House of Dragons by K.A. Linde Blog Tour

USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde introduces the Royal Houses series with House of Dragons: the story of Kerrigan Argon, a half-Fae, half-human as she seeks her place in an unforgiving world filled with magic, mayhem, and romance. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black, and V.E. Schwab.

Ten years ago, half-Fae, half human Kerrigan Argon was discreetly dropped off onto the steps of Draco Mountain with nothing but a note. Her life changes completely as she’s swept into the care of the House of Dragons—an elite training program for gifted Fae.

On the year of her seventeenth name day, each student will be chosen by one of the twelve tribes of Alandria to enter society.

Everyone is chosen, except Kerrigan.

So, she strikes a bargain with the Dragon Society: convince a tribe to select her or give up her birthright forever.

With the unlikeliest of allies—Fordham Ollivier, the cursed Fae prince, who escaped his dark throne—she has to chart her own destiny to reshape the world.

 

 

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

 

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Dawn – ☆☆☆☆☆
I actually loved this book! There were so many ups and downs, it kept me intrigued all the way through.

I 100% had a girl crush on Kerrigan – she is the ultimate boss. Dealt with a rubbish hand from birth, she has found a way to make life work for her, even if that means hiding parts of herself away from others.

There was so much going on in this book, you just didn't know where the story was going to take you.

I will definitely be reading the next installment, I need to know what happens.


Erica – ☆☆☆☆
Word of advice, you should probably read the Ascension series prior to Royal Houses. House of Dragons is the debut in the Royal Houses series. I didn't find out until after I finished the novel that it is directly tied to another series, Ascension. Do I believe this affected my reading enjoyment? No. Do I believe you can read the two series independently of one another? Probably. I suffered no confusion, as the story unfolded as if it were new, without a ton of info-dumpage. As well, I feel as if there wasn't too much information given that it will ruin my reading experience for the Ascension series. However, I'll hold judgment on that until I read the previous series, though.

With a classic young adult epic fantasy vibe... Kerrigan has spent her entire life as a ward of the House of Dragons, after her royal father dumped her on their doorstep. Struggling with how the world views a halfling, half fae and half human, Kerrigan is seen as beneath the fae, equal with the humans. This has taught her another way to survive, given her tools her fellow fae haven't learned. Caught between two ways of life, Kerrigan is equipped to handle both worlds.

Strong, intelligent, and independent, Kerrigan is the rope in a tug-of-war, being pulled downward to join the humans, feeling a sense of loyalty to a dishonest man that saved her, while feeling a sense of duty and history with her father's people and the power that runs in her veins. All the while, she refuses to be put in her place by anyone around her, even if she feels abandoned by her father.

Hiding her powers, Kerrigan navigates the politics, the deception, and the rules of society as the royal houses converge for a tournament held every five years, the winners are rewarded with a bond with a dragon and entrance to the Society.

Intrigue, betrayals, mysteries, loyalty, love, loss, friendship, and honor, Kerrigan takes the reader on the beginning of an epic fantasy journey, where we're eager for the sequel as soon as we finish the last page.

 

 

 

K.A. LINDE is the USA Today bestselling author of the Avoiding series, Wrights, and more than thirty other novels. She has a master’s degree in political science from the University of Georgia, was the head campaign worker for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as the head coach of the Duke University dance team. She loves reading fantasy novels, binge-watching Supernatural, traveling, and dancing in her spare time.

She currently lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her husband and two super-adorable puppies.

Connect with K.A.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
K.A. Linde Books Facebook Group

 

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of House of Dragons (Royal Houses #1) by K.A. Linde to read and review for this tour.

The Glass Queen by Gena Showalter

Once Upon a Time meets Game of Thrones in book two of New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter’s magical, romantic dark fantasy series, in which the fairy tales we know and love are prophecies of the future. Welcome to the Forest of Good and Evil, where villains may be heroes and heroes may be villains… it all depends on who you ask.

Ashleigh Ansklelisa may be called the Glass Princess due to her weak heart, but Saxon, king of the Avian, knows she is more dangerous than broken glass, in this Cinderella retelling that sweeps readers into the magical land of Enchantia, filled with treacherous enemies, unexpected allies, forbidden love, and dangerous magic! Can destined lovers find their way to each other, or will evil win the day? Everything changes at the stroke of midnight as one determined princess fights for her legacy, her love, and the crown that is her destiny.

 

 

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Inkyard Press—Harlequin

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shelby – ☆☆☆☆☆
The Glass Queen is the second book in the series The Forest of Good and Evil and can be read as a standalone with no issues. This was my first book in the fairy tale retelling series by Gena Showalter, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to grab The Evil Queen (book #1).

I was expecting a paranormally themed Cinderella. I didn't have high expectations as many Cinderella retellings have been disappointing, but this was an awesome departure from the norm! The Little Cinder Girl can be linked to anyone in the world of Enchantia. A world where trolls, shape shifters, witches & warlocks, dragons, mages, and everything in between lives. Magic is the norm, and oracles are sought after. As such, each kingdom has its own royal family and it just so happens that Ashleigh's father is the King of The Provence of Fleur. One would think this would make her a powerful princess; unfortunately, that title holds no power to the sickly, weak girl. A father who hates her, no friend outside of her mother, how is this girl supposed to survive?

Prince Saxon Skylair of the Avian Mountains hasn't had an easy life; exiled from his home at an early age, he was taken in by friends to make a life. Knowing his place in the family, he needs to prove himself to take his rightful place.

These are just simple summaries of the main characters, and in no way truly convey all that is going on. Enemies to the core, only one knows why. I loved the twists and turns, the constant questioning of the prophecies. I loved the way everything came together; I even loved the cheesiness as I am expecting it from a young adult novel. Above all, I want to read about the next retelling as I liked these characters!

 

 

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over seventy books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld series, the Gods of War series, the White Rabbit Chronicles, and the Forest of Good and Evil series. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs.

Connect with Gena

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Gena Showalter’s Legions Facebook Group

 

 

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Glass Queen (The Forest of Good and Evil #2) by Gena Showalter to read and review.

The Morning Flower by Amanda Hocking

New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking returns to the magical world of the Trylle with The Morning Flower, the second book in the Omte Origins arc.

Welcome back to the kingdom of the Omte—a forest realm where secrets and danger, human nature and ancient mythology collide.

Where truth is stranger than fiction.

Searching for answers to her own shrouded origins, Ulla Tulin’s journey of exploration takes a sudden turn when Eliana is kidnapped. Turning toward the Omte capital instead of the institute where she hoped to learn the truth about her identity, Ulla must put Eliana’s welfare before her own—a sacrifice that will present all new dangers to them both.

When history is still unwritten.

Ulla never expected that once she arrived she’d discover the identity of a Skojare man who crossed paths with her mother—a man who could very well be her father. Given the man’s connections to the Älvolk, a secret society tasked with protecting the location of the First City, Ulla is soon dispatched to Sweden to find him.

One woman will dare to go wherever fate will take her…

Now Ulla, along with her maybe boyfriend Pan, finds herself on a desperate race against time to locate her kin—who could very well pose a danger to her kingdom. Nobody and nothing is as it seems as she penetrates the dark heart of the Älvolk… all the way to the secret Lost Bridge to the First City, where an unknown future awaits for Ulla and her kind.

Don’t miss book one in The Omte Origins Trilogy, The Lost City. For reviews & more info, click HERE.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Wednesday Books

Jordan – ☆☆☆
After finishing The Lost City (The Omte Origins #1), I had hoped that maybe book two, The Morning Flower, would hold more appeal, but I ended up feeling just as disenchanted with the sequel as I was with the first book. I just didn’t care for it.

I really wanted to like this series and I hoped that I might find myself more enchanted with The Morning Flower, but that just wasn’t the case. The Morning Flower picks up shortly after the ending of The Lost City, with Ulla and Pan on the road to the Omte capital. Much like the first book, the second book seemed to just drag itself out without anything of real interest happening for the majority of the book and then the only interesting tidbits seemed to happen in the last 20% of the book, only for it to end with another cliffhanger. At this point, I don’t even feel the desire to read the final book in The Omte Origins trilogy. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t find myself interested enough in Ulla or even the spark of potential between her and Pan or any other potential love interest such as, Jem-kruk. I had hoped that I might feel more enamored with Hocking’s characters by the end of The Morning Flower, but that wasn’t the case.

