Sydney Winward

A Taste of Shadows Is Out Today!

She has lived her entire life in silence. One mistake could mean someone’s life. Only one man can help her, but getting close to him could kill him.

Excerpt From A Taste of Shadows

The swish of skirts drew his attention to the young lady who stood to Lord Auer’s right. His gaze traveled up a full skirt made of slim feathers in a variety of different shades, a bodice of intricate beadwork, and sheer sleeves at the shoulders. Long hair cascaded over one shoulder, leading up to a slender neck, and her face was covered by a harp-shaped mask that reminded him of a cage. The moment their eyes met, it was as if he tumbled over the edge of a cliff, but instead of crashing, he kept falling and falling and falling.

A thousand butterflies crawled through his stomach. His heart squeezed inside his chest. The young woman was beautiful. And as he approached, she never took her eyes off him.

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January 18, 2022 by Sydney Winward

Book Cover Reveal for A Taste of Shadows!

Blurb

The faintest sound of her voice can kill.

Lyyli Ives has lived her entire life in silence. Those who have heard her voice never live to tell the tale. When she accidentally nearly kills her sister, she is sent away to the only person who can help her—the Archmage at Darkest Star Arcane.

Lord Killian Graves’ life is falling apart. His mother is cursed into a deadly enchantment. His title and school are threatened to be stripped from him. But when a mysterious woman who doesn’t speak pleads for his help, he finds he cannot resist the allure of her beauty nor the mystery of her predicament.

However, a great evil is after the power she wields, threatening not only her life but the lives of everyone they love. Killian must save her from her fate. Or die trying.

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November 10, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Cover Reveal for Eliza Tilton!

Isn’t this cover awesome! I’m definitely adding this book to my TBR list. Here’s more info about the book:

Blurb

When marriage or death are your only options, you break all the rules.

Rosalie is sold to the magistrate of Farrow’s Gate to compete in a marriage competition. If she wins, her home is saved. If she loses, she’ll be forced to work off her family’s debt in an undisclosed location.

But the magistrate won’t just marry any human. He wants a mate whose magic rivals his own, and Rosalie can’t ever reveal just how powerful she is. In the world of Saol magic is regulated, and if the Magi Council discovered what she is, it won’t just be her life at risk.

Her only chance of escape is with the magistrate’s bodyguard, Baine: a dark, too handsome fae, and one who has no interest in helping a human girl.

Until one night in the moonlit woods when everything changes, and suddenly Rosalie is torn between what she wants and what is right.

Losing the competition means death, winning means the death of others, and Rosalie is out of time. If she doesn’t choose soon, someone will do it for her.

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September 21, 2021September 21, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Forever Winter by Amber Daulton

My Review

What if everything went wrong on your special day? What would you do?

Literally everything goes wrong on Susanna’s wedding day from the weather to the dress and more, and although it was entertaining to see how she would get through the next obstacle, what I loved most was Camden’s loving, unshakable support. He is everything you would want in a partner, and seeing how they lean on each other during each new trial was very sweet.

Although short, the plot was satisfying for a novella and I really liked the characters. This is a great read for any weather, sunshine or snow, and worth a read for those who love sweet regency stories.

My rating: 4.5 stars

September 13, 2021 by Sydney Winward

New Release From Jeny Heckman

From the Author: Why I Chose Sunflowers in the Design of My Book

Sunflowers in the design of Dee’s Cornucopia

Greek Mythology is such a giving source of inspiration for many aspects of our modern life. The never-ending soap opera-like saga of Greek gods and Greek Goddesses was the inspiration of my fantasy paranormal Heaven & Earth Series. Dee’s Cornucopia is a novella telling the story of Dee Taylor, the beloved grandmother who started the Quest in our modern lives when she communed with Demeter the Greek Goddess of Harvest and Agriculture.

Dee is a grower! She can grow anything! She has a nursery in Hawaii called Dee’s Cornucopia and also happens to be a descendant of Demeter!

The sunflowers are the story of unconditional love! Dee lost everybody she loved the most. She lost her father at a very young age. She lost her beloved husband soon after they married. She lost her beloved mother and later her only child! She loved them unconditionally! Out of all this tragedy comes a story of love for Dee’s grandson Finn Taylor, the protagonist of the Sea Archer, book 1 of the Heaven & Earth Series.

The Cornucopia is one of the only constants in Dee’s life. It is her passion! She loves to grow flowers, plants, and fruits. She loves to grow sunflowers!

September 2, 2021July 30, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Hometown by Wendy Rich Stetson

My Review

Two different men. Two different lifestyles. An impossible choice.

