Review of Beyond the Cemetery Gate by Valerie Biel (#contests Win A $10 Gift Card @partnersincr1me)

BEYOND THE CEMETERY GATE

The Secret Keeper's Daughter

by Valerie Biel

March 3 - 28, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

When the police rule her dad’s death an accidental overdose, 16-year-old Chloe refuses to believe it and vows to find his killer. Alone against a potentially corrupt, small-town police force, a persistent social worker seeking proof that she has adult supervision, and precariously low funds, Chloe learns that her dad’s life as a cemetery caretaker masked a web of family secrets that quite possibly led to his death—and are now putting her in mortal danger.

Needing freedom to investigate, Chloe pretends that her only surviving relative, a famous war correspondent, has returned from an overseas assignment to be her guardian. But living alone in the caretaker’s house in the middle of the cemetery, mere feet from the crime scene, puts Chloe’s nerves on edge even before she unearths clues about the shadowy side of her small town. Help comes from unlikely and surprising allies: the colorful owner of the local retro diner, the quiet new classmate with his near-perfect memory, and a spirit who visits in her moments of greatest need.

But as Chloe gets closer to the truth, someone else is getting closer to Chloe, watching her every move. And when her aunt turns up on international news reporting from a war zone, Chloe’s cover is blown. Now the race is on to reveal her dad’s killer—but perhaps—Chloe isn’t as alone as she thought.

Book Details:

Genre: Young Adult Mystery Suspense
Published by: Lost Lake Press
Publication Date: October 31, 2024
Number of Pages: 342
ISBN: 9780998173641 (ISBN10: 0998173649)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

REVIEW:

I have always loved a good mystery or thriller, but "Beyond the Cemetery Gate" is one of the best mystery novels I have ever read. The author did a fantastic job of introducing us to the protagonist, Chloe, a strong-willed young lady who discovers her father dead in the cemetery where he worked, allegedly due to a drug overdose. 

Throughout the book, Chloe embarks on an adventure to uncover the truth about her father's death. A character known as "The Watcher" appears numerous times, keeping an eye on her. As the story unfolds, the backstory of her family's history is revealed, which adds depth to the plot. 

The novel explores themes of grief, corruption, mystery, and secrets, and it kept me hooked from the very first page. While reading the book, I was trying to figure out who the "The Watcher" was, and I never guessed who it was. The book was exciting, well-written, and had memorable characters. Great Job, Ms. Biel! 

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

CHLOE

In the space between sleep and wakefulness, a sound seeped into my consciousness. The sense that something wasn’t quite right pulled me fully awake. I listened beyond my own breathing for it to come again.

A wail pierced the silence. An animal in pain? Only it wasn’t. I knew it was human. I slipped from bed to stare out into the cemetery. The tombstones always made for fascinating or eerie shadows, depending on how you felt about graveyards. I never minded, which was a good thing, considering my house was smack dab in the middle of one.

The sound came again, more of a moan this time, followed by a murmur of voices. I couldn’t tell what they were saying, but people were definitely in the cemetery. One of them was scared or maybe hurt. Dad wasn’t going to like this. He locked the gate tight every night. The only way in was to scale the tall, spiked iron fence or pick the lock. Either one was going to piss him off.

In the distance, a pinpoint of light moved away from where I perched. It was too small to be a flashlight . . . maybe a cell phone?

I padded down the hall to Dad’s bedroom, calling for him. His door was ajar, and the hall light was enough to show his empty bed, the covers rumpled and thrown back as though he’d gotten up quickly. He must have heard the same thing.

His boots weren’t in their usual spot by the back door, so I knew for sure he’d gone to investigate. I had to help because Dad and I were a team, small and mighty, he said. We always made it through everything together.

In my hurry I forgot to stop the screen door from slamming behind me when I stepped out onto the porch, cringing when the sound echoed through the night.

I waited a moment and then whispered, “Dad,” as loudly as I dared.

No answer.

I angled toward the part of the cemetery where the small light had been, thinking I’d find him corralling some kids from high school pulling a prank. It happened once in a while but usually in a few weeks—closer to Halloween. I knew more than a handful of idiots my age who would think this was funny.

