Recently, I finished the final draft of an upcoming book I’ll be releasing next month (yay!). One thing I often like to do is step back from my work, read something else, and then return to begin the grueling process of editing, polishing, formatting, and doing it all over again to make sure it’s just right.
This time, I picked up a book from someone I would consider a fairly successful self-published author, EA Winters. I’d seen her pop up on occasion when I’d peruse social media and finally caved into curiosity and bought the first book in her Blood and Flame Saga, Dragon’s Kiss.
Man, am I glad I did.
The book is AMAZING. The characters are compelling. Semra, Dahyu, and Siler made it difficult to pick a favorite among the three of them! (Although, if I had to choose, it would be Dahyu.) Every twist, every turn, every event that led to the final showdown all felt earned and logical given the character’s actions, motivations, and the rules of the world. The world itself is also well thought out and well realized.
EA Winters delivers on every promise she gives. It is a high-stakes epic fantasy that is COMPLETELY clean. There is no smut, no cursing, and even the violence itself is not too gruesome or gorey. It would be a book I’d be more than happy to share with my children one day.
While there were a few instances where I struggled to keep up with the new names or locations this has immediately become a current must read series, and the other three books have instantly been added to my cart.
If you’re looking for a clean, well-written, high-stakes fantasy book, look no further than this one. Overall, I give it a 9/10.
AG Patrick 