Archive for the ‘YA Fantasy’ Category
![Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Book 1) by [Riggs, Ransom]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/518hBjSgSUL._SY346_.jpg)
Light In My Dark ~ Giveaway and Limited Time Sale
Posted: December 28, 2016 in giveaways, YA FantasyTags: giveaway, Light In My Dark, YA Fantasy
The Elf by Max Dune ~ Book Trailer and Giveaway
Posted: December 17, 2016 in giveaways, Trailer, YA FantasyTags: Author Max Dune, excerpt, giveaway, The Elf, trailer, YA Fantasy
The Elf
Max Dune
Publication date: October 18th 2016
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult
This Christmas…it’s war. Grab your weapon and join the fight in this modern Santa Claus retelling with a dark twist. Fans of Guardians of the Galaxy and Avatar will be riveted by The Elf‘s action, humor and romance!Elves are dying in the North Pole, and none of their scientists can find a cure. They believe it’s a virus, unleashed by a powerful enemy. All signs point to Jack Frost, who’s been biding his time from afar. Watching. Waiting. Plotting. One brave elf, to save his kind, will venture out to meet evil in the eye. But he uncovers a mystery more dangerous than he could have ever imagined. Now Lucian must join a group of warriors and fight. Fuego; a flame-wielding pyro. Tiktok; a brilliant bomb expert, Yuriko; a deadly ninja assassin. And Bullets; a hot-headed gun aficionado. These unlikely heroes must learn to work together and defeat the rising evil. Or Christmas will soon be lost…forever.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo
BOOK TRAILER
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Enjoy the excerpt.
“Where are you going?” I taunt. “There’s nowhere to hide.”
Jack Frost doesn’t answer. Under the canopy of winter-crystallized trees, he crawls across the snow. His tall, muscular body leaves a trail of berry-red blood behind him. He looks desperate to put distance between us.
I begin to whistle softly and draw closer to admire my handiwork. Broken nose. Swollen eye. An arrow buried deep in his leg. Ah, such a beautiful sight to behold. I turn to Blitzen, my most loyal of companions, and smile. “Thank you, friend. Without you, I wouldn’t have made it.”
Blitzen gives an affirmative snort, staying close to our sleigh and supplies. His strong legs and zesty spirit had kept me alive for the last two weeks. The Artic is a cold house for the unwary. Nothing in it ever stirs. Nothing moves. Nothing sings. Yet he had guided me through it, his hooves detonating like muffled grenades as they crunched the powdery snow. We’d traveled over timeworn mountains, through tomblike valleys and flash-frozen rivers. I plan on rewarding Blitzen with his favorite food once we’re back in Santa’s Village. It’ll be agaric mushrooms for life. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
First things first though: I cock my crossbow.
Clink.
Upon hearing that sound, Frost forces his knees and elbows to move faster. He fights for his life like a desperate wild animal at death’s door. The expression of terror on his face is absolutely priceless. I wonder if he’ll start begging soon. Even if he does, it won’t do him any good. I won’t hesitate to pull the trigger and send one final bolt into his black heart.
For my friends…for my parents…
“Mmm,” I utter, savoring the moment. “This is even better than I imagined.” As I loom over him, a sudden wave of fury grips me. I violently plant my boot in his shoulder, prompting a muffled groan from him. Through gritted teeth I hiss, “And I’ve imagined this a lot.”
I remove my foot. Frost rolls over onto his back and gazes up at me in defeat. “Don’t do this, Lucian. Please.”
Ah, finally.
“Do you think begging is going to help? It didn’t help my parents or the other elves. They died just the same, all shaking, bleeding, and crying…and all because of you.” I point the loaded crossbow at his chest. “Now it’s your turn to die.”
“Wait!” He lifts up a trembling hand. “I can grant you great powers, unimaginable abilities, even immortality! Y-you could be the most powerful elf who’s ever lived!”
“Power?” I scoff. “I don’t want power. This is all I want.”
“Revenge won’t bring your parents back.”
I consider his words for a moment and do see the truth in them, but the rage inside pushes me on. “No, but it’s going to feel pretty good.” My finger slides the safety off.
Frost’s eyes widen.
Bzzz-bzzz-bzzz…
Suddenly a deep, loud sound echoes all about us, seemingly coming from every direction. They disturb the serene beauty of this frozen, crystal paradise where Frost is meant to meet his doom. Puzzled, I lower my crossbow and search for the source. My eyes scan through the tall, gray trees, their skeletal wooden arms knocking against one another in the slight breeze, but I catch nothing in my gaze except the clear, blue skies beyond. What the heck’s going on? Confused, I dart my eyes in every direction. And why is that annoying buzzing getting louder?
Beep! Beep! Beep!
A sense of déjà vu hits me.
Wait! That sound… Isn’t that…?
The beeping continues to assault my ears for several more moments, muddling my senses.
“No!” I wail when I finally remember. “No! Not yet!”
My desperate cries prove futile, though, as my crossbow melts in my hands. Its liquefied remnants splash at my feet. It doesn’t take long for the surrounding trees to follow suit, forming charcoal-gray puddles on the ground. Blitzen, too, begins to disintegrate where he stands. His fur, flesh, and bones dissolves into a paste and seep into the ground
“No!” Without wasting time, I jump on Frost, wrap my hands around his cold neck, and begin to viciously choke him. “I’ll kill you with my bare hands!”
Rather than panicking or pleading for mercy, he only laughs in my face, knowing full well it’s too late. His flesh quickly melts like hot wax until my fingers are kneading the remaining mess.
I punch the ground with my fists again and again, even as they start melting away. “Come on! I just needed another minute!”
As I beg for more time, I feel my bones softening, becoming more pliable, like iron morphing into licorice. Soon I am unable to hold my weight, and I topple over, falling to the icy ground.
Author Max Dune
Max Dune is a Southern writer who spent most his childhood watching TV, devouring comic books and weaving magical worlds in his head. In his mid-twenties, he decided to follow his true passion. He has since created a number of short stories, novels, screenplays and TV pilots. To be alerted to future books and giveaways, please sign up for his newsletter at http://eepurl.com/b5Is91
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!
For a list of my reviews go HERE.
For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE
To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky Christmas kitty below!
Saturday Screams #21 and Creepy Christmas
Posted: December 10, 2016 in Action/Adventure, Adult Fiction, Children's books, horror, reviews, YA FantasyTags: children's and YA, fantasy, Horror, reviews
Welcome to my Saturday Screams.
Got some good ones to share today. A little bit of horror and some fun fantasy.
Let’s get to it!
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Killer Young Adult Fiction
Shocking Tales Of Horror And The Post-Apocalypse
by Jackson Dean Chase
Genre: YA Horror / Post-Apocalypse
My Review
I’m quite fond of collections and love horror and I’m so glad I read these.
Mr. Chase gives you thrills and chills with short stories, poems and books. That saying, “You’ve been warned,” definitely applies here as the author pulls no punches in his descriptions.
From the supernatural to the paranormal to otherworldly, entities of terror roam these pages. The horror and suspense will have you looking over your shoulder at that noise behind you and glancing fearfully at that phantom something you glimpse out of the corner of your eye.
Be sure you have a torch handy in case the lights go out.
I’d recommend reading this at night so you get the full affects!
4 Stars
Synopsis
Killer Young Adult Fiction is the perfect midnight read. Demons, Ghosts, Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies and more are waiting inside…
This deluxe collector’s edition contains the complete 6-book Young Adult Horror series, plus two bonus books: “Hard Times in Dronetown,” and the all-new post-apocalypse shocker, “Alien Rain.”
That’s over 400 scary pages by YA’s best and brightest new talent!
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Creepy Christmas
by Toby Bennett
Genre: Horror and Macabre Collection
My Review
You get five tales of horror and strange in this collection. And a bonus story about a sunbathing vampire.
These brief nibbles dabble in some dark horror. No characters are safe and there’s more than one kind of monster to fear.
I don’t like to play favorites so I won’t name any, but I sure would like a couple of these to be enlarged upon.
I got a sense of the author’s humor in these pages too, especially with the sunbathing vampire.
If you like quickies, these would be some fun stocking stuffers.
3 Stars
Synopsis
A ghoulish collection of zany and macabre tales that you can use to while away the long hours until it’s time to take the tree down again.
Thrill to “The Chimney Trap” – A boy sets out to catch Santa but what is really in that cage on the roof?
Howl at the sound of “Santa’s Paws” an interlude with werewolves based entirely on a weak pun.
Stuff yourself with the macabre contents of “Someone always feeds the children” – blind cannibals and a squirming Christmas dinner.
Feel the mounting fear of the man who truly discovered Santa in his monolithic tomb, “That is not dead that makes us eternal buy”!
Or just get away from it all in the sun with the “Recreational Vampire”
Something for everyone – as long as everyone likes five types of stories in: Toby Bennett’s Creepy Christmas.
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Creepy Christmas
by Jaimie Admans
Genre: YA Children’s / YA Fantasy
My Review
All Kaity wants for Christmas is her parents to get back togehter. But there’s a problem, or several.
Mom’s new boyfriend for one. He gives Kaity the creeps.
And what’s with the snowmen. They mysteriously showed up one night. There’s something not right about them. And was Kaity mistaken, or was the one in her garden now closer to their house?
Anti-Claus is in town and trange scary things start to happen.it’s up to Kaity to get to the bottom of things and save Christmas.
Don’t let the ambiguous cover fool you. This is a delightful and a bit creepy Christmas tale of hope, friendship, and family. There are some heart-warming characters along with some creepy ones.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much depth there actually was to this story.
Grab a cuppa something hot, snuggle in, and enjoy this charming tale.
4 Stars
Synopsis
Strange things are occurring in the neighbourhood. A mysterious snowfall, one Santa too many, and eyes of coal that watch you wherever you go.
Ten-year-old Kaity is busy trying to get rid of her mum’s creepy new boyfriend and reunite her divorced parents, but her curiosity gets the better of her when she meets the new mall Santa and his enchanting daughter Blizzard. Can Kaity help them save Christmas from being destroyed by Anti-Claus – a pretend Santa who is a permanent member of the naughty list?
