• Want to contribute to the blog by writing some articles? We are looking for guest reviewers. Read on for more information on how to apply!

  • Reviews for children's books are finally here! Check them out!

  • I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero. But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know? ...

  • Double, double, toil and trouble. Sometimes, the quest for high school royalty can be deadly! In this emotionally-charged twist ...

  • A runaway slave with a shadowy past, sixteen-year-old Persephone has spent four long years...

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Monday, December 1, 2014

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Guest Post: Diana L. Wicker

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Author: Diana L. Wicker

Ethereal Book Reviews is such a lovely name.  I am so excited that you have invited me to share one of my tales with your audience.  I am the Storyteller of Feyron.  I share the tales of lore with anyone who would like to listen. I think, when meeting a new audience for the first time, it is best to start at the beginning.  Wouldn't you agree?

So, for today's tale, let us start with a story from the Age of Beginnings.  The Realm of Feyron has always been.  It is the origin of all things magical, the axis point where all the worlds meet.  There was a time, in the beginning of days, when the worlds were not yet formed and the Faie did not yet exist.

The Keeper of Time

Swimming through the primordial sea, a black serpentine form glided effortlessly, strong muscles propelling her forward as the azure fin rippled along the length of her back flowing behind her in a graceful trail from the base of her tail. The vast expanse of the Unending Sea lay all around her. A milky haze swirled up from the depths mingling with the deep green water as the great leviathan turned her nose towards the deep caverns of black and followed the creamy swirls into the darkness.

Returning to her home in the Stoney Deep, she followed a soft blue light back to the great arch of black stone hidden at the very depths of her realm. The cold waters flowed around, over, and through the archway. As the light flickered, waxing and waning from nearly white to nearly black and back again, she coiled in its glow, the large fan of azure gossamer at the end of her tail spreading before her like a carpet. She watched the undulations as time flowed past. 

She had no words marking the passing of time, for there was no day or night in the darkness of the Stoney Deep. There was only Now and Could Be, for the future is not set in the stone of the deep. It ebbs and flows on the currents of change, always responding to the Now as it unfolds. She enjoyed watching the rhythm of nature, the swirling of the great gas clouds as they moved towards one another, merged, and reformed into something new. The hypnotic rhythm of the light lulled her to sleep and she dreamed about all that Could Be.

The aeons passed, but in time the flickering slowed to a pulsing, the heartbeat of countless stars as worlds took shape bathed in the milky haze that carried the Seeds of Life on the currents of time as they ebbed and flowed through the realms. The changing rhythms stirred her from her dreams and she watched the waves of creation wash over the newly formed worlds.

“Children.” The word floated through her mind like the haze that drifted through the gateway. 
The Could Be of a myriad worlds swirled in the mists before her. 

Slowly she unfurled, the azure fan trailing along the black rocks as she wound around the arch of the gateway, swimming in a slow spiral to the very top. While her realm often felt all encompassing and never ending, in truth there was sky above and a distant shore, but she was loath to leave the depths to seek it out. Her eyes shimmered gold as she searched for the Now of the other place where the milky currents originated.

A warm pool in a basin of black stone fed by a high mountain waterfall came into focus within the gateway, a gentle rain of pink petals showering over the surface of the milky water. The vision broadened revealing a carpet of lush emerald grass, a rainbow of delicate fairies fluttering from flower to flower on a gentle breeze within the meadow. Beyond the pool, mountains of crystal merged with an obsidian wall, both vanishing from sight in either direction. The leviathan passed through the True Gateway, riding on the currents of the swirling creamy haze, seeking out the Now of the hidden meadow.

Rising from the Sacred Pool beneath the tree that was clothed in pink, the small creatures of the meadow scattered before her sudden appearance, fleeing towards the misty forest. Her black scales an iridescent rainbow of colors in the morning sunlight, the great leviathan began to shimmer in a golden light as she moved towards the bank, finally stepping into the grass wearing a new form.

