Review: The Amethyst Kingdom

The Amethyst Kingdom by A.K. Mulford
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review 

She hated the very sight of him. 

The Amethyst Kingdom is book five in The Five Crowns of Okrith series and brings us the conclusion. As it's the last book, I do not suggest jumping in here, you'd be extremely lost. If you're a reader of the series, then you're probably anticipating the last kingdom crowning their ruler and the violet witch that has been plaguing Okrith through the whole series, getting her comeuppance. As has been the style of this fantasy series with humans, Fae, and witches, each book centers on characters working out a romantic relationship and here we have Lady Carys and Lord Ersan, two Fated mates who were separated when Carys saw his keeping a secret from her as lying and have spent the last couple years apart. 

Last we spoke. She hated the way he said it. He made it sound like they were old friends who'd simply lost touch and not Fated mates who were split apart in a brutal breakup by his lies. 

This pretty much starts up right where book four left off, The Eastern Court trials to pick who will wear the crown for the Eastern Kingdom are about to start. The trials work to bring Carys and Ersan together, Carys has been in the East working to stabilize their kingdom and is all but their queen already but must go through their tradition. Ersan shows up to compete in the trials, claiming he just wants the crown, even though he is a Lord in the Southern Court. As this was all told from Carys' point-of-view it was extremely hard to get to know Ersan, he's definitely more to the side in the first half. All the reader really knows is that at the bequest of her father, he never told Carys about her halfling (half human, half Fae) sister and refuses to fully explain why he, in Carys' eyes, lied to her. The first half has two of the trials performed and the lingering danger of Monroe, the violet witch, but it felt a little slow going as I knew this was the book to wrap up the whole series and the build up of Monroe finally making an appearance and pretty much zero movement on the romance front, felt glacier moving. 

That's who they'd always been to each other---swinging between light and dark, love and hate. 

The middle had Monroe getting captured, creating a very anti-climatic feeling but finally movement on the romance front with Carys and Ersan being paired up on the trials and going out on the road together. While they finally spend some time together, Ersan's character still didn't get flushed or felt out to me, as it was a constant Carys being mad that he won't tell her why he lied and him just gritting his teeth and not talking; this was the epitome of if they'd Just Talked/Big Misunderstanding. The reasoning gets more flushed out towards the end as both talk about their past selves when younger and how spoiled and self-centered they were and Carys mental health issues, struggling with depression, get worked into the reasoning but it honestly got dragged out far too long for me. 

It was time to kill that witch once and for all. 

The later second half ramps up the action when past characters all come back to the Eastern Court and Monroe makes her final move to have violet witches take the crown. It was great to see past characters, there were some battle scenes to deliver action and emotion and while initially Monroe's appearance felt anti-climatc, there was a final scene to deliver the emotions you'd want after reading five books leading up to this battle. 

His eyes dipped to her mouth. “Some might call it Fate.” 

This would probably be the one where I thought the romance was the weakest, I never felt Ersan showed up enough here, but it had multiple open door scenes in the second half if you're looking for more physical over emotional (I typically need to feel their emotional connection so I can feel the heat in their physical). The first half was pretty slow going with the trials feeling like something they didn't necessarily need to be focusing on when the big villain of the whole series, Monroe, was directly in the picture and in fact, the trials get pretty much forgotten in the end in favor of the final Monroe showdown battle. A must read if you've followed along on this journey for the battle of the Okrith kingdoms but just prepare for slower going until the final showdown.

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Reading Update: Page 1

 

It's May 1st (happy May Day), it's a Wednesday (hump day), I've got a plate of brownies, and I'm starting the last book in The Five Crowns of Okrith series (I've been waiting for these two to get their HEA)! 

The trials for the Eastern Court are finally starting and exes Carys and Ersan have entered the competition. Carys wants the crown and become queen to keep her family members safe, while Ersan is hoping to cure his shattered heart after losing Carys. 

It's second chance at destined love, while the purple witch that has been gaining power since the beginning of the series, is finally making her appearance. 

