Review: Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge - Paul Krueger

Bailey Chen is fresh out of college with all the usual new-adult demons: no cash, no job offers, and an awkward relationship with Zane, the old friend she kinda-sorta hooked up with during high school.

But when Zane introduces Bailey to his monster-fighting bartender friends, her demons become a lot more literal. It turns out evil creatures stalk the city streets after hours, and they can only be hunted with the help of magically-mixed cocktails: vodka grants super-strength, whiskey offers the power of telekinesis, and tequila lets its drinker fire blasts of elemental energy. But will all of these powers be enough for Bailey to halt a mysterious rash of gruesome deaths? And what will she do when the safety of a “real world” job beckons?

This sharp and funny urban fantasy is perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, and grown-up readers of Harry Potter. Includes 14 recipes from a book of ancient cocktail lore.

Visit Paul Krueger's website for more information

Review:
Have you ever wondered why there are so many pubs and bars? I bet you never considered it's because the bartenders who work in them also have a side job fighting demons that prey on drunk people! Well that's exactly the premise of Paul Krueger's debut novel Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge and what a fun and quirky story it is.

Bailey has just finished college and is supposed to be looking for a serious, grown up job like her parents have always expected her to but she's kind of having fun working at a bar run by her childhood best friend Zane and she's not quite ready to grow up and face the real world yet. The more she looks at sensible jobs the less they feel like the best choice for her and then when she finds out about Zane's sideline fighting demons she knows she's found her true calling.

I loved the premise for this story, the idea of magical mixologists who are able to give themselves superpowers by creating very special cocktails was a fun one and totally different to anything else I've read about. At the end of most chapters you get a little information about the history of the magical cocktails mentioned, the powers it gives the bartenders and how to mix the perfect version at home so if you enjoy cocktails I'm sure you'll love these little additional recipes. I really enjoyed these little snippets into the history of the bartenders and how they discovered the magical properties each ingredient adds to the drinks they make but what I really wanted was a little more information about the demons they fought. Where did they come from? Why did they only attack certain people? If they're drawn to alcohol why were they more prevalent at certain times of the month? I'm hoping that if we get a second book in this world we'll get answers to some of these questions.

I love that we have such a diverse range of characters but I did find the way Bailey acted was a little immature at times. This is a new adult urban fantasy so Bailey and most of the other characters are in their early 20s but they quite often came across as much younger than that which could be a little frustrating. I also got a bit fed up with Bailey mooning around after Zane and trying to make a move on him when she knew full well he was in a relationship with someone else but that's a personal bug of mine that probably won't bother everyone as much. I think my favourite character actually ended up being another bartender who was known as Bucket, he was a really fun guy and stole every scene he appeared in.

Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge was an entertaining and fairly quick read, it has such an unusual concept that I'm hoping it might end up being the start of a new series - there's definitely a lot of potential here for Paul Krueger to create something wonderful.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Guest Post: Strong Female Characters by Paul Krueger (Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge Blog Tour)

I'm thrilled to welcome Paul Krueger to the blog today to celebrate the release of his debut novel Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge. I have a fab guest post from Paul to share with you about some of his favourite strong female characters and how they helped inspire the main character in his book Bailey Chen but first let me give you a little more information about the book.

Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge is a really fun new adult urban fantasy that I'm hoping is the introduction to a new series. What I love most was the unique idea of demon fighting bartenders who are able to mix special cocktails that give them superpowers! The book even includes a few recipes so if you're a cocktail fan you'll be able to make some of your own to drink while you're reading.

Bailey Chen is fresh out of college with all the usual new-adult demons: no cash, no job offers, and an awkward relationship with Zane, the old friend she kinda-sorta hooked up with during high school.

But when Zane introduces Bailey to his monster-fighting bartender friends, her demons become a lot more literal. It turns out evil creatures stalk the city streets after hours, and they can only be hunted with the help of magically-mixed cocktails: vodka grants super-strength, whiskey offers the power of telekinesis, and tequila lets its drinker fire blasts of elemental energy. But will all of these powers be enough for Bailey to halt a mysterious rash of gruesome deaths? And what will she do when the safety of a “real world” job beckons?

