A Simply Enchanted Life

Secrets of Erhynvale: Children of the Eclipse by Amara Starling

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
★: Didn't Like it
★★: It was Ok
★★★: Liked it
★★★★: Really liked it
★★★★★: It was amazing

Suggested Age:17+ Genre:Fantasy, Sci-Fi

I really want to sound all professional and give this book an awesome review that it really deserves. However,the best books pull out the very unprofessional, raw and candid reviewer in me. It resonates with me as a person and not just as a reader. Thus, I apologize for any grammar mistakes, rambling, excited abuse of punctuation or of internet acronyms.

As a general rule of thumb, I will not review books that are self-published. In the day of e-publishing, everyone is an author and there’s a lot of content out there that just stinks. This book is not one of them. Amara is one of those people that have a way with words. Her imagery will seep into your soul and makes you want to be a part of her story. If you're like me and you fear the self-published, this author will change your mind. She is good at what she does and honestly, I've read best-sellers from well known and well liked authors that  didn't do as good of a job.

Amara is the real deal and as a debut author, I see this as a stepping stone to a long career with many stories to be told. I look forward to the rest of this series and any new stories that she may decide to tell!

Storm Siren by Mary Weber

My rating: 1 of 5 stars
★: Didn't Like it
★★: It was Ok
★★★: Liked it
★★★★: Really liked it
★★★★★: It was amazing

Suggested Age:18+ Genre:Fantasy

I've sat on writing this review because of how I felt. I kept thinking that maybe I would change my mind but I haven't. If this book had been published by a secular publishing company and had it not been labeled as YA. I honestly wouldn't have rated as a one star. I'd probably have given it a three and that's largely because the author had this annoying issue with "counting." I counted, one, two, three, a gazillion times that she felt the need to count in the manner in which I just did. I felt like I'd fallen in the mad hatter's hat, transported myself into Wonderland and suddenly, I'm five years old and learning to count.

 I'm trying really hard to keep the snark and disdain for this book out of my review but given how far from "Christian" this book is...I'm having a hard time of it. If it looks like mud, it's mud. This looks nothing like Christianity. To be a Christian means to have a Christ like character. This book is a very poor example and has absolutely no business being classified as a Christian genre, nor in being published under a Christian banner. I'm not just a prude, I have read many books with content that is less than squeaky clean; Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series comes to mind. However, this book is not what it claims and that is what bothers me.

Merlin's Nightmare by Robert Treskillard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Suggested Age: 12+
Genre: Christian, YA, Fantasy

I was privileged and honored to get to read an ARC of this book and I waited a bit to write my review because I wanted to compare it to the published copy. The ARC was very long and daunting in a way, the published book is really great.

I struggled to know how to rate this book. Originally I had rated it a three star but I’ve since updated to a four—largely because the published version took out some of the parts I felt were unnecessary or that was just too wordy or lengthy.

My only complaint is that it ends in a cliffhanger. I’m okay with a cliffhanger sometimes but at the end of a series? I dunno, I just feel frustrated that I have to wait for another series to come out. I feel there should have been a little bit of a better conclusion or even just continue this series instead of making a new one.

Arthur, now eighteen, is missing, and Merlin must find him before a shadowy pursuer catches him first.
With the High King and his kingdom caught in a trap of sinister deceit, Merlin has to find a way out before all is lost. Having everything to fight for, and almost nothing to fight with, Merlin and Arthur must rally Britain’s warriors against three overwhelming enemies: Saxen hordes in the south, Picti raiders in the north, and a chilling new enemy that has arisen in the west. At the same time, Morgana brings Merlin’s deepest fear to life and sets a horde of werewolves loose to destroy Britain. But when the secret purpose of this nightmare is finally revealed, will Merlin and Arthur find a way to survive—without unleashing an even greater evil?

I usually don’t share the synopsis but I wanted to address several things...


Arthur is now the High King and I kind of thought it was odd how fast the two transitioned from being a father/son to Arthur calling Merlin by his name. It seemed inconsistent at times but maybe that was just Arthur’s indecision…I was unsure how to feel about that. Maybe it was because I was feeling how Merlin must have felt at suddenly being a subject instead of a father to the boy he raised.

The werewolves—I’m not sure why but they weirded me out. Yes, I just used the word weirded in a review—sue me. It also almost destroyed any hope that I had for Morgana’s redemption. Yes, I know she is bad but I was still kind of hoping…

All in all? This book kicks butt and I can’t wait to read more, even though I was a little reluctant to give a five star—mostly because of my frustration and impatience to read the next book. I guess I’m a bit like a child throwing a tantrum wanting my candy now rather than later.

Tsk, tsk on the author for torturing me so! All I can say is that the next book better be worth the wait because I’m still itching to know what the world is going on!
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Robert Treskillard is a Celtic enthusiast who holds a B.A. in Biblical & Theological Studies from Bethel University, Minnesota. He has been crafting stories from his early youth, is a software developer, graphic artist, and sometime bladesmith. He and his wife have three children and are still homeschooling their youngest. They live in the country outside St. Louis, Missouri.

Learn more by visiting his website at http://www.KingArthur.org.uk

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher for being a Blink YA Street Team member. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Gift of the Phoenix by Donna Cook

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I wanted to like this book. Why? Well, I am in a Guild Wars guild and our emblem is the Phoenix—so, it’s natural that I’d love to read a book about a phoenix and sort of delve into some cool fantasy tale about them.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into this book. First, it was terribly long. It really should have been three separate books rather than one. It was broken up like three books already, anyway. Instead, every time I neared the end of a section, I would literally groan and realize that I wasn’t yet finished. The length was particularly frustrating because in addition to a few other issues—the kindle version wouldn’t save progress on this particular book. I had to try to find where I had left off.

Then there was the issue with poor sentence structure and odd descriptions. I’m paraphrasing it but something like, “Salerno taught Nicolai how to find Salerno on his own.” There was a lot of repetition and overall—it really could have just used an editor’s touch. I’m not saying that to bash the author—I think that the book had promise. It just needed some guidance to cut out the unnecessary and to fix the issues that bogged down the story.

Three young men find that their future, and their past, is intricately woven and their destiny is intertwined in a quest to save a phoenix as it is rebirthed. I will admit, I started skimming a large part of this book because I just couldn’t keep interest so; I’m not so sure why it would be so awful for the phoenix to die—other than that folks with magic would lose that.
That is pretty much the entire premise of the story but it had other elements that I really felt didn’t belong. Don’t get me wrong—I LOVE dolphins, they just didn’t seem to fit into a fantasy tale, despite the explanation given for them.

I wish I could elaborate more but I’ll just say that this book has promise, you may even like it. I personally just couldn’t get into it and felt it needed a bit of polishing up.
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Gift of the Phoenix

When three strangers are brought together by the discovery of a common enemy, they must fight to keep the magic of the Phoenix out of dangerous hands before their world is destroyed forever. The Three must learn to unite in spite of what separates them, and unlock the magic of three stones that seem to harm as much as they help. But uniting will not be easy for Nicolai, the simple peasant with a powerful secret; Marcellus, the warrior prince who’s no longer heir to the throne; and Corren, a gifted wizard whose ambitions threaten to ruin them all. Full of magic, mystery, and a touch of romance, Gift of the Phoenix is an epic fantasy that takes the reader deep into the heart of a wondrous world and the three men destined to defend it.


Praise for Gift of the Phoenix

“An incredibly impressive book that grips you from the very start. There is plenty of action in the story, some wonderful characters and magical, atmospheric settings. Donna has created a fascinating realm in this story which, even if you don’t consider yourself a fantasy fan, you’ll definitely enjoy.” – Excerpt of Stephanie Dagg’s review at Books Are Cool.

“As an avid reader of fantasy, I often encounter boring or overused plotlines—this was neither! With a fresh new take on fantasy adventure, Cook constructs an enchanting world of magic, kingdoms, rebirth, and death.” – Excerpt a review by Artemis at Fantasy Book Lovers Unite

“Gift of the Phoenix reminds me of a mix of Paolin’s Eragon and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, but stands on its own as a unique fantasy-adventure. Cook creates a magic system that is intricate and unique, which can be hard to do in a genre littered with magic. The story is very complex, and yet very easy to follow… layers upon layers of intertwined plots that all culminate to a fantastic ending. I would recommend this book to anyone of any age.” – Excerpt of a review by Will Wortner at Zero2Fiction

Awards

Gift of the Phoenix has won several awards, including Semifinalist in the Kindle Book Review Book of the Year Awards, and Notable Read in the Shelf Unbound/Half Price Books Indie Book of the Year competition

Donna Cook is an Arizona native transplanted to Boise, Idaho, where she is delighting in the change of scenery. When she’s not writing she spends her time chasing the kids, exploring delicious eateries downtown, and dancing with her talented husband. Her fantasy adventure, Gift of the Phoenix has won several awards, including Semifinalist in the Kindle Book Review Book of the Year Awards, and Notable Read in the Shelf Unbound/Half Price Books Indie Book of the Year competition. It was also nominated for the Whitney Award, which recognizes LDS writers. She’s currently working on the sequel to Gift of the Phoenix.

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I received this book free from the publisher through a fantastic blog called I am a Reader. I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts and opinions I have expressed are my own. To view other reviews and learn more about the blog tour for Gift of the Phoenix please visit the I am a Reader by clicking here

Children of the Eclipse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Suggested Age: 18+
Genre: Fantasy

It is my pleasure to introduce friend and author, Amara Starling! I have had the honor of being an early reader for her brand new book, Children of the Eclipse. Before I post the synopsis, I want to take the time to share a few of my thoughts about the first book and what I enjoyed about it.

Everyone knows that I am not the biggest fan of books written in first-person. There are only a handful of books that I have read in first person perspective that really grab my attention. Usually I feel awkward—as if I am an unwanted invader in their mind. Few authors can smooth over that awkwardness for me and Amara is one of them. For me to say this is an immense compliment as often as not—I won’t even read this perspective.

Though the story is a fantasy, the characters are realistic and intriguing. Often in first person—I feel that I do not get to know the rest of the cast. I feel that Amara has done an adequate job with making sure that you know each of her characters. She doesn’t neglect them in favor of her narrator.

I would really love to do a full review for this book—that is an honor I am going to hang on to until this fantastic tale has been published.

This is an author that I would love for you all to connect with, especially if you are interested in fantasy, dragons, action, and deliciously handsome characters for you to fall in love with.

When discovered by her enemies in the dragon city of Acariya, Symphony Ryelle is forced to face her greatest fears and the secrets of who she is.

Every two-thousand years on the continent of Orivnea, the two moons align for a rare double eclipse, leaving any child born beneath it with the endowment of immortality. Symphony is the last Eclipsian, and despite her meticulously cautious lifestyle, there is one man who hunts her, and his desire to have her unusual gift knows no bounds. Luckily, Symphony is in good hands; or so she thought.

Graggerden, the great King of the Council dragons has vowed his protection over the much sought after Eclipsian, but when he signs an alliance treaty with the Sainai Faction on Mylos, he doesn’t realize he’s made a deal with his adversaries; even worse is the guilt he must deal with when he sends Symphony there for her protection, and inadvertently ends up pushing her into the arms of her oppressors.

With the love and devotion of a patient King, a war-laden General, and her dearest friend, Symphony will defend herself and the integrity of Acariya in a heroic battle that will lead to the discovery of a much deeper revelation.

Amara Starling is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and has a background in pre-kindergarten education. She began writing short stories and poetry at an early age, and later, with the encouragement of her college English professor, Amara chose to pursue a career in writing. She also enjoys reading, crafting, and spending time with her children.

