An Enjoyable Fantasy Debut
598961
Springs war on Winter brought about the collapse of a great kingdom, obliterating most of its people and orphaning many others. Meira, one of only a handful of survivors, has been on the run her entire life, trying to stay one step ahead of the evil King Angra. The ruthless tyrant has enslaved the last of the Winterians and is determined to end the life of the last heir to Winters throne, Prince Mather, who is also Meiras best friend.

The last free remnant of Winterians has spent the last sixteen years trying to recover the two pieces of their queens locket, a vital heirloom tied to the power of Winter which was severed when the kingdom fell. Against all odds, Meira is able to recover one of the halves, but in so doing she sets off a series of events that will either be the end of her people or their salvation.

Meira has grown up a refugee and has never had a permanent home. She is eager to serve Winter and though her bravery helps her to do so, her youth makes her reckless. She has a complicated relationship with their leader, Sir, who is always pushing her to be better in combat, but who holds her up to impossible standards. Also complicating things is her close relationship to the future king, Mather; though she has strong feelings for him, their stations forever separate the two.

There is a love triangle in the book, but Sara Raaschs Snow Like Ashes is never heavy on the romance. Mather, weighed down by the responsibilities of the throne, has always kept Meira at a distance, knowing an arranged marriage is most likely in his future. Prince Theron of Cordell becomes an unlikely ally to the refugees and stole my heart immediately. He is the first person who Meira feels understands her frustration at being a mere pawn in other peoples games and alliances, but unlike Meira, he has embraced his role and teaches her that to do so does not mean one gives up who they are.

I do want to point out that the love story of Snow Like Ashes is not romantic. Despite wanting to fight, Meira does not have the memories that tie her to Winter like the older members of her small group. She has fought because she has been taught to, but Meiras journey becomes more significant when she begins to fall in love with her people and land for the first time.
3417131
When I came across Accidental Sorcerers by Larry Kollar as an Amazon recommendation, I was intrigued by the blurb.  And sure enough, the author delivers what he promised: a coming of age tale involving a kid who unleashes an ice dragon from a children's rhyme.  Mik is indeed an accidental sorcerer, and his apprenticeship to a sorcerer leads to lessons in magic and love.

While the story is a tad short on the background, especially the so-called Age of Heroes, the story moves at a good pace, and the author also spends a decent amount of time explaining his system of magic in this fantasy world.  I find Accidental Sorcerers to be an enjoyable read, suitable to fantasy readers age 13 and up.
2088008
I read this on Kindle Unlimited, so if you have that, and you like fantasy, I would suggest adding this to your list.

This was a fun, fast-paced start to what will hopefully be a fun series.  No one has great powers never heard of or a prophecy to be fulfilled or any of those tropes, but the two main characters in this book develop quite a bit.  Like others have noted, Thea has most of the growth as a person, while Seb grows the most in his abilities.  Seb is the proverbial nice guy from a poor upbringing, and Thea is, at least initially, a spoiled Noble who thinks little of her commoner partner.  This is considered a YA title, and there is little of anything really resembling romance here, so any parents concerned about the fact that the characters are 17 & 18 have nothing to worry about, as there is nothing here but a kiss.

I am looking forward to book two, and the further adventures of Seb, Thea, and their dragon, Kalax.
4707651
Passion Play is a strong start for a new fantasy series by Beth Bernobich.  It kept me up to the wee hours of the night, compelling me to see how events turn out.  As any first book in a series, it ended with some major plotlines open, making me wish that I could click "BUY NOW" and get book two right away.  However, there was a measure of completion to one journey for the main character.  Living a privileged life of a wealthy merchant's daughter, Therez Zhalina finds herself suddenly a bargaining chip in the hands of her severe, and demanding father.  Set to be married off to an man she just met who sets off every intuition and instinct in her that there is something cruel and dangerous, she instead flees the situation.  Taking on the name of Ilse, she joins up with a caravan leaving at first light, and lives through a harrowing set of experiences, distancing herself from her past.  She manages to make her way into the service of Lord Raul Kosenmark, where she begins the process of rebuilding herself into someone new, amid a world of intrigue and court politics.

This introduction to the world of Erythandra doesn't tread softly.  Bernobich impressively gives her characters license to fail, and to suffer the consequences of their failures.  These are not the members of a stereotypical fantasy cast, who sweep onto the stage, defeat their enemies at every turn and walk away bumped, and bruised, but none-the-worse for wear.  This is a world where characters may find themselves beaten, raped, emasculated, or murdered because of the choices they have made, and the situations in which they've found themselves.  Despite all obstacles, the heroine turns events to her favor and gains control of her destiny.  No longer just running from her past, or managing to survive in her present, she eventually reconciles her two selves and goes forth as Ilse Zhalina.

The writing is both rich and exacting, the details make Erythandra at once both familiar enough that a reader doesn't feel lost, and at the same time gives a strong sense of how much more there is out there in the world to explore, if only there is time and enough books to do it.  The real magic in the tale is in the layer upon layer of intrigue and detail, it slowly unfolds before a reader, drawing them deeper and deeper within the realm of the story.

I can't wait for book two.
4301554
This novel is the first of a series "A Land Fit for Heroes."  When I bought the book and then began reading it, I wondered if this was the first in a series.  After reading it I did some research and found that my suspicion was true.  What caused me to think that way was the slow introduction of the three main characters, Ringvel Eskiath a gay warrier, Egar Dragonbane, meaning he killed a dragon, is a nomadic chieftan, obsessed with sex and not being a good leader, relying on his former reputation.  The third character is Lady kir Archeth Indamaninarma, a halfblood Kirian,  two-hundred years old and the last of her people, who uses her power to protect the people in the Empire.

 The novel begins developing these three characters living in different places.  I was more than halfway through the book and kept looking for something in the flyleaf that would tell me this was part of a series because the story was getting long.  Of course, in stories like these, there is a vocabulary that the author invents and is somewhat distracting because the reader does not really know what these words mean.

 The overall narrative of the novel is that the dwendas, other-worldly creatures who can be seen by the blue light that emanates from them and sometimes from their taking on a human form. Seethlaw is one of these and helps Ringal find his cousin who has been sold into slavery because her dead husband has left with debts she cannot pay.  Ringal had been living in an inn with his magical sword Ravensfriend.  The sword hangs on the wall of the inn and Ringal entertains the visitors and locals with his exploits using it.  His mother travels to see him and gets him to return home to the father he hates and the brother who is a wimp in order to fund this venture.

 There is a great deal of fighting, bloodletting, and magic in this story.  Probably some of the violence can be disturbing to readers.  Yet the narration is creative and fascinating.  There are many characters and language one has to remember.  A list at the end of the book which had the characters' names and the definitions would have been helpful.  I suppose for afficionados of ths genre that would be at odds with the fun of reading this book.

 At this point I don't want to read the sequel, The Cold Commands, and the third book. The reason is not that I expect I would dislike it, but it will be exhausting.
3572418
The Plains of Kallanash is a very well written, multi genre type book that combines fantasy with more than a touch of romance.  I read this book using my Kindle Unlimited subscription and am glad I did.

What I liked most about this book is the very clear prose and writing style.  The world building is complex and detailed including elements of culture, sociology and religion.  The characters are three dimensional and well fleshed out and finally the overall story is intriguing while the plot is sound and I felt very comfortable reading at the pace the writer set.

What could be challenging for the reader are the many characters and keeping track of them, the romantic elements also may not be appreciated by say, a die hard sword and sorcery reader as this book focuses on relationships as much as conflict, not to mention the polyamorous aspects and finally, it's a larger book and requires an investment of time to complete.  All of which may, or may not, be perceived by the reader as positives or negatives.

For myself, I felt this a worthy debut effort and am looking forward to reading The Fire Mages next.  I would recommend this book, especially if you like complex stories and world settings.
4772987
A great start to a fantasy series that I would love to continue reading! I thought the action and the magic elements in the storytelling were on point. Jansen has a great voice for narration and character dialogue. It all just felt so real. I did think some things were a tad confusing and there were grammatical and spelling mistakes. However nothing that would severely detract from the reading experience. If it's gone over with a fine tooth comb it would make me smile, but the way it is now is good enough :)
751574
Black Rook is the first in the Cornerstone Run Trilogy so much of the first part of this book is spent building the world of Magus, werewolves and vampires. Much is unique and refreshing in this fantasy world that has come from the mind of Kelly Meade. No predestined mates and wolf colors (hence the name Black Rook) are just two examples of a different spin on the paranormal creatures. While the progress into the story of Rook and Bryan is a bit slow during this time, I can't fault the author since she is building such an interesting world and has given so many very vivid descriptions. Even on common places such as the auction house, it was describe so I could see it perfectly in my mind. I really enjoyed going to this world through reading the book.

I know this is listed as a paranormal romance but it is heavy on the intrigue and seems to tilt towards urban fantasy. The romance is not as heavy in this story but the connection and chemistry between Rook and Bryan is strong but with problems since they are different. The story picks up the paces when they are involved. They are drawn to each other but are struggling with responsibilities, acceptance, self-image, self-doubt, prejudices and outsider danger.

Along with this new fantasy world, I especially liked the secondary characters of the McQueen family.  I look forward to another book in this small town of loup garou.

Copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
2618577
This review was originally posted on Avid Reviews:  www.avidfantasyreviews.wordpress.com

 Despite the eclectic mix of fantasy elements in this novel, I found it to be a relatively average YA fantasy. The Kiss of Deception is the first novel in the new series from Pearson called the Remnant Chronicles. It is a perfect story for readers that are new to the fantasy genre, and a great crossover novel for readers that have previously only read books in the young adult genre, but for long time fans of fantasy the novel may seem full of clichs and the major plot points stilted.  It is still an entertaining story, but I did not find myself in love with the plot or any of the characters.

  The Kiss of Deception follows the story of seventeen-year-old Princes Lia. She is the oldest daughter to the King of Morrighan, a kingdom that sticks strongly to its traditions and tales of the world as it once was. When Lia finds herself engaged to a man she has never met in order to secure a political alliance, she and her best friend arrange to flee on her wedding day. This act has serious implications for her country, and soon her fathers bounty hunters, her own betrothed, and even an assassin from a neighboring nation are sent to find her. Lia tries to find a simple life among the common folk in a small village, but her past is bound to catch up with her soon, and when it does she may find herself facing an assassin with a contract on her life, unlocking perilous secrets, and possibly even falling in love.

  One of the best qualities of this novel is Lias growth as a character throughout the story. She changes from a spoiled unlikable protagonist who would rather have her own country go to war than get married to a man sight unseen, to a young woman who begins to learn from her own mistakes and truly starts the journey to adulthood. Though I did not particularly like Lia as a character, I admired Pearsons ability to write a character that altered and grew throughout the story.

  This novel also contains an interesting twist on the love triangle (which is a commonly clichd feature), so if you happen to like a fantasy with a plot that has a heavy romance element, this book will definitely intrigue you. Unfortunately, I do not enjoy a book as much when the romance element starts to overwhelm the plot of a story, but I still enjoyed some of the other elements of this storys plot. I was particularly engaged by the mystery of Lias world and its history, and I will most likely read the next novel in the series in hope that Pearson will add more world building and magic components.

