Sara Wright's Blog
June 1, 2025
Rising Ember – Join this YA Dystopian Fantasy ARC Team (ARC & Street Team Signups Open)
May 12, 2025
Caught in the Flames Charity Anthology – Over $100 Raised for WWF!
January 18, 2025
Caught in the Flames - Cover Reveal
Cover Reveal for Caught in the Flames - a Sci-fi Fantasy Charity Anthology
Isn't that a beautiful cover?
Caught in the Flames is launching on March 4th, 2025!
I can't believe it's been over a year since my fellow author, Vanessa Thurgood, and I workshopped an idea to do a project together. But we didn't just want to showcase our work, we also wanted to support a worthy cause. As a result, all profits from book sales will go to support the World Wildlife Fund. Fast forward to 2025 and we are about ready to publish this book together with five other amazing authors.
Caught in the Flames contains seven short sci-fi fantasy stories. Every story is unique to the authors style and their imaginative worlds, but all of them showcase elemental fire powers in some way.
Ready to learn more about the the stories?
Origin ~ A Forbidden Chronicles Short Story
Sara Wright
Genre: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy
Mysterious visions. Deadly terrains. Can she lead the survivors to safety?
Ry fears making a mistake. After receiving visions of an apocalyptic event forcing everyone to move underground, she longs to free herself from the curse that only brings death. But when radiation leaks into their water supply, the sixteen-year-old is forced to rely on her advanced knowledge to guide the surviving kids through fatal landscapes.
Haunted by her past missteps, Ry discovers an unlikely ally in a fiery enemy. But when she receives a new dream about a strange storm with frightening creatures, the reluctant leader worries it means their demise. Will Ry lead them to safety in time?
Altered Rain is the thrilling, prequel short origin story in the Forbidden Chronicles dystopian fantasy series. If you like strong-willed heroines, nail-biting drama, and elemental fire, then you’ll love Sara Wright’s action-packed adventure.
Read Altered Rain to illuminate destiny today!
Tyler Tarter
Genre: Dystopia, Grim Dark Science Fiction
On a desolate prison moon, a dangerous experiment has gone terribly wrong. In a desperate bid to engineer humans capable of surviving the galaxy’s deadliest worlds, scientists have accidentally gifted their test subjects with the power to control fire. But these new abilities aren’t in the hands of heroes—they belong to condemned prisoners, forced into isolation and branded as society’s outcasts.
Stefanie Tartar
Genre: LitRPG Portal Fantasy
Isca and her four friends never imagined they’d be transported into Yggdrasil, the online game where they first met. Now thrust into a dangerous world, each friend wields an elemental power—except Isca. Overcoming doubt and fear, she must prove she’s meant to lead the team and awaken her own element. Otherwise, how will she survive the game and find her way home?
Renee Marski
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Trinity is just a bartender when her world is turned upside down by goons attacking her in the bar. When an unlikely hero comes to her rescue, she discovers more about her past, and who she really is. She's the next fire queen, and only has a certain amount of time to take her throne. Can she get there in time to ensure the magic remains?
K. S. Decker
Genre: High Fantasy, Adventure
“Nothing is worse in this world than the sinking feeling that you, a strapping seventeen-year-old with your whole life ahead of you, are about to die.”
Edan has never seen the Sun. In fact, no one has. To save his land from the darkness known as the Abime he embarks on a journey to find the ancient Heart of the Sun and restore the light of day. Only the Heart is not what he was expecting. What he encounters will shake the foundation of this world and expose secrets that have been hidden since the dawn of time. Will this larger-than-life journey spell death for our hero? Or will his discovery bring salvation to the people of his land? Edan can only continue and hope that what he unleashed won’t have him flying too close to the Sun.
A Comstock Chronicles Short Story
Vanessa Thurgood
Genre: Epic Fantasy, Dragons and Mythical Creatures
Dragons were never meant to live in cages.
Captured, chained, and stripped of their magic, the dragons of Tellidus are prisoners beneath Hadrian’s gladiator amphitheater, where survival means slaughtering their own kind for the roar of a bloodthirsty crowd. But Darius Vermu, the son of the dragon’s fallen leaders, refuses to let his fire die.
