Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Dance With The Sword (Bluebeard's Secret #2) by Sarah K.L. Wilson

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring Dance With The Sword (Bluebeard's Secret #2) by Sarah K.L. Wilson. I loved it! It's just as good as the first one in the series. 

About the Book

A GRIM BETRAYAL. A DYING KING. A HUSBAND WHO WON'T LET HER GO.

With the heart of the Wittenhame still ringing from Izolda's actions and her new husband shocked at her betrayal, the future seems very grim indeed.

If Izolda had been asked if she wanted to be rescued from her would-be bridegroom and returned to her home and family, she would have eagerly agreed to go, but now that she is back in the mortal world, she is quickly discovering that home, family and even the inclinations of her own heart are not what she expected.
Worse yet, Izolda has unwittingly become a pawn in a deadly dance between two Wittenbrand, snatched from the claws of one of them only to be stolen back by the other.

With her bodiless friend Grosbeak along for the ride and the great game of crowns and thrones still being played out across the nations, will Izolda's endless common sense still be enough to rescue her from disaster? Or will she fall prey to the terrible ambitions of her enemies?

Book Beginnings

The Law of Greeting bound me to him. The Law of Unraveling stole me away.

Friday 56

A hand led me gently through the licking flames and then, with a sound like fabric tearing, we stepped out of the fire and into my husband's house.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: When Sorrows Come (October Daye #15) by Seanan McGuire

About the Book

Toby's getting married! Now in hardcover, the fifteenth novel of the Hugo-nominated, New York Times-bestselling October Daye urban fantasy series.

It's hard to be a hero. There's always something needing October "Toby" Daye's attention, and her own desires tend to fall by the wayside in favor of solving the Kingdom's problems. That includes the desire to marry her long-time suitor and current fiancé, Tybalt, San Francisco's King of Cats. She doesn't mean to keep delaying the wedding, it just sort of...happens. And that's why her closest friends have taken the choice out of her hands, ambushing her with a court wedding at the High Court in Toronto. Once the High King gets involved, there's not much even Toby can do to delay things...

...except for getting involved in stopping a plot to overthrow the High Throne itself, destabilizing the Westlands entirely, and keeping her from getting married through nothing more than the sheer volume of chaos it would cause. Can Toby save the Westlands and make it to her own wedding on time? Or is she going to have to choose one over the other?

Includes an all-new bonus novella!

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

I was equal parts excited and nervous for this book. Finally, the wedding! But knowing Toby and the destruction that always seems to follow her, along with the ominous title of the book, I had serious doubts about if the wedding would actually take place. I don't want to say too much, but there were definitely some worrisome and stressful moments, some sweet and heartwarming moments, too.

Toby's attacked the day before her wedding in what looks to be a calculated attempt at destabilizing the regional monarchy. Toby's nickname as “the King-Breaker” has set her up to be the perfect scapegoat in the assassination attempt of the High King of the Westlands, who's hosting the wedding. Can they stop the plot to overthrow the King and make it to the wedding? Or is the kingdom, and wedding, doomed for failure?

I will say that it seemed to take this book a little while to really get going. There were a lot of recaps in the beginning, and while I appreciated the refresh (there's been a lot of time and other books in between), it kinda felt redundant after a while. But I'd say around 20% in, things really started to ramp up, the recaps lessened, and it became the action-packed and engaging story I've come to expect.

NOTE: This book does contain some strong language.

FOUR STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: Scales and Sensibility (Regency Dragons) by Stephanie Burgis

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Scales and Sensibility (Regency Dragons) by Stephanie Burgis releasing October 4.

About the Book

Sensible, practical Elinor Tregarth really did plan to be the model poor relation when she moved into Hathergill Hall. She certainly never meant to kidnap her awful cousin Penelope's pet dragon. She never expected to fall in love with the shameless - but surprisingly sweet - fortune hunter who came to court Penelope And she never dreamed that she would have to enter into an outrageous magical charade to save her younger sisters' futures.

However, even the most brilliant scholars of 1817 England still haven't ferreted out all the lurking secrets of rediscovered dragonkind...and even the most sensible of heroines can still make a reckless wish or two when she's pushed. Now Elinor will have to find out just how rash and resourceful she can be when she sets aside all common sense. Maybe, just maybe, she'll even be impractical enough to win her own true love and a happily ever after...with the unpredictable and dangerous "help" of the magical creature who has adopted her.

A frothy Regency rom-com full of pet dragons and magical misadventures, Scales and Sensibility is a full-length novel and the first in a new series of standalone romantic comedies.

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Review: Autumn by the Sea (Muir Harbor #1) by Melissa Tagg

About the Book

A captivating new seaside romance brimming with mystery from USA Today bestselling, Christy Award-winning author Melissa Tagg

Abandoned as a toddler, Sydney Rose has spent years wondering who she really is, homesick for a life she's never lived. When a private investigator crashes into her world, she finds herself heading to a tiny seaside town in Maine to meet a woman named Maggie, who's searching for the granddaughter she lost decades ago.

If not for Maggie, Neil MacKean might still be back in Scotland, bereft and alone. Instead, he has a full life in Muir Harbor with an adopted family he loves and a blueberry farm to run. But the farm is struggling and strange occurrences have him concerned. Worse, Maggie's once again caught up in the past, convinced she's finally found her long-lost granddaughter.

