Monday, August 23, 2010

Review: ARC Cruel Enchantment by Anya Bast

CRUEL ENCHANTMENT
A Dark Magic Novel
Berkley Sensation
ISBN-10: 0425236374
ISBN-13: 978-0425236376
Release Date: September 7, 2010

Even the most powerful hands need a delicate touch…

Emmaline Gallagher is a master of wielding personal glamour. As a free fae who lives among humans, she must hide her true self at all times as she works undercover within the powerful Phaendir—for if certain factions within the Phaendir gain control, the fae will be wiped from existence. Now, an object of fae power lies within a locked ancient box. And there is only one fae who can forge the key.

Known as “the Blacksmith” Aeric O’Malley can create or destroy almost anything with his forging skills. Emmaline has come to him in need, but he and Emmaline have a past—and he has spent centuries wanting to take revenge on her for her transgressions. But now that he has her within his grasp, something about her keeps him from exacting his vengeance—or is it merely her glamour blinding him?

Trapped by fate, Emmaline must hope that she can reach Aeric’s furious heart before it’s too late…

I obtained the above information from Ms. Anya's website ->> here!

I received this book from the author review. The words and thoughts are strictly my own.

This is the second installment in Dark Magick serie and I can say without a shadow of doubt that Ms. Anya has rocked my world yet again with another awesome tale!

Emma is a woman with a lot of things not going her way. Life has dealt her a pretty crappy hand, but I admire the woman she become. She made the best of what she could with the cards that she was dealt. Her parents died when she was around ten. Leaving her to fin for herself. Until the Summer Queen took her in. Only it was not from the warmth of the Summer Queen's heart to do this. The Summer Queen knows no warm and fuzzy feelings. She is quiet the opposite to her title. Anything but warm. In the Seelie Court, the Summer Queen turned Emma into an assassin, her personal assassin. The job Emma was created for, she excelled in it. Excelling so well that she pissed off more than a few people....

One of those people being Aeric... the Blacksmith of the Unseelie Court. He wields weapons laced with his magick for all of his life. A man Emma fell in love with since the day she laid eyes on him ~ way back when. Emma knew that his heart belonged to Aileen, but she still cared for him. Aeric was the type of man to give one hundred percent. He did nothing half-ass. It was all or nothing for him and his love to Aileen was just that. He gave her everything. Even though he has a few doubts in the back of his mind about her and her past. He overlooked them and loved her for all she was worth. But one day that all changed, with one arrow... Aeric's world was turned upside down...

Three hundred odd years have passed... Emma now lives among the humans. On the outside of the walls of Piefferburg. Her cause now changed... no longer an assassin. Now she is working with an organization for Human for the Freedom of the Fae (HFF). Trying to free the fae. Her mission to go back inside the gates of Piefferburg and get a key made... Simple enough right. Wrong, the only person that can make the key ~ the Blacksmith. Three hundred years and she still loved him and Aeric still hated her.

This couple rocked my world. Emma is a woman who made me very proud. She owned up to her mistakes, she knew that her past would always follow her, condemn her... She knew that the mission was more important that herself. She was willing to give up all that she has left for the better cause of the fae people, her people. It was amazing to take the journey with Emma through her true past and her present. To see the things she had to endure that no one else ever knew to become the woman was today. The events and occurrences from Emma's past would have broke a regular person, broke them so hard they probably would not have survived it. But she did. And Aeric was a man on a mission of destruction. By all means, he wanted Emma dead for taking what was his. But when he learns of all of Emma's past secrets, strips her bear and goes beyond the glamour, he sees the true Emma. The one who is afraid, whose heart is bigger than most, who's soul is in need of healing.

Can two wrongs makes a right? Can one forgive and forget the past? Is it truly that easy to walk away and let go of all the strings that bind you to that past? What happens when you don't want the past to be forgotten? But what happens when you learn that things are not really what they seem? Can love truly be blind and over come all?

This story is truly a hate/love relationship. There was no simple solution to this story. If you want to read a vanilla kinda story, do not pick this up... However, if you want a book that will make you pray for love, hope to be forgiven, dream to live another day ~ then please read this one. But be warned with every side, there is the side you don't want to know about. The side where there is pleasure in the pain inflicted on others, by the hands of others. Ms. Anya gives you a story complete with the things that nightmares are made out of. This is not a story to scare you, no... this is a story to see all the dynamics of what powerful people are capable of doing.

The story building is absolutely phenomenal. Ms Anya leaves nothing out to the imagination when it comes to describing the world of the fae. She holds no barred when it comes to making sure you know your surroundings, you know the people and you know their land. You know it as your own backyard. The relationships, Ms Anya, gives you the hero and heroine's story. But what I truly enjoy is that Ms. Anya keeps the family/friends together in this series. Each book is about a different hero/heroine... but the group as a whole is still brought forward!

If you have not indulged into the world of The Dark Magick, I insist that you do. This is an awesome series that Ms. Anya has created. Bringing light to two people who would have never come together if it were not for the greatest cause of their people. Their love and devotion for what they believe in shines through. With these two people the truth was always what was important. Emma and Aeric... well.. come with me on this journey and find out for yourself just what a kick-ass heroine and a bad-ass blacksmith can accomplish together! I promise you a ride all the way to the end!

Ms. Anya did a fan-flipping-tastic job at creating another stealer of a book! The world she enveloped me in was all I could have imagined and more. It was breathtaking as it was heartbreaking. It was pain, while there was pleasure. It was soul shattering as it was soul searching. This book was truly a Cruel Enchantment of piece of work. Ms Anya ~ wonderful job! Simply spell bounding!

Please visit Ms. Anya's website ->> here and see what else she has up her *sleeve*.
And if you are so inclined, please visit her blog -->> here.
Peek in and let her know you are there!! She is an awesome lady!!

Remember... Keep it Dirty, Smutty & Hussy!
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23 comments:

  1. I read the blurb when I applied for an ARC and thought it was very intriguing but hot damn girl, you've certainly put this series on my 'must-have' list now!! You already had me with "Aeric... the Blacksmith of the Unseelie Court."

    I've got a weak spot for blacksmith Fae *grin* Great review hon :))

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  2. Great review Cecile.
    I really want to read Bast, first, her covers are cool hehe, and secondly, the guy sounds hot

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  3. I read the first book in the series and loved it. Can't wait to read this one. Great review, Cecile!

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  4. I've never read Anya Bast but I bet I would enjoy her too.

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  5. Leontine~ Oh my gosh, this is an awesome series. And you don't necessarily have to read in order to understand... but it helps know the world around them.
    And honey, I can promise you ~ you will love Aeric!!!! Hottiee!!!! And if you have that weak spot... Aeric will find it... and explore it! **Wicked grin**

    Blodeuedd~ Hey honey! Thanks! I hope you had a great weekend! I know I know... not my normal covers, but these books are smoking hot in between the covers! You must give her a chance, this series is awesome!!

    host~ Hey my love ***hugs big big*** I have missed you!! I am sorry.... If you liked the first one, you will love this one! I promise you!!! Hugs to you honey!!!!

    Chris~ Hey hon! I know this is m/f book... but the story building and the world that Ms. Anya has created... I think you would enjoy! Thanks for coming over!

    Mandi~ **Gasp** OMG.. we must remedy that soon!! You would love the world she has created! All the magic and love and *cough* hot men! I think you would enjoy it!!! I will stalk you to see if you have read her... and to see if you like her!!! I hope so! Thanks for peeking in Mandi!! Hope all is well!!!

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  6. OMG, Cecile, how could I have missed my pressie o_0 I think I'll be away from pc in the next hour or two-three LOL I heart my pressie, you take such good care of my inner hussy *muah*

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  7. I love ya honey!! Happy Birthday!!!! You know I have to take care of My Queen Hussy for her birthday. I looked high and low for him... **evil grin**

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  8. I loved the first book in this series and I loved her Witch series as a matter of fact I dont think Bast has made a book I dont like at lest not yet.. I glad you got a book to review now I really look foward to reading this one!

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  9. I'm so jealous you alredy got to read this :) I loved the first book.I can't wait to read this one.
    Great review.

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  10. Sounds like another series to add to my list. I'm never going to have enough time.

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  11. From the first time reading a book by Anya Bast I have been hooked... Thanks for really whetting my appetite and giving us such a "good look" into what is in store for Emma and Aeric... Since I already pretty much am salivating over the review and counting down the minutes till release day you just made my Monday that much easier to bear!

    jackie ^_^

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  12. Laurie (BittenbyParanormalRomance)~ Hey honey!!! Ohhh gosh, I loved the first... and if you loved the first... you will LOVEEEE the second one!!! This is an amazing series!!! Thanks for popping in!

    elaing8~ heeehehehe!!! Sorry... But you know I love ya!!! It is a great story!!! Heee hee!!

    carolsnotebook~ Hey honey! Oh if you have it, I must say READ IT!!! You won't be disappointed!!! I promise you! Hope all is well honey! And thanks for coming over!

    jackie b central texas~ Hey honey!! Ohhh gosh you are so right, this woman is addicting!!! I can't wait to see your thoughts! Thanks for coming over my dear!
    Have a great day!

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  13. AWESOME POST!!!

    Leontine's right...sounds HOT!

    Hugs
    Hawk

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  14. I gotta echo what Leontine said! I've been meaning to read her forever, and just haven't gotten a chance. I'm really loving that fae are back in style, so I'll make sure to do so soon, Cecil.

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  15. Great review - I can't wait to read this one.

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  16. Houston A.W. Knight~ Hey honey! Thanks for peeking on over here today! Thank you!! This is a very hot book! =) Hugs to you!

    Vixen Pearl~ Hi there and welcome!!!! Thanks for coming over today!!! Ohhh gosh, this series is awesome!!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

    Tracy~ Hey honey! Thanks for coming over! Ohhh I can not wait to see your thoughts on this one! Have a great day!

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  17. I love the idea of a female blacksmith! I tried to weld once, and you gotta be one tough cookie. ;)

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  18. Hey Sweet... The blacksmith is male.... The she was an assassin for the Queen... Thanks peeking in here honey!! Hope you have a great night!

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  19. Great review, Cecile!! I have officially moved the first book up on my list because this sounds fantastic! I've never read any of her books, but I've heard they're great!

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  20. Tanya~ You must!! That is all I can say! You must! Hugs honey!!!

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  21. Well, I am late getting by... again. :) Always behind anymore. But, I have this series on my wishlist. It sounds like a great read.

    Hope all is going better for you. Lots of running starting again with the school year. We are running crazy with football practice already. And now we are trying to clean up and pack up some in our current house to get it on the market to sell and be ready to move into the house we are building. Hoping it will be ready by end of November, but that will be here sooner than I know it. So, we have been a little crazy on busy. :) I am looking forward to when it will slow down again though.

    Hope you all are doing well. :)

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  22. Melissa! Hey honey! You know I do not care how late you are getting here... Just that you got here. I love when you pop in!!! I am glad to hear that this is on your wishlist. It is an awesome series!

    Well, at least to day is Friday and I have a two day leave from work, hahahahahah!!! Yeah, it is just time for this week to end.
    I hear ya on the school running around. But with mine, it is keeping up with her social calendar... omg... The girl is going to be the death of me!
    I hope you have a very wonderful weekend my dear friend! Hugs to you!

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I want to thank you for stopping by my place... I hope to see you again!!
I hope you enjoy my little bloggie home as much as I do!
With hugs, love and smiles... Cecile

My Fictional Smutty Boyfriend.... =)

"Quotes"