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![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/dream-waters&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51zde4TLTcL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description=Wow! I loved Dream Waters: Book One of The Dream Waters Series by Erin A. Jensen. Patients Charlie, Bob, Nellie, and Frank's everyday life changes when a new patient, Emma, arrives. Charlie sees people "differently", while Bob just wants to see the TV. Nellie wants to rock her invisible child, and Frank yells that demons are coming. Emma seems nor...){kind=link}
Dream Waters
Book One of The Dream Waters Series (Volume 1)
Erin A. Jensen
2018 Bronze Medal
440 Pages
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Fiction - Fantasy - General
Reviewed By Gail Kamer for Readers' Favorite
Wow! I loved Dream Waters: Book One of The Dream Waters Series by Erin A. Jensen. Patients Charlie, Bob, Nellie, and Frank's everyday life changes when a new patient, Emma, arrives. Charlie sees people "differently", while Bob just wants to see the TV. Nellie wants to rock her invisible child, and Frank yells that demons are coming. Emma seems normal, however. Even the psychiatrist believes Emma is different from the other patients. Emma's husband, David, is a key to Charlie's issues and this isn't shared until the end of the book. I kept trying to figure out the mystery behind each patient's presence in Charlie's dream world, and how the dream world and the real world connected. Charlie blends characters in both worlds to help them in the real world.
Dream Waters by Erin A. Jensen is set in a mental institution and provides a hook that keeps the reader coming back for more. I honestly could not put the book down. I felt like I actually knew the characters on a personal level because their lives were so well shared throughout the book. Erin A. Jensen is brilliant in mixing a dream world of one character to include connections to their real world of most of the other characters. I fully expect to see Dream Waters listed on a best seller list. It is that good. It's also the first in a series and I expect to read the others. I highly recommend Dream Waters to anyone who is fascinated by magic in a contemporary setting. Grab it now!
Wow! I loved Dream Waters: Book One of The Dream Waters Series by Erin A. Jensen. Patients Charlie, Bob, Nellie, and Frank's everyday life changes when a new patient, Emma, arrives. Charlie sees people "differently", while Bob just wants to see the TV. Nellie wants to rock her invisible child, and Frank yells that demons are coming. Emma seems normal, however. Even the psychiatrist believes Emma is different from the other patients. Emma's husband, David, is a key to Charlie's issues and this isn't shared until the end of the book. I kept trying to figure out the mystery behind each patient's presence in Charlie's dream world, and how the dream world and the real world connected. Charlie blends characters in both worlds to help them in the real world.
Dream Waters by Erin A. Jensen is set in a mental institution and provides a hook that keeps the reader coming back for more. I honestly could not put the book down. I felt like I actually knew the characters on a personal level because their lives were so well shared throughout the book. Erin A. Jensen is brilliant in mixing a dream world of one character to include connections to their real world of most of the other characters. I fully expect to see Dream Waters listed on a best seller list. It is that good. It's also the first in a series and I expect to read the others. I highly recommend Dream Waters to anyone who is fascinated by magic in a contemporary setting. Grab it now!
Recommend this book:
Errant Gods
Erik Henry Vick
2018 Silver Medal
730 Pages
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Fiction - Fantasy - General
Reviewed By Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite
Wow! I don’t know where to start. I had hoped that Errant Gods: Blood of the Isir Book One by Erik Henry Vick was a good read. I doubted that it was as good as Stephen King’s The Dark Tower because that series is one of the best I have ever read. Period. I’m not going to say Errant Gods is better than The Dark Tower. Loyalty is a very strong facet of my personality, and I am a longtime Stephen King fan. What I will say is this. If you liked The Dark Tower, if you like the writing of Stephen King, then read Errant Gods. It is good, no, it is great! It is powerful, and it is writing of the highest level. I never thought I would be able to read a writer that wrote in that style of moving in and out of dimensions and describes pure evil as well as Stephen King does. I was wrong. Erik Henry Vick is the real thing, and I look forward to reading him for just as long a time as I have been reading Stephen King.
Two pages into Errant Gods I was blown away by the sheer power of the writing. The beauty and style used to describe a conversation between two obviously evil people, driven only by their primal desires, is beautiful in its straightforward simplicity. I usually review a book by stating which literary element I feel is its strongest point, but I am at a loss now. What do you say when all the elements are above and beyond anything you have read in a very long time? The writing is excellent. The characters are brilliant. I can go on and on about every part of this book, but the best thing I can do is to tell you to read it. You won’t regret it.