I hadn’t heard the wailing or voices since I left the house. Maybe whoever it was had left? That hopeful thought disappeared as a weird combination of worry and fear crawled up the base of my spine. Just in case it was something more menacing than kids, I hid my approach behind the cemetery’s largest and oldest tombstones. Maxwell, Bell, Ludington . . . I touched their cold granite and the mossy green lichen growing up their sides as I slid between them. I expected to find Dad by now. Where was he?

A terrible thought pushed me into full fear mode. What if the person making that horrible scream was Dad? It hadn’t sounded like him, but … what if he was out here somewhere and hurt? I had to find him!

My breath quickened and a damp sheen of sweat prickled my skin.

I sped up, more concerned with finding him than being seen. The cemetery was big, but I had to be close to where I’d spotted the light. I calmed myself long enough to pivot in a slow circle, my bare feet sliding on the dewy grass. The main gate was open, obviously where the trespassers came in—and hopefully where they’d gone out.

It was quiet and dark.

The cemetery had no lights of its own, and the glow of streetlights reached only to the second row of graves. Here and there, solar decorations shimmered for dead loved ones as cheerfully as possible but didn’t shine far enough to be helpful. The darkness didn’t hinder me. The cemetery had been my playground since preschool, so even in the dark I was able to avoid every tree root, odd stone, or divot that might trip me up.

I decided to be systematic and jogged a grid pattern, snaking through the rows. I stopped short and gasped at the next turn. A body was slumped against the base of my favorite statue, a white marble angel holding a sword and shield.

“Dad!”

He didn’t move. In two quick strides, I was at his side. “Dad!”

I gave his shoulder a gentle shake, and his head tipped sideways.

“Oh my god! Wake up!”

I needed a better look and found the light on my phone. What I saw scared me even more. Dad’s face was pale, his eyes unfocused. I needed help—fast!

Dialing 911 seemed impossibly slow for three simple numbers.

“911. What’s your emergency?”

“It’s – it’s my dad. He won’t wake up.”

“What’s your location?”

“I’m in the city cemetery. My dad is the caretaker here.”

“What’s your name?”

“C-Chloe Cowyn.”

“Okay, Chloe, can you check whether your dad’s breathing?”

I bent low and placed my face close to Dad’s mouth. “I don’t think so. Please hurry!”

This didn’t make sense. Had someone hit him? I didn’t see any blood. I swept my eyes over his legs and arms—stopping abruptly at what I saw.

“Nooooo.”

At first, I thought the wailing had returned, until I realized that I was the one making the sound eerily like what woke me.

“Chloe, are you okay? I have help on the way. Stay on the line with me until they arrive.”

“No. No. No.” My cell phone dropped from my hand as I backed away.

Tears blurred my view until I could no longer see the needle stuck in my dad’s arm.

***

Excerpt from BEYOND THE CEMETERY GATE: The Secret Keeper's Daughter by Valerie Biel. Copyright 2024 by Valerie Biel. Reproduced with permission from Valerie Biel. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Valerie Biel writes books for middle grade to adult audiences--stories inspired by her travels and her insatiable curiosity. Her award-winning, young adult fantasy series, Circle of Nine, was inspired by the myth and magic of Ireland's ancient stone circles. She's also the author of Haven, a contemporary middle grade novel, and Beyond the Cemetery Gate, a YA mystery suspense story. She helps other authors with their book promotion and marketing and frequently teaches writing workshops to students of all ages. When Valerie's away from the computer, you might find her wrangling her overgrown garden, traveling the world, and reading everything she can get her hands on. Once upon a time, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin with degrees in journalism and political science. She lives with her husband on a (tiny) portion of her family's century-old farm in rural Wisconsin, but regularly dreams of finding a cozy cottage on the Irish coast where she can write and write.

Catch Up With Valerie Biel:
ValerieBiel.com
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Facebook - @ValerieBielBooks
YouTube - @ValerieBielAuthor

 

 

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Cover Reveal of the book Offside Trap by Kiru Taye(#expresso)

Offside Trap
Kiru Taye
(Viva City FC, #4)
Publication date: May 27th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Pretending to be married shouldn’t be hard. But soon they are breaking the rules.

