Book Review: Oath of Destruction by Jennifer Anne Davis

Oath of Destruction by Jennifer Anne Davis

Reign Publishing (c) 2018

Fantasy

ARC ebook

Reviewed by Leah

Oath of Destruction on Amazon

This is it. The finale.

It is everything I wanted, to be honest.

There's more Allyssa and Kerdan. We see more of Savenek fitting into his role. There are more encounters with Mayra. The BEST encounters with Neco. And the development of a family as it absorbs its missing piece.

And when you're not fangirling over the characters, the book manages to do a great job of wrapping up the plot line as well.

Everyone has a comeuppance. And the royal family of Emperion is not above aiding in the endeavor.

Book Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Anchor (c) 2011

Paperback

An Original Fairytale

Reviewed by Leah

The Night Circus on Amazon

There are few books in my life I have considered a favorite before finishing. They are so few that I cannot recall which book last made the list.

I will not forget this one.

To give it one word of perfect praise it would be this: Enchanting.

To add more, I would say: atmospheric, comforting, passionate, humble, lyrical, and beautiful.

For more words that would better help you determine your likelihood of reading it, I will explain what little my mind can conjure after leaving the circus.

This is a book for dreamers. It is a book that does not depend (almost at all) upon its characters. While the challenge begins with Celia and wraps around Marco, it encompasses a creation all its own. And that's what the circus is: its own.

Normally, you can categorize a book based upon if it is plot-oriented or character-centered. This is the first book I have ever come across that discards both and has a deep-rooted setting base. You are here for the circus. Marco and Celia's stories are certainly interesting, but between the moments when they are on screen, you are living for their own love letters. That love letter happens to be the circus. Every tent, every attraction, every design is a signature from one to the other and that is what captures you as a reader.

If you are a person who prefers fast reads, this book is not for you. If you are a person that does not savor the tiny details, this book is not for you. If you are a person that likes action with their romance, this book is not for you.

If you are a person that enjoys the enigmatic pull of marvelous prose woven into exceptional scenery while being caught up in a love letter of epic proportions...

Then welcome to The Night Circus. Opens at Nightfall. Closes at Dawn.

Book News: Prideful Magick Collection

Well, a lot has happened since I last updated this. Shame on me. Now it's time to catch up.

First of all, the Prideful Magick Collection is almost complete. Ivy and Oleander were joined by Valerian on December 19, 2016 and Hawthorn on November 30, 2017.

For now, this is what the Collection consists of:

Alas, there's one left in Alexandria's tale. The release date for Avens will be announced soon in a much more fun fashion, but as my record has proven that I probably won't remember to update, I'll just squeeze it in here: January 21, 2019.

Honestly, I'm so pleased to have made it so far in the past few years. Even have the website up-to-date. With the Prideful Magick Collection sporting its own page. (Be sure to check it out!)

Thanks to everyone that keeps up with this blog and checks out my stuff. I appreciate it.

Book Review: Oath of Deception by Jennifer Anne Davis

Oath of Deception by Jennifer Anne Davis

Reign Publishing (c) 2018

ARC e-book

Fantasy

Reviewed by Leah

Oath of Deception on Amazon

(Review copied from elsewhere, so forgive the ugliness of the text.)

This was the perfect continuation of this series!

Taking place alongside the events of CoD1, this book introduces us to Savenek. Immediately, we feel as robbed of this person as Allyssa was. As a character, Savenek proves to be creative, skilled, pragmatic, and stealthy. He also has a few familial traits we have come to know and love over both the True Reign series and Reign of Secrets. Most of that comes in the form of a confidence that borders arrogance, dedication, the desire to constantly improve, and an intense loyalty to his nation. While we could always debate nature vs. nurture, they were qualities that allowed the reader to feel the connection to his family.

What I also enjoyed (probably the most) out of this book was the relationships between the characters. To say more would be edging into spoiler territory, and I don't want to rob anyone of the pleasure of a first read. So, suffice to say, I enjoyed the different natures and discoveries you make about this particular cast.

One of the other unique parts of this book is this: it could stand alone. As of right now, if you picked up book 4 and didn't have access to books 1-3 of the Reign of Secrets series, it wouldn't hurt you. Yeah, you might not understand most of my review then, but that's the beauty of it. If you started with Savenek and then went back to Allyssa, it wouldn't harm you. Savenek is his own person and his stories stand alone, just like Allyssa's did. And I absolutely love it.

That said, it is an adventure you're in for. There's no resting for the wicked in this book. Trained as an assassin, Savenek is sent on his first solo mission, and things are not at all what he expected. There are new dangers, new enemies, and secret alliances that are cause for concern. And Savenek wants to take on them all...

