I hope you are ready for the weekend and that this week was kind to everyone. And if not, many hugs, I know things will get better.
Meanwhile, let me introduce you to an amazing author and her upcoming book.
“Republic of Ruin“, written by L. Blaise Hues, is a YA Dystopian novel, the first book in the Legacy of Debris Series, that will be published on February 2nd 2021, by Aethon Books.
Synopsis
Forget life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness… Surviving is a feat in and of itself.
Seventeen-year-old Ellie Hudson immerses herself in the few things the Supply Wars haven’t destroyed—her ranch work and secret baseball games with her best friend.
But her power-hungry stepmother is leading a group of domestic terrorists in an effort to start another Civil War and frame Ellie as the instigator.
Ellie’s lost her father, her home, and her country, but nothing can rob her of her need to preserve the American dream…or what’s left of it.
Don’t miss Book 1 in a post-apocalyptic survival series with a dark, fairy-tale spin. It’s a home-run read for fans of The Maze Runner, The Lunar Chronicles, and The Selection Series.
Don’t forget to add the book to your TBR on Goodreads: Republic of Ruin.
About the Author
Lara Blaise Hues as been writing young adult fiction for over a decade. Inspired by the dozens of places she has been privileged to call home and her incredibly vivid dreams and relentless imagination, she mingles fantasy with the constant string of nearly-fictitious events of life.
She is happily married to a Foreign Area Officer for the United States Army and together, with their two daughters, they move around the world. Lara has lived in Utah, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Idaho, Arizona, Kentucky, Texas, California, Brasilia, Brazil, and Maryland; in that order. She speaks English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Lara writes the sort of books she likes to read; young adult fiction in everything from science fiction to dystopian to fairy-tale retellings. She delivers strong, smart, and audaciously honest characters who have no qualms about making themselves vulnerable to readers.
Her interest in cultures, people, and languages guided her to BYU-Hawaii, where she majored in Cultural Anthropology and earned a TESOL certificate. She is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing from National University.
Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.
If you are an author or publisher and want me to do a review of a book please check out my Request Review page to learn more about the reviewing policies.
I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.
Also, if you would like to join me as a guest on my blog, check out the Guests Post page to know more and contact me so we can start planing your visit.
Today I bring you a very special promo post, so keep reading.
“Gold & Glacier“, written by Anne Stryker, is a Fantasy novel, a retelling story, published on April 22nd 2020.
You guys know I love to genres with passion: Historical & Fantasy. This book is a Fantasy novel. A Fairytale Retelling, something I’m not entirely familiar with, but I absolutely love the concept.
For those that also enjoy this genre, I have some news, that you should grab immediately.
News!
Three souls. Two stories. One Price.
For a limited time, you can dive into the magical world of Dale–a land shrouded in glass–for only $0.99 and explore the tale of Rumpelstiltskin as woven from hero to villain.
Faeries, monsters, gold, and glacier, unravel it all today.
Synopsis
A land of ice and fae rests beyond a kingdom shrouded by glass and iron. Aurea would do anything to live peacefully and safely in Dale with her best friend Daryl, but the horrors haunting her nights foretell a future where no one is safe. When stranger powers awaken within her, the price for her life is a simple lie about turning straw into gold. A simple lie that only the faerie king can make true.
Rumpelstiltskin has waited many years to hear Aurea promise that which she couldn’t keep. In exchange for her salvation, he requires her firstborn, a child woven with ancient magic who is capable of paying the price needed to save his people, the fae, from destruction. What he doesn’t expect is for the girl he manipulated to beat him at his own game.
Aurea’s happy ending is the start of Rumpel’s damnation, and if he can’t orchestrate from the shadows a way to retrieve his stolen princess, all he’s worked centuries for will be lost.
First published within the Dual-anthology Kingdom of Darkness and Light (Kingdom of Crowns and Glory and Kingdom of Villains and Vengeance).
Don’t forget to add the book to your TBR on Goodreads: Gold & Glacier
About the Author
Anne Stryker was born and raised deep in the concrete garden of Jacksonville, Florida. As a Fantasy Romance author, Anne loves crafting fantastical worlds with swoony, humorous, or mysterious male leads and relatable main characters. Embracing the normal in the abnormal is her favorite pastime.
Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.
If you are an author or publisher and want me to do a review of a book please check out my Request Review page to learn more about the reviewing policies.
