Tag: LGBTGIA fantasy romance

Review: Tournament Mage (Fledgling God Book 5) by Michael Taggert

Rating: 5 🌈

It’s been since February 27, 2022 when I read the fabulously horrifying book Buried Mage, fourth in Michael Taggert’s wildly imaginative, densely packed and beautifully detailed fantasy series, Fledgling God.

So seeing that Taggert had finally released another book in the series is a great joy and, one that takes a bit to remember all that has happened in the previous novels as it’s been a while .

This is a series I think might be worth waiting for all the books to be published and then binge reading them all together . You might be absolutely book drunk at the end but you’ve had the most amazing experience and it’s been a journey you will remember.

Individually, each book stops and starts right after the other has ended. Taggert’s picking up his narrative as though there’s been no interruption. Such as having to write another book!

Honestly, I seem to overlook things here that otherwise would normally make me narratively have issues with the story simply because the of the incredible ideas, the wildly wackadoodle flights of imagination that are the hallmarks of this author and series.

Every character. Including the House of House Louisville has a uniquely fascinating personality. One that continues to grow and deepen throughout the series in surprising ways. It’s not just about the characters. It’s magical charms and crystals, Marks and soul creations like tiny Miners and Surfers, and more importantly, each type of being that two of the mages, Jason and Annabeth, encounter here or create, vividly come to life on the page and mean something special to the reader. It’s a uniquely beautiful and powerful cast of characters that , from bugs to crystals to enslaved mages, they draw the reader inside the story and whatever small sections they inhabit.

This time the focus is primarily narrowed down to Jason and Annabeth, although we do get some new information about the other three members of the House. They have to enter a contest and what a contest it is . The book ends before the contest is finished. It’s simply epic. A giant quest, a RPG with real teams and on a planet where things can kill your team. Sort of.

I can’t begin to explain what this is about. And normally I’d say that Taggert has too much laid in his story that slows down his narrative . But I can’t. Every crazy, zany, over-the-top scene this author has thought of and written, and I’m talking Tim Gunn narrating a male fashion show for Jason type of insanity, and I’m totally committed. I’m 100 percent invested.

And he does this over and over. And it works. Wild side trips here and there, junkets to vaults, it’s just so fun or personal and imaginative while sticking with the same theme and emotions. It keeps the reader connected and fascinated and thrilled with everything that is happening.

Then, boom . We need to wait for the next one to come. Sigh. Which I will.

Taggert does a small book by book recap at the beginning but it’s not even close to what happened. So do think about what type of reader you are and the experience you want to get into here.

Either way, these books are a must read.

Love the cover.

Fledgling God:

Misfit Mage #1

Melee Mage #2

Gathering Mage #3

Buried Mage #4

Tournament Mage #5

Buy link:

Tournament Mage: Fledgling God: book 5

Blurb:

After all of their adventures, the crew of House Louisville was ready to sit back and take it easy. But a surprise visitor informed them they owed millions of pearls to the Bank.

He was willing to take them all as indentured servants for the Bank and let them work decades to pay off their debt. That would mean splitting up the House, though, and nobody was willing to let that happen.

To save the House, and to stay together, Jason and Annabeth find themselves in a tournament they must win. Because one thing is for sure, the Bank doesn’t play around!

• Publication date: May 18, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 940 pages

Review: Enchanting Exposition (Demon Magic Book 4) by Alice Winters

Rating: 5🌈

“The scream that explodes from within Menace would put a dying banshee to shame.”

So begins Enchanting Exposition, book four in Alice Winters’ marvelous fantasy romance series.

If this is the last in the Demon Magic series, then I’m going to be sad because I absolutely love this universe. But I’ll also be very satisfied because of the way Winters has left the all characters, ok maybe most, happily settled in their lives. All after a wildly terrifying, exhilarating, and emotional adventure that brings the original Geoff narrative to a close.

Geoff, the fiendish mage whose diabolical plans is at the very heart of so much misery and death, will be the basis for much of the story here. The author weaves in all the many painful backgrounds of the characters , established beings and new characters, so that this series arc can finally end. It’s powerful, imaginative, certainly has the hallmarks of the Winters’ take with humor and terror intermixed, along with a great deal of romance and love. Not just between Havoc and Miles. That’s front and center, and totally entertaining.

What else is outright hilarious? Menace and his reactions to Cottontuff. More , love this.

And Marco. Somehow, Marco (my beauty is my contribution) and Lachlan’s developing relationship is everything this book. Along with Evan, Etienne, Dyame combo, even Nicco. Not sure who else I’ve left out, someone I’m sure. Everyone showed up and it was absolutely scarily splendid!

