Blog tour

WRITING PROCESS BLOG TOUR

I’m participating in a blog tour where authors talk about their writing process. I was tagged by Lucinda Whitney, author of The Secret Life of Daydreams, coming early 2015.

What am I currently working on?

SO many things. I just finished the rough draft of my sequel to Eye on Orion, a YA sci-fi. Working title “Rommader” is the story of the princess from Eye on Orion after she returns to her home planet. I am now making some edits and applying the changes suggested by my Critique Group for my straight on Fantasy called Blue Bloods that I plan to pitch to Tor during the upcoming Storymakers Conference.  I also have ideas for book 3 in the Orion story. I think that will be my next project to actually start writing new words in. I’ve also got some final edits to do before sending to my editor on a Middle Grade fantasy about the lost city of Atlantis that’s the first book in a series of 6 I’m involved in with 5 other authors. I’ve got another fantasy that’s been put on the back burner for close to a year. It’s a twist on the Moses story and I really want to dive back into it again someday. Then there are books 3, 4, and 5 in my Urban Fantasy series Daimon High that I’ve made notes on and will need to get to soon. Plan is to self-publish them since people still love Werewolves and Vampires, but agents and publishers aren’t taking them anymore.

And then new shiny ideas pop up all over the place. But I have to hold off on those.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

                My books differ in that they come from my mind. No seriously, every book ever written is the same as another book, but different as well. No one can tell the story the same way another can. Just ask a group of friends to join you on a writing prompt and see how differently those stories go.

                For Eye on Orion, it’s technically Science Fiction, but it’s very mild sci-fi. There are people from another planet who visit earth, and they have some advanced things, but it’s still set in the world I live in. Although it’s sci-fi, it doesn’t feel really sciency so I think people who normally wouldn’t pick up a book about aliens, would find mine easy to read and hopefully enjoyable as well.

Why do I write what I write?

                I love make believe. Fantasy and science fiction and magic and elements of things that can’t really exist in the world I live in make me happy. I’ve tried to write contemporary fiction or romance, because I do enjoy reading them but it’s just not something I can do. I started 3 different stories and tried to keep it real world, but all of a sudden: magic, or werewolves, or aliens, or ghosts, or something else pops up and ruins my plans of real world. But I’m okay with that. They tell you to write what you want to read and so I do.  

How does my individual writing process work?

        It’s a jumbled up mess, but it works for me. So here’s my regular process. I write new words in a story that has me by the throat. I write and write and write until I get stuck or can’t figure out a plot point. Then I step back for a bit and go work on a project that needs some editing or tweaking.

Or, I just stop writing or editing and do household projects or yard projects, or vacations with the family to get all the way out of the writing mentality for a moment so my mind has time to rest.

       Then I come back and write more new words until the story is done. When the first rough draft is finished, I go over it two to three times to fix typo’s, take out notes to myself I left in places I skipped to work on something that was working, and I rearrange scenes if they were written out of order. Then I let it sit for a week and come back to it one more time before sending it to my critique group. After they have it, I don’t look at it for as long as possible. Months even. By then, the story is out of my mind, and I can see places where I’d forgotten to add details for the reader. (Sometimes an author knows things so much we forget it’s not in the book and that’s confusing to a reader)

        While that book is being set on the back burner, I pull out other projects that have been sitting and need some revisions. Or I start writing a brand new book again.

Sometimes I have to force myself to stick with a project so I don’t get too many new projects open at the same time. My voice (or the tone the book is written in) is different enough in each story I have to be careful not to work on too many simultaneously so they don’t start to blend together.

                So in a nut shell it’s all over the place, but I’m always working on something.

I've tagged Jaclyn Weist, author of the Luck Series. Check out her blog and watch for her writing process post coming soon. 

A new series

THE GATES OF ATLANTIS

I've been fortunate to collaborate with 5 other authors on a fun new Middle Grade Fantasy.

