Misfortune: a twist of Rapunzel

14 May 2020 1 Comment

by C.O. Bonham in book tours, Dive In Review Tags: , , , ,

Blog Tour Banner

What happens when two authors release Rapunzel retellings on the same day? An awesome Rapunzel themed blog tour! That’s what.

In fact I’m doing two posts for this tour, one dive in review for each book. Today I’m featuring Misfortune: a twist of Rapunzel.  Book four in the Twist of Adventure series.

Misfortune

Misfortune Is the safety of a country worth the sacrifice of one girl – even if she is the daughter of blood and misfortune?

Book Description:

A Twist of Adventure #4
The day she was born, her kingdom fell, and so she was branded the daughter of blood and misfortune and locked away. Now a dragon plagues the land and her curse may be the only thing that stops it.

But is she really cursed?

Order Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0872QTZ4N/

Add Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50512526-misfortune

Explore the rest of the series! Amazon || Goodreads

Author Bio:

Kendra E. Ardnek (1)Kendra E. Ardnek is the self-proclaimed Arista of Fairy Tales. She lives in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her dragon babies and massive herd of mini-giraffes, and she is still waiting for one of of her fifty nutcrackers to come to life and marry her. When not writing, you can usually find her sitting in a random box, and she’s frequently known to act before she thinks.


Find her online at:  Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || YouTube || Newsletter || Instagram || Amazon 

Dive in review: Misfortune

This was such a good twist on the Rapunzel story.

What if Rapunzel had been locked up to protect others from herself? It’s a question that rings close to home for us in this time of quarantine. 

But it’s not a pandemic they are trying to prevent.

The princess has been raised to believe that she is full of ill luck, a daughter of blood and misfortune. Forbidden from even cutting her hair for fear the misfortune will escape from her. She has no idea of her own worth. Until a prince comes along and takes her from her tower.

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An ancient Rapunzel with a biblical twist.

I love the message of this story, that everyone is worthy of love and grace. That we are not guilty for the sins of others. That there is a way out of the tower.

I loved the biblical elements that were included. The story takes place in an ancient times setting, and the apocryphal story of Daniel (yes the lion den guy) and the dragon (the story isn’t actually in the Bible. It’s basically a legend.) plays a large role.

And the tower. Rapunzel’s Tower. It’s the Tower of Babel! Sorry, I don’t know if that was a spoiler. Maybe file it under things to look forward to,

 *I was given a copy of this story by the author for the purpose of review. The opinions expressed are my own and were reached honestly.*

I’ll be back on the 18th with a dive in review of the second Rapunzel retelling, Diamond.

Today’s Tour Stops:

May 14
Kendra E. Ardnek – Five Reasons to Read Diamond
Interviews:
Live. Love. Read – Diamond
Reviews:
Tangled Up in Writing – Misfortune
C.O. Bonham – Misfortune

See this page for the full schedule: https://kendrasgiraffecrafts.blogspot.com/p/a-twist-of-rapunzel.html



Reformed: A Dive in Review

04 May 2020 2 Comments

by C.O. Bonham in Dive In Review Tags: , , , , ,

So much fun packed into today’s post, you could call it super.

A few weeks ago I featured a book on here titled Reformed. It was kind of a cover reveal / spotlight.

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I’ve been told that it’s okay to print out and color this image.

The book is out now and I want to make sure you all know just how great it is.

Dive in Review: Reformed

Reformed is a different kind of Superhero story.

Prisim

It’s main protagonist is Prism, a young, idealistic superhero who believes that there is good in everyone. She is the kind of goody two shoes that usually ruins a good superhero story. Honestly the girl has no flaws, unless being too nice is a flaw, but well it’s not really. At least she uses a ton of sarcasm.

Fade

Thankfully she is perfectly balanced by Fade , a former supervillain and the first subject of Prisim’s new rehabilitation project. Fade is convinced of his own unredeemableness. And it can be argued that Fade’s self doubt is the real villain of the story. Fade is flawed and has a ton to work through which gives him a very dynamic arc. (He’s the one being “reformed,” in case you missed that connection.)

Tanvi

Other notable members of the team are Tanvi, and Aiden, who are too cute together. There’s also Keeper (not pictured) who has a Scottish accent and an unhealthy obsession with his cat.

