tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53662642688858366202024-03-27T04:08:01.084-02:30I Can Has Books?Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.comBlogger412125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-78352125036794478962023-07-30T10:29:00.002-02:302023-07-30T10:29:50.684-02:30Book promo: Craving Beauty by Jennifer Silverwood.<div align="center"><a href="http://www.lolasblogtours.net/blog-tour-craving-beauty-by-jennifer-silverwood" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img alt="Craving Beauty tour banner" class="aligncenter" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_YxTDH1b2IsqJ3voiCB2d_fJAdpgEBR-eHUnKLS2lPqlr7vmvoZRXKPl4XiiDWsC2vDu6f5GM-UgLm87Hx7ipgzHRncLacOqo8xm5deuKxjafR0nOOfKBQAiaTh6p6uyI_dn2xLU2oSHFFfN5vzGceSFl938IYO-9Akq17vdP6r7lb0TR7iuGErTHw/s1600/Craving-Beauty-tour-banner.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br />
This is my post during the blog tour for <b>Craving Beauty by Jennifer Silverwood</b>. In Craving Beauty a lost kingdom is uncovered by an equally lost girl, and a hungry beast waits, ready to devour her soul.<br />
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This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours and the tour runs from 17 till 30 July. You can see the <a href="http://www.lolasblogtours.net/blog-tour-craving-beauty-by-jennifer-silverwood" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tour schedule here</a>. <br />
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<div align="left"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123225831-craving-beauty" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Craving Beauty book cover" class="alignleft" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxl7eoKY-3JT_W7le4idRB4bM-OvFLbKJtt3LCe7jHAbXKD0OPaKP6OobojsiyZbHAtZIAq8P1-HE4Zqi62udo2wUwPWnZ8OBLppny-qczuw2LdIqhdmleXw7z3CaybSBRL7CYJLGQkq1dhW6D2NPvN5w1G9jZpj8xfQtlVoXD4MiJvFfZ1K4NeShR1g/s1600/Craving-Beauty.jpg" /></a></div><b>Craving Beauty (Wylder Tales #1)</b><br />
<b>By Jennifer Silverwood</b><br />
<b>Genre:</b> Fairytale/ Fantasy<br />
<b>Age category:</b> Young Adult/ New Adult<br />
<b>Release Date: </b>14 July 2023<br />
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<blockquote><b>Blurb:</b><br />
A dark tale of enchantment and woe, perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson and Holly Black, Craving Beauty is the first installment of the epic Wylder Tales Series!<br />
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Nineteen-year-old Vynasha's life is no fairy tale. The fire that killed her sisters was her fault, and the magic that saved her nephew cannot heal their scars. They shouldn't have survived, and the villagers either fear or loathe them. Until a mysterious stranger saves her, giving Vynasha the key to finding the only family they have left.<br />
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With nothing to lose, Vynasha dares the journey into the forbidden Wylderland. Through dangers untold, she makes her way to the forgotten city, but more than ghosts linger in the castle. A wicked curse shadows the land, shadows whisper that the one to break their curse has come, and a beastly prince makes a bargain Vynasha cannot refuse.<br />
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Become the beast's bride or become a monster herself.</blockquote><br />
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<b>Links:</b><br />
- <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123225831-craving-beauty" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> <br />
- <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/craving-beauty-by-jennifer-silverwood" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bookbub</a> <br />
- <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C917JNV1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amazon</a> <br />
- <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/craving-beauty-wylder-tales-vol-1/id6450556552 " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">iBooks</a> <br />
- <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/craving-beauty-jennifer-silverwood/1122855886" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> <br />
- <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ebook/craving-beauty-wylder-tales-vol-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kobo</a> <br />
- <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1412567" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Smashwords</a> <br />
- <a href="https://www.angusrobertson.com.au/ebooks/craving-beauty-wylder-tales-vol1-jennifer-silverwood/p/9798215684702" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Angus & Robertson</a> <br />
- <a href="https://books.mondadoristore.it/Craving-Beauty-Wylder-Tales-Jennifer-Silverwood/eae979821568470" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mondadori</a> <br />
- <a href="https://books2read.com/wyldertales1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Books2Read</a> <br />
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<div align="right"><a href="http://jennifersilverwood.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Jennifer Silverwood author picture" class="alignright" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgweH0zsyCwchzJGa2DHJzwQbJ2QzNr9_U3_FRdazn-DmQi0qKMExL0JHuO8MO46TKMtSE3TAog4ghEsDE8UI8b7GNbF2qjfyf8q-gmofSFRCMl_rix8l85Dtv3tOaksLRl4Kp1VQxiO0zX3sas7V_ByQSQkqttZ0ybKC-Hsm2ay_0_gzPd-W3NYRfhgQ/s1600/Jennifer-Silverwood.jpg" /></a></div><b>About the Author:</b><br />
Jennifer Silverwood has been involved in the publishing world since 2012 and is passionate about supporting the writing community however she can. After studying traditional art at university, she began helping Qamber Designs bring authors’ books to life. In real life, she’s a mom of two, a passionate reader, and an occasional artist. Jennifer is the author of three series—Wylder Tales, Heaven’s Edge Novellas, and the Borderlands Saga—and the stand-alone romance titles Stay and She Walks in Moonlight.<br />
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<b>Author links:</b><br />
- <a href="http://jennifersilverwood.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Website</a> <br />
- <a href="https://jennifersilverwood.com/my-book-list/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Website book page</a> <br />
- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/silverwoodj/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <br />
- <a href="http://twitter.com/JennSilverwood" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Twitter</a> <br />
- <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5827602.Jennifer_Silverwood" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> <br />
- <a href="https://books2read.com/ap/8prl9N/Jennifer-Silverwood" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Books2Read</a> <br />
- <a href="https://jennifersilverwood.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=28e33c50cac843139ce936c45&id=378260f343" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Newsletter</a> <br />
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<div align="center"><b>Giveaway</b><br />
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Craving Beauty. These are the prizes you can win: <br />
- a $25 Paypal gift card.<br />
- 3 paperback copies of Craving Beauty (US, UK and Canada only). If winner is outside those countries they’ll receive an ecopy instead.<br />
- 5 ebook copies of Craving Beauty.<br />
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For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:<br />
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="1000e4f1429" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1000e4f1429/" id="rcwidget_t6tamixu" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></div><br />
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<div align="center"><a href="http://www.lolasblogtours.net/blog-tour-craving-beauty-by-jennifer-silverwood" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img alt="Craving Beauty square tour banner" class="aligncenter" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bPHrKMlzRP4maQv2yeK028QRnFqwKFfe5-FG78CaEoopxCgtnHuSN5ZUHdC4Mulg4AhxA5c-iQFildLR406cmVw0moJgtChzw58cYoLUZaubiYvB4tneYU0BA-DuH-gtX2kG11nxbUynvis4OGiYztxvn2RNT8RCoN76IFrtMMkRrWa9QblmaQMU4A/s1600/Craving-Beauty-square-banner.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div align="center"><a href="http://www.lolasblogtours.net" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img align="middle" alt="Lola's Blog Tours graphic" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qc2KrfOYuUswrQE1U2zFaGHYS0TiO3RnN-gbk1U7PTdlHtdnzlrCBE0oDgrbMd7KE5aQPg3e7TKme4RTUuX1vd8_r-FQ405_hPbajCXqVybint4rw9a2HiZX64LAk1D3JTcjxc6z7RZl/s400/LolasBlogToursbanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-81830311700200608832023-02-28T10:37:00.002-03:302023-02-28T10:37:30.938-03:30An reading and blog update<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5znEr4P9Hr9A2TUQxePbU_DmgN26IUwU8lFjhGwnZO2oSWqcM71EWk3nv71xAFsPZz4WudVZ9PW97siFnNJmTePW0QWUEjcMuCc0zjYGcurWvhQoiHSfzgMa3fw-oUzBqPmdgBhTJCupVwRlw06DkDncKmBmO3Rc--CIjMBIImFZaNZHkGVP76DK/s5760/20230228_094818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5760" data-original-width="4312" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5znEr4P9Hr9A2TUQxePbU_DmgN26IUwU8lFjhGwnZO2oSWqcM71EWk3nv71xAFsPZz4WudVZ9PW97siFnNJmTePW0QWUEjcMuCc0zjYGcurWvhQoiHSfzgMa3fw-oUzBqPmdgBhTJCupVwRlw06DkDncKmBmO3Rc--CIjMBIImFZaNZHkGVP76DK/w300-h400/20230228_094818.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">Hello and welcome back to the blog, welcome if this is your first time stopping by.</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">My first post of 2023</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">So it's been a hot minute since I last posted but I was making an Instagram posting, you should give me a follow I'm more active there as of late,my IG <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carrieicanhasbooks/" target="_blank">carrieicanhasbooks</a>. </p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">Anyways I was making my post and realized that it would be very fitting blog post so I've done just that.</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">I just can't get enough of Brandon Sanderson </p>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">I'm reading the Cosmere in publication order, I forgot to post The Alloy of Law or my dip into Arcanum Unbound. </p>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">After I finished The Way of Kings a few weeks back I would just stare at Words of Radiance on my shelf and I could not wait to pick it up and I'm finally to it. </p>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">This is my 6th Sanderson (2 being novellas) of the year I am soo happy with myself. 2022 was not a good year both personally and reading wise, with the passing of both my Step Mom and Grandma. </p>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">The slumping made me reflect and think about my reading, I was missing that excitement. That omg I can't wait to binge a series/author. The excitement of reading it's self. The I can't wait to pick up my book, the craving to want more of the world. </p>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">My 2023 reading year so far has been incredible. I'm reading what I want to read, not forcing anything. I'll make a tbr of ideas but I will never force myself again to stick to it, to read something I'm not enjoying. I'll put it down and try some other time. </p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">Which as someone who found enjoyment from being a book blogger and reviewer it can be difficult. Hence my lack of posting. I've taken a break from book tours and set deadlines for reviews because to be honest it was making me not enjoy the books the same even if I loved the book. It was feeling too much like required reading. Will I go back to reviews, oh definitely if something really calls to me and once I'm where I want and need to be reading wise and especially if the review can come on my own terms and I don't feel the pressure to read the book by X date. </p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">I've met many incredible authors, bloggers and readers during my years running this and on other platforms because of booktours and I love the online book community. </p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">So time for me to dive back into the Cosmere,I'll be staying here for sometime I think.</p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">Thank you for stopping by and happy reading </p><p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-39580766022036931102022-09-12T12:34:00.003-02:302022-09-12T12:34:28.476-02:30No Land For Heroes by Cal Black (#bookreview + #giveaway)<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hello and welcome back to the blog! Welcome to the blog if this is your first visit. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today I bring for you my stop on the Escapist booktours for No Land For Heroes</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7HrM4WzaSCWOowK9sxjfFWPYP556ojz1Y-ELOv8U0FcSrSpVIdoRMddI7Ej6Zk8TVVo5jyKFiEU4ThRrRqKuekbQn_FyLsi_tKt739zV3sD2fPYSkcl97nNSDbH8pmwFuxSODgwHVnt4UK0PtZhu6oc9kLMUMD8nesn8yTT_6hkNMO2TzhXnmOg1/s1920/No%20Land%20for%20Heroes%20blog%20announcement.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7HrM4WzaSCWOowK9sxjfFWPYP556ojz1Y-ELOv8U0FcSrSpVIdoRMddI7Ej6Zk8TVVo5jyKFiEU4ThRrRqKuekbQn_FyLsi_tKt739zV3sD2fPYSkcl97nNSDbH8pmwFuxSODgwHVnt4UK0PtZhu6oc9kLMUMD8nesn8yTT_6hkNMO2TzhXnmOg1/w400-h225/No%20Land%20for%20Heroes%20blog%20announcement.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-db58c12c-7fff-ffdd-f417-ce9cbf7cf11f" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Book Information:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No Land For Heroes</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Cal Black</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Published: May 10, 2022</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Series: Legends & Legacies</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre: Fantasy Western/Gaslamp Fantasy</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Intended Age Group: Adult</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: 373</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: Bearberry Studio (Self Published)</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Content/Trigger Warnings:</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Shown on Page (things clearly told to the reader): </span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Civil era warfare (but with magic)</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">managed PTSD symptoms (insomnia, triggers)</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Animal death: dragon </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">facing former abuser </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Violence (similar to a 14AA or light R for mention of blood)</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">drug use (medicinal, recreational)</span></span></p></li></ul><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alluded to (things only mentioned in passing or hinted at):</span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Physical Abuse</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psychological Abuse</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Domestic violence</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Death of older children during war</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Child abandonment</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">slavery</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">mild sexism</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">fictional racism (humans vs elves vs orcs, etc)</span></span></p></li></ul><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Book Blurb:</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mildred Berry is down to her last four bullets…</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a wild west where the only things more dangerous than outlaws are dragons, Deputy Berry is struggling to protect her town and keep her family fed. As a last resort, she robs a train for ammunition only to find that the cargo she needs so badly was owned by war hero Frederic Rousseau.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The same Frederic Rousseau whom she served during the Amelior Civil War. The same Frederic Rousseau she’s been hiding from for the last five years.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Millie knows a secret that could ruin Rousseau’s life, and he’ll stop at nothing to keep her from telling the truth. With her violent past bearing down on the life she’s built for herself, Millie has to decide how far she’ll be willing to go to keep her town safe.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Book Links:</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Universal Link: </span><a href="https://books2read.com/NoLandForHeroes" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://books2read.com/NoLandForHeroes</span></a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads: </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61303370-no-land-for-heroes" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61303370-no-land-for-heroes</span></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZS36eYNalqdrOBWuqwxNgdzINCkgUT8bRsl-VXKEi7t5CEjJ0ZeIpOOqOIZ6RUgDfcuv4sj8Hz2v7IyloR3TNYBXDdFdhBl9WCq9UpE0QF59BxYorR8E2LlAvZyzn7vir1fIPkEALFXSw6H_fKfq3-SX89AY_780gR52txgK_90i-Rs3jdqNx4h0/s2560/Cover%20-%20No%20Land%20For%20Heroes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZS36eYNalqdrOBWuqwxNgdzINCkgUT8bRsl-VXKEi7t5CEjJ0ZeIpOOqOIZ6RUgDfcuv4sj8Hz2v7IyloR3TNYBXDdFdhBl9WCq9UpE0QF59BxYorR8E2LlAvZyzn7vir1fIPkEALFXSw6H_fKfq3-SX89AY_780gR52txgK_90i-Rs3jdqNx4h0/w250-h400/Cover%20-%20No%20Land%20For%20Heroes.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Review:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">So do you like the wild west, gaslamp fantasy, elfs, characters that have a lot of heart? </p><p style="text-align: center;">Do you like to chuckle when reading? Strong women? Dragons? </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">How about well written novels? </p><p style="text-align: center;"> Then I HIGHLY recommend No Land For Heroes by Cal Black. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Not only is this book written, it's a story that has great world building a plot line that will keep you coming back for more it has some wonderful characters. Some that you will want drop over a cliff but you are meant to want to feel that way.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Oh if I haven't convinced you to check it out how about huge dogs, a lil bit of romance and something like a shotgun wedding. Some adorable kids that are for sure a handful. (Look out for salamanders) </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">I did mention the dragon, a storm bird anyone?</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;">An all women town? Loyality and found family .</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">How about a good ol' train robbery, it is the wild west after all. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">This is definitely one of my favourites of year without a doubt. I can not wait to read the next installment. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkFeJOk1LdK7GxLtDV3C2xLjbjvmKk-kTGZuSN5hKUY-wb9Abyz00o0mWIyY1FbZVHOziX81L8A7k4T1qOAvyTX2dDsKucxqQVK9chFbjK7xgk2Q9OMyuCU7HT-JArR3xZRf-PZBJBJ6s3nsyYFQPnh5xc_qMzuqIHSollCzcH00o8o6MDzdPtx8oO/s583/Author%20Photo%20-%20Cal%20Black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="437" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkFeJOk1LdK7GxLtDV3C2xLjbjvmKk-kTGZuSN5hKUY-wb9Abyz00o0mWIyY1FbZVHOziX81L8A7k4T1qOAvyTX2dDsKucxqQVK9chFbjK7xgk2Q9OMyuCU7HT-JArR3xZRf-PZBJBJ6s3nsyYFQPnh5xc_qMzuqIHSollCzcH00o8o6MDzdPtx8oO/w300-h400/Author%20Photo%20-%20Cal%20Black.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Author Bio & Information:</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cal Black is a Canadian writer based in Ontario who enjoys writing about messy people who make an effort to improve their situation. Cal has a short story published, was a semi-finalist in the Writers of the Future contest, and won a Wattpad Watty award in 2019 for Fantasy. After realising she prefers to write novels instead of short stories, Cal shifted gears and is now writing gaslamp fantasy, cosmic fantasy, and has a bad habit of 'trying out new genres' when already full up on projects.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author Site: </span><a href="https://bearberrystudio.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://bearberrystudio.com</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/thatcalamity/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://twitter.com/thatcalamity/</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instagram: </span><a href="https://instagram.com/calamitywrites/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://instagram.com/calamitywrites/</span></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Additional Info:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No Land For Heroes</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Spotify playlist: </span><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J9QsNs0ZAI5w2zWcUIB0r?si=74a1880b92ca47b6" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J9QsNs0ZAI5w2zWcUIB0r</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Giveaway Information:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prize:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> An eBook Copy of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No Land For Heroes</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starts:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> September 8, 2022 at 12:00am EST</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ends:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> September 14, 2022 at 11:59pm EST</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/79e197ac52/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAushi5TS5XwZ5hpOOhTBIa7R7ydeO4wiEtzPHvq6elA_VqdS96UPrrm2tTzusO8j-ZOcFEXxt-BU2J-cTUqgMEMKlFGYVo8nQeVkcv_bL9n2-kon4f0M08b49ExSdzSUsRgsjix4RSsNl2xNqONPN4BL21x9m5Hhz_joOXi8uG26NhEWxAr6jNoBN/s320/No%20Land%20for%20Heroes%20giveaway.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Please check out the rest of the tour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://escapistbookcompany.com/2022/09/08/the-heros-journey-no-land-for-heroes-by-cal-black/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORfiwu8JYc0TFKBuNDjmGaB9A4RHr6LlSjHrSDdG78IkQlfxzostiZbZO0S2xPjp_1ktWMdtNun6AdXEhe2NyWMAe8nLY9J6Hp2azzavGhIxtchvvC_idH54rfPgwqV3m4LFxmrg1xQHzOzRHK9lqDqL87cF7Zket4ixlkPYlYhnio0aKRBAyxdpl/w400-h225/No%20Land%20for%20Heroes%20tour%20stops%20(blog).png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you for stopping by and Happy Reading!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-78113015475045720352022-09-10T12:51:00.002-02:302022-09-10T12:51:23.718-02:30Book excerpt and Giveaway for Solace Lost by Michael Sliter <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2oLEjqEnZuGgtqGfNEAd8G3Ipy5GdNVuKZYoG1kqPoK93-k4UnrbsT1Fpo3_HVdEsFWwOyTx8wKSGCQwvIcySL0XjuX0LxVLhjWsB5K0XTPnC79bacEPUbrrgOeWeiX-guT4grIttbcEwPlsMfl0amUy5c2626jYKKy_IzE1XLiDmR3sg7QOOhaJX/s1920/Solace%20Lost%20blog%20announcement.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2oLEjqEnZuGgtqGfNEAd8G3Ipy5GdNVuKZYoG1kqPoK93-k4UnrbsT1Fpo3_HVdEsFWwOyTx8wKSGCQwvIcySL0XjuX0LxVLhjWsB5K0XTPnC79bacEPUbrrgOeWeiX-guT4grIttbcEwPlsMfl0amUy5c2626jYKKy_IzE1XLiDmR3sg7QOOhaJX/w400-h225/Solace%20Lost%20blog%20announcement.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Hello and welcome back to the blog or welcome if you are new. Today I have an excerpt for the booktour of Solace Lost by Michael Sliter. It is the first book of the Pandemonium Rising series.</p><p><br /></p><p>It has an over all rating of 4.18 stars on Goodreads, which is very impressive. I'll have link below where you can find the book yourself if you wish to enter this world as well as to the rest of the tour</p><p><br /></p><div><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book Information:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Solace Lost</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Michael Sliter</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Published: 2018</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Series: Pandemonium Rising</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre: Epic Fantasy</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Intended Age Group: Adult</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: 568</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: Dragyn Press (Self Published)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Content/Trigger Warnings:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shown on page:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ableism</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abusive relationship</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ageism</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alcoholism</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amputation</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Animal violence/death</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blood (gore)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bodies/corpses</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Body horror</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bones (animal/human)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bullying</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Child abuse</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Childbirth</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Classism</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Death/dying</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Death penalty</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Decapitation</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Domestic abuse (emotional, physical, sexual, verbal)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Drinking (heavy)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Drug use</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fatphobia</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forced captivity</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Graphic sex</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hospitalization</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hostages</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kidnapping</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Medical procedures</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Murder</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Murder (attempted)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Needles</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Poisoning</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pregnancy</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prostitution</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PTSD</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Racism</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rape (attempted)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Serious injury</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sexism</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sexual abuse</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Skeletons</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Skulls</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slavery</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slurs</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Smoking</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Swearing</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Torture (sexual)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Violence</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vomit</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Warfare</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weapons</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alluded to:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noto Sans Symbols", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">None</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book Blurb:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fenrir de Trenton, a disgraced guardsman-turned-ineffective-criminal, is accustomed to taking orders. So much so that, despite the danger, he finds himself neck-deep in the politicking of his current superiors as well as the rulers of the country. The fact that Fenrir’s father would rather see him dead doesn’t help matters.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emma Dram, a handmaiden of the great Lady Escamilla, hates Fenrir with a fiery passion and with good reason: he lopped off most of her hand. Nonetheless, she finds herself in close proximity to her former lover as she seeks to serve her lady liege in fomenting her own rebellion.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hafgan Iwan is a Wasmer, a race reviled by humans, who serves the same masters as Fenrir. His efforts to assimilate with human culture only earn him the derision of his own race, and he seeks to find belonging amidst the escalating conflict.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meanwhile, Merigold Hinter, a serving girl with an unusual power, lives a simple existence, hoping for love, adventure, and to see the world. Her life should be untouched by political maneuvering and war. However, her world becomes a crucible—how much can one woman bear before breaking?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A story of love lost and family destroyed, of bigotry and belonging, of suffering and strength, and of religion and magic, SOLACE LOST grows from a character-driven tale to something grand in scale, perhaps even involving the gods, themselves.