It’s Christmas in the village of Chelferry, but this year the snowmen can move, the fairy won’t stay on top of the Christmas tree, and if you listen closely to the musical Christmas cards, you can hear the faint sound of screaming over the Jingle Bells…
Creepy Christmas is a 50,000 word (approx 200 pages) novel suitable for ages 8 and upwards.
This is free right now. Click on the link below to grab a copy.
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!
For a list of my reviews go HERE.
For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE
To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky Christmas kitty below!
Snowed by Maria Alexander ~ Blitz and Giveaway
Posted: December 3, 2016 in giveaways, Mystery, YA FantasyTags: Author Maria Alexander, giveaway, mystery, Snowed, YA Fantasy
Snowed
Maria Alexander
Publication date: November 2nd 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Young Adult
Charity Jones is a 16-year-old engineering genius who’s much-bullied for being biracial and a skeptic at her conservative school in Oak County, California. Everything changes when Charity’s social worker mother brings home a sweet teen runaway named Aidan to foster for the holidays. Matched in every way, Charity and Aidan quickly fall in love. But it seems he’s not the only new arrival: Charity soon finds the brutally slain corpse of her worst bully and she gets hard, haunting evidence that the killer is stalking Oak County. As she and her Skeptics Club investigate this death and others, they find at every turn the mystery only grows darker and more deadly. One thing’s for certain: there’s a bloody battle coming this holiday season that will change their lives – and human history – forever.
Will they be ready?
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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SNEAK A PEEK AT CHAPTER 3:
I can hear Mom and Dad chatting in the living room, asking questions. Another softer voice with a strange accent gives staccato answers.
“Charity?” Mom calls out. She sounds annoyed.
I shuffle through the foyer, inhaling the smell of baking lasagna. When I enter the family room, Mom and Dad are sitting on the couch with mugs, tea bag tags draped over the edges. Some guy I don’t know sits with them in the easy chair. I can’t help checking him out. He’s my age, average height, with skin pale as cream and wavy ebony hair. His light blue eyes shimmer under long, inky lashes. His wrinkled, striped dress shirt is much too big for his narrow shoulders, and his scuffed black boots with pointed toes peek out from the cuffs of his baggy jeans. He gives off a weird vibe, like he’s been in prison or working for suicide bombers.
He must be a stray.
My mom’s a social worker. She’s always bringing home people for meals. Damaged people.
Mom wraps an arm around my shoulders, kissing my ear. “Where have you been? Did you get my message?”
I shake my head.
“Hey. How’d it go?” Dad hugs me as well. I kiss his big scruffy face.
They are being very nice. Something’s up.
“Not great. I’ll tell you later.” I stare at our visitor.
“Charity, this is Aidan MacNichol. Aidan, this is my daughter, Charity.”
“How do you do?” He holds out his hand. His eyes barely meet mine. His voice is a notch higher than I expect and kind of sing-song. What century is this guy from? Who says stuff like that?
“Hi,” I say and give him The Boneless Hand. I’m touching you but I’m not happy about it.
Except I am. His skin is incredibly soft, like my mom’s charmeuse dress. He
lets go. At the last second, I almost don’t.
And he almost doesn’t, either.
“Where’s your brother?” Dad asks.
“I don’t know. In jail?”
“Charity, stop it,” Mom sighs.
“What? I never know where he is.”
A car roars into the gravel driveway. It must be Charles’ ride. The music escaping the car windows sounds like someone is grinding the air into steel shavings. As the car retreats, Charles bursts through the front door and makes for the staircase.
“Hey! Charles, come here.” Dad motions to him.
Charles looks as if he’d rather snack on rat poison than join us, but he does.
“Hey.” Charles lifts his chin at Aidan. Aidan nods back.
“We want to talk to you guys.” Mom puts her hand on Aidan’s shoulder.
“Aidan is going to be staying with us for a little while.”
“This is bullshit,” Charles announces and heads for the staircase. He looks
at Aidan. “No offense.”
“Hey, get back here!” Dad yells.
“No family meeting? You just drop this on us?” I ask.
Mom looks mortally offended. “Charity!”
“It’s not fair. We never get a say in anything that happens around here. Not about Aunt Bulimia—”
“Aunt Bellina.”
“Or the dog I wanted?”
“Honey, you know Charles is allergic.”
“The only thing he’s allergic to is school!”
“Shut up, Cherry.” Charles glares at me, his hamster face squinching up.
“We have guests from my work all the time,” Mom says, “and you’ve never cared before.”
“Yeah, for dinner.”
Aidan slinks back, hands in his pants pockets. He watches the sky through the sliding glass door on the far wall of the living room. He’s humming a familiar tune under his breath. I can’t quite place it.
“I should go.”
Aidan’s announcement cuts through the room. Everyone falls silent.
“I can’t stay here,” he says. “I’m sorry, Mr. Jones. You’ve been very kind.”
“You’re not going anywhere, Aidan.” Mom invokes The Voice. It’s from her days as a trial lawyer. “If you leave, I have to call the authorities. You’re underage, your legal residency is in question, and the county has put you in our care. You can stay with us or you can go to juvy.” Mom darkened. “I don’t recommend juvy.”
“Neither does Charles,” I say.
“Shut up, Cherry!”
Aidan sighs. “I don’t know what this ‘juvy’ is but I suppose I don’t want to go.”
“Are you from like England or something?” Charles asks.
Aidan looks confused. “I beg your pardon?”
“Where is he sleeping?” I ask.
“Your room,” Dad says.
My face heats with horror. I bury it in my hands.
“Kidding!” Dad says, throwing an arm around me for a bear squeeze.
“Sewing room. Now let’s have some chow.”
Mom shuttles us to the dining table. She interrogates Charles as to why he stinks like cigarette smoke, but he claims it’s from riding with his friend Noah. I say nothing. As we set the table, she brings out the salad and lasagna, which smells heavenly.
Humiliation and disappointment haven’t affected my appetite at all, apparently. I wish something would.
I notice that Aidan holds the fork like he’s strangling it. He scrapes the plate. Everyone winces. Where is this guy from? And why is he so strange? Who doesn’t know how to use a fork?
I want to flee to my room to cry but I can’t. I want to make up with Keiko. I feel terrible about that fight. But Mom has laid down the law: No running off before the meal is over. Supposedly this encourages Charles to stay put and bond with us. If I ran upstairs and flung myself onto the bed now, I’d be doubly busted because we have a guest. I just want to be alone and this weird stranger is keeping me from my snug room where I can just melt down.
“Are you all right?” Aidan looks at me, concerned. “Don’t worry. It wasn’t
you who misbehaved at school today.”
Wait—what? How could he know? Or does he?
Mom shoots Aidan an anxious look, then me. “Honey, is there something going on?”
“Cherry started a riot at school today,” Charles offers.
“A riot?” Dad eyes me with disbelief.
“Shut up! That’s not what happened!”
“And then she made the Christian girls cry.”
“Charity!” Mom says. “Was this your club?”
“Mom, I didn’t do anything to anyone.”
“Then they sent Cherry like a million text messages so she can’t use her phone anymore.” Charles beams with triumph.
I want to slam his face into the Pyrex dish. “You! Did you give them my cell number?” My face heats with the rage. My hand balls into a fist on the table.
“That’s enough.” Dad points at Charles. “Did you give out your sister’s cell number?”
“Of course not,” Charles says, indignant. Dad eyes him suspiciously, but lets it drop. There is no justice.
Mom wearily passes Dad the wine bottle. “Charity, what happened?”
“Nothing. I put up a flyer about the Skeptic’s Club and the BFJs picketed my meeting, calling me a lot of unspeakable names. They harassed everyone who was there. They were harassing me with texts calling me a Satanist even before the club meeting. I had to turn off my phone. That’s why I didn’t get your call.” Tears scald the corners of my eyes.
“Where were the school officials?” Mom asks. “I can’t believe they let this happen!”
“Don’t worry. Mr. Vittorio told me he’s reporting it. He’s the librarian.”
Aidan sits with his hands folded in his lap, eyes trailing to the window.
Mom narrows her eyes at Dad and polishes off her glass of wine.
And then there’s Keiko… I can’t take it anymore. I manage to stand up and choke out, “Excuse me,” before dashing for my room.
I hear Charles complaining behind me. “So Cherry gets to have a tampon tizzy and get out of dishes?”
I slam the door and the tears spill out. As I fall on the bed, I look to Mr. Spotty and Miss Yoyodyne, who squat beside my desk. These aren’t stuffed animals. They’re robots I built. I feel like kicking one of my plastic component bins but I hurt so much, I just double over on the bed.
Footsteps pound up the stairs and Mom taps on my door. I know her knock.
“Come in.”
Mom sits on the bed and hugs me. Between sobs, I tell her what happened with Keiko.
“Honey, these people are serious bullies. Do you want me and Dad to talk to the principal?”
“No. That’ll only make it worse. Besides, the school says they’ll deal with it. Can we wait and see what happens?”
She looks unconvinced, wiping hair out of my eyes. “If they lay a hand on you…”
“…I have a good lawyer.”
After Mom leaves, I text Keiko.
I’m so sorry, K. Please don’t be mad. I won’t put up any more flyers. I promise! Xoxo
As I read One Hundred Years of Solitude for AP English, I can hear thebumps and scrapes of Dad and Charles setting up the cot in the sewing room. Despite his protests, Charles enjoys showing off that he can lift more than Dad, who had back surgery several months ago. Mom digs through the sewing room closet. “We’ll get you more clothes this weekend,” I hear her tell Aidan. They wish each other a good night.
After two long hours of AP Calculus followed by Honors Chemistry and French, I eventually crawl into bed, exhausted and wishing that I believed in something—anything—that I could pray to and make things okay with Keiko.
Everything falls quiet except for Aidan. I hear him humming. The wall is thin between us.
I remember hearing Mom crying in the sewing room after we first moved here. She and Dad weren’t getting along. I hate thinking of my mom being weak. She has to be strong, the badass lawyer who torches anything in her way with her words. I love her for that. To hear her sobbing was haunting.
Aidan keeps humming. It’s that same tune as before but this time I know what it is.
Carol of the Bells.
A Christmas song.
Author Bio:
Maria Alexander is a produced screenwriter, published games writer, virtual world designer, award-winning copywriter, interactive theatre designer, fiction writer, snarkiologist and poet. Her short stories have appeared in numerous publications and acclaimed anthologies alongside living legends such as David Morrell and Heather Graham.
Her debut novel, Mr. Wicker, won the 2014 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. She’s represented by Alex Slater at Trident Media Group.
When she’s not wielding a katana at her Shinkendo dojo, she’s being outrageously spooky or writing Doctor Who filk. She lives in Los Angeles with two ungrateful cats and a purse called Trog.
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!
For a list of my reviews go HERE.
For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE
To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky Flamingos below!
The Bloodmark Saga by Aurora Whittet ~ Review for Bloodmoon #3 and Giveaway
Posted: November 18, 2016 in giveaways, reviews, Series, YA FantasyTags: Author Aurora Whittet, giveaway, review, The Bloodmark Saga, YA Fantasy
Welcome back. So glad you stopped by for my third review in this exciting series. Today I’m reviewing Bloodmoon.
Enjoy the review.
And don’t forget to enter the giveaway
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Bloodmark
The Bloodmark Saga Book One
by Aurora Whittet
Genre: YA Fantasy
Click HERE for my Review.
Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old werewolf princess Ashling Boru is different from other wolves–she was able to shift to a wolf at birth. Rather than bringing pride to her family, it brings fear, and she is sent to live in Ireland’s secluded countryside. Ashling’s reputation is further blackened when she refuses her betrothed, defying the ancient laws. When her pack’s oldest rivals begin to hunt her, she finds herself in the small town of York Harbor, Maine, far from everything she’s known.
When she crosses paths with dark and rebellious Grey Donavan, something ignites within her soul. There’s just one problem: Grey is human. Their instant connection turns into a passionate romance, and Ashling begins to believe she can create her own life outside of wolf laws. When she uncovers long-buried pack secrets that threaten to destroy all she holds dear, Ashling’s courage and tenacity are tested. Will she choose her deep and enduring love for Grey or will she follow Old Mother’s path to her destiny?
Buy Bloodmark: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Bloodrealms (Book #2)
Click HERE for my Review.
Synopsis
Werewolf princess Ashling Boru’s eighteenth birthday is only a year away, which means that she only has twelve months before she is claimed and fulfills her prophecy to unite the packs and lead her people. Her father decrees that her four suitors must fight in the Bloodrealms, the werewolves’ ancient underground fighting world, and the winner will have King Boru’s choice to win Ashling’s hand. The wolf laws are rigid and barbaric, and Ashling’s illicit love for Grey, if discovered, will mean his death. But when Ashling and Grey get trapped in the blood-soaked depths of the Bloodrealms, they find ancient horrors far greater than Ashling’s father’s rule.
With betrayal around every corner and old nemeses set to destroy Ashling, she is more divided than ever between the destiny she didn’t choose and the love that she did. To make matters worse, her decision will not only set the course of her future, but the future of her entire race.
Buy Bloodrealms: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Bloodmoon (Book #3)
My Review
All I can say is, Holy Batman, people! What an ending to a great series.
So, Ashling has now assumed her place as the Crimson Queen. She’s been to hell and back. And now she has to go back yet again. But she won’t be alone. Her pack will be with her. This is the final battle. The one that prophecy foretold. Everything hangs in the balance.
This will be kind of short as there’s no way to talk about a book this far into the series without those nasty spoilers.
I adored this last book. So much bloody action. So much pain and loss. But also, so much hope. So much love. So much triumph.
There were some really harrowing scenes, especially in the Bloodrealm. Creatures and evil you can’t even begin to imagine crawl out from under their rocks. There were those times I held my breath, and if this were a movie, I’d have been peeking through my fingers. I so wanted everyone I cared about to survive. But, it’s not my story and there’s much to be said for feeling a wide range of emotions while reading a story.
Loved the series and loved the ending.
5 Stars
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Synopsis
Just months shy of her claiming at Carrowmore and fulfilling a centuries-old prophecy, werewolf Ashling Boru has stepped into her role as the Crimson Queen. She finally has the support of her pack and her love for Grey is stronger than ever.
But it’s not easy being queen. Ashling’s guardian, Baran, has been captured by the Dvergars, a family of evil wolves who will stop at nothing to possess Ashling’s power and destroy everything–and everyone–she loves. Ashling must unite the clans and build an army to stand against the Dvergars before it’s too late. Unfortunately, the Dvergars also have armies of the darkest creatures the world has ever known.
Shadows loom, growing ever larger as generations of pack secrets begin to unfold. Ashling’s people, the humans they protect, and Old Mother Earth herself all hang in the balance of Ashling’s choices. Will Ashling have to forsake her true love to save the world? And will she have the strength to do it? Bloodmoon is the thrilling conclusion to the Bloodmark Saga.
Buy Bloodmoon: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Author Aurora Whittet
Aurora Whittet started out as a wild red-haired girl in Minnesota dreaming up stories for her friends to read. Mama’s Knight: A Cancer Story of Love is just the latest in a string of acclaimed works. Her first official writing endeavor became The Bloodmark Saga, featuring a werewolf princess-turned-ruler who falls in love with a human boy. Her first novel in the Bloodmark Saga, Bloodmark, came out in 2013, followed by Bloodrealms in 2014 and the final book Bloodmoon in 2016.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
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The Bloodmark Saga by Aurora Whittet ~ Review of Bloodrealms #2 and Giveaway
Posted: November 17, 2016 in giveaways, reviews, Series, YA FantasyTags: Author Aurora Whittet, giveaway, review, The Bloodmark Saga, YA Fantasy
Welcome back to the tour! I have my review of Boodrealms, Book Two all ready for you. And be sure to stop back by tomorrow for my review of Bloodmoon.
While you’re here, don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
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Bloodmark
The Blood Mark Saga #1
by Aurora Whittet
Genre: YA Fantasy
Click HERE for my review.
Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old werewolf princess Ashling Boru is different from other wolves–she was able to shift to a wolf at birth. Rather than bringing pride to her family, it brings fear, and she is sent to live in Ireland’s secluded countryside. Ashling’s reputation is further blackened when she refuses her betrothed, defying the ancient laws. When her pack’s oldest rivals begin to hunt her, she finds herself in the small town of York Harbor, Maine, far from everything she’s known.
When she crosses paths with dark and rebellious Grey Donavan, something ignites within her soul. There’s just one problem: Grey is human. Their instant connection turns into a passionate romance, and Ashling begins to believe she can create her own life outside of wolf laws. When she uncovers long-buried pack secrets that threaten to destroy all she holds dear, Ashling’s courage and tenacity are tested. Will she choose her deep and enduring love for Grey or will she follow Old Mother’s path to her destiny?
Buy Bloodmark: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Book Description for Bloodrealms (Book #2)
My Review
I enjoyed Bloodmark, the first book in this series, and I knew there was so much going to happen in Bloodrealms.
There sure is a whole lot going on. Ashling now has four suitors vying for the right to claim her as their bride. A couple of them seem to really love her. One seems to want Ashling as a trophy. And then there’s Eamon. I really don’t like that guy. Something is wrong about him.
There’s also someone or something watching Ashling. She’s attacked numerous times and barely escapes with her life.
Things get bloodier, even more dangerous, when Ashling and Grey enter the Bloodrealms. It’s a place of darkness and treachery. And evil from long ago roams there, waiting for more victims.
Holy cow. It was so hard to read the last half of this book. Grey, Brychan, Channing, and Eamon all have to fight in the arena. The last one standing will win the right to marry Ashling. I’m telling you, aside from Eamon,I was hard pressed to choose a favorite. All of these guys grew on me. The suspense was so intense. I’m still feeling it.
I feel I should explain about my feelings towards Eamon. He’s standoffish, gruff, and something isn’t quite right about him. I did get his story and it’s powerful.
I didn’t bond with Ashling that much in the first book. She changed so much in this one. I wondered how a teenage girl could step into the role of the Crimson Queen, unite the packs, and protect all living things. Sounds like a lot for one little girl.
Ashling grew page by page. She matured, found that stuff inside that she didn’t know she had. Became what she was meant to be. The pack chose her. She became The Chosen One. The author did a splendid job of achieving all of this in a way that made me forget this was a fantasy. I laughed with the pack. Cried with them. Fought with them. I became a part of the pack while reading their stories.
While the first book took a bit to grab me, this one did right from the beginning. The pace is fast, the romance is tangled and messy, and the intrigue, darkness, and violence really ramp up.
There’s no way I can stop with this series now. And lucky me, I already have the third book, Bloodmoon. That title alone gives me the shivers. Can’t wait.
5 Stars
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Synopsis
Werewolf princess Ashling Boru’s eighteenth birthday is only a year away, which means that she only has twelve months before she is claimed and fulfills her prophecy to unite the packs and lead her people. Her father decrees that her four suitors must fight in the Bloodrealms, the werewolves’ ancient underground fighting world, and the winner will have King Boru’s choice to win Ashling’s hand. The wolf laws are rigid and barbaric, and Ashling’s illicit love for Grey, if discovered, will mean his death. But when Ashling and Grey get trapped in the blood-soaked depths of the Bloodrealms, they find ancient horrors far greater than Ashling’s father’s rule.
With betrayal around every corner and old nemeses set to destroy Ashling, she is more divided than ever between the destiny she didn’t choose and the love that she did. To make matters worse, her decision will not only set the course of her future, but the future of her entire race.
Buy Bloodrealms: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Book Description for Bloodmoon (Book #3)
Synopsis
Just months shy of her claiming at Carrowmore and fulfilling a centuries-old prophecy, werewolf Ashling Boru has stepped into her role as the Crimson Queen. She finally has the support of her pack and her love for Grey is stronger than ever.
But it’s not easy being queen. Ashling’s guardian, Baran, has been captured by the Dvergars, a family of evil wolves who will stop at nothing to possess Ashling’s power and destroy everything–and everyone–she loves. Ashling must unite the clans and build an army to stand against the Dvergars before it’s too late. Unfortunately, the Dvergars also have armies of the darkest creatures the world has ever known.
Shadows loom, growing ever larger as generations of pack secrets begin to unfold. Ashling’s people, the humans they protect, and Old Mother Earth herself all hang in the balance of Ashling’s choices. Will Ashling have to forsake her true love to save the world? And will she have the strength to do it? Bloodmoon is the thrilling conclusion to the Bloodmark Saga.
