Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Book #Review ~ Nine Levels by Elana Gomel ~ Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Greek Mythology ~ @MirrorWorldPub @ElanaGomel #Fantasy #GreekMythology

 Mirror World Publishing and Sapphyria's Book Promotions present the 1-week virtual book tour for 

Nine Levels by Elana Gomel.


About Nine Levels:

Waking up on the beach in Greece after a midnight party, Cleo, a British-Greek tourist, sees a stranger sitting next to her. The stranger has a giant spider on his forearm.

So begins an incredible odyssey through the nine levels of the mysterious mountain populated by an odd assortment of monsters, demons, and avatars of dead gods. Still grieving the unsolved disappearance of her twin sister Cora, Cleo is thrust into the world whose rules she does not understand and whose inhabitants confound everything she thought she knew about Greek mythology. Confronted by Woven Women, masked huntresses, sentient graffiti, and Mother of Monsters, Cleo has to make sense of it all. And meanwhile, a mysterious Call reverberates in her brain: You have to go up. You have to find your sister.

A story of self-discovery, courage, and breathtaking adventure, Nine Levels is a highly imaginative, innovative, and engrossing retelling of familiar legends with a twist you won’t see coming.

My Review:

Nine Levels is a fantastic Greek Mythology retelling. I was enthalled by the author's storytelling. Gomel did a fantastic job setting up the story, creating and describing her world, and weaving the different levels, minor Greek gods, and characters together. 

Rebels have overthrown the deities of Mount Olympus, and have taken over. Ruthlessly ruling each level. The minor gods Cleo encounters along the way are but avatars. These avatars, demons, and the like are nothing short of powerful and dangerous. 

I couldn't help but bite my nails throughout Nine Levels. I was rooting so hard for Cleo to ascend her way to the Ninth Level. We learn a lot about Cleo, but she is also on journey to find out who she is, why her sister disappeared, and why they were both pulled into this labyrinth of nightmares. 

I love the story, the characters, and the Greek Mythology. The retelling is captivating and interesting. Cleo's journey is not easy and is downright dangerous. She doesn't know where she is, why she's there, who to trust, or where to go inside the mysterious mountain. All she knows is that in order to find out what happened to her twin sister Cora, Cleo must ascend up the mountain through all nine levels. But who really knows what the Ninth Level will bring.

If you’re looking for a journey into a new world, introductions to deities that you may not be familiar with, and a story with twists and turns, grab a copy of Nine Levels and follow Cleo through her Fantasy Adventure.

I was provided a copy of this book.

My Rating:




Follow the Book Tour:

https://saphsbookpromotions.blogspot.com/2024/07/book-tour-schedule-nine-levels-by-elana.html


Release Date: July 17, 2024

Purchase Links:

Mirror World Publishing:
Ebook

Paperback

Amazon US

Kindle ebook and Paperback

Meet the Author:


Born in Ukraine and currently residing in California, Elana Gomel is an academic, an award-winning writer, and a professional nomad. She is well-known for her work on speculative fiction and narrative theory, represented by her academic books, which Beyond the Golden Rule, Bloodscripts, and The Palgrave Handbook of Global Fantasy. Twelve years ago she published her first fantasy novel and has never looked back. She is the author of more than a hundred short stories, two collections, several novellas, and seven novels. She writes dark fantasy, dark SF, fairy tales, and hard-to classify dreamlike stories, some of them connected to her roots in the former USSR. Her stories won several awards, and “Mine Seven” was featured in the Best of Horror 13 edited by Ellen Datlow. Her latest fiction publications are the dark fairy tale Nightwood (Silver Award in the Bookfest 2023 competition) and Girl of Light, an alternative history of the USSR with monsters. Many of her stories and novels have mythological and folkloric overtones, inspired by her travels and her academic research. Having lived in several countries including Israel, Italy, the UK, and Hong Kong, she now resides in the magical – and sinister – redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains with her husband.

Amazon Author Profile: https://amzn.to/3z5FHeU


Sign up to be a tour host here: 

Thursday, July 18, 2024

New Release ~ Nine Levels by Elana Gomel ~ Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Greek Mythology ~ @MirrorWorldPub @ElanaGomel

 Mirror World Publishing and Sapphyria's Book Promotions present the 1-week virtual book tour for 

Nine Levels by Elana Gomel.


About Nine Levels:

Waking up on the beach in Greece after a midnight party, Cleo, a British-Greek tourist, sees a stranger sitting next to her. The stranger has a giant spider on his forearm.

So begins an incredible odyssey through the nine levels of the mysterious mountain populated by an odd assortment of monsters, demons, and avatars of dead gods. Still grieving the unsolved disappearance of her twin sister Cora, Cleo is thrust into the world whose rules she does not understand and whose inhabitants confound everything she thought she knew about Greek mythology. Confronted by Woven Women, masked huntresses, sentient graffiti, and Mother of Monsters, Cleo has to make sense of it all. And meanwhile, a mysterious Call reverberates in her brain: You have to go up. You have to find your sister.

A story of self-discovery, courage, and breathtaking adventure, Nine Levels is a highly imaginative, innovative, and engrossing retelling of familiar legends with a twist you won’t see coming.

Follow the Book Tour:


**Saph's review is coming next week**


Release Date: July 17, 2024

Purchase Links:

Mirror World Publishing:
Ebook

Paperback

Amazon US

Kindle ebook and Paperback

Meet the Author:


Born in Ukraine and currently residing in California, Elana Gomel is an academic, an award-winning writer, and a professional nomad. She is well-known for her work on speculative fiction and narrative theory, represented by her academic books, which Beyond the Golden Rule, Bloodscripts, and The Palgrave Handbook of Global Fantasy. Twelve years ago she published her first fantasy novel and has never looked back. She is the author of more than a hundred short stories, two collections, several novellas, and seven novels. She writes dark fantasy, dark SF, fairy tales, and hard-to classify dreamlike stories, some of them connected to her roots in the former USSR. Her stories won several awards, and “Mine Seven” was featured in the Best of Horror 13 edited by Ellen Datlow. Her latest fiction publications are the dark fairy tale Nightwood (Silver Award in the Bookfest 2023 competition) and Girl of Light, an alternative history of the USSR with monsters. Many of her stories and novels have mythological and folkloric overtones, inspired by her travels and her academic research. Having lived in several countries including Israel, Italy, the UK, and Hong Kong, she now resides in the magical – and sinister – redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains with her husband.

Amazon Author Profile: https://amzn.to/3z5FHeU


Sign up to be a tour host here: 

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

Freaky Folklore: Terrifying Tales of the World's Most Elusive Monsters and Enigmatic Cryptids by Darkness Prevails


Discover the history and culture of over 50 of the most fearsome mythical creatures to capture the human imagination in this startlingly illustrated compendium.

Book Details:

Publisher: ‎ Wellfleet Press
Hardcover: ‎ 256 pages
ISBN-10: ‎ 157715441X
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1577154419
ASIN: ‎ B0CL5D9WFJ

About the Book:

Accompanied by illustrations of each beast, Freaky Folklore is your guide to the world’s most terrifying beings, from ancient times to today. Hosts from Eeriecast, the leading horror podcast network, present the most frightening—and entertaining—tales of these mysterious creatures, revealing everything you need to know.

This beautifully creepy collection is filled with wicked monsters, including:


Chupacabra: A legendary monster that is said to drain the blood of livestock throughout Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the US Southwest.

Jersey Devil: Said to have been created due to a mother's curse upon her newborn in the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey, USA.

Kelpie: A shape-shifting water horse told of in Celtic folklore. Whatever form it takes, it is said to lure its victims to their watery graves.

Moehau: A cryptid from Māori mythology, it stands up to 8 feet tall and can be very aggressive when encountered.

Kuchisake-onna: From Japanese folklore, Kuchisake-onna is a yokai with deep gashes that forms a haunting smile across her face. Should you happen to meet her, she will ask you a question--and you had better answer it correctly.

Dogman: A werewolf or werewolf-type creature first reported in 1887 in Wexford County, Michigan, Dogman sightings have been reported in several locations throughout Michigan, primarily in the northwestern quadrant of the Lower Peninsula.

Freaky Folklore has the stories, culture, and illustrations for you to be on the lookout for these beasts. Dive into the world of mythology and find what makes each creature unique.

My Review:

Freaky Folklore is a collection of stories about legendary and mythical creatures spanning the globe. 

Each creature includes the history, location, spooky tale, and illustrations. I was aware of most Americas-based creatures, but loved reading about all of them. I was aware of a few of the international creatures and found myself immersed in those that I'd not heard about before. 

I do wish there was more information about each creature. An interview with someone from the culture in which these creatures hail would be great, as well. I love reading folklore told by those that know about them the best.

Freaky Folklore is well-written and visually appealing. Lovers of mythological folklore will enjoy Freaky Folklore: Terrifying Tales of the World's Most Elusive Monsters and Enigmatic Cryptids.

I was provided a copy of this book.

My Rating:



Monday, July 15, 2024

Book Tour Schedule ~ Nine Levels by Elana Gomel ~ Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Greek Mythology ~ @MirrorWorldPub @ElanaGomel

Mirror World Publishing and Sapphyria's Book Promotions present the 1-week virtual book 
tour for Nine Levels by Elana Gomel.


About Nine Levels:

Waking up on the beach in Greece after a midnight party, Cleo, a British-Greek tourist, sees a stranger sitting next to her. The stranger has a giant spider on his forearm.

So begins an incredible odyssey through the nine levels of the mysterious mountain populated by an odd assortment of monsters, demons, and avatars of dead gods. Still grieving the unsolved disappearance of her twin sister Cora, Cleo is thrust into the world whose rules she does not understand and whose inhabitants confound everything she thought she knew about Greek mythology. Confronted by Woven Women, masked huntresses, sentient graffiti, and Mother of Monsters, Cleo has to make sense of it all. And meanwhile, a mysterious Call reverberates in her brain: You have to go up. You have to find your sister.

A story of self-discovery, courage, and breathtaking adventure, Nine Levels is a highly imaginative, innovative, and engrossing retelling of familiar legends with a twist you won’t see coming.


Book Tour Schedule:

July 17

Mirror World Publishing - Spotlight

Teatime and Books - Spotlight

Saph's Books - Spotlight


July 18

Sharon Ledwith: I came. I saw. I wrote. - Exclusive Excerpt

Sapphyria's Books - Spotlight

sapphyrias.book.reviews - Spotlight

July 19

Girl with Pen - Spotlight

Sapphyria's Book Promotions - Spotlight

July 22

The Bookwyrm - Spotlight

Reviews by Saph - Review

Sapphyria's Book Reviews


July 23

The Writer's Life - Spotlight

sapphyrias.book.reviews - Review

Sapphyria's Books - Spotlight