Blog Tour Review – Smoke in Her Eyes by Anna Belfrage

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Hello fellow swoonies and book lovers! Welcome to my Blog Tour stop for the second book in Anna Belfrage’s The Wanderer Series, Smoke in Her Eyes. This blog tour is hosted by TLC Book Tours and you can check out the rest of the stops down below. divider3

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abouthebook2

Published: March 15, 2019

Publisher: Troubador Publishing

Genre(s): Romance, Fantasy, Light Erotica

Pages: Paperback 400

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Six months ago, Helle Madsen would have described herself as normal. Now she no longer knows if that terms applies, not after her entire life has been turned upside down by the reappearance of not one, but two, men from her very, very distant past.

Helle Madsen never believed in mumbo-jumbo stuff like reincarnation—until she came face to face with Jason Morris, a man who purportedly had spent fifty lives looking for her. Coping with being reunited with the lover from her ancient past was one thing. Having Sam Woolf, her vindictive nemesis from that same ancient past join the party was a bit too much. Suddenly, Helle finds herself the reluctant heroine of a far-flung, time-transcending epic story, one in which pain and loss seem to play a very big part.

This time round, Jason and Helle are determined to make it to the happily ever after. Unfortunately, Sam Woolf will stop at nothing to crush them. That ride into the golden sunset seems awfully far away at times…

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mythoughts

A poignant, gripping, and beautifully written story of love, passion, revenge, obsession, forgiveness, and hope

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Smoke in Her Eyes by Anna Belfrage is a breathtakingly seductive, heartwrenching, and addictive romance fantasy thriller that had me gripping the edge of my seat and holding on to my heart. Every moment I spent with Helle, Jason, and even Sam was so achingly affecting and I loved it.

Anne Belfrage’s writing is incredibly intoxicating, beautiful and so riveting that I found myself dazzled and utterly entertained until the end. Reading this book is like going on an intense emotional rollercoaster and I felt all the wonderful highs and the painful lows. Every single emotion the characters felt, I did too and it’s both heartbreaking and amazing. There’s no denying that Belfrage is a talented and creative storyteller and I think her stories are hauntingly gorgeous, compelling, and atmospheric. I’m absolutely in love with this series and I cannot wait for Book #3 to come out.

Brimming with excruciating emotional turmoil, relationship drama, sexual tension, heartbreak, danger, and some wickedly steamy moments, this book exceeded all my expectations and even surprised me. The plot is absolutely thrilling, deliciously seductive, utterly captivating, and so incredibly entertaining. I definitely felt my heart beating faster never really knowing what would happen next and often breaking into a million pieces not just for Jason and Helle, but also at times for Sam. I know Sam is the antagonist, but there’s a part of me that bleeds for him and is hoping that maybe, just maybe there’s some light left in his soul. These characters have affected me in ways I never expected and I want them to all get their happily ever after. I really love how everything played out in this book and even though some moments were difficult to read, I enjoyed all the different emotions, joy and even the anguish that I felt while reading this unique romance story.

I think the characters in this series are well-written, multifaceted, and surprising. They made me feel so much and I honestly really care about them all in some way. Belfrage created such amazing characters you’ll love, adore, admire, and sometimes even despise, but all of them will leave a lasting impression. I think they’re realistic, relatable, and fascinating individuals.

Sam is complicated and the perfect villain you want to hate, but you can’t… at least not completely. He’s cruel, vicious, and vengeful, He’s obsessive, filled with so much anger, and has felt so much pain from being rejected by Helle. I know I should want him to suffer and not have a happy ending, but he’s also very human. His emotions are very real and I could feel just how badly he hurts that all he knows to do is be angry, ruthless, and hateful. I don’t hate him, but I also don’t like him. My heart is just so torn when it comes to Sam. I really don’t approve of what he’s doing, but I do see a little glimpse of his suffering and I just can’t help but feel for him. I’m still hoping that somehow everyone, including Sam, will have an ending they deserve and maybe…just maybe Sam will change in the next book.