I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.
Also, if you would like to join me as a guest on my blog, check out the Guests Post page to know more and contact me so we can start planing your visit.
After a couple of days away from reviewing, I’m back.
Usually I don’t start a series in the middle of it, I like to read in order. But, I was curious about the book and thankfully the author provided a summary of the previous books, that I did indeed use. Nevertheless, I’m still curious to read the other books, so I can have a better understanding of the characters and world building through the experience of reading the series in order, and not just get the summary. That been said, I do recommend you to read book one and two. Just so you can fully enjoy the story of Frank Penny.
“Frank Penny and the Last Black Stag“, written by Jeremy Elson, is a Fantasy novel, the third book in the Frank Penny Series published on 30th November 2020.
I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Jeremy Elson for the eCopy of this book, and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Synopsis
Power is not for the weak or faint-hearted.
If Frank, Cas, Gabby and Anya want to find the next two guardians of the Simbrian and keep them safe, they need to journey across the dangerous borderlands and into the dark and shadowy world of Kzarlac, sworn enemy of Byeland.
Ruled by the fearsome Etamin Dahke, Kzarlac is no place for four naïve teenagers. Keen wits and a large helping of luck are no guarantee they will succeed and return safely.
Driven by their desire to protect the delicate peace that has existed since the time of Kester, their quest is about to take a deadly turn, and the exposure of an unconceivable secret may make Frank regret ever having started.
Jeremy Elson is the author of the Frank Penny series of adventure books for young adults.
Jeremy is a home educating parent himself, and Frank Penny was borne out of his desire to bring to life a home educated child, as well as tell a straightforward and compelling adventure story.
Fantasy is a genre I absolutely love and it’s just amazing to read a book in that genre and figure out a new world building and group of characters. It had this epic quest element to it that is always exciting in a fantasy novel, the adventure we go on with the characters.
The characters were realistic and I could tell there was a connection between them and a background that help us understand them and their actions. Each one of them was unique and interesting. Loved Frank then again being the main character that’s an expected thing to happen.
I did feel empathy towards our heroes and I could see myself as a teenagers reading this book if it existed ten years ago. Because if my 26 years old self enjoyed the journey, the bravery the characters had, and that “not giving up” element, I know my teen self would be excited for the story and for feeling a part of the team while reading.
Overall, there were a lot of moments that grabbed my attention. The action, the twists, the mysteries, the challenges. I was with the characters throughout the journey.
Don’t forget to check out all the other bloggers that given their contribute in this Blog Tour with their reviews and basic promo / spotlight posts.
Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.
If you are an author or publisher and want me to do a review of a book please check out my Request Review page to learn more about the reviewing policies.
I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.
Also, if you would like to join me as a guest on my blog, check out the Guests Post page to know more and contact me so we can start planing your visit.
The second review of the day is the new book in a series that you may know since I have read and reviewed the previous books.
“Barnabas Tew and the Case of the Hellenic Abduction“,written by Columbkill Noonan, is the fifth book in the Barnabas Tew series. Published on 17th November 2020, by Darkstroke, this novel is a Historical cozy mystery with humour.
I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Columbkill Noonan for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Synopsis
Zeus is used to getting what he wants…but that was before he met Barnabas Tew!
Barnabas and Wilfred, the unluckiest detectives ever, are happily enjoying their time in India, working on mastering their emotions, and learning how to do all sorts of interesting yoga poses. They’re having a splendid time, and feel as if they’ve finally found some peace in their lives. Everything changes, though, when Zeus suddenly whisks them away from their idyllic retreat and demands that they solve a case for him.
Having no choice, they reluctantly accept the job, but quickly come to realize that nothing is as it should be. Zeus’ motives are suspect from the beginning, the rest of the Greek gods and goddesses are untrustworthy at best, and Barnabas’ temper hasn’t improved at all during his time in India. And, most importantly, who is the mysterious lady who keeps popping up just when they need her? Is she friend, or is she foe?
To make matters even worse, both Barnabas and Wilfred have unresolved feelings of their own. Can they settle their own emotional affairs, once and for all? Will they figure out what’s right and what’s wrong in this topsy-turvy world of lies, intrigue, and trickery? Or will the Greek gods and goddesses prove too much for them?
