If you’re a fan of Arthurian Legends, then this book might be for you.

Scott reached out to see if I would be interested in reading and reviewing his book – The Flower of Chivalry, but unfortunately, my schedule is packed. I still wanted to bring this book to your attention, because, hello – Arthurian Legend! So, I’m presenting it to you in a format other than a review.

When Scott first reached out, he had seen my post about not really caring for Cursed by Thomas Wheeler and Frank Miller. He said that since that book hadn’t been it for me, then I should give his book a go – I’ve already added it to my ever growing TBR. So, if Cursed wasn’t for you, maybe this applies to you as well!

I’ve always been a sucker for Arthurian Legend retellings/adaptations, and I’m always looking for new ones. I can legitimately recite lines from BBC’s Merlin because I’ve seen it so many times. But I think my love for Arthurian Legends comes from both, The Magic Tree House book, and Quest for Camelot – which apparently just hit Netflix! So, if you’re looking for your next King Arthur fix, maybe look no further.

One of these days, I plan on getting to this book and reading it, but until then, the synopsis is just going to have to hold me over.

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No one knows who Arthur is—least of all himself. All his parents know is that they are to raise him as their own, and never let on to him that he is not their child. All his brother Kay knows is that Arthur just seems to be better at everything, and better liked by everyone. All Arthur knows is that he doesn’t look or act like his family, and no one will tell him why. And while his parents say that he and his brother are equals, they keep promoting Kay over him—putting Kay forward as a knight, while they will only allow Arthur to be his squire.

No one knows that he is destined to be King Arthur, the legendary king of all Britain.

Yet there’s something in Arthur that can’t be repressed. A will to do right, to defend those who cannot defend themselves. Through his idyllic childhood in the forests that surround his home, he learns to protect and care for a friend that is shunned by all others, finally leading him on a dangerous unaccompanied journey that he handles with ease. Emboldened by his success, Arthur drifts into overconfidence, and makes a disastrous mistake that threatens to end his adventures—and his life—before they’ve even begun.

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I mean, I think it sounds really good, and I’m bummed that my schedule is so packed with books I have to read. But like I said, one of these days, I will be reading this book.

Now that you’ve read the synopsis, I have some more information for you! Since I haven’t read the book, and I’m only here promoting it, Scott was kind enough to provide a short little blurb review as well as a bit of information about himself, and his research into the Arthurian Legend.

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“Far surpasses T.H. White’s ‘The Sword in the Stone’ for being far more serious and better thought out.”
–Tyler Tichelaar, author, “Children of Arthur”

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Author’s Note:

The thing with my book series The Swithen is that I’ve set a challenge for myself as a writer that I have to remain completely faithful to the real Arthurian legend. The old stuff is in Middle English, which has like five emotions, no character development and no psychology, so what I do is keep the story and add all that stuff in, but whatever I add has to fit seamlessly into the legend without changing it. This book is 95% original, however, because there’s nothing about King Arthur’s childhood in the legend! It’s also okay to start here because it begins a whole new story and you can jump in without reading the previous ones. There’s a lot of focus on Arthur not knowing that he’s adopted–we usually forget that Arthur was a foster child–and even though we know he pulls the sword at the end, I think I’ve found a way to come at it that most people won’t expect. I patterned it more after classic childhood novels like Huck Finn or Little House on the Prairie than most current fantasy, and another way it differs from a lot of current fantasy is that it’s light and fun (until it turns dark and terrifying, but you know). I think so much epic fantasy tries to be all dark and edgy and gritty, but it’s important for me to show that the characters also laugh and make jokes and goof around–especially in this book, where they’re kids. This book skirts being Young Adult, but they do encounter some adult stuff, so I’m more comfortable saying that it’s aimed at adults rather than have some parent get mad at me! Oh and by the way, it’s available for free on NetGalley for members there.

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Last but not least, I have links! So many links for you to check out, and if you’re on NetGalley, The Flower of Chivalry is available as Read Now! So, you can download and read right away!

