The Stars Would Curse Us (#1) by Valerie Rivers and Stephanie Combs Amazon | Goodreads January 10, 2024 367 pages
The Iris were sent to us from the stars, but their rule is controlling and oppressive. Every season, we send our brothers and sisters to the marriage drafts . . . but the selected never return.
Aella
My world falls apart when my best friend and I are drafted to compete for the hand of Esterra’s most eligible bachelor, the devastatingly handsome Iris prince. As an elemental fae, it should be the greatest honor, but the competition is filled with violence. I question my true purpose as we fight to survive in games rigged against us.
Arianwen
Life should be simple—go on my rite and return to marry a man I’ve never met—but when a handsome stranger falls from the sky, everything is turned upside down. Secrets and lies unravel, leading me to question everything as I find myself pulled into a rebellion. My heart longs for a better world, but am I willing to forsake duty in pursuit of it?
We both face choices:
LOVE or DUTY
LOYALTY or ADVENTURE
FIGHT or SURRENDER
Is fate truly written in the stars, or have they abandoned us?
Fae x Avatar: The Last Airbender x The Selection
~~~
The Stars Would Curse Us is currently one of my favorites books of the year so far.
The world building? Amazing.
The characters? Fleshed out.
The spin on my favorite trope (marriage competition)? LOVE.
She’s the rebel who captured him. He’s the prince who might ruin her.
Aris is a rebel with nothing to lose, so when the king’s second son flees the castle, she sees her chance to give the rebels the upper hand. Capturing him should’ve been the hard part—but Prince Revan isn’t the prisoner she expected. He’s infuriatingly calm for a man with bound hands, dangerously clever, and every look he gives her burns hotter than it should.
Revan has spent his life outsmarting enemies, but Aris is different. Fierce and unrelenting, she challenges him in ways he’s never known. But the line between captor and captive is razor-thin, and the longer they’re together, the harder it is to remember they’re on opposite sides. But in a world built on lies and betrayal, trusting the wrong person could be the most dangerous move of all.
Expect enemies-to-lovers, no-spice, electric banter, simmering tension, and a forbidden romance with a HEA.
Review
Favorite Highlight: “Let me do the talking,” I say, keeping my voice low. For a moment, his face is unreadable, but then he cracks a grin—sharp around the edges, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “The last time I heard you say that,” he murmurs, “I ended up bound and gagged.”
~~~
This was a really fun read.
I loved Aris and Revan’s little banter so much. The prince was so charmingly funny and Aris, likewise, was brave and interesting.
I’m always at a loss for words when it comes to books I love.
(*shakes my fist*)
Looking forward to reading something else from the author in the future (more fantasy, please).
Dianna didn’t know what to expect when a beautiful horse with a red rose and a fancy letter saying her father had been arrested. But she certainly wasn’t expecting to be swept away into an hidden enchanted kingdom ruled by a furry beast, animal staff and an entire town turned into flowers. A life for a life that was Diannas payment for her fathers crime.
Although Dianna promised to remain within the kingdom she hasn’t given up her goal to go home. Dianna’s presence disturbs more than Beast’s solitude. The last pretty face he trusted had cursed him. His powers suppressed by the curse have made him a prisoner to his past mistakes, a never ending punishment. He can’t fully protect his people and kingdom from the witch that cursed him.
The witch is possessive, entitled and will fight to keep what she believes to be hers.
~~~
MY THOUGHTS
This is probably the longest Beauty & the Beast retelling I’ve read so far, but also one of the more unique ones. There are the obligatory, familiar aspects of the B&B story plus extra, more interesting worldbuilding, magic, and other fantasy races.
The story goes dark in the stark reality of war, life and death (I only wish Dianna had more of a reaction to a certain death near the end).
I liked the relationship between Dianna and the Beast. They had time to grow into their relationship and fall in love with each other. There was a lot of ‘meat’ on this story’s bones (sometimes B&B retellings don’t often add something more to the overall plot, y’know, to make the book stand on its on legs).
C.C. Sunny is an author to watch (can’t wait to see that possible sequel coming out).
A cursed lamp, a mortal woman, the god of wind, and an arranged marriage that could devastate their hearts.
When sand devils attack Ulika’s tribe and destroy her home, she travels to fae mountain to ask for help.
When she arrives, she accidentally traps the Wind in a lamp and binds herself to him.
In his fury, he takes her to the hall of the gods to ask the spirits to sever the bond between them.
The spirits aren’t keen to help and decide the binding is a perfect opportunity to teach the Wind a lesson.
He and the mortal girl are bound together until he helps her rid the desert of the sand devils.
Obstacles arise as the two work together, but as time passes, they discover one truth.
Even though a mortal and an immortal don’t belong together, perhaps their love can break all curses.
Read the origins of the first jinn, set in the magical land of Nomadia, where forbidden love has the possibility of changing the future forever.
