Stars Descend: Dive in Review

07 Jun 2019 5 Comments

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

 

About the Book

The elves have come down from the sky in their ships, their countenances full of light and their bodies, power. But they rule over us humans with iron fists, and without mercy.

Vampires stalk the streets, lurking in shadows and the cover of darkness. Their lust for blood is never sated, and the nights are filled with the screams of their victims.

I’m just a street rat, a trash picker. I didn’t expect him to choose me. The Prince of Elves could have anyone, so why me?

Even as my heart sings at the elf’s close proximity, I still love the boy who left me, disappearing into the city’s corrupt underworld. I don’t even know if he’s still alive.

Stars reign. Rebellion brews. And with my already uncertain future disintegrating into chaos, I don’t know who to turn to, or who to trust.

Amazon (Available on Kindle Unlimited!)

About the Author

Kara Jaynes is a fantasy and children’s book author. She loves rainy days, long walks, and fairy tales. She’s been writing since she was very young, and has more stories in her head than she could possibly write.

Facebook — Instagram — Twitter — BookBub — Amazon Author Page

 

My Dive in Review:

Stars Descend by Kara Jaynes, has a most interesting premise. What if Elves were from space and their mission was to heal polluted planets. *Cough* Vulcans *Cough*

Naturally humans see them as a threat. As Overlords come to concur. The Elves are logical and seemingly emotionless. But I approve of their fashion sense.

I liked the story of Stella, a street savvy girl who winds up getting caught by the Elven prince, who of course realizes he can’t live without her.

The prince of the Elves is the main love interest for Stella, it is hardly love at first sight. Actually Elves are driven by touch. So when Elderan touches Stella, he is grasped by an immediate need to, well you know. Despite this plot point the book is clean and Elderan learns that Earth Girls are not easy. Stella insists on getting to know each other first.

Oh yeah, and then there were vampires. Twilight has nothing on this love triangle. When vampires suddenly start walking the streets of Liberty (formerly Seattle), a rival for Stella’s heart comes back from the dead.

I am not a fan of triangles but this one has interesting implications.

My one and only complaint is that the second book doesn’t seem to be available yet.

My Dive in Review:

Stars Descend by Kara Jaynes, has a most interesting premise. What if Elves were from space and their mission was to heal polluted planets. *Cough* Vulcans *Cough*

Naturally humans see them as a threat. As Overlords come to concur. The Elves are logical and seemingly emotionless. But I approve of their fashion sense.

I loved Stella, a street savvy girl who winds up getting caught by the Elven prince, who of course realizes he can’t live without her.

The prince of the Elves is the main love interest for Stella, it is hardly love at first sight. Actually Elves are driven by touch. So when Elderan touches Stella, he is grasped by an immediate need to, well you know. Despite this plot point the book is very clean and Elderan learns that Earth Girls are not easy. Stella insists on them getting to know each other first.

Oh yeah, and then there were vampires. Twilight has nothing on this love triangle. When vampires suddenly start walking the streets of Liberty (formerly Seattle), a rival for Stella’s heart comes back from the dead.

I am not a fan of triangles but this one has interesting implications.

My one and only complaint is that the second book doesn’t seem to be available yet.

Party Time!

Calling all book readers! Join author Kara Jaynesas we chat about her urban fantasy novel STARS DESCEND on June 12th from 8 PM to 10 PM EST (5 PM PST and 6 PM MDT).

Grab your favorite drink and snack and be prepared for a fun time of chatting with Kara, games, and giveaways.

Special guests Janeen Ippolito and Sarah Ashwood will also be sharing their books and joining in the fun.

RSVP Here

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, June 3rd

Tuesday, June 4th

Wednesday, June 5th

Thursday, June 6th

Friday, June 7th

Saturday, June 8th

Sunday, June 9th

Monday, June 10th

Tuesday, June 11th

Wednesday, June 12th

Thursday, June 13th

Friday, June 14th

Saturday, June 15th

Flight of the Raven: Dive in Review

31 May 2019 1 Comment

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

Here it is the sequel to the novel I told you about three days ago! You can read that post here. 


On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Flight of the Raven
(The Ravenwood Saga #2)
By Morgan L. Busse
Christian Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages
April 30th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers

Selene Ravenwood, once the heir to House Ravenwood, is now an exile. On the run and free of her family’s destiny, Selene hopes to find the real reason her family was given the gift of dreamwalking. But first she must adapt to her new life as wife to Lord Damien Maris, the man she was originally assigned to kill.

While adjusting to her marriage and her home in the north, her power over dreams begins to grow. As the strongest dreamwalker to exist in ages, her expanding power attracts not only nightmares but the attention of the Dark Lady herself.

With a war looming on the horizon and a wicked being after her gift, Selene is faced with a choice: embrace the Dark Lady’s offer, or search out the one who gave her the gift of dreamwalking. One path offers power, the other offers freedom. But time is running out, and soon her choice will be made for her.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository

About the Author

Morgan L. Busse is a writer by day and a mother by night. She is the author of the Follower of the Word series and the steampunk series The Soul Chronicles. She is a Christy and INSPY Award finalist and won the Carol Award in 2018 for best in Christian speculative fiction. During her spare time she enjoys playing games, taking long walks, and dreaming about her next novel.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Instagram│Pinterest│BookBub

My Dive in Review:

Flight of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse is an amazing story about a woman’s search for meaning.

At the end of Mark of the Raven we leave Selene in a hurried escape from her home, leaving behind her family and everything she knows to begin an unplanned marriage to Lord Damien. This sequel is everything I hoped it would be. It was emotional and thought provoking. It explores the desire we all have to know why we are here and what we are meant to do.

I am not a romance reader but I found myself deeply invested in whether Selene and Damien would make the most of their marriage. This is one of the few books that delves into relationships right. It realistically shows how hard they can be, because you are never really sure what the other person is thinking. 

But the true stand out character of this book was Selene’s sister Amara. She struck me as unnecessarily antagonistic towards her older sister who was never anything but loving. In this book Amara takes on the responsibilities of being heir to house Ravenwood. She realizes the struggle her sister had to deal with but takes it on in order to protect her younger sister. I found the circular nature of her character arc satisfying and ultimately redemptive for the character. I went from hating her to wishing she had a bigger part in the book, though her part is still really important.

The ending was both sorrowful and hopeful. I am looking forward to the next installment of this saga.

*I was given a free copy of this novel by the publisher for the purpose of giving my honest opinion.*

Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

– 1 winner will receive print copies of Mark of the Raven, Flight of the Raven, and a $20 Amazon gift card
– 2 winner winners will receive print copies of Mark of the Raven and Flight of the Raven
– US only
– Ends June 7, 2019

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Mark of the Raven: Dive in review.

28 May 2019 2 Comments

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

Hello, I’m posting a dive in review today for Mark of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse. Mostly because this Friday I’ll be posting a review  for book two, Flight of the Raven, as part of the blog tour. I thought you might want to hear about the first book first so you can either read it in a three days or avoid spoilers for this book by not coming back to hear about book two.

Mark of the RavenLady Selene is the heir to the Great House of Ravenwood and the secret family gift of dreamwalking. As a dreamwalker, she can enter a person’s dreams and manipulate their greatest fears or desires. For the last hundred years, the Ravenwood women have used their gift of dreaming for hire to gather information or to assassinate.

As she discovers her family’s dark secret, Selene is torn between upholding her family’s legacy–a legacy that supports her people–or seeking the true reason behind her family’s gift.

Her dilemma comes to a head when she is tasked with assassinating the one man who can bring peace to the nations, but who will also bring about the downfall of her own house.

One path holds glory and power, and will solidify her position as Lady of Ravenwood. The other path holds shame and execution. Which will she choose? And is she willing to pay the price for the path chosen?

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository

 

58383678_10156297355360208_3797897425025236992_oMorgan L. Busse is a writer by day and a mother by night. She is the author of the FOLLOWER OF THE WORD series and the steampunk series THE SOUL CHRONICLES. She is a Christy and INSPY Award finalist and recently won the Carol Award for best in Christian speculative fiction. During her spare time she enjoys playing games, taking long walks, and dreaming about her next novel. Visit her online at http://www.morganlbusse.com.

Mark of the Raven: Dive in Review.

Mark of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse, is a gripping fantasy tale, with detailed characters and deep world building.

The main setting of Castle Rook has a very Gothic feel to it, even though the setting is meant to be medieval I think. It has secret passages and grand halls, and hidden secrets. It’s as though the entire building is shrouded in shadows and haunted by mystery, completely consumed by the hate leeched off of its past inhabitants.

The world building is astounding, seven great houses rule seven nation states. To help the seven houses each was given a gift. Water, Fire, Wisdom , healing, light , Courage, and Dreams. (I still think courage stands out as not being very useful, but they have dragons so that makes up for it.) I have a soft spot in my heart for story worlds featuring hereditary elemental gifts.

I can not say enough good things about this book. I loved the build up as Selene learned to use her gifts and the mystery as more of the inter house politics came to light. But most of all I loved the Characters.

The third Person POV characters are Lady Selene from House Ravenwood (the dreamers), and Lord Damien from House Maris (the water benders). The former is a conflicted young woman who has just learned that she comes from a family of assassins. The later is a young man who, because of great tragedy, has found himself as the leader and protector of an entire nation. They are both well written characters who are both flawed, but yet seek to do the right thing.

The thing I loved most was the romantic aspect. Selene and Damien are not a love at first site couple. In fact they seem convinced that they could never feel anything for the other because heirs do not marry other heirs. It’s a slow build up, more curiosity than anything. They are so different from each other.

Another thing I loved was the way religion was handled. In this world there are two forces. The Light and The Dark Lady. The light is more powerful than the dark and the light shines brightly inside the souls of it’s followers. The Dark Lady seeks only her own power.

It is Selene’s doubt’s about the Dark Lady and her curiosity about the light that shines in a young man’s soul that truly sets this book apart.

This is book one of a saga, so be forewarned that l you will be left wanting more, but rest easy knowing there will be more to come.

*I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher for review and promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own*

To Court a Queen: A Dive in Review

30 Jan 2019 Leave a comment

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

Today I have an exciting review for you. It’s a sneak peek of a new fantasy release from H.L. Burke.

About the book:

to court a queen_internet use(1)He doesn’t want to get married, but he wants to be a frog even less.

