REVIEW: "The Bridge Kingdom" by Danielle L. Jensen (Fantasy, Romance)

THE BRIDGE KINGDOM by Danielle L. Jensen
	Publisher: CLA Genre: Fantasy, Romance Publication Date: August 13th, 2019 Series: The Bridge Kingdom, #1 Standalone: No, Cliffhanger
Categories/Tropes:
Arranged Marriage, Assassin, Royalty
Other Books By This Author:
#2 #3 #4
Description from Publisher:
A warrior princess trained in isolation, Lara is driven by two certainties. The first is that King Aren of the Bridge Kingdom is her enemy. And the second is that she’ll be the one to bring him to his knees. The only route through a storm-ravaged world, the Bridge Kingdom enriches itself and deprives its rivals, including Lara's homeland. So when she’s sent as a bride under the guise of peace, Lara is prepared to do whatever it takes to fracture its impenetrable defenses. And the defenses of its king. Yet as she infiltrates her new home and gains a deeper understanding of the war to possess the bridge, Lara begins to question whether she’s the hero or the villain. And as her feelings for Aren transform from frosty hostility to fierce passion, Lara must choose which kingdom she’ll save… and which kingdom she’ll destroy. Passionate and violent, The Bridge Kingdom is a seductive fantasy perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.
A Favorite Quote: (No Spoilers!)
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
From the moment Lara's sisters went down, this book had my attention. The political intrigue here was really very well done, and at no time did I find myself confused about the different kingdoms and their distinct differences. I would have expected to, but this world really was built well and I found myself easily understanding Aren's position as kind, and what a betrayal by Lara would mean for the entire world. Not gonna lie, I got pretty irritated with how brainwashed Lara was, and how long it took for her to start waking up. It was important to remind myself that her entire life has been spent being fed a particular truth, and just how incredibly difficult it would be to have everything you have ever known be flipped on it's head. In light of that, I gave Lara some grace. She was otherwise a strong, compassionate woman, and I thoroughly enjoyed how that unfolded from the first chapter to the last. Aren, King of Ithicania, was also a fantastic male protagonist. The amount of respect he showed everyone around him won me over easily, as did his snark and sincerity. There was a moment where he felt disappointment at the fact that Lara wasn't his equal and instead a subservient princess that cemented to me that I was going to like him. He wasn't an annoying alpha, but didn't lack in strength and commanding respect. There was excellent chemistry between the two of them from the moment they are face to face. This is a slow burn, which I love, and they circle one another for quite awhile before you have no choice but to root for them. I always try to avoid spoilers as much as possible, but will say that that last act had me wincing as I knew what was coming, my heart wrenched at the inevitable, and then pretty satisfied at the lead-up to the cliffhanger ending. This book will make you laugh at times, cheer at others, fan yourself a bit, and otherwise enjoy exploring the battles, strategy, and secrets.
My Source: I borrowed this via Kindle Unlimited to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and 100% my own.

About the Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Danielle L. Jensen is the USA Today bestselling author of the Malediction series, the Dark Shores series, and the Bridge Kingdom series, as well as the forthcoming A Fate Inked in Blood. She lives in Calgary, Alberta with her family and guinea pigs.

REVIEW: "The Other Side of the Mirror" by Dana Evyn (Romantasy, Fantasy, Romance)

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIRROR by Dana Evyn
	Publisher: City Owl Press Genre: Romantasy, Fantasy, Romance Publication Date: April 9th, 2024 Series: The Mirror Trilogy, #1 Standalone: No
Categories/Tropes:
Found Family, Magic, A Whole New World (Fae Realm), Strong Heroine, Forced Proximity (One Horse, Camping), Fae, Finding Yourself
Description from Publisher:
What if the fairytale was always a lie? Seven years after her family’s murders, Eva is attacked by a magical creature and abducted to the faerie realm. When a handsome fae saves her, Bash reveals that he must bring Eva to her faerie soulmate to stop a world-ending Curse. She relents, but only for the opportunity to find answers about her parents’ deaths. As their journey progresses, Eva delves into her previously hidden magic—and grows steadily closer to Bash. But when she meets her prince, she soon learns that all is not what it seems. While mystery and intrigue surround her, Eva takes it into her own hands to uncover the truth. But what she discovers is beyond her imagination, as she unravels the fae’s web of lies. Don’t miss this romantasy into the fae realm with hidden secrets, steamy romance, and true fantasy adventure.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
I NEED THE NEXT BOOK, NOW!! Okay, so now that that is out of the way, I can get to my review. ;) There's a cliffhanger ending to this, as you would expect from a trilogy, and it is a doozy! When I started this, I wasn't necessarily feeling the first couple of chapters. Eva just seemed so much like she was refusing to actually LIVE because her family had perished in a housefire SEVEN years before, and something about that just didn't really grab me. HOWEVER, enter a muddy golem attack and banter with a handsome, freckled redhead and the tendrils of the Faewilds, Bash & Eva pulled me in. I just couldn't stop reading this, and stayed up all night (No regrets!). Eva has grown up in the mortal world, completely oblivious to the fact that not only does another realm exist, but that she and her family are Fae that had to flee their realm during a war. She has been basically on her own, with only her best friend, since both of their families died within a short time. When she meets Bash, a random stranger who thinks she needs protection and also that she is some sort of key to ending a world-ending curse, everything changes. Bash is a favorite type of hero of mine: Strong, mischievous, respectful, loyal, and willing to show some vulnerability. He's not into unnecessary violence, but will not hesitate to right a wrong when he sees one (like someone he cares about being hurt... ;) ). I loved the banter between Bash and Eva, and the slow burn that you want to turn into the inferno they deserve. There was so much chemistry between them, both physical and emotional! I'm not a fan of instalust or instalove, and there was none of that here. There was a good (welcome) amount of spice in the last half. The world itself, with its lore and magic, felt the right amount of fleshed-out for the first book in the series. The explanation as to why Eva didn't know about any of it worked for the story, as did the way it all got to come out. I liked the way everyone's magic was always around in some way, a bit playful at times, but not with a mind of its own (just an extension). This book isn't for the faint of heart, as the author gives fair warning of in the beginning. There is some darkness and grit, and the characters find themselves dealing with some truly despicable villains. There is some really great dialogue after some dark times, which I feel elevated the romance and the depth of the characters. I didn't expect to love this as much as I did, but it was one of those books that I was tempted to immediately re-read!
My Source: I received a digital ARC from the publisher to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and 100% my own.

About the Author: Dana Evyn
Dana Evyn is a romantasy author who has been lost in her daydreams for as long as she can remember, though she only recently started writing them down. When she’s not writing, she’s usually reading a good book—especially one with an indomitable female lead, a unique magical world, and a dark twist you don’t see coming. She lives in Kirkland, WA with her two tiny humans, ever-supportive husband, and giant golden retriever.
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REVIEW: "Ruthless Vows" by Rebecca Ross (Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult)

RUTHLESS VOWS by Rebecca Ross
	Publisher: Wednesday Books Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult Publication Date: April 4th, 2023 Series: Letters of Enchantment, #2 Standalone: No, Cliffhanger ending
Categories/Tropes:
Strong Heroine, Fantasy (Gods, Mythical Beings, Enchanted Objects), Creatives (Writers)
Other Books By Rebecca Ross:
#1
Description from Publisher:
The epic conclusion to the intensely romantic and beautifully written story that started in Divine Rivals. Two weeks have passed since Iris Winnow returned home bruised and heartbroken from the front, but the war is far from over. Roman is missing, and the city of Oath continues to dwell in a state of disbelief and ignorance. When Iris and Attie are given another chance to report on Dacre’s movements, they both take the opportunity and head westward once more despite the danger, knowing it’s only a matter of time before the conflict reaches a city that’s unprepared and fracturing beneath the chancellor’s reign. Since waking below in Dacre’s realm, Roman cannot remember his past. But given the reassurance that his memories will return in time, Roman begins to write articles for Dacre, uncertain of his place in the greater scheme of the war. When a strange letter arrives by wardrobe door, Roman is first suspicious, then intrigued. As he strikes up a correspondence with his mysterious pen pal, Roman will soon have to make a decision: to stand with Dacre or betray the god who healed him. And as the days grow darker, inevitably drawing Roman and Iris closer together…the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
This was certainly a very exciting book, as much or possibly moreso than the first! My favorite thing about this is the way that we get to see Iris and Roman fall in love through letters once again, this time with Roman being unaware of who was really on the other end. Iris had to wrestle with what to say and how to say it, like Roman did before, but with the added weight of the world to worry about. The way that alliances came about, many unexpected, felt authentic to a world being taken over by a tyrant. There were multiple times where I felt the descriptions of how people acted during a potentially divisive experience were so poignant it squeezed at my heart. The things most would say they would do versus the things that they actually do, and the reactions to those whose actions match their declarations. It hit home after the last few years, that's for sure. The way that the god 'romance' hit was a bit jarring at times, though it certainly made it easy enough to figure that Dacre was the villain, through and through. The way that he was annhiliating basically every city until the capital, Oath, until his unwilling bride came out of hiding was pretty extreme! This was a fantastic conclusion to Iris and Roman's story!
My Source: I purchased a hardcover copy to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and 100% my own.

About the Author: Rebecca Ross
Rebecca Ross is the #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of fantasy books for teens and adults. She has written multiple highly acclaimed duologies, including LETTERS OF ENCHANTMENT, ELEMENTS OF CADENCE, and THE QUEEN’S RISING as well as two standalone novels: DREAMS LIE BENEATH and SISTERS OF SWORD & SONG. When not writing, she can be found in her garden where she plants wildflowers and story ideas. She resides in Northeast Georgia with her husband and her dog.