Tag Archives: trust

BLOG TOUR/ REVIEW: Before Vengeance by Louisa Lo

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 *I’m posting this as part of the XpressoBookTours Before Vengeance Blog Tour. I received a free ebook copy of this in order to do so.

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Title: Before Vengeance
Author: Louisa Lo
Series: (Cosmic Balance #0.5)
Publication date: TBA 2015
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:

What if everything you’ve ever known, down to what you are, was a lie?

Growing up in the enchanted kingdom of Dualsing, seventeen-year-old Lady Serafina has always known she’s different. Her fae power never manifested itself during puberty, and her parents treated her like a tolerated houseguest rather than family. Even her childhood sweetheart, Crown Prince Eldon, distanced himself the moment he was old enough to know the secret about Serafina that everyone in their world seems to know—except her.

Now her upcoming birthday is being treated as a national holiday by the very people who’d neglected her, Eldon is in for a political battle of his life that she’s somehow being dragged into, and Serafina is developing abilities that feel terrifyingly right, but aren’t fae power at all.

As she starts to investigate her origin, Serafina has no idea she would be setting in motion events that would have far-reaching consequences not just for herself, but for all the planes.

Note: BEFORE VENGEANCE is a prequel of VENGEANCE BE MINE.

And Now For My Review:
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4/5
      I haven’t read Vengeance Be Mine, the book this one leads up to. However, if it’s at all like Before Vengeance then I’m sure I’ll enjoy it. This is a good start to the series, in my opinion, and I do really want to read the rest of this series now. Though I am slightly disappointed to hear that the rest of the series follows Megan and not Serafina, mainly because I really liked Serafina’s character and we only briefly met Megan.
      I like Serafina because she felt real and it was easy to fall into her world, her feelings. I like how we got to see her intelligence, confusion, and fear as her powers awakened and got her into situations she always ended up feeling guilty for. Mainly because she tends to hurt others, even if all she wishes to do is help not harm. I also like how she’s not evil or too bitter over the fact that she never felt like she fit in and was treated differently for not getting Fae powers when everyone else did. No matter what world she was in, she wasn’t accepted.

      And while we didn’t get to know too much about Eldon, he was a pretty good male lead. He knew of the deceit and secrets his parents kept, of what the others kept from Serafina, and while he himself couldn’t tell her he still made time to see her. It had to be in secret because she was basically an outcast, but he never failed to be there for her. His utter need for the crown however, it changed how things could have turned out. I like how it works out though, because it makes for more opportunities in the next books. He is also protective and loyal, but not above certain dirty deeds. Which I won’t spoil. What I loved most though would probably have to be his bond with Trust, his pet dragon. I love how they work together and have a loyal friendship. I also like that while Trust is a pet, his has a mind of his own and isn’t afraid to question Eldon. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of both of them in the next books.

Now, world building. I rather liked the details and structure of the world. It’s unique and I would love to see it be more developed in the next book.

      Overall, Before Vengeance is a great start to this series and I definitely recommend reading it!
LouisaAUTHOR BIO:

“Louisa Lo has an exciting new voice to bring to urban fantasy and a fun and breezy writing style that kept the pages quickly turning well into the night! I need more!” –Michelle Rowen, National Bestselling Author

Louisa Lo lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband, an aristocratic cat, and more cardboard boxes than she cares to unpack. She decided to write about vigilantes, because it seems like a better life choice than trying to become one and landing herself in jail. She just has that kind of luck.

Please visit www.louisalo.com to learn more about Louisa and her books.
Author links:
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BLOG TOUR/REVIEW: Like Candy by Debra Doxer

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 *I’m posting this as part of the XpressoBookTours Like Candy Blog Tour. I received a free ebook copy of this in order to do so.

