Guest Post: The Alliance of the Amazons Series Myth by Sandy James

The Reluctant Amazon

The Alliance of the Amazons, #1

My Review: Here
Date of Publication: September 3, 2012
Number of pages: 300
Word Count: 96,000


Available at the following retailers: 

Amazon     BN     Kobo     ARe

Fall Into Romance Blog Hop & Early Review of The Volatile Amazon by Sandy James

My entry for the Fall into Romance Blog Hop is The Volatile Amazon by Sandy James.  I was super lucky to be offered the book for early review by the author. Apparently she remembered how much I adored the first 3 books!  I was super excited to get started on this book mixed with a touch of sadness that it would be the last book in the quartet.  My fingers are crossed that we haven't seen the last of the Amazon's world. Maybe, just maybe, another series could be in the works. (Fingers are crossed!)

Review:

This is the the fourth and final book in the Alliance of the Amazons series by Sandy James.  I was given an ARC of the book by the author for an honest review.  This is the story of the Water Amazon, Sarita and takes place about a year after the closing of The Brazen Amazon.  Sarita has been labeled as the weaker Amazon, mainly due to her small stature and forgiving nature.  Add in all the problems she had early on with killing zombies and it's easy to see why the other three do what they can to protect her.

This story starts out a little different than the others.  The first person we meet is Ian, though we don't know that at the time.  He is stuck in Limbo, and though his heart burns with revenge, all he can do is put one foot in front of the other, walking back and forth, trapped forever in a bland monotony.  Until a woman comes and promises him his revenge if she will worship and follow her.

Next we see all four of the Amazon patronesses consulting a seer. There they find out that the impending doom of mankind and the only person who may find a way to stop it is Sarita.  This task she must do alone, without the aid of her trainers, sisters, or even their patronesses.  Sarita must meet her destiny and find a way to save the world.

I just need to say, AMAZING!!  I was hooked from the beginning and managed to devour this book in one sitting.  There were so many twists and turns and OMG! moments.  I went from laughing out loud to crying at emotional scenes in this book.  You absolutely have to read the other books in the series to really get the most emotional impact, because after 3 books you know and are invested in the characters.  This was a 5 star Goodreads rating for me and I can only hope that Ms. James will pick up the story with the Sons of Gaia.  This is a universe too rich and unique to end after only 4 books.

Sarita Neeraj has never felt like a real Amazon. Compared to the obvious strengths of her sisters, her Water powers seem small as her stature. She’s determined to prove herself—unfortunately, all that gets her is captured by an enemy.

Ian serves a twisted goddess, preferring this to an empty afterlife. He’s taken Sarita hostage to coax the other Amazons from their safe haven. But in his ancient Scottish castle, the passion and love Ian finds for Sarita resurrect his honor, until he chafes at the dark will of his mistress. 

Sarita has finally found happiness—but before she can enjoy it, she’s “rescued” by her furious sisters. To save Ian from destruction at the hands of the Amazons, Sarita must risk wielding magick that could change her very nature. Only then can she prove the Water Amazon is the strongest of the four—and save them all from destruction.

Meet Earth, Fire, and Air in The Reluctant Amazon, The Impetuous Amazon, and The Brazen Amazon.

Release Date: September 30, 2013 

Available at the following retailers: 

Amazon     BN     Kobo     ARe

Be Sure to check out my reviews of the other books in the series here: The Reluctant Amazon, The Impetuous Amazon and The Brazen Amazon.

My Giveaway!

I am giving away any one of the 4 ebooks in the Alliance of the Amazon series from All Romance. 

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Book Tour & Review: The Brazen Amazon by Sandy James

The Brazen Amazon

The Brazen Amazon
Alliance of the Amazons, Book 3
Sandy James

Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Carina Press

Date of Publication: May 6th, 2013

ASIN: B00BED2726

Number of pages: 384
Word Count: 103000

Cover Artist: Kix by Design

Available at the following retailers:
Amazon     BN     Carina Press

Zach Hanson is a tech wizard, capable of creating and improving gadgets... including remote nuclear warhead launchers. But he's always known that he's destined for something more, something greater, something...supernatural.

Powerful Air Amazon Gina Himmel is one of four sisters called to protect the world from those who would do it harm. Demigods in league with an Ancient have been taking over the bodies of leaders in the military and technological sectors, and Gina is sent to San Francisco to watch over Zach.

