Tag Archives: fantasy

Highlander: The American Dream by Brian Ruckley (Comic Book Spotlight)

 

Travel through time in this sword-clashing adventure spanning over a hundred years from the 1860s to the beginning of the first movie. 

In the thirty years since its release, Highlander has inspired a cult following and numerous spinoffs with its epic clashes between powerful immortals. Now, The American Dream follows Scottish swordsman Connor MacLeod as he navigates through the American Civil War and 1950s Manhattan toward The Gathering in 1986. Reunite with familiar faces, such as Connor’s secretary Rachel, and meet new immortals, such as Osta Vazilek, but remember… There can be only one!

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I can’t wait to see Henry Cavill take on the role of Connor MacLeod.
He has some BIG shoes to fill. 

Christopher Lambert

 

 

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I’ll Melt Your Heart: An Opposites Attract Winter Romance Story by Alena Ryu (Book Review)

Sienna lives in a world where magic is a privilege for the rich and noble.
And Sienna is neither.

She is hunted by people who want to take away her powers; if they succeed, she will lose her ability to feel emotions. Then one fateful day, there’s a knock on her door…

As she escapes, Sienna falls into the arms of a handsome and mysterious man, a noble count who has no reason to help her. Or does he?

The count offers Sienna a deal—the kind she can’t refuse.

I’ll Melt Your Heart is a cozy romance story about two unlikely companions embarking on a journey to change their past and find their future.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.  I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Sienna Lynn, aka Catherine Starr, has been on the run from the Seventh Division since she was sixteen. Why? Because she was illegally in possession of magic. Magic was only intended for nobility to use. Anyone else caught using magic would arrested and turned into a “pacified one.” This means the purified ones couldn’t hate or love after the Rite of Purification. They were described as the living dead, obedient only to the imperial house. 

Sienna/Catherine, a witch, tried to hide from Nelson, the exorcist, and the gendarmes, but they still caught up to her, thanks to her so-called friends. Since she couldn’t trust her “friends,” it was no wonder she didn’t trust her savior, Count Adam Darkwood. Adam was upfront that he was using her for her fire magic. No, he didn’t want to stay warm 24-7 like her. Instead, Adam needed Catherine/Sienna’s magic for the wishing well. Adam’s wish will remain hidden until you read the story. I will say this much: at Darkwood Hall, there laid a wishing well surrounded by demons. A wish is granted if you’re willing to pay the price: give up your magic. Adam wanted to offer up Sienna’s magic instead of his own.

A spark began to form as the count and the witch traveled on a train and then on foot. Of course, they didn’t truly realize how much the other meant to them until their backs were against the wall and demons attacked from all sides. Speaking of demons, I would love to see a sketch of the huge gray lizard with orange crystals protruding from its back. Just a sketch, though. I would not like to face off with it or any other demon found in the “cursed ruins.” I would, though, like to possess Sienna’s power since I always have trouble staying warm.

I’ll Melt Your Heart is a cozy, opposites-attract romance story that has magical elements and evil in the form of humans and demons. There are zero curse words and explicit scenes, making it perfect for teens and adults. It doesn’t have a cliffhanger, either.

If you love reading fantasy, romance, or magical stories, check out I’ll Melt Your Heart! Watch as Sienna/Catherine melts Adam’s frozen heart without using her fire power and as Adam shows Sienna/Catherine that it’s okay to trust again. 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤1/2

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Meet the Author

Alena has always been passionate about books and wrote her first fantasy novel when she was fourteen. Alena has lived in Japan, Turkey, and Russia before moving to the United States. Her international experiences are reflected in the captivating stories about finding love, friendship, and purpose.

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Popina & Slumberina by Irit Tal (Book Review)

Join Princess Popina on a magical adventure as she learns to let go of her trusty blanket, Slumberina.

With humor and warmth, this rhyming picture book takes young readers on a journey of growth and self-discovery.

When Popina starts her journey at preschool, she brings her beloved blanket, Slumberina, along but soon realizes it’s better not to do so. This realization challenges her courage and confidence as she learns to let go of her comforting companion.

Recommended by psychologists and featuring a ‘Note to the Parents’ “Letting Go with Princess Popina” is the ideal tool to help children successfully transition from using transitional objects.

 

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.  I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Oh, what a joyous day it was in the kingdom of Nimbasoy. King Popee and Queen Mina were marking the arrival of their sweet baby, Princess Popina, with a huge celebration. Unicorns, clothes-wearing rabbits, Snow White and the seven dwarves, a giant, an elf, a dragon, and many more guests attended the festivities to meet the new addition to the royal family and to bring thoughtful gifts. Popina received many unusual presents you would not typically see at a baby’s party, such as snail shells and honey. And one magical gift that would only been feasible in a magical realm. Through the beautifully drawn illustrations, it was apparent Popina adored every gift; however, her favorite present was the lime green baby blanket. 

Many parents can empathize with a child’s attachment to a single object: a binkie, stuffed animal, or blanket. As you share this story with your children, I wouldn’t be surprised if they mention their favorite item to play with or carry around. They’ll probably have it close at hand. 

Popina’s blanket was special to her; she even named it Slumberina. To her, the blanket possessed magical powers. It offered comfort and happiness and was, in her opinion, her best friend. As Popina grew older, she faced a hard decision. She discovered that taking her friend to school with her was not in its best interest, but Popina didn’t want to be separated from the blankie either. The princess had to decide what was more important to her: her friend’s safety or her own happiness. Popina realized she could help her friend without minimizing her own happiness. 

Separation anxiety from a person or object can be difficult for kids. I encourage you to share the book with your child and let them see how Popina discovers her inner strength! 