Buy Bloodmoon: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Author Aurora Whittet
Aurora Whittet started out as a wild red-haired girl in Minnesota dreaming up stories for her friends to read. Mama’s Knight: A Cancer Story of Love is just the latest in a string of acclaimed works. Her first official writing endeavor became The Bloodmark Saga, featuring a werewolf princess-turned-ruler who falls in love with a human boy. Her first novel in the Bloodmark Saga, Bloodmark, came out in 2013, followed by Bloodrealms in 2014 and the final book Bloodmoon in 2016.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
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Jack Templar And The Last Battle ~ Excerpt and Giveaway
Posted: November 14, 2016 in Action/Adventure, giveaways, YA FantasyTags: Author Jeff Gunhus, giveaway, Jack Templar and the Last Battle, YA Fantasy
Jack Templar and the Last Battle by Jeff Gunhus
In the last book of the Jack Templar series, Jack and his friends race to stop Ren Lucre before he launches this Creach army against humankind. But the Lord of the Lesser Creach and the Lord of the Zombies hold the last two Jerusalem Stones Jack needs to have any chance of success. To make matters worse, the Oracle predicts that one of their group will die in the upcoming fight, and Jack discovers betrayal among those he trusts most.
Even so, Jack must find the courage to lead his friends into battle. Either they collect the Stones in time to defeat Ren Lucre or die trying. It’s “Do your duty, come what may” no matter the cost. The fate of the world hangs in the balance.
Enjoy this glimpse inside.
I pushed on the heavy wood door hanging awkwardly on its hinges, creaking back and forth as if drawn in and out by some great beast inside the cottage. Like the first time I’d been there, it was dark and dingy inside, lit only by a few candles and the glowing embers of a dying fire in the hearth.
Trophy heads still covered the walls: trolls, ogres, werewolves, and more Creach all killed by the witch over her many decades avenging the death of her son, Talib. The low, flickering light of the candles cast bizarre shadows about the room, making the heads seem somehow alive. But the witch had plucked the eyes out from each mount and tied the eyelids shut with thick string, ensuring they were dead. I touched my fingers to my own eyes, imagining my head on the wall. I swallowed hard but found my throat completely dry.
“Bella of the Woods,” I called. “You and I had an agreement. I am here to honor it. I expect you will do the same.”
A scratching sound came from the right side of the chimney where the stonework came out several feet from the wall, creating a corner of dark shadow. It took me a few seconds to realize the sound was actually a low, rasping laugh.
“Honor?” the voice said. “How dare you speak that word in my house? What honor has a hunter? What honor has a Creach?”
I slowly pulled my sword from my side. Against her magic, I didn’t suppose it would do much good, but it sure made me feel a lot better to have the cold steel in my hand.
“You call me both a hunter and Creach, so you know what I am,” I said, addressing the black shadow where the witch’s voice seemed to come from. “But you made the bargain with me nonetheless.”
“You come with the Jerusalem Stone from the Demon Lord himself?” the witch asked.
“I do.”
“Show me.”
I reached into my front pocket and pulled out the smooth stone, so plain that it could have been any stone on the edge of a road or under the flowing waters of a mountain stream. Yet so many had fought and died over the centuries to possess the five of them. My own ancestor, Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, had been the last monster hunter to hold all five – and he had been burned at the stake as a heretic by those who wanted the Stones to themselves.
“Where’s the other?” the witch said.
“You have it,” I replied.
“No, you said you would return here with two stones.” A shadow moved from the black hole next to the chimney, somehow darker than what was around her. The witch’s voice rose higher, laced with bitter anger. “One from the Lord of the Demons and the other from the Lord of the Vampires. You promised to bring two.”
“I didn’t have –”
“YOU PROMISED!” she shouted, the inside of the cottage whipping up in a whirlwind all around me. Debris flew through the air. Dust shook from the collapsed part of the roof, and the walls creaked as if bending to the will of a great storm. The wind kicked up flames from the embers in the fireplace. The log roared to life, casting light on the witch now standing in front of me.
Gone was the young, beautiful woman who had faced me only two weeks earlier. Her hair, which had been so long that it dragged on the floor, was gone. Cuts and scabs crossed her scalp as if a knife had roughly scraped off her hair. Her face looked pinched, lips pressed together tight, cheeks caved in as if she was in pain. Eyes that had burned into me before now stared at me dully, lifeless and covered with phlegm.
“What happened to you?” I asked, the words out of my mouth before I could stop them.
Author Jeff Gunhus
Jeff Gunhus is the USA TODAY bestselling author of thriller and horror novels for adults and the middle grade/YA series, The Templar Chronicles. The first book, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year-old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. His books for adults have reached the Top 30 on Amazon, have been recognized as Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Finalists and reached the USA TODAY bestseller list.
After his experience with his son, he is passionate about helping parents reach young reluctant readers and is active in child literacy issues. As a father of five, he leads an active life in Maryland with his wife Nicole by trying to constantly keep up with their kids. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel or on JeffGunhus.com.
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$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway
Ends 11/30/16
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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The Bloodmark Saga by Aurora Whittet ~ Review of Bloodmark #1 and Giveaway
Posted: November 10, 2016 in giveaways, reviews, Series, YA FantasyTags: Author Aurora Whittet, giveaway, review, The Bloodmark Saga, YA Fantasy
Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Bloodmark Saga by Aurora Whittet!
