Synopsis

 

’Dragons in the Clouds’’ is an epic adventure that takes place in the land of Albian during a time when Dragons were alive and freely roamed the land.  The people during this time were being devoured by a particularly vicious species of dragon. To protect his people, the ruling King finally orders the total annihilation of all living dragons. A powerful wizard, named Merlinus, who is a friend to the king, does not agree with the King’s order. Merlinius knows all Dragons are not what they seem. So he does what he must to protect a family of dragons that he has befriended. To protect his dragon friends, Melinus performs the spell of weightlessness and tells the dragons to fly up and to hide in the cover of the clouds.  An unforeseen ability of the dragon’s weightlessness spell is that a Dragon’s fire now looks like lightning to the people below, and their roar is like that of thunder. Melinus tells the dragons to live within the clouds and to only come down at night to eat.  Merlinius’ apprentice wants his master’s power and has grand ideas of his own. He has a plan for evil dragons that he has hidden deep within a mountain cavern. Now enters a young boy, who has befriended a very young dragon. The two suddenly find themselves caught between the King’s order and a battle that has begun between two species of dragons. A battle ensues that will determine control of the skies above the Kingdom of Albian.  As a result, Merlinius’ apprentice’s plan has consequences that may bring the Kingdom of Albion and perhaps the very world we live in today, to a devastating end.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Inside the laboratory, the two wizards were still battling. David was startled by a loud crashing sound made by a large cabinet that Merlinius magically sent flying toward Odious. Odious ducked and scrambled behind some knocked over tables, causing Merlinius to momentarily lose track of him.

“Where are you? You coward!!” shouted Merlinius.

Odious jumped up and threw a crystal rock at Merlinius, hitting him in the head. Merlinius screamed in pain as he fell hard to the floor. David, seeing that Merlinius had taken a severe hit, immediately went to him to help him get back on his feet. Odious ran to retrieve the mallet he had lost earlier. Seeing David helping Merlinius, Odious went after him to try to scare him off. But brave David didn’t run. Instead, he started throwing bottles at Odious. While many of the bottles hit the wall behind Odious, some hit their mark, slowing Odious down considerably.

Outside, in the sky, Zindetha was in hot pursuit of Rago and was gaining ground, getting closer and closer. Zindetha thrust his large wings harder and harder as he zeroed in on Rago. His eyes grew bigger with excitement as he was almost upon his target. 74 David Blair Rago, seemingly running out of gas, began to slow down. Zindetha could almost taste his breakfast, his mouth watering with anticipation. Suddenly, Rago veered downward toward Merlinius’ castle, tucking his wings for maximum speed. Zindetha was angered by this unexpected burst of Rago’s pure will to survive, helping him to streak downward at incredible speed.

“You can’t get away!!” Zindetha roared, as he also tucked his wings for maximum speed downward.

Once again, he started to close in on Rago, this time at a much faster rate. Rago swiftly changed direction in hopes of eluding his capture. Rago is now heading straight for the castle, while Zindetha, oblivious to his direction of flight, is focused entirely on Rago. Zindetha failed to realize that he was headed straight for the castle wall. Rago spied a small porthole, difficult to see, but possibly big enough for Rago to fit through. The smaller dragon soared in the direction of the small porthole. Zindetha, still oblivious that he was headed for the wall, followed in full pursuit of Rago. At the last minute, Rago tucked his wings as tight as he could and shot right through the castle porthole. But foolish Zindetha, like a runaway train, collided horribly into the castle wall. The crash brought boulder-sized bricks down on top of Zindetha, practically covering the large dragon. Zindetha lay immobile on the ground. Seeing Zindetha hit the wall and collapsing, the other meat-eating dragons took flight and started circling above Merlinius’ castle.

 

About the Author

 

David Blair – Growing up, I was captivated by the show ‘’The Twilight Zone”. The supernatural was/is so interesting to me. I started my storytelling at the young age of 14. I wrote, directed, and starred in a student film called ‘’Destination Destiny’’.  What a great experience that was for me. My most favorite and influential writers would be Rod Sterling and Charles Dickens, The story, “A Christmas Carol” lives within me all year round.  All my work has a paranormal feel to it.  In my thirties worked as a production supervisor for EnterAktion Studios.

 

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Synopsis

 

January Cole’s job just got a whole lot harder.

Not that running security at the Paradox was ever really easy. Nothing’s simple at a hotel where the ultra-wealthy tourists arrive costumed for a dozen different time periods, all eagerly waiting to catch their “flights” to the past.

Or where proximity to the timeport makes the clocks run backward on occasion—and, rumor has it, allows ghosts to stroll the halls.

None of that compares to the corpse in room 526. The one that seems to be both there and not there. The one that somehow only January can see.

On top of that, some very important new guests have just checked in. Because the U.S. government is about to privatize time-travel technology—and the world’s most powerful people are on hand to stake their claims.

January is sure the timing isn’t a coincidence. Neither are those “accidents” that start stalking their bidders.

There’s a reason January can glimpse what others can’t. A reason why she’s the only one who can catch a killer who’s operating invisibly and in plain sight, all at once.

But her ability is also destroying her grip on reality—and as her past, present, and future collide, she finds herself confronting not just the hotel’s dark secrets but her own.

At once a dazzlingly time-twisting murder mystery and a story about grief, memory, and what it means to—literally—come face-to-face with our ghosts, The Paradox Hotel is another unforgettable speculative thrill ride from acclaimed author Rob Hart.

 

 

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This book releases 2/22/22

 

 

Review

 

This book packs a lot into the pages with a diverse character group, addressing issues we see today, and even a little bit of a mystery thrown in to boot.

This book is not one that you will sail through because of the complexity of the plot and the vast amount of characters. However, it is well worth the read especially if you like science fiction and fantasy rolled into one.

January Cole is a whipsmart character that isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. Accompanied by a robot/drone that helps keep her in check, these two make the story quite fascinating. They play off of each other and the snarky comments add levity to the situations at hand. January does have an advantage, or perhaps disadvantage, as an Unstuck person. She can see snippets of things to come which aids her in doing her job and what to look for, but at the same time, it hinders her because of the prejudice from those around her.

This story delves into time travel and what it might be like to travel back in time to a historic event and watch it live. Granted, the TEA has to watch out for those that might be trying to alter history or profit for themselves. There is a scene where 3 dinosaurs are caught running around the hotel and the story of how they arrived in the present only adds to the mystery of what is going on at the hotel.

As I mentioned, the characters are diverse and range from LGBTQ+, nonbinary (which is still hard for me to get used to They/Them and not expect it to refer to a group of people vs just one), entitled wealthy individuals, and even some down to earth characters. Each adds something to the storyline even as a minor character.

The mystery comes in trying to find out who is erasing video and other data files, who might be trying to kill some of the super-wealthy, and just creating general havoc that keeps January and the rest of the staff on their toes.

I enjoyed the book and while it might not be for everyone, I think many might just enjoy this book. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Rob Hart is the author of THE PARADOX HOTEL. He also wrote THE WAREHOUSE, which has been sold in more than 20 countries and been optioned for film by Ron Howard, as well as the Ash McKenna crime series, the short story collection TAKE-OUT, and SCOTT FREE with James Patterson.

His short stories have been published widely, including “Due on Batuu,” set in the Star Wars universe, which appeared in FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and “Take-Out,” which appeared in BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES 2018.

He’s worked as a political reporter, the communications director for a politician, and a commissioner for the city of New York. He is the former publisher at MysteriousPress.com and the current class director at LitReactor. He lives in New York City.

 

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Synopsis

 

A new quirky young adult horror fantasy novel from the author of James Rhyder and the Cave of Dreams.

Sixteen-year-old Chase Addams just had the worst birthday of his entire life. He was terrorized at school by a death god, spent the evening in a haunted house, and even faced off with an urban legend in the flesh. If this wasn’t enough to ruin the average person’s day, it ended with his best friend and girlfriend, Asra Saitou, being dragged off into the abyss by a mysterious arm wreathed in flames. Chase soon discovers this kidnapping is part of a hidden war between the lands of the living and the lands of the dead. What’s even worse for the self-described uncoordinated, sarcastic, smartass is everyone thinks he’s something called a guardian —one of the heroic spirits who are summoned to not only fight in the war but keep the conflict from spilling out into the different realms of existence.

Now, Chase must come to terms with what it means to be a hero, avoid the terrors prowling in the lands of the dead, maneuver the politics of an interplanar war, and of course try to find Asra. All of this before a lurking darkness consumes both worlds. However, in this cosmic conflict, nothing is quite what it seems.

 

 

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About the Author

 

David Brooks is the author of over 100 middle-grade and young adult fantasy novels, only two of which have been written and released. That is to say, he is an author with an entire notebook bursting with ideas, and never enough time to get everything written. James Rhyder and the Cave of Dreams was his debut novel.

 

Twitter

 

 

Synopsis

 

An allegory about one’s journey to self-actualization. When 17-year-old Alunsinag Bayani accidentally stepped into Driftland, he discovered he could switch places with his alternate self for 58 minutes. During the switch, his alternate self gives him the necessary push to find the courage and regain self-confidence. But trouble looms over Driftland when nightmares attack to diminish hope and dreams through fear. Can Alunsinag and his companions conquer their fears and save Driftland?

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

This shorter story is engaging and pulls us into an alternate reality where our excellent self merges with the self we know but only for 58 minutes at a time.

We meet Alunsiang that is like most teens and has a hard time in school with bullies, few friends, and just trying to fit in with the rest of the students. I love his passion for Michael Jackson and how it calms him down if he is anxious. His parents are loving but his father travels a lot and his mother works many hours as a nurse, but you can see the love for her son and husband from making sure they have good food to eat or listening to their issues. She also is observant and realizes that one of his classmate’s mother is possibly being abused. She is willing to go the extra mile to help her if possible.

Alunsiang does have nightmares and wonders if it is real or not. Asking for help from a teacher leads him down a path to save this alternate reality with his friend and they find another classmate might have some knowledge about this, and I wonder if the future books will show them working together as a team or will it tear them apart?

I enjoyed the variety of characters and their interests and backgrounds, it really rounded out the story. I really like this band of misfit friends and how their friendships formed over food, more specifically lunch. I look forward to reading the next two books in this series to see how the story plays out. We give this 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

I. S.A. Crisostomo Lopez is a writer based in the Philippines. She is married with four children. Her short stories “Si Lola Apura at si Lolo Un Momento” and “Ang Bisikleta ni Kyla” were published by Adarna House and Philam Foundation respectively. Her story “Passage” was anthologized in “Hoard of Thunder 2: Best Philippine Short Stories” by UP Press. Her latest work is the Driftland trilogy available on Amazon.

 

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James Dreadful and the Tomb of Forgotten Secrets (The Dreadful Series Book 2)

 

by Alan Creed

 

Category: YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 332 pages

 

Genre: Fantasy

 

Publisher: Creed Publishing

 

Release date: October 19, 2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

James Dreadful’s Epic Adventure Continues in Book Two of the Dreadful Series

After narrowly escaping a contract with his father’s evil servant Rekenhowler, James reluctantly decides to return home to the Cades Isles to live out the rest of his youth training to become a sorcerer. The only problem: James and his companions are adrift on the boat Persephone in the Realm of Shadows without a crew.

When a stowaway aboard Persephone informs James that his father—the Dark Lord—might have been mind-slaved by the mysterious, evil Cowl, James is shocked. The only proof that he will accept is the soul of his father, which he learns is lodged deep in the Tomb of Forgotten Secrets. In confronting his father’s soul, James can learn the truth about the Dark Lord—and if he is destined to become one himself.

​But before he can reach the Tomb, James must travel to Sarvelok, an island protected by raiders, to retrieve the key his uncle Oskar stole from him. Attacking the island would be suicide—but possible with the help of Rekenhowler. The price James will have to pay, however, is too high, but without it, will he ever learn the truth of his father—and his own fate?

 

Amazon

 

About the Author

 

Alan Creed fell in love with storytelling after seeing Star Wars for the first time as a child. When he was ten years old, his tutor asked him to write sentences containing three words: Ocean, Desert, and Jungle. Instead of sentences, Alan wrote a 103-page story entitled Journey through the Desert. That’s when he knew he wanted to be a writer. His 103-page story served as the source material for the Dreadful Series. Alan is currently working on the next installment in the James Dreadful series.

 

Website * Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

Enter to win an ebook copy of James Dreadful and the Tomb of Forgotten Secrets (The Dreadful Series Book 2) (three winners)(ends Feb 4)

 

JAMES DREADFUL AND THE TOMB OF FORGOTTEN SECRETS Book Tour Giveaway

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

The world of the Lands is filled with dangerous beasts, warmed by lava lakes, full of exotic plants, and infused with the magic of nature. This land is inhabited by very different people, but the most numerous and influential of them are called Igni. Not only do their species have a very distinctive look; their culture and way of life are also quite exceptional. This book will familiarize you a bit with them, their world, and their way of life.

