Series – Page 3 – This, that, and the other-my thoughts

The Uncrowned King – The Bastard Duology #2 by Donna Grant

I would burn the world for him…

My people have been hunted to extinction by dragons. I am the last of my kind. Forever running. Forever alone.

Then I met him. Dangerous. Carnal. Dragon And utterly magnetic. I had no defenses against the passion that claimed us. Each time his lips touched mine, each time his arms held me, I fell deeper.

And I fell hard.

My mortal enemy became my world. The very reason for my existence.

My one and only.

Until our forever was violently snatched away. Now, I’m hunted, once more.

But I’m not running this time. I’m fighting for love.

For him.

A hellhound facing her past. A dragon reclaiming his throne. Forbidden lovers will face the ultimate test. A Dragon King duology from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant.

BUY LINKS:

✦SIGNED PRINT→ https://dgrant.co/3Yop3jC

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✦Kindle→ https://amzn.to/3W1dxJD

✦Nook→ https://dgrant.co/4bHdtEP 

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✦Google→ https://dgrant.co/3S7qZdO 

✦Audible→ https://dgrant.co/41cnJDd

✦Tantor→ https://dgrant.co/48a1n6P

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✦Nook Audio→ https://dgrant.co/4ifGeg9

✦Kobo Audio → https://dgrant.co/4gthekK

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.

The Mirror (Lost Bride Trilogy #2) by Nora Roberts

5 Stars

Another Excellent Read!

Continuing on with Book 2, Sonya, Trey, Cleo, and Owen have more challenges to meet in dealing with the Evil that is residing in the mansion that Sonya has inherited. To get the best experience the reader should read the books in order starting with The Inheritance.

With intricate plotting, great characters, wonderful world building and as always near perfect Grammer, Nora Roberts has written another outstanding book. Cannot wait for the final book!

I received an ARC of the book through 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.

BUY LINKS:

✦SIGNED PRINT→ https://dgrant.co/4hwLegi

✦Amazon→ https://amzn.to/3ZCMRlU

✦BN→ https://dgrant.co/4efyw3j

✦Kindle→ https://amzn.to/4aSVfAw

✦Nook→ https://dgrant.co/3UFULXR

✦Apple→ https://dgrant.co/3QotBDn

✦Kobo→ https://dgrant.co/3UoAg1o

✦Google→ https://dgrant.co/3y6mIQC

✦Audible→ https://dgrant.co/4dFQOKe

✦Tantor→ https://dgrant.co/3WdiBeb

✦Audiobooks→ https://dgrant.co/406h7pA

✦Nook Audio→ https://dgrant.co/4eAgUPy

✦Kobo Audio → https://dgrant.co/4gthekK

✦Google Audio → https://dgrant.co/486oS0E

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 3^rd 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.

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 2^nd 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.

De-Witched (Toil and Trouble Book 2) by Sophie H. Morgan

5 Stars

A hidden secret

Book 2 in the Toil and Trouble series can be read as a standalone. Some characters from the first book are in this one, but they are explained in this book if you’d not read book 1. Our main character is Leah Turner, human, with two best friends who are witches and use magic around Leah so she knows about it. Our second main character is Gabriel Goodnight, warlock, from on of the highest families. Leah and Gabriel meet, and this book tells the story of a non-magical outgoing friendly woman and a magical self-centered grumpy man and how this changes both of them.

Sophie Morgan has written a fun book, with well developed characters and a good plot. Easy to read and follow, I enjoyed this book and hope she continues to write about these characters she’s created.

I was given an ARC of the book by NetGalley, 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.

BUY LINKS as of now:

✦SIGNED HC PRINT→ https://dgrant.co/4b1kwsW

✦SIGNED PRINT→ https://dgrant.co/3tBCQbi

✦Amazon→

✦BN→

✦Kindle→ https://amzn.to/3PSqi7E

✦Nook→ https://dgrant.co/46qy8uw

✦Apple→ https://dgrant.co/46rwUiJ