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books-and-strawberry-tea · 2 days ago

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An Education in Malice: Review

★★⋆☆☆☆ 2.5/5

This book was like a road with speedbumps. It stayed steady for a while, then an event would happen, and finally! The story was taking off!…only to find that no…it was back to the steady road. I just finished this book, 20 minutes ago as of writing this. And I feel like I'm left wanting more, and not in a good way. I felt like this book missed the mark in so many ways. Spoilers and explanation under the cut off:

Warning: this book is 18+, has graphic sex scenes and horror/gore.

The book follows Laura and Carmilla in a dual POV. They both have travelled to attend Saint Perpetua's Academy to study poetry under Ms (Evelyn) De Lafontaine, a professor well known for her skills in poetry. The book goes on to explore the rather fround upon relationship between Carmilla and Ms De Lafontaine. De Lafontain takes Carmilla under her wing after Carmilla tracks her down and demands to be her pupil, and not daring to take no for an answer. By the time Laura comes along, Carmilla is in her senior year and has a well established and secretive relationship with De Lafontaine. Laura stumbles upon this one day after spying on Carmilla and De Lafontaine after being reprimanded for being late to class. THrough a crack in the door, she watches as De Lafontaine and Carmilla argue, before gently De Lafontaine hold Carmilla and drinks from her neck. Yup, De Lafontaine is a Vampire. With time, Laura comes to accept that Vampires are real, Carmilla and Laura have a blossoming romance, and De Lafontaine's jealousy grows to new hights.

A trio of possessive woman, a Vampire with dark secrets, and a sapphic romance. What could possibly go wrong?

Unfortunatly, the way the big events in the book just miss the mark. They arn't as impactful as they should be. Chapter 15 got really exciting. From Chapter 15 to Chapter 17, is where the first major events take place. De Lafontaine takes the girls into the bowls of the school, underground and into a crypt. Turns out, De Lafontaine has been searching for her lover and sire for 40 plus years, and she has finally found her. She is sleeping in a tomb, and to wake her, Isis must drink of human blood. De Lafontaine asked of Carmilla to help her revive Isis. And because of Carmilla's devotion and admiration, she obeys. Letting De Lafontaine slice her palm and poor her blood into Isis' mouth. The whole situation goes south when Isis awakes and attacks Carmilla. Ripping out her jugular and leaving her to bleed out on the floor. De Lafontaine is frantic and in a moment of desparation, feeds Carmilla her blood…starting her transition to the dark life of a vampire. She awakes and as most vampires when they turn, she ravenous. With much reluctance, Laura is convinced to let Carmilla feed from her. And this is where I have the first problem with this book. Before hand, although Carmilla and Laura have a budding romance, they are still rivals. Fighting for their teachers affection. Being snippy and rude to eachother. Well…mainly it's Carmilla to be honest. Nevertheless, they still are not what you'd call sweethearts. But once Carmilla turns, she is suddenly sweet on Laura, being possesive, and wanting to be next to her 24/7. And yes I understand it's probably because Laura is now her source of food. But this is not explained, it's not acknowledged. It just sort of…is. It feels rather jarring to be the reader.

Further in the book, now that Isis is awake, students in the school are winding up dead. The bodies brutalised and left around to be found. This of course puts the school into a frenzy. Laura and Carmilla are obviously concerned and start to piece together why. Isis is around and shes hungry. De Lafontaine tries to ease the girls minds by telling them she'll fix the situation. Except who knows what she does. If De Lafontaine does anything at all, you wouldnt know it. As this part of the story is not only kept from the characters, but also from the reader. You have no clue what is happening behind the scenes. This does not fill the story with mystery, it just leaves you without a reason to care about later events in the book. There is nothing written to get the reader emotinally invested in the story of De Lafontaine and her lover. So when suddenly, De Lafontaine tricks and kills Isis in the last few chapters, you don't 100% care about the sacrifice and loss De Lafontaine is going through. Yes, you find out Isis want to have Carmilla, and De Lafontaine is protecting her. But at this point in the book, it's already at the end of the story. The reader does not have a chance to connect with De Lafontaine on an emotional level. To the reader, she still remains a strict and standoffish professor that has an obsession with Carmilla. You don't see Isis with De Lafontaine in a way that makes you see the struggle that De Lafontaine is experiencing. You don't see her heart breaking for the lost love that she had with Isis. It's all hidden away. How is the reader meant to care about Isis dying, and De LaFontaine's sacrifice?

After Carmilla turns and Laura is established as her lover, there is a rather graphic sex scene. That normally I wouldn't care about. But honestly I don't even feel like the sex scene deserves an explanation. It's just straight up bad. Not because I don't like sex scenes. But because of how forced it felt. Carmilla, previously stating that she wants to have a proper chance at being with Laura, just ups herself over to a vampire at a party and starts low key having a 3some with a male vampire and another human woman. Laura, of course, is not happy about the situation. And marches over there, but is suddenly okay with it if she is telling Carmilla to kiss this guy? She's suddenly okay with public sex even though earlier in the book it explains shes a virgin and has kept her secret passions (old lesbian porn) away from most people? She suddenly okay with her lover proceeding like this as long as she's telling her what to do? Before too long the male vamp and the woman leave to another room, leaving Carmilla and Laura to have sex��IN FRONT OF DE LAFONTAINE! You know, the Vampire that is not only their teacher, but the one who is also extremely possessive over Carmilla? And she just walks off the play cards? Rarely ever mentioning that she didn't like what she saw? The whole scene just felt off, forced, and out of character.

I feel dissatisfied with this book. I was intrigued and unfortunately became victim of poor story telling. I was also disappointed by Carmilla's Bi representation. I don't normally care about representation personally. When I read a book, I want to read about other people rather then seeing myself in something. But as someone who is bisexual, Carmilla's sex scene really annoyed me. Saying she wants to be with Laura, and then jumping off to the male vampire without even a second thought? It just felt very typical of the whole 'bisexuals aren't faithful to their partners' garbage. It was just another example that left me feeling uncomfortable.

It's unfortunate, becasue some of the quotes I really liked. Here is some of the quotes:

'Nature, with all her airs and graces, attends on her favourites, painting cheeks with a rosy bloom, filling lungs with the sweet breath of life. Youth, in all her splendour, gleams on the skin of girls who process, heedless of death, towards beauty's consummation.' Poem Carmilla Recited

Love turns some people into birds or beggers, but you make me into an architecture. Into a sancturary of soft holy spaces shaped to catch the sound of your voice. These eyes: rose windows bathing you in light. These arms: alcoves open in shadow embrace. This heart: a confessinal dark enough for your sins. This mouth: a bell driving away demons and calling you home. Poem Laura Recited

'Love and pain grew in a thorny grove inside me, impossible to disentangle from one another.'

'But this girl, this Carmilla...she undid all my domestication. One smile from her and I wanted to loose my hair and chase her barefoot through the woods, I wanted to knock her to the ground and pin her like a butterfly, I wanted to dig my teeth into her plush lower lip, I wanted, I wanted.'

"Please, will you slow down?" I asked. "I'm not trying to make fun of you. I'm just..." Dangerously preoccupied with you. Bereft of any sense of pride that might keep me away from you. "Concerned."

"We were happy for a time. But love rots and spoils, it disintegrates with time like a rose in a vase, and soon there was nothing between us but animosity and arguments and the resentfulness of having to rely on each other."

"Well, what a miserable little band we all are. Bound by blood and secrecy, with no recourse to anyone but each other. It would almost be romantic, under more advantageous circumstances."

A sensible girl would leave. A good girl most certainly would. But I was tired of being sensible, and I was tired of being good. I couldn't walk away from what I was being offered: the chance to live an exceptional life.

