Audio/Book Review of The Pirates of Pacta Servanda (Pillars of Reality Book 4) by Jack Campbell

Book Title: The Pirates of Pacta Servanda (Pillars of Reality #4)

Genre: Epic Fantasy/Dark Fantasy

Pages: 324

Audio Book Length: 11 Hours 32 Mins

Author: Jack Campbell

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
Date Published: 12 April 2016 (E-Book)
12 January 2016 (Audio)

Synopsis:

"The world feels oddly strained, like a line pulled too taunt and apt to snap, smashing everything in its path."

Master Mechanic Mari and Mage Alain have survived every attempt to stop them, but their enemies are determined to kill Mari, the only one who can save her world from a storm of destruction. As armies begin to gather and cities seethe with tension, Mari, Alain, and their friends must prepare to confront the storm in the place it first appeared: the broken kingdom of Tiae.

The dangers facing them demand perilous raids, tough battles, and more than a little piracy. Beating the Mechanics Guild and the Mage Guild that have controlled the world of Dematr for centuries will require an unprecedented alliance under Mari's command of rebellious Mechanics, Mages, and common folk who know that together they can change the world, but separately they will all lose.

Review:

The Pirates of Pacta Servanda by Jack Campbell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is the fourth book in a fantastic epic fantasy series called The Pillars of Reality. I absolutely loved it!

Mari is a fantastic character. I liked her immediately when I met her in the first book. I love her determination to do the right thing, even at the cost of her own life. A Master Mechanic, Mari has faced many threats to her life from the Guild Masters on the world of Dematr and survived. Mari has been foreseen by Mages to be 'The Daughter of Jules' and fated to free the world of Dematr from the tyranny of both the Guilds - Mechanics and Mages - and to unite the Mechanics, Mages and Commons against said Guilds. This time, she finds herself on a dangerous mission on the sea in an attempt to reach the broken kingdom of Tay and walking in the footsteps of the legendary Jules of Pacta Servanda. Together with her friends, and Alain, she will have to dig deep to survive the oncoming storm.

Mage Alain is also a fantastic character. I liked him a lot from the start. He was one of the youngest Acolytes to achieve Mage status at the age of seventeen. He has been taught from a young age not to show or feel any emotions and that the world he lives in is an illusion, where nothing is real. I love how this character has grown as the series has progressed. He tries to show more emotion, even though his Guild had virtually beaten it out of him. He hides a dry wit under that emotionless mask.

I listened to this story in audio format, rather than read it. MacLeod Andrews once again narrates the story. He does a fantastic job of bringing the story to life. Even Alain, who's voice is meant to be flat and emotionless comes across with subtle hints. You would think that Alain's voice would be monotonous, but it's not so. I love the way he brings all the characters to life with different accents, inflexions and tones. He even makes the women's voices sound perfect for each character. As for his narration, he read the story clearly and concisely, and his pacing was perfect. I would definitely listen to more books read by this narrator.

The story continues from the end of The Assassins of Altis and sees Mari and Alain joining with several new characters as the action heats up. Mechanic Caylou (not sure of spelling as I listened to the story so have no reference and have spelt it phonetically - it could be Kayloo or another variation) makes another appearance. He is one of Mari's friends from the Mechanics Guild, along with his girlfriend, Ally, who also makes an appearance this time. Mage Asha also makes another appearance, but there are also several other new characters that are now integral to the plot. There is Mage Dov, who is Asha's uncle, and Mechanic Dov (no relation) whose relative had once lived in Marandur. Sien, a princess of Tay, plays a significant role in this story, too. There are a few more characters added, but it would take me too long to mention them all.

I love the world building in this series. It is familiar though strange at the same time. It has a mix of steampunk and modern day technology, but this is due to the way the Guilds restricted people from creating new things. The story is full of action, adventure, and danger and I found myself an emotional wreck at times. In this story, the characters travel to the Sea of Backer, where pirates, traders and Imperials rule the waves and danger threatens on all fronts. The action is ramping up as the storyline reaches towards the climax. Have you ever read or listened to a story and felt utterly emersed in it? It happened to me as I listened to this book. These characters have come to life for me and have become my friends. This book ends with a slight cliffhanger, which had me eager to listen to the next story in the series, The Servants of the Storm, as soon as possible.

Jack Campbell has written a fantastic science fiction series. I have added him to my favourite author's list, as he's found a fan in me. I love his writing style, which is fast-paced and descriptive, and the flow of the story is good too.

