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Find it at its new home: http://authorsfbenson.com/2016/01/08/book-trailer-friday/
Have a great weekend!
Posts Tagged ‘Fantasy’
Title: Descent
Author: Stacey Rourke
Genre: YA Fantasy
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
It’s been two years since the lion roared … the eagle flew … and the fated Celtic warrior embraced her destiny. Now, with an unknown darkness swirling and the body count rising, the world needs a hero more than ever. A new battle is brewing. Who will answer the call to war? The time has come. The stage is set. And the Garretts are back in a brand new novella. Descent; The Gryphon Series Resurrection, Coming in Spring 2016. It’s hard to keep a bad pirate down…
It’s been two years since the lion roared … the eagle flew … and the fated Celtic warrior embraced her destiny. Now, with an unknown darkness swirling and the body count rising, the world needs a hero more than ever. A new battle is brewing. Who will answer the call to war? The time has come. The stage is set. And the Garretts are back in a brand new novella. Descent; The Gryphon Series Resurrection, Coming in Spring 2016. It’s hard to keep a bad pirate down…
RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series NovelYoung Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012
Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013
Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series, the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga, and the romantic comedy Adapted for Film. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head.
Visit her at www.staceyrourke.com
Facebook at www.facebook.com/staceyrourkeauthor
or on Twitter or instagram at Rourkewrites.
A Transcending Story: A Review of “Prisoner of Prophecy” by Casey L. Bond
Posted: December 10, 2015 in Book Review, UncategorizedTags: Fantasy, Young Adult
Goodreads.com Description: “The only two things that seventeen-year-old Solara longs for, are the very things that she can’t have. True love isn’t an option when you’re told who to marry. Freedom isn’t possible when you’ve been held captive your entire life.
Just when things in her life seem to be falling into place, she learns that she’ll never be free to live or love as she would like. She is a prisoner of prophecy. The dead have been resurrected to guide her. The fallen angels who prowl the Earth want to manipulate her. And the most frightening monsters of all are human.
Can Solara love the one boy prophesied to betray her? Will she learn to embrace her destiny, or will she be crushed by the weight of the world on her shoulders?”
About the Author
Casey L. Bond resides in West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. When she’s not busy being a domestic goddess and chasing her baby girls, she loves to write young adult and new adult fiction.
Find Casey online at…
My Review
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I found Casey L. Bond’s Prisoner of Prophecy to be a creative take on religious doctrine. If you have read scripture, you are familiar with Doubting Thomas and Judas. Bond gave a different spin on their stories by couching them in a prophecy. Genius!
I loved the characters in this story, especially Solara, Riven, and Faric. Solara was an innocent girl who evolved through the course of the story. She developed along with her destiny being revealed. I came to admire her strength and concern for those around her. Riven and Faric were a pair. I didn’t know whether to like them or hate them. In the end, Riven became my favorite. He put his own safety aside to take care of Solara. Let’s say it together now…. NEW BOOK BOYFRIEND!
The supporting characters in Prisoner of Prophecy were prophetic–Ruth, Jacob, Matthias (Matthew), Rafe (short for Rafael), Rachel, Rebekah… Pull out your Bible for references to these names. Very fitting characters for a story based loosely around scripture.
Besides creative characters, the plot was imaginative. I liked how Bond plucked the idea from religious doctrine and built a fantastic piece of fiction.
This was the FIRST book I’ve read by Casey L. Bond. It definitely will not be my last. I liked her writing style and character development.
I highly recommend Prisoner of Prophecy for everyone. It’s a story full of hope and the possibility of second chances.
Rating: 
(5 Hands=Excellent; 4 Hands=Pretty Good; 3 Hands=Good)
A Magical Christmas: A Review of Stormy Smith’s “Bound Together”
Posted: December 8, 2015 in Book ReviewTags: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Goodreads.com Description: “After weeks spent on the road tracking down Immortals still in hiding, Amelia and Aidan are finally ready for some down time. Holed up in a cabin at the base of Mt. Shasta, they prepare to celebrate their first Christmas together.
While Aidan makes secret plans for the celebration, he and Amelia create their own holiday traditions, finding surprises around every corner as they embrace each other and their future together.”
This is book 3.5 in the Bound series!
About the Author
Stormy Smith calls Iowa’s capital home now, but was raised in a tiny town in the Southeast corner of the state. She grew to love books honestly, having a mom that read voraciously and instilled that same love in her. She knew quickly stories of fantasy were her favorite, and even as an adult gravitates toward paranormal stories in any form.
Writing a book had never been an aspiration, but suddenly the story was there and couldn’t be stopped. When she isn’t working on, or thinking about, her books, Stormy’s favorite places include bar patios, live music shows, her yoga mat or anywhere she can relax with her husband or girlfriends.
My Review
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This was the perfect holiday story!
If you’ve read any of the “Bound” series (if the answer is no, put this book down until you’ve read the rest of the series), you are aware of all the turmoil the main characters have experienced. This book was like a vacation in their lives. It was the normalcy that they needed. But, it was also the chance for readers to see the characters in a different, much appreciated, light.
This novella was a quick read. It didn’t offer any new characters (it wasn’t supposed to). This little “side piece” to Aidan and Amelia’s story was welcome. We have enough drama in our day to day lives and so did they. It was nice to have a non-traumatic read.
I totally enjoyed every heart warming moment. Of course, I’m looking forward to reading more about Smith’s great characters. This story will tide me over a little longer.
Thanks for an early Christmas present!
Rating:
(5 Hands=Excellent; 4 Hands=Pretty Good; 3 Hands=Good)
The Chronicles of Light & Dark Release Day
Posted: December 7, 2015 in Book PreviewTags: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Title: The Chronicles of Light and Dark
Series: The Legend of the Archangel book 5
Genre: YA paranormal romance/ fantasy
Designed by: Regina Wamba of Mae I Design and Photography
Release Date: December 7th, 2015
Blurb:
Nephilim are going missing.
Lakyn has been shot.
The world is coming to an end and all clues seem to point to Lucifer’s army.
With Lakyn out of commission, Dyston is forced to fight his battles for him. But there is a problem: he is injured too.
As Scarlett and her friends attempt to find the missing Nephilim and figure out who would want Lakyn dead, a betrayal of the worst kind is about to shatter everyone involved.
In the much anticipated fifth installment of the bestselling Legend of the Archangel series,
Secrets will be unraveled. Sides will be chosen. Lines will be drawn.
Who will choose darkness?
And who will choose light?
L.L. Hunter is the author of over 20 published works, including The Legend of the Archangel Series and The Eden Chronicles. She has studied everything from veterinary nursing, forensic science, and dramatic arts, but has always known her true calling was to be an author. She has been writing since her teens – everything from fan fiction, to song lyrics, to plays and musicals. When not working on her next paranormal romance, she can be found at home in Australia, reading somewhere comfortable with one or both of her “fur babies.”
Social Media
Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/LL-Hunter/110104129132865
Facebook Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/578667812172906/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LLHunterbooks
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Yb84uS
Instagram: @llhunter
Google +: google.com/+LLHunter
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B015ZB1B42
Book Trailer Friday!
Posted: December 4, 2015 in Book TrailerTags: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
We made it to the end of another week! I’m not even starting with the Christmas countdown. I’m not ready…I’m never ready. I was better when my daughter was a little one. Decorating started the day after Thanksgiving. We shopped for her and the dogs. Now I have a college student and the dogs have gone on to the Rainbow Bridge. But enough of that. Let’s see what’s on the book trailer shelf…
Goodreads.com Description: “Darcy Patel has put college and everything else on hold to publish her teen novel, Afterworlds. Arriving in New York with no apartment or friends she wonders whether she’s made the right decision until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wings…
Told in alternating chapters is Darcy’s novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the ‘Afterworld’ to survive a terrorist attack. But the Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead and as Lizzie drifts between our world and that of the Afterworld, she discovers that many unsolved – and terrifying – stories need to be reconciled. And when a new threat resurfaces, Lizzie learns her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she loves and cares about most.”
Have a great weekend!
If you haven’t read my story entry in Utopiacon’s story contest, please take a second to read and vote [click here].
CELEBRATING 5 YEARS OF THE KNIGHT TRILOGY by Katie M John SPECIAL BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!
Posted: November 21, 2015 in Book Thoughts, PromotionTags: #TheKnightTrilogy, Fantasy, Young Adult
This December marks the 5th Year Anniversary of ‘The Knight Trilogy’ and as part of many other things I am doing all over social media, I am giving away this lovely Birthday hamper to one lucky Rafflecopter winner. The giveaway is international and will be delivered by surface mail.
So if you fancy winning a collection of signed paperbacks, jewellery from the magical forest of Broceliande, and many other gorgeous hand crafted book swag goodies, enter the rafflecopter giveaway below.
The Knight Trilogy tells the story of Mina Singer, an ordinary seventeen-year-old college student whose life is nicely ordered until the arrival of the mysterious Blake Beldevier. With his arrival, Mina is catapulted into a world she thought only existed in fairy tales, but she soon learns that fairy tales aren’t for children, and that Morgan Le Fay is the wickedest witch of them all.
In this contemporary Arthurian series, readers are taken on a fantastical adventure from the wilds of rural Cornwall, to the temples of Egypt, to the magical Forest of Broceliande, and to Templar Head Quarters in the savage mountains of Switzerland.
