fuonlyknew

Today we are celebrating the release of BIRTHRIGHT, the fourth full-length novel in the award-winning Ivy Granger urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens.  We have a special book excerpt, commenter prizes, and a HUGE swag giveaway.  So grab a cupcake and some punch.  It’s time to party!

Birthright (Ivy Granger #4) by E.J. Stevens

My Review

I started reading this knowing it was the fourth book in the series. I hadn’t read the other books but I usually don’t have a problem jumping into a series midstream. Not so with this one.

The author has built a fascinating world in her urban fantasy series and to fully appreciate and understand the plot, I’d like to have read this series from the beginning. I’m huge on kick butt female protagonists and Ivy Granger is a new favorite of mine. She’s tough, funny, somewhat vulnerable, and loyal to her friends.  I just wish I’d met her before so I could see her grow with each new trial she faced.

The story starts with Ivy being dead. Supposedly killed for past transgressions. The what’s and why’s are quickly explained so I was able to grasp the scenario.

As I read more, I stumbled some over the characters I met and how they were involved in Ivy’s life. This is where I almost stopped because I felt I needed to go back and start the series at the beginning. But, I didn’t want to stop. I was having fun and starting to feel like I was getting a grasp on some of the back story.

I’m glad I stuck with this book. Once I relaxed and just went with it, I was well entertained and left wanting more.

The writing is strong, the characters are genuine, and the action is fast and furious.

A good series for urban fantasy fans. I’d recommend you read this series from the beginning though. I didn’t and that’s my bad, so it didn’t affect my rating. I’ll be going back and picking it up from the start. It’ll haunt me until I know how it all began.

4 Stars

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Being a faerie princess isn’t all it’s cracked up to be…

Ivy must go to Faerie, but the gateway to the Wisp Court is through Tech
Duinn, the house of Donn—Celtic god of the dead. Just her luck.

Unable to share her secret with Jinx, and with Jenna called away on
Hunters’ Guild business, Ivy must rely on Ceff and Torn to lead her to
Death’s door, literally, and back again. As if that wasn’t dangerous
enough, there’s no saying what horrors lay in store within the Faerie
realm. Too bad the Wisp Court is the one lead Ivy has in the search for
her father—and possible salvation.

Maybe hiding away and dodging sidhe assassins isn’t so bad after all…

Release Date:  July 14, 2015

Genre:  Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Wisps buzzed through the air, their musical humming rising in pitch
as they darted in for a closer look.  I sat on the mossy embankment and
smiled, watching the playful wisps.

With my father’s key helping to guide us, we’d left the deadly bog
and its poisonous gas behind.  I breathed deeply, and let out a happy
sigh.

“I don’t know what you’re so happy about,” Torn said, shaking water
from his hair.  “We’re covered in mud and smell like troll farts.”

It was true.  The sulfurous swamp gasses did smell an awful lot
like something that would come out of Marvin after he ate an entire
cauldron of Kaye’s chili, but I didn’t care.  We were alive.  And so
far, my wisp brethren weren’t trying to kill me.

I’m not sure what it said about my life that the lack of fratricide
upon my homecoming made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  Probably
best not to think too much about it, and just enjoy the moment.

I shrugged, and kept on smiling.

“Well don’t get too comfortable, Fish Breath is on his way over with his pensive face,” Torn said.

He stalked off to sit on a rock a few paces away, but I shrugged
again and closed my eyes, turning my face to the moon and stars above
us.  I wasn’t going to let Torn ruin this moment.

“Are you feeling well?” Ceff asked, settling on the mossy ground beside me.

I cracked an eye open, grinning from ear to ear.

“I feel great, never better,” I said.  In fact, I felt a bit dizzy
and my lips tingled, like I’d had too much to drink.  Only I would get
buzzed off the buzzing of wisps.  “Just buzzed off the buzzing.”

I hiccupped, and giggled, the laugh coming out in an undignified snort that startled the nearest wisps.

“Are you sure that you are not angry, or afraid?” he asked.

I forced myself to look up into Ceff’s face.  His head was titled
to the side, as if listening for something, but his attention was
focused solely on me.

“I’m fiiine, really,” I said, waving a hand.  My eyes widened, and I let out another giggle.  “I’m glowing.”

“Which is probably what has his highness’ panties in a bunch,” Torn
said, coming over to tower above me, arms crossed.  “There is something
weird about seeing you smile like that, especially when you’re
glowing.”

“What?” I asked.  “I smile.”

“Almost never, and when you do, it’s usually because you’re killing
something,” he said.  “Not that I’m judging.  I’m just saying Fish
Breath has a point.  You’re different.”

“She is high on power,” Ceff said, eyes going tight.  “I should
have recognized the signs sooner, but I was focused on our flight
through the bog, and then with releasing the water magic that held our
masks together.”

“You think it’s the wisps?” Torn asked.

“That would be my guess,” Ceff said, rubbing his jaw.

“This didn’t happen after our run in with those wisps in Ocean Overlook cemetery, did it?” Torn asked.

“No,” Ceff said.  “Not that we noticed.  But Ivy was badly wounded
that night, and took days to recover consciousness.  And…I…I was not at
my most attentive.”

That was the night that I’d killed his ex-wife.  Melusine may have
been the raging psychotic bitch who’d murdered his children, and tried
to kill us as well, but that didn’t mean her death had been easy on
Ceff.

The memory of Ceff’s grief flooded me, pushing the giddiness away.

“I think…I think I’m back to normal now,” I said.  I yawned,
covering my mouth with the back of my gloved hand.  Ignoring the
encroaching bone deep fatigue, I tried to pull myself to my feet, but
sank back down when a wave of dizziness nearly toppled me over.  “I just
need a minute.”

“You are exhausted,” Ceff said, brow wrinkling.  “Rest here.  I will keep first watch.”

“But my father’s court…” I said, but my words were cut short by another yawn.

“Will still be there tomorrow,” Torn said.

“Plus, I can scout ahead while you sleep,” Ceff said.  “We will
make better progress if we are rested and certain of the path ahead.”

“Fine,” I said, eyes fluttering closed.  “But just a quick nap.”

The last thing I saw, before losing myself to the darkness of
sleep, was a cloud of wisps hovering over me, lending me their
warmth…and their power.

~~~~~

We are giving away a BIRTHRIGHT t-shirt, button, signed postcard, and mini poster to one lucky winner!

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Giveaway ends August 4, 2015.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In addition to the huge swag pack giveaway, we are also giving away Ivy Granger series stickers, buttons, and signed postcards.  Each tweet, FB post, and blog comment using the hashtag #BirthrightParty will count as an entry.  Winners will be randomly selected throughout the day.  So party with us and spread the word all day July 14th for a second chance to win!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!