I recommend the book to children three years and older. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 

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Meet the Author

Since the third grade, I’ve known I’d be an author. Then life happened and I became a lawyer, writing countless legal documents. But I felt a lack of purpose and lack of magic. Wanting to use words to make a positive impact, I returned to my first love—writing. Popina & Slumberina is my debut book.

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Toot the Flying Droodle: Part Dragon – Part Poodle (The Droodle Tales) by Julian Boram (Book Review)

Meet TOOT the DROODLE
Part Dragon-Part Poodle

He’s a small little thingy that’s kind and sweet
With a curly little tail, fuzzy ears and woolly feet
TOOT longs to fly UP, UP into the sky
He just can’t do it and he can’t figure out why

Come along and join TOOT on his uplifting adventure and find out if three magical beasties can help make his dreams come true.

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

In the fantasy world, you never know what creature an author will come up with next. This unknown brings excitement, joy, and entertainment to many. Julian Boram, author and illustrator, has given readers a mythical being combining a dragon and a poodle. DROODLE, for short. Not a likely pairing, but the mash-up created a unique magical beast that children will love. 

Toot, the DROODLE, longs to soar like the other DROODLES. He wants to play with the others in the sky. Watching them from afar makes him feel lonely and sad. Many readers will empathize with Toot’s predicament. It’s never easy to watch others having fun and feel excluded. 

Toot isn’t the only animal in this imaginative tale with a mind-blogging mash-up. Children will meet SNOWL: part owl and part snake. The combination was weirdly wonderful. The owl’s forked tongue was oddly cute. Readers will also encounter a PHOW and a SWAT. You’ll have to read the story to discover their fantastical blends! 

As Toot chases after his kite, young listeners will be amazed by the gigantic flowers, bees, and even the trees! Nothing is ordinary in Toot the Flying Droodle. Julian Boram has also included a bonus game: find the DROODLE egg on every page. 

If your child is struggling with “fitting in” or having issues with a task, read them this book. If your child loves fantasy stories, again, read them this book. Toot the Flying Droodle is a fantastic, imaginative story that your child will want to read over and over! 

Amazon’s recommended reading age: 2-7 years. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score:  ❤❤❤❤❤

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Meet the Author

An Aussie, currently living in London, Julian spends his time as a husband and father of two girls, and as a senior executive helping businesses grow in a new sustainable era.

Julian is an Award Winning Children’s Book Illustrator and has won several awards for his art and his large-scale portrait entries in the acclaimed Archibald and Moran Prize competitions have been written up in major newspapers.

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 RainbowdropBooks.com

 

 

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The Ickles®. They’re Everywhere! They’re Everywhere!: An Adventure in an Overlapping Parallel Dimension! by A. J. Eccles (Book Review)


An Adventure in an Overlapping Parallel Dimension!


We are Ickles. A proud, and independent people.
We just didn’t know we were such tiny little beings.
To us we seemed normal size.
Until the day we came face to face with our greatest challenge.
How would you feel if your world was suddenly overrun by giants five times taller than you and your friends?
How would you react if you and your neighbors were driven out of your homes and had to watch your town being turned into a theme park for the giants?


This was the situation facing Mac, a ten-year-old boy, as a rift in the fabric of space and time brought together two worlds of very different sizes. The invading giants were not monsters, not aliens, but normal-looking people just like the Ickles themselves. Only much, much larger. For the briefest moment in time, the tiny world of the Ickles and the larger world of humans overlapped, in a small bubble of physical space. Our hero, Mac, has an amazing adventure in both worlds and manages to help his fellow Ickles return home after the humans are pushed back to their own parallel universe.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.  I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

The Ickles reside in a parallel dimension to our world. According to an Ickles historical book, our universes have only overlapped once, in the mid-1800s. The well-documented incident occurred in a farmer’s field in Ireland. The rift in the fabric of space and time closed up as quickly as it opened, shocking both sides. But now, for a reason unbeknownst to either side of the border, the two worlds can see one another again. This time around, their meet-up is significantly impacting both sides of the invisible wall.

The Ickles call “our world” the land of the giants, and I can’t fault them for their name choice. Our house pets are the same size as them. When a bull from our dimension entered theirs, its horns spanned the entire street and knocked down their power lines. Through their eyes, it looked monstrous and behaved accordingly! 

In the “giant” world, our dimension, we were shocked by a sudden miniature town appearing in thin air. Every morsel of food was real. Every aspect of the town was functional, including the vehicles that ran on the same fuel we use. With dollar signs in their eyes, the “giants” didn’t waste a moment capitalizing on the discovery. 

The “giants” had theories about who the “little people” were, and the Ickles had theories about the thin veil separating the parallel universes. Each was curious about the other, which led to scenes with action, humor, and danger. 

The Ickles®. They’re Everywhere! They’re Everywhere!: An Adventure in an Overlapping Parallel Dimension! by A. J. Eccles is a thrilling science fiction story; however, it lacks one component that readers would wish the author added: images. Young readers will want to see the little town surrounded by the train track (Earth realm), the bull smashing its way down the tiny streets, Mac facing off with the “giant” cat, and especially the surprising development in the final chapter. 

If your child loves science fiction stories, I recommend you purchase The Ickles®. They’re Everywhere! They’re Everywhere!: An Adventure in an Overlapping Parallel Dimension! It’s a fantastic read! 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 

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Meet the Author

I first turned my hand to writing fictional stories after a career as a copywriter, video producer, and senior global marketing executive. I love writing for strong characters and developing unusual stories with unexpected plot twists. The stories range from comedy to adventure to sci-fi drama.

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