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Title: Like Candy
Author: Debra Doxer
Series: (Candy, #1)
Publication date: July 28th 2015
Genres: Mystery, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Revenge is sweet, just like candy.
Candy Seaborne knows she’s badass. She takes after her father, an assassin and possibly a spy, although he won’t admit to either. She idolizes him. Her dream is to follow in his footsteps. But first, she has to finish high school.
Biding her time, waiting for real life to begin, Candy craves drama and isn’t above manufacturing some. If you’re a classmate who wronged her or a boyfriend who cheated, watch your back. She’s no pushover, and revenge may be her favorite pastime.
Jonah Bryson is the senior class heartthrob who breaks all the stereotypes. He’s a jock, but he isn’t the typical player. He’s moody and antisocial. No girl has gotten anywhere with him since his last girlfriend broke his heart.
Candy sees Jonah as a challenge and the perfect distraction. But she may be in over her head because unlike everyone else, Jonah isn’t buying her tough act. He sees the lost, lonely girl inside. He sees too much. When he looks at her that way, she wants to let her guard down and be vulnerable. But that’s the last thing she should do because her father’s world is spilling over into hers, and life is about to get real much sooner than Candy expected.
And Now For My Review!
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4.5/5
      I enjoyed Like Candy a lot more than I thought I would.
Why?
      Because It was so incredibly easy to fall into the story! When I started reading it, I only meant to read a chapter or two to get a feel for what I’d be reading the next day (because it was late and I needed sleep but I wanted to know anyway) and instead I’ve suddenly read six chapters and I don’t want to stop! (I did anyway, but I definitely didn’t want to.) And then I picked it back up the next morning and proceeded to finish it. Just like that. It’s because the writing flowed well the story hooked me easily.
      It was full of mystery, suspense, twists, and the likes. The mystery was who kept breaking into their home (even though they had an alarm set up and a locks), who wanted to hurt Candy and her father (because her father’s job is… sketchy), and who wanted to hurt Candy to get to her father (because of his job)? And then it turned to who is Jonah really? Because he’s obviously a pretty secretive person when it comes to himself, so why wouldn’t he be hiding something? Which brought the thought, who else is lying or hiding something? The suspense was trying to figure out who the person wanting to harm them was, what they would do next, and why exactly did they want to hurt Candy’s father. The twist was at the very end. Jonah’s secret, what he hid, wasn’t so shocking; the fact that people wanted to hurt her father also wasn’t shocking (because really, he kills people for a living. Who wouldn’t want to get revenge on him for killing their father or brother?); and the man’s identity (the one who wanted to hurt them) wasn’t so shocking either (because we hear of him, but are never introduced to him which inspires the question: why? And he’s good with computers, so who else could it be?). But it’s the fact that while her father was being chocked, she decided to do something her father never wanted her to do. And I won’t say what because it’s pretty much a spoiler, but her father was both disappointed and defeated in that moment.
      Like Candy also has a connectable female lead. Candy. And she is strong in the sense that while with her father she may at times back down, she always has a plan to try and get him to see her point of view, and other times she fights him until she no longer can. With others, the ones who betray her, back stab her, purposely try to hurt her, or just want to mess with her, she never lets them get the better of her without getting back at them. She always gets her revenge. She’s insecure in a way where at times she really does wonder if anyone can really love her. When she’s having a bad day or just feels like crap, she wears revealing clothes because at least no one will think she’s as miserable as she is if she looks good. Also, she’ll get attention, even if it isn’t the good kind. She’s kind because she feels bad for the kind boys who try to get with Parker or Lea and end up dismissed or hurt, she cares about her father even when he’s being nothing but cold and distanced from her, always worried about whether or not he’s in trouble, and she cares deeply about Theo and worries about him because of his chemo withering him away. She’s thoughtful in a way that while at times she may not always see it at first from other’s eyes, by the end she sees what they mean and puts herself in their shoes. She always ends up understanding or seeing why they might think or feel in that way. She’s also very eager for acceptance. She wants to please her father, to have him love her in an affectionate way although she knows he’s not like that. It’s rare to get a hug from him, and she feels alone because of that. If she is having a bad and just needs a hug, she can’t count on her father to comfort her. In fact, at times he tells her she’s being unreasonable or childish. She’s mischievous too, though, always quick to think up a plan for revenge. Her pranks are ones she thinks of quickly and can still pull off perfectly. She’s that determined not to let others get away with doing wrong by her.
      In this book, there’s a romance all girls yearn for. We all want that guy in our life who looks at us like we’re his world, the guy who’ll research places all night long just to find the perfect place to take us, the kind of guy who is a gentleman but also has a devious side to keep us on our toes, a guy who is nervous but confident, thoughtful, and always seems to know our thoughts and what’s best for us. We want the kind of guy we can connect with on a deeper level who will love us for who we are, even if we try to hide ourselves. And that’s what Jonah and Candy are, what they have. They get each other on a lever beyond one I can comprehend, and they just work. And while I hate that he lied to her and was at times pretty rude, I don’t want to see them apart. That’s how well the author wrote them; the author made us love them, rendering it almost completely impossible to hate them or think, I hope they ruin each other. I love it.
      The only things about this book I don’t like? The cliff hanger (obviously, because this book isn’t even published yet(or, it wasn’t when I read the book and wrote this review), so now I have to wait longer for the next!), and the utter importance for her to follow in her father’s footsteps. I get that she wants his love and acceptance, but to eagerly want to kill people? Even if you think they’re bad guys? Candy has a heart, a big, good heart. But her need to be like her father might ruin her. I don’t think she can kill someone in cold blood and then not regret it or relive it ever other moment after. And I don’t want her to have to.
      Overall, I really love Like Candy and so I recommend this to everyone. But mainly lovers of mystery and romance.
 Debra

