tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12969451530328044342024-02-19T02:47:04.926-05:00 The Schwartz ReviewsI'm addicted to reading, and lately, I'm addicted to writing reviews and letting anyone who cares to read my reviews, know my thoughts on what I am reading.
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Happy Reading!Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-75435230014580985242021-11-09T09:06:00.000-05:002021-11-09T09:06:01.509-05:00Booktober - A PNR Charity Anthology<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #131010; text-align: center;">Book Blurb</span></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2ZoSE21" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1633142041l/59128531._SY475_.jpg" width="214" /></a></div></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Gather round, pretties, for a host of thrilling stories featuring vampires, shifters, demons, and everything in between—all looking for love, lust, and a happily ever after.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Dive in, but keep your senses sharp. Things are bound to get wild and steamy on All Hallow’s Eve.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Dare you venture into this delicious dark?</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Help us celebrate the magic and mystery of the spooky season with a steamy paranormal romance charity anthology.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Inside this limited edition Halloween collection of bite-sized stories, you will find plenty of swoon-worthy romance, explicit language, bloody action sequences, and sizzling sex scenes.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">R18+ readers only, please.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">All proceeds will be donated in support of the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center. For more information about the NIWRC, please visit their website.</span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px;"><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2ZoSE21" target="_blank">Buy Now</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59128531" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">With contributions by authors: Miri Stone, K. O. Newman, Mariah Thayer, Marlee P. Louis, Emilia Rose & A. S. Sparks, Raven Woodward, Mercy Desimone, Ebony Olson, Marina Garcia, Shelly Ferguson, & Quell T. Fox.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h1 style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">Review</h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXNrHJLsJsRhzVVkc9sIjZTO9kQTdWyyTX9xdGE8_3PMUhbKHvbLn__Jf3W6LWhGP38-wE6Xz4sMODFXYUH9QzrQtpgsx0WnWRqbB1rO6nCIdhza4SbWspN7I3opie9DhkbsXwan-0no/s4698/4+Stars+Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="4698" height="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXNrHJLsJsRhzVVkc9sIjZTO9kQTdWyyTX9xdGE8_3PMUhbKHvbLn__Jf3W6LWhGP38-wE6Xz4sMODFXYUH9QzrQtpgsx0WnWRqbB1rO6nCIdhza4SbWspN7I3opie9DhkbsXwan-0no/s320/4+Stars+Banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdM_XXKoVE6kttZ4Nrqx30sN9lVqM2ltbRhggA-sz0RPa-liis8KDttbV6fys7AEDaPl5UhDpFUXL6VDDoeHcPy65UVkNfs8UZpI5famwDoq3zhNgJCao43j2MLzk2M-08fXdH2swe2yQ/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+1.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdM_XXKoVE6kttZ4Nrqx30sN9lVqM2ltbRhggA-sz0RPa-liis8KDttbV6fys7AEDaPl5UhDpFUXL6VDDoeHcPy65UVkNfs8UZpI5famwDoq3zhNgJCao43j2MLzk2M-08fXdH2swe2yQ/w200-h200/Booktober+Teaser+1.png" width="200" /></a></div>I am a sucker for charity anthologies, so when I saw this one on my feed, I just had to jump on the chance to review it. Every story included hold the Hallows Eve theme, tying the entire collection together nicely, and each tale varies in heat and attraction. <div><b style="color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; text-align: center;">The crazy old coot called it 'learning control' whereas I called it 'torture with a chance of permanent maiming.' </b></div><div><b style="color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; text-align: center;">-Miri Stone</b></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #131010;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #131010;">Overall, I was very impressed with the quality of stories included in this anthology. Several of them were impossible to put down. Expertly drafted, and finely edited. For me, personally, there was only one story that didn't hit the mark, and for an anthology of eleven stories, that's amazing. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHJjTO-ie5mskOcf8XsvRL4JuorzMsZfDie1wpF7UkkUmjlaMZTQSWp9ZokJyCMgzYPE7LLEond2MibtiBAUyUgpbsM-7NXs9B8ivINtgigMCtGuNczky5M_PrCO4uUCwW85RiKe7TSo/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+4.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHJjTO-ie5mskOcf8XsvRL4JuorzMsZfDie1wpF7UkkUmjlaMZTQSWp9ZokJyCMgzYPE7LLEond2MibtiBAUyUgpbsM-7NXs9B8ivINtgigMCtGuNczky5M_PrCO4uUCwW85RiKe7TSo/w200-h200/Booktober+Teaser+4.png" width="200" /></a></div><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #131010;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b>"This your room?"</b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><b>"I'm the family dog." I shrugged. "I don't have a room."</b></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><b>-K. O. Newman</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.6px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.6px;">Each of these authors are new to me, and I can safely say that I've added a few of them to my TBR list. Not only did they capture my attention and hold it within the pages of this anthology, but they were part of a charity geared toward ending violence against Native women and children. This was definitely an enjoyed read and a delightful find.</span></div></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px;"><br /></div><h1 style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">Recommendation</h1><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;">This anthology is recommended to readers enjoying shorter reads, Halloween themed tales, and a whole lot of spicy paranormal romance.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h1 style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Teasers</span></h1></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZovaky0p8TjFhbI60LMsYOWTTHhQmVpPdp08cTSTcyvq-JEdI1kCC3TKtV9FbWIdsiu4Ibw2cRc33BdVABkBoBX2vxSWgsPN32wgt7LijKCFyBvAfHD4LZ13SxNCVI_tJFG6B1zRp9I/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZovaky0p8TjFhbI60LMsYOWTTHhQmVpPdp08cTSTcyvq-JEdI1kCC3TKtV9FbWIdsiu4Ibw2cRc33BdVABkBoBX2vxSWgsPN32wgt7LijKCFyBvAfHD4LZ13SxNCVI_tJFG6B1zRp9I/s320/Booktober+Teaser+1.png" width="320" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1RO2aPV0rMqpWPrUVg8cjEo9uHhJv6rtpQV6-tGP3Yh7NFjYCKoQUY6D3-FSOVj2Oz9tX5lP1GIBux66ClbHY78MFaD63TH2Vewuldc-YWUHj0uAWZNBokSRcakduB3I4uOqqHxXie4/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1RO2aPV0rMqpWPrUVg8cjEo9uHhJv6rtpQV6-tGP3Yh7NFjYCKoQUY6D3-FSOVj2Oz9tX5lP1GIBux66ClbHY78MFaD63TH2Vewuldc-YWUHj0uAWZNBokSRcakduB3I4uOqqHxXie4/s320/Booktober+Teaser+2.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZovaky0p8TjFhbI60LMsYOWTTHhQmVpPdp08cTSTcyvq-JEdI1kCC3TKtV9FbWIdsiu4Ibw2cRc33BdVABkBoBX2vxSWgsPN32wgt7LijKCFyBvAfHD4LZ13SxNCVI_tJFG6B1zRp9I/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZovaky0p8TjFhbI60LMsYOWTTHhQmVpPdp08cTSTcyvq-JEdI1kCC3TKtV9FbWIdsiu4Ibw2cRc33BdVABkBoBX2vxSWgsPN32wgt7LijKCFyBvAfHD4LZ13SxNCVI_tJFG6B1zRp9I/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQH-OTgtfTrI1iFLwQsU7sPRkLTE8RMjbVYEXvm7ugYknEPcVKHJb4Uw1PxR8LvRZfcgO2imX1qyjJuyJ05xuxcJHqhhVAoZ9FGpDVjj4gtmhabctBkWE3yrgj8MjX-pnMUiYKg4xq4U/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQH-OTgtfTrI1iFLwQsU7sPRkLTE8RMjbVYEXvm7ugYknEPcVKHJb4Uw1PxR8LvRZfcgO2imX1qyjJuyJ05xuxcJHqhhVAoZ9FGpDVjj4gtmhabctBkWE3yrgj8MjX-pnMUiYKg4xq4U/s320/Booktober+Teaser+3.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgho3r_9s_kT_2M5xO5u8QK0tivnL1_lpflIUyaPxL2gW6YZFS1oF0mY3Jjocjtp9kGJXGnqQEGDgV0smosmxthIOlsfk6iTbuDWoCdJbADkKwWVaV00weBhMAV8zMokwTDEA7BsZpnc6U/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgho3r_9s_kT_2M5xO5u8QK0tivnL1_lpflIUyaPxL2gW6YZFS1oF0mY3Jjocjtp9kGJXGnqQEGDgV0smosmxthIOlsfk6iTbuDWoCdJbADkKwWVaV00weBhMAV8zMokwTDEA7BsZpnc6U/s320/Booktober+Teaser+4.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54mbcQoCeMj1An8LkmORXvgwzkIRTYM46RHlNukrw31eFsfDNyDHwRz59GU_b9c0nZ0E06815TblTSr0jBJa0bQ3Clp1GaJ1o_0Li1K_NZV8oRx55JfZilhNBj-sriL9S-BzmC0srD8Q/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54mbcQoCeMj1An8LkmORXvgwzkIRTYM46RHlNukrw31eFsfDNyDHwRz59GU_b9c0nZ0E06815TblTSr0jBJa0bQ3Clp1GaJ1o_0Li1K_NZV8oRx55JfZilhNBj-sriL9S-BzmC0srD8Q/s320/Booktober+Teaser+5.