Reprise Review: Maggie at Moonrise: Transcendence Book 3 by Lynne Cantwell

 

Genre: Magical Realism/Contemporary Fantasy/Drama/Native American Myths/Adventure

Description:

“What’s behind the final door?

Maggie Brandt is the lone survivor of the fire that claimed her mother, her brother, and her childhood home. Turtle and Thunderbird, ancient Native American spirits who have enlisted her help, say the fire was necessary. They insist Maggie must move on quickly, for a greater trial is coming: the renewal of the earth, which only she can complete.

But first she must check in on two of her children: Emily in California and Tim in Mexico City. And something else is pulling her to Mexico, too – an ancient entity whose task Maggie will want no part of.

No wonder she feels like jumping off a bridge…”

Author:

“Lynne Cantwell writes mostly urban fantasy and paranormal romance, with a dash of magic realism when she’s feeling more serious. She is also a contributing author for Indies Unlimited. In a previous life, she was a broadcast journalist who worked at Mutual/NBC Radio News, CNN, and a bunch of other places you have probably never heard of. She has a master's degree in fiction writing from Johns Hopkins University. Currently, she lives near Washington, D.C.”

To learn more about Ms. Cantwell, check out her website.

Appraisal:

I love this trilogy all the way through. Watching Maggie grow in ways I never expected. Her adventure in this book is a large part of the story. The plot twists frequently as Maggie follows her instincts to first procure an RV to drive across country to visit her daughter in California and her son in Mexico City. Maggie and Rick take off on this journey together as their relationship grows stronger only to falter, as Rick starts to get pushy and tries to interfere with things that are important to Maggie. I almost cried, they seemed like such a good fit!

There is so much packed in this last book of the trilogy. And Maggie is taking her role in the earth’s renewal seriously as she challenges a goddess and saves a young boy’s life, while still being there for her family. The dialogue is realistic and informative. I love Maggie, she is a true heroine, and I wish I was a part of her extended family. The ending is surprising, heart-breaking, and encouraging. It also fits well with Maggie’s own renewal of her character. Well done, Ms. Cantwell.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Maggie at Moonrise is the third book in Ms. Cantwell’s TRANSCENDENCE SERIES. It is important to read this series in order as the story builds on the previous books.  Book one, Maggie in the Dark and book two, Maggie on the Cusp.

Format/Typo Issues:

No issues with formatting or proofing.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Reprise Review: Murphy’s Luck by Benjamin Laskin

 

Genre: Speculative Fiction/Contemporary Fantasy/Young Adult/Comedy

Description:

“Master of a thousand hobbies, but jinxed from birth with horrendous luck, Murphy Drummer has developed some eye-popping abilities. When Murphy goes in search of a luck-free zone where the world might be safe from his puzzling disorder, charmed Joy Daley stumbles into his whammy-charged path. Churning out both miracles and mayhem, Murphy whimsically upends the lives of everyone in Joy's life.

At first, Murphy's victims question who he is; at last, they'll be questioning who they aren't. A comical love story of wood-tapping proportions.”

Author:

“Benjamin Laskin grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. He has traveled extensively and lived in a number of countries, including many years in Hamamatsu, Japan, where he taught English and wrote. Benjamin can now be found sauntering through the maze of narrow, stony alleyways in the ancient and legend-rich town of Safed, in Israel's upper Galilee, where he is currently at work on his next novel.” For more information, please visit Mr. Laskin’s website.

http://www.benjaminlaskin.com/

Appraisal:

I don’t read a lot of Literary or Speculative Fiction, however this was fun. It included just enough fantasy to keep me interested and the wordplay was entertaining. Poor Murphy feels like he is cursed and he has separated himself from society as much as possible for what he perceives as the greater good for all concerned. He has built his own sanctuary in and around his house. He fills his time learning new hobbies and writing about them in his syndicated newspaper articles. He also corresponds with his readers. When his devoted grandfather, who raised him from infancy, passes away he sees no other choice than to quit his job and move to an even more secluded environment. Of course he doesn’t make it very far before disasters start happening around him again.

The sequence of events and characters introduced into the storyline are unique but not out of the ordinary. They are all much more realistic than any of Murphy’s neighbors were in his old neighborhood. (They were all a lot of miserable people looking to place blame on anyone besides themselves for their misfortunes.) When Joy Daley, a journalist, encounters Murphy, she is intrigued and puzzled by what she sees happening around him. Joy is unlike anyone Murphy has ever met and he isn’t quite sure what to make of her. However, he finally accepts her kindness, and Joy is able to slowly bring a fresh perspective into Murphy’s life.

I loved Joy and Murphy's journey as much as I relished the well-developed secondary characters of Brock Parker, Joy’s straight-laced police detective fiancé, and the misty-eyed tarot card reader Freya who states, “The Universe works in mysterious ways…” as Brock’s world is turned upside down. I found this a relatively quick, light read with skillful levity in all the right places.

Buy now from:    Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small amount of adult language, hardly worth mentioning. Original review posted March 25, 2016.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found this well edited.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Review: The Payoff by Lynne Cantwell

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy/ Psychological Fiction/Paranormal

Description:

“Choices have consequences…

Janis Fowler and Jan Marek grew up together, the only two students at the Institute, a research facility and school for children with paranormal abilities. Or so their parents were told. In reality, the Institute’s director, Dr. Denise Tandy, had her own plans for their talents – Janis can read a person’s past and Jan can see a person’s future – and when the kids resisted her, she was ruthless at getting them to comply.

At last, Janis and Jan escaped – and split up, knowing it was the only way to protect both themselves and each other. But they knew they would reunite someday, when the time was right.

Forty years later, the time has come. Their old tormentor has turned up again. Her game is the same, but her newest ruse is more dangerous than ever. And she’s recruiting more victims.

Jan and Janis must use their powers to put an end to Dr. Tandy’s vile scheming – without risking each other. It’s a tall order for two people who have been hiding in plain sight for four decades. But with age comes wisdom. And they have waited long enough to see justice served.”

Author:

“Lynne Cantwell writes mostly urban fantasy and paranormal romance, with a dash of magic realism when she’s feeling more serious. She is also a contributing author for Indies Unlimited. In a previous life, she was a broadcast journalist who worked at Mutual/NBC Radio News, CNN, and a bunch of other places you have probably never heard of. She has a master’s degree in fiction writing from Johns Hopkins University. She lives in New Mexico.”

To learn more about Ms. Cantwell and discover her other Kindle books visit her website.

Appraisal:

The Payoff begins by introducing Janis Fowler and Jan Marek reuniting as adults. Their pasts growing up together as students at the Institute are told through flashbacks. They sought solace in each other while living under the claw of Dr. Denise Tandy. On the eve of his eighteenth birthday, Jan survives a failed suicide attempt, which gives Jan and Janis an escape route from Dr. Tandy’s clutches. However, she is able to escape justice for her abuses and other illegal activities by leaving for South America.

The intrigue and tension builds as Dr. Tandy resurfaces with another scam of epic proportions with a new victim, Antoine, to exploit. Jan has to hone his talent to identify this new player and his gift. Janis has to bite the bullet and dig into what Dr. Tandy has been up to these last forty years.

I found it entertaining to watch these two old friends interact, their dialogue was priceless. The sexual tension was strong and neither wanted to be the first to overstep the boundaries of friendship to test the waters. Both Jan and Janis were equally strong and respectful characters, one never out shined the other. There were two important secondary characters, aside from Dr. Tandy who cast her nasty shadow over everyone. Antoine reminds us of the power Dr. Tandy holds over her victims. She tears down his sense of worth with verbal, emotional, and physical abuse, however, he still feels indebted to her. Then there is Simone. She seems a little late to the party, she is Antoine’s secretary or Tandy’s office manager. She’s the only other employee and she fills both services. I really enjoyed her character, she seems impulsive and a no holds barred kind of young woman. I really liked her and so did Janis when she finally met her.

The ending is satisfying in a classy way. There were no tricks or sleight of hand, just truth. Finally, truth and justice is served. But, what of Janis and Jan? Only time will tell.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

Nothing to note.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 50-55,000 words

Reprise Review: Different by Frank Mundo

 

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy/Coming of Age/Humor/Drama

Description:

“One morning 12-year-old Gregory Gourde wakes up in his bed with an impossible new feature: his head has become a watermelon. We follow Gregory down a rabbit hole of sorts to a new world and an audacious exploration of what it really means to be different in this dark yet humorous nod to Kafka's Metamorphosis and Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.”

Author:

“Frank Mundo is a full-time writer in Los Angeles. He has a BA in English from UCLA, where he also completed the Creative Writing Program. His stories, poetry, and essays have appeared in dozens of journals, magazines and anthologies in print and online... Mundo is the author of the award-winning novel in verse, The Brubury Tales (foreword by bestselling author and critic Carolyn See), a modern version of The Canterbury Tales, set in Los Angeles; and Gary, the Four-Eyed Fairy and Other Stories, an interconnected collection of his very best short stories published over the last 15 years.”

Appraisal:

Gregory Gourde certainly does take a trip down the rabbit hole in this dark fantasy; I felt like he was skating on the edge of madness for most of this story. Surely this is not what it is like for most boys going through puberty. But the author’s prose had me convinced that it had been for him. Frank Mundo does not just throw words at the page in hopes that they stick. There is much thought put into the words he chooses and this story will leave you thinking about it long after you have finished the story. This is the sign of a true wordsmith.

The story is told through Gregory's eyes with an omniscient narrator who pops in occasionally to move the story along or fill in past events of Gregory's life or other characters that played an important role. This is masterfully handled by the author and gave me a chance to let things soak in. Gregory is desperately seeking sanity and consistency despite his dysfunctional family. He is a smart kid and until he embraces and accepts himself for who he really is things go awry. Especially when he is told he does not belong in this alternate reality.

This was not an easy read for me, I tend to get too involved with the characters in the stories I read. So when things do not go well for the characters I have invested in I feel their pain. That is why I try to stick with fantasy. Gregory's problems are realistic, the manifestation of his problems are fantasy but certainly real in his mind.

The characters are beautifully written and darkly wonderful in their own way. The plot moves at a nice pace throughout the book. This is a fantastic journey of self-discovery, and I am glad I survived the trip as well as Gregory.

Buy now from:    Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Adult language and content. Not for children.

The artwork included in this story is excellent, it adds a dimension not usually found in books. I read this on my Paperwhite and the images came across beautifully.

Added for Reprise Review: Different by Frank Mundo was a nominee in the Fantasy category for B&P 2014 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran December 31, 2013.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no significant errors.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 30-35,000 words

Review: Witches Protection Program by Michael Okon

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Young Adult/Contemporary

Description:

“Wes Rockville, a disgraced law-enforcement agent, gets one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned to a 232-year-old secret government organization. The Witches Protection Program. His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar cosmetics company’s diabolical plan to use witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in witches…and believe in himself.”

Author:

“Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English, and then later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling in his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.

Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.”

You can find out more about Mr. Okon at his website or follow him onFacebook.

Appraisal:

In this contemporary urban fantasy a disgraced law-enforcement agent, Wes Rockville, is reassigned to a secret government organization. His first assignment is to protect the young heiress of a billion-dollar cosmetic company, Morgan Pendragon, and uncover their diabolical plan for world domination using witchcraft.

Wes’s learning curve is steep, as he doesn’t believe in witches. The plot and the characters are cleverly written. Morgan Pendragon is a feisty witch who marches to her own tune and doesn’t rely heavily on her witchcraft unless she’s in a pinch. She’s a fun character, however, she doesn’t trust Wes.

The battle scenes are epic and full of fast action that Mr. Okon captures without a hitch. And there are many. Slowly Morgan begins to trust Wes and she starts working with him. It’s easy to see a relationship developing. The ending is satisfying and some family truths are revealed that I didn’t see coming. All in all, an entertaining story.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Only one F-bomb.

