These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan

Posted on by lynndellwatson
Romance, adventure and fantasy all wrapped up in one, 5 stars!

Brie is trying to get Sebastian and Finn to form an alliance to stop the queen who wants to imprison and enslave Unseelie Fae. The queen is Sebastian’s mother and he has gone behind her back to free as many as he can. Brie doesn’t trust anyone and doesn’t believe that she belongs in the Fae or in the mortal realm. She tries to learn to trust those around her and when she discovers her lineage, she finds her place. She has to complete a task to save herself and everyone in the Fae realm. Brie and Finn learn they’re tethered, meaning they draw power from each other and give each other strength. The long sleep, where children sleep and never wake up, is affecting the Unseelie children because their kingdom is dying. Finn is willing to sacrifice everything for his kingdom and Brie is willing to do the same. If the two of them can get Sebastian to help then they just might save everything. Romance, adventure and fantasy all wrapped up in one, 5 stars!

Mature content: sex but vaguely detailed, naked aroused breasts
Violence: blood and guts
Swearing: 15 swears and two f-bombs
Ethnicity: mortal mix and Fae

These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan

Posted on by lynndellwatson
A fantasy full of conflict!

A thief, Abriella, breaks into the vault of a man who became rich from selling females into prostitution. She only steals enough to carry so he won’t notice it’s missing. On her way home, Brie (Abriella) stops at a friend’s home to pay for the contract her daughter has just signed with the rich man. She did this to get medicine for her mother. Now Brie doesn’t have enough money to pay her rent to Madam V., her greedy, horrible aunt who makes Brie and her younger sister Jas live in a basement storage room. Brie and Jas also have to slave away taking care of the house and two spoiled cousins. When Jas is sold to the Fae King, Brie travels through a portal pretending to be one of the many human women wanting to marry the Fae Prince Ronan. She meets an intriguing Fae male that keeps showing up wherever she goes but then she’s caught by the king and finds out he took Jas as bait to get Brie’s help. The king wants Brie to steal artifacts from Prince Ronan’s court. She sees Sebastian where she never thought she would and runs from him because she’s surprised and angry. Once she comes to terms with who Sebastian really is, Brie realizes that she can use it to her advantage in finding the relics and getting Jas back. She does care for Sebastian and feels guilty for using him. The intriguing Fae male is Finn and she works with his group to stop the king. They help her with the shadow magic she has. Brie feels trapped and alone throughout the story because she doesn’t know if she can trust anyone but she perseveres to get Jas safe again.
I enjoyed reading this book because of Brie, the main character. She’s strong, resilient and will do anything to save her sister. The conflicting two main male characters make the story interesting, especially since they’re both vying for Brie’s attention. 5 stars for this fantasy full of conflict!

The Stone Girl’s Story by Sarah Beth Durst

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Perseverance and Friendship!
Thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the opportunity to read and review The Stone Girl’s Story by Sarah Beth Durst! Mayka, a twelve-year-old girl carved out of stone, lives on the mountain with other stone creations carved by her father, a famous stonemason. Her father is no longer alive and when the markings on the stone creatures began to fade and when Turtle no longer moves, Mayka decides to leave the mountain to find a stonemason who can carve the markings anew. She finds greed and danger but also loyalty and friendship on her search and Mayka learns and grows more than she ever realized she could. The Stone Girl’s Story is a sweet tale of hope, friendship and perseverance! 4 stars!

Book of Lies by Teri Terry

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Book of lies by Teri Terry immediately pulled me into the story about twins separated at birth and then meeting for the first time when they are seventeen. Piper was raised by their mother, while Quinn was not. There’s a mystery surrounding the twins and, while Quinn was forced to live with their grandmother, hidden away and having few unhappy visits from their mother, Piper enjoyed a happier and more comfortable life being raised by their mother. They both seem to be hiding secrets from others and each other. Supernatural forces take hold of the twins while the story twists and mysteries are revealed and secrets are told. I couldn’t stop reading this book and finished it quickly. Great read for fans of mystery, suspense and a touch of the paranormal; 5 stars!

 

Flicker and Mist by Mary G. Thompson

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Clarion Books for the opportunity to read and review Flicker and Mist by Mary G. Thompson! Myra has the ability to become invisible or flicker as it’s called in her world. The community is prejudice against and afraid of people that have the ability to flicker and are testing citizens to weed Flickerkin out. The test consists of wearing handcuffs while being shocked through the cuffs. Myra manages to pass the test because her parents have practiced with her, which was torturous. Her mother and father are both arrested, so Myra has to stay with the Deputy. Myra learns a lot about the people she cares about and the strength of their integrity. She also discovers a lot about herself. This fantasy story hits prejudice head on and shows the damage it can do to communities. I like Myra, Porti and Caster the most out of the characters because of their depth and integrity. 4 stars for this unique fantasy world!

Journey Across the Hidden Islands by Sarah Beth Durst

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Clarion Books for the opportunity to read and review Journey Across the Hidden Islands by Sarah Beth Durst! Ji-Lin and Seika are sisters and best friends. Their father is the Emperor and both daughters have been sent on their own Emperor’s Journey. Seika is all about tradition, whereas Ji-Lin struggles with focus. The two sisters are sent on their journeys together. Seika is following the traditional journey that takes place every generation, to speak with the dragon and renew their bargain of protection. Ji-Lin will be Seika’s protector and they will be riding on the winged lion, Alejan, Ji-Lin’s companion. They will travel for five days to converse with the dragon and then the following morning they will meet the Emperor and Guardians to celebrate the end of the ritual. The author describes the scenery and creatures beautifully by painting pictures with her descriptive words and the mythological tales are entertaining and interesting. The sisters work through their insecurities together and come to relate to each other better as they discover the truth behind the ritual. This adventure fantasy is wonderful for tweens – 4 stars!