BOOKS | Review: Eidolon by Grace Draven

Name: Eidolon (Wraith Kings #2)

Author: Grace Draven 

Publisher: Independently published

Date published: April 2016

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 323

Rating: 5/5

In a bid for more power, the Shadow Queen of Haradis has unleashed a malignant force into the world. Her son Brishen, younger prince of the Kai royal house, suddenly finds himself ruler of a kingdom blighted by a diseased darkness and on the brink of war. His human wife Ildiko must decide if she will give up the man she loves in order to secure his throne.
Three enemy kingdoms must unite to save each other, and a one-eyed, reluctant king must raise an army of the dead to defeat an army of the damned.

- From Goodreads. 

This was definitely different to Radiance, with a lot more drama, angst and action, but it was still a great story, although it probably won't become as much of a comfort read as Radiance has become for me.

It was interesting to learn more about the world in this book, especially the politics and relationships between the different kingdoms. We saw some of it in the first book, but it was good to see it in more detail in this one.

It was certainly a more angst-filled storyline for Brishen and Ildiko, but it was clear they always cared for each other throughout the story and wanted to look after each other, and it was lovely to see them get through the difficulties and be stronger together at the end.

I think there were some wonderful new characters introduced, and we got to see more of Kirgipa, who we only saw briefly during the first book, and was a very sweet, likeable character. I really liked the start of the relationship that began between her and another new character, Necos. He was very kind and protective and I thought the two of them together were very wholesome. I would have loved to see more of them, and I did not expect to enjoy another perspective or point of view outside of Brishen's and Ildiko's, but I really liked all of Kirgipa's parts in the story.

Overall, it was a very thrilling and captivating story and a great conclusion to the conflict that was begun in the first book. I really love the characters and world and would always be happy to read more, even when it's just a cosy story about the characters with less focus on the plot. 

BOOKS | Review: My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine

Name: My Roommate is a Vampire (My Vampires #1)

Author: Jenna Levine

Publisher: Penguin

Date published: August 2023

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, vampires

Pages: 341

Rating: 5/5

Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch - only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.
Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean...
Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.

- From Goodreads. 

This was such a fun, entertaining book! It was delightful in its humour and I laughed out loud multiple times. And although it was very lighthearted, the charaters still felt sincere and their feelings still felt meaningful.

Both Cassie and Frederick were very loveable characters. It was endearing how out of place Frederick was and how eager he was to learn about the world around him, and it was so sweet how earnest and serious he was about his attraction and feelings for Cassie. And it was wonderful to see how Cassie went from feeling so lost and unhappy with her circumstance to really finding somewhere she could fit in and where people believed in her and her passion and creativity.

I loved that it was a less serious vampire story and that the author had a lot of fun with it, I will definitely look forward to reading more from Jenna Levine and more in this world. I'm curious to see how she expands on this world and what her new characters will be like.

BOOKS | Review: Daughter of Winter and Twilight by Helen Corcoran

Name: Daughter of Winter and Twilight (Queen of Coin and Whispers #2)

Author: Helen Corcoran

Publisher: The O'Brien Press

Date published: September 2023

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy

Pages: 576

Rating: 5/5

 

'Magic was dormant - never dead'
To some, Emri - the adopted heir and daughter of two queens - is a living reminder that her birth father tried to usurp the Edaran throne. While Emri grapples with a diplomatic visit from her estranged cousin, Melisande, the two girls are attacked by a magical force and spirited away. They must put their differences aside when Emri comes face to face with a goddess she’s always considered a myth: Lady Winter.
Trapped deep within a mountain temple alongside other young royals, they face a race against time to complete Lady Winter’s trials... or die. 

- From Goodreads. 

This was a wonderful follow-up to Queen of Coin and Whispers. It took the world that was established in that first book and really expanded on it while also taking the plot in a new and exciting direction. Since the existence of magic and the gods were mentioned in the first book, but were not actually present, it was intriguing to see them actually become real and undeniable for the characters and to see their reactions to that.

The jump in time from the first book was also really interesting and it was fascinating to see how the characters we knew from the first book had grown and changed and what had happened to them in that time, as well as to meet new characters who had not even existed during the first book's plot.

I really liked Emri, the main character for this book, I think you could really feel and understand all her emotions, and it was very easy to root for her. It was also interesting to see Lia and Xania from her point of view as parents to her, when in the first book we had seen their story from their perspectives. I think we still got a strong sense of their characters and personalities and they still felt like the characters we knew in the first book, but of course a little older and more experienced.

The romance was a bit more in the background in this book, but I still enjoyed the romance we did get, and I thought it was well done that we saw Emri get to know and begin to like her potential future partner, without it being rushed and how it was clearly shown to be just the beginning of what had the potential to become a very sweet and loving relationship.

I would definitely recommend this if you enjoyed Queen of Coin and Whispers, and if you have not read that yet, I recommend both if you enjoy books with intriguing political plot lines and well thought-out worlds and well-rounded characters. If you like Samantha Shannon's Roots of Chaos series, I think you will like this too. 

BOOKS | Review: A Dawn with the Wolf Knight by Elise Kova

Name: A Dawn with the Wolf Knight (Married to Magic #5)

Author: Elise Kova

Publisher: Orion

Date published: August 2024

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, werewolves

Pages: 470

Rating: 4/5 

As one of the last surviving witches, Faelyn’s sole duty is to keep the protective barriers on the forests where the lykin roam - creatures who can shed flesh for fur - sparing nearby humans from their violent, beastly natures. When she has an unlikely encounter with the rare, primordial spirit of the moon, Faelyn finds herself not only the object of the Wolf King’s desire, but essential to his ability to keep his crown.
Taken to the magical land of Midscape, the Wolf King claims her as his bride to control the moon spirit’s magic that now resides within Faelyn. But Faelyn refuses to resign herself and the spirit Aurora to a life of servitude underneath the king’s cruel rule. Faelyn hatches a dangerous plan for them both to escape and help comes from an unlikely ally.
Evander is the king’s blisteringly handsome, loyal knight, right hand, and Faelyn’s sworn protector... on the outside. But appearances are not what they seem. He plots against the king’s brutality at every turn and helping Faelyn escape will serve these ends. But altruism for Faelyn and the trapped moon spirit isn’t his only motivation... Evander is hiding secrets, and they might change Faelyn’s life forever.
A desperate plot to escape. A brutal king. Ancient powers. And a sworn protector who can’t keep his hands off her... Will she be taken as the Wolf King’s bride? Or will she manage an escape that will free her heart and change her fate forever? 

- From Goodreads. 

This story once again felt different to the previous books in the series and I enjoyed following the plot as it felt quite unique.

The characters felt unique too and it was interesting getting to know our main character and her love interest and following how they came to fall in love while struggling with the circumstances keeping them apart and the secrets they had to keep from each other.

I thought the magical spirit side characters were wonderful, they had great personalities and had such heartfelt connections with Faelyn, I really enjoyed any scenes that involved them.

I thought the story had a great, action-packed ending, and a very lovely epilogue that wrapped things up well. It was a little sad to finish the book as for now this is the last in the series and I have enjoyed reading the whole series. I think the first book is still my favourite, but all of them have been fun, athough in the middle with Vampire Lord I did struggle a little with the story. If there are ever any more books in this world I would be excited to read them as the world building was fascinating throughout the series and I think there is plenty of room for more interesting stories set in the same world, and I would be curious to see what happens in the future of the world as the events of the books made a lot of changes and I think it would be intriguing to see the after effects.

BOOKS | Review: A Duet with the Siren Duke by Elise Kova

Name: A Duet with the Siren Duke (Married to Magic #4)

Author: Elise Kova 

Publisher: Silver Wings Press

Date published: August 2023

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, sirens

Pages: 440

 Rating: 4/5

This review contains minor spoilers. 

She sold her soul to a siren and now he's come to collect.
Victoria risks everything to leave a dangerous marriage and gain a second chance at life. But when her escape goes awry, she finds herself caught in the strong embrace of a mysterious siren, forced to temporary salvation or immediate death.
And so, a cursed deal is struck.
Five years later, Victoria is alive - and the world's finest ship captain. But her debt to the siren looms while her conniving ex has demanded a king's ransom as the final price of her freedom. Victoria refuses to cause her family to suffer any more on her behalf, and is determined to make things right before her time is up. But that time is cut short.
The siren comes for her. Six months early.
Taken to the magical and deadly Eversea, home of the sirens, Victoria discovers she's the sacrifice upon which all sirens pin their hopes. If they want to appease an angry god and save a world on the brink of destruction, then they need her. Which gives her the perfect leverage.
Victoria strikes a new deal - the Siren Duke will help save her family, and she'll fulfill his demands. It's a good bargain until a flicker of passion ignites in the scarred remnants of Victoria's heart, threatening all she's worked for. As the sacrifice for the God of Death, she's meant to give up everything that draws her to the world of the living. But that's impossible when all she can think about is how this handsome siren's song, and his hands, make her feel very much alive.
In a realm of ancient magic, submerged secrets, and forgotten gods, can love find a place among shattered hearts as they race against time and the blossoming of forbidden desires? Or will the delicate songs of their hearts be silenced once and for all?

- From Goodreads. 

I enjoyed this more than the previous book in the series. While they both had intriguing world building, I think the development of the characters and the plot was done better in this one. There were still a couple of moments where the characters were a little frustrating, but mostly I was really interested in their journey and hoping they found their happy ending. 

This story actually felt quite different to the others in the series, especially towards the end, which was refreshing as I was worried some parts of the stories were getting repetitive in the last book. Although the ending did have a bittersweet touch to it, and overall this might be the saddest story in the series so far, it was definitely unexpected and interesting.

I'm definitely invested in the world and I'm quite curious about what will happen in the next book. It was clever how this book included little references to the other books in the series and weaved them together in the conclusion, but still kept the story functioning as a stand alone with a satisfying conclusion for the characters involved. Personally I think it's best to read the books in the order they were published, but I think you could read them in any order and not be too confused.

I would recommend this book, and series overall, if you like fantasy romance with complex and intriguing world building. I'm very curious to see how things wrap up in the next book and to see what I feel about the new characters and their relationship that will be introduced to us in that one. 

BOOKS | Review: This Cursed Light by Emily Thiede

Name: This Cursed Light (The Last Finestra #2)

Author: Emily Thiede

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Date published: December 2023

Genre: Fiction, young adult, romance, fantasy

Pages: 437

Rating: 3/5

This review contains minor spoilers. 

When the gods make the rules, the players must choose: Sacrifice their love to save the world, or choose love and let it burn?
Six months after saving their island from destruction and almost losing Dante, Alessa is ready to live happily ever after with her former bodyguard. But Dante can't rest, haunted by a conviction that the gods aren't finished with them yet. And without his powers, the next kiss from Alessa could kill him.
Desperate for answers, Dante enlists Alessa and their friends to find the exiled ghiotte in hopes of restoring his powers and combining forces with them to create the only army powerful enough to save them all. But Alessa is hiding a deadly consequence of their last fight - a growing darkness that's consuming her mind - and their destination holds more dangers than anyone bargained for. In the mysterious city of the banished, Dante will uncover secrets, lies, and ghosts from his past that force him to ask himself: Which side is he on?
When the gods reveal their final test, Dante and Alessa will be the world's last defense. But if they are the keys to saving the world, will their love be the price of victory?

- From Goodreads. 

While the first book was not perfect, I had fun reading it, and was looking forward to reading this second book, but unfortunately I did find this one disappointing. The plot felt like it lost momentum and while it could have gone down a lot of different interesting paths, which was why I was so curious to read this book, I wasn't very excited by the path it chose to take. It did still manage to have quite a dramatic climax, but I was just left feeling like the story could have done more.

I was still invested in the two main characters' journeys and their romance, I hoped that they could work through their problems and find a happy ending together, although I did feel that we spent so much time on other characters that we did not get to follow their character development as in deth as I would have liked. Also, apart from the main two characters, I didn't like many of the others, or find them interesting or distinct enough from each other. I thought Kaleb had an interesting start to his character development in the first book but not much happened with him in this book, and I did not really understand why Alexandra's brother was forgiven so easily for what he did in the first book so I didn't really enjoy his parts in this book. Along with that, one of the new characters, Talia, was too unlikeable for me, I think she was supposed to be a little unlikeable while still being a character you could understand, but I just found I didn't enjoy her presence in the story.

I can imagine other people enjoying this book more than me, and it did still have occasional good moments, but overall I don't think it lived up to its potential and it didn't follow on from the first book in the way that I hoped it would.