Romantic Fantasy Giveaway & Spotlight!

Hi there. I'm super excited to feature this Romantic Fantasy Starter Kit giveaway, because it includes several of my favorite romantic fantasy series! Click HERE for the link to enter. 

You have a chance to win six first-in-series:

Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changeling #1) by Nalini Singh

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) by Ilona Andrews 

Written in Red (The Others #1) by Anne Bishop

Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega #1) by Patricia Briggs

Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven

Wild Hunger (Chicagoland Vampires #1) by Chloe Neil

Today I'm spotlighting one of the books in the giveaway: Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven!

PHOENIX UNBOUND by GRACE DRAVEN

Ace Trade Paperback | September 25, 2018

A woman with power over fire and illusion and an enslaved son of a chieftain battle a corrupt empire in this powerful and deeply emotional romantic fantasy from the USA Today bestselling author of Radiance.

Every year, each village is required to send a young woman to the Empire's capital--her fate to be burned alive for the entertainment of the masses. For the last five years, one small village's tithe has been the same woman. Gilene's sacrifice protects all the other young women of her village, and her secret to staying alive lies with the magic only she possesses.

But this year is different. 

Azarion, the Empire's most famous gladiator, has somehow seen through her illusion--and is set on blackmailing Gilene into using her abilities to help him escape his life of slavery. Unknown to Gilene, he also wants to reclaim the birthright of his clan.

To protect her family and village, she will abandon everything to return to the Empire--and burn once more.

Praise for Phoenix Unbound:

New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews sums up the book:

 “Fierce and captivating, PHOENIX UNBOUND is the story of a gladiator and a fire witch fighting for their freedom against an empire that wants them enslaved.  With impossible odds, breathtaking battles, terrifying magic, and an unlikely love, this book is a must read. Grace Draven is a master of romantic heroic fantasy.”

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Grace Draven is a Louisiana native living in Texas with her husband, kids and a big, doofus dog. She is the winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice for Best Fantasy Romance of 2016 and a USA Today Bestselling author. Find out more about Grace Draven online at gracedraven.com.

Love Psy-Changeling, Kate Daniels, The Others, and Alpha & Omega series! Awesome giveaway, right?!  Click HERE for a chance to win all six books (listed above). Good luck!

Review: My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows

My Plain Jane (The Lady Janies #2) by Cynthia Hand, 
Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows 
Publication date: June 26th 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
My rating:  2.5-3 Stars
Pages: 464
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | TBD | Kobo

 

You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!)

Or does she?

Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.

My Thoughts:

I loved the first book in this series, My Lady Jane, which tweaked history is an entirely good way.  The actual story is pretty awful, and so the changes were quite welcome.  This second installment, which has nothing to do with the previous story other than it being a famous “Jane”, this time a tweaking of the original Jane Eyre. 

Since I loved the original Jane Eyre and the romance, I can’t say I was thrilled with the changes to the story and romance in this version.  Wasn’t really a romance at all except between Charlotte and Alexander, but that was Highlight for Spoiler left open ended, and I like my romances wrapped up nice and tidy, End of Spoiler so that was disappointing too.  The story was entertaining, the magical elements were fun, and I did have a laugh here and there, because seriously these ladies are very funny! Still, I have to say, the story felt a bit convoluted and went on longer than I would’ve liked.

Helen was an annoying character I could’ve done without, and Jane wasn’t my favorite character either. I enjoyed Charlotte (as in Brontë) and Alexander and their POVs the best.  While I was a bit underwhelmed by this installment I fully intend on picking up the next endeavor of this writing team: My Calamity Jane which promises to have a better ending than the original version. I am all for that!

 2.5-3 Stars