Deborah Jay's Blog, page 65

#0.99c #Sale – DESPRITE MEASURES, a unique eco #UrbanFantasy

I know most of you have seen or read this book, but for newcomers to my weird and wonderful world of fantasy – welcome, and please do grab a copy of DESPRITE MEASURES – the Caledonian Sprite series #1 while it’s on sale – only until the 28th of December.

Blurb

On the surface she’s a cute and feisty blonde; a slender pocket rocket fitness coach. But Cassiopeia Lake has a secret; she’s really a force of nature – an elemental.

Water sprite, Cassie, has lived undisturbed in her native Scottish loch for eons. Now, one encounter too many with modern plumbing has driven her to live in human guise along with her selkie boyfriend, Euan. It’s all going fine – until a nerdy magician captures Cassie to be an unwilling component in his crazy dangerous experiment.

Escape is only Cassie’s first challenge.

She’s smitten by her fellow prisoner, the scorching hot fire elemental, Gloria. But how do you love someone you can never touch?

And what do you do when your boyfriend starts to hero-worship your persecutor? Not to mention that tricky situation of being the prize in a power contest between two rival covens of witches.

So when Gloria’s temper erupts and she sets out to murder the magician, can Cassie keep her loved ones safe from the cross-fire, or will she be sucked into the maelstrom of deadly desires and sink without trace?

Available on AMAZON

Want to know more?

Desprite Measures has a pretty unusual enhancement – live links embedded in the text where, with the right reader, you can access photographs and information about the real locations featured in the book.

If you don’t have that type of reader, you can find a whole page of location photos here

And if you find reviews help you to make decisions, you can find a selection here – all genuine!

Even better

If you want to check out my writing first, or you love the book and want more, just sign up for my infrequent newsletter here, and I will send you a FREE Caledonian Sprite short story. Just tell me in the info box which format you want, mobi, epub or PDF, and it will appear in your inbox like magic.

What more could you want?

Oh, actually, there is a little bit more! Visit this page on my blog, and at the bottom you will find a little extra…

#FilmReview – STAR WARS, THE FORCE AWAKENS

I’ve seen it!

SO now I thought I’d share my thoughts, and I promise not to spoil it for those of you who haven’t yet.

Is it a great film?

It’s a good film, riveting enough that I didn’t notice time passing (always a good indicator), though for me it fell short of being great.

Why?

Because the bottom line is, The Force Awakens is an extremely good remake of A New Hope.

I can’t blame Lucas for it – he’s taken all that was great about the original film and done it again. Same starting point with just a few minor adjustments: the galaxy is now nominally ruled by the Republic, but the military force of the First Order – which looks no different at all from the old Empire (white clad stormtroopers, officers in black, a masked user of the dark side, etc. etc.) – thinks its about time to take over, and the good old revolutionaries are still out there, fighting against impossible odds – sound familiar?

Although we have new central characters, most of the old guard are still there. The plot is really no different, nor are many of the key scenes (including the cantina – yay!), which are so faithfully recreated, they impart a sense of deja vu.

The First Order are hunting a droid carrying a vital message, there’s a central character discovering a previously unknown ability to harness the force, and the death of a major player. Again, familiar anyone?

Does this spoil it? Well, not really, if you’re looking for pure entertainment, although I would have appreciated a few more surprises.

The best part?

The humour! There are some laugh aloud moments, alongside many small smiles.

The villain has major anger management issues, which leads to some laughs, and some of the banter is just terrific fun.

The general dialogue is considerably better than the somewhat strained stuff in Episodes 1 – 3. And better yet – despite rumours, Jar Jar Binks isn’t in it! (sorry if that’s a spoiler – hopefully a welcome one). Oh, and C3PO is limited to a small number of scenes, so his annoying gaffes aren’t too over-powering this time around.

Oddities

Carrie Fisher seems to have lost the use of her jaws – she speaks through her teeth without moving her mouth – just plain weird.

And the new villain, who has a rather shocking identity, has the most bouffant hair I’ve seen outside of a movie set in the 70s – what’s that all about? He looks like a young Professor Snape with big hair. How do they get it all under his helmet???

Would I see it again?

