Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas

Before I get into the book I want to tell you about the amazing shop I bought this book from. It's a small little indie shop in Seaside, Oregon.

It's called Beach Books and it's one of my favorite stops when I'm heading down to the beach. The YA section is small but amazing, up to date on all the latest titles with some older but amazing books thrown in.

Most of the time you can see a cat roaming around or (more often then not) lazily sleeping in the window. It's well organized and isn't over run with books. There's a lot of books but it's so neat that they aren't just cluttered everywhere. It's been around longer then I can remember and I wouldn't be surprised if it's older then me. If you ever visit Seaside this should defiantly be a stop you make.





Now on to the book.



Long May She Reign
Author: Rhiannon Thomas
Rating: 4.75
Synopsis: The Girl of Fire and Thorns meets The Queen of the Tearling in this thrilling fantasy standalone about one girl’s unexpected rise to power.

Freya was never meant be queen. Twenty third in line to the throne, she never dreamed of a life in the palace, and would much rather research in her laboratory than participate in the intrigues of court. However, when an extravagant banquet turns deadly and the king and those closest to him are poisoned, Freya suddenly finds herself on the throne.

Freya may have escaped the massacre, but she is far from safe. The nobles don’t respect her, her councillors want to control her, and with the mystery of who killed the king still unsolved, Freya knows that a single mistake could cost her the kingdom – and her life.

Freya is determined to survive, and that means uncovering the murderers herself. Until then, she can’t trust anyone. Not her advisors. Not the king’s dashing and enigmatic illegitimate son. Not even her own father, who always wanted the best for her, but also wanted more power for himself.
*****
As Freya’s enemies close in and her loyalties are tested, she must decide if she is ready to rule and, if so, how far she is willing to go to keep the crown.This book is captivating. It first caught my attention, not just because everyone keeps raving about it, but because of the stunning cover and synopsis. I'm absolutely thrilled I convinced my parent to buy it for me (I'm broke you guys.)
First let's start with plot. I loved the plot line of this book. It lacks in adventure but it defiantly compensates for it. The story carries you along with it and I found that I couldn't put it down. This book makes the emotion your own, makes you feel what the character feels and it's incredible.
It's defiantly a fantasy book but it doesn't have magic or mythical creatures, instead it has science. AND a girl who practices science. I love the emphasis the book puts on science. It helps them tremendously throughout the book and it's such a strong focal point.
Now knowing me I don't typically like a book with a bad romantic plot. A good romantic plot can be hard to make, it can't overwhelm the story but it cant be so far in the background that it's barely there. It's a matter of balance. And the author found a great balance within this book. The romance didn't dominate the book; it wasn't the main focal point of the story, but it was important to the story and wasn't super minimized.
The characters are fantastically well thought out. They not only fit the story but they also fit each other.
The main character is Freya. She's a scientist with a strong will and a knack for doing things her own way despite what everyone else says.
Then you have her best friend Naomi. She isn't a scientist; she's happy to just sit in a chair and read while Freya does her experiments.
Next you have William Fitzgerald; the King's bastard son. He acts like a rich, attention seeking, soiled rotten boy, but that's just on the surface. And if this book teaches you anything it's that what you see isn't all that's there.
There's other important characters but in little of not making this super long I'll leave it there.
This book is absolutely amazing and I would defiantly recommend this to fantasy lovers and people who love strong female leads.

Author
Twitter- @RhiannonKT ‏
Instagram- @rhiannon.kt
Website-  www.rhiannonkthomas.com

The Divine Heart Book Blitz

The Divine Heart
by Danielle R. Mani
Genre: YA Paranormal
Release Date: September 27th 2017

Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Elle Collins spent most her life waiting for someone else to die...

When a heart donor is found, Elle awakes from surgery gifted with more than just a new heart—clairaudient messages and spiritual apparitions haunt her until she is convinced that she must be insane. Either that, or her donor is sending a message.

Desperate for answers the medical community can’t provide, Elle’s divination leads her to the family of her donor—a young girl named, Cas. With the help of her best friend, Rob—the guy who’s a testament that her new heart is capable of love, Elle must make sense of the clues Cas is sending. As pieces of Cas’s life and death emerge, Elle will discover that she and Cas share more than just a heart.

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Excerpt

As I step under the spray, the water hits my face in hard pellets. It feels good. Begrudgingly, I reach down to grab a bar of soap. A sharp pain shoots down the left side of my arm. For a moment, I feel paralyzed. My immediate thought is to yell for help, but I can’t find my voice. I try to take a deep breath, but can’t. I crumple to the tub and feel a strange, tingling sensation zip through my fingertips.

Mom! I let out a bloodcurdling squeal in a voice I don’t even recognize.

My mother runs into the bathroom and slams the shower door open.

What is it? She is the color of her bleached white towels. What’s wrong?

It’s my heart! Something is wrong. Call the hospital.

I’ll be right back! She runs out and I wait, helpless, as the running water beats down on my back. A few seconds later, she returns, holding the phone, her hands shaking as she dials 911. She soaks her sleeve reaching into the shower to turn off the running water. The phone is on speaker and is wedged tightly between her face and neck as she pulls me from the tub.

911, what’s the emergency?

It’s my daughter! I think she’s having a heart attack! I live at 42 Chauncy Way.

We have an address for you, Mam. An ambulance will there right away. Is your daughter breathing?

Yes, she . . . she has a heart condition. Kate rips our show towel off the rack and drapes it around my arms and neck. She drags my limp body to the couch. I wish I had the strength to help her.

Ma’am, do you have any aspirin in the house? the voice on the line asks.

That’s not going to help! Kate shouts. I’ll wait for the ambulance, but I need to call her doctor now! Kate ends the call.

About the Author

Danielle R. Mani is a fan of the paranormal in both print and film. In her first book, The Divine One, Ms. Mani combines supernatural fiction with the everyday dramas of young adulthood. Her newest YA paranormal novel, The Divine Heart, is scheduled to be released later this year. Ms. Mani holds a Bachelor of Arts in education and a Master of Science in communications. She is currently a doctoral student studying parapsychology. She resides in Westchester, New York, with her husband, four children, two dogs, and two rescue cats.

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