Of Silver and Beasts: Review + Excerpt + Giveaway!

Author: Trisha Wolfe 

In the sand-covered queendom of Cavan, the goddess once saved a young Kaliope’s life, preventing the mercury her father attempted to hide in her blood from reaching her heart. Now, a cybernetic clamp filters it, but the silver streaks swirling faintly beneath her skin are a constant reminder that she’s different.

When nineteen-year-old Kaliope is chosen as head of the Nactue Guard, she becomes the sworn protector to her empress. In the midst of an invasion on a neighboring land, Kaliope is placed in charge of guarding Prince Caben, the last heir to his kingdom. But when they’re attacked by the feared Otherworlders, Caben and Kaliope are abducted and taken below to a realm where they must fight for their life in a caged arena. 

Kaliope struggles to protect her princely charge, keeping him and herself alive while battling inhumanly opponents, and trying to save the stolen, sacred relic that will restore her empress’s life force and all of Cavan. And if she can somehow awaken the goddess within her, she may save what’s most important.

New Adult Dark Fantasy: Intended for readers 17 years of age and older

 

REVIEW:

Trisha Wolfe has a talent for storytelling and creating highly imaginative world. This time it's mostly dark with magic, action, violence, blood, mercury, goddesses and so much more. I really like Trisha Wolfe's writing. I've read two books by her and both have been equally amazing. I'm so glad that I signed up for the street team because how else were I to discover such a great author and get to read her books before everyone else.

The world building is great. It feels like you are reading some great mythology but it's all original creation. The world is so vivid, detailed and intricate that I believed it to be real.  That's what makes a great fantasy novel. The power to make you believe in it's reality. Cavan is a queendom, a matriarchal society. I haven't read any book which explored such a culture. So that's definitely new and the feminist in me loved it. I seriously think that women make better leaders. 

Nactue Guard is a group of women who are to protect the Empress. Kaliope is made the leader of the group but shortly afterwards, the Empress makes her charge of Prince Caben's safety who is the only living heir to their neighboring kingdom. He appears spoilt and proud at first testing Kaliope's patience but when Cavan is attacked by the other-worlders and they are abducted and taken below to a realm to fight for survival they form an alliance and connection.

Kaliope is brave, strong and tough. She cares for her friends and family. She believes the mercury running in her veins is a curse and tries to hide it from everyone. She builds a wall around herself and focuses only on her duties. She is fiercely loyal to the Empress and goddess. Kaliope is bad-ass and I love this in a heroine.

Caben is perfect. He is loyal, strong, clever and so sweet. I loved his smile. It made me want to smile too. He wants to escape to protect his Kingdom but he also cares about the people he loves and will go to any lengths to protect them. 

The romance is slow, sweet and seductive. It's steamy and swoon-worthy. Wolfe sure writes great romantic scenes. It's so natural and right but it does not take over the entire plot. 

The pace of the book is great. It's a read-in-one-sitting kinda book. So many unexpected things keep happening that you will keep turning pages. It will make you hold your breath and sometimes sigh in relief because seriously anything can happen. I hated the ending though in a way that I loved it. It's brutal and made me so angry and I want the next book so bad. The book is dark, there is a dystopian feel to it. There is violence and death. I recommend it to older teens. Fans of fantasy will love it. MUST READ!

AMAZON || GOODREADS

EXCERPT

Help Trisha and the Tuff Girl Legion get to 50 reviews on Amazon to read this full scene from Caben’s POV! Scene will release on Trisha’s blog. You can bookmark the bonus material here!

GIVEAWAY

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Trisha Wolfe is the author of the YA Steampunk DESTINY'S FIRE (Omnific Publishing), the NA Historical/Supernatural ASTARTE'S WRATH, and the upcoming YA Utopian FIREBLOOD from Spencer Hill Press, October 2013. Her NA Dark Fantasy OF SILVER AND BEASTS available May 2013. She’s the creator of YA Bound, a promotional site for the Young Adult genre. Also a member of SCWW and The Apocalypsies. Check out her website for more on her books and bonus material. Follow Trisha on Twitter and like her Facebook page for updates.