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brooksie03051's reviews
303 reviews
Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Empress of Fae by Briar Boleyn
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Empress of Fae (Blood of a Fae #3) by Briar Boleyn
Book 3 in this addictive fantasy King Arthur retelling continues a gripping adventure embued with powerful magic, hidden identities, forbidden love, and epic battles. It follows Morgan Pendragon, a complex heroine on a mission to not only control her power to navigate her destiny but also help stop her brother the King of Camelot from making grave mistakes with his reign. King Arthur has Excaliber and she needs to ensure her little brother and friends are safe, but also battle with her own heart over the fae prince who stole her heart.
"You're all I think about. You're all I see. I'm so tied to you, I barely know who I am anymore."
Morgan runs from her bonded mate, her husband Prince Kairos Draven back to Camelot to try and save the citizens and her youngest brother before King Arthur does any more damage. Merlin finds a safe way to get Morgan back into the castle without the king suspecting her of treason, but Arthur isn't the only dangerous man in the court now. Morgan plays a dangerous game and many eyes are on her. She is known as a Pendragon, but her real last name is Le Fay and with a new title she didn't want as the new ruler of the fierce Siabra fae. Draven will not let his mate go. He promised to help her take back her kingdom before King Arthur destroys it and everyone in it. He takes a trusted crew with him to aide her at Camelot, but time is short as Arthur finds creative ways to test Excaliber and everyone is in danger.
"Beware the dread curse of three. The sword, the spear, the grails mystery. Blood calls to blood, the dark shall rise. Forged by the gods under sacred skies".
Morgan and Draven's love story is spicy and irresistible. The villains are wicked, cruel, and uncaring. The magic is tenacious and powerful. I couldn't put this book down.
I am grateful for the opportunity to read this fantastic ARC through NetGalley and the author for my review and honest opinion.
Court of Claws by Briar Boleyn
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Blood of a Fae #2 by Briar Boleyn (ARC from NetGalley)
An explosion of danger, powerful magic, lust, and a brutal game that will test the relationships of the people Morgan has grown to care for in this cutthroat realm.
Court of Claws is the second book in this epic dark fantasy romance series about Morgan Le Fay, King Arthur's sister. She escaped his cruel reign, but is the court she unwillingly thrown into any better? It's an enemies-to-lovers series that features unique magic systems, glorious magical creatures, witty banter, and spicy scenes emerging after a slow-burn romance from book one.
Morgan Pendragon wakes in the dangerous court of the Siabra. The fae male who followed and clung to her in the town tavern wasn't all that he seemed. She was falling in love with him until he betrayed her and is now dead by her hand. Draven is famous for being a notorious killer but continuously protects her making her rethink what she thought she knew of him. Whenever she was put in danger, Draven was at her side, but can he still protect her in his courts?
She is now surrounded by danger and liars with some in his court and could be killed at any moment. This is extremely similar to her previous life but . Feeling trapped against her will, Morgan wants to run back to Camelot to stop her evil half brother King Arthur, and keep her baby brother safe but cannot leave the place she was taken. Prince Kairos Draven is determined to keep her by his side to keep her safe and her as his own. He believes he can do this because he is the crown prince and the people in his kingdom should obey his commands. The issue is he was banished for things he did in his past and the fae in this court are less than thrilled to have Morgan in their realm and involved with their prince. He told everyone that Morgan was his paramour (aka lover, mistress, whore) to keep her safe, but his word may not deter others who are bloodthirsty for the crown that is Dravin's right as the heir.
As Morgan and Draven's lives become even more irrevocably entwined, the danger that Draven has to endure with the trials to win the crown may be the end of them both. It is dangerous, and little does Morgan know the reality of her relationship with Draven could drive them apart. She is afraid of her powers and he wants her to train so she can control it better. If she cannot do that, she can potentially hurt innocent people. The Prince of Claws will drown kingdoms in blood for her and his own sake. All they need to do is keep each other alive.
The first book slowly introduces this world and sets up this story to continue Morgan and Draven's journey. It has more action, enemies to lovers, dangerous situations, fantastic magical beasts, and steps up the story. I enjoyed this book infinitely more than the first and found it hard to put down.
An explosion of danger, powerful magic, lust, and a brutal game that will test the relationships of the people Morgan has grown to care for in this cutthroat realm.
Court of Claws is the second book in this epic dark fantasy romance series about Morgan Le Fay, King Arthur's sister. She escaped his cruel reign, but is the court she unwillingly thrown into any better? It's an enemies-to-lovers series that features unique magic systems, glorious magical creatures, witty banter, and spicy scenes emerging after a slow-burn romance from book one.
Morgan Pendragon wakes in the dangerous court of the Siabra. The fae male who followed and clung to her in the town tavern wasn't all that he seemed. She was falling in love with him until he betrayed her and is now dead by her hand. Draven is famous for being a notorious killer but continuously protects her making her rethink what she thought she knew of him. Whenever she was put in danger, Draven was at her side, but can he still protect her in his courts?
She is now surrounded by danger and liars with some in his court and could be killed at any moment. This is extremely similar to her previous life but . Feeling trapped against her will, Morgan wants to run back to Camelot to stop her evil half brother King Arthur, and keep her baby brother safe but cannot leave the place she was taken. Prince Kairos Draven is determined to keep her by his side to keep her safe and her as his own. He believes he can do this because he is the crown prince and the people in his kingdom should obey his commands. The issue is he was banished for things he did in his past and the fae in this court are less than thrilled to have Morgan in their realm and involved with their prince. He told everyone that Morgan was his paramour (aka lover, mistress, whore) to keep her safe, but his word may not deter others who are bloodthirsty for the crown that is Dravin's right as the heir.
As Morgan and Draven's lives become even more irrevocably entwined, the danger that Draven has to endure with the trials to win the crown may be the end of them both. It is dangerous, and little does Morgan know the reality of her relationship with Draven could drive them apart. She is afraid of her powers and he wants her to train so she can control it better. If she cannot do that, she can potentially hurt innocent people. The Prince of Claws will drown kingdoms in blood for her and his own sake. All they need to do is keep each other alive.
The first book slowly introduces this world and sets up this story to continue Morgan and Draven's journey. It has more action, enemies to lovers, dangerous situations, fantastic magical beasts, and steps up the story. I enjoyed this book infinitely more than the first and found it hard to put down.
Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn
This is book one in a dark, fae re-telling of the well-known Arthurian legend in the search for Excalibur but Arthur plays a bitter and cruel villain and Morgan is the innocent one.
Plot:
Book one follows the journey of Morgan, who is the eldest of the Pendragon children and should have been queen once her father died, but she was disinherited in favor of her half-brother, Arthur, due to her tainted fae blood because her mother was fae. She suffers abuse by those in the kingdom who should protect her and her brother King Arthur does nothing to shelter her from it. He sends her on a dangerous campaign to find Excalibur, a weapon that has eluded many who have tried to find it over the centuries. Morgan is accompanied by two very dangerous guards on this quest and her brother doesn't care what they do to her as long as they accomplish the task. Kairos Draven and Ragnar Whitehorn, have bad reputations and she is not sure they have orders from King Arthur to return to Camelot with her after it is found.
Characters:
Morgan is extremely naive throughout the story and although had training to fight, did little to stop her abusers. Once they were on the quest, however, she experienced growth in confidence and strength and began to fight back with those who meant her harm. Draven is a handsome rugged "take no BS" kind of man. As hard as he is, he doesn't like to see people suffer and tries to keep Morgan safe and over the time they spend together she sees a different side of him than what she thought she knew. These two had some fun banter together and meshed well as main characters. I was shipping them to be more as they spent more time together.
Merlin, Lancelet, and Galahad are her friends and they all care for each other. They are all women too which is a nice little twist. Rather than them being pro-Arthur, they are pro-Morgan. She is the one suffering and being the punching bag for being a half-breed and never giving them reason to not trust her.
Worldbuilding:
This world was more interesting with the addition of fae and included some fantasy animals as well. It took a bit for the story to build up, so if you hang in there, it gets more action. I assume as the books continue that will keep happening since the first book sets up the scene.
