The Queens Wings by Jessica Thorne

‘I was born to fly,’ I told my brothers. But it isn’t true. I was born to be a pawn in the great game of royal houses, married to someone – anyone – my family deems suitable. If I’m lucky, he’ll be my own age and bearable. If I’m very lucky, he’ll be someone who understands my need to fight, and to fly...


Bel, born to nobility, would do anything to spend her days alongside her brothers – soaring through the heavens in her beloved flyer. She’s faster than any of them, but she knows her days in the skies are numbered.
When a surprise attack on the palace lands Bel’s father on the throne, her life is forever changed. In order to secure her father’s empire, Bel must travel to a distant land to marry the recently widowed young ruler, Conleith.


But Bel’s new home is less than welcoming: compared to the refined ladies at court, Bel seems like a wild woman, and assassination attempts, treason and mystery threaten her at every turn. With a growing attraction to Con, her life is further complicated by the attentive leader of her bodyguards – a warrior called Shae whom she has loved since childhood…
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Hello again! So todays' review is an upcoming novel set to release in late November 2018. The Queens Wings is a Sci-Fi Fantasy Romance fit for those who love Star Wars, (or at least those who enjoy space travel, and alien life forms) have an itch for something akin to Game of Thrones, but enjoy the flit of romantic undertones ( well ... under and overtones.)

We get to meet Bel, or Belengaria, as we find her true name is, on her home world of Vairian. A strong people they are. Warriors, in a galaxy where most want peace. Looked down upon by most as barbarians who only desire war. We get to meet her briefly before her world is ripped apart, throwing her into a future she had never imagined for herself, but as the warrior she is, she faces this new battle head on, as best as she can.

Honestly, I read 78% of this book( according to my kindle app) before my tablet died and I was forced to stop reading for the night. I resumed it the next morning with a full charge, and let me tell you, I am in love with this world. Thorne does an incredible job and bringing life to the worlds we visit in The Queens Wing. The history she adds in and the culture she had created for each one is dazzling and so easy to slip into and imagine that you are there among the beautiful greenery of Anthaeus. She brings to life the tech of the realms as well, each distinct and flavored, hinting to the culture that created them.

Often you can fall into a pattern when reading, where you can guess everything that is going to happen. This is not one of those books. The surprises throughout this book are truly surprises, and it is what kept me hooked and gripping my tablet for 4 straight hours when I should have been sleeping after 1. I know I've said this before for my favorite female protagonists, but Bel stays true to herself through the entire book, even when she didn't know who that was. Her personality stayed the same, while her ideas and thoughts morphed; as they should; as she grew into the story. 

The Queens Wing is a novel that I feel most could enjoy. Battle and war, love and loss, fear and fire and triumph and loyalty. From teens to adults, and across several genres, this book has something for everyone. 

Pages :  353, but it feels like more, in a good way. 

You can order it here on Amazon!

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OK! So About Jessica Thorne..  Its a penname for the wonderful Ruth. You can find her at http://www.rflong.com , on Goodreads and Twitter under Jessica Thorne, she also has a presence on T
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Betrothed to The Dragon by Kara Lockharte

I like to pretend I’m just another immigrant trying make her way in New York City. You’d recognize the story I tell my human friends: fleeing persecution, a desperate relative brings baby me to America with nothing more than the clothes we wear. Hard work, study and persistence brings prosperity and now I’m on the cusp of starting my museum curatorship career. It’s not the entire truth. Though my family may look human, we are not. We have been called many names, gods, demons, fae, yokai, rakshasas, but we are shen, the wielders of Earth’s magic.We sought asylum in America to escape an immortal monster the Devourer, who is determined to find and eat the magic of every last shen in this world, including me.Even though I am the worst sort of shen, a shen with no ability to use magic. My grandmother’s magic can no longer to protect me.And now, just now, she tells me about the bargain she made with the dominant non-human power of New York to save me.Marriage.To a DRAGON.Monster or not, magic or not, there’s no way I’m marrying a man — a dragon, I don’t know. Even he turns out to be the sexiest panty-melting hunk of a suit I’ve ever seen. Absolutely not. I mean it. Seriously. 

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This is not a book for kids. Just throwing that out there. It is a story of one womans search for safety while and evil being that can destroy worlds is after her, and her subsequent fall into love (and the arms of) her betrothed, a Dragon. It is a harrowing adventure full of magic, and monsters, and detailed fight scenes, and sex. There are lots of twists, some that i guessed ahead of time, and others that took me completely by surprise.