***

I hope you have enjoyed the tale. Thank you so much for letting me share it with your

audience. I do hope you will have me over to visit again.
Books from the Author: 
The Dreamweaver’s Journey: The Age of Awakenings - Book 1
The Guardian Child’s Return: The Age of Awakenings - Book 2
Legacy of Mist and Shadow: The Age of Awakenings - Book 3
*This guest post was made entirely for Ethereal Book Review (EBR)'s use only.  All material above is copyrighted.  Please do not copy any information above (unless cited).

Sunday, November 23, 2014

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Featured Author: Karen Akins

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About the Author:
Karen Akins lives in the MidSouth where she writes humorous, light YA sci-fi. When not writing or reading, she loves lightsaber dueling with her two sons and forcing her husband to watch BBC shows with her. 
Karen has been many things in her life: an archery instructor, drummer for the shortest-lived garage band in history, and a shockingly bad tic-tac-toe player. (Taken from Goodreads)

Other Information:

Books Written:
  • Loop (Loop #1)
  • Twist (Loop #2)
Link to Goodreads Account: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6549394.Karen_Akins
Most Popular Book (by the ratings on Goodreads): Loop (Loop #1)
Blog: ----
Link to Author Interview: ----

Saturday, November 22, 2014

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Book Promotion: Loop by Karen Akins

Posted in , ,
Synopsis:
At a school where Quantum Paradox 101 is a required course and history field trips are literal, sixteen year-old time traveler Bree Bennis excels…at screwing up.

After Bree botches a solo midterm to the 21st century by accidentally taking a boy hostage (a teensy snafu), she stands to lose her scholarship. But when Bree sneaks back to talk the kid into keeping his yap shut, she doesn’t go back far enough. The boy, Finn, now three years older and hot as a solar flare, is convinced he’s in love with Bree, or rather, a future version of her that doesn’t think he’s a complete pain in the arse. To make matters worse, she inadvertently transports him back to the 23rd century with her. 

Once home, Bree discovers that a recent rash of accidents at her school are anything but accidental. Someone is attacking time travelers. As Bree and her temporal tagalong uncover seemingly unconnected clues—a broken bracelet, a missing data file, the art heist of the millennium—that lead to the person responsible, she alone has the knowledge to piece the puzzle together. Knowledge only one other person has. Her future self.

But when those closest to her become the next victims, Bree realizes the attacker is willing to do anything to stop her. In the past, present, or future. 


Information About the Book:
Author: Karen Akins

Link to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19286673-loop 
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin
Release Date: October 21, 2014
Links to Buy:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Loop-Karen-Akins/dp/1250030986/ref=la_B00MCM9C4Y_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411009520&sr=1-1
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loop-karen-akins/1117685339?ean=9781250030986
Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250030986
Average Rating (from Goodreads): 3.78

Rating from EBR: ----

Thursday, November 20, 2014

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Featured Book: A Shadowed Soul by Kira Tregoning

Synopsis:
Enemies old and new circle around the Aligerai, waiting for a fatal mistake. One of the Aligerai’s own remains trapped in the Chaos world of Metanoia. And the threat of the soul-eating demons and the end of Cora looms ever closer . . . Sita and her friends Ariene and Roxanne must stay one step ahead of their enemies and find a way to track and defeat the demon Pur. But each of the Aligerai faces their own internal battles. When their enemies strike too close to home, the Aligerai must decide whether to stay together . . . or splinter apart. (Taken from Goodreads)

Information:
Title: A Shadowed Soul
Author(s): Kira R. Tregoning
Average Stars (from Goodreads): 0.00

Excerpt:
Summer heat retreated before the cool of night. On top of a small hill stood a noble mansion, tall and statuesque among the fields and trees that surrounded it. Lights flickered through windows on the lower floors, but no sign of human life could be seen.

Inside, in a bedroom on the second floor, slept Sita Newbury, the heir of the ancient House of Awle. She tossed in her sleep, her long golden hair tangled around her throat. Fine sheets of red satin covered her slim figure, the light material keeping her cool in the late July heat.

Sita turned onto her side, still dreaming, sweat beaded on her brow. A word escaped through her lips: “Owen . . . ”

Another dream began to intrude, chasing away the memories of battles, enemies, and lost lovers. This dream entangled her mind so fully that she began to rise to wakefulness. A woman in the dream—impossibly tall, her dark brown skin glowing softly, eyes full of the universe—called out to her. “Sita. Come to me. I must speak with you. Come to me on the lake.” Sita resisted. Her warm bed embraced her, kept her safe and calm. Why should she leave it in the middle of the night?

“Sita,” the woman called, even louder now. “Sita, come to me now. It is urgent.”

Finally Sita’s eyes opened. The dream stuck with her. She knew the figure, and knew she couldn’t refuse the demand of a goddess. “Fine, fine, fine,” she said. Grumbling to herself, Sita rose from the bed and stumbled into her closet. She lit the lights with a wave of her hand, her power and the house’s inherent magic combining to do the task for her. She thumbed through her clothes before grabbing a simple dress and pulling it on.

An insistent wordless urging crashed against her like wave on a beach. The force of the pounding set Sita’s stomach roiling. She frowned and tsked. “I’m coming, I’m coming!” she said to the air. Shaking her head, the young woman walked through the hall and down the stairs to the foyer. “Stupid Corá, interrupting my sleep. Why can’t she save this for normal hours?” The front door opened of its own accord, the magical house doing its duty by its mistress.

Guided by a bright moon, Sita ambled down a wide field toward the lake to the east of her mansion, the water hidden within the forest. Compared to the heat of the summer days, Sita welcomed the coolness of the night air and was glad to find she was comfortable in just the dress. Moonlight enhanced the waist-length hair flowing behind her. As she entered the forest she discovered the lake through the trees.

Sita picked her way through the last of the grass and reeds by the lake’s shore. The feel of the cool plants and just-damp dirt between her toes made her grin with pleasure. Tiny waves rolled onto the muddy shore, creating a soothing aquatic song. Her hemline would be ruined, and she would make sure Corá heard a great deal about the subject before she left tonight. This was, after all, the Lady Corá’s idea.

The woods around her breathed with life, even in the middle of the night. Crickets chirped all around, and fireflies illuminated the trunks of trees with yellow dots. Night fliers winged their silent ways through the shadowed branches. An owl hooted nearby.

A ripple on the water caught Sita’s attention. She stepped closer to the lake, the cold liquid just lapping at her toes. Something began to rise from the water. Sita waited impatiently.

Finally the goddess Corá floated above the lake, her feet just on the surface. Her body was transparent, which only made sense—she was made of the clear blue waters, and moonlight shone straight through her. The being walked over the water. Droplets sprayed off her form in an invisible breeze. “Thank you for coming,” said Corá. The multi-toned voice of the goddess felt like a caress across the skin, and Sita noticed that the lake and forest seemed brighter and more vibrant when the goddess spoke.

Sita crossed her arms and stuck out her chin. “Do you realize what time it is? Iwas asleep.”

“I apologize, but I need to speak with you, Sita. I promise it is important.”

“It better be,” Sita grumbled. “Oh, and thanks to you, my hem is ruined. Just had to tell you that.”

Corá crossed her own watery arms. “The more you complain, little Earth child, the longer you will be out here, my dear.” Sita sighed and allowed her shoulders to slump just slightly. Satisfied, Corá continued. “I need to warn you. There is something happening, something that could change life on both worlds as we know it.” The droplets flung away from her more rapidly now. “I cannot see what it is, but I feel it building. Darci is planning something that could end life as we know it.”

Sita clenched her hands into fists. “Um, duh. It’s called a war. We know that already. What else’ve you got?”

A drop of water slashed across Sita’s cheek and drew a shallow line of blood. She jumped and touched the cut with a finger. The injury stung, but the pain soon faded and the bleeding stopped.

“Don’t be rude, Sita. When I speak, you should listen. It is not often I give such warnings.” Sita bowed her head, placating the goddess. “Now, this is not about the war, not exactly. This is something bigger, more heinous, more . . . well, evil.

“I fear for my sister, Earth, as you call her. The nature of this evil is aimed at her. I am sorry I cannot tell you anything more specific, but I am not a strong seer, and I only See the things relevant to me and mine.”

Sita groaned. “Let me guess. You want me to do something about it, right?”

“In a way. Just see what you can observe.” The water of Corá’s body ran in slow swirls around her face. “Also, you should consider bringing those you love here to Corá to live with you.”

“What do you mean?”

The swirls across Corá’s watery skin moved faster, creating stronger currents and distorting her features. Waves on the lake that had been small and gentle now churned, and more cold water engulfed Sita’s feet. “Have you not been listening? Earth will be attacked. Anyone caught in the crossfire will be destroyed, obliterated. Your safety is here.”

“I don’t think so. I’m going back to school in the fall. What about that?”

“You live here. What do you mean you are going back?”

Sita bit her lip. The goddess was sometimes less understanding of human affairs, such as now. “This is not my home. I’m on vacation. I’m going back home to Maryland in the fall.”

“You should stay here.” Corá stamped a foot, water spraying all over the girl. “Besides, have you not been making the mansion livable?” She shifted to view over Sita’s head. Sita turned to follow her gaze. Trees bent and swayed out of the way at Corá’s command to reveal the mansion’s upper stories. “It looks quite homey to me.” She paused, considering. “Perhaps you do not know this yet, but there is a stable of some size in the far part of your property. You might want to see it.”

Sita’s shoulders drooped. “You’re trying to keep me here, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

The young woman’s features scrunched up into an angry scowl. “I’m going back to school in the fall. I don’t care what you say, I’m going back. My sister is there, my friends are there, and my school is there. I won’t abandon them so I can live here in luxury and boredom.”

Corá’s face of water twisted into a maelstrom. She snarled. “Stop being so selfish and do your duty. You were born to protect my sister, you were born to protect me, so do it!”

Just as the goddess reached out to embrace her, Sita ran into the forest and back to the mansion, leaving a distraught Corá behind.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

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Featured Author: Kira Tregoning

Posted in , ,

PICTURE UNAVAILABLE
About the Author:
Kira R. Tregoning is a language enthusiast, writer, and book lover. She graduated from the University of Maryland. An avid reader, she owns a large number of books, which somehow all fit under the same roof, and which span genres from historical fiction, science fiction, and fantasy to classic fiction, Shakespeare, and the great novels. Her first book, "Rise of the Aligerai," was released Dec. 13, 2012. She also runs the book review blog Fantastical Reads.

Other Information:

Books Written:
  • Rise of the Aligerai (Book 1)
  • A Shadowed Soul
Link to Goodreads Account: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6767724.Kira_R_Tregoning
Most Popular Book (by the ratings on Goodreads): Rise of the Aligerai (Book 1)
Blog: http://theworldofcora.wordpress.com
Link to Author Interview: ----

Sunday, November 16, 2014

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Featured Book: Bitter Candy by Lily Ableman

Posted in , ,
Synopsis:
Hilarie Walsh fits in with her high school about as well as a Satan worshipper at a Christian book club. Not only is she the sole middle class girl in a sea of filthy rich kids, but - thanks to her ex's lies - everyone also thinks she's a slut. As a result, she's completely given up on her love life.

Enter senior year - and Eric Lawington, the arrogant but incredibly sexy son of a billionaire.
Let the sparks fly... (Taken from Goodreads)











Information:
Title: Bitter Candy
Author(s): Lily Ableman
Smashwords: ----
Average Stars (from Goodreads): 3.77

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Book Promotion: Bitter Candy by Lily Ableman

Posted in , ,
Synopsis:
Hilarie Walsh fits in with her high school about as well as a Satan worshipper at a Christian book club. Not only is she the sole middle class girl in a sea of filthy rich kids, but - thanks to her ex's lies - everyone also thinks she's a slut. As a result, she's completely given up on her love life.

Enter senior year - and Eric Lawington, the arrogant but incredibly sexy son of a billionaire. 

Let the sparks fly...










Information About the Book:
Author: Lily Ableman
Link to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22551342-bitter-candy
Publisher: ----
Release Date: September 16, 2014
Links to Buy:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NNSYG42/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00NNSYG42&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2
Average Rating (from Goodreads): 3.77 

Rating from EBR: ----