An enchanting and seductive new novel from the author of The Fate Series . . .

What if all the legends you’ve learned were wrong?

Brutally attacked by one god and unfairly cursed by another she faithfully served, Medusa has spent the last two thousand years living out her punishment on an enchanted isle in the Aegean Sea. A far cry from the monster legends depict, she’s spent her time educating herself, gardening, and desperately trying to frighten away adventure seekers who occasionally end up, much to her dismay, as statues when they manage to catch her off guard. As time marches on without her, Medusa wishes for nothing more than to be given a second chance at a life stolen away at far too young an age.

But then comes a day when Hermes, one of the few friends she still has and the only deity she trusts, petitions the rest of the gods and goddesses to reverse the curse. Thus begins a journey toward healing and redemption, of reclaiming a life after tragedy, and of just how powerful friendship and love can be—because sometimes, you have to sink in the deep end of the sea before you can rise back up again.

My review:

I have been wanting to read this book, with it’s gorgeous cover and oh-so-cool premise…I was so happy to have some time this weekend to read it. Such a fun and interesting read! The story of Medusa is fairly well-known but the author takes the story and continues it with a what if?
I really enjoyed the creativity of the story, weaving in the myth with new ideas. And at the heart of it, a love story…a fabulous love story with a swoon-worthy male lead in Hermes. The author takes these characters we know and makes them real, modern and relatable. A crime, a punishment, and redemption…throw in some action, romance and you have it…a great read that I highly recommend!

5 stars

wine: Pinot grigio, my current fave

By Tawdra Kandle

Sometimes revenge is your only choice. . .

Julia worked for weeks planning the perfect surprise birthday party for her boyfriend, Liam, but that night, she was the one who got the biggest shock. He broke up with her in front of all their friends, humiliating her in the process.

Clearly revenge was in order.

The plan is simple. Make him jealous, win him back, and then crush his heart. Fair is fair. However, there is one little hiccup and he has curly brown hair and dimples.

Jesse is everything she wants. With him, she could almost forget her bruised heart. Almost. Julia has one choice: let Liam walk away after everything he did, or lose a chance at love in pursuit of payback.

Review:

Who hasn’t thought about revenge?  Seeing that person who ‘done you wrong’ getting what is coming to them.  So this is what Julia and a couple of friends decide to do after she is ceremoniously dumped in front of a roomful of people.

I won’t give any spoilers but it is a fun ride! Her ex-boyfriend is a real jerk and you can only sit back and watch him gets what he deserves. Throw in a really cute guy with dimples to the mix and you have a fabulous romantic story. She is taken on a bit of a detour when she meets Jesse. And he is book boyfriend material. Hot, cute, and totally smitten. Irresistible.  Just the type of guy I would have fallen for…oh wait, I did.

This book was so fun to read, I really felt for Julia and wanted her to get back at Liam. And the different setups for revenge were great to watch play out.

Her roommate Ava has Julia’s back and is just what a best friend should be.  And it says that the author is writing her a story next! Can’t wait to read that.

The college setting was fun to read; the dorms, the frat houses, and the dining halls all brought back memories of my own college days.

If you want a book that makes you laugh as well as swoon, pick this book up!

AVAILABLE NOW

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Tawdra Kandle has been a writer since pens were invented. Her first published story appeared in Child Life magazine when she was 13 years old. She took a brief hiatus of about thirty years to hone her craft, get married and have four children before publishing the young adult quartet The King Series. She has since published books in both the adult and new adult romantic genre. Tawdra lives in Florida with her husband and children, both skin and fur-types. Oh, and yes–she has purple hair.

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by SM Blooding

Book 2 of the
Devices of War Trilogy

Genre: New Adult Fantasy Steampunk Adventure

Publisher: Blooding Books

Book Description: (Can be read as stand-alone)

Return to a world of mind blowing visuals, heart stopping action, and ships that sail the skies.

Nix, Queen of Wands, has exactly what she wants—Synn El’Asim, the greatest Mark the world has ever seen. Even though she bound his soul to hers, he is not easily controlled. If she wants him, she must do the one thing that pains her most. Let him go, and give him what he desires. Peace.