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book Links:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon: </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Solace-Lost-Michael-Sliter-ebook/dp/B07BGW6BDP" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.amazon.com/Solace-Lost-Michael-Sliter-ebook/dp/B07BGW6BDP</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads: </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39326498-solace-lost" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39326498-solace-lost</span></a></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MJspTphTywBYdksHoOQaW8fD8UzBZoeiOSv5hxfa2UWfT6ynIjBb1zmeyd7-v_uiWnJyGdU7LIDVAVLYifeoS4k7YfgDHjVjHLpSA2gODp2YI3B68Vf73_78GoL5i_Z_3fkAF4R-oKx0XKa3083B-zzaSn0nNMXrUUSb_ZYgPB1Qq8wg0f9_qEF5/s959/Author%20Photo%20-%20Michael%20Sliter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="958" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MJspTphTywBYdksHoOQaW8fD8UzBZoeiOSv5hxfa2UWfT6ynIjBb1zmeyd7-v_uiWnJyGdU7LIDVAVLYifeoS4k7YfgDHjVjHLpSA2gODp2YI3B68Vf73_78GoL5i_Z_3fkAF4R-oKx0XKa3083B-zzaSn0nNMXrUUSb_ZYgPB1Qq8wg0f9_qEF5/w400-h400/Author%20Photo%20-%20Michael%20Sliter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author Bio & Information:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michael Sliter was born in the deep wilds of Cleveland, Ohio, where he fought off at least two siblings for scraps of pizza. His bedroom, growing up, was a monument to fantasy, containing a stack of worn and well-read books, a medieval Lego civilization spanning half the room, and a very real sword circa World War II.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though always fascinated with the written word, Michael ended up with only a minor in writing, instead majoring in Psychology (Hiram College, OH). He later went on to complete his M.S. and Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology (Bowling Green State University, OH)—overall spending a larger portion of his life than strictly necessary in school. Following, Michael was a psych professor for a time, and then moved into the real world to help organizations hire the right people.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He attempted to write some childish fantasy novels in the past, all abandoned as derivative refuse. It wasn’t until his daughter was born that Michael decided to begin writing in earnest, and he published Solace Lost, the first book in the Pandemonium Rising series. Since, Wisdom Lost (Book 2) and Valley of the Free (novella in the same world) have been published.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today, you can find Michael back in the Cleveland area, where he lives with his wife, daughter, and two dogs. They are quite tolerant of his writing, reading, video game, and racquetball habits.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSliter" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://twitter.com/MikeSliter</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/authormichaelsliter" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.facebook.com/authormichaelsliter</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads: </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17838702.Michael_Sliter" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17838702.Michael_Sliter</span></a></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><br /><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Now on to the excerpt <br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3E3_kHqjhhjWsTfiLTBCNs-3vTzgi4YCvnzjIPOP7140L8H-XjWu0OwHLU3IkaTPlp8Uf39AMWAPDIbptGlyy0RBVsmFFx1PaA0blXgJIu5DNOEMRERhyF-HWuAwJQ8yXpwyoRl_XYlgKRN2OuP-vFfiIfh6zMUW7xC7JvKygZcuGeQLLBH5mfCd/s1383/Map%20-%20Solace%20Lost.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1383" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3E3_kHqjhhjWsTfiLTBCNs-3vTzgi4YCvnzjIPOP7140L8H-XjWu0OwHLU3IkaTPlp8Uf39AMWAPDIbptGlyy0RBVsmFFx1PaA0blXgJIu5DNOEMRERhyF-HWuAwJQ8yXpwyoRl_XYlgKRN2OuP-vFfiIfh6zMUW7xC7JvKygZcuGeQLLBH5mfCd/w400-h303/Map%20-%20Solace%20Lost.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Solace Lost</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 100px;"></span></span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chapter 1</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fenrir took a last long pull of the cheap stout and shoved his pewter mug across the bar with some reluctance. He’d probably had five or six pints of the horrendous stuff over the past couple of hours, but he deserved a bit of fortification.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It was stressful work, after all, taking a man’s finger.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The former guardsman slapped down a few yets and left the dingy little tavern without a word. In a town as small as Umberton, Fenrir couldn’t escape without notice, though; the wandering eyes of the locals followed him out the door. A traveler–especially a big man draped in relatively fine, dark clothing–was inevitably an object of curiosity to the local bumpkinry. But, it didn’t matter. After this evening, he would be out of this piss-poor place. And, a few days on, he would be back in the comforting walls of Rostane, his home, and arguably the greatest city in Ardia.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Fenrir strode further out into the inky darkness of the evening, moving stiffly along the hard-packed dirt road. His right knee was even tighter than usual, and he grimaced as the twenty-year-old ache loosened, one painful step at a time. The lingering winter chill certainly didn’t help matters, as the soreness was always worse in the cold.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He spat the bitter taste of beer onto the ground and cursed at the squalor of this place. Umberton was barely more than a village—a gathering of a few hundred loggers, laborers, and the odd artisans. During the day, the place was surprisingly colorful. In fact, the town practically glittered with crimson, most of the building facades highlighting the only resource that allowed this place to even be a speck on a map: Arbutus wood. The Arbutus tree only grew in this region, something about the soil making it flourish. The Yetranians said that this region had formerly been ashlands, earth devastated during a battle of the gods in times long past, with the bodies of the dead giving the land a strange, sanguine fertility. Superstitious nonsense, of course, like most Yetranian religious prattle. Regardless, products made from the twisted, blood-hued tree were incredibly desirable among the rich and notable. They sold for small fortunes in the Ardia’s major cities and countries beyond, though apparently none of that trickled back to Umberton itself.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In Fenrir’s experience, the people who did the hardest labor rarely saw the best rewards.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He pulled his collar tighter around his neck and began to pick his way down the road more quickly, which was tougher than it seemed. Unlike Rostane, which in the evening shined nearly as bright as day thanks to modern gas lamps and cleverly-placed mirrors, Umberton was almost completely dark now, the waning moons obscured by meandering clouds. Lamps and torches lit the entrances to the few red-faced taverns, but the scant light was swallowed by the night before illuminating the main throughway in any meaningful sense.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This was fine from a practical standpoint. Fenrir didn’t exactly want to announce his presence to any wandering Umbertonians. Nonetheless, the darkness did pose a few problems—namely, the mounds of donkey and horse shit, as well as the occasional pothole that littered the well-used road—so Fenrir wound his way down the street carefully, avoiding these obstacles as best he could. If it hadn’t been dark, Fenrir knew he would look completely ridiculous, a broad, muscular man mincing his steps and shuffling around even the smallest of impediments. However, necessity was necessity. Tripping and twisting his already weak knee would make this job immeasurably more difficult. Even worse would be falling in the waste ditch, an eight-foot deep crevasse of putridity running along the south side of the road. The god of stench embodied in a layer of runoff, night soil, assorted trash, and Ultner knew what else. Umberton was a shithole, literally and figuratively.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> After a quarter hour-long awkward dance down the center of Umberton, Fenrir ducked into a side lane, moving toward the large, two-story house that he had scouted out earlier in the day. The light shining through the glass-paned windows–a lavish luxury in a place like this–showed that his date for the evening was, in fact, awaiting his courtship.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Fenrir allowed himself a moment’s rest, leaning down to tighten the straps on the leather support brace he wore on his knee. A friend of his, a physician, had designed and created it especially for Fenrir. It was, in many ways, one of the most important tools of Fenrir’s trade. Sending a silent thanks to Martis Aieres (who would undoubtedly disapprove of his current task), Fenrir took a quick, fiery sip from his silver flask and continued toward the house. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As he approached the front door, Fenrir paused, sucked at his teeth, and swallowed. He considered himself neither a coward nor a brave man. Just a practical man who did what was needed, when it was needed. Of course, what was needed did not always align with, say, the law. But this was a world where men needed to do the occasional unsavory thing to keep ahead, and Fenrir was willing to do that thing. So, here he was.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He took a deep breath and forced himself to release it slowly. After a pregnant moment, Fenrir stepped onto the wooden patio of the house and, abruptly, felt his consciousness ripped from his body in a dizzying maelstrom of flashing colors. When the disorienting experience faded, as it always did, Fenrir could see himself from a distance—as if he were hovering around his body, a spirit attached by an ethereal, binding leash. He was able to observe and think and ruminate, but unable to control his body’s physical actions.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It was confusing as Pandemonium, whenever this fission occurred. Phantom-Fenrir, watching his Body-Fenrir do the hard work while his consciousness simply observed from afar. Fenrir had never been able to discern a pattern in the timing of these manifestations. It had happened for the first time when he was about fifteen. He had been fighting with his brothers, which was a fairly routine occurrence. Yet, somehow, that day must have been different because, abruptly, Fenrir had seen the quarrel from above, and been watching as blood flowed as never before in a fraternal conflict. It had been terrifying, with his mind straining and screaming from above while his body struggled below.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> But that had been decades ago. Now, his Phantom emerged as a matter of course. He’d never known it to happen to anyone else, though it wasn’t as if he brought up the oddity in polite conversation. Anything hinting at the unknown or the arcane in the inflexibly superstitious, Yetranian-heavy Ardia was a quick path to a knife in the dark.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Besides, this particular ability wasn’t worth bragging about. It was fucking useless.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phantom-Fenrir s</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">aw Body-Fenrir standing before the rich Arbutus wood door of his target’s two-story home. He thought that he cut a rather intimidating figure in his tar-black shirt and dark trousers, a deep brown cloak wrapped about his frame. Standing six feet tall, and with the broad chest and the sinewy arms of a man who had spent his entire life training with weapons, Fenrir could understand why he was perfectly-suited to his current line of work. Well, near perfectly. His past failures weren’t worth considering in this moment. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He saw himself reach beneath his shirt and expose the heptagram medallion hanging around his neck. The sharp, seven-sided star—the symbol of The House, his current employer—was nearly impossible to handle without cutting oneself. Fenrir supposed such cuts were intended to be symbolic of opposing the powerful underground organization, but he tended not to overthink it. Leave philosophizing to the Scholars and Savants, he figured. Leave the appendage gathering to him and the other enforcers.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Body-Fenrir tried the doorknob, finding the door unlocked and unbarred–a strangely fortuitous start to the venture. Fenrir’s consciousness skipped ahead, fluttering through the doorway and along the ceiling like an impossibly fast spider. He saw himself enter the house and walk across the greeting room, tracking dirt and various excrements onto a decorative carpet. Apparently, he had stepped in some animal dung without realizing, or smelling, it. Phantom-Fenrir could see that his body was tense, and that his hand was resting on the hilt of the wickedly curved knife that was strapped to his belt. The first floor was barren; Fenrir did not see the quarry he was seeking, and so his body proceeded to the stairs leading to the second level. From Phantom-Fenrir’s disembodied view, he thought that, if his body was attempting stealth, it was doing a hideously bad job. The floor was creaking, the buckles on his boots were jingling, and he occasionally bumped into furniture. Apparently, spending a few hours at a tavern was not the greatest of ideas when one’s stealth needed to be more on par with that of a fox than an ox.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Regardless, the stairway was the only exit from the second story, so even if the occupant had fair warning, there would be no escape. Body-Fenrir stomped up the stairs, clearly abandoning any pretense of covertness. The stairs emptied into a large, brightly-lit chamber that constituted the entirety of the second floor. On one end of the room was a sleeping area comprised of one large bed that was flanked by two decoratively-carved end tables. Above the bed was a painting representing a scene that was commonly displayed in the heavily religious Ardia. A slender, bare-chested woman, her silvery-white hair covering the most desirable bits, was perched atop a rock, arms held high and apparently cleaving the crimson firmament, parting the skies and allowing pure light to sneak through. Men and women knelt nearby, cowering below the rock, giving obvious obeisance to the goddess, Yetra. Typical Yetranian dross.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> On the other end of the chamber was an office area made up of a wide and solid wooden desk, bookshelves, and several ropey plants. Everything was made of Arbutus, hinting at the barely-restrained wealth of the owner. Atop the desk was a bronze Scales of Justice statue, the universal symbol of office of an adjudicator in Ardia. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Phantom-Fenrir could see himself approaching the desk. The man sitting behind it, who was obviously aware of Fenrir’s presence, continued to pointedly ignore him, bending over a blue leather-bound book.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Body-Fenrir paused two feet back from the desk, arms crossed. He waited another moment. When the man turned a page in his book, Body-Fenrir pointedly cleared his throat.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “I knew that one of you filth would be here eventually,” the man said, exhaustion weighting down his voice. Still, though, he did not look up.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Filth? Filth is a term that should be reserved for men who do not fulfil their obligations, Adjudicator Frommis,” Fenrir answered, his deep monotone filling the second story like the knoll of a funeral bell. “Filth is a term for men who take yets for services not rendered.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Martin Frommis slowly raised his head then, glaring at Fenrir with icy hatred. He was an older man, silver hair trimmed short and revealing a balding pate. Despite a slight hunch to his shoulders, though, he still appeared to be sound and wiry in the manner of a twisted, but strong, Arbutus tree. Frommis’ eyes were still, too—unafraid. Fenrir supposed that the man had seen worse than a House enforcer. Years of adjudicating in a great city would give one perspective, after all… a bird’s eye view into Pandemonium.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “You know I didn’t have a choice. You </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">filth </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">offered coin. Coin you knew I needed to cover my daughter’s dowry, so she could be married without the embarrassment of her father’s tumble into poverty. My investments, everything I had saved, all lost thanks to a greedy, thieving banker.” Frommis scrubbed at his lined forehead with one hand. “But, the evidence levelled against Pontz was too strong. Had I adjudicated in his favor, there would have been a riot; I would have been torn to shreds!” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Frommis continued to meet Fenrir’s dispassionate gaze, a beta wolf challenging the pack leader.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “I don’t know why you are trying to convince me.” Body-Fenrir unfolded his arms, rolling his shoulders. Loosening his neck with a sharp pop. Frommis flinched at the sound. “Besides, you took the money, no? And here you are, living in the most expensive house in this shit town, rubbing in the fact that you took our money without fulfilling your promise. Tell me, did you even try?”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “I had no chance. Pontz was a clear murderer. He was caught covered in blood near the scene, laughing and jesting. He disemboweled the victim, you know. A young, pregnant woman! You people knew this was the situation. I tried to explain it!” Frommis continued to finger the oversized leather-bound book in front of him, his voice rising as he spoke.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “It was my understanding that you were paid to make that evidence disappear, to make the witnesses change or doubt their testimony. To find other witnesses to discredit this evidence. Whatever needed to be done. But, no matter. The House has decided to render the punishment, and I have no authority to override the words of my superiors,” Fenrir noted with a careless shrug.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “But…”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “You waste your words, adjudicator.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Phantom-Fenrir, from his floating vantage, could see his body stepping forward. Could see himself reaching for Frommis’ wrist, almost as if time had slowed. He could also see Frommis grasping for something under his book. His phantom self screamed a warning. Useless, he knew.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As Frommis began to extract the hidden dagger, Phantom-Fenrir thankfully saw his body anticipate the move. Before the dagger had even cleared the book, Fenrir snatched up the Scales of Justice statue and crushed Frommis’ hand against the solid wood of the Arbutus table. Frommis screamed, dropping his weapon, and clutched the injured hand to his chest as he fell heavily back into his seat. Judging from the audible snapping he’d heard, the Scales had broken at least a couple of bones.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Fenrir couldn’t decide if that was terribly fitting, or terribly ironic.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Enough. You’ve had your payment. And look, I can return your money. I can give you more coin!” wheezed Frommis, breathing heavily, his face a mask of pain.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “You know it doesn’t work that way, Frommis. The House always leaves its mark. Now, left or right?” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Phantom-Fenrir could hear his emotionless voice filling the chamber. By Ultner, he could be intimidating.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Please, no… Please, please,” whimpered Frommis, his earlier confidence as shattered as his hand. “You don’t want to do this.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Left. Or. Right?” Fenrir asked stoically, skirting the desk to take his place next to Frommis.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Left, in the name of the Goddess! Left!” Frommis managed through his clenched teeth. The unbroken hand. This man either revelled in pain or he wasn’t thinking clearly.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Left it is.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Phantom-Fenrir saw himself step behind Frommis, pull out a knotted rag, and shove it into the man’s slack mouth. Tying it snugly behind Frommis’ head, Fenrir pulled out his curved, serrated knife with one hand and grabbed Frommis’ left wrist with the other. Having had multiple tiny bones in his other hand broken, Frommis must have already been in true agony. Maybe too much pain to truly realize what was happening, as he barely resisted. Fenrir could see himself pushing Frommis’ left hand flat against the desk, forcing the man’s body forward. He wrapped the adjudicator’s little finger into the palm then; he did not want to do any ancillary damage.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Fenrir rested his knife on the man’s ring finger and began to apply pressure, to saw. A hush permeated the room, the sort of quiet that exists in the space between when a vase tumbles from a table and when it shatters on the floor. Or, just before a ship careens into a jagged collection of rocks during a storm.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Just then, in that gap of quiet, a voice called up from downstairs.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Father? Father, are you home? The welcome room is a mess!”</span><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chapter 2</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Father? Are you upstairs? Seamus and I are here. Sorry we’re so late!”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> All at once, Fenrir’s consciousness slammed into his body, hurtling through space in the course of a disorienting moment. His eyes burned as if they were infected, and he blinked confusedly at Frommis, trying to get his bearings. His knife had just bit into the skin of the adjudicator’s ring finger, the clean, red line not yet bleeding. Fenrir drew the weapon back, and the serrated knife shook slightly in his hands, as if being held by an epileptic geezer. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Fenrir took a deep, settling breath, eyes darting between his victim and the stairway. How in the name of Yetra’s tits had he forgotten to lock the door? This bastard adjudicator lived alone and rarely had visitors, but Fenrir still should have taken basic precautions. This was not going to end well. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Martin? Is everything okay?” A deeper voice called from below. Seamus, evidently. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Father? Are you proper? We are coming upstairs,” shouted the high-pitched voice of the girl. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Frommis, the voice of his daughter sinking into his pain-addled mind, lost the vague look he’d had in his eyes and started to struggle to his feet. In response, Fenrir dropped Frommis’ wrist and grabbed the broken hand, applying pressure, shutting down any escape attempts—pain is an excellent deterrent. As the retired adjudicator writhed in pain, his shouts muffled by the gag, Fenrir leaned in close and held up his knife in a steadying hand. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Be still now, adjudicator, or this knife will find a home in your daughter’s chest,” he hissed. Frommis quieted abruptly with a whimper, the agony in his hand or Fenrir’s empty threat finally bringing blessed silence. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Fenrir—enforcers in general--never killed on these jobs, per strict orders from the superiors in The House. Which was fine; he wasn’t exactly a practiced, willing killer. In his former life, he’d been a guardsman in Rostane, tasked with the protection of the Plateau, the great fortress that rose above the city like a blocky, indifferent father. Counterintuitively, guard duty at the Plateau was one of the safest jobs in Rostane. There hadn’t been a real war for decades, and blunted, half-edged swords were all that were used for drills or tourneys. No assassin would ever attempt those walls, so there’d been no need for Fenrir to be any sort of a killer. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> So, he could fight his way out, but the knife wasn’t an option lest he cause undue harm. He’d already fucked this up enough by being caught mid-mutilation. He’d rather not risk more ire from The House. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The windows were open; he could jump to the street and lose himself in the darkness. Fenrir ruled out the option nearly as soon as it occurred to him, though; with his knee, he would almost certainly just end up broken and thrashing in the street like a crippled dog, struck by a passing cart. His better bet was rushing by Frommis’ daughter and son-in-law—Seamus sounded like the name of some scrawny farmer anyway—using the ancient art of surprise to his advantage. He could lose himself in the darkness and make his way back to </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Crooked Tree</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> where his horse was already saddled. He’d have to be careful since it was dark and the horse could easily break a leg, but better his horse’s leg than his own.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> But, he still needed the trophy for his superiors. To come back empty-handed, especially after raising this ruckus, could be fatal. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Frommis renewed his struggle, reflexively pulling back as Fenrir released his broken hand. Fenrir struck him a quick but forceful backhanded blow in the face to further disorient him, and then he again grabbed his left hand—the intact hand—and laid it flat against the Arbutus desk. Frommis was barely responsive, staring a dead man’s stare and breathing wetly through his bloodied nose. Fenrir again leveled his blade against the ring finger, the bloody line from earlier as good as a sign saying “cut here.” He began to saw, this time being less careful of the other fingers.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Father! Father, what’s happening? Seamus, come quickly! There is a man attacking father!” shouted Frommis’ daughter, who had just topped the stairs into the upper chamber. Fenrir pushed his full weight into his knife just as Frommis jerked away from him, the enforcer’s blade cutting all the way through the ring finger and nearly severing the middle finger, as well. Frommis was lost in pain now, staring at his mangled hand as Fenrir yanked at the ring finger, which had still been attached by a string of bloody skin. He shoved the finger into an inner pocket and re-sheathed his knife. The whole thing was a mess; Fenrir’s hands were slick with blood and his fine clothes–dark though they were–were speckled with red. But, nothing to do about that now. He was much more concerned with getting out of this house and out of this gods-forsaken town.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Frommis’ daughter—a doughy girl who had the most unfortunate features of her father—was still standing at the top of the stairs, stunned, as Fenrir began toward her. As he approached, a man, presumably Seamus, came up the last step. Seamus was a big man. By Ultner’s cock, he was a very, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">very</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> big man.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Shit!” muttered Fenrir, noticing the telltale burns of a blacksmith’s trade lacing the man’s muscled forearms. Why couldn’t this woman have married a nice, skinny farmer? Or a delicate wood carver? Or anyone other than this cursed giant? There was no going back now, though, and Fenrir lowered his shoulder as he closed the remaining distance to the blacksmith as quickly as possible. He crashed into the huge man, feeling like he had run into a plow horse. Luckily, he had enough momentum to knock the blacksmith back a foot or two, which was all that was needed. Fenrir and the surprised Seamus both crashed down the stairs, arms and legs flailing. Fenrir tried to stay on top of the man as they hit the landing on the first floor, and he was mostly successful, slamming into the giant’s chest but then bouncing forward and clobbering his own head against the wall.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A high-pitched wailing filled Fenrir’s ears. He first thought the noisome sound was his pounding head, but realized quickly that it was actually Frommis’ daughter, shrieking like a mountain goat. Fenrir supposed he couldn’t blame her.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He staggered unevenly to his feet, amazed his knee was intact but knowing that he needed to get out of the house. Fast. Looking back, he saw the giant lying at an awkward angle, unmoving. Definitely hurt, potentially dead. Shit. That could mean more trouble for him back in Rostane.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He threw caution aside and ran out the door and down the lane, back toward the main road—through the dung and the muck, praying he’d avoid any major divots or potholes. He could still hear the incessant howling of Frommis’ daughter and now he could see lights bursting to life in nearby houses. And some additional shouting voices in the not-so-distant distance. Shit. Fenrir continued his sprint through the darkness and suddenly found himself falling into open air. The sensation lasted only a split second before he hit some foul-smelling water and waste. He had overshot the main road and fallen eight feet down, right into the sewage ditch.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It was abhorrent. The slime had splashed into his mouth, mixing with the blood from where he’d bitten his tongue in the fall. The awfulness of it filled every sense he had—could one “hear” disgustingness? It seemed so, when crud was wedged in one’s ears.