Tag: Magic/Supernatural (Page 4 of 29)

BOOK REVIEW: Air Awakens (Air Awakens #1) by Elise Kova

BOOK REVIEW: Air Awakens (Air Awakens #1) by Elise KovaAir Awakens (Air Awakens #1)
by Elise Kova
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond...

The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.

Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all—the Crown Prince Aldrik—she finds herself enticed into his world. Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla’s indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined.

Now that I have time, the gravity of what I promised lays heavily on my shoulders. How am I not going to fangirl about a guy?? What’s the point otherwise? I mean, obviously I have a ship and obviously it was my favorite part about the book-I mean, duh-it’s me we’re talking about here. And yeah, sure, there are fifty million things I guess I could talk about, but why bother if I can’t talk about what I want to?

So, alright whatever, fuck itAll I want to talk about is Prince Aldrik, so that’s what I’m going to talk about. Short, sweet, and to the point.

The prince spirited her away the next day, and two days after that. Each time there was some clever excuse, and when those ran out he simply materialized between the shelves in the library and they would slink off together like children.

In a sea of fantasy, Aldrik, wait, scratch that, Prince Aldrik is exactly what I have been looking for. He’s snarky. He’s sarcastic. And, let’s face it, he’s one of those misunderstood bad boys. I. LOVE. THAT. He’s dark-haired and silver tongued and…well, I’m sure you get the picture. Every time he was in the story my heart was pounding and my stomach erupted in butterflies. I really couldn’t ask for more in a story, especially during this busy time for me.

“You are my friend, whatever this commoner’s friendship is worth.”
When he spoke it was slow and deliberate, little more than a whisper. His voice had a richness to it that she had never heard before. “It is worth very much.” His eyes consumed hers.

I will admit that, at one point early on, I put this down because I just wasn’t feeling it-I mean, the writing is nothing special and I’ve never really been a fan of ‘I am’s instead of I’m and other such contraction draw outs. But, honestly, sometimes all you need is a book that makes you smile, swoon, and wish for your ship to sail. And, for that, this book was everything. Onto the next.

*disclaimer* Was in middle of starting second paragraph when I heard news that extremely upset me so this won’t be a good review like I had wanted. I also lost the will to care. At least it’s just the first book. *shrugs*

*****

I am SO in love. Thank you, Brittney…..Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouuuuuuuuu!!!!!

I am so beyond words happy I trudged through and got past that…odd…beginning! Everything after had me all smiley and giddy and excited and a totally happy little monkey. I cannot WAIT to write a review on this….I’ve not seen the guys’ names much in reviews in specifics so this is going to be REALLY hard for me.

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Challenge accepted.

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BOOK REVIEW: Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms #4) by Morgan Rhodes

BOOK REVIEW: Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms #4) by Morgan RhodesFrozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms #4)
by Morgan Rhodes
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Rebels, royals, and monsters wage war over the Mytican throne in the shocking fourth book of the Falling Kingdoms series, from New York Times bestselling author Morgan Rhodes.

CLEO: Reeling after a bloody showdown in Limeros ending with Amara’s abduction of the water crystal, and a vacancy in the Mytican throne, Princess Cleo must cast aside her feelings and look toward her kingdom with the eyes of a Queen.

MAGNUS: With the kingdom in chaos, Princess Lucia still missing and quite possibly in danger, and a shocking realization about Cleo, the steely prince is once again torn between love and duty, leaving him wondering whether he’s strong enough to rule his people.

LUCIA: The young sorcercess has had her vengeance after the cruel death of her first and only love. Heartbroken and unable to trust anyone, she allies with the awoken Fire god, who also seeks revenge.

JONAS: After escaping death by the skin of his teeth, the defeated rebel—along with a mysterious stranger–leader reunites with Princess Cleo, only to find himself a mere pawn in a dangerous hunt for the elusive Kindred.

KING GAIUS: Abandoned by Melenia and betrayed by his own children, Gaius flees Mytica and sails to Kraeshia, where he attempts to ally with the famously brutal emperor across the Silver Sea.

She raised her brow. “Thank me? Am I dreaming?”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure it won’t happen again anytime soon.” Magnus drew even closer to her, and her smile faded at the edges.
“Was there something else you wanted from me?” she asked.
If only you knew, he thought. You’d probably run away from here and never look back.

