BEYOND THE BLACK - Through The Mirror

"Watch you spin in your veils of protection
Layer on layer of dark colors unwind
Shake them off but you never forget them
Show your scars to the mute and the blind

Only showin' your face to the lonely
Wear a mask for the masses so cold
Choosin' roads that are broken and stony
Let me tell you my dreams of our destiny

Speak to me, sing to me, bare your soul to me
Step through the mirror, join me inside
Run to me, stay with me, till eternity
Show me the face that you hide
You hide, oh"

Motionless In White - Disguise (Official Audio)

"Mirror mirror tell me who you see 
Am I you or me? 
I can never remember 
But you can’t hide forever 

I found myself by losing hope 
I lost my way to find a home 
I hid myself to stay alive
Now I’m ready to face my disguise"

Review of Metamorphosis by Ivy Logan

Synopsis

Amelia, Peradora's teenage heiress is a fashionista and boasts of 6 million followers on Twitter. In reality she is a bit of an introvert, a prisoner in a golden cage and her 'it girl' image is nothing but a carefully crafted, elaborate P.R. plan, masterminded by her guardian, Liam, the dictator of Peradora.

As secrets from her past dodge her at every turn, can Amelia choose between Adrian, the adventure junkie, her first love and Noah, the handsome bodyguard, and her best friend? Do they have secrets of their own, they're keeping from her?

Now Peradora, her beloved nation is in trouble, and a sorceress ancestor, grants Amelia the ability to shape shift. Will it prove to be a curse or a boon? Will the power be too much for Amelia to handle? And can it truly change who she is inside, a frightened girl, quite out of her depth?

As a stunning set of events unfold, will the truth set Amelia free or will she learn that some secrets are best buried in the past?

Review
Rating: 4 Stars
Amelia lives a double life, I might say a triple life.
Left orphan she is forced to live with her uncle, who is by all definitions a monster.
To the world, she is a spoiled diamond heiress, but the reality is far from that. She is a prisoner in a Palace and has had to endure a lot in her short life. 
She will lose friends, fall in love and be forced to make a decision: her heart, or her people?
Will she be able to use her newfound powers to stop the madness her uncle has enforced? 
Love, loss, and some great plot twists make this fast-paced book a must read for those who enjoy the mix of sweet paranormal romance and urban fantasy.

Review of The Rebel Mages by Laurie Forest

Rebel Mages encompasses the two novellas in The Black Witch Chronicles: Wandfasted and Light Mage.

Synopsis of Wandfasted

Twenty years before Elloren Gardner enrolled at the illustrious Verpax University, Erthia was rent asunder during the devastating Realm War. When Tessla Harrow is driven from her home by the fighting, she discovers a depth of power she never knew she had…and an irresistible draw toward Vale Gardner, the son of the most powerful mage her people have ever known—the Black Witch.

Review

I'm having a seriously bad fangirling case. Wandfasted is amazing! I enjoyed it as much as The Black Witch.

Wandfasted tells the story of how Tessla and Vale (Elloren's parents) knew each other. It also shows why Carnissa Gardner became a legend, and believe me you don't want to miss that. With a fast pace and beautiful world-building, this book is simply impossible to put down once you start.

I absolutely loved getting to know Tessla, she's a badass, the kind of MC that I can't get enough of: intelligent, brave, selfless, strong and mature. Vale I had to warm up to, but once you get to know him better he's easy to love. 

Is also quite the experience getting to know the parents of other characters from The Black Witch. You get a lot of: "now I get it".

I completely recommend this book for anyone who knows how to read, and if you don't, here's a good reason.

Synopsis of Light Mage

Before Elloren came to possess the White Wand of myth, the Wand was drawn to another bearer: Sagellyn Gaffney. Sage’s affinity for light magery, a rare skill among Gardnerians, makes her the perfect protector for the one tool that can combat the shadows spreading across Erthia. But in order to keep the Wand safe from the dark forces hunting for it, Sage must abandon everything she once knew and forge a new path for herself…a dangerous course that could lead to either triumph or utter ruin.

