Mark of the Princess by B.C. Morin
589103
Mark of the Princess is the first book in The Kingdom Chronicles written by B.C. Morin and tells the story of Alannah, a young fae princess of the Kingdom of Meria.

The story evolves around Alannah learning her magical abilities and two romantic involvements, Prince Kaleb from the Kingdom of Talon and Brennus, a mighty warrior from the Kingdom of Anrad.  A love triangle develops between the three, when Alannah finds herself attracted to both men.

Travelling to the Kingdom of Magi, on a quest to help Alannah learn and develop her powers, the band of travellers have many adventures facing Trolls, Gremlins, Goblins, Dragons and other mystical creatures on their journey.

There is also a very dark threat which overhangs Alannah's safety, with the evil sorcerer, Maligo and his apprentice, who want to harness Allanah's power to unlock a dangerous, sleeping entity, who will threaten the safety of all the Kingdoms, if woken.

I found The Mark of the Princess an entertaining fantasy novel with strong characters and an interesting plot. Morin has put together an engaging story, taking reader's into Alannah's magical world. The Mark of the Princess is an entertaining read for young adults, who enjoy being immersed in fantasy and magic!
3728468
In book one, Princess Kandake of Nubia is chosen to succeed her father on the throne despite her desire to become a warrior. In Weight of the Crown, we see her further maturation as she must accept the rule during her fathers illness. Unfortunately, an arrogant prince from a neighboring country decides he wants Kandakes hand in marriagedespite her decision to the contrary.

I enjoyed seeing all the Nubians from book one return, strongly in character. Shen, the Scythian warrior, becomes a strong and endearing friend of Nubia. And I loved to hate Prince Gadarat, arrogant, prideful scum of a prince that he is. (Without giving anything away, Kandake has some deliciously malicious moments in that regard!) The history, the setting, the incredibly strong female lead, all make this a wonderful read.

But I have to confess, one of my favorite things about the Kandake books is the very physical nature of the plot. The warriors, Kandake included, are always sparring, practicing, training, fighting, and flinging themselves on horseback. I have always been an athlete. I still keep myself strong and active, running, skiing, swimming, biking. The action in this book has me tense, gripping my fists, wishing I could join in. I want to wrestle, to fling an opponent to the ground, to grapple and tumble as I did when I was a kid. I guess I still get to do thatin my imagination. And I get to enjoy a great story while Im at it!

And can we say enough about the gorgeous covers? Two thumbs way up!
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Chivalry and Malevolence (Nine Realms: Alfheim) by Rae Z. Ryans

I was given of copy of Chivalry and Malevolence by Rae Z. Ryans in exchange for an honest review.

First I have to say normally I don't read this genre but I really thought it sounded interesting.

Rae Z. Ryans is an excellent author, the detail involved in writing this story is phenomenal.  The characters and plot are well written and I couldn't stop reading wanting to see what was going to happen next.

We meet Princess Morgana who has suffered a great deal at the hands of her mother Queen of Alfheim never telling anyone what she is going through. Princess Morgana suffers thorough the physical and emotional abuse her mother inflicts and hides her scars under her veil so no one will see.  Drust the dragon knows and will do what he can to keep her safe, asking her to marry him might help.  In all the suffering we see a great strength inside Morgana.

Thomas who is a human Knight who happens to stumble into Princess Morgana world and in this realm humans are killed as they are inferior and of course don't have pointed years.  Princess Morgana knows she has to help Thomas and will fight for him.
This story is fantastic, you have to read this book to find out what happens to Princess Morgana and Thomas.
Besides reading about Elfs, Fae, Witches and Dragons in this mystical world there is so many underlying messages in this book.  You can love someone who is different then you, everyone is equal, and of course the main one is love is more about what is on the inside of a person then what he or she looks like.

