Review: Gilded Serpent by Danielle L. Jensen (Dark Shores #3)

 Gilded Serpent by Danielle L. Jensen (Dark Shores #3)

 Publication date: April 21th, 2021

From bestselling author Danielle L. Jensen comes a thrilling new novel in the Dark Shores world, a series that Sarah J. Maas called "everything I look for in a fantasy novel."

THEIR BATTLES ENDED IN VICTORY

Lydia returns to Mudaire to enter training at the healing temple. But instead of fighting to save lives, she’s convinced she is doing more harm than good. She delves into the history of the gods only to discover a truth that will change her life forever.

His birthright as commander of the Royal Army is finally in his grasp, but Killian feels anything but victorious. Burdened by his past, he embraces the darker side of his mark—and in doing so, risks starting a war.

BUT THE WAR HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN

Having defeated the tyrant Urcon, Marcus struggles to form a lasting alliance with the Arinoquians. But he is plagued by the knowledge that there is a traitor among his friends, and it could cost him everything that he’s fought for.

Torn between her growing allegiance to the Thirty-Seventh legion and her need to liberate her people, Teriana finds herself mired in a web of secrets. She embarks upon a path that will either save everyone she loves—or put them all in their graves.

Readers may read either Dark Shores or Dark Skies first!
Suggested series reading order:

1. Dark Skies or Dark Shores
2. Dark Shores or Dark Skies
3. Gilded Serpent

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My immense gratitude goes to Tor Teen for granting me an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (you brought joy to a bleak 2020/21!)

First thing first, it took me a whole month to start this book, mostly because I was too excited and – at the same time – too scared. Well, I’m quite happy to report that Gilded Serpent is, hands down, the best book I read this year.

If possible, I loved it even more than Dark Shores and Dark Skies put together, that’s a feat considering how much I loved those two! Gilded Serpent is, to me, a dream coming true as we can finally read Marcus’s, Teriana’s, Lydia’s and Killian’s POVs all in the same book (yay!). Even though four different POVs can be difficult to manage it is not the case here, more like the opposite. The different POVs are beautifully done and the writing flows easily and smoothly making it a real joy to read.

Danielle L Jensen managed to craft such achingly complex characters that’s impossible not to love every single one of them. I might have a soft spot for Marcus but it doesn’t mean I don’t adore the others as well. It was wonderful and, at times, heart-wrenching, to be inside the head of these four.

I practically drank in every word, even tried to read as slowly as possible to make the book last longer. I always have a case of separation-anxiety where these characters are concerned! I’m not going to lie, for once, I really liked the romance and I cheered when both couples grew even closer. Of course, some kind of heartbreak and inner conflict/turmoil is always behind the corner but, in truth, it adds to the beauty of it.

Marcus

He was and confirms himself to be my favourite (behind his impassive mask, he’s such a cinnamon roll!). It was insanely good to see him more off-guard and I adored the way he started to emotionally open up to Teriana.

Teriana

I have always admired -and still do - her strength of character. She’s, simply put, kick-ass.

Lydia

My quiet but extraordinary bookworm! What’s not to like? I wish she could see herself as Killian sees her: a strong, independent and beautiful woman.  I have always loved her quiet strength.

Killian

What can I say? He's wonderfully and fiercely loyal. The devotion he shows for his country and for the people he loves is… everything.

Mention of honour: 

-Agrippa! If you have read Tarnished Empire you might understand my excitement.

- Deerena! I love the woman!! 

 

Gilded Serpent’s plot turned to be more far reaching and twisted than I had expected, it even managed to shock me a few times (OMG, the secrets, the twists!!)! The threads are finely woven and masterfully crafted. This is a book that keeps you constantly on your toes, with rarely a dull moment. It’s a terrific and perfect blend of complex characters, intrigues and otherworldly meddling… I’m in awe!! I can’t tell if I loved Gilded Serpent because it tore my heart out or in spite of it, probably both.

I’m keeping this review spoiler free but THE ENDING—THE ENDING (well, the last handful of chapters, really)! How in the name of Hell am I supposed to survive until the next one??? I can’t, I just…can’t!!

 

 Rating:

Review: A Conjuring of Light (SHADES OF MAGIC #3)

REVIEW: 

A CONJURING OF LIGHT BY V.E.SCHWAB (SHADES OF MAGIC #3)

  THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS FINALLY TIPPED...
The precarious equilibrium among four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise.

WHO WILL CRUMBLE?
Kell - once assumed to be the last surviving Antari - begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. And in the wake of tragedy, can Arnes survive?

WHO WILL RISE?
Lila Bard, once a commonplace - but never common - thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible.

WHO WILL TAKE CONTROL?
And an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown while a fallen hero tries to save a world in decay.

