Emmitt's Treasure by Melissa Haag

Title: Emmitt’s Treasure        

Author: Melissa Haag

Series: Judgement of Six Companion Book 2

Genre: Werewolves, YA, Romance, Magic

Source: ARC

Pages: 318

Rating: 5 stars

Available at:

Amazon (CA) • Goodreads • Amazon (US)

Blurb:

After six years away from his pack, Emmitt realizes he has no idea what he wants from life. His parents want him to lead the pack, and the Elders expect him to further integrate his people into human society. His reluctance to take on the demanding responsibility of leadership has him dragging his feet to return home.


Finding his Mate changes everything. Michelle's shy and beautiful and on the run. She needs somewhere to stay and someone to take care of her. Suddenly, responsibility doesn't seem like such a burden to Emmitt. He'll do whatever it takes to earn her trust and keep her safe...even from one of his own kind.

Review:

I absolutely love the companion series to the Judgement of Six. In theory, you expect it to be the same story just in a different perspective, but it really is a whole other story on its own. For those who don’t know, this is a retelling of (Mis)fortune (which you can read me review of HERE), but it is in Emmitt’s point of view.

I have been a longtime lover of Melissa Haag because I absolutely adore her writing. Each book of the Judgement of Six and the Companion series are all written in different perspectives, which must be more difficult than Melissa makes it look. It’s amazing how each book feels different. The writing is altered to match the personality of the character whose point of view we are reading the story from, which gives each book a different vibe. Even just going back and forth between (Mis)fortune and Emmitt’s Treasure, which technically has the same overarching plot, the story has a completely different feel to it. If you read (Mis)fortune before Emmitt’s Treasure, you think you know exactly what to expect. You know how the original story ended, you know the events that take place, but seeing it through different eyes is a completely different and amazing experience. We saw it in Clay’s Hope, but Melissa’s ability to retell a story through a different set of eyes and make it seem like you’re reading it for the first time amazes me every time.

As for the events in the novel, seeing everything through Emmitt’s eyes made me love Michelle so much more. When you read her story, you feel her suffering, but when you read Emmitt’s story you get to see her strength. You don’t realize how badly Michelle and her two brothers were living until you see it through the lens of someone who has had a relatively normal life (even if he IS a werewolf). Watching Michelle come out of her shell was beautiful, but you also feel bad for Emmitt because you can sense his impatience to have her claim him mixed with his desire to be patient and protect her. Saying that, we also got to experience a lot more Jim, and that is NEVER a bad thing. In fact, it was even better because we get to learn so much more about him. We see how he is training to be an Elder, and how much he fears he might meet his mate. You get to see his teasing behavior with Emmitt, which you got to see in (Mis)fortune, but trust me, it’s better when you can actually experience Emmitt’s annoyance.

Overall, I highly suggest you invest in reading the companion series for the Judgement of Six. It doesn’t really matter which order you read them in, which is nice, but I do suggest you read the original book before the companion. It’s even more fun when you read the books side by side! Emmitt’s Treasure was a treasure to read. I can’t wait until we get to read Luke’s Dream (which you can preorder HERE), and Thomas’ Heart… and my favourite I think will probably be Carlos’ Peace because of how much I loved (Dis)content. Anyways, a very easy 5 stars for Emmitt’s Treasure!

Water's Wrath by Elise Kova

Title: Water’s Wrath

Author: Elise Kova

Series: Air Awakens #4

Genre: Fantasy, YA, Elemental, Magic, Romance, Swords, Medieval

Source: Kindle

Pages: 378

Rating: 4.5 stars

Available at:

Amazon (CA) • Goodreads • Amazon (US)

Blurb:

Librarian turned sorcerer. Sorcerer turned hero. Hero turned puppet.

The Solaris Empire found victory in the North and, at the cost of her heart and her innocence, Vhalla Yarl has earned her freedom. But the true fight is only beginning as the secret forces that have been lurking in the shadows, tugging at the strings of Vhalla's fate, finally come to light. Nowhere is safe, and Vhalla must tread carefully or else she'll fall into the waiting arms of her greatest foe. Or former lover.

Review:

Be warned, you better have an entire box of tissue beside you when you read this series because it is Sad, with a capital S. And not even the stray-tear-runs-down-your-face-silently kind of sad, but openly-sobbing-snot-everywhere kind of sad. This is not a book you want to be reading while on the bus or on your break during work!  
You can read my review of the first three books of the series HERE, HERE, and HERE.

On a more serious note, this was a great edition to the series. As I thought in my last review of Earth’s End, this was very much a ‘finding yourself’ kind of book. It was VERY much needed for the series since Vhalla didn’t really know who she was anymore without the library and without the crown’s leash tied around her throat. As a free woman, and a magician at that, I don’t think she knew who she was, and this book was the perfect remedy for her to find out. While the last two books had been very much action based as a war was headed on the horizon, I found that this book’s slower and more calmed pace was refreshing. It really gave the author time to develop the characters more, while planting some foreshadowing and figuring things out relationship wise without the heat of battle and the worry of war on everyone’s mind. I mean, don’t get me wrong, there is definitely some action in this book, but it doesn’t play such a centered role like we saw in Fire Falling and Earth’s End.

As far as development goes, this book was extraordinary. By far the best for the development department. While we got to see Aldrik grow in the last book and accept love, it wasn’t until this book that we got to see him develop into a man. His development in this book isn’t the product of a revelation or learning to accept love, it was the product of determination and hard work. He actively works to be a better man, and a better future King in this book, and it was beautiful to watch. I felt that Vhalla really struggled on who to trust in this book. Torn between her heart and her head was a hard battle, and trying to figure out who is trying to use her and who is trying to help her was a harder battle, one that she both succeeded in and failed in the end. As a woman, she has grown so strong, and she knows what is good for her and her empire in this book.

As for a specific event that make you want to hate Elise Kova, but you also love her for writing such a beautiful scene, I won’t give too much away. I will tell you that a character dies, and it was the hardest death that I have ever read in any book I have ever read. It was heartbreaking, but beautiful. While I feel that Elise did the character justice until the very end, I don’t actually feel this character’s death was necessary for the plot, which is why I didn’t give the book a full five stars, but rather 4.5. For the purposes of Amazon that doesn’t allow half stars, I will round up, but just know, I don’t think it actually moved the plot forward.

Additionally, the ending is a lot to wrap your head around. If you have been following this series than you know that Elise loves to end her books on a cliffhanger, and this book was no exception. We have one more book in this series, Crystal Crowned that will need to wrap everything up, and I actually can’t wait to see how Elise does it. She is a master at her art, and I am expecting great things for the end of the series.

Earth's End by Elise Kova

Title: Earths End

Author: Elise Kova

Series: Air Awakens #3

Genre: Fantasy, YA, Elemental, Magic, Romance, Swords, Medieval

Source: Kindle

Pages: 350

Rating: 5 stars

Available at:

Amazon (CA) • Goodreads • Amazon (US)

Blurb:

A woman awoken in air, a soldier forged by fire, a weapon risen from blood.

Vhalla Yarl has made it to the warfront in the North. Forged by blood and fire, she has steeled her heart for the final battle of the Solaris Empire’s conquest. The choices before Vhalla are no longer servitude or freedom, they are servitude or death. The stakes have never been higher as the Emperor maintains his iron grip on her fa

Review:

So, I am convinced that Elise gets a thrill out of torturing her readers with cliff hangers that take a piece of your soul as you wait for the next book to arrive. This third instalment of the series was beautifully tragic. It is everything you hope for in a series, there is love, there is laughter, there is heartbreak, and there is tragedy. You can read my review of Air Awakens HERE, and Fire Falling HERE.

The writing, as always, was phenomenal. It amazes me how Elise can create this web of emotions that entices the reader in, only to become trapped in the wonder that is the Air Awakens series. What I really loved about this book is now that we are in the midst of the series where all the main characters have been established and the series plot is well on its way, we get to see more depth in the story and its characters. One of my favourite scenes in the book was the actual battle with the North. As a reader, seeing how Vhalla had grown from a mousy library apprentice to this brave and confident warrior was beautiful, and Elise’s writing really does that transformation credit. The battle was very well described and easy to follow along, which I find is something that can’t be said for all battles in all books.

Along with Vhalla we got to see so much character development with Aldrik and Baldir. You really got to see the brother’s come closer together, and Vhalla was a big part of that reconnection. We also get to see Aldrik accept Vhalla and her love. Up until this point, he had been so hesitant to accept her love because he never truly believed that he deserved it. In this book he really grows… that is, until the end and I think I speak for every reader when I say you’re going to want to reach into the pages of the book and strangle him. We got to see some development between relationships as well, names that between Vhalla and Daniel. As far as love triangles go, it isn’t much of one, and I think that is intentional on the author’s part. Here we get to see what an easy love would look like for Vhalla and the reader gets to compare it to the complicated love she has with Aldrik. However, I don’t think it’s a love that is meant to be. Saying that, the ending of Earth’s End might change things in Water’s Wrath, the next book of the series. I wonder if we will get to see what things would really be like if Vhalla chose Daniel instead of Aldrik.

When it comes to plot, Elise Kova has got it going on! I wonder if she had planned this whole series out, or if she writes as it comes to her mind. Either way, it is brilliant and complex and beautiful to watch unfold. I am endlessly amazed by which way the plot turns, and even when it makes me mad, I can’t begrudge Elise because those enraging scenes and events just make the character’s stronger and the book better. However, now that the war with the North is technically over, I wonder which direction Water’s Wrath will lead us in. The ending of this book felt very much like the end of In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce. A big battle is done, the main character has lost herself a bit, and she has to go adventure out into the world to find herself again. I think that’s where Water’s Wrath is going to take us, on a journey of self-discovery for Vhalla. I do hope we get to see some of Aldrik though.

Overall, this was an EXCELLENT instalment to the series. With just two more books to go until the series ends, I can’t wait to see what Elise comes up with for our lovely main characters. A 5 out of 5 stars for Earth’s End!

Fire Falling by Elise Kova

Title: Fire Falling

Author: Elise Kova

Series: Air Awakens #2

Genre: Fantasy, YA, Elemental, Magic, Romance, Swords, Medieval

Source: Kindle

Pages: 378

Rating: 4.5 stars

Available at:

Amazon (CA) • Goodreads • Amazon (US)

Blurb:

Vhalla Yarl marches to war as property of the Solaris Empire. The Emperor counts on her to bring victory, the Senate counts on her death, and the only thing Vhalla can count on is the fight of her life. As she grapples with the ghosts of her past, new challenges in the present threaten to shatter the remnants of her fragile sanity. Will she maintain her humanity? Or will she truly become the Empire’s monster?

Fire Falling is the second book in the Air Awakens Series.

Review:

Oh god. Prepare for an ending that will make your heart stop.

Elise Kova continues to amaze me. In the sequel to her debut novel Air Awakens (you can read my review HERE), Elise continues to demonstrate her sheer mastery of the written language. Within a few pages she can make you laugh, cheer, panic, and cry. The power she has over her readers is amazing, and I simply could not put this book down for a second. I’m pretty sure that Elise might be a sorceress, because not only are her books about magic, but they are magic in themselves. It’s art, plain and simple.

The plot has definitely deepened in Fire Falling. Vhalla is a servent to the crown, being forced to fight in the Emperor’s war to capture the North. Not only does she have to figure out her magic, but she has to learn to defend herself by more physical means, all while trying to figure out what is going on between her and a certain dark prince. I loved this book because not only does the plot deepen and continue from where we left off in the first book of the series, but the characters do to. We meet some new people who seem as though they might be becoming some lead roles on the stage that is the Solaris universe, and we also get to see TONS of character development not just from Vhalla and Aldrik (which they do, in abundance!) but from some of the more minor characters in the first book that will play more important roles as the series continues. To name just a few we see Baldir and Larel become closer to Vhalla, which I loved.

I had a hard time with Vhalla during this book. I found that she was a little ‘poor-me’ during this book while pining for Aldrik. I mean, I understood it was kind of necessary for the character, and she did grow to be a bit stronger as the novel went on, but I do hope that we get to see Vhalla become more sure of herself as the series goes on. She has so much potential to be badass, and I truly believe that we will get to see that eventually. Saying that, this was pretty much the only reason I gave the book 4.5 stars instead of five. But considering Amazon doesn’t let you post half stars, I’m going to give Elise Kova the benefit of the doubt here and round it up.

We get to see so much more action in this book, and it was powerful. I was constantly at the edge of me seat desperate to read was happened next. What I love about this series (so far anyways) is that it really has the power to completely draw you into the book until it feels like you are right alongside Vhalla experiencing everything she does as if it were you. That is just another testament to Elise’s writing which, in case you didn’t get the memo, is bloody fantastic! Also, I just want to quickly mention the fabulous cover art once again. The cover art is something that initially drew me into Air Awakens, and here there was no exception!

Overall, I think that this was a great sequel to the series and I absolutely cannot wait to see where Elise takes us in Earth’s End, the third instalment of the series. If you haven’t started the series yet, get on it! This is a definite must read for all those YA fantasy lovers out there!