Reblog- Hobbes and Bacon

Calvin and Hobbes tribute- “Hobbes and Bacon” is a “Calvin and Hobbes” tribute that takes place 26 years later. I had nothing to with creating these cartoons – I am merely posting them here so that you can see them. There are four – and only four – but that’s enough to get the message across. You can see larger versions of the images by clicking twice on each image:

Came across some Calvin and Hobbes continuation strips. They’re so cute!
I also came across a few called “Calvin and Company,” but I can’t find a place where all of the strips are together and in order...

#FantasyMonth Tag

It's February is Fantasy month!

I stole this tag from J.L. Mbewe. But, I was given permission, so it's technically not stealing?

At the end of the post is a clean list of questions for copy/pasting to your own blog.

Click to see the original post!

The Rules!

Thank the blogger who tagged you.-- Thanks JL Mbewe!

Include the graphic somewhere in your post.-- Edit: I finally got the picture to post. Copy/pasting didn't work, using the image URL didn't work, fiddling with the HTML did zip...I ended up having to snip the image, save, then upload it. What the snik-snak, Blogger. :/

Link back to this blog somewhere in your post.--*points above*

Answer the questions.-- Done!

Tag a few blogger friends – and let them know they’ve been tagged--I tag Elizabeth and Merie Shen if they haven't done this yet.

Have fun!

The Fun!

1. In a strange twist of fate, you are transported into a fantasy realm of your choice. The catch? You have also been transformed into your least favorite fantasy creature. Where are you, and what are you?

Ooh, a hard question right off the bat. It would depend on my mood, methinks. Right now, I would choose someplace like Aerwiar or the world of Circus Phantasm (which, so far as I can tell, is an alter-earth.) Two totally different kinds of worlds, so sue me.

Least favorite fantasy creature? Give me a few...hours...here...
*pulls out ladder*
*skims through books, trying to find a creature I dislike*

Ooh, found one. Two, actually. Wendigo and draugar. Cannibalistic air-demon, or Viking zombie that can haunt in ways both physical and metaphysical. 0_0

I would be totally okay with that, provided I had the body but not the soul/temperament/function of said creature. Because then I could spy on dark forces, or have fun freaking everyone out.

2. What fantasy creature do you wish featured in more stories? What is your favorite story that has that creature in it?

Werewolf monkeys. Because. That would be absolutely terrifying. Never read anything with werewolf monkeys, but I keep hearing whispers of the existence of vampire armadillos in Kyle Robert Shutlz's Afterverse.

Check out Hannah Heath's 9 Epic, Underused Mythical Animals for Your Fantasy Novel for some other cool, underused creatures.
Ooh, unicorns in the traditional sense are awesome, too. The Last Unicorn, Tales of Goldstone Wood, Chronicles of Narnia...

3. As you are reading this, a voice rings in your ear proclaiming:

A hero true, a leader strong,
A quest is where you do belong,
So arm thyself, and take your stand
With an item to your left your fate is at hand.

Besides the fact that this prophetic voice is clearly incapable of sticking to a meter, what ordinary item do you now find yourself armed with? (And, for bonus points, what helpful magical properties does it now possess that will help you on your quest?)

Um...either a TV tray, or a muscle roller. XD
Let's see, I will be a berserker/brawler, and my weapon will have the ability to change density. Ideally it would change automatically to fit my situation, so that I can take down an opponent in one strike. That's useful in any situation, not just in battle. (Awkward Avoidance Viking, anyone? :P)

4. You happen across an ad in a catalogue promising a magical fantasy cruise that will allow you to stop in any three realms of your choice and explore each for several days before returning you home (and the ad promises your safe return or your money back, guaranteed!) Assuming this is not a hoax and that the tour guides will actually be able to cater to your requests, what three realms will you tour and what do you hope to see/who would you like to meet along the way?

What good would my money back do me if I'm dead? ROTFL.
Still, that would totally be worth the risk.
Middle Earth would be the first, of course. It would be fun to tag along with Legolas and Gimli during their trek after the whole "One Ring" plot is through. Provided that I magically have weapons skills, or can learn them along the way, of course.
Aselvia (Moonscript!)! I'd love to hang out with The Daisha (Mayhap help her brainstorm ways to bubble wrap Errance), explore the elven forests, hear what stories Kelm has to tell, maybe sit in on an elven class or two just to compare teaching techniques...
Location number three is a tie between Rizkaland (the world is a cylinder and colors affect how certain aspects of nature function, how cool is that?) and  the Patchwork. The latter is mine, featured in Trouble in Bookland. I'm pretty sure that would be considered cheating, since it's connected to all published fictional works (in that universe), and I could theoretically visit more than one place during my visit.

