This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews

Title: This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me

Author: Ilona Andrews

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Series: Maggie the Undying # 1

480 pages, Hardcover

Publication: March 31, 2026

Source: Personal Library, Purchase

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When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy, and naked in a gutter, it doesn't take her long to recognize Kair Toren, a city she knows intimately from the pages of the famously unfinished dark fantasy series she's been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel.

Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic, and mayhem? Her encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, the setting, and the characters' ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she's coming to love―a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures, and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to get home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes―and attentions―of dueling princes, dukes, and villains, all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the way she knows their stories will end: in a cataclysmic war.

MY THOUGHTS

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me was my most anticipated release of the year. I still remember hearing the authors talk about it, which feels like ages ago now. As excited as I was for their new novel, I also felt a little trepidation about starting a brand-new series from them because I didn’t enjoy their last traditionally published series or their recent self-published novellas.

Thankfully, This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is unlike anything they’ve ever written, while still carrying their signature trademarks.

TKWNKM is billed as an isekai story with a mixture of Outlander and Game of Thrones, and while I normally take pitches like that with a grain of salt, I have to say, it’s an apt description. Similar in terms, like GOT, the world building and cast of characters are massive. As for Outlander, like Claire (Claire being from the 1900s and thrown back in time to 1700 Scotland she has information of what's to transpire historically), Maggie is thrust into a new world with prior knowledge of Kair Torin and the characters. 

Our heroine, Maggie, wakes up in her favorite fantasy novel, and readers follow her journey as she navigates the world of Rellas and tries to figure out why she’s there. I think it’s fair to say that, like Maggie, many of us readers have dreamed about becoming part of our favorite story or stepping into a specific character’s shoes. I know I have. And that’s exactly what this book is about. I love the concept!

The world that House Andrews has created is so unique, complex, rich, and vivid. I love the idea of there being eight Great Families, each with a specific power. Even with the multifaceted magic system and large cast of characters, everything was written in a way that was clear and easy to follow. It was especially interesting to see the story as intended by the author, La Tour, and the changes Maggie made along the way.

Maggie is such a great character. In typical fantasy, the main heroine is usually someone with powers, combat training of some sort, or both. However, Maggie is just a regular person...no powers and no fighting skills. What she does have is intelligence and resourcefulness. Maggie uses her love and knowledge of the books to achieve her goals, and watching her maneuver and outsmart characters left and right was thrilling. Maggie is literally the epitome of “knowledge is power,” and I absolutely love it!

I loved the entire cast of characters, even the villains. Every single character was so well-developed, smart, and mature, even the children. What’s even better is that every character acted their age, which sadly can’t be said for many books published in recent years. A book may be marketed as adult fiction, yet the writing and characters often feel juvenile. There’s nothing worse than reading an adult novel with adult characters acting like teenagers. Thankfully, TKWNKM doesn’t have that issue.

There were so many unexpected twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, and after some contemplation, I realized just how well done they were...the authors were brilliant! One of my favorite parts of the book was the yearning between Maggie and a male character. From subtle glances to the lightest touches, it was exactly the kind of slow-burn tension, yearning, I expect in all of my romance or romantic subplot novels!

It’s not even mid-year yet, but I think it’s safe to say that TKWNKM is the best book I’ve read this year. House Andrews introduced me to urban fantasy with their first series and cemented me as a fan for life, and this book is the perfect reminder that they still have so many stories left to tell and aren’t going anywhere. It’s wonderful to see the leaps and bounds of growth in their writing and storytelling over nearly two decades. I can’t wait until we get the next Maggie the Undying book...until then, a reread will definitely be in order.

The Inheritance by Ilona Andrews

Title: The Inheritance

Author: Ilona Andrews

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Breach Wars # 1

Publication: August 10, 2025 

280 pages

Source: Personal Library

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Adaline is a Talent. Ten years ago, she had a happy marriage and a job she loved. The invasion shattered both. Now she works for the government, searching the breaches for magic metals and medicine to help Earth repel an interdimensional enemy. Two kids, one cat, bills, benefits, mortgage and school tuition...Risking her life became routine.

