Tag: Paranormal Fantasy

The Empress (Towerfall #1) by Kristen Cast

4 Stars

Hard to get into the story

But I continued to the end.  The beginning of the book introduces us to Hannah, from Chicago, and Kane Blackthorne of Towerfall from the Kingdom of Pentacles.  Hannah is not a normal, run of the mill working class woman, she is having issues at work with a co-worker who takes credit for others work including hers, and a breakup with her boyfriend.  As she walks homeward and passes a storefront offering Tarot readings, Hannah is given a card, The Empress.  Which promptly deposits her into Towerfall where she is accused of being a witch and nearly killed.  Saved by Kane, Hannah makes a deal with him to help the Kingdom from being destroyed in exchange for his assistance in finding The Empress card which she’s lost so she can return to Chicago.

Confusing?  Just a bit, but this book caught me by being the first in a series that uses Tarot as real characters and places.   Our main female character, Hannah, doesn’t seem to be in her 20s, she is more like a 16–17-year-old high school student.  Hannah grows a little through the story and finally acts almost her age by the end of the book.  Kane is older than her and has more life experiences, which make his character more interesting, but he could have been much more developed in the story. 

I did enjoy the book after about the halfway point, but the ending seemed to be rushed.  I hope the author, Kristin Cast, works harder to leave the Young Adult writing that keeps this book from being more satisfying to adult readers.  Using the Tarot as important characters is something I’ve never read before and can give this series a distinctive edge over other books.  I look forward to reading the next book. 

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

Dark Heart (Elven Kingdoms Book 2) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

Interesting and involved.

This is Book 2 in the Elven Kingdoms series, which is part of Donna Grant’s much larger Dark Universe.  This series deals with multiple types of Elves located on the planet Zora, so each books spends time explaining the Eves involved.  Our two main characters, female Arya and male Jai, both are Dark Elves looking for vengeance.  Secondary characters supporting Arya are her mentor Dain, and mates Yasmine and Ravi.  Jai, and his best friend, a female named Priya are tied to an evil group called the Masters, which sets up the underlying plot.  Donna Grant takes these characters and these plot points and weaves an intricate and compelling read.  Detailed enough to make the reader feel the betrayals and darkness but with enough violence to give it realism, and hope that the characters will survive.  While slow in spots, the story moves along in a steady stream to the conclusion.  Well written with good characterizations, I enjoyed this second book dealing with mostly the Dark Elves. 

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

Coming Soon! Dark Heart (Elven Kingdoms Book 2) by Donna Grant

Deepest passion. Darkest betrayal.

Once, she was my world. The only one I loved. Then it was all ripped away—including my freedom.

Vengeance kept me alive. It paved every step, shaped every plot.

Until I finally caught her.

I learned that line between love and hate is wafer-thin. Where once my dreams were filled with revenge, now that I have her, all I think about is the intoxicating passion we once shared.

But there’s no turning back the events her capture has set into motion. It unravels a carefully constructed world, one where enemies surround me.

Everyone, that is, except her.

Now, we only have each other—and the love that once united us, to fight our way to long-buried truths that will change everything.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant returns to her captivating Elven Kingdoms series with a tale of second chances, love amidst chaos, and the healing power of forgiveness.

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The Bastard King (The Bastard Duology #1) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

An amazing story….

This is book 1 of a duology, but it’s really a part of a much bigger set of books that are all a part of Donna Grant’s Dark Universe.  This particular book features Derek, a Dragon who is not a part of Donna’s regular Dragons.  This separation is what makes this story so different from the others.  We know nothing about him, except his thoughts and memories.  Our second main character is Kora who isn’t human but tries to appear so.  They are on the planet, or realm as they call it, Zora where there are Dragons, Humans, Fae, and Star People.  If you haven’t read any of the other books in this series, you will have questions.  Donna Grant is an exceptional writer, and it would be worth your time to read the other books, at least in this part of her Universe first.  But this book!  It is an intricate weaving of so many bits and pieces and interwoven characters that I didn’t want to stop reading.  Our two main characters are not what a dedicated reader would expect, but this gives us so many new and interesting plot points that I can’t wait for the 2nd book to be released.  As always, Donna’s writing is masterful, with grammar and storyline well done.  Her characterizations are always fresh and insightful.  Take the time to read the series of books, and this one will be a favorite.  I would say that this book is on par with Darkest Flame, Hot Blooded, Fire Rising, and Torched.  This book is escapism at its best.

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

Still of the Night (Skye Druids Book 5) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

Oh, my word!

This is book 5 in the continuing series of Skye Druids, and in a much larger collection of books that Ms. Grant has written in her Dark Universe.  Centering on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, our two main characters, Ariah who is a Druid who get her magic from forests, and Killian Flanaghan who is human but vacationed every year in summer with his family on Skye.  They grew up together, fell in love, and then Killian left to pursue a career in his family’s business as a lawyer.    

This book is very complex, with backstories given for both Ariah and Killian.  Everything Donna Grant writes is necessary to follow the twists and turns that surround Ariah and Killian, and also to add to the previous books with the supporting characters who may have been main characters in earlier books, and others who will be main characters in future books.  Also, the author continues to fill out the “evil” side that is on Skye, Edinburgh, and now London too.  I enjoyed this book so much because Donna provides so much information in her writing and doesn’t loose the threads of the story, she is telling with Still of the Night but also the prior books in this series.  For the reader, your best experience with this wonderful series is to read the earlier books in this series, the Skye Druids.  If you are a reader who wants to know about all the characters that are featured in this book, I would suggest getting Donna Grant’s Reading Order of her Dark Universe and start with Dangerous Highlander where you’ll meet a Warrior. 

Still of the Night is well written, with characters that are multi-layered and well developed.  The plotting is consistent with the prior books storyline, and the supporting characters are a bonus to this story.  I can’t say enough about Donna Grant and her storytelling ability and how she continues to manage to bring new original characters to her books.  You can read this as a standalone but know that there are more to most of the secondary characters than what is written in this book.  5 Outstanding Stars for this exceptional book!

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

Dragon Born (Dragon Kings #8) by Donna Grant

She’s the most dangerous being alive…and the only one I crave.

I feel her across realms. Through the vast emptiness of space, weaving among the stars. She is the Queen of Violets. Powerful, shrewd, defiant. Utterly exquisite. Feared among her own and pursued by all.

She is the Dragon Queen.

I was an ordinary MI5 agent before being thrust into the world of Dragons Kings, Fae, Reapers, and magic. But it was a world I soon discovered I was bound to by blood from my Druid ancestors.

The instant we met, I was hers. Forever. I would have ripped the moon from the sky for her. I would have razed worlds. Then she deceived me.

Yet, I can’t stop thinking about her. Craving her. She’s in my very psyche, like a fever that burns through my veins like dragon fire. Scorching and eternal.

When I sense a malicious danger closing in around her, I defy every rule to get to her.

My love.

My queen.                                  

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant delivers one of the most anticipated books in the exhilarating Dragon King series.

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Dragon Born (Dragon Kings #8) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

Worth the wait!

This book returns us to the story of Henry North, a former MI5 agent, Druid, and loyal supporter of the Dragon Kings.  The female main character is the Dragon Queen Melisse, Queen of the Violets and half dragon half Fae, who is many thousands of years old.  Henry has been in many of the Dark Universe books, starting with Kellan’s story.  Melisse was introduced much later, but before becoming a Dragon Queen, she had been held by the King of Dragon Kings as a secret weapon who could destroy all dragons.  Constantine, the current King of Dragon Kings finally released her.  The meeting of Henry and Melisse sparked much speculation on their futures and this book finally gives us the story that dedicated fans have been waiting years for.  Extremely well written, and with such interesting stories, Dragon Born returns us to the excitement that Donna Grant has built up over years.  I won’t say that this completes the story for Henry and Melisse as Ms. Grant weaves intricate and interesting plots into her books.  I cannot wait to read the next book in her Dark Universe.

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

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.

Rising Sun (Elven Kingdoms Book 1) by Donna Grant

AVAILABLE NOW!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant introduces a wickedly seductive new series with a ruthless, jaded elf and a bewitching human hiding a powerful secret—unlikely soulmates whose passion will test the boundaries of life and death.

Nothing could make Yasmin return to Shaldorn, the place of nightmares. But when she’s caught stealing, she’s given an ultimatum: take Ravi over the Dangerous Peaks to the stronghold or face imprisonment.

She has no choice but to agree, though she intends to escape the elf as soon as she reaches the mountains. Yet, as they battle nature itself, the two enemies find common ground—and an all-consuming passion.

Can they prevail in their dangerous heist, or be torn apart by betrayal?

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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.