Morgan's Musings
Just my rambling, plus whatever book I've recently read!
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
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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 Genres: #YoungAdult, #Fantasy Blurb: In a culture of cravats and corsets, a troubled sixteen-year-old stands out in her t-shirt and torn jeans. She takes the name “Memory” because hers are stolen, and she’ll do anything to get them back. Lost in a world not her own, where magic and monstrous fairies are real, Memory has enough to handle just trying to stay alive. Chased by wizard hunters, hunted by a dragon, stalked by a strange, handsome savage, despised by the fae and wanted by the king himself – everyone is after Memory, and she suspects it’s not just for her eye-catching outfit. Her forgotten past holds dangerous secrets that will change everything. Memory will fight to get back to a family and home she can’t remember but desperately desires, even at the cost of new friendships and romances. On the run with no name and no memories, she thinks she has nothing left to lose. She couldn’t be more mistaken. My Thoughts: Memory's Wake is the first book in the trilogy of the same name, and we meet a sixteen-year-old girl in the woods who has no memories at all. She has no idea who she is, where she is, or how she got there. Conveniently, Eloryn is close at hand, and not only saves her (for the time being) but also gives her a name in the meantime - Memory. There are parts of this book that I really enjoyed. However, there are also parts I didn't. The overall story is a good one, and there is a whole host of characters to support it and to move it forwards. Unfortunately for me, some of those characters had little to no relevance to me as their part wasn't clearly explained. This may be just a carrot on a stick for the next books, but it was one of the reasons I found myself losing interest in the main story. Likewise with the main characters themselves. There were parts to them that made them interesting and relate-able. And yet once again, other parts were inconsistent with their back-stories. I have enjoyed this book, and the illustrations are as magnificent as you would expect from this author, but I won't be continuing with the series. * I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book from the author which in no way affected my review. * Born in 1981 to Australian and Maltese parents, Selina lives with her family near Sydney, Australia. During her life Selina has found ancient Roman treasure, survived cancer, had knights joust at her wedding, earned a living from her art by age twenty-three, eaten every bizarre and wonderful food put in front of her, written numerous novels and painted hundreds of artworks.
Once upon a time, on the night of a full moon, in a small country town in Australia a girl was born with a vast imagination. She was given the name Selina, meaning “Moon”, named after the moon that shone that night. As a child Selina loved to read. Her favourite stories were those of myth and magic, princesses and fairies. She soon learned she had a greater love than reading when she would spend countless hours staring at the illustrations in these books, ignoring the stories told in words in preference of the stories shown by the artworks. She would study each brush stroke, marvelling that any human hand could create such beauty. The images enchanted her, bewitched her, and filled her head with magic and romance. Having always enjoyed drawing, Selina began to create artworks of her own ideas of fantasy inspired by the illustrations in her fairytale books, with goddesses, fairies and enchanted creatures. She grew up continually trying to improve her art and create that same magical feel and sense of adventure she knew as a child. Many years later, Selina’s artwork has been warmly received by lovers of fantasy all over the world. Selina still resides in Australia, being self employed in painting her ideas of fantasy and selling her own artwork and handcrafted gift designs. In her spare time, Selina enjoys cooking, urban homesteading, spending time with her husband and daughter, and all things geeky. BLURB An epic journey. If the Seventine are released, will anyone survive? Book two in the Walker Saga follows Abigail and her friends as they tame the world of Spurn. ‘Go to Spurn,’ she was told. Oh, and by the way the planet is ninety-five percent water and the inhabitants are hybrid fish. Of course, no one seems to care that Abigail can’t swim. Surprisingly, jetting off to a water planet is not the weirdest thing to happen this week. But she’s on a deadline to the find the first half-Walker girl, as the very essences of the seven worlds are starting to unravel. And with each Seventine release the chaos richochets further. Of course, with her Walker energy causing havoc and the savage Spurns ... well, it’s safe to say nothing so far has gone to plan. And on top of that a bombshell she did not see