 Knight errant, Devin, takes a shortcut through the woods, only to be captured by fairy forces. The fairy queen has run out of breathing males to fight for her hand, and Devin, while not ideal fairy stock, is breathing–for now.

 Telling a vain fairy queen you’d rather not be her one true love is a ticket to life on a lilypad, so the knight agrees to face three challenges to win Queen Agalea’s hand. When a clever servant girl offers to help him navigate the trials in order to stop the constant bloodshed of the courtship ritual, Devin jumps at the chance. However, as he balances “flirting” with his “beloved” and overcoming tasks specifically designed to kill him, he finds his heart drawn to his new partner in survival.

Right now you can preorder it for only 99 cents. But act fast the price goes up February 1st. Purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MYG7526

The release date is Febuary 18.

Author Bio:

heidi-107H. L. Burke is the author of multiple fantasy novels including the Dragon and the Scholar saga and The Nyssa Glass YA Steampunk series and Coiled. She is an admirer of the whimsical, a follower of the Light, and a believer in happily ever after.

 H.L.’s social media links:
twitter.com/hlburkewriter (for random snarkiness and occasional book snippets)

facebook.com/hlburkewriter (for longer form random snarkiness, occasional book snippets, and #dailydragon posts where I share my favorite dragon related finds)

My website (and mailing list) for news and deals www.hlburkeauthor.com
My instagram for #TheodoretheDragon awesomness instagram.com/burkesdragons
and my reader group if you want to be the first to hear about beta and ARC reading opportunities as well as my day to day struggles and weekly live videos. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hlburkereaders/

introducing h. l. burke

To Court a Queen By H.L. Burke, A dive in review:

 To Court a Queen is a new snark filled romp from author H.L. Burke. Her trade mark style of sarcasm filled fantasy is always a delight to read.

 In this adventure a knight on errant leave, stumbles into fairy territory and into one twisted version of a love test. Devin does not want to marry the fairy queen, but he wants to die even less.

 The best part of this story was the human fairy dynamic. Fairies can not lie and therefore do not understand snark. Sir Devin speaks in a steady stream of sarcasm. So nearly every exchange is a humorous miscommunication.

 coming 2019Devin is a very good looking rouge and he doesn’t care about the odds, like a certain sci-fi character. You will laugh out loud when you see who this story is actually dedicated to. It totally fits. Devin is everything I want in a man, funny, smooth, able to take direction, and he can think on his feet too.

 The next best character is Savine, she is a fae from a race of cat like elves. Do not call her a cat elf! She is the most adorable fantasy character I think I’ve ever read. It is through her intelligence and persistence that Devin is able to survive the night let alone even consider facing the evil queen’s trials. And I ship them so hard.

 If you are looking for a fast light hearted read with a modern take on classic fairy tale gropes then look no farther. To Court a Queen has just the right amount of everything.

 * I was given an advanced copy of this book in order to disseminate my honest opinion of it to the masses. Mission accomplished.*

Dive in Review: One Flew through the Dragon Heart

16 Jan 2019 Leave a comment

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

Hello readers, Today is January sixteenth and it is Appreciate a Dragon day. So today I am giving you a book review of a book that has a Dragon in it. If the title sounds familiar to you it’s because I hosted a cover reveal for this book back in October. Please note the awesome dragon silhouette behind title in cover image.

About the book:

A Chinese Legend. A British Secret. Star-Crossed Lovers with Incompatible Magic.

51whzhtwuul._sy346_Flew works as a professor of wielder instruction at Rembrandt Academy, hoping to erase the regrets of his youth along with the resulting debt. But when he comes face to face with his biggest regret—the woman who broke his heart, Adelaide Favan—Brixton soon realizes his troubles have only begun.

Unable to control her magic, Adelaide knew leaving Brixton was the only way to protect him when they were younger. Now she discovers he is the key to recovering the Dragon Eyes, a legendary treasure connected to her magic and her family’s disgraced legacy—and she knows the risk is great, to both his life and her heart.

With others seeking the power of the Dragon Eyes, Brixton and Adelaide must outwit their foes and face down their families to save London from an ancient legend that sleeps beneath the magic portal in their city.

But the renewed passion growing between them may prove to be the greater peril …

One Flew Through the Dragon Heart is the first book in a new steampunk series by C.S. Johnson, blending together history, romance, mecha-dragons and magic against the glittering backdrop of 1880’s Victorian London.

CS JohnsonC. S. Johnson is the author of several young adult novels, including sci-fi and fantasy adventures such as the Starlight Chronicles series, the Once Upon a Princess saga, and the Divine Space Pirates trilogy. With a gift for sarcasm and an apologetic heart, she currently lives in Atlanta with her family. Find out more at http://www.csjohnson.me.

 Website // Newsletter // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest // Google Plus 

Purchase your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HRW64SM

Dive in Review:

One Flew Through the Dragon Heart by C.S. Johnson is a steampunk fantasy.

The setting is an alternate London where a gaping magical portal hovers over parliament. This portal not only gives the citizens of this world magic abilities but it also holds a secret. A secret that someone is trying to let out.

