Review: Heart of the Shadow King by Sylvia Mercedes

Heart of the Shadow King by Sylvia Mercedes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley for the rerelease of this book by Ace/Berkley in February 2025, however I do want to mention that I had previously purchased audiobook versions of the series. As always all opinions expressed in my review are my own.

We pick up where book 2 leaves off with Vor still trying to balance his duties as king and husband while Faraine desperately wants to help her new kingdom and find her place.  In an attempt to help the kingdom Faraine looks deeper into her own growing powers and uncovers secrets about Vor's world that not many know.  Things take a bit of a darker turn as Vor keeps his agreement to help Faraine's father and as Faraine delves deeper into her abilities.  Things also heat up as Vor and Faraine accept their feelings for one another and stop pretending that their wedding was just a political alliance.  

I loved this whole series and very much enjoyed going on this journey with Faraine and Vor.  I really enjoyed the world building and the character development.  There are some spicy scenes for the romance lovers, but as a fantasy lover myself this hit all of the right notes with action, adventure, and magical elements as well.

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Review: Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided both an ALC and an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This follows Evelyn and Arden through a thousand years as they have fallen in love and he has betrayed and murdered in each one before she turns 18.  She can't remember why he hunts her or why they are bound to each other, and he won't tell her.  All she knows that in this life, her younger sister is dying and her bone marrow is the one thing that might save her.  She has to evade Arden long enough for the doctors to perform atleast her part of the procedure to give her sister a chance.  The only problem is she hasn't figured out who Arden is masquerading as in this life as he has hidden himself very well this time and she is running out of time before her 18th birthday.

This alternates in varying timelines from the present day to past lives that Arden and Evelyn have lived.  I liked that this takes us back to several different places in history, and Evelyn isn't always a woman and Arden isn't always a man and they aren't always in a traditional heterosexual relationship.  Gender wasn't a preference for either one of them, it was more the connection they shared.  Sometimes they are already together while others they have to find one another and that spark takes hold when they reunite again and they remember who they are.  I do wish we would have spent a little more time in these past chapters getting to know the characters and their backstories a bit more.  They were significant turning points in the relationship between the two main characters and would have lent a bit more to the character development and helped us understand how deep their connection really was and why they were willing to make the bargain they did.  

We eventually find out why Arden murders Evelyn every 18 years just before her birthday, but it comes toward the very end and felt a bit rushed.  I was a bit disappointed with the ending despite very much enjoying the rest of the book.  I thought the reveal was good and the concept was great, I just wanted a bit more development and explanation to go with that plotline. Overall I did enjoy getting to know our characters and their relationship.

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Review: The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton

The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both and ARC and an ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

Dalton was a down on his luck guy with nothing to look forward to, when he gets recruited to be part of a confederation to spread love and harmony throughout the galaxy. Dalton's crew is Unity, but they have a nemesis group called The Assembly and they really don't get along. Both groups seek out new civilizations and want to broker alliances and they will do whatever it takes to make sure their side wins a new friend.

Dalton finds himself stranded on a new planet and guest of the planet's queen. He and Breaker, a member of the Assembly are both vying for her attention and still attempting to form and alliance, but Dalton has a hard time understanding the culture and strange sense of honor that the their mostly female civilization operates under. At the same time he questions the motivations of his own crew and mission. His survival on the planet hinges on the queen making him her consort, which Dalton doesn't understand, as there is no romance between them. As things become more clear he comes to understand how politics work on the planet and that he may just be a bargaining chip.

I really loved getting to know Dalton as he had to navigate this precarious environment. He can't leave the planet, and he is forced to be the consort of an alien queen for political reasons. He is always offending those around him, mainly because he doesn't understand their culture, which leads to some pretty humorous moments throughout the book. I loved the snark from the AI translator that helps Dalton navigator the various languages. At times this felt like cozy sci-fi as Dalton deals with more social situations and what he feels is moral and honorable and there isn't alot of graphic content when it comes to violence and other content.

