fantasy

Review: Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas

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empire Well, now…where to begin…I have so many feelings all jumbled up in my head. But, here goes.

This is the first book that I actually read with my children. My daughter read the first five books, including the prequels, last year, and my son was sucked into them after we went on vacation and we listened to the first one on our trip. So it was kinda fun reading along. It was crazy to be able to scream and yell and vent together.

Being that this is the 5th book in a series, you should be all ready to handle the amount of emotions that Sarah’s books will pull out of you. But this one was different. This book seemed more epic, if that’s even possible. So many storylines were going on at the same time, it was stressful. I kept waiting for the massive explosion from when they all crashed together. And let me tell you, explosion was exactly what we got. There were alliances made. Deals drawn. And that ending…my heart was messed up. My kids were NOT happy with that ending. They were yelling at me. I was laughing at them. I’m used to this kinds of devastation, but they are not.

While I was enjoying myself, this book seemed to take a turn for the NA world. Just a heads up there. This series, up til now, was pretty YA and the sexy scenes were fade to black. Not so with this one. It was quite descriptive and I had to block off a few spots for my teens. Now don’t get all huffy. I’m not about censorship, but I will do that for my kids. I like the sexy parts, but not for my kids. I won’t go into more about that, but I will say this, those scenes are the reason I gave this a 4 instead of a 5.

Besides all that, I will recommend this series if you like fantasy. Sarah creates worlds that are so unbelievable and yet they sound so real. I haven’t heard the audible for this one, but I did use it for my reread/relisten and the stories are even better when you hear them.

~Melpomene

Buy Empire of Storms HERE

Review: Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon

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01 styxx
I’ve had the Dark Hunters books, on my kindle, for a few years now. I bought them all at once. It was quite daunting looking at 23 books, and knowing that there were way more if you add in the all the side series. This summer I decided to enjoy the summer and read for me. Not for the blog, just me, which means I barely reviewed anything. Sorry, Muses and Pegasus! So I charged my kindle and set out to finish this series.

I’ve had lots of people talk about Styxx and “Oh my gosh, his book killed me!” Well, in order to get to this killing book, I needed to read the 21 books before it. So this is what I’ve been doing. And yesterday, I realized that everyone was right. I’m writing this review from beyond the grave, cuz this book killed me. Dead.

If you’ve read this series you’d know that Acheron’s book was not for the faint hearted, but this book surpassed that one. I’m not even kidding when I say that I spent the last 15% in constant tears. With the size of this book, that means I was crying off and on for about 4 hours. It takes great talent to read through tears. I believe I’ve mastered that now.

You get a glimpse of Styxx in Acheron’s book and the impression you get isn’t good. He seems like this snotty, unloving selfish brother, and to be honest, I didn’t care about him. I knew his book was a sad one, but I didn’t think I would really care, after the way we saw him treat his siblings. But, holy cannoli, there was so much more going on! The amount of devastation and abuse this boy was handed, I’m surprised he’s still sane. A lesser man would’ve broke.

I can’t really say what happens, but I will say this, I’m so glad that Acheron has someone for him. Someone who understands him and what he went through. Brothers need to stick together.The funny thing is though, now I feel like the rest of the books are going to pale in comparison to this one.

~Melpomene

Buy Styxx HERE

Review: Midnight Soul by Kristen Ashley

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01 amid “You don’t have a midnight soul, Frannie. Your soul is so bright, I look too close, I’d be blinded.”

Magical, romantic, beautiful and sweet. This series is all these things and more. I actually read this book slower than I normally would. I wanted to savor this world that I’ve come to love so much and I therefore I wasn’t ready for it to end. Heck, I know it’s over and I still have a hard time admitting that!

We’ve only ever seen one side of Franka, and it’s not the side that makes you love her. In fact, you want to stay far away from her. But after seeing what she’s endured her entire life, you can’t help to forgive her for her past embrace her in love.

Noc was a great hero to this story. He was thrust into a world not of his own, but he welcomed it and embraced it and helped save it. And to thank him for it, he was given Franka Drakkar, his Frannie. He knew she wasn’t the nicest person, but after an evening of whiskey and wine, he learns that there’s more to her and he wants all of it.

