Reviewed: Februart 26th 2025 Released: October 18th, 2018 Genre: Romance
Felicity Jamison could never have imagined how one fateful night would change her life. Compelled to stay away from the only place she’s ever felt at home, has meant losing her best friend and first love, Nate Davenport.
Fate now intervenes leaving her with no other choice but to return. Not only does she harbour demons of her own, she carries with her a secret that threatens to destroy an entire family.
Nate has experienced his fair share of grief, what he didn’t expect was for Felicity to walk back into his life, a mere shadow of the girl he used to know.
Angry and hurt, the last thing he is willing to admit is how much he needs her.
Will he risk turning to her for comfort?
Together, can they move past a heart-breaking revelation or are they destined to be apart forever? Read My Thoughts…
Sentinals Origins is the first part of the prequel to the award winning epic fantasy Sentinals series. We go back three thousand years and meet Lady Leyandrii and her captain, Guerlaire, and find out how Birlerion, Serillion and Tagerill first met.
If you love finding out the history and back story of a series, then it’s time to preorder Sentinals Origins | Part One.
It’s time to focus on the characters in the epic fantasy Sentinal series who you want to know more about.
Going back three thousand years means we get a chance to delve into who the Sentinals really are, where they came from, and how they became Sentinals in the first place.
The Sentinals were not always silver-eyed, with distinctive names and appearance, representing the absent Lady Leyandrii. They were ordinary people with hopes and dreams.
Let’s start with Birlerion. What do we know about him from the Sentinal series?
Birlerion is the first Sentinal we meet. He has been sleeping in his sentinal tree in the gardens of the Lady’s temple. The only sentinal tree in the city of Old Vespers.
When Jerrol accidentally awakes him, Birlerion is thrown into a world that he no longer recognises. Three thousand years have passed and he is horrified to find that not only the city has changed, but the language has evolved, and his family are long dead. He is steadied by the need to protect Jerrol, the new Lady’s Captain.
But who was he?
Before he was called Birlerion, he was known as Birler. We know he came from the city streets of Vespers in the territory of Vespiri, had no ancient family name, though he calls Tagerill brother and uses his family name, Descelles. How did he become to be adopted into the Descelles family. Where did he actually come from?
Birlerion is the most mysterious of the Sentinals, it takes six books to discover who he is in the future and the part he has to play. Now’s the time to find out where he came from.
Sentinals Discovery is a novella which shows Birlerion’s reaction when he is first awoken, and is the first few chapters of Sentinals Awaken from Birlerion’s POV. If you sign up to my newsletter via www.helengarraway.com, you can download it for free along with the novella Sentinals Stirring.
Sentinals Origins in on special preorder price of $3.99/£2.99 until launch date when it will revert to $6.99. So grab your copy now. Preorder now
Book cover designed by Jeff Brown Graphics
Character art generated by Canva AI
If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and also Sentinals Discovery, the first few chapters of Sentinals Awaken from Birlerion’s POV and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator)
Right away in the opening chapter, the complex universe in which this story takes place caught me. The route of the protagonist is anything but straightforward in a society where political intrigue, power struggles, and difficult moral conundrums control. Most in this book was the author’s skill to mix the protagonist’s inner struggle with the exterior tension of the surrounds. The story seemed rich and profoundly absorbing because of the balance between intimate ties and the more broad conflict.
The author doesn’t shy away from exploring difficult themes. The notion of loyalty versus duty is a recurring thread, and it’s handled with such nuance that I found myself constantly questioning what I would do in the protagonist’s shoes. The stakes are great for the protagonist as well as for the planet they live on. The author does a great job of showing the personal cost the larger political and military decisions cause for people engaged. Sometimes I found myself really engaged in the result of their actions since the weight of every decision had actual emotional impact.
The dreary alleyways and dark corners of Old Vespers are brought to life to the point where they feel like they belong in the plot. The city is shrouded in mystery and danger, and the suspense just grew as I read. The descriptions of the surroundings and the mood around it are so realistic that they have left an indelible effect on me.
I was also impressed by how the author intertwined the personal growth of the protagonist with the growing external threats. With each chapter exposing a fresh layer of depth to the individuals and the planet they live in, it seemed like a delicate ballet between the internal and external fights. The timing was perfect; enough action had me on the tip of my seat and allowed time to develop relationships and character.
Overall, this book kept me interested from beginning to end. It’s a highly moving and thought-provoking narrative set in a dangerous and mysterious environment. If you appreciate books with complex character development and a high-stakes plot, this is the one for you.
If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and also Sentinals Discovery, the first few chapters of Sentinals Awaken from Birlerion’s POV and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator
Reviewed: January 10th, 2025 Released: May 25th, 2013 Genre: Epic Fantasy
Murder Breeds Magic
All power comes with a price. In a world where magic is transferred by the act of killing another, Myddrin stands above the rest. Having accidentally killed the most powerful mage in all of existence, Myddrin now lives a peaceful life in isolation. But there is no such thing as peace in the land of Otor. War calls. The voices of the dead haunt him, and there is nowhere to hide.
Cursed with the deathly taint of magic, young Will must seek acceptance among the Knights of Aen. There, he must learn to touch the otherside, control his abilities, and decide for himself what is right, and what is wrong.
Tvora’s soul is broken. The price of vengeance was her sanity. Her companions help her keep a tenuous grasp on herself, but with the urgent need to absorb enough magic to sustain them, she is pushed to choose a side in the upcoming war. The question remains, will she choose the right one? Read My Thoughts…
Another year has passed, and it’s that time of year when you look back at what you achieved last year and plan for the next. It is still quite amazing that I have been published for four years and have 12 books published and three short stories released to Patreon/Newsletter subscribers.
I hope you downloaded the bonus free novella set in the world of the SoulMist series which I wrote as thankyou to all my newsletter subscribers. Your support makes writing so fulfilling, and your enthusiam for my characters makes me want to write more! My newsletter subscribers voted for a short story on how Felather and Adriz met.
Anyhow, back to what I achieved in 2024, and what’s in store for 2025?
I published two books, one novella and two audiobooks.
It has been a busy year, a highlight of which was seeing my BookFest Gold Medalists, Sentinals Justice and SoulBreather up in lights on the Nasdaq board in Times Square in New York. A real bucket list moment!
So what’s in store for 2025? Well I have plans for more books!
Book One: Celestial Throne series. Release date TBC 2H25
Kickstarter: My contribution: Secret AllianceReign of Dragons Anthology. Kickstarter go live: March 2025
Other goals:
Revitalise my Patreon and gain some supporters
More formal Marketing plan
Audio for OblivionGate
Create a Sentinals Wiki site (stretch goal!!)
So plenty to keep me busy outside of the day job!
2024 was a busy year, lots of writing, though I was distracted by work as it was quite a tumultous year as the company I work for was acquired and so we’ve had lots of changes, but a year full of opportunity all the same. I am very excited for 2025 and the new opportunities it will bring. I look forward to sharing the results with you throughout the year. Once again – Thank you for all your support, I hope you stay with me as we continue this amazing journey.
If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and also Sentinals Discovery, the first few chapters of Sentinals Awaken from Birlerion’s POV and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator
Reviewed: December 14th, 2024 Released: August 16th, 2013 Genre: Epic Fantasy
Two men who hate each other. One impossible mission. A legend in the making.
Hadrian Blackwater, a warrior with nothing to fight for is paired with Royce Melborn, a thieving assassin with nothing to lose. Together they must steal a treasure that no one can reach. The Crown Tower is the impregnable remains of the grandest fortress ever built and home to the realm’s most prized possessions. But it isn’t gold or jewels that the old wizard is after, and if he can keep them from killing each other they become a legendary team.
This is the first book in the new series, The Riyria Chronicles, from best-selling author Michael J. Sullivan. It takes place twelve years before the events of The Riyria Revelations and no prior knowledge of those books is required. You can read in either chronological order or order of publication, although the author suggests reading in publication order. Read more…
Reviewed: November 22nd, 2024 Released: Septmeber 1st, 2020 Genre: Epic Fantasy
Holt Cook was never meant to be a dragon rider. He has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean.
Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon within.
But the Scourge is rising. Undead hordes roam the land, spreading the blight and leaving destruction in their wake. The dragon riders are being slaughtered and betrayal lurks in the shadows.
Holt has one chance to survive. He must cultivate the mysterious power of his dragon’s magical core. A unique energy which may tip the balance in the battles to come and prove to the world that a servant is worthy after all. Read more…
Reviewed: November 17th, 2024 Released: July 20th, 2020 Genre: Epic Fantasy
A young man with no past must progress into a warrior out of legend.
Cinder Shade’s life begins on a fateful afternoon at the bottom of a well where he awakens, bruised, battered, and bereft of all memory. His only understanding is a driving imperative—to protect those who can’t defend themselves and become a warrior worthy of the name.
He discovers within himself a peculiar gift, one in which the codes of combat are made evident and the language of steel is made clear. When he earns a place at a prestigious elven warrior academy, Cinder fights to enhance his knowledge and perhaps even humble the proud elves who believe no human is their equal.
His hard-earned skills are put to the test when strange rumblings emanate from deep in the Dagger Mountains. Monsters out of myth emerge. And so does something far worse . . . An ancient god. The world believes this deity long dead, but he is very much alive. And he remembers his enemies all too well. Even if they don’t remember themselves. Read more…
Reviewed: November 13th, 2024 Released: October 23rd, 2024 Genre: Murder Mystery
Texas stalwart author, Jeff Kerr, delivers the hardest-hitting Adam Cash story yet, a barn burner of a crime thriller that fans of Craig Johnson and C.J. Box won’t want to miss.
When a man from Dieter Bergheim’s past shows up at an assisted living facility, demanding retribution for a decades-old betrayal, Dieter refuses to make amends. Days later, a break-in at his brother Emil’s ranch leaves one man dead and a hidden stash of cash exposed. Noble County sheriff’s deputy Adam Cash, a veteran of two tours in Afghanistan and a former high school football hero, is pulled headfirst into the investigation, grappling with smalltown loyalties and his own haunting memories of war as he uncovers a dark and tangled web of secrets as big and bold as the Lone Star state itself.
Cash discovers $1.4 million missing, a mysterious hole in a workshop floor, a murder weapon, and a list of suspects as long as a Texas highway. As the bodies pile up and the clues grow more perplexing, Cash must untangle a trail that leads him to confront his most dangerous foes yet and face his darkest fears. But when the killer sets their sights on Cash and breaks into his home to kill him, Cash has to wonder if he’s the hunter or the hunted. Read more…
Reviewed: November 9th, 2024 Released: February 22nd, 2022 Genre: MM Fantasy Romance
What kind of mage would be crazy enough to crush on a shifter? Me. Apparently me.
The world is a messed-up place. Especially for those of us who have magic, and I know just how terrible it can be firsthand. Which is one of the reasons I try to stay away from people… humans and shifters especially.
Unfortunately, the NHSO forces magi to work alongside shifters to help protect the humans from taragorians—scary beasts from another realm. Which means I’m thrown onto a new team and forced to work with Cosmo Ono-Nai, a lion shifter.
And for some reason, I can’t keep my eyes off him. Read more…
Helen Garraway 