Tag: Gay High Fantasy

The Solstice Prince by S.J. Himes

Title: The Solstice Prince

Series: Realms of Love 01

Author: S.J. Himes

Genre: Fantasy

Length: Novella (173 pages)

Publisher: SJ Himes (November 24, 2017)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Blurb: .The Solstice Prince is Book #1 in a brand new epic fantasy romance series, Realms of Love, by bestselling author SJ Himes.

Rescued from slavers, healer novice Jaime Buchanan finds himself alone and free in Pyrderi, a kingdom of magic, mythical creatures, and a culture as open and kind as his homeland was cruel and close-minded.

Despite his rescue, Jaime is not left without scars, both mental and physical. Traumatized by his experience and hiding his gift, Jaime struggles to earn his place in the kitchens of Angharad Palace, the heart of Taliesin City. His former life as a student of the healing arts leaves him at a disadvantage in the kitchens, and his damaged state is becoming more apparent by the day.

One day, when necessity and fate intervene, Jaime meets someone unexpected—Prince Maxim, youngest son of the Pyrderian king, a sword master and a devastatingly kind man. Unaccustomed to powerful people with compassion and heart, Jaime flees. A cascade of events reveals Jaime’s hidden talents of healing, and he finds himself not in chains, but at the beginning of a new life.

This swift change of fortune opens Jaime up to new possibilities, including a smitten prince who cautiously courts Jaime, easing him away from his fears and reminding him that compassion and love can make him strong. The winter solstice is quickly approaching, and Prince Maxim shows Jaime the enjoyment and excitement to be found in a land that embraces the ice and cold, and the mysteries of all things magical. He learns to see the man under the royal mantle, and Maxim is more than even Jaime suspected.

The winter solstice is nigh when tragedy strikes, and Jaime learns that his past of grief and sorrow can be a pillar of strength for his solstice prince. If there is one thing that Jaime believes above all else, it is in the healing power of love.

ISBN: B077JCMB8M

Product Link: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Shorty & Pixie

Shorty’s Review: I assume this is set up for the rest of the story as not a lot happens in this story. I loved this authors series Wolfkin Saga. This story is not like that one as it’s mostly about Jamie and Maxim getting to know one another and Jamie coming into his own so no action, battles, etc. Never the less it’s a sweet story.

I love how patient Maxim was with Jamie. Jamie for his part was a strong character who learned what he was meant to learn in a timely fashion. I’m awaiting the next book to see what else happens in the series.

Great read.

Pixie: I really enjoyed this story, and I have to agree with Shorty that this book is nothing like S.J. Himes Wolfkin Saga or her The Beacon Hill Sorcerer series. While both those series are filled with danger and thrills The Solstice Prince is a gentle sweet story. 

It’s still filled with amazing details with brilliant characters but it’s more of innocence and discovering ones own worth, with a gentle love story that has just a touch of grief. 

This really is a highly enjoyable story that I would recommend to those seeking a gentle love story in high fantasy setting with wonderful characters.

In Blood and Pain by Aldrea Alien Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Aldrea Alien - In Blood and Pain Blurb

Hi guys! We have Aldrea Alien visiting today with the tour to her newest Spellster novel In Pain and Blood, we have a great excerpt and an awesome giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~ p.s. keep an eye out for my review later <3 <3 

In Pain and Blood

(A Spellster Novel)
by

Aldrea Alien

It wasn’t meant to be like this.

Dylan’s life in the spellster tower has everything he should want: magical knowledge, safety from the King’s Hounds and frequent clandestine affairs with women. All at the cost of his freedom. So when the chance to leave the tower—even as a leashed weapon for the King’s Army—arises, he seizes it.

When his first scouting mission goes awry, Dylan is left alone in a hostile world with the tower a distant beacon of safety. Only the flirtatious Tracker, an elven man whose very presence awakens Dylan’s long-repressed desire, can help him return to his old life before the crown discovers his unleashed status.

But the risk of being branded a deserter may be the least of his concerns as whispers of an armed presence in the North threatens his home. Dylan must rely on Tracker to protect him even as everything he thought he knew begins to unravel around them.

Continue reading “In Blood and Pain by Aldrea Alien Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway!” →

The Solstice Prince by S.J. Himes Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway!

S.J. Himes - Solstice Prince Tour Banner

Hi peeps, we have S.J. Himes visiting today with the tour for her new release The Solstice Prince, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway where four lucky readers can win their own copy of The Solstice Prince. So guys, check out the post and enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~

The Solstice Prince

(Realms of Love 01)
by

S.J. Himes

Rescued from slavers, healer novice Jaime Buchanan finds himself alone and free in Pyrderi, a kingdom of magic, mythical creatures, and a culture as open and kind as his homeland was cruel and close-minded.

Despite his rescue, Jaime is not left without scars, both mental and physical. Traumatized by his experience and hiding his gift, Jaime struggles to earn his place in the kitchens of Angharad Palace, the heart of Taliesin City. His former life as a student of the healing arts leaves him at a disadvantage in the kitchens, and his damaged state is becoming more apparent by the day.

One day, when necessity and fate intervene, Jaime meets someone unexpected—Prince Maxim, youngest son of the Pyrderian king, a sword master and a devastatingly kind man. Unaccustomed to powerful people with compassion and heart, Jaime flees. A cascade of events reveals Jaime’s hidden talents of healing, and he finds himself not in chains, but at the beginning of a new life.

This swift change of fortune opens Jaime up to new possibilities, including a smitten prince who cautiously courts Jaime, easing him away from his fears and reminding him that compassion and love can make him strong. The winter solstice is quickly approaching, and Prince Maxim shows Jaime the enjoyment and excitement to be found in a land that embraces the ice and cold, and the mysteries of all things magical. He learns to see the man under the royal mantle, and Maxim is more than even Jaime suspected.

The winter solstice is nigh when tragedy strikes, and Jaime learns that his past of grief and sorrow can be a pillar of strength for his solstice prince. If there is one thing that Jaime believes above all else, it is in the healing power of love.

Continue reading “The Solstice Prince by S.J. Himes Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway!” →

Recovery by Amy Rea Durreson

Amy Rae Durreson - Recovery CoverTitle: Recovery

Series: Reawakening 03

Author: Amy Rae Durreson

Genre: Fantasy

Length: Novel (370 pages)

Publisher: DSP Publications (May 9, 2017)

Heat Level: Low – Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Blurb: Resistance, exile, plague. Raif has survived them all, but now he finds himself in search of a new purpose. Traveling north to wake the dragon Arden, he hopes he has finally found a leader worthy of his loyalty, but Arden turns out to be more of a frivolous annoyance than an almighty spirit lord. Now bound to Arden’s side despite his frustration, Raif follows the dragon to the rich and influential lagoon city of Aliann, chasing rumors of the Shadow that once cursed his homeland.

With the election of a new duke at stake, Raif struggles to make sense of the challenges he meets in Aliann: a conspiracy of nixies and pirates, selkie refugees in desperate need of a champion, a monster that devours souls, a flirtatious pirate prince, and a machine that could change the world. For nothing in the city of masks is what it seems, from the new friends Raif makes to the dragon he follows—or even himself.

ISBN-13: 978-1-63533-356-5

Product Link: https://www.dsppublications.com/books/recovery-by-amy-rae-durreson-375-b

Reviewer: Shorty 

Review: This is my favorite book in the series. I will have to re-read the entire series at some point to see if my opinion on the other two books has changed since I read them. Raif’s duty is to give his heart to Arden, a fierce dragon who has a world of hurt to work through. 

The two are made for each other but the road is long and tough for them as they are also as different as night and day. Raif is serious whereas Arden is cheeky. But they both have their secrets that eventually come out as the two set out to gather Arden’s hoard.

