#TemptationTuesday - Return by Charity Santiago

It's Tuesday, which means its time for a little temptation!

This weeks temptation comes in the form of a Young Adult Fantasy Return by Charity Santiago. (And you all probably thought I only review books by one other young adult author!). Stay tuned for  Charity Santiago's GiveAway.

After reading this book what were my first thoughts?

I like it ... actually, no ... I love it!

Here's the deets...

For the last three years, eighteen-year-old Ashlyn Li has been running from her destiny. A free-spirited ninja, Ashlyn would rather loot an abandoned city or challenge a fiend to battle than assume leadership of Toryn, her father's kingdom. However, when a series of attacks reunites Ashlyn with the friends who helped her save the sun three years ago, she discovers that her kingdom is at war and her father has presumed her dead.

Suddenly Ashlyn is faced with not only fulfilling her birthright, but also making sense of her feelings towards two very different men- Drake Lockhart, the enigmatic vampire who captured her heart three years ago, and Vargo, the charismatic assassin who was once Ashlyn's sworn enemy.

Will Ashlyn ascend the pagoda and become Lady of Toryn?

Excerpt

Ashlyn frowned, trying hard to focus. "I only asked you to start thinking of yourself as a man, Drake, instead of a monster. That's hardly the same thing." 

"I'm asking you to think of yourself as a leader," he said. "You've spent so long running from responsibility that you think yourself incapable of fulfilling your birthright."

"We haven't seen each other in three years. You don't know what I'm capable of- I don't even know what I'm capable of." 

He grabbed her hand, abruptly, and brought it up to his chest. Through the cloth of his shirt, his skin was warm to the touch, and Ashlyn let him press her hand against the solidness of his shoulder, confused as to what he was doing 

"This," he said, his voice low, "is where I was struck by Devlyn's sword."

After a moment, he slid her hand lower, until it was resting directly above his heart. Ashlyn paused, entranced by the lack of a pulse beneath her fingers, the scent of him filling her senses and enveloping her like the rain against the roof. 

"This," Drake said. "This is where I would have been struck, if you had not deflected the blow."

She met his gaze, breathing so hard that she felt light-headed. His eyes bored into hers, piercing her straight to her soul.

"I know what you are capable of, Ashlyn," he said. "I know better than anyone."

Should you but it?

Ashlyn has spent the past three years enjoying a responsibility free life. But under attack, she is rescued by her old friends and brought back to the civilization and the responsibility she ran away from. And things are way worse than she ever thought they could have been. Once part of the resistance movement that brought down an evil regime Ashlyn now needs to lead the same movement in an attack to prevent a new regime taking over and destroying their new way of life. In other words, Ashlyn needs to stop running away from her destiny. And just to complicate matters a little more there's a couple of really fit guys around Ashlyn and she's trying really hard not to think about her love life at a time like this.

Ashlyn's spunky, she has a really quick mouth and I found myself giggling into the darkness a couple of times. Her verbal sparring with the spartan Vargo, a wannbe love interest, is a definite highlight of the story. The chemistry and camaraderie between these two is so much fun to read. But it lacks the intensity that Ashlyn has with the brooding vampire, Drake, or his attraction. Maybe, its the wanting want you can't have and not wanting what you can that makes this love triangle particularly interesting. Its seemed where Drake lacked Vargo made up and vice versa.

Ashlyn's an accomplished ninja, she finds herself in many hand to hand combats when her life is threatened by her enemy. It was easy to follow the fight scenes clearly. Although at the beginning, for myself, it wasn't easy to understand some of the weaponry and magical devices used, (I've never read a book of this kind before.) I swiftly caught up and thoroughly enjoyed it!

While I found Ashlyn's independence admirable, she still has a tendency to run. And I'm not sure I believe its down to her desire to protect everyone else. Surely she should know better, her friends will go after her anyway. She faces a lot of personal battles a long the ways, physically and mentally which made me want to route for her. And I love a strong lead character that I have to route for.

There were occasions where I had to stop and think and if I'd have written my review the day I read the book I'd have not reviewed it at all. The quickest way to annoy this reader is the ending of this book (haha! You have to read it to find out). That being said, Return is the first in The Lady of Toryn trilogy and I'm looking forward to the reading the Regret and Redemption. 

Should you buy it? Absolutely! Its a definite "must read" from me! 

Buy Return (Lady of Toryn trilogy) at Amazon

Full disclosure: I received a review copy from the author and this had in no way influenced my opinion.

Who is Charity Santiago?

 

In February 2011, Charity Santiago's 7-month old son was admitted to the hospital with severe respiratory issues. While Charity stayed at his bedside, she kept them both entertained by downloading several books on her new Kindle and reading them out loud. It was during this time that Charity learned about Kindle's self-publishing program, and realized that she had an opportunity to share her writings with the world.

Charity is a native of southeastern Arizona, and a writer since childhood. She wrote her first manuscript, Guinea Pig Code!, at age nine. When she’s not writing books, Charity spends her time wrangling children, watching Sylvester Stallone movies and pursuing a degree in Education.

Links:

Blog:  | Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads

Charity Santiago will be awarding a $10 Amazon Gift Card and the Grand Prize of a Mini Gift Basket from gourmetgiftbaskets.com (winners choice to the value of $24.99) to a random commenter throughout her virtual book tour so comment below to enter.
 

Erin

Posts You May Have Missed

#FridayFeature - Dark Promise by Patti Larsen (HNC #13)

Friday's are about the end of the working week. They're about clocking off at the end of the day and knowing its the weekend. So each week I aim to bring a #FridayFeature that showcases a book or an author you can to enjoy at the weekend (or at any other time).

This weeks feature comes in the form of my all time favorite series Patti Larsen's The Hayle Coven Novels. I got my paws on Dark Promise less than 12 hours ago and here's why I recommend it for this weekend. 

Dark Promise - Hayle Coven Novels (Book #13)

Just before Christmas, tucked away in the back of Queen of Darkness (HCN#12) the sneak peek at Chapter One of Dark Promise revealed college student and all round supernatural super witch/demon/vampire/sidhe princess Sydlynn Hayle had been unwillingly ripped from the earthly plane, across the veil to the demonic plane and to her dying Grandmother's side, just in time to figure out the ruler of all Demonicon was murdered! 

My fan-girl brain went in speculation over drive! The power dynamics in Demonicon are so complex, Syd herself could possibly become the new ruler of the demon planes. If not then her dad, Harry, would become ruler and all hope of him telling Ahbi where to shover her second seat and going back to Miriam is lost. And if that is the case, there's the future stepmom and the half-siblings. .... These last six weeks have been the longest. Ever!

So I wasn't disappointed when Syd was accused of Ahbi's murder!  

First Plane - by Patti Larsen - Hayle Coven Novels #10

OH.

MY.

GOD.

Stop everything you are doing right now

GO READ THIS BOOK!

I know I only posted on book 9 of the HCN series, Divided Heart, last week but I was holding out until I'd finished my uni work and eventually caved in to read it. And even though I didn't love it, it was still an excellent read.

And after reading First Plane I've a million more questions and speculations about what is to come but this time I'm not sharing. I don't want to spoil First Plane for you.

We left a broken hearted Syd at the beginning of her first semester at college, with best friend Liam pinning for her to feel for him the way he feels for her. She has the vampire essence playing nice and the rest of the witch community running scared because she defeated a blood magic user. But she's got a new gang of witch friends and alls going good in her life. Even the relationship with her crazy busy high council leader mom is settling down.

Princess of the second plane?

Its Christmas and Syd has returned to Wilding Springs when her Dad crosses over from the demon plane and tells Syd and Meems he wants them to cross to the demon plane they have a whole family they dont know anything about, including their Grandmother who is the ruler of Demonicon and she would like to meet them.

Upon arriving in Demonicon Syd and Meems are assigned their ranks within the demonic world. They are now at risk of attack from other demons wanting their status and power. If they are to survive this world they most learn the ways of their demonic heritage and fast. 

Syd and Meems tag teaming and kicking demon ass is a book not to be missed! 

Divided Heart by Patti Larsen (HCN #9)

Oh my! We left Syd in Wilding Springs as the new co-coven leader of the Hayle Coven and about to embark on college. With no first chapter I had no idea what to expect from Divided Heart. 

So ... Here comes Harvard. Syd is looking forward to a life where being a witch is normal. People won't reject her and trouble won't follow her. But hey, c'mon this is our Sydlynn, perpetual trouble magnet wearing sore thumb. Almost immediately Alison's echo is stirring up trouble trying to get the Vampire virus that feeds her life force. Then a series of teacher lead embarrassments, a jealous stand off, arguments, witchy slap downs, the Dumonts twins, Vampire nests, jerky boyfriends, pouring out true feelings from best friends and Syd is having a really tough couple of days.

Syd's old school friends are here too. Maths genius simon and Mia's ex-Blood but they soon get involved with witches and Syd is concerned. And rightly so, they're normals. But this time no one has her back. Her mom is doing everything by the book. Quaid is being a jerk about everything and the only people Syd can rely on is Sass the Cat, Grams' advice and Liam. And then Syd is attacked by vampires also after the vampire essence. It breaks free of its prison and settles in Syd. Cool new power or poisonous virus?

Poor Syd is learning just how tough being an adult and a coven leader really is. 

I really love this series

Flesh And Blood By Patti Larsen (The Hayle Coven Novels #7)

Prepare for battle because the attacks are on all fronts!!!

Syd's magical world has been quiet for a while. Her boyfriend is still on his quest for revenge and her best friend is out of town. So she spending most of her life with the Sidhe Gatekeeper and new friend Liam. But her Demon-lord-stuck-in-a-human-body father is about to make her life explode.

By using forbidden blood magic he transfers his demon power to the family cat and returning Sassy to his human form. Syd is suddenly battling to safe her father's life first from coven law and then from the threat of remaining a powerless human. Amidst jumping between Earth and Demonicon, Syd must face the enemies from both inside and outside the coven.

Right from the beginning you're swept up into the drama of Syd's life. The turmoil of her relationship with Quaid and then her Dad goes and does something THAT stupid! Blood magic - How could he? Flesh and Blood is concentrated more on the Hayles as a family rather than the entire coven. Its a refreshing change and we get to learn a bit more about Syd's demonic third. We also learn much more about Syd. She grew up a lot in the last book, learned a lot about what she was capable of as a person. In this Flesh and Blood she learns much more about what she is capable of magically. And she's totally AWESOME!!! I can NOT wait for Full Circle (book 8).

Oh and a word of warning... you NEED a box of tissues for Flesh and Blood. It's heartbreakingly brilliant!!!

Erin

Reviews You May have Missed


The Hayle Coven Novel - By Patti Larsen

Book Review: The Long Lost by Patti Larsen

SYD's BACK! ! !


And I was so hoping that Syd would be because the perfect world Syd fought for was left balancing on that frustrating edge authors like to call "leaving for the readers imagination".


It's amazing, its been 5 months since I read The Wild and yet the second I opened The Long Lost, Syd was there ... just like a friend you've not spoken to for ages!


I'm not generally a reader of series that follow a single Character (although Patti Larsen appears the exception to this rule) We're now on book 5 and Syd's still growing, she still makes me smile, laugh (out loud sometimes) I'm still routing for her and her struggles, and the secondary storyline developments are still really intriguing. I'm still trying to figure out what's going to happen and work out some of the clues but some of the twists just not expecting until that Ah yeah, the clues were there all along! moment.


I absolutely adore reading this series, its always fresh, always keeps me hooked from cover to cover no matter what I'm supposed to be doing.... It's incredibly addictive.


If you haven't read the previous 4 - Hayle Coven Novels, read them! They're a fantastic excuse for avoiding the real world. Escapism at its best! :)


Erin

Book Reviews You May Have Missed:


The Hayle Coven Novels - By Patti Larson

You have to see this!

Family Magic Book Trailer

Click here  

Those of you who have been reading my blog over recent months know I have seriously fallen in love with Patti Larsen's Hayle Coven Series ... since I learned how to share Youtube videos on my blog 2 days ago I figured you all had to see this!

I think I'm abandonning my latest bedtime read tonight - AGAIN!

Erin

The Wild: Patti Larsen - Book Review

So Santa Claus brought me a Kindle for Christmas and I've been itching to try it out... but with University and my part time job my writing time it limited - I've been saving my procrastination days for the excitement that is Patti Larsen's The Hayle Coven Series.

Just as you'd expect with so much heartbreak at the end of book 3 The Wild (Book 4) is tense from right the start. Syd and her mum receive the warning in Chapter 1 Syd is going to bring trouble to the coven once more. But why would she? Syd has everything she ever wanted right? She's powerless, ergo... She's normal! Without the magical complication her love triangle has just been made so much simpler and there are no coven duties to interfere with her social life. Syd's about to learn a valuable lesson in life... whether a witch, a demon, a daughter, a sister, a friend... a girlfriend... or a centuries old Sidhe princess... whoever... its the being a teenager and having no control that sucks.

Its time to take some action Syd style! Not the insecure little girl who didn't know what she was doing we met in Family Magic. Not the frustrated teen who couldn't quite control what was going on Witch Hunt. Not the scared young lady who shied away from her ability in Demon Child. But a determined and mature young woman with no access to any magic but ready to fight for her cause anyway.  

Cast your mind over the three books before, everything that once was significant and seems forgotten is not. You don't need to have read these books to read The Wild, although I most certainly recommend you do for the sheer pleasure of it all. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the tiny attention to the details that keep these books real is amazing. The ending is both sad and yet so painfully real I wanted to cry for Syd.

Well I could go on all day! So sad my time with Sydlynn Hayle appears to have come to an end. But excited Patti is introducing a new Hayle shortly with Smoke and Magic.

5/5 -  Come on, would you expect I'd give it anything less?

The Wild is available for Kindle and other Digital Editions

Erin

The Hayle Coven Novels - reviews you may have missed

Family Magic - Book 1

Witch Hunt - Book 2


Demon Child - Book 3

Book of the Month: Demon Child by Patti Larsen

On the 17th December I learnt enthusiasm is infectious. I was over the moon to be asked to reviewing Patti Larsen's The Hayle Coven Series again.

Demon Child (Book 3) is explosive from the start. The chosen... the cleansing do gooders are out for revenge and Syd's demon half is no longer prepared to play nice with Syd. On top of this there's a new boy at school who's just waltzing in and swiping Syd's friends right from under her nose like he owns the place. Oh and that tasty little love triangle between Syd, the football star and the bad boy biker is tilting in the favour of.... well that would be spoiling it for you.

And this is just Syd's life! Add in the kidnap, betrayal, and coven apocalypse and you're in for so exciting stuff. There were times when I was actually on the edge of my seat. I was actually jaw dropped at the end... That so did not just happen! Thank God Patti Larsen publishes sequels within weeks because waiting for book 4 The Wild has been agony. Yes I know... its seems I may have a problem, but I'm a writer, words are my drug and Demon Child has been one hell of a rush!

So why is enthusiasm infectious? I tweeted as I went to bed at 4:00am  "Just read @PattiLarsen's Demon Child (bk3 Hayle Cove) 5/5 it just keeps getting better. On edge of stuff". I found not only my tweet but Patti's Book was also mentioned in the Alex Beecroft Daily.

5/5 - If you're not addicted already you will be - My smashwords review says it all! 

Demon Child is available for Kindle and other Digital Editions

Erin

The Hayle Coven Novels - reviews you may have missed 

Family Magic - Book 1

Witch Hunt - Book 2      

Book Review: Witch Hunt by Patti Larsen

Once again I have been given the great honour of reviewing Patti Larsen's The Hayle Coven Series.

Witch Hunt (Book 2), is set six months after Family Magic. Syd and her wonderful sarcastic wit is back and juggling her magic with homework, her human first crush on the football star with her demon desire for the bad boy, and her social life with friends for her coven rituals and traditions. And yes, she still fights with her mum. I think I love this part at the start of book 2 the most because after everything that happened in Family Magic, this tiny little detail keeps Witch Hunt tuned in to real life. 

Thoroughly enjoyed Witch Hunt as much as I did Family Magic. Again lost in Syd's world from cover to cover and rather disappointed when it ended. The sneak peak into book 3 - Demon Child, has me dancing with anticipation for the release date. Can't wait! I definitely have a new favourite author on my virtual bookshelf and a new genre on my reading list. 

5/5 - Recommended for the young adult in everyone!

Erin

Witch Hunt is available for Kindle and other Digital Editions

Reviews you may have missed

Family Magic - Book 1 - The Hayle Coven Series by Patti Larsen

Book of the Month: Family Magic by Patti Larsen

I've had the great honour of reviewing Family Magic (Book 1) from Patti Larsen's The Hayle Coven Series earlier this month, and I'll be honest I really didn't know what to expect from a paranormal young adult about a teenage half demon half witch. 

I'm 29, and although I dabble with the likes of Dan Brown, I'm a Rom-Com gal I read the likes of Katie Fforde, Marian Keyes, Madeline Wickham. I'm also a big fan of the Mills and Boon RIVA series (Harlequin Presents Extra in the U.S.) So I'm not the typical target audience. But I'm also a huge fan of the television series Charmed, and I loved Sabrina when I was younger. I fell in love with Harry Potter and read all seven books in seven weeks and I still remember every detail of the very first book I read for pleasure in high school, so I went in with an open mind. Until I opened the first page and realised it was in 1st person prose, I hate 1st person and dreaded reading the rest. 

I love Syd. Her sarcasm is witty and she's takes that typical teenage 'me against the rest of the world' attitude does the things you wish you had done at school. In fact, the one and only time I stood up to the school bully, she hit me and I hit my head off a radiator and blacked out. No, not Syd, She gives a party of people food poisoning. Fantastic! She has a rocky relationship with her parents that stems from her desire to be one of the 'normals' and the resentment she holds towards them. They made her part witch part demon. But when the cards are down and her family are in danger she knows exactly which path to follow. 

I read the whole novel cover to cover and to my surprise there was a sneak peak at Witch Hunt (book 2) in the back which left me aching for more and is out now! You can read my 5-Star review at Goodreads

5/5 - Recommended for a nostalgic trip down memory lane to the happiest days of your life!

Erin

Family Magic is Available for Kindle and other Digital Formats