Tag Archives: fantasy

Review: Dance of a Burning Sea by E.J. Mellow

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Dance of a Burning Sea by E.J. Mellow
Series: Mousai #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 19th 2021
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

From award-winning author E. J. Mellow comes the thrilling second installment in the Mousai series, featuring a powerful sorceress who finds her loyalties tested by a ruthless pirate lord.

Within the world of Aadilor, there is a hidden place called the Thief Kingdom, where both magic and pleasure abound. There, the Mousai, a trio of deadly sorceresses bound by oath and blood, use their powers to protect the kingdom’s treasures.

Niya Bassette brings the potent gift of dance to the Mousai, but behind her tempting twirls, she carries a heavy secret—that the infamous pirate lord, Alōs Ezra, has been threatening to exploit for years. Now banished from the Thief Kingdom for smuggling, Alōs resurfaces in Niya’s life with a plot to hold her hostage, leveraging what he knows to extort a pardon from the Thief King.

But Niya makes her own deal with Alōs to guard her secret and guarantee her freedom—yet in doing so binds herself aboard his pirate ship, where she must navigate deadly waters, a bloodthirsty crew, and her own traitorous heart. Soon, a simmering attraction between her and Alōs threatens their delicate truce and makes for a tumultuous ride on the open seas. Far from her kingdom, Niya is entangled in a dangerous dance indeed.

Welcome to the world of Aadilor, where dark deeds can mask noble hearts and the most alluring of sways often ends with a burn. Care for a spin?

When I read the first book in the Mousai series, I saw a lot of potential in this fantasy world. I liked the dynamic between our three Mousai sisters and was looking forward to reading more about them. I ended up liking this second book slightly more than the first! I’m still not completely sold on the series, but it’s still an enjoyable fantasy romance. Plus, pirates!

Dance of a Burning Sea is an enemies to lovers romance and reads perfectly fine as a standalone in this series. Niya is the second sister to get her romance – she’s a fire dancer and her romance is with pirate lord Alos Ezra. To say they don’t get along would be an understatement. They constantly go head to head and there’s a lot of great banter between them. They’re forced into some close proximity as they set out on an adventure at sea. I really enjoyed the setting here – I found it a lot more fun and exciting than the first book! Even though it was a bit long for my taste, I was never really bored while I was reading. Niya and Alos get to travel to distant lands, look for lost treasure, and pretty much live the pirate’s dream.

The only thing about this book is that I never truly fell for our main characters. I enjoyed their dynamic but wasn’t quite as immersed in their romance as much as I wanted to be. But if I just focused on the adventure aspect of the story, I had a great time reading this book. So if you prefer your fantasies more on the action and adventurous side, I would definitely recommend this one!


lacey

Reading Order: Mousai series

#1 ~ Song of the Forever Rains: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Dance of a Burning Sea: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Symphony for a Deadly Throne: Ebook • Goodreads (February 14, 2023)

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Review: The ​Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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The ​Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Blood and Ash #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 20th 2021
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Hardcover • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review

She’s been the victim and the survivor…

Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she’s found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It’s a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of. Because Poppy is the Chosen, the Blessed. The true ruler of Atlantia. She carries the blood of the King of Gods within her. By right the crown and the kingdom are hers.

The enemy and the warrior…

Poppy has only ever wanted to control her own life, not the lives of others, but now she must choose to either forsake her birthright or seize the gilded crown and become the Queen of Flesh and Fire. But as the kingdoms’ dark sins and blood-drenched secrets finally unravel, a long-forgotten power rises to pose a genuine threat. And they will stop at nothing to ensure that the crown never sits upon Poppy’s head.

A lover and heartmate…

But the greatest threat to them and to Atlantia is what awaits in the far west, where the Queen of Blood and Ash has her own plans, ones she has waited hundreds of years to carry out. Poppy and Casteel must consider the impossible—travel to the Lands of the Gods and wake the King himself. And as shocking secrets and the harshest betrayals come to light, and enemies emerge to threaten everything Poppy and Casteel have fought for, they will discover just how far they are willing to go for their people—and each other.

And now she will become Queen…

We’re now three books into this epic fantasy romance series! I’ve enjoyed each book in the Blood and Ash series so far, and this third book was no different. I had extremely high expectations, especially after reading that ending from A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, and Jennifer L. Armentrout didn’t disappoint. We’ve got all the action, steam, reveals, and more in this newest installment and I already can’t wait for the next one!

It’s hard to talk about this book now that we’re midway through the series without spoiling anything, but I’ll try. It’s finally revealed that Poppy is more that she – or anyone else – ever thought she was, and now she has to navigate this new role alongside her new husband, Cas. In TCOGB, we learn more about Poppy, her powers, Cas’ family, the Ascended, the war between the two kingdoms, the gods…. there’s A Lot. And in the midst of this is our favorite power couple who are now married(!!!) and being all cute and hot as husband and wife. For the Kieran fans, you will be very happy to know he’s constantly by their side.

I wish I could shout about what happened at the end of this book because SO MUCH IS GOING ON, but I will just say I’m so freaking excited for everyone to read TCOGB. It’s another fantastic installment in this fantasy romance series that I just can’t get enough of!


lacey

Reading Order: Blood and Ash series

#1 ~ From Blood and Ash: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Hardcover • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Hardcover • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ The Crown of Gilded Bones: Ebook • Paperback • Hardcover • Audible • Goodreads

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Review: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Blood and Ash #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: September 1st 2020
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review

Is Love Stronger Than Vengeance?

A Betrayal…

Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.

A Choice….

Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.

A Secret…

But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.

Ever since I finished From Blood and Ash, A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire shot up to the top of my most anticipated sequels of 2020. FBAA is one of my favorite books this year and the ending absolutely killed me. I NEEDED to read more of Poppy, Cas, and this epic fantasy world full of gods, magic, and vampires! Thankfully, this much-awaited sequel did not disappoint. I loved being back with our main characters, who have such great banter and chemistry together, and learning more about this new world Poppy is discovering.

AKOFAF literally picks up right where FBAA left off, with the wildest proposal ever. Poppy is rightfully hurt and angry at Casteel for his lies and betrayal, so their relationship, or what’s left of it, is on thin ice. Now to add in a marriage? It’s crazy – but it just might work. They both have something at stake and will do anything, even marry each other, to reach their goals. And in the midst of this marriage of convenience(!), Poppy also has to deal with being an outsider and despised by the Atlantians for being the former Maiden.

I was expecting a ton of angst and tension after what happened in FBAA and JLA dishes all of that out SO well. I was feeling so much for Poppy and Cas – they don’t want to want each other, but the lust and chemistry that developed while they were Poppy and Hawke is still there and only gets stronger the more time they spend together. JLA nails the push and pull of the romance, the longing, the heartache, and the love. Poppy and Casteel are both fantastic characters and there was never a time I didn’t root for them or want them to get their HEA. And I just gotta say, our vampire prince hero is even hotter this second time around! I loved him as Hawke but he’s way more compelling as Casteel.

We do get much more of the world-building, as expected in a fantasy sequel. There isn’t as much action and the pacing of AKOFAF is definitely slower, as it focuses more on fleshing out this fantasy world and developing Poppy and Cas’s relationship. But one of the things I love about JLA is that her writing is so easy to read. I never felt like there was too much info-dumping and despite how much more detailed and in-depth we get into the Atlantian world, I never felt like I was lost reading it all.

AKOFAF is a fantastic follow-up to one of my favorite reads of the year. Poppy is more of her badass self, the romance is steamyyy (I am HERE for all the hot fantasy romances!), and I just love this world JLA has created so much. If you thought the FBAA ending was awful (in the best way), prepare for AKOFAF’s! The cliffhanger will have you screaming!


lacey

Reading Order: Blood and Ash series

#1 ~ From Blood and Ash: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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Review: From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Blood and Ash #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: March 30th 2020
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review

A Maiden…

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty…

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom…

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.

Oh. My. Gosh.

What was that ending????

I need book two STAT.

WOW. What an incredible read. I’ve been a fan of JLA since Obsidian, but From Blood and Ash without a doubt is her best work to date. This new adult fantasy romance was absolutely incredible. The world-building is fantastic and not at all too much info dumping. I loved our main characters Poppy and Hawke. To be honest, about 80% of the book was a solid 4 star read for me, until the last 20% blew everything out of the water. The last hundred pages is truly EPIC. I could not put this book down and would highly recommend it for anyone who loves fantasy romance or wants to get in to the subgenre!

Poppy is known as the Maiden. She’s basically the “chosen one,” waiting for the day of her Ascension, where humans ascend to become immortal and powerful. Since losing her parents, she’s been kept under lock and key, unable to communicate with anyone other than her guardians and bodyguards. Her life is… not her own. But when she gets a new bodyguard after the tragic death of her last one, her life starts to get turned upside down, no thanks to Hawke.

I won’t get too much into the details of this book, because I truly believe it’s so much better to experience the story if you go into it blind. The twists and turns that happen in the last 100 pages are jaw-dropping. I’m in awe of how JLA was able to blow my mind away! Poppy made a kickass heroine, so headstrong, intelligent, and caring. I loved how she knew how to defend herself and would kill to protect those she loved. Hawke is a bit of a mystery, gorgeous and alpha and so intrigued by Poppy. They made a fantastic couple together with lots of great banter.

I am now currently dying to get my hands on the sequel. JLA really did us dirty with that cliffhanger. Just kidding, I still love her. FBAA is now one of my favorite reads of 2020 and I can’t wait to see what else JLA has in store for us in this world!


lacey

Reading Order: Blood and Ash series

#1 ~ From Blood and Ash: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (Sept. 1, 2020)

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Review: A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane

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A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane
Series: A Gathering of Dragons #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 4th 2020
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

​A generation past, the western realms were embroiled in endless war. Then the Destroyer came. From the blood and ashes he left behind, a tenuous alliance rose between the barbarian riders of Parsathe and the walled kingdoms of the south. That alliance is all that stands against the return of an ancient evil—until the barbarian king and queen are slain in an act of bloody betrayal.

Though forbidden by the alliance council to kill the corrupt king responsible for his parents’ murders, Maddek vows to avenge them, even if it costs him the Parsathean crown. But when he learns it was the king’s daughter who lured his parents to their deaths, the barbarian warrior is determined to make her pay.

Yet the woman Maddek captures is not what he expected. Though the last in a line of legendary warrior-queens, Yvenne is small and weak, and the sharpest weapons she wields are her mind and her tongue. Even more surprising is the marriage she proposes to unite them in their goals and to claim their thrones—because her desire for vengeance against her father burns even hotter than his own…​

I’ve had so much hype ever since A Heart of Blood and Ashes got on my radar. I’m always on the looking for an epic fantasy romance, and this one sounded so promising. Plus, I’d read Milla Vane years ago not just under her pseudonym Meljean Brook (The Iron Duke is still one of my favorite fantasy romances!), but also when she published a novella under MV in an anthology. So I knew she could write incredible fantasy worlds – and she didn’t disappoint with this first A Gathering of Dragons book. It was a fantastic start to a new series that I already need more of!

An enemies to lovers romance, slow burn, political intrigue, spilled blood, and barbarian warriors – this fantasy romance has it all. AHoBaA kicks off with the murder of our hero Maddek’s parents, who were king and queen of their barbarian kingdom and part of an alliance council that formed out of a truce between all five kingdoms. Now Maddek is next in line for the throne, but first he wants revenge against the rival king he believed killed his parents… starting with their daughter. But Yvenne offers herself up as his bride instead, because the one thing she wants most in the world is her corrupt father’s death. Neither of them expects the insane amount of chemistry to build between them or that they would start falling for one another.

This book was SO FREAKING GOOD! It was a little slow to get into in the beginning, with all the world-building and info dumping we’re getting hit with straight off. There are a ton of characters and kingdoms to keep track of. But once I hit my reading stride I couldn’t put this book down. I’ve been wanting a new, epic fantasy (romance) to get obsessed with, and AHoBaA hit all the right buttons for me. Alpha, barbarian warrior; heroine who uses her words and brain to kick ass; a delicious, sexy slow burn in a marriage of convenience; and some epic world-building. The pacing is fairly slow but it’s never boring. I loved the amount of steam we got as well as a good dose of angst between our main characters. I was HOOKED onto the romance – I was so glad that despite everything going on, Milla Vane made the romance the main focus of the story.

I do have to say, sadly, there are no actual dragons in this book (they used to exist, but not anymore), but there are Dragons! They are basically Maddek’s bodyguard/friends. Other than that, I can’t wait to read more of this fantasy world. I’m so glad we don’t have to wait too long for the next book (only five months!). Even though this first book concludes Maddek and Yvenne’s romance and revenge subplot, there is still an over-arcing plot that deals with a dangerous, powerful being that’s about to wreak havoc. I’m so looking forward to where Milla Vane will take us next.

Also, if you want to see the map of this world, Milla Vane has one! Sadly it didn’t make it into the book.


Reading Order: A Gathering of Dragons series

 

#1 ~ A Heart of Blood and Ashes: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (Feb. 4, 2020)
#2 ~ A Touch of Stone and Snow: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (July 7, 2020)

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