Tag: fantasy adventure

Review:  Dragon Rogue (Riders of Jade and Fire Book 3) by Melanie Ansley

Rating: 4.75⭐️

Ever read one of those books that you just both wanted to scream at when you got to the end and still loved? Yes indeed. 

Welcome to Dragon Rogue, a book of storylines full of deception, betrayal, heartbreaking revelations and bloody violence that ends in a fight with shocking consequences. 

And it starts right off with violence. Jin and her jade dragon are sent off by the Empress, a shady character herself, to kill the Empress’s “evil enemy”, the blood-bonded traitor Mengkhis Lai, rider of a jade dragon himself. 

But things aren’t as simple as it seems. She’s fought him before and he’s let her live. And she’s been having fragmented dreams about her past and the Prince’s birth. It’s a labyrinthine narrative, full of false plots, intriguing stories about dragon natural history, and blood bonding. 

Even the ability to summon ghosts and what it means to the lifespan of the summoner, the author barely touches on the aspect of this element.  And it’s so fascinating and horrifying.

But all the tightly held secrets and connections that are being strung here, ones that feel more like chains than relationships, are the key. It’s well written, suspense filled, and realistic to the point of anxiety. 

Then comes that ending. Amazing. Now to wait until September. 

Fantastic series and great writing.

Highly recommended.

Cover Design: Get Covers

The Riders of Jade & Fire series: 

Night of the Black Dragon (prequel novella) 

Dragon Class #1

Dragon Flame #2

Dragon Rogue #3

Dragon Blood #4 – Sept 2026

Buy link 

        Dragon Rogue: A Clean YA Fantasy Adventure (Riders of Jade and Fire Book 3)

    

Blurb 

Some truths rewrite the past. Others rewrite your soul.

Jin was sent to kill a man while he dreamed.
Instead, she woke a nightmare.

As the empire’s most celebrated dragonrider, Jin thought her mission was simple: assassinate the blood-bonded traitor Mengkhis Lai before he could ever wake from his mage-induced sleep.

But events at the Well of Fire go terribly wrong. Buried with the man she was supposed to kill, Jin begins to question everything—especially when Mengkhis claims the empress meant for them both to die.

Escaping the Well is only the beginning. Injured and forced to publicly lie about killing Mengkhis, Jin must decide whether to trust the word of the man she was trained to destroy—or risk being silenced forever by the empire that made her a hero. When Jin is put into training with the Royal Veil, the empire’s secret police, Jin decides to uncover the truth behind the mission that nearly killed her, and put an end to Mengkhis once and for all.

But the deeper Jin goes, the more she suspects the empress’s motives. Jin uncovers plots, secrets, and a destiny far greater—and more dangerous—than she imagined.

Her enemies want her dead.
Her allies want absolute loyalty, even at the price of love.

And the one person who may hold the answers… is the one she must kill to earn her freedom.

Review: A Rider’s Guide to Dragon Healing (Dragons of Safe Haven #3) by Julia Huni

Rating: 4 ⭐️

 I enjoyed the third story far better than the second, circling back to characters who are older, been worn and in many ways, damaged by their past histories, in the particular case, a shared traumatizing event, caused by one of the main characters. 

A Rider’s Guide to Dragon Healing sees the return of two characters who have had important roles and relationships with the main characters in this series.  

Sarai Lavigne,a Tier One Healer, is dragon rider William Ordell’s sister. Someone who is thought dead by the ruler and Kingdom they both have fled. William and his dragon seeking sanctuary and retirement on Safe Haven, a mysterious island magically hidden from others and inhabited by multiple otherworldly species that coexist together.  She has found her own way to a kingdom currently at war with the one they fled.  She’s a beautifully written, multi dimensional woman, thoughtful, intelligent, whose past life has left its wounds. 

Do I love her? Yes I do.  As much as retired war witch, Calantha Stormbringer, who’s now William’s wife.  The OG couple and story are great. 

Then there’s Tyge de Xerrist, a dragon rider and his wounded dragon Sundri, who have fled the same ruler and Kingdom as William to Safe Haven, seeking help for his dragon who’s in desperate need of healing. Tyge and Sundri have been betrayed and she’s been ordered destroyed. 

