Review: The Queen's Rising by Rebecca Ross

The Queen's Rising

Author: Rebecca Ross

Release Date: February 6, 2018

Publisher: HarperTeen

Untitled Trilogy Book #1

ISBN: 0062471341

ISBN13: 9780062471345

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Edelweiss

When her seventeenth summer solstice arrives, Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron.

Growing up in the southern Kingdom of Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her for such a life. While some are born with an innate talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she belatedly chose to study knowledge. However, despite all her preparations, Brienna’s greatest fear comes true—the solstice does not go according to plan and she is left without a patron.

Months later, her life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord offers her patronage. Suspicious of his intent, and with no other choices, she accepts. But there is much more to his story, and Brienna soon discovers that he has sought her out for his own vengeful gain. For there is a dangerous plot being planned to overthrow the king of Maevana—the archrival kingdom of Valenia—and restore the rightful queen, and her magic, to the northern throne. And others are involved—some closer to Brienna than she realizes.

With war brewing between the two lands, Brienna must choose whose side she will remain loyal to—passion or blood. Because a queen is destined to rise and lead the battle to reclaim the crown. The ultimate decision Brienna must determine is: Who will be that queen?

I'm a little on the fence about THE QUEEN'S RISING. On one hand, I enjoyed the story as a whole. On the other hand, I had some issues.

What I enjoyed:
The characters. Brienna was really easy to like. I felt her frustration for answers, her anger at injustices and her heartbreak when she felt like all was lost. All the girls—for the most part—were really supportive of each other. I loved getting to know them and watching their friendships grow.

The world was well done and felt so big. The author really brought the different places to life. I liked learning about the different cultures, history and beliefs of each place.

What I didn't love:
The romance. It was just ehh for me. Not super exciting.

Some things happened a little too easily and other things happened a little too slowly. I would have loved to see some more tension and suspense in those moments. 

**START OF SPOILER**
My other big gripe is a SPOILER so read on with caution. I hated that Brienna wasn't the one fighting to be queen. I know, silly, but I kept waiting for that to change and I really wanted it to.
**SPOILER ENDS**

At the end after everything was said and done, I still wanted to read more. It felt complete, but I wanted more so I will defiantly keep a look out for book number two.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Promo + Giveaway: That Killer Smile by Juliet Lyons

That Killer Smile
Bite Nights #3
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

THERE WILL BE HEAT...
Vampire Catherine Adair gave up trying to find her perfect match ages ago. But that didn’t stop her from founding London’s super successful vampire dating site. When a smoldering vampire overlord from her past launches an interspecies speed-dating service, Catherine vows to crush the competition….

WHEN THESE TWO COMPETE
Ronin’s new venture is purely about getting Catherine’s attention. He hasn’t stopped thinking about her ever since the night she gave him the cold shoulder. Nobody gets away from Ronin McDermott that easily...

Excerpt #1:

For a few seconds, I’m lost for words. But as I stare between the bag on the floor and Ronin’s chiseled face, it all becomes clear.
“This is about you wanting me to owe you, isn’t it?” I hiss, fixing my gaze on his left ear. It’s a trick I learned from the last time we met. If I don’t look directly into his eyes, there’s less chance of being drawn into their swirling, blue depths.
He smiles, shaking his head. “You’re unbelievable, do you know that?”
“Pfffft,” I erupt. “I’m unbelievable? I’m not the one trying to tank my business by spreading rumors and launching a dating service. I’m not the one going out of his way to ensure our paths keep crossing in the worst possible ways.”
He frowns, displaying the first sign of irritation since I crashed into the room. “I’ve already told you, mo chridhe, it wasn’t me who started those rumors. And as for the speed dating, well, it was a free country last time I checked. I’m offering you the cash because the fella was injured in my club. Which means technically he’s my responsibility. If you don’t take the money now, I’ll have someone deliver it to his lawyer’s office later. I have their address now, after all.”
He waves the letter in the air like a victory flag.
“I’ll call them up,” I blurt out, voice quavering. “I’ll tell them you’re a madman and not to accept it. I’ll say it’s not your money at all, that you conned the life savings from some poor old man with dementia.”
Ronin arches a brow, tucking the letter into an inside pocket of his jacket. “That’s some novel you’re writing there, Catherine, but I doubt they would argue if I write them a Coutts check, do you?”
I’m all out of ammunition. “I loathe you.”
For a split second, his cocksureness wavers, the steely-blue eyes darkening. But only for a moment. “The problem isn’t me, Catherine,” he says, edging closer. “The problem is you.”
I straighten up. “That’s the most irritating thing about you, Ronin—you always think you know better than everybody else. I’m not sure whether it’s because you’ve been around longer than the rest of us or because you’re just a massive asshole. Either way, you don’t know the first thing about me.”
He flashes a cocky grin, raking his gaze over me as if he has X-ray vision. “You don’t loathe me, mo chridhe. You just can’t get over the fact you’re an uptight puritan who loved the kind of sex I gave you that night we spent together.”
I let out a high-pitched laugh. “That’s right, Ronin. Let’s not forget for one second that the world revolves around you and your penis. Actually, I’m surprised you’re even bothering to get dressed these days. I would have thought you’d have developed a penchant for silky, red pajamas and slippers by now.” I motion to the cigar on the carpet. “Looks like you’ve nailed the smoking part, and God knows the Playboy bunnies must be hiding around here somewhere.”
He scoffs. “Jealous?”
“Please, you’re not that good in bed.”
Except he is—or was. Better than good. But I can’t think about that right now. Or ever again, actually.
“Paulo was right about you,” he murmurs. “You are a mad bitch.”
I close the distance between us in a single stride and smack him across the cheek. It’s like hitting stone. He doesn’t so much as flinch. For some bizarre reason, this ignites a hot stab of lust in the pit of my stomach. His scent—a masculine blend of whiskey, leather, and woodsmoke—infiltrates my senses. I’m transported back to that night some years ago when we went at it like two wildcats in his bed.
I never wanted to come up for air.
I’m standing too close to use the ear trick. His eyes drag me in, two penetrating blue flames, dark with anger. I gulp, allowing my gaze to wander over his chiseled-from-rock cheekbones, rosy Celtic skin, copper hair slicked back from a noble forehead. He may be an asshole, but there is no denying his beauty.
For what feels like an eternity, neither of us move. We remain locked onto each other, energy—good and bad—swirling between us like thick fog.
Quite without thinking, I hiss, “Fucker.” After spending my human life afraid to speak, I never managed to rewire the connection between my brain and mouth.
His blue eyes flash. At once, his lips are on mine and his arms are around my waist. Instead of struggling, I mold myself into the hard contours of his body, my tongue sliding over his, my hands pulling him closer, and I hate myself—Lord, how I despise myself—for how good it feels. It’s as though he brings a magnifying glass up to all the base urges I long to forget, including this—an utterly ridiculous sexual attraction to a demon playboy who’s murdered God knows how many during his thousands of years on earth.
I don’t pull away. I can’t. He absorbs me like a drug. Before I can help myself, my fingers are tangled in his thick, red hair and I’m allowing his hands to cup my ass, grinding against the hard rope of an erection bulging beneath his trousers. We devour each other, eyes and mouths open, until I’m no longer sure where he begins and I end.
But then he takes his mouth from mine, trailing kisses from jawline to neck. Along with the rasp of stubble, I feel a scrape of fangs, sharp as knives, glide across my skin. I shove him away, panting slightly, averting my eyes to the lacquered walnut desk in the center of the room. If I don’t stop this now, I’ll end up sprawled across that table just like all the other women he’s had in here. The worst part is, I’d enjoy it.
“Consider the debt paid,” I say.

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JULIET LYONS is a paranormal romance author from the UK. She holds a degree in Spanish and Latin American studies and works part-time in a local primary school where she spends far too much time discussing Harry Potter. Since joining global storytelling site Wattpad in 2014, her work has received millions of hits online and gained a legion of fans from all over the world. When she is not writing, Juliet enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

Find Juliet and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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New Releases: 2/4-2/10

Tue. Feb. 6th

 Aliens Abroad (Katherine "Kitty" Katt #16) by Gini Koch
 The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza by Shaun David Hutchinson
 Assassin of Truths (Library Jumpers #3) by Brenda Drake
 The Belles (The Belles #1) by Dhonielle Clayton
 Blood Binds the Pack (Hob #2) by Alex Wells 
 By a Charm and a Curse by Jaime Questell
 Child of a Mad God (Coven #1) by R.A. Salvatore 
 Dragon Bones (The Unwanteds Quests #2) by Lisa McMann
 Fourth Dimension (The Rule of Three) by Eric Walters
 Immortal Reign (Falling Kingdoms #6) by Morgan Rhodes
 Moonshine by Jasmine Gower
 Paris Adrift by E.J. Swift
 Semiosis by Sue Burke
 Shadowsong (Wintersong #2) by S. Jae-Jones
 Tempests and Slaughter (The Numair Chronicles #1) by Tamora Pierce
 That Killer Smile (Bite Nights #3) by Juliet Lyons
 The Queen's Rising (Untitled Trilogy #1) by Rebecca Ross
 Your One & Only by Adrianne Finlay

Happy Reading!!

