Review: Drowning In The Dark

When I read the massive Gods and Mortals collection a month or so ago, I came across the first novel in Pippa DaCosta's The Veil series. I liked the story a lot and wanted to see what it was all about. The answer? It's one of the most exciting, fun, kick-ass urban fantasy series' I've read. And I read a lot of urban fantasy. This is the kind of series you kick yourself for skipping out on. I've been speeding through all of the books (just started the fifth and final instalment today), and Drowning In The Dark is by far the darkest in the series, which is saying something. If you're looking for a new urban fantasy series that takes demons and puts them in the new light, trust me, this is what you're looking for. The world-building is unique, the characters are strong and complex, the action is wickedly intense, and the stories are freaking fantastic. Don't miss out on this one.

All these covers are absolutely gorgeous, and there's a bonus one inside the ebooks!

“I wasn’t demon enough to defeat my brother before. Things have changed.”

As the veil begins to fall, and the demons bleed through onto the streets of Boston, Muse knows the battle is lost before it’s even begun. 

To make matters worse, Adam and the Institute have captured Akil at a time when the city has never needed him more. Muse believes Akil’s incarceration is a ruse, because if he truly is at the mercy of the Institute, she must choose which side she’ll fight for. Human or demon? 

The princes are coming. Valenti, Muse’s immortal half-brother, leads the charge. The Institute is not ready, the people of Boston are not prepared, but one man is. Stefan knows what it will take to beat back the netherworld. Will his demon allow him the freedom to right his wrongs?

Muse’s loyalty will be tested. To save those she loves, she must give up that which she cherishes most. Her humanity.

The Mother of Destruction is about to go nuclear.

***
Our main character, Muse, just can't catch a break, and Drowning In The Dark is no exception to her ongoing struggles. The story kicks off at the speed of sound (as they usually do, a style that I love), and doesn't slow down even when the characters aren't fighting for their lives– and their humanity.

There's so much to talk about, but let's start with the world. I love stories that take their own twist on demon hierarchy, and the version DaCosta takes is one I haven't seen before. It's brutal, violent, and damages those who get to close to it.

Speaking of damaged, Muse is one of the strongest female characters in the genre. Having started from the very, very beginning, it was clear she'd been through hell– literally– and back. Watching her grow as a character into the powerful force she is now is nothing short of breathtaking, and she has never been stronger than she is in Drowning In The Dark. She's packed full of emotions and turmoil, doing what she can to protect those she loves, facing her fears, losing herself to darkness and drawing herself out when to be even stronger than before. I love strong female characters, but they are even more incredible when they're not Mary Sue's. Muse is an epic character, and I'm genuinely going to miss her when the series is over.

I'm also going to miss the side characters– Stefan, Akil, and Ryder. Ryder had a lot more character development, which is great because I love him. A stubborn, tough human you don't want to mess with, I genuinely wanted to know more about him. He better make it to the end! I like Akil a lot, though I don't agree with him as a romantic interest. Yes, he's helped Muse time and time again, and his development was thorough, but in my view, he's betrayed Muse's trust too many times. And Stefan? Stefan I love. I loved him the moment he entered the series, and will likely love him when it's over. He's battled his own demons– literally and figuratively– and has come so far. I find his relationship with Muse, while complicate to say the least, is more genuine and deserves to have its day.

The action is wicked. Muse has formidable enemies, and DaCosta knows her way around a magical action scene. Every battle is visceral and nail-biting, the kind of thing that keeps my eyes glued to the page and begging for more. I can only imagine what the final battle will be like, and I doubt I'll have any nails left when it's done.

There's so much to these books, genuine works of heart that are clearly loved by the author. I fell into them immediately, and will be buying the paperbacks as part of my newly restarted book collection. I could honestly go on on and on about all the things I loved about them, but we'd be heading to major spoiler territory and I don't want to do that. I want urban fantasy lovers to seek this series out, start from the prequel novella, and enjoy the same wild ride that I have. All of DaCosta's other books are now on my To-Be-Read List, and I can't wait to see how she rounds out Muse's adventures.

Amy

Book Review: Abomination

Abomination is the first novel I've read in a long time that felt like legitimate horror to me. I've read books with monsters before, and long time readers of my blog know it's something I actively seek out, but of all the novels I've read so far this year, this is the one that had the horror fan in me jumping with joy. It didn't "scare" me, but that in no way hindered my enjoyment of the novel. Gary Whitta's novel is creepy, intense, dramatic, filled with rich characters, and some surprising turns. An absolute must for all horror/fantasy fans. A wild, brutal ride, and one of my top reads for this year.

