#bookreview ~ Mer-Charmer (World of Aluvia #2) #YA #Fantasy @AmyBearce

Mer-Charmer

(World of Aluvia Book 2)

By Amy Bearce

Fourteen-year-old Phoebe Quinn is surrounded by magic, but she can’t muster any of her own. Her sister is a fairy keeper. Her best friends are merfolk. And all she does is dishes and housework.

When Phoebe finds out a terrible sea creature is awakening that preys upon the peace-loving merfolk, she becomes determined to help them, even though it means going with Tristan and Mina to their home deep in the sea.

Beneath the waves, Phoebe learns she’s more like her sister than she realized. The merfolk are drawn to her, and she can sense the magic of the sea all around her. Magic is finally at her fingertips, but that’s precisely why the stirring dark power under the waters decides it wants her most of all.

Now she must not only help the peaceful merfolk escape this ancient enemy, she must master her out-of-control powers. If she fails, she will die and darkness will rise and enslave the merfolk once more. But embracing her full power could cost her the very people she loves the most.

 

What did I think of the book?

Sometimes you just need to pretend to be brave…

Time heals, it is said, but four years on after her escape from the clutches of the evil Brentwood, Phoebe is still experiencing flashbacks which grip her in a blinding terror. The only place Phoebe feels at home is in the sea with her beloved friends, Tristan and Mina.

But this is no ordinary friendship for Tristan and Mina are merfolk. Magic is everywhere, but Phoebe feels like an outsider, for she does not possess any magic. The only thing she knows is that merfolk are drawn to her, as is an ancient evil that is awakening in the Abyss of the ocean. This evil threatens the lives of those she loves the most. What she does not realise is that magic does indeed flow through her veins and if she wants the merfolk to survive, she must embrace that magic, fight her fears, and help them.

Wow! What a wonderful journey Amy Bearce has taken me on. Bearce knows how to make characters jump off the page, but not only that she makes them very human. When bad things happen it affects her protagonists, they don't just brush themselves off and get on with it, they suffer, which makes them so real in the telling. Phoebe's development through this book was wondrous to behold. She went from a child who had been locked up and beaten, to this incredibly strong young woman who would do absolutely anything to keep her friends safe, even if that meant sacrificing herself. I really liked her.

The attention to detail has to be commended. Bearce's magical world not only came alive but it breathed. I was completely drawn into the story and the world. It is fantastic escapism.

There is a tender love story throughout this story, which pulled at my heartstrings. Phoebe is so terrified that Tristan only likes her because, like all merfolk, he is drawn to her. What she doesn't realise is that Tristan affections are so much deeper than the strength of her magic. She just needs to have the courage to trust her heart.

This is a fabulous story and one I have thoroughly enjoyed reading. For those who love magical creatures and an alternative world, then this book ticks all the boxes. I loved it.

I Highly Recommend

 

Links for Purchase

Amazon US

Amazon UK

 

About the author

Amy Bearce writes fantasy stories for tweens and teens. Her debut, FAIRY KEEPER, is an upper-middle grade fantasy and is the first book in the World of Aluvia series. MER-CHARMER (World of Aluvia, Book Two) released May 9, 2016. Book Three, Dragon Redeemer, is scheduled for release May 23, 2017. She is a former reading teacher who now has her Masters in Library Science. As an Army kid, she moved eight times before she was eighteen, so she feels especially fortunate to be married to her high school sweetheart. Together they’re raising two daughters and are currently living in Germany, though they'll be heading home to Texas this summer.

#bookreview ~ To Raise a King (The Broken Crown Book 1) #Arthurian #HistFic @jaortonwriter

To Raise a King

 (The Broken Crown Book 1)

By

Justin Orton

When Matt escapes a Scottish boys' home to search for his parents, he instead finds himself fleeing for his life. Cast back in time to the brutality of 6th-century Scotland, he is sent on a dangerous quest - a race to recover the missing fragments of a broken crown and save two worlds from certain destruction.

Love, betrayal and murder follow Matt as he struggles against a backdrop of powerful magic and political tension that soon erupts into open war. Matt's faith in himself, and his trust in his newfound friends will be put to the ultimate test as he fights to Raise a King.

