Still Waiting ... And Hyping

I ordered my hardcover copies of the Prideful Magick Collection on November 7. At this time, the progress is still on 'printing'. It's been two weeks and I'm still waiting on my books to be printed, much less shipped. Meawhile, the site gives very clear dates as to when you should order by in order to receive your holiday shipments. I ordered in the beginning of November. WHERE ARE MY BOOOOOOOOOKKKKSSSS???

Alas, this is what I get for picking the 'no rush' delivery option.

So, in the meantime, I'm going to hype a friend who just had a book release. (If you guessed Jennifer Anne Davis, of Book Goblin* fame, give yourself a gold star.)

On November 19, 2025, Jennifer Anne Davis released her 22nd book!! (Holy crap!) This rockstar woman has three standalones and six series. This latest book, The Royal Throne, wraps up her latest trilogy, The League of Rulers.

The synopsis for book 3, The Royal Throne: Vengeance brought her home.

Love might be the reason she burns it down.

Sabine has returned to Lynk to deliver justice for her sister’s murder and stop her husband from waging a war that could destroy the realm. To succeed, she may have to topple the very crown she swore to protect.

But Lynk’s court is deadlier than ever—brimming with treacherous allies, spurned lovers, and rivals eager to see her fall. And in the shadows waits the assassin–pirate–prince, whose touch tempts her to abandon duty for desire. Every stolen moment with him threatens to unravel the kingdom she’s sworn to defend.

The final battle for the throne will demand more than Sabine’s crown—it will demand her heart, her life, and the truth she’s feared all along. Because some destinies aren’t given…they’re taken.

Now, I'm not gonna lie, I got to read this book before its release. Twice. The first time in its rawest form. The second in near-polished-perfection. (It really is good to have author friends. Go out and make some!) Which, if I'm being honest, I've had the privelege of doing with a decent chunk of this wonderful woman's catalogue. That's also why I'm able to give each book the praise (and sometimes criticism) that is its due, because I've seen how far it's come.

The thing about Jennifer's books is that they are all really well paced out (and a small part of me hates her for it), but also follow her own formula. (Not going to spoil it here.) The other thing about Jen is that if she has a dedicated fan (aka me) reading her books, she likes to slip at least one of the fan's favorite tropes in there. I say 'at least' because she has me nailed to the wall and likes to keep throwing them at me so that I do the happy squirms whilst reading. Case in point: assassins. I love them so much and there are so, so, so many featured in her books. I cannot pick a favorite, there are that many. Also, the 'only one bed' trope has shown up a few times and I'm never disappointed by it.

To narrow down my feelings to this series in particular, I'd have to say I like the growth of Sabine throughout all three books. In The Queen's Crown, you are introduced to a young princess who is barely considered a woman. She's naive, rash, a little wild, and selfish to her core. What Sabine wants, she gets, and if she doesn't want it, it might as well not exist. As a princess in a large family, her life has been oh so charmed. Until it's not.

I think the most important aspect of this series is watching Sabine transform from naive to wise, rash to cautious, wild to governed, and selfish to selfless. Each circumstance she endures and secret she uncovers forces her into fundamental changes until the person at the end is almost unrecognizable from the one in the beginning.

Unlike a lot of characters who are thrust into roles of importance, Sabine never finds her footing. She never has everything figured out. And all of her best laid plans end up on the roadside each and every time. Through it all, she endures and pushes on. She's probably one of the most realistic and relatable characters Jennifer has ever written. Even if you don't like her (ie, you wouldn't be friends with her), you understand each choice she makes, even when they're very obviously mistakes. Considering what she and everyone around her goes through to reach their respective ends, I'd say this is probably the least flashy of Jennifer's books, and the HEA we get feels more like a soft reward for a weary traveler than some banquet in golden halls. It's a comfort when you finish the book, and it was the perfect ending for a series such as this.

Alas, I've said my piece, and now must go. (I have a lot of books to finish if I'm to catch up to this lady!)

*Book Goblin is a character created for sketches by author, Elisabeth Wheatley. (She is also known for her Romance Genres discussions.) There are two of Jennifer's books, that I'm aware of, that appear in Book Goblin sketches. The first is Cage of Deceit and the other is Sword of Rage. I highly recommend both books, but at the very least you must watch the sketches. (Actually, you only get to see the one because I can't find the other video, even though I know that it was in one.)