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Requiem for a Queen
Kaylin McFarren, indeed, has one of the most vivid imaginations of any author I have ever read. Requiem For A Queen is filled with dark imagery, layered plot twists, and many multi-faceted characters that keep the reader’s mind engaged and turn pages as fast as you can. In addition, this colorful story of the war between Heaven and Hell is laced with themes of friendship, love, birthright, and the devotion between mother and son.
We are introduced to the main character, Samara, as she has escaped from Hell and gives birth to her son, the secret son of Lucifer – ruler of Hell. She is all alone in a cave in the woods as demon soldiers search for her while giving birth. With the help of a shapeshifter, sprite, and soldier, she is on a quest to keep her son, Papillon, out of harm’s way from Lucinda. His sister, the heir to the throne of Hell, wishes to remain the heir and is threatened by the birth of her brother. Samara’s only wish is to protect Papillon, who has unique powers, and give him a happy life. However, after Lucinda steals Papillon and hides him away, Samara is forced to confront Lucifer and confess that he is the father, her only chance to save her son from the sister who wants him dead.
I found Requiem for a Queen to be an enjoyable yet challenging read. The abundance of characters and intricate plot keep the reader engaged but also challenge them to remember the picture and retain all that has occurred in the story. From demons, witches, Cambion soldiers, shapeshifters, archangels, and the devil, there are many types of characters to try to comprehend the complex relationships between them all. Readers who enjoy mind-bending fantasy with the flair of good versus evil will devour this book and beg for more!
Pages: 341 | ASIN: B0BBJTR8BD
Requiem for a Queen
Requiem For A Queen by Kaylin McFarren takes the classic tale of good vs. evil and gives it a sultry twist. As the Red War rages between heaven and hell, Lucifer is on the hunt for the prisoners that escaped him and his soulmate. Those who oppose him have scattered to various locations in order to evade capture or are injured from previous battles. But how are they going to win if they cannot help one another?
Readers of the entire Gehenna series will appreciate the way in which the author evolves her characters within each book and over the series. The conflict in the story is one dark fantasy fans will be familiar with but the characters are the reason you keep reading, their relationships are the reason you will find this book hard to put down, and your desire to just know how it all ends will keep you coming back to this book again and again. Every good fantasy novel has a good villain and Requiem For A Queen does not disappoint. I was enthralled with the Black Dragon.
This novel also takes the trope of strong female character to a new level with Samara giving birth by herself in difficult circumstances. This reminded me of the way Margaret Atwood handles the emotional turmoil that females face in her stories. When chapter one ended with ‘Lucifer’s child was coming into this world whether Samara was prepared or not,’ I had to make sure that I was prepared to read the next chapter because Kaylin McFarren holds nothing back and I was sure we were going to be in for a ride. The author is a master of scene details and situations really come to life once we’re in the thick of the action.
Requiem For A Queen is a fiery paranormal romance that will be devoured by long-time fans of the series. Excellently combining the paranormal romance genre and dark occult fantasy I was really intrigued by the lore and backstory built into this story. It always felt like this world was lived in and we are only just now discovering it. I enjoyed the way this story tested its main character and put her in desperate situations. I know it sounds awful but this is why I love fiction and Kaylin McFarren creates some compelling situations that are superbly entertaining.
Pages: 341 | ASIN: B0BBJTR8BD
Darkness Is Her Greatest Fear
Annihilation is a gripping paranormal fantasy novel that explores good vs. evil and shows that things are not always split down the middle. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
There are grey areas when it comes to good verses bad and not everything is clear-cut or simple when it comes to making educated choices. Black and white lines are so much easier. Right or wrong, good or bad. Righteous verses evil. When you try to find a compromise between godliness and sin, it only results in waffling, vacillating, wishy-wash gray areas that cause a host of problems. This is the dilemma of many of my characters.
Your characters are very compelling. What were some driving ideals behind your main character’s development?
Samara is a Nephalem being and is struggling to find herself in Middle Earth and also in Hell. She is a strong, independent female who is slowly discovering her strengths and capabilities. As the story progresses, she grows as well in more ways than one. Although darkness is her greatest fear, her endurance, determination, and developing powers become her greatest strengths.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
As with every book I write, I like to express the importance of family and friends, loyalty and devotion, and the true meaning of unselfish love. I believe it’s also important to point out that people who just go with the flow – lacking feelings or any kind of commitment – often end up on a wide road that leads to disappointment, heartache, and sometimes destruction.
What can readers expect in book three in your Gehenna series?
Samara learns how to stand up for herself when pitted against Lucifer in the cruelest way possible and also finds herself betrayed by the love of her life.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Meanwhile, the Black Crows meet with the Knights of Darkness in their hidden headquarters, plotting against Lucinda in their efforts to maintain peace and the balance of power. Consumed by hatred over Crighton Daemonium’s unrequited love, Lucinda is unaware of the secret conspiracy brewing, or that Lucifer’s spirit has returned to Hell inside the body of a soul–trapped demon.
Reclaiming his throne, Lucifer punishes his daughter for her act of treason. However, his obsession with Samara, Crighton’s beautiful daughter, leaves him incapable of controlling his stolen body. After forcing her into submission, he names Samara the new Queen of Hell yet continues his authoritarian rule. When an insurgency breaks out on Earth, he becomes distracted long enough for her to be kidnapped by Nexus rebel forces, believing her to be the prophesied savior of their planet.
Is Samara the Phoenix, destined to destroy Lucifer? Or is she his soulmate and the true Queen of Hell?
Awards: 2021-2022 Reader View bronze medal winner in Erotica and Horror categories; 2022 Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite in the category of Horror; 2021 Incipere Awards silver medal winner in Romance category; 2021-2022 Global Library Award
ANNIHILATION
Annihilation by Kaylin McFarren is a story that explores the age-old issues surrounding light and dark or good versus evil, the balance between the two, and the blurred edges between distinguishing them. Following the central family of Ariel, once an angel now trapped in a demon’s body, her husband Crighton, a half-angel half-demon, and their children living between Heaven and Hell. As both realms are on the brink of the ‘Red War,’ it becomes clear that their family, especially their children, are going to be vital in the outcome, and Lucinda, the Queen of Hell, is not going to take any chances.
This novel is scattered with references to well-known myths, legends, and fables such as the ‘eternal fire from hell,’ angels, demons, and werewolves. These are all prominent symbols of the battle between good and evil, and they assist the reader in understanding some of the stories. However, throughout the story, things are not always so clear, which enables people to think more about their perception of where the line between the two would be.
McFarren has done an excellent job of telling the story from various perspectives through short chapters dedicated to specific characters’ points of view. It is easy to follow, ad each storyline overlaps. Imagery is another element that has been successfully used, for example, ‘belied by the unshed tears glistening in her eyes or ‘sheets of bubbling flesh.’ These are powerful images that allow you to see the story as you are reading it.
McFarren is imaginative and explores themes such as the power of women and how everyone is constantly battling internally with good versus evil. From the wonderful use of dialect to the flow of the story itself, this was an excellent read, one I would read again and recommend to others.
Annihilation is a gripping paranormal fantasy novel that explores good vs. evil and shows that things are not always split down the middle. Readers of occult horror will find this book thrilling and different from your usual dark fantasy novels.
Pages: 428 | ASIN : B09KMNBNQG
Pitting Good Against Bad
Soul Seeker follows a soul hunting demon that is captured and turns against Lucifer after forming a relationship with an angel. What were some sources that informed this novels development?
I enjoy reading supernatural and paranormal stories, and always wanted to write one. It didn’t seem like a far stretch, since I already write psychological thrillers. Ray Garton, Andrew Klavan, Terry Goodkind, and Stephen King are just a few of the authors I admire and were inspired by, while writing this story. Plus I love pitting good against bad, and what greater conflict exists than forced relationships, especially when they involve angels and demons.
I appreciated the exploration of morality in this book. What were some themes you wanted to focus on while writing?
It might well be that all moral agents accept a code of prudence or rationality in this book, but this would not by itself show that prudence was part of morality. So something else must be added; for example, that the code can be understood to involve a certain kind of impartiality, or that it can be understood as having the function of making it possible for people to live together despite their extreme beliefs. In SOUL SEEKER, enemies are forced to not only accept one another but also depend on each other for their survival — a lesson we can all learn from.
Crighton is a standout character for me. How did you set about creating his character?
I wanted to create a complex, flawed, evil character that seeks approval by any means necessary. He has a conscious, which he and Lucifer view as a weakness. On his journey to self awareness, he develops empathy and becomes self sacrificing, while growing his ability to love. I wanted readers to hate him when he is first introduced and then discover his redeeming qualities.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m currently working on the next installment in this book and have titled it ANNIHILATION. In this story, Lucifer’s daughter turns Hell into a far worse place and threatens to overtake Heaven by whatever means necessary.
If all goes according to plan, I’m hoping to have this book available in the Spring of 2021.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Soul Seeker
Soul Seeker opens with a man on death row for the murder of his son. What seems like a heartbreaking homicide with a bleak conclusion turns into a riveting supernatural tale when the man on death row tells his lawyers the truth. A demon named Crighton killed his son. This sets the tone for a novel that is equal parts grounded and gritty with a good measure of the supernatural to keep you guessing.
What I truly enjoyed about this book was the characters. Each one is meticulously developed and evolves as the story progresses. Benjamin Poe, the dedicated father, is empathetic but strong. Crighton is the stand out character, for me, in this haunting novel. He’s Lucifer’s top soul catcher and through his introduction and story line we get to explore various ideas about morality, or the perception of morality, and the dividing line between the two. As well as how choice plays into all of it. Kaylin McFarren has done an excellent job of creating a gray area that allows your mind to wander while being absolutely thrilled by the intricate paranormal story that unfolds.
What happens when a demon and an angel fall in love? As in the beginning, I was not expecting this book to pivot to a paranormal story, and then pivot again to a romance story. Kaylin McFarren has a similar literary talent to Stephen King in her ability to introduce just the right amount of mystery into a story that keeps things eerie and the tension high. Soul Seeker is an exceptional paranormal thriller that delves into the souls of humans, demons and angels. What we uncover is surprising.
Pages: 345 | ISBN: 9798665284903
Discover the Compassion
Kaylin McFarren Author Interview
High Flying follows stunt pilot Skylar when she’s flung back in time and has a chance to investigate her origins. What was the inspiration for the setup to this thrilling novel?
I have always loved time travel stories and have been intrigued by the idea of changing our personal history if given the chance. Our parents have a great deal to do with who we are as individuals but sometimes we don’t understand them and knowing about their past lives become a true education and door to our future. In addition, my father worked for United Airlines for years and I remember sitting on his shoulders, watching planes take off from the tarmac at LAX. I’ve had the opportunity to virtually fly around the world and the idea of bringing my passions together seemed perfectly natural.
Skylar is a well developed and endearing character. What were some themes that were important for you to capture in her character?
I wanted to creating a troubled young woman who was damaged by the choices her parents made and negatively impacted by the people she’s lost in her life. By being forced to experience her parents’ lives first-hand, she has the opportunity to grow, let go her anger and self hatred, and ultimately discover the compassion she holds inside.
Skylar is orphaned when she was young and she tries to reconcile that throughout the book. What were some driving ideals that were important for you to explore?
I initially wanted to make readers aware of the thought process behind cutting—a troubling behavior that was introduced to me by a dear friend. It is more common that people would like to admit or believe and is becoming a common practice among young girls in our society. Bullying and isolation often leads to this method of dealing with anxiety, as well as physical or mental abuse. Skylar finds her release through martial arts and eventually flying. Her struggles with overcoming the neglect she’s known is what makes her a stronger person and a more endearing character in this story.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m currently working on a sci-fi thriller that involves reincarnation and stolen souls. So I guess I’m pushing myself to try genres outside of my comfort level, which has been great fun thus far. I typically write one book a year, so I would watch for this one in 2020!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
![HIGH FLYING by [McFarren, Kaylin]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/413RJf12YCL.jpg)
Skylar Haines has struggled with personal demons most of her life, going to dark extremes to subdue anxieties rooted in her tragic past. On a perpetual hunt for the next adrenaline hit, she discovers a passion for flying and becomes a hard-edged stunt pilot, verging on obsession. In the sky, following her most daring airshow, she encounters a mysterious storm and almost collides with another aircraft, sending her into a perilous dive. Guided by a mysterious voice, she manages a safe landing but finds herself transported to another time.
Eight months before she was born. One week before her father was murdered.
Though baffled by her circumstances, Skylar soon arrives at a single certainty: Before her lies a remarkable chance to change her family’s destiny drastically for the better — or possibly even worse — depending on the choices she makes, before her window of opportunity closes.
High Flying
High Flying, written by Kaylin McFarren tells the story of Skylar Haines, a talented young pilot. This is a complex story, filled with both suspense, drama and themes of love, the complexities of family, self-harm and sacrifice.
The main character, Skylar has been orphaned – her father died before she was born and her mother died when she was seven years old. She lives with her stern and seemingly uncaring Grandfather. This has left a huge and detrimental impact on her life. The reader is plunged into the pain Skylar is suffering on the very first page, as Skylar retreats into her bathroom with a box cutter. She proceeds to self-harm, sitting desperately alone on her bathroom floor.
Skylar has found some solace in her new passion – flying, in particular stunt planes. Her enthusiasm and passion for flying are evident; as is her feelings for Jake Brennan, describing him as “an artist” in the cockpit. This new-found happiness proves to be short lived, as she flies into a storm when performing with Jake at an air show. After colliding with another plane she is transported back in time, where she is able to witness the poor choices her parents made that have led to her current life.
High Flying switches between modern day Nevada (2013 and 2018) and back in time to before Skylar was born. The story is however, predominantly set back in time – eight months before she was born, twenty-one years ago. I enjoyed the description of the town, in both the past and present, it was vivid and convincing.
The plot is generally easy to follow and logical. The plot is otherwise grounded and believable, other than the time travel bit. But the ending makes up for this by being quite believable and realistic.
Most of the characters are well developed. Their body language and vocabulary help discriminate between characters. We meet many characters when Skylar travels back in time, the ones that link to her present life are easy to follow but the addition of many other characters can be difficult to follow. But I truly enjoyed the relationships between the main characters and found the tension between the two both engrossing and believable. But some of the minor characters and their relationships are not quite as well developed.
Overall the story is engaging and entertaining. I highly recommend it.
Pages: 277 | ASIN: B07QYH3CD4
LITERARY TITAN 