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He gagged and started vomiting, which made his head ache even more, but he also managed to get back to his feet, and was standing almost knee-deep in the vileness when he heard a gaggle of voices. He crouched low with the sound of them, trying to force down the impulse to again be violently sick.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Head toward the adjudicator’s house and figure out what’s going on. It sounded like a goat was dying over there! We’ll stay here and wait for Questa in case anyone is hurt,” commanded a deep, male voice. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Listening from below, Fenrir had a sudden, perverse need to laugh hysterically–the girl really </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">had</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sounded like a goat.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The footsteps moved off, presumably toward Frommis’ house. Fenrir inched up the incline by fractions and peaked into the road. He could just make out what looked to be three men standing on the main road, looking toward the location of his terrible mishap. Now he’d never be able to get back to the inn and get his horse in time; once the townsfolk figured out what had happened, all of Umberton would be up in arms. Plus, he could see the dim light of lanterns in the distance, coming from the direction of the inn. His horse–his father’s, rather–would have to be left behind. No loss there, at least. Darian de Trenton had horses to spare, and knowing that the old bastard would never get this stolen horse back brought Fenrir some mild pleasure. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The only escape route, then, was the one in which Fenrir was already mired, so he started to move slowly through the sewage ditch, trying to avoid slipping and splashing. Trying to ignore the unnamed substances rubbing against his legs and working their way into his boots, between his toes and under his nails. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He had successfully traversed about thirty yards when he slipped and went down, hard, to his good knee. Remaining crouched in the slop water, he could only hope that no one had heard his grunt and splash. Luckily, no call of alarm arose. The droning of cicadas and chirps of other night crawlers seemed to have created enough of an auditory cover.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Another twenty yards, and Fenrir could hear agitated shouting from behind him. A lot of shouting, with the words “Frommis,” “fingers,” “blood,” and “Seamus” echoing through the night like the accusations of the damned. And meanwhile, he continued to move through the ditch toward the edge of town, a bit more quickly and a bit less quietly. Between the insect symphony and the outraged townsfolk, it seemed unlikely anyone would hear him. He needed to get some distance before Frommis’ daughter was able to collect herself and explain what had happened, before they mobilized the militia or sent out a pitchfork mob.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Frommis’ house, thankfully, was close to the fringes of the town, and the sewage ditch was becoming shallower. There were only a couple more houses on the opposite side of the main road before Fenrir would be out of town and safely cloaked by the night. From there, it would be easy to avoid capture until the morning—and by then, he should be well on his way back to Rostane. A three-or-four day walk, as long as he didn’t take any detours.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As he finally climbed out of the ditch and snuck a glance over his shoulder, though, Fenrir could see many more lights in the distance—both lanterns and torches—some of them getting smaller, and some… getting bigger. A group was heading down the road right toward him. Apparently, it was time for him to take a detour into the long grass and subsequent Arbutus forests to the north. By Yetra’s delicious tits, it wouldn’t be a comfortable journey, but it was a necessary one. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Fenrir ran off, tendrils of shit-soaked hair striking his face like a dozen severed fingers.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Giveaway Information:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prize:</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> An eBook or Paperback Copy of </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Solace Lost</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starts:</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> September 5, 2022 at 12:00am EST</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ends:</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> September 11, 2022 at 11:59pm EST</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Direct link:</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/79e197ac51/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSzbEHoIGniq30N41LgQpxD_5zDgDZCEeuhLAabQ9jU-L9gZQWWneNaW5zlurEBb2YWc2qQiRq-USJrPWD2Lfwh1XcPE_4dirLX-PfPmn7ekTBxDTd7AWzSkN_RIQXg03sHsUlyYj97Tffr3gBw1HzvPB6vF8iTwqKoJaLXcUEUJLQOXpJGcoA6eH/w400-h400/Solace%20Lost%20giveaway.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"> Check out the rest of the tour </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://escapistbookcompany.com/2022/09/06/the-heros-journey-solace-lost-by-michael-sliter/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHHUkEa8_6U5V3yfl8YzJJZg83kKIVff_AqSO8Vj5cx5WqeqzSmBBfbSDqiEJE6wHrmZ-9TLIBC20Szd2BiLTQzeYvMU7M8mejPRDogzvT5oWZ06_lYytNBrYX2SHImrRfDjy2RjfmElveL6AavX2Q4BbTn31GexqpH4vT0KtvGYCNtN1Pl4SWF7v/w400-h225/Solace%20Lost%20tour%20stops%20(blog).png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Thanks for stoppstopping by and Happy Reading </p>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-59500007093981219812022-07-04T15:25:00.007-02:302022-07-04T15:30:16.405-02:30#bookreview Hag of the Hills by J.T.T. Ryder<p style="text-align: center;"> Hello and welcome back to the blog and welcome if you are new.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Today I bring forth a book review. It is my stop for Hag of the Hill by J.T.T. Ryder via Black Coffee Book Tours</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetYTViQnNGiOqlfF4Cevj55sRCGVn32_GTopvzJ2YQ6NePdqh3NFRHwA473SywDXmsyC4qeITgHg7KVqjINIZg3HMdlp7Aqv1ATYv37zFLqPserfatINsyhlrivAEVBgX-ae3JBJm2MuyeMknPJFrw8-UwQn45J3pDp6NFa3h06ClS6oIyf9P_Kgp/s2219/Hag%20of%20the%20Hills_Still%20Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="2219" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetYTViQnNGiOqlfF4Cevj55sRCGVn32_GTopvzJ2YQ6NePdqh3NFRHwA473SywDXmsyC4qeITgHg7KVqjINIZg3HMdlp7Aqv1ATYv37zFLqPserfatINsyhlrivAEVBgX-ae3JBJm2MuyeMknPJFrw8-UwQn45J3pDp6NFa3h06ClS6oIyf9P_Kgp/w400-h201/Hag%20of%20the%20Hills_Still%20Banner.png" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mybook.to/Amazon_HagofHills" target="_blank">Amazon</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60231302-hag-of-the-hills" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Genre: Historical fantasy</p><p style="text-align: center;">Print length: 288 pages</p><p style="text-align: center;">Age range: This is an adult book but suitable for mature teens age 16+</p><p style="text-align: center;">Trigger warnings: Violent deaths; deaths of family members; human sacrifice, .</p><p style="text-align: center;">Amazon Rating: 4.5*</p><p style="text-align: center;">Blurb:</p><p style="text-align: center;">Nothing is unconquerable; even our gods can die.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">Brennus is destined from birth to become a warrior, despite his farmer’s life. But when the Hillmen kill his family and annihilate his clan, he now has the opportunity to avenge those whom he loved.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Brennus must survive endless hordes of invading Hillmen and magic-wielding sidhe, aided by only a band of shifty mercenaries, and an ancient bronze sword.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Failure means his family and clan go unavenged. Victory will bring glory to Brennus and his ancestors.</p><p style="text-align: center;">"Hag of the Hills is a heroic fantasy novel set in 200 B.C. on the Isle of Skye, steeped in Celtic mythology and culture.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5ECW25oyM5oitxFGM8PZ8hX_UdTEy72hu5b5Jx9fasRcUUtXK-sNpDLekQrp9lpcuEIMWTG0xIfpKxY3fd8G5M_0Ez4nHDgZ1EgNnmlpBNBwjV5t8FlV_7xmU9fPmtdM4NYUMfmKZuzrSYp0gVJk4IrUqxv5voMoNh9h9ahLqDVu0nL-q6fFleUU/s1303/Hag%20of%20the%20Hills_Cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="859" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5ECW25oyM5oitxFGM8PZ8hX_UdTEy72hu5b5Jx9fasRcUUtXK-sNpDLekQrp9lpcuEIMWTG0xIfpKxY3fd8G5M_0Ez4nHDgZ1EgNnmlpBNBwjV5t8FlV_7xmU9fPmtdM4NYUMfmKZuzrSYp0gVJk4IrUqxv5voMoNh9h9ahLqDVu0nL-q6fFleUU/w264-h400/Hag%20of%20the%20Hills_Cover.png" width="264" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Review</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</div><div style="text-align: center;">(3.5 round up)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Hag of Hills by J.T.T. Ryder was definitely a well thought out book. It is filled with mythological beings through out. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Brennus does not want a quiet life, he wants adventure, to make a name for himself. To be remembered. But after an encounter with the Hag of the hills, he learns the hard way that everything has a price. He's been told to beware of the Hag. But Brennus wants that glory and if she can offer all his desires, all the glory, the gold and the women. How do you say no?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Like I said everything comes with a price. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Hillmen are invading and Brennus is nothing really but a farmer, with warriors blood in is vain but no real training. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Everything comes with a price, so much destruction and death.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I enjoyed what I have read there is a lot of potential for this series and I am interested in reading the next book. The author did a great job with the battle scenes, and I do like a good battle. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The writing has moments where it comes across as weaker then other times, I tend to like my prose a little more wordy so to speak. I have some issue with some repativeness and the way to many chest references both male and female, it was a bit much for a just over 300 page story. But over all a an enjoyable story that had my eyes fill a little. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So if you like historical fiction/fantasy, especially involving the Celts and Roman's then I really think you will like the Hag in the Hills</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">About the Author </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJHQz1aDUe02xwhMV_Upq5U4wE8StT7uS9hXQpT5q1gzFC_4Hs_m8tl-dzi1EurTOgdxgIUtcTokF1JXexviiRpdR87jBU1u3SGyT2bOsgmb1xZJJJR9-u5gyEwXLm6fjlVmQ3m3UqbGIM_RAVX9qbc5pntCntzsM67xZ79XNWaRZAmsuSsBem_fF/s450/Hag%20of%20the%20Hills_Author%20picture.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJHQz1aDUe02xwhMV_Upq5U4wE8StT7uS9hXQpT5q1gzFC_4Hs_m8tl-dzi1EurTOgdxgIUtcTokF1JXexviiRpdR87jBU1u3SGyT2bOsgmb1xZJJJR9-u5gyEwXLm6fjlVmQ3m3UqbGIM_RAVX9qbc5pntCntzsM67xZ79XNWaRZAmsuSsBem_fF/w400-h400/Hag%20of%20the%20Hills_Author%20picture.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>Joseph Thomas Thor Ryder is an archaeologist and author of the heroic fantasy trilogy, THE BRONZE SWORD CYCLES. Book 1 and 2 are Hag of the Hills and The Lion of Skye, alongside their prequel, Tomb of the Blue Demons.</div><div>He is a published author of Viking archaeology, and a doctoral candidate specializing in the Viking Age and Celtic Iron Age. He lives in Norway where he conducts archaeological research and writes heroic fantasy set in historical periods.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Reading </div></div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-59547446255593947412022-06-16T08:42:00.001-02:302022-06-16T09:03:14.545-02:30Go Hunt Me by Kelly deVos <p style="text-align: center;"> Hello lovelies. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Welcome back or welcome if you are new to the blog.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Today I bring you a book review. It is my stop for TBR and Beyonds tour of Go Hunt Me by Kelly deVos.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcx6RhZCqaNgQqQEKYUKdayjd2_DpKdc7XicFUvyxQ1JBr3CA66Q_GjZwUVbLVio3cM2bs6k4hUhAhrjJWOCe4IrIF7iXfenKSsBd9OhEBVDpV3V9SvKfpSuZS1josFEh5NVxBrxWEYj5VqbkrCBu1G2ojz493p-jp-YuZTfSmwg_jCj_r291goyz/s780/Go%20Hunt%20Me%20Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="780" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcx6RhZCqaNgQqQEKYUKdayjd2_DpKdc7XicFUvyxQ1JBr3CA66Q_GjZwUVbLVio3cM2bs6k4hUhAhrjJWOCe4IrIF7iXfenKSsBd9OhEBVDpV3V9SvKfpSuZS1josFEh5NVxBrxWEYj5VqbkrCBu1G2ojz493p-jp-YuZTfSmwg_jCj_r291goyz/w400-h165/Go%20Hunt%20Me%20Banner.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Go Hunt Me by Kelly deVos</p><p style="text-align: center;">Genre: Young Adult Horror</p><p style="text-align: center;">Publishing Date: June 14, 2022</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4HebSrcnIYLSABBCZtJoorAgBLwbtu5m2NmHG15Ivu8ruyp7gUt3ZbH9HfkLJ7QQnYyI61BtJ4-NjZ6RxF4LvIN0MB0dI6aDt82xyAzd8h6H3TjChXSAYVgfxZIrGIyNG7Ns_U0GDM1U_M6grmqCfJNGZwrvI5JtbJB-qpNClBAFCf8R7RovsTDw/s5100/Go%20Hunt%20Me.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5100" data-original-width="3375" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4HebSrcnIYLSABBCZtJoorAgBLwbtu5m2NmHG15Ivu8ruyp7gUt3ZbH9HfkLJ7QQnYyI61BtJ4-NjZ6RxF4LvIN0MB0dI6aDt82xyAzd8h6H3TjChXSAYVgfxZIrGIyNG7Ns_U0GDM1U_M6grmqCfJNGZwrvI5JtbJB-qpNClBAFCf8R7RovsTDw/w265-h400/Go%20Hunt%20Me.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Synopsis:</p><p style="text-align: center;">For Dracula lovers and fans of Diana Urban’s All Your Twisted Secrets, this spine-tingling thriller follows seven horror buffs as their dream trip to a remote Romanian castle turns into a nightmare when they begin to be killed one by one.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Alex Rush is ready for the trip of a lifetime.</p><p style="text-align: center;">She and her friends have made some creepily awesome films together throughout high school, so with only a few months left before they go their separate ways for college, they’re determined to make the best one yet: an epic short film that reimagines the story of Dracula, filmed on location at a remote castle in Romania.</p><p style="text-align: center;">But when they get there, it’s not quite the majestic setting they planned for. Menacing weapons line the walls, the twisted halls are easy to get lost in, and with no connection to the outside world, the group is unexpectedly off the grid. After just a few hours spent under its roof, Alex and her friends have no trouble imagining how this dark, terrifying castle inspired one of the most enduring horror novels of all time.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Only soon they no longer have to use their imaginations to understand the location’s terrifying history—just as they get the film’s first shot rolling, one of Alex’s friends disappears, and she’s nearly certain she saw a cloaked stranger lurking in the shadows. As more members of the group begin to meet an untimely demise, Alex is desperate to stop the bloodshed, even if it means facing a monster she never thought would be let loose.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Content warnings: Some discussion of sexual harassments and abuse, death, violence, gore</p><div style="text-align: center;"><div>Book Links:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58303850-go-hunt-me " target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HRK9K6R/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_sin_ca-20&linkCode=as2&camp=15121&creative=330641" target="_blank">Amazon</a></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/go-hunt-me-kelly-devos/1140285397?ean=9780593204856" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></div><div><a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Go-Hunt-Me-Kelly-deVos/9780593204856?ref=grid-view&qid=1648673500056&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Book Depository</a></div><div><a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/go-hunt-me/9780593204856-item.html?ikwid=go+hunt+me&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0#algoliaQueryId=e68cda8ba6d1c2ab0801d10e7a33eebc " target="_blank">Indigo</a></div><div><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/ 9780593204856" target="_blank">IndieBound</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Review:</div><div><br /></div><div>⭐⭐⭐⭐</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYmQmpJfEt9HW76FYm6SeQomcs5qtOjx4orcm2gp7a_b7qYujAV8MjiAEZiU0MZLzwX9hlV8OqV8mWUIfEH_MuFUWLII__FXn5TCQkszSxMZM9PcoxeK559O1l1lXji3WCw5L4SursOckMHBa3g3lK1ZFd_nP_RFLNbFip8u9l35Uoya3Fbe-ikp6/s2576/OldRoll_1655377713167%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2576" data-original-width="1728" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYmQmpJfEt9HW76FYm6SeQomcs5qtOjx4orcm2gp7a_b7qYujAV8MjiAEZiU0MZLzwX9hlV8OqV8mWUIfEH_MuFUWLII__FXn5TCQkszSxMZM9PcoxeK559O1l1lXji3WCw5L4SursOckMHBa3g3lK1ZFd_nP_RFLNbFip8u9l35Uoya3Fbe-ikp6/w269-h400/OldRoll_1655377713167%20(1).jpg" width="269" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Alex wants to get into USC, but she's been waitlisted, we're Jax her boyfriend has not. They were supposed to be the next director/producer dream team. </div><div><br /></div><div>Her friends not wanting to have Alex's dreams go up in smoke decide to help out and set up a gofundme page to raise enough money to make a new film to get her off the wait list and into the school. </div><div><br /></div><div>And get the money they do, as well as score the castle of Vlad the Impaler to shoot it on location. It is a horror movie about Dracula after all, how fitting to film it at the location where Stokers inspiration came from.</div><div><br /></div><div>Things seem to good to be true, until they are not. Because they think they are there to film Alex's film, not actually live in one. Abandoned in an old run down castle, in a different country, with no parents. No power and storm. That's when they start to disappear and the killing begins.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>I really enjoyed this book. It was giving me 90s/00s teen horror movie vibes. I could honestly see this made into a movie and I wouldn't be mad about it. There were times when I was figuring it out then we had a twist that made me think okay, I didn't see that coming. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>There was a few issues within the writing, like mistakes that an editor hopefully picked up on in the finished proof. Things like calling a character Maggie, when her name is Maddie.</div><div><br /></div><div>Through out I was noticing things that made me think hmm I'm not sure about this. However knowing how the book ends and having slept on it, they make more sense. I don't want to spoil anything but when you read this book and you think that doesn't make sense or that's not right wait until it's finished and think for a moment and you will see that it all was purposeful. </div><div><br /></div><div>Great story, perfect for horror/thriller fans. Very fast paced, which is great for a beach read or laying out in the garden. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfdCpbitj5r3ShMkaat3oVOKYtaFI-OIbUiEZH7tM-lcAPtkce4NVkXZTQUG2xh76yoM5iHCiS2PpTnHH8Hh3M1DIP5In6Ue4IniY7VUgGdfb0OKQk_ICwfLyl5EQhmQI8ovKxoWaCh5stn83GQhheTpKJPrGUUCUXGlK7izFvZps8A_x20nG9AyOx/s307/Kelly%20deVos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="307" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfdCpbitj5r3ShMkaat3oVOKYtaFI-OIbUiEZH7tM-lcAPtkce4NVkXZTQUG2xh76yoM5iHCiS2PpTnHH8Hh3M1DIP5In6Ue4IniY7VUgGdfb0OKQk_ICwfLyl5EQhmQI8ovKxoWaCh5stn83GQhheTpKJPrGUUCUXGlK7izFvZps8A_x20nG9AyOx/w400-h280/Kelly%20deVos.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>About the Author:</div><div>Kelly deVos is from Gilbert, Arizona, where she lives with her high school sweetheart husband, amazing teen daughter and superhero dog, Cocoa. She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Arizona State University. When not reading or writing, Kelly can typically be found with a mocha in hand, bingeing the latest TV shows and adding to her ever-growing sticker collection.</div><div>Kelly is represented by Chloe Seager of the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency in London. Her work on body positivity has been featured in the New York Times as well as on Vulture, Salon, Bustle and SheKnows. Her debut novel, Fat Girl on a Plane was named one of the “50 Best Summer Reads of All Time” by Reader’s Digest magazine. Her second book, Day Zero, is available now from Inkyard Press/HarperCollins.</div><div><br /></div><div>Author Links:</div><div><a href="https://www.kellydevos.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></div><div><a href="https://twitter.com/KdeVosAuthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kellydevos/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15236443.Kelly_deVos" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div><div><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/kellydevos/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div><div><a href="https://kellydevosauthor.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Don't forget to stop by the rest of the tour stops!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://tbrandbeyondtours.com/2022/04/28/tour-schedule-go-hunt-me-by-kelly-devos/" target="_blank">Tour Schedule</a></div><div> </div><div><br /></div></div><div>Happy Reading </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-37092062269858008532022-06-04T16:19:00.001-02:302022-06-04T16:26:50.416-02:30#bookreview The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks #booktour & #giveaway <p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWT5uebROYH2vyX6R5plLObv9_OTa_zw4UwHOUCRbFpc6GLcrYHrghAixDeCJ-IOu2VGfJO8o7ZACRZR0WpwZZEQPE8AaOAuEur3EcxnYxNiMNE3bjiaT_dNPideT9yyRQMOVL7H9u8Ao_HwgZIoqOd_z_kytK_LYZnGM29CI7zxL4q8XN5AtR4NFa/s1920/The%20Witch%20Collector%20blog%20announcement.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWT5uebROYH2vyX6R5plLObv9_OTa_zw4UwHOUCRbFpc6GLcrYHrghAixDeCJ-IOu2VGfJO8o7ZACRZR0WpwZZEQPE8AaOAuEur3EcxnYxNiMNE3bjiaT_dNPideT9yyRQMOVL7H9u8Ao_HwgZIoqOd_z_kytK_LYZnGM29CI7zxL4q8XN5AtR4NFa/w400-h225/The%20Witch%20Collector%20blog%20announcement.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Hello and welcome back to the blog, welcome if you are new.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Today is my stop for Eacapist tours book tour for:</p><p style="text-align: center;">The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks</p><p style="text-align: center;">Series: Witch Walker Series</p><p style="text-align: center;">Genre: Romantic Fantasy</p><p style="text-align: center;">Intended Age Group: New Adult/Adult</p><p style="text-align: center;">Pages: 350</p><p style="text-align: center;">Published: November 2, 2021</p><p style="text-align: center;">Publisher: City Owl Press, LLC</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXGaL4TW3wotJKqiX1kNu-wpgPnsUBm5a094a1O_7RvW_nWN7MUYQzki4gJKJ4kW6P_JFBbcw-FGBk8036yQGI0FYv_eyfB_XzDouCfvP300WTVyzvmVaA9Wp8Ymhn_iODTXN-u2Tp7tByZIqQTxg3DudBMIZ7MSHF4Ixb4J_K2T1JIoLqKu8EHih/s2560/Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1707" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXGaL4TW3wotJKqiX1kNu-wpgPnsUBm5a094a1O_7RvW_nWN7MUYQzki4gJKJ4kW6P_JFBbcw-FGBk8036yQGI0FYv_eyfB_XzDouCfvP300WTVyzvmVaA9Wp8Ymhn_iODTXN-u2Tp7tByZIqQTxg3DudBMIZ7MSHF4Ixb4J_K2T1JIoLqKu8EHih/w266-h400/Cover.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Book Blurb:</p><p style="text-align: center;">Every harvest moon, the Witch Collector rides into our valley and leads one of us to the home of the immortal Frost King, to remain forever.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Today is that day—Collecting Day.</p><p style="text-align: center;">But he will not come for me. I, Raina Bloodgood, have lived in this village for twenty-four years, and for twenty-four years he has passed me by.</p><p style="text-align: center;">His mistake.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Raina Bloodgood has one desire: kill the Frost King and the Witch Collector who stole her sister. On Collecting Day, she means to exact murderous revenge, but a more sinister threat sets fire to her world. Rising from the ashes is the Collector, Alexus Thibault, the man she vowed to slay and the only person who can help save her sister.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Thrust into an age-old story of ice, fire, and ancient gods, Raina must abandon vengeance and aid the Witch Collector in saving the Frost King or let their empire—and her sister—fall into enemy hands. But the lines between good and evil blur, and Raina has more to lose than she imagined. What is she to do when the Witch Collector is no longer the villain who stole her sister, but the hero who’s stealing her heart?</p><p style="text-align: center;">The Witch Collector is book one in a thrilling romantic fantasy series, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik, Sarah J. Maas, and Jennifer L. Armentrout.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">*</p><p style="text-align: center;">*</p><p style="text-align: center;">Content/Trigger Warnings:</p><p style="text-align: center;">Shown on page:</p><p style="text-align: center;">Child Murder</p><p style="text-align: center;">Violence</p><p style="text-align: center;">Battle (some mild gore, blood)</p><p style="text-align: center;">Animal Violence (crow)</p><p style="text-align: center;">Adult Language</p><p style="text-align: center;">Open-door Love Scene</p><p style="text-align: center;">Loss of Parent</p><p style="text-align: center;">Grief and Guilt</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Alluded to:</p><p style="text-align: center;">Suicidal Ideation</p><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><div style="text-align: center;">*</div><p style="text-align: center;">My review </p><div style="text-align: center;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I devoured this book.</div><div style="text-align: center;">You know when you read a book and it's timing is perfect? Well that's what happened with The Witch Collector. .</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It held my attention from the very start, I mean how could it not. Our MC was born without the ability to speak, she is also a Witch. She sings her spells with sign language. That is brilliant. She has so much talent but believes she has none due to having no Witch markings. She has gotten overlooked by the Witch Collector each year on Collecting Day. This year she plans on being noticed, because this year she plans on kidnapping him and forcing him to take her to the Frost King. Murdering them both to get her sister who was taken 8 years prior. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There is so much that happens in such a short time, we learn so much of the back story of how things in this world came about. It fascinating, the gods and the land wars. The death of gods and the wanting to bring them back. This book is just the beginning. I seriously can not wait for the second installment. I would be reading right now if I had my hands on it. In fact, I will purchasing this book to have in my collection because it was that good and I know I will want to reread it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">For a fantasy romance, there is more story then romance and how it blends together for me was chefs kiss. As you can see I loved the story, the magic system, the battles, the characters. This book deserves the 5 stars I gave it and I can not wait for August 9th to get my hands on a copy of book 2 City of Ruin.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">After the loss of both my Step mom and only 4 weeks ago today my grandmother finding a book to keep hooked to the point I was with this one was very hard to do. For this I am so grateful to the author, Charissa Weaks. Thank you</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU05aEnuf1GMNHJ_kaD_kKbXSgEcWNVl0-MrDh0ReNAEN36d-qTt_xsddnk7U1nk066J-A_F0XdKGAZDJd5CTCDfM7OwdY31xfFHF_zNuO22UCbHxaG8sbOFtz9SJ6EMc5opb8y2Fpo6phwkdaKLAaF8XkDjjepDsbRwEDNuJtI5ZS50GnV52dBDVo/s1920/The%20Witch%20Collector%20quotes%20(blog)%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU05aEnuf1GMNHJ_kaD_kKbXSgEcWNVl0-MrDh0ReNAEN36d-qTt_xsddnk7U1nk066J-A_F0XdKGAZDJd5CTCDfM7OwdY31xfFHF_zNuO22UCbHxaG8sbOFtz9SJ6EMc5opb8y2Fpo6phwkdaKLAaF8XkDjjepDsbRwEDNuJtI5ZS50GnV52dBDVo/w400-h225/The%20Witch%20Collector%20quotes%20(blog)%20(2).png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Book Links:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://books2read.com/TheWitchCollector" target="_blank">Universal Link</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57191885-the-witch-collector" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>Author Bio & Information:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jWVsfgwIVE8C4O74z4ePUilTgMCKrjuni8yAzaky8x7Q1tqUnRf-dhNLjiQOd114OQ_KKfMLTRH2Hf1Of1cep98CCchgA1rGmV_ys1V1rhKdmLhCxbP9dyGLhaEKu87Ear28zECHAwTfQEf-BygyEx84ra0U3LZeEqin22rya7GMX1tENr3OEDJK/s740/Author%20Photo%20-%20Charissa%20Weaks.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="740" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jWVsfgwIVE8C4O74z4ePUilTgMCKrjuni8yAzaky8x7Q1tqUnRf-dhNLjiQOd114OQ_KKfMLTRH2Hf1Of1cep98CCchgA1rGmV_ys1V1rhKdmLhCxbP9dyGLhaEKu87Ear28zECHAwTfQEf-BygyEx84ra0U3LZeEqin22rya7GMX1tENr3OEDJK/w400-h400/Author%20Photo%20-%20Charissa%20Weaks.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>CHARISSA WEAKS is an award-winning fantasy author. She crafts stories with magic, time travel, romance, and history--and the occasional apocalyptic quest. She is a foodie and book-buying coffee addict who loves to travel and visit antique stores. She believes the souls of memories live in shadowy places and inside the things we cast away.</div><div>Charissa is a member of the SFWA, is active in the Historical Novel Society, was named 2019 President and Pro-Liaison for her local Romance Writers of America chapter, and is a member of the Women’s Fiction Association.