Now I’m wondering if it’s my job to keep it that way.
Oh, I haven’t introduced myself? I’m Yuri Finn, Prince of Liquiris (and humble sophomore student at Gifted Blood Academy) at your service.
All I want is to get through the school year at Gifted Blood unscathed, but when magic mysteriously disappears, we get stuck in our human forms. And if that wasn’t enough, Mavuto, a freshman shifter, has his mind set on making everyone miserable this year.
If I lose control of my powers, the spirit will awaken. Then it’s game over.
Can’t a prince get a break?
Now I’m supposed to band together with the shifters who made my life hell and all the other species who obviously have their own agenda.
Yup, I’m probably going to die.
Readers who love magic academies and mystery will love this epic adventure!
★The Dark Tide is the second book in this YA magic academy series. Get ready for slow burn romance, magical mysteries and chaos!★
Review
Yuri and his friends return to the academy. Their only problem was supposed to be studying, but the events of the previous year still have no explanation.
Also, the arrival of a new student, a very unpleasant shifter whose reason for living seems to be to annoy others. This, together with strange flaws in magic, begin to stress all the students. Dangerous stressed students.
First of all I must mention that we have a map at the beginning of the book and also an index with the characters of each species. I really liked this.
Also, this book is a lot better than Book 1. Now it’s very clear what’s going on, where, and with whom, without being over descriptive.
Although it improved a lot in terms of writing, it bothered me a bit that Yuri appears as the great savior capable of everything while on a day-to-day basis he does not seem to have any power. We know that being a son of the ocean and also a prince, he is quite powerful, but I thought that he did not know the extent of his powers and I was surprised to find out that he knows much more than I thought.
It took me almost half of the book to fully understand what was going on, but everything it’s finally starting to make sense and now it completely caught me.
I repeat that it has many similarities to Harry Potter, but in the best way.
I look forward to continuing the story so I can find out what is really going on in Ytherynia.
Bye bye 💕
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🔱You’d think being a prince would make life easier. Hell, no.🔱
I am a merman, the third prince of Liquiris, and my uncontrollable powers give my brothers an excuse to bully me.
And my father? He hates the sight of me.
My escape comes unexpectedly when a letter arrives from Gifted Blood Academy.
With promises of potioneering, water binding, foreign languages and other classes suited to a prince of my status, this school seems like a paradise.
But strange incidents start plaguing the school and students disappearing.
If I don’t get to the bottom of the problem, I’ll lose the life I’ve built.
Betrayal.
Friendship.
And more…
Readers who love magic academies and mystery will love this epic adventure!
Review
Yuri is a merman, a merman prince in fact, but his father and brothers have treated him like trash all his life. So when he is given the opportunity to go to a school in Ytherynia, another realm, he is extremely happy.
He knows that they only want to get rid of him for not being able to control his powers, but the idea of spending the whole year away from his family is wonderful.
At school he has to share a room with other mermen but from other places. This school receives multiple species, actually, his new best friend Eryn is a Fire Elemental.
They have interesting classes like language where they teach them languages of other species, potions, even computer classes. But the school year gets complicated when students start to disappear. Interestingly, one of each species.
I absolutely loved the general idea of this book. The main character, Yuri, was quite an interesting (water) human being, and the world we get immerse in (literally) was also amazing.
My only problem was that it got hard for me to visualize some situations, mostly when we were underwater. For example, at the beginning of the book we are under the water, at Yuri’s house, but it took me a while to understand this.
Normally I don’t like too descriptive books, but in this case I felt we were missing a little and the story felt rushed at times, like some scenes were not fully connected. For example, we had Yuri in the classroom talking with a professor, and the next moment Eryn, who was not in the classroom, said something, and we find out now Yuri is with her at the cafeteria, but we had no idea we moved at all, so I felt sort of teleported from one scene to the other. It was like, things happened, but there was not a logical thread to follow.
Still it’s a very Harry Potter-esque book, with A LOT of similarities to be honest. It’s a fast and entertaining book to read, and I feel that the base story is good. Even though we still need to understand much of it. I’ll definitely keep reading this series.
I give it 3 stars, but it would be 4 if it had better wording.
Bye bye 💕
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Today I’m excited to participate in the Creative Blog Tour for Kingdom of Essence by Holly Karlsson hosted by MTMC Tours. Kingdom of Essence is the first book in a New Adult Fantasy Adventure series and it was released in Audiobook on May 20th, 2022.
Title: Kingdom of Essence Series: Kingdom of Essence #1 Author: Holly Karlsson Publication Date: May 20th, 2022 (audiobook) Genres: New Adult, Fantasy Adventure Format: eBook, Paperback, Audiobook Purchase a copy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Blackwell’s | Audiobook Links Add on Goodreads!
Synopsis
Elitsa Serlov only cares about two things — earning enough money to start a new life and finding the rogue mage who murdered her mother. But years without leads have left her jaded, and she won’t let anyone — friend or foe — get in her way.
In Casekraia, anyone can use magic if they’re desperate enough to rent relics from the Tower, a corrupt guild of mages more concerned with their own wealth than the welfare of the people. Elitsa has spent the last three years as a reclamation agent for the Guild, hunting down her own people for precious coin and the hope of uncovering what happened to her mother.
Just one week before her contract with the Tower is set to expire, Elitsa is coerced into a dangerous conspiracy by a gang of rebellious thieves. With her loyalty to the Tower in question, Elitsa must decide between her quest for revenge and charting a new course for her life.
With captivating characters, daring heists, and dangerous magic, this enchanting fantasy adventure spins a tale about the power of hope and friendship and our connection to the world around us.
