Genre: YA Fantasy

#Blogmas | feat. #FantasyForChristmas20 showcases | NEW Cover Art & a NEW edition of “Oath of the Brotherhood” (Song of the Seare, Book One) by Carla Laureano *previously published as C.E. Laureano!

Posted Saturday, 12 December, 2020 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

#blogmas badge created by Jorie in Canva.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

This is a first for me – a book series I wanted to read and showcased during the [2018] #FantasyForChristmas showcases for Prism Book Tours is going to be re-released through a new publisher and happily available in beautiful hardback editions! Complete with supplemental materials and a few new additions therein – just thinking about that made me giddy! Plus it is lovely to re-feature a series which now has brand-new cover art & which is going to be a limited run of hardbacks! I am not sure if I will be able to purchase these whilst their available as I was still putting my sights on borrowing this series through my local and/or my regional libraries – however, for those who can plan their book buying budgets in six month increments – I think you might find this series agreeable to your budget! (as they seem to be coming every 6mos from 2021 & 2022 until the trilogy is re-released in full)

My idea about finding Sword & Sorcery series definitely was on par with my reading habits because of how I reacted to reading the Gifted & the Cursed this year (book one) + (book two); whilst owning to the fact, I do regularly seek out stories which might fall shy of my comfort zones but if the world-building is solid and there is a compellingly convicting story within the pages of the novel – odds are in good favour I am going to want to be a reader of your tale!

I look forward to seeking out this series at my libraries in the New Year – as I would love to have a solid footing of fetching the stories from #FantasyForChristmas before my 4th year participating comes along in December, 2021! Whenever I find one of these lovelies, you’ll find me blogging about them on Jorie Loves A Story as part of the reason I like showcasing these kinds of posts is to give myself notes and notations about the books, the authors and/or the series which kick-start my memory as to what first drew my eye into reading them!!

The book photo attached to this post was special I felt because of how it showcases the Christmas tree and I loved how each of the writers (or someone close to them – as the photographers were not disclosed) were able to capture a snaphot of the books whilst giving us the impression that we’re all just a short distance away from having these books in our own hands to read!

Curiously – have any of the Speculative Fiction and/or Fantasy series you’ve discovered and have wanted to read become re-issued or re-released before you had the chance to read them the first go round? If so, which authors, stories or series fell into this category for you?

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Oath of the Brotherhood Book Photo provided by Prism Book Tours and is used with permission.

When evil threatens, who will find the faith to fight it?

In an island kingdom where the Old Ways hold fast and a man’s worth lies entirely in his skill with the sword, Conor Mac Nir is a musician and a follower of a forbidden faith—problematic for any man, but disastrous for the son of the king.

When Conor is sent away to a neighboring kingdom to secure a treaty, he learns that his ability with the harp is a talent that traces back to the magical foundations of a once-united Seare. But his newfound home is soon placed in peril, entangling Conor in a plot that has been unfolding since long before his birth.

Only by leaving both kingdoms behind and committing himself to an ancient warrior brotherhood can Conor discover the part he’s meant to play in Seare’s future. But is he willing to sacrifice everything—including the woman he loves—to follow the path his God has laid before him?

Add to LibraryThing | ISBN: 978-1621841494

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The Song of Seare series:

ORIGINALLY:

Oath of the Brotherhood (book one)

The Sword & the Song (book two)

Beneath the Forsaken City (book three)

*however!*

Beneath the Forsaken City is now BOOK TWO!

→ forthcoming release, Summer, 2021!

Whilst The Sword & the Song is now BOOK THREE!

*Unless, I somehow confused the order originally?*

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Published by: Enclave Escape
an imprint of Enclave Publishing (@EnclaveBooks)

Converse via: #FantasyForChristmas20 or #FantasyForChristmas
as well #Fantasy or #INSPYFantasy or #WyrdAndWonder

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Posted Saturday, 12 December, 2020 by jorielov in #blogmas, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Spotlight, Fantasy Fiction, Indie Author, Prism Book Tours, YA Fantasy

#Blogmas | feat. #FantasyForChristmas20 showcases | The Dancing Realms series by Sharon Hinck

Posted Friday, 11 December, 2020 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

#blogmas badge created by Jorie in Canva.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

This marks my second featured Fantasy novelists showcasing during the #FantasyForChristmas20 featured posts during my annual #blogmas schedule! I had to reschedule and re-adjust the schedule I had originally to post these lovelies on Jorie Loves A Story due to a moderate migraine (this week) and the stomach flu (last week). Thereby although my posts are a bit more randomised they are going to be showcased before the finale for the #FantasyForChristmas blogosphere event concludes!!

