Tag: fantasy

Edge-Of-Your-Seat, Scream-At-Your-Book, Nail-Biting Brilliance (& OMG THE FRIENDSHIP!) — House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas {Book Review}

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House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. MaasTitle: House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Release Date: March 3rd, 2020
Standalone/Series: Series
Genre: Adult – Fantasy

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My rating in stars: 5 stars
My rating in words: New all-time favorite

 

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

Bound by blood.
Tempted by desire.
Unleashed by destiny.

Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom—and the power of love.

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Two Witches and a Whiskey by Annette Marie {Book Blitz & Give-Away}

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Hi everyone and welcome to the Book Blitz for Annette Marie’s latest fantasy novel, Two Witches and a Whiskey, the third book in the Guild Codex: Spellbound series. This Book Blitz is hosted by Xpresso Book Tours.

Now, I was lucky enough to have been able to read an ARC of Two Witches, so you can already check out my review here. (Spoiler: I LOVED IT!) If you need still some more convincing, I highly suggest to check out the summary and excerpt below and enter the fun, blitz-wide give-away for your chance to win an Amazon gift card!

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More Humor, More Worldbuilding & More Intriguing Characters Equals More Fangirling From Me — Dark Arts and a Daiquiri by Annette Marie {ARC Book Review}

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Dark Arts and a Daiquiri by Annette MarieTitle: Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (The Guild Codex: Spellbound #2)
Author: Annette Marie
Publisher: Dark Owl Fantasy
Release Date: November 16th, 2018
Standalone/Series: Series 
Genre: New Adult – Urban Fantasy

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My rating in stars: 5 stars
My rating in words: Loved it, new all-time favorite!

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

When I found myself facing down the scariest black-magic felon in the city, practically daring him to abduct me, I had to wonder exactly how I ended up here.

It all started when I accidentally landed a job as a bartender—but not at a bar. At a guild, populated by mages, sorcerers, alchemists, witches, and psychics. Good thing this lame-o human is adaptable, right?

Then my favorite guild members—three sexy, powerful, and intermittently charming mages—asked for my help. Did they want access to my encyclopedic knowledge of cocktails? Oh no. They wanted to wrap me up in a pretty ribbon and plunk me in the crosshairs of a murderous rogue to lure him out of hiding.

So that’s what we did. And that’s why I’m here. About to be kidnapped. Oh, and our grand plan for safely capturing said murderous rogue? Yeah, that completely fell apart about two minutes ago.

Why did I agree to this again?

—
Note: The three mages are definitely sexy, but this series isn’t a reverse harem. It’s 100% fun, sassy, fast-paced urban fantasy.

Tori has no problem getting herself into trouble in every book in the Guild Codex series, but each one is a complete adventure—no cliffhanger endings.

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The One Where Lindsey Predictably Falls For A Band of Dangerous Misfits (Again) — Vicious by V.E. Schwab {Book Review}

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vicious-by-v-e-schwabTitle: Vicious (Villains #1)
Author: V.E. Schwab
Publisher: Tor
Release Date: September 24th, 2013
Standalone/Series: Series
Genre: Adult – Fantasy

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My rating in stars: 4,5 stars
My rating in words: Loved it!

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. 

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

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Contemporary Elements I Want To See More Of In Fantasy {Top Ten Tuesday}

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180807 Contemporary Elements I Want More Of

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
Post header background: Designed by Freepik

Welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday!

Today’s topic is a super fun one, but honestly also one I struggled with, because  my creative well is a little dry at the moment and also because when faced with this topic I suddenly forgot about every single book I’ve ever read. But since I did want to post something today, I decided to tweak it just a bit and talk about some elements or tropes that are most often used in contemporary books, that I want to see more of in fantasy. Because I already love these things, so imagine if you add dragons and magic to the mix!

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And Suddenly, Bam, World Peace? — Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi {Book Review}

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Restore Me by Tahereh MafiTitle: Restore Me (Shatter Me #4)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: March 6th, 2018
Standalone/Series: Series
Genre: New Adult – Fantasy – Dystopian

Goodreads link

My rating in stars: 4 stars
My rating in words: I really liked it

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

Juliette Ferrars thought she’d won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But she’s still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and now she’s got the whole world in the palm of her hand. When tragedy hits, who will she become? Will she be able to control the power she wields and use it for good?

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Unnecessary, But Still Fun — A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas {Book Review}

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A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. MaasTitle: A Court of Frost and Starlight
(A Court of Thorns and Roses #3.1)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: May 1st, 2018
Standalone/Series: Series
Genre: New Adult – Fantasy

Goodreads link

My rating in stars: 3 stars
My rating in words: It was okay

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

Feyre, Rhys, and their close-knit circle of friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly-changed world beyond. But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it, a hard-earned reprieve. Yet even the festive atmosphere can’t keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated–scars that will have far-reaching impact on the future of their Court.

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Shining, Shimmering, Splendid — The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury {Book Review}

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The Forbidden Wish by Jessica KhouryTitle: The Forbidden Wish
Author: Jessica Khoury
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: February 23rd, 2016
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy

Goodreads link

My rating in stars: 4 stars
My rating in words: LOVED IT!

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

She is the most powerful Jinni of all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world… 

When Aladdin discovers Zahra’s jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn’t seen in hundreds of years—a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra’s very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes.

But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?

As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.

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Queen of Darkness, Shadows, Storm AND Blood — Frequently Used Words in Fantasy Titles {Top Ten Tuesday}

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180424 Frequently Used Words in Fantasy Titles

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Post header background: Designed by Freepik

Welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday!

Let’s be honest: fantasy titles are not always super creative or innovative. It’s why there are so many random fantasy title generators available. Does it mean I love them any less? Heck no. But, it is fun to see how many books titles you can get with the same words. I didn’t even have to look far for this. I just opened my media library, typed in a commonly used fantasy word and *poof* I have so many books already available.

Here are my picks for five of the most frequently used words in fantasy:

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Epic Showdowns, Seductive Incubi & Me In A Fangirling Mess On The Floor — The Blood Curse by Annette Marie {Book Review}

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The Blood Curse by Annette MarieTitle: The Blood Curse (Spell Weaver #3)
Author: Annette Marie
Publisher: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Release Date: March 30th, 2018
Standalone/Series: Trilogy
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy

Goodreads link

My rating in stars: 4 stars
My rating in words: LOVED IT!

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

When Clio conned her way into the Underworld to steal magic from the notorious spell weavers of Chrysalis, she thought she was helping protect her homeland.

Instead, she exposed Lyre’s most calamitous spell, and now her half-brother Bastian plans to wield it against the powerful Ra family. Clio and Lyre have to stop him before he can unleash it, but Bastian isn’t their only adversary.

Chrysalis wants the shadow weave—and they want Lyre dead. And this time, they aren’t trusting mercenaries to get the job done. Lyre’s father is coming for him, and no magic can defeat the most lethal weaver in the three realms.

From the scorching deserts of Ra to the darkest corner of the Underworld, Clio and Lyre must chase the shadow weave as both the hunters and the hunted. To make it out alive, they’ll need magic more devious and dangerous than either of them alone possesses, and if they fail, the realms will pay the price.

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