Armed with a treaty bearing Nix’s seal, Synn sets off to bridge the gap between the world’s two reigning tyrants—the Hands of Tarot and the Great Families. He struggles to trust Nix as he fights for control of his soul. He’s going to need every ounce of restraint when dealing with his mother, leader of the Great Families. She will not give up her power without a fight. Nix will honor her treaty only if Synn agrees to become her knight. His mother refuses to sign the peace agreement if he falls into the queen’s control.

Frustrated, Synn does the one thing neither woman saw coming. He invites all the tribes, currently voiceless in the war between these two ruling tyrants, to partake in the treaty negotiations. All they have to do is prove their worth in his Peace Games. As Synn’s influence and subsequent power grows, a new fight begins.

Who will control Synn’s League of Cities? Can he protect more people as a leader of the Great Families, or as the Knight of Wands?

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Review:

I had never read a steampunk fantasy novel before I read Fall of Sky City.  I didn’t even know what it was.  But I forged ahead and read it and was completely amazed.  The author created such a fantastical world with unforgettable characters and I couldn’t wait to read this second installment.

The characters are growing and developing.  Synn is trying to figure out his role in the world.  And with some powerful and strong-minded women in the mix, he is in for a bit of a time of it.

He wants to do the right thing but as almost every turn, he is faced with those who want only what is best for them.  And one is his own mother.

And the villain. She is seriously evil and crazy. We find out a bit more about Nix in this one. We see a snippet of her past and it makes me think we will be learning even more about what made her into the deranged lunatic she is.  Talk about manipulative, I think if you look up that word in the dictionary, you’d see a picture of Nix. That woman seriously scares the crap of me.  And she is even scarier in this one, if that is possible.

There is also plenty of action of this one; I loved the games they created and seeing them figure out how to complete them. This would make such an awesome movie!

Read Fall of Sky City first; it’s incredible and will introduce you to this mind-blowing world and these characters. And you will be lucky since Knight of Wands is already out and you won’t have to wait for it. But then you’ll be with me, stalking the author until the next is released.

Fall of Sky City Book 1 :
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Praise for Fall of Sky City

Wow! What did I just read?? The story was deliciously complex, full of fear, wonder, magic, gadgets, gizmos, one heck of a psycho Queen and wonderful friends. Every character brought something to the story, each with a unique personality that came to life through the book, each with their own fears to overcome. Victoria Limbert

I love the world Blooding has created. She managed to create it in a way that it combines specs of all my favorite movies, books, etc. It’s a mixture of young adult fantasy, steam punk, dystopia, sci-fi, paranormal and even some tiny bit of romance. Fall of Sky City is a diverse book that is intense, a little bit violent, and a whole lot of awesome! I look forward to reading the next book of the series! Unputdownable Books

SM Blooding is a new author to me, but this is definitely not the last book I’ll read by her. Synn El’Asim is a powerful character–the reader sees him grow from a young man who has not yet come into his power to a strong man who is courageous enough to fight for what he believes in–his family and his people. The world building Ms. Blooding does is nothing short of remarkable. A world composed of flying ships, ice worlds, danger, and intrigue. My World of Dreams

This book is action-packed and intense. You feel like you’re part of the drama. This story is intense. The action is perfectly paced. I had trouble putting the book down. I really felt for Synn from the very beginning. He goes through so much. As soon as he gets his mark, he is plunged into one situation after another. Queen Nix, who is horrifying by the way, pushes Synn to new levels, in more and more diabolical ways. With the help of friends and family, Synn becomes a strong leader. Waiting on Sunday to Drown

I’m amazed of the world Blooding has created and built. It has Sky, Land, and Water Cities. These cities each has its own technologies, language, and a whole different way of life. These worlds remind me a lot of Avatar the Last Airbender and Star Wars, which I both loved wholeheartedly. Bahrain Newspaper Article Review!

Meet the Author:

SM “Frankie” Blooding lives in Colorado with her pet rock, Rockie, and Jack the Bird. Jack has refused to let her to take up the piano again, but is warming to the guitar. It might help that Frankie has learned more than two strings. She’s added a few more Arabic words to her vocabulary, but don’t invite her into conversation yet—unless, of course, you’re willing to have a very . . . slow . . . conversation.

