Review: Summer Queen by Amber Argyle

Author: Amber Argyle

Pub. Date: June 23, 2015

Publisher: Starling Publishing

Pages: 280

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads

A fugitive from the king she refused to marry, Nelay ventures out to save her family from the invading army only to discover the fate of her entire nation rests on her shoulders. 

But in defeat after defeat, Nelay begins to realize a bigger power is at play than that wielded by mere mortals. Only she can stand between the cinders of her once-great nation and the vengeance of a goddess.

REVIEW

When I saw this book cover, I was so enthralled by it that I felt like I have to read this book.  Then I read the description and I just thought maybe it will not be as good as I expect.  By then, I accepted to review this and so, it's on my TBR list.

When I started reading, the magic that happens with all great books happened.  The real world disappeared completely and I started feeling bad to leave the book, even to eat and sleep.  And I am not even exaggerating on this.

The story begins with Nelay, a priestess, plotting to escape the King Zatal, who wants to marry her to save his land.  But, Nelay never wanted to be the Queen of Idara.  She wants to save her family and become High Priestess once she is back.  She pays the tribesman, Rycus, to get her from Idara to her family, without getting caught.  Rycus, along with his men, travels with Nelay in the hot desert lands, where anyone could be lost and dead.   What begins as a simple plan turns into much much more than that and even Gods and fairies are at play here.  Stuck in the tangled mess of the fight she cannot win, Nelay has to choose at every turn of her life, even when it comes to losing her love, ambition and life.

I didn't know that this was the second book in the series until I completed this one.  So, I assure you that you wouldn't need to read the first book to enjoy this one.

Nelay is a girl, who is ambitious, strong-willed and high-spirited.  Although at first she is just brought out a strong protagonist, her heart and spirit is known little by little as the story proceeds.  The best thing about this book is the character development.  All the characters have depth enough for the readers to really understand their mental state.  Rycus and his men are great company to the readers during the adventure..especially the stories of Rycus.  There is nothing I can predict in this book. Whatever I thought will happen, never happened.  Why I didn't read anything from this author before this is still a mystery to me. :)

Extremely well written and fast paced, this novel is one hell of a great book, that you wouldn't want to miss for anything.

5 STARS!

About the Author: 

Amber Argyle is the number-one bestselling author of the Witch Song Series and the Fairy Queen Series. Her books have been nominated for and won awards in addition to being translated into French and Indonesian.

Amber graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in English and physical education, a husband, and a two-year old. Since then, she and her husband have added two more children, which they are actively trying to transform from crazy small people into less crazy larger people.

To learn more about Amber, visit her blog at amberargyle.blogspot.com

You can find Amber on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Pinterest. 

GIVEAWAY

3 winners will receive the eBook bundle of The Faerie Queen Series. International

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

Week One:

6/15/2015- Curling Up With A Good Book- Review

6/16/2015- The Mad Reviewer- Review

6/17/2015- Arkham Reviews- Review

6/18/2015- In Love With Handmade- Review

6/19/2015- In Libris Veritas- Review

Week Two:

6/22/2015- Mythical Books- Review

6/23/2015- Books Are Magic- Review

6/24/2015- The Bibliophile Chronicles- Review

6/25/2015- My Bookish Empire- Review

6/26/2015- bookaholics anonymous- Review

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ESLYNNE SMITH (Author of Taming the Tida)

Welcome to the tour of Taming the Tida by Eslynne Smith.  The full tour schedule can be seen at http://www.elitebookpromotions.com/book-tours/.

In 2014 the nation was in crisis. Partisan politics were the rule of the day, stifling and sabotaging meaningful change in Washington. Americans were desperate for someone—anyone—to offer them hope, to show them there was indeed a light at the end of the tunnel.

That hope came in the form of Sharmin Smith, a contestant on the breakthrough reality show Who Wants to Be President? Designed to increase voter participation and heal a deeply divided nation, Who Wants to Be President? pitted contestants against each other in speeches on America's most pressing issues, from abortion and health care to immigration and the economy.

Smith, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, caught the country's attention, delivering her unusual, groundbreaking opinions with two service dogs by her side. She gave a nation hope, and in return, Americans gave her their trust.

The first book of the Change the World trilogy, Taming the Tida gives hope to those tired of contemporary political gridlock and looks to a brighter tomorrow.

Buy @ Amazon | Createspace

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ESLYNNE SMITH

- GUEST POST BY ESLYNNE SMITH

It’s summertime, YAY!  Oh, wait, it’s summertime, and I have three children living at home.  We are often the cool house for children to hang out at, I don’t think it’s because we are cool, I think it’s just because our house has an elevator.  So the number of children in my home can fluctuate on any given day from 3 to 12.  That’s ok though, I’d rather have them here, than worry about them somewhere else.

