Review: The Cursed by Laura Thalassa

My Edition: Kindle Unlimited

Pages: 342

Series: The Unearthly #3

Synopsis: Off of Goodreads

Save me from the darkness.

It's been two months. Two moths since Gabrielle survived the horror that was 
Samhain. Two months since she slipped from the devil's clutches. Two months
since she learned that she might have to face him again.

Her nights are plagued by dreams of him, and she wakes to find she's creeping 
closer to that unholy reunion. Sp when a ritualistic murder occurs on a ley line
in Romania and Gabrielle is called in to investigate, it seems like a harbinger
of things to come.

Angelic victims, a killer that smells like ash and roses, and wounds that speak
of pagan sacraments- it should be enough evidence for Gabrielle to solve the 
case and get back to her winter break. But the clues keep slipping through 
her fingers:; someone is always one step ahead.

In the same city, Andre De Leon, king of the vampires, stands trial for the 
massacre at Bishopcourt, and his coven's justice system is infamous for its 
cruelty. Up until now he's been able to shield Gabrielle from their 
brutality, but her nearness makes her vulnerable to their wrath, and they will
use her to get to Andre.

A killer, a vampire trial, the devil all in the same city. It's too 
coincidental, which is to say that it is not a coincidence at all. Fate has 
betrayed her.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: So the devil is back again to claim his consort. My problem with the devil is that I make him look like Gabriel Macht. Don’t know who that is well here you go. The guy is gorgeous but for some reason I keep picturing him as the devil.

 Even in The Devil’s Payer this is who I pictured. I think the reason my brain chooses to picture him is that 1. he’s gorgeous 2.he looks great in a fedora and a suit and 3. I think the devil should be the picture of tempting. This man is temptation at the finest.

There were little details that for me reminded me of Greek Mythology. More specific Persephone and Hades. Such as the letter she got from her old nanny who is one of the three fates.

Daughter of wheat and grain, Betrothed to soil and stain, Your lifeblood drips, The scales tip, But will it be in vain?

Then on page 211 we finally get the story of Persephone and Hades. Persephone the daughter to Demeter. Demeter is the goddess of harvest and grains. Hades fell in love with Persephone. He then kidnapped her and brought her to the underworld and be his queen. I was a happy person when this happened.

I think I fell in love with Oliver even more. He is the best comic relief I’ve read about in a while.

BBFs. Best bitches forever.

“I’m starting to think our  classicist textbook was right-fairies are enjoying evil little creatures.””Says the girl with the fangs.”

The ending. Man the ending had me. I was on edge. I can’t wait to have the next one in my hands.

Review: Cinderella and the Colonel by K.M. Shea

My Edition: Kindle Unlimited

Pages: 238

Series: Timeless Fairy Tales #3

Synopsis: Off of goodreeds

Scratching out a living in a land recovering from war and a hostile takeover, Cinderella-an orphaned, destitute duchess- is desperate to save her lands and servants in spite of the terrible taxes placed upon her by thee Erlauf queen, even if it means she must don servants’ clothes and work like a commoner.

Her sacrifices aren’t enough, and when a mountain of debt is levied against her, she is given one season to produce the funds. Cinderella realizes it is only a matter of time before she loses everything she has struggled to protect, and it seems that all is lost until she is befriended by the debonair Colonel Friedrich-a member of the Erlauf military and a citizen of the oppressing country that rules her homeland.

From helping her break into the royal library to saving her from a rogue mage, Friedrich draws her closer and challenges her mindset of the queen of war.

Cinderella knows Friedrich is not all he appears to be, but can she trust him with her country and her heart?

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: I finally found a telling of Cinderella I liked. This didn’t have a stupid prince or anything like the old one. I really liked this story. I loved how Shea made the Colonel. He was my favorite.

Cinderella was a duchess and her evil step mother and sisters were actually not evil. They pretty much ignored her almost the whole time. Erlauf invade Trieux which is Cinderella’s country. With the tensions of everyone hating each other Cinderella navigates through her emotions and her sense of duty. While this is happening Cinderella has caught the attention of a Colonel.

Shea, you made me like Cinderella. You did the impossible. The reason this didn’t get a full five stars was there were a few mistakes but nothing that made me go insane. I wish to say more but then I would ruin the whole story.

Review: The Wild Swans by K.M Shea

My edition: Kindle Unlimited

Pages:252

Series: Timeless Fairy Tales #2

Synopsis: Off of Goodreads

Elise is the foster-daughter of the King of Arcainia, a mathematician, and
the country's treasurer. She is not a hero. But when her step-mother, a 
wicked witch, curses Elise's seven foster-brothers-the princes of Arcainia-
and turns them into swans, Elise is the only one who can save them.

To break the curse, she must knit seven shirts made of stinging nettles, but
there's a catch. She has to complete the shirts without uttering a word, and 
if she doesn't finish the task, Arcainia and her foster-brothers will be lost.

The Wild Swans is a retelling of the German Six Swans fairy tale and the Dutch
Wild Swans fairy tale. It is a story of humor, love, adventure, and magic, and
it is a part of the top-selling Timeless Fairy Tales series- a series 
composed of loosely related adaptations of your favorite fairy tales. All
Timeless Fairy Tales take place in the same world and can be read all together
or as individual, stand-alone books.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: This one was just as good as the first book. Elise was just wanting to be included in the family. Her foster brothers expected her to be perfect and to do her duty as a royal. She even has a nickname of “perfect Princess”. When the king brings in her step mother no one was expecting or very welcoming to. Clotilde was a greedy and hateful character.

Clotilde didn’t like that her new found step children didn’t like her and that they made the king fight against her. Everyone was supposed to be cursed but somehow Elise managed to avoid the curse. Angelique, the enchantress that helped Prince Servin in the first book, helps Elise in finding a way to break the curse. All seven brothers are cursed to be swans throughout the day. When the sun sets they have an hour to be human then they turn back to Swans again.

Elise must sacrifice a lot to break it. She must not make one sound while knitting seven shirts out of stinging nettle. When her brothers are human for an hour Elise can talk during that time. I don’t know if I could stay quiet. I am normally a chatter box or I talk to myself. The obstacles that Elise faces along the way would have also made me brake down and cry. Not silent tears either. Oh no, it’s the big fat ugly cry that we normally hid in the bathroom to do.

The Wild Swans is a wonderful retelling, I think. I don’t know much from the original fairy tale but I liked this story. Plus can we talk about the cover. This is just GORGEOUS! Really, truly it is. There are little hints at the beginning of the story that shows this is set a little bit after the first book. Plus if you are like me and having a hard time on which foster brother to pick, Shea has two alternate endings. One for Falk and one for Rune. It made me so happy.

Bring on the next book.