When We Were Kings by A.H. Hadley

Title: When We Were Kings

Author: A.H. Hadley

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Wolf of Oberhame # 1

Paperback, 312 pages 

Publication: September 23, 2015

Source: Personal Library
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When tossed into the gladiator arena, the delicate girl in the fancy pink dress should be the first to die. She has other plans. Surviving is at the top of Leyli's list. Revenge is a close second.

Having grown up behind the sheltered walls of the Oberhame Palace, she knows what the crowd wants. Her country was built from the scraps of their neighbors. Gladiators are just one part. Evidently, political coups are another, and she's just become a pawn in the games of men. But why is she still alive? They've killed the heir to the throne. Have they gotten to her father? Is the king dead?

In the cell beside her, the man known as the Lion is impressed. The first day, they all cry. Men, women, it doesn't matter. But this one is different. Her tears don't slow her down. They make her stronger, and when he looks in her eyes, he sees it. Her desperation is feral. It means she won't hesitate to do what she has to. She might be cornered, but this bitch is the kind who'll bite.

When he offers advice, she takes it. When she manages to survive, he's pleasantly surprised. Little does he know, he's about to become her best weapon. Leyli isn't merely trying to live through the games. She also wants to protect her father's throne - but to do that, she needs to become someone else. She can no longer be the Princess.

The Lion has to forge the Wolf.

MY THOUGHTS

I was in the middle of a reading slump when I came across When We Were Kings by A.H. (Auryn) Hadley. The cover caught my attention but the synopsis piqued my curiosity further. A sheltered princess gets thrown into the Gladiator rings and teams up with the strongest, scariest player in the entire game...say less! 

I was enthralled within the first chapter and connected with the characters immediately. I loved the dynamic relationship between The Lion and, Leyli a.k.a. The Wolf of Oberhame. It was so satisfying seeing Leyli's growth from a novice to pro gladiator, bringing down men twice her size. The stakes were high as Leyli and The Wolf try to stay alive all while keeping her identity a secret. There were some quiet moments in the book where it's just the two of them training and talking to each other, and I don't know why but those were probably my most favorite scenes. The Wolf, Tristan was also a great MC and I know this may sound cliché, but he really wasn't like the other men in the ring. But I never once got that stereotypical snowflake; I'm special vibe from either Tristan or Leyli, which was a nice change for once.

I absolutely loved When We Were Kings from start to finish. The ending tied up everything nicely to lead into the next book and I can't wait to start it! This book has been out since 2015, the trilogy complete. I'm surprised that this book isn't more well-known or popular because it should be! It's better than most books right now in the market in terms of Romantasy (hate this new word the Pub made-up) or just Fantasy. I've read a couple of Gladiator related books in the past, but nothing was ever written this well or this engaging. If you haven't read this series yet, i highly recommend it! This series is definitely going on my "Forever Shelf". 

Acolyte by Stephanie Fisher

Title: Acolyte

Author: Stephanie Fisher

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Tempris # 2

Paperback, 651 pages 

Publication: April 16, 2020

Source: Personal Library
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Magic marked her for suffering.

Magic will save her.

Magic will lead her home.

How far is too far when it comes to love?In a matter of moments, everything Taly ever thought she knew came crashing down around her. Her mother’s spells were broken, her powers unleashed. She’s no longer mortal but fey, and every day serves as a reminder that her entire life has been a lie.To make matters worse, Taly has been captured and imprisoned by a woman claiming to be the Time Queen. Her only way home is to play the Queen’s game and train in the art of time magic. The Queen has commanded that she become an Acolyte — a task that could take years to complete. Meanwhile, Skye is left as the last line of defense to protect Tempris from an invading horde of walking dead. He still doesn’t have a name or a face to put to his enemy, and there are traitors inside the city. Everyone keeps saying that Taly is dead, but he can’t accept it. He won’t. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back — even if it costs him everything.A renegade queen, forbidden magic, and a love that reaches across time and space — Taly and Skye will be tested, their loyalties pushed to the point of breaking, as war looms on the horizon.

