Milla Vane’s Epic Fantasy series A Gathering of Dragons is probably best known for its first full-length novel A Heart of Blood and Ashes. And although that book is a phenomenal entry into the canon of Fantasy Romance, we’d be remiss not to consider the vast world Vane has created that sets the stage for an epic battle between good and evil spanning multiple books, including the second installment, A Touch of Stone and Snow. While this book expands upon the world-building and deepens the series plot arc around the second coming of the Destroyer, it is a solid book in and of itself, introducing new characters, its own plot arc, and presenting a decidedly different romantic tone.

This review was originally written as part of a personal project to complete an all Fantasy Romance card for r/fantasy’s 2022 Book Bingo. You can read an introduction to my project here. All opinions are my own.

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RELEASE DATE: 21/07/2020

STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶

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A Gathering of Dragons gives off strong Sword and Sorcery vibes, highly reminiscent of Howard’s Conan the Barbarian. The world is filled with loin-cloth wearing barbarians from the widely different lands that comprise this vast world. They come together to form various alliances (this is where the series title A Gathering of Dragons comes from, where Dragon refers to a cadre of protectors) to embark on the quest contained within that particular book. There are bloody battles with swords, their fists, and sorcerers’ and the gods’ (who are real!) magic. It is barbaric and ruthless, and fans of this genre will most definitely pick up on that vibe. One of the more unique aspects of this S&S world-building is that the barbaric setting is amplified with beasts – dinosaurs roam this world, and in this particular book we see a pet saber-toothed cat, a dragon, leatherwings (essentially pterodactyls), and woodstalkers (giant, white-haired, long-taloned apes) traipsing through jungles, burning plains, and snowy expanses. The world is so vast that one of the knocks I have on this series is that the books don’t contain a map. This series *needs* a map. Badly. There is one on her website, but, well, not the same.

These books are very much Romances, and so they are perfect for folks that want to see that old Conan S&S vibe combined with full A-plot romance. These books are incredibly sexual, with graphically explicit descriptions of sex acts. I would say that A Touch of Stone and Snow is a tad less-so than A Heart of Blood and Ashes or The Beast of Blackmore, but it is still far more sexually charged and explicit than a lot of Romance.

In terms of the plot, A Touch of Stone and Snow continues the epic thread that started in A Heart of Blood and Ashes. I highly recommend reading the novella, The Beast of Blackmore, in between books 1 and 2, because it provides essential context that is referenced in book 2. However, significant CW for that novella as there are depictions of rape on page and references to sexual abuses in the past. If these are triggers for you, you can skip the novella no problem and glean the necessary information from the context in book 2.

The Destroyer is coming, and Yvenne (the FMC of book 1), the Queen and partner to the Ran of the Parsatheans has started to create an alliance – a Dragon – against his coming. The warriors that have been sent by Yvenne and Maddek meet with the bastard Prince of Koth, Aerax, our MMC, who is on a quest of his own to gain help for his island nation of Koth that has been besieged by bandits. Along the way, he comes back into contact with his betrothed and his love, Lizzan, banished from Koth, her name stricken from the book of names, for being the only warrior to survive a brutal attack against their people. She embarks on a quest of her own, to protect him and fight a battle to regain her name and protect her family. The two plots – the series-wide arc and the book 2 plot – are masterfully woven together contributing to and feeding off of one another. The seeds of book 3 are also planted, introducing the characters that will form that romance. I found this especially well done – it was not contrived at all and fell out naturally from the plot.

This is a second-chance Romance. The FMC and MMC are still in love with one another when our book begins. But they must do some serious character and relationship work in order to achieve their happy ending. I personally am not a huge fan of the second-chance romance trope, but I must say it was really well done in this book. When we meet our heroine, she is a complete mess. Lizzan has become a full-blown alcoholic, depressed and haunted by the wraiths that attacked and decimated her army at the Hero’s Walk to Koth. She was banished from her home, her name never to be spoken or acknowledged by her people, and she believes her betrothed, her love, Aerax did nothing to stop it. Aerax had reasons, which come to light (no spoilers!) and they must navigate her trauma and recovery together. Aerax is completely devoted to and in love with Lizzan; if the “alphahole-ness” of Maddek put you off in book 1, know that this book does not lean into that archetype at all. Aerax is plagued by his own destiny and what he must do to protect his people, a people that treated him no better than a feral beast because he was a bastard. Together, Lizzan and Aerax must overcome their past hurts and embrace one another once again, fighting both of their battles with newfound strength as a couple. It is a romance about recovering lost love, and rebuilding it into something new and greater, and it is no less powerful for that.

These books do have their quirks, which might be annoying to some, but I was able to look past them. Everyone talks like yoda. Everyone. All the time. The intent, I think, is to evoke an even greater “barbaric vibe,” to have the prose reflect the world-building, and I do actually think it achieves that goal, but I also see how that might grate on some readers, so know that going in.

I will definitely be reading on in this series. Book 3, A Dance of Smoke and Steel, is set to come out within the next year sometime, and I will eagerly jump on the opportunity to read it when it does. This unique combination of Conan-esque, barbarian world-building, Epic Fantasy, and Romance is just too good to pass up!

I love me a T. Kingfisher book as a comfort read, and Nettle & Bone is her best yet. Full of dark humour and dry wit, this is the twisted take on the fairy-tale trend I needed. A book I’m sure I’ll be re-reading again and again, as it’s exactly the kind of thing I want in a cosy read.

Many thanks to Sarah at Titan for sending me a review copy (with a spell kit!), all opinions are my own.

RELEASE DATE: 26/04/2022

STAR RATING: 4.5/5 ✶

SUMMARY: After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra—the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter—has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself.

Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince—if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning.

On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra’s family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last. (from Titan Books)

OPINIONS: I adored this book. Nettle & Bone is exactly what I want in a comfort read. It is a darker take on the fairy-tale tropes currently popular in fantasy literature, so it was sure to appeal to me – a princess who decides to kill the prince? What’s not to like about this concept. And then there is a chicken possessed by a demon, which… may be the best animal familiar ever. While the plot is not altogether unpredictable, it is fun, twisty and keeps the reader enthralled, but ultimately, it is the characters and the voice of the story that make it truly shine.

I loved the quirky cast of characters, which is one of Kingfisher’s main strengths. Marra, having spent years in a convent, needs to re-adjust to the outside world, and as usual, there is a traumatised, sensitive hunk of a man (this is a recurring theme in Kingfisher’s books). Cranky witches and odd animals add to the mix, making up a very random group of intrepid adventurers, trying to break a curse. And there is nothing better than a reluctant gang, brought together by happenstance and need to complete a quest…

The story is full of dry wit and dark humour, with a distinct voice narrating the story. And for me, that was Nettle & Bone‘s lifeblood. A great voice can really elevate a book, and this is a stellar example. The sometimes wacky plot and characters could easily have fallen into the absurd, or into more comedic fantasy, which is very hard to pull of if you’re not Terry Pratchett, but staying on the side of sarcasm avoided these pitfalls and made this a pure delight to read. That said, Nettle & Bone does address heavier subjects such as abusive relationships and miscarriage, which may be triggering for some readers, especially within the target demographic. I wish that the publisher had included a content warning – and I hope that this is something they may consider for the paperback edition still.

As you can tell, I loved this book, and will add it to my list of comfort reads, most likely re-reading it again and again. If you too want to experience the magic, add Nettle & Bone to your Goodreads here, and order a copy via Bookshop here (affiliate link).

The Elder Races series by Thea Harrison is a Paranormal Romance series that started in 2011 and made quite the impact – book 1, Dragon Bound, won the RITA (the RWA’s highest honor) for Best Paranormal Romance in 2012. With nine primary works (and countless novellas in the universe), Elder Races follows the politics and relationships of the seven Elder Races that share the world with humans: the Wyr, Light and Dark Fae, the Elves, Demonkind, Nightkind, and Human Witches. There is an aspect of portal fantasy here as well in that there are pockets of Other land that can be accessed through passageways throughout the mortal world, and the characters often enter these lands as part of the stories.

I read the first three books , because I find that with these longer-running PNR series, you don’t really get an accurate impression until you are a few books in. In addition, I was intrigued by the fact that the first three MMCs were non-traditional shapeshifts in that they were mythical creatures – first a dragon, then a thunderbird, and finally a gryphon. So, this review tackles both the book I read for the square as well as the series.

This review was originally written as part of a personal project to complete an all Fantasy Romance card for r/fantasy’s 2022 Book Bingo. You can read an introduction to my project here. All opinions are my own.

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Dragon Bound RELEASE DATE: 01/05/2011 STAR RATING: 3/5 ✶

Storm’s Heart RELEASE DATE: 01/08/2011 STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶

Serpent’s Kiss RELEASE DATE: 04/10/2011 STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶

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The world-building stage is set in the first book, but it really isn’t until the second and third books that we see just how expansive the world is and get a sense of the politics and machinations of the various races. It isn’t often you get to read a book where you have a gryphon, vampyre, medusa, and djinn all in one scene! The world-building is rich enough to provide the backbone for a series with staying power.

In terms of the romance, it has a heat level on par with a series like Psy-Changeling by Nalini Singh – it is steamy and explicit, but not to the point where it detracts from the plot. The MMCs are alphas, straight up, so if you don’t like that trope, these books are not for you. In fact, the MMC’s of the first two books are some of the most brutish, out-of-touch-with-my-feelings alphas I’ve read in a while. However! The character transformations are profound and definitely come across on the page.

In terms of FMCs, one of the things I really appreciated about this series is how genuinely nice the FMCs are. I absoluletly love a “strong” heroine, but sometimes the stereotyping of what a “strong” heroine means can become grating – they are often set up as assertive to the point of aggressive, in constant conflict with the MMC. It was refreshing to read “strong” heroines that instead were simply kind. For example, toward the beginning of the first book, prior to even starting a relationship, Pia literally cuddles Dragos and falls asleep on top of him. When they are captured by the goblins and thrown in a dungeon, she saves a struggling beetle in her cell from falling down a crack. In the second book, Niniane is often found simply listening to her subjects, connecting with them to make them feel heard. She wants to use her resources to set up a school for her people so that they can integrate into the human world. I hadn’t realized how much I wanted to read FMCs like these, but apparently I did – it was a nice change of pace.

The writing was a little rough for me, but I think that’s a personal taste thing. I sometimes struggle with an author that flips between “elevated” language and colloquialisms; it gives me whiplash to read a beautiful sentence followed by a character using the word “freaking.” It did improve as the series progressed, but it is the reason Serpent’s Kiss (which was my favorite of the three books I read) was not a five-star rating for me. I wanted to give it five stars SO badly, but unfortunately, I do have a hang-up about prose. That, combined with repetitive words and phrasing, and sometimes odd construction, kept the book at a four for me.

Interestingly, the dual POV is not split up into sections like most modern Romances – hello head hopping! You bounce between the two POVs throughout the chapters, but it was done in such a way that, although I noticed it, it didn’t pull me out of the story.

The focus of the third book – my favorite of the three, and the book I used for r/fantasy Book Bingo – is Carling. She is an old vampyre who is bored with life, essentially waiting for death, and her ennui is palpable. She undergoes a “rebirth,” if you will, finally attempting to pursue a second chance at life, in part due to the MMC. I highlighted this passage, because as Carling’s character evolves, and she begins to be pulled out of her complacency, it beautifully captures the impact of his love and support: “Or maybe that was just Rune, reawakening her soul.” Make no mistake – this book is about the FMC and her journey, and the MMC simply plays a supporting role.

I enjoyed the maturity of the characters – Rune and Carling are much older than the characters of the first two books – and the somber tone. Serpent’s Kiss is mature and poignant, and its themes resonated with me. Although Rune is an alpha, he is much more of a cinnamon roll than the previous two heroes. He’s a laid back, ripped jeans and Jerry Garcia t-shirt wearing, easy-going guy. But make no mistake, he can flip on a dime when his friends or mate are in trouble. It does lend a different dynamic to this couple and this book, because he is far more sweet – there is a scene where he does Carling’s makeup, for example, because she hasn’t worn any in hundreds of years and doesn’t know what to do. And Carling being as old and powerful as she is does not stand for any high-handedness at all. I thoroughly enjoyed their dynamic.

I’m usually not a huge fan of books that mess with time. I often find them confusing. But I think this book did a good job of addressing paradoxes and laying out the impacts of their forays into the past. I never felt like the time-travel was contrived. The plot was well-constructed around it and the characters abilities naturally shaped in support of it. The explanations were not confusing and all the typical time travel pitfalls were addressed. It was well-done.

Serpent’s Kiss was by far my favorite of the three books. If you’re interested, you can read it standalone although you’d miss some of the context and world-building that preceded it. I don’t think I will read on in this series. I liked it well enough, but it didn’t really grip me in a way that propels me to keep reading. I think that’s in part due to the prose. This is a solid PNR series however, and I think many fans will find it enjoyable.