Shari L. TapscottCritiques

3.5

A bit over-the-top at times but overall a fun, short read.

4 Stars

Tropes: second chance romance

Content: kissing

It was alright but I probably won't continue the series.

Definitely a lot better than the author’s older books but didn’t quite have the charm of her Obsidian series. I’ll still probably read the next books though.

I have not loved any of Shari's other books, but this one was fantastic.

2021: 5 Stars
2023: 4.5 Stars

This book was just too cute. It reminded me of Kasie West's older books. I would highly recommend this for middle school-aged readers and up.

4.5 Stars

Content: kissing, many mentions of past significant other cheating

This series is my favorite from this author. Something about it is just different.

I don’t know what this couple saw in each other.

If you are looking for a book with all the autumn feels, this would be a great one to pick up.

Quotes
"Why did you murder my shoe?" Rafe looks just as rattled as me.
"You can't murder something that isn't alive."

I'm beginning to think I need to abandon the group entirely, settle down in a tiny town and marry a human. We could live off the land, raise cattle, grow tomatoes. I could even learn to sew my own clothes.
It sounds brilliant.
All except the live off the land, raise cattle, grow tomatoes, and sew my own clothes bit.

"Never persuade a healer," Rafe says. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you can get in for that? Didn't you read the book of law that Finn gave you?"
I lean close, whispering so the others won't hear. "I am an evil queen, remember? I'll do what I want."

For some reason, I just really like these books. They are different from what I typically pick up but they are so hard to put down.

Now to book five...

Quotes:
"Hey, I have a question."
"I'm sure you have lots of questions, Bunny." She slowly turns her eyes on him, shoves a lock of her dark hair behind her ear, and gives him a patronizing pat on the arm. "But don't feel too bad about it. We can't all be the smart ones-some of us have to be pretty."

Someday, if I can figure out all this Obsidian magic, we might need to attend some sort of family counseling. Or at the very least, pick up some kind of pamphlet. I can see it now: So You Think You Might Be an Evil Queen: How to Cope with Your New Magic After You Learn Your Parents Kidnapped You as a Baby. Okay, it's a little wordy. Let's call it a work in progress.

"Charles is an excellent judge of character. He's very discerning."
Gray scoffs. "Please. That cat hates me."
"Point proven," Rafe says dryly.

Yes, I'd prefer a declaration of passionate love, but whatever. A knight's vow is good too.

"You want me to teach you to shoot?"
"If there's a shooting range nearby." He snorts and leads me toward the checkout. "We don't need a shooting range-we're in Texas."

April 2024 Review:
I'm still not overly fond of who Madeline ended up with, but I knew it was coming this time.

Quotes:
Fun fact: becoming a reigning monarch doesn't happen overnight. If you're serious about world domination, you must prioritize your time, set a realistic plan, and create attainable goals.

"I believe I should become familiar with the land."
Horace stops chewing and lifts his eyes, his blond and gray mustache twitching.
"Since it's the realm my family came from," I reassure him innocently, delicately tasting the melon.
He relaxes. "Of course."
"And ruled."
He chokes a little, and I hold back a smile.

"I just want you to know that I'm loyal to you." Jonathan snorts, barely managing to hold back a laugh.
Finn declaring his loyalty is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. "I'll be making changes," I tell him. "I have yet to decide whether you will be one of them."
But he won't. I know he won't. I can't do that to Maisy. And besides...I own him. And even better, Finn knows I own him.
^^^Spoken like a true politician.


July 2023 Review:
This was still a good end to the series, but I am not fond of who Madeline ended up with. It just seems like they share so many personality traits. I can't see them as anything more than good friends.
Also, there were quite a few loose ends that I wanted tied up better. Everything else just fell into place super quickly with no issues whatsoever.

This was a great conclusion to what’s been a very fun fantasy series. This book went back to having a lot of adventure like the first couple books in the series. I really loved it and continue to enjoy just how much fun these book are to read!