  It is probably obvious to you by now that I have very mixed feelings about this novel, but many of my problems with the story are personal preference issues. However, there were some structural issues with the plot that made the story seem poorly written, and hopefully Pearson will absolve these problems in future novels. The biggest issue I had was the fact that the majority of the plots events seemed placed out of convenience for the writer rather than the sake of the story. My favorite novels are those where the journey is just as exciting and revealing as the destination, but in this book most of the events seemed too convenient. Things seem to happen to Lia and the other point of view characters too easily, and with little explanation to how or why the characters had ended up in a certain situation. I also would have liked to see a little more complexity in the plot, especially at the novels beginning.

  Overall, I thought that this was a decent YA fantasy, but I would definitely recommend it to readers that are new to the fantasy genre or that do not mind a story that is filled with common fantasy tropes. There were some intriguing original elements in the novel that would be especially entertaining to readers that enjoy books in the YA genre, but I would not recommend this story to anyone looking for a challenging or genre defying read.

  My rating: 6/10.

  I received a copy of this novel from Netgalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.
412114
This was a fun beginning to a fantasy series.

I enjoyed traveling with the clan and seeing a unique type of culture. The brazenness of the clan was a fun addition and was comfortably entertaining and felt very human. The main character is very real and her emotions and thoughts are easy to follow allowing you to be along for the ride of her life.

The story takes a turn and moves off into a surprising and interesting direction, can't wait for the continuation!

I appreciated how the writing and so the story felt very natural and unforced.
4072128
A fantastically fun debut novel that had me ordering it's follow-up before I finished. The central conceit of the novel, what happens when you wake up in the middle of a mystery without any memories, is handled in a fun manner that makes for a very interesting protagonist in the form of Myfanwy Thomas.

The discovery of her prior personality and the rapid development of her own new one is a constant source of interest, and the contrasts therein are very nicely drawn as the world and her personal history are built over the course of the story. A fresh and interesting supporting cast adds color to world that leaves you wanting to know more, peppered with more than enough humor to always keep interest going as the mystery unfolds. A great start to a series.
2950966
An intriguing start to a series. I enjoyed the world building in this YA fantasy. There was enough intrigue and twists to keep me reading. Unlike some YA, this one is character-driven, which was enjoyable to read.
2599195
The Magic Wakes blends sci-fi and fantasy elements to build an intriguing world and interesting characters. Talia's world, Sendek, is richly described and is a sound backdrop and foundation for the story. Talia is a strong, capable heroine, but she is also a relatable, very human character: brilliant without arrogance, brave in spite of uncertainty and terror. Landry was a hunky and competent hero. I felt like their relationship skipped a few stages (from fighting to kissing to being desperately in love--the switches just felt too stilted), but their dialogue and camaraderie were enjoyable to witness and they were both well-written, strong characters. Jaron was somewhat of an anti-hero but was probably the most sympathetic of them all--he was the most complex of the characters but the least developed. I would have liked to hear more of his story.

I thought the author did a good job with the ethical dilemmas inherent in the story line; they were addressed if not resolved. Each of the characters and races had depth and driving force. With the exception of one character, there was no "absolute" good or evil--to an extent, each character was multi-layered and wrestled with the good and evil within themselves.

The reason I only gave the book three stars is because, while it was an engaging and enjoyable read, there were parts that were clunky and sequences that had rough edges. In some ways it read more like a draft than a polished novel: there were a few conflicts that resolved far too easily, the romance occasionally felt forced, and the story lacked a certain smoothness--the events didn't always flow naturally. I also wish the ending had been more complete: I'm assuming the author left room for another novel, but she could have done that while still briefly explaining what Talia's plans are for the mages (my theory is she's going to send them to colonize Sendek's moon). This may not be an issue for anyone else, but there were a handful of spelling errors and many sentences in need of commas or semicolons. Perhaps this is only true for the Kindle edition, but the run-on sentences were frequent.