The Flower of Chivalry: Amazon

The Flower of Chivalry: NetGalley

The Swithen Series: Amazon

The Swithen Series: Website

The Flower of Chivalry: Goodreads

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Let me know if you check out The Flower of Chivalry! I’m curious to hear your thoughts. I hope you all liked this post and I hope you add it to your TBR’s!

I just want to say a quick thank you to Scott for reaching out and bringing this book to my attention. I doubt I would have found it otherwise!

Hey y’all!

I’m back with another Author Spotlight, since it’s been a hot minute.

We’re all always looking for new books to read, so I thought I’d introduce you to L.A. Sees and the first two books in The Nebula Trilogy! If you’re a fan of SF like me, then you’re probably going to really enjoy these two books.

I will say that this is supposed to be a trilogy, and the books have been out for quite a few years now. I haven’t heard anything or seen any kind of update on L.A. Sees’ website or social platforms, so I can’t tell you when book 3 will come out.

Believe me, I wish I could, because I’ve been dying for it for years. But, dread not, because Nebula and Interstellar are fantastic reads that will not disappoint…even if the wait for book 3 is undetermined.

I don’t remember how I found Nebula – how it hit my radar. I think it might have been on Instagram now that I think about it. The cover caught my eye and I went to go look it up.

So, of course I wanted to read this new SF debut.

I bought it and not shockingly, devoured it.

Between the believable character relationships that have you oscillating between rooting and wanting to tear your hair out, to the journey of self-discovery the MC goes on, and the solid writing, it’s pretty hard to not get sucked in.

But enough of me chatting, here is the cover and synopsis for Nebula, book 1 in The Nebula Trilogy!

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I don’t know where I came from. I don’t know where I’m going. What I do know is where I’d like to be—safe within my mother’s embrace.

One girl’s search for truth may alter an entire universe in the spellbinding new science fiction novel, Nebula. Written by L.A. Sees, this young adult adventure proves the importance of being yourself no matter what galaxy you’re in.

Ree Lindbergh’s dream since she was a little girl is a simple one: to one day travel to Earth. Instead, she’s stuck aboard the Omega Centauri, a spacecraft used to patrol the borders of the Milky Way. Having spent her entire seventeen-year existence on board, Ree is a bit restless. But her mission is important: help keep Earth’s newly discovered alien species, the Bufoanthroid, under control.

By day, Ree enjoys spending time with her best friend, Zac Walker. But when night falls, she is continually tormented by memories of her mother, killed by a Bufoanthroid the day Ree was born.

Her world is turned upside down once again when Zac’s ship disappears. Determined to rescue him, Ree embarks on a frantic mission to save him. As events unravel and secrets are revealed, Ree soon realizes that achieving her dreams will mean facing the truth behind her nightmares. 

You can check it out on Goodreads, here.

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So, I don’t know about you, but I now want to re-read this book. It has been an awfully long time since I read it, and I’m in a SF mood.

Now that you’ve been introduced to Nebula – and be honest, the cover is gorgeous – let’s jump into book 2, Interstellar. No, it’s not the movie with Matthew McCaughey…though that’s a pretty good movie.

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After eighteen years on the starship Omega Centauri and with the cataclysmic events of Nebula still fresh in her memory, Marie “Ree” Lindbergh has achieved a lifelong dream—to live on Earth.

Ree quickly discovers Earth is very different from the old movies she loved to watch on the Omega Centauri. She’s an unwilling celebrity on the news and snubbed by her new schoolmates. Zac, her old friend and new boyfriend, moves to Australia, leaving Ree in America to deal with her own deeply fractured family. An alarming medical discovery only adds to the tension—and sheds some light on how Ree survived the brutal environment while she was held captive.

As Ree begins to realize Earth isn’t at all like her dreams, she also finds herself drawn to Jonathan. A newcomer to her school—like Ree herself—Jonathan seems perfect. He’s cute, creative, and unlike Zac, devoted to equality between humans and the often-oppressed Bufoanthroids. He’s also harboring a life-altering secret.

The second installment in L.A. Sees’s The Nebula Trilogy, Interstellar continues to explore Ree Lindbergh’s impact on the strained relationship between earthborn humans, Bufoanthroids, and an uncertain future.

You can check it out on Goodreads, here.

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Do you want to read these books yet? I bet you do. I’m definitely biased, but you really should go pick these books up. I can assure you that once you finish Nebula, you’re going to want this book.

Now that I’ve introduced you to books 1 and 2, let me introduce you to the author who wrote them.

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L.A. Sees was born and raised in New Jersey before earning a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and a master’s degree from the University of Southern California.

Currently working as a middle school history and English teacher, Sees enjoys writing, traveling, and browsing flea markets in her spare time. Her debut novel for young adults, Nebula, is now available.

You can check out this site for more info.

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I wish that she was more active on social media, that was some kind of update on when book 3 could potentially be out. I check out her Facebook page from time to time to see if there is any news. I can only assume she’s still writing it, while going about her life. At this point, I’m okay with waiting, but if I do re-read the two books soon I might be saying something different.

So, what do y’all think? Have I convinced you, or at least piqued your interest? I’m always looking for off the radar books, especially in YA and these books definitely fit that category for me. I like finding hidden gems amongst the mass amounts of books constantly being released and Nebula and Interstellar in no way disappointed me.

I can only hope that y’all check out these books and this author and thanks for checking out this post! I really enjoy talking about lesser known books that slip past our radars. If you do end up reading Nebula (and getting hooked) let me know!

Hey y’all!

This post is going to be a slightly different Author Spotlight – mainly because I haven’t actually read these books. I know, you’re probably wondering why I’m promoting books I haven’t read, but a new to me author. You have a valid point, but isn’t the point to these kinds of posts? To promote smaller authors? Well, it’s what I’m going for anyways! I’m glad that Christian Cura reached out, because his books sound pretty good and something that I could honestly get behind – urban paranormal fantasy, and the first one is set in D.C. which is practically down the road from me? Hell yes.

Christian ultimately reached out to have me post about his upcoming novel, Dreams of Thunder. He recently published his debut novel, Dreams of Fire and wanted some help in getting the word out and the hype up for the upcoming sequel.

Meet Kara Hartman, a young painter living and working in D.C. She would love to let you believe she is just an ordinary young woman with a dream of sharing her art with the world. But she is hiding an astonishing secret: Kara can wield magic, the most powerful force in the universe. Traumatized by the loss of her brother, she wants nothing more to do with magic. But when an old foe resurfaces, hellbent on destroying all that she loves, Kara has no choice but to embrace the only power that can stop her.

I mean, that sounds pretty good, and like something I would really enjoy reading. * adds it to my ever growing TBR stack* You should all add it to yours as well.

But, before I jump into the excerpt and cover for promoting Dreams of Thunder, let me introduce the author.

Christian Cura is a new author who just recently published his debut novel Dreams of Fire. Ever since he read Lord of the Rings as a teenager, it has been his dream to write and publish a novel of his own. His favorite authors include J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling and Robert Jordan. Christian lives in Northern Virginia where he lifts weights at home and creates artwork. When he is not writing, he can be found drawing or getting beaten up at his MMA gym.

Christian was wonderful enough to send me the Goodreads link for Dreams of Fire, as well as the Amazon link, and the link to his Facebook Page. I’ve linked them all below, so make sure you go and check them out!

Goodreads

Amazon

Facebook

Now, onto the cover, the synopsis and excerpt from book 2, where the quest for revenge continues in Dreams of Thunder.

Magical outlaws roam free on the West Coast. The Enforcers are stretched thin in their efforts to stem the tide of chaos. The Council Headquarters is on the brink of assault and the lives of the Council members hang in the balance. At the center of it all, is Saba Qureshi, a woman scorned by the draconian measures of the Council. They executed her grandfather and robbed her family of their status and fortune. Now Saba is coming for them and she’s not alone…

 I got to say, it sounds really good.

What do y’all think? That synopsis has me wondering what happens next and I haven’t even read the first book yet.

I hope y’all check out this author and his books, and thanks for checking out this post! It means a lot. I also want to thank Christian for reaching out and giving me the opportunity to help promote his books! I was quite surprised when I opened my email and saw that an author was reaching out to me to do this for them. I’m super grateful.

Keep an eye out for Dreams of Thunder and make sure you check out Dreams of Fire!