"Lord of a Shattered Land" by Howard Andrew Jones

Hanover was once the ruler of a beautiful and prosperous kingdom, but multiple wars saw his kingdom destroyed, many of his allies killed, and the remains of his people enslaved and scattered across enemy lands. Hanover himself was believed killed in that final battle, but against all odds, he managed to survive. And now, he is determined to find and free all of his people, taking them all away to somewhere they can live free and safe as they begin a new life.

This was the first book in what is sure to be an epic adventure. The main character has set himself what appears to be an impossible task, but refuses to give up or to give in to despair. It is written as a series of his adventures, where the characters are often seemingly sidetracked into helping others along the way. And yet, each success does seem to bring them closer, as well as farther from, his ultimate goal. 

I found this book to be very interesting, and enjoyed the unique way in which it was told. The "sidekick" character who has attached himself to the main character and begins traveling with him as he sees Hanuvar as the means for him to write an epic tale that will live on long after the both of them have passed. And while initially his reasons for helping Hanuvar may appear a bit self-serving, he soon becomes not only a good friend and traveling companion, but a very necessary part of the story. 

If you enjoy stories full of adventure and difficult challenges to overcome, then I believe that you will enjoy this book as much as I did. I'll be waiting for the next book in this series to be released so that I can find out what happens next.

This book may also be available through the following vendors:

https://books2read.com/u/bW6d9D

"Shadow Guardian" and the "big Bad Wolf" by Robert J. Lewis

Two people had been cursed by a demon to know their love exists somewhere in the world, but to never again be allowed to be together. Through lifetime after lifetime, they search for each other, but in order to be together once again, the demon must be banished back to Hell, and they must find each other again. The curse can only be broken when they finally manage to touch each other. But with so many obstacles in their way, can this curse ever be ended?

I read an Advance Review Copy of this book. It was the second book in a series, but I have not yet read the previous book. Even without having read book one, I didn't feel at all lost while reading this one. I'm sure there are things that would be clearer had I read the previous book already, but I do plan on going back to read it when I have the chance.

Parts of this book made me snicker in amusement quite a bit at the antics of one character. He really managed to help keep things somewhat lighthearted, even when he wasn't trying to. Overall, I did enjoy this book, and I believe that anyone who enjoys fantasy novels with a lighthearted batman-style superhero would enjoy this book. It really is a fun read. And I'll be keeping my eyes open for both book 1 and book three in the series. If you enjoy superhero stories, give this series a shot. I think you’ll find it’s a fun one.

This book may also be available through:

https://books2read.com/shadowguardian02

"The shadowless" by Ty Carlson

Shipley Bowden is a scavenger who lives on Earth in what appears to be our future, if things continue as they seem to be going currently. It is a dark and cruel world. The sun is hidden behind the "Everstorm," only appearing when one of the many "black eyes" (tornadoes) that happen across the world appears to cause even more death and destruction. After one such event, he finds a lone surviving 6 year old girl. He takes her with him, planning to find somewhere safe to leave her, but things don't go as planned.

I read an Advance Review Copy of this book. It was the 3rd book in a series, and not having read the first two, I don't know what happened before this point, but this book was a complete story on its own. In other words, I didn't feel lost, but I do intend to go back and read them when I get the chance anyway.

This was a fantastic post-apocalyptic story that tells a very vivid tale of what happens to the planet when people are only out for themselves, caring nothing about what happens to other people or the planet itself. I greatly enjoyed this one and would recommend it to anyone, even though it paints a grim future for mankind. Be warned though, there is a great deal of violence in this story.

This book may also be available from the following:

https://books2read.com/dadirri03

"Orphaned Bride and the scarred Farmer" by Florence Linnington

When their mother died, Beth and her little sister Hannah learn that the debt on their property of $12,000 has been past due for quite some time.  They are about to be evicted. Beth accepts a proposal from a man across the country and sells everything they own, but is cheated out of some of the money she needed in order to pay the debt. Beth and Hannah try to sneak out of town, barely escaping the sheriff, knowing they still need to find a way to pay the remaining $6,000.

David wasn't expecting his mail order bride to arrive with a little sister. What will he do when he learns she also comes with a large debt? Will he still marry Beth and allow them both to remain, or will he send them packing?

As with her other books, I enjoyed reading this one. There were a few more twists in this book, than in some of the previous ones, but the usual themes of honesty, communication, trust, family, and love remain. And when all those items come together, you get a heartwarming tale the way Ms. Linnington is so good at sharing with us.

If you enjoy western mail-order bride stories, or have enjoyed any of Ms. Linnington's other books, then you should also enjoy this one.

This book may also be found through:

https://books2read.com/u/b5wOyw

"The Hour Mage" by Angelina J Steffort

Sanja and the others have fled the faerie lands and returned to her home city, where they are hiding amongst the poorest of the population and seeking to remain hidden. Once discovered, she is forcibly returned to her murderous husband, who seeks to use her to win over her people. And that's just the beginning of the story!

This book takes you through the full range of emotions, as Sanja finds herself first in danger from her husband, and then back in faerie lands once again with the faerie king she had so recently escaped from. But she soon comes to realize that maybe he isn't the bad guy he seems to want her to believe him to be. 

And yet there is still so much more going on in this story that I'm hesitant to mention here for fear of spoiling what is best discovered as you read it. (And I, for one, think you'll want to read it.) The only truly frustrating thing is that the book ends on a cliffhanger. Like me, you'll need to get hold of the third book in the series to find out what happens next. (Fortunately, I believe that book has already been released, so I plan on getting my hands on a copy soon.)

I received a review copy of this book, and I very much enjoyed reading it. If you like fantasy novels, tales influencing faerie bargains/deals, royal intrigue, or are just looking for a book to lose yourself in for a while, I think you'll enjoy this one. I received a review copy of this book, and I know I truly enjoyed reading it.

This book may also be available through:

https://books2read.com/u/m2qAej

 

"Rodeo Clowns and Shakedowns" by Trixie Silvertale.

Once again, we return to Pin Cherry Harbor where Mitzy Moon and her husband Erick Harper live and run a Private Investigation business. Who is their newest client? None other than Erick's ex-wife. She and her family are in town to compete in the rodeo when one of the rodeo clowns winds up killed and her husband is blamed for the crime.

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book, and as always, I enjoyed reading it. In this book, we get to see the former Sheriff arrested, as well as both Erick and Mitzi going undercover to try and solve the murder before Sheriff Paulson declares the caseclosed and an innocent man goes to jail.

As always, all our favorite characters in this series make an appearance and leave us very entertained by their antics. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, have read any of Ms. Silvertale's other books, whether or not from the Mitzi Moon or Harper/Moon series, then I can pretty much guarantee that you'll enjoy this one too.  This series has heart and is likely to make you laugh and smile. Give it a try. I don't think you'll regret it.

This book may also be available from the following retailers:

https://books2read.com/u/47WDQL

"The Star Courier" by Megan Mackie

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book (which is being released as a web exclusive book on the Yonder app) and enjoyed reading it a great deal.

This was the story of a Human serving as an officer on an interstellar courier ship. Humans serving in the ISL are rare, and even fewer of them serve as officers. When the ship is attacked, their captain is severely wounded and won’t survive. If that happens, the entire crew will all die as the ship itself shuts down.  The only way to save the crew is for Miranda to link with the ship so that they can Jump out of the area. There is only one problem, Humans have never been able to link with the ship and survive the process. So even if she manages to successfully get the ship away, she knows the process will kill her.

But somehow, the impossible happens and Miranda survives. But the process of linking with the ship destroys all memories of her past. Miranda is declared legally dead, and no one who knew her before is allowed to acknowledge or even supposed to serve aboard the same ship under her. This is the price of becoming a ship's captain. 

So now, Captain M'riadon, must master her new existence in a situation where the dack seems to be stacked against her. With no memories of who she was before and only a skeleton crew of new faces on the ship, she must  navigate her new existence, and find a way to succeed or fail as Captain M'riadon with a deck that is clearly stacked against her.

This was a very enjoyable science fiction story with great characters and a fascinating plot. I enjoyed every minute of this story. The pain and heartache, the anger and despair, the desperation, and the kindness and affection in the story all come through quite clearly. You can't help but feel what the various characters are going through, and when the reasons why they feel so strongly become apparent to the reader, it makes your awareness of those feelings even more bittersweet.

This really was a fantastic story, and I will be watching for the sequel to be released. If you enjoy science fiction, and books that take you on an adventurous roller coaster, then you will want to read this book. This is one that I hope will have a sequel (or season two since it is a serial) as it was an excellent read and I would like to read more about this ship and crew's adventures.

You can find this book on the Yonder app by following this link:

https://m.yonderstory.com/titles/1305