Showing posts with label Fantasy Must-Read. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fantasy Must-Read. Show all posts
Tale of the Heart Queen by Nisha J. Tuli
Rating -
1/2Book 4 of the Artefacts of Ouranos series
Release - November 26, 2024
Genre - Fantasy Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Multiple 1st person
Heat - descriptive
Source - eARC provided by the publisher
Length - 672 pages
After Lor makes the biggest mistake of her life, she finds herself on the run from the Aurora King and decides it's time to end this, once and for all. But when a new enemy emerges to claim her freedom, the entire fate of Ouranos comes to rest on her shoulders.
As the land continues to rebel, Lor must admit she is the key to saving the continent, whether she likes it or not. To fight for Nadir, she must lie, steal, and do whatever it takes to hunt down the remaining arks. Growing more and more desperate, she worries her actions are turning her into something she doesn't recognize, dooming her to repeat her grandmother's mistakes.
When the Aurora King finally comes for her, Lor ventures into the Underworld's shadowy depths, where, once again, she finds herself at the heart of another deadly test. Only this time, she’s competing for everyone's future, not just a crown.
The only thing Lor ever wanted was to be free, but she may soon find she was always destined for a cage.
As the land continues to rebel, Lor must admit she is the key to saving the continent, whether she likes it or not. To fight for Nadir, she must lie, steal, and do whatever it takes to hunt down the remaining arks. Growing more and more desperate, she worries her actions are turning her into something she doesn't recognize, dooming her to repeat her grandmother's mistakes.
When the Aurora King finally comes for her, Lor ventures into the Underworld's shadowy depths, where, once again, she finds herself at the heart of another deadly test. Only this time, she’s competing for everyone's future, not just a crown.
The only thing Lor ever wanted was to be free, but she may soon find she was always destined for a cage.
Previous books in the series:
Trial of the Sun Queen / Rule of the Aurora King * Fate of the Sun King
Trial of the Sun Queen / Rule of the Aurora King * Fate of the Sun King
After the horror show of the last book, at least when it comes to the ending, I didn't know what to expect from this.
Would Lor finally be free?
Would the bad guys finally meet their deserved end?
And would I ever see my beloved Nadir again?
I've got to say, I enjoyed learning more about the goddess, Zerra, but I could've done without her strange perversions. Finding out she wasn't as 'godly' as she was renowned to be wasn't exactly a surprise, but she took it several steps further and for some reason I found it all very hilarious.
I loved that, once again, I got to be in the heads of several characters. My heart absolutely broke for my favorites and I continued to root for them to win.
I don't know how this author did it, but I'm still twisted over this entire series. I didn't want it to end and I was looking for ways for there to be a spinoff so I could spend more time with these characters.
It's the last book so obviously the good guys won, but it takes a lot of painful and dangerous steps to get there. Strap in!
Nisha J. Tuli is the bestselling author of Trial of the Sun Queen—the first in the Artefacts of Ouranos series—which became a BookTok hit thanks to her amazing fans. The originally self-published series was acquired by Forever Publishing and Orbit UK in 2023, and will soon be published in 15 other languages around the world.She's also the author of Heart of Night and Fire, a South Asian-inspired fantasy romance and the first in a four-book series. Look for her rom-com debut in 2025 with NSFW (Not Suitable for Work), a workplace rivals to lovers rom-com publishing with Forever.
Nisha lives in Canada, where she spends most of her time reading and writing while enjoying travel, food, and camping with her partner, two kids, and their fluffy Samoyed, Mora.
Visit https://nishajtuli.com for more information.
"You stole my heart from the moment those beautiful lips cursed me with a dagger to my throat in the alley." - Draven to Emma
Soul of Salvation by Ali Stuebbe
Book #2 of The Divide
Review of book one - Blood of Desiderium
Rating -
Genre - Fantasy Romance
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - explicit
Source - Kindle Unlimited
Length - 400 pages
In the aftermath of the battle at the Court of Ashes, Emma’s sacrifice for salvation thrusts her into a dark realm where the God of Darkness demands a grim price for her newfound power.
The fate of the world hangs in the balance,
A God is harboring dark secrets,
And a mate refuses to lose again.
