The Island of Glass Shimmered Like a Jewel

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Stars of Fortune and Bay of Sighs, or don't mind knowing spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Island of Glass~
The Guardians Trilogy
Book 3
By Nora Roberts
Amazon ~ Powell's

As the hunt for the Star of Ice leads the six guardians to Ireland, Doyle, the immortal, must face his tragic past. Three centuries ago, he closed off his heart, yet his warrior spirit is still drawn to the wild. And there’s no one more familiar with the wild than Riley—and the wolf within her…

An archaeologist, Riley is no stranger to the coast of Clare, but now she finds herself on unsure footing, targeted by the dark goddess who wants more than the stars, more than the blood of the guardians. While searching through Irish history for clues that will lead them to the final star and the mysterious Island of Glass, Riley must fight her practical nature and admit her sudden attraction to Doyle is more than just a fling. For it is his strength that will sustain her and give her the power to run towards love—and save them all…


It's finally come down to this. This was the story I was waiting for. I know, I know, a romance between a werewolf and an immortal sounds pretty darn steamy, right? Add their hot and cold chemistry to big climactic battles and a fairytale ending, and this book was certain to be my favorite. Right?

In These Waters, in the Songs, in the Sighs, the Star Waits

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous book, Stars of Fortune, or don't mind knowing spoilers for it.
SPOILER ALERT

~Bay of Sighs~
The Guardians Trilogy
Book 2
By Nora Roberts
Amazon ~ Powell's

Mermaid Annika is from the sea, and it is there she must return after her quest to find the stars. New to this world, her purity and beauty are nothing less than breathtaking, along with her graceful athleticism, as her five new friends discovered when they retrieved the fire star.

Now, through space and time, traveler Sawyer King has brought the guardians to the island of Capri, where the water star is hidden. And as he watches Annika in her element, he finds himself drawn to her joyful spirit. But Sawyer knows that if he allows her into his heart, no compass could ever guide him back to solid ground...

And in the darkness, their enemy broods. She lost one star to the guardians, but there is still time for blood to be spilled—the mermaid’s in the water and the traveler’s on the land. For she has forged a dangerous new weapon. Something deadly and unpredictable. Something human.


Knowing the characters from the last book, I admit I wasn't too excited going into this one. The ditzy, child-like mermaid as the main romantic lead? Not really my idea of a great time. Still, I was at least interested in how the group as a whole would progress, and I didn't mind spending more time with Sawyer, so I went ahead and dove in.

Change My Fate, Break My Curses

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous book, All the Stars and Teeth, or don't mind knowing MAJOR spoilers for it.
SPOILER ALERT

~All the Tides of Fate~
All the Stars and Teeth
Book 2
By Adalyn Grace
Amazon ~ Powell's

Through blood and sacrifice, Amora Montara has conquered a rebellion and taken her rightful place as queen of Visidia. Now, with the islands in turmoil and the people questioning her authority, Amora cannot allow anyone to see her weaknesses.

No one can know about the curse in her bloodline. No one can know that she’s lost her magic. No one can know the truth about the boy who holds the missing half of her soul.

To save herself and Visidia, Amora embarks on a desperate quest for a mythical artifact that could fix everything―but it comes at a terrible cost. As she tries to balance her loyalty to her people, her crew, and the desires of her heart, Amora will soon discover that the power to rule might destroy her.


After reading the first book last year, I was eager to see how everything panned out for Amora and the Keel Haul crew. What with the Barracudas being unceremoniously dropped, the semi-dystopian world reveal, and Amora being cursed to be close to a man (torture, am I right?), there were quite a few threads left to explore. And so after (a slightly pained experience of) reacquainting myself with the series, I was ready to dive into the sequel and conclusion to this series.

Many Will Seek the Stars, the Power, the Fortune, and the Fate

~Stars of Fortune~
The Guardians Trilogy
Book 1
By Nora Roberts
Amazon ~ Powell's

Sasha Riggs is a reclusive artist, haunted by dreams and nightmares that she turns into extraordinary paintings. Her visions lead her to the Greek island of Corfu, where five others have been lured to seek the legendary fire star, part of an ancient prophecy. Sasha recognizes them, because she has drawn them: a magician, an archaeologist, a wanderer, a fighter, a loner. All on a quest. All with secrets.

Sasha is the one who holds them together—the seer. And in the magician, Bran Killian, she sees a man of immense power and compassion. As Sasha struggles with her rare ability, Bran is there to support her, challenge her, and believe in her.

When a dark threat looms, the six must use their combined powers—including trust, unity, and love—to find the fire star and keep the world on course.


I picked this up completely by chance. Never having read anything by Nora Roberts, I only know what I've heard from friends and family (who read her almost religiously) and the fact that her books are literally everywhere. Honestly, I was more interested in reading her new dragons series, but as that is still a series-in-progress, I decided to try another of her semi-recent completed fantasy series as my official introduction to the bestselling romance genre. Plus it fulfills one of the prompts for this year's reading challenge, so even if I didn't like it it's still a win.

Their True Magnificence Shines Beneath the Stars

~All the Stars and Teeth~
Book 1
By Adalyn Grace
Amazon ~ Powell's

Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice.

She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer—the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder—and more peril—than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.


Recommended as a YA Book Club pick by my local bookstore, Jan's (Paperbacks), I picked this up partly for the cover and partly for the premise. I've never read anything featuring mermaids before and figured it was worth a shot. Little did I know, a mermaid doesn't show up until nearly halfway through the book.

What's "Normal" Anyway?

First off, this was my first Advance Reader Copy (ARC), and boy, am I really glad I got it! I won it as part of a giveaway held by Alexandra Shostak at her blog. Honestly, it was in great shape, and I only found a couple typos, which I'm sure will have been fixed for the official release. Now that the book's about to be released, I'm not sure what to do with this ARC... Suggestions?

Anyway, without any further ado...

~Paranormalcy~
Book 1
By Kiersten White
Amazon ~ Powell's

Evie is not your normal teen, even though she'd like to think of herself that way.

First of all, she lives underground in a massive government complex. She doesn't know anyone her own age. She doesn't go to high school. She works pretty much round the clock. Oh, and did I mention she works with paranormals?

That's right. Vampires, werewolves, fairies, mermaids: they're all real. And Evie can see them all, no matter what type of glamour they try to fool normal humans with. Which makes her pretty valuable to her bosses at the IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency). She'd love to live a normal life, or even the kind of life she sees on TV, but she doesn't see that happening anytime soon. And really, as long as she can keep her pink taser, Tasey, she's pretty content.

But when a new type of shapeshifter breaks into the IPCA, her ex-boyfriend starts acting strangely (even for a fairie), and paranormals start turning up dead she's forced to reconsider her situation. As a teenager, as a girl, and as a human...