Every day starts the same way regardless of what day it is or how many children are calling my house home that day. My husband leaves for work early, I wake up tired, from restless sleep that is often the result of a nightmare and I stumble my weary body to my coffee pot before I take my dogs outside for their morning wrestling match.  I do not condone dog fighting. I do not understand why anyone would want to see an animal hurt.  However, I could watch my dogs wrestle with each other for hours.

Today my son began summer band camp, it was practically impossible to sit through his hour long lesson and listen to the teacher talk about tonguing and fingering the trumpet without remembering the movie American Pie. I realized I’m not ready for any of stories that start with ‘last summer, at band camp’ when the teacher asked my son to stay behind so he could speak with him in his office. I stood outside the office door watching them both until the teacher invited me in.  He didn’t want any parents feeling uncomfortable about why a student would be seen privately in his office, I told him I was definitely that parent. Some people might consider me overprotective and paranoid, I’m completely OK with that.

The rest of my day will be spent convincing these children that they don’t need to play video games or eat chips and ice cream all afternoon.  Eventually they’ll cave in, grab an apple and we’ll go outside to shoot some hoops together, toss some yard darts and if I’m really lucky they’ll feel like pretending to help me pull weeds.  Before long I’ll realize I forgot to fix dinner and order pizza. Pizza is probably the reason all the neighbor kids hang out at my house so often.  I’m ok with that, pizza is cheap, therapy is expensive. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eslynne Smith is the Author of Taming the Tida, a fictional story about politics, religion and a Reality TV show. Eslynne was born in a naval hospital in Newport, RI just after the Navy’s 200th birthday. She has been following politics ever since her mother told her she was related to James K. Polk, the 11th President of The United States of America. She comes from a long line of military spouses and has been an enlisted spouse, a commissioned spouse and she is currently a retired spouse as her husband recently retired after 22 years of naval service.

She has held professional positions for over 20 years in the financial services industry, including the “Big 3”. She began by working in the accounting department for a computer company before she moved into auto finance and finally on to the mortgage industry. She obtained her Direct Endorsement from FHA to underwrite government loans in 2005 just before Hurricane Katrina hit. She held training and leadership roles where she did everything from write policies and procedures for default and collections to manage underwriting and repurchase teams during the recent mortgage crisis.

Eslynne was diagnosed with PTSD in the summer of 2008 from traumatic childhood events.  After years of multiple therapy techniques she accepted the advice of a trusted therapist and stepped away from her professional life to focus on her personal life. It was during this time that she embraced writing for pleasure and decided to undertake the Great American Novel. 

Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Guest Post & Giveaway: Celtic Sister by Meira Pentermann

Welcome to the tour of Celtic Sister by Meira Pentermann.  The full tour schedule can be seen at http://www.elitebookpromotions.com/book-tours/.

A man looking for his sister meets a woman running from her past. A notebook filled with cryptic clues leads them on an unexpected adventure.

Celtic Sister is a tender portrayal of a woman propelled on the journey of her life - both literally and spiritually. Told with a compelling mix of realism and humor, the sensitive issues of marital abuse and alcoholism are woven into an unsolved mystery. The result is a meaningful tale of courage and love.

Buy @ Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

On slow, snowy days in her Colorado home, Meira Pentermann enjoys cozying up on the couch with a novel. Naturally, snow is not a requirement; neither is the couch. In fact, she sees no reason not to indulge in reading three-hundred-and-sixty-five days a year. Dystopian science fiction, mysteries, and young adult titles top her Kindle list, but legal thrillers and chik-lit make an appearance now and then.

When not absorbed in writing or reading, Meira enjoys life's little moments with her family - the love and devotion of her black lab, the quiet wisdom of her artistic twenty-five-year-old, the trials and triumphs of her petite ninth grader, and the unlimited encouragement offered by her Dutch husband.

Meira strives to write stories that deliver the unexpected. She prefers down-to-earth characters that look and behave like regular folks. The prom queen and Adonis take a backseat to reclusive, soul-searching heroines and quirky, introverted gentlemen.

Amazon | Twitter

IN MY HABITAT

- GUEST POST BY MEIRA PENTERMANN

Hi, Vidya. Thank you for inviting me to In My Habitat.

We’ve been living in the same house for over ten years, so this is where all my novels began – at a tiered computer desk, covered with office supplies and knick-knacks. I am very happy when I sit here. The clutter is cozy in a way. When I look at this picture, I realize I have a small obsession with calendars. Apparently, I really need to be grounded in the date. My older daughter gave me the “Grace” daily calendar in the center. It has rotating blocks, and I change it every day. My younger daughter creates themed monthly calendars every year for Christmas. This year’s theme is photos of our dog.

My office is located in the far corner of the house, away from the kitchen and living areas. When I really want privacy, I close the door and post a “Do Not Enter” sign. I have made a variety of signs over the years ¬¬– “Stop. Writing In Progress” – with quirky photos. One time I used a skull and crossbones, which now strikes me as a smidge on the hostile side. I must have been experiencing a lot of interruptions during that period. J

This is the view from my window, although I have to stand up and cross the room to see it. We really enjoy living on the open space. I used to walk my daughter to elementary school along that path. Now we walk the dog.

Speaking of the dog, Buddy is our lab/chow mix. He is practically glued to my hip. When I swivel my chair 180 degrees away from my computer screen, this is what I see.

The love of a dog is a truly amazing thing, almost a spiritual experience. . . But if he could stay in his bed, the carpet might be a little cleaner.

Finally, I love artwork, and I have a variety in my room – from paintings made by my children to pieces by local artists. Two of my favorites:

Green Girl by a Taos, New Mexico artist named Rory Wagner. This is a numbered print. I like the Johannes Vermeer-feeling of the piece.

Firefly Beach fans will love this – the original painting by Amy Feiman created in 2007 as a potential cover for Firefly Beach. Lyrical Press released Firefly Beach with a different cover in 2009, but when I took over the rights in 2012 and self-published the second edition of Firefly Beach, I was able to use Amy’s beautiful painting.

The light in the glass is a reflection of my camera flash. . . or is it?

Thank you for letting me share some details from my writing habitat. This has been a lot of fun.

GIVEAWAY

The author is giving away ecopy of CELTIC SISTER to one winner of the Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: Second Chances by Abigail Lee Justice

Second Chances Blurb – 

Knowing that happily-ever-afters only happen in fairy tales, Sophie Spencer spends an amazing night with her Prince Charming. Being new to the lifestyle, she allows her hidden fears to take over and does the unthinkable. She screams her safe-word…and runs directly into danger. Will her moment of weakness cause her world to be torn apart again? Or will she overcome her trust issues and fully surrender to her Prince. 

Falling in love had been the furthest thing from Kyle Zellar’s mind, but when Sophie Spencer fully submits to his dominant demands, his only recourse is to claim her as his. Before he can claim her, he is forced to let her go. 

Fighting his inner demons and past issues of childhood abandonment, he knows he must sort out his own life before he can move on with his future. 

But will it be too little too late? 

Warning: This book contains adult content which may offend some readers; BDSM, spanking, punishment, wax play, piercing, bondage, and exhibitionism. 

~Author’s note. This is the second book in The Heart Series, and NOT a stand-alone. You may read them in any order you like, of course, but I would recommend you read Bound By Her Master first.

Pre-Order Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Second-Chances-Heart-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00YQR9EEG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1434465695&sr=1-1&keywords=second+chances+abigail+lee+justice

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/549954

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/second-chances/id1005746782?mt=11

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/second-chances-abigail-lee-justice/1122134891?ean=2940151968706

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25715805-second-chances

Abigail's Bio:

Abigail Lee Justice writes emotional, erotic, romantic suspense that includes a BDSM theme. She creates strong characters who seem real but are flawed in some ways; some couples Happily Ever After will be a work in process. Some characters’ problems are just too steamy to fix in one book. 

Born and raised in Baltimore City by two wonderful, supportive, loving parents, as a child Abigail made up vivid stories in her head. Until one day a friend told her instead of keeping her stories locked in her head she needed to put them on paper and that’s exactly what she did.

Abigail met her husband 29 years ago on a blind date (thanks Dan C.) while working a part time job to put herself through college. She fell madly in love with her Prince Charming and has been since the first day they met.

By day, Abigail practices medicine in a busy Cardiologist practice. By evening she switches her white coat for more relaxed comfortable clothing. She has two wonderful adult sons and a very spoiled chocolate lab. In the wee hours of the night, she writes BDSM romances. 

In her spare time when not working or writing, Abigail enjoys reading, concocting vegetarian dishes, exotic vacations, scuba diving, high adventure activities, living in the lifestyle she writes about, and doing lots and lots of research making sure her characters get it just right.

If you’d like to become part of Abigail’s street team or become a beta reader for future books, drop Abigail a message on FB @ abigailleejustice or 

Visit her website @ www.abigailleejustice.com

D.L.'s Bio:

He preferred not to have one, but that might have changed. He may also have other links I'm not aware of. I'm looping them in here. 

His links are: http://abigailleejustice.com/a-good-day/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/DL-McCleary/1623105981258502