Sage Nestler's Blog, page 46
March 17, 2017
Navigating Indieworld’s Spring Book Festival
Hello, Everyone!
I am excited to let you know about a Spring Book Festival Hosted by Indieworld! This book festival is online, and it will feature various genres and authors all across the publishing spectrum.
I love online book festivals because it allows you to connect with authors and readers all over the world, and you can do so at home in your pajamas!
The Spring Book Festival will take place March 27 – 29, 2017, so please make your calendars! You won’t want to miss it. I will also be attending, so please reach out and say hi!
You can access the festival by going here.
I hope to see you all there!
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Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
March 16, 2017
The Hunters by Heidi Angell
Title: The Hunters
Author: Heidi Angell
Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
For those who believe Vampires should be killed, not kissed.
What would you do if you found your town had been infested with vampires? For Chris and his brother Lucas, the answer was simple enough: you fight back. Gathering a small band of other people in their town who have been affected by the vampires, they begin a resistance. But after a year of fighting, they have only managed to kill a handful, while the vampire leader has turned five times that many.
Then two enigmatic strangers appear, changing their lives even further.
Fury and Havoc. They call themselves hunters, and want no part in this little band of heroes. Ordering them to lay low, the duo vow to rid their town of vampires. When Fury is injured, Chris aides these strangers, entwining his future with theirs.
Now that the vampires know the hunters are here, and that Chris and his friends have helped them, the group is in more danger than ever before. Lucas is torn between protecting his new family from the vampires, and protecting them from these seemingly inhuman beings who say they are there to help.
After all, what beings could be so powerful as to scare a vampire?
Review:
The Hunters is clearly Heidi Angell’s response to Twilight and similar vampire romances. The vampires in her novel are vicious and intriguing, and I enjoyed reading a novel that went back to the classic vampire mythology by making vampires monsters once again. The vampire is my favorite mythological creature, and I thought that Angell’s take on them was outstanding. The Hunters is reminiscent of The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, and fans of that series would enjoy Angell’s The Hunters Saga.
Angell’s cast of characters is bright and original, and I loved how they complimented the action packed plot. The relationship between Chris and Lucas is heartwarming, and I loved how comical they could be. They brought a strong familial element to the story, and their relationship was similar to the television series, Supernatural.
However, I couldn’t help but feel that Angell did pull too many of her ideas from Supernatural and The Mortal Instruments. While her story is unique in many ways, it is too similar to Supernatural for me. The concept of two brothers fighting monsters and having their ups and downs throughout their adventures is essentially the basis of Supernatural. I also found that the over-descriptions of some of the characters and events were distracting, and too many adverbs were used.
But with that all being said, I commend Angell for taking back the mythical vampire monster and putting it back into current literature. I loved being able to revisit my favorite monster in an action packed, horrific way. Angell has a strong imagination, and she does well with presenting a horror themed – plot to a general audience. If you are looking for a new take on this classic monster, I am sure that you will enjoy The Hunters!
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
Double the Books Magazine
Hello, Everyone!
This month I was featured in Double the Books Magazine, as was my subscription book box, Literary Vacation Club! I am so excited to share with you all this amazing bookish magazine, and I hope that it helps to introduce you to some new books and authors that you might enjoy!
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View the Magazine Here
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
March 15, 2017
Cooking with Dice Character Spotlight – The Boucher
Hello, Everyone!
Today’s Cooking with Dice Character Spotlight is on “The Boucher”! Read more about this fun character, and learn about the cooking role play game, below!
Cooking with Dice Character Spotlight: THE BOUCHER
Special Ability – Earn bonus XP for describing the dire fate of one of your ingredients, with graphic details.
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You belong to the night. When the inky darkness rolls in, you’re completely in your element. You gracefully navigate your way through unlit alleys filled with dark spirits, shady merchants, and skillful pickpockets, unseen and untouched by any of them. Once you’ve picked up the scent of treasure, be it a priceless jewel or the perfect cut of meat, nothing can keep you from it. You’re always on the alert, planning each heist carefully, knowing that behind every shadow could lie certain death. No worries – your blades are your life. You keep them sharp, and they keep you breathing.
Learn more about Cooking with Dice here!
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
Maharia by Joshua Robertson Release
Hello, Everyone!
Today is the release day of Maharia by Joshua Robertson! I am so excited to be able to share an excerpt of this book with you, as well as the rest of his series.
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Maharia Synopsis
In Valor There Is Hope!
Branimir has remained hidden from the enemy, withholding the cursed dagger from their erroneous hands. When a stranger arrives, and offers the chance to end his never-ending battle, Branimir sets off for the City of the Gods for answers. Now, hoping his faith has not been misplaced, Branimir undergoes his darkest adventure yet. He can only trust that he has the courage to survive the truth.
