Audiobook Review 2021 - A Curse So Dark And Lonely

Before I go any further, I want to say quickly that I went through really bad audiobook slump before I settled on this [I started then DNF/put on the back burner several audiobooks, including audiobooks I was hugely excited to listen to [yes, Barack Obama. I’m talking about you]. I think I burnt myself out due to last year and global events (hence my decision to be more gentle with reading/blogging this year). So, this might effect my review/reaction to this. So, keep that in mind before you read this and judge me too harshly.

 
Title And Author: A Curse So Dark And Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Physical, eBook or Audiobook: eBook & Audiobook
Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: eProof gifted by UK publisher in exchange for honest review/reaction while Audiobook’s bought. 
Length: 496 Pages or 14 Hours 51 Minutes

In this reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, we follow Harper, a girl from our world and Rhen, a prince and heir of Emberfall who, yep, you guessed it, is cursed. He’s cursed to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, only to be freed by love. If he isn’t freed, he is transformed into a monster, hell-bent of destruction and death, throwing his kingdom into fear and enemy kingdoms are waiting for the perfect time to invade. And now, the stakes are higher as this season will be his last…

Harper’s life hasn’t been easy. Her mother’s health is deteriorating due to terminal cancer, her father has got the family into huge debt and ran off, leaving her and her brother to pick up the pieces, doing jobs from the loan sharks their dad (now their family) is indebted to (and some of these jobs are violent) and having people see her as a victim or broken due to her cerebral palsy. So when she stops a man kidnapped a drugged girl, she takes that girl’s place and is taken to Emberfall. Prince Rhen and his sole guards man, Grey, assume Harper is going to be like the other girls - how wrong they are as Harper is stubborn, reckless and will fight tooth and nail to return home…

Cover Reveal of SECRET

Oh, hello! Today is the day where Brigid Kemmerer can reveal the cover for the fourth book in the Elemental series. And I am one of the few who is very honored to show you the new cover. And as someone who is getting into the series, the reveal is quite exciting for me. So, here is the cover and a summary for Secret. TA-DAH!

Nowhere is safe. Not even home…

Nick Merrick is stretched to the breaking point.

Keep his grades sky-high or he’ll never escape his hometown.

Keep his brother’s business going or the Merricks will be out on the street.

Keep the secret of where he’s going in the evenings from his own twin—or he’ll lose his family.

Keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who’s supposed to be his “girlfriend’s” partner.

Of course there’s also the homicidal freak Quinn has taken to hanging around, and the Elemental Guide counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. There’s a storm coming. From all sides. And then some.

Nick Merrick, can you keep it together?

So... what do you guys this? I am VERY intriguied over the cover as it is so different from the others in the series (this includes the Novellas). For a start, we have Quinn on the cover and no signs of the Merrick brothers or Hunter. The background is different from the others (we have an actual scene, rather than smokey mist). And, unlike the other covers, the title isn't written in white but in yellow. Are these clues? 

Let the fandom rip the cover apart for clues and over the fact Brigid has revealed that Secret is her most steamiest book to date. BRING IT ON!!! 

This book will be released in January next year. For more information, please go to Brigid's website at http://www.brigidkemmerer.com/. 

But what is your reactions to the cover? Do you like it? Do you hate it? And will you demand that I get my rear in gear and read Storm and Spark? 

GoodRead - Spirit

This is my first review eCopy from NetGalley (that's right! I have FINALLY joined after how many long months from most of my book blogging chums?). And I have been very lucky. As a trial, I "requested" four books (two books that I am super excited over and the other two were me testing out the site) and I have been approved for all four! So... yeah... MORE NETGALLEY REVIEWS ON THE WAY! 

Anyway, Spirit! I have had the first book in the series, Storm, on my kindle since I read a review somewhere (it was either from Jo or Braiden. Or was it both of you?) and yet, I have never read it. But I have read the prequel eNovella Elemental and the eNovella that sandwiched between the second book in the series, Spark, and Spirit, Breathless. Which I'm not suppose to read as it hints at events in the previous books so SPOILERS! And this is the same with Spirit. I really should read Storm and Spark first. 

But this is me we're talking about so... yeah... MOVING ON! 

Hunter is kinda coping with a lot at the moment. His father and uncle are dead. He's a Fifth - an Elemental that could use spirit. His grandfather is always trying to start a fight. His mother is... well... she's there but not there. The Merrick brothers don't trust him as far as they can throw him. And there's Calla is a completely lunatic. Basically, because of his gift, he's learnt the hard way that there is a price to pay. And that's fine with him. He wants to be alone. 

And then Kate comes along. Hot, sexy, bold, funny Kate. The girl who seems to get under Hunter's skin. But Kate has her reasons... 

Something is going to happen. Hunter can feel it. But the question is: who should he trust? And what's the price for what he decides?

Er... where should I start? I know I jumped into the series halfway through but, wow! I loved it. It was unlikely anything I have read within the YA paranormal genre. We had strong lead characters, regardless of their gender (THANK YOU , BRIGID!) and the story was twisty and addictive. I kept going back for it and reading late into the night, even though I knew I had an early start (hence my sudden increase of coffee drinking!). And it was hot. You had hot moments within the book and Brigid, within a few lines, would change the situation from hot and steamy to action-packed. And because of this, it was tense. You never knew where you were. Was the tense moment over or was there more to come? 

And it was unpredictable. There was one moment in the book, which I never saw coming so when it happened, I was staring at my kindle going, "WHAT?! WHAT?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" and I sense that I will be itching for the next book in the series, Siege, to see the continuing fallout of that (even though Siege will be told from one of the Merrick brothers's point of view, Nick, rather than Hunter's)...

Addictive, sexy, unpredictable. Fans will love this! And now I sense I will be reading the whole series now and getting thoroughly addicted to those hot Elementals! Anyone fancy doing a time-sharing Fictional Boyfriend with one of these guys with me...? 

GoodRead - Breathless

I am pretty certain some of you guys will have a go at me. "HOW CAN YOU READ THIS WITHOUT READING THE OTHER BOOKS/ENOVELLAS IN THE SERIES?!" Well... because this one grabbed me. I have Storm on my Kindle, awaiting my reading time, and I have read the prequel eNovella to that, Elemental (review here for your lovely people's pleasure). Plus, I have a habit to jumping, haven't I? You should know this about me. Plus, I don't think there's anything really spoilery in this eNovella so I thought I could risk it.

Nick Merrick is meant to be the level headed brother. All his brothers are Elementals - each can control one element - and with all of them being a little hot-headed, he has to be the peacemaker. Expect one night where his problems can no longer make him quiet. His girlfriend, Quinn, has gone from daring to reckless and Quinn's new dance partner, Adam, makes Nick face something he's being trying to hide and not think about for... well, for a very long time. 

I really enjoyed this eNovella. I did. I sped through it and really enjoyed reading about Nick who, according to some of you guys on Goodreads, see him as the most quiet and often outshone by his brothers. Plus, this gives us the perfect chance to actually hear him speak as the forth book in the series, Siege, will be following Nick's point of view. This eNovella might be hinting little clues to the next book in the series, Spirit (or there will be little titbits that the readers who have read the eNovella will see and get whereas those who haven't will miss). 

I wish it was longer. I know that sounds odd for someone who has only read the eNovellas by this author, but I could so easily spent more time with Nick, Quinn and Adam. Their stories were interesting and not very typical YA storylines. So, yeah, I might be jumping ahead in the series and read Siege when that comes out (might even join NetGalley to read it, if I am that desperate for it!). 

But, to those of you who are fans of the series, you might want to read this. And I promise that I will try and read Storm in the next few months. I WILL TRY! 

PS - about a month before the eNovella was released (I preordered this, DON'T JUDGE ME!), I tweeted that I think I found some songs that might fit the story ("Lie To Me" and "You, Now" by Greg Laswell). And, guess what? GREG LASWELL TWEETED ME BACK! I know that means nothing to some of you guys but I ADORE Greg's music! And here's the proof (and yes, I Favorited it even though he tweeted two words to me. I am that sad!) 

PPS - soon after reading and writing up this review, I joined NetGalley (a site where publishers can send e-versions of ARCs to reviews) and one of the first books I received was the third book in the Elementals series, Spirit. So, you're going to get a review on that soon...!

GoodRead - Elemental

I randomly came across this on Book Probe (hi Braiden) while trying to find his review of Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff. Though I’m pretty sure I have seen the first book in the trilogy, Storm, on Goodreads through other book bloggers wanting to read it. But it was reading Braiden’s review of Storm and he mentioning that there was a prequel, Elemental, did I decide to treat myself to both these on my kindle.

Emily Morgan keeps her powers of being an air Elemental a secret. She knows what happens to people who flaunt their powers. As she works on a summer job, she gets in connect with Michael Merrick, an earth Elemental. He could level cities and cause earthquakes if he wasn’t careful. Which makes him sexy. And extremely dangerous.

But they get drawn to each other. And Emily’s family don’t just want Michael to stay away from Emily. They want him dead.

Now this is a prequel that’s set 5 years before the events of Storm takes place, so it was really a taster – a teaser – of what this series is about. And I really liked it. It was a fast read and, though I read it over two days, when you think how much time I spent on it, it was only really an hour. Maybe even less than that.

This is a set up story where we get to feel out what it’s like to be an Elemental. I’m pretty sure Storm will tackle this further (and yeah, I have it on my kindle so I know what I’ll be doing next time the UK gets a thunderstorm!). I do like this story and I can’t wait to find time to read Storm!

Not much of a review, I know! Will try harder next time...