The Queen and The Cure Quotes, Review and Excerption by Amy Harmon

#2 The Bird and the Sword Chronicles 

In the beginning, the Creator gave each child a word, a powerful word, which called down a special ability, a precious gift to guide them in their journey through their world. One son was given the word change, which gifted him the ability to transform himself into the beasts of the forest or the creatures of the air. One daughter was given the word spin, for she could spin all manner of things into gold. The grass, the leaves, a strand of her hair. The word heal was given to another son, to cure illness and injury among his brothers and sisters. Another daughter was given the word tell, and she could predict what was to come. Some said she could even shape the future with the power of her words.

Amy Harmon did it again. If you haven't read the first book of this chronicles, Oh damn boy, you should. And if you had read the first book and considering if you should read the second one, I am saying, stop thinking just read it. The second book only makes you want to read the third, the fourth and oh the nth. 

Kjell (which is pronounced as Kel) - is the Healer, the King's Guard and also is the older half-brother of the King.

Sasha (which is pronounced as SAW shuh) - who is the slave in the Village of Solemn.

“Why?” she asked, and the word twisted in his belly like a sword. He thought he might bleed to death on her floor, confused and wounded, desperate to understand himself and be understood.

“Because I have loved and hated all the wrong people,” he admitted.

“And you don’t know whether to love or hate me?” she asked, her voice almost tender.

“No,” he confessed.

“I have been hated before. But I don’t know if I’ve been loved. I think . . . once . . . I must have been, because I know how to love.”

“Do you know how to hate?” he asked, his voice sharp, ricocheting through the chamber. “If you don’t know how to hate, how could you possibly know how to love?”

“I don’t have to know how to die to know how to live,’ she said simply.

Can you read the second book without reading the first book? Oh, you can. You sure can but you are going to be missed out a lot of good stuff, brilliant stuffs and you know you don't want to. From now on, what I am going to do is praising this book and the author. Oh yeah, that's what I am about do. 

The book is amazing. How the characters developed around each other made the readers touched. 

“You are kind,” she said softly. 

“I am not kind,” Kjell scoffed. 

“And you are good,” she added. 

“I am not good!” he laughed. 

“I have never known a man like you.” 

“You were a slave in Quondoon! The men you knew were not trying to impress you.” “Neither are you, Captain. Yet I am still impressed.”

Something between them is very special. This book will make you smile and cry. Happy and sad. I remembered I cried out a lot. I tagged this book as "ugly-crying" fantasy/romance.

Quotes time!

In the light everything is obvious. There are no secrets. You simply have to look in order to see.

The very best things in life are born of difficulty. Whatever comes too easily is easily abandoned.

I don't want to take another man's place. I want only what belongs to me.

There were no secrets, no sorrows, nothing hidden, nothing lost. They saw not what would be or what had been, but only what was. She saw him. He saw her. And they saw nothing else.

Captive Prince Trilogy Review, Excerption, Quote by C.S. Pacat

Before saying anything about the series, I would like to say 'if you have anything against man/man romance' please skip the review and this series. 

Akielos and Vere, two Kingdoms at odds.

Damianos, Prince of Akielos was sold to Laurent, the Prince of Vere after betrayed by Kastor (his own half brother) in Akielos as Damen. 

Laurent doesn't know the slave was the future King of Akielos. Not that it would make a difference if he knew. It would be worse if he knew. Because Prince of Akielos is the very one who killed his one and only brother.
Their future was doomed even from the start. Maybe that's why I love the series. (Me, a sucker for forbidden love) I read these three books in two day without a stop in the middle. The writing is perfect for historical fantasy.
When Damen is straightforward and bulky in kind of manly way, Laurent is slender and sly in a witty kind of way.

