Book Blitz of the Splintered Realms by L.A. Myles (#Contest- Enter to win an $25 #Amazon Gift Card)

Splintered Realms
L.A. Myles
(Doorways, #1)
Publication date: July 20th 2024
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult

College is everything art student Taylen dreamed it would be. But her first trip home doesn’t end with her mom’s homemade brownies. Instead, she’s hurled into a strange medieval land where a woman without family has no say. Desperate to get back to her world, she’ll have to find others she can trust if she hopes to find a way home.

But trust isn’t easy to find. Surrounded by accusations of espionage, kidnapping, murder, and refusing to become chattel, Taylen discovers she has the unique ability to see the doorways between realms. Leaving the Realm of Men behind, she enters the land of the fae-like Ays Shee. They can get her home, but first she must help them solve the mystery of what’s dissolving the barrier between realms before it rips the world apart, and Taylen with it.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

A curve in the road revealed hills covered with vineyards. The vines were mid-transformation, changing from their summer green to fall’s stunning array of deep golds and burnt reds.

“Now I’m in the vineyards.” Taylen sighed.

The road opened out, the trees moving away from the asphalt and stench of exhaust to perch atop hills or slip down their sides. They hovered in sparse clusters among the vineyards, distant reflections of the road-scape she’d just left.

“If you keep your pace,” Mom said, her voice warm with delight, “you’ll arrive the same time the brownies are coming out of the oven.”

“You made brownies?”

“Of course.” Mom laughed. “It’s been two months. You must be going through brownie withdrawal by now.”

“How’d you guess?” Taylen grinned.

The sun sank toward the hills on her left, coloring the few clouds in the sky with luminescent oranges and reds. Sunsets, like sunrises, were the best parts of the day. They were magical, a time in flux in which one thing merged into the next.

She glanced down to switch on her headlights. The glint of sunlight off the chrome trim running along the edge of her windshield caught her eye.

“Well—” The line in her ears went dead.

“Mom?” Her gaze flicked back up. The lights clicked on first in the dash, then on the tree ahead of her.

Tree!

She swerved right. More trees blocked her path. She flung the steering wheel left to avoid another, veering between tree after tree while careening through a brightly lit forest. Bushes broke and cracked under and against her car, creating a cacophony of breaking wood and screeching metal. The car bounced and jarred her to either side, the seatbelt catching her with bruising force.

Another tree appeared in her path, this one fallen over. She cursed and stomped on the brakes. The car spun left. A jarring thump and a loud bang signaled a back tire blowing out. A branch slammed into her windshield, cracking it.

She screamed as another branch shattered her passenger window when the car lurched sideways. A clearing in the trees beckoned ahead of her, then it was behind her, and a sickening weightlessness lifted her off the seat.

She had a moment to take in the view. A forest stretched out in all directions from around a large pear-shaped lake, its surface a dark reflective gray sheet. Gravity reclaimed her and her car, and she plunged toward the water below. Her shriek ripped through the air.

Author Bio:

L.A. is a fantasy fiction author. She scribes epic fantasies filled with adventure, mythical creatures, struggle, and the magic that can come from strong friendships, especially between females. Characters going through proverbial hell as they come into their personal power resonate the most with her and are what she writes.

For her, stories always arrive first as a single clear snapshot. Usually, the image is of a pivotal moment. After that, it’s like a portal has opened and L.A. is the conduit the story flows through, as opposed to the conductor of the tale. It often makes writing as exciting as reading.

After decades of migrating from one US coast to another and then abroad, L.A. has settled in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A. with a couple of high-powered kids, a husband, two cats, chickens, and a flock of wild turkeys that have decided to make the family’s property theirs.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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Spotlight of the book How Soon is Now a Time Travel Tale by Paul Carnahan

 

 

It's the trip of a lifetime – a mind-bending, heart-breaking time travel tale unlike any other...

Title: How Soon Is Now?

Author: Paul Carnahan

Publication Date: June 10, 2024

Pages: 462

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy/Time Travel

A troubled ex-journalist launches a perilous mission into his own past after being recruited by a mysterious group of time travelers.

Luke Seymour uncovers the secrets of the eccentric Nostalgia Club as he battles to solve the riddle of their missing leader, honing his newly discovered – and dangerously addictive – talent for time travel and plunging ever deeper into his own time stream … where the terrible mistake that scarred his life is waiting.