This has been a great fantasy series (book 4 was my fav read of 2023!) and while I don't think you could just jump in here with book 5 (I jumped in at book 3 and didn't have too big a problem), you definitely want this series on your radar. 

The Amethyst Kingdom by A.K. Mulford pre-order (May 14th) link

Fudgy Brownies

Peanut Butter Cheesecake frosting

Review: A River of Golden Bones

A River of Golden Bones by A.K. Mulford
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars 

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review 

Rumors had swirled for years that the last of the Gold Wolf line yet lived, that the Marriel princess named Briar had survived the fateful night of her birth . . . but no one whispered about another named Calla 

A River of Golden Bones begins the trilogy about Aotreas, a land ruled by four Wolf Kingdoms. With a little bit of Sleeping Beauty inspiration, the story is told all from Calla, the secret twin sister of the Crimson Princess. Hidden in a small-town with a faery, backed by the power of their mother's dying wish, Calla has grown up learning to fight and protect her sister, who is betrothed to the Prince of the Silver Wolves, Grae. Calla and Grae were childhood friends until he had to leave for school and stopped writing her letters but he's back now that the sisters will be turning twenty and his marriage with the Crimson Princess is to take place. With the marriage, Grae's father says they'll help fight to take back the sister's Golden Wolf Kingdom from the evil sorceress Sawyn, who killed their parents and have been hiding from, and announce Calla's existence. 

I was meant to pledge my loyalty to King Nero that night, but I ran. If Grae came with me, he’d be picking sides. I’d take away his family, his pack, and ultimately his life. 

When the sisters get to Grae's kingdom, it becomes apparent that the king hasn't been fully honest and doesn't plan on helping them take back their kingdom but instead mine the gold on the boarder to enrich his own kingdom. The night of the wedding ceremony also throws all kinds of wrenches into everyone's plans when it's revealed that the Crimson Princess has a fated mate that is not the prince, along with Calla and Grae learning that they are fated mates. Wolves are a traditional society and messing with fated mates is frowned upon but while everything is in chaos, Sawyn makes an appearance and puts a sleeping curse on Calla's sister and takes the Crimson Princess' fated mate hostage. Calla wants to immediately go and fight Sawyn to free her sister but the king now wants to use Calla in her sister's place, leaving Grae in the middle and worried for Calla's safety. Concerned only for her sister, Calla runs away to travel to her home kingdom and fight Sawyn. 

Before, my destiny had just been daydreams, and now, it was real and raw and vicious. 

The vast amount of the story then becomes a road adventure where Calla joins up with a musical troop and learns that humans aren't everything wolves have made them out to be. Grae, along with two friends of his royal guard, meet up with them and Calla struggles with accepting to be his mate and how that fits into who and what she wants to be and get out of life. Some soldiers of Sawyn, Rooks, and Silver Wolf guards sent by Grae's father to bring them back, make appearances for some danger and battle scenes, while the push and pull Calla feels toward Grae has them working to develop their relationship, along with kissing for some romance. However, while the distant looming of Sawyn is always there, I would say this story is mainly about Calla and her struggling to learn how she wants to define herself. 

Wolves clung to tradition and, for some reason, I’d thought those traditions would keep us safe. Yet as soon as I stepped outside of that world, I realized how hollow it all was. It wasn’t for safety. It was for power. And not my power. 

With the help of the troop's leader, Ora, Calla gains some vocabulary and thought from humans, that the wolves' society didn't come equipped for her and Calla begins to gain knowledge, confidence, and strength in how she defines and views herself. This personal journey really felt like the main focus of the story and while the road adventure part helped flush out the worldbuilding for the continuing series, I did feel the middle of the story's pace dragged. The personal journey aspect did give this a little bit of YA vibes and I can see why some have tagged it as such but the romance that heats up hot in the latter second half (instead of open door bedroom you get open door wood scenes) would have me labeling this New Adult. There wasn't quite the adult intimacy in those scenes but straight to the raw; if you're looking for this would be awkward to read in public steam, they'd probably work but I like some deeper emotion in my romance. The aspect of the fated mates kind of took some of the journey of depth of emotion from these two and forced them to be together. Calla's constant misjudging of Grae's actions/emotions also started to strain and feel a bit forced to keep them apart. 

