Book Title: ISLANDS IN THE MIST (Book 1) by J.M. Hofer
Category: Adult Fiction (18 yrs +), 394 pages Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Indie Release date: July 10, 2014 Content Rating: PG-13 +M: 1) contains mild profanity, 2) contains occasional non-explicit sex scenes, but Book 4 has a rape scene, hence the rating, 3) contains battle violence but it’s not gory or explicit
Book Description:
Set in Iron Age Britain and steeped in Welsh legend, the Islands in the Mist series brings to life the magic and mystery of the Arthurian Age.
In Islands in the Mist, we meet the great warrior, Bran, called home from the battlefield to his mother’s deathbed. He honors her final wish by vowing to solve the mystery of what fatally attacked her in the night. Though many have dismissed it as a wolf attack, she insists it was not, and encourages him to seek the counsel of Talhaiarn, druid advisor to their clan.
On his journey, Bran encounters the fiery Lucia, widow to a Roman centurion, and her strangely-gifted stable boy, Gwion–an enigmatic child graced with understanding beyond his years. Lucia possesses “the Sight,” an ability that has plagued her from the time she was a small girl, tormenting her with disturbing visions of events that invariably come to pass. Fate leads her to discover many of her maternal ancestors were masterful women gifted with similar psychic abilities and that some of them have been watching her from the shadows for years.
Upon returning to his village, Bran finds himself at odds with the hot-tempered Aelhaearn, who is determined to become their clan’s next chieftain. To Aelhaearn’s disappointment, Bran’s sister, now priestess in her mother’s place, convinces the clan to choose Bran for the honor instead. In the aftermath of their conflict, Bran discovers something shocking about his rival that causes him to rue his sister’s decision.
As everyone strives to unravel the mystery surrounding their nocturnal enemies, their creator patiently carries out her plan, woven from the exploited weaknesses of her opponents. Slowly, all but one are pulled into the seductive maelstrom of her power.
King Of Trees by Carmen Webster Buxton was a pleasant surprise, more than I expected. Why I was so surprised, I don’t know. After all, I have loved everything I have read of hers. Maybe it was the cover? The title?
I have been reading Carmen Webster’s work for some time now, and she never fails to entertain me. Her writing is captivating and many times she creates an original story that keeps me reading until the last sentence is read, like with King Of Trees, a novel approach to time travel. Instead of going forward or back, we go sideways, into a parallel universe, and due to damage to their ‘vehicle’ they will not be coming back.
Their mission: stop the desecration of the environment. I love reading novels that include global warming, pollution…who knows what fictional ideas could become our new reality.
The world Carmen Webster Buxton has created took me back in time with the characters, looking through new eyes and an open mind. At this point, I became wrapped up in the paperback I was reading and quit taking notes. Now I regret it. There was so much I wanted to share and I waited too long.
As I sit here thinking, one of the first things that came to mind was how the characters learned to work together, grew to trust each other and become a community, each part of the whole. I love books that get me thinking and King Of Trees does that.
The story, for me, is about the characters…the personal sacrifices they make and their growth that Carmen has so richly developed.
King Of Trees by Carmen Webster Buxton is a complete novel, no series. The story is finished and I enjoyed my time in Albion. I look forward to more from Carmen. I feel my review does not convey how much I enjoyed the story, the fantasy, the perils…
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of King Of Trees by Carmen Webster Buxton.
4 Stars
GOODREAD BLURB
In an alternate version of Britain, a group of sideways-in-time travelers have forever altered the course of their new world’s history. “What if the world we’re on is only one thread out of millions of threads in the rope of time?” The question the Outsider woman posed to him left Bardolph as confused as ever. He knew the Outsiders had appeared as if by magic many years before, during his great-grandfather’s reign, but he had never understood where they came from. He only knew they had changed Albion forever. Melissa York might have been grateful to her rescuer, who called himself King of Albion, but she saw no reason to let her gratitude influence her opinion of antiquated notions like monarchy and pagan religions. Let the Druids go back to their forests. She and her people were the best defense Albion had against the invaders. Bardolph knew better. All the people of Albion would need to work together or they would find themselves conquered again. Only this time instead of a Roman emperor, their tribute would be paid to one in faraway China. He only hoped the Outsiders were as clever and as powerful as rumor said they were, because Albion needed all the help it could get.
