Feature and Follow Friday (11)

Q: What is a deal breaker for you in a book? For example, do you abhor love triangles? Or can’t deal with bad editing?

This is a hard one for me since so many things can put me off from a book.  Here are some of the my top picks:

- Underdeveloped/one-dimensional characters: This is especially bad if it is the main character…
- Bad editing: Not that I claim to have perfect grammar or punctuation (I definitely don’t)… Unfortunately this is why I’ve begun to avoid many self-published books.

Usually there are redeeming qualities that help me get through a book with one of the above, so these aren’t necessarily deal breakers, but more frustrations.

How about you guys!? What are your book deal breakers?

Review: The Lost Prince

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten, #1) by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: eGalley
Source: NetGalley  
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★★

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

Julie is an author that, no matter the topic, I will always love her books. Yes, you may even call me a fangirl. I can always count on her rich, beautiful settings and unforgettable characters. The Lost Prince is no exception.

The Lost Prince is a book that, despite being a spinoff of The Iron Fey series, can be read without reading through the original books. I do, however, strongly recommend reading The Iron Fey series first. Not only are they fantastic books, but they will definitely help fill in some plot gaps for unfamiliar readers.

For those who have read The Iron Fey series, do you remember Meghan’s tiny, little brother, Ethan from the first book? Yeah, he’s all grown up now and shirtless on the cover! Seeing him at a young age and seeing him grown are two opposite sides of the spectrum! I loved the contrast between the two. The fey have tortured him his entire life, so I can completely understand his broodiness and complex personality. You can tell Julie really took the time and effort to develop his character!

The Lost Prince features some fantastic action scenes and quirky characters! I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between Ethan and Kerrian. It was vaguely reminiscent of Ash and Puck. So if you’ve liked the banter between those two in the past, you will definitely find some entertainment here. I’ll be honest and say I really wanted a glimpse at the present day life of Ash and Meghan. Luckily The Lost Prince delivered. While the story doesn’t revolve around them, there are still some beautiful scenes between the two. I didn’t know it was possible to miss two fictional characters so much… Special thanks to Julie for not leaving them in the dust.

The Lost Prince is nothing short of a showstopper! It has proven itself to be just as engaging and exciting as the The Iron Fey series. I have no doubts that it will continue to meet or even surpass my expectations of the original books. *Impatiently waits for next book*

Review & Tour: Of Blood and Bone

Of Blood and Bone (The Minaldi Legacy, #1) by Courtney Cole
Publisher: Lakehouse Press
Format: eGalley
Source: Kismet Book Tours
Buy It From Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★☆

Luca Minaldi is powerful, rich and mesmerizing. But he is also a reclusive enigma. He lives in Malta, a fairytale-like place filled with sunshine and sea, beauty and secrets. And Luca’s darkest of secrets is the best kept of them all.

Eva Talbot is spending the summer in Malta to finish up her doctoral dissertation. When she meets Luca, a mysterious and handsome shipping magnate, there is an instant attraction. He has a disturbing and beautiful energy that she has never felt before. But she senses the darkness that lives within him.

Eva is hired to care for his mother, a woman who suffers from dementia, but it is Luca who Eva will eventually risk everything to save. She desperately wants to reach inside of him and fix what is broken, while at the same time, she knows that she is falling for him. Her life becomes a swirling chaos of darkness and romance, of secrets and mystery. And the question that emerges will become the most important answer of all.

Can she save Luca from the darkness that plagues him without losing herself?

The answer is a matter of life or death.

Oozing mystery, suspense, and intrigue, Of Blood and Bone by Courtney Cole makes for a perfect Fall read! While this is certainly not for young adults, it is definitely worthy of being reviewed here at Inklings Read!

Courtney does a fantastic job of teasing the readers in this book with the fantastic plot and steamy romance! She slowly reveals bits and pieces of information, but only enough to keep you guessing. I loved that she chose to write this story using multiple POVs! That extra peek into the mind of the characters really enhanced the story. Not to mention that layout was great for a dark, suspenseful book like this.

I could not help but fall under Luca's spell right along with Eva. Not only was he a perfect gentleman, but he was also well off, sophisticated, and protective. All great traits in my book! The erotic (yes, erotic!) and romantic scenes between the two of them were perfect! I would never have guessed that this was Courtney's first adult book!

Of Blood and Bone was a surprisingly quick read for me. I was finished in a day! Just one freaking day! When I say this book was addicting that is a slight understatement. I devoured this book! I highly, highly, highly, recommend it to my adult followers. I cannot wait to see what comes next in the second installment of The Minaldi Legacy!

*Special thanks to Kismet Book Tours and Courtney Cole for allowing me to be part of this tour!*

YA Kindle Deals Under $5: 10/8/12

Happy October everyone!! I don't know about you, but I'm definitely ready for the cool fall weather. I hope you all have been well! It's been so long, once again, since I've posted anything. It's been a busy work month prepping for yet another Wegmans grand opening. Sunday, October 28th the Crofton, MD Wegmans will open its doors to the public! Be sure to stop in if you live in the area. It's always a great time! Now onto what you guys are really here for: The Deals!

Here you'll find some of the best Kindle deals available. Some books are well known and some are hidden gems that I've found, but ALL books below have 4+ star ratings on Amazon. Let's admit it: Mondays can be a little... draining on the soul. So what works better for lifting the spirit than finding some great books for cheap!? Beware: This is quite a sizable list and may take a bit to load!

Here are my featured deals for the week:

All of the titles below have 4+ star ratings or are from popular series on Amazon.com.

FREE!