Book Review: Into Darkness

Into Darkness

By:  S.A. Archer & S. Ravynheart

Publish Date:  July 6, 2013

Publisher:  Ravynheart Publishing

Format:  ebook, 98pgs

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  1st of Into Magic series;
continuation of Rise of the Unseelie, Champion of the Sidhe, and Touch series.

Recommendation:  Continuation of the series with a darker twist to them.  All combine into one blended story!

Synopsis:
One Dangerous World... The Intense Storylines... All Collide in Season Two of The Sidhe!

Poisoned with dark magic, Lugh, the former Champion of the Sidhe, is ruled by the beast within, and it has one goal... to reclaim a source of magic that will make it unstoppable.  But his allies have not forgotten his quest to restore the realm of fey that will prevent the fey from Fading.

By Lugh's side is London, a human druidess pledged into his service.  London's got Lugh's back, even if he's whacked out of his mind.  She'll need more than quick thinking and her gun to get them out of the trouble that is coming for them.

The Unseelie, led by Donovan, have brought the Sidhe back from the brink of extinction.  And now they are not going to let Lugh remake a fey realm under Seelie control.  With the young earthborn Sidhe coming into their powers, the Unseelie rise against the forces that would once more see them under Seelie tyranny.

With longer episodes, Season Two combines the three storylines from Season One, with explosive results!

First Sentence:
The sense of de ja vu brought on a wave of nausea for London almost as much as the reek of blood.

Purchase At:
Amazon

***I read for my honest thoughts on the story, from the author.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Lugh has changed, consumed by the Darkness yet holding off the eclipse - barely.  London is still his druidess and needs the Sidhe Touch to live.  She will do his bidding, no matter what.

The more pieces of the magic puzzle Malcolm finds, the easier it is to follow the threads of magic to the next piece.  And more obsessed Malcolm becomes with the mission to find all the magic and bring it together.

Lugh is on the mission for artifacts to create a new fey realm, and power.  The wood elves think they can stop the fade, or extremely delay it.  Lugh is willing to do this procedure to get to create the new realm and powers with it.

Each want to help the fey, by restoring the power so the Fade doesn't take any more.  But, each has their valid reasons for why they can't afford the 'help' of the other.  Or why the other is dangerous.  Will the Fey survive the constant battle between Seelie and Unseelie long enough?  The rift is needed, but is it needed still?  Could the Seelie and Unseelie be switching roles?  Maybe so....


What a way to start Season 2.  All characters we enjoy are here.  Even Jonathon the dragon.  This is a complete intersection of the three previous series; Champion of the Sidhe, Rise of the Unseelie, and Touch.  We get POV from London, Malcolm, Donovan, and Lugh.  All in one place!

Interesting turn of events and what we learn.  There are deep secrets to the Dark Beast in Lugh, and this makes me curious to motives behind others that are now lost.  Or are they?  I'm still curious as to that little question from season one.  And what happens to him here...Oh my.  Just when you think Lugh has it bad, it gets worse.

Malcolm.  Wow.  Just when you think he's coming around, he falls backwards.  This boy is falling for his bloodhound instincts and not even know it.  The things he does with magic, he is a key to many things.  And one that is hard to control at that.  He's damaged and becoming obsessed with magic and playing with it.  He has no idea what he's doing, but he's doing it.

Oooo, this is the one.  The ending is top notch.  Fighting and intense to hold your attention to what's going on. Then!  Then you see someone you never thought you would! LOL!  Ha!

Book Review: Uprising

Uprising

By:  S.A. Archer & S. Ravynheart

Format:  eNovella

Publisher:  Ravynheart Publishing

Publish Date:  February 27, 2013

Series:  5th of Rise of the Unseelie series
Affiliated with Touch series and Champion of the Sidhe series

Book Synopsis:
Awakening to his bloodhound abilities, Malcolm's following dangerous instincts he doesn't understand and can't control.  As Donovan discovers the truth about who murdered Danu, war is brewing on more than one front, threatening everything the Unseelie have fought for.

First Sentence:
The music was dying.

Purchase At:

Amazon

My Thoughts and Summary:
Donovan is working with Malcom, to follow the sidhe music stolen by a witch.  To find her, the sidhe the wizards took and are draining.  Being a Bloodhound Malcolm can track magic in different ways and is doing so now with direction from Donovan.  Finding this witch left Ireland to return to the wizards home at Isle of Man, Donovan takes Tiernan as the young earthborn sidhe aren't ready to leave their protected land or tangle with wizards.  The clues to the Mounds fall the rescued sidhe brings to Donovan will be shocking!

I was a little unsure in the beginning what was happening and how it would work with the world we've already seen, but two chapters in I was drawn to know what the pieces where and how they connected to the world on land as apposed to in the Mounds.  Knowing what I've learned of the Mounds and pieces through out, this was great to see the fey and Sidhe learn to adapt.

We see Donovan match up against a wizard.  The wizard element and danger is coming into play more as they are always looking and stealing sidhe and fey for their magic.  We see the wizards are strengthening as the fey, as a whole, are weakening.

Malcolm learns more magic in himself!  Great Malcolm growth and learning here.  He's coming to be more powerful than expected by readers, but it seems Donovan had an idea and hopes that are coming to surface with Malcolm.  Malcolm's becoming a masterpiece with his magic.  So much here he doesn't even know as he doesn't know the pieces we do of the ancient sidhe and history in the Mounds of his kind.  And the secrets!  Oh, the secrets...

The secret's we learn of the fall of the Mounds!  Who! How! Why! Hahaha!  I had a feeling and sooo wanted to know.  This one brings that out for us.  Missing pieces of the starts of all this are here.

We still have more to learn as this places the ruins Lugh is looking for into light as well.  And Malcolm seems to be a crucial piece to the puzzle, but will he hold together to do it?  This book has brought more to the world of Sidhe on the land and I look forward to learning more of the adaptations to come.



*I read this book for an honest review.

Book Chat...on a Fey series

I was included in a Live Google chat with the authors S.A. Archer and S. Ravynheart in chatting about their fey series's I've been reading.  Yes plural series's.  They have three book lines that cross over in the same world.

If you are curious about the chat you can watch the video of the three of us at Fey Cast.

I tried to get a few pieces of juicy details for you, but Ravynheart put his foot down. ;D Lol.

The first book in each story line:  (note: each of these 1st books are FREE on Amazon Kindle)

These stories are all done in novella length series.


If you would like you could read the Prequel to Champion of the Sidhe series:  In Whom You Trust (goes with End of the World starting book series).  I did enjoy this one and it starts at Fey Cast and hops to a few blogs for each section.

Book Review: Bloodhound

Bloodhound

By:  S.A. Archer & S. Ravynheart

Format:  eNovella

Publisher:  Ravynheart Publishing

Publish Date:  July 2012

Series:  4th of Rise of the Unseelie series
Affiliated with Touch series and Champion of the Sidhe series

Book Synopsis:
Donovan rescued the earthborns.  Protected them.  Gave them shelter from the predators who would feast on their blood and Sidhe magic.

That time is over.

Time for the earthborns to train.  To fight back.  To reclaim what is theirs.

Time to show the world what it means to be Unseelie.

First Sentence:
"You're so dead, mate!" Bryce shouted over the explosion of gunfire.

My Thoughts and Summary:
While playing a relaxing (relaxing from magic) video game with Bryce, Malcolm hears a strange whistle no other can hear.  He knows it's Kieran and when searches for his sound magic, he can't find it.  He knows Kieran is in trouble.  Donovan's not around as he's been taking fey cases, protecting fey.  Donovan returns to a panicked Malcolm as Kieran returns to the club with a human female...London.

This story overlaps in time and happenings with Enchanted, novella #3 in Touched series.  Do you need to read that novella, or series, first?  No.  I think you will be good with out doing so.  But might be one to check out as well.  This story gives us the Unseelie view of the happenings, and why they react as they do with what they learn, where Enchanted is London's side of the happenings.  We get to see the Unseelie thoughts of London as well, or at least Donovan's and Malcolm's which are the strongest.