So Tyge should be a character we empathize with. But he has a problematic personality and backstory. He kidnapped Sarai previously in another story, and he’s a hot tempered bigot. He’s arrogant and insincere. So, even with a plot line that has him emotionally attached to his wounded dragon, Tyge is still his dragon’s and his own worst enemy.

And it makes him remarkably hard to connect with. I’m with Willam each time he talks to him about his racism/specism towards the islanders and inability to deal. 

The growth of the dragons , including Sundri, their communications and abilities is a joy. As is all the relationships building around them. 

However, I don’t think Huni made a case for Tyge’s character’s makeover here. It’s not credible in the short time frame that he goes from hardcore bigotry to total acceptance of the island’s character and history.  And that the dragons have been able to “talk” directly to their riders all along, which he’s absolutely slow to believe even given proof in front of him. 

So putting aspect aside a not so realistic scenario for Tyge’s redemption, I think it’s a very good story and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Eventually that nasty ol’ Kingdom will notice the dragons. Drama will be coming!

A real winner!

Cover design by David Drummond

Dragons of Safe Haven (4 book series to date):

A Dragon Rider’s Guide to Retirement #1

A Blacksmith’s Guide to Dragon-Rearing #2

A Rider’s Guide to Dragon Healing #3

A Guide to Mermaids and Mountain Trolls #4 – June 29,2027

Buy link 

        A Rider’s Guide to Dragon Healing (Dragons of Safe Haven Book 3)

    

Blurb 

The only thing harder than mending a dragon’s wing is softening his rider’s heart.

Tyge de Xerrist would rather face a Borgonne army on foot than trust his dragon’s life to a witch. But exiled to Safe Haven with Sundri’s wing torn to shreds, the surly rider is out of options.

Sarai Lavigne is a Tier One Healer who has spent years mending the wounds of war. She’s ready to save Sundri, but his rider is her most stubborn patient yet. Even as Sarai and Tyge clash over dragon-lore and ancient grudges, they must work together to get Sundri back in the sky and help Safe Haven’s dragon fire brigade come to full strength.

A cozy fantasy with a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance that won’t steam your glasses. Perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes, A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic, and K.M. Shea’s Magiford books—a tale of scales, soot, and second chances.

IPH Media, LLC

Publication date

June 30, 2026

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Language

‎English

File size

4.6 MB

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Print length

332 pages

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Book 3 of 4

Dragons of Safe Haven

Review:  Dragon Class (Riders of Jade and Fire #1) by Melanie Ansley

Rating: 4.75⭐️

Dragon Class, the first book in the outstanding fantasy series Riders of Jade and Fire by Melanie Ansley, is a book and series that I can recommend across the board for all ages. 

I’ve already read through to the end of third novel and can say this one is very beautifully written series, so well executed and developed that each story exceeds the one prior to it. 

Melanie Ansley, an amazing author I’ve discovered with this book and series, has taken historical figures and history as well as included some of China’s mythology and legends into her world building and characters. 

The Tang Dynasty, its Empress Wu are  facts she drew inspiration from and Aadan is modeled on a Prince Narsieh, who fled to China in 650’s with his father from Persia.  So many of the elements here are based on things that actually existed in China’s “golden age”.  It’s these layers of authenticity that add such richness and depth to this series and to the characters that exist within it. 

The names are in the Chinese language order. Last names come first and what English speakers call first names are listed last when the full name is given. FYI. 

Wang Kway Jin is our main character and she’s a standout among the multitude of similar dragonrider characters and series. The a storyline where Jin, a thief of unknown origins, steals a treasure that’s revealed to be a dragon egg. When it hatches, she and the rare jade dragon, form an illegal bond just before they are caught.

From this point, both Jin the lowly thief and Rayden, the rarest of dragons, fight to retain their bond while navigating the labyrinth of imperial Chinese societal laws and a Empress’s secrets and tightly controlling nature over her power, which includes Jin and her dragon’s future. 

There’s an academy aspect to this, which layers in much of the history of the culture and current political landscape. It’s done so well that we feel a part of Jin’s character as she scrambles to survive in this new complex and dangerous world she’s living in and totally unprepared for. 

The cast is as well executed as every main character. All the personalities continue to evolve and show development as this complicated narrative changes and gives us more secrets and expands into new territories and political disputes. 