She kissed me with a martyr's agonized desperation, like I was the only sword she ever wanted to fall on. I kissed her right back like the cutting edge of a blade, trying to inflict as much damage as possible. I wanted her to be able to think of nothing but this kiss when she was alone in her bed at night. I wanted her to feel just how much I reviled and desired her, to what maddening brink she drove me. I wanted her to want me so badly it hurt.

"You'll understand, in time. The way we suffer. The way the undying life tears everything good and beautiful from us, Sequestering us to a solitary existence of a thousand sleepless nights."

I felt certain that I could perish like this, suffocated by her thighs, and die perfectly happy.

#txt original #txt review #txt feels #book girly #books #bookish #bookblr #aussie #book obsessed #book #reading #booktok #an education in malice #s.t. gibson #Vampires #sapphic #romance #dark acedemia

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books-and-strawberry-tea · 3 days ago

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So I'm up to 87% and I reeeaaalllyyyy have mixed thoughts on this book. I'll for sure be writting a review probably tomorrow.

November Challenge Day 2: Currently Reading

I finally found kuromi!! I thought they’d all sold out but they must have restocked over night. Also, this is my current read 🥰

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books-and-strawberry-tea · 4 days ago

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books-and-strawberry-tea · 4 days ago

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This lions mane mushroom in a pond looks like an ancient forest spirit.

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books-and-strawberry-tea · 4 days ago

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Why must I gravitate towards series...

(Wrap Up)

Click here for Part 1 and Part 2

I have been wanting to read the series listed in these parts for a long time. Some obviously longer then others.

I want to try all these series next year. I don't have to complete them all. If they suck, then I'll just DNF. Life is too short to not DNF a bad book. Girly, bad books aren't worth your time.

Anyway, here is my thoughts plus the order I am most excited about:

1. The Shadows Between Us

I'm a sucker for Enemies-to-Lovers. But it has to be fantasy EtL. Contemporary EtL is just a joke. Give me the 'I'll kill your entire Empire unless you give me what I want', I live for that shit.

2. The Locked Tomb

I'm gonna be honest, I have not read scifi. Especially since I got back into reading last December. So trying a new genre is just very exciting to me right now. Especially since it's dark. I love dark stories. At least it seems dark to me.

3. Serpent & Dove

I adored The Scarlet Veil. If you know me, you know that fact. So when I found out Serpent & Dove takes place in the same universe and friend group?? Just sign me up.

4. The Roots of Chaos

Dragons and Queendom in peril? Yes please!

5. The Bone Season

I don't know what it is, but this series just calls to me. I don't really know why I want to read it so much. Is it the cover? Is it because it takes place in the future? Gotta read it to find out.

6. Crown's of Nyaxia

Vampires. That's it. I'll read anything with Vampires. Mix in a kingdom with a vampire king? INJECT IT INTO MY VEINS!

7. Empire of the Vampire

I'm a little iffy about this book. I never read books with a male main character just cause I struggle to connect. But I really wanna give this a go cause I've heard amazing things.

8. Gods & Monsters

Just like the last two listings...Vampires. Not sorry about it.

9. Zodiac Academy

Because we all love a school with paranormals.

10. The War of Lost Hearts

Fae, Romance, and a waring kingdom. Sold.

11. Kindred's Curse

Okay I'll be honest...The covers are pretty and all look nice together.

12. Blood & Ash

Vampires.

13. The Lunar Chronicles

A Cinderella retelling with cyborgs...YES YES YES!

14. The Binding Chronicles

Vampires, but also this just sounds really cool and has been sitting on my kindle since I bought it in May.

15. Duskwalker Brides

Monster, cinnamon roll boy with a monster peen. I'm honestly just a girl.

16. Iron Widow

Because Chinese inspired fantasy is one of the best genres I've ever read.

17. Twilight

Again, Vampires. BUT! I grew up in the twilight era. And it honestly scared me. Twilight mums? They were fucking creeps. I also tend to turn away from things that are ridiculously overhyped or overly popular. When I was 17 I wanted to cry with boredom when I finally gave the first movie a go. But a few months ago, I finally properly watched the first movie again...and didn't hate it. So I'm interested in finally giving it a go.

18. Vampire Academy

Vampires and a Academy, YES!

19. Scapegracers

I'm honestly a tad sceptical about this series. I've not heard many people talk about it. But it could be good? I don't have massive hopes. But it's interested me just enough for me to try it out.

Well, that is my wrap up for all the series I want to try. If you have any opinions or comments, please share them!

Click here for Part 1 and Part 2

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books-and-strawberry-tea · 4 days ago

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Why must I gravitate towards series...

(Part 2)

This is part 2 of my series plan. This will be a list of all the series I want to read, the last part will be a wrap up of my thoughts.

Click here for:

Part 1

Wrap Up

Serpent & Dove: 3 Books

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn. Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned. Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou's, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony. The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou's most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made. And love makes fools of us all. Witches, Romantasy, Paranormal, Magic

Gods & Monsters: 3 Books + 1 TBR

World Ender meets Ender of Worlds... A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life in the deserts of Eoria to save her dying sister. She called upon anyone who would listen, not expecting a monster far worse than any nightmare to answer. Now she does what Kaden asks, even if that means securing an ancient relic from the very creatures that hunt her. A King thought long dead and long forgotten. In the old world his name was Samkiel. In the new world it is Liam, but one title remains true throughout time. He is the World Ender, a myth to his enemies, a savior and King to those loyal to him. After the Gods War, he locked himself away, hiding from the world. He denied his crown and responsibilities, leaving the very ones who needed him most to deal with the fallout of the death of their homeworld. Now an attack on those he holds dear sends him back to the one realm he never wished to visit again and into the sights of an enemy he thought imprisoned eons ago. Now enemies older than time must put aside their differences and work together in hopes of saving both their world and every realm in between. Vampire, Adult, Fantasy, Romance

The Lunar Chronicles: 6 Books

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless Lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. Dystopia, Scifi, Retelling, Fantasy

Iron Widow: 2 Books

The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn't matter that the girls often die from the mental strain. When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead. To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed. Chinese Inspire, Fantasy, Dystopian, Historical Fiction

Blood & Ash: 6 Books

A Maiden… Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers. A Duty… The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden. A Kingdom… Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel. Paranormal, Vampires, Romantasy, Young Adult

Duskwalker Brides: 8 Books

All Reia ever wanted was freedom. Known as a harbinger of bad omens and blamed for Demons eating her family, Reia is shunned by her entire village. When the next offering is due and the monstrous Duskwalker is seen heading their way, her village offers her an impossible choice – be thrown into the prison cells or allow herself to be sacrificed to a faceless monster. However, he is not what he seems. His skull face and glow eyes are ethereal, and she finds herself unwittingly enchanted by him. All Orpheus ever wanted was a companion. Each decade, in exchange for a protection ward from the Demons that terrorise the world, Orpheus takes a human offering to the Veil – the place he lives and the home of Demons. The brief companionship does little to ease his loneliness, and their lives were always, unfortunately, cut short. He'd thought it was a hopeless endeavour, until he met her. She’s not afraid of him, and his insatiable desire deepens within every moment of her presence. But will Orpheus be able to convince Reia to stay before she’s lost to him forever? Dark, Demons, Fantasy, Romance, Adult

Twilight: 5 Books + 2 Extra Novella's

About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him - and I didn't know how dominant that part might be - that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him. Vampires, Romantasy, Urban, Paranormal

Vampire Academy: 6 Books

Only a true best friend can protect you from your immortal enemies... Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires—the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them. After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger... and the Strigoi are always close by. Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever... Vampires, Fantasy, Urban, Paranormal

Click here for the Wrap Up

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books-and-strawberry-tea · 4 days ago

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Why must I gravitate towards series...

