Tag Archives: magic

Review – Honor The Believer by Michael P Frame #michaelpframe #austinmacauleypublishers

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MY REVIEW

I love books about magic, gods and goddesses, Lucifer and demons, dragons, elves, dwarves and monsters of all kinds, and Honor The Believer has all those things and more. In millennia past, Merlin had created Phoenix Island to hide twenty three demigod children from Zeus’s genocidal purge. They will be training for the time that they will be called forth to take their revenge.

One demigod was kept apart from the others, and was sent to the monster city of Grimm where he would attend school. Jeremiah is part Celestial god and part Celestial devil. He was adopted by a dragon. Will he be the death of them all…or their savior? Can he learn to control his magic?

Dark magic and political alliances cause tensions to rise and war is on the horizon. As the character’s tensions rise, so do my own. How long before those that are hidden are discovered?

I love the diversity of the characters and watching the children grow and develop, preparing themselves to fight the good fight. Good versus evil. Dark versus light. The battles are brutal, the descriptions bringing to life the action. I feel the punches delivered and worry for those who have become my favorites. I may like the dark and dangerous, but I do root for the good guys.

I want to thank Michel P Frame and Austin Macauley Publishers for the opportunity to share Honor The Believer with you.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In humanity’s distant future, magic has returned—violently. After vanishing for millennia, it surged back alongside the Celestials, an alien race once mistaken for gods… or devils. Now, war consumes the solar high-tech armies clash with resurrected monsters, while ancient species like elves, dwarves, and giants ally with humans to hold the line against Lucifer’s dark forces. Above the chaos floats Phoenix Island, a hidden sanctuary created by the legendary wizard Merlin before his death—a place where magic never stopped thriving and where the pursuit of its advancement continues to evolve in isolation, protected by the dying dream of its creator. Jeremiah Drarocca is one of twenty-three demigod children rescued by Phoenix Island during the Celestial Zeus’s genocidal purge against their kind. While the others now live scattered across the island, training for the day they can return to the battlefield and take revenge, Jeremiah is the only one sent to the monster city of Grimm—a place of unpredictable dark magic and uneasy political alliances—to attend school. Jeremiah isn’t like the other demigods—he isn’t like anyone. Within him flows an impossible fusion of both Celestial god and Celestial devil. It’s a contradiction that should not exist, and it’s the reason he was sent to Grimm, the city of monsters, to learn control over the darkness. Adopted by a dragon, Jeremiah struggles with his identity, his staggering power, and the uncertainty of youth. As tensions rise and war looms ever closer, the path his power will carve remains unknown—but it may shape the fate of the entire war. Join Jeremiah as he steps into a school unlike any other—where monsters roam the halls, secrets whisper through enchanted corridors, and one uncertain demigod may hold the key to magic’s future. His journey to understand himself is just beginning.

  • Genre: Angels and Demons, Fantasy, Fiction, Gods and Goddesses, Magic, Teen and Young Adult
  • 985 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published October 10, 2025 by Austin Macauley Publishers
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Review – The Convergence: Broken Magic by Richard French #richardfrench #theconvergence #brokenmagic

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Emenies to Lovers

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MY REVIEW

The Convergence: Broken Magic by Richard French is about fated mates, enemies to lovers, second chance and forbidden romance. Samantha Reed is tasked by the Federation with finding and destroying Connor Blake. but when she meets him…again…her soul cries out to his. She has been lied to and what she does next could either save their world or destroy it.

The story is fast paced with lots of action. Circumstances bring together an unlikely group of characters that will do what is necessary, what is right, to save their world, no matter the consequences. I was wrapped up the danger that surrounded them…and that ending. It was a blow that I wasn’t prepared for, but, there is Book II, The Convergence: Restoration, so we shall see what comes next.

I have read some of Richard French’s work and felt it was very likely that The Convergence series would be a good one, and I wasn’t wrong.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Federation Enforcer Samantha Reed has orders to kill Connor Blake—the one person whose soul was torn from hers when the Federation shattered magic itself.Enemies to lovers. Fated mates. A bond the universe refuses to let die.

