Okay, so I read a few books some weeks back that I really wanted to review… but then I went through a bit of a blogging slump. As such, I plan to do a few mini reviews to get you caught up and hopefully persuade you they are worth a read. This time I’m sticking with a couple of fantasy reads, one a fantasy romance
Release Date: 28th April 2015
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
First in a new fantasy series from the author of the Novels of the Half-Light City.
Entangled in a court ruled by tradition and intrigue, a young witch must come to terms with newfound power and desire—and a choice between loyalty and survival.…
The royal witches of Anglion have bowed to tradition for centuries. If a woman of royal blood manifests powers, she is immediately bound by rites of marriage. She will serve her lord by practicing the tamer magics of the earth—ensuring good harvests and predicting the weather. Any magic more dangerous is forbidden.
Lady Sophia Kendall, thirty-second in line to the throne, is only days away from finding out if she will be blessed—or perhaps cursed—with magic. When a vicious attack by Anglion’s ancient enemies leaves the kingdom in chaos, Sophia is forced to flee the court. Her protector by happenstance is Lieutenant Cameron Mackenzie, a member of the royal guard, raised all his life to be fiercely loyal to the Crown.
Then Sophia’s powers manifest stronger than she ever imagined they would, and Cameron and she are inextricably linked in the process. As a witch unbound by marriage rites, Sophia is not only a threat to the established order of her country, but is also a weapon for those who seek to destroy it. Faced with old secrets and new truths, she must decide if she will fight for her country or succumb to the delicious temptation of power.
I only read this book after listening to a podcast over at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. In fact, I ordered it and eagerly waited for it to be delivered the next day because it had sounded so interesting on the podcast. I started reading as soon as I opened the packaging, I was that eager to read it.
I know I’ve seen a few mixed reviews about it, but I have to say I 100% loved it. It is a fantasy romance novel, and I can’t help but wonder why this is a genre I’ve not heard of before. It’s all about a woman who is days away from finding out if she will have magic, and if she does, how powerful she will be. The court is quite sexist (I know, why do fantasy novels always fall into the sexist trap, it’s a fantasy world so you can’t claim you’re sticking with the time period, you make the time period!) so women who do have great power, after being bound to the church, are then married off in political marriages. I know, how different and interesting right? A series of events leads Sophie to not being in the capital one she ascends and that leads to things getting a bit interesting for her because she’s just not done things right!
The story is filled with action, the romance did make me roll my eyes a bit, it felt a bit rushed, but then I kind of stopped caring because I was really getting into the story. The story is quite fast paced at times that I didn’t notice the things which bothered me all that much. Sure, the characters could have been fleshed out more, but I also didn’t feel they were two dimensional. Sophie could have also had more of her independent rebellious streak to her, I often felt they faded into the background, but she was still fun to read about. And did I want a bit more story in this first book? Sure, but enough of the story was given that I will be reading the next book, whenever it is it will get released.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy and romance. It’s a fun read, that’s what I went in expecting anyway. Some may have been expecting more fantasy than romance, I would definitely say it is the other way round, there is a whole lot more romance to this book, and I expected it, so I think that’s why I enjoyed it.
Release Date: 28th October 2014
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
#1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews launches a brand new Hidden Legacy series, in which one woman must place her trust in a seductive, dangerous man who sets off an even more dangerous desire…
Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile case. Nevada isn’t sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.
Then she’s kidnapped by Connor “Mad” Rogan—a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Torn between wanting to run or surrender to their overwhelming attraction, Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive.
Rogan’s after the same target, so he needs Nevada. But she’s getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change. And, as Rogan has learned, love can be as perilous as death, especially in the magic world.
This was a recommendation from the lovely Danya over at Fine Print and oh my God am I glad she recced it. We’d been discussing horrible book covers and this one is certainly one of the worst I’ve ever come across and it actually puts you off of the book a little bit, and that sucks because this book is amazing! I have never read a book like this one before, and I loved it. I’m just upset the next book looks to have been pushed back to the middle of 2016! I expected it so much sooner, and I need to so much sooner because the story!
I loved the story and the characters and the fact that I am a little bit in love with an actual sociopath after reading this book. I mean this is a crazy world where people have abilities (well, some do) and the stronger the powers the higher up in society. There are different houses (I know, very medieval) and they attempt to breed the most powerful offspring, and now one has gone off the rails and Nevada has been hired by the family to track him down, whilst Rogan has been asked by his family to help out as one of his family members has gotten mixed up with this crazy dude and they want him back safe. This would all be fine, but ‘Mad’ Rogan is considered one of the most powerful Prime’s out there, he took out an entire city once! So obviously, Nevada wants to avoid him at all costs… you know… until he kidnaps and wants to work with her as they have similar aims.
I think what made this book is both that it’s not very heavy on the romance, it is way more about the story. It is most definitely a slow burn one (which I like) so the romance doesn’t take over from the actual story, because the story itself is what makes this book good. The fact people may have abilities is fun and interesting, and the weird hierarchical power structure in the world is intriguing, I’m dying to know more about that, but it’s the rivalries between houses that’s the best. And the best part of this book? The Baylor family, they are hilarious! I wish may family were half as cool as this one, they are close knit and they look out for each other and it’s just perfect.
I am going to be checking out more books by Ilona Andrews and I need more books like this one, but then it wouldn’t be so special if there were more books like it. Don’t let the cover put you off, this book is perfect!
And there you have my first batch of reviews, they’re good books, right? Let me know your thoughts below, have you read anything similar? Also, what’s the best book you’ve read with a terrible cover?
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