AUTHOR BIO:
Debra Doxer was born in Boston, and other than a few lost years in the California sunshine, she has always resided in the Boston area. She writes fiction, technical software documents, illegible scribbles on sticky notes, and texts that get mangled by AutoCorrect. She writes for a living, and she writes for fun. When her daughter asks when she’ll run out of words, her response always is, “When I run out of time.”

Connect with Debra. She loves hearing from readers.

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REVIEW: The Dreamer by E.J. Mellow

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* I received an eARC copy of this book from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.


Title: The Dreamer
Author: E.J. Mellow
Series: (The Dreamland Series, #1)
Publication date: May 15th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult

Goodreads || Amazon || B&N

Synopsis:
It’s night. Always night. Dreams guard against the evil forged by nightmares. Infinite shooting stars illuminate a moonless sky. A city stands alone, surrounded by a darkened field. On its fringes, a man watches one star separate from the masses and fall. What survives the crash will unveil a secret centuries long hidden.

Molly hasn’t slept well since the night of her twenty-fourth birthday. Being struck by lightning might have something to do with it, but then again, her chicken did look a little undercooked at dinner. Whatever the culprit, her life quickly catapults from mundane to insane as, night after night, Molly is transported through her once dreamless sleep to a mysterious land illuminated by shooting stars.

There she meets the captivating but frustrating Dev, and together they discover Molly possesses a power coveted by his people—the ability to conjure almost anything she desires into existence. Seduced by the possibilities of this gift, Molly shifts her attention from waking life toward the man, the magic, and the world found in her dreams.

But Molly must ask herself—does something truly exist if you only see it when you close your eyes?

Faced with the threat of losing everything—her job, best friend, boyfriend, and most importantly, that little thing called her sanity—Molly will learn just how far she’ll go to uncover what is real and what is merely a figment of her imagination.

And Now For My Review!
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4/5
      The Dreamer is a very well written story about a 24-year-old woman who was struck by lightning. Now she suddenly has these dreams, theses seriously vivid dreams, that leave her questioning her sanity and yearning for someone she’s sure isn’t real. By day she’s just Molly, a normal woman resting and recovering from her recent accident (being struck by lightning), usually hanging out with her best friend Becca, and sort-of boyfriend Jared (they’re untitled, not labelled, but together). By night she’s Molly, The Dreamer with crazy cool powers who’s discovering a whole new wave of feelings with Dev, and a whole new world full of a bunch of new people.
      So, I just want to get this out right now. Molly irritated me a lot. It’s not because she was a bad character or anything, because she is actually a pretty good one, but because of her… situation with Jared and Dev. Jared is a nice, handsome young man who is clearly in love with Molly. He understands her, always makes her feel at ease, and things with them are just so in touch that it makes you want what they have. Jared adores her, he’s there for her and wants to be her forever. And Dev, well, Dev is a handsome man in her dreams. He’s strong and odd in a sense that he comes from a whole new place where everything is so new and different to Molly. He’s a jerk at times, never answers her questions, flirts with her a lot, and he obviously likes her. And so the reason she irritates me? While she’s basically dating Jared, who is a nice and brilliant guy in the real world, she’s also experiencing feelings for Dev and kissing him and flirting and touching. When she’s with Dev, she forgets all about Jared. In fact, she hardly spares him a thought while she dreams! And while she’s with Jared, she has a hard time forgetting Dev, forgetting his touch and his kiss. It irritates me because she’s basically cheating in Jared, and it’s like she doesn’t even care! Until she has sex with him and feels guilty for thinking of Dev. But seriously, she’s Jared’s whole world and she doesn’t even love him. Not yet, at least, but she’s sure she can some day. It’s safe to say I’d rather she be with Jared. I mean, Dev’s great and all, but she only sees him when her eyes are closed. And Jared’s more open.
      Whew. Okay, so not that I got that out of the way…
      I’ll start off with the world building. It was amazing. I could visualize most of what was described and I really liked the feel we got of the workings of Terra. However, there were times that while things were described really well, I just couldn’t visualize them. And so while reading, there were points where I had a blank visual because I just couldn’t picture it in my mind. Though I really love the people. There were the Nocturna, who all wore black, and there were Vigil, who wore fancy robes and the likes. The Vigil are the leaders, the council, basically, and they know a lot that they keep from the Nocturna. I really like how they had the two different groups, much like us normal citizens and then the government. I also like how the author balanced between Terra and the real world. I was never bored or sick of wither world, and I actually eagerly awaited to get back to the other while I was reading of one. I was so invested in both sides, that Molly’s decision (which I’m sure she’ll have to make) about Jared or Dev, is really tearing into me. I want her with Jared, but then Dev will get all sad and empty again and Rae will probably be very angry with her…
      I also like how Molly thinking she’s going insane was portrayed. It really felt like she was losing her marbles. She definitely changed since meeting Dev. She wanted to sleep more, she was zoning out a lot. She even took sleeping pills at one point just to get answers from Dev. Which may or may not have worked, I won’t say because it’s be a spoiler.
      Which brings me to characters. They all play a big part in Molly’s life and how things go. I adore them all. I can’t think of a single character I didn’t like. And while at times they may have irritated me (Molly), or made me want to punch them in the face for potentially ruining something great (Dev), I loved them more than I didn’t.
      Overall, I liked this book and all the characters, the world building, and the feelings it makes you feel. I recommend it to you lovers of romance and fantasy.
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~Sage<3

REVIEW:The Echoed Life of Jorja Graham by Brynn Myers

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*I received a free ebook copy of this from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

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Title: The Echoed Life of Jorja Graham

Author: Brynn Myers
Series: (Jorja Graham #2) 
Publication date: April 9th 2015
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Synopsis:
 Two books, two lives, one destiny.

