Lisa Loves Literature: Review and Giveaway: Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

Friday, November 18, 2016

Review and Giveaway: Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

Book info:
Title: Of Fire and Stars
Author: Audrey Coulthurst
Genre: YA fantasy LGBTQ
Published: November 22nd, 2016
Source: E-galley from Edelweiss and Irish Banana Tours

Synopsis:
Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile lands. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden.

Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses before her coronation—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine (called Mare), sister of her betrothed.

When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two work together, each discovers there’s more to the other than she thought. Mare is surprised by Denna’s intelligence and bravery, while Denna is drawn to Mare’s independent streak. Soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.

But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms—and each other

LINKS: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

My Review:
I haven't quite finished the book, but I can say that I am really enjoying it! I like the characters a lot. And the plot is really detailed and keeps me wondering where the story will go next. I like how the characters find out that they may be interested in each other, even though Denna is actually betrothed to the prince, Mare's sister. The book is told in alternating chapters between Denna and Mare. And while you can get the difference and know exactly who each chapter is told by, you can also see all the differences in them, and how they deal with the feelings they come to discover about each other. I am really looking forward as I mentioned above, to see where their relationship will go, as well as how it will affect the marriage and alliance between the two kingdoms. I hope to find out that the magic will become accepted, and the people will find who is causing all the violence. There is a woman who is causing issues with the kingdom, and I am interested to see if she is really behind it all, especially since she is really hard to like so far. I like the LGBTQ aspect, and how it seems so seamlessly to fit in. It's not just out there, to be in your face, like some books do. It seems just like normal life should be between people and a romance.

This is a book I will definitely recommend, and also purchase for the school library where I work. I hope to read more books like this in the future, as well as more from this author.

About Author:

Audrey Coulthurst writes YA books that tend to involve magic, horses, and kissing the wrong people. Her debut novel, Of Fire and Stars, will be published on November 22, 2016 by Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins. When she’s not dreaming up new stories, she can usually be found painting, singing, or on the back of a horse.

Audrey has a Master’s in Writing from Portland State University, is a member of SCBWI, and studied with Malinda Lo as a 2013 Lambda Literary Foundation Fellow. She lives in Santa Monica, California.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Giveaway: