Tag Archives: Books to Read

#Author #Feature on Celthric.com

17 Monday Jun 2019

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I am honoured to be the featured author on Celthric.com this week and couldn’t resist sharing it with you.

Celthric.com is a Science Fiction and Fantasy blog, promoting indie authors, artists, creative works, movies, games, and various other topics of interest.

Celthric asked me how I got into writing, what my writing routine is, how I come up with ideas, and asked more in depth questions about Dark Fey, such as what inspired the story and what is the message behind the shadows.

Please pop by and visit Celthric.  You’re sure to find a topic of interest!

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~Morgan~

#AwardWinning #Epic #Fantasy #DarkFey #Trilogy #Free for a limited time

13 Sunday Jan 2019

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Review Rating:

5 stars! Reviewed By K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite

The Reviled is a young adult fantasy novel by Cynthia A. Morgan and the first book of the Dark Fey series. There are worlds of light and darkness coexisting alongside one another in this lavish fantasy world, and the story initially focuses on the world of the Light Loving Fey. This domain of fairy kind contains both Ayla and Mardan. Ayla is a guardian whose mission is to soothe the pain of others with her incredible powers, whilst Mardan leads a somewhat solitary life as a Celebrant. As the pair grow closer, however, Ayla senses a darkness growing among The Reviled, creeping in the shadows of her world. Unsure of how much to share with Mardan, Ayla worries for the fate of Jyndari as the darkness approaches.

For fantasy and fey fans, The Reviled has absolutely everything you could want in an epic fantasy adventure. Our two central characters are superbly well developed and engaging to read about, but Cynthia A. Morgan’s expansion of the world around them is what really captivated me. Jyndari is an exotic world with deep detailing and a delicate balance between dark and light. The emotional spectrum of Ayla’s journey is rich and harrowing, taking us into the deepest corners of her incredible mind as she senses the dark fey lurking at every turn. The mystery of what he wants from her is well spun out to an exciting and satisfying conclusion. Overall, I’d highly recommend The Reviled to fans of young adult fantasy and fey stories.

Confessions of an English Psychopath By Jack D. McLean

27 Friday Jul 2018

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After unscrupulous young Lawrence is recruited to work as an assassin for the British Secret Service, everything goes well – until he gains access to a locked room at his workplace, and uncovers a terrible secret.

Lawrence’s newfound knowledge forces him to choose between going on the run, or engaging in a life and death conflict with his employers.

James Bond meets Dexter Morgan in this savagely funny, twisted novel from Jack D. McLean.

Amazon 5-Star review by Braz:

Lawrence Odd is a psychopath with a long history of committing violent crimes and he is more than happy to be recruited as an assassin by the Cleansing Department – a particularly shady branch of the British Secret Service. All goes swimmingly until Lawrence discovers the Cleansing Department’s darkest secret.

Jack D. McLean‘s witty, quirky thriller Confessions Of An English Psychopath is fast moving, funny, violent and a hell of a lot of fun.

Imagine a lethal cocktail of The Ipcress File, The Prisoner, Monty Python, and A Confederacy Of Dunces, and you’re halfway there.

Universal Amazon Link to purchase book: http://mybook.to/ConfessionsE

Author bio:

The mysterious Jack D McLean hails from the town of Huddersfield, in West Yorkshire, England. He’s a man with a checkered past, having worked in a morgue, been a labourer, and a salesman. He’s dug holes… professionally (to what end, he refuses to say – sales? corpses? possibly both?), even more terrifying – he’s a former Lawyer.

He enjoys parties and keeps himself fit (the kind of fit that makes you think he may engage in fisticuffs with Vinnie Jones on a semi-regular basis, or possibly drink stout with both hands while also throwing a perfect game of darts.)

He is allegedly married with two adult daughters. They have yet to be located for comment.

 

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#WhatToRead for #Bibliophiles of #AllAges

20 Friday Jul 2018

Posted by in Authors Books Reviews & Interviews

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Yes, its that time of year again.  What time, you ask? Holiday time, or vacation time, depending on which continent you are sitting.  I know, I know, I’ve only just managed to make it back full time, as it were, and now Im planning to be off again.  But in my defense, this holiday has been planned for some while and, well, Colorado Beckons, so…off I go again.   Be assured, however, I have made plans to take good care of you while I am away.  (well, at least, I hope so!)

While I am off hiking the Colorado Rockies, Segwaying around the Garden of the Gods, and Ziplining across canyons (YIKES!), I have arranged to share a variety of books and authors, characters and far-away realms for your reading pleasure.  Oh, come now, we all need a break, now and again, from poetry; even we poets! So for the next week or two (thats all, I promise!) BooknVolume shall share just that, Volumes of Books!

I hope you will enjoy the diversion.  🙂
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~Morgan~

#FridayFantasy – Creating Positive Change with #EpicFantasy

04 Friday May 2018

Posted by in Dark Fey

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A Fellow blogger and avid reader recently asked me about my Epic YA Fantasy Dark Fey, posing some thought -provoking questions that really got me thinking about the WHY behind the Fey. It being Friday Fantasy day, I thought I’d share some of the insights I uncovered through our conversation…

Is it possible to draw attention to the plight of child soldiers by writing an Epic Young Adult Fantasy?

Can Fiction create any measure of Positive Change?

Perhaps. Inspiration doesn’t always come to fruition in reality, and Hope alone cannot make a difference, but sometimes we just have to Trust and Act.

This is precisely what I did with Dark Fey, my Epic YA Fantasy Trilogy that not only relates an entertaining story of magic and mystery, but touches on realities in our own world. Yes, the plight of child soldiers and the horrors they face is part of the basis for my series, because, although I love to write, I’ve always tried to instill some purpose to the creations my mind weaves.

Dark Fey The Reviled begins gently enough. It’s a story about a young shefey discovering who she is and how to incorporate her unique gifts into everyday life. Like most teens, she’s uncertain and, because she is inexperienced, she’s a bit fragile; nevertheless, through the course of the tale she finds an inner strength she doesn’t realize she possesses. It’s also about a young malefey who has endured tragedy in his life on an unparalleled scale. He has lived through the horrors of abduction, abuse, neglect and has been forced to commit terrible acts of violence. His life mirrors those of child soldiers who face very similar atrocities, not in the pages of a fictional story, but in the reality they must bear each day.

Dark Fey Standing in Shadows focuses more greatly on the growing friendships between characters and how those relationships build bonds strong enough to face previously unthinkable possibilities, but, as in real life, strong relationships are built upon foundations that have been tested. The story invites the reader to experience how disagreements are the doorway to understanding, and how trials that challenge can motivate decisions to create Positive Change. It also begins to reveal the ugly truth behind the accepted norm. Expressed through scenes that left me crying after I wrote them, readers start to understand what The Reviled (our child soldiers) have suffered and continue to endure.

Dark Fey Breaking Into The Light asks the questions, can we truly understand another’s misery without knowing the extent to which they suffer? Would we willingly risk our lives for someone without experiencing some measure of their pain, despair, or anger? Like any good fantasy, this final saga of the trilogy sets the stage with dramatic events that test boundaries and push characters to their limits. Readers learn what it’s like to be one of the Reviled through descriptions that are darker and more intense than either of the previous books, but with good reason. I hope to elicit a reaction in the reader similar to those the Fey of the Light experience by showing them firsthand what the Reviled (our child soldiers) have suffered. I also pose the most important concept of the trilogy: The only way the achieve Peace is by becoming Peace. Through this thought-provoking concept, I open the door to an unexpected and powerful conclusion.

Fantasy is an escape, to be sure, and it is often filled with mystery, magic, and mayhem, where romance blossoms hand in hand with desperation we can scare imagine, amidst violence that both shocks us and irrevocably draws us into the story. Swords clash, dragons devour, lives are shattered, but inevitably the message of (most) fantasy tales is to Create Positive Change, against all odds and however possible. Dark Fey is no different in that respect, and yet, hopefully, new and different enough to entice readers into the realms of Jyndari to discover the magic and mayhem for themselves.

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Discover More About Dark Fey

~Morgan~

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An #Epic #YA #Fantasy #Preview While Im Away

06 Friday Apr 2018

Posted by in Dark Fey

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I will be away from my blog for the weekend, enjoying some Special Time with my Dear One ❤

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But that’s no reason for you to be bored, so below you will find a previously UNRELEASED Teaser/Snippet/Preview of Dark Fey Breaking Into The Light!
In this scene readers learn more about a mysterious group of Dark Ones…..

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The scintillating light of early afternoon sparkled and glimmered through the swirling shadows of the open portal, reflecting off the black stone floor of the cavern and twisting like glistening smoke as the crossing slowly wavered and warped. Those standing before it, waiting uncertainly, winced at the touch of the crystalline light and ducked out of its way as it snaked through the gateway, but they did not run from it. Neither did they draw their weapons in a show of bravado against those lingering on the opposite side, whose voices echoed through the turning vortex as if they travelled a vast distance. As they listened to the Fey of the Light discussing what had just occurred, those watching argued amongst themselves.

“We must go. Now!”

“There’s no guarantee they’ll not kill us, just as they killed those we forced to cross over.”

“You’re wrong. There is a way to guarantee our safety.” Crimson gazes locked, but the one who led them brandished his weapon audaciously; then sheathed the curved sword and unfastened the buckler holding it in place. Thrusting the armament out at arm’s length before him, he spoke to the others with grim determination.

“We must cross unarmed.” Dropping his weapon with dramatic flair, he glared at the others staring back at him with disbelief, challenging them to disagree and they did, vociferously.

“You’re insane. They’ll slaughter us all.”

“Go unarmed? Why not just cross over and lie down at their feet, offering our necks for their blades?”

“Haven’t you ever heard of the Prison of Daylight? We’ll die horrible, painful deaths at their hands!” They spat their dissention back at their leader, but he laughed derisively; then hissed at them with harsh anger, silencing their protests.

“You pack of whining shefey! These aren’t Legionnaires of the Realm we are talking about; they’re Fey of the Light! They won’t kill one who is unarmed; their sense of justice and mercy would never allow it.”

“You saw how they fought before the gate. You’d risk all our lives on hearsay?” A subordinate retorted sharply, but the leader leaned closer to him, glaring at him threateningly.

“Cowering Blaylscith! You’ve studied the writings as well as me. If we didn’t all believe them, we wouldn’t be here, would we?” The others glared uncertainly at each other, hesitant to relinquish the only protection they had, but, at last, one of the young Legionnaire’s cursed sharply and unclasped his bandolier; hurling the weapon it supported onto the ground while he stared at the others defiantly.

“Senzuur is right; we didn’t come this far to turn back out of cowardice.” The leader grinned fiercely at him as the others haltingly disarmed themselves; then he drew a bottle from a leather halter depending from his belt and raised it high.

“Trach klynnoch vla sladdin!” He shouted in fluent Dlalth and he was answered by all.

“To the courage of fools!”

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The Epic YA Fantasy Trilogy Dark Fey is set in the fantastical realm of Jyndari, a world of beauty, magic, Bright Light and Devouring Darkness. It relates a story about the Life-changing Strength of Hope, the Value of Acceptance, and the world-changing Power of Forgiveness through a tale that is brutally beautiful.

The only way to achieve Peace is to become Peace.

   The Reviled
  Standing In Shadows
  Breaking Into The Light

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   Learn more about the Epic YA Fantasy Dark Fey Trilogy

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~Morgan~

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Beautiful Photograph found on Pinterest.  Credit Gratefully Acknowledged to the Original Photographer.  Thank You~

#Epic #YA #Fantasy #5Star #BookReviews

12 Monday Mar 2018

Posted by in Dark Fey

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Its always rewarding to get a good review, but when you can see through those reviews that readers are connecting with the story of your creation and understanding the message it shares, there are very few words to adequately express such a tremendous sense of accomplishment.

My Epic YA Fantasy Trilogy Dark Fey has recently earned this lovely review by a reader that gave me such am inexpressible feeling.