Overall, it was a pleasant read and an interesting world. I would like to see another book that delves deeper into the politics and culture of Sendek, deals with the aftermath of the dragumon invasion, and explores the newly-found powers of the mages.
4508376
Good fantasy, interesting characters and a dash of comedy, all in all a solid first outing in a promising new series. Looking forward to the next chapter in Fort's journey.
280932
First, what a stunning cover. It's entirely appropriate for this lovely debut. Second, this book was well written and engaging, with a main character who takes the power she needs to protect the weak around her. I will definitely be reading the next in the series when it comes out.

World Building: 4.5/5
I really enjoyed the glimpse into Shinery and the other cities, as well as insight into the governmental aspects of Legalia and the magic of the "spiritual world." Reading about rainbow colored waters and The Forsaken added to the wonder and mystery of The Charismatics. My only problem with the world building was the mix of modern day things like sneakers with airbuses and floating cities. Sneakers are not exactly fantasy or steampunk. Several things indicated use of electricity but then others indicated use of coal as fuel and possibly dated technology. However, the inventions in the novel are exciting and show great imagination, even the ones used for evil.

Characterization: 4/5
It is difficult to see the motivation for some of the evil characters, but I understand and accept that the thirst for knowledge can be a powerful motivator. As for the Duchess and company, I found them all quite charming. Ambrose's growth from a weak pawn into a woman willing to fight for those who need her was straightforward and encouraging. She finally takes control of her relationships with men, and I appreciated the struggles leading to that. I wish we had seen more of Roan and heard of his past with Ambrose. Plenty of mystery for the next two books!

Plot: 4/5
This book has intrigue and espionage in droves. With an overbearing government, a married woman attracted to a man other than her husband, and orphans unknowing of their family history, this book is rather surprising in places and altogether alluring. I read it in one sitting. (However, the wisdom of playing a game of truth or dare and getting drunk while your mortal enemy is on board the same ship is not clear to me.)
1202522
Good fantasy requires a well described, self consistent universe that's just a bit different. In this first book there isn't a lot of detail about those differences but the bones are there, ready to be fleshed out later in the series. The book was pleasantly free from egregious spelling and syntax errors that have been known to ruin otherwise excellent stories. I will be picking up the next in the series.
1182962
Green turns tradition on it's head with her debut novel that combines technology with ancient spirituality. Olivia Lawson is a young techno -shaman, a spirit healer who uses electronic glasses to gain access to the Multiverse, rather than chants or drugs. Livvy is called to help restore a person's soul, when all other methods have failed, but something strange is happening in the Underworld. A destructive Sumerian God is roaming the lanndscape putting souls in jeopardy and the Shaman's are being blamed for the sudden increase in sickness by an ignorant public. Olivia knows that the only way to defeat the monster is to join forced with the others of her kind, no matter the risk.
Olivia is an appealing protagonist, we don't learn a lot about her outside of her Shaman role, but Green defines her personality well. She is a heroine who is not averse to risk but considers the consequences and behaves authentically. I liked that the author developed a culturally diverse cast and brought them together in a natural way. I would have liked a little more background on SK and his relationship to the Shaman and Olivia, but there are some interesting teasers which I assume Green will follow up on later. He has the potential to be a unique character in the series, particularly as a romantic interest.
The plot combines action, mystery and a light touch of romance to involve the reader in Livvy's world. I like the idea of modern technology enhancing ancient practice, and Green provides an original and realistic method of doing so. I do think that there is potential for the author to have presented the belief systems of Shamanism in more detail but it's not something essential to the story. The action that takes place in both worlds is the story's strength. The events where confrontations take place, in both worlds, were well written and provided tension and excitement.
The plot does have some weak points however. The idea of discovering who could be responsible for the release of the Sumerian God was ignored when it could have provided a richer storyline. I also felt some ideas were unfinished, for example, the spirits being brought into our world was never followed up on. Nevertheless, I thought generally the story flowed smoothly with good pace.

The premise of Shaman, Healer, Heretic is an intriguing one, providing a fresh angle in the Urban Fantasy genre. The strengths in plot and character demonstrate the author has the potential to create a strong and original series and I look forward to the next installment.