The first story will tell you about Sabiri and Iskrila. One day, their quiet and pleasant life was assaulted, their well-being endangered, forcing them to retaliate. They had to protect not only themselves but their entire village. Just like in old times, they go to war. Yet now the threat came from the most unlikely place. Will Sabiri and Iskrila be able to prevail? To what lengths will they be willing to go? Will they be able to show kindness to their enemies, or will they destroy them in bitter rage?

The second story will tell you about Bacara and Maria. To protect their village from an imminent attack, they go on a journey to find magical artifacts of immense power. Or no power at all. You would need to be a mage to understand such objects and control them. But without a mage to help them, Maria and Bacara have to act blindly, all to gain an advantage against their foes. Will they find their prize? Will the artifacts obey their new masters or destroy them?

 

 

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Excerpt

 

 

From chapter

 

«The question»

 

“Why did it happen?” Maria finally said after a few minutes. “Not like it’s the first time I’ve faced danger…”

Maria looked Bacara in the eyes and leaned forward, trying to find answers in them. “Why did I panic? After everything I’ve done before meeting you? After everything we’ve done together? Why did I freeze now? I even had weapons; I even had my shield… I had you at my side!”

Now Bacara leaned forward and took Maria’s hands in hers. Face to face, they were as close to each other as their horns allowed.

“Are you saying you were always fearless?” Bacara smiled. “Do you remember your first time? When you were in true danger? When you knew that a single mistake could cost you your life? Are you sure you weren’t afraid then? I really don’t know — we hadn’t met yet.”

Maria did not answer.

“How old were you back then? I guess you’d been training for a battle, preparing for it, asking advice, hearing stories about it. But you were not ready for it, not really. You didn’t really know anything about a battle, about danger, about fear, about death. Nothing can prepare a person to face that. Nothing but experience.”

Bacara sat more comfortably and started to clean the dried blood from Maria’s sword.

“Same here. I doubt you’ve infiltrated a village before. Your enemy was always right in front of you. You always knew what was coming. But not today. Every door could’ve opened, every shadow could’ve hidden death, every step could’ve been your last. I think what’s more important is that you haven’t had a clear goal. You always push yourself towards it: you count dead enemies, cleaned houses, killed animals, even covered distance. You don’t count how many push-ups you did — you count how many there are still left to do. I also do that sometimes. Today you were wandering in darkness. But the next time will be easier. You know that!”

Maria looked away and lay down. Her sword was now clean. But Bacara wasn’t about to look away as well. Wasn’t going to sleep while she could see the light, reflecting in Maria’s open eyes. Very slowly, the sky was becoming brighter and brighter. How much time did they have until the village would awaken? How fast would they find out what had just happened? Why? Why did that igni wake up? They didn’t have to kill anyone! If they could’ve just grabbed the thing and gotten out…

“I am afraid of many things, you know that,” Maria broke the silence. “Frightened even. That thing I’m teaching people — ‘Don’t think, just do’ — did it ever work? I mean, in a real situation?” she asked.

“You know the answer,” Bacara said. “You definitely kept saying that to yourself today — and here we are! As safe as we’re gonna be. They won’t see us from the ground.”

“As safe as we’re gonna be? But why?” Maria sat up and looked Bacara in the eye. “Why can’t we be home? I know why I’m here. But why did you agree to this?”

 

About the Author

 

Anton Anderson is a programmer by trade, but a fantasy writer by soul.

He enjoys creating. And creating fictional worlds offers more freedom than programming.

Anton worked in the field of autonomous vehicles, and now he moved to cybersecurity.

From early childhood, Anton loves fantasy, science-fiction, detective, thrillers, and mystery.

His first published book “The Seekers: Soul Ties” was long in the making, but rich with experimentation and discovery.

Anton holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics and Informatics in Economy.

He lives on planet Earth.

 

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Synopsis

 

Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones in this thrilling fairytale retelling for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and All the Stars and Teeth.

Fi is a bookish treasure hunter with a knack for ruins and riddles, who definitely doesn’t believe in true love.

Shane is a tough-as-dirt girl warrior from the north who likes cracking skulls, pretty girls, and doing things her own way.

Briar Rose is a prince under a sleeping curse, who’s been waiting a hundred years for the kiss that will wake him.

Cursed princes are nothing but ancient history to Fi–until she pricks her finger on a bone spindle while exploring a long-lost ruin. Now she’s stuck with the spirit of Briar Rose until she and Shane can break the century-old curse on his kingdom.

Dark magic, Witch Hunters, and bad exes all stand in her way–not to mention a mysterious witch who might wind up stealing Shane’s heart, along with whatever else she’s after. But nothing scares Fi more than the possibility of falling in love with Briar Rose.

Set in a lush world inspired by beloved fairytales, The Bone Spindle is a fast-paced young adult fantasy full of adventure, romance, found family, and snark.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

When they stepped through the opening, it felt as if they had entered an entirely different house. From here, they could look out over the lake, a view of the valley framed by carved archways of streaked yellow stone that led onto a crumbling balcony. The railing—constructed of a row of winding bronze roses—was badly tarnished, and Fi could see at least one patch where the wooden floorboards had fallen out altogether, leaving her peering down at the deep water below. She made a mental note to be careful where she stepped.

Fi could only imagine how beautiful this place must have been, even just a hundred years ago, before the last Witches had fled. It was the kind of building that probably could have stood another thousand years if anyone had been around to tend to it.

In the evening light, the floating specks of dust from the broken spell burned like flecks of gold, illuminating wall-to-wall bookshelves filled with all the things someone had hidden here: old vials of colored glass; fine porcelain teacups hand-painted with blushing roses; and spools of expensive fabrics dyed burgundy and cobalt, the trademark colors of the silk makers in southern Andar. Fi hadn’t seen craftsmanship like this since the antique shops of Pisarre. Darfell was rich in ore, wood, and wine, but most of its exports were raw materials. Artifacts like this had to be from Andar. The shelves bowed under the weight of ancient books with thick cloth bookmarks spilling over the yellowed pages.

“This is more like it!”

Fi glanced over at Shane, who had gone straight for the treasure. A weathered chest on the far side of the room spilled over with gold chains and ropes of jewels. A silver crown set with pink diamonds already sat askew on the girl’s head. Fi sighed. In that way, Shane was like every other treasure hunter she’d ever known.

Fi had just stepped around a hole in the creaking floorboards, making for the books, when something else caught her eye. A narrow alcove had been cut into the wall near the balcony, and inside sat a long, low table draped in black cloth. Something shone in the table’s center, something that gleamed like shards of white marble. No, Fi realized as she moved toward it—it was bone.

She drifted closer and stared down at the shattered pieces of a bone drop spindle, smooth and pure white as if they had just been polished. She couldn’t tear her eyes away. A few rust-red drops clung to the whorl, and Fi suddenly wondered whether this was the spindle from the story, the one that had been hidden in Briar Rose’s garden.

Her hand seemed to move on its own. Almost against her will, she found herself reaching for the broken piece of the shaft. She hissed as something bit into her finger, making her jerk back. Only now did she notice the snapped-off end of the spindle hidden under the other pieces, sharpened to a point.

Suddenly it was hard to think. Black slanted into the edge of her vision, and all the blood in her body seemed to be rushing the wrong way, leaving her faint. Fi stumbled backward onto the sagging balcony. Her legs trembled as if the floor had begun to shake. A drop of blood welled up on the tip of her finger. Fi stared at it, captivated, the words from the ruin’s door echoing in her mind.

A drop of blood, a drop of hope . . .

“Fi, watch out!”

Shane’s shout brought Fi back to herself in a rush. She hadn’t imagined it—the weathered boards under her feet were shaking and groaning. The balcony was collapsing under her weight. A great crack split the air as the support joists snapped out of the divots in the stone wall.

Fi jumped away, but she was too late. She felt a great heave in her stomach as the whole balcony collapsed, taking a large chunk of the room with it.

She threw her rope helplessly toward the carved archways. The metal ring bounced off the stone—and then she was falling, the breath crushed out of her. Shane threw herself down at the edge of the ripped-apart floor, her hand outstretched over the gap. The distance between them might as well have been a mile. All Fi could hear was the echo of Shane shouting her name as she plunged toward the lake.

At least I didn’t take any of the precious books down with me.

It was her last thought before she hit the water.

 

 

About the Author

 

Leslie is a YA author who loves girl heroes and adventurers. She grew up on fantasy books, anime, fanfiction, and the Lord of the Rings movies, and met her true love in high school choir. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.A. in creative writing, and currently lives in Colorado with her wife and two spoiled house cats.

 

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Synopsis

​A haunted teen outcast and her snarky ghostly best-frenemy outwit enforcers, monsters, and the scars of the past in a race to take expose a deadly conspiracy and escape a bloody end. A lush, award-winning debut to a captivatingly eerie YA Urban Fantasy trilogy. Discover a labyrinthine, post-climate-collapse dystopian Vancouver overrun by monsters and magic in this intricate and startlingly original journey of discovery, restoration, and revenge.

It’s hard not to be a little obsessed with survival when your only “friend” is an unruly ghost and the wrong thought could get your soul devoured by eldritch horrors. Haunted 17-year-old outcast Cole wants nothing more than to hide her forbidden fascination with the monster-taken and blend in with the (dreary) scenery. Her plans for a peaceful life take a turn for the deadly when a mesmerizing stranger and his dangerously tempting offer drive her into the middle of a grisly conspiracy.

But Cole hasn’t yet uncovered the biggest secret of all, and it might just have something to do with the mysterious threads tugging her into horrifying visions—not to mention the shimmering boy at their dark heart. Uncovering the truth will cost her dearly as she fends off scheming enforcers, dreamjacking ghosts & soul-sucking nightmares in a desperate quest for survival and retribution. Can she escape the scars of her past and expose the lies before she’s the next to die?

Blind the Eyes is the first book in a lush and labyrinthine trilogy of paranormal-meets-gothic-dystopian YA Urban Fantasy filled with glittering underworlds, delicious-and-deceptive strangers, and facing down the voices in your head. This slow-burn fantasy with an edge leads readers on a captivatingly unexpected journey of self-discovery, reclaimed identity, and conflicted sisterhood for those who like a little sparkle with their monsters (it glistens so nicely on all the blood.) Fans of post-climate-collapse dystopias, monsters-and-magic, and genre-bending dark fantasy will love this award-winning series starter in a complete and 100% binge-ready trilogy.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Read Spooky Not Scary!

 

I’ve always had waaay too much imagination for the truly terrifying—seriously, I had nightmares after the first time I watched The Mummy (which is tragic, because Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are fantastic in it!)

Which is why I love the idea of “spooky reads.” There’s this whole sort of hidden subgenre of fantasy with creepy characters, scenes, and other elements, without the kind of creeping horror that makes you afraid to step out of bed in the middle of the night. Specifically, I like to hang out on the gothic end of the spectrum. Consider:

 

• Dystopian manors, towns, or cities, crumbling into obscurity. Everything’s a little worn and faded but also eerily gorgeous. Also, you’re half-or-more in love with death, which is perfect, because it’s also obsessed with you.
• There’s a very slim chance of a romance turning out well, but may I present: confused and/or forbidden attraction, endless yearning, and frustrated desire. Forget steam; how about a slow, poisonous simmer?
• Then there’s the monsters. Are they paranormal? Supernatural? A symptom of your own repression? The true face of society’s oppression? Does it matter, when you know the only sure thing is that your dread will be rewarded with blood and someone’s sure to die beautifully?
• And don’t forget the aesthetics. Wisps of fog, hidden menace and shrouded scenery. Dark waters, mirror-still and waiting to swallow you whole or storm-grey and tossing, eager to grind you against the rocks. Ominous towers with secrets hidden at their feet, endless rooms hiding unimaginable horrors, and faded glory, flaking off under your touch. Gilt and velvet and tattered silks; bitter wine and opium.
• But where it really all comes together is the heroine. Lost and lied to, trapped by circumstances, desperate not to dominate, to subject, to rule, but simply to survive. A gothic dystopian heroine is not a kickass leather-bound stereotype in stilettos but an exhausted girl just trying to get by in a world that wants to grind her under its heel. What could be more relatable? And if she has to untangle endless lies, uncover her stolen past, face down her ghosts and face up to the broken humanity surrounding her in order to take back her life and her power, what could be more aspirational?

 

So yeah, despite my woefully low capacity for the kind of horror that makes you pull the covers over your head, I’m all about the gothic touches in my fantasy. Curious what it’s all about? Join me at kawiggins.com (and join the newsletter to get started with some free spooky short reads!) or on social @kaiespace!

 

About the Author

 

K.A. Wiggins (Kaie) writes award-winning speculative fiction for young people and adults that explores the tangled webs of society, environment, and identity through intricate, dreamlike tales of monsters and magic.

