I am so excited tell you about Red Winter!
It releases out tomorrow!
It releases out tomorrow!
And isn't the cover just gorgeous!?!?
And the book is really good, too!
Keep reading for more including my review and a giveaway!
About the Book
A New Series from Amazon Best-Selling Author Annette Marie, RED WINTER is coming…
“Soon all her human fears would become meaningless. Her future had been written by the kami, and her destiny awaited her.”
In the enchanting new fantasy RED WINTER by Annette Marie, Emi Kimura has been preparing her entire life to become the mortal host of a goddess. When she discovers the lies surrounding her true fate, she makes a dangerous bargain with a fox spirit to seek out the truth. As her final days as a mortal approach, she must choose whether to bow to duty ... or fight for her life.
Emi is the kamigakari. In a few short months, her life as a mortal will end and her new existence as the human host of a goddess will begin. Carefully hidden from those who would destroy her, she has prepared her mind, body, and soul to unite with the goddess—and not once has she doubted her chosen fate.
Shiro is a yokai, a spirit of the earth, an enemy of the goddess Emi will soon host. Mystery shrouds his every move and his ruby eyes shine with cunning she can’t match and dares not trust. But she saved his life, and until his debt is paid, he is hers to command—whether she wants him or not.
On the day they meet, everything Emi believes comes undone, swept away like snow upon the winter wind. For the first time, she wants to change her fate—but how can she erase a destiny already wrought in stone? Against the power of the gods, Shiro is her only hope … and hope is all she has left.
Release Date: October 21, 2016.
Order Red Winter Now:
Add RED WINTER to Your TBR List on Goodreads!
About the Author
Annette Marie is the author of the Amazon best-selling YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, which includes the 2015 Goodreads Choice Award nominee Yield the Night. Her first love is fantasy, a limitless realm of creativity where she can break all the boring rules of real life, but fast-paced urban fantasy, bold heroines, and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She proudly admits she has a thing for dragons, and her editor has politely inquired as to whether she intends to include them in every book.
Annette lives in the frozen winter wasteland of northern Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad). She shares her life with her remarkably patient, comparatively sensible husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.
To find out more about Annette and her books, visit her website at www.authorannettemarie.com
My Review
Title: Red Winter
Author: Annette Marie
Format: Digital ARC
Source: Barclay Publicity, LLC
The first in a new series, Red Winter is a complex and exciting story that has left me eagerly anticipating the next book.
Red Winter tells the story of Emi, a Kamigakari, or rather a human who host’s Goddess’s spirit within her body. Soon, the spirit and Emi will become one as a ceremony is perfomed on the Winter Solstice. Having been raised since the age of eight, when the Goddess’s mark first appeared on her body, to be the next Kamigakari, Emi knows no other life and sometimes yearns for a life and choices of her own. When a chance discovery leads Emi to learn that she has been lied to her entire life, it sets in motion a whole string of events that are quite thrilling and fascinating.
While contemplating all that she has discovered she comes across Shiro, a Yokai, another spiritual being that she has been taught to fear. But when she saves his life, he claims to owe her a debt so she seizes the opportunity and enlists his assistance in finding answers about the Kamigakari ceremony that will soon change her life. Little do they know what’s to come as danger seems to be awaiting them everywhere they go. Emi, who has led a sheltered life, experiences all kinds of new things during her search for answers…answers she may not be too happy to find.
The story gets off to a bit of a slow start as much of it is used to help explain the complex background of the beliefs and culture that serve as the basis for the main plot of the story through conversations and encounters between characters. I found all of it to be quite fascinating, but at times it could be a bit overwhelming and hard to remember. So I am glad that in addition to explaining certain things through the story and its characters, the author also included a very helpful pronunciation guide and glossary for terms used in the book.
While the beginning may have been a bit slow, the action definitely picks up leading to an amazing and intriguing story. I found myself lost in Emi’s world, anticipating what trouble she and Shiro would find themselves in next. And Emi is such a great character. I admired her determination and spirit. Despite her fear of what she might learn, she continues to search for answers and also continues to work with those she has been taught to fear. The author did a wonderful job of creating a complex world with characters that are both intriguing and likeable. The amount of detail is just amazing. I couldn’t wait to learn more about all of them and see where the journey would take me.
And since this is part of a series, the journey is not quite over and there is a bit of a cliffhanger. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book!
By the way, kudos to the person who designed the cover of this book…it is absolutely beautiful…as are the illustrations scattered throughout the book!
My Rating: 4 ½ Stars
*I received a free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Giveaway
Celebrate the Release of RED WINTER with a Giveaway!
Grand Prize: 1 Winner will Receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card
Runner-Ups: 3 Winners will Each Receive one $10 Amazon Gift Card Each
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