BLOG TOUR The Beasts We Raise (Broken Citadel Book 2) by D.L. Taylor

 
Hi friends! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Beasts We Raise by D.L. Taylor, second book in the Broken Citadel series. Thank you to Toppling Stacks Tours for organizing the tour. Check out the post to learn more about the book, the author, and where you can get your own copy. Make sure you check out the other tour hosts' posts as well - the link to the schedule is below. 

Happy reading everyone!

The Beasts We Raise by D.L. Taylor (Toppling Stacks Tours)

About The Book

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publishing date: February 24, 2026

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Synopsis:

Marry her enemy. Save her realm. Forsake her heart. The heart-shattering conclusion to this dark romantasy duology is perfect for fans of Adrienne Young, Tricia Levenseller, and Brigid Kemmerer.

Newly-appointed Prime Mancella is desperate to keep the peace within her realm and within herself. Having recently acquired the power to physically split into separate versions of herself, her identity is beginning to fracture―along with her land, which is on the brink of war. The only semblance of normalcy in her life is her budding romance with thief-turned-confidant, Silver. . . at least until the mysterious Prime Reltas arrives at her doorstep asking, or rather demanding, her hand in marriage.

If Mance wants to avoid a fight that will devastate her realm, she’ll have to consider the proposal. Even if it destroys Silver. But Mance isn’t ready to give up just yet. Desperate to free herself from the betrothal, Mance must seek allyship from other Primes and learn to control her new magic. If she fails, her decision to refuse Reltas’s proposal will implode the delicate state of affairs across the realms, setting off a catastrophic war―and shatter two hearts in the process.

Content Warning: Some graphic death, grief, trauma

About the Author

D.L. Taylor is an attorney by trade. She’s worked in criminal defense and civil non-profit law, but writing has always had a special hold on her heart. Though she hails from the sunny lands of California, she married a Midwestern boy and ended up settling down outside Chicago. She has three kids, two cats, and minimal sanity, but in the quiet hours before dawn she likes to write about magic, mischief, and moral quandaries. The Beasts We Bury is her debut.

For more, you can follow her on Instagram or TikTok. Her handle is dltaylorbooks

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

BLOG TOUR Lionborn by Sharique Zea

 

Hi friends! Welcome to my stop on the tour for Lionborn by Sharique Zea, hosted by The Children's Book Review. Check out my post to learn more about the book, hear my thoughts, check out the included activity, and enter the giveaway. Thank you for allowing me to host a stop. Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book to share my opinions. All thoughts shared are my own. 

About the Book

Lionborn

Written by Sharique Zea

Ages 10+ | 228 Pages

Publisher: Sharique Zea (2025) | ISBN: 978-1-0682018-2-0

Publisher’s Book Summary: A Boy with Hidden Power. An Evil Sorcerer. Three Daring Trials to Test His Courage.

Fionn Hurley feels different. Worried his nightmares might be real, the twelve-year-old has visions of strange creatures and wakes up covered in mysterious marks that heal in a flash. But when a lion cub appears beside his reflection, the curious boy travels to a mystical land… and discovers he’s a Lionborn with powerful magic.

Fionn is shocked to hear an evil sorcerer wants him to bring back a dark overlord. But after finding a clue to defeating the wicked enchanter, the brave young hero discovers three perilous trials stand between him and victory.

With everyone out to get him, can Fionn embrace his abilities and save the people he loves?

If you like friendships full of courage, jaw-dropping surprises, and worlds bursting with magic, then step into Lionborn and let the adventure roar!

My Thoughts on the Book (Review):

I really liked the premise and the worldbuilding. Its quite fantastical and imaginative. It's a very good coming of age middle grade type story, and I appreciated that it was different than many other books where its not reliant on a pre existing set of folktales or mythological stories (from what I can tell/am aware of). There were some parts where the book struggled, such as pacing and getting readers invested with whatever the 'stakes' are (I didn't really feel like I was committed till maybe 70% of the way in), which is a long time to keep younger readers engaged. However, I think a large part of that was the scope of the worldbuilding the author committed to and how much had to be explained. If the author takes this story into further books, I'd be curious to see how the pacing flowed with the lessened worbuilding burden as I saw a lot of potential for a debut novel. I look forward to checking out more of what the author produces in the future. 

PURCHASE LINK

https://books2read.com/u/47poZL 

About the Author

Sharique Zea was born in Ranchi, Eastern India, into a family of educators. He is a chartered accountant.

His imagination took flight early, drawing him towards books and libraries. Entranced by worlds of smoke and dreams, he would spin fantastical tales as a child, a personal pastime that stayed with him even as he entered the world of finance in London.

He has kept his passion alive by creating stories whenever inspiration strikes, and although his day job crunches numbers, his heart beats for the magic of storytelling.

For more information, visit https://www.shariquezea.com/

Download the activity!

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win one of 10 signed paperback copies of Lionborn by Sharique Zea. A grand prize winner will also receive a signed copy plus a $50 USD Amazon gift card to explore even more magical reads.

Click here for the entry form: https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/lionborn-by-sharique-zea-awareness-tour/