Constance Burris's Blog, page 8

Book Dedication: Book of Phoenix by Nnedi Okorafor

I don't usually pay much attention to book dedication pages, but I'm going to steal a page from +Kathryn Trattner book dedication series and post the dedication from Book of Phoenix that I absolutely loved. Stay Tuned for a Review of the book coming soon.







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That Writer Life: June 2015

Things are happening (Coal has an official release date of July 25 and it can be pre-ordered here).  Stuff is coming together (My next book Black Beauty will be released in September) and it feels awesome.
MoneyMy bank account is suffering. I’m hoping my available cash will last long enough to get everything edited, published, and looking good until I can start seeing a return on my investment.
I am broke, so the fire under my butt has stopped me from worrying so much about being perfect. It's spurring me on to work smarter. I've learned. I've spent. Now I have to buckle down and be more efficient.
For anyone that's read my blog for a while, you know I'm semi-obsessed about budgeting and money. But to self-publish and to do it right, I had to let go of the purse strings. For the most part, the best way for me to learn is by making mistakes AND mistakes cost money. Lots of mistakes have been made.  Lots of money has been spent. But finally Coal is coming (Did I post the pre-order. if not, you can buy it here) and now it's time for me to be efficient. The second novel, Black Beauty, will only cost a fraction of what Coal cost to publish. I also think Black Beauty has the potential to appeal to a broader, less serviced niche. So it'll have the potential to make enough money to cover production costs from Coal and itself. ::Fingers crossed::
A good support systemIt's amazing how far you can go with the support of friends and family and a little extra time.  I have to give a shoutout to my husband. He has been holding it down at home so that I can spend most of my spare time writing.
A writer must readIf you haven't noticed, I've been doing regular book reviews, so I've been reading more. Being constantly immersed in a book, has helped me stay in writer mode for editing Black Beauty. Certain parts of the novel have even begun to sound poetic. 
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Did I tell you, Coal is available for the pre-order price of $1.99 on Amazon?

That Writer Life: May 2015

Things are happening (Coal has an official release date of July 25 and it can be pre-ordered here).  Stuff is coming together (My next book Black Beauty will be released in September) and it feels awesome.
MoneyMy bank account is suffering. I’m hoping my available cash will last long enough to get everything edited, published, and looking good until I can start seeing a return on my investment.
I am broke, so the fire under my butt has stopped me from worrying so much about being perfect. It's spurring me on to work smarter. I've learned. I've spent. Now I have to buckle down and be more efficient.
For anyone that's read my blog for a while, you know I'm semi-obsessed about budgeting and money. But to self-publish and to do it right, I had to let go of the purse strings. For the most part, the best way for me to learn is by making mistakes AND mistakes cost money. Lots of mistakes have been made.  Lots of money has been spent. But finally Coal is coming (Did I post the pre-order. if not, you can buy it here) and now it's time for me to be efficient. The second novel, Black Beauty, will only cost a fraction of what Coal cost to publish. I also think Black Beauty has the potential to appeal to a broader, less serviced niche. So it'll have the potential to make enough money to cover production costs from Coal and itself. ::Fingers crossed::
A good support systemIt's amazing how far you can go with the support of friends and family and a little extra time.  I have to give a shoutout to my husband. He has been holding it down at home so that I can spend most of my spare time writing.
A writer must readIf you haven't noticed, I've been doing regular book reviews, so I've been reading more. Being constantly immersed in a book, has helped me stay in writer mode for editing Black Beauty. Certain parts of the novel have even begun to sound poetic. 
----
Did I tell you, Coal is available for the pre-order price of $1.99 on Amazon?

Saturday Scenes: Coal Scene 7

Previous Scenes:

Chapter One, Scene 1, Chapter One, Scene 2Chapter One, Scene 3Chapter One, Scene 4
Chapter One, Scene 5Chapter Two, Scene 6
Saturday Scenes... The last chapter ended with the "Forbidden Kiss." So now let's see what happened..... 
---------
One kiss couldn’t hurt, right? Chalcedony thought as she kissed him, but then she lost herself.
He placed his hand in her hair and the sensation sent tingles through her body.
“Princess!” someone shouted from behind. Chalcedony leaped off Coal. A royal guard stood a few feet away with his sword drawn.
“Are you okay, Princess?” the guard asked, looking from Chalcedony to Coal.
Bren, she remembered. One of Madoc’s favorites. He had ash-blonde hair with tawny-colored skin. Disgust and anger emanated from his pitch-black eyes.
Coal stepped slowly in front of Chalcedony. She wanted to tell him to stop. Bren was more likely to hurt Coal than her, but she didn’t want to take her focus away from the guard. She placed her hand on the hilt of the second knife she wore underneath her shirt. “What are you doing here?” she asked, looking over Coal’s shoulder.
“I was sent to patrol the forest.” His hands shook, but he never lowered his sword.
“Are you going to attack me?” she asked with a haughty toss of her hair, hoping to draw his attention away from Coal. Bren flicked his gaze towards his weapon before he lowered it.
“I’m sorry, Princess. Of course, I would never hurt you.”
Chalcedony relaxed, released the knife, and stepped out from behind Coal. “Since when do we patrol the forest?” she asked.
This forest hid the door to the human realm, but it was not guarded. Only a select few were supposed to know it existed. Patrolling would only attract attention. Instead, an invisible barrier that prevented anyone from entering without permission protected the forest.
“Um,” Bren stuttered, his eyes lowered.
“Madoc sent you, didn’t he?”
“He … um, I was sent to patrol the door,” Bren answered. She closed the space between the two of them.
“Look at me,” she ordered. He met her gaze. “Are you lying to me?”
“No, Princess. I was assigned to patrol the forest today. I didn’t know you would be here.”She studied him, searching for a lie. She was not a mind reader, but Tetrick had taught her to look past a fey’s surface to recognize emotions and truth. Chalcedony saw fear, embarrassment, and disappointment, but there was no indication of a lie. Perhaps Madoc had set him up.
“Leave my forest before I have you banished for spying on me,” Chalcedony ordered.
“Princess, I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t know you would be here,” Bren said, shaking.
“Leave now!”
“Yes, Princess.”
He placed his sword in its sheath and stalked away. Once Bren disappeared between the trees, she walked towards the bridge.
“Are you alright?” Coal reached for her arm, but she flinched and moved away.
If she wanted Coal to live, she could never let him touch her again.  ***Coal followed her over the bridge. “Shouldn’t we talk about what happened?”
“No. I shouldn’t have done that.”
He was about to argue with her, but everything was different, wrong. The air became denser, making it harder for Coal to breathe. The trees, the grass, and even the sun were less vivid. It was as if he was looking through a smudged window.
“Chaley, where are we?”
Chalcedony met his gaze. “We’re in the human realm.”
“I didn’t see any door.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “If it could be seen, everyone would know where it was.”He turned in a slow circle, drinking in all he saw. The tree’s brown bark was dull and washed out. The green leaves were watered down and muted. The grass cracked and moaned underneath his feet as if it were dying of thirst.
He had never stopped to listen to the everyday sounds of life; they’d always been in the background. But the singing and harmony of the forest had disappeared. This silence made him feel alone and lonely. As if something was missing.
The human realm, Coal decided, was a weak, lifeless version of the fey realm.
“Chalcedony, stop. I don’t understand. How did we get here?”
She looked as if she was debating over telling him the truth, before she spoke. “Few fey or humans know this. You have to keep it secret.”
“By now you know you can trust me,” Coal said.
She scanned the forest as if she was scared someone would over hear her. Satisfied they were alone, she said, “During the war, humans and fey decided to separate themselves so that we couldn’t destroy each other.”
“I’m not stupid. I know that part.” His anxiousness over the new environment was giving away to agitation.
“They also created portals to connect the two realms, because, in spite of all the war and death, complete separation seemed unfathomable. Also, giants are humans. Every now and then a giant will have a normal human child, and they wanted to be able to take those children to the human realm if they needed to.”
“Ambassador Eli said giants weren’t humans.”
“It’s just not common knowledge. Giants used to give birth to humans on a normal basis, but now that humans and giants don’t interact as much, it’s rare.”
“Why haven’t I heard of the portal before?”
“Because if everyone knew, the human realm would be overrun with rogue fey,” Chalcedony said.He decided on another random question. “Why does the air smell so different?”
“Their technology pollutes the air.” Chalcedony walked through the forest.
The ground was littered with broken tree branches that snapped underneath her feet. Coal marveled. He was in the human realm, his birthplace. Despite his curiosity and excitement, the image of the two of them kissing kept replaying in his mind. As he followed behind her, he wondered when it would happen again.
“Wait.” She stopped so abruptly that he almost bumped into her.
She pulled a pouch from the pocket of her pants, placed her hand inside of it. Her fingers came out of the bag covered in a multihued powder. She recited a few words before she placed it in her mouth. Slowly, her long, sharp canine teeth widened and shortened. They lost their edge and became flat. Her slim pointed ears curved. Her large red eyes dimmed and turned black. She had changed into a human. For a moment, Coal did not recognize the person standing in front of him. Then his vision adjusted as if it was adapting to the dark, and he saw past the illusion. She had swallowed glamour. Humans would look at Chalcedony and see the false image. For him, it was transparent, merely an overlay, barely hiding her true features.
“I’ll be glad when I can change my teeth and ears. Tetrick says I should be able to do it soon. Then I won’t have to use glamour every time I come here. Do I look human enough?” she asked.
“Yes,” he answered. “But it’s not as if I’ve seen many.”
“Oh, right.” Chalcedony rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, let’s go look at some humans.” She held out her hand. “We haven’t gotten to the fun part yet.”
He stared at her hand for a moment before he grabbed it and let her pull him out of the forest.Cars. He remembered them from his childhood. 
Red, yellow, blue, green, black. They sped by one after the other, leaving metallic fumes in their wake. Then he remembered other things, forgotten memories of concrete, laughing and running, and a woman’s touch—soft and tender.
“Stay close.” Chalcedony’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. “Are you okay?” she asked, staring at him intently.
He tried to put what he saw into words, but the memories were gone just as quickly as they’d appeared. “I’m fine.” He looked around in an attempt to anchor himself. They were waiting for what he knew was a streetlight.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“A coffee shop,” Chalcedony said. “It’s not far.”
When the cars stopped, he followed Chalcedony across the street. As they walked, Coal studied the people’s faces. Most avoided eye contact but some stared directly at him and smiled.
“We’re here.” She stopped at a building with a sign that read “Ground Beans.” “It’s a coffee shop. I figured this would be a nice place to sit and relax.”
Coal shrugged, noting the hesitation in her voice. “This is your adventure. I’m just along for the ride.”
She stood a little straighter, and he followed her into the shop. Coal sat in one of the wooden chairs next to a window while Chalcedony ordered. The noonday sun beamed through the windows and the smell of coffee and baked bread permeated the air. Chalcedony brought him coffee and a cream-filled pastry. For the second time that day, he was reminded how he hadn’t had breakfast. He ate the pastry in three quick bites. He’d expected for it to be bland like the dull colors of the human realm, but it tasted sweet and flavorful.
“I never get to do anything like this.” Chalcedony bit into her pastry, chewed, and then swallowed. “I hunt rogue fey and then we immediately go back home.” She leaned back and smiled as the sunlight danced on her face.
“Why did you bring me here?” he asked.
Chalcedony stared out of the window at the crowded street. “I wanted to show you this. Most of the people here are college students. Look at how easy they live and how happy they are. They’re a few years older than us, but they have no responsibilities. Their only job is to go to school. That’s it.”Coal noticed half of the people in the shop had devices in front of their faces and wires connected to their ears. They didn’t look happy. They spoke in high, grating voices, a sharp contrast to the husky and almost guttural sounds he had grown used to in the fey realm.
“I dream about running away and living here—maybe just the two of us,” Chalcedony added.
“Why can’t we?” Coal asked. He liked living around magic and being in the fey realm, but if living in the human realm meant that he would be able to be with Chalcedony, then he would do it a thousand times over. He reached out to touch her hand, but she pulled away.
“Too many of my fey would die while Tetrick’s mother and Queen Isis fought over Everleaf.”
“Why can’t you just leave everything to Madoc?” Coal asked, trying to hide his embarrassment at her rejection.
“No male shall rule. You know that. The other queens have only left me alone because it’s against the law to rage war against a queenling. Besides, my mother made it clear before she died that my duty would always be to rule and protect Everleaf. I’ve never had an option and neither will my oldest daughter. I’m cursed to reign just as Madoc is cursed to serve.”
“Hi,” squeaked a small child wearing a pink dress and a tiara. Surprised, Coal and Chalcedony stared at the child, speechless.
“Hi,” Chalcedony said, the first to recover.
“Are you a fairy princess?” the girl asked.
Chalcedony laughed nervously. “Why?”
“Because you have pointy ears. I’m a princess, too.” The girl tapped her tiara and swung her waist-length jet-black hair from side to side. “I’m not a fairy, though. Are you?”
Chalcedony glanced briefly at Coal.
“What’s your name?”
“Elizabeth. I’m six.” The girl smiled, showing a large gap where her two front teeth should’ve been. “Where did you come from?”
“I am from the land of the fey,” Chalcedony said with a low mischievous tone.
“Fey like a fairy?” Elizabeth’s eyes were wide with joy. “Can I go there with you?”
“Elizabeth!” Someone shouted from across the shop. A woman, an exact copy of Elizabeth only taller and plumper, walked towards them. Behind her sat a baby strapped in a high chair banging a piece of bread against a plate.
“Momma, look. She’s a fairy. See. She has pointy ears,” Elizabeth said when the woman reached their table.
“She does not have pointy ears,” her mother said with a strained smile before she faced Chalcedony.
“I’m so sorry. She says some of the most incredible things sometimes.”
Chalcedony said, “That’s alright. She’s not bothering us.”
“Let’s go, Lizzy.” The woman pulled Elizabeth towards the table where the baby sat.
Chalcedony spun towards Coal. Her eyes glowed with elation. “I’ve been to the human realm dozens of times. I’ve never met another human besides you who saw through glamour. Never!” 
--
How are you enjoying the Coal. Are you anxious to read the entire story. Well I'm looking for a few reviewers who are willing to post a review of COAL on its release day (July 25th). If so, you'll get a free ecopy of the first book and the sequel due for a January 2016 release. Hit me up at  conb1977 at gmail dot com if interested. 

Book Review: KALEIDOSCOPE: Diverse YA Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories

Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fiction and Fantasy StoriesAmazon Blurb:
What do a disabled superhero, a time-traveling Chinese-American figure skater, and a transgender animal shifter have in common? They’re all stars of Kaleidoscope stories! 

Kaleidoscope collects fun, edgy, meditative, and hopeful YA science fiction and fantasy with diverse leads. These twenty original stories tell of scary futures, magical adventures, and the joys and heartbreaks of teenage life.


Diversity: 5+. Basically, the diversity is off the chartsRecommended: Hell Yeah! If you are an author wondering why diversity is such a big deal and how you can incorporate diverse characters and themes into their stories, this is the book for you.

Kaleidoscope is a virtual smorgasbord of diversity spiced with great fantasy and science fiction stories. These are stories simple enough for kids but complex for any adult.

In the books I've read, I've been a white male, a white woman, a black man, and I am black woman, but in Kaleidoscope I was in a wheel chair, autistic, OCD, a young gay dude having to endure aversion therapy, and a young girl born without a hand. Kaleidoscope blew open my universe.
“Celebration” by Sean Eads: A facility for gay teens gets invaded by aliens. Loved it.“Vanilla” by Dirk Flinthart: A wonderful story that touched my heart.  This story alone makes it worth the price of the complete book. It deals with the intersection between real aliens and a Somali-Australian, teenage pregnancy, and polygamous relationships. “Careful Magic” by Karen Healey: I teared up at the end of this story because it was so good. It reminded me of +Katie Cross  Miss Mabel's School For Girls because it was filled with witchy teenagers.“Chupacabra’s Song” by Jim Hines: I have never read anything from Jim Hines.  I am going to have to check  him out now.  Seriously.“Kiss and Kiss and Kiss and Tell” by E. C. Myers:  Well Written with sex. I like a little sex with my sci-fi. “Happy Go Lucky” by Garth Nix: A society split into lucky and unlucky citizens. It had a dark-skinned protag has two dads. I'm a new fan of Garth Nix now. I wish this had been a novel.“Cookie Cutter Superhero” by Tansy Rayner Roberts: The opening story. It blew my mind. The main character has a nub instead of a hand and is chosen to be a superhero. (Read Furiosa from Fury Road)“Walkdog” by Sofia Samatar: It started out really weird. But then the storytelling grew on me. I cried at the end.“The Lovely Duckling” by Tim Susman: Written through emails and it reminded me of The Park by Voss Foster. Good read. Two words: Gender bending.

It's currently $9.95 at Amazon, but it's definitely worth the price. 


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Sexy Beasts: Mad Max Fury Road Edition

I finally saw Fury Road. Loved it with all of it's  craziness. But of course, my shallow self loved the opportunity to see Cherlize Theron


Because not only is she a sexy beast, she's a fierce actress.
Remember when she totally stole the movie from Kirsten Stewart and that other guy in Snow White and the Huntsman. 
Image Source
And when she almost got her freak on with Edris Elba in Prometheus. You know Prometheus was a work of fiction because there was no way I would ever tell her no. 
Source ImageAnd then we have that time she was in Monster. And she looked good even when she looked like a meth head. 
Image SourceOkay she didn't really look good, but she was still fierce. 

Next up we have Nicholas Hoult. Who was the white, pastey bad guy turned good.  

Image SourceI had been on the fence about his sexiness because of Jack and the Giant Slayer, but then he made me have the feels in Warm Bodies and I had to give the guy credit for making zombies sexy. 
Image SourceHe also did a decent job as being a sexy beast in X-Men First Class
Image SourceOne last thing. His eyes.... Those eyes though.

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Happy Memorial Day

From WikipediaMemorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces.[1] The holiday, which is observed every year on the last Monday of May,[2] was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who died while in the military service.[1] It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.With that said... Happy Memorial Day. 

Cover Reveal and Saturday Scenes Chapter Two: Scene 6

As you all know, I've been through a few covers for Coal because a great cover can a big difference in snagging new readers. Well I've found the one. So I interrupt the next section of Coal to reveal the new fabulous cover. 
For another bonus, Coal is available for pre-orders on Amazon!!! Woohoo!!! Happy Dance.  Get your copy today because after July 25 the price will increase.

Without further delay, here is Chapter Two of Coal:



On horseback, Coal followed Chalcedony away from Legacy, through the town square and into the royal forest. After a few miles, they came upon a lake.
“We can leave the horses here. We have to walk the rest of the way.” She bent down and put her hands in the water. “Remember this place?” 
“Yeah.” The sound of waves falling onto the shore mingled with the chirping of the birds and created a melody that made Coal feel like they were the only people left in the world. “We used to get in so much trouble for using your portal to come here to swim.”
“Well, we’re a little bit ahead of schedule. Do you want to go swimming?”
“We didn’t bring any swim clothes.”
She gave Coal a wicked grin. “Never stopped us before.”
“That was a long time ago.” Coal glanced nervously at Chalcedony’s chest before he quickly averted his eyes. “We’ve changed since then.”Chalcedony tilted her head to the side. “We haven’t changed that much.” She walked towards the lake and took off her clothes. At least she was wearing underwear. “You’re trying to get me killed aren’t you? What if Madoc is watching?”
“Don’t worry about Madoc. He promised he’d let me do anything I wanted today. And right now this is what I want to do.”
It had been a while since he’d been swimming, Coal thought, as he stripped down to his underclothes and followed her into the water.
***
After being picked up and thrown into the water more times than she counted, Chalcedony ran out of the lake and sat on the grass. It had been a while since she’d done anything merely for fun, and she was glad Coal had warmed up to the idea of going to the human realm. The rift that had been growing between them over the past few months had finally closed.
Coal left the lake and sprinted towards her. She was seventeen, one year older than Coal, and until recently she’d always towered over him. Her growth had slowed and she would look this way for the next fifty years. But Coal continued to grow, and surprisingly he’d caught up to her.
His ebony skin glistened in the midmorning sun as he stood above her. “You give up?” He laughed, one dimple forming on each cheek.
Madoc’s rule number eight: never admit defeat. So she changed the subject. “One of your braids has come undone.” Chalcedony sat up and patted her lap. “Come here. I’ll re-braid it.”
He appeared as if he was going to refuse but sat down and laid his damp head on her lap anyway. She undid the rest of the braid before passing her fingers through his thick hair to remove any kinks. Then she grabbed a small section and separated it into three before she began. “It took you forever and a day to learn how to braid. You were the worst student,” Chalcedony said as she worked.
“I didn’t want to learn. I liked it better when you did it.”
“You have gotten better, though.”
“I didn’t have a choice. You’ve been too busy to do it,” Coal said.
“Madoc thinks it’s beneath me to braid my own hair. He most definitely didn’t like it when I braided yours.”
Coal tensed beneath her fingers at the mention of Madoc, so she changed the subject. “I love how your hair makes a halo around your head. For years, I tried to get my hair to match yours. But it’s only darker, not curlier.”
“Mmm,” he murmured, sounding content and halfway asleep.
She couldn’t blame him for being suspicious about this trip. He’d been correct. She was supposed to leave him in the human realm. Agreeing to leave Coal behind was the only way she could get Madoc’s approval to bring him along with her. Her coronation was in two weeks and she needed to relax. Coal was the only person she relaxed with because he was the only person who didn’t expect her to be perfect. Lying to her advisor wasn’t something she did often, but there was only so much arguing she could do.
Coal’s even breathing told her he’d fallen asleep. She’d forgotten how having his hair braided lulled him to sleep—once she’d learned how to avoid painful tangles.She bent down and whispered in his ear. “I’m finished, Coal.”
He turned his head, but he didn’t open his eyes. She placed her hand on his forehead and studied his delicate lips, wondering if they were as soft as they seemed. She forced the thought out of her head and stood, causing Coal’s head to drop from her lap and fall onto the ground.
“Ouch.” He patted the side of his head. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry.” Chalcedony staggered towards her clothes before she dressed. “We need to go. It’s getting late.”
Kissing Coal was the last thing she needed to be thinking about. She stared ahead, avoiding Coal’s gaze. Everything’s complicated enough.***“What’s wrong, Chaley?” Coal asked. Her relaxed, playful mood had vanished. What had happened while he slept? What had startled her?
“Nothing’s wrong,” Chalcedony insisted. “We just need to hurry.”
“Which way?” Coal asked, happy to be off the horse and traveling by foot. His butt and inner thighs were beginning to chafe from the saddle.
Chalcedony pointed to a bridge about a mile away through a small opening between the trees. “It’s just over the bridge. I’ll race you.”
She sprinted away before he answered. Relieved she had cheered up, Coal didn’t think to run after her until she had already left.
Halfway to the bridge, his legs burned and begged for him to stop. But instead of slowing, his pride pushed him faster and closer to Chalcedony. She twisted her head and grimaced when she saw him nearing. Chalcedony hated to lose. Elves were natural runners and predators, unlike humans, but he’d been running with Chalcedony and other elves for as long as he’d been here. He’d never won, but it never stopped him from trying.
He broke through the trees and into a clearing. The bridge was only a few feet away. With fewer trees, he was able to run fast enough to pass Chalcedony.
Looking to the side, he saw she was half a step behind him. He glanced back towards the bridge, just before colliding into it.
Chalcedony was on the bridge a fraction of a second later.
“I beat you,” he gasped. “For the first time, I beat you.”
“You nearly killed yourself trying to do it.” She stood next to him, steady and calm. A thin layer of sweat prickled the skin above her top lip, but she wasn’t breathing nearly as hard as him.
“I still beat you.”
Chalcedony stepped behind him with a knife at his throat before he thought to move or defend himself.
“If we were fighting, you would have won a battle but lost the war. You no longer have any strength to combat me.” The metal was cold and sharp against his neck.
Coal sobered, his breath finally under control. “Is that what you think?”
She let the knife prick his skin. “Yes.”
He grabbed Chalcedony’s wrist and twisted it, making her drop the knife. Then he pushed her onto the grass. “Hasn’t Tetrick taught you not to underestimate your enemy?” he asked, standing above her, feeling cocky and triumphant. Chalcedony swung her legs at Coal’s ankles and he fell on his back. She rolled onto him, laughing and straddling him with her knees. Her long, dark hair hung over the side of her face.
“Are we enemies?”
“Madoc says everyone is your enemy,” Coal answered.
“Is he right?” she asked. “Are you my enemy?”
Coal lifted himself onto his elbows and gazed into her eyes. “Chaley, I would die for you.”
She bent down and touched her lips to his. She tasted salty, but the kiss was sweet, and it awakened a hunger that had been brewing for longer than he wanted to acknowledge.

Book Review: DAUGHTER OF GODS AND SHADOWS by Jayde Brooks

Daughter of Gods and Shadows (<--Amazon Affiliate Link)
by Jayde Brooks
Amazon Excerpt:
Eden Reid is not interested in prophesy. The problem is that a doozy of a prophesy is bearing down on her. Such is the case when you're a twenty-four-year-old from Brooklyn, New York who is about to discover she is an ancient god. A truly powerful one. And with power comes problems. A truly formidable demon is gunning for her; a zombie-like pandemic is spreading across the country, creating creatures who are hungry for flesh, fast on their feet and clever; and there is the mysterious, handsome stranger with powers of his own who claims to have been her lover from a time and a life that Eden cannot remember. He promises to help awaken her powers for the upcoming war. A war where there is only one prize: survival…in Daughter of Gods and Shadows from debut author Jayde Brooks.


Do I recommend it: Yes, but it is a slow read.Diversity: 5Characters: 5Story: 4 (minus 1 for the zombies)
No Shame to My Game.  I bought this book solely based on the book cover. I kinda wish I had bought a hardcover so that I could frame the cover and place it over my desk.
This is what I wrote before I finished the book: Because I bought it for its cover, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that I didn't like it. I found it hard to connect with any of the characters. In fact, I wasn't even going to finish the book. But I decided it had fey and black people. And since Coal has fey and black people I forced myself to finish. And OHEMGEE. I'm so glad I did. I ended up loving it! Absolutely loving it.
What I liked:
The unique twist on fey. Y'all know I'm all about fey.Her descriptions of the troll Andromeda. I really hope Book 2 will focus on her.Lilith the succubus who haunts everyone's dreams. Khale the Shapeshifter. I also heart shapeshifters and Coal has shapeshifters. Khale would make Octavia Butler cheese with pride.A great fight at the end with a silverbacked gorillaThe seer twins Ursa Major and Ursa MinorKifo the DjinnThe theme: How sometimes we have to become evil to defeat itWhat I didn't like:
The zombies. I'm tired of zombie books and there was nothing in Daughter of Gods and Shadows to change my mind.  Thankfully, they were gone by the end of the book.The cliche bad guy who felt he was born to rule and do bad, bad things.The convenient soul mate for the main character. UGH. I wanted them to work harder for their relationship. But I think I just have a grudge against uncomplicated love. The main character, Eden.  I never connected with her. But Andromeda, Kofi, and Khale, I heart.Neutral
More sex than I was used to. It felt out of place at first, but it became less jarring at the end. If you love fey and urban fantasy, you will love Daughter of Gods and Shadows by the end. I can't wait for Book 2. 

What It's Like To Be Intersex

If your interest was piqued with the book review of None of the Above, you will like the following video.