“Follow my echo and I will lead you to the still point at the center of it all.” ~ Jorja

Format: Ebook
Rating: 4.5/5
      The Echoed Life of Jorja Graham is the sequel to The Life & Death of Jorja Graham and it did not disappoint. It differs greatly to the first in the duology, as the characters go through more changes, action, and growth, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less great. I, for one, enjoyed the action and little battles that played out, as well as the great changes Jorja and Cat went through. Especially because in the end, both ended up stronger and all loose ends were tied up smoothly.
While in the first book not much action was written out (the only time any action was really present was near the end during a possession),The Echoed Life of Jorja Graham is made almost entirely of action. There’s fights between pesky demons (we see some more witchcraft and are awed by the powers one holds), Quenton (which has ling since been coming), and more pesky demons (who really need to learn that when they say they’re loyal, they need to stay loyal no matter if you think the other side has better benefits, like seriously). The battles were detailed and maybe a little rushed (I get that they’re powerful and all, but I think the ending could have been a little more drawn out or harder, maybe?) but I could visualize them and I loved every moment; especially because I got lost so fully in the book that it was if I was there watching it all play out.
We also get to uncover some secrets certain characters hold, as well as go into one’s mind. Which I loved because we got a new perspective for a brief time and really got a more solid feel on that character. And, we got to see a new romance bloom! While I wish the male of that relationship didn’t accept it so quickly at the end (only days before he had still been pained over his lost love) I really enjoyed how the two characters got to know each other and started getting along only to have their lives be brighter because love is in the air.
I love how easy it was to immerse myself in this book as well. The author has a talent of weaving complicated plots into an easy to follow story line with fantastic characters and a feel of everything being real.
Overall, I really love this duology and I suggest you give it a try! Especially if you enjoy well written paranormal romance books full of action, romance, demons, mystery, and just overall great and likable characters.
~Sage<3

BLOGTOUR/REVIEW: Wolfskin by W.R. Gingell

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*I’m posting this as part of the XpressoBookTours Wolfskin Blog Tour. I recieved a free ebook copy of this in order to do so.

*This is also posted on Coffee & All Things Random.