Guest Blog + Giveaway: Defining Human by Candace Blevins

UFI welcomes Author Candace Blevins. Thanks for Joining us!!
 

I pulled strongly from myths and legends when creating my paranormal world. When it came to vampires, I was frustrated by some of the decisions — because if that myth works, then this one over here doesn’t. Also, if I’d followed the oldest myths, my vampires wouldn’t be sexy. I wanted ultra-sexy vampires, but I also like to follow original legends. 

The only way all the myths can be true is if there are different species. And why not? If one vampire came into existence it only makes sense there might be others kinds. Right? My world has three species of vampire:


The ONLY HUMAN series is building up to a big battle between good and evil. Evil has been in control at various times during human history, but good has been in control for nearly eight hundred years (though it was touch-and-go for a while during the second world war). However, the dark forces have found ways around the rules designed to keep their numbers in check, and another war is on the horizon.

Vampires and other long-lived species have to move every fifteen years, give or take. They establish identities and purchase properties under those names decades ahead of time, and many old friends and allies move around together. Some of the most powerful are currently living in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Book one of this series is a supernovel at 409 pages. It’s usually $5.99, but is on sale for a few days at $.99. If you haven’t jumped into this series, now is the time!

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Candace Blevins has published more than thirty books. She lives with her husband of nineteen years and their two daughters. When not working or driving young teens all over the place, she can be found reading, writing, meditating, or swimming. The family’s beloved, goofy, retired racing greyhound is usually at her side as she writes, quietly keeping her company.

Candace writes Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary BDSM Romance, and a kick-ass Motorcycle Club series.

Her urban fantasy series, Only Human, gives us a world where weredragons, werewolves, werelions, three different species of vampires, and a variety of other mythological beings exist.

Candace's two paranormal romance series, The Chattanooga Supernaturals and The Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club, are both sister series to the Only Human series, and give some secondary characters their happily ever after.

Her contemporary Safeword series gives us characters who happen to have some extreme kinks. Relationships can be difficult enough without throwing power exchange into the mix, and her books show characters who care enough about each other to fight to make the relationship work. Each couple in the Safeword series gives the reader a different take on the lifestyle. 

Find Candace and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Defining Human 
Only Human #4
Amazon Kobo BN iTunes

Kirsten negotiated for what she hopes will be two glorious hours with Xaephan, but the Lord of Lust has his own ideas of how the afternoon will transpire, and the consequences of their evening are long lasting.

Her deal with Ryan means she must go to Africa to help guard gazelles for a week. She trains for the event, but her preparation doesn’t cover the Strigorii vampires who have their eye on her. Since she broke up with Abbott, gaining control of her will be like hanging a sign saying they’re more powerful than The Abbott without having to actually fight him.

Throw in complications with Nathan and a few battles with her old enemy Aquila, and Kirsten doesn’t know whether she’s coming or going. She wants peace and quiet with her daughter, but is it possible? Is she too embroiled in supernatural politics to live a normal life? Kirsten feels as if she’s become a game piece in a sick game of chess, and she wants off the board.

Book Trailer:  https://youtu.be/HLUWBFu6IIU
Series Trailer:  https://youtu.be/1dNZydE_LNI

Excerpt:

“Chère, it’s good to see you.” Xaephan walked to a nightstand, opened a drawer, and chuckled. “Your lion follows instructions well.” He stood and inhaled. “He’s close enough to keep an eye on you. Nice.”
“He isn’t my lion. He’s my friend, and he happens to be a lion.”
“He’s more yours than anyone else’s, Chère. Eventually, you’ll have to confront his Pride, but he’s keeping them in check, for now.”
I forgot what I’d intended to say when he lifted a paddle and flogger from the drawer, followed by a large glass butt plug and a worn leather strap.
The first three items were obviously new, but the strap wasn’t, and I eyed it a few seconds while I tried to figure out how to word my question. “The strap has a story. I want to hear it before you use it on me.”
“It belongs to your lion and is on loan to me for the evening.”
I shook my head. “No. I don’t know what you hope to accomplish by using something of Nathan’s to whip me, but I don’t agree to it.”
“Nothing in our agreement says I can’t, Chère. You said I’d have to act in your best interest, and you bound me from tricking you into anything. I said to find a place I could spank you and make you scream without us being heard, and I warned you moving the marks will hurt nearly as bad as receiving them in the first place. Nothing in that agreement says I can’t use something belonging to the Lion King to spank you with.”
I crossed my arms. “I don’t like it.”
He gave me a rakish grin. “Works for me. Our two hours of Earth-time doesn’t begin until we get started, so get rid of the robe and bend over the bed.”
Part of me wanted to bitch about him being a jerk, part of me appreciated the emotional distance it created. I stood, tossed the robe onto a chair in the corner, and bent over the tall bed. I’m short, so I don’t think it worked out quite the way he intended.
“On second thought, tiny human, bend over the chest at the foot of the bed.”