It's about the lost city of Atlantis. And man has it been fun.  So far we've revealed 2 covers, and 4 more to go over the next 4 weeks. I'll share the first 2 here, and keep you posted on the others to follow.  Books are looking to be released July 2014

BOOK 1

Thirteen-year-old merman Exander wants to leave Atlantis to mingle with the humans and explore the world above. Talia, his best friend, wishes she was a guardian of a gate leading to the surface. She'd keep those nasty humans out of her beloved city of Atlantis. When Talia accidentally short circuits a gate, Exander is trapped on the wrong side, getting a crash course in navigating the human world. As Talia fights to help Exander come home, she learns someone is closing the other gates, and it’s destroying the magic of Atlantis. If they can’t convince the magical creatures of the world to save the gates, the destruction of Atlantis will only be the beginning.




That's MY NAME.  Oh I can't tell you how fun it is to see your name on a book cover.











BOOK 2




Thirteen-year-old Colin knew nothing of the magic world until he is bitten by a mischievous pixie. He meets thirteen-year-old Alleya on a secret website devoted to magical creatures. Before he knows it, Colin finds himself thrust into a whole new world.

Alleya has been hidden away from the rest of Atlantis because she’s half-mermaid, half-Atlantian. Her father tries to ease her boredom by getting her a computer and finally allowing her to go to school. She accidentally lets slip a dark secret —the gates to Atlantis are being shut and it's destroying magic. Alleya is exiled to Indiatlantis.
There, she learns mermaids are getting sick because of the lack of magic, and the tunnels are beginning to collapse. Together, Colin and Alleya must find a way to bring back the old magic and fight to save Atlantis.








Watch for more soon. 


Find us on Facebook HERE.

See Mikey Brooks website for more covers.  He's also the author for book 6. Check out his author website here

See Author Jaclyn Weist HERE

Book 3 is by Wendy Knight. Find her blog here.

Book 4 is Juli Caldwell.  Find her blog here

A book Review. The Stone of Valhalla

Welcome to The Stone of Valhalla Blog Tour!

A middle-grade fantasy-adventure by Mikey Brooks.

Don’t forget to check out the GIVEAWAY at the bottom this post

for a chance to WIN a $25 Amazon Gift card and other great prizes!

Synopsis: AKA what the books says for itself.

Aaron was chosen to save their world, but it might come at the cost of losing his own.

Breaking into an old lady’s basement was supposed to reward 13-year-old Aaron with new friends. Instead he finds an enchanted amulet that transports him to another world—one at war with magic. Before he knows it, he is accused of witchcraft and invited to a bonfire—where he’s the main attraction. If that’s not bad enough, a goblin army shows up and toasts the town...literally. The good news: Aaron escapes being charbroiled. The bad news: the goblins are after him. They want his amulet and will stop at nothing to get it. Battling to find his way home, Aaron teams up with a not-so-magical-wizard and learns it’s his fate to destroy the amulet and save this new world. But is he willing to sacrifice his own?

What I thought of it:

This was a fun book. Solid Middle Grade characters and kids will probably love this book. The story started out with Aaron sneaking into a house to steal something as an initiation into a gang. That bothered me, given the fact Aaron seemed to be an intelligent kid. He should have listened to his inner voice and not gone in. But if he hadn’t, then we wouldn’t get to go see the fun world of magic in Valhalla. 

Mikey did a great job with plot twists and doing some unexpected things. I was able to catch on to some of the plot twists, and expected what would happen, but I’m happy to say I was pleasantly surprised on some of the other twists.

Aaron is the chosen one from Earth who was prophesied to come to a different dimension of Earth where there is magic and the setting is medieval to help stop an evil power from getting ahold of the Stone of Valhalla.  There was lots of action and adventure, even some mild violence and SPOILER alert, a death or two, but very manageable for young readers.

It didn’t have me as completely engaged as some books but I still really enjoyed it. Solid 4 stars for adults and more like 5 stars for kids.   

If you are looking for adventure and excitement for younger readers, similar to books like Rick Riordin, Brandon Mull, Tyler Whiteside, J. Scott Savage, or Chad Morris, then check out these books by Mikey Brooks. 

