Le sigh...just dreamy...
This is one tale as old as time that I wish wouldn't have ended. After winning a copy, but getting tired of waiting for it from the pub's snail mail, I bought it. And let me tell you, I was so engrossed in the story that I hated to put it down, unfortunately with it's length (Thank You, Ms. Sparks!) it had to be. I am surprised how much I actually fell in love with this against the odds love concept. It has such a different feel from her other series, but Ms. Sparks truly has done it again. The writing, the characters, the romance kept me spellbound that I am looking forward to taking a second trip to this otherworldly place.

This is the first book in The Embraced series and I found it fun and fast pacing, as well as entertaining. In it you’ll find a tortured hero, a virginal heroine, plenty of villains and a lot of magic.

I was impressed with the world the author built, but disappointed at the romance, which hardly had any time to grow before it bloomed full force.

This was truly enjoyable to read and I would have had no trouble recommending it to even tweens, except it does contain sex scenes that are not suitable for them. Maybe the author should consider making this available to them as well, without the “R” rating.

If you’re this author’s fan, you’ll love this story and anxiously await the second installment to this series, So I Married a Sorcerer, which is coming out in August.

Melanie for b2b

I absolutely loved reading this book! I haven't finished reading her other series, but I was really excited to read this book! It sounded so great-and it lived up to that promise and more-plus, I've really enjoyed her writing! It was just an amazing book!

For some reason, I thought that this would take place in the modern world. I don't know why, but I did, and I was wrong. And I really loved the world that was created in this book! This world of The Embraced, of the Moon Goddesses, and the Seer-and the game that Luciana and her sisters created that was pretty accurate in depicting futures when Lucina translated it!

Watching Lucina and Leo together was fantastic! She only just found out that she wasn't an orphan, while he's had his deadly power since he was 5, and an uncle who was out to get him! They were such a perfect match! And why she could touch him and not be hurt, glad we got an explanation for that!

I do wish that we could've seen Leo and Luciana with his uncle. That would've been very interesting! But since the bad guy killed him before they could reach him, yeah. That didn't happen! Because his uncle was a pretty bad dude, himself! It allowed them to change the kingdom to what they wanted, though!

Loved this book so much, and I can't wait for the sequel and see more of her sisters find happiness! (Since her birth sister found hers in death in this book!)

I haven’t read Kerrelyn Sparks yet, so I was looking forward to giving How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days a shot. Unfortunately, I was a bit underwhelmed. I found the book irritating at times, and the political structure made no sense. And the Mad, Evil King – he was such a non-issue it was disappointing. While he got his just rewards, it happened off-page, and justice was doled out by a secondary character. Disappointing!

Luciana is an orphan who lives on the Isle of Moon. She and her fellow foundlings live a comfortable life in the convent. The nuns earn money translating and selling books, which they are famous for, but Luciana and the other girls seem to have an idyllic life puttering around the beaches and playing fortune-telling games. When a stranger appears, accompanied by a coffin, Luciana’s recent fortune-telling seems about to come true.



The man is her father, a duke, and the occupant of the coffin was Luciana’s twin sister Tatiana. Now Luciana must pretend to be her sister and marry the Beast of Benwick. Since twins are considered ill luck on the mainland, she must never ever let anyone know that she’s not Tatiana. She can also never let anyone know that she is one of the Embraced and that she has special magical powers. If the evil king ever finds out, she and her father will be put to death.

And this where not much made sense. Leo, the Beast of Benwick, is also one of the Embraced. Lightning seeks him out, strikes him repeatedly, giving him powers. He can’t touch anyone because he fries them. His uncle the king knows that he has these weird powers, which are justification for being killed, but Leo is instead the Protector of the kingdom. He leads the armies against the king’s enemies, and all the while, the king tries to secretly kill him.

If Luciana and her father don’t report to the capital, they will be put to death for not following the king’s orders. When Leo ignores and purposefully tries to irritate the king, he isn’t punished, though the king threatens to kill him. Luciana’s mother died giving birth to her, but the king hasn’t allowed her father to remarry, because he wants their lands, and doesn’t want any more children getting in the way who can inherit the duchy. Instead, the king has been trying to kill the duke and his daughter. So we have this big build up that the king is a terrible, evil guy, but then some new random bad guy shows up and kills him. Huh? Why couldn’t Leo get some revenge against the guy that killed his mother and has been trying to kill him for years. Ugh.

