"You were meant to fly, Bryn, but they clipped your wings," Niamh whispered, and Bryn felt the power of those words, and what they meant, infuse he
"You were meant to fly, Bryn, but they clipped your wings," Niamh whispered, and Bryn felt the power of those words, and what they meant, infuse her. "It's time to get back into the sky. Hard to burn a witch from up there."
We had a few precious hours until everything changed, for good or for bad. I wouldn't waste a single one of them on sleep. I spent them counting th
We had a few precious hours until everything changed, for good or for bad. I wouldn't waste a single one of them on sleep. I spent them counting the freckles on her cheeks, memorizing the pattern of her breaths, watching the flutter of her eyelashes. And when the sun went down, and Oraya stirred and blinked blearily at me with those moon-bright eyes and asked, "Sleep well?" I just kissed her forehead and said, "Perfect." And I didn't have a single regret.
"I didn't want a relationship or a future with anyone until I met you, and learned you. Now I can't imagine an existence that doesn't include you a
"I didn't want a relationship or a future with anyone until I met you, and learned you. Now I can't imagine an existence that doesn't include you at my side -you, my thorny darling, my exasperating conscience, my beguiling ruination." "Such lovely names," I murmur. "I have some for you as well. They're not as nice." "I can imagine."
"If you want to run, I will run with you." "You would abandon this country? Your title, everything you worked for?"
In a heartbeat. Without question.
"If you want to run, I will run with you." "You would abandon this country? Your title, everything you worked for?"
In a heartbeat. Without question.
By the bones, this book! THIS BOOK!
If you've loved The Song of Achilles and the Captive Prince trilogy, you can't miss out on this beautiful and beautifully written gem. Don't let that cover fool you into thinking this is a romance book set in medieval times because, while it's both those things, it's also thankfully a lot more. Reforged is action-packed, full of political intrigues, betrayal, magic, love, music and a world building so well crafted you'll have your hands full for days trying to solve the knots the plot tricks you into. Zav and Balen are fantastic; their loyalty and affection for each other are only the tip of the iceberg in the greatness that is their relationship. I wish I could share more of their banter and lines because, honestly, I couldn't stop my heart from pounding in my chest every time they interacted. And that ending zhfshrshfsjsjtsjtsj
Not entirely book related, but I had the chance to chat a little with Seth the other day, and he's a sweet, talented and incredibly funny guy. I wish him all the best and I hope this book gets all the recognition it deserves because it's got the potential to become a must in its genre.
Balen paused and met Zavrius's eyes. "Are you asking?" "I wouldn't ask," Zavrius said slowly, "I would order."
"We are writing history, Aino. Isn't it exciting?"
SHIELDSWORN is a spicy, entirely historically inaccurate, vibes-only adult fantasy romance featu
"We are writing history, Aino. Isn't it exciting?"
SHIELDSWORN is a spicy, entirely historically inaccurate, vibes-only adult fantasy romance featuring two love stories, strong family ties, magic and a threat not one of these badass Vikings ever saw coming.
I mean... How could I let this pass?
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Shieldsworn is everything that tiny blurb promises, and a little bit more. I absolutely loved it to bits and, even though I found it a tad too long and some parts were slightly redundant, it was overall a wonderful, funny and sexy read. Aino and Elin's relationship was the thing I liked the most about the book. I'm a sucker for good sisterly relationships and theirs was absolutely amazing. Very Anna/Elsa, but with weapons and booze. Plotwise speaking, this book was very entertaining and full of details, and so was the writing. Dialogues in particular. The spicy bits were well done and not at all cringey, and I think part of the reason behind how smooth they flowed, is that for once, the two female characters who were living these smutty situations weren't all flustered and passive by the guy in question. I like a fictional woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to ask or to simply take it, and in this case we have two. And they're Viking warriors, on top of it all! Halvar and Niall's povs were interesting and well done, although I wish I'd seen more difference between the two. Loved the arc they both went through and the way they all found a satisfying ending to their personal journey, at the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you so much, BookSirens for the opportunity. Also, a huge thank you to Camille Dwight for being extremely nice and helpful when I reached out to her.
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“Are you saying,” he said each word methodically, “that you don’t hate me anymore?” “I only hate that I feel drawn to you when I know I shouldn’t. I
“Are you saying,” he said each word methodically, “that you don’t hate me anymore?” “I only hate that I feel drawn to you when I know I shouldn’t. I hate that I think about you when you are gone. But most of all I hate that you were fated to be my enemy, and yet my heart was destined to want you.” “And now? Do you still want to stab me?” His voice was dry in his throat, and he craned his head to lean into her hands. “Aye, sometimes I do.” She smiled. “But I want to do other things, as well.” “Well, I’m sure we can work something out.”
“I want you to know that some journeys have ends, but not this one. This one will change you. Irrevocably." "Don't all journeys change you?" "It isn'
“I want you to know that some journeys have ends, but not this one. This one will change you. Irrevocably." "Don't all journeys change you?" "It isn't the same." He leaned forward. "I, too, once journeyed beyond the stars." "What did you find?" His voice turned lethally soft. "That it's just the beginning.”
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You know that feeling you get when you start a book and immediately know it's going to be one of those books you're going to absolutely adore? Spin the Dawn was it for me from the very beginning and I'm not sure there's a particular reason for it, because I loved every aspect of this book.
Spin the Dawn tells us the story of Maia Tamarin who, after a devastating war, pretends to be one of her brothers in a pretty sexist competition to become royal tailor and help her family recover financially. Between challenges, sabotages and the constant fear of her true identity being exposed, Maia does her best to survive and bring her family honor. Helped by her talent, a pair of enchanted scissors and the charming magicial Edan, she finds out that being the court tailor doesn't mean she only gets to pack beautiful dresses for the emperor and his betrothed and spend time with the ones she loves, but that her journey is much more complicated and dangerous than she'd ever imagined. And that it's only just begun.
As I mentioned before, there isn't one thing I didn't love about this book, so let me start by listing the things I loved a tiny little more than the others. Lim's writing, for one, is exquisite and I hands down can say the same about the plot. The story flows so well there's not enough time to feel bored, because something's always happening with every turn of the page. I shamefully admit I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to Asian's culture and myths, so I can't say whether the stories and legends mentioned in this book are actually part of the Chinese folklore or if the author made them up, but they definitely were the perfect addition to the story because they surrounded the whole thing with an additional fairytale-esque halo. I especially loved the one about the Moon and the Sun being able to just be together on a particular date and for a short period of time. (view spoiler)[Loved how it sort of reflected Maia and Edan's situation, in which he turns into a hawk during the night. (hide spoiler)] It reminded me a little of one of my mom's favorite movies, Ladyhawke, and it broke my heart the very same way the movie did.
Maia is an incredible main character and for once I didn't mind the first-person narration, because being in her head wasn't exhausting or monotonous. I adored the dynamics between her and the rest of her family and was really intrigued by her interactions with other secondary characters. Another proof Maia is a fantastic protagonist is how malleable yet coherent she is. Take her relationship with Edan, for example, I was pleased to see their chemistry worked both when they were flirting and when they sealed the proverbial deal. Speaking of Edan, I hope I'll get to see more of him in the sequel. Behind the sarcasm and the wisdom, he's a gentle soul with a dorky side. Definitely far from the broody type I usually go for in books, but I'm not complaining because he was a breath of fresh air in the fantasy book boyfriends scenario.
Now, I made my point and this book is nearly perfect. I say nearly because, despite the super well deserved five stars up there, there's just this quibble that will have me rounding this down half a star. The romance. Ughhhhh, I can't help but feel ungrateful because Maia and Edan are extremely cute and their almost entirely angst-free romance came as a gift out of nowhere. At the same time, though, I think it's precisely because I'm used to working harder for my ships when it comes to books while their romance was written in the stars right from the start and went from 2 to lets-do-the-do in the matter of a couple pages. Don't get me wrong, they were sexy af and I'd give a non-necessary organ to read their sweetest interactions for the first time again, but I just wished it hadn't been so...quick.
Anywho... I'm gonna hide the rounded-down ratings at the bottom of this review and keep shouting out loud how much I've loved this. I'm so glad I picked this up at the bookstore instead of deciding for a cheaper hardback. It's not only beautifully illustrated, but it also has a double dust jacket and lilac tinted pages. I mean...how could I ever resist when this book is the proof books love their readers as much as readers love them?
“Captain Blackwood …” Somehow formality felt safer, but damn it, did she want to be safe? “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re looking at me li
“Captain Blackwood …” Somehow formality felt safer, but damn it, did she want to be safe? “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re looking at me like you want to kiss me.” His fingers twitched against her. “I do.”
How could Death be anything else but utterly seductive?
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River of Shadows was extremely good and insanely hot. A bit weird and very very v
How could Death be anything else but utterly seductive?
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River of Shadows was extremely good and insanely hot. A bit weird and very very very fast-paced, but unique and enjoyable, nonetheless. Karina Halle is an underrated and gifted author who needs more praise. I've read the little review she left for this book and I felt it in my soul. The way she processed Hanna's grief for the loss of her father really touched me in a very personal way because I lost my beloved grandma in February and I felt how genuine the feelings were. I was incredibly surprised by this book. When I first started it I expected it to be dark and heavy on the smut, and while it was indeed dark and exceptionally steamy, I was pleased to realize it had more depth, many more nuances that catapulted me into a world full of myths, scary creatures and a God of Death who's basically the fictional version of Jason Momoa. Can't say I was complaining.
the writing feels weirdly modern for the story and I keep getting confused because the two main characters are calDnfing this at around 15%
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the writing feels weirdly modern for the story and I keep getting confused because the two main characters are called Xander and Xavier. *high-fives shakespeare's ghost* the gayer the better tho, amirite?...more
"Why are you here, Mr Day? We were expecting Mr Fairley." "Yes, I know, I, ah...I got your lawyer's letter. How did you get Griffin to admit all of
"Why are you here, Mr Day? We were expecting Mr Fairley." "Yes, I know, I, ah...I got your lawyer's letter. How did you get Griffin to admit all of that, Lord Crane?" Stephen Day asked, leaning forward. "It's an admission of perjury as well as utterly disgraceful conduct. Why did he agree to write it?" "I am in the process of nailing Mr Humphrey Griffin to the wall so thoroughly that future generations will mistake him for tapestry. Currently he's under the impression that his cooperation may incline me not to press for a lengthy prison sentence for embezzlement, malpractice, exportion and perjury." "Will it?" Crane smiled, not pleasantly. "No."
This was a real gem and a lot of fun to read. I loved both the romance and the fantasy parts equally, and I was seriously impressed by how dark and grimy this book could get at times. I seriously got creeped out at least twice, and probably laughed out loud at Crane's sarcasm (and his exchanges with Merrick) more times than I can remember. The pace is probably a bit too fast and I sometimes felt like I was missing general and important infos, but since it all pieces together anyway, I would say it's not that important. Especially considering that I firmly believe it's better to have a bit less info than being submerged by it. I really liked the romance between Lucien and Stephen, although I went into this expecting maybe a few kisses and a lot of pining, and found myself with both hands full of dirty talks and some steamy NSFW scenes. Not complaining, mind me. I just would have liked to know what I was getting myself into while I read one of the hottest scenes in a car full of people ...more
She couldn't allow this to truly happen. Not yet. Not when the future was still chaos. She wouldn't risk Ivan like that. His one chance at happines
She couldn't allow this to truly happen. Not yet. Not when the future was still chaos. She wouldn't risk Ivan like that. His one chance at happiness. She reached for the blade. Ivan caught her wrist, blocking her. She flicked a pleading look up at him and started to speak. He cut her off, his voice soothing. "Trust me." She would.
I made it!
Almost a month late and a bit heartbroken, but I finally finished my third book of this amazing series (fourth, if you count the gem that was the prequel Sven the Collector) and, like I anticipated, I definitely wasn't disappointed. I found Ivan the Bold to be very mature in terms of covered topics and very strong in its prose. Once again, I have zero problems with the execution. Denali Day is an impeccable writer, there's no denying that.
I think I already said this, but when it comes to this series, I don't mind repeating myself. The thing I love the most about these books, aside from each book being darker than the previous one, is how every story follows the same general plot, but it still manages to maintain a certain singularity. In fact, Ivan the Bold, gives its own version of a "forced marriage" shenanigans garnishing it with new elements the other books left uncovered. You could read each book individually and you'd still be able to enjoy yourself. I sill highly recommend reading the entire thing back to back, though, because they're all filled with details and amazing scenes and relationships it'd be a pity to miss.
Anyway. Like I said, Ivan the Bold brings yet again something new to the Dokiri Brides scenario, and I appreciated this new insight I got into the story, but it was probably also my least favorite romance. It had its moments and some very specific scenes that had me all hot and bothered, but I couldn't let myself get invested like I had in the past. I must admit wasn't a big fan of Lavinia, either, and that's probably what got me on the three-star rating side of the argument for the first time. She was a bit too abrasive and edged for my tastes. Don't get me wrong, I love damaged, flawed, deep character like the next reader, but there just was something about her that didn't tick with me. However, I believe the fact that, despite my dislike, I was rooting for her to get the redemption and happy ending she clearly deserved, tells something about the story and how well it portrays how even people we might not like are, at the end of the day, sill people and are worthy of a second change.
Overall, I really liked this book and thoroughly enjoyed the way it proposed Magnus, who will be the next male lead. I really can't wait to see what Denali Day comes up with, next!
ARC provided by author Denali Day and publisher BookFunnel in exchange for a review!
"I'm the Dreamwalker. My story isn't done with me." "You've got it backwards," Kai's gruff voice snapped Miya our of her thoughts. "Your story doesn
"I'm the Dreamwalker. My story isn't done with me." "You've got it backwards," Kai's gruff voice snapped Miya our of her thoughts. "Your story doesn't own you. Write the damn thing yourself. Preferably in blood."
"My name is Sven the Collector." "Collector of what? Women mending their own business?" He grinned, flashing straight white teeth. "Among other thing
"My name is Sven the Collector." "Collector of what? Women mending their own business?" He grinned, flashing straight white teeth. "Among other things."
Okay, friends, here's the thing.
Imagine being gifted a bag of cookies. Imagine knowing nothing about these cookies except that they look and smell extremely delicious. Imagine taking a first bite and finding out it doesn't only look and smell delicious, it also tastes good. Imagine that this first bite tastes good enough that you end up taking another one. And another one and another one and another one. Imagine realizing halfway through the bag that good is probably putting it mildly and that you're now addicted to the cookies. Imagine not being able to stop even though you probably should save some for later, until you're inevitably left with crumbs and craving for more. You're still with me? Okay, last effort. Now rewind and imagine the very same thing but the cookies aren't cookies, this time. They're chapters of this novella.
I'm currently on a sugar high induced by this precious gem. Holy moly, what a great read!