5. Congratulations! You are a fantasy hero/heroine about to start your adventure. You get to choose a small fantasy creature to accompany and assist you on your quest. Who/what do you choose?

Is it weird that I want Slepnir? Or a chimera (in that it's a conglomeration of creatures, not necessarily the traditional goat-lion-snake)? I would love to have a dragon-deer-wolf-demon chimera (bonus: named Slepnir). I have a basic sketch of it, too, and it would work because Fae magic. And it would help me guard my library. That would be beyond awesome.
Ooh, or a wolpertinger! It's like a jackalope, but it has wings and fangs.

6. Elves or dwarves?
Elves or dwarves...what?
I like them both! I'm particularly fond of a couple types of dwarfs that are in my fantasy worlds, but neither are published yet and I would like to keep them a secret for now. :P
Elves are always cool--unless they're snobs. Aloof, mysterious, otherworldly, yes! But snobs? Give me something to spill down their shirt, please. It'll be during a party and elves know that humans can't hold their liqueur, so it'd be an accident. Shh.

7. Do you prefer your dragons (we had to have at least one question devoted solely to dragons!) good or evil or a mix of both?

It depends on the story, but I love dragons no matter what, so...
I guess I prefer some blend of good, because then I can root for them all the way. Even if they're not, and lean more towards bad/chaotic/neutral, I will be pleased that they're included in the adventure. True majesty and terror belong in every decent story.

8. World building is a complicated undertaking full of many details. As a reader, what is a small detail you really appreciate seeing when it comes to diving into a new realm? What is something that helps you lose yourself in a fantasy world?

Maps are always good, but I find it isn't really necessary for me to enjoy a story. Unless, of course, the characters are going to end up traveling over the entire continent/more than three locations in one story. Then I need a map for reference.
I always appreciate nitty-gritty details, like what kind of food different cultures eat, differences in language/gestures/body language, and how social etiquette differs between races. And if there's a reason everyone speaks the same language despite having different everything else, tell me why.
Consistency is important.

9. You have been transformed into your favorite fantasy creature. Problem is… you’re still in your own bedroom and your family is downstairs, completely unprepared for this shock. What creature are you, and how (if at all) do you break the news to your loved ones? (Or how do you get out of your room?)

*deafening squeal of excitement*

I am a dragon. Preferably one that can change in size. Otherwise, my bedroom--which I share with two sisters and a bird--is toast. Literally, toast.
Assuming I'm large enough that my body is crammed in my room, I would wind my neck through the hall and lay there grinning. Then when someone stumbles upon me, I'll say, "So guess what?" and try not to burst into laughter and flames.
Starting up a dragon grill-house/restaurant/deli (still on the fence) would be near the top of my priorities afterwards.

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Clean list of questions:

1. In a strange twist of fate, you are transported into a fantasy realm of your choice. The catch? You have also been transformed into your least favorite fantasy creature. Where are you, and what are you?

2. What fantasy creature do you wish featured in more stories? What is your favorite story that has that creature in it?

3. As you are reading this, a voice rings in your ear proclaiming:

A hero true, a leader strong,

A quest is where you do belong,

Besides the fact that this prophetic voice is clearly incapable of sticking to a meter, what ordinary item do you now find yourself armed with? (And, for bonus points, what helpful magical properties does it now possess that will help you on your quest?)

4. You happen across an ad in a catalogue promising a magical fantasy cruise that will allow you to stop in any three realms of your choice and explore each for several days before returning you home (and the ad promises your safe return or your money back, guaranteed!) Assuming this is not a hoax and that the tour guides will actually be able to cater to your requests, what three realms will you tour and what do you hope to see/who would you like to meet along the way?

5. Congratulations! You are a fantasy hero/heroine about to start your adventure. You get to choose a small fantasy creature to accompany and assist you on your quest. Who/what do you choose?

6. Elves or dwarves?

7. Do you prefer your dragons (we had to have at least one question devoted solely to dragons!) good or evil or a mix of both?

8. World building is a complicated undertaking full of many details. As a reader, what is a small detail you really appreciate seeing when it comes to diving into a new realm? What is something that helps you lose yourself in a fantasy world?

9. You have been transformed into your favorite fantasy creature. Problem is… you’re still in your own bedroom and your family is downstairs, completely unprepared for this shock. What creature are you, and how (if at all) do you break the news to your loved ones? (Or how do you get out of your room?)

Review: Fierce Heart

Since this is February is Fantasy month, and Valentine’s Day happened recently, I’m going to review Fierce Heart by Tara Grayce!
The focus of this FiF is worldbuilding, so those aspects will be mentioned first. :D

Check it out!

SPOILER FREE!

———

5 out of 5 stars!

Worldbuilding

So much of the fun in this book came from the culture differences between elves and humans. It wasn't just "oh humans are emotional and exciting; elves are disdainful models."
Through Essie's eyes, we discover, among other things: the ties between the ruling class of elves and their people, the divisions among the people themselves, and nitty-gritty elements like food, gestures, and technology.
The elves have treehouses, comfy clothes, running water, and refrigeration. Tarenhiel (yes I had to refer back to the book to make sure I got the spelling right :P) sounds amazing, even if they have to deal with trolls.
I can't wait to learn more about Essie's homeland in the next book! Assuming that human culture gets the same treatment as the elf, and Essie gets a chance to explain everything to Farrendel.
A few things like weaponry and the state of the nation are referenced, but since Essie spends most of the book in Tarenhiel, we don't get much detail.

My absolute favorite nitty-gritty detail: conditioner. Essie, the determined and clever heroine, uses elven conditioner as a tool to help seal the peace between human and elves. Sure, her marriage was supposed to do that, but people are silly and need something more tangible than their princess’ willingness for such an odd arranged marriage.

One thing I appreciated was the fact that this world's equivalent of modern conveniences/beverages weren't horridly renamed (eg, "hot brown morning potion" instead of "coffee." Lookin' at you, Dragon Prince. :/). They were just there, and their functions accepted as a part of everyday life. Running water, refrigeration, more modern/steampunk weaponry, etc.

The politics, thankfully, were minimal--enough to understand the situation and get an idea of how slow and tedious the processes were, and how they helped/hindered, but not so long that they took up pages of explanation and backstory.

Romance

THIS IS A CLEAN ROMANCE. THE ADULTS KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE.

Also:

Quote: Ugh. She gave herself another mental shake, harder this time. She was not going to turn into one of those princesses. The ones in books where they went on and on describing the absolute perfection of their handsome lover’s face, chest, muscles, and so on.

Do I need to say more? XD

The sensuality part of this romance lies in the realization that friendship is growing into something more. 

The couple shares two kisses--semi-detailed, near the end of the story--and they mean so much. 😭

I have a few quote blocks to share, but it may take a little while. Adobe Spark and my computer are being weird...
This review has been sitting in drafts for over a month, and I want to hurry up and get it posted.

Characters

I'm going to stick to gushing about the two MCs, and summarize everyone else. Otherwise I'll be here all day.

Essie (full name Elspeth) asks questions, is aware of herself, and mischievous while also having a good amount of sensibility. I'm tearing up right now, I'm so happy she wasn't a ditz. 💗

She's not the standard "strong female character" that everyone loves to hate. (I know you can't technically define something by what it isn't, but gosh it was refreshing that not even a whiff of that trope existed within her character.)

She's curious, determined, tender, and ready to face the world's challenges--whether she's prepared or not. Are you getting what I'm putting down? I've re-written that line no less than ten times trying to make it clear... XD

While Essie was a...uh, chatterbox (quote: “You’re lucky I only say a fraction of the questions I have in my head.”), and it got on my nerves sometimes, her willingness to face her fears and conquer them more than made up for that light annoyance.

Farrendel is a quiet and wounded warrior, not a broody jerk. He treats his subjects with patience, even if they scorn his scars. He's also kind, inventive, and willing to risk/suffer insanity to protect his family and homeland. His slow but steady opening up to Essie was gush-worthy. But, I don't want to copy/paste the whole book here, so I'll stick with this brief paragraph. ;)

The family dynamics are amazing. Essie's brothers cornering Farrendel after the human wedding ceremony, Farrendel's sisters confronting Essie about not hurting Farrendel, Essie's letters to her mother...
I'm tearing up again; it's not often I hear of, let alone find, a romance story with strong family dynamics.

Reblog- Spec. Faith, Dreams and Dragons

How to Find Signs of God in Many Fantastical Worlds- God has many ways of showing up in the real world, and he can show up in fantasy in just as many ways.