This sharp and funny urban fantasy is perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, and grown-up readers of Harry Potter. Includes 14 recipes from a book of ancient cocktail lore.

I'll be posting my full review later today but this was a really fun read and I really hope we're going to get more books about Bailey and her friends.

Now please give a very warm welcome to Paul Krueger!

******************

If the term “Strong Female Character” makes your face cringe until it looks like a black hole collapsing in on itself, you’re not alone. There’ve been a great many thoughtful critiques of the archetype, though in my opinion the first and last word on the subject is Kate Beaton: http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php/index.php?id=311.

The backlash against “Strong Female Character” has come from readers and critics examining the difference between what the term was coined to mean and what it’s become. What was supposed to be an expression for improved female agency in fiction has instead become derisive shorthand for the theme park version of that agency, often at the hands of male authors.

In a related story: hi. Paul Krueger, male author. Nice to meet you.

It’s difficult for a man to tackle this subject without sounding like Matt McGorry. So rather than repeat critiques that have been said elsewhere and more eloquently, I’d like to instead highlight some of my favorite examples of female agency done right, all of which I tried my best to emulate when I created Bailey Chen, the heroine of my debut novel, Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge.

1) Nico Minoru, Runaways
Nico was one of the original members of Marvel’s Runaways, a comic series I found young and fell for hard. In it, six teens find out their parents are supervillains, then run away from home and set about trying to bring their parents down. I was particularly drawn to Nico right off the bat, because she’s my kind of messy: a leader who’s always mindful of her responsibilities to others, but still prone to making bad, selfish decisions in the moment. Minus the gothy, witchy bits of her character, she’s probably Bailey’s most direct forebear.

2) Rachel, Animorphs
Rachel spends most of the Animorphs series bearing (and living up to) the nickname “Xena, Warrior Princess,” because that’s what happens in book series that began in 1996. She’s a gymnast and a fashionista who, upon her recruitment into an interstellar war, discovers a flair for combat and an accompanying bloodlust. Like so many before her, Rachel does desire to be a normal girl. But unlike the rest of them, that desire stems from how disturbed she is by her enjoyment of killing, and her fear that there will be no place for her in a post-war world. The Animorphs had a rotation of six very interesting narrators, but Rachel’s internal struggles always made her my favorite.

3) Mako Mori, Pacific Rim
Though she joins a long line of Asian heroines with dye-streaked hair (https://twitter.com/heyjenbartel/status/700373253148315648), Mako is a special kind of cool. She approaches her job with competence and cockiness, and underneath her reserved exterior is a headstrong streak that Avatar Korra would envy. I find her to be a particularly satisfying subversion of the tropes Asian characters are often saddled with, and that was something I consciously tried to borrow from her when I was writing Bailey.

As the publication of Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge approached, more than a few people asked me about the number of “strong female characters” in it. While I appreciate the compliment, the fact is that creating female characters with real narrative agency is very easy, and I don’t believe I deserve any great plaudits for bothering to include them in my work. Doing it was just something that mattered a lot to me, as was doing it right.

I hope I was successful.

Paul Krueger is the debut author of Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge, published by Quirk Books, and is available from all good books stores in paperback, priced $14.99 (US) and £11.99 (UK). For more information, please visit www.quirkbooks.com, or follow Paul on Twitter @notlikeFreddy or his website https://paulkrueger.net/

Review: Begging for It - Lilah Pace

The provocative author of Asking for It once again explores the dark side of erotic obsession, and the secrets that make it as dangerous as it is irresistible.

Some secrets should only be shared in the dark.

Jonah and Vivienne’s erotic bond—living out raw scenarios of captivity and force—began as no-strings sex between strangers who shared the same desires. Now the intimacy between them is turning into love, but it’s a love built on fantasies so extreme that exploring them makes guilt inescapable. But the risks they're taking are far more dangerous than they'd imagined.

A stalker is terrorizing the city, and one of Jonah’s ex-lovers names him as a potential suspect to the police. Standing by a man under suspicion could cost Vivienne everything. But when Jonah’s stepfather takes advantage of the scandal to seize control of the Marks family fortune, Vivienne is drawn into her lover’s broken family and twisted past. Only then will she learn how dark the truth really is . . .