My stop today will feature all three books and I’ll be sharing my review of Bloodmark #1.
Enjoy the showcase and review.
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
And be sure to stop back by on November 17th and 18th for my reviews of Bloodrealms #2 and Bloodmoon #3.
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Bloodmark
The Bloodmark Saga #1
by Aurora Whittet
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Review
Okay, this felt very familiar. I couldn’t help but feel the resemblance to a certain vampire series. Though this is about werewolves, the plot seemed similar. I’m sure that’s hard to avoid with the explosion of fantasy books. This worried me as I was truly wanting to enjoy the series.
Turns out I did. Those similarities quickly vanish as the author builds her world and weaves intrigue and danger into her character’s lives.
Ashling’s ability to shift into a wolf at birth is viewed as a curse by her father. She’s sent away to live a secluded life until time to receive her mark. When that time comes, her father has other plans for her. Plans she can’t abide.
Shunned by her father, pursued by her enemies, Ashling must leave her family and winds up in Maine, trying to blend in with the humans and hide among them.
There were some things about this story I really liked. The idea that werewolves are humanities protectors. The inner workings of their royal court. And there were some intense action scenes.
What didn’t work for me was the insta-love. I’ve never been a fan of character’s falling deeply in love without really knowing each other. That and love triangles irk me. Needless to say, Ashling and Grey barely know much more than each others names and profess undying love. This bothered me. I’m sure many enjoy this in a story, just not my cuppa tea.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t the main characters, Ashling and Grey, that I connected to. It was a couple of secondary character’s. They aroused my curiosity. I hope the next books in this series reveal some of their stories.
The beginning of the story intrigued me. The middle was more about romance and slowed things down somewhat for me. Then, the last third of the story took off and I couldn’t stop reading.
Overall, a fun read, and I have a good feeling about the rest of the series.
4 Stars
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Sixteen-year-old werewolf princess Ashling Boru is different from other wolves–she was able to shift to a wolf at birth. Rather than bringing pride to her family, it brings fear, and she is sent to live in Ireland’s secluded countryside. Ashling’s reputation is further blackened when she refuses her betrothed, defying the ancient laws. When her pack’s oldest rivals begin to hunt her, she finds herself in the small town of York Harbor, Maine, far from everything she’s known.
When she crosses paths with dark and rebellious Grey Donavan, something ignites within her soul. There’s just one problem: Grey is human. Their instant connection turns into a passionate romance, and Ashling begins to believe she can create her own life outside of wolf laws. When she uncovers long-buried pack secrets that threaten to destroy all she holds dear, Ashling’s courage and tenacity are tested. Will she choose her deep and enduring love for Grey or will she follow Old Mother’s path to her destiny?
Buy Bloodmark: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Bloodrealms (Book #2)
Synopsis
Werewolf princess Ashling Boru’s eighteenth birthday is only a year away, which means that she only has twelve months before she is claimed and fulfills her prophecy to unite the packs and lead her people. Her father decrees that her four suitors must fight in the Bloodrealms, the werewolves’ ancient underground fighting world, and the winner will have King Boru’s choice to win Ashling’s hand. The wolf laws are rigid and barbaric, and Ashling’s illicit love for Grey, if discovered, will mean his death. But when Ashling and Grey get trapped in the blood-soaked depths of the Bloodrealms, they find ancient horrors far greater than Ashling’s father’s rule.
With betrayal around every corner and old nemeses set to destroy Ashling, she is more divided than ever between the destiny she didn’t choose and the love that she did. To make matters worse, her decision will not only set the course of her future, but the future of her entire race.
Buy Bloodrealms: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Bloodmoon (Book #3)
Synopsis
Just months shy of her claiming at Carrowmore and fulfilling a centuries-old prophecy, werewolf Ashling Boru has stepped into her role as the Crimson Queen. She finally has the support of her pack and her love for Grey is stronger than ever.
But it’s not easy being queen. Ashling’s guardian, Baran, has been captured by the Dvergars, a family of evil wolves who will stop at nothing to possess Ashling’s power and destroy everything–and everyone–she loves. Ashling must unite the clans and build an army to stand against the Dvergars before it’s too late. Unfortunately, the Dvergars also have armies of the darkest creatures the world has ever known.
Shadows loom, growing ever larger as generations of pack secrets begin to unfold. Ashling’s people, the humans they protect, and Old Mother Earth herself all hang in the balance of Ashling’s choices. Will Ashling have to forsake her true love to save the world? And will she have the strength to do it? Bloodmoon is the thrilling conclusion to the Bloodmark Saga.
Buy Bloodmoon: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Author Aurora Whittet
Aurora Whittet started out as a wild red-haired girl in Minnesota dreaming up stories for her friends to read. Mama’s Knight: A Cancer Story of Love is just the latest in a string of acclaimed works. Her first official writing endeavor became The Bloodmark Saga, featuring a werewolf princess-turned-ruler who falls in love with a human boy. Her first novel in the Bloodmark Saga, Bloodmark, came out in 2013, followed by Bloodrealms in 2014 and the final book Bloodmoon in 2016.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
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