coming. Secrets are revealed and loyalties challenged but with her best friend and soul mate by her side, can she really lose out? MY REVIEW: SPURN is the second book in the Walker Saga, and we continue with Abby and Lucy as they try to conquer another world. Spurn is not at all what they expected, especially as Abby has 'fun' swimming. Throw in a Stalker Walker (yes, I stole that from Abby), mutant sea monsters, Lucas and Brace, and Abby has her hands full. We meet Talina in this story, and she is a gentle, introverted character. That is, unless you try to hurt her loved ones, and then she will go full on typhoon on your ass! She hasn't had it easy, but is a wonderful character that I had fun getting to know. I am LOVING this series! Seriously!!! It is full of action, quick paced, quick-witted, and full of emotions (both good and bad). I read each book, thoroughly loving each story, and yet wanting to move onto the next one, just so I can continue with the story. Fair warning - one major heartbreak in this book that I did NOT see coming, even with the warnings. There were others too, but this one knocked me out of my boots. Now I definitely need to read Crais... and hope that Ms. Eve isn't going to keep me in suspenders until the last book! Absolutely definitely positively recommended! AUTHOR BIO:
Jaymin Eve is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and sci-fi novels filled with epic love stories, great adventures, and plenty of laughs. She lives in Australia with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and a couple of crazy pets. To date, she has sold close to two million ebooks, and still can't believe that she gets to create fantasy worlds as a job. For action, adventure, romance, and a guaranteed HEA, start one of her series today. An epic journey. If the Seventine are released, will anyone survive? Abigail Swish might not love her life, living in gang-ridden New York in 2035 and training to fight and survive with Compound 23. But she is grateful for a few things, especially her no-filter-between-brain-and-mouth best friend Lucy and her escape each night into a dream world far different from her own. In fact, sometimes she lives for the fleeting moments she spends at night with the man who fuels every romantic fantasy she’s ever had. But each morning reality returns. She could just cry. But she won’t of course; tears don’t change a damn thing. Then without any warning, a month before her eighteenth birthday, everything does change. A guardian finds her. He explains, in a strangely familiar accent, that she was stashed on Earth for safekeeping and has been lost to her family ever since. And it is time to return home. To the First World; a land of unimagined beauty. Abigail and Lucy find themselves escaping New York, ending up on another planet and traversing through an unforgiving wilderness. Yeah, because that sort of thing just happens every day. Luckily an unexpected saviour arrives; the man from her dream-world. Brace is six-and-a-half feet of gorgeous perfectness, wrapped in an arrogance like no other. Unable to trust his assistance, and unsure which of her instincts to follow - kiss him or punch him in the mouth - Abigail eventually accepts his help to find her family. And what a family. Enter Josian, her father; larger than life and apparently not even human. He is Walker, a planet-less race revered as gods, causing mischief and mayhem through-out this star-system. Unfortunately, there is no time for a cosy reunion, since no one explained that by returning to First World her half-Walker genetics would act as a catalyst setting forth a chain of events which could spell disaster for not only her existence but that of all worlds. First World is book one in the Walker Saga, a seven-book paranormal fantasy series. From a post-apocalyptic world on earth to a new world that is billions of years old - First World literally takes you on an adventure as Abby tries to figure just who she is, why she's been dreaming of Mr Hotness himself, why her parents abandoned her, and what she has to do next. This is a gritty story that is lightened by moments of hilarity and sarcasm between Abby and Luce. These two are fantastic as they spark off against each other. There is enough world building to satisfy me, whilst still leaving me wanting more in the books yet to be read. I love the characters, and have no shame in admitting I want to see more of Quarn. I am hoping the Brace-Abby-Luca story gets sorted out as triangles are not my favourite, but I will wait and see. For a funny story that will take you off-planet, I have no hesitation in recommending this! Jaymin Eve is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and sci-fi novels filled with epic love stories, great adventures, and plenty of laughs. She lives in Australia with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and a couple of crazy pets. To date, she has sold close to two million ebooks, and still can't believe that she gets to create fantasy worlds as a job.