Overall Thoughts:
In the first few chapters, I was getting used to what was happening since there were some changes in the well-known characters and I needed to get used to that storyline. Then the chapters stalled out a bit taking time to build what was going on, how she was as a character and how she was treated. It was very different from what I knew of this legendary tale. Once Morgan got out onto the road and their journey got going, things started to pick up and she started to stick up for herself. The characters are great and I have high hopes that they will continue to grow and the realm with new exciting additions. The book ended on a cliffhanger and will be interesting to see how it plays out.
Thank you to the publisher and author for the NetGalley ARC of this book to read and give an honest review.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn
This is book one in a dark, fae re-telling of the well-known Arthurian legend in the search for Excalibur but Arthur plays a bitter and cruel villain and Morgan is the innocent one.
Plot:
Book one follows the journey of Morgan, who is the eldest of the Pendragon children and should have been queen once her father died, but she was disinherited in favor of her half-brother, Arthur, due to her tainted fae blood because her mother was fae. She suffers abuse by those in the kingdom who should protect her and her brother King Arthur does nothing to shelter her from it. He sends her on a dangerous campaign to find Excalibur, a weapon that has eluded many who have tried to find it over the centuries. Morgan is accompanied by two very dangerous guards on this quest and her brother doesn't care what they do to her as long as they accomplish the task. Kairos Draven and Ragnar Whitehorn, have bad reputations and she is not sure they have orders from King Arthur to return to Camelot with her after it is found.
Characters:
Morgan is extremely naive throughout the story and although had training to fight, did little to stop her abusers. Once they were on the quest, however, she experienced growth in confidence and strength and began to fight back with those who meant her harm. Draven is a handsome rugged "take no BS" kind of man. As hard as he is, he doesn't like to see people suffer and tries to keep Morgan safe and over the time they spend together she sees a different side of him than what she thought she knew. These two had some fun banter together and meshed well as main characters. I was shipping them to be more as they spent more time together.
Merlin, Lancelet, and Galahad are her friends and they all care for each other. They are all women too which is a nice little twist. Rather than them being pro-Arthur, they are pro-Morgan. She is the one suffering and being the punching bag for being a half-breed and never giving them reason to not trust her.
Worldbuilding:
This world was more interesting with the addition of fae and included some fantasy animals as well. It took a bit for the story to build up, so if you hang in there, it gets more action. I assume as the books continue that will keep happening since the first book sets up the scene.
Overall Thoughts:
In the first few chapters, I was getting used to what was happening since there were some changes in the well-known characters and I needed to get used to that storyline. Then the chapters stalled out a bit taking time to build what was going on, how she was as a character and how she was treated. It was very different from what I knew of this legendary tale. Once Morgan got out onto the road and their journey got going, things started to pick up and she started to stick up for herself. The characters are great and I have high hopes that they will continue to grow and the realm with new exciting additions. The book ended on a cliffhanger and will be interesting to see how it plays out.
Thank you to the publisher and author for the NetGalley ARC of this book to read and give an honest review.
Lives Entwined in Kind: Tucked Away by Mel Parrish, Mel Parrish
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A colorful,cozy fantasy about a man known to be cruel, uncaring, and remote who suddenly changes when he discovers his long lost brother’s daughter is an orphan and brought to him to raise as her grandmother isn’t long for this world. Although he hadn’t a relationship with any of his family in many years being unaware his brother ever married never mind had a child, he takes her in . His cold heart warms instantly when taking her in and changes significantly after her arrival. This is a slow and steady story of magic, mystical creatures, and a young woman who melted her uncles otherwise cold heart.
A Queen This Fierce and Deadly by Stacia Stark
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A Queen This Fierce & Deadly is the 4th and final book in the Kingdom of Lies series by Stacia Stark.
I highly recommend this book series for fans of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.
I found this entire series quick to read and page-turners. This magical world has an expansive cast of characters from humans, fae, and mystical creatures, with some incredible gifts used to aid and at times hinder their journey to rid an evil king of his torment in the realm. No one is safe from his greed and wrath and he must be stopped at all costs.
The plot was strong and ever-changing with new developments as the books progressed and a large cast of characters who all served a purpose. Many struggles needed to be overcome, and these families and friends were pushed to find a way to work together to use their strength to survive and save what was left of their people. Some willingly, others not so much. I laughed, cried, was mad, and excited. The spice was spicing but it didn't take away from the story. The love these characters have for one another is strong and primal. They would do anything to keep the ones they love safe and their love of the people in their realm.
I absolutely loved this series and hope others find it as bingeable as I did.
Thank you to Stacia Stark for a free Advanced Reader Copy of this book I voluntarily read for an honest review.
I highly recommend this book series for fans of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.
I found this entire series quick to read and page-turners. This magical world has an expansive cast of characters from humans, fae, and mystical creatures, with some incredible gifts used to aid and at times hinder their journey to rid an evil king of his torment in the realm. No one is safe from his greed and wrath and he must be stopped at all costs.
The plot was strong and ever-changing with new developments as the books progressed and a large cast of characters who all served a purpose. Many struggles needed to be overcome, and these families and friends were pushed to find a way to work together to use their strength to survive and save what was left of their people. Some willingly, others not so much. I laughed, cried, was mad, and excited. The spice was spicing but it didn't take away from the story. The love these characters have for one another is strong and primal. They would do anything to keep the ones they love safe and their love of the people in their realm.
I absolutely loved this series and hope others find it as bingeable as I did.
Thank you to Stacia Stark for a free Advanced Reader Copy of this book I voluntarily read for an honest review.
Scarred Beauty by Jennifer Silverwood
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I received an eARC for a honest review. This loosely based Beauty and the Beast retelling is book two of a trilogy. I originally thought this was a series not yet released which would make the errors within the book understandable. I expect mistakes before a final edit so I don’t judge that when I notice them.
This trilogy however seems to be currently available on kindle which would tell me it’s complete. I’m not sure who the author used to review edits, but it does need to be reviewed again to fix a few issues. It has missing words to complete a sentence correctly, misspelling, duplicate words etc.
With that said, the idea of the book is really interesting and has great potential if a publisher picked it up and had an editor clean it up and maybe add a few things in there. Beauty has powers and is considered a witch who is an outcast in her village. She has siblings where as the Disney type versions do not. There is a curse on the land but if affects more than the people in the castle and it’s darker than the tale as old as time that I grew up with. If a publisher picked it up I would read it again to see what they did with it because I did like the twists the author took with the story.
This trilogy however seems to be currently available on kindle which would tell me it’s complete. I’m not sure who the author used to review edits, but it does need to be reviewed again to fix a few issues. It has missing words to complete a sentence correctly, misspelling, duplicate words etc.
With that said, the idea of the book is really interesting and has great potential if a publisher picked it up and had an editor clean it up and maybe add a few things in there. Beauty has powers and is considered a witch who is an outcast in her village. She has siblings where as the Disney type versions do not. There is a curse on the land but if affects more than the people in the castle and it’s darker than the tale as old as time that I grew up with. If a publisher picked it up I would read it again to see what they did with it because I did like the twists the author took with the story.
The House of Whispers by C. Hebert
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
If you are looking for a fantasy story with a happily ever after ending, you will not get it from this book. It’s a dark, and bloody Jack the Ripper meets Jekyll and Hyde with a dash of spice.
A Fate Inked In Blood by Danielle L. Jensen
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A primitive fantasy of fate, desire and magic gifted from the gods leaving a cliffhanger making you immediately wish for the next to continue this raw story of savage men that will do anything to rule over all.
“You’ve never been alone. I will be at your back until I cross the threshold to Valhalla Born In Fire, whether you want me there or not.”
Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I won’t break this down like a regular review because this is the 5th book in the series and quite frankly I’m too lazy to do it at the moment.
What I will note is I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with this older series. I enjoyed the author’s more recent series and since I’m impatiently waiting for the next books in those, I decided to read one she did that was complete. I’m glad I did because it has all the things I like. A little mystery, humor, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, action, romance, etc.
The ending of this book just about broke me. If you love fantasy romance with action, read this series. Just know the romance is a very slow burn and not as spicy as other fantasy romance books, but the love story is sublime.
What I will note is I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with this older series. I enjoyed the author’s more recent series and since I’m impatiently waiting for the next books in those, I decided to read one she did that was complete. I’m glad I did because it has all the things I like. A little mystery, humor, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, action, romance, etc.
The ending of this book just about broke me. If you love fantasy romance with action, read this series. Just know the romance is a very slow burn and not as spicy as other fantasy romance books, but the love story is sublime.