Tag Archives: magic

September 30, 2020 · 5:00 am

Treoir Dragon Chronicles: Book 1 by Dianna Love (Book Showcase)


New York Times Bestseller Dianna Love has a brand new series from the Belador world for first time readers as well as current Belador fans and it’s full of explosive reveals. Dragons didn’t just show up out of thin air centuries ago and not all of them died in the Dragani war.

Atlanta hovers on the edge of chaos and pandemonium as rumors fly about supernatural beings living among humans. Deadly preternaturals predators have been held in check for many years by the most formidable pantheons. One angry being has had enough and accesses majik of an ancient grimoire to release abominations capable of taking down the most powerful of humanity’s supernatural protectors.

As the dragon-shifter king over Beladors living secretly among humans, Daegan is tortured by having failed to save his loved ones two millennia ago when a vindictive goddess captured him. With a second chance at life, he’s vowed to protect his new family and destroy anyone who harms them. He’ll have to find all the parts of a grimoire divided up and hidden thousands of years ago for any hope of saving his captured people and a world ready to launch high-tech weapons to wipe out unnatural beings.

The entire human race has one hope of surviving what’s coming for them, but only if fear of the unknown does not drive the humans to kill their greatest protector first.

This is book 1 of a 9-book spinoff series for first time readers as well as current Belador fans. All 9 books will release within a year and be available in e-book, print, and audiobooks.

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READ AN EXCERPT

“If you don’t fight for what you love, then don’t cry for what you lost.”

~ Unknown

 

Every major war and crisis can be traced to a specific moment in time.

During the medieval time of chieftains and kingdoms in ancient Ireland, betrayal triggered a dragon war and consequences have rippled through time to today’s world. A supernatural being on a path to expose nonhumans is sparking chaos across the world with Atlanta at the epicenter. Powerful preternatural beings have waited patiently for an opportune moment to strike at their enemies and with no regard for human casualties. Now is the time.

The Belador supernatural race living secretly among humans freed a cursed dragon shifter, who now reigns as their king. Daegan takes a stand to fight for his nonhuman followers as well as vulnerable humans. Tortured by what he lost two millennia ago, Daegan has vowed to destroy any who threaten his new family and allies.

Atlanta and the entire human race have one hope of surviving what’s coming for them, but only if fear of the unknown does not drive them to kill their greatest protector first.


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September 22, 2020 · 5:00 am

Pivot: Jack Harper Trilogy, Book 1 by L. C. Barlow (Book Showcase)

From the age of seven, Jack Harper is raised by the leader of a mystical cult, Cyrus Harper. Through Cyrus, Jack receives a full education in all usual subjects―economics, literature, mathematics, history―as well as one unique skill useful to a person in Cyrus’s position: assassination. With the help of Roland James, a man incapable of dying, Cyrus hones Jack into the perfect weapon to use against all who oppose him.

It is not long, however, before Jack discovers that Cyrus and Roland are not the only ones living in Cyrus’s mansion. There, too, exists a mysterious creature in the depths of the house with supposed immortal magic. According to Roland, this creature is responsible for all the miraculous things Jack has witnessed throughout her childhood, including Roland’s resurrection. The creature, potent and powerful, only weakens in the presence of Cyrus’s red velvet box―a dark, enchanted tool that grants Cyrus his invincibility and ensures his reign.

Lonely and terrified by her life in the cult, under Cyrus’s neverending watch, Jack desperately pursues the mysterious being. When they finally meet, her world is turned upside down, as he offers her more than she could have ever expected―the possibility of escape and her own secret, magical power.

