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The Queen of the Tearling
The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen is $1.99! Several of my friends and colleagues snatched it up when it first came out, and loved it! It’s also pretty gorgeous to look at in person. However, perusing the GR reviews shows that readers either loved it or really hated it. Many had issues with the world-building, though quite a number of readers praised the unconventional heroine. This is also the start of a trilogy. Any interested?
On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.
Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.
But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend…if she can survive.
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Kill Without Mercy
Kill Without Mercy by Alexandra Ivy is $1.99! This is a romantic suspense and the first in the ARES Security series. Readers warn that this suspense is not for the faint of heart as it has some pretty unsettling details of war and the past actions of a serial killer. However, many loved the band of heroes introduced. It has a 4.1-star rating on Goodreads.
From the hellhole of a Taliban prison to sweet freedom, five brave military heroes have made it home—and they’re ready to take on the civilian missions no one else can. Individually they’re intimidating. Together they’re invincible. They’re the men of ARES Security.
Rafe Vargas is only in Newton, Iowa, to clear out his late grandfather’s small house. As the covert ops specialist for ARES Security, he’s eager to get back to his new life in Texas. But when he crosses paths with Annie White, a haunted beauty with skeletons in her closet, he can’t just walk away—not when she’s clearly in danger…There’s a mysterious serial killer on the loose with a link to Annie’s dark past. And the closer he gets, the deeper Rafe’s instinct to protect kicks in. But even with his considerable skill, Annie’s courage, and his ARES buddies behind him, the slaying won’t stop. Now it’s only a matter of time before Annie’s next—unless they can unravel a history of deadly lies that won’t be buried.
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Unforgiven
Unforgiven by B.J. Daniels is $1.99! This is a western romantic suspense with both characters dealing with some major grief. It’s also a second chance romance. Readers found this to be a very emotional story, so don’t expect anything light and fluffy. However, many felt the romance took a backseat to the mystery elements. Have you read this one?
In Beartooth, Montana, land and family are everything. So when Destry Grant’s brother is accused of killing Rylan West’s sister, high school sweethearts Destry and Rylan leave their relationship behind in order to help their families recover from tragedy.
Years later, Destry is dedicated to her ranch and making plans for the future. Plans that just might include reuniting with the love of her life…until her brother returns to clear his name and the secrets of the past threaten her one chance at happiness.
Rylan is done denying his feelings for Destry. But when clues begin to link her brush with death to his sister’s murder, will discovering the truth finally grant them their chance at love or turn them against one another for good?
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An Oath Broken
An Oath Broken by Diana Cosby is 99c! This is a historical romance that has a road trip theme. The hero is escorting the heroine to her betrothed, which is part of an arranged marriage. Some readers mention having issues with the heroine about halfway through the book, but others loved how the couple get to know each other while traveling. Anyone interested?
Lady Sarra Bellacote would sooner marry a boar than a countryman of the bloodthirsty brutes who killed her parents. And yet, despite—or perhaps because of—her valuable holdings, she is being dragged to Scotland to be wed against her will. To complicate the desperate situation, the knight hired to do the dragging is dark, wild, irresistible. And he, too, is intolerably Scottish.
Giric Armstrong, Earl of Terrick, takes no pleasure in escorting a feisty English lass to her betrothed. But he needs the coin to rebuild his castle, and his tenants need to eat. Yet the trip will not be the simple matter he imagined. For Lady Sarra isn’t the only one determined to see her engagement fail. Men with darker motives want to stop the wedding—even if they must kill the bride in the process.
Now, in close quarters with this beautiful English heiress, Terrick must fight his mounting desire, and somehow keep Sarra alive long enough to lose her forever to another man…
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I’ve heard good things about Queen of the Tearling, but I can’t really get past having a fantasy heroine named “Kelsea Raleigh.”
What the shit is going on on the cover of Kill Without Mercy? Is that a tornado hitting a barn in the background? Why are their shirts both coming off? Is the tornado taking their shirts? Don’t they know it’s important to remain clothed during a natural disaster? Is it a surprise tornado that attacked them while they were having awkward pants-on, standing-up sex in a field? I’m wearing my glasses and I still can’t tell what is happening.
@Dread Pirate Rachel- It looks too glowy for a tornado, imho. Maybe an explosion or wildfire?
Whatever it is, they should probably be running for cover.
@Lostshadows and DPR – whatever it is, it looks like it gave her a wedgie
Laura Kinsale’s Lessons in French is a Kindle Daily Deal for $1.99 (though I think I’m the only person who doesn’t already have everything she’s ever written).
There are reasons that Kelsea’s name is not really “fantastical,” and she eventually changes her last name. If that’s all that’s holding you back, don’t let it.
@ Dread Pirate Rachel-
Never heard about clothing rule of thumb, but I guess it goes without saying.
Remain clothed at all times…keep hands and feet inside cause this is going to be a bumpy…tornado, wildfire, and or hurricane, or least have the sense to run instead of posing.
It is like he is saying, “Keep your shirt off baby, I gotta gun and I am manly enough to shoot that wildfire if it gets too close”. Bow chicka bow wow.
That is a gun right? If not he might wanna get that checked out, maybe got to close to the flames?
@cbackson Oh man. Naming characters well (and places, and imaginary concepts) is one of the hardest parts of writing fantasy (and some kinds of science fiction). In my future fantasy worldbuilding, I’m going to give some serious thought to language construction.
Names are sometimes tough in other genres, too. I grind my teeth when I see a name I know is clearly inappropriate for the period or culture, or a name that’s just really cheesy. Modern-day characters who happen to have names of famous historical figures? Your nineteenth-century hero is named Jaden, or your pre-Conquest Saxon heroine has an Anglo-Norman name for no good reason? Characters have punny names, intentionally or otherwise (unless it’s a silly comedy) or names like Desiree Hart and Steele Hardwick? Nope, nope, nope.
Looks like Terrick has two verra braw hands wrapped around his mounting desire to contain it.
I enjoyed the hell out of Queen of the Tearling. I praised that book to EVERYBODY who’d listen to me gush about it and I couldn’t wait for the next one. But when I finally got the sequel (Invasion of the Tearling), it was TERRIBLE. I forced myself to get through about a third of it, hoping it would get better, but it never did and I finally had to put it down. It was making me visibly angry. My husband kept asking me what was wrong and why I was so mad (like the sweetheart he is, he let me vent to him about it – poor guy deserves an award for that). I have no idea what happened between the two books where I loved the first and hated the second. Just my two cents – YMMV, certainly.
From the bits I’ve read and what I’ve heard from others, Queen of the Tearling has some real sexism problems. The villain is a stereotypical cruel, evil, hypersexualized queen, and the heroine is kind of poorly developed and relies a ton on men.
I am of the “freaking adored QoT” crowd. I read that book in a day. I can’t wait for it to be a movie – Emma Watson is supposed to play Kelsea.
I can’t get past that name. I’d expect to find a Kelsea doing toddler pageants with sisters Brynlea and Kylee.