Phoenix Unbound (The Fallen Empire, #1) by Grace Draven – Review

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5 stars, fantasy, Grace Draven, romance

About Phoenix Unbound

A woman with power over fire and illusion and an enslaved son of a chieftain battle a corrupt empire in this powerful and deeply emotional romantic fantasy from the USA Today bestselling author of Radiance.

Every year, each village is required to send a young woman to the Empire’s capital–her fate to be burned alive for the entertainment of the masses. For the last five years, one small village’s tithe has been the same woman. Gilene’s sacrifice protects all the other young women of her village, and her secret to staying alive lies with the magic only she possesses.

But this year is different.

Azarion, the Empire’s most famous gladiator, has somehow seen through her illusion–and is set on blackmailing Gilene into using her abilities to help him escape his life of slavery. And unknown to Gilene, he also wants to reclaim the birthright of his clan.

To protect her family and village, she will risk everything to return to the Empire–and burn once more.

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Review of Phoenix Unbound

Phoenix Unbound lived up to all my very high expectations. First, there is a dark situation that the hero and heroine must rise above, with so many obstacles thrown in their way. The greatest obstacle is the Krael Empire itself, with it’s iron fisted grip on the people, its decadent ways and total disregard for the people that they rule. Slave gladiator fighting and horrible burning sacrifices, which they delicately dub the ‘Rites of Spring’, make the Empire so easy to hate.

I enjoyed all the little things that were thrown in to describe the people and culture of both Azarion’s and Gilene’s people. The dyes that Gilene’s people make. Their clothing and food. The talented horse riders among Azarion’s people, the Savatar. The Savatar berry gathering excursion. The barrows, with the supernatural experiences that go with them.

Another thing I liked is that there is no love lost between Gilene and Azarion from the beginning. Azarion’s use of Gilene to reclaim his birthright means Gilene is forced to go to his homeland instead of hers. She is not happy. Not happy at all. It will take a long time for them to appreciate each other. In the meantime, as the reader, I liked both of these character even if they did not like each other. Both had a sense of responsibility to their people. I wanted them to overcome their differences and figure out a way to get together, even if it seemed pretty impossible. It is those impossible situations that make for such a good story.

Speaking of impossible, the Krael Empire seems quite impossible to defeat.  They have all the power at the beginning.  But the series title is Fallen Empire, so it is not a spoiler to say that our hero and heroine will go up against the Empire, each in a way that reflects their own strengths. The ending, was very satisfying. Even though this is the first book of a series, you don’t get that feeling at all. Phoenix Unbound is a complete story with no loose ends. Which also makes me happy!

I think it is fair to say that Grace Draven has much talent. Including Phoenix Unbound, I have read 8 books by Ms. Draven and everyone of them is a winner. If you enjoy fantasy with a generous dose of romance, you cannot go wrong with this author.

Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Treacherous is the Night by Anna Lee Huber – Review

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5 stars, Anna Lee Huber, historical mystery, WWI

About Treacherous is the Night

In 1919 England, in the shadow of The Great War, many look to the spirit world for answers. But it will take an all too earthbound intrigue to draw in the discerning heroine of Anna Lee Huber’s latest mystery . . .

It’s not that Verity Kent doesn’t sympathize with those eager to make contact with lost loved ones. After all, she once believed herself a war widow. But now that she’s discovered Sidney is very much alive, Verity is having enough trouble connecting with her estranged husband, never mind the dead. Still, at a friend’s behest, Verity attends a séance, where she encounters the man who still looms between her and Sidney—and a medium who channels a woman Verity once worked with in the Secret Service. Refusing to believe her former fellow spy is dead, Verity is determined to uncover the source of the spiritualist’s top secret revelation.

Then the medium is murdered—and Verity’s investigation is suddenly thwarted. Even Secret Service agents she once trusted turn their backs on her. Undaunted, Verity heads to war-torn Belgium, with Sidney by her side. But as they draw ever closer to the danger, Verity wonders if she’s about to learn the true meaning of till death do us part . . .

Review
of Treacherous is the Night

Treacherous is the Night is an historical mystery that takes place after the end of the war to end all wars – World War I. A traumatic time in Europe, the effects of the war are far reaching and when Verity Kent is ‘visited’ by the spirit of her wartime friend, she knows someone is lying and is determined to find the truth.

Riding along with Verity, in her quest to discover the facts behind the message, is her husband Sidney. They find Belgium devastated by the war and full of both friends and foes. The investigation takes many unexpected detours and turns up more than just a lost friend. The mystery is complex and the solving of it very satisfying. The twists and turns made this book very difficult to put down.

But there is more than a mystery going on in Treacherous is the Night. Since Sidney’s return from the war, his relationship with Verity has been strained. Uncertain of their future together, Verity knows they are both keeping so many secrets from each other. While the investigation takes them on a trek through war-ravaged Belgium, Sidney and Verity chisel away at the war-built wall that stands between them. The trip will be one of many discoveries. This correlation between the war-torn land and the relationship between the not-so-happy couple lead me to the conclusion that Treacherous is the Night is an ode to the survivors of war.

Not only those survivors that fought directly in the war, but also the families of soldiers, as well as those working tirelessly for their country. When the war is over, there is still so much to be dealt with by so many people. The restoration of the land, cities and homes destroyed by war. The physical healing of bodies injured by war. But by far the greatest healing has to be mental. For soldiers trying to return to their old way of life. For the spouses and families adjusting to the changes in the soldier that just came home. For soldiers adjusting to the changes in their loved ones. Post war can never be like it was before the strife started.

By the end of the book, there is hope for Verity and Sidney, just as there is hope for everyone else recovering from the upheaval of war. The positive ending was just what I needed to appreciate everything this book encompasses. Mystery, suspense, love, and hope.

Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

King’s Highlander (Highland Wishes, #4) by Jessi Gage – Review

Tags

5 stars, Book Review, fantasy, historical, Jessi Gage, romance, series

About King’s Highlander

Danu, goddess of Wolfkind, has fallen for a mortal. Ever since fate thrust her into the body of a mortal woman, potent desires have plagued her. Surely, returning to her true form will cure her of the longing to fall into bed with the handsome King Magnus. Unfortunately, in her current state, she has no power to transform herself. Worse, she has no power to save her people from the wicked demigod intent on subjugating them.

King Magnus has waited fifty years for Seona, the human woman prophesied to become his queen and the mother of his heir. Now that he has her, she wants nothing to do with him. Until a terrible accident steals her memory. Where Seona once hated him, she now flirts with him. Where she once fled his protective custody, she now marvels at every nuance of life within his castle walls.

Magnus has been betrayed too many times to trust easily. Seona’s new behavior is suspect. But try as he might, he cannot deny his growing passion for her. Just when he begins to believe Seona will finally be his in every way, he learns a truth that rocks him to his core and puts his kingdom in peril. To save his people, he must rely on a new, fragile faith that challenges everything he thought he knew, and risk losing a love that transcends mortality.

Warning: Two pairs of “happy ever afters” are on the line in this wild ride of a fantasy romance. It is recommended that readers experience The Wolf and the Highlander (Highland Wishes, Book 2)

Review of King’s Highlander

In 2015, at an online Facebook party, I received the audiobook of The Wolf and the Highlander from author Jessi Gage in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved it (review here). That book was #2 in the Highland Wishes series, but the nature of the series makes book 4 more of a sequel to book 2.

I don’t often go directly to authors to ask to review a book, but I made an exception this time.  I had great expectations for King’s Highlander and I was not disappointed one bit. The situation with King Magnus and Seona took such an immediate and compelling turn that I could not put this book down.

Danu, in the body of Seona, is both goddess and mortal. Both aspects of her personality appeal to Magnus but he is in the dark about how Seona changed from hating every fiber of his being to flirting at every opportunity. Magnus is suspicious but also terribly attracted to the new Seona.

Sadly, his attempts to act on that attraction will be thwarted by an attack on his kingdom. All the children disappear overnight. To understand how terrible this is, you must realize that the Wolfkind are a dying race. They have very few females and many are past the age of child bearing. So to lose the children is a horrendous blow.

While Danu is in the body of Seona, Seona is in Danu’s body and therefore, in her prison. Put there by the demi-god Hyrk, Danu was despairing of escape. It must also be hopeless for Seona, though she does have a friend. Fae Duff promises to help her escape, but she must make a promise in return.  Because that is just the way of the Fae.

The subsequent story of Magnus going after Danu’s enemy is full of energy and action and high emotions. I would not miss this story for the world! Add the story of the children and of Seona and Duff and you have a full course dinner of passion, tensions and excitement, with an ending that brings in an unexpected blessing. King’s Highlander is such a well told story. You can read this book without reading The Wolf and the Highlander, but reading the two in order would make for a fuller experience.

The author graciously provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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