This novel also features a great addition to Dragon lore. It totally explains why dragons hoard treasure. It also explains why someone would name a huge gemstone “the dragon’s eye.” It’s Awesome and trust me you really want to know what this is. I also loved that there was an actual Dragon in the book and it wasn’t just a tease. Perfect book for appreciate a dragon day.

I loved the magic system created for this story world. White magic and black magic are taken literally in this color based magic system. White creates and Black destroys. Guess what happens when two people with opposite magic fall in love. Suspense, tension, and adventure.

The main POV characters, Brixton and Ada were great. With personality and chemistry they make a couple worthy of shipping. It was a great twist on the star-crossed lovers troupe.

Without spilling spoilers all I can say is that I loved this book and eagerly await the next Installment. Also if you love steampunk, magic, romance , Dragons or all of the above. you will totally want to read this book.

*I was given a free ecopy of this book for promotional purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and are my honest opinion.*

 

I’m more beast than beauty

26 Sep 2018 18 Comments

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

Today I’m part of the blog tour for Kill the beast. A book I’ve waited a very long time to read. I just adore all things beauty and the beast. So when I heard about this retelling I just knew I had to have it.

From the back cover:

9781943788040-Perfect.inddRo remembers the castle before. Before the gates closed. Before silence overtook the kingdom. Before the castle disappeared. Now it shimmers to life one night a year, seen by her alone.
Once a lady, now a huntress, Ro does what it takes to survive—just like the rest of the kingdom plunged into despair never before known. But a beast has overtaken the castle. A beast that killed the prince and holds the castle and kingdom captive in his cruel power. A beast Ro has been hired to kill. Thankful the mystery of the prince’s disappearance has been solved, furious the magical creature has killed her hero, Ro eagerly accepts the job to end him. But things are not as they seem.
Trapped in the castle, a prisoner alongside the beast, Ro wonders what she should fear most: the beast, the magic that holds them both captive, or the one who hired her to kill the beast.
A Beauty and the Beast retelling.

Michele-Israel-Harper-HeadshotMichele Israel Harper spends her days as a work-at-home mom and her nights typing away furiously on her laptop. Sleep? Sometimes… She has her Bachelor of Arts in history, is slightly obsessed with all things French—including Jeanne d’Arc and La Belle et la Bête— and loves curling up with a good book more than just about anything else. Author of Wisdom & Folly: Sisters, Zombie Takeover, Beast Hunter, and Kill the Beast, Michele prays her involvement in writing, editing, and publishing will touch many lives in the

Why I Identify with the Beast: A Dive-in Review

Beauty and the beast is my favorite Disney movie for one reason. Belle is an introverted, book reading, brunette. I am an introverted, book reading, brunette. That is where the comparison ends.

 I am not patient and I am not kind. I lose my temper and get irrationally angry, I judge people by how they look. I would rather wallow in self pity bemoaning the unfairness of life, than take any responsibility for my own actions.

 I am much more Beast than Beauty.

Beast Hunter

Me and author Michele Israel Harper at the costume banquet during Realm Makers. I’m the beast.

 This is why a Beauty and the Beast retelling is made or broken by one thing. The Beast.

The beast gets the story ultimately he’s the one who changes. It is literally his character arch. He gets to grow up. He gets to make up for his selfish ways and because of that he is more relate-able. 

So why is the beast so overlooked? Why is he, so often, not even given a name? (I’m looking at you Disney.) You could go on about the patriarchy and their desire to make women conform to their ideals of demure servitude. You could cry Girl Power and write essays about how beauty is symbolic of wresting the power from the aforementioned patriarchy.

 Or you can do what Michele Israel Harper did. She gave us this amazingly flawed beast who learns his lesson and finds love and learns that action is always better than self pity. He has a name!

But she didn’t stop there.

 Michele wrote an amazingly flawed beauty too. Rosette is angry and hot tempered and believes rumors and judges the beast on his fierceness. She won’t listen. And she literally has murder in her heart. The book is called Kill the Beast after all.

 This isn’t just a Beauty who feels like a real person. She feels like me. I can relate to a beauty who makes mistakes and who isn’t held up as some unattainable example of what women should be. And yes she still likes books.

 Michele based her novel on the original french version but she also includes many Disney nods for those who can’t separate fairy tale from mouse tail.

 Finally a retelling about Beauty and the Beast, that makes me feel for both Beast and Beauty.

I just want to keep Gushing about the wonderfully twisted ending but I shouldn’t spoil it for you. At least you don’t have to wait four years to read it. Because it’s out now.

Buy it here:

http://www.love2readlove2writepublishing.com/books/kill-the-beast/

9781943788040-Perfect.inddThere is also a prequel novella set just before Kill the Beast. It’s called Beast Hunter and you can find it here: https://www.love2readlove2writepublishing.com/books/beast-hunter/

A curse has overtaken Ro’s kingdom, blackening the soil, wiping out crops, and bringing ruin. The only people who thrive are the huntsmen, brought in to stem the flow of ravenous creatures. When Ro kills a wolf, an idea begins to form. Could she become a huntress? Before she can act, her father trades her life for his—to a magical beast.

It provides a lot of back story and is just super fun in it’s own right.

I’m giving away a signed copy of the novella Beast Hunter (signed by the author not by me) to one of you lucky readers. Just click through and fill out the Raffle Copter form. (unfortunately this is a physical prize so I need to limit this to United States Only.)

Beast winner

What’s your favorite version of Beauty and the Beast?

Don’t like Beauty and the Beast, what’s your favorite fairy tale retelling?

 

An Unexpected Adventure: A Dive in Review

19 Sep 2018 4 Comments

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

Hello, today’s post is a review of a cool book I just finished reading. It’s called, An Unexpected Adventure by Kandi J. Wyatt. And the cover is just stunning. 

 

1 An Unexpected adventure.jpgProtect their community or protect their discovery?

 For eighth graders Chace, Harley, Will, and Cherise, that’s a life-changing question after they find a dragon’s egg while hunting for thundereggs on the beach. Toss in summer jobs, family struggles, and a National Security Agent, and their summer vacation just became complicated.

 Can they find a solution that won’t leave their hearts broken or their community in flames?

It’s available for pre-order here:

 https://www.books2read.com/u/3yDLX6

It’s only 99 cents to pre-order it and the release date is September, 25 2018.

Author Bio:

Even 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.

Where to find her:

Website: http://kandijwyatt.com/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/kandijwyatt/

Google: http://plus.google.com/u/0/+KandiWyatt/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/kandijwyatt

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kandijwyatt

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13817774.Kandi_J_Wyatt

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kandi-J-Wyatt/e/B00ZTC4T10/

My Dive in Review:

Because this book is for younger readers I am conflicted on how to review it. I usually write directly to my reader but I’m pretty sure that middle grade boys and girls do not read my blog. So I must write to you the reader of my blog, who may know a young reader in need of an adventure.

 An Unexpected Adventure by Kandi J. Wyatt, is the first book in her new Middle grade series, The Myth Coast adventures.

 The first thing I need to say about this book is that I loved the concept. Three boys discover a giant egg while searching for rocks. They take it home and it hatches into a Dragon. The scenes with the dragon are super cute and fun to read.

 The setting was also fun. It takes place in California, near San Francisco. I loved how the coastal culture was integrated into the story. It gave it a very realistic feeling despite the fantasy nature of the story.

 Two tropes involved really bothered me though. These are common middle grade tropes, they are both genre specific (meaning middle grade, not fantasy) and could be called expected even. But I question them anyway.

 Of course the government is looking for the Dragon too. Why are government agents always the bad guys?

  I will say though that Kandi does seem to twist the trope in this story. The government just wants to protect people, but the boys believe they are bad because they are bombarded by movies that tell them the government is always up to no good. It’s all a matter of perception really.

 The second trope, that I can’t really say was fixed, is the hide everything from your parents trope. Why? Do public schooled kids really not tell their parents anything?

 I admit I was home schooled so it’s really hard for me to understand why a school teacher would be more trustworthy than your own parents. But in the end I guess all that matters is that there is adult supervision. They are hiding a dragon from the government after all.

 In the end I give it four stars. It was engaging, had fun characters, and I would be willing to give this book to anyone without any reservations about content. Though when I have kids of my own. We are definitely having a talk about not hiding mythical creatures from mommy. I totally want in on any baby dragons hatching.

 *I was given a free copy of the book to read for review. All opinions are my own and were reached honestly.*

And if you still aren’t interested Kandi said I could share an excerpt with all of you

Excerpt from An Unexpected Adventure, by Kandi J. Wyatt:

After a few more minutes of digging, the stone came free. Will wriggled it until we could get a grip underneath and lift it out. I really had my doubts we could pick it up; I was sure it’d weigh close to a hundred pounds or more. However, to my surprise, it came free and up without a hitch, absurdly light for its size.

“Should it be this light?” I squinted at the rock in our hands.

“I don’t know.” Will shrugged his shoulder.

Chace shifted his grip. “I’ve never seen a single rock this big before. But it should weigh more than this. I still say it’s an egg.”

I was beginning to believe him, but there were some good reasons to doubt it, too. “What bird’s this big, and how did it get here? We’re a long way from the game park.”

The game park was the closest thing to a zoo we had. They had wild animals and some pet deer, sheep, donkeys, geese, goats, and peacocks to feed. They even had an emu and an ostrich, but I still couldn’t imagine either one having an egg quite this size.

Chace shook his head. “I don’t know, but listen.” He took a free hand and tapped ever so gently on the surface.

It echoed hollowly. Before anyone could say anything, a second fainter tap came as if in reply.

“What in the world?” I exclaimed, jumping and almost dropping the thing.

“It’s an egg,” Chace said with firm conviction. “I don’t know what kind yet, but it’s an egg.”

“Wh-what do we do with it?” Will looked like he wanted to toss it in the ocean.

“We keep it.”

Both Will and Chace looked at me as if I had just turned down a shot at a five-point deer during hunting season. I don’t know what I was thinking, but suddenly a fierce desire to protect the creature inside came over me

 

Tour of Ever After: an anthology review.

08 Aug 2018 Leave a comment

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

tOUR EA

Hello, today I have an another amazing anthology for you from the Fellowship of Fantasy.

Book Description:

36427032_2003913979653615_2197345443757686784_nRescue a princess, meet a mermaid, win your reward.

