Tag: ARC Reviews

Rising Sun (Elven Kingdoms Book 1) by Donna Grant

4 Stars

Elves!

This book takes place on Zora, where there were supposed to be only dragons.  Not true, humans occupy part, along with Elves, seven different kinds of elves, each with their own specific gifts.  As the book starts, we meet our FMC Yasmin, a human who was once held prisoner in Shaldron. She has taken charge of a group of children who have been abandoned, abused, or have run away from their caretakers.  While Yasmin is trying to locate food for them, she is captured by the Elves policing force, the DIA.  Here she meets the MMC, Ravi, a Sun Elf who dislikes everyone, especially humans.  The Elf in charge of the DIA forces Yasmin to commit to working with Ravi to locate a weapon that is going to be used against the dragons, that will force the Dragon Kings to attack in return.  This is where the main story starts.  At this point the story seems to get slower and bogged down-this could be because a lot of backstories for both characters is given, along with descriptions of the other type of Elves.  The final quarter of the book picks up the action, and more information is given on the ones who are working to tear apart the somewhat peaceful world that is presented in the book.  This is Book 1 of Elven Kingdoms which is an offshoot of Donna Grants large Dark World/Universe series.  Rising Sun could be read without having read any of the other series, as all information a reader needs is given in this book.  I rated it 4 stars because of the lengthy start to middle of the book that seemed slow going to me.  Last quarter was where the story shines.  Donna Grant always writes a well-developed story with good characterization, and with logical premise. 

I was given an ARC by the author through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion.

Kindred: The Fated Trilogy by Donna Grant

5 Stars

All three books from The Kindred: Fated Series

Rage:  First book of this trilogy, which follows Evernight the Kindred book 4.  Rage picks up the story.  We meet Elin, who is a witch on the run from the Coven, a group of witches who are determined to dominate their world.  She lost her sister to the Coven, and she wants no part of them and their schemes.  She has stopped running for a short time, squatting in an out of the way hunting cabin, hoping to recover some of her strength and come up with a plan to keep away from the witches hunting her.  The cabin is on Mackenzie land, and the brother of the Laird, Rob Mackenzie decides to find out who has been using the abandoned cabin.  As any book written by Donna Grant, there are issues for the main characters to overcome, and a larger challenge that has to be addressed. 

Ruin; Book two in the series.  In this, book 2, we meet two new characters, Asa, a witch from the Viking homelands and Rory Sutherland who is the banished 3rd son of the Laird of Sutherland of Scotland.  He has been tasked by Asa’s sister in Norway to find her and warn her of an impending crisis.  Traveling from Norway Rory is dying from his wounds after being attacked while hunting Asa.  He finds her in Scotland, and collapses after only telling her she must run.  Asa has been meandering after having lost everyone who has meant something in her life.  She left her home in Norway and now finds herself trying to help this man who is dying on the ground in front of her….  And so, Donna Grant starts weaving another compelling tale in her Kindred universe.  An exciting storyline will keep you reading and invested in the main characters, along with new evil in the wilds of Scotland where the Kindred stories are set.

Reign; Book three, the final book in this series.  Donna Grant has finally gotten to Malene and Armir’s story.  This is a continuation from book Everspell (Kindred series by Donna Grant) which gave us questions about whether she was killed or if something else happened to her.  In Reign Armir has not given up his search for her after the battle that finished Everspell.  But it’s been a year, and he is starting to doubt he’ll find her….and Donna starts an interesting, suspenseful, and surprising story.  As the last book, the story is exceptional, taking readers on a ferris wheel of characters emotions.  Well worth reading, it gives a fitting ending to this story arc. 

This set of books is well worth reading.  It can be read as a stand-alone, but for the best experience should be read after the books in The Kindred series.  I was given an ARC by the author, through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion. 

Fake Dating the Dragon: A steamy and sweet monster romance (Motham City Monsters Book 4) by Lilith Stone

3 Stars

Almost too sweet

This is a standalone book.  Our main female character is Minerva (Min) Westwind who runs the Westerly Bookshop which she inherited from her father.  Our Dragon is Ethan Blade, a wealthy entrepreneur.  Set in a world not unlike Earth the supporting characters show traits that are very common here.  It’s divided not human and non-human areas.  Zones between the two-support land owning humans who tolerate Monsters, who are not allowed into human land.  This was a very easy book to read without having to read the prior books to understand the author’s world.  The story was very sweet between the main characters as other reviewers have noted, it could have used a bit more heat in the very clean scenes between Min and Ethan.  The story moved along fairly well with a few grammar errors.  The ending felt rushed and could have been more detailed.    I will read the other books in the series as the premise of these books is interesting. 

I received and ARC of the book Through BookSirens and this is my honest opinion.

Old Flames and New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle

4 Stars

A major misunderstanding

Set in the magical town of Moonville, Ohio we meet our two main characters Romina Tempest and her first love Alex King.  High school sweethearts, they broke up before college.  Now years later Alex is back in Moonville because his mother is marrying Romina’s best friend Trevor Yoon’s father.  Add in a few more characters and plot twists and you have Old Flames and New Fortunes. 

I felt that the book was too long, I was ready for the best parts at about the halfway point-I continued reading but it seemed to take forever to get through to the “meat and potatoes” of this second chance romance.  I did enjoy the book, and the detailed plot, but the MFC Romina did annoy me at times.  By the end all the plot points were dealt with and a satisfying finish happened.  If Sarah Hogle writes more books set in Moonville with the other characters I will read them, her writing is good and her characters interesting. 