Buy Links:
Author Links:
Tweets by RobertsonWrites
Author Bio:
Joshua Robertson is a bestselling author in dark fantasy. Robertson is a Licensed Master Social Worker, who received his degree from Wichita State University. He has worked with children and families for the past fifteen years in a variety of unique venues: a residential behavior school, a psychiatric treatment facility, and the child welfare system. He has functioned as a supervisor, an educator, a behavior specialist, and a therapist during his career. Mr. Robertson has presented trainings for hundreds of professionals and military personnel on topics that include child abuse and neglect, human trafficking, strengthening the parent and child relationships, and the neurobiological impact of trauma.
You may recognize him as the dude whose dragons were said to destroy George R.R. Martin’s and Christopher Paolini’s dragons in a very biased Twitter poll. His first novel, Melkorka, was released in 2015, and he has been writing fantasy fiction like clockwork ever since. Known most for his Thrice Nine Legends Saga, Robertson enjoys an ever-expanding and extremely loyal following of readers.
He currently lives in North Carolina with his better half and his horde of goblins.
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Excerpt 1:
Branimir’s heart jumped at the thought of leaving Gaetana. He spun around and rose to his feet. Adamus faced him, beard hanging to his chest, and blue eyes wild with excitement. Witigor, a head taller than the Ariadnean, joggled his head in agreement, the overhanging flap of his ridiculous brown hat bouncing over his brow.
Sulanna stilled them with her hand. “What about Dorofej? The Stuhia has not survived this long simply to stay captive in a dungeon. Are we to continue to trust that he will find a way to escape?”
“Tis a thought I hope to be true, Sulanna,” Adamus said, “though the odds are not favorable. I am not proposing we attempt to free Dorofej. We simply cannot stay here much longer. Besides, if Dorofej does escape, he can always find us with that thing he does.”
“Klukas,” Branimir said. “Yes. He can find us in the shadow world.”
“Oh, here we are again, talking of this mysterious, all-knowing man called Dorofej.” Wit grimaced, pulling the sleeves up on his shirt. “The man might as well be a god, the way you speak of him.” Wit’s eye twitched. “Still, you are correct on this matter. The Stuhia can find anyone in Klukas if they have come across them before. Their gift of scrying supersedes the skill of the greatest oracle. He would be able to find you no matter your destination, I assure you.”
“Oh. Are you suddenly an expert with the Stuhian people, Wit?” Sulanna mocked, twisting her mouth with suspicion. “Funny you have not said a word of them until recently.”
“Well…I have read Tom Flitter’s Mystagogical’s Forlorn Folio and Colin Turney’s Unchanted and Unequaled.” Wit crossed his arms, leaned back like he had taken a blow to the bits, and then wobbled his head back and forth in disbelief. “Do you not know I have access to every book in the known world, Sulanna? I would have been reading about the dragon people long before now if I had known anyone cared to know about them. But you three keep your tongues wrapped so tight, I would not be surprised if you did not have any tongues at all. I don’t know how you expect me to help.”
Branimir stuck out his tongue. “No one asked for your help. We asked for one book on ancient religions, and here you still are—”
“Yes, I remember. The Compendium of Infernal Light by Emrys Trudgeon.” Wit widened his eyes. “No other man could have gotten you that little treasure. If you don’t want me, I can be on my way.” He stomped the back of his foot against the earth, indicating he had no intention of budging. “You know, it is not everyday someone asks about a text not highlighting the Lightbringer.”
“Czern’s breath. You mustn’t go anywhere,” Adamus said, angling an eyebrow at Branimir.
Sulanna flashed her teeth, chiming in, “Indeed. Your input is always welcome, but our business will remain our own.”
“Of course, my Lady,” Wit said, nodding his head again with enough momentum to bounce his hat. “And I don’t mean to pry, but anything you need to know, I can find.” He winked, pointing at Branimir. “Don’t get me wrong. The Kras have wicked memories, but none are as old as books. None can know how their minds have twisted their words over time.”
Excerpt 2:
Again, the bearded Kadari and Beryl tightened their hold on his arms.
With a flash in her eye, Kveta pulled aside Branimir’s cloak and pulled the dagger from the belt. Kaelandur stayed hanging from its sheathe around his waist. She barely looked at the copper blade, twisting the iron dagger in her hand. The sharpness of the weapon gleamed in the firelight.
Her free hand grabbed his shoulder roughly, balancing her weight to keep pressure off her bandaged leg. “Should I wedge this in your leg, your eye, or your dear, little bits?”
Beryl’s blithe snigger robbed the air from Branimir’s lungs. “Why choose only one?”
Disbelief and horror seized Bran, his timorous lip quaking with realization. He twisted against the Kadari holding him, hardly budging.
He dared to break from Kveta’s ghastly expression to look at Falmagon. The twisted smile under the Patrician’s mustache screamed of gratification. After Harrowhal, he realized how far gone Falmagon truly was. He once thought Falmagon, at least, considered himself decent, but nothing was left of the Highborn Long-Walker.
Nothing could have readied Branimir for the shockwave of pain riddling through his body as Kveta speared him with the dagger. He reacted at instinct, thrashing violently against the two Kadari holding him hostage, his wail causing the very flames of the distant fire to waft. He could not pinpoint where she struck him at first, only knowing the pain surged from beneath his belly. The heat of the immediate wound was only diluted by the warmth of the thick blood flowing down his slender leg.
He moaned. Tears descended from his cheeks with heaved sniffles, snorting his slick snot back into his nose and off his upper lip.
Kveta twisted the blade, grating the sharp edge against his femur, isolating the dagger’s location. Branimir blubbered softly, catching the saliva on the edge of his tongue, hatefully glaring at the Kadari woman.
He gagged in effort to keep his throat from closing, gasping for oxygen. He needed to breathe. He had to shake away the abysmal pain. Inhaling the metallic odor of his own blood, Branimir gazed to Falmagon and exhaled the bitter thoughts flooding his mind. “I will kill you! I swear it! Marheena will leave you broken and deformed!”
Excerpt 3:
Branimir could not guess how much time had come and gone since they entered the gate and started up the never-ending staircase. Not only did the sun stay at its apex over the City of the Gods, giving constant warmth and light in every crevice, but also something kept his stomach from hunger and his body from exhaustion. Every time his foot lifted and fell, his body seemingly had forgotten he repeated the same movement a hundred times before. In the beginning, the mundane climbing had been a game; but after a couple hours, he lost interest in playing. He stopped counting the stairs after reaching the thousands. Yet he felt no aching in his back, legs, or feet. Bran supposed he should be thankful for being away from the snow and wind on the mountain pass, but the monotony was wearing on him.
“You would think,” he said, after several hours, “with all the magic in this place they would find a quicker way to the top. I bet the Svet’s gateway takes them straight to the top of the peak.”
Alyona ambled along behind him, responding with a dull tone. “Close. You arrive on the seventh tier, near the temple.”
“Nine Lands. And no one thought to put one of those gateways at the bottom of these stairs?” Branimir asked, gazing at the rocky wall on either side of them. He was certain a dragon could fit on the staircase without discomfort. Which did not matter much, considering the dragon could fly to the peak of the mount.
Tyr held the smile on his face, climbing besides Branimir on the right. “Bah! Can you imagine when we go back down to leave? I bet we will lose our minds going back down these stairs.” Tyr swung is giant arms back and forth as he climbed. Branimir hardly noticed he had six fingers anymore. “How about if we were to arrive through the doorway up there? And then, when we went to leave, we were faced with this? At least, we know, right?” Tyr rumbled, peering over his shoulder for an instant. The bottom of the winding staircase could no longer be seen. “I might consider flinging myself down the steps, or simply lying down and rolling. Maybe the gods will spare me if I crack my head.”
Alyona’s dry tone answered the unasked question. “No, they will not.”
March 14, 2017
Cooking with Dice Kickstarter
Hello, Everyone!
I am excited to let you know that the Cooking with Dice Kickstarter is now live! This wonderful cooking role – play game book needs some help getting off of the ground, and if you could help Jennifer (the author) out, that would be wonderful!
I will be posting my review of this fun book soon, and please keep an eye out for my posts on the different characters as well!
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Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
March 13, 2017
March Reading Recommendation – Oak & Mistletoe by J.Z.N. McCauley
Hello, Everyone!
I am going to start posting monthly reading recommendations based on books that I think would be perfect to read during each different month! Since we are in the month of March, I just had to pick a novel that focuses on Ireland and Celtic lore since St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching.
That being said, this month’s reading recommendation is Oak & Misletoe by J.Z.N. McCauley! I included this novel in our November Literary Vacation Club box, and it was just a joy to read. I always love a novel that focuses on different mythologies, and Oak & Mistletoe is a wonderful new adult novel that matches our current time with the history of Ireland. It is a great fantasy read, and I think that you will love it!
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SYNOPSIS
A Druid Curse, A Prophesied Love, A Consuming Vengeance… Catherine Green, along with her twin sister and older brother, travels to Ireland on a college graduation trip. Her vacation takes a permanent turn when she lands her dream job at an art and history museum on her beloved Emerald Isle. She meets a handsome stranger named Bowen, an expert of sorts on local ancient studies. Though their first meetings are turbulent at best, Catherine finds herself drawn to him. Unaware that she is the key to breaking a hidden curse, Catherine unleashes the evil madman Conall and his druid followers, imprisoned since ancient times. Tragedy and loss ensue, sprouting within Catherine the deep seeds of rage that thrust her onto the damaging path of vengeance. Confused by the enigma that is Bowen, his mixed signals, and her own feelings, she is swept away with him on an unexpected journey surrounded by myth and long-forgotten knowledge. In order to stop the evil plans of Conall and his reunified army, Catherine must entwine her fate with peril. Her survival is trivial to her as long as Conall dies. She’ll do whatever it takes.
Purchase Now
Here is a letter from the author that we included in our November Literary Vacation Club Box
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I hope that you enjoy March’s reading recommendation, and please let me know your thoughts about Oak & Mistletoe below!
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
March 11, 2017
The Hunted by Heidi Angell
Title: The Hunted
Author: Heidi Angell
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
The highly-anticipated sequel to The Hunters Saga. Follow Fury, Havoc and Screvin as they track down the Werewolf who turned Screvin and try to help her come to terms with what she is. Things are going better than expected with Avie, then the Counsel comes after them. Now the hunters have become the hunted.
Review:
The Hunted is the second book in a series called The Hunters Saga by Heidi Angell; however, it can be read as a standalone. I found The Hunted to be an interesting take on werewolves, and I loved reading a story that was very different from the other werewolf – themed novels that I have read. The werewolves in this novel were rugged and exciting, and they made me fall in love with this mythology all over again!
The world that Angell has created is original and vibrant, and I enjoyed her descriptions of her characters and the setting of her story. It was clear to me that she made sure not to include any filler in her novel, and it was because of this that her story was enjoyable to read. I have read another series by Angell, and I have to say that I like The Hunters Saga even more because I can see how she has grown as an author. My only critique is that some parts of this novel were too wordy, but they didn’t deter from my enjoyment of the story.
But my favorite part about The Hunters was how diverse Angell’s cast of characters was. Fury ended up being my favorite character because of how feisty her character was, and she was not painted as a damsel in distress. She knew how to hold her own, and she was not afraid of offending others or abiding by their rules. It was also nice to find a female werewolf character that was not present just to be eye candy. Each character that Angell created had depth, and I loved being able to peel back their layers as the story went along. The Hunted was not merely a werewolf story, but a story that examined how we all have to come to terms with who we are eventually. It explores the human condition in a way that confronts insecurities and traumas that many of us go through on a daily basis. I love how Angell imported these real world details into her fantasy world, and it showed me how well she understands people and how or why they act the way that they do. The Hunted is perfect for anyone who feels like an outsider, and I have found that reading The Hunted has helped me to feel less alone.
If you are looking for an original take on the werewolf mythology with a real world tie in, you will be overjoyed to discover The Hunted.
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
March 10, 2017
Literary Vacation Club – April Theme Announcement
Hello, Everyone!
Tired of waiting for your Hogwarts acceptance letter?
Now you don’t have to!
Let Literary Vacation Club take you to Hogwarts through all 5 of your senses!
I am happy to announce our April box theme at Literary Vacation Club! April’s box is going to be very special because the theme is “DESTINATION – HOGWARTS”, and we will be sending you to Hogwarts through our exclusive reading experience! You will be receiving Harry Potter items to tantalize all 5 senses, and the books that we will be sending out include themes similar to the Harry Potter series! This is going to be a one of a kind box that cannot be found elsewhere, and all of the items are going to be exclusive to our box.
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Orders are now open for our April box, and they can be purchased here!
Use code “WELCOME 10” for 10% off of your first box!
Much love,
Ashley
March 9, 2017
Only 3 Spots Left!
Hello, Everyone!
Today is the last day to order our Norse Mythology box at Literary Vacation Club! Our March box is going to be all about the Norse gods and Lord of the Rings, which was heavily influenced by Norse Mythology. We only have 3 SPOTS LEFT, and once they are gone, no more of these boxes will be available!
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This box will also feature the wonderful work of S.T. Bende, author of the Elsker series. This is one of the most original series that I have read in a long time, and I love how much research went into her work.
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Use code WELCOME10 to receive 10% off of your first box, and we can’t wait to share this mythical box with you!
SHOP NOW