He is England's greatest knight, the man who saved the life of Alfred the Great and an entire kingdom from a Viking invasion. But when he is called back into service to combat a plague of monstrous beasts known as abominations, he meets a fate worse than death and is condemned to a life of anguish, solitude, and remorse.

She is a fierce young warrior, raised among an elite order of knights. Driven by a dark secret from her past, she defies her controlling father and sets out on a dangerous quest to do what none before her ever have—hunt down and kill an abomination, alone.


When a chance encounter sets these two against one another, an incredible twist of fate will lead them toward a salvation they never thought possible—and prove that the power of love, mercy, and forgiveness can shine a hopeful light even in history’s darkest age. 

***
I should say right off the bat that this isn't a novel for the faint of heart. The descriptions Whitta uses are brutal. Even I cringed at some of the images the story put in my mind. But that right there is the brilliance. I could visualize and sense everything. I felt like I was right there with the characters, experiencing the same astonishing horrors and brutality they were.

The characters are awesome. It's impossible not to love Wulfric, who is the definition of a tragic hero. He's almost too good to be honest, but I adore the guy and loved all the arcs he went through. The second main character, Indra... Talk about a handful. A feisty, strong woman who never needs to be rescued, I thought she was a bit too intense at some points. Though having said that, I loved being witness to her adventures and battles. Both characters were very strong and ideal leads for a horror/fantasy novel.

For me, the highlight was the monsters. Each one was more horrifying than the last and they carried unique weapons or fighting skills. I never knew what to expect from them, and the twist that carried them through the story was really engaging.

I'm itching to give this novel five stars, I really am, but there were a couple things that irked me. First, I found the pacing at the beginning a bit strange. Everything was moving really quickly, and I didn't know why until the end of that part when the twist began.

There were also a couple major events that I predicted early on. The biggest one was pretty obvious, and while it didn't alter my enjoyment of the story in any way, I wasn't exactly stunned when it came to light.

Finally, the villains. The first one was crazy and I wanted to see more of him. The second seemed to come out of nowhere, and until I knew he was the villain, I actually felt sorry for him. He just didn't seem like a good choice for an enemy, and was very anti-climactic.

But as a whole? Abomination rocked my world. Great characters, intense action, terrifying monsters, and incredible suspense. Maybe not recommended for readers who don't like gore, but if you like horror and light fantasy mixed with a little history? This is definitely the book for you.

Amy

Huge Weekly Recap With Reviews, Signups, and Pre-Orders!

Last week got busy fast, and this week is going to be even more intense. I have so much going on and even more planned, it's hard to keep up. While not everything is crossed off from last week's goals, most of it is close to being done:

• Finish editing Midnight Sky ASAP!
• Midnight Sky media kit and pre-order setups 
• Format Midnight Sky (working on today)

• World building, histories, series outline, and plots for the Iron Gargoyle series (create a map)

• Continue writing the sequel to Storm of the Gods 

And if you thought that was a lot of work, take a look at this:

• Send out Midnight Sky media kit and pre-order links for promotions
• Format Midnight Sky for print and ebook (test out Scrivener)

• Series outline, and plots for the Iron Gargoyle series (create a map)
• Start writing The Iron Gargoyle, the first Iron Gargoyle novel

• Finish the sequel to Storm of the Gods 
• Beta read edits for Storm of the Gods (if they come in)
• Open contests for Damnation's Door (released next week!)

Yeah. So far, today has been one of those days where I just don't know where to start. Well, that's not true. I'm aiming to get the final drafts and review copies for Midnight Sky up now that the Kindle, Kobo, and Smashwords pre-order links are live. More should be on the way and the Dark Sky series page will be updated next week after the cover reveal on June 5. 

 Sign Ups:

Blog Tour for Storm Born

Review Opportunity for the Cursed series

Pre-Order Release Blitz for Damnation's Door (Starting soon!)

Book Blitz for Damnation's Door
Release Blitz and Blog Tour for Damation's Door

Cover Reveal for Midnight Sky

Review Opportunity for Crimson Sky and Midnight Sky

***

Not that I have any expectations to get all of those goals accomplished, but to think that I might is really motivating. I mean, if I get even two or three of them done, I'll consider myself ahead of the game. Since formatting is perhaps my least favourite part of writing, I'm going to be working with Scrivener for the first time. I'm a little anxious and I hate tutorials (so boring!), but considering the issues I've had in the past, and the recommendations I've gotten, it makes sense to give it a shot and see how it works. If nothing else, at least I'll have a reliable formatting software. 

