Reviewed: May 9th, 2023 Released: September 6th, 2022 Genre: Historical Fantasy Format: Audiobook narrated by Marian Hussey
A librarian with a mysterious past, a war hero with a secret, and the heist of a magic painting. THE LIBRARIAN OF CROOKED LANE is an intriguing new fantasy from C.J. Archer, the USA Today bestselling author of the Glass and Steele series.
Librarian Sylvia Ashe knows nothing about her past, having grown up without a father and a mother who refused to discuss him. When she stumbles upon a diary that suggests she’s descended from magicians, she’s skeptical. After all, magicians are special, and she’s just an ordinary girl who loves books. She seeks the truth from a member of the most prominent family of magicians, but she quickly learns that finding the truth won’t be easy, especially when he turns out to be as artless as her, and more compelling and dangerous than books.
War hero Gabe is gifted with wealth, a loving family, and an incredible amount of luck that saw him survive four harrowing years of a brutal war without injury. But not all injuries are visible. Burying himself in his work as a consultant for Scotland Yard, Gabe is going through the motions as he investigates the theft of a magician-made painting. But his life changes when he unwittingly gets Sylvia dismissed from her job and places her in danger.
After securing her new employment in a library housing the world’s greatest collection of books about magic, Gabe and Sylvia’s lives become intwined as they work together to find both the painting and the truth about Sylvia’s past before powerful people can stop them.
Today, I am pleased to welcome author LC Ainsworth to talk to us about her novel Too Many Shadows, Not Enough Light which was released on January 12th, 2023.
Helen: Welcome LC. I am so excited to meeet you and that we get to chat about your book today!! Tell us about your series and Too Many Shadows, Not Enough Light.
LC: My book series is called A Dark Passengers Story and book 1 title is Too Many Shadows, Not Enough Light.
It is a Fantasy/Sci-fi/Mystery/YA/Romance.
It is the story of a young princess from an empire called Yanar. Yanar is also the only country on Earth where humans have developed supernatural powers. She dreams of being a chef, but her position as the future queen does not allow it and instead is forced to choose between one branch of the Armed Forces. She chooses the Air Force because she loves flying.
She faces her enemies from another planet in Book 1 and has, at the tender age of 17, to learn how to become a leader. By the end of the book, she also faces another challenge. She develops feelings for a boy.
Helen: That sounds like an action packed premise. What inspired your cover?
LC: The cover I chose reminded me of the first scene in Terminator 1, one of my favourite movies. You have the bones of humans covered in some dark grey ashes and a robot just steps on a skull, crushing it while moving toward a group of rebels shooting at it and other machines.
In the early part of the book, the heroine is fighting aliens, and the fighting happens in space. But the war will inevitably reach Earth and the image that kept popping into my head every time I would picture the coming war was the robot crushing the skull. So I picked it and I think it is a good representation not just of book 1 but of the series.
Helen: The cover certainly embodies the threat. It is dark and brooding. I love your title, how did decide on that?
LC: The first title was meant to be The Fire Underneath but the more I wrote the more words like darkness came to me. Eventually, I settled with Shadow and Light but something was missing and my sister “Why not Too Many Shadows?”, I smiled, it was perfect.
Helen: I am so glad your sister piped up. It is a perfect title. What made you write this particular book?
LC: When I was 11, someone discovered the body of a woman near the school gates. My friends and I had a spot hidden where we loved to pretend we were spies. We called it the KGB. That day we found hair in our hiding space, a lot of hair. I remembered hearing my parents talk about the murdered woman. The murderer had cut her hair. We waited until we spotted a police officer nearby and told him about the hair we found; he laughed and ignored us.
We got angry and investigated the matter ourselves. By the end of the school term, we had concluded that our headteacher was guilty; the woman murdered was not his first murder, and he was having an affair with a teacher. Both were married. We proudly walked into a police station and handed over our evidence. They laughed at us and kicked us out of the station but not before complimenting us on our wild imagination and advising that we write books or scripts for tv series.
And this is how the idea of the plot for the first book entered my mind. By the time I gave writing a go, I had gained a passion for fantasy and sci-fi, not to mention romance. So I kept the vibe and the essence of the story alive while adding aliens, creating a new country, and adding some violence.
