Poison's Dance Review {Tattered Slippers Blog Tour}

 Hello my name is Abby and I've been emotionally compromised by Tricia Mingerink yet again.

In other words, welcome to the Tattered Slippers blog tour!  Get ready for not one, not two, but SIX amazing Twelve Dancing Princesses retellings that are releasing this week!  The tour is already in full swing, so make sure you check out the full schedule to join in on all the fun! 

There are a ton of amazing bloggers involved in this tour, and I'm so excited and honored to be one of them!  So for four of those six days, you can stick right here for reviews of these new releases! (Who's hyped? I'm hyped!)

We begin with one of my most anticipated reads of the year, the third book in Tricia Mingerink's Beyond the Tales series, which continues to solidify itself as one of my all-time faves.

** I'm gonna stick a spoiler warning right here because there are spoilers for at least the first book in the series (Dagger's Sleep) from this point forward. 
So... you've been warned. **

Poison's Dance



Author: Tricia Mingerink 
Genre: Fantasy fairytale retelling
Content: Some violence
Main Characters: King Alexander, Princess Tamya, Daemyn Rand

Synopsis:
If he falls to the lure of the curse, the dance might trap him forever.
Alex has survived his first year as high king. The new counsel has improved cooperation between the kingdoms, and peace seems achievable. When the Tuckawassee queen sends him an invitation he can’t refuse, Alex must once again face his greatest threat for the sake of peace.
Princess Tamya of Tuckawassee, along with her eleven sisters, has danced from sunset until sunrise every night of her life. It is her gift and her curse. When Queen Valinda wishes to use the power their cursed dance gives them to rule all of Tallahatchia, Tamya must decide if she will do what is right even if it betrays her own sister.
Daemyn Rand has survived a hundred years' worth of battles. All he wants to do now is safely marry his princess. Will he be forced to choose between the love of his life and the high king he has loyally served for years?
They have faced certain death before. This time, they might not make it out alive.
Don’t miss this re-envisioning of the Twelve Dancing Princesses fairy tale.   

Add on Goodreads ~ Purchase on Amazon ~ My review of book 1 ~ My review of book 2

What I Thought:

This book broke me.  In the best way.  I finished it at 3:30 AM because there was no way I was putting it down.  I was a sobbing, snotty mess.  It was basically everything and I don't know how I'm supposed to just go on with my life now? 

Being back in Tallahatchia was so good for my soul.  Like, I started reading and seeing familiar names and it just gave me so much joy.  I didn't realize how much I missed it.  The world itself is so cool, and seeing it unfold throughout the series has been everything.  Each book we get to explore a different kingdom, and if this means that we'll eventually potentially get 7 books for the 7 kingdoms... you would not hear me complaining, that's all I'm saying.

Speaking of things unfolding throughout the series, can we talk about Alex for a minute?  Because I'm so proud of him??  Watching his journey from the first book to now - he was a big part of why I cried from about the 75% mark onward because I'm just so proud of who he's becoming with the Highest King's help.  I'm not okay.  *melts into a puddle of feels*  He's never been my favorite character of the series but that might change now, honestly, idk.  Also his relationship with Daemyn is everything to me and I'm quickly becoming a sucker for the king/lord/important person + his guard/servant friendship dynamic, it's one of my faves. Also Daemyn and Rosanna continue to be wonderful together. 

The character of Tamya was amazing.  We've had three very different female leads in the series so far, and I'm here for it.  Her relationship with her sisters was so well done - the princesses is always something I judge 12DP retellings on, and they were great here.  There were a couple who faded to the background, but for the most part, each one was unique and distinct enough that I didn't have trouble remembering who was who.  

The fairytale elements were woven in so perfectly, as they always are in these books.  The worn dancing shoes, the underground world, the silver and gold trees, the sinister eldest sister, it's all here and it's all just as iconic as it should be. 

All in all, I'm never going to stop talking about this series.  I know this book just came out today but I wish I had book 4.  The ending made me squeal with happiness on several occasions, and I'm just really happy, okay? 

Overall rating: 5 goblets of maybe-poisoned wine out of 5 

About the Author: 
Tricia Mingerink is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn't writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country.

Connect with Tricia: Her blog ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest

As I mentioned at the top of this post, the Tattered Slippers blog tour will be going on all week!  So keep your eyes peeled for more reviews coming your way from me, and click this link right here to see all the amazing posts! 

Have you read the Beyond the Tales books?  Are you excited for this one?  Let me know in a comment below! 

~ Abby

Midnight's Curse {blog tour + book review}

So we all know that retellings are my favorite thing.  And another one of my favorite things are books by Tricia Mingerink.  So when those things come together, it's perfection. 

So when Tricia opened up the blog tour for the second Beyond the Tales book, I jumped at the chance to read an advanced copy.  And it's available now so you can all read it!!!

And trust me, you want to read it.


Midnight's Curse



Author: Tricia Mingerink
Genre: Fantasy/fairytale retelling
Content: A little bit of violence and some blood.
Main Characters: King Alexander, Elara Ashen, Daemyn Rand
Placement in Series: Book 2

Synopsis:
High King Alexander rules the Seven Kingdoms of Tallahatchia—a divided nation on the brink of yet another war. When an invitation arrives from the king of Pohatomie, Alex knows it must be a trap, but could it also be the chance to unite the kingdoms he has been waiting for?
Daemyn Rand has lived a hundred years, served an arrogant prince, fallen in love with a princess, and lost himself somewhere along the way. He has already died for his loyalty. Will standing at the high king’s side cost him his one chance to truly live?
Elara Ashen is a lowly, miserable servant. All she wants is to spend even one night in a fancy dress dancing with the high king. When she is offered a pair of glass slippers, it seems that all her dreams have come true.
But dreams have a price, and gifts can be curses in disguise. What will it cost to stop this curse from tearing Tallahatchia apart yet again?
Fairy tales meet the Appalachian Mountains in this adventurous fantasy retelling of the classic Cinderella story.

Add on Goodreads ~ Purchase on Amazon ~ My review of book 1

What I Thought:

More than half of this book (as described by various gifs):

Alex @ Elara:


Elara @ Alex:


Zeke @ Alex:


Daemyn @ Zeke:


And I loved it.
This was so! good!  Back when I read Dagger's Sleep, I highly anticipated the next installment, because GOSH Tricia is good at retellings.  As a huge fan of the Grimm story, I loved every little nod to the original, and there were a lot of those!  Fun little Easter eggs were sprinkled all through the story, but it was still a completely original take.
My one complaint of the first book was that the world was hard to get into but not so in this second book!  Maybe that's because I was already a little bit familiar with Tallahatchia, but this world is so cool! And the development it got in this book? It was amazing.  We're centered in a different country this time, and where the first book was more of a questing adventure, this one was more court politics, and I love that this world carries both types of story equally well. 
Now,  I have to talk about the characters because oh my word I love them?  Daemyn and Rosanna's relationship is my fave, like... they almost rival Leith and Renna with how much I love them.  They're just the best.  And they communicate!  Bless!
I'm going to be honest here, I didn't care for Elara at all in the beginning.  But!  She grew! And developed! And I'm so proud of her now! She came a long way and had to endure all the consequences of her decisions, which is a beautiful thing to see play out in a story (even when I did feel bad for her xD).  Also, Alex annoyed me for a good portion of this book, but he was cursed, so I'll forgive him.
Again, I can't wait to see where we go next.  (Is Alex going to have a romance with one of the twelve dancing princesses? because I will be very happy if that happens)  Also I need Daemyn and Rosanna to get married and be the awesome kick-butt adventure couple they're destined to be.  Please.

Overall Rating: 4.5 glass slippers out of 5

About the Author:
Tricia Mingerink is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn't writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country.

Connect with Tricia: Her blog ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest

There's also a super exciting GIVEAWAY going on, where Tricia is giving away signed copies of both Dagger's Sleep and Midnight's Curse plus a Novelly Yours candle! You can enter by clicking this link right here!

A HUGE thank you to Tricia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

~ Abby

The Ilyon & Acktar Blog Tour {+ "Decree" review!}

Hello, friends!  Thanks for stopping by my little post here on the Ilyon & Acktar blog tour!!

So I had this great big post recapping the "Blades of Acktar" series that I was going to put up for this blog tour because I just came off a first-time binge and I thought it would be cool... and then I promptly ran out of time because it's December.  Yep.  As of now, I'm still planning to put that post up in the near future when my other obligations have calmed down, because I really like it and I hope y'all will too.

But today, I still have a very exciting post for you because today, I'm reviewing "Decree", the newest book in the series!!



Let's just hop right in, shall we?

Decree


Author: Tricia Mingerink
Genre: Fantasy short-story and novella collection
Content: Mentions of quite a bit of violence, though none explicitly shown.