Wow! I don’t know where to start. I had hoped that Errant Gods: Blood of the Isir Book One by Erik Henry Vick was a good read. I doubted that it was as good as Stephen King’s The Dark Tower because that series is one of the best I have ever read. Period. I’m not going to say Errant Gods is better than The Dark Tower. Loyalty is a very strong facet of my personality, and I am a longtime Stephen King fan. What I will say is this. If you liked The Dark Tower, if you like the writing of Stephen King, then read Errant Gods. It is good, no, it is great! It is powerful, and it is writing of the highest level. I never thought I would be able to read a writer that wrote in that style of moving in and out of dimensions and describes pure evil as well as Stephen King does. I was wrong. Erik Henry Vick is the real thing, and I look forward to reading him for just as long a time as I have been reading Stephen King.
Two pages into Errant Gods I was blown away by the sheer power of the writing. The beauty and style used to describe a conversation between two obviously evil people, driven only by their primal desires, is beautiful in its straightforward simplicity. I usually review a book by stating which literary element I feel is its strongest point, but I am at a loss now. What do you say when all the elements are above and beyond anything you have read in a very long time? The writing is excellent. The characters are brilliant. I can go on and on about every part of this book, but the best thing I can do is to tell you to read it. You won’t regret it.
Recommend this book:
Whatever for Hire
A Magical Romantic Comedy (with a body count)
RJ Blain
2018 Gold Medal
324 Pages
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Fiction - Fantasy - General
Reviewed By K.J. Simmill for Readers' Favorite
Bad things happen when the devil is bored; fortunately, Kanika seems to have captured his attention. His unwanted help in rescuing a cat from a tree had been the catalyst, leaving her with a debt and giving him a personal invitation to come and manipulate her. He had great plans for her. But she was no fool; she knew better than to play with the devil... She had known better. Yet now he was one of her clients, and he had made an offer too tempting to refuse. All she had to do was sign something, without reading it, and accept the first job he sent her way as repayment for a debt. What she didn't expect was for things to be so complicated. A kidnapping gone wrong sees her victim turn the tide, but had he not, then they would never have uncovered the undead plague that afflicted the world, a problem that if not reined in could spell the end of days.
The narrative in Whatever for Hire is so brilliant that you will struggle to tear yourself away for even a minute. The story has a great humour to it, and the first person narrative holds true to Kanika's character perfectly. I enjoyed every minute of this book, from the flippancy of Kanika when dealing with the devil, seeing how far she could push her luck, to her awesome, if somewhat unreliable, shifting abilities. There is a lot to this plot, and it certainly went beyond what I expected. R.J. Blain has written an amazing paranormal romance/urban fantasy where you can't help but hope for the characters to get together. This is helped by the fact that they are so believable. There are questions about Malcolm that will plague you until the moment of truth, and the added bonus of the mystery surrounding Kanika herself, but all that pales when placed beside a plot which just keeps getting better. Brilliantly written, full of action, mystery, suspense, romance, revenge, and more than a little interference from Heaven and Hell.
Bad things happen when the devil is bored; fortunately, Kanika seems to have captured his attention. His unwanted help in rescuing a cat from a tree had been the catalyst, leaving her with a debt and giving him a personal invitation to come and manipulate her. He had great plans for her. But she was no fool; she knew better than to play with the devil... She had known better. Yet now he was one of her clients, and he had made an offer too tempting to refuse. All she had to do was sign something, without reading it, and accept the first job he sent her way as repayment for a debt. What she didn't expect was for things to be so complicated. A kidnapping gone wrong sees her victim turn the tide, but had he not, then they would never have uncovered the undead plague that afflicted the world, a problem that if not reined in could spell the end of days.
The narrative in Whatever for Hire is so brilliant that you will struggle to tear yourself away for even a minute. The story has a great humour to it, and the first person narrative holds true to Kanika's character perfectly. I enjoyed every minute of this book, from the flippancy of Kanika when dealing with the devil, seeing how far she could push her luck, to her awesome, if somewhat unreliable, shifting abilities. There is a lot to this plot, and it certainly went beyond what I expected. R.J. Blain has written an amazing paranormal romance/urban fantasy where you can't help but hope for the characters to get together. This is helped by the fact that they are so believable. There are questions about Malcolm that will plague you until the moment of truth, and the added bonus of the mystery surrounding Kanika herself, but all that pales when placed beside a plot which just keeps getting better. Brilliantly written, full of action, mystery, suspense, romance, revenge, and more than a little interference from Heaven and Hell.