.

What did I think of the Book?

What happens when History and Legend collides…?

Matt longs for what he does not have. A family. A mother who loves him. A father to guide him. Instead, he lives in a home for boys. Abandoned. Forgotten. Alone. His only comfort is his dog, Mia.

Matt is so determined to find his parents that he takes matters into his own hands and runs away. What he didn't expect was to end up in 6th Century Scotland! What happens next will challenge everything he thought he knew about himself, the world, and as it turns out, the not so legendary King Arthur.

Rich in history, overflowing with Arthurian myths and legends, Justin Orton takes his readers on quite a journey. With an elegant wit and descriptive prose, Orton brings to life the beauty and the brutality of 6th Century Scotland. To Raise a King (The Broken Crown Book 1)  is so rich in detail that I could smell the rain in the air, see the vastness of the lochs, and the majestic heights of the mountains.

The protagonist, Matt, is an incredibly courageous young man who's life is turned completely upside down. Everything he thought he knew turns out to be a lie. Suddenly, King Arthur isn't a fairy story and Merlin is real.  Matt finds himself part of this very complicated world to which he had no prior knowledge of. Matt has courage beyond his years, and I could not help but like him. He is the hero of this story. Matt was very real in the telling, and his character drove the story forward and kept me turning those pages.

Orton has obviously spent a lot of time researching this fascinating era, and it comes across in the writing. I like what he did with the Arthurian Legend, and he gave this ancient story a slight Science-Fiction twist which worked remarkably well.

A great deal happens in this book, and there is this sense that no one is as they seem and at one point I was questioning, just like Matt, who were the bad guys! I like a book that makes me think!!

To Raise a King (The Broken Crown Book 1) is an action-packed adventure, that kept me turning those pages. I look forward to reading more books in this series. Justin Orton, you have got yourself a new fan!!

I Highly Recommend!!

Links for Purchase

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the author

I spend most days delving into the world of computer code and unraveling programming mysteries for many major corporations, but my true passion is fictional writing.

My work is always supervised by Oliver (my cat), who’s four-legged contributions can often be found in both my coding and writing (all spelnig errors r stritcly his!).

I was born and raised in England, but now live with my beautiful wife Lisa in Florida (famous for its theme parks, beaches, the occasional hurricane, and a certain mouse).

My hobbies include: reading, movies, history, travel (I want to see mountains again Gandalf – mountains!), and exploring the latest gadgets and gizmos.

I’m rather fond of single malt scotch and it’s not uncommon to find me of an evening, sipping on a fine dram, while pondering how to get a character out of the very awkward situation I recently put them in!

#bookreview~ The Shadow Queen #Historical #histfic @anne_obrien

The Shadow Queen

by

Anne O'Brien

 

The Shadow Queen is the story of Joan of Kent, a tale of treachery, power-hungry families and legal subterfuges, in which Joan, a woman of considerable charm and beauty, played a central role at the Plantagenet Court.

‘What would enhance the pattern of my life further? One word slid into my

mind. A seductive word. A dangerous word, perhaps, for a woman. Power.’

From her first clandestine marriage Joan of Kent’s reputation was one of scandal and rumour.  Her royal blood made her a desirable bride, but her ambition and passion could become a threat to the stability of the Plantagenet dynasty.

Joan knew what she must do to survive, the political games to play, the alliances she must make, even if one man will always own her heart.  But would her ambitions bring her happiness?

A dramatic story of love and loyalty and of the cost of personal ambition, this is the story  of the woman who would ultimately seek power as the mother to the ten year old King Richard II, from the shadows of the throne.

The Shadow Queen breathes life back into this remarkable medieval woman, Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent of Kent.

What did I think of the Book?

From the opulence and grandeur of court life to the damp and crumbling manor of the Holand estate, journey back in time to the reign of Edward III and see things through the fresh and young eyes of Joan, The Fair Maid of Kent.

Joan of Kent can want for nothing. With a proud lineage, this Plantagenet princess can look forward to a bright future. Wealth, respectability, jewels, land, power, and position, are all hers for the taking. Joan knows what is expected of her. She is to marry well.

Joan's mother, Margaret Wake, 3rd Baroness Wake of Liddell, brings her the most wonderful news. Joan is to be given in matrimony to her childhood friend, William Montacute, the son of the first Earl of Salisbury. This marriage has every advantage and comes with the King's approval. But there is a problem, for Joan is already married to someone who did not look at her and count how much money she would bring to the wedding bed. Instead, she married a man who loved her. She just didn't tell anyone about the wedding! Her husband, Thomas Holland, is away fighting for the King and Joan finds herself in a precarious position. She has no allies to turn to in the face of her mother's ambition. Joan will marry William Montacute, even if it is the last thing she ever does.

Anne O' Brien brings us another captivating story of seduction, scandal, and the most heart-breaking tale of a woman who dared to go against convention and instead, followed her heart. The Shadow Queen was so vivid in its detail that I found myself completely immersed in the story. Time ticked on and yet I didn't notice as each turn of the page brought more drama, more heartache, and a desperate hope that this protagonist, this brave and courageous young woman, would find happiness.

The Shadow Queen is told in the first person, from Joan's perspective. Joan really struggles with who she is, and it was a joy to watch her mature. Her relationship with Ned was portrayed as the pinnacle moment of her life, not just because Ned was who he was, but because this was a real grown-up relationship for her. It came with problems, but they loved each other. Joan sometimes came across as incredibly self-serving, but she really blossomed as a character when she married Ned.

I have to say I was deeply moved by the portrayal of Edward, 'Ned,' The Black Prince of Wales.  He was so real in the telling that despite knowing beforehand how his life was to be cut cruelly short, this story, the way O’Brien portrayed him, made me wish for an alternative ending. I didn’t want him to die.

The Shadow Queen is not just a great work of literature; it is more than that, it shows the courage that these remarkable women had. We have all heard about how brave these noblemen were, but the stories of their wives are even more compelling. They all lost so many loved ones in a time where plague and war were rampant. How terrible it must have been for these women who waited patiently at home, hoping never to hear that their husband had died in battle. Such thoughts bring tears to my eyes even now. Life was precarious; there was simply not the time for wasted moments. Their stories—Joan's story—certainly deserves to be told. The Shadow Queen has left a lasting impression on me.

I Highly Recommend.

   
  I received an ARC of this book from the Publishers, via NetGalley, for review consideration.

 Links for Purchase
Publication date: 4th May 2017

Pre-order
 Amazon UK

About the author

Anne O’Brien was born in West  Yorkshire. After gaining a BA Honours degree in History at Manchester University and a Master’s in Education at Hull, she lived in East Yorkshire for many years as a teacher of history.

She now lives with her husband in an eighteenth-century timber-framed cottage in the depths of the Welsh Marches in Herefordshire, on the borders between England and Wales, where she writes historical novels.  The perfect place in which to bring medieval women back to life.

Visit me.

Website: https://www.anneobrien.co.uk

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

Twitter: @anne_obrien

#bookreview ~ Billabong Ghost (The Stolen Years Book 2) #histfic

Billabong Ghost

(The Stolen Years #2)

By

Ryn Shell

A lonely and neglected boy creates an imaginary friend-protector not knowing she is a spirit seeking his help to avenge her death.

Another gripping instalment of The Stolen Years Series of historical Australian rural-lit novels by Ryn Shell. Integrated into To Kill for a Ghost is the story of the heroes on the SS Admella shipwreck.

What did I think of the Book?

The past is about to pay a visit to the settlers of Fife Springs, Queensland.

With the most articulate prose, Ryn Shell traverses time as she weaves a story about a neglected seven year-old-boy and what he thinks is his imaginary friend — his protector. But Charlotte is a restless spirit determined to have 'payback' on those who stole her life at the tender age of sixteen.

Billabong Ghost is an incredibly moving, and sometimes disturbing, tale of how a young woman was manipulated by those who were around her and how her death had far reaching consequences across the generations. 

There is a lot of time shifts in this book, going from once century to the next, but woven together it made the most compelling read. The writing is elegant — there is no doubt about it, Shell is an incredible storyteller.

I have read several books in The Stolen Years series and each time I am just blown away by the attention to detail. Shell knows how to set a scene and how to hook her readers. Fabulous.