Format/Typo Issues:

Nothing to note.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words

Review: Captive by Jennifer Reynolds

Genre: Contemporary/Urban Fantasy/Paranormal/Erotic Romance

Description:

“The loss of a job, her husband, her home, and her quiet life has Talia dreaming of a life she’s only read about in paranormal romance novels.

An inherent need to find his mate and settle down has werecoyote Bane hoping that the human who’s just entered his life is the one for him.

Peace is all Casen, the king of the werewolves, wants but with half his pack yearning to be the warring pack they once were, he’s sure it won’t come in his lifetime.

Max is determined that the war between his people and the coyotes continues even if it means kidnapping and torturing a group of coyotes and the human with them to make it happen.

The Fates, on the other hand, have their own agenda for these four, and their desires are all that matter.”

Author:

“Jennifer Reynolds is a native of North Alabama. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree from National University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Alabama.

She is a multi-genre author who focuses mostly on post-apocalyptic novels with plagues and zombies as their source of destruction and paranormal romances, especially shifters, weres, and ghosts. She does occasionally dabble in other genres such as general fiction, horror, and suspense thrillers.

When she’s not writing, she’s a full-time caregiver of her elderly in-laws, a stay at home wife, an avid reader, and the mother of two kitties, Lilith and Midnight.”

To learn more please visit her website or like her Facebook page.

Appraisal:

Talia has had a pretty rough year, losing her job, her boyfriend, and her home. She now has a job as an assistant for one of her best friends who happens to be a successful supernatural romance author, Destiny LeShae. Destiny has agreed with her publisher to help spearhead a project to help integrate the shifter world with the human world by writing some creative non-fiction pieces. The idea is all part of the supernatural community’s PR plan to ease their integration into the human world. Destiny sends Talia to gather research first hand.

This fantasy world is similar to our own and the werecoyotes are the most sociable. Since it is unlawful for Talia to be on any were-land, she needs to be escorted. Bane is assigned to Talia and his sister, Carla, is hosting Talia’s stay. Their parents are the rulers of this area’s werecoyote pack. Things are a little bumpy at first, but then goes along as planned until Talia wishes to see this magical waterfall she has heard about. The waterfall does have some sort of magical influence over Talia the others do not feel, and she is inexplicitly drawn towards the forest line, which leads to the wolf territory.

This is where the plot splits into two story arcs, the werecoyote and the werewolf. This is also where Ms. Reynolds breaks from the normal story tropes, applying her own influences to her supernatural world. The plot twists and turns as things go from bad to worse. The characters are well defined and unique. There are times when Talia wore on my nerves a bit, but she is a human thrown into unfamiliar territory with both the werecoyote and the werewolf worlds concerning the warring factions of both packs. There are plenty of blood and guts to keep the tension high. The alpha males from both packs also butt heads and growl their fair share to protect Talia.

I enjoyed the story despite Talia’s TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) moments. I do love Ms. Reynolds fresh take with her supernatural characters.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

  

FYI:

Captive is book 3 in Jennifer Reynolds SUPERNATURALS series. Captive contains explicit sex and several F-bombs. All three books in this series are standalone novels.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues, aside from some repetitiousness, that could be trimmed 

out.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words

Reprise Review: The Baker's Man by Jennifer Moorman

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy/Chick-Lit

Description:

“Moorman weaves the tale of a young woman whose grandmother’s secret—and the ancestry of her grandfather—are about to change her life forever.

Anna O’Brien has inherited more than her grandmother’s talent for baking and her bakery. When her boyfriend of two years accepts an architectural job with a firm in Napa Valley, with no plans to include her, she is forced to face an uncertain future. One late night in the bakery with her best friend, Lily, they have a little too much to drink and follow a mysterious recipe of her grandmothers with a secret ingredient. The next morning she wakes up to find Elijah, a handsome stranger, baking donuts in her kitchen and things rocket out of control.”