All in all, three stars for The Morning Flower by Amanda Hocking.

AMANDA HOCKING is the author of over twenty young adult novels, including the New York Times bestselling Trylle Trilogy and Kanin Chronicles. Her love of pop culture and all things paranormal influence her writing. She spends her time in Minnesota, taking care of her menagerie of pets and working on her next book.

Connect with Amanda

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Morning Flower (The Omte Origins #2) by Amanda Hocking to read and review.

The Lost City by Amanda Hocking

Amanda Hocking, the New York Times bestselling author of The Kanin Chronicles, returns to the magical world of the Trylle Trilogy with The Lost City, the first novel in The Omte Origins—and the final story arc in her beloved series.

The storm and the orphan

Twenty years ago, a woman sought safety from the spinning ice and darkness that descended upon a small village. She was given shelter for the night by the local innkeepers but in the morning, she disappeared—leaving behind an infant. Now nineteen, Ulla Tulin is ready to find who abandoned her as a baby or why.

The institution and the quest

Ulla knows the answers to her identity and heritage may be found at the Mimirin where scholars dedicate themselves to chronicling troll history. Granted an internship translating old documents, Ulla starts researching her own family lineage with help from her handsome and charming colleague Pan Soriano.

The runaway and the mystery

But then Ulla meets Eliana, a young girl who no memory of who she is but who possesses otherworldly abilities. When Eliana is pursued and captured by bounty hunters, Ulla and Pan find themselves wrapped up in a dangerous game where folklore and myth become very real and very deadly—but one that could lead Ulla to the answers she’s been looking for.

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Wednesday Books

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Jordan – ☆☆☆
I have read several books by Amanda Hocking that take place in the same world as The Lost City, but it has been awhile since I’ve been back in Hocking’s world of Trylle. The Lost City is the final arc for Hocking’s Trylle world, but prior knowledge or reading of the previous arcs do not seem necessary to read prior to starting The Lost City.

The Lost City focuses on the secretive Omte tribe and follows the story of Ulla Tulin, who was abandoned as a baby. Now, 20 years later, Ulla has landed a prestigious internship at the Mimirim institute, where she will finally have an opportunity to search for her birth parents.

I have mixed feelings about The Lost City because I kind of expected it to be more attention grabbing, but I felt like it only got interesting the last 30% of the book and the first 70% just seemed to drag on forever without anything worthwhile actually happening. Normally I find Hocking’s books to be more alluring, but this one just didn’t do it for me. I didn’t dislike it, however, I just hoped I would have enjoyed it more than I did. That being said, I will of course give book two, The Morning Flower, a shot because I am just intrigued enough by the last 30% of The Lost City to think I might enjoy book two more.


Erica – ☆☆☆
In anticipation, I reread the Trylle Trilogy to remember Hocking's world building, hoping to pave the way for The Lost City.

Immediately diving straight into this novel, I was excited for whatever was to come my way... eight days of attempts, when I binge-read three entire books in a day... and it was a struggle to finish.

Fingers crossed The Lost City is the first book curse, where it spent every page building up to book two. The mystery behind Ulla's history is the only thing that kept the pages turning. The characters were all one-note, other than physical features, they didn't truly have any personality traits. The pacing was slower than molasses. I felt no realistic connection between the characters, which would have had me rooting for them, curious to see what the future had in store for them.

What was the worst impediment for the novel would be the info-dumpage. After reading the Trylle Trilogy to brush up on the mythology and world building, every page of this novel was a rundown with a confusing overabundance added. It flowed organically in the original trilogy, Wendy discovering the ins and outs with the reader, not too much so the reader couldn’t digest it and retain it. During The Lost City, Ulla was just as ignorant to the hows and whys, but since she was raised in a troll community, she understood what was being listed by the characters, while the reader didn't. Entire histories for each of the troll lines were written on the pages, but not in a storytelling fashion – a textbook.

I felt as if I needed to take notes, fearing I was missing something important. Just too much information at once, delivered on every page, before the reader could digest what they previously read. I just started winging it – if I missed something, I missed it, because there was no way I was going to remember a textbook of information chapters ago.

I needed more. I needed deeper character building to cause me to become invested in the story. I needed three-dimensional characters, who showed their personality traits, outside of mundane everyday events of going to work and going home. I needed an organic flow of information to keep my eyes from crossing. I needed faster pacing to keep my interests. I needed answers, since none of the mysteries presented in the novel were revealed by the end – I understand this is a series, but some progression forward would have kept my interests.

There was a plot and a story there, but it was used as a vehicle to give an entire history of the troll lines, as if the plot and story were secondary to creating the world building. But since the story itself wasn’t the focus, it wasn’t a rich universe created like in its predecessors, but just words on a page.

Honestly, if I didn't already have the second in the series, I'm not sure if I would continue reading. I'm just hoping upon hope that The Lost City was merely a heavy on the info introduction for the second in the series, where it will all pick up and keep me engaged.

The novel read exactly as a scholar in a city dedicated to recording history would...
I wanted to love it, and I wish I could recommend it.

AMANDA HOCKING is the author of over twenty young adult novels, including the New York Times bestselling Trylle Trilogy and Kanin Chronicles. Her love of pop culture and all things paranormal influence her writing. She spends her time in Minnesota, taking care of her menagerie of pets and working on her next book.

Connect with Amanda

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Lost City (The Omte Origins #1) by Amanda Hocking to read and review.

Rage and Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Dangerous secrets and forbidden desires lead to shocking consequences…
Don’t miss book two of the fantastical Harbinger trilogy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Half-angel Trinity and her bonded gargoyle protector, Zayne, have been working with demons to stop the apocalypse while avoiding falling in love. The Harbinger is coming… but who or what is it? All of humankind may fall if Trinity and Zayne can’t win the race against time as dark forces gather.

As tensions rise, they must stay close together and patrol the DC streets at night, seeking signs of the Harbinger, an entity that is killing Wardens and demons with no seeming rhyme or reason. Forbidden to be with each other, Zayne and Trinity fight their feelings and turn to unusual sources for help—the demon Roth and his cohorts. But as deaths pile up and they uncover a sinister plot involving the local high school and endangering someone dear to Zayne, Trin realizes she is being led… herded… played for some unknown end. As anger builds and feelings spiral out of control, it becomes clear that rage may be the ruin of them all.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Inkyard Press @ Harlequin

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Jordan – ☆☆☆☆☆
Rage and Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout (JLA) is the second book in her Harbinger series, which is a spin-off from The Dark Elements series. I personally read The Dark Elements series before starting Storm and Fury (book #1 in The Harbinger series) and I would encourage readers to start with The Dark Elements before diving into Rage and Ruin.

Rage and Ruin immediately picks up right where Storm and Fury ended. Zayne and Trinity are trying to work through their new roles as a bonded pair. For Zayne and Trinity this means patrolling the streets of DC together, trying to solve the mystery of the Harbinger’s identity, and avoid falling in love with each other because a Trueborn and their bonded Protector are forbidden from being together.

I absolutely love JLA and I have always found myself easily sucked into every story she weaves, and Rage and Ruin was no exception. I really enjoyed Zayne’s character when he was in The Dark Elements series, but I have found that now that I am reading his own story, I just love his character so much more! I was so ready to be diving back into Zayne and Trinity’s story. Having a Warden (gargoyle shifter) and Trueborn (half human/angel) is such a unique take on the normal shifter fantasy genre. Plus, getting some extra Roth and Layla scenes always bring a smile to my face!

After finishing Rage and Ruin, I was left reeling and I wish book three was already here. I can’t wait to read what JLA intends for the final installment in the Harbinger series! Five stars for Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Rage and Ruin.

Also Available in the Harbinger Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Inkyard Press @ Harlequin

For reviews & more info, check out our Storm and Fury post.

JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT is the #1 international and #1 New York Times bestselling author of over 40 books, including the Wait for You, Lux series, the Dark Elements series, and Til Death. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion, Harlequin Teen and writes steamy and fun New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. Jennifer is also the founder of Apollycon, a yearly reader event that brings in over 1400 readers and authors together each year. She currently lives in West Virginia with her husband and two dogs, Loki and Diesel.

Connect with Jennifer

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Rage and Ruin (Harbinger #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout to read and review.