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The Girl Who Broke the Dark
In The Girl Who Broke the Dark, Evelyn Puerto presents Princess Eliana of Ymittos, a character yearning for autonomy amidst the strictures imposed by her lineage and destiny. Born with the ability to wield potent magic, Eliana finds herself confined by the rigorous demands of her tutors and the expectations of her royal heritage. Her narrative begins to unfold as she approaches her 18th birthday, revealing a daunting quest set before her: to venture into the perilous realm of Malkh, confront its mythical denizens, and break a century-long curse binding a prince to slumber. The stakes are high; failure means empowering Cetus, a formidable necromancer poised to cast Ymittos into an era of darkness.
Puerto’s novel is a creative reimagining of “Sleeping Beauty,” steeped in the shadows of dark fantasy. It’s a story unafraid to explore grim realities and the complexities of its characters. While Eliana’s struggle against the constraints of her world mirrors familiar themes in fantasy literature, her journey is also a distinct exploration of personal growth and rebellion against societal norms. Her magical abilities symbolize a broader narrative of self-discovery and the quest for independence, resonating particularly with younger audiences who are navigating their own paths.
The narrative’s vitality largely stems from its antagonist, Cetus. With a compelling presence and nuanced motivations, he provides a stark contrast to Eliana, whose character, while relatable, occasionally feels underexplored. Cetus’s multifaceted nature not only enriches the story but also elevates the stakes of Eliana’s mission.
Although The Girl Who Broke the Dark may exhibit moments of rawness in its delivery, its core is a captivating blend of adventure, mystique, and the timeless battle between light and darkness. Readers will find themselves eager for subsequent installments, anticipating further development in Eliana’s character and the fantastical world of Ymittos. Puerto’s novel promises a journey filled with enchantment, peril, and the enduring allure of discovering one’s true power.
Pages: 402 | ASIN : B0CK6F1TBW
An Immersive Fantasy World
The Land of Sweets is in danger from the Mouse King, and Prince Klaus must enlist the help of Clara, now an adult, to help save his kingdom. What was the idea, or spark, that first set off the need to write Return of the Nutcracker Prince?
Growing up, every year my family watched a movie version of the ballet where Clara and the Prince magically turn into adults in the Land of Sweets. In the finale, they rise up into the sky and then are ripped apart, and Clara wakes up in her bed. It took years before I realized that wasn’t normally how the story went.
After reading Aidy Award’s Claimed by the Winter Realm two years ago, I watched that old movie again. During the finale that plays up the star-crossed lovers aspect, I thought to myself, “What if the prince grew up and went back for Clara?” And I hopped on my computer and wrote until one in the morning.
Prince Klaus and Clara are well-known characters with rich histories. What was your writing process to ensure you captured the essence of the characters?
My first step was to research The Nutcracker Ballet and look at photos of various productions and how it’s changed through the years. Then I read The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, by Alexandre Dumas, which the ballet was based on.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
Overall, I wanted an immersive fantasy world. I hadn’t written a fantasy romance before this and there wasn’t really anything else like it I could find. Additionally, I wanted to pay homage to the original work while giving the story my own spin. As a student of both history and the German language, I challenged myself to keep the historical aspects as accurate as possible. I also changed the names of some characters because I wanted more German names for them.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
For my next book, I’m returning to contemporary romance. It will be a spin-off from my contemporary romance series, The Geek Girl Squad, coming this spring. It doesn’t have a title yet. Then, in the fall, I plan to release my first romantic suspense novel, Thief’s Bodyguard.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
The Nutcracker Prince is on a mission — to save the Land of Sweets from the power-hungry Mouse King. But when Prince Klaus turns to Clara, the mage from the Realm of Waking, he finds more than just a savior for his kingdom. He finds the girl from his past, all grown up — but she thinks that long-ago battle was all a dream.
Clara has been promised to a man she hates and can’t see a way out. When she comes face to face with the boy from her dreams, her world turns upside down. He’s all grown up now, and he needs her help. She takes a leap of faith and joins Klaus in a daring adventure across the Realms. As they battle the Mouse King and his army, Klaus and Clara rekindle their connection and discover a love that might save them all.
Return to the Land of Sweets and Toys in this imaginative sequel to the Nutcracker Ballet!
Return of the Nutcracker Prince
Return of the Nutcracker Prince by Jasmine C. Caldwell presents a captivating continuation of the classic Nutcracker Ballet tale. Set a decade later, the narrative follows a grown-up Clara Stahlbaum as she grapples with her parents’ plans for an arranged marriage to a disagreeable suitor. Her childhood memories of a magical Christmas Eve begin to blur with reality when she reunites with Prince Klaus, now confined to the form of a wooden nutcracker soldier. Together, they embark on a mission to save his realm, the Land of Sweets and Toys, from the menacing Mouse King.
Caldwell’s novel stands as a testament to the enduring allure of holiday magic and fantasy. Readers need not be familiar with the original ballet to become immersed in this imaginative extension, making it an accessible read for those new to the story. The book skillfully weaves a tale of romance and enchantment between Clara and Klaus, set against a whimsically detailed Land of Sweets backdrop. The author’s vivid descriptions of this fantastical world – complete with chocolate mines, cinnamon trees, a river of lemonade, and gingerbread houses – are particularly noteworthy, inviting readers to step into Clara’s shoes and explore a world of wonder.
The narrative’s exploration of fantasy is coupled with a well-crafted romance, appealing to adult readers with a penchant for magical holiday tales. Caldwell skillfully tailors the story to adult readers, imbuing it with a depth and complexity that resonates with a more mature audience. The nuanced interactions between Clara and Klaus add layers of sophistication. This mature approach offers a fresh perspective compared to the original ballet, which has a broader, family-friendly appeal. The narrative’s pace, including detailed accounts of Clara’s time in the Sugar Plum Palace, allows for a thorough exploration of Caldwell’s enchanting world, inviting readers to savor every aspect of this magical realm.
Return of the Nutcracker Prince revives the spirit of a beloved classic through a modern lens, balancing the nostalgia of the original ballet with fresh, creative elements. Caldwell’s narrative is an invitation to revisit a cherished fairy tale, offering a new perspective on the enchanting world of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince.
Pages: 265 | ASIN : B0CMGSJSXW
Coyote
This story begins with Jim going on his hike through the canyons. He’s excited about this trip and wants to make the most of it. As he was settling to sleep, a howling sound could be heard around him, coyotes. He examines where the noise comes from and discovers the strangest ancient ritual, the coyotes stood around a fire, their howls sounding tuneful. This wasn’t a ritual meant for human eyes; Jim begins to back away and run to his car. He can feel the coyotes all around until he meets the coyote, who wears a blazer, and a hat and smokes a pipe. Jim escapes, but not entirely – he is plagued by this coyote every single day. He feels unsafe and on edge no matter where he is.
Coyote by Charles Combee is a fascinating story about a coyote dressed smartly in a red blazer and black hat, which is powerful and not of this earth. This story depicts a coyote who has an unusual but deadly power. Jim escapes narrowly, but the same could not be said for Audrey and her family. Audrey and her family were just as unaware of what was ahead for them as Jim. The coyote tears this family apart, as well as causes the strange phenomenon of certain areas of land becoming ‘dead’ and generating a feeling of knives if you enter. Audrey attempts to escape but is caught and trapped alone in the darkness until Jim frees her. However, when Audrey is free, they discover she is still linked to the powerful coyote, and they must break the link for Audrey to get her life back.
This book is excellently written with interesting and unique characters. The world-building and the scenery are described so well that the reader can clearly imagine the surroundings and feel like they are there with the characters. Charles Combee successfully creates suspense throughout the story, and the reader can feel the uneasiness of the characters. This book is dramatic, exciting, and has a unique storyline, which is thought out and completed perfectly. I’d thoroughly recommend this book to anybody who loves suspenseful stories. Readers will be fully emersed in the world created in Coyote.
Pages: 178 | ASIN : B0BM52CT25
A Person Can Choose to be Good or Bad
Stone Dragons Kingdom follows a city of people that are dragon riders as they try and protect their city and world from destruction. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The inspiration for this story was to create a situation where a villain can have a change of heart. It shows, I think in a dramatic way, how allowing other people to help you can lead down a wrong path, as indicated by the Stone Dragons Kingdom, but also on a human level, we have Belinda who focuses on all she doesn’t have, rather than what she does have. If she could only reach that light inside her, what would change?
Learning she has strong and deep powers changes Belinda. What were some driving ideals behind Belinda’s character’s development?
Belinda is a very interesting character. She stems from a person consumed with being the best, but when she isn’t, she’ll go to the extreme to show that she is the best. In her development, I wanted to show, no matter what, a person has a choice of what they want to be, either for bad or good. With Belinda, I chose to show that she was only one choice away from changing her life.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Yes, but as always, they only come to light after I’ve written a story. I think the main theme of this one is redemption. The story starts out harshly for Belinda, even though others believed her to have changed, it took her a long time before she could shake her demons to find the person she wanted so much to become.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Thank you for asking! Well, The Stone Dragons Kingdom was supposed to be the last for this series, but… one of my characters had something else in mind! I’m currently writing The Spires of Dasny: 5 ~ The Northern Kingdom. It’s on pre-order now and will be released by Fall 2022.
It may not be the last of the series, either ~ the same character has been given knowledge of how their current kingdom will undergo change, and he’ll be instrumental to this change.
Author Links: GoodReads
It’s only after Seyra hears from the Truth Speaker, that she learns the truth behind Belinda. What she learns could not only destroy the Spires, but every other kingdom in their world. Belinda holds a magic so powerful, so destructive, there may be no way of stopping her.
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Belinda
Returning to Sezalor’s lair, I pause to connect to the Rocks. Splaying my hand open, I lay my palm flat against the wall immediately feeling the surge of power enter me.
“Time is short. As promised, you will have your own kingdom as long as you carry the Rock and Water energy for us to expand. We have been locked in one place for too long. Agola grew old and set in his ways, this is why you have this opportunity to expand with us. Use the energy we absorbed by the stone-encased Xi to bring our Stone dragons under control.”
A blinding flash cracks through the wall. I feel like I’m hit by lightning, my head screams in pain with an ache like it’s being crushed by an enormous hand. Behind me, the roar of Sezalor adds to the unbearable pain. Clasping both hands over my head, I beg for it to stop. Anything, please take this pain from me! Briefly, I smell burning. In my horror I look down to find myself being burnt alive before I’m hit by a wall of Water. Darkness.
Rebirth. I suck in First Breath. Expelled from the womb of Rock and Water, I stand on shaky legs and return to my chamber to dry. As my hands move the drying cloth over my body, I discover more scales covering me from my shoulders to the biceps. I grin. Large, stone scales. Who needs armor when I have these?
Stone Dragons Kingdom
With the stone dragons as its new allies, peace returns to the Spires, but not for long. An enemy seeking the Spires’ destruction rises from within under the influence of the Xi’s mind-controlling magic and the Rock and Water gods. Seyra, Queen of the Spires, finds herself in mortal danger due to the actions of this enemy but escapes in a dramatic turn of events. The Spires Kingdom makes it out of this sticky situation only to face old enemies in the form of the Xi people again, but the brave dragon riders and their beasts secure victory for the kingdom. Elated by the destruction of the persistent Xi sorcerers, the Spires make a startling discovery that would pit them against their most brutal opponents yet in their battle for survival.
Author Cheryl Rush Cowperthwait (C.R.C.) returns with her captivating tale of dragons, humans, and magic in this fourth book in the Spires of Dasny series, Stone Dragons Kingdom. With just enough backstory and new challenges, you don’t have to worry about not having enough context to understand what’s going on. The book starts with a bang. There’s a high-tension and high-stakes scenario threatening to unravel right from the get-go. But Cowperthwait is also proficient in building anticipation as she thrusts readers right into the thick of things. She knows how to set the stage and slowly dial up the tension in anticipation for what happens next.
Cowperthwait also shows impressive control over her story as she swings from one story gap to the next but keeps things cohesive and engaging. The storytelling is also compelling as Cowperthwait expertly humanizes her characters, thus making them relatable and memorable. With a simple yet beautiful and expressive writing style, the Stone Dragons Kingdom makes for a breezy and entertaining read from start to finish.
The Spires of Dasny: 4 Stone Dragons Kingdom is a riveting young adult fantasy novel. With plenty of action and thrilling suspense, readers will be drawn into the battles and feel connected to the characters while following their saga.
Pages: 211 | ASIN : B09BTG9DLR
LITERARY TITAN 