Stain: A.G.Howard

Once upon a nightmare, her fairy tale begins...

After Lyra—a princess incapable of speech or sound—is cast out of her kingdom of daylight by her wicked aunt, a witch saves her life, steals her memories, and raises her in an enchanted forest ... disguised as a boy known only as Stain. Meanwhile, in Lyra's rival kingdom, the prince of thorns and night is dying, and the only way for him to break his curse is to wed the princess of daylight, for she is his true equal. As Lyra rediscovers her identity, an impostor princess prepares to steal her betrothed prince and her crown. To win back her kingdom, save the prince, and make peace with the land of the night, Lyra must be loud enough to be heard without a voice and strong enough to pass a series of tests—ultimately proving she’s everything a traditional princess is not.
(Goodreads)

This book was so much better than I thought it would be like I was already excited since A. G. Howard is an incredible storyteller, but I've never read a retelling of the princess and the pea. 
This book was everything I could have wanted and more actually, that's a lie... I need so much more, but we'll get to that.
The story begins with the unfortunate events of the Queen. Who pricked her finger on a flower and died... Technically she died in childbirth, and it was very tragic. But something peculiar happens, and the princess that was born was different. Compared to the rest of her people, she's looks just like the citizens of the kingdom of night. They are all extremely pale, with almost luminescent skin, purple eyes that look to glow, and the whitest hair. This pale princess can't even step out into the sun without horrible pain, and her voice? She doesn't really have one; it's just musical but cannot form words. Everyone was shocked #shook, and confused, but Lyra's father bless his soul, loves his daughter so much like a father should, and wants to do everything he can to make Lyra's life as amazing as possible. Honestly, her dad is amazing, and he makes me sad.
So this book is split into three parts; the first part is all about Lyra's childhood until her "death" (wack, right!?!) The tragedy of her father's death, the abuse of her aunt and cousins, the loneliness of her isolation. It's all horribly sad, and I (having read the book multiple times) still can't believe how badly the aunt treats this child. This poor innocent child was abused by the one supposed to help her. The end of part one is the death of Lyra, and the first time I read it, I cried. It was honestly so heartbreaking, the betrayal of one of her cousins, who was actually kinda nice. Absolutely terrible.
The second part is her rebirth? Revival? Reanimation? ANYWAYS So part two is about Lyra, who isn't Lyra anymore. She was saved! And this is her life now, after death. Clueless to who she is and was, clueless to her betrothed, and clueless to her destiny.
The story progresses more when her horse turns out to not be a horse?? It's an interesting twist that becomes really important when she meets the Prince.

To not continue spoiling the book and summarizing it. I just want to say how much I loved this book again. It's beautiful and full of hope and love and believing in oneself.

Please take the chance to read this amazing book

Until next time readers <3

Love Kat 

The Glass Butterfly: A.G. Howard

For close to a decade, twenty-five-year-old Felicity Lonsdale has masqueraded as a dowager almost twice her age—selling caterpillars to butterfly consortium's—enabling her to hide an ill-fated past while raising her late brother’s daughters. Together, the three live on an isolated Irish estate bequeathed by a dying earl. When the earl’s estranged son arrives to claim his inheritance by threatening to expose Felicity’s true identity, she longs to pack up her nieces and run. But a ghostly secret within the castle’s turret holds her captive.

Nick Thornton—a Roma viscount’s heir—is also captive. After a tryst with an investor’s wife nearly destroyed his family’s holiday resort, Nick forsook everything to elope with her. However, a tragic mistake at his hand led to her and his baby’s deaths. Refusing to turn to the family he shamed, Nick travels to seek the countess who once co-wrote a romance with his sister. There’s rumor of a special butterfly in her keep—a transparent-winged species with ties to the afterlife. Nick hopes to contact his dead wife and child, for only their forgiveness can free him.

Upon his arrival to Felicity’s estate, Nick offers to help her defeat the earl’s son, on the condition she allow Nick to investigate her glass butterflies. Felicity agrees, though fears the closer he gets to the ghosts of his past, the closer he’ll come to uncovering her own. As Nick spends time with Felicity and her nieces, he realizes the mystery enshrouding this fragile countess and her castle is more intriguing than the ghosts he originally came to find. And perhaps putting his dead to rest and helping her do the same will be his true path to redemption.
(Goodreads)

This is book three of the "Haunted Hearts Legacy" and it was considerably better than the second one. Let me begin by saying this is the third to a series of stand alone books, that can totally be read by themselves. But you get the full story by reading them in order.

This one is about Nick, and I like him more than his brother. Nick is a womanizer, a scoundrel, the shame of his family or so he thinks. Obviously Nick has a dark past, a dark and depressing past and he is now chasing ghosts... Butterfly ghosts (??? it's a whole thing). Which leads us to Felicity, the ruler? leader? owner? Master of this ghostly estate. Felicity also has a dark past, a dark and devastating past, her only light in this grim world are her two nieces. And the boy who saved her from death. Who's obviously Nick though he doesn't remember her 
And thus starts their romance! With Nick breaking into her greenhouse in search of her ghost butterflies and Felicity literally ripping his knee open. Fun!
Honestly Felicity annoyed the ever living hell out of me, her back and forth emotions regarding Nick. When he LITERALLY told her MULTIPLE times that he was going to take care of her and the girls and that he loved her. He would not only tell her this, but he would show her. Actions speak louder than words and yet she continued to lie to him time and again. 
Until they got married. They got married and she was still lying to him 
But what's a true Gothic Romance without ghosts. Well her brother, yes, her brother is MOSTLY dead. And with the help of his eldest daughter and the butterflies is trying to help out around the greenhouse and communicate with Felicity. Felicity is having nothing of this nonsense and instead isolates her nieces more go figure 
Nick throughout this all suffering over the guilt of his deceased wife and child. He's falling for Felicity and has started to love her nieces as children of his own. Honestly Nick is pretty damn princely throughout this all. He's the textbook tall, dark, and handsome. He believes the eldest niece oops totally cannot remember her name for the life of me in regards to the butterflies and her father. Since he too has experience with ghosts... well... his parents. *cough* Anyways, Nick is doing everything he can to prove his love to Felicity, his devotion to her girls. 
And it only works when she saves the youngest one from drowning in the bog how clique... I love it But even then, Felicity manages to screw it up.
But in the end love conquers all! Nick makes up his estranged family, he is happily married to Felicity. Felicity makes peace with her past and the scars it left on her both figurative and literal Her dear old brother awakes from his coma, is pinning after Emilia slightly cringes a lot 
And everyone lives happily ever after, Nick's family visit the estate.
And by some amazing miracle, Felicity gets pregnant and all is well.
Honestly I love the clique of a Gothic Romance being a goth myself, I can't help but swoon and I love how Ms. Howard delivers the story in her own way. 
Until next time readers <3

Love Kat