BOOK REVIEW:Umbrae (The P.A.W.S. Saga Volume 3) By Debbie Manber Kupfer

Miri’s world at P.A.W.S. in St. Louis is falling apart. First, Danny is accused of stealing her opapa’s charm. But before he can defend himself, he mysteriously disappears. Miri seeks Josh for help and advice, but he too has gone missing.

Then Lilith has a vision – Miri dragged away by wolves. Miri needs answers, answers that she feels sure are hidden in the blank pages of the book of Argentum.

With the help of Lilith, she travels to the ancient city of Safed. There, with the aid of a mystical rabbi and an outspoken werecat, her omama’s story is slowly revealed. And Miri uncovers something else, a world hidden deep beneath our own – the labyrinth of shadows also known as Umbrae.

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JOIN THE TOUR!!! UMBRAE is going on tour all March long! Click on UMBRAE  for the schedule of all the awesome stops along the way. They'll be interviews, character meet and greets, snippets and more! Also join the event on FACEBOOK with games, prizes and more!

                                                                 

REVIEW

Debbie Manber Kupfer brings the magic back to reading in her latest installment in the P.A.W.S. saga, UMBRAE.  

WONDERFUL! CAPTIVATING! BRILLIANT! Are the few words I have to say about UMBRAE.

 I have never found a book so well written and engrossing in a while. As the title suggests Kupfer leads us deeper into her shadowy world of shapeshifters, Animal changing magic charms, werecats, and more in her third book to her hit teen/young adult book series The P.A.W.S. Saga.

  Having read the first book (P.A.W.S.) and picking up in on the third book was not that hard to do. I found falling back into Kupfer’s world like falling back into an old lover’s arms. Kupfer writing is comfortable vivid and alive changing character personalities with ease. There are writers in this world and then there are storytellers that lock you into their magical web for hours. Kupfer is one of those storytellers. You will soon forget you are reading and become lost in UMBRAE.

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Get your paws on the other P.A.W.S. saga books.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debbie Manber Kupfer grew up in London and lived in Israel, before somehow ended up in St. Louis, where she works as a puzzle constructor and writer. She lives with her husband, two children, and a very opinionated feline. She is the author of the P.A.W.S. Saga and has short stories in several anthologies including Fauxpocalypse, Shades of Fear, Sins of the Past, and Stardust, Always. She also created the puzzle book, Paws 4 Logic together with her son, Joey. She believes that with enough tea and dark chocolate you can achieve anything!

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Anaerfell (Book 1 of The Blood of Dragons) by Joshua Robertson and J.C. Boyd

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Today's Book Spotlight is ANAERFELL Book 1 of The Blood Dagons by Joshua Robertson and J.C. Boyd. Let's take a peek into ANAERFELL.

Drast, cunning but reckless, is on the hunt for admiration. Tyran, calculating but tactless, is in search of affection. Bound by a friendship thicker than blood, the two brothers have been hardened by their father’s ambitions. Drast and Tyran are forced to set aside their own hopes and dreams during their struggle to fulfill their father’s desire for immortality. Now, the two will face skin-switchers and dragons, ultimately leading to a final clash with Wolos, God of the Dead.

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EXCERPT

The room still whirled from last night. He tried to close his eyes to keep his stomach from doing the same, but closing his eyes actually made it worse. Drast was somewhat surprised that the drink was still affecting him like this. He had been having more than his fill for—he did not know how long. How long ago did Tyran leave? His mind was too foggy to remember. And Walstan was gone, too.

Vaguely, Drast saw that the sky was just turning blue with the rising sun. At least, he was fairly certain it was sunrise. None of the hues of sunset had begun to color the sky.

“Ser Drast?”

He turned his head to the entrance into his chambers and pulled himself more upright to lean against the nightstand beside his bed. One of the serving women stood just inside of his room. “What?”

“The Arkhon wishes to speak with you.”

He was not certain what string of curses came from his lips, but the maid blanched and her face grew pink, almost to the color of her hair. The room swirled again while she spoke.

“What?” he asked again.

“I said, Ser Drast, the Arkhon instructed me to remain with you until you came to meet with him.” Her voice quivered.

She was right to fear him. Her voice was fuzzy, just like everything. But, he knew he had not been particularly kind to any of the servants of late. He had managed to avoid his father by effectively frightening the servants. Their fear, combined with late nights, ale, and sleeping until the sun set, had allowed him to avoid talking with anyone who did not enjoy a mug or two.

A few of the servants had initially joined him in drinking. He loosely recalled this maid among them. Ura? Mura? Lura?

“Kura,” he finally muttered. He had been a little too handsy and she had since avoided him like—he could not clearly comprise a simile. Like. Like? Like the moon avoided the sun? Good enough.

“Yes, Kura,” she murmured.

Drast spat at the chamber pot. He was fairly certain he missed. “Well, come on in, Kura.” He belched. “I know how we can pass the time.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Joshua Robertson was born in Kingman, Kansas on May 23, 1984. A graduate of Norwich High School, Robertson attended Wichita State University where he received his Masters in Social Work with minors in Psychology and Sociology. His bestselling novel, Melkorka, the first in The Kaelandur Series, was released in 2015. Known most for his Thrice Nine Legends Saga, Robertson enjoys an ever-expanding and extremely loyal following of readers. He counts R.A. Salvatore and J.R.R. Tolkien among his literary influences.

www.robertsonwrites.com/
@robertsonwrites

J.C. lives in the Midwest with his wife and two dogs. He recently earned his MA in English Literature and is working on his debut novel for his own fantasy world. Despite growing up with Dungeons & Dragons, Lord of the Rings, and a collection of both Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms novels, J.C. has an abiding love of classics and spends his free time reading anything he can get his hands on.

www.crimsonedgepress.com

@jcboyd_author

BOOK REVIEW: Golden Skye of Ansgar: A Windflower Saga Middle-Grade Novel by Aleksandra Layland

In a time not now and in a world not of our own…

A beautiful golden mare was sent to the Queen as a gift. She made many new friends in the stable of the Royal Palace. Everyone liked her. She was gentle yet brave, calm yet strong, happy yet ready to work hard. Whenever her friends needed help, they knew they could count on her.

Named “Golden Skye of Aikenstone” at birth, she proudly became one of the Queen’s favorite warhorses; and was later known to the people of Kimbria as “Golden Skye of Ansgar." This is a book for middle-grade readers and up, based on an animal character in the book "Of Wisdom and Valor: The Art of War. The Path of Peace." (Part II of the Windflower Saga) She is joined by new characters in the form of three parrots, a dog, and a cat, as well as several children and adults.

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REVIEW

In Golden Skye of Ansgar(A Windflower Saga Middle-Grade Novel), we meet a special color coated horse named Golden Skye as she embarks on her destiny that was set in place for her so long ago.

Sadly, Golden Skye of Ansgar is a fair book. While written for middle-grade school age readers this book is spun off from in the more adult-oriented Windflower Saga novels and novellas leaving the reader feeling empty to the story and to who these characters are that are set before them. You really of had to read the previous books to capture any emotion from this book. This maybe could be due to the monotone voice Layland chose to use this time. This hurts to say as a fan of Layland’s previous books.  This one sadly kind of flatlined. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aleksandra Layland is a retired civil engineer and a federal civil servant who worked primarily for the United States Air Force as a senior installation engineering manager responsible for buildings, airfields, infrastructure, fire protection, and emergency preparedness. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Western Caroline Islands where she helped build school classrooms and cafeterias, low-income housing, and simple village water distribution systems. Her other interests include arts and crafts, family genealogy, religion, and spirituality, fostering peace in the world, and enjoying retirement with family and friends.

BOOK REVIEW: Keri and Kalina a Windflower Saga Chapter Book By Aleksandra Layland

Ten-year-old Keri and Seven-year-old Kalina are second cousins. They share a great sadness. Keri lost her parents when she was only two years old. Kalina lost her mother only a year ago when she was six. She still has her father, but he often works far away.

After her mother’s death, Kalina joined Keri at her boarding school. The two became the best of friends and now do everything together. Suddenly Kalina must decide if that will change.

        

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REVIEW

If your daughter loves the American Girl books, then Keri and Kalina is right up their alley. Think American Girl meets fantasy, or maybe Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants the junior version. In Keri and Kalina their friendship is full of sisterhood and family in a fantasy land of dukes and royals and cultural tradition. The only downside is the introduction the author Layland gives explaining how Keri and Kalina are cousins. I as an adult was kind of confused at the math of it all, and I think I took it to inappropriate place (If Keri and Kalina’s Grandparents are brother and sister that makes them second cousins? How? Isn’t that incestuous?) How younger readers will compute it I am not sure. Moving past that the book is warm and charming. Layland captures young girl youth with innocence and whim telling the tale of these two girls with the power of friendship and family.

For Windflower Saga follower’s Keri and Kalina adds to the saga as we learn a bit more about Keridewin and her experience and time at Whitehaven where in the book “Of Wisdom and Valor” we meet Keridewin at for the first time.

                                                    AVAILABLE ON AMAZON NOW!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aleksandra Layland is a retired civil engineer and a federal civil servant who worked primarily for the United States Air Force as a senior installation engineering manager responsible for buildings, airfields, infrastructure, fire protection, and emergency preparedness. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Western Caroline Islands where she helped build school classrooms and cafeterias, low-income housing, and simple village water distribution systems. Her other interests include arts and crafts, family genealogy, religion, and spirituality, fostering peace in the world, and enjoying retirement with family and friends.

BOOK REVIEW: Bright Star A Pony of The Kimbrii (A Windflower Saga Story for Kids) By Aleksandra Layland

Bright Star becomes the best friend of a seven-year-old girl named Keho. As a young pony, he leaves the high meadows to live with her in her village. He later returns to the meadows to become a herd stallion, like his father, protecting the mares and foals from danger. This is a story of courage and friendship, as a young colt matures into a brave and courageous stallion.

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REVIEW

Bright Star A Pony of The Kimbrii is a part of the Windflower Saga so being a follower of the series I decided to take a read. The book is charming and Layland's voice transform sweetly for young readers. Children who love ponies will definitely love this tale of Bright Star. Layland talks from the pony's perspective educating and entertaining the young reader's imagination that this book is aimed for. Layland does not discount her Windflower Saga fans, though. Bright Star expands on the Windflower universe answering some lingering questions bringing the whole series full circle. 

                                                          AVAIBLE ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aleksandra Layland is a retired civil engineer and a federal civil servant who worked primarily for the United States Air Force as a senior installation engineering manager responsible for buildings, airfields, infrastructure, fire protection, and emergency preparedness. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Western Caroline Islands where she helped build school classrooms and cafeterias, low-income housing, and simple village water distribution systems. Her other interests include arts and crafts, family genealogy, religion, and spirituality, fostering peace in the world, and enjoying retirement with family and friends.