Under Gina's protection, Zach is introduced to a world of ancient deities, rogue gods and the bold, brazen Amazons who keep humanity safe. Amidst the whirlwind of battle, Zach and Gina discover a love that could give them the power to save the world...or destroy it.

Excerpt:

“Damn, Dick,” Zach said as he stopped next to Richard. “I know Frisco’s cooler than a lot of places, but isn’t it a little warm to wear a coat like that in August?”

Richard scowled. The man could taunt unmercifully, but he sure hated being on the receiving end. That, added to Zach’s wicked sense of humor, meant the two men in her life would continue to butt heads like a couple of enraged rams.

A sullen Richard jerked his thumb at the empty building they’d been using as a duck blind to keep an eye on Zach.

“Damn it,” Gina said when she saw the activity.

“I know.” Richard folded his arms back over his chest.

Zach quirked a brow. “Know? Know what?”

“Too many people working today.” The words slipped out before she remembered that he wouldn’t know she’d hidden there while acting like a Peeping Tom for the last few weeks.

“Too many to do what?” he asked.

“To watch your place again,” Richard replied.

“You were watching my place?” Zach asked Gina.

Richard smirked. “Yeah, Einstein. We were trying to figure out if you’d been turned—”

Gina’s sharp elbow in his ribs shut him up. “I told you, Zach. I needed to make sure you were safe. I was watching you at night from that apartment.” She pointed to her nest.

He seemed to think things over for a good long while before he nodded. “So now what?”

Richard inclined his head toward Zach’s apartment. “We shouldn’t risk it just to get the genius here some clothes for the trip.”

“Why would I need clothes? And who says I’m going on a trip? I’m not going anywhere. Especially not with you, Dick.”

“That’s what you think.”

The two men started talking at the same time, squabbling and getting loud enough people would’ve turned to stare. Thank heavens the alley was deserted.

“Okay, boys, that’s enough.” Gina clenched her hands into fists and tried to rein in her temper. She turned to Richard first. “We can always get Zach more clothes. Hell, he’s your size. He can wear some of your stuff.”

“The hell he can.”

“The hell I will.”

She rolled her eyes as they spoke in unison. Lord, she wished her sisters were here, because she was more than fed up with the testosterone-laden bullshit. “Fine,” she said to Zach. “Go naked for all I care.”

He wiggled his brown eyebrows at her. “I will if you will. Let’s just get rid of Dracula here—”

“I’m not a fucking vampire.” Richard’s words came through clenched teeth.

“So you just borrowed his wardrobe?”

Zach was lucky he didn’t get shocked. He couldn’t possibly know about Richard’s need to feed on magical power. The head-to-toe black was too much, so the comment wasn’t undeserved, but she was sick of their trading insults, so she intervened. Again.

“We can let the nest go. We don’t need it anymore, and I’m more than ready to go home anyway.” Zach started to stutter a protest.

Gina stopped him with a raised hand—palm out—and a stubborn frown. “Don’t bother. You’re going home with me, and you’re not changing my mind.”

“What about the Toys?” Zach asked.

“His toys?” Richard asked. “He wants to go get his toys?” He laughed longer than necessary to make his childish point.

Review: 

This is the third book in the Alliance of the Amazons series.  It is the story of Gina Himmel, otherwise known as the Air Amazon.  We haven't really gotten to know Gina that well, since the first two books focused on Rebecca and Megan, Earth and Fire respectively.  They were the two Amazons that we were first introduced to and went through training with.  Gina is one of the pair whose initial introduction and training we missed.  It made her and Water, aka Serita, harder to really connect with.  This book takes care of that issue in a big way, for both Air and Water.

This story opens about a year after the close of the last book.  So in essence about 3 years or so have passed since the beginning of the first book.  We are introduced to Gina in the middle of a mission to protect a tech wizard, Zach Hanson.  Her job, foil a plot to steal him and his technology and use it to cause chaos and war in a take over the of the world.  But our after spending weeks following Zach, Gina has started to have feelings for him and what she should do, wars with what she wants to do.