Aiden

As for villains, Mymic is a mystery. It was so well strung out and so perfectly paced that it had me guessing their identity right up until the end. They are so twisted in their motivation that when you realize who it is, you will want to go back to the beginning and make sure that all the clues add up. (Don’t waste your time, becasue they do.)

fight

I love the snarky word play, and the witty banter game is strong with these heroes. If you love marvel movies then the fun one liners mixed with serious drama of Reformed will be sure to please you.

But it’s not all fun and games here; H.L. delivers some serious feels.

chapter 17 kitten

After you read it make sure you tag the author and use #chapter17.

No spoilers, just a warning.

I can not wait to read more from these delightful and kick butt heroes. But I’m just not sure if my emotions can take another #chapter17.

Not okay

Oh, what could possibly be in chapter 17? Buy it and find out!

*I was given and electronic ARC for review, all opinions are my own.*

Purchase Book here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085X8N8FL/

About the book:

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Need help coloring?

Once a villain, always a villain?

Optimistic and idealistic superhero Prism is determined to redeem her father’s legacy by rebooting his supervillain rehabilitation program. To do so, she sets her sights on Fade, the relapsed supervillain who was the reason the government canceled the original program in the first place. However, when she petitions for Fade to be released into her custody, she finds out things might not be as simple as she thought.

Convicted of an unforgivable crime, Fade received a choice: surrender to trial and possible execution or endure a memory erasure so he could start fresh. Now with no recollection of his time before incarceration, Fade doubts he has the ability to be anything but the villain the public believes him to be.

A series of attacks by a mysterious power-swapping villain points back to Fade’s past and the crime that cost him his freedom and memory. With her father’s legacy and her own reputation on the line, even Prism has to wonder: can a villain truly be reformed?

 

 

73159917_686479901848155_4826111242772938752_nAUTHOR BIO:

Born in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic.

An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.

Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.

She is the author of a four part fantasy/romance series entitled “The Dragon and the Scholar,” the Award Winning (2016 Realm Award for Young Adult Fiction) Nyssa Glass Steampunk series, and MG/Fantasy “Cora and the Nurse Dragon,” among others .

Sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.hlburkeauthor.com

Links:

Author Site: http://www.hlburkeauthor.com

Author Instagram: www.instagram.com/burkesdragons

Author Twitter: www.twitter.com/hlburkewriter

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hlburkewriter/

Lucid a Dive-in Audiobook Review

15 Apr 2020 Leave a comment

by C.O. Bonham in Dive In Review, Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

So a while ago I let you in on my secret for how I get audiobooks. So I am going to start featuring more audiobooks in addition to the other books I spotlight.

Today I am featuring Lucid by L. E. Fred.

Lucid coverDevon Alexander is a 15 year-old teenager coping with the monotonous reality of his average life. His life receives an interesting reprieve as he has his first realistic dream of a spaceship. The strangest thing about the dream is that he seems to be the only one on board who isn’t in a dream-like trance. Before he can figure out anything about the dream or his strange shipmates, he manages to wake up. The next day, Devon catches a news story about inexplicable comas taking place all over the world. Devon’s life becomes increasingly interesting as he recognizes some of the victims from his spaceship trip.

Devon and an unlikely group of other teens start devising a plan to find out who is behind the strange dreams and the comas. Their plan is not only successful but immerses them in to the fantastical world that only resides in dreams. While in the dream world, the teens learn about the power of teamwork, a new world of culture, and their hidden potential to be heroes.

Suspenseful, funny at the worst times, and just a hint of teenage romance, Lucid takes a group of young adults and throws them into a fantasy world that they only thought could exist in their dreams. In a sense, they’re right.

My Dive in Review:

Lucid by L. E. Fred, asks the question, what if lucid dreaming could transport you to another world?

People all over the world are being trapped in comas. and only Devon knows why. Because every night he dreams of the space ship that is stealing them away. Until one night he meets another Lucid Dreamer.

The build up in this book is amazing, the first half is really good at hyping up the mystery and keeping you guessing at what is really happening. But once you have the answers you realize your only about half way through.