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Week in Review: 1/28-2/3

Books Received for Review

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Books I've Read

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
Binding Magick by Debbie Cassidy
Defying Magick by Debbie Cassidy
Embracing Magick by Debbie Cassidy
Unleashing Magick by Debbie Cassidy
Fearless by Debbie Cassidy
Beyond Everlight by Debbie Cassidy

Reviews Posted

Drakon's Past by N.J. Walters
Witch's Reign by Shannon Mayer

  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Cover Reveal for True Storm by L.E. Sterling

* Wednesday- Promo + Giveaway for The Last Wolf by Maria Vale

* Friday- Promo + Giveaway for Blood Awakening by Miranda Nichols

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?

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 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Promo + Giveaway: Blood Awakening by Miranda Nichols

Blood Awakening 
Immortal Sleepers #1
Torrid Books Amazon iTunes BN Simon and Schuster

A war has been brewing in the shadows.

Kaelyn Hamblin never felt particularly extraordinary, growing up in a strong Irish household in the heart of Boston for most of her young life. Her humdrum routine remained markedly unchanged for longer than she cared to remember; until that day. The day when a beautiful stranger drifted into her hole-in-the-wall bookshop and changed her life forever.

Tyrian knew from the moment he locked eyes on her that she was the one. His one. The singular being within all of time and space that was made for him and him alone. His world was not one of niceties and pretty things; bringing her into it would be dangerous. But he would protect her. He had to. After all, it was foretold.

Worlds collide, marking the beginning of the end to an age long battle warring between the forces of darkness and light in the universe. The fate of all rests on the shoulders of a lone druid and her band of human hunters to quell the rising tide of evil threatening to overtake everything and plunge the connected realms into eternal darkness.

“A Witty and Hot fantasy like no other.” -Stephanie Hansen, Metamorphosis Literary Agency President.

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Miranda Nichols enjoys her too short-lived moments in Boston visiting family. That’s why her stories tend to travel there. She’s had years of professional experience perfecting detail-oriented work and it shows in her writing. A current student working towards her MFA, she’s following her lifetime calling. She's a loyal friend who's not afraid to tell it like it is. Like the smell of fresh popcorn, her fantasy romances tempt you and keep you coming back for more.

Find Miranda and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Review: Witch's Reign by Shannon Mayer

Witch's Reign

Author: Shannon Mayer

Release Date: January 30, 2018

Publisher: Hijinks Ink Publishing

Desert Cursed Book #1

ASIN:   B0778ZCG8Z

Genre: Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Author

I am cursed by the desert I was born in, and now I wander the space between the Walls meant to hold my kind-the supernatural kind- in.

If I can find a way out, if I can find a way to escape, perhaps I can outrun this curse. But that means passing through the Ice Witch's realm-something no one has returned from.

But life has a funny way of changing directions on you. A freak accident. A child in danger. And a damn Warlock named Merlin who thinks he can manipulate me.

It looks like I'm about to start a journey I never planned on, to face a Witch who has never been challenged, in an attempt to survive a storm of magic, danger, and trickery.

If I'm to be honest, I must start off by saying that If I had known that WITCH'S REIGN was part of the Venom world, I would not not have given it a chance. Thankfully there is only one mention of 'super dupers' in WITCH'S REIGN.

WITCH'S REIGN is part of the same world as Shannon's Venom series—even has some of the same characters—, but it feels different. Which in my book is actually a good start. Unfortunately I feel that we are missing a lot of information. Some backstory is explained and some secrets are revealed, but I always felt like something was being left out.

Let's talk about some of the characters. Zamira is an interesting character that I need to know more about before I can say if I really like her. I mean, for the most part I like what I know so far, but I feel like I need all the information that hasn't been revealed yet. I actually liked Maks—her 'partner' for most of the book— even with his secrets and look forward to finding out more about him. I also want to know more about Zamira's brother, I hope he has more of a spot in book two. I hated Steve from the start and won't be the slightest bit sad if he's killed off quickly along with his 'mate'. I love a good sidekick, but i felt that Zamira was a little too attached and trusting of Lila a little too quickly. I thought Lila was neat and definitely has potential, but I would have just liked to see a little more time go by before there was blind faith there. Especially due to what Lila was and who her loyalties ultimately are to.

I defiantly feel like WITCH'S REIGN has potential, but I'm not hooked yet.

I gave it 3/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.