Wings of Tavea Blog Tour - A Review

Welcome to day 3 of the Wings of Tavea blog tour.  Having had the pleasure of participating in the tour for Wings of Arian, I am pleased to be back again to review the next installment in Devri Walls' epic story of fantasy, adventure, and romance.  If you haven't checked this series out yet, it's a must.

by Devri Walls
publisher: Stonehouse Ink
date of publication: December 11, 2012
format: digital review copy
pages: 450
source: from the author/tour company

From Goodreads:

Kiora is rapidly learning that evil and lies come in shades of black and white and swirling greys, but nothing could have prepared her for the shock of leaving Meros.

Kiora and her protector Emane step through the pass into a world they never knew existed but were always meant to save, only to find it far worse than they could have ever imagined. Good has been forced into hiding for its own survival, while the rest of the land bows to the Shadow, a force that pushes any remaining thoughts of Dralazar from Kiora’s mind. This land is full of new creatures, each more dangerous than the last. Her visions have taken on a deadly twist, and magic, or what comes of it, was never so real. And then there is Alcander: a Tavean, their guide, and an entirely different kind of trouble.

Wings of Arian introduced us to a young girl coming into her powers in a land that had long been devoid of evil... or so she thought.  Now Kiora is in for a real shock as she learns just what is really out there.  In Wings of Tavea, you're in for an even bigger whirlwind than ever before.  If you thought you had seen it all in Wings of Arian, well, you haven't seen anything yet.

Kiora continues to grow so much as the series progresses.  As she comes into her own in both her powers and her knowledge, Kiora becomes an even more formidable character.  Emane is every bit as interesting as he was in the previous installment and I had very little to complain about with him.  It is the introduction of Alcander that really puts a new twist on everything as an entirely new dynamic is introduced to the group.  Even though he's a grump, it's hard not to enjoy this new cog in the machine.

The world of Wings of Arian was an idyllic world with evil lurking where few can see it.  The other side of the gate, however, is the exact opposite.  It is a land teeming with evil with good hiding where few can find it.  It makes for such a stark, imposing landscape, a landscape that creates a wonderful feeling of foreboding.  I became so immersed in the story thanks to this land as I waited with bated breath to see what Kiora and company would do and what would become of them.

I've had such a great time getting to know Ms. Walls' writing.  Being a fan of fantasy, Wings of Arian was just what this reader needed.  Filled with danger, humor, and a nice amount of romance, this book was a pleasure to read.  If you, too, enjoy the fantasy genre, Devri Walls is a good author to check out.  This series is bound to continue delivering with each and every new book.

Buy Wings of Tavea at the Following Locations:

Amazon / B&N

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Obligatory legal statement: This digital review copy was provided to me free of charge by the author via Xpresso Book Tours. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Wings of Arian

by Devri Walls
publisher: Stonehouse Ink
date of publication: April 24, 2012
format: ebook
pages: 462
source: from the author for review

From Goodreads:

Kiora thought she had never heard a lie until she was sixteen. But she was wrong. Her entire existence was based on nothing but. She thought that evil did not exist. Lie. That magic was not real. Lie. And that the land of Meros was all there was. One more lie.

With Aleric telling her that evil is knocking on the door and that she is the only one who can stop them she has a choice to make. Refuse, or start the wildest most painful ride of her life.
She reluctantly dips her toe into her new existence of magic and threads, dragons and shapeshifters, and the person who wants to take control of it all: the evil Dralazar.

However, this journey was never meant to be hers alone. She will be accompanied by a Protector. To her disbelief, and utter irritation they name the hotheaded, stubborn, non -magical, (albeit gorgeous) Prince Emane. They will have to trust each other with their lives, but right now Kiora would settle for a non hostile conversation.

And now it comes down to this, If you had never heard a lie, would you know when you heard one? Is knowing good from evil innate? Kiora finds herself having to decide who lives and who dies on those very questions.

First off, I really need to thank Lindsay from The Violet Hour for pointing me toward this book.  Otherwise, I don't know when I would have heard about it and might not have had the chance to read it when I did.  Wings of Arian is just the sort of tale of fantasy and adventure that I like, plus there is such a nice amount of romance that becoming immersed in the story is simply a matter of sitting down and diving in.  Now that I know this series is out there, I'm sure to be well supplied with great fantasy stories.

Kiora and Emane give the impression of getting along as well as cats and dogs at first glance.  However, as they are thrown together in the dangers and adventure Kiora is to face as a budding magician and soon-to-be heroine, they begin to uncover qualities about each other that changes their dynamic from then on.  Their interactions are well done and engaging and I very much enjoyed reading of their journeys and the discoveries they made in the far reaches of their kingdom.

The world building in Wings of Arian was lovely.  From the verdant forests where Kiora undertakes the first part of her training to the deep caverns of the shape shifters' realm, there are so many wonderful places to experience right along with the characters.  Not only is the world building enchanting, but there is also a cast of characters of every fantastic variety imaginable: dragons, faeries, shape shifters, wizards, pegasus, and more.  All come together to form a great framework of magic and action that is sure to entertain fantasy lovers everywhere.

The only thing about Wings of Arian that gave me pause was the high number of typographical errors and punctuation mistakes.  However, the version I read was a review copy, so I do not know if those problems remain in the finished version or not.  For that reason, I can't fault the quality all that much, especially when the story, itself, is so wonderful.  I feel very glad to be able to look forward to reading the next installment in the series, Wings of Tavea, very soon.  I am eager to find out where Kiora will go and what she will experience next.  Devri Walls has laid the foundation for a fun, magical tale and I, for one, will be following along with enthusiasm.

Buy Wings of Arian at the Following Locations:

Amazon / B&N

Obligatory legal statement: This digital review copy was provided to me free of charge by the author. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Cover Reveal - Wings of Tavea

Having recently finished Wings of Arian, I was looking forward to finding out about the next book.  That time has come.  The cover for the second installment, Wings of Tavea, has been released just today!  Check it out below...

coming November 2012

Kiora is rapidly learning that evil and lies come in shades of black and white and swirling greys, but nothing could have prepared her for the shock of leaving Meros. Kiora and her protector Emane step through the pass into a world they never knew existed but were always meant to save, only to find it far worse than they could have ever imagined. Good has been forced into hiding for its own survival, while the rest of the land bows to the Shadow, a force that pushes any remaining thoughts of Dralazar from Kiora’s mind. This land is full of new creatures, each more dangerous than the last. Her visions have taken on a deadly twist, and magic, or what comes of it, was never so real. And then there is Alcander: a Tavean, their guide, and an entirely different kind of trouble.

About the Author

Devri Walls lives in Kuna Idaho with her husband and two kids. She has worked as a music teacher and currently, a preschool teacher. She majored in theater and her love of a story still drives her today. Thankfully, she has finally found an outlet for all the voices in her head. Her first novel, Wings of Arian, is available on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and Apple. The second book in the Solus trilogy, Wings of Tavea is scheduled for release Nov 2012. Find her on Twitter, Facebook, her blog; www.writingmyfuture.com and Goodreads.

Wings of Arian Blog Tour - 10 Things I Like About Wings of Arian

Hello, hello dear readers!  Welcome to the last stop on the Wings of Arian blog tour!  Have you read it yet?  If so, feel free to leave a comment.  There is certainly lots to talk about!   Also, head over to The Bookish Brunette today to enter for a chance to win 1 of 2 $100 Amazon gift cards.  The giveaway ends tonight, so don't delay!

As I have read Wings of Arian, so many things jumped out at me that I really enjoyed.  I thought that I would do something a little bit different for my stop.  I'm going to give you 10 things I like about Wings of Arian.  Maybe I can pique your interest!  Don't forget to keep an eye out for my review, which is coming soon.

1. The magic:

There are some awesome feats of magic in Wings of Arian.  As I learned more and more about magic in this world, my intrigue grew and grew, just as Kiora's powers did.

2. The settings:

There is a wide variety of settings to be found in the world of Wings of Arian.  From the enchanting forest known at the Hollow to the bleak landscape of places such as Morcant the dragon's home in exile, there is so much to view with your imagination.

3. The action:

There are some pretty harrowing scenes in this book.  If you're not even a little worried when the Hounds make an appearance, I just don't know what to say.  As for me, the mental image of a pack of 4 to 5 feet tall murderous canines is a pretty chilling one.

4. The creatures:

There is such a wide variety of creatures to meet in Wings of Arian.  In addition to the aforementioned dragons and Hounds, there are pegasus (both good & bad), fey-like creatures known as Guardians (good) and the Fallen Ones (bad), gargantuan stone giants known as rockmen, ancient mages, and so much more! 

5. The struggle:

The cause is classic: the fight between good & evil.  The delivery, however, is truly different.  Imagine a world in which peace has reigned for 1000 years and Kiora has grown up not knowing what true evil is.  As she learns a painful lesson and prepares to go up against a terrible adversary, she is tested to the very roots of her being.

6. The growth:

Watching Kiora turn from self-doubting peasant girl to the expected savior of Meros is so very intriguing to watch, as is Emane's transformation from arrogant prince to loyal protector.  I really enjoyed this aspect of the story.

7. The sweetness:

The romance develops gradually and is truly sweet once it manifests.  Those first kisses between Kiora and Emane were flutter- and aw-inducing.  Sometimes you just need a little sweetness.

 

8. The unexpected:

Just when you think you've seen it all, you find out just how wrong you are.  There were definitely moments that kept me on my toes, which I absolutely enjoyed.

9. The loyalty:

The loyalty aspect is just awesome.  Much like trust, loyalty is earned in this world and it is an inter-species concept.  I really enjoyed the camaraderie that I saw between various characters.

10. The adventure:

This story is truly an adventure with narrow escapes, brutal altercations, and amazing uses of magic.  Fans of high fantasy are very likely to enjoy this one!

About the Book

Find it on Goodreads:

Kiora thought she had never heard a lie until she was sixteen. But she was wrong. Her entire existence was based on nothing but. She thought that evil did not exist. Lie. That magic was not real. Lie. And that the land of Meros was all there was. One more lie.

With Aleric telling her that evil is knocking on the door and that she is the only one who can stop them she has a choice to make. Refuse, or start the wildest most painful ride of her life.
She reluctantly dips her toe into her new existence of magic and threads, dragons and shapeshifters, and the person who wants to take control of it all: the evil Dralazar.

However, this journey was never meant to be hers alone. She will be accompanied by a Protector. To her disbelief, and utter irritation they name the hotheaded, stubborn, non -magical, (albeit gorgeous) Prince Emane. They will have to trust each other with their lives, but right now Kiora would settle for a non hostile conversation.

And now it comes down to this, If you had never heard a lie, would you know when you heard one? Is knowing good from evil innate? Kiora finds herself having to decide who lives and who dies on those very questions.

About the Author

Devri Walls lives in Kuna ID with her husband, two kids and one very bouncy lab. After suffering from an abundance of creativity with not enough places to put it, she turned to writing. Which in the end, turned out to be exactly where she should have been putting it all along.