Her debut novel was a Page Turner Awards 2020 Book Spotlight Prize winner and a Barnes & Noble Press “20 Favorite Indie Books of 2018,” kicking off a celebrated and recently completed YA Urban Fantasy trilogy set in a gothic-dystopian post-climate-collapse Vancouver. Her short fiction has appeared in small press anthologies, genre magazines, and in translation for international audiences.

She’s also the President of the Children’s Writers and Illustrators of British Columbia society, co-founder of marketing and business services consultancy The Creative Collective, and a creative writing coach with the Creative Writing for Children society, and was recognized in the 2021 Arty Awards, taking first place in Literary Arts category.

 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

 

Giveaway

 

Enter to win a special edition hardback copy of Blind the Eyes: A Dystopian-Gothic YA Urban Fantasy (GRAND PRIZE) (one winner/USA only) or ebook copy K.A. Wiggins’ award-winning novel. (5 runner-up winners) (ends Dec 24)

 

BLIND THE EYE by KA Wiggins Book Tour Giveaway

 

 

Synopsis

 

Thomas Madsen can change reality with his dreams, making him a dangerous man. Unaware of how or why it happens, he desperately wants it to stop. The problem is, he’s not in control. One dreamer is born every generation with the ability to alter reality, and one hunter is born to keep reality in check. For millennia, every time a dreamer encountered a hunter, the dreamer died. Until now. Collapsing on the street, Thomas awakes to find himself in the care of Madeleine Korer, a stranger who feels all too familiar. Not knowing whether to trust or fear her, Thomas walks a thin line, trapped between alternate realities, where murder or sacrifice become his only options. In this electrifying thriller, the lines between hunter and prey blur, and reality becomes the one thing they just can’t grasp.

 

 

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Review

 

This book is a little out of the normal genres I read, but every now and then, I like to stretch my reading and try something different. This book is a combination of fantasy with the supernatural and maybe a smidge dystopian.

It took me a little bit to wrap my head around the characters and their roles in this story, only because of the genre. Thomas is a dreamer, Valeria is a Hunter, and Madeline is a Shield. They all have specific objectives that they are seeking to accomplish, but there is really so much more to this story. Apparently, there is one dreamer and one hunter per generation but this is where it gets twisty, Valeria doesn’t inherit her role until her mother passes away and Valeria does something as a young girl that she thinks will help her mother live and not die

Thomas can dream up different worlds, but he doesn’t know it. All he knows is that he dreamed something about his previous coworkers and the next thing he knows, the building where he worked has collapsed and there are 200 people dead.

Adelaide/Valeria is the Hunter seeking the Dreamer to end his life. Not doing this would have dire consequences for her and she was already feeling some of the effects from not seeking him out and ending his existence.

Madeline is the Shield out to protect Thomas from Valeria, but does she have ulterior motives? It seems like she is just doing her job, but as the story continues, I began to question why she was so insistent on Thomas doing certain things while he tried to get a grasp on his new skills.

When Thomas and Valeria come head to head, the end result was a bit of a surprise, but since this happened approximately 1/3 of the way into the book, I knew there had to be more. It is hard to discuss the rest of the book without giving away some of the details that might come as a surprise to the reader.

I liked how the story flowed back and forth between Thomas and Valeria’s perspectives. I felt drawn into the story as I reflected on what each character was experiencing and what they were thinking. After the moment where the situation came to a head, the result was quite a surprise for me and the characters. The story continues with a supernatural flair and a little bit of mystery on how this would all end.

The ending was appropriate but left me with a few questions about possibilities for the lives of the characters after the book ended. Perhaps that is just left up to the reader’s imagination.

Overall, we give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Irina Slav was raised on folk tales, classical myths, and home-cooked meals. She wrote her first supernatural story as a class assignment when she was 17 and got the critical acclaim of her Communication Studies teacher. Her first attempt at a novel left her horrified by the magnitude of such an undertaking but she was stubborn and a certain number of years later her first successful attempt at the long form, The Lamiastriga, made its way into existence. Between novel drafts, Irina also writes short speculative fiction and horror. Her stories have been included in several anthologies. Irina lives in Sofia with her husband and daughter.

 

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Synopsis

 

The Sheehy witches are the most feared and detested family on the island of Inisliath, and none more so than Rowan.

As a deathwalker, Rowan ferries island souls to the Otherworld, experiencing their deaths and carrying their memories like ghosts within him. It’s a fated role he accepts even as it inexorably destroys him.

