Invaded Review

Posted on February 13, 2015 by The Page Unbound

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Invaded (Alienated Book 2) by Melissa Landers

Publication Date: February 3, 2015

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Status: Second Installment

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Book Synopsis (Goodreads):

The romantic sequel to Alienated takes long-distance relationships to a new level as Cara and Aelyx long for each other from opposite ends of the universe…until a threat to both their worlds reunites them.

Cara always knew life on planet L’eihr would be an adjustment. With Aelyx, her L’eihr boyfriend, back on Earth, working to mend the broken alliance between their two planets, Cara is left to fend for herself at a new school, surrounded by hostile alien clones. Even the weird dorm pet hates her.

Things look up when Cara is appointed as human representative to a panel preparing for a human colony on L’eihr. A society melding their two cultures is a place where Cara and Aelyx could one day make a life together. But with L’eihr leaders balking at granting even the most basic freedoms, Cara begins to wonder if she could ever be happy on this planet, even with Aelyx by her side.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Aelyx, finds himself thrown into a full-scale PR campaign to improve human-L’eihr relations. Humans don’t know that their very survival depends on this alliance: only Aelyx’s people have the technology to fix the deadly contamination in the global water supply that human governments are hiding. Yet despite their upper hand, the leaders of his world suddenly seem desperate to get humans on their side, and hardly bat an eye at extremists’ multiple attempts on Aelyx’s life.

The Way clearly needs humans’ help . . . but with what? And what will they ask for in return?

My Review:

I really liked Invaded by Melissa Landers. The book is told from both Cara and Aelyx’s points of view. Aelyx is on Earth and Cara has arrived on L’eihr, Aelyx’s home planet. I was really looking forward to this book, but I was also a little worried about the direction this second book would take. I can honestly say that Invaded surpassed my expectations. When a new character was introduced at the end of Alienated, I was worried about a love triangle. I think that love triangles have been way over done in the past couple of years. To me, they have become a big turn off, unless they are very well done. I was very glad that the author went in another direction. I also wondered how the author was going to keep our interest with the main characters being on separate planets. Needless to say, I had nothing to worry about. There were plenty of exciting things going on.

Cara is on L’eihr without Aelyx. She has no friends except for her brother, Troy and Aelyx’s sister, Elle. She learns very quickly that teenagers on Earth and L’eihr are not so different. They have a hard time accepting “the new kid” and now she is “the new kid”. L’eihr is beautiful, but very different from Earth. She misses her home, family, and Aelyx. They talk via their comm links everyday, but it just isn’t the same. School is another adjustment. She was valedictorian of her graduating class on Earth and on L’eihr, she is behind everyone else. The L’eihr’s expect excellence from their young people and not just in education. They have their form of PE class and it makes PE classes on Earth look like a joke. She has a lot of hard work ahead of her, but someone is trying to sabotage her position on L’eihr. She discovers that not everything is as it seems on this planet that will be her new home.

Aelyx is on Earth trying to undo the damage that he did in book one. Syrine is with him, but they are still not on speaking terms after she slapped Cara on the space ship, but that is the least of his problems. Someone doesn’t want him on Earth and would like to see the end of his existence. There have been some attempts on his life, but he is keeping this from Cara, because he doesn’t want her to worry. Aelyx and Syrine are traveling around meeting with humans and trying to drum up support for the alliance. Aelyx misses home and Cara very much. When he finds out the things that are happening to Cara, he gets frustrated, because he isn’t there to help her. Aelyx and Syrine have a group of soldiers protecting them, but will that be enough? Will Aelyx find out who is trying to kill him?

I just love Aelyx and Cara. They are such wonderful characters and their love story is very sweet. I hope there will be another book in the series. I definitely want more Aelyx and Cara.

Things I didn’t like about the book:

Honestly, the only thing I have to complain about is not enough of Aelyx and Cara being together on the same planet. But I’m not sure that was really a bad thing, because it made the time they were together even more special.

Things I liked about the book:

I like the way the author dealt with the long distance relationship between Cara and Aelyx. We got to see just how strongly they care about each other, but we also got to see their doubts and worries. I liked seeing things from both of their perspectives and knowing how each one felt about the things that were happening to them. In any good story you have to have an antagonist or two. We get to meet some in this book and one of them stands out in my mind. He has great potential as a villain and I do love a good villain. I liked the relationship between Cara and Aelyx. It was very believable and realistic. Having a relationship with someone from a different planet has inherent problems, which were addressed in this book. I liked that the author didn’t gloss over the problems. Aelyx and Cara had to face the problems and work through them. I liked Cara’s time on L’eihr and the new things that she saw and experienced. She was put threw the ringer, but came out better for the experience. I loved many of the side characters as well, Elle, Troy, David, Alona, and her fitness instructor that she prefers to think of as Satan.

Invaded is a great book and I highly recommend it. If you haven’t read the first book, Alienated, then you should do that first. You won’t be disappointed.

Melissa Landers

About the Author:

Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives just outside Cincinnati and writes adult contemporary romance as Macy Beckett.

Red Queen Teaser

Posted on February 10, 2015 by The Page Unbound

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Red Queen (Red Queen Trilogy #1)

by Victoria Aveyard (Goodreads Author)

Book Synopsis(Goodreads):

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

Quote 1:

“The truth is what I make it. I could set this world on fire and call it rain.”
― Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen

Quote 2:

“In the fairy tales, the poor girl smiles when she becomes a princess. Right now, I don’t know if I’ll ever smile again.”
― Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen

Quote 3:

“His lips are on mine, hard and warm and pressing. The touch is electrifying, but not like I’m used to. This isn’t a spark of destruction, but a spark of life. As much as I want to pull away, I just can’t do it. Cal is a cliff and I throw myself over the edge, not bothering to think of what it could do to us both. One day he’ll realize I’m his enemy, and all this will be a far-gone memory. But not yet.”
― Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen

Mardan’s Mark Book Blitz

Posted on February 5, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Mardan’s Mark (Mardan’s Mark, #1)
by Kathrese McKee
Release Date: 12/25/14

Summary from Goodreads:

Srilani is second in line to the throne, and she’s always known what is expected of a princess — bring honor to her family and marry well. Aldan has been a pirate’s slave for as long as he can remember, and all he wants is to be free. The Twin Kingdoms have been sister nations for centuries, but now their unity and existence are threatened by enemies both inside and outside their borders.

After pirates abduct Srilani and her three siblings, they are stranded behind enemy lines and across the Great Gulf. As the eldest, Srilani is faced with the dangerous task of bringing her father’s heir home. She convinces Aldan and his two fellow slaves to share their journey to freedom. These unlikely allies — seven young captives — must defeat the web of lies, murder, and betrayal tearing the kingdoms apart.

Buy
Links:Amazon

About the Author

Kathrese McKee writes epic adventures for young adults and anyone else who enjoys pirates and princesses combined with life’s difficult questions. She is committed to exciting stories, appropriate content, and quality craftsmanship.

Mardan’s Mark, the first book in the Mardan’s Mark series, has won a couple of awards:

Winner: 2014 Novel Rocket Launch Pad Contest, MG/YA Category

Finalist: 2014 Phoenix Rattler writing contest, Christian Writers of the West (CWOW) – Arizona’s ACFW affiliateThe sequel, Mardan’s Anointed, is in process along with a related novella.

Author Links:

GIVEAWAY:

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Book Excerpt:

Twelve years later, The Cathartid, off the coast of Southern Marst

Aldan crept past the sleeping crew members drooping in their hammocks, his bare feet soundless on the well-worn boards. One of the men mumbled. Aldan froze, the daggers hidden in the belt beneath his ragged tunic pressing into the small of his back. The pirate turned his head, but his eyes stayed closed.

Keep moving. The skin between his shoulders itched. Nobody’s there. Stop imagining things.

Dawn’s dull gray fingers poked through the latticework of the hatch in the deck above–barely enough light to maneuver around the sea chests and discarded clothing littering the deck. Aldan ducked into the dark passageway and down to the pitch-black hold. The hot, musty air closed in around him.

He stopped and held his breath. The skitter and scrape of a ship’s rat in the beams reassured him. The gulf slipped past the ship’s hull, a constant rush of water. Satisfied, he hurried to the forsaken space reserved for Captain Rozar’s slaves in the hold near the stern, picking his way by memory through the maze of barrels, crates, bolts of sailcloth, and coils of rope.

“Sam. Linus. Wake up.” He shook Sam’s shoulder and received a grunt in reply. Aldan pushed harder. “Get up.”

