Curse Queen (Forbidden Forest #4) by Amber Argyle

 

A warrior enchantress. An unrequited love. A brand new fairytale...

The path of a warrior enchantress is bathed in blood and magic.

Born to one of the most powerful families in the kingdom, Eiryss lives a life of luxury and magic. Until her father commits the ultimate act of treason.

Treason that sparks a war.

The life Eiryss knew is over. Her one-time friends are gone. All but Ramass. And if he would just look at her - touch her - the way she longs for, she might be able to bear it. But his heart belongs to another. There is only one path for Eiryss now: become a warrior enchantress and fight for what's rightfully hers. And if the powers that be deny her, well...

If they won't give Eiryss magic, she'll steal it.

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Wow, okay.  So, this book is the fourth book in this series and really should be read in order.  Even though this story is set in time before the rest of the books, it will have spoilers and trust me when I say you don't want that.  Nope, better to read this series in order and be spoiler free.

I took me a quick minute to remember what this book was.  I didn't realize (or remember) that this book was set back, back, back in time, before the other books in this series.  I was a bit confused at first, thinking I had missed something.  Only one character name was etched into my memory (Ramass) but it all came back to me quickly. 

This is the story that started it all.  Good versus evil, light versus darkness.  There was literally a battle through the whole book.  This author is so good at crafting characters who are complex and flawed but have such a gravitational pull to them.  I literally couldn't look away.  I became invested in the story quickly.  It is on the darker side.  There is heartbreak, pain and devastation throughout but there is also a tiny thread of hope, friendship and strength.  Eiryss is definitely a strong woman who keeps getting thrown down (stomped on, lied to, beaten) but keeps getting up.  She just doesn't ever give up.  How can you not admire that?

I'll admit that here, at the end, I am a bit sad.  This part of the tale isn't happy.  Engaging, interesting, yes.  Happy, no.  Happy comes later in the story but wow, what a journey.  I've been reading books by author Amber Argyle for a long time because she is so good at this dark fantasy type of book.  It's different from most things I read and I really like that.

Content:  violence, peril.  Kissing.  Intimate relations behind closed doors.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Wraith King (Forbidden Forest #3) by Amber Argyle

 

An enchantress. Her king. A dying magic . . .

An assassin has set his sights on killing Larkin and ending her new reign as queen. Worse, the magic is dying. The magic that protects mankind from the wraith. The same magic Larkin has used to keep the curse from destroying the man she loves.

Because once that curse reaches Denan's eyes, he will be worse than dead.

But there is one hope left. There is a darkness growing inside Larkin. And with that darkness comes power. Perhaps even enough power to defeat the wraith.

But in embracing that darkness, Larkin risks becoming the very thing that hunts her. 

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Book three!  The final installment!  This has been such an interesting series, unique to me in it's plot and setting.  I really like changing up what I'm reading to keep things fresh and books by this author always do that for me.  I'm not normally a fantasy reader but I make an exception for this author.

This book was long.  And not very happy.  There were a lot of bad things happening with lots of different characters as the story marched toward that very climactic ending.  I think I had a harder time with the violence and struggle because of where I am personally in this crazy year.  I find myself longing for happy escapes instead of turmoil and fighting.  Because of this and by no fault of the author, I had a harder time reading this book.  

I did love how the author surprised me with things in this book.  It didn't go where I thought it might go originally and I like when that happens.  I also really enjoyed Larkin's personal development from the beginning of this series to the end.  I also loved the relationship between Larkin and Denan. 💙

This series is one you must read in order.  There is no way you will have a handle on all the characters and the plot if you don't.

Content:  high violence (descriptive), killing, death.  Innuendo and intimate relations between a married couple with no real descriptions, but you know it happens.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

Midsummer Night (A Timeless Romance Anthology Book 23) by Charlie N. Holmberg, Julie Wright, Annette Lyon, Jane Redd, Amber Argyle

ILLUSIONS OF LOVE by Charlie N. Holmberg:
Aster has worked as the great magician Celtin's assistant for two years and has been in love with him nearly as long. After hearing he'll be looking for a wife at the house ball, Aster disguises herself as a high-class woman so she can woo him away from other bachelorettes. But not everything goes according to plan...

DANCING WITH THE MOON by Julie Wright:
A girl may love a ghost, but where would they live? When a ghost who insists he isn't dead shows up in Grace's shed, he begs for her help. If they cannot reunite his spirit and body before the full moon rises, Arell will die in actuality and so will the royal family. The race against the moon becomes more frantic when Grace realizes she loves him and will die alongside him if she loses him. But can a ghost with no heart return her love?