The darkness’ hold on her makes her hunger for death, until a predestined bond beckons her and conflicts the monster she has become. Emma must follow through with a world-altering task, or decide if she wants to break free from the vice of her powers, for the sake of all she loves.
Then, a profound truth changes everything, testing her strength to bring light to a dark reality. Will Emma endure the burdens of her task or will she sacrifice her heart to protect those she holds dear?
The fate of the world hangs in the balance,
A God is harboring dark secrets,
And a mate refuses to lose again.
The darkness’ hold on her makes her hunger for death, until a predestined bond beckons her and conflicts the monster she has become. Emma must follow through with a world-altering task, or decide if she wants to break free from the vice of her powers, for the sake of all she loves.
Then, a profound truth changes everything, testing her strength to bring light to a dark reality. Will Emma endure the burdens of her task or will she sacrifice her heart to protect those she holds dear?
MILD SPOILER, but Blood of Desiderium ended with Emma making a sacrifice—to stop her father from killing everyone, she went with him. Draven watched the life be snuffed from her eyes and the darkness take a firm hold of the woman he loved. It was devastating and waiting for the conclusion to THAT... lawd, the wait was excruciating.
But here I am and it was well worth it.
In Soul of Salvation, Emma is in the dark world inhabited by her father, Whiro, the god of darkness. He keeps giving her tests, the worst of which is taking the lives of random fae males. While in the realm, Emma feels nothing. She does what she's supposed to do, waiting for her next task. When her father commands her to betray Draven and bring him as the next soul to be sacrificed, it's her first time going back to her world. Will she remain cold and unfeeling or will Draven be the key to giving her her heart back?
On the flip side, Draven's a wreck. He drowns himself in drink to soothe the pain of Emma's absence and their friends aren't able to reach him. They understand, but there's really nothing they can do to help. When word reaches them of Emma's arrival, Draven can't stay away. And then it's a fight to save his mate and his kingdom from the worst being they've ever seen.
I loved the build up to battle and how these characters were able to still find time to renew their bonds. Emma was done fighting Draven and it was so freaking sweet to see them so in tune with each other. Draven would do absolutely anything to save, protect and keep her and she would do the same.
This duology ended so perfectly and I'm excited to see what's next from this author.
Ali Stuebbe grew up in the state of Ohio, near the city of Cleveland. At the age of 21, she married, becoming a military spouse, and has called three other states home. She studied English Literature at Cleveland State University and American Public University. She began writing her debut novel when she grew confident in her writing and felt ready to bring this story to life. When she’s not writing, she can be found at the gym or sitting on the couch with her nose in a book and a large coffee in her hand. Ali is the author of Blood of Desiderium, and currently lives in Texas with her loving husband and two beautiful children.Visit https://www.alimariestuebbe.co for more information.
In a world of magical artifacts and fantastical beings, a woman determined to save her family joins forces with an unlikely partner.
Bull Moon Rising by Ruby Dixon
Rating -
Standalone - Royal Artifactual Guild #1
Release - October 15, 2024
Genre - Fantasy Romance / marriage of convenience
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - explicit
Source - eARC from NetGalley
Length - 432 pages
As a Holder’s daughter, Aspeth Honori knows the importance of magical artifacts . . . which is why it’s a disaster that her father has gambled all theirs away. Now that her family is in danger of losing their hold—and their heads—if anyone finds out the truth, Aspeth decides to do something about it. She’ll join the Royal Artifactual Guild and the adventurers who explore ancient underground ruins to retrieve the coveted arcane items.
It’s a great plan—with one big problem. The guild won’t let her train because she’s a woman. Aspeth needs a chaperone of some kind. The best way to get around this problem? Marry someone who will let her become an apprentice. Who better than a surly guild member who requires a favor of his own? He’s a minotaur (it’s fine) who is her teacher (also fine) . . . and he’s about to go into rut (which is where it gets tricky). He also has no idea she’s a noble (oops), and he’ll want nothing to do with her if he discovers her real identity.
Now Aspeth just has to pass the guild tests, thwart a fortune hunter, and save her hold—oh, and survive a rut with her monstrous, horned husband, whom she might be falling in love with.
It’s time to dig deep. Literally.
