Susan Reid Guest Post

Divinity the Gathering Book One

By Susan Reid

       There are many dimensions and realms within the Universe. We as humans exist in the mortal realm. In the spirit realm, however, an hourglass has been turned over — and the darkness within waits to take it from us. Many people have either caught glimpses, or have heard voices that echo from time to time, without an explanation. There are those that hear and see them all of the time.

They are chosen.

        The spirit realm is all around us, and there are millions of dark beings who constantly watch— and listen. They wait to hurt, destroy, kill, and ultimately enslave. But humans are resilient.

Divine warriors are the Marines of the spirit realm. They are chosen by the divine, to battle the darkness and protect the free will and lives of regular mortals from the sinister darkness.

Being chosen is a destiny, and just as we have no power to choose who we are, how we were created, and where we came from, we do have to power to choose light or dark.

       This is both the reality and dilemma that has been handed to college sophomore, Starling Roberts. She is like many others that have been chosen. Will she accept it or will she give in and surrender to the strengthening dark forces, as the end of the mortal world draws near?

       My creative flow and motivations can hit me at any moment, so I tend to keep a notebook or small recorder with me at all times. I find that most of my imagination is spurred after either seeing a great movie, or reading an awesome book in one of my favorite genres. Music is definitely a catalyst. I listen to music often when I write, because it allows me set up the story line, get a feel for the personality of my characters, and set up the make-believe places. I daydream a lot about the possibilities of aliens and things like cryptids and ghosts, all of which have never been disproven, so there is always a chance that it either exists — or is a possibility. I take those ideas and create an outline, and then do the research to add a hint of realism into the idea or fantasy theme that I’m looking to establish. I don’t write when I’m not feeling it, and sometimes that can extend to a few weeks at a time. I find that if I force myself to do it, those scenes tend to end up, chopped.

      

       A combination of observation, dreams and a vivid imagination of any and everything mysterious or questionable about the world around us has always been the perfect recipe for why I absolutely love genres such as fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and even horror. I love the idea of a bad guy with the small propensity or given some kind of motivation to do good or the right thing. Turning monsters or supernatural beings into a relatable character and losing yourself in a world that may or may not exist beyond our own is the best escape I can think of when reading or watching a movie. Love and romance are all elements that bring it all together, and even not so happy endings sometimes make a good story too. I’m a huge horror genre fan too, but I’m the biggest chicken there is, which is why I only tend to read horror books rather than watch the movies. I think when you see something visually; it tends to leave a more lasting imprint than simply reading words.

       The compulsion to write Divinity the Gathering, came from a repetitive dream that I kept having about what appeared to me, to be the end of the world. At first, it was meant to be just one book, but after I had finished creating each character, how they interacted with one another, what they were going through and ultimately striving for, I knew there was no way I could end it all in only one book.

       When I finally wrote down the details of my dream, I saw a story in it. That was when I created Starling and began writing the story around her. I wanted to know how a young girl, who has dealt with tragedy all her life and had no firm belief in religion or miracles, would handle seeing demons, escaping their pursuits and surviving their attacks — not knowing that she was destined for something far greater in her next life. After that, the dreams actually stopped. I’m a very spiritual person and I always take omens like that seriously.

       I also incorporated my own personal experiences, having seen many unexplainable things like both seeing shadows and hearing strange things myself for many years. In those dreams, I was always watching from a third person perspective, which is where the character of Starling began to develop and came about.

       The themes in the Divinity Saga books not only center around the ideas of darkness versus light, good versus evil, Morning Star’ attempt to rule the Earth, and Angels and Demons through both a Divine Warriors eyes, but through a Fallen Angels eyes as well. It is centered on the coming invasion of the darkness that waits to claim and rule Earth. There are all sorts of beings in the spirit realm and of course both Angels and Demons but it is by no means meant to be serious, heavy or dark. In fact, it has both humor and romance in it. The ultimate question of “What would you do in this situation?” Was the main theme I wanted to keep going, when setting up the plots, which is why I decided to write it in the first person voice of both of the main characters, Starling and Cam`ael, a fallen Incubus.

After a vivid recurring dream has her shaken. Starling begins dealing with the unknown and the continuing aggressive assault on her by both the shadows and demons, who are trying to kidnap her into the spirit realm.

       There is something about unique her though, she is different than all other divine warriors, which is what she is destined to become. Divine warriors are a chosen army of people chosen at birth to fight on the side of light against the darkness. Starling is a college sophomore who struggles between deciding if college is even worth it because of her recurring nightmares about the end of the world. Having to fend off the dark forces that have begun to assault her in their quest to claim her for Morning Star doesn’t help her faith much either.

