Tag: #fantasy

Feature Post and Book Review: Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Book Description

Viv’s career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned.

Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she’s packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it.

What’s a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn’t possibly imagine.

Still, adventure isn’t all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65213543-bookshops-bonedust?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=TSlV6IQiaS&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST (Legends & Lattes Book #0) by Travis Baldree is an enchanting and delightful cozy fantasy prequel to Legends & Lattes. This story is a wonderful blend of Viv’s journey of personal self-discovery, humor, and fantasy action/adventure plot. This is not my usual type of read, but I found I could not put it down.

Viv is a mercenary orc on her first big hunt with Rackham’s Ravens to take down a powerful necromancer. When she is wounded in battle, she is left behind to recuperate in the small seaside town of Murk. Having always focused on her battle skills, Viv is at a loss on how to fill her recovery time.

She discovers a run-down bookshop with a foul-mouthed book-loving owner who introduces her to a love of reading and a journey of discovery between the covers of each new book. Even as she makes new friends, a darkness threatens that could endanger everyone she is coming to care for.

I love this group of strong female characters. While they are orcs, gnomes, and other fantasy characters, at times while I was engrossed in the story, I would forget they were not human. This is primarily Viv’s story. She is a mercenary orc on her first big hunt, but when she is injured, she is left to recuperate in a small seaside town. She discovers the joy of reading, her first romantic relationship, and her first real friendships all while a threat of evil threatens. Mr. Baldree’s writing brings Viv and the entire cast of characters to life beautifully. The suspense elements of the story are perfectly paced and kept me turning the pages. This book is a perfect mix of self-discovery, friendship, humor, suspense and action/adventure. FYI: This story does have a female orc and female gnome romantic relationship which is why it is classified as an LGBTQ read.

I highly recommend this wonderful cozy fantasy and I am looking forward to reading more stories by this author.

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About the Author

Travis is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author, a Locus, Nebula, and Hugo finalist, and a full-time audiobook narrator who has lent his voice to hundreds of stories. Before that, he spent decades designing and building video games like Torchlight, Rebel Galaxy, and Fate. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his very patient family and their small, nervous dog.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.travisbaldree.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/travis.baldree

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TravisBaldree

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/bookshops-and-bonedust-by-travis-baldree

Feature Post and Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Book Description

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas follows the life of a 19-year-old huntress, Feyre Acheron, who was brought into an unfamiliar magical realm after killing a faerie in the forest. Upon entering the world of the faeries, she was forced to adapt and live in a world where humans don’t belong. As Feyre becomes more involved with the people around her, she becomes aware of the looming catastrophe she must face to save everyone.

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Book Review

From the description alone, most people, like writer Anjitha M, will say that it’s a simple retelling of the classic Disney movie Beauty and the Beast. However, despite the obvious reference to the Disney classic, Maas was able to craft something different on her own that makes the book unique from the movie.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is the first book in the series of the same name. The author’s strong worldbuilding immerses readers in a setting that offers both excitement and uncertainty as we, the readers, set foot in the world of Fae through the eyes of Feyre. In A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR to its legions of fans), we get to meet various characters who all have different backgrounds and perspectives, and we get to journey with a female protagonist who can stand on her own and shoot arrows with her bow.

The story starts with Feyre’s life-changing encounter with a faerie in the woods, which obliged her to leave her family in the human world for a place she had only heard of in stories. Even though Feyre is human, the story revolves around her journey as she interacts and connects with the fantastical creatures of the Fae. As readers, we get to acquaint ourselves and learn about the world’s culture along with her. Feyre’s determination to remain strong despite being thrown in an unfamiliar place with no allies is something worth admiring about her.

Although the first part was a bit slow-paced, the latter half brings so much action and drama. It makes it impossible to not pick up the second book and read what happens next. Reading ACOTAR on its own isn’t enough to fully understand and appreciate the world that the author has created for us. If you plan to read the following book, A Court of Mist and Fury, you can expect more gripping drama, intense romance, and exceptional worldbuilding from Sarah J. Maas.

ACOTAR is a page-turner if high fantasy, adventure, and romance suit your preferences. Once you finish you will want to check out the entire series since the beginning only gives you a glimpse of what’s to come.

Now may just be the best time to read it too as Deadline announced that producers plan to release an ACOTAR TV adaptation on premium cable and streaming networks. If you want to delve into the world of the Fae with vibrant visuals, you can check out the TV adaptation soon. However, if you’re interested in more action-packed adventures and romance books than fantasy, you should add Guild Boss by Jayne Castle to your to-read list. Accompanied by Lucy and Gabriel, you can discover the lawlessness of Illusion Town.

You can check out other Spoiler Free Genre Books Reviews to find a book to love as much as A Court of Thorns and Roses.



Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Ark of the Apocalypse by Tobin Marks

Hi, everyone!

I am very excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review on the Blackthorn Book Tour for ARK OF THE APOCALYPSE (The Magellan II Chronicles Book #1) by Tobin Marks.

Below you will find a book description, my book review and an about the author section. This is a captivating first book in a new post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy series. Enjoy!

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Book Description

Earth is on the verge of becoming a dead planet.

The polar ice caps melted long ago, and it’s been decades since the last raindrop fell. Ocean levels rise a dozen meters, and forest fires rage on a global scale. Eleven billion people dying of thirst wage water wars against each other as extinction looms.

Humanity needs a new planet. As Earth deteriorates, the nation states desperately work together to build a mechanism for recolonization. And so the Magellan II is born, the first starship capable of interstellar travel.

The future of the human race is tasked to ten thousand colonists-now homeless but for the vastness of space and the decks of Magellan II. A distant planet offers hope of survival, but it’s a strange, watery world inhabited by giant reptiles.

Humanity is starting over, but survival isn’t guaranteed.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56496136-ark-of-the-apocalypse?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=EW8bqdgCkR&rank=1

The Ark of the Apocalypse

By Tobin Marks

  • Amazon link: http://mybook.to/ArkApocalypse
  • Genre:  Post apocalyptic fantasy
  • Print length: 426 pages
  • Age range: This is an adult book but suitable for mature teenagers 16+
  • Trigger warnings: No
  • Amazon Rating: 5 stars
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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

ARK OF THE APOCALYPSE (The Magellan II Chronicles Book #1) by Mark Tobin is a captivating first book in a new post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy series.

No one is listening to the warnings that the Earth is warming. The planet is on fire, the ice caps have evaporated, and governments are willing to go to war over scarce natural resources for their overpopulated nations.

Humanity needs a new planet. Magellan II is the first starship capable of interstellar space travel and will become the hope for humans to recolonize. The colonists are on a journey to a distant lush planet with the hope of starting anew, but survival is not guaranteed.

This story pulls you in and begins with familiar themes from the present and then weaves them into a story that extrapolates the warnings of today into a post-apocalyptic world seamlessly. The author has populated the story with characters that could walk right off the page and his worldbuilding is easily visualized. I was completely engrossed as I followed the two lineages of the Yanbeyeva family over decades, on earth and on the new world of Aqueous. This is an action-packed tale that I was unable to put down as I was completely immersed in the story. I am looking forward to seeing where the author takes me in the next book in this series.

I can highly recommend this first book in this post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy!

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About the Author

Marks is a world traveler who grew up in a household of rocket scientists. As a boy he had a front row seat observing many NASA and NOAA projects. He writes science fiction novels from his home in north west Baja, and you can usually find him on Twitter @tobinmarks.

Book Review: The Mortal Falls by Anna Durand

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

THE MORTAL FALLS (Undercover Elementals, Book One) by Anna Durand is the first in her new fantasy romance series. This story is full of mythical supernatural characters in a parallel realm to ours, a steamy romance and murder.

Lindsey Porter finds a dead body in the woods. From there things get a little crazy for her. An almost naked man runs from the scene and disappears. When the sheriff shows up, the body is gone, but a blood pool remains. He hauls Lindsey in as a suspect and we learn she has a past with this sheriff who has followed her from Texas.

Nevan is an immortal sylph and the almost naked man who keeps popping from thin air into Lindsey’s life. He was turned into a Guardian when trapped into a bargain a century ago by his king, Skeiron. Linsey has to trust this magic wielding man to help her solve the murder she is charged with and both need to learn to trust each other with their pasts. The fate of the mortal and elemental realms depend on these lovers.

The dialogue between Lindsey and Nevan in the first part of the book is somewhat juvenile. I didn’t care that Lindsey was a 32 year old virgin, I felt she should have been more mature in her language and attitude, virgin or not. That said, the relationship between these two takes off when they have sex. The sex scenes are hot and steamy and what I expect in an Anna Durand book.

The beginning of the story has a lot of world-building and character backstory, which I feel bogged down the first part of the book. The interesting characters and their interactions kept me reading on. It was a good fantasy read and a steamy romance read.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.

Book Review: Melting Shadows by Rhea Rhodan

melting-shadows

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

This romantic suspense with added fantasy is hard to put down with two storylines happening in present day and OtherWhere. A love story between a former SEAL and a brilliant, socially stunted hidden beauty. Never confusing, the writing was crisp, fast paced and engaging. Ms. Rhodan has a new fan and I’ll be coming back for more!

Dr. Prudence “Prue” Marsh is a product of genetic engineering and was raised by her mother to show no emotions or weaknesses. Her brilliant mind has her developing new capabilities for Navy subs as a contractor and this has put her in danger from Albanian terrorists who want her program. While away from her farm, it is raided and all her rescued animal friends are killed. She refuses to be hidden in a government facility, so she is sent to finish her project in Max Delaney’s home bunker.

Max Delaney is a computer forensic analyst and a former SEAL. His continued work for the government is dependent on keeping Prue safe and happy until she can finish her project. Since he hasn’t found a woman who can refuse his charm yet, he accepts the assignment, but Prue isn’t like anyone else. Max’s sister, Sam befriends Prue and Max’s rescued Rottweiler war dog, Brutus instantly attaches himself to her, but Max just can’t figure his guest out.

As Prue’s backstory is slowly revealed, you cannot help but be completely drawn in to her horrible upbringing and understand why she escapes into the fantasy world of OtherWhere. All of the characters are in these blocks of fantasy and are similar to their present day counterparts. The worldbuilding in these sections is as strong as the rest of the book. The romance is built at a believable pace with me cheering for Prue at every turn of the plot. I love romantic suspense and this book went above and beyond. I recommend this book highly!

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.