Set in Glasgow and Edinburgh in the 1980s, 1990s and near-present, ‘How Soon Is Now?’ is a gripping new novel loaded with unforgettable characters, intricate storytelling, dark humour and a unique twist on the mechanics of time travel – all moving towards a powerful and emotional climax.

Available at:

Amazon U.S.: https://www.amazon.com/How-Soon-Now-powerful-travel-ebook/dp/B0D1RG2GL5 

Amazon U.K.: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Soon-Now-powerful-travel-ebook/dp/B0D1RG2GL5 

 

 Book Excerpt:

Time tidies up after itself better than most of us realise, so I’ll be brief. I want to get everything down while I can still remember how it happened.

It started with a note: Blue ink on a slip of paper you might mistake for a Christmas cracker joke, with these words written in a plain and precise hand: ‘We know. We can help. Come to the Thrawn Laddie, Edinburgh, 7.30pm Wednesday.’

I was at the off-licence, digging for change in the outside pocket of my suit jacket, when I found the note. I was down to one suit that still fitted and wore it most days - I was, more or less, still keeping up appearances - so the note might have been curled up there for hours, days or even months. I glanced at it without really reading it and stuffed it back into my pocket, where it stayed until I made it back to the flat with the evening’s beer supply.

Once the bottles were safely in the fridge, I emptied my pockets, throwing a fistful of old train tickets and crumpled till receipts into the bin. The note nearly joined them, but something about the neatness of the script caught my eye, and I read it properly for the first time. ‘We can help’. Who could help? How could they help? Where had it come from? I left it on the kitchen table for the rest of the week; a minor mystery pinned under a beer bottle.

It was a long week. Alison still wasn’t talking to me after The Incident at our college reunion, and even Malcolm wouldn’t return my calls. I eyed the note every time I passed the kitchen table on my way to the fridge and, by Wednesday evening, had convinced myself a minor mystery might be just the distraction I needed. One Glasgow-to-Edinburgh train and a 20-minute cab ride later - an extravagance, considering I was trying to make my redundancy money last - I was standing on Morningside Road, outside the Thrawn Laddie.

That October night was cold and crisp, and a wall of heat hit me as I opened the door. The pub - a dusty jumble of antique clutter and old-world charm - had changed so little in the 30-plus years since it had been one of our preferred student haunts that I half-expected to spot the old gang huddled in our favourite corner, but the place was now a near-empty refuge for elderly locals and a few wine-sipping post-work professionals. The students had moved on.

I checked the clock above the bar: 7.10pm. I could fit in a couple of pints, if I was quick. I ordered a Guinness and settled at a single table with a clear view of the door. By 7.30, the only new arrivals had been a pair of old gents who went straight to their friends at the end of the bar without looking in my direction. I finished my drink, ordered another and took it to my table. My second glass was nearly empty when the bored young barman, a skinny youth labouring under a misjudged haircut, loomed over me.

‘Mind if I give your table a wipe?’ he said. I lifted my pint glass and drained the remnants.

He ran a damp cloth over the table, gathered my empties and asked: ‘Another Guinness?’

‘No, thanks.’ I slipped my hand into my pocket, and my thumb and forefinger pinched the little note. ‘Maybe you can help me with something, though. Has anyone been asking for me? I’m supposed to be meeting someone.’

He stared at me, waiting for something. He cocked an eyebrow - the one pierced by a silver stud - and I added: ‘Seymour. My name’s Luke Seymour.’

He shook his head. ‘No one’s been looking for you, as far as I know,’ he said. ‘Who are you meeting?’

‘I’m not sure.’ He looked puzzled, so I added: ‘It might not be a person. It could be a group.’

The barman stuffed the cloth into his back pocket. ‘Might be the crowd back in the function suite, then. Are you one of them?’

‘One of them?’

‘The good old days mob,’ he said. ‘They rent the back room on a Wednesday night. Had an early start this week for some reason. You could try giving them a knock.’

‘I might,’ I said. ‘Who are they?’

‘The Nostalgia Club, they call themselves. They might be who you’re after. Past the toilets and turn right. You can’t miss it. Follow your nose.’ He pointed towards a corridor leading off the end of the bar.

I thanked him, left my table and followed my nose. As I turned the corner, the barman gave a soft cough.

‘Word of advice,’ he said. ‘I’d knock first. Good luck.’