I loved this. It was fun, had the right amount of humor, and falls in the more cozy genre that is so popular right now. This has more political intrigue and self reflection themes to it, so if you are expecting epic world building and super technical sci-fi this is not that book. Dalton spends much of his time underground so there isn't a ton of world building or description of the world. The plot is more focused on will Dalton follow the orders of his exploration company, or will he follow his own moral compass. I thought Dalton's relationship with Breaker was great and while this is a standalone I would love to know how they get on in the future.

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Review: On Loverose Lane by Samantha Young

On Loverose Lane by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

The book reads as a complete standalone, however if you have read the original On Dublin Street series, you will recognize many characters who make cameos.  I love that we have returned to this world with Beth, the daughter of Joss and Braden and hope to see more of the 2nd generation of the Dublin Street characters. 

Beth owns a successful social media company, she grew up with privilege but she always had to work for what she wanted.  One thing that she wanted, but pushed away was Callan Keen.  She thought she was doing the right thing at 16, but things didn't end up the way she had hope and they both ended up hurt in the end.  Callan is now a famous soccer/football star, and he happens to be moving into Beth's building.  Running into each other regularly brings back memories and unresolved feelings, especially when Beth asks Callan to be her fake boyfriend to help her land a big client.  In return, Beth promises to set Callan and his best friend Baird up with a meeting with her dad regarding a property he owns.  This mutually beneficial relationship would be great for their career goals, and it just so happens it is equally beneficial in the bedroom as well.  Things get a bit spicy between these two.  As their casual arrangement comes to a close, neither one of them wants it to end but they both have things from their past that are keeping them from taking the next step.  

This has good mental health rep as Beth deals with anxiety, but she doesn't full open up about it.  She takes on too much and deals with everything on her own.  If you have read On Dublin Street, you will be familiar with Joss' struggles with grief and anxiety.  Joss has conversations with both Beth and Callan about how she learned to deal with those things and that she was there for them both if they needed someone to talk to.  Callan, like Joss, has a hard time letting people get close to him because of tragic loss at a young age and doesn't know how to deal with big feelings.  With the support of the people around them, they are able to take steps to fight for their relationship and build something together.  I really enjoyed getting to know Beth and Callan as they got to know each other as adults and rekindle their romance from high school. This also has great side characters, Beth has a huge family and we meet many of them in the book.  I suspect as this is a 2nd gen series we will see more of them in the future.  Callan's best friend and business partner Baird was awesome, and I hope to see more of him in the future as well.

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Review: A Dragon of Black Glass: Moonfall, Book 3 by James Rollins

A Dragon of Black Glass: Moonfall, Book 3 by James Rollins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own. Nicola Barber has done a wonderful job narrating the series!

This is the 3rd Moonfall series, and I have been hooked since book 1. This is not the end of the series, I'm not sure if the book with end with 4 or 5 books in total, I've seen indications of both since the beginning of the series. This series has a ton of characters and bounces around alot from perspective to perspective, so it isn't going to be for everyone as there is alot of information to keep track of. The audio books are on the long side 22-25ish hours, so you need to be invested in the characters and their journey. I have found the pacing to be good and the world building to be engrossing. There are several genres represented in the books and series over all, we have court politics, as well as some cool science fiction elements, a bit of magic, action, adventure, and so much more. I'm anxious to see where our group heads in the next book.

As moonfall approaches, Nyx, her friends, and her ever present bat companion Bashaliia must race across the lands where the sun never sets to find the secrets to getting the earth turning again and preventing the apocalypse. On their journey they find only more secrets and more danger as the world on the sun filled side of the earth has learned to adapt and hide from the blazing heat, just as it did on the cold side. Nyx must continue to work on her understanding and control of her bridle song as it will be a key component to saving or destroying the world. While Nyx and her crew are braving the desert and fighting new monsters, elsewhere Kanthe is fighting a different kind of fight. He is dealing with political scheming and working with his new bride to gain allies where they can and uncover plots against them.

This does end with a cliffhanger so be prepared for that. The stakes are pretty high toward the end and I know readers who are invested are going to want to know what happens sooner rather than later. Each of our characters has a goal and a purpose and the author does a good job keeping the reader invested in that plotline before you can forget about them and what they are doing. I'm very anxious to see how our characters proceed with preventing moonfall and navigate all of the various other obstacles that are thrown their way in book 4.

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RELEASE BLITZ: On Loverose Lane by Samantha Young

 

On Loverose Lane by Samantha Young is now live! 

Imagine my surprise when my new neighbor turns out to be one of Scotland’s most famous (and hottest) professional footballers, Callan Keen. I’m even more shocked to discover that the brooding player is still holding a grudge for something that happened (or didn’t happen) between us years ago.

Too busy trying to take my social media management company to the next level, I don’t have time for this gorgeous blast from the past. Or at least I shouldn’t. Yet whenever I see him, I can’t help but engage in a battle of wits with the grump upstairs.

When a huge client opportunity arises, circumstances force me to enlist Callan’s help. I require a fake date and Callan needs me to facilitate a meeting with my dad to further his own business interests.

The deal between us should be simple. Except, of course, the blazing chemistry we’ve shared since the moment we met. We can’t deny it, we can’t control it, and soon we’re agreeing to six weeks of no-strings-attached, mind-blowing, steamy shenanigans.

I told myself I was too smart to catch feelings. But when Callan finally finds out the truth about our past, he becomes the guy I used to know. And that man is way too easy to fall for.

The problem is that Callan has vowed to never let another person close enough to break his heart again.

It just might prove impossible to show my stubborn Scotsman I’m worth the risk, especially when old wounds are re-opened and threaten to wreck any chance of a future together…

The #1 International bestselling author is back with this emotional and steamy sports romance in which ambitious entrepreneur, Beth Carmichael, meets her match in the grumpy football captain who moves into the apartment above hers.

  

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4e0wML2

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/OnLoveroseLane

Audible: https://bit.ly/3EDtC3h

Narrated by: Shane East & Zara Hampton-Brown

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3AREXLi

Meet Samantha

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She's been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries.
She resides in Scotland.

 

Connect with Samantha

Website: http://authorsamanthayoung.com

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Review: Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley

Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.  I did end up listening to the audiobook which I borrowed from my library as this has been sitting on my TBR for a while.  I'm sorry it took me so long to read this as this was really great!  This is the kind of fantasy that I love to get lost in.

I don't know why more people aren't talking about this book!  It had everything I look for in a fantasy.  There are some dark moments, trials, interesting magic, interesting fae creatures and characters, betrayal, and a bit of romance.

Kenna is not well liked in her village.  She is always collecting things from the bog to sell or trade to survive.  Her best friend is selected along with several other women to be sent to the fae in Mistei as tribute.  The people of Kenna's town believe this to be a great honor, but Kenna isn't so sure.  She offers to help her friend and the women travel the dark path on their journey only to become trapped in the fae land her self and find herself enslaved.  She is assigned to a fae who is about to undergo trials to prove her worth and grant her immortality and power.  Kenna must aid her mistress or face death.  Armed only with her wits and a strange magical dagger she found in the bog before entering Mistei, Kenna finds that the world she has entered is wrought with secrets and plots to overthrow the mad king.  She also finds herself being courted by a handsome fae prince.  

I really enjoyed this.  Kenna develops so much as she helps Lara through the trials.  She is always wandering around gathering information wherever she can to ensure that Lara will successfully pass.  Kenna is always getting herself into sticky situations, but she is clever and finds a way out of them.  I loved the addition of the dagger, which is sentient, and a character in its own right.  I expect we will see more out of the dagger in book 2 as there were some pretty big revelations at the end of this book.  I really enjoyed the characters and the world building.  I can't wait for book 2 out later this year and to find out where Kenna the now Princess of Blood ends up in this magical world.

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