I wasn’t too fond of Jason… at least not for the first half or so of the story. I won’t get into why or what happens, but I really didn’t like him for quite a while. I understood why and I felt bad for what he’s dealing with, but at the same time I just expected more from him. He does eventually win me over again and when I think back and really try to put myself in his situation, I get it. He wants to do right by the people he loves and I do admire that about him. He’s very passionate, honest, and is willing to do whatever it takes to protect Helle and anyone he cares about. He still makes mistakes… he is human afterall.

Helle is such a strong, relatable, and amazing heroine. I feel like I was there with her experiencing everything she’s going through. She’s far from perfect, and just like Jason, I think her reactions are very human. I was definitely on her side and I understood her feelings of rejection and insecurity. It broke my heart to see her fall apart, but also I admire that she knows what she deserves, speaks whatever is on her mind, and isn’t afraid to show her true feelings. Her emotional and personal journey in this book made me feel so much and I cannot wait to see what Belfrage has in store for her in Book #3.

A poignant, gripping, and beautifully written story of love, passion, revenge, obsession, forgiveness, and hope, Smoke in Her Eyes by Anna Belfrage is an exhilarating fantasy romance that will grab you and never let go. It’s enchanting, thrilling, twisted, sexy, romantic, and absolutely exquisite!

I received a free copy of this book from the author for participating in a blog tour hosted by TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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In the long lost ancient past, two men fought over the girl with eyes like the Bosporus under a summer sky. It ended badly. She died. They died.

Since then, they have all tumbled through time, reborn over and over again. Now they are all here, in the same place, the same time and what began so long ago must finally come to an end.

Ask Helle Madsen what she thinks about reincarnation and she’ll laugh in your face. Besides, Helle has other stuff to handle, what with her new, exciting job in London and her drop-dead but seriously sinister boss, Sam Woolf. And then one day Jason Morris walks into her life and despite never having clapped eyes on him before, she recognises him immediately. Very weird. Even more weird is the fact that Sam and Jason clearly hate each other’s guts. Helle’s life is about to become extremely complicated and far too exciting.

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A Torch in His Heart ignites, thrills, and surprises. Anna Belfrage beautifully balances intrigue, angst, humor, suspense and romance leaving readers utterly desperate for more. It’s so irresistibly twisty, steamy, and exciting and I honestly cannot recommend it enough!

READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE

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Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

 

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COMING AUTUMN 2019

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Instagram Tour

Monday, September 9th: @bookclubwithbite

Monday, September 9th: @booksandchinooks

Tuesday, September 10th: @thereadingchemist

Wednesday, September 11th: @a_bookish_dream

Thursday, September 12th: @mixed_matched_socks

Thursday, September 12th: @book_hangover88

Saturday, September 14th: @novelgrounds

Sunday, September 15th: @lovelyreadergirl

Monday, September 16th: @nsiabblog

Wednesday, September 18th: @sarahs_reads

 

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Review Tour

Monday, September 16th: What is That Book About – author guest post

Tuesday, September 17th: Bewitched Bookworms

Wednesday, September 18th: From the TBR Pile

Friday, September 20th: Sincerely Karen Jo

Monday, September 23rd: Stranded in Chaos

Wednesday, September 25th: @livingmybestbooklife

Thursday, September 26th: @barr_bookworms

Monday, September 30th: Audio Killed the Bookmark and @beritaudiokilledthebookmark

Tuesday, October 1st: @myreadingchronicles

Thursday, October 3rd: @sarahandherbookshelves

Monday, October 7th: @escape_in_a_book

Wednesday, October 9th: Book Fidelity

Thursday, October 10th: Treestand Book Reviews

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abouttheauthor

annabelfrageHad Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a professional time-traveller. As such a profession does not exist, she settled for second best and became a financial professional with two absorbing interests, namely history and writing. These days, Anna combines an exciting day-job with a large family and her writing endeavours. Plus she always finds the time to try out new recipes, chase down obscure rose bushes and initiate a home renovation scheme or two.