Without even a touch, my feelings for Damen and Laurent went uproar. The little short excerption will say it all ~

‘But training isn’t everything. He might have natural talent.’ Damen was silent. To react to these courtiers would be madness;
‘Natural talent?’ said Laurent. He strolled into the gathering. Laurent turned to Damen.
‘Well?’ Laurent said. 
‘Can you couple adequately, or do you just kill things?’
Damen thought that given the choice between the lash and a conversation with Laurent, he might actually choose the lash.
‘He’s not very talkative,’ remarked Vannes.
‘It comes and goes,’ said Laurent.
‘I’d happily perform with him.’ It was the pet with the red hair. Ostensibly, he spoke to his master, but the words carried.
‘Ancel, no. He could hurt you.’
‘Would you like that?’ said the pet, sliding his arms around his master’s neck. Just before he did so, he glanced sideways at Laurent.
‘No. I wouldn’t.’ His master frowned.
Damen was sickened by the idea of some nobleman’s boy offering himself up to be hurt on the assumption that it would play to Laurent’s tastes. Then he thought of all he knew of Laurent, and only felt sicker, because of course the boy’s assumptions were probably correct.
‘What do you think, Your Highness?’ said Ancel.
‘I think your master would prefer you intact,’ said Laurent, dryly.
‘You could tie the slave up,’ said Ancel.
‘What about something small, while we wait for the main entertainment?’ said Vannes. ‘Surely it’s past time for the slave to learn his place?’
Damen saw Laurent absorb those words. Saw him stop and give the idea his full attention, turning the decision over in his mind. And saw him make it, his mouth curling, his expression hardening.
‘Why not?’ Laurent said.
‘No,’ said Damen, a surge in his chest, half-stymied as he felt hands on him.
Ancel was practised, and manipulated Damen expertly with mouth and hands. Damen wondered if he should feel sympathetic or pleased that Ancel was not going to have his moment of triumph: not even half hard under Ancel’s ministrations, Damen doubted he would be able to come for the pleasure of an audience
There was a faint rustle, and, cool as the water beneath the lily, Laurent came to sit beside him.
‘I wonder if we can do better than this,’ Laurent said. ‘Stop.’
Ancel detached himself from his endeavours and looked up, lips wet.
‘You’re more likely to win a game if you don’t play your whole hand at once,’ said Laurent. ‘Start more slowly.’
Damen reacted to Laurent’s words with inevitable tension. Ancel was close enough for Damen to feel his breath, a hot, focused cloud of heat that rolled in place, a susurration over sensitive skin. ‘Like this?’ Ancel asked. His mouth was an inch from its destination, and his hands slid softly up Damen’s thighs. His wet lips parted slightly. Damen, against his will, reacted.
“Don’t use your mouth yet,’ said Laurent. ‘Just your tongue.’
Ancel obeyed. He tongued the head, an elusive touch, barely the suggestion of itself. Not enough pressure. Laurent was watching Damen’s face with the same cerebral attention that he might apply to a strategic problem. Ancel’s tongue pressed into the slit.
‘He likes that. Do it harder,’ said Laurent.
Damen swore, a single Akielon word. Unable to resist the flickering lures being played across its flesh, his body was awakening, and beginning to crave rhythm.

Hot shit, right?
What kills me is the extra chapter at the end of the book, The Training of Eramus. Kallias. Yes, I cried. What Kallias sacrificed for Eramus is just... too much angst.

And the ending... they are about to get CLOSER T__T Dangerously Closer T_T

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD CAPTIVE PRINCE#1 (EPUB FILE)

CAPTIVE PRINCE SERIES

Prince's Gambit is the very much heart-gripping continuation of #CaptivePrince Damen followed his master Laurent to the border.

The new journey for Damen and Laurent. 

Laurent stopped being a pain in ass for Damen in this book, more to my pleasure, YES! It is the new challenge for Laurent to rule the people that his uncle Regent let him take to the border.

A new bond between them deepened.
A new experience.

A new sensation 

👉ok, But we might need to talk about Jord and Aimeric. /theirstoryistooheartbreakingIjustcant/👈

Their feelings for each other got more definite. Laurent saved Damen's life and Damen save Laurent from his ruin. They got each other's back.
The war strategy wasn't the book strong points. But it needn't to. The writing covers it all. The writing is affectionate when it needed, descriptive when it needed, short when needed I don't even have the time to complain. I was too busy waiting for Laurent to finally aware and admit of his feelings.A cliff-hanger ending is what awaits at the end of #PrincesGambit and I can't help but start reading the final one as soon as I'm done with second's.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD PRINCE'S GAMBIT#2 (EPUB FILE)

CAPTIVE PRINCE SERIES

THE BOOK THREE.
HE KNOWS. (it's a spoiler, I'm sorry)
Heartbreaks and Devastation are waiting for you in this final installment of #CaptivePrince

Damianos of Akielos returned.

