Review: Ever My Merlin by Priya Ardis

Bookish Details:
Series: My Merlin Series #3
Publisher: Ink Lion Books
Release Date: October 15th 2012
Buy It From: Amazon US - Amazon UK

Synopsis:

He was the right one, the fated one, but was he right for her?

The end of the world. The day of reckoning. The final battle.

In the last chapter of the My Merlin Series, it is a time of great strife for Arriane (aka Ryan) and Merlin (aka Matt) as they struggle to stem the flood of destruction unleashed upon the world. Their only hope rests in the one object that can restore their greatest ally: the Healing Cup.

With every scrap of life hanging in the balance, Ryan must convince both friends and enemies that the key to survival rests in the plans of a sword-toting girl of only eighteen. She must reconcile a fifteen-hundred-year rivalry between two brothers, and be ruthless enough to break a heart—and a life—in the process. And at some point, she really needs to get herself to Prom.

My Review:

I am a huge fan of the My Merlin series so it's safe to say that I was mega excited to read the final chapter in Ryan, Vane and Matt's story. The final book in the trilogy sees Ryan in a race against time to prevent the destruction of the earth. The story is action packed from the start and it kept me reading well into the night!

Let me just say, I think Priya has possibly created one of my favourite love triangles of all time. I had a huge amount of love for both Vane and Matt and throughout the first half of the story, I really couldn't choose between them. You don't know the pain of a love triangle until you read this series! For the first two books in the series, I was set on Vane as my favourite, but in this book, Ryan goes on an important journey with Matt and we see much more of him, so I felt myself adoring him almost as much as I did Vane.

There was a definite inner debate going on in my head throughout this book:

I love Vane. 

Oh, but I love Merlin. 

But I love Vane! 

And I love Merlin!

BUT I REALLY LOVE VANE!!

Seriously though, I adore everything about Vane. His snarky comments, the fact that he calls Ryan Dorothy. He will definitely remain one of my favourite book characters! Also, we finally get some answers about his and Matt’s lives.

I love how this book shows how far Ryan has developed throughout the series. She’s a lot stronger and I love how she does things for herself, without having Matt or Vane hold her hand, in a sense.

The plot is mind-blowing. There is so much action going on in each chapter and there are so many ‘OMG!’ moments. There was a moment quite soon into the story that I didn’t see coming and it reminded me that characters’ lives were at stake. I love how there was humour kept into the story throughout all the seriousness. We see that, although Ryan is the sword-bearer and has to help save the world, she is still just a typical teenage girl, which makes her so much more relatable and real to the reader.

I cannot put into words how much I have adored this series. The ending was beyond amazing and it has sealed the deal on this trilogy becoming one of my favourite book series. I’d like to thank Priya for creating such an incredible story and I'm excited to see what she writes next!

If you haven’t discovered this fabulous series yet, you really must read the first book, My Boyfriend Merlin, right now! Word of caution, you may want to watch out if you're reading this on public transport. Squeals of excitement often earn you some strange looks...

Royal Rating:

 

 

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Blog Tour: My Merlin Awakening Guest Post, Review and Giveaway!

Hey There!

Tour brought to you by: Bewitching Book Tours  Full Tour Schedule HERE.

I'm extremely excited to be a part of the My Merlin Awakening Blog Tour! The My Merlin Series by Priya Ardis is such a fantastic series and i'm proud to present a guest post from the lady herself!

The Bard Merlin

I am a writer who listens to music while writing and so naturally making a soundtrack for My Merlin Awakening was one of the first things I did. But what does a soundtrack actually signify in the book? To me, it’s the ebb and flow of emotions the characters experience as they deal with what happens. More importantly it is the ebb and flow of emotions in their love story.

First, there is the music of the three main characters of the My Merlin Series:

Arriane (aka Ryan) is our nice girl protagonist. Ryan’s song - Alice by Avril Lavigne – Why? This beautiful moody piece perfectly fits Ryan’s struggle.

Matt (aka Merlin) is our superhero in a cape. Matt’s song - Superman (It’s Not Easy) by Five for Fighting –Why? In My Boyfriend Merlin, Merlin’s alter-ego is Matt. This is a huge struggle in the book for Merlin…does he want to be the “Most Powerful Wizard in the World” or does he want to be plain-old Matt?

Lastly, there is Vane, hero’s brother and generally, a pain in Ryan’s backside. Vane’s song - Vindicated by Dashboard Confessional – Why? Vane just knows he’s right. All. The. Time.

Now, the My Merlin Awakening soundtrack:

Theme music: Down by Jason Walker – If a song embodied the whole book, it would be this one. (You wouldn’t believe how many times I listened to this one.) I won’t tell you which character’s song this is… you’ll have to read the book to figure it out!

      1. Teeth by Lady Gaga: High school

            2. Running up the Hill by Placebo: Haunted House
3. Obsession by Sky Ferreira: Vane’s place

            4.  Keep Myself Awake by Black Lab: Matt’s lament

            5.   Dance in the Dark by Lady Gaga: Dance club in Athens

      6. Monster by Lady Gaga: Fight Club

      7. The Devil You Know (God is a Man) by Face to Face: On the yacht

      8. Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne: Mermaid City; In the pit

      9. Lucky by Biff Naked: A rescue

     10. Down by Jason Walker: In the maze

          11. Hurt by Christina Aguilera: Poolside

For a complete compilation of these songs plus other songs of My Merlin, check out the iMix playlists in iTunes. My Boyfriend Merlin: (http://c.itunes.apple.com/us/imix/myboyfriendmerlin/id503587315). My Merlin Awakening: (https://c.itunes.apple.com/us/imix/my-merlin-awakening-book-2/id530932968 )

Want more Merlin? Watch the “If you can’t trust your boyfriend, who can you trust?” book trailer on youtube at http://youtu.be/EIrzLo1VowM

My Boyfriend Merlin, Book 1, is available through most major book retailers. My Merlin Awakening, Book 2, is now available in limited release at Barnes and Noble. It will be out in full release in mid-June 2012.  Ever My Merlin, Book 3, will be available in late 2012. Add it to-read on Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13641732-ever-my-merlin)

Read Reviews and Excerpts at:

Author Website: http://www.priyaardis.com/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Boyfriend-Arthurian-Paranormal-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B006C58CMA 

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-boyfriend-merlin-priya-ardis/1107712999

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/priyaardis

If you haven't broken the rules, have you really lived?

Excalibur has been pulled from the stone, but what does it mean? Arriane (aka Ryan) DuLac doesn’t really care. She's got bigger problems—as student president, she's got to put on the Prom. While the Wizard Council debates their next move, she leaves the craziness behind and heads home.

But she can’t hide forever. Sooner than she’d like Merlin (aka Matt) has her chasing mermaids on the trail of the Fisher King. The wounded King, defeated by Merlin’s brother, Vane, in the past holds the key to save the future.

On the journey, Ryan begins to realize the friends she thought she knew, she may not know at all. At a time of shifting alliances, she must decide whose side she’s on—the brother who struggles to do right or the brother who dares to break the rules? And Ryan must decide who she is—a regular or a champion?

One wrong decision and her family falls apart. One wrong decision and the world falls apart. No pressure.

My Review of My Merlin Awakening:

My Merlin Awakening in a word? AWESOME. 

Book 2 picks up a little while after the end of book 1. Ryan is back at school after Matt AKA Merlin took the rap for pulling the sword. But Ryan soon realises that she can’t hide away from things forever and once again ends up on an epic journey. 

The series develops so much in this book! I loved the Greek Mythology element that is added into the mix in this book. It adds to the overall epicness of the whole story. 

This book has a bit of everything, including the totally swoon-worthy love triangle. Vane and Matt are simply amazing characters! I also love Ryan’s strength. We see how her character has grown from the first book.

I adore Priya’s writing style. I love the humour that is kept throughout the story, it adds some fun to the serious plots. 

This series just keeps on getting better and I can wait to find out what is in store in the final book! If you haven’t started this series yet then you really, REALLY need to!

Royal Rating:

 About the Author:

I love stories of all kinds--but especially the gooey ones that make your nose leak and let your latte go cold. I started my first novel at sixteen, writing in notebooks on a long train ride in India during a hot summer vacation. My favorite Arthurian piece is the poem The Lady of Shalott by Lord Alfred Tennyson and a gorgeous song by Loreena McKennitt. A hopeless romantic, I’m a longtime member of the Romance Writer's of America.

Connect with Priya Ardis at:

Website: http://www.priyaardis.com/

Blog: http://merlinblogs.priyaardis.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/priyaardis

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/priyaardis

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/priyaardis

GIVEAWAY!

Enter the rafflecopter to win! One winner will get a $25 Amazon or B&N gift card and a copy of My Merlin Awakening. Two additional winners will also get a copy of My Merlin Awakening.

Rafflecopter giveaway code:

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Awesome Fan Alert!

Check out this fan made trailer for My Boyfriend Merlin created by a spanish fan! It's super awesome so why not drop her a comment on YouTube in support of her fab video!

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Review: My Boyfriend Merlin by Priya Ardis

Bookish Details:
Series: My Merlin #1
Pages: 305 Kindle Edition
Publisher: Ink Lion Books
Source: Review Copy
Release Date: November 21st 2011
Buy It From: Amazon US - Amazon UK

Goodreads Summary:

If you can't trust your boyfriend, who can you trust?

In this modern Arthurian, 17-year-old nice girl Arriane, aka Ryan, DuLac just found out her badass biker boyfriend, Matt, is a little older than he was letting on. By a few eons.

In fact, he is really Merlin--the Merlin, King Arthur's Merlin, the greatest wizard who ever lived. But Ryan's not impressed. Tired of being a relationship loser, she'd rather kick his legendary behind.

Sure, the world has been crazy ever since the sword and the stone fell out of the sky like a meteor. But despite gruesome gargoyles, a new world of magic, and the guy driving her crazy, Ryan knows that family is everything. Will Merlin sacrifice hers to save the world? Will she be able to stop him?

My Review:

Action and romance are both to be found in this epic modern twist on the story of Merlin.

Now, I love anything to do with Merlin (I’m a sucker for the TV show =P) so I was really excited to read this and it didn’t disappoint. I was completely hooked from the first chapter.

My Boyfriend Merlin follows Arriane, better known as Ryan, as her life changes dramatically when a stone hits the middle of Trafalgar Square. A stone that holds the legendary Excalibur. Ryan then discovers that her ex-boyfriend, Matt, isn’t quite who she thought he was.

Ryan is a fabulously cool character. She's really strong headed which makes her easy to like. I loved seeing her adjust to the situation and gaining courage throughout the book.

Matt/Merlin is really sweet and I loved his character but I’ve got to say, I seriously ADORE Vane! I wanted so much to dislike him but it’s actually impossible. I certainly don't know how Ryan can choose between them!

Being from England, I loved that the book was set here. And I just wish our Queen was as awesome as Priya made her in the book - read it and you'll know why!

I can't wait to read what happens in the next instalment, My Merlin Awakening.

Royal Rating:

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In My Mailbox #1

Hey There!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren in which bloggers share their books which they have recently received.

This is actually my first 'In My Mailbox' post! Here are the books that I have received or bought recently:

Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter (Bought)
Angel Fire by L. A. Weatherly (Bought)
Underworld by Meg Cabot (ARC)

eBooks:
My Boyfriend Merlin by Priya Ardis (Review Copy)
My Merlin Awakening by Priya Ardis (eARC)
Talisman of El by Alecia Stone (eARC)
Blackwood by Gwenda Bond (Recieved via NetGalley)

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