#TheSecretLivesOfRoyals #NetGalley

Title: The Secret Lives of Royals
Author: Shalini Dua
Publish Day: June 12, 2018!

Summary: 
 Olivia can't take it anymore. She's had enough of the big city and it's lack of fulfilling her dreams. Then, just when she's about to give up and move home, out of the blue, she is offered her dream job. Olivia is suspicious but that could just be the New York in her. She decides not to pull at threads. Despite her best efforts to remain blissfully oblivious, the secret to her life upgrade is soon uncovered when she finds herself invited to be part of a secret society. Olivia learns that there is a thin curtain separating our world from theirs. Just beneath the surface, an entirely different one exists. One that is controlled by those of Royal lineage. The chosen ones, the Royals, hold the fate of the world in their hands. Will Olivia be able to bear the weight of the crown? The Devil Wears Prada meets The Adjustment Bureau, this contemporary fairytale is both relatable and aspirational. Taking a look at the current balance of media and power with a healthy dose of humor, fashion, food and wanderlust.

Review:

This book has some harsh reviews on Goodreads. It's an enjoyable read for what it is. There's always room for improvement with the story if she chooses to continue on with it. It says "volume 1" on Amazon so I'm assuming there is going to be more.

From the Amazon page it looks like it'll be available through Kindle Unlimited, too. So there's that :)

#Bloodbound #NetGalley

Title: Blood-Bound
AUTHOR: Kaelan Rhywiol
Publisher: NineStar Press, LLC
Release Day: June 11, 2018 -- Today!!!!
Downloaded from: Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 4.5/5

Summary:

Rhian is content in her life. As a pwca, a Welsh shapeshifter, she is bound to the Dark God Arawn as an assassin. So when he assigns her as ambassador to oversee Ontario for him, it's a shock. Her new job? To find out who murdered her predecessor and bring them to justice, as well as to oversee the otherkin and clean up their messes before the humans find them—all to preserve the illusion that magic and supernatural creatures do not exist. The problem? One of the otherkin she's supposed to oversee is her estranged husband, Kai, the only person Rhian never regretted having sex with, and the only one she can't forgive.


Review:

The copy I received comes with a content warning. I imagine it's going to be there when it's released. Usually I write the content warnings of books because it's "Oh surprise...there's THAT in this book."

But the warning is: sexually explicit, rough sex/willing partners, reference to tickling as coercion, graphic violence, talk of depression, suicidal ideation and past attempt, panic attack, ableist language as self-ID, allusion to rape, blood letting and exchange, reference to self harm.


The graphic violence starts the story. But it's a good read for a first person POV. I don't usually read many first persons. But this one works. If you are fine with what is in the content warning then I'd recommend. Definitely not a child's read.

This comes out June 11, 2018 

The Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Reckoning Author: Kelley Armstrong Rating:  4/5

One super annoying thing about this story though:

Chloe and Derek's relationship seems as if it's cooling down in the possessiveness of Derek. But in the next set of trilogy where they meet up with the next group of kids....he's still annoying. 

I enjoyed the way this trilogy ended. It was weird but better than the way most trilogies end. This is book 3 in the Darkest Powers Trilogy

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

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Title: The Awakening Author: Kelley Armstrong Rating: 5/5

Summary: 

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl - someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I’m as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment - not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters. I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control: I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

Now I’m running for my life with three of my supernatural friends - a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch - and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

Review:

I wish I could find in gif format this local commercial where the dad says, "I like it." 

Read this on my way out of high school and enjoyed the series. 

Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead

Title: Vampire Academy Author:  Richelle Mead  Published: Jan, 2007 Rating: 5/5

Summary:

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires - the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

  After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger . . . and the Strigoi are always close by.

Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever . . .

My Review:

This was one of my favorites in high school so it's a lot more tilted toward enjoyment than critical. I've read this book series up to book 5.

"I felt her fear before I heard her screams." 

The movie didn't do as well as hoped. Due to the influx of vampire-y stuff the way it was filmed as kind of the...anti-Twilight. I enjoyed the film as a different animal from the books all together. It was not as series or focused as the books were.

For what it was it was enjoyable.

But compared to the books..not so much. The books were great filled with rich people kind of drama. Soap operas without having to stay home to watch.

I didn't like Richelle Mead's Succubus series for adults. Thought I would because I enjoyed the VA series so much. 

Would I recommend this? Yeah, it's enjoyable and fun read that focuses on a different kind of vampire. 

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon by Kerrelyn Sparks

Downloaded through Netgalley to read for an honest review.

Kerrelyn Sparks is no stranger to the New York Times bestseller list, as her massive fan base couldn’t seem to get enough of her Love at Stake series. Sparks then introduced her extraordinary fantasy romance series, The Embraced, with How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days and So I Married a Sorcerer. Set in a medieval mythical world, the series follows a special group of people with powers born when the two moons of the world form an eclipse. Now comes the captivating third installment, EIGHT SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING A DRAGON (St. Martin’s Paperbacks; March 27, 2018), where readers meet Gwennore, our fierce and powerful new heroine.

Gwennore is an Elf able to track down the cause of an illness and heal it; a valuable asset to her people. But when she is thrust into the realm of the dragons, she discovers a haunted place of power and magic, plagued by an ancient curse. And then she meets the smoldering General Silas Dravenko. She’s been raised never to trust a dragon, but never did making a deal with the devil feel so good…

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Gwennore is an Elf able to track down the cause of an illness and heal it; a valuable asset to her people. But when she is thrust into the realm of the dragons, she discovers a haunted place of power and magic, plagued by an ancient curse. And then she meets the smoldering General Silas Dravenko. She’s been raised never to trust a dragon, but never did making a deal with the devil feel so good…

Silas has no way of saving the royal family he’s served for years. But when a beautiful elf comes bursting into his world, Silas is awakened to desire in a way he’s never felt before. But can he trust a sworn enemy?

Filled with romance, adventure, and a vividly imagined new world, EIGHT SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING A DRAGON is a fantasy in the vein of Game of Thrones with all the fun of The Princess Bride. Audiences will become enthralled with Gwennore in a world where passion, fantasy, and royal intrigue collide. Return to the most exciting, magical and romantic series to come along in years in the stunning world of the Embraced!

About the Author:

Kerrelyn Sparks is best known (so far) for the Love at Stake series, which has hit as high as number 5 on the New York Times list and 22 on the USA Today list. Visit Kerrelyn on Facebook, Twitter, or her website, http://www.kerrelynsparks.com/.

EIGHT SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING A DRAGON:

The Embraced Series

By Kerrelyn Sparks

Published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks

**On Sale March 27, 2018**

Mass Market Paperback | $7.99

ISBN: 9781250108258 | Ebook ISBN: 9781250108265

For more information or to set up an interview with the author, contact:

Brittani Hilles at brittani.hilles@stmartins.com or 646-307-5558

Praise for Kerrelyn Sparks:

“Readers will be fully invested in this Embraced series!”

— Romantic Times on How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days

"Readers will relish Spark’s lovingly detailed and memorable tale and look forward to the next.”

— Booklist on How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days

“[Sparks] has produced a book that I'll come back to again and again. I'll be counting down the days till the next girl gets her story.”

— Night Owl Reviews on How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days

"A deeply satisfying, delightfully swoon-inducing close...full of vulnerability and tenderness."

— Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire

"Mixing paranormal romance with humor, Sparks clearly has a style all her own, one that readers love."

— USA Today's Happily Ever After blog

"Sparks skillfully infuses her writing with a deliciously sharp wit."

— Booklist

My Review:

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon is book three in the Embraced Series and it is an extremely fun read. It starts off like you're stepping into a historical fiction novel then you discover there are elves,  a whole other fantastical world, shifters, and DRAGONS! 

