Reviewed: January18th, 2023 Released: December 16th, 2022 Genre: Epic Fantasy
A stoic warrior-maiden and a villainous priest-king make the most unlikely alliance in the history of the five kingdoms.
When a rescue attempt to save a clutch of dragon eggs from the soul mages goes terribly wrong, Warrior-Priestess Verdria of High Rock finds herself on the wrong side of a portal, deep in enemy territory.
She soon learns she’s in the heart of the soul mage’s empire and when Honryn, the future priest-king of the mages, takes a liking to Verdria and saves her life, she’s pretty sure she’s facing down a ‘fate worse than death’ scenario.
Just when she thinks things can’t get any worse, Priest-King Honryn introduces her to the Royal Court of the Soul Mages, the most morally corrupt and bloodthirsty court in existence.
Life is cheap. Souls are currency.
And Verdria has caught the fancy of the young priest-king, and while he doesn’t want to steal her soul, he’s set on winning her heart.
And she’s equally set on having his heart, after she’s carved it out of his chest.
But when she discovers Honryn’s most monstrous secret, a secret he’s even hiding from his fellow soul mages, she’s moved to pity and offers to aid him. Read my thoughts…
Reviewed: January16th, 2023 Released: August 1st, 2014 Genre: Paranormal Shifter Fantasy
Would you sacrifice love to stay alive?
Nyah’s wolf has been bound by dark magic. Defenceless and terrified she finds sanctuary on the run, but choosing to live demands an impossible price.
The new alpha of Nyah Morgan’s pack has aligned with dark forces, and his plans for Nyah break the most absolute of Lycan Laws. With her entire pack under his thrall, and her own wolf maimed by his magic, she turns rogue, her incapacity landing her in unfamiliar territory where she catches the unwanted attention of Dean Carson, an alpha determined to learn the truth she hides.
As her crazed alpha closes in, Nyah is forced into making a choice. Her bound wolf is killing her, both alphas can save her, but which one, and at what cost?
Bound launches the suspenseful Turning Moon series, a contemporary world where wolves, vampires, and witches defy prejudices, join forces, and fall in love. The heroines are feisty, the heroes gutsy, and the villains heinous.
Reviewed: January14th, 2023 Released: November 28th, 2022 Genre: Fantasy Romance
Not Everything Is As It Seems In Fae….
What her people need, or what her heart wants?
Destined to unite the war-torn kingdoms of humans and Fae, Princess Sorcha must do her duty. But her heart has other ideas.
The road to Fae-lands is long, and her Fae escort, Lord Conall, is handsome, dashing, and brave-all things a loyal knight should be. Yet no fae wants a human queen, and more war is on the horizon. Her betrothed, High King of the Fae, has secrets of his own, and she’s not sure that he’s her destiny. But her handsome knight and her heart will have to stand aside, for the princess has a duty-her people need this alliance. Until terrible secrets are exposed and the princess must choose between upholding her duty or following her dreams.
One mistake, one wrong choice and it’s not just her heart that will suffer, it’s her entire kingdom…
Reviewed: January 5th, 2023 Released: May 2nd, 2022 Genre: MM Fantasy
Sebastian might have the power to summon animals, but winning Jack over? Far more difficult.
As first encounters go, Jack and Sebastian’s isn’t ideal, leaving Jack nursing a grudge he’s not about to let go of in a hurry. Yet, if Jack is to find his missing sister, and Sebastian is to rescue his captured prince, they’ll need to set their differences aside and work as a team.
Jack is stubborn and somewhat volatile. Sebastian is vain and clearly in love with himself. But as the unlikely companions face all manner of dangers together, they grow closer. Rescuing the prince should be easy. Rescuing him from an impenetrable tower guarded by dragon-shifting knights? Okay, that part is harder.
But once the adventure is over, letting Sebastian go might be the hardest thing Jack has ever had to do.
Reviewed: January 3rd, 2023 Released: August 15th, 2020 Genre: Fantasy
A wedding to end a war. It’s been four years since the blood feud between the Branwens and Mathonwys started. Four years of sunken ships and loved ones lost, four years of wounds both seen and unseen. Keira Branwen is no stranger to duty. As the first mate of a legendary pirate ship, blessed by the sea-god Lyr, and heir apparent to her clan, she would sail to the Otherworld and back to keep her family safe. But when the Council threatens banishment for her people, Keira is faced with a choice; she must either marry her father’s alleged killer, the sea-snake Ronan Mathonwy, or curse her family to the deep. But in the Seven Isles of the Deyrnas, secrets sleep just beneath the surface of the water. Her father’s death is still shrouded in mystery, and Ronan—her childhood friend, the man she once loved — is hell-bent on proving his innocence. As enemies become friends and friends become suspects, Keira must wade through the waters of doubt to expose the truth, save her family, and restore her father’s legacy. But Keira soon learns that there are ties thicker than blood, and there is more than one way to sacrifice a life.
Reviewed: December 30th, 2022 Released: March 23rd, 2015 Genre: Sword & Sorcery
A tarnished legacy. A dangerous mission. The beginning of an epic destiny…
Nobleman and born soldier Ben Stiger never backs down from a fight. Even as the son of an infamous imperial general, an outcast from society, he refuses to crumble under the unforgiving shadow of his once-powerful family’s disgrace. When he’s reassigned from his crack company to the struggling southern army, he’s eager to help turn the tide against a growing, deadly rebellion.
Supported by his faithful lieutenant, Eli, one of the last remaining elven rangers, and a holy Paladin on a quest for the High Father, Stiger fights to gain control of his new company, resentful and mediocre soldiers… who he must train and then lead on a desperate mission to reach an outpost cut off by the enemy. But as he force-marches his men through hostile territory, the veteran commander faces more than he ever expected, rebels, bandits, a magic relic from an age long gone, and an ancient evil freshly risen that has the potential to destroy the empire he loves and serves.
Can one outcast hero make a difference and save his empire from annihilation?
Stiger’s Tigers is the engrossing first book in the Chronicles of an Imperial Officer epic fantasy series. If you like brave champions, sword and sorcery, breathtaking twists and turns, and authentic battle scenes, then you’ll love Marc Alan Edelheit’s Roman-inspired adventure series.
Reviewed: December 19th, 2022 Released: November 16th, 2015 Genre: MM Romance
Nathaniel O’Donnelly likes his life quiet, his guests happy, and his ghosts well-behaved.
Although a boyfriend wouldn’t go amiss. Someone to share his beautiful B&B with, even if it is in the middle of nowhere and he’s long past the wrong side of thirty. Problem is, Nathaniel’s living with a ghost who thinks he’s cupid, and whose arrows fly a little too straight.
Gabriel Wickfield had the unfortunate luck of dying before his time, and now he’s stuck trying to make romance happen to earn his right to move along. Not that he’s bored in the meantime—Nathaniel is just too easy to tease. And also a little bit scrumptious…
With the curse reaching its expiration date, Gabriel needs to make a final match this Christmas. Without it, nothing but darkness awaits.
Reviewed: December 12th, 2022 Released: November 26th, 2019 Genre: Historical Fantasy
Ilsa Wlich, a striking, mysterious woman of indeterminate age and steeped in lore, ancient and new, arrives one fateful evening in beautiful, but remote and insular Reimersberg at the end of the Adventurer’s Road.
The town, deep in the mountains and wolf-inhabited forests in the Valley of the Witches, is seldom reached by outsiders and not particularly welcoming to them. Proud of their traditions, the people frown upon change and those who bring it.
Ilsa saves the life of a sick boy, Karl, but is suspicious of the cause of his sickness; a fact she keeps from the townsfolk for fear of causing panic. She earns the boy’s undying love, but also the enmity of some Town Elders, in particular the incompetent doctor and the mayor, Meister. Both feel as threatened by Ilsa as she feels wary of them.
Weary in mind and body from years of travelling, and still charmed by the town, Ilsa asks to settle in Reimersberg. Her presence there awakens a long-hidden darkness. She finds herself, together with Karl, treading paths far more mysterious, bloody and perilous than anything the Adventurer’s Road could conjure if they are to survive. Read my Thoughts…
Today, I am talking with fantasy author Jennifer Becker about her debut novel Through Fire and Ruin.
Helen: Welcome Jennifer, I am so excited that we get to chat about your first ever book today!! Tell us about Through Fire & Ruin.
