[Blog Tour | Review | #Giveaway]: The One and Only Crystal Druid by Annette Marie

Title: The One and Only Crystal Druid
Series: The Guild Codex: Unveiled #1
Author: Annette Marie
Published by: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Publication date: September 24, 2021
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

I’m not your average girl.

My best friend is my switchblade. My favorite hobby is using it on the cruel, the abusive, and anyone who gets on my bad side. I’m a convicted murderer with a chip on my shoulder and a dangerous lack of restraint.

And then there’s Zak.

His rap sheet makes mine look tame. The bounty on his head is worth more money than I’ll ever make, and the deadly fae that shadow his every step wield more power than I’ll ever know.

He’s the Crystal Druid, and his first mistake was setting foot on my turf.

His second was saving my life.

And his final mistake will be failing to realize that however dark, however ruthless, however broken he is…

I’m worse.

—
From the author of the best-selling Guild Codex books comes a new series that delves into the dark, dangerous world of druids and fae alongside two ravaged souls who may be exactly what the other needs…if they don’t destroy each other first.

Unveiled can be read as a standalone series or in conjunction with other Guild Codex series. For the full reading order, visit Annette Marie’s website.

—
More series in the Guild Codex world:
The Guild Codex: Spellbound
The Guild Codex: Demonized
The Guild Codex: Warped

Goodreads / Amazon

Review

Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost from the publisher/author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own. 

If you have been waiting for Zak's book like the rest of us then hold on to your panties! You're going to want to clear out your schedule before you pick up this titillating piece of literature. Zak is going to own you and I think that Saber is going to own you even more. 

Yes, dear friends, the time has come for us to jump into Zak's story! When I received my copy of this book I have honestly never downloaded a book so fast in my life. I was checking my email right before bedtime and lo and behold, the email with my download link was sitting in my inbox. I think that my heart literally stopped in my chest. After having a small freak-out attack (or so my 13-year-old son says), I downloaded that bad boy and jumped into the story faster than a cranky druid can best his opponent. So, pretty fast. 

While this is technically Zak's series, this book is told from the point of view of a new character, Saber. Saber is Zak's love interest in the story and OH MY GOD she is the character that I never knew I needed. I absolutely loved Saber and I think that other readers are going to fall in love with her just as much as I have. I don't think that I have felt this strongly about a character since I read Holly Black's The Folk of the Air series and Jude Duarte captured my heart. Saber has done much the same. I adore her. She's got that prickly, stabby, 'I'm going to slit your throat' type of personality that ruffles my feathers in all the best ways. On the outside, she is tough as nails but there is so much more lurking under her surface. We get a glimpse into the real Saber that she hides from the rest of the world. Saber has had some truly horrid things happen in her past that have driven her character development in this book. Ríkr is Saber's familiar. He is a shapeshifter fae that prefers to take the shape of a cat or a bird. I loved him from the get-go. He is witty, loyal, and a real breath of fresh air. There is some mystery about him that I can't wait to uncover in the next book. And then there is Zak. Though it is very subtle, there is a change in Zak from when we saw him in the Spellbound series. He is not the druid he once was. Things have drastically changed in his life and we get the sense that maybe he wants to change too. At one point, he even asks Saber if she wishes she could be someone else. It really sets the tone for his mood and mindset in this book. If you have read the Spellbound series then you know what Zak has lost and you can imagine how those losses would affect him, his personality, and the way that he approaches things now. While he is still very much the druid that we know, he is also evolving, I think. I am eager to see how he evolves throughout this series. We also get to see some cameos from other characters that we have come to know in the Guild Codex world. I love when other characters make an appearance in this interconnected world. 

If you are familiar with Annette Marie's books, then you know that she is bloody brilliant when it comes to storytelling. Her crafting and plotting are detailed and creative. Her narration is flawless and unmatched. The flow of her stories is natural and smooth. The way that she delivers plot twists is exciting and utterly gripping. The One and Only Crystal Druid is all that and more. 

The sexual tension in this book is like an atomic bomb waiting to go off and I AM HERE FOR IT! Zak and Saber dance around each other with a savagery that is too tantalizing for words. Their banter, their back and forth was the stuff of dreams. I thought that my fangirl heart was going to hammer right out of my chest. There is more to their uneasy relationship than meets the eye though. We are just falling through the rabbit hole right now where Saber and Zak are concerned but I can't wait to reach Wonderland. I predict the most satisfying romances from Annette Marie to date with this couple. Just saying. 

Overall, this is an exceptionally all-consuming story that will leave you in a daze. These characters will dominate your mind, their romance will light your nether regions on fire, and the plot is going to have the gears turning in your head. The cliffhanger at the end of this book is so epically good that I can't even be mad that I have to wait for the next book. The utter brilliance of that ending left me staggering with stars in my eyes and my heart racing faster than the Millennium Falcon. Before you start this book, prepare yourself for the biggest book hangover. 

About the Author

Annette Marie is the best-selling author of The Guild Codex, an expansive collection of interwoven urban fantasy series ranging from thrilling adventure to hilarious hijinks to heartrending romance. Her other works include YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter.

Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada with her husband and their furry minion of darkness. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

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