Review

Imagine living in a world where people are segregated based on their race. Where religion has been twisted and turned into a weapon, aimed against other's beliefs. Where fear of the unknown leads to hate and cruelty. Where little girls have no right over their own bodies and are forced into marriage. 

Not difficult to do, right?

Sage Gaffney comes from an extremely religious family, even for a Gardnerian. She has been taught that being obedient and following the teachings of the Ancient One will keep her safe. Safe from the demons that want to corrupt her people, safe from the vile men that hurt innocent girls like her. Her bubble shatters when she learns -in the worse way possible- that evil thrives within her own people; hidden behind mountains of lies.

She is thrust into the cruel reality of being shunned by her family, her kind, and all the other races the Gardnerians have hurt. But she is not alone, she finds allies from where she least expects, compassion from those who she thought were evil, patient teaching from the shunned; unconditional love from a man she “should” fear. There is a lot of pain and heartbreak for her, but also a lot of friendship and love. 

Sage is brave, compassionate, kind, and she learns fast. The kind of heroine I can root for easily; she makes mistakes, but learns from them and comes out stronger in the end. 

The love interest, Ciaran, is one of my fave male MCs. He is different from many others, and I loved that. There are a lot of lovable secondary characters, my absolute favorite is Rivyr, I need more of him and his antics. 

A must-read by an author that has quickly become one of my favorite. 

Tap on the image to grab your copy of The Rebel Mages right here: 

The OCD Games by Kayla Krantz

The OCD Games: A Christmas Romance Novella by Kayla Krantz

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Erica has OCD, and because of it, she has issues keeping jobs despite being a competent person, sometimes her compulsions get the best of her. She has a crazy best friend -Kara- that encourages her and pushes her to be a bit more adventurous. Her life is rather monotonous until she meets someone in her new job at a small store.

Blaine is mysterious, he's rather quiet but he's charming nevertheless, and...

Nah, you have to read this by yourself to find out.

I found myself feeling related to Erica more than once, and overall enjoyed The OCD games a lot.

A sweet, lovely novella. Totally recommend.

View all my reviews

Grab the OCD Games here: https://amzn.to/2EDQT3E

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Mass

Throne of Glass

Synopsis:

"Nothing is a coincidence. Everything has a purpose. You were meant to come to this castle, just as you were meant to be an assassin."

When magic has gone from the world, and a vicious king rules from his throne of glass, an assassin comes to the castle. She does not come to kill, but to win her freedom. If she can defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the greatest assassin in the land, she will become the King's Champion and be released from prison.

Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her.

And a princess from a foreign land will become the one thing Celaena never thought she'd have again: a friend.

But something evil dwells in the castle—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying, horribly, one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival—and a desperate quest to root out the source of the evil before it destroys her world.

Rating: 5 Stars

Review

I'd stalled reading Throne of Glass. Whenever a book is over-hyped I always approach it with some foreboding. But it turned out my fears were unfounded. I had seen a lot of bad reviews hating on Celeana and the book in general. And I have to ask, what the hell? 

Celeana Sardothien is a refreshing female lead. She is cocky, she knows she is dangerous, strong and beautiful, a nice change from the I-don't-know-I'm-awesome-but-everyone-drools-for-me trope. The girl can fight, and she is not clumsy, I'm so done with clumsy MCs. 
Not a fan Chaol, his way of seeing Celeana for most of the book thoroughly annoyed me.
Not really a fan of Dorian either, he lacks nerve.
I LOVE Princess Nehemia! 
I wasn't surprised by most of the plot twists, but they were nicely delivered. 

Action, sass, mystery, I loved it.

Fave quote: “Libraries were full of ideas—perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.”

Get it here: https://amzn.to/2EyunJp

Review of Everless by Sara Holland

Everless by Sara Holland

IN THE KINGDOM OF SEMPERA, TIME IS CURRENCY—EXTRACTED FROM BLOOD, BOUND TO IRON, AND CONSUMED TO ADD TIME TO ONE’S OWN LIFESPAN. THE RICH ARISTOCRACY TAX THE POOR TO THE HILT, EXTENDING THEIR OWN LIVES BY CENTURIES.

And no one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.

Rating: 4 stars
Review

So I'd been on a huge reading slump regarding YA fantasy, finding several books either boring or plain awful. Everless got me out of it. 
Jules is headstrong, but not on the maddening sense. She had a good reason to do all the crazy things she did. I like her, she feels real, I would've done exactly what she did on many occasions. 
The love interest didn't interest me at all, I could see through him long before Jules did. I can see why she was so infatuated, she was clinging to the past.
Now the mean and mysterious Lord, hell yeah. I was certain that there was more to him than met the eye and immediately liked him. Maybe I have a thing for grumpy characters who hide who they really are to protects others, and themselves.
I like Sara Holland's writing style, the descriptions are perfect for visualizing but don't drag on. And the mysteries actually had me thinking. That plot twist by the end... I loved it! A nice respite from books where I can see things coming from page 20.
Totally recommend.

Get Everless here: https://amzn.to/2EwQVKI

Demon Warden (The Cursed and the Fallen)

After having lots of fun with a writing prompt that spawned the short story: How not to Summon a Demon, I realized my characters had a bigger destiny. 
So a new saga was born!
Demon Warden will be the first book of The cursed and The Fallen series.
Here you have the first chapter.

DEMON WARDEN

CHAPTER 1

DINAH

I look at Lisa’s disaster of broken code and wonder how the hell she managed to mess it up so badly.

“Wow, this is terrible, I am impressed,” I say with a wry smile.

Lisa laughs, running a hand through her short black hair. A snake tattoo adorns her right forearm, her nose piercing glints under the lamplight.

“Happy to impress you,” she says with a wink.

I start typing, fixing the broken tags while she sits beside me, flicking a glance in my direction every now and then. I pause to drink a sip of lukewarm cocoa. The café is almost full, couples and students with their noses in books or laptops. I recognize a couple of them, they’re in the same major I am, Computer Science. Even after 4 years, the thought of being in such a great university with an almost full scholarship makes me giddy. The pleasant smell of baked goodies and hot beverages relaxes me.

Lisa scratches her neck. “So, uh, you can do it, right, fix my website before the Con?”

I smile. “No worries, it will be done in one hour.”

Lisa nods. She looks nervous, running her hands up and down her faux black leather-clad thighs and fidgeting with her many bracelets. That’s odd, I’ve never seen anything remotely disturb the vegan, gothic feminist.

“Want a refill?” she asks, standing up.

“Sure,” I mutter distractedly as I load one of my pre-made code patches to speed up the process.

She comes back quickly and continues to send nervous glances towards me, which makes it a bit hard to focus.

“So, I heard Wesley asked you out,” Lisa comments.

My fingers still for a moment. “He did, but I am not interested.”

“Oh.”

Wesley is the typical I-get-who-and-what-I-want type. His idea of asking me out had been stalking me in the library and invading my personal space.

Nope.

Been there, done that.

Lisa gets distracted by her phone as I work at full speed. Writing code is simple for me, anything to do with numbers and languages I can learn ridiculously fast. Basic skills like cooking or communicating with other human beings come a bit harder.

As promised, I finish a little over an hour later, a bit stiff on the shoulders and yearning for Netflix and copious amounts of pizza.

“Dude,” Lisa whistles. “It looks way cooler than before, thanks.”

“Just get some pro help the next time, ok? We don’t want you breaking the internet by mistake,” I joke.

Lisa chuckles.

“Will do, maybe you can be my code girl if you want,” she says.

I shrug. “Sure, why not?”

I do this sort of thing all the time, getting some quick money that pays the bills and gives me time to be what I was destined to be. A couch potato.

I turn to her and watch how a beautiful pink blush rises in her usually pale cheeks. Her arm slides from the backrest to fall gently on my shoulders as she crosses the small space between us and brings her soft lips to mine.

Surprise freezes me to the spot. Her lips are sweet and gentle instead of demanding, so I don’t push her away. I let my eyelids fall, feeling a faint thrill as her lips caress mine. Lisa sure knows how to kiss. She pulls back, looking at me with a shy smile.

“Sorry, just thought I’d make it clear since hints don’t seem to be your thing,” she murmurs, biting her lip.

“Hints are so not my thing,” I agree, swallowing hard. “I like you, I think you’re beautiful and cool, but I’m straight.”

She pulls back, disappointment plain on her face though she masks it with a smile.

“It’s okay, no fuss, I just had to try,” she says with a shrug.

I bite my lip, part of me fearing Lisa can be angry, that she lashes out at me. That coward part of me I’ve fought hard to bury for almost 4 years.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “Hell, I wish there were a gay or bi bone in my body, ‘cause we’d look totally hot together.”

Lisa laughs, the distress erased from her expression. “Agreed.”

She looks at her phone. “Damn need to go, I’m supposed to go to finish this project. Thanks again, Dinah.”

I know she’s lying but I don’t mind, I’d want to run the hell away too.

“Anytime,” I reply with a smile.

She hands me an envelope with my pay and puts some money on the table before leaving.

I sigh, packing my PC in my bag and wait for a few minutes before getting up and leaving too.

As soon as I get outside my right thigh cramps with pain, I bite my lip to stifle a yelp. When I was 12, I broke my left leg. A platinum implant and screws were necessary to align the bone. It hurts even worse when it’s cold, and chilly March night air blasts me hard.

I huddle in my coat and walk slower than I’d like back home, it’s only a few blocks away. My spine tingles with awareness and I stop, looking around, examining the pedestrians and the dark corners. I feel watched even though I can’t see anyone.

Meh. Maybe I just need a drink.

I hurry and arrive a few minutes later to the house, running into my roommate, Spencer, as he gets his keys to leave. As always, he is wearing designer clothes and exquisite perfume. 6-foot-1, athletic, with perfectly mussed locks of brown hair and milky-chocolate eyes.

“What is it with that shocked face, babe?” he asks, cocking his head to examine me.

“Lisa kissed me,” I say. I rarely keep things from him, well, present things at least.

He laughs. “I knew it.”

I slap his arm and he flinches. “Dammit, why didn’t you tell me she had a thing for me?”

“Because I knew she couldn’t hold it for long and was dying to see your reaction,” his grin grows. “So, did you kiss her back?”

I flush. “Yes, no. Well, not really, I didn’t pull back though.”

Spence smiles wickedly. “So…”

I bite my lip. “So nothing, she is intriguing and stunning but she is a girl, and I don’t like girls that way.”

“100% sure about that?” he asks, eyes uncharacteristically serious.

I roll my eyes. “Yes.”

Are you now? Asks an annoying little voice in the back of my head.

Shut up.

Spence kisses my cheek, barely having to lean, I’m 5-foot-10 and something.

“Aw babe, you need to get out. What if you join Xander and me tonight, huh?”

Xander is Spencer’s boyfriend. Sexy as hell, but quieter than Spence.

“Nope, it’s couch potato time.”

He rolls his eyes. “Fine, I’ll give you a pass today, but soon I will take you out even if I have to drag you.”

I stick my tongue out to him and he passes beside me, swatting my bum before leaving too fast for me to retaliate.

I chuckle, plotting my revenge, and walk straight to the kitchen, hungrier than I thought. The granite counters and stainless steel appliances are elegant and the entire place is immaculate, courtesy of Spence’s hired maid. He was raised with all the comfort and money he could want. At 18, he received his trust and moved as far away from his family as possible. For some mysterious reason, we clicked and ended up living together. Something I am more than grateful for, I couldn’t afford to live in such a nice place by myself, and grandma would freak out if I weren’t safe.

I open the well-stocked fridge and consider trying to make an omelet when I see a box of cold rice noodles.

“Jackpot,” I murmur. The kitchen is safe tonight.

I’ve caused a couple of fires in the past trying to make soup.

Truth is, I’ve caused many fires and my lack of culinary skills is not always to blame.

“Hello, Dinah,” says a male voice behind me.

I whirl around, a hand reflexively flying to my neck.

My heart begins a mad race as I see the worst part of my past enter the kitchen.

“D-Daniel,” I stammer. “How in the hell did you get inside?”

He smiles, confident as always. His 6-foot-2 sturdy frame dwarfs my lean physique. My stomach cramps painfully as he takes a step closer.

“Stay away from me,” I say, voice weak.

My head spins. He is supposed to still be in jail, not in my house many miles away from our hometown.

“Haven’t you missed me, Dinah? I’ve missed you, I’ve thought about you every day for the last 3 years.”

His blue eyes are glowing with anger and lust. My chest constricts painfully as I remember what happened the last time he looked at me like that.

Enough, I order myself.

The phone is on the table behind the island. I dart as fast as I can towards it, but he beats me to it and tosses it towards the foyer.

“No, not so fast, you owe me at least a conversation,” he growls.

“I owe you nothing,” I say, my voice steadier with anger.

Why thank you for showing up, adrenaline.

“You tossed me into jail without reason!” he yells. “You left home to become a stuck-up bitch!”

I flinch back unwillingly.

His lips curl in an ugly snarl. “And look at you now, a whore that fucks other women!” he takes a step closer. “You are mine, only mine or dead, choose.”

“Neither,” I growl, hitting him with my knee where it counts. I try to run toward the foyer, to get the phone, but my stupid leg throbs and makes me fall. I pull myself up and manage only another step before he grabs my ankle and takes me down to the floor. I break the fall with my elbows and kick him with the good leg, coaxing a grunt of pain from him as I rise and run, quickly reaching the foyer, my fingers clumsy as I dial for help.

My hair is yanked and I lose hold of the phone, panicked that I’ve only managed to enter two numbers. He pulls me back toward the kitchen, one of his arms around my neck.

This is why you took self-defense classes, you idiot!

I stomp my foot against his toes, making him grunt. His grip mercifully loosens around my neck. Then, I turn in his grasp and free myself, twist his arm behind his back and push him forward. He sends his elbow back and catches my upper stomach; the pain makes me lose hold of him, all air gone from my lungs. He takes advantage and fast as lighting throws his fist to my face. His athlete reflexes are still sharp, unfortunately. My ears ring and stars dance in my vision, the searing pain on my left cheekbone makes me wince. I would’ve fallen to the floor if not for him taking me by the neck, pulling my face to his.

“Had enough?” he pants, looking demonic, his rank breath on my face. “Keep fighting and it will only get worse, you hear me?”

My hands flail madly until I feel something hard and metallic. I grip the iron skillet and swing it as hard as I can. It produces a dull thud as it crashes against his skull; he releases me at once, stumbling. Grabbing the skillet with both hands, I swing again and again, catching his forehead, the side of his head, his shoulder until he falls hard to the kitchen floor. But to my disgrace is still conscious.

The hell is his skull made of?

I consider hitting him again, but I can’t risk killing the idiot either. So I kick his crotch, he curls up and moans. Stumbling, I make my way to the foyer, pick up my bag, the phone and open the door.

I limp down the few steps, looking around for someone I can call out for help. A few pedestrians focused on their phones or their thoughts walk by; I decide to call the cops instead. My hands are shaking so badly I can barely use my phone.

An incoming call thwarts my efforts.

“Dammit!” I cry.

I am about to hang up when Daniel stalks out of the house; his eyes promise revenge I freeze waiting for round two, but like any good coward, he hurries in the opposite direction, not daring to do something in public.

My phone buzzes again and with trembling fingers, I answer it. “Y-yes?”

“Miss Dinah Marie Novak?” asks a male voice I don’t recognize.

“Yes,” I say warily.

He sighs. “I’m sorry Miss, but Magdalena Novak has passed away.”

Dark spots dance in my vision as I try to understand.

“What?” I ask.

“Magdalena Novak, your grandmother, has passed away,” he says.

“How?” I question.

“A heart attack, I am very sorry.”

I fall gracelessly on the last step, barely listening to what he says as memories flood me. Me and grandma baking my favorite cookies, reading together, her unwavering support and encouragement.

I listen to the instructions and reply to the questions the police officer asks as numbness spreads inside my chest, making it hard to breathe.

I look at the phone in my hand, wishing it was all a nightmare, wishing I could go back to that morning and have a long conversation with grandma. I would’ve if I’d known that was the last time I’d hear her voice.

“Hey, you okay?” asks the neighbor from his door.

I don’t answer him and simply go back inside, limping but feeling no pain.

©Selene Kallan 2020

So, did you like it? You can pre-order DEMON WARDEN here: