Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Cover Reveal: A beast so beautiful by Carlyle labuschagne


Blurb: 
A darkness falls over the land when the Queen of Rurith dies.

Consumed with grief, King Ivar blames their son, Prince Leif, for her demise, and locks him away in the castle.

The Prince is left in total despair, until a girl, with hair the colour of a red sunset and green eyes shows him mercy.

For six years she visits him in secret, giving him hope where none existed before.

But Ruith hides many treacherous things that threaten to bring the Kingdom to its knees.

Until the Prince and his beastly curse are released.  

Pre-order your copy today from Amazon

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Sunday, January 17, 2021

Review: Keys of the Origin ( The Scions of balance #1) by Melissa A. Joy

In a world where ancient races still dwell, the events of an age-old prophecy begin to stir. 

From the pages of an antique tome, there is much the ancients themselves have yet to learn.

The time has come for the Keys of the Origin to play their part in restoring balance to Aeldynn; but how will their choices affect the outcome?

Two young men; one a righteous law-abiding servant to the people, the other a distinguished outlaw, don’t yet realise they are to play a part in a foretold bid for the future of Aeldynn. 

Fate leads them down a road they would never have dreamed of following; a road that leads them into a struggle to bring the world back into a state of balance from the precipice of madness and desolation. 

It is not only Zehn and Larkh who are fated to take on the malevolent forces of Aeldynn; there are others who must join with them as they are coaxed into the embrace of the ancient Nays and the fabled Drahknyr, who are also entangled in the masterful puppeteering of a renegade sorceress hell bent on reviving the greatest threat of all.


I was hooked to this story from the first page itself. I loved how the author built the entire world. I especially loved the way she explains about the different factions of humans in this world and how their power are connect to one single source. One of the notable elements was when one of the factions, namely Nays, were allowed to speak in their own language. It made them a lot more interesting. 

This is an epic fantasy novel and first in the series. It is a very well realised and detailed fantasy story, which follows multiple characters that are well rounded and relatable. I very much enjoyed the chemistry that each character shares with the others in the story. In particular I loved how Mey supported Larkh. 

There are multiple sub plots lines which feed into one epic plot. The plot is well paced. Further, I appreciated how the author interweaves lores in the story. It never felt forced. It flowed very smoothly into the main storyline, and gave the reader enough knowledge in order to connect to the fantasy world.

Another thing that was very interesting is the way the magic elements work in this world. Every faction in this world does not have the same magical powers. The way these factions use their powers is also different. There are very intricate details in the story that make it impossible for a reader to put it down. 

The ending was a cliffhanger which is very satisfying and tempting enough to pick up the next book in the series. 

Even though I loved this book, there were certain things that would have made my reading experience a little more easier and enjoyable. Firstly, the fact that the translations of the Nay’s language was given at the back, made me jump from one page to another while reading a sub- plot. I would have loved if the translation were right next to the language, or the Nay’s dialogues. Secondly, since there are multiple characters in this book, a glossary of all the characters would have been helpful.

In conclusion, I loved this book and would recommend it to all the epic fantasy lovers out their. As far as my rating for this book is concerned, I would rate it a 4.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Get your copy at Amazon



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Monday, January 11, 2021

Blog Tour (Excerpt + review): Change my game by Kelsey Clayton

 
My name is Jace London,
And I may have screwed up.

Change My Game, an all-new, angst-filled standalone romance from Kelsey Clayton, is available now!

I’ve always been the guy who had it all.
Privilege, entitlement, and a life of luxury.
But after one college night gone tragically wrong,
Nothing has ever been the same.

Everyone thinks I should be happy.
With a trust fund like mine, who could be sad?
But no one knows what’s going on with me,
Or the nightmares that keep me awake at night.

I finally found salvation in a parent’s worst nightmare.
The only thing to ease the pain just enough to breathe.
My friends are worried I’m going to ruin myself.
What they don’t realize, is I’m already dead inside.

