Rebirth (Divinity's Twilight #1) by Christopher Russell #booktour #bookrevew & #giveaway (US)

 

Divinity’s Twilight: Rebirth by Christopher Russell

Published: June 2, 2020

Genre: Fantasy

Age Group: Adult

Pages: 498

A world consumed by war . . .

 An ancient evil resurrected . . .

 A millennia old bargain comes due . . .

 When two blades clash, the third will fall, and the fate of all will be jeopardized. To save Lozaria, the failures of the past must be atoned for by a new generation of heroes. The time has come for mortals to cast off sight and, in doing so, truly come to see . . .

 Victory is never absolute.

 Seven centuries ago, the forces of order won the Illyriite War on the plains of Har’muth. Darmatus and Rabban Aurelian slew their elder brother, Sarcon, the despotic architect of the conflict, then sacrificed themselves to banish the cataclysmic vortex opened with his dying breath. The first advent of the Oblivion Well was thwarted. Even without their vanished gods, the seven races of Lozaria proved themselves capable of safeguarding their world.

 Or so the story goes.

The year is now 697 A.B.H (After the Battle of Har’muth). Though war itself remains much the same, the weapons with which it is waged have evolved. Airships bearing powerful cannons ply the skies, reducing the influence of mages and their spells. Long range communication has brought far flung regions of Lozaria closer than ever before. At the center of this technological revolution are the three Terran states of Darmatia, Rabban, and Sarconia, who have fought a near ceaseless campaign of 700 years in an attempt to best each other. The roots of their enmity lie buried beneath the wasteland of Har’muth, a place all three nations consider best forgotten.

 However, an ancient power sealed within Har’muth has not forgotten them, and the descendants of those who fought on that field must now take a stand to rectify the mistakes of the past.

 

Review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

100% spoiler free

"Time passes, but the actors and their actions are merely replayed from age to age."

The story opens up and we are thrown into an ongoing war, between two brothers and their allies against a third brother. This all takes place 697 years before the events of the story happen. It sets the stage while giving us a history of a of the power and destruction of said third brother. 

Fast forward to the present time and the land of Lozaria is still at war, the states/kingdoms of Darmatia, Rabban, and Sarconia named for the three brothers, at the center. 

Rebirth is the first book in a epic fantasy series Divinity's Twilight by debut author Christopher Russell. It is the start of what will be a much longer story arc. Like many epic fantasy's the first book is the info dump. The world building, the character introduction and magic systems while the plot is being set up to follow us through out the rest of the books. 

This particular book is mix of the traditional epic fantasy and science fiction, more so steampunkish. From fly airships, to the magetec. With a lot of attention on war.

There is a large cast of characters, that once we get finished with the prologue we get introduced to. I have some favorites. Spunky Sylette, fearful Matteo and egotistical Vallen to name a few.

I really like the different magic systems in this book, from sensory to weapon shifting. 

The over all story kept my attention, I'm so very interested to know more. But I can't lie I found my mind drifting during some of the battle scenes, which made me place the book down for a moment. And by me saying this has zero reflection of the book it's self, because there are others who probably loved each moment. I personally think they could have been cut a little shorter, the prologue alone was longer then most. With that being said, it was well written and you can tell that the author put a lot of time and heart into this story, which is a great story with the potential to be an even greater series. Which is precisely why I kept on picking it back up.  For me, and I'm just speaking about me, this is a book that needs to be savored, like a fine wine not sucked back like shot of whiskey.  

If I was to compare Rebirth to another author, it would be Mr. Brandon Sanderson. I also savor his books to. So Christopher Russel you're in good company. 

Added it to Goodreads

&

Buy it here Amazon

Meet the Author

Christopher Russell (native of Williamsburg, VA) is a 27-year-old mechanical and aerospace engineer (graduate of the University of Virginia) who has loved reading since the day he picked up a book and writing since he could scrawl his first letters. After voraciously consuming titles from every genre—ranging from Star Wars to Lord of the Rings—he decided to combine the expertise from his professional education, passions, and Christian faith into a fantasy epic bridging the gap between magic and science. He currently resides in Charlottesville, Virginia, with his loyal dog, Vallen, named after the protagonist of his first work. For behind-the-scenes information on all of Christopher Russell’s works, visit christopherrussellauthor.com

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A Ritual of Flesh Cover Reveal Blitz #coverreveal

A Ritual of Flesh by Lee C Conley

      Series: The Dead Sagas (#2)

Published: October 2020

Genre: Dark Fantasy/Horror

Age Group: Adult

As evil ravages the north and the dead walk, all eyes fall to Arn… The apprentice journeys south, home to the College, unaware of the dark events that transpired in the High Passes after his departure. His leg in ruins, and haunted by watching shadows, the College council in Arn awaits him, but he does not travel south alone.

 Arnulf and his warriors must travel to Arn also, with tidings for the king of the risen dead and the terrible curse which has destroyed all that he knew. Arnulf seeks vengeance upon the College, but must choose wisely if he is to save his son.

 Meanwhile in the west, Bjorn and his strange Wildman companion report back to High Lord Archeon at Oldstones with grim news of cannibal Stonemen encroaching from the Barrens, but is embroiled in news of war and invasion as Archeon requests his service once more.

 In the capital sickness awaits them all, Nym has fled to the city and must now continue her struggle for survival on the plague ridden streets of Arn, keeping all who she cares for safe from the halls of Old Night.

 The many threads of this Saga converge on the city of Arn, but amid plague, invasion and terror, a greater darkness is looming. Dark forces are seeking to unleash evil upon Arnar, honour and renown is all, and sword, axe and shield is all that stands between the living and the grasping hands of the dead.

               Cover art: Andrey Vasilchenko                              Cover design and layout: Lee C Conley

Pre-Order your copy today!

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Meet Lee C Conley

Lee is a musician and writer in Lincolnshire, UK. He lives with his wife, Laura, and daughters, Luna, and Anya, in the historic cathedral city of Lincoln. Alongside a lifetime of playing guitar and immersing himself in the study of music and history, Lee is also a practitioner and instructor of historic martial arts and swordsmanship. After writing his successful advanced guitar theory textbook The Guitar Teachers Grimoire, Lee turns his hand to writing fiction. Lee is now studying a degree in creative writing and working on his debut fantasy series The Dead Sagas as well as also generally writing speculative fiction and horror.

 

If anyone would like to sign up for occasional (once or twice a year) email of news and updates on Lee’s work, with the occasional competition or giveaway too, please sign yourselves up to Lee’s mailing list. 

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The Skald's Black Verse (Dreadbound Ode #1) by Jordan Loyal Short #booktour #bookreview

 

     The Skald’s Black Verse by Jordan Loyal Short

Published: November 6, 2018

Re-Released: August 6, 2020

Genre: Epic Grimdark Fantasy

Age Group: Adult

Pages: 330

When a soldier’s murder sparks rebellion in the tiny village of Skolja, Brohr’s past marks him as the prime suspect. Haunted by his brother’s ghost, and drawn into a web of dark pacts and tangled loyalties, Brohr must choose between the path of vengeance set before him, and a chance to forge his own fate.

 From the shadows, an all but extinct race of alien demigods have begun the end game of their millennia-spanning war, and one has chosen Brohr for his closing gambit.

But Brohr’s grandfather harbors a dark secret that will change everything.

 Above it all, a dread portent looms in the sky, spelling the death of Brohr’s world. With doom spiraling toward them, Brohr must lead an unlikely rebellion, unearth disturbing family secrets, and tame the raging ghost that haunts him. Can Brohr lead his people out of darkness, or will he succumb to his own terrifying bloodlust, and destroy the very people he has sworn to save?

Review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Brohr has always been shunned and hated, an outcast. His very existence the result of his mother's rape. Living with his grandfather in their village hoping to get away with one person who he thought loved him but after an incident in which she see's his rage, something that Brohr hoped to never reveal. A month lapses and he discovers that she's now with another at the Tavern, things go from bad to worse. Resulting in Brohr have too much to drink and ending the night in a fight at the docks. All while a comet is streaking across the sky, which sets so many things in motion and his life is never the same again.

This novel might not be everyone's horn of mead, it is brutal at parts, but if you enjoy your fantasy on the darker side then you are in for a treat with The Skald's Black Verse. There is a lot happening in this novel. A blend of science fiction and fantasy, black magic, Norse mythos and interplanetary race who have conquered and oppressed.

Secrets and truths, sinister beings. 

Well written, fast paced with a wide cast of characters. A fantastic debut novel from author Jordan Loyal Short, looking forward to book 2. 

Goodreads/Amazon

Jordan Loyal Short is a debut author of epic fantasy. His first novel, The Skald’s Black Verse, is a dark and beautiful story about families, cultures, and beliefs at war with themselves. The protagonist, Brohr, must navigate the tangled loyalties and unforgiving biases of a planet conquered by invaders from another world. Using black magic, and the bizarre bond he shares with his stillborn brother’s spirit, Brohr unravels the truth about himself and an eon spanning war that has reached its end game. Jordan has worked in a variety of industries, as a waiter, bartender, copywriter and more. He lives in Washington state with his wife where he is currently daydreaming about the end of the world

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The Lost Sentinel by Suzanne Rogerson #booktour #bookreview

 

The Lost Sentinel by Suzanne Rogerson

Published: June 16, 2017

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Age Group: Adult

Pages: 363

Blurb:

The magical island of Kalaya is dying, along with its Sentinel.

 The Assembly controls Kalaya. Originally set up to govern, they now persecute those with magic and exile them to the Turrak Mountains.

 Tei, a tailor’s daughter, has always hidden her magic but when her father’s old friend visits and warns them to flee to the mountains she must leave her old life behind.

On the journey, an attack leaves her father mortally wounded. He entrusts her into the care of the exiles and on his deathbed makes a shocking confession.

 Tei joins the exiles search for the new Sentinel – the only person capable of restoring the fading magic. But mysterious Masked Riders are hunting the Sentinel too, and time, as well as hope, is running out.

 Against mounting odds it will take friendship, heartache and sacrifice to succeed, but is Tei willing to risk everything to save the island magic?

 Follow Tei’s journey through the magical land of Kalaya and the Astral Plane in The Lost Sentinel – Book 1 in the Silent Sea Chronicles.

What Reviewers are saying:

 ‘…this story bowled me over, it was an absolutely outstanding epic fantasy and the kind of writing fantasy authors should be aspiring to.’

 ‘…Suzanne Rogerson can certainly make you forget time… A super start to what is going to be a sensational story, just make sure you are part of it from the beginning’

 ‘THE LOST SENTINEL contains plenty of action, intrigue, and challenges throughout, making this a thrilling fantasy adventure… it whisked me away to someplace magical, alluring, and dangerous

Review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The island of Kalaya has a magic in it's land. There are those who live there that feel that connection and because of this also share in this magic. They are the mystics and the protectors. But not all that dwell on the island feel this connection, the non magic folk of the land are becoming more and more fearful of magic and it's users, this is due to the Assembly. A group of men who feel magic is poison and because of this those who are connected to Kalaya are living in fear hiding their magic or becoming exiled from their homes. If not they are hanged. 

The land is vast with many towns and villages, farm lands and sea ports. And in the mountain range there is the village of Turrak, the land that is the home of the mystics and their protectors and deep with in the mountain there lies the Sentinel, he is old and nearing passing. It is he who helps keep the magic of Kalaya alive. 

Tei and her father after a mysterious older man pays them, specifically her father, a visit have to flee the the Seatown village in which they live in the dead of night because word of that the Assembly is coming. He has always told her to hide her abilities, her magic. Unsure of why she has to abandon her home, friends and the life she has, her father explains to her they they are now exiles, to head to the mountains, to the village of Turrak, his home land. 

It is in Turrak that she discovers that the hope and future rests with her, for it is she who will have to find the new Sentinel, before the others do. Time is running out.

The Last Sentinel is an Epic fantasy filled with a wide range of characters, which  is told from multiple points of view. Each story line connected to the other, in twinging as you go deeper. 

I found this book to be well written, very plot and character driven, with fantastic world building. It didn't leave me lacking or wanting. Looking forward to continuing on with Silent Sea Chronicles and what ever else Suzanne Rogerson writes in the future. She is an author to keep yours eyes on. 

Book Links:

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Box Set Information

 Tei has magic in a world where people like her are persecuted and forced into exile. Whilst fleeing their home, her father is attacked and his deathbed confession reveals a dangerous secret that will change her life forever.

Tei’s homeland, the magical island of Kalaya, is dying and without a Sentinel to restore the magic, it's only a matter of time before all life is wiped out.

 She must join the exiles in the search for the lost Sentinel, but they are not the only ones after the missing guardian. Sinister Masked Riders are on their trail and time is running out.

 Tei must risk everything she loves to save Kalaya, but is she ready to make that sacrifice?

 1396 pages of magic, adventure and intrigue.

 This epic fantasy box set contains:

The Lost Sentinel - Book 1

The Sentinel’s Reign - Book 2

The Sentinel’s Alliance - Book 3

Goodreads/Amazon

About the Author:

Suzanne lives in Middlesex, England with her husband, two children and a crazy puppy.

 

Her writing journey began at the age of twelve when she completed her first novel. She discovered the fantasy genre in her late teens and has never looked back. Giving up work to raise a family gave Suzanne the impetus to take her attempts at novel writing beyond the first draft, and she is lucky enough to have a husband who supports her dream – even if he does occasionally hint that she might think about getting a proper job one day.

 

Now an author of four novels including the recently completed Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy and a Czech translation of her debut, Visions of Zarua, Suzanne hopes the dreaded ‘W’ word will never rear its ugly head again!

 

She loves gardening and has a Hebe (shrub) fetish. She enjoys cooking with ingredients from the garden and regularly feeds unsuspecting guests vegetable-based cakes.

 

Suzanne collects books, is interested in history and enjoys wandering around castles and old ruins whilst being immersed in the past. She likes to combine her love of nature and photography on family walks, but most of all she loves to escape with a great film, binge watch TV shows, or soak in a hot bubble bath with an ice cream and a book.

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#booktour: Girl With Three Eyes by Priya Ardis #bookreview + #giveaway (Int)

Girl With Three Eyes
Priya Ardis
Publication date: September 22nd, 2020
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

She would hate her third eye less if it actually gave her special powers. When her secret is threatened, she may be the only one who can save the kingdom.

Sixteen-year-old Kira puts on a show about having empathic abilities, but she miraculously wakes a highborn boy from a coma after a near-fatal accident on mountainous slopes. When his father threatens to expose her “magic” to the queen unless she attends the kingdom’s most elite academy as a bodyguard.

Soon, she’s immersed in a strange new life—one of being a simple student trying out for the school’s skyboarding team. Her fake life becomes the life she’s always wanted, but Kira cannot escape who she truly is. And as a sinister foe lurks closer than she suspects…

Will she risk her freedom to develop the vision to unmask a killer before the crown falls?

Girl with Three Eyes is a young adult fantasy series. If you like strong female protagonists, futuristic fairy tales, and epic tournaments, then you’ll love Priya Ardis’s heart-racing adventure.

Goodreads / Amazon

Review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kira Shine is a 16 year old girl with a gift. She has a third eye, but a literal third eye in the middle of her forehead. But with this comes abilities that she her self does not even realize, mainly due to the fact that her drunkard of a father likes to exploit her eye for his own gain. 

They are a low born family, and it is just the two of them, Kira's mother dying when she was so small she hardly remembers her. They live in a small northern village, where her father likes to uses her and her eye by tricking the people in the village who come to them for mental healing.

After an eventful day Skyboarding, and a less then eventful one working her shift at the tavern she goes home to work the latest "healing" job her father has lined up for her. Little does she realize that this job will change her life permanently. Whisking her away into the world of the high born, going to school with the children of generals and royalty.  All while hiding her eye, her gift, who she really is, what she's really there for. Trying to figure out a mystery and save the kingdom.

The Girl With Three Eyes is the start of a new Young Adult Fantasy series from the author Priya Ardis, coming September 22nd

I can not wait for book 2!!!

Fans of Harry Potter, will enjoy this. 

Author Bio:

Priya Ardis writes Blood&Treasure fantasy romances which include coming of age, bad boys, globe-trotting, and a spoonful of sassy banter.

She loves books of all kinds–but especially the ones that ensnare you and let your chai go cold. Her novels come from a childhood of playing too much She-Ra and watching too much Spock. She started her first book at sixteen, writing in notebooks on long train rides during a hot summer vacation. Her favorite Arthurian is the Lady of Shalott by Lord Tennyson.

What does she like to read? Books with fantasy and magic with a cool heroine that’s really just the girl/boy next door. Books with all the feels. And, hello, Mr. Darcy anyone?

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#coverreveal The Seeker’s Shadow (Shadows of Wonderland, #1) by Isadora Brown

The Seeker’s Shadow
Isadora Brown
(Shadows of Wonderland, #1)
Publication date: September 28th 2020
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

When twenty-three-year-old Alice Wynter discovers there’s a chance the wrong man was sent to prison for her best friend’s murder, she’s forced to investigate. Considering she’s the only unmagicked being in the small town of Wonderland, this is much easier said than done.

All magic has been eradicated from Wonderland after the Mad Mage was banished twenty-four years ago. But some still lingers, dormant and ready to fall into the appropriate hands.

Twenty-three-year-old Alice Wynter, daughter of the chief of police, can’t wait until she can get out of Wonderland. As the only person in the entire town who doesn’t have magic, she’s never felt as though she belonged. It doesn’t help that her best friend was murdered a year ago.

When Rumpelstiltskin himself asks her for a favor, she can’t refuse. However, she soon realizes he thinks the man convicted for her best friend’s murder is actually innocent. Alice isn’t sure she wants to entertain that idea, considering the fact that her father was the officer who arrested him and the reason he was promoted to Chief of Police so quickly.

In order to obtain justice for her friend, Alice must look at the clues with an open mind to the truth. Bodies are meant to stay buried but ghosts live on – until their restless spirits are finally given peace.

With the grittiness and mystery of Riverdale and the magic and romance of Once Upon A Time, The Seeker’s Shadow is a captivating urban fantasy mystery readers are sure to be enchanted by!

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Author Bio:

Isadora Brown loves all things dark, dangerous, and deadly. Things that go bump in the night and send shivers down backs are things she adores. She loves (and writes) sexy, forbidden romance, usually with some bite and a hint of magic. She is the author of The Vampire Pirate Saga, The Dark Paradise Trilogy, The Academy of the Peculiars Series, and The Neverland Trilogy. You can find her work on Amazon and keep up with her by signing up for her newsletter here: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5ec2c6f0ab4990002661873b

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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins #bookreview

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Suzanne Collins

⭐⭐⭐⭐(3.5 more like it but I can't half them)

So I finished this last night. I didn't hate it.

When I first started, I had to set it down for a moment because I was going into this novel with the wrong thoughts. I knew it had mixed reviews and that there are some who hated it. I kept myself free from the reviews because I didn't want another persons thoughts to cloud mine.

Also I had mixed thoughts going in because why Snow?
Why did this guy need a back story of all the characters that Suzanne Collins could have picked to have a back story about why of all people this dbag?

So I took a breath and talked to myself. In doing so I was like, 'okay Carrie pretend you never read The Hunger Games pretend you know nothing and go into this. Pretend you have no idea who Snow is and treat it like it's new.'

So I did.

And well I liked the book, I love a backstory. I love reading why a person is the way they are. What events took place for them to become the person we see now/they turned out to be.

I don't like Snow but I understand him more now.
Did I really need to understand him?
No.
Could there still have been a better character to write about?
Yes.

That all being said, this book was not terrible. We have good characters we also have some evil sick ones. I enjoyed seeing the hunger games before they became what we know them to be and more about why they exist in the first place.

Also Lucy Gray is a ray of sunshine and this is my Lucy Gray


Was this a necessary book to have been written?
Nope.
Was it a enjoyable companion novel to the trilogy?
Yes.
Do I want more in this world?
Of course.

View all my reviews

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#authorcrush....

I loved this book. I love gothic literature and this was a fantastic modern gothic. It reminded me of the old gothic paperbacks I bought at used bookstores when I was younger.
(I've been drawn to idea of the gothic, that beauty in darkness since I was a small child, that and fantasy) But yes the used bookstore would have a bunch from the 60/70s for like .25 cents or so and I would by bag full (I wish I still had them) And Mexican Gothic has captured that same feeling.

It is creepy and atmospheric. With just the right amount of mystery. Like I said at the start, author crush. Slivia Moreno-Garcia has earned her spot in my favorites. I look forward to lining my shelves with her words.