Just a quick review today of William Bradshaw, King of the Goblins by Arthur Daigle. If you need a laugh, try this series. It’s a hoot and a half. XD
This review is for book one, and I’m currently reading the second book and highly entertained!
The author also wrote the Dana Illwind books (or, as I call them, the Jayden and Dana books) which are top favorites of mine! (Book 1 review.) (Book 2 review.)
This book is utterly hilarious. Entirely delightful. Deliciously entertaining. A blast. Sheer fun. However you say it, it’s a great book if you need a laugh or twenty. I loved it so much!
William Bradshaw, who’s from our world, gets tricked into becoming the king of the goblins in a fantasy world. The goblins are hilarious, chaotic, destructive (but in a funny, mostly-harmless way), can warp space with their craziness, and are a blast to read.
Will is not a fan of being king of a run-down kingdom but his contract is pretty inescapable. Doesn’t mean he’s not going to try…
Throw in some twists on fantasy tropes, an amusing writing style that had me in stitches at nearly every sentence, and an unexpected war from another king who manages to be as incompetent as the goblins, and you have a tale of hilarious shenanigans sure to brighten anyone’s day!
Except Will’s. His day is by no means brightened. XD
I can’t wait to read the rest of the books!
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I haven’t a clue how to properly talk about this fabulous book so . . . basically, expect some pterodactyl shrieking in this review!
Title: A Most Irregular Prophecy
Author: Ness Kingsley
Planetary Fantasy • YA, ish? • Published 2021 • 322 pages (paperback)
Read May 12, 2022 • 5 stars • Fave character: Mr Sorrow • I received a no-pressure free e-book ARC of this book from the author and voluntarily wrote a review; all opinions are my own.
WHAT DID I JUST READ? I haven’t the faintest notion, to be honest, but I do know that it was GLORIOUS and a smashing good time! And yes, I do intend to talk in a faintly posh manner this entire review — blame it on the book, why don’t you! (You should. The book is entirely at fault. Fabulously so.)
At any rate, here are my discombobulated flailings and/or pterodactyl shrieks about exactly WHY you should find a copy of this book somewhere and devour it post-haste!
Firstly, we must discuss the genre. Genre? WHAT IS GENRE, I ASK! *unhinged laughter* (Ahem. This is . . . I suppose . . . fantasy, on a foreign planet, with a Victorian-era heroine and a character from modern day too. Essentially planetary fantasy with dashes of portal fantasy, but throughout time?? What does genre matter when it’s this delightful is all I’d like to know.)
Secondly, as to the matter of my favorite character: What a ridiculous question. Who’s asking these questions, anyway? (Oh, wait, that would be me.) Oh, all right, my favorite is MR SORROW, naturally (he and his — well, green eyes but with, like, the spirit of a grey-eyed Heyer hero, are superb), but Vi and Rugby are also fabulous.
Now that these important questions have been addressed, I find myself QUITE AT A LOSS as to how to discuss this wondrous and unusual tale. This is a sort of Georgette-Heyer-meets-Enchanted-Forest-Chronicles-on-a-fantasy-planet-with-a-dash-of-Diana-Wynne-Jones book, and it’s just as delightful as that makes it sound.
From our heroine, Vi, who narrates the book in a deliciously dry and amusing fashion (I tell you, Ness Kingsley’s writing is SHEER BRILLIANCE and every sentence is a JOY to read), to the Thrawk characters (which are sort of Pegasus-type creatures with telepathy and Rugby especially is my favorite, but also THEY HAVE GREAT NAMES like Tennis), to Mr Sorrow who is a surprising sort of scholar and somewhat drily amused and scathing in the best possible way . . . these pages are inhabited by stupendous characters whose witty banter absolutely makes my day.
Throw in an almost dystopic sci-fi-fantasy society which one loves to hate, a prophecy that goes haywire, some screaming rain, several mishaps gallivanting all over the place, numerous ridiculous characters who are alarming with their ineptitude and simultaneous ability to make things Truly Horrendous for our heroes, as well as some depressed unicorn-pegasus creatures, a dash of monsters such as the Natterdash *ominous music*, and did I mention the screaming rain? Also TWISTS GALORE. You may gasp. Several times. I know I did.
The plot is at turns whimsical, hilarious, intense, and surprisingly dark later on, in fact, and yet I was glued to the page for the entire tale! (Not literally glued. That would be rather inconvenient for turning pages.) It is at times not for the faint of heart due to some truly horrendous characters, as noted, but it’s absolutely worth it and I was Supremely Attached to these heroic characters such as Vi and Mr Sorrow and Rugby. (Supremely Attached as opposed to glued-not-literally. There we are.)
My ability to express the sheer enjoyment level of this bafflingly strange and yet hilarious and brilliant book is simply not adequate. I can only say that I ABSOLUTELY ADORED IT and hope that gets across somewhat my love for this book and how unexpected and unique it is. And so funny, too! I ADORE books that make me laugh, and this one absolutely did. The lovable characters and genre-bending suspense are the icing on the cake. But you really must discover it for yourself!
It must be confessed that I committed the nearly-unforgivable bookish atrocity of dogearing several of this book’s pages to mark my favorite hilarious bits. And by “several” I here mean “approximately half of the total pages in the book.” (YOU THINK I’M JOKING? Ha. Far from it. It’s simply SO QUOTABLE and had me rolling with laughter or at the very least internal chuckles for most of the book.)
To save me the trouble (and the questionable legality) of sharing approximately half of the book here in quote form, the reader is recommended to immediately acquire a copy of A Most Irregular Prophecy and to experience the zany delight of this book at once.
I received a free e-book ARC of this book from the author (with, let it be noted, ZERO PRESSURE to review it, positively or otherwise). (I also, it must be admitted, later snagged a paperback off Amazon and actually mostly read that copy, but DETAILS.) At any rate, all opinions are my own, so there.
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Today’s review is for one of my top-favorite books of all time! I’m so excited to finally get to review this book, which was my most-anticipated release of 2022!
Yes, indeed, Jayden and Dana are back and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.
(Or, you know, you can skip ahead to the links section and just buy yourself a copy — or a copy of book one if you haven’t had the pleasure of reading that one yet. You need this series in your life!)
Title: Dana Illwind and War’s Shadow
Author: Arthur Daigle
Series: Dana Illwind, #2 (Book 1: Dana Illwind and Growing Shadows. Read my review here!)
Fantasy • YA and up • 2022 • 308 pages (paperback)
Read August 21, 2022 • 5 stars (I’d give it 6 stars if I could!) • Fave character: Jayden! • Source: Amazon (Note: I also beta-read this before publication, and read the chapters as they released on Booksie before that. So this is my 4th read and I still want to read it again!)
I ADORE THIS BOOK AND CAN’T RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH! GO READ IT! That’s the short version. 😉
You know those books, series, and characters that you love SO much that you can’t properly express it in words? Well, this book, series, and Jayden and Dana are that for me. I seriously just love these characters SO MUCH and will follow them anywhere, and this series is up there with a select few on my list of very-top-favorite books! (Tolkien’s, Howl’s Moving Castle, Paper Crowns, and these two books. That’s the list.)
Dana Illwind and War’s Shadow is just SO GOOD! I feel like it’s a bit like Diana Wynne Jones meets Lord of the Rings, because it’s hilarious AND epic, and there are only so many books that can pull that off. Plus it has a distinctive FEEL that I can’t really explain but makes it a favorite of mine. It’s such a unique, fun book. I adore the cleverness of the plot, writing, and dialogue (so quotable!), and how we’re getting deeper into this world and all its kingdoms and monsters and intrigue (with doses of humor and epic characters, of course!). Everything’s building into a crescendo and I’m very much looking forward to the final book one of these days!
Jayden and Dana have gone from smaller, more disconnected adventures fighting monsters and lower-level villains, to being pulled directly into the center of an intricate web of war and magic and nefarious plots. Seeing them hold their own against all of that, while each growing in their own ways, had me glued to the page in breath-holding delight.
Plus, they’re just the best characters! Jayden and Dana make the BEST pair, like Holmes and Watson or something. So classic and perfect!
Jayden is snarky, courtly, and dangerous at turns, and woe to any wrongdoers (human or otherwise) who draw his attention—especially if Dana doesn’t redirect his rage to keep the destruction to a minimum! XD Jayden is simply one of my top-favorite characters of all time, and I have the HARDEST time describing this unpigeonholeable character, but he’s superb and always has the BEST comebacks in witty dialogue, and having another whole book with him was a TREAT. He has a haunted past and a bit of an anger management problem when he sees injustice (don’t worry, Dana’s helping with that—when SHE isn’t as angered by the injustice as he is…), but he’s on the side of right and is a force to be reckoned with. There’s a wonderful quote in this book, by a very wise character: “I see a heart of gold wrapped in rusty chains. Break them off for yourself and those who need you.” Probably one of my favorite lines about Jayden! It’s perfect for the journey he’s going on. I just love him so much.
I mentioned Dana a few times in there because they’re so tied together in the story, and I love how they help each other see each other’s weaknesses and help overcome them, but also show each other their strengths and encourage that. It makes me happy! They’re an excellent pair of friends and Dana is just the sort of person one wants at one’s side. It was fascinating how things become sort of personal for her by the end (not to be spoilery…), and how it shows how far she’s come in these two books. She’s got to be one of my favorite female characters of all time. I love how she’s full of the BEST common sense and is much more down-to-earth, while Jayden and others around her are being dramatic. The interplay there is SO much fun. XD She’s sturdy and no-nonsense and is becoming quite the swordswoman, but I love that it’s simply her good-hearted way of doing the best she can and helping others.
It was intriguing to have “interlude” chapters seeing what the villains think of what Jayden and Dana are up to (even when they don’t always know it was Jayden’s fault. XD), plus there’s a new character who is verrry interesting and I’m looking forward to seeing more of him…
Some other random thoughts: The whole section set in the kingdom of Bascal was one of my favorites! It was such fun! The ball scene and a certain sword-update were fabulous. There’s the return of some fan-favorite characters from the first book (Lootmore, Suzy, Prince Onus!), and new, intriguing ones I’m very curious about (Cassandra, Malcolm, Palan…)! And not to get into spoilers but there mayyy have been a dragon involved at some point… I loved the Brotherhood of the Righteous and Father Firepower. I also found the shadow magic to be pretty neat—just a really cool magic system that Jayden is VERY good at. The fluffy fox!! Plus goblins being mischievous and also more organized than expected… The goblin-gate was hilarious. XD
I’d be here all day if I mentioned all my favorite things, but that’s a few of them, and particularly Jayden and Dana’s banter and dialogue, which is 100% pure GOLD! *grinning*
DANA ILLWIND AND WAR’S SHADOW is book 2 (book 1 is DANA ILLWIND AND GROWING SHADOWS) and I think I liked this one even MORE than the first one, if that’s possible. It was amazing to come back in this second book and be immersed once again in more Jayden and Dana goodness. ^_^ I’ve been following Jayden and Dana on their adventures for some time now and these stories never cease to make me happy!
I’ve read both books four times each (once you count reading them in serial format, then twice-through beta-reading, and then reading the final published version aloud—because I have such a fun time doing all the voices and sharing the stories with my siblings, which is the highest honor a book can get from me, that I have to give it a dramatic reading to my family) and I never get tired of these adventures. I anticipate re-reading both books soon, just like I read and re-read Howl’s Moving Castle. Some books are just so delightful to revisit, and this is definitely one of them!
In short, this book is funny, clever, and deep in unexpected ways, with a dash of spooky, and inhabited by two of my favorite characters ever. It’s just SO good and I adore it to Other Place and back! Seriously, just go read this.
If you love epic fantasy with well-built worlds, whimsical/humorous fantasy that’s a little tongue-in-cheek satire (think Discworld, Magic Kingdom for Sale, or some of Diana Wynne Jones’s books), and unique characters who will steal your heart, you absolutely MUST check out the Dana Illwind series! 10/10 recommend!
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Well, that made it to my top-five favorite books of all time! Jayden and Dana are some of my favorite characters EVER. I was a fan of short stories about their adventures (two of them first appearing in Fellowship of Fantasy anthologies, and on Booksie), but they finally have a novel which just released and I. AM. ECSTATIC. I’ve read this four times now and I never get tired of it. I just can’t put into words how much I love it! I love humorous banter, I love fantasy stories, and I love these characters SO MUCH.
What do you get when you pair up a practical, solid farm girl and a lone-wolf, elegant, snarky, insanely powerful enchanter with a chip on his shoulder, and set them loose to fight monsters and injustice in a fantasy kingdom? This snarky, clever, sheer fun fantasy novel, is what! It perfectly balances comedy, epic swashbuckling, and those humorous or heartfelt character moments that I’m totally here for! Did I mention Dana Illwind and Sorcerer Lord Jayden are one of my top favorite duos EVER? THEY JUST MAKE ME SO HAPPYYYY! *deep breaths*
Let me break down some of my favorite things about this book.
1. Jayden: He’s my favorite. An elegant enchanter with anger management issues but a burning heart for justice, he’s open about his own flaws but won’t tolerate injustice and has it out for the king and queen. He can be politely cutting, snarky, or in a towering rage of righteous anger in turn, and woe to the corrupt, the villains, the oppressors who get in his sights. He has the best dialogue (my favorite!), and is always ready with a cutting remark or a bit of his shadow magic. (Also, watch out if you disrespect his friend Dana—oh, boy.) He covers a hurt, broken past with an exterior that’s alternately bored, casual, angry, or just—Jayden. I can’t do him justice in a description like this, but he’s one of my top favorite characters EVER! (He also gives me slight Howl vibes.)
2. Dana: Then we have Dana, who is just as marvelous in a different way. This sturdy, good-hearted girl is #goals. It’s amazing the way this fifteen-year-old girl can be the only friend of the world’s only sorcerer lord—and the only one to make him see reason. 😉 She brings out the best in him and he in turn respects and informs her, and they’re my faaaavorite! They make an incredible pair, with Dana being the reasonable one trying to stop him from getting killed or redirecting his destructive tendencies, and often saving the day in her own way. I can’t really describe her either but she’s got to be one of my favorite heroines, and I don’t have many of those. She’s fabulous! I just love seeing her (and both of them) grow on this journey. They’re the most epic duo!
3: The Humor: I LOVE funny books. Love them. The style and the humor, the mix of comedy and dry wittiness, and all the snark and bantering dialogue! Glorious. There’s such a variety of humor, which I think is tons of fun, and I love how the funny parts often keep it lighthearted, without detracting from some of the heavier topics and the real struggles they face in this kingdom. Humorous AND epic? Sign me up! Which brings me to the next part.
4: The World and Story: Part tongue-in-cheek comedy, part epic fantasy kingdom, Meadowland Kingdom etc. creates the perfect backdrop for Dana and Jayden’s adventures. A mix of ordinary, spooky, and elegant in turns, the towns and people they encounter are deep in struggles caused by monsters, injustice, and a king and queen out for destruction. I love how, despite Jayden’s issues, he and Dana do so much good throughout the kingdom. They battle injustice wherever they see it, rid the world of destructive monsters, and encounter zany characters like Sir Lootmore and his terrifying cat Jumpscare, Suzy Lockheart the alchemist, various mischievous goblins, and others. It’s the BEST mix of my favorite type of epic fantasy with humorous fantasy. It’s just everything I’ve ever wanted in a book!
I’ve been awaiting this book releasing ever since the very first short adventure I read about Dana and Jayden in the multi-author anthology “Mythical Doorways.” Over the next couple of years, I followed their continuing adventures with sheer delight every time a new “episode” was posted online—my family can attest to how my day was always brightened and I’d go around in a cloud of happiness all day whenever there was “a new Jayden and Dana story!”
I just can’t explain my love of these characters and their fantastic, humorous, feelsy adventures. I’m absolutely beyond thrilled that there is now a whole novel available so the world can experience this book that I’ve been in love with since before it existed in book form. It’s a dream come true to finally have it on my shelf! I can’t wait for the next book. ^_^
DANA ILLWIND AND GROWING SHADOWS is my favorite book I read in 2020 and one of my top-5 favorite books I’ve read, period. Joining the ranks of Lord of the Rings/Silmarillion, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Paper Crowns, I simply ADORE this book and can’t recommend it highly enough! Perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones, Discworld, or Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold. Teens and adults alike will all find this book delightful.
Go read it! We all need some humor, adventure, and these amazing characters to improve our lives. It’s my favorite and I wholeheartedly recommend it!
You may also like . . .
Let me know if it sounds fun! I just love it sooo much! Thanks for reading! 🙂
You need this hilarious Regency-esque fantasy novella in your life! It recently released and I loved it SO much I read it twice in the same week! (The second time, I read it aloud to my younger brother and sister so I could do the voices, which was so. much. fun! Especially Hugh. XD We laughed a ton! And now we quote it all the time. :P)
This whimsical tale, though in a fantasy setting, has a Georgette Heyer/Jane Austen Regency vibe, with a dash of Diana Wynne Jones (anyone remember Twinkle? I WILL SAY NO MORE!) and Tales of Ambia.
It starts out looking like a Regency romance, and while it’s partly that, things quickly escalate into a hilarious romp of magical misfortunes which I will not spoil by explaining. Just go read the book!!
It’s absolute perfection and I couldn’t stop laughing! There’s a rollicking humor vibe going on, and faery curses and piglets and an adorable dragon and a sprinkle of romance and so many mishaps and shenanigans! XDDD IT’S SO MUCH FUN. I CAN’T. I adore it!
CURSE AND CONSEQUENCE is one of the most delightful tales I’ve read in a long time, and I stayed up until midnight to finish it and regret nothing. *grins* Highly recommend! (And now I need the sequel — aaahh!)
(Thanks to the author for the review copy! All opinions are 100% my own.)
Doesn’t it sound like fun? What’s a humorous fantasy or a Regency tale you love?
Today I’m joining in on the blog tour for A Royal Masquerade, the new Goose Girl retelling by Allison Tebo that released this week! There’s a giveaway and other fun stuff so make sure you scroll to the end! 😉
About the Book
Burndee can barely tolerate the mischievous Prince Colin, but the two of them are invariably thrown together in a way that keeps them at one another’s throats.
While attending a noblewoman’s wedding, Burndee and Colin’s private feud comes to a climax when Burndee loses his temper and does the unthinkable. With Prince Colin unable to attend to his royal duties and Burndee bound by an inconvenient spell, can the two of them work together long enough to unsnarl the mysterious goings-on around them?
A madcap and magical retelling of The Goose Girl from a unique perspective.
Allison Tebo is a Christian author in her mid-twenties. A sales associate for a major transportation company, she writes books in her spare time. A graduate of London Art College, Allison also pursues children’s illustration and cartooning. When she is not creating art with words or paint, she enjoys narration, singing, quilting, and, naturally, baking. Allison blogs at www.allisonswell.com about the love of Christ, the joys of living, occasionally, all about the wonder of gifs.
Genre: Fantasy / Fairytale / Retelling / The Goose Girl / Humor / Novella
Age: Any
Year pub: 2018
Pages: 129 (ebook)
Series: Tales of Ambia, #3 (Can stand alone. Best read after Tales of Ambia, #1, The Reluctant Godfather)
Fave character: Burndee (and Colin. And both of them together. :D)
Source: The author
Notes: I received a free e-ARC of this story from the author. I was not required to write a positive review; all opinions are my own.
This book was absolutely SO MUCH FUN! Anyone who knows my reading taste probably knows that I ADORE humorous books, that I’m far more likely to fall in love with a story if there’s a favorite character (or two), and that I love retellings and fairytales. Put all three of those into a novella-sized package, and you have A ROYAL MASQUERADE.
I loved this book! As a sequel to The Reluctant Godfather, it follows the continuing adventures of Fairy Godfather Burndee, which made me super excited because I love that young, grouchy, cake-baking fairy godfather! He’s the best, and so is funloving Prince Colin—one of his wards—who are thrown into each other’s company at a wedding where there are mysterious goings-on and magical mishaps which had me laughing.
One hilarious misfortune after another pile on top of Burndee and Prince Colin, with hilarious results! I love both of them, but put them together and wow, it’s just SO MUCH FUN, because Colin is such a prankster and Burndee is so grouchy, and they have to learn to work together in the best possible buddy-movie kind of way. IT’S MY FAVE. XD (And there’s a hilarious, awesome twist fairly early on that I don’t want to spoil but let’s just say Colin may not look like Colin for the whole story and it’s SO PERFECT. XDDD)
The plot is a lot of fun because the Goose Girl plot is going on kind of in the background and WE can see it but the main characters don’t catch on as quickly because they have their own problems. It was sooo funny. XD As a retelling, the Goose Girl part was solid, and I liked the twist of the traveling troupe of actors (gotta have some theatricality!) and the little Dumovai creature. 🙂 I still enjoyed The Reluctant Godfather more, particularly since The Goose Girl isn’t my favorite fairytale, but at the same time, all the Burndee and Colin antics were perfect, so this one was still super enjoyable. 😀
Also, the fact that Burndee is so absolutely introverted and grumpy, and yet has to deal with all the nobles and people involved, makes it extra funny. Throw in some falling in the fountain, some cake mishaps and a skunk (the SKUNK!!! XD), and a colorful troupe of characters, and you have a recipe for absolute fun! Burndee and Prince Colin are MY FAVORITE and any story involving them is automatically going to be a new favorite, I think. (I also loved the brief appearance of a couple other characters at the end from the first book.) And I need to eat one of Burndee’s cakes!
If you like humor and comedy-of-errors type stories, and a sort of buddy-story, with loads of laughs and a fairytale retelling into the bargain, you definitely need to check this one out. 😀 As a novella, it’s a quick read and you won’t be able to put it down, or stop giggling—I know I wasn’t!
An absolute delight! ^_^
Blog Tour
Today is day 5 of the blog tour! Here are the posts before and after mine:
Check out these fabulous prizes Allison Tebo is offering as part of the blog tour! 🙂 A paperback of the book, candle, miniature glass goose, and chocolate. And second prize, a paperback and giftcard!
You can enter via the Rafflecopter HERE or click one of the images above.
Doesn’t it sound like SO much fun? If you’re a Reluctant Godfather fan you absolutely HAVE to read this, and if you’re not yet . . . well you must remedy that at once and read The Reluctant Godfather! 😉
Burndee can barely tolerate the mischievous Prince Colin, but the two of them are invariably thrown together in a way that keeps them at one another’s throats.
Allison Tebo is a Christian author in her mid-twenties. A sales associate for a major transportation company, she writes books in her spare time. A graduate of London Art College, Allison also pursues children’s illustration and cartooning. When she is not creating art with words or paint, she enjoys narration, singing, quilting, and, naturally, baking. Allison blogs at 
The Page Dreamer 