Tour/Mini-Review/Giveaway: Soul of a Viking, by Sky Purington

Welcome to the Soul of a Viking 
Blog Tour, 

sponsored by 

Bewitching Book Tours!!

For my stop, I'm featuring a mini review 
and excerpt, 

with a tour-sponsored giveaway!!

Soul of a Viking

(The MacLomain Series: 
Viking Ancestors' Kin, Book 3)

Sky Purington

Digital Edition, 268 pages

Sky Purington

January 24, 2017

Paranormal Romance, Science Fantasy, 
Urban Fantasy

 Lauren refuses to believe that her sisters traveled back in time to tenth-century Scandinavia. Cybil must be off doing one thing or another. And what of Samantha? She returned then vanished again with a bunch of uncivilized ruffians who called themselves Vikings. While thankful the crude men finally left, she’s now caught in an unusual situation. No matter how hard she tries, she cannot step foot outside her Winter Harbor chalet.

Desperate to return to the twenty-first century and figure out why he and Lauren were cursed by a Nidstang, Tait Sigdir struggles with what feels like half a soul. But that’s not all. When he finally returns to the future, he realizes how troubling things really are. Though drawn to Shannon, he can’t seem to stay away from her sister, Lauren. Hard to believe considering how difficult she is to be around. Even for a flirt like him. Yet if he’s not near her, he becomes uncharacteristically sullen.

Caught in an unraveling hex that steers them closer to the enemy, Tait and Lauren are forced on an adventure that tests them in more ways than one. Friendship emerges. Passion ignites. Even so, love does not come so easily to those who are cursed. As it turns out, they must get through a whirlwind of unfortunate events that will either bring them together or drive them further apart.

Purchase Links

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Oh, this sounds so very intriguing! I love it when a woman is defiant toward a man, instead of just meekly doing what he orders! KUDOS for Purington!! And it seems that there's some unacknowledged chemistry between these two, as well! I really like the way this author sets up her scenes, and her dialogues are full of sparks and tension. Also, I love, love, love time travel romances. So, I will soon be purchasing my own copy of this book! If you enjoy time travel, Vikings, and romance, then you will most likely be buying your own copy, too!

“Who goes there?” came an all-too-familiar voice from the door.

Lauren sighed and called out. “It is none of your concern, Tait.”

Evidently, he thought differently because seconds later he entered, a frown on his face as his eyes swept around the lodge. “I heard a man in here.”

“It was just Einar,” she began, her words trailing off as she gestured towards him only to find he’d vanished.

Tait’s brows slammed together. “Einar? I do not know that name.”

“He was just right here,” she murmured, glancing at the rear door. “He must have slipped out the back.”

“Nobody has come or gone since your sisters left,” Tait said, troubled.

“I can assure you they did. A woman, then a man. Einar.” She folded her hands in front of her and focused on the bigger problem. “You had no right to barge in here. Please leave.”

“Actually I had every right.” He continued eying the place, looking for Einar. “This is my lodge, woman.”

His lodge? How unfortunate. “My name is Lauren.”

Tait shrugged as an annoying grin tugged at his lips. Apparently, he was done searching out another man. He gestured at the water.  “You will bathe, then join your sisters in the main lodge, yes?”

“That was the plan, yes,” she allowed.

“Then please,” he headed for the corner table, “do not let me disturb you.”

She frowned as he filled a mug with what appeared to be ale.  “What are you doing?”

He gave the mug a pointed look.

“Drinking.”

“Then please do so outside.”

“But this is my lodge.”

“Then I will need another lodge.”

“No.” Tait shook his head. “I can only be so far away from you and will sleep nowhere but here.”

Her eyes widened. “We are not sleeping in the same room.”

“We will if we have to.” He gestured at the tub again. “Right now you do not need to worry about sleeping, but bathing.”

Lauren inhaled deeply and remained calm. “As much as you would probably enjoy it, I am not bathing with you here.”

“Well, I am not leaving because whether or not I saw anyone enter, I heard a man in here. So I will not leave you alone.”

He considered her before he murmured something and a tall screen appeared in front of the tub. “There. Now I will not be tempted by you, woman.” He removed his fur, plunked down and narrowed his eyes at her when she narrowed her eyes on him. “Now I can focus my thoughts on Shannon.”

Lauren ignored her strong reaction to his words and smoothed her expression. Regardless, there was no controlling the flare of defiance that screamed inside her. A defiance that had her doing the last thing she intended. Something she found extremely appalling and would never normally do. Something she would judge harshly if she saw another woman do it. Especially one who was married.

She tested his resolve about Shannon as she held his eyes and took her time stripping down before she sauntered around the screen and got into the tub.

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Sky is the best-selling author of over twenty-five novels and several novellas. A New Englander born and bred, Sky was raised hearing stories of folklore, myth and legend. When combined with a love for nature, romance and time-travel, elements from the stories of her youth found release in her books.

Purington loves to hear from readers and can be contacted at Sky@SkyPurington.com. Interested in keeping up with Sky's latest news and releases? Visit Sky's website to download her free App on iTunes and Android, or sign up for her quarterly newsletter. Love social networking? Find Sky on Facebook and Twitter. 

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Shelf Candy Saturday #140: The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss

 

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!!

This is my weekly feature

showcasing beautiful book covers!

It also provides information,

if available, on their very talented creators!

For more information

about Shelf Candy Saturday,

simply go HERE.

Today I'm comparing two covers 

for the same book!

The Name of the Wind

(The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)

Patrick Rothfuss 

Trade Paperback, 672 pages

Gollancz

June 12, 2008

Fantasy, Science Fantasy 

My Thoughts About This Cover

Ever since I saw my very first Gollancz cover, I've been hooked! This publisher puts out absolutely gorgeous covers which never fail to catch my eye. It's a very rare occasion when I don't like one of them!

This particular one immediately captivated me. It's just perfect in every way! The whole scene is mysterious, yet compelling. The forest surrounding and framing the wizard of the story seems to be protecting and sheltering him as he slowly walks into it. The vines and branches, done in a beautifully ornate style somewhat reminiscent of Art Nouveau, also frame the wizard, heightening his importance. This makes him very compelling as well, and motivates the reader to pick up this book and read it. 

The wizard is placed against a totally white background, which also serves to place the focus totally on him. This is the one thing I don't completely like about the cover, though. I think that the background should be very lightly tinted. On the other hand, perhaps the cover artist had the intention of showing the wizard surrounded by brilliant light, which would thus suggest that he's a good wizard.

The font used for the title and author's name is a classical one. I love the leafy vines growing out of the "W" in the word "Wind"; they echo those running along the sides of the cover.

The color scheme is also perfect; the artist has hit upon just the right colors to catch the viewer's eye. In  short, when I purchase this book, as I undoubtedly will, it will be the one with this cover!

I have not been able to locate any information about the highly talented artist, so I'll have to wait until I own  this book to see who this person is.....

 

 

The Name of the Wind

(The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)

Patrick Rothfuss 

Trade Paperback, 672 pages

DAW Trade

April 7, 2009

Fantasy, Science Fantasy

Incredibly, this cover doesn't appeal that much to me, even though it's predominantly blue, and this happens to be my favorite color. (Just take a look all over this blog!) 

The overall design of this cover is just not original or creative at all. Honestly, I feel that I've seen images very similar to this one many times before. The stormy sky and tall prairie grass don't really suggest wind to the viewer. Besides, the wizard is calmly walking along, apparently unconcerned about the weather. Or perhaps he has paused briefly to watch the approach of the storm.

The font used is very elegant, but it's totally unrelated to the cover image. Given the lack of movement in the scene depicted, it could have at least been made to suggest wind.

In short, I find this second cover to be totally uninspiring, and it would actually not compel me to buy the book, as the Gollancz cover does.

The Amazon US reader does provide the name of this artist. He is listed, simply, as "Donato". When I did a Google search, I found the name "Donato Giancola", and then visited his website. He certainly has a very impressive portfolio there. His style is very realistic. However, this particular cover just doesn't do much for me at all.

Donato's website can be accessed HERE.

 

What do you think of my 

choice this week?

Please leave a comment

and let me know!

Book Review: Amazing Grace, by Elizabeth Davies

Amazing Grace
(The Resurrection Trilogy #2)
Elizabeth Davies
Trade Paperback, 248 pages
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
July 16, 2014
Historical Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Science Fantasy
Source: Purchased from Amazon




Book Synopsis: This is the second novel in the Resurrection Trilogy.  As Grace's health deteriorates in her own world and she moves ever closer to her own death, she returns to the past where Roman is waiting for her, and she falls deeper in love with a man  whose sole purpose in life is his quest for blood.

In this second novel of what is a creative combination of genres, Grace and Roman, the two lovers, continue to deal with their unusual relationship. It's unusual not only because Roman is a vampire, and Grace, a human, but also because she flashes in and out of his life, which spans centuries, through an uncontrollable, mysterious process that takes her from the 21st century to his time period, whatever it might happen to be when she returns to him. 

The narrative focuses closely on  their relationship, although, when  Grace flashes back to her own time, it then shows the reader the interactions of Grace  and her family -- her parents and beloved brother Ianto. Speaking of him, I really enjoyed the way he acted toward Grace. It was very touching to see his concern for her, as well as her realization that he was no longer the little brother she had known in the past, but an adult in his own  right. 

Interesting characters are introduced in this second book. One of them is a female vampire, whom Roman calls "Lettuce". This turned out to be a humorous nickname for her; she was really named "Leticia". She and Grace immediately disliked each other, as Grace suspected that Roman had been having  a fling with this woman. He had already told her  that he couldn't be expected to remain alone during the years that Grace was lost to him. Whatever Roman says, I agree with Grace's dislike of Leticia; she's not a nice person at all.

Another interesting new character is Jeremiah, who is also a vampire; it later becomes apparent that he's Roman's nemesis. I took an instant dislike to him, too, especially when he showed no interest in saving Grace's life, at one point in the novel.

This book is as fascinating as the first, and Davies again creates suspense with her unique take on time travel. The contrasts between  the various time periods in the past, and the present, 21st-century reality, are amazing and shocking, too, as the reader is confronted with the fact that aspects of the modern world we take for granted simply did not exist in centuries past.

As in the first book, the relationship between Grace and Roman is fiercely romantic and passionate, although the sex scenes are a bit less graphic in this installment. I love the way Roman increasingly comes to accept this woman who is such an enigma to him. He cares deeply for her, in his own rough way, finally confessing his love for her toward the end of the novel. She, meanwhile, had already fallen head over heels in love with him, having long ago accepted him just as he is. 

Roman's character  is very realistically drawn; he is not quite a tortured hero, nor is he a monster. He seems to straddle the two types of vampire characterizations, and I liked that. This certainly keeps the novel from becoming  maudlin or melodramatic.

As in the first book, Grace is a very courageous young woman, as she deals with her impending demise, and then  with this strange time traveling she can't even control. She, too, is depicted in a very realistic manner. She finds Roman very attractive, not only  sexually, but as a personality, too; yet, her feelings for him are never described in such a way that would make the reader engage in eye-rolling.

With all the shifting back and forth in time, there is never a dull moment; Davies keeps the reader turning pages. As the narrative moves along, the author also manages to include some world-building, without inserting huge information dumps in the process.

Interestingly, Grace doesn't time-travel when she's away from her family's farm, which is located near the Welsh town of Brecon. Also, Roman is unable to connect with her at any other location, so, no matter where he travels, he keeps returning to Brecon, in hopes that Grace will appear.

Speaking of Brecon, it's wonderfully obvious, in this book as much as in the first, that the author loves the Welsh countryside, which is another aspect of these books that I find enchanting. The descriptions of the woods, the mountains, the various points of interest, are all lovely and vivid, thus making me yearn to visit this beautiful land!

In short, this novel is not only as entertaining as the first, but also just as fascinating! It is a beautiful paranormal love story that will draw readers in, keeping them enthralled  throughout. Davies writes in a simple, direct style that is also quite descriptive, and takes it for granted that her readers are sophisticated lovers of paranormal romance. Her characters, plot, setting and style, all make me so glad to own this very special vampire romance trilogy!

Needless to say, I am anxious to move on to the third and last book! I heartily recommend this series to any paranormal romance lover; you will definitely not be disappointed!


MY RATING:

Book Review: State of Grace, by Elizabeth Davies

State of Grace
(Resurrection, #1)
Elizabeth Davies
Trade Paperback, 250 pages
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platfrom
October 12, 2012
Historical Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Science Fantasy
Source: Purchased from Amazon


Book Synopsis:   When Grace, 27 years old and with only a few months left to live, returns to her home town of Brecon, she is catapulted nearly 1800 years into the past. At first she attributes her hallucinations to her brain tumour, but as the visions become more detailed and closer to the present day, she becomes involved with a certain wickedly handsome and rather inhuman Roman, who has an obsession with blood. Grace is forced to confront her fears when the past begins intruding on the present, and she falls deeper in love with her phantom man. 'Death is only one option.' This is the first novel in the Resurrection trilogy.

My Review

(Reviewer's Note: I received a PDF copy of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. I liked it so much, I've ordered a print copy from Amazon!)

It's really interesting to see how vampire romance authors have made the vampire mythos their very own by changing and adapting it to make unique stories that will appeal to paranormal romance fans.  Elizabeth Davies is no exception.  In this, the first volume of her Resurrection Trilogy, she has combined a typically Gothic story with the concept of time travel, although Grace, the female protagonist, doesn't use any machine to go back in time. Instead, she travels through a very mysterious process that she immediately attributes to her brain tumor. However, she comes to realize that her 'hallucinations' are very real indeed, and the people she meets during these experiences are also very real.

The full explanation for this unusual form of time travel will, I assume, be forthcoming in one of the sequels of this trilogy. Even  though I don't yet know why Grace is experiencing these hallucinations, or visions, there's no denying that they are totally fascinating and riveting! Because of this, I was able to finish the novel very quickly. Davies simply made her tale  so compelling that I couldn't stop reading, because I just had to know how the characters would be able to get to know each other, given the unpredictable nature of their encounters.

In this first volume, the relationship of Grace, a human, and Roman, a vampire, is only just getting started. She can only be with him when she's suddenly transported back to his time, which is Wales in the Dark Ages. Although Grace is in Wales, too, she lives in the 21st century. 

I had some mixed feelings about Roman at first. I liked that he was very handsome and sexy. However,  he certainly didn't hesitate to take Grace's blood at the beginning of their acquaintance, which made me dislike him. Thankfully, after the first two times he did this, he refused to drink from her again. When Grace asked him why, he admitted that he didn't want to take too much blood from her. That was when I started to warm up to him.

In spite of his immense attractiveness, however, Roman is also intimidating, especially in the beginning. Although he never kills his prey, he makes no apologies for his nature. He's still a predator, with an air of mystery and danger about him.  

I really like Grace. She's very courageous in the face of her illness, insisting on continuing with her life without any coddling from her family. She had been a pilot, so she misses the thrill of the open skies. Still, she  does what she can to capture some of that thrill, even climbing mountains in the darkness, something that I would never attempt in the full light of day. Thus, I really admire her. She also stands up to Roman on more than one occasion, which makes me admire her even more! Of course, being an independently-minded 21st-century woman, she immediately clashes with Roman and his time period, which makes for some very interesting reading.

The relationship between these two begins with mutual amazement and some mistrust, especially as neither can understand the other's language. This difficulty is gradually overcome as they get to know each other better. This is not an easy thing for them, though, as Grace flashes back and forth between  her own  time and Roman's, with no ability to control her intermittent 'trips', which sometimes span centuries. Still, eventually they do begin to communicate, and then to trust each other.

The sex scenes in this novel are, admittedly, a  bit too graphic for my taste, but on the other hand, they're very intense, earthy, and passionate. Grace's desire for Roman, as his for her, is exciting and fiercely romantic. Through their lovemaking, they start to bond emotionally with each other, and this was a beautiful thing to experience!

I liked how Davies gradually built up the romance between her two romantic leads. It was very believable! Once Roman really began to fall for her, his concern for her welfare became a very touching thing. They both began to realize that they needed each other, and that was wonderful! But even before this happened, I was already enjoying this novel immensely! 

The world-building is meticulously detailed; it's evident that Davies has thoroughly researched Roman's time period. I never felt that anything was anachronistic or out of place. The author has created vivid word pictures, not only to describe Grace's present-day world, but that of the 12th century, as well. The people, clothing, food, and social mores -- all were totally believable and authentic.

I especially loved the author's descriptions of the Welsh countryside! Grace lives on a farm full of rolling hills, mountains, and lush grasslands, all beautifully depicted in excellent prose. The author lives in the section of the country she describes so beautifully, and her love for the land is evident in every word.

I really enjoyed this novel, and found it to be a beautiful, well-written romance, with great characterizations and vividly described settings. It's a totally absorbing, addictive read, the perfect escape for any PNR fan! It's so mesmerizing, one immediately gets lost in the novel's world, emerging only when the last page has been turned, and one is, unfortunately, back in the 'real' world.....

I really must get to the following two books in this series as soon as I possibly can; this story is much too compelling, and just totally addictive!


MY RATING:

Blog Tour: Spotlight/Giveaway!! Forager, by Peter R. Stone (Innovative Online Book Tours)

Welcome to this stop in the Forager tour, sponsored by

Innovative Online Book Tours!! 

Forager
(Forager #1)
Peter R. Stone
Trade Paperback, 294 pages
CreateSpace Independent Publishing
Platform
November 20, 2013
Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction,
Young Adult Fiction



Book Synopsis

Eighteen-year-old Ethan Jones lives in Newhome, a town built upon the decaying ruins of post-apocalyptic Melbourne, ruins haunted by the ferocious Skel, a nomadic tribe of degenerate savages.

The Skel are ramping up their attacks on Newhome's foraging teams and infesting Melbourne's ruins in ever greater numbers. Is this part of a larger plan that could spell the town's doom?

Meanwhile, the last thing Ethan expects when he and his companions rescue a two-car convoy from the Skel is a Japanese teenage girl with an outlandish dress sense, who, after they take her back to Newhome, goes to great lengths to ingratiate herself into his life. But is it in gratitude for saving her life or is she seeking something more?

And what a quandary she places him in, for he knows the rules, that no man is permitted to be alone with an unmarried woman. But how can he drive such a gentle soul away when she touches his heart so deeply, even though she clearly carries the pain of a broken heart herself?

At the same time, Newhome's police force, the Custodians, are suspicious of Ethan's foraging team's successes and are pulling out the stops to find out which member of his team has the illegal mutant ability that gives them an edge over the other teams. Should these peacekeepers discover Ethan is the mutant they seek, they will haul him away and dissect him like a frog.

CURRENTLY FREE ON 
AMAZON KINDLE!!

Book Excerpt
 

Michal looked down at me, clearly displeased about something. "You gotta be more careful, Ethan."

"Me?" I asked, not having the slightest inkling of what he was referring to.

"Yes, Ethan, you," he confirmed as he turned the key in the ignition and pumped the accelerator gently to get the engine started. The truck was pretty old and I doubted it had a single part that hadn't been replaced or refurbished at some stage. "I'd wager my bottom dollar they're here 'cause they want to find out why our team brings in more metals than the others."

Our team was one of many that foraged in the ruins outside for non-corrosive metals - such as gold, platinum, copper, bronze and lead - that had survived the decades

since the Apocalypse. We would take them back to the Recycling-Works where they would be sorted, melted down, and handed over to the factories.

"What do you mean?" I replied, feigning ignorance.

"Them other three goons," he whispered as he jerked his head back to indicate our workmates in the back seat, "they ain't too bright. They think you just know the best spots to look, but not me. I've seen you."

That sent icy tendrils of dread creeping back into my gut. "Seen me what?"

"You can drop your act with me, okay?" he said softly as he shifted the truck into gear and drove it out of the Recycling-Works yard and towards the town gates. "I've heard about people like you, and you're secret's safe with me. Just don't keep hitting pay dirt every day from now on, 'cause those Custodians, they're not here to protect us from the Skel like they claim, or they'd have brought a Bushmaster instead of that G-Wagon."

He was right, and I knew it. The Custodians always rode in their Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles when going into situations they perceived as potentially dangerous. That they came in an unarmoured G-Wagon today proved they were not expecting to encounter Skel as they claimed. So that was just a smokescreen to cover their true intention - which was to find out which of us had my aberrant, mutant ability: the ability I used to locate the metals we were looking for.

About the Author

Peter Stone, an avid student of history, was reading books on Ancient Greece from the age of four. His periods of interest include the ancient world, medieval era, Napoleonic times, and the Second World War. He still mourns the untimely passing of King Leonidas of Sparta and Field Marshal Michel Ney of France.

A child of the Cold War Generation, Peter Stone studied the ramifications of a nuclear missile strike when he was in his senior year of high school, learning the effects of nuclear fallout and how to (hopefully) survive it. He has ever been drawn to post-apocalyptic and dystopian novels and films, and eagerly devoured The Day of the Triffids and John Christopher's Tripod Trilogy when he was a child.

Peter Stone graduated from Melbourne School of Ministries Bible College in 1988. He has been teaching Sunday School and playing the keyboard in church for over twenty-five years. His wife is from Japan and they have two wonderful children. Peter Stone has worked in the same games company for over twenty years, but still does not comprehend why they expect him to work all day instead of playing games.

Website/Facebook/Goodreads



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