The Hundredth Queen (The Hundredth Queen #1)
As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she’s an unlikely candidate for even a servant’s position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood’s mountain temple.
But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik.
Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death—and her growing affection for Deven—Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her.
In Emily R. King’s thrilling fantasy debut, an orphan girl blossoms into a warrior, summoning courage and confidence in her fearless quest to upend tradition, overthrow an empire, and reclaim her life as her own.
But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik.
Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death—and her growing affection for Deven—Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her.
In Emily R. King’s thrilling fantasy debut, an orphan girl blossoms into a warrior, summoning courage and confidence in her fearless quest to upend tradition, overthrow an empire, and reclaim her life as her own.
What I thought:
For me, the best thing about this book was the cover. I had high hopes. I wanted to love it. Reviews compared it to THE WRATH AND THE DAWN by Renee Ahdieh and I was all grabby hands. The first page was promising...
And then it swirled down the toilet from there.
And then it swirled down the toilet from there.
Gaping plot holes. For example, something very important that happens is supposed to be an act of revenge, but it happens before the MC does the thing that pisses the guy off. Wut?
The writing was flat. The voice was monotonous, plodding along like a tired horse. And then it was a camel without any explanation. (Sorry. Notsorry.) Lazy metaphors and a sprinkling of blood and gore are not enough for me. There was no tension. None. There was insta-love. No sparks. No chemistry. Kalinda had so much potential, but then she describes the first man she sees (from a distance) and suddenly she's waxing poetic about boy-parts and manly man-ness. Nope.
The surprises weren't surprising. I made it all the way to the end, but this one was not for me. Other people really love it, so judge for yourself.
Rating: ** (1 1/2 stars)
*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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The Red
Mona Lisa St. James made a deathbed promise that she would do anything to save her mother's art gallery. Unfortunately, not only is The Red painted red, but it's in the red. She soon realizes she has no choice but to sell it.
Just as she realizes she has no choice but to sell it, a mysterious man comes in after closing time and makes her an offer: He will save The Red if she agrees to submit to him for the period of one year.
The man is handsome, English, and terribly tempting...but surely her mother didn't mean for Mona to sell herself to a stranger. Then again, she did promise to do anything to save The Red...
The Red is a standalone novel of erotic fantasy from Tiffany Reisz, international bestselling author of The Bourbon Thief and the Original Sinners series.
Just as she realizes she has no choice but to sell it, a mysterious man comes in after closing time and makes her an offer: He will save The Red if she agrees to submit to him for the period of one year.
The man is handsome, English, and terribly tempting...but surely her mother didn't mean for Mona to sell herself to a stranger. Then again, she did promise to do anything to save The Red...
The Red is a standalone novel of erotic fantasy from Tiffany Reisz, international bestselling author of The Bourbon Thief and the Original Sinners series.
What I thought:
First book I've read by this author and yes, yes, yes. I'm a fan. I would've bought this one just for the sex, but, conveniently, there was a great story wrapped around that sex. Hot. Hot. Hot. Like erotic romance? Like fantasy? Then this book is for you.
Rating: **** (4 stars)
*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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SEDUCED BY PAIN
At night I’m June, dominating with the whip, even as I crave the hot, searing blow of the cane, myself. I loathe this side of who I am, but I can’t deny it or escape it. And as my clients cry out for me, begging for mercy, I can't help but want June dead.
By day, I’m Alex Ryan, the good, successful Southern woman everyone thinks I am. I’ve compartmentalized my life to make it bearable, and to get what I want most: revenge. I can have a future with June dead, as soon as I confront the man that terrorized my past.
SAVED BY SIN
Cade Brannon is the local gun for hire, part of the seedy underworld of Dallas, but he may also be my savior. I want his help and he wants me. But Cade refuses to play by my rules and is forcing his way into every one of those compartments that I want to lock away. Now the parts of my life I’ve fought so hard to keep separate are bleeding together and it’s tearing me apart.
I just want to go back to being Alex Ryan. But at what cost am I willing to kill June?
What I thought:
Dark and sexy. Did I mention dark? I love the darker side of romance. June/Alex dominated the pages, (wink wink) but it's not just BDSM for the fun of it. There's an emotional current here that takes the story to a deeper level. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Like your romance dark? Then this one's for you!
Rating: **** (4 stars)
*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-Chelly
At night I’m June, dominating with the whip, even as I crave the hot, searing blow of the cane, myself. I loathe this side of who I am, but I can’t deny it or escape it. And as my clients cry out for me, begging for mercy, I can't help but want June dead.
By day, I’m Alex Ryan, the good, successful Southern woman everyone thinks I am. I’ve compartmentalized my life to make it bearable, and to get what I want most: revenge. I can have a future with June dead, as soon as I confront the man that terrorized my past.
SAVED BY SIN
Cade Brannon is the local gun for hire, part of the seedy underworld of Dallas, but he may also be my savior. I want his help and he wants me. But Cade refuses to play by my rules and is forcing his way into every one of those compartments that I want to lock away. Now the parts of my life I’ve fought so hard to keep separate are bleeding together and it’s tearing me apart.
I just want to go back to being Alex Ryan. But at what cost am I willing to kill June?
What I thought:
Dark and sexy. Did I mention dark? I love the darker side of romance. June/Alex dominated the pages, (wink wink) but it's not just BDSM for the fun of it. There's an emotional current here that takes the story to a deeper level. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Like your romance dark? Then this one's for you!
Rating: **** (4 stars)
*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-Chelly
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