Interestingly enough, we are introduced to a new secondary character, Richard.  Richard is a Son of Gaia.  (I have  wondered what happened to Gaia's sons since the first book.)  Richard was a former bad guy and managed at great personal risk to get to the Amazons and tell them about a plot to destroy the world.   This time it is Sekhmet, the Ancient Egyptian Lioness Goddess otherwise known as the Destroyer.  She is using some of the Sons of Gaia to help bring about her goal of destroying the world and remaking it with her as the ruler of everything - in other words, just another day at the office.

Everything that I loved about the last two books was continued on in this one - great dialogue, colorful characters, plenty of action and the flowing smexy scenes.  I really loved the interaction between the Amazon sisters as well. They are definitely not cookie cutter cutouts of each other.  Each one is distinct and manages to imbue the qualities of the element they represent.  A different tone and mood has been evoked in each book, yet stayed similar enough to maintain a cohesion and work together for the series.  Kinda like the women these stories are about.  This has been an awesome series so far, and I just know that I am going to be both crushed and exhilarated when Sarita's story ends the series.... Or will it? Spin-offs for the Sons of Gaia?  Future series featuring the Amazon's children?  I don't know.  But I do know that I will be keeping Sandy James on my Authors-To-Get list.  Another Goodreads 5 star book.

Book Tour Info: 

Don't forget to check out the other stops on the Book Tour:

Faerie Tale Books - Review
Musings and Ramblings - Review
Love in a Book - Interview
Writing from Corsets to Bustiers - Spotlight
Pembroke Sinclair - Interview
Paranormal Romance Fans for Life - Guest Blog
Cloey's Books Review and Other Stuff - Guest Blog
Gimme the Scoop Reviews - Review
Urban Fantasy Investigations - Guest Blog
IndieWriters Review - Spotlight
Share My Destiny - Guest Blog
Lily Element - Spotlight
Bianca2b - Spotlight

Author Bio:

Sandy lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis with her husband of thirty years and is a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband own a small stable of harness racehorses and enjoy spending time at the two Indiana racetracks.

The Alliance of the Amazons urban fantasy series from Carina Press has premiered with book 1, The Reluctant Amazon, book 2, The Impetuous Amazon, and book 3, The Brazen Amazon. The series concludes with book 4, The Volatile Amazon, in September.

Look for a new contemporary romance series from Grand Central Forever Yours in 2013/2014! 

For more information, you can find the author on line at: 

 Website      Goodreads      Facebook      Twitter      Pinterest

Review: The Impetuous Amazon by Sandy James

This is the second book in the Alliance of the Amazons by Sandy James.  This is the story of Fire.  Having recently finished The Reluctant Amazon, Earth's story, I was completely ready to jump right back into the lives of these 4 kick ass chicks.

The story picks up about a year after the end of Rebecca's story and begins with an argument between the 4 patron goddesses of the Amazons.  See, Megan or the Fire Amazon, has been having some problems with keeping a low profile.  The title Impetuous really works well as a description of Megan.  It's not that Megan is trying to be discovered.  But the demons she is going after seem to give her little choice in how and where she takes them out.  And to Megan's mind, as long as it ends well, no problem.  

Freya, Megan's patron, finally gets the agreement that Johann, one of the Sentinels, will have the final say in whether Megan gets wiped and sent back to her old mundane life.  Johann tells Megan that he is there for some additional training for her and to give her some assistance on a new case, not wanting to tell Megan the real reason he is in town.  Funny thing is, Megan knows she is having more and more problems with controlling her element, she just doesn't know how to admit to needing more training.  Plus Megan has had a crush on Johann since they met and with him around, she is having even more trouble containing her powers and due to the crush, doesn't want to see weak in front of Johann.

What I found completely delicious was the way that they each had the serious hots for the other and were trying so hard to hide that fact from the other.  The tension and anticipation was amazing.  Just watching the two of them dance around the other was - (pardon the pun) Hot! There were also some serious curve balls thrown in this book.  Things I never thought of, never dreamed would happen.  It is strange, but there was one point in the book that I actually thought they wouldn't get their HEA.  Craziness, right?  This is a paranormal ROMANCE.  HEA is like, guaranteed.  And yet, for just a moment, the turn of a few pages, I was unsure, uncertain, flat out worried that things wouldn't work out.  That my dear friends is the mark of an excellent writer.  Yes, yes, there was  plenty of action and some really hot smexy scenes too.  I will even admit that I shed a few tears at the very, very end.  Happy tears, okay, but tears none the less.  Awesome book, 5 stars.  Gina's story is next.  I can't wait to see what Air is up to, and get to know her a little better.

