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Prey
There are only three rules.
1. Do not go out after dark.
2. Donate your blood every two months.
3. Always obey a soldier in a uniform.
Two hundred and fifty years ago, Earth was decimated by a nuclear war, and since that day, survivors have been living within a glass dome. Sixteen-year-old Evelyn Anielewicz lives in Utopia, the most southern city, but the city is anything but perfect. When her brother Quinlan goes missing, Evelyn ventures outside the wall, where she discovers her city is hiding some dark secrets.
Failing to comply with the king’s new mandate, Evelyn flees the city, hiding out with other rebels, helping to forge a resistance. After being caught at one of the city outposts, she is forced to stand trial for treason. After almost killing the Crown Prince, Evelyn is sent to Mitre Peak Academy, a school deep in the mountains, where she must learn to fit in with the other students, knowing she is different, for darkness is rising and Evelyn may be the only person on Earth who can stop it.
1. Do not go out after dark.
2. Donate your blood every two months.
3. Always obey a soldier in a uniform.
Two hundred and fifty years ago, Earth was decimated by a nuclear war, and since that day, survivors have been living within a glass dome. Sixteen-year-old Evelyn Anielewicz lives in Utopia, the most southern city, but the city is anything but perfect. When her brother Quinlan goes missing, Evelyn ventures outside the wall, where she discovers her city is hiding some dark secrets.
Failing to comply with the king’s new mandate, Evelyn flees the city, hiding out with other rebels, helping to forge a resistance. After being caught at one of the city outposts, she is forced to stand trial for treason. After almost killing the Crown Prince, Evelyn is sent to Mitre Peak Academy, a school deep in the mountains, where she must learn to fit in with the other students, knowing she is different, for darkness is rising and Evelyn may be the only person on Earth who can stop it.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 27, 2018
2 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Imogene Ashton
4 books14 followersI love reading books. I particularly enjoy books with magical elements, leaning a little to the historical fantasy but I do like to sink my claws into a good old werewolf book.
I hate love triangles, I hate stupid plot devices that are merely there for shock value, so if I ever write anything like that, please know it was unintentional and tell me immediately!
I love Lord of the Rings and Star Wars and Harry Potter (the books only, not the movies).
I love animals. I trained as a vet nurse and currently volunteer at the local wildlife reserve, looking after some cheeky little kea. (A very smart bird found only in New Zealand that is known to take off with your sunglasses, or your passport and rip them up in front of you).
I am addicted to energy drinks. Bad habit I know, but when you're up until 3am reading that really good book, you'll understand why.
I hate love triangles, I hate stupid plot devices that are merely there for shock value, so if I ever write anything like that, please know it was unintentional and tell me immediately!
I love Lord of the Rings and Star Wars and Harry Potter (the books only, not the movies).
I love animals. I trained as a vet nurse and currently volunteer at the local wildlife reserve, looking after some cheeky little kea. (A very smart bird found only in New Zealand that is known to take off with your sunglasses, or your passport and rip them up in front of you).
I am addicted to energy drinks. Bad habit I know, but when you're up until 3am reading that really good book, you'll understand why.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 25, 2022
Actual rating 3.5 ⭐
I love overall concept in this book. When human, werewolf, vampire and witch must live together but of course but of course there are discriminations that felt by humans as the weakest party. However, here we meet Evelyn, a human who is different and strong in both mind and strength. I really like the figure of Evelyn, a female character who is badass and doesn't want to submit to rules that clearly corner her.
The plot of this story is honestly a bit confusing. It started so fast that I was confused as to what was going on. But, at one point suddenly the plot changed drastically. I'm honestly confused about what Evelyn and the others have to do with school and what's going to happen in this book. It's quite strange in my opinion and I still don't know what the effect is other than being a character introduction, because there are so many characters that appear that sometimes it's hard for me to know who is who except Evelyn's family.
There was an unexpected plot twist at the end of the book which really surprised me and made me impatient to read the next book because I honestly don't agree with what happened in this book and hope that there will be other surprises in the next book. I was also very sad when I saw Evelyn and Ash's scenes which were very small even though I thought they were both very cute despite everything that was going on around them.
I love overall concept in this book. When human, werewolf, vampire and witch must live together but of course but of course there are discriminations that felt by humans as the weakest party. However, here we meet Evelyn, a human who is different and strong in both mind and strength. I really like the figure of Evelyn, a female character who is badass and doesn't want to submit to rules that clearly corner her.
The plot of this story is honestly a bit confusing. It started so fast that I was confused as to what was going on. But, at one point suddenly the plot changed drastically. I'm honestly confused about what Evelyn and the others have to do with school and what's going to happen in this book. It's quite strange in my opinion and I still don't know what the effect is other than being a character introduction, because there are so many characters that appear that sometimes it's hard for me to know who is who except Evelyn's family.
There was an unexpected plot twist at the end of the book which really surprised me and made me impatient to read the next book because I honestly don't agree with what happened in this book and hope that there will be other surprises in the next book. I was also very sad when I saw Evelyn and Ash's scenes which were very small even though I thought they were both very cute despite everything that was going on around them.
February 22, 2023
Review posted on my blog The Writer's Library.
So… a bit of a slow start, yes, but once this story got going, it got going!
Admittedly, I think it’s been quite a while since I read a straight, pure fantasy story. Growing up, one of my favorite series was The Children of the Red King series by Jenny Nimmo, which effectively introduced me to the genre and made me realize that I personally require a hook of some kind to stay invested, whether it be a mystery, a question, a character to latch on to, whatever. I think my last adult fantasy series was The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss, read back in 2018. Still waiting for the third book on that one.
My point with all this is, I think I’ve neglected my love for fantasy recently. I try to read stories across as many genres as possible, but this is one that as of late I haven’t touched.
So, when I was thrown into Ashton’s world head-on, it took me quite some time to get it, and I don’t think that’s the story’s fault at all. Let’s get into it!
Summary
The story opens and we are introduced to Evelyn in a dome city. Evelyn comes from a large family with a lot of power and when the king of her city starts threatening the people, she flees only to be caught and forced into a school for magical beings. But this school has challenges, and Evelyn must quickly learn who is on her side and who is not.
Can Evelyn survive this world she must live in, with other magical beings out to get her?
Thoughts
And again I’m conflicted…
I think part of the issue I had with this story (even though I liked it) was that it threw you into the action right away without really doing too much to talk a bit about the characters. The reason I found this an issue was because I was thrown into the action sequences immediately with little time to figure out who was who. The three characters I feel like I figured out were Evelyn, Rosanna, and their father Ariel.
That said, I still really enjoyed the story as the plot became clearer. Let’s look into this a little more!
Characters
Evelyn
“In the most southern city of Utopia, a dark haired, dark eyed teenage girl lay on her back on a grass verge, looking through the glass dome, up at the passing clouds. As she watched, the sun began to sink lower and lower in the sky, finally disappearing behind the distant mountains.”
It took me some time to warm up to Evelyn, mainly because she’s so cold at first. As the story went on, we figured out why and her surroundings with everyone around her out to get her also helped to explain it, but at first it threw me off because I didn’t yet know why she was cold.
I loved her relationship with her sister Rosanna. The two of them being there for each other at the magic school was great to see, and I appreciated getting an in-depth look at at least one of her familial relationships. It made me care for her more as time went on, which I was surprised was happening because I don’t usually warm up to characters like her.
Rosanna
“‘I am a hybrid. Half vampire, half wizard. Your mother is a werewolf. Quinlan is a werewolf, Miriam is also a hybrid, half werewolf half witch. Morgan is a vampire, River is a wizard, Jedidiah is a vampire, Jeremiah is a werewolf and Rosanna is a witch.’”
I liked Rosanna a lot, too, and her willingness to protect her human sister in the magic school. It was nice to see their relationship fleshed out. I did have an issue with Evelyn and Rosanna having so many siblings because it was a lot to keep track of, so it was nice that the author took one to expand upon.
Without going into spoilers, I want to give a quick comment on Rosanna’s reaction to the climax of the story. I think her reaction showed just how much she cared for Evelyn, and I loved seeing her feelings regarding it. I think the reaction was spot-on given what happened and showed just how close they are. It was amazing to see!
Ariel
“For the first time since entering the clearing, Ariel glanced around him. Blood and broken torn up bodies littered the ground. A feeling of dread ran through him.”
I had a little trouble understanding Ariel at first because his position in the story involved the complicated politics of their world, but as time went on, I started to understand that he was working to protect his daughters.
There was one scene I remember where he and Evelyn got to really be honest with each other about something that was bothering Evelyn, and seeing Ariel really open up made me feel better about their relationship.
Structure
Okay, so we see worldbuilding from Ashton right away in some brief exposition about the politics of the world of the story. Like I said, I didn’t connect with the worldbuilding right away and the plot at first moved a little too fast for me. This is an issue because I was thinking that I didn’t care about Evelyn yet.
It was only when we got time to slow down a bit and meet some other friends she’d made at the school that I really started to care. I felt tense and then upset at the climax, which is what I needed to feel. I’m concerned for Rosanna going forward, and I’m just wondering where Ashton is going to take this next!
Writing
Ashton’s writing was good enough that I eventually grew to care about the story being told. It did take some time, though. The writing is best (I think) in the action sequences that occur – I think Ashton is really good at those.
The dome cities were easy to see and get behind – I could imagine the world right away, and Ashton was able to pull me in right off with this dome city that Evelyn is not allowed to leave. The tension when she does leave is perfect and I was thinking the entire time that the king was not going to be happy. Seeing the fallout from that right away was great, too. Ashton knows how to get in a setup and payoff and both work well.
Conclusion
I’m still trying to decide if I want to move forward with this series. It’s interesting, but as I hinted before, the politics were a bit difficult to get behind and I feel like I still don’t fully understand it. That’s my major gripe with this story and even then it didn’t take away that much of my enjoyment of the story.
I think Ashton has created an intriguing world and some intriguing characters. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who wants to see how fantasy behaves when a little bit of reality is thrown into the mix. It makes for a very intriguing story!
So… a bit of a slow start, yes, but once this story got going, it got going!
Admittedly, I think it’s been quite a while since I read a straight, pure fantasy story. Growing up, one of my favorite series was The Children of the Red King series by Jenny Nimmo, which effectively introduced me to the genre and made me realize that I personally require a hook of some kind to stay invested, whether it be a mystery, a question, a character to latch on to, whatever. I think my last adult fantasy series was The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss, read back in 2018. Still waiting for the third book on that one.
My point with all this is, I think I’ve neglected my love for fantasy recently. I try to read stories across as many genres as possible, but this is one that as of late I haven’t touched.
So, when I was thrown into Ashton’s world head-on, it took me quite some time to get it, and I don’t think that’s the story’s fault at all. Let’s get into it!
Summary
The story opens and we are introduced to Evelyn in a dome city. Evelyn comes from a large family with a lot of power and when the king of her city starts threatening the people, she flees only to be caught and forced into a school for magical beings. But this school has challenges, and Evelyn must quickly learn who is on her side and who is not.
Can Evelyn survive this world she must live in, with other magical beings out to get her?
Thoughts
And again I’m conflicted…
I think part of the issue I had with this story (even though I liked it) was that it threw you into the action right away without really doing too much to talk a bit about the characters. The reason I found this an issue was because I was thrown into the action sequences immediately with little time to figure out who was who. The three characters I feel like I figured out were Evelyn, Rosanna, and their father Ariel.
That said, I still really enjoyed the story as the plot became clearer. Let’s look into this a little more!
Characters
Evelyn
“In the most southern city of Utopia, a dark haired, dark eyed teenage girl lay on her back on a grass verge, looking through the glass dome, up at the passing clouds. As she watched, the sun began to sink lower and lower in the sky, finally disappearing behind the distant mountains.”
It took me some time to warm up to Evelyn, mainly because she’s so cold at first. As the story went on, we figured out why and her surroundings with everyone around her out to get her also helped to explain it, but at first it threw me off because I didn’t yet know why she was cold.
I loved her relationship with her sister Rosanna. The two of them being there for each other at the magic school was great to see, and I appreciated getting an in-depth look at at least one of her familial relationships. It made me care for her more as time went on, which I was surprised was happening because I don’t usually warm up to characters like her.
Rosanna
“‘I am a hybrid. Half vampire, half wizard. Your mother is a werewolf. Quinlan is a werewolf, Miriam is also a hybrid, half werewolf half witch. Morgan is a vampire, River is a wizard, Jedidiah is a vampire, Jeremiah is a werewolf and Rosanna is a witch.’”
I liked Rosanna a lot, too, and her willingness to protect her human sister in the magic school. It was nice to see their relationship fleshed out. I did have an issue with Evelyn and Rosanna having so many siblings because it was a lot to keep track of, so it was nice that the author took one to expand upon.
Without going into spoilers, I want to give a quick comment on Rosanna’s reaction to the climax of the story. I think her reaction showed just how much she cared for Evelyn, and I loved seeing her feelings regarding it. I think the reaction was spot-on given what happened and showed just how close they are. It was amazing to see!
Ariel
“For the first time since entering the clearing, Ariel glanced around him. Blood and broken torn up bodies littered the ground. A feeling of dread ran through him.”
I had a little trouble understanding Ariel at first because his position in the story involved the complicated politics of their world, but as time went on, I started to understand that he was working to protect his daughters.
There was one scene I remember where he and Evelyn got to really be honest with each other about something that was bothering Evelyn, and seeing Ariel really open up made me feel better about their relationship.
Structure
Okay, so we see worldbuilding from Ashton right away in some brief exposition about the politics of the world of the story. Like I said, I didn’t connect with the worldbuilding right away and the plot at first moved a little too fast for me. This is an issue because I was thinking that I didn’t care about Evelyn yet.
It was only when we got time to slow down a bit and meet some other friends she’d made at the school that I really started to care. I felt tense and then upset at the climax, which is what I needed to feel. I’m concerned for Rosanna going forward, and I’m just wondering where Ashton is going to take this next!
Writing
Ashton’s writing was good enough that I eventually grew to care about the story being told. It did take some time, though. The writing is best (I think) in the action sequences that occur – I think Ashton is really good at those.
The dome cities were easy to see and get behind – I could imagine the world right away, and Ashton was able to pull me in right off with this dome city that Evelyn is not allowed to leave. The tension when she does leave is perfect and I was thinking the entire time that the king was not going to be happy. Seeing the fallout from that right away was great, too. Ashton knows how to get in a setup and payoff and both work well.
Conclusion
I’m still trying to decide if I want to move forward with this series. It’s interesting, but as I hinted before, the politics were a bit difficult to get behind and I feel like I still don’t fully understand it. That’s my major gripe with this story and even then it didn’t take away that much of my enjoyment of the story.
I think Ashton has created an intriguing world and some intriguing characters. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who wants to see how fantasy behaves when a little bit of reality is thrown into the mix. It makes for a very intriguing story!
March 19, 2022
Prey by Imogene Ashton was certainly a roller coaster. I had to take multiple emotion breaks as I devoured her writing.
TWs for Prey: violence, mention of rape/non-con, mention of the r word
Let's start with I loved about this book. The ending was a super jarring cliff hanger that made me scream "What's next!?" at the book. I loved the supernatural/ magic system that the witches in her book have. The way the werewolves were described as they changed from their human forms into their wolf forms were a delightful treat and the way that Evelyn continuously was breaking everyone's nose.
I found the toughest chapters to read were the first two. The concept of what Imogene was saying was very well thought out but could've been more developed and expanded upon. I had a lot of names thrown at me right out the gate and it was definitely confusing until I got further into the work.
The setting changes didn't blend well when . I felt as though I was constantly getting whiplash trying to figure out where the characters were.
That said I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on the second novel to see how the story unfolds.
TWs for Prey: violence, mention of rape/non-con, mention of the r word
Let's start with I loved about this book. The ending was a super jarring cliff hanger that made me scream "What's next!?" at the book. I loved the supernatural/ magic system that the witches in her book have. The way the werewolves were described as they changed from their human forms into their wolf forms were a delightful treat and the way that Evelyn continuously was breaking everyone's nose.
"Now fly Evie Bird. Fly and be free."
I found the toughest chapters to read were the first two. The concept of what Imogene was saying was very well thought out but could've been more developed and expanded upon. I had a lot of names thrown at me right out the gate and it was definitely confusing until I got further into the work.