</div><div>Charissa resides just south of Nashville with her family, two wrinkly English Bulldogs, and the sweetest German Shepherd in existence. When she’s not writing, you can find Charissa lost in a good book or digging through four-hundred-year-old texts for research. To keep up with her writing endeavors, and to gain access to writing freebies and book giveaways, join her newsletter, The Monthly Courant or her reader group on Facebook.</div><div><br /></div><div>Social Media Links:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://charissaweaks.com/" target="_blank">Author Website</a></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/charissaweaksauthor/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CharissaWeaksAuthor/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></div><div><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@charissaweaksauthor" target="_blank">TikTok</a></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17990512.Charissa_Weaks" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div><div><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/charissa-weaks" target="_blank">Bookbub</a></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Charissa-Weaks/e/B07CVQRT7K?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1638498546&sr=8-1" target="_blank">AmazonPage</a> </div><div><br /></div><div><div>Additional Information:</div><div>The Witch Collector has been selected by Amazon as a Kindle deal of the month and will be on sale for only $2.99 in the US and Canada and £0.99 in the UK for the entire month of June! Feel free to mention that to your audience so they can take advantage of the sale price!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGF0LF7viBYIXQ3oAW5RqqjS8Qy7kpcBPS3azNj0yFMDekN-6FxsreRZPAieI24IrsHIpYElPH_Au4yPsTFjK2vgsuGlIovTtweGjSSNlwlo3dOWi-aDIhjNj4FzK2i97EAG1xSUoIUdTNRJR8xLAl8HWgWi33rTE3N3GRdtc1B_7YK0NBjQUtTAT/s1080/The%20Witch%20Collector%20giveaway.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGF0LF7viBYIXQ3oAW5RqqjS8Qy7kpcBPS3azNj0yFMDekN-6FxsreRZPAieI24IrsHIpYElPH_Au4yPsTFjK2vgsuGlIovTtweGjSSNlwlo3dOWi-aDIhjNj4FzK2i97EAG1xSUoIUdTNRJR8xLAl8HWgWi33rTE3N3GRdtc1B_7YK0NBjQUtTAT/w400-h400/The%20Witch%20Collector%20giveaway.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Giveaway Information:</div><div>Prize: A Signed Hardcover and Art Print!</div><div>Starts: June 2, 2022 at 12:00am EST</div><div>Ends: June 8, 2022 at 12:00am EST</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="79e197ac27" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/79e197ac27/" id="rcwidget_bv8supth" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Please check out the rest of the tour dates below.</div>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPNlHXDx8b7Swciz_SwlIPps9XSLPHC71ondjHsBGiI6a2-QQVp-5Na67etoRhMWq_LHHsO8i1n-kbYBVcuwP8SwSGM8zMq0PlqOJzjjs5W99JvqgDr3oIO_RDBMsiE2YyN4qRKUaYECdq2y01NGjhF4-CaP8wXgR4w7Fn-JxMg-UcrwMvK-ytsqm/s1920/The%20Witch%20Collector%20tour%20stops%20(blog).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPNlHXDx8b7Swciz_SwlIPps9XSLPHC71ondjHsBGiI6a2-QQVp-5Na67etoRhMWq_LHHsO8i1n-kbYBVcuwP8SwSGM8zMq0PlqOJzjjs5W99JvqgDr3oIO_RDBMsiE2YyN4qRKUaYECdq2y01NGjhF4-CaP8wXgR4w7Fn-JxMg-UcrwMvK-ytsqm/w400-h225/The%20Witch%20Collector%20tour%20stops%20(blog).png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you to both Escapist Tours and Charissa Weaks for the opportunity to read this book.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Reading!!</div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-88039474580661978872022-05-24T08:20:00.000-02:302022-05-24T08:20:01.468-02:30Reading Slump <p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;">Hello and welcome back or welcome if you are new.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Today I bring you a ramble if you will.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQvlzccsI-zLz8JzxBRwnv9Fsj8A7cRI--VFrTs7dBrcbKXAkyA9qCVo5GS7R0zsqxOPvuONB9jdw5VJNMI391drbu6yNuMppAPiCkKJMoHXENYTvwOYfk4yZ6WIU0q5xmxvu-jy81uJ7bN5DRUjxJmm8h8u9f9fcmOuUoblVKD-FUYoes6h_EY-j/s4162/IMG_20220523_191517_594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4162" data-original-width="4162" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQvlzccsI-zLz8JzxBRwnv9Fsj8A7cRI--VFrTs7dBrcbKXAkyA9qCVo5GS7R0zsqxOPvuONB9jdw5VJNMI391drbu6yNuMppAPiCkKJMoHXENYTvwOYfk4yZ6WIU0q5xmxvu-jy81uJ7bN5DRUjxJmm8h8u9f9fcmOuUoblVKD-FUYoes6h_EY-j/w400-h400/IMG_20220523_191517_594.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">I've been very slumpy reading lately. Heck the desire to much of anything has been hard to find. It started when my step mom was moved into palliative care in March, then was made worse 41 days later by the passing of my grandmother on May 7th. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">I've been reading bits here and there or mindlessly played audiobooks in the background but I just haven't had desire, the drive to pick up a book. I wanted to so badly but nothing was calling me and what I did read I know I didn't give my all to because I just didn't have it in me to give. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Sunday evening after work, whilst walking through my favourite graveyard the urge to sit down hit me hard. I wanted read there and then but you see the book in my bag was not what I wanted to be reading. ( I have been reading The Dragon Republic for at least 2 months, nothing against the book its all me + obligation reads) </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">I have realized I need a break from fantasy and I thought a reread would be comforting. So I sat outside on this holiday Monday and read some not a lot but some,the thing is I haven't felt like this was a chore, I didn't get distracted because it's not what I want. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">I missed this 100% mood reading.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">I think I'll be talking a slight break form booktours and reviews (besides the ones I'm already signed on to do) or at least dial them back. I hope by the time I finish this reread of Interview With the Vampire I'll will be out of my slump. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Happy Reading </p>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-22865687754868256292022-05-22T21:43:00.006-02:302022-05-22T21:57:28.209-02:30#bookspotlight The Legend of Black Jack by A.R. Witham #bookgiveaway <p>Hello and welcome back to the blog and welcome if you are new. Today I have a book Spotlight and giveaway for you</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_D-tZdEj9iOLrxwy2djqCCGMozoL1TEzPZ00l6jcnvDjkm6NA3hAGtUTw2Ic7xTT2o2SLBH-dUmNu_NExT_laRozRviSSUMIgw-LaPYnk4nPtwP-QUWvYPVT0T1aC5Gqo1ioPAGEgg_ye4c6ClssiNqa0Si9pc45XgK4g-67CiR9SRdEsYIvOQ3m/s1920/Legend%20of%20Black%20Jack%20blog%20announcement.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_D-tZdEj9iOLrxwy2djqCCGMozoL1TEzPZ00l6jcnvDjkm6NA3hAGtUTw2Ic7xTT2o2SLBH-dUmNu_NExT_laRozRviSSUMIgw-LaPYnk4nPtwP-QUWvYPVT0T1aC5Gqo1ioPAGEgg_ye4c6ClssiNqa0Si9pc45XgK4g-67CiR9SRdEsYIvOQ3m/w400-h225/Legend%20of%20Black%20Jack%20blog%20announcement.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The Legend of Black Jack by A.R. Witham</p><p>Series: None</p><p>Genre: YA Fantasy</p><p>Intended Age Group: 12+</p><p>Pages: 458</p><p>Published: May 17, 2022</p><p>Publisher: Nepenthe House (Self Published)</p><p><br /></p><p>###</p><p><br /></p><p>Content/Trigger Warnings:</p><p>Shown on page:</p><p>Child Abuse (foster mom hits main character)</p><p>Child Abduction (main character kidnapped by monster)</p><p>Alluded to:</p><p>Child Neglect (foster mom ignores her wards)</p><p><br /></p><p>###</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Gn5XlmvIU5aLPfaj6cJd2_Chg0dz_4ep6LEX2mWjmCyNRJ7ESbyHWJh8d9yd_NBn1hZjS36EXPGgPvHuJ7CwsxZQ8Who6TKeBaT3yCGWB4YzbXK_fjS5ZsGN9QT9kNlp_F99mcFevsTSwy_UM_TKCRlDyay6ctkczIMODiu0mU_Ia7O2XIgdZQWm/s5120/Cover%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5120" data-original-width="3200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Gn5XlmvIU5aLPfaj6cJd2_Chg0dz_4ep6LEX2mWjmCyNRJ7ESbyHWJh8d9yd_NBn1hZjS36EXPGgPvHuJ7CwsxZQ8Who6TKeBaT3yCGWB4YzbXK_fjS5ZsGN9QT9kNlp_F99mcFevsTSwy_UM_TKCRlDyay6ctkczIMODiu0mU_Ia7O2XIgdZQWm/w250-h400/Cover%20(1).jpeg" width="250" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Book Blurb:</p><p>Thrilling fantasy adventure debut from Emmy-winner A. R. Witham.</p><p>Jack Swift can tell you every element on the periodic table, recite Treasure Island verbatim, and would remember in perfect detail every word you’d ever say to him. He has been alone for a long time, so he has buried himself in books, using them to plan his escape. </p><p>But no textbook could ever prepare him for the land of Keymark.</p><p>At 3:33 a.m. on his fourteenth birthday, Jack is kidnapped by a hideous monster to another sphere of existence. Now there are two moons in the sky, and he is surrounded by grotesque creatures and magical warriors training for battle. They want the impossible: Jack must use his abilities to save a life or be trapped in this bizarre world with no chance of rescue.</p><p>Jack doesn’t have secret magic, a great destiny, or any experience.</p><p>So why do they all expect him to become a legend?</p><div><br /></div><p>Book Links:</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QJ24S76" target="_blank">Amazon</a></p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60159900-the-legend-of-black-jack" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p>###</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexB9XKgjVF7vxfcAFmYhJ7JUhcE7AM4hUIwtBWJhKdx2EQlErejyTu0XLgnon0OtLTCkrvQklNdYQFKBsCi5TJT21kF77HlbC6cpe98ECE5H8PtYpoMcY7rJXPsGWbBOcs9lPUbs4_qnhArL_WtX8AnskkkmXFQt8BriZJOV7NW3Bb8NHq2uQ2z4e/s4032/AR%20Witham%20Author%20Photo.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexB9XKgjVF7vxfcAFmYhJ7JUhcE7AM4hUIwtBWJhKdx2EQlErejyTu0XLgnon0OtLTCkrvQklNdYQFKBsCi5TJT21kF77HlbC6cpe98ECE5H8PtYpoMcY7rJXPsGWbBOcs9lPUbs4_qnhArL_WtX8AnskkkmXFQt8BriZJOV7NW3Bb8NHq2uQ2z4e/w300-h400/AR%20Witham%20Author%20Photo.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Author Bio & Information:</p><p>A.R. Witham is a three-time Emmy-winning writer-producer and a great lover of adventure. He is the world’s foremost expert on the history of Keymark. He loves to talk with young people and adults who remember what young people know. He has written for film and television, canoed to the Arctic Circle, hiked the Appalachian Trail and been inside his house while it burned down. He lives in Indianapolis.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you would like a sneak peek at his upcoming work or upcoming events, please reach out to him:</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/arwitham" target="_blank">Twitter</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ARWitham" target="_blank">Facebook</a></p><p><a href="http://www.arwitham.com" target="_blank">Website</a></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiDnKkw2ipumH_zGykLeOeH1kShI5oFYHD7oWG4RfNqc6ujGDQSQycelMebQ9AcFOYD5jmphCOPHbvMYF1fBYm0tihU008OUgGpzyFRHqW6g_PDq3fqkHOP6tnET4WtI-e-FPX-3rYdBcyKxmXko38sUopN6qpviqpHHlSm4sSQeMVMYie8MxxjQU/s1024/Full%20Page%20Art.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBiDnKkw2ipumH_zGykLeOeH1kShI5oFYHD7oWG4RfNqc6ujGDQSQycelMebQ9AcFOYD5jmphCOPHbvMYF1fBYm0tihU008OUgGpzyFRHqW6g_PDq3fqkHOP6tnET4WtI-e-FPX-3rYdBcyKxmXko38sUopN6qpviqpHHlSm4sSQeMVMYie8MxxjQU/w300-h400/Full%20Page%20Art.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Excerpt:</p><p><br /></p><p>Chapter 4</p><p>BLOOD</p><p>Primum non nocere. First, do no harm.</p><p>—Hippocrates</p><p><br /></p><p>The operating room was anything but sterile. The floor was pounded-down dirt, the walls were splintered wood that collected dust by the handful, and the smoking fire in the corner exhaled nearly as much soot into the room as up the chimney. It was dark, it was dirty, and it put the odds against Jack Swift before he even began.</p><p><br /></p><p>Jack had two concerns, other than the obvious: that Xiang-lo would die the moment he touched him. The first worry was the anesthesia. Dr. Richards had told him repeatedly that in almost any surgery, the drugs used to put the patient to sleep were by far the most dangerous part of a procedure; more men had been killed by a tiny slip in the amount of medication used than from any mistake a surgeon made. The gas passers, as Richards called them, were the background heroes of the operating room, and kept their patients walking the thin line between sleep and death.</p><p><br /></p><p>Jack had made the calculations for the correct amount of anesthesia, but in the end, it proved unnecessary. Memphis would keep Xiang-lo asleep. Such majik was well within the monster’s mastery, said Valerian, and keeping Xiang-lo out of consciousness and out of pain would be the rhino’s task during the procedure.</p><p><br /></p><p>The second concern was more personal.</p><p><br /></p><p>“I don’t want to see his face.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Valerian nodded as if he had been expecting the request. “That has been arranged.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Good. So the knight understood. “Not just his face,” continued Jack. “I don’t want to see any part of him other than his belly on the right side. There are medical sheets in Memphis’s bag; cover him with those. His chest, his legs, but especially his face. I don’t want to see it.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Surgery was just like carpentry. Jack had to remember that. But the only way to treat a man like a block of wood was to remove his face, remove his personality, remove any trace of humanity from him…and even then, he would still be a Pinocchio.</p><p><br /></p><p>If everything went well, Jack would love to hear about Xiang-lo, about who he was, what his dreams were, and how he’d lived his life. But right now, all Jack wanted to know, all he could know, was where to cut.</p><p><br /></p><p>Besides, some darker part of his mind chided. You don’t want another face haunting your dreams when you kill him.</p><p><br /></p><p>They had followed his instructions perfectly. The patient (always the patient, never a person) was laid out on a table, every inch of him covered in thin green medical sheeting, save for his white belly, which shone like a spotlight in the darkened room. Memphis stood at the man’s (no) patient’s head, his massive hands on either side of the bump under the sheet, murmuring strange words softly in the dark. There were other people there, hidden by the surgical masks that Jack, through Valerian, had ordered them to wear. They were silent, standing like statues, waiting. The grey man himself stood aside as Jack entered the room. The knight’s worn face was eerily calm.</p><p><br /></p><p>Jack walked to the patient. There were the tools, laid out on a wooden stool near the operating table, still in their sterile plastic containers, just waiting to be used. The scalpels, the forceps, the clamps. Cold steel ready to plunge into the man’s warm belly.</p><p><br /></p><p>The belly. Soft and fatty and pale, vulnerable as a newborn baby.</p><p><br /></p><p>The boy put on the thin latex surgical gloves, feeling them snap over his wrists, then donned the mask.</p><p><br /></p><p>Jack swallowed.</p><p><br /></p><p>Memphis had been thorough if nothing else. Every kind of surgical tool he could possibly need was readily available, from clamps and forceps to ointments and swabs to needles and syringes of every kind. Dr. Swift’s office must have been completely bare by the time the thieving rhinoceros was done.</p><p><br /></p><p>The first step was the intravenous drip. Valerian’s assistant, Kenyan, had been meticulous in following Jack’s instructions for preparing the room, but this was something Kenyan could not manage herself. The most extensive experience Jack had known with the art of phlebotomy was sticking a needle into the skin of an orange. That was practice. This was different.</p><p><br /></p><p>He extended the metal stand, screwed it in place, took the plastic intravenous bag from the table, and hung it from the hook. Jack removed the sheet from the patient’s arm, thanked</p><p><br /></p><p>God the patient had good veins, and took hold of the butterfly needle at the end of the IV tube.</p><p><br /></p><p>He told himself it was no different from an orange. In the end, it wasn’t. The needle pierced the vein and found a home, easing healthy fluid into the man’s—patient’s circulatory system.</p><p><br /></p><p>And now there was nothing left to do but surgery.</p><p><br /></p><p>Jack found the bottle of Betadine, the worldwide standard in surgical antiseptic, resting by the tools. He opened the bottle, poured the orange liquid onto a sterile cloth, and quickly swabbed the open space between the green surgical sheets. The skin turned darkish orange as he cleaned it, and suddenly the skin didn’t belong to a man—it belonged to Jack.</p><p><br /></p><p>He found the container of latex sheathing and tore the package open with a rip that, in the silent room, sounded like a roar. He removed the adhesive strips, settled the transparent latex window over the area where the incision would be made, and stuck it firmly to the patient’s skin. It was under that window, that minuscule six square inches of the universe, that would be the sole focus of his entire being for the next several minutes.</p><p><br /></p><p>Or the rest of his life.</p><p><br /></p><p>Those six inches of skin, and the one tiny little freckle that lay within them.</p><p><br /></p><p>Jack found himself staring at the freckle. There was something about it that unnerved him. In a perfect world, there would be no freckle. It should be just a sheet of plain white patient skin masked in Betadine. But there was something about the imperfection, about the tiny, little dark spot, that made it impossible for those six inches of flesh to belong to anything other than a man.</p><p><br /></p><p>He stepped back.</p><p><br /></p><p>“I…I can’t do this.” He shook his head, flexing his fingers desperately. “There isn’t…there isn’t enough light,” Jack continued. “In an operating room, this should be lit up with very, very bright lights. I can’t—I’m not going to be able to see inside—”</p><p><br /></p><p>His desperate sentence was cut off as Memphis raised one hand from the bump under the sheet and changed his tone. A tiny globe of white light appeared over Xiang-lo’s belly. It started small, no bigger than a bulb on a Christmas tree, but slowly grew to the size of a golf ball, blazing like a Hollywood klieg light. It rotated, and the area facing Jack darkened like the hood over a lamp, giving him room to work without being blinded.</p><p><br /></p><p>The boy swallowed, his mind racing, his fingers twitching. In the harsh light, motes of dust and soot danced in the air, falling from the ceiling, changing their course with every breath, each one shining bright in the rays of the blazing, hovering orb.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
Giveaway Information:
Prize: An eBook or Physical Copy of The Legend of Black Jack!
Starts: May 19, 2022 at 12:00am EST
Ends: May 25, 2022 at 11:59pm EST
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="79e197ac25" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/79e197ac25/" id="rcwidget_e058ffia" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <div><br /></div><div><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/79e197ac25/" target="_blank">Giveway direct link</a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwEtY9dXXzlJ57Mc1FQ3zEo6s_1YiTTWq1to1wF4TIXxF3oXgb_fpvNbMTScSci-IFAtLK3Kxr0kS-iNdn9pg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Reading</div></div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-6707792608547464322022-05-14T10:27:00.000-02:302022-05-14T10:27:22.307-02:30Cover Reveal Kindred of the Sea by Riana Nightingale <p style="text-align: center;"> Hello and welcome back or welcome if you are new to the blog.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Today I have a cover reveal.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Kindred of the Sea by Raina Nightingale </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfGQo0rw730ir3aaqlO3hj3cfOgmqxD6HVSMsIpdyQyT9MpAE6URmhLLbiis1q6L2ScnmBX-pB79j2D1ucBmLMMCh9D311GHBDfdWVBZDEFtBnUFzkntgsdVVIjNpeb3vqpq1RyqMfPxL4fE9Ej9upzWaAnUGNoVlnwIYYOuvaPIsY-FbXXvu_ThQ/s1280/Kindred%20of%20the%20Sea%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1280" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfGQo0rw730ir3aaqlO3hj3cfOgmqxD6HVSMsIpdyQyT9MpAE6URmhLLbiis1q6L2ScnmBX-pB79j2D1ucBmLMMCh9D311GHBDfdWVBZDEFtBnUFzkntgsdVVIjNpeb3vqpq1RyqMfPxL4fE9Ej9upzWaAnUGNoVlnwIYYOuvaPIsY-FbXXvu_ThQ/w400-h231/Kindred%20of%20the%20Sea%20(1).png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Back Cover Blurb:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When Corostomir and his partner march into battle and find themselves dreaming the dreams of trees, they know that all is not what it seems. . .</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Valor Alliance has declared war on Elethri, naming it haunt of demons and forest of the nightmare. But when the Valor Soldiers are driven back with enchantments of sleep and not with arrows, his partner, Aderan, and their friend soon convince Corostomir that a nation that will not shed the blood of its enemies, let alone that of its own people, cannot be in the thrall of the nightmare. Corostomir and Aderan must now make a difficult decision, one that is forced when the Valor Alliance sends the Army back to attack Elethri, this time by sea instead of land.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Kindred of the Sea is an enchanting tale about the love and intimacy possible in an asexual relationship and a trope-defying Portal Fantasy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Publication Date: June 24th</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://books2read.com/kindred-of-the-sea" target="_blank">Universal buy link</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Potential Triggers: death of a named character, three scenes involving fighting.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1n0yFNiztaUbRlM7GlBdFUZCtXl6GM8y5eiUxEx8jKyKBuWNfs3IIuJ8Chcgaqp2rYU0TJ-DcwdVpBQQyEX3aPfE3tXcu-2mjgPo7kElzbvddvHsxp8hLvyUYvApOQz2KyPxU6CSs8Z3ddZRiVOEB3a9MoAU0OvKneogYox6hxO7PsjYwRHLeTQ7/s980/kindred_of_the_sea(2)%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="653" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1n0yFNiztaUbRlM7GlBdFUZCtXl6GM8y5eiUxEx8jKyKBuWNfs3IIuJ8Chcgaqp2rYU0TJ-DcwdVpBQQyEX3aPfE3tXcu-2mjgPo7kElzbvddvHsxp8hLvyUYvApOQz2KyPxU6CSs8Z3ddZRiVOEB3a9MoAU0OvKneogYox6hxO7PsjYwRHLeTQ7/w266-h400/kindred_of_the_sea(2)%20(1).jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">About the Author </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-12583ae4-7fff-73f8-de3c-5e3fad62de10" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-12583ae4-7fff-73f8-de3c-5e3fad62de10" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhG08BAiF77XD56QONuGbI0koZf-_ndjPWkZE0P9C7wYBF3neNOteOrkxpQ7dl5ViMaC73j5N8EJOR5iMzeFnmCZeCFAWZZW-eXO4p1fbziE8xKVUo-bYaHh03QnwGgY35q2iiuxnxJLi0McjA2xEZ1w7WwrXjrEMuuPv2t5KigbjftO09zQueFRUJ/s848/Screenshot_20220514-102054_Docs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="848" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhG08BAiF77XD56QONuGbI0koZf-_ndjPWkZE0P9C7wYBF3neNOteOrkxpQ7dl5ViMaC73j5N8EJOR5iMzeFnmCZeCFAWZZW-eXO4p1fbziE8xKVUo-bYaHh03QnwGgY35q2iiuxnxJLi0McjA2xEZ1w7WwrXjrEMuuPv2t5KigbjftO09zQueFRUJ/w400-h394/Screenshot_20220514-102054_Docs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Raina Nightingale has been writing high fantasy since she could read well enough to write her stories with the words she knew (the same time that she started devouring any fiction she could touch). She especially loves dragons, storms, mountains, stars, forests, volcanoes, a whole lot of other things, and characters who can make you feel what they do (up to a point). When she’s not learning and exploring either her fantasy worlds or this one, she enjoys playing with visual art, among other things. She will always believe that kindness is stronger than hatred and that we will never be aware of all the magic in the world. She calls her fiction Dawndark.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/areaer_novels" target="_blank">Twitter</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.enthralledbylove.com" target="_blank">Website</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhsMY5s0ocHopaNOiuRRxVRZXeTvym7kGHCT9flv1XMDV02UP2ByvtHmUyjuw53bLwJY-nqUONshloDN8Ptvtq0aytWboVl1m-amZlwdKPNt36L7D03iGUwINiU08qMoVNnOcR7LkmfVANlh7cEEPrbUE7X144qSH5dwgNBjT0hP7IWA1y3hOlDUz/s1056/kindred-of-the-sea-aesthetic2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1056" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhsMY5s0ocHopaNOiuRRxVRZXeTvym7kGHCT9flv1XMDV02UP2ByvtHmUyjuw53bLwJY-nqUONshloDN8Ptvtq0aytWboVl1m-amZlwdKPNt36L7D03iGUwINiU08qMoVNnOcR7LkmfVANlh7cEEPrbUE7X144qSH5dwgNBjT0hP7IWA1y3hOlDUz/w400-h400/kindred-of-the-sea-aesthetic2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSjVeZa3leTlod60b-RD6BDV9TlKeLE0dCV9bMfu7CI8bduVgwAjUhyiiouIXknvjOyz_IffjD1ejcybGYzULNgBTvpdy-LJtcueJcsgnKKeaTdAlJ8BEEML24jLEzA_pdACVs241omm64-aKnHSXy9nITOmcsVFcFeDmzB3RDUUGVbKO0tEYtUCb/s1056/kindred-of-the-sea-aesthetic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1056" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSjVeZa3leTlod60b-RD6BDV9TlKeLE0dCV9bMfu7CI8bduVgwAjUhyiiouIXknvjOyz_IffjD1ejcybGYzULNgBTvpdy-LJtcueJcsgnKKeaTdAlJ8BEEML24jLEzA_pdACVs241omm64-aKnHSXy9nITOmcsVFcFeDmzB3RDUUGVbKO0tEYtUCb/w400-h400/kindred-of-the-sea-aesthetic1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL02vdqwpK-9rCZmjH3W2KzZgdMGt_CyEXRPc3XVXRMv6T3JlmRUypCD9GGi1zMQWfxXJLHJfR9MRXW8-Z17nGpUOPdKmb1WfFTIAxSd4C-K_3vZgnTm4WyzVvyV_gyvNrW5bJwPaCGBP9pt0sy6p-GM9IY8SoMKTIevX56zZFksNN_FQ_T-8VG6WS/s1056/kindred-of-the-sea-aesthetic3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1056" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL02vdqwpK-9rCZmjH3W2KzZgdMGt_CyEXRPc3XVXRMv6T3JlmRUypCD9GGi1zMQWfxXJLHJfR9MRXW8-Z17nGpUOPdKmb1WfFTIAxSd4C-K_3vZgnTm4WyzVvyV_gyvNrW5bJwPaCGBP9pt0sy6p-GM9IY8SoMKTIevX56zZFksNN_FQ_T-8VG6WS/w400-h400/kindred-of-the-sea-aesthetic3.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWk1yF5L2X7UNKOcEBY2tqN5rzboDJe1spFE9mwKWyxgowlH6kDsaf77Lds2zH8gsxQ34U6O0LJjQaovu5XGRZIk9t7gncGUHITAJdIZ_V-bPxZExDxkkMD3GTrDorn7Z2AjQaZsCnvxZ8Pj5Dvp3IIQUI1RSvnRM2ynRBip07cBDUAmndpLGtr_a8/s1719/kindredofthesea-emblem-wooden-transparent.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1719" data-original-width="1719" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWk1yF5L2X7UNKOcEBY2tqN5rzboDJe1spFE9mwKWyxgowlH6kDsaf77Lds2zH8gsxQ34U6O0LJjQaovu5XGRZIk9t7gncGUHITAJdIZ_V-bPxZExDxkkMD3GTrDorn7Z2AjQaZsCnvxZ8Pj5Dvp3IIQUI1RSvnRM2ynRBip07cBDUAmndpLGtr_a8/w400-h400/kindredofthesea-emblem-wooden-transparent.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"> Happy reading </p>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-80833316465259512732022-05-03T12:05:00.002-02:302022-05-03T12:05:27.724-02:30#bookreview The Carnival of Ash by Tom Beckerlegge <p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TPmf8ENssM8NNPkpyH2ASLZ6UvFJeb355wNNJuxV6rriUHU28Uh98J4we-eHXWP4V-slQY5kuYYuAIrycyyo8T3By_xOdg5sUkoSiUP2m1sDnWk6PdxN0RT-bYlCnF33wpd_6PJPUU5ggmYRt-HA6gbGGsggsCY30mM8_ZjLaBgBLZdNX62rHL5V/s1600/Carnival%20of%20Ash%20Tour%20Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TPmf8ENssM8NNPkpyH2ASLZ6UvFJeb355wNNJuxV6rriUHU28Uh98J4we-eHXWP4V-slQY5kuYYuAIrycyyo8T3By_xOdg5sUkoSiUP2m1sDnWk6PdxN0RT-bYlCnF33wpd_6PJPUU5ggmYRt-HA6gbGGsggsCY30mM8_ZjLaBgBLZdNX62rHL5V/w400-h225/Carnival%20of%20Ash%20Tour%20Banner.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Hello and welcome back or welcome if this is your first time stopping by the blog.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Today I have a book review for The Write Reads Ultimate Tours. It is coming a little later then planned but late is better than never.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Book Info</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYz27enZvo415EMcGxSky3OxRj_rWsW6yqbGT47FOQYKJ5x963OgW5uFfidiMuiIVE6VbIh4BuZWCX8CzBnUhmyi1nukA0v0DkboALWyf6BvbmKQ4Oi9MT8giN3lY3yFqcAu0VdLB7UNiPKWIqF2I6fkABeRsL3ImjaSIKMs437Ip9X4h0X4fTm05u/s900/The%20Carnival%20of%20Ash%20Cover%20Photo.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="581" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYz27enZvo415EMcGxSky3OxRj_rWsW6yqbGT47FOQYKJ5x963OgW5uFfidiMuiIVE6VbIh4BuZWCX8CzBnUhmyi1nukA0v0DkboALWyf6BvbmKQ4Oi9MT8giN3lY3yFqcAu0VdLB7UNiPKWIqF2I6fkABeRsL3ImjaSIKMs437Ip9X4h0X4fTm05u/w259-h400/The%20Carnival%20of%20Ash%20Cover%20Photo.jpeg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Genre: Historical Fiction/Alternative History</p><p style="text-align: center;">Adult Literary Fiction </p><p style="text-align: center;">Length: 528 Pages</p><p style="text-align: center;">Publishing: 15th March 2022</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1786185008/" target="_blank">Amazon</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58438204-the-carnival-of-ash" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Blurb</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Cadenza is the City of Words, a city run by poets, its skyline dominated by the steepled towers of its libraries, its heart beating to the stamp and thrum of the printing presses in the Printing Quarter.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Carlo Mazzoni, a young wordsmith arrives at the city gates intent on making his name as the bells ring out with the news of the death of the city’s poet-leader. Instead, he finds himself embroiled with the intrigues of a city in turmoil, the looming prospect of war with their rival Venice ever-present. A war that threatens not only to destroy Cadenza but remove it from history altogether…</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>My thoughts</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-ayx17EGcjO-JWSedTnPtgvel3_88uDCva1gWUKniPO1iXlBYtQQGmC0zEZ8K9Ltf_wNxU8AirNwlPsC0YOQ8DyHwfC96i6WJlvOAvj9jDk8cuxKtOzPtfuj6wq_rXOHirO5bkWqnM-j-jz5wGhayKtbAhds02o4mAzhXxPVh2pazMqtYzikSBTJ/s2576/OldRoll_1651588015028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2576" data-original-width="1728" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-ayx17EGcjO-JWSedTnPtgvel3_88uDCva1gWUKniPO1iXlBYtQQGmC0zEZ8K9Ltf_wNxU8AirNwlPsC0YOQ8DyHwfC96i6WJlvOAvj9jDk8cuxKtOzPtfuj6wq_rXOHirO5bkWqnM-j-jz5wGhayKtbAhds02o4mAzhXxPVh2pazMqtYzikSBTJ/w269-h400/OldRoll_1651588015028.