Where to Find The Stone of Valhalla:

Exclusive price for the eBook release is just $2.99! (List Price: $4.99)

And only $9.99 for the paperback! (List Price: $12.99)

On April 12^th 2014 the price will return to the List Price

Kindle | Paperback

Another special offer:

During The Stone of Valhalla Blog Tour

Mikey’s other great middle-grade eBooks will also be set to the low price of just $0.99!

The Dream Keeper:

Kindle | Nook | Kobo

The Dreamstone:

Kindle | Nook | Kobo

You’re Invited to PARTY!!

The online launch party will take place on Thursday, April 10^th at 4pm (MST). The party will run for 2 hours and you’re invited to drop by anytime. The longer you stay the more chances you have of winning prizes! We have slew of eBooks to giveaway, as well as a Stone of Valhalla necklace AND a $25 Amazon gift card! It is hosted by LovingtheBookLaunchParty on Facebook. Just follow this link to join the event: http://goo.gl/Q2Fd3r.

What’s that? Another Party!

That’s right! If you’re local to Utah you don’t want to miss this kickin’ party. We are having a launch party to celebrate the release of this awesome new book. Of course there will be plenty of giveaways there too, but what’s even better are the guest authors! Just check out these fabulous names: J. Scott Savage, Chad Morris, Lisa Mangum, Jenni James, Ali Cross, and many more. The Launch Party is: Friday, April 11^th from 6-9pm at The Viridian Center in West Jordan, Utah. Follow this link for a map: http://goo.gl/dqVc0u

About Mikey Brooks:

Mikey is a small child masquerading as an adult. On occasion you’ll catch him dancing the funky chicken, singing like a banshee, and pretending to have never grown up. He is the author/illustrator of several books including the best-selling ABC Adventures: Magical Creatures and Bean’s Dragons as well as the middle-grade fantasy-adventure series The Dream Keeper Chronicles. His art can be seen in many forms from picture books to full room murals. He loves to daydream with his three daughters and explore the worlds that only the imagination of children can create. Mikey has a BS degree in English from Utah State University and works fulltime as a freelance illustrator, cover designer, and author. As a member of the Emblazoners, he is one of many authors devoted to ‘writing stories on the hearts of children’. He is also one of the hosts of the Authors’ Think Tank Podcast. You can find more about him and his books at: http://www.insidemikeysworld.com/.

The Giveaways!

Enter the giveaway below to be entered to win one of the following prizes:

$25 Amazon Gift Card

The Stone of Valhalla Necklace

Autographed Paperback of The Stone of Valhalla

Autographed 11x17 Poster

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal!

Are you ready for it?

Introducing Newtimber: Fractured, an exciting YA urban fantasy novel by Karen E. Hoover, author of The Wolfchild Saga and others.

There was absolutely no way a black dragon hovered outside of Newtimber. Sianna rubbed her eyes, but the dragon was still there, clutching a round object that looked like a spotted egg. And then the egg fell, hitting the ground like an atomic bomb, sending out waves of a slow-moving fog that distorted everything it touched.

The citizens of Newtimber change. The old man down the street stretches into a screaming tree. Sianna’s skateboarding friend, Matt, transforms into a giant green dragon. Pegasus. Sirens. Griffins. Vampires. Zombies. Creatures from the myths of every culture come to life through the people.

Even Sianna changes, her skin becoming stone hard, and she gains the ability to travel from the human realm into the dimension of the fae, using it to free her father from prison and enlist his aid in battling the evil bent on taking over the world.

One person to heal a family, a town, and save the world. It seems an impossible task, but with the help of her new friends, it could happen.

Right?

Newtimber: Fractured will be released early summer 2014 by Trifecta Books. Visit www.trifectabooks.com for exciting updates about this great new series!

A celebration of success and sharing some good books.

Hi, Everyone!

My name is Andrea Pearson and I'm an author of middle grade and young adult fantasy. In celebration of the completion of my Kilenya Series, I'm giving away eBooks! Read on for more details. :-)

The Key of Kilenya, first book in the Kilenya Series (with 50 five-star reviews on Amazon), is available everywhere for free (Kindle, Nook, Smashwords), but only until the 18th of January.