Synopsis:
The Adventure Continues.
Discover more of The Blades of Acktar in this collection of novellas and short stories.
The Blades as They Should’ve Been
A test and the Gathering of Nobles will decide Leith and Martyn’s futures. Can they fight to become more than the Blades they were? Will Keevan accept what it means to have the man who attempted to kill him as family?
The First Mission
When Martyn visits Surgis, his past seems determined to haunt him. Can he figure out how to forgive, especially when confronted with an enemy in need of his help?
To the Far Great Mountains
A death sends Leith and Martyn far beyond the borders of Acktar. Will they be able to arrest their quarry before they are caught themselves?
From the story of how Leith and Martyn met to Ranson’s search for a life outside of the Blades, these stories will answer plaguing questions and expand the world of Acktar.

What I Thought:
 
((there may come a day when I don't use Psych gifs to show my emotions... but this is not that day))

THIS WAS SO DARN CUTE. and painful. BUT CUTE.
I've adored getting to know these characters that I've heard so many wonderful things about, and now I'm fully invested in their lives and I'm so happy these short stories/novellas exist.  Leith, Renna, Brandi, Jamie, Martyn, Shad, Jolene, they're all here living their best lives and I am here for it.  Some of them were obviously sad (these characters just have a lot of pain okaaay) but some of them were so full of fluff and happiness that it kinda made up for it.  (make no mistake, Tricia's still mean to her characters.  but she can also be kind to them and that's a great thing.)  I'm not going to talk ships or anything because SPOILERS but let's just say that all of my ships are sailing and I couldn't be happier about it.
If you're a fan of the series at all, I can't recommend this highly enough.  Even if you just want to read fluff about Brandi's birthday.  Because that one was awesome.

Overall Rating: 5 adventures out of 5

About the Author:
Tricia Mingerink is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn't writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country.
Connect with Tricia!   Her blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

Grab a copy of "Decree" on Amazon here and add it to your Goodreads shelf here!

Be sure to also check out Jaye L. Knight's newest releases, Bitter Winter and Lacy!  (Ilyon Chronicles is definitely on my binge list ;) )

Oh, and make sure you go say hi at the other blog tour stops!  You can find the whole schedule right here!  OH AND there's a GIVEAWAY going on!!  Tricia and Jaye, amazing as they are, are giving away a full signed set of The Blades of Acktar and Ilyon Chronicles!!  How cool, right?  You can enter that right HERE!!

And I thiiink that's all I have to share with you!  (let's be real, I probably forgot something... but anyway...)  Highly recommend this series.  And that's about all I have to say so... bye for now!



wait I lied i'm not leaving yet I forgot to tell you that I may or may not have made a playlist and a pinterest board for this series.  yes, i'm a dork.  okay bye for real.

~ Abby

Dagger's Sleep and Dissociate Blog Tour {+ book reviews!}

It... is... time...

(that intro probably won't make sense to anyone who hasn't seen the Lion King show at WDW but anyway...)

Today is the day!  Dagger's Sleep and Dissociate are going on tour!  And because their lovely authors were kind enough to include me, I'm here with not one, but TWO book reviews for you!

The first, of Dagger's Sleep, which is available for pre-order on Amazon here!



Author: Tricia Mingerink
Genre: High fantasy/fairytale retelling
Content: A good bit of violence, but I think that's it.

Synopsis:
A prince cursed to sleep.
A princess destined to wake him.
A kingdom determined to stop them.
High Prince Alexander has been cursed to a sleep like unto death, a curse that will end the line of the high kings and send the Seven Kingdoms of Tallahatchia into chaos. With his manservant to carry his luggage and his own superior intelligence to aid him, Alex sets off to find one of the Fae and end his curse one way or another.
A hundred years later, Princess Rosanna learns she is the princess destined by the Highest King to wake the legendary sleeping prince. With the help of the mysterious Daemyn Rand, can she find the courage to finish the quest as Tallahatchia wavers on the edge of war?
One curse connects them. A hundred years separate them. From the rushing rivers of Tallahatchia’s mountains to the hall of the Highest King himself, their quests will demand sacrifices neither of them could imagine.

Placement in Series: 1 of I don't know how many.

What I Thought:

^ that's a happy dance.

