Storm of the Seven Sins Review Spotlight

 

 The finale is here. The conclusion for Eva’s and Ari’s story has come, and it one that you’re not going to want to miss out on. Readers who have enjoyed this upper YA coming of age series will not want to miss on how it all ends.

True to form Storm of the Seven Sins will captivate readers with it’s gorgeous cover. The swirls and whorls help tie it to the rest of the series. While the cage and the key? Those are hints at what is contained within this book’s pages. The butterflies streaming out and flying free? A subtle wink and nod to the ending that readers can expect.

Storm of the Seven Sins picks up where book two, Siege of the Seven Sins, left off. The Executor? Has escaped. Those who were tasked with guarding him? Drugged, which points to only one who could have possibly done this. But he’s not the only one on the run. The Bellators who accompanied him and survived have also made good their escape. Now...chaos reigns.

Everyone knows the dangers that swirl all around them, but it stops none of the posturing. It also doesn’t stop any of the political gaming either. The Executor must be stopped by any means, but some deals will only be struck if certain parties stand to gain from it. Ah, the joys of politics. Yes? LOL!

Where Siege of the Seven Sins was packed with unrelenting chaos and upheaval, Storm of the Seven Sins slows things down quite a bit. Wondering just how much do things slow down? Well, this book shifts to a lower gear by focusing more on the drama between Eva and Ari. Ever since the Panther Prince came onto the scene things have been more than a little tense between our star-crossed pair.

The drama continues to unfold on a myriad of levels. You have Eva struggling with what she is, who she is, the politics of her situation, and the list just goes on and on. Then you have Ari. He’s tied himself to Eva as her familiar, but he truly loves her. All he wants is to love her in every way possible, but he can’t fight the differences between them. It’s a sticky situation that they find themselves in. How will this shake out?

Now, add in the other skuma. Oof. The drama with these “royals? Yeah, that is next level. LOL! Author Colin does a great job demonstrating how these particular characters have been set up high on a pedestal. They have been treated like royalty because of their abilities – their DNA. If it weren’t for that they’d be like all the rest. However, because of it they have been made to believe that they are better than rest and have acted accordingly.

Storm of the Seven Sins focuses heavily on Eva as she goes out of the frying pan and into the fire. It seems at certain moments that she just can’t win. However, it’s quite a few of her own brash choices that land her in hot water quite often.

Readers are going to appreciate how author Emily Colin paints Eva, Ari, and many of the other characters throughout this story. The characters are written so well you would think that they were real. Somewhere out there truly living their lives and doing the best that they can for themselves and each other.

While the majority of this book isn’t action packed, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t drama scattered throughout the story that will keep you page-turning to find out what happens next. Author Colin teases readers into a lull here and there, but then punches up the drama that quickly pulls you to the edge of your seat.

Since this is the final book in this series, readers are sure to expect an epic battle. Right? Because we all know the Executor is not going to go quietly into that long good-night. So, what is going to happen? Can you expect a big fight worthy of this series? The simple answer? - You better believe it!

We were concerned that we were going to get a “flash in the pan” and that then the author would wrap things up. You know how it goes. Some just don’t know how to write a good fight scene, so they skim over it and jump to something more “tantalizing.” Thankfully author Colin knew exactly what her characters needed and readers wanted.

Hoping for a happy ending? Well, you’re going to get it...and you’re not. True to form, this story stays as realistic as possible giving readers a mixed bag of a conclusion. You win some...you lose some. So, go ahead and grab the tissues because you’re going to need them.

While this is the end of Eva’s and Ari’s story, there is still the potential for more. Author Colin does drop hints that this could be the final story in the world of the “Seven Sins” but there is always the hope that we might be able to revisit these characters one day. We’ll just have to wait and see for now...and cross our fingers...and hope. LOL!

It has been a fun ride, an enjoyable series to have been able to read. Readers who enjoy fantasy novels with a touch of dystopian elements, then this is the series to delve into.

Pros:

• Engaging storyline
• Page-turner
• Realistic characters
• Epic battle
• Twists and surprises

Cons:

• None of merit

Cover Score: 9.8/10

5 out of 5 stars

Thank you to the author, Emily Colin, for the opportunity to read and review this book & series. We look forward to what comes next!  

The Good and the Green Review Spotlight

 

 The Good and the Green is a light cozy fantasy novel with a hint of romance that is the first in the Wilderise Tales. Readers who love a mix of cozy (yes, with a hint of mystery) and fantasy are not going to want to miss out on checking out this book.

The Good and the Green by Amy Yorke weaves a tale about a young human woman who aspires to a better tomorrow. She’s experienced loss with the passing of her father and watched how it dampened her mother’s spirits. But through their sacrifice in her younger years, she’s been able to get a decent job and make a living in the city. However, as things tend to go, rent goes up, everything becomes more expensive and life becomes all the harder. Sound familiar?

As our young heroine is contemplating how she and her orc friend, Rinka, are contemplating how they will fend off this latest rent hike of 8 gold, Alison receives a letter in the mail. It’s not the one she’s been expecting and hoping for, but it brings with it a promise. Will things go the way that she hopes or is she about to face yet another setback?

The Good and the Green, when it comes to the overall pacing of the story, leans towards the slower side. Author Yorke works to set the stage for the characters, and gives readers great detail when it comes to the locale and the characters that Alison meets along the way. While the pacing isn’t fast, the story moves along smoothly, so that is always a plus.

Alison’s goal concerning this windfall that she has received is to honestly offload it as quickly as possible. But in lieu of that, she’ll happily leave it in the capable hands of a renter. There’s just one not-so-small problem...vines. Lots of them. Curious yet? LOL! Well, it won’t hurt you to check out this story! It’s rather good ya know. But vines surround not just the place she’s heading to, but it surrounds quite a bit of the village as well.

The author pricks at your curiosity with this mysterious plant. What is the meaning of it? Is it dangerous? Honestly, when you get some background on it, it gives off Sleeping Beauty vibes. On the surface, it appears rather harmless, but it grows faster than the most determined weed! Author Yorke imbues this plant with some interesting attributes that really leave the villagers frustrated and us readers scratching our heads. Nevertheless, your curiosity will push you to keep reading to see how this all plays out.

The main character, Alison, meets a cast of characters in this small village, and one just so happens to catch her eye. The handsome Keir. He’s a bit reclusive and their first chance meeting happens to be a rather embarrassing one, but their paths are meant to cross and become entangled. They just don’t know it when they first meet.

Keir is written as a bit of a curmudgeon, but his past is filled with pain. Pain has haunted him well into his present day and potentially threatens his future if he’s not careful. What does that mean? Well, you’ll have to grab a copy of The Good and the Green to find out! LOL! It’s really worth the read, but you’ll need to exercise a touch of patience to get to that point in the story.

The pace of the story is like a winding river. You may get a touch impatient to get to the good parts, but the characters help to keep readers engaged. Well, more accurately, the side characters. Alison, unfortunately, isn’t the most engaging character, but most “number crunchers” rarely are. The side characters – Willow, Dinah, Gwenla, and many others bring sparks of life to the story. All the characters come together to weave a tapestry of a story where everyone contributes and no one really outshines the other. It’s an all-in-all nice balance that is struck thanks to the author’s skills.

Looking for some romance? Well, once again, be patient. It’s going to show up but it’s going to take time. You’ll see the attraction Alison has toward Keir, but you won’t see it reciprocated until you’re well past a certain point in the story. There will be no steamy situations either, so for those of you wondering...there ya go. LOL! It’s not a disappointment for this reader though. Sweet romances are always something nice, and a few sparks of passion add a little pizzazz as well.

Now, while this book is the first in a series, it reads like a standalone. You get a nice sweet ending, but with the promise that there will be more to come. The question arises from this – will the next book have a shift in main characters? Or will Alison and friends be making a return with fresh issues as a new “secondary” main character makes an appearance? For now? We’ll just have to wait and see what the author has in store for us.

One thing is for sure though – we look forward to a future return to Wilderise.

Thank you to the author, Amy Yorke, for the opportunity to read and review this book. We look forward to what comes next!

Cover Thoughts: 9.0/10

Overall Book Thoughts: 8.8/10

Grab your copy on Amazon US // GoodReads // Author's Page