Month: November 2019

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The Queen of Nothing

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

the queen of nothing by holly black
Buy it on Amazon

Author: Holly Black

Series: The Folk of the Air, #3

Published: November 19, 2019

ISBN: 0316310409

**If you would like to purchase this book please consider helping me as a blogger by using my link above or at the bottom of the post, at no additional cost to you**

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.

Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.

And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity

My Mini Review:

“That’s what mortal means…Think of us like shooting stars, brief but bright.” ~Jude

What a satisfying ending to a magical series. Holly Black has woven a tale full of intrigue, court scheming, and assassins, with just the right amount of romance sprinkled in. I found myself constantly torn between wanting to savor every page, and wanting to know what happened next. In the end the latter won, and I finished the book in two days.

“Maybe it isn’t the worst thing to want to be loved, even if you’re not. Even if it hurts. Maybe being human isn’t always being weak.” ~Jude

This story was really about Jude, a girl who became one of my all time favorite female characters. In the beginning of this series, Jude was just a girl who wished to be a knight, but we saw her evolve into something much greater than that. Through her we learned what it means to be human in a world full of immortals. Jude constantly toed the line between doing what’s right and doing what’s necessary, and she was able to remain level-headed and strong throughout. I greatly admired her ambition, and her willingness to give up everything to attain her dreams.

“How do people like us take off our armor? One piece at a time.” ~Jude

Cardan was the Cruel Prince, and then he was the Wicked King, but through his story Black taught us that family sometimes means more than sharing the same blood. He taught us that being a leader is sometimes more than wearing a crown on your head.

Some of my favorite side characters included Madoc, Jude’s father who passed on his ambition, and Oak, Jude’s little brother who never wished to become king. As always, I really enjoyed the small graphics and drawings throughout the book, as well as the covers for the whole trilogy. I recommend this series to all Fantasy fans, and fans of this trilogy need to read it NOW.

Let me know in the comments what you thought about The Queen of Nothing!

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Serpent and Dove

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

serpent and dove by shelby mahurin
Serpent and Dove

Author: Shelby Mahurin

Published: September 3, 2019

Publisher: HarperTeen

Series: Serpent and Dove, #1

**Please consider using my link if you are going to buy this book and support a fellow blogger**

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

My review:

In her deeply captivating debut novel, Mahurin explores themes such as parental abandonment, survival, and religious zealotry. Having failed to read the synopsis or any information about this book before I began listening to a sample of the audio, I received two happy surprises right away. The first one was that one of my favorite narrators, Holter Graham, is the voice of Reid. The second was that this story includes the “enemies to lovers” trope, one of my favorites, and in this one the characters are actually forced to marry each other.

I started listening to a sample of the audio book and it was over way too soon. Naturally, I ended up spending one of my audible credits on the full book right away. Therein ensued a battle between having to live my life and absolutely having to listen to the book at all times. The plot was fast paced and engrossing. The magic system was fascinating, and I enjoyed the clash between the witches and the Church. The romance aspect of the story was not rushed, and the slow build-up filled me with anticipation.

Lou quickly moved up to the top of the list of my favorite heroines. I found her to be a strong and compelling main character. Reid’s efforts to keep Lou contained were very endearing. He soon figured out that there is not “handling” or “controlling” Lou, she was an unstoppable force of nature. He lovingly called her a “heathen” in his head. I did admire his stubbornness which sometimes bordered on pigheadedness, and his knack for being loyal to a fault. Coco and Ansel were my favorite side characters. Both of them fierce and loyal companions to our main characters.

Serpent and Dove is a 2019 Goodreads choice nominee. The next book in the series, Blood and Honey, is set to be published August 31, 2020. I honestly cannot wait to see how Mahurin ties the loose ends she left at the end of Serpent and Dove, and I also wish for more background and scenes including Ansel and Coco. I recommend this book to all YA/ Fantasy fans who love a good mix of magic and romance.

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WWW Wednesday

Dee’s Reading Tree

This is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where you answer three questions: What are you reading now? What did you just read? What will you be reading next?

What I just read:

Ivory (The Manhattan Ten, #1) by Lola Dodge
My Bookstagram

I’ve been trying to read more ARCs lately, and I’m proud to say I just read two: The Monsters of Music by Rebecca F. Kenney, and Ivory (The Manhattan Ten, #1) by Lola Dodge. The first one I was contacted by the author, and I reviewed on Booksprout as well as here on the blog. By the way, I had no idea Booksprout existed, it’s another website like Netgalley where you can sign up to borrow ARCs. The second one, Ivory, I picked on Netgalley. It is an older book that the author is re-publishing. When she first published it (back in 2013), it was the second book in the series, now it’s the first. In my opinion, the covers look much nicer for this set of books than the old books. Both of these were four star reads for me.

What I’m reading now:

Picture from Goodreads

I’m currently listening to and audio book of Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin, which I’m really enjoying despite the mixed reviews on it. I should really try not reading the synopsis on books I plan to read more often. The fact that Lou is forced to marry Reid really caught me by surprise. I’m also reading Supernova (Renegades, #3) by Marissa Meyer, which was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I’m glad that it starts with a lot of action, and it’s not a slow-starter like the other books in the series.

What I plan to read next:

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black
Picture from Goodreads

I plan on reading a few more ARCs before the month is done. I also plan to read The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3) by Holly Black, which releases November 19th, and I have already pre-ordered. I can’t wait for this one! I was so frustrated with the ending of the last book.

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Ivory

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Ivory by Lola Dodge
Ivory by Lola Dodge

Author: Lola Dodge

Series: Manhattan Ten, #1

Published: October 22, 2019

**If you want to buy this book, please consider using my link and supporting a fellow blogger**

Synopsis from Goodreads:

If Ivory’s fellow flight attendants whisper that she has ice in her veins, they’d be right. She’s spent years ruthlessly suppressing her dangerous ice powers, pretending she didn’t grow up wild on the tundra.

Her legendary coolness has held solid—until a crazed attacker snaps her composure, unleashing her ice beast and blowing her cover. And she’s not sure if the man who defuses the situation is any less dangerous.

When Panther’s trans-Atlantic catnap is interrupted by Ivory’s ice spear through his mark’s gut, he doesn’t hesitate to claim her as one of the Manhattan Ten. It’s the only way to shield her from prosecution. It doesn’t hurt that the Nordic beauty puts his inner cat on the prowl.

Panther tempts Ivory in every smoldering way, but to let him melt her resistance is a risk she can’t afford. But when her past rises up to claim her, Pan is caught in the crossfire…and the only way to save him is to let the beast claim her, body and soul.

Disclaimer: I was given a free review copy of this book via Netgalley and INscribe Digital, the Publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

My Mini Review:

This story was fast paced and to the point like a novella should be, but without leaving any major plot holes. I enjoyed the introduction to this group of “Supers” who have familiar super powers such as mind reading, shifting, and ice, but yet their story is told in a new and futuristic setting. I loved the modern take on Super heroes, as well as the adult romantic aspect of it. I enjoyed the chemistry and slow building romance between Ivory and Jag. Even in a novella, the romantic aspect did not feel rushed which is always a plus.

The book was short enough to read in one sitting, and there was enough action and suspense to keep me hooked throughout. There was a serial killer involved, which offered a very interesting and unique twist on the super hero trove. I’m looking forward to reading the other books in this series, and finding out more about the other Supers and what their stories are. Mostly, I want to figure out who the killer is. I would recommend this novella to all Adult Fantasy readers who enjoy a quick, fast paced, action packed read.

Warning: This book includes explicit sexual content.