When it comes to choosing which stories within Fantasy I am most likely to feel as if I’ve gone back ‘home’ are the kinds of Epic Fantasy stories which have not just convicting backstories & histories but have a firmly built world behind the journey of the characters. This is duly important across all genres I regularly read but with Fantasy, if the world-building isn’t ironed out and adds a layer of credible believability I am not always able to suspend myself inside the world for as long as I would prefer. This is why I like seeking out worlds of Fantasy like this one – which talks about being an ‘island world’ and thereby expanding the kinds of worlds I have explored in Speculative Fiction!

It is lovely to dive into a world you haven’t always explored – seeking out its perimeters and truly taking stock about how the writer set the world to function as much as how everyone interacts within the world’s structures and/or confines due to culture, tradition or expectations of society. Sometimes those are a bit looser in context and tone but others are more firmly structured. I love the random discoveries – the ones where worlds give you something to chew on and consider as you’re reading the writers’ words and delving closer to their vision for the world you’ve become transported inside.

I love how nature plays an active role in this Fantasy as well – the first time I ‘met’ trees which were menacing was in the Drew Barrymore film “Babes in Toyland” which I believe was in theory a remake! I remember watching it several times as back then they offered a special dvd copy of it with your Happy Meal at McDonald’s which I felt was a complete upgrade to the usual toys! Thinking back on that childhood experience and all the readings I’ve had as a middle grade reader, a teenage reader and now an adult reader of Fantasy – I am quite intrigued to see how the natural world continues to offer a presence in Fantasy which can either be benign or slightly darker than the stalwart guardians we consider them in our realms.

And, there is that whole bit about saving one half of the world but forsaking your own return? Still. My. Heart. I am going to need gobs of tissues for this one I suspect as just the heart pull of that choice and the weight of what is at stake! I am such a lover of drama but sometimes the more guttingly realistic the dramatic story I read – the harder I find myself to put aside my emotions! Although, I am forever grateful for the experience – if you consider #ArmyWives as a baseline of proof!

Curiously – do you regularly read INSPY Speculative Fiction stories? Are you a newbie like I am and are happily surprised by the kinds of Fantasy stories you’ve found within the world of INSPY? Which authors and/or series have you currently read? For me, I’ve enjoyed Morgan L. Busse (see also Review) and am going to be reading “Kingdom Above the Cloud” before December concludes which I spotlighted earlier in Spring.

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Forsaken Island promo book photography provided by Prism Book Tours and is used with permission.

On an uncharted world, happiness is effortless and constant…
but can true joy exist without sacrifice?

The people of Meriel have long believed their island world floats alone in the vast ocean universe, so they are astonished when another island drifts into view. With resources becoming scarce, Carya and Brantley quickly volunteer to search the new land for supplies.

After navigating a barrier of menacing trees, the pair encounter a culture of perpetually happy people who readily share their talents and their possessions. But all is not what it seems. At the core of the island is a horror that threatens everyone, including Brantley and Carya.

Freeing the villagers of the bondage they’ve chosen may cost Carya and Brantley more than they could have imagined. Even if the two succeed, they’ll have to find a way to return to Meriel quickly … or be cut off from their home forever.

Add to LibraryThing | ISBN: 978-1621841357

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The Dancing Realms:

Forsaken Island by Sharon HinckHidden Current by Sharon Hinck

Forsaken Island (book one)

Hidden Current (book two)

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Published by: Enclave Escape
an imprint of Enclave Publishing (@EnclaveBooks)

Converse via: #FantasyForChristmas20 or #FantasyForChristmas
as well #Fantasy or #INSPYFantasy or #WyrdAndWonder

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Posted Friday, 11 December, 2020 by jorielov in #blogmas, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Spotlight, Fantasy Fiction, Indie Author, Prism Book Tours, YA Fantasy

#Blogmas | feat. #FantasyForChristmas20 showcases | The Flight and Flame series by R.J. Anderson

Posted Monday, 30 November, 2020 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

#blogmas badge created by Jorie in Canva.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

Each year for the past three years, I’ve been showcasing spotlights on behalf of #newtomeauthors who are writing the stories of Fantasy Fiction I am most eager to be discovering. This felt like an unexpected gift each December to feature the authors but also, to notice how curiously diverse and expansive Fantasy is for a reader like me whose constantly finding it challenging to find Fantasy authors she loves to read and series she can truly sink her teeth into reading. The one exception to the rule is that I have the tendency not to read as widely into Dark Fantasy except for the Gifted and the Cursed series by Marcus Lee which truly took me by complete surprise within the first novel “Kings & Daemons” and continued to smitten me with exploring in the sequel “Tristan’s Folly”.

Ever since I first started blogging on Jorie Loves A Story, I have endeavoured to curate a path into reading more intuitively and more widely through the realms of either Indie or Self-Published works of genre I personally love to read. This has evolved to becoming a ready appreciator of the world of Indie Fantasy and the Self-Published authors who have been giving me such wicked good joy in reading their stories and/or showcasing their stories on my blog. During this year’s #WyrdAndWonder, I was able to highlight and focus on an Indie publisher from New Zealand (Odyssey Books) throughout May wherein I hosted guest features for their authors and/or was able to read and review their books. You can view the archives of those featured posts via my posts for Odyssey Books directly.

As a reader it is taking me a bit longer to acquire the stories I want to be reading in Fantasy – as this was the first year my local library enacted a freeze on purchase requests and my regional library dropped patrons outside their immediate area which put a bit of a damper on my library requests this year as much as the fact inter-library loan was also locally overhauled and spilt into two different routes of requests. Overall, my reading habits this year were struck down by circumstance and health afflictions wherein I read far less than I usually do and I found reading was an uphill battle overall. I had hoped to read quite a few of the titles I’ve previously showcased during #FantasyForChristmas but I have had to push forward those goals into 2021.

Thereby, as this marks my start of hosting the event for my third year – I look forward to seeing which authors & their stories resonate with me this year as much as I look forward to hearing if any of these authors are on your own bookish radar as well! What a lovely month to celebrate & champion Speculative Fiction authors and their stories as Winter has always brought such a renewing spirit within its folds.

Curiously – what do you enjoy seeking out when it comes to Fantasy and the worlds being left for us to discover them by the authors who are writing Indie & Self-Published Fantasy stories and/or series?

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R.J. Anderson book photography provided by Prism Book Tours and is used with permission.

To save her people, a wingless girl must learn to fly.

As a piskey girl born without wings and raised underground, Ivy yearns for flight almost as much as she misses her long-lost mother. But the world outside the Delve is full of danger, and her dreams seem hopeless until she meets a mysterious faery who makes her an enticing offer: If Ivy helps him escape the Delve’s dungeon, he’ll teach her how to fly.

Freeing Richard could cost Ivy her reputation, perhaps even her life. But when her fellow piskeys start to disappear and her beloved little sister goes missing, Ivy has no choice but to take the risk.

Deadly threats and shocking revelations await Ivy as she ventures into a strange new world, uncovers long-buried secrets about her family’s past, and finds that no one—not even herself—is entirely what they seem.

Add to LibraryThing | ISBN: 978-1621841326

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The Flight and Flame Trilogy:

Swift by R.J. AndersonNomad by R.J. AndersonTorch by R.J. Anderson

Swift (book one)

Nomad (book two)

Torch (book three)

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Published by: Enclave Escape
an imprint of Enclave Publishing (@EnclaveBooks)

Converse via: #FantasyForChristmas20 or #FantasyForChristmas
as well #Fantasy or #INSPYFantasy or #WyrdAndWonder

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Posted Monday, 30 November, 2020 by jorielov in #blogmas, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Spotlight, Fantasy Fiction, Indie Author, Prism Book Tours, YA Fantasy

A #SpooktasticReads audiobook review | “Jorvik Calling” (Soul Riders: Book One) by Helena Dahlgren, narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya; courtesy of #NetGalley

Posted Monday, 19 October, 2020 by jorielov , , , , , , 0 Comments

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Acquired Book By: Earlier this year, in late Winter (February) I joined NetGalley for the first time as they finally announced they were going to be offering full-length audiobooks for reviewers. I was never able to join NetGalley due to having chronic migraines and being unable to read ebooks. I started requesting audiobooks to review as soon as they opened their audiobook catalogue in July, 2020. I am an eclectic reader and thereby, you will see all genres in Fiction explored from both markets of interest: mainstream and INSPY as well as from Major Trade, Indie Publishers & Press and other routes of publication, too. There might be the occasional Non-Fiction title appearing in my NetGalley queue of reviews as well. This marks a new adventure for me seeking stories for review consideration and I look forward to seeing where the stories lead me to venture.

I received a complimentary digital and temporary audiobook copy of “Soul Riders” direct from the publisher Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All audiobooks via NetGalley are able to be heard via the NetGalley Shelf which is why I was thankful to be gifted an android tablet by my parents to celebrate my 7th Blog Birthday on Jorie Loves A Story. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

NOTE: As a new reviewer on NetGalley, I’m sorting out how to get the Press Materials for each of the audiobooks I’m reviewing when I share them on my blog Jorie Loves A Story. When I contacted NetGalley Support they informed me that if a separate Press Kit is not included on the audiobook’s book page we’re allowed as reviewers to use the book cover and synopsis provided when we go to share our review of that audiobook on our blogs; as long as we give attribution as I have done at the bottom of this review in “Sources”. Those materials are provided with permission of the publishers to be used by reviewers via NetGalley.

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Why I wanted to read &/or listen to “Soul Riders”:

I was attracted to a few elements about this story when I first found it on NetGalley – the horses, the sisterhood friendships of the girls’ and the fact this is all set in a fantastical world. I originally thought this was a story that was ‘set elsewhere’ without any tangible connection to our own living reality however as I shifted into the audiobook itself, I realised this is an Urban Fantasy wherein there are elements of modern life (our world) within the sphere of the series but there are elements of the fantastical in the background running concurrent to the girls’ school and life experiences.

I have a personal attachment to horse dramas & Westerns – whenever I can find one or the other which suits my interests, I love to soak inside the stories! Having had a close connection to horses when I was a child I believe plays a strong part in why I continue to seek out stories which features horses and/or the world of horses – from Contemporary &/or Historical Westerns to Contemporary Western Romances or Cowboy Romances (such as my Harlequin Heartwarming readings).

Finding a story set in a blended Middle Grade & Young Adult world for Fantasy which brings into focus my love of horses with the added advantage of hidden talents and special gifts given to the girls who ride star horses – honestly, what could be a better bookish find!?

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A #SpooktasticReads audiobook review | “Jorvik Calling” (Soul Riders: Book One) by Helena Dahlgren, narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya; courtesy of #NetGalleyJorvik Calling
Subtitle: Soul Riders (series), Video Game Tie-In (Star Stable)
by Helena Dahlgren
Source: Audiobook Direct from Publisher via NetGalley

Step into the universe of the massively popular adventure game Star Stable, and follow four friends who discover their magic powers and learn that every girl can be a hero in this fantasy trilogy.

Soul Riders tells the heroic tale of four young girls who have been chosen by destiny to save the world from the ancient demon: Garnok and his band of dangerous Dark Riders. Lisa is a teenage girl who is still coming to terms with the tragic loss of her mother in a riding accident and has sworn never to go near a horse again until she met Starshine, a mysterious blue-maned steed who comes to her in dreams. New on the island of Jorvik, Lisa befriends Alex, Linda, and Anne. Under the guidance of mystical druids, they discover they each have a special bond to their horses that gives them magical powers. While trying to balance school, family, and friendships they have to figure out what it means to be a Soul Rider. They are attacked by the Dark Riders and the mysterious Mr. Sands discover that their horses are in danger. Instead of relying on their combined strength, they decide to split up on their quest to find answers and learn to fight back against their enemies. However, will it be too late before they realize their mistake?

Jorvik Calling is the first installment in the epic, fantasy trilogy, Soul Riders, about magic, friendship, and horses bound to thrill all young equestrian fans.

Genres: Dark Fantasy, Equestrian Fiction, Horse Drama, Upper YA Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Video Game Tie-In Series, YA Fantasy, YA Paranormal Suspense, YA Urban Fantasy



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781524855338

ASIN: B087D8F3SW

Published by Andrews McMeel Audio, Andrews McMeel Publishing

Format: Audiobook | Digital Review Copy (NetGalley)

Length: 5 hours and 40 minutes (unabridged)

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Published By: Andrews McMeel Audio
an imprint of Andrews McMeel Publishing (@AndrewsMcMeel)

NOTE: When I first started listening to this title I thought for sure it would be considered Middle Grade Fantasy – however, as it progressed forward, I started to see it leans into YA Fantasy. It might be on the fence of merging Upper YA into Adult Fantasy within an Urban Fantasy world-building and setting. Ergo, if your considering this for younger readers rather than adult, know that this has the innocence of a Middle Grade Fantasy intermixed with the darker villains of an Upper YA/Adult Fantasy wherein if you are seeking lighter readers for Middle Grade readers I would advise against this one.

Converse via: #UrbanFantasy as well as #DarkFantasy and Upper #YAFantasy
+ #SoulRiders, #audiobook or #audioreads as well as #JorikRising and #StarStable

Available Formats: Trade paperback, Audiobook and Ebook

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

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Posted Monday, 19 October, 2020 by jorielov in Book Review (non-blog tour), Bullies and the Bullied, Childhood Friendship, Coming-Of Age, Dark Arts (Dark Magic), Dark Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Folklore, Folklore and Mythology, NetGalley, Supernatural Creatures & Beings, Teenage Relationships & Friendships, Upper YA Fiction, Urban Fantasy, YA Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction