Tag: book reviews

Review: Lakeshire Park

Published on by Erica

Synopsis:

Brighton, England 1820 Amelia Moore wants only one thing–to secure the future happiness of her younger sister, Clara. With their stepfather’s looming death, the two sisters will soon be on their own–without family, a home, or a penny to their names. When an invitation arrives to join a house party at Lakeshire Park, Amelia grasps at the chance. If she can encourage a match between Clara and their host, Sir Ronald, then at least her sister will be taken care of.  
Little does she know that another guest, the arrogant and overconfident Mr. Peter Wood, is after the same goal for his own sister. Amelia and Peter begin a rivalry that Amelia has no choice but to win. But competing against Peter–and eventually playing by his rules–makes Amelia vulnerable to losing the only thing she has left to claim: her heart.

My Review:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This book was a breath of fresh air. What a wonderful romance. From the beginning I was rooting for Amelia and Peter. Beautiful love story with a happy ending.

This one also has a secondary romance between Clara and Sir Ronald. And it also has two sibling bonds that is heartwarming and relatable.

I highly recommend this read. And don’t be like me, read it soon after you get it.

I was given an ARC by the publisher via netgalley, way too long ago.

Book Review: A Forgery of Fate

Published on by Erica

A breathtaking romantic fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast about a girl who paints the future and a cursed dragon lord, bound by love and deception in a plot to bring down the gods.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes!

“Everything I love in a story—danger, complex characters, romance, betrayal and gorgeous writing.” —Mary E. Pearson, New York Times bestselling author of Dance of Thieves

Truyan Saigas didn’t choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father’s disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King’s inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms. . . .

My Review:

This book was beautiful. From the set up to the finale, I couldn’t ask for a better journey. Loved it.
First off, Elizabeth Lim is a master storyteller. She captures sibling relationships so well. I love the dynamics she writes. You can feel the love in the family unit. And the sweet and clean romances are heartwarming and just perfect.
It was fun being back in Ai’long and seeing a familiar half dragon.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

Book Review: Immortal

Published on by Erica

Synopsis:

A stunning, standalone romantic fantasy filled with dangerous secrets, forbidden magic, and passion, of a young ruler who fights to protect her kingdom, from bestselling author Sue Lynn Tan and set in the breathtaking world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

“What the gods did not give us, I would take.”

As the heir to Tianxia, Liyen knows she must ascend the throne and renew her kingdom’s pledge to serve the immortals who once protected them from a vicious enemy. But when she is poisoned, Liyen’s grandfather steals an enchanted lotus to save her life. Enraged at his betrayal, the immortal queen commands the powerful God of War to attack Tianxia.

Upon her grandfather’s death, Liyen ascends a precarious throne, vowing to end her kingdom’s obligation to the immortals. When she is summoned to the Immortal Realm, she seizes the opportunity to learn their secrets and to form a tenuous alliance to safeguard her people, all with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War. As they are drawn together, a treacherous attraction ignites between them—one she has to resist, to not endanger all she is fighting for.

But with darker forces closing in around them, and her kingdom plunged into peril, Liyen must risk everything to save her people from an unspeakable fate, even if it means forging a dangerous bond with the immortal… even if it means losing her heart.

My Review:

A beautifully written, heavy on descriptions, tale of love and longing. I love xianxia style fantasy romance, so this was right up my ally.

That said, there’s a couple of things. The FMC Liyen annoyed me fof a chunk of the book. I understood her in the beginning. But just when we are supposed to believe she is falling in love with Zhangwei and trusting him, she takes a dozen steps back. Of course, after several times of tricking him, she finally allows herself to be vulnerable. Zhangwei is obviously keeping secrets, but he’s plead with her to trust him. To really trust him. And with how powerful he is as an immortal, Liyen should have. I really liked how he didn’t give upon her.

I loved the twists and how Liyen ends up connected to it all. (And I won’t spoil it.)

I said the prose was beautiful. The other problem is that it is soo heavy on the descriptions that it was almost to the point of distraction. Especially in a first person story.

This story also has some spicy scenes that fade to black.

That said, I did enjoy this story, so that’s the bottom line. Sue Lynn Tan is one of my favorite authors.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. I’m so happy I got to read this early.