Donovan doesn't feel the earthborn Sidhe are ready just yet to fight and protect, but are being trained.  This novella he starts to crack them into shape with an awakening of what is out there hunting them.  We find Donovan on a case where a wood elf is found dead, actually a few wood elves.  The case ends up being the first for the earthborn.  It seems the earthborn Sidhe don't worry much that there are any threats out there to them, yet Malcolm is the first to just at any threats possible.  But now with the mounds have fallen, things are different in the earthborn world, and they are starting to get a feel for that.  There is danger out there for them, more now than there was.

Malcolm is panicked but seems to be accepting the other earthborn with him, compared to last story.  Playing video games with Bryce, worrying about Kieran.  Maybe getting use to their magic?  After Donovan's talk about them needing him as much as he needs them, sounds like he's trying and becoming attached to these new 'friends.'  But still has an uncontrolled craziness about him.  We see Malcolm remember the terrible time he had with the goblins, and how it's affected him, and still does.  Malcolm then worries about his little sister, that someone could go after her like they did him.

We get to see what special skills each earthborn has as Donovan appraises them as he puts them through rough training.  He knows he needs to straighten this soft bunch into something better than the Elite he was leader of.  The earthborn need to be trained up before the threats find the Glamour Club.  They go on their first mission with Donovan, and one learns about her magic a little more and acquires a few 'pets'.  Then they have a personal goal they are given which in relation to the female cursed by the touch.


I read this novella for an honest review from the author.

Teaser Tuesday (130)

Teaser Tuesday

is a weekly event

Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)

Open the book to any random page.

Share 2 teaser sentences from anywhere on the page

Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!

(Don't Give Too Much Away)

Just enough to pique our interests

This Week:

Stepping back, Donovan watched as the elf-like construct healed the artificial wounds that he'd given it.  When the elf attacked once more, Malcolm imitated the moves Donovan had shown him with much more accuracy and control.

Bloodhound
By:  S.A. Archer and S. Ravynheart
27pg

Book Review: Eyes of Magic

Eyes of Magic

By:  S.A. Archer & S. Ravynheart

Format:  eBook

Publisher:  Ravynheart Publishing

Publish Date:  April 22, 2012

Series:  3rd in Rise of the Unseelie series
Affiliated with: Touch series and Champion of the Sidhe series

Book Synopsis:
He's defective.  Damaged.  Malcolm knows he is.  How could he not be, after a year of torture in the belly of a goblins' nest?  The only magic he can do is the Touch, a perverted magic he despises and learned at the end of a whip.  Everyone else in the Glamour Club has loads of magic, but not him.  He doesn't fit it.  But if he can't find his magic, and his place among the Sidhe, then where could he go?  And what if those that enslaved him before came after him again?

First Sentence:
Kieran slammed into the fey in his way, shoving them aside in his scramble.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Malcolm has awaken from his three day unconscious state he's been in since Donovan brought him to the Club.  He is frantic and panicking only wanting to see the man who killed the vampires and brought him here, saving him; Donovan.  Donovan pairs Malcolm with Kieran to be a friend who's had to deal with some of the same, but on a smaller scale.  Malcolm is feeling more out of place, of all things, because he doesn't know what his special magic is, and appears to not have one...or does he?  Being Sidhe he should be able to do something different than the normal Touch, which disgusts him.

We get more detail in this story.  We see the magic through Malcolm's eyes, which helps it make more sense or easily categorizes the magic of each Sidhe for me.  When Malcolm talks to Donovan about magic we learn what the basic powers that all Sidhe have and that each has something different, unique as well.  We learn more of the characters; Kieran's past and using his sound magic.  Bryce with his fire, Trip and her darkness, Dawn and her healing sparks, even rock dust floating around Donovan.

We get an inside glimpse of the Glamour Club as Malcolm walks through it, who's there and what they do.  Even what the place looks like.

Poor Malcolm.  He is sooo broken and no idea what his magic is yet.  He even thinks he has nothing special.  He almost seems to be slipping further into a depressed state, but has tethered himself to Donovan as his rock.  Although, as the reader I started to wonder if he wasn't capable of something completely different than expected.  It becomes evident that he has something special and doesn't know it.

Donovan is AWESOME with Malcolm.  I just love his touch and help with the emotionally wounded kid.  He is calm and strong for Malcolm.  Malcolm needs a powerful rock to look to, and Donovan is it.

In the end we learn more about a few players in the bigger picture of the Sidhe trying to survive.  I still am very curious about why Manannan (the king) did what he did knowing the prophecy.  And Danu went along with him.  There is more here, and we are seeing little clues starting to drop through each individual story line.


I've received a copy of this story for review from the author.
**Do remember this is a review of my thoughts and opinions.

The Sidhe Books Trailer

I've been reading 3 short story series that will soon intertwine.  They are set in a fey world with Sidhe, Vampires, Changelings, and more.  In case you are curious about the series, other than my reviews.  Here is a trailer for you.

The first story in London's series of Touch; Cursed is free ~ Amazon Kindle

Today is the last day that the third in London's story line is free: Enchanted ~ Amazon Kindle

All the stories are a low price of 99c.

If you are curious about my thoughts you can find them:

Champion of the Sidhe series

Rise of the Unseelie series

Touch series

Who? What? Where? (68)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

(This is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )

I'm watching Malcolm in the workout room as he is watching himself in the mirror.  He is trying to find his magic, whatever it might be.  But he sees on the wall weapons with a magical aura around them, and selects a dagger from the wall to wear.  He now looks more comfortable to have some sort of protection.

Eyes of Magic
By:  S.A. Archer & S. Ravynheart

Teaser Tuesday (120)

Teaser Tuesday

is a weekly event

Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)

Open the book to any random page.

Share 2 teaser sentences from anywhere on the page

Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!

(Don't Give Too Much Away)

Just enough to pique our interests

This Week:

As Donovan considered this confession with a brow raised, Tiernan Kilgrave appeared by the entrance in the cleared space set aside for teleportation.  One of the few conventions from the Mounds to persist on the surface; you arrived to the right of the door and departed on the left.

Eyes of Magic
By:  S.A. Archer & S. Ravynheart
33pg

Book Review: Scars of Silver

Scars of Silver

By:  S.A. Archer & S. Ravynheart

Format:  eBook

Publisher:  Ravynheart Publishing

Publish Date:  December 5, 2011

Series:  2nd in Rise of the Unseelie series
Affiliated with Touch series, and Champion of the Sidhe series

Book Synopsis:
You'd think the fey would have each others' backs.  That's what you think... if you never met any.

Malcolm is Sidhe, the only race that possesses the coveted magic of the Touch.  He's also an untrained teenage runaway who only just discovered that he's fey.  He thought the fey would have each others' backs.  That's what he honestly thought...

Until he met a Changeling.

First Sentence:
Malcolm still smelled like industrial hand soap from his sink bath at the gas station.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Malcolm, a young homeless (runaway) fey, found the Fairy Circle shop by the strong fey smell.  A fey hangout, maybe?  Malcolm is looking to find out about fey, a book on his kind.  As he scans the shelves at the shop he see they have one.  The Shop owner, Flora, sees and approaches Malcolm, finds what he is looking for, and gives him directions to find Rand.  Going in search of things Malcolm has never learned about may not end in the best of cercumstances for him...  Donovan is still looking for the sidhe, and exiles that now could be in grave danger since the Mound fell.

I don't know what it is, but this one I think is my favorite thus far.  Maybe it's the understood, thin connection to London's story in Addicted that helps that feeling.  But I like Malcolm's story.  Unfortunately for Malcolm, it's not the happiest of stories but I think that's why I like it.  There is a dark side here.

Malcolm physically struggles, greatly, here.  He is a nieve fey, not knowing what he is or his powers and he is forced to learn.  I felt bad for Malcolm, but Malcolm is written as a strong minded character as well.

I do like the Unseelie story side, very much.  And this one is my favorite yet.  I look forward to more on this side of things.  And I'm still curious about surviving with out the Mounds, and how the exiles have managed to do so for so long.


I received a copy of this short story for an honest review from the author.

Book Review: Foreshadow

Foreshadow

By:  S. Ravynheart & S.A. Archer

Format:  Ebook,

Publisher:  Ravynheart Publishing

Publish Date:  2011

Series:  Prequel to The Rise of the Unseelie Series
Affiliated with Champion of Sidhe series, and Touched series

Book Synopsis:
Jhaer dedicated his life and his magic to protecting the freedom of the Unseelie Sidhe, the nobe elves of the Dark Court.  After centuries of war and politics, the Seelie are finally within striking distance of eradicating the Unseelie Court altogether.  Out of time and out of options, Jhaer races through Ireland to rescue the one Sidhe who could stop the Seelie.  If he can't find her...and fast...there may not be a fey realm to go back to.

First Sentence:
"The Wild Hunt shall sharpen their teeth upon your bones, Chancellor, if you waste my patience."

My Thoughts and Synopsis:
Jhaer is in his court with his Queen tending matters of her Unseelie citizens.  The Queen receives an invitation for her and the King from the Seelie to meet with them and Danu, the All-Mother.  The point of the meeting, to unite both Seelie and Unseelie as one in the mounds the call home, but there is a prophetess who might have foretold a dim future if this happens.

Right at the beginning it is no secret that Jhaer knows the two opposing courts can not coincide as one, that the world they know it will end in distruction.  Jhaer goes in search of Aoife.  I'm a little curious on this quick read as I could have used a little more information on Aoife and how Jhaer knew where to look so quickly to find her, even to know that she was help captive.  But the twist to the end here made me pause with the liking of it.  There is where this short story became a bigger question for me, as to the foretold fortune of the Mound, home to the fey, did someone else plan this?

I do like that we get a view of Jhaer's abilities as fey and his speciality with nature.  I do enjoy my magic. :) Also, in addition to Jhaer we get to see other abilities of other fey, and meet his not so nice Queen.

This is definitely a prequel designed to get you curious for what's to come.


I received a free copy of this for joining The Sidhe fan club.

Book Review: Aftershock

Aftershock

By:  S.A. Archer

Format:  Ebook, 9,000 words

Publisher:  Ravynheart Publishing

Publish Date:  October 2011

Series:  1st of The Rise of the Unseelie series; affiliated with Champion of the Sidhe series and Touched series

Book Synopsis:
The day the Mounds collapsed Jhaer, leader of the Unseelie Elite, sacrificed his strength, his magic, and his very life to save his world.

It wasn’t enough.

He thought that was the end of his story… Instead it is the beginning.
#
Rise of the Unseelie is one of the interlacing story lines, that makes up The Sidhe saga. Each thread can be read alone, but if you read them together in the suggested order, you will get the full experience.

First Sentence:
Jhaer dodged through the local fey crowding the market street of the village built up around the Seelie castle, thankful that his plain, loose-fitting clothing disguised him.

My Thoughts & Summary:
This story starts back where End of the World starts, but we get the view through Jhaer's eyes, and Unseelie leader's eyes.  The day when everyone, except Jhaer, is celebrating the union of Seelie and Unseelie and the day the fey world fell apart at his feet.

We get the other side of the coin here.  A thought is planted as to why the fey world crumbles and it could be the same reason the Seelie are celebrating.  Jhaer, having the Earth magic, survives the collapse and decides to collect other fey to protect and teach them how to survive with the help of Earth born fey.

This short story creates a bigger world.  We learn a tad of the courts and Danu's pick.  And of exiles surviving in the world without the fey help.  Jhaer has started searching for some of the Earth born fey, and finding them usually in tight spots, "saves" them.  This is where we learn of the sidhe and fey enemies in the world; wizards, vampires and changlings.

I liked the Unseelie story side better.  Things are not always "good" and you have to adjust with it.  The writing descriptions here seemed to resinate in my mind better too.  Jhaer has the dark, bad boy feel yet he is doing right by others, but to save himself too.


I read this at my leisure for my enjoyment.