Starflower

I've been a huge fan of Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Christian Fantasy Series, Tales of Goldstone since her first book, Heartless. Now after all this time, Anne has written a novel as a prologue to Heartless in which the readers get a bit of the back story about the characters we've come to know and love and how they got to where we find them in the novel Heartless.

There still is an air of mystery whenever you encounter any of Anne's characters from her novels, because she slowly builds them up without giving too much away too soon. In this novel there are two stories happening simultaneously that will eventually intersect. So if you don't quite understand it from the beginning, take a deep breath, relax and immerse yourself further. It will all make sense in the end. Much like great fictional books do, when you get to the end, you can see how it all came together and that to me, makes for an exceptional book.

In the novel, Starflower, we get a sense of the fate of a great city that was once ruled by a Faerie queen. That city was called Etalpalli or known as the City of Wings by some. In this peaceful city, the people all flocked in the air, their wings a garden of many colors, and they lived in the green-grown towers of Etalpalli. In those high places, they found it easy to hear the voices of the sun and the moon singing and would sing back in joyful echo. Once upon a time, the City of Wings was a peaceful demesne full of life. Now it burned.

Hri Sora is a character with many different persona's blended together, she was once the Faerie Queen of Etalpalli but when she grows angry, the fire that burns within another part of her, unleashes the fury of the dragon-witch within. She dwells in a life of half light and half dark, but when she becomes dragon-witch she suffers from memory loss and she struggles to recall that former part of her life. When she confronts her Dark Father in hopes of regaining the wings he once had taken from her, he offers her a trade. He'll restore her wings, if she brings back the secret of the location of the Flowing Gold of Rudiobus and only kept safe by the Queen Bebo, who is the oldest and strongest of all Faerie queen. It is the chief treasure of King Iubdan Tynan and the only person who knows where it is hidden is the Queen's cousin, Lady Gleamdrene' Gormlaith.

Hri Sora agrees to the deal and sets off in a scheme to find a way to penetrate the boundary protections that Queen Bebo established. No one can enter Rudiobus uninvited. To even set foot in Gorm-Uisce Lake without leave would be death. She had no other choice. There was nothing left. No power without her wings; no city to call home. Only the hideous memory of former fires and that burning, driving lust for revenge. Such a pathetic creature she was, reduced to the form of a human. Unless... she smiled. This form was pitiable, but her mind was still good. And dragons command many powerful enchantments. An idea took root, and her smile grew.

Now the book really gets interesting and all kinds of characters from two different worlds are introduced and soon we begin to see the threads of an epic fantasy adventure beginning to grow. This is the story of dragons, Faerie Queens, hidden worlds, enchantments and of course magic. In the end, Anne Elisabeth Stengl once more weaves such an elegant storyline together you forget this is an imaginary world after all. I won't spoil it for you so you'll have to read this one for yourself and it's perfect is you haven't read the Tales of Goldstone Wood yet, because this is the perfect beginning. In fact, I'm going to continue once more with the series from beginning to end. This one easily rates a 5 out of 5 stars for those that love books like Lord of the Rings Trilogy or even The Chronicles of Narnia series!!!

I received Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl compliments of Bethany House Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. The one thing I did take away from this novel, is that it sets up the premise for your stereotypical fairytale story's and you can see how the author used those to move the story forward especially when dealing with the character of Lady Gleamdrene' Gormlaith. The exciting part is that Book 5, The Dragon Witch is due out in 2013, so trust me, you'll want to pick up the entire series!!! For more information about Starflower, Anne Elisabeth Stengl or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

You can find Anne Elisabeth Stengl on Facebook and stay on top of all the Tales of Goldstone series.

You can also find more reviews from the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tour on Starflower by clicking here. 

The Tales of Goldstone Series Order:

Prologue: Starflower (Book 4)
Heartless (Book 1)
Veiled Rose (Book 2)
Moon Blood (Book 3)

Veiled Rose

In fairy tales not all of them end with a happily ever after. Sometimes there are parts of the story we never really get to know. There are people that seem like the supporting character in the story, but once we learn their part of the story, it really does change how we view the story.

Leo at only eleven had been told what to do, when to do it and how it should be done. Yet what a boy at eleven really wanted was adventure. Adventure the was best lived outside the fairie tales of books, once that existed in the real world. When he learned that a monster lived in the deepest, darkest woods just outside his home in Hill House, he began in earnest to seek out its secrets despite his overwhelming fear.

Armed with a beanpole as a sword given to him by the old gardener on the property and a warning that what he seeks isn't always what it appears, he tries to hold on to bravery as he searches for a path in the darkness of the forest. What he finds there is just an old nanny goat, who scares him more than any monster would. But the goat isn't alone, it belongs to Rose Red, a girl cloaked in rags from head to toe and veils that show only her kindest eyes.

Seeking true friendship for both is what unites them and keeps them company during the long, hot days of the summer, until the day Leo mentions hunting the monster once more. When she leads him to the cave where the monster dwells it will lead them both on an unforgettable journey into the lands of legends and fairie tales.

In the sequel to the Tales of Goldstone Woods series, Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, picks up as a prequel of sorts to Heartless. You won't figure it all out until the end, and just when you think you have uncovered the secrets that lay hidden in the darkness, you'll be surprised once more. For those that love fantasy in dealing with dragons, dreams and mythical creatures, like Lord of The Rings Trilogy or the Chronicles of Narnia, then this one is perfect for you. Set amid the hope of romance and love, some things will never be the way we want them to be and for this reason, I loved this book. It's unpredictable in so many ways and thus rates a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review.For more information on this book, the author including where to purchase a copy for yourself, please click on the link below:

Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

You can also follow her on Facebook by clicking here.

Her first book Heartless is available for those of you that have a Nook for free right now. Trust me you won't want to miss it. Great new series!

Heartless

My Review:

Deep in a land once forgotten that lies outside of the kingdom of Parumvir, lies the hope of world. Princess Una has just come of age and has forgotten the childhood games that she used to play with her brother Felix while sitting on the Old Bridge that separates her father's kingdom from the Old Woods. She has been warned not to cross the bridge but never the reason why.

While Princess Una dreams of suitors, Felix begins to learn the art of sword fighting. Then one day, a crowd of unknown strangers enters the land of Parumvir for the Twelve Year Market, selling magical wares and the kingdom will begin to enter a period of darkness ruled by dragons once more.

I received the book, Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and I absolutely adored it. Its a mixture of Pirates of the Caribbean, mixed in with elements of Eragon and Lord of the Rings. Ms. Stengl does a masterful job at immersing the reader into the lives of Princess Una and the fate that awaits her. I would easily rate this book at a 5 out of 5 stars and now even my husband has picked it up to begin reading it the minute I put it down. This is a great Christian fantasy book that rates right up there with C.S. Lewis.

For more information on the book, including the first chapter preview, the author and where to purchase a copy, click on the links below:

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Heartless Bethany House (July 1, 2010)

by

Anne Elisabeth Stengl


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she enjoys her profession as an art teacher, giving private lessons from her personal studio, and teaching group classes at the Apex Learning Center. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. Heartless is her debut novel.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon be married. She dreams of a handsome and charming prince, but when the first suitor arrives, she finds him stodgy and boring. Prince Aethelbald from the mysterious land of Farthestshore has traveled far to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be approaching Parumvir.


Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his warnings. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir, and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in grave danger. When Una makes the wrong choice, catastrophe ensues for the princess and her family, and love, courage, and trust are needed when darkness engulfs the kingdom.


Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil.


There are some delightful things and scenes: the Twelve-Year Market that appears in its own good time and sells fairy goods; a clever blind cat who is invariably underfoot and has, of course, a secret!


If you would like to read the first chapter of Heartless, go HERE.