Although there is now some mention of scenes of a sexual nature, it’s not shown. I do not, however, recommend this book to younger readers under the age of 15 due to some violence. I do, however, highly recommend this book if you love dark or epic fantasy, steampunk or action/adventure and supernatural/paranormal romance genres. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

             

About The Author:

"Jack Campbell" is the pseudonym for John G. Hemry, a retired Naval officer (and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis). As Jack Campbell, he writes The Lost Fleet series of military science fiction novels, as well as the Beyond the Frontier continuation of The Lost Fleet, and The Lost Stars series (a spin-off of The Lost Fleet). He has also written the Stark's War series and the Sinclair/"JAG in space" series, and has written many shorter stories featuring space opera, fantasy, time travel, and alternate history. Many of these stories can be found in the three Jack Campbell ebook anthologies. He lives with his wife (the Indomitable S) and three children (two of whom are autistic) in Maryland.

Author Links:

Amazon Author Page

Goodreads

Website

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Claimed by her Cougar (Cougar Creek Mates Book 1) by Felicity Heaton @FelicityHeaton

New York Times best-selling paranormal romance author Felicity Heaton is here today for the book tour of her new shifter romance release, Claimed by her Cougar, the first book in her brand new Cougar Creek Mates Series. Set in her popular Eternal Mates world, Cougar Creek Mates takes you into the deep Canadian wilderness to a secret place that’s home to a cougar shifter pride led by four sexy brothers, each guaranteed to steal your heart and set it racing! With all four books in the series releasing just weeks apart, this is going to be one hot summer.

Check out the book and be sure to enter the awesome grand giveaway happening at her website!

Claimed by her Cougar (Cougar Creek Mates Shifter Romance Series Book 1)
Felicity Heaton

Having lost his parents and mate in a brutal attack on his cougar shifter pride by a hunter organisation, Rath burns with a need to keep humans off his land and out of his life. He’ll do whatever it takes to protect his pride from them, but when a lone female wanders into his territory, it isn’t a burning need to drive her away he’s feeling and it isn’t his pride that needs protecting—it’s his heart.

Down on her luck, Ivy follows a lead to a spot where she hopes to photograph black bears, but what she discovers there is a mountain of a man who lacks manners and seems determined to drive her off his property—a man who stirs unbidden fire in her veins and a strange sense of home.

With a pride gathering on the verge of happening at Cougar Creek and the air charged with a mating heat, the last thing Rath needs is a human on his land, especially one as beautiful and alluring as Ivy, one who rouses a fierce need to fight for her, but he can’t convince himself to let her go… and that proves dangerous for them both.

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Enter the grand tour-wide giveaway to win one of a $75, $50 or $25 Amazon Gift Card at the Claimed by her Cougar book page. This giveaway is international and open to everyone, and ends at midnight on August 12th. Enter now: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/claimed-by-her-cougar-shifter-romance-book.php