The second half is all action and adventure and ancient prophesy. There is so much going on here. There’s not just running and fighting and creating fantastic things from dreams. There is a whole world that exists on the other-side of consciousness. There’s the Nightmares and the Dreamers, and secrets yet to be discovered.

The ending though is unfinished, this is only the first book in a series. While I wouldn’t call it a cliff hanger, that ending leaves me wanting more.

I was surprised the narrator was a woman, as the main characters are all male. The main male character Devon is fifteen so I guess that was the reasoning. After awhile I forgot the narrator’s gender and just got sucked into the story.

Rebecca Roberts does a great job and she uses variation in her voice for different characters, as all good narrators should.

All together Lucid is an entertaining experience and I look forward to checking out further books in the series.

*I was given a copy of this audio-book via Story Origins for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.*

 

Buy the book on Amazon and check that little box for audio narration here: https://www.amazon.com/Lucid-L-Fred-ebook/dp/B00L96KPNQ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

LEFredL. E. Fred is a perpetual dreamer who writes about worlds both within and without this realm. With a degree in psychology, she tends to get lost in the mind, the greatest adventure of all. L. E. Fred just returned from a tour of Japan, and hopes to have many more adventures to inspire new tales of dreams and beyond. She currently lives in New Orleans, seated at her messy writing desk with her red furred dog at her feet.

An Irish Tale, Dive in review.

16 Mar 2020 1 Comment

by C.O. Bonham in Dive In Review Tags: , , , , , ,

Hello, I hope everyone is surviving the epidemic alright. To get you through your forced isolation I have a book to recommend. And since St. Patrick’s day (Aka, everything is Irish day) is tomorrow, I decided to make it an Irish Tale. This story is a fun fantasy that would be great for kids. But it also has a religious message that I think the real St. Patrick would approve of.

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From the back cover:

This tale is about a boy named Yipson Minor who ends up on the island of Evolone Hills with his father, mother and sister. He doesn’t originate from there, but was given a push by a divine King for a divine purpose.

As a child, Yipson was under the oppression of a wicked kingdom. But once on the island, he uncovers a secret dictionary from an odd professor which leads him on a chain of events of discovery. Is it Yipson’s wild imagination or have some things unreal become real?

In the meantime, his sister, Caycee, makes her own discovery of a secret cave and a golden dragon named Frolick. But, little do they realize that her life is in danger and nothing but a miracle can save her.

****

You can buy it on Amazon in ebook paperback or audiobook. My review is of the audiobook version.

https://www.amazon.com/Caycees-Cave-An-Irish-Tale/dp/B07CV2DRPR/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=caycee%27s+Cave+An+Irish+Tale&qid=1584330256&sr=8-1#mediaMatrix_secondary_view_div_1584330266276

My Dive in Review.

Caycee’s Cave: An Irish Tale, is just that. a very Irish Tale.

While the overall book is connected by the same characters and setting, the overall plot is loose. This is very much a fantasy slice of life story recounting various adventures in a young boy’s life. His life contains dragons, guardian cats, angels, and a professor with a very unique dictionary.

I love the dictionary definitions that sprinkle the book. They give the narrative a very Lemony Snicket feel even though I believe these are made up words.

Each chapter felt like a stand alone story, though a loose plot does run through the narrative giving it a sense of continuity.

As for the narrator, Benjamin Fife does a fantastic job. I do not know if the Irish accent is his own or if he is manifesting one for the production, but it adds a great sense of atmosphere and character to this first person narrative.

*I was given a copy of this story for review purposes. The opinions listed above are my own honest evaluation.*

About the author:

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Holly Szurpicki was born in Detroit, Michigan, the car capital of the world. Although she couldn’t drive yet, her imagination had a way of taking her wherever she dreamed to go. Holly wished one day to be a princess, a park ranger, or an entrepreneur. She states, “Two out of three is not too shabby.”​

She is passionate about creating stories, screenplays and writing songs. Holly began writing a manuscript in the year 2001 which laid dormant. Holly focused in on raising her two children and when the year 2008 arrived, she teamed up with a virtual animation studio out of New York. That is when the dream came to life, and the Shorty Bean story became her first novel.
Art and individual creativity have tremendously inspired her throughout her career. Holly possesses visual creativity which takes her to places beyond words to live animation in her mind. Being able to envision her characters and their environments is a true gift, and she recognizes this as supernatural. Despite many tragic circumstances she has faced throughout her life, Holly always maintains a positive attitude and loves to encourage others to pursue their God- given dreams.
Her goal for writing children’s books is to create a safe and wholesome environment for imagination. Holly desires for children to DREAM BIG, and never forget that there is nothing impossible with God.  She believes each one of us has a divine destiny and wants others to never be afraid to pursue their dreams. Holly lives in northern Minnesota with her husband and two children and a water dog named Klause.  She loves the outdoors, photography and fishing, to name a few of her passions.
Check out her website:

www.hollykszurpicki.com

Illusionary Review Tour

09 Mar 2020 2 Comments

by C.O. Bonham in book tours, Dive In Review Tags: , ,

Today I am coming to you with a review of a Book I have talked about quite a bit.

(Yes I’m feeling better, and no it was not coronavirus.)

Illusionary by Desiree Williams has been featured on the blog a couple times, once when I interviewed the author and again when I previewed her new cover for the book.

Today I am going to post a review so that you all know how much I loved this book and why you should all read it.

From the back cover:

screenshot_20191117-173510 Dorothy got sucked into a tornado.

Alice fell down a hole.

Wendy flew to Neverland.

Kamryn? She tripped down the stairs.

Now, Kamryn Kensington finds herself in a strange new world. Within minutes of her arrival, she dodges an archer’s arrow and avoids getting sliced up by a cosplay reject holding a dagger to her throat. And that’s before the storyteller’s breath brings stories to life.

Home is the mission—to return to her family and pursue her life’s dream of art and travel. Yet the longer she’s in the Land of Ur, the harder it is not to feel for the people she meets. Even her artistic side can’t help but breathe in the beautiful wonder and magic of this new world. So when the Oracle hands her a different quest, she takes it on the condition he sends her home afterward.

No one thought to warn her of a jealous queen and her dragon minions. Or that, by helping her, the cute storyteller would go crazy. Or that her heart would rip in two when she left. Those would’ve been great facts to know ahead of time.

Considering that nothing in Ur is what it seems, the mission proves to be more than she ever imagined. But more than her own future will be in jeopardy if Kamryn doesn’t succeed.

 Book Links

 Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2KchWpg

 Ebook available at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/34OTdz0

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/2XeMI6d

Kobo: https://bit.ly/32CK8aX

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/illusionary/id1207467393

Author Bio

Desiree WilliamsDesiree Williams is a dreamer by day and chocoholic by night. She lives in the beautiful state of Kentucky with her husband and daughter, where she juggles life as a wannabe supermom. Desiree is a lover of food and avoider of dirty dishes. She delights in making people laugh and strives to bring hope and love with her wherever she goes.

You can find out more about Desiree and her books at www.desireewilliamsbooks.com

Author Links

Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads / Newsletter

Dive in review of Illusionary:

First of all this story is a book worms dream. So many references! There is no one book that this riffs but rather it is an ode to all the classics of childhood. Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz, and Alice in Wonderland all get their nod.

screenshot_20191117-173642Kamryn Kensington is a wonderfully relate-able heroine. She may be an adult in years but like many she still struggles with ‘adulting.’ Her passion’s and dreams are taking her in a different direction than her older sister would have her go. Unfortunately, when the two siblings butt heads it’s Kam’s head that takes the hit. Right at the bottom of the stairs. When she wakes up in the land of Ur she has some questions. What she gets is a mission from a very shifty Oracle, but few answers.

Together she and Reese, an all powerful storyteller, set out to rescue the Maker of Ur so hopefully he can send her home. No yellow brick roads here though, this journey takes them all over the map, and deep into places inside themselves that they both would rather avoid.

Reese is amazing, he’s like Peter Pan, but he’s actually responsible. I really liked that his version of the lost boys, could look up to him and count on him to take care of them. Seriously, this guy is a girl’s dream come true, dashing, magical, responsible, and good with kids. He has it all, including a super secret past that he doesn’t talk about and Kam suspects he might not even remember.

Gah! I just want to tell you about the ending but I would never forgive myself if I ruined this book for even one person. Please just go read it already.

I loved the adventure and snark but most of all I loved the message. Adulting is not the same as maturing, and growing up is just an illusion.

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Dear Author: a review

02 Dec 2019 4 Comments

by C.O. Bonham in book tours, Dive In Review Tags: , , , , ,

Do you remember this cute little book that I cover revealed a few weeks ago? Well the release date is tomorrow! I’m so happy for Laura and all of the book the love that she is sharing with her release.

About the Book

Think your words might not matter? Think again.

Words have the power to change lives, especially when they are used to create meaningful stories. In this collection of letters, bookish fangirl Laura A. Grace addresses topics related to every writer’s journey. From “character conversations,” to embracing one’s unique writing style, to celebrating a release day—there is a letter for every author no matter where they may be in sharing their story with others.

“Dear Author” includes six illustrations by Hannah S.J. Williams.

Amazon — Barnes & Noble — Book Depository — Goodreads

My Review:

Dear Author: Letters from a Bookish Fangirl, comes exactly as advertised. This short book lets you into the mind of a book loving fangirl as she seeks to encourage her favorite author to not give up. The author is never named allowing any writer to pick this book up and imagine that it was written to them by their very own fangirl.

As a bookish fangirl myself I have to say that this short little book hit home for me. It perfectly captured the feeling of falling so completely in love with a story. Reading this is also a great reminder that there is real human being on the other end of our favorite books. They are not machines churning out plots for our entertainment. Each book is crafted with love and long hours spent, not watching Netflix. These authors deserve our respect, our love, and our encouragement.

So yes even if you aren’t an author, I encourage you to read Dear Author: letters from a Bookish fangirl. Then maybe write a letter of your own, to an author you love.

And the illustrations included are super cute.

*I was given an electronic ARC of this title. My review is given freely and includes my honest opinion.* 

About the Author

Laura A. Grace had a lifelong dream of getting to know authors behind the covers of her favorite reads. Little did she know that one day she would become an author too! Now an avid book blogger at Unicorn Quester and writer of clean, Christian manga, Laura creatively balances her passions of supporting indie authors and feeding her readers new stories. In between, she wields plastic lightsabers with her children and binge-watches anime with her husband. Join her quest to find wandering unicorns for your favorite authors at unicornquester.com!

Website — Newsletter — Facebook — Twitter — Instagram — YouTube

 

 

Party Time!

Join in the celebration of Laura A. Grace’s debut motivational, Dear Author: Letters form a Bookish Fangirl, on December 5th from 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM EST (5:30 PM PST and 6:30 PM MDT)!

Grab your favorite drink and snack and be prepared for a fun time of encouragement, games, and giveaways. (Possibly an exclusive sneak peek to upcoming projects!)

Special guests Janeen Ippolito and Katie Phillips will also be joining in the fun!

RSVP HERE

 

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, December 2nd

Tuesday, December 3rd

Wednesday, December 4th

Thursday, December 5th

Friday, December 6th

Saturday, December 7th

Monday, December 9th

Tuesday, December 10th

Wednesday, December 11th

  • Video Book Review: Janeen Ippolito
  • Book Review & Guest “Embrace Your Inner Fangirl: Three Easy Ways to Support Authors (That Don’t Require Reviewing or Purchasing Books)”: Wounded but Hopeful

Thursday, December 12th

Friday, December 13th

Saturday, December 14th

 

An Unexpected Review

09 Oct 2019 Leave a comment

by C.O. Bonham in Dive In Review Tags: , , , , , ,

Hey many apologies for the long delayed post. I remember sharing the cover revel for An Unexpected Exploit. But I never came back to tell you what I thought of the story.

This is the third novel in the Myth coast adventure series.

Where to find them:

1 An Unexpected adventure

Book one: An Unexpected Adventure: https://books2read.com/u/3yDLX6

Read my reviews for book one here.

An Unexpected Escapade Cover

Book two: An Unexpected Escapade: https://books2read.com/mythcoastadventures2

 

An Unexpected Exploit small

Book three: An unexpected Exploit: https://books2read.com/mythcoastadventures3

 

From the back cover:

An Unexpected Exploit smallProtect a mythical realm or his family?

