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Showing posts with label Novella. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Novella. Show all posts

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Review: Death and Night by Roshani Chokshi


Death and Night by Roshani Chokshi
Book 0.5 of The Star-Touched Queen series
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: May 2, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Before The Star-Touched Queen there was only Death and Night.

He was Lord of Death, cursed never to love. She was Night incarnate, destined to stay alone. After a chance meeting, they wonder if, perhaps, they could be meant for more. But danger crouches in their paths, and the choices they make will set them on a journey that will span lifetimes.

What I Liked:

Usually I don't bother with novellas, because they're always too short and not really worth the money. ($2.99 for 60 pages? I'm good.) However, when I was invited to read/review this novella, I didn't think twice. I liked The Star-Touched Queen and loved A Crown of Wishes. Friends, this novella was absolutely wonderful, definitely something you don't want to miss if you enjoyed Chokshi's full-length novels.

Death and Night is the story of the Dharma Raja, the god of death, and Night, an immortal being who sells dream fruits and weaves night. The Dharma Raja has been cursed never to love, but he is tasked with finding himself a wife - a queen. He dare not fall for her though. He seeks out Night, who rejects him without a second thought. But Night captivates Death, Death captivates Night, and this is their story.

As usual, Chokshi's writing was lovely and mesmerizing. I don't know how she does it! I was captivated from the start. Sometimes I would go back and reread a scene just to experience it again, not because I needed clarity. I also love her storytelling! And how there are always tales within the story, and how those tales circle back into the main plot. 

I love the South Asian representation! Being Indian, I always get excited to see South Asian protagonists in books written by South Asian authors. You can really see and feel the Indian influence in this book, from the vocabulary to the lore to the mode of dress. 

I'm going to be honest - while I enjoyed The Star-Touched Queen, I didn't LOVE it, especially parts of the romance. I wasn't totally smitten by Amar and Maya's romance. So I was slightly worried that I wouldn't enjoy the romance in this book, because Amar and Maya are reincarnations of Death and Night. In other words, this is the original story, the original incarnations. But I shouldn't have been worried! I loved this love story, as short as it was, more than I loved Amar and Maya's.

This is probably because I loved the equal balance between Death and Night. Death is persistent and keeps visiting Night (with her permission), and they get to know each other well. Death is kind and sweet and thoughtful with Night, so different compared to what everyone thinks of him. Night is bold and fierce and lively, and she is careful with her heart. I liked that both characters go after each other, not just one doing the heavy lifting in the relationship. Death woos Night, but Night chases Death. It's a perfect tug-of-war, in my opinion!

I loved their banter and their chemistry, subtle as it was. I liked watching them fall for each other. Two months passes in this story, even though it does not seem like the story would be long enough for two months to pass. You can tell how much their relationship progresses though, with every scene featuring Death and Night together.  

There are several strong friendships in this book. Death has one friend, Gupta, who is funny and supportive. I love male friendships! Night has a sweet and lovely friend, Nritti, who gets her own happy ending. 

Speaking of happy endings, oh my heart! The ending of this novella is lovely, and exactly what I wanted it to be. I love that Death ran to Night, but Night also had to make a choice, and she chose Death. Perfect! They fought equally to be together, which I loved. LOVED.

What I Did Not Like:

I can't think of anything specifically! Maybe more kissing? More kissing is always good! 

Would I Recommend It:

Even if you're not a novella person (like me), I recommend this novella. It's over one hundred pages and includes a preview of A Crown of Wishes, which puts this file at about 150 pages. This novella does NOT necessarily give insight to The Star-Touched Queen, and it's not required to read in order to read the other books of the series. But it is a lovely addition to the series nonetheless.

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. This is definitely among my favorite novellas of all time! I felt incredibly satisfied after finishing, which is something I can't say after reading other novellas in the past. It was lovely to revisit this world and fall for Death and Night! I liked them more than Amar and Maya - and maybe as much as I liked Vikram and Gauri!


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Sunday, August 14, 2016

Review: The Scoundrel & I by Katharine Ashe


The Scoundrel & I by Katharine Ashe
Publisher: Billet-Doux Books
Publication Date: August 7, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC sent by the author

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

A sexy, heartwarming novella from the USA Today bestselling author of RITA® Award Finalists My Lady, My Lord and How to Marry a Highlander...

Printer's assistant Gabrielle Flood just made the worst mistake of her life.

Then handsome, dashing Captain Anthony Masinter came along...

And made it even worse.

And he's the last man on earth who can help her fix it.

Sometimes a disaster is exactly what two people need to fall in love.

* * *

The Scoundrel & I is a standalone spin-off novella from Katharine Ashe's acclaimed Falcon Club Series, with special BONUS MATERIAL: the complete correspondence of Lady Justice and Peregrine, including never-before-published letters. The publication sale price of 99¢ is for a limited time only.

What I Liked:

This. THIS is the classic Katharine Ashe that I absolutely love. Her Prince Catchers series was SO good, and I enjoyed each one. I didn't love her latest novel, The Rogue, which surprised me! It had been one of my most anticipated adult romance novels of 2016. But this novella seemed more like classic Ashe! I was enthralled by this story. 

Please note -- I received an electronic advanced reader's copy of this book from the author. This in no way affected my opinion of the book. 

Gabrielle Flood has done a terrible thing - she took the printing type set (whatever it's called) from her place of work without permission, and on her way home, she drops it when a horse and rider startled her. Now Elle is ruined, because her employer will let her go, because she was not supposed to touch the machine. She took it because her dying grandmother loves printing and the press, and it makes her happy to touch it. Elle doesn't expect to see the handsome stranger who nearly ran her over with his horse, but she does. Captain Anthony Masinter didn't know that he ruined Elle's life that night, and when he finds out, he is quick to try and help. Finding the missing pieces proves difficult, and so he gets creative. As the pair rush to find the pieces before the Brittle family get back.

I adored both Elle and Anthony! Elle is an intelligent woman who corrects Anthony's grammar all the time, which is cute (not annoying). She proofreads publications, including Lady Justice's publications, which are very popular. Elle is a no-nonsense type of woman, especially after having her heart broken by Jo Junior (one of Mr. Brittle's sons). She's closed off her heart to love. But she doesn't expect Captain Anthony Masinter to breeze into her life.

Anthony... oh Anthony. I think he's one of my favorite male protagonists of the adult romance novels I've read this year. Swoony does not cover how sigh-worthy he really is. Yes, he's handsome and he fills his Navy uniform really nicely and he's just nice to look at in general. What's more, he's incredibly honorable, determined, and a little stubborn. He wants to help Elle, even though it's pretty much her fault for taking the type setter in the first place. Anthony has a tough backstory, and he joined the Navy as a result, at age twelve. Twenty years later, he's back in England after he inherits property and a hefty amount of money.

The romance is SO wonderful! I loved seeing these two fall for each. With this being a novella, you'd think the romance would seem fast and instant. But Ashe crafts the romance beautifully, taking these two from a terrible start to a swoony end. There are bumps in the road, especially with Anthony's honor getting in the way, but I liked how things worked out. These two have great chemistry, and share some steamy moments (though there is only one sex scene). They also have a lot of fun together, with several great adventures and a lot of cute scenes. There is a tiny bit of drama and heartbreak at the climax of the book, but it's handled well and there isn't unnecessary drama associated with it.

Aaaaand, I *love* that Elle fights for Anthony! She is the one that messes up and creates that small drama at the climax, and she is the one that fixes things and fights for her man. I love seeing this! I love when a woman messes up, she takes responsibility and makes it right and fights. Good for her!

I haven't read any of Ashe's Falcon Club books, but I think fans of that series will love this book especially, because there are Lady Justice and Peregrine mentions all over this book! Including letters and such. 

I feel like I can't express just how much I adored this book! The romance was great, and I really liked Anthony, and I liked Elle a lot too. In Ashe's last book, I struggled to like the heroine. But in this book, I liked Elle and I loved Anthony. Ashe writes wonderful historical romance stories with strong heroines and swoony, respectful alpha heroes, and this novella does not disappoint.

What I Did Not Like:

More steamy scenes? Not a dislike, but more of a wish! Ashe's books are pretty steamy, and this one is, but I would have loved more than one sex scene! 

Would I Recommend It:

While this is a novella, it's pretty lengthy! The story feels very complete and the relationships and characters are well-developed and well-written. And I loved the romance! So much that I want to reread this story and experience it all over again.

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. I'm not sure I'd rate this 5 stars (it doesn't quite *feel* like 5 stars to me, and I usually reserve that rating for all-time favorites), but I think this book is better than 4 stars. This story was much more like I'm used to from Ashe, and I loved it!


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Monday, July 4, 2016

Release Day Blitz and Giveaway: Once Upon a Moonlit Night by Elizabeth Hoyt


Welcome to the release day blitz for Once Upon a Moonlit Night by Elizabeth Hoyt! The Maiden Lane series is one of my favorite historical romance series, and this novella is a wonderful addition to the series. Check it out!


About the Book:


Once Upon a Moonlit Night by Elizabeth Hoyt
Book 10.5 of the Maiden Lane series
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: July 5, 2016

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

From New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Hoyt comes a delightful Maiden Lane novella that begins once upon a moonlit night—and ends wickedly, wonderfully ever after...

Hippolyta Royle is running for her life. Pursued by hounds on a cold rainy night, the heiress flags down a passing carriage and throws herself at the mercy of the coach's occupant. Whoever this handsome traveler may be, he is her only hope to escape a terrible fate. But should he agree to escort her to safety, he's in for much more than he bargained for.

At first Matthew Mortimer doesn't believe Hippolyta's story, that she's a fabulously wealthy heiress who's been kidnapped. He assumes she's a beggar, an actress, or worse. But once his new travel companion washes the mud from her surprisingly lovely face, and they share a breathtaking kiss, there is no turning back.



