"Alexandra Rushe did not disappoint in delivering an engaging, fast-paced book that kept me on the edge of my seat to the very last page. There were many surprises that I did not see coming, and I think the character development was truly phenomenal."- Meghan, Goodreads
Description:
Published: October 2nd, 2018
What’s a nice Southern girl doing in a place like this?
Whisked from humdrum Alabama to the fantastical land of Tandara by a mage who won’t take no for an answer, Raine Stewart finds herself tangled in a muddle of magic. A Dark Wizard is out for her blood, a demonic golem has orders to dispatch her . . . and she stinks at magic. Being a wizard, even a baby wizard, is harder than Raine thought.
Raine and her companions find sanctuary amongst the famed warriors of the snow-capped nation of Finlara, and Raine is reunited with her dear friend, the frost giant Tiny Bartog. In short order, she unearths a magic mirror, a dread curse, and a tragic, ill-fated love affair.
Safety, however, is an illusion. The dreaded Magog’s Eye is still missing, and war looms. It seems an entire world hangs in the balance, waiting to see whether Raine will be able to harness her magic. But with a little help from her friends, she’ll survive . . . she hopes.
EXCERPT
Prologue
Bedtime for the Mablet
A blizzard raged outside the thatched cottage, rattling the shutters like an angry frost giant, but the boy was unafraid. His mother was strong and fierce, and mighty in magic. She would keep him safe. Sitting at the table eating his supper, he watched her throw another log on the fire. Sparks shot up the chimney and fire imps danced in the flames.
“Finish your milk, boy,” she said in her gruff voice. “Bed time.”
“I’m not sleepy. I want a story.”
“There are more stories than hairs on your head. Which do you want?”
“You know, Mor. Finn and the Troll.”
“Again?” She sighed. “I should think you’d weary of that one.”
The boy shook his head. “It’s my favorite.”
“Very well.” She heaved her bulk into a sturdy chair by the fire. “Come here.”
The boy jumped down from the bench and climbed onto her lap. Settling him in the crook of her arm, she said, “Finn and the troll, having bested the god Trowyn in a contest of wits, were given the task of—”
The boy wrapped his small fingers around one of his mother’s tusks. “No, Mor. From the beginning. I want the whole story. Starting with Magog and Xan.”
“Cheeky cub.” The troll tickled his ribs until he squealed. “As you know, the gods of Tandara once numbered ten.”
The boy sat up in her lap. “I can name the gods. Brefreton taught me a poem about them.”
“Did he? I’d like to hear it.”
He regarded her from beneath lowered brows. “If I tell you, I still get a story?”
“You drive a hard bargain, but the answer is yes.”
The boy nodded. Taking a deep breath, he recited,
Once upon a time, ere the world was changed,
The gods numbered ten and these are their names:
Kron the Smith, god of forge and flame,
Seth, Lord of Darkness, turmoil, and change.
Reba the Bountiful, goddess of dawn,
Bringer of light and things that are grown.
Gar, fierce Hunter, god of rivers and rain,
Esma the Healer and easer of pain.
Valdar the Merry of poem and wine,
The sweetest nectar born of the vine,
Tam is the goddess of sea, hearth, and lore,
Trowyn the Bear—
The boy broke off. “Trowyn’s my favorite, ʼcause he can turn into a bear,” he confided, curling his fingers like claws. “But Finn bested him, all the same.”
“Yes, he did. Go on.”
The boy nodded, and continued:
Trowyn the Bear god wields his Hammer of War,
Last come Magog and his twin brother Xan,
They loved one another, then Magog raised his hand.
Magog the Comely—
The boy wrinkled his nose. “Comely makes him sound like a girl, and Magog is a boy god.”
“Take it up with the poet. I didn’t write it.”
“Bree says Magog was handsome. Handsomer than Xan.”
“Aye, Magog was beautiful to look upon.” The troll tugged one of her long ears. “By human standards, at any rate.”
“Until he ripped his face off.”
About the author:
Alexandra Rushe was born in South Alabama, and grew up climbing trees, searching for sprites and fairies in the nearby woods, and dreaming of other worlds. The daughter of an English teacher and a small-town judge, Rushe developed a love of reading early on, and haunted the school and local libraries, devouring fairy tales, myths, and tales of adventure. In the seventh grade, she stumbled across a worn copy of The Hobbit, and was forever changed. She loves fantasy and paranormal, but only between the pages of a book—the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz give her the creeps, and she eschews horror movies. A psychic friend once proclaimed the linen closet in Rushe’s bedroom a portal to another dimension, and she hasn’t slept well since. Rushe is a world-class chicken.
Author's Giveaway
6 comments:
A Muddle of Magic Cover is stunning! Sounds really good!
I'm a southern gal myself and would enjoy meeting these characters.
This book sounds super awesome.
Very elegant cover and appropriate use of textures. Well done and congrats! No question for the author.
I enjoyed reading the excerpt and learning more about this book series! These books sound like interesting and intriguing reads! Looking forward to checking them out!
promising, promising thank you
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