(Part 1)

I was planning out my tbr for next year, and I thought I'd go through the series I wanted to finally tackle (they've been on my list for a while), and I discovered to my horror...90 books...90 books (94 including ) I will have to read to read all the series I want to read...fuck me. Alright, lemme show you the list:

The Binding Chronicles: 4 Books

What could be worse than an arranged marriage to a vampire prince? When Luna is sold into marriage to the Prince of Darkness, she thinks she knows what to expect. Arranged marriages happen all the time, right? Wrong. No one could have prepared her for the reality of being married to the vampire prince. Ever since the day he was Made, Sebastian has been living according to Queen Marguerite’s rules. After all, he’s only alive because of her. When she orders him to marry and Bind himself to Luna, a human hailing a neighboring kingdom, he has no choice. He agrees to the marriage but never expects to feel anything for Luna. When their Binding Ceremony goes awry, and they are magically Tethered, everything is thrown into upheaval. Unable to leave each other’s presence, they must learn to live with each other. Or die. Tethered is a slow-burn arranged marriage epic romantic fantasy and is filled with forced proximity, magical bindings, vampires, and world-building. Vampire, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic

A 4th stand alone book released yesterday also.

Kindred's Curse: 3 Books + 1 to be released (TBR)

When old secrets catch fire, everything will burn. In a mortal world colonized by the gods and ruled over by the Descended, their cruel offspring, Diem Bellator yearns to escape the insular life of her poor village. Her mother’s sudden disappearance—and the discovery of a dangerous secret about her past—offer Diem an unexpected opportunity to enter the dark world of Descended royalty and unlock the web of mysteries her mother left behind. With the dying King’s handsome, mysterious heir watching her every move, and a ruthless mortal alliance recruiting her to join the growing civil war, Diem will have to navigate the unwritten rules of love, power, and politics in order to save her family—and all of mortalkind. Spark of the Everflame is the first book in The Kindred's Curse Saga, a four-book fantasy romance series. This slow burn, enemies-to-lovers epic is perfect for lovers of magic, dragons, angst, and banter and will appeal to fans of books like A Court of Thorns and Roses, From Blood and Ash, Gild, and The Serpent & the Wings of Night. Dragons, Romance, Fantasy, Magic

Crown's of Nyaxia: 4 Books

Human or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart. The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself. But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival. Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him. But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love. Vampires, Romance, Magic, Paranormal

Scapegracers: Book 3

Skulking near the bottom of West High’s social pyramid, Sideways Pike lurks under the bleachers doing magic tricks for Coke bottles. As a witch, lesbian, and lifelong outsider, she’s had a hard time making friends. But when the three most popular girls pay her $40 to cast a spell at their Halloween party, Sideways gets swept into a new clique. The unholy trinity are dangerous angels, sugar-coated rattlesnakes, and now–unbelievably–Sideways’ best friends. Together, the four bond to form a ferocious and powerful coven. They plan parties, cast curses on dudebros, try to find Sideways a girlfriend, and elude the fundamentalist witch hunters hellbent on stealing their magic. But for Sideways, the hardest part is the whole ‘having friends’ thing. Who knew that balancing human interaction with supernatural peril could be so complicated? Rich with the urgency of feral youth, The Scapegracers explores growing up and complex female friendship with all the rage of a teenage girl. It subverts the trope of competitive mean girls and instead portrays a mercilessly supportive clique of diverse and vivid characters. It is an atmospheric, voice-driven novel of the occult, and the first of a three-book series. Witches, Urban Fantasy, Lesbian, Paranormal

The Bone Season: 7 Books + 2 TBR

The year is 2059. For two centuries, the Republic of Scion has led an oppressive campaign against unnaturalness in Europe. In London, Paige Mahoney holds a high rank in the criminal underworld. The right hand of the ruthless White Binder, Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare and formidable kind of clairvoyant. Under Scion law, she commits treason simply by breathing. When Paige is arrested for murder, she meets the mysterious founders of Scion, who have designs on her uncommon abilities. If she is to survive and escape, Paige must use every skill at her disposal – and put her trust in someone who ought to be her enemy. Fantasy, Dystopia, Adult, Romance, Paranormal

The War of Lost Hearts: 3 Books + 0.5 Novella

A former slave fighting for justice. A reclusive warrior who no longer believes it exists. And a dark magic that will entangle their fates. Ripped from a forgotten homeland as a child, Tisaanah learned how to survive with nothing but a sharp wit and a touch of magic. But the night she tries to buy her freedom, she barely escapes with her life. Desperate to save the best friend she left behind, Tisaanah journeys to the Orders, the most powerful organizations of magic Wielders in the world. But to join their ranks, she must complete an apprenticeship with Maxantarius Farlione, a handsome and reclusive fire wielder who despises the Orders. The Orders’ intentions are cryptic, and Tisaanah must prove herself under the threat of looming war. But even more dangerous are her growing feelings for Maxantarius. The bloody past he wants to forget may be the key to her future… or the downfall of them both. But Tisaanah will stop at nothing to save those she abandoned. Even if it means gambling in the Orders’ deadly games. Even if it means sacrificing her heart. Even if it means wielding death itself. Fae, Romance, Fantasy, High Fantasy

The Roots of Chaos: 2 Books (2 books sure but man are they HUGE)

A world divided. A queendom without an heir. An ancient enemy awakens. The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction – but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic. Across the dark sea, Tané has trained to be a dragonrider since she was a child, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel. Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep. Dragons, Fantasy, Adult, Lesbian

Zodiac Academy: 14 Books

You have been selected to attend Zodiac Academy, where your star sign defines your destiny. If you're one of the Fae, elemental magic is in your blood. And apparently it's in ours. As twins born in the month of Gemini, we're a rare breed even in this academy of supernatural a-holes. Changelings were outlawed hundreds of years ago but I guess our birth parents didn't get the memo. Which means we're totally unprepared for the ruthless world of Fae. Air. Fire. Water. Earth. No one has ever harnessed all four of them, until we arrived. And it hasn't made us any friends so far. As the rarest Elementals ever known, we're already a threat to the four celestial heirs; the popular, vindictive bullies who happen to be some of the hottest guys we've ever seen. It doesn't help that they're the most dangerous beasts in the Academy. And probably on earth too. Our fates are intertwined, but they want us gone. They've only got until the lunar eclipse to force us out and they'll stop at nothing to succeed. We never knew we had a birthright to live up to but now that we do, we intend to claim our throne. We can't expect any help from the faculty when it comes to defending ourselves. So if the dragon shifters want some target practice, the werewolves want someone to hunt or the vampires fancy a snack then we have to be ready. But we've been looking after each other for a long time and fighting back is in our blood. Today's horoscope: totally screwed.

The Shadows Between Us: 2 Books

Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power: 1) Woo the Shadow King. 2) Marry him. 3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself. No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it. But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen? Magic, High Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

The Locked Tomb: 3 Books + 1 TBR

The Emperor needs necromancers. The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman. Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit. Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service. Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die. Of course, some things are better left dead. Science, Fiction, Adult, Lesbian

Empire of the Vampire: 2 Books

From holy cup comes holy light; The faithful hand sets world aright. And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight, Mere man shall end this endless night. It has been twenty-seven long years since the last sunrise. For nearly three decades, vampires have waged war against humanity; building their eternal empire even as they tear down our own. Now, only a few tiny sparks of light endure in a sea of darkness. Gabriel de León is a silversaint: a member of a holy brotherhood dedicated to defending realm and church from the creatures of the night. But even the Silver Order could not stem the tide once daylight failed us, and now, only Gabriel remains. Imprisoned by the very monsters he vowed to destroy, the last silversaint is forced to tell his story. A story of legendary battles and forbidden love, of faith lost and friendships won, of the Wars of the Blood and the Forever King and the quest for humanity’s last remaining hope: The Holy Grail. Vampires, High Fantasy, Adult, Dark Fantasy

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