Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Perplexity

About the Book

Book: Perplexity (The Sceptre & the Stylus Book Two)

Author: Chawna Schroeder

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: April 7, 2026

Assemble the clues, dismantle the danger.

Yosarai Patican never wanted to finish her schooling in the Indeli capital, but after several months, she is finally finding her footing . . . until her world is shattered by the unthinkable. Facing loss after loss, she struggles to adjust to a new position and new responsibilities, including the repayment of a massive debt. A debt more easily managed if she can qualify for the elite politico sphere on the upcoming placement exam. Some, however, would do anything to prevent Yosarai from earning one of the coveted positions.

Meanwhile, in the northern realm of Egdon, Crown Prince Xander faces an increasingly hostile Parliament. Not only are they questioning the necessity of the monarchy, but they are also demanding an accounting of some mysterious expenditures by the former king. Unless Xander can unearth a reasonable explanation, his coronation may be more than postponed. It may be cancelled―permanently.

As old rivalries escalate and hidden threats emerge, both Xander and Yosi must choose their paths wisely, before evil eliminates everyone in its way.

Review:

In this book you are entering a world of political intrigue, mystery, and puzzles as Xander and Yosi must each battle things that are bigger than them that are at work. I enjoyed the faith component in the story and Xander and Yosi depending upon the Creator for help and wisdom.

I loved the cover for its beautiful patterns. It drew me ion and complimented the story.

This is the second book in the trilogy, and I needed to read the first book to understand fully what was going on in the story. I would advise you to read Illuminary before reading this story.

I received this book through Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Chawna Schroeder loves exploring the wonder of God through the intersection of imagination and faith. When she isn’t reading or writing, she may be found practicing piano, reading biblical Greek or Hebrew, preparing for the Bible study she teaches, or working on one of her handwork projects while enjoying a movie.

More from Chawna

Cracking the Cover Code

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” We’ve all heard it. We’ve all said it.

We’ve all done it.

We try not to, but the reality is that a book’s cover does influence us. Things pleasing to the eye attract us. Our interest is piqued by the mysterious. Color palettes and designs offer clues about the type of story within. Whether we’re buying online, browsing a bookstore, or selecting our next read from our shelves, the cover often sways our decision.

Thus, covers are designed to draw the interest of those who would most enjoy the story, and Perplexity is no different. So, is this novel for you? Perhaps taking a closer look at cover’s design will answer the question.

The first thing you might notice about Perplexity’s cover is it colors, especially if you’re familiar with Illuminary, which is book one in this series. Whereas Illuminary was bold and vibrant to reflect its India-inspired culture, Perplexity obviously has a much cooler and muted color palette. This reflects the wintry season of this story, both physically and emotionally. The snowflake motif emphasizes this.

This should tell you immediately that if you’re wishing for an upbeat comedy, this isn’t it. You probably need to find a much different cover (and book) than this one. But if you’re looking for a thoughtful read, dealing with slightly heavier topics, Perplexity might be worth a second look.

Now alongside the snowflakes, you might notice a bunch of gears. Those reveal inventions and technology are important to the setting of Perplexity. Gears are also a popular cover motif for books in the steampunk genre. Their subtle use in the design therefore implies a light steampunk element—a world with a Victorian vibe and steam-powered technology.

So are you not a fan of the Victorian era? Do you prefer to read about the real, contemporary world? Perplexity probably shouldn’t be your next read. But if you’re a fan of Jules Verne or fiction that mixes the fantastical with the historical, Perplexity might be your cup of tea.

The third major element of the cover are the odd objects tucked throughout the art work, like a hidden-object picture: An automobile, a pocket watch, a beaded bracelet, an envelope, a carousel horse, a crow, a key. Seven items, which seem completely random and unrelated. Yet they were carefully selected for the cover from a myriad of objects. What does it all mean? Ah, that is the hint of the puzzles the characters must unravel and the mysteries they must solve.

Not a puzzle fan? Hate trying to solve riddles? Then it’s time for you to search elsewhere for a book. But if you love escape rooms, National Treasure, and Amazing Race, your brain might just love unlocking all Perplexity has to offer.

So there. We’ve cracked the code of Perplexity’s cover, a code that tells us of a thoughtful story with a light Victorian/steampunk vibe and puzzles galore. Now it’s time for you decide: Does that sound like a story worth cracking into?

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 21

For the Love of Literature, April 22 (Spotlight)

Book Looks by Lisa, April 22

The Bookish Ledger, April 23 (Spotlight)

Simple Harvest Reads, April 24 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 25 (Spotlight)

Artistic Nobody, April 26 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, April 27 (Spotlight)

Guild Master, April 28 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, April 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 30

Fiction Book Lover, May 1 (Author Interview)

Wishful Endings, May 1

Stories By Gina, May 2 (Spotlight)

Vicky Sluiter, May 3 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, May 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Chawna is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and hardcover copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/zK7oW/perplexity-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, April 10, 2026

Cerulean Rose

About the Book

Book: Cerulean Rose

Author: Demi Griffin

Genre: Romantasy/Fairy Tale Retelling

Release Date: January 20, 2026

Hidden in a tiny cottage away from the ordinary existence of Cerulean’s citizens, Aural lived a simple life with her father in Sabean Woods. When he is struck by a serious illness, that ordinary life suddenly became extraordinary.

In search of a physician, Aural breaks her promise never to leave the woods. When her path crosses with a Mystic, the manipulative Duchess, and the Prince of Cerulean, Aural realizes something beyond her simple quest to help her dying father has mapped out her journey.

An ancient legend about a brotherly rivalry that resulted in tragedy stirs up the Fates guarding Cerulean. If the Cerulean Rose doesn’t bloom again, the kingdom is destined to perish.

A wild path filled with romance, mystery, and intrigue shapes Aural’s heart in ways she could not have imagined as she gets sucked into the legend. Would it be enough to restore the foundation of true love that established the kingdom of Cerulean hundreds of years ago? Could a simple girl satisfy the Fates, capture a prince’s heart, overcome a king’s prejudice, and save Cerulean’s Rose?

Click here to get your copy!

Review:

Aural has lived the majority of her life with her father in a secluded woods. When circumstances cause her to leave their cottage, things are set into motion that will change the course of history. Prince Langlee “Lee” wants to be a different kind of ruler than his father. He wants to find his true love and rule for the good of his kingdom. Together, Aural and Lee have the potential of forging a relationship that legends have foretold.

I enjoyed the different aspects of well known fairy tales that are incorporated into the story. There are villains, secrets, and, of course, true love. Aural became a selfless and courageous young woman who can see well beyond herself and is willing to make sacrifices for Lee and his kingdom. I liked Lee’s faithful friend and companion, Enris. He is just the kind of man that Lee needed in his life.

The first book in The Fates Trilogy. I am certain that the other two books will be interesting! If you are a fan of clean romantasy, fairy tales, or folklore, look into adding this to your TBR.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

About the Author

Demi (also D.M. Griffin) Griffin is the author of several novels and has won multiple literary awards. Her novels in The Encounter Series won various Independent Author awards in the category of Religious Fiction.

She writes Christian Fantasy, Biblical, and Historical Fiction. She currently resides in Northern California with her husband of over thirty years. She truly believes that a book that sits on a shelf unread is like a planted seed that never blossoms. Nothing delights her more than sharing a story.

More from D.M.

The inspiration behind The Fates Trilogy came after I spent a few years crafting an epic fantasy series called The Illumination Chronicles. I wanted to write something light-hearted and less involved. What began as a simple idea for a single story quickly escalated into a trilogy—all because of the final scene in the first book. Though it isn’t a cliffhanger, my author’s mind grabbed onto the possibilities, and the second book invaded my dreams at night. Then the third. The combination of romance and fantasy was too much fun to stop at writing one book.

The royalty element is what I enjoy most about the stories in this series. Exploring the complicated relationships between fathers and sons, and the unspoken bond of brotherhood, added depth to the otherwise light-hearted stories. In this trilogy, the Christian influence is less pronounced than in my other novels, but the overarching themes of unity and sacrifice reach their peak in the final book.

The characters in The Fates Trilogy struggle with issues that echo Christian values. Some of the issues include the sting of prejudice, the challenge of forgiveness, and the ache of feeling forsaken. Each book dives deeper into those ideas until they culminate in the epic climax in the last story.

However, my main goal in the first book was to ensure that the narrative centered on the theme of love. Fairy tales swirled in my mind during my childhood, weaving vibrant worlds in my imagination. Cinderella was one of my favorite fairy tales, so it comes as no surprise that those vibes worked their way into this story. Yet, putting my own spin on it, I added depth, intrigue, and instead of glass slippers… a blue rose.

While the vibes of that classic story have found their way into Cerulean Rose, it pulses with its own heartbeat. The faint imprint of a quest for true love feels familiar … but there is so… much…. more.

Blog Stops

Book Looks by Lisa, April 10

Simple Harvest Reads, April 11 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, April 11

Lily’s Corner, April 12

Artistic Nobody, April 13 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 14

Guild Master, April 15 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, April 16

Fiction Book Lover, April 17 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, April 18

For the Love of Literature, April 19 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, April 19

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 20 (Author Interview)

Leslie’s Library Escape, April 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 22

Blossoms and Blessings, April 23 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Demi is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/s3FDM/cerulean-rose-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Traitor in the Scottish Isles by Paige Edwards

My Review:

Cairstie Henderson is given the perfect opportunity to escape a scandal that she has found herself in by living in a remote part of the Western Isles of Scotland. Little did she realize that Sheridan, the very man who exposed information that brought about the scandal, would also end up in that sparsely part of the world.

I just love Ms. Edwards’s books. She has the best mix of action, suspense, danger, and clean romance. If these are elements that you look for in books, then you’ll want to read this book. This is the first book in the Roxburgh Scions, and I can’t wait to read more!

Things to look forward to:
island setting
Scottish brogue
enemies to more
espionage
top secret plans
nine iron weapon
jujitsu
hidden tunnels
dyslexia
fiddle playing

I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions are my own. A positive review was not required.

View all my reviews

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Escape from Nima

Description:

After successfully activating the Kaleidoscope to flee the desert land of Dara, Jack, a boy with pure white eyes, and his two sisters-Emma and Holly-bearing seven colored marks are thrust into the fiery Orange land of Nima.

They must navigate fields of lava and trek through dense jungles as they face new a monstrous beast, a religious cult, bounty hunters and a tyrannical Guardian bent on capturing them at any cost. With erupting volcanoes, the mysterious Greyl, and hordes of shards at the beck and call of Se’en-sii threatening them, the kids must risk everything to survive.

Aided by their trusted companions, new found allies, and growing powers, they seek a volatile flower of living fire, the next piece in the puzzle of their father’s Kaleidoscope. Pursued across the land, Emma, Jack, and Holly reckon with the lies their father told to protect them, while worlds away, Eli Waite desperately searches for a way to rescue his children from his past mistakes.

My Review:

Things are cookin’ (pun intended) for Emma, Jack, Holly, and their companions as they navigate the new volcanic world of Nima to which they transported by way of the kaleidoscope. There is danger from several sources and they must navigate them as well as continue to learn more about the powers that have in these new worlds. I loved the characters they meet in this world. They are really going to add additional depth to the story. I also look forward to seeing how Professor Waite is going to be able to meet his children since this story ends on a cliffhanger.

Fans of science fiction and adventure will enjoy this second book in the Kaleidoscope Chronicles series. It can be read as a standalone, however, I highly recommend you read the first book in order to understand what has transpired on the other planet. I’m looking forward to reading book three.

I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions expressed are my own with no obligation to write a positive review.

Monday, December 30, 2024

Cloaked in Beauty

About the Book: In the heart of the Piney Woods of Texas, Letty Hood has spent the last fifteen years of her life hidden away with her grandmother to escape the deadly schemes of an uncle who wants her dead. Now, with her twenty-first birthday on the horizon, she is forced to accept the escort of a stranger and return to Houston in secret so she can claim a birthright that will make her one of the wealthiest women in Texas. If she lives long enough to inherit. Pinkerton agent Philip Carmichael has one get the Radcliffe heiress home alive. Expecting a spoiled girl, Philip is surprised to encounter a woman of rare strength with a kind soul and keen wit. As they journey together, Letty's resilience wins his admiration, breaking through his hardened cynicism. Yet the threat to Letty grows more menacing with every mile, and Philip fears that keeping her out of harm's way may be just as impossible as keeping her out of his heart.

My Review:

I think it would difficult to write a modern day retelling of a fairy tale that is set in Texas, but Karen Witemeyer makes it seem so easy! With a young lady hiding in the woods with her pet wolf, and aspects of not one, not two, but three fairy tale stories come to life. I loved Letty, her grandmother Iris, Rusty the wolf, and Philip Carmichael, the man who must find and protect her.

Letty was quite the young woman as she goes on an arduous journey with Philip to be reunited with her mother. There were many times that many people would have quit, but she was brave and resourceful and never gave up. While living in seclusion may have seemed drastic in order to remain hidden from her foe, it actually helped Letty develop her strong, confident, and independent spirit. Philip was a great leading man as he showed time and again that he would risk his life to protect Letty and those who depended upon him for their safety.

Things to love:
danger
kind strangers
faith thread
the dragon and the wolf tale
love of books
penetrating the lair
the kiss

Favorite quote:
“At your side, wherever the road leads.”

This is the third book in the Texas Ever After series, but can be read as a standalone. I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions expressed are my own with no obligation to write a positive review.

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Lethal Kings

About the Book

Book: Lethal Kings (The Fae Dynasty Book Two)

Author: Victoria McCombs

Genre: YA Fae Fantasy

Release date: November 12, 2024

You’ve been warned many times, you cannot trust the kings . . . The old queen is dead, a new queen is in play, and the realm has descended into darkness. For the first time in history, a queen has rejected the game. Eliza will start her reign with no alliances while Althea must fight to save her tenuous bond with the king who cannot love. Her relationship threatens to break, but Althea’s attention becomes divided after receiving a few harrowing clues connecting her past and the game at hand.

Before she can find answers, a mysterious fae appears promising the power of the seventh king to whoever can solve a series of riddles, leaving the fae realm in shambles as they race to come out on top. Althea has one year left. New alliances are forged. Old stories come to life. She must make her move, or the fate of the queens will consume her.

My Review:

Lethal Kings, book two in The Fae Dynasty series is one you will definitely want to read if you like fantasy books. It draws you in with the addition of Eliza, the new mortal queen, who just so happens to be in love with Thea’s brother. There is an undercurrent of mistrust and secrets that you’re never quite sure who Thea should trust.

This story kept me engrossed from page one to the final sentence. I was surprised by the resolution, but it was perfect! I highly recommend reading, even if you do not typically read fantasy. The complex plot, flawed characters, and twists and turns make this an excellent book. You will want to read Mortal Queens first in order to understand this story.

Things to love:

amazing world building

the game

love stories

treacherous villain

Thea’s family

redemption

I was given a complimentary copy of the book. A positive review was not required, and all opinions are my own.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Victoria McCombs is the author of The Storyteller Series, The Royal Rose Chronicles, and The Fae Dynasty duology, with hopefully many more to come. She survives on hazelnut coffee, 20-minute naps, and a healthy fear of her deadlines, all while raising four wildlings with her husband in Omaha, Nebraska.