Her most recent release, A Torch in His Heart, is a step out of her comfort zone. Having previously published historical fiction & historical romance, with this first book about Jason and Helle Anna offers a dark and titillating contemporary romance, complete with a time-slip angle and hot & steamy scenes.

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Website | Facebook | Twitter

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I hope you enjoyed reading this post and get to meet Jason, Helle and Sam! Don’t forget to check out the rest of the tour and add this book on your TBR.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Share your thoughts in the comments down below.

sincerelykjologo

Blog Tour Review – Relic by Bronwyn Eley

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Hello bookish friends and welcome to my Blog Tour Stop for Relic by Bronwyn Eley hosted by Shealea @ CAFFEINE BOOK TOURS. Be sure the follow the rest of the tour and check out the other amazing tour hosts!

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Published: September 12, 2019

Publisher: Talem Press

Genre(s): Young Adult, Fantasy

Format: Paperback, 498 Pages

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AMAZONBOOK DEPOSITORY

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In the city of Edriast, there is no deadlier duty than to serve as the Shadow.

As the personal servant of the powerful Lord Rennard, the Shadow’s life is all but forfeit. Rennard possesses one of five rare and dangerous Relics – a jewel that protects his bloodline, but slowly poisons everyone else in its proximity. When the current Shadow succumbs to its magic, nineteen-year-old blacksmith Kaylan is summoned to take his place.

It’s an appointment that will kill her.

As the time Kaylan has left ebbs away, hope begins to fade… That is, until she discovers a plot to destroy all five bloodlines in possession of the Relics.

A rebel force plans to put an end to Rennard’s rule and Kaylan suddenly finds herself embroiled in a cause that might just be worth fighting for. But no cause is without its costs…

As her life hangs in the balance and rebellion bears down on Edriast, Kaylan must decide where her loyalties lie – and how she’ll leave her mark on the world.

Relic is the absorbing first novel in The Relic Trilogy, a thrillingly dark YA fantasy series.

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mythoughts

A Dark, Gripping, and Heartwrenching YA Fantasy
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Dark, gripping, and heartwrenching, Relic by Bronwyn Eley is a fantastic start to a thrilling YA fantasy series that will leave readers intoxicated and begging for the next book.

Okay so it took me a while to get into this book and for the first half, I was definitely leaning on a 3 hearts rating. I kept waiting for something really exciting to happen and while there are some interesting parts that I enjoyed reading, I definitely found myself wanting to put the book down a few times. Also, the pacing for the most part… at least for the first half of the novel is really slow for me. BUT, the intrigue and mystery kept me reading and the deeper I got into the story, the more I became fascinated with everything. A little over the halfway mark, the plot picks up pace and there’s a lot of excitement and happenings that had me glued to the pages. I certainly enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first, but all in all, I thought this was a fun and thrilling fantasy tale.

This is one of those books that slowly grows on you that by the end, you’ll have a difficult time processing everything in the story. I still have questions about so many things, but I think this novel is pretty amazing and while I may not put the sequel on the top of my TBR list, I’m definitely interested in seeing what Eley does next. I think the world-building is interesting and there are so much more I want to know about the Relics, the magic involved, and the relationship between the owner and the relic itself. The plot is slow at first and doesn’t really have enough action scenes, but it never lost its appeal and there are so many moments I enjoyed just getting to know Kaylan and the rest of the characters. I like the emotional depth, the friendships, the romance, and the exhilarating last few chapters. Eley also does a fantastic job sprinkling some shocking surprises, twists, and turns. I knew the ending would break my heart in some way, but I was not at all prepared for what happened. There are some aching feels on those last few pages so be prepared for some tears.