“Go away.”

“You’ve got to see this.” He reached out to wake Linus and found an empty hammock. “Where’s Linus?”

A quiet voice answered near his ear. “I’m behind you.”

Aldan whirled around with a hiss. “Don’t do that.” He sagged onto the foot of Sam’s hammock. “I think my heart stopped beating.”

Sam’s bass voice rumbled in the darkness. “How’s a man supposed to get any sleep around here?”

“Never mind sleep. Linus, light the lamp so you can see what I found.”

A tiny spark jumped from the flint to the char cloth, sizzling bright in the depths of the hold. A single point of red light glowed, followed by the birth of flame in the lamp as Linus held the cloth to the wick.

Aldan looked into the obsidian glitter of Linus’s eyes. “Where have you been?”

“Behind you.”

“How long?”

“The whole time.”

Aldan blew out a breath and pushed his hair away from his forehead. “I woke you?”

“Indeed.”

Aldan shook his head and dropped the subject–Linus would do whatever Linus would do. “Look.” He drew three daggers from the back of his belt and handed one to each of his fellow slaves. He unsheathed the remaining blade and ran his thumb along the edge.

“I could do some damage with this,” Sam whispered. He struggled to swing his legs over the side of his hammock and straightened to his full height. Sam was the most heavily muscled of the group and the oldest at twenty-three summers, but he wasn’t as tall as Aldan, four years his junior.

Linus, younger and taller than the others, re-sheathed his dagger and made no comment. He reached into his tunic’s neckline and drew out a small leather pouch. He loosened the cord, and five gold pieces clinked into his palm. They gleamed against his brown-black skin.

Aldan jumped to his feet. “Where did you get that?”

“Fratz’s sea chest.”

“What?” Aldan and Sam asked in unison.

Linus shrugged. “I saw Fratz steal it from Biscuits.”

A grin split Sam’s face, and his red beard bristled. “So Fratz can’t cry about losing the gold pieces he wasn’t supposed to have in the first place.” Sam punched Linus’s arm. “Well done.”

Aldan frowned. “Are you out of your mind? What if you’d been caught?”

Linus leveled a meaningful stare. “What if you’d been caught?”

“It’s not the same,” Aldan said. “Nobody’s counted the weapons we captured yesterday. Not Captain Rozar. Not Scar. So nobody will know they’re missing. But even if he can’t say anything, Fratz will know the gold is missing. And he’s going to look for it.”

Linus shrugged again. “I’m good at hiding things.”

“He’s got you there,” Sam said, and he grinned. “That means we’ve got weapons and gold. Now all we have to do is figure out how to get ashore.”

Aldan rubbed the stubble on his chin. “Aye, that’s the problem, isn’t it?”

“You think? We’re stranded in the Great Gulf, leagues from any shore.” Sam’s mouth pulled down at the corners. “Our chances of getting off this cursed ship are almost nil.”

“We’ll think of a way. We must.” Aldan took the dagger from Sam’s hand and gave both weapons to Linus. “Hide these and the gold. I’ve got to get things ready for Rozar before Scar figures out I’m not where I’m supposed to be.”

“That sea serpent.” Sam’s fists clenched at his sides. “Scar’s getting bolder every day and the men listen to him. Rozar had better watch his back, and we’d better be gone by the time Scar makes his move. Once he’s the captain, we’re dead.”

Linus nodded. “Indeed.”

Aldan swallowed and looked away. And I’m at the top of Scar’s list.

Book Blitz Organized by:

Reflection Pond

Posted on February 3, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Reflection Pond by Kacey Vanderkarr
Publication Date: March 30th, 2014
Publisher: Urban Fey Press
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Status: First Installment
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Book Summary (Goodreads):

Callie knows a lot more about pain than she does about family. She’s never belonged, at least, not until she falls through a portal into her true home. The beautiful faerie city of Eirensae doesn’t come free. Callie must find her amulet and bind herself to the city, and most importantly, avoid the Fallen fae who seek her life. Seems like a small price to pay for the family she’s always wanted.

Then she meets cynical and gorgeous Rowan, who reads the darkness of her past in her eyes. He becomes Callie’s part-time protector and full-time pain in the ass. He has secrets of his own for Callie to unravel. What they don’t know is that the future of Eirensae lies with them, and the once peaceful city is about to become a battleground for power.