“I thought this was a great follow-up to the ongoing saga of good vs evil… the author puts a twist in the tale that really makes you question your views on good and evil–enlightening the reader to many grey shades in what we previously took for black and white……I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!” – By JRW

Read the full review 

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Discover more about Dark Fey

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Thank you for sharing my excitement and your continued support.  If it wasn’t for YOU, Dark Fey may truly have never happened!

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~Morgan~

#5Star #EditorialReview for #DarkFey Breaking Into The Light

05 Monday Mar 2018

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I was Delighted and Honoured this weekend by an unexpected, but thoroughly appreciated 5-Star Editorial Review of the third installment of my Epic YA Fantasy Trilogy, Dark Fey Breaking Into The Light.  Reader’s Favorite reviewer Rabia Tanveer had this to say:

Breaking Into The Light by Cynthia Morgan is the final novel in the Dark Fey series. I became familiar with the series when a friend shared the first novel in the series, The Reviled, with me. I remember falling in love with Gairynzvl, a Dark One, and Ayla, from the Fey of Light. The two of them could not be more different, yet destiny and curiosity brought them together. This ending to their story could not have been more perfect, especially when you think about Gairynzvl’s progress and how much he evolved.

We are introduced to this amazing universe where Gairynzvl and his Liberators are now working together to save the young ones from a life in the darkness and trying to keep them in the light. Working solely to protect these young ones in the way they hoped they were protected, Gairynzvl and his Liberators are making ancient prophecies come true, opening new grounds in a world where it is believed that light and dark cannot survive together. Now, everyone is fighting for peace and true happiness, but how can they achieve it? Can they get it by following what Gairynzvl is showing the world? Or is it hidden somewhere in their old ways?

What can I say about this novel? Cynthia Morgan is a magician; she weaves pictures with her words and ensures that the reader is immersed in the story from the get go. I am in awe of Gairynzvl’s development and how he has grown as a leader and a protector. He is no longer hiding in the shadows and the darkness; he is now out in the open and proud, and finally not afraid of the light. He has embraced his life, his purpose and his power as a man who thinks with his heart and mind together. I simply love him and Cynthia Morgan’s writing! Simply brilliant.

Visit the Review Page

Learn more about Dark Fey

#FridayFantasy – Creating Positive Change with #EpicFantasy

02 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in Dark Fey

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A Fellow blogger and avid reader recently asked me about my Epic YA Fantasy Dark Fey, posing some thought -provoking questions that really got me thinking about the WHY behind the Fey.  It being Friday Fantasy day, I thought I’d share some of the insights I uncovered through our conversation…

Is it possible to draw attention to the plight of child soldiers by writing an Epic Young Adult Fantasy?

Can Fiction create any measure of Positive Change?

Perhaps. Inspiration doesn’t always come to fruition in reality, and Hope alone cannot make a difference, but sometimes we just have to Trust and Act.

This is precisely what I did with Dark Fey, my Epic YA Fantasy Trilogy that not only relates an entertaining story of magic and mystery, but touches on realities in our own world. Yes, the plight of child soldiers and the horrors they face is part of the basis for my series, because, although I love to write, I’ve always tried to instill some purpose to the creations my mind weaves.

Dark Fey The Reviled begins gently enough. It’s a story about a young shefey discovering who she is and how to incorporate her unique gifts into everyday life. Like most teens, she’s uncertain and, because she is inexperienced, she’s a bit fragile; nevertheless, through the course of the tale she finds an inner strength she doesn’t realize she possesses. It’s also about a young malefey who has endured tragedy in his life on an unparalleled scale. He has lived through the horrors of abduction, abuse, neglect and has been forced to commit terrible acts of violence. His life mirrors those of child soldiers who face very similar atrocities, not in the pages of a fictional story, but in the reality they must bear each day.

Dark Fey Standing in Shadows focuses more greatly on the growing friendships between characters and how those relationships build bonds strong enough to face previously unthinkable possibilities, but, as in real life, strong relationships are built upon foundations that have been tested. The story invites the reader to experience how disagreements are the doorway to understanding, and how trials that challenge can motivate decisions to create Positive Change. It also begins to reveal the ugly truth behind the accepted norm. Expressed through scenes that left me crying after I wrote them, readers start to understand what The Reviled (our child soldiers) have suffered and continue to endure.