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">⭐⭐⭐⭐.5</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">The Carnival of Ash by Tom Beckerlegge is possibly one of the beautifully worded books I have read this year thus far. </p><p style="text-align: center;">I can just imagine walking the streets of Cadenza, the city of libraries, of poets. The city of words. Where one can find their fantasies fulfilled in writing by the ink maids. </p><p style="text-align: center;">I adored the writing, the world. The author has a way of making thus city come to life on the very pages one is reading, making me want to crawl inside. Except maybe during the plague,who was to be in a plagued city. The characters are horrible and awful but so well done that you keep reading. </p><p style="text-align: center;">This book is filled with so much death and so much beauty. It is dark and has sinisterness to it and the writing style is very reminiscent of the classical style that from the moment I started it I knew it was one that I would love. It made me think of The Monk by Mathew Lewis, this is no way a comparison of the two as it has been quite sometime since I read that book but nevertheless it was The Monk that popped into my head whilst reading this one. It made me want to go back and read it again. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">It is sensual, beautiful and mysterious, yet deplorable and grotesque. I wanted more and was never bored. Tom Beckerlegge is an author I will most definitely read more of. </p><p style="text-align: center;">I will definitely buying a finished copy to sit next to this uncorrected proof one.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>About the Author</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxLfO_jvaKh-EPrqBmxprTrnwHBSD0rFOhF5vsLyH8PigA-Nav8PH1-e2_vb4T58lyBo4C7GVy5ZAKo-S1Ho8t8rz16lIGNn4HWERVUmxWMJtUHhmbEE2e6HLF9Q68fKaSAp2gLTzvGYrAKhSGvgPIdxX5OTdwRNAfNwPO9yvk2EjZo6GwDEO8SAZ/s1024/Tom%20Beckerlegge%20Author%20Photo.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1001" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxLfO_jvaKh-EPrqBmxprTrnwHBSD0rFOhF5vsLyH8PigA-Nav8PH1-e2_vb4T58lyBo4C7GVy5ZAKo-S1Ho8t8rz16lIGNn4HWERVUmxWMJtUHhmbEE2e6HLF9Q68fKaSAp2gLTzvGYrAKhSGvgPIdxX5OTdwRNAfNwPO9yvk2EjZo6GwDEO8SAZ/w391-h400/Tom%20Beckerlegge%20Author%20Photo.jpeg" width="391" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Tom Beckerlegge grew up in the northwest of England in a house filled with books. Writing as Tom Becker, he won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize with his debut novel; The Carnival of Ash is his first adult book. He lives in Enfield with his wife and young son.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you to The Write Reads and Rebellion Pub for my copy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Reading </div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-1479441293567850722022-04-26T11:53:00.002-02:302022-04-26T11:54:48.978-02:30#bookreview Escaping First Contact by T.S Beier #booktour<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXnag8sIUk7nNoi2Thw8xSNChwMX385lQ0t0KG6uiauuyURqyRKN5Qq1Z64sKKdZZclAN15nNjDalmk_sPrxjzn1jgoCJQV42XVSUKb5Nx8DaA4uSg5TsDHsuqXRN1AjuE66ARt9vUwrWK4_EQP33ve-RA3m0iNZcNmQrit8jTQinLrYXr7a6YFIgZ/s1600/Tour-banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXnag8sIUk7nNoi2Thw8xSNChwMX385lQ0t0KG6uiauuyURqyRKN5Qq1Z64sKKdZZclAN15nNjDalmk_sPrxjzn1jgoCJQV42XVSUKb5Nx8DaA4uSg5TsDHsuqXRN1AjuE66ARt9vUwrWK4_EQP33ve-RA3m0iNZcNmQrit8jTQinLrYXr7a6YFIgZ/w400-h225/Tour-banner.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Hello and welcome back, or welcome if you are new to the blog. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Today I have a book review for you. It is my stop for the virtual tour of Escaping First Contact by T.S Beier. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>The blurb</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">(From Goodreads)</p><p style="text-align: center;">At the far edge of cultivated space, a derelict ship rests. Ten times larger than the biggest Terran dreadnaught, the ship is not recognized by any of the five species tenuously coexisting in the galaxy.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Small crews are sent to investigate. What they find is a trap.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Once in the metal labyrinth’s clutches, it is clear the unlikely allies will not escape unless they can work together as a team. Unfortunately, trust and cooperation are entirely out of the question.</p><p style="text-align: center;">An immersive tale of escape and comradery, Escaping First Contact brings together an unforgettable cast of characters, richly detailed alien cultures, deft humour, and explosive action.</p><p style="text-align: center;">"Fantastic world building, believable aliens and lots of snappy action. T.S. Beier is on her way up!"- S.D. Perry, author of Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, Aliens vs. Predator: War, and the Resident Evil novel series.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_s9ysXZya2vArQ9_aMH_qXfDmS2ARUrNMsP2CSmdHrYXkdkAKUhKUH75PswugS6SHabdfOP6lQkkNeeoBTAH2qPH2QT2IeqFINVQZdgv0BF6Zkpu9870b7cdOsdyDmEoDG6NhJESPDaE1hT5fHVRtyc3aAlNwS9ylbHc4agH6HnBDAJyIohppS5o/s475/book-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_s9ysXZya2vArQ9_aMH_qXfDmS2ARUrNMsP2CSmdHrYXkdkAKUhKUH75PswugS6SHabdfOP6lQkkNeeoBTAH2qPH2QT2IeqFINVQZdgv0BF6Zkpu9870b7cdOsdyDmEoDG6NhJESPDaE1hT5fHVRtyc3aAlNwS9ylbHc4agH6HnBDAJyIohppS5o/s320/book-cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Review</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">⭐⭐⭐. 5</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Escaping First Contact is a multi pov space opera. It is the book one of The Burnt Ship Trilogy. We have multiple different species that are now trapped together inside this monster of ship they have named "Misery". Not all of these "people" are friendly at first as for some their species have been at war with each other for sometime. Which is something that has to be forgotten if they are to all work together to escape. </p><p style="text-align: center;">I enjoyed the uniqueness of the characters, and that this novel was very much a "slice of life" in space. Like a said this is a multi pov story and with each chapter being a different member of the "crew" we get to learn the different cultures of each "person". Why they happened to be in the area that they were when they had been captured. Secrets that they have not shared to others and how they reproduce. Yes these alien races all seem to have a fascination with sex, prehaps I should say that Stares has a fascination with sex. All while trying to find their way out of this ship. The confusing part for our cast of characters is why are they there. They still have their weapons. Who ever as taken them is not friendly and seem to be trying with them.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I have grown to like these interesting varying alien races and I hope to read the second book at some point as well as the authors other works. As this was well written, held my attention and I liked it. </p><p style="text-align: center;">If you like Becky Chambers chances are you will also enjoy this trilogy or rather this first book as I have not read the others.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Add it to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58494618-escaping-first-contact" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> </p><p style="text-align: center;">Pick up your own copy <a href="http://mybook.to/EscapingFirstContact" target="_blank">Purchase link </a></p><p style="text-align: center;">It is also available on Kindle Unlimited </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Let's meet out author</b>:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_AxC1e9yS3oTmzvLO2B1NKeoasuu4T150Q4F9JXwTEewFJQDyiUIntnfNEzfJu98WEkU1Pp9or0AVAfx-aoBo88OiXnZNiI0yPrPBDmIpcI9mlmSGonoQ2y6Uu74LdzcO-CUIucRrkxmJh4FBZzpr43D7NFqjhxrMQ-uk5kKA8zIHW18_6N5ewec/s1350/IMG_6504.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_AxC1e9yS3oTmzvLO2B1NKeoasuu4T150Q4F9JXwTEewFJQDyiUIntnfNEzfJu98WEkU1Pp9or0AVAfx-aoBo88OiXnZNiI0yPrPBDmIpcI9mlmSGonoQ2y6Uu74LdzcO-CUIucRrkxmJh4FBZzpr43D7NFqjhxrMQ-uk5kKA8zIHW18_6N5ewec/w266-h400/IMG_6504.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">T.S. (Tina) Beier is a science fiction aficionado. Her first published novel, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">What Branches Grow, is her love letter to the post-apocalyptic genre and </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">was the focus of her Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing. It was a top 5 </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Category Finalist in the 2020 Kindle Book Awards and a current semi-</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">finalist in the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition. The Burnt Ship</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">trilogy is another love letter, this time to classic sci-fi, but with a modern </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">twist. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">On top of her grad certificate, Tina has a B.A. in English, a Certificate in </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Publishing, and a Certificate in Interior Decorating. She is a book reviewer, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">an entrepreneur, and a writer at PostApocalypticMedia.com. Tina lives in </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Ontario, Canada, with her partner, two feral daughters, and two dogs. She </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">loves Fallout, coffee, and the ruins of industry.</div></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Author Socials: </b></p><p style="text-align: center;">W: https://www.nostromopublications.com/</p><p style="text-align: center;">IG: TinaSBeier </p><p style="text-align: center;">Tw: TSBeier</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Please check out the rest of the tour</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Escaping First Contact Book Tour Schedule </p><p style="text-align: center;">April 24th - https://jorielovesastory.com/ - BLOG</p><p style="text-align: center;">April 25th - https://geekygalaxy.co.uk/ - BLOG </p><p style="text-align: center;">April 25th - https://www.instagram.com/museumgrack/ - INSTAGRAM </p><p style="text-align: center;">April 26th - http://icanhasbooks.blogspot.com/ - BLOG</p><p style="text-align: center;">April 27th - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheLiteraryApothecary - YOUTUBE </p><p style="text-align: center;">April 27th - https://starlitbook.com/ - BLOG</p><p style="text-align: center;">April 28th - https://infinitysbookshelf.wordpress.com/ - BLOG</p><p style="text-align: center;">April 29th - http://jeannekwong.com/jkstar88-reader/ - https://</p><p style="text-align: center;">www.youtube.com/user/JKStar88 - BLOG/YOUTUBE</p><p style="text-align: center;">April 29th - http://jeannekwong.com/ - BLOG </p><p style="text-align: center;">April 30th - Ben - https://www.youtube.com/channel/</p><p style="text-align: center;">UC6FF4EEX9WRNPvGJd48qnjA - YOUTUBE </p><p style="text-align: center;">April 30th -https://beforewegoblog.com/ - BLOG (spotlight)</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Thank you to </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Breakeven Books (@breakEvenBooks) for organizing this book tour</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Happy reading </p>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-38631011843278974192022-04-19T14:24:00.003-02:302022-04-19T14:26:39.786-02:30#bookreview Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick<p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Hello and welcome back to the blog,or if you are new hi and welcome.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Today is my stop for the Write Reads Ultimate Tours book tour of Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6ITVpeJZK5wK2Ljr0szFqD5oN4MPIb575C2L5lI-519Fkp6LOqYp_l7IEPBeK9Qd2ixQNPz43lhJkTniJQ-0iFnzM5Vbp_lUONiIFdWSZs_HT3Nsru8f7c301RkIhmUyMPe_VSudjuJGSAA-_TV_iSx1Dy2aH8YXC7PRSzxre-MbVRxuqtqc-A0M/s1600/Dread%20Wood%20Tour%20Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6ITVpeJZK5wK2Ljr0szFqD5oN4MPIb575C2L5lI-519Fkp6LOqYp_l7IEPBeK9Qd2ixQNPz43lhJkTniJQ-0iFnzM5Vbp_lUONiIFdWSZs_HT3Nsru8f7c301RkIhmUyMPe_VSudjuJGSAA-_TV_iSx1Dy2aH8YXC7PRSzxre-MbVRxuqtqc-A0M/w400-h225/Dread%20Wood%20Tour%20Banner.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Genre: MG Horror</p><p style="text-align: center;">Length: 304 Pages</p><p style="text-align: center;">Publishing: 31th March 2022</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09F5XQVQK" target="_blank">Amazon</a> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59660562-dread-wood" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Blurb</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Turn the lights on. Lock the door. Things are about to get SERIOUSLY SCARY!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">The brand new must-read middle-grade novel from the author of super-spooky Crater Lake. Perfect for 9+ fans of R.L.Stine’s Goosebumps</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">It's basically the worst school detention ever. When classmates (but not mate-mates) Hallie, Angelo, Gustav and Naira are forced to come to school on a SATURDAY, they think things can’t get much worse. But they’re wrong. Things are about to get seriously scary.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">What has dragged their teacher underground? Why do the creepy caretakers keeping humming the tune to Itsy Bitsy Spider? And what horrors lurk in the shadows, getting stronger and meaner every minute…? Cut off from help and in danger each time they touch the ground, the gang’s only hope is to work together. But it’s no coincidence that they're all there on detention. Someone has been watching and plotting and is out for revenge…</p><p style="text-align: center;">My review:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelBZKe3DA9zH_lPocC9DGCLdFG2Yth_2gYQu3-Ns4AaDCLJVlP4N-hgi6ts847yBeJ9kC-5-3vnpTm5-AtNY5WHq65iA6-RH3z4VUda2oG8al04X9qsnc6wCIOPLYAfjQ4jGOQCeFM9ttdeKV8KgQRtN3EwEpGgwAFR0opXux7JOKWMJr3QKP301Q/s770/Dread%20Wood%20Cover%20Photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelBZKe3DA9zH_lPocC9DGCLdFG2Yth_2gYQu3-Ns4AaDCLJVlP4N-hgi6ts847yBeJ9kC-5-3vnpTm5-AtNY5WHq65iA6-RH3z4VUda2oG8al04X9qsnc6wCIOPLYAfjQ4jGOQCeFM9ttdeKV8KgQRtN3EwEpGgwAFR0opXux7JOKWMJr3QKP301Q/w260-h400/Dread%20Wood%20Cover%20Photo.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Having detention sucks, having detention on a Saturday is even worse. And for our four students it is down right scary.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Dread Wood High is an old manor house, with newer buildings added once it became a school. It has a field and gardens plus animals for the students to tend to. </p><p style="text-align: center;">It also home to a pair of creepy grounds keepers. Who seem to get more and more sinister as the book progresses. Why do they keep humming the Itsy Bitsy Spider? </p><p style="text-align: center;">There is something scary happening under the ground at that school. And if it wasn't for Angelo, Hallie, Gustav and Naira having detention on that Saturday no one would ever know. </p><p style="text-align: center;">A mssing pig, a teacher who disappears when the ground opens up swallowing him whole. Strange sticky white substance. What is going on?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Will these kids survive detention?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Dread Wood captivated me from the start. It is very fitting to be compared to RL Stine. I felt like I was watching an episode of 'Are you Afraid of the Dark?' </p><p style="text-align: center;">Normally when authors use modern slang in their books I am kind of iffy about it because it can take me out of the story but for this book it actually worked in its advantage. Because it a group of preteen kids and that's how they talk. It also wasn't forced in and if flowed well for me.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> I found Dread Wood to be a very quick read and I know could easily be read I one sitting if I hadn't have had to work. I enjoyed the set up of the 4 kids, finding out the connection they all had in common other than classmates, because they were not friends. And what actually caused them to have detention. There is more going on then just kids acting up. I love that from the start I was getting creepy vibes and I wanted to know more of what was happening. I guessed correctly with one part of the storyline but it wasn't until other events happened that I figured things out. </p><p style="text-align: center;">I honestly can see middle-graders, those that read MG aswell as those that don't typically read MG really enjoy this book. When an author can write something that will universally appeal to all age ranges that is a wonderful sign that you are getting a great story. </p><p style="text-align: center;">I really am looking forward to The Fear Ground and anything else Jennifer Killick writes. Time for me to check out her backlog.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">About the Author</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6CwkCZOtGYSgD64QoPNtEcMreObUnNJ0t8J8xJgIGhW_wN14klj5x5NN2TwMcYJ_AaNQGf9PtrRf7LW7EFyEG0XFcC0qfnu82brBoxrUkWBDloQh-F0thwa8FP6AnRHpli1ruz0JcASmAqS2hjK2Vrh-2HIv7WnghhZ1lWtsxxpmt8CIyb--gTze/s899/Jennifer%20Killick%20Author%20Photo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="598" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6CwkCZOtGYSgD64QoPNtEcMreObUnNJ0t8J8xJgIGhW_wN14klj5x5NN2TwMcYJ_AaNQGf9PtrRf7LW7EFyEG0XFcC0qfnu82brBoxrUkWBDloQh-F0thwa8FP6AnRHpli1ruz0JcASmAqS2hjK2Vrh-2HIv7WnghhZ1lWtsxxpmt8CIyb--gTze/w266-h400/Jennifer%20Killick%20Author%20Photo.png" width="266" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Jennifer Killick is the author of Crater Lake, the Alex Sparrow series, and middle-grade sci-fi adventure Mo, Lottie and the Junkers. She regularly visits schools and festivals, and her books have three times been selected for The Reading Agency's Summer Reading Challenge. She lives in Uxbridge, in a house full of children, animals and Lego. When she isn't busy mothering or step-mothering (which isn't often) she loves to read, write and run, as fast as she can.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Twitter: @JenniferKillick</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Happy reading </p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-63116201602280374872022-04-05T11:47:00.004-02:302022-04-05T12:21:35.204-02:30#bookreview Memories of Blood and Shadow by Aaron S. Jones<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Hello and welcome back, or if you are new hi and welcome to the blog.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQUCfCN_nyppJndWQ0Dpsndvtyva2xpikFatCC74EGVNaOdQ8zQWN-R7jY4qxVlzMEG5z8S5mPd4AdqFx8Et6t_NDr339TiA6t3GzGl6CiyCdinKSSpT_wWycplIKqyOiIjxMu4NLCKD5luR-0LG7doFzsTln2W9b8THZ2k0rLENwMhmktmplTuWT/s1920/Memories%20of%20Blood%20and%20Shadow%20blog%20announcement.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQUCfCN_nyppJndWQ0Dpsndvtyva2xpikFatCC74EGVNaOdQ8zQWN-R7jY4qxVlzMEG5z8S5mPd4AdqFx8Et6t_NDr339TiA6t3GzGl6CiyCdinKSSpT_wWycplIKqyOiIjxMu4NLCKD5luR-0LG7doFzsTln2W9b8THZ2k0rLENwMhmktmplTuWT/w400-h225/Memories%20of%20Blood%20and%20Shadow%20blog%20announcement.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Today I bring you a book review. It is my tour stop for Eacapist tours.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" id="docs-internal-guid-44a64208-7fff-2632-97fc-89e90592724d" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Memories of Blood and Shadow </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Aaron S. Jones</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Series: </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">N/A</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genre: </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Epic Fantasy</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Intended Age Group: </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adult</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pages: </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">644</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Published: </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">April 7, 2022</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Publisher: </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Self Published</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ce-4ektcqbPOQFFrwDMGQKyUMPt79pyPzje03egf4Ncd56XB9EkMAcy83E5Jp8qetVXdHYJ42yK3Du6G9CUy9_mOymoOcjnUhVm9JxZwpC6qASWmo369-yVTjzoMQZMGocq_AWqFCXq_Wr_5oRklebbbBQd4Lhzamr4bvg9IUUE-mbloYQjWWGqw/s2401/Cover%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2401" data-original-width="1501" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ce-4ektcqbPOQFFrwDMGQKyUMPt79pyPzje03egf4Ncd56XB9EkMAcy83E5Jp8qetVXdHYJ42yK3Du6G9CUy9_mOymoOcjnUhVm9JxZwpC6qASWmo369-yVTjzoMQZMGocq_AWqFCXq_Wr_5oRklebbbBQd4Lhzamr4bvg9IUUE-mbloYQjWWGqw/w250-h400/Cover%20(1).jpg" width="250" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-e496549f-7fff-84e4-7645-36a32d8cd4c1" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Book Blurb:</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Guilt cuts sharper than the deadliest of blades. Tavar Farwan lives alone past the Undying Sands. During a violent storm, he is attacked by two young warriors claiming a need for vengeance for pain from ages past. Tavar defends himself, killing one of the intruders and leaving the other to bleed on the floor. Weary and filled with regret, Tavar offers to tell the young man his story: a story of how, in a world of Naviqings, Leviathans, and Shadow Warriors; a poor, nomadic orphan rose to inspire a kingdom, and kill a </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b>Content/Trigger Warnings:</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b>Shown on page:</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b>Alcohol dependency, </b><b>Slavery, </b><b>Gratuitous Violence, </b><b>Suicide,</b><b>Vomiting,</b><b>Gore,</b><b>Beatings</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b>Alluded to: </b><b>Child harm,</b><b>Child slavery</b></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b>Review</b> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">This was bloody fantastic. That's it that's the review. </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">Memories of Blood and Shadow checked off so many boxes for me and had me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole of the book.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">It opens up with our main character, Tavar Farwan in his home still battling the memories of his youth. He has been living out the rest of his life for sometime it seems and is still haunted by the death and blood shed. </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">Then there's a knock at the door, two men seeking shelter for the night, a guise. For we learn it is vengeance in which they are really after.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">Tavar, though older than he once was is still as spry as any youth. Yes it is vengeance they seek but they are in for a whole lot more.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">I LOVE stories that tell a story, the person telling their tale and we travel back in time as if we are there and the one living it. We see Tavar as a small child with his family and the all the destruction that follows his life. We see the blood shed, the friendships and the betrayal. We watch the mistakes he makes and the lessons he learned.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">This story is grim with heart and humor. It has a wonderful cast of characters that are loyal. It has lots of blood, like I said in the reviews opening, this book is bloody fantastic. </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">Soo many twists and turns and I saw none of them coming, that right there my friends is a good writer.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">It also held my attention at a time that I didn't think it would, my stepmom has just passed away and I wasn't sure if anything was going to distract my mind for just a little while but it did and for that you know this is a good book. Because it's hard to do other things when you are dealing with grief.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">I think this might have been the perfect book too be reading because there is a quote which I will share that has actually helped me, I think more then the author even thought it would help others when he wrote it. </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><i>"They don't go away. They live on in you. Every time you close your eyes or have a moment of silence to yourself. It's like you are never alone. They're watching you, always watching, making sure that their loss wasn't for nothing. Only thing we can do is keep living. And make sure we live a life worth dying for."</i></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">Throughout the book I have many tabs of moments that stood out to me, wonderfully pennd lines that made me stop and think.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">Aaron S. Jones is an incredible storyteller, his characters come to life on the pages and his world building can take you from tbe chair you are sitting in, into the world you reading about. His ability to make you smile and laugh then stab you in a blink is very impressive. </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">There is this one particular battle scene that had me cheering </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZzqtiJV30Di4pMSR0IbmEn30FOmNLBn4NiyWo3k6mPzuChnBy90h1L1_SZy91dwsJanZute4Q_IhdYq35CO9TJ6zxDgn66eX03z3p4GQ4JdEfQ6xFJx3XCpR1XTK4fzOJOl4rUKmUWfTrBeGwijtqhgQspKNIcfcIoRMGP6rSvaawfQ0mdvTaXuJ/s1920/Memories%20of%20Blood%20and%20Shadow%20quotes%20(blog)%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZzqtiJV30Di4pMSR0IbmEn30FOmNLBn4NiyWo3k6mPzuChnBy90h1L1_SZy91dwsJanZute4Q_IhdYq35CO9TJ6zxDgn66eX03z3p4GQ4JdEfQ6xFJx3XCpR1XTK4fzOJOl4rUKmUWfTrBeGwijtqhgQspKNIcfcIoRMGP6rSvaawfQ0mdvTaXuJ/w400-h225/Memories%20of%20Blood%20and%20Shadow%20quotes%20(blog)%20(2).png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">This is the second book of his that I have read. This is the second book of his that I have given 5 stars. Aaron S. Jones is quickly becoming a favourite author. I eagerly await the next book.</p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-b566018a-7fff-cf89-2777-7b2a4fa1d077" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLjPCynOzLneNWjAtUGockJf1WOkoiPolZzJGtC3Zq8D335wwhHUCiTwdzp1I26bHkbZB_c5dzquhE_-wO6STdkO3x5sfR7CK17znnAWOAwFLMaRNmBzcYre9izUZTu7UdjOLar1JAze1ptGWGwTAw5EeqS6_VmVOtzRxLecq2GjKu0tefuSsVINH/s2576/OldRoll_1649168011869.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2576" data-original-width="1728" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLjPCynOzLneNWjAtUGockJf1WOkoiPolZzJGtC3Zq8D335wwhHUCiTwdzp1I26bHkbZB_c5dzquhE_-wO6STdkO3x5sfR7CK17znnAWOAwFLMaRNmBzcYre9izUZTu7UdjOLar1JAze1ptGWGwTAw5EeqS6_VmVOtzRxLecq2GjKu0tefuSsVINH/w269-h400/OldRoll_1649168011869.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-b566018a-7fff-cf89-2777-7b2a4fa1d077" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Book Links:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Blood-Shadow-Aaron-Jones-ebook/dp/B09RHH8VHV/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Blood-Shadow-Aaron-Jones-ebook/dp/B09RHH8VHV/</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads: </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60187782-memories-of-blood-and-shadow" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60187782-memories-of-blood-and-shadow</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">Let's meet our author </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2F2xdboT_NDtZ5r4rQUYyQDlQF9UqyLq1DVKi6qutnGKLuH4FJJejlypz4EOUSvU-itvmvPJMV_GOpmut1b8zdDjAFXBBTP9czznHik5KsMgxi_Dl1o95dJVGhgBFG43fxrumuurJnfs36BqQJbIQJK1oOkRWcHZFW21q-Tz_7S_7BoKFJm04viI/s1714/Author%20Photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1714" data-original-width="1418" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2F2xdboT_NDtZ5r4rQUYyQDlQF9UqyLq1DVKi6qutnGKLuH4FJJejlypz4EOUSvU-itvmvPJMV_GOpmut1b8zdDjAFXBBTP9czznHik5KsMgxi_Dl1o95dJVGhgBFG43fxrumuurJnfs36BqQJbIQJK1oOkRWcHZFW21q-Tz_7S_7BoKFJm04viI/w331-h400/Author%20Photo.jpg" width="331" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">Author Bio & Information:</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">Born in the area of Birmingham that helped inspire Tolkien's Middle Earth, Aaron S. Jones is the author of The Broken Gods trilogy. He is Head of English at a school in Kent, UK and when he is not tearing his hair out at students struggling with their, they're, and there, he is tearing his hair out as he dies for the thousandth time on Demon's Souls. You can find him on Twitter @HereticASjones where he is most likely procrastinating for hours at a time instead of focusing on his Orc murder mystery.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" id="docs-internal-guid-792b4b00-7fff-705d-9b77-c9eb378a11da" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website: </span><a href="http://www.aaronsjones.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.aaronsjones.com</span></a></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodreads: </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19762202.Aaron_S_Jones" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19762202.Aaron_S_Jones</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccyyCFkBytDafaex6LecCOM_Lxd9yLg750f4kzisGQDWJpyQGHLKFbnpeMGpmh3GDkG_ZqoJtnPR-2fdtmigZRY7hjlXaoh8rVngBalTyZbkOEackIzlj18bd0Lq8Grhc1jZuuYC78z_csubDfXSfcvYj-DddqXcCXlgtswSUp6CIW_eDvoYzIDRF/s1080/Memories%20of%20Blood%20and%20Shadow%20giveaway-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccyyCFkBytDafaex6LecCOM_Lxd9yLg750f4kzisGQDWJpyQGHLKFbnpeMGpmh3GDkG_ZqoJtnPR-2fdtmigZRY7hjlXaoh8rVngBalTyZbkOEackIzlj18bd0Lq8Grhc1jZuuYC78z_csubDfXSfcvYj-DddqXcCXlgtswSUp6CIW_eDvoYzIDRF/w400-h400/Memories%20of%20Blood%20and%20Shadow%20giveaway-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
Giveaway Information:
Prize: A Paperback or Hardcover Copy of Memories of Blood and Shadow!
Starts: March 31st, 2022 at 12:00am EST
Ends: April 6th, 2022 at 11:59pm EST :<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="79e197ac16" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/79e197ac16/" id="rcwidget_v7ch1u01" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Check out the other stops</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvvf7I_513cGn_Yb8uMf1Hgry9hutjSqioS6foM9UJQMbmFzbxQnQHFOtAn74JbnTuGpddnYbuoNCu1c5AeOOTQTX__INPTYgLEGquTaOPSw36v5GGBj7OoTxkpoJ6UHDiay1iUUNN02AJCoegcN9SfErteFFUlpsYIGiAweiEM1Dp318yAT9y9Ub/s1920/Memories%20of%20Blood%20and%20Shadow%20tour%20stops%20(blog).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvvf7I_513cGn_Yb8uMf1Hgry9hutjSqioS6foM9UJQMbmFzbxQnQHFOtAn74JbnTuGpddnYbuoNCu1c5AeOOTQTX__INPTYgLEGquTaOPSw36v5GGBj7OoTxkpoJ6UHDiay1iUUNN02AJCoegcN9SfErteFFUlpsYIGiAweiEM1Dp318yAT9y9Ub/w400-h225/Memories%20of%20Blood%20and%20Shadow%20tour%20stops%20(blog).png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for stopping by.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Happy Reading!</div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-68923400497206292572022-03-01T09:59:00.002-03:302022-03-01T10:06:29.826-03:30Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree #bookreview<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Hello and welcome back to the blog, or welcome if you are new</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Today I bring you a book review, </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCsgQw4w-BSMZLUB3ufCD0b9PYPz-G4rlh6U-nJZmzbqSrSfUc6UHzxHzenGEB7VIs2WWkOKt8gKwaAKPxZNZGMPH2yrfVkF-AfIQEvDTZo-ojPrC9R0q--dckbmaO6oWLANhHZb-zOPPYJgE2s9Ccg4tIQQKoCQW0FWbFxbdqvLx9qJq6rW1MknKr=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCsgQw4w-BSMZLUB3ufCD0b9PYPz-G4rlh6U-nJZmzbqSrSfUc6UHzxHzenGEB7VIs2WWkOKt8gKwaAKPxZNZGMPH2yrfVkF-AfIQEvDTZo-ojPrC9R0q--dckbmaO6oWLANhHZb-zOPPYJgE2s9Ccg4tIQQKoCQW0FWbFxbdqvLx9qJq6rW1MknKr=w250-h400" width="250" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree</div><div style="text-align: center;">Publish February 22, 2022 by Cryptid Press</div><div style="text-align: center;">Fantasy </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Legends & Lattes felt like a warm hug. I would call it "cozy fantasy" which sometimes is just what you need. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Viv is an Orc who has decided that it was time for her to leave behind her warrior days and set down some roots. To have a fresh start in life. So what does she do? She opens a coffee shop. A gnomish invention she discovered along her travels. But here's the catch the city that she has decided to settle in has no idea what coffee is. So opening up a coffee shop is going to require some help. In doing so she makes some great friends and relationships as a result.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The secondary characters in this book are so very loveable especially Cal the Hob. I adore Cal. One of my favourite fantasy characters is Flint Fireforge from the Dragonlance books. And Cal is giving me those same vibes, there is something that made me think of Flint when reading Cals scenes and to me that is a big compliment. It is safe to say that I can add another character to my favourites list with Cal.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Now don't get me wrong when I say this is a cozy fantasy it doesn't mean that there are not things that take you out of the coziness like a kick to the stomach. Viv has an item and there is someone from her past life that wants what she has, and they will do anything to get it for themselves.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Let's talk about the coffee shop it's self, it is here that everything takes place. I could close my eyes and be transported there. The descriptions of the baked goods, I can smell. The cheerful atmosphere and music. It is like the heart of the book, because without it the events and friendships would not have happened.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When I first saw this book on Travis Baldrees Twitter I knew I had to read it. Fantasy is my favourite genre, I am sucker for books that talk about food or take place in cafes. To top it all off I am actually a barista. So for me this book was meant for my eyes to read.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So if you like books to give you that warm cozy feeling, found family and cats. A mysterious gnome, Thimble the baking Rattkin, and something to make you smile. Pick up a copy of Legends & Lattes yourself, curl up with a cup of bean water and experience this wonderful book for yourself.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Book links </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09R9FSZB5" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60222807-legends-lattes?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=kCOYSR66Y5&rank=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglkz1gXyVuig3BU5HJAKjp-HO7abE1wrb9oqeOR59oeGT39BA9AlQD00bMFIslLORJBUMEQkjknLzpNEPA2bb7CA2KWX_ghGbNgMA-W8Vfh_FJghnOSdcyhOMmalZNjrrrvHLTFFPfhurrrZtKTiLVs3OLFftDzmTHctfYDOj_CGASLyHrNJe5zOn2=s1063" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="754" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglkz1gXyVuig3BU5HJAKjp-HO7abE1wrb9oqeOR59oeGT39BA9AlQD00bMFIslLORJBUMEQkjknLzpNEPA2bb7CA2KWX_ghGbNgMA-W8Vfh_FJghnOSdcyhOMmalZNjrrrvHLTFFPfhurrrZtKTiLVs3OLFftDzmTHctfYDOj_CGASLyHrNJe5zOn2=w284-h400" width="284" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Thank you Travis Baldree for giving me a copy of your book for review.</i></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Reading</div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-81923913605087826262022-02-18T09:07:00.000-03:302022-02-18T09:07:28.554-03:30#booktour Time and the Tree by Róisín Sorahan #bookrevew<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.virtualauthorbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/TIME-AND-THE-TREE_COVER_300.jpg"><img alt="Time and the Tree by Róisín Sorahan" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-9617" height="300" src="https://www.virtualauthorbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/TIME-AND-THE-TREE_COVER_300-200x300.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Time and the Tree by Róisín Sorahan
Publisher: Adelaide Books, NY (September 6, 2021 </div><div>Category: Literary Fiction, Fantasy, Modern Fable, and Self-actualization </div><div>Available in Print and ebook, 282 pages</div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/isbn/ 195519663X" rel="noopener" style="border: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="Time and the Tree" src="https://www.goodreads.com/images/atmb_add_book-70x25.png" /></a></div><div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Blurb:</h2>
<strong>A modern fable about the nature of time and the quest for happiness. </strong>
It's darkly funny, deceptively simple, and a necessary read for testing times.
In this gripping philosophical tale, a boy awakens beneath a tree in a forest in summer. He is soon joined by Time and his slave, a withered creature hooked on time and aching to disappear. The story evolves over the course of a year as a host of characters are drawn to the Tree for guidance. The unlikely cast grapple with choices and grope towards self-knowledge in a world where compassion is interwoven with menace. As the seasons bring great changes to the forest, we watch the child grow while the trials he faces mount. Then the time for talk and innocence passes as the forces of darkness rally, threatening the lives of his friends.
Lyrical, honest and heart-breaking, <em>Time and the Tree</em> confronts readers with a unique perspective on the challenges life presents. A wise and hopeful book, it is uplifting and unsettling by turns.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Review</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhW7rKC-q1slMFTQYnPd9wS3uo76sUpk6xInmWVg9CZ_v0WdrU7upILSgzrzfP5bHdJ6Rg6Zhn2eWsRgdm4VjFvWMdV3GyEvRlv7iXPCx-1peu-fGkI4H6lOUxlUIshtBttavl9r3HrjvJcrBrckcYtBJaIOLt_EgcP0q5ERGr66V2IoOdfst4vvONM=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhW7rKC-q1slMFTQYnPd9wS3uo76sUpk6xInmWVg9CZ_v0WdrU7upILSgzrzfP5bHdJ6Rg6Zhn2eWsRgdm4VjFvWMdV3GyEvRlv7iXPCx-1peu-fGkI4H6lOUxlUIshtBttavl9r3HrjvJcrBrckcYtBJaIOLt_EgcP0q5ERGr66V2IoOdfst4vvONM=w225-h400" width="225" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Time and the Tree is a beautifully written debut. Making the reader reflect on one's own live and what it means to be alive. We all seek happiness and for many they are chasing after tomorrow without living in the present. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Told in spand of year, starting in the summer we meet a boy and the Tree. Throughout book and as the seasons change, we see Time pass by. Time is an actual character, he is shadowed by a slave. Which is a representation of so many people, who are in fact slaves to time. He says he is most loved in the cities, exchanging promises to those who need more minutes and hours, to those chasing after tomorrow. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We also meet other characters as they make their way to the Tree, not all have good intentions. But the Tree does not dispare or turn anyone away, even those who mean it harm. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As the seasons change, we see the boy grow just in inches but it still change as time changes us all. The Tree is his mentor so to speak. As the different events and characters appear the boy is told much wisdom and advice. So as he is learning, us the reader should also learn and care to the different messages through out, from being present in the present. Looking back is okay, that is the beauty of memories. Preparing today for tomorrow is okay but pushing yourself the future that is not promised while not living in now is also not good. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Some of these lessons are hard and they hurt. Especially death but it is part of being alive. That is why chasing after tomorrow is never good.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">From thr moment I started reading I knew this book was going to be special and I am so very grateful for having gotten the opportunity to read it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"The future is a phantom, Time. It only exists in your cravings. All we have are our memories, and the moment and the motivation to get up when we've fallen, to try again and do better."</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">🌲</div><div style="text-align: center;">🌲</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2>Praise Time and the Tree by Róisín Sorahan</h2>
<div><em>Time and the Tree</em> by Roisin Sorahan is truly a masterpiece...A fable full of thought-provoking metaphors, knowledge, and awareness of the bigger picture...I would recommend it for all who relish beautiful literature, especially stories with a deeper meaning."-<b>San Francisco Book Review (5/5 star rating)</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div>
<div></div>
“<em>Time and the Tree</em> explores matters of spirit, intention, kindness and how to live the time that is offered through a series of revelations that will often prompt readers to set aside the tale to consider their own relationships with time and life.
Sorahan's...ability to bring to life some basic tenets of existence and the existential questions many come to feel during the course of a lifetime creates an insightful read on the level of <em>The Velveteen Rabbit</em> classic."- <strong>D. Donovan</strong>, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review </div><div><br /></div><div> “A genre-busting masterpiece, full of pacy storytelling, wry dialogue and philosophical challenge…”-<strong>Declan Kiberd</strong>, Author (incl. Inventing Ireland), Professor Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame, and international authority on modern Irish literature </div><div><br /></div><div> “Time and the Tree is unlike anything I’ve read in contemporary literature – a beautiful fable fit for difficult and confusing days.”-<strong>Luke Gerwe </strong>- Associate Editor, PBS NewsHour, and formerly Managing Editor, Voice of Witness book series </div><div><br /></div><div>
<i>"An uplifting and tranquil allegory filled with positivity and hope, ‘Time and the Tree’ by Róisín Sorahan is a magical tale of a young boy who lives in a forest, a wise and caring tree which offers shelter and guidance and numerous other characters that appear in order to challenge and change under the tree and the boy's influence.
This book is filled with lessons: to be mindful and present instead of constantly rushing towards a tomorrow that’s just out of reach; the importance of healing past trauma and self-love and acceptance, or showing empathy for others. Hope and positivity flows from the pages of this lyrical story as we navigate the ever-changing seasons in this magical forest. ‘Time and the Tree’ is well-written, its characters compliment each other, with the naivety and curiosity of the young boy setting up many of the lessons. There is a level of spirituality in this book, it encourages meditation and gratitude while also promoting that it’s ok to be you, to embrace your unique qualities and to follow your own path.
Told with an emphasis on nature, ‘Time and the Tree’ is an uplifting read that will infuse any reader’s day with positivity. It’s imagery and storyline are gentle and easy to follow with its underlying message about looking to the light in all things will leave readers with warm feelings of hope and positivity. I found this book entertaining and witty in places, but ultimately it left me with a sense of peace and calm."-</i><a href="https://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/22451/Time-and-the-Tree-by-Roisin-Sorahan.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><b>LoveReading</b></a> </div><div><br /></div><div> "This is a lovely story that, on the surface, appears like a simple fairy tale. But it is much more than that. It is full of symbolism and knowledge...this book has a beautiful message that is sure to stay with me.T ime and the Tree is a beautiful debut from a talented author."-<b>Manhattan Book Review</b></div><div><h2 style="text-align: center;">About Róisín Sorahan</h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.virtualauthorbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Róisín-Sorahan.jpg"><img alt="Time and the Tree by Róisín Sorahan" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-9619" height="225" src="https://www.virtualauthorbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Róisín-Sorahan-300x225.jpg" width="300" /></a></h2><div><br /></div>
Róisín Sorahan is an Irish author currently living in Vermont. She has published numerous stories about her adventures on the road, as well as life as an English teacher in China. Prior to becoming a nomad writer, she pursued a decade-long career in public relations. She holds a Master of Letters from Trinity College Dublin, specializing in Samuel Beckett. <em>Time and the Tree</em> is her debut novel.
Website: <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://roisinsorahan.com/" rel="noopener" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">https://roisinsorahan.com/</a></span>
Twitter: <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://twitter.com/roisinsorahan" rel="noopener" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/roisinsorahan</a></span>
Facebook: <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Roisin.Sorahan.Author" rel="noopener" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/Roisin.Sorahan.Author</a></span>
Instagram: <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/roisinsorahan/" rel="noopener" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/roisinsorahan/</a></span>
<h2>Buy Time and the Tree by Róisín Sorahan</h2>
<span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/195519663X/ref" rel="noopener" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>
<a href="https://www.bit.ly/timeandthetree" rel="noopener" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Amazon-UK</a>
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<span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781955196635" rel="noopener" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">IndieBound</a></span>
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<h2>Giveaway Time and the Tree by Róisín Sorahan</h2>
This giveaway is for 3 print or ebook copies, One for each of 3 winners. Print is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ebook is open worldwide. This giveaway ends on March 12, 2022 midnight, pacific time. Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only.
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</div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-10443267396955636152022-01-20T10:51:00.008-03:302022-01-20T11:15:24.165-03:30Lucky Jack: Memoirs of a World War 1 POW by Susan Bavey #booktour #bookreview<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSWRov-NgFuqHO93BZ0LlmCr1m3XQyI8L_u5RVF5xKJwtaGUCg1EMD0SBonOADfaWnvcUtD3jQrInxEqLOjAVhAFjj68qhdIZiHiobbTVLVEHS0WXuE84NeW6V4AzjKCfBG6Rx-58TmxlEezjNpFrNu4RCleOimnaC125sMXLUUdexortLCDiogqpT=s851" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSWRov-NgFuqHO93BZ0LlmCr1m3XQyI8L_u5RVF5xKJwtaGUCg1EMD0SBonOADfaWnvcUtD3jQrInxEqLOjAVhAFjj68qhdIZiHiobbTVLVEHS0WXuE84NeW6V4AzjKCfBG6Rx-58TmxlEezjNpFrNu4RCleOimnaC125sMXLUUdexortLCDiogqpT=w400-h148" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hello and Welcome back to the blog, or welcome if this is your first time stopping by. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Today I bring you my stop for <strong><span style="color: #505750;">Lucky Jack: Memoirs of a World War 1 POW</span> by Susan Bavey!</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">
</span><img alt="Lucky Jack ebook cover" class="wp-image-16085 aligncenter" data-attachment-id="16085" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Lucky Jack ebook cover" data-large-file="https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/lucky-jack-ebook-cover.jpg?w=640" data-medium-file="https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/lucky-jack-ebook-cover.jpg?w=188" data-orig-file="https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/lucky-jack-ebook-cover.jpg" data-orig-size="1600,2560" data-permalink="https://rrbooktours.com/2021/11/27/mini-tour-sign-up-lucky-jack/lucky-jack-ebook-cover/" height="543" sizes="(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px" src="https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/lucky-jack-ebook-cover.jpg" srcset="https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/lucky-jack-ebook-cover.jpg?w=340&h=543 340w, https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/lucky-jack-ebook-cover.jpg?w=680&h=1086 680w, https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/lucky-jack-ebook-cover.jpg?w=94&h=150 94w, https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/lucky-jack-ebook-cover.jpg?w=188&h=300 188w, https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/lucky-jack-ebook-cover.jpg?w=640&h=1024 640w" style="font-weight: bold;" width="340" /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Lucky Jack</strong>
<strong>Publication Date:</strong> November 19th, </div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><br /></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Genre:</strong> WWI Biographies/ History</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>“One of the perils of being a sniper during the First World War was the likelihood of a grenade going off right next to you and burying you alive”.</b></i> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Meet Jack Rogers. Born in 1894, he once locked eyes with Queen Victoria and was one of the first travellers on London’s ‘Tube’. An early car owner, he had many escapades on his days out to Brighton, including a time when his brakes failed and he had to drive through central London without them!
His skills as an entertainer earned him popularity throughout his life, and kept him out of the deadly mines while a prisoner during the First World War. At the tender age of 103 Jack earned the title of ‘The World’s Oldest Columnist’ as he began dictating his life’s exploits to a reporter from the local newspaper.
<strong>Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59661971-lucky-jack?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=3efuatJVlk&rank=2" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>My Review:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">First of all I wanted to say I am honored to read about the incredible life of Jack Rogers. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What a life you have lived Jack, oh what a life.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sue Bavey has compiled the most wonderful biography of her grandfather, from his childhood antics, horrendous time as a sniper in World War 1, to having a family of his own. Through loss, laughter, good times and bad. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jack Rogers has experienced so much all while the World it's self was experiencing growth of industry and loss of life. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">To be honest Sue, the fact that you were born at all is amazing in its self. As Jack has gone through many near death experiences from the tender years of childhood, from being buried alive in WWI and taken as a pow. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I think I would liked to have know this soul, it seems that Jack was quite the hilarious fellow, oh how I laughed aloud multiple times whilst reading. And Jack I agree with you Queen Elizabeth had a crush on you, I mean she did write you 3 times. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jack Rogers lived a life that is hard to imagine, living in 3 different centuries, even if the 3rd was only to be a couple of months. But old man you made it to 106, at one point the oldest living man in Britain. You saw and lived things that not everyone was lucky enough to witness. And some of these things luck is right word. But lady luck was surely watching out over you.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lucky Jack felt less like I was reading the events of someone's life and more like I was sitting down in the same room with them. I was imaging sitting down with Jack and over a cup of tea he was telling me the stories of his life.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you sir for service.</div><div style="text-align: center;">RIP</div><div style="text-align: center;">1894-2000</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>A snippet from the book</u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>CHAPTER 37 -</strong> <strong>A N A S T Y B I R T H D A Y S U R P R I S E </strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>On my 24th birthday, March 21st, 1918, at around 5.00 a.m. a terrific noise began - the German barrage had started. You could hear nothing but gunfire. It shattered my eardrum. Eight of us, all snipers, including my mate Charlie, were in the extra trench, which had been dug by the Royal Engineers. We had been in the trench since the previous night. It was quite some way beyond our frontline and we had been given orders to keep it defended at all costs. Suddenly the Germans started pouring out from their trenches. As German soldiers were shot down they were replaced by others. They advanced towards our front by hiding in small pockets, which they had weakened by constant bombing, not in a straight line as we had expected. They were shelling heavily to the left and right of us, but somehow, miraculously, not on us. Waves of German soldiers flowed past us, just yards in front of us we could see a group of fifty soldiers and another group the same distance behind us, but luckily they didn’t come anywhere near us, as we hid, terrified, in our trench,</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>watching them. The British soldiers were in full retreat and from our slit in the ground, all we could see was the backs of the German soldiers, as they continued forging ahead. We stayed in our trench like that, surrounded by all of our equipment and everything we owned. We had expected to be in the thick of the fighting and instead there we were hiding in a small trench. At around 11 a.m, a group of Prussian soldiers appeared, part of the ‘mopping up’ party sent to finish off or round up any survivors who had been missed the first time the soldiers went through. They threw some ‘tater mashers’ (hand grenades) into the trench, which luckily missed me, and then came rushing down into our trench. By some good fortune, neither Charlie nor I were killed. We decided we had no choice but to put our hands up and surrender under the circumstances. By now, it was 11.30 a.m. and we had managed to hold the trench since 5.00 a.m. We were terrified and completely exhausted from the adrenaline and extreme emotion. Frank Richards had been hit by a piece of tin between his neck and shoulders and he was bleeding and holding his head. One of the Prussian Guards was a big, fierce looking man with a moustache. He jumped into the trench next to me, with his bayonet fixed and pointed at my stomach. I was convinced my last hour had come. I was absolutely terrified. I said “Goodbye” and waited for his deadly thrust. Instead of thrusting his bayonet into me I heard him say softly, almost gently, “Zigaretten, Kamerad?” He wanted cigarettes.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<strong><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Jack-1894-2000-Memoirs-World-ebook/dp/B09MB87GPN" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></strong><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>About the Author</strong></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Author_pic Sue Bavey" class="alignnone wp-image-16089 aligncenter" data-attachment-id="16089" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Author_pic Sue Bavey" data-large-file="https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/author_pic-sue-bavey.jpg?w=788" data-medium-file="https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/author_pic-sue-bavey.jpg?w=253" data-orig-file="https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/author_pic-sue-bavey.jpg" data-orig-size="2038,2414" data-permalink="https://rrbooktours.com/2021/11/27/mini-tour-sign-up-lucky-jack/author_pic-sue-bavey/" height="313" sizes="(max-width: 280px) 100vw, 280px" src="https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/author_pic-sue-bavey.jpg" srcset="https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/author_pic-sue-bavey.jpg?w=280&h=331 280w, https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/author_pic-sue-bavey.jpg?w=560&h=662 560w, https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/author_pic-sue-bavey.jpg?w=127&h=150 127w, https://rrbooktoursblog.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/author_pic-sue-bavey.jpg?w=253&h=300 253w" width="265" /> </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Sue Bavey is an English Mum of two, living in Massachusetts since 2003 with her husband, kids, a cat named Midnight, a bunny named Nutmeg, a leopard gecko named Ziggy Stardust and occasional frogs and salamanders.