To be honest, I had no intention of reading this book when I went to sign up for the tour but then I found out it was a fairytale retelling and I had to.  Fairytale retellings are my weakness, y'all know this about me.  And man, am I glad I ended up reading it.  This was one of the most original takes on the tale of Sleeping Beauty I've ever read.  Not only is it genderbent, but it's set in an absolutely fascinating story world, and has such a strong message about God's love and power.  Rosanna and Alex are perfect protagonists; their character arcs are so good. 
The only issue I had is that it took me about 100 pages to get into it.  The world was a smidge overwhelming for me, but I think that's just because it's been literally years since I've read a true high fantasy.  But once I got to where the world wasn't distracting and I could fully immerse myself in the plot, oh my word, did it get amazing. 
I know most people don't like being able to anticipate plot points before they happen, but I love when that happens.  And it happened a few times in this book and BOY was it great.  The story kept me up late reading several nights, and I don't really regret it.  I can't wait to dig into more of Tricia's writing, and I am highly anticipating further exploration into the other fairytales I saw mention of.  Idk if that's actually going to happen.  But I will devour it if it does.

Favorite quote:
She would be fine.  She would be strong, and she would face tomorrow without complaint.  But, for tonight, she let her hands shake.

Will I Keep Reading? YES.  More. Now. Please.

Overall Rating: 4.5 cursed daggers out of 5

About the Author:

TRICIA MINGERINK is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn't writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country.
You can connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, Twitter, Instagram, and her blog.



And now on to my review for Dissociate which you can buy on Amazon here!



Author: Sarah Addison-Fox
Genre: Dystopian fantasy
Content: A few bad words, a good bit of violence, and it's got a strong romance plotline, so.
Main Characters: Mick Haynes, Celeste, Torrance Kyle, and Amaya Mason

Synopsis:
Freedom begins with finding the truth.
Amidst the turmoil caused by Smyth’s arrest, Celeste is stuck in limbo, stripped of her citizenship, with no choice but to flee to a peaceful Kyraenean hideaway with the tumultuous Amaya Mason.
When bounty hunters threaten the local orphanage, Celeste and Amaya must work together and fight. Even if it means risking what they cherish the most.
His plans in tatters, his career in jeopardy, Mick Haynes is forced to leave Kyraenea with the enigmatic Torrance Kyle, the agent he still can’t trust.
Torrance is good at lying, and even better at hiding his pain, but is he strong enough to deal with the consequences of betraying his own father?
Can Celeste accept the truth, accept her place in the Haynes family or will lies chain her to the past and destroy her chance at a new life?

Placement in Series: 3 of 4 (? I think?)

What I Thought:

I'M SO EMOTIONAL.  I know this story isn't over (because there are definitely adventures to be had!) but I also feel like an arc has come to a wonderful close, and I'm feeling a weird mix of really happy and sad.  I'm not going to spoil anything for those of you who haven't read it, but if you've read books 1 and 2 and aren't sure about book 3 READ BOOK 3. 
I love all of the characters.  (well, except for Smyth, but you know...)  Celeste and Mick are my current OTP, y'all.  Close second goes to the main couple of Dagger's Sleep which I will not spoil.  Close third comes to Torrance and Amaya because oh my word, y'all, I love them so much.  The relationships, the development, the amazing friendships, I loved it all.

Series Playlist:

I've been working on this playlist since I started reading... book 2, I think?  Anyway, I like it a lot.  Hopefully y'all do too.

Will I Keep Reading?  again, YES.  MORE. NOW. PLEASE.

Overall Rating: 4.5 sweet romances out of 5

About the Author:

Sarah Addison-Fox is a New Zealand-born home-schooling mother of two who loves action-packed, clean, fantasy with strong heroines. She has an astonishing amount of nail polish, has all her creative writing credentials shoved in a drawer somewhere, and has a husband who, after 27 years, can still make her blush. When she’s not working on both her YA fantasy series' she can be found fangirling on Goodreads or sending GIFs on Twitter.
You can connect with Sarah at:
Her website ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter


Also, guess what, as if this could get any better, THERE ARE GIVEAWAYS!!!


Tricia Mingerink is giving away a paperback of Dagger's Sleep.  The giveaway is open internationally where such giveaways are permitted and where CreateSpace or the Book Depository ships.  The book may or may not be signed depending on where the winner lives.
To enter, click on the picture!


Sarah Addison-Fox is giving away a paperback set of the first three books in the Allegiance Series.  The giveaway is open internationally where such giveaways are permitted and where CreateSpace ships.  The books may or may not be signed depending on where the winner lives.
Again, to enter the giveaway, just click the pic!

I'm so, so excited for both of these ladies!  Huge shout-out to them for letting me do my part and read your fabulous books! 
~ Abby