Cliste Bella: Mini Book Reviews | Netgalley Books of the Week

Expected publication: August 14th 2018 by Skyscape
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the final volume of The Hundredth Queen Series, Kalinda will risk everything to save the man she loves.

Kalinda has brought peace to the Tarachand Empire, at least for now. Bhutas no longer need to hide their gifts. The last of the rebels have been banished. And Prince Ashwin is set to take over as rajah.

But for Kalinda, this all came at a great loss. Her childhood home. Her best friend. The love of her life.

Deven is still trapped in the Void, although he is able to find his way to Kalinda each night. He has been lucky so far—mortals are not meant to last in the Void for long, and Deven has lasted longer than most. But when he doesn’t visit her one night, Kalinda knows that his luck has run out.

She will do whatever it takes to save the man she loves, even if it means convincing a god to guide her through the Void. Freeing a mortal from the Void is nearly impossible, but Kalinda has never let those odds stop her before…

Review: Finally, I have read the conclusion to this epic adventure and I am happy. Despite this being the 4th book, we still see a lot of development in the main character Kalinda that I wished actually happened (maybe slowly) in the first 3 books. There were a lot of secrets revealed that were an expected surprise (huh..did I make sense?). My takeaway for this saga is that we are always afforded a choice and we always have the power deep inside to make it.

Who is the hero of a story? The one who is brave and honourable, or the one who survives to tell the story?

Which is the more powerful weapon? The one that wins battles, or the one that wins the minds of people?

Set in the ancient land of Jivavarta, 'The Timingila' is the story of Trishala, a weak kingdom at the mercy of its neighbours, and Tasvak, the unwanted child of its king.

When a series of unexpected events put Trishala under a tyrant's control, Tasvak is forced into a web of deception as he struggles to resurrect Trishala's lost glory. Along the way, he has to deal with fanatics, assassins, victims, and reformers. Facing manipulation and betrayal at every step, will Tasvak succeed?

'The Timingila' is a fast-paced thriller written as a series of short chapters.

Review: This is a surprisingly fresh read for me. It doesn't follow the conventional styles of writing I have been reading recently as every chapter feels like a summary or an episode that there is a story in itself but is still intertwined with the whole book. It also has elements of magic woven a different way. Would definitely read more from this author.

Filled with magic and fierce emotion, Lisa Jensen's multilayered novel will make you question all you think you know about beauty, beastliness, and happily ever after.

They say Château Beaumont is cursed. But servant-girl Lucie can’t believe such foolishness about handsome Jean-Loup Christian Henri LeNoir, Chevalier de Beaumont, master of the estate. But when the chevalier's cruelty is revealed, Lucie vows to see him suffer. A wisewoman grants her wish, with a spell that transforms Jean-Loup into monstrous-looking Beast, reflecting the monster he is inside. But Beast is nothing like the chevalier. Jean-Loup would never patiently tend his roses; Jean-Loup would never attempt poetry; Jean-Loup would never express remorse for the wrong done to Lucie. Gradually, Lucie realizes that Beast is an entirely different creature from the handsome chevalier, with a heart more human than Jean-Loup’s ever was. Lucie dares to hope that noble Beast has permanently replaced the cruel Jean-Loup — until an innocent beauty arrives at Beast’s château with the power to break the spell.

Review: We all know the classic Disney version of Beauty and the Beast. If you are like me then you know more than that (It's a favorite so I am obsessed with this tale). What if there was a different side to this story? One that was twisted so many times it ended up much like we know it now? For once, I was able to see the magic in the tale as old as time where the being the beast wasn't the curse, but being human was. It definitely made me rethink of happily ever after.