 Sixteen-year-old Franklin follows a Sasquatch through a portal to the realm of Shinwano and discovers a world full of mythical creatures he never expected to actually exist. Upon returning to Myrtle Beach, Oregon, he vows to protect the land, not realizing how difficult it will be to keep his promise, especially when a poacher, a NSA agent, and his friends are interested in the portal—and all for different reasons.

 When the poacher threatens his family, Franklin must reconsider his vow to protect this new world to keep his family safe. The consequences of his decision reach further than just a rift in the space-time continuum.

 Can Franklin live up to the trust placed on him and save this new world from an even greater danger?

About the author

Kandi_J_Wyatt_Author Picture 2Even as a young girl, Kandi J Wyatt, had a knack for words. She loved to read them, even if it was on a shampoo bottle! By high school Kandi had learned to put words together on paper to create stories for those she loved. Nowadays, she writes for her kids, whether that’s her own five or the hundreds of students she’s been lucky to teach. When Kandi’s not spinning words to create stories, she’s using them to teach students about Spanish, life, and leadership.

My Dive in Review:

I felt like this was the best of the books. The children from the first two books don’t save a mythical creature, they save a whole world of them.

That’s right, in this book they cross the rift and get to see the world that these creatures come from.

I loved the world of Shinarwo, despite the fact that the plot was to literally stop a human from destroying and exploiting this magic land, there was no environmental preaching or praising of nature over human interests.

The author writes from an understanding that some humans are bad but there are also humans who will always stand up to evil and work to stop it.

Humans like agent Raleigh, he’s my favorite character. Dispute starting out as a pseudo villain in the first book. He’s a government agent who does exactly what a government agent should do, Work with and not against the citizens of his county. He’s also a great way to have “adult supervision” for the young protagonists without having a nervous parent hovering around.

*I was given a pre-release copy of this book for review purposes and was under no coercion to leave a favorable review or to even review. The opinions expressed here are my own and are given willingly and honestly.*

Ice and Fate a Double dive in review.

15 Sep 2019 Leave a comment

by C.O. Bonham in Dive In Review Tags: , , , , ,

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Hey there, it’s been a bit so I’m writing to let you know about an awesome series of books I’ve read.

Some of you may have noticed that I absolutely love novels by author H.L. Burke. They are so full of magic and adventure that you completely forget that most of them are romances.

Her newest release is a two book series about a world that is half sunlight and half eternal night. It’s magical adventure and thrilling romance as two young people try to find they’re place in the world. i have included the info for both books below along with my review for each.

To save a kingdom, she must lose her heart.

DOSBOI coverBorn a princess in a land where the sun never sets, Arynne longs for the freedom to use her inborn magic. When an emissary from the dark side of the world requests an alliance sealed by marriage, Arynne jumps at a chance to escape the rules of her homeland, even if it means marrying a prince she’s never met and never seeing the sun again.

The starlit kingdom of Frorheim believes that only a marriage of a Solean Sun Princess to their Star Prince will thwart the return of a feared sorcerer. Arynne meets the qualifications, but the journey is perilous. Even more dangerous to Arynne, however, is her growing attraction to the roguish Frorian soldier, Kajik.

In the throes of true love, Arynne rues her betrothal to the unknown prince. Can she follow her heart knowing that if she forsakes her vow, Frorheim is doomed, and herself along with it?

Buy it on Amazon. Also available in kindle unlimited

Dive in review:

Daughter of Sun Bride of Ice is a unique new fantasy from author H. L. Burke.

The best way I can think of to describe it is magic Vikings need an African princess for a magic wedding ceremony. Much magic happens and much danger and true love makes things a bit sticky. Also there are cat owls so you can’t go wrong there.

I loved the character of Arynne. She is a strong woman who isn’t afraid to speak up and stand her ground. But at the same time she isn’t completely confident. She has doubts and failings, which too many strong heroines lack. Yes to strong women but they need to be human too. Arynne was the perfect mixture of strong yet human.

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Warning! The blurb for book 2 may have potential spoilers for book one.

Obviously if you skip the blurb, skip my review.

To save her life, he must forfeit his own.

