Book Review: Oberon Academy

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: Oberon Academy – Book One: The Orphan

Author: Wendi L. Wilson

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 252

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Faeries

Sometimes the ones who save us are the ones we need to fear the most.

In a world where dark faeries have stepped in to save the planet from humanity’s mistakes, seventeen-year-old December Thorne is nothing but a shadow. Shunned by her peers, bullied at school, and paid a little too much attention by her sleazy foster father, she lives in constant fear and perpetual solitude.

Until the day everything changes.

Offered a scholarship to the prestigious Oberon Academy, December finds herself living in a whole new world. Boundless food, clean clothes, a safe place to sleep, and the potential for true friendship make her new life seem almost too good to be true—but the school has a secret.

The truth is, Oberon Academy isn’t just a prep school for society’s elite. It’s a training ground for a secret race of magical beings no one knows exists. And they’re preparing for war.

Filled with fear and denial, December has a choice to make. She can either return to her pathetic life with her dangerous foster parents, try to survive on her own, or make Oberon Academy her home and discover the truth about who, and what she really is.

And that truth could save the world.

If you know me by now, through my blog that is, you know I’m a sucker for “Academy” books. There are a bit way too much of it showing up on my Kindle Unlimited “recommended for you” list and the covers all look alike. 😩So I was drawn to this one because the cover looked a tad bit different

I just read it this morning, past midnight for sure…more like, I woke up at 4:30am and couldn’t go back to sleep so I grabbed my Kindle and was done with this by 7am! Haha, then my kids woke up.

It’s a quick read and only 252 pages. What I liked about it? I like that it’s a take on Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare because when I was in middle grade, I was kind of obsessed with this story. King Oberon, Queen Titania and Puck, I love them all! Mind you I thought the word Oberon in the title was just coincidence but when other familiar names started popping up I was like…😯. The Sylphs at Oberon Academy are like the good fairies who like to have fun, and most of them are blond. At that part, I was like, really? 🤔 Whereas the Zephyrs who helped Earth when humans were on the verge of world destruction have black eyes, black hair and black wings. Which December Thorne an enigma.

December, has had a rough childhood, bouncing from one foster home to another. But she gets a chance to escape her current situation when she is accepted into Oberon Academy. She has black hair, blue eyes and she has black wings. From then on it’s the predictable tropes that happen in this genre – popular boy falls for different, new girl, and then she finds she has more powers than anyone else and there is a villain to defeat.

But I eat this stuff up like ice cream. I can’t stop (well I am lactose intolerant now, so I do know I can’t consume ice cream like before 😩) – and the stories in these academy series by indie authors on Kindle Unlimited are usually so short, it’s easy to consume so fast.

I liked December and watching her grow from invisible girl to the girl dating the Oberon heir, hottie faerie Easton. The attraction between them is definitely bordering on New Adult status. Haha…there isn’t any sex though if you are wondering. I also enjoyed seeing her find a best friend in Shaela, because friendship is important. I think all of the characters could use a bit more depth maybe – it seemed too easy that she meets Easton and that’s it. I don’t even think she met another teenage boy at this academy. Not even Easton had friends!

Since this was only book one, I wonder if December will be driven to the dark side of the Zephyrs at all in future books, because that would be interesting! Anyway, this book was light reading, predictable, yes, but I enjoyed it and hopefully it can only get better from here on.

Get it here: Amazon

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Mini Book Reviews: The Culling Trials (Shadowspell Academy) Book Series

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: The Culling Trials (Shadowspell Academy 1-3)

Authors: K.F. Breene & Shannon Mayer

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: Book 1 – 238 ; Book 2 – 242 ; Book 3 – 186

Categories: Young Adult, Adventure, Trials, Magic, Supernatural, Friendship, Cliff Hanger Endings

Book 1 Blurb:

You Don’t Choose The Academy. The Academy Chooses You.

I had no idea how those words would change my life. Or how they’d changed my life already…

Until the day the most dangerous man I’ve ever met waltzed onto my farm and left us a death sentence.

In an invitation.

My younger brother has been chosen for the prestigious, secret magical school hidden within the folds of our mundane world. A place so dangerous, they don’t guarantee you’ll make it out alive.

If he doesn’t go our entire family will be killed.

It’s the same invitation my older brother received three years ago—the same place he mysteriously died.

The academy has already killed one sibling. I’ll be damned if they take another.

I do the only thing an older sister can: chop off my hair, strap on two bras to flatten the girls, and take my brother’s place.

Magic and monsters are real. Assassins are coming for me, and the dead are prone to rise. What’s a girl faking it as a boy supposed to do? That’s right—beat the academy at its own game.

Or die trying.

MY REVIEW

The first book of The Culling Trials we are introduced to Wild. She works on a ranch, looks like a boy and takes her younger brother’s place in The Culling Trials. Of course she doesn’t know anything about supernatural creatures and magic – her parents didn’t tell her about it and she gets thrown into the trials, lacking in knowledge. But she makes up for it with strength, confidence and instincts. I love Wild, she’s badass and doesn’t take b.s. but she’s a nice person too.

In book one she meets other supernaturals, learns about the Houses: Shade, Wonder, Unmentionables, Night, and Claw. The Culling trials is a test to see who will be chosen for each houses.

The book is fast paced, short and ends with a cliff-hanger. It is filled with lots of action. Her unusual team needs to pass each trial for each of the houses. But something isn’t right and it all points to Wild. She’s undercover as a boy to protect her family, and she’s learning she has powers she never knew she had. She seems to be a target, but who is targeting her? Wild needs to find out before something drastic happens. I enjoyed this first book as it sets up us for more action in book two.

Book 2 Blurb:

Being accepted into an elite school of magic, monsters, and assassins was not my idea of higher education. But here I am, fighting my way through the Culling Trials to claim my right to be taught.

As if the gauntlet-type physical and mental tests aren’t enough, people are going missing.

People that are my friends.

In a dangerous world where no one is as they seem, the golden rule is simple: Trust no one. They think we should just look out for ourselves. That we should leave the fallen behind and ask no questions.

They clearly think we’re idiots. I got this far by trusting my instincts, and I’m not going to back down now.

Those kids won’t be left to die.

Not on my watch.

MY REVIEW

The action never ends in this second book! I love Wild’s team, made up of kids with different powers. It’s not usual to have a mix in a team, but Wild is a natural leader and seems to have an affinity for each house. She brings out the strength of each teammate and even if some annoy her, she still manages to get along with them somehow.

There is no real romance in this series yet, there is a hint of something and some flirtation, but that’s all and I’m totally okay with it! I like Wild and her blooming friendship with her teammates. But someone is trying to take her out of the trials. Who can she trust? The trials are getting harder, will her team survive? Also, there are kids going missing, one of them is her goblin teammate and she’s on a mission to figure out what’s happening to them.

This is another fast-paced book in the series. It’s a quick read and so enjoyable. I’m glad the cliffhanger endings don’t leave you waiting for too long between the books. I think the books could’ve been combined to make it a duology instead of a trilogy. On to the next book!

Book 3 Blurb:

The last of the Culling Trials is here. I foolishly thought I’d survived the worst.

My team is falling to pieces around me and my heart is shattered for the losses I’ve endured. But I can’t stop when I’m so close to the end. There are too many people depending on me.

I foolishly thought there wasn’t much more I could lose…until the nature of my bloodline comes to light.

I’m not what I thought I was. Not what anyone thought I was.
But to tell people the truth would be to kill us all.

To fail the trials will mean death, but to succeed might damn me for life.

MY REVIEW

This final book is shorter than the other books but once more we see Wild and her team surviving the worse of the trials. Also, her gender has been revealed and she still hasn’t been kicked out for lying, which is a good thing, right? Wild is such a rule breaker, she’s a fun character and loyal. This last book puts Wild through her toughest trial yet and she’s not about to let anyone die on her watch.

Even thought it’s the last book it left some things open, maybe for another series? I’m still curious about a few things, like the Sandman’s history, the Shadowkiller and Rory. I feel like even though the series came to an end, there is more to cover with those characters and I hope these authors come back and start another series.

This was a super-fun series if you like Academy trope books (I’m a bit addicted to them). It doesn’t have romance, just minor flirtation but so much action and some awesome friendship bonds that I hope we get to experience again soon!

Friday Five: 5 Fantasy/Sci-Fi Book Series – I Read On Kindle Unlimited

I’ve been meaning to do some fun Top 5 or Top 10 list post and sometimes I just don’t have the time! How do you awesome bloggers do it? 😘

So Kindle Unlimited – let’s talk about it. For a monthly subscription you get to read unlimited books in the Kindle library. When I had no kids, I bought books like crazy! When we moved into a small house, I had to donate my books, keeping only a few. When I had kids, and a bigger mortgage – I had to be on a budget! Thank goodness for libraries!

I tried out Kindle Unlimited because of one author, Christi Caldwell. I was looking for new romance authors because it was my favorite genre but I was having a hard time finding ones that appealed to me. I read one of her books and wanted more so I got a subscription. But because it’s a monthly subscription, there were times I was in a reading rut trying to find something good there – and cancelled. I joined again, cancelled and joined again! 😅 Then I tried some of the fantasy ebooks…and I’ve had a steady subscription since. So here are my 5 fantasy/sci fi (mostly fantasy) book series I’ve found on Kindle Unlimited that I’ve enjoyed so far!

The Spoken Mage Series by. Melanie Cellier

This series is pretty good. I enjoyed seeing Elena, the spoken mage, learn, grow and fall in love. My favorite thing though is the friendships she’s made along the way. I’m going to be finishing up the series soon, so hopefully it ends on a good note.

The Tainted Accords Series by. Kelly St. Clare

I read this series last year and really enjoyed it! I was transported to a fascinating fantasy world. Princess Olina has worn a veil over her face since her infancy and watching her transform from a girl with a veil to one without is pretty awesome.

Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles by. Elise Kova

I should feature the Air Awakens series but honestly it’s been four years since I’ve read it. So instead I’ll talk about Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles, the re-entry into Elise Kova’s fantasy world filled with magic and political intrigue. I’ve only read book one, and will get to book two eventually when I get this TBR list down a little. 😅

Vortex Visions (Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles, #1)
Chosen Champion (Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles, #2)
Failed Future (Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles, #3) – Publication Date: July 21, 2019

The Culling Trials by. K.F. Breene & Shannon Mayer

These academy books always get me! I’m serious! Haha – but this series is very addicting. I’m in the middle of book three right now and can’t wait to see how it ends. Sometimes these indie book are so short, they could have mashed these three books to make one book! But I don’t mind the short wait between the books. In this series we have a very strong female character who is surrounded by vampires, necromancer, goblins, magic users and assassins. It’s so fast pace and fun! It’s a wild adventure throughout the whole series. Speaking of “Wild” that’s our character’s nickname and I can see why! Loving this series so far!

Secondborn Series by Amy A. Bartol

I am not a big sci-fi fan. Actually this was the series that got me saying, oh, okay maybe I like sci-fi, maybe… I love Amy A. Bartol’s stories because they are creative even if they go off a bit tangent and wild, there is something about them that is addictive. Secondborn is cool, Traitor Born is my favorite and Rebel Born – though I gave it 4 1/2 stars because the romance part came together the way I wanted and I’m obsessed with Reykin haha, this book goes almost into another dimension diving into sci-fi/mythology/fantasy it made my head spin. It works for some people and others hated. I actually understood what the author was trying to do – but there was a lot of info dump about parallel universes, mind control and then add the mythology…it’s a whirlwind. It would have played out better if we had hints of these things in book one and two for sure! I still love it though. 😬

Have you read any of these books? Are you a Kindle Unlimited subscriber? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Reading! 😘

Happy Book Birthdays! – June 11, 2019

I’ve read already read one of these and looking forward to reading the other books in this post – so happy book birthday to all these new releases! 🥳

Storm and Fury (The Harbinger, #1) by. Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publish Date: June 11, 2019

My Review: Click Here

Links: Goodreads * Amazon

Eighteen-year-old Trinity Marrow may be going blind, but she can see and communicate with ghosts and spirits. Her unique gift is part of a secret so dangerous that she’s been in hiding for years in an isolated compound fiercely guarded by Wardens—gargoyle shape-shifters who protect humankind from demons. If the demons discover the truth about Trinity, they’ll devour her, flesh and bone, to enhance their own powers.

When Wardens from another clan arrive with disturbing reports that something out there is killing both demons and Wardens, Trinity’s safe world implodes. Not the least because one of the outsiders is the most annoying and fascinating person she’s ever met. Zayne has secrets of his own that will upend her world yet again—but working together becomes imperative once demons breach the compound and Trinity’s secret comes to light. To save her family and maybe the world, she’ll have to put her trust in Zayne. But all bets are off as a supernatural war is unleashed…

Rise (Rule, #2) by. Ellen Goodlett

Publish Date: June 11, 2019

Links: Goodreads * Amazon

Sisters Akeylah, Ren, and Zofi are all a step closer to their dying father’s throne, a step closer to the crown that will allow one of them to rule over Kolonya. But the sisters’ pasts continue to haunt them. Each hides a secret marked with blood and betrayal, and now their blackmailer is holding nothing back. When King Andros discovers the sisters’ traitorous pasts, the consequences will shake the entire kingdom to its core.

As Kolonya’s greatest threat stalks closer and closer, weaving a web of fear and deceit around Ren, Zofi, and Akeylah, even the people they love are under suspicion. If the sisters are going to survive, they’ll have to learn to trust each other above all else and work together, not only to save themselves, but to protect everyone and everything they hold dear.

Shadowspell Academy: Culling Trials (Book 3) by. K.F. Breene & Shannon Mayer

Publish Date: June 11, 2019

Links: Goodreads * Amazon

You Don’t Choose The Academy. The Academy Chooses You.

The last of the Culling Trials is here. I foolishly thought I’d survived the worst.

My team is falling to pieces around me and my heart is shattered for the losses I’ve endured. But I can’t stop when I’m so close to the end. There are too many people depending on me.

I foolishly thought there wasn’t much more I could lose…until the nature of my bloodline comes to light.

I’m not what I thought I was. Not what anyone thought I was.
But to tell people the truth would be to kill us all.

To fail the trials will mean death, but to succeed might damn me for life.

Monthly Wrap Up: May 2019

Another month is done! Wow, I can’t we are in June…I’m not ready for the second half of the year. I think I did pretty good this month despite not reading anything before the GoT finale. 😂 Here’s what I read:

Lady Smoke by. Laura Sebastian – ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Pretty Reckless by. L. J. Shen – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Living God by. Kaytalin Platt – ⭐️⭐️

The Bluestocking by. Christi Caldwell – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Storm And Fury by. Jennifer L. Armentrout – ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

What The Woods Keep by. Katya De Becerra – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Four Dead Queens by. Astrid Scholte – ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Some Like it Scandalous by. Maya Rodale – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rebel Born by. Amy A. Bartol – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Broken Trust by. Jaymin Eve & Tate James – ⭐️⭐️

Kingdom of Exiles by. Maxym M. Martineau – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Memory Thief by. Lauren Mansy – ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Brazen and the Beast by. Sarah MacLean – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Supernatural Academy: Year One by. Jaymin Eve – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Children’s Books:

I did manage to review some Children’s Books – I read so many of these to my kids, I haven’t been able to keep up with reviewing them. I will probably be moving all my Children’s book reviews to a new blog to keep things separate. Stay tuned with that!

Stinky Science by. Edward Kay – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Boy From The Dragon Palace by. Margaret Read MacDonald – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bye Bye Big! by. Margaret Read MacDonald – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Look Inside Space by. Rob Lloyd Jones – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Llama Llama Mess, Mess, Mess by. Anna Dewdney – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m caught up on my NetGalley reads, just waiting to get approved for a few books. Since I’ll be waiting on that, I can catch up on the hardcover books I have waiting on my shelf and books I borrowed online as well. 😄 There are a few books I am really looking forward to reading in June. 🤗

Happy reading everyone! And hello June…😘

Book Review: Supernatural Academy – Year One

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: Jaymin Eve

Format: eBook

Pages: 403

Categories: Academy, New Adult, Urban Fantasy, Magic, Sexual Themes

Book Blurb:

Maddison James is about to discover some truths about the world. Firstly … supernaturals exist. WTF? Secondly … she is one, even though no one seems to know exactly what kind. Double WTF. Thirdly … she’s about to go back to school. Well, things just got a little more interesting. The Supernatural Academy is where shifters, vampires, magic users, and fey are educated. Where they are taught about their abilities, and how to function in the human world. Maddison already has the human part down, but this supernatural thing is an entirely new dangerous game. Example one: mean girls who can actually turn you into a frog. Example two: Asher Locke, a god at the Academy. Not literally … well, who knows for sure. He certainly acts the part, as do all of his minions who worship him. Asher drives her crazy, because apparently gorgeous and arrogant is her thing. Sparks fly between them, and the more they’re thrown together, the more Asher is determined to figure out what’s been blocking her abilities.Until the moment the truth is revealed, and they find out nothing in this supernatural world is what they thought. Including each other.

MY REVIEW

I don’t know why I have an addiction to these “academy” books but I think my addiction may be tapering off. 🤷🏻‍♀️😅 These academy titles have been flooding my Kindle Unlimited recommendations lists, which sort of bugs me because I want to see what else is available to read outside of what they recommend. But here we go, another academy book…

I do enjoy reading about supernatural beings all in one school, learning about their abilities and getting along with each other. It just makes the whole typical school story so much more extra. This is a new adult urban fantasy with sex scenes so it definitely gets hot and steamy.

Maddison James had been living among humans all her life, thinking she was human until she finds out she’s not. Other supernaturals can’t quite figure out what she is though, but she is very powerful and has an affinity for water. Being at the academy has given her a new life with structure and friends, something she didn’t have growing up. She learns about the origins of supernaturals and the lost kingdom of Atlantis. I really like Maddi, she’s fun, spunky and knows herself. She embraces her uniqueness and can stand up for herself against the mean girls. Maddi also got herself some cool new friends in Ilia and Larissa.

The lore of Atlantis has always been fascinating to me and I thought this book did a fun take on it. There are five very hot guys at the academy and they are nicknamed the Atlantean Five. Of course she is drawn to the hottest guy of the group, Asher Locke, and he to her. I was afraid this was going to be a reverse harem book and I’m not so much into that, so I’m glad it wasn’t. Also it’s not a bully romance, hooray for me, I had way enough of that last one so it kind of turned me off.

As you see in the blurb there is a lot of WTF’s and cursing going on in the book so if you don’t like cursing, this book isn’t for you. There was action, humor, and romance which was a nice balance and made it a quick read. I will be reading the next book because I need to find out what Maddi is exactly and if the bad guys are really bad. See, I’m already looking forward to the next book, why are these academy books so addicting? 😂 WTF. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Get it here: Amazon

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Book Review: Pretty Reckless (All Saints High, #1)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Author: L.J. Shen

Format: E-book

Pages: 338

Categories: Bully Romance, Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Revenge, New Adult

Book Blurb:

Penn

They say revenge is a dish best served cold.
I’d had four years to stew on what Daria Followhill did to me, and now my heart was completely iced.
I took her first kiss.
She took the only thing I loved.
I was poor.
She was rich.
The good thing about circumstances? They can change. Fast.
Now, I’m her parents’ latest shiny project.
Her housemate. Her tormentor. The captain of the rival football team she hates so much.
Yeah, baby girl, say it—I’m your foster brother.
There’s a price to pay for ruining the only good thing in my life, and she’s about to shell out some serious tears.
Daria Followhill thinks she is THE queen. I’m about to prove to her that she’s nothing but a spoiled princess.