“Lucky Jack is the first book I have written and is my grandfather, Henry John Rogers’ biography. Grandad lived with us when I was born, until we moved when I was six years old. Then he came back to live with us in my teenage years and we were very close. He was my father’s father, but my Mum diligently collected the newspaper columns he dictated to a local reporter, and kept them in scrapbooks in her attic, where they gathered dust and yellowed over time. A few years ago I moved my Mum into an apartment and found all the scrapbooks in the process. I wanted to get all of those stories into a book for my kids to read. That was the germ of an idea which – thanks to my having time during Covid lockdown – has now resulted in the life story of my grandfather, Jack Rogers being written.” </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><a href="https://suelbavey.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/time-for-some-self-promotion-lucky-jack-by-s-bavey/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Sue Bavey</a></strong>
<a href="https://twitter.com/SueBavey" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>Twitter</strong></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for stopping by.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Reading!!</div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-3295950798510327182022-01-19T19:31:00.005-03:302022-01-19T19:36:46.391-03:30 The Blue Shadow Legacy by Anca Antoci #coverreveal<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvxFp8zXuDxLu81sYT_z8aLnu0xW648SVA3DP4g-_4T2tZv99cnSwT1aopdKTV3j2u25fwqbNLqMiSFY75pVOVy9jnbSA1TA-YQ5IsoxkPmtMYzazBwX_D-BwLPU5MKgtL-JvXk6ERN3gD7BaoRZnewiQ_tmUQ9d8YOQshd34Nf_Hh1GfcbubESmgC=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1280" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvxFp8zXuDxLu81sYT_z8aLnu0xW648SVA3DP4g-_4T2tZv99cnSwT1aopdKTV3j2u25fwqbNLqMiSFY75pVOVy9jnbSA1TA-YQ5IsoxkPmtMYzazBwX_D-BwLPU5MKgtL-JvXk6ERN3gD7BaoRZnewiQ_tmUQ9d8YOQshd34Nf_Hh1GfcbubESmgC=w400-h231" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Hello and welcome back or welcome to the blog. Today I have a cover reveal (a little later then planned) </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"> The Blue Shadow Legacy by Anca Antoci </p><p style="text-align: center;">*</p><p style="text-align: center;">*</p><p style="text-align: center;">*</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3XH-yvZ17yi_Pqk0HDPjCrCvaYBqNYe1SbZKxbE9yOQnnLsfa0IrupER46iGnGo-cqH4AjqhUk_ItEUwfSy22Q2gAoUQyrcMjA7VFVant4vOqspp7nymaRpzmZ6XVRycAc2A-y6q0bQQWFWtbEfqWzUCVVG3wkruJp0Y9kp5mFHLO1ZyjREF9Qssc=s1600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3XH-yvZ17yi_Pqk0HDPjCrCvaYBqNYe1SbZKxbE9yOQnnLsfa0IrupER46iGnGo-cqH4AjqhUk_ItEUwfSy22Q2gAoUQyrcMjA7VFVant4vOqspp7nymaRpzmZ6XVRycAc2A-y6q0bQQWFWtbEfqWzUCVVG3wkruJp0Y9kp5mFHLO1ZyjREF9Qssc=w250-h400" width="250" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Title: Blue Shadow Legacy (Chimera, book 3)</p><p style="text-align: center;">Cover Reveal: January 19th</p><p style="text-align: center;">Publication date: January 31st</p><p style="text-align: center;">Pre-order date: January 25th</p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"> Blurb from the back</p><p style="text-align: center;">On the brink of war, the freedom of chimera outcasts and vampires hangs in the balance.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;">All seems lost when the Council runs coordinated attacks and destroys the Resistance’s secret camps. It’s time for shifters, vampires, and creatures of the Underworld to set their differences aside and make a united front. They expect the Huntress to lead them to victory, but they don’t know the truth about the prophecy that gives them hope. For Rae to save them all, she will be consumed.</p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center;">After becoming a shadow and training her magic, Rae is ready for a new challenge. Unfortunately, the only constant in her life is that nothing ever goes as planned. When an army of witches gets ready to obliterate what’s left of the Resistance, Rae strikes a deal with a hellhound to save her friends.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;">An unexpected visit into the Underworld gives Rae a new perspective, an unlikely ally, and a fighting chance, but at what cost?</p><p> </p><p> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60047251-blue-shadow-legacy" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">About the Author</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhks8aPBq6oudfiqiZJujIXMb2jQMiN-LCma4BZxv7bSdLhNFrAWj6kDxJPlOrN5Gy4wde11MamdD8PHnL6Go9qiyOi4LTo5ha935AESBvZCZ_qmLNkoYr2QIcW0XxmS1n14hiHx-5XvcfoJ26V2enNTDvlx58e3_xnErBA88V-IRQM4j_qE7S5W9vi=s647" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="647" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhks8aPBq6oudfiqiZJujIXMb2jQMiN-LCma4BZxv7bSdLhNFrAWj6kDxJPlOrN5Gy4wde11MamdD8PHnL6Go9qiyOi4LTo5ha935AESBvZCZ_qmLNkoYr2QIcW0XxmS1n14hiHx-5XvcfoJ26V2enNTDvlx58e3_xnErBA88V-IRQM4j_qE7S5W9vi=w400-h399" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Anca's overactive imagination pours into her stories bringing otherworldly creatures to life. She writes about mystical creatures, mystery, and adventure with a hint of Romance.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Her debut novel, Forget Me Not, is the first part of a trilogy published in 2020.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Before starting her writing journey, Anca was active in the blogging community as a fantasy book reviewer. The fanfiction stories she wrote long before she dreamed of being a writer are still popular and available on her blog. Although not as often, she still posts book reviews and book recommendations on her <a href="http://www.summonfantasy.com" target="_blank">blog</a> .</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Living in Romania, Anca speaks English as a second language and is quite self-conscious about her accent, which is why she never speaks in her videos on TikTok. She loves taking long walks through the parks to recharge her batteries before a writing sprint. She loves cooking and can often be found in the kitchen trying out a new recipe while an audiobook keeps her entertained.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Other books in the Trilogy </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlSZ1KYC6abNArY_zWgM4pLwjky0EJ3n87rELkzHxfnvDYZQsGj5lJlpf4Dpv4DKf2lC-vNmL65bqWnI6pB7CaRmNU2_7ZJvT45P0qwsjEP6ZMYl8K7YAySFexkmFnLUeGMolWVtT9OYSEIq1xOqLmycwdKzgKv7Asoy6xWQOAx5m41E2m4ig_xK4V=s2240" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlSZ1KYC6abNArY_zWgM4pLwjky0EJ3n87rELkzHxfnvDYZQsGj5lJlpf4Dpv4DKf2lC-vNmL65bqWnI6pB7CaRmNU2_7ZJvT45P0qwsjEP6ZMYl8K7YAySFexkmFnLUeGMolWVtT9OYSEIq1xOqLmycwdKzgKv7Asoy6xWQOAx5m41E2m4ig_xK4V=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy Reading</div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-25214650455758275162022-01-08T12:03:00.002-03:302022-01-08T12:03:41.841-03:30#bookspotlight We Watch You N S Ford<p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRP0jFXtf06CX-z_GEHtepP8a6mR0RyLNrcIu0H34ueM34cWTslyDuYdR6hUTyUoib7-yp1An5HCZsSSL_LL7-1ZH5ZNmTLbEWb2KN2urXwDiF0F8v6xu2sItnwssOOF81V-67v121xp3ISIbmL-qjh4kwumaJSC6qc9Y4oiNSIJICWz0RmtkHj2CH=s1600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRP0jFXtf06CX-z_GEHtepP8a6mR0RyLNrcIu0H34ueM34cWTslyDuYdR6hUTyUoib7-yp1An5HCZsSSL_LL7-1ZH5ZNmTLbEWb2KN2urXwDiF0F8v6xu2sItnwssOOF81V-67v121xp3ISIbmL-qjh4kwumaJSC6qc9Y4oiNSIJICWz0RmtkHj2CH=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"> Hello and welcome back to the blog, welcome if this is your first time stopping by.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Today's post is a little different, a book spotlight post for "We Watch You" by NS Ford as apart of <a href="https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours" target="_blank">the WriteReads </a>book tours</p><p style="text-align: center;">Here I will tell you a little about the book, but I will also be highlighting some of the other wonderful bloggers posts. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Genre: Thriller</p><p style="text-align: center;">Length: 322 Pages</p><p style="text-align: center;">Publishing: 1st October 2021</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09B1BX5RD/" target="_blank">Amazon</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58662739-we-watch-you" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXC5iFG2Gk3QQz3SUCkhR8nTKE74n8dnbzzG2N0-tc8F2rhsrMAS4FT3YcnpfphVMMBSxJCAWy32MgBv-NmoXjsfdu5nyoB95A57FvVRSpz5v1L5hsnRxFoxkV8yNRI24isEWkmRjjTVZhLiUWk_7ql3wLSCtzguQzBz-iV8ESSxoRY98l_WdoGNPa=s700" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="438" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXC5iFG2Gk3QQz3SUCkhR8nTKE74n8dnbzzG2N0-tc8F2rhsrMAS4FT3YcnpfphVMMBSxJCAWy32MgBv-NmoXjsfdu5nyoB95A57FvVRSpz5v1L5hsnRxFoxkV8yNRI24isEWkmRjjTVZhLiUWk_7ql3wLSCtzguQzBz-iV8ESSxoRY98l_WdoGNPa=w250-h400" width="250" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;">FOUR FRIENDS. THREE ENEMIES. TWO TRAGEDIES. ONE TERRIBLE TRUTH.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">A small English town is rocked by the disappearance of a local woman, Tina. As the search continues, someone is targeting her former best friends for revenge. Lauren, Jess, Claire. They all hide secrets. Who knows what they did? Who’s watching them? The truth is stranger and far more sinister than they can ever imagine.</p><p style="text-align: center;">A dark, twisty thriller which will grip you until the very last page.</p><p style="text-align: center;">*</p><p style="text-align: center;">*</p><p style="text-align: center;">*<br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Tessa, from <a href="https://tessatalksbooks.blog/" target="_blank">Tessa Talks Books</a> says</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>"The story is full of thrills and fast-paced. I adore a story that keeps me on the edge of my seat from page 1 until the last page, and We Watch You is just that type of novel."</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>⭐⭐⭐⭐</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://tessatalksbooks.blog/2022/01/05/we-watch-you-blogtour-bookreview-psychologicalthriller/" target="_blank">Full Review</a></p><p style="text-align: center;">PREXYBASCO, from <a href="https://viterybascouniversity.com/" target="_blank">The Viter-Ybasco University</a> has wonderful post discussing the red herrings through out the book. </p><p style="text-align: center;">"<i>Red herring is a literary device used to lead the audience often to the wrong conclusion, creating a sense of mystery or suspense in a creative work. It’s not dissimilar to how hounds are misled by the scent of a real red herring. With that said, what’s a thriller without one?</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>We Watch You contains a number of these misleading clues that entice and frustrate readers. Just when a fisherman thinks he’s got one, another tastier herring appears. Then he asks himself, “Am I in the right fishing spot? Maybe I should move. Should I move? Am I only fishing for herring?” (Ok, enough of the fish metaphors.)</i>"</p><p style="text-align: center;">Go read the <a href="https://viterybascouniversity.com/2022/01/05/catching-red-herrings-in-ns-fords-we-watch-you-thewritereads-blogtour/" target="_blank">full review</a> and all the red herrings yourself</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">If you want to read more great reviews, check out the rest of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeWatchYou?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">tour stops</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Let's meet the author</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvGZ3HFjvF1_Hgd6hOPb07t3VfpBuVUShhdAwOLhYvuFnnxdnVQcKvUNbwdq-GBNrrSmoLzjIMt4vFlVPB4ehIh0g54R7rJRWIw35KOpgP5U-2ZsOmHYJodg8rNX3Pj7Kb-XS-6bPp5x9-TDv98TAvfa60yrbXBTHkr6AgAGre_BQ53bUXqa-y6ib9=s300" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvGZ3HFjvF1_Hgd6hOPb07t3VfpBuVUShhdAwOLhYvuFnnxdnVQcKvUNbwdq-GBNrrSmoLzjIMt4vFlVPB4ehIh0g54R7rJRWIw35KOpgP5U-2ZsOmHYJodg8rNX3Pj7Kb-XS-6bPp5x9-TDv98TAvfa60yrbXBTHkr6AgAGre_BQ53bUXqa-y6ib9" width="300" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">N S Ford is a book fanatic, blogger and cat lover who lives in the UK with her family. She has a First Class degree in English. When not reading or blogging, she juggles her writing time with parenting, working in heritage and playing the piano.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://nsfordwriter.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href=" https://twitter.com/nsfordwriter" target="_blank">Twitter</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://instagram.com/nsfordwriter" target="_blank">Instagram</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/nsford" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/N-S-Ford/e/B09B1CPKDF/" target="_blank">Amazon</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Happy Reading</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-35048331359857970662021-12-15T13:03:00.001-03:302021-12-15T13:03:07.248-03:30#coverreveal The Isle of a Thousand Worlds by Dan Fitzgerald Series: The Weirdwater Confluence Duology (#2)<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQPcbOuaM6j7Oxj5Jj8zCmgbFO6wJmnDZCAZDclSX9f9HlCEJE6AEqE7ljxi__MGIBayM4DbOPYBZ3JA6pRrztQub5wdBOZpjbCqwxJgfgKpZo8PnK300hO-t2HZHbjDrccGx4JgrUCNF929ma_jpqkqTD1YJfoEmYETUINfxUUj62LNWKL8Y2rnJq=s1440" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1440" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQPcbOuaM6j7Oxj5Jj8zCmgbFO6wJmnDZCAZDclSX9f9HlCEJE6AEqE7ljxi__MGIBayM4DbOPYBZ3JA6pRrztQub5wdBOZpjbCqwxJgfgKpZo8PnK300hO-t2HZHbjDrccGx4JgrUCNF929ma_jpqkqTD1YJfoEmYETUINfxUUj62LNWKL8Y2rnJq=w400-h209" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Hello and welcome or welcome back to the blog, today I have a cover reveal for you lovely peoples.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">The Isle of a Thousand Worlds by Dan Fitzgerald</p><p style="text-align: center;">Series: The Weirdwater Confluence Duology (#2)</p><p style="text-align: center;">Published: January 15, 2022 by Shadow Spark Publishing</p><p style="text-align: center;">Genre: Romantic Fantasy / Sword-Free Fantasy</p><p style="text-align: center;">Pages: 300</p><div style="text-align: center;"><div>Add to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59594544-the-isle-of-a-thousand-worlds " target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div><div>And <a href="https://shadowsparkpub.com/dan-fitzgerald/#weird" target="_blank">Buy Now</a></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">*****:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Blurb:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>An aging alchemist seeks the key to the Universal Tincture said to unlock the Thousand Worlds of the mind, but she never expected to solve the riddle of her hermetic heart. </div><div>A meditation acolyte travels the mystical social media known as the Caravan and finds that the Thousand Worlds lie just below the surface, if she can only learn to see the space between the stars. </div><div><br /></div><div>This steamy romantic fantasy explores the confluence of the physical and the metaphysical through the commingling of bodies and minds.</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>Book Cover Art: Karkki</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/kittensartsboo1 " target="_blank">Twitter</a></div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kittensartbooks/ " target="_blank">Instagram</a></div><div>Cover Design:<a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/jhlmoon" target="_blank"> Jess Moon</a></div><div><br /></div><div>*****</div><div><br /></div><div>On to the cover!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhg8BWNWUqQWKGhe1Wi8pZt1417h7KxRCML4DcQXwYwlCo7BKx8RC9N3BHWNuSbjV0mWMiwJBskIMkvSUNyIGl2aY9wgSFi2OrJk2pI86tm7c19eWXS0QZSt0RJiqjHUW_npMCktkBSptcCA4Armhq6UKR5YpMpMC1YZDNjZTQdcshtRvUJ8HHHfvSr=s2560" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhg8BWNWUqQWKGhe1Wi8pZt1417h7KxRCML4DcQXwYwlCo7BKx8RC9N3BHWNuSbjV0mWMiwJBskIMkvSUNyIGl2aY9wgSFi2OrJk2pI86tm7c19eWXS0QZSt0RJiqjHUW_npMCktkBSptcCA4Armhq6UKR5YpMpMC1YZDNjZTQdcshtRvUJ8HHHfvSr=w250-h400" width="250" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>Interior artists:</div><div>Ethereal black and white artwork, which is on the first page of the book: Kriti Khare</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/digital.endeavours/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/_armedwithabook" target="_blank">Twitter</a> </div><div>Alchemical symbols in the middle of the book: Elena Tarsius</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/elenatarsius/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://linktr.ee/elenatarsius " target="_blank">Linktree</a></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>*****</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">About the Author:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNj4ZHQ6T40yOA1G1bRHHCkkuw_0gA0hJ8L5eThfL2TPKUJ5csoJx-aul3B8QympatTDaRJd1DtVp5-M4Jjqcb7NLh_SiopPHx_jtWh5X6blZNkbNqMrWsuesEeON8qHUmSS42qmnnJoTf37T6bJvsA1PCk5WI-EPMTOCL1UEK2JfPRMoMLDSQsabM=s2320" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="2320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNj4ZHQ6T40yOA1G1bRHHCkkuw_0gA0hJ8L5eThfL2TPKUJ5csoJx-aul3B8QympatTDaRJd1DtVp5-M4Jjqcb7NLh_SiopPHx_jtWh5X6blZNkbNqMrWsuesEeON8qHUmSS42qmnnJoTf37T6bJvsA1PCk5WI-EPMTOCL1UEK2JfPRMoMLDSQsabM=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div><p style="text-align: center;">Dan Fitzgerald is the fantasy author of the Maer Cycle trilogy (character-driven low-magic fantasy) and the Weirdwater Confluence duology (sword-free fantasy with unusual love stories), both from Shadow Spark Publishing. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">He lives in Washington, DC with his wife, twin boys, and two cats. When not writing he might be found doing yoga, gardening, cooking, or listening to French music.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.danfitzwrites.com/ " target="_blank">Website</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DanFitzWrites " target="_blank">Twitter</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/danfitzwrites/ " target="_blank">Instagram</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://shadowsparkpub.com/dan-fitzgerald " target="_blank">Book Purchase Link</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">*****</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWoteO6EIKbVE5PTYmkqzITks_U1KJeGrPjT7DIS7zqOdyrGoIPi8dF-XiGzsEorwzCmUppC4iussogpOryewBGM2eVv331oDSEDYc2RLGC_gHwWn95fZPDsGCIxhGXfIntzBgZjKL9sY5NKcYe3zJFTv7jMiRdqTk3d9ShjKKfLLfgO1VPFWvNiu3=s2546" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1839" data-original-width="2546" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWoteO6EIKbVE5PTYmkqzITks_U1KJeGrPjT7DIS7zqOdyrGoIPi8dF-XiGzsEorwzCmUppC4iussogpOryewBGM2eVv331oDSEDYc2RLGC_gHwWn95fZPDsGCIxhGXfIntzBgZjKL9sY5NKcYe3zJFTv7jMiRdqTk3d9ShjKKfLLfgO1VPFWvNiu3=w400-h289" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div>Publisher Information</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://shadowsparkpub.com/ " target="_blank">Website</a></div><div><a href="https://twitter.com/ShadowSparkPub" target="_blank">Twitter </a></div><div><a href="http://instagram.com/shadowsparkpub " target="_blank">Instagram</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Reading</div></div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-23816918557710121452021-12-10T10:43:00.002-03:302021-12-10T11:06:28.253-03:30#booktour The Girl of Dorcha Wood by Kristin Ward #bookreview<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7_zN4BQZucc/YbNOCH_q0JI/AAAAAAAAH10/Ius71_UJnbYRnDEjFR0BU2i1Sff960jvwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Tour%2BBanner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7_zN4BQZucc/YbNOCH_q0JI/AAAAAAAAH10/Ius71_UJnbYRnDEjFR0BU2i1Sff960jvwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/Tour%2BBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">The Girl of Dorcha Wood by Kristin Ward</p><p style="text-align: center;">Book Info</p><p style="text-align: center;">Genre: YA Fantasy</p><p style="text-align: center;">Length: 232 Pages</p><p style="text-align: center;">Publishing: 13th April 2021</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZLFL8ZB" target="_blank">Amazon</a>/<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57478429-the-girl-of-dorcha-wood" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Blurb</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Treacherous. Evil. Dark. Dorcha Wood is all of these. And none of them.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The people of Felmore talk of Dorcha Wood in whispers, if they speak of it at all, fearing the wrath of the Cù-Sìth should their words be carried on the wind. Those murdering beasts still roam the darkness of the forest, the last remnants of the cursed Aos Sí—a race of elves long since vanished from the world. </p><p style="text-align: center;">But to seventeen-year-old Fiadh, it is home. A haven. A forest whose secrets become known only when it chooses to reveal them. Her life is one of balance until the outside world shatters it. </p><p style="text-align: center;">From the moment Fiadh set eyes on Gideon, the peaceful rhythm of her life was lost. As a new path unfolds, Fiadh confronts the reality of old hatreds, the consequences of things hidden, and the truth of who she really is. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cCAPe1RPTSc/YbNOcppNWNI/AAAAAAAAH18/ZVTLlJObcRo4Ed-DufkDNjlMj61f3l1QwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2560/Book%2BCover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cCAPe1RPTSc/YbNOcppNWNI/AAAAAAAAH18/ZVTLlJObcRo4Ed-DufkDNjlMj61f3l1QwCNcBGAsYHQ/w250-h400/Book%2BCover.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Review</b>:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fiadh has lived in Dorcha woods with her mother for as long as she can remember. The forest that to the people of the village is evil and the home of a witch. They fear it for it was the home of the Aosi Si, elves that many years prior where slaughtered by humans. Her mother as been keeping her daughter both safe and a secret from the near by village, while tending to births and healings that they ask of her. Part of the reasons her mother has tried her best to keep Fiadh a secret is because she has an ability that others would not understand, she can communicate with animals and the creatures that village people call monsters. One day she comes across a wounded man, and takes him back to her home for both her mother and herself to tend to. He remembers his name, Gideon and who he is but has no memories of the events that have taken place. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">With out going into spoilers, something happens in the village that forces Fiadh and Gideon to flee her home to his. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There is a witch in this book, but she's not who the villagers think it is, there are monsters in this book and they think they are the good guys.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Girl of Dorcha Wood is a quick read for a fantasy novel and I rather enjoyed my time reading it. I love books that witches and forests (as I like to think of myself as a forest witch). I loved the fantasy part of the book, the romance was a little to insta for my liking but insta romance is trope that many do like. I enjoyed the world building and the plot. It is twisty and had turns that I saw coming but others that I didn't. Would definitely recommend this book to fantasy readers. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I look forward to the second book in the series.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b>About the Author</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-08W8Y50352I/YbNNtmCHqvI/AAAAAAAAH1s/Kn5LDFUhq1w2fgDWYe-UqYkZO1ERqkhSwCNcBGAsYHQ/s3088/Author%2BPhoto.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-08W8Y50352I/YbNNtmCHqvI/AAAAAAAAH1s/Kn5LDFUhq1w2fgDWYe-UqYkZO1ERqkhSwCNcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Author%2BPhoto.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Kristin Ward is an award-winning young adult author living in Connecticut. A science and math teacher for over twenty years, she infuses her geeky passions into stories that meld realism and fantasy. Kristin embraces her inner nerd regularly, often quoting 80s movies while expecting those around her to chime in with appropriate rejoinders. As a nature freak, she can be found wandering the woods - she may be lost, so please stop and ask if you see her - or chilling in her yard with all manner of furry and feathered friends. Often referred to as a unicorn by colleagues who remain in awe of her ability to create or find various and sundry things in mere moments. In reality, the horn was removed years ago, leaving only a mild imprint that can be seen if she tilts her head just right. A lifelong lover of books and writing, she dreamed of becoming an author for thirty years before publishing her award-winning debut in 2018. Her first novel, After the Green Withered, is one of many things you should probably read.</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.kristinwardauthor.com/">https://www.kristinwardauthor.com/</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bit.ly/KWardAuthor" target="_blank">Social Media links</a><br /></div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-31591256544056070792021-11-12T09:30:00.001-03:302021-11-12T09:30:00.174-03:30Little White Hands by Mark Cushen (#bookreveiw + #giveaway int) #bookblitz<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rbF5ntXj28/YY2712Jn1mI/AAAAAAAAHzw/AWXvLEJAd3ooq5EdmKwFeFuV94LhruyuwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/little-white-hands_cushen_banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1440" height="209" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rbF5ntXj28/YY2712Jn1mI/AAAAAAAAHzw/AWXvLEJAd3ooq5EdmKwFeFuV94LhruyuwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h209/little-white-hands_cushen_banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Hello and welcome or welcome back to the blog. I am participating in the Storytellers on Tour book blitz of Little White Hands by Mark Cushen.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Little White Hands by Mark Cushen</p><p style="text-align: center;">Series: Garlan Greatheart (#1)</p><p style="text-align: center;">Published: May 21, 2021</p><p style="text-align: center;">Genre: Fantasy</p><p style="text-align: center;">Pages: 303</p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><b>Book Blurb</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Almost five hundred years have passed since the Seasons were at war.</div><div><br /></div><div>Half a millennium since Winter defied Spring, and lost.</div><div><br /></div><div>Generations have come and gone, not knowing the bitter freeze and howling snows of Winter ever existed.</div><div><br /></div><div>But now, after centuries of silence, the participants in this ancient struggle have resurfaced and reignited their feud on the doorstep of an unassuming little kitchen boy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Garlan’s dreams of being just like the knights he idolizes may not be as impossible as he has always been led to believe, when he is chased from his home and thrust headlong into the kind of adventure he had only ever read about in books.</div><div><br /></div><div>Setting out on a journey that spans the entire kingdom of Faeland, Garlan will traverse impossible mountains and stormy seas and battle terrible monsters, all to keep the world he knows safe from an enemy who will stop at nothing to bring about a never-ending winter.</div><div><br /></div><div>With a cast of fantastical characters to aid him in his quest, can Garlan overcome his self-doubt and find the courage he needs to rise above his humble station and become the hero he always dreamed of being?</div><div><br /></div><div>The fate of the world rests in his hands.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ex6MMe8TWHw/YY3LKLWAGCI/AAAAAAAAH0Q/OadxW-CcTB4AybjL8M9mBze5YiDm8MFZACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20211111_220744.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1705" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ex6MMe8TWHw/YY3LKLWAGCI/AAAAAAAAH0Q/OadxW-CcTB4AybjL8M9mBze5YiDm8MFZACLcBGAsYHQ/w333-h400/20211111_220744.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Review</b>:</div><div><br /></div><div><div>CW: Animal Abuse – Animals fight each other, and a scene featuring taxidermy, Bullying – Name calling, very mild,Gore – One very descriptive scene, and some others which are milder, Violence – Frequent combat, some bloody</div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>3.5 stars</div><div><br /></div><div>Little White Hands is a self published middle grade fantasy, that does have some things listed above that could be upsetting for younger readers but I feel that the older end of middle grade readers could handle it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Garlan is a kitchen boy in the castle, his one dream is to be a knight like the ones he has read about in books. To go on adventures and quests, to be the hero. He trains his sword work in the evenings, because to be a knight one must know how to weld one. </div><div><br /></div><div>One evening on his way home horse and rider who are hurt give him a message that <i>"The Blue Man has returned" . </i>What and who that means Garlan does not know, but eventually tells all to his teacher and wizard friend. From there we learn about the war between the seasons and how winter had lost. </div><div><br /></div><div>It has been 500 years since winter last arrived and if he is back and wants control then the people of Faeland and the world are not safe. </div><div><br /></div><div>Garlan with the wizards companion and assistant Oldface (a floating wooden head!) head out to find the High Seasons to let them know that Lord Winter is returning.