Diaye Zambo is probably the best defender that ever played the beautiful game. The size of his trophy cabinet and ego attest to his professional success on the football field.
However, hit by one controversy after another, his personal life is imploding. It’s affecting his professional life when his manager won’t play him and he spends weeks on the bench. When the football transfer window opens an opportunity for him to continue playing the game he loves by transferring to newly promoted Viva City FC, his life can’t get any lower, surely.
Then, his new contract mandates him to clean up his image and his much-loved grandmother makes him promise to settle down with a good woman.
With a past like his, he cannot trust any woman again. But he agrees to a marriage of convenience to keep his grandmother happy and to get the trash-talking media off his back.
Pretending to be happily married should not be hard. Until his new wife moves into his home and gets under his skin. Suddenly, he does not want to pretend any longer.

Oseki ‘Seki ’Asemote is a compassionate nurse, juggling two jobs to stay afloat and keep her family together. She gets an all-expenses-paid offer to study abroad for her Master’s degree. This could be the opportunity of a lifetime she’s been praying for and it could change her family’s life for the better.
But it comes with a catch. She must marry legendary footballer Diaye Zambo for three years. After that period, he will divorce her and pay her for her troubles.
She should reject the offer because she’s not interested in getting involved with anyone. But that’s the whole point… they are not getting involved. Just playacting for three years. How hard could it be?
He’s adept at shutting down the opposition and has sworn to keep his distance. But when they are together, their crackling chemistry is impossible to ignore. Every unspoken promise and every stolen glance makes her yearn for him.
Soon they are breaking the rules, and she’s determined to make him feel again.
Step into the thrilling world of professional footballers in the Viva City FC Books series!

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

Author Bio:

Kiru is the award winning author of His Treasure. She writes sensual and passionate multicultural romance stories set mostly in Africa. When she's not writing you can find her either immersed in a good book or catching up with friends and family. She currently lives in the South of England with her husband and three children.

Subscribe to her newsletter for book news and giveaways: http://www.kirutaye.com

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Review of The Original Daughter by Jemimah Wei (#debut)

I want to welcome Jemimah Wei to Books R Us. Jemimah is the author of her debut novel, "The Original Daughter," which will be published on May 6, 2025. Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

 

About the Book:

 Before Arin, Genevieve Yang was an only child. Living with her parents and grandmother in a single-room flat in working-class Bedok, Genevieve is saddled with an unexpected sibling when Arin appears, the shameful legacy of a grandfather long believed to be dead. As the two girls grow closer, they must navigate the intensity of life in a place where the urgent insistence on achievement demands constant sacrifice. Knowing that failure is not an option, the sisters learn to depend entirely on one another as they spurn outside friendships, leisure, and any semblance of a social life in pursuit of academic perfection and passage to a better future.

When a stinging betrayal violently estranges Genevieve and Arin, Genevieve must weigh the value of ambition versus familial love, home versus the outside world, and allegiance to herself versus allegiance to the people who made her who she is. In the story of a family and its contention with the roiling changes of our rapidly modernizing, winner-take-all world, The Original Daughter is a major literary debut, rife with emotional clarity and searing social insight. 

My Thoughts: 

"The Original Daughter" is a story that explores themes of friendship, sisterhood, competition, jealousy, and grief. The story is told from the perspective of Genevieve, who believed she was an only child until she discovered she had a younger half-sister named Arin. The novel follows the journey of the two sisters as they navigate their lives together. Although the story starts slowly, it gains momentum as the reader progresses. Writing character-driven stories can be challenging, and the author did a great job developing the characters in her debut novel.
I look forward to reading her next novel.

 

 

I received a free copy of the ARC from Bookbrowse.com for my honest review, and I was not compensated for my review

Book Blitz of Pity Play by Whitney Dineen (#contests- Enter ti win an Amazon Gift Card (2 winners)

Pity Play
Whitney Dineen
(Pity Series, #6)
Publication date: March 23rd 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

I’ve loved my brother’s best friend for as long as I can remember. Newsflash, he doesn’t see me that way. But now that Luke Phillips is coming to town and needs a place to stay… could this be my big chance?