Daria

Everyone loves a good old unapologetic punk.
But being a bitch? Oh, you get slammed for every snarky comment, cynical eye roll, and foot you put in your adversaries’ way.
The thing about stiletto heels is that they make a hell of a dent when you walk all over the people who try to hurt you.
In Penn Scully’s case, I pierced his heart until he bled out, then left it in a trash can on a bright summer day.
Four years ago, he asked me to save all my firsts for him.
Now he lives across the hall, and I want nothing more than to be his last everything.
His parting words when he gave me his heart were that nothing in this world is free.
Now? Now he is making me pay.

MY REVIEW

I have read only a few books by L.J. Shen and each time I am left saying “whoa, what did I just read?”. Same goes for this book, but maybe even more so. I read her books because I know it will be intense, hot, full of drama, and out of the realm of what I read on a weekly basis. Sometimes I just need a book to break up the monotony of reading the same thing over and over – to cleanse my palate, so to speak. This book did just that.

I can’t say it’s my favorite book from this author. I did keep reading well into the night after 2 a.m., so I can undoubtedly say it is riveting. But I had to process this book afterwards for a bit.

Where do I start? I didn’t read all the Sinners of Saint series, so I don’t know Jamie and Melody’s story just that it was a teacher/student affair but that whole trope is just not my thing.

Daria Followhill is Jamie and Melody’s daughter. She’s a mean girl, a Queen B, and though I didn’t like her I did feel for her because she was crying out for attention and approval. Daria carefully constructs her outside persona to hide what’s goin on the inside. She believes she is unloved and worthless which makes her become an ugly person towards others. So she doesn’t start off as an unlikable person, she has her moments of thoughtfulness but then it’s drowned in jealousy and pain. Penn Scully, is the boy from the other side of the tracks but he’s a survivor despite his circumstances. Penn and Daria make a mistake as kids – Penn did it unknowingly, but Daria was all in on what was happening. The consequences of that mistake come back to haunt them horribly.

This is set in high school, so cue the angst, lots of cursing, sex and drama. There is plenty of it! I like Daria and Penn’s verbal sparring but sometimes she can stoop to being so petty. And Daria has this thing going on with the school Principal 👀 which made me feel yucky, even if the rumors swirling weren’t true. It came close. Daria’s pain and the depths she thought she needed to sink to atone for her sins just made me want to look away. Not even her romance with Penn, which is dysfunctional in itself, could make me feel happy about this story.

I like how Daria’s character develops and when she is at the end of her rope, on the verge of being exposed – thank goodness she finally opens up. Daria needed help. I was mad at her parents, I was mad at Daria, the principal and Via. It was so frustrating. The strained mother/daughter relationship was written well also. It’s so real. Penn’s journey is fairly predictable. He’s the alpha male, he’s poor, falls for the rich girl (in this case, the alpha girl) and he comes out okay. I felt like this story was mostly about Daria and I’m so glad she got some chance to heal at the end.

L.J. Shen is good at what she writes – she pushes the angst, sex, boundaries and her characters are flawed to perfection. They are human. This book was intense and if you like bully romances with an alpha male and an alpha female – then this is definitely a book to pick up. It was just a bit too much for me with the whole punishment thing but still a good story. Now I’m ready for that Followhill family therapy session, because they so need it!😩😅

Book Review: Voice of Dominion (The Spoken Mage 3)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Author: Melanie Cellier

Format: E-book

Pages: 316

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic

Book Blurb:

Elena may be the only Spoken Mage in history, but she struggles with limitations. Unable to stockpile written workings as her mageborn year mates do, she runs the constant risk of burning out. But when the Armed Forces draw the third years to the front lines of their war, Elena’s strength and flexibility may be necessary to keep them all alive.

As Elena wrestles with how much she will sacrifice for the war, Lucas must decide how much he’s willing to sacrifice for her. Faced with a greater threat than even they realize, Elena and Lucas must work together and either fight or be consumed by their enemies.

MY REVIEW

Elena is a Spoken Mage, whereas other mages write a composition of magic on paper and then tear it up in order for the magic to happen, all she needs to do is speak the words. In the first two books Elena is at an academy learning how to harness and expand her powers. Their kingdom, Ardann has been at war with neighboring kingdom, Kallorway. This time Elena and her classmates are sent to the front lines to observe the battle but gets caught in some skirmishes.

One reason I like this series is how the magic is created with the written compositions. It’s different! It would definitely be easier to speak out a command than spend time composing it but the author shows how writing could be beneficial in certain aspects as well.

There was a lot more action in this book now that they are at the front lines. Elena’s best friends are with her and still awesome. I’m glad she has good people around her. The romance has been a clean slow burn throughout three books now. It’s a back and forth thing between Prince Lucas and Elena. But I just wish they would just stay together. The twist in the ending, made me pause hard. It threw me off and made me wonder why that needed to take place. I’m not sure that I like it. I guess we will see how it works out in the next book – but it definitely surprised me!

All the books in this series are quick, easy, fun reads – this one wasn’t my favorite though.

What I’m Reading:

What a week! Did you have a good week? I know it’s a holiday weekend but I’m exhausted. I hosted an early Easter Egg hunt at my house this past Sunday and I don’t know if I have recovered yet. To top it all off, I’m trying to keep on reading! I have The Priory of the Orange Tree, by Samantha Shannon as my priority right now to finish because I have to return that to the library next week. It’s been slow going on that one, but I am determined. I actually read two awesome books from NetGalley, but I can’t post my reviews yet until nearer to their publication dates.

But here are the titles I’ve picked up to read next…

These are some E-books I’ve borrowed through Amazon Kindle Unlimited:

And from NetGalley I have these:

I’m finally on Edelweiss Plus! I’m working on getting approved for Arcs there. So I just got this one…

And I just got a notification on my Overdrive online library that I have this book ready to read:

What are you reading right now? What’s next on your TBR list? I hope all of you have a nice weekend and to those who celebrate Passover, Happy Passover (we do) and those who celebrate Easter, Happy Easter (we do as well haha). Happy Reading! 😘

Overdrive and Kindle App

I love to read physical books and ebooks, it doesn’t matter as long as I can get my hands on a story! I still love the weight and smell of a physical book but when I’m reading at night (which is 90% of the time), I use my Kindle app on my iPad. I also have a Nook app and and an iBooks app. I have books on all of them but because my Hawaii State Library card is linked up to Overdrive and their online selection, I read those ebooks through my Kindle app. It’s so convenient! I haven’t quite gotten into Audiobooks though – someone reading to me always puts me to sleep. It’s too relaxing.

I also subscribe to Kindle Unlimited mostly because I’m impatient. I’ve cancelled a few times and keep coming back! 🤷🏻‍♀️ I put books on hold at the library, but sometimes it just takes awhile for me to get my hands on them. I’d love to buy more books but I have a budget (kids needs are priority!). At first I was wary about the books on Kindle Unlimited. I just wasn’t familiar with the authors and wondered why some novels were so short and some genres I stumbled into like Romance with a dash or lump of Reverse Harem in it. Ha! Much to my surprise! It’s been a learning experience and quite an adventure. I’m enjoying finding new authors! And it gives me a reprieve when I’m waiting on those much anticipated best seller novels that can take a year to be published. What’s a book addict to do? 😔

Anyway here’s a screenshot of my Kindle App listings as of today. I just finished The Hidden Witch and so I am going to either tackle The Queen’s Rising (I admit I tried a few months back and had to put it aside), or Archenemies (I feel like I need to read Book 1 again though) – so I guess my first review will be The Hidden Witch! Stay tuned…😊