I have rated Chivalry and Malevolence by Rae Z. Ryans 4 star rating, and I cannot wait to read more in this series.  I definitely would also read anything else Rae Ryan writes.
97961
I loved the book. The plot was filled with sub-plots which made for interesting reading. Also the story touched my heart. I would love to read more of her books but cant find them in my Canadian library. You won't be disappointed if you read this book.
1174974
Princess is a well written novelization of the life of an Ottoman princess as she struggles to come to terms with exile, the West, and being alone in the world.  The author is the Princess's daughter.  As a Turkophyle I was fascinated by the details of life in Istanbul at the end of the Sultanate.  It was also very interesting to see the politics of the era through Ottoman eyes...... very different from the history books.  The princess is not always a sympathetic character, but you cannot help but feel her pain as her whole world is turned upside down.  I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the Middle East.
3441126
-Very touching story of finding a true love. Written at the beginning of the 20th century in either Canada or the northern part of the United States, we follow the life of Valancy Sterling. Valancy is leading a dull existence in which she appears to be living only for the convenience of others. She's now 29 and still single; she feels herself very plain looking and she's treated that way; her father passed on several years before and she's taken for granted by her mother. Her life is really going nowhere.
-She likes to read and she imagines herself moving to a Blue Castle with a man that she loves. It's her dream and it's what keeps her going.
-Valancy keeps feeling a pain in her chest and decides not to go the family doctor but to a doctor in a different part of town. She didn't want her family knowing that she was even going. Luckily, this other doctor is a specialist for heart related issues, and she gets examined by him. Before he tells her the results, a telegram arrives and the doctor rushes out. His son was in a serious accident and Valancy is left not knowing the results.
-A letter arrives shortly after from the doctor's office. The doctor is known for his bluntness, as he likes to tell it like it is. This letter, though, has her shocked. She has a rare condition that is not treatable, and, if she limits her excitement, she could live up to a year.
-Something clicks in her head, and instead of being the docile member of the household, she now answers back. She refuses to accept being treated as she has been in the past and it leaves her family and those around her, shocked. To make matters worse for her family, she decides to tend to someone who was a childhood friend, and who is dying. This girl's father is not looked at with high esteem by Valancy's family. A frequent guest is someone by the name of Barney Snaith, and he apparently has an unknown background which allows for numerous tales of gossip as to who he is and why he is so secretive.
-Once the young girl passes away, more surprises come as Valancy decides she doesn't want to go back to the life she had in her home, but ends up getting married to this Barney Snaith. Barney himself makes a condition of their marriage for Valancy not to know of his past life, which she accepts. She tells Barney that her days are numbered and showed him the letter from the doctor. She knows that the marriage is partially being accepted by Barney out of pity for her, but she also knows that he cares. Doubts surface in the young girl's mind as revelations keep coming out which changes the lives of all involved, and which, happily, brings her closer to the life that she dreamed of.
-Written in an absorbing style that gets into the depth of the character. There's not a lot of action, but Valancy's ever changing emotions are very well displayed and felt by the reader.
1163998
I really enjoyed this book after reading the other princess books. Still shocked about the treatment of women in muslim countries. ALL WOMEN SHOULD READ PRINCESS BOOKS.
1759866
This was another great delivery from Terry Bolryder.  The rich princess falls for the guy her family won't approve of only to find out they do.  The struggle to find their daughter a mate is thwarted by her love for a man from a different social circle. But his need to protect overcomes their differences.  The passion is intense, the story is funny, characters are hard not to love, and can be read as a stand alone.  I would have given it five stars but i loved the charachters so much i just really would have liked it to be a little longer.  Very good delivery and worth the read.
2821819
Appease: Princess and the Pea Retold is an absolutely stunning retelling of a classic. I actually don't remember the original tale but I loved this one. We follow Princess Sativa who is on a journey crossing the sea to reach her betrothed King Reidar. This novel is brimming with knights, dragons & pirates. With well detailed world building descriptions & settings. I love the characters & plot which keep you on the edfe of your spot until the end. A fabulous twist on a medieval fairytale that I couldn't put down till the end. The writing style fits the genre perfectly. Looking forward to reading the book in this series.
4860378
The "flavor" of  The Children of Kings: A Darkover Novel, reminds me so well of Marion Zimmer Bradley. As is usual though of is the timeline for the story is somewhat compressed for a novel that deals in journeys made on horse back. A little nitpicky I know but.. This book is about the coming of age of  Prince Garth Elhalyn, and his travails of court intrigue and personal growth as a young man.
4662303
I don't think its necessary to read the first book, Once Upon a Prince, to enjoy this book. Sure there are a few spoilers, but the stories take place in a different places and involve two neighboring countries.

The story goes back and forth for a while between Alices first person account of Meadowbluff Palace in 1914 and Reggies life (told in third person) in the present day. It takes a while to get used to and were not told what the connection is for several chapters. But its quite an interesting connection so bear with it!

I loved Reggie, she is very down to earth - loves restoring old cars, and the author does a great job showing us how Reggie deals with the life changing news that Tanner brings. Tanners storyline was also quite interesting, he isn't quite what you expect a Minister of Culture to be but hes very easy to cheer for.

If you like the Princess Diaries movies (I haven't read the books), commoner turned royalty stories with a hint of mystery and a dash of romance then you'll probably enjoy this book.

Disclosure: I received these book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
2018337
Those who have read Scott's Border Wedding already know Amalie, the main character in this book. Secrets from her past lead her to the conclusion that she never wants to marry, even though her family is pushing her to do so. For now she is working in Princess Isabel's employ and quite content with where she is.

Once Garth, a knight of the realm, comes into the picture, she doesn't change her mind. Though there is a strong attraction, she still doesn't want to marry and will do all in her power to keep her freedom.

Political rivalry sets the backstage for this romance. A new king has just been crowned, but not everyone is happy with the choice. One person in particular feels he was slighted and will do everything in his power to take over the entire kingdom. Murder, mayhem, and mystery ensue.

I actually enjoyed this book once I was able to get through the first few chapters. I haven't read the first book, Border Wedding, and that may be part of the problem. This book stands on its own, but the beginning of the book has several redundancies and too much description. Like any series of books, the trick is to make the book readable by itself, yet still make it flow with the other books. I feel like Ms. Scott had some trouble with this, and in her attempt made the beginning of the book stilted and difficult to enjoy.

Thankfully, once I was able to actually get into the storyline and find out who the characters were and what they were up to, I couldn't put it down. The actual story almost completely made up for the difficult first few chapters.

I'm looking forward to reading the third book in the series, to be released January 2009. From the preview that I've read in the back of Border Lass, it seems to jump straight into the story and hold you there.

Armchair Interviews says: Like most series, it is to the reader's advantage to read the books in order for clarity and full enjoyment.
3941474
This was a fun book to read. I love the sisters relationship the best, but the whole cast of characters was fantastical and unexpected. The story reminded me a lot of George Macdonalds The Princess and the Goblin.  Good book to read to aloud to your kids. Very exciting.
3352834
This is a must read for any woman in fact it needs to be read by every woman on the planet.  I felt so many different emotions as I read the series.  The book is well written and reads like any other good work of fiction.  However, this story is not fictional it is a true story.  I have shard this book with my female friends and the women at my job.  We have all read the entire series:  Princess I, Princess II and Princess III.
4442597
The Quest of The Thirteen by John DeFilippis was one of the most well written novels that I have read. Right from the beginning it captivated me and I had troubles putting it down, as I just wanted to keep reading. This story is about a King who must find someone to take his place. The town had followed the scrolls telling them of their God named "The Author". Unfortunately many in the kingdom had lost their way in following The Author. The king had not, and used the quest spoken of in the scrolls to find the next ruler of their kingdom. The king and his advisors had chosen the 12 and in a dream the king found his 13th quest member. The rest of the story is the 13's journey to find the medallion. They faced large owls, snake like creatures, spiders and more on their way to the northern mountains. I was enthralled by this story and hope to see it as a movie one day. The ending left me wanting to read the next book. I highly recommend this novel as it was one of the best books I have read. It was very detailed and extremely well written. The story is extremely captivating and enjoyable.
158690
This story is a continuation of an earlier series of Lilianas parents.  In Torn Liliana (Lily) is in London studying at a University.  She meets a fellow student whom she is torn between liking and knowing that her duties will take her away.  She must return to her time and fulfill the time honored Ritual.  Read this intriguing story to find out if she gets the guy or has to settle for her duty as Princess. This book was given to me to review.
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The Christmas Princess by Patricia McLinn
The Wedding Series Book Four
April Gareaux is fairly content in her life. If you can call being content being engaged to an older man who still lives with his domineering mother. A job that has her trying to convince the public what a great vegetable the Brussels sprout is, when she doesn't even like them. When offered an odd proposal by a man who says he can't tell her much about the offer, she is intrigued. When suddenly life around her starts to crumble, the offer may be the only solid ground to stand on.

Special Agent Hunter Pierce is on a mission. He has to convince a woman to spend the next month living as someone she isn't. A princess. What should have been an easy mission becomes increasingly difficult with this woman.

I loved this story and can't wait for the next book, The Surprise Princess, that continues the tale. This can be read as a stand-alone book, but reading the first three books will lay the ground for many of the characters mentioned in this story, April's extended family. I loved the characters and the humor.
**Sensual content