“Who knows who we could have been,” Grae whispered, the candlelight dancing in his eyes. “But I’m grateful for who you’ve become.” 

The last twenty percent has the group making it to Olmdere and the battle standoff with Sawyn. The ending does give a happily ever after for our main couple and their romance and since this author's previous series (The Five Crowns of Okrith) had each book showcasing a different romance couple but with a continued overarching world plot, I'm going to guess this is how this trilogy is going to go. There were two couples that seem like potential possibilities, two of Grae's wolf guards with humans from the troop. The fight to recapture Calla's kingdom may be over but to keep it seems to be the next battle as Grae's father and other wolf kingdoms might not like how Calla plans to rule with humans. If you're looking for more of a story about self-discovery than romance or fantasy but set in that world, this would be one to pick up. 

“I think we’ve just started a war.”

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Reading Update: 50%

 

Soup and fantasy for this Fall Saturday 

🍲⚔️🐺❤️ 

The first in a new trilogy, romance and adventure from an author I've really been enjoying lately! 

One of the last Golden Wolves, Calla is fighting to save her twin sister from a sleeping curse cast by an evil sorceress. 

She's also battling her feelings for her childhood friend, Prince Grae, who is her sister's betrothed, but quite possibly more to Calla. 

Werewolves, magic, battles, a little bit of sleeping beauty, and love! 

A River of Golden Bones by A.K. Mulford preorder (Dec. 5th) link

Vegetarian Ravioli Soup recipe

Highly recommend this one, loved it!

Review: The Evergreen Heir

The Evergreen Heir by A.K. Mulford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars 

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review 

They couldn't marry him. 

Picking up right were The Rogue Crown left off, we have Talhan Catullus winning the hand of Neelo Emberspear after a duel set up by Neelo's mother, the Queen of the Southern Court. This series is set in a fantasy world where fae, witches, and humans live in five kingdoms. Each book stars a different main couple but also continues the storyline of the battles and politics happening in the fictional Okrith, with a progressive plot of some mysterious enemy behind all the disruption in each kingdom. While I thought it would be challenging but possible to jump into the series like I did with book three, I think this fourth addition would have a lot of newcomers too lost to start here. 

A faceless storm was coming for their court, and they needed to unmask it before the South befell the same fate as the assassinated Western Court Queen. 

Growing up in the pleasure seeking Southern court, Neelo, who is nonbinary and has social anxiety, never felt comfortable with the sexual pleasure seeking and free use of drugs society their mother encouraged and actively participates in. They dress in black baggy clothes to try and not be defined by their body and always carries a book/s with them to be able to disappear in when they get overwhelmed. With their mother fading even faster because of a new tea brew that seems laced with an even more powerful drug than usual, the time for them to take the crown and rule is here but they don't want it. Their solution is to try and find out who is supplying the tea and get deliveries stopped to save their mother, but this leads to them uncovering a plot that ties into the book series continuing plot of kingdoms being upheaved and finally uncovering who is behind it all.

Neelo immediately relaxed their jaw. “Maybe you just make me nervous,” they muttered. 

“Maybe.” Laughter tinged Talhan's voice. “Maybe being nervous in this case is a good thing. Maybe you make me nervous too.” 

If you've read the previous books, the name Talhan Catullus “The Golden Eagle” will sound familiar. He's the fae's best warrior and fought in a big previous battle that almost left him dead. He's the twin brother of one of the female lead characters in book three and he was childhood friends with Neelo before they were separated by the wars starting. It's pretty obvious from the beginning that he loves Neelo and is just gently but stoutly never going to leave their side and simply waiting until they trust in his feelings and work through their emotional issues of self-worth. This is a slow burn romance that I could see some tapping their watch for Neelo to finally relent but there were enough cracking scenes from Neelo that I thought there was enough burn scenes to carry it to the finally giving in end. I mean, we get a library desk scene, steamy bath house, and others to tide readers over. 