(spoilers are in white)

Conjuring of Light was a fast paced and heart-wrenching emotional roller-coaster.
Also a blood bath...

Because I feel I have said everything there was to say about Schwab's writing and because I'm basically an emotional wreckage...I'll just say that Kell & Lila together were amazing (and hot), the banter between Alucard & Kell epic, Rhy's relationship with his brother touching and the new ship ( Alucard x Rhy ) fantastic. After spending two books hating Holland, in the end my heart went out for him.
Throughout the book my poor heart broke several times: for Calla, for Hastra (I was infinitely pleased when Kell's cut Jasta's throat...), for Holland and for Kell's loss

The final chapter and scene had me crying and laughing at the same time...

Said this, I now need to rant about the loose ends. Yes because I'm hoping and longing with all my heart that those loose treads were left loose for a reason. Plus all the lines saying that this wasn't the end but a new beginning...well...well...

Dear Victoria, 
And I quote:

"(...)now every time he summoned fire, or willed water or conjured anything from blood, it pained him. Every single time it hurt, a wound at the very center of his being. But unlike a wound, it refused to heal. Magic had always been a part of Kell, as natural as breathing. Now he couldn't catch is breath. The simplest acts took not only strength, but will. The will to suffer, to be hurt. (hide spoiler)] (I was so heartbroken to read this, it felt like being punched in the gut..."
- You need to fix Kell. Seriously...what will he do now? how will he manage?
- I need to know what happens in White London now...
- The favour Maris required of Lila...
There is enough for a sequel (or an additional trilogy) and I refuse to be left hanging like this...*cries*

Yes I'm fervently hoping that everything Victoria Schwab left open, she did so intentionally. Until then...Anoshe...

Rating: 5 blossoms  

 
Rating for the overall series: 5++ would not suffice!

Review: A Gathering of Shadows by V.E.Schwab (Shades of Magic #2)

Title: A Gathering of Shadows
Author: V.E.Schwab
Blurb: It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into Kell's possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Prince Rhy was wounded, and since the nefarious Dane twins of White London fell, and four months since the stone was cast with Holland's dying body through the rift--back into Black London.
Now, restless after having given up his smuggling habit, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks as she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games--an extravagant international competition of magic meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries--a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.
And while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night will reappear in the morning. But the balance of magic is ever perilous, and for one city to flourish, another London must fall.

Attention please: spoilers are in white and conveniently hidden :)

Wow!
This book....this book....was such a ride! My head is still spinning!

Please note: this review is going to be brief not because I did not like the book but because I'm reading A Conjuring of Light and I cannot stay away from it for far too long xD
Now...
 

The writing:
 I don't believe in perfection but Schwab's writing is the closest thing to it that I have read so far. She has such a wonderful way with words,the images so vivid that it feels like watching a movie and better yet like you're breathing and living in the world she has built. (And YES I'd totally live in the Shades of Magic's multilayered world...if only to steal Kell's coat ha ha ha!).
 
The ships: 
Oh there are so many lovely ships around here...*smirks*(and I'd like to steal the Night Spire from under Alucard's nose lol).
One of which ( Alucard x Rhys)  I didn't see coming...not at all! So I was left pleasantly stunned.
The other one  ( Which one? Kell x Lila, obviously!)  I was insanely happy to see finally sailing! FINALLY!!  Dear Victoria, thank you for having suffer until the almost very end for a kiss....and oh boy what a kiss!! The whole ballroom & balcony scene was a masterpiece that had my heart singing of joy...which is an exceptional feat. Of course, things went fast downhill from there...*cries*  

The characters:
I read the book two times, the first one I got to half of it and then read the end (I know....I'm such a terrible reader) and the second...the second I finally found enough time to read this book properly. Now during the first sitting Lila scraped on my nerves a lot, especially at the beginning but on the second sitting I was totally fine with that. Still I rejoiced when finally Alucard tells her to mind the consequences of her actions (*pats Alucard on the shoulder...*)
Similarly, at first  when Kell goes willingly with Oijka  felt slightly "off" (I'm nitpicking!) but the second time around it actually made sense  with Kell in an emotional turmoil after being imprisoned,the constant torment of his guilt and so on ... (I know from experience that yes when you're angry and emotionally stressed you do tend to make crappy choices and take even shittier decisions....)
But let's back to more lighter topic...for example the Alucard Vs Kell, I mean those two....I had so many laughs thanks to their "squabbles". And let's not talk about the constant banter between Lila and Alucard...*snickers*
I also loved the ever deep relationship between Kell & Rhy....it melted my heart. *My babbieees!*
And talking of relationships... even I don't know how but Kell & Lila, by the end of A Gathering of Shadows managed to become one of my few favorite OTP ever. I mean how? When? was it real magic or what?...but it is okay!! No worries, I'm happy this way!!!

