Realms Faire 2015 - Soak-a-Bloke (Day 4)

 

HUZZAH!

Welcome to Realms Faire 2015!

The Realms Faire is hosted by our most magnificent Lady Mary Pax.

She'll be conducting the Joust. Cheer for your favorite knight and win prizes!

There are several terrific events happening this week. Each host is giving away prizes for their games. Check out the Realms Faire page for all the links. 

Here at House Geek, I'm hosting the Drench-a-Wench / Soak-a-bloke event!  

The rules to this game are simple:

1) The dunkee is chosen by committee.

2) I post a link to the dunkee's blog and you click on it.

3) You leave a comment, soaking them with blog love.

4) You are entered into a drawing for a chance to win prizes.

I'll have different prizes every day. You don't want to miss out on these awesome books.

Today's prize packet consists of:
An ebook of your choice from M. Pax
The Ghosts of Aquinnah ebook from Julie Flanders
An ebook of your choice from Cherie Reich 

A digital copy of Of Blood and Sorrow

You have until 7:00 pm EST to leave a comment on the dunkee's blog.

A winner will be chosen randomly each day and contacted at the end of the week. 

Our marvelous dunkee for today is:

Jay Noel is a medical sales warrior by day and a writing ninja by night.

Beware the Vortex 

Hosted by River Fairchild. Prizes drawn daily. A vortex opens. Five people are trapped in the Underworld with only one way out – challenge an immortal to a contest of skill. The odds are against those brave enough to accept but enthusiastic fans can help them win their freedom with magic words given to each contestant.

Roar! Enter the VelociRaffle for a chance to win one of six grand prizes!

Celebrating along with the Faire, the Untethered Realms authors are touring with their newest collection, Mayhem in the Air. Get exclusive excerpts and enter for a chance to win a $40 gift card. Find out where to find us today!

Review for Shadow Warrior

Blurb:
The agony of a failed quest haunts Kanze Zenjiro, but the betrayal by those he trusted has turned his world upside down. With a heart full of hatred and defeat, Zen is desperate to get back to Nihon and demand the truth from his father.

Meanwhile, the Iberian Empire sends their soaring airships and steam-powered giants into The Orient. They threaten to upset the balance of power, hoping to exploit the faraway land in their greed for the resources needed to power their machines. Zen and his companions must fight to keep the world from plunging into total destruction.

And at the center of it all is a nine year old boy with the power of a god.

My review:
Kanze Zenjiro is a young man of honor and power. When he fails on his quest, he wants only to return to Nihon and discover the truth of the betrayal. His father's lies eat away at him, but he finds himself on a different path, learning about his mother's past. The Iberian Empire is set on conquering the Orient, and Zen's father's solution may kill everyone. Zen and his friends must find a way to stop him or end up as casualties themselves.

This incredible book is the second one in the Mechanica Series. This is steampunk with an eastern twist. Shadow Warrior is as well written as the first book. Sharp and clean prose with plenty of action and intrigue.

The characters I loved continue to fight on. Zen is always the honorable and just one, but what he struggles with might overwhelm him finally. The Machine boy, Marcel, is only a child stuck in the middle of a great war, and the strength of his character shines bright. We're also introduced to new characters both good and evil. I loved learning more about the Shadows and getting a peek into the Iberian Empire.

I can't wait for the next book. Cheers for Jay Noel!

Buy it now on: Amazon * B&N * iTunes

Find Jay at his website.

Death Knocks cover reveal

Blurb:

Who knew a knock at the door could rupture your entire world? They don’t demand money or possessions…they want much more than that, they want your life.

Maverick is preparing for senior year: he’s no longer stuck in the “friend-zone” with the girl of his dreams, he’s looking forward to choosing the right college and being on his own, and he plans to have a blast along the way.

But a knock on the door changes all of that forever.

Maverick begins a mind-altering, life-changing journey to discover the truth—a truth that certain individuals will do anything to keep hidden.

Death Knocks is a Young Adult paranormal thriller about the strange global phenomenon known as the Black-Eyed Kids. Take a creepy and exciting ride in a world where myth meets reality.

Death Knocks is scheduled for publication on September 26, 2014 by Quixotic Publishing.

Congratulations to Miranda Hardy & Jay Noel!

This is one creepy cover.

Check out the trailer too!

Shadow Warrior cover reveal

The agony of a failed quest haunts Kanze Zenjiro, but the betrayal by those he once trusted has turned his world upside down. With a heart full of hatred and defeat, Zen is desperate to return home and demand the truth from his father.

Meanwhile, the Iberian Empire sends their soaring airships and steam-powered giants into the Orient. They threaten to upset the balance of power, hoping to exploit the faraway land in their greed for the resources needed to power their machines. Zen and his companions must fight to keep the world from plunging into total destruction.

And at the center of it all is a nine year old boy with the power of a god.

Release date: August 4, 2014

 

Find Jay on his site or blog!

Dragonfly Warrior review

Blurb:

The Mechanica Wars: Savage Machines Are Afoot...

At the age of twenty, Kanze Zenjiro's bloody footprints mark the bodies of those who stood in his way to protect the throne of Nihon. Now, the tyrannical Iberian Empire is bent on destroying his kingdom, and they send their steam-powered giants and iron spiders against him.

Zen embarks on a quest that takes him on the most dangerous journey of his life. To succeed, Zen must live up to his nickname, the Dragonfly Warrior, and kill all his enemies with only a sword and a pair of six-guns and somehow survive a test of faith and loyalty in a world so cruel and merciless, it borders on madness.

 

My review:

The Iberian Empire is slowly making its way across the land, mercilessly defeating one country after another, and Zen's beloved home is in their path. Kanze Zenjiro is the Dragonfly Warrior, his people's best Samurai and prince to the throne. To help win his kingdom allies, Zen goes on a quest to find the mystical Sky Blade. His journey takes him to a wild land that could destroy this young and honorable warrior. Zen believes Fate will direct him to the right path, but does he have enough faith to follow it?

This is the incredible debut novel by Jay Noel. It's a mix of steampunk, western, and adventure with the addition of Samurais. The world building is fantastic. A place of great diversity, history, and mystery. I love how the old traditions are so seamlessly woven in with new technology. Even the machines seem a bit magical.

Zen is an admirable character, a paladin of compassion and honor. He was amazing to watch on this adventure, but I know a harder time is ahead of him. I'm eager to see how he handles what Fate has in store for him. The whole cast of characters is amazing. Enapay and Neva are two of my favorites. And the Machine Boy is fascinating.

Not only is it an amazing story, but the writing is clean and well edited. It was wonderfully formatted too. I can't wait for the next book in Noel's series!

 

Buy the book here:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords 

Dragonfly Warrior on sale now!

DRAGONFLY WARRIOR is on sale for 99 cents for all of March!

Don't miss out on this incredible steampunk adventure.

Buy it here:

Amazon * B&N * Smashwords

Blurb:

The Mechanica Wars: Savage Machines Are Afoot... 

At the age of twenty, Kanze Zenjiro's bloody footprints mark the bodies of those who stood in his way to protect the throne of Nihon. Now, the tyrannical Iberian Empire is bent on destroying his kingdom, and they send their steam-powered giants and iron spiders against him. 

Zen embarks on a quest that takes him on the most dangerous journey of his life. To succeed, Zen must live up to his nickname, the Dragonfly Warrior, and kill all his enemies with only a sword and a pair of six-guns. He is called upon to somehow survive a test of faith and loyalty in a world so cruel and merciless, it borders on madness.

* * * * *

Please remember to vote for THE HARBINGER (Vol. 4 of The 13th Floor series) in BigAl's Books & Pals Readers' Choice Awards.

Dragonfly Warrior Cover Reveal

Blurb:

The Mechanica Wars: Savage Machines Are Afoot...

At the age of twenty, Kanze Zenjiro's bloody footprints mark the bodies of those who stood in his way to protect the throne of Nihon. Now, the tyrannical Iberian Empire is bent on destroying his kingdom, and they send their steam-powered giants and iron spiders against him.

Zen embarks on a quest that takes him on the most dangerous journey of his life. To succeed, Zen must live up to his nickname, the Dragonfly Warrior, and kill all his enemies with only a sword and a pair of six-guns. He is called upon to somehow survive a test of faith and loyalty in a world so cruel and merciless, it borders on madness.

Book Information: Dragonfly Warrior is a steampunk adventure like no other. It's a dynamic mix of Asian and European mythology, the Wild West, martial arts, traditional fantasy, and high powered steam action that will keep you turning the pages.

Dragonfly Warrior is the first book of The Mechanica Wars, and will debut on January 6, 2014.

Author Bio:

After doing some freelance writing and editing for more than a dozen years, Jay decided to stop procrastinating and pursue his dream of being a novelist. He's been blogging for over eight years, and even had a comedy podcast syndicated all over the internet. All of that was fun, but all the steampunk-inspired stories in his head just wouldn't leave him alone. Jay spends his days working in medical sales, but he can be found toiling over his laptop late at night when all is quiet.

He draws inspiration from all over: H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Shakespeare, Ray Bradbury, Douglas Adams, and Isaac Asimov.

And Jay loves cookies.

Stalk Jay here: www.jaynoel.com * Facebook * Twitter