Allegiance by Cayla Kluver
***** My favorite series ever!

Brilliant! Wonderful! I loved everything about Legacy and I love everything about Allegiance. I love a good fairy tale but to me this is a great fairy tale, fantasy, and romance all tied up perfectly. The world that Ms Kluver creates is so rich, I felt like I was right there with my favorite characters as events unfolded. “The hall was empty except for a cloaked figure who stood motionless upon a black marble dais. He waited, watching the doors at the far end with eyes as bright as emeralds and as threatening as livid clouds on the horizon.” This is just one of many captivating moments in this story. I loved that this story is not completely predictable. I often thought,okay I have this figured out I know what’s going to happen…,or NOOOOOOO this can not be happening, and then the whole coarse that was being taken changes in a very natural way having a completely different outcome.

Alera is now married to Steldor what implications does this have on the kingdom as well as their hearts. Will Alera be able to get over/push aside her love for Narian? Can she love Steldor? Will she be the ruler her kingdom needs her to be? The much a waited answers to these questions are disclosed. As they were they tore at my heart, made me cheer, cry and scream no, no, no. My emotions, and anticipation as to what would happen next was on high alert. Alera is in such an awful position married to one and loving another. She is so young to have to deal with a kingdom at war, arranged marriage, and betrayals a plenty. Sure she makes some mistakes, she is human, but she does a lot right/good too. I loved her integrity not only to herself but to Steldor and others. She is bright, witty, kind, passionate, naive, and flawed. I think it would be challenging to be such a young queen. Her father was often very judgemental towards her, and yet we find her in this predicament because of him. Steldor is Steldor I liked him in the first story but I really grew to LOVE and appreciate his character in this story. He is very patient with Alera, more so than most men would have been. He really loves her and is hoping she will reciprocate that love to him freely and of her own accord. I really came to admire him and his decisions, WOW there were some monumental ones! Narian finds himself back in Cokyrian, and doing the Overlords bidding. Infuriating!! Why does he do it? Hmm. I am probably one of the few but I love Narian too. He has many good qualities and some flawed ones as well. We learn more about his upbringing and who and what he is about. He reveals more of his feelings for Alera and what that may imply. I will leave it at that don’t want to give anything away. London is one of my all time favorite heroes he is just AWESOME, we get to know him on a more intimate level. We also find out what really happened while he was in the Cokyrian's custody. I was in awe of the man.
This is a great continuation of Legacy. This story had my emotions all a jumble. I found one minute I was jumping up and down with excitement, next I was moved to tears, or staring at the page mouth agape, or so furious I would slam it’s case, upon the rare occasion I felt at peace. There is plenty of intrigue, suspense, love and war to go around. It was a wonderful completely fulfilling read for me, this is my all time favorite series ever. I am excited for number three next fall. That’s along way off, could it come sooner, please. If you haven’t read Legacy I would get it too. Soooooooooo gooooooooood!!

clean language
clean romance

Copy provided by netgalley and Harlequin Teen Publishing. Thanks!

The Steel Queen by Karen Azinger
*****

This sounds like something I am going to love! :) And I DID! That was the statement I wrote even before I started this amazing book.
This was such a well crafted and thought out book/series (there will be five in all) and I never thought I would be so excited about so many in a series. However Mrs. Azinger can really write, amazing characters as well as an intriguing plot.
Kath is the unconventional princess of Catlegard. She prefers britches, and swords to breath taking (literally breath taking) dresses. Her kingdom was founded by knights who swore to keep evil from there boarders and are makers of the rare and coveted Blue Steel Swords. She wishes to be trained in the art of the sword, but her father wont allow it. Things transpire that put Kath on her way to becoming a lady whether she wants to or not with the queen of Lanverness. Before she even gets to Lanverness she realizes she wants a say in her life, and feels drawn to The Light Lords and serving them. This is just the very tip of the iceberg if you will. Kath is a great character, in fact all of Mrs. Azinger characters were just amazing and had great depth to them and were incredibly well fleshed out even minor characters were well done. I will only list a few of my favorites obviously Kath who is smart, determine, strong, naive in the face of danger at times, sincere, lovable, teachable, flawed, and a good friend. Blain is one of Kath's knights who is sent to watch over her. He is flawed, funny, smart, smitten, chivalrous, honorable. Queen Liandra of Lanverness wow she is a force all her own in a good way. I really admired her intelligence and level of skill/ability to rule her kingdom. Duncan is mysterious, thoughtful, chivalrous, honorable, flawed and handsome. Steffan is one who has chosen the dark side. I did not like him but I love the way he is written, he is evil and awful and Azinger did well in writing him. There are soooooooo many more wonderful character that I really loved these are just a few. This story is written so each chapters point of view is devoted to one of the characters. I really liked it this way it made it smooth and easy to tell what was going on. I liked knowing everyone else's point of view or there side of the story. I thought it work really well for this story.
The plot was intriguing and with depth. There was lots of adventures going on and lots of twist and turns. There is never a dull moment and the pages just kept flying by.
For those who love romance there is that as well, a few relationships start and a few are in the works. This is not the main focus by any means to this story, but those of us who love it, it is there hurray and for the most part is really sweet.
If you enjoy a good fantasy this is a great find!

language none
romance this is an adult book, strong PG-13 and pushing the outer limits of it. There are briefest of details, and yet no details at all if that makes since. This is definitely not the focus of this story.

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
*****

I just feel like I was wrapped around Cynthia Hand's little pinkie and spun around and flung off,such was the emotional roller-coaster ride I have been on. Wow is all I can think to say, I just finished and the emotions are running high. This second book in the Unearthly series was perfect for me. It feels like a bridge book, Unearthly set up everything, characters, and purpose, but nothing is really explained. However in Hallowed we get a lot of answers to just about all the questions you could think you possibly might of had concerning Unearthly. I really loved that about this book and it also made it near impossible to put down. I kept thinking what more could possible be revealed, and then wow okay didn't see that coming. It makes me excited to to see what the third book has in-store for us the reader.
Like I said before this was very emotionally intense read, it made me laugh, but mostly cry, the author has such away with writing these emotionally rich scenes, that will have you coming undone. The writing was just amazing! It was so good to be back with Clara, Tucker, Angela and Christian. Tucker, Tucker,Tucker he is so the perfect guy. I love his strong masculine, farmer, tough guy when needs to be, but gentle and so understanding of Clara, and vulnerable. Perfect! I loved all the amazing scenes with him and Clara they were awesomeness. I was glad they had each other which makes me so team Tucker... but then there is the other amazing guy Christian, and wow I really learned to appreciate and get him in this book. I see how good, strong, confident, and attuned to Clara he is, so then I feel like I want to be team Christian. I think I like them both, boy I am glad I am not Clara decisions, decisions. I also really liked the family dynamics in this story they were portrayed very realistically. We have all had moments with our parents when we are frustrated and visa versa but in the end we are family and we love each other. That was portrayed nicely I thought in this story.
Hollowed has left me spinning and wanting more. It was richly written and woven masterfully. I felt like I was there with them watching their world/story unfold before my eye's and I was glad I could be apart of it all. So good!

language LNV few times
romance clean one scene not appropriate but no details

Copy provided by netgalley and Harperteen publishing. Thank you!

Lydia by Wanda Luce
****

I really enjoyed this book, I always love a good regency romance. Lydia was written with a Jane Austin flare using the old-english, with delightful prose. It made me feel like I was back in the 1800's, dancing and socializing with Lydia and her friends.
Lydia is born of social status, but unfortunate events leave her family in need of funds, they are not destitute, but struggle. Lydia is older and unmarried with no prospect of marring do to age and financial status. She decides to take a governess position with the Ashcroft's of Danbury Park in Surrey to help alleviate the financial strain on her family. Lydia is quite pretty, smart, and has a fondness for the great out doors which leads her to many encounters with the rogue Lord Connor Denton. Lord Denton is friends with the Ashcroft's, so their paths did often cross. This gave them plenty of opportunities to learn about and get to know one another.
Lydia was such a dear friend and full of adventure and life. However I found I was a little annoyed with her, she would get so down about her inability to marry do to circumstances beyond her control.There were just a few to many of those moments. I was also frustrated that they both misunderstood each others intentions often or couldn't talk about things openly do to propriety. Thus the four stars. I know it was the way of it back then. This did not take anything away from the story. She always seemed to buoy herself back up, she was a rather endearing character.
There were so many wonderful encounters that I did so love one of them was the excursion to the library that was so fun and sweet. Wonderful story, I look forward to reading more books by Mrs Luce.

clean language
clean romance