 She has no idea that she has been chosen, which means to become immortal and part of the Divine Army that will go head to head with the Fallen, darkness and Morning Star when they all begin to invade Earth. Though she can see the shadows and beings from the spirit realm, as she has all her life, she is unaware of her own destiny but has always believed in things of the supernatural because she has been able to see the shadows. Cam`ael is a Fallen angel, an Incubus actually, and though he lusts for her physically, he also knows what she is destined to become, and what it will all mean. Drakael is the angel who has come to her aide. He knows the intent of Cam`ael, and vows to keep him from her.

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Rippler by Cidney Swanson

Synopsis:

Samantha Ruiz has a freak gene that makes her turn invisible, or ripple. She can't control it, and it's getting worse. Afraid of becoming a lab-rat, Sam keeps her ability secret, until fellow runner Will Baker sees her vanish into thin air. Will promises secrecy and help, and Sam begins to fall in love. 

Together, the two discover there are worse things than being a scientific curiosity. Someone's been killing people who possess Sam's gene. A mysterious man from France sends letters that offer hope for safety, but also reveal a sinister connection with Nazi experiments. 

The more time Sam spends with Will, the less she can imagine life without him. When Sam uncovers secrets from her past, she must choose between keeping Will in her life or keeping Will safe. 

Review:

I try not to review a lot of YA books, because I tend to have rather strong reactions to them, either I love them a lot or I hate them. I was really happy to find that I really did enjoy this book from beginning to end. 

To start with I would say the writing in this book is really good in terms of flow, so readers will really enjoy the experience. The book just had a really nice kind of pace to it, I never felt like I had to rush to finish it (and then of course miss out on things because I read to fast), but I also didn't feel like the book was dragging or getting boring. So it was a nice pace, especially for the YA crowd. 

Another thing I feel like i have to mention is that the dialogue is pretty good. A common problem I have found in YA books is that you have a bunch of adult writers trying to write to either appeal to a younger demographic or to actually write a younger character, and it doesn't always come off right. I have to say this was pretty good dialogue. It was enjoyable, easy to follow, and didn't feel like it was trying to hard. 

As for the characters, I enjoyed reading both Sam and Will. Sam is a smart girl, but more than that she is tough. She has been through a lot, and of course is dealing with a lot with her condition, so she is a strong girl. I also liked that Will was also a smart guy, he's definitely quick on his feet. And the two of them together are definitely cute. 

As for the down side of the book, I can say the only thing I felt was lacking from the book was that I wish there was a bit more action in it. I hope that as the series progresses there will be more action in the books, but in this one I did wish there was a bit more. That being said, if you like YA books then I think you will enjoy reading this one. 

Guest Post- Danielle DeVor

How Writing Made Me a Parent- Danielle DeVor

I’ve heard some people say that writing a book is like birthing a child. While I had no experience with birthing children, I do have a child and his name is Mathias. But, that isn’t quite true either. There’s a lot of Mathias in me.

One, I gave him my name. Truth be told, my last name should be Drvar. My grandfather changed his name after a family fall-out many years ago. He’d discovered a football player with the last name Devor and decided to go with it.

Two, Mathias has a bit of a potty mouth. While it makes sense for him to speak that way giving his time living on the streets, his voice is the voice in my head. He says the things I think a lot of the time.

Like Mathias, vampires were always on my radar. I’ve read hundreds of books about them. The one that stands out to me as a child was Prisoner of Vampires by Nancy Garden- great book if you haven’t read it.

But, there is more than an interest in vampires that links Mathias and I to the undead. My family’s original last name, Drvar, is  Serbian name. It is also the name of a town in a region currently located in Bosnia-Herzegovina.  And, we are distantly related to Vlad the Impaler- who of course was Bram Stoker’s inspiration for the evil count.

With all of this in mind, Mathias grew and formed in my head. His history, as well as vampire history, became what eventually grew into Tail of the Devil.

So, I guess you could say that in birthing a book, I did birth a child; a very willful, stubborn child who isn’t afraid of the dark and capable of both wonderful and horrible things.

Synopsis of book:

If Mathias thought being homeless sucked, being a vampire is worse. The vampires who transformed him believe he is the reincarnation of an ancient king. They expect him to quit swearing, use a napkin, and play by their weird, ancient rules. Screw that. But after the reigning queen assaults Mathias, he has visions of a past life in which he was that king. Turns out the current queen killed him then, and wants to kill him again. He’d better grow up fast, because if he doesn’t his second life may be shorter than his first.

