A Curse of Gold

 

A fun sequel that I enjoyed even more than the first installment. King Midas' daughter, Kora, must find a way to defeat Dionysus (the god who cursed her father and as a result forever changed her) before he comes to their kingdom and attacks them again. Her father is weak and a myriad of beasts have started attacking the kingdom trying to attack Kora. She sets out with her lover, Royce the admiral of her father's fleet, in order to find Triton, a god who can lead them to Dionysus' hidden island. Along the way they encounter gods, monsters, and other horrible creatures and must stay alive using their wits and a half formed plan. Lovers of mythology will delight in this young adult adventure novel. Readers will want to know, are there more books in this series forthcoming?!

Tiger Queen

This was a young adult fantasy novel that reminded me a lot of Dune (in a good way) but had more scorpions, romance, and tigers and wasn't set in space. Achra is a kingdom secluded in the desert; it's people virtually trapped by the lack of water. For years, the "desert boys" have raided the city and stolen water; making the rationing even harder on the people. Princess Kateri wants to see the desert boys punished just as much as anybody; but right now she's focused on battling her suitors. Each month she has to defeat a suitor in the arena or else marry him, but when she finds out that her last opponent is her father's right hand man, her trainer, and the most cruel man she's ever met, she panics and flees into the desert. In the desert she'll find answers she didn't even know she was seeking and in the process might even find a new purpose and love. A young adult fantasy that's full of great fighting scenes and intrigue. As an adult though, I found it quite predictable, the Easter eggs were obvious and the characters were a little flat. Still very enjoyable though!

A Touch of Gold

I ADORED this book! I loved the concept and I love reading any books with twists on old mythology. A Touch of Gold is centered on King Midas' daughter. She too is cursed like her father but in a different way; her skin is gold and "things" happen when she comes into contact with gold. For a decade she has been locked in the castle, virtually friendless, but when a thief comes into the castle and steals the precious gold pieces keeping her father alive, she knows she has to act. She secures the help of one of her suitors (the only one that hasn't been terrified at the sight of her) and they set off to reclaim her father's goods and save his life. Along they way they encounter pirates, temptresses, and desires of the heart. It's fast paced, filled with unforgettable characters, romance, adventure, and is full of surprises. I can't wait for the next book in this series!