In a true romantic quest, Mina, Blake and her friends have to undertake quests, recover lost objects and under go heart break in order to slay their own personal dragons.
In its 5 years of publication, The Knight Trilogy has been a Number 1 bestselling YA series & Fairy Tale series in both the UK and USA. It has also been a bestselling Amazon.com title. Book 1, ‘The Forest of Adventures’ won Reviewer’s Choice 2011 from The Kindle Book Review, and the series was a finalist in the Silver Ink awards 2013.
Book 1 The Forest of Adventures
Book 2 Immortal Beloved
Book 3 Star Fire
To celebrate, EVERYBODY can get a free eBook edition of ‘The Forest of Adventures’ on all eBook platforms. (Except for Amazon, but PLEASE let them know, using the button at the end of the Amazon page, that it is cheaper elsewhere and hopefully they will drop it to free there too)
iBOOKS https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1055548158
B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-forest-of-a…/1120893224…
KOBO https://store.kobobooks.com/…/eb…/the-forest-of-adventures-1
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Five Seven Five
By C.E. Wilson
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Book Description
Take only what can be used. Take only what won’t be missed. The Creators are watching all of us.
White Frost lives in a world cloaked in darkness and ignorance. While most people in her society are content to live in fearful peace, White’s cousin brings her words from the mysterious Unknown. Strange collections of written words that tease her that there may be more to the world than candlelight and dank hallways.
But when tragedy strikes, White can no longer rely on the words to give her solace. She must discover what lies beyond the only world she’s ever known… no matter the cost.
Eventually, White finds her way to the skies and there she discovers that the tantalizing clues of her words are only pale reflections of the massive and wondrous world above. Colors she never thought possible. Blinding light. And an impossible being who may or may not be the Creator of it all.
But this information comes at a price White Frost is not sure she can pay.
White’s hunger for knowledge proves to be her greatest strength and weakness as she strives to learn more. But as she learns, she has to wonder – is there such a thing as too much information? And what will happen as it brings her closer to a being who could destroy everything she’s ever known?
Find out in Five Seven Five, the first book in a two part series entitled The Boy with Words.
Buy on Amazon.
Author Bio
C.E. Wilson is currently living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband, beautiful daughter, chubby beagle and two cats. They are all the loves of her life. When she’s not writing Young Adult novels, she enjoys writing short stories on DeviantArt. She loves to read and write anything involving giants and little people (also known as G/t) and she can’t decide what she loves more: horror movies or shoujo manga. She has a bachelor’s degree in English Education so she has a soft spot for older literature authors including John Milton, William Shakespeare, and stories such as Paradise Lost and Beowolf. On a side note, nothing helps her to write more than drinking good coffee loaded with lots of cream and watching “The Twilight Zone”.
The Truth Shall Set You Free: A Review of Christina Benjamin’s “The Geneva Project: Truth”
Posted: November 19, 2015 in Book ReviewTags: Fantasy, Magic, Young Adult
Goodreads.com Description: “Trapped on a flood ravaged island full of orphans, natives and wealthy citizens of the prosperous city Lux, a young girl named Geneva finds herself enslaved at an orphanage with no future and a past she can’t remember. That all changes when she meets someone who promises her that there’s more in store for her than she ever could have imagined. Her once dull life rapidly spirals out of control as she starts to acquire new magical powers that may be the key to unlocking an ancient legend along with her true identity. But first she must master these powers, all while trying to keep them secret from her friends and the evil head mistress at the orphanage. Before she knows it, Geneva is in over her head and has inadvertently wrapped her friends into her web of magic and lies and now all of their lives hang in the balance once the head mistress finds out her plan to prove that the legend of Lux may not be a legend at all! Who will Geneva trust and how far will she go to save her friends and find out her true identity?”
About the Author
Young adult book author Christina Benjamin grew up in the small town of La Plume, PA, where at an early age her playful imagination lent itself to love the art of storytelling. She began to write short stories in grade school and continued practicing her craft all the way through college where she attended the University of Central Florida to complete her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Technical Writing.
After spending some time writing for blogs and websites, she was inspired to get back to her true love of telling stories, and dove head first into The Geneva Project, her first novel.
Christina now lives in Florida with her husband, dog and cats and spends her free time writing The Geneva Project series.
Find Christina online at…
Website: http://www.thegenevaprojectbook.com/index.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGenevaProjectBook
Twitter: @AuthorCBenjamin
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6588515.Christina_Benjamin
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Christina-Benjamin
My Review
I loved Christina Benjamin’s The Geneva Project: Truth. It was a creative take on a group of orphans. These misfits, however, are the good guys.
Benjamin did a wonderful job crafting an apocalyptic story centered around mythology. In Truth, the main characters are all orphans living in a twisted foster care system. Although the plot itself is intriguing, it’s the characters that really garner your attention.
Each character has been assigned a number, and they’re not supposed to know their true identities. This is where the story takes off because those identities hold secrets. Nova, Sparrow and Jane 65 were my favorites. Nova was the mysterious hot guy (yes, another book boyfriend) who had everyone eating out of the palm of his hand. Sparrow, like the bird, was very gentle. She was also a loyal and trusting friend. Although very quiet, she was very strong. Jane 65 (Geneva) underestimated herself and her abilities. When finally began learning truths about herself, she began to mature and grow into the person she was meant to be.
An unexpected yet delightful character was Niv, the little marmouse. He didn’t speak or perform any magic. But, he had human qualities that were very charming.
The only issue I had with the entire story was my attempt in imaging the setting. Benjamin did a nice job with the details, but at times the locale seemed Polynesian (the forest) and at others it was a Greek island (the city of Lux). This dichotomy didn’t take away from the story. My mind just wanted a clear cut picture of one place (don’t ask why).
Get ready for a major plot twist at the end of this story. I suspect we’re even going to get a love triangle before Geneva’s tale is done.
All in all, Benjamin gave readers a well-written story about how the truth can indeed be freeing. Knowing your history can make you stronger.
Rating:
(5 Hands=Excellent; 4 Hands=Pretty Good; 3 Hands=Good)
The blog, Us Girls & A Book, is featuring Christina Benjamin on their site this week! Do you have a question you’d like her to answer? Head over to the Us Girls & A Book Facebook page and post your question. She will answer them Friday, November 20, 2015 at 6:30pm EST for an hour or so if time permits.
There’s also a Rafflecopter giveaway for a $10 Amazon Gift Card!
Click here to enter giveaway
Suzanna Lynn’s “The Queen” Blog Tour!
Posted: November 16, 2015 in Adult RomanceTags: Elves, Fairies, Fantasy, historical, Magic
Title: The Queen
Author: Suzanna Lynn
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Tensions are high. While King Ashmur lies on his deathbed, the evil Lord Cadman coerces Mirstone into declaring war on Grasmere and they’re not alone in their malevolent intensions. An evil lurks in the land that threatens to destroy everything in its wake.
While Baylin readies the Kingdom, Luana discovers a secret about her past that makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself.
All Luana and Baylin wish for is to be safe and happy together. However, constant struggles make it seem as though contentment is impossible. Trials and tribulations strain the delicate core of their relationship.
Will war finally succeed in tearing the lovers apart? Will Luana and Baylin’s bond be able to
withstand the hidden secrets, betrayal and warfare?
The Queen was an excellent ending to the Bed Wife Chronicles! Lynn spun a serious twist in the plot with book three. I suspected it, but wasn’t completely certain.
Lynn’s third book had me holding my breath with worry for the fate of the characters which has to be a strong indicator of how much I loved these characters. I’ve said that sometimes I like a good contemporary romance to ‘cleanse my palate’ after reading all the creepiness and post-apocalyptic mayhem. Well, what do I use to get over Lynn’s books? I was left with a serious hangover in between each book. The Queen was no different.
As I said in my review of The Heir–great villains! I’m coming to the conclusion that the best villains are the ones you least expect because they’re hiding amongst those people who are supposed to love you (hint….family). Does that make me really twisted as a writer? (We shall see…)
I found more characters to love in The Queen–Ferric, Faylen, and Queen Valasca. All three of them were strong individuals. I admired them and applauded their individual acts of bravery. Lynn, if you’re reading this, please give them their own platforms to speak! I’d love to read them.
Overall, The Queen, is a well-worthy read. Even if you don’t care for historical romances, you’ll love this book (and all of The Bed Wife Chronicles). Lynn’s wonderful attention to crafting a story won’t disappoint you!
I look forward to reading more by Suzanna Lynn!
Rating:
(5 Hands=Excellent; 4 Hands=Pretty Good; 3 Hands=Good)
Author Suzanna Lynn is a full-time mom of three beautiful, energetic children and lives with her husband and children in a small town nestled in the deep rolling hills of Missouri.
Growing up in the Ozarks, as a child Suzanna spent her days wandered the fields and woods surrounding her home. She would imagine them to be filled with fairies, dragons, and all number of creatures.
Having not lost her childhood imagination, Suzanna has written numerous poems, songs and short stories that have won various awards. However, in 2014 she decided to stop wishing she could write a book, and made the dream a reality.
She is the author of ‘The Bed Wife Chronicles’ series. She also has three other books in the works.
TheWordSmithe 