Sword of Deaths by Christopher Mannino

Blurb:

Susan Sarnio made a choice, and will spend the rest of her life as the only female Death. Last year she was bullied and ostracized. Now, to her complete bewilderment, four Deaths vie for her affection. Yet, something is terribly wrong at the College of Deaths. When a ship carrying scythe metal is attacked, many blame the newly-freed Elementals, but Susan knows the Elementals are innocent.

Shadows from the distant past come to light. Dragons circle the horizon, blood spills, and nothing is what it seems. Susan and her friends struggle to stop a war. They search for the fabled First Scythe, hoping to sway the balance, but who is the true enemy?

About the Author:

Christopher Mannino’s life is best described as an unending creative outlet. He teaches high school theatre in Greenbelt, Maryland. In addition to his daily drama classes, he runs several after-school performance/production drama groups. He spends his summers writing and singing. Mannino holds a Master of Arts in Theatre Education from Catholic University, and has studied mythology and literature both in America and at Oxford University. His work with young people helped inspire him to write young adult fantasy, although it was his love of reading that truly brought his writing to life.

Mannino is currently working on a sequel to School of Deaths as well as an adult science fiction novel.

Review by Rochelle:

Sword of Deaths is book two in a trilogy. While School of Deaths ended with the villain escaping, I felt Mr. Mannino tied up the loose ends very nicely at the conclusion. It was so nice to see the first book in a series end without a cliff-hanger. I wish I could say the same for the second book. I’m afraid I’ve deducted a rose for that.

Otherwise, it was good to return to the Deaths’ school. Susan is still the object of suspicion and hatred, but in her second year at the school, she has more people defending her. In fact, four boys now have crushes on her. And, she has a girlfriend—an Elemental who can slip in and out of the school unnoticed now provides Susan with some much-needed female companionship.

Susan still wonders about her connection to the only other female death, Lovethar, and the Dragon Key, but now she has a shortage of scythe metal and another artifact to worry about—the First Scythe. What power does it hold and can it help the Death’s overcome their metal shortage? Unfortunately, those answers lie in the third book. Darn it! Mr. Mannino’s writing is otherwise excellent. His characters are layered, the books are fast-paced, and the reader cares enough about what happens next to come back for more without a cliff-hanger ending. Just one loose thread would have brought me back, anyway.

Author Website:  http://www.christophermannino.com/

Heat Rating:  PG

Length:  289 Pages

Prices:

Print:  $10.95

Digital:  $5.95

Buy Link:  https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/new-releases/series/sword-of-deaths-detail

You’ll notice we always include the publisher’s buy link. That’s because authors usually receive 40-50% of the net proceeds from the publisher. Editors and cover artists usually receive about 5%. When you buy a book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or another third-party vendor, they take a hefty cut and the author, editors and cover artists receive their cuts from what is left. So, if a book costs $5.99 at E-Book Publisher.com and you buy from there, the author will receive about $2.40-$2.99. If you buy the book at Amazon, the author will receive about $1.70-$2.10.

Download the file from the publisher onto your computer as you would any other file. I’ve created a folder for books on my computer, with subfolders by source (Marketing for Romance Writers, Net Galley, Authors who find me on Kindle lists, etc.). That way, if there’s a glitch with your Kindle, the books are on your computer. Some publishers send books in all digital formats. If my Kindle breaks and my kids buy me a Nook, I won’t have to replace all of my books. If you have a Kindle and your hubby has a Nook, you won’t have to buy separate copies, so buying directly from the publisher can save you money.

Moving the file from your computer to your e-reader is as easy as transferring any file from your computer to a USB flash drive. Plug the larger USB end of your e-reader charging chord into a USB port on your computer and simply move the file from the folder into which you’ve downloaded the book to Documents/Books directory on your e-reader. Your author will be happy you did when he/she sees his/her royalty statement.

Thanks for visiting. Donna, Julie, & Rochelle

Hatchling’s Curse by Helen Henderson

 Blurb:

Lord Branin Llewlyn is a dragshi, a human who can exchange bodies with a dragon. After millennia of waiting...and searching, Branin and his dragon counterpart, Llewlyn, have found their intended mates.

For the dragshi, the freedom of flight comes with a price. Now Branin has to find a cure for the childlessness of his kind. Cryptic references to mating flights add hope, but dark references about the deaths of suitors threatens not only his life, but the dreams of all dragon shifters.

To save his kind, Branin has to win the mating flight.

And the cost? All he treasures.

Throwing the competition is not an option.

About the Author:

Although I wrote fiction for myself as long as I can remember, and have been a professional writer for many years, pursuing publication for my fiction is a more recent endeavor. Published fiction includes two fantasy series: the Dragshi Chronicles and the Windmaster novels.

Among other topics, my published non-fiction covers antiques, history, and battlefield archeology. (Yes, I do know the subject and have participated in digs using both traditional screen and trowel methods and the new-fangled metal detectors.) I'm also proud of my two local histories, "Matawan and Aberdeen—Of Town and Field" and "Around Matawan & Aberdeen."

As a person, I have tried to find a balance between my typical Gemini characteristics. My heritage is also a reflection of contrasts—the descendent of a coal-miner's daughter and an aviation flight engineer, I grew up living the simple life on a farm, yet my professional career was designing computers.

This dichotomy shows in my writing which crosses genres from historical adventures (written while listening to the Ashokan Farewell), westerns to western movie themes and science fiction/fantasy to the lilting tunes of Celtic harp and flute.

Join me as we journey among the stars, to the past both near and far, or to worlds of imagination.

Review by Rochelle:

I have to say shifter stories are not my favorites. I have difficulty suspending disbelief when it comes to shifters, especially something like a human/dragon shifter. The respective biologies and sizes are just too different. As for a human/dragon shifter reproducing, I can definitely see the difficulty. Human are mammals and give birth to live babies, while dragons are reptilian and lay eggs.

However, if one can suspend disbelief and accept the basic tenet of Hatchling’s Curse: Book Two of The Dragshi Chronicles, is very well-written with heroes and heroines with whom one can identify and root for, an enemy with clear motives, great world-building, steady pacing—in short, everything one needs to write a five-rose thriller/fantasy/romance. Ms. Henderson even did a great job of catching readers up on Dragon Destiny, the first book in the series without bogging down the action. If you’re able to suspend disbelief and you enjoy fantasy worlds and shifters, by all means, read Hatchling’s Curse: Book Two of The Dragshi Chronicles.

Heat Rating:  R

Length:  239 Pages

Prices:

Print:  $13.99

Digital:  $3.99

Buy Link:  http://www.amazon.com/Hatchlings-Curse-Dragshi-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B00OX4G01M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443813352&sr=8-1&keywords=Hatchling%27s+Curse+%2B+Helen+Henderson

Author Web Site:  http://helenhenderson-author.webs.com

Author Amazon Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Helen-Henderson/e/B001HPM2XK/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Thanks for visiting. Donna, Julie, & Rochelle

School of Deaths by Christopher Mannino

Blurb:

Thirteen-year-old Suzie Sarnio always believed the Grim Reaper was a fairy tale image of a skeleton with a scythe. Now, forced to enter the College of Deaths, she finds herself training to bring souls from the Living World to the Hereafter. The task is demanding enough, but as the only female in the all-male College, she quickly becomes a target. Attacked by both classmates and strangers, Suzie is alone in a world where even her teachers want her to fail.

Caught in the middle of a plot to overthrow the World of Deaths, Suzie must uncover the reason she’s been brought there: the first female Death in a million years.

Review by Rochelle:

The summer between eighth grade and high school is supposed to be fun, but Suzie Sarnio spends hers bouncing between nutritionists and shrinks while her family tries to get to the bottom of her “anorexia.” They don’t believe her protests that she’s eating more this summer than she ever has before as she wastes away before their eyes. Her older brother even stops teasing her about it. The answer comes when an old man arrives at the door wearing a black robe and carrying a scythe. He whisks her away to the College of Deaths. She has to remain there for one year. If she passes her final exam, she can return to her family. If not, she must remain and become a Death—a grim reaper. If she tries to return home, she will cease. Not only will she die; no one will remember she ever existed.

Suzie is certain she can pass whatever test they give her until she realizes she’s the only female in the school, and no one wants her there. Only one other female student has ever attended the Death School. It was a million years ago, and Lovethar was so evil she started a war between the Deaths and the Dragons, who have been mortal enemies ever since. Suzie is not only alone—she’s hated and feared.

Thus begins a young adult fantasy that will appeal to youth of all ages. School of Deaths is a page-burning mystery that kept me up at night and distracted me from “real” work. When I was on deadline, I didn’t dare even look at my Kindle while I was reading School of Deaths, and while I can’t wait for the next book in the series, Mr. Mannino tied up everything quite nicely and did not leave Suzie dangling from any cliffs. Bravo! By all means—buy the book and see for yourself. But do so when you have time to be mesmerized.

Length:  272 Pages

Price:  $5.95

Buy Link:  https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/now-available-in-ebook/school-of-deaths-detail

You’ll notice we always include the publisher’s buy link. That’s because authors usually receive about 40-50% of the book price from the publisher. Editors and cover artists usually receive about 5-10%. When you buy a book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or another third-party vendor, they take a hefty cut and the author, editors and cover artists receive their royalties from what is left. So, if a book costs $5.99 at E-BookPublisher.com and you buy from there, the author will receive about $2.40. If you buy the book at Amazon, the author will receive about $0.83.

Downloading the file from your computer to your e-reader is as easy as transferring any file from a USB flash drive to your computer. You can download your books onto your computer using “Save As” to a “Books” folder you create and sort them into sub-folders by genre, author, or however you wish before transferring them to your e-reader. That way, if there’s a glitch with your e-reader, the books are on your computer. Once you’ve saved the book to your computer plug the larger USB end of your chord into a USB port on your computer and simply move the file from the folder you created to your E-Reader/Documents/Books directory. Your author will be happy you did when he/she sees his/her royalty statement.

Thanks for visiting. Julie, Donna, & Rochelle

Foreshadow by Cynthia Joyce Clay, Reviewer Julie Grimm

Blurb:

Princess Royal, Tristabé-airta of Allsongs, daughter to King Freyzyn, is the darling of her father's court. Poet souled, she can never contend for the heirship of Allsongs because she is flawed. Never will she transform to demi-dragon form as her kingly father does. Nefarious magical creatures have designs against her; neighboring rulers, King Pict and the Usurper King Knag plot the overthrow of King Freyzun; and malcontents work to undermine the simplefolk’s trust in the magic of the poets. As small as she is Tristabé-airta must, for the sake of the future of her father's kingdom, make an alliance with a child as royal as she is, but this child hates her...

Review:  

Foreshadow: Book I of the Saga of the Dragon Born by Cynthia Joyce Clay is a lengthy tale with Tristabé-airta, daughter to the king, as the central figure of the story.  Although she is considered flawed, Tristabé-airta is a baby whose powers begin to show when she is very small.

I would have given this book a thorn, except I think it would have great potential if this one book could be made into several smaller books without so much detail. I could even picture it as a movie while I was reading it.  It jumps around a lot, and it would help if the characters were introduced at a slower pace.  I simply couldn’t keep track of them all. The chapters start out jumping back and forth between the nobles and the simple folk with no real reason for doing so which adds to the confusion.

What I enjoyed about the book was the main noble characters as they have special powers which are different from powers used in other fantasy novels.  I also was entertained by the simple folk who get into trouble for proselytizing.  However, the proselytizers names made me roll my eyes, and so did key words that were used that didn’t fit the time period.

I was also very unhappy with the ending.  There is a way to tell a tale without leaving the reader hanging but yet wanting more.  It didn’t make me want to read the next one.

Length:  324 Pages

Digital:  $6.00

BuyLink:http://www.amazon.com/Foreshadow-Book-Saga-Dragon-Born-Dragon-ebook/dp/B00KQVNPE6/ref=la_B001K8EOAI_1_6_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409436067&sr=1-6

Thank you for visiting, Rose, Julie, and Rochelle