One of the best things about the Dokiri Brides series, is that these books don't beat around the bush, they're perfect if you love your romance with a tad of paranormal, and promptly deliver what they promise without shame. If you're like me, you sometimes need to read something that goes straight to the point, (Point being fanfiction-esque relationship developments and beautiful, witty main characters, in this case.)but when this happens, I never seem to find the perfect book for the occasion. Even romance books often have way too much plot and it's not like I can always skim entire scenes and chapters because I only want to read about the smooching. I mean, I could, but...Nevermind. What I'm trying to say is that one of the best things about the Dokiri Brides series is actually the way it serves this purpose and it's also the reason why - while I thoroughly enjoyed Hollen the Soulless and its plot - the simplicity of Sven the Collector sent me the moon and refused to bring me back. Oh, and did I mention the Dokiri men are totally my type? The moment the writer writes about one of them cutting their hair in the book I'm selling my soul to her.
Sorry about that. I apparently get pretty enthusiastic when I fall in love with fictional characters.
Back to the book, now.
You're in the mood for something not too pretentious and complex? You're feeling like you could do with a story that mainly focuses on two sarcastic idiots that you already know will eventually fall in love? You're looking for an easy, sexy, funny, intriguing read with a dark, supernatural touch? Sven's your guy. And what a guy he is.
If you, like me, are also a sucker for female leads who take no shit from anyone and are good with weapons, you have Colette.
Colette is an absolute boss. I love how fierce and brave she is, but I also liked how she was quick to back down when she made a mistake and ready to turn off her judgment and pride when it came between her and her feelings for Sven. Speaking of Sven. Charming little shit just climbed his way to the top of my favorite Dokiri chart. Sorry Hollen, daddy's beat you.
Uh. I swear that sounded better in my head.
... Anywayz, He and Colette take turns in being the badass of the situation and have so much chemistry, and even though they pretty much had something going on right from the start and their banter was basically just foreplays, I enjoyed that, squinting a little, you could categorize this as a enemies-to-lovers trope. I'll never not smirk like a little girl at their banter and the adorable way Colette tries to deny her attraction. I feel you, sis, but keep it in your pants.
The barbarian surprised her with an impish grin across his bearded face. "Stripped me down, did you?" "I've seen more of you than I would have liked, yes." That was a lie. Colette had seen precisely as much as she wanted, which was to say she'd seen all of him, brazenly following the path of his scars across his arms and legs as well as shamelessly satisfying years of maidenly curiosity. She couldn't have asked for a finer study. No regrets.
We all know romance is basically the main focus of the story, but Denali Day isn't only a pro at writing about hunt savages and snarky binches having the hots for each other, she knows her way around a creepy scene or two. Brujit. Remember this word. And avoid it while you can. Seriously, I was pleasantly terrified and not at all disappointed.
Said this, I just wanted to point something out. If you're reading this series, you've also read the tags and blurb that come with every book. You've acknowledged that every book gives you an insight into some of the Dokiri's traditions and beliefs, contains elements that some readers might consider 'problematic' and that the main Steal-Yourself-A-Bride plot would somehow make you question the rules of consent if it happened in real life. I probably wouldn't be too thrilled if I was out grocery shopping in my stained sweatpants and I was suddenly kidnapped by a dragon-riding hot bearded savage who claims he's been keeping an eye on me for a while and now he's here to take me and my horrible clothes to his village to make me his bride. Let me change into something prettier, first. Or at least let me put the frozen peas in the refrigerator before you take me anywhere. Jokes aside, my point is: There's a moment and a place for everything, and a book is one of those rare moments and places where rules of reality don't always have to apply. It's fiction. It's entertaining. And sometimes, that's all you need to know.
I just wanted to make sure you're won't chastised this and its final ratings because you got into it thinking it's a plot-driven, perfect fairytale with a life-changing hidden message between the lines. It's really not.
I gave the dwarves an arrogant look, like, Yeah, that’s right. I’ve got a talking disco sword and you don’t.
I was in serious need of something lig
I gave the dwarves an arrogant look, like, Yeah, that’s right. I’ve got a talking disco sword and you don’t.
I was in serious need of something light, funny but also entertaining and guess what? Uncle Rick obviously delivered. I must admit this was almost as good as PJO and definitely just as hilarious. Also, this:
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astarion's bhaal babe (wingspan matters)
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