Hollen the Soulless (Dokiri Brides, #1) by Denali Day – Review

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5 stars, Book Review, Denali Day, fantasy, romance, series, wyverns

About Hollen the Soulless by Denali Day

He’ll mark her flesh. She’ll claim his heart.

Always the dutiful daughter, Lady Joselyn is weeks away from marrying a rival lord in order to save her house. However, she suddenly finds herself in the clutches of an ancient beast she’s only ever heard of in legends. More terrifying than that is the beast’s master, a wild man who insists Joselyn is his bride by right, and plans to seal his claim in blood.

Wyvern-rider, Hollen, has finally captured the woman of his dreams, though he quickly learns waiting for her was less than half the battle. His new bride wants nothing to do with him and Hollen knows he only has one chance to change her mind.

Their wills pitted against each other, Joselyn will go to any lengths to free herself from this savage and fulfill her marital contract. Her father’s life depends upon it. To win her over, Hollen will do whatever he must, even if it means keeping secrets.

Even as she plots her escape, Joselyn begins to wonder if one can also be bound by a duty to their own heart.

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Review of Hollen the Soulless

Denali Day is a new-to-me author that I am very happy to have discovered.  Believe it or not, I was a little tenuous in requesting the ARC.  It turns out Denali Day can write up a storm!  In this expertly written story, I found a world of amazing characters struggling to live a life of honor.  The struggle comes because one person’s honor is another person’s torment.

Joselyn is such a strong woman.  She grew up believing she is meant to serve her family and her people despite the fact that her family never did much for her.  Hollen is also strong, as a leader of his people, the Dokiri. But he is gentle with Joselyn.

The thing is, Hollen did abduct Joselyn.  I refer to this type of a story as a ‘Mars Needs Women’ story.  That is, Hollen’s people only birth male children, so they need females from outside the tribe.  And how do they get those women?  They abduct them.  Their rituals coincide with that of their gods, which is not to make it seem okay but to explain their methods.  I can’t say I am crazy about this aspect of their culture.  With the exception of that whole abduction thing, the Dokiri tend to treat the women very well.  My wish is for the author to find another way to introduce these men to good women.  I will say that the terms of the abduction turn out to be more favorable for the women and I will leave it at that.

Hollen the Soulless is billed as fantasy romance.  While most fantasy involves some kind of magic, sorcery or witchcraft, this book has none of that.  It does include mythical creatures such as the wyverns that Hollen and his brothers ride.  It also includes strong cultures and exotic locations that are not of this world.  The romance element is the biggest part of this book.  The fact that it takes most of the 497 pages for Joselyn and Hollen to finally see eye-to-eye only makes me love this book more.  And while there are lots of intimations of sex between loving and consenting adults, there is no explicit sex.

Hollen the Soulless is a very well told story.  I plan to continue with this series.  I see that Hollen’s lonely brothers will all need to find love too!

Many thanks to the author who provided a copy of her book via Booksprout in exchange for my honest review.

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The Fiery Crown (Forgotten Empires, #2) by Jeffe Kennedy – Review

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4 stars, Book Review, fantasy, Jeffe Kennedy, magic, romance, series, wizard

About The Fiery Crown by Jeffe Kennedy

WILL THEIR LOVE STAND THE TEST OF TIME

Queen Euthalia has reigned over her island kingdom of Calanthe with determination, grace, and her magical, undying orchid ring. After she defied an empire to wed Conrí, the former Crown Prince of Oriel—a man of disgraced origins with vengeance in his heart—Lia expected the wizard’s prophecy to come true: Claim the hand that wears the ring and the empire falls. But Lia’s dangerous bid to save her realm doesn’t lead to immediate victory. Instead, destiny hurls her and Conrí towards a future neither could predict…

OR TEAR THEIR WHOLE WORLD APART?

Con has never healed after the death of his family and destruction of his kingdom—he’s been carefully plotting his revenge against his greatest enemy, Emperor Anure, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. When Lia’s spies gather intelligence suggesting that Anure is planning an attack against Calanthe, Con faces an agonizing choice: Can he sacrifice Lia and all she holds dear to destroy the empire? Or does his true loyalty exist in the arms of his beguiling, passionate wife—’til death do they part?

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Review of The Fiery Crown

Two improbable protagonists.  A queen who never shows her true face to her people.  A former slave who does not play well with others.  Before the story begins, Lia and Con are already married due to events that occurred in The Orchid Throne (book 1 in the series).  A political union that is not much more.  I take that back.  They are good in bed, but beyond that, they rarely see eye to eye.

I liked that Lia and Con are so different.  That they have different motivations and even different goals.  It makes their relationship challenging and therefore, interesting.

But the story is not all about Lia and Con.  There is a bigger story line that involves the possible destruction of their island kingdom of Calanthe by a man who would dominate the world. It is this theme that ties the series together.

The world domination theme is not original, nor is Ms. Kennedy’s version particularly creative.  What makes the story great is the characters who must prevail.  Their past, present, and their hopes for the future.

While I read and enjoyed this book without having read the first book in the series, when I was done, I knew the story was not complete (a semi-cliffhanger).  So, if you don’t like to be kept hanging, it’s best to wait for the series to be complete.  But then – go for it!

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

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Dragon Unleashed (The Fallen Empire, #2) by Grace Draven – Review

Tags

5 stars, Book Review, dragons, fantasy, favorites, Grace Draven, magic, romance, series

About Dragon Unleashed by Grace Draven

Magic is outlawed in the Krael Empire and punishable by death. Born with the gift of earth magic, the free trader Halani keeps her dangerous secret closely guarded. When her uncle buys a mysterious artifact, a piece of bone belonging to a long-dead draga, Halani knows it’s far more than what it seems.

Dragas haven’t been seen for more than a century, and most believe them extinct. They’re wrong. Dragas still walk among the denizens of the Empire, disguised as humans. Malachus is a draga living on borrowed time. The magic that has protected him will soon turn on him–unless he finds a key part of his heritage. He has tracked it to a group of free traders, among them a grave-robbing earth witch who fascinates him as much as she frustrates him with her many secrets.

Unbeknownst to both, the Empire’s twisted empress searches for a draga of her own, to capture and kill as a trophy. As Malachus the hunter becomes the hunted, Halani must risk herself and all she loves to save him from the Empire’s machinations and his own lethal birthright.

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Review of Dragon Unleashed

To make a long review short – I loved Dragon Unleashed!  Even better than the first book of the Fallen Empire series.

To add some detail to my proclamation, here are a few more paragraphs.

I am a person that appreciates the awesomeness of dragons, however I rarely read books that have dragons as characters in them.  It takes a special like appreciation to create a dragon tale that does not disappoint me.  It is clear Ms. Draven shares my respect for the magnificent mythical creatures.

Malachus is actually a draga, or a man who can shift to dragon form.  Or he will be once he retrieves the magical artifact.  Raised by monks, Malachus has no like for the human’s evil, selfish, greedy ways until he meets Halani and her sweet mother, Asil.  The fact that Malachus decides to help Asil rather than ignore the human situation tells you that Malachus is not totally a human-hater.

Halani is both independent and kind-hearted.  She dotes on her mother, so when Malachus is especially kind to Asil, and later appears near the trader caravan near death, Halani can’t help but take him in, even though she knows her uncle, the caravan leader, will be furious.  In this one strong act, we can imaging the direction Halani will take – that is to always do what is right.

Neither Malachus nor Halani are sharing details about which they believe the other has no business knowing.  But the reader knows they are on the same perilous path and eventually they will come to realize it.

Davila, the Spider of the Empire, who should have died in Phoenix Unbound, is after Malachus’ artifact – because she wants the draga.  She is cruelly evil.  I really did not like the passage describing one of her torture sessions, but that kind of scene was very limited, so I was able to lock it away.  Davila’s favorite minion, Gharek is given the task of finding the artifact.  Gharek is a character you want to hate but you can’t.  His motivation for working for Davila is heartbreaking.

In Dragon Unleashed, Ms. Draven has created a compelling story set in a richly detailed fantasy world of trader caravans, dark magical markets, and impressive cities.  The characters bring this world to life in ways readers of the works of Grace Draven have come to love.  And expect in all romantic fantasy.  If you have not read Phoenix Unbound, no worries.  You can still enjoy Dragon Unleashed.

One more thing to love about this book – the cover art.  Illustrated by Arantza Sestayo, the colors are exquisite and the details are glorious!

Thanks to the publisher who provided a copy of this book through Edelweiss.

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