Abbie Lynn Smith's Blog, page 10

Book Review: A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane

I was given a copy of this book through a giveaway on TikTok. I started it a while ago, but it seems like sometimes my TBR takes control and I have to put things down. By August, I knew that I needed to finish reading the books I'd started, so I vowed to get it done.

A generation past, the western realms were embroiled in endless war. Then the Destroyer came. From the blood and ashes he left behind, a tenuous alliance rose between the barbarian riders of Parsathe and the walled kingdoms of the south. That alliance is all that stands against the return of an ancient evil--until the barbarian king and queen are slain in an act of bloody betrayal.

Though forbidden by the alliance council to kill the corrupt king responsible for his parents' murders, Maddek vows to avenge them, even if it costs him the Parsathean crown. But when he learns it was the king's daughter who lured his parents to their deaths, the barbarian warrior is determined to make her pay.

Yet the woman Maddek captures is not what he expected. Though the last in a line of legendary warrior-queens, Yvenne is small and weak, and the sharpest weapons she wields are her mind and her tongue. Even more surprising is the marriage she proposes to unite them in their goals and to claim their thrones--because her desire for vengeance against her father burns even hotter than his own...

If I'm being honest, this isn't a book that I would have picked up on my own. I'm not big into primitive male stories. Even less so when they're verbally abusive toward the female love interest.

From the start, I didn't really feel like I could sympathize with the main character, Maddek. He'd lost his parents and went on a tear through his grief, which is completely understandable, but I didn't like his barbaric behavior. If I don't like a love interest or even feel an inkling of curiosity about a love interest, there's a good chance I probably won't enjoy the story.

Yvenne was a different story. She was strong and warm, despite the traumas that have ravaged her life. Like the men they traveled with (with the exception of Maddek), I really found myself respecting Yvenne.

For me, this one was a little too long for not enough action. It was definitely a romance, but not one that I would recommend to a lot of people unless they don't mind the main love interest being a bit of a jerk. I didn't find myself invested in the world or the political intrigue between kingdoms as I normally would.

Abbie

Book Review: The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

This was actually a reread of mine because the third book in this series just came out this year.

Stop the Magician. Steal the book. Save the future.

In modern-day New York, magic is all but extinct. The remaining few who have an affinity for magic—the Mageus—live in the shadows, hiding who they are. Any Mageus who enters Manhattan becomes trapped by the Brink, a dark energy barrier that confines them to the island. Crossing it means losing their power—and often their lives.

Esta is a talented thief, and she’s been raised to steal magical artifacts from the sinister Order that created the Brink. With her innate ability to manipulate time, Esta can pilfer from the past, collecting these artifacts before the Order even realizes she’s there. And all of Esta’s training has been for one final job: traveling back to 1902 to steal an ancient book containing the secrets of the Order—and the Brink—before the Magician can destroy it and doom the Mageus to a hopeless future.

But Old New York is a dangerous world ruled by ruthless gangs and secret societies, a world where the very air crackles with magic. Nothing is as it seems, including the Magician himself. And for Esta to save her future, she may have to betray everyone in the past.

I have an ongoing Instagram DM thread with author Lisa Maxwell because my biggest gripe--and joy--about this series is the slow burn between Esta and Harte. She loves to tease me.

I first read The Last Magician when it came out and I was just beginning my foray into YA Fantasy. One thing that appealed to me was the time travel element. I have always loved time travel, even though it is very hard for me to write into my own stories (one day I will make it work!).

Another element that I love is that The Last Magician is mostly set around the turn of the century. In a time before electronics and cars, before cell phones and when you actually had to travel to get somewhere. I've always been fascinated with this time period, when the world was on the brink of new industrial discoveries.

Esta goes back into the past with the solo goal of completing her mission. Instead, she meets and incredible cast of characters. Between Harte, Dolph Saunders, Viola, and Nibsy Lorcan, Esta finds herself struggling to accomplish her goals. In order to do what she's come to the past to do, she must betray them all.

