Audio Book Review: The Deep Beneath

The Deep Beneath

By:  Natalie Wright

Publish Date:  January 7, 2015, Audiobook Release June 22, 2015

Format:  Audiobook - 8 hrs 46 mins
Narrated By:  Andrew Tell

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  1st in H.A.L.F series

First Impression:  Alien/human hybrid getting his first glimpse of the world, and trying to get free.

Synopsis:
H.A.L.F. 9 has taken his first breath of desert air and his first steps in the human world. Created to be a weapon, he proved too powerful for his makers and has lived a sedated life hidden from humans. But H.A.L.F. 9 has escaped the underground lab he called home, and the sedation has worn off. He has never been more alive. More powerful. Or more deadly.

Erika Holt longs to ride her motorcycle east until pavement meets shore. She bides her time until graduation when she’ll say adios to the trailer she shares with her alcoholic mother and memories of her dead father. But a typical night in the desert with friends thrusts Erika into a situation more dangerous than she ever imagined.

Circumstances push the two together, and each must make a fateful choice. Will Erika help H.A.L.F. 9 despite her “don’t get involved” rule? And will H.A.L.F. 9 let Erika live even though he was trained to kill?

The two may need to forget their rules and training and if either is to survive the dangers of the deep beneath them.

First Sentence:
Lucia lay on the well-worn couch, its cushions drenched with her sweat.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*I requested to review a copy of this audiobook for an honest review from the author or narrator.

Erika just wants to relax and enjoy the wind in her hair. Lounging in the desert restricted military zone, watching stars with friends, danger comes right to Erika, Ian, and Jack. Men plan to take Erika from her friends with dark plans for the night. Suddenly a new stranger appears, killing one of the two men who threatening Erika, Ian, and shoot Jack without touching them. Though, seeing the stranger will change their life when they are caught by the soldiers come for him.

Dr. Randall told H.A.L.F 9 to wait 30 days, if he hasn't returned then H.A.L.F 9 is to save himself. H.A.L.F 9 did just that, escaping the lab he's called home for his 17 years of life. He is free and happy for the first time in his life as he runs through the dry desert, until he become drawn to the three teens he finds in danger.

I've listened to Andrew Tell narrate a few books now. I like that he does tone changes for different characters. It helps keep the characters straight when listening to the story. There are a few characters that seem to pop more than others with a different tone and personality present to them. Andrew's narration is always as clear and clean as expected in his work.

The beginning starts with a strong influence in an attack. There is a lead up to potential rape. Three teen friends, two boys and a girl, go out in the desert to relax and look at the stars. There are two men that show up, and threaten the kids along with strong suggestions what they want with Erika.

Erika is working through her own emotions as a teen when she meets H.A.L.F. 9. She doesn't want to let herself love Jack and wants nothing more than to get out of the town to see the ocean. Her night on the run with her two best friends and a half alien wanting to live will bring her to think on things differently. There is some draw to Erika that H.A.L.F 9 doesn't understand. H.A.L.F 9 listens when Erika asks him to not kill the men. But H.A.L.F. 9's display with the six soldiers makes Commander Sturgis more curious of his limits, yet worried as he showed concern for others which was to be breed out of him to make the perfect weapon. H.A.L.F. 9 learns about himself as the story goes on as well. He has powers he didn't even know about, and can communicate with his grey cousins.

It's been a while since I saw the movie I Am Number 4, but this book reminds me of that story line though with alien DNA. It feels like the same old sort of story with an alien hybrid and humans. There are those that want to experiment, those who don't like, and the few that try to help the locked up alien hybrid.

If it wasn't for the subject of looming rape at the beginning of the story, I would say this is a great story for middle school grade as they get to enjoy 9's firsts in the human world as H.A.L.F. 9's innocence in the human world brings a young feel to the story.



*If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!

Audio Book Review: Riot of Storm and Smoke

Riot of Storm and Smoke

By:  Jennifer Ellision

Publish Date:  August 18, 2015, Audiobook February 9, 2016

Format:  Audiobook - 9 hrs 8 mins
Narrated By:  Grace Glass

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Series:  2nd in Threats of Sky and Sea series; 1st Book ~ Threats of Sky and Sea

Impression:  Accepting yourself or not can affect you in many ways.

Synopsis:
War draws closer, like a tide to the shore.

Bree and her friends have escaped the clutches of the Egrian King, but their troubles are far from over. Still reeling from the secrets that drew new breath when her father took his last, Bree sets off for the safety of Nereidium-- the kingdom she's just learned is hers.

But with the King's ire at its peak and war a certainty, Nereidium is no longer safe. As Prince Caden rallies the Egrian people against his tyrant father, Bree, Princess Aleta, and Tregle race to the Nereid shore to warn them of the incoming danger—and to put the Nereid Princess on the throne.

The only trouble there: Bree can’t bring herself to reveal that the Princess is her.

It’s not a dilemma she can waste time pondering. With a new weapon in his arsenal, the King's strikes are sure to be bolder than ever before. And Bree may not be ready to wear a crown… but she won't let her kingdom down without a fight.

First Sentence:
We leave the body in the tunnel, and I try not to imagine my father lying there, alone and rotting away.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository 

Audible


My Thoughts and Summary:
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com, at my request.

Bree and her friends have escaped the terrible Egrian King, but at what cost? Bree, Tregle, and Aleta find allies in the secret society of the underground that help them escape the city. But along the way they come across new struggles and battles, some of which are mental along with the physical of traveling. Bree needs to accept who she is, but it's hard with the ghosts haunting her every step and missing her Da. Caden faces his father and learns that being his son isn't going to help this time. The battle is on to get to Nereidium and raise an army to stop the Egrian King from using his weapon of unyielding fire against all to get what he wants.

This is my first listen with Grace Glass. I was worried for a moment with the reading of the title. It felt slow and drawn out with pauses between the words and like she was trying to enunciate clearly for the listener. Once we get into the story she slips into different tones and feel for the characters as they speak. There are moments I felt she was trying hard for clear speaking and enunciating the words crisp which slowed the momentum slightly. But as a whole, I enjoyed Grace's impressions of the characters and emotions as they spoke.

We start exactly where the first book stopped. They are leaving the secret tunnels of the castle. Bree is bombarded with emotions at this moment. Her father has been killed, she killed an enemy that was trying to kill her, and she's feeling conflicting feelings for Caden. Now she has to flee the castle and figure out what to do with the knowledge she learned that will affect her and Aleta. Bree struggles with what she's done and what was done to Da. All of this affects Bree in more than a sadness, and she struggle with that on her own too. Bree needs to accept who she is, and not worry about others. This book is her struggles in doing just that.