Kaylan is a likable heroine and my heart broke for her so much and everything she has to deal with. However, as much as I like Kaylan, I never completely fell in love with her character. She has plenty of admirable qualities — she’s caring, loyal, compassionate, and kind —  and I cared enough about her that I didn’t want to see her hurt. But, I wanted Kaylan to fight more and to have more fire in her. I can’t give too much away, but in the end, I could definitely see Kaylan becoming the type of heroine I love and that got me really excited for her character arc in the next book.

I adore Markus and like him as a love interest for Kaylan even though I didn’t get enough swoons and never felt an intense chemistry between them. To me, it feels like they’re very good friends who really care about each other. That being said, I still enjoyed their sweet moments together and the few instances they flirted with each other. I also really like how Markus wants to save Kaylan and just make her happy. He’s sweet, charming, and just a really good person.

Lord Rennard is the antagonist and as much as I want to not like him, a part of me felt sorry for him, Yes there’s darkness in him… maybe it’s the Relic or maybe it’s really him. He can be vile and cruel, but there’s also a part of him that does care. I’m definitely conflicted…and even now, I still feel that way. BUT, if there is one character I don’t like at all, that would be Thorne. He is downright hateful and a horrible person. To me, he’s the villian of the story.

Some other characters that are worth mentioning – Shae, Jesper, Elias and Bellamy. I like the friendship that forms between Jesper and Kaylan. I love Shae and her bond with Kaylan is so heartwarming. I wish she was in the story more cause she brought some lightness and humor. I’m not sure how I feel about Elias, but I’m hoping he has a bigger role in the second book. Bellamy is a mystery and I have a feeling it may not necessarily be a good one.

Relic by Bronwyn Eley is a great debut novel and even though I took a while to really get into the story, I found myself intrigued enough, excited throughout the second half of the book, stunned during the last few chapters, and thrilled to see what would happen next. I like the magic, the family dynamic, the mystery, the friendships, the character arcs, the political aspects, and the subtle romance. I enjoyed this thrilling fantasy and if you can get past the slow pacing in the beginning, I’m sure you’ll be impressed and more than satisfied with the overall story.

I received an advance reader copy of this book for participating in a blog tour hosted by CAFFEINE BOOK TOURS and in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

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abouttheauthor

 

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Bronwyn joined the military right out of high school, where she learnt (among other things) to disassemble and reassemble a rifle blindfolded. After that, she spent a lot of her time travelling around the world. Her favourite places (so far) are Scotland, Mongolia, Iceland, and Ireland.

Bronwyn finally found her natural habitat when she landed her first job in the publishing industry. While she has always been a writer, it was only when surrounding herself with books that she realised her life’s dream was to become an author. Relic is her first novel.

Bronwyn lives in Sydney and spends her time eating chocolate, reading and practicing her martial arts.

authorlinks

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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Follow the Blog Tour and Join the Twitter Chat!!

September 16
Blog tour launch at Shut up, Shealea
A Bronx Latina Reads
hollylovesbooks
Sifa Elizabeth Reads

September 17
Heart’s Content
Laurensliterarylibrary
Sincerely Karen Jo
Words of Hannah Kay
Zany Bibliophile

September 18
The Book Piles
Gwendalyn’s Books
The Inked In Book Blog
Lost in Storyland
One in a Million

September 19
Al-Alhambra
Lori’s Bookshelf Reads
Milles Rêves en Moi
Novel Nerd Faction
Sometimes Leelynn Reads

September 20
Belle’s Archive
Blissful Reveries
Book Geek Musings
Bookworm Muse
Open Pages

September 21
A Bookworms’s Chapters
Bibliomedico
Bubbly Books
Indelible Ink Inscribes
Its Just A Coffee Addicted Bibliophile

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#CBTTC Twitter chat, hosted by Caffeine Book Tours (@CaffeineTours): 9 PM Philippine time (PHT) or 9 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST)

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Have you read this book? What did you think?

Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading this review and don’t forget to follow the rest of the tour and leave your thoughts and comments down below.

Have a fantastic day everyone!!

sincerelykjologo