For action, adventure, romance, and a guaranteed HEA, start one of her series today. A dark re-telling of the old tale, where Red Riding Hood isn't so little, and mightn't be so good after all. The villagers call her Red. It's the colour of her lips, her cloak, and the blood that stains her when she returns from the woods. The villagers call her Red for many reasons, but most of all, they're too afraid to call her what she really is. Witch. But when a wolf stalks the village, Red might be the only one who can save them from the beast...the beast who hunts her. Red races against the three days until the full moon to uncover the wolf's identity, find out what he wants from her, and save herself. To hell with the village, Red just wants to save herself. That's what good witches do. Hunted is a twisted take on the old tale, with some magic sprinkled onto a young woman's journey to find herself in dark times. First in the FEARED FABLES series. Contains adult content and possible triggers. Formally titled 'Red Run'. HUNTED is the first book in the Feared Fables series, and in this one we meet Red, her wolf, and please don't forget her Grandmother!!! This tale is told first person, present tense, so you are with Red/Ella as she goes through her days, helping villagers, making discoveries, and trying to live her life. I loved that she was so independent, and helped those less fortunate than herself. A few parts of the story were a tad unclear to me - such as which wolf attacked the neighbour, and why? After all, it appears they have both been in the village for years without any mishap. And the relationship with Red - lie or real? This is just me being picky though, and wanting more. Apart from those small things, the story was very well told, and rich in detail. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and look forward to reading more in the Feared Fables set. Definitely recommended. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Isla Jones is a vicious supporter of the 'unlikable heroine' (though, she isn't fond of the term). Whether her female protagonists be wicked, cruel, cowardly, cunning, strong, or weak, Isla loves them all. She finds it admirable to see the likes of badass female characters that can kick the butts of ten grown men at once without so much as breaking a nail, but finds that it's a bit on the unrealistic side. So when her characters can fight, it's realistic, and when they can't, they find other ways of getting what they want. "Misplaced love" is a concept that fascinates her, and one that (shock!) only applies to women! So don't be surprised if you read a female character's love for her animals or friends to be stronger than her love for children or RIs.
Isla writes in English, not any variations of it (US, Australian). One minute she's swimming in the world of Zs, lost in daydreams, tapping into the minds of her characters. Then, she's reading folklore and decides to write a series of unfortunate tales. Never fret, though. Isla Jones is a fast writer. Her record for amount of books written within twelve months is...twelve! One a month. Though, their quality mightn't be something to brag about, as Isla is an avid hater of editing. So, if you find yourself tempted by an Isla Jones series, but don't want to wait the yearly traditional time frame between books, don't worry! The series will be finished before you can put on a party hat and celebrate Hogmanay! To ask a question or for more information, please go to the author profile at Goodreads, or contact her at islajoneswriter.wordpress.com #BookoftheMonth - Brightest Kind of Darkness (Brightest Kind of Darkness #1) by P.T. Michelle28/1/2019 Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate...until she dreams a future she can't ignore. After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate. Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past. Brightest Kind of Darkness is an intriguing tale of dreams and abilities. Nara has used her prophetic dreams to make her days a bit easier. When she sees something that has a major impact upon her life, and those of her friends, she decides to act upon it. What followed reminded me of a film about a group of kids cheating death, but for the life of me, I can't remember the title. This was exceedingly well-written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed. The characters draw you in and involve you in their lives. You are definitely left wanting more when you reach the ending of this book. Ethan was definitely my favourite of the characters, as I am sure he is for the majority of readers! A sweet paranormal romance that is that bit different. I thoroughly enjoyed every word, and have no hesitation in recommending it. P.T. Michelle is the NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, and International Bestselling author of the Contemporary romance series IN THE SHADOWS, the YA/New Adult crossover series BRIGHTEST KIND OF DARKNESS, and the romance series: BAD IN BOOTS, KENDRIAN VAMPIRES and SCIONS (listed under Patrice Michelle). She keeps a spiral notepad with her at all times, even on her nightstand. When P.T. isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading or taking pictures of landscapes, sunsets and anything beautiful or odd in nature.