This is the first book I've ever read from Kerrelyn Sparks. I received an email from Netgalley stating that this book was available to download. So, I downloaded it out of curiosity and enjoyed it immensely. 

The characters are likeable and it's easy to become wrapped up in the story. I was fine reading this without the other two. I didn't even know it was apart of a series. It's lovely to accidentally stumble into a series when they're well written.

The Other Books in the Series:

How To Tame A Beast in Seven Days is book 1 in the series. This follows Luciana who is on the Isle of Moon being hidden because she has magical powers. She has the choice of staying on the island or marrying someone named Beast of Benwick.

So I Married A Sorcerer is book 2 in the series. It follows Brigitta who is Embraced living on the Isle of Moon. She discovers that she's actually a princess.

Where to Buy:

Amazon | BN | Others | Find A Library USA | Find Indie Store

 

Excerpt from Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon by Kerrelyn Sparks 

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

 Quick reviews as I browse my Goodreads Read section.

For some disgusting reason I have this rated as 5 out of 5?!

Score: 3 out of 5

This book is ninety something years old in regard of if any spoilers sprout up. I had to read it in high school in a class with the most obnoxiously disrespectful students on god's earth. The principals weren't any help and basically it was an eye-opening experience to see teachers and other staff mistreating a co-worker. 

You know you live in a small enough town when they happily demolish any chances of someone "outside" our community to survive in the school system. I had several good teachers at this district that was sabotaged in this regard. Then, an English teacher who rarely did her job was rallied around and supported...she was well known and liked in the school. It was miserable to see as a student.

I didn't like seeing adults acting so childish. I hated this book going through it was hell, a teasing of what a hellfire afterlife may look like.

To Kill a Warlock (Dulcie O'Neil #1) - H.P. Mallory

Amazon | BN

This series has had a cover change as well.

Score: 2/5


Summary: Dulcie is a fairy who works for the police.. She has a murder to solve. She finds someone attractive.

Good:

A fairy cop was what brought me into this story. Anything with supernatural can drag me into a story and try to read it. She seemed fun and interesting when I downloaded this book.

Bad:

She legitimately has no reason for most of her anger outbursts. I think the author was going for firecracker and big tough gal but the end result was someone who seems emotionally unbalanced, bratty and irrational.

She would become angry or crabby in moments where there wasn't any reason to be this way. She struggled with her personality more than anything else in this story.

The characters who stayed consistent was Trey & Sam. But the reason for that? They were hardly in the story so there was no way of ruining them.

It was an interesting idea, things that could have been but sadly...didn't happen. 



I don't recommend this story at all.

Garden Spells - Sarah Addison Allen

Amazon | BN | Indie Books | Library

Spoilers

What I enjoyed:

Sarah Addison Allen's books have brought me into the magic realism books and I love her for it. I didn't even know there was light and fluffy magical books that leaned more on reality than anything. The book cover to boot is adorable!

Good:

The story catches you and brings you into Claire's life. You're happy you're here everything just is...perfect.

She lives a quiet life with her catering business. She is fine with her "weird" quirks that the town doesn't necessarily like but they like what she makes. It is a good business.

Her sister comes back to town yanking her from the usual routine of her life. Everything that is happening is just a delight to read.

I love Evanelle. Those were my favorite-favorites of the story was her and her life that would pop up here and there for us.

I loved the take on Sydney's female rival and how it worked out. The woman is worried about Sydney taking her fiancee away and is upset with her return. She doesn't try to stab out Sydney from her town and her life. She is working through this jealousy and fear of losing her partner and she just figures out that she doesn't have anything to worry about.

I was rolling my eyes when that segment of the story was going through because I was not here for women and against women because of a man. But it was a nice change of events.

And, I ABSOLUTELY love that the "hero" of the story was the apple tree in the backyard.

Bad:

That there wasn't more to this story. But we got a sequel and I was extremely disappointed with the sequel. So, I shouldn't have wanted one so much.