She had gone into the dimensional gates hundreds of times. She was always well protected. This time everything goes wrong. Now Ada is trapped in the labyrinth of alien caves unlike any other. Her only companion is a scared German Shepherd named Bear. Together they must uncover the breach's secrets and escape, because Ada promised her children that she will come home.

The future of humanity depends on it.

MY THOUGHTS

If you’ve been following my blog for the past twelve or more years, you already know how much I love Ilona Andrews. Anything they write, I’ll read. So, when the Andrews team announced a new novel, a LitRPG-style book, I was immediately intrigued. It sounded like a mix of all their other series combined, which should have been an instant sell. However, The Inheritance was nothing like I expected and left me utterly bored and dissatisfied.

The concept of The Inheritance sounded perfect: alien breaches appearing all over Earth and humans awakening to new powers...very X-Men-esque. Is that a new idea? No. But I was still interested in learning about the Guild Hierarchy and how people’s talents came into play. The beginning started strong, with Ada and her team entering what should have been a routine breach, only for things to go sideways when they encounter a deadly new species. From there, though, the novel went downhill fast.

For about 80% of the book, Ada talks almost exclusively to her German Shepherd, Bear and later to two alien species speaks a foreign language. While there were plenty of monsters within the breach and some fight scenes as Ada navigated the tunnels, it was still dreadfully dull. The interactions between Ada and Bear were monotonous and there was so much heavy info-dumping. There was very little showing and far too much telling, which made the story fall flat (only Ada's scenes).

I didn’t find Ada particularly likable, either. It’s hard to connect with a character who essentially talks to herself the entire book. Readers were likely meant to empathize with her as a single mother with a deadbeat ex, forced to join the DDC (a government organization) to support her family. But despite that setup, I never found myself caring about her or her struggles. The alien creatures weren’t interesting, and the central plot surrounding “The Inheritance” itself was weak and unengaging. I read that some fans were excited to see a supposed tie-in to the Innkeeper Chronicles (one of my favorite Andrews series) through the character Jovo but that moment amounted to barely three sentences. Why bother even tying it into Innkeeper?

The only redeeming parts of the book were the scenes outside the breach with Elias and his team. Every time the story shifted to Elias’s POV, I was immediately drawn back in. His chapters had energy, intrigue, and actual world-building through interactions with other characters. In contrast, Ada’s sections dragged on endlessly, and I found myself annoyed whenever her POV interrupted Elias’s. Ironic, when her perspective dominated the book. Despite The Inheritance being centered on breaches and their inhabitants, I couldn’t bring myself to care. The brief scene near the end featuring Elias’s team and the short standoff with Anton’s group was easily the highlight of the entire novel for me. I was more invested in those few paragraphs than in the rest of the book, which really says it all.

Ultimately, The Inheritance was underwhelming and disappointing. I usually love when Andrews experiments with new worlds and ideas, but this one lacked the spark and charm that make their writing special. I've noticed their last two shorter releases have felt similarly dull and info-dumping heavy. Honestly, I wish they’d focus on finishing their existing series instead of launching new ones. There are still two ongoing series that haven’t had a sequel since 2018 and 2020 and if you’re an Andrews fan, you know exactly which ones I mean.

With how The Inheritance ended, I’m mildly curious to see what happens next but hopefully, any future installment spares us more of Ada’s endless solo scenes. All in all, it saddens me to say, The Inheritance is one of Andrews’ weakest novels to date.

Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews

Title: Sanctuary 

Author: Ilona Andrews

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Roman’s Chronicles # 1

Paperback, 152 pages 

Publication: July 30, 2024

Source: Personal Library
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It’s not easy serving the Chernobog, the God of Destruction, Darkness and Death…especially during the holidays; and especially when you’re out of eggnog and one of your pesky, freeloading mythic creatures has eaten your last cookie.