Asking for It Series:
Asking for It
Begging for It
Asking for More (Novella)

Visit Lilah Pace's website for more information

Review:
I loved Asking for It so I was really excited to read more of Vivienne and Jonah's story in Begging for It. I had such high hopes for them and I wanted to see them working through their issues both individually and as a couple. I wasn't expecting either of them to give up their kink, there's absolutely nothing wrong with two consenting adults enjoying whatever fantasy turns them on as long as nobody is getting hurt by it, but I did find it concerning that Vivienne couldn't enjoy sex in any other way. She has some deep rooted issues that she obviously needs to deal with for her own sake as well as for Jonah's.

I had such high hopes for this story that I can't help but come away feeling a little disappointed. Vivienne has no intention of changing, she doesn't want help and no matter how much she complains about hating herself for her desires she makes no effort to do anything about it. She's been in therapy for years and hasn't made even the tiniest bit of progress so either she's wasting her money on the world's most incompetent therapist or, much more likely in my opinion, she is pretending to pay attention and then blindly ignoring every piece of advice she's ever been given. It became so incredibly frustrating to see Jonah practically begging her to help him. He is desperate to change and working hard at dealing with his issues but whenever he asks her to bend even a little bit she gets resentful and starts acting like a child. She complains that Jonah won't give her what she needs but she never thinks about what Jonah needs. He doesn't want to give up their games altogether and he's not asking her to either but he doesn't want that to be all their relationship is about and she won't even try any other way.

Throw in the suspense of a serial rapist (and of course Jonah is the main suspect of the police investigation!) and the way Vivienne was acting made me dislike her even more. I didn't like her attitude and I found this book very frustrating to read. It felt like 90% of the story was Vivienne acting like a brat and then finally in the last 10% they had one couples session with the therapist and Vivienne was magically cured. The complete turn around she makes happens far too quickly to be believable and it all left me rolling my eyes. If I'm honest I can't for the life of me figure out why Jonah stuck it out for so long and I no longer care about them as a couple. This was such a disappointing sequel and it's made worse because I had such high expectations going in.

Source: Purchased

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Review: The Hostage Bargain - Annika Martin

When small town girl Melinda Prescott is taken hostage by three hot bank robbers, she quickly discovers that a life of bank heists, luxury hotels, and kinky menages is way more exciting than working on the family farm. She should be scared of her dominating, fierce captors…but there’s something wicked inside her that’s craving to obey their every dark desire.

Melinda eagerly throws in with her three smoldering fugitives…and soon realizes that these are no ordinary bank robbers—and that bad guys aren’t always who they seem. But will her delicious captors overcome their own demons enough to let her in? And can these underdogs fight an evil conspiracy that’s larger than all of them?

Warning: This book contains a sexy bank-robbers-and-their-captive sandwich, light bondage, spanking, teasing hints of domination, and a little play-time in a hot tub. Oh, and some all-too-delicious alpha heroes who bend the heroine to their will.

Kinky Bank Robbers Series:
The Hostage Bargain
The Wrong Turn
The Deeper Game
The Most Wanted

Visit Annika Martin's website for more information

Review:
Melinda is a cashier at her local bank, working for a boss she hates because she needs an income to look after her younger sisters. All she really wants is to escape and live her own life but her family is relying on her and she has too many obligations. She hates her life so much that when the bank is held up by three armed robbers she actually goes out of her way to make sure the guys find all the good stuff when they're raiding the safe. Then when she is taken hostage it looks like she might finally get the chance to have an adventure after all.

This is the kind of book that you need to throw away all sense of reality before you start reading, the situation that Melinda finds herself in is about as far from realistic as you can get in a contemporary setting but as long as you're prepared to just go with it you'll probably end up having fun. The story kicks off right in the action as the robbery is already underway and Melinda is immediately attracted to the gun wielding guys who are threatening her (I mean who wouldn't be turned on by a guy waving a gun at them? *insert sarcasm here*). She hates her job and her boss is an arse so she decides that helping the robbers get away with as much loot as possible is a suitable form of revenge. Later, when she's taken hostage, she actually ends up begging them to take her with them after they plan to release her, after all she's always wanted an adventure and what better way to have fun than with three sexy bank robbers who all seem to be more than a little interested in her body?

If you can ignore all that and just go with it then I'd say you should give this story a try, for an erotic read with a bit of added suspense it's actually quite fun and has a nice level of heat to it. I'd say the sex was tamer than I was expecting, there is some light bondage and a hint of domination but nothing particularly major, I'm thinking this might be built upon in later instalments though. There are some M/F/M scenes but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed that one of the guys didn't get involved at all, I mean what's the point of having three hot guys around if one is going to leave every time the good stuff starts? I think that's something that will also be addressed in later books though so I've not given up hope yet.

For an Amazon freebie this isn't a bad, there were some editing issues but nothing too major and I've seen far worse offerings. The writing is pretty decent and the story moves along at a pace that kept me reading just so I could find out what would happen next. I enjoyed this a lot while I was reading it but the trouble is that it's pretty forgettable once you put it down again, these characters didn't stick with me and I don't feel particularly invested in finding out what will happen to them. I might continue reading the series at some point but I don't feel any burning desire to buy the next book and dive into it immediately and I don't think it'll be too long before I forget I ever read this one.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Their Fractured Light - Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

A year ago Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now-infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness LaRoux Industries' corruption. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were the only survivors of the Icarus shipwreck, forced to live a double live after their rescue.

Now, at the centre of the galaxy on Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players in the fight against LRI.

Gideon Marchant is an underworld hacker known as the Knave of Hearts, ready to climb and abseil his way past the best security measures on the planet to expose LRI's atrocities. Sofia Quinn, charming con artist, can work her way onto any stronghold without missing a beat. When a foiled attempt to infiltrate LRI Headquarters forces them into a fragile alliance, it's impossible to know who's playing whom - and whether they can ever learn to trust each other.

With their lives, loves, and loyalties at stake, only by joining forces with the Icarus survivors and Avon's protectors do they stand a chance of taking down the most powerful corporation in the galaxy - before LRI's secrets destroy them all.

The New York Times best-selling Starbound trilogy comes to a close with this dazzling final installment about the power of courage and hope in humanity's darkest hour.

Starbound Trilogy:
These Broken Stars
This Night So Dark (Novella)
This Shattered World
Their Fractured Light

Visit Amie Kaufman's website, Meagan Spooner's website or the These Broken Stars website for more information

Review:
I fell in love with this series when I read These Broken Stars last year so This Fractured Light was a book I couldn't wait to start reading. I've just had so much fun reading this trilogy, I love the epic scope of it, the way events unfold across such vast distances and how one man has managed to cause so much complete and utter mayhem throughout the universe.

The first half of this novel focuses on our new couple Gideon and Sofia. We've actually met both of these characters before (Gideon is the earth based hacker who helped Flynn and Jubilee make the Avon broadcast and Sofia is the friend who helped Flynn when he needed a place to hide) but it was really great to get to know them better. Sofia escaped Avon during the previous book and she's now on earth working hard to find a way to bring down LaRoux Industries who she blames for the atrocities carried out on Avon that caused the death of her father. Gideon has is own reasons for bringing down LRI and is equally determined to achieve his goal. The two cross paths when they're both making separate attempts to infiltrate the LRI headquarters and circumstances force them to work together to make their escape.

They've never met before and have no reason to trust each other now so their reluctant alliance doesn't last long but when Sofia's cover is blown and she is in desperate need of help she has nobody else to turn to. I really enjoyed the push and pull between these two, they're united because they have a common enemy but they don't know enough about each other to have full trust and it takes a long time for them to open up and start sharing their secrets. I don't think I loved them quite as much as the previous characters but I did think they made a really cute couple and they're both extremely brave and focused on their goals which was admirable.

In the second half of the book they meet up with the couples from the previous books and this is where things really kick off on the action front. Don't get me wrong, there was plenty going on in the first half too, but when all 3 couples get together they finally start putting enough of the pieces together to have a chance at bringing down LRI once and for all. I don't want to say too much about what happens but Lilac's father isn't going to give up on his goals without a fight and our group of friends aren't going to have an easy time of it. We also get to see snippets from the Whisper's POV and I found it really interesting looking at humanity through the lens of beings so completely other.

Overall this has been a fantastic trilogy and it's certainly one I'll reread in the future. Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner did a brilliant job of tying all the loose threads together and creating an incredibly satisfying ending. I'm going to miss these characters but I'm glad they went out on such a high note and I'll be keeping an eye out for more books from both of these authors in the future.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Hollywood Dirt - Alessandra Torre

Cole Masten. Abandoned by his superstar wife, Hollywood's Perfect Husband is now Hollywood's Sexiest Bachelor: partying hard and screwing even harder. Watch out Los Angeles, there's a new bad boy in town.

Summer Jenkins. That's me, a small town girl stuck in Quincy, Georgia. I cook some mean chicken and dumplins, can bluff a grown man out of his savings in poker, and was voted Most Friendly my senior year.

We were from different worlds. Our lives shouldn't have collided. But then Cole Masten read a book about my small town. And six months later, his jet landed on our dusty airstrip, and he brought Hollywood with him.

From the start, I knew he was trouble.
For our town. And for me.
Sometimes, opposites just aren't meant to attract.

Hollywood Dirt Series:
Hollywood Dirt
Sole (Short Story in the For the First Time anthology)

Visit Alessandra Torre's website for more information.

Review:
Cole was one half of Hollywood's biggest IT couple but that was before he caught his wife cheating on him and his marriage imploded in a very public manner. Since then he's been completely off the rails partying hard and getting in all kinds of trouble. If he wants to have any chance at making his new movie venture a success then he's got to tone it down though, he needs to stop partying, stop drinking and stop sleeping around. It's time to knuckle down and get to work, even if that means moving to Quincy, the small town in the middle of nowhere where the movie is being filmed, weeks early and keeping his head down.

It's been a long time since Summer enjoyed living in Quincy, she's been a pariah ever since an unfortunate incident involving her cheating ex and what she wants more than anything is to save up enough money to be able to leave for good. The last thing she needs is the world's hottest leading man arriving on her doorstep but the money she can make helping his assistant scout for filming locations is worth putting up with a lot of stress and it doesn't hurt to enjoy the view when she's working.

Cole and Summer are like oil and water, just mix them up, light a match and watch them explode! In the beginning they can't agree on anything, I actually think one of them would swear the sky was green and the grass was blue just to avoid a reaching a consensus with the other. But you just know when the arguing is that heated there is some MAJOR sexual tension going on underneath it and when they finally give in to that attraction both of their lives will be changed forever.

I'll just come right out and say it - I LOVED this book! It's not often I rate a contemporary romance 5 stars, let's face it, as much as I enjoy a good romance they're pretty predictable and although they can't be beaten when you want something with a feel good factor it takes something extra special to deserve that full score.Well Alessandra Torre has done it with Hollywood Dirt, she's hit that rare and wonderful combination where everything just comes together so perfectly that you can't rate it anything less.

Everything about this book is special, the main couple, the tension, the chemistry, the supporting cast, the humour, the romance, the chicken sidekick (nope I'm not joking!), the heat and yes of course the hot sex. It all blends together into a story that will have you laughing or swooning the whole way through and leave you with the biggest grin on your face. I've heard a lot of good things about Alessandra Torre's writing but this is the first time I've picked up one of her books, I can guarantee that it won't be the last though and I'm incredibly excited to start working my way through her backlist.

I've you've already read this book you can find a super sweet love note from Cole to Summer on the True Story Book Blog HERE

Source: Purchased

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Review: Flamecaster - Cinda Williams Chima

Set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Seven Realms series, a generation later, this is a breathtaking story of dark magic, chilling threats, and two unforgettable characters walking a knife-sharp line between life and death. This dazzling beginning to a new series is indispensable for fans of Cinda Williams Chima and a perfect starting point for readers who are new to her work.

Adrian sul’Han, known as Ash, is a trained healer with a powerful gift of magic—and a thirst for revenge. Ash is forced into hiding after a series of murders throws the queendom into chaos. Now he’s closer than ever to killing the man responsible, the cruel king of Arden. With time running out, Ash faces an excruciating choice: Can he use his powers not to save a life but to take it?