If the tip she had received turned out to be nothing, Ivy was going to kill the person who had given it to her. She rubbed her hands together, struggling to keep the chill off her numbed fingers as she made her way through the thick coniferous woods, following a faint path that she hoped would lead her down to the river she had heard almost a mile back. She paused and checked her position on her GPS.
She was getting close to the coordinates she had been given now, and not even the freezing morning temperatures, or the chilly night camping that had seen her awake more than asleep, listening tensely to every noise in the darkness, could dampen her excitement.
Black bears.
If she could get some photographs of a mother with cubs in undisturbed habitat, it would be incredible, perfect for her series on Canadian bears, an idea she had hit on last year when trying to shatter a creative wall that had left her close to giving up photography altogether.
Yasmin had talked her through it, always the voice of reason and support, convincing her not to give up just yet and to think of a project that could stir her passion again.
Ivy was glad that she had listened and had decided to try a series on bears, because some of the photos she had taken of grizzlies in the fall had restored her faith and now she had found the energy she had been missing, the enthusiasm she had always had for photography.
It wasn’t her work. It was her passion.
One she couldn’t believe she had almost given up on now that she was back in the saddle.
She carefully picked a path over the roots of the spruces and pines that towered above her, half of her focus on the world around her and half of it on the project.
If things went well with the black bears, maybe she could head over to the coast and find some spirit bears. It would be more of a challenge, but she had done her research and there was a place that was off the beaten trail, just like this one. No tourist groups to disturb her work or get in the way. Just unspoilt and untamed nature at its finest. She could picture the photographs now, just as she could see the ones she could get in her current location, and another bubble of excitement burst inside her, bringing a smile to her lips.
She could do it if her funding held.
Ivy didn’t want to think about that, not when what had happened with one of her sponsors had sent her into her creative depression in the first place.
She adjusted the straps of her backpack, one that he had bought her.
One she had wanted to ditch but getting a bag of this calibre, one that could safely store all her equipment, some clothing and food, and her camping gear, was expensive, and she had never been one to do something as frivolous as throwing away a perfectly good bag and buying a replacement.
Her budget was stretched tight enough as it was.
She was damned if she was going to risk running out of money just to spite a man who didn’t give a damn about her.
Ivy paused and listened, searching for the sound of the river through the patches of birdsong. Nothing. She pushed onwards, heaving a sigh as her feet started to ache in her boots. She must have walked a few miles already, had started out from her camping spot at first light, as soon as she had been able to walk without needing a flashlight.
It was growing lighter now.
Ahead of her, the trees thinned, and she peered through them. Golden light cast shadows, telling her there was an opening of some sort in that direction.
She quickened her pace, the thought of standing in the weak sunlight and letting it warm her driving her more than the thought the river might be there. She needed to warm up or her brain was going to freeze. She should have found her gloves in her pack this morning, and maybe a hat, something to keep the chill off so it wasn’t such a distraction, but she had been so excited by the thought of finding black bears in this pristine wilderness that she had rushed to keep moving towards the location she had been given.
An animal called in the distance and she stilled, her head whipping in all directions, pulse jacking up as she listened hard, trying to figure out where the sound had come from, and what had made it.
A deer broke cover just a few metres ahead of her and she almost shrieked as she jumped and stumbled back a step. The heel of her hiking boot caught on a root and threatened to send her down, and she staggered as she fought to maintain her balance so she didn’t land on her backside, and her pack.
The animal glanced her way, called again and bounded into the trees to her right as she grabbed the trunk of the pine to stop herself from falling and breathed hard and fast, her heart hammering as adrenaline flooded her veins, leaving her trembling.
When the sound of its footfalls disappeared, and the birds began singing again, she breathed a little easier, focused on each one she pulled down into her lungs to steady her racing heart as she sagged against the tree.
Damn, being so deep in the woods was making her jittery.
She wasn’t sure she had ever ventured so far into the wilderness before, and she hadn’t realised it would put her so on edge, afraid of every noise she heard. She had been so caught up in the fact the person she had spoken to at a bar in Golden, deep in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, had told her he had seen a lot of bears in this valley in the past that she hadn’t really thought about how remote it was.
Or how alone she was.
Normally when she headed into the wilder places in the world, she had a guide with her.
This time, she was flying solo.
Looking for bears.
Damn, she hoped she hadn’t made a terrible mistake by trekking into the middle of nowhere and wasn’t about to meet a grisly end.
Pun intended.
Ivy looked back over her shoulder as she palmed the bear spray hanging from her belt of her brown trousers, using the feel of it to calm her nerves. If she trekked all day, she could probably make it back to her Jeep where she had parked it at the end of a logging track. It would be dark when she got there, but she could sleep in the safety of the vehicle and drive at first light.
She glanced at the forest around her, and shook her head, causing her ponytail to sway across the shoulders of her beige weatherproof jacket.
No. She had to keep going forwards, wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she didn’t do this. It would always play on her mind, tormenting her with the fact she had given up when she might have been able to get award-winning photographs of bears.
When she scanned the woods again, and spotted mist creeping through the trees below her to her right, her feet took the decision out of her hands. She marched down the slope, winding through the broad trunks of the ancient trees, and slowed as she left them behind.
The river.
It was eerily silent as it stretched before her, shallow and broad, rippling over rocks.
She stared at the dense dark green woods on the other side and the mountains that speared the azure sky beyond them, the cragged peaks still laced with snow.
The beauty of it hit her hard, had her standing still and taking it in as she swept her gaze across the scenery, to her left towards where the sun was rising, not quite visible beyond a dip in the mountains.
She wasn’t sure she had ever been anywhere that felt so tranquil.
Where she felt miles from civilisation.
It was breathtaking.
A smile crept onto her lips. The trek and the terrifying night sleeping in a flimsy tent had been worth it just to see this.
She followed the rocky bank of the river, letting it lead her now, forgetting her GPS, sure this was the spot the old man had told her about, and that she would get the photographs of bears that she wanted here, if she had a little patience.
And damn, they were going to be amazing.
She could feel it as a shiver over her skin, a sweep of prickles that stirred her excitement to a whole new level and had her looking at all the angles, seeking just the right one to make a composition that would blow the world away.
She found it as she rounded a bend in the river and the trees hugging the bank eased away from it, allowing the scenery to open up.
It was perfect.
Incredible.
The shallow river rippled over rocks, flowing swiftly around the bend, and trees enclosed it on both sides. The mountains embraced those trees, rising high into the sky. Yes, this was the place. She was going to get the shots she wanted here, she was sure of it.
As the sun broke the horizon above the mountains, and mist swirled across the river, she reached for her camera. She had to photograph it. It was too beautiful to let it slip through her grasp. She pulled her backpack off, set it down on the bank near the trees and unzipped it, taking out her camera. She fixed a wide-angle lens on it, one that would give her enough field of view to really capture the beauty of the valley but could zoom to give her a close up if a bear appeared, and positioned herself.
Ivy snapped a picture and looked down at the screen of her Nikon, smiled at the shot, adjusted her settings, and lifted her camera to take another. As she swept it across the scenery, looking for the best composition, she imagined a black bear emerging from the haze and how perfect it would be. It was a magical scene as the sun rose and mist hung just above the rippling water, and it would only be made even more magical by a bear.
She took a handful of photographs, the changing light as the sun rose leading her to take another and then another, documenting the splendour of the scene as it subtly shifted.
She had never seen anything so beautiful.
So breathtaking.
She swung her camera left, towards the side of the river she was on, wanting to capture a shot of it with the glacier in the distance and the sun rising above it.
A shape loomed in the mist, disturbing it, and her heart lodged in her throat, a thrill chasing through her as she pressed down on the shutter release, sure it was a bear.
But as the mist parted, it wasn’t a bear that emerged.
It was a man.
A mountain of one.
He moved towards her with a predator’s gait, prowling through the mist that tried to cling to his long powerful jeans-clad legs and the cuffs of his worn dark green fleece, the sun rising behind him casting golden highlights in his thick dark hair. His square jaw, shadowed by stubble, tensed and his stony grey eyes darkened as they narrowed on her.
It took Ivy a moment to realise he was talking to her.
“You’re trespassing.” His gravelly deep voice rolled over her, a growl that suited his appearance.
He looked more dangerous than the wild animals in these parts.