THE TRUEST TREASURE by Annette Lyon:
When Saara’s sister Fia is stricken with a fatal illness, she goes on a quest to find a magical treasure with which to pay a shaman who can save Fia. Midsummer Night is the best time to locate such a valuable item, as piru fire, which marks the location, appears then. Along the way, she meets Timo, who, unbeknownst to her, is on a similar quest: if he can’t find treasure to pay for an apprenticeship with a wizard, his magical abilities will never grow, and he’ll never reach his dream of becoming a wizard. They meet in the woods and become a team. but only one of them can come away with the treasure. As their feelings for each other intensify, deciding what to do when—and if—they seize the treasure becomes a much trickier proposition.

THE ISLE OF ROSE by Jane Redd:
Cornelia's greatest secret is that she can read minds. When her sister elopes with another man, Cornelia must stand in her sister's stead to marry Lord Moss, a man with the same gift, who has the power to expose her.

FIRE AND FOUNTAIN by Luisa Perkins:
Historian Lucie Tremblay loves studying Québec’s past, but when she accidentally travels back in time through a magical St. John’s Eve bonfire, she finds that life in 17th-century New France is far more complicated than it seems in books. As colonist Nicolas Beaubien tries to help her find a way back to 2019, Lucie finds herself falling for him—and must choose between her old life and new love.

LADY OF SHADOWS by Amber Argyle:
Every year, girls go missing in the night—taken by the beast of the Forbidden Forest. A beast that has haunted the town of Hamel for centuries. A beast that is now coming for Caelia.

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The Timeless Romance collection is taking a jump into the magical with this new collection.  These novella length stories are written by different authors but have one common element- Midsummer Night and a touch of the mystical and magical.

Honestly, fantasy/magic isn't my go-to genre so this book overall wasn't my favorite but I still enjoyed the stories here.  I think my overall feeling with most of these novellas was that I wanted more.  More time to develop feelings for the characters, more meat to the stories themselves.  I think I felt that the most with The Isle of Rose.  I really wanted more of that story!  All the elements of attraction, mystery, light suspense were there and because I know this author, I know an extended version of this book would be incredible.

Amber Argyle's story is set as a backstory for a character in her Forbidden Forest series which I have read (and really enjoyed!) so it was a treat for me to delve back into that world for a bit.  I know others have said that this novella was harder to understand having not read the other books in the series and I can see that but for me it was awesome.

The great thing about these Timeless Anthologies is that you get a taste of many authors.  Sometimes new authors pop up- in this collection for me it was Luisa Perkins- which is fun!  I love variety.

Content:  mild violence, kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Piper Prince (Forbidden Forest #2) by Amber Argyle

Can you hear him? The beast is coming for you. 

Long ago, a curse fell upon the land—a curse of forgetting and wraiths, a curse that ensured no daughters were born to the pied pipers in over three centuries. The pipers were all that stood between humanity and utter destruction, so they did the only thing they could: they stole the daughters of the nearby kingdom with their hypnotizing melodies. With the sons born from those unions, they continued to defend against the wraiths and fight the curse, even though they were slowly losing.

Larkin was one of those daughters. Stolen by Denan and married against her will, she found herself falling in love with the very man who had taken everything from her, the man who had made her a princess. Together, they discovered that she was the first woman in three centuries to possess the magic of the pipers, and therefore, the only person capable of breaking the ancient curse.

But breaking the curse means unraveling the very past the curse is intent on keeping secret. The answer lies buried in the crypts of the Black Druids, men who consider Larkin a traitor they’ll kill on sight. Embedded in the intrigues of their court, she unearths a dark conspiracy destined to hasten the destructive power of the curse—a conspiracy aimed at destroying her piper prince.

 * Amazon * Goodreads *

The Piper Prince is the second book in the Forbidden Forest series.  You should definitely read these books in order.  It took me a quick minute to remember exactly where the last book left off but as I read, things started coming back to me and I was once again sucked into Larkin's world.

Amber Argyle is excellent at creating characters that are clearly defined, layered and interesting.  This story has a constant forward momentum that kept me on the edge of my seat and anxious.  Larkin's world is in constant turmoil with different groups of people warring against each other.  It's a violent world, and Larkin, Denan and company are always on the move and always fighting.  Secrets are unraveling slowly but surely.  I was fully invested in the story, these characters and everything that was happening.  What a fantastic adventure!  I can't wait for the next book because as per usual with this author, I am left in a place where there isn't much resolution.  I really want the rest of the story!

