Book Review: Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian

Author: Laura Sebastian

Series: Ash Princess Trilogy #2
Audience:  Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: February 5th 2019
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Publisher
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller that was "made for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Sabaa Tahir" ( Bustle ), Lady Smoke is an epic new fantasy about a throne cruelly stolen and a girl who must fight to take it back for her people.

The Kaiser murdered Theodosia's mother, the Fire Queen, when Theo was only six. He took Theo's country and kept her prisoner, crowning her Ash Princess--a pet to toy with and humiliate for ten long years. That era has ended. The Kaiser thought his prisoner weak and defenseless. He didn't realize that a sharp mind is the deadliest weapon.

Theo no longer wears a crown of ashes. She has taken back her rightful title, and a hostage--Prinz Soren. But her people remain enslaved under the Kaiser's rule, and now she is thousands of miles away from them and her throne.

To get them back, she will need an army. Only, securing an army means she must trust her aunt, the dreaded pirate Dragonsbane. And according to Dragonsbane, an army can only be produced if Theo takes a husband. Something an Astrean Queen has never done.

Theo knows that freedom comes at a price, but she is determined to find a way to save her country without losing herself.

"A darkly enchanting page-turner you won't be able to put down." --Bustle on Ash Princess, Book 1 in the Ash Princess series

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains graphic scenes of violence and death.

I read this book during January's edition of 24in48 readathon. This has sort of become a tradition for me, since I also read Ash Princess during last year's 24in48 readathon. I was very surprised by this book, if I'm honest. I don't know what I was expecting, but I definitely wasn't expecting what went down in this book.

Nonfiction Sunday: Hashtag Authentic by Sara Tasker

Author: Sara Tasker
Series: N/A
Audience: +16
Genre: Nonfiction, Photography
Publisher: White Lion Publishing
Release Date: February 19th 2019
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Instagram is the fastest growing social media platform, with 400 million monthly active users worldwide, half of them under 25. While some of these people use the app as a personal tool, many also use it to build their creative business endeavours, from food and drink to fashion and lifestyle.

Sara Tasker has tapped into this as an Instagram coach, an iPhoneographer and social media influencer. Her chronicle of authentic everyday life and her mindful Me and Orla blog has developed into a business in which she allows access to free insta-tips, alongside some hugely popular paid for e-courses for independent creatives.

One of her followers, Emma Mitchell a jewellery designer and artist, took her Instagram following (silverpebble2) from several hundred to 87k and gained a book commission within a year.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and White Lion Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

This book was recommended to me by Renee from The Caffeinated Reader and although I didn't know what to expect, I went into it with an open mind. I am happy to say that this book was fantastic and it exceeded my expectations.

Blog Tour Book Review: Stroke of Luck by B.J. Daniels

 

From New York Times bestselling author B.J. Daniels, comes STROKE OF LUCK—the stunning first novel in her brand new Western-set romantic suspense Sterling’s Montana Series!

STROKE OF LUCK is now available! Grab your copy today!

Author: B.J. Daniels
Series: Sterling's Montana #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: HQN
Release Date: February 19th 2019
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

He’s hoping to bury the past. She’s ready to settle the score.

The Sterling Ranch’s season opening isn’t going so smoothly. With the ranch’s lodge full of guests and a Montana blizzard threatening, Will Sterling needs help—and he needs it fast. So when his childhood friend Poppy Carmichael agrees to lend a hand, he’s grateful for a second chance…and more enticed by the woman she’s become than he cares to admit.

For Poppy, it was supposed to be a retreat full of horse rides and hoedowns—with a side of showing Will what he’s been missing all these years. But as the snow deepens outside, the guests’ suspicion and mistrust turn sinister inside, catching Will and Poppy in the crosshairs.

Weathering the storm in each other’s arms is all too easy for Will and Poppy, but will a confrontation with a killer mean their reunion is short-lived?

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author B.J. Daniels starts her Sterling’s Ranch series off with a bang in this suspenseful story of romance and revenge.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

This was my first B.J. Daniels book and let me tell you, I quite enjoyed it.

Blog Tour Book Review: Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas

Author: Lisa Kleypas
Series: The Ravenels #5
Audience: +18
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: February 19th 2019
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Publisher
Blurb (from Goodreads):

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers a scintillating tale of a beautiful, young widow who finds passion with the one man she shouldn't...

Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he's a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband's life a misery, and she'll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself...as none other than West Ravenel.

West is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. However, from the moment he meets Phoebe, West is consumed by irresistible desire...not to mention the bitter awareness that a woman like her is far out of his reach. What West doesn't bargain on is that Phoebe is no straitlaced aristocratic lady. She's the daughter of a strong-willed wallflower who long ago eloped with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent—the most devilishly wicked rake in England.

Before long, Phoebe sets out to seduce the man who has awakened her fiery nature and shown her unimaginable pleasure. Will their overwhelming passion be enough to overcome the obstacles of the past?

Only the devil's daughter knows...

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

If there's one author I've been told to try out more times than I can count over the years is Lisa Kleypas. Which is probably why I was so scared of picking up one of her books, because my expectations are so high. When the opportunity came to read one of her books I decided to take advantage of it, and let me tell you friends, it was the best decision ever. I now understand why readers kept recommending me her books.

Release Day Launch & Book Review : Ensnared by Elisabeth Naughton

 

From New York Times Bestselling author Elisabeth Naughton, comes ENSNARED, a new novella in her Eternal Guardians Series, brought to you by 1,001 Dark Nights! Be sure to grab your copy today!

Author: Elisabeth Naughton
Series: Eternal Guardians
Audience:  +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: February 12th 2019
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Elisabeth Naughton comes a new story in her Eternal Guardians series…

RYDER–Mysterious, powerful, every woman’s fantasy come true.

For thousands of years, Ryder has reveled in his role as an immortal messenger—a dream weaver sent to seduce and manipulate. Until he’s ordered to deceive a fantasy of his own.

Zakara, the daughter of one of the mightiest Eternal Guardians, is his perfect woman. But she’s impervious to Ryder’s advances. Each attempt to sway her to his will pushes him deeper into a dreamscape she seems to be controlling. To survive, Ryder will need to find a way to master his sexy new prey. Because if he can’t, he risks forever condemning himself and the woman he’s grown to love to a never-ending nightmare drawn straight from the twisted depths of hell. 

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

The more stories I read in this world, the more I fall in love with it. This time Naughton explores the world of dreams, and I loved it.

Down The TBR Hole #12

Down The TBR Hole is hosted by Lia @ Lost In A Story

Hello dear book lovers and welcome to another post in the Down The TBR Hole feature hosted by the awesome Lia.

Today we're starting this post with 2843 books. It's a wonder that I only added 1 book in the two weeks that have passed since I last did a TBR clean-up, but I will not jinx it! I'll be good and I won't even hope to get under 2835 books today. (Okay I will try it, but shhhhh! Don't let my TBR hear you!!!)

I decided to look at 22 books today. My Goodreads shelves are set to show 20 books per page, so I wanted to be able to do a page a day from my TBR starting next week, and I had 2 books left from the previous page to be able to do just that. I like my order, guys! Okay, let's not sit here chit-chatting, and let's get to why we're here today.