ARC REVIEW: The Sylvan and the Sand (The Book of All Things #2) by Sarah M. Cradit

The Sylvan and the Sand (The Book of All Things #2) by Sarah M. Cradit

Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: May 10, 2022
Format: eARC (Provided by Author and Book of Matches Media)
Publisher: Storyville Press (Self-Published by Author)

Check out my review of the first book in the series, The Raven and the Rush

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Come for the tropes, stay for the amazing fantasy romance story (and the gorgeous artwork that’s embedded in EVERY copy). 

I loved The Raven and the Rush (the first installment in The Book of All Things series), so I was super excited for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Sylvan and the Sand. Sarah M. Cradit did not disappoint. I used to be on the fence about interconnected standalone novels, but Ms. Cradit has me thoroughly convinced that I need them in my life. 

Corin and Yesenia’s story is similar to the first book. both explore darker themes, and while the characters do go through a lot (Ms. Cradit seems like one of those authors that like to torment readers and characters alike), they never lose that thread of perseverance and hope that lingers throughout the book. There are also plenty of tropes to go around in this series: arranged marriage, “there’s only one bed”, and enemies to lovers are just a few off the top of my head. You’ll have to read the book to find out which others (Do it. Read the book. If you’re a fantasy romance lover like me, it’ll be worth it). 

The worldbuilding is top-notch in this series. The author does include a map, but I never needed it. I could picture everything very clearly in my head. You have the many reaches in play - Easterlands, Southerlands, Northerlands, and Westerlands. The main characters come from the Northerlands and the Southerlands respectively, which makes them even more polar opposites. In addition to the visual picture the author was painting, I could also easily picture all the power plays happening in the Kingdom of the White Sea. There are multiple layers of political intrigue (nobility, family feuds, interkingdom conflicts, etc.), and it was fun to explore each part while I read.  

Overall, this was a great book. I’m counting down the days until the next installment, The Altruist and the Assassin comes out later this year! If you are a fan of authors like C.N. Crawford, Casey L. Bond or Rebecca L. Garcia, you should definitely check out The Sylvan and the Sand. 

Thank you to the author and Book of Matches Media for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review The Sylvan and the Sand immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. all opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Bullying, Violence

About the Author

Sarah is the USA Today Bestselling Author of Epic, Contemporary, and Paranormal Fantasy. An unabashed geek, Sarah enjoys studying subjects like the Plantagenet and Ptolemaic dynasties, and settling debates on provocative Tolkien topics such as why the Great Eagles are not Gandalf's personal taxi service. Passionate about travel, Sarah has visited over twenty countries collecting sparks of inspiration (though New Orleans is where her heart rests). She's a self-professed expert at crafting original songs to sing to her very patient pets and a seasoned professional at finding ways to humiliate herself (bonus points if it happens in public). When at home in Pennsylvania, her husband and best friend, James, is very kind about indulging her love of fast German cars and expensive lattes.

Check out the Author's website here - Author Website 

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ARC REVIEW: Shadow Kissed (Marked by Blood #1) by Rebecca L. Garcia

Shadow Kissed (Marked by Blood #1) by Rebecca L. Garcia
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: March 16, 2022
Format: eARC (Provided by Author)
Publisher: Self Published by Author

After reading books from Rebecca L. Garcia’s Embracing Darkness Collection and the Fate of Crowns series, I was excited to hear that she was starting a new series and jumped at the chance to be part of her ARC team. It was an even cooler surprise that the book came out a month early. Once I started reading Shadow Kissed, I was hooked on the story (but not as sold by the characters or the worldbuilding). 

The plot of Shadow Kissed is exciting and action-packed. I loved how Ms. Garcia kept me on my toes and guessing while reading. The pace is a bit hectic at times, but that wasn’t enough to affect my enjoyment of the book or the overall rating. It’s interesting to note how each of Ms. Garcia’s series seems to center around magic and one type of supernatural creature (fae for The Fate of Crowns, witches for Embracing Darkness, and now vampires for Marked by Blood). I’m not sure if that was intentional or not, but I did want to note it. With regards to the characters and romance, I wasn’t as sold by Olivia and Sebastian’s relationship as I was Elle and Viktor (Spellbound) or Victoria and Elijah’s (Heart of a Witch). If I had to guess why, it might have been due to the lack of spice and tension that I was expecting (if a book's audience suggestion switches from young adult to new adult, there is a reasonable expectation of some spice and tension). From the author’s note on Goodreads, the trilogy should get steamier as we go so maybe it was in preparation for those books? Despite this first installment being a letdown for me, I could also see how that could be a positive for those who don’t want a book filled with spice (do with that information what you will). 

The issue with the lack of connection to the primary romance and main characters did factor into my rating, but the primary reason I didn’t enjoy it as much as some of her other titles was the worldbuilding. It didn’t feel as fleshed out as the books in the Embracing Darkness collection, or those in the Fate of Crowns series. Shadow Kissed, unfortunately, felt very info-dumpy at times. Most of the descriptions were things that were told to readers, instead of readers being shown things through the character’s perspectives (which is the best type of worldbuilding, in my opinion). It was one of those cases where you love the idea of a book but the actual execution fell flat. As a result of the poor worldbuilding, I had some issues envisioning the setting of the action in my head (which did negatively affect my overall enjoyment of the read). 

Overall, Shadow Kissed was an entertaining read with some minor issues that prevented a full five stars. If you are a fan of tropes (i.e. “there’s only one bed”, the chosen one, forced proximity) and vampire romance, this is a great choice! If extensive worldbuilding is your thing, I might recommend checking out her Embracing Darkness collection instead of this book. Despite the slightly lower rating for this book, I will still be reading more of Rebecca’s books in the future (and likely checking out subsequent installments in this series). Thank you to the author for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review Shadow Kissed immensely. Please note that I voluntarily read and reviewed Shadow Kissed. All opinions expressed in the review are my own, and not influenced in any way. 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Cursing, Mentions of Slavery, Suicide, Suicidal Ideation, Blood  

About the Author: Rebecca L. Garcia

Rebecca lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and son. Born and raised in England, you can find her drinking tea, writing new worlds, and designing covers.
Rebecca devoured every book she was given from the age of five and fell in love with magical worlds. When she got older, her imagination grew with her and she delved into writing strong characters and vast worlds.

When she's not writing or spending time with her family, you can find her traveling, and hosting book signings with Spellbinding Events.

 

Rebecca is represented by The Next Step PR. For the latest sign-ups, tours, and cover reveals for Rebecca's releases you can go to www.thenextsteppr.com 

ARC REVIEW: Daughter of Shattered Skies (Shattered Trilogy Book 1) by Sara Delavergne

Daughter of Shattered Skies (Shattered Trilogy Book 1) 
by Sara Delavergne 
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: October 12, 2021
Format: eARC (Provided by Author and Book of Matches Media)

Sara Delavergne's Daughter of Shattered Skies is a strong opener to the new YA fantasy Shattered trilogy. Readers who pick up the book can expect great characters, a juicy love triangle, immersive worldbuilding and an engaging storyline.

I loved the mythology, the pantheon and the magic system that Ms. Delavergne created for this book. The worldbuilding and the descriptions of Ellorhys were immersive - it's so much fun when an author makes it easy to get lost in a new fantasy world. The magic system reminded me a lot of the bending subspecialties in Avatar the Last Airbender (lightning, blood bending, healing, etc.); I personally would choose to be a Whisperer as it sounds really cool. 

I would recommend this book to fans of authors like Leigh Bardugo or Morgan Rhodes. It would also be a great choice for fans of the Avatar the Last Airbender franchise. Overall, Daughter of Shattered Skies was an entertaining book and I look forward to reading the next installment in the Shattered trilogy. As a side note, at the time of writing this review (February 2022) this book was available to read for free for all Kindle Unlimited members. 

Thank you to the author and Book of Matches Media for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review Daughter of Shattered Skies immensely! Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed Daughter of Shattered Skies. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way.

About the Author

Sara is an emerging fantasy author with an MFA in creative writing from Western Colorado University and a BFA from Franklin Pierce University. She believes she has always been a reader, and a story-teller of sorts, with works circling back to the heyday of Fanfiction.net and a popular HP Marauder’s Era fan fiction that shall never be named. When she is not writing or reading, she is likely sniffing book-themed candles in a totally non-addictive sort of way, collecting custom Funko Pops, or being a dog mom.

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Court of Dragons (Dragon Isle Wars Book 1) by Frost Kay

Court of Dragons (Dragon Isle Wars Book 1) by Frost Kay
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Release Date: November 16, 2021
Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)
Publisher: Renegade Publishing 

Check out the book on Goodreads
Check out the book on Amazon

Court of Dragons by Frost Kay was the first book I’ve read by this author, but it certainly won’t be my last. I got so excited after seeing the references to dragons and the gorgeous book cover, and Ms. Kay definitely delivered a stunning read. 

