JASMINE's THOUGHTS on The Bound by K.A. Linde

Genre:

Young Adult

Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

Series:

Ascension, #2

Publish Date:

October 25, 2016

Synopsis:

Cyrene Strohm is a Queen’s Affiliate, a high-ranking official of the court of Byern, with power and privilege to spare. But she’s also a keeper of dangerous secrets: like the fact that she holds the heart of the King, and that she possesses magic in a world where magic no longer exists.

Determined to discover what this means and how to use her newfound abilities, Cyrene sets off for the distant land of Eleysia. An island nation where Affiliates are strictly forbidden from entering.

But the journey is perilous, and the destination may mean utter ruin, as Cyrene comes to learn that everything she’s been told her whole life – about her court, her homeland, and even herself—are bound in a beautiful lie.

      

~~~

The Ascension series

   

(covers link to Goodreads)

       

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**About the Author**

K.A. Linde is the USA Today bestselling author of more than fifteen novels including the Avoiding series and the Record series. She has a Masters degree in political science from the University of Georgia, was the head campaign worker for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as the head coach of the Duke University dance team. She loves reading fantasy novels, geeking out over Star Wars, binge-watching Supernatural, and dancing in her spare time.

She lives in Lubbock, Texas with her husband and two super adorable puppies.

Stay connected with K.A. Linde

     

email: kalinde45@gmail.com

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*My Thoughts*

Note: This review contains NO spoilers

So... This second book in the Ascension series, The Bound, takes place where The Affiliate left off. K.A. Linde continues to astound me with the incredibly descriptive world building. In this second installment, we found these characters on their journey that Cyrene is determined to uncover the mystery about magic and herself. Yup! Cyrene is accompanied by her friends whom are committed in helping her complete her quest of discovery. We also are introduced to new characters that they encounter along the way. Then there's this build of a romance, which I found was not too overwhelming, which still kept me guessing on whom Cyrene's heart would fall for.

Anyways, while Cyrene and her friends continue on this quest, corruption and deception persists in Byern during their absence. Well, no big surprise there... Right?!? Especially, after reading that Prologue! But, whoa!!! Anyways, I will leave it at that... Don't want to reveal too much.

Otherwise, this fast-paced, riveting, action-packed fantasy had me "gasping for air" with it's twists and turns. Regardless of the somewhat slow start, The Bound did pick up to continue the whirlwind of a magical journey that was started in The Affiliate. Now, it is time to get to the next installment in this series and continue Cyrene's journey.

My rating:

RELEASE DAY BLITZ: The Bound by K.A. Linde

We are celebrating the release of K.A. Linde's The Bound, the second book in the Ascension series! To celebrate, we're sharing an exciting excerpt from the book! Get your copy today!

Genre:

Young Adult

Fantasy

Series:

Ascension, #2

Publish Date:

October 25, 2016

Synopsis:

On the day of her Presenting, in front of the entire Byern Court, seventeen-year-old Cyrene Strohm's lifelong plans come to fruition when she's chosen as an Affiliate to the Queen.

Or so she thinks.

When Cyrene receives a mysterious letter and an unreadable book, she finds nothing is as it seems. Thrust into a world of dangerous political intrigue and deadly magic, Cyrene's position only grows more treacherous when she finds herself drawn to the one man she can never have...

King Edric himself.

Cyrene must decide if love is truly worth the price of freedom. Find out in this first book in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde’s new Ascension series.

      

*Excerpt*

Staggering down the hallway, she didn’t even look up when she heard her name.

“Hmm?” she asked.

“Cyrene, there you are!”

Someone grabbed her shoulders, and she tipped her head to look up into the most beautiful face. She smiled and felt a renewed burst of energy flow through her.

“Hey,” she whispered.

“Hey,” he said, threading his fingers through hers. A shiver ran up her back. He glanced around the empty hallway and then tugged her away from the main corridors. She turned a corner, and he pressed her back into a darkened alcove. His mouth was only inches from hers.

Her exhaustion was wearing off from the excitement of being with him.

“I was really worried about you,” he breathed.

“You don’t have to worry about me,” she said, trapped in his gaze. She teetered on her tiptoes and nearly brushed their lips together. Her heart was racing ahead of her. This felt almost better than reaching for her magic. Definitely better than moving one drop of water at a time all day.

“You’re wrong.” Then, he softly dropped his mouth down on hers. His lips were tender and slow as they caressed hers. “I will always worry for your safety.”

Cyrene’s cheeks heated, and she sighed, leaning back against the hard stone of the alcove. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”

His hands pushed up through her hair and tilted her head back up to look at him. She closed her eyes and sighed. She was so tired, and just the feel of his fingers was lulling her to sleep.

“That feels good.”

His mouth found hers, and despite her exhaustion, she pushed back against his lips with more force. She refused to let the fact that she was tired get in the way of her time with him.

“Whoa,” he said, pulling back from her. He rested his forehead against hers, and she could tell he was breathing heavily. “As much as I want this, and I do, I want to make sure you’re okay. This didn’t scare you away?”

She shook her head. “This, most certainly, does not scare me.” Then, she kissed him again for good measure.

He laughed. “Good. Because I’ve been wanting to kiss you since I first met you.”

“You have not!” she insisted.

“Are you kidding? A gorgeous, feisty woman who wasn’t afraid to put me in my place the first time she met me? I mostly certainly have.”

 

~~~

Sequel to:

Genre:

Young Adult

Fantasy

Series:

Ascension, #1

Publish Date:

September 15, 2015

Synopsis:

On the day of her Presenting, in front of the entire Byern Court, seventeen-year-old Cyrene Strohm's lifelong plans come to fruition when she's chosen as an Affiliate to the Queen.

Or so she thinks.

When Cyrene receives a mysterious letter and an unreadable book, she finds nothing is as it seems. Thrust into a world of dangerous political intrigue and deadly magic, Cyrene's position only grows more treacherous when she finds herself drawn to the one man she can never have...

King Edric himself.

Cyrene must decide if love is truly worth the price of freedom. Find out in this first book in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde’s new Ascension series.

      

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**About the Author**

USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde is the author of The Affiliate, the first book in the Ascension series. As a military brat, she traveled the world with her family, imaginary friends, and ever-increasing supply of books. She has spent much of her life dreaming up new worlds and characters and forcing them into uncomfortable, usually life-threatening scenarios. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a masters degree in political science, she began spending every waking hour putting those characters onto paper.

When not writing, she spends her time dancing, collecting paperbacks in the hopes of filling a Beauty and the Beast style library one day, traveling to visit her friends who live all over the country, and still reading anything she can get her hands on. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband and two puppies, Lucy and Riker, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

Stay connected with K.A. Linde

    

Release Day Blitz Organized by