Book Two in Alliance of the Amazons

Megan Feurer is strong and impetuous, like the Fire element she represents. She is an Amazon, sworn to protect humanity from demons, demigods and all manner of supernatural beings who wish ill upon the world. But her fire burns hot and fast, and her unpredictable control of the element brings into question her fitness as an Amazon.

Johann Herrmann chose the life of a Sentinel—a trainer of the four Amazons—to save his sister’s life. Now bound to the patron goddess Rhiannon, he knows his duty demands a solitary existence. But when he’s assigned to evaluate the Fire Amazon, his sacrifice becomes much more difficult.

Megan’s passions ignite a flame that neither she nor Johann can control, and the goddess Freya has reason to fan those flames. A mysterious force is gaining power, and Megan and Johann must join together to fight. And once a passionate fire has started, it’s nearly impossible to stop…

Review: The Reluctant Amazon by Sandy James

This is the first book in the Alliance of the Amazons series by Sandy James, and what an amazing first book it was.  You know things are going to be good when the story opens on the bride punching the groom because he is jilting her at the alter, in front of all their friends and family - the big momma's boy!

Rebecca Massee is almost your stereotypical earth mother.  She is a kindergarten teacher who helps put together and maintain neighborhood garden plots, who dreams of a home of her own with a husband and children.  Unfortunately, her husband-to-be jilts her at the alter and shatters her dreams.  Just as her wedding and future is falling to pieces, a handsome man in a kilt shows up and tells her to follow him that "it is time."  Astair MacKay is the centuries old Sentinel that trains Amazons as they are called up for duty.  And Rebecca has just been called up.  Each generation has 4 Amazons, Earth, Fire, Water & Air. Whether they are needed is dependent upon the health of the previous Amazons and how many demigods and demons are trying to take over.

After the last world war, the then current Amazons thought that they would be the last generation needed.  But when some being strips the powers from an Amazon and then kills her, the 4 goddesses who each sponsor a particular Amazon know that something big coming and calls up the next generation.  Astair is planning on retiring from Sentinel duty, but agrees to help the new Sentinel train one last generation.  They each take 2 Amazons to train.  Astair goes for Rebecca, and as the Earth Amazon, she leads them to the other Amazon nearby, Fire.  Typically the Earth Amazon has the role of Guardian for the Amazons and helps to lead the next generation into their powers.  But this time the Earth Amazon is missing and Sparks, the last generations Fire has taken on this role.  The new Amazons must train and learn to use their powers quickly to try and save the lives of their sisters.  At first Astair does everything in his power to make her angry, as this is the typical trigger for the Amazons powers.  But he eventually figures out that doesn't work with Becca.  Her powers are triggered by another emotion, Love.

I really liked this book.  It caught my attention from the very beginning and kept things moving.  Where the author could have gone with a cliche, she went with originality.  I was kept guessing and was never was quite sure where we were going to end up, but what a ride.  The next book is Fire's story.  Here's to hoping that it shares in the ups, downs and wild ride of the first.  The Reluctant Amazon got a 4 star rating for me on Goodreads.  Stay tuned for the review of The Impetuous Amazon, book 2 on Sunday, followed by the Book Tour for The Brazen Amazon, book 3 on Monday.

The last thing Rebecca Massee expects on her wedding day is to go from jilted kindergarten teacher to Amazonian Earth warrior. But when she causes an earthquake after her groom says I don’t, she discovers that not only does she possess incredible powers, she is one of four lost chosen sisters who must fight to keep humanity safe from rogue gods and demons. Luckily she has help: ruggedly handsome Scottish warrior Artair MacKay, her protector and teacher.

An immortal, Artair has trained countless warriors for more than four hundred years. He understands Rebecca’s confusion at the new world she’s been thrust into and worries she is too emotionally vulnerable, but that doesn’t stop his growing feelings for the beautiful and fearless woman.

When an evil force threatens to destroy the Amazons, Rebecca must claim her full powers--but they come at a cost. Can she sacrifice the man she loves if it means saving the world?