Content:  violence, death, mild innuendo between a married couple, kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Stolen Enchantress (Forbidden Forest #1) by Amber Argyle

Any girl who goes into the Forbidden Forest never comes out again. Except the one who did.

Larkin should have been watching her little sister, should have paid more attention to the trees looming over her family’s fields. Now Sela is gone. Knowing full well the danger of the forest and its beast, Larkin goes after her anyway. With her sister clutched in her arms, she manages to escape, but not before discovering the truth lurking beneath the wicked boughs.

She may have evaded the beast once, but with the full force of his magic now fixated on her, she isn’t sure how much longer she can resist.

 * Goodreads * Amazon * 

This book was exactly what I needed to read even though I didn't know it.  When Amber Argyle says she has a new book coming out, I'm the girl in the front of the line with my hand raised, jumping up and down saying, "pick me, pick me!"  I think what draws me to her books is the way she creates original and fascinating places and people that just pull me right in.  Her books are outside my normal, go to genre but I really love that.  Fantasy isn't usually my favorite, but when it comes to Amber Argyle, it is.  It gives me a well needed breath of fresh air. 

I was intrigued by this book from the very first chapters.  It perked up my imagination and my curiosity. I just had to know what was going to happen.  That feeling continued throughout the whole book.  I love when a book can engage me so entirely.  And now, even days later as I write this, I am still thinking about this book.  I want more.  I want the next book now!  

This book has it all- scary creatures, strong characters, magical powers, vivid and varying places and the ever needed theme of good versus evil.  There is love and betrayal, light and darkness.  It was an incredibly fun adventure and I loved every single minute of it.

Content:  some violence, peril, death.  

- I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Winter's Heir (Fairy Queens #4) by Amber Argyle

A price must be paid.

Elice has left behind the ice and isolation of winter. Before her is the warmth and wonder of summer with all its color and life. Adar, the young man she saved from the sea, is by her side, and his touch sends tendrils of heat where before there was only cold.

But all is not as it seems. There are secrets hidden in the heart of summer. Secrets that could burn Elice to the ground and take the whole world with her. The decades-long war between the fairies of winter and summer has thrown off the balance of nature, leaving the world in its death throes.

Adar believes Elice can stop the destruction—if only she will listen to him. But like the fairies’ bargains, that trust comes with a cost. And the price Elice will pay will tear asunder the boundaries between dreams and family, loyalty and betrayal.

 * Amazon * Goodreads *

I've been waiting to read this final installment of the Fairy Queens series.  The last book ended in the middle of the saga so this book was much needed to bring conclusion and resolution to my mind and heart.

The whole fairy queen saga is so intense.  Each book pulls you in and just refuses to let you go.  The world of the fairies is brutal, violent and beautiful all at the same time.  It has been quite the journey.

I think I loved this last book the best though.  It just fit in with my heart the best.  Love has it's triumph in many different ways, resolution came and everything was tied together from the other books.  It just felt good.  It was a hard journey to get there though which makes the resolution all the sweeter.

Amber Argyle is a gifted and talented writer.  She creates fantastic pictures in my head- of worlds, people and creatures.  I'm really looking forward to what she comes up with next.

Content:  violence

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Daughter of Winter (Fairy Queens #3) by Amber Argyle

Bargains. Only the truly desperate make them. Only the truly desperate need them. And always, the desperate pay.

The silence and never-ending dark of winter are all Elice has ever known, for she is the daughter of the Winter Queen. Isolated in a northern queendom with only the seals for company, she dreams of color and music and life. So when a whaling ship crashes just offshore, she doesn't hesitate to rescue the lone survivor, Adar, who quickly becomes her friend. She must keep him hidden from her mother at all costs, for if the Winter Queen discovers him trespassing, she'll kill him.

When her mother reveals just how dark her soul has become, Elice realizes she is as much a prisoner as Adar. To ever know true freedom—to ever become the woman she was meant to be—she must flee with him. But in their flight, she begins to see hints of something more nefarious. The darkness that has taken hold of her mother is spreading, staining the world with its influence.

Unbeknownst to Elice, a bargain was made long ago. A bargain she was born to fulfill.

 * Amazon * Goodreads *

This book swept me away to a far off place of ice and cold where light and warmth rarely come.  <shiver>  Poor Elice knows nothing other than the cold world her mother, the Winter Queen has created.  Elice has such a soft and gentle heart that longs and dreams for more than the harsh world she lives in every day.  The only source of love and gentleness for Elice comes from her grandfather and one of the fairies.

I love how Elice saves animals and reads books.  She loves to dream and create things.  These things make her instantly likable and easy to connect with.  Even her mother's cruelty cannot suffocate the goodness in Elice.