Author:

Jennifer Moorman was born and raised in Tifton, Georgia and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She majored in English/Creative writing at MTSU. I picked this up from her website. “My life is a writer’s journey through the ramblings in my cluttered mind, the stories demanding to be written, my travels along forest pathways, and my search for the ever-elusive unicorn and the end of the rainbow.”

The Baker’s Man is her debut novel.

For more, visit Moorman's website.

Appraisal:

I found this book to be a magically enchanting tale that weaves in just enough reality to suspend my disbelief. Anna has always lived her life to please others, but when Baron decides to take a job across the country, she decides she needs to take charge of her own life and follow her heart. Anna has internal and external forces pulling her in different directions; she knows she wants to continue making pastries, but perhaps not in her hometown of Mystic Water. There is a perfect place by the sea and an offer has been made, but to move there will disappoint the hometown folks, her mother, and her friends. The relationship with Baron is also unsettled, they were both comfortable with each other and neither is ready to give it up, although they know it is over. Anna’s biggest problem is she is not ready to believe this mysterious force that draws her to Elisha is real, she doesn’t trust the magic. When her friend, Tessa, falls head over heels for Elisha, Anna tries to take a step back. This story explores friendship, forgiveness, and the possibilities of following your own heart. When Elisha, her dough-boy, starts growing into his own person things get very complicated and there are a couple of unexpected twists. The dialogue reads true and humor is expertly woven into this heartwarming journey.

I couldn’t help but love Jennifer Moorman’s prose, each of her characters and places had distinctive smells that Anna identified with them. Her mother smelled of ripe cherries or rotten cherries depending on her mood, her father like green pine or freshly cut grass. Elisha smelled of rosemary, cinnamon, spicy chocolate and melted sugar. How could you not love that?

This is one of those stories I had trouble assigning a genre to, so I went back to Donna Fasano’s guest post defining romance and chick-lit. I decided it was chick-lit with a strong romantic element, although I do not claim to be an expert on this subject. But I will tell you, if you like foodie fiction or chick-lit you will love this story.

Buy now from:    Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Added for Reprise Review: The Baker's Man by Jennifer Moorman was a nominee in the Chick-Lit category for B&P 2013 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran February 24, 2013

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no significant errors or issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Reprise Review: Seized (The Pipe Woman Chronicles) by Lynne Cantwell

Genre: Urban Fantasy/ Contemporary/ World Mythology

Description:

Native American and old world mythos intertwine in a captivating story surrounding the winter of solstice 2012. Naomi has a pretty sweet life as a skilled mediator at a large legal firm in Colorado and she has just become engaged. When events from her past come to light, her whole world is turned upside down. It will never be the same again.

Author:

“Lynne Cantwell has a master's degree in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University; she is a former broadcast journalist who is working a day job as a legal secretary. Ms. Cantwell is also a contributing author at Indies Unlimited where she shares her knowledge about Indie publishing and promotion. Her Pipe Woman Chronicles include three volumes to date Seized, Fissured, and Tapped. Ms Cantwell’s other books are SwanSong, The Maidens' War, and Lulie: a short story. She was also a contributing author for Live Simply in the City and Indies Unlimited: Tutorials and Tools for Prospering in a Digital World.”

You can learn more about Ms. Cantwell on her blog or follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

I have a soft spot for Native American stories, I am not sure why, as far as I know I have no Native American blood. I also enjoy stories about old world gods and myths. This story combines the two in a unique way. This contemporary fantasy is told through Naomi’s eyes. She is an intelligent, well-balanced character that you can’t help but like. The story is well thought out, draws you in quickly and has a steady building plot that adds some interesting twists.

Each character in the story is well developed and plays an important part in the development of the plot. I loved the way this story challenges all belief systems, this author has taken this on in a grand scale. The dialogue is realistic, entertaining, and humorous at times. I found it very easy to suspend my disbelief and become immersed in the story. I am excited to see where she takes us as this story continues to build in its ever-widening scope. Well done, Ms. Cantwell, well done. I think I have found a new favorite fantasy author.

Buy now from:    Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

This book contains adult language and situations that may be offensive to some, but I don’t feel they were added for shock value.

Added for Reprise Review: Seized by Lynne Cantwell was a nominee in the Speculative Fiction category for B&P 2013 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran February 8, 2013

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no significant errors or issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Review: Sleeping with the Blackbirds by Alex Pearl

Genre: Contemporary/Urban Fantasy/Young Adult

Description:

“Eleven-year-old schoolboy, Roy Nuttersley has been dealt a pretty raw deal. While hideous parents show him precious little in the way of love and affection, school bullies make his life a misery. So Roy takes comfort in looking after the birds in his garden, and in return the birds hatch a series of ambitious schemes to protect their new friend. As with the best-laid plans, however, these get blown completely off course - and as a result the lives of both Roy and his arch tormentor, Harry Hodges are turned upside down - but in a surprisingly good way.”

Author:

“Alex Pearl is an advertising copywriter living in NW London with his wife and two kids.

Sleeping with the Blackbirds - a black, comic urban fantasy, was initially written for his children in 2011 and published by PenPress, and subsequently republished by CreateSpace.

In 2014 his short story, Scared to Death - the fictionalised account of the first British serviceman to be executed for cowardice during the First World War, was published by Mardibooks along with 22 other short stories in an anthology entitled The Clock Struck War.

Alex is currently writing a very dark thriller set in London following the terrorist attack in 2005. He hopes to have this completed and on the shelves by 2019.

Alex's claim to fame is that he is quite possibly the only person on this planet to have been accidentally locked in a record shop on Christmas Eve.”

To learn more you can visit Mr. Pearl’s website, Amazon Author page, or Facebook.

Appraisal:

Eleven year-old Roy Nuttersley is living in a toxic environment of emotional abuse and often neglectful parents. To say nothing of the bullies at school. He finds solace in the back yard under their huge oak tree. Roy has built several brightly painted bird feeders to hang in the trees for the birds he considers friends. The large black birds understand and feel the sadness emanating from Roy. So, they devise plans to protect Roy. When one of their schemes goes awry, the result turns the lives of both Roy and his arch tormentor, Harry Hodges, upside down.

The characters are well developed with precision for the readers to properly understand each and every one. This includes the birds who are instrumental in several portions of the tale. The string of events are cunning and well thought out. There were twists to the story I never expected. The adventure becomes quite emotional at times and handles several heavy topics with humanity and grace.

This is a book that would be enjoyed by middle grade and young adults. I think they will easily identify with the characters and many situations. There are many morals to be learned in this story. The twists at the end of the book are brilliant and make the story worth sharing. 

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Author uses British spelling conventions.

Format/Typo Issues:

Nothing significant.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 35-40,000 words

Review: The Mighty Chieftain by Lyn Horner

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy/World Mythology/Adventure

Description:

“Lara Flewellen, the High Guardian of Danu, faces a lethal test. Can she defeat the vicious Hellhounds or will they force her and the other six Guardians to hand over the prophetic scrolls they and their ancestors have safeguarded since ancient times?

Balor, the Hellhound leader, and his followers have discovered the Guardians’ sanctuary in Canyon de Chelly, heart of the Navajo Nation. Trapped along with their mates and their native protector, the Guardians must run from one hiding place in the canyon to another using their supernatural powers and raw courage to survive. Fear and suffering are their constant companions.

Tearing Lara apart, Balor holds her twin sister prisoner, threatening her life. How can she save her twin and uphold her vow to guard the sacred prophecies at the same time? It seems impossible. A desperate prayer to Danu the Great Mother may bring a miracle . . . or catastrophe.”

Author:

“Lyn Horner is a baby boomer born in San Francisco, California, raised in Minnesota and now residing in Texas with her husband and an ever-changing band of cantankerous, beloved cats. Trained in the visual arts, Lyn first worked as a fashion illustrator in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and later as an art instructor for Art Instruction Schools… After quitting work to raise her children, she took up writing to save her sanity. This hobby quickly morphed into an obsession with historical research and plot building.”