Recommend this book:
The Ill-kept Oath
CC Aune
2017 Finalist
416 Pages
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Fiction - Fantasy - General
Reviewed By Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
The Ill-Kept Oath by C.C. Aune is the story of two young women in 1819 England; Lady Josephine Weston and Prudence Fairfeather. Josephine fears she'll always be known as an immature child, and be forever confined to her country home, but her summer begins to look up with the arrival of soldiers with the unusual request to camp out in the yard. When she discovers a trunk of her mother's that contains a female soldier uniform and pistols, she discovers more than heirlooms, but a mystery. Does it have anything to do with the supposed beasts the soldiers are hunting? Meanwhile, Prudence is spending her summer in London with Aunt Amelia, dreaming that one day she'll marry for love. She finds herself with two baffling mysteries: a dashing heroic gentleman, and objects of her mother's called Talismans. Through letter correspondences, they work to unravel the secrets of their pasts.
C.C. Aune captured the tone of the time period perfectly from the prose to the dialogue. It helped bring me into the time of the story, which allowed for a better understanding of Josephine and Prudence. It's not a crazy idea now to marry for love, but wanting to do that in 1819 showed how headstrong Prudence is, which made me like her from the start. Josephine is also an independent woman who doesn't let her cousin Edward push her around, and even goes about trying to reclaim the house from him, and learning to fence. There's several fantasy elements to it, but it's subdued, and instead the story is driven by the characters. The Ill-Kept Oath is charming, delightful, with some romance, humor, and adventure. I didn't want it to end!
The Ill-Kept Oath by C.C. Aune is the story of two young women in 1819 England; Lady Josephine Weston and Prudence Fairfeather. Josephine fears she'll always be known as an immature child, and be forever confined to her country home, but her summer begins to look up with the arrival of soldiers with the unusual request to camp out in the yard. When she discovers a trunk of her mother's that contains a female soldier uniform and pistols, she discovers more than heirlooms, but a mystery. Does it have anything to do with the supposed beasts the soldiers are hunting? Meanwhile, Prudence is spending her summer in London with Aunt Amelia, dreaming that one day she'll marry for love. She finds herself with two baffling mysteries: a dashing heroic gentleman, and objects of her mother's called Talismans. Through letter correspondences, they work to unravel the secrets of their pasts.
C.C. Aune captured the tone of the time period perfectly from the prose to the dialogue. It helped bring me into the time of the story, which allowed for a better understanding of Josephine and Prudence. It's not a crazy idea now to marry for love, but wanting to do that in 1819 showed how headstrong Prudence is, which made me like her from the start. Josephine is also an independent woman who doesn't let her cousin Edward push her around, and even goes about trying to reclaim the house from him, and learning to fence. There's several fantasy elements to it, but it's subdued, and instead the story is driven by the characters. The Ill-Kept Oath is charming, delightful, with some romance, humor, and adventure. I didn't want it to end!
Recommend this book:
The Last Bucelarii
Book 2: Lament of the Fallen
Andy Peloquin
2017 Finalist
338 Pages
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Fiction - Fantasy - General
Reviewed By Samantha Dewitt (Rivera) for Readers' Favorite
The Hunter seeks only to live as normal a life as possible, but with demons haunting him everywhere he goes such a life is beyond him. With Soulhunger and the demon to lead him, there is little that he can do but kill again and again, bringing himself to a chaos and a hatred that has led him to nearly take his own life. But when he meets Sir Danna and Visibos, he’s certain he can hide the part of himself that wants to kill, at least, until they discover who he is. Now he’s on a hunt to find that which is his and to protect himself and maybe the rest of humanity from the demons that seek to destroy them all, but is it even possible? Between Bardin and the others, he’ll have to find a way to overcome the power that has controlled him for as long as he can remember - but will he succeed in The Last Bucelarii: Lament of the Fallen (Book 2) by Andy Peloquin?
This book is filled with a whole lot of action and adventure. You feel like you know where things are going and what’s going to happen and then it turns things around. Even though The Hunter isn’t a ‘good guy,’ you still feel like you’re rooting for him to succeed the whole way and you’re hoping that he’ll overcome what’s holding him back and find the woman that he’s seeking from his dreams. It’s an intriguing book and there are plenty of interesting characters, from Aspos and Bardin to Sir Danna and Visibos and, of course, The Hunter himself. Lament of the Fallen is definitely a book for anyone who likes plenty of action and violence in what they read.
The Hunter seeks only to live as normal a life as possible, but with demons haunting him everywhere he goes such a life is beyond him. With Soulhunger and the demon to lead him, there is little that he can do but kill again and again, bringing himself to a chaos and a hatred that has led him to nearly take his own life. But when he meets Sir Danna and Visibos, he’s certain he can hide the part of himself that wants to kill, at least, until they discover who he is. Now he’s on a hunt to find that which is his and to protect himself and maybe the rest of humanity from the demons that seek to destroy them all, but is it even possible? Between Bardin and the others, he’ll have to find a way to overcome the power that has controlled him for as long as he can remember - but will he succeed in The Last Bucelarii: Lament of the Fallen (Book 2) by Andy Peloquin?
This book is filled with a whole lot of action and adventure. You feel like you know where things are going and what’s going to happen and then it turns things around. Even though The Hunter isn’t a ‘good guy,’ you still feel like you’re rooting for him to succeed the whole way and you’re hoping that he’ll overcome what’s holding him back and find the woman that he’s seeking from his dreams. It’s an intriguing book and there are plenty of interesting characters, from Aspos and Bardin to Sir Danna and Visibos and, of course, The Hunter himself. Lament of the Fallen is definitely a book for anyone who likes plenty of action and violence in what they read.
Recommend this book:
99 Days
Keith Ward
2017 Honorable Mention
341 Pages
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Fiction - Fantasy - General
Reviewed By Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite
In Keith Ward's 99 Days, proxying is a barbaric act practiced in Slypht where one person is sacrificed so another gets to live longer. The best proxies are considered to be kids below one year as they still have a longer and better life left. Those who wish to live longer pay huge sums for such babies, or obtain them in any other way possible. When Kertram rushes back home to find his entire village slain and all the kids below one year - including his month-old triplets - abducted, he knows the cruel fate that awaits them. In agreement with his wife's dying wish, and with just one ally by his side, Kertram sets off on the impossible task to rescue his kids from the soldiers and from guaranteed death. With deep sorrow in his heart and immense determination, he is ready to do the impossible, but first he will have to travel across villages, forests, mountains and towns, and survive the endless dangers that lurk around every corner. Kertram has exactly 61 days to get his babies back or it will be too late.
Keith Ward's 99 Days is a most captivating fantasy tale and an incredible portrayal of a parent's determination to do whatever it takes to save his children. In Slypht, Keith Ward created an amazing and memorable world, and a perfect setting for this incredible fantasy tale. His writing effortlessly captures moments and emotions to make the story an exciting and flawless read. The characters, the way of life, and the setting all blend together perfectly to bring this thrilling tale to life. Fans of fiction fantasy will definitely enjoy this gripping race against time across Slypht; Kertram's pain will touch your soul and his determination will inspire you. Thank you, Keith Ward, for one of the most outstanding fantasy novels I have ever read.
In Keith Ward's 99 Days, proxying is a barbaric act practiced in Slypht where one person is sacrificed so another gets to live longer. The best proxies are considered to be kids below one year as they still have a longer and better life left. Those who wish to live longer pay huge sums for such babies, or obtain them in any other way possible. When Kertram rushes back home to find his entire village slain and all the kids below one year - including his month-old triplets - abducted, he knows the cruel fate that awaits them. In agreement with his wife's dying wish, and with just one ally by his side, Kertram sets off on the impossible task to rescue his kids from the soldiers and from guaranteed death. With deep sorrow in his heart and immense determination, he is ready to do the impossible, but first he will have to travel across villages, forests, mountains and towns, and survive the endless dangers that lurk around every corner. Kertram has exactly 61 days to get his babies back or it will be too late.
Keith Ward's 99 Days is a most captivating fantasy tale and an incredible portrayal of a parent's determination to do whatever it takes to save his children. In Slypht, Keith Ward created an amazing and memorable world, and a perfect setting for this incredible fantasy tale. His writing effortlessly captures moments and emotions to make the story an exciting and flawless read. The characters, the way of life, and the setting all blend together perfectly to bring this thrilling tale to life. Fans of fiction fantasy will definitely enjoy this gripping race against time across Slypht; Kertram's pain will touch your soul and his determination will inspire you. Thank you, Keith Ward, for one of the most outstanding fantasy novels I have ever read.
Recommend this book:
A Wizard's Forge
The Woern Saga Book 1
A.M. Justice
2017 Honorable Mention
440 Pages
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Fiction - Fantasy - General
Reviewed By Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite
A Wizard's Forge by A.M. Justice is the first book in The Woern Saga, a fantasy that has elements of a thriller and sci-fi beautifully knit into its fabric, a compelling tale of war, kidnapping, revenge and redemption. Many years ago, a crew of explorers got stranded on a faraway planet and formed a civilization of their own. Over the years, there have been wars, marauders, slavers and warriors. The young Logkeeper, Victoria, falls prey to kidnappers who sell her into slavery. As a slave, she experienced all forms of torture, including sexual abuses and other forms of psychological trauma. She was named Kara by her ruthless Master, Lornk Korng. When she successfully escaped, she did so with a vow to avenge herself. Would she get her chance for revenge?
A Wizard's Forge is a masterpiece and readers will love the way A.M. Justice explores her characters. Victoria is very compelling. Her experience of slavery completely transforms her and she develops a powerful zeal for revenge. But there is something else that happens to her — she loses the courage to love because she is continually haunted by the gruesome experience of being held prisoner and violated. Her decision to save the prince when he gets captured is an act of bravery that marks a turning point in her journey towards self-giving and inner freedom.
This is a wonderful tale with a mesmerizing setting and a fantastic plot. The author has a powerful imagination that brings to life actors that readers can easily relate to. There is a lot of action throughout the story and it reels with great intensity. The complex, intricate plot will have the reader turning the pages. This is one of those books that keeps readers awake into the late hours of the night. It is spellbinding.
A Wizard's Forge by A.M. Justice is the first book in The Woern Saga, a fantasy that has elements of a thriller and sci-fi beautifully knit into its fabric, a compelling tale of war, kidnapping, revenge and redemption. Many years ago, a crew of explorers got stranded on a faraway planet and formed a civilization of their own. Over the years, there have been wars, marauders, slavers and warriors. The young Logkeeper, Victoria, falls prey to kidnappers who sell her into slavery. As a slave, she experienced all forms of torture, including sexual abuses and other forms of psychological trauma. She was named Kara by her ruthless Master, Lornk Korng. When she successfully escaped, she did so with a vow to avenge herself. Would she get her chance for revenge?
A Wizard's Forge is a masterpiece and readers will love the way A.M. Justice explores her characters. Victoria is very compelling. Her experience of slavery completely transforms her and she develops a powerful zeal for revenge. But there is something else that happens to her — she loses the courage to love because she is continually haunted by the gruesome experience of being held prisoner and violated. Her decision to save the prince when he gets captured is an act of bravery that marks a turning point in her journey towards self-giving and inner freedom.
This is a wonderful tale with a mesmerizing setting and a fantastic plot. The author has a powerful imagination that brings to life actors that readers can easily relate to. There is a lot of action throughout the story and it reels with great intensity. The complex, intricate plot will have the reader turning the pages. This is one of those books that keeps readers awake into the late hours of the night. It is spellbinding.
Recommend this book:
Champions of the Dragon
Epic Fallacy Book 1
Michael James Ploof
2017 Bronze Medal
322 Pages
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Fiction - Fantasy - General
Reviewed By Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
Champions of the Dragon by Michael James Ploof is the first book in the Epic Fallacy trilogy. In every generation, five are chosen by the Most High Wizard Kazimir to be the Champions of the Dragon. The five chosen are unlikely companions: Murland is an apprentice that always dreamed of being a great Wizard, but has failed to successfully cast a spell. Gibrig is a Dwarf suffering from Humanism, and doesn't have the heart to harm anyone. Brannon is a Prince refusing to bend to his father's will, and give up his love for the warrior Valikimir. Willow is an ogre with an unsustainable appetite, strength, and a past victory of defeating a crocodile. Sir Eldrick is an alcoholic knight, formerly banished from the kingdom after being caught with the queen. Little do they know that this quest is a fool's mission, not to defeat a dragon and claim heroism, but to be fed to it.
Michael James Ploof brings to life a vast array of characters, making each one different with flaws, strengths, and quirks. Ploof breaks several fantasy stereotypes with charm and cleverness, allowing each character to be sympathized with, and spending every scene growing the characters. The villains are very ominous and mysterious, a perfect fit for the world of eccentricities. Not a lot is learned about their motivations, but it's clear that this is only the beginning of everyone's stories. Each of the “champions” is an outcast trying to find his way, and their differences tend to clash with each other, but as the story unfolds, the more they become a team. Champions of the Dragon is a delightful satirical treat, with humor, emotion, outrageous moments, and eccentric characters that come to life off the page.
Champions of the Dragon by Michael James Ploof is the first book in the Epic Fallacy trilogy. In every generation, five are chosen by the Most High Wizard Kazimir to be the Champions of the Dragon. The five chosen are unlikely companions: Murland is an apprentice that always dreamed of being a great Wizard, but has failed to successfully cast a spell. Gibrig is a Dwarf suffering from Humanism, and doesn't have the heart to harm anyone. Brannon is a Prince refusing to bend to his father's will, and give up his love for the warrior Valikimir. Willow is an ogre with an unsustainable appetite, strength, and a past victory of defeating a crocodile. Sir Eldrick is an alcoholic knight, formerly banished from the kingdom after being caught with the queen. Little do they know that this quest is a fool's mission, not to defeat a dragon and claim heroism, but to be fed to it.
Michael James Ploof brings to life a vast array of characters, making each one different with flaws, strengths, and quirks. Ploof breaks several fantasy stereotypes with charm and cleverness, allowing each character to be sympathized with, and spending every scene growing the characters. The villains are very ominous and mysterious, a perfect fit for the world of eccentricities. Not a lot is learned about their motivations, but it's clear that this is only the beginning of everyone's stories. Each of the “champions” is an outcast trying to find his way, and their differences tend to clash with each other, but as the story unfolds, the more they become a team. Champions of the Dragon is a delightful satirical treat, with humor, emotion, outrageous moments, and eccentric characters that come to life off the page.
Recommend this book:
The Grey Eyed Storm
The Occuli, Book One
Christie M. Stenzel
2017 Bronze Medal
530 Pages
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Fiction - Fantasy - General
Reviewed By Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite
The Grey Eyed Storm by Christie Stenzel is the first book in the Occuli series. Remy Verbetta had been just twelve years old when her mother, Emmery, had taken her own life. Her nine-year-old sister, Makayla, had vanished without a trace soon after. On her eighteenth birthday, Remy is not only given a necklace which her mother had always worn, but also discovers (after sleepwalking to her mother’s grave) that she is one of the seven varieties of Occuli, easily identifiable by eye color, each with a variety of powers which can affect others as well as the elements around them. As an additional birthday gift, Remy receives a bodyguard from her cousin, Ruby, in the form of a boy, Zias, whom Remy had been having dreams about for quite some time. At school, Remy finally meets the new boy in town, Drake Cook, and cannot help but be startled by his eyes; it is never good to know that a Reaper has arrived. Unable to determine whether Drake is good or evil, and trying to decipher her mother’s and her grandmother’s memories, Remy finds herself in a race against time to figure out who she can trust in order to save her kind from obliteration.
Without a doubt, The Grey Eyed Storm is one of the most in-depth and entertaining paranormal books I have ever read. Christie Stenzel’s introduction to the Occuli series leaves me desperately wanting more and I look forward to reading the rest of the series when it is released. Living in a spiraling world of heartache after her mother and sister are both gone, the main character discovers on her eighteenth birthday that nothing in life is what she thought it to be. As her powers come into effect and she finds out who and what she truly is, Remy spins through a pinwheel of emotions that strike without warning, making her wonder whether or not she is going crazy. Each of the characters is well-written and brings an important element to the story as a whole, whether good or evil. I fully enjoyed The Grey-Eyed Storm and recommend it to all die-hard lovers of the paranormal who enjoy mystery, humor, romance, adventure and excitement in a mind-bending tale of magic which eclipses all others.
