Revered Twins, Thunder Hawks and Treachery

Author: Kelley Armstrong 

Series: Age of Legends #1

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release Date: 8 April 2014

Source: Publisher

Synopsis:

In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.

Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.

Ambushed and separated by an ancient evil, the sisters’ journey to find each other sends them far from the only home they’ve ever known. Accompanied by a stubborn imperial guard and a dashing condemned thief, the girls cross a once-empty wasteland, now filled with reawakened monsters of legend, as they travel to warn the emperor. But a terrible secret awaits them at court—one that will alter the balance of their world forever

Review: The Sea of Shadows - Kelley Armstrong

Kelley Armstrong is an author whose books I read and loved so I was definitely excited for The Sea of Shadows. But when the pre-release reviews started coming in I have to admit that I was a little apprehensive. But once I started this YA fantasy novel there was no doubt that Armstrong still has "it". 

The elements of suspense, mythology, action and romance make The Sea of Shadows one hell of a page turner. The novel opens in the village of Edgewood, home to Ashyn and Moira. The twin sisters play the role of the Seeker and Keeper who protect the village from the Forest of the Dead. The sisters and their animal companions are revered because of the role they play in protecting Edgewood.

Freya Robertson's Top 6 Sci-Fi & Fantasy Recommendations

I am absolutely delighted to welcome Author Freya Robertson to the blog today to share her Top 6 Sci-Fi & Fantasy Recommendations. 
I have not had the opportunity to read her debut, Heartwood yet but as fan of fantasy novels I'm pretty excited for it!
So without further ado let me turn the blog over to Freya....

Kia ora (that’s Kiwi or New Zealand-ish for hello!)

You asked me for my top six science fiction and fantasy recommendations, and I thought it might be interesting for readers to hear about books that were an inspiration to me while writing Heartwood.

1. Mists of Avalon – Marion Zimmer Bradley

 

In my teens I went through a period where I was fascinated by the legend of King Arthur. I loved the film Excalibur, and adored Bradley’s book with its historic elements matched by just the right amount of magic. I’ve been to Glastonbury, and liked Bradley’s idea that the isle could be revealed and hidden by the mists that only a few dedicated priestesses could control. The connection of the king to the land and his people is definitely an element that I enjoyed exploring in Heartwood.

 

2. Magic Kingdom for Sale – Terry Brooks

We all stand on the shoulders of giants, and I am happy to admit that Brooks’s fascination with trees and the themes of sacrifice and rebirth that he explores in his novels were a great influence on me. The character of Willow in Magic Kingdom is a lovely one, but this book is magical for more than that. I love Ben Holiday’s connection with the Paladin and the way that Brooks always makes the characters’ internal journeys as important as their external ones. This series is fun and light-hearted, but it’s one of my all-time favourites.

3. Daggerspell – Katharine Kerr

This series emphasises my interest in reincarnation and the ideas of resurrection and rebirth. The Deverry Cycle is a series of Celtic fantasy novels in which the story moves back and forth in time, exploring the various incarnations of characters and how one impinges on the other. It features many of the traditional elements of epic fantasy such as elves and dwarves. I haven’t read it for a long time, but it definitely had an impact on my love of epic fantasy.