Helen: I can see why that idea stuck. Quite a traumatic event at such a young age. I’m glad you were able to purge it through your writing. What genre do you typically write?
LC: I write a mix-genre. I love Mystery; I am a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie’s books. I am also a huge fan of Jane Austen. Adding that to my love of Fantasy and Sci-Fi, I simply couldn’t stick to one genre. I tried to write a Fantasy book and ended up writing a Fantasy/YA/Romance/Mystery/Sci-Fi book. In a sense, I think the book took a life in itself. And when I got to book two, I had developed a taste in Smut books, so I added some explicit content.
Helen: I think the more we write the more confident we become, and so our writing reflects that. Which element of the writing process do you find most challenging and why?
LC: Editing. As someone who is writing in her third language, it is already difficult to put the words on paper. But it is nothing compared to the editing process which in my opinion takes even longer than the actual writing. For each book, I have had to reread, rewrite and delete entire chapters which is so painful because I cherished every word. Yes, for me editing is the most challenging part.
Helen: I am so impressed that you are writing in your third language. May I say that I think it is amazing. I struggle with grammar and English is my first and only language!
Thank you so much for chatting with me today. Final question for you. What is the best thing that has happened to you since you began writing?
LC: I would say I accepted who I was. I suffer from depression and anxiety and always lived in my head. I would create worlds and imagine what life could be if I didn’t have to hide from the world then I would put on a mask and walk among people, pretending to be ok. Writing allowed me to open about my depression and anxiety. I no longer fear to be seen as someone dealing with mental illness. I can accept it and work on getting better without fear of judgment.
Helen: I truly believe writing is carthartic and allows us to express freely what is inside us. I am so glad you found that on your writing journey. Thank you again, LC, for joining me today.
About the Author:
L.C Ainsworth is an author living in Wales surrounded by her loved ones while taking care of her mother’s garden.
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If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love SoulBreather, and my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Reviewed: May 2nd, 2023 Released: October 31st, 2022 Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Finding my husband in bed with another woman was not how I planned to start my day.
Or homeless the next minute. And broke.
So, when a job comes my way from The Twilight Hotel—a paranormal hotel in midtown Manhattan that serves as a sanctuary and residence—I take it.
Cue in tattooed, sexy as sin, grumpy restaurant owner Valen, who can’t do drama or high-maintenance women. The problem? He’s cruel and dangerous.
And he’s hiding something.
Rumors arise of a dark spell that would mean the hotel’s closure, and I don’t know who I can trust. Do I have what it takes to fight this new evil? We’ll see.
Reviewed: April 28th, 2023 Released: June 21st, 2022 Genre: Humourous Fantasy Romance
A heartwarming and humorous blend of fantasy, romance, and mystery featuring a witch with domestic powers and the royal household he serves . . . dinner.
When Finlay Ashowan joins the staff of the King and Queen of Daxaria, he’s an enigma. No one knows where he comes from or how he came to be where he is, which suits Fin just fine. He’s satisfied simply serving as the royal cook, keeping nosy passersby out of his kitchen, and concocting some truly uncanny meals.
But Fin’s secret identity doesn’t stay hidden for long. After all, it’s not every day a house witch and his kitten familiar, Kraken, take to meddling in imperial affairs. As his powers are gradually discovered by the court, Fin finds himself involved in a slew of intrigues: going head-to-head with knights with less-than-chivalrous intentions, helping to protect the pregnant queen, fending off the ire of the royal mage, and uncovering a spy in the castle. And that’s only the beginning—because Fin’s past is catching up with him just as his love life is getting complicated.
Reviewed: April 5th 2023 Released: October 26th 2022 Genre: Urban Fantasy
Oh, hey. Nora here.
Just over here trying to process everything I’ve learned lately—the least of it being that magic is real, and I’m the last in a long line of practically extinct jinn.
Me? Magic? What?
You might be wondering why all of that isn’t taking center stage in my currently mind-blown state. Well… I’ve got bigger problems.
Namely, I trusted the wrong person.
We’ve all been there, right? But of course, when I do it, I wake up not knowing where I am or how I got there. To top it off, something isn’t quite right with me. I’m off. But maybe that’s just what happens when your heart is splintered into a million tiny pieces.
Whatever the case, I’m done with all the half-truths and secrets. It’s time for me to figure out why everyone seems to know more about me than I do. Why the entire magical world is watching every move I make with bated breath.
But most of all, I’m going to find out why he did this to me. And then I might just make him pay with the one thing that’s ripe for my taking…
Nothing has been the same for Messenger angel Cyrus since Jace was exiled from the celestial community. Night after night, he searches Sin City for the demon who might have the answers he needs to find his lost love. But his quest hasn’t gone unnoticed. Dark forces reach Cyrus first, and a brutal encounter with his enemy leaves him at the mercy of the ruthless warrior who once broke his heart.
Believing Cyrus has been killed, Jace returns to Sin City with a death wish and one thought in mind: vengeance. Instead, he finds Cyrus alive and the unsuspecting center of a plot that will change Sin City—for the worse—forever.
Time has never been a friend to Jace and Cyrus, but now the clock is ticking faster than ever. With the fate of the city on the line, they’ll need to choose between saving each other or saving their souls. Read My Thoughts…
Reviewed: March 30th, 2023 Released: August 13th, 2020 Genre: Science Fiction Fantasy
Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?
In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting blockbuster novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place. Read My Thoughts…
Reviewed: March 29th, 2023 Released: April 20th, 2023 Genre: Fairytales
Double the name and double the magic, mystery, and mayhem
Once upon a time, a fairy tale name generator issued a challenge to a group of authors. Volume Two of these quirky stories brings double trouble.
In this clean YA anthology, spy on thieves discovering their princely identities, accompany villains seeking redemption along with accident-prone geese, and rejoice in the reunion of siblings separated at birth. Side with twins split between good and evil, giggle over mistaken identities, and discover the secrets of royal doppelgängers. When fates are intertwined by a namesake, mayhem and mischief are sure to follow.
Venture into this collection of adventurous stories by award-winning and up-and-coming authors and see if what happens once . . . happens twice!
Pssst…some characters from Once Upon A Name might make a comeback, but the two sets and all stories in them can be read as standalones.
All proceeds donated to charity in support of reading and literacy.
The third book in the Sentinal series is now avaialble in Audio book. You can find it on Audible, Amazon or Apple Books.
All 16 hours and 26 minutes of it, narrated by the amazing Matt Coles. Check out the audio sample and start the adventure now.
The Sentinal series
I’ve loved working on this third installment of the series. Prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions as Matt takes you to the icy lands of Elothia.
Now you can meet Jerrol and the Sentinals whilst you drive, exercise or work. Pick up your copy from Audible, Amazon or Apple Books.
Sentinals Justice is the third book in the saga of Remargaren, a vibrant, ancient world of high fantasy suffused with magic and adventure.
The third installment of the Sentinal series takes us to the frozen north, to the Grand Duchy of Elothia. Border tensions with Elothia force King Benedict to send a diplomatic envoy to sue for peace. Benedict has his hands full with Vespiri and Terolia, he can’t afford a war on his northern border as well. Commander Jerrol Haven is sent to broker peace. Having met Grand Duke Randolf the thirteenth before, Jerrol hopes their previously successful negotiations will assist in a speedy resolution and allow him time to discover how to rescue Birlerion from the Ascendants.
Meanwhile, the Chapterhouse has received a request for a scholar to assist in searching for signs of the Sentinals in Elothia. Taelia is assigned the task, because Scholar Torsion is also missing after the attack at the Watch Towers.
Amidst escalating tensions and conflicting needs, Jerrol journeys to Elothia, hoping to meet with Randolf before the Ascendants can influence him. Escorting Taelia is an unexpected bonus. Can Jerrol stop Elothia and Vespiri from going to war? Will they find more Sentinals? And can they find out where the Ascendants took Birlerion and Torsion before it is too late.
If you’ve read this far, you deserve a gift! I have a few Audible promo codes allowing you to download my audiobook for free. You can apply for a free code here. (Limited number of codes available so don’t delay. When they are gone, they are gone!) Let me know what you think by leaving a review.
Happy Listening!
If you enjoy fantasybooks then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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Helen Garraway 