Category: Fantasy

Book Review: Out of Time by Jodi Taylor

BonnieReadsAndWrites12 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The Time Police don’t think twice about jumping to the past. But, this time, the past has come to them…

What connects a dead dinosaur in Wales with Romulus the founder of Rome, a plot to murder the Princes in the Tower and a shocking cover-up at TPHQ?

It sounds like a joke. It isn’t.

The Time Police are determined to find the answers, helped – and occasionally hindered – by a certain wayward member of St Mary’s and a recently reunited Team 236. Will they succeed before Time runs out?

And, as if all that wasn’t enough, something somewhere in the Timeline is wrong. Very, very wrong. What is the Time Map trying to tell them?

BOOK REVIEW

In this sixth Time Police book, a chilling and horrible secret from the past comes to light, and it will shock almost everyone, except the two who already knew. At the same time, a dead dinosaur has been found in Wales, and it’s no fossil. A team is assembled to find out why, and Commander Hay reluctantly turns to an expert who has actually seen dinosaurs in person, Madeline Maxwell, better known as Max from St. Mary’s, As for Team Weird, Matthew gets trapped in the time map, and Luke is still sorting out his feelings for Jane as they head to St. Mary’s to pick up Max. Wait until they discover who is behind the dinosaur appearances and what their plans are next!

Jodi Taylor is a genius at combining history, time travel, and hilarity with a big dose of sadness and tears. She will literally leave you laughing and crying in many different times and places. Max, the main character from The Chronicles of St. Mary’s series, usually pops up in the supporting cast of the Time Police books, but this time she has a starring role, and you don’t want to miss it. As always, there are big revelations, and I was shocked more than once. The Princes in the Tower are mentioned in The Chronicles of St. Mary’s, and they come up in this book as well, in a very disturbing way. There are bloody battles and a heart-touching moment, but the end will surprise everyone. As always with Jodi Taylor’s books, I’m sorry the story came to an end, and I can’t wait for the next one.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, Headline. My review is voluntary, and the opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jodi Taylor is a British author best known for her Chronicles of St. Mary’s series, which originated from her love of history and a self-published first novel, Just One Damned Thing After Another. Before becoming a full-time writer, Taylor had a long career in local government, working as a facilities manager for North Yorkshire Libraries. She retired in her early 60s to run a hotel in Turkey, where she started writing, and has since sold over a million books. 

  • Early life and career: Born in Bristol, she worked for the North Yorkshire County Council for almost 20 years, including as a library facilities manager. She also spent time in the RAF.
  • Path to writing: After retiring, she moved to Turkey and, finding herself bored, decided to write a book at age 60. Her first novel, Just One Damned Thing After Another, was self-published online.
  • Publishing success: The book’s unexpected success led to a publishing deal with Accent Press, which was later followed by a contract with Headline Publishing Group.
  • Current status: As of 2024, Taylor lives in Gloucestershire. She is the author of several successful series, including the Chronicles of St. Mary’s, the Time Police series, and the supernatural thriller series featuring Elizabeth Cage.
  • Writing style: Her work is characterized by a blend of humor, history, and adventure. Taylor is known for engaging directly with her readers and attributes her success to them. 

JODI’S SOCIAL MEDIA

Substack | Facebook | Instagram

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Google | Kobo

2023 Year End Book Survey

BonnieReadsAndWrites20 Comments

This Year-End Survey was originally hosted by Jamie over at The Perpetual Page Turner.

This is an opportunity to look back over the year of reading and recall some of our favorites, and even some not-so-favorites. I’d love to see your answers to some of the questions in the comments

Here’s my 2023 Year-End Survey. If you click on the covers, it will take you to my reviews of the books.

2023 READING STATS

Number of books you read:  154

Re-Reads: 

Most Popular Genre: For me it’s Historical Fiction. 

BEST IN BOOKS

Best Book You Read In 2023? Kinfolk by Sean Dietrich

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t? The Exchange by John Grisham. Wow, what a disappointment! This was supposed to be the further adventures of Mitch McDeere from The Firm, but turned out to be a book that any character could have been plugged into. I felt like Mitch was used for sales and nothing more.

Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read? Fourth Wing. It has much stronger language than I usually read and too many sexual situations, so I was surprised that I loved it. But I loved it because: DRAGONS!

Favorite new author you discovered in 2023? Sean Dietrich. He’s not new, but new to me! He’s written over 30 books, and after reading Kinfolk, I plan to read everything he’s ever written!

SEAN OF THE SOUTH (Sean Dietrich’s Blog)

Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone? The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. I don’t read horror, and this was a cross between magical realism and horror, but it was beautifully written and also an important book because it was based on real-life murders of African American boys at a school that actually existed in Florida.

Most beautifully written book read in 2023? Also The Reformatory. Absolutely beautiful writing.

Most memorable character of 2023: Andarna in Iron Flame

Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2023 to finally read? Fourth Wing

Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2023? The shortest was 7 pages and the longest was over 800 pages.

Favorite Book You Read in 2023 From An Author You’ve Read Previously? The Good, The Bad, and the History by Jodi Taylor, the most recent book in her amazing Chronicles of St. Mary’s series (Not counting the Christmas short story, which was also amazing).

Best Book You Read In 2023 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure? Also FOURTH WING. I read it because everyone was RAVING about it. I loved it too.

Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read? Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose

The Enola Holmes books are so much fun. Enola’s quirky personality and her banter with Sherlock always make me smile.

Hidden Gem Of The Year? The Audiobook of Spare by Prince Harry. Listen for yourself as Harry reads it. Don’t rely on biased media accountings of what he said. He does an amazing job.

Most Unique Book You Read In 2023? Also Spare. The Audiobook of Spare was unique as it was read by a Prince and gave us more real insight into royal life than the tales spun by the media. 

YOUR BLOGGING/BOOKISH LIFE

Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.) Other than a local author signing, I didn’t attend any events in 2023, but I plan to do that more, especially author signings.

Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2023? Went over 500 reviews on Netgalley. I also became a Co-Editor for Historical Novels Review, the magazine of the Historical Novel Society.  Was on the Book Bloggers Novel of the Year panel for the first time.

Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year? The only challenge I really entered this year was the Goodreads Challenge, and I did complete that.

Book Review: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros #IronFlame #FourthWing #Fantasy #NewAdult #YA

BonnieReadsAndWrites10 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION (FROM AMAZON)

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most cadets would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

BOOK REVIEW

I picked this up to see what everyone was raving about, and now I know. The story, the cutthroat, dragon-riding world, and the characters are all so good that the reader will keep coming back for more. This series, called the EMPYREAN series, is a phenomenon happening right now, and rumor has it that Amazon is developing a TV series. FOURTH WING is seriously addictive. A college for dragon riders! Tell me more! The tagline: “Graduate or die” just reels you in. It was published in May 2023 and already has over 100,000 reviews on Amazon. I have not seen this level of excitement about a series of books since Harry Potter. It is already successful, and there will no doubt be a lot more success in the future. The second book, IRON FLAME, comes out Tuesday, November 7th. I am waiting for this next book release as if Tuesday is Christmas morning. It’s a phenomenon for sure.

I did not get a free copy of this book. I bought it, even though I have free books lined up on my shelves to review. Then I bought the audiobook so I could experience it again. I now have the Kindle and Audiobook versions of IRON FLAME on preorder. Jump on board this train. You won’t regret it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Yarros is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, Sunday Times, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over fifteen novels, including FOURTH WING, and is always ready to bring on the emotions. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence in New Adult for Eyes Turned Skyward from her Flight and Glory series.

She loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for twenty-one years. She’s the mother of six children and lives in Colorado with her family, their stubborn English bulldog, feisty chinchillas, and Maine Coon cat who rules them all. Having fostered and then adopted their youngest daughter, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October.

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER (X) | FACEBOOK

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Google | Kobo | Audible

Indie Weekend: A Tryst in Paris #TimeTravel #HistoricalFiction

BonnieReadsAndWrites7 Comments

Indie Weekend is my effort to help Indie Authors with marketing. Marketing is probably the biggest task authors have, and if I can help even a little, I’m happy to do it. You can help too by sharing this far and wide with your social media followers. Indie authors will appreciate that SO MUCH. Below please see my review of A Tryst in Paris, a time travel romance by Anne Armistead.

BOOK DESCRIPTION (FROM THE AUTHOR)

When Mirabelle Montgomery visits the Luxembourg Carousel in Paris, a mysterious time shifter sweeps her into the Carousel’s time travel vortex and transports her to 1900 Paris. Her return will be allowed once she completes her mission to restore a man’s fate gone wrong. But whose?

Upon meeting dangerously sexy Jacques Thibaut, Mirabelle believes she has found her man. His life’s purpose as a stellar police detective has been derailed by accusations of his plotting with anarchists to overthrow the French government.

If she proves Jacques to be innocent, his life will be reset to its rightful providence. He will win back his job and those who once believed in him, including the woman he planned to marry. Mirabelle’s determination to complete her mission kindles passion between them. But their falling in love will jeopardize everything, for his true destiny does not include her. Besides, even if her heart desires, she cannot remain in 1900 Paris . . . can she?

Join Mirabelle Montgomery and her adventures as a time traveler in Paris of the past. A Tryst in Paris is Book One of The Carousel Time Traveler series.

BOOK REVIEW

This is a time travel romance that is set in 1900 Paris and takes us to the Exposition Universelle, also known as the 1900 Paris Exposition. The descriptions of the Exposition definitely made me feel transported there and the author has researched this well. The Second Olympics of modern times are also going on as part of the Exposition, which is something I learned from this book. One of the things I require from historical fiction is that I learn something, and this book did not disappoint. The main character, Mirabelle Montgomery, is compelling and her time travel adventure is captivating.

As always, every time travel novel needs a method of travel and a set of rules implemented by the author. The method is fantasy-based, involving a mysterious man and a carousel. The rules of time travel in this book are simple. Mirabelle is told upfront that she is being sent back to correct and restore a man’s fate. The butterfly effect, a popular time travel theme, is very important here. It states that the smallest flap of a butterfly’s wing can cause big changes in consequent events. In this novel, history has been changed, Mirabelle is sent back to correct this, and she is not allowed to leave until she has done so. That is the main rule.

In some ways, the time travel is too easy. When Mirabelle arrives, she is miraculously dressed for the period and can speak French, although she didn’t know how to speak it before. That makes her transition to 1900s France much too simple, in my opinion. A difficult period of adjustment would have further elevated the book. The ending of the book is also tied up a little too neatly.

There are hints of romance and bits of history woven throughout this novel in ways that fans of historical romance will enjoy. There are elements of the supernatural and a surprise that I appreciated. Overall, this is a satisfying mix of fantasy, history, romance, thriller, and time travel that readers will love.

My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 on sites with no partial star option.

I downloaded this book via Kindle Unlimited, where subscribers can read it for free.

BUY LINKS

AMAZON | AMAZON UK

BEFORE YOU GO…

*If you read the book, please leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as anywhere else you review books.  Some people feel very daunted by writing a review. Don’t worry. You do not have to write a masterpiece. Just a couple of lines about how the book made you feel will make the author’s day and help the book succeed. The more reviews a book has, the more Amazon will promote it.

*Please click on the “share” buttons below and share these books with your Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress followers.  A little bit of help from all of us will help Indie authors go a long way!

Three One-Line Reviews

BonnieReadsAndWrites10 Comments

I’m going to do something different since I’m trying to catch up after work, travel, and other commitments put me behind. Here are three one-line reviews. If you click on the cover, it will take you to the Amazon link. Enjoy.

This mashup of fantasy and alternate history brings so much magic and action to the story that the reader will not be able to breathe, much less stop reading.

This is a heartwarming story that is a good comfort read as Cleo, the 50ish owner of a bakery, starts really living her life after divorce.

Barbara Jenkins shares the real story behind the famous walk across America she took with her former husband, Peter, and the unvarnished truth is a lot more interesting than the media portrayal.

I received all three of these books from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Indie Weekend: Imaginary Friends by Chad Musick

BonnieReadsAndWrites4 Comments

Indie Weekend is my effort to highlight Indie books and help Indie authors, who have to do it all, with marketing. If I can help even a little bit, I’m happy to do it. I would ask all readers of my Indie Weekend posts to please share this far and wide with your social media followers so we can introduce these books to as many people as possible.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

If the delivery had been a demonic bowling alley or a mermaid’s grotto, Ivy would have sent it away. She has standards, after all. But she can’t refuse a magical Library, especially when they’ve gone to the trouble of including a wheelchair ramp. They say that on the Internet nobody knows you’re a dog, but somebody knows fourteen-year-old Ivy is an orphan, that she sells her paper-writing services to lazy college students, and that her imaginary friends are unhappy being stuck in the mural on the wall of her Alaskan home.

