Morgan's Musings
Just my rambling, plus whatever book I've recently read!
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance Blurb: Sixteen-year-old Perdita Rivers has spent her entire sheltered life being told what to do. Lately, she’s felt ready for a change, and the universe seems to agree. Her new best friend’s brother is the boy of Perdita’s dreams. Literally. Even though he plays hot and cold, she’s sure there’s more to it, but she’s kind of distracted by the sense she’s being followed - not to mention the rumours of wild animal sightings that seem to mean more to her new crush’s family than they should. Perdy’s on a mission to find the truth, but maybe the truth is the danger she should hide from, after all. My Thoughts: VERITY is the first book in the Cursed series and we start off with invisible Perdy, a sixteen-year-old on the fringes of her school, stuck in the middle of a strict father and a live-and-let-live grandmother. Perdita's life is about to change and she wants to know why. I thoroughly enjoyed every word of this new series! The emotions - the extreme highs and lows of being a teenager - were perfectly written and explained... for the most part. I'm sure some of it was to tease you into the next book, which worked for me because that's what I've just gone and bought. In fact, I bought the box set just to make sure I didn't miss out. If you are looking for a paranormal young adult book to sink your teeth into, then I can definitely recommend this one. With hormones, wolves, curses, it's got everything you could think of! Claire is an Irish author who spends her days separating warring toddlers.
When all five children are in bed, she overdoses on caffeine in the hope she can stay awake long enough to write some more dark flash fiction, y/a paranormal romance and urban fantasy.
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Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Blurb: Kassia is a 16-year-old girl just trying to have a normal life. This is somewhat difficult because she has the ability to inflict pain on others with her mind, which is why she was sent to a special institute for kids with various gifts. It is here Kassia met her best friend Mira. Their lives will change forever after Mira is attacked and Kassia finds out her talent is much more powerful when she saves her. Little did she know that this act would attract the attention of demons. Suddenly, she is on the run from them with her boyfriend, Mira, and a few of their close friends. Realizing she can’t outrun the demons, she seeks the guidance of a shaman. The shaman tells her the heart breaking news that the only way to protect her friends and the institute is through her own death. Join Kassia on her journey of friendship, love, and the conflicts she must face to protect those around her. The Ultimate Sacrifice is approximately 60,300 words. The Ultimate Sacrifice is recommended for grade 9 and up. The Ultimate Sacrifice is the FIRST book in The Gifted Teens Series. Roots and Wings is the SECOND book in The Gifted Teens Series. Unbreakable is the THIRD book in The Gifted Teens Series. My Thoughts: THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE tells a fast-paced story about what it is like to be born special, even amongst the different. Kassia had problems keeping her emotions under control. This is a bad thing because she is able to cause pain, and even death, just by thinking about it. She has her own little support group in her BFF Mira, Noe, Auralee, Zane, and her love, Daxton. The title of the book sort of gives away the main part of the story, but like most good books, the fun is getting to that part. This IS fast-paced so you need to read it carefully and not skim, otherwise a month has passed and you missed the reference that told you so. I found this to be a gripping story that engaged my emotions. It was incredibly well-written and I loved every word. This book is concluded nicely with a small teaser that will definitely leave you wanting more. Absolutely recommended by me. When Talia isn’t hiding in the bathroom from her children munching on a chocolate bar, she enjoys hiking the red rocks or sitting on the beach with a Kindle in her hands and her toes in the ocean. She loves to create worlds and characters and often finds herself living through her stories. Talia is no stranger to labels and judgment. She has slowly been developing her voice for those who need help speaking up. She believes that someday labels will be a thing of the past, that sexuality will be fluid, love will be love, and mental illness will be handled with love and care.