She’s dated vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, weapons smugglers and US Government assassins. Yes. She has stories.

She’s also an investigator with a local paranormal investigation group, Colorado Paranormal Rescue!

Find out more about her at:

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by Paul E. Horseman

The night before his Coming-of-Age, Ghyll and his two friends escaped their castle on a clandestine hunt that would forever change their lives. They returned just in time to see their island castle destroyed by strange warriors from a dragonboat and flocks of burning birds.

Ghyll’s birthday turned into a nightmare as they fled into the night. This begins an epic journey to find out who is trying to kill them… and most importantly, why? Fortunately, they can count on colorful new friends to assist, including a sometimes overly enthusiastic fire mage, an inexperienced paladin and a female beastmaster who is a ferocious mountain lion. In a world filled with jealous priests, corrupt magistrates, bored aristocrats and power-hungry magicians, they try to survive dark wizards, murderous golems, and fire bird attacks. It soon becomes apparent that not one but several assassins are after them. Who are these members of an obscure, long-forgotten organization?
And whose cold hand reaches across the boundaries of space and time to threaten weakened Rhidauna?

While the time is running the friends undertake a quest that takes them to a large part of Rhidauna. Following them, the reader is carried along on an exciting journey through a colorful world, whose people, culture and atmosphere are described with great attention to detail without the story losing momentum.

Experience the quest! Grab your best travel clothes, strongest backpack and sharpest sword … or failing that, take an easy chair, a drink and this exciting book.

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My review:

The Shadow of the Revenaunt starts off with three boys sneaking out to hunt wild boar. Their town is reduced to ashes while they are away and the action never stops. The author brings us along on their quest to find answers and it’s a ride you don’t want to miss!

Along the way we meet fantastic characters, experience new magical powers, and watch as they narrowly escape with their lives as they as pursued.

I loved the pace of the book; there weren’t any of those dull parts you have to muddle through to get to the good stuff. The author brings you there and explains everything through the action and dialogue. He paints a vibrant description of the surroundings; I almost felt like I was there with his use of smell, sounds, and visuals.

The main character is just what a main character should be….he is brave and tries to be just.  But he is also vulnerable and second-guesses himself and even makes mistakes.  That makes him real to me and someone I would want to meet.  The other characters make up a great supporting cast, with their own powers and strengths to add to the mix.

I had read Shardfall by the author and really enjoyed it so I knew I was in for a treat and I was not disappointed. I think I even liked this one more!  You do find out the answer to the quest but there still more to come and I can’t wait!

About the Author:

Paul E (Erik) Horsman (1952)

Lives in Roosendaal, The Netherlands.

I was born in the year 1952, in the Dutch town of Bussum, a sleepy, well-to-do place that was home to many artists, musicians, writers and publishers. As my family were neither artists nor well-to-do, we moved when I was nine.

When I was seventeen, I started my career as paperclip counter with a worldwide Dutch producer of baby food. After some months, I was finished counting, and I looked around for something more interesting.

A love of books drove me to work in a small bookstore in Rotterdam. An ancient establishment, since 1837, in an old building just too far away from the city’s modern shopping center. It was a nice job, but there wasn’t any future in it. Still, I left it a licensed bookseller.

In 1972 I had to do my stitch for Queen and Country, and as a bad back tied me to a desk job, I applied for a posting overseas. For the Army, that meant Surinam, then still a member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and one of the most beautiful. Once you’ve seen the jungle, you will never forget it.

To keep it short, I stayed in business, slowly climbing the ladder, until in 1995 I changed direction. That year I joined a large educational institution, at a school specialized in Dutch language and integration courses for foreigners. That meant immigrants, refugees and international businessmen, an interesting mix. It was great work, on the one side teaching crash courses Dutch to high-powered people (we got a lot of very well-educated refugees) and on the other teaching reading and writing to people who had never ever held a pen before, let alone a computer. To see them growing was a reward in itself.

Unhappily, due to changed legislation the language school closed in mid-2012.

In the meantime, I had started my first book (Rhidauna) in 2009 and it got published by Zilverspoor Publishers just before I got laid off. As my age, five years from retirement, made it nigh on impossible to find something else, I started building a career as an independent author.