It's originally $3.99, and is geared to readers 10 and older. If it were a movie, it would be rated PG. No swearing or vulgarity, and very minimal violence.

Here's the book description:

We all have a choice—but we can’t choose the consequences.

Jacob Clark is chased down a path that takes him to another world—a world where he is a wanted young man. The Lorkon want to control him and the special powers he possesses. The people of the new world want him to save them from the destruction of the Lorkon. All Jacob wants is to go home, but even that choice has consequences. He doesn’t know what to do and if he waits too long, the new world and the one he came from will be destroyed. As Jacob looks for people he can trust, he finds himself in the center of the fight for freedom—both for himself and the people he’s come to know.

Jacob has no idea where the path he chooses will take him, but once the choice has been made—bring on the consequences.

Back to Andrea. :-) I had so much fun writing this book! I came up with the idea for the magical key when I was 10 - the same age as many of my readers - and built on it until I was 22, when I sat down and actually wrote the book. The Kilenya Series has sold really well and I've been so excited to find people just as passionate about the books as I am. :-)

The second book, The Ember Gods, is available for $0.99 until January 18, but you don't have to buy it if you don't want to, because I'm giving it away for free. In fact, I'm giving away three different eBooks. The only thing required on your part is to decide which one you want, mention it on this blog post, then email me the info, and I'll send you the file. :-)

Here are the books to choose from:

The Ember Gods, Kilenya Series Book Two

Original and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99
(or free, if you choose this eBook :-))

Discounted Until January 18th

Genre and target audience: Fantasy for teens

If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG

If you don't want it for free (ha ha :-)), you can download it from: Kindle, Nook

Book description: 

Jacob Clark’s new abilities are a blessing and a curse. He’s a hero for returning the magical Key of Kilenya to its rightful owners, but at school he's starting to get noticed for something other than his basketball skills. And the attention is freaking him out.

Balancing both worlds is tricky enough, but Jacob has tasked himself with saving Aloren who’s trapped in Maivoryl City by the Ember Gods. He doesn't want to wait for the potion that will protect his team from the corrosive influence of the Lorkon, but the desire to prove himself to the high school basketball coach conflicts with his plans to rescue her.

Feeling pulled by both sides, Jacob must walk a tightrope of warring worlds with lives on the line. Lives that will be lost if he doesn’t figure out how to complete his quest and balance his abilities. Fast.

August Fortress, Kilenya Series Book Three

Price: $3.99 (or free, if you choose this eBook :-))
Genre and target audience: Fantasy for teens
If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG
If you don't want it for free, you can download it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords

Book description:

Since Jacob Clark discovered his abilities, his life has changed for the better—and the worse.

The basketball coach won't notice him and high school is much more complicated than before. Jacob finds himself needed more and more in Eklaron where his abilities are saving lives. And then the call comes—he and his friends must rescue the powerful Sheingols from August Fortress where they've been held for fifteen years. The only problem is, Lorkon traps are everywhere and getting past them might be impossible.

The closer he gets to his goal, the harder the traps are to overcome. Can he master more of his powers to fight the traps? Or has Jacob finally met his match?

Samara: A Kilenya Romance

Original price:$1.99 (or free, if you choose this eBook :-))
Genre and target audience: Clean teen romance
If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? G (or a very, very soft PG)
If you don't want it for free, you can download it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords

Book description:

When Samara Oldroyd meets the most amazing guy ever, she's frustrated their conversation is cut short. Her wishes that they'll run into each other again come true when she meets her sister's new boyfriend. It's him! Eeek!
Inspired by the film Dan in Real Life, this novella will tickle you pink as Samara tries—in vain—to undo her crush.

(There is no magic involved in this story. It contains characters you'll meet in the Kilenya Series and can be read separately.)


Now that you've chosen which free eBook you want, here's how you get it:

1. Comment on this blog, saying which eBook you want
2. Send me an email (ap@andreapearsonbooks.com) and tell me:
1. The title of the book
2. The name of the blog that sent you
3. Which format you want the eBook in (Kindle, Nook, etc.)

And that's all!