The setting changes didn't blend well when . I felt as though I was constantly getting whiplash trying to figure out where the characters were.
That said I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on the second novel to see how the story unfolds.
June 21, 2022
Bloodlines distinguished someone’s worth. This fantasy, thrill story would bring you to a different world and rollercoaster of emotion. The twins Evelyn and Rosanna are from royalties of different races. Both powerful parents and ancestors but out of their children, only Evelyn was born human. Trying to face the hate of other clans for being who she is. She stood her ground and fought for what she thinks is right. Compassion for humans and never degrading them and being called worthless. She showed power, compassion, love, and bravery. Conquered outside of the shell she grew up. Battling for righteousness. Proving that uniqueness is power. That even though the world thinks that you are just big trash, you are still proving your worth and being the voice of the whole race. This story also showed that some leaders are not fit to be leaders but they are just all hungry for power. Thinking that superiority would bring them goodness. Evelyn and Rosanna are the best pair of twins that we could have wished for. Never-ending love till the end.
This story has the best plot twist and storyline that would make you fall in love with it. It will draw you into another dimension and fall deeply into the character’s emotion that you’ll feel so connected. Despite that I wasn’t a fan of fantasy stories right now, this novel awaken my concealed interest in this type of story. You’ll just see yourself crying especially at the end.
This story has the best plot twist and storyline that would make you fall in love with it. It will draw you into another dimension and fall deeply into the character’s emotion that you’ll feel so connected. Despite that I wasn’t a fan of fantasy stories right now, this novel awaken my concealed interest in this type of story. You’ll just see yourself crying especially at the end.
May 30, 2022
Actual rating is 3,5 ⭐ (spoilers!!)
The whole book's concept was incredibly intriguing and I couldn't get enough of the academy scenes (also very interesting) although a few things like the pace of the book kind of threw me off. Suddenly it would already be a week after an event (which I didn't see coming?) and I wasn't really enthusiastic or amused by Evelyn's sudden attraction with the prince. I feel like the author just tossed that in as a bit of romance for the heroine (who's main focus is over throwing their government). Plus I wasn't really happy about the ending when the author suddenly switched main characters? I get that they were sisters but I feel like their bond wasn't shown enough until the remaining chapters of the book. I mean its a plot twist I'll give her that but it didn't make me want to read the second book immediately. I think I'd recommend this book to readers who absolutely love the fantasy genre and is looking to admire the concept of the book rather than the actual plot.
The whole book's concept was incredibly intriguing and I couldn't get enough of the academy scenes (also very interesting) although a few things like the pace of the book kind of threw me off. Suddenly it would already be a week after an event (which I didn't see coming?) and I wasn't really enthusiastic or amused by Evelyn's sudden attraction with the prince. I feel like the author just tossed that in as a bit of romance for the heroine (who's main focus is over throwing their government). Plus I wasn't really happy about the ending when the author suddenly switched main characters? I get that they were sisters but I feel like their bond wasn't shown enough until the remaining chapters of the book. I mean its a plot twist I'll give her that but it didn't make me want to read the second book immediately. I think I'd recommend this book to readers who absolutely love the fantasy genre and is looking to admire the concept of the book rather than the actual plot.
April 2, 2022
(4.5)
Everything about this book is just wow!! The writing is gorgeous and descriptive, the characters, well majority of them, are likeable and the plot flowed smoothly.
Admittedly I did find it a bit challenging getting past the first few chapters (keeping up with the characters names and who turned into what) but after I caught up I was really impressed by the plot. Reading about vampires, werewolves, wildings, witches and wizards was riveting. It was even more exhilarating reading the vivid descriptions of the transformations.
This book did evoke mixed emotions in me; sadness, anger, remorse, anxiety which all made reading this book captivating.
With the shocking death of Evie (this was an unexpected twist), I am looking forward to see what Imogene Ashton has in store for us. Who will the next story revolve around?? The ending had me screaming. I honestly can't wait to see who took Rosie...
Overall, Imogene did meet and exceed my expectations.
Everything about this book is just wow!! The writing is gorgeous and descriptive, the characters, well majority of them, are likeable and the plot flowed smoothly.
Admittedly I did find it a bit challenging getting past the first few chapters (keeping up with the characters names and who turned into what) but after I caught up I was really impressed by the plot. Reading about vampires, werewolves, wildings, witches and wizards was riveting. It was even more exhilarating reading the vivid descriptions of the transformations.
This book did evoke mixed emotions in me; sadness, anger, remorse, anxiety which all made reading this book captivating.
With the shocking death of Evie (this was an unexpected twist), I am looking forward to see what Imogene Ashton has in store for us. Who will the next story revolve around?? The ending had me screaming. I honestly can't wait to see who took Rosie...
Overall, Imogene did meet and exceed my expectations.
March 19, 2022
“Fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. Bring justice to the ones who deserve it. Be the girl my son died to protect”
Quick story time…
A twitter book account messaged me to read some books and they made me choose on what to read first. I chose this because the blurb seems interesting and I wasn’t wrong. This book is underrated and idk why because it’s good. I'm not a big fantasy reader, but if you're new to the genre, this is a good book to start.
The characters are easy to like, but it's the family relationships that truly drew me in. Evenlyn's siblings relationship is one of my favorites since they would go through anything for Evelyn to not die or go through something difficult just for her to not feel alone. They didn’t hesitate to trust her and they didn’t question her plans. And I hate Diego. There’s that. I really hate you grr.
‼️ SPOILER ‼️
What I don’t really like is how Evelyn died bcs the story is getting good and there goes her death… She died so easy and… just like that? Just like that?? She deserved a good death like it would be good if there is a small twist and effort.
Overall, I loved this book. Can’t wait to read the next one and I still have high hopes for it.
Quick story time…
A twitter book account messaged me to read some books and they made me choose on what to read first. I chose this because the blurb seems interesting and I wasn’t wrong. This book is underrated and idk why because it’s good. I'm not a big fantasy reader, but if you're new to the genre, this is a good book to start.
The characters are easy to like, but it's the family relationships that truly drew me in. Evenlyn's siblings relationship is one of my favorites since they would go through anything for Evelyn to not die or go through something difficult just for her to not feel alone. They didn’t hesitate to trust her and they didn’t question her plans. And I hate Diego. There’s that. I really hate you grr.
‼️ SPOILER ‼️
What I don’t really like is how Evelyn died bcs the story is getting good and there goes her death… She died so easy and… just like that? Just like that?? She deserved a good death like it would be good if there is a small twist and effort.
Overall, I loved this book. Can’t wait to read the next one and I still have high hopes for it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2023
Dystopian reality meets family drama, destiny and the supernatural. Prey covers all the thrilling basics of a fantasy novel with notable characters, mysterious plotlines and throws in strong female protagonists to add some dazzle to the razzle.
Evelyn epritomizes strength, determination and rebellion as she starts on a quest to solve the mystery of what is being hidden from them, discovers who she really is and gets caught up in the machinations of powerful forces hellbent on controlling what's left of the population to suit their own agenda.
Unravelling the complicated family dynamics while keeping track of the events keeps the reader both engaged and entertained. If you enjoy the supernatural/fantasy genre this is an excellent weekend or vacation read.
Evelyn epritomizes strength, determination and rebellion as she starts on a quest to solve the mystery of what is being hidden from them, discovers who she really is and gets caught up in the machinations of powerful forces hellbent on controlling what's left of the population to suit their own agenda.
Unravelling the complicated family dynamics while keeping track of the events keeps the reader both engaged and entertained. If you enjoy the supernatural/fantasy genre this is an excellent weekend or vacation read.
April 16, 2022
250 years ago after grace wars the survivors living under a dome. Outside vampires and those humans infected by radiations are living. It's dangerous to see what's outside. Evelyn have a secret which is kept from her.
Now she joined this school in which she learns about things.
I liked the world building . pace of the story. The end is cliffhanger. And dialogues are good.
First two chapters are confusing.
Overall a good fantasy book.
Now she joined this school in which she learns about things.
I liked the world building . pace of the story. The end is cliffhanger. And dialogues are good.
First two chapters are confusing.
Overall a good fantasy book.
June 6, 2022
I did enjoyed this book very much I love the characters in this book I given this book a five 🌟. The author is awesome I wish her well in the next book I do recommend this book who love fantasy
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews