Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Bloodmark Saga by Aurora Whittet!
My stop today will feature all three books and I’ll be sharing my review of Bloodmark #1.
Enjoy the showcase and review.
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
And be sure to stop back by on November 17th and 18th for my reviews of Bloodrealms #2 and Bloodmoon #3.
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Bloodmark
The Bloodmark Saga #1
by Aurora Whittet
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Review
Okay, this felt very familiar. I couldn’t help but feel the resemblance to a certain vampire series. Though this is about werewolves, the plot seemed similar. I’m sure that’s hard to avoid with the explosion of fantasy books. This worried me as I was truly wanting to enjoy the series.
Turns out I did. Those similarities quickly vanish as the author builds her world and weaves intrigue and danger into her character’s lives.
Ashling’s ability to shift into a wolf at birth is viewed as a curse by her father. She’s sent away to live a secluded life until time to receive her mark. When that time comes, her father has other plans for her. Plans she can’t abide.
Shunned by her father, pursued by her enemies, Ashling must leave her family and winds up in Maine, trying to blend in with the humans and hide among them.
There were some things about this story I really liked. The idea that werewolves are humanities protectors. The inner workings of their royal court. And there were some intense action scenes.
What didn’t work for me was the insta-love. I’ve never been a fan of character’s falling deeply in love without really knowing each other. That and love triangles irk me. Needless to say, Ashling and Grey barely know much more than each others names and profess undying love. This bothered me. I’m sure many enjoy this in a story, just not my cuppa tea.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t the main characters, Ashling and Grey, that I connected to. It was a couple of secondary character’s. They aroused my curiosity. I hope the next books in this series reveal some of their stories.
The beginning of the story intrigued me. The middle was more about romance and slowed things down somewhat for me. Then, the last third of the story took off and I couldn’t stop reading.
Overall, a fun read, and I have a good feeling about the rest of the series.
4 Stars
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Sixteen-year-old werewolf princess Ashling Boru is different from other wolves–she was able to shift to a wolf at birth. Rather than bringing pride to her family, it brings fear, and she is sent to live in Ireland’s secluded countryside. Ashling’s reputation is further blackened when she refuses her betrothed, defying the ancient laws. When her pack’s oldest rivals begin to hunt her, she finds herself in the small town of York Harbor, Maine, far from everything she’s known.
When she crosses paths with dark and rebellious Grey Donavan, something ignites within her soul. There’s just one problem: Grey is human. Their instant connection turns into a passionate romance, and Ashling begins to believe she can create her own life outside of wolf laws. When she uncovers long-buried pack secrets that threaten to destroy all she holds dear, Ashling’s courage and tenacity are tested. Will she choose her deep and enduring love for Grey or will she follow Old Mother’s path to her destiny?
Buy Bloodmark: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Bloodrealms (Book #2)
Synopsis
Werewolf princess Ashling Boru’s eighteenth birthday is only a year away, which means that she only has twelve months before she is claimed and fulfills her prophecy to unite the packs and lead her people. Her father decrees that her four suitors must fight in the Bloodrealms, the werewolves’ ancient underground fighting world, and the winner will have King Boru’s choice to win Ashling’s hand. The wolf laws are rigid and barbaric, and Ashling’s illicit love for Grey, if discovered, will mean his death. But when Ashling and Grey get trapped in the blood-soaked depths of the Bloodrealms, they find ancient horrors far greater than Ashling’s father’s rule.
With betrayal around every corner and old nemeses set to destroy Ashling, she is more divided than ever between the destiny she didn’t choose and the love that she did. To make matters worse, her decision will not only set the course of her future, but the future of her entire race.
Buy Bloodrealms: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Bloodmoon (Book #3)
Synopsis
Just months shy of her claiming at Carrowmore and fulfilling a centuries-old prophecy, werewolf Ashling Boru has stepped into her role as the Crimson Queen. She finally has the support of her pack and her love for Grey is stronger than ever.
But it’s not easy being queen. Ashling’s guardian, Baran, has been captured by the Dvergars, a family of evil wolves who will stop at nothing to possess Ashling’s power and destroy everything–and everyone–she loves. Ashling must unite the clans and build an army to stand against the Dvergars before it’s too late. Unfortunately, the Dvergars also have armies of the darkest creatures the world has ever known.
Shadows loom, growing ever larger as generations of pack secrets begin to unfold. Ashling’s people, the humans they protect, and Old Mother Earth herself all hang in the balance of Ashling’s choices. Will Ashling have to forsake her true love to save the world? And will she have the strength to do it? Bloodmoon is the thrilling conclusion to the Bloodmark Saga.
Buy Bloodmoon: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Author Aurora Whittet
Aurora Whittet started out as a wild red-haired girl in Minnesota dreaming up stories for her friends to read. Mama’s Knight: A Cancer Story of Love is just the latest in a string of acclaimed works. Her first official writing endeavor became The Bloodmark Saga, featuring a werewolf princess-turned-ruler who falls in love with a human boy. Her first novel in the Bloodmark Saga, Bloodmark, came out in 2013, followed by Bloodrealms in 2014 and the final book Bloodmoon in 2016.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
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