Monthly Archives: July 2025

Review – The Discovery Of The Inner Magic by Stephan Lethaus #stepahnlethaus

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Amazon / Goodreads

You can preorder it for $2.99 with one click.

MY REVIEW

The Discovery Of The Inner Magic by Stephan lethaus starts out with a recap of the The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin and begins where it left off.

Rob and Fuku flee to the Druid Mountaoins, where they come across Mi Lou. They rescue her from the magic that imprisoned her. Can you imagine, coming from a world of science and, voila, you are now in a medieval world of magic? She places her trust in Rob and Fuku. They will have to work together to overcome the evil that is headed their way. They will accumulate allies and develop their magic, sometimes learning by trial and error.

There is a large cast of characters, but I have become very familiar with them. I do have my favorites, and with the battles that rage, I’m not so sure they will all survive.

Stephan Lethaus has created an amazing world of magic, trolls and dragons, humans and science. The battles are vividly described as the resistance rises. Unlikely alliances are created and many will fight to the death. Betrayals make it hard to know who to trust. We have some light hearted moments that help to round out the characters. After all, not everything is gloom and doom.

My thanks go out to Stephan Lethaus for the opportunity to read and review The Discovery Of The Inner Magic.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Pursued by the merciless minions of pure magic, Rob and Fuku flee to the Druid Mountains in search of allies. What began as an accidental bond between a quiet stable boy and a rebellious young dragon is growing into something far more powerful—and far more dangerous.

As the magical world of Skaiyles teeters on the edge of collapse, help arrives from the unlikeliest Mi Lou, a pragmatic systems analyst from 2055, suddenly cast into a realm of dragons, mages, and ancient prophecy. Still recovering from the trauma of her arrival, Mi Lou must learn to survive in a world where trust is fragile and the rules of reality as she knows it no longer apply.

Hunted, tested, and pushed to their limits, the trio must cross wild lands, confront deadly enemies, and forge fragile alliances in their quest to stand against the rising tide of the Pure Doctrine. Along the way, they find unexpected allies—some strange, some whimsical, and some with secrets of their own. But Skaiyles does not give up its mysteries easily—and the magic buried within them all is beginning to awaken.

The Discovery of the Inner Magic continues the Ryūjin Saga with deeper bonds, darker truths, and the first sparks of a resistance that could change everything.

German readers will find both Volumes 1 and 2 combined in the original German edition.

  • Genre: Dragons, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Supernatural
  • 333 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication September 2, 2025
  • Series: The Ryujin #2

ABOUT STEPHAN LETHAUS (from Amazon)

Stephan Lethaus has been telling fantastical stories since childhood—long before he could write, he spun wild tales about ghosts, dragons, and untamed creatures. His creative journey has since taken him from directing and producing award-winning children’s content to writing epic fantasy. Today, he brings that same sense of wonder and adventure to his fantasy series, The Magical Legacy of the Ryūjin.

Based in Berlin, Stephan is an author and creative producer with over two decades of experience in the animation and media industry. His background in storytelling for the screen has shaped his vivid, cinematic writing style. His earlier productions for children’s television have received multiple awards, including the Goldener Spatz, the Silver Dragon of Beijing, and a nomination for the prestigious Grimme Prize.

In 2016, Stephan published the first book in Skaiyles, a sweeping fantasy series filled with magic, dragons, and untamed legacy [This makes no sense. It’s untamed creature, but to avoid repetition we should look for another word]. He is currently expanding the saga, crafting stories that invite readers into a richly imagined world full of mystery, myth, and heart.

MY STEPHAN LETHAUS REVIEWS

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$25 GC – Turning Toward Eden by Cate Touryan @dollycas @CateTouryan

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Turning Toward Eden
by Cate Touryan

About Turning Toward Eden

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Turning Toward Eden
Young Adult Mystery/General Fiction: Coming of Age, Historical Mystery, Literary
Setting – California 1971
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Winged Publications
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 6, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 350 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1965352766
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1965352762
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DRRGK3W5
AUDIOBOOK COMING SOON!