Elements that Make (or Break) a World- Hey'a, everyone! It is February, and that means it's Fantasy Month in the bit of the blogosphere that Jenelle Schmidt influences, including this blog! This year's themes are Worldbuilding and Fantasy Creatures...today, we're talking about worldbuilding elements that really make (or sometimes break) a world for me. These range from the big and mostly-obvious to the small and easily overlooked, but they're all things that, if done well, will take a world to the next level (in my opinion).

Valentine's Day Special: Beauty and the Bard- Ok, so this is not actually a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but I was stuck for a title, so there you go. Anyway. For Valentine's Day, my D&D players requested that I write a short story about how two of the romantically-involved NPCs, Lady Tiria Serys (aka the chief quest-giver) and Ardent the bard (aka Bardent), met. (They all ship this couple to some degree or another. It's great and makes me SO PROUD.) Since I was already planning to write a Valentine's Day short story, I happily complied . . . and then, because I'm an overachiever, I decided to write two versions of the story, one from each perspective.

Take the time to read the comments in the article; they often get into some interesting conversations/expound on the article, and have great book recs.

I'm thinking about re-branding my blog, since I've not been able to keep up with any sort of regular schedule or theme (aside from being sporadic and somewhat random, that is. Hmm, "Sporadic Musings: book reviews, random stories and such from an absent-minded halfling.")
Anyways, look forward to a belated Valentine's Day book review, and (hopefully) some participation in February is Fantasy month.

Never Have I Ever Tag

I've stolen a tag from Elizabeth, who stole it from Marie, who stole it from Nicole. XD

It looks like fun, I finally have a day off, and the miscellany posts I have in drafts require too much linking. (A rant review of a Netflix series, an update on RoS, a book review, a couple re-blogs...)

I don't have time to answer all of the questions, unfortunately; I'm going to pick and choose. All questions will be listed at the bottom, though. So. Here we go, the Never Have I Ever Tag!

Click to head to Nicole's blog!

The Rules:

• Link and thank the blogger who tagged you. Thanks for letting me steal this, Elizabeth!

• Include the graphic somewhere in the post (or make your own!) *points above*

• Answer the questions truthfully and honestly. But what if I don't? You'll never know... 😆

• Tag 3 bloggers. Hmm, I tag anyone who's done one of three things in the last 24 hours: read a book in one day/sitting, practiced a skill they've been wanting to learn for years, or been kind to a retail worker.

Never Have I Ever...

...changed my protagonist's names halfway through a draft.

I don't think that's happened with a protagonist yet, but I discovered that the main antagonist in RoS, Aranka, had a name change. It used to be Aleka, a diminutive of Alexandra, Greek in origin (because Greek was one of the cultures that's part of the Miltiades, plus she's an important figure, just like Alexandra was). Somewhere along the way her name became Aranka, which means "gold", and is Hungarian in origin. No one will notice, right? 

I'm not entirely sure when or why it changed. The name just sounded more...witch-y, I guess.

...yelled in all caps at myself in the middle of my novel.

In rough drafts, yes, most definitely. I started using both Fighter's Block and 4 the Words. Each of these has a time limit or challenge, and I would sometimes start typing things like this so I wouldn't fall behind:

[CRUUUUD I FORGOT WHERE I WAS GOING WITH THIS BUT IT WAS COOL.]

[GAH YOU'RE ANNOYING ME SO MUCH RIGHT NOW, MC]

[DOUBLE CHECK NOTES CUZ I'M PRETTY SURE I GOOFED HERE]

...killed a character that was based on someone I know in real life.

Not yet. But I have been tempted. XD

If I did, though, the character wouldn't be a tried and true copy; it would be a character, who makes their own stupid decisions (which may or may not mirror those of IRL person), and ends up sleeping in their own ruddy mess (also may or may  not mirror those of IRL person). 😇

...created maps of my fictional worlds.

YES. I have one for Jarnis, the main continent of Bookland. The shape of the continent is based off the silhouette of a lavender/mint bush growing on the side of our house. I didn't include it in Trouble in Bookland, because it's super rough, not to scale at all, and generally unfit for publication.

Fun fact: all of the continents of Bookland are named after important figures in their history, and based off of silhouettes of random things around my house.

I have a map for RoS, which is developed enough I want to include it in publication. It's going to be epic, and showcase some nitty-gritty worldbuilding that I've had trouble explaining in-story.

...drank an entire pot of coffee while writing.

Not yet, no. I have downed a couple Boba Fett mugs' worth, though (the thing is huge, pretty sure it's the equivalent of two cups). Decaf, all the way; caffeine gives me the jitters.

I've gotten into the habit of mixing hot chocolate with it.

...written down dreams to use in potential novels.

Absolutely. I have several notebooks. It's pretty cool to see how my dreams have changed over the years, and how much more detail--like clothing, plot, or magic systems--is retained after doing it for awhile.

One dream I've been sitting on for years involves an apocalyptic-esque world with satyrs, humans, mermaids, sentient robots, dwarfs, and a huge event where everyone competes to become their nation's representative. The games are camp-like events; swimming competitions, races, etc. And the few hunting games they have involve hunting the Dark Isle's myriad twisted lifeforms, not each other.

I have two of the cultures almost fully fleshed out (satyrs and dwarfs), various character relationships drawn up, and loosely developed main side characters. And a Pinterest board.

...published an unedited story on the internet/blog/Wattpad.

Nein! Nyet! NEVER. Never will I ever publish an unedited anything. Unless it's some sort of bonus, like sharing deleted/partially edited scenes in a newsletter or at the end of the book or something...

...forgotten to save my work/draft.

I have Scrivener, which saves after every two seconds of inactivity. So nope! I don't think I've ever forgotten to save when I used Word, either...

A few scares have happened in regards to backing up my drafts, because the computer I love to edit on has a horrid mouse and likes to drag-and-drop things in the wrong places. 😭

...finished a novel.

Yes! Trouble in Bookland, which you can check out on the "Published" page. The original plan had been to publish three parts (cuz trilogies are a staple of Fantasy), then combine and streamline them into one book. What ended up happening was I published two parts, nixed the third partway through due to worldbuilding issues, then combined and expanded parts 1 and 2.

...researched something shady for a novel.

I have, I have. For whatever reason, I have yet to utilize my numerous pins and research on poisons, wounds, weapons, diseases, psychological disorders, hiding bodies, and random things about gangs of the past and the history of murder.

Okay, that's a lie. I use them.

I use them in stories I haven't published. 😝

All of those half-or-quarter-finished drafts that repose in my notebooks, my computer, that may never see the light of day because I'm trying to keep my writing under this pen-name PG-13. 

I do have stories in the works that will better utilize these things: Reality of Devotion (this story includes the most developed cultures I have written to date), that camp story I mentioned above (it has yet to be named), and a story currently titled Calling (it's going to be great and deal semi-allegorically with spiritual development in the Christian life, grief, joy, pestilence, demons, and other fun things).

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Here are all the questions in a list format to anyone who wants to copy/paste!

...started a novel that I didn't finish.
...written a story completely by hand.
...changed tenses midway through a story.
...not researched anything before starting a story. 
...changed my protagonist's names halfway through a draft.
...written a story in a month or less.
...fallen asleep while writing.
...corrected someone's grammar IRL/online.
...yelled in all caps at myself in the middle of my novel.
...used "I'm writing" as an excuse. 
...killed a character that was based on someone I know in real life.
...used pop culture references in a story.
...written between the hours of 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.
...drank an entire pot of coffee while writing.
...written down dreams to use in potential novels.
...published an unedited story on the internet/blog/Wattpad.
...procrastinated homework because I wanted to write.
...typed so long that my wrists hurt.
...spilled a drink on my laptop while writing.
...forgotten to save my work/draft.
...finished a novel.
...laughed like an evil villain while writing a scene.
...cried while writing a scene.
...created maps of my fictional worlds.
...researched something shady for a novel.

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What's the weirdest thing you've researched for a story? The funniest thing you've written that no one else seemed to get? Let me know below!

Reblog- Moonscript!

Moonscript Cover Reveal- I’m thrilled to be part of the cover reveal for Moonscript by H. S. J. Williams! I’ve been hearing about this book for years so I’m super excited that it’s releasing soon — in May! :O

It's Live!! Cover Reveal, Plus Giveaway!- Hi, YABCers! Today we're excited to celebrate the cover reveal for Moonscript by H.S.J. Williams, releasing May 7th, 2020 from Trilliam Press!

Books, HSJ Williams- Book 1 of the Kings of Aselvia series
"It is said that Darkness is empty and whatever vanishes into its depths is lost forever. I know this better than anyone. For I have suffered here in the shadows, and there are none who might find me.”

Moonscript finally has a cover! And a release date! And is available for pre-order!



Though this admission makes my inner bookwyrm shrivel in shame, I've never pre-ordered a book before. I've always waited until the day of release, or even a few weeks after the release date (sometimes years, depending on the series) before I buy a book.
This book is officially my first pre-order. I think waiting--five years? Whoa, no, it's been seven--is long enough.