Learn more by visiting  her fanpage at https://www.facebook.com/AmaraStarling

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

One Realm Beyond by Donita K. Paul

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Suggested Age: 11+
Genre: Christian, YA, Fantasy

Cantor D'Ahma waited his whole life for this day. Born with a gift to jump between worlds, the young realm walker is finally ready to leave his elderly mentor and accept his role as protector and defender of the realms.

But mere hours after he steps through his first portal, Cantor discovers that his job will be more dangerous and difficult than he ever imagined. The realms are plagued with crime and cruelty, and even members of the once-noble Realm Walkers Guild can no longer be trusted. To make matters worse, his first assignment—finding a dragon to assist him on his quest—has led him to Bridger, who is clearly inept and won't leave him alone.

With the help of his new friends Bixby and Dukmee, Cantor must uncover the secrets of the corrupt guild before they become too powerful to be stopped. But his skills aren't progressing as fast as he would like, and as he finds himself deeper and deeper in the guild s layers of deceit, Cantor struggles to determine where his true allegiance lies.

I really wanted to like this book but it starts out so slow that I just couldn’t ever get into it.

I never skim read but I found myself starting to skim after spending almost a week on the first 100 pages—also something that never happens.

Aside from the slow pace, I found that the main character acted more like a young child than a grown man; he was very rude to the dragon, Bridger. He was so negative that I really didn’t have the patience to read most of his dialogue.

I also thought a few of the descriptions were odd, like this one, “The farmers obeyed to the point that they scarcely moved to breath. For a moment, the healer noticed the acrid scent of anxiety surrounding the two men, underpinned by the earthy smell of determination.” I never ever realized that anxiety or determination had a scent? I don’t know, I just didn’t enjoy the book. It wasn’t poorly written but it didn’t appeal to me.
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Donita K. Paul retired from teaching and took up the mantle of grandma. She loves her new career as author of stories her grandchildren devour. Winner of multiple awards, she lives in Colorado, enjoying friends and family, Pets, and beautiful scenery. Her favorite part of writing is the readers.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Merlin's Shadow by Robert Treskillard

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Suggested Age: 12+
Genre: Christian, YA, Fantasy

Wow! WOW! WOW! I’m not given to throwing fangirl reviews out there but this book deserves a few wows!

First off, the cover is absolutely stunning. This is definitely one of the nicest covers I’ve seen in a very long time! It perfectly captures the essence of the book.

Secondly, the story is action packed and intriguing from the start. I actually thought this book was better than the first! I’m very eager for the third installment, Merlin’s Nightmare.

Pursued by evil and captured as slaves—Merlin has lost his faith. Where there is no faith there is no hope and Merlin is approaching the point of utter desolation.

This book is fascinating. I literally sat on the edge of my seat as I read. Gana’s story was particularly fascinating, and heartbreaking. I kept hoping for her redemption and a part of me still holds out hope for her in book three.

With hope fast diminishing, Merlin sets out on a quest to free Arthur from an ancient ritual that would see his blood spilled. The plot is much darker than the first book—it becomes very evident of how evil can snare a person by promising them the desires of their heart.

Expected publication: May 13th

If you’re a fan of Arthurian lore then I would suggest this series. However, it is very much a Christian book and the teaching of Christ as being the way, the truth, and the life is very much evident. For this reason, this is a unique rendition of the ever popular lore and myth.

As Christians we have to be careful what we read and many times the fantasy genre or those that deal with lore can take us down a dark path that we would do better to avoid. This series definitely holds to the teachings of Christ and I’m very impressed with the author’s ability to weave it in seamlessly with popular Arthurian lore.

I would definitely suggest this book to fans of Christian fantasy!
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Robert Treskillard is a Celtic enthusiast who holds a B.A. in Biblical & Theological Studies from Bethel University, Minnesota. He has been crafting stories from his early youth, is a software developer, graphic artist, and sometime bladesmith. He and his wife have three children and are still homeschooling their youngest. They live in the country outside St. Louis, Missouri.

Learn more by visiting his website at http://www.KingArthur.org.uk

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Merlin's Blade by Robert Treskillard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Suggested Age: 12+
Genre: Christian, YA, Fantasy

I have long been a fan of Arthurian legend and Christian novels are few and far between for this era.

I’ve read a few other books that claimed to be Christian but other than being clean stories there was no reason I could see for it to have been classified as Christian fiction. There was no mistake and this author did a great job of weaving Arthurian legend and Christianity into one tale.

Merlin is haunted by something—something evil. Once before it haunted his steps and it left him disfigured and mostly blind.

Merlin’s stepmother is the daughter of a druidow; the very man who leads a campaign to abolish Christianity and return Britain to the old ways and the old gods. In his possession is a stone which seems to hold a bewitching power over all who gaze upon it. Only Merlin seems immune to the power of the stone.

In this tale, Arthur is just a babe and already his life is in danger. Uther Pendragon is a follower of Christ and he opposes the return of the old ways and the sway that the druidow (and the stone) holds over the people. With his new sword which was forged by Merlin and his father, Uther wages war against the druidow.

With traitors in their midst it lays on Arthur’s shoulders to destroy the stone and protect the High King and his family. His father has newly returned to the faith of his youth and restored his relationship with Christ. He, along with a few other villagers who have not bowed their knee to the old religion stands with Merlin and together they devise a plan to free the captive priests and destroy the stone.

This book was so well researched and beautifully written. You can tell the author paid great attention to detail and also to lore. I look forward to book two, Merlin’s Shadow which I’m picking up just as soon as it arrives in the mail!
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Robert Treskillard is a Celtic enthusiast who holds a B.A. in Biblical & Theological Studies from Bethel University, Minnesota. He has been crafting stories from his early youth, is a software developer, graphic artist, and sometime bladesmith. He and his wife have three children and are still homeschooling their youngest. They live in the country outside St. Louis, Missouri.

Learn more by visiting his website at http://www.KingArthur.org.uk

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Prophet by R.J. Larson


I’ll admit it; I read this story for the cover. Isn’t it gorgeous?! I’m really glad I gave it a chance though. It’s a really neat Christian story in fantasy form.

Truly, the “Infinite” of Ela of Parne is the Lord I love and serve as well. I found some of the parallels and words of wisdom presented in a way that touched my spirit and really spoke to my heart.

I thought this story was well thought out, believable and yet still held that fantasy element to it that drew me in. I can’t wait to pick up book two!

Ela of Parne has been chosen by the Infinite to be His Prophet to the people. I kind of got a clearer picture of how Elijah or Moses may have felt as I read this. They were His prophet but still human. I’m sure they really dreaded the delivery of some messages.

Ela leaves Parne with her younger sister, Tzana—a young girl plagued by a degenerative aging condition and travels to distant lands to deliver the Infinite's message. I thought this was interesting as it showed that God can use any of us if we will be his willing vessel. I also found myself worrying over her throughout the story which just shows how I fell in love with the characters.

From Parne, Ela finds herself in a kingdom that has turned away from the Infinite and it is her job to warn them. While she is there she is taken prisoner but she still delivers her message and does the will of the Infinite—even if the means losing her life. The determination and love that Ela holds for her creator serves as a firm reminder of how we should live our life for Him.

“I know the Infinite's voice because He tells me everything I don't want to hear, sends me where I don't want to go, and asks me to fulfill tasks I consider impossible. Above all, He is forever right.”

During her time in prison, Ela meets Kien and though she tries not to—eventually she falls in love. I really wanted them together but I honestly can’t see how it’s going to work. So…in the end—I guess I’m going to have to pick up the next book just to find out!!!

Overall, I thought this book was really good. I struggled knowing how to rate it but decided on a 4 star solely because it seemed to drag for a little while in mid-story. Things picked up towards the end though and it was well worth the push to get through to end! This book definitely makes it to my bookshelf as a keeper!
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R.J. Larson is the author of numerous devotionals featured in publications such as Women's Devotional Bible and Seasons of a Woman's Heart. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband and their two sons. Prophet marks her debut in the fantasy genre.