My Review:

I really enjoyed reading the Reflection Pond by Kacey Vanderkarr. I honestly wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. From the beginning the story is action packed and filled with complex, lovable characters. The novel is told from the points of view of Callie and Rowan. Callie has a troubling past that keeps her from getting too close to people. And Rowan has a dark soul and rarely shows others the goodness that’s in him. The two cross paths right from the start and instantly are not fond of each other. As their tales unravel, Callie sees more to Rowan than the sarcasm and rudeness, and Rowan sees a beauty in Callie that he can’t seem to push away.

Most of the story takes place in Eirensae, one of the Faery cities that welcomes their children home and has them search for their amulets so that they can bind themselves to their city. Most of the children were sent into the human world as infants in order to protect them from the Fallen and the Immortals, dark creatures that search for fae children in order to make themselves Immortal and to help others become Immortal as well. Each of the fae children come back to their home city when it’s time for them to find their amulets. Once they are bound to the city they are no longer a target for these darker fae. In Eirensae, a place thought to be safe, Callie is hunted by the Fallen. Rowan deems himself as her protector and does everything he can to keep Callie safe. In the mean time Callie learns about her powers and practices with her new friend Ash despite the dangers around her. Callie is determined to control her magic and keep her new family and home safe. But is it enough?

My favorite character of this novel is Rowan. I love reading from his point of view because he is honestly snarky at times, and it’s just great! There is a bit of a love triangle in this book, but the author does a fabulous job with it. There is so much to Rowan’s character and it was neat to see the side of Rowan that he normally doesn’t let anyone see. I have to be honest that Callie kind of drove me crazy at the beginning of the story. She comes off as a little whinny, but then again she did just magically fall through a portal into the fae realm. Once Callie moves on from her disbelief that something like this could happen to her, her character blossoms into a strong, and determined soul that finally, in all her years of loneliness from being an orphan and in the foster system, has found a family and people to love and hold dear. Callie becomes a great female lead, filled with hope and light and it’s a wonderful balance with Rowan’s dark, noble character. The story is a must read!

What I didn’t like about the book:

Overall I thought this book was fantastic, the only thing I didn’t like about it was how quickly the author went from the human world to the fae world. I would have loved, even if it was just one chapter, a peak into Callie’s life in the human world. I also thought the way Callie enters the fae realm was a little strange. To me it didn’t make sense how she fell into the pond because the circumstance that made her fall into the pond were not realistic. But other than that, it’s a fast paced and truly gripping story that you can’t put down.

What I liked about the book:

I loved the plot, I loved the characters, and I loved how original the story was. I can’t wait to read the sequel, the Poison Tree.

About the Author (Goodreads):

Kacey Vanderkarr is a young adult author. She dabbles in fantasy, romance, and sci-fi, complete with faeries, alternate realities, and the occasional plasma gun. She’s known to be annoyingly optimistic and listen to music at the highest decibel. When she’s not writing, she coaches winterguard and works as a sonographer. Kacey lives in Michigan, with her husband, son, and crazy cats. Along with her novels, Reflection Pond and Antithesis, Kacey’s short fiction can be found in Sucker Literary Vol 3, and the upcoming Spark Vol 7, Ember: A Journal of Luminous Things, and Out of the Green: Tales from Fairyland.

Author Links:

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Twitter
Website

More on Reflection Pond by The Page Unbound:

Click here to enter the rafflecopter giveaway!!!!

Be sure to check out our Friend or Foe post on Rowan and our original inspired song entitled Through the Reflection Pond.

Invaded Release Week Blitz

Posted on February 2, 2015 by The Page Unbound

I am so thrilled to help Melissa Landers with her release week launch party for INVADED! See a note from Melissa below and make sure to enter the giveaway!

Hey, fiction lovers. I’m Melissa Landers, author of the Alienated series (YA sci-fi from Disney-Hyperion), and today I’m bouncing with excitement because THE SEQUEL IS FINALLY HERE!

It’s been a year since we left Aelyx and Cara onboard the intergalactic transport, and INVADED begins with an emotional goodbye as they part ways—Aelyx returning to Earth to salvage the alliance, and Cara continuing to L’eihr to serve out her part of the student exchange. While they’re apart, our star-crossed lovers will face assassination attempts, betrayal, crippling self-doubt, and a sadistic alien Phys Ed class. (Because there’s no escaping PE, even in another galaxy.) When Aelyx and Cara finally reunite…well, let’s just say it’s combustive. 😉

What do reviewers think? I’m glad you asked!

“Readers will love the seamless blend of suspense, humor, and romance set against an interstellar landscape. Dual narratives and a tightly plotted mystery keep the suspense running high, and the chemistry between Aelyx and Cara smolders.” –Booklist

“Excellent character development and integration between modern reality and science fiction. Teens will be rooting for the galactic couple while enjoying the action and suspense that runs through the two volumes.” –School Library Journal

“The protagonists’ forced separation gives greater depth to their romance. Each learns to turn a critical eye upon the flaws of their native societies while confronting genuine obstacles to a future together. These complications only underscore the growing sense of menace that propels the narrative to an action-packed climax.” –Kirkus

I hope you’ll make tracks to the nearest bookstore and pick up a copy of INVADED! If you’re snowed in, here are some easy links to bring the sequel right to you:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iBooks

Book Depository (free worldwide shipping)

Indie Bound

Indigo

Books-A-Million

Bio: Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives outside Cincinnati in the small town of Loveland, “Sweetheart of Ohio.” For more information, or just to say hello, visit www.melissa-landers.com.

Author Links

To celebrate my book birthday, I’m offering one lucky winner a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble and an autographed swag pack, complete with mini posters of BOTH books! This giveaway is open internationally, and due to sweepstakes laws, entrants must be 18 years or older to participate.

Best of luck, and happy reading!

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Through the Reflection Pond

Posted on February 2, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Through the Reflection Pond
Original Composition by Rebecca Castillo
Inspired by the novel Reflection Pond by Kacey Vanderkarr

I fell through the reflection pond
It brought me closer to you
I fell through the reflection pond
It gave me a family to love

Darkness surrounds you, every where you go
Let me light the lonely path you’re on
I will guide you, if you want me to
Your soul is so black, let me bring you back

I fell through the image of you
Feathered warrior, wings dark as night
I fell through the darkness of you
Tell me, do you feel my light?

Darkness surrounds you, every where you go
Let me light the lonely path you’re on
I will guide you, if you want me to
Your soul is so black, let me bring you back

I fell through the reflection pond
It brought me closer to you

Reflection Pond, with it’s secrets
Only you are true to me
Reflection Pond, with its darkness
Don’t you really see?
That the light inside of you grows brighter each and every day?

I fell through the reflection pond
It brought me closer to you
I fell through the darkness of you
My true warrior, gentle as a dove

Darkness surrounds you, every where you go
Let me light the lonely path you’re on
I will guide you, if you want me to
Your soul is so black, let me bring you back

I fell through the reflection pond
It brought me closer to you
I fell through the beauty of you
It brought me closer to you

If you can handle my awful guitar playing and terrible recording listen to it here! 🙂

Better recordings to come!

Book Summary (Goodreads):

About the Author (Goodreads):

Author Links:

Facebook

Twitter
Website

More on Reflection Pond by The Page Unbound:

Be sure to check out our Friend or Foe post on Rowan, one of the main characters from the novel!

Dark Star Promo

Posted on February 1, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Author Name: Dennis Durfey
Book Title: Dark Star
Book Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: October 6th 2014
Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc
Tour Host: Silverbow Promotions

Book Synopsis:

After completing the mysterious test to become a Grand Magi with her shandar, Jerdone, Zandreena was looking forward to peaceful years of studying to perfect her magic. But fate and a prophecy of old made her leave her home and led her to an adventure and eventful encounter with the fearless Ash’len, the spiritual Danica, and the proud thief Ren, all of whom would play a role in her journey to finding the Orb of the Magi. This immense duty placed in the hands of this young Grand Magi was not welcomed by everyone, and she had to protect not only her life and her friends’ but also her very mission to locate the orb. With the land stripped of its grandeur and serenity due to wars and dark magic, these young men and women must stay together, fight for their lives, and believe that fate would direct them to saving mankind.

Book Excerpt:

Just when it appeared the knights would reach their goal at the north end of the invaders, the ground beneath them trembled, and suddenly a gigantic, fiery creature burst from the ground. At the end of its long, muscular arms, were claws hands nearly a pace in length. On its head were four curved horns, two thrusting outward on each side. As the creature crawled from the ground, it stood more than ten paces tall. Rearing back its head, it released a piercing scream which struck fear in the hearts of both man and beast. The horses around the creature bolted in terror, making it almost impossible for the master horsemen atop them to remain in the saddle. “By the gods, what is that?” one of the mages whispered. “That has nothing to do with the gods,” Estinshaw explained. “That is a demon, brought forth by Travendar himself.”

Book/Purchase Links:

Goodreads
Kindle
Paperback
B&N

About the Author:

Dennis Durfey was born and raised in the mountains of centralUtah. After high school he attended Southern Utah State Collegewhere he graduated with an Associate Degree in Police Science and a Bachelor of Art in Accounting.

Dennis moved to Ventura, CA where he worked for the Department of Defense for a couple of years before relocating to LasVegas, NV to join the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. He has served there for the past 23 years, working in many areas from detective to combat instruction. He has also spent time as a martial arts instructor and holds a second-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do.

Dennis is now embarking on his next adventure as an Author with his debut book, Dark Star.

He currently lives in Henderson, NV with his wife and two sons.

Author Links:

Website
Amazon
Goodreads

Rowan: Friend or Foe?

Posted on January 30, 2015 by The Page Unbound

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Rowan is a character from the book Reflection Pond by Kacey Vanderkarr. He is described as being tall with wavy jet black hair that hangs to his shoulders, and light blue eyes. The fae are beautiful and Rowan is no exception. He is, intelligent, sarcastic, serious, rude, conceited, and an excellent fighter with both weapons and his hands. His weapon of choice is the quarterstaff. There is a darkness inside of him that he tries to keep contained. One of his friends accused him of acting like an ass and he replied, “I’m not acting. I am an ass.” But there is another side to Rowan that he rarely lets others see. He has put up walls to protect himself from getting hurt. He can be selfless, loyal, protective and even kind to those that he has come to trust and love. He does not trust or love easily, but when he does it is with his whole heart. Each fae has their own power. Every ones is different. Rowan is a healer, which is ironic considering he is also a fighter.

Rowan grew up in the human world. Without family, he was raised in the foster care system and it wasn’t a pleasant experience for him. One of his foster fathers tried to kill him when he was a teenager. The faerie trackers found him and he was brought through a portal to the faerie city of Eirensae. He has been in the city for almost 2 years. All the young fae, who come here, have an amulet hidden for them to find. Once they find it they become bound to the city. They must find it by the time they have been in the city for 2 years or they are stripped of their power and sent back to live as a human. Rowan has yet to find his and time is running out. He is beginning to believe that he belongs in another fae city, Fraeburdh, the city of war. He has never felt like he belongs in Eirensae, but he has made a few friends here and is reluctant to leave, especially after Callie arrives. At first he doesn’t trust her, but she soon wheedles her way into his heart. It soon becomes clear that Callie is in great danger and Rowan is the only one who can protect her.

Is Rowan a friend or foe?

Here are a few questions to help us find out.

Does the character intend to make good or bad consequences?

Rowan seems dark and angry, but he doesn’t intend to do things that have bad consequences. A lot of his personality is a front to keep people away. He is very good at pushing people away. He is a healer and he enjoys helping people. If he can’t find his amulet and has to live in the human world, he wants to be a doctor.

Do they perform acts for personal gain or to help others?

Rowan can be selfish, especially with those he doesn’t trust, but it is in his nature to help others. He would never do anything to hurt the people of Eirensae even though he feels like an outsider.

Are their personality traits noble and with good intent?

Rowan is a mixture of personality traits. He has some very annoying traits like being rude, conceited, and obnoxious. These traits have been cultivated to keep people from seeing the real Rowan. He has some very noble traits. He can be selfless, loyal, and kind to those he cares about. He will protect those he loves with his last breath if necessary.

Is the character dishonest?

The fae must tell the truth, but they can twist it a little bit or omit some things. Rowan is basically honest, but he does try to hide who he really is from others and he will keep things from someone in order to protect them.

Does the character permit selfless acts?

Rowan is a healer and I think you have to be somewhat selfless in order to do that well. There were a couple of times in the book where Rowan almost died saving Callie’s life. He holds the life of those he loves more dear than his own life.

Does the character kill without thought or reason?