It’s not like I’ve sat around for the last twenty-eight years waiting for Luke. Not really. But ever since I moved back to Elk Lake, I can’t help but hope I’ll run into him. Enter my big brother calling and asking if his bestie can bunk with me. My younger self is doing backflips at the possibilities.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Luke is looking for a long-term situation. He’s made it clear he’s got some business to take care of and then he’s on the first train back to Chicago.

But then he kisses me. And everything changes.

At least, I hope it has…

Pity Play is a brother’s best friend, close proximity, small town rom-com that takes place in the resort town of Elk Lake, Wisconsin. This is the sixth book in a series that read as standalones.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT

After climbing the stairs, I open the door to my room, and I’m immediately filled with the comforting familiarity of my early years. I’ve thought about redecorating now that I’m an adult but being that I spend as much time living in my parents ’room—when they’re in Florida—as I do here, I haven’t quite pulled the trigger. Also, I’m twenty-eight, and even though I tell Noah there’s nothing wrong with me still living at home, I have started to wonder how much longer I’ll be here.

Once again, I let my feather duster take flight and when it gets to the posters, I perform a ritual from my teenage years. I swipe it across Mel B’s face and sing, “I tell you what I want, Luke Phillips. I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna go out on a date with you!”

I’m so busy jamming around my room that I jump when the doorbell rings. It can’t even be eight o’clock so I have no idea who it is. I know it’s not Luke because he won’t be here until ten. That leaves old Mrs. Bing from next door.

My bluish-haired neighbor isn’t generally a bother, but ever since her husband went into the nursing home, she regularly stops by when she needs a jar opened or a spider killed. One time she told me that our weeds were growing out of control and kindly offered to send her gardener over. I let her do that once but then she hit me with a bill for a hundred and fifty dollars. Now we all just live with the weeds.

I run down the stairs with the Spice Girls still ringing in my head, and apparently out of my mouth because as I swing open the door, I practically shout, “If you wannabe my lover …” And that’s when I realize Mrs. Bing isn’t my guest.

All six-foot two inches of Luke Phillips is standing in front of me, and man, does he look good. It’s March in Wisconsin so he’s dressed for winter in a bomber jacket and wool scarf. Nicely fitted jeans showcase every gorgeous inch of his long legs.

I know I should say something to him, but my mouth pools with so much saliva that if I don’t swallow it soon, I’m liable to drool on the man. Swallow your spit, girl.

Once I manage that monumental, and embarrassingly audible, task, I blurt out, “Hey … Hello … Hi there!” Oh yeah, I’m a real orator.

“Hi.” Luke’s beanie-covered head tips to the side. His gorgeous brown eyes narrow like he’s inspecting a moldy piece of cheese. “I’m looking for Lorelai Riley.”

This is my chance to tell him she’s not here and that he should come back at ten when he was supposed to arrive, but my synapses aren’t firing. That must be why I throw my arms into the air and practically shout at him, “I’m Lorelai!”

Luke takes a step backward like he’s going to make a run for it. Instead of fleeing, he moves his gaze from the top of my purple bandana all the way to my bare feet. This of course means he’s aware I’m wearing a pink flowered flannel nightgown from Lanz of Salsburg. A favorite with grannies everywhere.

“Hi,” he repeats. Yet he makes no move toward the door. In fact, there’s no movement at all. It’s like he’s turned into a marble statue. He even stays put after I step back and gesture for him to come in.

Well, this is awkward. I start stammering, “I didn’t expect you until ten. I mean, that’s when Noah said you were coming so that’s why I’m not dressed.” He looks borderline terrified, so I hurry to add, “I was cleaning. Getting ready for you.”

He lifts his foot like he’s going to take a step forward, but the action is so slow it’s like he’s trying to push his way through a wall of frozen molasses. “I can find a hotel or something …”

“What? No! Come on in! You’re staying here!” The image of Kathy Bates from that old movie Misery pops into my mind. From the look on Luke’s face, he’s thinking something similar. I want to assure him that I won’t hobble him, chain him to the bed, and keep him as a hostage, but I think that might scare him more.

Author Bio:

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries -- not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2017.

Silver medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.

Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.

Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.

Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017

Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

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Book Blitz of Undoubtedly Reckless by Constance Kersaint (Contests- Enter to win An Amazon Gift Card-2 winners)

Undoubtedly Reckless
Constance Kersaint
(#2, Rebel by Night)
Published by: Evernight Publishing
Publication date: March 19th 2025
Genres: Adult, Historical, Romance

Constance Kersaint invites you back into the scandalous world of the Darewoods, of danger and intrigue, as Roland Darewood does the unthinkable–he falls in love with a duke’s governess.

He is all she should avoid.

For years, Sabina Kembrooke had been careful. She hid herself from those who would harm her, or worse, but one act of compassion may ruin her forever. After years of hiding in a duke’s home, the man she rescued comes crashing into her life again. Roland is too dangerous a temptation but, despite her powerful response, she must not give in.

She’s not who she seems to be.

Roland has returned from years at sea to take his place as viscount and head of his dysfunctional household. Sabina’s respectable demeanor hides a secret that would utterly destroy her, but he must uncover her secrets if he is to keep her safe. The danger Sabina tried to hide from may have found her again. Can she trust him? Can he save her?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Apple Books

—

EXCERPT:

Rooftop Follies

“Every year I post a letter,” Sabina offered Roland. “I can be declared dead after ten years of silence so I post a letter every year to prove that I am alive. That way my stepfather cannot take control of my father’s affairs, which includes my inheritance.”

“I can help you, Sabina,” Roland said quietly.

“You have my gratitude, but this is my responsibility. I have borne it for ten years, there are only a few months left before I am twenty-five. Then I will contact my lawyers and finish this.”

They finished their coffee just as the tavern became louder and drunker.

“Time to go,” Roland said, pushing back.

Neither of them rushed to seek a cab, enjoying the brisk walk through an oddly snowless December night. Abruptly, Sabina stopped, her head cocked.

“Oh, listen to that,” Sabina said.

“Don’t tell me you’re interested in some second-rate musician presenting a third-rate opera?” Roland asked.

“It’s not a third-rate opera, it’s your opera,” Sabina smiled. “Rinaldo.” Roland groaned.

“God save me from French epics. A few minutes and then we must be off. I think I smell snow in the air. Mustn’t get caught in bad weather,” Roland warned.

“Music is never a waste of time,” Sabina said. “And you actually smell horse droppings but I’ll allow you your delusions.” They moved closer to the soulful violin just as a surprisingly good soprano launched into, “Lascia ch’io pianga.”

“That violinist is quite good,” Sabina whispered to Roland. “The soprano is drowning him out. If only they had a whole symphony. Once I heard the Chevalier De St. George conduct in Paris and I was never the same. Come with me,” Sabina said abruptly and grabbed Roland’s hand.

Roland let himself be led through some foul alleys and up some slippery steps, then through a building. Then, they exited a door onto a roof. She could pick up the thread of the music again, clear and sweet. Roland followed his lady to the edge of the roof and watched her take in the song as the notes floated upward into the fetid night air.

“Why up here?” Roland asked her.

“The music rises and up here, you can feel like you’re alone above the clouds, carried away by waves of heaven.” Sabina tilted her head to the notes.

“Have you been to the theater since you’ve been in town?” he asked.

“Oh, no, the duke is not a music lover, so we do not attend, which is a shame. A good orchestra raging into a symphony is my weakness,” Sabina said. The music made her foolish

Sabina could not understand the words but she felt the music. It did things to her, made her feel things that were unwise.

But it was after dark in London and no one could tell her what to do. Sabina turned and looked up at Roland’s face. He was not a handsome man but he had always been so attractive to her, from that stubborn jaw to the thoughtful eyes that looked at her searchingly.

“Would you be terribly affronted if I kissed you?” she asked.

“You didn’t ask the time before.” He grinned, reaching for her.

“Are you going to make me apologize?” Sabina responded, enjoying his hands on her. She loved his hands. He could repair her windows, handle a gun, guide a horse, hold her steady.

“No, I beg you to do it again.”

“I’m not very good at it,” Sabina warned, placing her hands on his chest.

“Well, then I think you should get some practice.” Roland bent his head down to her lips. “I humbly offer myself as a test subject.”

Sabina went up on her toes to meet his lips and smiled as they kissed. This was so right, possibly the only thing in her life that was good and hers. She opened her lips and touched her tongue to his lips, letting herself into his mouth with a delight that bordered on joy.

She heard his breathing and remembered to breathe herself as she explored the ways they could kiss. Her arms found their way around his neck and he had backed her to a stone block that she had not seen before on the roof.

It wasn’t enough. Sabina couldn’t help the frustrated noise that came from her and she slid a hand down to cup the erection bulging the front of his breeches.

“Lord, Sabina, have mercy, woman.” Roland broke away from her to gasp.

“I need you,” she breathed heavily. “I need this.”

“I’m not going to take you on a bloody roof,” Roland said, then pulled her in for another drugging kiss.

“Then I’ll take you.”

Author Bio:

Winner of the Literary Titan Gold Book Award

Hello fellow readers! I'm Constance, I write, read, and chase kids (my own). Come read with me!

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Book Blitz of Frozen Flames by M.H.B (#contests- Enter to win AN Ecopy of the book- 10 winners)

Frozen Flames
M.H.B.
(The Hollow, #3)
Publication date: March 20th 2025
Genres: Contemporary, Romance

One mistake.
A tragic accident.
A life-altering event.

Something I can never take back.

What do you do when you meet the girl of your dreams but you’re now a shadow of who you used to be.

Gemma Ackerman, my girlfriend, was my everything. Her quiet, nerdy aura drew me in and I never wanted to let go. Life on my Harley with her by my side was perfect.

Until it wasn’t—until I lost myself.

Because a part of me died that night and it was never coming back.

I welcomed anger instead.
I greeted loneliness like an old friend.
I allowed guilt and sorrow to nestle inside my head.

That’s when I met Claire Edwards—the epitome of joie de vivre. She showed me a new colorful way to see the world. She turned numbness into eagerness for a taste of life.

And now I’m torn between a girlfriend that never gave up on me and a woman I picture as my wife.

I had no other choice.
I let myself die, so that I may live.
And it’s all thanks to her. . .

*Follow the same standalone storyline as Silent Screams and Grieving Graves through Harvey and Claire’s eyes.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

Sneak Peek:

I close my eyes, swarming out of the anger, until I reach for numbness and bask in it like my life depends on it.

Because it does.

Some of us don’t get to live outside our depression.

Some of us only remain alive because of it.

Author Bio:

M . H . B . graduated law from a Canadian University. She loves spending time with her partner and her dog. She has a passion for animals and loves the simple things in life: chocolate, music, books, sunny days, and overall wellness. When she is not writing, her mind is in another world with a book in hand.

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Book Blitz of Sword of the Fallen by G.J. Ogden (#contests-Ent to win an Amazon Gift Card)

Sword of the Fallen
G.J. Ogden
(Hearts of Dragons, #1)
Publication date: March 20th 2025
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

– From Kindle Storyteller Award Winner G J Ogden –
A dragon’s heart has the power to forge kingdoms – or shatter them.

Sir Torin Cadwell, Knight-Captain of the Watch and the tyrant king’s illegitimate son, has spent his life torn between loyalty to his father and the pull of destiny. For generations, his bloodline has been cursed by a bitter feud with Kyhrax, the Flame of Zarag-Gul – the most feared dragon in Westskyr.

The city of Dun Morlaig survives only because of the Breath – a magical barrier fueled by the crystallized heart of Astreya, the Great Mother dragon. Once a benevolent guardian, Astreya was slain by Torin’s ancestor, leaving Kyhrax consumed by grief and burning for revenge.

When Astreya’s Lament – the sword that holds the Great Mother’s heart – is stolen, the Breath falters. Chaos erupts as Koblyn monsters and dragon-worshiping cultists lay siege to the city, and Kyhrax prepares to unleash his long-awaited vengeance.

Defying the king’s command, Torin allies with Ruxandra Elyr, a ranger of the Order of the Green Bow, to recover the stolen sword. But Kyhrax’s wrath will not stop at Dun Morlaig. If the Flame of Zarag-Gul is not stopped, his fury will consume all seven realms and usher in the age of dragons.

Sword of the Fallen is the gripping first book in the Hearts of Dragons epic fantasy trilogy by Kindle Storyteller Award Winner G J Ogden. Dive into this thrilling adventure today!

Goodreads / Amazon

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Sneak Peek:

“Long has it been since I tasted the reek of mortal flesh in these caves…”

The voice was sensuous, like a troubadour, and eloquent like a scholar, yet Kyhrax’s words shook Selene’s chest with the immensity of a thunderstorm. Opposite, from inside the dark recess of the mountain, a shape

emerged. Talons like swords gripped and splintered the rock, sending shards of grey-black stone tumbling into the magma below. Selene drew back, her burning eyes pressed wide, but she was frozen in fear and awe. Next, a diamond-shaped head emerged, followed by a long, elegant neck. In moments, the dragon’s full form—one hundred and eighty feet from snout to tail—had been hauled from the opening by powerful limbs the breadth of great oaks.

Selene remained on her knees, head bowed, body shaking with terror and reverence, dread and admiration.

She had thought herself ready to face Kyhrax, an audience ordained in magical visions, yet all the force of her will could not compel her to meet the dragon’s incandescent gaze.

“Why disturb my solitude, mortal?” Kyhrax asked as the dragon clawed its way across the cavern walls to within striking distance of the pilgrim who had invaded his lair. “There are easier ways to die.”

The dragon’s wings expanded, blotting out the light from below and casting the cavern into near-darkness. The smell of sulfur was suddenly gone, and instead the air around Kyhrax crackled with a sharp, biting tang. It was like the sky before a storm, heavy with the promise of lightning. Selene felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, and her entire body prickled as if she had been imbued with a sliver of the dragon’s magical essence.

Then Kyhrax beat his wings, knocking Selene to the ground.

“Speak, woman, lest I burn you to ash!”

The cavern shook violently as Kyhrax roared his demand. His breath, suffocating and thick with outrage, whirled around the vast chamber, forcing Selene to grip the hot stone ledge as if she were suspended from it, clinging to it for life. It was all she could do to avoid being swept up in the vortex and cast into the pit of fire. Then, the dragon’s stifling breath abated, and steadily Selene lifted her chin. The physical exertion needed to move her exhausted body paled compared to the struggle of gazing upon the Flame of Zarag-Gul.

“Great Kyhrax, I pledge myself to your cause,” Selene said, her voice little more than a whimper. She rocked back to sit on her heels, then from inside her robes, she lifted the pendant hung from the steel chain around her neck. “Through this crystal heart, I have dreamed of a world where dragons, not mortal kings and queens, rule the seven realms.”

Kyhrax narrowed his orange eyes and drew his long neck closer, peering at the crystal in the young woman’s hand. He extended a single talon, as long as Selene’s body. Then, with a deftness and delicacy belying his colossal size, the dragon hooked the chain and pulled the pendant toward him.

“These dreams… I have seen them,” the dragon replied, its rumbling voice suddenly softer. “Yes… I remember you now, Selene Morgrave, discharged scholar of the Pillar of Commerce.”

Kyhrax turned his head and peered at Selene through his other eye. Selene did not move a muscle. She dared not.

“You pledge yourself without reservation, stealer of relics and dreams,” Kyhrax added. “But this is not the crystalline heart that I seek.”

Author Bio:

G J Ogden is a proud recipient of the Kindle Storyteller Award and has written over 50 books that have garnered over 15,000 5-star ratings on Amazon and Goodreads.

He is a physics graduate and a former technology journalist with a lifelong love of anything nerdy. From Firefly to Game of Thrones and everything in between, SFF is his bag. Conan! What is best in life?

On the rare occasions he’s not writing, G J Ogden is usually getting whooped in games of Warhammer 40K by his son. Unless he’s playing Adepta Sororitas, then he wins.

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