Dark Fey Breaking Into The Light asks the questions, can we truly understand another’s misery without knowing the extent to which they suffer? Would we willingly risk our lives for someone without experiencing some measure of their pain, despair, or anger? Like any good fantasy, this final saga of the trilogy sets the stage with dramatic events that test boundaries and push characters to their limits. Readers learn what it’s like to be one of the Reviled through descriptions that are darker and more intense than either of the previous books, but with good reason. I hope to elicit a reaction in the reader similar to those the Fey of the Light experience by showing them firsthand what the Reviled (our child soldiers) have suffered. I also pose the most important concept of the trilogy: The only way the achieve Peace is by becoming Peace. Through this thought-provoking concept, I open the door to an unexpected and powerful conclusion.

Fantasy is an escape, to be sure, and it is often filled with mystery, magic, and mayhem, where romance blossoms hand in hand with desperation we can scare imagine, amidst violence that both shocks us and irrevocably draws us into the story.  Swords clash, dragons devour, lives are shattered, but inevitably the message of (most) fantasy tales is to Create Positive Change, against all odds and however possible.  Dark Fey is no different in that respect, and yet, hopefully, new and different enough to entice readers into the realms of Jyndari to discover the magic and mayhem for themselves.

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Discover More About Dark Fey 

~Morgan~

The Phoenix Project #BookReview

05 Monday Feb 2018

Posted by in Authors Books Reviews & Interviews

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Phoenix

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A thought provoking and compelling dystopian world that will change the way you view justice…

A man fights for life—and redemption—in D. M. Cain’s riveting new novel, The Phoenix Project.

Britain has descended into chaos as violence and terrorist attacks seethe across this once-peaceful country. Outraged by the steady stream of lawlessness, citizens demand a harsher penal system, and the Phoenix Project is born.

In prisons across the country, inmates fight to the death in a weekly bloodbath while the nation cheers them on.

Raven Kennedy, a prisoner who has never forgiven himself for his unspeakable crime, struggles against his own guilt and self-loathing. But even as the real war wages on within himself, Raven is forced to battle some of the prison’s most ruthless killing machines. Can he survive long enough to unravel the anger and regret that shackle him—and one day find the forgiveness he seeks?

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After reading the book’s cover description, I was already intrigued to learn more, not only about the history of this futuristic society where brutality has become the norm, much as it had been in Roman times, but also by the main character, Raven. It did not take long to connect with his tortured soul as he was beautifully and lovingly developed; his pain and the trials he faces to survive, outwardly and inwardly, are poignant and marvelously developed in a story that delves far beyond the gladiator theme I originally envisioned.

Aptly named, The Phoenix Project tells a stirring, vivid tale of a self-destructive soul who eventually discovers Hope and Renewal through the inspirations and insights provided by those he meets on his journey. Entertaining, yet thoroughly provocative, Raven’s story captured my imagination and, very quickly, my heart.  I unreservedly gave this book 5-Stars.

D.M. Cain is a dystopian and fantasy author working for US publisher Booktrope. She has released two full length novels: The Phoenix Project – a psychological thriller set in a dystopian future, and A Chronicle of Chaos – the first in a dark fantasy series. She is currently working on the next novel in the series, ‘The Shield of Soren’, and a novella to accompany it.  You can read more about her via her Amazon Author Page here:  http://www.amazon.com/D.M.-Cain/e/B00LTTX3PA/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

And you can grab your copy of The Phoenix Project Here: https://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Project-D-M-Cain-ebook/dp/B0195A6AYK

I hope you enjoyed this review, the first of more to come 🙂 After all, we cannot grow if we do not make the attempt, right?

~Morgan~

#EpicFantasy #NewRelease #DarkFey Breaking Into The Light!

19 Tuesday Sep 2017

Posted by in Dark Fey

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After nearly two years of work and inestimable patience on your part, I am overjoyed to be able to (finally) announce the release of book three of the Dark Fey Trilogy!

