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stormyvixen · 6 years ago

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Early Review! Gifted (The Dark Forgotten #4.5) Sharon Ashwood!

Who says the holiday season is just for humans?

For all the holly-jolly times, family gatherings are complex no matter who—or what—you are. When you’re hunting for the latest “it” toy to stuff a stocking, it doesn’t matter if you’re alive or Undead, fanged or furry—you’re just as desperate to be the cool dad. And then there are the family grumps who never send cards, the ones who eat all the good candy, and those who drool and dig up the neighbor’s yard.

No, the Yuletide Season isn’t for the faint of heart—and sometimes it’s downright demonic—but holiday miracles make it all worthwhile. Chance encounters and unexpected forgiveness remind us that joy doesn’t come in a gift-wrapped box.

This novella from the Dark Forgotten world catches up with favorite characters for a fresh take on the holidays.

No matter who – or what – you are, this Dark Forgotten holiday special is heartwarming and thrilling! As the strong, vivid characters prepare for the holidays while dealing with a demonic threat. Lots of holiday cheer, and sweet romance entertains readers while spine chilling suspense keeps readers on the edge of their seat. The idea of something good coming out something demonic inspires readers as a variety of characters discover holiday miracles make everything worthwhile even having to banish a sparkly demonic threat and battling holiday crowds. Readers can’t help but enjoy this fresh perspective of fanged and furry, magical and innocent characters take on the holidays while also getting to catch up on the lives of all the Dark Forgotten characters.

Author's Book Page - https://www.rowanartistry.com/book/gifted-the-dark-forgotten/

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42623015-gifted

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/books/gifted-the-dark-forgotten-by-sharon-ashwood

Gifted is #4.5 in The Dark Forgotten series

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/series/46164-the-dark-forgotten

Author - https://www.rowanartistry.com/series/the-dark-forgotten

Amazon - Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FF5QSJL?ref=series_rw_dp_labf

.5 Fragile Magic 1 Ravenous 2 Scorched 3 Unchained 4 Frostbound 4.5 Gifted

Gifted will be AVAILABLE in ebook on November 11, 2018.

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Gifted-Dark-Forgotten-Sharon-Ashwood-ebook/dp/B07K5DYCBK

Rowan & Ash Artistry is home to my artistic pursuits. The name comes from Celtic and Norse folklore. Rowan has protective powers and grants true vision. Ash is the mighty tree that links the worlds. Together they invoke strength, discernment, and love of harmony and balance.

I live in the Pacific Northwest in a house crammed with books, musical instruments, and half-finished sewing projects. I have an honor’s degree in English literature but work as a resource manager (aka fun with spreadsheets). I am owned by the Demon Lord of Kitty Badness, who is happy to express his critical opinion with judiciously applied hairballs.

As Sharon Ashwood, I’ve written several urban fantasy romance and paranormal romance series. I won the 2011 RITA® award for paranormal romance (Unchained) and was nominated again for Possessed by a Wolf in 2016 and Enchanted Warrior in 2017. In addition, I won Wisconsin’s 2011 Write Touch Readers’ Award Contest (Unchained) and the 2010 Desert Rose Golden Quill Contest (Ravenous).

Emma Jane Holloway pursues fantasy, history, and steampunk adventures. The Baskerville Affair is just the beginning.

Website - http://www.rowanartistry.com/

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1880316.Sharon_Ashwood

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sharon-ashwood

Twitter - https://twitter.com/RowanAshArt

Tumbler - http://rowanashart.tumblr.com/

Facebook (Sharon Ashwood) - https://www.facebook.com/authorsharonashwood/

Facebook (Emma Jane Holloway) - https://www.facebook.com/EmmaJaneHollowayAuthor/

Pintrest - https://www.pinterest.com/rowanashart/

InstaGram - https://www.instagram.com/rowanashart/

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bestautochicago · 7 years ago

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Automobile’s 2017 Holiday Gift Guide

Picture a Range Rover, ready to show up anywhere dressed to kill, and you will have a pretty good idea of what Aether is all about. The Los Angeles-based company specializes in reshaping utilitarian outerwear into casually sophisticated clothing. Aether’s take on the classic waxed cotton jacket is a perfect example of its ethos. The ornamentation is gone. The contrasting brass zippers and buttons, the floppy and impractical belts all disposed of. What’s left is a jacket stripped to its essentials.