The Grey Eyed Storm by Christie Stenzel is the first book in the Occuli series. Remy Verbetta had been just twelve years old when her mother, Emmery, had taken her own life. Her nine-year-old sister, Makayla, had vanished without a trace soon after. On her eighteenth birthday, Remy is not only given a necklace which her mother had always worn, but also discovers (after sleepwalking to her mother’s grave) that she is one of the seven varieties of Occuli, easily identifiable by eye color, each with a variety of powers which can affect others as well as the elements around them. As an additional birthday gift, Remy receives a bodyguard from her cousin, Ruby, in the form of a boy, Zias, whom Remy had been having dreams about for quite some time. At school, Remy finally meets the new boy in town, Drake Cook, and cannot help but be startled by his eyes; it is never good to know that a Reaper has arrived. Unable to determine whether Drake is good or evil, and trying to decipher her mother’s and her grandmother’s memories, Remy finds herself in a race against time to figure out who she can trust in order to save her kind from obliteration.
Without a doubt, The Grey Eyed Storm is one of the most in-depth and entertaining paranormal books I have ever read. Christie Stenzel’s introduction to the Occuli series leaves me desperately wanting more and I look forward to reading the rest of the series when it is released. Living in a spiraling world of heartache after her mother and sister are both gone, the main character discovers on her eighteenth birthday that nothing in life is what she thought it to be. As her powers come into effect and she finds out who and what she truly is, Remy spins through a pinwheel of emotions that strike without warning, making her wonder whether or not she is going crazy. Each of the characters is well-written and brings an important element to the story as a whole, whether good or evil. I fully enjoyed The Grey-Eyed Storm and recommend it to all die-hard lovers of the paranormal who enjoy mystery, humor, romance, adventure and excitement in a mind-bending tale of magic which eclipses all others.
Recommend this book:
The Enchanted Swans
Christy Nicholas
2017 Silver Medal
282 Pages
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Fiction - Fantasy - General
Reviewed By Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
The Enchanted Swans by Christy Nicholas is a retelling of an ancient Irish tale, The Children of Lir. Fionnuala is a fae princess in pre-Celtic Ireland, who was raised to honor her duty and to put everything, even love, second to her title. When her mother dies giving birth to her twin brothers, she struggles to understand why her position comes first. After losing her first love to an arranged marriage, she thought that's the worst her life could get ... until an suspected foe places a curse on her and her three younger brothers. Trapped as swans, they struggle to adapt as they search for a way to break the curse. But can this curse be broken?
Christy Nicholas delivers a magical retelling of an ancient tale, writing the story in a way that pulls you along on the journey at every step. It opens with the tragedy of her mother's death, which sets the tone of the story, so that even though she was born and raised in luxury, there's darkness in her world. She loses her mother to death, and then her first love to another, but Fionnuala keeps going. She's a strong lead that is easy to relate to. The most tragic part is the time Fionnuala and her siblings spend as swans, because it slowly counts down the time as everyone around them ages, and everything slowly changes. Their people gradually move underground while more humans arrive and build structures. Despite the passage of time, there was always some hope for them to find a way to break the spell. The Enchanted Swans is mystical, enchanting, bittersweet, and tragic ... everything a true fairytale should be. A must-read for any fairytale lover!
The Enchanted Swans by Christy Nicholas is a retelling of an ancient Irish tale, The Children of Lir. Fionnuala is a fae princess in pre-Celtic Ireland, who was raised to honor her duty and to put everything, even love, second to her title. When her mother dies giving birth to her twin brothers, she struggles to understand why her position comes first. After losing her first love to an arranged marriage, she thought that's the worst her life could get ... until an suspected foe places a curse on her and her three younger brothers. Trapped as swans, they struggle to adapt as they search for a way to break the curse. But can this curse be broken?
Christy Nicholas delivers a magical retelling of an ancient tale, writing the story in a way that pulls you along on the journey at every step. It opens with the tragedy of her mother's death, which sets the tone of the story, so that even though she was born and raised in luxury, there's darkness in her world. She loses her mother to death, and then her first love to another, but Fionnuala keeps going. She's a strong lead that is easy to relate to. The most tragic part is the time Fionnuala and her siblings spend as swans, because it slowly counts down the time as everyone around them ages, and everything slowly changes. Their people gradually move underground while more humans arrive and build structures. Despite the passage of time, there was always some hope for them to find a way to break the spell. The Enchanted Swans is mystical, enchanting, bittersweet, and tragic ... everything a true fairytale should be. A must-read for any fairytale lover!
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