Author Content Warning: Zeus wants to kidnap a girl, and this is explored as a very negative sort of thing by the heroes
About the Author
Columbkill Noonan is the author of the best-selling Barnabas Tew series, which features a proper British detective from Victorian London who ends up solving mythological cases for gods all around the world. She was was born in Philadelphia and grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, and teaches Anatomy and Physiology at a university in Maryland.
Her writing is mostly speculative fiction (especially stories that involve mythology, or the supernatural, or any combination thereof). Some of her work is a bit on the spooky side, but usually there is a touch of humor (who says the afterlife has to be serious?).
When she’s not teaching or writing, Columbkill can be found with her rescue horse (whose name is Mittens), hiking in the woods, or doing yoga of all kinds (aerial yoga and SUP yoga are particular favorites). She is an avid traveler, and can’t wait to get back to seeing the world again. You can visit her on Twitter, or on Facebook.
If you don’t know this series and didn’t read my previous reviews about these books, then you are missing out on some funny moments. Barnabas and Wilfred, the most awesome detectives ever, go on a new adventure, this time to ancient Greece, and are going to deal with the Greek Gods.
Honestly, at this point I have no idea what to say. I always have fun with the books in this series. Barnie and Willie (as I have come to call them) are the best, with all the unlucky moments and crazy situations. When I think that nothing else is going to surprise me Columbkil Noonan comes up with another adventure for them.
The interesting thing about this novel, as with all the others, is that it picks our curiosity about different cultures and times, as well as mythologies. Plus there is this opening to talk about certain sociological aspects, and moral issues. By having Zeus be the one demanding them to solve a case, it already let us wondering about the truth.
As we go on this journey with Barnie and Willie, we are taken through some hilarious moments and while the plot thickens, we are reminded of the way Barnabas and Wilfred act, their roles, their personalities and the way they interact.
Overall, it was yet another great story, that took me on a fun journey. Can’t wait to see what God or Goddess will call Barnie and Willie next. They seem to never have a lot of vacation time. The divine world is a crazy place, don’t you think?
Don’t forget to check out all the other bloggers that given their contribute in this Blog Tour, from reviews and basic promo/spotlight posts.
Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.
If you are an author or publisher and want me to do a review of a book please check out my Request Review page to learn more about the reviewing policies.
I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.
Also, if you would like to join me as a guest on my blog, check out the Guests Post page to know more and contact me so we can start planing your visit.
Who doesn’t love a cover reveal? I love it! Specially when it’s a book from someone I admire. That makes me extra excited.
Today I bring you a cover reveal of a upcoming book.
“Brightened Shadows“, written by Sarina Langer, is a fantasy novel, the second book on a duology, that will be published 20th November 2020.
Get ready for the cover!!!
Synopsis
Naavah Ora has found the weapon that can kill the Dread King, but there’s one setback: she is the weapon, and she shares her mind with her patron goddess. Naavah Ora isn’t prepared to lose herself to stop the undead invasion, but when the Dread King makes the fight personal, she might give anything to stop him after all.
Meanwhile, Doran, Levi, and Ash struggle with a prison break and the realisation that Ceallach still wants Levi as his sacrifice. They reach for Naavah Ora while she slips further away, but how can they fight a battle happening in another realm?
To end Ceallach’s invasion and retake peace for the dead, Naavah Ora hopes that her other gods joining the fight will be enough. When Ceallach ends the things and people she loves the most, she must decide:
Is she prepared to pay the price and surrender her consciousness for good?
Don’t forget to add the book to your TBR on GoodReads.
About the Author
Sarina is the author of the Relics of Ar’Zac trilogy. The first book in the series, Rise of the Sparrows, was released in late May 2016.
She’s obsessed with books and all things stationery, has a proud collection of over twenty notebooks, and squees every time she buys a new notebook, pen (hmmm, fountain pens ❤ ) or highlighters.
In her free time she reads fantasy and sci-fi novels, plays video games and researches human sacrifice traditions and the end of the universe.
She loves talking about books, stationery, and everything related to writing, so make a cuppa, get a cookie, and say hi!
The death goddess Ithrean has led the dead to their rest and watched over them in Dunhă for centuries, but they are no longer at peace. Their souls turn the red grass black, and their corruption seeps into the world of the living.
Naavah Ora is an elven mage who can enter Dunhă at will, and study its corruption like no one else can.