I can't wait for you to delve into the world of Kilenya and discover the magic, monsters, and people there!

Andrea Pearson, author of the Kilenya Series, Kilenya Romances, and Katon University series, lives with her husband and daughter in a small valley framed with hills. She is Executive Director of the Indie Author Hub group and creator of the writing application, Writer’s Progress Bar. She is an editor for the website Gather.com.

Andrea spends as much time with her husband and daughter as possible. Favorite activities include painting, watching movies, collecting and listening to music, and discussing books and authors.

Her mother says they can't possibly be related because Andrea isn't in love with chocolate and tomatoes, though she’ll eat either. (But not together.) She would much rather snack on toasted English muffins with lots of butter or nearly anything with cheese.

Book Review: STOLEN LUCK by Jaclyn Weist

What the book has to say for itself: 

Sixteen year old  Megan Crenshaw has everything going for her until the day a leprechaun shows up on her doorstep and steals all her luck. Not only that, he follows her around and wreaks havoc in her life. With the help of her friends, Megan must get her luck back before he manages to destroy her life and the lives of all those around her.

What I have to say about it: 

Man, there aren't many books that will make me think about them all day like this one did. I'm a mom to 5 kids and was called away a many times from my reading of this, and I couldn't wait to get back to the story. That in itself tells me it was good. Then as I was reading it, I giggled, snorted, and laughed enough that my kids kept asking me what I was reading. And it was so engaging I finished it in a day.

There are so many things that poor Megan has to deal with when Louie takes her luck, something she's had a surplus of her entire life. But Megan handles it so well. I loved the fact that Megan seemed like a real girl. Having moments of anger and frustration and all out sobbing when it got tough, but then she got up and did something about it. She didn't cave when Louie kept piling on the misfortune. And Jared? Oh man he was adorable. Hope my girls can meet someone as awesome as Jared some day. There is just a touch of romance, but done perfectly that I wasn't wishing there was more, or thinking it wasn't necessary either. There are parents who are involved in the lives of their teens and teens that made some pretty good choices overall or at least make an effort to do it right. I highly recommend this book to younger teens and adults alike. 

I'm really looking forward to book 2. 

About the author:

Jaclyn is an Idaho farm girl who grew up loving to read. She developed a love for writing as a senior in high school, when her dad jokingly said she was the next Dr. Seuss (not even close but very sweet). She met her husband, Steve at BYU and they have six happy, crazy children that encourage her writing. After owning a bookstore and running away to have adventures in Australia, they settled back down in their home in Utah. Jaclyn now spends her days herding her kids to various activities and trying to remember what she was supposed to do next.

To find on Barnes and Noble click HERE

To find on Amazon click HERE

Or if you want to try your LUCK (pun intended) then do this Rafflecopter.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: INSIGHT Beholders book 1 by Terron James

What the book says for itself.

Rumors are surging through Appernysia that a Beholder has been born, the first wielder of True Sight in over a millennium.

Seventeen-year-old Lon Marcs discovers he has been blessed—or cursed—with this gift. He cannot control the power of True Sight and feels it killing him with each passing day. He realizes that the only people who might possess the knowledge to save his life are the sworn enemies of his king. To obtain their help, Lon would have to journey into exile, leaving behind his village, family, and beloved Kaylen.

Although this is the hardest decision Lon has ever made, it is only the first of many that will test his strength and challenge his interpretation of right and wrong.

What I have to say about it.

I had already read this book in its first printing and enjoyed it then. I think it has improved a lot since the first version. Some of the extra fluff and unnecessary stuff was removed or condensed. (And I loved the prologue in this version) 

Things I liked about this book. Lon Marcs actually goes and does something about his problem. The battle and fight scenes were very engaging and kept my attention throughout. I liked the characters and how they were developed for the most part. Some characters I even hated, but I believe I was supposed to and Terron did a great job on making me feel something for many of the characters. The world and the magic system were interesting and I liked how Lon had to work hard to figure out how to survive with this magic that was taking over his body.

