Hello lovelies! It gives me
great pleasure today to host Karin Rita Gastreich and her new book, “Daughter
of Aithne”! For other stops on her
Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of
the images in this post.
Be sure to make it to the end
of this post to enter to win a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back daily to interact with Karin
and to increase your chances of winning!
Thanks for stopping
by! Wishing you lots of luck in this
fabulous giveaway!
Daughter of Aithne
by Karin Rita Gastreich
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GENRE: Fantasy
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BLURB:
Betrayed
by her own prodigy, Eolyn stands accused of treason. As power-hungry nobles
dismantle her life's work and honor, the desperate queen forges a risky
alliance with the ruthless and cunning Mage Corey. Determined to defend her
son's claim to the throne of the Mage King, Eolyn prepares for her last and
greatest battle, this time against her own sisters in magic.
Across
the Furma River, Taesara of Roenfyn is drawn out of seclusion and into an
ever-more vicious game of intrigue and war. Subject to the schemes of a shrewd
uncle and the mysterious ambitions of the wizards of Galia, Taesara struggles
to assert her own destiny, even as she takes up arms to defend her daughter's
inheritance.
In
the climactic finale to The Silver Web trilogy, threads of love, honor,
betrayal, and vengeance culminate in a violent conflict between powerful women,
opposed to each other yet destined to shatter a thousand-year cycle of war.
"An enticing and
elegant series finale, filled with magic and turmoil."
- KIRKUS
REVIEWS
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EXCERPT TWO:
“Speak
plainly, my Lord King,” Eolyn said. “I will not be subject to this
cat-and-mouse game. If you do not trust me, if you do not believe me, then say
so.”
“I
trust your heart, Eolyn,” Akmael replied, “but your heart has led you to ill-advised
decisions in the past. For this reason, I am not always inclined to trust your
judgment.”
“For
the love of the Gods! I am not the confused and frightened girl I was when my
brother took up arms against you.”
“No,
but you must understand the dilemma you have put me in.”
“The
dilemma I have put you in?”
“If
you knew of Ghemena’s plan and did not inform me, you were party to treason. If
you did not know, then your authority over the magas is uncertain. Either way,
the magas must remain bound and imprisoned until this conflict is resolved.”
Eolyn
blinked and stepped away. “The magas have lived in peace in Moisehén for more
than a decade. You cannot let the action of one woman—”
“Three
women. The blatantly treasonous act of three women, all devoted students of
yours. They have brought war upon us, Eolyn. Who knows how many others among
your followers support them?”
“The
magas who remain in my service have done nothing to merit suspicion.”
“All
magas merit suspicion.” Akmael hesitated at her stricken look. He let go a slow
breath and softened his tone. “There is a history here that we have not yet
overcome, Eolyn. You, of all people, must understand that. Too many of our
subjects still remember the war against my father.”
“And
the purges that followed?” she shot back.
“The
violence that tore this kingdom apart,” he conceded. “Right or wrong, the magas
were left with the blame. We must manage this situation carefully, to protect you
and your daughters. To see that justice is done.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GUEST POST:
Five Reasons You Should Read “Daughter of Aithne”
1. Women rule the world.
You’ve
probably read fantasy novels that feature one or a few remarkable women who
earn their spot as “one of the guys,” but when was the last time you read a
fantasy where all the key roles were filled by women? Daughter of Aithne sets
the genre on its head by populating a magical, medieval world with women of
power. Rival queens take up arms against each other, women warriors charge into
battle, and sisters in magic are forced to choose sides as the ultimate contest
for the throne determines the fate of four kingdoms.
2. Romantic leads to die for.
A
woman-centered story, Daughter of Aithne is nonetheless packed with romantic
tension. Determined, passionate men prove worthy – if sometimes unreliable –
suitors for the women they serve. Eolyn’s partner in magic, Akmael, will win
your respect with his capacity to cross the barriers of death in order to
protect the ones he loves. The enigmatic and irresistibly sexy Mage Corey will
keep you up at night wondering about the secrets he keeps – and the true nature
of his ambitions. The charismatic warrior Prince Savegre will steal your heart
as Queen Taesara’s most important – and handsome! – ally in the battle for the
throne of Moisehén. These and many other romantic threads add spice to each
turn of the page.
3. War without villainy.
One
of the greatest things about Daughter of Aithne is that there is no true
villain. Opposed to each other, Eolyn and Taesara are nonetheless very likable
characters.
Sole
heiress to a forbidden tradition of magic, Eolyn starts The Silver Web series
as a refugee. By the third book, Eolyn’s life-long struggle to restore women’s
magic has culminated in a great love with Akmael, the Mage King of Moisehén.
Eolyn and Akmael have ruled in peace for more than a decade, but trouble
descends on the kingdom when Akmael’s daughter by his first marriage, Eliasara,
lays claim to Akmael’s throne.
Eliasara’s
mother, Taesara, joins the fight to take up arms against Akmael and Eolyn. Due
to the beliefs of her people, Taesara eschews all magic. Yet she faces many of
the same challenges as Eolyn as they lead their people into war. Taesara has a
dash of dogmatism, but she is a woman of honor and compassion. Under different
circumstances, these two remarkable queens would have found much in common with
each other, and might even have become friends.
4. An impossible choice.
Faced
with equally likeable characters locked in a powerful and poignant conflict,
readers of Daughter of Aithne will have a very hard time deciding who to root
for! Eolyn and Taesara are both admirable women in their own right. How is it
possible time and fate has dragged them into war against each other? Yet wage
war they must, and as in all wars, there can be only one victor.
5. The end you never saw coming.
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AUTHOR BIO:
Karin Rita Gastreich writes
stories of ordinary women and the extraordinary paths they choose. She lives in
Kansas City, Missouri, where she is part of the biology faculty at Avila
University. An ecologist by vocation, Karin has wandered forests and wildlands
all her life. Her pastimes include camping, hiking, music, and flamenco dance.
In addition to THE SILVER WEB trilogy, Karin has published short stories in
World Jumping, Zahir, Adventures for the Average Woman, and 69 Flavors of
Paranoia. She is a recipient of the Spring 2011 Andrews Forest Writer’s
Residency.
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CONNECT WITH
KARIN:
Website:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Goodreads Author Page:
Goodreads Book Page:
Amazon Author Page:
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BOOK BUY LINKS –
DAUGHTER OF AITHNE – BOOK THREE:
Amazon Kindle:
Amazon Paperback:
Barnes and Noble:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BOOK BUY LINKS –
SWORD OF SHADOWS – BOOK TWO:
Amazon Kindle:
Amazon Paperback:
Barnes and Noble:
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BOOK BUY LINKS –
EOLYN – BOOK ONE:
Amazon Kindle:
Amazon Audible:
Amazon Paperback:
Amazon Hardcover:
Barnes and Noble:
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Karin will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a
randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.
**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a
purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just
helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**
This contest is sponsored
by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish
Promotions. Prizes are given away by the
sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish
Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.
congrats on the tour and thanks for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteWhat are you working on next?
ReplyDeleteI'm developing a contemporary fantasy series set in my home town of Kansas City. The story features mature female protagonists pitted against a realm of supernatural beings locked in battle for dominion over human souls. It's been a lot of fun to write, and I'm very excited about publishing it!
DeleteGreat post, sounds like a book I'll enjoy reading. Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Victoria!
DeleteLooks like an interesting book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the contest.
slehan at juno dot com
Thanks, slehan!
Deletehow did you get the idea for this book?
ReplyDeleteWhere are you spending Thanksgiving?
ReplyDeleteDO you have any book recommendations?
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorites is The Lions of Al Rassan, by Guy Gavriel Kay.
DeleteI have heard of the author but haven't checked him out yet, I will have to now!
DeleteI'm a big fan of Guy Gavriel Kay and Patricia McKillip. How about you?
ReplyDeleteThank you! I appreciate your patronage. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for hosting!
ReplyDeleteAre you planning on making this book a series?
ReplyDeleteDaughter of Aithne actually completes a series; it’s the third and final book of The Silver Web trilogy.
DeleteAbout how long did it take you to write and edit your book?
ReplyDeleteDaughter of Aithne took about two and a half years. The entire trilogy took 10 years to write and publish.
DeleteWhat are you hoping is under your tree this year?
ReplyDeleteLove and family! (I got my wish.)
DeleteWhere do you write?
ReplyDeleteI have a home office that I do most of my writing in.
DeleteWhere did you get the idea for the title?
ReplyDeleteAithne is the mythological character in Eolyn’s world who discovered magic. “Daughter of Aithne” refers to all the women in the book who play a role in restoring women’s magic to Eolyn’s people.
DeleteWho are some of your favorite authors?
ReplyDeleteGuy Gavriel Kay, Patricia McKillip, Philippa Gregory, and Gioconda Belli.
DeleteWhat's your favorite story or book you have written?
ReplyDeleteI love all of them for different reasons.
DeleteHow many hours a day do you write?
ReplyDeleteDuring the summer, 2-3 hours a day. When classes are in session, I try to get in at least 2 hours per week.
DeleteHow long did it take you to edit and write this book?
ReplyDeleteDaughter of Aithne took about two and a half years. It took ten years to complete the trilogy.
DeleteI hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteWhat genre of books do you read?
ReplyDeleteI read mostly history and historical fiction.
DeleteWhen did you first learn to read?
ReplyDeleteHappy Last day of 2017!
ReplyDeleteDuring the summer I try to write every day. While classes are in session, I set aside 2 hours of sacred writing time per week.
ReplyDeleteNo, I find it too distracting. I do listen to music when I’m choreographing scenes, though. Before I sit down at the computer.
ReplyDelete