Undoubtedly, though I won’t be dashing back to see it like, oh, the fifteen times I saw the original. I’ll probably wait for the DVD.

Any of you seen it yet? What did you think?

#Review & #Giveaway – AETHER PSYCHICS series by Cecilia Dominic #Steampunk

Welcome to my tour stop for the Aether Psychics Series by Cecilia Dominic! The tour runs December 14-18 with reviews of both Eros Element and Light Fantastique.  This is a New Adult Steampunk with a sweet romance. Check out the tour page for more information and the full schedule.

About Eros Element by Cecilia Dominic

Series Name: Aether Psychics

ISBN13: 978-1-61923-000-2

Length: 90k

Genre: PAW: Steampunk, H: 19th Century

Theme: Steampunk, Beta Hero, Suspense Elements, International, Psychics

Publication Date: August 25th 2015

If love is the ivy, secrets are the poison.

Aether Psychics, Book 1

After enduring heartbreak at the hands of a dishonest woman, Edward Bailey lives according to scientific principles of structure and predictability. Just the thought of stepping outside his strict routine raises his anxiety.

Adding to his discomfort is Iris McTavish, who appears at his school’s faculty meeting in place of her world-famous archeologist father. Worse, the two of them are to pose as Grand Tourists while they search for an element that will help harness the power of aether. 

Iris jumps at the opportunity to prove her worth as a scholar—and avoid an unwanted marriage proposal—while hiding the truth of her father’s whereabouts. If her secret gets out, the house of McTavish will fall into ruin.

Quite unexpectedly, Edward and Iris discover a growing attraction as their journey takes them to Paris and Rome, where betrayal, blackmail and outright theft threaten to destroy what could be a revolutionary discovery—and break their hearts.

 

Warning: Allergen alert! This book was produced in a facility that handles copious amounts of wine, tea and baked goods. May contain one or more of the following: a spirited heroine, a quirky hero, clever banter, interesting facts both made-up and historical, and lots of secrets. It is, however, gluten free.

 
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My Review

Eros Element by Cecilia Dominic

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Iris McTavish is a woman in a pickle: she’s intelligent and independent in an era where neither is considered a desirable trait in a woman. She’s also in the embarrassing and stressful position of being nearly destitute after receiving the news that her famous father, archaeologist Professor McTavish, has died abroad and hence no more income will arrive to keep the household running.

So what should a girl do? Well, as no one else knows of the professor’s demise, and there is a well paid job awaiting his return, Iris makes the bold move of accepting the position, masquerading as his assistant. This also allows her to flee abroad to escape the unwanted advances of the odious Lord Jeremy Scott, who is intent of marrying her as a means of getting at her father’s as-yet unpublished work.

And then there is Edward. Professor of Aetherics, Edward Bailey is a martyr to his routines. Nothing upsets his stomach more than a meal at the wrong time, or thought of anything that might drag him away from his precise daily schedule of experimentation. Naturally, when he receives the summons to take part in this insane foreign adventure, he abhors the very notion. Unfortunately for him, the only way he can keep his University department afloat is to join the expedition.

This first novel in the Aether Psychics series is a rollicking good read, with twists and turns, blackmail and espionage, murder and romance, with a set of fully developed characters with surprises up almost everyone’s sleeves. There is advanced steam and clockwork technology, psychic abilities, and the mysterious element of Aether, which has the potential to become a source of clean energy – if only they can isolate and stabilise it.

Ms Dominic employs perfect language choices throughout, both in terms of sentence construction and vocabulary, to evoke the Victorianesque setting of this exceptional steampunk tale. My only small hiccup with the novel was in the viewpoint shifts which, although fairly clear from the writing, would have benefitted from some sort of physical separation within the text – a blank line or an asterisk would be sufficient.

The ending seemed a little rushed, but the results were eminently satisfying, and I very much look forward to seeing how the remaining mysteries pan out in the second book.

View all my reviews

 

About Light Fantastique (Aether Psychics #2) by Cecilia Dominic

Digital ISBN13: 978-1-61923-329-4 

Print ISBN13: 978-1-61923-218-1

Length: 90k

Categories: PAW: Steampunk, H: 19th Century

Publication Date: December 15th 2015

At the Théâtre Bohème, danger decides who takes the final curtain call.