Some things I didn’t like. Though most of the characters were well developed and I got a pretty good feel for them, I thought they were lacking in emotion and a solid reason for them to do what they did. I didn’t see it enough. I’m not used to reading 3^rd person stories where we get to see everything everyone else sees, I prefer the kind where I get really into a characters mind and emotions so I personally didn’t feel what I had hoped to from the characters.

I also thought there were many times when things were skipped over for one character while we went to a different location and a different character. I wanted to see more of Lon’s trials and experiences in the Rayder lands instead of the stuff about his twin sister Mellai and his girlfriend/fiancé Kaylen. I’m sure they are important later on in the series, but I sort of found their little side stories kind of annoying at times since I missed out on stuff from Lon’s point of view.  

The only real fault I can find with this story is that Lon’s experience spans something like 7 months in the story and I never really felt that his rise to power in the Rayder army was truly warranted. I didn’t see him really earn it since I think a lot of the time we went to the side characters stories and missed what he did to actually earn his place. I can believe his change of loyalty and the reason for him truly joining himself to the Rayders cause. I just don’t think it really would have happened that fast with the information I saw as a reader experiencing Lon’s actions. Other than that, it was a fun read. Not quick and easy by any means, but enjoyable still.

It will be released on June 1st and you can buy it on Amazon HERE or 

Get it on Barnes and Noble HERE

Book Review: Adversarious by M. L. Chesley

ADVERSARIUS


            By:  M. L. Chesley

M. L. Chesley is an Alaska based author, online blogger and MMORPG junkie. She has been writing fantasy for several years. Between writing, work and family she barely has time for much gaming, but some days, raids take precedence over all. If you would like to learn more about her world, created in this book, go to www.mlchesley.webs.com. You can also follow her blog at www.caledonialass.blogspot.com.

 

What the book has to say about itself: 

Two kingdoms, two goals.
The king of Relavia is determined to wipe out his warring neighbors in Paridzule, a worthy adversary for over five hundred years. News of an arranged marriage between his son and the daughter of his lifelong enemy has fueled the temper of Relavia's tyrannical king. What he doesn't realize is the true measure of his son's honor and how far he is willing to go to gain peace.

What I have to say about it:

I didn't really know what to expect from this book. I'd heard hints about it, but I purposely didn't look up anything about it because I wanted to come at it fresh with no previous prejudice. I do wonder if that approach is what made me unsure which character was the Main Character. (I'm still not exactly sure, but I'm thinking its two of them.)

Things I really liked.  The story gets off to a start with a battle scene on a ship being attacked by Pirates. (she spelled it weird, but I can't remember exactly how it was) The world building was wonderful. The variety of characters was fun. And usually when you have that many characters in a story, you begin to lose some of them, or they become 2 dimentional, but all her characters felt pretty developed to me. I even remembered who most of them were even the ones who only showed up in passing. Something I thought was well done. Not even their weird names could throw me off.
There wasn't really any romance per se, but it was still a romantic type book. The two characters who love each other, don't even interact really except in a flashback, but I was still rooting for them. 
There are also side stories, and supporting characters who have wonderful interactions with each other, and there is always excitment and adventure and even more fight scenes. (including assassins.)

Things I didn't like so much, and some of this might be a bit of a spoiler, but I'll try to be careful.  This book seemed to stop too soon for me. I know it is the first in a series, and it wasn't like I was left with a cliff hanger or anything, but I really wish she would have been able to keep going. I want to know what happens to those people right away.
I kind of know what the plot is, but there are a variety of side plots that enhance the story, but also make it so this book couldn't complete a full circle without becomming too large. I didn't like it that the two I was rooting for didn't end up together, but I'm pretty sure it will happen in another book. (It better!)
There were a few spots where I stopped believing in the magic because I couldn't help feeling the same way about it as the characters did when they found out the limitations of magic, but later on it was explained in a way I could accept.

Overall, this is a fun book. Pretty hefty, and not a light or a short read, but it is enjoyable. I really am looking forward to the next book because I have to see what happens next.


Check it out on Smashwords HERE
Check it out on AMAZON HERE

Book Review. Fair Maiden by Cheri Schmidt

Fair Maiden by Cheri Schmidt

 

This was a fun read. Magical and seemingly paranormal, but with a twist I didn't expect. The characters were well developed. I loved them. Christian Sparks, an Earl moves into an old Castle. When his presence wakes up the "ghost" who's been trapped for centuries in a hidden room. She can't remember who she is, or where she came from, or how she died. He can see her but no one else can, unless she chooses for them to. She's transparent though so she can't be passed as anything but a ghost. 

Christian can't get his inheritance from his father to maintain this castle and grounds until he gets married. (Silly parents) but he doesn't have any prospects for marriage and he's of course fallen for this ghost. 

The ghost (who we eventually learn her name is Tessa) knows she can't have him, but is still connected to him. She can't leave the castle grounds because of the spell around it, but when Christian goes to a ball to meet some ladies his mother is insisting he pick a bride from, Tessa calls his name and is transported there. And that makes things fun because sometimes she flits back and forth from being ghost like to being flesh and blood. But no one knows when it's gonna happen. Through the workings of a spell and with the help of a witch, they figure things out and learn who Tessa really is, but that's just the beginning of what they need to do. They've got to end the spell that's on her, and save her from the threat that caused her to be under that spell in the first place. 

This book was fast paced, engaging, romantic without getting blushworthy, and like I mentioned, not what I expected when I first started it. Nice twist. The only thing I didn't like was the epilogue where I'm not sure if they were leaving things open for a sequel or if it was just a tease for me to think of what happens next on my own.

 

Check it out on AMAZON HERE.

 

Check it out on Barnes and Noble HERE

 

 

Book Review. The Tyrant King by Cheri Chesley

    

Here's what the book has to say about itself:

Krystal's peaceful life as queen of Fayterra is shattered when a stranger arrives with a connection to Jareth that threatens to change everything. Soon her loved ones are threatened, her people are under attack, and Krystal must face a devastating loss. As the future becomes bleaker and the mystery continues to unravel, Krystal's enemies will learn just how far she will go to defend the people she loves.

Here's what I have to say about it:

This was a fun read. Krystal was the Peasant Queen (see below) so some of what I say here will be a spoiler for the Peasant Queen. Now that she's married to King Jareth and they have a son and her Sister-in-law's wedding is coming fast, we get to meet the son of King Greggory (the bad guy from the Peasant Queen.) But Krystal didn't know Greggory had a son, so his arrival is a surprise. One they aren't sure what to think of.
Donovan is a good looking friendly type guy, but you can't help wondering about his motives. He comes to the castle to attend his cousin's wedding, and get a feel for the people and life there. Then  he shows his true colors as an angry and jealous man. He wants what would have been his had his father lived to give him the kingdoms he gained by his own betrayals.
Donovan demands the kingdoms be given to him, and when he's refused he wages war against them. Krystal isn't your typical queen. She grew up on a farm and has some ideas that aren't quite in line with a perfect queen, but she isn't going to let anyone stop her from protecting the people and country she loves. Krystal even gets to work some magic, but she doesn't solve her problems with magic, she gets into things by pulling up her sleeves and using a sword. (something I loved since magic can't take care of everything.)
There is sweetness and romance. Kissing and babies, but you don't have to worry about it being inappropriate. No blushing going on here. The romance is throughout the story. The characters are all well developed and I found myself really rooting for them. Though there is war and fighting, and one scene where there's a bit of blood, it isn't going to give you nightmares either. I'd recommend this book to anyone. But I'd also suggest you read the others first. They are available in print or ebook form.


The other books in this series are also available.

  Where we learn about Greggory's mother, and King Jareth's grandmother. (one warning about this. Though it is excellently written and the story is very engaging, it has a non- traditional ending that some readers didn't like. (not your happily ever after, but who really has those all the time anyway.)

 

 

  Where we get the story of Krystal who loves Jareth, but is kidnapped by Greggory.

Read the Peasant Queen first, then the Wild Queen, then The Tyrant king if you're looking for what order to start.


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See Cheri's website HERE . You can learn how to enter in for a $50 amazon gift card just for reading this review.