The slow burn between these two was perfect. I was so glad there was no rushing and Noc had the patience of a saint and knew she needed to get her head on straight before he could officially make his move. I loved each and every time Frannie discovered that she’s no longer the same person she was back when they first met. It tickled me to see her vulnerable like that. There was a secret part of Noc that he holds close to his heart, but somehow Frannie find a way to it and shows him that there’s more to him than this.

“I have a golden soul,” I said again. and he opened his mouth to speak buy I carried on. “I know this because the gods in my world and the God in yours would never tether a soul that was anything less than golden to the perfection that is you.”

And shall we talk about that epilogue? Simply perfect. In fact, I didn’t realize this was the final book until I started to read that. I was so very relieved to see the other couples and their families and even the newer couples find happiness as well. So bittersweet. So emotional. So very good.

~Melpomene

Buy Midnight Soul HERE.

Be sure and read the entire series so you can fully enjoy this one.

Wildest Dreams
The Golden Dynasty
Fantastical
Broken Dove

Review: Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen

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01 aclo This has to be the one of the most unique books I have ever read. Unique in the sense that I’ve never read Steampunk before. All the talk of gears and ray guns and such was just wild for me. Now toss in vampires, werewolves and ghosts and you have the making a crazy story. Not to mention romance, cuz of course I need romance in my stories. This was just plain fantastic.

When Lucy decided to visit her cousin, Kate, she thought she was there to merely help her get well. She had no idea that she was about to get sucked into such drama. From pushy relatives to ghost hauntings, she has more on her plate than she ever thought possible. Last thing she wants is to deal with a mean, yet handsome, man who seems to be everywhere she looks. I liked Lucy. She had spunk. She wasn’t going to let anything scare her off until she figured out what was making her cousin sick. Not even the big bad beast could move her along.

Miles was fun to watch. Yes, he had is secrets. Yes, he was brash. But he cared for his family and was trying to do the best for them. In the ways of the “beast” it was sweet to see him fall for Lucy, even though he didn’t want to. He tried to protect her and push her away, but she wasn’t taking any of his crap. These two were too stubborn to not connect with each other.

The best part of this book is that it’s clean. As with all Proper Romances, this story has nothing to hide. Teens to adult can enjoy this story without worrying about sexy scenes. I look forward to letting my daughter read this when she’s ready.

I’ll admit, I had no idea what I was getting myself into here. I have no idea what’s “traditional” steampunk and what isn’t. I still don’t know. But what I do know is that I completely enjoyed this story. And if all steampunks are like this one, then I know I found another genre to add to my TBR.

~Melpomene

Buy Beauty and the Clockwork Beast HERE.

Review: Dragon Fever by Donna Grant

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01 a1001 I just love this sexy dragon series. I mean, it’s dragons. And everyone knows dragons are cool.

Rachel is sent to get information on dragons living in our world and expose them for what they really are. She was picked specifically because she wouldn’t fall for whoever she was after. She’s a diehard reporter who knows how to get the story no matter what. But after her first glance of Asher, she knows that this is going to be harder than she thought.

Asher wishes he was back home at Dreagan instead in Paris. But after a chance meeting, he begins to think that maybe Paris isn’t so bad after all. That is until he finds out what she’s doing but still has trust her when things start to fall apart.

I really enjoyed this fast paced novella. These Dragon Kings move quickly in the romance department. When they find something they like, they go after it FAST. And I gotta say, I like their speed. They don’t mess around. We also discover who’s behind the trouble and learn a few things that I never saw coming.

Sometimes I don’t get to read novellas in some of my series, but I’m so glad I read this one. If you like this series, I highly recommend you read this one. Plus it’ll hold you over until the next one, in March.

~Melpomene

Buy Dragon Fever HERE.

Excerpt

Asher exited the car amid a flash of clicks from cameras as well as reporters doing their best to holler questions the loudest in the hopes he might answer.

“Is it true you’re a dragon?” one reporter asked.

Another yelled, “Shift for us.”

They had no idea how much he wanted to do just that, if for no other reason than to get everyone out of his face. Instead, he put on a serene expression, buttoned his jacket and gave a nod to a few spectators lined up along the entrance as he walked in.

Once inside the centre, there was no time to relax. Ms. Engel was right on his heels, directing where he was headed and giving him names of those he would be meeting.

He stopped outside of the closed doors of the room.

“Is something wrong, sir?” Ms. Engel asked.

“For one, my name is Asher, not sir.”

She held up a finger to stop him. “Mr. Constantine also tried to tell me the same thing. I work for Dreagan and whoever represents the company at the WWC. While here, you’ll always be ‘sir.’”

Asher could accept that. Blossom was beginning to grow on him. She might be a miniature drill sergeant, but she was damn good at her job. No wonder Con used her year after year.

He drew in a breath and released it as he looked behind them. “Is it always so…” He waved his hand around, looking for the right word.

“Crazy? Insane? Nearly fanatical?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Only when Dreagan is here.” Ms. Engel put the cap on her pen. “Before TVL, everyone just wanted a glimpse of those who were a part of Dreagan and get a taste of the whisky. After TVL, well, now they want to see what might happen.”

“TVL?” he asked, sorting through all sorts of words she might mean.

“The Video Leak.”

“Ah.” Well, that made sense. He turned his attention to her. “Did you see the video?”

“Of course.”

When she said nothing further, he asked, “What did you think?”

“It doesn’t matter, sir.”

Waiting on Wednesday~ The Lost Codex by Heather Lyons

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01 al

TITLE:
The Lost Codex(The Collectors’ Society #4)
AUTHOR:
Heather Lyons
GENRE:
Romance, fantasy
RELEASE DATE:
July 19, 2016

SYNOPSIS:
Allies, once inseparable, splinter until they break apart.
An insidiousness carves its way through Wonderland, challenging the land’s very existence.
Battle lines will be drawn as pages, long languishing in darkness, are finally illuminated.
Swords will clash, blood will be spilled, and lives will be lost.
For what is written can still be erased.

Add to your Goodreads shelf HERE

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Review: The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon

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01 ab “You are a dangerous little bird. But I think I will keep you.”

How can someone without a voice make a difference in the world?

WOW. This book was pure magic. I was sucked in from the very first page to the last one. Fantasy is some of the hardest books for me to review. I don’t wanna give away spoilers, but, at the same time, I wanna shout, “Read this book!” So I will say this. READ THIS BOOK!

I am a huge fan of Amy Harmon’s books. She can write romance like nobody’s business. When I first heard that she was writing a fantasy, I was quite intrigued. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres, so to mix it with one of my favorite authors…well, let’s just say that’s a match made in heaven.

You will fall in love with all of these characters. From Lark to Prince Tiras to Boojohni, you will be drawn into their world and wish you were right along with them. Whether it is real or fantasy, the world that’s created in these pages is a world that’s beyond anything I could ever dream of. In fact, I was so drawn in with the poetic words, that sometimes I forget it was a fantasy. My soul just soaked up all the beautiful words.

Amy has a way of writing a story that’s not only beautiful, but also has a beautiful message. I was drawn in with her characters and scenery. From the breath taking moments to the breath stealing moments, I was completely captured. I honestly say that if Amy decides to write more from this world, or any other world, I’ll be first in line to buy it.

~Melpomene

Cover reveal: The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon

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The-Bird-and-the-Sword-PRINT-FOR-WEB
SYNOPSIS
Swallow, daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heaven or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, daughter. Stay alive.

The day my mother was killed, she told my father I wouldn’t speak again, and she told him if I died, he would die too. Then she predicted the king would sell his soul and lose his only son to the sky.

My father has a claim to the throne, and he is waiting in the shadows for all of my mother’s words to come to pass. He wants desperately to be king, and I just want to be free.

But freedom will require escape, and I’m a prisoner of my mother’s curse and my father’s greed. I can’t speak or make a sound, and I can’t wield a sword or beguile a king. In a land purged of enchantment, love might be the only magic left, and who could ever love . . . a little bird?

Add it to your Goodreads shelf HERE.

Author_AmyHarmonAbout Amy Harmon:
Amy Harmon is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and New York Times Bestselling author. Amy knew at an early age that writing was something she wanted to do, and she divided her time between writing songs and stories as she grew. Having grown up in the middle of wheat fields without a television, with only her books and her siblings to entertain her, she developed a strong sense of what made a good story. Her books are now being published in twelve countries, truly a dream come true for a little country girl from Levan, Utah.

Amy Harmon has written ten novels – the USA Today Bestsellers, Making Faces and Running Barefoot, as well as The Law of Moses, The Song of David, Infinity + One, Slow Dance in Purgatory, Prom Night in Purgatory, and the New York Times Bestseller, A Different Blue. Her newest release, The Bird and The Sword will be released in the spring of 2016. She will release From Sand and Ash in October of 2016, via Lake Union Publishing.

Review: Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell

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I love it when authors put their own unique twist on classic stories and fairytales.  Bonus points if their version is even more dark and twisted than the original.  This is what you get with the latest from Lisa Maxwell.

We all know the story of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys.  The story from my childhood places Peter in the role of hero, saving all who are lost.  And the Neverland I remember was a magical place full of swashbuckling fun with a dash of danger thrown in.

This is not the story we grew up with.  This Neverland is full of deadly secrets at every turn.  There are more beasts than you can keep track of.  And death is a regular occurrence.  Oh and Peter?  He may not be what you remember.  This Peter is more sinister and conniving. And then there’s Captain Hook.  Because what would a Peter Pan story be without a bad guy?  But maybe Hook isn’t really the bad guy.  Or maybe he is.

This is what Gwendolyn has to decide for herself.  Her entire life has been spent moving from place to place.  Just as soon as she gets settled, her mom uproots them yet again.  She has a good reason.  They are running from monsters, after all.  To Gwen, this is just more of her mom’s eccentric behavior.  So when they end up in London, she doesn’t take any of the warnings seriously.  Keep the windows closed, don’t turn off the lights…

And when she doesn’t heed these warnings, bad things happen.  In the form of dark shadowy creatures who swoop in and capture Gwen along with her friend Olivia.  When Gwen wakes up, she finds herself on the ship of the infamous Captain Hook.  She knows the story, so she knows he’s not the good guy.  So she escapes and is rescued by Peter Pan.

Here’s where the story takes even more twists and turns.  Gwen quickly realizes that Pan may not be what he seems.   And it would appear that she holds the key to saving herself and Olivia.  Maybe her mom wasn’t so crazy after all…

This was such a fun book to read.  The author has a way with words and is able to create magical worlds that transport the reader.  While staying close to the original storyline, she still gives us a fantastical alternate version.  Add this one to your list!

~Thalia

Buy It Now:  Unhooked

Review: Smoke and Fire by Donna Grant

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01 dark I love this series. Plain and simple. Dragons are my weakness and I can’t hold myself back when I see books with them in it. And when you combine dragons with the fae, you have a recipe for Melpomene’s happiness.

Kinsey and Ryder were in love, or so she thought. Then her broke her heart and she never saw him again. That is until during the battle, in Glasgow, when he changed right before her eyes, and she was faced with more than your every day secret. This was a life shattering secret. She was devastated and was determined to never set her eyes on him again. Little did she know that her work was sending her straight into her worst nightmare.

Ryder has loved Kinsey for years. He never forgot about her. And when he was sent to Glasgow to stop the dark from killing every mortal, he had no idea that he would be revealing himself to the one person he vowed to keep in the dark.

This story was different than the rest, in the sense that they already have a history. They’re in love, even if they won’t admit it to themselves. I was actually quite happy with that aspect, since there was so much happening in the background already. If we had to wait for them to find each other and fall in love, it would take away from the dynamic of the entire story. Without saying any spoilers, let’s just say that history almost repeated itself, and in the worst way possible.

Now for the side characters, Ulrik is keeping some very HUGE secrets from everyone. And I mean H.U.G.E. This is a game changer no one even knows yet. Part of me hopes that reconciliation can happen, with Con and the rest of the Kings, but I’m not holding my breath.

Rhi wants to stay with Balladyn, but I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. While being with Rhi makes him more light than dark, his normal side is dark and I fear this isn’t good for her. I have my suspicions as to who her King is, and if I’m right, I’d rather they both get their heads out of their butts and realize it and get back together. After her captivity, she can’t afford anymore dark in her life.

There are many more questions that still need to be answered and I am anxiously waiting for them. Until then, I’ll keep on reading and hope I can draw some correct conclusions and discover answers for myself. #Dragons4Ever

~Melpomene

Buy Smoke and Fire: A Dark Kings Novel

Start from the beginning and fall in love with all the Kings:
Darkest Flame (Dark Kings)
Fire Rising (Dark Kings)
Burning Desire (Dark Kings)
Hot Blooded (Dark Kings)
Night’s Blaze (Dark Kings)
Soul Scorched: A Dark Kings Novel
Passion Ignites (Dark Kings)
Smoldering Hunger: A Dark Kings Novel