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com.au

Book 1: Claimed by her Cougar

Book 2: Captured by her Cougar (coming 18th August 2018)

Book 3: Courted by her Cougar (coming 8th September 2018)

Book 4: Craved by her Cougar (coming 29th September 2018)

Felicity Heaton is a New York Times and USA Today international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. In her books, she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! If you’re a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.

If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series.

If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places:

WEBSITE | BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM

Book Review of Claimed by her Cougar (Cougar Creek Mates Shifter Romance Series Book 1) by Felicity Heaton

Book Title: Claimed by her Cougar (Cougar Creek Mates Shifter Romance Series #1)

Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance

Pages: 150

Author: Felicity Heaton

Date Published: 28 July 2018

Synopsis:

Having lost his parents and mate in a brutal attack on his cougar shifter pride by a hunter organisation, Rath burns with a need to keep humans off his land and out of his life. He’ll do whatever it takes to protect his pride from them, but when a lone female wanders into his territory, it isn’t a burning need to drive her away he’s feeling and it isn’t his pride that needs protecting—it’s his heart.

Down on her luck, Ivy follows a lead to a spot where she hopes to photograph black bears, but what she discovers there is a mountain of a man who lacks manners and seems determined to drive her off his property—a man who stirs unbidden fire in her veins and a strange sense of home.

With a pride gathering on the verge of happening at Cougar Creek and the air charged with a mating heat, the last thing Rath needs is a human on his land, especially one as beautiful and alluring as Ivy, one who rouses a fierce need to fight for her, but he can’t convince himself to let her go… and that proves dangerous for them both.

Review:

Claimed by her Cougar by Felicity Heaton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This story is the first book in a new shifter series called Cougar Creek Mates Shifter Romance Series, which is an offshoot of the Eternal Mates series (which I love) and based in the same world.

Rath is a character whom I liked a lot. He has all the traits of an alpha male - strong, protective, and possessive. Being a cougar shifter, however, he also likes his space and is used to being solitary. When a human unexpectedly crosses into his territory in search of black bears to photograph, Rath is determined to chase her off before the rest of the pride arrives for the gathering, but it quickly becomes apparent that there's more to Ivy than being just a pesky human - she's his mate.

Ivy Wentworth is a strong female character. I liked her a lot too. A freelance photographer, she is determined to track down black bears in their natural habitat. Instead, she finds herself confronted by a surly man determined to drive her off his land. As danger draws unknowingly closer, Ivy finds herself fighting her attraction to the mysterious Rath.

I started reading this story, told through Rath's and Ivy's points of view, and it swept me up into the tale and carried me away. Rath is a little rough around the edges, and Ivy is like a babbling brook that smooths them, so together they make a lovely couple. My only bug-bear about this story was the insta-love between the main characters. Insta-love, no. Insta-lust, yes. They knew each other for less than a week and, with Ivy being a human, I don't think she would fall head over heels so quickly. Another thing I found about this story is that it felt too short - more like a novella than a novel even though there are 150 pages, and it also felt a little rushed near the end as if the author had quickly wrapped it up to get an HEA ending.

As this series is part of the Eternal Mates world, there is mention of Archangel, the same agency that has been hunting other shifter species in that series. Alexander, Ivy's sponsor, is vaguely introduced; he only appears close to the end of the story and is in one scene. I felt he didn't have enough development into a villainous character for me to love to hate him. It's as if the author just used him as a way to introduce Archangel into the equation, which annoyed me. Rath's younger brother, Storm, is also introduced to the reader. Again, this character doesn't get much page time, but as he is the intended main character in the next book in the series, I suppose we'll get to know him better then. Gabriella, Alexander's half-sister, is also brought into the tale near the end and will be in the second book as one of the main characters. There's a preview of Storm and Gabriella's story at the end of this book.

I reached the end of the book with mixed feelings. I love the shifter world the author has created but feel let down by the rushed feel to the story. I don't know if she is putting on too much pressure onto herself to get these books out quickly, or not. I prefer quality over quantity, and this book is decidedly below her best work, even though I still loved it. I hope the other books in the series are less rushed, and I am looking forward to reading the next book soon.

Felicity Heaton has written another fast-paced, sexy paranormal romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. I love her fast-paced writing style, which flows effortlessly from scene to scene. She is still on top of my favourite author's list.

I do not recommend this book to younger readers due to the extremely HOT and explicit sexual scenes. However, I highly recommend this book (and series) if you love sexy paranormal romances full of cat shifters and other paranormal species. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

Purchase Links:

            

About The Author:

Felicity Heaton is a NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY and International Best-Selling Author writing passionate paranormal romance books and series for adults.

In her books, she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons!

If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, her best-selling Her Angel romance series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm romance series or any of her stand alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try her Vampire Erotic Theatre romance series. Or if you like hot-blooded alpha heroes who will let nothing stand in the way of them claiming their destined woman then try her Eternal Mates series. It’s packed with sexy heroes in a world populated by elves, vampires, fae, demons, shifters, and more. If sexy Greek gods with incredible powers battling to save our world and their home in the Underworld are more your thing, then be sure to step into the world of Guardians of Hades.

Fans of paranormal romance books by authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter, Larissa Ione, Kresley Cole and Christine Feehan will love Felicity's books too.

Author Links:

If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places:

Website ; Blog ; Facebook ; Twitter ; Tsu ; Pinterest ; GoodReads ; Amazon

Book Review of Little Bear and His Chair by Claressa Swensen @ClaressaSwensen

Book Title: Little Bear and his Chair

Genre: Children's Book/Middle Grade

Pages: 44

Author: Claressa Swensen
Illustrator: Alena Paklina

Date Published: 9 July 2018

Synopsis:

Little Bear has a favorite chair, and he doesn't want anyone else to sit on it. When his stubbornness gets in the way of his friendships, Little Bear has to decide what's more important to him.

Review:

Little Bear and His Chair by Claressa Swensen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderfully illustrated story for children aged between 3 and 8. I loved it!

I love the colourful illustrations done by Alena Paklina. They bring this short story to life and will engage a child who hasn’t fully grasped how to read yet, but who can follow the story with ease as it's been read to them by their parent. It compliments the short story written by the author, so one is transported directly into the tale. Depending on the child’s age and reading ability, the author has written a charming story that is easy enough for a young reader to follow, as she uses simple words that will not confuse a child.

The story is a simple but important one about learning to share. Little Bear has a lovely chair but refuses to share it. Because of his selfish behaviour, he has been left out of the fun and become lonely, which is no fun at all. He learns that by sharing, he is included in all the fun and games with his friends. This then translates into teaching the young reader how it is better to share when playing with their friends or siblings. Some adults reading this book may decide that this book is also about bullying as Little Bear is not exactly nice to his friends. However, this is not the impression I found when reading it. I suppose it depends on your upbringing and what your life experiences have made to you as a reader, and how you interpret a book in a certain way. I can only go on my impression of this book, and I think it’s a lovely book that can entertain as well as educate. Everyone’s opinion is different, so I will leave you to decide if, after reading the sample, whether you would want your child to either listen to you read it, or they read this book on their own.