Last but not least ...I loved Hasta (though I do miss Kell's guards from book one----poor boys---Hastra is very cute!)and adored Jinnar! Besieds, I oh-so-wanted to throttle the King & Queen---

And I'll leave the review at this since ACOL is currently calling my name ha ha ha...sorry, not so sorry!!

Rating:

5 Blossoms

Book Blitz: The Supernatural Pet Sitter - Excerpt & Giveaway

The Supernatural Pet Sitter
Diane Moat
(The Magic Thief, #1)
Publication date: March 5th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Middle-Grade

Every animal can talk to you. You just have to know how to listen.
Pepper Neely is better at this than most, especially because she is in charge of pet sitting all the familiars in her neighborhood. A familiar is a pet magically linked to a witch or warlock. As a gnome, Pepper is no stranger to spells and sorcery. She also knows that, despite their special name, familiars aren’t all that different from regular animals. They get anxious when separated from their people, so Pepper uses her special gnome powers to calm them down. She watches Cranky the high-strung ferret, Frank the laid-back parrot, King Arthur the elderly tortoise, and many others.
Then, something terrible begins happening to the familiars. Someone is stealing their magic! It not only prevents Pepper from communicating with them but breaks their magical connection with their people. When King Arthur’s magic is stolen, his owner’s powers stop working too. Pepper can sense that the tortoise is very scared.
In order to protect the animal’s magic, Pepper decides to track down the culprit. With the help of her best friend, Luna, and her brother, Jax, Pepper fights to protect all of the special pets.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Familiars don’t do well when they are separated from their witches. That was how Pepper got into the business of pet sitting. Gnomes have a low-level connection with all supernatural animals. Gnomes are kind of like the Dog Whisperer, except that they communicate well with Familiars, basilisks (a magical lizard), unicorns and so on, rather than the more usual “pets”.

Pepper’s business of helping witches by taking care of their Familiars had boomed over the past year. Thank goodness she wasn’t sitting for the McCrorys last month when “it” happened.

Mr. McCrory was an accountant and Mrs. McCrory worked part-time at the downtown Dewitt Mall. Their two kids lived away at college. Mrs. M’s Familiar was a huge, bright-green-and-blue parrot named Frank. Pepper had only checked on the parrot once when the McCrorys drove their kids to their out-of-state campus several months earlier. Frank didn’t cause any trouble, so the job was easy money.
Supposedly, Mrs. M was at work one day last month when she had a “bad feeling” that prompted her to go home to check on Frank. The house seemed undisturbed, and everything looked fine at first. But when Mrs. M went to Frank’s cage, she found him looking away from her. He wouldn’t even turn around when she called his name. When she walked around the cage to greet Frank face-to-face, he had only ducked and bobbed his head the way a normal parrot would. But Frank wasn’t normal.
Next, Mrs. M had reached out to the Familiar with her magic, but got no response from him. Not only that, but she said she had trouble focusing, and even her own magic had felt weak. With hands trembling, she had picked up Frank to try again. Nothing. Since that day, Frank’s magic was gone, and Mrs. M’s magic was broken.

Author Bio:
Diane is a Tennessee transplant, animal rescuer, and nurse. Dog Gone is her debut novel, born from years of hearing animal rescuers say about animal abusers, “If only I could get my hands on that person...” Diane is assisted by her many rescue dogs.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz: Rise

Title:Rise
Author:Luis Almonte
(Trifecta, #1)
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

The South Haven Academy for the Gifted and Talented (SHAGT) not only houses the exceptionally intelligent, but unknown to the normal students, a number of “gifted and talented” witches attend class with them every day.
Among the student body is fifteen-year-old Alexia Wick, a witch of the white-magic-practicing Alerium coven. Like the regular students, Alexia feels the pressure to succeed and meet her parents’ expectations, albeit with slightly different conditions. Rather than fretting about finals or college placement tests, she is in an entirely different arena—that of the Annual Trials.
In this prestigious competition among the most powerful witches in the country, Alexia must prove her magic and spell-casting abilities in order to advance in her skillset and bring triumph to Alerium. Her focus is distracted when the handsome and confident Kaleb moves to town.
Preparing for battle, falling in love—yes, Alexia is just like the other students at SHAGT. But with betrayal and death on the line, do the stakes of the competition and a romance shadowed by a dark, life-threatening secret even compare to those of a normal teenager?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

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Author Bio:
Almonte is an author and poet who resides in New York with his spouse and two dogs. Rise is his debut novel, and is the first installment in the Trifecta Series, a young adult trilogy that is setting the literary world on fire!
He is an alumnus of New York University, where he studied leadership and management. In his spare time he enjoys cooking, entertaining, and reading. He is also an avid poker player. He attributes much of his success to his family, and is looking forward to writing the follow-up installment in the series.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway
 ro