Natalina Reis's Blog, page 11
March 27, 2023
House of Sky and Breath-Review
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another fabulous book by Maas. This woman can tell a story.
I liked almost everything about this book: the character growth, the new budding relationships among the side characters, the unexpected twists to the plot, the found-family trope. One of the things Maas excels in–and this book is no exception–is in creating side characters who are as fascinating or more than the protagonists. I think I am as much in love-or more actually-with Rune than Hunt and Ethan has turned out to be an amazing sidekick.
My only complaint is that there is really too many sex scenes. And actually it is not even the sex itself as the language Maas uses to describe it. Here’s a loving couple who are soulmates and never once do they refer to having sex with each other as making love. The F-word is always preferred and for an old linguist like me that word carries a crass, purely physical, even slightly animalistic meaning. At times it seemed as their feelings for each other were always described through a purely physical reaction. That said, I just began skimming over those parts and focused on the real good stuff. And there is a LOT of it.
No spoilers but holy crap that ending made me scream in surprise. Cannot imagine where Maas is going with this but I like it!
March 18, 2023
The Dragon Eater- New Release
J. Scott Coatsworth has a new queer YA/Crossover Sci-Fantasy book out – The Dragon Eater, Tharassas Cycle book one. There’s a giveaway, and a free book with purchase too!
Raven’s a thief who just swallowed a dragon. A small one, sure, but now his arms are growing scales, the local wildlife is acting up, and his snarky AI familiar is no help whatsoever.
Raven’s best friend Aik is a guardsman carrying a torch for the thief. A pickpocket and a guard? Never going to happen. And Aik’s ex-fiancé Silya, an initiate priestess in the midst of a magical crisis, hates Raven with the heat of a thousand suns.
This unlikely team must work together to face strange beasts, alien artifacts, and a world-altering threat. If they don’t figure out what to do soon, it might just be the end of everything.
Things are about to get messy.
About the Series:The Tharassas Cycle is a four book sci-fantasy series set on the recently colonized world of Tharassas. When humans first arrived on planet, they thought they were alone until the hencha mind made itself known. But now a new threat has arisen to challenge both humankind and their new allies on this alien world.
Order and Get the Prequel FreeI’m giving away the prequel, Tales From Tharassas, with all orders – it contains The Last Run, The Emp Test, and a brand new short story the Fallen Angel. Just order the book and email me a proof of purchase at scott@jscottcoatsworth.com, and I’ll send you the eBook.
Scott is giving away a $20 book gift card with this reveal – your choice of Amazon, B&N, Kobo or Smashwords. Enter for a chance to win:
a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
Excerpt
Spin’s voice echoed in his ear. “This is a bad idea, boss.”
“Shush,” Raven whispered to his familiar.
He needed to concentrate. Cheek and jowl against the smooth cobblestones, he held his breath and prayed to the gods that no one had seen him duck under the sea master’s ornate carriage. The setting sun cast long shadows from a pair of boots so close to his face that the dust and leather made him want to sneeze. Their owner was deep in conversation with the sea master, the hem of her fine mur silk trousers barely visible. The two women’s voices were hushed, and he could only make out the occasional word.
Raven rubbed the old burn scar on his cheek absently, wishing they would go away.
“Seriously, boss. I’m not from this world, and even I know it’s a bad idea to steal from the sea master.”
Though only he could hear Spin’s voice, Raven wished the little silver ay-eye would just shut up.
The hencha cloth-wrapped package in the carriage above was calling to him. He’d wanted it since he’d first seen it through the open door. No, needed it. Like he needed air, even though he had no idea what was inside. He scratched the back of his hand hard to distract himself from its disturbing pull.
An inthym popped its head out of the sewer grate in front of him, sniffing the air. Raven glared at the little white rodent, willing it to go away. Instead, the cursed thing nibbled at his nose.
Raven sneezed, then covered his mouth. He held his breath, staring at the boots. Don’t let them hear me.
A shiny silver feeler poked out of his shirt pocket, emitting a golden glow that illuminated the cobblestones underneath him. “Boss, you all right?” Spin’s whisper had that sarcastic edge he often used when he was annoyed. “Your heart rate is elevated.”
“Be. Quiet.” Raven gritted his teeth. Spin had the worst sense of timing.
The woman — one of the guard, maybe? — and the sea master stepped away, their voices fading into the distance.
Raven said a quick prayer of thanks to Jor’Oss, the goddess of wild luck, and flicked the inthym back into the sewer. “Shoo!”
He popped his head out from under the carriage to take a quick look around. There was no one between him and the squat gray Sea Guild headquarters. It was time. Grab it and go.
He reached into the luxurious carriage — a host of mur beetles must have spent years spinning all the red silk that lined the interior — and snagged the package. He hoped it was the treasury payment for the week. If so, it should hold enough coin to feed an orphanage for a month, and he knew just the one. “Got it.”
“Good. Now get us out of here.”
A strange tingling surged through his hand. Raven frowned.
Must have pinched a nerve or something.
Ignoring it, he stuck the package under his arm, slipped around the carriage, and set off down Gullton’s main thoroughfare. He walked as casually as he could, hoping no one would notice the missing package until he was long gone.
“We clear?”
Spin’s feeler blinked red. “No. Run! They’ve seen you.”
Raven ran.
Author Bio
Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were.
He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.
A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).
Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com)
March 16, 2023
Thorns of Chaos-Blog Tour
Jeremiah Cain has a new MM fantasy romance out: Thorns of Chaos. And there’s a giveaway.
“Cain crafts a vivid world … rich with detail and myth-lore that traipses brightly through the darker themes of oppression and suffering.” –BookLife Reviews
Queer Grimdark Fantasy: Finn is no hero, chosen born, or noble. Despite escalating tensions from the Dayigan soldier’s occupation of Feah lands, the happy-go-lucky twenty-five-year-old is content to spend his days fishing and flirting with the other men in his Celtic-like village. But everything changes at their midyear’s eve festival when an angry Dayigan commander catches Finn in the arms of another man. Suddenly framed for murder, he must flee his village or face death.
However, Finn isn’t the Dayigans’ only target. They believe all Feahs are wicked and intend to destroy them by any means necessary. The Feahs’ one hope of stopping the reign of terror is to find a relic forged by dark faeries and able to control chaos magic-and claim it to protect themselves. With the fate of the Feah lands resting on his shoulders, Finn seeks out sorcerers who practice ancient, forbidden magic.
Instead, he finds love with the handsome but fierce head of the sorcerers–and a power he never knew he could possess.
But when the Dayigans strike, can Finn harness the perilous magic to save his people without losing himself in the process?
Warnings: violence, sexual content, harsh language, homophobia, major character death
Universal Buy LinkGiveawayJeremiah is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card with this tour:
a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47278/?
Excerpt
Finn jumped up from the shore and spread his wings before pushing them down to gain lift.
He kept a low flight of about thirty feet and could see their village as he passed.
A dozen rowboats—wicker frames covered in skins—lay inverted in a line on the shore. Just past where sand turned to grass, but before turning to forest, a small cluster of homes stood within a fence of long, thin branches woven horizontally between rough posts. Each of the houses had low mud walls and tall conical roofs of thatch.
Finn saw that all the villagers had gathered outside around the houses. Many held torches. A few children chased each other just above the roofs in aerial frolics.
Down the shoreline, Finn continued flying toward the Dayigan fort.
Ominous walls of thick logs, standing two stories high and sharpened, surrounded the roughly square fortress at a hundred and fifty feet across.
When the Dayigans had first arrived four years ago and built their walls, Finn’s people were aghast that they would rip down so much of their forest for such a pointless thing. The structures inside the walls were wooden too, with roofs shingled with green-painted wood. Wooden docks extended from the fort out into the river. Three large sailing ships—not built from these forests but from some forest somewhere—rocked within the tide.
At each corner of the fort, a tower extended higher, and from the center of each, a mast held a smaller horizontal pole at its peak. From each, an emerald green banner hung like a warning in the wind. In gold thread, it bore the sun and both moons in an upward-pointing triangle. A downward-pointing triangle, below the first, represented the distant island city of Dayigo. It screamed, “This is ours now, not yours,” a sentiment echoed by the fort’s inhabitants.
Finn knew better than to enter the fort. Instead, he landed on the shore just outside the wall.
There, the ground was planked over in a level boardwalk. Stalls ran along the edges. The area should have been bursting with goods from all across the continent, but it was empty.
Holding his salmon like a smelly newborn, Finn stared, disappointed and unsure what to do.
Lann landed beside him. “Won’t get much trading done here.”
“’Tis market day, is it not?”
“Aye, it were market day when it were day,” Lann said. “But ’tis not day no more. Come on then, let’s go back. Chief Kaie will have enough gifts without yours, so.”
“I’ve come this far, though, haven’t I,” Finn said. “Might as well see if someone’s about.”
Finn walked forward and stepped up on the boardwalk. He stopped and gasped, clutching his fish to his chest.
A Dayigan soldier stood guard. He was Human—a race like the Terovae, but without wings. They had hairy faces, and though some were thin, like Terovaes, others could grow wider with either muscle or fat. This soldier was larger in the muscular variety, and a suit of chainmail, covered by a green tabard, armored him.
The soldier eyed Finn but didn’t turn his way.
Finn had also found Humans to be a little angry all the time.
“Go on then,” Lann prompted behind Finn. “’Twill be midnight ’fore you’re done.”
Finn breathed deeply and approached.
“Good evening to you, Dayigan friend,” Finn said. “Hate to be a bother, sir, but I’ve come for a quick trade, and I’ll pop off.”
Maintaining his rigid posture and staring forward, the Human replied gruffly. “The market’s shut for the month.”
“Aye, that be true,” Finn said. “And I hate I missed it, but ’tis a special night, this. Tonight, my people—the Feah, well, all the Five Tribes really—celebrate Midyear’s Eve. That’s the end of the dark season and the start of the light season. I’m sure your God Déagar would have a special place in his heart for that, right? Light season, like. And you see, there’s this tradition where we all get a gift for the chief druidess, and I, fool I am, forgot. And to make things worse, me brother’s a temple guardian and his wife—my sister by marriage—she’s not only a druidess, herself, but no less the second-in-command of our whole fecking tribe.” He breathed. “So, ’twill go well noticed if I show up with naught but empty hands and shrugged shoulders, won’t it now?”
The soldier said nothing.
“Right,” Finn said. “What can I get for this then?” He held up the salmon. “A basket of eggs would be lovely. The druidesses use them for the beernog.”
“There’s plenty of fish in the river. We can get our own.”
“That be true, yes. But this fish isn’t in the river, is it? No, this fish is ready and waiting for yourself. And that saves you all the bother of fishing it out.”
The Human turned his head toward Finn and glared a moment. He snatched the fish by its tail. He held it, looked at it, and threw it.
The salmon flew a limp and uneventful flight to hit the boardwalk’s edge, head slapping wood with a spray of blood. It fell to splat on the beach at the water’s edge.
The Human chuckled. “Looks like ’tis in the river to me.”
“Fucking Human!” Lann charged forward to fight.
The soldier drew his sword. “You want to fight me, savage? I’ll gut the both of you before you can—”
“No call for that,” Finn said. “We’re all friends having a chat like.”
Lann stopped but glared.
Finn walked to Lann and patted his chest, now flexed along with the rest of his tense body.
“I don’t think he wants to trade at all,” Finn said. Turning back to the soldier, he added, “We’ll be on our way then. Good night to you.”
The soldier didn’t lower his sword, and Lann didn’t relax.
“The village’ll be waiting for us now,” Finn insisted.
Lann spit on the plank-covered ground.
Finn pushed Lann’s shoulder to turn him.
The Terovaes flew away.
Author Bio
Jeremiah Cain is a dark epic fantasy writer of a vivid world that BookLife Reviews called, “rich with detail and myth-lore that traipses brightly through the darker themes.” He served as an army medic and has a BA in Communication with a minor in English. In addition to reading and writing, he loves video games, particularly RPGs.
February 27, 2023
Lady Smoke-Book Review
Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m always afraid that if I really liked the first book in a series, I might be sorely disappointed with the following books. I needed not worry in this case. Lady Smoke was as good, if not better, than the first in the series.
I’m still loving all the characters, especially those who have grown so much since the beginning and can’t wait to see what happens in book 3 between our Queen and her once best-friend Cress.
My only gripe with this series is that I wish Theo would make up her mind between her two love interests. Every time I think she took a step forward in that area, she takes two back. Make up your mind already, Theo! This fiercely monogamic (is that a word?) woman can’t stand the ambivalence of Theo’s feelings, lol.
Ember Queen is in my library already. Can’t wait to read it. Laura Sebastian is definitely one of my favorite authors right now.
February 25, 2023
Labels-Yay or Nay?
I’ve always disliked labels. I’m not talking about the ones inside your shirts–even though those are equally annoying and unnecessary. School labels, gender labels, book labels–the way we, as a society seem to feel the need to categorize everything.
I’m all behind being organized, but labels are often confining and isolating. I won’t go into certain labels that seem to be back in force after decades of fighting against them. I’m an author so I will focus on book categories, one subject that’s been a thorn on my side for a while.
Don’t get me wrong. I worked in libraries long enough to understand the need for them. However some books seem to cross different categories and I don’t always agree with where they end up in terms of shelves at the local book store or even the digital shelves of the Zon.
I had a signing at a local Barnes & Noble recently. I was so excited that they bought something like 60 copies of four of my books and I was going to finally have my books on the physical shelf of a bookstore–a dream I had since I was little when I spent a lot of time roaming the aisles of said stores.
On the day of the signing, all the copies were basically stacked on the tables before us–and the store managers gave us front row for anyone walking in the store. I went back a week or so later because I wanted to see my books somewhere in the store and take the obligatory picture (yes, yes, I know it’s vain but let me have my little moment).
I couldn’t find them anywhere.
After a few rounds, I decided to ask an employee. Turns out my books (every single one of them) were in the storage room. Not a premium spot to sell books but I get it, I will be in the store next month for another signing so I’m guessing they are reserving the books for that occasion (at least I hope that’s why).
The employee was very nice and grabbed three of my four books and put them on the shelf so I could take a picture. That’s when it hit me: no one would ever buy my books once they were on the shelves.
One reason is pretty obvious: no one really knows me so why would they go look for my books? But the most relevant–maybe not so obvious–one is this (look carefully at the photo): two of these just don’t belong.
As soon as I saw my books up there I knew I was set up for failure in terms of sales. Dating the Intern is in the right place, surrounded by other rom coms and contemporary romances. But Dark Feathers, and especially Kiss of the Swan, are in the wrong place. So very wrong.
Kiss of the Swan should be in the same shelf as the adult Sarah J. Maas’s books (I’m not comparing myself to her, just the genres) or Raven Kennedy’s because those are the readers who would possibly be interested in a darkish fairytale reinventing. Yes, it is romance just like Maas’s Crescent City series or Kennedy’s Plated Prisoner books (with a lot less sex, lol) but you won’t find these series shelved with the romance books. The same goes to my novella Queen of Hearts. This one is even worse because it has a blank spine (due to the book size). If they don’t place it on a table, people will never find it.
So I go back to my dislike of labels. I know they are a necessary evil but that doesn’t mean I cannot gripe about it, right? And yes, my books might not sell because people are just not interested in them, but let me have the illusion they would actually buy them if they were shelved in the right place–or even better, on a table somewhere in the store where people could see my pretty covers.
Let me dream…
February 22, 2023
We have the cover reveal for J. Scott Coatsworth’s upcomi...
Raven’s a thief who just swallowed a dragon. A small one, sure, but now his arms are growing scales, the local wildlife is acting up, and his snarky AI familiar is no help whatsoever.
Raven’s best friend Aik is a guardsman carrying a torch for the thief. A pickpocket and a guard? Never going to happen. And Aik’s ex-fiancé Silya, an initiate priestess in the midst of a magical crisis, hates Raven with the heat of a thousand suns.
This unlikely team must work together to face strange beasts, alien artifacts, and a world-altering threat. If they don’t figure out what to do soon, it might just be the end of everything.
Things are about to get messy.
About the Series:
The Tharassas Cycle is a four book sci-fantasy series set on the recently colonized world of Tharassas. When humans first arrived on planet, they thought they were alone until the hencha mind made itself known. But now a new threat has arisen to challenge both humankind and their new allies on this alien world.
Universal Buy LinkGiveawayScott is giving away a $20 book gift card with this reveal – your choice of Amazon, B&N, Kobo or Smashwords. Enter for a chance to win:
a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47275/?
Excerpt
Spin’s voice echoed in his ear. “This is a bad idea, boss.”
“Shush,” Raven whispered to his familiar.
He needed to concentrate. Cheek and jowl against the smooth cobblestones, he held his breath and prayed to the gods that no one had seen him duck under the sea master’s ornate carriage. The setting sun cast long shadows from a pair of boots so close to his face that the dust and leather made him want to sneeze. Their owner was deep in conversation with the sea master, the hem of her fine mur silk trousers barely visible. The two women’s voices were hushed, and he could only make out the occasional word.
Raven rubbed the old burn scar on his cheek absently, wishing they would go away.
“Seriously, boss. I’m not from this world, and even I know it’s a bad idea to steal from the sea master.”
Though only he could hear Spin’s voice, Raven wished the little silver ay-eye would just shut up.
The hencha cloth-wrapped package in the carriage above was calling to him. He’d wanted it since he’d first seen it through the open door. No, needed it. Like he needed air, even though he had no idea what was inside. He scratched the back of his hand hard to distract himself from its disturbing pull.
An inthym popped its head out of the sewer grate in front of him, sniffing the air. Raven glared at the little white rodent, willing it to go away. Instead, the cursed thing nibbled at his nose.
Raven sneezed, then covered his mouth. He held his breath, staring at the boots. Don’t let them hear me.
A shiny silver feeler poked out of his shirt pocket, emitting a golden glow that illuminated the cobblestones underneath him. “Boss, you all right?” Spin’s whisper had that sarcastic edge he often used when he was annoyed. “Your heart rate is elevated.”
“Be. Quiet.” Raven gritted his teeth. Spin had the worst sense of timing.
The woman — one of the guard, maybe? — and the sea master stepped away, their voices fading into the distance.
Raven said a quick prayer of thanks to Jor’Oss, the goddess of wild luck, and flicked the inthym back into the sewer. “Shoo!”
He popped his head out from under the carriage to take a quick look around. There was no one between him and the squat gray Sea Guild headquarters. It was time. Grab it and go.
He reached into the luxurious carriage — a host of mur beetles must have spent years spinning all the red silk that lined the interior — and snagged the package. He hoped it was the treasury payment for the week. If so, it should hold enough coin to feed an orphanage for a month, and he knew just the one. “Got it.”
“Good. Now get us out of here.”
A strange tingling surged through his hand. Raven frowned.
Must have pinched a nerve or something.
Ignoring it, he stuck the package under his arm, slipped around the carriage, and set off down Gullton’s main thoroughfare. He walked as casually as he could, hoping no one would notice the missing package until he was long gone.
“We clear?”
Spin’s feeler blinked red. “No. Run! They’ve seen you.”
Raven ran.
Author Bio
Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were.
He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.
A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).
Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com)
February 18, 2023
Nicole Dennis has a new MM fantasy paranormal romance out...
A Realm falls to the darkness.
An outcast because of his mixed heritage, Braedyn of the Dark, Captain of the Royal Shields and protector of the Prince of the Southern Woodland Realm, maintains his position through sheer grit and skill. Connected to a hawk familiar, Cerin, his magic is a mixture of Arcane and wielding. At the High King’s orders, he remains by his Prince’s side through a treacherous journey through the Lands to discover answers and a new home.
Losing his Realm, his parents, and his position in one-night, High Prince Conchobar Ó Díomasaigh is completely out of his familiarity. Running for his life, relying only on his protector and Captain, he digs deep to survive their trials, the growing darkness, and go wherever they must to save their Realm. At the same time, he sees his Captain in a different light and the deepening connection between them
Strange adventures. New allies. Growing connections. Can they survive this wild journey to save the elves, the Realm, and their lives?
About the Series:
Magic passed through ancient bloodlines for generations. A powerful family gifted with a blend of Elf, Fae, and Human magic, the McShaynes watched over the balance of nature. While the Otherkin receded from any mortal connection, the McShaynes refuse to leave their ancestral lands. Until the humans turn against magic.
Four McShayne sons spread across the Lands. Each one fears he is the last. They fight to survive the harsh atmosphere, maintain their bloodline gifts, and discover love and the true meaning of family.
Get It at AmazonGiveawayNicole is giving away an $10 Amazon gift card with this tour:
a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47273/?
Excerpt
Streaks of fire raced through the sky.
The ground rumbled beneath his feet.
A half-breed elf crouched against the nearest wall to wait out the current round of bombardment.
While the multi-layered and intricate braids denoted all the years of study, training, and practice to gain the skills of an archer, a scout, a tracker, and a soldier, the color of his hair and skin discredited his position. Among the elves of the Southern Woodland Realm, Braedyn of the Dark was an anomaly, a half-breed, and, according to some, not wanted. With every single step or skill he accomplished, he pushed himself even further and harder than everyone around him. Not even the three platinum charms decorating a raven black braid that denoted his position as Captain of the Royal Shields for the High Prince of the Court gained him any support. No matter what anyone said or thought, he continued to perform his duties, going above and beyond to protect his prince and the Realm.
Tonight the elves faced their gravest threat.
Though he should remain behind to protect the Prince, Braedyn followed his King’s orders to moved toward the front lines. His prince understood and allowed him to leave his side to perform his duties and learn what he could. If possible, he would help the defenders. Stepping away, he continued his journey to the barrier walls.
“To the sky!” a look-out shouted to alert everyone.
Ducking under a roof’s edge, Braedyn pressed against the stone and wood while staring at the darkened sky. It was lit by the fires that spread around their beloved Southern Nialam Forest and within the double-walled city. Another series of sharp-tipped arrows flickered while they pierced the night sky.
Screams spread through the darkness. Defenders hit by the arrows. Slain by this unknown enemy.
Braedyn tried to block out the sounds, but he couldn’t.
The invasive attack of the unnatural creatures came out of nowhere and surrounded the double-walled city. Only the small section of sacred western wall against the lowland mountain where the ancestors created the necropolis, the pathway to the Endless Realm, was naturally protected. There was little to no advance warning of these creatures plowing through the forest.
There was a flurry of misguided and scattered action around him from frightened defenders. They never faced this kind of enemy. None of their usual tactics and weapons seem to destroy their enemy, not even push them back. As if the creatures were immune from their natural magic and simple weapons.
A group of young guards fled.
Braedyn waved around his sacred bow, a rare gift of the twin Heartstone Trees. The twisted black and white wooden bow was gifted to the highest skilled archers and personally selected by the Trees. Holding out the bow, he moved it to catch their attention and stop them from fleeing. “Stop! What are you doing? Fleeing from your sworn duty to protect this court, this Realm. Shame upon all of you.”
At the twisted light and dark colored bow, brilliant against the darkness, the young guards slid to a stop.
“A Heartstone bow,” one guard whispered.
“A high archer…”
“Him. It’s him. The half-breed Captain.”
Braedyn ignored the whispers.
“Do you know that one nick of an arrow and you drop dead? Those creatures don’t die. They keep coming out of the forest and night,” one young guard said. “This is why we flee. There is nothing we can do. We must leave the court.”
“All the generals are dead or out of commission. Somehow the enemy knew to find them within the darkness. The outer walls are lost. The southern corner is about to crumble. Some of those creatures are cave trolls or ogres, but it’s like they’re twisted into something else, something far worse. They’re huge. Nothing kills them,” another guard said.
Braedyn looked around at what he could by the walls. He let the words and situation soak into him and roll around. No, they wouldn’t give in and flee. Not this time. Not this battle.
“Sons of the Realm. Listen to me.” He spun the bow and tapped the metal end on the ground. He pointed to the guard who spoke first. “What is your name?”
“Geraint Fenkrana, Guard Commander.
“Commander Geraint, I have a new position for all of you,” Braedyn said. “Focus upon me.”
The group turned to face him with Geraint stepping forward. Their faces bright against the darkness with swatches of dirt and soot. The lightness of their hair, skin, and eyes were a contrast against him, but they didn’t look upon him with hatred or disgust. Not any longer because he continued to stand against the fearsome enemy that threatened their home and lives. They desired leadership and he fulfilled it.
Author Bio
Dreamy…Sensual…Forever Love
A quiet one, Nicole Dennis is the penname of an asexual author of different genres of fiction – both LGBT+ and hetero. Lots of characters, worlds, and stories build up in her head until she must get them down on the screen – anything from romance to fantasy to paranormal.
During the day, she works in a quiet office in Central Florida, where she makes her home, and enjoys the down time to slip into her imagination. She is owned by a new feline companion – a house panther, affectionately known as Brat Cat.
January 17, 2023
Resting Scrooge Face – Book Review
Resting Scrooge Face by Meghan Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A quick fun read. Perfect to bring a smile to your face. The characters are likable and well-developed despite the shortness of the story and I loved the idea of the not-so-accidental exchange of anonymous letters between them. As a bonus that bickering at the end between her grandma and Arden was awesome.
January 1, 2023
The Inheritance Games- Review
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I haven’t read a whole book in one day in many years. To be fair, I had already started this book a few days prior but I did read the bulk of it on New Year’s Eve. I even stayed up past midnight to finish it. I just couldn’t put it down and thankfully I had the time to read it.
What an amazing story. The characters are extraordinarily well developed and there are so many layers to the plot/mystery that I’m left thinking of Kate Morton’s “Distant Hours” ( a book I absolutely loved). Even though this is a contemporary story, it has a definite gothic feel to it, reminiscent of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.
Even at the end, as the mystery comes to a conclusion (or does it?), we discover another layer underneath it. Every time I thought I had the mystery solved, I didn’t really. Yes, there were a couple things I was able to kind of figure out (I’m a puzzle lover) but there was always something new about it, something I didn’t expect. I’m heading to the bookstore to purchase the sequel today.
Kudos Ms. Barnes.
December 26, 2022
Ash Princess- Review
Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I wish I could give this book more than five stars. Laura Sebastian is by far one of my new favorite authors. After reading her “Castles in Their Bones” I needed more. Darker than most romantasy I read and so good. I finished the book last night and I already went to the bookstore to buy the sequels. Cannot praise this enough.
I love the characters and the fact than other than the king himself none of them are monochromatic in terms of personality. Even the evil ones have shades, redemptive qualities. And the “good” ones just like the main character, Theo, also have streaks of wickedness.
There is a definite feminist tang to the whole story as the plot questions the morality of war and the fight for survival. Is killing acceptable for a good cause? Is it okay to sacrifice one for the safety or many?
Love it! Highly recommend it.