Damnation's Door is out next week. I'm still working on believing that. It seems like I just finished the final draft yesterday. It's nice to know that I'll have a full, completed series, but I'm going to miss the characters. That said, I'm getting ready for the blog tours and giveaways, and have already heard great reviews from One Book Two and fellow author Christina Ochs!

Speaking of Christina Ochs, she'll be part of a special guest post this week on my blog to promote her new novel, Hammer of the Gods. I've already read and reviewed the novel on Goodreads (a fuller review will be coming this Saturday), and I have to say it's freaking spectacular. If you like mild fantasy novels/historical battles, trust me when I say this is a book series you want to start. I couldn't stop reading! 

Last but not least, updates on my newest writing projects. The second Areios Brothers novel is almost finished (about 2.5 more chapters to go), and I'll be relieved when its over. There will be some changes, many of which might come later since I need to update the first novel, Storm of the Gods. I should be getting the Beta edits back any day now, and am hoping to start working on them in June so I can take a deep breath and send out query letters. Once I do that, the series will be out of my hands and there will likely not be updates on it for the rest of the year, unless the incredible happens and it's picked up by a publisher. 

Finally, Iron Gargoyle. You guys have no idea how much I'm aching to get really started on that bad boy. I've already created the world history, written the prologue and the first chapter of the first book, and have the basic plots for the series (which will include four full length novels and a series of three novellas revolving around another character), so now I need to set up the world and detail the plots. It's a lot of work, but I love doing it. 

So, this blog post turned out to be way longer than I expected. Imagine what my monthly blog post is going to look like! 

Anyway, it's time to get back to work. Thanks for spotting by! Cheers!

Amy

Review: Divine Descendant

It's been a long time since I read the Nikki Glass series by Jenna Black, but I remembered the intense ending and the excitement I felt for the final novel, Divine Descendant. Wrapping up a series is never easy, but I respect it when authors give it their all and do their best to leave fans satisfied while giving the series and characters the closure it deserves. That being said, I wanted more from this finale. Not to say the story wasn't strong and that the characters weren't as memorable as ever, but as I remembered what the Nikki Glass series was capable of, I felt the story was slower and a little more lacking than what I was familiar with. That isn't to say it's bad– far from it. I just think I expected more. Still, if you enjoy urban fantasy and mythology, this is definitely a series worth checking out. Note: Since this the final book in the series, there are major spoilers in the synopsis. I'll keep them out of the review, but be aware.

Sexy cover!

What happens when fertility goddesses go on strike? Nothing much—except maybe the end of the human race.

When private investigator Nikki Glass became immortal as a descendant of Artemis, she never dreamed she’d find herself playing marriage counselor to the gods. But she doesn’t really have much of a choice when the crazed ex-wife of Anderson Kane—a god in disguise who just happens to be the son of a Fury—decides to enact revenge by wiping out all of humanity. Somehow, Nikki must convince the two to kiss and make up, but with Anderson now gone AWOL, she'll have to find him first. To top it all off, the cat’s out of the bag that Anderson killed Konstantin, the Olympians’ deposed leader. Now their new boss—Konstantin’s son—is out for blood.

With every mere mortal’s fate now resting in Nikki’s hands, can she outsmart the gods…or will she be doomed to spend the rest of eternity in a barren and desolate world?

***
The third book in the series, Rogue Descendant, ended in a major cliffhanger and despite the three year wait, I didn't forget it or the complications it would bring main character Nikki Glass or the rest of her descendant allies in their battle against the Olympians. The stakes were raised and they grew even higher when Nikki's leader and friend Anderson's past returns with a literal vengeance.

Longtime readers of the series know that Anderson is way more than meets the eye and has secrets we can only begin to comprehend, but the truths we learned about him shocked even me. Black definitely has an understanding of how old gods reacted to indiscretions and slights, and the crux of the story was seriously appalling. It's always refreshing to read about a plot twist that doesn't involve excessive violence, but is nonetheless awful and sinister.

From there, the story progressed with a steady pace, though it was slower than previous novels with more talks and negotiation taking place than actual action. There was some, but I never Nikki or the other characters were in any serious danger until the end, and I'll talk more about that later.

On a whole, the characters grew very well. Nikki was stronger and braver than ever. I've enjoyed her struggles and determination as a character, and will absolutely miss her more than anyone else. Speaking of anyone else... Jamaal, the love interest. Look, I get that he was consumed with death-magic and had intimacy issues, and I won't deny that his changed attitude stunned me for the better in this instalment. He came a long way and I was proud of him, but I still can't find it in me to like him. He just caused too many problems, was too callous, and wasn't there for Nikki as often as he should have been for me to soften to him. Still, his progression as a character was spectacular and definitely a highlight of the book.

Now, onto the tricky stuff. The ending. A bit of a letdown. The main battle had some intense moments, but to be honest, I was expecting way more casualties, possibly even a major character death (a permanent one, if you know what I mean). Instead, the final confrontation didn't involve a lot of action at all. My first reaction was, "That's it?" Following that was a lack of resolution from a pair of characters I'd been rooting for as a couple. They definitely got shafted and I wasn't happy with how their story ended. Finally, the last scene. Though I can see how it would be a resolution for Nikki and closed out a mystery revolving around her past, I couldn't help but feel it was too major to throw at us and not know how it would be resolved. I mean, this is the last book, and you can't put something like that in the finale and not have longtime readers want to know what it means for Nikki's future.

But these are my opinions, and like I said, the novel is very good. I was happy to return to this universe and see how the finale played out. Yes, I could have done with a little more of almost everything, but if you're looking for a unique take on the urban fantasy/mythology genre, look no further than the Nikki Glass series.

Amy

Sunday Snippet: "This just keeps getting better and better."

It's that time of the week again– 8Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors, the indie blog hop for authors looking to entice readers by offering 8-10 sentences in a teaser snippet. I'm continuing with the first chapter of Damnation's Door, the last novel in the Cursed series. Last week, main character Constance and her companions began to realize they were in a trap, confronted with Possessors. In today's snippet, she gets a better look at her enemy...

The Possessors looked like regular humans, except their irises were solid black. I held back my shiver, knowing just how much pain their souls must be in. Being possessed was one of the worst things a human could experience. I had barely survived it.

These Possessors had taken over a group of tall, bulky men in black clothes. Their hair ranged from shoulder-length to bald, and their arms were covered in tattoos. Each had the tattoo of a rose thorn that appeared to be weaving in and out of their skin, blood dripping from the points. I had the same one inked behind my ear.

This just keeps getting better and better.

***

Demons are free. Angels are fallen. Hope is dying...

Constance Ramirez and her adopted sister, Andromeda, have stopped Lucifer’s plan– They have closed the Heaven Gate and kept the demons out. But their choice came with brutal consequences, and now every angel on earth is trapped in their mortal body.

All that remains is closing the Hell Gate and establishing a balance once and for all. That means returning to the city of Constance’s nightmares, which has become a haven for murderers and monsters. But even more dangerous than their hunt is that Andromeda’s powers and instincts are turning darker, and this time Constance doesn’t know how to protect her.

Constance is ready to fight for her life, but her enemies have plans she can’t begin to imagine, and they’re prepared to make her suffer...Trust is lost and hearts are broken in the epic conclusion in Amy Braun’s Cursed trilogy...

Pre-order it here:

Amazon Kindle | Paperback | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Nook | iBookstore |  Goodreads | Smashwords |

***
Current giveaways and promotions:

Giveaways for Storm Born:

Goodreads | The Bookish Crypt |

Sign Ups:

Review Opportunity for the Cursed series

Book Blitz Sign up for Damnation's Door

Review Opportunity for Crimson Sky and Midnight Sky

***
This week will be busy. A couple days ago, I got the edits back for Midnight Sky, the second Dark Sky novel. I've got a bit more tweaking to do, but I'm hoping to get that off my plate ASAP so I can start finalizing the novel and move it toward formatting, pre-order set ups, and the like. It would be nice to have that off the table for August, especially since I'll need to make time for the Beta edits for Amber Sky and Smoke Sky. Since my deadlines are coming up, I'm excited to announce that tomorrow I'll officially reveal the synopsis for Midnight Sky!

That's all the major news I'll offer for this post, since it's getting late for me and I need to catch some of that mystical entity called Sleep. Be sure to check out the other blogs on the Weekend Writing Warriors website. There are tons of great authors out there just waiting to be discovered! Leave them some love!

Cheers!

Amy

Review: Soldier

I've been a fan of Julie Kagawa's work for years. She's an incredible author with a powerful voice, richly detailed worlds, pulse-pounding action, fantastic characterization, and is one of the best romance authors I know. She's also notoriously brutal for cliffhangers, but we'll get to that in a minute. I've loved every novel in the Talon Saga to date, and I knew that the third novel, Soldier, wouldn't disappoint me. Not only did it meet that expectation, it surpassed any other goal I could have possibly set for it. It was all I could do not to stop everything and finish the book from cover to cover, even though I knew the end was going to be about as crushing as I assumed it would be. This is Julie Kagawa, after all. This is a book review so I'm going to do some nitpicking, but believe me when I say that not only is Soldier the best in the Talon Saga so far, it's one of the best novels I've read all year. Nail-biting, shocking, emotional, and utterly fantastic, my one regret being that I had to put it down for Real Life. 

The price of freedom is everything.

When forced to choose between safety with the dragon organization Talon and being hunted forever as an outcast, Ember Hill chose to stand with Riley and his band of rogue dragons rather than become an assassin for Talon. She’s lost any contact with her twin brother, Dante, a Talon devotee, as well as Garret, the former-enemy soldier who challenged her beliefs about her human side.

As Ember and Riley hide and regroup to fight another day, Garret journeys alone to the United Kingdom, birthplace of the ancient and secret Order of St. George, to spy on his former brothers and uncover deadly and shocking secrets that will shake the foundations of dragons and dragonslayers alike and place them all in imminent danger as Talon’s new order rises.

***
I didn't put a spoiler alert up because I don't want to give anything away. I want people who read this review to know as little as possible so they give in to temptation and start reading the Talon Saga. Yes, I know some older readers will frown because it's a Young Adult novel. Trust me when I say that doesn't matter in the least. The characters are mature, and their situation, particularly in Soldier, is compelling enough that the target audience doesn't matter. I'll recommend it to everyone until I'm blue in the face. Yes. That's how good it is.

The story itself was extremely strong. Kagawa is fantastic at writing plot twists, and I didn't see the massive game changer coming. Maybe because I didn't expect it so early on, but mostly because it was so monumental, I actually froze in place and re-read the sentence. I never do that. Yeah. That's how crazy it was. Though the major twist drove the story, it was by no means the only one. As I experienced the shock of each one, I truly felt connected to the characters. I knew the twist at the end would be utterly painful (and it was, but I won't for a single second believe it until the fourth book is out and proves me wrong), I definitely did not anticipate the final, earth-shattering twist in the epilogue. The combination of those two twists actually made it hard to focus on the next book I wanted to read. I've read 77 books so far this year, and I can't remember the last one that made me react this way.

The entire series is told from varying points of view: From Ember, a young dragon struggling to find a balance between humanity and her dragon instincts, Garret, a former dragon slayer on the run from the organization he dedicated his life to, Riley, leader of a dragon resistance, and Dante, Ember's twin and devoted member of dragon society. Normally, you would think that this is a lot of perspectives to juggle and that telling the difference between one character from the other could be confusing. Not true. Kagawa knows her characters well, and is able to convey that every time she shifts to another POV. Even if I didn't know the name of the character going into their corresponding chapter, or the settings that differentiated them, I would instantly know the difference by the character voice.

While I praise Soldier for its plot twists, the highlights were, as always, the characters. This was definitely a predominantly Garret story, which I was more than happy with, since he's my favourite. I love the insights we got to his past, his struggles, his determination, his morality, and his devotion to Ember. He had a plot twist himself, and I can't wait to know more about it. Ember and Riley both had strong stories as well, though I felt that their stories were a little too focused on their romance. It was key to Riley's part in the love triangle, and while I like him, I don't see myself investing in him as a love interest. Probably because I'm biased to Garret, but I like hearing about him and the resistance more than hearing about him with Ember. For Ember herself, her story was a cross between her conflicted emotions and her struggle to cope with the thing she must do in the war. I enjoyed those parts and wanted more, grateful that the romance was steadily paced throughout most of the story. Finally, I've heard some readers think Dante's story was boring, but I wholeheartedly disagree. It was shocking and while it was mostly set-up, it got me even more invested in his story. It was his twist at the very, very, very end that basically made my head spin. I get the feeling that the next Talon book will revolve mainly around Dante, and I'm honestly extremely eager for that.

The action was strong and thrilling, as it always is with Kagawa. Call me biased, but I think she's unquestionably one of the best authors of this generation, and a queen in writing Young Adult fiction. It's killing me that I have to wait another year for her next novel, but I was so blown away by her writing and Soldier in particular that I'm willing to suffer the wait. If you haven't read any of the Talon Saga yet, drop what you're doing and get your hands on a copy now. Soldier is absolutely one of my top books of the year, and I know that whatever Kagawa has planned next, it will rock my world harder than I'll ever anticipate. And I can't wait.

Amy

Giveaways and Signups Still Open!

This week has been slower than I expected for writing. Real Life has been getting in the way, and while I won't complain about having fun with friends, I do wish I had a little more time to get in all the work I set out for myself. Still, I've been working on what I can in between promoting Storm Born.

Buy it here:

Amazon Kindle | Paperback | Createspace | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Smashwords | iBookstore | BookLikes | NoiseTrade | Bublish |

Giveaways:

Goodreads | The Bookish Crypt |

There are also open sign-ups for any urban fantasy/steampunk blogger wishing to promote new indie books!

Sign Ups:

Review Opportunity for the Cursed series

Book Blitz Sign up for Damnation's Door

Review Opportunity for Crimson Sky and Midnight Sky

***
In writing news, the Beta edits for Amber Sky and Smoke Sky are out with Beta readers. I'm still working on the second Areios Brothers novel and the opening chapters of The Iron Gargoyle. I love writing both, but I would rather finish the second Areios Brothers novel first since I'm further into it and know the world better than the Iron Gargoyle world. But both have been a lot of fun to write, and I'm eager to continue.

So that's what's new! Hopefully there will be more exciting news on the way!

Cheers!

Amy

Review: Bright Blaze of Magic

I'm always sad to see the end of a great book series, especially when I've grown to love the characters, their abilities, and the world created by an author I love. Bright Blaze of Magic, the last in  Jennifer Estep's Black Blade series ends with adventure and danger, pitting the heroine against her greatest foe and testing the limits of her power. Bright Blaze of Magic left me wanting more from a series that I think should have been drawn out an expanded, but still left me feeling suitably fulfilled and pleased at the end as a fangirl.

Bad Things Always Come In Threes…

As a thief, I'm good at three things: hiding in the shadows, getting in and out unseen, and uncovering secrets. I put these skills to work for the Sinclair Family, one of the magical mobs that run the tourist town of Cloudburst Falls. 

Everyone knows Victor Draconi wants to take over all the other Families--and kill every last Sinclair. What they don't know is that I'm on to him, and no way will I let the man who murdered my mom get away with hurting all the other people I care about. Especially when I've got places to break into, stuff to steal, and Devon Sinclair fighting right by my side… 

***
The story took was definitely the darkest of the trilogy, with a massive attack happening early on in the book that forces Lila, her boyfriend Devon, and two of her friends into scrambling for a solution that will save Lila's new Family. To this extent, I thought the story was executed well (no pun intended!). It meshed with the villain's motives and was truly diabolical.

The action was as solid as ever– a staple in all of Jennifer Estep's work– and the climactic battle scene was truly intense. Estep is exceptional in using descriptive sentences to paint a vivid picture for the reader while igniting their senses and making them feel like they're in Lila's world. That being said, much of the action took place in the form of chases and escapes. Not a bad or boring thing, but i think I'm more used to the creative action in Estep's Elemental Assassin series.

The characters are great. Lila is a powerful, inspiring lead, and the side characters are unique and distinctive from one another. I liked the growth of Lila and Deah– both are strong female characters who are more than capable of fighting for themselves. I was also really happy that Devon was willing to trust Lila to take care of herself when he's been protective in the past, though I do wish there had been a little more romance and perhaps drama between them. It had been prominent in the past two books and while they had tender moments, I was hoping for a little more tension in their budding romance.

For me, there was only one part of the story that irked me– the dialogue. Normally, I love Estep's writing style. I'm serious when I say she's been a huge inspiration to me and my work. She's a successful author with nearly 40 stories to her name, and I will always look forward to pre-ordering and devouring her next piece of work. That being said, I felt the dialogue in Bright Blaze of Magic was a bit too cheesy and even repetitive in some states. Blake Draconi (one of the major villains) had so much campy dialogue I was laughing at him more than I was feeling threatened by him.

