5 Jun 2015

Blog Tour: Review Tour | Shadows of Asphodel by Karen Kincy

Shadows of Asphodel by Karen Kincy

Genre: Historical-Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Date of Release: May 11, 2015
Cover Artist: DamonZa
Find Online: Amazon CA | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads

Description:

She never asked for the undying loyalty of a necromancer.

1913. Austria-Hungary. Ardis knows better than to save a man on the battlefield. Even if he manages to be a charming bastard while bleeding out in the snow. She hasn’t survived this long as a mercenary without some common sense.

When she rescues Wendel, it isn’t because he’s devilishly handsome, but because he’s a necromancer. His touch can revive the dead, and Ardis worries he will return from the grave to hunt her down. Besides, a necromancer can be useful in this world on the brink of war.

A gentleman of questionable morals, Wendel drops to one knee and pledges his undying loyalty to Ardis. She resists falling for him, no matter how hot the tension smolders between them. Especially when she discovers Wendel’s scars run much deeper than his skin, and it might be too late to truly save him from himself.



Review
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Curiosity Quills Press in exchange for an honest review.

This one was definitely not like anything I had read before, but I do enjoy expanding into new genres. The romance in this one was my favourite part. I know there was some underlying war or something (aka WWI), but I was solely focused on Wendel and Ardis finding a way to make it work. I did like that there was this huge looming war that made them question how they were going to survive and also be together, but it was not as important to me as them realizing they were in love.

I did enjoy the addition of the magic to the world. It was fairly seamless and made sense in context. I do hope there is expansion on the magic in the world though and how it works. How are the mages different and what makes them choose the magic they practice? Can they choose to do different types or are they born with a natural affinity to one over the other? This wasn't really explained. There also wasn't a whole lot of world building per say and I think since it was an expansion on what has already happened, there needed to be a bit more for me to understand where the magic fit into this world.

I thought the last 20% of the book lagged a bit for me, but the ending was a surprise to me. I would like to know exactly how that bit of magic works! Maybe there is more. I was also surprised by some of the twists in this novel and do hope that there is more of Konstantin in the next one. He is a very interesting character to me and I would like to see him expanded upon. There is so much potential there!

Ardis was such an interesting character, as was Wendel. However, I would like to know more about both of their pasts. I would also like to get to know more about their families as well and more about specific circumstances surrounding leaving the past semi-behind.

Overall: 3.5/5 stars for it being inventive and fun (and something different than what I'm used to). I'm excited to see what is next for Wendel and Ardis!



About The Author:

Karen Kincy (Kirkland, Washington) can be found lurking in her writing cave, though sunshine will lure her outside. When not writing, she stays busy gardening, tinkering with aquariums, or running just one more mile. Karen has a BA in Linguistics and Literature from The Evergreen State College.

Find Karen Kincy Online:


Curiosity Quills Press (CQ) is a small hybrid publishing company specializing in genre fiction of the highest quality. With 150+ titles in our catalog already and approximately 6 new books coming out each month, there’s never a dull moment at CQ. We work with major retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Audible to ensure that you, the reader, can find whatever you are looking for at your convenience.

Founded in 2011 by Eugene Teplitsky and Lisa Gus, CQ was initially a resource portal for writing and publishing, created in an effort to help writers, like themselves, survive the publishing industry. After rapid success, CQ morphed into publishing press that over time has solidified its share in the market. Now we spend our days searching for the next great escape!

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