Welcome to my tour stop for Lichgates by S.M. Boyce. This is a review tour that runs December 1-12.
Lichgates is a young adult fantasy and is the first in the series.About the Book:
Lichgates
(Grimoire Saga #1)
The final page will leave you breathless.
When Kara Magari uncovers a secret door in the middle of the forest, she discovers (and trips through) a portal to a hidden world full of terrifying things: Ourea.
She just wants to go home, but the natives have other plans for her. She clashes with immortal shapeshifters, is carried off by a dragon, nearly dies on several occasions, and somehow becomes the master of an ancient book of magic called the Grimoire. Every time she thinks she's safe, her new "friends" show their true colors.
Kara needs an ally, or she might not survive Ourea's monsters. She drops her guard when Braeden, a native soldier with a dark secret, vows to keep her safe. And though she doesn't know it, her growing attraction to him may just be her undoing.
For twelve years, Braeden Drakonin has lived a lie. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. Though he begins to care for this stranded girl, there's something he wants more. He wants the Grimoire.
Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive.
Boyce’s Store: ePub | Mobi | Signed Paperback
Other Retailers: Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Smashwords
My Review
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What is Lichgate? - I was surprised to find that Lichgate is actually a real thing. A lychgate, also spelled lichgate, lycugate, or as two separate words lych gate, (from Old English lic, corpse) is a gateway covered with a roof found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style churchyard. In the Middle Ages when most people were buried in just shrouds rather than coffins, the dead were carried to the lych gate and placed on a bier, where the priest conducted the first part of the funeral service under its temporary shelter.
So now I have to find how this meaning ht I fount connected to the plot.
The plot
Kara Magari, a normal young adult who lost her mother. At the beginning of the book you find Kara deep in the throes of grief, guilt and pain this loss. One holiday day while hiking in the Rockies with her father, she happens upon a door in a mountain that transported her to a magical place where she is the prophesied one who will save the world from evil.
Kara that lived an ordinary life, is not equipped for what lays ahead of her. Somehow her choices will always lead hers into trouble, with her smart mouth and independent ways. Kara repeatedly does every idiotic thing that other (much wiser) characters in the book specifically warn her not to do, and every time the results are dire. Through a series of events, Kara finds a Grimoire and becomes The Vagabond (wanderer) in a world where everything is deadly. Guided by her Grimoire and the memories of the past keeper, she embarks on a dangerous journey that has her running for her life and fighting for a world that she never knew existed.
In this world the people have waited a thousand years for the next vagabond and now that she is here, there are those who would use her for the Grimoire and those who would kill her. Her job is to bring together all the warring factions of the magical world of Ourea. Kara must decide who to trust if she is going to live to try to bring peace.
Kara has to learn many new things - magic, the sword, new creatures and new cultures. She stumbles upon Braeden,who vows to guide and protect her in the big new world of Ourea, but the secrets she uncovers may be to big for her to survive.
Braeden Drakonin, a royal son in hiding from his brutal father and Kara's companion. He comes along for the ride since he has no real home, and provides Kara with the familiarity of Ourea world (mountains) and magic skills. Braeden can transform, heal himself, do spells and can even become very powerful when he gets angry. A certain sword or poison can affect him, and he has to do anything his Dad says, but otherwise there don't seem to be limits to his magical power.
Braeden has spent his life fighting against his Stelian nature, trying to find a way to escape the blood ties that control him. He originally wanted to use Kara for her power over the Grimoire, but eventually realized that his feelings for Kara are stronger than his own interests. His internal struggle frequently made you wonder if his own ulterior motives and if it lead to Kara downfalls. and it consciously or not, brings a level of tension to their relationship.
Gavin. Like Braeden he is another son of royalty but does not know his adopted brother. Both men grow to rule different parts of Ourea, yet he belong to a faction that Ourea uniformly despise.
The Grimoire - There are no limits to the ways a handy Grimoire can help you on the road. It can be opened anytime to provide answers, a map, or a magic spell. It can even house creatures who can pop in and out whenever you need a ride or a stable.
About S.M. Boyce:
When I graduated with a degree in creative writing, I realized that made me well qualified for serving French fries. It would take years of writing hundreds of thousands of words of all kinds before I became the action and adventure bestselling author that I am today.
I specialize in action-packed stories that weave in fantasy, mystery, and heroines with a knack for mischief. All romantic leads are based loosely on my husband, who proved that soul mates are real. I have a deep love for ghosts, magic, and spooky things. If you’ve already finished my books, check out my blog or twitter feed for a dash of adventure.Links:Contact Form | Website | Blog
Social Media:
Boyce’s Novels
Giveaway:
A beautiful Grimoire Saga Pendant
US only
Ends December 17th
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