If you aren't into the the sex part, (Or are really wanting the sex part) you should know that there are only 2 major scenes where sex actually happens, as well as a few smaller scenes that involve light foreplay. The major part of this book is the action and the storyline. And let me tell you, Kara has some stuff hidden up her sleeve for this series. She has added some background that has just been hinted at, and I cant wait to see what she does with it.

It is on the short side, I read it in one night. But its fast paced, and a page turner for sure. I'm looking forward to reading the second one here in a few nights (assuming its about the same length as this one.) 

Overall, if you are looking for something new, this could be a god place for you to start!

Pages : 134 

Can be found on Amazon Here for your Kindle, or using Kindle Umlimited.

The Gender Game by Bella Forrest

"A toxic river divides nineteen-year-old Violet Bates's world by gender.
Women rule the East. Men rule the West.
Welcome to the lands of Matrus and Patrus.
Ever since the disappearance of her beloved younger brother, Violet's life has been consumed by an anger she struggles to control. Already a prisoner to her own nation, now she has been sentenced to death for her crimes.
But one decision could save her life.
To enter the kingdom of Patrus, where men rule and women submit.
Everything about the patriarchy is dangerous for a rebellious girl like Violet. She cannot break the rules if she wishes to stay alive. But abiding by rules has never been her strong suit, and when she is thrust into more danger than she could have ever predicted, Violet is forced to sacrifice many things in the forbidden kingdom ... including forbidden love.

In a world divided by gender, only the strongest survive..."

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Opening this book, (well tapping it open) I was really excited to jump right in it. On top of it being the first book I've read for pleasure since school has started up, it was also the first book I got with my Kindle Unlimited subscription, so it had double the hype to live up to; and let me tell you, it did not fail. I finished this thing in 2 days, and am writing this within the hour of finishing because it is that good. 

Now this series has been out for a bit, (this first book originally releasing in September of 2016, with the last in the series releasing July 2017) so some of you may have already read it, but if you haven't then you should! (The whole series is out so no waiting on a book release! ) It is dystopian, being set in the future where, after having to start over, the men and women had different ideas on how to run things...

Our main character here is Violet Bates, a 19 year old women who has been fortunate (???) enough to be born in Matrus, the peace loving city state ran by women. Men here are submissive and if they aren't, then they don't get to stay. The opposite being true for its counterpart, Patrus, where violence isn't necessarily looked down on. 

Its a fair paced book, each important character is unique with their own quirks and ideas. Violet herself is very true to herself, even when her life could be on the line, and while that gets her into trouble, it also helps her out. 

This first installment (out of 7!!!) gives us the basic background we need to understand some of the choices that our heroine and her companions make throughout the book. While she isn't set out to save the world, I have a feeling she may just change it!

It is rated Teen/YA, and contains kidnapping and violence in detail, and implied violence and rape. That being said, I would still be ok with my 13 and 16 year old sisters reading this, as it is all done in a very structured and careful way. 

Pages : 418

You can find the whole series HERE on Amazon.

Knights Club:The Bands of Bravery by Shuky

"Introducing a new series of interactive, pick-your-panel graphic novels for middle grade readers, full of adventure, magic, and fun! Knights Club is a hilarious, medieval-themed quest for bravery and glory.

The year is 1012 in the kingdom of the good king Louilepou. Three brothers dream of joining the Royal Order of Knights: fearless adventurers, able to travel long distances, slay the most dangerous theives, and defend the valorous peasants. And one of these brothers is you!

But the road to knighthood is long. You must journey through snowy mountains, haunted lakes, and dark forests in search of the bracelets of bravery. During your expedition you will come face-to-face with a troll, an old wizard, or a warrior. You must solve riddles, discover hidden compartments, learn combat techniques, and gather magical objects. Your success depends on your choices alone, because the hero is you!"

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Originally published in 2012 in France as Chevaliers: Journal D'un Heros , this book feels like a throw back to the build-your-own adventure goosebumps books I read as a child. Couple this with me being an avid Dungeons and Dragons player and DM, I had a blast following this adventure! It has a few "game overs" and some surprises that break the 4th wall.... but all of this will keep kids coming back to this story. 

Its full color pages are engaging, and knowing where to go is easy with a quick three page "how-to" at the front. The digital copy I received had 6 character trackers that were dotted (unsure if they will be perforated or simply dotted and need cutting out) but could easily be copied onto lined paper, or in a machine if this book is bought for a classroom.

This story is set apart from other "choose your story books" by having you keep track of what you have done/earned and makes reading feel like a game. The puzzles in it add an extra layer of problem solving that isn't always there in a book, let alone a game.

