June Luu's Blog

Iron and Magic

Title: Iron and Magic
Series: The Iron Covenant #1
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Rating: 5/5

No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work. 
Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast.
Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify.
Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies?
As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.”
Hugh and Elara may do both. 

| Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US |My Review
Ilona Andrews never ever disappoints! And they probably never will. 
Such an amazing start to this trilogy, Iron and Magic is action-packed, thrilling and sexy, with two powerful characters I cannot get enough of. I was never a big fan of Hugh back in Kate’s books, I always thought he was a bit creepy and maybe a bit of a maniac (he still is), but there was always something interesting about him and his character made a great bad guy. Here, Hugh is still a bad guy, but one I absolutely fell in love with. 
This book was just fantastic, the world was so well built, characters developed to the max and honestly, there was nothing more I could’ve asked for (except for the next book, bet I gotta wait another year or two for that). Personally, I think Hugh D’Ambray is one of the best characters Ilona Andrews has ever written. They completely redeemed him from the unforgiving villain in Kate’s books, but still kept him grounded to who he really is (still an unforgiving mass murdering maniac), and honestly, I couldn’t stop reading and I want more just to jump back into Hugh and Elara’s world. 
Talking about Elara, she is my newest favourite heroine. This woman is mysterious, I feel like I know nothing about her. I have no idea what her powers are, I don’t know her origins, but I do know that she is strong, beautiful, scary and the best match for Hugh. I can’t wait to read more about her, because she is so different from every character in this world, and I just love her. There’s so much tension between her and Hugh, but there’s no spontaneous love getting thrown around, it’s just pure character development and slow-burning romantic tension, and I love it.
I don’t want to give away anything about the plot, but the book is filled with action, vampires and magic, with new foes and friends and I hope Hugh and Elara jump into the fight with Kate against Roland in Kate’s finale (that scene with Roland and Elara had me trembling). The book was just epic, Ilona Andrews did an amazing job, and I cannot wait for the next book! About The Author

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

A Court of Wings and Ruin

Title: A Court of Wings and Ruin
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #3
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: High Fantasy, Romance, YA/NA
Rating: 5/5

Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.
Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.
As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places.
In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all. 

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The Raven Boys

Title: The Raven Boys
Series: The Raven Cycle #1
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publication Date: September 19th 2012
Publisher: Scholastic
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Magical Realism
Rating: 5 Stars

Even if Blue hadn't been told her true love would die if she kissed him, she would stay away from boys. Especially the ones from the local private school. Known as Raven Boys, they only mean trouble.
But this is the year that everything will change for Blue.
This is the year that she will be drawn into the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys. And the year Blue will discover that magic does exist.
This is the year she will fall in love.

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Nevernight

Title: Nevernight
Series: The Nevernight Chronicle
Author: Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: August 11th 2016
Genre: Adult, High-Fantasy
Rating: 5 GAZILLION STARS

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.
Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.
Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.
Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?

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Good morning, everyone!Today, I am hosting the cover reveal for CLOSER by Mary Elizabeth (Dusty: Innocents & Delinquents, True Love Way, Low & Poesy)!I am so excited to reveal the cover, so we'll just jump straight into it!!.........READ MORE »

Play

Title: Play
Author: Piper Lawson
Publication Date: September 14th 2016
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4.5 Stars

I'm Payton Blake. Just another twenty-something girl, living the dream.
That’s what I tell myself every morning. That I’m successful, self-aware, and well-balanced.
It's just a tiny fib. I would be all of those things, if I had friends who didn’t work with me at the bank. And if I made it to pilates more than once a quarter. And if watermelon slushies weren't the main source of nutrients in my diet. It wouldn’t hurt if I’d had sex in the last year, either. (My best friend insists Jorge the Nightstand Boyfriend doesn’t count.)
But when you know where you're going, you don’t need to enjoy the ride. Right?
Even if some teeny part of me did want to fool around, Max Donovan would be the last guy I’d call. Sure, he made the indie video game that broke the internet. And yeah, his eyebrow piercing’s sexy, in a ‘what-are-you-in-a-band?’ kind of way. And fighting with him gets me going faster than Jorge on bezerker mode…He’s still colder than a cactus and twice as prickly. And I’m not talking about his face, because the guy’s barely old enough to shave.
It’d really be best if we just ignored each other. Which is a problem, because Max Donovan is my new biggest client.
So what happens when the girl who lives to work meets the guy who was born to play?
Game on.

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Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The SpineThis week features two books that I've recently just discovered and they both look so good that I had to share! And here they are:
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Empire of Storms

Title: Empire of Storms
Series: Throne of Glass #5
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: September 6th 2016
Genre: Young Adult, High Fantasy, Romance

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those don't.
As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.
Aelin's journey from assassin to queen has entranced millions across the globe, and this fifth installment will leave fans breathless. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down?

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Sting

Title: Sting
Author: Sandra Brown
Publisher: Grand Central
Publication Date: August 16th 2016
Genre: Adult, Romance, Suspense

When Shaw Kinnard encounters the incongruously elegant Jordie Bennet in a seen-better-days bayou bar, it’s not love at first sight. He’s there to kill her. Instead, he abducts her, eager to get hold of the $30 Million her brother has pocketed from his badly bent boss. Now they are on the run from said boss—and the FBI.

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Under A Million Stars

Title: Under A Million StarsAuthor: Rita BranchesPublication Date: August 8th 2016Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Can a beating heart bleed from the shattered pieces?Her heart cracked when her best friend walked away; it completely shattered when she lost her family in a tragic accident.
Now orphaned at seventeen, Charlotte Peterson is forced to live with her former best friend, Jacob Parker. Charlie, a talented pianist, desperately wants their loving friendship back, but something is holding Jake back. The more she spirals into the darkness of depression, the more she needs him.
Jacob vowed to stay away from her—no matter how much he still loved her. Armed with secrets that would have destroyed both of their families, he chose to end their friendship and walk away, which nearly killed him. As he watches the girl he once knew begin to fade away, however, he realizes that their relationship is more important than the truth he’s hiding.
Now it’s up to Jacob to put the pieces of Charlie’s broken heart back together—even if it means revealing the secrets he so desperately wants to protect her from.
Will Jacob find a way to bring back the carefree, talented girl he once knew, or is it too late for both of them?

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