If you are are looking for a series to get your teeth into, then I Highly Recommend The Stolen Years. This series has a little bit everything, history, romance, hatred, revenge, and a heavy dose of the paranormal thrown in. I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

I Highly Recommend.

Links for Purchase

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the author

From one of Australia's finest storytellers comes historical fiction stories of crime, betrayal, mystery and love.

​With family connections to the Pallawa Aboriginal Tasmanians and Australia's first European settlers, septuagenarian Ryn writes with the cultural understanding and experience of an elder who has listened to the oral histories of people closely connected to country in Australia and the Pacific.

While Ryn writes about resilience and love, don't expect sweet romance. Her focus is on the coming-of-age adventure, and of course, history. She even challenges NASA's version of the supposedly "safe return" of Skylab.

During her career as a fine artist, Ryn spent decades researching and verifying the historical background to the books she would write. In 2010, Ryn set aside a fifty-year successful art career to write full-time. It is Ryn's family's hope that a more factual history of the land might emerge from the recorded inaccuracies concerning the colonial invasion of Australia and many Pacific Islands.

For the latter part of 2016, Ryn is taking a sabbatical from historical fiction novel writing, to assist fellow authors and bloggers with marketing, and to study and merge her existing traditional fine art skill with the latest graphic design know-how and tools.

#bookreview ~ The Dead Of Winter #Crime #mustread @bilbob20

The Dead Of Winter  

By

Billy McLaughlin

Sometimes the truth is closer to home than you know…

When little Archie Miller is taken from his cot, the clock is ticking for Detective Kevin Wallace to return the baby to his devastated mother. At first it looks like the act of a teenage girl who just wants attention.

However, Wallace discovers there’s something more sinister at play in this brand-new novel from the writer of ‘Lost Girl’ and ‘In the Wake of Death’.

The small community begin to point the finger in another direction. Anything to divert eyes away from the secrets and the lies that they themselves are caught up in.

What really happened to Archie Miller and what lengths will a parent go to when protecting one of their own?

What did I think of the Book?

This is a nice neighbourhood, things like this don't happen here.

It is every parents worst nightmare. When Dan went into the nursery to check on his baby he found the crib empty. It is now up to the police to piece together all the evidence, and while they do so they discover that every family in the street has secrets, some more so than others. But the question remains…Who kidnapped baby Archie?

The Dead of Winter is a page-turning, 'who done it?' read. With a super-fast pace and many twists and turns, this book is unputadownable.

I really enjoyed reading all the multiple points of views and watching the event unfold. When I thought I knew where Mr McLaughlin was going with his story, he would suddenly throw another curve ball, and the story would go off in another direction with another possible suspect. Gripping!!

I really enjoyed this book and I read it in one sitting. Fantastic!!

I Highly Recommend.

Links for Purchase

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the author

Billy McLaughlin is a Glasgow born author who released his first novelette 'Invisible' in March 2016. Receiving glowing customer reviews, he followed up with the gritty novel 'Lost Girl' which introduces readers to the mainstay characters Phil & Kate. In September 2016, his third book 'In the Wake of Death' was released, re-uniting audiences with Phil & Kate as well as throwing a brand new mystery that has been praised for its unique twist.

McLaughlin welcomed 2017 in celebrating that 'Lost Girl' peaked at number 2 in the crime thriller charts the previous August and gained the coveted number 1 slot in the Scottish crime charts with 'In the Wake of Death'. His fourth book is released on 13 March 2017. 'The Dead of Winter' will appear to be a stand-alone mystery, but introduces a brand new character that is already set to make a splash in the 3rd DI Phil Morris mystery 'The Daughter' which is due in summer 2017.

The Du Lac Devil is #free on #Kindle for a Limited Time! #historicalfantasy

Hey, I've got great news, The Du Lac Devil is FREE on Kindle, and if that is not enough, you can pick up a Kindle Copy of The Du Lac Chronicles for only 0.99. But be quick, this offer won't last long!!

(15th-18th April)

 

The Du Lac Chronicles

 

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon Canada

The Du Lac Devil

 

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon Canada

#bookreview ~ Fairy Keeper (World of Aluvia #1) #YA @AmyBearce

Fairy Keeper

 (World of Aluvia #1)

By

Amy Bearce

Forget cute fairies in pretty dresses. In the world of Aluvia, most fairies are more like irritable, moody insects. Almost everyone in the world of Aluvia views the fairy keeper mark as a gift, but not fourteen-year-old Sierra. She hates being a fairy keeper, but the birthmark is right there on the back of her neck. It shows everyone she was born with the natural ability to communicate, attract, and even control the tiny fairies whose nectar is amazingly powerful. Fairy nectar can heal people, but it is also a key ingredient in synthesizing Flight, an illegal elixir that produces dreaminess, apathy and hallucinations. She’s forced to care for a whole hive of the bee-like beasties by her Flight-dealing, dark alchemist father.

Then one day, Sierra discovers the fairies of her hatch are mysteriously dead. The fairy queen is missing. Her father’s Flight operation is halted, and he plans to make up for the lost income by trading her little sister to be an elixir runner for another dark alchemist, a dangerous thug. Desperate to protect her sister, Sierra convinces her father she can retrieve the lost queen and get his operation up and running.

The problem? Sierra’s queen wasn’t the only queen to disappear. They’re all gone, every single one, and getting them back will be deadly dangerous.

Sierra journeys with her best friend and her worst enemy -- assigned by her father to dog her every step -- to find the missing queens. Along the way, they learn that more than just her sister’s life is at stake if they fail. There are secrets in the Skyclad Mountains where the last wild fairies were seen. The magic Sierra finds there has the power to transform their world, but only if she can first embrace her calling as a fairy keeper.

What did I think of the Book?

It is only when you lose someone that you realise just how much they meant to you in the first place.

No one asked Sierra if she wanted to be a Fairy Keeper, but nevertheless, that is what she is. She doesn't even like fairies all that much; they are vile things which bite and scratch and in worse cases sting. But they have their uses, for their nectar is powerful indeed, it is used for healing. But that is not all that the nectar is used for, for there are those who harness the power of the nectar and change it into an illegal elixir that is as addictive as it is cruel. Only the lowest of criminals would profit from the nectar of fairies, unfortunately for Sierra, her father is such a man. But as long as her fairies keep producing the nectar then Sierra and her little sister are safe from her father's cruelty and always ready fist.

Then one-day disaster strikes, all the fairies are dead, apart from the Queen and she is missing. It is now a race against time to find out where Sierra's Queen is and bring her home, if she does not then her sister will be sold to, Brentwood, a vile man, to settle her father's debt.

Page one caught my attention; by page two I was captivated. Fairy Keeper is a page-turning adventure of a read. I lost myself in this most amazing world that Bearce has created. It is like escaping to Narnia only so much better. The attention to detail brings Aluvia to life; it is so easy to visualise this fantastical, magical world. Bearce has created a truly stunning backdrop for the most amazing story.

I adored the characterisation of Sierra. She is an incredibly strong heroine who has an awful time of it. She has an abusive father, but she vows to keep her younger sister safe from his fierce temper. She struggles with her moments of failures, but she is willing to learn from them. When she starts this difficult journey to find her Fairy Queen, her thoughts are purely occupied with preventing her sister from being sold, by the end of the trip, she has learnt what being a Fairy Keeper means and atones for the things she has done wrong in the past. I could not help, but like Sierra, she is a real joy to read about.

The plot was so engaging and so fast-paced that time just flew by while I read this book. I am loving this series, and I can't wait to read book 2.

I Highly Recommend.

Links for Purchase

Amazon US

Amazon UK

  

About the author

Amy Bearce writes fantasy stories for tweens and teens. Her debut, FAIRY KEEPER, is an upper-middle grade fantasy and is the first book in the World of Aluvia series. MER-CHARMER (World of Aluvia, Book Two) released May 9, 2016. Book Three, Dragon Redeemer, is scheduled for release May 23, 2017. She is a former reading teacher who now has her Masters in Library Science. As an Army kid, she moved eight times before she was eighteen, so she feels especially fortunate to be married to her high school sweetheart. Together they’re raising two daughters and are currently living in Germany, though they'll be heading home to Texas this summer.