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Wolfskin

Title: Wolfskin
Author: W.R. Gingell
Publication date: May 1st 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Synopsis:
‘If you want adventure, you have to march right up to it and kick it in the shins . . .’
At fourteen, barefoot and running wild, Rose is delighted to be apprenticed to Akiva, the witch of the forest. She thinks it will be all enchantment and excitement, and not so much fuss about baths. The reality is much more sober and practical- that is, until she meets a mysterious wolf in the forest and is tricked into stepping off the path . . .
In young, naive Rose, Bastian sees a way of escape. Cursed to remain in the shape of a wolf after running afoul of a powerful enchantress, he has lived many decades under a spell, and now he is both desperate and ruthless. But by breaking part of Bastian’s curse, Rose has caught the attention of Cassandra, the enchantress who cursed him: and Cassandra is by no means ready to forgive and forget.
Meanwhile, wardens have been disappearing from the forest, one by one. Rose is certain that Cassandra is behind the disappearances, but can she and Bastian get to the bottom of the matter before Akiva disappears as well? And are Bastian’s motives entirely to be trusted?
Sometimes the little girl in the red hood doesn’t get eaten, and sometimes the wolf isn’t the most frightening thing in the forest.
And Now For My Review!
Format: Ebook
Stars: 5/5
      Wolfskin is full of magic, witches, curses, power, action, romance, a cursed wolf, a bitter Enchantress, spells, growth, strength, trust, and bravery. It’s about a young girl seeking out adventure who becomes an apprentice to a witch, who ends up breaking the first part of a wolf’s curse, who learns spells and magic, and tries to figure out who is behind the missing Wardens and why they’re doing it. It’s about a fourteen year old girl maturing and growing into a young woman who finds love, friendship, and family. It’s about Rose’s adventures and the situations she gets into because of her naivety. It’s a tale you’ll surely love.
  • Characters:
    • Rose is feisty, adventurous, and wants to be a Pirate so she never has to marry. She’s strong and brave but also young and naive. She’s a very believable character. She also tends to act without thinking. So watching her grow up, fight Cassandra, try to save Bastian from his curse, and try to solve the mystery of the missing Wardens was very satisfying and enjoyable.
    • Bastian is probably my favorite. At first, he’s a conniving, vicious wolf who’s about to eat Rose on their first meeting. But when she breaks the first part of his curse he isn’t so bad. He’s a cursed man in the form of a wolf because of what he did, and he’s playful, protective, kind, thoughtful, and I loved reading about his interactions with Rose. Sure, at times he was slightly scary and his behavior was unsettling (mostly when the black surrounded the gold of his aura) but overall he was a character I really love.He’s also tortured and brooding, but he’s quick witted and definitely entertaining, especially when with Rose. Their banter never bored me and was very entertaining.
    • Akiva is a Warden who took on Rose as an apprentice. She’s not your typical lovey, dovey, coddle-you woman. No. She’s a tough, no nonsense old lady with a hard fist and scolding eyes. She makes Rose work for everything and gets her to figure out things on her own since Akiva was never told anything whilst she was young; she had to figure it out herself.Akiva shows her emotions in odd ways, but once you get to know her it’s easy enough to tell when she’s happy, relieved, pleased and so on. She teaches Rose about magic and responsibility and she plays a major role in who Rose grows to be.
  • Pacing:
    • To me, I feel the pacing was perfect. Though at times, with all the parties Rose went to because her sister, Gwendolen, is obsessed with them (basically), it was a little repetitive. it was great seeing Rose interact with Gilbert at those points, as well as Liz and Harry, but I feel like maybe we could go without the party? Things happened at the parties that really worked well with the story, which it needed, but I wasn’t that big of a fan reading about dancing and Gwen’s little minions and Rose just talking to Gil or being forced to dance. It was well written, but not something I myself loved.
  • Writing:
    • It flowed well, kept me hooked, and allowed me to visualize everything fairly easily. The dialogue between characters never felt forced or unreal. It’s pretty much perfect.
    • I love how Bastian and Rose didn’t fall in love right away, as most stories would’ve played out. It helps that Rose was still a young girl when they meet, and that she treats him as more of a friend while Bastian tries to woo her for his own gain. But I love how gradual it is and how it’s not only for her, but him too.
  • World-Building:
    • Everything was easy enough to visualize and was incredibly well written. I feel like the world was flushed out well and I very much enjoyed talk of the forest because it was easy to see how much it means to the characters and why. It was like the forest was pulsing with it’s own life and that it felt emotions, which is great because the author really let all of it come through the writing.
    • I like how each Warden had a specific piece of the forest to claim as their own and care for. It really allowed you to understand the forest more because Wardens have to make sure the land is happy and healthy and the forest tens to act out or try to fight back when dying and uncared for.
    • The laws of the forest really made it feel so much more real. And we really get to explore the forest more since Rose loves adventure and tends to slip away from the path. We learn of what lives in the forest (somewhat) and why the forest allows them to do certain things. We learn of the forest’s magic and how much life it really holds.
    • The magic was fantastic. The gradual growth of Rose’s powers really helped us try to understand her magic. I like how she wasn’t instantly powerful, or holding this epic power just waiting to burst. I enjoyed reading as she tried day after day after day to see the forest lines without closing her eyes. It made everything feel more real because she had to work hard to get to where she wanted to be.
      Overall, I loved reading Wolfskin and I recommend this to everyone. Especially if you love to read about witches, wolves, magic, and fantasy.
WRAUTHOR BIO:
W.R Gingell is a Tasmanian author who enjoys reading, bacon, and slouching in front of the fire to write.
Author links:

THE TOUR STOPS

July 6th
–A British Bookworm’s Blog >> Excerpt
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–Girls With Books >> Excerpt
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July 7th
–Book Nerd Paradise >> Review
–A Book Addict’s Bookshelves >> Interview
–happy tails and tales >> Review

July 8th
–Coffee & All Things Random  >> Review {me}
–CBY Book Club >> Excerpt
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July 9th
–Bookwyrming Thoughts  >> Guest post
–Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books! >> Review
–Kimber Leigh Writes >> Interview

July 10th
–Mandy’s Books and Beauty >> Review
–Blog for readers, writers and bloggers by Daniela Ark >> Excerpt
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–Mythical Books >> Guest post

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~Sage<3

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BLOG TOUR/REVIEW/EXCERPT: Scar of the Downers by Scott Keen

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*I’m posting this as part of the XpressoBookTours Scar of the Downers Blog Tour. I recieved a free ebook copy of this in order to do so.

**This is also posted on Coffee & All Things Random.

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Title: Scar of the Downers
Author: Scott Keen
Publication date: February 27th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Branded on the slaves in the Northern Reaches beyond Ungstah, the scar marks each one as a Downer. It is who they are. There is no escaping this world. Still, strange things are stirring.

Two foreigners ride through the Northern Reaches on a secret mission. An unknown cloaked figure wanders the streets of the dark city of Ungstah. What they want no one can be sure, but it all centers around a Downer named Crik.

Crik, too scared to seek freedom, spends his days working in his master’s store, avoiding the spirit-eating Ash Kings, and scavenging food for himself and his best friend, Jak. Until he steals from the wrong person. When Jak is sold to satisfy the debt, Crik burns down his master’s house and is sentenced to death.

To survive, Crik and his friends must leave behind their life of slavery to do what no other Downer has ever done before – escape from the city of Ungstah

An Excerpt:

Crik smiled. “I brought something for you.” He pulled out the torn piece of bread and handed it to her.

“Where did you get it?”

“A simple thank you is all I need,” said Crik. She gazed at him, and it felt as if he knew what she was thinking. “I’m careful. I’ve lived this long.”


“I didn’t say anything,” said Tinker. “But since you mentioned it. Thank you. You’re such a nice Downer . . . and that’s saying a lot. Some of them are crueler than their masters.”

Tinker took a bite of the bread and chewed slowly.

“Is it good?” Crik asked.

Tinker nodded. “It’s fresher than the ones Morta serves to her customers. I hope you didn’t go through a lot of trouble getting it.”

Crik thought about it and just said, “Not too much.” Then he picked a crumb out of her dirty, matted hair, which she brushed behind her ear.

“You had something in your hair,” said Crik, slightly embarrassed.

“Just one thing?” said Tinker.

“That I could see in the dark.”


They laughed. They always did when they met. All the grime on their skin, tears in their clothes, and lice in their hair disappeared when they were with each other. Crik didn’t feel like a Downer with Tinker. He felt like a young man; he felt brave, as if he could conquer the city. With her he wasn’t afraid of Kilvar, of the rats, the Ashes, or even the Gaunt King himself. The dangers of the city and the world melted away when they were together.

Getting up, Crik walked to the ledge of the roof and looked eastward into the darkness, past the torches and walls. He searched for the words to say, his gaze burrowing into the wall of night. Crik’s voice was quiet when he spoke.

“I heard something yesterday when I was in Briars and Thickets.”

“You went in there?” Tinker got up and crossed to him.

“That’s not the point.” Crik looked at her. “Some men were talking. I listened to their conversation. They spoke of something . . . something called the Avarah.”

Tinker’s brow furrowed, and her face turned serious. “The Avarah?”

“Yeah. You work in an inn. Have you heard people speak of them? Do you know anything about what they are?”

“I haven’t heard a lot,” said Tinker. “What I have heard isn’t very good. But they’re mainly just in stories. No one believes that they’re real. Why?”

“What were the stories about them like?”


Tinker grew quiet again as if she were deep in thought. “I’ve heard they were some kind of powerful being who used to live here long ago. But for some reason they don’t anymore. I guess the people in Ungstah killed them or something. Why? Why do you ask?”

“One man said they’ve returned.”

“Returned?” Tinker gave a little laugh. “I don’t think they’re even real. He was probably crazy. A lot of strange people come through the city.”

“That’s the thing,” said Crik. “This man is the Captain of the City’s Watch.”

Tinker crossed her arms. “Why do you ask me all these questions?”

“I was hoping that if the Avarah have returned . . . I was hoping they were good.”

“Be careful,” said Tinker, grabbing hold of his hand.

“Careful of what?”


“Hope can be dangerous thing for a Downer.”


“Hope is all I have.”

And now, on to my review!
Format: Ebook
4/5 stars

Scar of the Downers is an interesting new fantasy book. It is full of survival, strength, growth, trust, and the fight for freedom. It involves the Downers being treated like slaves, barely ever being fed and always having to do as their master asks. They are treated so poorly and cruelly, but then they have help and suddenly everything is looking brighter. It’s about friendship and trust and it’s a tale written to make scared characters a little braver, a littler more trusting, and a lot more loving.

What I Like:

  • The World-Building || The world building was well done, in my opinion. I mainly enjoyed the description of the evil lurking within the land and the cursed King, how Ungstah is described as darker than other cities so much so that travelers can feel the change once they’re close enough. It made for a much more scary type of vibe, and really helped the mystery grow where the King and his Guards are involved.
  • The Action || I love action, period, but I especially loved it in this book because of the magical elements. Aniel has this sword, right? And so, it can turn into water and end the lives of the Ash Kings, and it can also turn into fire. How cool is that?!
  • The Characters || Well, most of them. I enjoyed reading about Crik (he’s probably my favourite), Jak (or maybe he is), Tinker, Chaser, Aniel (she’s wicked cool), Talorc, Edem, and Gabril. I wasn’t so much a fan of Kilvar, Bhoor, and the other cruel Downer owners. I know they have to be cruel in order for the story to work as it does and I can understand that, I just don’t like them because if they were real I’d want to punch them in the face so bad. Overall though, the characters were great and I enjoyed the different voices us readers got to hear as we read. The visual we got was much richer because of that.
  • The Writing || It flowed well, and despite the filler-like vibe I felt most of the time, it was still a very enjoyable read because the writing really lured me in.

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What I don’t like:

There’s not much; It’s mainly the pace. Throughout most of the book, I felt like it was all  a large filler. Not much seems to happen. I kept reading and all I got was that they were treated poorly (they were always hungry, thirsty, and dirty, always scouring the streets for whatever they could find), they needed to get money so Jak wouldn’t be sold (because their owner has a dept he needs payed but refuses to part with the silver he gained from killing a man, and so they stole from a house down a street), they aren’t that fond of some of the other Downers (Slink especially, since he always seems to sneak on them when they’re walking down the street), the Ash Kings almost killed them multiple times (since they were out on the streets during curfew trying to get food and money), and their owner is a cruel, cruel man. And yet, as you should realize, most of it happens in the same streets over and over again. It worked well with the story, but made the pace more slow and akin to that of a filler chapter.

I also didn’t like how quickly Slink changed. At first he’s this annoying, slightly creepy Downer that Crik and Jak weren’t fond of, as he was always sneaking up on them and even stole food from them once. Then suddenly when Aniel saves him he’s all nice and supportive and gets along with the others real well. I think there should have been more time taken to develop his change. Other than that though, I really enjoyed reading Scar of the Downers.

So, overall, Scar of the Downers was a very enjoyable read, despite the slow/filler-like pacing. I would recommend this to you lovers of action and fantasy.

ScottAUTHOR BIO:
Scott grew up in Black River, NY, the youngest of three children. While in law school, he realized he didn’t want to be a lawyer. So he did the practical thing – he became a writer. Now, many years later with an MFA in script and screenwriting, he is married with four daughters, two of whom he homeschools.
Author links:

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