Persia, trade agreements, and the lack of dragons outside of the realm as well as how mages are educated and horrifically “created” to help channel their energy.  It’s finely defined, broad in its reach and rich in its design. 

But the emotional heft is beautifully carried by Jin and Rayden in a tightly held dynamic that the reader is absolutely connected to. 

And the more she grows into her role, the darker the she situation becomes. 

Just an incredible story and a cast of fantastic characters. A series that will deepen in the complexity and just get better and better. 

Highly recommended for all lovers of fantasy and dragons. 

Cover Design: Get Covers

The Riders of Jade & Fire series: 

Night of the Black Dragon (prequel novella) 

Dragon Class #1

Dragon Flame #2

Dragon Rogue #3

Dragon Blood #4 – Sept 2026

Buy link

 Book 1 of 3: Riders of Jade and Fire 

Blurb 

A thief without a future.

A dragon born for kings.

A bond that could ignite an empire.

In the shadows of the Tang Empire, Jin survives by stealing from the rich and keeping her head down. Until a single reckless heist binds her to Rayshan—a rare jade dragon destined for royal blood alone.

The bond should have been impossible.

Instead, it marks her as a threat.

Faced with a brutal choice between a lifetime in the mines or competing in the Dragon Class trials, Jin is thrust into the deadly world of the empire’s elite dragon riders.

But dragons choose warriors. Nobles. Men.

Not thieves. Not girls.

As deadly rivalries ignite and dark secrets stir within the palace walls, Jin is drawn into a dangerous world of court intrigue, where a charismatic prince with a talent for manipulation seems determined to keep her close—and a fierce foreign dragon rider understands her in ways no one else can.

But while the Dragon Class trains for glory, unrest is spreading across the empire. A ruthless Minister of War will do anything to see Jin fail, and beyond the empire’s borders, a growing darkness threatens to drag the realm into chaos.

If Jin loses control of the power growing between herself and Rayshan, she could lose far more than her place in Dragon Class.

And if she survives, she may become the spark that sets an empire ablaze.

Perfect for fans of dragon rider academies, slow-burn romantic tension, fierce heroines, and epic fantasy steeped in imperial intrigue. Dragon Class is ideal for readers of “Fourth Wing”, “Eragon”, and “The Lunar Chronicles.”

“An exciting adventure that sinks its teeth into you and doesn’t let go.”

“The most well-written dragon rider book I have read!”

Writing Rooster Media

Publication date

October 25, 2023

Accessibility

Learn more

Language

‎English

Print length

408 pages

Book 1 of 3

Riders of Jade and Fir

Review:  The Dragon’s Thief (Rise of the Golden Dragons Book 1) by Shelby Hild

Rating: 3.75⭐️

The Dragon’s Thief (Rise of the Golden Dragons Book 1) is the first book in a dragon rider’s trilogy by Shelby Hild, another new to me author. This review is going to be used for all three books as it’s about the series as well as the book as I’ve finished reading all the novels.

It’s a fantasy series I quickly read through in one day, each novel a flows through into the next. There’s little romance, some action sequences, political intrigue and lots of drama.

There’s some similarities between The Deagon’s Thief and another well known series. Hild starts each chapter of every book with  ‘writings’ from a current dragonrider who’s using the history of her country as her thesis.  

The focal point of her thesis is the hidden history and heroism of Quincy Durand, the rider of the Golden Dragon, Ezsearo, transcribed from historical records. 

Which makes these chapter “notes” a bit of spoilers for the storylines that follow as we already know what happened. 

I enjoyed Quincy as a young female character. This has the same elements as many other fantasy/dragonrider/academy tales. There’s adversity from higher status students and their parents to a low born person such as Quincy, and her circumstances. But it’s handled pretty well by her character as she adjusts to her new role.

There’s some interesting elements and also some aspects that I found worked against the characters and the overall series. 

The fantasy storylines, the dragon friends, the shards, the otherworldly creatures, all nicely balanced together. I would have liked to have read more about the fairies, wyrms, and different creatures here but unfortunately an underdeveloped political plotline becomes the main series thread. 