The romance was another let down. Leo and Luciana don’t even formally meet until about 40% into the story. Then it’s, for all intents and purposes, dreaded INSTA-LOVE. There is no real build up to their romance, no courtship, no chemistry. And because Luciana is a special snowflake, she is the only human Leo can touch without zapping the life out of her. So of course they must be fated lovers. Luciana just accepted that she had to marry this terribly misunderstood guy without a whimper, and Leo knew he had found the woman of his dreams. Meh. I didn’t buy it. And I wonder if their kids will be immune to his lightning touch too.

Overall, this is a fast paced read, perfect for a weekend afternoon. I breezed right through it. The pacing was a bit uneven at first, but it settled down to a fairly entertaining read. The problems mentioned above marred my reading experience, and when I finished, I thought that while it was a fairly fun read, How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days was also a fairly forgettable read. Your mileage may vary.

Grade: 2.75 stars

When I saw Kerrelyn Sparks’ name pop up, I instantly wanted to read this book; her Love At Stake is one of my guilty pleasures. Imagine by surprise when this book featured a meatier fantasy setting than her other vampire/urban fantasy series, and was funny and touching to boot! It was an enchanting book with fabulously loveable characters and both humour and tragedy throughout.

Part of the charm is the world itself: the island-dwelling moon worshippers are female-led and accepting of magic users, and the male-dominated sun worshipping society tries to kill suspected magic users as soon as they are born. Somehow it doesn’t feel clichė’d; the mythology is well established and interesting, and not everything is black and white.

One example of a magic user who lives on the mainland is Lord Leofric, whose lightning imbued body kills all who touch him. This makes him a great weapon in the King’s army, but also an aberration who is feared across the land. He has a few friends, but even they are careful when dealing with him. He also has the misfortune of being the mad King’s nephew, making him a target for assassins whenever his power levels get low. He defends a country who hates and fears him, but still tries to do what is best whenever he can. He knows that he can never touch Luciana, his decreed betrothed, but he still vows to protect her and her father from the King’s machinations.

Luciana was everything I love in an heroine: she’s brave, she doesn’t let Leofric or any other man walk all over her, makes mistakes sometimes but is devoted to her family and her new country, despite having grown up apart from them because of her powers. Oh yeah, she can talk to the dead, too, which at first thought would be weird, but is used in really clever ways throughout the whole book.

My only issue with HOW TO TAME A BEAST IN SEVEN DAYS is the terrible title and cover. Spark’s previous books were a bit cheesy, and the chest/cheese combo worked. This book is so much better than that, and I’m so worried that it won’t get into the right hands. This is a proper fantasy novel. Yes, it has some PNR tropes, and it has a sexy love story, but it’s so much more than that. I really wish they had gone with a more serious cover - this atrocity will turn off so many people and makes reading it in public difficult. It doesn’t match the quality and tone of the book at all.

It looks like The Embraced series will have at least 5 books in it, and I can’t wait to discover more of the mainland countries who have been at war with each other as long as anyone can remember. The mix of political intrigue, magic and romance is such a perfect balance that I can’t wait for the next book, SO I MARRIED A SORCERER… I can only hope the sorcerer has a shirt on the cover.

I have read and loved Kerrelyn Sparks' Love at Stake series so I was super excited to start reading How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days. This is a new series by her and it takes place on another realm. While going in to this series I didn't have a lot of expectations. Like I knew it was going to be good but I still missed the Love at Stake gang a little bit. But I never should have doubted Kerrelyn Sparks. She is an amazing author and she comes through with this one.

Let's start with our heroine Luciana. Luciana grew up on the Island of Moon away from the mainland because of her hidden powers. But then her father returns for her due to unforeseen circumstances. Now she has a choice- either hide away on the Island forever or help save her father by marrying the Beast aka Lord Leofric. I loved Luiciana. She was such a sweetheart. She was pure and innocent where the world was a horrible place with people only wanting power. I loved how kind Luciana was and how she was with Leo.

Leo or the Beast of Benwick as he is known has not been touched since he was a child. He is born with the power to harness lightning so his touch basically electrocutes people. Leo was an amazing guy. He was strong and protective and actually cared about the people of his country unlike the King himself. Leo knows the King wants to assassinate him and his betrothed. As soon as Leo meets Luciana he is smitten. But he knows she's keeping secrets from him as is he.

How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days focuses more on the way the kingdoms operate as well as the Isle of Moon. There is a lot of backstabbing and planning and plotting along with attempts of assassination. But the romance was just as lovely with a combination of sweet and sexy. Luciana gives Leo the kindness and affection he's been craving his whole life and Leo in return protects her with his whole heart. I loved these two.

We also get to meet Luciana's sisters from the Isle of Moon who have also been hidden away for reasons unknown. I'm excited for each one of their books as I loved the bonds of sisterhood they shared. I also loved Leo's guard. His men were strong and loyal and I'm hoping we get to see more of them. Kerrelyn Sparks has created a new and unique world and with her sense of humour she made this book a very enjoyable read.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days is the first book in Kerrelyn Sparks new fantasy series.

The story begins with five young women living in a convent in the Island of the Moon. To the best of their knowledge, they are all orphans and they consider each other sisters. Each of them is Embraced, meaning they have a power.

The first book centers on one of them, Luciana. Her gift is to be able to talk to the dead and to predict the future. She soon learns she is not an orphan when her father, the Duke of Vindalyn, comes to retrieve her and to take her back home. Luciana also learns that she was born a twin. Her twin sister Tatiana has passed away and her father needs Luciana to take her place instead. Luciana must marry Lord Leofric, also known as the Beast of Benwick in order to prevent the death of her father and herself.

Leo is also Embraced. His power is to retain electricity after he gets hit with lightning. He defends King Frederic's territory from anyone attacking it. He knows his uncle, the king, wants to kill him and in fact, he has survived many attempts on his life already. He does have friends whom he can count on for anything, Brody, and Nevis, but he also lives a very sad existence since he can't touch anyone without shocking them. He's resigned to his loneliness. When he is told he must marry Luciana by the king's decree, he's sure he won't be able to touch her either.

When Luciana and Leo meet they share a connection and the more time they spend together, the more feelings they develop for each other. Marriage becomes something neither fears they just have to work on staying alive.

I like the new world Kerrelyn Sparks has created. I like how different the five young women are and the diversity of their powers. I also was happy with the two main characters. Luciana had a sweet soul and she was nice. Yet, she fought for what she thought was right. I feel bad for Leo. He was so lonely. I was glad when he got closer to Luciana. The one drawback was their relationship felt like insta-love to me. After just a few days, they were already in love. I would have preferred for it to happen over time.

Overall, the story was entertaining and an easy read.

Cliffhanger: No

3/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything In Between
NOT what I expected, based on name. It's a bit of Beauty and the Beast, but it's much more medieval than I initially gave it credit for. It's also not a snarkfest, but a fantasy/historical/paranormal mix and that surprise definitely made this more enjoyable than I thought it would be.
-The setup for the series is good, and the worldbuilding gives intriguing tidbits without getting the reader lost in the details.
-I liked both leads, and their angsty romance is a slow burner that makes sense...to a point.
-This would have been a 5 star read for me, had the last half of the book lived up to the first half. There was SO MUCH packed into the climax and end, that the book felt uneven. First half was all angsty romance and intrigue (aka good), then the second half still has the angsty romance that started to feel a bit forced, and then holy speed train - it literally flies by with info dump twists packed in with convenient resolutions to huge obstacles. By the time this happens,I was still on board, but I was feeling a little queasy. The convenient resolution, by the way, made the final confrontation completely anti-climactic, though I’m still curious enough to continue on.



The Bottom Line 3.5 (yes, I round up) stars
I enjoyed it, flaws and all,so I’m willing to continue on with the series. I just hope once the ‘verse is fleshed out more that the pacing evens out, because there’s great potential for a five star read in this series, I can feel it. Though that may be the cough medicine talking right now....oh well. If you’re into light fantasy romances with a touch of angst, I would recommend giving this a shot.


**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**

Posted on Les Romantiques - Le forum du site
Reviewed by Rinou
Review Copy from the Publisher

This is the first volume in a brand new series whose pitch is “a new paranormal/fantasy romance series that is best described as Game of Thrones meets The Princess Bride. So what can you expect? Action, adventure, suspense, spooky stuff, shifters, dragons, elves, witches, lots of laughs, and of course, plenty of romance!” That’s appealing isn’t it? And it’s quite a good summary.

In this universe, some children born during the two moons eclipse have diverse powers, and they’re called Embraced. In 4 of the 5 kingdoms these kids are often killed at birth or sent in the 5th kingdom to be hidden. At the beginning of the novel we meet Luciana who grew up in a convent in the 5th kingdom with four other young girls. Luciana, who thought she was an orphan, meets her father who’s come to pick her up in order for her to take the place of her twin who’s just died before she was expected to marry, on the King’s orders, his nephew the Beast of Benwick.

Luciana is a nice heroine who is kind-hearted. Even if she’s mad at her father for having abandoned her, she had a happy childhood and she doesn’t stay resentful. Her personality is her twin’s opposite which surprises the castle’s inhabitants at first, but they believe (a bit too) easily the explanation about a change due to her illness. She’s also convinced there’s good in everyone, especially Leo in spite of his nickname and his renown, and she stands up for him really fast in front of the inhabitants.

Leo is nicknamed the Beast of Benwick because he’s got the power to absorb the lightning and use them in battle, and whoever touches him risks to die instantly. He’s yet dedicated to his people, he protects them, as chief of the army, against the raids of the other kingdoms (we don’t really know why they are perpetually at war but that made me think of the raids between Scottish clans in historical romances). He’s thirsty for tenderness, even if he’s well supported by his friends, and when he realizes Luciana can bear his touch you can understand he’s the happiest of men!

They are attracted to the each other from the first day they meet, and I liked seeing them winning each other over. I also liked that Leo, even if he suspects Luciana is hiding secrets, finally decides hat’s not important. However, even of a lot of things take place in this novel, the story takes place on only a few days, so I thought they confessed their love a bit fast.

Beside the romance part, the plot comes from the killers sent by the king to get rid of Luciana, her father, and Leo. Most of the search about this plot is captivating and well thought, and Luciana’s power to see and talk with ghosts is greatly put to work. However I thought the ending was rushed. The story resolution with the king takes place in no time at all, which I found a bit frustrating. And people are either too kind or too bad. But it’s a detail I realized when I was thinking to write this review, when I didn’t see it while reading.

The whole has indeed a fairy tale feeling that I enjoyed a lot, with a very cute romance and a rich and interesting universe that made me think of heroic-fantasy. I can’t wait to read in the next volumes the adventures of Luciana’s heart sisters (did you noticed there’s 5 sisters for 5 kingdoms?)

First book in the new series The Embraced by Kerrelyn Sparks, How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days is a wonderfully woven new Fantasy Romance world. The prologue paints a world where four Kingdoms all worship the sun and two small islands who worship the double moons. When a child is born under the eclipse, when two moons becomes one, they are said to be blessed by the Moon Goddesses and are special. The men in charge of the sun's church believe these children are dangerous and must be killed upon birth. But the Isle of the Moons often takes children into their sanctuary. The Embraced is about six young girls who were all born under the eclipse; this book centers around the eldest of the six, Luciana.

I can already tell this series going to be awesome. The active setting is spectacular, the fantastical medieval setting is so easy to picture in my head. The characters are so easy to fall in love with. The plot of a the book is a serious one but leave it to Kerrelyn Sparks to have a comic relief that will have you bust out laughing at inappropriate times.

Luciana was raised on the Isle of the Moons as an orphan along with her (adoptive) sisters. Luciana and her sisters would kill the time by telling fortunes using colored stones, it was all in fun until one day Luciana's prediction came true. Luciana's father came to the isle to get Luciana. The King has demanded that Lucius' daughter was to marry his nephew Lord Leofric of Benwick or else face death. The King has become greedy in his power and will do anything to obtain the wealthy lands that Lucius owns; that includes murdering them before the wedding. Leo is one of the embraced, but he contains the power of lightning and no one can touch him, so the can't kill him. Leo has risen in the ranks of the army and is now the Lord Protector of their Kingdom. All this was a way for the King to try and kill him but so far his attempts were unsuccessful. Now Leo has to go and get married to a young woman and protect her from the King's murderous intentions.

It was love at first sight. From across a crowded courtyard their eyes met and Luciana knew nothing would be the same again. Leo vows to protect his betrothed and despite the rumors about her, he knows she's different from any other woman he's met and he knows she's hiding something from him. He tries not to get to close afraid his touch will kill her but in no time their love is stronger than even the King. But will the Kings machinations kill them before it's too late?

Overall, outstanding. I really can't wait for the next books. It's a continual rollercoaster ride of adventure, action, magic, and mayhem; and the romance is pretty dang good too.

Brilliantly written full of intrigue, laughter, romance and vivid descriptions. This is the first book I have read from author Kerrelyn Sparks and I am not disappointed in this first book to the new The Embraced Series. It was enthralling on how she plotted this book with all the characters and plots going on in the background.

The dramatic first chapter opening quickly move the reader into Luciana's life and how her life was to change. It was very fast paced and I just couldn't put the book down from that point on. Her sisters were another point of interest and it was obvious that their stories would be just as phenomenal as hers.

What an interesting and unexpected character Lord Leofric, the Beast of Benwick turned out to be! His fully developed personality is larger than life and will enchant the reader as they learn more about him. The men in his army that are close to him create a tight family as well as a very strong defensive team for keeping those he cares for alive.

Brody is the secondary character that caught my imagination as he was featured throughout the book. Even if he wasn't there is something about him that drew me too him. As one of the Embraced it is obvious that there is more to him than meets the eye and I can't wait to read his book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the next book to this series for this reason I give it 5 STARS.

This was an easy, fun and light paranormal set in a somewhat historical setting. I enjoyed the book and the characters. I didn't have to think much and it had some funny, light hearted scenes. The characters were likable and there was a small suspense plot although it was easy to figure out how everything would progress. A spirited and tough heroine and a wounded alpha male who had a difficult past. The romance was a slow progression on the physical side although the "I love yous" came very early. Still if you are looking for a lighthearted, fun and easy PNR this one fits the bill!

How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days begins at the Convent of the Two Moons, on the Isle of Moon, with five girls playing a game they had made up using “telling stones”. Luciana excelled at the game and her “sisters” loved having her tell them their futures. When Luciana picked the stones for herself: red as blood, black as death. Little did she know how profound those stones would be. As a storm nears the isle, the girls rush to secure their windows, only to be interrupted by a Sister from the convent telling Luciana that she is to come with her to meet someone who has just arrived. When Luciana presses the Sister as to whom she’s meeting, she is more than surprised to find out that it is her father. Luciana and her sisters had been raised at the convent since birth as orphans, never knowing that she or any of the others had any family left.



As Luciana enters to meet her father, she can’t help but wonder why she’d been raised as an orphan and why her family had sent her away. Torn between hurt and curiosity, she steels herself to face the man who, after nineteen years, has decided to visit. Once she realizes the truth of the danger her father is in and why she had been sent away, she makes a vow to help him in any way she can….even if it means they could both be killed. Her home is ruled by a greedy, power-hungry king, who informed her father that his daughter is to marry the king’s nephew, The Beast of Benwick. Rumors of the Beast and his power to harness lightning scare everyone, including Luciana. To save their legacy, and her father, Luciana embarks on a quest that will be life-changing for everyone. But, none more than she and the Beast.



How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days is the first in a new series by Kerrelyn Sparks, whom I have adored for years. She’s created a new world which includes magic, shifters and great characters. Luciana, having been raised in a convent, is naïve about a lot of things, but it is her sense of loyalty, kindness and integrity that reaches out and grabs the reader. It doesn’t take her long to see that their situation is dire and she does everything in her power to ensure the safety of everyone in their keep. Leo, the Beast, is fierce, loyal and very smart. His uncle, the king, has tried more than once to have him killed, but, as Leo says, he’s hard to kill. When Luciana and Leo, along with their close inner circle of friends, soldiers and ghosts decide to take things into their own hands, they all fight tooth and nail to not only keep themselves alive, but everyone in their duchy. The secondary characters are AWESOME. I cannot wait to read more about them to find out how they ended up in their current situations. Sparks style of writing enraptured me the very first time I read one of her books. She writes with humor, which is always a plus, but it is her way of reaching into your heart that gets you every time. Her characters are relatable, the romances sweet and her world building is awe inspiring. If you’ve never read a Kerrelyn Sparks story, this would be a great place to start. Well done, Kerrelyn Sparks! Very well done!

Luciana grew up with her “sisters” on the Isle of Moon. She only knows the life she’s led living on the Isle—it’s sheltered for their own safety, as all the girls are there because they are known as the Embraced and each has their own gift or power. Luciana thought her family didn’t want her or they were dead, until the night her father shows up offering her a choice to leave with him to save her family’s legacy or remain on the island. The choice is not an easy one—Luciana must leave the only life she’s ever known to marry the Beast of Benwick or stay and lose the opportunity to know her father.

Lord Leofric is known as the Beast of Benwick because of he has the power to harness the strength of lightning, and is a danger to everyone he touches. Stuck living a lonely, solitary life, Leof isn’t expecting the true strength and power emanating from his betrothed… he’s accepted the fact he’s to live the rest of his life stuck in a loveless marriage. Luciana isn’t like a normal person though, but can she overcome what others have not—can she truly and safely withstand Leo’s touch?

I loved watching Leo and Luciana’s love grow and develop. Luciana using her gift for good and sussing out of the enemies to Leo was awesome. It was wonderful to have the instant connection between these two—fun to watch them stumble a bit because neither had a clue to go about having a real relationship.

Starting up a new series—names, history, etc. of all the characters, the setting, the timeframe—can be quite a daunting task, but I was immediately entranced by the world Kerrelyn Sparks created in How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days, book one in The Embraced series. Sure, there were some slow spots, over detailed descriptions, but that level of detail is what will make the rest of the series shine. The whole premise of mysterious powers is fascinating, and I really enjoyed getting to know the ins and outs of these characters and am looking forward to Brigatta’s story next.

Ever had the problem of what to write when it comes to a book you don’t really know how to rate? Yep this is one of THOSE books.
The author has created a great fantasy world full of unique creatures and The Embraced born on a night with twin moons rife with power and supernatural powers. The girls are left at the steps of the Isle of the Moon. Here we meet Luciana left on the steps at birth now 19 it turns out that she isn’t an orphan to save her father she goes to the mainland to pose as her twin sister. Twins are forbidden in the kingdoms.
Luciana & Leo are perfect for one another especially when it comes to their supernatural abilities. To tales some time for them to get together as there is some mistrust and not everything makes sense when it comes to Luciana. The beginning was good and I enjoyed it all although the lack of interaction between the main characters was missing. Everything was good until that one twist was just too much and ruined it for me.
My verdict?
I liked it there were times where I wanted to give it five stars and then it went down to two stars. In the end I’ve decided to go with three stars instead. I can also see the appeal why the book is liked by so many but it didn’t work for me. I wish it did. I don’t pick up fantasy books very often or at least not anymore but I saw this and just couldn’t help myself.
Although I have added the second book to my TBR shelf I still need to think about it.

From the brilliant imagination of Kerrelyn Sparks comes a bold new fantasy romance series in which passion and magic collide. Behold the Embraced...

As one of the Embraced—one born with magical powers—the beautiful, innocent Luciana escaped certain death after her father hid her away on the Isle of Moon. Now, nineteen years later, her father has returned with a frightening request. He will be executed unless Luciana returns to the mainland and marries a man feared throughout the land: a terrifying brute known as the Beast.

Luciana accepts her fate and agrees to wed the Beast—Lord Leo—in order to save her father. Soon she learns that her betrothed is also one of the Embraced. With the ability to wield lightning, Leo’s immense power strikes fear into the hearts of men. . .and his mere touch can put an end to a woman’s life. But Luciana cannot deny the passion that burns between them. How can she resist the man who scorches her soul and makes her feel intoxicated with desire—even if surrendering to him could destroy them both?




Review:

I can say with certainty that I have loved every Kerrelyn Sparks book that I have ever read and that absolutely includes this one!

This is the first in a new series featuring people who are "Embraced" which are special powers. It starts with girls who have been sent to a nunnery as babies by their families to hide them from those who would not understand their powers. It looks as though each book will center around one of the girls and what happens when she finds out who she is and where she came from. In this first story we have Luciana, who can interact with the dead. This leads to some interesting, fun and dramatic scenes as she is interacting with them. Than we have "The Beast" or Leo who can harness lightening and can kill with a touch. It is basically love/lust at first sight for these two and all the things that these two go through to be together is a wild ride. I don't want to give away too many plot points or spoilers. So I will boil it down to this; we have good vs. evil, action, adventure, drama, court machinations and romance. The world building was done excellently and it was easy to understand, who and what was going on. Plus, Ms. Sparks always has a way with witty and fun dialogue that makes her stories all that much more enjoyable to read.

I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a romantic fantasy read.

4.5Stars

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

After the first chapter I thought I wasn’t going to be able to get though this. Thankfully, I pressed on and this proved to be a very entertaining read!

He has the gift/curse of harnessing lighting. She can speak to the dead. This book is like X-Men in Narnia. There are normal people, but also those with dramatic abilities - that’s the X-Men part. The world Ms. Sparks has managed to create feels like Narnia to me. I love that the characters use their powers for good.

If you like paranormal romance, this is a no-brainer. If you’re not quite sure, I encourage you to give this a go. The free preview may not be enough to see the beauty in the story, but you should start there.

I received an ARC of this book, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.