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There’s something to be said about less is more…and perhaps I should just leave my ridiculously weird pre-review as my main review. However, it just doesn’t feel right to not talk about my favorite book of the series, yet. Sure, I’ve had butterflies and endless feels-all when it came to Magnus. I might have even became a little obsessed with him (COUGH a lot). But nothing-and I do mean NOTHING-has come close to how I felt during the last 20% of this book. NOTHING.

Magnus just stared at her, unsure if he was impressed or horrified by this poisonous tirade escaping the petite blond.
No, he was impressed. Very impressed and very happy.

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Think about it-we have all been waiting for our dear stubborn enemies to finally unite…and you start to hear things about each new installment as you near it. Just wait! and It’s coming! or OMG I can’t wait until you get to THIS part! And, normally, I must say that these claims ruin what should be a normally pleasant surprise. Hype is a dangerous thing-Too many times I’ve grasped onto a shred of what people are saying and been let down when it doesn’t exceed my expectations or is underwhelming compared to people’s claims. But here, just this once…..the hype did not even begin to justify the choking and loss of breath I felt when certain things transpired.

Cleo wasn’t a romantic fool, a silly girl who believed a villain could become a shining hero overnight, even if he had saved her life once. She was a queen, who would reclaim her throne and destroy her enemies-all of them-once she possessed the magic and power she needed.

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My heart broke so much in this book that I really thought I was going to have a mental breakdown. I mean, how many fucking times can we watch these two scratch, claw, belittle, and circle each other. You could cut the sexual tension with a knife. But more than once my heart would shatter, slowly piece back together again….and then shatter into oblivion for the millionth time. This cat and mouse game Morgan Rhodes has created is something else, and I haven’t felt this desperate in a long long time.

Magnus wasn’t any different than the king. He, too, was afraid of the princess. Her spirit was so bright, he’d been blinded by it.
And yet, he’d never wanted to close his eyes to block out that light.

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And I do adore Magnus, he is literally my EVERYTHING when it comes to this series…So I guess that’s why it was all the more painful to see his inner turmoil and dark struggles in this book. He is a shell of a boy who only wants to belong, to be loved-Not that he’d let that show to anyone, least of all Cleo. He is cruel and hurtful and pushes away those who try to be close to him….and he is so slow to trust. It’s almost comical how blind he is. But then we see those assholes who are just plain…well….assholes to him and it made me see red. You. Don’t. Fuck. With. My. Magduck. YOU DO NOT.

We all know Magnus harbored questionable (cough) feelings toward his sister, Lucia, that are now just strong ties of memories, estranged friendship, and a sad wish to still be as close as they used to be as children-telling one another everything and watching each other’s backs. His internal pain as Lucia continues her path to being the biggest and most laughable moron of the series killed me inside, because she was all he had and now he [thinks he] has no one. I could go on. And on. And ON about this bitch….but I’ll just say this: That little trollop better watch her back or I’ll stab it. Here’s hoping the only main character death belongs to Lucia, because I’d even hate to see Jonas die…but if we’re choosing who lives and dies…..

OOPS.

NOT REALLY.

I don’t love long series because they scare me-more room to mess up ships, to kill people, to elongate a story that need not be elongated. But it seems that each new installment makes the villains more evil (or multiply), the story much thicker, and broadens an already far reaching world. It seems Rhodes has a direction she’s going and is pacing it pretty epically (it’s a word, look it up in the Chelsea dictionary), and I’ve yet to be bored by the story. And probably my favorite part (BESIDES YOU KNOW WHAT) is that she doesn’t change plots in each new book. Each story has a fluidity about it that continues what we were reading before without making it complicated by adding one hundred new reasons we needed said story. It just…exists. The story has flowed from book one on, adding mayhem and dirty dealings with a grace that makes it all the more dramatic-Subtlety is a specialty I’ve grown to admire from these YA fantasy authors.

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There is so much more I could say, but like with all popular long series, it’s nothing that hasn’t been said before, so why say it again? This is by far my favorite book in the series and I have high hopes that the extreme feels I felt in this one will only continue. I have now seen book 5’s cover (OMG I CAN’T EVEN) and seen the synopsis. My only response for what’s to come?

I.

NEED.

THAT.

BOOK.

NOW.

That is all.