While Quincy’s character development moves forward from oldest sibling role helping with her family in her father’s absence to a teenager alone in an academy with a small dragon, learning to cope with political pressures and societal problems, a war on the horizon. Then onto assassin and spy and rider of a golden dragon. Her struggles to find her way feel credible. Especially when dealing with the turmoil within her family and the damage done by her leaving.

The potential for this to have been a better executed or even better developed series is here, imo. Hild did quite a few things that kept that from happening. 

In a story about a dragonrider and her dragon, that dynamic and relationship is oddly absent from a majority of the series.  It’s mostly about Quincy, her off on a variety of missions, leaving her dragon behind. Or having him go somewhere else. Her communication with him is actually less than it is with other dragons. She flies with him, but it’s brief scenes and the descriptions are underwhelming. Which really negates the reason most people are reading this. The dragons , the draw , are maybe a tenth or less of the story.

There’s a weird plot twist about a magical transporter mirror (which took my mind off to warped Disney aspects) and a really weak Queen and King main characters who never believe anything they’re told and left many a SMH moment.

And then curious and repetitive word choices by Hild who can’t find another word for blue eyes other than cerulean. The Queen is constantly looking at you through her “cerulean” eyes, in her many moods. Ditto the King. Maybe their son too. Let’s just say its overuse was noted. Other strange things like Quincy saying “career path “ was just jolting.

And having the villain be sent off to become someone else’s problem rather than actually dealing with someone responsible for the deaths of bonded young people and their dragons to say nothing of the war and the deaths and destruction that caused? That taught nothing. But definitely on par with the weak rulers and the way the narrative is set.

Finally, Hild’s story has disappearing characters like Yohm, Mithy and others who play main roles, and fade away at the end, only to be mentioned in a sentence and be dismissed. 

All these things, positive and negative, are present in each book. The odd, repetitive words, the lack of dragon time in the plot sacrificed to a storyline about a weak Queen and her problems, and just overall narrative choices that kept this from being a better series.

It’s a good series but with notable flaws.   If you want a YA fantasy series with a side order of dragons, check it out. 

Cover design by Sabrina Watts of Enchanted Ink Studio

Rise of the Golden Dragons – 3 books:

  • The Dragon’s Thief’ #1
  • The Queen’s Assassin #2
  • The King’s Spy #3

Buy link 

 Book 1 of 3: Rise of the Golden Dragons 

Blurb 

After a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger in the woods, a simple farm girl is faced with a desperate dilemma. 

Quincy Durand had never planned to become a thief. With her parents both missing, when her younger brother is mortally wounded it falls on Quincy to find a way to save his life. She discovers a possible solution, but the price for help is high: she must steal a dragon’s egg from Dravonya’s acclaimed Silver Wings Academy.

When the egg unexpectedly hatches during the escape, it’s no longer just her brother’s life that hangs in the balance but hers as well as she must prove herself more than just a failed thief.

 

June 30, 2022

Language

‎English

Print length

332 pages

Book 1 of 3

Rise of the Golden Dragons

Review : Long Live Evil (Time of Iron #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan 

Rating: 4⭐️

There’s an interesting trope that has developed that features main female characters who decide, for a variety of reasons, to become a villain. The details leading up to this process depending upon the narrative. Some of these stories are fantastic, some great, some okay, and a few meh in their execution, but the premise has always been interesting. This fits somewhere in the middle.

Long Live Evil (Time of Iron #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan is a really well executed story. The premise, while not completely original, is intriguing and her main character’s dilemma is both relatable and compelling. 

It opens the story with Rae, a young woman in a hospital bed, dying of cancer. With her is her younger sister who reads to her their favorite books, a popular fantasy series, Time of Iron. Rae’s cancer diagnosis has left her with little hope, a failing memory that’s left her unable to read, emotionally depressed and raging at her fate. And oftentimes angry at the very sister trying to support her and stay with her. 

At times this is a very difficult and dark story, for all its realistic scenes and raw emotions. 

Rae has created a natural mental and emotional tunnel vision for herself in order to deal cancer and all the treatments and everything that comes with it. Chemotherapy that’s no longer working, hair loss, body that looks and acts like a skeleton. And an absent mother who doesn’t seem to care. 

One we find out later that is working many jobs because of the extreme expenses of Rae’s cancer treatments and hospital bills, and the fact that the family is losing their home over this. But Rae can see nothing but the fact that she is dying. 

The point is made that Rae has skipped over the very important first part of the series and only really got into it when the Emperor arrives, a villain with a tragic story. He becomes her favorite character. 

Just before her death a mysterious woman arrives and offers Rae a bargain, a quest. She’s to enter into the fantasy realm of the series, becoming a character, completing a quest and then she can return home healed. 

Out of choices, she accepts and winds up as the female villain in the story. The one scheduled to die in the tower. 

It’s clever, often funny and well executed. Especially as it relates to how the cancer has impacted Rae’s outlook and life now affects her relationships with the characters within the fantasy world. 

I’ll give you a hint.  Not well. 

And that’s the thing here. While I absolutely understand Rae, the choices she makes, the reasons why she’s so stunted emotionally in certain situations, so unyielding, it makes her a character whose slow growth is also very frustrating to read about. I don’t agree with her choices or even like her for a majority of the story.

Other characters? Yes, absolutely solid creations and great characters you enjoyed spending time with. 

The author has quite a bit of interesting twists here. One is revealed immediately and I thought it was a great element.  And it’s logical, given the facts laid down by the author and plot lines. I wanted to know more about this aspect of the story. 

Another “reveal” was one I think is easily guessed at by a reader and leads to the haunting conclusion of the story. One that will be resolved in Book 2.  The elements here could be found earlier in so honestly so surprise. But it’s horrifying and poignant at the same time.

I do recommend reading Long Live Evil (Time of Iron #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan. Especially if you’re a fan of the fantasy female villain trope. 

Cover design by Ben Prior | LBBG Cover illustration by Syd Mills 

Map by Rebecka Champion (Lampblack Art)

Time of Iron (2 book series)

Long Live Evil #1)

All Hail Chaos #2

Buy link

 Book 1 of 2: Time of Iron 

Blurb 

This is a tale for everyone who’s ever fallen for the villain … 

When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favorite fantasy series.   

She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He’s impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she’s not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor’s tale.   

So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they’re doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor’s fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.

Includes a Excerpt from How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying copyright © 2024 by Django Wexler 

August 27, 2024

Language

‎English

Print length

464 pages

Book 1 of 2

Time of Iron

Review:  Calculated Whisk (Tales from the Dragon Diner #1) by Lindsay Buroker

Rating:  4 ⭐️

It was the description the got me. 

Rylana is a mercenary who, along with her elf warrior friend, a complicated being herself, returns home after the long war is over. She’s done, retired and looking for a new career as a bookkeeper. 

The only place hiring? The Dragon Diner. Owned and run by, Jildarin, the same dragon she successfully attacked during the war. But he needs her skills to get him out of debt and organized and she needs the money and job. 

And he wants to win the Golden Whisk cooking contest to show that dragons can do more than just be good at terrifying and at war. 

It’s a fun, entertaining read and recipe for a story about enemies to friends. There’s a mystery left unsolved and Rylana is left with a new start, partner and just getting reacquainted with her formidable father.  It’s a story about beginnings and new friends and community.

There’s also a fair amount of talk about sexual activity as some of the recipes have an unintentional impact on certain species with their ingredients. 

The relationship between Rylana and Jildarin, the dragon chef, develops gradually, which is a very natural process between former enemies. I thought that was terrific here. 

The other intriguing character is her elf mercenary who accompanied her home. The reader and Rylana is never quite sure what she’s doing or how she is working there in the town. I’d love to see more of her. 

This is an entertaining story and a definite winner. 

Tales from the Dragon Diner (2 book series)

Calculated Whisk #1

Knead for Speed #2 – June 30,2026

Buy link 

Calculated Whisk (Tales from the Dragon Diner #1) by Lindsay Buroker

Blurb 

The Dragon Diner: Bookkeeper Wanted.

After a lifetime as a mercenary and years of war, Rylana seeks a peaceful new career, and this job looks perfect. What could be calmer and more relaxing than crunching numbers while delightful scents waft from a professional kitchen? 

There’s just one problem. The Dragon Diner is run by a realdragon, one she shot with an arrow during the war. And, oh yes, he remembers her. 

This might not be the relaxing new start to life that Rylana envisioned. 

~

The Tales from the Dragon Diner are perfect for those seeking light-hearted, low-stakes fantasy with quirky heroes. Each story stands alone. Pick up the first today!

Lindsay Buroker

Publication date

May 19, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

298 pages

Book 1 of 2

Tales from the Dragon Diner

Review: The Troll Bridge by Jenny Schwartz 

Rating: 3⭐️

I usually like the writing of Jenny Schwartz but a story like The Troll Bridge highlights the aspects of her storytelling that I think are well done and the elements that I think make her stories underwhelming or perhaps problematic. 

First the positive. This is a story about a young girl, a 6 yr old whose father runs a bar in a small village in a fantasy kingdom . They are unaware of magic until a sorcerer arrives and decides that their bridge should have a troll. Which he “makes “ with his magic and leaves there with certain instructions. 

Turns out Morgana befriends the small stone troll as soon does the village, giving him a name and making him part of their family and community. Even though he’s essentially a slave to the bridge and the sorcerer. 

The description calls them children. No. There’s one human child and a stone boy who’s basically a slave to a mage here. 

When the mage returns, he tells her and her father and villagers that because Morgana has magical powers, she going away to a school where she can be taught to use the power of her powers. Threats ensue. Including those around Peter. 

There’s a whole section about Morgana at the school, being pushed by the scholars towards studying the war mage powers and the long military battles and war that follow. She grows up among losses and the fears of losing Peter whose evolution and manipulation is a major part of the story. 

The battles, the deathly impacts upon her and those fighting, the emotional trauma which is only briefly mentioned, but the physical pain is often accounted for on the page by both sides. 

That I believe is strangely true but the author cannot decide whether to write a fairy tale about a girl who loves a troll or a realistic twisted fairy tale version about war, slavery, its impact on the children they conscript and then consume as battle fodder, then the ramifications after it’s over. 

Instead Schwartz settles on an unrealistic narrative that leaves so many questions unanswered and gives Morgana and Peter an unreasonable HEA.

Spoilers: The King’s sorcerer who sees his creations, bridge trolls, as his slaves to do as he pleases continues on. That he sees Morgana as the most powerful mage next to him in the kingdom would make it unlikely that he would leave her alone. Especially since she “tinkers” with his possession. 

And  Peter treated as a slave such throughout the entire story. Morgana recognized his status as such. When he is made to “disappear “ and is replaced by another, who needs help, does she help him? No. She’s focused on Peter. 

That’s an entire species left behind here that Morgana and Peter have no interest in helping. Sentient beings who have the same potential as Peter .

But the story ends with Morgana and Peter happily married and back in the very village where they began. No serious questions asked about war, or heinous sorcerers, or magic or the other trolls who are still locked under their bridges. 

Yes, i wasn’t happy with this. It wants to include tough subject matter but not examine those subjects too closely. I guess fairy tales aren’t very satisfying anymore. Not when you look closely at  them. 

Three stars for Morgana’s schoolmate who was pulled out of school to go to sea and ended up bitter and in the navy, calling herself Vengeance. 

Buy link

  Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThe Troll Bridge – Schwartz, Jenny: Kindle Store

Blurb 

Magic is her birthright, but she’s fated for war.

Morgana is a witchling child from the Sighaway Forest. Taken to the School of Magic, she is taught healing and charms. As her power reveals itself, she is forced to learn battle magic.

Her best friend, Peter, lives outside the school, under a bridge. The troll boy was created to guard the kingdom.

War is coming.

To those in power, the two children are weapons. But children grow up. A Witch and a Guardian Troll will challenge the Emperor himself – and pay the price.

***

The Troll Bridge is an all-new fairy tale. Those who fight for justice never fight alone.

February 15, 2018

Language

‎English

Print length

215 pages

Review:  Kill the Queen (A Crown of Shards Novel Book 1) by Jennifer Estep 

Rating: 4⭐️

I’d heard Jennifer Estep’s novels and series recommended highly and decided that her Crown of Shards would be a good place to start exploring her writing. It’s more recent release than some other series.  It’s a magical fantasy universe. Unlike her earlier contemporary action thriller series that began in 2010 where elements of that social era seep into narratives of the time.

I liked Kill The Queen. It has great drama, with the Queen, the Royal family and court being massacred at the start of the novel. No spoilers. That’s part of the description. 

The surviving royal family member, a former nondescript woman of no magical powers, Evie Blair, fled to the gladiator troop run by a old friend of the betrayed Queen. There she finds herself with a found family, training and the skills she needs to survive and  revenge the massacre of her family. 

It’s a terrific story with lots of action and interesting characters. The gladiator group is very believable and engaging. And their outfits are imaginative. 

But it has its issues. The magical system isn’t really given much of a structure. It’s just “there”. One person can shoot lightning sort of thing. 

And the romance aspect is really flawed. It’s a instalove relationship but without any chemistry or foundation. Estep wants the reader to believe that Evie, who’s been through a traumatic childhood, then an even more devastating loss of family by massacre, then survival by gladiators now finds herself in love with someone she barely knows. She trusts no one really. But this?

It’s not credible and loses much of its appeal for strength of the character. 

She’s also supposed to be driven by a cold rage that dominates her personality, an aspect of her character we rarely see here. 

I did find her and her journey entertaining reading but remained aware of the issues of the narrative. Something that doesn’t happen when I’m fully engaged in the storyline. 

I’ll probably pick up the rest of the series eventually.  For me, this was good but not great. 

Btw, the description say Gladiator meets Game of Thrones which had me laughing. These over the top blurbs really need to stop with this type of thing.  Just describe your story and leave it at that.   Cause no. It’s not.

Yay for Queen Evie. *giggles *

Map designed by Virginia Norey

Title page art © mashakotcur/Shutterstock, Inc.

Cover design by Alicia Tatone

Cover art by Tony Mauro

A Crown of Shards series:

Kill the Queen #1

Protect the Prince #2

Crush the King #3

Buy link

 Book 1 of 3: Crown of Shards 

Blurb 

Gladiator meets Game of Thrones: a royal woman becomes a skilled warrior to destroy her murderous cousin, avenge her family, and save her kingdom in this first entry in a dazzling fantasy epic from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Elemental Assassin series—an enthralling tale that combines magic, murder, intrigue, adventure, and a hint of romance.

In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

Publisher

Harper Voyager

Publication date

October 2, 2018

Language

‎English

Print length

483 pages

Book 1 of 3

Crown of Shards

The First Crown of Shards Epic Fantasy – A Gladiator’s Reven

Review: Family Ties The Crossroads Chronicles, Book 1 By BR Kingsolver 

Rating: 4⭐️

I enjoyed this book, picking it up first because of its author and then reading the description of an urban fantasy trio of magical grownups siblings caught up in their adventures. 

It has imaginative world building, multiple worlds and intriguing characters that meet the main characters who, as adults, have built and life enormously successful and varied lives from each other. And from their beloved parents too. This isn’t a dysfunctional family, an element I enjoyed. 

The main characters, Diana Smith is a half-fae elf and sword smith who has a shop in the stalls in the Marketplace in the World of Irilor. She’s a Walker, one who can walk the roads between worlds and the Marketplace is at the center of the hub where the intergalactic roads lead to. 

Diana is the oldest of triplets, born to a  father with a Smith’s magic and a mother of fae royalty. Once Diana saw the Great Marketplace at the Crossroads of the Worlds that’s where she decided she wanted to be.  Her siblings had other plans. Her mirror image sister, Karina,  became a scholar in an isolated place devoted to knowledge, while her brother, Bjorn, married a Queen. 

When all three are attacked by assassins, Diana and Bjorn set off to their mother’s Fae realm for answers and a visit to the “family “.

This is entertaining but a little too lacking in any emotional connection. Either between the characters or within the storyline. It’s packed with fae intrigue and political treachery within the fae itself court. Plenty of murders, mystery, and bloodshed to go around. But any feeling of actual caring is lost or not looked for. Indeed, some very disturbing types of inter family relationships are noted here as examples of common practice or consenting behavior within the Fae community and culture. 

It’s briefly mentioned and then onto other topics.  I think that this is an issue here where there’s so much overlap of important information and too little exploration of the history behind all the regions and politics that the reader really has nothing to connect with.

We get briefly acquainted with Bjorn’s family and wife, the Queen. But again, no background on him other than one mention by Diana that he’s the most dangerous person she knows. But she says that at the beginning of their journey and we actually never see this side of him. He’s extraordinarily handsome and the fae women at court are all enamored with him, but the most dangerous man? Where’s he?

It’s too much “as told to”. And the actual action is fast paced but without any narrative context.  Their journey and this entire aspect of the story is wrapped up way too quickly and the resolution happens “off page”.

The ending of the book returns to an entirely different aspect of Diana’s life. And it doesn’t really ring true.

I feel this was a fun read but I have found others that she has written more enjoyable. I may return to this series later on. 

Cover art by Lou Harper

Crossroads Chronicles 

Family Ties 

Night Market 

Ruby Road

Buy link

 Book 1 of 3: Crossroads Chronicles 

Blurb 

Sometimes family is there to love you, and sometimes family is there to kill you… 

When a man came into my shop in the Great Marketplace at the Crossroads of the Worlds and tried to kill me, it completely ruined my day. Not only did I have to clean up the blood, but disposing of his body made me late to meet my friends for drinks.

A nagging little detail kept bugging me, though. As he died, he said he was hired by my mother’s family—people I hadn’t seen for more than a decade. Then I discovered that assassins had made attempts on my brother and sister as well. As much as I didn’t want to, I decided I should find out who wanted us dead, and put a stop to it.

Talk about stepping out of the pan into the fire…

date

February 27, 2022

Edition

2nd

Language

‎English

Print length

280 pages

Book 1 of 3

Crossroads Chronicles

Review: Legends and Librarians (Legends and Librarians  #1)  by Pandora Pierce

Rating: 4.25⭐️

Honestly, it had me at a librarian who’s going to restore a magical library.  I’m in. 

I kept hearing a certain librarian saying “I am a librarian “ as I was reading the story. And being completely delighted by such whimsical fantasy creatures as neglected tiny free libraries who hopped on their stakes like wooden puppies when seeing new books.  The joy flew off the page and made these little decrepit boxes full of life and wonder.  They became one of my favorites here. 

Among so many offerings found in the abandoned Misty Mountain Library’s shelves, and now alive characters of the books that live on the shelves.  Tiny dragons and knights, amongst them. 

All waited for years for someone to return to help them. 

Ah what a journey and a struggle for librarian Nyssa to get the library to forgive and accept her. And then another battle with the town that the old library up the mountain is as magical and beautiful as anything else around. 

This is an imaginative, fantasy story that has so many great elements to it. Storybooks and their characters come to life, a library that has feelings and has been not just neglected but hurt. And a librarian returning home. 

It’s not perfect. There’s several things that need more attention or exploration of their history to feel complete. Mostly it’s the secondary human characters who come off as one dimensional , especially when the little free magical libraries are so small and lively that they are more credible, adorable, and funny. I want one. 

The second novel features a one of the characters from the books that were waiting for the librarian when she came up the Mountain. He’s quite the personality.  Looking forward to reading his novel. 

Beautifully illustrated and rich in detail. I love these covers. 

Cover Design: The Book Brander Boutique 

Interior Illustrations: Della Claire

Legends and Librarians (2 book series):

Legends and Librarians #1

Myths and Manuscripts #2

Buy link

        Legends and Librarians: A Cozy Fantasy Bound with Love

    

Blurb 

At the Misty Mountain Library, stories don’t just sit on shelves—they leap right off the page.

When Nyssa returns to the magical library she adored as a child, it’s not quite how she remembered it. A wild magic storm has brought the books to life, leaving her to repair the library while wrangling tiny dragons, even tinier knights, a grumpy demon lord, and so much more.

With the Tales and Tomes Festival just around the corner, Nyssa needs the library ready for its grand reopening or it might disappear for good. But with the story spirits causing playful chaos, and the townsfolk convinced it’s haunted, she’ll need help bringing the magic back.

Roan, a wandering adventurer, takes the job expecting danger but instead finds himself charmed by the library and by Nyssa. As they prepare for the festival, they’ll learn that restoring the library isn’t just about fixing what’s broken, it’s about building something new, together.

Legends and Librarians is a cozy fantasy full of found family, whimsical magic, and the warm feeling of discovering where you truly belong.