Review: Bloodrealms by Aurora Whittet with Giveaway

BLOODREALMS

Bloodmark Saga, Book Two

by Aurora Wittet

YA Paranormal

400 pages

Werewolf princess Ashling Boru's eighteenth birthday is only a year away, which means that she only has twelve months before she is claimed and fulfills her prophecy to unite the packs and lead her people. Her father decrees that her four suitors must fight in the Bloodrealms, the werewolves' ancient underground fighting world, and the winner will have King Boru's choice to win Ashling's hand. The wolf laws are rigid and barbaric, and Ashling's illicit love for Grey, if discovered, will mean his death. But when Ashling and Grey get trapped in the blood-soaked depths of the Bloodrealms, they find ancient horrors far greater than Ashling's father's rule.

With betrayal around every corner and old nemeses set to destroy Ashling, she is more divided than ever between the destiny she didn't choose and the love that she did. To make matters worse, her deci!!sion will not only set the course of her future, but the future of her entire race.

Bloodrealms is the second novel in Whittet’s Bloodmark saga.

MY TIDBITS

Packed with non-stop action, this book brings the wonders and horrors of the world of werewolves to life.

After escaping near death and killing her largest enemy, Ashling finds herself the object of four suitors affections. Her father insists she choose one, but whatever choice she makes brings risks she's not really willing to take with it. To make matters more difficult, the pressure of fulfilling a prophecy hangs over her like a dark shadow. Some want to control her, some want to possess her and others simply want her dead.

This book takes off where the first one in the series leaves off, and I wouldn't recommend it as a stand-alone.

Action, multi-layered agendas and hidden dangers guarantee that this isn't a book easily put down. Ashling has began to accept who the prophecy says she is, but that doesn't mean she has a clue what she should do about it. Her desire to do her best and protect everyone makes her easy to root for, especially since she's put in the awkward situation of having to choose between suitors, which her father has picked out for her. The inner struggle to make her father happy, while remaining true to herself makes her easy to sympathize with and presents a lovely inner struggle to her somewhat rebellious personality.

Each character is given their own history, personality and depth. Although it's clear which one of the suitors Ashling prefers, the author does an excellent job of making each one (mostly) seem worthy. By the end when her choice happens, it's hard not to feel a little sorry for the ones she didn't chose.

There's quite a bit of romance thrown in with the action. At times, it was sweet. Other times, the sways toward a somewhat love triangle bothered a bit.

There are so many aspects to this werewolf culture and life, and the details made it interesting. The multi-layers and possibilities give the traditional myths an entirely new depth and background. Some of these were grabbing and intriguing. Others could have been better founded. At times, solutions or new problems seem to pop up for the sake of simply adding more tension and action. But in general, the world makes sense and grabs so much that it's easy to get lost in.

This book was even better than the first and promises an exciting read until the very last page. There's lots of romance but tons of action and adventure as well. I'll definitely be grabbing book three to see how all of this comes together at the end.

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Review: Bloodmark by Aurora Whittet with Giveaway

BLOODMARK

Bloodmark Saga, Book One

by Aurora Whittet

Wise Ink

YA Paranormal Romance

480 pages

Sixteen-year-old werewolf princess Ashling Boru is different from other wolves—she was able to shift to wolf form at birth. Rather than bringing pride to her family, it brings fear, and as a result, she is forced to live in seclusion in Ireland’s countryside. Ashling’s reputation is further blackened when she refuses her betrothed and defies the ancient laws. When her pack’s oldest rivals begin hunting her, she finds herself in the small town of York Harbor, Maine—far from everything she’s ever known. 

In Maine, she crosses paths with the dark and rebellious Grey Donavan, and something ignites within her soul. There’s just one problem: Grey is human. Their instant connection turns into a passionate romance, and Ashling begins to believe she can create her own life outside of wolf laws. When she begins to uncover long-buried pack secrets—secrets that threaten to destroy all she holds dear—Ashling’s courage and tenacity are tested. Will she choose her deep and enduring love for Grey, or will she follow Old Mother’s path to her destiny?

 MY TIDBITS

With the rich depth of the heart of werewolf folklore, this pulls in, and then unleashes it into a modern, teenage world.

Ashling is a werewolf princess, kept in hiding due to a prophecy which claims she will save them all. When she turns fourteen, her father hands her over to be wed--an arranged marriage Ashling refuses to accept. As danger mounts, Ashling makes an exciting escape to the States where she must enter normal human life, while still watching her back and protecting those around her.

I'm not usually a werewolf fan, but this story grabbed me in during the first chapters. The dark, rich mythology of the werewolf clans and Ashling's situation promise a wonderful adventure. This deepness then flip-flops to a more flippant, American teenage lifestyle where drama, romance and teenage rebellion issues arise. At first, I was a little disappointed but the story again keeps up pace and offers a nice, action packed ride.

Ashling is a character with quite a few corners. She can be golden hearted and valiant, but she can also be snippy and moody. There are times her decisions make the skin crawl, and her disrespect for especially her elder's advice doesn't speak well of her. But she learns and manages to pull through into a heroine to cheer for. The other characters are nicely done, adding just the right touch of balance. The constant reminder of the danger Ashling is in hangs in the background like a dark shadow, keeping the teenage drama side at bay.

There's romance...tons of it. Grey is a perfect mixture of sweet and dangerous. His personality and very own background give him a special flare which give the plot a nice shot of spice. There's quite a bit of mystery behind him, which keeps the tension high until the end. The relationship between him and Ashling is more of an instant attraction with deep commitment spoken extremely early on. Still, the chemistry holds nicely and makes up for any earlier lack of depth.



Summed up, this is a great read for teenage werewolf fans who like a lot of romance mixed in with the high-stakes tension.

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