Abandoned at birth, Jenna Bandelow was told that the magemark on the back of her neck would make her a target. But when the King’s Guard launches a relentless search for a girl with a mark like hers, Jenna assumes that it has more to do with her role as a saboteur than any birth-based curse. Though Jenna doesn’t know why she’s being hunted, she knows that she can’t get caught.

Eventually, Ash’s and Jenna’s paths will collide in Arden. Thrown together by chance and joined by their hatred of the ruthless king, they will come to rescue each other in ways they cannot yet imagine.

Shattered Realms Series:
(Set in the same world as the Seven Realms but 20 years later)
Flamecaster
Shadowcaster (2017)

Seven Realms Series:
The Demon King
The Exiled Queen
The Gray Wolf Throne
The Crimson Crown

Visit the Cinda Williams Chima's website for more information

Review:
*Please note that this review may contain spoilers for the Seven Realms series so if you're not up to date with those books look away now*

I absolutely love Cinda Williams Chima's Seven Realms series so when I found out she was returning to that world, albeit 20 years later, in the Shattered Realms books I couldn't wait to pick up Flamecaster. You know that well used phrase "be careful what you wish for" though? Well, Flamecaster is a perfect example of why you should take that advice to heart! This book may be set 20 years in the future and it may revolve around the next generation of characters, but that doesn't make it any less brutal and the first five chapters nearly killed me. I was utterly heartbroken and I came so close to putting this book down and pretending it didn't exist because the author doesn't shy away from tearing apart things that we thought were safe at the end of the previous series. I'm still praying that events at the beginning of this book weren't what they originally seemed and that we're going to be able to heave a huge sigh of relieve when we pick up the next book and find out what really happened. Please Cinda Williams Chima take pity on me, I beg you!

Anyway, if you can get past those first few chapters and kind of put aside your love for old characters long enough to give the new ones a chance I still think you're going to love this book so don't let my comments above put you off reading it. We are introduced to some absolutely brilliant characters here and I'm really excited to see what comes of them as the series continues. This book starts 20 years on from The Crimson Crown, Raisa has been a good queen to the Fells but they have been at war with the Arden ever since she publicly rejected the king's marriage proposal so long ago. The war has taken it's toll on the Fells and the surrounding realms but Arden is stronger than ever, especially since they have been capturing wizards and using magical collars to force them to do the king's bidding.

I was a little worried that the main characters were only about 13 when we first started reading but luckily after a bit of background we get to jump forward around 4 years which puts them at a similar age to Raisa at the start of the previous series. Ash is Raisa and Han's son and he's seen first hand what the King of Arden has cost his family and his people so he decides to set out on a mission to sneak into Arden and assassinate him. He has been trained as a healer but that just gives him an advantage as he knows which plants can kill, he just has to get close enough to the king to be able to use them. Ash has a lot of Han's street smarts and he's a really easy character to root for and like although I wasn't too happy about the way he left home so suddenly without letting Raisa know he was safe.

Jenna is a girl who comes from a poor town in Arden, she was forced to work in the mines from a very young age and when the king killed her two closest friends she joined the rebellion determined to end his reign of terror once and for all. There is a lot more to Jenna than first meets the eye and her family have been keeping secrets that even she doesn't know about so her storyline gets interesting really quickly when it becomes known that the king is searching for a girl with a certain birthmark. I'm not going to say much more than that - I think you should read the book to find out the details! - but I loved her character. She's incredibly brave and puts herself into some tough situations in her quest for revenge so I definitely want to see her succeed with her goals.

We have a couple of great side characters too in Lila and Destin. Lila is a warrior and at first glance she's quite mercenary and only seems to go where the money is but she has a good heart and is very protective of the people she cares about. Destin is more morally ambiguous, I'm hopeful that he's on the side of good but I do worry about some of the things he does. Is he just playing the king and his guards though? He's definitely keeping secrets and I'm not even sure if he knows what side he falls on yet so that's going to be interesting to watch play out in the future books. Flamecaster has everything I loved about the original series - the great characters, the interesting plot twists and the fabulous world building - but then Cinda Williams Chima had to one up herself and include dragons! I honestly don't think it could get much better and I'm going to be first in line for the sequel when it publishes next year.

Source: Received from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

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