Who’s now a fan of Wendy Rich Stetson? This gal! I just love the way the author writes. The details immersed me in the story. The characters were layered so well and dusted with fine powder. Several intense scenes had me holding my breath, and the rest had me swooning. The romance was built up very well, and I found myself looking forward to each new chapter.

Did I just add this author to my 1-click list? I sure did! I loved this book and I’m looking forward to more.

My rating: 5 stars

August 9, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Guest Author Marilyn Barr and Book Review: Dance to a Wylder Beat

He wasn’t comfortable in his skin before she crawled under it. Now he burns…

My Review

To sum this book up in one word…HILARIOUS. I’ve read and loved other works by Marilyn Barr, but I don’t think I have laughed this much while reading a book in a long time. Nartan and Olive spark each other’s tempers in the most amusing ways.

I absolutely loved Olive as a character. She has that “don’t mess with me or I’ll mess back” sort of attitude. Or to better explain her by using a quote from the book: “No one pulls a bait and switch on Olive Muegge without feeling the crack of my switch in return.”

The details within the pages were incredible, and I appreciated the way the author laid out the setting for us and immersed us in a culture that is not often written about. With American Indian roots in my own family history, I really enjoyed seeing the culture brought to life in a fun paranormal way.

I definitely loved this book, and I’m looking forward to reading other books in this series as well.

My rating: 5 stars

July 21, 2021July 21, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Stolen Thorn Bride by Kenley Davidson

My Review

Stolen Thorn Bride was absolute perfection!

Ah! I just want to read it again and again until the amazingness finally sinks in. The characters were perfection. The setting was perfection. The romance…perfection. I absolutely loved Kasia and Dechlan. I enjoyed her fierceness and stubbornness. She never backed down, especially when it came to those she cared about. And Dechlan! I loved watching a wounded character heal and learn to love again.

Once again, Kenley Davidson blew me away with her world building and the characters she created. The book was a great mix of action, humor, and romance. I can tell right now that it’s going to be one of those books I think about for a long time after I’m done reading it. I definitely recommend this book!

My rating: 5+ stars

July 14, 2021 by Sydney Winward

New Fantasy Romance Series and Cover Reveal!

I’m excited to reveal the cover for my new fantasy romance series. A Breath of Sunlight is now available for pre-order at your favorite retailer!

Blurb

Don’t show compassion for men. Never save a man’s life. And no matter what, never fall in love with someone you must ultimately kill. But some rules are meant to be broken, even if it means risking your life by betraying your valkyrie sisters.

The plan was simple—attack the Pits, kill the male slaves, save the women. But when Skaja runs into a fae man she can’t kill, she instead breaks all the rules to save him.

Prince Calle was sold into slavery by his jealous brother, and he would do anything to taste freedom again, even put his trust in a dangerous valkyrie. To protect his people and gain the throne, he and Skaja must trust each other. But neither of them expected trust to turn into something more, and the cost of love has a much steeper price than either of them anticipated.

Excerpt

“This is beautiful,” she murmured. “What does it mean?”

He watched, transfixed as she touched him. It had been so long since he’d touched another, other than embracing Cian a couple of months ago, however fleeting. He craved the contact that made him feel alive again.

“It’s tradition for Sun Fae to cover their scars with tattoos,” he explained. “Only, we do not get to choose the tattoo, nor the accompanying color. Gold is the highest honor. Next is silver. Then bronze. All the way to black, which is disgraceful. This…” He traced a part of the star but made sure not to brush against her as he did it. “…is a word repeated over and over to form the star. It says ‘sacrifice’ in our tongue.”

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July 2, 2021 by Sydney Winward

Book Review of Darling, There Are Wolves in the Woods

My Review

The fae stole her sister away ten years ago and it tore her family apart. The only hope she has to save what’s left of her family is to find the sister she isn’t sure deserves saving.

If Holly Black is the Faerie Queen, then L.V. Russell is the Faerie Princess. The author blew my mind with vivid descriptions, pulling me into the dark and ominous world of Faerie. With danger lurking at every turn in the book, I was sucked into the story, wondering how the characters were going to get out of the next impossible scrape.

I adored the unique world building and incredible details that sucked me into the story, shook me up, maybe even drowned me a little bit, and then spit me back out only to endure it again. Darling, There Are Wolves in the Woods is an incredible story of love, heartache, family, and loss, and fans of dark fantasy romance will enjoy reading it!

My rating: 5 stars

June 19, 2021 by Sydney Winward