ABOUT CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON
Carmen Webster Buxton spent her youth reading every book published by
Ursula LeGuin, Robert Heinlein and Georgette Heyer. This combination of
far-future worlds, alien cultures, and old-fashioned courting customs
influenced her writing, especially in her ThreeCon series.
Carmen
was born in Hawaii and experienced a peripatetic childhood, as her
father was in the US Navy. Having raised two wonderful children, she now
lives in Maryland with her husband Charlie, and a beagle named Cosmo.
She writes science fiction (often including a romance, and mostly set in
the far future), and the occasional fantasy.
Carmen has published many books:
WAKANREO SERIES Alien Bonds Alien Vows Alien Skies
HAVEN SERIES The Sixth Discipline No Safe Haven
THREECON SERIES (can be read in any order) The Nostalgia Gambit Saronna’s Gift Shades of Empire Tribes Worlds Apart
ALTERNATE HISTORY King of Trees
YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION Turnabout Drifters
FANTASY Where Magic Rules Bag of Tricks Hidden Magic
THE NAMELESS WORLD SAGA (coming in 2021) The North Edge of Nowhere Oaths and Promises
Carmen
often blogs about ereaders, digital publishing, writing, and
speculative fiction. Visit her blog to see what’s coming out next! To
ask questions or to provide feedback on her books, send email to
carmen.webster.buxton (at) gmail.com.
Book Title: One Boy’s War by Nancy McDonald Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 134 pages Genre: Historical fiction Publisher: Iguana Books Release date: April, 2020 Content Rating: G. There is no violence, bad language etc. in this book.
Raves for Boy From Berlin by Nancy McDonald:
“Inspired by a true story, Boy from Berlin shares a unique voice in the Holocaust. Highly recommended!”– Jennifer Roy, author of Yellow Star, winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award.
“A compelling introduction to themes of war, courage and identity, certain to engage young readers.” –Trilby Kent, author of Stones for my Father, winner of the TD Canadian Children’s Literary Award.
Book Description:
ENGLAND, SUMMER 1940. Following a brush with death in the Irish Sea, 10-year-old Käfer Avigdor unexpectedly finds himself back in London. There, he stumbles upon a sinister Nazi plot that targets hundreds of people in Britain—including the most powerful man in the country. The one person who might be able to defeat Adolf Hitler. With the Germans threatening to invade England at any moment, Käfer musters all his courage and ingenuity in a valiant effort to thwart the Nazis. But will he succeed in time to save the day? One Boy’s War, the sequel to Boy from Berlin, is inspired by real people and historical events.
Book Title: Boy from Berlin by Nancy McDonald Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 142 pages Genre: Historical fiction Publisher: Iguana Books Release date: May 7, 2018 Format available for review: PDF Tour dates: September 14 to October 2, 2020 Content Rating: G. There is no violence, bad language etc. in this book. Book Description:
Berlin, April 1938. One night, eight-year-old Käfer Avigdor uses his specialty toilet-paper roll binoculars to spy on his Mama and Aunt Charlotte. The whispered conversation he overhears alerts him to a danger he didn’t know existed and starts him rethinking who he really is and where he belongs. Within hours, Käfer and his family flee their comfortable life. In a desperate race to stay one step ahead of the Nazis, Käfer is called on to be braver and more resourceful than he ever imagined possible. But will it be enough? Boy from Berlin is based on real people and actual events.
Nancy McDonald began her career as a journalist on television programs that include W5, Canada AM, and Marketplace before going on to become a sought-after freelance writer, penning everything from documentaries to live-action scripts to comic books. One Boy’s War is the highly anticipated sequel to Boy from Berlin. Nancy lives in Stratford, Ontario, where she revels in Shakespeare, takes theatergoers on tours of the Costume Warehouse, and treads the boards with the Perth County Players. She also works part-time at Fanfare Books, Stratford’s only independent bookseller.