Reality is fracturing across the galaxy as the Convergence approaches—a cosmic force trying to heal what was broken. The Federation claims Connor’s rebellion is causing the breakdown, but when Samantha confronts the man she’s been sent to destroy, stolen memories their connection isn’t coincidence. It’s the echo of a soulmate bond artificially severed centuries ago.

What begins as a mission to capture a traitor becomes a forbidden second chance neither expected. Their unified magic doesn’t combine separate powers—it remembers what they were before the Federation broke everything apart. But every moment they spend reconnected awakens the truth the Federation desperately the artificial separation is failing, and only their restored unity can stabilize reality’s collapse.

With a band of unlikely allies who become family, Samantha and Connor must outrun the Federation’s hunters while unraveling centuries of lies. As the cosmos continues to unravel, the Federation’s leader plans to weaponize the Convergence’s healing energy to make the separation permanent—even if it destroys existence in the process.

The choice isn’t between order and chaos, but between artificial control and natural wholeness.

For readers who devoured Shadow and Bone, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, and A Court of Mist and Fury, this is star-crossed lovers, forbidden magic, and found family—with the fate of reality hanging in the balance.

When remembering their true connection means choosing between Federation loyalty and cosmic healing, will Samantha embrace what was stolen from them—or let the universe fracture forever to preserve a lie?

Get your copy now and discover why some bonds refuse to stay broken.

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fantasy, Fiction, Military
  • 184 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published March 1, 2025 by Indie Pen Press
  • Series: The Convergence #1

ABOUT RICHARD FRENCH

Richard French writes at the intersection of technology, transformation, and storytelling. A former executive at Oracle and Nokia, and a serial startup leader, Richard brings decades of leadership experience to his books.

His non-fiction works include Daniel as a Blueprint for Navigating Ethical Dilemmas, The Journaling Mastery Series, and The Journaling Prompts Series. In fiction, his Convergence Series explores quantum physics, high fantasy, and human connection in richly imagined worlds.

Richard lives in the Pacific Northwest, where he writes full time and races GT cars on weekends. He believes in challenging limits—on the track, in business, and on the page.

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$25 GC & Review – Age Of Magic by Tim Vee @goddessfish @_Tim_Vee_ #ageofmagic

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AGE OF MAGIC by Tim Vee

GENRE:  dark fantasy

REVIEW

I have been reading Tim Vee’s novels for some time now. His novels are fresh and original. I never know what to expect and have always been surprised. Age Of Magic is a dark fantasy that travels through time. I quickly became enamored with Zola and Selene and their story.

The action and adventure kept me engrossed in Tim Vee’s magical story. The writing kept the pacing and suspense operating at a high level. He brought the characters to life and their world was created in vivid detail. I loved all the secrets, magic, pirates and deadly beasts. He created many questions, as we traveled through time to reach the end. I had a feeling about the conclusion and I loved it.

My thanks go out to Tim Vee for the opportunity to read another one of his fantastic stories.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

BLURB

A young peasant woman’s mundane existence is upended by a mysterious traveller, thrusting her into a perilous world of secret family ties, dark magic, deadly beasts, intrigue, pirates, and thrilling adventure—where light and dark forces clash in a battle for power and revenge.

Age of Magic is a dark fantasy story with a timeless fairytale vibe, set in a grounded but magical world.

EXCERPT

There was movement in the shadows—the sound of a sandal on the dry red bricks. Zola froze, seeing ahead of him a weasely-looking man holding a butcher’s blade stepping into a pool of light. Selene gasped, covering her mouth. Zola’s head snapped to his right, where he saw another man step into a pool of light behind them, holding a rusty meat cleaver.

“Becalm yourself, m’lady,” whispered Zola, releasing her hand and stepping from the shadows into the light.

“Mayhaps I can help you lads with something?” he said confidently, as he turned in a circle and regarded them.

Two more men stepped from the shadows, a new one on either side carrying a wooden club.

“Coin!” hissed the man holding the knife that he jabbed forward menacingly.

“Coin and girl!” said the man with the cleaver. The others laughed darkly and inched forward.

Zola turned to the man with the cleaver. “Mayhaps I would have tossed you a pouch of coppers and silver, to send you scurrying away to your filthy taverns and your filthy wenches, without the need for blood to be spilt.” He pulled back his coat, exposing the bejewelled hilt of his cutlass. “But alas, for you, the girl will be staying with me!”

“Four us, one you!” said the man with the cleaver, chuckling.

“I’ll gladly take those odds…” said Zola grimly, his gold tooth glinting in the moonlight as he drew his bejewelled cutlass.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Tim works in digital marketing in Toronto and is well-traveled, having visited over 80 countries. When he is not working or writing, he likes to spend time with his family and German Shepherd and go cycling.

  • Website: https://timvee.com/
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Review – Discern by Andrea Pearson @andreapearson2 #discern

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MY REVIEW

Nicole Williams is an Arete, a fourth child with magical abilities. She hasn’t come into her own, yet, but when she is put to the test, I have a feeling she will rise to the occasion. Some of it was predictable, but that’s okay. It’s pretty hard to write something totally new in this day and age. I was riveted to the pages and the characters came to life through Andrea Pearson’s words. The world she created was fascinating and richly developed, and I was lost in it.

I picked up Discern by Andrea Pearson a long time ago, on a free day, 6.3.16 to be exact.

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4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Disappearances at a popular national park… Monsters from another dimension… And Nicole can’t use her magic. What could possibly go wrong?

Mysterious disappearances at a popular national park force authorities to organize a university-led expedition, and they’ve invited undergrads to compete to be included. As a talented Arete, Austin is a natural shoo-in. And he’s not the only experienced student competing. Nicole struggles a great deal with her powers, but she knows she has what it takes, and she’s determined to prove that she can produce Wind magic.

With the help of her friends and advice from professors, Nicole pushes the limits of her magical abilities. As the competition heats up, however, she finds out that the trip she’s fighting for may be a one-way ticket…

  • Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
  • 257 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published August 25, 2014
  • Series: Mosaic Chronicles #1

ABOUT ANDREA PEARSON

Andrea Pearson is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast who plays several instruments, not including the banjo, and loves putting together musical arrangements. Her favorite sports are basketball and football, though several knee surgeries and incurably awful coordination prevent her from playing them. Andrea Pearson graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of science degree in Communications Disorders. She acted as the executive director for Indie Author Hub for a year and a half and frequently gets invited to teach marketing and promoting at writers conferences. Andrea is the author of many full-length novels (the Kilenya Chronicles, Mosaic Chronicles, and Koven Chronicles), and several novellas. Writing is the chocolate of her life – it is, in fact, the only thing she ever craves. Being with her husband and kids, family, and close friends is where she’s happiest, and she loves thunderstorms, the ocean, hiking, public speaking, painting, and traveling.

Receive several free books when you join Andrea’s Readers Group. For more information, click here.

Andrea also writes nonfiction books for authors. To learn more about those, and her marketing courses, please visit selfpublishstrong.com

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

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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.

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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.

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Giveaway – Rufus And The Dark Side Of Magic by Marilyn Levinson @goddessfish

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RUFUS AND THE DARK SIDE OF MAGIC Marilyn Levinson

GENRE:  Middle Grade

BLURB

Fifth grader Rufus is unhappy when he has to attend a Samhain celebration with his mother, Grandma, and Aunt Ruth instead of going Trick or Treat with his friends. He’s thrilled when, later that night, his Uncle Hector shows up outside his window and offers to take him for a ride in the sky. Rufus’s family have told him that his uncle is evil and he should have nothing to do with Hector, but Rufus is enthralled by his uncle’s fabulous realm that includes a small zoo and a stable of horses. He’s less interested in learning about his uncle’s businesses that he, as his uncle’s heir apparent, will inherit one day. Then Uncle Hector tells Rufus he has to do something for him, something Rufus finds impossible to do. Uncle Hector wields his magical powers to force Rufus’s hand, but Rufus’s little sister finds out and encourages him to ask for help. It’s Grandma who decides what they must do, and it’s not something Uncle Hector ever thought would happen

EXCERPT

Mrs. Brewster poked her head in the room to say it was time to come outside and watch the fireworks. We traipsed through the kitchen and out onto the Brewsters’ patio that faced their enormous backyard. Many adults were already in their seats, but Mr. Brewster, who wasn’t a witch, led us to the very first row. Then he went to talk to the men who would be setting off the fireworks.