This book is suitable to read as a bedtime story, or anytime at all, especially if a child has a short attention span. It is a quick read, so even if they haven’t settled down, the lovely pictures will entertain the children.

Claressa Swensen is a new author to me, as I have not read her other children’s books. However, I would definitely read more of her books in the future.

I highly recommend this book to children aged 3 upwards and to adults looking for a fun but educational read for their children. – Lynn Worton

View all my reviews

Purchase Links:

              

About the Author:

Claressa Swensen resides in Northern Utah with her husband, baby girl, and her two dogs. She has written four children’s books, including Teensy the Littlest Fairy and Dino Dino Doing Homework. Her books are currently available in seven Barnes & Noble locations across Utah. Her work has been featured in Readers Favorite and over 10 different reading blogs.

Author Links:

Goodreads ; Twitter

Book Review of Splinter (Book Three of the Sentinel Trilogy) by Joshua Winning @JoshWinning @TheSentinelTrilogy

Book Title: Splinter (Sentinel Trilogy #3)

Genre: YA Dark Fantasy/Horror

Pages: 354

Author: Joshua Winning

Date Published: 9 July 2018

Synopsis:

'All who stand against us shall perish'

The critically acclaimed Sentinel Trilogy comes to a thrilling conclusion in this final instalment of the dark fantasy series.

The world is falling apart around Nicholas Hallow. Amid rumours that the Dark Prophets have returned, a deathly gloom pollutes England, unleashing a savage hoard of nightmare creatures. Fighting the tide of evil, Nicholas returns home to Cambridge, where an old ally helps him seek out the mysterious Skurkwife, who could help Nicholas stop Malika and the Prophets for good.

Meanwhile, Sam Wilkins unites the Sentinels against the forces of darkness, but with Jessica's sanity slipping, and Isabel suspicious of her shadowy past, it's a battle that could cost the Sentinels everything.

Review:

Splinter: by Joshua Winning
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is the third and final book in the Sentinel Trilogy. I loved it!

Nicholas Hallow is a fantastic character. I liked him very much when I first met him in Sentinel, the first book of the trilogy. He has dealt with tragedy and faced danger which has destroyed his world with more bravery than even I would have in the same situation. I love how he's grown emotionally throughout the trilogy. He's been forged in fire and gained maturity through adversity. He has been chosen by the Trinity to help protect the Sentinels, but as danger threatens, he finds himself making some difficult decisions.

The story continues from the end of the second book and sees Nicholas dealing with his world being torn apart by the malevolent Malika. As he tries to pick up the pieces, his life receives several more blows. There are secrets revealed, and the nightmare surrounding the impending return of the Dark Prophets grows. Nicholas will have to dig deep to resurrect the Trinity. However, the sacrifices may be too difficult.

This story has been eagerly awaited by myself for some considerable time; it's been three long years, but it was worth it. Due to the length of time between the release of books, I decided to read the first two books before tackling this one. I'm glad I did that because it reminded me of things I'd forgotten. I found myself hooked from the first page, and I loved meeting the characters once more; Dawn, Sam, Rae, Merlyn, Jessica and Isabel. I even missed Malika, as she's a character I loved to hate.

This book is told from Nicholas's point of view and is just as fast-paced and exciting as the other two. There are several twists and turns in this book that I didn't see coming, but they just added to an utterly enthralling read! I found myself on an emotional roller coaster ride from beginning to end. I had to wipe a few tears during this book, so keep hankies or a tissue handy, just in case. Speaking of the end, I love how all the loose ends from the previous books were tied up. I will not say more on that due to spoilers. But, I will say that I will miss these characters. A lot. However, I can now visit them whenever I get the urge.

Joshua Winning has written a fantastic end to his debut series. I love his fast-paced writing style, and the story flowed beautifully. This author is one to watch. He is one of only a handful of male authors that I have added to my favourite author's list, and I can't wait to see what he will come up with in the future.

As this book is a Young Adult fantasy, I highly recommend this book (and series) to young readers aged 12+ and to adults who love YA stories filled with witches, demons, supernatural beings, danger and adventure! - Lynn Worton

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Purchase Links:

                

About The Author:

Joshua Winning was born in Cambridge, but don't hold that against him. He's attempted to escape reality for most of his life by writing. As a child, that involved poring diligently over anything by C.S. Lewis or Robin Jarvis.​

When he's not writing about Sentinels, Joshua can usually be found watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Wire and Daria. He also works as a freelance journalist, writing about movies for Total Film, Little White Lies and movieScope.​

Joshua currently lives in North London with his cat Mia. Unfortunately, she's not a great conversationalist, but he's working on it.

Author Links:

Goodreads ; Twitter ; Facebook ; Website ; Amazon Author Page

Audio/Book Review of The Assassins of Altis by Jack Campbell

Book Title: The Assassins of Altis (Pillars of Reality #3)

Genre: Epic Fantasy/Dark Fantasy

Pages: 354

Audio Book Length: 12 Hours 37 Mins

Author: Jack Campbell

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
Date Published: 16 November 2015 (E-Book)
14 July 2015 (Audio)

Synopsis:

Trapped within the dead city of Marandur, Master Mechanic Mari and Mage Alain must escape both merciless barbarians and the pitiless Imperial Legion. Beyond those dangers lie the mightiest and most unforgiving powers in the world of Dematr: the Great Guilds that rule the world with iron fists.

Mari's Mechanics Guild and Alain's Mage Guild have always been enemies, but they are united in wanting to kill their rogue members before Mari can fulfill the ancient prophecy of being the one who will finally overthrow their power. Mari and Alain must risk those dangers because halfway across their world lies a place where truth has long been hidden. A place that could explain why their world's history begins abruptly, with no hints of what came before. A place where they might learn how the Mechanics Guild came to control all technology and how the Mages manage to alter reality temporarily. A place that might tell them how to achieve a task that appears to be impossible.

Never before have a Mage and a Mechanic worked together, and their combined talents offer their only hope. But she and Alain must first survive the deadly and implacable Assassins of Altis.

Review:

The Assassins of Altis by Jack Campbell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is the third book in a fantastic epic fantasy series called The Pillars of Reality. I absolutely loved it!

Mari is a fantastic character, and I liked her from the moment she was introduced. I love her determination to do the right thing, even at the cost of her own life. She is now a nineteen-year-old Master Mechanic, though her guild is determined to take her life as she poses a threat to their hold on the world of Dematr. Mari has been foreseen by Mages to be 'The Daughter of Jules' and fated to free the world of Dematr from the tyranny of both the Guilds - Mechanics and Mages - and to unite the Mechanics, Mages and Commons against said Guilds. As she tries to accept her role, she finds herself on another dangerous mission while trying to avoid death at the hands of assassins.

Mage Alain is also a fantastic character. I liked him a lot from the start. He was one of the youngest Acolytes to achieve Mage status at the age of seventeen. He has been taught from a young age not to show or feel any emotions and that the world he lives in is an illusion, where nothing is real. I love how this character has grown as the series has progressed. He tries to show more emotion, even though his Guild had virtually beaten it out of him. He hides a dry wit under that emotionless mask.

I listened to this story in audio format, rather than read it. The story is once again narrated by MacLeod Andrews. He does a fantastic job of bringing the story to life. Even Alain, who's voice is meant to be flat and emotionless comes across with subtle hints. You would think that Alain's voice would be monotonous, but it's not so. I love the way he brings all the characters to life with different accents, inflexions and tones. He even makes the women's voices sound perfect for each character. As for his narration, he read the story clearly and concisely, and his pacing was perfect. I would definitely listen to more books read by this narrator.

This book continues a few weeks after the end of the second story and sees Mari and Alain travelling to the island of Altis, where a long-hidden secret has been kept. With both the Guilds chasing them and now the Imperial Legions for their incursion into Marandur, Mari and Alain face many dangers, including a deadly snow storm. However, what they find on Altis will change everything.

This story introduces a couple of new characters into the series. One is Mechanic Caylou (not sure of spelling as I listened to the story so have no reference and have spelt it phonetically - it could be Kayloo or another variation). He is one of Mari's friends from the Mechanics Guild, along with his girlfriend, Ally (who is mentioned in book two but not introduced). Another character introduced is, Mage Asha; this is a character who is hard to explain without giving spoilers. Suffice it to say, she was a friend of Alain's from their early acolyte days, before all the emotion was beaten out of them.

I love the world building in this series. It is familiar though strange at the same time. The reason for this becomes apparent as this story unfolds. The story is full of action, adventure, and danger and I found myself an emotional wreck at times. Have you ever read or listened to a story and felt completely emersed in it? This happened to me as I listened to this book. These characters have come to life for me and have become my friends. This book ends with a slight cliffhanger, and the audio version has a preview of the next book in the series, which I am now looking forward to reading/listening to. I will be listening to The Pirates of Pacta Servanda as soon as I can.

Jack Campbell has written a fantastic science fiction series. I have added him to my favourite author's list, as he's found a fan in me. I love his writing style, which is fast-paced and descriptive, and the flow of the story is good too.

Although there is now some mention of scenes of a sexual nature, it’s not shown. I do not, however, recommend this book to younger readers under the age of 15 due to some violence. I do, however, highly recommend this book if you love dark or epic fantasy, steampunk or action/adventure and supernatural/paranormal romance genres. - Lynn Worton

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About The Author:

"Jack Campbell" is the pseudonym for John G. Hemry, a retired Naval officer (and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis). As Jack Campbell, he writes The Lost Fleet series of military science fiction novels, as well as the Beyond the Frontier continuation of The Lost Fleet, and The Lost Stars series (a spin-off of The Lost Fleet). He has also written the Stark's War series and the Sinclair/"JAG in space" series, and has written many shorter stories featuring space opera, fantasy, time travel, and alternate history. Many of these stories can be found in the three Jack Campbell ebook anthologies. He lives with his wife (the Indomitable S) and three children (two of whom are autistic) in Maryland.

Author Links:

Amazon Author Page

Goodreads

Website

Blog Tour: Splinter (The Sentinel Trilogy Book 3) by Joshua Winning @TheSentinelTrilogy @JoshWinning

Today, I am pleased to be a part of the blog tour for Splinter, the third book in the Sentinel trilogy by Joshua Winning. This is a fantastic conclusion to an exciting YA series. If you've never heard of this series and want to find out how it all began, check out the first two books; details and links are below.

Splinter is out now

Amazon US

Amazon UK  

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SYNOPSIS

‘All who stand against us shall perish’

The critically acclaimed Sentinel Trilogy comes to a thrilling conclusion in this final instalment of the dark fantasy series.

The world is falling apart around Nicholas Hallow. Amid rumours that the Dark Prophets have returned, a deathly gloom pollutes England, unleashing a savage hoard of nightmare creatures. Fighting the tide of evil, Nicholas returns home to Cambridge, where an old ally helps him seek out the mysterious Skurkwife, who could help Nicholas stop Malika and the Prophets for good.

Meanwhile, Sam Wilkins unites the Sentinels against the forces of darkness, but with Jessica's sanity slipping, and Isabel suspicious of her shadowy past, it's a battle that could cost the Sentinels everything. 

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Both Sentinel and Ruins are currently $0.99/£0.99.

They are the world's best-kept secret – an underground society whose eternal cause is to protect the world against the dark creatures and evil forces that inhabit the night.

Now Sentinels are being targeted, murdered and turned as the fury of an ancient evil is unleashed once more.

And when 15-year-old Nicholas Hallow's parents are killed in a suspicious train crash, the teenager is drawn into a desperate struggle against malevolent powers.

Sentinel is the first book in the Sentinel Trilogy – a world of unconventional heroes, monsters, murder and magic.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Second instalment of the critically-acclaimed Sentinel Trilogy. In his desperate search for answers about the Sentinels, an ancient society of guardians that his parents once belonged to, fifteen-year-old Nicholas Hallow is tipped into a fresh nightmare of terrifying monsters - and even more sinister humans. As Nicholas is challenged to become a Sentinel, he must track down a mysterious girl with the help of a grumpy cat. Meanwhile, an uprising of evil threatens to destroy the Sentinels and send the world spiralling into chaos.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

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AUTHOR BIO

Joshua Winning is an author and film journalist who writes for TOTAL FILM, SFX, GAY TIMES and RADIO TIMES. He has been on set with Kermit the Frog, devoured breakfast with zombies on The Walking Dead, and sat on the Iron Throne while visiting the Game Of Thrones set in Dublin. Jeff Goldblum once told him he looks a bit like Paul Bettany.

In 2018, Joshua’s YA thriller VICIOUS RUMER was published by Unbound. His dark fantasy series THE SENTINEL TRILOGY was published by Peridot Press, and he also co-wrote ’80s teen horror CAMP CARNAGE. In 2015, Joshua’s short story DEAD AIR appeared in SPEAK MY LANGUAGE: AN ANTHOLOGY OF GAY FICTION.