All the King’s Traitors

Over a thousand years have passed since the first Godstones ripped through the skies and mangled the earth. With their fall came centuries of chaos and destruction, but also immense power.

Power that separates humans from Gods.

Now, in the Kingdom of Azanthea, two adoptive brothers flee from unjust conscription.

A fugitive struggles to truly be free.

A double-crossing warrior must choose where his allegiances lie: with his wife or with his daughter.

A traitorous heir to the Kingdom’s throne roams the lands in search of an army to call his own.

A prodigy in the House of Historian competes in a grueling trial to prove her loyalty.

And one God-King rules over them all.

Review

I recieved a free copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure of this book when I first started. But after a couple of chapters in I was hooked. The idea of the godstones was a fantastic concept. I found it very interesting and loved the setting. It was well thought out and I found myself wanting to visit there ( a sign of a great world for me).

The characters were great, I found that each one brought somethign new and exciting to the story, but I thought there was too many POV’s. I found a little disorrianted at times. I would have also liked an indication at the beginning of chapters which character was the MC, especially since they sometimes travelled together. I loved the varied backgrounds and personalities.

The God-King was a character I would like to know more about, he obviously spread fear throughout the kingdom but since he hadn’t been seen in a few years in seemed a little odd to me. I am hoping for more in the next book.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and read it quite quickly. I am very much looking forward to the second one andhoping it’s out soon. The ending shocked me, me it’s not very often there’s a twist that I did not see coming (without out making me angry) This was a small but very interesting twist.

4 out of 5 stars

 

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First Howling ( Lycan Academy #1)

My first shift unleashes me. Mating one won’t be enough.

The Volkov Four are the hottest guys at the Lycan Academy. A school just for wolf shifters, all of whom are genetic shifters except one. Me. I’m a bitten wolf, one whose story does not have the history of any of the others.

Shifters have one rule.
Thou Shalt Not Bite a Human.
But someone did, as evidenced by the deep scar on my thigh. And my sudden interest in breakfast meats.

Every girl at the Lycan Academy would jump at the chance to date any of the Volkov brothers. They’ve never shown a female any romantic intentions. But, for some unfathomable reason, they have turned their attention—all of them—to me.

These shifter girls’ claws come out when they realize the brothers have a taste for me. They bark, but I don’t think they´ll bite—hopefully.

But they’re nothing compared to the shadow that hangs over the entire academy. A force nobody wants to talk about but whose evil can be felt in the corners of the ancient structure. The professors hint at it, the students speak of it in whispers…and I feel a chill in the marrow of my bones whenever I pass a certain hallway. It would be easier to protect myself if I knew more, but nobody will tell me.

The Volkovs insist they’ll make sure I’m safe, but it’s not enough. After all, I don’t even know which one is mine because I want them all.

With each passing day the shadow grows. Soon it will encompass the school and everyone in it. Maybe even more than that.

Review

I have seen quite a few reverse harem books about and since this was short I decided to what the fuss was about. The writing was not great to be honest, with a little work it couldm be much better, it kind of feels like a first draft that has not been amended. The fantasy side was good, I liked the take on werewolves or Lycan. Nothing completely new but a little different to anything I have read.

The pacing of the story was good, for a short book I liked it but the school dynamic seemed odd. For such a strict school it seemed weird that they let three men live off campus and a female student spend the night with no issue. There was only a very small sex scene in this book, which was the part I am most unsure about. I do not mind sex in books but there has to be chemistry, can she have chemistry with four guys at once, maybe we will see in the next book, which I am going to read.

Overall I liked it, I did swither a lot on what rating to give it, but I decided the writing did not put me off enough to rate it 3 stars.

4 out of 5 stars

ARC Review: The Raven and the Dove

A princess longing to be free…

On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.

A bastard aching to belong…

Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.

Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart…

Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.

Review

I recieved a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book really excited me. It’s the kind of book that I love and go into bookstores looking for. I was not disappointed. I like the writing style it flowed really well. I sometimes struggle when the POV changes because if there’s a character I dislike I stop the book (i.e why I never finished Game of Thrones). But I loved all the characters, they all brought something new and fresh to the setting.

Rafe was probably my favourite, he knew where is loyalties lay and tried his best to stick to them, but I loved the way he fought against his feelings. It was a good way to get to know the relationships. I loved the setting, it sounded so beautiful. I really would love to visit the world. It all made sense, unlike some fictional worlds I can see how the political side came into play.

I did find the ending a little bit rushed and have no idea how it’s going to be continued in the next book, as a few things just came out of no-where with no warning, but they should give some exciting surprises in the next book.

4 out of 5 stars

Across the Fourwinds

Most high school grads hold a world of opportunity in their hands. Will and Morgan hold the fate of two worlds.

Since his mother’s tragic accident, Will has been a loner. And for good reason: he claims to see strange creatures emerging from the forest near his home. Ostracism is a way of life until he meets Morgan, a fencing champion with everything going for her—except a dark family secret.

In pursuit of answers, these unlikely friends enter the forest and discover a magical kingdom threatened by a powerful enemy. When a young sage reveals their true identities, Will and Morgan join a small but courageous resistance on a quest to save the Fourwinds.

Can friendship and hope stop the swelling tide of destruction from breaching the portal into our world?

Across the Fourwinds is the first book of the Maidstone Chronicles, a page-turning YA fantasy series. If you enjoy escaping to magical worlds, swashbuckling action, and homespun heroes, you’re in for an exciting adventure with this epic tale by Shane Trusz and Darryl Frayne.

Review

I recieved a free copy of this book via booksirens in exchange for an honest review.

I am finding this review hard to write. I found the first 20% very boring and not very exciting. Once they get into fourwinds, it gets a little more exciting. The reason I am finding this hard to write is that I cannot find any reason for not liking this book, it’s mainly personal preference. The writing style was good but I really struggled to pick it back up once I had put it down.

The characters were good, I would have liked a little more information on them. I liked Fourwinds it was an interesting world, although I did lose track a little of the politics.

Overall this book was not for me. But I do recommend people give it a try.

3 out of 5 stars