‘Princess of Tyrone’ (The Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles #1) by Katie Hamstead

5 magical stars!

This is a clever and futuristic re-telling of Sleeping Beauty, with minor Cinderella and Snow White aspects.  More Cinderella and Snow White plot lines coming later in The Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles series!

In order to preserve peace and connect the two royal lines; a prince and princess were betrothed as babies, much to the dismay of the evil faerie, Bryanna.

Apolline, our Sleeping Beauty, grew up in secret in the enchanted woods of a planet on the outer boarder of the joint ruling kingdoms in the galaxy.  She was raised by three fairies, affected by magic and has excelled in the unladylike skill of hunting magical creatures.  She is a spirited heroine and can handle herself in a tough crowd.

Prince Allard, on the other hand, was raised in the palace by his father and groomed to become King himself one day.  In an effort to keep the betrothal secure and intact, no images of either the prince or princess have been allowed to reach the public’s eye.  As Apolline and Allard have no idea what each other look like, their interactions are feisty and a joy to read.

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.

Currently available as part of the Kindle Unlimited program!

‘Water’s Wrath’ by Elise Kova

(Spoilers for the first three books in the ‘Air Awakens’ series.  See previous reviews.)

Air Awakens            Fire Falling             Earth's End

Water’s Wrath Synopsis:

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.

Water’s Wrath Review:

5 flowing stars!

Brilliant addition to the 'Air Awakens' series! ‘Water’s Wrath’ picks up where ‘Earth’s End’ left off; Vhalla has gone into hiding.  She has settled into a new routine of learning from books and recording her dreams of Prince Aldrik’s memories, created by the Bond they share.  However, she does not remain hidden for long as troops return to The Crossroads and the South, now that the war has ended.  Lady Vhalla Yarl’s entry into Court is spectacular, and it seems more than just her friends have missed her.

This fourth entry to author Elise Kova’s elemental magic series focuses more on crystal magic and Crown Prince Aldrik and his family’s past.  All our favorite characters have returned to play a role, Aldrik, Baldair, Jax, Elicia, Frtiz, and Grahm.  Due to the amount of personal history uncovered, this might be the most emotionally wrenching in the series.

The last 25% of this book is full of nail-biting page-turning action and the surprise ending may just knock your socks off.  Looking forward to ‘Crystal Crowned’ later this year!

‘Water’s Wrath’ will be available on April 26, 2016.  #AirAwakensApril

A big thanks to author Elise Kova for providing an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review!

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Goodreads

‘Air Awakens’ Series by Elise Kova

5 earth shattering stars!

Magic, castles, and feisty interactions with moody princes.  All my absolute favorites.

Vhalla Yarl’s story is compelling; a servant-level palace Library Apprentice with a strong mind and a passion for learning.  Her loyalty to her friends is unquestionable and moving.  The fierce friendships and bonds that form throughout the series is realistic and thoroughly enjoyable, and Vhalla’s interactions with the supporting characters and both the Crown Prince and the Golden Prince is what keeps the story moving at an amazing pace.

The ‘Air Awakens’ series is a joy to read, beautifully written with well-developed characters and vivid descriptions of elemental magic and the various rooms within the castle and of the scenery and temporary camps along Vhalla’s journey.

Author Elise Kova made the excellent choice to have Vhalla narrate in the first-person, as readers are privy to her private thoughts, memories, and reactions.  As the story is centered around Vhalla, these are important insights.

I devoured ‘Air Awakens,’ ‘Fire Falling,’ ‘Tales from the Front’ (novella) and ‘Earth’s End’ within one week, begrudgingly taking breaks only when ‘real life’ insisted.  Cannot wait to find out what happens next in ‘Water’s Wrath,’ releasing on April 26, 2016.

This YA fantasy series is perfect for fans of Rachel E. Carter’s ‘The Black Mage’ series.

‘The Syndicate’ (Timewaves #1) by Sophie Davis

5 stars!

‘The Syndicate’ is a time travel fantasy novel which allows readers to enjoy a glimpse of a cleverly imagined 2446 and follow the main character, Stassi, to 1925 Paris for several hundred pages of fashion and intrigue.  Employed as Runners for the Syndicate, Stassi and her partner Gaige, are trained and prepared for time jumps on behalf of wealthy Syndicate clients who pay handsomely to own a piece of history.  This particular run has them gracefully infiltrating the artsy group of Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein.

The authors brilliantly begin with a fast-passed prologue during which Stassi and Gaige complete a previous run.  Much is revealed about their friendship, their typical time jumps, and future technology, all while the characters are in the midst of action.  The friendships between Stassi, her jump partner Gaige, and her roommate Molly, are quite charming throughout the entire book.  The story contains just enough romance to be enjoyable, without it driving the plot.

There comes a point in this novel where Stassi and Gaige have three mysteries to solve, including discovering the identity of a French serial killer who was not in their history books.  If ‘Phantom of the Opera’ frightened you as a child; beware.

Available on Amazon now!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

‘Cruel Beauty’ (Cruel Beauty Universe #1) by Rosamund Hodge

4.5 stars

This clever and well-written enchanting tale combines elements from Greek mythology and Beauty and the Beast. While not quite a fairy-tale retelling, 'Cruel Beauty' will appeal to those readers. Highly recommended for YA fans.

Get 'Cruel Beauty' on Amazon, or from your local library today!

‘The Passage, a Dance, & a Little White Dress’ by Kristin D. Van Risseghem

3 stars

With the first book in the series, ‘The Guardian, a Sword, and Stilettos,’ author Van Risseghem created a rich, supernatural world with angels, nephilim, fairies, werewolves, and various demons.

‘The Passage, a Dance, & a Little White Dress’ continues Zoe’s story right where the first book left off.  She meets a new neighbor and is the only one who can see that he resembles her boyfriend, Shay, almost exactly.  Typical teenage drama ensues, combined with supernatural features such as werewolf instalove and mating for life and various degrees of ephemeral beings.

Zoe began this series as a typical 17-year-old high school girl, as she was introduced to the hidden world of supernatural beings, she learns that the people closest to her have been assigned to protect her from birth.  Zoe is destined to fulfill a prophecy on her 18^th birthday.  She is the prophesied ‘Redeemer’ and her abilities will be critical in the upcoming war to keep the devil from ruling Earth.

Recommended for fans of YA fantasy and supernatural beings.  ‘The Passage’ is available for pre-order on Amazon, it releases April 13, 2016.

Thanks to author Kristin D. Van Risseghem for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

'Mechanica' by Betsy Cornwell

5 stars!

Steampunk inventions cleverly interwoven into one of the more self-reliant versions of Cinderella I've read. Cornwell's elegant writing flowed perfectly.

Get 'Mechanica' on Amazon, or from your local library!

Sneak Peek: The Glittering Court (The Glittering Court #1) by Richelle Mead

4.5 stars

‘The Glittering Court’ is a YA contemporary fantasy by ‘Vampire Academy’ author Richelle Mead.  We follow a young, marriageable high-society heiress on an adventure to impersonate her servant and flee the restrictive and stuffy life she was born to.  She takes the place of her servant when recruited by the handsome and clever Cedric to the Glittering Court; equal parts business venture for the owners and opportunities to make slightly less restrictive marriages by ladies who were born poor.

After months of lady lessons, and a final ranking, this season’s graduating class is shipped overseas to the New World, where they will compete for ‘eligible bachelors’.

The sneak peek ended on a cliffhanger, and I’m very interested to see how the story progresses.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

‘The Glittering Court’ will be available on April 5, 2016.

‘Strings’ by David Estes

5 stars!

Captivating and impeccably well-written, ‘Strings’ follows the story of Pia, a 16-year old girl with strings attached to her body in 15 places, as she works with her father, Gio, in his isolated workshop inside a massive and mysterious facility, designing and building miniature technology.  This is the only life Pia has ever known.  She does not remember a time before she and her father had these strings; these strings that can control their every movement.

When the facility unexpectedly removes special memory-blocking chemicals from her nightly dose of drugs (via the strings) Pia starts to remember her past; her mother and childhood friends.  As management introduces other changes, Pia’s whole world changes and she becomes unsure of who to trust. 

There is never a dull moment, between rich world-building, descriptions of every-day living with strings, and a clever heroine who questions everything.  With ‘Strings,’ Estes has flawlessly executed a brilliant futuristic sci-fi re-telling of ‘Pinocchio.’

Thanks to author David Estes for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

‘Into the Dim’ by Janet B Taylor

5 stars!

‘Into the Dim’ is the first in a new YA historical fiction time-travel series.  While we begin with our main character, Hope, grieving her mother in 2016, we are soon introduced to Taylor’s brand of time travel mechanics and the era of Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Hope travels to her mother’s sister’s home in Scotland and does what every 16-year-old girl would do when left all alone in a huge new home; explores.  She discovers the time travel chamber just in time to meet her mysterious Aunt and learn the family’s secrets.  Motivated by the idea that her mother is alive but stuck in the twelfth century, Hope undergoes a brief training period and prepares to go into the Dim and save her mother.

Taylor’s novel reminds me several fantastic time-travel YA series, ‘Timebound’ by Rysa Walker, the ‘Immortal Descendants’ series by April White, and the ‘All Souls Trilogy’ by Deborah Harkness.

Adventure, romance, and plot twists abound!  ‘Into the Dim’ is an exciting read!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ‘Into the Dim’ will be available on March 1, 2016.