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Ultima Skylar
I am Ultima Skylar, and I am in big trouble. You see, I witnessed the assassination of the Prince regent of my Kingdom, then the assassin tried to kill me. I survived because I'm an expert at kicking the groin of any man with my high heels.
Yes, my friend, now I am a suspect. The assassin is after me, and my owner is doing nothing to protect me. Oh, but to add insult to injury, I must work with a broken leg, must hide my magic, or my owner will kill my daughter.
Life sucks for me.
I need help to stay alive! I can't keep living expecting an assassin to come and jump out of any corner. Our King is dying, and we need his youngest son Prince Soren to step up and replace Prince Marco. There is one big problem: no one has seen Prince Soren in months. He went to war, and he stopped sending messages back home. Oh, so they told us.
However, at a party, I saw a ghost of happiness pass. There I was, at a party, all dolled up and beautiful, and Lord Otto Hightower stood in front of me asking for a dance. And who is Otto Hightower, you may ask? He is a foreigner but one that has the power to help, maybe.
Darkness is taking over the Kingdom, and I can't do anything about it, at least not as a slave.
Yes, my friend, now I am a suspect. The assassin is after me, and my owner is doing nothing to protect me. Oh, but to add insult to injury, I must work with a broken leg, must hide my magic, or my owner will kill my daughter.
Life sucks for me.
I need help to stay alive! I can't keep living expecting an assassin to come and jump out of any corner. Our King is dying, and we need his youngest son Prince Soren to step up and replace Prince Marco. There is one big problem: no one has seen Prince Soren in months. He went to war, and he stopped sending messages back home. Oh, so they told us.
However, at a party, I saw a ghost of happiness pass. There I was, at a party, all dolled up and beautiful, and Lord Otto Hightower stood in front of me asking for a dance. And who is Otto Hightower, you may ask? He is a foreigner but one that has the power to help, maybe.
Darkness is taking over the Kingdom, and I can't do anything about it, at least not as a slave.
390 pages, ebook
First published December 8, 2021
5 people are currently reading
427 people want to read
About the author
Omayra Vélez
13 books87 followersOmayra Vélez is a retired US Army disabled veteran, now an award-winning author for the book Ultima Skylar. Her family now calls her Lady of Grimdark after they read her book Calixta.
The author loves Spaniel dogs and now is a fur-mom of two puppies, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, one named Winston Carlyle Velez and the other named Otto Hightower Velez.
The author loves Spaniel dogs and now is a fur-mom of two puppies, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, one named Winston Carlyle Velez and the other named Otto Hightower Velez.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 7, 2022
I highly enjoyed ULTIMA SKYLAR, a fantasy romance novel set in a world of exotics like CALIXTA, another of the author’s novels. It is not necessary to have read one novel to understand the other. Ultima is a highly trained prostitute or exotic and also a slave. She becomes embroiled in political intrigue when she is bought for the night by Prince Marco and he is assassinated by a masked man. Ultima has secret magical abilities and so does her daughter, Akina. I enjoyed the way the novel slowly revealed more information about Akina’s background. After Ultima’s former owner passes away, she and Akina have a chance at a new life. The author’s descriptions were excellent and I liked how I could easily picture each scene from the way it was described. I liked how this book had political intrigue, fantasy, a slow-burn romance for Ultima that I enjoyed, fierce family loyalty, and strong female characters.
June 17, 2021
I won a hardcopy of this book from a giveaway in my local bookstore. The editing was awful. I contacted the author through her website and who I thought was an assistant got back to me but it was the author. She said that there was an error in the printer and the first batch of books had an un edited version of the book. She sent me free signed copy of the edited version of the book.
Having said all that, I loved the story. It was awesome from begining to end. I know this story must have a second part. Ultima is a strong woman and she is a fighter until the end. I don't give spoiler but all I am saying is this story has action, adventure, romance, and intrigue to boot.
Having said all that, I loved the story. It was awesome from begining to end. I know this story must have a second part. Ultima is a strong woman and she is a fighter until the end. I don't give spoiler but all I am saying is this story has action, adventure, romance, and intrigue to boot.
June 10, 2021
I won this book through a Goodreads getaway in exchange for an honest review.
I gave this book a 4-star rating, even though it seems to me more of a 3.5.
The storyline was wonderfully creative and the world/characters the author created were fantastic. My biggest problem with this book really was grammar and language usage. It was really hard for me to get into this book due to the sheer number of grammatical, spelling and word choice errors. Those errors made the story confusing and frustrating at times. Also, the fantasy elements weren't explained enough for me, leaving me to wonder what certain capabilites of each type of mage was, for example. Despite those critiques, I would be interested to read a follow up novel should the author write one!
I gave this book a 4-star rating, even though it seems to me more of a 3.5.
The storyline was wonderfully creative and the world/characters the author created were fantastic. My biggest problem with this book really was grammar and language usage. It was really hard for me to get into this book due to the sheer number of grammatical, spelling and word choice errors. Those errors made the story confusing and frustrating at times. Also, the fantasy elements weren't explained enough for me, leaving me to wonder what certain capabilites of each type of mage was, for example. Despite those critiques, I would be interested to read a follow up novel should the author write one!
June 6, 2021
Ultima Skylar is one very strong and smart slave that did the best she could with what she was given. It was interesting to follow her journey to freedom, if a bit excessively dramatic. Some of the characters' decisions didn't quite make sense from a logical standpoint, and the grammatical errors were many. It stopped me from immersing myself completely into the story. The plot was good enough to compel me to finish the book though, which is why I gave it a 4 star rating instead of a 3.
I received this book for free and I am voluntarily writing this review.
I received this book for free and I am voluntarily writing this review.
May 29, 2021
My wife read it first and she said it was in the same line of the world like the Calixta book. It is not the second book of Calixta. It has a little more romance than what I normally read, but I liked it.
July 10, 2022
Where can I start? At first, I was hesitant about reading this book because I read a few reviews saying it had many grammatical errors, but then I saw the book had a Second Edition. So I went to the author's website, and The author made an entry about how she had to re-edit the book and create a second edition because the first editor did such a poor job. So, I bought it, plus I got it at $1.99 from Barnes and Nobel.
To start, I must say that I read Calixta on a weekend, and I read this one similarly in a few days as well. When I saw that this book was in the same world as Calixta, I thought this was the sequel. No, this is not a sequel. This book is about a slave Exotic called Ultima Skylar. The story follows the political unrest of the kingdoms, and it follows the brothers Vurthas that appear in Calixta. However, in this book Ms. Vélez uses all the history and bases from Calixta to create a rich and detailed world in the Kingdom of Tsestelago.
The book is a fantasy romance, and I can't compare it to any other writer. It's like a cross between Laura Thalassa and Robin Hobb if I were to make a comparison.
Ultima and Otto were not like your typical hero and heroine. They have so many faults, and Ultima is so multifaceted. Their love story was nice to read about, and in the end, I was upset that it ended so fast. The only grievance I have with this book is that it ended too fast. I wanted more.
I don't have an English degree, but I didn't find grammatical errors in the second edition.
All in all, I loved the story.
To start, I must say that I read Calixta on a weekend, and I read this one similarly in a few days as well. When I saw that this book was in the same world as Calixta, I thought this was the sequel. No, this is not a sequel. This book is about a slave Exotic called Ultima Skylar. The story follows the political unrest of the kingdoms, and it follows the brothers Vurthas that appear in Calixta. However, in this book Ms. Vélez uses all the history and bases from Calixta to create a rich and detailed world in the Kingdom of Tsestelago.
The book is a fantasy romance, and I can't compare it to any other writer. It's like a cross between Laura Thalassa and Robin Hobb if I were to make a comparison.
Ultima and Otto were not like your typical hero and heroine. They have so many faults, and Ultima is so multifaceted. Their love story was nice to read about, and in the end, I was upset that it ended so fast. The only grievance I have with this book is that it ended too fast. I wanted more.
I don't have an English degree, but I didn't find grammatical errors in the second edition.
All in all, I loved the story.
June 19, 2021
I"m so glad I read Calixta first. I was able to understand worldbuilding from the start. My recommendation is to read Calixta first. Although, you don't have to because this book is not the second book of Calixta. It is in the world of Calixta. Anyway, I want to say that I love this book. It is a romance, and it has a murder to be solved, and it has so much action and an adventure that I can't categorize it. I love it.
August 2, 2023
Hello all,
I want to add a few words. This novel won the 2023 Florida Authors and Publishers Association’s Annual President’s Book Award for Fantasy. I am super excited about the accolades. This book had to have a second edition due to editing issues, but in the end, the quality of the story shined through.
I want to add a few words. This novel won the 2023 Florida Authors and Publishers Association’s Annual President’s Book Award for Fantasy. I am super excited about the accolades. This book had to have a second edition due to editing issues, but in the end, the quality of the story shined through.
June 19, 2021
There must be a second book. I love Ultima. Otto was such an a-hole in the start but I got to love him in the end. hurry with book two.
August 21, 2021
Won this book in a giveaway from my local book store during a book signing of the author. Loved the story. Thus far this is my favorite story of all the ones this author hasve written.
June 14, 2022
Read this one on a 20-hour flight and I loved it. Ultima is a strong woman and The character of Otto was well written. The story is so unique. I can't say what it is. It is a blend of romance fantasy with some suspense in it. Loved it.
September 3, 2022
ULTIMA SKYLAR was incredible. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to like it, and there were parts I struggled with, but the storyline was exciting and fun and this was such a creative idea.
I would have given this book 5 stars without hesitation if there weren't so many grammatical errors and a writing style I didn't quite care for. I've seen a response from the author where she says it has been updated, and I received a complimentary ARC of this book before it came out, so I'm not sure if this is the new version or the old one. There were a lot of errors on each page (ebook edition) and that dropped a star for me, which is disappointing because otherwise, it would easily be very high on my shelf.
There were bits and pieces of the writing style I didn't like, too. For example, where most writers say "she laughed" or "he gasped", this book was filled with, "Ha, ha, ha," and "GASP!" It threw me off and felt too stilted - which didn't help as there was a lot of laughing and gasping.
I didn't like Otto until halfway through the book when he started to grow on me, and he had this back-and-forth attitude that made me want to shake him and tell me exactly what he wanted from Ultima, because his attitude was annoying me.
If this is a series, and depending on who the sequel is about (there were so many characters with similar titles I really only know the main ones) I would love to pick up another book (provided it's focused on Ultima because I like her the best)
I received a free ARC and am leaving a voluntary and honest review.
I would have given this book 5 stars without hesitation if there weren't so many grammatical errors and a writing style I didn't quite care for. I've seen a response from the author where she says it has been updated, and I received a complimentary ARC of this book before it came out, so I'm not sure if this is the new version or the old one. There were a lot of errors on each page (ebook edition) and that dropped a star for me, which is disappointing because otherwise, it would easily be very high on my shelf.
There were bits and pieces of the writing style I didn't like, too. For example, where most writers say "she laughed" or "he gasped", this book was filled with, "Ha, ha, ha," and "GASP!" It threw me off and felt too stilted - which didn't help as there was a lot of laughing and gasping.
I didn't like Otto until halfway through the book when he started to grow on me, and he had this back-and-forth attitude that made me want to shake him and tell me exactly what he wanted from Ultima, because his attitude was annoying me.
If this is a series, and depending on who the sequel is about (there were so many characters with similar titles I really only know the main ones) I would love to pick up another book (provided it's focused on Ultima because I like her the best)
I received a free ARC and am leaving a voluntary and honest review.
December 30, 2022
Pretty Good
I love the premise. The plotting was a little weak toward the end. I didn' t like so much back and forth between Otto and Ultima, it was a bit excessive. I like the characterizations of a few of the characters. The mountain trip was too long. I think I understood the end. I wish it had been a little clearer in the portions about how Ultima was ultimately let go if she was, it was a little hard for me to understand. The first 33% of the book was amazing, then I ran into those issues. It is a personal preference for clear language, I do respect Omayra's creativity and thoroughness for description and mood, but for me important facts were lost.
I love the premise. The plotting was a little weak toward the end. I didn' t like so much back and forth between Otto and Ultima, it was a bit excessive. I like the characterizations of a few of the characters. The mountain trip was too long. I think I understood the end. I wish it had been a little clearer in the portions about how Ultima was ultimately let go if she was, it was a little hard for me to understand. The first 33% of the book was amazing, then I ran into those issues. It is a personal preference for clear language, I do respect Omayra's creativity and thoroughness for description and mood, but for me important facts were lost.
April 7, 2022
I am leaving this review voluntarily after being sent a free book by Hidden Gems Books.
While I LOVED the concept of this book, I struggled with the awful grammar and phrasing. It really took me out of the story at certain points. With that said, I was still intriguesd enough to finish the book. Ultima was a pretty great character, even though I wish I knew more about how she got to where she was at the beginning of the book. I wish the concept of the magic laws and rules were a bit more fleshed out as well. It also ends SO abruptly, I'm not sure if that was a style choice (which I really didn't like, if that's the case) or if it's supposed to be a cliffhanger. I don't see anything about a continuation of the story, but I'd be willing to read more if the author gets better editors.
While I LOVED the concept of this book, I struggled with the awful grammar and phrasing. It really took me out of the story at certain points. With that said, I was still intriguesd enough to finish the book. Ultima was a pretty great character, even though I wish I knew more about how she got to where she was at the beginning of the book. I wish the concept of the magic laws and rules were a bit more fleshed out as well. It also ends SO abruptly, I'm not sure if that was a style choice (which I really didn't like, if that's the case) or if it's supposed to be a cliffhanger. I don't see anything about a continuation of the story, but I'd be willing to read more if the author gets better editors.
December 21, 2023
Not your typical Fantasy Romance. When I first started reading this novel I thought this was going to be a fantasy with a suspense sub-genre. It turned out to be a fantasy with a whodunit trope and a romance as its base. Read Calixta first and then I read this one and I must say this author did a great job of inserting obscure characters from Calixta in this book.
I don't give spoilers so I am not going to start. I am only going to say I didn't see the ending coming. I wanted more details about Ultima and Otto at the end but I can see that their love story had come to its conclusion.
I recommend this one.
I don't give spoilers so I am not going to start. I am only going to say I didn't see the ending coming. I wanted more details about Ultima and Otto at the end but I can see that their love story had come to its conclusion.
I recommend this one.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews