Intisar Khanani's Blog, page 14
May 4, 2014
Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Ferran’s Map by T.L. Shreffler
Title: Ferran’s Map (Book 4 of The Cat’s Eye Chronicles)
Release Date: August 31st, 2014
Series Website: www.catseyechronicles.com
Author: T. L. Shreffler (www.tlshreffler.com)
Author Facebook: www.facebook.com/tlshreffler
The bloodmage Volcrian is dead, but a new enemy lurks in the shadows. The Shade, a fanatical cult of demonic assassins, is trying to resurrect the Dark God and unleash His power back into the world. In their wake, a deadly plague spreads across the land.
Sora and her companions are the only ones who know of the plague’s true source. As the disease spreads, Sora must journey to the City of Crowns to retrieve The Book of the Named, her only hope of stopping The Shade. She and her companions arrive just in time for the winter solstice festival, a notorious two-weeks of fine wines, grand parties and legendary debauchery. Sora must don the guise of a noblewoman and infiltrate the First Tier nobility to stop The Shade before it’s too late.
Meanwhile, the assassin Crash is confronted by ghosts of his past. As he uncovers more of the Shade’s plot, he finds himself face-to-face with his old Grandmaster, the one who trained him—and who he betrayed. Can Crash lay to rest his past, or will he succumb to his inner demon and rejoin the man who once made him a killer?
Excerpt:
Prologue
Grandmaster Natrix stood at the top of a sandy ridge, the iron-gray ocean to her back. Heavy clouds covered the sky, sending down flurries of snow. Below her, dozens of Named assassins littered the training ground, practicing hand-to-hand combat. The assassins worked tirelessly despite the weather, bracing themselves against gusts of wind, using the ice to their advantage. At this distance, they looked like black crickets darting amongst the gray slush of the dunes.
As she watched the Named assassins, a second figure appeared on the ridge beside her, materializing through the storm.
Her lip curled. Her eyes remained focused on the training ground. “Again, you’ve returned.” She spoke idly, as though musing about the weather. “I wonder where you’ve been—he, who once dedicated his life to this village.”
Grandmaster Cerastes raised a thin eyebrow. He looked weary, his pale skin sallow. Gaunt cheekbones protruded from an intelligent, angular face, matured in age. His deep-set eyes gleamed with a poisonous light.
“Are you reprimanding me?” he said, a touch amused, but mostly hostile.
Grandmaster Natrix gazed at him. She noted the ragged wear of his black robes, the discouraging tilt of his lips. His hair was sleek and perfectly black, falling to his waist, dusted in snow. A strange scent tainted his clothes—the gritty musk of a city, the vague stench of humans and horses.
Then she nodded to the dunes below them, to one assassin in particular.
“Your Viper has become quite good,” she said, shifting her weight to her hip, crossing her arms. She wore a close-fitting black shirt, clasped with a vest. The Sixth Race were born of Fire and Darkness, and resistant to cold weather. Her tall black boots were made of toughened hide, no soles, allowing the foot to move freely. A series of chakrams hung from her waist, steel rings with edges as sharp as blades, varying in size. They could be thrown with deadly accuracy, slicing off heads and limbs with the force of her throw. Tight, braided rows of black hair covered her head. Her eyes were the bright green hue of aloe.
Cerastes followed her gaze without comment.
A smirk touched her thin lips. “In your absence, he has trained with Lachesis. Another few years, and he might just become a Grandmaster himself.”
Cerastes appeared impassive, but Natrix knew the statement rankled him. Grandmasters did not like sharing students—especially talented ones. “He has unlocked the fifth gate?” he asked quietly.
“No,” Natrix said, her eyes following the figure of the Viper. “But he is close.”
It had been eight years since the Naming of the Viper. In that time, she had watched Cerastes’ student progress rapidly and tirelessly. He was far better than her own savants—even the Named Adder, her best student, who wielded his saber with dexterous speed.
Assassins, especially Grandmasters, kept their emotions under tight control. Yet bitterness had crept in over the years. Perhaps even jealousy. She wished she could work with such a motivated student, one who took his training into his own hands, compelled by his own inner drive. Even without a Grandmaster, even if the Hive did not exist, even if Viper were the very first of the assassin race—she had little doubt he would be able to unlock the seven gates. He harbored a talent that founded tradition. He proved to her the assassin ways were not just fabrication, but a true part of their nature.
And because of that realization, she eventually lost her envy of Cerastes. The Viper’s skill was not one of superior instruction. Some assassins were simply born to the task, gifted by the Dark God with clever hands and a sharp mind. He moved like water, using his opponent’s energy to his advantage, pulling his assailant forward and off-balance, then striking with his entire body—foot, knee, hip, forearm, open palm. The Adder twisted, and the Viper turned with him, able to anticipate his opponent’s next move. He knocked the Adder to his knees. As she watched, her own student was forced to the ground, prostrated in surrender.
“You owe him an explanation,” Natrix said casually, noticing Cerastes turn away. He walked across the top of the ridge, moments away from vanishing again.
The Grandmaster paused. He spoke over his shoulder. “I owe him nothing. He has made his way.”
“You broke your oath.” Natrix watched his back carefully, his long hair listing in the wind. “You swore to mentor him until he reached the fifth gate. The boy relied on your instruction. For the last four years, you’ve rarely set foot in our hive. You’ve forsaken your duty to the Viper…he was your best. He still is.”
Grandmaster Cerastes turned fully and glared at her. “What I do with my time is not the Hive’s concern. I’ve turned my attention to greater matters.”
“I don’t care,” Natrix murmured. “Leave the Hive for good if you wish. But you broke the oath of a mentor. In the eyes of the Viper, you are truly a snake. It is well-known that our best students shall some day become our greatest rivals—are you willing to let this seed grow wild? Did you not kill your own Grandmaster, so many years ago?”
Cerastes remained silent. They watched the Viper sheathe his dagger and turn away from his defeated opponent. The young assassin quickly walked back across the training ground to a fringe of trees on its opposite side, toward the direction of the colony.
Natrix grinned cunningly. “You should keep good relations with him. Some day he will be a Grandmaster, and you will be old, and then you’ll be that fool bleeding out in the snow.” She indicated the training field again, where the Adder now sat holding his rib cage, blood staining the ground.
The hint of a frown passed over Cerastes’ brow as he considered her words. He cast her one last look, then turned and strode away, vanishing into the ever-thickening flurries of snow.
Continue the story…Read first two chapters of Ferran’s Map!
T. L. SHREFFLER is a noblewoman living in the sunny acres of San Fernando Valley, California, a mere block from Warner Bros. Studios. She enjoys frolicking through meadows, sipping iced tea, exploring the unknown reaches of her homeland and unearthing rare artifacts in thrift stores. She holds a Bachelors in Eloquence (English) and writes Epic Fantasy, Paranormal Romance and poetry. She has previously been published in Eclipse: A Literary Anthology and The Northridge Review.
Feel free to connect online! She loves hearing from readers, reviewers, orcs, elves, assassins, villains, figments of her imagination and extraterrestrials looking to make contact. Her online accounts are as follows:
Email: therunawaypen@gmail.com
Website:www.tlshreffler.com
Facebook:www.facebook.com/tlshreffler
Twitter:@catseyeauthor
Be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win an advance copy of Ferran’s Map closer to the release date!
April 29, 2014
Why My GoodReads Shelf And I Are Sad
If you’ve been following my reviews on GoodReads lately, you’ve probably noticed a trend. I’m not writing very many reviews. Or reading as much as I used to. And when I do read and review, they’re not really happy reviews. I couldn’t understand what was wrong with me. These were good books I was picking up. At least, they had to be halfway decent, with strong reviews by other readers to support such a claim. I used to get swept up by a story even if the writing wasn’t perfect, the characters coming alive in my mind and enacting whole new scenes while I lay in bed waiting to fall asleep. Was I just too tired? What was wrong with me???
This is how I used to read:
I could have stepped in a fox hole, or on a land mine, and I wouldn’t have noticed. I would have walked right past Mr. Darcy without a thought in my head for anything other than the story. So why do I now feel like Woody after reading the first three chapters of pretty much any book I pick up these days?
Then I came to a realization two Fridays ago while chatting with a good friend who also happens to be a writing buddy. I started out all sad… “It’s been a while since I’ve really enjoyed a good book,” I whined to her.
“Yeah,” she said. “I never thought it would happen to me, but I’ve started reading like a writer. It sucks, doesn’t it?”
My reaction:
But it’s true … of the last four books I’ve read, two I didn’t finish because “the pacing was off.” One I didn’t enjoy because the story started at the wrong point, failing to convince me of a vital plot point that predated the action by about two days. To top it off, the main character had an experience that was unbelievable (read: author didn’t do her research). And the fourth was a really well-researched collection of fairy tales from around the world that I loved.
OMG.
I didn’t like those books because I was reading them like a writer. I even described the problems I had with them in my reviews without realizing they were things I was looking at as a writer. No! No no no no NO!
Denial is a river in Egypt. I know this because a couple weeks back our plane flew over it and I thought about pointing it out on the map to my four year old. Unfortunately, we were too far from the windows to have any chance of spotting it, whether or not it was visible from so high up. The map seemed kind of pointless. And I’m pretty sure she was sleeping.
But.
There is no gif for the abject horror of this situation.
For now, I’m just hoping that I’ll find a way to turn the writer in me off so I can start enjoying all those awesome books again. Until then, I’ll just have to remember…
April 25, 2014
Calling YA Authors: Sign up for EuphorYA!
Come join in celebrating young adult speculative fiction in all its forms with EuphorYA, a speculative fiction scavenger hunt! Get a peak at exclusive content from your favorite indie and small press books, and put together the clue phrases for a shot at the Grand Prize (to be announced soon). Stop by the blog hops June 20-22 for a rollicking good time with dragons, spaceships, ghosts, mages, and everything in between! We’re also planning a Facebook author-reader event for Saturday, June 21.
Authors and interested readers can join the Facebook event page to keep up to date on who will be hosting and what we have planned. And, if you’d like to take part in EuphorYA as an author (or you know an author whom you’d like to share this with), there’s more information below on how the hunt will work, and the fun we’re planning, as well as a link to submit your information.
Information For Authors
EuphorYA is an author blog hop. Every author will feature another author’s special, book-related blog post and giveaway on their own blog. Readers will (ideally) visit all the blogs for the day in order to collect “clue” words that form a phrase. They then enter the phrase into a Rafflecopter for the grand prize giveaway. Each of the three days will feature a different phrase, allowing readers three chances in total to enter the giveaway. Submitting your information / signing up does not guarantee the opportunity to participate. The final selection of authors will be made in mid-May; all authors will be informed by e-mail.
Our Focus: YA Fantasy / Paranormal and open to Dystopian / Sci-Fi
Open to: Indie, small press and traditionally published authors
Participating authors will be expected to do the following:
- Pick a book to feature and provide related special / exclusive content for their book’s blog post
- Provide a giveaway for the blog where their book will be featured
- Contribute to the grand prize for the hunt
- Consider taking part in the full-day author-reader event on Facebook June 21
For more info and to sign up, click here.
April 21, 2014
Book 2 of the Sunbolt Chronicles has a title! @BooksByIntisar
I’m now knee-deep in my second round of revisions of Book 2 of the Sunbolt Chronicles. This has to be the longest I have ever gone without having even a tentative title for a book. If nothing else, I usually have a working title that I plan to scrap. But this book. This book.
It refused to work with me. Probably because I had all these plans of what I wasn’t going to name it, and it had other ideas. I threatened it with all kinds of possibilities, my favorite being the title jokingly suggested by beta-reader and friend Shy Eager … Cinderbreath. I mean, really. When faced with the choice of Cinderbreath or revealing its own name, wouldn’t any self-respecting book level with you? (On a tangent, I have decided I must one day write a dragon named Cinderbreath.)
But no. This book would have none of that. I had to reschedule with my cover designer and push out the design process by months. I complained to my husband. I held online brainstorming sessions with beta readers. I ate lots and lots of chocolate.
And then, two weeks ago, as politely as could be, my book informed me that it had a name. And now, since I have made you wait this long for it … here it is!
…
…
Memories of Ash
Yes, folks, you have seen that title before. Because it’s a chapter name in Sunbolt. Which means, for those of you who like scavenger hunts, somewhere between the covers of Memories of Ash, among the many chapter titles there, you will find the title of Book 3 lying in wait.
Yes, that is also Book 2 sticking its tongue out at me. Because there it was, hiding its title right under my nose for months on end. Just because I insisted it was going to have a new title.
Sigh.
If anyone ever tells you that an author controls what they write, you can laugh at them as hard as you like. For a very, very long time. And if you let me know, I’ll laugh right along with you…
February 28, 2014
Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Splinters by F.J.R. Titchenell & Matt Carter
Splinters
Under ordinary circumstances, Ben and Mina would never have had reason to speak to each other; he’s an easy-going people person with a healthy skepticism about the paranormal, and she’s a dangerously obsessive monster-hunter with a crippling fear of betrayal. But the small town of Prospero, California, has no ordinary circumstances to offer. In order to uncover a plot set by the seemingly innocent but definitely shapeshifting monsters-that-look-like-friends-family-and-neighbors, the two stark opposites must both find ways to put aside their differences and learn to trust each other.
…Ready for the cover?
….
….
Cover Chatter:
This totally says sci-fi horror to me, and with a young protagonist, it’s clearly YA as well. I love yellow-green eerie lighting, though it gets a little bright at the center of the cover. The title font is pretty neat–definitely not something you see everyday. And I really want to know if the kid (Ben?) is wearing gauntlets. Yep. Need to know that.
Giveaway:
Everyone who adds Splinters to their Goodreads to-read list on or before March 7th will be entered to win a $25 Amazon giftcard. A winner will be selected at random and contacted by Goodreads direct message. So click that pretty button up there and add away!
About the Authors
F.J.R. Titchenell and Matt Carter met and fell in love in a musical theatre class at Pasadena City College and have been inseparable ever since. Though they have both dreamed of being writers since a very young age, they both truly hit their stride after they met, bouncing ideas off of one another, forcing each other to strive to be better writers, and mingling Matt’s lifelong love of monsters with Fiona’s equally disturbing inability to forget the tumult of high school. They were married in 2011 in a ceremony that involved kilts, Star Wars music, and a cake topped by figurines of them fighting a zombified wedding party.
Connect with FJR here: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Connect with Matt here: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Splinters by F.J.R. Titchenell & Matt Cameron
Splinters
Under ordinary circumstances, Ben and Mina would never have had reason to speak to each other; he’s an easy-going people person with a healthy skepticism about the paranormal, and she’s a dangerously obsessive monster-hunter with a crippling fear of betrayal. But the small town of Prospero, California, has no ordinary circumstances to offer. In order to uncover a plot set by the seemingly innocent but definitely shapeshifting monsters-that-look-like-friends-family-and-neighbors, the two stark opposites must both find ways to put aside their differences and learn to trust each other.
…Ready for the cover?
….
….
Cover Chatter:
This totally says sci-fi horror to me, and with a young protagonist, it’s clearly YA as well. I love yellow-green eerie lighting, though it gets a little bright at the center of the cover. The title font is pretty neat–definitely not something you see everyday. And I really want to know if the kid (Ben?) is wearing gauntlets. Yep. Need to know that.
Giveaway:
Everyone who adds Splinters to their Goodreads to-read list on or before March 7th will be entered to win a $25 Amazon giftcard. A winner will be selected at random and contacted by Goodreads direct message. So click that pretty button up there and add away!
About the Authors
F.J.R. Titchenell and Matt Carter met and fell in love in a musical theatre class at Pasadena City College and have been inseparable ever since. Though they have both dreamed of being writers since a very young age, they both truly hit their stride after they met, bouncing ideas off of one another, forcing each other to strive to be better writers, and mingling Matt’s lifelong love of monsters with Fiona’s equally disturbing inability to forget the tumult of high school. They were married in 2011 in a ceremony that involved kilts, Star Wars music, and a cake topped by figurines of them fighting a zombified wedding party.
Connect with FJR here: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Connect with Matt here: Website | Facebook | Twitter
February 26, 2014
Character Interview & Giveaway: Caprion from the Cat’s Eye Chronicles by T.L. Shreffler
Today I’m excited to share an interview with Caprion, the general of the harpy army, and a seraphim in his own right. You’ve had a chance to meet Caprion in Volcrian’s Hunt, and tomorrow will see the release of his own story, Caprion’s Wings. For more info on that and to enter the giveaway, see the bottom of the post. And since I had the honor of beta-reading it, I can guarantee it’s a fun but dark, action-packed story that is definitely worth picking up! Without further ado, let’s welcome Caprion…
Hi Caprion, thanks for joining us today!
I realize we only have a few minutes with you (you seraphim are busy folk!), so without further ado, here are our top 5 questions:
1. At the beginning of Caprion’s Wings, you’ve been trying for years to earn your wings and failing. You’re ready to risk almost anything to gain them. Looking back from where you stand today, do you have any true, deep regrets about what unfolded? Would you change anything?
Looking back, I realize I should have been more patient. Florentine was right all along–if I had just waited for the Matriarch to awaken from her three-week slumber, I wouldn’t have put my queen (and the entire island) in danger. But everything seems more urgent when you’re young. I thought if I waited to consult the Matriarch about my visions, I would lose my chance at finding my wings forever.
2. I understand you had a difficult time with your family growing up, especially your brother. Who in your life do you most look up to and why?
Ironically, I used to look up to Sumas A LOT when I was a child. He was six years older than me, so of course, I idolized him. He would play the usual “big brother” pranks, and he could be cruel sometimes, but he never put my life in danger.
That all changed when I failed my first Singing. Sumas became more aggressive. He seemed to take my failure as a personal offense. I still don’t know if he meant to punish me or just toughen me up. Either way, that’s when the teasing turned into outright bullying.
Now, as an adult, it’s difficult for me to find anyone to look up to. My own people are constantly disappointing me. I was raised to think that Harpies are perfect, but after seeing the cruelty and pettiness of my own race, it’s hard to find any sort of real role model.
3. What is your greatest fear?
I’m afraid of losing Moss–of doing something that might lead to her death.
As a seraphim, I fear that I will be unequal to the task of protecting my people.
Mostly, though, I am afraid of becoming like them. I don’t want to become like Sumas or the Matriarch, who are both bullies in their own right. I don’t want to abuse my power or make others suffer by my hand.
4. What exactly does being a seraphim mean in the context of Harpy culture? (We know that their magic is stronger, but does that mean different abilities, expectations, etc?) And is the Matriarch a seraphim?
We are especially good at hunting demons. You could say that is our true purpose. Beyond that, a seraphim is a battle harpy, ideal for war. Whereas normal Harpies have only one set of wings, seraphim have 3 sets (6 wings), which makes our magic about 3 times stronger than usual. Still, our physical bodies have limitations and we can die from using too much magic at once. Harpies usually live about two-hundred years, but seraphim bodies are worn down by magic, which gives us an almost-human lifespan.
In the past, a seraphim “manifests” before a great change or a great danger. We’ve been dubbed “the heralds of the One Star.” If a seraphim has manifested, it means war or an even bigger threat lies on the horizon.
The Matriarch is not a seraphim. She has only one set of wings. She is a powerful female Harpy, usually a prior soldier, who is elected by the people when the old Matriarch dies. She is seen as the “mother” of our people and is more long-lived than the rest.
5. What have the Harpies been doing since the War of the Races? And why are you willing to leave them so easily at the end of Volcrian’s Hunt, rather than sending some of your own soldiers?
Since the War of the Races, my race has been recuperating. The war shattered our entire civilization and birth rates have been on the decline. You could say my people are keeping their heads down, struggling to hold onto what little they have left.
Honestly, I don’t like other Harpies very much. I feel duty-bound to protect my people, but I don’t feel that close to them, if you know what I mean…? I know I’m supposed to protect them from the Dark God…but I don’t know if they deserve it.
Imagine living your entire life under house arrest–that’s how my life’s been since becoming a seraphim. The Matriarch watches my every move. I wanted to escape for years before Sora ever arrived, then she offered the perfect opportunity. I didn’t tell anyone where I was going, though I’m sure they’ll figure it out soon.
As of Volcrian’s Hunt, I’m no longer on a mission for my people. I’m on a personal quest to find an old friend. The Matriarch has probably cooked up a plan to hunt me down, cunning old crone that she is, but I won’t let her stop me!
Thanks so much for answering our questions. Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?
Being the first seraphim since the War of the Races is a mixed blessing. The Matriarch pushes endless responsibilities onto my shoulders. I don’t feel like I’ve earned the right to carry this kind of status among my people. In Caprion’s Wings, you will see my younger self, still naive, overconfident and untried. You will come to understand the events that made me who I am. And I think you’ll get some insight into the next book, Ferran’s Map, and how my story might continue.
Thanks for having me, Intisar! Good luck to you, and the One Star’s blessing!
Thanks, Caprion! It’s not every day I receive a harpy’s blessing. 
About the Book
By the age of nineteen, all Harpies know how to fly—except Caprion. He has yet pass the test of the Singing and gain his wings. His family has disowned him in shame and people are beginning to talk. Now an evil voice haunts his dreams, taunting him, drawing out his worst fears—that he will remain wingless forever.
Caprion decides to find the root of this insidious voice, no matter what it takes. He journeys to the secret prisons of the Harpy underground, where he meets a young slave named Moss. In those sunless, decrepit cells, a forbidden friendship is formed. Can Caprion and Moss find the source of the voice? And can Caprion save Moss from a terrible fate?
Join young Caprion as he journeys down, down into the earth, finding his wings and forging a friendship that will change him forever.
*Caprion’s Wings is a companion story to The Cat’s Eye Chronicles. As a novella, it will be between 40,000-50,000 words long.
Caprion’s Wings blog tour schedule and links:
2-23-14 | Spotlight Mimsey Style | Please Don’t Feed the Mimsey
2-24-14 | Spotlight/Excerpt | The O’Raven Chronicles
2-25-14 | REVIEW & Theme Song | Lindsay and Jane’s Views and Reviews
2-26-14 | Spotlight/Excerpt | Oh My Shelves
2-27-14 | Character 5Q Q&A Caprion | Intisar Khanani
2-28-14 | REVIEW & Would you Rather w/Caprion | TTC Books & More
3-01-14 | Spotlight/Excerpt | A World of Words
3-01-14 | REVIEW & Spotlight | Genieva’s Book Blog
3-02-14 | REVIEW & Author top 10 | Becca Anne’s Book Reviews
3-03-14 | REVIEW & This OR That with Moss | Paranormal Book Club
3-04-14 | REVIEW & Guest Post | Alina Popescu Writes
3-04-14 | REVIEW & Interview | Inkspelled Faery
About the Author
T. L. Shreffler lives in Los Angeles, CA. She loves diversity, fantasy, romance, iced tea, long walks, philosophy, and thrift store shopping. She recently graduated with a BA in Badass (Creative Writing) and her poetry has been published consecutively in Eclipse: A Literary Journal and The Northridge Review. She is author of The Cat’s Eye Chronicles (YA/Epic Fantasy) and The Wolves of Black River (PN Romance.)