The worldbuilding was incredible in this book. Outside of the actual worldbuilding (what each location looks like, what or who lives there, etc.), readers are immediately introduced to the conflict between Lorne and Verlanti (which is very intense and dramatic). And of course, what story is not made better by dragons? I do wish they had been present for more of the story, but hopefully, dragons will be featured more heavily in the sequel.  

I was very put off by King Soren’s character (with good reason). Arrik’s character did put me off initially as well, but I warmed up to him over the course of the story. Readers get to learn that he’s not quite as bad as he might appear (though he is certainly no saint). And after reading all of his interactions with Wren, I am convinced that Frost Kay is a master at the slow burn enemies to lovers' romance. I mean, just take a look at this quote: “You’re surely clever enough to know that being married to the enemy does not have to be a bad thing. The line between enemy and lover is very fine indeed.”

Overall, Court of Dragons is a very entertaining and engaging new fantasy romance book. I would definitely recommend it to those who are fans of slow burn romance or the enemies-to-lovers trope. I’m excited to see where the author takes Wren and Arrik’s story in the sequel, Queen of Legends (though I hope it comes out sooner than the November 2022 date Amazon is showing). Thank you to Book of Matches Media for introducing me to this book!

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling Author Frost Kay is a certified book dragon with an excessive TBR, and a shoe obsession. If you love bewitching fantasy and sci-fi, epic adventures, dark promises, thrilling action, swoon worthy anti heroes, and slow burning romance; her books are for you!

She claims ownership to the bestselling young adult series The Aermian Feuds packed with adventure, secrets, and betrayal.

Fans of Frost Kay love her epic and science fiction teen titles for their "witty banter and exquisitely crafted sentences (that) never leave you bored or wanting," and "find the writing on par with Queen (Sarah J.) Maas and Elise Kova."

You can find her at www.frostkay.net

You can also find her on Instagram at @frost.kay.author

You can even find her on Twitter at @FrostKayAuthor

ARC REVIEW: The Fate of Crowns (The Fate of Crowns #1) by Rebecca L. Garcia

The Fate of Crowns (The Fate of Crowns #1) by Rebecca L. Garcia
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: January 5, 2021
Format: eBook (Gifted from Book of Matches Media) + Audiobook (Gifted from Author)

The Fate of Crowns by Rebecca L. Garcia is an enchanting introduction to a new fantasy series and world. If you love stories with the enemies-to-lovers trope, a love triangle, and political intrigue, then this would be a great choice for you. It’s at the young adult level, and I would have no reservations with offering it as a suggestion to readers at that age level and above. 

The worldbuilding was magical. I easily imagined myself in all the places that Winter’s journey takes her. Ms. Garcia delivered a lot of fantastical elements, such as sorcerers, fae, mer-creatures, elves, and even a pixie. Fantasy readers like me will definitely enjoy this aspect. The dynamics between the different countries and their rulers were great too and really added to the stakes and political intrigue of the story. As a side note, if you do have the chance to read the novella Ruin. I would highly recommend it. It’s not necessary to enjoy and understand this book, but I do think it adds to the worldbuilding and it explains some of the events that are referenced in the book in greater detail. 

There were some issues with the pacing of the story. It felt very inconsistent to me. The book certainly starts off with a bang, but it keeps up a break-neck pace and didn’t provide opportunities where I could pause and absorb what was going on. As a result, certain moments didn’t click until much later in the story (which took away some of the fun). I wanted the pauses and breaks not just for me, but for the characters. For example, there is a major character death that greatly affects Winter in the book. Despite this, the events of the book move on fairly quickly and she never really takes the time to process what happened or mourn properly. 

The audiobook narrator, Amanda Stribling, did a great job bringing the story to life. Audiobook narrators provide depth for a story that you just can’t get by reading it in print, and Ms. Stribling certainly delivered. There were a couple of moments when I wanted a bit more feeling (i.e. when Winter is arguing with her father), but overall it was a great performance. 

This book does end on a cliffhanger, but the sequel The Princess of Nothing is already out for those who want to immediately jump into the next part of the story. As an extra bonus, it’s available to read for free in eBook format to those with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. 

Thank you to the author for my gifted audiobook copy, and to Book of Matches Media for my gifted eBook copy. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the book immensely! Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed The Fate of Crowns. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way.  

About the Author: Rebecca L. Garcia

Rebecca lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and son. Born and raised in England, you can find her drinking tea, writing new worlds, and designing covers.
Rebecca devoured every book she was given from the age of five and fell in love with magical worlds. When she got older, her imagination grew with her and she delved into writing strong characters and vast worlds.

When she's not writing or spending time with her family, you can find her traveling, and hosting book signings with Spellbinding Events.

 

Rebecca is represented by The Next Step PR. For the latest sign-ups, tours, and cover reveals for Rebecca's releases you can go to www.thenextsteppr.com

ARC REVIEW: Heart of a Witch (Embracing Darkness Collection Book 2) by Rebecca L. Garcia

 

♦ ♦ ♦

𝑨 𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑨 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔.

I’d never particularly liked humans, but I’d never wanted to kill one. Until now.

Hidden in a kingdom that hates witches, I’m forced to hide what I am. With my sister working in a secret dark magic club, and our family’s shop gaining unwanted attention, things couldn’t be worse when the notorious witch hunter, Damian Shaw, comes to town.

When my sister shows up dead, and my family’s name is called into question, we’re forced to adopt new aliases and leave the home we cherished. As I watch my life fall apart, I vow to destroy the hunter responsible, but his punishment would not be swift. Death was too easy.

Redforest is a quaint town, with a church, pretty shops, and like any good town, a dark past. When my family and I move in, I set my sights on the Shaw family, quickly learning everything I can about them. Damian’s son, Elijah, is the hunter’s greatest pride. His heir. His confidante. The only family he trusts.

I come up with a plan. I am going to shatter every good thing in Damian’s life, ending with his son. My goal: make Elijah Shaw fall in love with me, twist him into the very thing his father hates, then kill him.

With my heart challenged, the attraction growing, I find myself trapped in a deadly game. In a twist of fate, Elijah might just end up being the death of me.

♦ ♦ ♦

Heart of a Witch (Embracing Darkness Collection Book 2) by Rebecca L. Garcia
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: December 14, 2021
Format: eARC

Confucius once said, “when you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” Victoria Amberwood doesn’t particularly care if her quest for revenge costs her her life. She’s determined to make the witch hunter who killed her sister suffer and pay for what he did. Once she moves with her siblings to the witch hunter’s home village and right under his nose, the family puts the plan in motion. Things get more complicated after meeting Elijah Shaw (the eldest son of the witch hunter) - Will her head and her heart get in the way of revenge? The story that followed in Rebecca L. Garcia’s Heart of a Witch was dark and gripping - I couldn’t stop reading once I had started. 

Ms. Garcia’s characters are always complex - I savor any opportunity to read about morally grey characters and their journies. Victoria knows that using dark magic is wrong but she sees it as the only way to protect her family. A classic case of good intentions coupled with questionable methods. Or in other words, do the ends justify the means? Her struggles with dark magic and its pull are a big part of the book, and I enjoyed getting to see her growth over the course of the story.  Victoria has built up her walls high (with good reason), but Elijah slowly chipped away at them with small acts of kindness and a whole lot of patience. Ms. Garcia did a great job balancing the emotion and the action with the spicy moments (which were so worth the wait once they arrived). I could not get enough of Elijah and Victoria’s chemistry. Alex and Cassian, Victoria’s siblings, were quite interesting characters too and I would love to see stories focused on just them (especially on Alex’s relationship with a not-to-be spoiled character). 

I would happily recommend this book to paranormal romance and dark fantasy romance fans. In terms of audience level, I would place it at new adult. While you can read it as a standalone, I do recommend reading Spellbound first for a more enjoyable experience. Spellbound offers some worldbuilding and backstory to the Istinia that isn’t present in Heart of a Witch. 

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Victory Editing for my complimentary review copy. I also want to express my appreciation to Book of Matches Media and The Next Step PR for allowing me to be a part of promotional tours for the book. 

♦ ♦ ♦ 

♦ ♦ ♦

 My dreams were like an ocean of layers. They got darker the farther I fell. Blue robes, daggers, and dead people haunted my nightmares, and in the last one before waking, shouting erupted, words pounding against my soul as I felt hands grab my arms.

My eyes fluttered open, and I jumped to my feet. I punched Cas in the arm, pushing him away from me. “What in the underworld are you doing?” I asked breathlessly.

Tears glossed his dark brown eyes. “I had to wake you! You were right.”

I ran cold. I’d never heard those words leave his mouth. “Cas?” I asked tentatively.

