Cover Reveal: FROM UNDER THE MOUNTAIN by Cait Spivey

About From Under The Mountain:

As the second child of the Aridan imperial family, nineteen-year-old Guerline knows exactly what is expected of her: be unobtrusive, be compliant, and do not fall in love with her low-born companion, Eva. She has succeeded at only two of those.

But before her feelings for Eva can become a point of contention for the royal house, Guerline's calm and narrow life is ripped away from her—in the course of a single night—and she is abruptly cast in the role of empress.

Faced with a council that aggressively fears the four witch clans charged with protecting Arido and believes they are, in fact, waging war against the humans, Guerline struggles to maintain order. As her control over the land crumbles, she learns that the war is rooted in a conflict much older than she realized—one centuries in the making, which is now crawling from under the mountain and into the light. With the fate of Arido hanging in the balance, Guerline must decide who to trust when even her closest councilors seem to have an agenda.

Darkly cinematic, From Under the Mountain pairs the sweeping landscape of epic fantasy with the personal journey of finding one’s voice in the world, posing the question: how do you define evil, when everything society tells you is a lie? | Add to Goodreads

About Cait Spivey: 

Cait Spivey is a speculative fiction writer, author of high fantasy FROM UNDER THE MOUNTAIN and the horror novella series, “The Web“. Her enduring love of fantasy started young, thanks to authors like Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, Diane Duane, Tamora Pierce, and many more. Now, she explores the rules and ramifications of magic in her own works—and as a panromantic asexual, she’s committed to queering her favorite genres. In her spare time, she plans her next tattoo (there will always be a next tattoo) and watches too much Netflix. Anything left over is devoted to her tireless quest to make America read more. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her darling husband Matt and adorable dog Jay.

Check out more from YA fantasy author Cait Spivey online or on twitter.

Book Review: CHANGELING by Debbie Herbert

Title: Changeling
Author: Debbie Herbert

Category/Genre: New Adult Fantasy Romance


My Star Rating: 5/5

Goodreads Blurb: 


She "thought"she was a witch...she's more Skye's a teen witch who sucks at spells and works at a metaphysical store, The Green Fairy. Strange things are happening there at night: black specks of movement out of the corner of her eye, mysterious buzzing noises, unidentified dragonfly-like carcasses in the basement, and a hidden cache of absinthe (aka fairy crack).

Kheelan is a human changeling. Raised with the fairies, he's viewed as an inferior species whose only use is to serve his kidnappers. He's been totally screwed by the Fae and his only goal in life is freedom. When he meets Skye, he sees an opportunity to escape. The last thing he needs is to be distracted by feelings for this quirky witch.

Skye stumbles upon the remains of dead fairies at the store and is approached by Kheelan who has been sent to investigate the pixie murders. Skye falls for him--only to discover he's using her to win his freedom. He tells her she is half-fairy and has secret powers, but Skye finds it hard to believe when she can never get a spell to work.

As Samhain, the witch's Halloween, draws near she must make a bold move to claim her heritage and power, restore order in the fairy realm, and try to win Kheelan's freedom and love. Absinthe, autism and augury meld into a paranormal cauldron where fairies are sly tricksters waiting to trap you in their Realm.

My Review: 

As usual, Debbie Herbert created a stellar story that will stay with me for a long, long time.  Skye is the young lady most of us were in our late teens; a confused, still-searching-for-herself adolescent who doesn’t give herself enough credit.  I loved how well I could relate to her character.  Kheenan was complex and multi-dimensional, demonstrating the effects of a lifetime of abuse and neglect while still allowing the story to stay light. The magic and world-building was astoundingly vivid and colorful, while the storyline flowed perfectly with sprinklings of real-life social issues throughout (the slavery of the human race by fairies for one).  The amount of research that went into every detail was obvious.  Debbie made sure she knew her stones and her fae mythology inside and out.  Of course, I expected nothing less.  Debbie has once again displayed a bounty of talent for the creative writing process, officially making her my favorite author of 2015!

 

DUAL COVER REVEAL from Curiosity Quills

Today's the day for a dual cover reveal: OF SCIONS AND MEN by Courtney Sloan and GYRE by Jessica Gunn! Both books are in the New Adult category and are being published by Curiosity Quills Press.

Here's a bit about each book:

OF SCIONS AND MEN by Courtney Sloan (February 22nd, 2016)

Geopolitical babysitting while arresting preternatural killers, it’s just the daily grind for Scion Rowan Brady. Brash and sarcastic, Rowan has sold her life, her career and her very blood to the controlling paranormal ruling class of America, all to make sure her kid brother can eat. Now she uses her powers as a scion to kick the ass of any preternatural creature idiotic enough to break the rules and prey upon humanity without a license. All it costs her is her freedom and a pint or two per week to her new Master.

But juggling her job and duties becomes even tougher when she is tasked with keeping a contingency of diplomats from Canada from getting gnawed on. However, negotiations for an International Blood Exchange are interrupted when bodies start showing up. Now Rowan must rely on her talent and wit to defend the society she despises to save the lives she’s sworn to protect. But as she stumbles into the truth, she chances becoming a target of not only these killers, but of her own government. With shifters, ghosts, vampires and psychics all watching her, can she stop the killings before she is silenced?

ADD OF SCIONS AND MEN TO GOODREADS HERE

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GYRE by Jessica Gunn (February 1st, 2016)

Trevor couldn’t believe his eyes when Chelsea teleported onto SeaSatellite5. The miracle is Trevor’s absolute worst nightmare. Chelsea is Atlantean, which would be fine if Trevor’s family weren’t Lemurian—enemies of Atlantis. Then SeaSatellite5 uncovers Atlantean ruins and stumbles into the crosshairs of an ancient war. The Lemurians want the artifacts inside the ruins, and Trevor’s the only one onboard who recognizes the relics for what they really are: Link Pieces, tools used by ancient civilizations to wage their time-travel war. Chelsea and Trevor must brave the gyre of lies surrounding them. If they can’t, Atlantis will be destroyed forever.

ADD GYRE TO GOODREADS HERE

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Are you ready to see the covers?

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PRE-ORDER GYRE HERE!

PRE-ORDER OF SCIONS AND MEN HERE!

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ABOUT COURTNEY SLOAN

A New Orleans native, Courtney Sloan relocated to the hills of Central Maryland after Hurricane Katrina. There she lives with her husband and fellow author, J.P. Sloan, their son and their crazy German Shepherd pup. Adding to her writing life, Courtney is also a professor at the local college and enjoys learning a world of new ideas from her students as she teaches them about writing and communicating. Courtney’s New Orleans upbringing has left her with a love for the macabre and a flare for the next to normal. She writes speculative fiction with a variety of horror and sass mixed in for flavor.

She loves taking the world of politics that haunts us now, and adding the supernatural to create a gumbo of thrills to keep you up at night.  A self-proclaimed lover of way too many fandoms, Courtney also loves crafting. From blankets to jams to stories, it’s always better homemade.

Author Links: Twitter | Website

ABOUT JESSICA GUNN

Jessica Gunn is a New Adult author and avid science-fiction and fantasy fan. Her favorite stories are those that transport the reader to other, more exciting worlds. When not working or writing, she can be found binge-watching Firefly and Stargate, or feeding her fascination of the ancient world’s many mysteries. Jessica also holds a degree in Anthropology.

Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Website

Book Review: SIREN'S CALL (Dark Seas #3) by Debbie Herbert

 

Title: Siren's Call, Dark Seas #3
Author: Debbie Herbert
Category/genre: Fantasy Romance
My Star Rating: 5/5

Goodreads Blurb: 

Blood enemies, bound lovers...
He’d loved a vampire once, only to have her murdered by vengeful Freebloods.  Now to save his half-blood son from kidnappers, Garret Fox must look to another Freeblood for help. Once the empathic vampire Artemis reluctantly drinks his human blood, she cannot deny his request. But although their connection runs deep, their attraction hot, Garret can never forget what Artemis truly is.
Sharing Garret’s thoughts and feelings has wreaked havoc on her emotions. Discovering a malevolent force bent on destroying everyone they both care for brings her even closer to the human. Yet as Artemis fights side by side with her lover, she is deeply conflicted. Even if they both manage to survive this evil, how can she ever hope to find a true home with a man who hates her very kind?

My Review:

This was by far my favorite in the series. I absolutely fell in love with Nash. His struggle to withhold himself because he was so worried for Lily's safety was the heart of the romance for me. The guilt he was gripped with over his past made him an approachable character despite his total sexy, masculine flair. Lily was initially the perfect example of the girl you loved to hate in high school, but as the story goes on she develops a depth that brings you to adore her. Native American culture and beliefs were expertly woven into the story, both serving as a vital element to the plot and as a fantastic addition to the entertainment value of this novel.

Debbie continues to be one of my favorites, and I can't wait to read more from this amazing author! 
 

Book Review: ALICE TAKES BACK WONDERLAND by David D. Hammons

Title: Alice Takes Back Wonderland
Author: David D. Hammons
Category/Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
My Star Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Blurb: 

After ten years of being told she can't tell the difference between real life and a fairy tale, Alice finally stops believing in Wonderland. So when the White Rabbit shows up at her house, Alice thinks she's going crazy.

Only when the White Rabbit kicks her down the rabbit hole does Alice realize that the magical land she visited as a child is real.

But all is not well in Wonderland.

The Ace of Spades has taken over Wonderland and is systematically dismantling all that makes it wonderful. Plain is replacing wondrous, logical is replacing magical, and reason is destroying madness. Alice decides she must help the Mad Hatter and all those fighting to keep Wonderland wonderful.

But how can she face such danger when she is just a girl?

Alice must journey across the stars to unite an army. She discovers that fairy tales are real in the magical world beyond the rabbit hole. But they are not the fairy tales she knows.

Fairy tales have dangers and adventures of their own, and Alice must overcome the trials of these old stories if she wants to unite the lands against Ace.

With the help of Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Snow White and heroes old and new, Alice may have the strength to take back Wonderland.

Review:

**I received a complimentary ecopy of this book in exchange for a honest review**

I don't watch much television, but one show I absolutely can not miss every week is ONCE UPON A TIME.  I'm in love with the way all the fairy-tales I grew up with are twisted and interwoven in ways that defy imagination.  That said, I was not a big fan of the spin off ONCE WONDERLAND.  I found it too drawn out and simple, doing no justice whatsoever to the show it was spawned from.  ALICE TAKES BACK WONDERLAND is like a wonderful adaptation of ONCE WONDERLAND.  One that I might actually watch and enjoy.  Like the show, this story begins with Alice in an asylum, having medication shoved down her throat in hopes of making her forget the make-believe nonsense she believes to be her memories.  And, like the show, as soon as she begins to believe that maybe she is a little bit wackadoodle, she takes one more trip down the rabbit hole.  
  
This is where  Mr. Hammons breathes his own life into the story, making it his own.  He successfully re-introduces us to the characters we think we already know, and connects the classics together into one imaginative, thrilling ride.  Most of the villains we think we know are nothing like the "echoes" we have heard while tucked in our beds; on the contrary, the majority of them are heartfelt victims of circumstance deserving of our sympathy (Pinocchio's father got me right in the feels!).  Each individual is woven into a web of personal complexity-- there is no "good" and "evil.  Life isn't that black and white.  And Alice is a creature worthy of her own praise.  She is a brave, fantastic young American girl in this adaptation.  

There were a few parts where I feel as though the story lulled, but overall this was a delightful spin on several of my favorite childhood stories. 
  

Cover Reveal: Breaking Through by D. Nichole King

COVER REVEAL

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BREAKING THROUGH by d. Nichole King

- SYNOPSIS -

Two years after her brother Nate died during a Navy operation, aquator Nautia Olson’s nightmares began, and her ability to manipulate water became erratic. Anger, fear, joy, desire—they all trigger disaster.

Now, the Navy wants her for a top-secret mission, but Captain Riley Barton has his reservations. He’s read her file. He knows the damage she’s capable of, and yet—

She’s powerful.

If he can harness her ability—break through her walls—

She’ll be unstoppable.

ADD TO GOODREADS

- COVER DESIGNER -

Ashley Byland: Redbird Designs

- TEASERS - 

- ABOUT THE AUTHOR - 

d. Nichole King

Born and raised in Iowa, d. Nichole King writes her stories close to home. There’s nothing like small-town Midwest scenery to create the perfect backdrop for an amazing tale. 

She wrote her first book in junior high and loved every second of it. However, she couldn’t bring herself to share her passion with anyone. She packed it away until one day, with the encouragement of her husband, she sat down at the computer and began to type. Now, she can’t stop. 

When not writing, d. is usually curled up with a book, scrapbooking, or doing yet another load of laundry. 

Along with her incredible husband, she lives in small-town Iowa with her four adorable children and their dog, Peaches.

- social media links -

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | WEBSITE

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Book Review: WHEN WE WERE HUMAN by Kate L. Mary

Title: When We Were Human
Author: Kate L. Mary
Category/Genre: Apocalyptic Upper YA
My Star Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Blurb:

 “They came four years ago. Invaded our planet, rounded us up, decimated the human race. We fought back, and some even say we won, but they’re wrong. The invaders took everything from us. Our family. Our hope. Our humanity. We won the war, but there are no humans left. Only monsters who will do anything to survive. Some look human and some don’t, but they are all the same.”

Eighteen-year-old Eva has spent the last year punishing herself for her sister’s death and hiding from everyone she comes into contact with, human or otherwise. With the population destroyed and the Earth left in ruins, she sees little hope left for the future.

But when she crosses paths with Walker and Tara something inside her awakens. Something she thought had died along with her entire family. In these new friends Eva sees a promise of what the future could be, as well as evidence that humanity might not be extinct after all.

When a ghost from Eva’s past makes an unexpected appearance, the group sets out on a cross-country trek that will teach Eva how to love and hope again, and will remind her what it truly means to be human.

Review: 

**I received a complimentary ecopy of this book in exchange for a honest review**

So let's talk about aliens.  I LOVE them. Okay, my husband might say I have a secret obsession with them.  Ancient Aliens is pretty much permanently on my TV when he isn't around (the show freaks him out).  I don't, however, read too many fiction books about them.  I'm a romance junkie, and the idea of a human fornicating with an alien species kind of skives me out.  Why I haven't seen an alternative like WHEN WE WERE HUMAN before is anybody's guess.  But I loved it!

I got my alien fix, I got my romance fix.  The two didn't touch, but they kind of did.  Kate wove the two together seamlessly, making each was a vital part of the plot.  Too cool. 

You will immediately be sympathetic to Eva.  Kate tackled some real issues with her character.  She finds herself turning into a monster; the only way she knows how to handle the transition is to self-destruct.  In comes Walker and baby sister Lilly to save her from herself.  Two totally different kinds of love, both crucial to the survival of Eva's humanity. 

I didn't care for the ending so much, though.  It just kind of ended.  No huge climactic event...just, hey, we're all happy now.  Which is cool if there's a second book.  Maybe there's more to come?