Talia has written a number of books including Damaged: Natalie’s Story, Teagan’s Story: Her Battle with Epilepsy, If I Die Young, Secret Bloodline, Lost and Found, Falling for Fire, Touch of Death, The Gifted Teens Series, The Between Worlds Series and The Beyond Earth Series. Stay tuned for Talia has many other stories swirling in her head and she can't wait to introduce you to new characters. Connect with Talia online at http://www.taliajager.com Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Blurb: All eighteen-year-old Ri wants is to cure her adoptive father Samuel from his hallucination-inducing illness. Everyone in her village tells her it's impossible. But when she meets two newcomers in the forest--a gruff rogue with a vendetta against the gods and a charming fugitive with the power to travel through water--she'll be torn away from Samuel and swept across the sea to an oppressed city governed by a ruthless tyrant. Once there, she'll not only have to confront Samuel's unlawful past, but a vicious evil that threatens all mankind. In this tale of bravery, friendship, and unexpected love, Ri must discover her own strength to save the men she cares for. My Thoughts:
THE WATERFALL TRAVELER is the first book in The Waterfall Traveler series although I can't actually find the second book. This tells the story of Ri, an outcast in her village who loves and cares for Samuel, an elderly man suffering from The Sickness. She meets mysterious men in the Dark Woods and ends up being taken to a completely different place where all she wants to do is return home. There are a handful of characters who assist her along the way - Bryce (the Waterfall Traveler), Carter (his future-telling friend), Katie (Carter's sister who has healing powers over plants), and Baxter (a guard in the valley they all come from). Carter was a character I didn't care for much to begin with but he grew on me and left me broken-hearted. Katie is a character who has the possibility to be strong but we don't really see much of her. Which leaves us with Bryce and Baxter and the love triangle you just know is going to happen before it does. There are a couple of twists at the end that you may or may not see coming. Overall, this was a good read that was a tad slow in places, but then the pace picked up and it became enthralling once more. If you like young adult fantasy with a love triangle, then this just might be the one for you so long as you can ignore the sort of cliffhanger ending with no second book in sight. Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Blurb: From a young age, Ayla has known her gift. Dedicated to become a Guardian of Childfey, she has spent her young years in the Temple, studying magic and ancient rites. There, she also learns about the mortal enemy of all Fey of the Light: the Reviled. Gairynzvl is a Fey of the Light, abducted by the Reviled when he was young. Now, he is a Dark One; lurking in the shadows, lingering near Ayla. After Gairynzvl commits treason against his own kind, Ayla listens to him when no others will - and the conflict that unfolds will change their world. My Thoughts: THE REVILED is the first book in The Dark Fey trilogy and we are introduced to a world where fairies exist. The Light fairies are the ones most people think of when you talk about fairies. But they have an enemy - the Dark Fey. Unable to procreate, they steal Light Fey in the middle of the night when they are at their strongest and light can't touch them. The Light Fey fight this by having lights in every room. Every year, more Light Fey are taken, never to return. In this story, we have three main characters - Ayla, the main female (Light Fey), Marden, one of the main males (Light Fey), and Gairunzvl, the other main male (Dark Fey). From the onset you can see a triangle forming which I don't like. Ayla is a bit of an anomaly to me. She has a lot of power, immense empathy, and has been raised to use her powers to protect the Fey. However, in the face of danger, she seems to freeze every single time. Marden seems to be the perfect male, so obviously you think she won't end up with him. And Gairunzvl, he is the Dark Fey that has managed to keep hold of his "humanity" despite the tortures he has been put through. All the characters are well developed with their own sets of foibles and insecurities. The world building is brilliant and the pacing is perfect for the story. There is no big battle like the Battle of Helm's Deep. Instead, it is more like Sam and Frodo trying to sneak around and do their thing. It does end on a sort-of cliffhanger which really is just a teaser for the next book and designed to leave you wanting more. Trust me, it worked. All in all, this was a great read that I have no hesitation in recommending. Cynthia A. Morgan is an award-winning author and poet; a former columnist for the national magazine Fresh LifeStyle, and member of the Poetry Society of America and Artists for Peace. Creator of the mythical realm of Jyndari and author of the epic fantasy Dark Fey Trilogy, Morgan’s powerful story relates how the power of hope, acceptance and forgiveness can change the world when positive action is taken to create change. The only way to achieve peace is to become peace.