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon
February 11, 2014
Review of “Henrietta The Dragon Slayer” by Beth Barany
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Epic Fantasy, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Henrietta, the legendary Dragon Slayer of the Kingdom of Bleuve, can’t stomach the thought of one more kill. Yet, in order to save her dying mentor, she must go on one last quest. But will misfit companions, seasickness, and an ego maniacal king derail the quest for the healing stone? And will she be able to cut past her conscience and kill the dragon?
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | GoodReads
Review:
Henrietta is a fascinating character. At 17, she’s served in the army, gained renown as a dragon slayer, and walked away from it all. Now, she’s made a habit of isolating herself, and while she’s an excellent warrior, she balks at killing. Which makes things difficult when set upon in an ambush. The story opens as Henrietta is accosted twice in succession: once by an arrogant foreign knight who demands she accompany him back to his king, who has need of her dragon-slaying services, and immediately after, by a witch who informs her that her old master whom she has been long estranged from is dying. To heal him, she needs the special healing stone one can only win by slaying a dragon.
On this last quest she does not want, Henrietta ends up with a tagalong group of companions she would much rather do without: a girl who needs to be escorted home in return for the witch’s favor, a jester who wants to go an adventure with the hero whose songs he sings (poor Henrietta!), and that unshakeable, obnoxious knight who wants to make sure she slays her dragon.
This story will quickly suck you in, even though the action is slow to build. There’s plenty of tension–Henrietta is one big ball of tension–and as the story progresses, you begin to understand her more and more. Here’s a girl-hero who has been a hero and wants no more of it; she’s tired, she’s alone, and she’s lost her purpose, drifting from town to town and singing her own adventures to earn her keep. And she doesn’t want any of it back–but this time she doesn’t have a choice, not if she wants to be able to live with herself.
The writing is strong, though the proofreading could have been a little stronger. I did catch a handful or two of typos–not enough to detract from the story, but enough to be noticeable. While there are only a few points of serious action prior to the major climax, the book moves along well, and what isn’t sword fighting and sorcery is very strong character development. I did think that we heard about Henrietta’s stomach a bit too much, which was more an issue of being made a little too aware of how much she continued to stress and worry over her options and choices. And I thought Henrietta was also a little too slow to grasp what she needed to do in the lead-up to the climax of the book. But, there are plenty of characters who just don’t want to see what’s before them, so I can understand that.
Overall, this was a well-paced and enjoyable read, with strong character development and a varied cast.
Recommended for fans of epic fantasy, sword and sorcery, fire witches, obnoxious knights, and lost kings.
About the Author
Beth Barany has been making up fantasy and adventure stories all her life. It only took her thirty years to actually start writing them down, then grit and determination to whip them into shape. Her young adult fantasy novel Henrietta, The Dragon Slayer was released Spring 2011. She writes to empower girls and women with her kickass heroines who have to save the world against great odds.
By day she helps authors get their books done and out into the world. She also leads trainings for groups and associations and speaks to groups and conferences all over the San Francisco Bay Area and the United States about motivation, persistence, publishing, craft and marketing.
In her off hours, Beth enjoys cardio kickboxing, stick yoga, reading and watching movies with her husband, author and musician Ezra Barany.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | GoodReads
February 6, 2014
Review of “The Secrets of the Vanmars” by Elisabeth Wheatley
Rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy / Epic Fantasy
Description:
After her adventures with the Key of Amatahns, sixteen-year-old Janir Caersynn Argetallam returns home to find Brevia on the brink of war with a neighboring country, Stlaven. Her foster-father and even Saoven—a brave young elf warrior—think it will be safe at the castle where Janir grew up. However, while trying to unravel a looming mystery, Karile—self-taught wizard and Janir’s self-appointed best friend—becomes certain that there is danger in the mountains surrounding Janir’s childhood home and that it has something to do with Stlaven’s most powerful family, the Vanmars…
GoodReads | Amazon
Review:
For my review of Book 1 of the Argetellam Saga (The Key of Amatahns), go here. Warning: if you haven’t read The Key of Amatahns, you are about to see some spoilery. So, go read Book 1 now!
I started this book ready for an enjoyable read, and I wasn’t disappointed. As with many second books in a series, the story is a little slow to get started–kind of. The prologue, featuring Janir’s half-brother Lucan, sucked me right in. And, being a follower of Ms. Wheatley’s pinterest boards, I was excited to finally meet someone who I’ve already got a firm image of in my mind: the healer Genvissa. For all that we only saw her in the prologue, I can’t wait to meet Genvissa again and get to know her: kind, wise, brave and in a really bad place, you can’t help caring about her.
But I digress. The Secrets of the Vanmars can essentially be broken into two separate halves. The first half revolves around what happens while Janir is waiting to be judged by the King and his High Lords for her role in the death of a duke back in book 1. Once that’s resolved, Janir and company return to her foster-father’s home, and another adventure begins as Janir and Karile search out the Kryden Road that once ran through the mountains to a not-so-friendly neighboring kingdom. Who is building it and why? What is the Chalice of Malvron? And what will Janir’s Argetallam father do when he finds out she’s still alive?
The writing throughout the book was relatively strong. Karile, as the perfect obnoxious little-brother-type sidekick, continues to be one of my favorite characters. Ms. Wheatley’s descriptions and characterizations have improved over what we saw in her first book, and I have no doubt that The Chalice of Malvron (Book 3) will deliver an engaging story as Ms. Wheatley continues to come into her own as a talented young fantasy author.
Recommended for: fans of epic fantasy, strong heroines, evil patriarchs, frost griffins, and sword and sorcery.
About the Author
Elisabeth Wheatley is a teenager of the Texas Hill Country. When she’s not daydreaming of elves, vampires, or hot guys in armor, she is reading copious amounts of fantasy, playing with her little brothers, studying mythology, and training and showing her Jack Russell Terrier, Schnay.
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January 30, 2014
Twice-Told Tales: A New Feature
As you may know, I love fairy tales. After all, my debut novel Thorn is a retelling of The Goose Girl. Did I mention I really enjoy folk and fairy tales that are a little less well-known? Admittedly, lots of folks have heard of The Goose Girl. It’s not Cinderella, I grant you, but it isn’t Donkeyskin or Tatterhood either. Oh these stories. Love love love.
I recently came across an awesome collection of fairy tales from around the world that focus on heroines: sisters, wives, mothers, whatever. Women who basically rock their worlds. I am buying this book as we speak because the library made me return it. If you read fairy tales at all, you should totally read it. It’s called: Fearless Girls, Wise Women, and Beloved Sisters: Heroines in Folktales from Around the World. It’s on GoodReads and Amazon and Better World Books.
I’m going to add this book to my current collection, which of course includes (but is not limited to) the required Complete Grimms Fairy Tales, as well as Arab Folktales, good old Hans Christian Anderson, another collection of Folk Tales From Around The World, some ultra-fun Punjabi Folk Tales, and the complete digital set of Lang’s Multi-Colored Fairy Books. If only I could afford all of Lang’s in print… and then there’s all those books on my to-buy list: Speak Bird, Speak Again; Abu Jmeel’s Daughters; that other one about…well, you get the idea.
As most of you can tell by now, I’m fangirling. Holy mint chocolate chip. I never thought I’d do that, let alone admit it in public. Now of course there’s nothing wrong with fangirling, it’s just not something I’ve recognized myself as doing. I like things, and I enjoy them, but I don’t jump up and down and squeal. Maybe I’m emotionally repressed, or maybe I’m just naturally calm. We’ll let the psychotherapists figure that one out. But…fairy tales. Ohhh. I’m not jumping up and down but I could go on and on and on and–are you even still reading this?
Yep. I’m embracing my fangirl nature. From now on, I’m going to offer a monthly blog feature. And I bet you can guess what it is: a randomly selected fairy tale that I will not only tell you (in brief form), but will also provide an editor’s commentary for. Because fairy tales are the absolute boss of random situations, odd characters, and leaps of logic. And you’ve got to respect a story that can survive hundreds of years with plot holes big enough to pop the bermuda triangle through.
I’ll start this feature probably around mid-February, so keep an eye out!
