Tuesday, July 4, 2023

Caves of Glass C.A. Gray (Blog Tour + Giveaway)

 


Rion's prophecy gives him hope through his bleakest years, while Ginny's prophecy haunts her....

Caves of Glass

by C.A. Gray

Genre: Epic Fantasy 

The illegitimate son of a peasant, Rion of Tryferos has very limited prospects with only one remarkable talent: when he plays the lyre, he ushers in the supernatural balm of peace to all who hear. This turns out to be his ticket into the palace, where he nightly plays for the restless, rejected king. King Hector of Tryferos is paranoid, because he knows his days on the throne are numbered. What he doesn’t know is that his anointed successor is Rion.

Princess Genevieve is a spare to the throne of Mageia, shunned by all but her mother out of fear of her magical gift: she possesses the power to manipulate the thoughts and desires of those around her. But Ginny would do anything just to be normal. When a fulfilled prophecy of her mother's untimely death also foretells that Ginny will ascend the Mageian throne, Ginny wonders whether she has any control over her own fate at all, or whether everything is predetermined.

Both Rion and Ginny are drawn to the forbidden Caves of Glass at the icy pinnacles that border their two perpetually feuding nations. According to legend, the Caves are either a place of strange forbidden magic, or else a place where all deception is stripped away, leaving only clarity and truth in its wake. As Rion flees for his life and Ginny struggles against her destiny, in the Caves of Glass, they find both each other, and themselves.


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C.A. Gray is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD), with a primary care practice in Tucson, Arizona. She has always been captivated by the power of a good story, fictional or otherwise, which is probably why she loves holistic medicine: a patient’s physical health is invariably intertwined with his or her life story, and she believes that the one can only be understood in context with the other. For freebies, giveaways, and new release info, sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/F3rof.

Her favorite fictional tales have always been epic battles of good versus evil, with a strong tendency towards parable. An idealist herself, she has always been convinced that these stories have something deeply true to tell us about the human condition, and that is why we love them so much… or at least that’s why she does.

She still wants to be everything when she grows up. She moonlights as a college chemistry teacher (she has a degree in biochemistry, with minors in Spanish and Creative Writing), does theater when she gets the chance, sings, plays piano, was once a personal trainer and in coffee shop management. She is blessed with exceptionally supportive family and friends, and thanks God for them every single day.


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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon



Monday, July 3, 2023

Rhapsody (Symphony of Ages book 1) by Elizabeth Haydon (Review)

 

(goodreads blurb)
Rhapsody is a woman, a Singer of some talent, who is swept up into events of world-shattering import. On the run from an old romantic interest who won't take no for an answer, Rhapsody literally bumps into a couple of shady characters: half-breeds who come to her rescue in the nick of time. Only the rescue turns into an abduction, and Rhapsody soon finds herself dragged along on an epic voyage, one that spans centuries and ranges across a wonder-filled fantasy world-- a world so real you can hear the sweet music of Rhapsody's aubade and smell the smoldering forges deep within the Cauldron.

My Thoughts:

Good grief! I've had these books on my shelves for YEARS and I always planned on picking them up and getting into them, but somehow my dumbass would always find a way to not. First off, I am in love with the way Haydon writes. The environments, the characters, the action scenes...everything is written so vividly and so beautifully! Her characters are fleshed out and you care about them. 

Let's talk about the characters shall we? Rhapsody is the main character. She's a Singer, basically like a mix of medic, fighter, poet, musician...she used to be a prostitute (not by choice) so she's got an edge to her. She can be sweet as sugar but you get her pissed and she will not make things good for you. It's a nice mix, she's never sickly sweet and she's never too tough as nails that you don't like her. She's head strong, smart, and just a well rounded character. 

Achmed and Grunthor are the secondary characters. Grunthor is the best! He's literally my favorite so far, imagine a big burly troll like charactor that speaks with a cockney accent and is on one hand the scariest mofo you've ever seen, but on the other hand wouldn't hurt a fly. He's loyal, smart, snarky, and my favorite. Did I mention he's my favorite? 'Cuz he is. 

Achmed is complicated. Like, understatement of the year here. He's got layers this guy, and he doesn't exactly peel easily...He's not the prettiest dude out there, but he's tough. He's not quick to let anyone (besides Grunthor) in and when he meets Rhapsody, he's not sure about it all. Though soon both of these gents accept her as one of their own.  

The main three go through a LOT in this book. They journey literally through the center of the Earth, through YEARS ON YEARS, to make it to the end of the book. There's so much going on and I don't want to spoil this book for you. They form a friendship that I do hope only strengthens more over the series. There are eventually other characters that join the merry trio, but the main relationship here is why I love this book so much! 

I cannot think of too many grumps about this book. I think the main one I have is that nearly 90% of the book is world/character building. Of course, I love the first book in a series to focus on world building and character development, but there's got to be more story set up for the rest of the series..I hope that makes sense? However, while this would make it a no go for me, I didn't notice the over abundance of building in this part of the series. I wanted to know these characters. I wanted to see how their bond forms, and of course I wanted to enjoy the world more and more. 

If you are a fan of epic fantasy and have never ever read this series, I highly HIGHLY recommend it!! 

**Disclaimer: Cover pic goes to Amazon affiliate link for the book***

Friday, June 30, 2023

Upcoming Book Plans

 


I have a bit of free time coming up, my work schedule has reduced dramatically (temporarily) for the next week so I am going to be a good book worm and use this time wisely! 

Here's my bookish menu!


I aim to finish Rhapsody today, so I'm going straight into book 2. 

In Rhapsody, a fellowship was forged--three companions who, through great adversity, became a force to be reckoned with: Rhapsody, a singer of great talent and even greater beauty; Achmed, an assassin with unearthly talents; and Grunthor, a giant Sergeant-Major whose jolly disposition stands at odds with his deadly skill at weapons. Having fled the F'dor--an ancient, powerful evil--the three emerged on the other side of the world, only to discover fourteen centuries had passed. Their homeland had been destroyed, their people scattered across several continents, and everyone they ever knew had long since passed away...except, perhaps, the F'dor. Prophecy continues this powerful epic. Driven by a prophetic vision, Rhapsody races to rescue the religious leader of her new homeland while Achmed and Grunthor seek evidence of the F'dor. These three may be their world's only hope, the heroes spoken of in the Prophecy of the Three, but their time is running short. They must find their elusive enemy before his darkness consumes them all. 

After this I will pick up the 3rd book in the series:

To stand against the F'dor - an ancient, vile being intent on destroying the world - a fellowship has been forged: Rhapsody, a Singer of great talent and beauty; Achmed, an assassin with unearthly talents; and Grunthor, a giant of jolly disposition and lethal skill with weapons. Driven by prophetic visions, the three know that time is running short, know that they must find their elusive enemy before his darkness consumes them all. But after their final, brutal confrontation with the F'dor, their world crosses the threshold of disaster and faces utter oblivion. The action reaches a fevered pitch, achieving a crescendo of tragedy, love, and triumph of human spirit over world-shattering cataclysm. With death at hand and the world crumbling at their feet, these three will finally discover their true Destiny.



If I get really ambitious with my reading, I'll get started on Fire and Blood. I'm not sure I'll get to it but maybe? 

Other bloggy stuff. 
I have signed up for some blog tours, review tours mostly. I haven't just signed up willy nilly for anything so they will be quite fun and interesting! I'm definitely aiming for more activity here. 

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Tracks by Lyn I. Kelly (Blog Tour)

 

 


Skinwalker. Lycanthrope. Werewolf. 

Whatever the name, whatever the legend, 

an old evil has found its way into McGregor Falls, and no one is safe.

Tracks

by Lyn I. Kelly

Genre: Horror 

"It ain't nothin' like you've ever seen before, Sheriff."

That was when Sheriff Cotton Briggs found the body, slaughtered beyond recognition inside a random boxcar. The trains have always moved through McGregor Falls, Texas, but now they have brought something into town, something Briggs had hoped was forever in the past.

Fifteen-year-old Travis Braniff while exploring an old trainyard with a friend, encounters that same something. Both boys escape the creature's murderous intent, but now it is after them and will stop at nothing to prevent its secret from being revealed...too soon.

In Lyn I. Kelly's newest novel, the werewolf mythology is explored and rewritten, as vengeance is rendered onto a small Texas town and secrets are revealed. Skinwalker. Lycanthrope. Werewolf. Whatever the name, whatever the legend, an old evil has found its way into McGregor Falls, and no one is safe.


**Only .99 cents!!**

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Lyn I. Kelly is the author of the Dark Lands series and the horror novel, Tracks. His work has been published in Diamond Comics and in periodicals such as the Wichita Falls Times-Record News, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and Newsweek. Lyn is a member of the Horror Writers Association of America (HWA). He and his family live in Keller, Texas. He has cats that occasionally hinder his writing.


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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon, 

Signed Copy of Tracks 

– 1 winner each! 


Monday, June 19, 2023

Monday Reading Plans


 I have been a very bad blogger and bookworm lately! I am aiming to correct this with some nice reading sessions that I have planned coming up. I'm still trying to get through a few books for the Sci-Fi Summer Readathon! 

My reading goals this week:

  • Finish up Rhapsody (I'm like a little over halfway done with it)
  • Elantris
  • Prophecy (Get started at least 50-100 pages in)
I am also going to chuck in some Sherlock Holmes (quick reads) and try to post a review this week. 

I am thinking about sliding in some blog tour posts as well, but not sure yet. 

Personally I've been struggling with mental health a bit. A lot of things have been going on that have been keeping me down though I am trying to correct them with diet, exercise and journaling. Long story short, my son (19) has been accepted into a school program he wants to do. I am super proud of him, but the school is in a different state a whole 8 hours away. The program runs for about 7-8 months and well he'll have to live there. I already don't see him as much as I like, he works and lives with his Dad (about an hour away) and transportation issues keep me from being able to visit him and vice versa. I know it's a fact of life, baby birds gotta fly, etc., but it really does bring me down. I am so happy he's excited and going to learn so much, but I can't help but feel a bit obsolete sometimes. I know I'm not, but it feels that way. He's just had a weekend visit with me and I can already feel the sadness of him not being here kicking in. It's especially worse because I don't know when he'll be able to come back again. So I'm going to try to distract myself. Focus on my health goals, work,  my reading, my own learning (I'm in school and teaching myself Latin), my veggie garden, and of course blogging more. I will be fine. 

So share with me what you are reading this week and of course how you are doing?


Thursday, June 1, 2023

Sci-Fi Summer Readathon

 

Seasons of Reading

Hosted by Seasons of Reading blog. 



\Time to start our science fiction (fantasy) month! Ready?
Since science fiction is a very specific genre, this will be strictly reading science fiction during the event. However, since fantasy is so closely related to the genre (often grouped together), if you feel more comfortable reading fantasy, that is also fine.

I'm not completely counting out a Sci-Fi read, but I do prefer to enjoy Fantasy so my list will mostly consist of that. 
There's also a readalong of Brave New World, but since I have recently finished that one I will be sitting that part out. 

My tentative list:

  • Rhapsody by Elizabeth Haydon FINISHED
  • Prophecy by E.H-STARTED 
  • Destiny by E.H
  • Elantris by Brandon Sanderson 
  • Wake Me After The Apocalypse by Jordan Rivet (SciFi) 

Review: The Last Word by Taylor Adams

 


 Book Blurb (from Goodreads):
After posting a negative book review, a woman living in a remote location begins to wonder if the author is a little touchy—or very, very dangerous—in this pulse-pounding novel of psychological suspense and terror from the critically acclaimed author of No Exit and Hairpin Bridge.



One day, she reads a poorly written—but gruesome—horror novel by the author H. G. Kane, and posts a one-star review that drags her into an online argument with none other than the author himself. Soon after, disturbing incidents start to occur at night. To Emma, this can’t just be a coincidence. It was strange enough for this author to bicker with her online about a lousy review; could he be stalking her, too?As Emma digs into Kane’s life and work, she learns he has published sixteen other novels, all similarly sadistic tales of stalking and murder. But who is he? How did he find her? And what else is he capable of?


My Thoughts:

Wow! I actually had so so so much fun with this one. I mean, as reviewer (sometimes) I've always wondered whether or not I should leave negative reviews. I do try to be nice, even if the book didn't jell with me all that well, but sometimes you just get a stinker and have to be completely honest. Do you go the gentle route or the brutal honest truth route? The dilemma! 

Emma decides to speak her mind. She's brutally honest, but that doesn't sit well with the author. Oh no, he is not having that! If she won't take down her review, well he's just going to have to take down Emma! What is he capable of? What brutal retribution does he have planned for our heroine? Will she survive? 

I loved the premise from the get-go. I thought it was a very solid and very well developed plot. I do love in later chapters you get a bit of a back and forth between Emma's perspective and the killer's. But is it? Is it the killer as he is, or how he envisions himself? 

This was by no means a super serious book, and I don't think it was intended to be. It definitely was a book that kept me flipping pages, I even finished a few chapters on the sly at work (GASP!) because I just couldn't put it down. I loved the twists, the turns, and the shocking reveals. It was cheesy at times, but that made me love it even more! It played on some tropes, it played on stereotypes, and it even had a few WTF?! moments. 

I really enjoyed it and I do suggest it. It's a perfect popcorn (in a good way) read!