Himitsu refuses the Library, becoming angry enough to attack the delivery people with his bamboo sword. They won’t tempt him with books, any more than his mother has been able to tempt him into leaving their apartment during the past two years. He has all he needs: video games, online forums, and his virtual girlfriend Moe. Well, almost all. His dad’s death has left a hole in him, which is why when he receives text messages saying the Library can bring back the dead, he changes his mind. Moe tries to warn him about the danger, but what does she know, anyway?

Now, having been lured into the Library and having foolishly brought their imaginary friends with them, Ivy and Himitsu find those friends are trapped. The teens have a choice: fulfill the Librarian’s odd and painful demands in hopes of rescuing their friends or go back alone to their small, boring lives, knowing they’ve failed the only ones who really believe in them.

BOOK REVIEW

What does one do when a free magical library shows up at your door, ready for installation? Accept it, right? That’s what Ivy does, but Himitsu is not as trusting until the Library tells him it can bring back the dead. Suddenly Ivy and Himitsu find themselves in the library with their imaginary friends, who are trapped and can never leave. They meet another friend, Simon, and slowly all of their stories are told.

What an amazing and creative Young Adult story! Some of the lines in this book just jump out in their genius. “All giraffes are named Janice, excepting a few heretics” caught my attention early in the book as I went on a magical journey of discovery with Ivy, Himitsu, and friends. But I soon learned that although this is about a magic library, it is also so much more. It’s about pain and secrets and forgiveness. It’s about coming to terms with your past. And it’s about reaching out. One of my favorite lines is: “As with nachos, when two people share pain with each other, there always turns out to be less of it than either thought.”

This description of an author long gone took my breath away: “At the end of things, she knew, this form she inhabited would cease to be. She would crawl back into her books of poetry and pressed flowers, her spirit to be let back out only when her words were read out by dreamers and destroyers.”

Imaginary Friends is a beautifully woven tale of life, books, and how they intertwine with each other. I recommend it to everyone. It will not just touch your heart, it will touch your imagination. I feel more creative after having read it.

I received a free copy of this book from Cinnabar Moth Publishing, but I also bought a copy because when I see a talented author with so much genius, I want to support their work.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chad Musick grew up in Utah, California, Washington, Texas, and (most of all) Alaska. He fell in love in California and then moved with his family to Japan, where he’s found happiness. He earned a PhD in Mathematical Science, but loves art and science equally.

Despite a tendency for electronic devices to burst into flame after Chad handles them, he persists in working in various technical and technology-related roles.

Chad makes no secret of being epileptic, autistic, and arthritic, facts that inform how he approaches both science and the arts.

WEBSITE

BUY LINKS

AMAZON | AMAZON UK

BEFORE YOU GO

*If you read the book, please leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as anywhere else you review books.  Some people feel very daunted by writing a review. Don’t worry. You do not have to write a masterpiece. Just a couple of lines about how the book made you feel will make the author’s day and help the book succeed. The more reviews a book has, the more Amazon will promote it.

*Please click on the “share” buttons below and share these books with your Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress followers.  A little bit of help from all of us will help Indie authors go a long way!

Indie Spotlight: The Rebel and the Princess #IndieAuthors #DemiDMiato

BonnieReadsAndWrites2 Comments

Indie Spotlight is my effort to help get the word out about Indie books. Below you can learn more about The Rebel and the Princess by Demi D. Miato.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Jack was a man who had it all: a comfortable life, a loving family, and a promising future.

Until one day, the Royal family took it all away.

But they didn’t just take everything away, they did it in a way so cruel and sickening that it completely broke him. All that was left of a once vibrant and cheerful man was a hollow shell, a walking dead with nothing but a seething anger and an unyielding desire for revenge keeping him on his feet.

But fate works in a funny way. Never in his wildest dreams would Jack have guessed that the greatest ally in his seek of revenge against the ruling family would be none other than their very own princess.

These two natural enemies form an unusual bond, united by their shared anguish and determination to fight back against the oppressive rule of the crown. They must work together, putting their differences aside and learning to trust each other, to save the kingdom from the tyranny that plagues it.