I cant suggest this book for a Kindle read, as the way you read this book is difficult on a computer (how I received my ARC copy) and I imagine would be slightly frustrating on a small screen as well.

This book is set to release on September 4th 2018 on Amazon here And is now available for preorder!

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Here are a few of the pages from the book to give you an example of the artwork and how this choose your own story flows! (I purposely didn't get the frame # in that second picture as to not ruin the story! And please excuse the grainy quality, that is my phone not the comic!)

   

   

As you can see, your decisions have numbers attached, and you follow the numbers to whatever panel is next in the story progression. This means that sometimes you will visit the same page several times, and that each read through can be different than all the previous ones! You can also see how vibrant and colorful this comic is, and wonderfully detailed in ways it doesn't have to be but it is!

Being Alpha by Aileen Erin

"For the first time since Tessa met Dastien, life is quiet. The evil witch, Luciana, is six glorious feet under, St. Ailbe's is closed due to human trespassers, and people are finally getting used to the fact that supernaturals exist in the world. It seems like the perfect time for a honeymoon.
After traveling to Dastien's house in Provence, clubbing in Paris, and attending Meredith and Donovan's Full Moon Ceremony in Ireland, Tessa and Dastien head to the Caribbean. Their trip is turning out to be the honeymoon that fantasies are made of-sunset cruises, long walks on the beach, and every romantic cliché you can imagine. Tessa couldn't be happier. Except that Tessa's visions are on the fritz. She hopes that means that nothing is brewing. That everything is quiet because all is well. But Tessa's never been one to assume anything.
When she's magically attacked and nearly dies, Tessa knows she can't ignore the signs anymore. Something huge is going on. As much as she doesn't want to call an end to their six-week honeymoon, it's time to head back to Texas.
Whoever messed with Tessa is in for a rude awakening. Because if there's one thing fighting rogue witches and werewolves has taught her, it's how to be Alpha. "

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Book 7 of the Alpha Girl series. I haven't read the first 6, so going in I was ready to not know ANYTHING about this world. and to see just how much I could garner from the book, I didn't even read the description first, but that didn't matter. Aileen does an amazing job with summarizing what has happened in previous books in a natural way. Within the first couple chapters I knew most of what I needed to, to fully grasp what was going on; and while I continued to gather new information through Being Alpha, about previous books in the series and the history behind the current events, it was a natural process that didn't make me feel overloaded or confused. This process was so subtle and well worked into the book that I could probably go back and read the first 6, and be (mostly) surprised.

This being an early copy of the book, I did find a significant amount of grammatical errors, but more often than not, some smaller words were simply missing. The meaning still came through but it was a little distracting. This should be fixed by the time the book is released, for all I know this is a very early copy and hasn't been through as many edits.

Being Alpha was so easy to get into. Everything is so well described that it leaves you with no questions on what you should be seeing or focusing on or what Tessa is feeling or thinking(or Dastien for that matter, because ya know, werewolf mate bonds.). The pacing is nice, if not a little slow in the beginning.

The relationships involved feel real, and for the most part, are an example of healthy ones. Tessas' marriage to Dastien is supportive both ways, and while that loving "mine" feeling is there, Dastien isn't this possessive "get your hands off her" wolf that is typically seen in books featuring werewolves.

Over all I highly enjoyed his novel and will probably be going to go find the first 6 as well as Lunar Court, which is listed as the 8th book in the series but follows a different character.

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Book1: Becoming Alpha  Book2:Avoiding Alpha & Coming out July 17th 2018 Book7:Being Alpha 

Hanger by Hirotaka Kisaragi

"In a futuristic Neo-Tokyo, crime is rising rapidly in the wake of a new generation of super-drugs capable of enhancing the user's physical and mental abilities. Hajime Tsukomo is a new recruit on a federal task force trained to go after these powered-up criminals. Now he must team up with Zeroichi, a so-called Hanger looking to reduce his own jail sentence in exchange for helping to take down these chemically-boosted bad guys."

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What appears to be another hit from Kisaragi, Hanger is set up to be a great new manga series that is a must read for fans. Unfortunately I had a hard time reading it due to format issues, which hopefully will not translate out into the actual novel copies.

Hanger jumps right into the action with a nice opening scene presenting us with both main characters front and center. It gives us readers a sense of Zeroichi (01) and Hajimes' relationship and sets us up for great character development throughout the series. The backdrop for this relationship is well thought out and (even if a tad cliched) seems to work well with Kisaragis' style.