We get a great new character and I’d really love to see more of him . There’s an interesting dynamic we’re left with that needs to be explored.

Miles and Havoc? Happy! So so happy.

Enchanting Exposition (Demon Magic Book 4) by Alice Winters is a must read and fabulous book. It’s a definite recommend in a series I deeply enjoyed. Read them all!

Demon Magic

✓ Happy Endings #1

✓ Familiar Beginnings #2

✓ Malicious Midpoint #3

✓ Enchanting Exposition #4

Buy link

Enchanting Exposition (Demon Magic Book 4)

Blurb

Maybe it wasn’t my best idea to draw dark magic into myself to save a friend… but it’s definitely not my worst (don’t ask Havoc what that was). The first thing on our list of “Save Miles from the Dark Magic That Might Be Making Him Do Ridiculous Things” is to destroy the ominous book that’s snagging my attention. But what I don’t expect is to be dragged into the book filled with dark mysteries that leaves me with more questions… and a lack of pants.

But it’s nothing that Havoc and I can’t handle. The two of us have proven that our relationship is strong enough that we can face anything life throws at us, so I think we can handle a measly book… maybe… I mean, so far it may look like we’re not winning, but that’s just because it’d be boring if heroes won immediately.

And it’s not like we have to fight this battle alone, especially with an awe-inspiring dragon familiar who is forced to face his greatest adversary (a common housecat), a narcissistic angel who comes with a sword that compliments every cut made, a centaur who always manages to look like he’s on the set of a cologne commercial, and… Etienne (whatever he is).

With the demon I love by my side and my found family, we’re going to stop this darkness before it spreads. But doing so might unveil some things we never expected.

• Publication date: May 21, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 317 pages

Review: Hunted (Into the Wyldewood Book 2) by Rowan McAllister

Rating: 3.75🌈

It’s been a while since I read the first book in the series, Hexes and Horns, so getting back into this universe needed prompting from the author for necessary foundation work.

There’s some really good elements here and some I feel need better explanation or more detail to feel complete.

The characters are terrific. The mixed pack of shifters trying to pull it together on the edge of an uneasy otherworldly boundary situation is a great element. It adds so much natural tension and believable shifting pack dynamics that I wish we’d had more of this aspect of the story. From Grammy, CJ, and various other pack members, the rawness and energy of this stressful scene came through perfectly.

Especially with its Alpha, Angel Velasquez, who has his own struggles to overcome, along with the otherworldly dealings and beings to deal with to ensure that the pack is safe. That includes murky agreements with one of the Fae over someone Angel has agreed to give sanctuary to.

That’s the mysterious Dafydd. His story and background very slowly reveals itself, almost too slowly. We figure out pretty quickly what type of being he is but not why he’s in danger.

That background is extremely difficult to understand and too complicated for the events that follow. It’s not well laid out narratively nor are all the vague clues as to his species history or strangely mysterious individuals that are important to this aspect of the story but without any firm foundation.

It’s frustrating that we get great characters but holes in the storylines and universe building when needed.

Like an unacknowledged mate bond. Why not just go ahead and cement that aspect of their relationship? It made no sense to leave it as one more cloudy element .

I enjoy this author and find she very imaginative and entertaining. This book has many good elements, enough to make it an enjoyable read.

Into the Wyldewood:

Hexes and Horns #1

Hunted #2

Buy link

Hunted (Into the Wyldewood Book 2)

Blurb

Keeping their distance is the safest path, but sometimes magic and the heart make other plans.

For pack alpha, Angel Velasquez, every day is a struggle to keep his head above water. Between running his bar, paying back a mountain of debt, and protecting his pack from dark witches, the Fae, and anyone else just waiting for a sign of weakness, he already has more than he can handle. The last thing he needs is a refugee from Faerie dumped in his lap, no matter how sweet and sexy he might be. But when an elven prince calls in a debt, refusal is not an option.

Dafydd hates keeping secrets almost as much as being seen as a burden. A dragon is supposed to be fierce, proud, and self-reliant. Betrayed by those he thought he could trust most and forced to run from the only home he’s ever known, he isn’t feeling very dragonly. Is it any wonder Angel can’t see him as an equal, someone worthy of his time and possibly his affection?

As Halloween approaches and their bond grows despite every reason it shouldn’t, what will they risk to protect each other when the real hunt begins?

Hunted is an over 100k slow burn romance featuring a cinnamon roll of a dragon, a grumpy alpha, meddling pack, mysterious neighbor and a guaranteed HEA. Each book of Into the Wyldewood can be read separately but are best experienced in order.

Review: The Potion Gardener (Flos Magicae) by Arden Powell

Rating: 4🌈

Whenever Arden Powell decides to dive back into the Flos Magicae universe they created, the results are always going to be narratively interesting, full of unexpected surprises, magical elements, and incredible moments of emotional growth. Whether the person’s thoughts are turned inward towards self examination, or outside towards their new surroundings and the possibilities that may arise from their new situation, we see clearly what they are thinking and feeling. And then it’s reality intruding, in a magical world, and hard choices to make.

The story and its elements has a natural flow to it, however fantastical the nature of the world and wild some of the aspects to the details.

In this case, Arden Powell’s magical world follows the story of the idle, wealthy young person, Flora Mulberry. Flora, who’d announced to the family at a very young age that they were a boy (it had been ignored), was fleeing London and a two romantic involvements.

This is the story of how Flora found he was or always had been Florian Mulberry on his magical journey to fulfillment and a new future. That Florian finds it stranded on a farm owned by an Irish potion witch in Hertfordshire is a fantastic element. Kells and her grumpy little dog, Grim,are my favorite characters of the story. Kells is beautifully straight forward, a great character who can be so easily visualized, with Grim by her side, working in her lab and potions or in her sheds in the gardens. She’s real and grounded in her natural world.

It’s Florian I often find myself having issues with. One of the reasons, many reasons, Florian is fleeing their old life is because Florian has become romantically involved their two best friends. One a woman and the other a man. The three of them are longtime friends and Florian has been, sort of, having romantic relations with both to the point that their families are expecting engagements. So Florian was supposed to choose and it would have hurt the other, not that that person would know. So, knowing that they’ve disappeared before for a time and no one, meaning family, has had cause to raise alarm, Florian flees.

Powell does a sensitive, and layered job of letting the reader understand the jumbled inner thoughts and emotions that the person who becomes Florian has before they embark upon their journey that sees them end up in a shed.

We absolutely get their state of mind, and the impetuous decisions that see them asking Kell to let them stay and learn about farming and hard manual labor. Something they’ve never done before. This physical and mental (and emotional) adjustment to their state of mind as well as the magical one to their body, is a terrific aspect of the book. Love it and the slowly growing relationship between Florian and Kells.

But what of those other friends? While all this is going on, those were abandoned to their fears and absolutely not knowing what happened to the person who, at the very least, was supposed to be their best friend . This is addressed in a few inadequate sentences towards the end and then they are dismissed.

It makes me think less of the character and the plot overall. Why have them there if this is how they are going to be treated? The friends and that history isn’t explained or fully understood. It’s a few sentences at the beginning. And the same at the end. And only serves to make Florian look a tad selfish.

So The Potion Gardener (Flos Magicae) by Arden Powell isn’t my favorite of the intriguing Flos Magicae series but it’s always an interesting and thoughtful read.

Include this on your TBR list.

Flos Magicae series and related universe books:

◦ The Bachelor’s Valet

◦ A Novel Arrangement

◦ A Thief and a Gentleman

◦ Of Socialites and Prizefights

✓ The Potion Gardener

✓ The Botanist’s Apprentice

✓ Winter’s Dawn

✓ The Solstice Cabin

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Potion…The Potion Gardener (Flos Magicae) – Kindle

Blurb

Desperate to escape a messy romance, Florian Mulberry flees London: tipsy, panicked, and without a plan. It’s while hiding in a rural garden shed that he meets Kells, a potion witch, who agrees to shelter him in exchange for manual labor until he gets his life together. Leaving his pampered London existence to work on a secluded cottage farm is a shock, but Florian throws himself into it with passionate determination.

And it’s not just gardening he’s passionate about. In no time, Florian falls head over heels for his skillful, hardworking mentor.

There’s just one problem. Florian is only disguised as a boy, and the enchantment hiding his real body is going to wear off. Florian’s main concern is how to explain himself when it happens. He’s definitely not a girl, but he’s not entirely a boy, either. With all the magic in Kells’ garden, there must be a way to achieve his ideal androgyny.

However he looks, Florian will have to face his past if he wants a future with Kells. Even if he avoids London forever, eventually his past is going to come looking for the girl he used to be.

The Potion Gardener is a low-stakes, low-angst cozy fantasy novella in the Flos Magicae series, a collection of queer romances set in an alternate 1920s world with magic. Featuring a trans, nonbinary lead, a butch cis lesbian love interest, a scruffy terrier with anxiety, and a great deal of gardening. All the Flos Magicae stories are standalones, and can be read in any order.

Review: Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie: Phlox’s Story (Perfect Pixie Series Book 5) by M. J. May

Rating: 5🌈

Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie: Phlox’s Story is the perfect way to end this absolutely fantastic series, Perfect Pixies by M. J. May.

In this vividly realized, beautifully told story, May brings all the characters and couples together that we’ve met through each other’s stories and learned to love together to reveal and vanquish the series villains.

Each story has at its core a perfectly imperfect pixie who finds themselves in an embattled or troubled position which eventually leads them to their bonds of love and a HEA. We started with hearth and home pixie, Philodendron, whose unique size made him both an outsider and perfect for his Alpha mate and family. Then nature pixie, Peaches, with a mournful background and heart wrenching history that soon brings attention to gathering dark forces and the attraction of a powerful vampire. That mating has huge ramifications for many other otherworldly species.

Next May’s pairing and novel turns dark with the seemingly mysterious introduction of pixie trafficking and pixie dust addiction. This is Parsnip’s story and another sector of magic is heard from as Vander the warlock arrives. May is deepening the series themes, expanding the types of magic that exist in this universe, and types of found families we can expect.

The narrative themes and suspenseful atmosphere doesn’t even falter for a moment. It’s picking up momentum in emotional and well written story arcs.

Wendall’s unbelievable tale is next. It includes Hellfire Rayburn, Fairy Queen Silvidia’s most trusted and feared warrior, and Wendall, who undergoes one of the most poignant, heartbreaking moments and struggles amongst them all. Well, May is amping up to the end point. Making sure that the reader knows what at stake and we care so throughly for everyone here.

So that when a final pixie appears, one that isn’t who he seems, we are ready for the showdown .

That’s Agent Frost, aka pixie Phlox. Although he’s not exactly 100 percent pixie. What he is and his background is a huge part of the ongoing investigation and reason he’s arrived in town. The one assigned to help him? That’s 300 year old vampire, Leon McMillan, King Lucroy Moony’s second-in-command.

May does an excellent job of alternating between their burgeoning romance and the ongoing investigation into the pixie traffickers. The horrific storyline of pixie trafficking , which is widely explored through the main characters and story threads, continues to branch out to the wider threat to the community and all the couples involved.

May’s newest character is one I think will be a great reader favorite . That’s Erasmus, a young necromancer who has an intriguing , poignant backstory and a rich personality. I really can’t get enough of him. So many layers. And the other character who is equally and quizzically intrigued by Erasmus? That’s Aurelia, the djinn .

No spoilers but what an epic ending. And while I’m happy sad this superior series has ended, the author has left us with something new to anticipate.

That epilogue is everything! Why? Because it tells us that Erasmus and Aurelia are coming back in Summer/Fall 2024 in their own story. And now I’m so excited and happy for their new adventure to begin.

Read this incredible series in the order it’s written . It’s a top recommendation. So is it’s author.

Cover design by cheriefox. Absolutely splendid! Like all the other covers.

Perfect Pixies series:

✓ Perfectly Imperfect Pixie Book #1

✓ Perfectly Perfect Pixie: Peaches’s Story #2

✓ Perfectly Charmed Pixie: Parsnip’s Story #3

✓ Perfectly Perplexing Zombie: Wendall’s Story #4

✓ Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie: Phlox’s Story #5 – series finale

Buy link

Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie: Phlox’s Story (Perfect Pixie Series Book 5)

Blurb

Phlox isn’t your typical pixie, and his feisty shifter DNA might be the reason. Recruited by the Magical Usage Council, Phlox—who is now Agent Frost—is a pixie with a mission, and he’s not afraid to place himself in mortal danger to eradicate the latest pixie trafficking ring.

Despite being King Lucroy Moony’s second-in-command, Leon McMillan’s second life has become dangerously monotonous. For a vampire, boredom is as deadly as a stake to the heart. Three hundred years of existing has taken a mental toll—one that will eventually lead Leon into the sun’s deadly embrace. Leon needs a life raft; he just never imagined it in the form of a pushy pixie.

Phlox and Leon can’t deny their mutual attraction. However, in order for Phlox’s mission to succeed, he needs to appear helplessly alone, and Leon’s worried stalking isn’t aiding that mission.