Doran is a runaway thief who cares about nothing as much as the next treasure, even if it puts his own life in danger.
840 is the only male sacrifice in his village, longing for a chance to live.
Ash is a troublemaker who is learning that he can’t burn his way through every obstacle.
To halt the coming darkness, they need to work together.
Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.
If you are an author or publisher and want me to do a review of a book please check out my Request Review page to learn more about the reviewing policies.
I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.
Also, if you would like to join me as a guest on my blog, check out the Guests Post page to know more and contact me so we can start planing your visit.
Today’s promo post is going to bring you an extract of the book. Hopefully that will make you extra curious.
“My Travels With a Dead Man“, written by Steve Searls, is a Contemporary fantasy and Magical Realism, published on 27th August 2020.
Synopsis
Jane Takako Wolfsheim learns she can alter time and space after meeting a charismatic stranger named Jorge Luis Borges.
Inextricably she falls for Borges. Soon, however Borges’ lies and emotional abuse, and nightmares about a demonic figure, “the man in black,” nearly drive Jane mad. After her parents are murdered, Jane flees with Borges. Both the ghost of haiku master, Basho, and the Daibutsu of Kamakura, a statue of Buddha that appears in her dreams, offer her cryptic advice. Unable to trust anyone, Jane must find the strength to save herself, her unborn child, and possibly the future of humanity.
Steve Searls retired from the practice of law in 2002 due to a rare chronic autoimmune disorder (Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Cell Associated Periodic Syndrome). He began writing poetry in 2001 and, using the pseudonym, Tara Birch, was the featured poet of Tryst Poetry Journal’s Premiere Issue. He’s also published numerous poems as Tara Birch in print and online, including the poetry chapbook, Carrots and Bleu Cheese Dip, in 2004. Steve was also active as a blogger posting under the name, Steven D, at Daily Kos (2005-2017), Booman Tribune (2005-2017) and caucus99percent (2016–present). Steve’s published essays on Medium include “Clara’s Miracle,” about his wife’s cancer and resulting traumatic brain injury from chemotherapy, and “My Rape Story.” Raised in Colorado, he now lives with his adult son in Western NY. My Travels With a Dead Man is his first novel.
Context: After interrogation by the Minneapolis police as the prime suspect in her parents’ murders, Jane’s released into the custody of Martin Schneider (a/k/a Marty), her father’s former law partner and executor of his estate, and a man Jane hates. Marty informs Jane that he’s now her court appointed legal guardian and defense attorney, as well, all done with Borges’ cooperation. When she objects, Marty shows her a power of attorney Jane allegedly gave Borges. Schneider plans to have Jane declared incompetent to stand trial on the murder charge. Evidence of her mental state will include her disturbing behavior in Costa Rica, her “false belief” that she traveled to Japan, her memory loss about her parents’ deaths, and her delusion that the year is 2012, when it’s really 2016. Confused, feeling betrayed by Borges and fearing she’ll be put in a mental institution (or worse), Jane’s anxiety mounts as Schneider drives her ever further out of the city in his BMW.
* * *
“Where are we going, Marty?” I spoke with a false sense of bravado, scared out of my wits.
“Not to worry, Janey. You’ll be in good hands, safe, sound, and most of all, secure. Very secure.”
His snigger of contempt caused my heart to jump. We passed several farmhouses with paint peeling off them, and then a long stretch of what might once have been an apple orchard, before Marty turned onto a muddy gravel-pocked path too narrow to call a lane, bordered on both sides by birches and tall spruces that shut out the fading sunlight. The car crawled along now to avoid the many potholes and dips along the way. I assumed Marty probably worried about wrecking his precious Beemer’s suspension.
After a half-mile, we headed up a steep slope, which forced Schneider to downshift to maintain traction. Then, as if by divine intervention, we crested a round-topped hill. A big valley opened before us, with a fair-sized lake below. The sun’s rays glinted off its surface, transforming the water into golden fragments. Down by the lakeshore were a series of nondescript gray buildings, and two vehicles, one larger than the other, a white van of some sort, the other a dark-colored sedan. “Home again, home again.” Schneider’s sing-song manner disturbed me.
“What’s that?” I asked with a catch in my throat. I thought he was taking me to a psychiatric hospital, but now I didn’t know what to think. It looked ominous and Marty breaking out in laughter, again, didn’t help.