Mae Vol 1 by Gene Ha

"Mae's beloved older sister, Abbie, has been missing for years. Mae has her theories about where Abbie might be. But nowhere in her wildest imagination do those theories encompass a fantasy world full of terrifying monsters, power-hungry nobles, and nefarious scientists. That is, until Abbie suddenly reappears in Mae's world. And not alone."

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This fully colored novel, has its roots in what has to be some of the Author/Artists fandoms, while still being its own book. Its' hints at Dr Who, Oz, Narnia and others make it a comfortable book to get into. The artists rendering is beautiful and its no wonder way hes won awards for previous work. I feel like Gene Ha is in a unique position because of his many talents, to be able to match the text to the illustrations and vice versa. The pictures and text play well together, and enhance your journey with Mae and Abbie.

With the semi fast pace, you kind of feel rushed to take everything in, but it wasn't a deterrent to keep reading. If anything it made me want to keep reading.

Despite it being a pretty great read, I doubt I would buy it. I usually buy books that I can't stop thinking about, and this one is one that hasn't particularly crossed my mind since reading it.

Mae releases soon July 10th 2018! You can get it here

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It has come to my attention as I was grabbing the Amazon link, that this is a new printing/ new artistic rendering?? of Gene Has' comic released February 2017.

Hunters by Maybury, Tierney, and Valderrama

"Famed warrior Azarias has gathered a small army of varied adventurers on a quest to gather the dust of a distant island god in order to save the life of their king. Along the way, they encounter numerous beasts and monsters all in the process of gathering artifacts necessary to locate the island god before ultimately defeating it."

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Hunters is a beautiful comic with new ideas in a throw back to the traditional Fantasy adventure.

 The artwork is detailed, stunning, and in full color you really get to know the world being presented to you. One thing that both surprised me and made me enjoy this more was that each chapter is drawn by a separate artist. You get to see so many different styles and tones for the adventure. The art does  distract from the story a bit at first, (When you get used to one style then get swung into a new one out of no where for the first time) but overall I enjoyed the differing styles.

Hunters is available now on Amazon in Kindle or Paperback edition.


The full roster of talent contributing to this epic tale include Paul Maybury, Josh Tierney, Miguel Valderrama, Carlos Valderrama, Devin Kraft, Anas Awad, Meg Gandy, Jared Morgan, Irene Koh, Kyla Vanderklugt, Benjamin Marra, Alexis Ziritt, Travel Foreman, Carlos Carrasco, Vlad Gusev, and Ramon Sierra.

Truth Seer by Kay L. Moody

"Egypt, 2121. Imara Kalu knows how she wants her future to go: Become a police interrogator in Kenya and then graduate as a truth seer in her last semester of the summer training program. But her plans fall apart when a group of terrorists take over the school and carry out a desperate kidnapping. Devastated that her sister is among the victims, Imara leads a rescue team and descends into the dangerous catacombs where the hostages are rumored to be hidden.

Although suspicious of others because of the truth she sees, Imara knows the rescue team will need her help as a truth seer to bypass the lethal illusions laid by the abductors. But as the terrorist traps escalate, Imara realizes how much truth she’s been ignoring and that holding back could get her sister killed. Throughout the journey, Imara confronts her past and amplifies her abilities as a truth seer only to discover that her sister’s kidnapping is just one piece of a much darker secret."

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When I fist read the Synopsis above, I didn't know quite what I was getting myself into. It didn't sound like something I would normally read. Personally I would class this book as Dystopian Fantasy. Its Universe is not overtly fantastic and borders real life. Its set a hundred years in the future with new tech and most humans have developed a new power known as hila. But this book does deliver. The author is obviously skilled at developing multifaceted characters who do grow and change with their environments. They react and speak how you could imagine someone similar, reacting and speaking. Imara, the main character is given this immense ability that gives her an almost omniscient view of the world and people around her, but she is still in the process of learning to wield it properly which becomes a major source of distress in her life. Her voice is strong and wavers when it makes sense. She has her ticks, and her own quirkiness that makes her relatable, 

I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend this read, to anyone interested in the Fiction genre. Its easy to read, suitable for older children as well as adults. It is part of a Trilogy and I am really excited to be able to read the next two. 

To order your copy from Amazon follow this link! (Opens in new window) : Truth Seer

Wings of Ice by G Bailey

"Isola Dragice thought she knew what her future would bring. Only, one earth-shattering moment destroys everything.

When war threatens her home, Isola returns from earth to the world of dragons she knows nothing about, and to Dragca Academy. 

When the four most powerful dragon guards in history are ordered to protect her, they didn’t expect to be protecting an accident prone princess. One who, accidentally, nearly kills her whole class at Dragca Academy in her first week. 