Jennifer:Through Fire & Ruin is the first book in a New Adult fantasy trilogy. It’s written in dual POV and follows Lora, who crosses over into the fae land from the human world after a deadly virus sweeps Earth, and Amira, a fae princess, who is trying to leave her past behind her.
It’s full of badass characters, fae, witches, villains you’ll definitely hate, intriguing love interests, magic, court politics, power games, fancy parties, and romance—I love adding in romance. This one has the enemies-to-lovers trope and all the tension that goes with it.
Through Fire & Ruin covers themes such as promises, lies, trust, holding onto hope and accepting oneself.
Helen: It sounds amazing, and I love your cover. It’s beautiful and very atmospheric.
Jennifer: The cover symbolizes the fae and human land and how both mirror each other in some ways. The colours are based on the royal colours of the fae kingdom Turosian, where most of the story takes place. In the fae world of Liraen, a shooting star symbolizes ruin, which fits the theme of the book (which is also why it’s also part of the title). I really love how the cover turned out and the moody, dramatic, epic vibe it has.
Helen: I am so thrilled to be talking to you about your debut novel. Congratulations on finishing and publishing it. Such a great achievement. What made you write this particular story?
Jennifer: The idea started during the first lockdown back in 2020. With the whole Covid situation, I had this image in my mind of a girl trying to find a cure for a virus in the fae land and then things evolved from there. The plot and characters changed a lot during our brainstorming sessions, but Lora and her goal has always remained the same.
Helen: Lockdown inspired many creative projects. I think it made people really think about what was happening around them. What made you first start writing?
Jennifer: I’ve pretty much always been an avid reader but I didn’t start writing regularly until a few years ago, actually. When I was in school, I would write a bit every now and then, but nothing was ever finished. I had this thought in my head that writing a book would be crazy and I could never pull it off. Then during my studies (I was a film student), I got into writing scripts which was the first time I saw myself as a writer. Then Corona happened and as it did for everyone else, life changed. The lockdown was a very weird and depressing time. One day, I was talking to one of my best friends, Alice, and we kind of jokingly decided to come up with an idea for a book and write something for fun. The idea of publishing wasn’t even on the table at first. It was all just for fun and maybe that’s why I wasn’t afraid to try. It quickly became much more than a fun story that would never see the light of day. I’ve grown attached to our characters and their stories. I’ve put parts of myself into it and seeing people relate to it and enjoy the story means the world. I really can’t imagine not writing now. Now I’m really in it.
Helen: That’s so great. A writing buddy keeps you accountable and having someone to sound ideas against is amazing. Though I think there is an art to co-writing a book! What is your preferred genre to write?
Jennifer: I write fantasy romance. Fantasy and its unlimited possibilities is so much fun to write and romance just makes it even more exciting!
Helen: If you didn’t write fantasy which genre would you like to try?
Jennifer: There’s something about a cute contemporary romance novel. When I’m feeling down and I don’t have much time to read, I always tend to pick up a contemporary romance— preferably one that I can finish reading in one sitting. I love writing dialogue and I love writing anything romance related, so I can picture myself writing in this genre too one day.
Helen: I know this can be a tough question, but who is your favourite character from your book?
Jennifer: My MC Lora. She was the first character we came up with and I’ve grown really attached to her. I’ve put parts of myself in her and I want to see her happy. But if that was always the case, it would be a pretty boring book 😉 I love how fierce she is, even when she’s terrified.
Helen: A powerful female MC, excellent. If your Main Character, Lora, could answer, why would she say we should read your book?
Jennifer: You should read this book to follow me as I go on an insane adventure in the fae land. I have to find myself and see my own strength, while navigating through a lot of darkness. I think that’s something a lot of us can relate to.
If you love stories with fae, court politics, badass female characters, dual POV (who are not love interests), slow-burn romance with some spice, plot twists, a mix of urban and high fantasy, then this is the book for you.
Helen: Ooh she sounds convincing! So as you revel in the excitement of launching your first book, what’s next? Do you have another project oin the works?
Jennifer: My co-author Alice and I are currently working on book 2 of the Through Fire & Ruin series which I’m already so excited about sharing, even though it won’t be out until 2023. Book 2 will have more POVs which has been fun but challenging to write. It’s definitely shaking up character dynamics and the stakes are higher than ever! I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks of it.
Helen: Sounds like you are very busy! How do you fit writing in your daily life?
Jennifer: I wish I had a good answer to this, but honestly I’m still trying to figure out how to juggle my job, my writing, my other creative projects, and my remaining social life haha It’s a struggle that I know many indie authors share. For now, I fit it in by sacrificing sleep and being a workaholic.
Helen: Could you share three random facts about yourself?
Jennifer: I’m a film grad (but really I should have a degree in binge-watching Netflix haha)
I eat way too much popcorn but don’t regret it.
I have a habit of listening to one song on repeat until I get sick of it.
Helen: Do you have time to read in your busy life? Who are your favourite authors?
Jennifer: Some of my favourite authors include Jennifer L. Armentrout, Cassandra Clare, Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo.
Helen: Excellent choices. Being a debut author, do you have any advice for aspiring writers hoping to be in your position one day?
Jennifer: You can tell yourself a million reasons not to try, not to write that book. Finding time is hard, really hard. But the thing is, once you’ve given it a real try—once you’ve made time to try—if you love it, you’ll somehow keep making time for it. Don’t let your fears hold you back, and write.
Helen: Thank you, Jennifer, for that great advice and for spending time with me today. Just to close, did you have anything else you wanted to share with your readers?
Jennifer: As an author, I can’t help but have expectations for my novel. But no matter if it does well or not, I hope readers will go through all the emotions. I hope they have fun with the banter between characters and laugh at the jokes. I hope they swoon over the romance and get frustrated in a good way about the slow-burn. I hope they feel for the characters and feel sad when bad things happen. I hope they feel amped up at the fight scenes. I hope they feel uncomfortable and angry at some scenes. And I hope they feel impatient to get book 2 once they get to the ending 😉
About the Author:
Jennifer Becker
Jennifer Becker is one of the debut authors of Through Fire & Ruin, the first book in a new adult fantasy series. She has been an avid reader for most of her life and has always craved telling her own stories. Jennifer earned her MA degree in film production in the UK and has since been working in the film industry in her home country, Austria, while independently working on her own writing projects. The two things she can talk about forever are good books and TV shows. When she’s not obsessing over a great story or a ship, she’s most likely working on her creative endeavours such as her novel.
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If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, part of the Realm of Darkness Anthology, or on preorder here, 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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This angel must pay the price for his transgressions. But he’t not going down without a fight.
Jax is cast to earth and trapped on an island surrounded by demons. He can’t leave until he learns from his sins. He wants his wings back. Only problem is, he doesn’t feel guilty for killing. And as soon as he meets Addie, the girl who doesn’t believe in gods or angels, his desire to leave wilts.
He’s too intrigued. An intrigue that consumes him when the lightest touch from her makes his wings burst back to life like a flame rekindled. She’s got faith all right, and it just might be his saving grace.
Order Realm of Darkness Boxset
Exclusively available as part of the Realm of Darkness Boxset order now on Amazon and other retailers for only $9.99
About the Author:
Emily Clark is a best-selling author who has been writing since she could lift a pencil and making up stories even longer than that.
For years she worked part-time jobs so she would always have time to write, read, and travel. Some of her favorite filler jobs included working as an editor, at a nursery (flowers not children,) as a driving instructor (not as harrowing as one might think,) and being a ghost tour guide.
She loves YA fantasy with subtle “moral of the story” lessons (Brandon Mull excels at that), swoony clean romances, and if there’s a mystery involved, she’s hooked!
If she’s not at her computer, you can typically find her reading, listening to podcasts, in her garden, in her kitchen, or with her sister and her sister’s kids.
She also writes cozy mysteries, romantic suspense, and clean romance under the pen name Ellie Thornton.
If you’d like to be kept appraised of her upcoming books, freebies, and giveaways, (she’s also been known to send amazing recipes,) you can sign up for her email list here.
Other books by Emily Clark
Red: The Wolves Must Die ( A Red Riding Hood YA retelling)
If you enjoy fantasy romance books then you will love my new release SoulBreather, part of the Realm of Darkness Anthology, 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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Helen Garraway 