Friday 10 April 2015

Chosen Thief by Scarlett Dawn


Caroline Jules knows death is imminent. She's only 22, but as an inmate of death row in the most secure Mystical jail, what else could her future hold? Caro has no idea. Her solitary, transient life is about to get flipped on its head when it is revealed that she is the new Elemental Prodigie, and she has responsibilities and ties that she can't ever escape. Caro is attempting to run from a brutal past, but the rulers have other plans for this thief's future. But the transition from a self contained existence to life with the other prodigies, the Kings and Queens, and even the Elders was never going to be easy, and Caro has secrets she's loathe to share. Suddenly she has friends, mentors, lovers-and they all want to know more about her than she is willing to reveal. Can she learn to thrive in the role of a future leader, or will the obligations scare her into disappearing again-this time forever?

This series just keeps on getting better and better. Chosen Thief welcomes a new group of characters into the spotlight, all the while keeping us up to date with past characters who we will never get enough of. The new prodigies are very different to the now Kings and Queens, we have a terrified Mage, a snob of a Shifter, a Vampire with questionable clothing choices and an Elemental with a vast criminal record who are next in line for the thrones. I just love this series so frickin much I don't know where to start! Sin's and Caro's relationship just made me wish for something like they have and the fact that Caro is bi just made my day, finally getting some recognition of other sexualities besides straight and gay in the Urban Fantasy genres, yayayay!!! But stepping away from the characters because I could go on about how fantastic they are all day. The humour in this series never fails to make me cry and grasp my stomach in pain, through awkward sex talks and bad-mouthing of very important people on live radio, I just needed a break from the constant laughter! The world-building continues to grow along with the characters, and this definitely has to be one of my favourite series out there today. It just has everything I could want in a fantasy series: amazing five dimensional characters who are all fantastic in their own unique ways, an original world where anything can happen, humour that will make you pee yourself and a plot that will never leave you bored.

Rating: 5/5


Sunday 5 April 2015

Koven by Vanessa Skye



*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

When Celeste was kidnapped and turned a century ago by a cruel vampire fighter, she expected to spend her doomed eternity chained in darkness and questioned her ability to survive. But things don't always go as expected. Just ask her kidnapper. He never expected Celeste to learn how to fight. He never expected Celeste to become the best warrior he had ever seen. And he certainly never expected to become a victim of his own sword. Tormented by her past and dreams she can't explain, Celeste romans the earth slaying creatures she loathes and seeking revenge against those who harm innocents in the name of bloodlust. Until she crosses paths with Striker, the handsome vampire leader weighed down by his own tortured story. In his quest for answers about Celeste, Striker finds out more than he could have ever thought possible-about himself, his origins and his destiny. 

While I did enjoy this book and loved the characters, there were just a bit too many comparisons between this story and J.R. Ward's 'Black Dagger Brotherhood' series. For example, in Koven the letter 'K' is used a lot in names and places where it shouldn't be, while in Ward's series, the letter 'H' is used in names such as Rehvenge and Rhage, another one is that Striker is the leader of a small group of exceptional warrior vampires, just as Wrath is. 'Koven' just didn't feel very original, but in saying that, I still loved the main character Celeste and her story of revenge, love and finally being able to move on from a horrific past, and while Striker's and Celeste's love story felt a bit rushed, I still managed to be happy for them without rolling my eyes. This is a hard book to rate for me, I was never once bored while reading, but I wasn't fully engaged either, and while I will read the next in the series if I have time, I will not be actively searching relentlessly for it. 

Rating: 2.5/5


Friday 3 April 2015

Engage by Erica Crouch Cover Reveal

      B2.5-Engage

Engage: An Ignite Novella by Erica Crouch
Series: Ignite #2.5
  Published by Patchwork Press on May 5, 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult Goodreads 
Kalaziel is a terrible guardian angel: her temper’s shorter than she is, she swears, she’s missing a wing, and she sees no problem with letting man make their own choices—no matter how questionable. That’s what free will is all about, right? Her overseers disagree. After she mishandles an assignment, Heaven strips Kala of her title and throws her back into training, hoping to reinforce the covenant of vows she swore to uphold as a guardian. But the angels’ motives aren’t as pure as they appear: they want to eradicate any opinions that conflict with Heaven’s code. With a mass cleansing on the horizon, Kala discovers she is not alone in her insubordination; there are other angels who are restless with the stasis of Heaven and ready for change. Progress doesn’t come easily, though, especially when it means uniting ancient enemies to fight for a common cause.

The day is finally here! We are so thrilled to finally share the cover reveal of Erica Crouch's Engage, the next instalment in the Ignite series. Engage follows Kala and Ana’s story before the events that unfold in Incite. Engage comes out May 5th. You can preorder the ebook now on Amazon so you can get it the moment it’s out! Sign up to participate in the RELEASE DAY BLITZ! We're in love with the cover -- the feathers! Kala! ANGELS FALLING FROM HEAVEN??? -- but we want to know what you think! Let us know in the comments!

ABOUT ERICA CROUCH

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Erica Crouch is a young adult and new adult author from Baltimore, Maryland. She has a strange blended aesthetic of cute and spooky, and her books reflect her ever changing mood. (You may find romance, you may find gore—sometimes both in the same book, but probably not at the same time. Probably.) Erica is the cofounder of Patchwork Press, an author-powered publisher of middle grade, young adult, and new adult titles. She is the head of editorial services and design, with nearly fifty projects to her name.