“The Rebel and the Princess” is a thrilling story of two broken individuals from opposite sides of the political spectrum who band together in their quest for justice. In a world filled with corruption and brutality, they find solace in each other and discover that hope for a better tomorrow can still exist in even the darkest of times.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

An author, Poet
If you don’t find me at my desk writing, you’ll probably find me on my desk dancing.
“Whatever it takes” tattooed on my brain.

WEBSITE | FOLLOW ON GOODREADS

BUY LINKS

AMAZON | AMAZON UK

Indie Weekend: The Ashen War #alternatehistory #indiebooks #indieauthors

BonnieReadsAndWrites4 Comments

Indie Weekend is my attempt to help Independent Authors with the task of marketing. Indie authors have to do it all, from cover design to editing, promotion, and more. If I can help even a little bit by sharing their wonderful books with others, I’m happy to do it.

Please share this review with your social media followers as well so we can spread the word about great Indie books as far as possible.

BOOK DESCRIPTION (FROM AMAZON)

England is on the brink of collapse. After a mysterious plague ravaged the world during the American Civil War, the Crown imposed decades of isolation. The King now turns once again to colonization, and to save what little family he has left, James Barlow, an imprisoned resistance leader, is forced to join an expedition across the Atlantic to America. Waiting for them, however, is a scorched land ruled by a brutal cult. Hunted relentlessly, the expedition is split up, and James is captured. But the cult will soon learn that James is more than a mere prisoner. He is a born rebel.

THE ASHEN WAR is a raucous action-packed journey through a re-imagined America changed by an apocalyptic event during the country’s most fragile period that speculates what cultures, religions, languages, and societies might have emerged. Follow the adventure of smart-mouthed rebel James Barlow and the well-read but untested Liz Stillman, whose journeys will take them through ruined cities, crumbling mining towns, and the fiery, smoke-filled lands of a vicious cult as they try to come to terms with their past while saving what they can of the future. THE ASHEN WAR is the cinematic debut novel by Dan Le Fever and the first of a planned trilogy.

BOOK REVIEW

This is exciting, action-packed alternate history. The premise is fascinating–America was ravaged by a plague during the Civil War, changing it forever. The British isolated themselves for decades, trying to avoid the plague, and their strict control measures resulted in a civil war of their own. When they decide to finally venture out, they send their most expendable to see what happened to America. The new America that the author Dan Le Fever has built is fascinating in its fanaticism and brutality. The belief that dragons destroyed America has gripped a large community of people. The idea that a myth can be used to control others is explored, as well as mankind’s ability to both inflict torture and to withstand it. The effects of extreme isolation on a civilization are shown in haunting detail. In the same way, determination and a fighting spirit are also an agent of change, and they are embodied in our main character and others.

The chance to visit a reimagined America is fascinating. Familiar names are attached to vastly different circumstances, and the states in America have changed completely. The effects of a plague on a people are explored, as well as the brutality of slavery. An interesting question arose: Which is worse, a plague or a war? I was not as connected with the book for about the first ten percent until they arrived in America, and then the action did not stop. This is a compelling look at an alternate America and Britain that will keep you enthralled. Fans of alternate history with a bit of fantasy and lots of adventure will enjoy this book.

I received a free copy of this book. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dan Le Fever is just a guy from Lynn, MA who puts one word after another in the hopes that it makes sense in the end. He has two short stories published by Fundead Publications. The first is a horror story titled PANIC and can be found in One Night In Salem. The second is Land of Promise, an American Gothic tale set in the Dust Bowl era, found in Exquisite Aberrations. His first Eerie River published story is Xook, which will be released in It Calls From The Sea. His first full-length novel, The Ashen War, was released on 9/27/22.

BUY LINKS: AMAZON | AMAZON UK

BEFORE YOU GO

*If you read the book, please leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as anywhere else you review books.  Some people feel very daunted by writing a review. Don’t worry. You do not have to write a masterpiece. Just a couple of lines about how the book made you feel will make the author’s day and help the book succeed. The more reviews a book has, the more Amazon will promote it.

*Please click on the “share” buttons below and share these books with your Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress followers.  A little bit of help from all of us will help Indie authors go a long way!