Rowan was responsible for the death of one person and it weighs heavily on his mind. It happened when he was a teenager and just getting his power to heal. His foster father tried to kill him and his foster mother was stabbed when she interfered. She crawled over to check on him and he used her to heal himself. He can only heal himself by channeling his power into someone else and then drawing it back into himself. He was on deaths door and he took too much energy. His Foster mother died and he blames himself.

Did the character feel guilty about their poor actions?

Rowan tries to protect those that he loves and sometimes bad things still happen. When he can’t protect them, it makes him feel like he has let them down. He is very hard on himself and feels a lot of guilt, especially about the death of his foster mother.

If the character did something bad, where they acting out of a past injury?

It is more likely that if Rowan does something bad it is an accident. He feels like an outsider in the city, but he holds no ill will against the people. He blames himself and thinks that there is something wrong with him.

Does the character do things out of revenge?

He hasn’t up to this point, but he is very protective of those he loves and I think if something happened to one of them, he could act out of revenge.

Does the character strive to get what they want by any means necessary?

Rowan does strive to get what he wants, but not by any means necessary. He doesn’t purposely set out to hurt others, except maybe with his tongue. There is a darkness inside of him and he tries to keep it under control. It stems from his fae power. He is very afraid of becoming a monster and hurting others.

I really enjoyed reading Reflection Pond and I must confess that I have read the sequel, Poison Tree. It was just as good as the first book. I absolutely love Rowan. He is a wonderful character. If you haven’t read these books, I highly recommend them.

Ever Darkening Blitz

Posted on January 28, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Ever Darkening

by Janeal Falor

Release Date: 01/28/15

Summary from Goodreads:

Perfection. Goodness. Elimination of evil. It’s what

seventeen-year-old Kaylyn has trained her entire life to achieve. But no one is prepared for the consequences of her actually defeating all evil people on the planet. Finally successful in her mission, Kaylyn faces an unfamiliar world, full of good people doing good things, in which she no longer has purpose.

When the skies grow dark, and a stranger from another village pleads for her help, her instincts roar to life. It turns out their perfect world isn’t exactly what it seems. Kaylyn’s new quest, harder than any she’s been on before, will rip apart her friendships, her life, and her soul more than any evil man ever managed to.

Book Excerpt:

Being the one chosen to kill the entire evil population is a burden heavier than sin. Not that I know what it’s like to sin, but I imagine this is worse. Killing is never taken lightly, even when
sanctioned by our leaders, the same leaders who chose me to carry it out. I’ve lost count of how many Malryx I’ve executed for that exact reason. And now there is only one left. Only one evil being. My purpose of being is almost complete.

Buy Links:

Amazon | Kobo | Smashwords | Barnes and Noble
| CreateSpace

About the Author

Janeal Falor lives in Utah where she’s finally managed to live in the same house for more than five years without moving. In her spare time she reads books like they’re nuts covered in caramel and chocolate, cooks whatever strikes her fancy, and enjoys the outdoors. Her husband and three children try to keep up with her overactive imagination. Usually they settle for having dinner on the table, even if she’s still going on about the voices in her head.

Author Links:

GIVEAWAY:

$50 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway //widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Book Blitz Organized by:

Princess of Thorns Teaser

Posted on January 27, 2015 by The Page Unbound

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Princess of Thorns

by Stacey Jay (Goodreads Author)

Book Synopsis(Goodreads):

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm’s fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty’s daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.

Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora’s throne ten years ago.

Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it’s too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?

Quote 1:

“What? Is something wrong?””You’re ominous-looking is all. Like a plague rider. Or Death’s little brother.”

“Really? Are you scared?”

“Terrified.”

“Don’t be afraid, Niklaaaaasssss. Death has not come for you tonight.”

“Stop that.”

“Why? Death only wantssss to be friendssss.”

“There’s something damaged in that head of yours.”
― Stacey Jay, Princess of Thorns

Quote 2:

“I am only a child, too innocent to realize that there is no salvation without darkness, no triumph that doesn’t carry the seeds of its own destruction bouncing in its pocket.”
― Stacey Jay, Princess of Thorns

Quote 3:

“My first thought is to tell him to take his “help” and shove it so far between his [butt] cheeks he’ll waddle down the road—I stopped speaking like a princess the day I began training as a warrior—but I bite my lip.”
― Stacey Jay, Princess of Thorns