Enchanting the Lady

by Kathryne Kennedy

Series: Relics of Merlin (#1)

Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca

August 1st, 2012

Genre: Fantasy

Format: eBook

Source: Library Loan

Rating: 4.5 Stars

      Enchanting the Lady is a fantasy / historical romance that centers on the story of Merlin.

     The order of the monarchy is not pass down through the eldest of the family, it is passed down to the person that can hold it through their magic.

     There are different levels of magic and so there are different levels in the monarchy; king, dukes, earl's, etc. At a certain point in their life, every child has to go through a testing which will allow the king to know what title this person will have.

     Felicity is the acting Duchess of Stonehaven until she can prove that she has the magic to hold that title. The only problem is that she can sense her magic but she cannot seem to grasp it to use it.

     Terrence Blackwell is a baronet. He is the lowest of the low in the magical chain since he has no magic whatsoever. What he does have is resistance against magic, which is why the king has awarded the Were kind a title, since they are the perfect bodyguards.

     Terrence has been tasked with finding relics of dark magic that have different effects and they all manipulate other magic users in different ways.

     Since the beginning of this book I was hooked and I was intrigued by all the different layers of magic and the monarchy and how they inherit their titles. It is a different concept and something I have not read before.

     Although with some of the things I knew what was going to happen I still enjoyed the reading. Author Kathryne Kennedy knows how to weave the story and have the readers engaged.

     I will be definitely reading more of this series. If you like historical romance and fantasy then you should really try this series.

Eight Simple Rules For Dating a Dragon

by Kerrelyn Sparks

Series: The Embraced (#3)

Published by: St. Martin's Press

March 27th, 2018

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Format: eARC

Source: Publisher (NetGalley)

Rating: 5+ Stars

     Gwennore has a talent. An Elf able to track down the cause of an illness and heal it, she’s a valuable asset to her people. When the kidnapping of a young girl thrusts Gwennore into the very heart of the realm of the dragons, she discovers not only a place of power and magic, but also a haunted land, plagued by an ancient curse that all but ensures extinction to the royal family. But when she meets the smoldering General Silas Dravenko, they strike a bargain—save the country from its cursed illness, and he will return the kidnapped girl. She’s been raised never to trust a dragon, but never did making a deal with the devil feel so good…

     Silas has no way of curing the family he’s loyally served for years. But when a beautiful elf, long considered the enemy of the dragons, comes bursting into his world, Silas is awakened to passion and desire in a way he’s never felt before. But can he trust a sworn enemy to save the very existence he holds dear? And can their love survive those that threaten to tear them apart? 

     Of all the sisters Gwennore is perhaps the only one that can determine her ancestry just by looking at herself because of her pointed ears. She hails from Woodwyn where the elves rule. Because of how the elves are, that they attack with no visible reason; they attack and don't take gold or food; they are the most hated of all the kingdoms and because of it, they are seen as savages. And so Gwen is judge by this and thought of no better than her race.

     While trying to prevent Lucianna's daughter from being kidnapped by a dragon she is taken too. Her gift as an Embraced lets her read peoples health and what is causing their illness so when she discovers that the queen is been poisoned she is coerced by the general of the Norveshki army to help him prove that what is happening in the kingdom is not a curse but has a logical explanation.

     Silas Dravenko is a member of one of the Three Cursed Clans and is about the only one that doesn't believe in the curse but can't find a way to prove it without it been said that he is succumbing to the madness of the curse. When Gwen confirms his suspicions he cannot let her go without having her help him prove what he already knows.

     This so far is my favorite couple. The chemistry between this characters is off the charts and it is not just the insta lust/love but the way the couple, especially Silas, make fun of each other. I also think it has to do with the fact that although innocent in the ways of men Gwen is not naive. She knows people can and will be prejudiced and cruel.

     I also like the fact that the bad guy has a purpose. He is not just the bad guy on this book but on the two previous and I'm guessing of the next ones too. He is not just there to create angst but to move the story along and to connect all the stories too with one common goal. We also get an expanded view as to why the Chameleon does what he does giving more substance to the enemy of all kingdoms.

     I am loving this series more and more with each page and I can't wait for the next one and what else Kerrelyn Sparks has in store for these women and their men. I just hope that Maeve ends up with Brody. I just love them together and I can't wait to see her reaction when she finds out Julia is a boy!