Find me on Social Media:

Twitter: @sammyig

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/danielledevorauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/DanielleDeVor

Shadow Hunter by Kait Ballenger

Synopsis: 

Vampire hunter Damon Brock's first assignment with the Execution Underground is Rochester, New York, a city crawling with the undead. But he isn't the only hunter in town gunning for vamp blood. Tiffany Solow is fierce and ruthless when it comes to slaying the monsters that destroyed her family-and she world solo. But being alone is no longer so desirable when she meets the mysterious hunter who wants more than just her turf. As they work to massacre the local covers, the line between good and evil blurs when they are forced to decide between their lifelong beliefs…and their newfound hearts. 

Review:

First off this book is a part of an anthology so keep in mind this review is only for Shadow Hunter. Novellas are hard for me to review because they often leave me wanting to know more, but novellas are really suppose to set up the main story and then produce intrigue and this novella certainly did that. 

To start with the novella is really character driven, or rather driven by a couple. Tiffany and Damon seem to really work as a couple, in spite of all the obstacles in their path. They have pretty good chemistry together, and I did find myself pulling for the two of them to work and be together. You can't under estimate the power of a reader pulling for your leading lady and leading man. 

Of the two characters I have to say I liked Tiffany a bit more than Damon, although they are both pretty well written. I like that Tiffany had personality and stuck to what she wanted/believed. I was really relieved that I didn't feel like she was ever "lost" in Damon, to the point where she loses herself. I like that she isn't perfect, and that her past is a hard one. I think a lot of what happened in her past really makes her personality more likable to the readers, because you can't help but understand and pull for her when you are reading the novella. 

The novella ends in a cliff hanger, which normally I don't like in books, but in novellas I don't mind them. There is romance in her for the paranormal romance fans and the urban fantasy fans should be pretty happy with this as well. Overall it was a solid effort and a good read. 

  

Finding Esta by Shah Wharton

Synopsis: 

As an empath, Luna yearns for love and acceptance, for an end to her chronic isolation. Unable to touch, she settles for the lower's caress of a stranger who visits her dreams, and her only friends in the world are Shadows--spirits who reside within her fragile mind, seeking refuge from the Shadow Lands. 

Always desperate to earn parental respect, and to solve a twenty-year-old child abduction case, she travels to Cornwall to Esta's family home, situated on an abandoned cul-de-sac. Searching for clues to her tragic fate, she finds much more than she bargained for. A whole new reality is revealed, one where her accursed abnormalities are clarified, but her only friends vanish. 

More alone than ever and desperate for answers, Luna struggles to retain a sense of identity, and the light grip on reality she's been used to. Will she find Esta, and if so, will she live to tell her story? More terrifyingly, who will care enough to listen, and who will ever enough about Luna?

Review:

Finding Esta was an interesting read. I thought there were some elements that made the book unique and enjoyable and some elements that I personally thought needed a bit of work. 

Luna as a character has a rather disturbing history, and you can't help but to feel sorry for her and what she has gone through. But it is her history that makes her who she is and provides some sense to why she is the way she is and why she does the things she does. However, I do have to say Luna, while complex, is sometimes a little bit unbelievable for me, but never so much so that it detracts from the plot.

The writing in the book is pretty solid. The author is really good with descriptions and is good at setting a scene for the reader. There is a lot to be said for painting a picture with words. On the other hand there is a lot going on in the book at all times. There is not a lot of downtime for either the readers or the characters. While this is good, in that it is never boring, I could easily see how some readers might find everything hard to follow, or that the is just to much going on for it to be a truly enjoyable read from start to finish. 

The book ends in a cliff hanger, and I know that a lot of people don't like reading books with cliff hangers, so I put that out there for those of you who hate it. But for those of you who like series, the cliff-hanger will probably leave you wanting the next book in the series, and this is going to be a series, so you are in luck. Overall I think for the first book in a series it was a decent effort, and I think a lot of urban fantasy readers will enjoy the book. I hope to see the authors writing progress as the series continues. 

  

Affairs of the Dead by A.J. Locke

Synopsis: Necromancer Selene Vanream helps ghosts settle their affairs so they can move on. But when breaking the rules gets her in trouble, she’s bumped down to tracking ghosts trying to avoid the afterlife. Ghosts like Ethan Lance, who claims he was kicked out of his body when someone else jumped in. Which might be plausible—if such a thing were possible. And if Micah, Selene’s partner, didn’t pull her into an investigation of brutal murders that lead directly back to Ethan.

But when the whole mess puts Selene’s life in danger, she suddenly has very personal reasons to get Ethan’s body back. Between her uncomfortable relationship with Micah, and problems with her boss, Selene learns just how much trouble it can be when you don’t follow the rules…

Review: I was first drawn to this book because of the cover, it's a really gorgeous cover, and I thought to myself if this book is as vibrant as the cover than I want to read it. The whole ghostly affairs concept, especially as a job, is really interesting, and I think could provide a huge range of ideas within the universe for a lot of fun stories. 

My first requirement for an urban fantasy book is that the heroine is not wimpy and dependent on a male. I love that Selene is super headstrong and doesn't back down from her opinion. The writing of Selene is really great, and I really appreciate good writing, especially the dry humor in this book, it really made the main character pop. 

I really want to touch on the aspect of the world building in this book. Part of what I really liked about the book was that this was a universe where the paranormal is known and accepted, so there isn't a lot of sneaky, hide and seek type stuff between people who are paranormal and the others who don't. I think what is awesome about this is the concept of ghosts becoming a part of the economy, in urban fantasy books you see a lot of witches offering their services or vampires owning clubs, but you rarely see ghosts as a business. This fresh element really helps with keeping the novel feeling like something you haven't read before. 

The book itself is really well paced, which I love. Of course like all books there is a few moments here and there where the story does slow down, however the book keeps a good pace. The best thing about a well paced book is that feeling that you can't put the book down, and I definitely got that feeling from reading this book. 

On the downside, the issues I have with the book come from a minor displeasure with the ending (you'll have to read the book to find out what the ending is, no spoilers here!). And secondly, while I really like Selene's character, I don't always appreciate or like her choices. And while every character needs a starting point to grow from, to evolve from, I felt like she could have used a few more good points to help make her stay likable. 

Anyone looking for something new in the urban fantasy genre should definitely check this book out, it's a fun read. I would like to mention that if you are a lover of paranormal romance and are looking for something with a lot of romance in it, then this might not be your book. Either way if the synopsis sounds good to you, you should totally pick up the book and read it! 

   

CONTACT LINKS:

•                Blog: http://iqurae.blogspot.com

•                Twitter:  @maqueripe

•                Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17226279-affairs-of-the-dead

Black Wings by Christina Henry

Synopsis:
Maddy's position may come with magical abilities and an impressive wingspan, but it doesn't pay the bills. And then there are her infuriating boss, tenant woes, and a cranky, popcorn-loving gargoyle to contend with.
Things start looking up, though, when tall, dark, and handsome Gabriel Angeloscuro agrees to rent the empty apartment in Maddy's building. It's probably just a coincidence that as soon as he moves in, demons appear on the front lawn. But when an unholy monster is unleashed upon the streets of Chicago, Maddy discovers powers she never knew she possessed. Powers linked to a family legacy of tarnished halos.
Powers that place her directly between the light of Heaven and the fires of Hell...

Review:
I picked up this book for a number of reasons, one I do like books about angels, and two, the whole agent of death concept brings me back to one of my favorite shows, Dead Like Me, so I figured I would give it a try. I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting, but by the end of the book I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the book.

I like the character of Maddy, she has a pretty good head on her shoulders, and to her credit she doesn't back down. I think part of the reason I really liked Maddy in this book is that while she is powerful, she is just coming in to her power and so she doesn't really know how use it, which leads to the action in this book being unpredictable  I also like that Maddy is the type of girl who runs into the fire to help people.

Another thing that makes Maddy all the more enjoyable to read is her cast of sidekicks. Well, technically she only has the one sidekick, her gargoyle, who is pretty hilarious with his antics and eating habits. Gabriel is kind of a big question mark throughout the book, he knows a lot more than he is telling, and the rules regarding Maddy and Gabriel's interactions are rigid to say the least.

And speaking of rules, the world Maddy was born into is more than complex. The rules are rigid and disobeying the rules almost always seem to end in beheading, so talk about incentive to "behave". Unfortunately for Maddy, she has no idea what the rules are, and she ends up putting her foot in her mouth on more than one occasion  To say Maddy has a complex and some crazed family situation would be an understatement.

I would recommend this book. The descriptions are pretty good, the characters a pretty good, and once the action takes of it doesn't really ever stop. I read this book pretty quickly and enjoyed it from beginning to end. I look forward to reading the sequel. This book isn't heavy on the romance, so if you are looking for that I have a feeling you will find it in book two. But if you are an urban fantasy lover who wants serious action then you will probably enjoy this book.