Avery has other business to deal with so it’s up the Lucia and Sebastian to track down a magical lily that will heal the soon-to-be father-in-law of a man that they have a debt towards. To find the lily they have to go deep into Elrija’s desert, which is a place unlike either of them has ever traveled.

I loved that this book takes us back into more adventuring and action. Also magic and enchanted items are legal in Elrija, so that made things much more entertaining. There is a subplot with Flink that is a lot of fun too.

I also loved that the love triangle has been resolved and isn’t really revisited in this book. Avery and Lucia are amazing together and I am so happy with how things went for them in this book. This book is pretty romance heavy but that is well balanced with fantasy, action, and adventure so I really enjoyed it.

Overall this was a fantastic series that is just so much fun. I would recommend to those who enjoy their fantasy, adventure, action and romance well-balanced. There’s a lot of humor in here too which makes it a highly entertaining to read.

This is the third book in the Silver and Orchids series. I didn’t enjoy quite as much as the last book. There was a lot less adventuring and more court politics.

Lucia is being honored by the King for her actions in “Greybrow Serpent”. She feels very out of place among all the nobility and royalty. She is also starting to realize how important Avery is in the kingdom and is concerned that what happened between her and Sebastian will repeat with Avery. Meanwhile, alchemy shops are being attacked and someone is following Lucia...not to mention how restless the goblins are…

This book was a lot more focused on Lucia and her time at court. Lots of politics and time spent with Lucia dealing with her relationships with both Sebastian and Avery. There are some interesting parts with the alchemists shops and with the goblins, but the bulk of this was dealt with fairly briefly and towards the end of the book.

I still enjoyed the characters and this fantasy world. I do wish there had been a bit more action and adventure. I just felt like this story wasn’t put together quite as well as the previous two books.

Overall this was still a fun read but not my favorite in the series. I would have liked to see more action and adventure and less time at court. I still plan on reading “Lily of the Desert” to see how things wrap up. I would recommend this series to those who enjoy lighthearted and action-packed adventure fantasy with some romance.

This is the second book in the Silver and Orchids series. I enjoyed this book even more than the first book in the series.

In this book Lucia, Sebastian, and Adeline have journeyed back to Lucia’s hometown. However, when Lucia finds bounty hunters are out to get her she is forced to flee. Avery shows up with an answer as to how Lucia can solve her issues. How can she trust him though after what happened the first time?

I love pretty much everything about this series. I love that these are at heart good ole fantasy adventures with some romance in them. The stories are fun and straight-forward to read.

I really enjoyed the adventures Lucia and Avery went on. There are sirens, secret islands, and enormous treasure caches...there’s a lot of action and it’s so much fun. Lucia and Avery’s time on the island was especially sweet and I really enjoyed it a ton.

Overall this was an amazing continuation of this series. This series is a blend of things I really love: adventure, fantastic creatures, action, magic, and romance. I love the traditional fantasy world, the fun and engaging characters, and the fast-paced story. I would recommend this series to those who enjoy fun and light adventure fantasy with some romance. I can’t wait to read the next book.

This is the first book in the Silver and Orchids series. I really enjoyed this fantasy adventure tale. This was an incredibly fun read that I whipped right through and found highly entertaining.

Lucia made a really bad investment that put both her and her business partner out of business and left them desperately lacking funds. When she sees an ad that will give her a ton of money for hunting down an orchid she decides it’s just the job she needs. However, her business partner (Sebastian) isn’t willing to let her tackle this alone (partly because he wants the job for himself). So, Lucia and Sebastian end up on an uncomfortable journey to a dangerous forest in hunt of a rare orchid.

I loved the adventures, the witty dialogue, the budding romance, and the baby dragon. I did think the romance triangle was a bit unnecessary and can't believe that our heroine would even consider hanging out with that pirate captain, Avery Greybrow, anymore.... aside from that small frustration I really loved the story.

There is a lot of humor, adventure, some magic, and a baby dragon in here...all of which make the story a ton of fun. I read this so quickly and didn’t want to put it down. It was exactly the type of read I needed.

Overall I loved this fun adventure fantasy! It’s fast-paced, entertaining, and I just really enjoyed it a lot. I plan on continuing the series and would recommend to those who enjoy light-hearted adventure fantasies with some romance.

This novel didn't have the punch that the first novel did, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. We start with a very foolish princess, and then Galinor enters the scene to save the day. I am pleased he has a chance at love, despite his disgrace in the last novel. More familiar characters surface, making this a fun read. I recommend reading the first novel so the reader can fully appreciate Irving and other favorites.

My fave part is when Anwen befriends Pika. Oh, and one part made me squeal. It was something Galinor said. I loved it.

But near the end of the novel, Galinor does something so stupid, it's unforgivable. I was so heartbroken. Perhaps Galinor will never learn. He kind of redeemed himself at the end.

But I love this world that has been crafted across the novels. Complete with dragons through gargoyles and fairies. Many realms are traversed as well, with varying scenery and their own intrigue.

This novel would be an excellent read for preteens and up. Absolutely clean.

I don't want to stop reading, the novel is so good. I was a little worried when the novel opens with a spoiled sounding princess and a naive prince, but get past the first two chapters and the story dives into adventure, intrigue, and a plot so deeply woven that I am screaming. Just screaming. Pippa is a feisty princess, but despite her flaws, her heart is amazing. I love how, as the story grows, everyone is fighting for what is right, despite the odds stacked against Pippa. I love all the princes, and the ladies. Every character has me cheering for them in this crazy tournament, but I am solely team Archer. Wow. Just wow. Absolutely a clean read for adults on down to preteens.

Lovestruck teens will love this!

All the stories in this book are enchanting. And they are such sweet, clean reads. A younger audience will eat them up, but as an adult, I still found enjoyment in reading them.

Beware the naive protagonists. Drool over the dashing suitors. These stories are simply written. A lot of travels across kingdoms. The best thing is how all the novels are related and how the author pulls characters from earlier stories. It's just one happy reunion all the time!

One draw back. There was a hang up with a few phrases. Lips tilted or tipped a lot. I don't even know what tipping lips means. And people are "still," quite a bit, whether they are dead or are just standing motionless.

Reader rated for ages 14 for mild sensuality and mild violence.

Charming tale. Lots of back and forth. Just as Seirsha has something good happen, then wham, something awful happens. The ending has a few surprises. A few parts lagged, but despite that, the characters are fun and cute. And all the earlier novels meshed with this one. You'll want to read from the beginning to really immerse yourself into this world, and you will love all the characters.

My favorite series from this author so far!

This story was amazing! I loved all the characters, the humor, and the adventure. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves fantasy. Lucia is a spunky main character. I might have loved Sebastian the best. I most certainly enjoyed the pull the Captain Avery brought to the story. A rogue, villainous pirate who I just wasn't sure of his motivations. This story had so many fun moments. My favorite is the night on the dinghy. Yep.

Reader rated for ages 14 for mild kissing and daring adventure. Perfect to young adults and young at heart. A must purchase for romantic fantasy lovers.

I loved this novel! This is the best of all the novels this author has written. Oh, Captain Avery, let me count the ways I love you. Lucia is spunky and lovable. The action kept coming with not a moment wasted. I devoured this story. A few surprises and a few anticipated moments that did not disappoint. Steamy, but clean. Romantic fantasy readers will eat this up!

Reader Rated for age 14 for some mild kissing and mild action and adventure.

Team Avery

I've become a collector of this series. While I LOVED the first two, something was lacking in the execution of this novel. It also seemed the scene descriptions were longer and character indecision was over-debated. It drove me nuts that Lucia couldn't figure out her feelings and she was so wishy-washy. But rest assured. Captain Avery did not disappoint.

An absolutely clean read for ages 14