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The Sentinel’s Alliance by Suzanne Rogerson

As the island of Kalaya and its people recover from civil war, a new threat surfaces. Invaders from the island of Elkena hunt the seas, butchering those who possess magic. Their scar-faced captain seeks the Fire Mage who it has been foretold will kill him and Tei and her people are in his warpath.

Tei and a band of Kalayans travel to Stone Haven, the home of their new allies, planning to restore magic to the dead island. But the Stone Haven Council have abhorred magic since their people were massacred by Elkenan invaders twenty years before. Commander Farrell must persuade his people to accept magic again, but his plans expose them to their biggest fear and he risks leading Tei and her people into danger, and jeopardising the safety of both their islands.

Under Farrell’s guidance treaties are forged, but is the newly formed Silent Sea Alliance enough to defeat the invaders and stop their bloodthirsty quest to destroy magic forever?

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To celebrate publication day, all three books of the Silent Sea Chronicles series are $.99 today!

The Lost Sentinel #1 Silent Sea Chronicles

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The Sentinel’s Reign #2 Silent Sea Chronicles

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About the Author

Suzanne lives in Middlesex, England with her hugely encouraging husband and two children.

She wrote her first novel at the age of twelve. She discovered the fantasy genre in her late teens and has never looked back. Giving up work to raise a family gave her the impetus to take her attempts at novel writing beyond the first draft, and she is lucky enough to have a husband who supports her dream – even if he does occasionally hint that she might think about getting a proper job one day.

Suzanne loves gardening and has a Hebe (shrub) fetish. She enjoys cooking with ingredients from the garden, and regularly feeds unsuspecting guests vegetable-based cakes.

She collects books, loves going for walks and picnics with the children and sharing with them her love of nature and photography.

Suzanne is interested in history and enjoys wandering around castles. But most of all she likes to escape with a great film, or soak in a hot bubble bath with an ice cream and a book.

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My Review

5 stars

We have come a long way since first meeting Tei and learned of the island of Kalaya. The civil war is over and the people of Kalaya are picking up the pieces. But the magic users are still not safe. There are those that are still hunting down the magic users and killing them to keep a Fire Mage from killing the leader of the Elkena invaders.

To try and save themselves, Tei and some magic users travel to Stone Haven to try and heal the land with magic. But if they thought their battle at home was difficult the Stone Haven Counsel has even more hatred for the magic users.

This is a great conclusion to the series. We have come so far from Tei and her father running for safety. We have lost those we come to care about and meet others that hold a special place in the story. With war things are never easy and everyone has a huge fight if they plan on having peace and rebuilding this world.

I have really enjoyed this series and strongly recommend it to those that enjoy fantasy stories. There is a little bit of everything in these books. I can’t wait to read more from Suzanne Rogerson.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to thank Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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Storytellers by Bjorn Larssen

In March 1920 Icelandic days are short and cold, but the nights are long. For most, on those nights, funny, sad, and dramatic stories are told around the fire. But there is nothing dramatic about Gunnar, a hermit blacksmith who barely manages to make ends meet. He knows nobody will remember him – they already don’t. All he wants is peace, the company of his animals, and a steady supply of his medication. Sometimes he wonders what it would feel like to have a story of his own. He’s about to find out.

Sigurd – a man with a plan, a broken ankle, and shocking amounts of money – won’t talk about himself, but is happy to tell a story that just might get Gunnar killed. The blacksmith’s other “friends” are just as eager to write him into stories of their own – from Brynhildur who wants to fix Gunnar, then marry him, his doctor who is on the precipice of calling for an intervention, The Conservative Women of Iceland who want to rehabilitate Gunnar’s “heathen ways” – even the wretched elf has plans for the blacksmith.

As his defenses begin to crumble, Gunnar decides that perhaps his life is due for a change – on his own terms. But can he avoid the endings others have in mind for him, and forge his own?

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About the Author

Bjørn Larssen was made in Poland. He is mostly located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, except for his heart which he lost in Iceland. Born in 1977, he self-published his first graphic novel at the age of seven in a limited edition of one. Since then his short stories and essays were published in Rita Baum Art Magazine, Writer Unboxed, Inaczej Magazine), Edurada.pl, Homiki.pl, and Holandia Expat Magazine. He is a member of Alliance of Independent Authors and Writer Unboxed.

Bjørn has a Master of Science degree in mathematics, worked as a graphic designer, a model, and a blacksmith. He used to speak eight languages (currently down to two and a half). His hobbies include sitting by open fires, dressing like an extra from Vikings, installing operating systems, and dreaming about living in a log cabin in the north of Iceland, even though he hates being cold. He has only met an elf once. So far.

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My Review

4 Stars

Gunnar is a drunken, depressed blacksmith in 1920’s Iceland. Then one night a man comes to his house with a broken ankle, Sigurd. Gunnar reluctantly lets him stay. Sigurd doesn’t really say much about himself but every night when Gunnar comes home Sigurd weaves this captivating tale that has Gunner hurrying home.

Out in the village of Klettafjordur, Gunnar’s neighbors have their own secrets and plans for him. Brynhildur wants to marry him but this is more than simple infatuation. Then there is the Conservative Women of Iceland that want to stop his heathen ways.

This was an interesting story. Although Gunner is a grumpy old jerk the more you are around him you kind of understand why. This is a brutally honest look at depression with everything Gunner feels and I hoped that he would find that one thing that would help him.

Sigurd is suspicious from the beginning but I think that is just me, I always think there is something going on with the strangers. I loved the ending with how everything came together yet left you wondering about other things.

This is a great read and first book from author Bjorn Larssen. I love all the details that went into this story. It’s definitely worth checking out. I can’t wait to see where Bjorn Larssen goes with his next book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

Giveaway to Win 5 x copies of “Iceland: Making Memories” (INT)

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I would like to thank Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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