Showing posts with label NA Fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NA Fantasy. Show all posts
Monday, January 29, 2018
Friday, October 27, 2017
Sneak Peek: The Genesis of Evangeline by Rachel Jonas with Giveaway
The Genesis of Evangeline
by Rachel Jonas
A past she can’t recall. A destiny she’ll never outrun.
Evie Callahan is positive there’s something strange going on in Seaton Falls, her new home. The locals are bigger, stronger, and faster than most. That includes Nick, the boy next door who’s become her silver lining in this godforsaken town.
She wants to trust her instincts—about Nick, about what she suspects in Seaton Falls—but rumors of wolves and dragon shifters makes it hard to tell what’s real. With a history of odd dreams and the nagging sense that she’s never belonged, Evie fears she’s losing touch with reality. Her concern only grows when someone who’s haunted these dreams is suddenly tangible… and claims to hold the key to unlocking her true identity.
Finding out her entire life has been a lie is scary enough, but what’s downright terrifying is discovering who she’s destined to become.
Evie’s much more than your average, seventeen-year-old girl.
And this is her genesis.
The Lost Royals Saga is an upper YA/NA crossover. This is a tale of long-forgotten royalty and a fated love too powerful for time to erase. It’s the ideal paranormal romance for fans of urban fantasy and star-crossed love.
This book is for anyone who loves:
•Shifter Romance (Dragons and Werewolves/lycans)
•Teen and Young Adult Paranormal Romance
•New Adult Paranormal Romance
•Magical Powers and Supernatural Creatures
•Alternative Reality and Alternative History
•Tales of forbidden love
•Fiction involving lost princesses and fallen or ruined kingdoms
This is BOOK ONE in the Lost Royals saga. BOOK TWO, “Dark Side of the Moon”, is coming soon!
Hey! I'm Rachel, a Michigan native with a passion for writing. I have several young adult releases on my schedule. Those releases will be within the genres of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and dystopian fiction, so I hope you stick with me and check out my future work!
Aside from the many hours spent happily pecking away at my keyboard, I'm a wife, mother of three, an avid reader, and a gamer with a penchant for all things Sims. There will always be a keyboard at my fingertips and I look forward to the words that will flow from them for many years to come. As a self-proclaimed nerd, there's not a more satisfying career choice I could have made. Happy reading!
Author Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2iIJpDD
Facebook "like" page: https://www.facebook.com/authorracheljonas/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/author_R_Jonas
Buy Link:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2z9embc
Inspiration Board on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorracheljonas/the-genesis-of-evangeline/
Link to chapter one:
Saturday, July 22, 2017
Withhold by Andrea Pearson with Giveaway
WITHHOLD
by Andrea Pearson
Mosaic Chronicles, #9
Publication date: July 18th 2017
YA/NA Fantasy
With the lives of everyone she holds dear at stake, will Nicole be able to do what it takes to stop the evil surrounding her?In the ultimate battle between good and evil, Nicole is in a race to stop Keitus before he achieves his plans. If he succeeds, he will crush everyone who has opposed him and enslave Earth and countless other planets. Unfortunately, he is only minutes away from his goal.
With so much at stake, Nicole and her friends must approach Helen, a volatile and dangerous spirit who will probably destroy them regardless of whether she gives them what they want. And the chances of her helping them are slim.
Fast-paced and epic magical fights, exciting plot twists, and non-stop action and adventure await. So sit down, buckle up, and hold on for the explosive, much-anticipated conclusion to the award-winning and bestselling Mosaic Chronicles.
EXCERPT FROM DISCERN
(Book 1)
Nicole hesitated, but wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t as if something bad would happen, right? She took a deep breath and placed her hands on the book. It shivered under her touch and she cringed, pulling back. The sensation of warm leather made her flesh crawl, and she rubbed her hands and arms on her jeans, trying to get the feeling to go away.
Come on, Nicole. Don’t wimp out.
Without letting herself think about it, she picked up the book and lifted the cover.
A wind rushed over her, blowing her hair back, roaring in her ears. She caught a brief whiff of tobacco smoke before the surge of air reversed and sucked the breath out of her lungs, making her gasp.
The floor under her quaked. The book vibrated. The leather on the cover moved, muscles beneath it flexing. Nicole tried to drop the book, but couldn’t. She was unable to control her hands or fingers. They clenched so tightly, they ached. A shadow covered the pages of the book, preventing her from reading.
What was going on? She gasped again, trying to breathe against the strong wind. She felt someone touch her shoulder, but she couldn’t move. Her fingers still clung to the book. The shadow on the pages shifted, roiled, and turned toward her, the brief outline of a face visible. It watched her for several moments.
Nicole . . .
The voice was soft, deep. A strange yearning inside her made her want to read the book, to understand. To join the owner of the voice, though she didn’t know where or what he was.
The wind slowed to a gentle and familiar caress across her cheek. Familiar?
Then suddenly, it all stopped. The book fell from her hands and slammed itself shut. She backed away, her arms, legs—everything—shaking.
“What happened?” Professor Coolidge asked next to her, making her jump.
“I—I don’t know.” Nicole tried to smooth her hair, but her hands shook too much. She tucked them under her arms. “It said my name . . . and there was a shadow. In-inside it.”
Coolidge lifted the leather book. His mouth popped open in surprise. “You’ve activated a force within it—something alive.” He looked at her, fear and worry on his face. “How did you do that?”
Nicole shook her head. “I don’t know,” she repeated.
Professor Coolidge put the book back on the table. “I’m not sure what to say, other than the book is much more powerful than it used to be.” He peered at her, scrutinizing her. “And I’d love to know why it called to you, why you woke it up, when so many others have not.”
And here she is. . .
Andrea Pearson is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast who plays several instruments, not including the banjo, and loves putting together musical arrangements. Her favorite sports are basketball and football, though several knee surgeries and incurably awful coordination prevent her from playing them.
Andrea graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of science degree in Communications Disorders. She is the author of many full-length novels (the Kilenya Series and Mosaic Chronicles) and several novellas. Writing is the chocolate of her life - it is, in fact, the only thing she ever craves. Being with her family and close friends is where she's happiest, and she loves thunderstorms, the ocean, hiking, public speaking, painting, and traveling.
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Review: Black Dawn by Mallory McCartney with Giveaway
BLACK DAWN
Mallory McCartney
Clean Reads Publishing
February 14th 2017
YA/NA Fantasy
“The end of an Empire. The rise of a Queen.”
Emory Fae enjoys leading a quiet, normal life that is until two mysterious, and dare I say handsome soldiers show up at her apartment doorstep and the life she knew is instantly whisked away. Coming from the magical and ravaged world of Kiero, Emory is brought back not realizing that both men are darkly woven in her past. Discovering she is the long lost heir to the Royal Line Emory is thrown into Black Dawn Rebellion with a dynamic role to ignite the rebels and reclaim her throne. With both lives clashing Emory uncovers hidden secrets from her past, a power held long dormant, and will soon realize there are worse things than supernatural humans, love, loss, betrayal, and a Mad King.
Some things are better left in the shadows.
MY TIDBITS
This is the first book in what promises to be an exciting series.
The world of Kiero, a magical realm separate from modern day Earth, has been immersed in war for several years. Emory, the rightful heir to lead Kiero, was hidden on Earth when she was a young teen, all memories erased to save her from being killed like her parents, the king and queen. Now, several years later, the rebellion decides it's time for her return. But only knowing her life on Earth, Emory has no idea how to fit the role Kiero has laid out for her or how to save the rebellion.
I love the cover on this one, and after reading the blurb, was excited to get my hands on it. Kiero is a well-developed world, full of surprises and rich with layers. The author does a wonderful job bringing it to life and letting the plot storm from one page to the next. The characters grow on one until, by the end of the book, it's very hard to let them go. There is so much more to explore in this world, and it will be a delight to see where it goes after this first adventure.
That said, it took a bit for me to get into this read. The story is told from multiple points of view, which normally isn't an issue, but here, it was a bit unclear whose turn it was, and I found myself having to pull out of the story to remember whose voice it was in. The world itself starts with explosive power but with little explanation as to what's going on. No time is spent on letting anything first sink in or develop, which makes for an immediately engaging read but also for a mumble-jumble feel. As the book continues, all of this smooths out tremendously, and by the end, it totally had me immersed in the characters and world.
There is a lot going on--action, adventure, romance, intrigue, rebellion, magic and more. In other words, it's a fast-paced adventure with little time to just sit around. The pages flow, and thanks to the short length, the tale ends just as it begins. I can't wait to see where the next book will take all of it.
And here she is. . .
Mallory McCartney currently lives in London, Ontario with her husband and their two dachshunds Link and Lola. Black Dawn is her debut novel, the first in a series. When she isn’t working on her next novel or reading, she can be found dog grooming, book shopping and hiking. Other favorite pastimes involve reorganizing perpetually overflowing bookshelves and seeking out new coffee and dessert shops.
Saturday, May 20, 2017
Sneak Peek: Black Dawn by Mallory McCartney with Giveaway
This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours and runs from 1 till 21 May. View the tour schedule here.
Black Dawn
Black Dawn #1
by Mallory McCartney
YA/NA Fantasy
February 14, 2017
The end of an Empire, the rise of a Queen.
Emory Fae enjoys leading a quiet, normal life. That is until two mysterious, and handsome soldiers show up at her apartment, and the life she knew is instantly whisked away. Memphis Carter and Brokk Foster come from the magical and war ridden world of Kiero, and upon Emory's arrival she will discover she is the long-lost heir to the Royal Line and is thrown into the Black Dawn Rebellion with a dynamic role to ignite the rebels and reclaim her throne.
With both men being darkly woven in her past Emory uncovers hidden secrets, a power held long dormant, and will soon realize there are worse things than supernatural humans, love, loss, betrayal, and a Mad King.
Some things are better left in the shadows.
You can find Black Dawn on Goodreads
You can buy Black Dawn here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Indigo
And here she is. . .
Mallory McCartney currently lives in London, Ontario with her husband and their two dachshunds Link and Lola. Black Dawn is her debut novel, the first in a series. When she isn’t working on her next novel or reading, she can be found dog grooming, book shopping and hiking. Other favorite pastimes involve reorganizing perpetually overflowing bookshelves and seeking out new coffee and dessert shops.
You can find and contact Mallory McCartney here:
- Goodreads
- Amazon
GIVEAWAY!!!
For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Review: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
WINTERSONG
by S. Jae-Jones
St. Martin's Griffin
YA Fantasy
448 pages
Coming. . .
February 7th, 2017!!!
Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.
All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.
But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.
Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.
MY TIDBITS
There are amazingly wonderful things in these pages--extremely amazing, but there was one larger element that left me feeling a little short. Since I read this in one sitting (and wasn't intending to), I'm hitting the 5-stars. Anything that can grab my undivided attention, and leave me reading long after bedtime, deserves it.
This story rubs elbows with several other tales: Der Earlkoenig (a German poem from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe), the Labyrinth, and Hades/Persephone. What I appreciated--and was not expecting--was the poetic, dark beauty in the writing. The descriptions are simply a treat. The author brings a cruel, lovely, sinister and alluring world to life through elegant depictions and writing. Not only the familiar human world comes to life, but the Underworld with all of its quirks and oddities gains clarity and lures in. In other words, it's not the lightest read.
The story has depth, not action. The pacing is steady and tense due to character depth, decisions, self-discovery and emotions. The main character, Liesl, does run into danger a few times, and although these do create angst, this is not the style which dominates the story. I believe this is a book readers will love or dislike, and much of that is based on whether the reader connects to Liesl or not. She is the center of the plot--how she comes to terms with the task, the world, the Goblin King and, mainly, herself. Everything rotates around her relationship/attitude to the Goblin King. So if she, as a character, falls flat for the reader, than the plot doesn't have much of a chance.
That's my biggest problem with this book as well. I did find Liesl intriguing and thoroughly enjoyed the masks and layers of the Goblin King. But there weren't as many layers to the plot. The first half of the book promises more intrigue as the Goblin King lays his trap. The side characters are present and have a stronger interaction in the tale, offering various possibilities and angles. The second half, however, switches to a concentration on Liesl and the Goblin King with only shadows of other players involved. Liesl has only one direction she can basically head toward, and this narrows the possibilities for surprising layers or unknown twists down, making the second half a little deeper and slower than the first.
One thing that also stuck out to me (and I enjoyed this tremendously) was the very real, historical background at the beginning of the story. The atmosphere of Vienna, musicians, Mozart, the king's musical court...all of this is brought to life like a gentle fog. Although the book never visits these places completely, the roots are clear and give the story a nice, real base. The setting in Bavarian forests is also very realistic. And this glance at a true, historical reality adds a nice touch.
I received this book as a Fantasy for young adults (YA), but it does not come across as a YA read. Not only is Liesl slightly over the border age wise, but her sights are set on goals more associated with new adults (NA). The topics, themes and her desires lean toward an older audience and don't fall into the main YA stream.
Summed up, this was a read which pulls into a creepily poetic, beautiful world. The Goblin King is as dark, layered and mysterious as promised, and his realm comes to life with all sorts of horrible creatures and details. It's eerie, alluring and tempting. Fans of fairy tale re-tellings, the Labyrinth and dark, mythological undertones should definitely pick this one up and dive in.
This story rubs elbows with several other tales: Der Earlkoenig (a German poem from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe), the Labyrinth, and Hades/Persephone. What I appreciated--and was not expecting--was the poetic, dark beauty in the writing. The descriptions are simply a treat. The author brings a cruel, lovely, sinister and alluring world to life through elegant depictions and writing. Not only the familiar human world comes to life, but the Underworld with all of its quirks and oddities gains clarity and lures in. In other words, it's not the lightest read.
The story has depth, not action. The pacing is steady and tense due to character depth, decisions, self-discovery and emotions. The main character, Liesl, does run into danger a few times, and although these do create angst, this is not the style which dominates the story. I believe this is a book readers will love or dislike, and much of that is based on whether the reader connects to Liesl or not. She is the center of the plot--how she comes to terms with the task, the world, the Goblin King and, mainly, herself. Everything rotates around her relationship/attitude to the Goblin King. So if she, as a character, falls flat for the reader, than the plot doesn't have much of a chance.
That's my biggest problem with this book as well. I did find Liesl intriguing and thoroughly enjoyed the masks and layers of the Goblin King. But there weren't as many layers to the plot. The first half of the book promises more intrigue as the Goblin King lays his trap. The side characters are present and have a stronger interaction in the tale, offering various possibilities and angles. The second half, however, switches to a concentration on Liesl and the Goblin King with only shadows of other players involved. Liesl has only one direction she can basically head toward, and this narrows the possibilities for surprising layers or unknown twists down, making the second half a little deeper and slower than the first.
One thing that also stuck out to me (and I enjoyed this tremendously) was the very real, historical background at the beginning of the story. The atmosphere of Vienna, musicians, Mozart, the king's musical court...all of this is brought to life like a gentle fog. Although the book never visits these places completely, the roots are clear and give the story a nice, real base. The setting in Bavarian forests is also very realistic. And this glance at a true, historical reality adds a nice touch.
I received this book as a Fantasy for young adults (YA), but it does not come across as a YA read. Not only is Liesl slightly over the border age wise, but her sights are set on goals more associated with new adults (NA). The topics, themes and her desires lean toward an older audience and don't fall into the main YA stream.
Summed up, this was a read which pulls into a creepily poetic, beautiful world. The Goblin King is as dark, layered and mysterious as promised, and his realm comes to life with all sorts of horrible creatures and details. It's eerie, alluring and tempting. Fans of fairy tale re-tellings, the Labyrinth and dark, mythological undertones should definitely pick this one up and dive in.
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