Now they’re ready to pull out all the stops,
Including a therapist that gets paid an ungodly price.
No amount of money can bring back the guy I was,
But the girl that got away might be enough to try.

Gorgeous, strong, and confident to a fault.
If anyone can save me from myself, it’s her.


This story is an emotional roller-coaster. Both the characters, Jace and Paige carry emotional baggage. Jace is having a hard time coping with something that happened in the past and he finds solace in drugs. Paige is also going through a hard time since everyday she see's her father struggling to live. Both of them are devastated, in pain and heartbroken. 

Jace is a swoon worthy character. He is dark, twisted, protective yet super vulnerable. Paige on the other hand, is strong, sweet and super supportive. The characters in this book are beautiful.

Kelsey has done an amazing job at writing the struggle that Jace goes through to cope with his demons. I loved the connection that both these character share. I also loved the friendship that Jace has with Carter, and Paige has with Becca. The way Carter, looks after Jace is just out-right commendable.

Change my game is a well written romance novel, which keeps the reader engaged  till the end.

 

However, when it comes to the story line, there were somethings that didn't work for me. The first thing is that it felt rushed. Everything happens way too quickly. For instance, in the start Jace is super hurt that Paige decides to leave him without a word. But then he forgives her way too quickly. After which they form a very strong bond.

Secondly, I felt the end wasn't satisfying enough. It felt like facts were stated and then the story ends. I wanted a little more as a reader. For instance, a little more detail of how Paige handles her father's death, and how Jace and Paige repair their relationship after all the hardships they go through.

All in all, I felt this book was interesting. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

Change My Game is a standalone and part of the North Haven University series. It
deals with sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gtggXg

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/changegame

Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/38nzdbx

 

Excerpt

Grabbing my pillow off the couch, I make my way back to my room as Paige
follows. It's only a twin size bed, so the two of us are going to end up practically on top of each other, but at least it's more comfortable. I wasn't allowed to change the mattress out, but I was able to put a pillow top on it to make it a little more bearable.
 
"Do you want the wall or the edge?"

She tilts her head to the side as she thinks about it. "The edge. I don't want to wake you up in the morning when I'm trying to get out of bed at quarter after six."

I purse my lips as I realize she's right. "Good point."

Climbing onto the bed, I get as close to the wall as possible, and she gets in
behind me. Even with my one arm flush against the cold sheetrock, we"re still pressed together. I roll onto my side to try to give us more room, but she stays staring up at the ceiling.

"Goodnight, Paige."

She doesn't move an inch, not even to look over at me. "Goodnight."

A few minutes pass as I wait for her to close her eyes, but that time doesn't
come. She blinks up at the ceiling, like it's not even there and she's watching the stars.It isn't until she moves her hand just slightly, that I realize I wasn't imagining things all night.
 
Her hand moves across the bed until it ends up directly on my dick, and it
instantly twitches. I can't really blame it, since I've gone longer than a monk without sex lately, but it's a bit disappointing when she rips her hand away.
 
"Oh my God," she gasps. "I'm sorry. I was...I"m sorry."
 
I can't help but chuckle as she covers her face. "It's fine. If you want to touch my
cock, it's free game."
 
She whimpers and reaches over to smack me, though it lacks force. "Ugh, this
was a bad idea."
 
"What were you trying to do?"
 
Her head turns my way, and she huffs. "I was looking for your hand."

I lift my hand from next to my head. "It's up here."

"I see that now."

Thankfully, my fears of her insisting she sleeps on the couch dissipate as she
doesn't move. Instead, she goes back to staring up at the ceiling, but I'm rock hard at this point. Even just a second of her touch was enough to wake the beast.

I slowly drag my fingertips down her arm, starting from her shoulder. Then, I
skate over to her leg and make my way up her thigh—really taking my time in case she wants to stop me. But she doesn't. She stays completely still, until just before I reach the waistband of her shorts. My fingers dip under the fabric, and her breath hitches.

"You said no funny business," she whispers into the silence.

I hum. "Trust me, I find nothing funny about this."
 
 About Kelsey

Kelsey Clayton is an internationally selling author of Contemporary Romance novels. She lives in a small town in Delaware with her husband, two kids, and dog.

She is an avid reader of fall hard romance. She believes that books are the best escape you can find, and that if you feel a range of emotions while reading her stories - she succeeded. She loves writing and is only getting started on this life long journey.

​Kelsey likes to keep things in her life simple. Her ideal night is one with sweatpants, a fluffy blanket, cheese fries, and wine. She holds her friends and family close to her heart and would do just about anything to make them happy. 

Connect with Kelsey
Facebook:
http://bit.ly/3aG4oQS
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3nOjJCt
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JhEXK7

Join Kelsey’s Facebook group Kelsey’s Sweet Sinners: http://bit.ly/3poSS03
Stay up to date with Kelsey by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/3hcuYlQ

Website: https://www.kelseyclayton.com


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Sunday, January 10, 2021

Review : Trader Prince of Aleshtain by Ariel Paiement


Happy new year to all the readers out there. May your 2021 be filled with success, prosperity and happiness.


To start my new year right, I wanted to pick up a book that had romance, great characters and an incredible plot. Trader prince of Aleshtain by Ariel Paiement was just what I needed. This is the second book in the legends of Alcardia fantasy series, (you can find my review of the first book in this series here) and can be read as a standalone. 

In the first book we are introduced to two characters Dhiabhan and Rhubhian. They are an important element in the first book, but their back story is kept under wraps. At the time of reading the first book, I was very curious to know Dhiabhan’s back story, as, it’s unusual to hear of a prince who becomes a trader. The second book eased my curiosity as it provides us with Dhiabhan and Rhubhian's back story.

Dhiabhan, who is also known by the name of Eras, is the prince of Aleshtain and next in line to become a king. Aleshtain is a kingdom where corruption, greed, and slavery are rampant. It’s a place where the king eagerly participates in buying women slaves and filling up his harem. But this is something that Eras hates. It’s against the principles that his mother brought him up with. Until one day, Eras is forced by his father, the king, to take up a slave. This slave’s name is Rhubhian. Eras accepts his father’s decision but takes a bold step to protect her rather than enslave her. Will Eras be able to protect her amidst a rotten system? Will he be able to give her freedom back?

This book is special. I went into it thinking that, like the first book it would be an adventure. But this is not an adventure, it’s a story about two people developing a very pure relationship. This relationship is based on trust, love and friendship. It’s about how two people protect each other from all the wrongs that the world has in store for them. I loved how the author gave enough time to the characters to build a relationship. This helped me as a reader to get a lot more invested in the story. 

 

 

With complex character and an amazing plot this story engages the reader from the first page. I loved the friendship that Eras shares with Ifan. Ifan  and Eras support each other no matter what danger faces them. Each character in this book was very beautifully crafted and well rounded. They served their purpose to the story very well.

Writing in this book is commendable. Crafting of the complex relationship is extremely well done. For instance, as a reader I could feel what predicament Eras and Rhubhian were in. Especially, when they start to develop feeling for each other, which according to the society is wrong, since he is a prince and she is a slave. 

Another notable thing about this story is the elements that are used in it. For instance, one of the elements of this story is how bad advisors to a king, who only give advice that serves them rather than the entire kingdom, can lead to a kingdom’s downfall. Specifically, when the king is cowardly and does not have his own opinions. Another element, that I really appreciated in this story was when Eras find an unlikely ally in Aladhan.

Trader prince of Aleshtain is a beautiful story of perseverance, friendship, trust and an incredible love story. It’s a book that will take you through an emotional roller coaster. A book that leaves you with wanting more. 

I would rate it a 5 out of 5 stars.

 

Get you copy here :

Amazon

(also available in kindle unlimited)








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