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj800eSH_ooJFO1tUYRiuJCAbq_EO9R_eU7IyIrLxywWSkth0XqNRImrl7ESnQLdmR6prnzAyBO2dlhCOpZ4cFxbzdH9jeulHU6UWqR10kSfmpD1bM2JYjVh6x-EYH36QXuO9yZUrHq5eY/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj800eSH_ooJFO1tUYRiuJCAbq_EO9R_eU7IyIrLxywWSkth0XqNRImrl7ESnQLdmR6prnzAyBO2dlhCOpZ4cFxbzdH9jeulHU6UWqR10kSfmpD1bM2JYjVh6x-EYH36QXuO9yZUrHq5eY/s320/Booktober+Teaser+6.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkqnzUqhHbgG6aeOElZ26d_CaCOeRK8DXoCeKsO_GQJvNuaDWt4KPkQAhEr4PITCP7TR8ypPOSyrOmLH_xobj1m80CnWMErvCVXgxbx7ux7BjvixiSew5W1IGmkuYiWQHnfht0-i-3oU/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkqnzUqhHbgG6aeOElZ26d_CaCOeRK8DXoCeKsO_GQJvNuaDWt4KPkQAhEr4PITCP7TR8ypPOSyrOmLH_xobj1m80CnWMErvCVXgxbx7ux7BjvixiSew5W1IGmkuYiWQHnfht0-i-3oU/s320/Booktober+Teaser+7.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuADvAky8-ShcSQ36VUSSW7wc7BzdFiG-iqLpO1jR-Wq5wMLM0c6eg2xEMvWIN2I_cg0z7C1kw6W2oYeJ6zNPYVsp6vTVrtQaU16h-Cyz_x1EyAqaUx9_BgXh594mgD-VEJ3waTGLCI30/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuADvAky8-ShcSQ36VUSSW7wc7BzdFiG-iqLpO1jR-Wq5wMLM0c6eg2xEMvWIN2I_cg0z7C1kw6W2oYeJ6zNPYVsp6vTVrtQaU16h-Cyz_x1EyAqaUx9_BgXh594mgD-VEJ3waTGLCI30/s320/Booktober+Teaser+8.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ywIMqVSOADbWZhDHymhvFia4RMwWXza-63lqOQwWygGLBjgJPW32snlvrOrJOtTi1-gdSbmGxNUICj4o86thmK_SSEAkNUI4O8S8YlgQMIp4tSwHDejdiz8pJnYexIx-_KDCWFcW0UY/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+9.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ywIMqVSOADbWZhDHymhvFia4RMwWXza-63lqOQwWygGLBjgJPW32snlvrOrJOtTi1-gdSbmGxNUICj4o86thmK_SSEAkNUI4O8S8YlgQMIp4tSwHDejdiz8pJnYexIx-_KDCWFcW0UY/s320/Booktober+Teaser+9.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oIf0uEKOLjR-VzbwWCDWE94-BxstTEepO7ZhK_Z54d3M9OtI-H2vvWGUwd8uXprs8V-8P-5OoGmk0yza63ax8DUcEvZye7I9vGHFO1ym6hcQBzkJXco7NwGQI_WVCbwFqEj0bXw0NHE/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+10.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oIf0uEKOLjR-VzbwWCDWE94-BxstTEepO7ZhK_Z54d3M9OtI-H2vvWGUwd8uXprs8V-8P-5OoGmk0yza63ax8DUcEvZye7I9vGHFO1ym6hcQBzkJXco7NwGQI_WVCbwFqEj0bXw0NHE/s320/Booktober+Teaser+10.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBW-LVHxK4EivhU1-OZGF9kcikjVO4N1paDXpn-HvN712_lI9ZsY3RHXXmCRKiD-XQ2yipIqI9VV25Moy9M3qEs95hObrGxW9vEIPpObDUheTwPsJaEf7v-Dti-3R4i-ewfeJ0SovRcMU/s1080/Booktober+Teaser+11.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBW-LVHxK4EivhU1-OZGF9kcikjVO4N1paDXpn-HvN712_lI9ZsY3RHXXmCRKiD-XQ2yipIqI9VV25Moy9M3qEs95hObrGxW9vEIPpObDUheTwPsJaEf7v-Dti-3R4i-ewfeJ0SovRcMU/s320/Booktober+Teaser+11.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-64695231689536996602021-10-22T17:00:00.000-04:002021-10-22T17:00:29.016-04:00Wandfasted by Laurie Forest<p> </p><h1 style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">Book Blurb</h1><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3aTC2RS" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1496781281l/33225153._SY475_.jpg" width="126" /></a></div><br />Magic, romance and adventure collide in WANDFASTED, the irresistible ebook prequel to THE BLACK WITCH.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Twenty years before Elloren Gardner enrolled at the illustrious Verpax University, Erthia was rent asunder during the devastating Realm War. When Tessla Harrow is driven from her home by the fighting, she discovers a depth of power she never knew she had...and an irresistible draw towards Vale Gardner, the son of the most powerful mage her people have ever known – the Black Witch.</span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px;"><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3aTC2RS" target="_blank">Buy Now</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33225153" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h1 style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">Review</h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKlOeLx4SSO-GOkKO-4lOTZ6Fg-X0I5pzmeySYbEFJqyNGgjVy2PNNCJM3uHGIZ_f30gnzqWyPeU6HeRWIDJ8VFkyvPHVUcH60kzGOxeAaJxZVCYYA9eHB7cVNw-L-ZYx9ViqUY9Lh-E/s4669/3+Stars+Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="4669" height="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKlOeLx4SSO-GOkKO-4lOTZ6Fg-X0I5pzmeySYbEFJqyNGgjVy2PNNCJM3uHGIZ_f30gnzqWyPeU6HeRWIDJ8VFkyvPHVUcH60kzGOxeAaJxZVCYYA9eHB7cVNw-L-ZYx9ViqUY9Lh-E/s320/3+Stars+Banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.pexels.com/photos/7978765/pexels-photo-7978765.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=1&w=500" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="213" src="https://images.pexels.com/photos/7978765/pexels-photo-7978765.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=1&w=500" width="320" /></a></div>Wandfasted started fast and furiously, throwing readers into a violent world where mages have been at war and losing ground for far too long. We follow Tessla Harrow, a young mage that kind of reminds me of Katniss Everdeen in the way that she's forced to care for her younger brother and sickly grandfather. <br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><br /><b>The soldiers open the gate, and I'm pushed forward, my palms slapping down onto the cold, muddied ground.<br /></b><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.6px; text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.6px;">While the story was intriguing and I was thoroughly invested in the plot, there were a few elements that I found lacking. There were bits and parts of this that were repetitive. Ideas that were stated and restated, phrases that were used and then used again, and clichés that were too commonly repeated. Add to that a dash of poor editing and the ineffective writing was enough to pull me from the plot every few pages. </span></div></span></div></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><b>"They're going to fast them all, in two days' time--you know that, don't you?"</b></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.pexels.com/photos/7978811/pexels-photo-7978811.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=2&h=650&w=940" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://images.pexels.com/photos/7978811/pexels-photo-7978811.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=2&h=650&w=940" width="320" /></a></div><br />Tessla doesn't hold much control in this world. She's a hardened girl with a defiant mind. Her ideas and beliefs don't fit in with what is expected of her, and she doesn't care. You'd assume this would mean she's built to withstand anything, but, at times, it almost seemed as though she fell out of character to collapse in a heap of tears unexpectedly. It felt a bit off, like an oxymoron. On one hand, she doesn't care who knows that she's this defiant, but on the other, she can't handle the bullies. It was a strange combination.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><br />Vale's heat is straining to get at me, and mine is just as bad. "I'm not afraid of Vale," I tell Fain.</b></div></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: left;">For a book littered with inconsistencies and grammatical errors, it was a decent enough plot to hold my attention. I can't say I'd pick it up to read again though. It really did have a <i>Hunger Games</i> feel to it, with Tessla being too poor to eat, responsible for her guardian and younger sibling, and in a war-torn world with seemingly insurmountable odds. This was just the prequel, and I've already purchased the collection, so onwards I will read!</div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px;"><br /></div><h1 style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">Recommendation</h1><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;">This book is recommended to the patient reader who isn't too hung up on the finer details, who enjoys fantasy and magical stories, and who enjoy awkward romances.</div><h1 style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></h1><h1 style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Teasers</span></h1><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3aTC2RS" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYz0x6hqD4ut2X6LpOOSTVhrfBnUQWjPs2xJv2E2p7ZsDRqrRbuL2Cgj6lMIBIPLi6Uhs0votGwmVpa0vYhSkzcHjCAFA3CwYqfYKjW_ORAs0_IvF_LeqZeatxNSN4cBuspS-cve-BiSY/w320-h320/Wandfasted+T-1.png" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://amzn.to/3aTC2RS" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWLOJzOIumwd2xVLppKgKCI8iJdlzzT7A3CL_NDcuBOE75TEH4JX6Bi2dcocgGv2Y8Jkd92K-LQAscmldofCFjftdaegjhR1Hys0quYizdHpPc_ztWah9SP3s68ff4o2d68Xf5N5MAmc/s320/Wandfasted+T-2.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://amzn.to/3aTC2RS" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstqmgeO0RPWHEdRFQqIjjwBjFnI6gu5qGFlTBUyalhLes8OB3lHEWKwsPSVlpKxbYcnm73Ugl-NDT-tRdcQiDylWNmupyp6-SDRhiUsjuebbDshyoUCMgjeBbx17nQT9GqPR_0KnKHJM/s320/Wandfasted+T-3.