Monday 18 September 2017

Blog Tour Stop, review and Giveaway: Cinderella, Necromancer by F M Boughan




Welcome today's stop on the Cinderella, Necromancer by F. M Boughan Blog Tour presented by Month9Books and hosted by Chapter by Chapter.  Today's stop is a review as well as a chance to enter the great giveaway that is being run throughout this tour.


I am a sucker for fairy tale retellings especially the darker ones and this one is darker than most which is part of the fun. I really liked the different take on the Cinderella tale that this story took. It kept the essential elements of the Cinderella story but cleverly wove the necromancy idea around this tale.

I liked the fact that there was no fairy godmother, that Ella after finding the grimoire in her father's office, used it to get herself to the ball. I also was intrigued about the fact that the grimoire was based on a real grimoire from the 15th century. Ella herself was strong and loyal to her family and I think this shone through the tale well.

I also liked the author's take on the other characters in the tale and the way it fitted with what we know of the characters from the original tale.

Whilst there seemed quite a bit to set up at the beginning , the tale itself flowed well and kept me reading till the last page. If you like your tales more brothers grimm than Disney, then this is the book for you.

I enjoyed this read and happily give it 3 3/4 stars


SapphiredDragon xx


About  Cinderella, Necromancer 

Cinderella, Necromancer by F M Boughan
  Publication Date:  September 5, 2017
  Publisher:  Month9Books




Darkness can only be controlled by those with the darkest of hearts.

Ellison lost her mother at an early age. Now, sixteen, her father has found love again. He’s happy and doesn’t quite notice that Ellison does not get along with his new wife or her vicious daughters.

When Ellison discovers a necromantic tome while traveling the secret passages of her father’s mansion, she wonders if it could be the key to her eventual freedom.

Until then, she must master her dark new power, even as her stepmother makes her a servant in her own home. And when her younger brother falls incurably ill, Ellison will do anything to ease his pain, including falling prey to her stepmother’s and stepsisters’ every whim and fancy.

Stumbling into a chance meeting with Prince William during a secret visit to her mother’s grave feels like a trick of fate when her stepmother refuses to allow Ellison to attend a palace festival where she might see him once more.

But what if Ellison could see the kind and handsome prince again? What if she could attend the festival? What if she could have everything she’s ever wanted and deserved by conjuring spirits to take revenge on her cruel stepmother? And what if she actually liked watching her stepmother suffer?

As Ellison’s power grows, she loses control over the evil spirits meant to do her bidding. And as they begin to exert their own power over Ellison, it becomes harder to tell whether it is she or her stepmother who is the true monster.

CINDERELLA NECROMANCER is CINDER meets ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD and was inspired by a real medieval grimoire of necromancy from 15th-century Germany


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28117964-cinderella-necromancer







ABOUT F. M Boughan





F.M. Boughan is a bibliophile, a writer, and an unabashed parrot enthusiast. She can often be found writing in local coffee shops, namely because it’s hard to concentrate with a cat lying on the keyboard and a small, colorful parrot screaming into her ear. Her work is somewhat dark, somewhat violent, somewhat hopeful, and always contains a hint of magic.


Author Links:  
  




The Giveaway



·       One (1) winner will receive an Echo Dot


 




Monday 11 September 2017

Blog Tour Post & Giveaway: Submerge (Mer Chronicles #2) by Tobie Easton




Welcome today's stop on the Submerge (Mer Chronicles #2) by Tobie Easton Blog Tour presented by Month9Books and hosted by Chapter by Chapter.  Today's stop is a review as well as a chance to enter the great giveaway that is being run throughout this tour.



I really enjoyed book 1 in this series, Emerge. So I was really looking forward to reading book 2 and even after a year since i read the first one, I was able to sink right back into the story. The story takes place a few months after the end of book 1, the Little mermaid's curse is broken, Lia and Clay have spent much of their summer together, whilst Lia's parents have been below securing support for their bid for the crown now that the wars are over. It's time for the trial of Melusine and her father. I liked that even though the curse was broken and the mermaids had their immortality back, everything was not automatically perfect and we got to see the characters re-adjusting to the changes. Lia was still dealing with repercussions of her choices in book 1 and full or worry that her sirening would come out and condemn her to jail and ruin her parents chances for the crown.

Where a lot of book one was set in the human world, most of book two takes place in the mermaid world so we got to find out a lot more about the mermaids life both above and below the water and this helped make the story come more alive. The story flowed well and moved at a good pace and i found myself engaged from beginning to end, finishing the book in a just a couple of hours.

Whilst this is still predominantly about Lia and Clay, I liked that we got to see more depth and find out more about peripheral characters like Caspian and Lia's sisters in particular.

Overall this book is a great blend of action, danger,romance and intrigue and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. Given where the story ended, I am guessing there is more to come in regards to Lia and Clay's story and I cannot wait.

I happily give this read 4 stars


SapphiredDragon xx


About Submerge (Mer Chronicles #2) 

Submerge (Mer Chronicles #2) by Tobie Easton
  Publication Date:  September 12, 2017
  Publisher:  Month9Books



Now that Lia and Clay’s love has broken the Little Mermaid’s curse, everything has changed. Will Lia’s family remain on land, leading the only life she and her sisters have ever known, or will they move below the waves, to the sparkling new capital city? Lia is adamant about staying on land with Clay for her senior year. But at Melusine and her father’s trial, new revelations threaten what Lia holds most dear.

The verdict will shake Lia’s whole world, calling into question her future with Clay, her feelings for Caspian, and the fate of all Merkind. As she wonders who to trust, Lia sets out on a treacherous path that will lead her away from her sheltered Malibu home to a remote and mysterious school for Mermaids—Mermaids who may hold the secret to ancient magic Lia can use to either get back all she’s lost or to embark on a thrilling and dangerous journey.

hhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35219028-submerge





Go back to where it all started:


About Emerge (Mer Chronicles #1) 

 




T
Lia Nautilus may be a Mermaid but she’s never lived in the ocean. War has ravaged the seven seas ever since the infamous Little Mermaid unleashed a curse that stripped Mer of their immortality. Lia has grown up in a secret community of land-dwelling Mer hidden among Malibu’s seaside mansions. Her biggest problems are surviving P.E. and keeping her feelings for Clay Ericson in check. Sure, he’s gorgeous in that cocky, leather jacket sort of way and makes her feel like there’s a school of fish swimming in her stomach, but getting involved with a human could put Lia's entire community at risk. So it’s for the best that he’s dating that new girl, right? That is, until Lia finds out she isn't the only one at school keeping a potentially deadly secret. And this new girl? Her eyes are dead set on Clay, who doesn't realize the danger he's in. If Lia hopes to save him, she’ll have to get closer to Clay. Lia’s parents would totally flip if they found out she was falling for a human boy, but the more time she spends with him, the harder it is for her to deny her feelings. After making a horrible mistake, Lia will risk everything to stop Clay from falling in love with the wrong girl. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27882492-emerge

Booktopia | Amazon.com.au | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | 





ABOUT Tobie Easton:




Tobie Easton was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where she’s grown from a little girl who dreamed about magic to a twenty-something who writes about it. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Southern California, Tobie hosts book clubs for tweens and teens. She and her very kissable husband enjoy traveling the globe and fostering packs of rescue puppies. Learn more about Tobie and her upcoming books on www.TobieEaston.com.

Author Links:  
  




The Giveaway



·       One (1) winner will receive a Kindle Fire 


 



Sunday 20 August 2017

Review: Breakaway (Corrigan Fall Raiders #4) by Cate Cameron

Title: Breakaway (Corrigan Fall Raiders #4)
Author: Cate Cameron
Published: 14 August 2017
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Source: Entangled Publishing, LLC via Netgalley in return for an honest review
Reviewed: Sapphired Dragon
Rating: **** 

My Review:

I love this series! I always devour each book in one sitting and i am so glad that Dawn finally got her own book. We had met Dawn before in the previous books, first as Toby's girl friend and then as his ex and it only seemed right that we got to read her story too. Dawn has vowed to never again date a hockey player. After being the other half of a rising hockey star in a town where hockey is everything, Dawn has always wanted to shine for her herself rather than who she was dating and she thinks she has found that with summer newcomer to Corrigan Falls, Logan. However Logan is actually an ex NHL player who had a career ending injury in his first NHL game and is still coming to grips with his new reality without hockey.

I really liked Dawn and her determination to make something of herself under her own steam rather than of the back of who she is dating and she made for an incredibly likeable and strong character who was immensely readable and intriguing to learn more about. Logan was charming and complex and sweet and also compelling to read about as he dealt with his new reality of his life and was finally starting to put the pieces of his life back together. As a couple I felt the chemistry from the start and liked the way their romance unfolded. As always the peripheral characters were all well developed and vibrant and it was nice to check in previous characters of earlier books as well as meet some brand new characters as well.

One of the things I love about this series is the emotional journey they take me on. Ms cameron's writing really connects you to her characters and makes you care what happens with them and follow their steps for better or for worse. This story was no different and left me satisfied at the way the story turned out.

Overall this was another great instalment of an incredibly enjoyable series and author i look forward to reading more of.

Happy to give this book 4 stars.

Sapphired Dragon xx





About The Book:


Breakaway (Corrigan Fall Raiders #4) by Cate Cameron



This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, melt-the-ice kisses, a drool-worthy hockey player, and a fun summer romance that will leave you smiling.

Eighteen-year-old NHL player Logan Balanchuk came to Corrigan Falls to distract himself from his career-ending injury. He doesn’t want to even hear the word “hockey,” so when he meets Dawn, a beautiful, free-spirited girl who goes skinny-dipping instead of watching the draft, he’s intrigued. Neither of them is looking for anything serious, anyway.

Dawn is happy to be a distraction, happy to have an adventurous summer romance with the dashing guy from the big city. She’s busy working three jobs and counting the days until she can move away from her tiny, hockey-obsessed town. Plus, she’s already done her time as a hockey player’s girlfriend—now she wants to live her own life and have her own adventures. But as things heat up with Logan, she realizes they aren’t as no-strings-attached as she thought…
 

Tuesday 8 August 2017

Review: Diary of a Teenage Jewel Thief by Rosie Somers

Title: Diary of a Teenage Jewel Thief 
Author: Rosie Somers
Published: 8 August 2017
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Source: Entangled Publishing, LLC via Netgalley in return for an honest review
Reviewed: Sapphired Dragon
Rating: *** 3/4 

My Review:

I really enjoyed this story. It was sweet and engaging from the very first chapter. 17 year old Mari is from a family with long glorious tradition of jewel thievery and that has been the life she has led so far. After finding out a dangerous rival is out to get them, Mari and her mother head to New York to hide out and Mari has to pretend to be a normal teenager for the first time in her life.

Firstly, I liked this spin on the extraordinary teen hiding out as a regular teenager premise and Mari was a likeable main character. I thought the idea played out well in the story giving a plausible fun and intriguing story line. We got see both the jewel thief side of her in action as well as the regular teen and Ms Somers showed the contrasts well which really helped make mar are more rounded and believeable character.

The pace and flow of this story really hit the mark. I was in the story from the first page and quickly flew through this only putting it down briefly once. Mari's voice was relatable and I cared what happened to her and to Will. I liked the twists and surprises the author threw in and while i picked some of it, I still felt compelled to keep moving threw to the story to see how it all turned out.

Overall the story is great blend of sweet romance, action and adventure with feels a plenty and a satisfying conclusion to leave you smiling.

I really enjoyed this and gave it 3 3/4 stars :-)

Sapphired Dragon xx




About The Book:


Diary of a Teenage Jewel Thief by Rosie Somers



Most sixteen-year-olds shouldn’t know where museums keep their rarest jewels (the basement) and they really shouldn’t know that vans make the worst getaway cars. But for Marisol Flores, a life of jewel thievery is a birthright handed down from generation to generation, even if she didn’t ask for it. So when a rival thief targets Mari and her mother, Mari’s more than happy to flee to the anonymity of bustling New York City.

Blending in is a dream come true for Mari, but keeping her former thieving ways a secret gets way more complicated when handsome Will Campbell sets his sights on her. She can’t help but like his terrible puns and charming grin…but when her past catches up with her, it’s not only her life—and her anonymity—that’s at stake.

Will could be the next target.
 

Monday 10 July 2017

Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Enigma (Schrodinger's Consortium #2) by Tonya Kuper




Welcome today's stop on the Enigma ( Schrodinger's Consortium #2) by Tonya Kuper  hosted by Chapter by Chapter   Today's stop is a review as well as a chance to enter the great giveaway that is being run throughout this tour.

Review:



Enigma is the second book of the Schrodinger Consortium series and takes up shortly after the end of Anomaly (book 1). Reid and Josie are currently on the run from The Consortium and Josie is having trouble dealing with the fact she killed Santos. This is one of the first things I really liked about this book. Unlike many action stories, it didn't make the killing of enemies, even with kick ass powers, glamorous. Instead showing very real consequences and reactions to having , albeit accidentally, killing someone.

I also liked that story kept momentum all the way through. An easy, entertaining read, with a well paced storyline that kept the reader moving through the twists and turns and guessing who the mole was until the end. As reader, I felt immersed in the story the whole way through.

I liked Josie. How strong she was, how she used her intelligence hand in hand with her compassion and protective spirit to protect her family and help those around her even as she dealt with her new abilities and the unimaginable power that came along with them. I loved Reid, his strength and protectiveness of Josie along with his swooniness. He was everything a good book boyfriend should be.

Overall though, what I most enjoyed was that the premise behind the story was quite different from things I had read before. The idea of being able to push and retract and the science behind it was a really intriguing idea which i thought quite well though out and believable. This created a world that I really wanted to know more about.

A very enjoyable read. I give this book 3 3/4 stars

Sapphired Dragon XX

   
Enigma (Schrodinger’s Consortium #2) by Tonya Kuper
Publication Date:  July 3, 2017
Publisher:  Entangled Teen
   

Worst. Road Trip. Ever.

Escaping with Reid Wentworth should have been fun, but how can I enjoy it when I just (accidentally) killed someone, my mom and brother are in danger, and the Consortium is trying to enslave humanity? (Yeah, they aren’t fooling around.) So feeling something for Reid Wentworth was not part of the plan. Trying to help unite the Resistance against the Consortium means I can’t be distracted by hot boys.

The Resistance secret hideout isn’t exactly the rebel base of my dreams. A traitor there wants me dead, but we have no idea who it is. And with both the Resistance and the Consortium trying to control me, the only one I can trust is Reid. If we’re going to have any chance of protecting my family, controlling my unstable powers, and surviving the clash between the Oculi factions, I’m going to have to catch this traitor. By using myself as bait.


 


OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:
Reality is only an illusion.
Except for those who can control it…
Worst. Birthday. Ever.


My first boyfriend dumped me—happy birthday, Josie!—my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening…

Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it.

When hottily-hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he’s the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead…



ABOUT  Tonya Kuper


Tonya Kuper is the author of ANOMALY, the first in the Schrodinger's Consortium Series, a young adult science fiction trilogy, released November 4, 2014 by Entangled Teen. She fell for Young Adult lit while earning her Masters degree in Reading Education. She's a mom to two awesome boys, an alt music junkie, a Star Wars nerd, and in love with Sherlock.
.

Author Links:   
 
Giveaway :  

One (1) winner will receive :
 
  • Signed Copy of Anomaly and Schrodinger's Consortium swag

Monday 27 March 2017

Spotlight Post : Summoner Rising by Melanie McFarlane

 
Welcome to the Summoner Rising by Melanie McFarlane Blog Tour hosted by Month9Books. Today's stop is all about Spotlighting the Story as well as a really cool giveaway at the end.  Keep reading to find out more details. 
 
Summoner Rising by Melanie McFairlane
 
 
Title: SUMMONER RISING
 
Author: Melanie McFarlane
 
Pub. Date: March 28, 2017
 
Publisher: Month9Books
 
Format: Paperback, eBook
 
Pages: 300
 
Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | TBD | iBooks 
 
 
Excerpt from, The Book of Summoning: 
 
Law One: A summoner is responsible for an ll 
creatures it lets through from the netherworld. 
 
Dacie Cantar wishes someone had explained the Laws of Summoning to her before she watched a shadowy creature crawl out of a painting at the local arcade. At least it explains the strange things she's witnessed since moving in with her great-aunt, after her mother’s untimely death. But who wants to be followed by shadows the rest of their life? Add that to being stalked by a strange boy at school, who just might be her Tovaros (aka soulmate), it’s about all Dacie can handle in her new life. 
 
As she nears her seventeenth birthday, will she be ready for her new responsibilities, or will the shadows that stalked her mother until her death, finally consume Dacie, too? And then there’s Law Two…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

About The Author: Melanie McFarlane

 
 
 
 
Melanie McFarlane is a passionate writer of other-wordly adventures, a little excitable, and a little quirky. Whether it’s uncovering the corruption of the future, or traveling to other worlds to save the universe, she jumps in with both hands on her keyboard. Though she can be found obsessing over zombies and orcs from time to time, Melanie has focused her powers on her YA debut There Once Were Stars, and her YA urban fantasy Summoner Rising.
 
 
She lives with her husband and two daughters in the Land of Living Skies.
 
 
 
 
The Tour
 
Tour Schedule:
Week 1:
3/27/2017- Never Too Many To ReadGuest Post
3/27/2017- Realm of the Sapphired dragon- Spotlight 
 
3/28/2017- Book Review BeccaReview
3/28/2017- Bibliobibuli YAInterview
 
3/29/2017- StephanieCassidyBlogReview
3/29/2017- LILbooKloversInterview
 
3/30/2017- Don't Judge, ReadReview
3/30/2017- trishajennreadsExcerpt
Week 2:
3/31/2017- Wishful EndingsReview
3/31/2017- Two Chicks on BooksInterview
 
4/3/2017- Omg Books and More BooksReview
4/3/2017- Month9BooksExcerpt
 
4/4/2017- Under the Book CoverReview
4/4/2017- So Few BooksInterview
 
4/5/2017- BooksbooksmurderReview
 
 
4/6/2017- Natural briReview
 
 
4/7/2017- YA and WineReview
 
 
The Giveaway
 
1 winner will receive a DVD of THE CRAFT, US Only
a Rafflecopter giveaway