Captive Traitor King

 I could NOT believe I got the ARC!!!

Avon and Harper Voyager, Netgalley and the absolutely incomparable Brigid Kemmerer - a million than-Ky yous for making this review possible.

I raced through the prequel with equal parts disbelief, bated breath and absolutely wicked sauciness!! This book brought the balance absolutely established the equilibrium between the triumvarate and plunged into the depths of their past, pleasure and, dare I say, laid the framework for their very explosive and exploratory showdown! Whilst the pacing of this book was slow, compared to its predecessor,  it brought the spice!!

I loved the balance between the king, the hunter and the princess and I absolutely cannot wait to see the princess become a dominatrix with her magic and her appetite! Clearly Ky is my pick, but I am also, anxiously, excitedly want to see Jory and Alex claim their royalty with panache and authority. 

All in all, this book was a good segue to see the Queen Heir Prisoner maybe next...

#captivetraitorking #novemberreleases #avonharpervoyager

When dealing with Dragons - Dragonbarncore YA Romcom

Do you love dragons? Are your YA FMCs feisty, strong characters who live life with their hearts on their sleeves and never begrudge sacrificing for the greater good? Do you love when the frat boy turns sensitive and stubborn? Do dragon racers versus dragon vets sound like a fun cross between fourth wing and just like the movies? Then grab this book with both hands, and hold on for dear life!!!

Dana Swift has crafted a whimsical, fantastic, emotional and absolutely perfect YA standalone!! From the get go, the pacing, the slow burn, the banter, the misunderstandings, the found family trope - AAAGGHH!! the BEST parts of my fantasy books enmeshed with an endearing first love blooming wistfully with faelings mystically lighting up a first kiss near the cliffs - it DOES NOT get BETTER than this!!

Be it Ferrin Walsh, the impulsive girl who doesn't mind keeping her secret ability to craft above her station, or James Murphy, the silver clad elitist racer who just craves affection, to Dr and Mrs Walsh and their family meetings with these two, all the deals, the twists and turns and OMG the sizzling banter, indecisions, angst, raging dragons and cream sweaters - it was an absolute THRILL to race through this book!

Charlotte Lobdell and Dylan Reilly Fitzpatrick absolutely BROUGHT it!! the emoting, the frantic scenes and the slow burns were all soo well nuanced and enunciated, i listened to chapter 34 on REPEAT - thank you both for the joy this begat!! Whether it was the loft scenes or just the confession scenes, the slow deliberate and paused reading just enhanced the experience!

I cannot thank Macmillian Audio, St Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and Netgalley enough for providing the ARC, and Dana Swift has automatically become an auto-but author for me!! Fly high, my authoress, shield well and write fast!

#JuneReleases #DragonRomCom #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #rivalsxlovers #hefallsfirst #dragonbarncore #Macmillianaudio

How not to Marry a Lord - Rich, seductive and Austen-ful story!

 Did you, dearest reader, tire of the rigmarole about the London ton? Do you wish to wander free into the cliff sides with water? Do you thirst for some spice, and yet yearn for an independent, inquisitive and intrepid ladies? Does Sense and Sensibility feel a little tame for your wildness? If so, then this scorcher by Emma Orchards will cause you to lift your taffeta skirts and run seaside to see what the fuss is all about!!

Cecilia Constantine is freed from the marriage mart with her great great great (great?) aunt's inheritance, and a simple stipulation about not getting engaged or married for a year. The upheaval to a small town where everyone knows everyone and nothing escapes notice is brilliantly executed! The boorish interaction with Major Allistair and the nighttime trysts are the stuff legends are made of. There is a cursory nod to non traditional love with the elder sibling Bea's story, but I loved the witty, spicy and seductive banter that ensues between the Major and Miss Constantine. And of course, doffed hats to the remarkable, dry and absolute cracker that embody the side characters - Miss Macintyre, Mrs Pritty - who know the system and how the game is played. 

This book was devoured overnight, and relished like a well strung instrument, providing a new context to a loved melody (aka Austen themes) - replete with loathsome, nefarious and yet quality villains, this tale was well wrought!

Courtesies to Boldwood books and Netgalley for furnishing this delightful read. the book is best enjoyed with tea, on a picnic in a windy day, or on steps with the susurration of waves by the seaside, preferably with a libation of the spiritual variety!

#hownotomarryalord #Junereleases #boldwoodbooks #Netgalley

Goldenborn - Ghanian mythical retelling

 If you love immersing yourself in rich storytelling, crossovers between modern and mythical, with a strong emotional base and strong cultural hues, then this book is definiteky up your alley.

This felt like an ode to Ghanian myths a la Heroes of Olympus, with Gods, magic systems and mythical creatures being introduced incrementally, adding to the storyline. I love the way the stories intersect with department memes and the intersection of magic and law enforcement was handled well!

I enjoyed the nuances, shadow dragons and especially relished the Ghanian tales - the seamless infusion of details like hair styles,  clothes and foods enhance the reading experience!

It is a fantastic start to a series with strong characters and a curiously story infused mythical backbone!

My thank yous to Scholastic Press and Netgalley for granting my wish!!

#JuneReleases #goldenborn #scholastic #netgalley

The Secret of Briar Rose - thorny, dark and superlative

 How do you summarize a book that is morbid, unforgiving, whimsical and maddeningly un-put-downable? This gem from Cindy Pham is stark, sharp and bony in places that make you weak and uncomfortable and yet agonizingly true... In the rich realms of sleeping beauty, there draws a sharp line of reality, with hunger, loss and death turning selfishness into a trait and cowardice, a comfort opposed to the tyrannical suppression of rebellion.

Cindy Pham scores harsh lines and scathes through the blistering and impoverished ruins of a once thriving kingdom, while, alternatingly, she travels back a 100 years to delve into the mystery of Amelia or Briar Rose, whose disappearance severed the land from sustenance, reducing its inhabitants to a hopeless populace awaiting death's embrace...

Cindy dismantles a happy fairytale with slashes of apathy and misconstrued villains and hurt heroines who are abashed to face their true selves. this book read more like a poem or dirge to loss but with a beautiful cycle bringing the dream to closure.

I thoroughly enjoyed this moody, atmospheric and world shattering breed of writing - amorphous and yet brutal at the same time!! Loved the dreamscape of the otherworld and Mal is my absolute die-hard favorite! teeming with emotions and brimming with flashbacks and deep seated insecurities and personal failings, this is one dark, lush and visceral read!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for making my wish come true! 

#Junereleases #darkfairytale #visceralreads

A curse of Beasts and Magic - Spunky ER Nurse x Grumpy Magical Warden

 If you love a spunky heroine hurtled into an unfamiliar world of magic, if you love suspense and slow but sure burns, a penchant for multigene cultures and peoples, arcane plots and angst riddled protagonists, then this amazing gem is your modern day fairytale!!

Jeaniene Frost layers the plot as ER nurse Raine Stone saves a blundering old man and suddenly finds herself foul of a Warden - a supreme magical human with the ability to control creatures, particularly the wilde Beast that feeds on violence, that caused the destruction of Raine's family and subsequently resides in her...

Tavia Gilbert gives such a tension to this audiobook rendition, the uncertainty and control that drives Raine as the mistress of her beast and her calm under stress attitude in the face of all these obscure legends coming to life are dealt with nuance and panache! The romance scenes were well articulated and the characters got their unique tones and accents in keeping with the Irish, Indian and other melanges scattered through the tale.

All in all this made for a lovely, fast paced and thoroughly enjoyable listen on a 4 hour hike and then the drive back - Definitely recommend if you love a twisted fairytale and heroines who are all heart!

My supernaturally imbued gratitude to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for granting my wish! and my eternal allegiance to Ms Frost for opening my ears to this series!

#AcurseofBeastsandMagic #Macmillanaudio #Netgalley #MayFantasyReads #TwistedFairytales

The River She Became - Mellifluent ode to Multicultural Fantasy

 If you are a scholar at heart, if the nuance of rebellion, the ability to research and collect artefacts rather than direct combat appeals to you, if your senses are titillate by riddles and quests and undetermined loyalties and complex emotions tug your heartstrings, if your pulse races at the heart of espionage and you thirst for magic, then this book is ABSOLUTELY for you!!

Pulled into the dark and grim world of Yaseema Nazir, we learn her land is being deprived of magical artefacts provided by the Pari, who barricaded themselves across the river, by the ignominious citadel. A Citadel scholar by day and an archivist unearthing the magical fae objects before the Citadel can gain their hands on them, Yaseema is in the search of a rare artefact that can allow her to cross the river into the lands of the Pari.

When she finally does so, she realizes that even the Paris are subservient to the court of Salt, who have muted the Court of Rivers powers, and everyone is in search of the crown of the ancient fae Queen. Racing against the clock, rebels, and her own heart and people. Yasmina slowly discovers what exactly is worth fighting for and the real meaning of sacrifice.

I LOVED how this book delved into a new culture, with different magic types and creatures and the letters in the journal of Yaseema's mom were my favorite! Kian, as the lost prince, and viceroy's guard is also a fascinating character. The slew of supporting characters, both present and absent, made their indelible impact in the development of Yaseema's arc. I raced through the book in two days and cannot wait for the sequel.

Safiyya Ingar is marvelous as the narrator of this ALC - her ability to infuse the uncertainty and nasal renditions of the Viceroy's soliloquy are simply perfection! The loneliness in both Kian and Yaseema and their angst at not being able to assist the ones they love are palpable in each chapter and Safiyya voices them with an apt timbre!

My shukriyas to Macmillian Audio and Netgalley for making my listening dreams come true!