Roman would like nothing more than to be left alone, but when a wounded boy stumbles into his yard and begs for sanctuary, Roman takes him in. Now elite mercenaries are camped out on his property, combat mages are dousing the house with fire, and strange priests are unleashing arcane magic. They thought Roman was easy pickings, just a hermit in the woods, but they chose the wrong dark priest to annoy. For while Roman might be patient, he is the Black Volhv, filled with the love of his terrible god. For his adversaries, it's a fight to the death, but for him, it's just another day in the neighborhood.

MY THOUGHTS

I would like to preface this review by saying that I am one of Ilona Andrews biggest fan (says all of the BDH lol). I literally reread the Kate Daniels series every. single. year. It's my favorite comfort series. With that said, I like many others were counting down the days until Roman's novella was released. Roman has been one of main side characters in the Kate Daniels series and have grown to be one of the readers beloved side characters. But it saddens me to say, this novella was a letdown. 

Sanctuary is a fairly decent sized novella with approximately 150 pages but boy, did it feel like a dense read. There was barely any plot or character development. And before anyone says "This is a novella!"; I know! I've read plenty of novellas, some also by Andrews but this was just mediocre. Instead, readers were bombarded with info-dumping page after page...from beginning to end. I felt like I was getting a history lecture versus reading a story. Don't get me wrong I love history and mythology, but this was just not palatable, nor did it come across as interesting.  

There were a few good scenes but overall, I didn't connect to any of the characters. Oddly, Roman was more intriguing as a tertiary character in the Kate Daniel novels than here in his own story. Sanctuary was not enjoyable, and I felt like I had to push through to finish the novella. I am unlikely to continue with Roman's Chronicles. There may be a possible romance in future novellas, but from what I've seen of Andora...I just don't care. I wished the authors' put more focus on key novels than us getting anymore of Roman's novellas. I don't feel like this novella brought anything to the Kate Daniels world. To be honest, we could live without it. 

Sweep with Me by Ilona Andrews

Title: Sweep with Me

Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Sci-fi/Fantasy
Series: Innkeeper Chronicles #4.5

eBook, 146 pages
Publication: January 14, 2020 by NYLA
Source: Purchase
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Thank you for joining us at Gertrude Hunt, the nicest Bed and Breakfast in Red Deer, Texas, during the Treaty Stay. As you know, we are honor-bound to accept all guests during this oldest of innkeeper holidays and we are expecting a dangerous guest. Or several. But have no fear. Your safety and comfort is our first priority. The inn and your hosts, Dina Demille and Sean Evans, will defend you at all costs. [But we hope we don’t have to.

Every winter, Innkeepers look forward to celebrating their own special holiday, which commemorates the ancient treaty that united the very first Inns and established the rules that protect them, their intergalactic guests, and the very unaware/oblivious people of [planet] Earth. By tradition, the Innkeepers welcomed three guests: a warrior, a sage, and a pilgrim, but during the holiday, Innkeepers must open their doors to anyone who seeks lodging. Anyone.

All Dina hopes is that the guests and conduct themselves in a polite manner. But what’s a holiday without at least one disaster?

My Thoughts

In a mood for a light read I picked up Sweep with Me, a novella in the Innkeeper Chronicles. I wasn’t planning on reading this one because novella aren’t my thing. But I am soooo glad that I did! Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the series but normally past on novellas for all series. Sweep with Me picks up a few weeks after the events in Sweep of the Blade, Innkeeper Chronicles #4. Dina is in the mist of recovering from a near-death experience and is trying to regain some normalcy but of course her Inn is chosen as a Treaty Day location and she is asked to host a warrior lord and a clan of space chickens (yes you read that right)!

 

There was so much going on in these 146 pages novella! I in awe but not surprised that Andrews was able to jam so much emotion, humor, action, character development and world building in Sweep with Me. I always love seeing our usual group of characters, Orro the chef had plenty of hilarious and heartwarming scenes as well as resident tyrant Caldenia with a pulse on the neighborhood gossip. The new characters were plentiful and just as fascinating. As the synopsis mentioned, Dina’s Inn was graced by a warrior, sage and pilgrim. How accurate and deceiving are the descriptions! Readers are in for another treat for sure, but I won’t spoil it.

 

If you’ve read any books by Ilona Andrews, you can expect all of their trademarks and the unexpected! I love that despite over 10 years of reading and following Andrews they’re still able to surprise me with their writing and stories. Their novels never disappoint. Sweep with Me was a welcoming additional to the Innkeeper Chronicles and I can’t wait to read more in the series…even though it may be awhile since the authors have multiple series out. If you haven’t read the Innkeeper Chronicles yet, I can’t recommend it enough! Its unlike anything I’ve ever read and full of humor…I don’t know about you, but I can definitely use more of that with everything going on. Read it! You won’t be disappointed!

 

 

Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews

Title: Sapphire Flames
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Hidden Legacy #4
Mass Market Paperback, 393 pages
Publication: August 27, 2019 by Avon
Source: Personal, Audiobook
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In a world where magic is the key to power and wealth, Catalina Baylor is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, and the Head of her House. Catalina has always been afraid to use her unique powers, but when her friend’s mother and sister are murdered, Catalina risks her reputation and safety to unravel the mystery.

But behind the scenes powerful forces are at work, and one of them is Alessandro Sagredo, the Italian Prime who was once Catalina’s teenage crush. Dangerous and unpredictable, Alessandro’s true motives are unclear, but he’s drawn to Catalina like a moth to a flame.

To help her friend, Catalina must test the limits of her extraordinary powers, but doing so may cost her both her House–and her heart.

Sapphire Flames is the fourth novel in the Hidden Legacy Series and is centered around the middle child, Catalina Baylor. I’ll be honest, when IA announced that Nevada and Rogan’s story was wrapped up and the subsequent novels would be from another character, Catalina’s POV I was slightly disappointed. I, like many fans got attached to Nevada and didn’t want to see her story end. However, after reading Diamond Fire I was sold on Catalina!

Sapphire Flames takes place three years after the events of WildFire and Diamond Fire with Catalina now the head of house. The usual gang is all back this time around sans Nevada and Rogan whom are both travelling with Rogan’s mother for a funeral. A lot has changed in three years for the Baylor family and for Catalina. Catalina is no longer the quiet and reserved girl we met during the trials/Nevada’s wedding. Catalina is now twenty-one and unlike millennial her age, she splits her time running her new house and the family investigative business. While Catalina still has some insecurities and doubts (who doesn’t, right?) that she needs to work through; at the core she’s a kind, loving person. I loved that Catalina 2.0 is a lot more confident, brave and independent. Throughout Sapphire Flames we saw Catalina go out of her comfort zone and push the boundaries over and over; chasing down bad guys, dispatching a group of hired mercenaries on her own to keep her family safe to dealing with her Grandma Victoria.

Catalina wasn’t the only surprise. Alessandro, noble count, IG playboy was so much more than just a pretty face. I won’t spoil the book for anyone who hasn’t read the book/or series yet but man, Alessandro was a wonderful enigma. Alessandro, like Catalina is also a powerful prime with unique and rare abilities. I already had a lot of questions concerning Alessandro and his family throughout the book but by the time I got to the epilogue, I was left with even more questions! Why was he in the profession that he is? Who is he hunting? Why doesn’t he want to introduce Catalina to his family? See? So many questions!

Sapphire Flames hit all the usual high notes that one would come to expect of Team IA, rich world-building, multifaceted characters, snarky dialogue and an intriguing plot. I thought it was a great addition to the Hidden Legacy series and am looking forward to reading more about Catalina and co!

Sweep of the Blade by Ilona Andrews

Title: Sweep of the Blade

Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Sci-Fi Fantasy/UF
Series: Innkeeper Chronicles # 4
Trade paperback, 320 pages/Audiobook
Publication: July 12, 2019 by Independent publishing
Source: Purchased. 
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Maud Demille is a daughter of Innkeepers—a special group who provide ‘lodging’ to other-planetary visitors—so she knows that a simple life isn't in the cards. But even Maud could never have anticipated what Fate would throw at her.

Once a wife to a powerful vampire knight, Maud and her young daughter, Helen, were exiled with him for his treachery to the desolate, savage planet of Karhari. Karhari killed her husband, and Maud—completely abandoned by his family—has spent over a year avenging his debts. Rescued by her sister Dina, she's sworn off all things vampire.

Except... In helping Dina save the world, she met Arland, the Marshal of House Krahr, one of the most powerful vampire houses. One thing led to another and he asked for her hand in marriage. She declined. Arland is not used to hearing the word ‘no;’ and try as she might, Maud can't just walk away from Arland. It doesn't help that being human is a lot harder for Maud than being a vampire.

To sort it all out, she accepts his invitation to visit his home planet. House Krahr is extremely influential and Maud knows that a woman—a human, with a very questionable past—who's turned down a proposal from its most beloved son won't get a warm reception. Maybe she’s not sure about marrying Arland, but House Krahr isn’t going to decide for her. Maud Demille has never run from a fight, and House Krahr will soon discover that there's a lot more to Maud than they’re expecting.

I was very excited when I heard IA were penning a novella for Maud, Dina’s sister. Like most IA fans, I too fell in love with Maud and her daughter Helen, whom we met in One Fell Sweep, book three of the Innkeeper. 

In the last installment Arland proposed to Maud but she declined. Hoping to change her mind Arland invites Maud and Helen to his home. To no one surprise, Maud immediately was given a poor reception since she was considered a disgraced and exiled human. 

Although I have the book, I decided to do the audiobook version of Sweep of the Blade. I believe the novella used a different narrator from the last three Innkeeper Chronicles novels because I wasn’t a fan of Natalie Naudus. I know no two narrators are the same, but I like how Maud was narrated in One Fell Sweep. Naudus, did a good job for the most part but I thought she made Maud sound too much like a valley girl, which we all know is the polar opposite of Maud. And occasionally during character transitions, Naudus forgot to change pitch/tone i.e going from Maud to Helen…it was jarring and weird which pulled me out from the story a couple of times.  Besides the narration, the plot/story were enjoyable. Again, we all know Maud is a total kick-ass and can hold her own in any battle but one thing I didn’t understand was how could Maud, a human be stronger than all the vampires? Vampires are natural predators with exemplary strength and speed, and yet all except Arland’s mother was easily cut down by Maud. It’s not realistic. 

 Despite Sweep in Blade being a novella, I thought it was a solid, just as good novel as the other Innkeeper Chronicles novels. I enjoyed seeing some of the secondary characters at the forefront and am excited to see where the series is headed next. And that ending! My jaws literally dropped…talk about an unexpected cliff hanger!

Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews

Title: Diamond Fire
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Hidden Legacy #3.5

Paperback, 160 pages
Publication: November 6, 2018 by Avon Impulse

Source: Personal Library

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Nevada Frida Baylor and Connor Ander Rogan cordially invite you to join their wedding celebration. Summoning, weather manipulation, and other magical activities strictly forbidden.

Catalina Baylor is looking forward to wearing her maid of honor dress and watching her older sister walk down the aisle. Then the wedding planner gets escorted off the premises, the bride’s priceless tiara disappears, and Rogan's extensive family overruns his mother’s home. Someone is cheating, someone is lying, and someone is plotting murder.

To make this wedding happen, Catalina will have to do the thing she fears most: use her magic. But she’s a Baylor and there’s nothing she wouldn't do for her sister's happiness. Nevada will have her fairy tale wedding, even if Catalina has to tear the mansion apart brick by brick to get it done.

I’m so glad Andrews released a novella for Rogan and Nevada’s wedding and making Catalina our main heroine. It’s a nice bridge to Catalina’s trilogy, the first book, Sapphire Flames which is slated for this summer. I normally don’t like spin-offs, but I was totally digging Catalina’s POV. Diamond Fire clocks out at over 160 pages, longer than usual when it comes to novellas, but this is ILONA ANDREWS, nothing is ever too long. More words equal happy readers.  

I don’t read novellas often. I find, most of the time, that they lacked character development, world building, plot or a combination of all three. However, that wasn’t the case with Diamond Fire. Diamond Fire excelled in all three aspect. I’ve always enjoyed Nevada’s interaction with her family and thought her sisters were great. Catalina turned out to be just as capable and interesting of a female lead as Nevada, whereas Nevada was like a firecracker, Catalina was an introvert that kept everyone at arm’s length, but for an understandable reason. Catalina is a Siren Prime, she can get people to do anything she say. However, Catalina spent most of her life suppressing her abilities; afraid she’d lose control and hurt someone. I loved getting to know more about Catalina, reading about her thoughts, feelings and seeing how she interacted with people around her. And if Diamond Fire is any indication of how Catalina’s series is going to be, I’m all for it!

We also met many of Rogan’s extended family and boy, were they a crazy-dysfunctional bunch. Again, there was only so much an author can squeeze into a novella, so I was amazed at how well fleshed out everyone was…even five-year-old Mia, whom I hope to see again in future books…she’s adorable! While I liked learning about all the family members, I especially liked learning the backstory/history of Rogan’s parents. Rogan’s personality and why he does the things he does can all be, in some way traced back to the type of parents he had. And his parents were strong-willed and powerful. When they wanted something, they got it. Does that sound like another couple we know?

I really enjoyed Diamond Fire. It was fun and had a solid mystery that had a clear beginning, middle and end. Despite the plot of a missing heirloom being simple and straightforward, Andrews created complexity with layers of family secrets and weaved thread of subplots to reinforce one another. I can’t wait to read Sapphire Flames later this year, super excited that we’ll see more of the Baylor family!

One Fell Sweep by Ilona Andrews

Title: One Fell Sweep
Author: Ilona Andrews 
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Innkeeper Chronicles # 3

Paperback, 332 Pages
Publication: December 21, 2016 by Createspace Independent 

Source: Personal library.


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Dina DeMille may run the nicest Bed and Breakfast in Red Deer, Texas, but she caters to a very particular kind of guest… the kind that no one on Earth is supposed to know about. Guests like a former intergalactic tyrant with an impressive bounty on her head, the Lord Marshal of a powerful vampire clan, and a displaced-and-superhot werewolf; so don’t stand too close, or you may be collateral damage.

But what passes for Dina’s normal life is about to be thrown into chaos. First, she must rescue her long-distant older sister, Maud, who’s been exiled with her family to a planet that functions as the most lawless penal colony since Botany Bay. Then she agrees to help a guest whose last chance at saving his civilization could bring death and disaster to all Dina holds dear. Now Gertrude Hunt is under siege by a clan of assassins. To keep her guests safe and to find her missing parents, Dina will risk everything, even if she has to pay the ultimate price. Though Sean may have something to say about that!

I can always count on husband and wife extraordinaire, Ilona Andrews to deliver action, hilarity and the unexpected. And the third installment in the Innkeeper chronicles, One Fell Sweep had all three and more. Its been quiet on Gertrude Hunt’s home-front but things changed when a rare species, a Hiru drops in unexpectedly and seeks assistance and asylum for his brethren and himself. The Hiru offers Dina something she can’t refuse; help save his species and they will answer one question. The Hiru knows the answer to everything including the possible whereabouts of Dina’s parents.

Readers are treated to familiar characters from the previous two novels and plenty of new additions such as Dina’s older sister Maud and her daughter Helen. First off, I didn’t recall Dina having any other siblings besides her brother who went MIA at the same time her parents did. I absolutely loved Maud and her daughter. They were the center of many hilarious and heart-warming scenes. If I can use two words to describe Maud, it would be Alpha Female or total bad-ass. Like Dina, Maud would do anything and everything in the name of family and friends. While the sisters are 100% human, Dina has innkeeper abilities while Maud does not. But what Maud lacks in powers she made up for in sheer prowess in combat and strategy. Maud was married to a vampire noble and years surrounded by vampire customs has turned her into a ruthless and calculated soldier. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with little Helen who is half human-half vampire. Growing up in a vampire house, Helen doesn’t know what it truly means to be a child. Even when she saw her own father murdered, she didn’t shed a tear but knew instantly that her father had to be avenged. Helen was a little firecracker, I just adored her. You’d have to read the novel to see what the fuss is all about! I can’t wait to read more about Maud and Helen in the novella, Sweep of the Blade.