To keep up with information on the next P.T. Michelle release, be sure to sign up for P.T.’s NEWSLETTER. It’ll come straight to your inbox. In the battle between energy and emptiness, there's only one weapon – the elements. The light and dark souls have been reunited. It is now up to Nora and Darcy to track down the elemental souls with help from their guardians. Finding the four people who hold the souls of the four natural elements out of seven billion is an overwhelming mission. Only through translating the Statera and reminiscing of the ancient past, will they unlock the mysteries to locating the Elementals, breaking the curse, restoring the balance, and filling the emptiness. But their mission is interrupted by an unexpected guest – the Elemental guide, Lilly. Can this new addition to their team be trusted? Will they be able to complete these daunting tasks before the destructor strikes again? Quintessence is the second book in the Statera Saga, and we pick up a couple of months after the end of Reminiscence. Darcy still hasn't quite forgiven Nora for what happened, and she finds herself missing him more than she realised. However, they still have to search for the Elements, and now they have an Element Guide in the mix too. Oh boy, where do I start with this? First of all, I am loving this concept. I think the way Amy Marie is sharing her story makes it a delight to read, and very difficult to put down. Once again, there were no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, but then I fully admit to being completely engrossed in the story. So, hands up, if there are any, I missed them! I won't give too much about the story away, as I definitely don't want to lessen the impact. What I will say, is it ends on one helluva cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more. Like right now!!! I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, and I am LOVING the second. I can't wait to see where Amy Marie will take me next. Absolutely recommended by me. Amy Marie is a first-time author of the Statera Saga. She has lived all over the United States, but will always call Ohio her home. A huge fan of all fiction, she is always looking to get lost in the relaxing escape of a good novel. She’s worked several years for a major book retailer, and now enjoys a career in aviation as an air traffic controller. A sucker for a good old-fashioned good versus evil story, she’s been inspired to take on authoring a trilogy of her own. She delights in her friends and family, and the cuddles of her dog Brutus.
Nora Hutchinson has had feelings of déjà vu throughout her life. After her recent move to Boston for college, these feelings have suddenly become an everyday occurrence, taking on a new form by invading her dreams and nightmares. After chance meetings with two familiar strangers, Nora is lured into a task she never could have imagined. As she tries to sort out her dreams from her memories, she is pulled into the middle of an ancient quest she never dreamed could be possible. Reminiscence is based on an old Platonic theory with a supernatural twist, and weaves in history, romance, and intrigue in an urban fantasy setting. It's a Beauty and the Beast type fairy tale combined with a Fifth Element style myth! Reminiscence is the first book in the Statera Saga. We start off with meeting Nora, a college student who has strange dreams and feelings of deja vu. Her life becomes more than she bargained for when two men enter her life. And don't worry, this isn't the classic love triangle! One of them wants to kill her, and one of them wants more from her than she is prepared to give right now! After all, she is Nora, not Eleanor. Are you intrigued yet? You should be! There is a bit of everything in this book - drama, suspense, action, adventure, friendships, family, betrayal, curses. It's all here. And it is brilliantly written. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The characters all come to life, and are well-rounded. It builds up to a climax, and will definitely leave you wanting more. A different, great, read and definitely recommended by me. Amy Marie is a first-time author of the Statera Saga. She has lived all over the United States, but will always call Ohio her home. A huge fan of all fiction, she is always looking to get lost in the relaxing escape of a good novel. She’s worked several years for a major book retailer, and now enjoys a career in aviation as an air traffic controller. A sucker for a good old-fashioned good versus evil story, she’s been inspired to take on authoring a trilogy of her own. She delights in her friends and family, and the cuddles of her dog Brutus.
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