All 5 stars for this!

The Burning Sky is one of the reasons I love fantasy. This book brings together wonderful characters, an interesting story and a world that can only exist in a great book. If you enjoy any of those things, get this book as soon as you can as Thomas does a wonderful job of building this world with magic, dragons, and fairy tales. Also, that cover is PERFECT!

Iolanthe is an elemental mage and grew up believing she could control 3 of the 4 elements – Fire, earth, and water. An experiment (of sorts) to attempt to fix a batch of elixir reveals her ability to call forth lightning. It just happens that this is the sign that Prince Titus was waiting for as it proves the prophecy he has been waiting for has come true. The Bane is the greatest mage tyrant and the second Iolanthe released the lightning bolt, he and his Inquisitor were hunting her down for her power. According to the prophecy it is up to Iolanthe to face the Bane and defeat him. With the protection and assistance of Prince Titus, she just might have a chance.

I loved the characters in this book. Iolanthe is tough, loyal, determined and smart. She doesn't just sit back and hope someone will save her even though that is what she would like to do. She is only sixteen and has never been prepared for the situation she is suddenly thrown into but she adapts quickly. She plays her role well and even impresses Titus with what she can do – not just as a mage but with who she is as well as with how well she does. I’m hoping in the next book we get to learn more about her real background and family.

Prince Titus is the opposite – he has been preparing for this his whole life and when the time comes, he is going to be ready for whatever will happen. Titus is definitely one of those characters that has some layers. He knows he can never let people know him for who he really is and repeatedly tells Iolanthe that people like them can’t have friends. He really believes this and does his best to keep Iolanthe at arm’s length and when he has succeeded, he realizes just how much it hurts. Another thing about Titus – he may be a bit manipulative and condescending (depending on the crowd) but that boy can deliver some swoons. I’ll just leave one of my favorite lines right here:

“I live for you and you alone.”


The fact that he will deliver that line and then turn around and deliver a line like “I play Big Bad Wolf to Little Red Riding Hood. She likes it rough, did you know? I did not.” only makes him that much better in my opinion.

I loved the build of the relationship between Titus and Iolanthe. Don’t worry – the romance doesn't take over the story here but it is a critical piece to the story as it changes how things are supposed to happen. Also, the banter between Iolanthe and Titus was one of the best things. I found myself laughing at not only their conversations but also those that included some of the secondary characters like Kashkari.

Definitely check this one out when you can. I will be waiting (let’s be honest…it will be impatiently) for the next book of the series as I am very curious to see where this goes.

This may be my first book by Rosie Danan but I expect it won't be my last.

I loved this story! Not only did the characters seem real (admittedly I don't know anyone in Josh's industry) but the story was engaging. I loved the banter between Clara and Josh and the fact that they were such polar opposites had me interested in what would happen from page one.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by Vivienne Lorret but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed this story and although I missed the first book in the series (I will be going back to pick it up), I don't think it impacted my enjoyment of this one.

This story follows Jane Pickerington who, in order to conduct the research for her book, decides she needs to visit a brothel. When she meets Raven and recognizes the birthmark he has, she embarks on another mission. That is, help Raven claim his birthright.

I enjoyed these characters. There is a difference of class between the two of them but as they work together to solve the mystery of Raven's origins, that doesn't actually matter as they are drawn to one another more and more. I liked how Lorret built their relationship and the romantic tension throughout the book was well done.

If you're looking for a historical romance that has solid characters and a good story, consider picking this one up.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! Having read the book, I have to say that the cover is amazing and I think it is perfect for it.

The main character is Verity Pruitt and immediately we find out that she and her little sister, Lilah, are orphans. With their mother dead and their father going mad, they have been sent on a train to Arkansas with the hopes that they will be adopted. While this is their situation right now, Verity has plans. Her goal is for them to get adopted together and stay there just until she is old enough to take her sister back to New York so she can go to school.

As you can guess, that isn't what happens. Lilah is quickly adopted and that's when Verity realizes that this was always the plan. What she also realizes is that if she wants to stay near her sister, she will have to indenture herself as a farm hand...which she does. I honestly liked the family she was with more and even though she had to work day in and day out, I think she ended up with the better option.

As the story progresses, it is clear that there is something weird about the town they now live in. The woods have strange things happening in them, some of the people act a little off, and over a short period of time, Lilah begins to change. As Verity tries to figure out what is happening and why she and her sister are involved in the weirdness, she and those she loves are put in danger.

I thought Goodman did a great job with building out the characters in this story and pulling me into their world. From the second they got off the train, I couldn't stop feeling like something was going to go wrong and I wanted things to be ok for Verity. I thought the way her relationship developed with Abel was done well and when the twist happens, my heart hurt for her.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and if you're looking for a historical YA with a bit of a gothic feel, you should check this one out. I'll be looking for more books by Sarah Goodman in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hush was an interesting read. As a debut, I thought Farrow did a solid job in creating the world these characters inhabit. The story itself is what caught my attention and it was what kept me reading. I don't know that I loved any of the characters and that's why I think this one didn't necessarily hit the mark for me. Overall, this was a solid book one and I will most likely pick up book two to see where the story goes.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book I've read by Mary Lancaster and I enjoyed it! I'll definitely be going back to pick up the first two books of this series and even some of her backlist.

The story was focused on the marriage of convenience and for the two main characters, Christopher and Deborah, this changes fairly quickly. What starts out as a friendship quickly turns to something more for them. As they get to know each other, they are also trying figure out how they truly want their relationship to be. There are some bumps along the way - she has a scandal in her (not so distant) past that could impact his role in parliament and opening the school he has planned and he has a family that has some interesting things to work through.

All of that aside, I thought the relationship between the characters developed nicely and the story kept me turning the pages. And while the title implies that Christopher is a rogue, I didn't really get that from the story I read.

I found this to be a fairly quick read and will be looking for more books by Lancaster to pick up while I wait for the next one in this series.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.