"King of Frost and Shadows"

by Jen L. Grey 

                              Coming - August 1, 2024

Tavish, King of the Unseelie had learned to rule with the cruel hand of fear, reprisal of imprisonment or death. And always with the promise that one day they would get their revenge on the Seelie who had murdered his parents, banished the Unseelie to Cuil Dorcha, an island of death, and return them to Aetheglen. His people were dying, the land they were banished to would not support life much longer. Princess Lira, the young girl he had known, had cared for would be their way back.  Lira had been taken to the world of humans over a decade ago, the time had come to return Lira to the world of the fae. To face her death.

 Retrieved from the world of humans, Lira had been there for far too long. She had forgotten her birthright, her magic, had forgotten their time together as children. But their time had come and gone now all he needed from her was her death. Her blood would pierce the veil between realms allowing them to face the Seelie again on their terms this time. The years had changed Tavish, he’d had to become cruel and ruthless to save his people. Now he had Lira, but she must regain her memories, awaken the magic within her for the Seelie to realize she was back. Then, he would use the blood of her death to open the veil between the realms. Leading his people, they would fight, gain their revenge by killing the King and Queen of the Seelie and return to their homeland.

With the death of his parents, at fourteen, he’d had to build a wall around his heart in order to rule with the strength and power needed to control his people. Tavish hadn’t expected to feel something for Lira, nevertheless when they touched there was a spark, a connection. There were those who questioned his softer attentions towards her. They saw her not as a salvation but as a threat, for Tavish was protecting her, keeping her by his side and had forbidden any to touch her in any way or face his wrath. Still, he knew he would be the one who must take her life.

All Lira wanted was to return to the world of humans. She wasn’t fae, she didn’t have wings and was sure she held no magic within her.  So, when the chance to escape came she took it, only to be quickly caught by the townspeople. Angry, scared facing Tavish’s wrath, she tried to protect herself, threatening the King with a knife. By his own laws she would now face punishment. She would enter the gauntlet, a series of challenges in an arena while the Unseelie watched, shouting for her death. Devised by Tavish, the gauntlet was to be a means of keeping traitors in line. Lira would face the deadly obstacle course along with fifty prisoners all who needed to reach a safety point before the game ended or they died. Of the three separate games, each with its own set of deadly obstacles she must survive to the end, while trying kept the prisoners from killing her as well. Tavish may have conceived the idea of the gauntlet, but two of his counselors Eldin, his cousin, and Caelan, would be the ones to create the obstacle course and set the rules. Now Tavish must watch, in fear, as Lira would face not only the deadly games but fifty prisoners who were promised leniency if they played well and more if they killed Lira in the games.

There was once peace and even an alliance of sorts between the Seelie and Unseelie in Ardanos. Until the promise of uniting them in marriage through Prince Tavish and Princess Lira was revoked when Lira was promised to Pyralis, the Dragon Prince. Tavish had been taken and his parents murdered by Lira’s parents and the Unseelie were banished to an island that barely fed them. The mystery behind this despicable act of war would set the stage for this dark tale. Tavish would become a King that ruled with a brutal force, controlling his people by fear of his wrath and retribution. He would find the fae princess and use her blood to pass through the veil into Aetherglen with his people and take their revenge. For twelve years he and his people had longed for revenge, suffered death and hunger, so why did Tavish find the thought of Lira’s death so painful.

Lira, was taken to a world of beings who only wanted her death, for something she had no part in, a life she couldn’t even remember. No matter how cruel, how heartless these people were she still couldn’t bring herself to harm them in cold blood. Even during the games, she only fought back to defend herself. And what was it she felt for Tavish. She was angry with him at times but could not bring herself to hate him, as she believed he hated her.

A world torn apart, a people thrown from their homeland into a realm that promised only starvation, hardships and death. A young man taught to hate, rule by cruelty, without compassion and living only for revenge, until he brought Lira back to the world of the fae. She would show him another way, tear down the wall around his heart. This tale hits the street running and never slows down. Readers will be drawn into the mystery, feel the pain of abandonment, the cut of the cruel actions of Tavish, watch the viscous Eldin play his games, fall in love with Nightbane, a cù-sìth, and warm to Finnian. Delve into a tale rich with past history, mysteries, present dangers and strife even as love slowly crawls to the surface, a love that was always there, between Tavish and Lira, hope for new life and the compassion of a heroine who could still feel for the pain of others.

This is King Tavish’s story, his world, his past and present as he draws Lira in as he seeks revenge and a future for his people. Be warned that by the finish of this unresolved tale it may well leave you brokenhearted, with many unanswered questions, and longing for the next book with answers that only Jen L. Grey can give us. The Court of Thorns and Swords is the second tale.

Mated To The Wolves                      by Ophelia Black

Available July 24, 2024

Ruled by the gods, the choices you are given put you between a rock and a hard place.

Ylva’s choice…. Refuse, giving Fenrir his freedom and watch as he brings an end to every last magical being. Or accept, face her fate and become the mother of a new beginning for her people.

They came for her on graduation day, breaking the agreement to allow her to leave the pack behind, freedom to attend college and follow her dream of becoming an artist. Resisting them got her drugged and bound giving her no choice but to return to the clan, where she would answer to the demands of the power drunk Alpha, Erik Thostenson. The man she had paid to buy her forever freedom, had found a use for her. The female population within the pack had been ravaged by a virus, which had cost the lives of many females. Of those who survived, ten percent of the women of breeding age, were now sterile. Within the last five years, along with the loss of the women, all the females born had died shortly after birth. Ylva was to be the answer to saving not only the pack but placing the Alpha in complete control again.

The fire that destroyed her home had taken the lives of her father, mother, and brother. Ylva was left in the care of her despicable aunt and uncle. She was now the last of the Ekildson line, which directly links back to Fenrir, the great wolf. Fenrir, called her to his realm to fulfill a prophecy whose time was upon them. Bound by unbreakable chains, Fenrir offered Ylva a choice, that was no choice at all. She could set him free of his chains to begin the chaos of Ragnarök, a battle that would be the rid the world of all magical beings. Or return to her pack and submit to the demands of the Alpha. She couldn’t have conceived of the lengths the Alpha would go to maintain power and control over her and the pack.

She’d accepted her fate, given up her freedom. Now she was bound forever to the clan of wolves that had at best ignored her. At their worst, they had bullied her during childhood. Would it also mean giving up her dreams of being an artist?  If she had been given forewarning of the Alpha’s diabolical plans, could she have sentenced the magical world to death, simply to spite the few who had so destroyed her own life?

And so it begins…

The Alpha, in his madness and need for control, has chosen four males to become her mates. One an old friend of her father’s, one a disposed healer, one a bully that made her growing years hell, and the one she had loved who left her with unfulfilled promises. How was she to mate with them? The Alpha had made it clear submit or be forced….

Their mission was to find and secure the amulet of Fenrir for within it held a great power, only the one in possession of the disc could wield the power that would bring about change. There were others greedily seeking the amulet and all that its promise held. Ylva and her mates had to tread carefully, taking care to whom they spoke or trusted for getting in the way of the other seekers could mean death and destruction to her world and to those she was coming to care for.

Ophelia Black has given us a very complex tale based around a Norse legend. It wraps itself around the legend of Fenrir and the threat of Ragnarök, interspersing pieces of the legend and twisting it into a tale that captures the imagination. It has taken hard turns and sometimes left no good choices for the five wolves, just the lesser of the two evils. They will travel a maze froth with traps, danger, corruption, those in the shadows that would lend them a hand, hard won trust, mysteries, villains closing in, dark spells and death. It will take all five of the mates to protect each other and outwit those whose own agendas lead them to seek power overall. Each has their own personality that was slowly exposed as the story goes on. Acceptance is hard won, learning to give and take, as they come together in the search for the amulet.

 There is mystery, romance is strong and spicy hot, a reverse harem with some dominant and submissive traits. There is some bullying, both in the past and present. No good tale is without its angst, and this is no different. The story is one I am glad that I had the opportunity to travel through. I admit there were times I wanted to smack several of the characters in the back of the head to wake them up, or just shoot them. And I would love to be in character form with the chance to depose of the Alpha by serving him up to Fenrir as a slave.

 

As frustrated and angry as the story made me at times, I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to see how Ylva would handle everything that was thrown at her. Strong, smart, independent with a compassion that rang throughout the story. I also took note of any signs that might indicate the men were softening in their attitude towards her or realizing they might love her.  The men too were so well played out that at first, I simply wanted to just kill them off. Slowly, very slowly, they started to grow on me. The journey itself was diverse, and I found myself surprised at some of the turns the story takes. My main discord with this is Ylva being forced into relationships with men not of her choosing, and at times their dominating her in situations. There is reasoning behind their actions, these men are not soft creatures, but they are loyal and supportive of the journey, and protective of each other as a clan unto themselves. Towards the end I saw a bit of softening along with explanations, which is a start. The path they travel is a long one and not to be completed in this first book.