Bree is full of worries and she needs someone to talk things out with, but there is no one. She compares herself to the regal air of Aleta, and doubts she'll ever have that way about herself. That she will have to keep her secret, if it's even true. Bree does make poor choices in this story. I know she's young and innocent to the way of things, but I had to roll my eyes a time or two. However, the bad decisions bring her learn new things.  But did she learn from what she did wrong? I don't know.

This book has alternating POV's between Bree and Caden. This gives us the view of what is happening with the King that's maddeningly obsessed with taking Nereidium and Bree along with Aleta and Tregle trying to get away. We also get short sections at the end of each chapter that are sections from a journal or letters sent while the civil war starts.

There are people who die. I was worried about those who do the killing, at such a young age. At first I didn't think the actions affected them, but then we see the struggles they have with the ghosts they face after the actions settle in. I'm glad they struggled with these actions, it makes them feel as they have a heart and conscience.

In the beginning, I found Bree's sections a bit slow as we wait for her to leave the city. We learn of a few new pieces, like the Underground. But Caden's sections, that feel shorter, are more enticing as he's in trouble with his father, the king.

We end on a good yet suspenseful note. I am curious as to what comes next. Will Bree, Caden, Aleta, and Tregle along with their new friends get the help they need? Will they fight the Egrian King? Where will everyone fall in the way of stations? I am curious to see this through to the end.



*If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!

Sunday Post #122 - Thank you & Life keeps kicking you...

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share new about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

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Again, THANK YOU!!! I can not express how nice it is to know that I have friends here. I'm sorry for not getting to visit and comment back. I do see your comments and kind words for my family. It's GREATLY!! appreciated. I don't know how to express the gratitude enough for you all.

Truthfully, you all are the only ones that have an idea of the stress that's going on right now. Well, my husband and son but no one else has checked in with us and we haven't had the time to call anyone. So thank you for being here for me.

I got worried about my son's progress at therapy on Monday. Well, we've been for a week before but Monday was a breaking point for me. I called the doctor Tuesday morning. His secretary called back and we were in for an appointment that afternoon. By Thursday we had a scheduled surgery and a new plan. Kiddo is not getting his leg straight. It's scar tissue. The doctor will go in and clear it out this week coming and we will dive into therapy the same day, and consistent for three days after along with working at home and a new brace that's to work on range of motion and straightening. My husband also called a second doctor just to see what he says. That appointment is this week, the day before surgery. *sigh*

Dad's doing better but there are appointments that the nursing home is sending him out to. So there is still worry there. And with all going on with my son, I'm not able to get to all the appointments with him. (Damn, I'm running out of personal/sick days at work!) But the home, at my request, is to send an aid with him to help him with understanding and communicating.

Things are getting so tight and strapped in the way of money and time, that I'm thinking I need to cancel my Balticon trip. I hate to do that. It breaks my heart to even think about it, but I just don't think I can swing the costs to go. And I don't know if I'm to be on any panels this year or not. I'm thinking not as I haven't received any participate emails.

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The Fit Booker:

Goal:  Workout in any form of exercise (or on Wii Fit) 2x's a week. (to feel better and hope to drop a few pants sizes)

How did I do last week... I did make it to the gym three days, counting Sunday. It's tough to keep going to the gym, but I know I feel better with all the stress after working out.

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What's Happening in Books:

Current Read:

I'll start a new book next week.


Current Audiobook:
The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer

Current Podcast Book Listen:
Nothing

Finished Last Week: 

Nothing

Audiobooks from Audible:

Legally Undead by Margo Bond Collins
Risen Gods by J.F. Penn & J. Thorn

Finished Podcast Book Listen:

Nothing

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Last Week on the Blog:

Cover Reveals: (click titles to go to post & learn more)

Posts:

Around the Internet...


Reviews:

Threats of Sky and Sea by Jennifer Ellision

Changeling by David Wood & Sean Ellis

Podcast Review:

Waiting On by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, & Veronica Giguere

Mama Bitchstress Reviews:

GIVEAWAYS:

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This Week to Come on the Blog:

I've decided to do three reviews a week for a few weeks, just to try to get caught up with what I have to share with you all. Hope you stop by to check them all out! :)
  Riot of Storm and Smoke
  The Deep Beneath
  Revolutions (part 1)

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Received Last Weeks:

Review & Review Consideration:

Fall of the Dagger by Glenda Larke
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:

Excommunicated cleric Saker returns from exile in the Spice Islands to find his homeland in chaos.
A dark sorcerer controls the ear of the King, turning him against his own son and heir, while a corrupted army gathers in the shadows.
With the illusionist Sorrel and islander Ardhi, armed with magic from Ardhi's homeland, Saker now must stand between his city and the corruption that threatens to cripple it before it is too late . . .

The third and final novel in an epic fantasy trilogy from Glenda Larke, author of the Stormlord series - full of scheming, spying, action and adventure.

Audio Books Requested for Review:

Dragon Gate by Gary Jonas
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
A RITUALISTIC MURDER

Stephen Noble, a board member of Dragon Gate Industries (DGI), is decapitated. DGI, a front company for wizards, decides to provide executive protection services for Noble's son, Graham, and daughter, Rayna. But Graham doesn't trust wizards and refuses their offer, so DGI hires Jonathan Shade and his team to keep the Noble family safe.

GUILTY CLIENTS

The Nobles are from the other side of the Dragon Gate, and in that dimension, they committed crimes against the Marshall Clan. And now the Clan has come through the Gate to exact their revenge. While Graham and Rayna were too young to have been a part of the death and mayhem in the other land, honor dictates that they must pay for the crimes of their family.

INHUMAN ATTACKERS

How can Jonathan protect clients who are willing to kneel and accept death at any moment? How can he and his team handle thirteen deadly warriors willing to die to accomplish their goal? And how can Jonathan defeat the deadly creatures the Marshall Clan has brought with them to our world? Creatures that will destroy anything in their path as they hunt their prey.

Silicon Dawn by William Massa
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
A SILICON MAN PREQUEL

THE LINE BETWEEN MAN AND MACHINE HAS BEEN CROSSED...
AND THERE IS NO TURNING BACK. 

A serial killer stalks the city of the future… 
Hunting the people who build the machines. 
And it's up to a cop and an AI to unravel a terrible conspiracy. 

The world is still reeling form the devastation of the Omega Virus and struggling to rebuild. A growing android workforce has given rise to the Human Defense League and anti-AI sentiment is at an all-time high.

Adam, one of the first of the new X-3000 models, arrives into this hostile future. Field-tested on the Luna colonies, now assigned to Earth, Adam is paired with homicide detective Jane Malveaux, who has little patience for synthetics.

Before long both Malveaux and Adam must cast aside their differences and join forces to solve a case that will test both man and machine. 

Note: This prequel can be read before or after Silicon Man.


Purchased/Winnings/Gifts:

Book:

Audio:

Redemption Song by Craig Schaefer
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Daniel Faust, Las Vegas sorcerer and career criminal, has never pulled the trigger on an innocent man. When the infernal Prince Sitri challenges him to do just that, though, he can't walk away. His lover, Caitlin, is Sitri's right hand...and if Daniel refuses the job, he'll never see her again. 

While Daniel works to unravel Sitri's twisted game, putting his principles and his life on the line, Caitlin has problems of her own. A pack of renegade halfbloods are in town, armed to the teeth and aiming to go to war with hell itself. Their leader is a bad memory from Caitlin's past, one she thought dead and buried centuries ago, and he's got revenge on his mind. 

As if that isn't bad enough, the fallout from Daniel's last job descends in the form of an FBI task force, aimed at putting him and everyone he cares about behind bars. The feds have a magician of their own, one who knows all of Daniel's dirty little secrets. Throw in a mythical road map to hell and the ghost of a 15th-century serial killer, and the stage is set for a deadly collision. 

Sitri's games are never what they seem. Everything is connected. If Daniel and Caitlin can't solve the puzzle in time, the consequences will tear them apart forever.

The Living Edge by Craig Schaefer
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
As the FBI closes in on the Las Vegas underworld, Daniel Faust -- grifter, thief, and sorcerer -- isn't the only one feeling the heat. Half-demon racket boss Nicky Agnelli is fighting to hang onto his empire, leaving a trail of dead informants in his wake, while Daniel's ex-girlfriend Jennifer rallies her forces on the street and aims her sights at Nicky's crown. 

Meanwhile, homeless people are vanishing by the dozens. Daniel has bigger problems to worry about, but a plea from an old friend sends him on a search for answers. What he finds is a conspiracy twenty years in the making, involving a power-hungry senator, occult experiments, murderous British mercenaries...and Lauren Carmichael, Daniel's nemesis. 

From a gunfight in the Arizona badlands to unearthing buried secrets in a New York laboratory, the hunt is on. With Lauren's deadly plan revealed and time running out, Daniel and his crew will stop at nothing to take her down. She's got the law in her pocket and a hired army at her back. He's got black magic, bullets, and the art of the con. It's high noon in Vegas and when the dust settles, only one side will be left standing. 

May the best villain win.



Free Ebooks:

(On my Kindle App) Links to books under title. They may or may not be free at this time.

The Trouble with Time by Lexi Revellian
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:

It's 2045. Jace Carnady works for the Time Police, dedicated to the prevention of timecrime. Life is good; he loves his girlfriend and enjoys his work. But when the team gets wind of a rogue time machine and fails to find it, Jace suspects one of his colleagues may be involved, and his life begins to unravel . . .

In 2015, Floss Dryden is snatched from her own time and taken to the future – but will this really prevent the extinction of humanity?

Kill it with Magic by J.A. Cipriano
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Lillim Callina is good at two things: running away and magic. 

Now, Lillim's half-demon ex-boyfriend is contacting her for help, she has somehow gotten herself mixed up in a kidnapping, and her long-dead rival has risen from the grave. 

So when a dragon plotting to take over the world offers her a choice: Work for him or else. 

Lillim Callina is going to choose else.

The Hatter is Mad by J.A. Cipriano
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
In Kill It With Magic, Lillim Callina faced off with vampires, werewolves, and dragons. Now, in The Hatter is Mad, Lillim has attracted the attention of some altogether different bad guys.

Between hunting vampires and studying for her PI license, seventeen-year-old Lillim Callina was just one lamp short of perfectly decorating her apartment. That’s when an ancient orcish warrior throws a car through her front door, burns her place to the ground, and unleashes the Lord of Death on Earth.

And when the Lord of Death beats her mother into a coma and takes over her father’s body, well… she might just have to stop him, right?

A Coronation of Kings by S.C. Stokes
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
For a hundred years, the peaceful Kingdom of Valaar has teetered precariously on the brink of civil war. The Golden Throne lies vacant as the King's Council strives to preserve peace throughout the land. 

Unbeknownst to the council, disaster lurks in the shadows. Conspiring men plot to plunge the island kingdom into conflict. Amid the violent and volatile politics of Valaar, a prophecy uttered millennia ago, will see its fulfillment. 

Tyrants will rise, armies will assemble and the winds of magic blow ominously. When the dust settles and the age of uncertainty ends, who will wear the Crown of Kings?

The War of the Black Tower by Jack Conner
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
When a dark power rises, only a doomed prince can stand against it. "The War of the Black Tower: An Epic Fantasy" is a dark, swashbuckling epic fantasy trilogy. 

Baleron is the youngest son of the king of Havensrike, a land eternally at war with the dark empire of Oslog to the south. Ruled by Gilgaroth, the legions of Oslog have continually striven to tear down the works of man and sweep the world in darkness. For eons the dark masses have awaited their lord's Chosen One, he who will be appointed by Gilgaroth to usher in the next age of shadow. That time is now. Baleron, though a womanizer and rogue, the black sheep of the royal family one step from being kicked out of the castle, is loyal to the kingdoms of the north and wants only to redeem himself in his father's eyes. But as Baleron leads his sister Rolenya's wedding party through the treacherous Aragst Mountains, they're set upon by the dark powers, and the thralls of Gilgaroth call out to Baleron in worship, calling him the Chosen One. 

This is just the beginning of Baleron's epic journey of action, romance, wonder and discovery in "War of the Black Tower: An Epic Fantasy." He'll know battle, hardship, the enmity of a terrible dragon, and all the terror of Oslog before he can find out what it means to be the Chosen One of Gilgaroth, and what it takes to throw off his dark destiny.



(On my Nook)

Free Audio Books/Stories:

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Reviews to Come:

Soulless by Skyla Dawn Cameron

The Sentinel by Chris Lester

The Muse by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Making the Cut by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Whispers in the Wood by Chris Lester

Danube Waves by Katharina Bordet

Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

Lex Talionis by Starla Huchton

Spark by Starla Huchton
House of Grey 6 by Collin Earl

The Secret World Chronicle: Revolutions by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, Veronica Giguere
Heir to Kale by K.L. Bone

Tales from the Archives Vol 4 #5 - Old Sinner's Bones

The Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan
Riot of Storm and Smoke by Jennifer Ellision

The Deep Beneath by Natalie Wright

Audiobook Review: Waiting On

The Secret World Chronicles: Waiting On
(season 5)
By:  Mercedes Lackey & Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, and Veronica Giguere

Narrated By:  Veronica Giguere

Publish Date:  2010

Format:  Podiobook

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  3rd book in The Secret World Chronicles series; 1st Book 1/2 (season 1) ~ Invasion, 1st Book 2/2 (season 2) ~ The Hunt, 2nd Book 1/2 (season 3) ~ World Well Lost, 2nd Book 2/2 (Season 4) ~ World Divided

***NOTE: I've learned that the podcasted books are divisions of the printed books as follows:
Printed book 1 is Invasion is podcasted seasons 1 & 2.
Printed book 2, World Divided, is podcasted seasons 3 & 4.
Season 5 podcast, Waiting On, is a bonus season - it's stories of characters between books 2 and 3.
Printed book 3, Revolutions, is podcasted seasons 6 & 7.
Printed book 4, Collision, is podcasted books 8 & 9 (season 8 in progress, season 9 yet to come).

(Podcast season titles:
Season 1: Invasion, Season 2: The Hunt, Season 3: World Well Lost, Season 4: World Divided, Season 5: Waiting On, Tales of the Secret World War, Season 6: Revolutions, Season 7: Run Silent, Run Deep, Season 8: Collision)

Recommendation:  Superheroes!

Synopsis:
The heroes of Echo and the villains of the Thule Society continue the battle in the fifth book of The Secret World Chronicle, Waiting On. In this shorter podcast-only season, the heroes of Echo struggle with their own pasts and demons as they wait for the organization to regain strength following a devastating loss. Famed fantasy and sci-fi author Mercedes Lackey and SWC perennials Dennis Lee, Cody Martin, and Veronica Giguere tell the stories of fan favorites Seraphym, Red Djinni, Victoria Victrix, Mercurye, and John Murdock. Cover art done by Adam Mancilla.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository

Listen For Free:
iTunes  /  Podiobooks  /  Secret World Chronicle website

*I listened to this story for my own enjoyment.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Season 5 of the podcast is a bonus season. It's stories from between books 2 and 3. This is the ending I was expecting in season 4, or partly as there are still a few subjects to address. There are a few new twists introduced here with a few characters that I'm curious to see if they are brought up in the future books.

These intermediate stories are wonderful to bring the wonder and suspense back to the story and plot. This bonus series has heightened my love for the characters and gave me a bit of what I wanted at the same time. I'm ready to keep going and see where the characters go on to.

Episode 1: Aces and Eights
On a bad day, Handsome Devil stays in bed. His luck is what he lives by and a bad day could be dangerous or even deadly for him and those around him. Today, Handsome Devil wants to stay in bed even though he got a full house from his morning deck of cards. A full house that's the dead mans hand...

Ramona is on her way from CCCP when spheres show up to a highly populated area. CCCP can't make it with all the sightings so she calls in ECHO. When Ramona sees Handsome Devil is not with Shockty, she demands he get there ASAP.

We see all the characters in this episode fight against the Thulians and their deadly spheres. We even see Seraphym show up and a bit of an inside with her thoughts.

It is always amazing to see the Meta's in action against the Thulians. And this episode does not fall shy of anything.

Episode 2: Night and Gold
Seraphym is limited in what she can do, how she can interced. She's not rebelled against the way she lives, but considers it now with the Thulians attacking a small town where CCCP nor ECHO can get there fast enough.

Now this episode. Oh. My. Seraphym does the one thing she's not fully done yet. And shouldn't do. It is amazing to see her in full action. We even get a closer feel of the rules by which she is to live by.

There is a mention of watching Seraphym and I'm curious how this will come into play in the future books. This has brought me to attention and I'm ready for more!

Episode 3: Running on Empty
Mercurye is stuck at the Metis watching reruns of tv shows. The collective concess of those here have not agreed to let him return home yet, no matter how hard he's tried to convince them.

First, I've noticed from the website that this is a rewrite of an episode from season 3 to tie in the prints better.

I enjoyed this episode because we get a better feel for how Metis runs. The secret place runs on a collection of equal votes from every person present. However, there are those that agree with Mercurye in letting him go, and more.

Mercurye meets Nikola Tesla for the first time. It seems Tesla has plans and wants Mercurye's help. What are the plans? I'm not sure, but it makes me anxious for what's to come!

Episode 4 & 5: For Those About to Rock
Vickie is to watch over Red Genie on his solo mission. She's as nervous about it as she always is when working with Red Genie. Some how this man gets to her.

We get to see part of their last mission that leaves Vickie even more worked up for the current mission she's working Overwatch for this time. Genie has got some serious issues with magic, but he's not sharing why with anyone, let alone with Vickie. However, maybe Red Genie will send Vickie in a few surprising loops with his reactions and answers to many comments.

I found these episodes rather interesting as wel learn a bit more about magic along with the speciality of Vickie's technomancy. The details here are so neat. But in learning about magic and Vickie's magic specifically, we learn about Vickie too. She's the only magician we see and know. Also she's the ONLY one able to work magic in technology.

But! there is more. Red Genie. (Aww.) Now that I got that out I'll go on. After this short, with the help of Vickie's little elemental friend Herb, I feel for Red Genie more. The previous season started to bring me around, but this cinched it for me. He's not really all that bad. There is more to him we haven't seen yet.

I look forward to seeing an honest, hard friendship growing here.

Episode 6 & 7: The Journal of John Murdock
John Murdock is on his way back from the Silo incident and Vickie has found him an amazing hotel to stay at. Along with learning about more Thulian threats, John also learns that Vickie has looked into his past. And can dig deeper.

Now this episode had my attention like the one with Seraphym. John and Seraphym have been huge interests of mine. And I'm still loving what I'm learning.

Vickie shares that she knows some of John's past from what she's found, and shares the records with him. In doing so, she hopes to learn what she can in case the Suits take him away again, this way she can help break him out. John agrees that she keep digging.

We know John has been enhanced, but we don't know much of the details. We get to see the day that John escaped from his imprisonment by the Suits. This feels like a major moment in John's past, and memories. A moment that seems to be a turning point for him, something he keeps close to heart to remember who he is and wants to be.

Audio Book Review: Changeling

Changeling

By:  David Wood & Sean Ellis

Publish Date:  November 12, 2015, Audiobook February 5, 2016

Format:  Audiobook - 8 hrs 3 mins
Narrated By:  Jeffrey Kafer

Genre:  Thriller

Series:  2nd in Jade Ihara series; 1st Book ~ Oracle

Impression:   It never fails, these authors and stories give us an adventure with danger at every turn of solving the mystical mystery.

Synopsis:
You can’t always recognize the face of your enemy.

Two thousand years ago, the legendary mathematical genius Archimedes was poised on the brink of the greatest discovery in human history when his life was brutally snuffed out. His murder has never been explained.

While investigating the strange Paracas skulls—believed by some to be the remains of extraterrestrial explorers—archaeologist Jade Ihara receives an unexpected visit from an old foe seeking her help against entities he calls “Changelings” and their plot to manufacture a false chapter of human history.

Hounded by radical extremists led by Atash Shah—a man bent on becoming the Mahdi prophesied to unite the Islamic world—and haunted by the faceless puppetmasters who secretly control the world, Jade must follow the trail of clues to uncover a deadly truth that has been erased from history.

Can she solve the mystery of Archimedes’ murder, or will she become the next victim of the conspiracy to hide the truth?

First Sentence:
The boy became a man but he never forgot what he had seen that day.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles 

Audible


My Thoughts and Summary:
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com, at my request.

When Jonathan Roche, a past threat to Jade, shows up at the current dig site claiming to have hired her for this site and trusts her, things twist around for Jade and Professor. They learn about Phantom Time in the calendar conversions before Jade's intern turns on them, killing Roche then running. Speaking with Roche on his secrets lands Jade on an extremists hit list. Running for her life, Jade is also determined to figure out what it was that got Roche killed. Seeing through the haze the Changelings have put in place, Jade finds her way to Archimedes's vault that's to hold secret weapons. What it really holds is more, and could be what

Oh! Jeffrey does an Australian accent for Norris. We also get a Scottish accent quick when Jade visits Scotland. There are a few accents that Jeffrey slips into with ease as we listen to the story. I do find his voice ever so easy to listen to. And I find that even though his voice is easy to listen to, it does not distract from the story. The story has my attention and my curiosity. I love that Jeffrey doesn't give hints away as he's narrating.

Jade is on 'the' list of a few different organizations. Jade has now made it to another list calling for her death, because of what she is working on and who she's talked to. Then, when the first attempt on her life is botched it draws the leader into the fray, more determined to see her dead. She must be on to what they want kept secret and that they are after her. But there is more to the drive than both Jade and Atash Shah know. But with the mention of Archimedes vault, Jade's attention is focused and her curiosity piqued. She's determined to find it.

Jade and Professor. I do love them together. They both have strong personalities that could clash, but they work well together too. Jade and Professor know themselves, and accept who they are. They also know how the other is and work with that knowledge. They make a great team! I realized that more so in this book as they separate for a bit, same mission but different avenues to search. However, when they come back together I found I enjoy the spark they have as they work together. They have no problem telling each other the way it is and being honest; in doing so, there is a caring there too. Do I want them as a couple? Hmm. Yes and no. I love what they have now but the potential is there for more. If they keep their personalities and stubbornness, then maybe.

The theory behind it all... There is so much background and support created to endorse the theories. The story is written nice and tight with the information. We reflect on the same pieces a few times, adding to the information each time to see how it actually fits with the story. The story leads to the pieces we need, and the pieces lead the story. I did take my time in listening, noting and reflecting on each piece of information we learn. I was determined to follow their paths.

This book takes the twist on the calendar and all that people have done to make the passing of time easy for us to understand and live by and uses it to create a mystery of old. There is so much we have done to create the calendar we use now that it's a wonderful secret to time, lost time each year. There is also mention of suspension that there are a fake 300 years added to history. This is where some in the world could get upset as what happened in those years would be false and what they believe then... false. People would kill for their beliefs. Add to that a secret vault created and filled, with secret weapons, by Archimedes. It's been hidden and protected all these years by what could be the Changelings, so no one has access to it when it opens every 1,000 years.

The story had me curious as to what was really going on. The authors kept me guessing throughout the book. The Changelings and the vault. What is the ultimate end game for it all? I was no let down in how it all came together. It never fails, these authors and stories give us an adventure with danger at every turn of solving the mystical mystery.



**If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!

Audio Book Review: Threats of Sky and Sea

Threats of Sky and Sea

By:  Jennifer Ellision

Publish Date:  May 20, 2014, Audiobook January 22, 2015

Format:  Audiobook - 8 hrs 50 mins
Narrated By:  Misty Daugherty

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Series:  1st in Threats of Sky and Sea series

Impression:  A relaxing YA fantasy of a young girl learning the world and finding herself.

Synopsis:
Sixteen year-old Breena Perdit has spent her life as a barmaid, innocent to her father’s past and happily free from the Elemental gifts that would condemn her to a life in the Egrian King’s army. Until the day that three Elemental soldiers recognize her father as a traitor to the throne and Bree’s father is thrown in jail—along with the secrets from his last mission as the King’s assassin. Secrets that could help the King win a war. Secrets he refuses to share.

Desperate to escape before the King’s capricious whims prove her and her father’s downfall, Bree bargains with him: information for their lives. It’s a good trade. And she has faith she’ll get them both out of the King’s grasp with time.

But that was before the discovery that she’s the weapon the King’s been waiting for in his war.

Now, time is running out. To save her father’s life and understand her own, Bree must unravel the knot of her father’s past before the King takes his life– and uses her to bring a nation to its knees.

First Sentence:
I am already frozen when the scream reaches me.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository 

Audible


My Thoughts and Summary:
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com, at my request.

Bree's simple life as a tavern maid with her father is flipped inside out when Elementals come looking for a truant, and find her father. Da is a Duke that ran from his duties as adviser and high Rider of the king. Thanks to the words of Prince Caden, Bree is spared death and brought into Court life as her father is locked away for his crimes. The talisman that her father slips her before he's taken away may hold secrets to the powers of the Elementals, or Adepts as the nobility call them. The only way to see her imprisoned father is to do as the King asks, to investigate her father's last mission which he went missing from and the treasure he was to retrieve for the King.

The narrator's clear and clean in speaking, but the space feels dead around her, like the sound is eaten up around her. She feels as she's talking to me with a slight ting of a southern and relaxed country feel to her voice as Bree, the main character. At the beginning I notice it's not at a steady cadence but that there is draw in some of her words and quickness in others. She does a smoothness that fits Lady Katherine and a slight low tone for Da, more a small attitude difference but not major voice differences for characters.

This book has the solid fantasy feel to it and the world. It also has a young feel with Bree at a young age and coming into court life. The story was easy to listen to. The world was introduced at the beginning, with the Elementals or Adepts as the nobility like to call them. The special names for what each Adept can do along with a brief description slip easily into the action of the story so it's not feeling like an information drop. Then we fall into the troubles that await us, or Bree and her father. All the scenes have an importance and you can see the connections as you reflect on what's passed as we move forward.

Predictable? Yes it is. But the writing is well done and sometimes familiar is relaxing to read. The friendships created, threats made, and the revolutions made of the characters were a few things I saw coming.

This is a nice fantasy for teen readers to enjoy. A fantasy element and story with characters that relate, even when clashing in thoughts.

The story is well written and relaxing for me. I'm looking forward to continuing the series.



If you found my review helpful, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible.

Sunday Post #121

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share new about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

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Well, it's been week two of crazy go with everyone.

Dad finally went home yesterday. But I sat at the hospital all afternoon with him and spent a few hours at the nursing home as they were lightly staffed, one RN and one aid in his hall. I still have to talk to his doctor at the home for therapy and his medicines that the hospital doctor changed.

Kiddo's knee isn't getting straighter and we are seriously thinking about calling the doctor and getting a second opinion as well. We just don't know what to do. Always something going on.

I am hoping I can get back on schedule this week with responding to your comments and visiting a bit. Sorry for the lack in visiting these last few weeks. Not being home makes it impossible to do. I'm thankful you all have kept visiting and checking in with me. Thank you!!!

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The Fit Booker:

Goal:  Workout in any form of exercise (or on Wii Fit) 2x's a week. (to feel better and hope to drop a few pants sizes)

How did I do last week... I did make it to the gym three days, counting Sunday. This week has been rough at getting there and today I'll be going back to make up for the third day in my workout list as that started on Tuesday.

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What's Happening in Books:

Current Read:

I'll start a new book next week.


Current Audiobook:
Legally Undead by Margo Bond Collins

Current Podcast Book Listen:
Nothing

Finished Last Week: 

Nothing

Audiobooks from Audible:

Riot of Storm and Smoke by Jennifer Ellision
The Deep Beneath by Natalie Wright

Finished Podcast Book Listen:

Nothing

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Last Week on the Blog:

Cover Reveals: (click titles to go to post & learn more)

Blood Rose by K.L. Bone

Posts:

Around the Internet...


Reviews:

Herculean by Jeremy Robinson & Sean Ellis

How to be a Mermaid by Erin Hayes

Secret World Chronicles: World Divided by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, & Veronica Giguere

Podcast Review:

Mama Bitchstress Reviews:

GIVEAWAYS:

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This Week to Come on the Blog:

I've decided to do three reviews a week for a few weeks, just to try to get caught up with what I have to share with you all. Hope you stop by to check them all out! :)
  Threats of Sky and Sea
  Changeling
  Waiting On

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Received Last Weeks:

Review & Review Consideration:

Audio Books Requested for Review:

Risen Gods by J.F. Penn & J. Thorn
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Can Ben and Lucy battle the Risen Gods to find each other again and save the country from destruction?

When a tidal wave strikes the coast of New Zealand, Ben Henare and Lucy Campion are separated in the chaotic aftermath.

As earthquakes shake the land and volcanoes erupt on the Pacific Rim of Fire, Ben wrestles with his Maori heritage as he faces the supernatural powers that threaten the land of Aotearoa. He must fight his way north on a quest through ice caves and oceans, battling the manifestations of the evil god Whiro and the creatures of the sky.

Lucy faces personal tragedy and human evil on her own trek, confronting a mighty demon of the deep as she crosses into the Cook Strait. Then Ruaumoko, god of the volcano, stirs, and the powers of the land threaten to pull the country into the sea.

As the people they love are threatened and Aotearoa begins to crumble in the face of natural disaster, can Ben and Lucy battle the Risen Gods to find each other again and save the country from destruction?

Risen Gods is a dark fantasy action adventure set against the backdrop of Aotearoa/New Zealand, rich with the myth and history of the island.

Devious Minds by Colleen Helme
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Goodreads Synopsis:
It’s been almost a year since a near-fatal gunshot wound left Shelby Nichols with the ability to read minds. In that time she’s faced one problem after another. She’s been shot at, framed for murder, and targeted by a serial killer, just to name a few. Now she’s trying to help her lawyer husband win a murder trial that will enable him to become a partner in his law firm. Sounds easy, right? But nothing ever goes as planned when it comes to Shelby Nichols.

When special agent, Blake Beauchaine, shows up to collect a debt from Shelby, things get even more complicated, and Shelby is soon on her way to Paris. A routine meeting with a rogue agent reveals a sinister plot, putting Shelby into the cross-hairs of a known terrorist. Even worse, she doesn’t speak French, so it seems her mind-reading abilities won’t help her this time.

Things go from bad to downright dangerous for Shelby, especially since her usual guardians, Uncle Joey, and his hit-man, Ramos, are back in the states. Lost and on her own in the streets of Paris, can Shelby escape the cold-blooded killer in time to stop his devious plans, or will this be the end of the line for Shelby Nichols?



Purchased/Winnings/Gifts:

Book:

Audio:

Free Ebooks:

(On my Kindle App) Links to books under title. They may or may not be free at this time.

Nightmare City by Jack Conner
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Goodreads Synopsis:
When beautiful young thief Katya goes on the run from a loan shark in the terrifying city of Lavorgna, the last thing she expects is to be plunged into an epic adventure that will determine the fate of the world, but that’s just what happens in Nightmare City.

Lavorgna is a city of fog and shadows, undead servants soaring zeppelins, where mad scientists prowl the alleys, mob bosses strive for power and the dreaded Guild of Alchemists holds the land in an iron grip, while below the city lies a network of black caverns embedded with the ruins of an ancient race known as the Elders that worshipped Lovecraftian horrors.

To survive and save the world from an unimaginable fate, Katya must navigate all these dangers and more. Running from the loan shark, she seeks out the local mob boss Ravic, only to learn that he’s embroiled in a vicious gang war with his rival Loqrin, a conflict that has supernatural overtones. A new horror has gripped the city, with mysterious creatures called haunts killing people by the dozen, and Ravic believes Loqrin is behind it. If Katya wants Ravic’s help, she must find out what Loqrin is up to – and stop him!

To do this, Katya must use all her thieving skills and cunning, because if she doesn’t and Loqrin accomplishes his endgame, the whole world will suffer an awful fate.

No pressure, Kat. 

A Magical Roommate by Emily Martha Sorensen
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Aylia's remarkably oblivious parents decide to send her to college in our world. And then she meets her new roommate, a chemistry major who loves to blow things up. Things look bad. 
This book contains all 266 strips of the first semester, plus an extra 40 strips that are only available in the book.

Anais of Brightshire by Jamie Wilson
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Anais, the eleven-year-old daughter of a fishmonger, enters the Great House of Brightshire as a scullery maid. Isolated from her peers, she fears a life of solitude and menial chores. The only person who shows her any kindness is a scribe, who offers to teach her how to read in exchange for her help in acquiring goods at fair prices in the market. When she discovers a manuscript describing the art of magic on a routine trip to the market, she can't help but feel tempted to try it, even though magic is strictly prohibited. Giving in to temptation, she starts spending her hours practicing simple spells for her own amusement, but when one of the girls from the kitchens goes missing - amidst rumors of monsters rising in the south and devouring townspeople - Anais decides to use her new skills to find the missing girl. In her search, she befriends the Lord of Brightshire's youngest son, Cedric, and his cousin Mediera. Finally having friends she cares for is great, but practicing illegal magic and fraternizing with those above her station puts Anais in more danger than she can handle.

The Amber Isle by Ashley Capes
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Roguish 'Never' is on a quest to lift a curse on his blood and to learn his true name; but upon joining a group of treasure-hunters he soon finds himself unearthing world-altering secrets that have long lain dormant within the mysterious Amber Isle.

First in a series of epic fantasy novellas to be released in March 2016.

Rise of the Storm by Christina Ochs
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Goodreads Synopsis:
When a renegade priest prophesies an imminent apocalypse, a conflict is sparked which will tip a continent into war.

Prince Kendryk is young, handsome and popular, his kingdom prosperous and peaceful. But in the face of the prophesied apocalypse, he must choose between conscience and power. If he chooses the side of faith, he must defy the ruthless Empress Teodora, ruler of a vast empire, imperiling kingdom and family— but if he chooses the side of power, he risks plunging his world into a darkness worse than war.

The coming conflict will touch the lives of thousands, among them…

Prince Kendryk’s adored wife, Gwynneth, the proud daughter of a king, whose ambition may come at great cost…

Braeden, a violent mercenary, commander of a legendary winged army, who will find himself in the service of an employer he must defy to protect those he holds dear…

And Janna, the merchant’s wife, forced to abandon her home and her way of life, ill-prepared to keep herself and her children safe from the ravages of war…

An epic fantasy saga drawn from real history, Rise of the Storm is Book One in the compelling new Desolate Empire series 

Wolves by C. Gockel
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Goodreads Synopsis:
In the middle of America, on Route 44, Amy Lewis has a plan — to get to her grandma’s house in time for dinner. Galaxies away Loki is waking up in a prison cell, strangely without a hangover, and with no idea what he’s done wrong — this time anyway. But he does know Thor is hiding something, Odin is up to something wicked, and there seems to be something he’s forgotten...

In this tale that is equal parts “Another Fine Myth,” “American Gods,” and “Once Upon a Time,” a very nice midwestern girl and a jaded, still very mischievous Loki must join forces to outwit gods, elves, magic sniffing cats, and nosy neighbors. If Loki can remember exactly what he’s forgotten and Amy can convince him not to be too distracted by Earthly gadgets, her boobs, or three day benders, they just might pull it off...

This first volume of "I Bring the Fire" is for anyone who suspects chaos and mischief makers might have their own redeeming qualities, and anyone who just wants a good fantasy romp through modern Earth, ancient Asgard, and beyond! 

Veritas: Shadow of the Rose by M.L. Chesley
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Goodreads Synopsis:
The race to save Paridzule and the world of Eir du’Brusai continues in this sequel. 

The Relavian army is poised at the northern border, awaiting orders to strike. 

Kayta’s family knows she’s alive, but have no other details. In the meantime, Paridzule’s army prepares for the onslaught; a war to end all wars. 

Kayta’s friends and allies are doing all they can to return her in one piece. But as both armies prepare for battle, the veil of secrecy around each kingdom begins to lift, and truth begins to slither through the cracks. 

Aid comes from unlikely sources, on both sides, and tensions are running high.

Spirits in the Hills by Amelia Smith
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Sovara listens for any threat to the dragons, the life force of the land. While posing as a maid in the governor's palace, she overhears foreigners plotting to raid a dragon’s gate. They’re heading to the gate closest to the village where she was born, a place she left decades before. 

She rallies her fellow Defenders to block the invaders, but only a few members of this small secret society of swordsmen set out for the provinces; Sovara, her least-amiable brother-in-arms, and one green apprentice -- a scouting party to face a merchant army.

The Living Night by Jack Conner
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Can two vampires on the run save the world from destruction?

Plunge into grand mystery and adventure in a world of vampires, werewolves and other immortals by the bestselling author of the Black Tower Trilogy.

When a powerful figure in the Immortal Community is killed, two vampires, Ruegger and Danielle, are forced to run for it in order to find out who ordered the murder and why. The two vampires are notorious throughout the Community for only feeding on humans that deserve it -- murderers and rapists -- as well as other immortals.

If an immortal steps out of line and preys on undeserving humans, Ruegger and Danielle will (if they can) take them down -- and feed from them. Thus the two are sarcastically known throughout the Community as the Marshals.

Now, to stop the world from becoming embroiled in a vicious war, Ruegger and Danielle must follow the threads of a strange conspiracy that spans continents and many races, some exotic and particularly deadly. The Dark Lord, the vampire king of the Community, may himself be involved.

To find out the truth, Ruegger and Danielle will have to dodge werewolf assassins, zombies, and two especially nasty Jamaican voodoo gods.

One thing is certain: if they survive and unravel the strange heart of the mystery, the world will never be the same again.

Gray Man Rising by P.E. Padilla
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Goodreads Synopsis:
The Gray Man’s power is growing. Is there anyone on Gythe who can stop him? 

From his fortress lair, the Gray Man, possibly the most powerful user of the vibrational energy called rohw the world of Gythe has seen in centuries, is gathering troops and increasing his strength. The only obstacles to his total domination are the order of Zouyim monks, themselves masters of the rohw, and the women who call themselves Sapsyra Shin Elah, the finest warriors in the world. 

In this prequel to the Harmonic Magic series, Rindu Zose, his wife Ylleria, and their daughter Nalia Wroun, protectors of the common people, are caught up in events that quickly spin out of control, resulting in the destruction of the famed Zouyim temple. Will Rindu’s magic and the martial skills possessed by Ylleria and Nalia be enough to combat the Gray Man’s ever-increasing power? If they fail, everything they know and love could be destroyed forever. 

The Genie's Witch by Lyn Brittan
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Goodreads Synopsis:
A genie down on his luck, Tig wanted nothing more than to get to Vegas and wait for life to unscrew itself. Things would have gone just fine, if not for the witch in the airport shoving her way to the front of the line. He had every intention of letting her know how little he appreciated her rudeness... then he looked into her eyes and felt the chains around his heart clink to the floor.

Dinah craved a peaceful vacation and was willing to step on a few toes to get it. Unfortunately, some of them belonged to a sizzling genie with lust on the brain and trouble in his eyes. He, and the trouble, followed her home. Damn shame she couldn't separate the two. She didn't need or want anything long term, and had to make him understand that.

Yet more than lust is on the line. Dark forces mean to separate and destroy them both. What started as a mile-high fling, rapidly turned into a fight for life and love. Only together do they have a shot of making it out of this alive.

Seeds of Autumn by H.B. Lyne
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Goodreads Synopsis:
The city of Caerton is not what it appears. The wet streets and cold shoulders of strangers are the perfect conditions for creatures of the night to pass unnoticed.

Ariana Yates always felt different, but as the end of her teen years approaches and autumn takes hold her body starts to change. A mysterious stranger follows her everywhere she goes and her nightmares become frighteningly realistic.

A whole new life opens up before her when she finds out the truth about what she is and the hidden world all around her. A new family of her kind takes her in and begins to show her the exciting new possibilities before her. But will she survive in this hostile new reality? Will she be able to keep anything from her old life? And will her old friends be safe from the terrifying enemies that she now faces? 

Yseult, Part 1: Two Women by Ruth Nestvold
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Yseult the Wise and Yseult the Fair, mother and daughter, are members of the proud race of the Feadh Ree, the Old Race in Eriu. New ways and a new religion are coming to their land, and despite all their magic, they may be powerless to stop it. 

"Yseult: Two Women" is the first of four parts from the bestselling historical fantasy novel "Yseult: A Tale of love in the Age of King Arthur," a retelling of the tragic love story of Tristan and Yseult. Yseult is a princess of Ireland, a land on the fringes of Europe, a land that had never been conquered by Rome. What would her life have been like in that pagan land before the advent of Christianity? 

This book is a re-imagining of Yseult's youth, never part of the legends — until now. 

Yseult was originally published in German translation with Random House Germany as "Flamme und Harfe" and followed by translations into Dutch and Italian. 

The Immortals by S.M. Schmitz
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Colin and Anna have been hunting demons for a long time. But something is different in Baton Rouge. The rules are being broken and they're powerless against some of the greatest forces Hell can assemble. If they can't stop these demons from manipulating every rule of this war, then Heaven may lose the only battle that's ever really mattered.

Stone's Kiss by Lisa Blackwood
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Goodreads Synopsis:
As a child, a near-drowning accident stole Lillian’s old life. Her new life began the moment she awoke at the foot of a brooding, stone gargoyle.

Years later, Lillian still finds comfort in Gregory, her gargoyle, never guessing he is more than cold stone until demonic creatures called the Riven attack. Gregory senses her terror and wakes from his healing sleep.

After the battle, Lillian learns the humans she thought were her family are a powerful coven of witches at war with the Riven. Lillian is something more than human, a powerful worker of magic, an Avatar to the gods. Gregory has been her protector for many lifetimes, but troubles in their homeland forced him to flee with her to the human world. And it wasn’t an accident which stole her memories—it was Gregory. He suspects Lillian is host to an infant demon, one capable of evil greater than the Riven. 

Despite everything, Lillian fears she’s falling in love with her guardian. While she might be able to defeat the Riven with Gregory’s help, she doesn’t know if her fragile new love can survive the evil growing in her own soul...

The Rooftop: A Story of Fallon and Reign by Danielle Monsch
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Goodreads Synopsis:
FALLON and REIGN - a meeting and a parting, with only the stars as witness.


AUTHORS NOTE: The Rooftop is a short story (10 PAGES) set in the Entwined Realms universe. This story would best be described as a slice-of-life/character study, and is meant for existing fans of the series. It is not the best place for readers who are not familiar with the Entwined Realms to start.

This short is not necessary for following the over-arching plot of the Entwined Realms. This is an extra, written for fans who want more time with these characters.

The Rooftop is Book 1.9 of the Entwined Realms series, but due to the nature of the story, can be read any time after finishing Stone Guardian.

(On my Nook)

Free Audio Books/Stories:

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Reviews to Come:

Soulless by Skyla Dawn Cameron

The Sentinel by Chris Lester

The Muse by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Making the Cut by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Whispers in the Wood by Chris Lester

Danube Waves by Katharina Bordet

Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

Lex Talionis by Starla Huchton

Spark by Starla Huchton
House of Grey 6 by Collin Earl

The Secret World Chronicle: Waiting On by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, Veronica Giguere
The Secret World Chronicle: Revolutions by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee, Veronica Giguere
Heir to Kale by K.L. Bone

Tales from the Archives Vol 4 #5 - Old Sinner's Bones

The Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan
Threats of Sky and Sea by Jennifer Ellision

Changeling by David Wood & Sean Ellis

Riot of Storm and Smoke by Jennifer Ellision

The Deep Beneath by Natalie Wright