 The authors of the Fellowship of Fantasy tackle fairy tales from once upon a time to happily ever after. Explore twists on old tales and brand new magical stories. Meet feisty mermaids, friendly lampposts, and heroes who just might be monsters themselves.

 This fourth anthology from the Fellowship of Fantasy will lead you on a quest for entertainment and storm the castle of your imagination. So make a wish and enter the deep dark woods to find stories that will make you laugh, shiver, and maybe even fall in love.

 The best part is it’s free to download! (Paperback will cost you though.)

Amazon Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Ever-After-Fellowship-Anthology-ebook/dp/B07FFMHM8M/

Books2Read Universal Link: https://www.books2read.com/u/bwYKry

Goodreads Listing: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40788623-tales-of-ever-after

The fellowship is also hosting: a Rafflecopter giveaway U.S. Only: (All books are paperbacks, and possibly signed.)

If you are not U.S. that’s okay there’s an International: a Rafflecopter giveaway (All books are ebooks of the winner’s file format of choice)

Now on to my review. I am not sure why I  agreed to review the whole collection. The stories are so short that you can’t really delve into them without spoiling it. But in keeping with my brand of turning your gears, I will provide the full list of stories with their description and why I think it will turn your gears.

Tales of Ever After Author Graphic

 *Story descriptions were written by the author of each story.*

 Cinders by Kendra E. Ardnek

When the fairy Jalia receives a plea for her aid, it seems a routine Cinderella rescue – until she only finds the family’s pet cats.

 Why it turned my Gears: The Cinderella mythos has been done to death. I thought it was impossible to produce an original Cinderella story, I was so wrong. Cinders will take your expectations and turn them on their head. Wonderfully original plot combined with lovable and witty characters.

 At The Corner of Elm & Main by H. L. Burke

A sweet-natured lamppost dreams of seeing the world. When magic grants his wish, how will he use it? 

Why it turned my Gears: An original tale about an ordinary everyday object that is granted mobility for one night. This doesn’t turn the thinking gear so much as the feeling gears. It has a heart touching ending with a satisfying payoff.

 Tears of the Sea by Savannah Jezowski

When Le Rae indulges her fascination with the forbidden sand walkers, she discovers more than danger in the shallow waters.

 Why it turned my Gears: An original tale reminiscent of The Little Mermaid, but the best part is that it isn’t a romance. It makes you think, simultainiously about being willing to open your mind to new ideas and people who are different from you, while also learning to be content with where you’re at and what you have. At least that was my take away.

 Steelhand by Ashley Capes

When a man with a mechanical hand hears a woman’s ethereal voice calling for help, he must brave the steel forest to rescue her from a foul Alchemist.

 Why it turned my Gears: Steam Punk Sleeping Beauty need I say more? Okay a little bit more. In the story the hero is told to take three random objects with him on his quest: a lemon, a tin soldier and an Axe. You’re never going to figure out how they get used. Very cool plot elements bring originality to a familiar favorite.

 King or Beggar by D. G. Driver

When a king’s spoiled, conceited daughter refuses and insults every nobleman asking for her hand in marriage, he stops giving her a choice.

 Why it turned my Gears: This is a retelling of a little known fairy tale called King Thrushbeard. As a child, the dollar store had fairytale VHS tapes. The one I watched to death was King Thrushbeard. Why I loved it I really can’t say. It might have had something to do with me figuring out the twist and being delighted that I was right. Thank you D. G. Driver for bringing this pleasant childhood memory back to life.

 The Girl Who Talked by Birds by Kristen S. Walker

A young girl’s already isolated existence is worsened by the emergence of strange abilities.

 Why it turned my Gears: Wonderful original tale about an ordinary girl who discovers she is special. Really cool human and bird interactions. I love that the birds are still very bird like and aren’t personified too much. I also enjoyed that it was light hearted in tone. Anyone who likes “origin” stories should enjoy this one.

 The Princess and the Stone-Picker by Sarah Ashwood

“Those whose eyes are nearest to the ground are those who see its treasures.” A humble stone-picker’s mysterious remark sends a spoiled princess pursuing answers.

 Why it turned my Gears: The inciting phrase of this story, can be taken literally or figuratively. Either way you interpret it, this princess’s discovery is one that we can benefit from.

 Wake the Moon by Annie Louise Twitchell

Demons laugh, light fades, and Jesse must battle his own darkness to wake the sleeping girl.

 Why it turned my Gears: Wake the moon is at first glance, based on sleeping beauty, but it has some native American overtones, so I’m not sure if there is another fable at play here. Either way this short story reads like a novel in terms of character growth and the amount of nuance added to the protagonists everyday life. I mean, Jesse listens to Owl City. Okay maybe I just gave it high marks for name dropping my favorite artist.

 The Greatest Adventure by J.M. Hackman

A beautiful slave girl, hidden Fire Diamonds, and a wily dragon give Firebrand Aideen Siriol his greatest adventure yet.

 Why it turned my Gears: I love Aideen. He has spirit and drive, and the princess may be dead, but gosh darn it, he came to rescue somebody. So that’s what he does.

 Third Princess by Emily Martha Sorensen

The youngest of three always succeeds after the older two fail. But what if the older two aren’t willing to fail?

 Why it turned my Gears: Okay so to love this story you have to understand that there is a fairy tale troupe of three sisters, and the oldest two are always either too stuck up or too lazy or too independent to be the one the kingdom needs. As the oldest of three I hate this troupe. So when I saw that, Third Princess was going to turn this troupe on it’s head I was excited. Also the oldest princess in this story is totally me.

 A Week after Midnight by Alex McGilvery

The prince is so shy he needed a ball to find a wife. What will he do when she moves in?

 Why it turned my Gears: I really loved the Prince being an introvert in this story, it explains a lot about the Cinderella tale. The story is unique in this collection, in that for an anthology titled Tales of Ever After, it’s the only one that picks up after “happily ever after.”

 Being Seen by Gretchen E. K. Engel

Just because Ilmara is invisible, doesn’t mean she doesn’t exist.

 Why it turned my Gears: If I was asked to choose one story from this collection to be turned into a movie. My choice would be, Being Seen. It invokes visuals in my mind that beg to be seen (pun intended). An invisible girl who dyes her hair and skin just to be accepted, it’s a powerful message.

 The Quest for a Wide-Awake Princess by Lia London

Prince Jack needs to find a suitable princess, but he’d settle for one who’s not snoring.

 Why it turned my Gears: If it’s not sleeping princesses, it’s one’s who want to sleep but can’t. This story is the funniest of the lot. Told in the grand tradition of farce, Puns abound and the gags are over the top. I really love the ending though. It’s a good twist to this original take on the sleeping princess troupe.

 How to Hide a Prince by E.J. Kitchens

Princess Fiona is destined to save a prince, but would kissing a talking frog free a prince, or curse them both?

 Why it turned my Gears: Who is the prince? The enchanted frog, or the boy who stopped Fiona from kissing it? This is the question that kept me guessing throughout the whole story. And the answer is as satisfying as the asking.

 Believing Fairytales by Arthur Daigle

Some fairy tales are true. The dangerous ones are partly true.

 Why it turned my Gears: What a twist! I want everyone to read this anthology just for this story. This is an original story about Nestor a young man who works at an ancient shrine. And when bandits break in searching for a hidden relic Nestor warns them that they have the story all wrong. IT will make you think and feel things that you never thought you could think or feel.

 The Loathly Princess of Edimor by L. Palmer

Princess Selene always gets her desire. When she asks to escape a marriage by transforming into a swan, the witch who helps her has other plans.

 Why it turned my Gears: The last is certainly not least in this fairy tale collection. From what I can tell L. Palmer’s story is an original story, but loosely inspired by the swan princess. I could be wrong. Anyway, the story is slightly humorous, with a good witch who just can’t get people to listen to her, a young man who finds the old woman his family has taken in preferable to the princess he is engaged too, and a princess betrayed, by literally everyone. But hey she had it coming.

 Also I forgot to mention that there is a Comment Giveaway:

The person who leaves the most comments across the blog tour will receive the chance to read special sneak peaks from several of the authors’ upcoming works!

This is usually where I would post the full blog schedule, but this doesn’t really need to be any longer so if you want to go back through and leave comments on any other post you can access them all from here: Tales of Ever After Tour. 

Not sure what to comment about?

Which of the Tales of Ever After are you most excited to read?

What is your favorite Fairy Tale? Did they forget to include it in the anthology? Tell us about it.

Renegade Skyfarer: a Dive in Review.

03 Jul 2018 5 Comments

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

 

Welcome back, I’ve got another Dive in Review for you this time it’s a book that features steampunk goodness.

About the Book

The airship crew saved Ben’s life from a dragon, of all things.

When Ben wakes up, he has no memory of his family, his home, or how he got to this strange world. All he knows is what his new crew members tell him: the magical Barrier that protects their land is weakening. Unless they find the artifact that can repair it, all of Terrene will be destroyed and enslaved by the enemies beyond.

But when Ben suspects that danger may lurk closer than dragons or sky pirates, he has to decide: stay and fight with the airship crew, or focus on regaining his lost memory? If he leaves, he risks losing his newfound friends–but if he stays, he might never return home.

Welcome to Terrene–where dragons exist, the past haunts, and magic is no myth.

Welcome aboard the Sapphire.

Amazon — Barnes & Noble

 

About the Author

During the day, Becky is a stay at home mom of two active little boys. When she has ‘free time’, she enjoys reading, writing, baking and sewing.

After many years of creative writing classes, writing fanfiction drabbles and daydreaming, it was high time to start writing her husband Mike’s story. She dove into the world of Terrene and hasn’t looked back—except for when she runs out of dark chocolate.

Any free time not spent in Terrene is typically expended on hosting dinner and game nights, running amok with the two little monkeys or watching nerdy movies with Mike.

Website— Facebook— Twitter— Instagram— Amazon Author Page

Dive in review of: Renegade Skyfarer

Renegade Skyfarer by R. J. Metcalf is the first book in a new steampunk fantasy series.

There was so much going on in this book that I don’t know where to start.

I’ll start with the dragons because this what sucked me into the story. I loved the different dragon species. It’s like How to Train Your Dragon, each species has a special trait. But even better, they are also described like dinosaurs. Yes that’s right, this isn’t just a story with dragons. It’s like Steampunk Jurassic Park.

The flying ones are even called Terrors and Dactyls. Do you get it?