</div><div><br /></div><div>To quote GoT "Winter is comming"</div><div><br /></div><div>This quest is what Garlan has been dreaming about, he finally gets to set off on adventure like the knights he idolizes. It won't be easy and there danger around every coroner, but with the danger comes the allies and friends, who will help him out when they can.</div><div><br /></div><div>In this fantasy we have witches, monsters, battles, a ghost, pirates, fairy's, wizards and so much more.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is a coming of age tale that teaches important lesson, we see Garlan face fears and find the courage to be the knight he always wanted to be, even if he is just a kitchen boy with soft little white hands. </div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>"And now you have knowledge to prepare yourself accordingly for the rest that may lie ahead" </b>Oldface went on "<b>For it is ahead that we must go. We must always be moving forward. Even when it feels like the safest way to go back."</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div>I can not wait to find out what adventure Garlan goes on next.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55880021-little-white-hands " target="_blank">Goodreads</a>/<a href="http://mybook.to/LittleWhiteHands" target="_blank">Amazon</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let's meet our author:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2KXoe4pa_C4/YY3KUJPOTKI/AAAAAAAAH0A/RTao6Tlvwzs3jeTXUO7QEPqXjYff2Uk8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mark%2BCushen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2KXoe4pa_C4/YY3KUJPOTKI/AAAAAAAAH0A/RTao6Tlvwzs3jeTXUO7QEPqXjYff2Uk8QCLcBGAsYHQ/w213-h320/Mark%2BCushen.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Mark Cushen has loved the fantasy genre since he accidentally stumbled onto Ray Harryhausen’s stop-motion masterpiece, “Jason and the Argonauts”, while channel-hopping one Christmas-time Saturday afternoon, somewhere between the ages of 5 and 8.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ever since then he has been obsessed with stories of sword-wielding heroes battling monsters in fantastical lands, and is now attempting to create his own. Little White Hands is the first of (hopefully) many.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.markcushen.com/" target="_blank">Website</a>/<a href="https://twitter.com/markcushen87" target="_blank">Twitter</a>/<a href="https://www.instagram.com/mcushen87/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>/<a href="https://www.facebook.com/mcushen87" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Don't forget to click on the banner to enter into the contest to win your own signed copy </div><div>Open Internationally</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e832e988113/? " style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vV76YyMoTLA/YY3JSIryk6I/AAAAAAAAHz4/rGyrrz4vhoM2pSkm5X83_Nmg9A2bxlh0wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/little-white-hands_cushen_giveaway.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Happy Reading<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-17881357716985994522021-10-29T16:08:00.006-02:302021-10-29T16:22:03.514-02:30#bookreview Dreams of the Dying by Nicolas Lietzau <p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9MmMfzrn9fM/YXwP__utLEI/AAAAAAAAHyA/VSciv8i6FlQZIcv75FIZPn-HPkGm-407gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/dreams-of-the-dying_lietzau_banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1440" height="209" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9MmMfzrn9fM/YXwP__utLEI/AAAAAAAAHyA/VSciv8i6FlQZIcv75FIZPn-HPkGm-407gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h209/dreams-of-the-dying_lietzau_banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Hello and welcome or welcome back to the blog.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Today is my stop for StoryTellers on Tour. I have a book review of Dreams of the Dying by Nicolas Lietzau.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--oDGSGoj0LI/YXwR2Q79U7I/AAAAAAAAHyI/gAEJH-GuZYwlGPZWjgBPAkmeauvpOewDACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/CoverFinal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1327" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--oDGSGoj0LI/YXwR2Q79U7I/AAAAAAAAHyI/gAEJH-GuZYwlGPZWjgBPAkmeauvpOewDACLcBGAsYHQ/w259-h400/CoverFinal.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Dreams of the Dying by Nicolas Lietzau</p><p style="text-align: center;">Series: Enderal (#1)</p><p style="text-align: center;">Published: October 28, 2020</p><p style="text-align: center;">Genre: Grimdark Fantasy, Mystery, Psychological Horror</p><p style="text-align: center;">Pages: 726</p><div style="text-align: center;">Burb:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>Years after a harrowing war experience, ex-mercenary Jespar Dal’Varek has taken to drifting. It’s a lonely existence, but, barring the occasional bout of melancholia, he has found the closest thing to peace a man like him deserves. Life is “all right.”</div><div><br /></div><div>Or so he believes. Hoping to turn the page, Jespar accepts a mysterious invitation into the beautiful but dangerous archipelago of Kilay-and everything changes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Plagued by explosive social tensions and terrorism, the tropical empire is edging ever closer to civil war. Kilay’s merchant king is the only person able to prevent this catastrophe, but he has fallen into a preternatural coma-and it’s Jespar’s task to figure out what or who caused it. As the investigation takes him across the archipelago and into the king’s nightmares, unexpected events not only tie Jespar’s own life to the mystery but also unearth inner demons he believed to be long exorcised.</div><div><br /></div><div>Battling old trauma while fighting for his life, his sanity, and the fate of Kilay, the line between dream and reality blurs until only one question remains: If your mind is the enemy, where do you run?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UvWfIgpoow0/YXw-InW4BTI/AAAAAAAAHys/KGHSaOVZP0scZBP20VII68EsS-qDBSWlACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20211029_150251.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1654" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UvWfIgpoow0/YXw-InW4BTI/AAAAAAAAHys/KGHSaOVZP0scZBP20VII68EsS-qDBSWlACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20211029_150251.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>⭐⭐⭐⭐</div><div><br /></div><div><p class="Default"><span class="NoneA"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">CW:</span></b></span><span class="NoneA"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> Mental illness, substance abuse,
violence, swearing, sex, suicide</span></span><span class="NoneA"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Frist of all I need to talk about how beautifully crafted Dreams of the Dying is. The book is physically a work of art. The pages are soft to the touch and holding it was a pleasurer. From the under the dust jacket to the artwork at the end of the book. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dMpNjpVsbtQ/YXw8VT9XMNI/AAAAAAAAHyU/4uP0i_f8Kq0VQ6rBdjUh6he5Vf4bZdR1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Irlandah-EN.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dMpNjpVsbtQ/YXw8VT9XMNI/AAAAAAAAHyU/4uP0i_f8Kq0VQ6rBdjUh6he5Vf4bZdR1wCLcBGAsYHQ/w309-h400/Irlandah-EN.png" width="309" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So I am extremly grateful to have received an physical copy for review.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Jespar Dal’Varek is an ex mercenary who is plagued with memories of his past. Both his sleeping and waking dreams are nightmare's, featuring The Corpse. He is haunted, and feels that everything he touches he destroys.</div><div><br /></div><div>He is hired along with a healer Lysia to solve the mystery of who or what happened to the king. In order to do they must find someone who can dreamwalk, because he has been in a coma that no one can understand how it has happened.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Archipelago of Kilay is very much a caste based, the upper class living at very top of Fortune Road. There is civil unrest and a there is a group of people, the Scythes who are quickly gaining followers to over throw their oppressors and if word gets out that the king is in the state he is in, there is fear that all hell will break lose. </div><div><br /></div><div>Dreams of the Dying is dark, and messed up. Take that as a complement. I like dark books. It is very twisty and we follow multiple timelines and people. Jespar and the Man.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mental health is very prominent through out the story, Jespar as I said he is haunted by his nightmares, he get's tossed back to horrific scenes he has dealt with from war to his family. He has much to deal with, from his own mental state to his feels for both his travel companions/ fellow investigators in this mission.</div><div><br /></div><div>The writing is is exquisite and the amount of passages that I have tabbed to go back and reread are too many to mention. Jespar or rather our author has a wonderful way with words. From advice to life lessons. And the hard reality of life.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>It is easy to see that Nicolas Lietzau as put so much of himself and his time into this novel.</div><div><br /></div><div>I look forward to book 2 and what awaits Jesper.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dreams of the Dying is the first book in the Enderal series, which also happens to be the prologue to the Skyrim based game Enderal, which I won't lie I had not heard of before, but I will link to if anyone would like to check it out.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/933480/Enderal_Forgotten_Stories/" target="_blank">Enderal: Forgotten Stories</a><br /></div><div> </div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55069591-dreams-of-the-dying#" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://nicolaslietzau.com/#formats" target="_blank">Buy Now</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let's meet the author</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-taYb8UVjnlM/YXw8rfjQdnI/AAAAAAAAHyc/nreOGtMjEDwR9dPxaz7ySaJkgStapwtZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1037/Nicolas%2BLietzau.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1037" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-taYb8UVjnlM/YXw8rfjQdnI/AAAAAAAAHyc/nreOGtMjEDwR9dPxaz7ySaJkgStapwtZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Nicolas%2BLietzau.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>I’m a German author best known for my writing for the award-winning indie videogame Enderal, which grew from niche favorite to cult hit.</div><div><br /></div><div>Growing up in both the heart of Munich and a bucolic Bavarian farmhouse, my love for stories began by reading German fairytales in the attic and was nurtured by copious amounts of fiction, ranging from fantasy to horror to historical to literary.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many things have shaped my writing: a turbulent childhood, living in five different countries, and a loss of reality I suffered due to experiments in lucid dreaming. I feel drawn to people and experiences off the beaten path and try to make my work reflect that.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I’m not writing or reading, I make music, travel, longboard, study languages, and try to see and experience as much of the world as I can. I’m currently working on the second Enderal novel.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sign up to my newsletter or follow me on social media to stay up to date on my latest work. Also, a big thanks to all my patrons – you make my work possible.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><p class="Default"><span class="NoneA"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Website:</span></b></span><span class="NoneA"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="Hyperlink1"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.nicolaslietzau.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.nicolaslietzau.com/</span></a></span></span><span class="NoneA"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="NoneA"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="Default"><span class="NoneA"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Twitter:</span></b></span><span class="NoneA"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="Hyperlink1"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://twitter.com/Niseamtao"><span style="color: blue;">https://twitter.com/Niseamtao</span></a></span></span><span class="NoneA"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="NoneA"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="Default"><span class="NoneA"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Instagram:</span></b></span><span class="NoneA"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="Hyperlink1"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://instagram.com/niseam_stories"><span style="color: blue;">http://instagram.com/niseam_stories</span></a></span></span><span class="NoneA"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="NoneA"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span class="NoneA"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Facebook:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span></span><span class="Hyperlink1"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://facebook.com/nicolaslietzau"><span style="color: blue;">http://facebook.com/nicolaslietzau</span></a></span></span><span class="NoneA"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></span><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.storytellersontour.online/2021/09/14/book-tour-dreams-of-the-dying-by-nicolas-lietzau/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1440" height="209" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MGj88-76wFY/YXxBFvO_qFI/AAAAAAAAHy8/nGCO_PahMHIsWCEcf9aniB2OMKBZjSMFwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h209/dreams-of-the-dying_lietzau_banner-hosts%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div> <div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Reading</div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-50119651896100803452021-10-25T15:34:00.006-02:302021-10-25T17:08:02.576-02:30#bookreview How I Live Now by Genzaburo Yoshino. Translated by Bruno Navasky <p style="text-align: center;"> Hello and welcome or welcome back to the blog.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Today is my stop for Algonquin Young Readers booktour of the first time in English translation of How I Live Now by Genzaburo Yoshino.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Translated by: Bruno Navasky</p><p style="text-align: center;">With a forward by: Neil Gaiman</p><p style="text-align: center;">Expected to be published tomorrow October 26th, 2021.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvETpmccMamvLj6aYydY1HMiP10v-YjysM43iiTz8aedRopY3OOT3-R-HQUaITYMGvoLNRXpKIJ7o8MyKI3QvmGq4F1awkAkRiOZORgVK-sQjVBilmrpUV9-crfUPyVkrlN7beKim6GE8/s382/image001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="253" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvETpmccMamvLj6aYydY1HMiP10v-YjysM43iiTz8aedRopY3OOT3-R-HQUaITYMGvoLNRXpKIJ7o8MyKI3QvmGq4F1awkAkRiOZORgVK-sQjVBilmrpUV9-crfUPyVkrlN7beKim6GE8/w265-h400/image001.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">About the book</div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">The first English translation of the classic Japanese novel, a childhood favorite of anime master Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle), with an introduction by Neil Gaiman. </p><p style="text-align: center;">First published in 1937, Genzaburō Yoshino’s How Do You Live? has long been acknowledged in Japan as a crossover classic for young readers. Academy Award–winning animator Hayao Miyazaki has called it his favorite childhood book and announced plans to emerge from retirement to make it the basis of a final film. </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">HOW DO YOU LIVE?</span></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b> </b>begins with fifteen-year-old Copper, who has recently suffered the loss of his father, gazing out over his hometown of Tokyo, watching the thousands of people below, and beginning to ponder life’s big questions. How many people are in the world? What do their lives look like? Are humans really made of molecules? The book moves between Copper’s story and his uncle’s journal entries, in which he gives advice and helps Copper learn pivotal truths about the way the world works. Over the course of a year in his life, Copper, like his namesake Copernicus, embarks on a journey of philosophical enlightenment, and uses his discoveries about the heavens, earth and human nature to determine the best way to live. Yoshino perfectly captures the beauty and strangeness of pre-war Japan – the changing of the seasons, the fried tofu and taiyaki stands, and the lush landscapes, as Copper explores the city on his bike and learns from friends and family what really matters most in life. “It’s funny and sad in a particularly Japanese way. As I read more of the book, I discovered that it contains lessons on everything: art, science, language, history, politics and philosophy,” translator Bruno Navasky writes. “It also contains a quiet but powerful message on the value of thinking for oneself and standing up for others during troubled times.””</span></span></p><div><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7b35fce1-7fff-3c48-650a-1f0fac71082a"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">“Books like this are important,” writes Neil Gaiman in the book’s foreword. “I’m so glad Mr. Miyazaki is making his film because it means that eighty-four years after it was written, Yoshino’s novel can be read in English, in Bruno Navasky’s gentle and winning translation, and that I got to read it.” Perfect for fans of The Little Prince and the Alchemist, as well as Miyazaki fans eager to understand some of his most important influences, HOW DO YOU LIVE? is a whimsical and wise novel that will forever change the way readers think about their place in the world.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>My Review</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟</p><p style="text-align: center;">How Do You Live? was a childhood favourite of Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle) and I am truly honored to be reading a book that I feel helped shaped him into being the awe-inspiring creator that he became. </p><p style="text-align: center;">This book is a coming of age story, set in Tokyo in the 1930s. It is a history lesson, a science lesson, philosophy lesson all while talking about what it truly means to be human. It is beautiful and inspiring and I can see why and how it became Miyazaki's childhood favourite.</p><p style="text-align: center;">It is told in two points of view, our main character Copper and his Uncle. Copper's father has been dead for a few years now and his Uncle is taking it upon himself to guide his young nephew with advice and wisdom. He's pov's are in the form of letters that he is compiling in a notebook that he will one day hand to Copper. Topics such as what it means to be human, to be heroic, and other lessons. He tells of Coppers fathers words that he wanted passed on to him. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Copper is in junior high school, he comes from a well off family as do most of his friends, with the exception of one. He is a deep thinker, who sees the world a little different then others boys his age. With the help of his friends, his uncle and his mother he learns what being human and good one at that. As the book flows through the seasons, we feel Coppers growth, his emotions, his regrets. His struggles and how he deals with them.</p><p style="text-align: center;">How Do You Live, descriptions of the simplest things, such as a seed and it is eventually into a flower will make you pause and reflect. The whole book is wonderful and I truly feel honored to experience it for myself. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Thank you Algonquin Young Readers for giving me the chance to read and spread the word about this special book.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I will be adding a physical copy to my own shelf and over the moon to see this become the spectacular anime that Hayo Miyazaki will create. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Praise for HOW DO YOU LIVE?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">“A teen ponders the complexities of life, history, and humanity in this 1937 classic from Japan being animated by Hayao Miyazaki… Simple and beautiful seasonal details reflect Copper’s emotional journey. Small glimpses into prewar Japanese life and culture, including tofu making, school social hierarchies, city life, and the intricacies and symbolism of words, contribute to the atmosphere. A foreword by Neil Gaiman perfectly captures the mood and significance of this book, a childhood favorite of Miyazaki’s and one that is sure to find a select, but eager, readership outside its homeland. A quiet, introspective look at life and how to be human.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">“A beguiling … and ruminative coming-of-age tale … to excite interest and—happily—inspire thought.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #9ba2a8; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">--Booklist</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b9356848-7fff-572d-0fe2-c50b0ddfb6aa"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.28; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0ab9a3c5-7fff-3bdf-ae5a-9bfc12038228"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.28; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genzaburō Yoshino (1899-1981) was a Japanese writer and publisher. In 1935, he became director of a collection of educational books for young people. Yoshino stepped in to write How Do You Live? when Yūzō Yamamoto, the expected writer, fell ill. Since its debut as a novel and guide to philosophy for young people, How Do You Live? has been re-edited and republished more than eighty times, a reflection of the changing times and culture in Japan.
</span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.28; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-216a0bdf-7fff-1d75-7486-04fd5d67dbea"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bruno Navasky is a teacher and writer, whose work as a translator and editor includes Festival in My Heart: Poems by Japanese Children and Poem in Your Pocket for Young Poets. He was the founding editor of American Poet, the journal of The Academy of American Poets, where he now serves on the board of directors. He lives and works in New York City.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Happy Reading!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366264268885836620.post-51262383578732836302021-10-18T12:24:00.002-02:302021-10-18T12:27:44.007-02:30#BookReview Paladin Unbound by Jeffrey Speight (@jeffspeight)<p> </p><p style="text-align: center;">Hello and welcome or welcome back to the blog, today I have a book review for you.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IlB_3uH_f7A/YW2JlPh4ZoI/AAAAAAAAHwo/VVRU6Jw2db0erwRM3d-l_OzCwPJcPNZSQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20211018_121748.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IlB_3uH_f7A/YW2JlPh4ZoI/AAAAAAAAHwo/VVRU6Jw2db0erwRM3d-l_OzCwPJcPNZSQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20211018_121748.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Paladin Unbound</p><p style="text-align: center;">by Jeffrey Speight</p><p style="text-align: center;">Genre: Fantasy</p><p style="text-align: center;">Series: The Archives of Evelium</p><p style="text-align: center;">Published: July 1st 2021</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.literarywanderlust.com/" target="_blank">Literary Wanderlust</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>There be spoilers below, proceed with caution!!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Jeffrey Speight gifted me a copy of his book a few months back (you can see that post <a href="https://icanhasbooks.blogspot.com/2021/07/its-self-published-appreciation-week-i.html" target="_blank">here</a> if you would like) and I have finally been able to get to reading it. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">So for first of all thank you once again.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Let me start out by saying if you like D&D, World of Warcraft, RPGs and other things that are similar to these then you will enjoy the both the characters and the storyline of Paladin Unbound. Because to be honest with you, that was exactly the kind of thing I was feeling when reading. As a former (on long hiatus) WoW player it was Warcraft vibes I was feeling and well I liked that. I've rolled an Orc before, didn't get far with her but I did make one. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Also can I just say how nice it was to have the main in the fantasy novel be something that is not human or elven. I love my humans and elves in fantasy. I guess well technically there is some human as Umbra is half Orc from his fathers side and half human on his mothers. </p><p style="text-align: center;">The story starts out with Umbra the Peacemaker and his small band looking for work, they are a group of sell swords so to speak and they have come to the city to see if Lord Morrow will contract them. Umbra may not be fully Orc but outwardly his appearance is very much Orc and well people are not always excepting of this. </p><p style="text-align: center;">People are going missing, things are happening and Lord Morrow wants things done quietly. </p><p style="text-align: center;">So I'm going to back track because I lied when I said the story starts out with Umbra and his band of people. Because before that there is the prologue. The demon-god Naur is defeated and sealed away in another dimension. This is significant to mention because this is why things are happening. The worshipers of this demon-god are on the rise and they are trying to break the seal and free him once more unto this plane. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Umbra has had a really crappy life when one thinks about it. His parents are dead, because his village was attacked when he was four years old. He spent days in a hollowed out tree waiting for his father to return but sadly never did. As an Orc he faces the different prejudice and stereotypes, and well it doesn't help Jeff Speight decided to hurt all his friends right off the hop of this book. </p><p style="text-align: center;">But it was meant to be as it gives us character growth and introduces us to the Barrow Pack and my favourite character in the story, Shadow.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I'm noting going to go into anymore detail of the story and characters because I don't want to spoil the whole thing for you. </p><p style="text-align: center;">So if you like self discovery, found friendships, mysterious characters (Shadow I'm looking at you), demon-gods, good vs evil, swords that speak into your mind. Then check out Paladin Unbound for yourself.</p><p style="text-align: center;">For a smaller in length fantasy the worldbuilding was great, with little down time, the down time that was there served a purpose with us learning more about characters or what they were going through. </p><p style="text-align: center;">The only issues I have were with the flow writing wise, as this is a debut book things like that can improve with time. And I have all the faith in the world that future books that it will. </p><p style="text-align: center;">But with that being said I am rather looking forward to the next installment. Jeff Speight has created a potentially great fantasy world, I can not wait to see what happens next in The Archives of Evelium.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I want more Shadow just letting that be known.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Add it to<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58022890-paladin-unbound" target="_blank"> Goodreads</a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Pick up your own copy <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Paladin-Unbound-Jeffrey-Speight-ebook/dp/B093WY95HZ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or <a href="https://www.literarywanderlust.com/product-page/paladin-unbound" target="_blank">Literary Wanderlust</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Happy Reading</p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Icanhasbookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05845417102690824620noreply@blogger.com0