Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

Davis Ashura’s A Warrior's Path series is quite the hidden gem in the fantasy genre, introducing its vast world and multi-dimensional characters through Book One: The Castes and the OutCastes. The demon Suwraith, the Bringer of Sorrows, has been constantly seeking out the absolute extinction of humanity since her arrival. Her Chimeras roam the wilderness, relentlessly threaten and exterminate anyone who is not in the safe protection of the cities’ walls. Rukh Shektan is a young warrior who not only has to live his life in a ruthless caste system, but also survive a never-ending war with the Chimeras. Worst of all, he discovers Suwraith’s plan to raze his home; the city of Ashoka.

The world-building is excellent and the plot is strong. The characters are engaging and well-fleshed out. Actions scenes are written in great detail without superfluous aspects. I also appreciated that Ashura makes some room for humor in the story. On the other hand, the beginning is a slow start for me as there are some descriptions that I think could be trimmed down or simplified. Additionally, the caste system integrated in the story is a double-edged sword. It adds an interesting and gritty element, yet it also brings slight negativity to my reading as it relates to bigotry. However, I don’t necessarily see this as a flaw of the book, but merely how it affects me as a reader. On the whole, A Warrior's Path has all the crucial prerequisites to make it enjoyable to fantasy fans in general while attracting some loyal fans along the way.

Reviewed by Eduardo Aduna for Readers' Favorite

S.G. Night's Attrition: The First Act of Penance is a sweeping tome filled with adventure, history and magic. Io is in turmoil. The Demon Dominion has enslaved humanity, banished the elves and eradicated the Majiski. Racath Thanjel, one of the last surviving Majiskis, has lived in the shadows for most of his life. Trained as an assassin, he must find a way to become more if he ever wishes to remove the Dominion's yoke and free Io. Guided by a girl who can see the future and trained by the best his race has to offer, Racath needs to unlock his Majiski gifts and be the hero he is prophesied to be.

The problem with long books is that if they turn out to be good, I lose an entire night's sleep. S.G. Night's Attrition was well worth it. It was quite difficult to get through the first chapter. But once I was through, the entire world of Io was mine to enjoy. Characters in fantasy settings live in a world with history, science and lore. A fictional world should have all the aspects of the real one. S.G. Night did a marvelous job of making his world come alive. Some of the expositions may seem a bit forced but, all in all, Mr. Night managed to introduce his world to readers without overtly detracting from the narrative.

Racath Thanjel is almost always on the verge of being an over-powered hero, but the author manages to bring in circumstances that challenge his protagonist. I particularly love the novel's supporting cast: Alexis, Toren, Rachel and Notak. It takes a lot of great writing to make the reader like the supporting cast of such a hero-centered saga. S.G. Night's Attrition: The First Act of Penance is the first of three parts. First volumes are supposed to pique reader interest, introduce characters and set up the fantasy world. In all these facets of fantasy, S.G. Night did an amazing job. I, for one, would willingly trade a sleepless night just to enjoy more of his work.

Reviewed by Katelyn Hensel for Readers' Favorite

Unearthed is the first book of the Pactem Orbis Legends by Karen Seymour. Gemma Alexandra Pointe is not the girl who's going to save the world. She's not a sports goddess, or a 4.0 student. In all senses of the word, she is average, below average in some cases, but for whatever reason, she is also a supernatural. Descended from elementals, she is about to have her world transformed. On her 21st birthday, she isn't going to bars like the rest of the college kids her age; she's going to be gifted with powers beyond her comprehension. Caught between a life of normalcy and one of power, life, and war, Gemma has to make some of the most difficult choices she will ever have to make.

The more time you spend with this book, the more you like it. At first, I'm not going to lie, Gemma kind of rubbed me the wrong way. She's a bit whiny and needy. She's not the kind of girl I would have typically been friends with in high school, and so I felt that clash in our personalities. However, as most people do when you spend time with them, her personality and quirks started to grow on me until I was genuinely concerned with her story. I wanted to know everything about her and her particular mythos and be right there on the ride, experiencing her battles and losses with her. That, my friends, is the mark of a great character. Karen Seymour has a very strong writing style that lends itself to the characterization and personalities of her characters specifically. She is great at plotting and imagery as well, but it was the characters that hooked me and kept me interested. Make sure to check out Unearthed and any other books in the Pactem Orbis Legends if you like interesting characters blended with a paranormal and/or elemental focus!

Reviewed by Maria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

For ages, the people of the First Realm have lived peacefully. But the selfish and deceitful eldest son wreaks havoc in the hope to control and seize the realm creating a chaotic world. The sisters of the Bloodwind take the courage to fight the Evil and help secure a future for all humankind. Will they succeed in bringing back peace in the realm? Will they be able to finally put an end to this war?

Ava D. Dohn is certainly a wonderful writer. Undoubtedly, she has a unique talent. The first book of "The Chronicles of Heaven’s War" allows us to take a glimpse into how the author’s mind works. It also gives us a glimpse of the world the way she sees it. The story line itself is interesting – an alteration of life. The journey of the characters – the brothers and sisters – in this novel mirrors all the various walks of life in the real world. The wickedness of the eldest son and the courage of his brothers and sisters to fight against him are effective representations in exploring reality. It cannot be denied that this is a wonderful book to read because the characters are just so real. The realm that the author takes us into is an amazing place and this is proof of her rich imagination. This is one of those books that make you stop and think. After reading this book, you will definitely want to buy the next book in the series.

Reviewed by Marissa Tapia for Readers' Favorite

The Crystal Key by T.L. Howard is a captivating story about a young girl named Mirah, whose life was disrupted by a man named Rasmun, a man searching for the girl with the crystal key that will help his Lord come into power. Though he initially failed, Rasmun is determined to get his hands on Mirah. Many years later, after the death of her mother, Mirah is suddenly forced out of her familiar life to spend several months on the road with three knights. Though none of them know Mirah's importance, this much is certain - she's in danger.

T.L. Howard kept me captivated throughout the whole story. The plot was interesting and very different from other books in this genre. The characters, especially Mirah and Roenin, were interesting. Their constant fighting throughout their travels kept their journey somewhat lighthearted, despite the fact Mirah was being targeted repeatedly by Rasmun. Watching the characters grow as people and build new relationships helped with the overall plot. Each character was well thought out and had an in-depth angle to their backgrounds. I don't like books with flat, unrelatable characters, so being able to put yourself in the story is important to me. This book made it easy to do so.

The reader can identify with the personal struggles of the characters, such as being being forced to have something familiar taken away from you and having a huge responsibility placed on your shoulders. The book had some humor, romance, action and suspense, making it interesting for almost anyone. I would reread this book many times over.

Reviewed by Tania Staley for Readers' Favorite

An unlikely hero becomes the center of royal dispute and intrigue in Marissa Ame’s exciting tale, Minstrel. When Liam and his band of theatrical brothers arrive in the city of Cynegil, they have only the desire to make enough money to buy food and a place to lay their head. But when they see the signs that the city is in mourning they have a difficult decision to make. Do they ignore their empty bellies and move on in the hopes of finding sustenance someplace else, or do they disregard the rules against merriment in a time of mourning and entertain people? The needs of nourishment require them to go against the rules, and this decision lands them in the hands of the new king Riordan’s court. Riordan rules the country in excess, throwing parties and feasts, ignoring the emptying larders and purses of the country. Shamus, his twin brother, realizes that it is imperative that someone knows the truth of events and hires Liam to be his personal historian in order to record the happenings of Riordan’s reckless rule. But, can a simple minstrel right the wrongs of an entire kingdom? Will anyone listen to him if he tries? Find out in Marissa Ame’s Minstrel.

It was with much excitement that I downloaded a copy of Minstrel to review. Having previously read Marissa Ames’s short story, Darrion, which is also a story of Tir Athair, I was expecting the same intrigue and excitement in Minstrel that I had come to associate with Ames’s writing. I was certainly not disappointed. The feudal society that Ames has created, the intrigues involved in the opposing twin royal brothers, and the unlikely heroism of the minstrel, Liam, are wonderfully thought out and beautifully crafted. Rather than the lofty idealism that surrounds many fantasy landscapes, there is a grit and grime that is just as enchanting in the city of Cynegil. The world the author has created lives and breathes amongst the pages of her book. I highly recommend Minstrel, and I can’t wait to read her next book, Vassal.

Reviewed by Melinda Hills for Readers' Favorite

Many of us have strange sensations from time to time but for Ana Martin, there is an amazing explanation – she is connected to a race of special beings through her love for Gabriel, a member of the Siis. Night of the Fae is volume one in the Ana Martin series by Lyneal Jenkins and introduces Ana, as well as Gabriel and other members of his race. Ana has special abilities herself, in addition to a problem with bipolar disorder, but Gabriel’s presence helps her deal with both. As the first human to be affected by the presence of Siis powers, no one knows exactly what will happen. One thing is for certain, though – Ana’s life will never be the same because the evil Fae hunt her as a means to get to Gabriel. Ana tries her best to keep up with her normal life, but will things ever really be the same?

Well-paced and engaging, Night of the Fae by Lyneal Jenkins is the perfect supernatural/fantasy read. Ana, Gabriel and the other characters are carefully developed and realistic in spite of the supernatural nature of some of them. Following their love, hate and trials keeps the pages turning. It is quite easy to get caught up in the swirling emotions that allow you to feel what Ana is feeling. Night of the Fae is a complete book with a conclusion to this part of the story that leads smoothly and naturally into the second volume, Hidden Light. It is certainly well worth the time and is sure to please.