You could guess how Laurent would react about this, Like a hurricane, Laurent's love is beautiful but destructive. Laurent was, a cast iron bitch, that it was a very bad idea to get on his bad side, and that as for his good side, he didn't have one. (according to Orlant)

Normally, I won't give the last book 5 stars. It wasn't perfect. How the war ends. The strategy, it wasn't very realistic but... for Damen and Laurent, their love, I am more than ready for give it 5 stars, hell, thousand stars, every god-damn star in this universe.
So, read the book folks, we will know what I am talking about.

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CAPTIVE PRINCE SERIES

Penryn & End of Days Review, Excerptions and Quotes by Susan Ee

Before I say anything, 

Before you read anything about this series, 

The prejudice about Angels will come into your mind.

Angels. Beautiful. Perfect. Pure. Total opposites of Evil and Dark. 

Am I right?

This is no shame, this is just the way Angels are in the tales we heard at night at childhood. But that's just prejudice. Those who are familiar with Supernatural (TV Series S12 currently filming) will get this concept faster.

Angelfall - The first book, you will see Penryn (obviously the main female character), Paige (her little sister), her crazy mother. Raffe/ Raphael (The Archangel, the main male character). Nephilim is the thing born of Angel and Human (it's the myth and Raffe is hunting them in case they were true) 

The thing they said in Angelfall is that "angels stayed in pack" "angels don't go solo". Yes, but Raffe is. Why and How will be told in the very end of the series End Of Days.

This book is going slow. Well, at first a lot infos to take in but it gets better. I seriously love the chemistry between Penryn and Raffe. I mean it's the romance happening in the apocalypse. It's something right?
Through the book, I am like 'I can't wait for them to get close' and when they get close 'when are they gonna kiss' or 'omggg just kiss already'. I don't know, there's something about Raffe that I undeniably admire and love. Raffe is definitely husband material (I did not say boyfriend had I?)

Penryn and Raffe, they became a Team. To save her sister, Paige who were kidnapped by a bunch of Angels lead by *Beliel*

This book is gonna be full of actions. But very slight touch of romance. Got frustrated over Raffe and Penryn's exchange of smartass comments. But at the end, what disappoints me is, Penryn who is hell-bent on going the impossible mission of saving her baby sister, had time to think about the very romance of Raffe and her?! She lacks focus. Well, just a little disappointment, of course all is forgiven <3

• I knew from the start that your loyalty would get you killed. I just never thought it would be your loyalty to me that would do it.

• Anybody that ties you to a chair at gunpoint is a bad guy. Do I really need to explain this?

• “Why were the other angels attacking you?"

"It's impolite to ask the victim of violence what they did to be attacked.”

World After - The Second book, Obi (oh, the RESISTANCE CAMP Leader), Dee-Dum (The Twins) Beliel (The Bad Angel who was once under Raffe's command) AERI (the place where angels are?) Uriel (Angel President?) 

And yes, Penryn is stuck with the renaissance group while Raffe is hunting his wings down. Why? Are his wings taken? What? You don't know? Are you being bad now? Reading the second book review before finished reading the Angelfall? Hmm...

So, can we discuss how Raffe choose Penryn over his white, gorgeous wings now?????
(That's why you shouldn't read the review of 2nd book before you finished the first book, Lessons no.1. Sorry for the spoiler tho it's not exactly a spoiler is it? It's just what great, good, sexy Raffe would do. You know, I know, everyone knows ;)
That moment strike me. It's the choice. His wings or the human? He CHOOSE HUMAN! damn. Raffe got me.
The angel blade is also with Penryn and she got to name that blade and she went with some stupid but cute name. Agh!

No one can deny the epic ending. NO breathing-and-well-alive PERSON. Just like the first book, the second book ends with twisted ending and so much fun with so many actions. So, yeah, the second book is nice. But not as nice as the third one!!

• It’s amazing how many times we need to go against our survival instincts to survive.

“It's about time you showed some sense. You should be afraid."
"I'm shivering because I'm freezing."
"You're cute when you're afraid."
I give him a dirty look. "Yeah, you're cute when you're afraid too."
"You mean I'm devastatingly handsome when I'm not afraid. Because you've never seen me afraid.”

End of Days - The Final one. Are you ready for the romance? Are you ready for the politics? Are you ready for the end? 

I can't tho. I got attached to Raffe. ALSO so Beliel! Can you believe that? You'll see the story of Beliel on the third book. You don't really need a review for the third book do you? This is good, great. You will read this for the closure. Period.

• If I were human, I'd plow the nicest farm for you.

Let's see some moment from the book,,,,,, yeah?

“Are you all right?” It’s a stupid question because there’s not much I can do for him if he isn’t all right, but it just tumbles out.He snorts. “Aside from being beaned with a rock, I’ll live.”“Sorry.” I feel pretty god-awful about that, but there’s no point in groveling over it.“The next time you have a quarrel with me, I’d appreciate it if you could just talk to me first before resorting to pelting me with rocks.”“Oh, all right,” I grumble. “You’re so damned civilized.”He exhales rudely. “You okay?”I nod. There’s no graceful way to step back after my aborted hug attempt so we stand closer than is comfortable. I guess he thinks so too because he slips by me into the clearing.

DO YOU SENSE IT? THE AIR BETWEEN THEM IS SO TENSE!!!

“How’d you get to me so fast?” I ask. It must have been seconds from the time I screamed to the time he showed up.
I open my mouth to repeat the question, but he speaks over me.
“I was tracking you.”
I stop in surprise. He keeps going so I run after him to make sure he’s only two steps ahead of me. All kinds of questions float in my head but it’s no use asking them all. I keep it simple. “Why?”
“I said I would make sure you got back to camp safely.”
“I wasn’t going back to camp.”
“I noticed.”
“You also said that you’d take me to the aerie. Leaving me alone in the dark was your idea of taking me there?”
“It was my idea of encouraging you to be sensible and go back to camp. Apparently, sensible is not part of your vocabulary. What are you complaining about anyway? I’m here, aren’t I?”
It’s hard to argue against that. He did save my life. We walk in silence for awhile as I chew that over.

***scream*** He said "I'm here, aren't I?"

“What would you do if you had to make a run for it?’ His voice is husky as he stares, mesmerized, at the unraveling thread.
‘I’d grab my shoes and run.’
‘Dressed like this? In front of lawless men?’ His eyes drift up to my midriff.
‘If you’re worried about pervs breaking into the house, it’s not going to make a difference whether I’m in this outfit or in baggy jeans and a sweatshirt. Either they’re decent human beings or they’re not. Their actions are on them.’
‘It’ll be tough for them to take any action while I’m pummeling their faces. Disrespect will not be tolerated.”
I half smile at him. ‘Because you’re all about respect.’
He sighs as if a little disgusted with himself. ‘Lately, I seem to be all about you.’
‘What makes you say that?’ I wish my voice didn’t sound so breathless.
‘I’m sitting on the hard floor outside your door while you take a cozy little nap, aren’t I?”

OMG!!! FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELS***

Okay, the moment is over. I'm ashamed. I fangirl too much. But Raffe is such a boyfriend material. Every girl's dream is to have him. <3 Oh god. 

The Bird and the Sword Reviews and Excerption by Amy Harmon

The Teller

The Changer

The Spinner 

The Healer

The Teller - who have the power of words
The Changer - who can take any form of life
The Spinner - who spun and spun one things to another or from another
The Healer - who mend and harmonize things out of love

The story itself is precious. The plot, the words, the sentences, the feelings, the emotions, the characters, everything just fall into place with harmony - to describe with one word - Incredible

How could this story be stand-alone? This story should have a sequel! Or trilogy!!! Or Saga?? I don't know, what I know is I want more. It brings me joy, it brings me tears. It makes me love Amy Harmon more.
It started with Lark's power, Lark's mother and the King. Everyone - including me - thinks this story starts with Lark's mother, but no. (omg is this considered as spoiler?) But I won't tell you why or what. You'll learn at the very end of the book.

The King - merciless King - killed Lark's mother in front of Lark. In addition to that mother being killed in front of her trauma, Lark mistook her mother prophecy as a curse, everyone mistook it, even her father. (Because that era was where people hate witchcraft and thought witches are evil and monsters). So what's the curse? Read the book ~

Let's see what it makes of, shall we?

Twenty riders were gathered in the wide courtyard of the keep, and my husband was bowing and genuflecting when I arrived with Lark trailing behind my skirts. For one so disdainful of the king, my lord was quick to kiss the king’s boots. Fear made weaklings of us all.
“Lady Meshara!” the king boomed, and my husband rose and turned to me, relief in his face.
I curtsied deeply, as was required, and Lark mimicked my salutation, catching the king’s eye.
“What have we here? Your daughter, Meshara?”
I nodded once, but didn’t offer her name. Names had power and I didn’t want him to have hers. There had been a time when I’d considered vying for the king’s attention—I was the granddaughter of the Lord of Enoch and of noble birth, and I’d been drawn to the handsome King Zoltev of Degn. That was before I saw him cut off the hands of an old woman caught spinning wheat into long ribbons of gold. I’d begged my father to arrange a marriage with Lord Corvyn instead. Corvyn was weak, but he wasn’t evil, though I wondered if weakness wasn’t just as dangerous. The weak allowed evil to flourish.


Meshara is Lark's mother. She is a teller too. So the story started with her mother dead, (yes it wasn't a spoiler) in front of Lark on that day.
Then, if you haven't notice, family feud is one hell of famous forbidden sort of love (Romeo & Juliet??) Yeah, the King killed Meshara. But this is the story of Lark and the King's son "Tiras".
Let's see... there's something wrong with Tiras (well, that is not a spoiler but arguable)


The door of the king’s chambers burst open, and Kjell erupted into the room, making me bolt upright, sleep abandoned, the eagle forgotten.
“Where is he?” Kjell growled, as if I’d spun the king into gold while he slept. I shook my head helplessly and extended my arms, indicating the empty chamber.


Yes, there's one important character. Important not to the story but me// omgggg Kjell //
See, why would Lark be in the King's chamber? And it seemed obvious that she can't speak! (Aha! Spoiler!!! Oh not really XD)
Remember Lark is a teller not a healer???
Its gonna be a little bit confusing here,


The door closed softly, and I met the king’s gaze. He looked as troubled as I felt. He wasn’t writhing in horrible pain like he’d been the night he’d been shackled. He seemed more ill than wracked in pain, and I wondered again what was wrong.
“Put your hands on me,” he instructed softly. “Like you did before.”
I shook my head, stalling, wanting to understand. I pointed at his stomach and tilted my head in question. He shook his head. I placed my fingers on his throat and raised a brow. He shook his head once more. I touched his temples, his ears, his arms and his legs, and he finally spoke, answering my question.
“It hurts everywhere,” he explained softly. 
“There is fire beneath my skin.”
Suddenly there was fire beneath my skin too, and I felt the heat warm my cheeks and flood my chest. Last time he was hardly conscious. This time, his eyes clung to my face making the act terribly intimate. I was already sitting beside him on the bed, but I pressed my hands to his heart and closed my eyes. My hands were trembling, and he pressed his hands over them, weighing them down.
“You are afraid,” he murmured. I nodded, not opening my eyes.
“Are you afraid of me?”
I nodded again. Yes, I was afraid of him. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to help him, or worse, that I would, and I would mark myself a Healer. I would mark myself for death.
His breath caught and his back arched in agony, his question forgotten. I pressed him back to the bed, smoothing my hands over him, trying to focus.
Pain be gone, illness leave, skin is cool, sleep now, breathe, I instructed, pushing the words into his skin through my fingertips.

Fire is gone,

Fever leaves,

Health in the marrow,

Rest now, breathe.

There, there.
Like a poem? Or a song? With a rhythm?
I'm not sure but I definitely love this! How did she come up with that? I love Amy Harmon <3
Read this book, you're not gonna regret this. NEVER gonna!!!