Indie Spotlight: Antigone by Rhea Karvanis #fantasy #timetravel

BonnieReadsAndWrites9 Comments

Indie Spotlight is my effort to help spread the word about Indie books. Check out the book description and buy links for this time travel fantasy below.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Antigone is a historical fantasy novel that reimagines the legends of Greek mythology within the fall of one of the world’s greatest and earliest empires. It is a tale of adventure, love, and heartbreak. This is a story of estranged twins who travel back in time to unearth the dark secrets of their family’s past.

In the darkest hour of night, Ann is beckoned by a voice. Antigone, it calls to her. Haunted by this name that she has not heard since she was almost too young to remember, Ann travels to Greece. She is searching for a brother who disappeared from her life years earlier.

As children, Ann and Nik were everything to each other. They had to be. Yet when Ann tracks her twin down on the island of Crete, he will barely meet her eyes. He offers her a single day: one afternoon of sightseeing in an ancient labyrinth – whose stones whisper to Ann of a past left unburied.

In this reimagining of Greek myth, we are brought back to a world of gods and kings, heroes and sacrifice. A lost world of legend, balanced on the edge of a knife. For it is here, in the shadows of this living maze, that the twins’ fate is woven into a civilization on the brink of extinction.

Antigone will be released April 10, 2023.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

R. X. Karvanis is a Greek Canadian whose ancestors drove caravans on the slopes of Mount Olympus. A graduate of U of T Law, with an honours degree in English Literature and Classic Civilizations, she abandoned a professional career to pursue her dream: combining her love of magic, Greek myth and story-telling. She is a first-time novelist.

BUY LINKS

AMAZON | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CANADA | WAL-MART

Indie Weekend: Book Review: Chronicles of The Golden City #Indiebooks #Fantasy #Adventure @Author_APKnight

BonnieReadsAndWrites5 Comments

Indie Weekend is my attempt to help Independent Authors with the task of marketing. Indie authors have to do it all, from cover design to editing, promoting, and more. If I can help even a little bit by sharing their wonderful books with others, I’m happy to do it.

Please share this review with your social media followers as well so we can spread the word about great Indie books as far as possible.

BOOK REVIEW

This is a well-written young adult fantasy with a medieval tone. Harper has gotten an opportunity, through a friend of his father’s, Hammond, to go to the Golden City, Mascaroth, to be a soldier. Harper will be joined by his close friend Linden, and they are also traveling with Bailey and Carrington, the coddled children of the King. Linden has different goals in mind and really just wants to find a wife. Harper, however, is soon intrigued by the Einari, the ancient soldiers of Mascaroth, as his training to be a soldier begins. Thus commences a sweeping and bloody saga, as the Southern Tribesmen are plotting a takeover, and good and evil come to an inevitable clash.

I really enjoyed this novel, which includes some very captivating “stories within a story” about the Einari. Everything is so well written and woven together. Harper encounters love, betrayal, bitterness, torture, unexpected friends, and the horrors of war as he fights for freedom in more ways than one. It is truly an epic fantasy adventure of which the author can be proud. Some well-done surprises truly reveal the fact that people do not always act as expected during times of war. I highly recommend setting off on this adventure, which will immerse you into a world of swords, castles, and ancient soldiers. There is also a touch of romance. My hat is off to A.P. Knight for creating an excellent world and a wonderful story.

I downloaded a copy of this novel via Kindle Unlimited, where subscribers can read this book for free.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A.P. Knight

Andy isn’t the stereotypical author. Not only would he prefer a Dr. Seuss book to a classic, but he’d also rather have a ball in his hands than a keyboard under his fingers. But one day a story popped into his mind that he deemed too important not to write, and upon endless hours of typing, deleting, and retyping, his writing career began. If you’re searching for a young adult clean read that is as stirring as it is inspiring, then crack open one of Andy’s books.

A Midwesterner to his core, Andy prefers the simple life: shooting hoops, chasing pop flies in the outfield, hanging out with family, and scarfing heaping bowls of chocolate ice cream.

TWITTER | WEBSITE

PURCHASE CHRONICLES OF THE GOLDEN CITY

BEFORE YOU GO

*If you read the book, please leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as anywhere else you review books.  Some people feel very daunted by writing a review. Don’t worry. You do not have to write a masterpiece. Just a couple of lines about how the book made you feel will make the author’s day and help the book succeed. The more reviews a book has, the more Amazon will promote it.

*Please click on the “share” buttons below and share these books with your Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress followers.  A little bit of help from all of us will help Indie authors go a long way!