Tag: Sheri Fredricks

Review: Troll-y Yours by Sheri Fredricks

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | book reviews> C Reviews
Troll-y Yours by Sheri FredricksFormat read: ebook provided by the author
Formats available: ebook
Genre: Paranormal romance, Fantasy romance
Series: The Centaurs, #2
Length: 266 pages
Publisher: Temple Publishing
Date Released: May 17, 2013
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

SHE TAKES A CHANCE.

Determined to forge a better life, Ella launches her new business with high hopes—until a sexy Centaur bumps into her and throws her life off course forever. Voted “Most Eligible Bachelor in Boronda”, Aleksander shakes up her world and tilts her in more ways than one.

HE’S IN DANGEROUS TERRITORY.

Years of warfare and countless bedroom encounters have stolen Kempor Aleksander’s luster for life. He never expects to rediscover his zeal in the small, redheaded form of Ella the Troll, who fires his blood hotter than the deepest caverns in the forest.

A PASSION SO HOT.

But as trouble lingers in their midst—and edges ever closer—Alek and Ella spiral into troubled terrain. Turning to each other, the pair face down dangers that run impenetrably deep in their mythological world. But will the two lovers discover a passion that runs even deeper?

My Review:

remedy maker goodreadsTroll-y Yours is the second book in Sheri Fredricks’ Centaurs series. The first book is Remedy Maker (reviewed here) In order to understand what is going on in Troll-y Yours it helps a lot to have read Remedy Maker. A whole lot.

The idea that that there are mythical creatures living in the Boronda Forest in Pennsylvania, mostly hidden from us humans, is kind of cool. Some of the humans that have found the mythics hunt them for big bucks, and I don’t mean antlers. The hunters tend to be asshats, mercenaries, sadists, or all of the above.

Not the point of this story, although the hint dropped at the end leads me to believe that the author might get there.

Like Remedy Maker, this is an interspecies romance. It’s also a romance between two people who are at different levels in the social/species pecking order and between a male who most people would think is gorgeous and a woman most people would think is less so. Of course, he thinks she’s beautiful. Ella really is a troll, but that’s her actual species. Only her abusive parents keep telling her that it also reflects her appearance.

Trolls are considered one of the lowest species in the Boronda social order. Centaurs are the highest species, and the queen is a centaur. So are many of the members of her guards, including Kempor Aleksander, the head of the guards.

Ella has picked up an idea from the humans. We do have a few good ones. She’s started a speed dating service, Troll-y Yours, for mythics with busy lives to find mates. She wants to earn enough money to move out of her parents’ house. Which is under a rock. They are trolls, after all!

At the first speed dating session, she mistakes Alek for one of her clients. He thinks she’s about the cutest thing he’s ever seen. Because she thinks he’s gorgeous, she mouths off. Then she’s attacked and he comes to the rescue, after her brother spectacularly fails to help her, which is one of the stories of her life.

While Alek and Ella find themselves drawing closer together, Alek still has a job to do. The rebels are still attacking the kingdom, and the queen he is sworn to protect. What it nearly takes him forever to realize is that protecting Ella has become the most important thing in his entire world.

Escape Rating C+: Troll-y Yours just wasn’t as much fun as Remedy Maker, in spite of Remedy Maker dealing with a number of more serious themes along with the romance. For this reader, the sub-plot of the rebel alliance against the kingdom just wasn’t explained enough to make whatever was going on make sense. It’s too important for the long story arc to be that confusing, especially since a major plot point with Ella’s brother hinges on it.

Too much is left unexplained on the personal side as well. Alek starts out the story as a total man-whore. He seems to regard having lots of sex as his duty to the females of his species. Ella has serious self-esteem issues as a result of a lifetime of parental verbal abuse. While it’s great that they find each other, I’m not totally sold on the relationship based on the story.

The mythic world that they live in begs to be explored a whole lot more.

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

Interview with Author Sheri Fredricks + Giveaway

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Author Interviews> Author Q&A> blog tours> Giveaways

Today on Reading Reality I’d like to welcome Sheri Fredricks, the author of the utterly scrumptious Remedy Maker. (For a more in-depth look at Remedy Maker, read my review) Sheri is here to talk about her new book, and to answer some questions about her yummy hero, how she got from ranching in general to centaur-heroes in particular, and just what genre Remedy Maker falls into, anyway. Not that it matters, this one is good!

But here’s Sheri with the answers to a few of those questions… 

Marlene: Please tell us a little bit about yourself. What are your other passions besides writing?

Sheri: Hi Marlene! Thank you for having me here today.

Living on a ranch and working in my husband’s contracting office leaves little time for my hobby-type activities. But I do love the times when I can jump on my horse and take a detoxifying ride in the hills.

Marlene: Do you think of Remedy Maker more as a paranormal romance or contemporary fantasy? Why?

Sheri: After I wrote Remedy Maker, I had to categorize it into a genre for when I submitted it to agents and publishing houses. I had a hard time answering this very question. What it boiled down to was there are more fantasy elements involved (centaurs, trolls, nymphs, satyrs) than there were paranormal activity – such as shape shifting the centaurs perform. Contemporary fantasy is where this story calls home.

Marlene: A centaur with PTSD, what a fantastic concept! Who or what inspired you to come up with the concept of Rhycious as a character?

Sheri: After I conceived the centaur idea, I made a character chart for my major characters. Rhycious was given a name, and his personality grew as the chart evolved. Also, a few years back I met a war veteran who told me of his problems with PTSD. Specifically, how those problems interfered with his ability to interact with others on a social level. He didn’t trust himself.

Marlene: The setting of Remedy Maker is fascinating. Boronda skirts the edges of the contemporary 21st century, using a nearby Amish community as a link. What made you decide to set your fantasy romance in the so-called “real” world? And why the Amish?

Sheri: The fictional town of Willow Bay made an effective backdrop for my story because of its small town feel. A place where everyone knows everyone else. While there are other Amish mentioned in the story, Samuel Beiler is the only character involved. I chose the Amish people because they are private, don’t need the modern frills, and have a love of family and life.

Marlene: Give us a teaser. What’s your favorite scene from the book?

Sheri: Oh boy! This is a tough question because I have so many favorite scenes. I’ll share the one where Rhycious talks Patience into coming with him to the Centaur palace, a place she was taught to fear. “Nymphs go in and they never come out.”

Bacchus’ breathe. Here she stood, at the very opening where destruction had reigned on the Nymph race for over two hundred years. Even a century out of war, it struck her dumb. Humbled by the magnitude of the simple palace entry, and honored by the trust Rhycious gave her, Patience felt very inconsequential.

Rhycious turned to look over his shoulder, scanning the tree line behind them. Across the meadow, birds chased one another between leafy branches, and purple flowers waved.

He gave her fingers a tug. “Come on.”

Patience pulled back and hesitated for two heartbeats. Her dream of harmonious living and her life’s work to achieve the goal mirrored that of Rhy’s. To live with races co-mingling—the way it used to be. Before war and devastation took a toll on their people, back when trust existed between races.

Her gaze flew to Rhy, who loosened his calloused grip. Warm brown eyes watched her, gleaming like glassy volcanic rock, taking in her features. Perspiration gave his skin a healthy glow. She was acutely aware of his tall, physique du role. He thumbed the skin of her inner wrist, waiting for her to work through her fears. His touch sent electric pulses to dance up her arm.

Her lips dried out, and she licked them. It’s now or never, homie. She nodded that she was ready.

Well-lubed metal hinges swung the rock door inward. Dwarfed by the immense height of the hand-carved entrance, the narrower width was a surprise. Built expressly for Centaurs in true form, the craftsmanship appeared superb. When closed, she imagined the barest of hairline cracks—if one even knew where to look, that is.

Rhycious took a deep breath. He held it a few seconds before releasing it out in a stream. At his insistence, she entered the dark portal first, ahead of him.

Beyond the beam of daylight sneaking in with the open door, the interior loomed pitch black. Devoid of the brightness of a moment ago, the dark maw disoriented her. Cooler air mixed with the warmth from outside, another stark difference to her senses.

Rhycious—now there’s a contradiction. She huffed a nasal laugh to herself. Widely famed Remedy Maker, a powerful warrior trained to wield a sword. A man of peace and healing, yet searching for the villains who attempted to kill his queen and threatened their society’s structure.

Like the human’s biblical hero, Daniel, who was thrown into the lions’ den, Patience found herself locked in obscurity when Rhycious pushed the rock door closed behind them. Her eyes hadn’t adjusted to the dark—she couldn’t see her hand in front of her face.

Behind her, tumblers in the door’s lock fastened in place, resounding clicks broke the still, musty gloom. A trickle of water played off-key notes in the blind distance.

And Patience’s heart began to pound.

Marlene: Describe a typical day of writing. Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Sheri: I’m a plotter and proud of it! I tried pantsing once and found myself trapped in a corner without a way out. From that point on, I plotted. With the kids out of school for summer, my writing regime flew out the window. Right now, I’m writing at night when they’re watching TV with full bellies. When they’re back in school, I’ll write from about 9am to 3pm. My husband’s office work and the ranch chores get worked in…somehow. LOL

Marlene: Who first introduced you to the love of reading?

Sheri: Every teacher I ever had between Kindergarten and high school. My dad is a big proponent of reading, too. His favorite saying around the house was, “Readers are Leaders!”

Marlene: Who influenced your decision to become a writer?

Sheri: My husband, but I look back now and wonder if it wasn’t more of a dare than influence. I was reading three books a week and he suggested I write “one of those” myself. So I did.

Marlene: What book do you recommend that everyone should read, and why that book?

Sheri: Aside from a book of faith, I think everyone should read The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien. The masterful way he built the world, the way readers could visualize and be there with the characters, is astounding. It’s one of those books you can read over and over again, and find parts you’ve missed the first time. Love, death, heroes, villains, they’re all part of the intricate weave of Tolkien’s world.

Marlene: What projects do you have planned for the future? Do you have any more books that follow Remedy Maker (it’s a very cool world!)

Sheri: I wrote a short story called Portals of Oz, a spin-off from the Centaur/Wood Nymph world introduced in Remedy Maker that I’ll be publishing soon. I’ve also started the next book in the Centaur series, titled Trolly Yours. This story takes one of my beloved side characters, a centaur named Aleksander, and gives him a story of his own. He’s very naughty…you’ll love him.

Marlene: Now can you tell us 3 reasons why people should read your books?

Sheri:

1) If you’re looking for a book that will take you away to a mythic world that might exist…
2) If you love hot guys with insatiable appetites who have a dash of vulnerability…
3) If you’re looking for a sensual read with the power to make you gasp…
This would be the book for you.

Marlene: Morning person or Night Owl?

Sheri: Morning person. The horses and sheep start screaming at 6 AM!

Horses, screaming, ARGGHH! This is why I live in the city. But all that detoxifying horseback riding certainly produced one awesome fantasy world, no matter what hour of the (ick) morning it occurred. Thanks so much, Sheri, for stopping by, and for creating the neat new fantasy world of the Mythic Boronda Forest. I’m already looking forward to my next visit.

~~~~**Tourwide Giveaway**~~~~

Sheri is giving away a $20 Amazon Giftcard to one random selected commenter during the tour. 

This giveaway is open to everyone.
To be entered, leave a substantive comment about the interview or the book.
One lucky commenter will be selected from all the stops on this tour, so the more tour stops you make comments at, the better your chances! (A list of participating blogs is right here)

 

Review: Remedy Maker by Sheri Fredricks

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | B Reviews> blog tours> book reviews

Remedy Maker by Sheri Fredricks is a contemporary fantasy/paranormal romance that I took on a lark. It turned out to be a delicious treat with some fairly serious underlying themes in the middle of its mythological creatures’ Romeo and Juliet love story and backroom political machinations.

Rhycious doesn’t start this story in a frame of mind to be anyone’s hero. Or anyone’s much of anything. All he wants is to be left alone. This centaur is the Royal Remedy Maker for Queen Savella of the Centaurs, but he’s used the excuse of needing to gather herbal remedies to live in a remote cabin as far from the center of court life as possible.

Rhycious suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as result of his service in the two-century-long Centaur-Wood Nymph war. One of the problems with being a healer is that Rhy knows exactly what his problem is. He just doesn’t know how to stop the flashbacks. Living alone just means that no one else suffers when he has one.

The war has been over for one hundred and thirty years, and they’re getting worse, not better. Maybe living alone isn’t the cure Rhy thinks it is.

His nearest neighbor is Samuel, a young Amish farmer. Rhy has been friends with Sam’s family for centuries. Sam knows about mythologicals, and he knows what Rhy is. Most humans have only seen Rhy by day, in his human form, but Sam has seen his true form, his  Centaur form, between sunset and sunrise.

Sam also knows that Rhy is a healer, so when his buggy nearly runs over a young woman in the woods, Sam brings her to Rhy. Sam just thinks the woman is English, meaning not Amish, and Rhy is the nearest healer.

She’s way more than not Amish, she not human. She’s a Wood Nymph. The first one to ever enter Rhy’s house.

The nymph’s name is Patience. A quality that Rhy is sorely lacking thanks to his PTSD. But a quality he absolutely must find in order to treat the female now in his care.

Meanwhile there is also a second female in Rhycious’ care. He is the royal physician, and someone manages to poison the Queen. In the investigation, a plot to overthrow Savilla, and the peace and prosperity of her reign, is uncovered.

There’s corruption in the court. Some centaurs would prefer they go back to war. Savilla, Rhy, and his friend Alek want the peace to continue. And Patience, she was born after the war ended. She believes in the dream of peace, the way it was before the war started all those centuries ago. She’s an ally.

But the more she and Rhy work together, the stronger their attraction for each other, in spite of the difference in their races. Peace seems barely possible between Centaur and Wood Nymph; can they have a long-term future?

Escape Rating B+: I was surprised at just how much I liked this book. The world of the Mythic Boronda Forest is well thought out, and everything hangs together very well. It was neat the way that the Centaurs switched from human appearance to Centaur form, that was nicely done.

And the whole thing with the mythicals bordering Amish country in Pennsylvania was fun. I realize that if this had been written a bit later, Rhy would probably have gotten his t-shirts from someplace other than Penn State, but maybe not. Still, I like the idea that the world is bigger and more eerie than what we think we know. That’s the fun of fantasy. And there would be asshat hunters trying to pull the crap that happens in one of the sideplots of the story. Unfortunately some of human nature sucks.

The court politics about the war, and folks wanting to go back to the “good old days” of the war, and the “good old days” when they were on top, sounded all too possible. As did the undercover operations. Politics is often a dirty business. So is the environmental pollution that affected the wood nymphs.

This just missed being an A rated book because there were some points in the middle where I felt like the story could have been tightened up a bit. I enjoyed it a lot, but there may have been one too many subplot threads. YMMV

I can’t wait for book 2. The author’s website lists it as Trolly Yours. Soon please!