'The Queens of Innis Lear' (Preview Excerpt)

The preview provided by the publisher, Tor Books, via NetGalley gives readers a window into author Tessa Gratton's skillful writing.  Rich visualizations of the island's history and nature makes it easy to picture in readers' minds.  'The Queens of Innis Lear' looks to be a wonderful and intricate re-telling of Shakespeare's 'King Lear.'

'The Queens of Innis Lear' will be available on March 27, 2018.

‘Risen’ (Blood Eternal #1) by Cole Gibsen

4 stars

‘Risen’ is a single POV, clean YA paranormal novel about a long-standing war between three clans of vampires, and the humans who become entangled in it.  We meet18-year-old Charlie just as her boring and simple life of living secluded in a cabin gets disrupted.  Turns out, her Aunt Rachel isn’t a hermit by choice.  When two vampires take her Aunt by force, and leave a third vampire behind to deal with her, Charlie fears for her Aunt and missing dog.  But she’s a strong and spunky young heroine; her fear never cripples her or her amusing, sarcastic, out-of-control mouth.

At first Sebastian, the vampire remaining at the house with her, seems to have his own agenda, but he and Charlie form an uneasy truce and agree to work together.  He promises to guide her to a vampire clan who can help her rescue her Aunt in exchange for help with a personal matter that only Charlie can provide.

‘Risen’ is a rare gem in the YA vampire novel market; it includes character development!  Human and vampire character development.  This was a rather nice surprise. 

I recommend this book for all YA readers who enjoy vampire books.  The rare moments of romance would be rated ‘E’ for everyone, and vampire fans, young and old, would enjoy this story.

I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book.  All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. 

‘Risen’ will be available on March 27, 2018.  #Risen, #NetGalley

‘Phoenix Fire’ by S.D. Grimm

4.5 stars

Excellent writing!  'Phoenix Fire' is a clean YA paranormal romance with alternating points of view between three siblings and a fast-paced easy-to-follow plot.  Also, this book has heart!  As the characters slowly recover memories from their past lives (cycles as a phoenix) readers are privy to their emotions and connections with each other.  Looking forward to the next entry in the Phoenix Cycle series!

I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book.  All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.  

‘Phoenix Fire’ will be available on March 5, 2018.  #PhoenixFire #NetGalley

‘Dwarves of Calcus’ (Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles #3) by Katie Hamstead

5 magical stars!

Author Katie Hamstead has done it again; shared with us a solid futuristic fairy-tale re-telling.  This time, the storyline centers around Snow White and her seven dwarves, while alluding to other characters and plotlines in her Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles.

As expected, Snow’s evil stepmother arranged for a huntsman to kill Snow when she was a young teenager, and she successfully ran away and fell in with some dwarves.  Being that this is the Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles, the dwarves have magic abilities.  Snow lives with them on their home planet of Calcus, working for the mine owner, White Enterprises.  When the heir to the White corporation visits, the relationship that develops between him and Snow is nothing short of a charming fairy-tale.

Like our Sleeping Beauty, Apolline, Snow is a smart, resourceful, and spirited heroine, though she is a pacifist and has no fighting or hunting skills to speak of.  She does, however, enjoy the thrill of street racing in her fixed-up ancient Earth automobile against dwarf hovercrafts.

While ‘Dwarves of Calcus’ was not combined with any other fairy-tale that I’m aware of, Hamstead incorporated original and creative plots and characters into the traditional story of Snow White.  The dwarves each had personalities and their interactions with each other, the humans, and other magical beings provided some comedy.  Additionally, not only does the evil stepmother, Geneva, send the huntsman back after Snow, she also unwittingly sends her current husband (husband #3) to Calcus, which creates some humorous scenes.  Though Snow’s charming Timothy White and Geneva’s current husband were boyhood rivals, this is the magical world of Katie Hamstead’s fairy-tales; nothing remotely close to resembling a love triangle occurs.

Perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer’s ‘The Lunar Chronicles’!

Thanks to Curiosity Quills Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  #DwarvesOfCalcus #NetGalley

‘Dwarves of Calcus’ will be available on March 6, 2018 as part of the Kindle Unlimited program!

Crewel (Crewel World #1) by Gennifer Albin

5 stars!

Wonderful page-turner, fully engaging YA dystopian story with fantasy elements. Highly recommended!

Grab a copy on Amazon or check with your local library.

Book Blurb:

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: She wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen to work the looms is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to manipulate the very fabric of reality. But if controlling what people eat, where they live, and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and used her hidden talent for a moment. Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her dad’s jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because tonight, they’ll come for her.