**********

I. COULDN’T. BREATHE. The last 20%. But this sums up my love for this story until I can write full review…

And, just for argument’s sake, let’s pretend Magnus is a chicken. Let me show you my extreme feels for him:

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Or maybe he’s this unfortunate fish with young little me:

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When….you know…that trust bone was thrown my way I may have done this…

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And then obviously I was doing this until I closed the book…

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so yeah. I was a mess, sitting there hyperventilating due to loss of breath, extreme butterflies, and over exaggerate desperation for my boy to live out the rest of the book without the loss of his life…and any limbs.

I LOVEYOU THANKTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU THANK YOU THANKYOU Morgan Rhodes

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THANK YOU

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WHAT?! I love Scream Queens OKAYYYYYY

I can’t even deal.

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BOOK REVIEW: Rebel Spring (Falling Kingdoms #2) by Morgan Rhodes

BOOK REVIEW: Rebel Spring (Falling Kingdoms #2) by Morgan RhodesRebel Spring (Falling Kingdoms #2)
by Morgan Rhodes
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The road to power... is paved with blood and magic.

Cleo is now a prisoner in her own palace, forced to be an ambassador for Mytica as the evil King Gaius lies to her people.
Magnus stands to eventually inherit the new kingdom but is still obsessed with his feelings for his adopted sister, Lucia.
Lucia is haunted by the outcome of the breathtaking display of magic that allowed her father to capture the kingdoms.
Jonas watched at the palace gates a troop of rebels behind him, waiting for him to tell them how he plans to overtake King Gaius.

After a bloody siege, Auranos has been defeated, its young queen orphaned and dethroned. The three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now unwillingly united as one country called Mytica. But the allure of ancient, dangerous magic beckons still, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the whole world over...

At the heart of the fray are four brave young people grappling for that magic and the power it promises. For Cleo, the magic would enable her to reclaim her royal seat. In Jonas's hands, it frees his nation, and in Lucia's, it fulfills the ancient prophecy of her destiny. And if the magic were Magnus's, he would finally prove his worth in the eyes of his cruel and scheming father, King Gaius, who rules Mytica with a punishing hand.

When Gaius begins to build a road into the Forbidden Mountains to physically link all of Mytica, he sparks a long-smoking fire in the hearts of the people that will forever change the face of this land. For Gaius's road is paved with blood, and its construction will have cosmic consequences.

Sometimes, to regain sanity, one had to acknowledge and embrace the madness.

This week is dreadfully busy for me so I find I won’t have much time to review what I read…..which makes me extremely sad for my beautiful boy, Magnus. I just want him to be happy, poor tortured thing. But I WILL say this:

Since I read the first book in February, every time I think of picking up the second, Magnus is all I see. He is all I think about. He is what I missed the most. And now, here in this book, I feel like I truly connected with his surly self-I am a goner. And hey, I hear he gets even better….I don’t know. I don’t know if my heart can take his pain. Who am I kidding. I would walk through fire for this dude.

He wanted so desperately not to care about this-not to care about anything but finding the Kindred for himself and for Lucia-to be as cold and ruthless as his father found it so easy to be.
If only that were possible.

And just so everyone knows, since I am loving this series so much, I might be coming back and adding stuff here and there since I’m so busy. So…sorry in advance. Whoops.

The boy nodded. “It’s best in the end that a princess marry a prince. I suppose.”
“Ah. I suppose.” Oh, this was deeply unpleasant. Being trapped into meaningless small talk with an idiot had never intrigued him, even on a good day. Which this wasn’t.

MAGNUS! AGH!

“…You have a kind heart, Magnus. And there’s nothing you can do to change that.”

EEEPSSSSSS now I really have the Magnus fever….AND I DON’T WANT TO BE CURED AGHHHH!!!

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BOOK REVIEW: The Impostor Queen (The Impostor Queen #1) by Sarah Fine

BOOK REVIEW: The Impostor Queen (The Impostor Queen #1) by Sarah FineThe Impostor Queen (The Impostor Queen #1)
by Sarah Fine
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Elli was only a child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic in service of her people. The only life Elli has known has been in the temple, surrounded by luxury, tutored by magic-wielding priests, preparing for the day when the queen perishes—and the ice and fire find a new home in Elli, who is prophesied to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between her love for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must choose the right side before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.