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-86311359341373226612021-10-18T12:01:00.000-04:002021-10-18T12:01:07.866-04:00Love at Frost Sight by Kitty Gallant<p> </p><h1 style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">Book Blurb</h1><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/414Lfh3yRWL.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/414Lfh3yRWL.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Can Christmas magic help them learn to love again?</b><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">When Juniper almost burns down Bourbon’s finest condo complex with her latest crafty venture, </span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Wicks Before Dicks</b><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">, she finds herself saved by her smoking hot—</span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">albeit grumpy</b><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">— firefighter neighbor, Leo.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">Turns out Leo needs a nanny and Juniper needs direction.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">The rules are simple: take care of his daughter, follow his instructions, and don’t get in each other’s way.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">But Juniper has a </span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">problem</b><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">She’s falling </span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">hard</b><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"> and fast.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Love at Frost Sight is a hot standalone with enough spice to keep you toasty this holiday season</b><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Grab a cup of your favorite drink and dive headfirst into this HEA.</b><br style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b>Curves for Christmas</b></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;">Santa's sleigh is loaded with a dozen sexy treats for twelve of his curviest sweethearts! Curves for Christmas is a collaboration of short holiday love stories from twelve of your favorite authors. Grab a cup of hot cocoa, and cozy up to these steaming hot book boyfriends.</p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">This holiday season, escape to Fitzpatrick Place in Bourbon, Texas where great friendships, sexy men and a crazy landlady make life more fun.</p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #333333; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2YHL3e1" target="_blank">Buy Now</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h1 style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">Review</h1><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlMNXD251ukhs2wY8YpZdvjBQUqxGVfUQh9u5YziCvtYdwI3UA_3SuYlcYFsJvKU_r7LmHfI7Vs-G7YCJFA7B5me2o7wVSVWH6aw5azGO7DCUquKIljbOIRKGKdLxho_jzLkGS64VqeA/s4591/5+Stars+Banner.png" style="color: #60092f; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="4591" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlMNXD251ukhs2wY8YpZdvjBQUqxGVfUQh9u5YziCvtYdwI3UA_3SuYlcYFsJvKU_r7LmHfI7Vs-G7YCJFA7B5me2o7wVSVWH6aw5azGO7DCUquKIljbOIRKGKdLxho_jzLkGS64VqeA/s320/5+Stars+Banner.png" style="border: 2px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 4px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: right;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.pexels.com/photos/6530607/pexels-photo-6530607.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=2&h=650&w=940" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="320" src="https://images.pexels.com/photos/6530607/pexels-photo-6530607.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=2&h=650&w=940" width="214" /></a></div>Gallant has a spectacular talent of bringing words to life on a page. From the first few paragraphs, I was already hooked. There's always an element of sass thrown into every romance, and I'm here for <i>that</i>! From the first words, I knew this was going to be a read I could sink into and thoroughly enjoy no matter where it took me.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: center;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: center;">Funny how I had spent most of my life running away from the one-eyed </b><b style="text-align: center;">monster, only now to be praying that someone would like these pecker candles.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: center;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">While called <i>Love at Frost Sight</i>, this story doesn't start with an instant romance. It does, however, start with instant attraction, a whole lot of sass, and a ton of conflict lying beneath each of the main characters' skin. From Juniper to Leo to Maya, each of these characters are packing heavy emotional punches. I couldn't stop racing for that promised happily ever after moment.<br /><br /><b style="background-color: white; color: #131010; text-align: center;">“Oh, they won’t bring her up until the next time she comes home </b><b style="background-color: white; color: #131010; text-align: center;">with her tail between her legs.” Betty’s nose crinkled. “And believe </b><b style="background-color: white; color: #131010; text-align: center;">me, she’ll come back. Which is why you should be sweet on Leo.”<br /><br /></b></div><span face="Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif" style="color: #131010;"><span>Just as the romance starts to build and build, in enters some conflict, and this conflict is coming at Juniper from all sides. By now, readers should love Juniper, her pure heart, and her fierce sense of sass that gives her the strength not to back down from any challenge. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://images.pexels.com/photos/3711652/pexels-photo-3711652.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=2&h=650&w=940" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="214" src="https://images.pexels.com/photos/3711652/pexels-photo-3711652.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=2&h=650&w=940" width="320" /></a><b style="text-align: center;">What was this? Let’s-make-Juniper-pass-out-from-all-the-damn-sexy-things-you-could-say Day? <br /><br /></b>The epilogue was super sweet. I love that we got an ending for all of the memorable characters, and how even every single one of them eventually received their happily ever afters as well. This was definitely a sweet and short romantic story.</div></span></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px;"><br /></div><h1 style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">Recommendation</h1><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;">This novella is recommended to romance readers, happily ever <br />after seekers, and anyone looking for <i>real</i> characters with <i>honest</i> character traits.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h1 style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></h1><h1 style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Teasers</span></h1><div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2YHL3e1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_zdZyJVJWQSwcddEF6soP51zT8i-owZSrXRR-RyG5zjoaj9PWukhWBrVL20S0JnFpStCd1JZ-ZKpa1Ya8QIOTHWHno6ArQIvms0MbMhXh5ACulRQpikz8QgfxVSJZz00BVpwangkETM/w200-h200/LaFS+Teaser+1.png" width="200" /></a><a href="https://amzn.to/2YHL3e1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhyphenhyphenCTibrIXYBpWlBbAlGwFN_jd-NtaFkPH0vw0IwKmu01xTtfJ2LM9thwteUNm_mifdlhB5uJ4g_DGikG0msrCVtdchId6FHWZpBPPzWD1o4qH7OTQrPqpHUjBCzs6n-Upy367X3BmiQ/w200-h200/LaFS+Teaser+2.png" width="200" /></a><a href="https://amzn.to/2YHL3e1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSdf6Pi9vDyElcWf200IqRLEKdwT8_jCnhLfH4r5DYyo_EnJTySYm7OI_UFI5GnICTkZmmLo6BnEwcKLAmRE2rESjnBuWTTeZZREll1AMUxJ-iwvtqz-_8nrbcls1PNvRYtg4CD7gZ2PM/w200-h200/LaFS+Teaser+3.png" width="200" /></a></div></div>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-85769383889647228862021-10-16T06:39:00.000-04:002021-10-16T06:39:15.427-04:00The Living Dead by George A Romero & Daniel Kraus<p> </p><h1 style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">Book Blurb</h1><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white;"><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2XgTX1G" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569896364l/52379448.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>It begins with one body. A pair of medical examiners find themselves facing a dead man who won’t stay dead.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">It spreads quickly. In a Midwestern trailer park, an African American teenage girl and a Muslim immigrant battle newly-risen friends and family.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">On a US aircraft carrier, living sailors hide from dead ones while a fanatic preaches the gospel of a new religion of death.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">At a cable news station, a surviving anchor keeps broadcasting, not knowing if anyone is watching, while his undead colleagues try to devour him.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">In DC, an autistic federal employee charts the outbreak, preserving data for a future that may never come.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Everywhere, people are targeted by both the living and the dead.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">We think we know how this story ends.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">We. Are. Wrong.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52379448" target="_blank"><span style="color: #60092f;">Goodreads</span> </a>| <a href="https://amzn.to/2XgTX1G" target="_blank">Buy Now</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.6px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h1 style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">Review</h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_-IGVanH5t6wrcrAajmIV2lCN4HTKmAiwdwuSzVo0HCg487iPEI9zgYsdOoDRzjXdL1_0g4Xn2dfxc1mXZregJxUaz_1RFQr5bK4R_x1lDGU2XlmiGM47gmYBtKlB7kN4DhRql2I4O0/s4669/3+Stars+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="4669" height="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_-IGVanH5t6wrcrAajmIV2lCN4HTKmAiwdwuSzVo0HCg487iPEI9zgYsdOoDRzjXdL1_0g4Xn2dfxc1mXZregJxUaz_1RFQr5bK4R_x1lDGU2XlmiGM47gmYBtKlB7kN4DhRql2I4O0/s320/3+Stars+Banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/06/26/17/45/zombie-2444561_960_720.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="410" height="320" src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/06/26/17/45/zombie-2444561_960_720.png" width="182" /></a></div>I tend to gravitate toward a lot of fantasy based stories in the young adult genre, but I really wanted a good horror book to sink my canines into, which is why I was drawn to this book in the horror section on my last bookstore adventure. In terms of gore and shock, this book delivered. However, I found it lacking... I'm not even sure what. <div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Greer pressed her nose flat to look harder. Was someone lying in the leaves near the swingless swing set? She angled her face, trying for a better look.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Romero & Kraus did a phenomenal job with the characters. All of which are dynamic and come to life on the pages perfectly. We spend enough time with each of them before moving onto different scenes or arcs, so they become <i>real</i> enough for the readers to root onward. Not going to lie, Charlie and Greer were definitely my favourites, but then again, they were definitely the badasses of this tale.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"You know how stupid that is? With those things around? And bellowing songs too?"<br />"Bellowing. Damn. Been a minute since I had a bad review."</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/10/17/14/59/mummy-5662395_960_720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/10/17/14/59/mummy-5662395_960_720.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>What is a horror story without a smidgen of romance mixed in? Perhaps this is what turned me a bit sour toward this book. There are several instances where romance pops into the tale. I don't think it fit into the plot that well, but it was realistic in the sense that none of the romances seemed to have happy endings, which I'd assume is most plausible at the end of the world. Still, there were a few cute moments that made me smirk between the pages and pages of blood and gore.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Zombies. That's what else. It was like 6G replacing 5G, you know? It was our own doing. We created technology we couldn't live without. How dumb was that? We made ourselves into brain-dead bodies.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/04/12/20/49/apocalypse-1325398_960_720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/04/12/20/49/apocalypse-1325398_960_720.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>I did find it interesting how a lot of the themes in this book related to current concerns in today's world. I wouldn't be surprised if one, or both, of these authors were spiritually awakened. There's a lot of talk about how the cure to the plague is to turn their backs on the violence that brought them to this point, there's a ton of debatable conversations regarding religion, and at times, it felt as though the book were from a different time with the concentration on racist themes. All in all, it was a lengthy book that covered many avenues, but the characters are the reason I made it to the end.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><center>Recommendation</center></span></h2><div style="background-color: white; color: #131010; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I'd recommend this read to anyone looking for gory content, zombie literature lovers, and possibly conspiracy theorists looking for literature connections to the mass awakening.</div></div></div>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-20867245106434718642021-10-11T14:07:00.002-04:002021-10-11T14:08:14.837-04:00Delayed Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1250305128/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=lexiswann-20&camp=15121&creative=330641&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1250305128&linkId=dc0382f49b5317a865934debdda43a2c" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="342" height="200" src="https://www.amazon.ca/images/I/51pEj-j0H7L._SX340_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="137" /></a></div>I promise I haven't gone dormant again. Ha! The next book on my TBR happened to be nearly 700 pages long. I'm coming to the end of it now, so a review should be posted throughout the week hopefully. Your patience is appreciated.<p></p><p>I'm currently nearing the 500 page mark on this bad boy and let me tell you! I am loving this zombie story. I have a few questions left unanswered, but ultimately, this is definitely worth the read. I picked it up in a bookstore and I've nearly knocked myself out with this beast a few nights while reading after dark, but it's a beautiful book!</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1250305128/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=lexiswann-20&camp=15121&creative=330641&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1250305128&linkId=dc0382f49b5317a865934debdda43a2c" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Buy Now!</span></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-23465562214961985142021-09-30T17:45:00.000-04:002021-09-30T17:45:44.795-04:00Kingdom of Blood and Spirit by Trish Beninato and Riley Hunt<h1 style="text-align: center;"> Book Blurb</h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631739060l/59004210._SY475_.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="475" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631739060l/59004210._SY475_.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">One cruel Queen,<br /></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Four Fae Princes,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">A human to save, or doom them all.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Nineteen-year-old Samantha just wants to survive long enough to escape to a life of freedom away from the dangerous sickness that plagues the mortal lands and the Church of Flame.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">But be careful what you wish for.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Tragedy strikes and the sickness takes her father. With his passing, the church comes to claim her. She turns to the one person she has left, her teacher and godmother. Only to find a bracelet left by her birth mother slapped onto her wrist.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">And she falls right onto a fruit cart belonging to an ogre and finds herself in a land she once thought to be nothing more than a myth.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Faerie.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Tasked with finding a male named Niall and told to stay far away from the wicked Queen, instead, she ends up in her clutches, facing down a queen hellbent on breaking the veil to her realm and enslaving mortals.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Alliances are made, and destiny is set in motion.