After a brief stop at the gents, I followed the corridor off to the right. At the end was a dark oak door bearing a brass plaque: ‘Function Suite’. Below that, stuck to the door with a strip of sticky tape, was a sheet of A4 on which was written, in the same precise hand as the note in my pocket: ‘NOSTALGIA CLUB. PRIVATE.’

 

About the Author

 

Paul Carnahan was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and grew up in the new town of Cumbernauld. After studying journalism in Edinburgh, he began a decades-long career in local and national newspapers.

‘How Soon Is Now?’ is his first novel. The second, the Britpop-era romance ‘End of a Century’, will be released early in 2025, and a third is currently a work in progress.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.paulcarnahan.com 

Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/pacarnahan  

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/paulcarnahan6/ 

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211423352-how-soon-is-now

 

Check Out the Other Stops on the Tour  

 

 

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Review of the Book Sprites and Scuttlebut (Magical Mystery Book Club # 7) by Elizabeth Pantley

I want to welcome Elizabeth Pantley to Books R US. Elizabeth is the author of the Magical Mystery Book Club Series. I had to pleasure to read "Sprites and Scuttlebutt" Number 7 in the series. Let me tell you a bit about the book and my thoughts.

 

About the Book:

This book club is hooked on traveling into books to become the amateur sleuths! In this journey, the club travels to the Kingdom of Everglow.

The royal family is rocked to the core when a key staff member falls dead at a community event. In the turmoil that follows, any evidence of what happened is destroyed, so they must go by the recollection of witnesses who were too busy enjoying the celebration to offer any valuable testimony.

The royal family is further distressed when they return to the castle to see signs of a break in that somehow defied their complex security system. They wake the next day to discover that one member of the royal family has fallen into a deep, deathlike sleep.

Can the Snapdragon Inn Book Club uncover the plot behind this attack on the royal family? Can they find the antidote to wake the sleeping royal from a supernatural slumber? Can they bring peace back to the worried royal family and the frightened community?

Let’s hope they can, since they must solve the mystery and reach The End to get out of the book and back to their home in Colorado.

 

 My Thoughts:

I recently finished reading "Hexes and Hooligans," the previous book in the series, and I adored the story. The sequel, "Sprites and Scuttlebutt," continues the adventures of the magical book club as they travel into different books to solve mysteries. In this book, the club members discover Frank's backstory, which helps them unravel a plot against the Royal Family in the Kingdom of Everglow. The author's talent in creating a world of adventure, fun, friendship, and mystery has left me eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series, "Meditation and Mischief."

Connect with the Author:

https://elizabethpantley.com/

Facebook 

Goodreads 

 

Thanks for Stopping By:

 

 

 

Disclaimer:

I was given a copy of the book by the author and I was not compensated for my review.

Guest Post by Randy C Dockens Author of Stele Prophecy Pentalogy (Christian Fiction)

I want to welcome Randy C Dockens to Books R Us. Randy is the author of a collection of five books in a biblical end times prophecy series called Stele Prophecy Pentalogy. Thanks to the author for providing a guest post for my readers.

 

Take Advice from Others with a Grain of Salt

When I first started out on my writing journey, I knew I did not know a lot about how to be an author. Therefore, I took everything I read as gospel and tried to follow what I read to the letter. I began to discover many “professional” writers, editors, agents, and publishers have a lot of pet peeves about writing requirements and I told myself I was not going to offend any of them. I tried my best to ensure my writing met all their requirements so when they received my manuscript it would not end up in their waste paper pile. Yet, when I attempted to comply, I found my writing became worse and not better. This is why my novel Mercy of the Iron Scepter went through so many revisions before it was ever published. I was constantly changing how I wrote due to the next pet peeve I read about. I then began to see that some of these “experts” contradicted other “experts.” I was then in a quandary until I began to look deeper. Let me give you some examples and I think you can better understand why I gave this piece the title I did and the reason for why I ended up in my quandary.

Here are some of the things I read, took to heart, and tried to comply completely: (1) the word that should never be used because it is superfluous, (2) the word was should be avoided because it is too vague and imparts passivity to the text, (3) exclamation marks should never be used because good writers can write in a way that will indicate the emotion rather than having to show it with an exclamation point, and (3) dialogue tags should not be used because they can be distracting and are a sign a writer has weak technical talent.