“Chasing the truth, huh? Sure you’re not running from it?” Hollis might be her only friend, a lanky boy Mama calls her “beau,” but Eden Lewis has no time for his hogwash. She’s got a mystery to crack. For most fourteen-year-olds, California summers in the early 1970s mean sun and surf, despite the Cold War chill. Not for Eden. Her AWOL father has sent her life into a tailspin, landing her in a shabby beach town, stuck caring for her severely disabled brother. Caught in her parents’ own cold war, Eden ditches Dex at every chance—pier fishing with Hollis, playing poker with the grizzled card sharks, and caterwaulin’ in the church choir, laying plain to the Almighty that singing terms ain’t the same as speaking terms, what with the hand he’s dealt her.

Then Raven arrives mid-ninth grade—an elusive Soviet girl rumored to rain black-winged curses over the fearful town. When a rash of petty crimes escalates to bloodshed on the beach, suspicion falls on the “commie”—and then Eden. Desperate to prove herself innocent, and Raven guilty, she embarks on a reckless game of chase. But for the truth to set her free, she must risk Dex’s life. Will she go all in, no matter the cost?

An evocative story laced with mystery, Turning Toward Eden weaves nostalgia with grit, sorrow with humor, and despair with faith, offering hope to anyone who has sought to belong in a world that rarely plays fair.

“This is storytelling at its most atmospheric—brimming with quirky, well-drawn characters, razor-sharp prose, and the kind of setting you can almost smell. The writing is lyrical, grounded, and often laugh-out-loud funny—even in the midst of deeply poignant moments. With a cast of endearing misfits and a tone reminiscent of Southern Gothic charm, this story lures you in from the very first line and doesn’t let go. Cate Touryan has a truly original voice, a rare gift for language, and a special ability to render a world so vivid you feel baptized in it.” — Zena Dell Lowe, Screenwriter, Story Coach, and Founder of The Storyteller’s Mission

Audiobook Coming Soon!
The audiobook edition of Turning Toward Eden is in production and on its way to Audible, iTunes, and beyond. Stay tuned for a richly narrated experience, perfect for readers who love stories on the go.

About Cate Touryan

Cate Touryan writes fiction and creative nonfiction that reach for the story beyond the story and the beginning beyond “The End.” Her complex, realistic narratives often touch on themes of faith. While she avoids gratuitous violence and profanity, keeping any romance clean, she does not shy away from portraying the grit and beauty of real life, instead writing the truest story she can, infused with heart and humor. Her fiction will delight young adults and adults still young.

Cate invites you to journey with her into lives both real and imagined, wherein might lie glimpses of your own story beyond the story and an ending redeemed.

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Giveaway – Death At Rock Bottom by Kris Bock @dollycas #krisbock

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Death at Rock Bottom: A Paranormal Mystery
(Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery)
by Kris Bock

About Death at Rock Bottom

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Death at Rock Bottom: A Paranormal Mystery (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – New Mexico
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tule Publishing
Publication Date ‏ : ‎ July 30, 2025
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966593997
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F2KN4ZSB

She can touch an object and sense the emotions of the people who’ve held it before…

After solving the mystery of her predecessor’s death, geologist Petra Cloch wants to focus on her new job as the rocks and minerals curator at a quirky, small-town New Mexico museum. But her friend and colleague Liberty is suspicious of the “accidental” death of Frank Underwood, a retired petroleum engineer and rockhound who unexpectedly died while hiking. Frank acted odd and secretive in his last weeks—mumbling about an incredible find in the desert and aliens. Was he showing the first signs of dementia, or were more sinister forces at work?

Petra agrees to help excavate the truth, and soon, instead of meeting for book club, she and her friends become amateur investigators. Petra uses her gift and her brains to sort through the contradictory stories and confusing clues as she and her friends dig for answers.

Did Frank’s heirs decide to hasten their inheritance? Or did his rock shop business partner decide to go solo? Petra joins the local geological club to discover whether someone there acquired a taste for murder, because they’ll need rock solid evidence to catch a killer.

Perfect for fans of Paige Shelton’s Alaska Wild Mysteries and Heather Graham’s Krewe of Hunters!

If you love supernatural sleuths, small-town intrigue, and mysteries with a geological twist, Death at Rock Bottom is your next must-read! Grab your copy today!