I really enjoyed the cast of characters in this story as they added to the already interesting read. I was immersed in a world of dragons, humans, secrets, adventure and fantasy that took my breath away. 

Great read.

Resistance by Amy Rae Durreson

Amy Rae Durreson - Resistance CoverTitle: Resistance

Series: Reawakening # 2

Author: Amy Rae Durreson

Genre: High Fantasy

Length: Novel (350 pages)

Publisher: DSP Publications (December 29, 2015)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 3.75 Hearts

Blurb: Overthrowing the Shadow that ruled Tiallat was only the first step. For rebel leader Iskandir, rebuilding his shattered country is an even greater challenge. A poor harvest, religious conflict, and years of tyrannical governance combine with the challenge of getting the soldiers of the Shadow’s army home and rehousing the exiled who are flooding back into free Tiallat. 

Then people begin to get sick.

A thousand years ago, after the Shadow’s first defeat, a blight fell upon the north: a disease that killed more than the war itself. Now, as this plague returns, Iskandir must look north again to the newly awakened dragon Halsarr, a learned doctor and professor who wants no part in a new war. Even if Halsarr agrees to come to their aid, Iskandir is afraid of the truth he will expose. For the dragon Halsarr once loved a bold and reckless steppes elemental who later transformed into the lonely and powerful Dual God of Tiallat, the two-faced Lord who has been missing since the Shadow entered the country.

ISBN-13: 978-1-63476-168-0

Product Link: https://www.dsppublications.com/books/resistance-by-amy-rae-durreson-186-b

Reviewer: Shorty 

Review: I understood the downcast mood of the story given the circumstances. I even understood Iskandir’s doubt in himself at first. But, he got on my nerves with his uncertainty off and on throughout the book. 

He did not really give Halsarr a chance as far as I’m concerned. I loved Halsarr. Iskandir, not so much. I was ready to slap him quite a few times just to knock some sense into him.

However, I did enjoy the story line and how everything played out. Though it’s depressing at times it fit perfectly and added an intriguing layer. 

A good addition to the series.

Reawakening by Amy Rae Durreson

Amy Rae Durreson - Reawakening CoverTitle: Reawakening (2nd edition)

Series:  Reawakening 01

Author: Amy Rae Durreson

Genre: High Fantasy

Length: Novel (280 pages)

Publisher: DSP Publications (October 27, 2015)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Blurb: For a thousand years, since their defeat of the Shadow at Eyr, the dragons have slept under the mountains. Now their king, Tarnamell, has woken. Driven mad by loneliness, he hurls himself south until he finds and tries to claim the Alagard Desert. Unfortunately, the desert already has a guardian spirit, and he doesn’t want to share. Amused by the cocky little desert spirit, Tarn retreats, planning to return in human form. 

When his caravan enters the desert, however, Alagard is missing. Rumors fly of a dark power, and soon Tarn’s caravan encounters the living dead and an amnesiac mage called Gard.

Forced to take refuge in the Court of Shells, a legendary fortress in the heart of the desert, Tarn, Gard, and their allies decide to seek out the Shadow before it destroys the desert. But to confront the Shadow, Tarn needs to gather his strength. A dragon’s power depends on the love and loyalty of his human hoard, but Tarn’s original hoard has been dead for centuries. Before he can face his most ancient enemy, he must win the trust of new followers and the heart of a cynical desert spirit.

First Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, 2014.

ISBN-13: 978-1-63476-166-6

Product Link: https://www.dsppublications.com/books/reawakening-by-amy-rae-durreson-163-b

Reviewer: Shorty 

Review: I have mixed feelings on this story. Hence the lower rating than I would have usually given this type of story. Tarn has awoken from a very long sleep and so sets out to find a new horde. A horde of people? Umm could you not have said people loyal to him? They are not treasures they are living beings. 

I understood Alagard’s antic’s in his spirit form but not in his form. He absolutely got on my nerves then. The story line slows on and off throughout and it drove me crazy as i was like can we speed things up please I don’t have all day.

Other than those things I really enjoyed this story. It was well written with adventure and mystery. Not to mention the evil guy that most paranormal stories have in them. I was captivated by the descriptions of the places where Tarn travelled on his mission. 

Great read.

Summerwode by J. Tullos Hennig Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway!

J Tullos - Summerwode Banner

Hi peeps, we have J Tullos Hennig popping in today with her upcoming release Summerwode, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~

J. Tullos Hennig - Summerwode Cover

Summerwode

(Wode 04)
by

J. Tullos Hennig

The Summer King has come to the Wode…

Yet to which oath, head or heart, shall he hold?

Once known as the Templar assassin Guy de Gisbourne, dispossessed noble Gamelyn Boundys has come to Sherwood Forest with conflicted oaths. One is of duty: demanding he tame the forest’s druidic secrets and bring them back to his Templar Masters. The other oath is of heat and heart: given to the outlaw Robyn Hood, avatar of the Horned Lord, and the Maiden Marion, embodiment of the Lady Huntress. The three of them—Summerlord, Winter King, and Maiden of the Spring—are bound by yet another promise, that of fate: to wield the covenant of the Shire Wode and the power of the Ceugant, the magical trine of all worlds. In this last, also, is Gamelyn conflicted; spectres of sacrifice and death haunt him.

Uneasy oaths begin a collision course when not only Gamelyn, but Robyn and Marion are summoned to the siege of Nottingham by the Queen. Her promise is that Gamelyn will regain his noble family’s honour of Tickhill, and the outlaws of the Shire Wode will have a royal pardon.

But King Richard has returned to England, and the price of his mercy might well be more than any of them can afford…

Release date: 16th May 2017
Pre-order: DSP Publications | Kobo | B&N | Amazon

Continue reading “Summerwode by J. Tullos Hennig Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway!” →

Recovery by Amy Rae Durreson Guest Post & Excerpt!

Amy Rae Durreson - Recovery Banner

Hiya guys! We have Amy Rae Durreson visiting today with her upcoming release Recovery, we have a fantastic guest post from Amy where she tells us how the Reawakening series came about and she shares a brilliant excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~

Amy Rae Durreson - Recovery Cover

Recovery

(Reawakening 03)
by

Amy Rae Durreson

Resistance, exile, plague. Raif has survived them all, but now he finds himself in search of a new purpose. Traveling north to wake the dragon Arden, he hopes he has finally found a leader worthy of his loyalty, but Arden turns out to be more of a frivolous annoyance than an almighty spirit lord. Now bound to Arden’s side despite his frustration, Raif follows the dragon to the rich and influential lagoon city of Aliann, chasing rumors of the Shadow that once cursed his homeland.

With the election of a new duke at stake, Raif struggles to make sense of the challenges he meets in Aliann: a conspiracy of nixies and pirates, selkie refugees in desperate need of a champion, a monster that devours souls, a flirtatious pirate prince, and a machine that could change the world. For nothing in the city of masks is what it seems, from the new friends Raif makes to the dragon he follows—or even himself.

Release date: 9th May 2017

Continue reading “Recovery by Amy Rae Durreson Guest Post & Excerpt!” →

The Ice Dragon Tales by Hurri Cosmo Blog Tour, Excerpt, Review & Giveaway!

Hurri Cosmo - Ice Dragon Tales Banner

Hiya guys, we have Hurri Cosmo popping in today with the blog tour for her new re-releases The Servant Prince, The Servant King and The Servant Crown, we have great excerpts from each book, a brilliant giveaway and my review of The Servant Prince so check out eh post and click that giveaway link! <3 ~Pixie~

Hurri Cosmo - The Servant Prince Cover

The Servant Prince

(Ice Dragon Tales 01)
by

Hurri Cosmo

Prince Joron of Blade Rain was kissed by a man he had no idea was King Aric of Claymoor Doom. Of course King Aric had no idea the one he kissed was even a man since Joron was dressed as a woman.

Disguised to escape the newly crowned king of Blade Rain who just happens to be Joron’s brother, Joron is swept off his feet by Aric when he is rescued by him from an assault. Aric is also swept off his feet by the beauty of the “woman” and that one amazing kiss. Aric, who is led to believe the beautiful woman he kissed is actually the princess, immediately goes to the king of Blade Rain and offers for the princess’s hand in marriage and his offer is accepted.

Unfortunately, King Aric is now betrothed to Liarta, Joron’s sister. But an emergency has King Aric racing home without finding out the mistake he has made and now Joron must ride to Claymoor Doom to renegotiate the offer since Liarta is in love with someone else and does not want to marry King Aric. 

Imagine Aric’s surprise when he discovers the Prince is the one he thought was the Princess! So Aric does the only thing he can think of. He will release Liarta from her obligation of marriage, but only if Joron takes her place… in the marriage bed. 

Amazon | Smashwords | B&N |  Kobo

Hurri Cosmo - The Servant King Cover

The Servant King

(Ice Dragon Tales 02)

Things are going well for King Aric. He had Joron safely hidden away. Diagus, although a continuing threat to Joron, had left his castle empty handed, and the Cetin Gang was headed for his dungeons. He should be thrilled but – something was not right. He could feel it. 

Sure enough, when he returns to Claymoor castle, he finds Joron has been kidnapped and he must ride immediately to rescue him. And knowing the culprit, it was not going to be an easy task. However, Aric has a trump card; a letter from a dead king. Seemingly nonsensical at first, it now points a finger directly at a murderer and Aric is convinced Joron is next. Somehow he has to find him and get Joron back into his protective arms before it’s too late. 

Unfortunately, there are other huge pitfalls just waiting in the shadows. It turns out Joron is the true king of Blade Rain and Aric’s long dead wife miraculously returns to claim Aric as her own. Between all the lies, murders, and life altering revelations, is there hope for these two at all? 

Amazon | Smashwords | B&N |  Kobo

Hurri Cosmo - The Servant Crown Cover

The Servant crown

(Ice Dragon Tales 03)

King Diagus of Blade Rain is in a bind. He is duty bound to produce a royal heir and the only way he knows that can happen is if he beds a woman. Definitely not his idea of Happily Ever After. In fact, far from it. Except instead of walking down the aisle with the princess he has arranged to marry, Diagus is off in the wilds of Claymoor Doom. But there’s a good reason. Rumor had it there was someone near Gray Valley with Diagus’s stark blue eyes. A possible relative and therefore an heir? Was there a chance he might not have to marry a woman, after all?  Regrettably, Diagus finds no one matching the rumor’s description. What he does find is a heinous, black magic plot for murder and Diagus is the next on the list.

Tama’s pregnant sister claimed to be carrying the child of a king. Not just any king. The mighty king of Blade Rain. She was determined to get out of the very poor house of Hilman and into the lap of luxury. But fate had its own agenda. Sadly, Tama must raise his nephew all by himself after his sister unexpectedly dies in childbirth. It’s not a problem, though. He loves Aydin as he loved his sister – with all his heart.

However, Tama’s lazy and abusive father, Beourn, is angry and extremely disappointed. Being the grandfather of a crown prince, he was looking forward to moving to the castle and living a life of extravagance. With his daughter’s death, that was no longer possible. So, he does the unthinkable. He kidnaps Aydin with the intent of selling him to the rich and powerful king. Tama is stunned he would do such a thing and chases after Beourn to rescue Aydin.

But he doesn’t get far before he is confronted with a beautiful man being viciously attacked. Of course Tama has to help. If he doesn’t the man will surely die. Except Tama quickly learns the man is far more than just someone in trouble. In fact, the man is a king and will change Tama’s life. Forever.

Continue reading “The Ice Dragon Tales by Hurri Cosmo Blog Tour, Excerpt, Review & Giveaway!” →