Seasons of Sorcery Anthology – Review

Tags

5 stars, Amanda Bouchet, curse, fantasy, Grace Draven, Jeffe Kennedy, Jennifer Estep, ocean, paranormal, romance, urban fantasy

About Seasons of Sorcery by Amanda Bouchet, Jeffe Kennedy, Jennifer Estep, Grace Draven

WINTER’S WEB BY JENNIFER ESTEP

An assassin at a renaissance faire. What could possibly go wrong? Everything, if you’re Gin Blanco. This Spider is trapped in someone else’s icy web—and it seems like they don’t want her to leave the faire alive . . .

A CURSE FOR SPRING BY AMANDA BOUCHET

A malevolent spell strangles the kingdom of Leathen in catastrophic drought. Prince Daric must break the curse before his people starve. A once-mighty goddess trapped in a human body might be the key—but saving his kingdom could mean losing all that he loves.

THE DRAGONS OF SUMMER BY JEFFE KENNEDY

As unofficial consort to the High Queen, former mercenary Harlan Konyngrr faces a challenge worse than looming war and fearsome dragons. His long-held secrets threaten what he loves most—and he must make a choice between vows to two women.

A WILDERNESS OF GLASS BY GRACE DRAVEN

The stretch of sea known as The Gray rules the lives of those in the village of Ancilar, including widow Brida Gazi. In the aftermath of an autumn storm, Brida discovers one of the sea’s secrets cast onto the shore—a discovery that will change her world, mend her soul, and put her in the greatest danger she’s ever faced.

**********************

Review of Seasons of Sorcery

What a great collection of stories!

A Curse for Spring by Amanda Bouchet is the emotional story of the trials of a prince and a goddess. It seemed, from the start, that their love was doomed because of the terrible curse put upon Leathen. But we can’t have a doomed romance! The mission that Daric and Rain take upon themselves is full of danger and emotions. Loved this story!

A Wilderness of Glass by Grace Draven takes place in the ocean. Well, not entirely in the ocean, but the sense of the sea was constant in the story. In another story of lovers who cannot possible end up together, the fear of discovery and the intense passion is the constant pull to finish the story. Another great one from Grace Draven.

While all four stories stand alone, the stories by Grace Draven and Amanda Bouchet stand out to me because they are not part of existing series that I have not read (not for lack of interest – just time). If you are followers of Jennifer Estep and Jeffe Kennedy, their stories will certainly please the series junkie in you.

5 stars

**********************

Links

Add Seasons of Sorcery to your Goodreads shelf:

Purchase Seasons of Sorcery:

**********************

 

Advertisements

Two For Winter: Books by Melanie Karsak and Tiffany Roberts – Reviews

Tags

5 stars, Book Review, cold, fairy tale, fantasy, Melanie Karsak, romance, Steampunk, Tiffany Roberts, winter

Up until last Friday, January was unusually warm in Southwest Iowa. It was a good time to read these books that have cold weather settings. However, if you really want to feel the chill, wait until the mercury in the thermometer plummets and the winds start howling and then pick up a good winter weather book.

About Ice Bound by Tiffany Roberts

Anna knows the loss and pain that can be wrought by winter’s harshness intimately. For years, she’s isolated herself, refusing the let go of the guilt that consumes her – until the winds of a blizzard bring a stranger to her door. With his compelling tales and heated kisses, Anna fears she hasn’t only opened her home to him, but also her heart.

**********************

Review of Ice Bound

You can absolutely feel the cold wind whipping through the air as you read Ice Bound. Luckily, there is more to the short story than weather. I also enjoyed the tension filled romance between Anna and the stranger. The bonus story, The Winter King, is a storyteller’s continuation of the story of Ice Bound’s heroine and hero — plus a little more. At only 45 pages, Ice Bound perfect way to relax on a winter afternoon.

5 stars

**********************

Links

Add Ice Bound to your Goodreads shelf:

Purchase Ice Bound:

**********************

 

About Goblins and Snowflakes by Melanie Karsak

Never bargain with goblin men.

Scarlette Rossetti thought her stay at Strawberry Hill Castle during the Christmas holiday would pass by uneventfully. She couldn’t have been more wrong. Enticed by the delights of the nearby village of Twickenham, Scarlette’s life would change in unimaginable ways.

She never expected to be drawn magnetically to The Two Sisters Doll Shop and Toy Emporium.

Scarlette didn’t guess that tinkering clockwork gnomes could have supernatural consequences.

And she didn’t know that one should never, ever, bargain with goblin men.

But during the Christmas season, magic is always brewing.

**********************

Review of Goblins and Snowflakes

5 stars

Goblins and Snowflakes is the part charming, part creepy retelling of The Elves and the Shoemaker. The charming part is the actual fairy tale retelling. The creepy part pertains to the goblins who provide the magic to make the fairy tale. The novella length story is perfect for a couple hours of escape to the quaint village of Twickenham for a little adventure and a little romance. Every time I read another of Ms. Karsak’s steampunk fairy tales, I want to read more. Within Goblins and Snowflakes are some ties to other characters in Karsak’s steampunk stories, notably for me, the beginning of the Red Cape Society of the Steampunk Red Riding Hood series. Despite those ties, Goblins and Snowflakes is a standalone and can be enjoyed in all types of weather.

**********************

Links

Add Goblins and Snowflakes to your Goodreads shelf:

Purchase Goblins and Snowflakes:

**********

Innocence Lost (Ghostspeaker Chronicles, #1) by Patty Jansen – Review

Tags

3 stars, 4 stars, audiobook, Book Review, fantasy, Genevieve Lerner, new adult, Patty Jansen

About Innocence Lost by Patty Jansen

A fantasy loosely based on the historical setting of the Netherlands and western Germany.

Johanna is the daughter of a rich merchant in the kingdom of Saarland. As an only child and without a mother, she has grown up with notions, such as that she wants to take over her father’s river trade business in her own name. Courtesy of her eastern mother, she has an unusual ability. She sees things in willow wood: whenever she touches wood, it shows her what has happened around the tree or wooden object. Any kind of magic is not common in Saardam, and the Church of the Triune, which rapidly gains influence in the city, forbids it.

While she goes to church, Johanna also maintains a loose network of magic-enabled people. One of those people is Loesie, a farmer’s daughter from out of town.

One day, Loesie comes to town after having been struck mute by magic. She carries a basket made from willow twigs that tells Johanna that a group of bandits with demons is about to attack the city.

But there is no non-magical proof, so she can’t tell anyone or she’d be branded a witch. The time of witch-burnings was not that long ago.

Never mind that the army is still approaching, and there are increasing signs that Saardam’s embattled royal family might have done something that has angered magical forces in the east. Add to this that the royal family seems to have fallen out with the city’s nobility, and that the recent death of the crown princess has left the family with only one heir: the mysterious prince whom no one has seen for years and who has suddenly returned home.

At the annual ball, Johanna’s father has brokered a dance for her with the prince. Johanna just wants to warn people of the impending attack.

**********************

Review of Innocence Lost

The author gave away some audiobooks and you know I am always one to grab up free audiobooks if I can. After starting the book, I realized I had read it before, but no matter. A different reader (Genevieve Lerner) often gives a different perspective.

In fact, I much preferred the print version. Johanna is a 20-something year old who is fairly confident in who she is even if those around her would prefer her to be more lady-like. In the print version, the strength of this character shines through. The narrator, Ms. Lerner, has a very youthful voice, more appropriate for a teen-age character. Too many times I heard the angsty, whiny teenager that I try to avoid in my reading. So if you are interested in this book, skip the audiobook. The audiobook gets 3 stars.

Ultimately, the story shines through and loses out on one star rating only because it is a cliffhanger. I have decided not to continue the series, but I do think many would enjoy this coming of age fantasy. The reason – Johanna. She is the crux of the tale and, in the end, will make a huge, if personally uncomfortable, sacrifice in order to assure the future of her kingdom.

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

**********************

Links

Add Innocence Lost to your Goodreads shelf:

Purchase Innocence Lost:

 

**********************

Giveaway

Don’t forget the ongoing Holiday Treat Giveaway for the audiobook of The Mystery Woman by Amanda Quick, or the print books of Tiffany Roberts’ Dustwalker and Bec McMaster’s Nobody’s Hero.  If you haven’t entered yet, you might be interested to know that commenting on today’s post helps qualify you for an entry – see the giveaway post for all the details.  Or go straight to the giveaway….

Click Here:  a Rafflecopter giveaway