Breaking Into The Light is now available through Amazon/Kindle 

Breaking into the Light relates the Inspiration of Hope and the Power of Forgiveness through a tale that is brutally beautiful.

The Reviled are the enemy; merciless, untrustworthy.  They embody brutality and devastation.  The Fey of the Light have lived with these truths for millennia.  Daring to think otherwise invites tragedy.

Gairynzvl was a Reviled Fey and lived the riotous life of all Dark Ones; yet now he is rescuing younglings from the darkness.  The actions taken by him and his band of Liberators are fulfilling Ancient Prophecies and proving long-accepted beliefs to be inaccurate. Those who have lived in the Light all their lives, who enjoyed the luxuries of abundance, are suddenly faced with unavoidable questions.

How is Peace achieved? Can Light unite with Darkness?

Will the Fey of the Light sacrifice everything to achieve that which seems impossible or will they turn their heads and ignore the shadows weeping all around them?

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Curious, but not entirely sure?  Here’s a few snippets to spark your interest!

Behind them, where the portal exposed by the Great Gate’s falling melded two opposing realms into one, the shadows beneath the mountain heaved and hissed with the threatening vocalizations of the Reviled.

Crimson stained arrows shot from the darkness, seeking any who might be unfortunate enough to find themselves in their trajectory, yet these tactics could be little more than intimidation; a warning of the conflict to come when the Light diminished.  The Liberators knew this and stood on either side of the yawning portal, making their presence known by creating a game out of knocking aside with their swords as many arrows as they could and by returning the insidious calls from the presently thwarted Demonfey.  Tauntingly, they issued brash invitations for the Cursed Ones to come forth; fully cognizant of the fact that they could not bear the brilliant Light filling the clearing, yet jeering at their cowardice.

“It is a treacherous game we play.”  Evondair noted as he stood beside Reydan, both malefey wordlessly observing the derisive bantering going on while standing over their fallen comrade in the silently descending flurries that had begun falling.

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Crimson glitters scattered darkness into the night; fire and flame cascading through the silence.  The quiet environs of forest would never be the same.  Not after He had been there, shaking his hatred outward, spreading abhorrence and cruelty like seeds being sown into fertile soil; like sparks scattering from a raging flame.

They stood in mute horror, watching the conflagration as it stretched outward from his hands, crimson glitters of malevolence reaching into their tranquility, seeking only devastation.

Yet one stood against the infiltration; deep viridian staring boldly into the scarlet haze, wielding a magic Evil could never comprehend.

Forgiveness.

Discover more about Dark Fey here

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Thank You Ever So for sharing my excitement today 🙂

~MorganFants

THE ETERNALS — Richard M. Ankers

08 Thursday Jun 2017

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Free on Amazon Kindle June 5th – 9th Get your copy for free and see where it all began. TheEternals For Jean, eternity should’ve meant forever.  A DARK FANTASY EXTRAVAGANZA!

via THE ETERNALS — Richard M. Ankers

Great Timing!  If you enjoyed the book reviews I shared, here’s a GREAT Chance to get the first one FREE!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

The Du Lac Devil #BookReview

30 Monday Jan 2017

Posted by in Authors Books Reviews & Interviews

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dulac-devil

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The Du Lac Devil: Book 2 of The Du Lac Chronicles

By Mary Yarde

War is coming to Saxon Briton.

As one kingdom after another falls to the savage might of the High King, Cerdic of Wessex, only one family dares to stand up to him — The Du Lacs.

Budic and Alden Du Lac are barely speaking to each other, and Merton is a mercenary, fighting for the highest bidder. If Wessex hears of the brothers’ discord, then all is lost.

Fate brings Merton du Lac back to the ancestral lands of his forefathers, and he finds his country on the brink of civil war. But there is worse to come, for his father’s old enemy has infiltrated the court of Benwick. Now, more than ever, the Du Lac must come together to save the kingdom and themselves.

Can old rivalries and resentments be overcome in time to stop a war?

*******

Having only recently finished the first book of this series, which I enjoyed thoroughly; I was delighted to have the opportunity to voraciously dive right into the second.  I was not disappointed. Not only has Mary Yarde meticulously researched the history of the 6th century in which the story takes place, allowing readers to experience how different life truly was so long ago, but she draws the reader deep into the mystery and intrigues of the plot.  She spins a web of romance, lust, violence, and the darkness of self-loathing.

Merton emerges as the dark anti-hero in this part of Yarde’s epic saga, and readers are hard pressed to not like him, in spite of so many things that might make him unlikeable.  I found myself aching because of his sorrows, yearning with him for something more, and hoping with him when love reaches out to touch him. The characters of Yarde’s tale are complex and bound together through dichotic and intense associations that twist the moment you think understand them!

Although there is enough backstory to make this a standalone, you would be cheating yourself if you did not start with the first books of the series.  Highly recommended and absolutely enjoyed, this reader is anxiously awaiting book three!

Undeniably 5 Stars!

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~Morgan~

Emilia: The Darkest Days – #BookReview

14 Saturday Jan 2017

Posted by in Authors Books Reviews & Interviews

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emilia

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Emilia: The darkest days in history of Nazi Germany through a woman’s eyes

by Ellie Midwood

This story is dedicated to all the victims of sexual slavery in German concentration camps, who had to endure inhumane suffering under the Nazi regime.

For many years after the atrocities had been committed, both sides – the abusers and the abused – still vehemently denied certain aspects of the Holocaust, and even the victims refused to admit the ugly truth about their incarceration, some out of fear, some out of shame, until several women decided to break an unofficial oath of silence, and brought their stories to life. This book is based on one of those stories.

Emilia is a young Jewish woman, whose life slowly turns into a nightmare as she finds herself facing a dreadful choice: to secure her family’s very existence by offering herself to one of the men who had put her behind the walls with barbed wire, or perish together with the least fortunate ones. Only, the Krakow ghetto and her very first abuser pale in comparison to what is yet to come, as she’s being sent to a place that soon will turn into her own personal hell and that will scar her for life…

*******

‘Emilia’ tells the darkest tale honestly, drawing the reader into this fictional young woman’s harrowing life as subtly and surprisingly as Emilia herself was drawn, yet it shows so accurately what happened to countless victims.  You cannot help connecting with Emilia as you turn page after page, reliving her nightmare told with startling candor.

This is an inspiring tale of courage, yet the horrors of war fill every page.  Ellie Midwood successfully conveys this young woman’s tale of rape and abuse through poignantly compelling, as well as frighteningly sadistic, characters; transporting the reader into the heart of a young woman desperately trying to survive.

Not for the faint of heart, Emilia’s story shares more than just the dreadfulness of her darkest days; it goes beyond them into her determination to recover and find renewal, emphasizing the strength of Positive Resolve and Power of Hope that all survivors understand.

5 Stars Without a Doubt!

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~Morgan~

#FridayFeyDay – The Black Tent

06 Friday Jan 2017

Posted by in Dark Fey, Friday FeyDay / Fantasy

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black-tent

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Darkness spiraled upon billows of smoke swirling in the raucous clamor of the reeking village and shadows lurched within the thick bleakness.  Through this writhing miasma, a barely perceptible shape moved along the main roadway travelling more rapidly than the ordinary onlooker might track, heading towards the only black tent in camp.

No sounds came from this tent, not any longer, although the cries of a childfey had recently been heard echoing through the neighboring hovels and unkempt buildings lining the street; sounds that had caused many of the resident Dark Ones to withdraw to the farthest end of town or drink more fervently from the nearest bottle.  This tent was known for its horrors.  It was the Centurion’s tent and he frequently took pleasure in causing pain.

. An Excerpt from Dark Fey Standing In Shadows.  The Black Tent of the Centurion of the Reviled Legionnaires strikes fear into even the hardest of the Reviled and with good reason.  Sadistically cruel and dedicated to serving the darkness, the Centurions are monsters that All seek to avoid.  This scene not only hints at their ruthlessness, but, more importantly, begins to indicate that even the Reviled cannot bear the heartless treatment of childfey.

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~Morgan~