I LOVED this and dying for the next one to come out so I can get my hands on it straight away!

Waiting on Wednesday #263

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.....  

Before the Broken Star by Emily R. King

Releases on: June 1st 2019

Add on Goodreads!

A fierce young female adventurer battles time itself to claim her destiny in a sweeping new fantasy saga from the author of the Hundredth Queen series.

Everley Donovan is living on borrowed time. The lone survivor of her family’s unexplained assassination, she was saved by an ingeniously crafted clockwork heart. But the time she was given won’t last forever. Now, every tick-tock reminds her how fragile her existence is and hastens her quest to expose Killian Markham, the navy admiral who shattered her world and left her for dead. But Everley’s hunt for justice will be a long and hard-won voyage.

Her journey takes her to a penal colony on a cursed isle, where she will be married off and charged to build the new world. It is here, and beyond, that hidden realms hide, treasures are unearthed, her family secrets are buried, and young love will test the strength of her makeshift heart. When Everley discovers Markham may not be who he seems, her pursuit for truth is bound to his redemption, her tragic history, and her astonishing destiny. 

Thoughts:

I absolutely loved Emily R. King's Hundredth Queen series and I am super excited for her latest series. I'll admit this novel made its way onto my TBR list before I even read the description pretty much because it was written by her but after reading the description I have no doubt this will be brilliant!

Have you read any of Emily R. King's books?

And what are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Book Shelf: City of Light (Outcast #1) by Keri Arthur

The first in an all-new futuristic fantasy series from Keri Arthur—the New York Times bestselling author of the Souls of Fire novels.

When the bombs that stopped the species war tore holes in the veil between this world and the next, they allowed entry to the Others—demons, wraiths, and death spirits who turned the shadows into their hunting grounds. Now, a hundred years later, humans and shifters alike live in artificially lit cities designed to keep the darkness at bay....

As a déchet—a breed of humanoid super-soldiers almost eradicated by the war—Tiger has spent her life in hiding. But when she risks her life to save a little girl on the outskirts of Central City, she discovers that the child is one of many abducted in broad daylight by a wraith-like being—an impossibility with dangerous implications for everyone on earth.

Because if the light is no longer enough to protect them, nowhere is safe...

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

City of Light is the first novel in Keri Arthur’s Outcast trilogy and is a forward paced sci-fi novel that will draw readers into its futuristic world of danger and darkness where one woman finds herself on a mission to protect those who can't protect themselves.

Tiger is a déchet, a humanoid super solider who was designed for seduction and stealth and whose race was almost completely eradicated during the war between humans and shifters more than a hundred years ago. After the bombs that ended the species war tore a hole in the veil between this world, the Others came in droves-- demons, wraiths and death spirits—forcing the humans and shifters to retreat into artificially lit cities meant to keep these creates of the night out. Now one of the last of her kind, Tiger lives alone in a deserted military base with only the ghosts of long departed déchet children to keep her company. Until she risks her life to save a human child on the outskirts of Central City that is and is soon drawn into a mystery involving children being snatched by wraith-like beings in broad daylight. Determined to help find the missing children, the secrets she’ll discover will change Tiger’s view of the world forever….

Having finally taken the plunge and begun a Keri Arthur novel—something I have been meaning to do for a long time now--I have to say I was pleasantly surprised as I very much enjoyed this sci-fi/futuristic tale. Well written, City of Light introduces a darkly vivid, post-apocalyptic world where darkness reigns and brings with it dangerous supernatural creatures. I found the world within this novel to be raw and gritty with plenty of layers and nuances. The story comes alive as author Keri Arthur draws her readers into this post war world of danger and the paranormal; where creatures such as wraiths and vampires pose a threat to the humans and shifters that call it home.

Our protagonist is Tiger, a humanoid creature known as a déchet whose use as a soldier and weapon of seduction was utilised during a war that ended a century before. I quite liked Tiger. Though she is in fact far from human, there is a very natural and maternal nature to her that shines through the story. Very capable as a fighter and a warrior, Tiger is also quite caring, especially to the children in her care and I really liked this kindness and tender side to her. It complimented the kick-ass aspect of her and made her a very well rounded and likable character.

There are numerous sex scenes throughout the story that I felt were written well and of high quality. They certainly got my blood pumping, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I have hope that Keri Arthur will explore the obvious connection and attraction between Tiger and Jonas. Given the history of their two races, I’m not expecting an easy romance, but am still hopeful as the romantic in me thinks they could have something really adorable.

Two other characters I highly enjoyed in City of Light are Cat and Bear. Tiger’s connection to the ghosts that inhabit the base where she lives is so very sweet and I enjoyed the childlike innocence, happiness and excitement of these two especially. I think they’re adorable additions to the story and am hoping to continue to see them as the series progresses.

As City of Light ends with an action packed and eventful final chapter, I’ll personally be diving straight into the next novel to see what else Keri Arthur has in store for Tiger and the world she lives in!

Rating:
Source: Purchased by me via The Book Depository
Publisher: Piatkus Books
Format: Paperback
Release Date: January 5th 2016
Buy: Angus & Robertson | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: A promising first novel; I'm keen to read more.

Owl Post #231

Inspired by The Story Siren's In My Mailbox, Owl Post allows us bloggers to showcase the books we've bought, won or received throughout the week and is hosted by Brodie over at Eleusinian Mysteries. We all know that the Owl Post is the fastest way to send and receive mail and they certainly make me happy every time they drop a book off.  

Hi lovelies,

Hope you've all had a fabulous weekend and are ready for a new week of books and reading :)

I Bought:

- Demon's Dance by Keri Arthur

- Hunter Hunted by Keri Arthur

- Hell's Bell by Keri Arthur

- Blood Kissed by Keri Arthur

- Don't Look Back by S.E. Gilchrist

- Neveah by Jessica Gleave  

- Straight Through the Heart by Jessica Gleave 

- Over Their Ashes by Jessica Gleave 

- Taste of Revenge by Jessica Gleave 

- Ruby Heart by Donna Maree Hanson

- Emerald Fire by Donna Maree Hanson 

- The Sorcerer's Spell by Dani Kristoff (AKA
Donna Maree Hanson)

I had a lovely time on Sunday at Australian Romance Readers Association's A Romantic Rendezvous signing. It was wonderful meeting Keri Arthur and I got to see some other fabulous authors including Donna Maree Hanson and Jessica Gleave as well a pick up paperback copies of some fabulous books. 

 What did the owls bring you this week?  

 

Book Shelf: Seduction (Curse of the Gods #3) by Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington

Willa Knight: Dweller? Sol? Accidental evolutionary hiccup?

Willa has never been a particularly useful dweller: she isn’t very good at chores, she isn’t very good at worshipping, she isn’t very good at not having opinions, and she isn’t very good with rules—but none of that matters anymore.
The rules are changing.
The dwellers are trying to make their own way in the world, and Willa can’t seem to help getting tangled up in their plans.
Luckily, she has the Abcurse brothers to help her out—until she doesn’t, and suddenly she’s alone again in a world on the brink of chaos. With the Abcurses gone, she’ll have to rely on her wits, and her sister Emmy, to stay under the radar and survive.
Because someone wants her dead.

But, really, what else is new? 

More info on Goodreads.....


Review:

Seduction is the third novel in the Curse of the Gods series by Aussie authors Jaymin Eve and Jane Washington and is an enjoyable fantasy romance that continues a delectable series.

Willa Knight is still trying to figure out exactly what she is. She’s definitely not a god or a sol, but she’s also far from a normal dweller. Especially with her growing abilities and her recent penchant for setting things on fire. Her soul-link to the Abcurse brothers remains her saving grace but as her connection to the five gods continues to grow, Willa fears what will happen if they take the next step in their complex relationship. God of Chaos Rau has plans in store for Willa and her guys and they will need to come up with a plan if they want to save her first…..

After the previous novel seemed to be somewhat of a filler novel in my eyes, I found Seduction to be much more eventful than its predecessor. Not only does Seduction mark the first act of physically intimacy between Willa and her guys (yay!) it also featured a lot of situations that were exciting and action packed. These moments drove the story forward and had important consequences to the characters—some with shocking results.

After three books, Willa’s overall brand of clumsy and crazy is something I have gotten used to but there are times when her constant tripping, falling, slipping, banging, hitting gets to be a bit too much. And this is coming from someone who is innately clumsy herself; I’m used to clumsy. Willa just seems to take it to the next level and after a while it can seem like it’s being overly focused and highlighted. I’d rather focus on different aspects of Willa’s personality.

The Abcurse brothers continue to be swoon worthy and delectable love interests with Willa finally beginning a sexual relationship with them in Seduction. Five guys and one girl is sure to lead to a lot of sex but I’m appreciating Jaymin Eve and Jane Washington building to things slowly, even if I was honestly dying for them to take things to the next level and passed scorching kisses by this third book.

I like all the characters in the series, but Rome is by far my favourite Abcurse with Cyrus and Emmy both of high interest to me. I know they’re going to feature in their own tale soon, so I’ve been watching them closely and eating up all the chemistry apparent between them.

A turning novel in the series, Seduction features developments that will surprise and shock readers but clearly have important ramifications on the overall storyline. Jaymin Eve and Jane Washington left me ready to dive straight into the next novel—which I plan to do shortly—after the cliffhanger ending of Seduction and I can’t wait to see what happens to the characters next!

Rating:
Source: Purchased via Kindle Unlimited (I also own a signed paperback copy)
Publisher: Published independently by authors
Format: Kindle ebook
Release Date: November 30th 2017
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Final Thoughts: Ready to dive straight into the next one.

Blog Tour: Inferno by Kat Ross- Excerpt & Giveaway

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Inferno by Kat Ross thanks Xpresso Book Tours! I absolutely adore Kat Ross and am thrilled to help her celebrate the release of the 5th and final book in her Fourth Talisman Series! Yesterday I shared my review and today I have an excerpt from Inferno with you.

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In the fifth and last volume of the Fourth Talisman series, the worlds of the living and the dead collide in a final confrontation that will leave Nocturne and Solis forever changed….

Three talismans adrift.
Two mad kings.
One poisonous crown.

As dark forces gather at the Rock of Ariamazes in Samarqand, Nazafareen discovers that there are worse places than the afterlife. The twisted creature pulling the Vatras’ strings is holed up in the deepest level of the Dominion—and only she has the power to follow him there, though at the potential cost of her own soul.

Prophecy claims the three daeva clans must unite to face their greatest enemy again, but two of the talismans have vanished and the third is a child more used to skulking in the shadows than leading an army. Meb the Mouse might be their last hope—if anyone bothers to take her seriously.

And within the confines of the Rock, a dying king makes a pact with the devil, setting in motion a chain of events that could spell doom for friends and foes alike.

Add on Goodreads or check out my review! 

Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

From Inferno.....

Lieutenant Captain Arshad shaded his eyes against the low sun with one hand, resting the other on the pommel of his sword. From his vantage point atop one of the fortified towers flanking the Carnelian Gate, the seventh gate of Samarqand, he could see six leagues of the western road before it wound into a fold of low hills. Farther out lay the Gale, which appeared as a smudge of darkness on the horizon. He couldn’t make out it today; a southerly wind carried smoke from the blacksmith’s quarter, painting the landscape with a grey haze.

Since the Hazara-patis had ordered all the gates leading into the city to be sealed, traffic had dried to a trickle. But now he saw a group of dust-coated travelers trudging along the western road.

At first, Captain Arshad assumed they were refugees from Delphi. The Pythia ruled with a heavy hand and not everyone liked it. After the massacre of the Ecclesia, there’d been an influx of people, afoot and riding on wagons, who’d had enough of her fanaticism. But this bunch didn’t look like Greeks. They all had bright red hair and wore sand-colored cloaks. Arshad frowned. Perhaps they were a troop of players in costume come to entertain the king.

“What is it, captain?” asked his second in command.

“I’m not sure.” He sighed. “I’d best go down and find out.”

The group neared the gates and the captain revised his opinion. Not travelling players. They had no baggage and they all wore the same odd cloaks. They were a weird-looking bunch, most likely some religious cult. There seemed no end to the number of gods worshipped by the heathen Greeks. Arshad discreetly made the sign of the flame.

He trotted down the winding staircase to the bottom of the garrison’s watchtower, moving at an unhurried pace. They’d already refused other refugees fleeing Delphi, and a few country folk who’d hoped to shelter inside Samarqand’s walls until things settled down. Arshad felt bad turning them away, some were families with children and he had two sons of his own, but orders were orders and there was no bribe large enough to induce him to open those gates. Everyone knew what King Shahak did to traitors.

His generals were the latest casualty. Rumor said they’d been plotting to unseat the king and replace him with one of their own. Somehow Shahak had gotten wind of the conspiracy. They were now on display in front of the Rock, their bodies rearranged in monstrous contortions.

That was four days ago and no new generals had been promoted, leaving the middle-ranking officers in charge. Lieutenant Captain Arshad commanded a garrison of a hundred men at the Carnelian Gate. Each of the six other gates was similarly guarded. The rest of the army, about a thousand men, kept order in the city and patrolled the inner curtain wall enclosing the Rock of Ariamazes. The king would be in no danger from this ragtag group.

Archers lined the top of the wall, arrows duly knocked to bows although it seemed unlikely they’d be needed. More soldiers with spears and shields occupied the garrison, sparring in the muddy yard.

When Captain Arshad reached ground level, he peered through the ornamental grillwork of the towering wooden gates. The group had halted thirty paces away, but their leader kept coming and now Captain Arshad got a better look at him. The first thing he noticed was that the man had been burned in a fire. Swathes of scalp were bald and misshapen, with thick seams of scar tissue. The second was his eyes, which were a shade of blue so light as to be almost colorless. He seemed to have no eyebrows.

“The gates are sealed,” Arshad said curtly. “You’ll have to go back to wherever you came from.”

The man nodded and grinned, dirty red hair swinging. Arshad wondered if he was simple.

“I’m here for an audience with King Shahak,” he said.

The solders laughed at this, although Captain Arshad didn’t join them. Something about the group made him uneasy. All the adult males save for two also bore the marks of fire, though only on half their faces. Arshad found that very odd—as if the burns had been inflicted deliberately. Then there were the identical cloaks, made from some tanned hide the captain didn’t recognize.

“And who shall we say is here to see him?” one of the soldiers taunted from the wall.

“Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus.” The man spread his arms wide. “King of the Avas Vatras.”

The soldiers exploded into laughter at that.

Lieutenant Captain Arshad felt himself losing patience. His original assessment must be correct. They were a troupe of performers hoping for a crust of bread and a cup of wine in exchange for some mindless entertainment, and desperate enough to risk the displeasure of Samarqand’s notoriously unstable king.

“There’s a village not far from here,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument. “Just walk north along the river. You’ll find food and shelter there, if you have coin for it. But you won’t be getting into Samarqand. Not today, nor anytime soon.”

He looked at the children again. They were ragged and thin, but they didn’t look afraid. Lieutenant Captain Arshad had seen a lot of refugees and they all wore the same expression, a mixture of weariness, suffering and resignation. But these children stared boldly back at the soldiers. It was eerie. The only one who did look afraid was a man leaning on a stick. Arshad seemed to remember him limping as the group approached. The man’s intense gaze met his own and Arshad had the impression he wanted to say something, but then he cast a furtive glance at the scarred leader and Arshad realized his fear was not of the soldiers on the wall. Suddenly, he was very glad for the wall between them.

“You heard me,” he said sharply. “Go on with you.”

The leader crooked a finger and a little girl came forward. She couldn’t be older than eight or nine, with fiery hair down to her waist, tangled and wild. She had the same pale eyes. Unbidden, Arshad thought of a story his grandfather used to tell about a monster called a wight. They were cunning things. They pretended to be human, but their eyes were like black almonds and when you realized what they were and tried to run, they were very fast….

The scarred man leaned down and whispered in the little girl’s ear.

She stared at Captain Arshad, her gaze finding his through the carved grillwork in the gate.

“We don’t want to leave,” she declared in a high, childish voice.

Cold fingers of dread traced a path down Arshad’s spine. The archers sensed it too and he heard the creak of bowstrings. No one laughed this time. A heavy silence fell on the garrison.

“Are you sure you won’t open the gates?” the leader asked softly.

Captain Arshad started to make the sign of the flame. His finger brushed forehead and lips, but before they touched his heart, a wall of fire raced toward him.

The girl stepped forward, a smile on her face.

It was her, she’d done this somehow…. 

A wind rose, whipping the flames into a bonfire. They consumed the gates in a matter of seconds. Arshad had never seen a fire burn so hot. It quickly spread to the garrison towers. Captain Arshad grabbed a young messenger boy who stood frozen in the yard.

“Get to the inner curtain wall and send word to seal the Rock.”

“Who are they?” the boy gabbled, his eyes huge. “What are they?”

“Just run. Faster than you’ve ever run before.” Arshad gave him a hard shove. “Go!” 

One of the archers screamed and tumbled from the wall, blue flames trailing from his body. The boy took off into the warren of streets, legs pumping. He didn’t look back.

Lieutenant Captain Arshad drew his sword and waded forward into hell.

Kat Ross worked as a journalist at the United Nations for ten years before happily falling back into what she likes best: making stuff up. She lives in Westchester with her kid and a few sleepy cats. Kat is also the author of the dystopian thriller Some Fine Day (Skyscape, 2014), about a world where the sea levels have risen sixty meters. She loves magic, monsters and doomsday scenarios. Preferably with mutants.

Visit Kat:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Shelf: Inferno (Fourth Talisman #5) by Kat Ross

In the fifth and last volume of the Fourth Talisman series, the worlds of the living and the dead collide in a final confrontation that will leave Nocturne and Solis forever changed….

Three talismans adrift.
Two mad kings.
One poisonous crown.

As dark forces gather at the Rock of Ariamazes in Samarqand, Nazafareen discovers that there are worse places than the afterlife. The twisted creature pulling the Vatras’ strings is holed up in the deepest level of the Dominion—and only she has the power to follow him there, though at the potential cost of her own soul.

Prophecy claims the three daeva clans must unite to face their greatest enemy again, but two of the talismans have vanished and the third is a child more used to skulking in the shadows than leading an army. Meb the Mouse might be their last hope—if anyone bothers to take her seriously.

And within the confines of the Rock, a dying king makes a pact with the devil, setting in motion a chain of events that could spell doom for friends and foes alike.

More info on Goodreads.....


Review: 

Inferno is the fifth and final instalment in the Fourth Talisman series by Kat Ross and brings the saga to a fiery and eventful close with twists and turns and an action packed ending.

Nazafareen has recently discovered there are worse things than death and as dark forces approach the land of Samarqand, Nazafareen will have to navigate the twisted world of the Dominion in order to stop the being pulling the threads of the Vatras. Yet stopping Farrumohr is only the beginning and as different factions of daevas band together to make a stand against their fire wielding counterparts, the war between these opposing forces will either be won or lost together. Nazafareen, Darius and all their allies will need to fight as one to stop the Vatras King before he burns fire down on all they hold dear….

Reading Inferno is a bittersweet experience. It was an exciting story, as all Kat Ross novels are, but after eight books (The Fourth Element and The Fourth Talisman series) I was very sad to read the last of Nazafareen and Darius’s tale. Following them on their journeys has always been a pleasant and fascinating experience. Seeing foes become friends and different characters step and rise to prominence never fails to entertain.

Kat Ross continues to weave together an electric fantasy world that focuses on danger and excitement. Heroine Nazafareen continues to be a force to be reckoned with even in death while Darius, Culach and other characters continue their fight against the vatras in Inferno. I honestly have come to adore so many different individuals we have met throughout this series. Nazafareen and Darius are still largely our main characters but I’ve loved seeing Culach, Mina, Galen, Katrin, Meb, Nicodemous and so many others throughout the series.

Fast packed and very eventful, Inferno is told in the third person allowing for a detailed account of the circumstances our beloved characters find themselves in. There’s a lot going on within Inferno as Nazafareen and her allies fight to save the world from being destroyed by a vengeful and vicious Vatras leader.

Building to an epic battle where lives are guaranteed to be lost, Inferno does not disappoint. Featuring a final few chapters that were hopeful and uplifting as we saw the start of nothing but good things for many of the characters, Kat Ross ends her series wonderfully. I’ll definitely read whatever she releases next and urge readers to check out this now completed fantasy series—you won’t be disappointed.

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Xpresso Book Tours and author (Thank you ladies!)
Publisher: Acorn
Format: Kindle ebook
Release Date: March 15th 2019
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Final Thoughts: A great ending to a fantastic series. I can't wait to read whatever Kat Ross releases next!

Waiting on Wednesday #262

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.....

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater 

Releases on: November 5th 2019

Add on Goodreads!

The dreamers walk among us . . . and so do the dreamed. Those who dream cannot stop dreaming – they can only try to control it. Those who are dreamed cannot have their own lives – they will sleep forever if their dreamers die.

And then there are those who are drawn to the dreamers. To use them. To trap them. To kill them before their dreams destroy us all.
Ronan Lynch is a dreamer. He can pull both curiosities and catastrophes out of his dreams and into his compromised reality.

Jordan Hennessy is a thief. The closer she comes to the dream object she is after, the more inextricably she becomes tied to it.

Carmen Farooq-Lane is a hunter. Her brother was a dreamer . . . and a killer. She has seen what dreaming can do to a person. And she has seen the damage that dreamers can do. But that is nothing compared to the destruction that is about to be unleashed......

Thoughts:
So. Who has a time machine? Who can take me to November 5th 2019 because I need this book NOW!!! Like stat. I absolutely adored the Raven Cycle and I'm so beyond excited that Maggie Stiefvater has decided to expand on the world within with a series focusing on Ronan Lynch. Can't wait to see my guy again!

What are you waiting on this week?

Book Shelf: Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte

A divided nation. Four Queens. A ruthless pickpocket. A noble messenger. And the murders that unite them.
​
Get in quick, get out quicker.

These are the words Keralie Corrington lives by as the preeminent dipper in the Concord, the central area uniting the four quadrants of Quadara. She steals under the guidance of her mentor Mackiel, who runs a black market selling their bounty to buyers desperate for what they can’t get in their own quarter. For in the nation of Quadara, each quarter is strictly divided from the other. Four queens rule together, one from each region:

Toria: the intellectual quarter that values education and ambition
Ludia: the pleasure quarter that values celebration, passion, and entertainment
Archia: the agricultural quarter that values simplicity and nature
Eonia: the futurist quarter that values technology, stoicism and harmonious community

When Keralie intercepts a comm disk coming from the House of Concord, what seems like a standard job goes horribly wrong. Upon watching the comm disks, Keralie sees all four queens murdered in four brutal ways. Hoping that discovering the intended recipient will reveal the culprit – information that is bound to be valuable bartering material with the palace – Keralie teams up with Varin Bollt, the Eonist messenger she stole from, to complete Varin’s original job and see where it takes them.

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

Four Dead Queen’s is Astrid Scholte’s debut novel and is an enticing fantasy novel full of mystery, intrigue and plenty of twists and turns to keep readers intrigued until the final page.

Keralie Corrington is a talented pickpocket and steals from unsuspecting victims for the black market in the quadrant where she lives. The nation of Quadara where she lives is divided into four quadrants, Archia, Luudia, Toria and Eonia with each quadrant overseen by a ruling queen. It’s a system that has worked for centuries, until Keralie steals a particular valuable item from a messenger and stumbles upon a secret….the four queens have been murdered! Wanting to find the culprit, Keralie teams up with Varin Bollt, the messenger she initially stole from. Raised in different quadrants and with opposing beliefs, working together will not be easy for Keralie and Varin, but with the stakes so high and lives on the line, they will need to trust one another if they hope to determine who wants to kill the queens.

As far as debut novels are concerned Astrid Scholte’s Four Dead Queens is well thought out and enjoyable reading. Given that it is also a standalone novel (something rare in today’s age) Four Dead Queens offers readers a well-paced and well plotted murder mystery that mixes elements of fantasy, romance and surprise into the storyline. The world building was spot on, with Quadara’s history and backstory explored with purpose and precision to explain why it is ruled by four queens the way it is.

Though written primarily through the eyes of protagonist Keralie, Four Dead Queens also offers a few chapters from the perspective of the four aforementioned queens. I felt this was a really smart move on Scholte’s part as it gave readers the opportunity to not only get to know the queens but see the whole picture surrounding their lives and deaths in authentic context.

Keralie is a likable main character and easy to follow. Her voice is strong and she's a capable, daring young woman who knows her way around the streets and how to get both into trouble and out of it in equal measure. Throughout Four Dead Queens Keralie makes a dedicated effort to do the right thing and alongside Eonist Varin attempts to find out who is behind assassination of the queens.

Forward moving with a complex who-done-it murder mystery Four Dead Queens features romance, danger and an ending you won't expect at all. Astrid Scholte concludes the story with promise and proves she is a voice to watch out for in YA fiction. I'll be keeping an eye out to see what she releases next.

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by publisher (Thank you guys!)
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Format: Paperback
Australian RRP: $19.99
Release Date: March 1st 2019
Buy: Angus & Robertson | Booktopia | The Book Depository | Amazon
Final Thoughts: Enjoyable and a solid YA fantasy. Definitely worth a read.

Free Ebooks

Hello book lovers and happy Saturday! I've got some new freebies to share with you today. Hope you find something new!

Blood Crescent by S.M. McCoy

Flesh and Blood by Willow Rose

From Gods by Mary Ting

A Witch's Blood by Cheri Winters

Winter Princess by Skye MacKinnon

Crossbite by Alex Villavasso

Stone Lover by Emma Alisyn

Daughter of Odin by S. K. Gregory

Code Onyx by Val St. Crowe

Prisoner of Silk by Lidiya Foxglove

Mage Academy by Shaina Anastasi

Valkyrie Landing by A.J. Flowers 

War of Fangs by L.A. Boruff

Fates Altered by Jules Barnard

What Fate Portends by Clara Coulson

Golden by K.M. Robinson 

Did you get something new? I know I did!

Book Shelf: Persuasion (Curse of the Gods #2) by Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington

Willa Knight: Dweller? Bad-ass? Notorious pet to five magical beings?

In Blesswood, there are rules, and someone is trying to teach her how to follow them. The only problem is Willa. Which shouldn’t be anything new, since she has been a problem since birth—something her pseudo-sister Emmy would agree on.

So it definitely shouldn’t be new … but it is.

Because things are starting to happen that have never happened before.

Things are starting to get …chaotic. 

More info on Goodreads..... 


Review: 

Persuasion is the second novel in the Curse of the Gods series by Jaymin Eve and Jane Washington and continues to draw readers into a developing and changing world of magic, fantasy and sizzling sexual tension.

Willa Knight’s life was forever altered when she found herself tied to the five Abcurse brothers. Now she needs to discover what this bond means for her and why she is suddenly experiencing strangle abilities at the most inconvenience of times. Willa’s position as a dweller means she should be low on the totem pole, but as the Abcurses continue to hold her in high esteem, the other dwellers begin to act out, putting in motion the start of a rebellion that could change everything…..

In Persuasion, Willa is back alongside her five Abcurse brothers and continuing to shake up the world she lives in. A mere lowly dweller, Willa’s connection two five powerful “sols” is an enigma in their world where dwellers serve sols and do not associate with them on an equal level. Authors Jaymin Eve and Jane Washington continue to focus heavily around the close bond between Willa and her guys as the gods continue to play with their lives.

I’m at a bit of a mixed mind where a certain aspect of the novel is concerned and this is the is storyline; as in I didn’t really feel like there was much of one in this novel. Unlike the first novel which set up a lot of the world within the series, Persuasion didn’t seem to feature that much of a storyline arc. There wasn’t really a lot going on other than Willa continuing to spend time with the Abcurses and being in jeopardy—again. Perhaps this novel is more of a filler/set up to events to come, but it was mostly just little things that happened and not enough to really change the shape of the series.

That being said, I still enjoyed this novel. I generally like Jaymin Eve and Jane Washington’s novels and there was plenty of moments of hilarity and romantic tension within Persuasion. I’m enjoying seeing Willa connect with individual brothers and am intrigued by Cyrus, the Neutral God who will feature down the track in his own novel (with a certain dweller I might add) and will definitely be continuing the series.

Rating:
Source: Purchased by me via Kindle Unlimited
Publisher: Independently published by authors
Format: Kindle ebook via Kindle Unlimited (I also own a signed paperback)
Release Date: May 30th 2017
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Final Thoughts: This novel wasn't as exciting as the first, but I will be definitely be reading more.

Waiting on Wednesday #261

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 Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young

Releases on: September 3rd 2019 

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The new gut-wrenching epic from the New York Times bestselling author of Sky in the Deep.

For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.

For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home. 

Thoughts:

I really enjoyed Adrienne Young's debut novel Sky in the Deep and I can't wait to read this companion novel! Sky in the Deep was really impressive and I'm keen to see more of Tova whom we met in the first novel as well as this Nordic/Viking-like world Adrienne Young has created.

 

Have you read Sky in the Deep and will you be reading this?