What happens when fire falls for Ice?"

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This is my first read from this author, so I was excited to dive in and see what G. Bailey was made of. I don't typically read a lot of Romance, but I was interested (because dragons!) in the synopsis I was given(above) and because you don't often get to read reverse harems since not many people write them.

Wings of Ice is a fast-paced, Romantic Adventure, featuring a young Isola with a distant father, and almost no other family to speak of. She is sent to live with humans early on in life and is essentially left there for her safety, (Ya know, since she a freaking princess.) Events lead her father to come and get her from the human realm early and bring her to Dragca Academy, where she is surrounded by boys. Men really, who are set to out to protect her out of fear of a curse.

Bailey is quick to set up her world and launch you into the action. Obviously I don't recommend Wings of Ice to anyone that isn't an Adult yet, but it is a book you should consider reading if you don't mind being in the mind of a 18 year old dragonic princess who doesn't quite know what to do with all the men life has thrown at her.

Personally one of my critiques of Wings of Ice is that the fast paced storytelling left me wanting more. More description of the rooms, the people. Each character was given very little physical description, and getting to know them was hard as several of them seemed to have the same personality. Fantasy novels are typically full to the brim with descriptions of everything and I found myself having to stop to try and imagine what Isola was looking at and coming up with this half-formed picto-thought.

The dialouge in the book was also a little weird for me. Some of it was trying to be banter like and came across flat, or just rude. And some of the dialouge is just something I can't imagine being said.

Despite my critiques, I did enjoy Wings of Ice. It is a work that is definitely for Romance lovers more so than Fantasy lovers, and while I will definitely be checking this author out again, I'm not sure if it will be reading the next one in this series or picking up a new one.

G. Baileys Author Site 

Buy Wings of Ice

The Tarot Cafe Manga Collection by Sang-Sun Park

"Meet Pamela, a tarot card reader who helps supernatural beings living in the human world. She'll help anyone, whether they're a love-stricken cat, a vampire spending eternal life running from his one true love, an unattractive waitress looking for the man of her dreams, or even a magician who creates a humanoid doll to serve the woman he loves. Although she is good-natured, there is a deep dark secret that she must deal with before she can move on to the next life."


At first this Manga screamed XXXHolic at me. Maybe just the fact that it was based in a shop and had all kinds of mystical people coming through, or perhaps the similar art style.

At first I didn't think I would be interested in reading another one. The manga seemed to be focusing on the mini stories (any of which could be their own series if fleshed out a bit) more so than its overarching plot line, where a woman, Pamela reads Tarot for the supernatural. As I continued to read, the story became more clear, and I became more interested, but it didn't really get good until the last chapter which was disappointing. I would have liked more Pamela less "other" 

The artwork was nice, but grainy and kind of broken up in the version I read. You could tell that it had a nice throwback style ( maybe using the same artwork from the original release?).  I would probably read the next 2 ( I'm assuming there will only be 2 more since the first release had 3 total as well) But its not a Manga I would personally add to my collection. I could see some people really enjoying this though.

This was originally released in the early 2000s.  

Chimera 1 The Righteous and the Lost by Tyler Ellis

 "Haunted by their pasts, a crew of thieves is hired for a covert mission in the midst of a galaxy being ripped apart by an interstellar holy war. If they want to survive - much less succeed - they must navigate hostile worlds, vengeful aliens, a deranged demon, and betrayal from within.  Collects the first six issues of the acclaimed sci-fi/fantasy series, as well as a pin-up and cover gallery."

If Star Wars and Firefly met and made a Dungeons and Dragons game, this would be the story they create. Its intriguing  plot and wide array of characters and backstory make it an easy-to-finish-in-one-sitting novel. The artwork sets itself apart and helps bring the whole story together.

The author uses "then" and "now" headings to give backstory which helps to differentiate whats going on and when. ( Especially helps when you are reading on a tiny screen, and are having trouble seeing the words already.) This first installment describes how the group came to be together and sets up for the next few books in a way that doesn't seem so information heavy.

I honestly cant wait to read the next one, and for this to become an overnight must have in the Manga/Amine/Otaku world.

It is currently available on Amazon, Here (Link will open in new window)

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After writing this (and when looking for the Amazon link) I discovered that this is not the first time this story has been told. This Edition is brand new, and includes the first 6 of Tyler Ellis' Chimera novels as well as exclusive artwork. It appears that he is not ready to stop writing this series and is reviving this fairly new story. Either way my original review stands, and I'm excited to see the next one.