Aether Psychics, Book 2

Hailed as the most talented actress of her generation, Marie St. Jean has something more to her ability than mere talent. She loses a bit of her soul to each role. When the ghostly spirit of the theatre promises her an easy fix, she’s tempted by the chance to finally live a normal life.

Unfortunately, the man she’s drawn to is the last one to settle for normal. But with the Prussians surrounding Paris, there’s no escaping that temptation, either.

Violinist Johann Bledsoe thought he’d left his disgrace in England, but a murder outside the Théâtre Bohème makes him wonder if he’s been exposed. Another reason not to stick around once the siege ends, even if Marie fascinates him.

More murders, steam-powered ravens, and past and present secrets bring them closer to discovering just what lurks within the theatre, and who threatens from without. The only way to save themselves is to reveal their darkest shames—and use the Eros Element in a way that has already driven one man to the brink of madness.

 

Warning:  Processed in a facility where wine is used as currency and dessert is a reward. If you dislike French cooking and attitudes, move along. Things are cooking in this book, and it ain’t Julia Child.

Amazon | B&N | Google Books | Kobo | Samhain Publishing
About the Author:

 

Cecilia Dominic wrote her first story when she was two years old and has always had a much more interesting life inside her head than outside of it. She became a clinical psychologist because she’s fascinated by people and their stories, but she couldn’t stop writing fiction. The first draft of her dissertation, while not fiction, was still criticized by her major professor for being written in too entertaining a style. She made it through graduate school and got her PhD, started her own practice, and by day, she helps people cure their insomnia without using medication. By night, she blogs about wine and writes fiction she hopes will keep her readers turning the pages all night. Yes, she recognizes the conflict of interest between her two careers, so she writes and blogs under a pen name.  She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with one husband and two cats, which, she’s been told, is a good number of each. She also enjoys putting her psychological expertise to good use helping other authors through her Characters on the Couch blog post series.

You can find her at:

Web page | Wine blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest |Instagram: @randomoenophile
 
To buy her books, you can get them in trade paper and all ebook formats from Samhain Publishing.
***

GIVEAWAY:
$25 Amazon or B&N gift card (INT)
Ends Dec. 23rd
Prizing is provided by the author, hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.
 

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Book Blast & #giveaway – BLOOD BOUND by Sharon Stevenson #UrbanFantasy #BloodBlast @chettsgenie

19-year-old twin demon trackers Shaun and Sarah Gallows are used to running into trouble…



Publication Date: September 2012
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Gallows #1

Blood Bound is the bestselling Scottish urban fantasy novel that combines a breakneck plotline with flawed characters and a wicked sense of humour. “It’s a read that grips you from the beginning, and keeps you enthralled until the very end.” – Ashley, Fae Books

19-year-old twin demon trackers Shaun and Sarah Gallows are used to running into trouble – mostly the kind with fangs – but while Sarah embraces her powers to their fullest extent, trusting her instincts implicitly, Shaun distances himself from his abilities and can do little more than despair at his sister’s reckless nature and idly back her up.

When they come across 17-year-old Melissa Carling, a demon tracker who’s been torturing innocent super-naturals, they know they have to stop her. Sarah is desperate to punish Melissa for what she’s been doing but Shaun’s instant attraction to the girl points to a soul-mate bond stronger than anything he’s ever had to fight before…

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Excerpt 

Sarah’s enhanced sight marked out the maker’s resting spot by the time she was half-way down the rickety staircase. The coffin was cheap veneer painted black, probably a Halloween party prop or part of a hokey magician’s repertoire. Snorting, she spared a glance around the musty room. The stacked boxes and old appliances weren’t hiding any threat. Passing them by, she headed for the coffin, raising the stake.“Could you have picked a worse cliché?” She wondered, kicking the lid off the box. The roar of the skyward-flung flame sent her stumbling back into the wall. The coffin was just another trap. She felt the drip of something liquid on her head and she held in a breath, moving to the side but not fast enough to stop the rest of the canisters contents from hitting her upper half. “Shit!” She looked at the tipped over oil can on its lever above. The flickering flames rising from the coffin began to consume the wooden box. Suddenly those stacked cardboard boxes held the threat of death. Taking a breath, she moved to the bottom of the stairs. “Shaun! The hell are you doing up there?”