Reviewed by Maria Victoria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

Ironic, hilarious and informative are three words that immediately came to my mind when I started reading this book. Seraph Contingency is proof of the rich and edgy imagination of its author Jennifer Fales. Truly, who can write a novel with characters like the seraph, the wicked duchess, the violet haired vixen, a witch, an amazing little boy, and many others? The names of these very colorful characters are Anael, Gaap, Deumos, Thomas, Dabber, Anael, Jezebel and Teivel. There's also Ereshkigal, one of the former rulers of hell and Pete, a backsliding saint who now runs a hip bar in purgatory. The story starts when a bored angel escaped from heaven and ended up in, of all places, a dive bar in Purgatory. Meanwhile, a duchess with a not so beautiful past staged an abduction because she wants to have a more interesting wardrobe. A transporter demon then has to be called in and we get to meet a colorful cast of characters whose personalities defy imagination. In short, reading this book is really just like going on a roller coaster ride on an imagination that has seemingly gone completely wild.

The novel may seem like a product of a wild imagination but there is a lot of humor, science, and magic in it too. It climaxed in what is claimed to be the wildest party ever staged in Hell. There is an allusion to the Greek and Sumerian underworld mythology. There is also a healthy dose of jokes on scientific and mathematical principles that will probably give Jennifer Fales the reputation of being the wackiest novelist in town. Behind this story, however, is a social commentary on what is going on in our world today. And the author tells it by using irony, which certainly proved to be a very effective tool. She surprised me with all the humorous coincidences of contradictions in her story. I also have the feeling that many of the words she used in telling her story are meant to give the opposite of their meanings. And there is also a lot of contradictions between what the characters in the novel knows, and what I think as a reader. Lastly, there is irony in that the ending is completely different as to what I was expecting. Ms. Fales tied her story together with irony, and this kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I read the Seraph Contingency.

Reviewed by Kathryn Bennett for Readers' Favorite

"The book Feathered: being a fairy tale" by Tom Weston is a fun adventure into the world of fantasy. Who has not laid back and dreamed of some handsome Prince coming and sweeping them away to marriage. I know I have but perhaps Alexandra did not picture it happening to her quite the way it did. Thanks to her younger trouble making sister Jackie, Alexandra is stuck in the 11th century and being forced to marry a Viking Prince. Jackie would likely be willing to help her older sister except for the small fact that she is still in modern times and dealing with a slew of her own issues.

Tom Weston has truly created a fun and intriguing world full of Vikings, Fairies and strange sounding songs that could almost be a Sirens song of sorts. To use an old term the yarn that Tom Weston spins within Feathered is something that grips you and makes you want more. The scenes in Ireland to me were painted so vividly I could almost smell the peet and see the green rolling hills.

This was the first Tom Weston book I have read and I did not know initially that the Alex & Jackie adventures are a series. I did feel when reading just at the very beginning that perhaps I was missing a little bit of information, and after finding out it was a series I now know why. That said however this book could easily be a standalone. Tom Weston introduces you to the characters with great detail and information so you feel like you know them, even with that small niggle I might have missed something early on it did not take away from my true enjoyment of this book.

I would recommend "The book Feathered: being a fairy tale" to any reader of the fantasy and mythology genre. It is so fresh and inviting with a plot that to me was very unique. I plan on going back and reading more about Alex & Jackie and I very much look forward to seeing what else Tom Weston has planned for adventures.

Reviewed by Maria Victoria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

"Familiar Origins” is science fiction story about a universe ruled by powerful dragons who submit themselves only to the supreme Creator. The universe is divided into the Debellos and the Turei factions. It is also a story of magic and of mankind. The Debellos are the aggressive dragons who want to conquer the world to feed their magic. The Tueri dragons, on the other hand, want to protect the worlds of animate beings. One of these worlds is populated with human life that is also rich in magic and is the venue of the fight between the Debellos and the Tueri. Locked in a centuries-old deadlock, these dragons know that the one who can control eight extraordinary humans will be the one who will emerge victorious. Both dragon factions patiently wait to find the humans that they can train to reach their goals and they eventually identify five young children who hold the fate of their world. These children have to face horror and deception at a tender age and have to deal with the powerful dragons. "Familiar Origins” is actually a story of humankind's survival in the face of a Debellos dragon who succeeded in gaining control of their lives.

"Familiar Origins" is a science fiction and fantasy story. It is a tale of five children growing up under the guardianship of mystical dragons. Author B. Pine undoubtedly has a very fertile imagination. She creates a new world in this story and produces extraordinary characters. It is a tale of magic where the world is populated by dragons and epic battles are being waged. This is a book that certainly gripped my attention so much that I had to finish it in one sitting. I am fascinated by the character of Ben, the commoner who fell in love with the proud princess, Princess Jania, and kept his emotions to himself for years. The truth is that "Familiar Origins" is also a story of children who are coming of age. The five children here have to grow up under abnormal circumstances and they are forced to grow up as quickly as they can. With the children going to the academy to specialize in some skills, it seems somewhat similar to the story of Harry Potter. B. Pine's "Familiar Origins" is not completely original but she manages to come up with a story that is riveting and exciting. It was a roller coaster ride for me, as I read the novel from start to finish in one sitting, so to say.