“It’s Ember. I waited up for her, but she didn’t come back, and it was almost three in the morning, so I went down to the club and…” His hand shot to his mouth, and a tear escaped into the gaps between his fingers. “The hunter attacked with his team. The whole place is torn apart, and they found dead bodies, sacrificed.” He paused for a short moment. “It’s enough to condemn everyone inside. I ran, but I couldn’t find Ember. I went to the kissing tree, but she wasn’t there. Y-you, don’t think she would have gone back to the club?”

My heart somehow felt heavier in my chest. “Where did he take them for trial?”

“He’s already begun the…” He tugged at his collar. “Punishments.”

Bile bit up my throat. “Where?”

“Town square. I was going there next.”

I pushed him out of the way and grabbed my boots, sharing a glance with my brother before running out the door. I prayed to deities I didn’t believe in that Ember was far away from all this. Anyone who’d heard of Damian Shaw knew that no witches passed a trial with him. If he caught us, we were already dead.

My stomach knotted as I ran toward the town square. Stars twinkled against the matte-black night, but the first hues of blue had already faded the speckled silver in the distance. It had to be four, maybe five o’clock, based on the sky. I’d heard he held trials at night because it was when he believed a witch’s powers were weakest. His logic was stupid, but then he was human and a priest to boot.

Please, Ember, don’t be there. Please.

If she was, then I’d have to expose us, because there was no way I was letting her die. I’d fight them. I should have brought weapons. I mentally kicked myself for not thinking of it back at the house. I heard footsteps behind me in the distance, but I didn’t turn to see who it was.

The town square was alight with torches and oil lamps, illuminating the freshly erected gallows and jeering crowd. My gaze climbed the wooden platform, and I found my worst nightmare come true.

♦ ♦ ♦  

 Read the First Chapter HERE! 

♦ ♦ ♦  

Rebecca lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and son. Originally from England, you can find her drinking tea, writing new worlds, and designing covers. She writes fantasy romance. She devoured every book she was given and fell in love with magical worlds, and when she got older, her imagination grew with her.

When she's not writing or spending time with her family, you can find her traveling, and hosting book signings with Spellbinding Events.

Get your free eBook of Ruin when you sign up to Rebecca's monthly newsletter here: bit.ly/NewsletterRebeccaLGarcia

 

♦ ♦ ♦

 

ARC REVIEW: Spellbound (Embracing Darkness Collection Book 1) by Rebecca L. Garcia

Spellbound by Rebecca L. Garcia
Rating: 3.5 Stars

Release Date: September 3, 2021

Format: eARC

“You make me feel alive, Elle. You make me want to live a thousand stories right here with you.”

Spellbound by Rebecca L. Garcia is a quick enjoyable read filled with snarky witches and vengeful gods. I easily finished it in one sitting. It’s sure to be a winner for fans of Kingdom of the Wicked, and it’s standalone so there’s no need to commit to a long, unfinished series. 

Elle, a young apprentice curse keeper in her coven, has made it her life’s mission to return to find the sister she was torn away from as a child. She spends her days studying for the exam that will promote her to “keeper” status. Life becomes more complicated when a mysterious (and attractive) young warlock arrives at the same time as a string of murders popping up in the woods, and Elle has to figure out who to trust as her life becomes drastically more complex and dangerous.

I’ve always been a sucker for found family stories, and Spellbound is no different. Maddox is definitely one of my top favorite characters. “Viktor” is also another favorite character. I can definitely see him joining the ranks of popular book boyfriends like Wrath from Kingdom of the Wicked, Thomas Cresswell from Stalking Jack the Ripper, West from Fable, and Rowan from Throne of Glass. 

I would recommend this book to an audience of upper young adult readers to adult readers, as there are some intimate scenes featured. The intimate scenes are definitely HOT. In terms of genre, it would probably fall in the new adult category (which I realize is somewhat ambiguous). The snarky banter between Elle and “Viktor” was one of the main reasons I became hooked. There was so much sexual tension between them I was left wondering who would be the first one to snap.    

I’m curious to see what characters will be introduced in the next book in this series, as I believe it’s set in the same world. Some “standalone” novels can feel rushed or leave you with very unsatisfying endings, but there was none of that with Spellbound. Everything felt included for a reason, and I liked how Garcia wrapped things up at the end of the story. 

Thank you to the author and Book of Matches Media for providing me with an early copy of the book at no cost to myself. I voluntarily read and reviewed Spellbound. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. 

CW: Mentions of Assault (Historical, Off-Page), Sibling Death, Hanging