Tag: Leia Stone

REVIEW: House of Ash and Shadow by Leia Stone

Published on by Amanda

5/5 Stars!

House of Ash and Shadow is an amazing introduction to a world full of darkness and light with fantastic characters along for the ride.

Fallon is a strong character living with a terrible curse. Imagine all that you would miss if any touch at all caused you pain?!

Having grown up as an outcast, she’s thrown into center of the fae world and the consequences of that might be huge! Her past wasn’t something that she’d been worried about really, but as she gets thrust into this world, her past and secrets of her birth will make a difference between life and death.

This book is full of twists and turns, friendships, love interests, and so much more!

This is a series that I can’t wait to continue!

Book blurb from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Fallon Bane was born with a devastating curse: a single touch from another person will cause her excruciating pain. Thus, she has accepted that she will die without ever being kissed, without even hugging her own father, though it breaks her heart every day.

But when her beloved father falls ill, she breaks into the magical Gilded City to find a healer fae that can save him. When handsome healer Ariyon Madden agrees to help, everything she knows about herself and her curse changes. Because during her father’s healing, Ariyon reaches out and touches her bare skin. She waits for the agony… but it never comes. For the first time in her life, she imagines a new future for herself. However, that fantasy is quickly destroyed, because not only does Ariyon flee from her in disgust when he learns of her curse; he also reveals her existence to powerful fae who want to hurt her.

Fallon is then swept away to a magical academy, where she learns the terrifying truth about her family history and her dark magic. Her life and the future of fae everywhere hang in the balance, and all the while Fallon can’t help but wonder if she will get to touch Ariyon Madden one more time before she dies…

This enchanting story of family, fae, and yearning is perfect for readers who love:

  • Romantic fantasy books for teens
  • Unputdownable & bingeworthy novels
  • Magical boarding schools
  • Grumpy sunshine romance
  • Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas

Also, I cannot wait to share the special edition that I just pre-ordered!

REVIEW: The Last Dragon King by Leia Stone

Published on by Amanda

4/5 Stars!

Cinderella meets the Hunger Games meets dating shows.

A girl from a small village finds herself unexpectedly a candidate to become queen when she finds out that she may have a more magical heritage than she’d always believed.

Arwen is the older sister in a family who lost their father. She takes up hunting to support her family in a small town with few extra resources. After a successful hunt, she returns for a festival but instead has her world turned upside down.

I’m very split on this book. In one case, I was hooked and finished it in a few hours. On the other, I have some issues with a few parts of it.

I love the beginning of this book. Yes, it has parallels to other stories, but it also has an amazing FMC. I immediately loved Arwen, and Drae was intriguing. I got nervous when all the queen candidates got together and expected the book to go into the usual catty girl competition stuff. It was pleasantly surprising when that was not the case. Female characters supporting each other, cheering each other on and accepting differences was a nice change.

Some of the book did feel a bit rushed, and I wish certain aspects had been flushed out more. That being said, sometimes it’s nice to just enjoy a quick read! It also had an odd mix of purity until marriage and other views of having families. Neither of those things are bad, and it takes all kinds of people and relationships to make the world the place it is. I do look forward to reading more of this series in the future and exploring the other characters that were introduced or mentioned!

This book can either be read as a standalone, or as part of The Kings of Avalier series.

Thank you to the author and #NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Book blurb from author’s website:

The Dragon King is looking for a wife.

This news throws the women in my village into a tizzy. The king will be sending out the royal guard to bring women of childbearing age to his castle in Jade City.

There is only one requirement: the woman must carry enough magic to produce an heir for him.

I’m a watered-down human with a mere ten percent dragon magic lineage, I know I won’t be chosen, but for some reason the magic sniffers command me to present myself to the king as a possible wife.

I’m ready to go to Jade City until my mother tells me a terrifying secret. A secret that could get me killed… by the king himself.