But soon, the knowledge Phlox and Leon obtain leads to a dangerous, mentally unstable djinn, who has a vicious master holding its leash. Although history claims djinns are all-powerful, indestructible creatures, Phlox and Leon must find the secret to their destruction if they are to save Rutherford Haven’s citizens. If they can’t, Rutherford Haven will be the first to fall, but it won’t be the last.

Phlox will dig his shifter claws into anyone who dares threaten his mate and Leon will tear the heart out of anyone who dares threaten his beloved—his purrrfectly peculiar pixie.

Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie is the fifth and final book in the Perfect Pixie series. The books should be read in order. Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie features an emotionally constipated vampire, a pixie who’s far more than he appears, witches and trolls with questionable morals, an alpha werewolf whose time on planet Earth is precariously close to ending, a (questionably) good djinn, an (unquestionably) sinister djinn, an interesting necromancer, and all our previously beloved characters coming together to prove that teamwork really does make the dream work.

Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie also contains homicide of the fantasy kind (no humans were killed in the making of this book) with scenes describing death and killing.

• Publication date: April 29, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 343 pages

Review: Mist, Shadow, and Deep: An Epic Dragon Fantasy Saga (The Crystalline Dragons Saga Book 2) by Eoghan R. Cunningham

Rating: 3.75🌈

Mist, Shadow, and Deep, the next book in The Crystalline Dragons Saga, suffers a bit from the second book syndrome. Where the first book introduces the characters, had the huge amount of mystery, fantastic emotional dramatics for the characters and in events, and lays out the mythology. We get pathos, murder, sorrow, and some heroic moments.

That’s hard for a second book to continue forward while maintaining the momentum of that previous novel, keeping the magic alive, and juggling the newly created relationships between the trio of widely different characters.

It’s a narrative job that can turn into a struggle as it does at points here. At times it’s overly dense, where the reader just wants them (Dusk and his two companions) to just get on with it. Other times, the author creates these gems of scenes that encapsulates moments of startling high scary action, ones that demonstrates both the camaraderie that’s growing between the group and the mysterious dragon magic hidden inside Dusk .

We don’t get nearly enough of those.

The character of Dusk is a well thought out, beautiful creation. He’s undoubtedly the best thing here because it’s his stolen adolescence as a salt mine slave that plays into his actions and thoughts here. He’s an innocent on the outside world. He can’t read people, he can’t read period. Can’t hunt or fish. And he’s got an impulsive kind heart in a world that wants to kill him.

We see the villain coming a mile away. Which is a real problem here. Because we still have most of the book to get through to see how it ends. We know badly. Just how badly is the question.

Which doesn’t make for enjoyable reading.

So read Mist, Shadow, and Deep as the bridge it is to get to the next level of this saga . I’m onto Rise of the False King next.

The Crystalline Dragons Saga-5 books:

✓ Curse of the Dragon’s Eye #1

✓ Mist, Shadow, and Deep #2

◦ Rise of the False King #3

◦ The Queen of Darkness #4 -May 9,2024

◦ Fall of the Crystal Moon #5-June 6,2024

Buy link:

Mist, Shadow, and Deep: An Epic Dragon Fantasy Saga (The Crystalline Dragons Saga Book 2)

Blurb:

A shadow rises to meet the light and, with it, an evil sorcerer. Dusk must choose between what is right and what is easy.

In his hour of need, a new face emerges. But is he friend or foe? Only time will tell.

Barely escaping with their lives, Dusk and his companions head south, following the mountains as they search for another way through. That is until they’re lost within a misty bog that threatens to consume them.

Out of the mist appears a figure who saves Dusk before the monster of the bog can consume him. Grateful and indebted, they head south together toward the port town of Emerald Deep. There’s a pass through the mountains there that will lead the party to their freedom at last.

But Emerald Deep is filled with mysteries, thieves, and temptation. The moment they arrive, the group begins to crumble, and Dusk is left wondering if his companions ever cared about him at all.

And that’s the moment the shadow attacks.

Mist, Shadow, and Deep contains a diverse cast of characters and queer themes. It was previously published under the title “The Crystal Archivist” by Blake R. Wolfe. Although the title and cover are different, the content remains the same.

• Publication date: March 14, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 264 pages

Review: An Archer’s Awakening (Of Crowns & Quills Book 1) by Casey Morales

Rating: 3🌈

I picked up An Archer’s Awakening because of that fabulous cover and interesting description. Morales is also a author I’ve never read before.

What I found was a story that has strong themes, great characters, and wonderful potential for the storyline. So why not a higher rating?

The format. Unfortunately Morales undermines what’s best about his story, everything that connects the reader to his characters and their situations by his choices with his narrative.

To begin with the author has multiple points of view which only serve to muddle the various characters and our connections to them. Some of these are honestly secondary cast people who get chapters, like two who get assigned as the POV only to “vanish”, and later be described as an object of their mission. They’re here, disrupting the flow of the narrative and then gone. Literally.

That’s the main issue. It’s a chopped up story. I’m not sure how many books Morales intends for his series but the titles for books one and two are about The Archer. Not 7 or 8 other people. So make it about the Archer.

However it’s as though Morales can’t decide which direction he’s going in this story . So he begins with his two main characters. They truly are the main couple and have the most depth, the relatability of their dynamic. That’s Ranger DeClan Rea (cadet when we meet him) and noble born, fellow Ranger, Ayden. We follow them through training ,through individual exploration of romantic feelings and self worth, and a mystical experience in the mountains. All of which is abruptly, jarringly, stopped by a sudden change in direction.

For no apparent reason we are reading a different story. We get a new set of characters, narrators, new location, and a whole new set of plots about them, an interesting investigation, and yes, one of them turns out to be the mage brother of Ranger DeClan. It’s time for us to forget about that couple and their growing relationship and mystery and now focus entirely on someone else. It’s the brother Mage Keelan and his group now.

Then their section is abruptly ended. And it’s a Princess and King and a Sheriff’s son. And so on.

Frustrating? Absolutely. And this is only the beginning of this questionable process.

Any sort of logical process or narrative flow that allows a reader to follow freely the themes as they thread through the story or any important element or plot lines is almost impossible. It’s too jumbled.

And by extension, taking away from the main characters voices and storylines to squeeze in a perspective from a person that, in my opinion, isn’t necessary, lessens the impact and connectivity on the reader.

Just as we start to care about these characters and their lives and futures, Morales comes up with more strange ways to make less sense and divide our attention.

Towards the end of the book, the author finally brings two of his separate pieces together and the mage brother Kellan is reunited with his Ranger brother DeClan. The story is working in a manner it could have been all along. And it’s terrific. The mysteries are being revealed, investigations started. The book is dynamic and the relationships are revealing hidden depths of information and emotions.

Of course, it can’t stay true to course. Now that it’s working. Let’s go back to separating everything and everyone in a nonsensical manner.

There’s so much more here that I haven’t begun to address. There’s a prologue that sets down a magical threat and future events that involve a prophecy (gods involved of course). That pops up in the middle of the book in a character that had no previous voice so it really adds to the confusion. And there’s a character that everyone can identify as a “villain” without having a V stamped on him. He’s that guy.

So yes, among the fine characters, great scenes, and remarkable moments, there’s just too many overwhelmingly strange writing choices Morales made here that derail the narrative momentum, remove the reader from their connection to the characters and plot, and halt the flow of the storytelling.

Will I read the next book in the series? Yes. Hopefully the author will have abandoned the many pov , multiple sections format that he employed so disastrously here. A great editor helps with this.

Great cover. It did its job and got me to read the book.

Of Crowns and Quills:

◦ An Archer’s Awakening #1

◦ An Archer’s Destiny #2- July 31,2024

Buy link:

An Archer’s Awakening: An epic m/m fantasy romance adventure (Of Crowns & Quills Book 1)

Blurb:

Two Brothers. One Gift. A World on the Brink of Disaster.

In a world where most wield a Gift, Ranger cadet Declan Rea grapples with his lack of magic’s touch. His ungifted status breeds tension with his brother, Keelan, and fuels deep-seated insecurities.

Amidst his struggles, Declan finds solace and strength in a budding romance with fellow cadet, Ayden.

When a shadowy threat rises, and an ancient cult threatens to resurrect a long-forgotten queen, the world is plunged into chaos. Kidnappings and whispers of impending catastrophe set the stage for a showdown of epic proportions, where alliances are forged and loyalties tested.

As Keelan investigates, Declan and Ayden’s burgeoning romance faces the shadowy threat, as they navigate treacherous paths of betrayal and uncertainty.

Amidst the chaos, love becomes their guiding light.

Declan and Ayden uncover secrets of the past and within themselves, confronting their destinies and realizing that true courage lies not in the heat of battle, but in the quiet moments shared between two souls bound by an unbreakable connection.

Perfect for contemporary and fantasy mm romance fans alike, An Archer’s Awakening promises a heartwarming, slow burn, enemies-to-lovers story wrapped in a riveting adventure. From heart-stopping intrigue to tender moments, this story captivates with its blend of romance and peril.