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Excerpt:

“The repetition of these particular lessons helped me—the time and effort I devoted to them. Winning a fight had nothing to do with an instantaneous surge of power and awareness but was about maintaining a sense of normality in the moment. It was about what I could forget. I got used to the sensation of a body against my body, of someone coming at me, the foreign twisting, pulling, and driving. When it became the norm, then it all fell away, much like a common denominator. Only the crosshairs, the target, the wind, the heart, the head, the veins were left. Training meant learning what one should remember and, more importantly, what one should forget. The winner is the one for whom the fight feels most like home.” – Jack Harper, PIVOT

 

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L.C. Barlow is a writer and professor working primarily in the field of speculative fiction.  She has an MA in English from the University of Texas at Arlington and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast program.  She has studied with popular writers, including Nancy Holder, Elizabeth Hand, Ted Deppe, James Patrick Kelly, Elizabeth Searle, David Anthony Durham, and Theodora Goss.  Her work has been published in Oak Bend Review, Flash Fiction World, Linguistic Erosion, Flashes in the Dark, Separate Worlds, Every Day Fiction, and Popular Culture Review.  Her fiction has reached over sixty-five thousand readers and garnered praise, including a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Awards, a winner of the IndieReader Discovery Awards, a winner of the eLit Awards, and IndieReader’s Best Books of 2014.  On Quora, her posts have received over 1.4 million content views. Barlow’s horror trilogy – Pivot, Perish, and Peak – was picked up in 2018 by California Coldblood Books, an imprint of Rare Bird Books.  The first of the trilogy, Pivot, was released in October of 2019.  Perish will be released in October of 2020.  Peak will be released in October of 2021. Barlow lives in Dallas, TX with her two cats, Smaug and Dusty.

 

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September 14, 2020 · 5:00 am

The Battle for Trimera: The Ruling Priestess Book 1 by Tanya SM Kennedy (Book Review)

To give in could mean the loss of everything she holds dear but resisting is tearing her apart.

All Pria wants is to protect her family, but as one of only two high priestesses in all of Reia, everyone has an opinion on her life. But as the stories reach her of the peril of Trimera, there is nothing she will not give to return to the only family she has left, her older brother Janu. Emotion is dangerous for a priestess, something she realizes all to keenly when she thinks about her brother’s friend Mian. 

From the day she was born, Mian knew he would die for Pria. But the woman that returns from the Lorien is a pale shadow of the fiery girl he remembers. Still scarred by the loss of his Prince’s advisor, the previous high priestess, he now has to watch his Pria face the same danger. But the more he tries to protect the high strung Pria, the angrier she gets. The only thing he knows for sure is that Trimera would not survive the loss of Pria; that he would not survive the loss of Pria. 

A mysterious being has gained control of the monstrous grinlo and every second that ticks by only serves to confirm that they are after Pria. With the Lorien watching her every move she can’t afford even the hint of weakness. But the longer she spends with Mian the more addled she finds her thoughts. How will she save Trimera when her very emotions could spell ruin?

The Battle for Trimera is the opening to the epic Ruling Priestess medieval fantasy series. If you like compelling characters, epic battles against savage monsters, and a gripping story, then you will love Tanya SM Kennedy’s tale of a priestess struggling against tradition to save her home. 

Pick up your copy of The Battle for Trimera and join the fight to save Trimera today!

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

 

At almost 600 pages, The Battle of Trimera is not only a beast in size, but the story is busting out the seams with blood-thirsty creatures. The grinlo are vicious beasts with sharp, black claws. Many men, women, and children have encountered them, yet survivors are few and far between. Ortid, one lone survivor, witnessed their wickedness firsthand. He stumbled up a very gruesome, gory, unforgettable, and stomach-turning scene. The grinlo’s leader, Neram, might be a man, but he was a monster just the same.  

As you are well aware, you can’t have a villain without a hero or heroes. There’re a check and balances in life, real or imaginary. In this scenario, multiple individuals band together to defend their land from the grinlo: Prince Janu, Lord Mian, Priestess Lana, Priestess Pria, Jaren, Liando, and various other soldiers. 

 

At three hundred page mark, Priestess Pria’s mind is troubled. She’s on the hunt for the person pulling the strings of the grinlo, and she’s trying to keep Mian at a safe distance. She wants to be seen as an adult, a powerful High Priestess; however, he makes her feel like a child again. Up to this point, if Pria looked closely, she would see he doesn’t –not entirely. His attraction to her is becoming more apparent for all to see. 

The sexual tension between Pria and Mian is growing with each page. 

 

The next 150 pages were quite active. There were nasty creatures, big and small, being a pain in the neck (literally and figuratively). Emotions also reached the boiling point, and, instead of throwing barbs at each other, Pria and Main let their true feelings show. No, they didn’t shag, but they had some steamy kisses.  

 

From page 450 until the end, The Battle of Trimera kept the same speed as the pages before it. The pace wasn’t too fast or slow. In actuality, Tanya (the author) balanced everything quite well. Overall, I felt she took ample time to develop characters, their relationship to each other, history, plot, etc. She had death scenes, but they weren’t overly detailed. Sure, they were gross but not horror movie gross (if that makes sense). Basically, what I’m saying, Tanya gave us enough visual stimuli to allow the reader to get the picture but not be overwhelmed.

There were some sections I wanted, craved more embellishment on, but I get why Tanya refrained. As I stated in my opening sentence, The Battle of Trimera was almost 600 pages long. 

To sum up, a great book and definitely worth the price tag attached!

 

 

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

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Tanya SM Kennedy was born in the wilds of West Virginia where she was raised to be strong, independent, and bull-headed. She spends her free time (any she can find) reading, writing, and taking care of her menagerie. She still lives in the wilds of West Virginia with her family enjoying the solitude.

 


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September 10, 2020 · 5:00 am

The ‘Trueborn Heirs’ Series by Nyna Queen (2 Book Showcase)

“I’m a spider, sugar. My shaper kind doesn’t bear that name for nothing.”

 

That’s not something Alexis Harper dares to say very often. If she did, it might just get her killed. Not that she is an easy mark, but even fools get lucky once in a while.

In a world where the magically gifted trueborn rule and the magicless halfborn slog away in the slums, half-blood mongrels like Alex are outcasts—feared and shunned. For most of her life, she has lurked in the shadows, trying to keep her true nature a secret. But the secrecy ends abruptly when she saves two trueborn aristo children from a group of hired killers.

Accused of a crime she didn’t commit, Alex suddenly finds herself running from powerful enemies, with no one around to trust. Or what about the mysterious stranger who has been following her? He is one of Death’s Servants, born and bred to kill at the country’s command. Not the most preferable ally, but then, her choices are limited. Soon she has to decide whether she can trust him or not—it’s a gamble she might not survive either way. And before Alex knows what is happening, her life is hanging by a silken thread…

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THE room was long and sterile and reminded Alex too much of a hospital: white tiled floor, metal shelves, slim silver objects glinting dully in the too bright overhead lights, the biting scent of disinfectant … It brought back memories of her sire’s bedroom just before he died, and she instantly felt sick to her stomach. 

Dr. Creevy, a scrawny man with thinning gray hair, in a stained white lab coat, stood waiting beside a naked metal cot with leather shackles attached to all four corners. Alex felt Darken stiffen beside her and quickly put a restraining hand on his arm—just to pull back when a little shock tingled through her fingertips. 

“It’s alright,” she muttered softly, although her stomach churned at the sight of the cot. “I might shape during the process and accidentally hurt someone.” 

Darken’s eyes wandered from the cot to her and back, and slowly widened in understanding. “You’ve done this before.” 

She nodded. And no pleasant memory was linked to the experience. But sometimes there simply was no other choice. Like right now. 

He studied the cot again and she could almost hear the blocks falling into place as he drew the right conclusions. His eyes narrowed and grew darker. Dangerously dark. “And this will hurt you.” It wasn’t really a question. 

Quite quick on the uptake, aren’t we, Mr. Trueborn? 

“I’m afraid that can’t be avoided.” 

Resentment flooded those cavernous brown eyes, liquid red anger churning right below the surface. “Then there has to be another way.” 

Alex blinked. Just like that, huh?

He did sound like he meant it, too.

Why? she wondered. To assume that her pain would matter anything to him, would be foolish. They barely knew each other. And she hadn’t exactly done a great job endearing herself to him in the past day. 

Maybe he didn’t like to be indebted. She certainly didn’t. And a debt of pain wasn’t one easily paid back. 

“Well, I don’t really see another way, sugar. Do you?” Now would be a good moment to mention it. 

He scowled. Yep, that’s what I thought. 

His gaze went back to the cot and his lips pressed together in obvious discontent. “I don’t like this!” 