It’s a great plan—with one big problem. The guild won’t let her train because she’s a woman. Aspeth needs a chaperone of some kind. The best way to get around this problem? Marry someone who will let her become an apprentice. Who better than a surly guild member who requires a favor of his own? He’s a minotaur (it’s fine) who is her teacher (also fine) . . . and he’s about to go into rut (which is where it gets tricky). He also has no idea she’s a noble (oops), and he’ll want nothing to do with her if he discovers her real identity.
Now Aspeth just has to pass the guild tests, thwart a fortune hunter, and save her hold—oh, and survive a rut with her monstrous, horned husband, whom she might be falling in love with.
It’s time to dig deep. Literally.
Bull Moon Rising offered up so many goodies to entice a reader like me:
* monster romance
* marriage of convenience
* sexy and grumpy minotaur
* haughty and optimistic heroine
* interesting plot
* several side characters with endearing qualities
* made up history and archaelogical digs
Aspeth has always been intrigued by artifacts and has spent her life reading about the history and discovery of them. When her father gambles away the last of their most valuable artifacts, she decides that it's up to her to save their hold. Along with her best friend and maid, Gwenna, she travels to the guild to become a fledgling, hoping to grab a few artifacts for herself.
What she didn't count on was the immediate dismissal from the members of the guild. It was definitely a men's club and I loved how Aspeth didn't take any of their crap. She was there and she wasn't leaving without the chance to prove herself able. Booksmart and courageous, she was easy to root for.
My favorite character was Hawk, for many reasons. He was someone who lived with the guild without really being a part of it. His race was used and abused and discriminated against and still Hawk acted with honor and respect and devotion. He was such a wonderful male and I lived for his irritable attitude and movements, his self-reflections, and his growing feelings for Aspeth.
I thought this story would be absolutely filthy, but it wasn't. It had its moments, but this was a story about discovery—of self and of wonders.
Ruby Dixon is an author of Science Fiction Romance. She likes fated mates, baby-filled epilogues, and cinnamon roll heroes. She also likes to write biographies of herself in the third person, because it feels more important that way.
Ruby also loves coffee and dirty books and will probably be a cat lady at some point. :)
Visit http://www.rubydixon.com for more information.
Prince Hunt Athalar Danaan.
He would have hated the last name were it not for the fact that it was a marker of her ownership over his soul, his heart.
You can find it here: Goodreads * Amazon
He would have hated the last name were it not for the fact that it was a marker of her ownership over his soul, his heart.
You can find it here: Goodreads * Amazon
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
Rating -
1/2Book 3 of the Crescent City series
Release - January 30, 2024
Genre - Fantasy Romance / fated mates
POV - Multiple 3rd person
Heat - descriptive
Source - library ebook
Length - 951 pages
Previous books in the series - House of Earth and Blood * House of Sky and Breath
Bryce Quinlan never expected to see a world other than Midgard, but now that she has, all she wants is to get back. Everything she loves is in Midgard: her family, her friends, her mate. Stranded in a strange new world, she's going to need all her wits about her to get home again. And that's no easy feat when she has no idea who to trust.
Hunt Athalar has found himself in some deep holes in his life, but this one might be the deepest of all. After a few brief months with everything he ever wanted, he's in the Asteri's dungeons again, stripped of his freedom and without a clue as to Bryce's fate. He's desperate to help her, but until he can escape the Asteri's leash, his hands are quite literally tied.
Hunt Athalar has found himself in some deep holes in his life, but this one might be the deepest of all. After a few brief months with everything he ever wanted, he's in the Asteri's dungeons again, stripped of his freedom and without a clue as to Bryce's fate. He's desperate to help her, but until he can escape the Asteri's leash, his hands are quite literally tied.
Writing a review for this book has been so hard because everything I've come up with has been pretty spoilery.
House of Flame and Shadow picks up right where the cliffhanger from the last book left us — Hunt, Ruhn and Bax are prisoners of the Asteri; Bryce is in the land of her ancestors; and everyone else is converging on the final showdown. There was so much revealed in this story and while I could appreciate the fact that there was a crossover of characters, I didn't read the other series, so I was meeting these people for the first time, without any preconceptions. I missed all of the Easter eggs and now I'm curious enough to read that series 😊
“I fell in love with you in the depths of my soul, and it's my soul that will find yours again in the next life.”
Without spoiling everything, I'll just tell you my feelings throughout the book. I was so proud of how far Hunt and Bryce had come in their relationship. Remembering where they started out, virtually enemies to allies to everything, I am a true sucker for the love, support and friendship they found with each other. Ruhn was still an absolute sweetheart and I'm excited for his future, especially one he will share with Day. My heart breaks for Bax, but dang that male came so far from where he used to stand. Never thought he would be such a staunch ally. I found this book scary and tense and exciting and incredible and I would not complain if there was another one in the series, despite the threat to their world being gone.
Shoot, just give me an extended epilogue or something!
Sarah J. Maas is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the Crescent City, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and the Throne of Glass series. Her books have sold more than twelve million copies and are published in thirty-seven languages.A New York native, Sarah lives in Philadelphia with her husband, son, and dog.
To find out more, visit sarahjmaas.com or follow @therealsjmaas on Instagram.
The highly anticipated third installment of the steamy Artefacts of Ouranos series journeys deeper into the glittering fae world as Lor puts both her life and her heart on the line in this enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance.
Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon
Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon
Fate of the Sun King by Nisha J. Tuli
Book 3 of the Artefacts of Ouranos series
Rating -
1/2Release - June 4, 2024
Genre - Fantasy Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Multiple 1st person
Heat - descriptive
Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 556 pages
Previous books in the series - Trial of the Sun Queen and Rule of the Aurora King
With the Heart Crown now in her possession, Lor must navigate the dangers of being an heir on the run, knowing more than one power-hungry ruler is after her blood. When she returns to Aphelion to unlock her magic and recover her family's legacy, it becomes clearer than ever that all that’s gold doesn’t sparkle. No stranger to battles, she continues to fight her attraction to the Aurora Prince, understanding this might be the one she finally loses.
As the past mixes with the present, Lor uncovers the truth about the Artefacts and their role in shaping her destiny. Now, her future hangs in the balance, leaving her closer than ever to getting everything she's ever wanted... or losing it all forever.
As the past mixes with the present, Lor uncovers the truth about the Artefacts and their role in shaping her destiny. Now, her future hangs in the balance, leaving her closer than ever to getting everything she's ever wanted... or losing it all forever.
Seriously Nisha?! You're gonna do me like that???!!!
The entire entourage is hiding in plain sight and I was anxious for them. Who would find them first — Nadir's dad or the equally awful Sun King? While I waited to find out, I learned so much more about the history of the realms, the diabolical schemes of those in power, and what must happen to make things right. I think I know, but I need more details to be sure. Book four needs to appear in my hands pronto.
I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed getting other perspectives for this story. I could finally root for these characters, understanding their motives and emotions. All I wanted was for Lor to finally see Nadir and when she finally did, when she finally accepted that her anger wasn't truly with him, when she recognized everything they could be together, I was delirious with hope and happiness. All I want is to see this couple triumph over it all, knowing they are end game.
This was my favourite book of the series so far, even though it practically killed me in the end. While I'm tired of the heroines of fantasy books being the 'greatest person of all time', I do believe Lor and her siblings deserve all of the blessings that seem to be in store for them. They've suffered more than anyone should have to, especially when their suffering was due to their ancestor's transgressions. But it seems that there is so much more to the story and I'm loving how complicated everything is getting.
Kudos to the author for keeping all of these facts straight, tempting me with juicy morsels, leaving me begging for more. I'm sitting here absolutely devastated and excited for the next book.
Nisha J. Tuli is the bestselling author of Trial of the Sun Queen—the first in the Artefacts of Ouranos series—which became a BookTok hit thanks to her amazing fans. The originally self-published series was acquired by Forever Publishing and Orbit UK in 2023, and will soon be published in 15 other languages around the world.She's also the author of Heart of Night and Fire, a South Asian-inspired fantasy romance and the first in a four-book series. Look for her rom-com debut in 2025 with NSFW (Not Suitable for Work), a workplace rivals to lovers rom-com publishing with Forever.
Nisha lives in Canada, where she spends most of her time reading and writing while enjoying travel, food, and camping with her partner, two kids, and their fluffy Samoyed, Mora.
Visit https://nishajtuli.com for more information.
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