The display was spectacular. We oohed and ahed as multi-colored bursts of light exploded in every conceivable shape. Ten minutes into the show, a band of yellow light more dazzling than any we’d seen so far spanned the sky. It arced over the Brewsters’ backyard and turned into a rainbow so brilliant I found myself blinking.

Silence fell. The fireworks died away. No one moved. All eyes were glued on the figure gliding through the air who came to stand atop the rainbow.

There could be no doubt he was a witch. He was dressed in black like us, except for his voluminous cape, which was bright red, the color of blood. He spread the cape wide, holding an end in each outstretched hand and bowed. A communal gasp—half-shock, half-disapproval—rose from the adults behind me.  We stared, transfixed, as a young male witch fluttered about before coming to stand beside him.

“Greetings, my fellow sorcerers,” the older witch intoned. “We have come to wish you Good Samhain.”

His keen gaze sliced through the crowd seeking something, someone. A current coursed through me when his eyes met mine. He nodded, and I found myself nodding back.

Suddenly his right leg buckled and he stumbled. The young witch reached out to support him. Angry, the older witch brushed him away. His young companion vanished as awkwardly as he’d arrived.

Alone now, the older witch gave us a mocking smile as he and the rainbow faded from sight.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson writes mysteries, novels of suspense, and books for kids. Marilyn’s middle grade novel, Rufus and Magic Run Amok, was an International Reading Association-Children’s Book Council “Children’s Choice.” A new edition, the first book in a series of four, came out in 2023. Rufus and the Witch’s Drudge, the second book in the Rufus series, was released in 2024. Her YA horror, The Devil’s Pawn, came out in a new edition in January, 2024. Soon to be published are new editions of And Don’t Bring Jeremy, which received six state nominees, and Getting Back to Normal.

  • Website: http://www.marilynlevinson.com
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.levinson.10?ref=ts&fref=ts
    Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/161602.Marilyn_Levinson
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarilynLevinson ; https://twitter.com/AllisonBrookML
    BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marilyn-levinson; https://www.bookbub.com/authors/allison-brook
    Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marilev/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marilynlevinsonauthor/
    Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Rufus-Dark-Side-Magic-ebook/dp/B0F7NW6DN4/
     
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Review – Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros @RebeccaYarros #onyxstorm #librarylove

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MY REVIEW

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros is the third book in the Empyrean series. I have enjoyed each and every one…so far. The characters have grown on me and I get lost in their fantasy world. Sure, the books are BIG and there is a lot of detail, but I never gave up. Yes, there is some repetition, lots of characcters, and some slow spots, but I found it easy to let the author take me where she wished me to go. I’m in it for the long haul.

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5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty.

Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.

They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth.

But a storm is coming…and not everyone can survive its wrath.

  • Genre: Dragons, Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural
  • 758 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published January 21, 2025 by Entangled: Red Tower Books
  • Series: The Empyrean #3

ABOUT REBECCA YARROS

Screenshot

Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and coffee addict. She is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing, The Last Letter and The Things We Leave Unfinished. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward. Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over twenty years. A mother of six, she is currently surviving the teenage years with all four of her hockey-playing sons.

Want to know about Rebecca’s next release? Check her out online at www.rebeccayarros.com.

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The Spotlight Is On Princess Sophie And The Christmas Elixir by Mike Martin @pumpypyourbook @mike54martin

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Princess Sophie and the Magic Elixir is the story of a young girl who loves Christmas. When she sees that the people of Melodica are losing their Christmas spirit, she sets out to help them rekindle their magic…

Title: Princess Sophie and the Christmas Elixir

Author: Mike Martin

Publication Date: October 15, 2024

Pages: 24

Genre: Mezzo Publications

Princess Sophie and the Magic Elixir is the story of a young girl who loves Christmas. When she sees that the people of Melodica are losing their Christmas spirit, she sets out to help them rekindle their magic. At the end she finds that all we really need is to believe in the power of love.

Princess Sophie and the Magic Elixir is available at Amazon.

 

Book Excerpt

Princess Sophie lived in the tiny kingdom of Melodica with her father King Olav and her mother Queen Bianca. She loved her friends who were the birds and the rabbits and the squirrels who lived in the nearby forest. Princess Sophie especially loved Christmas. In fact, she loved everything about Christmas.

She loved the jingles and jangles. She loved the horns and the hooters. She loved the lights, the wrapping, the singing and clapping. She loved everything about Christmas. What she liked most was that warm, comfy feeling that you got just before Christmas. That something really good was going to happen. That feeling lasted for 12 whole days while Christmas went on in Melodica.

But this year something was just not right. There were still sparkles and sprinkles and lights all around. There was even a giant Christmas tree in the middle of the town square. Yet, Princess Sophie did not have that feeling, that special Christmas feeling. In fact, it felt a bit sad. She asked her mother, her father and her teacher but nobody knew what had happened. Worst of all, no one knew how to fix it.

“Oh, no,” said Princess Sophie to her favourite rabbit friend, Hopper. “We have to do something. We can’t have Christmas without that special Christmas feeling. What can we do?”

Well, Hopper was a great friend, but he couldn’t speak human. So, he started hopping instead. He hopped and hopped and hopped until Princess Sophie got tired of all the hopping and asked him to stop. But the hopping somehow had given her an idea.

“When I am sick, nurse gives me special medicine to help me feel better,” she said. “Maybe we can find a medicine that brings back the Christmas spirit. But where we would find a medicine like that? Princess Sophie asked her mother, her father and the nurse but nobody had ever heard of a medicine like that.

Now Princess Sophie was getting sad herself. “There must be somebody who can help us, but who? Hoppy didn’t have that answer so he hopped and hopped and hopped until Princess Sophie finally told him to stop hopping. “Your hopping has given me another idea,” she said. Christmas is magical, so the Christmas spirit must be magical, too. Who should we talk to about magic?” The rabbit just looked at her.

“A magician, of course,” said Princess Sophie. She asked her father who was the best magician in Melodica. 

“Why, it’s Lady Ariana,” said King Olav. “She is absolutely the best.”

– Excerpted from Princess Sophie and the Christmas Elixir by Mike Martin, Mike Martin, 2024. Reprinted with permission.

 More Children’s Books by Mike Martin
 
https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Beaver-Mr-Mike-Martin/dp/1777131464

https://www.amazon.com/Friend-Christmas-Mike-Martin-ebook/dp/B0CLJ57CHV

About the Author

Mike Martin was born in St. John’s, NL on the east coast of Canada and now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. He is a long-time freelance writer and his articles and essays have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online across Canada as well as in the United States and New Zealand.

He is the award-winning author of the best-selling Sgt. Windflower Mystery series, set in beautiful Grand Bank. There are now 15 books in this light mystery series with the 2024 publication of Too Close for Comfort. 

He is also the author of 3 Chldren’s Christmas books. The Christmas Beaver, A Friend for Christmas and now Princess Sophie and the Christmas Elixir.

Let’s Connect!

X ➜ https://www.x.com/mike54martin 

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552604938333 

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220363612-princess-sophie-and-the-christmas-elixir

 

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Review – The Shadows Rule All by Abigail Owen @AOwenBooks #netgalley #theshadowsruleall

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The Shadows Rule All
The Shadows Rule All The Shadows Rule All
Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Well, we start off with a gorgeous cover (by Elizabeth Turner Stokes) for the finale of the Dominions series, with the final chapter being told in The Shadows Rule All by Abigail Owen and it was a doozy. Abigail included anything and everything you could possibly want for a fantasy romance. We have a struggle for leadership, some magical machinations, battles, death and romance. I was lost in the , but because it is such a long book, I couldn’t finish it in one sitting.

The Shadows Rule All is the third book in the series, so I’m not going to give you the lowdown. I definitely recommend beginning at the beginning, if this sounds like a winner to you. I do love when a series is complete, don’t you?

I will tell you that their worlds are crumbling with the loss of the goddesses. To set things right, they would have to release the goddesses from the amulets they are trapped in. For them to be released, they are sent on a quest to recover Allusion’s heart.

I went teary eyed more than once as character after character fell. By killing off some of my favorite characters, Abigail makes the story seem real (for a fantasy), because in battle not all will survive. Even the peripheral characters have a pivotal role to play, adding their magic to the story.

We have Meren, the main character, looking for her soulmate. Reven. He is lost in the Shadows. Is she going to have her happy ever after? Will she ever be rid of the Shadows who threaten her and Reven? Can they release the goddesses and save their Dominions?