She barked a short laugh. “Neither do I, sugar, but if we want this portal, someone will have to bite the bullet. Looks like that someone is going to be me. But don’t worry, it won’t kill me—and if it does”—she raised her arms and batted her lashes at him—“spares you the effort.” 

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The witty, action-packed sequel to Nyna Queen’s urban fantasy / paranormal romance debut BY A THREAD. Filled to the brim with treachery, forbidden love, racism, loyalty, and unexpected friendship.

A royal gathering. She isn’t invited. And if they find her, they will kill her… 

Against all odds, Alex Harper survived her deadly wounds and managed to shake off her faceless pursuers. But she is hardly safe. With a death sentence looming over her, she must quickly find out who is pulling the strings in this twisted game she has become a part of – before they catch her. But that means infiltrating the trueborn royal elite; a glamorous world that possesses no love for shaper mongrels such as Alex. One wrong step will be the death of her.

To make things worse, she has to work with Darken again. Now back in trueborn territory, the scorching hot Deathbringer has retreated behind his armor of fire and the class difference between them becomes painfully obvious. Can their feelings for each other survive this growing gulf? Not that it will matter if Alex’s self-control isn’t good enough to pass for a member of the elite, and in the Royal Palace of all places! Caught between dark secrets and political intrigues, Alex soon realizes that she has entangled herself in a deadly web of lies…

 

What readers of the series say …

  • “WOW! This Book is EXACTLY why I fell in LOVE with the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Genre!” — Read Between the Lines
  • “I absolutely loved this book! Once started, I just didn’t want to stop reading.” — Elbcrout
  • “After just a few pages you immediately feel like a part of the world, as you are observing from within, watching the events unfold.” — the_survivor
  • “Nyna Queen does an exceptional job diving deep into the minds of her characters, and her imagery and use of metaphors are at the expert level.” — T&S M
  • “I’ve put Nyna Queen on my author watch list. This is superb storytelling.” —Tiella150
  • “Ms. Queen has positioned herself as one of the best new authors I have ever read. Excellent work.” — Colleen
  • “I couldn’t put this book down. It has a really unique group of characters and a fresh story.” — Amazon Customer
  • “The story is brought together with seamless writing and world-building. The author brings familiar together with the unfamiliar to where everything seems normal. If you want a book with a mystery interwoven with suspense and a sprinkling of a romance then this book is for you.” — Tabby

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Nyna started reading fantasy books at the sweet age of six (in fact, as soon as she could read) and never got out of it. After she finished her law degree, she finally decided to commit herself to a career as an author. When she isn’t reading a book or dreaming up another story, she works as a lawyer, indulges in way too much coffee and enjoys long walks in the sun. If you are looking for Nyna, you’ll likely find her behind her laptop, hitting the keys, writing down her latest novel ideas – careful, if you speak to her now, she might not remember later!
 

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September 6, 2020 · 5:00 am

Author Tanya S.M. Kennedy (4 Book Showcase)

Series: The Terarch Rebellion (Book 1)

For fans of Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series comes this medieval fantasy romance.

 

To save her people from slavery, Raivien must trust the very people who held her captive.

Raivien has never relied on anyone else; as a terarch, it is the only safety she has. But if she wants anything to change, she needs help and it comes from the most unlikely place: the very handler that captured her and the son of the man in charge of it all. Now if she could just get them to get along, she could focus on the upcoming battle.

Blerk was once the most promising terarch handler in Algar. Once, he had one of the most powerful terarchs the kingdom had ever seen. But he lost it all. One twist of fate and his life was balanced on a razor’s edge. But the closer he gets to Raivien the deeper his guilt grows. Faced with the true brutality he himself inflicted; he is determined to make amends. But one final mystery threatens to overwhelm everything he has worked so hard for.

For once in his life, Alden knows he is doing the right thing. He had looked aside so often when his father performed some heinous act or another. But no more. For his fallen sister, for the mysterious Raivien, he will make things right. Gathering his loyal men, he prepares to overthrow his own father.

Thrown together by fate, tested by fire, these three former enemies must risk everything.

Raivien had never sought out battle, but some things you can’t run from. With a vengeful king hunting them, a savage man out to capture her, and a flood of unaccustomed emotions threatening to overwhelm her, there is more than enough to keep her mind off the impending war and the inevitable deaths that comes with it. The only thing she is sure of is she can’t stand by while a monster sits on the throne of Algar.

The Terarch Rebellion is the opening to an epic fantasy romance series. If you like compelling characters, epic battles against oppression, and a gripping story, then you will love Tanya SM Kennedy’s tale of this feisty heroine’s battle for freedom.

Pick up your copy of The Terarch Rebellion and join the fight today!

 

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Series: The Terarch Rebellion (Book 2)

Raivien is back in the long anticipated second installment of The Terarch Rebellion.

Welcome to Algar where beloved King Alden has turned the kingdom from a symbol of fear to a safe-haven. With the aid of Raivien and Blerk, Algar has grown and prospered. But not everyone is pleased with the change as an unknown foe appears to have their sights set on the throne. With a warlord threatening their border, the mysterious Hawk hunting her every move, and even those she loves doubting her, how can Raivien keep her family from being torn apart? Mystery abounds and enemies are everywhere as we return to Algar where the fight for freedom is never over.

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(Stand Alone, not a part of  ‘The Terach Rebellion’ series)

Adjusting to this new world is impossible, returning to her old world means certain death.

Eylsa has an easy life; as long as she follows orders, she avoids punishment. But a poison is growing within her, stealing her sleep and twisting her thoughts, making a once easy job torturous. And it all started with nothing more than curiosity.

Brendan can’t imagine why his mentor Darius is trying so hard to rescue the very assassin sent to kill him. Everyone seems blinded by the girl’s youth but Brendan isn’t fooled. He can’t deny there is something about her that calls to him, but only a fool would trust a killer.

Assassin retraining did nothing to purge the deadly compassion from Eylsa’s mind. Every day is a constant battle to hide how broken she is. If anyone were to find out the weakness pulsing through her veins her life would be forfeit. When Darius reenters her life she knows she has no choice but to accept his offer of protection. At least imprisoned she might find peace. But what is she if she can no longer be what she was raised to be?

An Assassin’s Redemption is an urban fantasy about two worlds colliding. If you like compelling characters, bad-a** female antiheros, and an epic battle of struggling against evil then you will love Tanya SM Kennedy’s tale of one woman’s struggle for survival.

Pick up your copy of An Assassin’s Redemption and join the fight against the Trinity today!

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(The Ruling Priestess Book 1) 

To give in could mean the loss of everything she holds dear but resisting is tearing her apart.

All Pria wants is to protect her family, but as one of only two high priestesses in all of Reia, everyone has an opinion on her life. But as the stories reach her of the peril of Trimera, there is nothing she will not give to return to the only family she has left, her older brother Janu. Emotion is dangerous for a priestess, something she realizes all to keenly when she thinks about her brother’s friend Mian. 

From the day she was born, Mian knew he would die for Pria. But the woman that returns from the Lorien is a pale shadow of the fiery girl he remembers. Still scarred by the loss of his Prince’s advisor, the previous high priestess, he now has to watch his Pria face the same danger. But the more he tries to protect the high strung Pria, the angrier she gets. The only thing he knows for sure is that Trimera would not survive the loss of Pria; that he would not survive the loss of Pria. 

A mysterious being has gained control of the monstrous grinlo and every second that ticks by only serves to confirm that they are after Pria. With the Lorien watching her every move she can’t afford even the hint of weakness. But the longer she spends with Mian the more addled she finds her thoughts. How will she save Trimera when her very emotions could spell ruin?

The Battle for Trimera is the opening to the epic Ruling Priestess medieval fantasy series. If you like compelling characters, epic battles against savage monsters, and a gripping story, then you will love Tanya SM Kennedy’s tale of a priestess struggling against tradition to save her home. 

Pick up your copy of The Battle for Trimera and join the fight to save Trimera today!

 

Kindle Purchase Link
Print Purchase Link

 

 

Tanya SM Kennedy was born in the wilds of West Virginia where she was raised to be strong, independent, and bull-headed. She spends her free time (any she can find) reading, writing, and taking care of her menagerie. She still lives in the wilds of West Virginia with her family enjoying the solitude.

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