The Fire Prophecy (Academy of Magical Creatures Book 1): A #YA #Fantasy Novel by Megan Linski & Alicia Rades

Authors: Megan Linski & Alicia Rades
Narrators: Jennifer Jill Araya & Graham Halstead
Length: 15 hours and 3 minutes
Series: Academy of Magical Creatures, Book 1
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Released: Jul. 24, 2019
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Fire and water don't mix.

Sophia: I'm Sophia Henley, your typical college freshman. I never expected a lion to be stalking me, nor for fire to come shooting out of my hands to protect my sister. Next thing I know, a drop-dead gorgeous guy shows up on my doorstep to sweep me away to a magical school, where I'll learn to control my element and bond with a powerful creature called a Familiar.

I don't believe I'm the savior of an ancient tribe, or the missing piece of a prophecy that's more myth than reality. Worst of all, I'm forced to enter the Elemental Cup, where I'll either earn my place in this society...or die trying.

Liam: The night I met Sophia, I didn't think we'd form an undeniable connection. But I'm from the Water tribe, and she's fire. I'm forced to push her away even as I'm falling for her.

I lost everything, yet Sophia makes me whole again. Our world is fixed on keeping us apart, but we're in this tournament together. We have to keep each other alive at any cost - or I'll give my life for hers.

It's pretty clear. If I continue to play with fire, I'm going to get burned.

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Megan Linski and Alicia Rades are two best friends and the authors of the Academy of Magical Creatures series. Both are USA TODAY Bestselling Authors and award-winning novelists for teens and young adults. Megan Linski is a disabled author who loves laughter, adventure, and fantasy worlds. She is a proud member of Koigni House. Alicia Rades is a mother who enjoys exploring paranormal realms and trying new recipes. She is a champion from Toaqua House. Both girls love nature, animals, sexy romances, and eating cheese.

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Jennifer Jill Araya has been listening to audiobooks since she was a young child, and the fact that she now gets to narrate audiobooks for a living is a dream come true. Jennifer’s training as an opera singer and orchestral cellist lend a musicality and depth of understanding to her narration that help bring her authors’ stories to life. She loves nothing more than giving life and breath to the printed word. When she’s not narrating, Jennifer can be found hiking, biking, running, or generally exploring her home city of Cincinnati with her husband Arturo (aka “Partner in Crime”) and their two children.

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Two-time Audie Award winner and recipient of five AudioFile Earphones Awards, Graham Halstead has narrated 180+ titles for Audible, Recorded Books, Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Hachette, Harper Collins and many more.

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I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Megan Linski. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

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Dagger and Scythe (The Ichorian Epics Book 2): An Epic Dark #Fantasy Novel by Emilie Knight

Dagger and Scythe spent good decade’s together, stalking human prey at night, and taking out the targets the god Maniodes deems worthy. With one hundred years under her belt, Scythe is comfortable in her ways, and takes incredible enjoyment of her skills. Dagger may be new to the undead order, but he’s relishing in the work. The two of them together set beautiful bonfires, with the occasional corpse inside that fire.

When they enjoy each other’s time a little too much, and an entire village burns down because of it, Maniodes becomes sick of their rogue behavior. Regular punishments haven’t worked on either of them, so he tries something new: marrying them to each other. To keep each other in line or they’ll both end up properly dead.

Both have grown tired of the god’s odd punishments and lazy control, taking over his throne and the land of the dead should fix things. 

Her scythe is perfectly curved for slicing.

His dagger, made of folded steel, is ready to strike.

But are they strong enough to take on gods?

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About the Author

Emilie Knight is a constant writer, and author of her debut Era of Undying. After years of reading fantasy and horror she combines them together into her own dark fantasy writing. Using her BA in Classical Civilizations and fascination in Ancient Greek mythology she blends it well into her fiction. Other then reading in her spare time she plays video games quite often.

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The Tree That Grew Through Iron (The Panagea Tales Book 1): An Epic #Fantasy Novel by McKenzie Austin

Author: McKenzie Austin

Narrator: Gerard Marquez

Length: 15 hours and 30 minutes

Series: The Panagea Tales, Book 1

Publisher: McKenzie Austin

Released: Aug. 6, 2019

Genre: Epic Fantasy

The world's end was his beginning. 

Whole chunks of earth are withering away from the mainland and falling into the sea. Natural disasters are claiming thousands of lives. Prayers are no longer answered by gods. Prayers are answered by machines and the Time Fathers of Panagea. 

Nicholai Addihein, one of the eight ruling Time Fathers, struggles to save the lives of his people. After a single moment of misunderstood treason, he must also save his own. 

While running from the wrath of Panagea's other Time Fathers, Nicholai lands in peculiar company. Can a fabled immortal, a crew of societal rejects, and a silver-haired woman with a mysterious past breathe life back into a world on the brink of death? 

With all of existence at stake, Nicholai and the others prepare to fight until their last breath to change the fate of Panagea. Who would ever guess that success might be just as fatal as failure?

Like many authors, McKenzie took to writing early. She crafted numerous tales throughout childhood that served as an escape from the solitude often accompanying the inability to ‘fit in’ with the normal crowd.

The award-winning author now resides with her family in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where she draws inspiration for her fantasy novels through copious amounts of craft beer and cheese.

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Gerard got his start at an early age, performing with various Opera companies and teams throughout Australia. After moving to America as an adult he made the transition into musical theater, and voice-over. Gerard has worked with various Opera and Musical theater companies throughout southern California and LA. Gerard has been working as a narrator now for the last couple of years, and was incredibly honored and excited, when McKenzie Austin approached him to work on this great series.

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I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by McKenzie Austin. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

By McKenzie Austin, Author

Inspiration is a peculiar thing, isn’t it? It’s one of those fluid, intangible effects. Inspiration can be found in something as mundane as the way the leaves leap to their deaths, separating themselves from the trees that they knew and loved all season long. It can be found in the way your loved one’s cheeks embrace the bottoms of their eyes when they break into an uninhibited smile.

Inspiration can be a moment. An event. A feeling. A person. While I’m thankful for all of the countless muses that motivate me daily, the biggest literary inspiration in my life has to be Neil Gaiman.

I can say with absolute certainty that the man holds that title for limitless existing writers. It’s unlikely that Mr. Gaiman will see this and leap for joy at having inspired one more person in a pool of endless, undying fans, but there remains one single, profound reason why I adore that man.

Being inspired is such a critical component to writing. It can often be squashed by the crushing weight of reality. Standing out amongst the almost 50 million books available on Amazon alone, a writer can’t help but feel the pressure to somehow shine brighter than the rest. How does one succeed in such a competitive atmosphere? Inspiration is only a small factor; we need to know the standard rules, as well. You all know what they are.

Get a compelling cover. Secure beta readers. Build a newsletter. Lock down those social media sites. Fashion an interactive website. Professionally edit your book. Write to market. And, for the love of the gods, separate your genres by pen names. Don’t be the guy whose ‘also boughts’ on Amazon are tainted because you were too lazy to craft an alias for each one!

Suddenly, that colorful inspiration is feeling a little washed out by the black and white side of the trade, isn’t it?

Yes, the business side of being an author can be a brutal one to learn. I found myself drowning in the sea of that reality more times than I care to admit. That beacon of brightness, though—that lighthouse in the dark, that keeps me from crashing into the jagged coastal rocks—has, and always will be, Neil Gaiman.

Nothing is untouchable to him. Dark fantasy for adults? He nails it. Quirky children’s stories? Flawless. It doesn’t matter if he’s writing horror, or comedy, or science fiction, or novels, or comics, or short stories. The guy does it all, and he does it all with his own name.

I understand the importance of the rules. Yes, a good cover matters. Yes, an efficient, talented editor is so, so valuable. But once that initial, gripping moment of inspiration fades away… and is replaced by the business side of writing… things can get admittedly overwhelming. As for me? It’s nice to know that I, too, can fly far out into left field from my last project’s genre, despite the ‘rules’. There exists no greater comfort than knowing that someone else did it before, and instead of falling flat on his face, he ended up soaring.

McKenzie Austin's Top 10 Songs that Inspired Her Work

Music is incredibly inspiring. I’ve listened to my fair share of tunes while writing The Tree That Grew Through Iron (actually, the whole of The Panagea Tales series, really) and there are certainly a few that stand out as having been played on ‘repeat’ during several scenes. 

1. Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise by The Avett Brothers - This is/was the very mantra of Nicholai Addihein. Throughout the series, he’s surrounded by this looming ‘darkness’, and it takes many different forms depending on which book you’re on, but he always holds fast to this (often times idealistic) dream that he can make things better for everyone. He wants so badly to do what’s ‘right’, but must come to the realization that what’s right for some will never be what’s right for all. This song is actually what inspired the title for the final book in the series (The Canary That Sang to the World). 
2. The Sound of Silence by Disturbed - This particular song resonated more with book two in the series (The Gods Who Harvested Men) but the message still applies to The Tree That Grew Through Iron. ‘Silence like a cancer grows’ is, perhaps, the strongest line. Things deteriorate as far as they do because we’re often too scared to speak up and change the circumstances. Nicholai is so desperate to help everyone, to ‘reach them’, but the outcome of his efforts often fail to yield the results he hopes for. The most admirable thing is that he keeps trying, regardless of how often he fails. 
3. Pompeii by Bastille - This song encapsulates the entirety of the series, but touches The Tree That Grew Through Iron in a far more literal way. Everything around the primary cast is changing. The physical landscape of Panagea, their mental endurance to continue fighting for a revolution, their emotional reactions to their circumstances… but through everything, through all of the shifts and challenges and obstacles, at the heart of it all, one thing hasn’t changed at all. Camaraderie runs deep, and is a critical component of their interactions with one another. 
4. Leave a Light On by Tom Walker - I know these are supposed to be about The Tree That Grew Through Iron, but I can’t help falling back to songs that remind me of the series in its entirety. In book three (The Serpent That Swallowed Its Tail) this song really resonated with me, as several of our characters let their obsessions consume them in a rather unfortunate way. There’s always that one rock for the individual who is slipping though… the one who will ‘leave a light on’ for he or she who is lost in the dark. 
5. Lost by Coldplay - This one reminds me of Nicholai in particular, but certainly fits the bill of the crew, as well. “Just because I’m losing doesn’t mean I’m lost.” And poor Nicholai, he loses. Quite a bit. His good intentions often blow up in his face, but he gets right back up and tries again.
6. Radioactive by Imagine Dragons - This song paints a picture of Panagea to me. “Waking up to ash and dust” couldn’t possibly be a better fit to the world our characters are living in. The vibe captures the raw spirit of desire for a change, too. For a revolution. I love it. 
7. broken by lovelytheband - What better lyrical song to highlight the unnatural relationship of Kazuaki and Bermuda? Traditional love songs just wouldn’t do. He adores her dearly, but doesn’t know a damn thing about lovey-dovey sentiment. I like ‘broken’ because the nicest thing that’s able to be said is ‘I like that you’re broken’, which is hardly a compliment at all, but somehow, the way it’s said, you know it’s meant as a term of endearment. It’s Kazuaki and Bermuda, for sure. 
8. Long Time Traveller by The Wailing Jennys - One of the more obscure songs that reminds me of the series, but this one goes through my head each time a character dies. It also reminds me of Kazuaki’s perpetual journey to find a way to terminate his contract with immortality, so that he, too, could join those he bonded with in the afterlife. “I’m a long time traveling here below, I’m a long time traveling away from home” guts me in a way, when I think of the psychological ramifications that would stem from watching lifetimes of loved ones rise and fall. 
9. All of Me by John Legend - I feel a little silly posting so many ‘love’ songs in this list, since the few romantic relationships that exist in the Panagea Tales play a far less poignant role than the camaraderie and the general pursuit of completing the primary goal… but this is another one that reminded me of Kazuaki’s affection toward Bermuda. Maybe I enjoy them so much because he rarely puts his sentimentality on display, so it’s fun for me to think about that (almost) non-existent side of him. 
10. Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi - I can’t really dive into why this one represents the book(s) without ruining some pretty big moments in the story. Just know that it’s as applicable as it is heartbreaking, and that’s why it made the list.

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A Little Hatred (The Age of Madness Book 1): A Dark #Fantasy Novel Joe Abercrombie

From New York Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie comes the first book in a new blockbuster fantasy trilogy where the age of the machine dawns, but the age of magic refuses to die.

The chimneys of industry rise over Adua and the world seethes with new opportunities. But old scores run deep as ever.

On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield, and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal's son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specializes in disappointments.

Savine dan Glokta - socialite, investor, and daughter of the most feared man in the Union - plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control.

The age of the machine dawns, but the age of magic refuses to die. With the help of the mad hillwoman Isern-i-Phail, Rikke struggles to control the blessing, or the curse, of the Long Eye. Glimpsing the future is one thing, but with the guiding hand of the First of the Magi still pulling the strings, changing it will be quite another...

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About the Author

Joe Abercrombie is a freelance film editor, who works on documentaries and live music events. He lives and works in Bath. THE BLADE ITSELF, his debut novel, is the first novel of The First Law trilogy, followed by BEFORE THEY ARE HANGED and LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS. His new stand-alone bestseller is BEST SERVED COLD.

The Merculians: A #ScienceFiction #Adventure Series by Caro Soles

The Danger Dance
The Merculians Book 1

by Caro Soles

Genre: SciFi Adventure

Life and death action and intrigue aboard a military space vessel!

A startling command from the dreaded Praetan brings chaos into the

tranquil lives of hermaphrodites Eulio and his lover Orosin. Using

the tour of the Merculian National Dance Company where Eulio is a

star as cover, they board the Wellington, a militaristic starship

that values nothing they believe in. Someone is passing secrets about

fleet movements and weaponry to the enemies in the Troia, but the

efforts of the two Merculians to unmask the spy only stir up a toxic

mix of hatred and violence. Who will have to die before the Praetan

is satisfied? The Danger Dance is a futuristic space adventure with

enough swashbuckling action and intrigue to keep even the most jaded

science fiction addict enthralled.

“A crackerjack SF novel––moving, eloquent, and richly textured. I

recommend it highly.” - Robert J. Sawyer, award-winning science fiction writer

“...a tingling subversity of gender, sexuality and goosebumping excitement.

Even better, Soles can rally write, with wit, sensuosity and depth.”

- Perry Brass, author of The Harvest, Angel Lust, etc.

“A well written novel, full of sexual and political intrigue, it grips

from the very first page and is difficult to put down....”

- Annette Gisby, author of Silent Screams

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The Abulon Dance
The Merculians Book 2

While on tour to the mysterious planet Abulon, the pleasure-loving

hermaphrodites of The Merculian National Dance company are intrigued

by the virile patriarchal society they discover there. The natives

seemed friendly enough at first but when the star’s young lover is

kidnapped, the Merculians find themselves plunged into a brutal alien

Civil War they are ill-equipped to survive. 

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The Memory Dance
The Merculians Book 3

Merculian is usually a peaceful world of artistic, fun-loving and sensual hermaphrodites.

The planet has always been safe, most Merculians blissfully

unfamiliar with the dark powers that lurk beneath the surface of

familiar things.

The trouble starts when the aliens arrive.

Celebrity dancer Triani picks up a mysterious Terran male in the

Pleasure Gardens, and an Ultraati rope dancer dies. Seemingly

unrelated, these two events unleash powerful forces that disrupt the

lives of everyone around him. Secrets from his carefully hidden past

boil to the surface, flooding him with fear. When his beloved Giazin

is threatened, he risks his life to save his child. Yet the

mysterious group known as the Watchers will not let go. Can Triani

free himself from the grip of these formidable beings or will they

force him to betray his human lover?

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Caro Soles' novels include mysteries, erotica, gay lit, the occasional bit of dark fantasy, and science fiction. She received the Derrick Murdoch Award from the Crime Writers of Canada, and has been short listed for the Lambda Literary Award, the Aurora Award, and the Stoker Award. Her  latest mysteries include, A FRIEND OF MR. NIJINSKY, and PEOPLE LIKE US, which came out last year. THE DANGER DANCE is  the first in an sf series featuring the pleasure-loving, dual-gendered natives of the planet Merculian. THE ABULON DANCE is book 2 in the series. Book 3, THE MEMORY DANCE, has just come out. Caro lives in Toronto, loves dachshunds, books, opera and ballet, not necessarily in that order. After 25 years of teaching writing at George Brown College, Caro is staying home to write.

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