About the Book:


Elizabeth Hoyt is the New York Times bestselling author of over seventeen lush historical romances including the Maiden Lane series. Publishers Weekly has called her writing "mesmerizing." She also pens deliciously fun contemporary romances under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with three untrained dogs, a garden in constant need of weeding, and the long-suffering Mr. Hoyt.


The Giveaway:

USA only, I believe!

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Review: Once Upon a Moonlit Night by Elizabeth Hoyt


Once Upon a Moonlit Night by Elizabeth Hoyt
Book 10.5 of the Maiden Lane series
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: July 5, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

From New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Hoyt comes a delightful Maiden Lane novella that begins once upon a moonlit night—and ends wickedly, wonderfully ever after...

Hippolyta Royle is running for her life. Pursued by hounds on a cold rainy night, the heiress flags down a passing carriage and throws herself at the mercy of the coach's occupant. Whoever this handsome traveler may be, he is her only hope to escape a terrible fate. But should he agree to escort her to safety, he's in for much more than he bargained for.

At first Matthew Mortimer doesn't believe Hippolyta's story, that she's a fabulously wealthy heiress who's been kidnapped. He assumes she's a beggar, an actress, or worse. But once his new travel companion washes the mud from her surprisingly lovely face, and they share a breathtaking kiss, there is no turning back.

What I Liked:

Oh how this book was fun, sweet, steamy, and heartwarming! The Maiden Lane series is one of my favorite historical romance series (if not my favorite). I was beyond excited to see that Hoyt would be publishing a novella - especially when it was revealed that Hippolyta Royle would be the protagonist. I LOVE how Hoyt places Hippolyta's story. 

You don't have to have read the previous books in the series to understand and enjoy this novella, but I recommend you read at least Duke of Sin (heck, the whole series, but Duke of Sin for sure). I mention book ten specifically because Once Upon a Moonlit Night starts exactly as a scene from Duke of Sin ends - with Hippolyta running from Ainsdale Castle, after Bridget rescues her and sends her away with a little money.

Hippolyta has been running from the hounds that are chasing her, courtesy of the duke who kidnapped her. She runs into the road and stops a carriage, owned by Matthew Mortimer. Matthew doesn't believe her when she says that she is Hippolyta Royle, the richest heiress in London, but he lets her in the carriage anyway. Matthew has just returned from traveling around the world; his cousins have passed away, and he has been left the earldom. But he doesn't tell Hippolyta all of that. No, he plans on dumping her off at the nearest posting in, and going about his business. But whether or not he thinks she is a beggar, he can't help but feel a little protective over her... and attracted to her. And Hippolyta can't help but feel safe with Matthew, and more than grateful. But what will happen when Matthew finds out that Hippolyta wasn't lying about who she was?

Ahhh, this novella was lovely. Usually I avoid novellas like the plague, but I love Elizabeth Hoyt and the Maiden Lane series, and there was no way I was missing Hippolyta's story. And it turned out to be so fun and so sweet!

Hippolyta is kind and a little innocent, but also a little regal. From the start, Matthew doesn't quite think she's a beggar, but he doesn't believe her when she says she's Hippolyta Royle. She is inquisitive and intelligent, and much more than a rich, pretty girl.

Matthew! He used to be Mr. Mortimer, a young cartographer. Now he is going to London to take on an earldom, and become the Earl of Paxton. Matthew is a little gruff, and he doesn't like Hippolyta at all, at first. In fact, he doesn't want anything to do with her. But something won't let him let her go.

The romance between these two is so fiery! It's a good hate-to-love romance, which I love. At first, Hippolyta is a little haughty yet desperate, and Matthew is irritated and in disbelief (but he doesn't ignore her pleas for help). It was so cute to see them go from absolute irritation and annoyance with each other, to passion and love. While this is only a novella, time does pass, enough for me to *believe* their relationship.

Half the story is spent on the road, with Matthew helping Hippolyta get to some posting in, and then Hippolyta's father finding her starts the second half. What ensues is a little bit of chaos! But I love how things worked out. Matthew and Hippolyta are such a sweet pair, passionate and caring and protective of each other.

Yes, there were some steamy scenes in this book. It's a novella, but there were at least two (maybe three?). Hoyt never skimps on those, which I love! *fans self*

Overall, this novella is totally worth the read. Hippolyta and Matthew are unlike any other couple in the Maiden Lane series - though you could say that each couple in the series is wholly unique (which is totally true!). I'm glad Hoyt decided to write about Hippolyta specifically!

What I Did Not Like:

Obviously I wanted MORE! I mean this in the best of ways.

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this novella, if you're a Hoyt fan, and/or fan of the Maiden Lane series. Historical romance fans should definitely give this series a chance! My personal favorite is Duke of Midnight, with Duke of Sin slightly behind. Only slightly!

Rating:

4.5 stars. I'm rounding down to 4 stars because you all know me and my pickiness about the 5-star rating. I am such a huge fan of this novella, and this series in general!


Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!
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