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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Monday, March 30, 2020

against the darkness…The Spirit Breather (Native Guardians #1) by Bekah Harris

"It was so refreshing to open this book up to a new kind of story, with Native American characters taking center-stage and diving into an entire mythos of lore, spiritual awakening, latent magical powers, ageless sage leaders, and, naturally, angsty young people battling not only big scary monsters, but themselves in a conflict of deep personal struggle, of self discovery, of a painful past, and of a hopeful future." - Dustin Street, Big Small Town Books 

Description:

The Vampire Diaries meets Native lore in this dark fantasy romance. 

An immortal guardian. 
A soul-stealing enemy. 
A dangerous, new power. 
Only the Spirit Breather can stand against the darkness… 

Months after surviving an assault that nearly claimed her life, Emily Morrow’s summer goal is to forget about the memories that lurk in her nightmares. So when her friends invite her on a post-grad camping trip in the mountains, she jumps at the chance to escape her haunting past, even for just a few days. 

But even miles from home, Emily’s past is closer than ever. 

When her best friend, Kadie, is snatched by the dark creatures nesting in the forest, Emily comes face to face with the truth behind her chilling past. Together, with the mysterious Joseph Stomper, who is much more than he seems, Emily must find the courage to embrace her role in a centuries-old prophecy and harness a dangerous gift before she loses everyone she loves. 

With Kadie’s life hanging in the balance, will Emily learn to control her new power? Or will the darkness destroy them both? 

Filled with deadly magic, frightening folklore, and forbidden romance, The Spirit Breather is a spine-tingling paranormal fantasy that will keep you turning pages well past your bedtime. 

What Readers are Saying: 

"Sometimes a book will come along that will surprise and captivate you, it will draw you into the story and make you a part of the world. This is such a book!! This book was simply brilliant!!! I adored every minute of it." - Natalie, A Book Lover's Life 

"The amount of detail and heart Harris put into her characters and setting make The Spirit Breather stand out from the crowd. The story is wildly entertaining, the characters are easy to love, the plot is carefully crafted, and the writing is lovely. This was a refreshing read and I'm looking forward to more about Joseph and Emily in the future." - Amazon Customer

EXCERPT

      Joseph sniffed the air. In the thick forest beyond the creek, there were no trails, and Joseph didn’t smell the gamey pelts of deer or the deep musk of bear.

     He closed his eyes, nostrils flaring, as he concentrated on the smells of the forest: the clean, sun-kissed air, the perfume of flowering plants, the damp scent of moss and tree bark.
     But amid those normal smells, he detected the stench of a festering wound.
     “Raven Mockers,” he said. “Two, maybe three of them.”
     “Are you kidding?” Chandler said. “We’ve been tracking them for two weeks, and they decide to show up now? Perfect.”
  
  Joseph couldn’t deny the timing was bad. Chandler’s guests would be waiting at the campsite, so he wasn’t exactly thrilled the Mockers had chosen that exact moment to go hunting.
     “How close?” Chandler asked.
     “Maybe a mile or so. We have to hurry.”
     “What about Kadie and Emily? What about our orders?”
     “They’ll have to wait,” Joseph said. He put a hand on Chandler’s shoulder. “You remember what to do?”
     With a nod, Chandler shrugged off Joseph’s touch and backed up as far as the trees would allow. He took a shaky breath.
     “You are ready,” Joseph said. “You were born for this.”
     Chandler sprinted forward, his dark eyes igniting with fire as he gained speed. His black hair separated into crimson feathers. The edges of his lean body smoked as he launched himself from the ground and, in midair, burst into flames.
     Thunder rumbled overhead, followed by snakes of lightning that illuminated the Phoenix, his fiery plumage roaring behind him. In his new form, Chandler took to the sky, soaring above the treetops to locate the oldest adversaries of his people.
     Joseph followed on foot, pushing his legs faster and faster until he felt the familiar warmth of power spread through his extremities, propelling him to a blurring speed that sent the trees and underbrush into a frenzy as he passed.
     He breathed steadily in and out, dodging roots, leaping over fallen trees, and ducking away from stray branches. Just as Chandler was born for the sky, Joseph had been created for earth and trees, rocks and water. His people had always been connected to nature, from which they drew their power, and he felt most alive not in his village, but in the forest, with soil and leaves beneath his feet. Never breaking stride, Joseph relaxed his mind, reaching out with heightened senses, but the forest remained silent.
     The deeper he sprinted through the trees, the thicker the air became and the more difficult it was to breathe, even for him. He slowed his pace and glanced at the sky. Above him, Chandler spread his wings and circled the treetops, signaling the enemy’s location. Joseph skidded to a stop. He crept forward.  
     The Raven Mockers were close.

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About the author: 
Born and raised in the mountains of East Tennessee, Bekah Harris has been writing since she could hold a pencil. The beauty of her home in the Appalachian Mountains, along with the legends, myths, and folklore of that area, is what inspires the unique plots and settings captured in her young adult fiction. In addition to her love of all things fictional, Bekah is also a freelance writer and editor, an occasional adjunct professor, and a high school English teacher. When not working, Bekah can be found at home building block towers for her son to knock down, drinking coffee and watching Netflix with her husband.

3 comments:

tetewa said...

Enjoyed the post, sounds good!

abfantom said...

I love the cover. It has beautiful graphics.

abfantom at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

Awesome post! Beautiful cover