He smiles, one of those rare smiles that makes his eyes crinkle. “When I first found you, I wasn’t affected by it, but every day, its hold on me grew stronger. And nowadays, your laugh makes me feel like I’m falling. When you look at me, I’m suddenly warm. The sight of you makes my heart speed. Do you really think the only magic in this world comes from fire and ice?”

DAWWWWW

Anddddd here we are again-middle ground. I can’t say this was on the lower end of that middle ground, but I still wanted something….more. Is it too much to ask for excellence?? Or have I just become a spoiled brat? I think it’s the latter, to be perfectly honest, since everyone ADORED this story from beginning to end. And I must say this story had a lot of wonderful things that made me very happy…..but I’ll give you one guess as to what the common theme was in these parts.

That’s right-my favorite thing, and what had me coming back for more, about this story was Oskar. Again, it all comes down to a boy. What is it with these stories that don’t touch my soul…yet the male leads make a mark on my heart? I know I’m an easy target when it comes to male leads, but I like to think that I don’t easily forget that there is supposed to be a story that surrounds said male lead. Come on now…just because my multiple (MULTIPLE x a TRILLION) 5 stars this year have had a lot of gushing about boys does NOT mean it’s ONLY about the new bbf meat. Hot male lead does not a 5 star make…but it certainly doesn’t hurt ;).

“To be honest, even if it didn’t, there was no way I was letting you go.”
“Why?”
He lets out a hard, hollow bark of laughter. “Why did you leave?”
“Why are you answering a question with a question?”

No, for those mistakenly thinking that I have fallen head over heels for all my favorites this year only because of who I’ve fallen in love with (Glass Sword being a wonderful example-I ADORE MY CAL BOY and he certainly would have raised the rating had I hated it, but I LOVED that book even though everyone hated it and NOT ONLY because of Cal. He merely enhanced it. I can see the confusion there, though), you would be wrong. And I have been saying this a lot lately and stressing the importance, because I feel like I have went from people seeing all 5 stars on my feed to a very drastic, sudden, and out of nowhere turn where I have blasted everyone’s feeds with a string of 2 and 3 stars….so unlike me.

“Elli,” Raimo whispers, “what did you do to Oskar?”
I glance over to see Oskar standing next to the roan, looking at me in a way I feel low in my belly like a long, slow pull. “You told me to stick close to him.”
“I never told you to take the boy’s heart-or to offer him yours.”

And the novelty of my low ratings will wear off shortly, I’m sure, seeing as the happy train couldn’t last all year-that’s impossible. But I still feel I need to preface all my reviews in this way because it feels so foreign to be bashing book after book just because they weren’t for me. *Shrugs* I guess there just isn’t anything I can do about it….so I will make this short and sweet with a few paragraphs about what I liked, didn’t like, and only mildly liked.

The story: Ehhhh….Super good idea??? Just kind of…blah. Now, I will say this story had many spurts where my heart beat faster and my eyes became glued to the page, but they were few and far between and not as drawn out as I’d like them to be. The beginning, to me, wasn’t boring like people said, more just…hard to connect to. Not because the idea wasn’t cool, but because I didn’t connect to Elli much…or her struggles. So, great ideas and nuggets of epic lost in a sea of could-be’s and ‘I wish’s (how the hell should that be spelled because wishes isn’t right…).

The writing: Addicting, flowed well, not a problem at all. I really enjoyed this author’s style of writing. I just wish there were more perilous scenes…or like my Snake said-That they were a little longer.

The main character, Elli: I did like her-really. I really did. But I didn’t FIGHT for her in my head. I didn’t OBSESS about what was to come for her. All I really cared about concerning Elli….was when Oskar would be coming back. And I think that applies in the ‘story’ category, as well. Oops.

Oskar: Annnnnnd another wonderful, tortured, self-sacrificing male lead who stole my heart, slowly but surely. I loved him from the moment I met him….but it wasn’t until a certain, ahem, moment that I was all heart eye emojis and screaming his name in caps to anyone that would listen (I lie, I text it anyway). He was fierce, loyal, protective, and totally worth this read. And hey, I can’t say my slump is completely gone, but he did a WONDERFUL job of making me squee and taking my breath away. His love for Elli was absolutely ADORABLE (little blusher, he be) and his determination to keep his family and her safe was something to behold…I just wish there had been more of it. I would have had a lot more to say about this whole book, had there been.

So, yeah, I’d say this book was a predominant win mostly because of my dear Oskar, and that’s honestly okay with me. Sometimes it bothers me, but other times it is just what I need-and here?? A hot male lead to obsess and highlight and obsess (twice. I said this TWO times) about is just what I needed to start my week off right. So….onto the next book. It’s a finale of a favorite series of all time. And we all know how THAT has been going this year. Lord, help me.

********************

Another book where my only love stems from the male lead….though, Oskar was hard not to raise a star for. I ADORED HIM AGHHHHHHH OSKAR <3

RTC!!!!

*******

Part three… with other Hufflepuff motherfuckers, as well 😀

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BOOK REVIEW – The Long Way Down (Daniel Faust #1) by Craig Schaefer

BOOK REVIEW – The Long Way Down (Daniel Faust #1) by Craig SchaeferThe Long Way Down (Daniel Faust #1)
by Craig Schaefer
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Nobody knows the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas like Daniel Faust, a sorcerer for hire and ex-gangster who uses black magic and bullets to solve his clients' problems. When an old man comes seeking vengeance for his murdered granddaughter, what looks like a simple job quickly spirals out of control.

Soon Daniel stands in the crossfire between a murderous porn director; a corrupt cop with a quick trigger finger; and his own former employer, a racket boss who isn't entirely human. Then there's Caitlin: brilliant, beautiful, and the lethal right hand of a demon prince.

A man named Faust should know what happens when you rub shoulders with demons. Still Daniel can't resist being drawn to Caitlin's flame as they race to unlock the secret of the Etruscan Box, a relic that people all over town are dying -- and killing -- to get their hands on. As the bodies drop and the double-crosses pile up, Daniel will need every shred of his wits, courage and sheer ruthlessness just to survive.

Daniel Faust knew he was standing with one foot over the brink of hell. He's about to find out just how far he can fall.

What you should know is this : I don’t like Urban Fantasy, which is baffling, given that I love Fantasy and cities – there’s just something in them that never really appeal to me, a feeling of something lacking even though I hardly can pinpoint why that is.

The Long Way Down is perhaps one of my best discoveries in that genre, so although it will probably never be a favorite of mine, I cannot hide how pleasantly surprised it made me. Well done, and here’s why.

The world building is vivid and horrific, spreading very noir vibes. Did I say that I loved thrillers? Because I do. These are dark times guys, and I should issue a trigger warning against violence, abuse and murder (including towards kids at some point). Abusive. Disgusting. Maddening. Welcome to Daniel’s world. Granted, he has a pretty healthy way to look at it, and doesn’t condone it by any means, but it was still hard to take on sometimes. Some graphic scenes of violence made me want to throw up, and I don’t think I’m easily disturbed. You’ve been warned.

The Long Way Down pictures a morally ambiguous – but likeable all the same – hero. I loved this sorcerer, alright? If he doesn’t shy away from harsh decisions and actions sometimes, he stays in the good side of things as far as I’m concerned (I never disliked a hero ready to beat the fuck out of sociopaths, SUE ME). As for Caitlin, CAITLIN! The girl’s a DEMON. A not-so-nice one at it – how awesome is that?! Despite my slight disbelief at the way their relationship evolved *cough* THIS IS TOO FAST! I DON’T BUY IT!! *cough* I still immensely enjoyed their banter and… hmm… differences? I also very much laughed at the stunts Caitlin pulled because… Reversal of genders, people. Seeing Daniel dumbfounded because she ordered his food for him – and understandably upset about it – was in my opinion a great way of denouncing stereotypical controlling behavior, even implicitly.

For ONCE the plot kept me interested, which is so rare in everything UF. Indeed I genuinely wanted to know where the story would go and in the end, I’m pretty satisfied by the way Craig Schaefer wrapped its mystery. Note that I (almost) never read any UF, therefore I am not able to notice the similarities between this book and the other ones in that genre. Perhaps it’s cliché. Perhaps it’s been better done before. The thing is, I don’t freaking know, and honestly? I don’t care.

➍ Finally the perfect balance between grim and humor. Forget all the books where we don’t know if we should laugh or be horrified – but think sparks of humor lightening the mood a little. I say yes to that.

Daniel, Daniel, what did you do to me?

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