“You know I'm not here for a crown or a title,” he whispered. 

While the first half had me highlighting passage after passage and I loved how Neelo and Talhan's relationship was developing, you're going to have to want to focus on that romantic plot pretty fully for some duration. I know some fantasy readers want action but that doesn't come until the latter end of the book. I did find the story slowing some in the second half with the slow part of the burning dragging out for some pages too many and the tie-in continuing plot of discovering who is behind the disruption of kingdoms also taking one too many scenes to finally get to. 

They dropped their eyes and Talhan reached out to bracket their cheek with his hand. His thumb slid under Neelo's jaw and tipped their chin up to look him in the eyes. “I'm not going anywhere,” he said. “Not even if you tell me to leave. That's just one more thing we'd have to disagree about. If I have to chain myself to a bookshelf to prove that, I will.” He lifted Neelo's chin higher and they smirked. “That's how much I belong with you.” Neelo shuddered and Talhan hummed. “Keep reading.” 

The latter second half brought in almost all the previous characters from the earlier books and we get a few action scenes. Since I haven't read the first two books in the series yet, I'm not sure if they were more action heavy and these middle two books have slowed down before the series ramps back up again with a last big battle but if you're looking for less battle heavy fantasy with a starring main romance couple, this would definitely be for you. I liked the interaction and relationships all the characters seem to have and while I enjoyed how much we got of Neelo and Talhan, I would have liked to have these previous characters show up more because of how well they work as an ensemble. 

“You are mischief, Neelo Emberspear, and I love it. No one else gets to see it: the boat-commandeering, book-stealing mischief-maker you are. But that's who you've always been around me and you never have to change.” 

His footsteps didn't pause as if he was just casually chatting, but his words made Neelo feel like they were free-falling. They were mischief...and he loved it. There was something about them that Talhan Catullus loved. 

This was told all from Neelo's point of view but, like I said, Talhan's feelings were obvious from the beginning. I loved how quiet, reserved, kind of grumpy Neelo paired with outgoing, gregarious Talhan and how Talhan especially saw Neelo for who they were and liked them because of it and treated them the way they wanted to be treated, all while just waiting for Neelo to finally be able to grow to a place that they could accept Talhan's love. There were times of frustration by Talhan, but he was always there in the ways Neelo needed him to be. 

“There is only one person who can wield this magic over me.” His eyes pinned Neelo with a heated look. “You are a magic all your own, Neelo Emberspear. I've known it my whole life.” 

Along with Neelo finally accepting the love from Talhan and taking their rightful place in the Southern Court, the ending names the villain and gives the reason for why they're doing what they're doing. It's clear that the battle for the Eastern Court is next and I have a feeling Talhan's sister Carys and a certain Southern Court Lord of Arboa, Ersan, who once broke Carys' heart might be the main couple of that story. I'll be curious about that second chance love story, if a reappearing past villain will become King of the Fae, and if a violet witch will make do on her revenge.

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50%

Neelo huffed, nuzzling their face deeper into Talhan's jacket. "Well, at least on that we can agree."

"We can agree on a lot of things," Talhan mumbled to himself.

Silence hung between them for a moment, and they knew it was true. Neelo and Talhan had always gotten along. During all the parties and weddings and celebrations of their childhood, the unlikely friends always seemed to end up in a corner somewhere. The Golden Eagle would bring Neelo a tray of food he'd stolen from the banquet and Neelo would sit beside him, dancing and reveling. The life of every party. 

But there would always be that moment between them. Always. Where it was just the two of them tucked in a corner, sitting quietly enjoying each other's company. Neelo could never admit how much they cherished those quiet moments together, nor admit how they regretted how often they'd push him away.

He was just a friendly person. Just pitied them. He was just that nice to everyone.

Just. 

They had a million reasons for it, excuses they could use to deny what they felt, but there was a little spark, a little question that lit within Neelo every time Talhan sat beside them:  Maybe he likes me. Maybe he really does just want to be here. With me.

And...

"I could like dancing," Neelo hedged. "If people weren't watching me, maybe."