Worried for Maggie, Neil is suspicious of the city girl who shows up at the farm. But there's something about Sydney that tugs on him, drawing out secrets he never meant to share. While Neil grapples with the future of the farm, Sydney wrestles with a past that's messier than ever. Together, they're pulled into a mystery complete with a centuries-old legend, unexpected danger . . . and a love as deep and wild as the sea.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

What a fantastic start to this new series! There's something so comforting about Melissa Tagg's books. I just want to jump into the pages and get completely lost in the charming community she's created. I'd never leave if I had the choice.

I loved all the characters here. They were all so lifelike, so authentic. Neil, with his slight Scottish brogue, flannel shirts, hardworking attitude, and love for his family, was so swoonworthy. There were times when he really tugged at my heartstrings. And I couldn't help but root for Sydney. She'd had some really hard times, but she continually pressed on.

Muir Farms was such a charming place. Filled with fields of blueberries, goats, a cow, chickens, and plenty of land to roam, all with the added bonus of an ocean-front view. Yeah, that's my literal dream.

Autumn by the Sea was a heartfelt, genuine, and all-around great read. There were plenty of laughs, a few tears, and a bit of a mystery, too. It was a breath of fresh air and Melissa Tagg's best story yet. I'm so excited to visit Muir Harbor again for Indi's story in the next book, A Seaside Wonder.

I received an early copy of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

FIVE STARS

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: When Sorrows Come (October Daye #15) by Seanan McGuire

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring When Sorrows Come (October Daye #15) by Seanan McGuire. The actual first line of this book is a BIGTIME spoiler for the previous one, so I didn't feel right sharing that. So, since every book in this series starts out with a quote from a Shakespeare work that has the title of the book, that's what I chose to use for my Beginning this week. 

About the Book

Toby's getting married! Now in hardcover, the fifteenth novel of the Hugo-nominated, New York Times-bestselling October Daye urban fantasy series.

It's hard to be a hero. There's always something needing October "Toby" Daye's attention, and her own desires tend to fall by the wayside in favor of solving the Kingdom's problems. That includes the desire to marry her long-time suitor and current fiancé, Tybalt, San Francisco's King of Cats. She doesn't mean to keep delaying the wedding, it just sort of...happens. And that's why her closest friends have taken the choice out of her hands, ambushing her with a court wedding at the High Court in Toronto. Once the High King gets involved, there's not much even Toby can do to delay things...

...except for getting involved in stopping a plot to overthrow the High Throne itself, destabilizing the Westlands entirely, and keeping her from getting married through nothing more than the sheer volume of chaos it would cause. Can Toby save the Westlands and make it to her own wedding on time? Or is she going to have to choose one over the other?

Book Beginning

When sorrows come, they come not single spies,

But in battalions.

-William Shakespeare, Hamlet.

Friday 56

"We need to interview your entire staff," I said. "And by 'we' I mean 'you', and by 'you' I mean 'someone you trust implicitly, probably with Fiac present to verify people's responses, because if you were to find another Doppelganger, you'd probably get stabbed, too, and that's not a fun family activity.'"

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Between Family (The City Between #9) by W.R. Gingell

About the Book

When someone tries to threaten me by telling me they know my name, I take that personally.

G’day. I’m not really a pet anymore, but you might as well keep calling me Pet. It’s not like I’m gunna tell you my name anyway. And if I sound stroppy, well, I am. First, I was threatened. Now, someone has cut off my house from the human world and left my emotional support vampire on the human side. On the inside, it’s just me and an emotionally compromised fae; outside, a closed arena in the world Behind, where everyone is out to kill us and a few of that everyone might actually be capable of it.

Yep. The Heirling Trials have begun, and it seems like it’s either be king or be dead when it comes to the world Behind…

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

I was extremely excited for this book. Not gonna lie, a little nervous, too. The previous one had some jaw-dropping and heartbreaking moments, so I was incredibly curious about what would happen next, and how they'd handle the fallout.

Between Family was great. It was exciting at every turn; I never knew what was coming next. No real shocker there, though. Every book has been a weirdly wonderful and surprising adventure. And with this being the penultimate book in the series, I expected some big things to happen. And, oh boy, do they! Some exciting, others worrisome. And that ending! Why?! I need the next book ASAP! If you're a fan of urban fantasy, don't miss out on this fantastic series.

FOUR STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: Gothel and the Maiden Prince (A Villain's Ever After) by W.R. Gingell

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Gothel and the Maiden Prince (A Villain's Ever After) by W.R. Gingell releasing October 1. I've loved everything I've read by Gingell and am so excited to read her twist on Rapunzel. It should be really good.

About the Book

Deep in the forest, far from the light, a sorceress with magic of the blackest kind keeps prisoner the princess she stole away years ago. From time to time, a prince will come to challenge her, but by and large, life is peaceful for Gothel.

And that's just the way she likes it.

She's not prepared for the earnest young prince who seems more determined to talk her to death than challenge her to a duel of magic; nor, having tricked him into a battle of questions, is she expecting him to show more interest in her than the tower-bound princess.

And Gothel is certainly not prepared to give up any of her power to keep him around, though she might be prepared to answer just a few more questions...

Gothel and the Maiden Prince is one of twelve short novels in A Villain's Ever After, a collection of standalone stories featuring villainous twists on some of your favourite classic fairytales. Read the series in any order for magical adventures . . . and fall in love with villains as you've never seen them before. Who said villains can't have happily-ever-afters?

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?