Review: Circus Phantasm

Not a pro photo by any means, but I want to start showcasing my lovelies.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Not too much plot-wise, but a few cautions about violence and whatnot that edge this book over the thin defining line between adult and young adult fiction.

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4.5 stars, rounded up to 5

Confession: I didn't think I would enjoy this very much. Not after the first couple of pages (the things that put on edge are listed in the cautions below.) I expected to be confronted with love hexagons, standard superhero scuffles where half the city is crushed beneath their powers, and flashy shows of magic.

What did I get? Most definitely not what I expected.

All the Things I Loved

-There were quite a few ships in the habor, but they weren't overly complicated ones. A couple were well-established, others were developing, and the rest were "this is going to happen eventually."

WITH NO LOVE TRIANGLES IN SIGHT.

-Loyalty and friendship were also key motivators in action and relationship alike. I'm sorry I can't go into more detail, but if I do, I'm going to end up spoiling the whole book. Suffice it to say that my favorite BROTPs are Tristan and Celeste, and Timaus and Lucien.

-The fighting wasn't as...hmm, epic as I thought it would be? No, that makes it sound bland. The build-up, tension and everything were wonderful, had me turning pages as quickly as I could. The fights, however, didn't wipe out whole city blocks. They revealed skeletons in the closet, and occasionally put them to rest. That being said, I would love it if future stories showcased a prolonged battle between two Keepers.

-The magic, which in this world is called the Blessing. The origin of Blessings is something I haven't come across before, not quite in this way. I would love to recap in detail, but part of the fun of this was figuring it out along with the MCs. Here's an overview: The Blessings are kind of like superpowers, in that they grant things like pyrokinesis, super strength, phasing, etc. They were originally a gift bestowed upon humanity by the elves, who wanted to help pull humanity out of some of their troubles. So far as I recall, the source of magic for the elves is never specified.

A few spells are cast in the story, but it's never detailed: "whispered a spell" is the most common descriptor. The effects are described, and when it does something against a person's will, it's never painted as "the end justifies the means". Characters get upset, they argue, they fight back, and the occasional apology is issued.

-DRAGONS. As the blurb mentioned nothing about dragons, I hadn't been expecting them. Though I began to suspect not far into the book, I was still pleasantly surprised when the resident dragon showed up. Oh, and griffins. Well, one griffin. One very imperious griffin. T'was very interesting to see these two strong-willed magical creatures together.

Light caution

-Some cursing in the beginning (it's quickly put to a stop, as Emma hates hearing curses in thoughts, and doesn't want to hear it come out of her brother's mouth)

-High drama (things like torture are hinted at; a character is nearly drowned in an attempt to get her past a block in using her abilities )

-A bit of innuendo/implications/romance (things like "turning red at the implication" are mentioned; a female is found sleeping in a male character's room and while nothing happened, no one believes it/says they disapprove; light kisses and things like back rubs)

-A character purposely dresses as if he's gay so that he can annoy his dad (this is in the beginning, but it's never mentioned/done again)

Why take off a half star? 

There were enough small errors in the kindle version (missing paragraph indents for different speakers, a repeated sentence or two, etc.) that they pulled me out of the story a bit. Some of the description was odd as well. The two main things that come to mind are:

a) a mermaid character's clothing is only ever described in one or two of her appearances, leading me to believe that she's not dressed half the time (especially since this character loves designing clothes), 

b) Emma's complexion/hair color aren't mentioned until the very end (if they were mentioned before, then I must've missed it). It just kind of annoys me a bit when you imagine a character one way, then come across a line of description later on that contradicts that.

However, the circus acts, the magic, the hints at relationships and past wrongs...all beautifully done. Though it was somewhat frustrating at times, in the way that only deep, anticipated backstory can be. 

I feel the need to mention that my enjoyment of the book increased tenfold once I finished. Because, from all appearances, this is a standalone fantasy book. When was the last time a standalone fantasy book came out? I can't remember the last time I read one of those!

Definitely check this book out if you love circuses, engaging characters, dragons, and don't want to be overwhelmed by the number of books in a series. 

I've read this twice and I'm still pleased beyond belief that this is a standalone.

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Seriously, can you recall any? Standalone fantasy books, that is. They don't have to be recent.

Comment below with recommendations!

I had some fanart commissioned for this story! Check them out in the Gallery.