Tag: Fantasy

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. 

A Royal for Christmas (It’s Raining Royals Book 4) by Alix Nichols

4 Stars

Changing life circumstances

It’s a month to Christmas, and we meet Camille Mussey, sister to the dead Jeanette Mussey who was accused of arson, and is the poorest person in the country of Mount Evor.  She is an outcast because of her sister, and a witch.  She’s working as a pantomime for pocket change.  One of the Royals, Marquess Louis-Philibert de Valois is grandson of the Duke of Arrago, is sent to collect her, and bring her to the ducal estate.  This sets up the story that takes place over the Christmas season.  Camille’s character isn’t the most likable one in this series, but she is smart.  Louis might be a playboy.  Unlike the prior books, this one doesn’t involve finding a key, but some loose ends may, or may not, be tied up with this story.  I enjoyed reading A Royal for Christmas and am looking forward to the next book.  I received this book from BookSirens, and this is my honest opinion.

Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle

4 Stars

Enjoyed the ending.

I started reading this, and the main character, Bettie Hughes, is an absolutely horrible person.  She is self-obsessed and feels she is entitled to everything she wants.  As the book goes on, the author explains Bettie’s reasoning for feeling this way, but she continued to be such a whiney, revenge driven person, I almost decided to stop reading.  But upon the introduction of the Holiday Spirit, I wanted to see what would happen to Bettie since Hall (the Holiday Spirit’s earthly name given him by Bettie) is such a giving person.  I don’t want to give away the story, so I will only say that after Hall’s arrival, the plotline starts to make a slow climb to acceptable.  By the end of the book, I was glad I had continued reading.  I was given an ARC of the book through NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.