Review of Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven and a ‘Romantic Fantasy Starter Kit’ Giveaway
Enter for a chance to win your own romantic fantasy starter kit!
To help celebrate the release of the first book in Grace Draven’s Fallen Empire series I'm sharing with you Penguin Random House's exciting giveaway of a ‘Romantic Fantasy Starter Kit’ that also features other first-in-series romantic fantasy books (including books by Nalini Singh, Chloe Neill, Ilona Andrews, Anne Bishop, and Patricia Briggs)! Below you can read my review and find a link to the giveaway which runs September 3 — September 19.
Book Summary
Every year, each village is required to send a young woman to the Empire's capital--her fate to be burned alive for the entertainment of the masses. For the last five years, one small village's tithe has been the same woman. Gilene's sacrifice protects all the other young women of her village, and her secret to staying alive lies with the magic only she possesses.
But this year is different.
Azarion, the Empire's most famous gladiator, has somehow seen through her illusion--and is set on blackmailing Gilene into using her abilities to help him escape his life of slavery. And unknown to Gilene, he also wants to reclaim the birthright of his clan.
To protect her family and village, she will risk everything to return to the Empire--and burn once more.
Book Details
Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven
Fallen Empire Series #1
Published September 25th 2018 by Ace
Fiction / Fantasy / Romantic
Paperback, 400 pages
Source: Publisher
My Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
ABOUT GRACE
Grace Draven is a Louisiana native living in Texas with her husband, kids and a big, doofus dog. She is the winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice for Best Fantasy Romance of 2015 and a USA TODAY bestselling author.Find out more at gracedraven.com.
Book Review
Grace Drave writes an epically romantic fantasy of enemies-to-lovers in a world of gladiators, fierce warriors, and fire witches fighting for their freedom against a tyrannical empire, setting the story in a lush backdrop of the grassy steppes where tribes honor a fire goddess and warriors battle from horses forces both human and magical.
Fantasy romance is one of my favorite genres to read and it's that perfect balance of the two that makes for such an exciting story to escape to and characters that linger in your mind long after you put the book down.
With Gilene and Azarion, Grace Draven creates two complex and captivating characters to fall for. Beautifully written, their relationship and its transformation from enemies to more is undeniably romantic and fierce. I loved the slow buildup between them.
Readers who want their worldbuilding to feel real and authentic are going to love Phoenix Unbound. Woven into this story of enemies-to-lovers is a backdrop that reminded me of the ancient tribes of nomadic warriors known as the Scythians.
I found the bits and pieces of history Draven took inspiration from fascinating. Knowing how these tribes lived day-to-day while incorporating an exciting mythology kept me intrigued.
The writing pulls you into the story while the characters keep you there until the very last pages. Phoenix Unbound, the first book in The Fallen Empire series, is definitely a must-read for fans of fantasy romance.
Enter the Giveaway
These six first-in-series books (including books by Nalini Singh, Chloe Neill, Ilona Andrews, Anne Bishop, and Patricia Briggs) are essential to building your fantasy romance collection! 20 runners-up will receive an advance reading copy of Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven! The giveaway which runs September 3 — September 19. Click here to enter.
