The Cost of Magic by Nicole Zoltack

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Series: Darken Nights: History book 4
Genre: Fairy tale retelling, YA
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis:

Three sisters love to go on adventures and wind up in the land of fairies and learn almost too late that it never bodes well for those called by the fairies.

This story centers on Rosamond’s grandmother.

Review:

I would read this after Of Slumber and Discord.

This is the sad tale of Rosamond’s grandmother who was cursed by the fairies. It brings to perspective of how Rosamond got her silver tongue.

I don’t have much to say on this because I would spoil the whole story.

Of Slumber and Discord by Nicole Zoltack

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages:154
Series: Once Upon a Darkened Night
Genre: Fairy tale retelling, YA
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis:

At only sixteen years of age, she is a beautiful terror, with her wavy blond locks and her shockingly violet eyes. Her skin is as fair as she is foul. Only I can stop her. Only I dare to rise up against her, for the sake of a kingdom that is not my own.

Others may scorn me for interfering, but interfere I must. I will not allow this exquisite monster to harm more than she already has.

Some might call me the monster, but I? I know the truth, and I will not hesitate to do what I must.

This gripping retelling will make you question if perhaps the fairy had the right of it for placing the princess under the sleeping curse.

Review:

The blurb is literally the start of the book. Same goes for the first book.

The book follows a fairy by the name of Malynn, who is the fairy that curses Rosamond (Aurora). Malynn’s curse is not that for a prince to come kiss her but for Rosamond to find it in her heart to put her kingdom first instead of herself.

Rosamond has the power to control people by singing. She found this out when she was young and and been doing so ever since. Rosamond has grown into a spoiled brat.

I have always loved the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. Malificent has always been my favorite villain. To read a book where the fairy is actually good was amazing.

I have to read The Cost of Magic (A darken Night: History novella) which will follow Rosamond’s grandmother who was cursed by the fairies. After this will be the next book of this series, Of Rose and Cruelty.

Sorry if this review kind of sucks. I’m sick. My right eye keeps watering and I have to stop every few minutes to blow my nose.

The Cost of Power by Nicole Zoltack

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages: 63
Series: Darkened Nights: History book 3
Genre: Fairy tale retelling, YA
Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis:

King Hubert has found love with the Lady Angelique, stepmother to none other than the powerful Eleonore, but there are others who share in dark powers, others who would try to take away his happiness… and his crown.

This story follows up the events in Of Cinder and Madness.

Review:

Warning: Do not read before Of Cinder and Madness.

This one was okay. I didn’t like it as much as the first two in the series. I will say that it is important to read before Of Slumber and Discord. The ending is what sets up for the second book of Once Upon a Darken Night.

I know it is a short review but I do not know what else to say.

 

The Cost of Grief by Nicole Zoltack

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages: 39
Series: Darkened Nights: History book 2
Genre: Fairy tale retelling, Ya
Rating: 4 star

Synopsis:

A young girl endures the price of grief and suffering and is forever changed, not necessarily for the better.

This story is Eleonore’s version of the events in Once Upon a Darkened Night book 1: Of Cinder and Madness.

Review:

Warning: Do not read until you have read Of Cinder and Madness.

This is Eleonore’s version of Of Cinder and Madness. Only the major parts. This short story opens your eyes to what goes through Eleonore’s mind. I truly feel sorry for the poor girl. Now seeing everything in perspective it’s hard not too.

I have one more short story to read before I can move on to Of Slumber and Discord.

The Cost of Love by Nicole Zoltack

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages: 53
Series: Darkend Nights: History book #1
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis:

A young baron wishes to be anywhere but at a ball until he spies a young lady who most certainly does not belong. Although they bond over their grief for lost parents, she flees, leaving behind a ruined flower.

No, this is not a retelling of Cinderella, but instead the story of her parents.

This story is a precursor to Once Upon  a Darkened Night Book 1: Of Cinder and Madness.

Review:

A story I have never read before, Cinderella’s parents love story. I have just read Of Cinder and Madness, which this tale is a prequel.

From the stories of Cinderella growing up, I have always know that her parents past away. The mother first due to an illness, then after remarrying the father passes while away on a trip. This however does not contain the death of the two parents. We get somewhat of a happy ending. For now.

I liked this story more than I did Of Cinder and Madness. It felt nice to get the love story that started it all.

Jacques father had just past away making him baron. Jacques mother makes him go to the ball the king is throwing for his wedding to his first wife. As Jacques has paid his dues to the king he goes to leave but spots a girl who is not of nobility. Gabrielle, daughter to the basket weaver, slipped into the ball. As she is about to leave she is stopped by a nobleman.

For those who love Cinderella, I recommend this short story. It is a cute way to see the start of one of the most famous fairy tales.

Torn by Shereen Vedam

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages: 62
Standalone
Genre: fantasy, YA
Rating: 3.5 stars

Synopsis:

Better to take the hit, than the what if…

Amity’s last attempt at magically helping someone was a disaster. So she decides to give up her spell casting ways. Then one day she meets the perfect man. But only by casting another spell, will she have a chance to meet that captivating nobleman again.

Duncan is entranced by a beauty in the woods whom he accidentally injures. However, his duty to the kingdom keeps him to busy to seek her out. His land is in trouble, dry and dying, and needs practical help. Instead, a mage has been summoned to conduct a magical blessing.

When Amity and Duncan next meet, will it be a happy reunion? Or will her magical abilities let her down again, resulting in a new disaster that destroys the land as well as her best chance at love?

Review:

This was a cute short story. If you are not one for instalove this probably isn’t for you. A small kingdom is in a horrible drought. Amity is being called upon to give a blessing over the earth in the kingdom. Only she doesn’t want to because she has sworn off magic. That is till Duncan accidentally shoots her in the arm with an arrow.

Duncan doesn’t believe in magic and thinks the blessing is a sham. He wants to ban all magic in his kingdom and banish the mage that is to do the blessing.

For a short story I did like it. The ending wasn’t all that great but still cute. At first I wasn’t invested in the story but once I sat myself down I got through all 62 pages with ease.

Of Cinder and Madness by Nicole Zoltack

My edition: Kindle
Pages:144
Series: Once Upon a Darkened Night #1
Genre: Fairytale retelling, YA
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis:

The stories about her have been greatly exaggerated. Yes, she is beautiful, with wavy blond hair and big, blue eyes and flawless skin, but her charming facade is a lie, a mask, a deceit.

Yes, Yes, I’m sure you think me merely jealous. I’m not. I’m the victim, and I can prove it.

You see, Eleonore deserves to be locked away. My, she even deserves to be killed!

This gripping retelling of a much-loved fairy tale will make you question all you think you know about the girl who steals away to a ball and leaves behind a slipper.

Review:

I normally tend to stay away from Cinderella retellings. I’m not a big Cinderella fan. Most the time I am reading a retelling because it is part of a series. That is what I had to do with this one. I did not expect to get a Cinderella retelling through the stepmother’s eyes.

The story goes back and forth between past and present. The stepmother tells of the time before she married Jacques leading up to the present and the present of being a widow and having to learn to deal with her new stepdaughter. She tells of her encounters of Eleonore (Cinderella).

If you like a darker fairy tale this is for you. Eleonore has a power and she uses it for harm instead of good. There is a HEA for everyone but it is not the same one we grew up knowing.

I loved seeing from the stepmother’s eyes. The guilt she felt for not treating Eleonore the same and the fear she had once her power started to grow. I loved it all.

Best part about this retelling is that even though Eleonore lost a slipper the prince didn’t go around to ever home and use the slipper to find a girl he danced with.

On to the next retelling which I think is one of my favorites, Sleeping Beauty.

 

Top 10 Things I talk about and do with my fiance!

Tomorrow is my anniversary with my fiance Wy. We have been together for four years. This is the longest relationship I’ve ever been in. He gets my weird sense of humor, mostly because he’s just as weird. Last night I found out that we talk about some of the most peculiar topics. We also do things that new couples would just jaw drop.

10. Pop back pimples.

I know disgusting right. But I’m so comfortable with Wy that I will pop his back pimples. He works at a manufacturing company here in small town Kansas. It’s not a big place and the warehouse is a metal frame. In the summertime it gets hot! Wy tends to sweat like human beings do. Because of this natural phenomenon he gets back pimples bad. So I just tend to be the good fiancee that no money can buy and pop them for him.

9. My books

Whether I’m writing a story or I am reading a story, I tell Wy about it. You should have seen his face after I told him what happened in It. Wy doesn’t read. I know I know, horrible, but I can talk with him about spoilers and he doesn’t care because he won’t read the book and I can vent to him about books I hate or love.

8. Rubs my feet.

I don’t even have to ask anymore. If I put my feet in Wy’s lap even if I just do it while reading my book on the couch not meaning to, he will pick them up and start massaging away. I’m not complaining.

7. 10 points

This one is horrible messed up thing we do while driving. Our sense of humor is dark sometimes (okay most the time) which is probably why we don’t have very many friends. While driving if we see a squirrel or a jogger we joke 10 point, 20 points. Now we would never do that. But we do joke about it. Why? Because we have f#cked up minds.

6.Games

We are a gaming couple. We will play games together. Mostly zombies on Call of Duty. But when I’m sitting down reading or writing he will play one of his games. We have all of the PlayStations but the first generation, a Nintendo 64, a Nintendo 3DS, and a bunch of board games. I learned not to beat him at Monopoly. Tends to cut me off for a week.

5. War

I come from history nerds. Wy loves to talk about war and guns. So we tend to talk about the different wars and what guns they use. Don’t watch a war movie with us because we will let you know what Hollywood got wrong all the way down to what guns they are using. We also tend to talk about what a bullet does on impact and what caliber can blow someone’s arm off. Don’t judge. Like I said before, dark f#cked up minds.

4.Movies

I’m a huge movie nerd. I love movies not as much as books but still. Wy doesn’t watch as many as I do but will still challenge me to trivia games which he will lose unless it’s Forest Gump.

3. Shooting guns

Wy and I fully believe in the 2cd amendment. We own 6 guns together and are still buying two more. We will go to the shooting range and let off some stream on targets or clay pigeons.

2. Hunting

Living in the state of Kansas, we hunt. I know not all people believe in hunting but Wy and I do. I may lose some followers after admitting to this but I’m not changing my ways. This is just a way we provide meat for us to cook.

1. A hug

Once I get off work I know I can go home and expect a bear hug from Wy. No matter if it’s a good day or a bad day I can guarantee on a hug.

It’s these simple things that we share that has gotten our relationship this far. People may judge our weirdness but we will always have each other.

Persuasion by Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington

My edition:Kindle Unlimited
Pages:386
Series: Curse of the Gods #2
Genre: YA, Reverse Harem
Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:

Willa Knight: Dweller? Bad-ass? Notorious pet to five magical beings?

In Blesswood, there are rules, and someone is trying to teach her how to follow them. The only problem is Willa. Which shouldn’t be anything new, since she has been a problem since birth- something her pseudo-sister Emmy would agree on.

So it definitely shouldn’t be new… but it is.

Because things are starting to happen that have never happened before.

Things are starting to get …chaotic.

Review:

Yep should have waited a little longer to read. Oh well…

Not oh well! How could it have ended like that? Not okay.

The world building is amazing. I can’t wait for the next one. November 30 is so far away.

Willa is just as clumsy as ever, though she doesn’t accidentally stab a God in this book. While there are more serious matters that are developing, the authors keep the flow same as in the first book. Nothing seems forced about the growing relationship between the Abcurseres and Willa.

The gods almost seem like Greek gods. They are petty and think only of themselves. I love that. It makes them seem more believable.

Rau I personally can say, go eat dirt. Stop trying to blow holes through my ship! You brought them together now stop trying to tear them apart. But what could I expect from the Chaos God.

Is it November yet?

 

 

Don’t Forget to Breathe by Cathrina Constantine

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages: 265
Standalone
Genre:YA, Thriller, Mystery
Rating: 2.5- 3 stars

Synopsis:

Sixteen year old Leocadia arrives home from school to find her mom’s bloddy body. Unaware that the killer still lingers, she rushes to her mother’s side, only to be grabbed from behind and then everything fades to black.

After a year of retrograde amnesia and battling personal demons, Leo’s dreams are getting worse- she’s starting to remember. More bodies are discovered and they seem to be oddly linked to her mom’s unsolved homicide.

When Leo allows her friend, Henry to drag her into the haunted Lucien Mansion, misty ghosts appear, ghosts that just might lead to her mother’s murderer.

Review:

I’m not going to lie, main reason my eye fell on this book was the cover. Of course I’ve learned my lesson and read the blurb instead of just picking it up. I must say I was very intrigued.

Disclaimer: Spoilers. Spoilers everywhere.

Okay maybe not everywhere, but somewhere.

We start off in a graveyard with our heroine along side one of… I don’t really know what to call him… eh his name will do. She is next to Henry. Henry is the new kid who no one really likes but Leo. (Why, I don’t know.) It’s been almost a year since Leo walked into her home finding her mother dead. She can’t remember anything, but is slowly getting scattered memory in her dreams.

What I like about the book:

It kept me hooked. I wanted to know what the hell was happening. She had a best friend who cared about her. The plot line, not going off the blurb, was good.

What I did not like about the book:

The two “heroes” I hated. Henry was a huge creeper who brought back way to many bad memories for my liking. Becket on the other hand total player. I wish Leo would have made it more clear to Henry that she doesn’t like him that way and to tell Becket it’s either her or Marcy.

I was confused most the time through the book because I wasn’t really clear on what her feelings were for the “heroes” .

In the haunted mansion, ghosts that were promised in the blurb didn’t pop up. Yeah the author wrote of misty vapor twice and weird noises but other than that no ghosts.

Through at least 50% of the book her dad is horribly shady. Even at the end I can’t understand why he did what he did. Can we talk utter confusion?

Oh and in the blurb it says bodies start adding up. No that’s a lie. Only two and that’s at the beginning. If I didn’t read the blurb my rating would be higher, but I read the blurb and was promised things that were lightly touched but wasn’t fully through the book.