Twice Bitten, by Belle Harper | Book Review

Hello hello my little friendo’s! Welcome back to Adele Is Reading.

How are you doing today?

Today I’m bringing my book review of Twice Bitten, by Belle Harper, to the blog!

Twice Bitten is the first book in the New Moon trilogy.

Trigger Warnings: Blood, Troubled Past, soft Sex Scenes.

For seventeen years Alexis “Lexi” Turner has been running. From foster homes, creeps on the street and the law.

Lexi is a survivor, she has spent her whole life moving from one abusive foster home to the next, until she decided to take charge of her own life. Living in abandoned buildings, couch surfing and working at a strip clubs are huge improvement on what she had before.

All she needs is enough money to feed herself, finish high school and hopefully go to college.
She has a plan.
That is until she is caught and sent to live with a strange foster family up-state, —her new high school isn’t much better.

Rafferty King was forced like Lexi to this new foster home, but he fits in better. And that’s saying something for a total misfit. Hot as hell and getting into fights, while ignoring her existence. Whatever.

Then there are the twins Ranger and Maverick, also known as “The joker and The Loner.” They know who she is and give her the new girl treatment she is all too familiar with.

And how can a history teacher look that hot, there should be rules against that kind of thing. But there is something about Galen Donovani, that has Lexi feeling safe when he is near.
While everyone else avoids him.

What the hell is going on in the state of Washington. And why are there so many wolves roaming at Port Willow High!

17+ RH shifter and vampires. 

From GoodReads [x]:

“REVERSE HAREM” IS, LITERALLY, THE OPPOSITE OF “HAREM”, WITH A GROUP OF MALES CENTERING ROUND A SINGULAR FEMALE, USUALLY WITH THREE OR MORE MALES. QUITE OFTEN FOUND UNDER THE ROMANCE GENRE.

The Raven and the Dove, by Kaitlyn Davis | ARC Book Review

Hello friends! Welcome back to the ol’ blog. Today I have my advanced readers copy (ARC) book review of

The Raven and the Dove, by Kaitlyn Davis.

A huge Thank You to Netgalley, for allowing me to read The Raven and the Dove in exchange for an honest review.
This in no way has impacted my review. 

Trigger Warning: Blood, Blood mention, Torture, Torture mention.

Four fates collide in this avian-inspired, epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!

A princess longing to be free…

On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.

A bastard aching to belong…

Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.

Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart…

Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.

Three shocking betrayals. Two star-crossed lovers. One unforgettable journey. If you like fierce heroines, brooding heroes, forbidden romance, and action-packed magical adventures with twists you’ll never see coming, don’t miss The Raven and the Dove!

Release Date: March 9, 2020.

The Raven and the Dove has a strong prologue. The prologue didn’t even begin to warn me of the entirety of chaos that makes up The Raven and the Dove. It’s a great way to start the story–if only it wasn’t completely misleading.

Sky in the Deep, by Adrienne Young | Book Review

Hello, friends. Today I have my book review of

Sky in the Deep, by Adrienne Young.

TW: Blood, Gore, murder mention, Murder, Torture, Torture mention, Slavery mention, Slavery

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.

Faced with her brother’s betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.

Part Wonder Woman, part Vikings—and all heart.

Hearing about Sky in the Deep made me excited about Eelyn’s story…but I had trepidation about reading Sky in the Deep since I’d never read from Adrienne Young. I didn’t know what to expect from her writing.

Sky in the Deep is a fast paced story which is good; it kept me reading the book.

Ambushed, by Jada Fisher | Book Review

Hello friends! Today I have my book review of

Ambushed, by Jada Fisher.

Ambushed is the fourth book in The Brindle Dragon series.

Trigger Warnings: Kidnapping mention, Attempted Kidnapping.

The forces of evil are growing stronger and the only thing standing in their way is an ill-prepared young lady, her group of similarly under-trained friends, and a small dragon with unique powers.
An epic dragon riding adventure from Jada Fisher, author of the popular Dragon Oracle series.

Eist has recovered from her last brush with death and Fior is finally learning to fly. Everything should be peachy now, right? Unfortunately, the forces of evil are growing stronger and there may be nothing standing in their way. Can Eist and her friends steer clear or will they be ambushed before they are ready?

Ambushed is the fourth book in the Brindle Dragon series which follows the story of a young girl and her most unusual dragon as they set out to defeat an evil they are just starting to understand.

It took me a little over a month to read Ambushed, because I found that binge-reading this series wasn’t the best idea (lolol, like I’m Just Figuring That Out). The basic thing in the story happens with every Brindle Dragon book that we read. And while it’s slightly funny that something happens to Eist every year she’s in the academy, it’s becoming kind of old. I’d like for something new to happen.

Nevertheless, I still enjoyed reading Ambushed.

I give Ambushed, 3 stars.

Have you read anything by Jada Fisher? Did you enjoy what you read?

Thank you for stopping by!

See you soon, and Happy Reading!
Adele

MINOR SPOILERS – Kingdom of Ash and Briars, by Hannah West |Mini Book Review

Hello friends! Today I have my book review of

Kingdom of Ash and Briars, by Hannah West.

Kingdom of Ash and Briars is the first book in The Nissera Chronicles. 

Trigger Warnings: Kidnapping, Death.

My review of KOAAB has some minor spoilers in it. 

Bristal, an orphaned kitchen maid, lands in a gritty fairy tale gone wrong when she discovers she is an elicromancer with a knack for shape-shifting. An ancient breed of immortal magic beings, elicromancers have been winnowed down to merely two – now three – after centuries of bloody conflict in the realm. Their gifts are fraught with responsibility, and sixteen-year-old Bristal is torn between two paths. Should she vow to seek the good of the world, to protect and serve mortals? Or should she follow the strength of her power, even if it leads to unknown terrors? She draws on her ability to disguise herself as a man to infiltrate a prince’s band of soldiers, and masquerades as a fairy godmother to shield a cursed princess, but time is running out. As an army of dark creatures grows closer, Bristal faces a supernatural war. To save the kingdoms, Bristal must find the courage to show her true form.

Building on homages to Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Jane Austen’s Emma and the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, Hannah West makes a spectacular debut.

Admittedly, I didn’t read too much into Kingdom of Ash and Briars—-speaking plainly, I didn’t read the synopsis other than figuring out that there was magic within the story..

Wings of Ice, by G. Bailey | Book Review

Hello friends! Today I have my book review of

Wings of Ice, by G. Bailey.

Wings of Ice is the first book in the Protected by Dragons series.

Trigger Warnings: Fighting, Bullying

Four Dragon Guards. Three Curses. Two Heirs. One Choice…
Forbidden love or the throne of the dragons?

Isola Dragice thought she knew what her future would bring. On her eighteenth birthday, she’d inherit the dragon throne, but one earth-shattering moment destroys everything.
As war looms heavy over Dragca, Isola is catapulted out of her pretend human life and thrust into a world, she knows little of. One life-threatening accident, when she loses control of her dragon, ends up with the whole of Dragca academy hating her.
When the four most powerful dragons in history are ordered to protect her, they find themselves with an awkward problem. Her family cursed them centuries ago, relegating them to slaves of the throne and they hate all royals. Especially an ice dragon princess with no control over her powers that can kill fire dragons. Which the whole school is full of.
What happens when fire falls for Ice?

18+ **Reverse harem**

From GoodReads [x]:

“REVERSE HAREM” IS, LITERALLY, THE OPPOSITE OF “HAREM”, WITH A GROUP OF MALES CENTERING ROUND A SINGULAR FEMALE, USUALLY WITH THREE OR MORE MALES. QUITE OFTEN FOUND UNDER THE ROMANCE GENRE.

Wings of Ice is a book that I didn’t put much thought into.

The Queen’s Rising, by Rebecca Ross | Book Review #354

When her seventeenth summer solstice arrives, Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron.

Growing up in the southern Kingdom of Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her for such a life. While some are born with an innate talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she belatedly chose to study knowledge. However, despite all her preparations, Brienna’s greatest fear comes true—the solstice does not go according to plan and she is left without a patron.

Months later, her life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord offers her patronage. Suspicious of his intent, and with no other choices, she accepts. But there is much more to his story, and Brienna soon discovers that he has sought her out for his own vengeful gain. For there is a dangerous plot being planned to overthrow the king of Maevana—the archrival kingdom of Valenia—and restore the rightful queen, and her magic, to the northern throne. And others are involved—some closer to Brienna than she realizes.

With war brewing between the two lands, Brienna must choose whose side she will remain loyal to—passion or blood. Because a queen is destined to rise and lead the battle to reclaim the crown. The ultimate decision Brienna must determine is: Who will be that queen?

---

Have you ever read a book, where you’re like “This side-character is so interesting! They should have their own book!”

Mechaninca, by Betsy Cornwell | Book Review #206

‘Nicolette’s awful stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her, but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have pushed her into a life of dreary servitude. When she discovers a secret workshop in the cellar on her sixteenth birthday—and befriends Jules, a tiny magical metal horse—Nicolette starts to imagine a new life for herself. And the timing may be perfect: There’s a technological exposition and a royal ball on the horizon. Determined to invent her own happily-ever-after, Mechanica seeks to wow the prince and eager entrepreneurs alike.’

---

When I heard that Betsy Cornwell had come out with another book, I was intrigued and excited. Then I heard that her new (at the time) book, Mechanica was a rendition on the Cinderella story, my excitement died down a little. I mean, there were so many Childhood story renditions coming out left, right and centre. However, I held the faith that Mechanica would be interesting. 

The Young Elites by Marie Lu | Book Review #152

Today’s post is a book review of The Young Elites by Marie Lu. The Young Elites is the first book in a trilogy, and what happened in the book is actually really surprising. Perhaps my thoughts on the book aren’t surprising at all though…

“I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.”

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh | Book Review #131

“One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad’s dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph’s reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she’d imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It’s an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid’s life as retribution for the many lives he’s stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?”

If you didn’t know The Wrath and the Dawn was inspired by A Thousand and One Nights. There are multiple points of view, with the main view point being from Shazrad. There’s an interesting prologue that really sets the tone of the story without telling us what the story is about. So in a way, the prologue moves you to read the rest of the book.

I have got to say that this book surprised me in many ways, but at the same time, was very…. annoyingly predictable at times. There are some things that annoyed me about the book, while there are some things that made me so happy about this book. I don’t know what one has more points to the team though, so lets get down to business, shall we??

The few things that I liked about this book are…