What I came to realize was that these were just pet peeves of certain writers, agents, editors, and publishers. They are not absolute requirements. Granted, each of these points are useful and can be taken to heart, but they are not gospel. These individuals should have clarified that one should be aware of these pitfalls and not overuse these writing elements. It is the overuse that is the faux pax and not their use itself. Actually, it is impossible to avoid each of these altogether. Well, I shouldn’t say it is impossible, but definitely there is no need for one to avoid them all together.

Let’s look at these pet peeves just mentioned. It is true that many times the word that can be omitted because it is superfluous. Yet, that is not always the case. It is true that was can often be passive and a better expressive word can be substituted, but not in every case. Regarding exclamation points, yes, one should write a sentence that a reader can tell is an exclamatory sentence. Yet shouldn’t one use an exclamation point if the sentence is an exclamation? I think the point is that an exclamation mark does not make a sentence an exclamation if the tone of the sentence is not written that way. And, finally, yes sometimes dialogue cues are not needed, and dialogue can be written without them. Yet, if there is any chance of a reader getting confused as to who is talking, then a dialogue tag is needed.

My conclusion from my initial struggle in this area is that one should take to heart what others say about writing tips and tricks, but realize they are just that: tips and tricks. You need to be sure your writing style and emotional content comes through loud and clear but in a way that uses good sentence structure, correct spelling, and proper grammar. But, if an element or emotion is needed that dictates not to use spelling, grammar, or sentence structure in their traditionally accepted way, then that is okay if what you write and the way you write it is intentional. Your reader will be able to tell if what you did was purposeful or not. So, you can do anything, just know you did it and that it was a purposeful change to accomplish something special for your reader.

So, yes, study all the proper ways of writing and proper writing techniques. Yes, try to avoid all the pitfalls writing experts warn you about. Yet, remember that the most important thing about your writing is you. If you get lost in your own writing, then your writing is lost. Your writing will be different from that of anyone else, and it should be different—unique to you. It should also be as good technically as you can make it and not lose the essence of you in the process. Even more importantly, you need to be purposeful. Your writing is to engage your reader, so be purposeful in your writing. Ask yourself questions about your writing. Why did I use that word? Why did I use that punctuation at that spot in the sentence? You don’t have to follow traditional methodology, but there is a caveat to that statement. You need to know that you did not follow traditional methodology and that you purposefully chose not to follow traditional writing techniques. Every sentence, every word, every punctuation should be purposeful—chosen by you as the author for a specific purpose, to elicit a specific emotion, feeling, or ambience.

If you would like to have a text to get you started in this regard, here are two that I think you can benefit from: Mastering the ABCs of Excellent Writing: Creating Vivid and Colorful Stories that Readers Want to Read and Mastering the ABCs of Excellent Self-Editing: Framing Your Colorful Masterpiece to Keep Readers Engaged in Your Story. These two books were recently published by myself and my editor. I wanted to pay it forward, so to speak, so others did not have to go through the same hardship that I did when I first started writing. My editor and I put these materials into a unique and fun format that I think many will appreciate. These two books are not the end-all for what to know about writing but will provide anyone with a good head start on their writing journey or even remind more seasoned writers of the fundamentals that we should never lose sight of. Also included are other references that writers will benefit from by having such tools in their writing arsenal.

The most important three elements are the following. Study. Learn. Write. Enjoy the process. But most of all, be purposeful. Your readers will thank you for it.


CLICK HERE FOR BOOK SPOTLIGHT AND EXCERPT

 

Connect with the Author: 

Website ➜ https://www.randydockens.com/   

X ➜ https://x.com/RandyCDockens 

Facebook ➜  www.facebook.com/Randy.C.Dockens

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/randydockens 

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16453941 

Thanks For Stopping By:

 

 

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Review of The Cartographer's Return (The Cartographer's Travels: Book 2) by Lisa Konig

I want to welcome Lisa Konig back to Books R Us. The second book The Cartographers Return (Book 2) is scheduled to be released 9/1/24. 

About the Book:

Years have passed since the cartographer Soread from Greenwood has left Snowcreek. Now he returns, driven by trust towards the Lord and the Lady of Eridris and accompanied with secrets he wishes to keep.

 

 

 

 

 

My Thoughts:

The second book in the series was a captivating read. Soread, the protagonist, journeyed far and wide, making maps and hiding some secrets. His return to Snowcreek after many years was a heartwarming moment, as he was accepted once again by Aeglas and his wife. To fully understand Soread's journey, I recommend reading the first book in the series. In the end, it was the unwavering support of his friends that helped Soread conquer his fears, a testament to the power of friendship. I hope Lisa continues to write more books in the future.

