Book Review: "Fated in Blood" by L.A. McGinnis

I will preface this by saying that L.A. McGinnis writes a really great why-choose series. When I initially read “Savage is My Kingdom” (the first book in the Wicked Realms series) I was hooked - and immediately went on to read the entire series. Not one to shy away from plot or spice, that series had a perfect blend of both.

So, it’s no surprise that her latest series, “Fated in Blood,” would be any different. I absolutely devoured “Fated in Blood.” Always one for a good, paranormal vampire romance, this book had it all. Evangeline (Evie) is the badass, feisty female lead who’s on a revenge mission to find her younger sister who was kidnapped. Simultaneously, our two male main characters - best friends Blake and Riordan - are trying to stave off an uprising under Riordan’s new rule as king of the local vampire clan. Evie’s search leads her to staking some pretty horrible bad guys and she finds herself in the grasp of an evil vampire overlord - in the process, crossing paths with Blake and Riordan. In a move reminiscent of a Buffy episode, Evie attempts to take her own life so that she doesn’t become some sadistic vampire’s plaything - only to become a baby vamp at Riordan’s hand. 

This book has fated mates, political intrigue, true enemies to lovers, forced proximity, protective/jealous MMCs, and a shadow daddy that’ll have you wishing you were his shadow queen. L.A. McGinnis masterfully crafts a tale ripe with plot and vampire spice that would put Bella and Edward to shame. After reading “Fated in Blood,” I immediately dove into book two, “Fated in Secrets.” (And girl, did I mention Malachi!? Oh yeah…Evie’s building her harem!) This is definitely a series that you can sink your teeth into! 😉

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Book Review: "Uncharted" by Ellie Pond

It was embarrassing how quickly I read Ellie Pond’s “Adrift” (book one in the Wrecked series). I mean, a why-choose romance reminiscent of Gilligan’s Island, complete with a five-man crew, a deserted island, and a treehouse that had the makings of a modern, steamy Swiss Family Robinson tale. So yeah…completely devoured that book in the course of a day. It’s no surprise that I jumped at the opportunity to review its sequel, “Uncharted.” 

“Uncharted” picks up where book one left off. Haley and her small band of men are still stranded on the island, with a rescue looking bleaker by the day as weeks have now passed without so much as a possible rescue patrol in sight. The crew has tried to make the most of things and have started to fashion a more permanent dwelling further inland. Haley continues to worry about Captain Sam’s whereabouts.  The group continues to battle the elements, along with the natural dangers of the island, with the threat of pirates heavy in the air. Sam eventually makes his appearance and the crew eagerly reunites. Haley’s reluctance to pick up things with Sam are smothered with one steamy night with the entire crew aboard the Rock Candy. The rest of the book has Haley’s men making declarations of love up until the cliffhanger ending that finds Haley missing a couple of her men.

Although it was an easy, quick, and enjoyable read, I did feel that the “major” events were very anticlimactic. For example, the crew’s suspicions of sabotage are further validated in this book but there’s no real progress made at identifying the saboteur. Likewise, the threat of pirates is present throughout (as is the guys’ concern over what would happen to Haley should they be forced to face pirates)...but nothing really happens until the end of the book…and even then, that cliffhanger was more like a mild jump. 

I would really like to see things come to a head in the next installment!

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Book Review: "The Rivaled Crown" by Holly Renee

“The Rivaled Crown” is the final installment in The Veiled Kingdom series by Holly Renee - and quite honestly was THE BEST book in the series. I have loved this series since the first book, but this final book just solidified that Dacre and Verena are one of my favorite bookish couples.

Despite some of the issues I had with the second book, “The Hunted Heir”, this book took the various conflicts and wrapped everything up in a bow. The level of detail to really suss out some of the storyline and back history was just perfection (I was literally crying when she started talking about her mother’s motives). This book was an emotional rollercoaster - but of the best variety (I literally cried like four times throughout the book). 

Even with the pull on emotions, this book had everything you’d expect from a romantasy novel - court politics and political intrigue, found family, scheming fathers, familia trauma, and a love story that persists through it all. Daddy Dacre is one of my favorite book boyfriends - hands down! His devotion to seeing Verena succeed and take her rightful place in her kingdom is just everything you want in a dark, rebellion leader. He’s literally her number one advocate - vowing to make the world burn for her!