Simplicity of line, thoughtful engineering, a nod to history. It’s not surprising that Aether cofounder Jonah Smith would be a Porsche guy. Smith and longtime business partner Palmer West traded one savage racket for another. As producers, the two have credits in major films, including “Requiem for a Dream,” “A Scanner Darkly,” and Bill Maher’s “Religulous.” Not content whipping on films, the two plunged into apparel as a way to indulge outdoors inclinations: skiing, motorcycle adventures, and driving cars.

Smith’s black on black Porsche 964 is as understated as you can make the thing. Up on Mulholland Drive in the hills above Malibu, he’s gentle on it. Revving it out, applying clutch, giving the gearbox plenty of time to settle before picking up the next gear and letting the clutch take up again. It’s easygoing, methodical, and appreciative—the driving of a man who cares about a classic.

There is a similar steady pragmatism to Aether’s design, the knowledge that most of us don’t need the bright colors and ice-axe-swing-friendly cut of mountaineering jackets. That a complementary fit shouldn’t be sacrificed to sealed seams and insulation. That those fancy mountaineering jackets mostly get used in town or on early morning drives.

Aether’s L.A. outpost is all dark wood and enabling. Casual outerwear shares floor space with the technical stuff, waterproof jackets and pants for snow sports and hardcore armored adventure gear for motorcycling. It all slots neatly into a careful, tidy color palate. Lots of black and gray, dusty reds, greens, and blues.

Custom-built Ducatis and Timbersleds and composite kayaks are placed around the shop. Broad tables feature things that encourage adventure, such as Butler’s maps of twisty roads and the occasional camp tool. Most impressively, in the middle is a large walk-in freezer, an advantage when selling outerwear in L.A.’s sunny weather.

South La Brea Avenue is all fancy bistros and vintage denim shops, the curbs kept clean by valet stands. It might have a clean storefront similar to its neighbors, but Aether’s curb is often awash in dirt-spattered adventure bikes and road-worn sports cars—rides owned by the Hollywood elite and the hoi polloi alike. It’s inevitable that Aether’s clean take on classic looks will filter into movies and onto a new generation of idols. But for now, wear that updated waxed cotton jacket with your old Porsche. If experience has shown us anything, it’s that a classic is always cool.—Chris Cantle

Bee Line Coffee

$16-$20, beelinecoffee.com

You already know how well cars and coffee go together, but you might not know Bee Line. This automotive-themed brand makes truly delicious joe. Some of our favorites:

Flat Track: Colombian coffee from La Union farm in a direct-trade arrangement that pays farmers more of what their coffee is worth. Streamliner: Uses a special drying technique that results in more sweetness as well as a richer flavor. Classic Blend: Combination of African and West Pacific beans.

Pocket Squares

$21-$90, cyberoptix.com

Detroit-based Cyberoptix Tie Lab offers the coolest handmade, graphic screen-printed car-themed ties, scarves, and pocket squares. Choose from a Packard Motors logo scarf, an automotive leather necktie, British racing green to Martini Racing stripes, engine “rosettes,” spark plugs, exhaust patterns, or six-speed manual gearshift knobs. Be sure to check out the Cargyle ties. You’ll recognize the argyle pattern as connecting images of the original Ford Mustang.

Blipshift, 710 and The World Is Flat Mugs

$15, blipshift.com

If you like your coffee like some of us do, you can turn the 710 mug upside down without spilling a drop—and in doing so, you’ll be in on the joke.

Aether Apparel Hudson Jacket

$350, aetherapparel.com

One of our favorite Aether offerings is this Hudson Jacket, a wool-nylon piece that functions best in the chillier seasons in the city. Think less about an ascent up a frostbound mountain and more about a slushy slog down to the metro station. That’s not to say it wouldn’t keep you warm if you decide to take it upstate. Deep pockets and a midweight design mean you’ll still be toasty for a quick walk around a frozen park. Get it now online or at one of brand’s shops in L.A., San Francisco, Aspen, and New York.

Velomacchi Hybrid Duffle Pack and Tool Roll

$400/$75, velomacchi.com

Still using a backpack for overnight adventures? You’re better than that. With 50 liters of storage space and watertight construction, this duffle-shoulder-backpack is the best of both worlds. The rugged materials mean you won’t worry if it’s caught in the rain. Make sure you also pick up the Velomacchi Speedway toolroll, compact enough to strap to your bike even when filled.

Goodwood Road Racing Club Mechanic Overalls

$120, goodwood.com

It’s not easy to get an invite to run at the Goodwood Festival of Speed or the Revival, but with the Goodwood Road Racing Club mechanic overalls, you can pretend you did. Available in white or khaki, these overalls are best worn while trapped in the dark engine bay of a Triumph TR6, in the fuselage of a Spitfire, or changing the tire of a Lotus in the Silverstone pits. Or add a leather belt, a flat cap, and a scarf, and you’re ready for teatime at the Revival.

Hot Wheels Car Culture: Modern Classics

$4, hotwheels.com

You never truly outgrow Hot Wheels. While the regular blue-card Hot Wheels are as rare as rocks, these mini models are part of the brand’s popular Car Culture premium series. The design team behind the cars is hard at work yanking influence from past and present automotive trends, resulting in some seriously cool diecasts. With detailed paint schemes, metal bases, and rubber Real Riders wheels, these are collector darlings. This series features some of the greatest hits from the 1980s and ’90s, including a 1985 Honda CRX variant.

Hoodoo GT40 Victory Series Guitar

$6,000, gt40.com

Garage art can be a tricky thing, especially when the line between tacky and tasteful is so blurry. For the Americana enthusiast, check out Safir GT40 Spares and Hoodoo Guitar’s take on what a GT40 looks like in guitar form. Like the racing prototype that rocked the world more than a half century ago, this limited-edition axe features headlight and hood slot cutouts, along with special GT40 badging, VIN designation, and historical livery. If you’d rather strum than let it gather dust on the wall next to your car, it’s actually a very sharp-sounding piece, thanks to the craftsmen at Hoodoo’s shop in Calgary, Canada. They’ll make only 100 of each of four different liveries.

Nuna Rava Convertible Car Seat

$450, nuna.eu/usa

The Rava works as both a rear- and forward-facing seat, so take comfort in the safety of that tiny poop monster just home from the hospital all the way up to the 4-foot, 65-pounder who won’t stop asking, “Why, mommy and daddy? Why?” The Rava comes in a variety of colors from charcoal to berry, so it’ll match the interior of most of daddy’s cars.

“Josef, The IndyCar Driver” and “The Spectale: Celebrating the History of the Indianapolis 500”

$16-$40, apexlegends.com

Chris Workman’s children’s motorsports books are perfect for introducing a new generation of potential race fans to America’s open-wheel circuit and its most famous track, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. While intended for kids, the books will inform and refresh even the sport’s full-sized veteran observers.

Carrera Digital 132 ’80s Flashback Slot Car Set

$400, carrera-toys.com

Carrera is one of biggest names in the slot-car business, and the German company offers an astounding number of tracks, cars, and configurations. We distracted ourselves with the new Digital 132 ’80s Flashback set, pitting a 1:32 scale 1979 BMW M1 Procar against a Zakspeed Ford Capri Turbo. Joining these two old-timers were incredibly detailed models of the No. 68 Ford GT race car and the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R.

Vulcan Innova Winder

$25,000, vulcaninnova.com

“When an engine block is engineered, its shape is pure function for maximum performance and no regard for beauty. As a result, it made for an extremely intriguing aesthetic, one that I wanted to celebrate,” says Vulcan Innova’s Sean Cheng, who has produced his bespoke watch winders from salvaged BMW M52 straight-six engines since 2015. Design, engineering, production, and assembly are all done in-house. The Vulcan Innova is plain bananas: Lock the watches in place in winding mode, insert and turn the key, and the watches will rise forth from the winder’s pistons. Custom paint and leather are available to match the winder to your E36 M3.

Vintage Kart Company Italiano

$6,975, vintage-kart-company.myshopify.com

Looking very much like the great monoposto grand prix racers from the 1920s and ’30s, this pint-sized blue bullet is the product of Vintage Kart Company, an Arizona-based outfit that offers karts as kits or turnkey toys. For about $7,000, DIY-ers can assemble a bare matte aluminum kart, replete with Gatsby appeal and charm. Power comes from a Honda GX-200 one-cylinder four-stroke, pumping out a healthy 6.5 hp at full chat. Considering the Kart weighs around 300 pounds, this is plenty. Once you complete the build, slap on some period-correct racing graphics and sign up for the annual Grand Prix of Scottsdale, Arizona, to compete with other Vintage karts.

Land Rover Experience Heritage Program

$1,200-$1,500, landroverusa.com

If you’ve always had a taste for British bricks, the backwoods, and a bit of trail-bashing, this program is just the ticket. Spend either a half or full day of guided driving in the Defender 90 and other Range Rover and Land Rover models. Off-road courses include mud, water pits, and terrain so challenging you won’t believe you made it through, but you will. Locations in California, Vermont, North Carolina, and Quebec, Canada, mean you’re no more than a short flight from the off-road experience of your dreams.

“Crashed and Byrned”

$45, crashorbyrne.com

“There were lots of things Tommy Byrne didn’t know. He didn’t know tomorrow had a limit, that he wasn’t just going to keep on surfing this beautiful wave forever. … He also didn’t know what on Earth Ayrton Senna was talking about in early 1982 when he burst into the Van Diemen office, ranting and raving, calling Tommy a ‘f——- thief.’” This excerpt is from Chapter 6 of the autobiography of perhaps one of the greatest race-car drivers you’ve never heard of. If you enjoy tales of human experience, triumph, failure, and dark humor—and learning the ins and outs of professional motorsports—you need this in your library.

“Uncommon Carriers”

$9, amazon.com

If you know of John McPhee, you know this is going to be a great read. If you don’t know McPhee, go buy everything he’s ever written, starting with “Uncommon Carriers.” As much as it’s about transportation by plane, train, and truck, it’s also a sketchbook of the characters who pilot these machines. Through their eyes we see the world not as it should be or even as it really is, but exactly as it looks from the long end of a career devoted to getting people and things to the right places at the right times. It truly is, as the book’s dust jacket states, a classic work.

“A Man and His Watch”

$35, amazon.com

With his new book, Matthew Hranek has created the style bible for any watch collector. Hranek masterfully weaves the stories of 70 unique timepieces from the men who’ve owned them. He also uncovers examples of deep historical significance such as Steve McQueen’s Heuer Monaco and astronaut Wally Schirra’s Omega Speedmaster. “For me,” Hranek says, “it wasn’t just about the watches, it was about the stories behind them that made them so interesting.”

“Stars & Cars: Mythical Pairings”

$31, amazon.com

Author Jacques Braunstein shares our passion not only for cars and entertainment but also for the cultural impact automobiles have achieved through their appearances in some of Hollywood’s most memorable movies and television programs. His latest book includes actors who have raced—from Dean to McQueen to Newman—and car-entwined characters such as James Bond, Mad Max, and the Blues Brothers, not to mention specific films and shows and the cars they helped to make famous. You’ll find plenty here to satisfy your automotive cravings.

Richard Mille RM 50-03 Tourbillon McLaren F1

$1,000,000, richardmille.com

If you have a cool million sitting around—yes, we know—and are looking for the proper timepiece to match the McLaren BP23 you’ve ordered, you’re in luck. Richard Mille has created the wrist cleavage of your dreams. The RM 50-03 is made from Graph TPT, a composite created by injecting graphene-containing resins into layers of carbon fiber and weighs in at 1.4 ounces, including the strap. No one ever said that channeling the bleeding-edge nature of F1 and distilling it into a timepiece this flawless is for the masses.

Rolex Milgauss

$8,200, bobswatches.com

Similar to daily worn dive watches, the Omega Speedmaster’s NASA flight certification, the Breitling Navitimer’s slide-rule function, and true moonphase-equipped models, a great number of watches possess seemingly ridiculous capabilities that are entirely too specific for the average desk jockey. The colorful Rolex Milgauss is so-named for its resistance to up to 1,000 gauss of magnetic force. Before the advent of modern computers and digital watches, scientists working with magnetic fields needed timepieces designed to resist these forces. The Milgauss is one of the most recognizable of these scientist specials, sporting a lightning-bolt seconds hand.

VistaJet

$10,000, vistajet.com

There’s a reason the tarmac at Monterey Regional Airport is lousy with private jets during Monterey Car Week. Driving yourself—or even worse, flying coach into foggy and oft-delayed MRY—is a big drag. VistaJet, with its global fleet of branded Bombardier Global 5000 and Challenger 350 aircraft, takes the idea of the shared economy to the next logical and expensive level. Choose from either VistaJet’s on-demand or longer-term program, and you’ll never get stuck waiting for a connection again.

Döttling Colosimo Watch Safe

$33,000, doettling.com

Since 1919, Döttling has produced some of the finest safes in its factory in Sindelfingen, Germany. Named after legendary turn of the century gangster “Big Jim” Colosimo and inspired by bank vaults Big Jim would knock over during Prohibition, Döttling created a 1:13-sized vault replica. The Colosimo is an aesthetic gem we wholeheartedly endorse.

Montblanc StarWalker Spirit of Racing Doué Fineliner

$465, montblanc.com

If you appreciate fine watches, cars, and design, it doesn’t make sense to sign documents and letters with the 10-cent ballpoint you picked up from your insurance agent. The StarWalker collection is one of Montblanc’s more subtle product lines, offering subdued, dark designs accented primarily with platinum finish and a crystal endcap. Part of the Spirit of Racing line, the pen wears a rubber tread pattern wrapped around the resin barrel. This example uses the felt-tipped fineliner cartridge but can be had as a ballpoint or fountain pen.

Pagnol M1A Auto Jacket

$650, pagnol-motor.com

Pagnol, an established purveyor of high-end riding gear, looks to break into the four-wheeled sector with the fab M1A Auto Jacket. Just like the motorcycle jacket, the M1A features the same slim leather construction, retaining the accordion stretch panels at the center back, under arm, and above the elbows, and replacing the thick, bulky Kevlar abrasion guards with matte Lycra. Like any good riding jacket, it features zippered pockets, ventilation slots, and zippered sleeves.

The Balvenie Peat Week, 2002 Vintage

$99, us.thebalvenie.com

Ahh, peat. That rich, funky, decidedly Scottish stuff that makes whisky so magical. If you’re a peat lover, you’ll love The Balvenie’s Peat Week, the result of experiments undertaken in 2001. In 2002 and every year since, the Speyside distillery has set aside a week each year to using 100-percent Highland peat for barley drying. In the process, the malted barley absorbs the smoke. Highland peat imparts an earthier, woodier flavor. Look for hints of butterscotch and honey in the nose with citrus, smoke, and oak on the tongue and creamy vanilla on the finish.

Source: http://chicagoautohaus.com/automobiles-2017-holiday-gift-guide/

from Chicago Today https://chicagocarspot.wordpress.com/2017/12/15/automobiles-2017-holiday-gift-guide/

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jonathanbelloblog · 7 years ago

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Automobile’s 2017 Holiday Gift Guide

Bee Line Coffee

$16-$20, beelinecoffee.com

You already know how well cars and coffee go together, but you might not know Bee Line. This automotive-themed brand makes truly delicious joe. Some of our favorites:

Pocket Squares

$21-$90, cyberoptix.com

Blipshift, 710 and The World Is Flat Mugs

$15, blipshift.com

If you like your coffee like some of us do, you can turn the 710 mug upside down without spilling a drop—and in doing so, you’ll be in on the joke.

Aether Apparel Hudson Jacket

$350, aetherapparel.com

Velomacchi Hybrid Duffle Pack and Tool Roll

$400/$75, velomacchi.com

Goodwood Road Racing Club Mechanic Overalls

$120, goodwood.com

Hot Wheels Car Culture: Modern Classics

$4, hotwheels.com

Hoodoo GT40 Victory Series Guitar

$6,000, gt40.com

Nuna Rava Convertible Car Seat

$450, nuna.eu/usa

“Josef, The IndyCar Driver” and “The Spectale: Celebrating the History of the Indianapolis 500”

$16-$40, apexlegends.com

Carrera Digital 132 ’80s Flashback Slot Car Set

$400, carrera-toys.com

Vulcan Innova Winder

$25,000, vulcaninnova.com

Vintage Kart Company Italiano

$6,975, vintage-kart-company.myshopify.com

Land Rover Experience Heritage Program

$1,200-$1,500, landroverusa.com

“Crashed and Byrned”

$45, crashorbyrne.com

#IFTTT #Performance Junk Blogger Feed 4

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jesusvasser · 7 years ago

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Automobile’s 2017 Holiday Gift Guide

Bee Line Coffee

$16-$20, beelinecoffee.com

You already know how well cars and coffee go together, but you might not know Bee Line. This automotive-themed brand makes truly delicious joe. Some of our favorites:

Pocket Squares

$21-$90, cyberoptix.com

Blipshift, 710 and The World Is Flat Mugs

$15, blipshift.com

If you like your coffee like some of us do, you can turn the 710 mug upside down without spilling a drop—and in doing so, you’ll be in on the joke.

Aether Apparel Hudson Jacket

$350, aetherapparel.com

Velomacchi Hybrid Duffle Pack and Tool Roll

$400/$75, velomacchi.com

Goodwood Road Racing Club Mechanic Overalls

$120, goodwood.com

Hot Wheels Car Culture: Modern Classics

$4, hotwheels.com

Hoodoo GT40 Victory Series Guitar

$6,000, gt40.com

Nuna Rava Convertible Car Seat

$450, nuna.eu/usa

“Josef, The IndyCar Driver” and “The Spectale: Celebrating the History of the Indianapolis 500”

$16-$40, apexlegends.com

Carrera Digital 132 ’80s Flashback Slot Car Set

$400, carrera-toys.com

Vulcan Innova Winder

$25,000, vulcaninnova.com

Vintage Kart Company Italiano

$6,975, vintage-kart-company.myshopify.com

Land Rover Experience Heritage Program

$1,200-$1,500, landroverusa.com

“Crashed and Byrned”

$45, crashorbyrne.com

#IFTTT #Performance Junk WP Feed 4

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eddiejpoplar · 7 years ago

Text

Automobile’s 2017 Holiday Gift Guide

Bee Line Coffee

$16-$20, beelinecoffee.com

You already know how well cars and coffee go together, but you might not know Bee Line. This automotive-themed brand makes truly delicious joe. Some of our favorites:

Pocket Squares

$21-$90, cyberoptix.com

Blipshift, 710 and The World Is Flat Mugs

$15, blipshift.com

If you like your coffee like some of us do, you can turn the 710 mug upside down without spilling a drop—and in doing so, you’ll be in on the joke.

Aether Apparel Hudson Jacket

$350, aetherapparel.com

Velomacchi Hybrid Duffle Pack and Tool Roll

$400/$75, velomacchi.com

Goodwood Road Racing Club Mechanic Overalls

$120, goodwood.com

Hot Wheels Car Culture: Modern Classics

$4, hotwheels.com

Hoodoo GT40 Victory Series Guitar

$6,000, gt40.com

Nuna Rava Convertible Car Seat

$450, nuna.eu/usa

“Josef, The IndyCar Driver” and “The Spectale: Celebrating the History of the Indianapolis 500”

$16-$40, apexlegends.com

Carrera Digital 132 ’80s Flashback Slot Car Set

$400, carrera-toys.com

Vulcan Innova Winder

$25,000, vulcaninnova.com

Vintage Kart Company Italiano

$6,975, vintage-kart-company.myshopify.com

Land Rover Experience Heritage Program

$1,200-$1,500, landroverusa.com

“Crashed and Byrned”

$45, crashorbyrne.com

#IFTTT #Performance Junk Blogger 6

0 notes

totally-lyrical · 2 months ago

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The Truth of the Matter and the Lies You Tell Yourself: a Tale from the Pages of Frostbound

This is the title of a short story I'm working on. the end result will be a modified version of a scene in a book I've been working on for nearly five years now: "Frostbound".

The short story will be modified to stand on its own, separate from the novel itself. All necessarry context will be given in the story, while in the book it will be within the context of the greater story of Frostbound.

I'm only just now in a position where I'm confident about where it's at and ready to write properly, so I figured I'd get started with writing this first!

I'll post updates on the book as it goes using the tag "#frostbound book" if you're interested in stalking its progress :]

#frostbound book

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mermaidsirennikita · 5 months ago

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ARC REVIEW: The Frostbound Queen by Amy Pennza

3.75/5. 8/13/24.

Vibes: MMF, elves!!!, guardian/ward, enemies to lovers

Heat Index: 9/10

The Basics:

Elven princess Liria is meant to inherit her father's throne—but when he dies, she's confronted with the realities of her own power, leaving a vacuum open for his friend (and her guardina) Ronan to step in. Fleeing to the human lands, Liria meets the charismatic Prince Sigurn. Torn between her long-simmering feelings for Ronan—unsure of whether she should even trust him—and her new connection with Sigurn, Liria is even more thrown when it turns out the men know each other... and the threats to her throne may be more complex than she realized.

The Review:

It's always lovely to pick up a book thinking it's a love triangle, when in fact... It's MMF! Yes yes, Sigurn and Ronan know each other INDEED, and swords do cross (quite a bit) and everyone is in love with everyone at the end, so... have no fear triangle-haters. This is the whole thing.

I don't hate triangles, so while I was happy that this turned out to be a triad romance (which I love quite a bit) I was honestly more worried about the elf thing. Elves can be really hit or miss for me—but these were ROYAL elves, and therefore I was willing to play ball.

There was really no need to fear. The elf stuff was well done, and not overly... elven. You get some politicking, some fighting for the throne, and some cool ice powers. But it's not Lord of the Rings; I mean, it's VERY far from that, all things considered. So if you're a little worried about how elfy this is going to get, I'd say that you're going to be pleased here.

I'd never read Amy Pennza before, and she has a quick, snappy, engaging writing style that pulled me in from the beginning. Her writing flows, her dialogue is fun, and I'd say that this reads pretty smoothly overall. I can't say that this is a total "one-handed read", because honestly? You get a good chunk of plot here. Like, yeah, the plot ultimately kind of leads to us getting these three into bed together, but like... There's betrayal. There are blood vows. I actually really liked some of the worldbuilding aspects. Basically: if you want your triad books to have actual substance, you'll get that here (if not quite as much as you would with, say, a Sierra Simone book).

Where I do have my quibbles are really in the character dynamics. I love poly romances. I love MMF. It is very difficult to write it without the heat being prioritized over the relationship development, which leads to one or two dynamics being emphasized over the other.

Here's where I think we had some stumbling blocks, to be honest. I was immediately drawn to Liria and Ronan's bond—if you aren't into guardian/ward stuff, then look away, because he has known her since she was a kid, and he is her dad's best friend. The book is very upfront about all of that. The thing is that this gives us a lot of layers to work with. They're conflicted, they're drawn to each other. You can feel the years of tension. To top it off? Liria is now suspicious of Ronan attempting to dethrone her, and he had does have genuine internal conflict about it.

Like, I can't say that Liria has as much depth as Ronan—he's easily the most compelling character of the three. But there's more for her to bounce off of when she's with him. There's a real trajectory the two of them must reach, a dynamic that has to overcome hurdles surrounding trust, duty, and entitlement.

Sigurn... is hot. He's Big. He's a bit rakish, but in a jolly kind of way. He tops. And yes, he has his family drama, and we know that he and Ronan have battled wills in the past. But by the time we see them together, they do have... tension, but a kind of equilibrium and acceptance of an imperfect relationship. Yes, there are a couple more steps to go, and they take them. Their dynamic is intriguing—but you don't get as much emotionally between them as you do between Liria and Ronan, and Liria and Sigurn one-on-one are honestly basically instalove and kind of boring in comparison to the other two dynamics. Ronan and Liria? Lots of conflict. Sigurn and Ronan? Lots of tension. Sigurn and Liria? Kind of just... fine. The sex is hot. There you go.

And for me, this really becomes more apparent as the story goes on. Sirgun just isn't as interesting as Ronan, and his dynamic with Liria isn't as interesting as her dynamic with Ronan, and his dynamic with Ronan is interesting, but a lot of the source of conflict has already HAPPENED.

It's not BAD, but it did kind of stick with me towards the end of the book. I got why Liria and Ronan were tangled up with each other. I sort of got why Ronan and Sigurn were all twisted up, though to be real, I felt like Ronan seemed way more preoccupied with Liria. Sirgun was just... not as important. This being an MMF book, I did have to take issue with that.

However, the story remains really fun. I was always engaged, and I breezed through the audiobook (which has good narrators all around). For a lot of people all my critiques here are not going to matter, because if you want a good time, you'll get a good time. And to be clear: I absolutely plan on reading more Amy Pennza.

The Sex:

I mean. It's really good. Each pairing in the triad gets an individual scene (I gotta say, Liria took quite a... pummeling... for an inexperienced woman in that short amount of time, but I'll chalk it up to elf stuff) plus several trio scenes. I do feel that Sigurn's status as "least interesting person here" continues into the bedroom, as he's very typical "let me tell you what to do", but hey. I'll openly admit that Ronan is probably the worst person at that bar, and boy does that make me like him more.

Overall, this is a really fun, hot romance that's perfect for those who want something high heat, fantastical, and a bit on the lighter side without being too lightweight. Don't let the elves scare you off!

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with a copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#romance novel blogging #arc reviews #netgalley #book reviews #romance novels #books

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