Book Review: The Unwanted by Z.T. Soyoye

Title: The Unwanted

Author: Z.T. Soyoye

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Source: Gifted (author)

Content/Trigger Warnings: For a full list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Rating: ★★★

Book Links:
B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

One Sentence Synopsis

Young Alex is trying to find his place at his new school, but when he learns about a kidnapping plot and the fact he has superpowers on the same day, his world gets turned upside down.

Favorite Quote

“So, don’t ever think that because you mess up, you’re worthless. Everyone has a purpose.”

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Blog Tour: Oathbreaker by A.J. Rettger

Hello, reader!

It’s my stop on another Storytellers On Tour blog tour today. I’m excited to talk to you about a fantasy novel that captured my attention called Oathbreaker by A.J. Rettger! This book features knights, elves, and a heaping helping of intrigue.

Before I continue, I want to thank the wonderful folks at Storytellers On Tour and the author for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for my participation with this tour! I always appreciate being able to help promote books and that’s especially true for indie authors. Also, if you’d like to visit any of the other stops on this fabulous tour, click the banner below to go to the tour schedule:

Now, let’s get to the post! Oh, and keep reading til the end for a surprise!


Synopsis


“For thousands of years, elves and non-humans alike had lived freely until humans colonized their land and forced them into hiding and subjugation. After years of living as slaves or second-class citizens, the elves rebelled, but their uprising failed, and humans remained victorious.

Mario Deschamps, a new graduate of the Knight’s College, sets off to complete his first deed, an accomplishment that will grant him knighthood and into the ordo equestris. But he has huge boots to fill. His late father, a famous knight and considered the Scourge of Bandits, single-handedly ended the Elven Uprising. Mario’s youthful confidence, vanity, and naivety don’t get him far in the real world, and he quickly finds himself trapped in a political climate where tensions are on the rise and war is inevitable.

In a world filled with monsters, outlaws, bounty hunters, demons, and murderous bandits, Mario is forced to make tough moral decisions. In a world fuelled by violence, hate, and bigotry, things are not as clear cut as he once thought. Lines have been drawn, but to complete his task, he must cross them all. With every choice, the consequences weigh greatly on him, leaving him full of guilt and doubting his path . . . and all the while, in the darkness, someone-or something-is waiting for him to break . . ..

A.J. Rettger weaves an epic tale of politics and prejudice, war and depravity, and legacy and destiny in his action-packed debut fantasy Oathbreaker….”

Book Details


  • Author: A.J. Rettger
  • Publisher: Friesen Press
  • Publication date: November 7th, 2020
  • Genre: Dark Fantasy
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, gore, sexual assault, rape, coarse language, torture

Book Links

Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Friesen::Goodreads

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Blog Tour: Karolina Dalca, Dark Eyes

Hello, reader!

I have another The Writes Reads blog tour for y’all today! This time, I’ll be talking about a paranormal fantasy that has vampires, werewolves, and a heroine in a whole mess of trouble. I’m talking about Karolina Dalca, Dark Eyes by M.R. Noble! I want to thank both Dave @ The Write Reads and the author for providing me with a physical copy of the book in exchange for my participation with this tour. It is always much appreciated!

Now, let’s get to the tour post!


Synopsis


“Blindsided by an attack that destroys her home and blamed for murder, Karolina Dalca, a half-vampire, escapes, only to plunge into the magical societies from which she was sheltered.

Betrayed by those around her, she abandons her dreams of becoming an investigator and flees, trusting only herself. Her police internship would never prove more useful. Hoofing it through the wilderness, she makes it to her university dorm, disheveled but delightfully deflowered.

Enter a full vampire: one wielding dark magic and a ride out of Canada. A fugitive from the law, Karo complies with his demands to escape, unsure whether his requests are bewitched. She vows to clear her name and avenge her mother’s death, but Karo’s family secrets aren’t so easily left behind.”

Book Details


  • Author: M.R. Noble
  • Series: Karolina Dalca #1
  • Publisher: Wild Rose Press
  • Publication date: December 16th, 2020
  • Genre: Paranormal Fantasy/Romance
  • Age group: Young Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Blood, gore, human trafficking, sex, violence

Book Links

Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

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Blog Tour: Ranger’s Oath by Blake Arthur Peel

Hello, reader!

It’s time for another BBNYA 2020 blog tour! Today, I’ll be talking about another BBNYA finalist that I didn’t get a chance to read last year called Ranger’s Oath by Blake Arthur Peel. This young adult fantasy ended up coming in 5th place in the competition, so I was incredibly excited to be able to read it for this tour!

But, first, what is BBNYA? BBNYA (Book Blogger Novel of the Year Award) is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the 2021 BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website (https://www.bbnya.com/) or our Twitter account, @BBNYA_Official. If you would like to sign-up and enter your book, you can find the BBNYA 2021 AUTHOR SIGN UP FORM HERE. Please make sure to carefully read our terms and conditions before entering. 

BBNYA is brought to you in association with the Folio Society (If you love beautiful books you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group TheWriteReads.  I received this book to read and review as part of the BBNYA 2020 competition organized by the @The_WriteReads tours team. I want to thank them so much for sending me a free copy of the e-book so I could participate in the awards! All opinions are my own, unbiased, and completely honest.

Alright, let’s get to the post!


Synopsis


“The barrier between worlds is broken. Only he knows the truth…

Magic has protected Tarsynium for a thousand years, shielding its people from being ravaged by bloodthirsty demons. When a young ranger’s apprentice named Owyn Lund discovers that the Arc of Radiance has been breached, he tries to warn anybody who will listen.

But legends aren’t supposed to be real.

When a village is mysteriously destroyed, rangers, mages, and rebels all point the finger, blaming each other for the demons’ brutality. However, Zara Dennel, a mage’s ward, has heard Owyn’s tale—and she’s inclined to believe him.

Together, they must prove that friendship is greater than intolerance, unity is more important than division, and that even the most powerful magic can sometimes not be enough.

Failure means the end of all things. A second—and lasting—Doom. Experience the beginning of a thrilling Epic Fantasy series suitable for all ages. It’s perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Sarah J. Maas, and Brandon Sanderson.”

Book Details


  • Author: Blake Arthur Peel
  • Series: Fall of Radiance #1
  • Publisher: Aethon Books
  • Publication date: February 28th, 2020
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Age group: Young Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, blood and gore, animal death, child death

Book Links

Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

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Blog Tour: Wench by Maxine Kaplan

Hello, reader!

It’s time for another blog tour and this is for a most unusual book which takes the concept of Medieval tavern wench and twists it into knots. I’m happy to be joining in on the tour for Wench by Maxine Kaplan! This tour is hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours, who are always a complete pleasure to work with. If you are a book blogger/bookstgrammer/Booktuber, you should definitely give their website a peek. You can find information about upcoming tours and, most importantly to this post, a schedule for the Wench book tour!

I want to give a hearty thank you to both TBR & Beyond Tours and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my participation with the tour. It is greatly appreciated! It sometimes still boggles my mind that I’m lucky enough to participated in opportunities such as these and I’m forever grateful.

All that said, let’s jump into the post!


Synopsis


A funny, fiercely feminist YA epic fantasy—following the adventures of a tavern wench

Tanya has worked at her tavern since she was able to see over the bar. She broke up her first fight at 11. By the time she was a teenager she knew everything about the place, and she could run it with her eyes closed. She’d never let anyone—whether it be a drunkard or a captain of the queen’s guard—take advantage of her. But when her guardian dies, she might lose it all: the bar, her home, her purpose in life. So she heads out on a quest to petition the queen to keep the tavern in her name—dodging unscrupulous guards, a band of thieves, and a powerful, enchanted feather that seems drawn to her. Fast-paced, magical, and unapologetically feminist, Wench is epic fantasy like you’ve never seen it before.”

Book Details


  • Author: Maxine Kaplan
  • Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
  • Publication date: January 19th, 2021
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Age group: Young Adult
  • Content/Trigger warnings: Self-harm, blood magic

Book Links

Indiebound::Indigo::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

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Blog Tour: Fly Free by Allison Rose

Hello, reader!

Welcome to my first blog tour of 2021! It seems fitting that my first tour would be with the first tour company I ever joined. Storytellers on Tour does a fabulous job of highlighting indie fantasy and science fiction writers and I’ve always enjoyed working with them. Those are two of my favorite genres, after all! Today on the blog, I’ll be highlighting a fantasy story focused on the twisty world of faeries called Fly Free.

Before I jump into my post, I want to thank Storytellers on Tour and the author, Allison Rose, for providing me with a free copy of her book in exchange for participation with this tour! It was much appreciated, as always! I’m only one stop on this tour, of course. There are a lot of incredible bloggers and Bookstagammers participating from January 10th – 16th! You can check out the banner below to see the schedule or click it to be taken to the SoT website where links should be available.


Synopsis


“In the land of Faerie, lies are easily disguised as truths.

