Tag Archives: modern fantasy

Deadly Deception (The Gift Legacy Book 5) by J.P. McLean Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A missing child starts a deadly path of lies and deception as the secretive group known as the Fliers faces suspicion for the crime, and a new enemy emerges amidst a shocking conspiracy brewing within the shadows in author J.P. McLean’s “Deadly Deception”, the fifth book in The Gift Legacy series.

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The Synopsis

A daring abduction. A sinister plot. A family on the edge of ruin.

A newborn is missing, and security camera footage implicates a kidnapper who shares Emelynn Taylor’s gift of flight. With the baby’s life in danger, Emelynn races against the clock to find the child. But lies litter her path and deception blocks her at every turn.

When Emelynn’s lover is the next to disappear, she suspects the kidnappings aren’t what they seem. In her desperate search, she uncovers a high-stakes conspiracy that jeopardizes the freedom of every Flier.

Emelynn and her handler must defy orders to track down this new enemy in time to stop their treacherous scheme.

And closer to home, a deeper deception threatens. Will Emelynn’s family survive the biggest lie of all? One that Emelynn has spent her whole life perfecting?

The fifth book in The Gift Legacy series, Deadly Deception is a thriller that skirts the edges of reality in a world within our own. Strap on your parachute and escape the ordinary: take flight with Emelynn Taylor.

The Review

The suspense and action of this series continue to grow with each passing book. The author did such an incredible job of crafting a powerful narrative that both entertained and captivated the reader. The narrative felt very edgy and fast-paced throughout the book, playing to the urgency and adrenaline that often comes from the crime that first begins this book. Yet as the mystery unfolds, the shocking first crime turns the narrative on its head as more secrets and lies are exposed, and the mythos of both the Fliers and the organization Emelynn has been working for growing deeper and far more complex. 

The heart of this narrative, and the series overall, have to be the character’s growth and interactions with one another. The heartbreaking betrayals and shocking turns that some of these characters go through in this read, as well as the emotional turmoil that they endure, added a very human and inviting hook to the very urban fantasy thriller setting that this narrative has. The moments of love intermixed with that same love nearly shattering all played well with the more action-fueled and thoughtful developments in this series.

The Verdict

Harrowing, twisted, and engaging as a whole, author J.P. McLean’s “Deadly Deception” is a must-read novel. The modern-day fantasy and the world of these powerful forces blend seamlessly with the shadowy organization and edge-of-your-seat, heart-pounding action that ensues as this case opens up to avenues never before thought of. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

JP (Jo-Anne) McLean writes contemporary fantasy thrillers with a provocative edge. She is best known for The Gift Legacy series. The first book of the series received Honorable Mention at the WhistlerIndependent Book Awards. Reviewers call the series addictive, smart and fun.

Her books include endorsements from Ethel Wilson fiction prize winner, Jennifer Manuel, and Globe and Mail bestselling author,Elinor Florence, among others. The series has been described as fantasy light and is a good introduction to the genre for the uninitiated.

Jo-Anne neglects the gardens and housework to write full time from her home on Denman Island, off of Canada’s west coast. She writes best when she’s within sight and sound of water, even if it’s just a fountain, and hopes never to stop reading, writing or imagining the impossible.

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Wind Wielder: Elements of Nordica: Book 1 by TC Marti Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A young elemental must help band together with the last descendants of an ancient tribe to stop a global world government from taking complete control in author TC Marti’s “Wind Wielder: Elements of Nordica”, the first book in the Elements of Nordica series.

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The Synopsis

Avatar: The Last Airbender and 21st Century Military Combat Collide

A secret censored throughout the modern age…

…A cataclysmic riot leaves the fate of the world hanging by a thread

There are a lot of things Wind Wielder Sion Zona wished he had taken seriously. But the following facts he neglected display his sheer ignorance.

One, an ancient tribe within his Elemental race wiped from the pages of time still exists.

Two, Sion and a band of eight other Elementals are the final descendants from that ancient tribe and hold the key to preventing the masses from falling victim to a one-world government foretold in a banned set of ancient texts.

Three, the global superpower wants nothing more than to destroy Sion and the others before they discover their importance to humanity.

So yeah, there’s no pressure in taking on a raging dictatorship.

Wind Wielder is Book I in Elementals of Nordica, an exciting speculative fantasy series featuring old-world epic fantasy tropes bent into modern-day society. If you are a fan of elemental magic, complex plots, and sword and sorcery with a sci-fi twist, Wind Wielder is a MUST READ.

The Review

This was such a unique and engaging fantasy read. The way the author implemented modern-day tech and social structures into a world of magical (or superpowered, depending on how you look at it), people outlawed by this tyrannical government as mutants were just pure fantasy at its finest. The balance the author found between action-driven narrative and intricate character developments was absolutely perfect, as the world became much more vibrant and yet the reader was able to hone into the characters and their evolution over the course of the narrative.

What was so amazing to see the author develop was a larger-than-life mythos and truly engaging world-building. The foundation of any great fantasy, the story managed to develop the revelations and hidden truths of the world’s lost tribe and the intricate corruption that this government power held onto while allowing the world in which the narrative developed to feel well-established and well lived in, making this a gripping story to engulf.

The Verdict

A masterful, mind-bending, and entertaining read, author TC Marti’s “Wind Wielder: Elementals of Nordica” is the perfect first book in this brand new fantasy series, and will mark the perfect way to begin 2022 for fantasy fans. The world-building and mythology the author develops feel fresh and rich with history and culture, while the modern-twist on this original world feels like a natural progression of the modern fantasy book experience. With a cliffhanger ending that will leave readers eager for the next installment in this series, readers will not want to miss out on this incredible story. If you haven’t yet, be sure to preorder or grab your copy of the book on January 3rd, 2022!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

TC Marti has been an avid reader/writer for over three decades. He is the author of the Elementals Universe, a shared speculative fiction universe spanning multiple series. He is also a workout fanatic, and a fan of Arizona sports teams.

Stormbreaker by Matt Sconce Review

I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young man discovers he is connected to a whole new world around him and faces untold danger in author Matt Sconce’s modern-day fantasy, “Stormbreaker”. 

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The Synopsis

Young Mackinsi Wrighton has always been a dreamer. After he accidentally uncovers a hidden world around him, he discovers he is a Stormbreaker… A warrior of light destined to face an ancient evil called, Destroyer.

Possessing supernatural powers and weapons he has no idea how to use, Mackinsi must unite the other Stormbreakers against Destroyer’s fiends before Destroyer pulls our dimension into a relic of evil called the Heartstone.

Along his quest, Mackinsi will find love, loss, and adventure as well as a secret that will shake the very foundation of reality itself.

From sword fights on the skyscrapers of New York City to the underwater grottos of prophecy, Stormbreaker will take you on an action-packed thrill ride of imagination and modern day magic and leave you breathless.

Described as a combination of The Matrix, Constantine and the Lord of the Rings, Stormbreaker is a modern fantasy brimming with originality.

The Review

From the audiobook’s first pages the author and narrator deliver a tense filled, heart-pounding scene that sets the tone for the modern day fantasy thriller. The book never lets up on the intensity of the plot as the protagonist experiences a swirl of wonder and horror as his world flips upside down. 

The story was rich with character development and world building mythology that really sucks the reader into the narrative immediately. The protagonist is relatable and gives readers a typical yet rememberable origin of the young man in the midst of trying to find himself and in the process discovers how important he is. 

The Verdict

Well written, well read and an evenly paced read, author Matt Sconce’s “Stormbreaker” is the perfect first book in what deserves to be a fantastic fantasy series. The narrator captures the emotions and character interactions perfectly in the audiobook, and the story will keep reader hanging on the narrator’s every word as the story heads towards its epic conclusion. Be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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Audiobook Blog Tour: Stormbreaker by Matt Sconce

Author: Matt Sconce

Narrator: Clinton Herigstad

Length: 9 hours 19 minutes

Publisher: Movie Heroes Studios

Released: Mar. 26, 2020

Genre: Fantasy

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