SF and Fantasy have fascinated me since my high school days, but apart from some juvenile trash, I never seriously tried to write anything. But after several false starts and associated discouraged intervals, a spark began to grow and mid-2010, the first two parts of Shadow of the Revenaunt were more or less written.

My style is probably a bit old-fashioned, Fantasy as a heroic tale with sympathetic heroes/heroines and black villains, in which good always triumphs in the end.

I don’t use my characters as cannon fodder; they get hurt, but their dying is rare.

One of the other elements in my writing I think important is, that both male and female characters have their own lives and goals. Most of them exist primarily for themselves, not as a prop or a love interest for other MC’s. The only character who did die, was actually a prop and I had him killed just to take that away from my lead MC.

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Belle Bittner was sold to the highest bidder when she was just a child, sought for the magic lying dormant in her blood. She grew up as the adopted daughter of a wealthy vampire couple, and serving the child-trafficking Org seemed her only option in life. But Belle has other plans, and she won’t let anyone get in the way of her escape, even if it means betraying those who try to help her.

Desperate to stay free of an evil vampire who means to possess her no matter what, Belle decides she can use the protection of the flirtatious faery named Roon. The two of them flee to the faery realm where Rooney believes he can better protect her. What he doesn’t know is that taking the bea

utiful siren through the golden door will set off a cataclysm of events that will threaten the fabric of both the human and the faery worlds.

Separating myth from fact to decipher the truth about her powers could mean the destruction of the new life Belle’s trying so hard to build.

My Review:

When I read the Bend-Bite-Shift series, I fell in love. There were plenty of characters to fall for but I fell for a very flirtatious faery named Rooney. He was a minor character but I loved his spunky personality. He was so much fun. So when I found out there was going to be a book with him as the main character, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!

So, Roon (as I call him) is front and center. He decides to follow a beautiful witch and 3 children in her charge to see what she is up to and ends up helping them. And of course a little romance is in order. Roon being his adorable sexy self, who could resist? Not me, that’s for sure.

This book has it all…paranormal characters, danger, action, passion…sigh. Did I mention Roon is sexy as hell? I love the pace of it as we move from our realm to the faery realm. I seriously would love to go there. The way the author describes it, I can picture it in my head and it is gorgeous.

I don’t want to give away too much of the plot but they must work together to save her and the children. And Roon is in full hot knight-in-shining mode. Belle, the witch, is no slouch either. This woman has guts. Strong woman are great to read. I am more than willing to share my Roon with her. I guess.

I am so glad the author decided to give Roon his own book. He is so much fun to read with his mischievous ways. So go get a copy and check out my Roon…I will share him with you for a bit. But only a bit.

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About the Olivia:

When Olivia Hardin began having movie-like dreams in her teens, she had no choice but to begin putting them to paper. Before long, the writing bug had her and she knew she wanted to be a published author. Several rejections plus a little bit of life later, and she was temporarily “cured” of the urge to write. That is until she met a group of talented and fabulous writers who gave her the direction and encouragement she needed to get lost in the words again.

Olivia’s attended three different universities over the years and toyed with majors in Computer Technology, English, History and Geology. Then one day she heard the term road scholar and she knew that was what she wanted to be. Now she “studies” anything and everything just for the joy of learning. She’s also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and she’s sometimes accused of being artistic.

A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband, Danny and their puppy, Bonnie.

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by Joshua Silverman

The ancient powers lost to Potara have returned. The Brotherhood of the Black Rose rises to bring Thoth into disorder. And, while the Brotherhood reclaims their power, chaos reigns among the survivors. Six individuals have emerged from the aftermath struggling for control over their lives and a divided land. Kem and Shirin, who abolished the five thousand year reign of the Amun Priests, rule from the golden throne of the Oracle’s Chair in the Hall of the Nine. Dio and Axios struggle to piece together a resistance worthy to challenge the ancient magic which resides in the Great Temple of Amun, and Leoros and Atlantia try to remain true to their hearts and their cause despite tragedy.

But when the Book of Breathings is discovered, the path to immortality is revealed. Leoros and Kem race to capture the Soul of the World unaware of the challenges awaiting them. This time, the gods themselves will intervene.

In a tale where boys become men and girls become women, where treachery and deception are around every corner, and where primeval mysticism finds its way back from the grave, victory is reserved for neither the good nor the evil, but the powerful.

Buy links coming soon

Review:

This is the second book in the series. I would recommend reading the first book prior to reading this one as is lays the groundwork for what happens in this one. I was happy to see that the writing/editing was much easier for me to follow in this one. The author labels chapters with the characters’ names which lets you know up front who you are reading about and where you are.
This book is full of action. We are in the midst of an uprising and this book does not disappoint with vivid scene descriptions. The author brings us to new lands in this one and I loved going along for the ride.
The main characters are the same but new ones are added. Since this takes place two years later, they have changed and grown. These characters are real; they have vices and flaws; they need love and acceptance. All this makes the book so much more realistic even though much of it takes place on another planet. Amazing how humanity is the same everywhere.
I recommend this book to anyone that loves sci-fi and fantasy. Although the main character is a teenaged boy, there is violence and other scenes that make it a bit mature for YA audiences. But older teens would definitely love it!
We are left at a cliffhanger at the end so we will have to wait for the next installment to see what happens next!

About the Author:

Joshua Silverman was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Orange County, California.
While attending California State University, Fullerton and studying Criminal Justice, Joshua was introduced to a creative writing class where he wrote a series of paranormal stories. As a child, he has always been an amateur historian, focusing on ancient Egypt, Greece, and Roman civilizations.

Since working in the legal environment, he has combined his passion for creative writing with his love of ancient history by penning his debut novel, The Emerald Tablet, the first of seven in the Legends of Amun Ra series.

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Tray McCarthy was born into privilege but with the genetic coding of London’s violent East End. Having broken the underworld’s sacred honour code, it is only his family’s gangland connections that save him. But in return for his life, he must deny that which he has ever known or ever will be and runs to Australia where he is forced to live an inconsequential life.

But trouble never strays far from Tray McCarthy and eventually his past and present collide to put everyone he has ever loved in danger. He must now make a stand and fight against those that are set to destroy him and play their game according to his rules.

Set against the subterfuge and violence of the international drugs trade, The King of Sunday Morning is the tale of what can go wrong when you make bad decisions. Tray McCarthy has made some of the worst. He must now save those he holds dear but in the process gets trapped deeper and deeper into a world where he doesn’t belong.

“I want three pump-action shotguns, about twelve sticks of dynamite and a blowtorch”

THIS BOOK CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE, FREQUENT DRUG USE AND SEX SCENES – NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE

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Hope you enjoy this interview with the author!

1.  Who do you think would most enjoy reading your book and why.

I have been constantly surprised by the variety of readers that have enjoyed this book. Because it touches on so many different subjects, it appeals to all sorts. If you are a prude or easily offended by the language of the underworld then it is not for you. If you liked Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch or even Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo & Juliet you will love this. It is a tale of two star crossed lovers who have to take charge of their lives in a world that is far beyond the horizon of everyday citizens. If you imagined what the naughtier side of life is like in the world of guns, music and drug culture then this is the book for you.

2. How did you come up with names and characters? Are any based on real people?

All characters have some elements of real people in them. No one character represents a real person but a combination of the many. As I say in the foreword “If you are in this book take yourself to the nearest police station. To be in it is a crime all its own”.

It took me along while to come up with the names. I constantly changed them until I was happy that the faces which I had imagined for them matched their names. The main character and his sidekick changed at least 8 times each before I was happy with them.

3. Are you planning any more books?

Always planning more. Different genre maybe. This time the main characters will all be women. That is the ultimate challenge for a male author. Writing about ambitious women who have courage and battle their demons.

4. How did you research? And do you have any interesting stories from that research that didn’t make it into the book?

I lived this life since the age of 20. I had to keep some out because they were too real. To reveal them would be a betrayal of trust.

5. Best thing about being an author.

Fiction is a gift to the imagination. Fabricating an entire dominion for your characters with no boundaries restraining them.

6. Favorite movie. When did you see it and who with?

Blazing Saddles – watched it every day when I lived in Portugal as it was the only English video we had. Prior to DVD’s or cable. I know that film line for line. I watched it with itinerant traveller that wandered into our apartment and they were many.

