Until All Curses are Lifted

The laws are enforced by magic.
If you break the law, you’re cursed.
But the rich and powerful twisted the laws to allow for… exceptions.

Marshal has been cursed since birth for his unknown father’s crimes. When he discovers he’s also heir to immense magical power, he must flee for his life. His half-brother wants the power for himself and has hired an assassin to pursue Marshal and his mother. No one has ever escaped from a curse, but it’s the only way for Marshal to be truly safe.

Seri wants to become the most powerful mage in history. But the magic that holds the world together is failing and no one knows why. While the ground itself shakes, someone begins murdering mages. In danger from all directions, Seri must learn how to use her unique abilities before everything falls apart.

Neither of them know they are being watched from another realm…

Review

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

I found this really interesting book. I had no idea where it was going and loved it! It did not fall under any usual rules and was nothing like I had every read before. The concept of people being cursed when commiting a crime, was very clever, it was interesting how people treated each other with this hanging over their heads. There was also bindings which happened if you saved someone’s life or helped them in a significant way, you were bound to them until they managed to repay the favour. The bindings seemed almost as cruel as the curses since they could not go too far from the person who saved them.

Marshal was a great character, it was interesting reading about a character who can not communicate in almost anyway. But since you see his POV you can see he is a smart person, which I found very good. It was fun to see how people treated him but he was still a great person and didn’t hold it against anyone.

Siri was fun to read about, she loved learning and discovering mysteries. I loved her new type of magic. I am looking forward to seeing where her story goes in the next book.

THere is plenty of places this can go and I cannot wait to read the next book.

4 out of 5 stars

Winter by Winter

When the enemies of King Ragnar destroy Ladda’s village, she’ll do anything it takes to lead the survivors to safety—even agreeing to marry the king himself. But Ragnar and Ladda both quickly discover that there’s more to her role than that of queen. As she assumes the burden of shield maiden and admiral of the Swanfleet, guiding her own ships among Ragnar’s, her calling to battle becomes clear. She’s been chosen, blessed by the goddess Skathi, and her enemies will fall before her blade… Winter by Winter brings to life Hladgertha, the historical teenage Viking pirate queen from the Chronicles of Saxo, and presents a heroine whose cunning and heart resonate across the centuries.

Review

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

Netgalley had labelled this as fantasy and historical fiction. There was not any fantasy. Lots of historical fiction though. There were some myths and legends, not any that I was familiar with, they were quite interesting but if you not familiar with them there wasn’t much detail.

The story was good but a little bland for me. There was some action but it fell a little flat. There was no proper exciting description. It just felt rushed and a little contrived.

Ladda was a little odd for me. She was young, yet without really doing much she became the leader of the tribe and at times left her 12 year old sister to lead. Just felt very odd to me. The setting was good but I never really felt I knew where we were. There were lots of nationalities and countries mentioned, that it were just jumbled together (that might have been just me though).

I did enjoy the story but I was never excited to go back, I only finished it because it was a review book.

3 out of 5 stars

ARC Review: Moonscript

“It is said that Darkness is empty and whatever vanishes into its depths is lost forever. I know this better than anyone. For I have suffered here in the shadows, and there are none who might find me.”

Seventy years. Seventy years the elven prince has been lost to the darkness, assumed dead by his people and endlessly broken for a book that connects to the hidden realm of his ancestors, a land untouched by evil.

And now a light in the shadows. A chance for freedom. But those willing to help him come from the unlikeliest of worlds.

The orphan girl, yearning for a loving family, and the boy who won’t leave her side. A healer maiden given an unexpected chance for a life beyond narrowed expectations. A grieving creature flown far from home.

They all search for something and now their fates are tied to his. If their quest for life can pull him from the dark mire in which his soul drowns, then perhaps he can be saved.

Or else he will drag them all down to a fate worse than death.

Review

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

There was alot to this book. I felt it was quite long and not all of it needed, some of it dragged. It felt like it went back and forth between characters too much, some only getting a paragragh before being changed again. There also was no indication that it was goign to change character, which made it confusing at times.

But there was alot I liked about this book too. Tellie was an amazing character, seemed a little older than 13 but since she had gone through alot it made sense. Kelm was a little of an unknown, there wasn’t much to his character other than he was there.

The setting was good. I enjoyed the different places but a little more description would have been better. I really did enjoy the story it was full of surprises and lots exciting new creatures and races. I am not sure if they are from legends or not, but they were very creative and really fun to read about.

The story ended really well, everything was wrapped up. I do not know what will happen in book two. If I happen to see it I might buy it and read it but I won’t be keeping an eye out for it.

Overall an exciting read.

3 out of 5 stars

The Apprentice Sorceress

A lady does not raise her voice.
A lady does not tear her gowns.
A lady does not contradict a gentleman.
A lady does not practice magic…
Until now.

Lady Violette has done everything she can to be a perfect lady in waiting to the royal princess of Jerdun. She’s followed the princess halfway across the world and lived through a war. Now the princess is stranded in a foreign city as an enemy army draws near, and Violette is stranded with her.

As more refugees from the conflict pour into their city every day, tension mounts between various factions, and a strange powers begin to stir inside Violette. A magic that protects her, but also seems impossible to control. Magic is not a womanly art, after all, and if anyone should learn of Violette’s powers she could lose her standing in society, her reputation, perhaps even her place at the princess’s side.

The only one she trusts with her secret is Ned, an impish squire and fellow refugee from the war. Instead of being repulsed by her powers, Ned admires Violette. For her part, she can’t deny the attraction she feels for Ned, but he has secrets he refuses to share, a wall that he keeps up between them.

Still, Ned helps Violette finally master her powers, but even mastery has its price when an unscrupulous nobleman looks to use Violette for his own purposes. Torn between serving her princess and saving herself, Violette will have to decide how deep the bonds of loyalty run, and just how much she’s willing to sacrifice for her own happiness.

Review

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

This book was well thought out, it was a sweet story about magic and lady who is bound to do what she is told rather than what she knows is right. I found the whole book very intrigueing although I would have liked a little more magic.

I liked Violette although I was a bit confused about her age, she was meant to be 16 I think but had already been married and widowed? She was a little rash at times but it made an interesting read.

The setting was good but I would have liked a little more description. Also the war, I am not sure if it was described in the previous book in the series, since as far as I am aware it’s a series but they are all stand alones. I would have liked a little more insight into the war.

Overall I found it a very interesting read.

4 out of 5 stars

ARC Review: Join or Die

A group of outcasts, struggling to survive in a school filled with monsters.

An average kid, growing up in Las Vegas, Alex Ayers life skids off the rails when a dragon shifter comes for him. Alex is a Creature, monsters from myths and legends. And he’s in line to lead all the Creatures in the world, if he doesn’t get killed first.

Now forced to attend a school filled with every horror he’s ever imagined, Alex draws together a group of friends to become his own mini-army.

A depressed vampire facing an identity crisis.

A class gossip with white hair and a frosty outlook.

A werewolf who plays with magic.

A Valkyrie straining against her berserker’s rage.

Can Alex keep his friends safe, fight for his own life, and catch a killer, all while keeping his grades up? And what will his future hold, as he begins his change into a Creature he knows nothing about?

Review

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

It took me a little while to get into this book, but I am finding that with all books just now so mostly likely just me. I liked learning along with Alex, it as fun book with some serious aspects. A group of kids put into a dangerous school or situation is nothing new but the scion idea was a new one on me. I still don’t fully understand it but I am hoping that in the next book all that will be explained.

Alex was a great main character, he took to the odd situation really well. I liked how he handled himself, he did feel a little older than the 14 he was meant to be. The other characters were a bit meh for me, felt like they were there just to make up numbers.

The great hunt was very good. I really enjoyed that part. It was probably the most exciting part for me. I raced through the whole hunt in one sitting and was almost late to work.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, I have pre-ordered book two and cannot wait to read it.

4 out 5 stars

Death Warden

A teenage assassin. An impossible choice. The fate of everything hangs in the balance…

Sixteen-year-old Reen swore she’d never take another life. Divinely selected to assassinate a few in order to save many, she learned to jump from shadow to shadow and claim her victims without question… until she was ordered to kill the boy she loved. But when an ancient plague returns threatening to infect everyone she knows, she is forced to resume her deadly duties.

Battling a disease that turns people into nightmarish monsters, Reen must track down and terminate those responsible before the city falls, and the evil spreads beyond its borders. But the closer she gets to the source, the more she uncovers sinister secrets that will shake the foundations of her world and everything she believes.

Can Reen defend her realm without losing her soul?

Review

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

This book was very unique, yes assassins are nothing new but they way the victims were chosen was very different and very interesting. I loved Reen, she was a great main character, I loved seeing the story through her eyes. The different time lines were interesting. I liked learning how Reen got to where she was in the present timeline of the story.

I actullay did like knowing Erend was going to die before we were really introduced to him, I had fun guessing how and why he was going to die. I did find him too similar to Bastien though, it just seemed a little lazy to me.

I liked how the monsters were kinda zombies but never described as such, which was good for me since I don’t really like zombie books. Also they were not the main point of the story. There was a lot more too it. Cron was Kronk from the Emporers new Groove (in my head anyway).

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would read more from this author.

4 out of 5 stars

The Great Snapping Turtle Adventure

“Ain’t it a beaut?” said the old woman…

When Fred takes stepsons Max and Charles to Elliott Island for a day of crabbing, none of them are expecting to encounter anything out of the ordinary. But all bets are off when you drive out that long narrow road to the End of the World.

An old woman gives them a giant snapping turtle to sell, and their day gets weird. And when they stumble across the same woman’s gravestone–with her death date inscribed, but hidden in the ground–their trip becomes stranger still.

As every answer leads to more questions, what starts as a “Boys’ Day Out” becomes an adventure that will not soon be forgotten.

Review

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

This book is described as a mystery, but I honestly did not get that from this book at all. It was well written and a nice family adventure of sorts. Would be a nice read for younger readers, it’s something I would have read in primary school.

The characters were good although they seemed younger than they were meant to be. It was a little slow for my personal preference but for the age range it is aimed at it’s perfect.

Overall it was a fun mix for family values and fun adventures.

3 out of 5 stars

Crowns of Croswald

In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret…

For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic––and her life––is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.

Review

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

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, full of magic, full of lots of exciting stories. The detail was fantastic, really well put together. Although I did feel Ivy acted like she was 12 rather than 16. The school sounded really fun and a place I would love to study. The story was a little full on at times but I loved how there wasn’t a boring moment, always something new to learn and fall in love with. Although the pace could do with a little slowing.

Fyn was a great character, would like to see more him and to see what he is hiding. He seems to be turning up to often for it to be random. As is often with magic school books, rules are often gotten around easily for the sake of the story.

Ivy was an interesting main character, we got to learn with her, which is my favourite type of story. She did get a little obsessive with Derwin Edgar Night but I liked how she was the only person who could remember him. Theories were swimming around my head as to what was going.

The ending scene in the ballroom was the best scene in the whole book for me. I loved it.

Overall a really good introduction to a new series.

4 out of 5 stars

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

 

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