MY THOUGHTS

Acolyte started exactly where we left off in the first book, Shardless, with Vaughn being reprimanded, Taly in a time loop space with the Time Queen and Skye battling the Shades. The second book expanded a lot more on the history, character backgrounds and their motives. Biggest question of all was: Who was the villain and why did the Queen close the gates all those centuries ago?

Acolyte was just as good as the first book, but I wished we had more scenes with Taly and Skye together. There were a few but it wasn't the same. Most of the book involved Taly learning time magic while Skye figured out how to save Taly since everyone around him thought she was gone.

I really enjoyed seeing and learning more about Skye's older brother Kato. There was so much more depth to him than first impressions but in this book, we had the opportunity to peel back the layers to better understand why he acts the way he does. I like him just as much as Skye and Taly.

The final few chapters had my heart racing with anticipation. I can't wait to read the third book whenever it gets published. Hopefully this year! All in all, Acolyte was a great sequel. To be honest, I'm surprised this series isn't as popular as other books, if not more. The series is truly magical, breath of fresh air, exceptionally written with standout character, plot and worldbuilding. Seriously, this is a series you don't want to miss. Highly, highly recommend!

Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop

Title: Daughter of the Blood

Author: Anne Bishop

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Black Jewels Trilogy # 1

Paperback, 384 pages 

Publication: March 1, 1998

Source: Personal Library
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Seven hundred years ago, a Black Widow witch saw an ancient prophecy come to life in her web of dreams and visions. Now the Dark Kingdom readies itself for the arrival of its Queen, a Witch who will wield more power than even the High Lord of Hell himself. But she is still young, still open to influence—and corruption.

Whoever controls the Queen controls the darkness. Three men—sworn enemies—know this. And they know the power that hides behind the blue eyes of an innocent young girl. And so begins a ruthless game of politics and intrigue, magic and betrayal, where the weapons are hate and love—and the prize could be terrible beyond imagining...everything.

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve heard about The Black Jewel Trilogy for as long as I’ve been reading fantasy, which is quite a long time. I’ve even read Bishop’s The Others series. So, I’m not sure why I never picked up The Black Jewels Trilogy sooner, but I’m glad I finally did because the first book in the series, Daughter of the Blood, was absolutely incredible!

Bishop didn’t waste any time and threw her readers right into the story, opening up with a prophecy of a girl the entire realm has been waiting for. I’ll be honest; the first 25% of the book was very hard to understand. The author gave a brief description before the story of the Jewel ranks and Blood Hierarchy, but that’s it. The world is complex, and there are a lot of major players to get through, but once readers get pass the 25%, I guarantee you’ll be glued to the pages, as I was.

Daughter of the Blood has one of the most deliciously dark worldbuildings I’ve ever read. It was intriguing and sexy, yet brutal and unforgiving. I’m not sure if the book was ever intended for the young audience it reached, but this book is not for the faint of heart. There were so many trigger warnings and topics that normally raise my red flags that would put me off reading a book, and still, I continued reading and found myself not only enjoying the book but loving it. Definitely check the warnings before you read!

Most of the characters in Daughter of the Blood were truly morally grey characters. I loved them all with their faults and flaws. Bishop did an amazing job showcasing the horrendous and beautiful sides of people’s humanity. I’ve never seen it done so well until now.

Daughter of the Blood was written back in the late '90s, specifically 1998, and I can say without a doubt that this book has truly stood the test of time. The themes and topics posed in the book were relevant then and are relevant now. I’ve read many books over the years, and I could already tell this book is something special and a book that I know I will return to time and time again. It’s no wonder it is so loved and so highly spoken of. Many of the books being published today cannot even hold a candle to this book, nor do come close. 

I can't wait to read the sequel!