The Innkeeper Chronicles is a hodgepodge of Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Romance and Mystery. Intergalactic vampires, werewolves and other alien species shouldn’t make sense but Andrews makes it work perfectly; and who knew that, that was exactly what I and other readers wanted? One Fell Sweep was an excellent addition to the series providing hours of happiness and laughs. Andrews’ books are always my go-to to escape reality and to relieve stress. If you haven’t read the Innkeeper Chronicles, you must remedy that A.S.A.P. Wondering what the raves are all about? Check out chapter samples on the authors’ website of the first two books for free. Guaranteed to be a sure winner! 

Spotlight: Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven + A Romance Starter Kit Giveaway

In anticipation of the release of PHOENIX UNBOUND by Grace Draven out September 25th, Penguin Random House is hosting an amazing giveaway featuring some of of their most popular Fantasy Romances! The giveaway comprises of "first book" of the most beloved authors in the Fantasy genre such as: Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Anne Bishop, Nalini Singh, Chloe Neill...and of course today's featured author Grace Draven! To learn more about Phoneix Unbound, check out the synopsis below.

>> ENTER GIVEAWAY <<

Hits shelves on September 25, 2018

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A woman with power over fire and illusion and an enslaved son of a chieftain battle a corrupt empire in this powerful and deeply emotional romantic fantasy from the USA Today bestselling author of Radiance.

Every year, each village is required to send a young woman to the Empire's capital--her fate to be burned alive for the entertainment of the masses. For the last five years, one small village's tithe has been the same woman. Gilene's sacrifice protects all the other young women of her village, and her secret to staying alive lies with the magic only she possesses.

But this year is different.

Azarion, the Empire's most famous gladiator, has somehow seen through her illusion--and is set on blackmailing Gilene into using her abilities to help him escape his life of slavery. Unknown to Gilene, he also wants to reclaim the birthright of his clan.

To protect her family and village, she will abandon everything to return to the Empire--and burn once more.



 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Grace Draven is a Louisiana native living in Texas with her husband, kids, and a big, doofus dog. She is the winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice for Best Fantasy Romance of 2016 and a USA Today Bestselling author. 

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Wildfire by Ilona Andrews

Title: Wildfire
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Hidden Legacy # 3

Mass Market Paperback, 391 Pages
Publication: July 25, 2017 by Avon Books

Source: Personal Library 

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Just when Nevada Baylor has finally come to accept the depths of her magical powers, she also realizes she’s fallen in love. Connor “Mad” Rogan is in many ways her equal when it comes to magic, but she’s completely out of her elements when it comes to her feelings for him. To make matters more complicated, an old flame comes back into Rogan’s life…

Rogan knows there’s nothing between him and his ex-fiance, Rynda Sherwood. But as Nevada begins to learn more about her past, her power, and her potential future, he knows she will be faced with choices she never dreamed of and the promise of a life spent without him.

As Nevada and Rogan race to discover the whereabouts of Rynda’s kidnapped husband and are forced to confront Nevada’s grandmother, who may or may not have evil motives, these two people must decide if they can trust in each other or allow everything to go up in smoke.

I am so glad that I stuck with The Hidden Legacy series because Wildfire was freaking amazing. The cat is out of the bag now, everyone knows about Nevada’s truth-seeking ability and who she’s related to;  Victoria Tremaine, a powerful prime everyone fears. There are other houses with the same/or similar truth ability but no one was as strong as Victoria… until now. Now everyone wants a piece of Nevada, seeing her as a viable power match, a pawn or both. Wildfire explores more Baylor familial, scheming and corrupted politics, powerful magical display and trademark humor you always find in an Andrews novel.

I love this world that the Andrews created, even at only three books (so far), I feel like I know the world and characters just as well as the Kate Daniel series. I’ve becoming attached and invested in everyone’s lives and loved seeing them progress with each installment. The plot thickens as we see more powerful primes jumping into play, a lot of the elites are following this mysterious Caesar. The amount of people involved and the revelation of some of the key players were surprising. Andrews mentioned that they left trail of clues for readers on the identity of Caesar, but I haven’t the slightest clue who he/she is! I think I’m going to need to reread the series to see if I can figure it out.

One of the things I absolutely loved in Wildfire was the relationship of the Baylor clan. The Clan includes super independent, opinionated, take-no-shit-from-anyone women; from their grandma to the youngest Baylor sister, Cousin Leon is both brilliant, funny and sometimes scary and the people that help run Nevada’s surveillance team are just as awesome…Especially Bug! That Coffee scene with Rynda was hilarious. I’ve said this many times before and I’ll say it again, I love character driven and think it’s essential in a novel. And Andrews know exactly how to create realistic characters that you instantly connect with and will have you following a series till the end.

I’m not a big fan of romance in general, but this is Ilona Andrews and if their name is on it, I’m going to read it. This is probably the second romance series I’ve ever finished, so y’all know it’s good! If you’re looking for a good paranormal romance series with high-stakes, lots of action, fleshed out world building and complex characters then this is a series you don’t want to miss! I was overjoyed when I heard that Andrews are continuing with the series and the next couple of novels will be featuring Catalina Baylor. Sad that there won’t be anymore Nevada and Rogan books but another good news is that the authors are publishing a novella this fall featuring Nevada and Rogan’s wedding! 

White Hot by Ilona Andrews

Title: White Hot
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Hidden Legacy # 2

Mass Market Paperback, 389 Pages
Publication: May 30, 2017 by Avon Books

Source: Personal Library 

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Nevada Baylor has a unique and secret skill—she knows when people are lying—and she's used that magic (along with plain, hard work) to keep her colorful and close-knit family's detective agency afloat. But her new case pits her against the shadowy forces that almost destroyed the city of Houston once before, bringing Nevada back into contact with Connor "Mad" Rogan.

Rogan is a billionaire Prime—the highest rank of magic user—and as unreadable as ever, despite Nevada’s “talent.” But there’s no hiding the sparks between them. Now that the stakes are even higher, both professionally and personally, and their foes are unimaginably powerful, Rogan and Nevada will find that nothing burns like ice … 

What compelled me to read White Hot so soon after Burn for Me, I haven’t the slightest clue. I didn’t love Burn for Me a much as everyone else. Even in my review I wrote that I wasn’t interested or likely going to read the sequel any time soon. And yet here I am done and writing a review for White Hot. To my surprise, White Hot was much better than its predecessor and a lot of issues that I had with the the first book were nowhere in sight.

In the second installment of The Hidden Legacy series, Nevada is hired by Harrison, whom we met in the previous novel, to find his wife’s killer. Harrison believed it wasn’t an accident and the only person that can and is willing to help him find out the truth is Nevada. But this isn’t any ordinary murder case, it goes high up in the ranks of the council and houses and more sinister than anyone can imagine.

What made White Hot more enjoyable in my opinion was delving deeper into house politics, everyone’s background and character development. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, there’s a major conspiracy going on that involves a lot of powerful people, houses and in White Hot we see most, if not all of the houses getting involved whether they want to or not. Which also meant seeing new characters or getting to know the characters already introduced in book one.

I liked that we were able to learn more about Rogan and the Baylor family. Readers were told of Rogan’s time in the war which made perfect sense that he acted the way he did. He also made great effect in proving to Nevada that he wasn’t the man she thought he was...like completely bad and ruthless. Which was somewhat debatable. Then there were Nevada’s family. They were a hoot! Love seeing them get more page time and learning about their prime abilities.

White Hot was a satisfying sequel with a much more interesting plot. I can’t wait to start Wildefire and see how Nevada and Rogan's story arc ends. Highlights of White Hot includes: Matilda/Zeus, Augustine, Dark Horse Leon, and the Baylor sisters! And the name of the series totally make sense now! If you haven’t read anything by Team Andrews yet, this is a good series to check out first.