Immerse yourself today in a world where love conquers all and heroes rise to meet their destiny.

Review: How I Took the King on a Bone-a-Fide Quest of Piracy, Piemu, and Profit: Bone 6 (How I Stole the Princess’s White Knight and Turned him to Villainy Book 12) by A. J. Sherwood

Rating: 5🌈

Finale time! And Steve’s gonna be a whole new dragon! Well, long dead and a skeleton one at that! But happy happy!

And that madcap murderous fabulous family of sorcerers and a King will adopt another into the fold.

And there’s many weddings!

Sherwood has written a warmhearted, if somewhat murderous tale of adventure, love, magic, and family. It’s been a wild and humorous journey. A absolute pleasure to read, a joy to have ventured into with along with the characters.

Will we see Tan, Devan, the kids, and the rest of the ever enlarging family? Sherwood doesn’t know. But I hope so. They have caught our attention and our hearts. That life and vivacity surely won’t be denied. Stay tuned!

Love these covers.

Series and side stories

💥How I Stole the Princess’s White Knight and Turned him to Villainy-6 books

💥How Tan Acquired an Apprentice

💥How I Took the King on a Bone-a-Fide Quest of Piracy, Piemu, and Profit:Bone series

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How I Took the King on a Bone-a-Fide Quest of Piracy, Piemu, and Profit: Bone 6 (How I Stole the Princess’s White Knight and Turned him to Villainy Book 12)

Blurb

Final boss fight! Fight necromancer? (yes) (NO)

Devan: I’m not beating up an old lady.

Tan: Pretty sure the old lady could take you.

Devan: Still not doing it. Time to negotiate.

Tags: dragon acquired keep as pet (yes) (NO), retired necromancers are BAMF, the kids adopt a necromancer grandmother, or a grandmummy if you will, all the weddings, pirates might be lost in the labyrinth, Steve is finally complete!, $$$, vacation time

• Publication date: April 26, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 51 pages

Review: Silk & Sand : Seth and Raider Book 1 by Katherine Diane

Rating: 4.5🌈

Let’s dive in with the fact that this fantasy novel, the first of a adventure series, will end on a cliffhanger. It leaves absolutely nothing resolved for our main characters and the various storylines.

So if this is a dealbreaker for you as a reader or a fan of the author, then perhaps you should consider waiting until the next book is released to read them through the cliffhanger’s resolution.

However, if you’re a fan of fantasy fiction and fantasy romance novels, and don’t mind a shocking twist or two, then I’ve got a story for you.

Katherine Diane is a new author for me. So I’m excited to have found both a new series and writer in the same fantastic fantasy novel, Silk & Sand.

The world building is very well done, giving the characters and readers an excellent idea of the variety of cultures, religions, and geographical diversity this universe has in store for us.

It’s magical elements smoothly combined with incredible desert heat , tribal cultures, and some recognizable animals that are sure to make a person connect with the storylines and characters.

Of the intense relationship that develops between Raider, a mysterious desert trader, and Seth, a Curator for the Arcanum College on the hunt for a murderer. Each character is beautifully crafted, with layers that are slowly peeled away to reveal more of their identity and personalities as they travel and interact with each other. It’s a personal exploration through hard events and challenges, from observation and through sexual encounters. The last being fraught with high intensity, overwhelming emotions, elements of bdsm, and hidden secrets.

I thought each was a great balance for the other and that made the ending feel both shattering and satisfying in a way. Even though it was a cliffhanger.

I need book 2 now.

This is a definite recommend from me. Check it out if you’re interested in fantasy romance.

Not a fan of the cover however.

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Silk & Sand: An MM Fantasy Romance (Seth & Raider Book 1)

Blurb:

The only thing worse than trekking across a dangerous desert on a nearly impossible mission? When your guide is intolerable—and irresistible.

Seth spends his days hunting down mystical artifacts. As a Curator for the Arcanum College, that’s his job. But when an arcanist murders a fellow scholar, Seth finds himself assigned instead to a dusty, thirsty, frustrating manhunt. But why him? Because, he’s been told by his superiors, he’s the only Curator sufficiently tenacious and brutal for the job. (Seth resents that.)

When the murderer vanishes at the edge of a deadly desert, Seth finds himself in need of a guide. Unfortunately, the “only one crazy enough” for the job is Raider—a man with an easy grin who is clearly a thief, liar, and rogue. (He also has illegal quicksilver in his veins, and that arcane enhancement positively screams “I’ve done bad things.”) The only thing worse than having to rely on such a reprobate? Finding him irresistibly attractive.

Raider might think the manhunt a foolish endeavor, but he’s delighted by the prospect of breaking past the barriers of the gorgeous, rigidly self-controlled Curator. That kind of intensity needs the right outlet (and Raider has such ideas). But Raider just might be asking for more trouble than he realizes—because he has barriers of his own, and some very dark secrets lurking behind them.

But that’s not the only trouble looming. Because if Seth and Raider can survive their desert journey? Seth’s manhunt will lead them into even greater dangers and mysteries.

Silk & Sand is a high-heat fantasy adventure that will take you to the most exotic locations and into the most twisted secrets. It will lure you in with action, humor, and sizzling tension—and will hook your heart with its emotional intensity and beautiful love. So be prepared to laugh, cry, and stay up all night with these two gorgeous, complicated, irresistible men.

Content advisory: Readers 18+. These two are so fun but pretty rough. For trigger warnings, please read the author’s note—then enjoy.

• Publisher: (March 7, 2024)

• Publication date: March 7, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 341 pages

Review: Gary the Once and Former King: MM Fantasy Romance (The Unwanted King Book 2) by Isabel Murray

Rating: 5🌈

Well, based on this series alone, Isabel Murray is a new must read/autobuy for me. These are simply breathtakingly memorable pieces of storytelling. At once brilliantly subtle works of characterization and yet still hilariously funny, threaded through with heartbreaking pathos, and sweet romance.

Such amazing work on the part of this author. From the subtle world building to deeply layered characters, from the laugh-out-loud scenes and dialogue to quiet moments of conversation and those of revelatory sexuality, it’s an amazing narrative journey Murray takes us and her characters through.

I so appreciate the subtlety with which Murray is able to create a depiction of her character’s background and the layers of that history without actually stating any specific facts or graphic details. We don’t have to know exactly what happened to Gary in his horrific adolescence, what abuses specifically he was subjected to, and we don’t have to. Thanks to Murray, it’s written into his demeanor, the manner and care in which those around him now treat him, the poor sense of self he carries. This is such an amazing portrait of a person that Murray has sensitively built that Gary speaks to us, engages with us on many emotional levels.

And it’s not just Gary. It’s every character. From the brilliant Magnus, whose history is one that’s enabled him to control a network of dubious spies and assassins to keep Gary safe to consorting with some unlikely friends. All this is guessing from the hints and subtle clues left by the author along with more new information about some beloved supporting characters and new friends as well. Truly astounding work here considering its peripheral role in the story but its bulwark narrative nature in Gary’s world.

I will be so disappointed if this series is really over at two books. Yes, sweet, beautiful Gary gets finally to be a Former King and live with Magnus in his new home. But Murray has gone and extended the already deeply loved family with new intriguing characters, mysteriously familiar looking lords, and possibly new connections. All important supporting characters or new introduced characters with impactful roles to play.

Yes, please, I want more.

Consider both stories a must read.

The Unwanted King:

✓ Gary of a Hundred Days #1

✓ Gary the Once and Former King #2

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Gary the Once and Former King: MM Fantasy Romance (The Unwanted King Book 2)

Blurb:

The Kingdom of Estla is in turmoil. Power plays, intrigue, and plots seethe in the corridors of power. And Gary of a Hundred Days, Last of the Tyrant Kings is…well.

He’s dead.

That’s what (almost) everyone thinks, anyway.

As far as Gary’s concerned, they can go ahead and keep thinking it. He’s busy living a whole new life with his beloved Magnus on a homestead in the heartland of Caithen—a kingdom where they don’t want to kill him—and he’s learning all sorts of interesting things about exactly what it means to be a husband and a bondmate.

Okay, he’s trying to learn. It’s turning out to be a lot harder than he thought.

Callin, the ex-stable lad and Gary’s new (first!) best friend, has been less than helpful when it comes to giving Gary the correct advice on how to proceed in intimate matters.

The books Gary ordered for instructional purposes are taking forever to arrive.

And just as he’s starting to make progress in the bedchamber, Gary’s past as the rightful King of Estla rises up once more…

Gary the Once and Former King is a sequel to Gary of a Hundred Days. It’s a low-angst fantasy romantic comedy in which a sheltered ex-king continues to undergo quite the awakening at the hands of his rugged ex-stable master, and everyone’s still way more interested in kissing and romance than in all that rightful heir to the throne business.

And this time?

Gary’s definitely getting his happily ever after.

• Publisher: (February 26, 2024)

• Publication date: February 26, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 242 pages