I have always loved the relationship Verena has with Wren and the family she finds among the rebellion. I loved seeing Wren and Kai’s relationship finally come to a tipping point in this book (is there a spin-off for them in the future!?) Their support for Verena and Dacre was everything. 

But Verena really takes the cake! She has been through the ringer with her abusive father, betrayals from those closest to her, and the death of not only her mother but her own kingdom’s subjects at the hands of her power-hungry father…but her resilience and inner fight never break. She is strong, opinionated, and isn’t deterred by men who think they know best. I absolutely love her!

This book was just amazing and such a great way to end the series! I hope that Ms. Renee continues to write books where bad ass females continue to lead and bring kingdoms (and the Daddy Dacres of the world) to their knees. 

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Book Review: "House of Raven" by Ingrid Seymour

Ingrid Seymour’s “House of the Raven" is a captivating blend of fantasy, intrigue, and romance. Seymour’s latest introduces a richly imagined world filled with complex characters and a plot that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.

Valeria, the king’s daughter, is a total dreamer with a big heart. After her mother was killed by a Fae sorcerer, Valeria’s own life force was drained by Fae magic, which has pretty much disappeared from the human world since the fall of the Veil. But here’s the kicker: Valeria and her older sister, Amira, are secretly half-Fae, thanks to their mother’s side of the family - a fact that’s been kept hidden for a long time.

Then there's Rífíor, aka River, the leader of a Fae rebel group. He’s definitely a complex, morally gray character, and I think the author did a great job with him. He’s got his own agenda, full of goals and motivations that he doesn’t readily share - even with his closest allies. Determined to enact his long-standing plan for revenge, Rífíor is dependent on Valeria for his plan to work. Their fates are intertwined from the start and when their paths cross, it sets off a series of events that had me gripping my seat. 

 “House of the Raven" is labeled as a romance, so I thought that would be the main focus, but I was pleasantly surprised. There’s also the whole enemies-to-lovers thing going on, but it’s done really well—nothing superficial or rushed here. The way the romance develops is full of subtlety and slow-burn tension, which worked out beautifully in the end. Yes, there’s romance, including one steamy scene, but the story remains the primary focus (which I appreciated!)

Seymour does an exquisite job with this novel’s world-building. I loved how the setting drew inspiration from Spanish culture and how Seymour’s storytelling is such an immersive experience. The concept of “espiritu” (literally, the Spanish word for spirit or life-force) and the magic system built around it was particularly intriguing. The author reveals the story’s secrets little by little, so you get to piece things together and discover the truth alongside Valeria. Valeria’s character arc and growth throughout the story was on point; despite being relatively naive in the beginning, she remains feisty, stubborn, and surprisingly empathetic as certain truths are revealed throughout the novel. 

Overall, “House of the Raven” is a well-crafted fantasy novel that offers readers compelling characters, intriguing world-building, and the beginnings of a satisfying romance. This book surprised me in the best way, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Book Review: "Fear the Flames" by Olivia Darling

“Fear the Flames” by Olivia Darling was everything I had heard about it and more! Since falling down the dragon hoard hole, I’ve been devouring any and all dragon books I could get my hands on. Many were good but I was still missing my next dragon read that would give me the same high that the Empyrean series did. Enter “Fear the Flames.”

This book had it all - an exiled princess seeking revenge against her cruel childhood abusers, a dragon heist, a steamy romance with banter that had me laughing out loud, and found family that was pulling on heartstrings. 

The relationships in the book were expertly crafted. I loved that Elowen had a platonic best friend who supported her through every step of her journey. Her friendships with Ryder and Saskia are fundamental to her after having been alone both during her imprisonment and after as she forged a name for herself in her new kingdom. And then there’s Cayden - our morally gray MMC. He’s possessive, commanding, and has some beef with Elowen - so there’s this love/hate aspect of their romance, even though she’s really given no precedent for why there’s strife between them. But the banter! Elowen and Cayden’s quick-witted, snarky banter made the book!

And then Elowen herself was the cherry on top. I absolutely love and connect with books in which - despite trauma and abuse - the female main character is a badass bitch who lets nothing and no one get in her way of righting those who have wronged her along her journey. Elowen is strong, lethal, and every bit the queen her birth right ensures her to be.

I devoured this book in one sitting - I absolutely LOVED it! I am so excited for the sequel and can’t wait to see where it takes Elowen and her dragons.

Book Review: "The Hunted Heir" by Holly Renee

“The Hunted Heir” by Holly Renee is the second book in the The Veiled Kingdom series. It continues the story right where the first book left off, with Verena, heir to the kingdom, on the run. Not only is she being hunted by her cruel, manipulative father (the king), she is now a person of interest to the rebellion who have since found out her true identity and are looking to use her as leverage against the king. Between the political machinations of two power-hungry men, Verena struggles to keep one step ahead of both enemies. 

Dacre, fresh off the heels of betraying Verena, is now desperately searching for her. Haunted by his feelings for her and the secrets she's hiding, he's racing against time (and his own father) to find her.

The story is filled with thrilling action, intense romance, and shocking revelations. As Verena and Dacre navigate a dangerous world, they must confront their complicated feelings for each other and decide who they can trust.

I had originally rated this book 5-stars, but after letting it sit and percolate a bit, I am bumping that down to 4. The predictability of both the storyline and dialogue were slightly off-putting. I mean, I saw that ending coming so it wasn’t this huge cliffhanger or reveal. Despite Dacre’s minimal character development, I was really disappointed to see that Verena was still making frustratingly stupid decisions. I mean, the whole trusting Eiran thing - really, girl?! This book was also super short in my opinion - and while it was a fast read (I read it in literally one sitting), I wished Renee would have spent some more time teasing out Dacre’s journey to repentance. Like, make him work for that forgiveness!

Despite these minor flaws, I did really enjoy the book. I appreciated the dual-POV and the push and pull of Dacre and Verena’s tension-filled relationship. I do think that Renee has the potential of making book three really incredible if she buffs up the character development (I would love to see Verena really come into her own with her powers).  Overall, a fun, romantasy read that I will likely re-read in the near future!

Book Review: "Illusion of Stars" by Sarah Marie Page

Sarah Marie Page’s “Illusions of Stars" is an intriguing fantasy novel from the first chapter! This debut novel features a masterful blend of fantasy, romance, and intrigue that will leave readers yearning for a sequel.

Our FMC Isabel is a royal physician on a windswept island whose world gets turned upside-down when it’s discovered that her best friend has been murdered. Doctor turned sleuth, Isabel begins looking for answers to her friend’s untimely death and  in the process discovers a cache of letters revealing a terrifying truth: the enemy kingdom has a devastating weapon they wish to release upon the realm. Seeking vengeance for her friend, Isabel infiltrates the enemy’s ranks, looking to woo Erik Lothgarson (the general’s son), gather information, and steal the weapon away. But as she plays spy, her black and white world turns gray and she finds herself under the enemy’s spell.

This book has plenty of tension and suspense. Page skillfully weaves together a complex tapestry of political intrigue, personal loss, and forbidden love. “Illusions of Stars" is filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats. The pacing is perfect, balancing moments of heart-pounding action with quieter, character-driven scenes.

The world-building is impressive. From the tiny island to the raging neighboring kingdom, readers will find themselves transported to a place that feels both magical and ethereal. Page creates a rich and immersive fantasy world filled with unique cultures, magic systems, and political dynamics. 

Page does an excellent job with character development throughout the novel. Isabel, the determined and resilient protagonist, is a character readers can't help but root for. Her journey of growth and self-discovery is inspiring and relatable. The supporting characters, including the enigmatic Erik and the loyal Katrina, are equally well-developed, adding depth and complexity to the narrative. The slow-burn romance between Isabel and Erik - while a delight to see unfold - was not the driving force of the novel, which I deeply appreciate.

“Illusion of Stars” immediately draws readers in with its richly developed world, compelling characters, and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end. Whether you’re a fan of fantasy, romance, or both, this book delivers a delightful blend of adventure and emotion. And don’t worry—the spice level is steamy but tastefully done, with foreplay and build-up rather than explicit on-page scenes.

In summary, “Illusion of Stars” is a banter-filled fantasy with romantic aspects that will leave you eagerly awaiting the sequel. Sarah Marie Page’s elegant prose and engaging storytelling make this a must-read for fans of enemies-to-lovers tales and magical intrigue.