About Kris Bock

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with Southwestern landscapes. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This humorous series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven, which made Barnes & Noble’s list of “Handpicked Favorites You’ll Love!” Kris’s romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

Learn more about Kris’s books or sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get an Accidental Detective short story and other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more. As for Kris’s romance stories, the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series stars the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery, which causes as many problems as it solves.

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Review – The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin by Stephan Lethaus #stephanlethaus

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MY REVIEW

The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin by Stephan Lethaus has been translated from German with the help of artificial intelligence. This is one instance where I have no problem with artificial intelligence. A pretty good job was done, and seeing I am reading an ARC it may even get better.

We have a wide cast of characters, which you can find at the end of the book. I haven’t really chosen a favorite, but Robin is one of the main characters, so it is easy to choose him. He a nice guy and some not so nice things happen to him. I also liked Mi Lou. She is in danger and on the run, and before the book is done, so is Robin. I’m eager to see how the storylines will come together, seeing Mi Lou is from the year 2055 and Robin is from the time of dragons.

The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin starts out a little slow, but the further I read, the more the pace picks up and a subtle urgency spans the pages. The point of view switches from Robin to Mi Lou. I was able to predict some of what comes. Treachery, treason, and betrayal puts many lives in danger and many bodies will fall.

This is one of those stories where I am afraid to say too much. I don’t want to spoil anything for you. We have artifical intelligence and robots. We have magic and dragons. The world is rich in detail and if you love fantasies, I think you may love The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin.

I want to thank Stepahn Lethaus for the opportunity to read and review The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin. I can hardly wait to begin the second book, The Discovery Of The Inner Magic.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The Magical Legacy of the Ryūjin is the captivating beginning of a saga where ancient forces awaken, unlikely bonds form, and the fate of a magical world begins to shift.

Have you ever debated the ethics of killing… with a dragon?

Rob, a stable boy from Castle Skargness, never asked for any of this. But when a twist of fate throws him together with Fuku Riu—a reckless young forest dragon with far too much attitude and far too little patience—everything changes.

After a tragic turn during the legendary dragon tournament, Rob and Fuku are forced to flee north, hunted by the merciless servants of pure magic. Their uneasy alliance is tested at every step, and trust is hard‑won in a land full of ancient threats and unseen watchers.

Meanwhile, in a very different world, Mi Lou—a pragmatic systems analyst from 2055—finds herself pulled into Skaiyles by forces she doesn’t yet understand. Her arrival marks a turning point, though none of them realize it yet.

As pure magic rises and buried legacies begin to stir, even the smallest bond may carry the weight of destiny.

German readers will find both Volumes 01 and 02 combined in the original German edition.

  • Genre: Dragons, Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Supernatural
  • 292 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published July 15, 2025
  • Series: The Ryujin #1

ABOUT STEPHAN LETHAUS (from Amazon)

Stephan Lethaus has been telling fantastical stories since childhood—long before he could write, he spun wild tales about ghosts, dragons, and untamed creatures. His creative journey has since taken him from directing and producing award-winning children’s content to writing epic fantasy. Today, he brings that same sense of wonder and adventure to his fantasy series, The Magical Legacy of the Ryūjin.

Based in Berlin, Stephan is an author and creative producer with over two decades of experience in the animation and media industry. His background in storytelling for the screen has shaped his vivid, cinematic writing style. His earlier productions for children’s television have received multiple awards, including the Goldener Spatz, the Silver Dragon of Beijing, and a nomination for the prestigious Grimme Prize.

In 2016, Stephan published the first book in Skaiyles, a sweeping fantasy series filled with magic, dragons, and untamed legacy [This makes no sense. It’s untamed creature, but to avoid repetition we should look for another word]. He is currently expanding the saga, crafting stories that invite readers into a richly imagined world full of mystery, myth, and heart.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Sherry’s Shelves 7.20 – 7.26.25

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Hi Everyone. Hope you had a great week. I haven’t been up to much. How about you? Have you read any good books? Have you visited any far off places? I have become even more of a homebody than I used to be. Have you been watching Shark Week?

LAST WEEK ON fundinmental

COMING UP ON fundinmental

  • Sherry’s Shelves
  • $25 GC – Turning Toward Eden by Cate Touryan
  • Review – The Discovery Of Inner Magic by Stephan Lethaus
  • $25 GC – Echoes On The Wind by Helaine Mario
  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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#25 GC – Too Good To Be True by A S Kelly @xpressotours #askelly #toogoodtobetrue

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Too Good to Be True
A.S. Kelly
Publication date: July 23rd 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Seth Graham needs help. His eccentric job and troubled past will not help him get custody of his nephews. With their grandmother now stepping in to claim them, Seth needs a solution.
Seth can’t bear another loss. He has already said goodbye to too many people; he can’t give up the only family he has left.

Rowan Kennedy doesn’t need anything, especially not another lost cause. His career is finally taking off, and the last thing he has time for is helping a young single father desperate to keep his kids. He has no interest in getting caught up in a custody battle, especially when he’s never even had a real family of his own. He doesn’t know what it’s like to have someone willing to fight for you with everything they have.

But Seth is desperate, and Rowan seems to be his only chance, and these children need a home, love and something Rowan never had: a father who would give anything to see them happy. Plus, Seth is bloody adorable, with his dimples and his blue eyes and the way he creates chaos even when he sleeps, and his sweetness and his desire to be the father the children deserve. And then there’s the way he practically begs Rowan not to walk away now that falling in love might actually be on the table…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

Luckily, my phone rings at the perfect moment.
“Excuse me, I have to take this. It might be important.”
I get up from the table and walk into the living room. When I pick up my phone and see his name flashing on the screen, I almost decide to drop the call and go back to the kids’ interrogation.
“Hey,” I greet him.
“Oh, hey,” Seth says. “I meant to call earlier, but I haven’t had a free moment. How’s everything going?”
“All good.”
“Are you sure?”
“We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
“Oh, but I’m not worried about the children. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
“I’m managing too.”
“You wouldn’t know it by your voice.”
“I’m just a bit…”
“Have they put you on trial?”
“With the help of my friend Paul.”
“Does he tell all your secrets?”
I only have one secret at the moment. The fact that your voice makes me feel so inexplicably good.
“Something like that.”
“I’d like to be there to hear them.”
I sigh at the thought of wanting the same.
“I can give you a summary when you get back.”
“I don’t want a summary. I want every detail.”
The way he says it sends a hot shiver down my spine.
“I’m not good with details, but I can do my best.”
A long, endless moment of silence, filled with his heavy breathing; then, Seth says, in his seductive voice, “I’m sure you will.”

Author Bio:

A. S. Kelly writes Rom-Com, Romantic Fiction and Family Saga.
Avid reader, hopeless romantic, lover of yoga, knitting and home baking.
She was born in Italy but lives in Ireland with her husband, two children and a cat named Oscar.

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Giveaway – The Spirit Of Vanderlaan by Susan Harris Howell @dollycas #thespiritofvanderlaan

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 The Spirit of Vanderlaan (The Samantha Hayes Series)
by Susan Harris Howell

About The Spirit of Vanderlaan

 

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The Spirit of Vanderlaan (The Samantha Hayes Series)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting: This story is set on the fictitious campus of Vanderlaan University, in the Midwest or Midsouth region of the United States
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wild Rose Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 2, 2024
Print length ‏ : ‎ 370 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1509258884
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1509258888
Digital Print length ‏ : ‎ 322 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DHV65RM4

When beloved professor, Samantha Hayes, learns that her favorite four students live in as many of her old dorm rooms, she wonders how it happened and for what purpose. As she and her student entourage explore the possibilities, they uncover a death years ago and what appears to be the ghost of the dearly departed. All of this stirs up Samantha’s long-held fear that she was responsible for that death, challenging all she thought she knew about herself and the work she holds dear. They must figure out what happened before Samantha gets fired for “dabbling in the paranormal.”

About Susan Harris Howell

I am a psychologist, speaker, and author of The Spirit of Vanderlaan, my debut novel released in December of 2024. This book is a fun, cozy, ghost story featuring a professor, Samantha Hayes, and her lively band of students who get caught up in solving a campus mystery. This book draws on my teaching career of over thirty years to capture the camaraderie and warmth between a professor and the assortment of personalities which inhabit her office.

I have also published extensively on equality between women and men. My first book, Buried Talents, explores the subtle ways women are discouraged from entering male-dominated occupations. Buried Talents was named a winner in InterVarsity Press’s 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards.

My husband and I have two grown children, a daughter-in-law, one adorable grandson, and an incorrigible beagle named Doc. While Doc doesn’t understand a word I say, he fully supports my speaking and writing endeavors.

Links to My Socials:

Purchase Links:  Amazon   B&N

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Review – Reckless by Skye Jordan #skyjordan #reckless

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MY REVIEW

I picked up a copy of Reckless on a free day on 8.18.16. I recently signed up for Skye Jordan’s newsletter and saw some interesting looking books, so I checked my ereader. Lo and behold, I had one of her books, so I started reading Reckless, the first book in the Renegades series.

Reckless is hot, hot, hot. I loved the characters, even those that were not so nice. I loved that Lexi LaCroix is the main character and is a plus size. She specializes in handmade wedding dresses and when she expands into the lingerie business I can only guess how sexy they will be. There are those that support her whole heartedly and those that want her to dumb down her creations. I love that she sticks to her guns.

Of course, we have some romance. Neither one realizes who the other one is and it makes for some miscommunication. That’s typical for any couple. But, they are magic in bed and pull no punches, burning up my ereader. I look forward to reading more of Skye’s work

Reckless would make a great movie.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A couture wedding dress designer to the rich and famous, Lexi LaCroix’s image means everything. But crossing paths with a sexier-than-sin, bad-boy biker makes Lexi realize how much living she’s sacrificed for her success and one touch is all it takes to threaten her carefully choreographed life. When that touch fills far more than just Lexi’s physical needs, she finds herself torn between the career she needs and the bad-boy she craves.

Jax Chamberlin gave up the superficial life of acting for the thrill of running his own stunt company years ago. But a recent betrayal proves he’s still too close to the limelight to find a woman who doesn’t plan to use him as a stepping-stone to success. When the charming and mysterious Lexi offers him a totally anonymous hook-up during an out of town trip, Jax accepts. Only Lexi is more sextacular than charming, and Jax wants more.

But Lexi’s got a major hang-up over his renegade lifestyle, and Jax isn’t willing to change his ways. Especially not when he discovers who she really is. Because if she finds out his connections could catapult her to the top of her career, he’s afraid the fantasy woman he’s falling for might just end up like all the other gold-diggers. And this time, it’s not just his bad-boy reputation at risk, but his heart, too.

All books in the Renegades series may be read as stand alone books.

The Renegades series includes:
RECKLESS
REBEL
RICOCHET
RUMOR
RELENTLESS
RENDEZVOUS
RIPTIDE
RAPTURE

  • Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, New Adult, Romance
  • 280 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published August 23, 2013 by Cygnet Books
  • Series: Renegades, #1
  • Settings: Los Angeles, California, New York City, New York, United States

ABOUT SKYE JORDAN

Skye Jordan is a New York Times and USA bestselling author of sexy contemporary romance and edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense.

A California native transplanted to the DC area. When she’s not writing, Skye enjoys travel and medical volunteer work. She is a lifelong learner, always taking courses in everything from spy craft to knitting and loves spending her summer rowing on the Potomac.

Visit Skye online:

www.SkyeJordanAuthor.com

 

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$10 GC – Curse Of Ashmedei by Michael Snaerravn @goddessfish #curseofashmedei #michalsnaerravn

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CURSE OF ASHMEDEI by Michal Snaerravn

GENRE:  Epic fantasy

MY REVIEW

I am always up for a good fantasy story to get lost in and Curse Of Ashmedei by Michal Snaerravn provided me one. There are also some cool illustrations.

Curse Of Ashmedei is one of those stories I find it hard to review without spoilers.

Curse Of Asmedei is filled with battles, betrayals and death. I felt the loss as Michal killed off some characters I had grown to care about. We have Druids, Demonsblood, Lycans, Trollbloods and Ogrebloods, plus creatures that fly and hide in the sand, so be careful crossing over those dunes.

I was quickly drawn in by Amnon, a young Demonblood that vows revenge on those who killed his parents. The action is nonstop. I couldn’t figure out who he should trust and who he should kill outright. There is a price to be paid for letting the bad guy live. Strange alliances are made, because he is not the only one that has a price on his head. A Blood War is coming.

