ARC Review: Stardust Child by Melissa J. Cave

Title: Stardust Child
Author: Melissa J. Cave
Series: Empire of the Stars #2
Genre: Romance/Politics/Fantasy
Publisher: Owl and Bear, LLC
Publication Date: April 11, 2025
Edition: Ebook
Source: NetGalley
Pre-Order: Amazon US 

Synopsis:

   A bloody summer ends in a dangerous harvest in Stardust Child, book 2 of the Empire of the Stars. Having come to terms with their marriage, Remin and Ophele face new challenges as Lord and Lady of the Andelin Valley, where the monstrous devils have wreaked havoc on their land.
   A perilous journey. Haunted by the terrible losses of his people, Remin is determined to unravel the mystery of the devils, even if it means gambling himself, his friends, and his future to destroy them forever.
   An untried ruler. No one realizes how unprepared Ophele is to take his place, as she takes her first steps into court politics and the complex duties of a duchess, struggling beneath the weight of her secrets and her divine inheritance as a Daughter of the Stars.
   A treacherous world. From the distant capital, the Emperor wages an undeclared war on House Andelin, and every new arrival in Tresingale might conceal a foe. As Remin’s knights move to counter him, they discover old enemies with new ambitions that may threaten their hard-won home.
   An epic story of courage, sacrifice, and the legacies of love. To protect their home and people, Remin and Ophele must embrace the burdens of their birthright in battles of the heart that will echo through the history of the Empire.

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ARC Review: The Prince Without Sorrow by Maithree Wijesekara

Title: The Prince Without Sorrow
Author:  Maithree Wijesekara
Series: Obsidian Throne #1
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: March 18, 2025
Edition: Digital
Source: NetGalley
Pre-Order: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | BAM | Bookshop | Kobo | Powell's |

Synopsis:

   A prince born into violence, seeking peace.
Prince Ashoka is the youngest son of the tyrannical Emperor Adil Maurya. Considered an outcast by his father for his rejection of the emperor’s brutal onslaught against the witches of the empire, Ashoka longs for change. When the sudden and unexpected death of his father leaves the monarchy in disarray, Ashoka is sent to govern a tumultuous region annexed by Emperor Adil that is terrorized by nature spirits—a task many see as doomed to fail. Suspected by a disdainful governor and evaded by distrustful witches, Ashoka must question his rigid ideals and fight against becoming the one person he despises the most—his father.
   A witch shackled by pacifism, seeking revenge.
Shakti is a mayakari: a witch bound by a pacifist code. After witnessing the murder of her aunt and village at the hands of the emperor, Shakti hurtles down a path of revenge, casting a curse with unexpected consequences. Posing as a maidservant in the famed palace of the Mauryas and armed with newfound powers beyond her imagination, Shakti attempts to dismantle the monarchy from within by having the royal progeny ruin themselves and turn their father’s legacy into nothing but ash.
   In a world where nature spirits roam the land, and witches are hunted to extinction, Ashoka and Shakti will be forced to grapple with the consequences of power: to take it for themselves or risk losing it completely.

Drawing on inspiration from the Mauryan Empire of Ancient India, debut author Maithree Wijesekara plunges readers into the first amazing book of the Obsidian Throne trilogy, a new fantasy series of hunted witches, romantic angst, and political intrigue. Perfect for fans of The Hurricane Wars and The Jasmine Throne.

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Review: Daindreth's Empress by Elisabeth Wheatley

Title: Daindreth's Empress
Author: Elisabeth Wheatley
Series: Daindreth’s Assassin #5
Genre: Fantasy Romance/
Publisher: Self-pub
Publication Date: September 09, 2024
Edition: eBook
Source: Library
Purchase: Amazon US | Author's site | 

Synopsis:

 An empire can have only one ruler.
   Amira Brindonu Fanduillion has been crowned alongside her husband, the rightful heir to the Erymayan Empire. They have survived assassination attempts and schemes within the palace to retake the throne and begin their reign. It appears to be their moment of victory, until reports of a rampaging demon horde reach them from the countryside.
   Vesha, Daindreth's mother and the former empress, has made a deal with a fallen goddess for the empire's protection. But no one wins a deal with demons and as the cythraul spiral out of Vesha's control, she grows more desperate by the day. She hopes that by freeing the fallen goddess, order will be restored—but at what cost?
   Alongside Thadred and their Istovari allies, Amira and Daindreth set out to stop Vesha and her demon horde, desperate to reach her in time. The stakes have never been higher, and they might lose far more than just the throne.
   As the very gods vie for control of the continent, Amira and Daindreth's work to bring peace might be over before it has even begun.
Daindreth's Empress is the thrilling conclusion to the Fantasy Romance Daindreth's Assassin series.  

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Review: Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner

Title: Sunbringer
Author: Hannah Kaner
Series: Fallen Gods #2
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: February 15, 2024
Edition: Kindle
Source: Library
Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | BAM | Bookshop | Powell's | 

Synopsis:

When Middren falls to the gods, your kind will be the first to die.
   Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren—but now they are stirring, whispering of war. Godkiller Kissen sacrificed herself to vanquish the fire god Hseth, who murdered her family and endangered her friends. But gods cannot be destroyed so easily, and Hseth’s power threatens to reform with even greater strength and a thirst for vengeance. As tensions rise throughout the land, the kingdom needs its Godkiller more than ever.
   Still reeling from the loss of Kissen, young noble Inara and her little god of white lies, Skedi, have set out to discover more about the true nature of their bond. As the divide between gods and humans widens, Inara and Skedi will uncover secrets that could determine the fate of the war to come.
   Meanwhile, Elogast, no longer a loyal knight of King Arren, has been tasked with killing the man he once called friend. The king vowed to eradicate all gods throughout the land, but has now entered into an unholy pact with the most dangerous of them all. And where his heart once beat, a god now burns.

*****

Review: Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

Title: Godkiller
Author: Hannah Kaner
Series: Fallen Gods #1
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Publisher: HarperVoyager
Publication Date: January 19, 2023
Edition: Kindle
Source: Library
Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | BAM | Bookshop | Powell's | 

Synopsis:

   Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren. Formed by human desires and fed by their worship, there are countless gods in the world—but after a great war, the new king outlawed them and now pays “godkillers” to destroy any who try to rise from the shadows.
   As a child, Kissen saw her family murdered by a fire god. Now, she makes a living killing them and enjoys it. But all this changes when Kissen is tasked with helping a young noble girl with a god problem. The child’s soul is bonded to a tiny god of white lies, and Kissen can’t kill it without ending the girl’s life too.
   Joined by a disillusioned knight on a secret quest, the unlikely group must travel to the ruined city of Blenraden, where the last of the wild gods reside, to each beg a favor. Pursued by assassins and demons, and in the midst of burgeoning civil war, they will all face a reckoning. Something is rotting at the heart of their world, and they are the only ones who can stop it.

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