They were raised like sisters, the heir to the Court of the Day and her guardian.

And as rebellion darkens the land of the Day—and the faeries of Court fall under a dark magic that disconnects them from the land, dooming them to a slow, agonizing death—they will question all they know to be true.

Sevelle, the Light of the Day, is destined to rule one day. She possesses a rare form of magic, the ability to heal the powerful connection between faeries and the magic in the land, the connection that gives them life—if only she could figure out how to use this magic, or even find it within herself.

Jae lives in the shadows, watching over Sevelle as her guardian and listening to the whispers of Court brought to her by the winds. She longs for a life outside of Court, but knows her duty to Sevelle is more important than her own desires.

But when an unexpected proposition comes from none other than Lex, son of the rebel leader, Sevelle and Jae realize their lives will never be the same—and that evil may be within their own court more so than in the rebels that oppose them.

Walking paths far different than they imagined separates the sisters, but then a secret is revealed that may break them apart forever.

Fly Free is the first installment of the Light of Faerie series. Enter a land of magic in the midst of a power struggle, where all is not as it seems and love may be found in the most unlikely places.”

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Book Review: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Title: Rebecca

Author: Daphne du Maurier

Genre: Classics/Gothic Romance/Historical Fiction

Source: Bought

Content/Trigger Warnings: For a full list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Rating: ★★★

Book Links: Bookshop::Indiebound::TBD::B&N::Amazon:: Goodreads

One Sentence Synopsis

A young woman finds herself entangled in a gothic mystery after becoming the second wife to the enigmatic Maxim de Winter.

Favorite Quote

“I am glad it cannot happen twice, the fever of first love. For it is a fever, and a burden, too, whatever the poets may say.”

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Book Review: The Black Sky by Timothy D. Minneci

Title: The Black Sky

Author: Timothy D. Minneci

Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopia

Source: Author

Content/Trigger Warnings: Drug use, violence, death

Rating: ★★★

Book Links:
Bookshop::Indiebound::TBD::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

One Sentence Synopsis

A group of survivors living in a post-apocalyptic NYC race against the clock to try and save one man’s life while unraveling the mysteries surrounding the catastrophe that caused the end of the world.

Favorite Quote

“Please excuse the mess”, says Anthony. “The safety of our residents is of the utmost concern. Unfortunately, we had a pair of employees who betrayed our customer service principle, so they had to be retired.”
“We want you to know,” interjects Matthew, “because of your wife’s relationship with our family, the cost to repaid the door and remove the corpses from her apartment will not be taken out of her deposit. Consider it a gesture of apology.”
Bishop considers probing for more information.
Repair the door? Corpses? What the hell happened here?


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Book Review: No Truth Left to Tell by Michael McAuliffe

Title: No Truth Left to Tell

Author: Michael McAuliffe

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Courtroom Drama

Source: Publisher (Greenleaf Book Group Press)

Content/Trigger Warnings: KKK activity, cross burnings, racism, violence, death

Rating: ★★★

Book Links: Bookshop::Indiebound::TBD::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

One Sentence Synopsis

Adrien Rush, a federal civil rights prosecutor, finds himself trying a case in Lynnwood, Louisiana after a night where five burning crosses are left around town to strike fear into the hearts of the minority community.

Favorite Quote

“Rush disliked being called counselor. Agents invoked the term using particularly clear diction and more than a hint of derision, or at least that’s how Rush saw it. Being labeled counselor was an agent’s way of emphasizing that the lawyer might have an advanced education, but the juris doctor degree didn’t come with street smarts or investigatory experience.”

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ARC Review: The Bone Ships by R.J. Barker

Title: The Bone Ships (The Tide Child #1)

Author: R.J. Barker

Genre: Fantasy

Publication Date: September 24th, 2019

Source: e-ARC (Netgalley)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Child sacrifice (off-page), gore, violence

Rating: ★★★

Book Links: Bookshop::Indiebound::TBD::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

One Sentence Synopsis

The crew of the Tide Child, a black ship made of dragon bones and manned by convicted criminals, are sent on a dangerous mission to seek out the last known sea dragon to end a centuries-long war.

Favorite Quote

“We fight in the hope that others will not have to, and we fight to keep those we have come to care about safe. We fight even for those who do not deserve it. There is no honour or greatness in what we do, except among fools. I fight, in the end, because I have no other choice” – she held his gaze with hers – “and neither do you. So remember this, if you hear tales of bravery and greatness, they are nearly always told by people who have only watched battle from afar.”


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