7. A character from a book you would like to vacation with…where would you go.

Two characters from the most famous books of all time – Jesus and Mohammad – we would go back to Jerusalem and finally sort all this stuff out.

8. Favorite book as a child.

Tom Sawyer

9. A word you think should be banished.

Cancer: Horrible, hateful, destructive disease. Rid the world of that and I would be happy

10.  Hardest chapter or scene to write.

A rape scene

11. Favorite scene.

Possum scene – I will leave it at that!

12  Name an author you would like to be your mentor.

Sadly he is no more having died this year Ian Banks

My review:

What a ride! This book took me on quite an adventure. The beginning chapters were a little choppy to me but once I got to the story part, it was just one thing after another. And by the end, I seriously could not read FAST enough to see what was going to happen.

The main character is Tray who had been a rising DJ star when he had to go into hiding. He is a lovable character even with all his partying ways; charming to the nth degree. I loved him, he was just a fun loving guy with a big heart. The cast of characters in this story is a diverse bunch. You have the English contingency, a bit like mafia types. Then you have the Portuguese group, the Aussies, some Arabs and the Dutch. Even Fidel Castro makes an appearance. It takes you from England to Portugal to Australia to Columbia and finally to Brazil. Real life actual events are interspersed in there too.

Have to say Pedro was one of my favorite characters. His inability to swear correctly in English was very amusing. There are a couple of other funny parts as well, and I liked how the author lightened the mood a bit. Because it needed it, the subject matter is a bit dark. Drugs and violence are an integral part of this story.

In order to not give spoilers, all I will say is that I liked how it ended. This would make a great movie. Love a book that has a story, with suspense and adventure and I learned about a world I knew nothing about. I always say you learn something new every day and with this book, I can say I learned a lot of new things! This book had me on the edge of my seat and I recommend you strap in and enjoy this fabulous ride. The author has a gift for storytelling and putting you smack dab in the middle of the action.

I had a lovely Italian red wine while I read it and was briefly interrupted to eat a nice steak dinner. Which I quickly ate so I could get back to this book.

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Shardfall

Muus is only a thrall, a chattel without rights, but he knows the small, blue shard he picked up belongs to him alone. Kjelle, heir to the Lord of a rich mininghold, is strong, and covetous of his thrall’s tantalizing find. The one’s greed causes an avalanche that leaves both young men marooned on an icy mountain slope. The other’s commonsense saves their lives from cold and starvation. Now the antagonists are bound together on a danger-laden journey to a lost and burning land, where Muus needs to connect the skyshard to the Kalmanir, the standing stone that is the world’s fount of all magic. The Kalmanir’s time is almost up and it urgently needs to be replenished before the magic of Gods and men runs out. The two antagonists have to learn to trust each other, for all around them, enemies abound. Rebels threaten both the kingdom and Kjelle’s holding, and a tribe of mad idolaters is trying to recall the banned primordial Old Gods. Even more imminent is Muus’ danger, for it comes from nearby, from the shard itself. Muus is the only one person in the world who can wield the powerful skyshard. Will he succeed with Kjelle’s help to reach the standing stone before the world’s magic dies? Shardfall is an epic, non-gritty journey through a wild, snowy land. Each of the four main characters, Muus, Kjelle, the young wisewoman Birthe with her baby son Buí and the naive Tuuri, who serves the enemy, will have to overcome not only the dangers of their journey, but also their own shortcomings.

Review:

Shardfall is a fantasy story set in Viking times. It begins with a slave named Muus having to travel with his master Kjelle, the heir to the king, up a snowy mountain to find the source of a blue light. There, an avalanche occurs, and the adventure begins for these two boys. They hate each other which adds to the drama of their journey.

I really enjoyed this book; it was fairly easy to follow even with all the different names for people, places, and things. Throw in some magic and you have a great read. The descriptions of the snowy locale were so vivid that I could really feel it.

The characters were all diverse, from slaves to nobility to a völva. The author did a great job revealing their nature to me as I read. I especially liked Birthe, a young widow with a baby. She was tough and smart and very strong-willed.

The main character is a teenage boy but due to violence, subject matter, and some mild profanity, I wouldn’t call it YA. But it could be read by an older teen. It could be a great way to learn about Vikings and hopefully spark some interest in learning some more.