Morgan is also the author of the popular blog Booknvolume where over 18K followers can explore Morgan’s own brand of poetry, English Sonnets, musings about life, personal recipes, photography, book reviews and more. Upcoming projects include a fictional drama in Regency Period England; a foray into the lives of a young servant and an immortal archangel in French post-Armageddon earth; a non-fiction exploration of the supernatural/paranormal and beliefs around the world, and a return to the realms of Dark Fey in a prequel/sequel. Some of her other interests includes a deep love for animals and the environment. She is passionate about music and theatre, is frequently heard laughing, and finds the mysteries of ancient times, spirituality, and the possibilities of life elsewhere in the cosmos intriguing. Morgan believes in the power of love, hope and forgiveness, all of which is reflected in her lyrically elegant writing style. Genre: #Historical, #Fantasy, #YoungAdult Blurb: Many are called... She alone can save the world and become Death's bride. Cobweb Bride is a history-flavored fantasy novel with romantic elements of the Persephone myth, about Death's ultimatum to the world. What if you killed someone and then fell in love with them? In an alternate Renaissance world, somewhere in an imaginary "pocket" of Europe called the Kingdom of Lethe, Death comes, in the form of a grim Spaniard, to claim his Bride. Until she is found, in a single time-stopping moment all dying stops. There is no relief for the mortally wounded and the terminally ill.... Covered in white cobwebs of a thousand snow spiders she lies in the darkness... Her skin is cold as snow... Her eyes frozen... Her gaze, fiercely alive... While kings and emperors send expeditions to search for a suitable Bride for Death, armies of the undead wage an endless war... A black knight roams the forest at the command of his undead father ... Spies and political treacheries abound at the imperial Silver Court.... Murdered lovers find themselves locked in the realm of the living... Look closer — through the cobweb filaments of her hair and along each strand shine stars... And one small village girl, Percy—an unwanted, ungainly middle daughter—is faced with the responsibility of granting her dying grandmother the desperate release she needs. As a result, Percy joins the crowds of other young women of the land in a desperate quest to Death's own mysterious holding in the deepest forests of the North... And everyone is trying to stop her. My Thoughts: COBWEB BRIDE is the first book in the trilogy of the same name. It is old-school fantasy with a touch of mythology thrown in for good measure. Some parts of it are quite graphic but then, that's what happens when you describe a battle with swords and arrows! One of the things I really enjoyed about it is that Percy, the plain, unordinary, middle child, is the one who comes into her own. She makes no false images, she is what she is and she's okay with that. She is supported by a great cast of characters - some of whom may be just for this part but others, I hope, will be seen in the later two books. There was one thing that jarred me though, and that was halfway through the book, Spain and France were mentioned. Up until that point, I had falsely assumed that this was a completely imaginary fantasy world. I guess next time I really should look at the map provided! I found this to be a great story that has plenty of hooks for the next book. It doesn't go the way you imagine and that is perfectly fine by me. I love fantasy and being surprised raises it to a whole new level for me. Absolutely recommended! Vera Nazarian is a two-time Nebula Award Finalist, award-winning artist, and member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, a writer with a penchant for moral fables and stories of intense wonder, true love, and intricacy.
She immigrated to the USA from the former USSR as a kid, sold her first story at the age of 17, and since then has published numerous works in anthologies and magazines, and has seen her fiction translated into eight languages. She is the author of critically acclaimed novels Dreams of the Compass Rose and Lords of Rainbow , romantic Renaissance epic fantasy trilogy Cobweb Bride , as well as the outrageous parodies Mansfield Park and Mummies and Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons , Pride and Platypus: Mr. Darcy's Dreadful Secret in her humorous and surprisingly romantic Supernatural Jane Austen Series , and most recently the bestselling high-octane science fiction series The Atlantis Grail , now optioned for film. After many years in Los Angeles, Vera lives in a small town in Vermont, and uses her Armenian sense of humor and her Russian sense of suffering to bake conflicted pirozhki and make art. Take the fun quiz to find out Which of the Lords of Rainbow do You Serve? Genre: #Young Adult, #Fantasy, #Romance Blurb: To survive, one must slay. Dragons have terrorized Julianna's village for generations. Nothing will stop her from succeeding in her first dragon hunt. Until she meets one, that is. He isn't what she was told to expect. Big, angry beast? No. Normal looking man?Um...yeah. Ash is just as surprised by his first "dragon slayer." She's not big and tough. Sure, she's got a fire diamond sword--which she's very proud of--and some really uncomfortable looking armor, but her heart is bigger than she's willing to admit. The war between their two races is only getting bigger and bloodier. Danger hides behind every bush, rock, and inn. As the two of them come together, they realize they have more in common than their leaders want them to notice. Together, Julianna and Ash might be able to discover what the real purpose of this war really is and find a way to stop it. For the sake of all their people: dragons and dragon slayers alike. My Thoughts: Slayer is the first book in the Dragon Tamer series and I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Julianna is just naive enough to pull off her ignorance of what was actually happening. And Ash is just so sweet!! As for the story itself, you see the impact it has on both sides and the hurt Julianna feels when everything she once thought was true crumbles at her feet. I loved the twist with the swords and souls, especially since I was upset about Stone! Hopefully, he will be freed soon. This is the first in the series so please don't expect everything to be tied up nicely because that just doesn't happen. What you do get is an ending fit for this part of the story that will leave you wanting more. Absolutely recommended by me! Born in Leeds, I lived a very normal life until I got bored one day and decided to travel the world. Since then I've worked on a Banana Plantation, cleaned ACDC's dressing room and been a professional clown. I climbed to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and the top of Kilimanjaro. Nowadays you'll find me being a climbing frame for my two young children, working in a school, and renovating my home. Did I also mention I wrote some books? I hope you enjoy them! For my free books, just sign up to my newsletter here http://www.subscribepage.com/v7o8k4 J.A. Culican is a USA Today Bestselling author of the middle grade fantasy series Keeper of Dragons. Her first novel in the fictional series catapulted a trajectory of titles and awards, including top selling author on the USA Today bestsellers list and Amazon, and a rightfully earned spot as an international best seller. Additional accolades include Best Fantasy Book of 2016, Runner-up in Reality Bites Book Awards, and 1st place for Best Coming of Age Book from the Indie book Awards.
J.A. Culican holds a Master's degree in Special Education from Niagara University, in which she has been teaching special education for over 13 years. She is also the president of the autism awareness non-profit Puzzle Peace United. J.A. Culican resides in Southern New Jersey with her husband and four young children. For more information about J.A. Culican visit her website at: www.jaculican.com and follow her on Facebook: @jaculican Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal Blurb: “Then it is settled,” Felix declared. “Come hell or high water, when this is all over, at least one of us here will not make it out alive.” When Bronwen Snow is pulled from her cottage in the middle of the night, she finds herself seeking the help of three mysterious boys who reside in an abandoned castle deep in the hillside. With only a hasty handwritten note and a vague sense of dread to guide her, Bronwen is forced to put her trust in the eccentric and willful Felix Cavara and his eternal curse – immortality. My Thoughts: Evanescent is a sweet story about a young girl who follows her grandmother's visions and ends up having the adventure of her life. In it, she meets Witch Hunters and Immortals, and even falls in love. Felix is our main male, although he is supported admirably by Alistair and Loki. This trio of friends have been together since they were cursed by witch who was either incredibly bad-tempered or who had had enough of being taunted, presumably by the boys' fathers too. Anyway, these three try to help Bronwen survive being hunted but uncover a web of lies and hidden truths along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It is young and engaging with Felix leading the front with his witticisms. To be honest, I didn't feel much between Felix and Bronwen until the end but then it was a punch to the stomach. The ending was bittersweet and I loved every moment of it. A brilliant story that I have no hesitation in recommending! Gabriella Lepore lives on the coast of Wales in the United Kingdom. She began writing at an early age and grew up with a passion for all things supernatural.
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance Blurb: Eighteen-year-old Ria, a fire elemental and privileged student at the University of Magic, thinks nothing can get in the way of her happiness. Even when she falls for Michael, a boy whose element is different from hers, she is determined to make their forbidden romance work. But when she starts experiencing the symptoms of magic disease that could rob her of her element, turn her into a cold-blooded killer, and shatter her life, all of her beliefs are put to the test. The only one who might be able to help her is Adrian, a mysterious, charming, and dangerous magic disease carrier, who also happens to be her least favorite person in the world. YA Fantasy/Romance for mature teens. My Thoughts: Dangerous is the first book in the Element Preservers series and, to be honest, for the first 50% of the book I was bored. Ria, our main female, has an attitude that made my palm itch. Privileged, spoilt, opinionated, you name it. Her best friend falls in love with the resident bad boy and becomes a doormat. The 'hot hunk' Ria falls for is supposed to be the opposite of our bad boy but just becomes weak instead. It is only when Ria found out she was a carrier that it became interesting. Now, part of my disgruntlement may be because of the love triangle. I've said it before and no doubt I'll say it again but these really aren't my thing. And sleeping with your best-friend's boyfriend whilst you're with someone else takes it to a whole new level. Anyway, the second half of the book is a great deal more involved than the first and it not only held my interest but has me looking for the next book. Oliver is a great character I hope we see more from. Adrian continues to make me smile even when he's being a d*ck. Ria, well, we'll see. On the whole, this was a good read with some excellent parts that I hope to see more from. Give it a go is my recommendation! Alycia Linwood is the author of the Element Preservers series (Dangerous, Runaway, Divided, No One, Restless, Indestructible), the Tainted Elements series (Different, Invisible, Monster, Captive, Hunted, Resilient), the Deadly Destiny series (Vampire Trouble, Vampire Problem, Vampire Issue, Vampire Conflict, Vampire Trial), the Elemental Earths series (Water Princess), and Human. She loves to read and write, especially urban fantasy, paranormal romance, dystopian and young adult novels. http://alycialinwood.weebly.com/
Sign up for Alycia's newsletter if you wish to receive a notification when a new book is published: https://alycialinwood.weebly.com/newsletter #BookoftheMonth - A Bond Of Venom and Magic (The Goddess and the Guardians #1) by Karen Tomlinson23/6/2020 Genres: Epic, Fantasy Blurb: Magic awakens. Darkness stirs. The Wraith Lord is hunting. The war raging in the South seems a remote danger for seventeen-year-old Diamond Gillon until her home is brutally attacked by the Wraith Lord’s monstrous hunters. Catapulted into a terrifying new world where legendary beasts arise, magic is condemned, and half-blood fae like her have no rights, Diamond is inexplicably drawn to her saviour. But Commander Hugo Casimir is a ruthless elite guard owned by a cruel, immortal fae queen who will murder her own people for magic. As she sinks deeper into Hugo’s world, Diamond’s circumstances become ever more perilous, for the Queen desires her magic and covets the very same prize as the Wraith Lord. To discover who she truly is, Diamond must escape the Queen’s clutches—before her fate, and that of The Eight Kingdoms, is sealed in shadow and chaos. Will Hugo prove to be her friend, her protector, or an enemy not worthy of her trust? A Bond of Venom and Magic is an epic fantasy tale, ideal for mature Young Adult readers. Fans of Sarah J Maas and Leigh Bardugo will love to discover this spectacular new world steeped in dragons, monsters, and armoured winged warriors. My Thoughts: A Bond of Venom and Magic is the first book in The Goddess and the Guardians series and it starts off with the reader immediately in the midst of the action. Armoured Winged Fae, hounds from hell (or similar), fights to the death, it's all going on. This was a great introduction to this world and I really have high hopes for Hugo and Diamond but it did start to grate on me, just a tad, with their lack of trust and miscommunication. Now, I get it. I really do. I wouldn't trust someone who worked for the enemy under those circumstances either BUT we hear of this connection between them and how Diamond really believes Hugo this time but then it all changes and we're back to hating him. This detracted slightly from the story for me and I do hope there is less of this in the future books in the series. Saying that though, I think that was my biggest gripe. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can't wait to delve back into Hugo's world sometime in the near future. Karen Tomlinson is a USA Today Bestselling Author, who writes all genres of fantasy books.
Karen adores books and will read any that catch her eye. She was whisked away by fairies as a child, has been a dragon rider and grew up learning to fight. (This bit's true!) She likes nothing better than an epic fantasy full of romance and hot warriors. Karen lives in Derbyshire, England, (think Mr Darcy territory) with her husband, twin girls and her dalmatian, Poppy. When she is not busy writing, reading (or eating cake and drinking coffee) Karen likes to keep fit with practising karate, walking in the hills, or dancing around the kitchen with her earbuds in and singing badly! Join Karen's mailing list to receive free stories, writing updates and hear about her crazy life. Sign up here ➜ https://www.subscribepage.com/karentomlinson She loves to connect with her readers and you can find her on: www.karentomlinson.com. Follow her on: Facebook [email protected]. Facebook group-Karen Tomlinson's Silver Guardians. Twitter-@kytomlinson Instagram-@karentomlinsonauthor Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romantic Elements Blurb: Sixteen-year-old Allyssa appears to be the ideal princess of Emperion—she’s beautiful, elegant, and refined. She spends her days locked in a suffocating cage, otherwise known as the royal court. But at night, Allyssa uses her secret persona—that of a vigilante—to hunt down criminals and help her people firsthand. Unfortunately, her nightly escapades will have to wait because the citizens of Emperion may need saving from something much bigger than common criminals. War is encroaching on their kingdom and in order to protect her people, Allyssa may have to sacrifice her heart. Forced to entertain an alliance through marriage with a handsome prince from a neighboring kingdom, she finds herself feeling even more stifled than before. To make matters worse, the prince has stuck his nosy squire, Jarvik, to watch her every move. Jarvik is infuriating, bossy and unfortunately, the only person she can turn to when she unveils a heinous plot. Together, the unlikely pair will have to work together to stop an enemy that everyone thought was long gone, one with the power to destroy her family and the people of Emperion. Now the cage Allyssa so longed to break free from might just be the one thing she has to fight to keep intact. In order to save her kingdom, she will have to sacrifice her freedom, her heart, and maybe even her life. My Thoughts: So! After finishing this book I found out it was a spin-off from the True Reign series which I haven't read. I have to say, I don't feel like anything was lacking due to that. I was able to follow this story easily and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. It is YA - our main female is only sixteen, after all. In a lot of ways, she behaves like a sixteen-year-old too but then she also has royal responsibilities so she is mature in other ways. The one thing that crossed my mind is that she has been receiving courting gifts for years. When did that start?!?! When she was ten??? The plot itself is pretty simple - war, revenge, political machinations with other kingdoms. It was a light read with no real plot twists as they were easy to see coming. However, it was a really good read! It is the start of a series, I think there are five books after this one, so there is plenty more to come. For a light, YA read, I have no hesitation in recommending this book. Jennifer Anne Davis graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. She is currently a full-time writer. Jennifer is the recipient of the San Diego Book Awards Best Published Young Adult Novel (2013), winner of the Kindle Book Awards (2018), a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards (2014), and a finalist in the USA Best Book Awards (2014).
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