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">The fate of two realms is in the hands of Sam, but all she wants to do is go home. Except, the wicked Queen has other plans. She ties Sam’s life to the angry, devastatingly handsome Prince, Killian. A bond that cannot be broken.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">As lies and secrets are unraveled, Sam has to make a decision: will she stay and fight, or will she go home?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">This book is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, J. L. Armentrout and Holly Black.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59004210" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://books2read.com/u/bPQnPx" target="_blank">Buy Now</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">Review</h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlMNXD251ukhs2wY8YpZdvjBQUqxGVfUQh9u5YziCvtYdwI3UA_3SuYlcYFsJvKU_r7LmHfI7Vs-G7YCJFA7B5me2o7wVSVWH6aw5azGO7DCUquKIljbOIRKGKdLxho_jzLkGS64VqeA/s4591/5+Stars+Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="4591" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlMNXD251ukhs2wY8YpZdvjBQUqxGVfUQh9u5YziCvtYdwI3UA_3SuYlcYFsJvKU_r7LmHfI7Vs-G7YCJFA7B5me2o7wVSVWH6aw5azGO7DCUquKIljbOIRKGKdLxho_jzLkGS64VqeA/s320/5+Stars+Banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This tale begins with one heck of a bang, immediately grabbing the reader's attention as conflict practically explodes from the pages. Tyranny and betrayal is where we start, and then we're introduced to a world of hardships as a sickness plagues the lands.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Emotions like our racing hearts, fluttering stomachs and the euphoria we felt with one another was not theirs to take. Yet, they still demanded that we relinquished these base emotions for their judgement. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/06/11/20/35/waterfall-5288217_960_720.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/06/11/20/35/waterfall-5288217_960_720.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>Samantha is an unusual character who doesn't seem to fit in with the townsfolk. Determined to live freely with her forbidden love, her stubborn nature rises quickly, and it becomes clear she has the ability to swallow her fear. Her heart and mind remain rebellious against the power sweeping across her homeland, but she doesn't know how best to beat it back either.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Wait, you aren’t luring me out here to do nefarious things to me are you?” I forced a playful tone into the words, but I knew there was a hesitant strain in there that he didn’t miss.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">As we get to know our main character, greater conflict consumes her life, forcing her into hiding in a world unknown to her. She meets a cast of characters that soon capture the reader's heart as she learns what she can about the realm of the Fae. Danger, corruption, lust, and love, all entwine to create a tantalizing tale that hooks the reader's attention easily. <br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>I had lost my mind because it felt good to have control over him- to be this close and feel him under my body, to stare into his amber-flecked hazel gaze with the same need I had deep inside of me meeting his. </b></div></b><br />Some of the foreshadowing was a bit stronger than I'd like, showing me what lay on the horizon a bit earlier than I'd expect, but the finale held all the awe I wanted to feel, leaving me eager for book two and disappointed in the wait to get my hands on the next novel. This book played with my emotions, bringing me to tears a few times and making me laugh aloud at times as well. </div></div></span></div></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h1 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Recommendation</h1><div style="text-align: center;">For fans of Sarah J Maas, fantasy, Fae. There are some strong,</div><div style="text-align: center;">possibly triggering scenes, so if you avoid sexually triggering content,</div><div style="text-align: center;">then pass this one up. Otherwise, I'd highly recommend this book.</div><br /><div><br /></div>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-66329303125115324652021-09-26T20:37:00.003-04:002021-10-16T07:04:26.097-04:00Request an Author Interview<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/schwartzfictionedits" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="658" height="200" src="https://scontent.fymy1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.18169-9/26169955_1590998490987420_1238593202682667133_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=09cbfe&_nc_ohc=ok6F1JpXz_gAX83PdNc&_nc_ht=scontent.fymy1-2.fna&oh=7ff38c39a2fca3a36f6beaeb0ac96983&oe=618FE2A6" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click the image to go to<br />the Facebook Page!</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Would you like to be interviewed for The Schwartz Reviews' blog? If so, copy this set of questions into a word document, answer them, and then send the document to the Schwartz Fiction Edits Facebook Page. If you have a specific date you'd like the interview to go live, be sure to include that in the message you draft! Feel free to pair this <b>FREE </b>service with any other offered services, which may help you promote upcoming releases.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://m.me/<schwartzfictionedits>" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Message Schwartz Fiction Edits</span></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Feel free to answer as many questions as you'd like. When you message your responses to the Facebook page, feel free to add any images you'd like shared as well. Author photos, fan art, book covers, mood board inspiration, etc. If no photos are sent, I will search for pictures I deem fitting.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><u>The Questions:</u></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">1) At what point did you realize that you wanted to be an author?</p><p style="text-align: left;">2) How many books have you written to date, and do you have a favourite?</p><p style="text-align: left;">3) What do the words 'writer's block' mean to you?</p><p style="text-align: left;">4) How do you (or would you) process negative book reviews?</p><p style="text-align: left;">5) What is the most difficult part of the writing process for you?</p><p style="text-align: left;">6) What advice do you have for a new writer just starting their journey?</p><p style="text-align: left;">7) What comes first for you--the plot or the characters--and why?</p><p style="text-align: left;">8) How do you use social media as a writer? What are your favourite platforms to use?</p><p style="text-align: left;">9) How do you develop your plot and characters?</p><p style="text-align: left;">10) Are you a pantser or a plotter?</p><p style="text-align: left;">11) What is your favourite character that you've written? Your least favourite?</p><p style="text-align: left;">12) Where do you get your inspiration for your books?</p><p style="text-align: left;">13) What is the strangest thing you've ever researched for a book?</p><p style="text-align: left;">14) Are your characters randomly built or based on real people?</p><p style="text-align: left;">15) How long does it typically take you to draft a book?</p><p style="text-align: left;">16) How do you come up with a title for your book?</p><p style="text-align: left;">17) What does your writing space look like?</p><p style="text-align: left;">18) If you could spend a day with another author, who would it be? Why?</p><p style="text-align: left;">19) What does your schedule look like when you're writing a book?</p><p style="text-align: left;">20) Have you ever travelled to write?</p><p style="text-align: left;">21) What's your favourite writing snack or drink?</p><p style="text-align: left;">22) How do you celebrate when you've finished writing a book?</p><p style="text-align: left;">23) Are you a NaNoWriMo writer? Is NaNoWriMo worth it?</p><p style="text-align: left;">24) Do you listen to music when you write? What kind?</p><p style="text-align: left;">25) What actors/actresses would play your characters?</p><p style="text-align: left;">26) Have you ever killed off a favourite character? </p><p style="text-align: left;">27) What is the most valuable piece of advice you've been given about writing?</p><p style="text-align: left;">28) What are common traps for new authors? How can they be avoided?</p><p style="text-align: left;">29) How many hours a day do you write?</p><p style="text-align: left;">30) What are your favourite blogs or websites for writers?</p><p style="text-align: left;">31) What's your writing software of choice?</p><p style="text-align: left;">32) What is your favourite genre to read? Why?</p><p style="text-align: left;">33) Who are your favourite authors?</p><p style="text-align: left;">34) What book are you currently reading?</p><p style="text-align: left;">35) As a writer, what spirit animal would you choose?</p><p style="text-align: left;">36) What's the trickiest thing about writing the opposite gender?</p><p style="text-align: left;">37) Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing?</p><p style="text-align: left;">38) Would you share something about yourself that readers don't know about you yet?</p><p style="text-align: left;">39) If you had to describe yourself with just three words, what would they be?</p><p style="text-align: left;">40) What are you currently working on?</p>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-26875303069748772532021-09-24T21:06:00.007-04:002021-09-24T21:06:42.660-04:00Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo<h1 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="text-align: center;">Book Blurb:</span></h1><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div></blockquote><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">The capital has fallen.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1392398530l/14061957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1392398530l/14061957.jpg" width="216" /></a></div></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.</span></div></div></div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"> </div></div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Schwartz Review:</h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx0PY1wDanTHHA0RcTGuAUd6qaHP3hWgOh6VCJoPvkcqpzOZgAv6gSpJivij1XKfwbr2N-74t-W9xI_lsCaj_j1yu3zqM8T9fn7boMyY5oc-6hJ0V3OmNoA_evFvKV-C6leWxo3f5as/s4591/5+Stars+Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="4591" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx0PY1wDanTHHA0RcTGuAUd6qaHP3hWgOh6VCJoPvkcqpzOZgAv6gSpJivij1XKfwbr2N-74t-W9xI_lsCaj_j1yu3zqM8T9fn7boMyY5oc-6hJ0V3OmNoA_evFvKV-C6leWxo3f5as/w320-h48/5+Stars+Banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div>This series was definitely worth the read. The characters were extremely well developed, and I found myself getting emotional with them throughout their adventure multiple times. Being able to write characters and a plot that can make the reader <i>feel</i> is a skill that Bardugo has in spades!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://78.media.tumblr.com/9b76a0dd03e62a30082420ec1364b9ba/tumblr_nex5qj9nUD1qem1y6o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="485" height="320" src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/9b76a0dd03e62a30082420ec1364b9ba/tumblr_nex5qj9nUD1qem1y6o1_500.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Img Src: https://78.media.tumblr.com/<br />9b76a0dd03e62a30082420ec1364b9ba/<br />tumblr_nex5qj9nUD1qem1y6o1_500.jpg</span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>I grinned and followed her down the aisle of graves. At least she was predictable.</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Throughout this entire series, Alina knows who her enemy is. The dark and dangerous fold and the leader of the second army, the darkling. But Bardugo manages something that isn't easily done... She turned our villain into a tragedy that pulls on our protagonist's heartstrings, and eventually, the readers' as well. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"I don't think so. The Darkling and I are . . . connected. We probably always will be."</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Alina is trapped in a war she wants no part of, but her heart leads her and those who follow her to the very end of this book. The ending was bittersweet, slightly unexpected, and a breath of relief at the end of an anxious race toward the finale. One of my questions remained unanswered, which was a bit disappointing, but it was such a small detail that I'd still rate this a fantastic five star read.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Unsea always felt like the end of everything. It wasn't only the dark, it was the terrible sense of isolation, as if the world had disappeared, leaving only you, the rattle of your breath, the stuttering beat of your heart.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">With plenty of suiters after her heart, and none of them truly despicable, it was interesting to see how the romance played out. Her band of friends and enemies held dynamic relationships that grew immensely as the books went on, and the plot was so rich with detail that I couldn't stop reading until the very last page.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Recommendation:</h1><div style="text-align: center;">The classic good versus evil with magic, war, and a deathly sea of shadow splitting the land and dividing its people. If you enjoy Fantasy, YA, Magic, with a splash of Romance, then you'd probably enjoy this read.</div>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-54007339666488198012021-09-17T11:12:00.003-04:002021-09-17T11:12:31.034-04:00Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo<p> </p><h1 style="text-align: center;">Book Blurb:</h1><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div></blockquote><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1362166252l/14061955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1362166252l/14061955.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><b style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Darkness never dies.</b><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, <br />Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her—or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.</span></div></div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"> </div></div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Schwartz Review:</h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx0PY1wDanTHHA0RcTGuAUd6qaHP3hWgOh6VCJoPvkcqpzOZgAv6gSpJivij1XKfwbr2N-74t-W9xI_lsCaj_j1yu3zqM8T9fn7boMyY5oc-6hJ0V3OmNoA_evFvKV-C6leWxo3f5as/s4591/5+Stars+Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="4591" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx0PY1wDanTHHA0RcTGuAUd6qaHP3hWgOh6VCJoPvkcqpzOZgAv6gSpJivij1XKfwbr2N-74t-W9xI_lsCaj_j1yu3zqM8T9fn7boMyY5oc-6hJ0V3OmNoA_evFvKV-C6leWxo3f5as/w320-h48/5+Stars+Banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div>I couldn't wait to dive into this book, even if I saw the ending of the previous book coming chapters ahead of time. I am thoroughly invested in Alina Starkov's story, and how the land will be saved from the Fold that has torn it apart for ages.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Where's Mal?" I rasped, my throat still rusty.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Darkling didn't turn, but shook his head and said, "You're predictable, at least."</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/da/9a/9a/da9a9a7f163bdadea9a89e5b6d19654c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Img Src: https://pojainter.tumblr.com/" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="565" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/da/9a/9a/da9a9a7f163bdadea9a89e5b6d19654c.jpg" title="Img Src: https://pojainter.tumblr.com/" width="221" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Img Src: https://pojainter.tumblr.com/</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Alina's life is not her own to lead at this point and throughout this book, she struggles to maintain balance in a world that constantly throws her off her feet. A plethora of characters fill these pages, and she must decide which of them are allies and which are foes dressed as ally.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Power is alliance," said Nikolai. "It's everyone's business." He took another sip of wine as I glared at him in disbelief. "And you should be wearing your own colors."</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">As I headed toward the finale of the second in this trilogy, I already mourn when this story will truly finish. I don't want to stop reading these lively characters. They're so well-rounded that I swear they're real, and their lives are so dramatic and rich with plot that I never want to stop reading about them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Mal and I burst from the palace and careened down the marble steps. A screech of twisting metal rent the air.