by A.R. Draeger
Series: Falling In Deep, #3
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Cover Designer: Quirky-Bird
Cover Designer: Quirky-Bird
Release Date: June 9, 2015
Mer Alert! Awesome Giveaway for Of Ocean and Ash by A R Draeger
Tag Archives: fantasy fiction
Cover Reveal & Giveaway – Hidden by Amy McKinley
I am a “cover girl” and love to share new ones. What do you think?
Check out this gorgeous cover for Hidden by Amy McKinley, then, let’s look inside for the lowdown.
HIDDEN
by Amy McKinley
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BLURB
Cursed since birth, hunted by gods, and desperate for love—Jade never stood a chance.
Half-demon, half-goddess, Jade’s fate makes her a pawn in an epic battle among the gods. Hidden on Earth with her sisters, she successfully avoids the Oneiroi—the dream gods—bent on her destruction until the prophecy, long dormant, awakens a dark shadow within her.
Roen, a reclusive Worr demon known for his battles against the Oneiroi, is called to protect Jade. Together they must unlock their mysterious connection and find a way to beat back destiny. Can she outsmart the prophecy, change her fate, and find love—even when she learns who is connected to her destruction?
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ABOUT AMY MCKINLEY
Amy McKinley is a freelance writer and author. She lives in Illinois with her husband, their four talented teenagers, and three mischievous cats. Her debut novel, Hidden is the first in the Five Fates Series.
Connect with Amy: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Blog
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GIVEAWAY
Amy McKinley will award a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter a $20 Amazon/BN GC.
ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE
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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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M9B Friday Reveal: Fall For Fantasy Blitz with Giveaway #M9BFridayReveals
Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!
This week, we dare you to
Fall For Fantasy
featuring titles to satisfy your fantasy cravings,
presented by Tantrum Books/Month9Books!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
In a village of masked men, magic compels each man to love only one woman and to follow the commands of his “goddess” without question. A woman may reject the only man who will love her if she pleases, but she will be alone forever. And a man must stay masked until his goddess returns his love—and if she can’t or won’t, he remains masked forever.
Seventeen-year-old Noll isn’t in the mood to celebrate. Her childhood friends have paired off and her closest companion, Jurij, found his goddess in Noll’s own sister. Desperate to find a way to break this ancient spell, Noll instead discovers why no man has ever chosen her.
Thus begins a dangerous game between the choice of woman versus the magic of man. And the stakes are no less than freedom and happiness, life and death—and neither is willing to lose.
Chapters Indigo | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | TBD | Google Play | BAM | iBooks | IndieBound
Amy McNulty is a freelance writer and editor from Wisconsin with an honors degree in English. She was first published in a national scholarly journal (The Concord Review) while in high school and currently spends her days alternatively writing on business and marketing topics and primarily crafting stories with dastardly villains and antiheroes set in fantastical medieval settings.
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest
To Bear an Iron Key is the first in a new and exciting series from acclaimed author Jackie Morse Kessler.
Five years ago, the young witch Bromwyn refused a gift from the powerful fairy king. Tonight, on Midsummer, that decision comes back to haunt her. When her best friend Rusty picks the wrong pocket, he and Bromwyn are all that stand between their village and the rampaging fairies who have pushed through the World Door. If they cannot outwit the fairy king and queen before the World Door closes at sunrise, the friends will lose everything—their village, Bromwyn’s magic, and Rusty’s life.
From To Bear an Iron Key by Jackie Morse Kessler: “Bromwyn turned to face the burning fields. Reaching deep inside of herself, she closed her eyes and touched the core of her power, the place where her magic lived, where it connected her to all of Nature. She held onto that magic, let it fill her almost to the bursting point, and then she cast it out onto the fields. It blanketed the rows of spelt, and she felt as it rode the wind—Air—and then touched the grain—Earth—and then sizzled around the fire.”
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD | Google Play | BAM | IndieBound | iBooks
Jackie Morse Kessler grew up in Brooklyn, NY, with a cranky cat and overflowing shelves filled with dolls and books. Now she’s in Upstate NY with another cranky cat, a loving husband, two sons, and overflowing shelves filled with dragons and books (except when her sons steal her dragons). She has a bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature, and yet she’s never read any Jane Austen (with or without zombies). She also has a master’s degree in media ecology. (The living study of technology and culture. Which is cool, but she still can’t figure out how to use Tweetdeck.)
Jackie spends a lot of time writing, reading, and getting distracted by bright and shiny new ideas. (She just came up with a new idea right now.) She has a weakness for chocolate and a tendency to let her cat take over her office chair.
Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads |
For hundreds of years, dark clouds covered the skies of Adamah, and an ageless king ruled. Those who emerged with one of six extraordinary Shay powers were forced into the king’s army, an unmatched force with inhuman Strength, Speed, Accuracy, Perception, Empathy, and Healing. With the army behind him, the king—a man who wields all six abilities—was invincible and unquestioned in his rule. To most, serving the king was an honor. But for others, it was a fate worse than death.
When seventeen-year-old Nolan Trividar witnesses the transformation of his brother from kind to cruel after entering the king’s army, he vows never to follow the same path.
So when his own power—the Shay of Accuracy—comes upon him at the Tournament of Awakening, Nolan conceals his emergence instead of joining the king’s ranks. For years, he traitorously hides his power, pretending to be only a gifted scribe. But when Nolan comes face -to-face with a deserter, the man discovers his secret.
To evade detection and a death sentence, Nolan escapes with the deserter and flees into a night filled with dark creatures who steal both powers and souls. He joins a resistance, a village hidden deep in the forest, filled with others who secretly wield a Shay. But his peace is short-lived when they discover that the dark clouds, undead creatures, their own decreasing powers, and even the king, are all connected.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD | IndieBound | Google Play | BAM | iBooks
Kristal Shaff grew up with books (and used to drive her mom crazy when she wouldn’t leave the library); her first job was even shelving books at the library. She loves anything creative, and you can often find her exploring strange and fantastical worlds in her choices of movies and fantasy fiction. Kristal resides in Iowa with her farmer husband, numerous pets, and 3 awesome kids (plus one more on the way though the journey of adoption). When she isn’t writing, she is a professional face painter who enjoys making children smile.
Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Thyra Winther’s seventeen, the Snow Queen, and immortal, but if she can’t reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she’s doomed to spend eternity as a wraith. Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact.
Unencumbered by kindness, she kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time rapidly melting away she needs all the help she can steal. A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai’s childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles. Thyra’s willing to do anything – venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts – to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within her breast.
Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup’s devotion and the fire of a young man’s desire, the thawing of Thyra’s frozen heart could be her ultimate undoing.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | TBD | iBooks | Google Play | BAM | Chapters | IndieBound
Vicki Lemp Weavil was raised in a farming community in Virginia, where her life was shaped by a wonderful family, the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and an obsession with reading. Since obtaining her undergraduate degree in Theatre from the University of Virginia, she’s gone on to acquire two masters degrees, living in places as diverse as New York City and rural North Carolina. She’s currently the library director for a performing an visual arts university. Vicki loves good writing in any genre, and has been known to read seven books in as many days. She enjoys travel, gardening, and the arts. Vicki lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.
Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumbler
SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.
Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell.
When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time.
“Vivid worldbuilding, incendiary romance, heart-pounding action, and characters that will win you over–I highly recommend Serpentine.” Cinda Williams Chima, best-selling author of the Seven Realms and Heir Chronicles fantasy novels
“Serpentine is unique and surprising, with a beautifully-drawn fantasy world that sucked me right in! I love Skybright’s transformative power, and how she learns to take charge of it.” ~Kristin Cashore, NYT Bestseller of the Graceling Realm Series
“Serpentine’s world oozes with lush details and rich lore, and the characters crackle with life. This is one story that you’ll want to lose yourself in.” ~ Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of Legend and The Young Elites
Amazon | B&N | BAM | Chapters | Indiebound | Kobo | TBD | Google Play | iBooks
Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow, 2009), which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist, and one of 2009′s best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. The sequel to Silver Phoenix, titled Fury of the Phoenix, was released in April 2011. Serpentine, the first title in her next Xia duology, will be published by Month9Books in September 2015. She is the co-founder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush painting student of over a decade. Visit her website at www.cindypon.com.
Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Tumblr
Four clans have been at war for centuries: the Kodiak, the Raven, the Wolf and the Ram. Through brutal war tactics, the Ram have dominated the region, inflicting death and destruction on their neighbors.
Seventeen-year-old Zo is a Wolf and a Healer who volunteers to infiltrate the Ram as a spy on behalf of the allied clans. She offers herself as a Ram slave, joining the people who are called the “nameless.” Hers is a suicide mission – Zo’s despair after losing her parents in a Ram raid has left her seeking both revenge and an end to her own misery. But after her younger sister follows her into Rams Gate, Zo must find a way to survive her dangerous mission and keep her sister safe.
What she doesn’t expect to find is the friendship of a young Ram whose life she saves, the confusing feelings she develops for a Ram soldier, and an underground nameless insurrection. Zo learns that revenge, loyalty and love are more complicated than she ever imagined in the first installment of this two-book series.
Amazon | TBD | Chapters | B&N | Google Play | IndieBound | Kobo | iBooks
With her degree in History and Secondary Education, Jennifer had every intention of teaching teens to love George Washington and appreciate the finer points of ancient battle stratagem. (Seriously, she’s obsessed with ancient warfare.) However, life had different plans in store when the writing began. As a proud member of Writers Cubed, and a co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, she feels blessed to be able to fulfill both her ambition to work with teens as well as write Young Adult fiction.
Jennifer has three children who are experts at naming her characters, one loving, supportive husband, a dog with little-man syndrome, and three chickens (of whom she is secretly afraid).
Visit her online at jajenkins.com
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest |Instagram
Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!
Titles not yet released will be upon its publication.
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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
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Are you a Dragonlover? Check out Dragonlove by Marc Secchia
For love that is tested in the crucible of fate must burn, or die…
Publication Date: August 15, 2015
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Series: Dragonfriend #2
When a woman loves a Dragon, that love will change the world.
Six years have passed since Hualiama and Grandion defied the Island-World’s most sacred law. They burned the heavens together as Rider and Dragon. For his crime, Grandion the Tourmaline Dragon suffered exile and imprisonment. The Dragons forced Hualiama to forget her past.
Now, the suns must set upon the age of the Ancient Dragons. Amaryllion Fireborn, last of his kind, bequeaths Hualiama an astonishing legacy. She is the Dragonfriend. Raised by Dragons. Burned by Dragon fire. Oath-bound to a Dragon. Crossing the Island-World in search of her Dragonlove, she will forge an indelible mark upon history.
As war between Dragons and Humans engulfs the Islands, Hualiama must unravel the secrets of her tragic past in order to confront an evil that threatens the very existence of the Dragonkind. For love that is tested in the crucible of fate must burn, or die.
Marc is a South African-born author who lives and works in Ethiopia with his wife and 4 children, 2 dogs, a rabbit, and a variable number of marabou storks that roost on the acacia trees out back. On a good night there are also hyenas patrolling the back fence.
When he’s not writing about Africa Marc can be found travelling to remote locations. He thinks there’s nothing better than standing on a mountaintop wondering what lies over the next horizon.
To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Giveaway – Dragon’s Future by @kandijwyatt
I was going to pass on the tour for Dragon’s Future by Kandi Wyatt, because I have been writing reviews nonstop and want to share them with you ASAP.
When I saw this awesome cover, such a beautiful dragon, I had to participate.
Welcome to the release event for Dragon’s Future by Kandi Wyatt! This is the book 1 of the middle grade fantasy series and it’s now available for sale!
About the Book
Every child of Woolpren dreams of becoming one, but only a few are chosen. Now, ten-year-old twin brother and sister, Ruskya and Duskya, have been selected to join an elite group of riders: dragon riders. Full of awe and excitement, the twins leave their mother, and their home, to train for their new lives.
Fifteen years later, dragons are becoming extinct and riders are rare. One day, Ruskya is at the general store in town when a man announces that he is recruiting new dragon riders. Ruskya goes undercover, and discovers that there is another colony of riders with their own agenda—a quest to find a mysterious plant that could restore the dragon population, or destroy it. When a battle erupts between the two colonies, it’s up to Ruskya and his friends to fight for their dragons’ future, and their lives.
Follow Ruskya’s quest as he finds courage and friendship in this exciting middle grade fantasy series by new author Kandi J Wyatt.
About the Author
Kandi J Wyatt is a wife, mother of five, teacher, artist, and author. In her free time, she enjoys writing fantasy stories and Christmas programs, and drawing with graphite and colored pencils. Portraits are her specialty. Kandi also enjoys photography, thanks to her photographer husband who has let her join his journey as both his model and apprentice, and she occasionally serves as his assistant when he needs a “light stand with feet.” To learn more, visit kandijwyatt.wordpress.com.
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GIVEAWAY:
One (1) paperback copy of Dragon’s Future (US only)
Ends Aug. 25th
Prizing provided by the publisher, hosts are not responsible in any way.
This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.
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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Teaser Tuesday #46 – Mortal Musings by Aria Glazki
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of adailyrhythm.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read. Open to a random page. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
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I am currently 27% into Mortal Musings by Aria Glazki. I was intrigued by the premise, a writer and his muse.
I love the “sweetness” of the cover. I feel as if she is waiting for just the right moment to reach out to him. And when she does…
Add me to Goodreads now.TEASER
All he saw was Alexandra, weaving through flowers that reached to her as though ready to whisper all their secrets. Not exactly right for a mystery novel..
(27% on Kindle)
SYNOPSIS
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Muse Alexandra has had it with the arrogant, ungrateful humans she is obligated to inspire. When the internal ranting of her latest charge pushes her past reason, she disregards the rules and forces her own words through his fingers, and is instantly entrapped in mortal form. With no magic, no identity, and no resources, Allie has no alternative but to navigate the mortal realm, depending entirely on her reluctant host while discerning what exactly caused her transformation — and how to reverse it.
Brett doesn’t have a chance to consider the words that mysteriously showed up on his screen; he’s too distracted by the stunning woman who appeared in his office out of nowhere. Before his brain can catch up, Brett’s uninvited guest becomes enmeshed in his everyday life. Her artless innocence gradually lessens his suspicions. Most importantly, the writer’s block that’s been plaguing him dissolves under the fantasies the naively beguiling Alexandra inspires.
All too soon, the forced proximity sparks a confounding awareness neither writer nor muse are able to resist.
Cover linked to Amazon. I am an affiliate.
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What are you reading?
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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!
Cover Reveal: Cleansing Fire by Emily Mah
Today I’m excited to share the cover reveal of Cleansing Fire by Emily Mah. This is the third book in the Sky Chariots Saga and releases September 20th. The first two books, Restless Earth and Blessing Sky are available for sale.
About Cleansing Fire:
Kasha has lived her life in hiding, working the job of the City Engineer of Wingmount, in a society that lets neither women, nor any member of the Tanoa race work trades. Finally, she has been offered the chance to work for her own people, who must evacuate their beloved Earth Shaman from the slopes of an active volcano. No other engineer in history could build the craft that Kasha has designed for this task: the sky chariot.
However, in order to fly it, she and her cousin, Ahote, will breach the most sacred rules of the Andalanos, the pale skinned race of people who govern their nation. Once, Kasha thought she would not mind betraying them. They had only given her grief.
But as she has grown in her talent for engineering, many Andalanos have supported her at great risk to themselves. Even high ranking government officials seek her counsel and beg for her aid in a costly war they fight on the coast, in a part of the kingdom Kasha has never seen and never thought she’d care about.
There is no way to help one people without betraying the other, and in this society, betrayal often means death. Kasha must decide where her loyalties lie, and whether she is up to the task of saving the last shaman of her people.
Don’t miss out on the first two books Restless Earth and Blessing Sky!
About the Author:
Emily writes as both Emily Mah (for science fiction and fantasy) and E.M. Tippetts (for chick lit). Her short stories have appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, The Black Gate, and anthologies like The Dragon and the Stars, Shanghai Steam, and The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth. Her E.M. Tippetts novels have been on the Amazon Top 100 numerous times, and her novel, Someone Else’s Fairytale was semi-finalist for the Best Indie Book of the Year – Kindle Book Review, and a runner up in Romance for the Best of the Independent Book Awards – eFestival of Words.
She is a graduate of the Clarion West Writer’s Workshop for Science Fiction and Fantasy and Viable Paradise Writers Workshop, and she often teaches the unit on self-publishing at the Taos Toolbox Writers Workshop.When she is not writing or chasing small children, she manages E.M. Tippetts Book Designs, her company which offers formatting, cover design, and editing services to authors and publishers.
This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.
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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!
Giveaway – Luck of the Irish by Sara Humphreys
Luck of the Irish
by Sara Humphreys
Series: Leprechaun’s Gold, #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Fantasy Romance
Release Date: June 30, 2015
“Ms. Humphreys continues to possess the gift of storytelling and gathering the hearts and souls of her audience.” – Night Owl Reviews
A leprechaun is powerless without his gold….
Banished to the mirrored realm for hundreds of years, Declan Aherne had nothing but time to plot his revenge and mourn the loss of his beloved wife. But when a beautiful human woman, with a familiar amulet, stares into the mirror….Declan’s luck was about to change.
The gold emblem, the one that matched her necklace, sat at the top of the oval gilded frame, and when she leaned closer she realized that it was a recessed space. She ran her finger over it and let out a shuddering breath. Maggie had a sinking suspicion that the amulet around her neck would fit perfectly in that space.
“A key,” she whispered through trembling lips. “Aunt Lizzie said the amulet was a key to release the leprechaun from his prison.”
Rising to her feet, Maggie carried the mirror down the narrow hallway to her bedroom. She bumped the door open with her hip and stepped into the small, cozy green and white room. When she changed clothes earlier she’d already removed the old print and left the blank spot above her dresser for her long sought after prize.
With great care she hung the mirror onto the nail and adjusted it so that it was straight. She stepped back and inspected it as she removed the amulet and gold chain from around her neck. The heavy, gold disc felt warm in her palm as she curled her fingers around it and debated what to do next.
Part of her was as eager as a kid on Christmas Eve brimming with anticipation. She wanted to slip the amulet right into that spot on the frame and see if the fairy tale was true. But the other part of her, the one that dominated at the moment, was reluctant. Not because she was afraid of a leprechaun jumping out of the mirror.
In fact, it was exactly the opposite.
What if after all this time and all the searching she puts the amulet in the mirror and nothing happens? That would be a big, fat, fucking let down of colossal proportions.
Tears stung her eyes and she sniffled, laughing out loud at her foolishness. How long had she been searching for the mirror never really believing she’d find it? The hunt for this treasure was what kept her going after family was gone. It was like an invisible tie that kept her connected to them, but now she’d found it and the hunt was over.
It was a stark reminder that her family was never coming back.
Maggie was alone.
“I wish the story was true, Aunt Lizzie,” she whispered. “But true or not, thank you for sharing it with me….I miss you all so much.”
She turned her teary gaze to her reflection as she ran her fingertip over the amulet. It was time to face the truth and stop hiding inside her own fairy tales, the ones she perpetuated every time she went in search of the magical mirror from Aunt Lizzie’s stories. She had to face the reality of the world she lived in.
Her family was gone and they weren’t coming back. The mirror wasn’t magic and she wasn’t anything special, and the only way to really face it was to put the amulet in the mirror—and watch as nothing happened.
Fairy tales weren’t real.
Neither were leprechauns or warlocks.
No more hiding from the world or retreating into fanciful stories.
“Time to face the truth.”
Maggie pressed the amulet to her lips before reaching up and slipping the disc into the recessed spot at the top of the mirror. The moment it clicked into place she whispered the Gaelic phrase Aunt Lizzie always uttered when she told this part of the story. “Scaoileadh mé tú.”
At first nothing happened and Maggie was ready to drown herself in the rest of the chardonnay. She was about to leave the room in search of the wine when a ripple in her reflection caught her eye. Maggie swallowed hard and squinted, not sure she was actually seeing what she thought she was seeing. But sure enough the glass surface of the mirror began to undulate and swell like silver waves in an otherworldly ocean.
She backed up as her image in the mirror blurred and a low, pulsing throbbing sound began to rumble through the room. Maggie scrambled backward and up onto the bed as the deafening noise grew louder by the second. Her hands flew to hear ears, the pulsing noise permeating every single cell of her body making her teeth clatter. It felt like the entire building would come down around her any second and if she wasn’t completely paralyzed by fear, she might have run.
But Maggie couldn’t move. She curled up into the fetal position, hands over her ears, as the world rumbled around her. She half expected the ground to open up and swallow her whole.
A split second later, the mirror erupted in an explosion of light and Maggie squeezed her eyes shut. As a scream threatened to rip from her throat the world went completely silent and still. No more bone rattling throbbing running through the air. The shaking and trembling had ceased, except for her body. She was quivering like a damn leaf and cowering on her bed like a total coward.
Her heart hammered against her ribcage and her eyes were screwed tightly shut as the unmistakable sound of someone breathing heavily filled the room. At first, she thought it was her own breath because she was huffing and puffing like she’d run a freaking marathon. But about a second later, it became glaringly clear she was no longer alone.
The fairy tale was true.
Sara Humphreys is a graduate of Marist College, with a B.A. Degree in English Literature & Theater. Her initial career path after college was as a professional actress. Some of her television credits include, A&E Biography, Guiding Light, Another World, As the World Turns and Rescue Me.
In 2013 Sara’s novel UNTAMED won two PRISM awards–Dark Paranormal and Best of the Best.
She loves writing hot heroes and heroines with moxie but above all, Sara adores a satisfying happily-ever-after. She lives in New York with her husband, their four amazing sons, and two adorable pups. When she’s not writing or hanging out with the men in her life, she can be found working out with Shaun T in her living room or chatting with readers on Facebook.
For a full list of Sara’s books and reading order, please visit her website.
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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!
A Mermaid “Tail” – Review – Horseshoes and Hand Grenades by Amanda Lyles
The fun title, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades by Amanda Lyles, jumped off the page at me and when I read it was about mermaids, I wanted it even more. I had not seen the cover when I picked this up, but I love it.
So, come on all you paranormal lovers and let’s dive into the world of Nina Garnet.
Horseshoes and Hand Grenades by Amanda Lyles
Cover: Rebecca Weaver
MY REVIEW
The title, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades by Amanda Lyles, jumped off the page at me and when I read it was about mermaids, I wanted it even more. I had not seen the cover when I picked this up, but I love the beautiful cover and mermaid stories. This one read, almost, as if it was real…at times humorous, at other times dangerous.
Nina Garnet had left home and was hiding out, trying to keep a low profile. I will not tell you why she left or about her home, Zephyr Island, because I think you need to find out for yourself. Nina lives on a houseboat called The Star Puzzle. She is good at acting human, but has mermaid needs…water and lots of it. She helped the police out when they needed to locate a body in the water, using scuba gear so they did not become aware of her ability to function without it. Now, the other supernatural beings, that she knew were around, requested her help to locate some of their members believed missing in the water.
Mermaids, dragons, the FBI, werewolves, witches, vampires, faeries, supes galore…Oh yeah, I am loving every minute of it. The creative writing had all the supernaturals working together to achieve a common goal but Amanda Lyles kept me guessing who was friend and who was foe.
Nina is shot at, mugged, stalked and attacked. I bet Jaws wouldn’t mind nibbling on a mermaid or two. Could that be why sharks mistake humans for food, they think we are merpeople?
“You;re leaving? Seriously?”
Tobias said, “Oh, I’m sure you boys will get along just fine without me. I won’t be long…Try not to eat the human. I’m sure there’s food inside.”
The sometimes humorous writing went well with the serious side, murder and magic. From the opening page, when Nina is singing Karaoke and I couldn’t help but laugh at what happens, I knew I was going to love this.
Will there be romance? I have come to appreciate a romantic entanglement in my stories. I think it lends that something extra, along with a feeling a reality and an ability to connect more closely to the characters…of which there are a lot of wonderful ones.
“Almost only counts in Horseshoes and Hand Grenades.”
I think most of us have heard of that phrase.
Amanda Lyles had me swimming with the fishes, literally. The characters had me laughing and worried at the same time. Amanda’s pacing and fresh take on a familiar story kept me entertained and engrossed. There is more than one storyline that had me trying to figure out the who and why. We find the answer to one, but the other is left for another time, which is my only complaint. But, The Hand That Rocked The Boat, Book II, is available, so no waiting is necessary.
I received Horseshoes and Hand Grenades from Amanda Lyles in return for an honest review.
4 Stars
SYNOPSIS
Nina Garnet works as a part-time diver for the Hawaii police. She’s also a mermaid but she has worked very hard for several years to hide this fact from everyone. She goes on what she thinks is a routine dive to recover a body tangled just below the surface. The very next day the supernatural world she tried to leave behind literally breaks into her house and leaves her a package that chills her to the bones by showing her that someone knows her secret.
Then someone attacks her and the F.B.I. agent she keeps running into and they are saved by the local werewolf pack. Caleb, the alpha, tells her that the body she recovered was part of his pack and was one of five missing men. He hires her to search for the remaining missing men and as she searches she find clues that point to the men being used in a ritual that, if completed, will wipe out all supes for hundreds of miles. With the help of a vampire, several weres, a couple of witches, and the F.B.I. agent she races to find the men before the ritual can be completed.
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Cover Reveal for Serpentine by Cindy Pon with Giveaway #M9BFridayReveals
Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!
This week, we are revealing the cover for
Serpentine by Cindy Pon
presented byMonth9Books!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.
Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell.
When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time.
“Vivid worldbuilding, incendiary romance, heart-pounding action, and characters that will win you over–I highly recommend Serpentine.” Cinda Williams Chima, best-selling author of the Seven Realms and Heir Chronicles fantasy novels
“Serpentine is unique and surprising, with a beautifully-drawn fantasy world that sucked me right in! I love Skybright’s transformative power, and how she learns to take charge of it.” ~Kristin Cashore, NYT Bestseller of the Graceling Realm Series
“Serpentine’s world oozes with lush details and rich lore, and the characters crackle with life. This is one story that you’ll want to lose yourself in.” ~ Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of Legend and The Young Elites
Title: Serpentine
Publication date: September 8, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Cindy Pon
Pre-order Links:
Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow, 2009), which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist, and one of 2009′s best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. The sequel to Silver Phoenix, titled Fury of the Phoenix, was released in April 2011. Serpentine, the first title in her next Xia duology, will be published by Month9Books in September 2015. She is the co-founder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush painting student of over a decade. Visit her website at www.cindypon.com.
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Goodreads
Complete the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win!
The book will be sent upon its release.
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