That being said, I adored the story for all that it was worth. I'll definitely remember the series, the memorable characters, and the fantastic storyline. Thank you for the adventure, Jennifer Estep! I look forward to more in the future!

Amy

Review: Water's Wrath

April 26 was an amazing day for me as a book lover. Five books from my favourite authors were released that day, and I was plagued with the question any fangirl would have: Which do I read first? The excitement plagued me in the days prior, and I decided to review all of them in the coming weeks, starting with the one that would haunt me the most if I didn't start it: Water's Wrath, the fourth novel in Elise Kova's Young Adult fantasy romance series, Air Awakens. I reviewed Air Awakens a few weeks ago after falling in love with it, and while I didn't review the following two novels that I devoured shortly after, rest assured they're even more exciting and compelling than their predecessor. Since I signed up for the cover reveal for the final novel, Crystal Crowned, I couldn't help but review Water's Wrath, which is an incredible story of personal growth, forgiveness, and testing the bonds of love. A stellar work of fictions that fans will love, and that will have new readers aching for more. There's so much to talk about with this novel, it's hard to know where to start. Rest assured that I won't delve into major spoilers, though the synopsis below kind of hints at one and this is the fourth book in a five book series, so consider this your minor spoiler alert.

If only you knew how much this gorgeous cover revealed!

Librarian turned sorcerer. Sorcerer turned hero. Hero turned puppet.

The Solaris Empire found victory in the North and, at the cost of her heart and her innocence, Vhalla Yarl has earned her freedom. But the true fight is only beginning as the secret forces that have been lurking in the shadows, tugging at the strings of Vhalla’s fate, finally come to light. Nowhere is safe, and Vhalla must tread carefully or else she’ll fall into the waiting arms of her greatest foe. Or former lover.

***
The story started off with quite a bit of action for main character Vhalla Yarl. She's even stronger than before, working to fight off the Knights determined to destroy her. But, inevitably, she finds herself returning to the kingdom of Solaris, and crossing paths with the prince she thought she could escape. From there, we're taken deeper into the history of the world and its history, most of Vhalla's encounters with Prince Aldrik turning brief until at least the halfway point. But honestly, I liked the history bits. This is a complex world, and all the information became absolutely crucial in the end. If you're an Air Awakens fan and you're reading that, relax! I'm getting to it!

The majority of Water's Wrath was about Vhalla and Aldrik working to repair the damage they did to each other in Earth's End, which still remains my favourite in the series. Their development and growth was amazing. I was very impressed with Aldrik, watching him struggle with his coping mechanisms during some particularly difficult struggles (and good God, were there ever), and watching him open up to a Vhalla in a way we'd never seen before. But that isn't to say that Vhalla hasn't grown either. Considering everything she's been through, it was hard to remember sometimes that she was a young librarian with extraordinary power caught up in a world she didn't understand. But she's amazing, definitely a hidden gem in the YA fantasy world.

All of this sounds awesome– and it is– but this isn't an easy ride. Oh no. Kova knows exactly how to pull at a reader's heartstrings. There was a huge, gut-wrenching twist about 3/4's into the novel that threw me for a loop. From a fan's perspective, it was awful and painful to endure, but for a writer and a reader, it was kind of beautiful. It certainly shook the foundations of key characters, and they became stronger because of it.

And then, there was the ending. I said before that the beginning of Water's Wrath was action-packed, and it was. But the ending... WOW. I wonder how I looked when I was on the bus– my jaw literally dropping, my eyes wide, biting my nails and my gaze flickering over each line to get to the next word to see what would happen next. Brain nearly exploding when I got to the major, devastating event in the final battle.

But that explosive, amazing scene wasn't the only thing that rocked me to my core. Nope, the very last scene at the very end of the book did that. Another gut-wrencher, it was horrifying and sets the stage for what will be a truly tremendous trial for Vhalla, Aldrik, Fritz, Jax, and all the rest. Just when I was reeling from the devastation of everything those beloved characters endured (and trust me, things get bad), there was a single moment that had me almost jumping into the air and pumping my fist.

I'm a writer. I know that to close out a series, you have to end in a massive, explosive way. I expect nothing less from Crystal Crowned on its release in July. Water's Wrath was the perfect novel to set that climactic stage, to repair what was broken and create the alliances that will change the foundations of everything we know about this fantasy world. I recommend this series to all fantasy and romance lovers. It's highly underrated, and I'm so happy it was recommended to me. I can't wait to see how it ends.

Long live Solaris.

Amy