POSSOF coverPrince Kajik of Frorheim has known all his life that he was a mistake. The second, unwanted son of a cold and calculating king, Kay’s birth was accompanied by a dire prophecy, that he would bring about the return of the dreaded sorcerer Athan and therefore cause his kingdom’s destruction. When Kay falls in love with the intended bride of his beloved brother, Olyn, his father finally has cause to be rid of him. Banishing Kay from their home upon pain of death, the king proclaims that the Princess Arynne will marry Olyn and unite the kingdom against Athan.Kay is determined to accept his lonely fate to protect those he loves from Athan’s dark magic. However, when he learns that Arynne is in danger, everything within him yearns to save her … even if such an action will cost his life.

Buy it on Amazon. Also available in Kindle Unlimited.

Dive in review:

Prince of Stars, Son of Fate is an emotional rollercoaster. It is also a sequel to Daughter of sun Bride of Ice, please read DOSBOI first or the emotional ride will be derailed.

This book focuses on Kay, the unwanted second son of most evil father ever written. Seriously, Vader is a good parent by comparison.

Poor Kay is in a bad place, to the point where the main villain tries to talk him into suicide and he almost considers it. But Kay is made of stronger stuff and he also has the love of a strong girl.

Characters like Kay are why I read. When everything is stacked against them and they want to give up, they keep going. They fight through the challenges and all for the hope that there’s a better ending waiting for them at the finish.

About the author:

heidi-107Born in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic.

An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.

Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.

 Social Media Links:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/hlburkewriter/

Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hlburkereaders/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hlburkewriter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/burkesdragons/

Website: http://www.hlburkeauthor.com/

Curse and Consequence: Dive in Review

01 Jul 2019 3 Comments

by C.O. Bonham in book tours, Dive In Review Tags: , , , , ,

 

Hello another blog tour is stopping by the blog today. This time it’s for Savannah Jezowski’s new novel Curse and Consequence. It a fun regency inspired fantasy, with . . . oh, maybe I should be saving that for the review.

 

About the Book

When Love visits Ravenhead Hall, sparks fly…quite literally.

Miss Rea Abernathy only wants to honor the family who has taken her under their wing, rescuing her from a life of poverty. But thanks to two determined suitors, she finds herself in a state far worse than the one from which her benefactress saved her.

When Mr. Sedgwick Whitby sets his sights on his mother’s sweet-tempered pig keeper, his orderly life is thrown into chaos: Rea’s station is less–than-desirable, and another gentleman may be pursuing her. Hoping to get his annoyingly charming twin brother out of the way, Sedgwick purchases a simple curse from a disreputable faery which consequently plunges them all into a misfortune far more serious than troubles of the heart.

With time running out to break the curse and tempers flying high, can Sedgwick and Rea set things right and find love after all? Jane Austen meets dragons in this frolicking fantasy romance about a comely pig keeper, two wealthy gentlemen, and the curse binding them all together. Perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones and Gail Carson Levine.

Amazon (Available on Kindle Limited!)

 

Dive in Review:

Curse and Consequence by Savannah Jezowski is a magical fantasy with regency flare.
The Whitby twins are as different as night and day. Hugh is a wild play boy who never grew up. Sedgwick is responsible, but is willing to do anything (even unresponsible things) to prevent his brother from having a chance with the woman he loves.

I loved the interplay between the two brothers. It was over the top hilarious but also not unheard of for siblings.

Fantasy airship

This that interplay I mentioned.

The setting really made the story for me. I don’t think would have worked in any other time period. Both boys are such a product of their high class life style, even though each claims to be the progressive one, that they can’t even get out of their curse without reactivating it.

The best part though was the little dragon Rea. She was cute and adorable but full of fire.

Can’t wait to read the next one.

*I was given an ARC of this novel for the purposes of reviewing.*

 

About the Author

Savannah Jezowski lives in Amish country with her Knight in Shining Armor and a wee warrior princess. She is the founder of Dragonpen Designs and Dragonpen Press, which offers author services such as cover design, developmental edits, and interior formatting. Her debut novella “Wither” is featured in Five Enchanted Roses, an anthology of Beauty and the Beast, and is a prequel to The Neverway Chronicles, a Christian fantasy series filled with tragic heroes and the living dead. She is also the author of When Ravens Fall, a Norse Beauty and the Beast retelling. She is featured in several Fellowship of Fantasy anthologies, including Mythical Doorways, Tales of Ever After, and Paws, Claws, and Magic Tales. When she isn’t writing, Savannah likes to read books, watch BBC miniseries, and play with cover design. She also enjoys having tea with her imaginary friends.

Website — Newsletter — Facebook — Facebook Group — Twitter — Amazon Author Page

 

Want to know more?

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Blog Tour Schedule:

Monday, June 1st

Tuesday, July 2nd

Wednesday, July 3rd

Thursday, July 4th

Friday, July 5th

Saturday, July 6th

Sunday, July 7th

Wish you weren’t here: dive in review

17 Jun 2019 5 Comments

by C.O. Bonham in book tours, Dive In Review Tags: , , , , ,

iwwc_ji[final2]

Wish You Weren’t Here is the sequel to If Wishes Were Curses by Janeen Ippolito. My review of WYWH shouldn’t contain spoilers for IWWC, but if you haven’t had a chance to read the first book yet, find it here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M743SN8/

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About book two:

I was done with my Jinn ex-boyfriend—but now I’m the only one who can save his life.

WYWH_JIFinalI’m already in enough trouble with my magic going crazy right when I’m opening a storefront for romantic crimes consulting. The last thing I need is interference from Kiran Singh, who failed spectacularly as a boyfriend, and now wants me back with some crappy excuse of helping him track down illegal, dangerous love potions.

Then one of his other exes tries to kill me in a fit of jealous, doped-up rage—and ends up dead herself, with all evidence pointing to Kiran.

My vegetarian vampire mate, Cendric, is convinced Kiran is up to something. But homicide isn’t Kiran’s style, even if he’s starting to show serious psycho-jealousy of his own. Someone else is pulling the strings, and they don’t care how many people die from fake love.

If we can’t track down the real mastermind, my ex is going to disappear.
And not in the way I’d wish. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45451984

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RG8NRGG/

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Author Bio Pic for Uploads - FictionJaneen Ippolito writes steampunk fantasy and urban fantasy, and creates writing resources, including the reference book World Building From the Inside Out and the creative writing guide Irresistible World Building For Unforgettable Stories. She’s an experienced teacher, editor, author coach, marketer, and is the leader of Uncommon Universes Press, a small traditional science fiction and fantasy publishing house. She’s also the cohost of the podcast Indie Book Magic. In her spare time, Janeen enjoys sword-fighting, reading, pyrography, and eating brownie batter. Two of her goals are eating fried tarantulas and traveling to Antarctica.

Website: https://janeenippolito.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janeenippolitounique/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaneenIppolito
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janeen_ippolito/  

Email Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/facebookpagesignup

Dive in Review:

In Wish you Weren’t Here, Janeen Ippolito creates a complex interplanetary/inter-dimensional universe. One that not only connects her own works but also draws in the works of other authors. And she does it seamlessly.

Two characters show up about halfway through the book through a portal to another world. Diza and Casimir are from Haladya and Rothana by Sarah Delena White. Another character shows up from Janeen’s older, book Blood Mercy. Both Crosssovers were handled very well giving the borrowed characters more than just a cameo. The borrowed characters were fully included as key players, making them indispensable to the plot.

I have it on good authority that more crossovers are planned for future books. This is unheard of! We can only wait to see what stories future crossovers will connect.

The characters that return from the first book are just as snarky and fun as before. Allis and Cendric have the best chemistry. They bring out the best in each other. I love them together more than when they are apart.

Even the minor characters shine. Cendric has a vampire friend named Akira, he’s French and he can cook and I love him even though he’s only in like two scenes. All future stories should have more Akira.

In the end, Wish you weren’t here is a fun urban fantasy mystery with snarky and sympathetic characters. I highly recommend it.

*I was given an ARC of this book in addition to being a beta reader. All thoughts are my own and are given freely and honestly.*

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The Steel City Genie series features snarky urban fantasy with a blue-collar genie, a romantic subplot with heat (nothing graphic), and gleeful send ups of many romantic fantasy tropes, plus otter-shifters and coffee addictions.

The Steel City Genie Series – Best Read in Order!
Book 1 – If Wishes Were Curses: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M743SN8/
Book 2 – Wish You Weren’t Here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RG8NRGG/

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