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Whereas I saw the ending of book one coming, I am pleased to report that I <i>did not</i> see the ending of book two coming. It was SHOCKING, and I immediately grabbed for the third book upon finishing. </div><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Recommendation:</h1><div style="text-align: center;">The classic good versus evil with magic, war, and a deathly sea of shadow splitting the land and dividing its people. If you enjoy Fantasy, YA, Magic, with a splash of Romance, then you'd probably enjoy this read.</div>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-4058194433055442112021-09-12T12:07:00.005-04:002021-10-16T07:02:43.602-04:00Request a ReviewNow that I've posted a few of my recent reviews, I believe that it is time to begin the <b>FREE </b>service The Schwartz Fiction Edits plans to offer. A review service for authors needing more honest feedback. <div><br /></div><div>This blog prefers <b>fantasy</b> novels, but every genre is welcome. That said, since fantasy novels are preferred, it's quite possible they will be accepted ahead of other genres. This is predominately a fantasy blog. </div><div><br /></div><div>Reviews are written as quickly as possible, but deadlines will <i>not</i> be given. As this is a <i>free</i> service, your patience is greatly appreciated. </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/schwartzfictionedits" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="658" height="200" src="https://scontent.fymy1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.18169-9/26169955_1590998490987420_1238593202682667133_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=09cbfe&_nc_ohc=ok6F1JpXz_gAX83PdNc&_nc_ht=scontent.fymy1-2.fna&oh=7ff38c39a2fca3a36f6beaeb0ac96983&oe=618FE2A6" width="200" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/schwartzfictionedits" target="_blank">Click the image to go<br />to the Facebook Page</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Every review will be honest, and every review will be posted to this blog. <br />Reviews earning 4-5 stars will also be posted to Amazon and Goodreads. I'm not interested in hurting an author's sales, but I am interested in providing honest feedback that will help further their writing growth and goals. </div><div><br /></div><div>If requesting a review of one of your books, please note that gifting an e-copy or paperback for the review is greatly appreciated but not necessary to be considered for review. Only books that have been accepted for review will be accepted as a gift. (I do not intend to accept gifted books if I do not intend to complete a review; I'm running this free service as fairly as possible)</div><div><br /></div><div>If this sounds agreeable to you, please consider reaching out to The Schwartz Fiction Edits to request a review. Simply make the subject of your message: REVIEW REQUEST, and copy & paste the following form into your message. Thank you.</div><div><br /></div><div>Name of book:</div><div>Genre:</div><div>Page Count/Word Count:</div><div>Summary:</div><div>Author Website:</div><div>Are you gifting the book:</div><div>Anything else you'd like to add:</div>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-54348067803233393802021-09-10T18:36:00.000-04:002021-09-10T18:36:02.909-04:00Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo<p> </p><h1 style="text-align: center;">Book Blurb:</h1><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div></blockquote><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><br /> Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.</span></div></div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"> </div></div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Schwartz Review:</h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx0PY1wDanTHHA0RcTGuAUd6qaHP3hWgOh6VCJoPvkcqpzOZgAv6gSpJivij1XKfwbr2N-74t-W9xI_lsCaj_j1yu3zqM8T9fn7boMyY5oc-6hJ0V3OmNoA_evFvKV-C6leWxo3f5as/s4591/5+Stars+Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="4591" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx0PY1wDanTHHA0RcTGuAUd6qaHP3hWgOh6VCJoPvkcqpzOZgAv6gSpJivij1XKfwbr2N-74t-W9xI_lsCaj_j1yu3zqM8T9fn7boMyY5oc-6hJ0V3OmNoA_evFvKV-C6leWxo3f5as/w320-h48/5+Stars+Banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div>I must admit, I watched the first few episodes of Netflix's Shadow & Bone. As soon as I realized that it was going to be GOOD, I stopped. I wanted to read the books first, and so I waited until I could purchase them. Trust me, I was <i>not</i> disappointed. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.0D_d9PKjXeitcV8tVeqWBgHaJ4?pid=ImgDet&rs=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Credit unknown" border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.0D_d9PKjXeitcV8tVeqWBgHaJ4?pid=ImgDet&rs=1" width="240" /></a></div><br />I heard a shrill wail and watched in horror as a soldier was lifted from his feet and carried into the air, kicking and struggling.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This book had plenty of action. There's danger, romance, and an epic battle with good versus evil. What's even better is that Alina is a character for which you can root. She leads a difficult life, but she perseveres. Never giving up. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>I raised my hand and rested it on his stubbly cheek, gently turning his face to mine.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">There's enough mystery to keep you flipping those pages. I saw the ending coming a few chapters early, but it was still such a joy to read.</div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Recommendation:</h1><div style="text-align: center;">The classic good versus evil with magic, war, and a deathly sea of shadow splitting the land and dividing its people. If you enjoy Fantasy, YA, Magic, with a splash of Romance, then you'd probably enjoy this read.</div>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-60219191332420793992021-09-06T09:17:00.000-04:002021-09-06T09:17:09.318-04:00The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black<p> </p><h1 style="text-align: center;">Book Blurb:</h1><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div></div></blockquote><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>He will be destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne.</i></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553624975l/26032912._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="238" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553624975l/26032912._SY475_.jpg" width="158" /></a></div></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity…</span></div></div></div></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"> </div></div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Schwartz Review:</h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx0PY1wDanTHHA0RcTGuAUd6qaHP3hWgOh6VCJoPvkcqpzOZgAv6gSpJivij1XKfwbr2N-74t-W9xI_lsCaj_j1yu3zqM8T9fn7boMyY5oc-6hJ0V3OmNoA_evFvKV-C6leWxo3f5as/s4591/5+Stars+Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="4591" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx0PY1wDanTHHA0RcTGuAUd6qaHP3hWgOh6VCJoPvkcqpzOZgAv6gSpJivij1XKfwbr2N-74t-W9xI_lsCaj_j1yu3zqM8T9fn7boMyY5oc-6hJ0V3OmNoA_evFvKV-C6leWxo3f5as/w320-h48/5+Stars+Banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div>The finale of this series consumed the greater part of my long weekend, but I could not put this book down. By the end of The Wicked King, you fully understand why Black has titled the third book in her trilogy in this way, and the reader is successfully hooked. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>And if I curse Cardan, then I have to curse myself, too, for being the fool who walked right into the trap he set for me.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Jude has lost everything she's worked toward and begins this tale in the mortal realm, using the one thing that can never be taken from her. Her shadow skills. Thanks to Dain, Jude is an excellent spy, and even in the mortal realms there is no end to spy work.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/4b/8c/00/4b8c001aed55ba585015e66b1725197e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Img Src: JEMLIN CREATIONS" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="242" src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/4b/8c/00/4b8c001aed55ba585015e66b1725197e.jpg" title="Img Src: JEMLIN CREATIONS" width="242" /></a></div><br />Tonight it seems impossible that I was ever anyone other than this dutiful child.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">But moping about in the mortal realm is unlike the Jude we've come to love and adore. Before long, she is given the opportunity she's been waiting for and she dives back into the world of faerie. And when she does... It's one heck of an adventurous ride!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"...Only tell me the way, and I will do it, no matter the danger, no matter the hardship, no matter the cost."</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This tale brought me laughter, it brought me to tears with bittersweet moments, and it definitely held my attention easily as I devoured the finale in a matter of days. I try to write spoiler free reviews, and this is one of those stories you will be happy to discover every truth, scheme, and ploy Black twined together to form this magnificence. </div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Recommendation:</h1><div style="text-align: center;">If you love fantasy stories, faeries, a world full of danger, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and a possible enemies to lovers tale, </div><div style="text-align: center;">then this is a read you don't want to miss. </div>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-71835606595107784932021-09-02T16:43:00.000-04:002021-09-02T16:43:00.477-04:00The Wicked King by Holly Black<p> <br /></p><h1 style="text-align: center;">Book Blurb:</h1><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1520620414l/26032887._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1520620414l/26032887._SY475_.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><b style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince.</b><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.<br /><br />The first lesson is to make yourself strong.</i><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.</span></div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Schwartz Review:</h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx0PY1wDanTHHA0RcTGuAUd6qaHP3hWgOh6VCJoPvkcqpzOZgAv6gSpJivij1XKfwbr2N-74t-W9xI_lsCaj_j1yu3zqM8T9fn7boMyY5oc-6hJ0V3OmNoA_evFvKV-C6leWxo3f5as/s4591/5+Stars+Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="4591" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx0PY1wDanTHHA0RcTGuAUd6qaHP3hWgOh6VCJoPvkcqpzOZgAv6gSpJivij1XKfwbr2N-74t-W9xI_lsCaj_j1yu3zqM8T9fn7boMyY5oc-6hJ0V3OmNoA_evFvKV-C6leWxo3f5as/w320-h48/5+Stars+Banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After devouring The Cruel Prince, that ending left no choice but to speedily begin The Wicked King. I have come to realize something about Holly Black's writing of which I am definitely a fan. She makes excellent use of the cliff hanger. I know this now, having finished two of her books, as I am eagerly writing this review so that I can jump right into the third book in this series: The Queen of Nothing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"We need to watch the Queen of the Undersea, too," I say. "She's got a plan and is going to move against us."</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://66.media.tumblr.com/f76f19db8bf7ddc530a8ceb5c0fe8350/tumblr_pnubxlFywl1rss1kvo1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="FANART BY MORGANA0ANAGROM" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="686" height="320" src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/f76f19db8bf7ddc530a8ceb5c0fe8350/tumblr_pnubxlFywl1rss1kvo1_1280.jpg" title="FANART BY MORGANA0ANAGROM" width="274" /></a></div>We follow Jude's adventure a few months after the moment she shocked us all at the end of The Cruel Prince, and she is definitely stressed. There's a multitude of things that are keeping her mind occupied, and what seems to be the least of her worries is this war between the land and the sea. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Kiss me until I am sick of it, he said, and now he has most certainly gorged on my kisses. Now he is most certainly sick of them.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The romance we glanced at develops a bit more in this book. It's one of those slow burn romances that leaves you wanting more. I happen to love those; they seem more realistic and believable. As I've been steadily reading through the series, this slow burn romance has been keeping me rooting the characters forward. I found myself squealing with delight one chapter, only to be dropping my jaw in shock the next. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"As I said before, a lot can happen in a year and a day. Much has happened in half that time."</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">The cliff hanger worked its charm. I'm off to grab book three and dive right in. I can't wait to see where this is taking Jude. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Recommendation:</h1><div style="text-align: center;">If you love fantasy stories, faeries, a world full of danger, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and a possible enemies to lovers tale, </div><div style="text-align: center;">then this is a read you don't want to miss. </div><p></p>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-84107597322773607302021-08-19T15:57:00.000-04:002021-08-19T15:57:05.952-04:00The Cruel Prince by Holly Black<p> <br /></p><h1 style="text-align: center;">Book Blurb:</h1><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn1.theyoungfolks.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/16112145/the-cruel-prince-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="522" height="200" src="https://cdn1.theyoungfolks.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/16112145/the-cruel-prince-cover.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">SHARPEN YOUR BLADE. HARDEN YOUR HEART.</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there--but many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.</div><div><br /></div><div>To win a place at the Court, Jude must defy him--and face the consequences.</div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Schwartz Review:</h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx0PY1wDanTHHA0RcTGuAUd6qaHP3hWgOh6VCJoPvkcqpzOZgAv6gSpJivij1XKfwbr2N-74t-W9xI_lsCaj_j1yu3zqM8T9fn7boMyY5oc-6hJ0V3OmNoA_evFvKV-C6leWxo3f5as/s4591/5+Stars+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="4591" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx0PY1wDanTHHA0RcTGuAUd6qaHP3hWgOh6VCJoPvkcqpzOZgAv6gSpJivij1XKfwbr2N-74t-W9xI_lsCaj_j1yu3zqM8T9fn7boMyY5oc-6hJ0V3OmNoA_evFvKV-C6leWxo3f5as/w320-h48/5+Stars+Banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Starting with a BANG, this book steals the reader's attention from the very first pages. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Your world isn't for people like me."</b></div><p> </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c5/3d/a1/c53da1effd89bef8b905e5ed7516773f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="551" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c5/3d/a1/c53da1effd89bef8b905e5ed7516773f.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Img Src: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c5/3d/a1/c53da1effd89bef8b905e5ed7516773f.jpg</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Jude has been stolen away and forced to live in a world that clashes with her very nature. Danger lurks behind every corner, enemies smile behind every face, and the only thing more dangerous is the lies told behind the faeries every truth. From the moment we are introduced to this character, we learn of her rebellious nature, her desire for more, and a perseverance that won't let her give up ever. </p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"They're never going to respect me if I don't fight back."</b></div><p><br /></p><p> Black has done a phenomenal job with this first book in this trilogy. The descriptions are beautifully written but never overwhelming. The characters hold a depth that makes them realistic and believable. The plot easily carries the reader through to the very last pages. And that finale... WOWZA. Let me just say that I did not see that one coming. I am thankful I have The Wicked King to dive into right away.</p><p><br /></p><h1 style="text-align: center;">The Recommendation:</h1><div style="text-align: center;">If you love fantasy stories, faeries, a world full of danger, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and a possible enemies to lovers tale, </div><div style="text-align: center;">then this is a read you don't want to miss. </div><p></p>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296945153032804434.post-440074698516942162021-08-17T15:26:00.003-04:002021-08-17T15:26:28.924-04:00Welcome to the Start of Something Beautiful<p>I've been hiding away in my writing/gaming cave, but I've decided to get back to the root of what I love. I am planning on building up this blog again, bringing in some author clients to fill the pages with their magnificent stories. I will be reviewing, interviewing authors and characters, sharing cover reveals, and so much more! </p><p>*rubs hands together*</p><p>This is going to be so exciting!</p>Kristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06054573457117131994noreply@blogger.com0