My thanks go out to Michael Snaerravn for the opportunity to read and review Curse Of Ashmedei. The real downside I came across is I need the next book, Golems Of Beithir to find out what happens next.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

BLURB

The Black Star approaches, heralding the cataclysm of Hell’s Gate. The pawns on the chessboard have played the opening gambits as the Races vie for its power. Amnon, a young Demonblood consumed by revenge, finds himself drawn into a maelstrom of treacherous alliances and primeval magic. With a price on his head and outmanoeuvred by Druids and Trollbloods at every turn, he can’t survive alone. An ancient Lycan who has lost his humanity is the only one he can trust.

EXCERPT

The sun began to slip behind the ragged slope, staining the wisps of clouds surrounding the peak in blood red.

It was late summer, and the bitter katabatic wind was making its way down the slope, rustling a few dying leaves, and chilling my bones. A lone peregrine falcon drew lazy spirals high above the erratic maze of rocks and boulders, looking for the unwary marmot that enjoyed the evening sun just a bit too long. Crouched, I carefully studied nearly invisible tracks. It was the same company I had been trailing for weeks now, consisting of an armored party of more than a dozen men and women. The tracks wound along the steep slope and entered the open scree. Soon their trail would be lost in the jumble of jagged rocks and Troll-sized boulders. I hesitated, my tail twitching as it usually did when I was annoyed. The path they were on faced directly against the sun as it dipped into the glacial valley. I knew the valley well, and it was perfect for an all-too-easy ambush. I suspected the company had already detected my presence, and it would be foolish to tempt fate, especially when facing a dozen armed men … headed by a Druid, no less.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Michal Snaerravn is an outdoor enthusiast, an aficionado of the martial arts, and, above all, a sci-fi/fantasy nerd. A fan of all the timeless fantasy classics, he is eager to share his imagination: “Living in seven distinct cultures and reading hundreds of novels in four languages inspired a fantasy world that had to be revealed.” He considers novel writing not for the timid, or for selling a million copies; it is for those who have a vision to share. “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”

Curse of Ashmedei: Book 1: https://amzn.to/3IxIO41

Golems of Beithir: Book 2: https://a.co/d/hW1YFT7

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michal-Snaerravn/author/B0DHDBSC55

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amnonofhadur/

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Review – Sanctuary by Michael J Stiehl #michaeljstiehl #sanctuary #blackharepress

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Sanctuary by Michael J Stiehl is a fantasy, horror, novella. I hesitated with the rating, bouncing between a 3 and a 4. When that happens, I round up. I know it’s hard to grab someone’s attention and hold them til the end when the story is so short, but I feel Sanctuary warrants that extra star.

Theobard is training to be a monk and has lived a quiet life among the Silent Brotherhood. Everything changes when Dellia arrives. She opens Theobard’s eyes to what is really going on at the Sanctuary. Michael J Stiehl did a great job of increasing the anticipation of what was coming, making me feel that life can be very dangerous at the Sanctuary if you don’t toe the line. The ending caught me offguard and, Michael, you kinda pissed me off…but that’s a good thing.

My thanks go out to Michael J Stiehl and Black Hare Press for the opportunity to read and review Sanctuary.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Deep in an impenetrable swamp, lies the Sanctuary. Abandoned there as a child, Theobard has lived a quiet life among the Silent Brotherhood, a monastic sect that never speaks.

The arrival of Dellia, a beautiful golden-eyed girl with a secret, will change everything.

Her secret will expose Theobard’s true nature, and that of the Sanctuary, pulling apart the only world he has ever known, leaving nothing the same.

  • Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Novella and Short Stories
  • 93 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published October 18, 2022 by Black Hare Press

ABOUT MICHAEL J STIEHL

Michael J. Stiehl has had a lifelong passion for fiction, in particular horror, comics, adventure and science fiction, and is thrilled to finally be writing some of his own. Michael lives in the Chicago suburbs with his wife, two kids and his very silly poodle Jack. When not writing fiction, Michael spends his time riding bikes, camping, reading books, obsessively listening to music and playing D&D with his friends. In short, he hasn’t changed a bit since junior high.

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