MY THOUGHTS
I finished this book today. It was a fun, breezy, nicely written romance. It’s the first book in the Arranged Marriages of the Fae series, so I will be continuing to read through them all. I’m starting to become a fan of these themed series written by various authors. Angela has written a book in another series, but I haven’t yet read her installment (soon–hopefully–maybe).
Frost, Winter Guardian and current resident of Boston.
For centuries he’s watched over the winter seasons, feeling the steep toll of being in the world yet not being a part of it, of seeing families spend the holidays together, knowing that he can never do the same. He works alone, and time has made his heart grow callous.
Now, he longs to end his work and move on from this world. But for that, he must find a replacement…
In Concord, New Hampshire, seventeen-year-old Norah dreams of becoming an artist and making a better life for her and her little brother, Tim—one that’s free of their mom’s cruel boyfriend. While working to save up money, her life is suddenly turned upside down when she meets a handsome guy with snowflakes in his hair and frost glittering down his coat sleeves. He offers her his job, saying he’ll train her to become the next Winter Guardian.
This could solve her and Tim’s predicament… But there’s something Frost isn’t telling her—that to quit his job, his life must end—and secrets have a way of spilling into disasters, especially when feelings become involved, and weather demons are set loose. Can Norah break through Frost’s weary, stubborn heart? Especially before winter and Earth come to a destructive end?
MY THOUGHTS
It’s safe to say that I’m a fan of E.E. Rawls. I’ve read and liked two of her other books (Beast of the Night and Portal to Eartha).
I love snow and winter, so the overall concept was appealing to me. I liked Norah and Frost. I’m glad everything worked out nicely in the end. It’s hard to get wordy with books I like (so here’s some shiny stars).
I still have to read everything else by E.E. Rawls (eventually).
Magical meets deadly in this YA fae fantasy where mortals and fae battle viciously for the same land. Shadow & Crystal Thorns is the 2nd book in the Fae and Crystal Thorns series by Kay L. Moody. Be sure to start with book 1, Flame & Crystal Thorns.
War would be easier if she could tell who was right and who was wrong.
Chloe remains in Faerie, but she’s only supposed to stay long enough to defeat the bloodthirsty mortals who are trying to claim the land for themselves. But now she’s not so sure she wants to return to the mortal realm, especially when the devastatingly handsome fae, Quintus, keeps asking her to stay.
Even worse, defeating the mortals becomes more difficult by the day while their numbers continuously grow. She also learns exactly why they want the land. As a mortal herself, it’s hard to disagree with them. But they can’t take Faerie unless they steal it from the fae.
Alliances blur when Chloe realizes both sides deserve what they seek. But only one of them can win.
MY THOUGHTS
Everything you’d expect in Shadow and Crystal Thorns is awaiting your eyeballs between the pages.
Danger. Pining. Unexpected and expected complications. Humans versus fae.
We pick up from where we left off in book one with our duo and watch as the dominos fall and see the ugly that is being committed by the humans who want to destroy all of fae lands (and then some). True to her past work, Moody’s writing is just as well-written and imaginative in this book. Ludo still remains my favorite fae of them all.
She vowed she’d never return to Faerie… But vows were made to be broken.
As a human girl, Chloe is perfectly happy being back in the mortal realm where she belongs. She’s even become the town apothecary. When a fae from her past shows up begging her to return to Faerie, she utterly refuses.
But then she finds out an angry group of mortals are using iron to hold an entire castle full of fae hostage. And of course, the hostages include Chloe’s older sister and her sister’s beloved.
Reluctantly, Chloe packs a bag for what is supposed to be a short trip to Faerie.
But the mortals are more powerful than she expected. To fuel them, they have weapons, flames, and revenge. They won’t stop until they control every court in Faerie.
With the help of a new and mysterious magic and a devastatingly handsome fae companion, Chloe has to save Faerie before her sister and the other fae are killed.
If you like the rich world building of Throne of Glass, the enemies to lovers romance of Once Upon a Broken Heart, and the mythical creatures and twisty plot of The Cruel Prince, then you’ll devour Kay L. Moody’s breathtaking new young adult epic fantasy series.
Flame and Crystal Thorns is the first book in a new YA fae romance series. This is a spin off of The Fae of Bitter Thorn series by Kay L. Moody. It features a few appearances and minor spoilers from The Fae of Bitter Thorn, but it also stands alone as its own series. It can be read without any prior knowledge or reading of The Fae of Bitter Thorn.
~
MY THOUGHTS
I’ll read anything Kay L. Moody writes, so obviously I adore her words, worlds, and characters. Fae books have really grown on me the last few years and I enjoyed her other series The Fae of Bitter Thorn (read those books first), so I looked forward to reading Flame and Crystal Thorns.