I adore Esta and Harte. I love their banter and the way neither of them want to be near one another but they also can't stay away. I usually can't stand when an author drags out a romantic plot, but there's something about the attraction between them that just keeps me tied into the story.

Maxwell has done an incredible job of meshing the past setting with a modern woman. I loved The Last Magician even more on this reread!

If you're looking for a historical/fantasy YA with an intense, slow burn enemies to reluctant friends to almost lovers, definitely check this one out!

Thanks,

Abbie

Book Review: One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

This book has been all over the place. Written by the same author who wrote Red, White & Royal Blue, I knew I just had to read it!

For cynical twenty-three-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. She can’t imagine how waiting tables at a 24-hour pancake diner and moving in with too many weird roommates could possibly change that. And there’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures.

But then, there’s this gorgeous girl on the train.

Jane. Dazzling, charming, mysterious, impossible Jane. Jane with her rough edges and swoopy hair and soft smile, showing up in a leather jacket to save August’s day when she needed it most. August’s subway crush becomes the best part of her day, but pretty soon, she discovers there’s one big problem: Jane doesn’t just look like an old school punk rocker. She’s literally displaced in time from the 1970s, and August is going to have to use everything she tried to leave in her own past to help her. Maybe it’s time to start believing in some things, after all.

Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop is a magical, sexy, big-hearted romance where the impossible becomes possible as August does everything in her power to save the girl lost in time.

Sometimes love stops you in your tracks...

Woo, that's an understatement for this novel. I have been devouring as much LGBTQ+ romance as I can these days. I loved Red, White & Royal Blue, so I knew I'd be in for a treat with this one.

I love the voice of the protagonist, August. Immediately, you get sucked into New York City as she's trying to find a place to live. Her perspective on the city, as well as glimpses into her history captured me right away. I mean, who hasn't imagined just up and moving to a big city and leaving everything behind?

August finds a room with some pretty amazing people who are so diverse, just thinking about it makes me smile. One Last Stop has gay, bi, and trans representation in the main characters of the story. As August falls into a routine in NYC, you learn more about why she came to the city.

Then she meets Jane on the subway, and her entire world is upended. From the meet cute, all of the way to the end, I was completely smitten with their story. I won't give away the twist--it's much better when you find out on your own--but this is one of the most interesting takes on lovers that can't be together that I've ever seen.

Woven into this Sapphic romance are beautiful, artistically driven characters who couldn't care less about societal norms, a mystery that goes all of the way back to August's home city of New Orleans, and a romance that I won't soon forget.

I will say, this book emotionally destroyed me. For a second, I questioned whether I would get my happily ever after. I thought that McQuiston was going to betray my romance loving heart. I. Cried. So. Hard.

All of that to say... this is one of my top reads for 2021. If you enjoy Sapphic romance, quirky characters, LGBTQ+ representation, run, don't walk, to your nearest indie and buy a copy! I promise, you won't regret it.

Thanks,Abbie

Guns & Smoke Blog Tour: Notes from a Romantic’s Heart

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Notes from a Romantic’s Heart is pleased to welcome authors Lauren Sevier and A. Smith to the blog today to talk about their new book, Guns & Smoke. You can find all the stops for this tour at Goddess Fish Promotions. Remember to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a $20 gift card. The entry form is at the bottom of this post.

GENRE: Dystopian/Western Romance

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Is the setting for your book real? If so, have you been there? If it’s fictitious, is there somewhere real that you’ve used as a model?

While the settings for Guns & Smoke are real places in the American southwest, a lot of the elements of the story are fictitious. At the beginning of the novel, the characters are in Vegas, which has managed to survive after the end of the world, but sometimes it feels as if the desert is trying to reclaim the city. Run down casinos, brothels, and gangs are the real rulers of this new iteration of Vegas. Even though the characters don’t stay there long, I really enjoyed imagining the Vegas strip as being a dusty, dangerous place reminiscent of the old west. When it came time to choose a destination for Jesse and The Kid, neither of us hesitated: Roswell. There’s a show that came out in the late ‘90s called Roswell, and it’s my favorite. I have never been to any of the locations in Guns & Smoke, but google has been a valuable tool. We spent a lot of time researching maps of the southwest in order to figure out which places the characters would stop and developing the new versions of them to be like memories of the old west. My grandfather is a huge fan of westerns, so I grew up watching them with him. It was a lot of fun to use that knowledge in building The Fool’s Adventure world.

Do you like to read in the genre in which you write? Or, are you adventurous?

I will read just about anything. While I prefer stories that are dystopian, fantasy, or paranormal, I read all over the place including literary, mystery, and romance. I’ve only recently got into the romance genre, so now I spend my days devouring just about any romance that I can get my hands on. I still adore the YA dystopian boom of the early 2010s because they produced some of my favorite titles. These days, I read a lot of Fantasy, from YA to Adult, and I am a huge Sarah J Maas fan, especially of her most recent publication. I will always stop to read a good dystopian, though. It’s absolutely one of my favorite genres.

If you listen to music while you write, what are the top three songs on your playlist?

I make a playlist for each of my novels. My spotify account is all over the place. For my Guns & Smoke playlist, the top three songs are: 99 Problems by Hugo, Poison & Wine by the Civil Wars, and I Know Places by Taylor Swift. All three of those really encapsulate the emotions of Guns & Smoke.

About the Book

In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun danger lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.

Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.

Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.

Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.

Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“I didn’t mean what I said earlier, about turning you over to Sixgun. I was just…” He struggled for the words.

“Hurt?” I offered, and he nodded. “I know. I have a talent for pushing people away.”

“I still shouldn’t have said it,” he muttered near my ear, his arm tightening around my shoulders to hold me closer.

“Do you really think I’m stupid?” I asked.

“No, I think you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met,” he said, with all the conviction with which he said everything else. I smiled against his shirt. “Did you really climb into my bed because you thought I was upset about the train?”

“No,” I croaked, hiding my face as best I could. “I don’t have nightmares when you hold me.”

“I don’t have nightmares when I hold you either,” he admitted.

So I let him. I let him hold me all night. We didn’t speak, we just leaned against each other until the sky began to lighten and the shadows of our pasts seemed to fade into the distance.

Meet the Authors

Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series.

The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia.

Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on TikTok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!

,Lauren's Website ~ ,Facebook ~ ,Twitter ~ ,Instagram ~ ,Goodreads ~ ,YouTube

,A. Smith's Website ~ ,Twitter ~ ,Instagram ~ ,TikTok ~ ,Goodreads ~ ,Newsletter Sign Up

Book Review: City on the Sea by Heather Carson

Brooke knows the rules. Everyone in the city outside the wall does. If you never cause any trouble, you never disappear.

Even after her father's mysterious death, she's always known she'll do whatever it takes to live a good life and earn her place on the land one day.

But when the watchmen suddenly start following her every move, it doesn't matter if she's done anything wrong. Now she needs to find out why they are watching before she vanishes without a trace.

The City on the Sea, book one in the City on the Sea Series, is the thrilling first installment to this futuristic dystopian story. Climate change and rising sea levels have forced humanity to live on the ocean in order to protect the precious bit of land remaining. In the midst of this cli-fi adventure, a strong female lead character discovers that her world isn’t what it seems and learns to fight for the truth no matter the cost.

I am a member of a Dystopian authors group on Facebook. That is where I met Heather Carson. I believe she is one of the admins on the page, and she is super sweet! I was really excited to get my hands on a copy of this first novel.

The City on the Sea reminded me why I love dystopian so much. This story very easily could have been set in a fantasy world and it would have been great. However, the dystopian elements were incredible: earth is a finite resource and not everyone has access to it, people aren't taught to read because there are no books, and the main character, Brooke, has a job as a weaver (spoiler alert: they are using plastic bags to create new things). I thought all of these elements were amazing.

This is a YA novel, so there wasn't as much romance as I had hoped for. In general, I left this book wanting more. Not because it lacked anything, but because I needed to know more. I needed to know what happened in the world, and what secrets were being kept from its people. The novel felt short, but I think that's a really good thing, actually. With as short as it was and how many things were left open, it's definitely a great strategy to get readers to go into the next novel.

I have so many questions. It made me think of The Giver a lot. Like how everything was in black and white until the main character learned what color was. In this novel, there's an open ended element where when people retire, they're brought to the land to live a life in peace. We didn't learn the truth, but I have a feeling there's a darker truth there. Maybe one akin to The Giver's twist!

I definitely will be continuing on with this series when I have the chance to do so!

Thanks,Abbie

Guns & Smoke Blog Tour: Andi's Book Reviews

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Dystopia meets western romance in this collaboration between authors Lauren Sevier and A. Smith. Check out an excerpt from Guns & Smoke and then follow the tour for even more! Best of luck entering the giveaway!

In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun danger lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.

Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.

Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.

Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.

Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.Read an excerpt:

“Those for me?” she asked. I hadn’t realized she was awake. I nodded, once again helping her sit up. I eased off the ruined dress and put the dry clothes on her as carefully as possible. I started to climb from the wagon to let her rest, but she reached out, grabbing my wrist.“Please don’t go,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.With a nod, I moved behind her, sitting with my back against the stolen crates. She leaned between my legs, resting her head against my chest. I brushed some of her matted hair away, pressing my lips to her temple. I held her, not tight enough to hurt her, but enough to let her know I was there.“We can’t stay here,” she said after a while. Her voice startled me into alertness. “Coyotes are gonna come when they catch the scent of that horse.” Suddenly, I had an idea about what to do with the horse.“I know,” I said. “But you need to rest.”“We need to keep going,” she said. Neither of us moved as I sat there, holding her, lips pressed against her hair.“Just let me hold you,” I whispered. “Just a little while longer.”

Buy on Amazon

(affiliate link included)

Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on TikTok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!

Lauren Sevier:Website: www.laurensevier.com

Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/laurensevier

Twitter: www.twitter.com/laurensevier

Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurensevier

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorlaurensevier

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19812178.Lauren_Sevier

Smith:Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21041264.A_Smith

Website: http://abbielynnsmith.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbiewritesx

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbiewritesx/

TikTok: https://t.co/30D6MREJxk?amp=1

Newsletter: https://abbielynnsmith.com/newsletter/

Guns & Smoke Blog Tour: Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

Please be sure to check out the original post here!

@Archaeolibrary, @GoddessFish, @laurensevier, @abbiewritesx,

#Dystopian, #Western, #Romance,

In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun danger lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.

Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.

Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.

Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.

Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.

Add to Goodreads | Smashbomb

“Those for me?” she asked. I hadn’t realized she was awake. I nodded, once again helping her sit up. I eased off the ruined dress and put the dry clothes on her as carefully as possible. I started to climb from the wagon to let her rest, but she reached out, grabbing my wrist.

“Please don’t go,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

With a nod, I moved behind her, sitting with my back against the stolen crates. She leaned between my legs, resting her head against my chest. I brushed some of her matted hair away, pressing my lips to her temple. I held her, not tight enough to hurt her, but enough to let her know I was there.

“We can’t stay here,” she said after a while. Her voice startled me into alertness. “Coyotes are gonna come when they catch the scent of that horse.” Suddenly, I had an idea about what to do with the horse.

“I know,” I said. “But you need to rest.”

“We need to keep going,” she said. Neither of us moved as I sat there, holding her, lips pressed against her hair.

“Just let me hold you,” I whispered. “Just a little while longer.”

Have a Weekend Writing Retreat and Detail the Experience

Abbie and I recently went on a writing retreat in April to work specifically on the second book in the The Fool’s Adventure series titled Leather & Lace. The hope was that we’d have a few distraction free days so that we could finish the book and have it ready for pre-order by the time we publish Guns & Smoke on July 10th, 2021.

Essentially the goal was to get away from all the modern day trappings and distractions like children, husbands, pets, television, social media, etc. So naturally we wanted to hole up in a cabin somewhere in the middle of nowhere with internet access and a kitchen so that other than taking breaks for human things (like showering, eating, and sleeping) all we were doing was cranking out words. We found a little historic cabin in the middle of nowhere in

Mississippi only an hour or so away from where we live. It was built in 1910 and had a HOT TUB! Talk about the perfect way to unwind when the words got stuck or we found ourselves in the middle of a huge plot hole, right?

We packed up all our snacks, wine, writing craft books, laptops, and meticulous outlines and headed out. Playlists were carefully curated, comfy sweats and slip on shoes our attire of choice, and we talked the whole way there about each plot point we were worried about and character arcs we were excited to write.

When we got there it was just as picturesque as it seemed on AirBNB, and we got to work unpacking and setting up our ‘war room’ as it were, where all our chargers and reference books would be easily available. Now, Abbie and I work pretty well together, and we use Google Docs to be able to simultaneously edit or work on different chapters at the same time. Definitely the best decision we’ve made in our co-authoring journey as it’s been invaluable for us.

Then, of course, disaster struck. Literally the only requirement we had for the writer’s retreat was that we needed to have internet access. Not a ton of bandwidth like for gaming or streaming, just enough to be able to log into and work in Google Docs. Of course, the picturesque historic cabin had just survived a pretty big storm… and their internet was out. We spent so much time trying to come up with a work around we nearly lost half a day just contacting the managers of the property and trying to figure out how to log into our documents.

Eventually, Abbie found an old thumb drive and we decided we were going to go analog. It slowed our progress IMMENSELY since we couldn’t work simultaneously as we’d planned, but we weren’t about to let one minor inconvenience stop us from getting the work done. No siree. After staying up until the wee hours of the morning trying to get to a certain plot point before we finally succumbed to sleep the first night, we finally called it when I started nodding off at my laptop.

I was excited to get to sleep so that I could wake the next morning and get right back into it. Only to discover that there was no air conditioning in my loft upstairs where it was the hottest part of the house, and the facility didn’t provide sheets for the bed. To say that I had a restless night would be an understatement.

Waking the next morning, we realized the whole stay would be like this and while we tried to stay optimistic and enthusiastic, and we DID get quite a lot of work done, it was a pretty disappointing trip overall. Even though we didn’t meet our goal, we had a mishap with the thumb drive and lost half a chapter (that made me cry while writing), and overall it was hot and uncomfortable… I got to spend time doing what I loved with my best friend. And THAT made the experience worthwhile in my opinion.

The managers were pretty rude when we didn’t give them a 5-star rating, instead losing a star for the several issues we had. Abbie wrote a nice and balanced review, stating our problems but still talking about how it was really a very nice place and we may go back in the future…

In the cabin they had a guest book where you could write a little something about your stay. We didn’t write anything in the book but mostly because we were exhausted and trying to get everything packed up and ready to go. The managers responded to Abbie’s review on

AirBNB stating:

“I just read your review and was sad to see such a harsh rating, but I understand it was hard for you to see the beauty around you with such a focus on what you did not have… Sorry it was a disappointment and I should have known when the "writers" didn't leave a note in our journal.”

Needless to say, we’re going to be going on an annual writers retreat again next year… but we won’t be going to the same place. Wish us luck on our next adventure!

Book Review: A Court of Silver Flame by Sarah J Maas

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.

The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other's arms.

I already read this book and reviewed it when it first came out. However, I've been in a bit of a hole lately with my reading and I wanted to read something that would fill me warmth and happiness.

I said many things back in February that I didn't like about this novel: Rhys's behavior, the Az bonus chapter, how it felt like Sarah was intentionally writing Mor out of the story because she didn't want to address the LGBTQ+ representation after all of the flack she's gotten on lack of diversity. Those things are all still true.

But... that doesn't change that this is still my favorite book in the entire ACOTAR series.

Don't get me wrong. I still love Feyre and Rhysand. Their story is iconic and timeless, but there is something about Nesta and Cassian's relationship that's just *chef's kiss*. While I acknowledge the majority of the book was fae smut and not actual plot, I still loved every word of it.

One thing that Sarah has always done well is mental health representation. It doesn't negate her shortcomings in other areas at all. I am so glad that she decided to explore Nesta's journey from both she and Cassian's points of view. I'm so glad that she showed how deep trauma and self-loathing go. I love that the constant message here was "keep reaching out your hand." This is something that I will always, always try to do when the people I care about are struggling. It's important to reach out, but also to realize that sometimes people don't always take that hand.

While this is one of my personal favorites, it's not something that I would tell people OMG you have to read it NOW, unless you've already read the rest of the series. Absolutely explore the first three novels and novella prior to jumping into this one.

I think my favorite thing about the ACOTAR series is that every time I reread it, I discover something new that I absolutely love. The first time I read the series, it was for Feyre's journey. The second time, I actually fell in love with Nesta and Cassian. I mean, the scene in ACOWAR with the line about wishing for more time? Ugh! Break my heart, SJM, just break it!

I can't remember if I wrote this in my original review, but I want to point out one issue that I did have with this.

Nesta's entire narrative is that she didn't have a choice in the things that happened to her. While I adore she and Cassian more than anything, I would have liked for them to not be mated. Because: 1. ACOTAR established that mates were rare, but all three Archeron sisters have them? Nah. And, 2. It would have been so much sweeter because Nesta chose Cassian, and some primal bond didn't make that choice. While she came around to it in the end, I still would have liked to see that not be a thing.

There's nothing I love more than when a character chooses their love interest.

Another thing I'd like to note is that as ACOTAR has gotten more popular, the fanbase has become a little hard to swallow. When the ACOTAR series was announced, a large portion of the fanbase bullied an actress because she followed SJM on social media by saying she wasn't skinny enough to be Feyre (which is a joke, that woman is GORGEOUS!). I'm so concerned that the fanbase is going to ruin the show for everyone. I really hope they cast lesser known actors to play the inner circle, like Netflix did with Shadow & Bone.

I can't wait to see what happens next in the ACOTAR series.

And... my little heart would love to see a redemption arc for Tamlin. Okay byeeee.

Thanks,Abbie

Guns & Smoke Blog Tour: READING STEWARDESS

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Authors: Lauren Sevier & A. Smith

Series: The Fool’s Adventure Series Book 1

Publication Date: July 10, 2021

Genres: Dystopian Western Romance

Rating: out of

Trigger Warning: This book contains depictions of graphic violence, language, sexual violence, attempted rape, depictions of child abuse, and depictions of human trafficking.

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In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun dangers lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities he’d heard about his whole life. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.

I was fortunate enough to be a beta reader first for Guns & Smoke prior to reading it again as an e-arc for the tour. What drew me to this book initially was the description, especially the fact that it is described as being a dystopian western romance. While I had read westerns that were dystopian, even westerns that were romance, I had never read one that combined all three and the fact that this book was combining all three piqued my interest.

From the opening lines as I followed along with Bonnie as she stalked Jesse through Las Vegas, I was hooked. I found myself wanting to know more not only about this brazen female outlaw and the man she’d chosen as a mark, but also about this version of the United States following a catastrophic event that essentially sent the country back to the times of the Old West. As I made my way through the book with the characters on their rather dangerous quest to reach Jesse and his brother’s uncle in hopes of finding answers and safety, I found myself wanting to rush through not only to find all the answers I and the characters were searching for, but also to see Jesse and Bonnie grow ever closer despite their best efforts. Thankfully, I forced myself to take my time with the book and really savor each moment of the story as it unfolded.

As much as I love the overall story, I found that I especially loved the writing style and how descriptive and seamless it was. The author’s did such a wonderful job bringing the story to life that I found I was able to picture each scene in my mind as though I was watching a movie. The story is so well crafted that I found myself laughing right along with the characters, as well as cringing and crying out at the more harrowing and unsettling scenes. It’s because of the images that flew through my head while reading that I couldn’t help but create my own mood board (pictured above) for the story.

The other aspect of the story that I really enjoyed was how the authors took their time with the story, both with the revelations about Jesse and Bonnie and their pasts, as well as the rather hilarious slow build of their relationship. In terms of the revelations, the sprinkling of information throughout made it so that when the mind blowing revelation towards the end of the book came, it not only was one I didn’t see coming but upon reflection it helped to explain and solidify so much of the things which occurred earlier in the book. As for their relationship, the slow build up and constant fighting not only with each other, but internally with themselves was needed as they each had walls that they need to break down and trust on both sides that needed to be gained. The constant interruptions from other characters further helped to make it that when Jesse and Bonnie finally have sex they’ve managed to overcome all their hang-ups and cautions and build on that trust to the point that I was wholly satisfied as a reader with how everything came together.

As this is the first in a series, I cannot wait for the next book to come out after that rip my heart out cliff hanger ending. While so many of my questions were answered in this book, I have so many new ones that need to be answered, and I really want to know more about the past events that occurred prior to the book starting, such as the events that led up to The Culling and the fact that they’re having not only a long lasting but an even farther reaching effect than anyone could ever imagine.

If you’re looking for a wonderful action-packed adventure story that takes place in a future Old West setting with romance, comedy, a kick-butt heroine who is perfectly capable of saving herself, and a sexy leading man who is able to break down the heroine’s walls, then you need to pick up a copy of this book for yourself.

Book Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/embed/kC821Nr...

Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on Tiktok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!

Who am I? A Re-Introduction

Hey yall! I've had some changes in followers, so I wanted to be sure you know what you're getting when you follow me!

My name is Abbie Smith. I am a thirty-something-year-old author who was born, raised, and lives in southern Louisiana. Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to be a writer. For me, there was nothing I loved more than sitting down with a pen and notepad and writing stories. I never thought that I was good enough to come up with original ideas, though.

So when I started high school and discovered an AOL chat room for one of my favorite TV shows where people were writing as though they were the characters... I was hooked.

I spent a lot of years doing text based roleplay and making online friends. What started in AOL chat rooms eventually morphed into forum/message boards. At some point, I guess as I got older, the role playing wasn't as popular with my friends. I tried so hard to keep it going, but they weren't as interested--which happens, no shade at all.

Right after my co-author, Lauren, and I graduated high school, she hit me up on AIM (y'all, I know I'm aging myself, but whatever) to see what I was doing. I was mortified. How could someone in my real life ever understand what I spent hours of my time doing?

Instead of making fun of me, Lauren wanted to join in.

From there, we found that when writing together, we created interesting and fun plotlines. All of it was Harry Potter based roleplay. We created characters and even if others thought we were over the top, I got sucked into the stories, into the characters, in the worlds we created.

Throughout college, I would go through phases where I went back to roleplaying. After college, I decided that I wanted to give writing a good try. I still lacked the confidence in myself that I could write something original.

Writing has always been such a deep part of me. When I'm writing or working on my novel stuff, it never feels like work.

When I'm writing, nothing else matters. When I'm writing, I'm happy. When I'm writing, I'm whole.

Guns & Smoke is my first published novel, but I have so many in the works. Between my co-authored projects with Lauren, and my solo projects, I have enough ideas to fill many, many books and series. Sometimes, I wish I could go back and tell the younger me that you have plenty of ideas for good stories--you just need to believe in yourself enough to write them.

If you're a writer, it's normally because there's something inside of you that calls to you to do it. That's how it's always been for me. That's how it always will be.

Thanks for reading!

Abbie