Fantastical by Kristen Ashley Find the Author: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram, Pinterest, Newsletter
Series: Fantasyland #3
Also in this series: Wildest Dreams, The Golden Dynasty, Broken Dove, Midnight Soul
on November 1st 2011
Pages: 338
Genres: Romance, Fantasy
Goodreads
Cora Goode has woken up in a fairytale world where she can understand what birds are saying to her, men ride horses and have fluffy feathers in their hats and furniture zigs, zags and whirls in miracles of construction.
The problem is, she thinks she’s in a dream but she’s actually taken the place of the parallel universe Cora and without realizing it, our Cora does something that starts a centuries old curse that will sweep the land if she gets captured by the evil Minerva.
At this point, her dream world becomes a nightmare.
Luckily, hot guy, fantasyland Noctorno is there to save her from the clutches of the grotesque vickrants sent by Minerva to capture her. Unfortunately, hot guy, fantasyland Noctorno doesn’t like the Cora of his world all that much (to say the least) and he thinks our Cora is her. And no matter what our Cora says or does to try to convince him, he won’t be convinced.
But Cora needs Tor to keep her safe and guide her through this fantastical world as she hopes one day to wake up in her not-so-great apartment in her not-so-great life in her world. The problem is, the more time she spends with the gorgeous warrior Tor, the faster she falls in love with him.
“You’re the other half to my soul,”
I blinked before I whispered, “What?”
“You heard me.”
Kristin Ashley sure has set the bar high! With each book I read in The Fantasyland series, I realize I may never take a chance at fantasy/PNR again. I have LOVED each book in this series. And that surprises me each time I finish a book from the series. I have tried others, but none have intrigued me. I have not finished any of them, until now.
Fantastical is the third book in the Fantasyland Series. As with the others in the series, this deals with a heroine who awakens in an alternate universe.
When Cora Goode awakens in a place where animals speak and the world is vibrant and full of color, she knows things are not good. Then her “sister” Rosa is taken by Minerva and all she wants to do is awaken from the bad dream. Only this isn’t a dream and everyone blames her for the situation. Her “twin” in this parallel universe is awful, mean, rude and cunning, and out for only herself. No one likes her, including her “soul mate” and husband, Noctorno (Tor) Hawthorne. To make matters worse, everyone believes she is the “bad” Cora and hates her. Including the man she is said to be married to, the black prince.
She tried to convince him that she was not of this world, was not the Cora he was married to. But Tor didn’t believe her. He was convinced it was another game Cora was playing. However in the process of trying to convince him, Cora falls in love.
“I was falling for a black prince who conquered lands, took care of his people, gave in when I wanted to save a tiny bird and took time to show me his world.”
I believe Tor was falling for her, too. He was just confused. (I have to believe this otherwise, his antics would thoroughly piss me off. And I loved him, so that would be sad!) There were times when he acted like he loved her, when he acted like he believed her and then others when he stated she couldn’t fool him and he would not be played.
When the two souls meet, the love was undeniable and undeniably hot! Kristin Ashley knows how to write those scenes, you know which ones I’m talking about. The ones that get you as hot and bothered as her characters? yeah. I thought so.
“I’m about to f@ck my wife and the only words I want her saying when I do it are ‘yes’, ‘Tor’, ‘my prince’, ‘baby’, and ‘oh my God’. Am I understood?”
She always writes kick-butt, strong female characters, and sexy as heck heroes. And I eat it up like caramels! (Because those are my favorite candies.)
I’m off to read the next book, and all about the mysterious, heartbroken Appolo, in Broken Dove.
About Kristen Ashley
Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.
Nothing’s changed.
Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.
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