“A deserted chicken farm, sweetie, where we can have a nice little chat with two new friends, and your boyfriend, too. Like me, they all have your best interests at heart.” I shivered at the way he emphasized the word new. As the car zigzagged down the hill, my skin crawled; a physical manifestation of terror. And to think the best part of my day had been visiting my parents’ graves.
The road ended in a patch of dirt and dead grass that served as a parking lot for the chicken farm where my friends waited. It took less than five minutes to reach it, but that seemed like an eternity. I tried to calm myself by gazing at the wildflowers in bloom, growing in fields that stretched to the lakeshore; blueberry bushes and black-eyed susans, interspersed with purple and red flowers, whose names I did not know. I choked up, thinking those flowers might be the last things I would ever see.
The BMW stopped, tires groaning, beside the white van. And there he was, my Borges, not ten feet from its hood. He wore a black suit with a black collared shirt, unbuttoned at the neck. No emotion showed on his face. A step behind him stood two large men, at least three times my weight and a good half-foot taller than Borges himself. With their white shoes, white pants, white mock turtleneck shirts, and white lab coats, they resembled orderlies at an insane asylum. Their ramrod straight posture and steely-eyed looks made it clear they were the hired muscle.
Marty opened his door and made to get out, but Borges raised a hand to stop him. “Get the girl first,” I heard him say. One of the white coats opened my door, unlatched my seatbelt, and pulled me into the cool night air. He took me to Borges, never letting go of my wrist.
“Hello, Jane.” The glare of the sun at his back shielded Borges eyes from me. “We’ll talk as soon as I finish up some business with your lawyer.” After a quick nod to the white coats, he beckoned Marty Schneider to come forward.
“Martin,” Borges said by way of greeting, “I see you had no problem finding the place. You’re punctual as always. How did it go with the police?”
“Good to see you, too, Joe. No trouble at all. Chief Ellison performed as expected, just like Judge Collier. Amazing how little it took to buy them both.” The smirk he gave Borges was horrific. Oh my God! I thought. What little hope I still clung to leaked away.
“Did she tell them anything? I mean anything…” Borges’ voice trailed off, leaving the rest unstated, but Schneider didn’t seem put-off by the question’s ambiguity.
“Nothing she hasn’t told you a thousand times already,” he replied, “at least according to the detectives who interrogated her. The Japan trip she never went on, and some vague recollections regarding her father’s funeral, which didn’t match the truth. She came across as appropriately unhinged, by all accounts.”
“Anything else I should know?”
“Just one amusing fact, that ought to come in handy at our next court appearance. Believe it or not, she believed it was still 2012. When she learned it’s 2015, that was priceless.”
Borges smiled and reached out to shake Schneider’s hand. “Thanks for all you’ve done, Martin,” he said, pulling the man closer to him. That’s when I saw the dagger. A second later, Borges plunged the blade straight into Marty’s chest, an upward thrust, so strong it lifted him off the ground. I gasped as a spit bubble of blood emerged from the lawyer’s mouth. Marty’s lips formed a single, unspoken word. Why?
“When a man has an appointment with death,” Borges said in an unhurried voice, “God finds a way to see he doesn’t miss it.” Then Borges released him, leaving the knife sticking out of Marty where his sternum ended. A strangled cry died in my throat. In disbelief, I watched Martin P. Schneider III, eyes wide with horror, crumple to the ground. There, his head jerked once, never to move again.
Don’t forget to check out all the other bloggers that given their contribute in this Blog Tour, with their reviews and promo posts.
Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.
If you are an author or publisher and want me to do a review of a book please check out my Request Review page to learn more about the reviewing policies.
I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.
Also, if you would like to join me as a guest on my blog, check out the Guests Post page to know more and contact me so we can start planing your visit.
I hope you guys are having a lovely Wednesday. I have read book one and two of this series called “The Raven Tower” and “The Raven Coven”. So if the author is familiar, now you know.
“Raven Storm”, written by Emma Miles, is a Fantasy novel, the third novel in the series, published on 13th July 2020.
I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Emma Miles for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Synopsis
Fear walks with those in power.
Divided, the land of Chem hangs in the balance. In the west the Ravens seek to bring safety to women, and an end to slavery. In the east the remaining covens cling to their power, refusing to give up their way of life to foreign invaders. Across both lands the priests whisper and plot, their gods a shadowy threat hanging over them all.
To protect their young family, Kesta and Jorrun have made their home in the Raven Tower of Elden. Unable to abandon their responsibility or friends, they remain embroiled in the fight to the north. Whilst peace and friendship blossom between the Fulmers, Borrows and Elden, the arrival of strangers turns the court of Taurmaline upside down.
The history of the Fire-walkers is about to catch up with them, and the Fire-spirit’s truth will be revealed.
I often get asked when I knew I was a writer; the answer is always. A writer is what I am, it’s in my soul. There have been times in my life when I couldn’t write, and times when my writing has been the only thing that kept me going. I think I always longed for something deeper from life, something more meaningful, and I found it in my imagination and in the music of words.
It was poetry which first caught my attention, and whilst my younger cousins called for ghost stories it was animals I first wrote of. I think I gravitated toward fantasy because of the freedom it gives, I could create my own worlds and decide my own rules. My Wind’s Children trilogy was born from an image that came to me whilst daydreaming, of a young man sitting alone below a bridge. I didn’t know who he was; it turns out neither did he, but we found out together.
I’m now working on my seventh book and love writing more than ever, it’s an addiction, an obsession, but one I now share with my wonderful writing family. My beta readers, my editor, and you, my readers, having you with me on my journey means the world to me. I write as much as I can around work, but I also try to squeeze in a ridiculous amount of hobbies! I’m a wildlife photographer and do a little archery. I paint, sculpt with clay, withies and driftwood, preferring to be outdoors if I can. I still have a love for the theatre, having started out in life studying backstage crafts, and a great love for language. I speak a little French, Romanian and Italian, ma non molto bene!
It’s quite fantastic to read a book series. To go back to a known world and group of characters and still be surprised by certain events. That’s what reading this book reminded me of. I have read the previous books and enjoyed them so much that I was excited to keep going.
Again we follow Kesta and Jorrun in this new journey full of possible dangers, mysteries and action. Of course, surprises are the best, and I love when an author creates wow moments that surprise me because those twists, turns and unexpected scenes are the best. For me they make the book dynamic.
The characters keep being amazing and well-written. They keep growing with the book and with the events they experience, which makes them so real in my mind. I still love the characters I had met before, and I loved getting to meet a new group of people. The keep things fresh and interesting.
Then there is the world building and plot. How things get connected, how we learn more about this world and the society – in all its aspects. It’s actually something that gets me going. The storytelling and the flow of the story, as well as how we uncover what must need to know in terms of how things work in this world, especially with the new aspects and new information that have been given to us.
Overall, I loved this book, maybe more than the previous ones. Then again, it’s the latest one, and every time I’m surprised and get to see more of the author’s brilliant mind in a book, I guess it end up being my favorite. So I can’t wait to read the next one.
Don’t forget to check out all the other bloggers that given their contribute in this Blog Tour, from reviews to basic promo/spotlight posts.
Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.
If you are an author or publisher and want me to do a review of a book please check out my Request Review page to learn more about the reviewing policies.
I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.
Also, if you would like to join me as a guest on my blog, check out the Guests Post page to know more and contact me so we can start planing your visit.
Happy Tuesday! This is going to be my last review of June, since tomorrow starts a new month full of exciting new adventures. Meanwhile I will leave you with this review of a fantasy adventure book.
“Esme’s Gift“, written by Elizabeth Foster, is a Fantasy novel, the second book in the Esme Series, published on November 30th 2019 by Odyssey Books.
I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Elizabeth Foster for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Synopsis
Terror was within. Terror was without. Like her mother, she was at the water’s mercy.
In the enchanted world of Aeolia, fifteen-year-old Esme Silver faces her hardest task yet. She must master her unruly Gift—the power to observe the past—and uncover the secrets she needs to save her mother, Ariane.
In between attending school in the beguiling canal city of Esperance, Esme and her friends—old and new—travel far and wide across Aeolia, gathering the ingredients for a potent magical elixir.
Their journey takes them to volcanic isles, sunken ruins and snowy eyries, spectacular places fraught with danger, where they must face their deepest fears and find hope in the darkest of places.
Esme’s Gift, the second instalment in the Esme trilogy, is a gripping fantasy adventure for readers 12 years and over.
I read avidly as a child, but only discovered the joys of writing some years ago when reading to my own kids reminded me how much I missed getting lost in other worlds. It’s never too late to find and follow your passion! I now have two books published and am about to start writing the third and final story in the Esme series. My home base is Sydney, where I can often be found running (just kidding – walking) by the water, or scribbling in cafés.
This is the second novel in the series, and I read the previous one early this year and I was quite happy to go back to Aeolia and follow Esme on this new adventure. So I do recommend you read the first book before this one, so you can understand the characters and the world.
I still love Esme, she’s a fantastic character and the fact that we could get to know her even more in this second book, is something that made me happy to see. But she’s not the only character that I found interesting, by following this new journey, we get to see a development in the characters, as well as meeting new characters. It’s fun when we uncover more about the characters past and thoughts/ideas.
The descriptions in this book were just as amazing as the first one, which made me excited to keep learning more about this world and the setting around. One thing I love about series is that we can get to learn more about the world building with each novel.
Overall, I enjoyed it just as much as ‘Esme’s Wish’. New challenges, a new adventure and lot of action, this book is a wonderful magical journey.
Giveaway
For a chance to Win 3 x pairs of e-books Esme’s Wish & Esme’s Gift Click Here.
(Open Internationally)
Manly book launch
Don’t forget to check out all the other bloggers that given their contribute in this Blog Tour, from reviews to basic promo/spotlight posts.
Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.
If you are an author or publisher and want me to do a review of a book please check out my Request Review page to learn more about the reviewing policies.
I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.
Also, if you would like to join me as a guest on my blog, check out the Guests Post page to know more and contact me so we can start planing your visit.
Hoje trago a review/critica a um livro que li em conjunto (buddy reading) com a Faith_Strange. Um livro de fantasia que certamente vos irá deixar curiosos.
“Guardiões”, escrito pela Filipa Tadeu, é o primeiro livro de uma série de fantasia, publicado em April 2019 pela Chiado Editora.
Quero agradecer à Filipa Tadeu por me ter gentilmente fornecido o livro. Todas as opiniões expressas nesta review são completamente minhas.
Sinopse
Ter a sua vida virada do avesso nunca fizera parte dos planos de Chris.
Depois de se encontrar rodeada por um vasto e diferente círculo de amigos após se ter mudado para a Califórnia, as palavras Guardiões, Protegidos e Antigos acabaram por se tornar uma constante no seu dia-a-dia. Christina sempre estivera habituada à sua vida típica de adolescente, todavia tudo mudou após conhecer Noel. Misterioso, atraente e reservado salva-a e apresenta-a esta nova realidade onde nada é impossível. Entre conciliar a sua vida familiar com o ter de frequentar duas escolas e ainda permanecer sã, começa a pensar que esta não pode ficar ainda mais estranha. Até os sonhos começarem. No final, acaba por se aperceber que ainda pode haver muita coisa por descobrir sobre a sua vida e especialmente sobre si.
Descobertas, aventuras e mistérios rodeiam esta saga onde nem sempre, tudo é o que parece.
Filipa Tadeu nasceu em Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. Sempre foi uma amante de livros de fantasia, o que a levou a optar por um curso relacionado com línguas e toda a produção dos mesmos. Frequentou a Universidade de Aveiro onde o seu gosto pela literatura veio a crescer e posteriormente, levou à redação e publicação do seu primeiro livro.
Fantasia sempre foi um dos géneros que mais me cativa. Talvez porque foi com esse género que me apaixonei pela escrita e me voltei a apaixonar por ler. Dito isto, quando vi o livro da Filipa Tadeu fiquei curiosa e adicionei à minha TBR. Assim que surgiu a oportunidade de o ler, entusiasmo e gratidão era o que sentia. E aqui estou eu, finalmente a fazer a review deste livro.
Neste primeiro livro seguimos a Chris e a sua jornada, descobrindo a verdade e da outra faceta do mundo real que afinal esconde fantasia. Gostei bastante dela, e da forma como a autora descreveu a personagem principal, assim como todas as outras personagens que tem um papel mais ou menos importante na história.
Com cada personagem que conhecemos, cada mistério revelado e cada pergunta que surgia, tudo nos levava a questionar o que se passava e o que viria na página ou capítulo seguinte. Esta curiosidade tornou a leitura viciante. E claro, sempre que parecia que viria daquele momento um cliché qualquer, a história reservava surpresas inimagináveis.
Ao longo da leitura fui comentando com uma amiga que estava a ler o livro em leitura conjunta/buddy reading comigo. Muitas teorias formamos, nenhuma delas irei referir nesta review pois não quero dar nenhum spoiler ou tingir as vossas experiências de leitura. No entanto, a partilha de opiniões com esta minha amiga, tornou a leitura ainda mais aliciante, pois tinha alguém com quem debater ideias e emoções.
A dado momento, a história da Chris e dos seus amigos parecia como que uma aventura numa montanha-russa. Entusiasmante, misteriosa, com alto e baixos a nível de ação e drama. Tudo o que tornou ainda mais emocionante a leitura.
A nível geral, gostei bastante da história. Já não me sentia habituada a ler um livro com umfeeling de teenager, o que se tornou refrescante e divertido. E agora resta-me ficar à espera do próximo, pois com aquele final… quero imenso saber o que mais acontecerá!
Não se esqueçam de comentar, não sejam estranhos.
Se tem alguma recomendação de livros que acham que deva ler podem enviar uma mensagem usando o formulário na página Contact Me.
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Today I bring you a review of a Children/Middle Grade book, the second novel in the Josie James Series by Lily Mae Walters. You may remember the name from my“Josie James and the Teardrops of Summer”review post.
“Josie James and the Velvet Knife”, written by Lily Mae Walters, published 2nd April 2019
I want to thank Rachel, atRachel’s Random Resources, and Lily Mae Walters for the eCopy of this book, and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Synopsis
“For you to find the Velvet Knife, you must solve the riddles thrice.” A mysterious hooded figure, known only as the Velvet Knife has appeared in the cursed village of Suncroft. No one knows who he is or what he wants but when he starts leaving riddles around the village, it is time for Josie to return to Suncroft for a second time.
With Asher, her faithful husky Protector by her side, Filan, a half elf, and her great grandad, will they be able to solve the clues in time and discover his identity? The Velvet Knife is not the only one causing problems for Josie. Her rival for the position of the ‘Chosen One’ continues to grow stronger, and now he has a Protector of his own.
What does all this mean for Josie? Is she destined to lift the wintery curse of Suncroft or will another take her place as the ‘Chosen One’?
This is the second book in the novel and since it is a series that has a continuity to it, I recommend you start with book one, just so you have the full experience of the story and characters.
That been said, we follow Josie, as she goes on yet another quest. Side by side, we go with her on a new adventure that brings questions, riddles, mystery and interesting moments that I could see my younger cousins loving if they read this books with me.
With fun characters, magic and exciting action moments, this is the kind of book that can get the reader involved.Since it’s a children’s book, aimed to 8 to 12 year old, the fact that it was magical, fun and visual, was perfect.
Honestly, anyone can read the book and just have a good time in this fictional world, going back in time and being a kid and going on an adventure.
Overall, I enjoyed it as much as I did the first one. It was a good sequel to the story, and it was as intriguing and fun. And I’m to going to give any spoilers, but I may have enjoyed the plot a little bit more in this book, especially since the story keeps moving through uncovering mysteries and I get to reconnect more with the characters.
If the synopsis spark your attention or if you think your children are going to like it, start with book one “Josie James and The Teardrops of Summer”, get to know the main character, this 13 year old girl, and join her in all the various journeys and quests she ended up in, through a magical world.
Don’t forget to check out all the other bloggers that given their contribute in this Blog Tour, from reviews to basic promo/spotlight posts.
Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.
If you are an author or publisher and want me to do a review of a book please check out my Request Review page to learn more about the reviewing policies.
I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.
Also, if you would like to join me as a guest on my blog, check out the Guests Post page to know more and contact me so we can start planing your visit.
![Gold & Glacier by [Anne Stryker, N.D. Grant, Boriana Spassov]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/512j1sckoAL.jpg)
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Ter a sua vida virada do avesso nunca fizera parte dos planos de Chris. 
“For you to find the Velvet Knife, you must solve the riddles thrice.” A mysterious hooded figure, known only as the Velvet Knife has appeared in the cursed village of Suncroft. No one knows who he is or what he wants but when he starts leaving riddles around the village, it is time for Josie to return to Suncroft for a second time.
Jess Bookish Life 