For a finale, I think Abigail hit the nail on the head. She left me with a heavy heart, but a feeling of satisfaction. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Darkness ascends the throne in this electrifying conclusion to the Domionions trilogy, all wrapped up in a gorgeous cover package! Preorder coming soon!

The hidden princess, must find a way to stop the ageless king—and the Shadowraith she’s fallen for—in the upcoming final installment of Abigail Owen’s sprawling, sexy upper YA fantasy.

The Dominions series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order:
Book #1 The Liar’s Crown
Book #2 The Stolen Throne
Book #3 The Shadows Rule All

  • Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural
  • 512 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication November 12, 2024
  • Series: Dominions, #3

ABOUT ABIGAIL OWEN

Multi–award-winning paranormal romance author, Abigail Owen, loves plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, alpha heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of sexy shifters! Other titles include wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, spreadsheet lover, eMBA, organizational guru, Texan, Aggie, and chocoholic. Abigail grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it. Abigail currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own personal hero (who she totally married!) and their two children, who are growing up way too fast.  

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MY REVIEWS FOR ABIGAIL OWEN

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Review – Defy by Raine Thomas @Raine_Thomas

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Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have been reading a lot of murder stories, which are some of my favorites, but when I read Defy by Raine Thomas, I was more than ready for a change of pace. I am familiar with the Estilorians because I have been reading the series and lovin’ every minute of it. You might not get the fullest enjoyment of the story unless you begin at the beginning with The Prophecy, but I read it out of order and was hooked.

The pain was unimaginable.

…and that was the opening sentence. I was immediately hooked….again. 🙂

  • Defy: To challenge the power of; resist boldly or openly; to defy parental authority.

And that is how Tate ended up alone in the jungle and met Zachariah and Nyx. Poor Zachariah. You might think poor Tate because of the way Zachariah treats her, but he doesn’t know any better and he fights the attraction he feels for her.

The world that Raine Thomas has created is richly developed and the characters are sure to grab at your heartstrings. I love that the Estiloreans no longer have feelings…you know, like us humans. It made me think of Lucifer and how he had to learn what it meant to be human…and so do the Estilorians.

I loved walking step by step with Tate as she was forced to grow up. The characters that surround her have their parts to play and I loved getting to know them.

Even though it had been a while since I read the earlier books in the series, everything came back to me quickly. That only happens when I loved the stories so much they stuck in my head, whispering in my subconscious, saying, READ MORE. I am happy to say that I will, because Raine Thomas made sure I have the rest of the series on hand.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Defy by Raine Thomas.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS

Seventeen-year-old Tate is about to make her parents’ dreams come true. Unfortunately for her, their dreams foretell her death.
Eager to explore more of the Estilorian plane and prove her abilities, Tate goes against her parents’ wishes and leaves the area of protection surrounding her home. Her choice puts her on a deadly path…one that leaves her alone, severely injured and battling for her life.
Her possible savior arrives in the form of Zachariah, a male who has removed himself from Estilorian society for more than fifty years. Fighting an unexpected connection to Tate, he must decide whether saving her life is worth destroying his.
As Tate struggles to find a way home, she ends up drawn into a dark Mercesti plot involving multiple murders and a powerful ancient artifact. With the unpredictable Zachariah as her only source for aid, she’ll soon find out if her abilities are strong enough to help her defy her Fate.

  • Genre: Fantasy, Magic, Romance, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Young Adult
  • 286 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published April 28, 2012
  • Series: Firstborn Trilogy (1) Estilorian (4)

ABOUT RAINE THOMAS

Raine Thomas is the award-winning author of more than 20 bestselling romances spanning contemporary romance, Sci-Fi romance, and YA fantasy romance. She’s a hopeless romantic with a background in the fields of mental health and wedding planning…two areas that intersect far more than one would think. She’s also a book fiend, grammar nerd, and editing Red Queen, depending on who you ask.

Be sure to follow Raine on BookBub (https://www.bookbub.com/profile/raine…) to be among the first to learn of any sales, and hop over to her website for your first free read!

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MY RAINE THOMAS REVIEWS

The Prophecy (Daughters Of Saraquel)

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.no
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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