I like a book that moves along, with not a lot of slow spots and this book did just that. Which is hard to do when you are world-building. The only complaint I had was that I felt the story ended a bit abruptly. But I did like how it ended (which I won’t spoil here) and am now wanting to see what happens next!

I enjoyed a red wine, a cabernet with this book!

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About the Author:

Paul E (Erik) Horsman (1952)

Lives in Roosendaal, The Netherlands.

I was born in the year 1952, in the Dutch town of Bussum, a sleepy, well-to-do place that was home to many artists, musicians, writers and publishers. As my family were neither artists nor well-to-do, we moved when I was nine.

When I was seventeen, I started my career as paperclip counter with a worldwide Dutch producer of baby food. After some months, I was finished counting, and I looked around for something more interesting.

A love of books drove me to work in a small bookstore in Rotterdam. An ancient establishment, since 1837, in an old building just too far away from the city’s modern shopping center. It was a nice job, but there wasn’t any future in it. Still, I left it a licensed bookseller.

In 1972 I had to do my stitch for Queen and Country, and as a bad back tied me to a desk job, I applied for a posting overseas. For the Army, that meant Surinam, then still a member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and one of the most beautiful. Once you’ve seen the jungle, you will never forget it.

To keep it short, I stayed in business, slowly climbing the ladder, until in 1995 I changed direction. That year I joined a large educational institution, at a school specialized in Dutch language and integration courses for foreigners. That meant immigrants, refugees and international businessmen, an interesting mix. It was great work, on the one side teaching crash courses Dutch to high-powered people (we got a lot of very well-educated refugees) and on the other teaching reading and writing to people who had never ever held a pen before, let alone a computer. To see them growing was a reward in itself.

Unhappily, due to changed legislation the language school closed in mid-2012.

In the meantime, I had started my first book (Rhidauna) in 2009 and it got published by Zilverspoor Publishers just before I got laid off. As my age, five years from retirement, made it nigh on impossible to find something else, I started building a career as an independent author.

SF and Fantasy have fascinated me since my high school days, but apart from some juvenile trash, I never seriously tried to write anything. But after several false starts and associated discouraged intervals, a spark began to grow and mid-2010, the first two parts of Shadow of the Revenaunt were more or less written.

My style is probably a bit old-fashioned, Fantasy as a heroic tale with sympathetic heroes/heroines and black villains, in which good always triumphs in the end.

I don’t use my characters as cannon fodder; they get hurt, but their dying is rare.

One of the other elements in my writing I think important is, that both male and female characters have their own lives and goals. Most of them exist primarily for themselves, not as a prop or a love interest for other MC’s. The only character who did die, was actually a prop and I had him killed just to take that away from my lead MC.

A word about the book cover of ‘Shardfall’
Designed by top illustrator Jos Weijmer of JW Art Studio, Maastricht (2013).

The cover gives an impression of a scene from the book, the two main male characters, Muus and Kjelle, wrestling for possession of the blue stone Muus found.

The style of all my covers is purposely old-school Fantasy, to give all my books their own, distinct identity. Because of their nostalgic look, these covers have been met with acclaim among fantasy fans.

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A WOMAN ON A MISSION

After putting her life on the line to protect classified intelligence, military psychologist Mia Kensington is on a cross-country road trip from hell with an intrusive save-the-day hero. Uninterested in his white knight act, she’d rather take her chances without the ruggedly handsome, cold-blooded operative who boasts an alpha complex and too many guns.

AND THE MAN SENT TO STOP HER

Colby Winters, an elite member of The Titan Group, has a single objective on his black ops mission: recover a document important to national security. It was supposed to be an easy in-and-out operation. But now, by any means necessary becomes a survival mantra when he faces off with a stunning woman he can’t leave behind.

MUST PARTNER TO SURVIVE

When Titan’s safe houses are compromised, Colby stashes Mia at his home, exposing his secret—he’s the adoptive father of an orphaned baby girl. Too soon, danger arrives and Mia lands in the hands of a sadistic cartel king with a taste for torture. As hours bleed into fear-drenched days, Colby races across the globe and through a firestorm of bullets to save the woman he can’t live without.

If they make it out alive, can he reconcile duty and desire?

Does Mia trust her heart to a man who willingly walks into kill-zones?

Review:

This is a book about a woman and a man who meet each other during strange circumstances; at an airport trying to retrieve a package. And they aren’t the only 2 interested parties, a Columbian cartel is also desperate to get it. She must quickly assess her situation and figure out who to trust. Luckily, she makes the correct choice.
The heat between these two is obvious and the author does a great job of building the sexual tension. They are quickly on the run together. And it just never stops. I literally read this book in one day because I could not put it down. The two main characters each have a past which makes them wary of each other, of trusting, and of intimacy. But instinct on both of their parts brings them together and moves the relationship along. The dialogue between them was fast and witty and such fun to read.
But I mustn’t forget about the Columbian cartel. They are intent on not only getting the package but also the girl. This plot keeps you involved as the story takes you to Columbia. The author does a fabulous job of taking you with them on this scary journey with her vivid descriptions. The author really puts you in the story; I could almost feel the steamy jungle in Columbia and the seedy motels. I was on the edge of my seat to see what would happen and just when you think they are safe, they’re not.
Another thing I liked were the supporting characters. His work team mates were hysterical; I found myself laughing out loud at the banter between them. This story has all my favorite elements in a book; hot steamy romance, great characters and dialogue, and an exciting plot. I can’t wait to read more from this author!
Had some Pinot Grigio with this one as it is still summerlike where I live and you definitely need something cold to drink with this book!

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About the Author

Cristin Harber is an award-winning romantic suspense author. She lives outside Washington, DC with her husband, toddler, and English bulldog. Coming fall 2013, she’s expecting a baby and will debut her Titan series. Couple that with the holidays, and it’ll be a busy time of year. There’s a special place in her heart for the men and women who serve and protect. Since she can’t save the world alongside them, she’s content to write their happily ever after stories.

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Annie is a determined young woman who is left to run her family’s property after the death of her parents. Managing fourteen summer cottages with only the help of a family friend, she struggles to survive on her own. When she meets Drew, a young college professor, Annie thinks she’s finally found a love she can trust.

But years of conflict and pain destroy their bond and leave Annie alone again, unless she can find lasting peace and passion in the most unlikely arms.

In this family saga, love, loss and history twine together the people whose lives are changed by Annie’s determination and the magic of her knoll nestled along the head-waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

Review:

The first book in the Annie Crow Knoll series recounts a marvelous story of a young girl who is determined, brave, and strong. From the moment I met her in those first chapters, I loved her. She is the kind of character I want to be friends with; she is fearless. Her story takes you from her early years until middle age. It delves into many subjects like racism, post-partum depression, domestic violence, and family secrets.
The author provides a vivid backdrop to this story in the Chesapeake Bay. It is almost a character in the book. I could picture it in my mind, as the seasons changed and as Annie changed. The author used the culture of that area to make the story even more real.
There were so many great characters in this book. And the author made me love them and hate them. From the kind doctor who was so compassionate to Annie to the despicable people with racist beliefs, the characters were varied and genuine. Her best friend who loves Annie and is always there for her was a favorite of mine. The people in this book were authentic, flawed, and relatable. I enjoyed reading about their lives as time passed.
The crow was not only the inspiration for her nickname; he was her friend and I think much like Annie. He did what he wanted, he was daring, and he was a loyal friend. I adored the image of Annie and her crow biking around the Knoll.
The story took me along for Annie’s ride. She had to face difficult situations and she got through them with bravery and friends. She grew up. She fell in love. She became a mother. Things were not always easy, she didn’t always know what to do, and she sometimes did the wrong thing.
I cannot wait for the next book. I heartily recommend Annie’s story and it is one you won’t forget. It will leave an imprint on your heart.
I think you should have both red and white wine with this book. It’s a good long read so you could have white one day and red the next. A Sauvignon Blanc would be good and a nice Shiraz.

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Gail Priest lives in New Jersey and summers in Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay with her husband and their cockatiel. In addition to writing novels, plays and screenplays, she teaches and directs in a high school performing arts program. She loves theatre, reading, birding and being out in nature

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