I received and ARC through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion. 

Ground Training (Immortal Outcasts Series Book 5) by Mandy M. Roth

5 Stars

More excitement!

This story gives us the story of Ace Hargraves, a Government made shifter, and Charlotte “Charley” Eyres who was stolen from The Corporation while a small child by her father Samuel.  Mandy Roth gives us a backstory for these two that takes place 25 years in the past.  Then on to the present where the two know nothing of each other. 

This book brings in characters from previous books, which really would help someone who hasn’t read them understand a little of what is going on in this shifter heavy world.  It’s an enjoyable read, but only gives just enough progress with the evil going on to make the reader want the next book NOW.  Well written, with good, interesting characters.  Part of a larger series, for the best understanding of the story and characters, read the previous books.

I was given an ARC by the author through Booksprout, and this is my honest opinion.

Endless Skye (Skye Druids #4) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

More twists and turns…

This is the next book in the series, and features Willa Ryan who along with her brother and sister, live on Skye.  Jasper McCabe is not what or who he seems.  Once the two have met, Donna Grant’s story winds around and through both of them and others from both this series, and other books in her Dark Universe.  It’s well written with good characterization and an intricate plot.  The overall plot that weaves through all of the Skye Druids books is not resolved, but the story for Jasper and Willa gives a satisfying finish.  Can’t wait for the next book in the series as they get better and better.

I was given and ARC of this book from the author through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion.

Right on Cue by Falon Ballard

5 Stars

Her first love

The book starts out with our MFC Emmy (Emilia) Harper and her best friend/director Liz attempting to find an actress to play the lead in Emmy’s screenplay of her bestselling book.  She ends up taking the part herself since none who have auditioned do as good of a job as she does when tested with the actors auditioning for the male lead.  Emmy hasn’t acted in over 10 years and is still upset about the circumstances of her first, and only, acting role.  She’s worried, but not about working with the actor who will play opposite her, as they are friends.  But on the day before shooting is to start at a small country inn, she runs into Grayson West, who is the cause of Emmy’s destroyed acting career because of comments he made about her during the filming of their first roles 10 years ago when they were both teenagers.  From this first meeting, anytime they are together on screen everyone can tell neither has moved past that first movie. 

  From this beginning the story moves through hostility, anger, and disrespect until Liz has had enough of the childishness and pulls them both in and gives them an ultimatum- work together or the film won’t get made. From this point on, Falon Ballard does a wonderful job of letting us see how Emmy copes.  The road to the end of the book is not all smooth sailing though, but we get the ending readers deserve.

  I was given an ARC of the book through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron (Supernatural Singles #3) by April Asher

5 Stars

Maxwell sister #3

This third book in the series features Olive Maxwell, a Professor and Bax Donovan, Guardian Angel.  Both have played parts in the other two series books featuring Olive’s sisters.  Olive is looking for a new place to live, when Bax offers the spare room in his apartment to her.  She accepts, and a mostly non-magical story starts.  Olive is nothing like her sisters, which makes sense since they are triplets.  She is the low key one, staying out of the limelight.  Bax’s character is more flashy but has more layers to his makeup.  Of the two characters, Bax is more developed, and because of this, the more interesting one. Olive’s character didn’t generate a lot of interest on my part, and I think because of this, the story dragged in parts for me.  Once I got 2/3’s of the way into the book, the story became more interesting, and all the characters became something “more”. 

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron is well written with the storyline giving readers more depth into the world April Asher has created.  I felt the story was a strong 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars.  I will continue to read other books in the series if Ms. Asher continues to write them.

I was given an ARC of the book through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

The Duke is Wicked (League of Lords #3) by Tracy Sumner

5 Stars

Is he really wicked?

In this book, our two main characters are an American named Delaney Temple who has a reputation, and the ability to read and absorb the information in books quickly.  Our main male character is Sebastian Tremont, the Duke of Ashcroft of the English aristocracy and who can manifest fire.  Our Duke has been in the other books in the series but in this one we get a better picture of who and what has shaped him.  Our American heroine is considered a Hellion, but you’ll have to make up your own mind it that is true, the same with the Duke being wicked.  I enjoyed this book, and the continuation of the series.  Fun and easy to read with no grammatical errors and the main characters are well developed.  Hopefully we’ll see Delaney’s twin in an upcoming book.

I was given this book as an ARC through BookSirens, and this is my honest opinion.

Dragon Kiss: A Dragon Kings Novella by Donna Grant

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 Stars

Well, I am not sure….

This short story is supposed to be a good introduction to the Dragon Kings series of books.  I’m not sure that is an accurate description of the book if you haven’t already read the previous books.  Both of the two main characters, Alisdair and Lotti, were introduced in the previous Dragon King book Dragon Arisen along with 2 others from the first book in this series.  I would consider this more of an arc between the last book and the next one which is why I rated this at 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.  The plot drags a little but does have action involving the 2 couples against the danger that is stalking them.  As the book ends, the main plot lines are still unresolved, but for fans of Donna Grant and her Dragon Kings, this only keeps us wanting more.  Well written with no grammatical errors the characters are also well developed and the story will make you want to keep reading this series.  I am looking forward to the next book.

I received an ARC of the book from the author through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion.