Title: Ever Wrath
Author: Alexia Purdy
Series: A Dark Faerie Tale (#4)
Genre: Genre: Fantasy/Faeries/YA/Paranormal
Publisher: Lyrical Lit. Publishing
Release Date: Sept 15 2013
Blurb/Synopsis:
There is no hope.
Only blood and darkness await.
Shade rules as Queen of the Seelie Summer Court with her love, a Teleen Faerie named Dylan at her side. But, the dark court of Unseelie faeries will do everything in their power to rule the earth, including enslaving the human world. Arthas, the Unseelie
Ancient King, has shattered the boundaries of Faerie and the human cities are filling with his evil, unearthly armies.
Old enemies become allies. New friends bring old secrets and an ancient magic to light. Alongside the Ancient Seelie Queen, Kilara, Shade needs to harness this wild magic before the lines between human and faery are forever destroyed.
Alexia currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada–Sin City! She loves to spend every free moment writing or playing with her four rambunctious kids. Writing has always been her dream and she has been writing ever since she can remember. She loves writing paranormal fantasy and poetry and devours books daily. Alexia also enjoys watching movies, dancing, singing loudly in the car and Italian food.
The Circle
Calum Ranson is sure of three things: his cousin Finley is alive, Calum will find him, and no one knows Calum and his family are Sidhe. No one until Laurel shows up at his mother's bookstore wearing a dark clan's mark. When Calum learns the details surrounding the disappearance of Laurel's brother, he suspects the evil Hobayeth clan. Calum and Laurel work together in the Realm of Man and the Otherworld to rescue her brother - revealing a connection between Calum and Laurel that may cost Finley his life.
"The Circle is full of magic and mystery. Readers will be engrossed in faerie realms, charming characters, and a state of wonder and imagination. The Circle is for those who delight in reading fantasy and exploring mystical worlds."
--Kathleen Fox, LibraryGames.com
Author Cindy Cipriano
Cindy Cipriano lives in NC with her husband, son, and 27 pets. Okay, more like one cat, three dogs, and many, many fish. Cindy is an award winning science teacher, who this past August celebrated her 12th first day of sixth grade.
A_TiffyFit's Review: I really enjoyed this YA/middle grade fantasy. Had I read it in middle school, it would have been one of my favorite books, much like Robin McKinley's "Beauty." Subtle magic, introduction of a different culture (the Sidhe), two missing boys, steadfast and growing friendship between a small group of sixth graders, but also learning that friendships do not remain the same as Calum quickly learns. Despite being from a Sidhe clan, Calum is dealing with the every day issues that middle school-aged kids go through. "No one can have a best friend that is an opposite sex anymore! That's weird!" Your good friend just dumped you for a total douchebag. Does she like my friend? Does she like me? Am I okay with that? It was very real, and very sweet. Friendship, the unending bonds of good friends, is a main theme here.
I am not a fan of cliffhangers and having to wait for the next book to discover what happens next, etc. That would be the only fault I find in this book. I hate cliffhangers! LOL There IS a nice little preview of the first chapter of the next book, The Lost, however, that picks up a MOMENT after this book ends, so I am very much looking forward to it!
I liked the closeness of family, even when Calum is doubting his uncle and then regretting doubting him. The dynamics of the family and what it is to be a pre-teen are really well-described. I didn't really understand that Kenzie's concern for Calum, keeping him away from his heritage, stemmed from the disappearance of his cousin, Riley. I thought there was more to it based on her actions and overheard snippets of conversation, but it's truly just a mother's love. The glimpses of the different clans of Faerie were interesting; the new rules put into place thanks to Finley's disappearance and the slightest hint that Calum and his family are indeed royalty. I also liked the introduction of other fae, notably Brownshire, a brownie, who is NOT nice at all.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has children in the middle school grades (5th -8th) who love to read fantasy, as a book to read to younger children, and as something to enjoy yourself! I cannot wait to read more in this series myself, to see how everything works out, what complications there are, if they find their powers and learn to use them more, etc. I like the teamwork aspect instead of a lone hero and I hope this continues with future books.
EXCERPT Chapter Three No Storm ~ p.29 ~ “Mrs. Ranson…” said Laurel. “Call me Kenzie.” “Okay.” Laurel smiled at her. “Kenzie, I saw some sticks in a vase in the game room. Are they for Wrecks?”
Calum gave his mom a quick glance. He had forgotten to put them away before Laurel arrived.
“No. Those are Particulars. They’re actually quite rare. That set has been in our family for almost a hundred years,” said Kenzie.
“What are they for?” asked Laurel.
“They predict the future,” said Kenzie, matter-of-factly.
Gus coughed and looked at her in disbelief.
“Cool,” said Laurel. “How?”
“Go get ‘em and I’ll show you,” said Kenzie.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Gus asked as soon as Laurel was out of earshot.
“It’s fine,” said Kenzie. “She’ll think it’s a parlor game. Besides, I’m curious about her.”
Laurel returned and set a green vase on the table. It was filled with wooden twigs in varying lengths and colors. Some straight, others twisted.
“Draw the one that calls to you,” said Kenzie.
Laurel examined the twigs and chose a honey-colored one that was thinner than the rest.
“This makes sense,” said Kenzie. “Secrets. You’re going to tell one and learn one.”
“So cool,” said Laurel. “Are the predictions always the same?”
“No,” said Kenzie. “It depends on a lot of things: the date, the moon’s phase, who’s drawing the twig, and what’s in their heart.”
“You do it, Calum,” said Laurel.
Calum shrugged. He studied the twigs and drew a yellow one decorated with golden circles. He handed it to Kenzie. Her eyes met Calum’s as she said, “Rescue.”
Calum stared at the twig. Rescue? Finley? Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
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Look at this fabulous cover! Alexia Purdy's Ever Winter releases today!
Shade is left all but shattered. She must travel to the Ice kingdom along with her 'body guard' Dylan, who continues to be bound with a blood oath to her, where the holder of her magic dwells. Her only chance to right the warring Faerie lands to harmony will be to resist the enchantments of the Ice King, one of the Ancient rulers of Faerie, to regain her power and make it to the Summer Kingdom with her family to claim back her throne.
Only the Ancients of Faerie don't want her to succeed and there are treacheries in every crevice of the land, even among the human mortals and trusted alibis.
Alexia currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada–Sin City! She
loves to spend every free moment writing or playing with her four rambunctious
kids. Writing has always been her dream and she has been writing ever since she
can remember. She loves writing paranormal fantasy and poetry and devours books
daily. Alexia also enjoys watching movies, dancing, singing loudly in the car
and Italian food.
And, to tease you more, we've got not one, not two, but THREE excerpts from today's release!
Enjoy and be sure to add this book to your to-read list!
****************************************************
Excerpts
THREE Excerpts from Ever Winter:
Excerpt #1
Shade’s ears rang from the darkling’s screech and she had
the sudden urge to let go of Camulus and Brisa to cover them to make the
shearing noise go away. She resisted, afraid she’d end up in some weird
teleporting limbo if she dared disconnect from Camulus now. She endured the
pain and felt Brisa trying to tug away from her too, probably also in torturous
pain. The jaunt could not have ended sooner and she found the entire bunch
writhing on the floor from the darkling’s searing call.
Shade followed suit, collapsing to the ground and grabbing
at her ears. Moments passed before the relentless ring faded away, leaving them
all breathing hard and sweating buckets. Shade pulled her arm away from her ear
to grasp her other arm, which now was throbbing with a searing pain. Slowly opening
her eyes as she breathed deeply in and out, she saw why her arm was hurting so
much. A black spot where the darkling had touched her right before they had
teleported away stood stark against the pale skin of her forearm. It sent
spikes of pain radiating up her through her elbow, up her shoulder and into her
chest. She gasped, gritting her teeth from the agony.
The others were now finally getting to their feet, some
still dazed from the deafening screech. Dylan held his hands on his knees,
crouched down as he shook it off his senses. Noticing that Shade was still on
the ground, he hurried toward her and knelt down. She was grabbing her left arm
and shaking uncontrollable, tears leaked from both her eyes and her face was
screwed up in pain.
“Shade?” He pulled her up to sit against him but she could
barely open her eyes to register him.
“It’s burning!” She gasped, clutching her arm against her
chest, cradling it softy.
“What happened?”
“The darkling, it touched me before…before we left.” Shade tried
to breathe the pain away, but it was winning and she wasn’t sure how long she
would stay conscious. “What is this?”
“A darkling’s kiss.” Soap slid down to check out the wound.
It was hot around the edges and the black spot wasn’t growing. Still, Shade
grunted through the torturous agony. “When a darkling marks you, it dies. In
death, its touch poisons your blood slowly until all of your blood turns black
and you either become a darkling or…” he cleared his throat, looking solemn.
“Or, you die. But it takes just a few days.”
Excerpt #2
“We have to take her out of here or she’ll die.” Corb
stated, gritting his teeth at the Teleen warrior. “You have to come, though I’d
prefer you stay here and rot.” He turned and whisked her away down the hall.
Dylan followed close behind, afraid to lose sight of Shade forever.
The atrium was as before, with the enormous Great Oak Tree
standing like a king in the middle of the room. Corb brought her to lie next to
the great, metallic trunk of the tree and turned toward Dylan.
“You’ll have to be touching her at the same time as you ask
the tree for sanctuary. Tell it where to go. Hurry!”
“Why can’t you?” He grabbed Shade’s fallen hand, feeling her
shaking from the cold and her lips slowly turning an unsavory shade of blue.
“I’m an Ancient. There is no sanctuary for Ancients of
Faerie. The tree is an ancient unto itself. I can ride along with you, but I
cannot make the request.” He motioned Dylan, looking more desperate as the
moments ticked by.
Dylan frowned, grasping her hand even tighter and watched
Corb grab her other hand. He didn’t like it, but he had to get her to a healer
quickly. Pressing his fingers to the cool, steely bark of the Great Oak, he
squeezed his eyes shut. “Take us to sanctuary, Great Oak Tree. Take us home,
swiftly as you may.”
Excerpt #3
“Open the door, Stanis,” Shade hissed. “We’re through here.”
“Just a minute, princess. I have bone to pick with you.” He
tapped the wall and moved so fast, only a blur appeared where he had stood. He
was in the kitchen now and pulled out a small, blue glass bowl. Bringing it to
her, he held it out toward Shade, pushing her to take it. When she did, he
resumed his position on the creaky chair, motioning her to sit back on the
couch. “Please, sit.”
“I’d rather stand.”
He groaned, rolling his head on his shoulders, his long
brown hair spilled over the back of the chair as he did that. He looked like a
drunk slumped in the chair, almost falling off the edge.
“Suite yourself, changeling. But I highly suggest you sit.
There are more ways than one to use magic, even bound up as you are.” His wild
eyes seemed more sober now and she felt a sudden urge to sit as told. The
suspicion she felt that he was using magic on her was eating at her nerves. She
hated being played, and he seemed a master at that.
“What do you mean, more ways?” She settled between Soap and
Dylan and held the bowl out. It was small enough to fit in her palm.
“This is a Pith. It extracts your essence, therefore, your
powers are given a release through this bowl. Even in your case, one’s powers
cannot be completely contained, as one can never truly trap a mind. This Pith
provides another route, another path for your magic to escape your body and
work its powers. We’re only trapped by the binds we allow to be placed upon
ourselves. This breaks through that. It will let you use your water magic, as
if you’d never been bound.”
The others gasped, staring in wonderment at the ordinary
blue glass bowl sitting in her palm. It seemed utterly mundane, no etchings on
its hard surface, nothing to condone its powerful use. She wondered if he was
pulling her leg or not. But it was worth a try.
“One drop into the bowl, Shade. That’s all it takes.” He
gestured quickly, to make her move faster. She gulped, mesmerized by the glass.
She silently prayed that it would work, if not, they were doomed. No, she was
doomed.
Cliff of the Ruin by Bonnie McKernan Publisher: Abbott Press Publication date: November 2012 Length: 418 pages Genre: Historical fiction, fantasy Editions: Hardcover, paperback, kindle Source for Review: Netgalley
Synopsis: There are three good reasons why dashing Civil War hero and New York lawyer William Teague cannot tell artist Mae Kendrick he''s in love with her. One, she told him he was dull. Two, she is the niece of an important client. Three, she just hired him to find the man she doesn't remember marrying.
As Will manages this peculiar case, the search for Mae's husband unveils a shocking discovery about her childhood, one that shifts the investigation to the place of her birth--Ireland.
But on the voyage overseas, circumstances become increasingly bizarre. Mae suffers ghost-like visions and further memory loss, and Will is seduced by a beautiful stranger who just might be trying to kill him. When Mae suddenly vanishes like her husband, Will is forced to enter a thin place, an ancient monastic ruin leading to Ireland's Celtic otherworld, in what becomes a race against time to find her.
But are Will''s war-honed instincts any match for the alluring forces of Irish legend? Can he distinguish friend from foe? Can he protect Mae from the apparitions of her past? And how far beyond the breaking point can his secret love be tested?
Disclaimer: Received from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This was a fun, well-paced steampunk fantasy romance! I thought it was a strong start to a new series that I will be snatching as soon as available. It starts off with intrigue and action and keeps it up throughout the book. I loved the absinthe fairies and the inner monologue of Adele as she travels with Elle on her adventure.
I've always liked Wonder Woman and the archetype of strong, self-efficient feminine leads without them acting as if they have something to prove. Elle Chance is this kind of character. She is self-sufficent and able to stand on her own, but doesn't have that self-aggrandizement that can be so annoying. She questions Marsh and his motives from the beginning, which was smart in my book as why ever would you trust someone with your life and the life of a loved one based on his word alone?
Marsh, as her counterpart, is likeable with the tiniest hint of "hurt in the past" that makes you want Elle to fix him. Dashing, gentlemanly, and never condescending.
I enjoyed the turns of mythology in regards to oracles, the fantasy of magic with warlocks, and the steampunk ships, creations, mechanicals, and alchemists. The ending was satisfying even though it left you with heart palpitations and wanting the next book RIGHT NOW.
A Conspiracy of Alchemists publishes on March 4, 2013. So get it now and join me in the "wait, when is the SEQUEL?!"
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