A Lair of Bones Review by Helen Scheuerer

Title: A Lair of Bones
Author: Helen Scheuerer
Publisher Info / Release: Alchemy | July 15, 2021
Source: ARC
Rating:  5/5 *’s

A deadly contest. A vaulting ambition. How far will one cyren go to win?

Mighty cyrens have ruled the ancient lair of Saddoriel for centuries. A cavernous fortress, a subterranean labyrinth of tunnels and levels, powered by magic and music…

From the moment she was born, Roh, the daughter of an infamous criminal, has been despised by her own kind. Restricted to the Lower Sector and forced to work as a common bone cleaner, she has always believed she belongs above: where lies adventure… and power.

Opportunity arises in the form of the Queen’s Tournament, a treacherous set of trials that could see the victor crowned ruler of the entire lair. Up against the most cunning, dangerous cyrens in all the realms, does Roh stand a chance?

A Lair of Bones is the first gripping book in the dark fantasy quartet, Curse of the Cyren Queen.

Thank you to Helen for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

**photo to be updated**

Vow of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson Review

Title: Vow of Thieves
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher Info / Release: Henry Holt and Co. | August 6, 2019
Source: ARC
Rating:  5/5 *’s

Synopsis:

Kazi and Jase have survived, stronger and more in love than ever. Their new life now lies before them—the Ballengers will be outlaws no longer, Tor’s Watch will be a kingdom, and Kazi and Jase will meet all challenges side by side, together at last.

But an ominous warning mars their journey back, and they soon find themselves captured in a tangled web of deceit woven by their greatest enemies and unlikeliest allies, a place where betrayals run deeper and more deadly than either had thought possible, and where timeless ambitions threaten to destroy them both.

If you have not read Dance of Thieves or The Remnant Chronicles, you will be spoiled.

Dance of Thieves-Mary E. Pearson Review

Title: Dance of Thieves
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher Info / Release: Henry Holt and Co| August 7, 2018
Source: Purchased Finished Copy
Rating:  5/5 *’s

Synopsis:

A formidable outlaw family that claims to be the first among nations.

A son destined to lead, thrust suddenly into power.

Three fierce young women of the Rahtan, the queen’s premier guard.

A legendary street thief leading a mission, determined to prove herself.

A dark secret that is a threat to the entire continent.

When outlaw leader meets reformed thief, a cat-and-mouse game of false moves ensues, bringing them intimately together in a battle that may cost them their lives—and their hearts.

The Remnant Chronicles
The Beauty of Darkness
The Heart of Betrayal
The Kiss of Deception

—If you have not read The Remnant Chronicles, there will be slight spoilers in this duology.–

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin Review

Title: Serpent and Dove
Author: Shelby Mahurin
Publisher Info / Release: HarperTeen| September 3, 2019
Source: ARC
Rating:  5/5 *’s

Synopsis

Bound as one, to love, honor, or burn. Book one of a stunning fantasy duology, this tale of witchcraft and forbidden love is perfect for fans of Kendare Blake and Sara Holland.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation—marriage.

Lou, unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, must make a choice. And love makes fools of us all.

Set in a world of powerful women, dark magic, and off-the-charts romance, book one of this stunning fantasy duology will leave readers burning for more.

Rise by Ellen Goodlett Review

Title: Rise
Author: Ellen Goodlett
Publisher Info / Release: Little Brown Books for Young Readers| June 11, 2019
Source: ARC
Rating: 4.5/ 5 *’s

Synopsis:

Sisters Akeylah, Ren, and Zofi are all a step closer to their dying father’s throne, a step closer to the crown that will allow one of them to rule over Kolonya. But the sisters’ pasts continue to haunt them. Each hides a secret marked with blood and betrayal, and now their blackmailer is holding nothing back. When King Andros discovers the sisters’ traitorous pasts, the consequences will shake the entire kingdom to its core.

As Kolonya’s greatest threat stalks closer and closer, weaving a web of fear and deceit around Ren, Zofi, and Akeylah, even the people they love are under suspicion. If the sisters are going to survive, they’ll have to learn to trust each other above all else and work together, not only to save themselves, but to protect everyone and everything they hold dear.

With shocking reveals and suspenseful storytelling, this breathtaking sequel to Rule will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson Review

Title: Sorcery of Thorns
Author: Margaret Rogerson
Publisher Info / Release: Margaret McElderry, Simon & Schuster / June 4, 2019
Source: E-Book from KT Literary
Rating: 5 / 5 *’s

Thank you to KT Literary for gifting me a copy of this book!
Synopsis: 

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

Reign of Mist Tour & GIVEAWAY

Hi guys! I’m very excited to be a part of the Reign of Mist tour that is hosted by the author Helen Scheuerer and The Bookshelf Bitch. If you haven’t read Heart of Mist, I highly recommend a quick binge read before this beauty comes out!

Review | Reign of Mist

Title: Reign of Mist
Author: Helen Scheuerer
Publisher Info / Release: Talem Press | September 13, 2018
Source: E-ARC from the author
Rating: 5 / 5 *’s
Synopsis:

The realm’s darkest secret is out.

The cruelty of the capital and the power-hungry King Arden have scattered Bleak and her companions across the continents.

On the run in a foreign land, Bleak finds herself tied to some unexpected strangers. When the answers she yearns for are finally within reach, she must face the hard truths of her past, and take her fate into her own hands before it’s too late.

Meanwhile, secrets and magic unravel as a dark power corrupts the realm. Bleak’s friends are forced to decide where their loyalties lie, and who, if anyone, they can trust.

But one thing is certain: war is coming, and they must all be ready when it does.

Thank you, Helen, for sending me a free copy of your book in exchange for an honest review! If you haven’t read Heart of Mist, this review may contain spoilers.

One Dark Throne Blog Tour Review

 

 

 

 

Title: One Dark Throne
Author: Kendare Blake
Publisher Info / Release: Harper Teen / September 19, 2016
Source: ARC from BookSparks
Rating: 4 / 5 *’s
Synopsis: 

The battle for the Crown has begun, but which of the three sisters will prevail?

With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.

In this enthralling sequel to Kendare Blake’s New York Times bestselling Three Dark Crowns, Fennbirn’s deadliest queens must face the one thing standing in their way of the crown: each other.

I received this book for free from BookSparks to be on the One Dark Throne blog tour that runs throughout the month of September. If you have not read the first book, please do not continue as this will contain spoilers from.

Thank you again to Kendare & the BookSparks team for letting me be a part of the blog tour! Now off to the review.

An Enchantment of Ravens Review

Title: An Enchantment of Ravens
Author: Margaret Rogerson
Publisher Info / Release: Margaret McElderry, Simon & Schuster / September 26, 2017
Source: ARC from KT Literary
Rating: 4.75 / 5 *’s
Synopsis: 

Isobel is a prodigy portrait artist with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread, weave cloth, or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel’s paintings are highly prized among them. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes – a weakness that could cost him his life.

Furious and devastated, Rook spirits her away to the autumnlands to stand trial for her crime. Waylaid by the Wild Hunt’s ghostly hounds, the tainted influence of the Alder King, and hideous monsters risen from barrow mounds, Isobel and Rook depend on one another for survival. Their alliance blossoms into trust, then love, violating the fair folks’ ruthless Good Law. There’s only one way to save both their lives, Isobel must drink from the Green Well, whose water will transform her into a fair one—at the cost of her Craft, for immortality is as stagnant as it is timeless.

Isobel has a choice: she can sacrifice her art for a future, or arm herself with paint and canvas against the ancient power of the fairy courts. Because secretly, her Craft represents a threat the fair folk have never faced in all the millennia of their unchanging lives: for the first time, her portraits have the power to make them feel.

I received this book from KT Literary for free in exchange for an honest review! Thank you so much for the opportunity to review such a highly anticipated novel!