Review: The Tiger's Watch

Ashes of Gold: The Tiger's Watch | Julia Ember

Published by: Harmony Ink Press, August 22nd 2017

Genre: YA, Fantasy, LGBT+

Pages: 400

Format: Ebook

Source: Harmony Ink Press, via Netgalley

Sixteen-year-old Tashi has spent their life training as a inhabitor, a soldier who spies and kills using a bonded animal. When the capital falls after a brutal siege, Tashi flees to a remote monastery to hide. But the invading army turns the monastery into a hospital, and Tashi catches the eye of Xian, the regiment’s fearless young commander.

Tashi spies on Xian’s every move. In front of his men, Xian seems dangerous, even sadistic, but Tashi discovers a more vulnerable side of the enemy commander—a side that draws them to Xian.

When their spying unveils that everything they’ve been taught is a lie, Tashi faces an impossible choice: save their country or the boy they’re growing to love. Though Tashi grapples with their decision, their volatile bonded tiger doesn't question her allegiances. Katala slaughters Xian’s soldiers, leading the enemy to hunt her. But an inhabitor’s bond to their animal is for life—if Katala dies, so will Tashi.

This is the second book I've read by Julia Ember, so I knew it was gonna be good, but this was SO much better than I even predicted.

I pretty much loved this from page one. It starts with action and throws you right into the world and danger, and I connected with Tashi, the main character, instantly, along with her bonded tiger (who is an adorable killing machine and I want her to be my bestie.) There's so much I loved in this book, from the setting (a monastery!) to the cast of characters (ranging from people soul bonded with animals via magic to monks to invading soldiers) to Tashi, our non-binary hero, to the story itself. I blew through the book, and was at 75% in the space of a blink, I was so absorbed reading it. I even ... felt really bad for the villain (maybe villain? I'm hopeful for him redeeming himself because that boy has serious secrets.)

I honestly CANNOT wait until the next book. There's so much this series can do and so many places it can go, and I know I'm gonna love it.

Characters ★★★★☆

Setting/world ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

Guest Post + Giveaway: Calista Lynne, We Awaken

We Awaken | Calista Lynne

YA Fantasy

Out July 14th from Harmony Ink Press

Victoria Dinham doesn’t have much left to look forward to. Since her father died in a car accident, she lives only to fulfill her dream of being accepted into the Manhattan Dance Conservatory. But soon she finds another reason to look forward to dreams when she encounters an otherworldly girl named Ashlinn, who bears a message from Victoria’s comatose brother. Ashlinn is tasked with conjuring pleasant dreams for humans, and through the course of their nightly meetings in Victoria’s mind, the two become close. Ashlinn also helps Victoria understand asexuality and realize that she, too, is asexual.

But then Victoria needs Ashlinn’s aid outside the realm of dreams, and Ashlinn assumes human form to help Victoria make it to her dance audition. They take the opportunity to explore New York City, their feelings for each other, and the nature of their shared asexuality. But like any dream, it’s too good to last. Ashlinn must shrug off her human guise and resume her duties creating pleasant nighttime visions—or all of humanity will pay the price.

Available for pre-order at: 

harmonyinkpress.com/books/we-awaken-by-calista-lynne-399-b

Giveaway

Calista is giving away a copy of We Awaken!

 More information can be found here: Win We Awaken

The Ace of Inspiration

by Calista Lynne

My goal was to write a post about the asexual inspirations for my novel- it features two ace protagonists- but the truth is that I can’t think of any. There is a simple explanation for this, though. I can’t name a single piece of media where a character specifically states that they are asexual. That itself is part of the inspiration for this book, because not speaking about the sexuality doesn’t make it go away. It just makes a lot of hormonal teenagers (not to mention a fair amount of adults) really confused and convinced that there’s something wrong with them. Occassionally a celebrity will come out asasexual, take Tim Gunn and Janeane Garofalo for example, but there is truly a lack of ace role models for anyone.

Hopefully asexual readers of my book will see something of themselves in the characters.

So because I can not name any distinctly asexual influences, I will instead explain what led to the formulation of my plot line. At the start of my writing career, I built my resume by getting poems published in unimpressive magazines that did not pay. Many of these had themed issues which they encouraged writers to draw inspiration from. One theme was fairytales and I had an ingenious idea: I would write a sonnet about a woman who fell in love with the sandman and became addicted to sleeping pills in order to see him. A tragedy, of course.

Around this same time a publisher rejected a short story I wrote for a contest and instead of moving along my whole brain went screw ‘em I’m gonna write a book that they’re gonna love. And I knew it was going to feature asexuality and girls loving girls.

Combining these two concepts into a romp of asexual teenage girls getting up to strange antics and dancing hadn’t entered my mind yet. The drug addiction and tragedy was dropped in favor of a happy ending, which doesn’t even need justification. My main characters, Ashlinn and Victoria, were born while I was lying down one day and imagined another girl waking up only to find someone else in her bed. A naked female who made dreams. That scene, although it is in the middle of the novel, is the first one I wrote and the story unfurled in either direction from there. The sonnet was never written. Thank God. As you can see, my writing process isn’t very straightforward.

While the sexuality of my characters isn’t based on any previous work, my greatest influences are the two people I dedicated my book to, Roald Dahl and Bruce Coville. These authors sculpted my childhood which was the foundation for everything that has happened since. Whether my fantasy world was that of The BFG and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or a bit more cheesy with Aliens Ate My Homework, the authors wrote worlds I never wanted to leave. So I haven’t. By writing fantasy I try to maintain the dreams of my youth. They also led me to my current favorite authors, Neil Gaiman and Douglas Adams, who are the frontrunners of fantasy. There are definite trends in my taste.

So this rambling post has hopefully explained to you where I draw a bit of my inspiration from. May you always feel represented and if not, I hope you feel inspired enough to write some representation yourself.

About Calista Lynne

Calista Lynne grew up on the American East Coast and is currently studying in London. She is having difficulty adjusting to the lack of Oxford commas across the pond and writes because it always seemed to make more sense than mathematics. Look for her near the caffeinated beverages.

calista-lynne.tumblr.com

calista-lynne.blogspot.com

@calistawrites

Guest Post: Julia Ember's Favourite Literary Creatures

I am so thrilled to have Julia Ember on Syntax Reviews today. If you've read my review of Unicorn Tracks, you'll know I loved it, and you'll know the creatures were one of my favourite parts. I'm delighted to have a guest post from Julia about her favourite literary magical creatures.

Want to know more about this amazing f/f fantasy? Scroll down for the blurb & links.

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If you’ve read the synopsis for Unicorn Tracks, or have any familiarity with the book’s mythical safari topic, it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that I adore magical creatures and beings. When Saruuh asked me to write a guest blog post featuring some of my favourite creatures in books, I was very excited to dive in! I’m not going to talk about Unicorns because I think my love of them is kind of a given and I might be a *little* biased in my book selections.

 

Dragons

 

                I love dragons of all types – from the dangerous beasts of the Trinwizard to the mathematical intelligentsia of Seraphina. As a former medievalist turned fantasy writer, I get particularly excited imaging medieval people discovering dinosaur skeletons and constructing elaborate mythologies based on them. I don’t know if that’s how dragons became such a universal feature of human myth or not, but it’s what I like to think. Here are my picks:

 

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman – I loved the shape-shifting dragons in Seraphina! Most stories depict dragons as instinctual, emotional creatures that need to tame their inner rage. Not so in Hartman’s world! Her dragons are super intelligent, analytical creatures who weed out emotional reaction and attachment in their society. They make excellent scientists and mathematicians. The dragons can shift into a human form in order to live in human cities. Seraphina herself is a half-dragon, with traits from both creatures. However, in their true dragon form, Hartman’s dragons are monstrous and huge!

Tell Me A Dragon by Jackie Morris – One of the most richly imagined children’s picture books I’ve ever seen. This book depicts dragons of all types and sizes, from tiny lizards tucked behind children’s ears to great feathered ice dragons flying over the arctic. The book doesn’t tell much of a story, although it has words to encourage children to imagine their own dragons. However, each page is a work of art and well worth having in your collection!

The Ice-Dragon by George RR Martin – I picked up the beautiful new edition with illustrations by Luis Royo last year in a book shop. This bittersweet little book totally blew me away, both with the heart-breaking narrative (it’s George RR so he can’t let you be happy even in a children’s story) and the amazing blue-tone illustrations. There are many types of rideable dragon in this book, but it’s the illusive ice-dragon that steals the show. The ice-dragon is the bringer of winter and made of frozen crystal. The story fits nicely with the Song of Ice and Fire mythology because as long as the dragon remains it will stay winter.

 

Mythical Birds

 

                Confession time: I have a Phoenix tattoo on my thigh. I absolutely love phoenixes with their fiery feathers, symbols of rebirth and personal growth. Equally beautiful, but less known is the Caladrius. The Caladrius first appears in Roman Mythology, and is said to be able to take the sickness of a person and fly away with it, leaving them healthy again. They are usually depicted as all-white, but sometimes with blue and purple feathers.

 

                The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig – This magical debut novel opens in a bustling Indian market, where the protagonist and her dashing thief love-interest are bartering. Securing a Caladrius, they manage to escape the market with the bird. The Caladrius provides eery foreshadowing – it won’t look at someone if their condition isn’t cureable. When Nix shows the bird to her father, it won’t look at him.

 

 

                Harry Potter by JK Rowling – Okay, I feel like this is a predictable choice, but I couldn’t avoid it. Fawkes the Phoenix is pretty badass. His tears are able to heal Harry after he suffers a fatal wound and he’s able to regenerate in a puff of smoke.

 

About Unicorn Tracks:

Unicorn Tracks | Julia Ember

Published by: Harmony Ink Press, April 21st 2016

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Mythology

Pages: 180

After a savage attack drives her from her home, sixteen-year-old Mnemba finds a place in her cousin Tumelo’s successful safari business, where she quickly excels as a guide. Surrounding herself with nature and the mystical animals inhabiting the savannah not only allows Mnemba’s tracking skills to shine, it helps her to hide from the terrible memories that haunt her.

Mnemba is employed to guide Mr. Harving and his daughter, Kara, through the wilderness as they study unicorns. The young women are drawn to each other, despite that fact that Kara is betrothed. During their research, they discover a conspiracy by a group of poachers to capture the Unicorns and exploit their supernatural strength to build a railway. Together, they must find a way to protect the creatures Kara adores while resisting the love they know they can never indulge.

About Julia Ember:

Originally from the Windy City, Julia Ember now resides in Sunny Scotland where she learned to enjoy both haggis and black pudding. She spends her days working as a professional Book Nerd for a large book wholesaler, and her nights writing YA Romantic Fantasy novels.  She also spends an inordinate amount of time managing her growing city-based menagerie of pets with Harry Potter themed names. Presently, she is the haggard slave Sirius Black and Luna Lovegood the cats and Bellatrix Le Snake. She also owns a freakishly adorable cob pony called Africa.

A world traveller since childhood, Julia has now visited over 60 countries. Her travels inspire the fictional worlds she writes about and she populates those worlds with magic and monsters. In the coming year, she really hopes to visit Iceland and participate in a Saga Tour — viewing the stunning countryside by pony-back.

ARC Review: Unicorn Tracks

Unicorn Tracks | Julia Ember

Published by: Harmony Ink Press, April 21st 2016

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Mythology

Pages: 180

Format: Ebook

Source: Author

After a savage attack drives her from her home, sixteen-year-old Mnemba finds a place in her cousin Tumelo’s successful safari business, where she quickly excels as a guide. Surrounding herself with nature and the mystical animals inhabiting the savannah not only allows Mnemba’s tracking skills to shine, it helps her to hide from the terrible memories that haunt her.

Mnemba is employed to guide Mr. Harving and his daughter, Kara, through the wilderness as they study unicorns. The young women are drawn to each other, despite that fact that Kara is betrothed. During their research, they discover a conspiracy by a group of poachers to capture the Unicorns and exploit their supernatural strength to build a railway. Together, they must find a way to protect the creatures Kara adores while resisting the love they know they can never indulge.

Unicorns and lesbians? Possibly the best combination ever.

Come for the rep, stay for the creatures. The relationship between Mnemba and Kara is so sweet, and sad in parts. I loved that Mnemba was a recovering victim - did not expect that but I loved how it was written. (And that her rapist was rotting in a pit. Please let this be the standard punishment everywhere.) Because of the obvious obstacles to a relationship, it's a bittersweet love, and it's so realistic. 

The creatures were my favourite part of this book. It wasn't just unicorns - there's all sorts of mythical creatures mentioned and part of the story, which was an epic surprise. I wasn't overly sure of the story until the end; it was hard to see how unicorns would play into a railway being built, but there is a genuine reason for it and I enjoyed the mystery around it. Honestly, I just loved the animals and the setting. I can't say much for authenticity because I've never been to a country in Africa, but I could visualise everything and it FELT real. It was like I was actually there (but without the displeasure of melting in the heat. Bonus!)

If you're looking for less common mythical creatures, non-western settings, and honest romance, read this immediately.

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

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Mad About The Hatter (ARC Review)

Mad About The Hatter | Dakota Chase

Published by: Harmony Ink Press, August 20th 2015

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Retelling

Pages: 190

Format: Ebook

Source: Harmony Ink Press, via Netgalley

This isn’t his sister’s Wonderland….

Henry never believed his older sister, Alice’s, fantastic tales about the world down the rabbit hole. When he’s whisked away to the bizarre land, his best chance for escape is to ally himself with the person called the Mad Hatter. Hatter—an odd but strangely attractive fellow—just wants to avoid execution. If that means delivering “Boy Alice” to the Queen of Hearts at her Red Castle, Hatter will do what he has to do to stay alive. It doesn’t matter if Henry and Hatter find each other intolerable. They’re stuck with each other.

Along their journey, Henry and Hatter must confront what they’ve always accepted as truth. As dislike grows into tolerance and something like friendship, the young men see the chance for a closer relationship. But Wonderland is a dangerous place, and first they have to get away with their lives. 

What is it with me and reading Alice In Wonderland retellings even though I don't overly like the original? Why do I do it to myself? I'll tell you why with this one - gay representation drew me in. Sadly I didn't like the world, the characters, the threat, the story, or the romance. This is just gonna be one of those kind of reviews.

First, I never connected with the characters. Although it was a totally new and inventive thing to tell this story from Alice's brothers POV, he was just pretty uninteresting. I didn't particularly like Hatter either, after a while. At first I enjoyed his wit and humour but either that dropped off towards the middle or I got tired of it. And when you put those two characters together ... well, no sparks whatsoever. Even though Hatted had 'feelings' for Henry after a day.

The rest of Mad About The Hatter will be better for most people than it was for me. As with the original the world was just ... weird, and not in a good way for me personally. The author did a very good job world building, with enough detail to make everything fleshed out (and I can't say how much was of their own creation because I barely remember the gist of the original.) The story was bizarre, but not interestingly bizarre, just plain wacky. Not a fan of that. When they left Wonderland I thought I might enjoy the story more but I still wasn't that interested, sadly. The threat ... well, it's the same old same old, nothing new brought to the Red Queen, and it never felt dangerous. It felt like there were no true stakes, like nothing bad was ever going to happen to the main characters despite threats of beheading getting thrown about all over the place. I can't explain it.

So not a good choice for me, and despite its LGBT representation, I wasn't a fan. Maybe you'll get along better if you're a fan of the original.

DNF at 58%

(Apologies for the spate of negative reviews lately. Hopefully I can get back on track with my reading and write some proper reviews! I don't like being so down on everything!
~Saruuh)

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