Burning Sea (Elven Kingdoms Book 5) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

Interesting

This book is set on the planet Zora, where Dragons, Humans, and Fae reside.  Elven Kingdoms deal with the different types of fae that are found there.  As you might guess from the title Sea Elves exist on this world.  More at home in water, they are still able to live on land by having gills on the sides of their necks.  But we first meet another elf, whose brother’s story was told earlier in the series.  Kaylani has the ability to hold her breath underwater for and unreasonable amount of time.  And she loves to swim.  On a long swim, she sees a slave ship and decides to single handedly save the slaves and so starts this story.  She is saved/captured by a Sea Elf named Varum and taken far from her home near her brother and the beach.  Here I feel the story started to drag, as she sits in Varum’s quarters, unable to free herself.  I didn’t think that the interactions between Kaylani and Varum really moved the plot along until near the end of the book when it seems that everything has imploded and there is no hope.  As always, Donna Grant writes an exceptional story with well-developed plotlines and interesting secondary characters.  Readers of this series will get bits and pieces of information that moves the larger story along.  Characters from prior and future books make appearances.  All of this ensures that readers will continue to want more from this series.  Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to the next one in this series.

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

Death at a Scottish Christmas (A Scottish Isle Mystery Book 3) by Lucy Connelly

5 Stars

Great Series set in Scotland

In this well written series set in Sea Isle, Scotland we continue to follow former Seattle Emergency Room Doctor Emilia McRoy as she continues to become comfortable with her new position of Town Doctor and Coroner.  This 3rd book is set a few months after she’s arrived and is now settling into her position and the home and office provided by the Laird and Town Constable Ewan Campbell in a former church.  A complete cast of characters is now present with well created backstories.  A tension between Emilia and Ewan is secondary still to the mystery of the death of a Sea Isle born Rock star.  This enjoyable series only has gotten better and better with each book written by Lucy Connelly.  Wonderful details of the town and its inhabitants combine with the American born Doctor and Scottish Laird who are both trying to do just what the small-town needs.  Each book builds upon the previous one, so for the best experience read from the beginning.  Death at a Scottish Christmas could be read as a standalone but will give the reader a few What? and How? and Why? if read that way.  I’m looking forward to additional books by Ms. Connelly.

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