“Is that fire?” He came running.

She held out a hand to stop him before he got too close. “Watch! Don’t bump into me. I’m pretty sure whatever just soaked me was flammable.”

“Why in the hell would a vampire set death traps like this?” His voice was rising.

She sighed, still sensing the maker in the room. There was only one last thing big enough to hold him and potentially prevent the fire from consuming him along with any intruders. The freezer wouldn’t be reachable once the flames started to spread.

“The freezer,” Sarah said, pointing it out. She put her hand over her mouth and nose.

“I’m on it.” Shaun moved towards it, stake in his hand.

Her hand shook. She didn’t need to say it. Any more traps and they were toast, extra crispy.

Sharon Stevenson is the twisted mind behind The Gallows Novels and the brand new After Death Series.  If you want to know a bit about her, here it is:  She spends too much time indoors and probably watches too many horror films.  Some of her favourite things are; Alone time, people who know when to shut up, having a drink, eating pizza (usually after having too much drink the night before), reading books, adult swim cartoons, bad horror and sci-fi movies, proper good TV shows like Dexter & The Walking Dead, and last but not least having a laugh with her hilarious other half – this would usually include some of the above.

Website  |  Facebook  | Twitter | GoodReads

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The Prince’s Man by Deborah Jay

Loving this new review of The Prince’s Man from a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team – thanks Jessie :D

Behind the Willows

Solid.

This book was solid.

Solid in the sense that it was, and I quote from dictionary.com, havingrelativefirmness,coherenceofparticles,orpersistenceofform, asmatterthatisnotliquidorgaseous. 

This newly created world is firm, there are no gaps or jumps of reasoning. One creature, idea, magic or bit of history flows right into the next. Characters that appear substantial at the beginning of the book do nothing but grow and evolve as their backstory unfolds behind them.

This is solidly written fantasy tale.

It was also solid in the, and now I quote form urban dictionary, cool or awesome aspect.  .

In this land people play a deadly game that involves lots of spying. Of course along with spying goes the lying. And that’s where the awesome part came in because more than once, just as the main character figured out some sort of mystery…

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#BookReview – BLEAK by Ian Martyn #SF novelette

I previously reviewed another of Ian Martyn’s SF novels, PROJECT NOAH, and enjoyed it, so when he asked me if I would review this novelette, I was more than happy to squeeze it into my schedule.

It’s a prequel for a full length novel, and sets the scene very competently, while being a complete story in its own right. Here’s the blurb for the full length book:

Bleak – The story of a shapeshifter

 ‘Manipulent human clones, Shapeshifers, are an abomination, unless…

In putting put down the rebellion the Confederation used the ultimate spies.  Creating, against all conventions on the use of human clones, manipulents, shapeshifters.  However, in peace time their existence is a career ending embarrassment for many.   So now they must be eliminated.  After months on the run, one of their creations, Bleak, is cornered in the Grand East Ground Hub of Metrakis’s main space port.  Until that is, a desperate Catrinas Pekrov of the Confederation intelligence Unit decides she might have a use for his particular talents after all.’

Bleak’s circumstances and programing give him little choice, involving him in a plot that will threaten the stability and future of the newly united Confederation.’

Amazon link: Bleak – The story of a shapeshifter.

Smashwords link: Bleak – The story of a shapeshifter

And here is my review of the prequel:

Bleak: The First Mission by Ian Martyn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

‘Bleak’ is the name of the central character, not the outlook of this 10,000 word novelette, a prequel to the ‘Bleak’ series. Having said that, Bleak’s potential for having a future is less than stellar.

As a modified clone – and here’s the twist on SF/fantasy – Bleak is a shape shifter, with a scientific rationale behind his ability. His transformation isn’t instant – I loved the fact that he had to eat tons to gain the extra height and weight of one of his assumed personas – and it isn’t approved of by society. Bleak’s very existence is, in fact, an embarrassment to the military, which uses his talents to infiltrate key targets.

This novelette details Bleak’s first mission, before the war is won, and before he discovers that being an embarrassment can quickly become a fatal condition. The story held no real surprises, but it was well written and easy to follow, and I will be interested to see where the series takes us now that Bleak is a hunted fugitive.

View all my reviews

In the case of both PROJECT NOAH, and BLEAK, I actually want to give 4 1/2 stars, but no one will let me! It was only the lack of surprises that kept my rating down that bit, and in neither case did that detract from a great read.

Book Blast & #Giveaway – AL-KABAR by @AuthorLeeFrench #fantasy #AlKabarBlast

One fell night, the whims of powerful men strip her life to nothing…



Publication Date: September 19, 2015
Genre: Fantasy
Series: A Novel of Ilauris

Fakhira is a simple woman with simple wants and needs. She expects her life to be the same as her older sister’s and the same as her mother’s. Though their marriages aren’t strictly by choice, they manage to make their relationships with their husbands work. They raise children. They laugh and cook and manage their men.

Except that’s not how Fakhira’s story goes. One fell night, the whims of powerful men strip her life to nothing. She survives the attack, but can she survive what the Fires and the Water demand of her? Can she rise above the pain of loss to find purpose, a calling, and justice, or will she sink into despair and seek only revenge?

Joan of Arc meets Arabian Nights in a fantasy world.

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Lee French lives in Olympia, WA, and is the author of several books. She is an avid gamer and active member of the Myth-Weavers online RPG community, where she is known for her fondness for Angry Ninja Squirrels of Doom. In addition to spending much time there, she also trains year-round for the one-week of glorious madness that is RAGBRAI, has a nice flower garden with one dragon and absolutely no lawn gnomes, and tries in vain every year to grow vegetables that don’t get devoured by neighborhood wildlife.



She is an active member of the Northwest Independent Writer’s Association and serves as the Municipal Liaison for the Olympia region of NaNoWriMo.

Website  |  Facebook  | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

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#FilmReview – SPECTRE – #JamesBond

I don’t often review films, but for those of you that know anything about me – an author with a debut novel logline of ‘James Bond meets Lord of the Rings’ (The Prince’s Man) – you might have realised that I’m a Bond fan.

So I thought I’d share my feelings about the latest in the long-running series – SPECTRE is #24.

In case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the trailer.

It does an excellent job of summarising the film.

Once again, Bond is operating outside of his remit. He’s seen some things that have triggered warning bells inside his head, and he’s determined to follow them up. Despite being ordered not to.

This is usually when we see the best of the superspy, and this time is no exception. New management and the threat of moth-balling the ’00’ section, not to mention MI6. Apparently these spooks are obsolete; it’s all about cyber-terrorism and surveillance – sound scarily possible to anyone else?

So Bond takes it upon himself to investigate, with the (slightly) reluctant assistance of Moneypenny and Q, who support him remotely at the risk of their own jobs. The story takes a personal turn when James identifies the arch villain, and head of SPECTRE (an acronym of Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion) as the foster brother he grew up with after he was orphaned. Believed dead for many years, now it looks like he faked his own death and murdered the father-figure James adored.

This is being hailed in the media as ‘the best James Bond ever’. Now I wouldn’t go that far. It certainly lives up to expectations for a Bond film: spectacular settings, high-octane car chases, beautiful women, a rich evil megalomaniac villain, Bond at odds with authority, Bond being tortured, murky spy stuff and lots of death. It also to good effect turns a couple of the regular tropes on their heads – in this film the impossible, unstoppable and highly improbable chase has Bond in the driving seat instead of being the one chased, he gets saved by the girl, and (spoiler alert) he finally quits his job and walks away with the girl. The fact that she’s the daughter of an assassin and can really handle herself helps.

Oh, and it was good to see ‘M’ getting involved too, rather than just sitting behind his desk.

Best Bond ever? Not for me. I’m really enjoying the re-invention of Bond, and while I would struggle to pick a favourite from the classics (probably Octopussy, even though Roger Moore is one of my least favourite Bonds), of the new generation I still rate SKYFALL as a touch better than SPECTRE. Perhaps that’s because of the Scottish connection? (I would love that, wouldn’t I). Daniel Craig isn’t my favourite Bond, but he does deliver the role well, so I forgive him for not being as appealing to look at as some of his predecessors – more realistic spy material, I guess.

But there’s no question SPECTRE delivers. If you’re a Bond fan, you won’t want to miss it.

Favourite line from SPECTRE: from Q to Bond about the original Aston Martin that was resurrected in SKYFALL – “When I said bring it back in one piece, I didn’t mean bring back one piece’.
Favourite Bond: the original, Sean Connery can’t really be beaten.
Favourite Bond (for eye-candy): Pierce Brosnan.
Favourite Bond girl: Agent XXX from ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ – Barbara Bach (Barbara Starkey) only on the grounds that we are on first name terms and chat occasionally.
Favourite Bond car: that original Aston Martin with all the cool gadgets. The Aston Martin in SPECTRE is cool, but half the gadgets don’t work – Bond ‘borrowed’ it a bit too soon.

Are you a James Bond fan? Which Bond is your favourite?

#ScottishHighlands – Glen Cannich, our last day. For now…

And so to wrap up the autumn holiday jaunt…

Having taken you with us to visit Plodda Falls and Tomich, we STILL managed to squeeze a little more into this wonderful day: a drive down Glen Cannich, which is one glen over from Glen Affric

Once again, apologies for the speed of my panning – I really will learn to take it more slowly!

Just blissful views

and then the staggering sight of man’s intervention

That’s one hell of a wall, isn’t it?

And so, to the other side…

And looking the opposite way, down Loch Mullardoch

On the right of this picture, near the top of the near hill, you might just make out a little structure. Curious, as I didn’t remember seeing it there before, I just had to go take a look, and this is what I found.

Et voila, for any Chisholms out there, here is your Stone

And so to the final trek home, back along the length of this beautiful, wild glen. I’d been keeping an ear open (it’s rutting season for the red deer), but today was all quiet. I was just a tad disappointed, as I’ve never been down this glen without seeing some wildlife, when, here he was, standing just off the road!

These guys don’t quite count as wildlife, but they do illustrate a passage from Desprite Measures where Cassie worries about being driven at speed on the Highland roads, because when the signs say ‘Animals on the road’, they really mean it!

To close, a wonderful view of the patchwork effect that autumn introduces to the forest

Don’t you all just wish you’d been there too?

Let me know if you ever get to visit – I can tell you all the best places to go :-)

 

 

#BookReview Tour – THE PHOENIX BORN (A Dance of Dragons #3) by Kaitlyn Davis #fantasy #dragons

From bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis comes the final book in the thrilling A Dance of Dragons series—perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Graceling, and Game of Thrones!

For the first time in a thousand years, the fire dragon has been awakened and Rhen is its rider. But after destroying the armies that threatened the city of Rayfort, Rhen is shown a vision in flames that changes everything. The shadow’s phantom armies are coming and the dragons are the only things that might stop them.

High in the castle at the top of the Gates, Jinji has learned something of her own. Janu, her long lost twin, is alive. And just as the spirit shares her body, the shadow shares his. In the blink of an eye, her quest for vengeance against the evil that killed her family has changed to one of protection. Because she knows that if Rhen learns the truth he will do what she cannot—end the shadow and end her brother in the process.

As the shadow grows more aggressive, Jinji and Rhen fight to find the rest of the dragon riders. But with time running out, they are forced to face the impossible decision between honor and love. Alliances are formed, promises are broken, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance…

 My Review

The Phoenix Born by Kaitlyn Davis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the last book in this series, and I almost didn’t want to read it too fast, so that I wouldn’t have to let go of these wonderful, 3-dimensional characters I’ve grown to know and love over the course of the earlier books, and the excellent set of novellas that go with them (but are not essential to understanding the central plot).

For me, books need to be all about character. Unusual concepts and stories may carry me along, but nothing grips me more than great characterisation, and these books abound with that. Davis has such a way of involving you so deeply with the unique people that fill her books that I won’t hesitate to read more of her work.

As she did in the first that I read, the novella ‘The Golden Cage’ (see my review here), she dragged me along almost against my will, in the full knowledge that all the disasters these poor characters were trying to prevent would, inevitably, come about no matter how much you wished for them not to. This book is full of anguish and pain, but also love and passion, and you can’t help but keep starting the next chapter, even when you’ve promised yourself that you really will turn off the light and go to sleep.

She adroitly captures the way that in crises, the human mind swings between the two extremes, of total confidence that things will work out, and the unshakeable knowledge that disaster is imminent. Impossible choices abound and, right up to the very end, as the morality of the spirit and the shadow become more blurred, I was kept guessing as to how this story could possibly resolve without turning into a tragedy. Which, let me assure you, it doesn’t.

For all fans of character-driven fantasy, looking for that special book with characters who are a little bit different, I can’t recommend this series highly enough.

Oh, and did I mention it has dragons? Well, it does – yay!

View all my reviews

Purchase links:                     Amazon    B&N     iTunes    Google Play     Kobo    Smashwords

If you haven’t yet dipped your toe into this series, the starter bundle is FREE!

Includes the prequel novella, The Golden Cage, and the first full-length novel, The Shadow Soul.

 An ancient evil awakens.

Three unlikely heroes rise.

An age of myth is reborn.

RAVE REVIEWS for The A Dance of Dragons Series

“Gorgeous writing (spellbinding is a word that fits well here), creative and unique world and characters that steal your heart away, this is an unbelievably fantastic beginning to what is sure to be a new favorite series. I’m so eager for more!” – Candace’s Book Blog

“The writing is flawless. The story and plot line, and plot twists, had me captivated and enamored for the first words. I couldn’t put this book down for anything, and I absolutely cannot wait for book two…It’s an amazing start to a new series that is going to have people of all ages wanting so much more.” – Happy Tails and Tales

“One word to describe this book: intense! Everything from the battles, to the secrets, to the descriptions of the characters and scenery, are all incredibly intense. This book had me biting my nails, stomach tided in knots, and completely entranced til the last word.” – Desert Rose Reviews

“Mind. BLOWN. Do you know that one book that made you love a certain genre again because it was so amazingly & beautifully written?? Well, The Golden Cage is the book that made me realize how good Fantasy can be.” – Spiced Latte Reads

“The Shadow Soul was positively transportive, left me feeling refreshed, and renewed my faith in symbolism, imagery, and the importance of world building and cultural preservation…If you want to set out on a journey, read this.” – We Do Write

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About the Author

Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie.

Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she’s not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found indulging in some puppy videos, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her–about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general–you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com

To stay up-to-date with all of Kaitlyn’s new releases, sign up for her new release newsletter here: TinyLetter.com/KaitlynDavisBooks

Author Links:

Website      Facebook      Twitter      Tumblr     Wattpad      Pinterest     Youtube     Goodreads     Amazon

Here’s a great little snapshot of Kaitlyn’s Pinterest inspiration board for the series

Excerpt – The Phoenix Born – Chapter 10

Jinji stopped him by grabbing his cheeks and pulling his face against hers, kissing him urgently. Rhen tried to pull away, to understand why she wasn’t thrilled by the news, but her hands traveled to the back of his neck, grip tight, and he couldn’t break her hold. Her lips moved fast against his, pleading with him silently. Everything about her was desperately trying to hold on to the moment, to stop time, as though she were drowning and the air from his lungs was the only thing that might save her, as though he were her tether to life.

Rhen wanted to give in. More than anything, he wanted to melt beneath her touch and forget the world, to kiss her until the sun rose the next morning, and even then maybe not stop. He could so easily get lost in the fire of her touch, the silkiness of her skin.

But he couldn’t let himself.

The woman he loved was in pain.

Her kiss wasn’t full of passion. It was full of dread. Rhen sensed the dark taste on his tongue.

“Jin,” he mumbled against her lips.

But she didn’t stop.

Rhen reached back, unlatching her fingers, pulling her forcibly away from him, finding her eyes. “Jin?”

And with that word, she couldn’t avoid what was in her heart any longer. A tear rolled down her cheek, and she gave in, collapsing against him as her body racked with sobs. The moans came from a dark place within her, ripping their way up her throat, making him wince at the sound.

Rhen wanted to demand answers.

He wanted to force her to explain, to let him in, to tell him what had her so distraught.

But he didn’t.

He just held her, kissing her forehead and rubbing her back. Not questioning. Not demanding. There would be time for answers later. Right now, Jinji needed a shoulder to cry on and nothing more. He gave that to her, embracing her until sleep claimed them both.

******

And a map – who doesn’t love a good map?