Finished this book last night, and as always, I’m enthralled with Clayton’s writing and story telling! Read the review below, or check it out on Goodreads!

(Borrowed the Featured Image above from a goggle search!)
The Machines of Theda by C.E. Clayton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Let me identify first, I graciously received a copy of the book from the author. I have read the predecessors to this book, and will be reading its successors! If you haven’t read the first two in this series, DO! It’s no secret I am in love with C.E. Clayton’s writing, and will always be a fan of her ever growing skill as an incredibly talented author <3!

Now, onto the review :).
This book was such a contrast to the first two it took me by surprise! My favorite experience as a reader is in seeing how authors blossom as they continue to progress in their craft, and Clayton has made impressive progress. The detail that was presented was well balanced with the intrigue and action, introducing new characters that you could completely understand the range of emotions that followed in their wake. We also get to revisit previous characters, which I will say no more on! Throughout this book we get to experience the blossoming relationship between Tallis and Tomas, and I love and appreciate just how well paced things are for the two. Their relationship is not like what is seen in today’s society, but something that should be more aspired to, and that made me love their situation and characters all the more.

Through the discoveries that both Tallis and Tomas experience you are introduced to a land that is steampunk, which I adored. Personally, I have always been fascinated with it, and now I got to experience a taste of it in The Machines of Theda! I read the entire last half last night, foregoing several hours of sleep-that’s how enthralled I was with the book to see where it went and how it ended, and am more than eager to start book IV! For as large of novel as this is, it went quickly, in my opinion. The last half is especially compelling, but I don’t want to ruin this for anyone! Just know our Tally is as brave, and sometimes reckless, as ever, but that’s what makes her so endearing and human.

Wonderful job, Mrs. Clayton! Can’t wait to read the rest of your works!

View all my reviews

A day late here, rough 1.5 week migraine, but getting on top of it!

Congratulations to the 5 lucky winners in the Blizzard Paperback Giveaway! Those are being ordered for delivery this Very moment! 💖 Notifications will be sent out soon😉.

I haven’t written in a minute, but this morning was an explosion of ideas, things that required sorting and I have the answers for Hail, now! I will finally be able to ease back into writing this weekend 😸🤩❤️😍! Be ready, I can feel this process will move incredibly swiftly!

For those who entered, but did not win, you can get Blizzard on ebook Free through your Kindle! Check back in about another month or so, I’m planning something special 😉!🤶🏻🎅🏻🎄

There are only 13 days remaining for the Goodreads Blizzard Paperback giveaway, how swiftly time seems to be slipping by (link below)! All my plans for what I would and could do have slipped just as quickly between my fingers. The job I have that pays the bills will of course have to come first. I’m a single parent to two chitlins, and those for the time being are my priorities. That does Not mean finishing Hail is not the very next item, because it is, but it does mean my stress levels the last two months have been through the roof. Managing $3B worth of project work will do that. Health issues on top, concerns for family members health…Prayers, well wishes, and/or positive thoughts would be much appreciated!

Saw the Neurosurgeon Friday, which was terribly disappointing. This particular doctor was using outdated criteria, I was a little bit shocked, but not entirely. It was something I had feared, had been warned about regarding Neuro’s in Texas. Still, more testing is being done and I am all for checking all possible avenues of answers, but where to go from those results? A lot will depend on the results, but I believe maybe a specialist in New York. That was one of the suggestions. Yet, that’s no cheap trip just to see one doctor. Well worth it, I’m sure…but still. I have things to take care of before I can snatch up a ticket to NYC and see one of 20’ish specialists in the US for what I have.

The thing is, there are so many interesting people I’ve met since this diagnosis in May, and many more to come, no doubt! It just lends more to my writing, and I continue my reading. If you haven’t yet read C. E. Clayton’s work, I cannot emphasize enough how much I praise and love her work! If you are a fan of fantasy, and like to see some steam punk, her work is Definitely the way to go. The same goes for Michael Chrobak, if you’re looking for religious fantasy-that’s not blasphemous-his really is incredible. I’m dying to read his third book! They are both wonderfully talented authors, and I wish them All the success!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Blizzard

by Mikayla Elliot

Giveaway ends September 28, 2019.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

The days have begun for you to Enter to Win 1 of 5 paperback copies of Blizzard! Click the link below to enter! This giveaway is hosted through Goodreads, details below ;)!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Blizzard

by Mikayla Elliot

Giveaway ends September 28, 2019.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

I realized it’s been a minute since I held a Giveaway, and Blizzard deserves some attention here! Due to a very rough year and a half now, I have been delayed with Hail, but that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped working on it, or that readers still shouldn’t have a chance to get their hands on a Paperback copy of Blizzard.

You can find the Paperback Giveaway on Goodreads – link coming soon – August 31st through September 28th, just in time for Halloween and Christmas ;)!  Get ahead of the Spooky Holidays and Christmas gift list by winning your Free Copy of Blizzard <3!

Too much going on, so a quick note…It’s day 3 of 5 to get your Free Ebook copy of Blizzard on Amazon! ❤️ Hit that puppy up, get the copy you’ve been waiting for, and Spread the word! Many thanks and much love☺️.

Start of the school year, time to give some love for back to school days! Blizzard is FREE starting August 19th-23rd, for 5 sweet days you can get Blizzard through Kindle for FREE if you do not already have Kindle Unlimited <3!

What a time to be alive! Am I right, or what?! So much has been happening it’s hard to keep track of everything going on, and stay on top of the things that matter most in the order of execution. Work has been churning like the ocean beneath a hurricane, the entire seafloor (my life) has been changing in tumultuous ways, but I’m fighting to make it work. Chiari Type I has been a big impact to my life this year, and I’ll be seeing a Neurosurgeon next month, with testing this month. School started today, and I have a High Schooler! X_X That’s too much for my day, but nothing I can do to change it. Just praying he has a good day.

Writing, writing has not happened, but that’s mainly for the fact that work has gone from a stop, to I have an overwhelming amount in my lap. I also went out of town the last two weekends with my kids – making memories before they’re gone. Again, teenage son is in High School!!! Surgery is scheduled as well for Friday after next, so there’s that. Now, that means this weekend and next my daughter will be gone. This means opportunity to write, and I will be taking that opportunity in as fully as I am able! You know, as a writer, that you miss your craft when you are Dreaming about it, when you think, “Hey, I wanted to see where that story went!” Great feeling, knowing that’s going on, and I have so much to do to finish this last book! Of course, after I finish this series, I will be working on the next series of books, though these will be for children – I’m flip-flopping between 7+ or 12+. The age range will determine how I write these books, and the level of detail (gore) I can feasible incorporate. I love the idea of starting out with 7+ and moving on to 12+ as the character grow/age, but not sure how that will be received, would like to review other books for guidance.

Closing: I will finish Hail. I will get sleep. I will find a way to get better, and Be Better!

27.7k words, and counting 😉! 23 chapters, roughly, remain. The best part of this progress? It is flowing beautifully, and coming together as well as I had hoped! The hope and prayer is that when readers get hold of the published copy, they agree!

For where I stand now, this part of the book will close up in about 8-9 chapters more, and I can’t wait 😄! For what’s to come will be brutal, and glorious. Who’s ready?

Alright folks! Here it is, my review ofThe Paladin of Panama by Michael Chrobak
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Be prepared, this is a Lengthy review!
Appreciation:
The Paladin of Panama has such promise, though I hoped for more action! It is good in seeing the different abilities coming to life in the characters, I can’t wait to meet the rest, and I enjoyed the educational side of what the church and what the associated community can bring. This book is overflowing with good intentions and messages, one’s many of the youth today could benefit from. I would say this series would be particularly good for those gearing up to head to the priesthood, or nunnery, as it touches on many of the struggles and ways to get past those issues. Michael Chrobak has done a wonderful job of incorporating fantastical elements without them being deemed “magical”, rather they are God given gifts and abilities, and not to be confused with any other power. I also have to give praise to making sure that all the characters have strengths and weaknesses, each their own struggles. These individuals, for the most part, are not all weak with only one strong, but lift each other up in various ways. Now, that has a flip side (see below).

Concerns:
I did find some pieces to be more “preachy” in a way that was telling rather than showing, where the author’s intention came out more bluntly than I think intended. Almost a bit like having a father telling their child what they will experience in detail, little lessons they will learn as they go rather than letting them learn and experience firsthand. Which, for me, took some of the sizzle out of the book, some of the mystery, and rather dragged along a few pieces. There were stereotypes cast that I felt were trite, utilized to reinforce the religious and moral ideals, but I felt that a disservice. There were a few places I found the descriptions of the characters (all young, mind you) to be condescending, which shocked me a bit. It was a little bitter, and that pushed me away as a reader. Beyond that, I found pretty much all the female characters to be pretty much one dimensional, with defining characteristics only coming to light at the end of the book. I stand by that Thomas is written to be far too wise beyond his years, and while I expect the main character to have more strength than the others, I found Thomas, and the side characters, to be either written beyond their years, or at times painfully immature.

Getting Personal:
I found the book slow for the first three quarters, and it didn’t “pick up” until the last quarter, making it a difficult read overall for me. It was like a first book, an introductory, which in some ways it is-meeting more characters, learning abilities, etc., but I felt there were pieces of detail/description that lent nothing to the story. I know I have had a bad habit of getting caught up in describing too many details, and that’s what this felt like. Additionally, having read and reviewed the first I will reiterate here: having been raised Catholic, I have personal beliefs that strike deep within me, things I do not agree with the church on. So deep are my beliefs that I have walked away from the Catholic Church, as much as there are plenty of things I love and appreciate, I completely disagree with them on others. These books look to reinforce some of those those beliefs I disagree with, so it was more a struggle for me than I would have liked. That’s not to be confused, I’m not calling it bad – quite the opposite, the passion that this is written with, the firm belief and follow through is impressive and not to be dismissed. It just did not inspire me, personally, to love this book entirely.

Conclusion:
I will read the next book in this series, this one ended on such a cliff hanger it was almost insulting! Michael, how could you leave me hangin’ like that, man?! Teasing aside, the last quarter is the best of this book, and so very well written out! I Loved it for that especially, but can’t say anything so as not to ruin it for other readers! This rating was more like 3.5/3.75, but the ending helped close that gap to a 4.