The pacing is quick and absorbing and enjoyable. I've always been a fan of Jennifer Anne Davis's skill with the written word, and this one does not disappoint. So set aside some reading time and dive in!

Book Review: Cage of Destiny by Jennifer Anne Davis

Cage of Destiny by Jennifer Anne Davis

Reign Publishing (c) 2017

Paperback

Fantasy

Reviewed by Leah

Cage of Destiny on Amazon

While I usually always write my own summaries for books I'm reviewing, there's one line from the publisher-provided summary that I absolutely adore:

She can either embrace her destiny or be caged by it.

No sentiment could be more perfect for this book.

Summary:

Allyssa is a survivor. After the horrors of Russek and nursing a broken heart, she is at last given a choice: She doesn't have to come home.

The decision to walk away and lead a normal life is a tempting one, though it means leaving behind everyone and everything she has ever known or loved. Unfortunately, Allyssa is hardly given time to consider it before her past crashes into her present once more.

Now, everything she has left behind is everything she must run back to if she hopes to eliminate her enemy once and for all.

If the choice is between saving her kingdom and saving herself, Allyssa will never have to choose.

Review:

It is always hardest to review books that you like. This is because your first response is to tell everyone everything that happens. Which, in a review, is probably the rudest thing you could do. So I will refrain as much as I can from the gushing.

That being said...

This was perfect!

It is as character-driven as the rest, and it puts a lot of things into perspective. (For Allyssa and the reader.) This is Allyssa's "I'm figuring shit out for myself" book. She knows who she wants to be as a person and leader, and she's figuring out how to become that person. It's a wonderful transformation to watch as she puts her priorities in order and goes about figuring out the rest. She is every inch her mother's daughter, and I adore her for it.

Since I don't want to spoil anything, I'm just going to drop some tiny little hints:

Kerdan is back.

Odar is back.

Darmik and Neco are back with their epic bromance!

Nathenek is back to his sneaky, sneaky ways.

Probably the best cast of all the books, to be honest. It's a good time. You should read it. *wink, wink*

Okay, I digress. (But seriously, go read it.)

Book Review: Grayghost by Tamara Grantham

Grayghost by Tamara Grantham

Crimson Tree Publishing (c) 2018

ARC e-book

Fantasy

Reviewed by Leah

Grayghost on Amazon

This is the last book in the Olive Kennedy, Fairy World M.D. series. You may commence crying.

Summary:

Theht is gone, but so are the portals. For the past four years, Olive Kennedy has been separated from her husband and deprived of the life she was meant to have in Faythander. But at least she didn't destroy the world, right?

Desperate to get back to Faythander, but also pay her bills, Olive has teamed up with her ex, Brent Sanchez, to solve crimes of the more ... unusual sort for the Houston P.D. When one of their mysteries lead them to a broken mirror with traces of magic, Olive is all over it. There's a darkness growing stronger in Faythander, and it's beckoning her home.

Review:

Okay, I can't do a real review because spoilers. While I would love to break down characters and plot and setting, I feel like I have said it all before.

Faythander is one of those magical places that, once you've read about it, makes your everyday life on Earth sorrowful. Does collecting these books count as a symptom of having been to Faythander and needing a half-elf to come diagnose me?

As far as the characters here, they hit you with all the feels. There are so many emotions rocking through you during this tumultuous time, and yet you can't give up on them. We've got new friends, old enemies, and a love story that defies all the odds. I am honored to have endured such grand adventures with such a worthy group.

Alas, at the end of the day, this was a finale. All of the loose ends have been tied, the plot holes filled in, and the mysteries solved. Now it's time to set it aside and enjoy the memories of our Faythander days. For this wonderful marvel is everything we could have wished for the ending of Olive Kennedy's story.

Book Review: Conquering Fate by Jennifer Anne Davis

Conquering Fate by Jennifer Anne Davis

Reign Publishing (c) 2018

ARC e-book

Fantasy

Reviewed by Leah

Conquering Fate on Amazon

This is it. This is the end of the Order of the Krigers Series. It's been a long time coming.

I can't even write a decent summary without it feeling as if I'm spoiling the book. Which means my chances of having a full, coherent review come out of this is also slim.

So we're going to put some bulletin points on this:

* Kaia is sacrificing everything to save Nelebek

* Morlet and Kaia have new shared experiences that draw them together

* Morlet puts Kaia in several more inexcusable positions

* The history of the Heks is very much a part of the present

* Everyone is keeping secrets from everyone else

I can't say more without giving away major plot points, and I don't want to spoil this for anyone. This book is exactly what it needs to be in order to wrap up the Order of the Krigers. It is a solid conclusion. Character arcs come to a close. The plot wrings out the last of its tears. And you're left with a slightly lighter heart once you reach that final page.

With engaging writing and a well-known cast, we've finally finished a journey.