
Wicked Grace (The Wicked #3)
Book
He’s a grumpy demon prince. She’s a sunshine magical orphan who’s his fated mate and...
Paranormal Romance

Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Snow White, Blood Red in Books
Apr 9, 2022
Snow White , Blood Red (Fairy tale anthology book 1)
Edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Exploring the darker side of popular fairy tales, this anthology features dark and erotic tales of trolls and ogres, bewitched princesses, and magical kingdoms.
There were a few I picked out that I liked and I found a few new authors to try.
The Frog Prince by Gahan Wilson - Really enjoyed this it was a strange little story very Alice in Wonderland feel.
Stalking Beans by Nancy Kress - This is definitely a different adult spin on Jack and the beanstalk!
Snow Drop by Tabitha Lee - This was my favourite by far. A dark twisty version of Snow White and her step mother very dark.
Little Red by Wendy Wheeler - This gave me creepy shivers. Very well written unfortunately I can’t find anything by this author!
The Root of the Matter by Gregory Frost - This is a very adult version of Repunzel kinda dark and to the point.
The Changelings by Melanie Tem - Strange little story with some very sad undertones.
Troll Bridge by Neil Gaiman - I love Neil Gaiman he has such a unique storytelling ability and this did not disappoint!
Overall it was a good little anthology!

Tall Tales
Book
The second book in a new trilogy of twisted fairy tales from New York Times bestselling author James...

Waking Up Lost (Adirondack Spirit Series #4)
Book
Traveling without warning. Nights lost to supernatural journeys. Is one young man fated to wander...
Historical Fiction Fantasy

The Raven and the Pig (Celwyn #2)
Book
As the music dies, the magician Celwyn is mortally wounded. His darker, immortal brother Pelaez...
Magical Realism

The Legend of Misty Mountains
Book
Misty Mountains is a magical abode nestled among the clouds and inhabited by The Strange People. It...
fantasy young adult

Arabesque
Book
Arabesque is a step in classic ballet, an appropriate title for a novel narrating the beauty of...
Historical Psychological Drama

EmersonRose (320 KP) rated The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time, #1) in Books
Nov 20, 2019
― Robert Jordan, The Eye of the World
There is perhaps nothing more magical than finding yourself fully immersed in a story. The first book in The Wheel of Time series, The Eye of the World, creates a full world of places, histories, species, religions, and myths. Robert Jordan first introduces you to the simple town of Emonds Field and the characters that live there. Then he takes us with those characters to explore a vast and more complex world. We are taken on a journey through different cities and meet a variety of people including meeting strange creatures and beings with strange, magical powers. Including Trollocs, Aes Sedai, Warders, and Myddraal. Jordan has an extraordinary ability to create intriguing mythologies for his world and creating species that have fully formed cultures and politics.
But before I get too far ahead of myself let us start with Robert Jordan. He is an American 31ulybtb-yl-_ux250_author from South Carolina, whose real name is James Oliver Rigney, JR. He lived from 1948 to 2007. He wrote books in many genres including fantasy, historical fiction, western and dance criticism each under a different pen name. The first book in his The Wheel of Time series was published in 1990. He was able to finish eleven books in the series before he passed, leaving his extensive notes to renowned novelist Brandon Sanderson who wrote the last three books of the series, finishing in 2013.
Personally, when reading a book, the most important thing for me is to become invested in at least one of the characters. Once I am, I’m completely dedicated to the book. Robert Jordan has a large group of main characters and switches perspective between them throughout their journey. Picking out a single main character is very difficult, Rand al’Thor might be the closest but Matrim (Mat) Cauthon and Perrin Aybara and possibly Egwene al’vere and Nynaeve al’Meara create the central cast. They are the natives of Emonds Field before their adventures take them journeying to places unknown. Each of them is special and through the course of the book, you uncover the power each has. What is amazing is how Jordan is able to make you care deeply for each character and while he is switching perspective you never find yourself, bored. This is impressive for often in novels that switch perspective there is that one storyline you do not care about. Upon finishing the first book I can honestly say that I do not have a single favorite out of the group but love them all and care about what will happen to them next.
My one issue with the book came with frustration at what I call Tolkien Naming Syndrome. With such a mass of characters it is not surprising that some names start to sound similar but like Arwen and Eowyn there are two females with feelings for one of the boys whose names are oddly similar Elayne and Egwene with other female names rhyming such as Moiraine and Morgase while the male names tend to sound different and are thus easier to keep apart and remember. Depending on what you want in a story, the other thing that keeps this book from being unique is the black and white stance on good vs. evil. The two sides are clear and do not leave much room for the morally grey.
The book offers a great mix of solved mysteries while leaving you with an abundance of questions to make you need to continue reading the story. It truly is an epic adventure story. Fulfilling the good vs. evil battling and grand adventures and meeting strange creatures and discovering new magic. While it might not have the grand battles of Lord of the Rings it has the magical journey and strange adventures that create the amazing epic fantasy novel. I plan on reading the next book soon and highly recommend this book to fantasy readers as it offers great characters, an amazing world and interesting rules on magic.

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Summer of Salt in Books
Mar 6, 2019
I picked up this book thanks to my Goodreads friend Melanie, whose review convinced me that this was worth reading. I so rarely read a book that wasn't planned, so thanks! This was totally worth it. This is a beautiful book--it's well-written, lyrical, and a magical read, both in content and writing.
The storyline on this one is amazing--I have a soft spot for tales about twins. I really liked the dynamic between Georgina and Mary: it was very realistic. The characters are well-developed, and I fell for Georgina immediately. There's also a wonderful lesbian storyline, which is always a plus. The book weaves a mystical, magical tale--if you can't suspend disbelief easily, it might not be for you. But it's so easy to get caught up in the plot, and at its core, it's a story about families and love.
"'Well, you won't have me at college, so you'll have to make some new friends.' 'Ugh. That sounds exhausting. They should assign you friends like they assign you a roommate.'"
There's also some serious parts to this book and some just freaking amazing quotes related to sexual assault and rape that I wanted to blow up and put on the walls of every high school everywhere. I won't quote most of them here, due to spoilers, but wow--this is a powerful, powerful novel that had me pumping my fist and cheering for the characters. There's some real strength here and a message everyone should read, especially in our current times.
"Because there was nothing in a girl's history that might negate her right to choose what happens to her body."
Overall, this was a great book. It's beautifully well-written with excellent characters and a powerful message. This is one where I would love a second book to follow these characters.