There are multiple view point characters. Captain Slate, his daughter Jade, the mysterious Blade, and an amnesiac named Ben.

My favorite was Ben, he is super sweet and his past is this huge mystery that just keeps you guessing. Also since everyone had to explain things to him, it was a great way to introduce world building without bogging down the narrative. I loved watching him get his memory back and learning his past. And yes the pay off is really good.

My second favorite character is Jade. Her father’s younger sister married a prince so that makes them nobility or something. He drags her to balls and tries to teach her to be a lady. Jade is never happier than when she’s soaring the skies working on her Airship’s engines. She doesn’t want to be a lady. She is most certainly not trying to marry a prince.

Being a princess is the last thing on her mind. She wants Zak, a dragon hunter on her father’s crew. Too bad he treats her like a kid sister. And while I generally dislike love triangles, I have to confess, I approved when she started hanging out with Ben.

This novel has so many secrets that even if you guess some of them there will still be twists a plenty to surprise you. Five stars, A+, and can I have the next book now.

Let’s Party!

Calling all book readers! Join author RJ Metcalf as we chat about her fantasy novel RENEGADE SKYFARER on July 6th from 8 PM to 10 PM EST (7 PM CST and 5 PM PST).

Grab your favorite drink and snack and be prepared for a fun time of chatting with RJ, games, and giveaways.

Special guests S D Grimm and Jamie Foley, Authorwill also be sharing their books and joining in the fun.

RSVP Here

 

Giveaway Time!

Want to dive into a new world or in need of a good book? Enter to win a signed print copy of Renegade Skyfarer, a Stones of Terrene notepad and pen, Notebook of Writing, and bracelet! (US only.)

>>> Entry-Form<<<

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, July 2nd

Tuesday, July 3rd

Wednesday, July 4th

Thursday, July 5th

Friday, July 6th

Saturday, July 7th

Monday, July 9th

Tuesday, July 10th

Wednesday, July 11th

Thursday, July 12th

Friday, July 13th

Saturday, July 14th

Monday, July 16th

 

Dive in Review of Priceless

15 Jun 2018 1 Comment

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

 

Priceless Blog Tour

Today I’m excited to share a review of Janeen Ippolito’s new novella, Priceless. You may remember, not too long ago when I shared the cover revel for this book. Find it here.

Now that the book is out, I can share with you what I thought about it, and how much I loved it. But first important book stuff.

PricelessPriceless Back cover:

 A little ambition can turn into a lot of trouble, even for the city’s wiliest double agent.

 After years of rebel spywork in the dragon-human war, Nula Thredsing is ready to claim her legacy.

 As the Scepter of Commerce’s new liaison to dragons, she’s one step away from the old family seat on the city council. But during her first meeting with dragon diplomat Tiers Sunscaler, they are attacked by rogue dragons—one of them Sunscaler’s former tactical partner, who is bitterly determined to keep the sham war in action and turn the diplomat to his side.

 At the same time, Nula and Tiers discover a startling connection: an embermate bond. While a political marriage suits Nula, the bond’s side effects are obnoxious—and potentially deadly.

 Aided by an unexpected cat-dragon and a mysterious unicorn, Nula and Tiers must track down the rogue dragons before their dangerous bond tears them apart.

 Fortunately, Nula is used to impossible odds—and this time, she has a dragon on her side.

A steampunk fantasy novella with espionage, cat-dragons, snark, and a side of romance.

Author bio:

 Author Bio Pic for Uploads - FictionJaneen Ippolito believes words can (and should) transform worlds. She writes urban fantasy and steampunk, 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, and is the leader of Uncommon Universes Press, a small 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. This extroverted writer loves getting connected, so find her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and at her website: janeenippolito.com

 Social media links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaneenIppolito

Website: https://janeenippolito.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janeenippolitocreative/

Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/168444147251310/

Instagram: janeen_ippolito

Buy it at Uncommon Universes Press:  https://uncommonuniverses.com/product/priceless

If you buy it from UUP it’s autographed!

Amazon link:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CMG669P/

Other Online Distributors: 

https://uncommonuniverses.com/books/priceless-an-ironfire-legacy-novella/

Add it to your to read list on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39942270-priceless

Dive in review of Priceless:

Priceless by Janeen Ippolito, takes place after the events of Lawless and should not be read first. Trust me there is a lot that hinges on the events of the first book. Priceless is also a novella, so it’s a fast read, and it will help with the Ironfire legacy cravings between Lawless and Faithless.

The main character is Countess Nula Thredsing , a minor character from lawless. I wasn’t sure if I would like this book as I didn’t care for her character in the first book. It turns out she just doesn’t like coming in second. Once she takes center stage her imposing personality becomes confidence and drive. Also her back story makes her much more sympathetic.

The best part of the story was all of the new elements to the world building. So you know how Lawless introduced us to Dragon Shifters? Well Priceless has Unicorn shifters. Like how awesome is that? Um . . . Very!

There is also a Cat dragon. Yes you read that right. A cat who is also a dragon. And this little dude is very sneaky. His name is Freckles and I want one.

He looks like this and you can meet him at the Indie Book magic facebook party tonight. (June 15, 2018). Click here to RSVP.

Launch Party That Includes Priceless

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