"We need to find a dark corner some time to test out that theory," Talhan said with a grin. He swirled his bread in his stew again, before adding more quietly, "I like being touched."

Neelo frowned, staring straight down at their bowl and they knew Talhan's statement was, in fact, a question. A thought popped into their mind and before they could think better of it, the words came spilling out. "I don't like being touched...by most people." Neelo's hands stilled and they whispered, "But...I think I'd like it if you touched me."

Talhan paused for so long that Neelo's stomach sank and embarrassment burned through them. But Talhan finally flashed a shy smirk and bit into his bread. "I think so too."

Neelo's toes curled in their boots.

The underlining emotion in the scenes between these two, HELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

25%

"You fit so well in the Southern Court." Neelo frowned, walking off at full speed, uncaring of Talhan followed. "Everything is just fun and games with you all, isn't it?"

"Not everything." Talhan easily fell into stride, his long legs eating up the distance between them. "There are some things I take seriously. My oaths and duties, protecting my friends, keeping my promises."

"Don't make any promises to me, then."

"I already have," Talhan murmured, "you just don't know about them yet."

Gah! I can't handle the sunshine Talhan calmly, lightly being there and just waiting for grumpy Neelo to notice. Driving me crazy in the best way.

Reading Update: Page 1

 

The fourth in The Five Crowns of Okrith series! 

We got glimpses of Neelo in the fourth and I can't wait to dive into their story. 

Neelo doesn't want to take the throne even though their mother's health is fading and they would love to get out of their arranged marriage. But their duty can't be put off forever. 

Struggling to keep it all together, Neelo is surprised to grow close to their husband to be. Witch uprisings, growing affections, and a court to keep together, this non-binary heir has a lot to contend with.  

The Evergreen Heir by A.K. Mulford (June 13th) purchase link

Chili-Honey Chicken and sweet potatoes with cilantro yogurt recipe

I made two separate batches of the sauce to coat the chicken and sweet potatoes for more taste. 

Review: The Rogue Crown

The Rogue Crown by A.K. Mulford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars 

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. 

The Western Court Queen is dead. 

Third in the Five Crowns of Okrith series, The Rogue Crown, follows Briata Catullus as she travels to the Western Court after being called for help by her friend and casual lover Delta. Delta is the Captain of the Queen's Guard and has been injured after a fatal attack on the Queen. Delta wants Bri to help find out who orchestrated the attack and protect the heir, Princess Abalina. I know third in a fantasy series can seem like an intimating place to start and I was nervous but the author smoothly incorporated details of the world and character relationships that didn't use info dumping but worked to catch me up and place me in the world. New readers could start here but as I enjoyed this one so much, I'm definitely going back to the beginning and reading how this all started. 

The Eagle will seize the crown from its sovereign. 

After reading and gaining a foothold in this story, one of the aspects I found myself getting excited about is how this series seems to be laid out overall. The five crowns series title calls out the five courts that make up Okrith. The High Mountain Court (book 1 – Remy and Hale), Northern Court (2 – Rua and Renwick), Western Court (3 – Bri and Lina), Southern Court (possible 4 with possible Talhan and Neelo), and Eastern Court (possible 5 with possible Carys and ?). I've been dying for an adult fantasy romance series that is laid out like this, each individual book focuses on a main couple but the books link together through a continuous story thread. From what I can gather from starting in book 3, a Northern King fell leaving all five courts in disarray and each court is trying to stabilize while one of our main villains, Augustus Norwood is trying to get any and all crowns he can. It's a fantasy world of witches (their different colored magic signifies what kind of witch they are, healer, gardener, seer, etc.), fae, and humans set in a Medieval-ish time. And since this is fantasy, we've got to have our prophecies. When Bri was born with her twin brother Talhan, it was prophesied that the “Eagle will seize the crown”. This freaked out the Western Queen, Bri's birthplace, and the Queen banished Bri's family, making Bri's mother extremely bitter and for the rest of Bri's life trying to shape her into someone who would eventually destroy the Western Queen and return her family to glory in the West. 

They were hunting masked assassins and a deranged prince with violet witch magic. 

The first half of this definitely leaned more into the fantasy and setting up the micro singular book issue of Bri trying to fret out who the witch hunters in the lion masks were that attacked and killed the Western Queen with some kind of violet poison and guarding Lina. The macro issue being the overall series thread of Norwood's villainy hovering around and if he's connected to the Queen's death. There's credible red-herrings with secondary characters, possible jilted wife, the head brown witch healer, council members, fiancé, guards, and Norwood for Bri to investigate. Of course, we also get the romance sparking up as Bri has to guard Lina and it starts off as a slow burn. I thought the investigation sputtered around some as there was a good amount of other minor story threads going around, Lina being a sort of Robin Hood (did we really need this?), and I wish the investigation plot could have been focused on with more concrete action. When the search for answers takes them to a library in the Southern Court, I really felt the sputtering as the pace slowed some but in this second half the romance heats up and we get open door (in the stables! in the library!) payoff to that slow burn. 

“I wish you didn't make it so hard to hate you.” 

“I wish you'd stop hating me,” Bri countered, her eyes dropping to Lina's parted, breathless lips. 

The later second half brings in Bri's brother and friends that were in the previous books and we get a gang is all together again that I'm sure series readers will enjoy; it made this newbie want to immediately read Remy and Hale's book. Bri and Lina have their late act angst breakup and then we get some battle scenes that I was waiting for in an otherwise more quiet story. Not having read the previous books, I'm not sure if they were more battle/action heavy and this book's tone would be a welcome calm reprieve in the series overall, or if they're all more toned quietly. For a fantasy story, I was expecting more battle action and while there were some action skirmishes, I can see some finding this too quiet for a book that has a battleaxe on the cover. I'll be curious when I go back to read the previous books how this fits into the series. 

“Isn't it obvious? You've seen that purple smoke.” His eyebrows lifted as he flashed an unsettling grin. “The violet witches are back.” 

I thought the ending reveal of this story's villain was a bit too fast, I like to savor moments that have been the story's main lead-up, but fit into the overall series thread. It connected the hovering Norwood while also bringing in some answers about the violet witches that have been thought long dead. There was also a great lead-in to, what I think is going to be book 4, concerning Bri's brother Talhan and the heir to the Southern Court. 

“Why are the best things the ones we're too afraid to get right?” 

There was repeated usage of “smirked” and “snickered” in the beginning that was almost starting to drive me crazy but, thankfully, died off deeper in the book, so hang on if that bothers you. The first half leaned more fantasy and the second half delivered on the promise of the slow burn between Bri and Lina. I wish there could have been more balance between the two elements of fantasy and romance throughout, instead of the halved feeling but I greatly enjoyed their story and the overall series world-building. It's not urban fantasy but I can see the cross-over love from Ilona Andrews' fans to this sword and sorcery fantasy series. Each book delivering a romance while the series follows a continuing world-building and story thread, sign me up. 

“I don't care what the Fates whisper; all I hear is your name.”

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40%

 

Bri waited to speak until Lina opened her eyes again. She held Lina's midnight gaze as she whispered, "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise you that."

"Of all the people I shouldn't believe, it's you." Lina yawned, her eyes fluttering closed again. "But I do believe you, for what it's worth, enemy or no."

"I'm not your enemy," Bri whispered, her eyes drifting closed.

"No." Lina's voice grew distant, the undertow of sleep pulling on her every word. "But neither are you my ally. You are something entirely your own, Briata Catullus. I just wish I knew what."

Reading Update: Page 1

 

Am I crazy for starting with book 3 in a fantasy series? Maybe! Possibly! But excited to jump in. 

Bri is a young fae warrior investigating the murder of her queen and trying to protect the princess. Bri just might also be falling for the princess. Oooooh! 

Fae, danger, romance, and a grilled cheese sandwich for me this afternoon! 

The Rogue Crown by A.K. Mulford preorder (Oct. 25) link

Garlic Naan Grilled Cheese recipe