Audiobook
Listen to an Audiobook excerpt!(Audiobook narrated by Kate Reading)
Elitsa has spent the last year’s of her life working as a reclamation agent for the Guild. She started after finding out that her mother’s death was not for a disease but murder.
Her plan was to have enough money to survive and be able to find the assassin and take revenge, but instead of that she just lost herself, being forced to not caring so she could strip innocent people from the reliques that were their only hope to make money, everytime they didn’t pay their ridiculous high debts with the Guild.
But now her contract is coming to and end and she needs to decide wheter she will sign again or if she’ll find a new path. But when she finds out the Guil is not as good as she believed and that she may actually not have an option of a normal life, she has to choose between staying at the Guild side or against them.
I was caught in this book from the beginning. The premise sounded quite original for me, and the magic system based in essences is amazing. It gave me huge vibes of Mistborn.
Even though we get a hint of romance, this is not the focus of the story. More the inside struggles of Elitse trying to find her place in the world.
My only problem were the descriptions. I do love to get a good image of the world we’re in and the characters and places we meet. But they were excessive for me. This made the book feel slower than I would like, but still an absolutely worthy reading and I’ll continue reading the next one.
INTL Tour-wide Instagram Giveaway!
Enter the Rafflecopter below where two readers will win a physical copy of Kingdom of Essence sent via Amazon.
Ends on July 9th, 2022.
Winners will be announced in the Rafflecopter & contacted via email.
a Rafflecopter giveawayLink to Rafflecopter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2aeeb25b103/?
Holly Karlsson writes epic and adventure fantasy filled with magic, dangerous quests, compelling characters, and mythical creatures. Holly is the author of the Daughters of Fire & Sea trilogy, and Kingdom of Essence.She enjoys connecting to her readers and regularly releases flash fiction stories on her website www.byhollykarlsson.com. Other places to follow her are Instagram, Facebook, and Bookbub. Website | Goodreads| Instagram
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Kingdom of Essence Excerpt:
The faint sweet scent of birch and wet moss touched Elitsa’s nose as Janso tightened his hand on the medallion. He was drawing on a tree’s essence, likely planning to enhance his strength to try and overpower her.
Elitsa raised her hand in warning and readied an essence of air. A blue swirl of light, like a transparent ribbon, fluttered in her mind’s eye. She could smell the breeze, remember the mountain she’d gathered it on and how it’d blown through her hair. “Careful. I don’t want to hurt you, but that doesn’t mean I won’t. Give me the relic.” She held his gaze, saw the flicker of desperate resolve. “Think of your family, Mr. Janso. You can’t provide for them if you’re injured or dead. I could have taken the relic when I entered this room, but I didn’t. I want you to be able to walk home to your family.”
Janso stared at her, eyes wide, then his shoulders slumped, the smell of trees fading. “They told me I’d earn enough to support my family, but I can barely pay my contract. The essences they want? The ones they’ll actually pay for? They’re near impossible to find. I can’t afford to harvest, but I can’t afford to stop.”
Elitsa took a careful step forward, keeping her eyes on his. “This year has been hard for everyone. Your survival is up to you and what you choose to do next.” That’s all life really was. Choices. Whether to give up or claw your way to the surface.
Janso clutched the medallion as though it held his salvation. “I need the relic to harvest, to feed my family. I know I shouldn’t have sold to the Smoke Eyes, but they pay more per essence. It was the only way to pay my fees to the Guild, to eat. Please, Miss. Tell them I won’t do it again. I promise!”
Elitsa’s stomach murmured as if in shared commiseration. There was a cost to harvesting essence. Despite a relic’s assistance, each extraction drew on your body’s energy. Eating could replenish what you lost, but if you could barely afford food, how long you could work was limited, even dangerous.
Bye bye 💕
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Today I’m revealing the cover of Iron Hearts and Dragon Magic, the sequel to Frozen Hearts and Death Magic. Romance, drama, and mystery abound in this telenovela-inspired upper-YA romantic fantasy duology for fans of multi-POV stories, forbidden love, enemies to lovers, family sagas, royal intrigue, and mysterious magic.
Romance, drama, and mystery abound in this telenovela-inspired upper-YA romantic fantasy for fans of multi-POV stories, forbidden love, enemies to lovers, family sagas, royal intrigue, and mysterious magic.
A forbidden fae kiss could be deadly.
Naia was raised in the shadow of her twin brother, the crown prince, who has iron magic much more powerful than hers. But Naia has wishes of her own. They awaken when she finds a white fae almost dying in the woods. She only heard of them in stories; the dreaded race that razed cities to the ground, killed her grandparents, almost rid Aluria of humans—until they disappeared. Now, almost twenty years later, are they back? Is there another war coming?
But the fae is evasive and secretive—and also alluring and fascinating, more beautiful than anyone she’s ever seen. And then it happens: Naia kisses him—and nothing will be the same again.
In another kingdom, Leah, a necromancer princess, has to find a husband in less than four days, during the gathering, when royals from all over Aluria meet. Her family makes it very clear that she can pick any prince she wants—except one: Naia’s brother. And it turns out that he’s the one; the one who makes her heart beat faster.
Meanwhile, war looms over the land. One of the kingdoms is amassing immense power. The White Fae might be returning. Amidst it all, Naia and her brother struggle with newfound magical powers, family secrets, and most of all, their own treacherous hearts.
Check the complete duology with the naked hardbacks:
About Day Leitao:
Day Leitao is originally from Brazil and lives in Montreal, Canada. She loves to write books with romance, magic, and humor.
*Please take in count that this is a spoiler-free review for book 3. This means it’s probably full of spoilers of book 1 and 2.*
Synopsis
Night after night, I meet Death
He turns me inside out and makes me feel things I never knew possible.
Day by day, his patience thins as I deprive the god of death the one thing he wants more than anything.
My heart.
But with my kind of childhood, one doesn’t just go dropping the L word unless it’s to a triple chocolate buttercream cupcake.
I’m an acts of service kind of vampire, so I’m showing I care by tracking down the only blade forged that can kill him.
Because if Grim dies, the whole world will go to hell.
And facing an eternity without him would kill me.
Download NOW if you don’t want to miss the epic conclusion to this steamy, action-packed trilogy. This slow burn series goes full inferno in this book.
Review
*Trigger warnings? Explicit sex scenes… like, a lot; sexual abuse of power (no rape).*
Death can’t die… Can he?
There’s a god trying to destroy the balance of the world. Who? No one knows. Why? No one knows either.
The only thing everyone knows is that this god has the Blade of Bane and used it to kill Seth.
Osiris let Vivien live (for a while) so she could help track the sword with her bounty hunting skills. And as this sword could actually kill the only man she ever lov… the only man she ever wanted to be with, she took the mission by heart.
If I kept myself from fully loving Grim, I never risked fully receiving his heart. Because if I got the love I so craved, I’d do anything to keep it. And that terrified me to the marrow of my bones.
Meanwhile, the gods try to discover who is behind all this trouble. But they are in real danger and need to find the solution fast.
Missing gods and new sekhors (vampires) on the streets means they are already too late…
I can’t take this book out of my head.
Vivien and Grim are finally together, but they still have a lot to solve in their relationship.
That’s exactly the issue, Vivien. We have all the time in the world, which means pain and uncertainty can last as long. Your uncertainty. My pain.
We get to see a lot more of the gods, and also of the human friends that somehow get in the middle of all this. We finally get to know Timothy a little more, and he’s just so cute. All the “secondary” characters are absolutely amazing and add so much to the story. Starting with Miranda who is not badass but badassest, the god of badass if that existed.
I absolutely loved the development of Vivien and Grim’s relationship. Even though there were moments when my heart cracked.
“No one has ever loved me the way that you have. No one has allowed me to be so unapologetically myself and loved me so deeply and intensely. I’m not afraid of your intensity. I’m afraid of losing you because I can’t give you what you want fast enough.”
Actual picture of my heart right now
Vivien is badass as always, and Grim is just like a cute-puppy-english-gentleman. No idea why English but I really can picture him drinking tea with the queen.
I want to say so much more, but I’m lost for words.
I don’t like to compare, but this book reminded me of Titan saga by JLA. Which I consider one of my favorite books ever, so you can know how much I liked this one.
I really hope everyone can give this book a chance. It’s extremely sweet, romantic, funny, action packed and steamy and seriously everything a good book needs.
My heart suffered, then completely broke, then was fixed and feeling full just for having a heart attack. I literally cried over cupcakes, that should tell everything. Fortunately, my heart is happy now, except for saying goodbye to Vivien and Grim.
Bye bye 💕
Author
Holly started out writing Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Terminator romantic fanfiction before spinning off into her own fantastic worlds with apocalyptic stakes.
Recently relocated to New Hampshire from Colorado, Holly is exploring the possibilities of become a witch (as one must consider when living in New England) and is hard at work implementing the word “wicked” into her vernacular.
She lives with her husband whose handsome looks are only out done by his charming and wicked supportive personality.
Two surly house rabbits supervise this writer, to make sure she doesn’t spend all of her time watching Buffy reruns.
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Hello everyone! I wanted to do a little Story Time after seeing the first two episodes of the series And Just Like That, which is the “continuation” of Sex and the City.
The thing is that for a while my mom and I wanted to see a series together, and today it occurred to her that we could see that one. I never saw the Sex and the City series, but I did see both movies and I love them, so it seemed like a super good idea to me.
We put it on at lunchtime to see something relaxed and since the beginning I liked it a lot. After half of the first chapter I was already sure that I was going to enjoy the series.
And then came the end of chapter 1…
I was shocked and depressed, so I decided to watch the second chapter to feel better. But…
Turned out that the lighthearted series that we were going to see failed me, and it broke my heart. So I got mad at my mom for the suggestion and I won’t watch this show anymore.
Just kidding, I do plan to keep seeing it (eventually, because that’s me with series), but honestly I did not see coming what happened in these chapters and I needed to vent🤣.
And this has been my interesting story today. Have you seen or will you see this series?
Bye bye 💕
UPDATE: I wrote this post in January and never uploaded it. Now we are in April and I will tell you that I have not seen this series again, but my mom made me addicted to Gray’s Anatomy 😅
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Hello everyone! Today I bring you an unboxing of the Fairyloot December box. I’ve been a subscriber to this book box for over a year now, and I’ve loved every box I’ve received (obviously some more than others, but overall they’ve all had something good).
As usual, the first thing we have is the “spoiler card” with the monthly theme.
Then we have a pin from The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang, designed by @sallteas. I really liked it, but this pin was pending from a previous box.
In this box we have two books again! In addition to the “official” one, there was also The Coldest Touch by Isabel Sterling. It is digitally signed and claims to be perfect for fans of vampires and Twilight. I’ll tell you it doesn’t call me too much, I’m not a fan of these stories 😅
Then we have this month’s tarot cards, which correspond to the nine and ten of Pentacles. They are inspired by Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series, and were illustrated by @lizzart_zardonicz.
Then we have the first new collectibles that correspond to mythological bookmarks with foil. This month’s ones are inspired by Hades and Persephone (Best couple ever) and they are really beautiful. They were designed by @gracezhuart..
Continuing with the collectibles, we have the second “weapon” letter opener. This is the first one that I receive and the truth is that I am thorn between being fascinated by the idea and that I don’t see any use for it. It’s nice to decorate, but I think I already have too many decorations 😅.
We Hunt the Flame por Hafsah Faizal. Fue diseñado por la mismísima autora @hafsahfaizal.We also have an iron-patch of Nasir’s tattoo from We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal. It was designed by the author herself @hafsahfaizal.
Last but not least, this month’s book is Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier. In addition to the author’s letter with character art by @emiliesnaith_art, this edition has an exclusive cover, painted edges, art on the back of the protective cover, and foil design on the inner cover by @emiliesnaith_art and comes with a book plate with the author’s signature.
And this is everything that came in the December Fairyloot box. I hope to do unboxings more often from now on, but I don’t promise anything 😁.
Bye bye 💕
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[Unboxing] Fairyloot Diciembre 2021: Baile con la Muerte
Hola gente! Hoy les traigo un unboxing de la caja de Diciembre de Fairyloot. Ya llevo más de un año suscrita a esta caja literaria y he amado cada una de las cajas que he recibido (aunque obviamente algunas más que otras, pero en general todas han tenido algo bueno).
Como siempre, lo primero que tenemos es la tarjeta con el tema del mes y los “spoilers” en la parte de atrás.
Luego tenemos un pin de The Poppy War de R. F. Kuang, diseñado por @sallteas. Me gustó muchísimo, pero en verdad este pin quedó pendiente de una caja anterior.
En esta caja volvemos a tener dos libros! Además del “oficial”, también venía The Coldest Touch de Isabel Sterling. Está firmado digitalmente y clama ser perfecto para fans de vampiros y Crepúsculo. Les diré que no me llama mucho, no soy fan de estas historias 😅.
Luego tenemos las cartas de tarot de este mes, que corresponden al nueve y diez de Oros. Están inspiradas en la serie Red Rising de Pierce Brown, y fueron ilustradas por @lizzart_zardonicz.
Después tenemos los primeros nuevos coleccionables que corresponden a marcapáginas mitológicos con aluminio. Los de este mes están inspirados en Hades y Perséfone (Best pareja ever) y son realmente bellísimos. Fueron diseñados por @gracezhuart.
Siguiendo con los coleccionables, tenemos la segunda “arma” abrecartas. Esta es la primera que yo recibo y la verdad estoy entre que me fascina la idea y que no le veo utilidad. Es bonita para decorar, pero creo que ya tengo demasiadas decoraciones 😅.
También tenemos un parche de ropa (termoadhesivo) del tatuaje de Nasir de We Hunt the Flame por Hafsah Faizal. Fue diseñado por la mismísima autora @hafsahfaizal.
El último objeto que tenemos este mes es una funda de libro inspirada en These Violent Delights de Chloe Gong. El diseño fue hecho por @celestialfang.
Por último, pero no menos importante, el libro de este mes es Year of the Reaper de Makiia Lucier. Además de la carta de la autora con un arte de personaje hecha por @emiliesnaith_art, esta edición tiene una portada exclusiva, bordes pintados, arte en el reverso de la cubierta protectora y diseño en aluminio en la portada interna hechos por @emiliesnaith_art y viene con un sticker con la firma de la autora.
Y esto es todo lo que venía en la caja de Diciembre de Fairyloot. Confío hacer unboxings más seguido desde ahora, pero no prometo nada 😁.
Bye bye 💕
Si te gustó este post por favor pon me gusta, comparte & comenta.
*This is book 3 in the Elisabeth and Edvard’s World, but it can be read as a stand-alone.*
Synopsis
A Naiad makes an impossible wish, sending a ripple of effect through the land and binding to her magic the people from the nearby mill, and the village beyond. Unexpected twists of fate tie Naiya to Hilda, the miller’s unhappy wife and, Amina, the baker’s youngest daughter.
Amina is flung into a daring adventure when Naiya’s wish ensnares the love of Amina’s life. Can she find a way to save Phillip from the watery depths? And what will she have to sacrifice to do so?
Embark on a magical adventure of daring, determination, and heartbreak. Be enchanted by this retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ lesser-known tale, The Nixie of the Mill-pond.
Review
*Trigger warnings? I don’t think so. But there is infant death, and tons of self-destructive thoughts. The romance is clean.*
Naiya is a Naiad that makes a deal with a miller, causing a wave of repercussions that basically ruin everyone’s life, including hers.
Humans are fickle, young one. They are not easy beings to make a bargain with because they rarely uphold their end of the deal.
She was obsessed with the idea of having a son, an impossible task for a being like her. So when she saw how the miller and his wife couldn’t take care of their children, she decided to save that poor creature. But she didn’t count with the resistance of his mother.
But all magic deals must come with an exchange, and as Naiya fulfilled her part, things started to spiralize out of control.
This book is a retelling. I don’t know the original story, but it did give me huge Grimm fairytale vibes.
It was hard for me to get into the story at the beginning. I didn’t connect with Naiya, so even as I was curious for her story, I couldn’t comprehend her. But later we follow the story from two more POVs and things got more interesting to me.
First we meet Hilda, the miller’s wife. She takes full responsibility for saving her son and protecting him. And blames everything on her husband. Hilda poisons herself with hate, instead of trying to understand and forgive the miller.
Hate has a strange way of growing in the back of your mind even when you’re not thinking about the object of your resentment. It is a cloud of poisoned mist lurking in the depths. Before you know it, it consumes you, tainting every thought and action with the desire to cause harm—or at least to withhold kindness.
And then we meet Amina, the baker’s youngest daughter. It was her who completely caught me in the story.
I felt like a cake collapsing into a crater when it hasn’t baked for long enough.
She begins as a girl, immature and full of doubts. She has so little level of self-confidence that she is constantly attacking herself. Blaming for being different, being wrong.
It was what was expected, how things were, so why did I feel a million ants crawling over my skin at the thought of this future for myself? Why did it horrify me so much that I was on my way to becoming just like everyone else? Wasn’t this what I’d always wanted?
I was shocked on how much I connected with Amina. She falls constantly in her deep thoughts, but instead of being annoying, it was awfully sad, because she honestly believed she had no worth.
It’s strange how, in the blink of an eye, we can plummet from a pinnacle of calm into an abyss of self-inflicted hatred.
This is a story of Love. To your family, to your partner and to yourself. But more than anything it’s a story about finding who you really are and your place in the world, getting over the adversities. We accompany Amina in her quest to save her husband, but in the way we get to see her inner growth and how she finds the strength she always had.
“Although following your passion will not spare you from hardship, listening to the glowing light within your heart will help you weather the storms.”
I did feel it was too long for me, and Amina’s self-attack started to bother me after a while. Still, you don’t grow from one day to another, so it made sense she kept falling on doubts.
Where was the hard shell I needed to protect my heart? I longed for some semblance of safety from the ache settling in my chest. The treacherous organ kept on beating steadily instead of sputtering and dying out like the rest of me. I couldn’t fathom any of it.
Another point that had high importance in the book was the religion. They venerate the Great Dragon, and are pretty fanatic. But there are some other religions too, I found myself curious about whether Astrid is or not religious, because Amina was, and she searches strength in the Great Dragon in the Sky same with the religion, but at the same time, every moment in the book has a reason for the character’s growth.
Hardships are part of life, so we can overcome them. The pain has to be experienced so the beautiful moments can be cherished. Joy and pain; peace and discord; adoration and loss; life and death; all were part of our human experience for a reason. It is in the balance that I’ll find happiness.
A recommendable read, for everyone that loves fairytales, but especially if you need motivation to keep moving forward.
You are not what the world hands you. You are what you make of what you’ve been given.
Purchasing through this affiliate links means no additional cost for you, but you can help me earn a small commission for qualifying purchases.
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Naiya's Wish
Astrid V. J.
*This is book 3 in the Elisabeth and Edvard’s World, but it can be read as a stand-alone.*
Synopsis
A Naiad makes an impossible wish, sending a ripple of effect through the land and binding to her magic the people from the nearby mill, and the village beyond. Unexpected twists of fate tie Naiya to Hilda, the miller’s unhappy wife and, Amina, the baker’s youngest daughter.
Amina is flung into a daring adventure when Naiya’s wish ensnares the love of Amina’s life. Can she find a way to save Phillip from the watery depths? And what will she have to sacrifice to do so?
Embark on a magical adventure of daring, determination, and heartbreak. Be enchanted by this retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ lesser-known tale, The Nixie of the Mill-pond.
Review
*Trigger warnings? In don’t think so. But there is infant death, and tons of self-destructive thoughts. The romance is clean.*
Naiya is a Naiad that makes a deal with a miller, causing a wave of repercussions that basically ruin everyone’s life, including hers.
Humans are fickle, young one. They are not easy beings to make a bargain with because they rarely uphold their end of the deal.
She was obsessed with the idea of having a son, an impossible task for a being like her. So when she saw how the miller and his wife couldn’t take care of their children, she decided to save that poor creature. But she didn’t count with the resistance of his mother.
But all magic deals must come with an exchange, and as Naiya fulfilled her part, things started to spiralize out of control.
This book is a retelling. I don’t know the original story, but it did give me huge Grimm fairytale vibes.
It was hard for me to get into the story at the beginning. I didn’t connect with Naiya, so even as I was curious for her story, I couldn’t comprehend her. But later we follow the story from two more POVs and things got more interesting to me.
First we meet Hilda, the miller’s wife. She takes full responsibility for saving her son and protecting him. And blames everything on her husband. Hilda poison herself with hate, instead of trying to understand and forgive the miller.
Hate has a strange way of growing in the back of your mind even when you’re not thinking about the object of your resentment. It is a cloud of poisoned mist lurking in the depths. Before you know it, it consumes you, tainting every thought and action with the desire to cause harm—or at least to withhold kindness.
And then we meet Amina, the baker’s youngest daughter. It was her who completely caught me in the story.
I felt like a cake collapsing into a crater when it hasn’t baked for long enough.
She begins as a girl, immature and full of doubts. She has so little level of self-confidence that she is constantly attacking herself. Blaming for being different, being wrong.
It was what was expected, how things were, so why did I feel a million ants crawling over my skin at the thought of this future for myself? Why did it horrify me so much that I was on my way to becoming just like everyone else? Wasn’t this what I’d always wanted?
I was shocked on how much I connected with Amina. She falls constantly in her deep thoughts, but instead of being annoying, it was awfully sad, because she honestly believed she had no worth.
It’s strange how, in the blink of an eye, we can plummet from a pinnacle of calm into an abyss of self-inflicted hatred.
This is a story of Love. To your family, to your partner and to yourself. But more than anything it’s a story about finding who you really are and your place in the world, getting over the adversities. We accompany Amina in her quest to save her husband, but in the way we get to see her inner growth and how she finds the strength she always had.
“Although following your passion will not spare you from hardship, listening to the glowing light within your heart will help you weather the storms.”
I did feel it was too long for me, and Amina’s self-attack started to bother me after a while. Still, you don’t grow from one day to another, so it made sense she kept falling on doubts.
Where was the hard shell I needed to protect my heart? I longed for some semblance of safety from the ache settling in my chest. The treacherous organ kept on beating steadily instead of sputtering and dying out like the rest of me. I couldn’t fathom any of it.
Another point that had high importance in the book was the religion. They venerate the Great Dragon, and are pretty fanatic. But there are some other religions too, I found myself curious about whether Astrid is or not religious, because Amina was, and she searches strength in the , . , same with the religion, but at the same time, every moment in the book has a reason for the character’s growth.
Hardships are part of life, so we can overcome them. The pain has to be experienced so the beautiful moments can be cherished. Joy and pain; peace and discord; adoration and loss; life and death; all were part of our human experience for a reason. It is in the balance that I’ll find happiness.
A recommendable read, for everyone that loves fairytales, but especially if you need motivation to keep moving forward.
You are not what the world hands you. You are what you make of what you’ve been given.
Kissed by Death (Vegas Immortals: Death and the Last Vampire Book 2)
Holly Roberds
*Please take in count that this is a spoiler-free review for book 2. This means it’s full of spoilers of book 1.*
Synopsis
The Grim Reaper can bite me.
I’m bound to Grim by blood now, making me his vampire slave for all eternity. But he’ll find out there is only one will I abide by. Mine.
Now the rest of the immortals know I exist, and they want a lookey-loo at the only living vampire.
Except half the immortals want to possess me as their own vampire slave, while the other half wants to kill me outright.
Grim swears he won’t let anyone harm me, but he’s been absorbing tainted, dark souls to the breaking point.
How can he protect anyone when his power is compromised?
This is fine, right?
Asking for a friend.
Review
*Trigger warnings? Explicit sex scenes, child abuse (non-descriptive).*
Ok, first I have to say that Holly’s blurbs are just the best. There’s no way you read that synopsis and don’t want to be that friend Vivien is asking for.
“Everybody thinks it’s every woman’s dream to find the perfect man. Actually, every woman’s dream is to eat anything she wants and not get fat.”
With that quote this book was already on my favorites list.
So, Vivien drank Grim’s blood for saving Jamal, Miranda’s son. Seemed like a good idea until she found out she became his slave. We follow Vivien while she tries to stay aliv…I mean undead and learns to live with the idea of having a blood bond with Grim. We all know she had small-more-like-ultra-little-almost-non-existent feelings for Grim, but he can control her will now. And she’s not that dumb for believing he won’t use that power eventually. So now she has no interest in him, other than being her lunch…
Of course Vivien, like we believe a word of that.
This book is as funny as the first one, maybe even more. And we have a HIGH level of romantic tension. That later develops in a super steamy book.
“You think I’m afraid?” My laugh came out a bark. “I’m not scared of anything.” I’d survived on the streets as a vampire for two weeks on my own without killing anyone, destroyed the master vampire, and literally laughed in Death’s face. I was straight-up badass. No, I was Taylor Swift— Fearless.
This series is the first steamy one that I read consciously, as it’s not my style. Book 1 was just sexual tension, so it was fine for me, but this one goes to another level.
I still loved it though, as most of the book flowed with the story and I didn’t get that feeling of sex scenes added anywhere with no sense that is my problem with most “adult” books.
The hurry to join with her fell away as I kissed her with all the reverence I could muster. I may be a god, but it was my turn to worship another.
Also, I have to admit I’m super biased with this book. I somehow managed to get myself inside this book! I’m an extra in a scene with Dawn, another Hellion, and is the best scene in the book! Ok… maybe not the best, but one of those.
I’ve always been one of those night owls who like to read at night, but I’ve been trying to be a “responsible adult” for a long time and I don’t stay until thaaaat late. But with this one, I just couldn’t control myself and more than once I couldn’t stop reading. Vivien could be my best friend, if it wasn’t because I’m completely in love with Grim.
You, who have confronted all the torments, desires, tragedies, deaths, and endings of all beings. You can’t stand to look into this sekhor’s face without wanting to fall on your knees before her, apologizing for the injustices she’s faced.
Oh, special mention to my favorite character, Jenkins 😂. I’m pretty sure I have someone like him in my brain.
Jenkins, did you hear that? She’s got a target on her back. Sir, I heard. We are royally screwed. What are we going to do about it? Hit the lever to switch her focus. Get it onto anything else. If she thinks about it too long, her head will pop, and we’ll be out of a job. Roger that, sir.
So, final verdict: Infinitely recommended for having a great time but also a super awesome background story, and some interesting turns I didn’t see coming.
*Please take in count that this is a spoiler-free review for book 3. This means it’s full of spoilers of books 1 and 2.*
Synopsis
She’s finally done it. Mother’s pushed me over the edge.
The woman has taken things from me. People. One of them I can never get back.
She started this war thinking we’d simply fall down at her feet. You know, kiss her expensive little stilettos. After all, she’s the most powerful mage in existence. And she’s got help.
We’re outnumbered and, to be honest, outmatched. But me and Rik? Together, we might just be enough. Fate has brought us together—irrevocably and in ways we never saw coming.
And that’s not all.
A darkness has awoken within me, and I have to admit, I kinda like it. It gives me power like I’ve never had before. I see the other mages, scampering out of my way like I’m some kind of monster.
Maybe I am.
Doesn’t matter. What’s important is that Mother knows I’m coming for her. Her reign? It’s ending.
And it won’t be the only thing I destroy when I get there.
Review
*Trigger warnings? I don’t think so, but it has torture and a sick woman trying to kill her own children 🤔. It has a fade-to-black sex scene, non-descriptive.*
“I feel like a pawn—a puppet, pulled by fate’s strings.” “But that’s just it. Fate might be guiding you, but all the choices you’ve made? Those were your own.”
In brief, do yourself a favor and grab this series. Lot of rambling and quotes if you keep reading my review 😅.
Isla is broken. After Sarah’s death, or actually murder by Remy’s own hands, Iz hates her “Mother” more than ever.
At least they got Remi back, but she’s just a shell of who she was. Another gift of the Magnate to her beloved daughter…
I’d been a punching bag for so long that she thought I was soft. That I wouldn’t sink to Mother’s level. My face lit with a feral grin. Hope she likes surprises.
There’s no way to stop the war between Splendor and Taramur now. So they must find a way to win at all cost.
At least Iz/Thea and Killian/Rik are together now. And they have some REALLY unexpected allies too.
“Fate is dealing you an interesting hand, Isla. It has led you this far and I have enery faith that it will see you through.”
But Victoria has never been more powerful, and the caeli and terra resources (the ones that allow magic to exist) are growing dangerously low in Taramur.
Some new discovered powers, along with some specials connections will be the key to win the war. But the world needs balance… Are they willing to sacrifice what it will take?
I was made to bring Mother down. But it did leave one giant question mark behind. Would I still be alive at the end of it?
Ok, first things first… I don’t forgive you Lissa! 😭
Sarah was my favorite character AND she was Chilean! My heart 💔
But well, back to the story (without Sarah 🥺). We get to see a different image of Iz. The latest events have made such damage that she’s willing to do anything to destroy Victoria, even kill… or worst.
I was like a shaken can of soda—and when I blew, it wouldn’t be pretty.
The only thing keeping her from the abyss is Rik, our beloved Sovereign of Taramur (#TeamRik).
A boy said a few nice words and I turned into a pile of goo. This was not good for my badass persona.
Their relationship is growing stronger, but the battles in their immediate future won’t be easy.
I really enjoyed this book. Iz’s evolution was something worth seeing, along with her relationship with Rik and also with Eve, Harper and Merc.
Would men ever learn that women didn’t like their words thrown back at them? Especially with air quotes?
I loved Eve, but I couldn’t help the feeling that she was Sarah’s replacement, and I didn’t like that.
About the battles, I really enjoy the way Lissa writes action scenes, so these are always good. Iz took her rightful place as the chosen one, and she has help, but I would have liked to see Rik a little more badass. His powers are quite something, and it’s nice to see that the guy is the damsel in distress once in a while, but I feel he was in the middle of these two sides.
“Why me?” “I think a lot of people have asked that question over the centuries,” he said. “There’s not really a textbook answer, except that some are sent a call and it is their choice wheter or not to answer it.” Cool. Didn’t know it was that easy, I’ll just let this one go to voicemail…
Still, I’m just being picky. I loved this book, and the whole saga. It goes to my favorites and I got a deep love for most of the characters, particularly Rik. And same as Rik goes to fight on the top of my book boyfriends list, Iz is going to my book best friends one. And, of course, Lissa to my favorite authors.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re like one of those book boyfriends.” He looked up at me over his mug. “What’s a book boyfriend?” “You know. The perfect boyfriend, as written about in books. Exactly how every girl imagines their boyfriend to be, but it’s so unrealistic that nobody actually expects to have one in real life.” He grunted.
I won’t give it five stars, but I read this book in the middle of a huge time crisis (meaning I had zero time for reading), so it took me months to read it and I believe I would have enjoyed it even more if I had been able to read it faster. I feel the need to clarify that the book, and the whole series honestly, is a fast and fun read normally. I took too long, it was not a problem with the book.
I needed the damn key. How do I get a key? If only there were a way that I could make one appear in my hand… Ha. I’m an idiot.
An unprepared witch. A mysterious human. And a quest that will test them both …
Hazel always knew she was one of the weakest witches of her generation. For a moment there, she even cared about that status.
Not anymore. She’s determined to live her life as a normal human—with exception for the occasional ghost hunting. What can she do if the damn spirits won’t leave her alone?
But when she finally settles into a new routine, Hazel receives a message that changes everything: the Lightgrove Coven, one of the most powerful witch covens in the world, grants her a rare chance to join them, but only if she passes a dangerous test on Friday the Thirteenth.
At first, Hazel wants to disregard the message. But who is she kidding? This is an opportunity she can’t say no to.
Everything is going unexpectedly fine until a human steps in Hazel’s way. Sean is mysterious, hot, and inexplicably alluring. Despite Hazel’s best attempts to ignore him, she can’t. And when Sean’s fate entwines with Hazel’s task, it puts everything at risk—not just her test, but also their own lives.
Author’s note: this book was first published in 2014 in the Midnight Kiss anthology. In 2015, it was published for free with a new title, Tested. This 2021 version is reedited and 50% longer!
Review
Hazel is a witch. All her family too, but they are weak. She is the weakest of them, so she has given up being a witch and decided to be a simple young woman. To achieve this, she got herself a scholarship to Towland University in New Orleans. Her only “witch work” is helping release ghosts that are stucked in this realm.
To make her mother happy, she accepted sending a request to the Lightgrove coven to join them. But her options were bad at best, and after 2 months of not getting any answers she had assumed failure, until one of her ghost hunting sessions is interrupted by Lenora, one of the Lightgrove coven council members, inviting her to a meeting.
“Students milled in the hallways and lobby of my building, probably planning on getting together for an early fun night. After all, we were in college in New Orleans. Who wasn’t partying? Me, that was who. Instead, I hunted ghosts and went crazy overthinking an upcoming magical test.”
The Lightgrove coven gives her a test that will change her life. But a book like this is not complete if we don’t have the love interest.
Sean is a (extremely handsome) bad boy that everyone thinks is absolutely broken, and he actually is. But obviously, he being a bad boy is only a facade. I don’t think I need to say more, I loved him ?.
“I nodded to myself, making a mental note to never mess with fucked up guys again. Lesson learned.”
This was a nice reading, really fast. It has (almost) insta-love, badass girl that doesn’t believe in herself, bad guy that is not really bad, ghosts (good and bad), a magical test, witch hunters and gowns. The last point may not be really important to the story, but I love balls ?.
Super recommended read. I love witches but haven’t found books that I really love about them, i hope this serie will be one that I truly love. My only critic would be that it was too short ?. I’m looking forward to read the next one. Also, Juliana has other series in the same world if you want to check them out.
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Author: Andrew Cunningham Narrator: Greg Hernandez Length: 7 hours 34 minutes Publisher: Andrew Cunningham | 2021 Genre: Science Fiction; Thriller Release date: Jun. 19, 2021 Buy on: Buy on Audible You can also get the audiobook for free with your Audible 30-day free trial.
“I’m going to die a hundred years before I was born…”
The handwritten note was in a dusty trunk that sat in a cave untouched for 150 years. What did the words mean? When journalist Ray Burton finds the trunk near the Arizona ghost town of Hollow Rock, his life changes in an instant.
Something in the trunk shouldn’t be there.
This begins a dangerous journey of discovery bordering on the impossible. A discovery that will affect the past, the present, and the future.
Review
Ray Burton is a fifty-year-old man that used to work as a war reporter or for dangerous missions. The last one got him too traumatized and he changed his life to a more “boring” one, in which he wrote small news way less adrenaline.
His former lifestyle meant he didn’t have anyone in his life. Harry, who was probably his best friend, was diagnosed with cancer, so he went to accompany him in his last moments. Harry was cremated and Ray decides he would like the idea to be tossed in a ghost town, so he went to Holly Rocks. The thing is that there was literally nothing left of the town, but a pouring rain caught him and he was forced to seek refuge in a cave. Here he found a trunk with things that suggested some guy named “Stan Hooper” had time traveled. This was obviously impossible and nothing but a bad joke. Except the things got more and more complicated, and once the NCIS got involved, Rey knew this time travel thing may not be as impossible as he thought in the beginning.
I really enjoyed how the story is told. We start with Rey’s POV and he explains how h got to Hollow Rocks for his friend, and ended up in a giant mess. But once we get to meet more characters that are, one way or another involved in this time travel thing, we get more points of view in very different times and places.
I won’t spoil things, so I’ll just say that the time-travel here is taken in a full scientific way, so we get some logical information about how this may work and how much they actually know about it. I also enjoyed the endless questions about whether the past could be changed or not. I’m a sucker for time travel and this philosophical questions. Is the past written in stone?
About the audiobook, it always takes me one or two chapters to adapt to a new narrator and in this book it worried me I may not like it, but Greg does a nice job telling the story sort of “light”. Even when the things got heavier, the feeling of the book was of a light nice read, but that gives you A LOT to think about.
Sci-fi is not my usual style of books, but I do enjoy some o them and this one was an impressive discovery for me. Actually, I was super impressed because, even though time travel is the main theme, the relationships between the characters are super developed. I didn’t expect I would find romance in this story, it’s not focused on it, but it’s important to the story.
The only reason I don’t give this book 5 stars is because I expected the end to blow my mind and it didn’t. But it was a really good end though. Totally recommended, whether it is the book or audio.
Many thanks to Audiobookworm Promotions for the audiobook. The tour is sponsored by the My opinion was in no way affected by receiving this audiobook.
About the Author – Andrew Cunningham
I’m the author of novels in several genres, including, mystery, thriller, and post-apocalyptic science fiction. Under the name A.R. Cunningham, I’ve also written the Arthur MacArthur series of mysteries for children.
I was born in England, but have spent most of my life living in the U.S.—including 25 years on Cape Cod before moving to Florida. A former interpreter for the deaf and long-time independent bookseller, I’ve been a full-time freelance writer and copy editor for many years. A 4th-degree Master Black belt in Tang Soo Do, I finally retired from active training when my body said, “Enough already! Why are you doing this to yourself?” I’m married, with two grown children and two awesome grandsons. My wife and I spend as much time traveling as we can, and are especially fond of cruising the Caribbean.
I have been gratified by the response to my books. When I published Eden Rising back in the spring of 2013, I had no idea what to expect. When I sold my first few copies, I was excited beyond belief that someone was willing to take a chance on it. Numerous books and thousands of copies later, I am still humbled by the emails I get from readers telling me that my books kept them up late into the night.
In October of 2014, Wisdom Spring made me an official Amazon Bestselling author, a thrill I never thought would happen. But it still comes down to being able to bring a few hours of escape to a reader. That’s what it’s all about for me.
I hope you will try my books. Please feel free to email me with your comments.
Author-preferred Narrator of Mysteries & Thrillers
Narrating audiobooks is highly gratifying. I immerse myself into an author’s story in order to bring it to life for the listener. I’ve enjoyed working with Andrew Cunningham for several years. His books are filled with rich characters, and the stories keep me turning the pages.
I also work as a background actor in movies and TV shows.
For more than 20 years, I worked as a radio news reporter and news writer. I spent half of my broadcasting career at ABC News Radio in the Washington, D.C., bureau. I covered all the federal agencies as well as Congress and the White House. I reported on a wide range of stories during my career, including financial and entertainment industry news.
For nearly 24 years, I worked as a federal government spokesman at three separate agencies—National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Mint and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
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