Learn more about Ms. Horner by visiting her website or follow her onFacebook.

Appraisal:

The Hellhounds have located the Guardians’ in Canyon de Chelly. It’s just a matter of time before they find their sanctuary. They do their best to defend Leon Tseda’s home when Balor arrives with his Hellhound minions. Despite their guardian powers the small tribe end up on a run for their lives to protect their individual prophetic Druid scrolls, which have been guarded by their ancestors for centuries. They run farther into the Navajo land where their survival skills are tested.

This is an exciting adventure where prayers to The Great Mother Goddess, Danu, may be their only hope. As they head deeper into the canyon complex named Canyon del Muerto, Canyon of the Dead, Lara Spenser is faced with coming to terms with some hard truths and some unexpected twists in the story line.

I have to admit this book left me with a few questions. However, it is a unique and entertaining read with an interesting ending. I also love the striking book cover.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

The Mighty Chieftain is book 8 and the culmination in Lyn Horner’s Romancing the Guardians Series. I do believe it is necessary to read the other books in this series.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 35-40,000 words

Reprise Review: Scorched Earth by Lynne Cantwell

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Contemporary/World Mythology

Description:

“Sue faces the biggest challenge of her career: she has three weeks to raise millions of dollars for research into a supergrain that promises to end world hunger. But ayalendo has some distressing -- even dangerous -- qualities. And Lucifer means to exploit them to control the world’s food supply and become a god at last.

When Tess learns the identity of the shady corporation pushing ayalendo’s development, she realizes her own livelihood may be in jeopardy. She and Darrell embark on a cross-country journey to her parents’ farm to gather information for a congressional committee investigating the ayalendo project.

The gods are bringing in some big guns to help. But it will be up to Sue, Tess, and Darrell to defeat Lucifer, once and for all.”

Author:

“Lynne Cantwell is a contributing author at Indies Unlimited where she shares her knowledge about Indie publishing and promotion. She has a master’s degree in fiction writing from Johns Hopkins University and is a former broadcast journalist who has written for CNN and Mutual/NBC Radio News, among other places. Ms. Cantwell currently lives near Washington, DC.”

You can connect with her at her website or on her Facebook page.

Appraisal:

Ms. Cantwell really surprised me with this series. She managed to get me interested in the political workings of our legislature using intrigue and underhanded politics. Setting up scenarios and relating how they realistically affect people’s lives and livelihoods when politicians get greedy. This plot revolves around Lucifer’s end game. He has been trying to gain enough followers to ascend to godhood and so far the gods have succeeded in keeping him out. In Crosswind he used race and religion to gain followers. In Undertow he used Americans’ fear of terrorists, and so far Tess, Darrell, and Sue, with their gods backing and insight, have been able to thwart Lucifer’s plans. In Scorched Earth, he seeks to control a new supergrain that could end world hunger with devastating consequences.

The plot moves swiftly as our trio of heroes uncover Lucifer’s plot. Tess and Sue both have personal stakes in the outcome, as well as the rest of humanity. Ms. Cantwell has done an excellent job weaving her story, which has a global impact, to relate it on a personal level. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the story was brought full circle, bringing it together with The Pipe Woman Chronicles. I had hopes as the story was unfolding that this would come to pass and Ms. Cantwell did not disappoint me. I do hate to see this series end and I am hoping these characters are still talking to the author so we will get more from them in the future. Well done, Ms. Cantwell. This has been a wonderful, unique series.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

This is the third and final book in the Land, Sea, Sky series. Ms. Cantwell has included a synopsis for Crosswind and Undertow at the beginning of this book.  However, I think it would be beneficial to read both prior to reading Scorched Earth to fully understand all the characters.

Added for Reprise Review: Scorched Earth by Lynne Cantwell was a nominee in the Fantasy category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran June 16, 2014

Format/Typo Issues:

I noticed no significant errors in editing or formatting.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words