Purchase the First Book:

Amazon

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT OF THE SILVER FOREST BY J.D RASCH (INTERVIEW AND CONTEST)

 

 

I want to welcome J.D Rasch to Books R Us. J.D. is touring the blogosphere with iRead Book Tours. Mr. Rasch is the author of two fantasy novels Called the Silver Forest (Book One and Two). He has written a guest interview for my blog. Make sure that you enter the giveaway below. You may win a signed copy of both of the books. Thanks for stopping by.

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Silver Forest, Book Two by J.D. Rasch
Category:  Adult Fiction 18 yrs +,  438 pages
Genre:  Fantasy
Publisher:  Lamina Press
Release date:  July, 2024
Content Rating: PG: Brief, non-explicit scenes of battles and one brief, non-explicit sex scene

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“Engrossing, spiritual, thought-provoking and unique.” — Patrick J. LoBrutto, World Fantasy Award winning editor

"A respectable and compelling novel of accomplishment and discovery that introduces engrossing concepts accompanied by a moral and ethical fiber that compliments the story’s adventure." — Midwest Book Review

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Book Description:

Will the young wizard Asmar decide his own fate?

Asmar continues his quest to defeat Malzus and retrieve the powerful golden pulcher staff. Aided by a mysterious figure known only as the Wanderer, Asmar must combat the many types of influences that try to control his mind.

But Asmar is yet unconvinced of the Great Council’s true intentions when they sent him on this quest. Again, he wonders if he must follow the path created for him, or forge his own.

The Silver Forest is a literary fantasy adventure exploring magic, morality, and self-determination. Please note that Book Two is the direct continuation of Asmar’s story, and should only be read following Book One.

BUY THE BOOK:
AMAZON
add to Goodreads

Begin THE SILVER FOREST with Book One:

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Silver Forest, Book One by J.D. Rasch
Category:  Adult Fiction 18 yrs +,  466 pages
Genre:  Fantasy
Publisher:  Lamina Press
Release date:  May, 2024
Content Rating: PG-13: Non-explicit mentions of sex, and non-graphic battle scenes.

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Book Description:

Asmar, a young and naïve wizard, is sent on an impossible quest—to stop the renegade wizard, Malzus, from finding the tree of wisdom.

The Great Council of wizards, desperate to find the golden pulcher tree, the source of all knowledge, sent nine wizards over the impassable seas to the far away land of Bracat—only to face years of frustration and failure.

Until one of their own turned against them.

Armed with a golden staff to amplify his power, the rogue wizard Malzus fled the wizards’ city of Dolcere and began a ruthless hunt for the tree.

Meanwhile, in the small, protected village of Tuland, Asmar, a misfit, is suddenly called to Dolcere. There, he learns that he is to become a wizard, tasked with stopping the death and destruction caused by Malzus.

The Great Council tasks Asmar with not only defeating Malzus but returning the golden staff to them. But Asmar doesn’t trust the wizards and their influence over him. Can he break the cycle of violence and selfishness and determine his own destiny?

Buy the Book:
Amazon
add to goodreads

 

Meet the Author:

J.D. RASCH is a writer, artist, social activist and author. His debut fantasy series, The Wanderer, explores social, political and religious themes. His writing, like his painting explores the mysteries of the world and our place in the greater scheme of the universe. For many years he worked in international finance, both in developed and emerging economies. Even in his work in finance he was interested in social justice, developing ways to assess the social behavior of companies. He also serves on a number of not-for-profit boards in an attempt to make the world a better place.

Connect with the author: website ~ instagram ~ goodreads

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Tour Schedule:

Aug 5 – Liese's Blog – book spotlight of THE SILVER FOREST – BOOK ONE
Aug 5 - Country Mamas With Kids – book review of BOOK TWO / giveaway
Aug 6 – Liese's Blog – book spotlight of THE SILVER FOREST – BOOK TWO
Aug 7 – Diane’s Book Journal – book series spotlight / giveaway
Aug 8 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of BOOK ONE / giveaway
Aug 13 – Ilovebooksandstuffblog – book series spotlight / giveaway
Aug 14 – Cover Lover Book Review – book series spotlight / giveaway
Aug 15 - China Sorrows – book review of BOOK ONE / giveaway
Aug 15 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of BOOK TWO / giveaway
Aug 19 – WELCOME TO MLM OPINION'S REVIEWS – book review of BOOK ONE / giveaway
Aug 20 – WELCOME TO MLM OPINION'S REVIEWS – book review of BOOK TWO / giveaway
Aug 20 - China Sorrows – book review of BOOK TWO / giveaway

Aug 20 - Books R Us - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 21 – Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's – book review of BOOK ONE / giveaway
Aug 22 – My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews – Book Review of BOOK TWO / giveaway
Aug 23 – Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's – book review of BOOK TWO / giveaway

INTERVIEW:

The Silver Forest, Book Two by J. D. Rasch

Author Interview: Books R Us

1. If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?

Definitely Remer. Asmar is too much of a commitment and the others are a bit too serious. I like the fact that Remer is self-effacing, and he also gets to have a love interest.

2. Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

The inspiration for my stories comes from wanting to explore questions that I have. At one point I was thinking of writing an essay on ethics, but that seemed too dry and uninteresting. Instead, I thought that I could write a fantasy novel and put my characters in different situations and think about how they would react. So, much of the inspiration for my stories comes from politics, religion, social justice, and science.

3. Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?

I live with writer’s block, but I used to listen to other author’s talks and what they did to overcome it. Everyone seemed to have the same solution – write. Don’t worry if it’s any good as you can always go back later and redo it. So, if I hit a point where I don’t know what to say, I just keep writing and eventually it becomes clear. Then I go back and edit out the fluff.

4. Why do you write fantasy? If you were to write in another genre, what would it be?

I write fantasy because I think it’s the best format to explore social issues. I like the fact that I make the rules, I control the environment of the characters, and nobody can tell me that something doesn’t really exist if I got it wrong. I’ve thought of some ideas that would fit in better with SciFi and may someday pick up that story. My background is in economics and I have been fascinated by our financial system and how people believe that money actually means something and that there’s a reason why we should have such a divide between rich and poor. I find writing SciFi more daunting as it involves trying to forecast technology and you’re bound to get that wrong. So, we’ll see.

5. Can you talk about the next book in The Wanderer series?

I don’t want to talk too much about the next book as I don’t want to give away plot lines. But The Silver Forest, Book Two continues the quest Asmar and his friends are on. There are a few plot twists so I hope there will be some surprises along the way. But the book isn’t really about surprises, but rather getting readers to think about the choices they make. If I can do that through my writing I’ll consider the books successful.

 

Enter the Giveaway:

THE SILVER FOREST (BOOK TWO) Book Tour Giveaway

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Review of the The Cartographer from Greenwood (Book 1) by Lisa Konig

I want to welcome Lisa Konig to Books R Us. Lisa is the author of the fantasy novella The Cartographer from Greenwood (The Cartographer's Travels: Book 1). Thanks for stopping by.

 

 About the Book:

 In a stormy night, a strange elf stumbles through the doors of Lord Aeglas' manor in Snowcreek. He is injured and it is not his love for drawing maps that has driven him out of his home for many years. Will he learn that he has to fight for what is dear to him or will he continue his travels and avoid the arguments awaiting him at home?

 

My Thoughts:

It's nice to read a lighthearted story with characters who interact beautifully together. I especially liked the relationship between Soread and Aeglas from the first time they met during the storm. Aeglas treated him like a son and helped him recover from mental and physical ailments. Soread had some underlying feelings about his family that came out during the story. Conflict, healing, kindness, and empathy were rolled into a lovely novella that included fantasy and a great ending.

Purchase the Book and Connect with the Author:

Twitter

Amazon

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer:

 I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review of The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

If you are looking for a great novel with great characters and a magical story-line then I recommend The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

 

About the Book:

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.

 

 

 

My Thoughts:

I truly enjoyed the book. The author included two different timelines in the story-line, with each chapter told from the perspective of a character. There was a connection between the past and present, and each woman had to overcome hardships. The book contained elements of fantasy, magic, romance, and historical fiction, all woven together into a wonderful novel. I especially loved the relationship between Martha and Henry as they searched for the lost manuscript and bookshop. All of the secondary characters added to the story especially Madame Bowden Martha's employer. She would show up numerous times to assist Martha with a difficult situation. I did not predict the ending and it was magical.

 

 

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for my review.