When the magic on the island starts to seep away from the other founding families, everyone blames the Sheehys—especially when islanders start dying.

Ash is sick of their father’s fists and constantly having to apologize for who they are. Life on Inisliath might be the fresh start Ash and their mum need, and meeting soft-spoken, curly-haired Rowan feels like the ray of sunshine Ash has desperately needed—but everything goes sideways when Ash’s mum becomes lead detective on a series of ritualistic murders allegedly tied to island magic, and Ash’s family history.

The islanders are convinced Rowan is guilty, but Ash refuses to believe it. When Ash does some investigating of their own, they discover Rowan is far more likely to be the next victim. With time running out to save Rowan, Ash will have to choose between a life free of their father or the boy they’re starting to love. Meanwhile, Rowan will have to decide just how much he’s willing to sacrifice to save his family from the darkness about to be unleashed on the island.

 

 

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Rowan

 

My sisters danced in the waves as I bled on the shore.

Their hair unspooled in the wind; their hands lifted toward the moon hanging like a scythe above the black ocean. They raised their voices, the spell harmonized in four parts, and I felt its pull.

The ghosts within me joined in the chorus, every soul shard ululating to the bruised night and fading stars. I let them sing; I was powerless to stop them. Instead, I closed my eyes, feeling the familiar thrum of the departed within my bones as my sisters chanted in the old tongue, the language of the tamed gods from whom we claimed our power.

Salt stung the wounds cut across my forearms by each of my sisters’ blades. Four fresh lines gouged between old scars. I knelt on the sand turning red beneath my knees and let the water take what it would of me.

My sisters’ song rose in pitch and volume, their voices straining, beseeching the waves to accept this offering from my veins. Ribbons of light rippled through the foam, darting toward their naked bodies as they spun and splashed.

The waves lapped hungrily at my blood, soaking my jeans, icy fingers in my skin. A final pull, as if I were being dragged below by a rip current, swallowed by the sea, and my sisters gasped as one.

My ghosts fell silent, spent.

Dawn slashed its talons across the horizon sending gold and vermilion bleeding through the shredded clouds, and in the light, my sisters’ hair turned to flames, each an inferno circling a delicate face.

The spell complete, they dragged their limbs made heavy with renewed power from the waves and pulled clothes over sticky skin.

“Thank you,” Iona said as she removed bandages from her satchel. She bound my arms as the others toweled their hair and gathered their blades. “See you back at the house?”

I nodded.

“You’ll be all right?” She cast a glance toward the cliffs at my back, their shadow receding from the sand but never from my heart, or what was left of it.

“Aye, I’ll be fine. Just need a minute.”

Iona patted my shoulder as I gingerly rolled down my sleeves.

I heard them leave, clambering along the pebble-strewn path that zig-zagged up the cliffs, but kept my gaze on the ocean. The tide was coming in, the waves thundering against the rocky arms extending in a deadly embrace from either side of the cove.

Cold and drained, I retreated from the waves racing higher along the beach and dusted the sand from my jeans, stiff with salt.

Having pulled on my boots, I started the steep climb, my legs weak, and my arms still numb from the spell. With my sisters gone and their magic dissipating, the birds returned, screeching their greetings to the dawn as they whirled above the black rock.

At the top of the cliff, I whistled for Auryn. She came at once, trotting through the meadow with a mouthful of dewy grass. She followed me as I traced a path along the edge of the cliff. I couldn’t help it, as if an invisible hook had caught within my sinews, reeling me back to this same spot every time I drew near.

Years of storms had washed the stone clean, but I didn’t need to see the stain to know the place my heart had beat its last. The breath caught in my lungs like wool tangled in a brier. Auryn nudged my shoulder, huffing sweet breath in my face.

Taking hold of her mane, I leapt onto her back, letting her carry me away from memories of death as it began to rain.

 

 

About the Author

 

Climber, tattoo-enthusiast, peanut-butter addict, and loyal shibe-minion, Xan van Rooyen is a genderqueer, non-binary storyteller from South Africa, currently living in Finland where the heavy metal is soothing and the cold, dark forests inspiring. Xan has a Master’s degree in music, and–when not teaching–enjoys conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. You can find Xan’s short stories in the likes of Three-Lobed Burning Eye, Daily Science Fiction, and The Colored Lens among others. Xan hangs out on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook so feel free to say hi over there.

 

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