As expected, I had a good reading experience. I like the set up of humans being the antagonists and the mysterious illnesses in the human village. I’m specifically, and oddly interested, in learning more about Ludo (he seems cool).
Newly re-released edition of “Kingdom of the New Moon!”
“Remember, Eli. She is the key to your honor.”
Eli, an aquatic, human-like creature, has always called the underwater Tognir Kingdom home—a kingdom subject to the mysterious Eltana, who demands a human sacrifice on each month’s new moon. He’s living the life of his dreams— capturing humans for the new moon sacrifice, commanding Tognir twice his age, and enjoying all the privileges his noble rank of Guardian promises, including the trust and respect of his doting father. But when Eli loses his rank and the bratty King Dominic endangers their entire civilization, his perfect world shatters.
As Eli struggles to come to grips with his dishonor and the disastrous threat looming over the Kingdom, he is called to a secret meeting with the King, who offers him a tantalizing deal to regain his rank. But as he embarks on the King’s dangerous mission, he is forced to confront all he’s ever learned about himself, the Tognir, and the humans they hunt. He must make a choice: Will he reverse the damage the King has wreaked on the Kingdom? Or will he strive for something deeper?
My Thoughts
Now this was something different.
Something so unique and good to the point I set my tablet aside to avoid reading the book in one night. I wanted the story to be longer but I’m sure there will be much more to learn about the Tognir world in the upcoming sequels.
The only thing I wished for was for more interactions between Dom and Millie (she could have been a little more fleshed out). Overall though, the story was enjoyable.
“The Search For Synergy” is the first book in The Talisman Series by author Brett Salter. It follows the exploits of two middle-school boys, Rome Lockheed and Julian Rider, as they transition from normal kids into epic warriors fighting for the existence of the Earth realm. Rome is secretly a fire dragon from the Den of Volcana placed under a spell which hides his true form. Julian is an oddball, up-and-coming knight with a case of the “try-hards”. Together, they perform an ancient pact which bonds their lives and souls forever. Under the tutelage and guidance of an eccentric, local librarian, Mr. Jones, the two learn of an impending invasion from an archaic evil desperate to invade from the other side of The Void.
My Thoughts
The Search for Synergy, book one of The Talisman Series, is sure to be a favorite among MG (Middle Grade) readers–especially those who are interested in modern day dragons and knights. The story was interesting and unique (haven’t read anything similar), but I’m not quite the audience for the series myself (my brother, however, would devour these books).
Bloody Spade Brittany M. Willows September 15th 2021 Goodreads – Amazon
A girl full of heart A thief touched by darkness A boy with a fiery temper An unwitting servant of evil
The era of magic was once thought to be a myth, but after the Reemergence ushered forces both dark and light into the mundane world, it has since become a harsh reality. Now those affected by this strange power—a specialized group of Empowered called Jokers, known collectively as Cardplay—must protect their world from the darkness that threatens to consume it, all the while fighting for equality in a society clinging to normalcy.
But the Reemergence was only the beginning.
When another influx occurs on the seventh anniversary of that fateful event, an unfortunate encounter at ground zero lands Iori Ryone, a teenage boy in possession of a corrupt and legendary magic, in the care of recent Joker graduate Ellen Amelia Jane. From him, she learns the Reemergence may not have been the inevitable natural disaster it first seemed.
Someone is trying to tear down the barrier that separates the magical realms from the mundane. The question is, can Cardplay stop them before it’s too late?
Not going to lie—I was pulled in by the promise of a catboy (and I love him, dearly).
Bloody Spade is easily, so far, my favorite book of 2021. It has everything. Great writing, good rep, interesting characters, and unique/refreshing world building.
It’s one of those books I like so much that I can’t even properly explain or find the words to describe it—other than saying, just read this book.
Sixteen-year-old Luna Redwood was born into a world of conformity and lives a life of scarcity—thanks to a ruling that requires mandatory eye scans to determine social status. But when her mother sells her back to the government, everything tilts on its head.
With nowhere to run, and now the property of the establishment, she’s forced to transfer to a different universe where all her life memories will be lost. Determined to hold onto the only thing she has left—her identity— Luna fights them at every turn.
Now she must learn to navigate a new, seemingly perfect world that hides a dark secret while trying to hide a secret of her own. And if the government finds out what she’s been hiding, she might end up dead.
Her only hope of escape? Putting her trust in a mysterious boy she barely knows. One who, if she’s not careful, may betray her in the end.
Cage of Glass isn’t a bad book. It just didn’t ‘wow’ me or give me any particular strong feelings one way or another.
There were some things that made the story stand out from similar books in its genre. The main character was a little frustrating with some of her obviously disastrous choices but I guess for plot reasons they were necessary.
I didn’t feel any connection to the characters and I’m not very keen on continuing the series.
Indie Fantasy Review 