This book was so vivid in nature.  I could easily picture the ice world and it's cold inhabitants.  A sense of foreboding is always there- throughout the whole book.  Dangerous things are alluded to, but never come to complete fruition in this book.  This book feels like the set up for the big bang that is still to come.  It kind of leaves you hanging at the end.  Well, not kind of.  It does.  

The pacing is good although not quite as fast as the previous books.  I felt like the intensity and violence, although still there, were taken down a notch compared to the previous books in this series.  That isn't a bad thing, just something I noticed.  I enjoyed this book and I'll be looking for the next book.  I can only imagine the awful things coming for Elice.

This series always has the prettiest covers.  I love this one.  It perfectly represents what is contained inside.

Content:  Some violence but otherwise clean

My thanks to the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Summer Queen (Fairy Queens #2) by Amber Argyle

Nelay never wanted to be queen.

Poised to become the most powerful priestess in Idara, Nelay doesn’t have time to become a pretty bauble for the king. She’s too busy saving her people from the invading army sweeping across her kingdom.

But in defeat after defeat, Nelay begins to realize a bigger power is at play than that wielded by mere mortals. Only she can stand between the cinders of her once-great nation and the vengeance of a goddess.

* Goodreads * Amazon *

Oh, man.  Wowza.  Okay.  Where do I start and what do I say?

Summer Queen is the second book in this series.  The first book in the series, Winter Queen (Fairy Queens Book 1) , will be on sale for .99 cents from April 10th-17th.  Of Fire and Ash is the prequel to Summer Queen and gives an excellent background on Nelay.  It really sets the stage for Summer Queen and helps you understand who Nelay is.  You can read Of Fire and Ash free!  Just click on the ebook format of your choice.  Mobi  Epub 

Summer Queen was intense.  Like scary intense.  At least for me it was.  There was so much going on in this book.  There were plots and sub-plots.  It was full on, all the time.  Several times I had to walk away from this book because the emotional intensity was too much.  I just needed to breathe for a few minutes and let the anger go.

Nelay is strong and smart and determined.  She knows what she wants and she has a plan.  Unfortunately, other people try to force her into things she doesn't want but Nelay is so determined.  She will accomplish what she has set out to do.  No matter what.

Nelay is also angry a lot.  She is a force to be reckoned with.  She is fiercely loyal to her family, her people and close friend.  Actually, Nelay is just fierce.  I wouldn't want to go up against her!  That is not to say that she doesn't have some softness in her, because she does.  It just doesn't come out a lot because she cannot afford to be soft.  To be soft would mean death in most instances.

This book is very violent.  So much fighting, so much death.  It was hard for me to read.  That, combined with the intensity, is the reason I had to put it down and walk away several times.  But this is a book about war and Nelay is in the middle of it, fighting for her life and her people.  She never gives up.  She never gives in.

I think the message I took away from this, in the end, was about love.  Love is what keeps us anchored.  It keeps our humanity.  Love is worth fighting for.

Amber Argyle is such a gifted writer.  She obviously knows how to draw the reader in and evoke real emotion.   The scenes were vivid and real in my head.  It takes talent to write like that. 

Content:  Violence (graphic, and lots of it), sexual innuendo and situations.  

Amber Argyle is the number-one bestselling author of the Witch Song Series and the Fairy Queen Series. Her books have been nominated for and won awards in addition to being translated into French and Indonesian.

Amber graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in English and physical education, a husband, and a two-year old. Since then, she and her husband have added two more children, which they are actively trying to transform from crazy small people into less crazy larger people.

To learn more about Amber, visit her blog at http://amberargyle.blogspot.com

Of Fire and Ash by Amber Argyle (A Fairy Queens Novella)

One promise can change everything.

The fairies must never know of Nelay’s sight, for the attention of such dark and terrible creatures brings more things dark and terrible. But when Nelay's father is near death, the fairies are the only ones who can save him. All they require is a simple promise that she'll return the favor one day.

Some promises are lethal.
Well, I'm a day late to officially say that this is release day for this novella, but the day after is still close.  Like the day after Christmas is a fun day too, right?  :)

If you know Amber Argyle's writing and her books you know that she writes beautifully.  She has a style all her own that really stands out and for me, separates her from other authors.  This is a novella, short and sweet, about Nelay's early life.  What a hard life with hard choices.  It really sets the stage for the next book, Summer Queen, which I'm really looking forward to reading.  Especially since I've just read this little tidbit and I want more!  These are fairies like you've never know them.

If you are interested in reading my review for Winter Queen, the first book in this series, you can find that HERE.

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