In the shadows of their prison, he and his fellow captives face an impossible choice: endure another day in chains or risk everything for a chance at freedom.
The arena may be their prison. But it could also be their salvation.
Are you intrigued?
You won't have to wait much longer.
This book will be up for preorder on February 1st, 2025. So mark you calendar.
May you prosper as the Golden Wood tree!
~ Sara Wright
Don't want to wait to read Altered Rain?
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King's Origins - A Forbidden Chronicles
Synopsis:
Divided kingdom. Escape or perish. Can she survive a fatal uprising?
Betrayal taints Princess Alyssa’s every thought. Shattered by a bitter argument, the eighteen-year-olds’ doubts intensify when she discovers the truth about her husband's allegiances. But when deafening explosions plunge her country into civil war, the guilt-stricken young bride’s nightmares materialize with deadly consequences.
Desperate to rectify her past mistakes, Alyssa makes a last-ditch effort to save her people from the notorious power-hungry hero. But when the general obtains a life-draining weapon, the ruined young mother fears her days are numbered.
Will Alyssa elude her enemies’ lethal grip?
Ruined Ashes is a thrilling prequel short story in the Forbidden Chronicles YA dystopian fantasy series. If you like heroines who grow, nail-biting drama, and a clean tragic love story, then you’ll love Sara Wright’s action-packed adventure.
Download Ruined Ashes to spark destiny today!
If you want to read Altered Rain from a different perspective, you can start your adventure with this lighthearted space fantasy adventure today! You'll get a sneak peak in the fourth book The Continuum.
A secret long held. An insidious plot ready to hatch. Shattered and alone, can this kind-hearted royal rise to become her people’s heroine?Dread poisons Princess Xendara’s every waking moment. Troubled by a disturbing vision, the wielder of elemental magic fears her first off-planet mission to heal a devastated world will only end in tragedy. And when a mysterious spaceship attacks her transport, the young woman’s worst nightmare materializes when a shadowy humanoid slaughters her beloved father.
Rescued by her childhood friend, the distraught girl chokes down her grief to confront the perilous political waters of the court. But when the teen learns her destiny is entwined with prophecy, she finds herself pitted against manipulative enemies intent on using her to control the galaxy.
Can Xendara harness her birthright and stop the coming apocalypse?
The Progenitor is the action-packed first book in the Progenitor Chronicles science fiction fantasy series. If you like heroines who grow, imaginative world building, and a clever mélange of space opera and superpowers, then you’ll love Sara Wright’s fast-paced adventure.
Buy The Progenitor to reclaim a bright future today!
Sara Wright is a science fantasy author who loves to add dash of sweet romance to her books.
Sara Wright participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Please bear in mind that links used in this blog might be affiliate links. If you go through them, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The choice is yours as to whether you’d like to purchase and read them.
October 1, 2024
The Continuum – New Release
As of October 1st, the fourth and final book of The Progenitor Chronicles will be available for purchase on Amazon.
I'm truly honored by everyone who has taken the time to love this story. I added a few scenes specifically for the fans of this series. The book includes a POV from everyone's favorite tech queen, Queen Ave. I hope the readers love it. And enjoy the journey to protect the realm of the Ancients.
The series was such a labor of love. To get The Continuum ready for release has been particularly difficult for me. These past few years has come with a lot of challenges. I've lived with these characters for almost ten years now. So this is a very special send off to my characters and everyone's favorite trees.
Enjoy this new release!
Synopsis:
A determined young queen. A plot to control the multiverse. An immensely powerful enemy, even she can’t destroy.
Xendara feels powerless. After uncovering just one stolen artifact and failing to locate her missing family, the extraordinary young queen worries she won’t find them all in time. Faced with a warning of a fatal future, the would-be savior is desperate to intervene.
Battling her emotions over her absent family, Xendara embarks on a journey to protect her people from famine. With enemies relentlessly launching attacks, the powerful leader’s fear of survival grows with each passing moment.
Will Xendara be able to save the multiverse from her nemesis and survive?
The Continuum is the exciting fourth book in The Progenitor Chronicles young adult space fantasy series. If you like the chosen one, superhuman powers, and sweet clean romance, then you’ll love Sara Wright’s enchanting adventure.
Click the button below to buy The Continuum to commence your cosmic adventure today!
This won't be goodbye forever. There are more projects coming soon!
May you prosper as the Golden Wood tree!
~ Sara Wright
If you haven't read the first book in the series, purchase now.
Peace was all Xendara desired, but her enemies hunger for her power.Princess Xendara is the heir to the throne, but her life is turned upside-down when a mysterious spaceship attacks. She learns her father had secrets. With his untimely demise, she must uncover them before her enemies remove her from power.In her quest to keep peace within the Six Systems, she discovers a power she didn’t know she had; a power that everyone is looking to exploit. With the help of her childhood friend Darijus, she unlocks long lost memories of her past, only to find his destiny is intertwined with her own.A prophecy guides her choices to the correct timeline. But can she trust a prophecy that foretells the death of a loved one? With the destiny of the Universe on the line, who she chooses to trust will divide a galaxy.
With powers her enemies aim to exploit, will she risk galactic war?
Sara Wright is a science fantasy author who loves to add dash of sweet romance to her books.
Keep in touch! If you want to be the first to know about my latest's blogs, projects, sales, and other bookish news, subscribe to the Wright newsletter. You’ll receive the prequel to The Progenitor Chronicles, Time Crystal, for free.
Click on the image below to subscribe.
Synopsis:
A forbidden crystal. A dying planet. Can a man with earth powers save a civilization?
Oren overflows with worry. After becoming the keeper of an ancient prophecy, the young king fears he may never understand its meaning in time. But when a mysterious girl falls through a portal with a forbidden crystal, the tree loving royal becomes desperate to save millions from annihilation.
Rushing to the opposite end of the galaxy, Oren hopes he can stop the star from exploding in time. When his bickering team disobeys him, the leader of the planetary coalition resolves to keep everyone alive.
Can Oren save an entire sector of space from ruin?
Time Crystal is an enthralling short story prequel in The Progenitor Chronicles young adult space fantasy series. If you love elemental powers, portals through time, and deep bonds of friendship, then you’ll love Sara Wright’s captivating adventure.
Sign Up for Sara Wright’s newsletter to portal to another galaxy today!
Sara Wright participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Please bear in mind that links used in this blog might be affiliate links. If you go through them, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The choice is yours as to whether you’d like to purchase and read them.
June 17, 2024
Book Review Desolation Series by Kortney Keisel
Book Review of The Desolate World - Prequel Novella
Desolation Series Prequel
Synopsis:
Desolation took everything from them.
But can it take their hope for love?
Novah Harper has lived through the worst nineteen years in the history of humankind. She wouldn't actually call it living. Her guilt from her parents' death and her fear of loss smother any real chance at happiness. But everything changes when the man she cares for returns to camp, offering her a second chance at love. Now she must choose between dwelling on her past mistakes or fighting for her future. Both choices are dangerous.
Rebuilding a new world and government system should be the first thing on Beck Haslett's mind. Instead, he can't stop thinking about tearing down the walls around Novah's heart. Things would go smoother if his worst enemy wasn't also her overbearing brother, who would stop at nothing to keep them apart. But time's running out. Beck must win Novah's love before he leaves to establish a new kingdom. If he doesn't, he'll be forced to live without her.
Building a new world from the ground up just might be easier than building a love that can withstand Desolation.
The Desolate World is a companion novel that goes along with The Desolation Series. This companion novel is best read AFTER you've read the other four books in the series. It's not recommended to start with this book.
Review:
The Desolate World is an enjoyable prequel to the Desolation series. The story starts with the survivors of series of apocalyptic events on earth. We start with Novah a nineteen year old who lives with extreme guilt and a crippled leg. Because of these traumatic events, the young woman is not open to being friends with anyone let alone a certain charming young man.
Noah and Beck are likable. I especially loved that Beck made it his goal in life to make Noah smile even though she kept him at arms length. There romance isn't as strong as it is in later stories, but I suspect it's because Noah and Beck had already known each other for awhile.
There were dream sequences in the beginning that pulled me out of the story and left me a little disoriented. Once I got past that, I enjoyed the story more. I especially liked to see how the government system was created which will help you understand the power dynamics in later stories.
Overall I liked this story, but I didn't love it. It's really the later stories that shine. While you don't have to read this book in order to enjoy later stories, I highly recommend it. Knowing the backstory will enhance your understanding of the world.
Click the button to start reading today!
Book Review of The Rejected King
Desolation Series Book 1
Synopsis:
Be swept into a world of political intrigue, forbidden love, and royal romance.
The king hired her to find him a wife. She fell for him instead.
Marriage is the only thing that can save King Davin's most-hated reputation. And to make things worse, Davin hired the one girl he's most attracted to, but her social class makes her an impossible choice for his future.
Emree Dutson has one goal: raise the king's approval ratings so she can get a permanent job at the castle. Falling in love with the king wasn't part of the job description. Now her feelings for him are ruining everything.
Will Davin risk his crown for love?
Perfect for fans of the Selection series by Kiera Cass.
Review:
This story reminds me of the Selection, but it doesn't have the petty fights between the girls. I appreciate that. It's through the eyes of a educated lower class woman looking for work in the palace that the reader is introduced to this new world post desolation.
Emree is very talented and educated. She becomes a PR agent for the king to improve his reputation. Her love story starts off with a laugh that carries through to the end. I don't want to spoil it, but just know it was innocent fun that creates hilarious awkward moments later.
It really was a fun read. I highly recommend starting this series today!
Click the button to start reading today!
Book Review of The Promised Prince
Desolation Series Book 2
Synopsis:
He’s promised to another. She’s promised to forget him.
Eighteen-year-old Renna Degray is hopeful about love and her future after a chance encounter with a handsome stranger. Until she discovers who the mysterious man is—the Prince of Albion, betrothed to Renna’s stepsister. Now Renna must try to keep her feelings for the prince in check. But he’s not making it easy. The prince is charming, funny, and impossible not to fall for.
Trev has no room for mistakes. He must marry the princess of New Hope and secure the marriage alliance along with his future as king. The safety of his kingdom depends on it. Duty and honor never bothered Trev before, but love has a way of changing everything.
In this post-Desolation world, the Council of Essentials controls everything, including the prince. Is love more than a negotiation?
Is love essential?
Perfect for fans of the Selection series by Kiera Cass. Be swept into a world of political intrigue, forbidden love, and royal romance.
Review:
The silliness of the couple in this story was really sweet and adorable. It forced me like this book better than the first two books. I think the intrigue behind the demise of this kingdom is what kept me glued to the page. Where you can read Emree's story in any order, you shouldn't read the next three books out of order. If you do, you'll miss the clues.
However, Seran deserved better. This is why I hate love triangles. At least with this love triangle it wasn't their fault. With an arranged marriage and a plot to take out the Council of Essentials the couple had a lot to face before they could be together.
The one thing that annoyed me was Trev's decision to stay away from Renna. I know he felt guilty and there was a need for time, but ... really? I guess when you're talking to a fictional character, trying to reason with them, you know the story has pulled you in.
Overall, this was an excellent story.
Click the button to start reading today!
Book Review of The Stolen Princess
Desolation Book 3
Synopsis:
She's falling for a man she hates. He's betting on her trust.
Princess Mykaleen Adler would do anything to save her dying father. But, when she's kidnapped by a rival kingdom's commander, her devotion wavers.
Developing feelings for her enemy could destroy her future and her kingdom. Unless her charming captor is the one person telling her the truth.
Drake Vestry's focus is on finding King Adler's deadly weapons. Unfortunately, the only way to the weapons is through the king's daughter, who happens to be the most distracting and entertaining assignment he's ever had. Gaining the princess's trust might mean losing his heart forever.
She's fighting for her kingdom. He's committed to his mission. Can they find their way together, or will broken trust be the most destructive weapon of all?
Perfect for fans of The Selection Series. This is the third book in the Desolation Series and should be read AFTER The Promised Prince.
Review:
Myka and Drake are in a pickle because Myka's dad is ...lets just say not an upstanding guy. And Drake is supposed to stop this not so great guy by kidnapping her. It goes without saying there love story is very complicated.
I found myself laughing constantly in several places. Myka is such an entertaining character. She's fierce, independent, and also very ignorant to her not so great father's plans.
One of my favorite parts is when they find an underground bunker. Then she makes comments about how our current world was filled with none essential things. I let you read that part to laugh yourself, but I was highly amused.
This book comes in at almost a tie with the fourth book in the series. I really enjoyed it.
Click the button to start reading today!
Book Review of The Forgotten Queen
Desolation Book 4
Synopsis:
She's trying to remember. He's trying to pretend.
Sydria Hasler is a blank slate. After a tragic accident, her images of the past have vanished. All she wants is to get her memory back and return home—wherever home is. But the more she rebuilds her past, the more she wants to fight for a future with King Marx. Too bad it's all a sham.
King Marx McKane has never cared about anyone or anything, especially being king. When his father forces him to marry a mysterious woman, he starts taking things seriously. The only way out of his arranged marriage is to pretend that he's falling in love with his wife. This charade might end up being the most reckless thing Marx has ever done. Is he willing to sacrifice his life and his kingdom to set Sydria free?
Can their fake relationship lead Sydria and Marx to their genuine selves, or will deception cost them their freedom?
Perfect for fans of the Selection by Kiera Cass. This is the fourth book in the Desolation series and should be read AFTER The Stolen Princess.
Review:
You know who Sydria really is from the start. Since she's woken up from her comma she's been surrounded by a family that's not so great. They make an arranged marriage for her to a prince. Thankfully Marx is a goofy good guy and is honorable despite liking her.
I don't want to spoil the story, but the bad guys are particularly awful in this story. It lead to a heart pounding ending that kept me guessing. So really, I loved this book the most.
Click the button to start reading today!
Book Review of Desolation Series:
Overall, I really enjoyed the Desolation series. It has the clean fantasy romance I loved with a royal element, set in a post-apocalyptic world. While some stories were stronger than others, the over all story arc was fun and entertaining.
If you haven't read this series, check it out today!
If you love space opera with mythological dystopian vibes check out
The Progenitor Chronicles.
Keep in touch! Sign up for the Wright newsletter to access the latest blogs, projects, sales, and more. As a thank you, you'll receive the prequel to The Progenitor Chronicles, Time Crystal, for free.
Click the image below to start reading today!
Time Crystal
The Progenitor Chronicles
Synopsis:
A forbidden crystal. A dying planet. Can a man with earth powers save a civilization?
Oren overflows with worry. After becoming the keeper of an ancient prophecy, the young king fears he may never understand its meaning in time. But when a mysterious girl falls through a portal with a forbidden crystal, the tree loving royal becomes desperate to save millions from annihilation.
Rushing to the opposite end of the galaxy, Oren hopes he can stop the star from exploding in time. When his bickering team disobeys him, the leader of the planetary coalition resolves to keep everyone alive.
Can Oren save an entire sector of space from ruin?
Time Crystal is an enthralling short story prequel in The Progenitor Chronicles young adult space fantasy series. If you love elemental powers, portals through time, and deep bonds of friendship, then you’ll love Sara Wright’s captivating adventure.
Sign Up for Sara Wright’s newsletter to portal to another galaxy today!
The reviews are the thoughts of Sara Wright about books that she's read and recommends to her readers. The choice is yours as to whether you'd like to purchase and read them too.
Sara Wright is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. If you go through them, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to to you.
May 28, 2024
The Continuum – Update Two
After taking a brief break to work on another book project (stay tuned for more on that later), I am back to finishing my personal edits on The Continuum. Reading through the book with fresh eyes, is exactly what I needed. I decided to reorder some of the scenes in the second half of the book. Which means substantial edits are in my future. At the end of the day they will be worth it.
Since this is my first book series, I'm taking my time to make sure it has the proper send off. Xendara will be at the height of her powers, which is so exciting to edit. Usually my first writing is lacking all sorts of power, emotions, and pacing. Now that I know what's happening, I am adding all of those fantastic feels into each scene. So, with each chapter I go through, I'm like a proud mom of my little book children. They've really grown so much.
There were a few elements that went a little differently than I imagined. While I know the over all ending, I've rewritten it a few times to make it more organic and more impactful. I'm sorry to say, not everyone will make out unscathed.
In the realm between the universes, the Ancients and previous Progenitors live in a place where physical laws and time don't apply in the way we're used to. It made for a very interesting evening of writing as I thought about all of the possibilities. If you've seen Xendara use her powers, you can only imagine how it would be with multiple people like her in one place.
Plus there's, you know, the Golden Wood trees. The tree network is up an running, giving the semi-sentient trees the access to control the timelines. Plus it's kind of cool that you can use them as a portal system now.
But I am diverging from the cover reveal.
As with all of the covers, I included Xendara on the front of standing in front of a portal. This time she's at her full powers as she takes on the bad guys. If she doesn't handle it right, she could loose it all. In fact if she looses, we all lose.
Below Xendara is a city among the trees. If you've read any of my books, you know that I love to explore balance with nature and technology. And The Continuum will be no different.
But that's enough of me rambling because here it is .... Ta da!
I love this cover so much!
The cover artist really out did himself with this one.
Stay tuned for the blurb and release date!
That's all I have for The Continuum – Update Two.
I suppose I need to get back to writing/editing my book.
May you prosper as the Golden Wood tree!
~ Sara Wright
If you haven't read the first book in the series, purchase now.
Peace was all Xendara desired, but her enemies hunger for her power.Princess Xendara is the heir to the throne, but her life is turned upside-down when a mysterious spaceship attacks. She learns her father had secrets. With his untimely demise, she must uncover them before her enemies remove her from power.In her quest to keep peace within the Six Systems, she discovers a power she didn’t know she had; a power that everyone is looking to exploit. With the help of her childhood friend Darijus, she unlocks long lost memories of her past, only to find his destiny is intertwined with her own.A prophecy guides her choices to the correct timeline. But can she trust a prophecy that foretells the death of a loved one? With the destiny of the Universe on the line, who she chooses to trust will divide a galaxy.
With powers her enemies aim to exploit, will she risk galactic war?
Sara Wright is a science fantasy author who loves to add dash of sweet romance to her books.
Keep in touch! If you want to be the first to know about my latest's blogs, projects, sales, and other bookish news, subscribe to the Wright newsletter. You’ll receive the prequel to The Progenitor Chronicles, Time Crystal, for free.
Click on the image below to subscribe.
Synopsis:
A forbidden crystal. A dying planet. Can a man with earth powers save a civilization?
Oren overflows with worry. After becoming the keeper of an ancient prophecy, the young king fears he may never understand its meaning in time. But when a mysterious girl falls through a portal with a forbidden crystal, the tree loving royal becomes desperate to save millions from annihilation.
Rushing to the opposite end of the galaxy, Oren hopes he can stop the star from exploding in time. When his bickering team disobeys him, the leader of the planetary coalition resolves to keep everyone alive.
Can Oren save an entire sector of space from ruin?
Time Crystal is an enthralling short story prequel in The Progenitor Chronicles young adult space fantasy series. If you love elemental powers, portals through time, and deep bonds of friendship, then you’ll love Sara Wright’s captivating adventure.
Sign Up for Sara Wright’s newsletter to portal to another galaxy today!
Sara Wright participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Please bear in mind that links used in this blog might be affiliate links. If you go through them, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The choice is yours as to whether you’d like to purchase and read them.
May 21, 2024
Book Review The Shadows and Starlight Series by E.V. Everest
Book Review of Seven Crowns
Shadows & Starlight Book 1
Synopsis:
A crown is dangerous. A crown split seven ways is deadly.
Ana is far from royalty. She’s a foster kid with a dead mom and a deadbeat dad. The only thing she wants is to escape—her hometown and her grief.
Ana’s plans are derailed when a dangerous family secret is revealed. She is the sole heir to a fallen dynasty on a world where seven families share the crown. Her family was murdered one by one, leaving six families to rule. Now, someone knows Ana’s location. With assassins closing in, Ana’s life and the crown are at stake.
With the help of a handsome stranger, she escapes to the place where it all began—a faraway world where magic and technology coexist. Ana must navigate a tangled web of friends and foes to unmask her would-be assassin before it's too late.
Travel to a glittering, dangerous world with political alliances and ballgowns, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Cinder.
Review:
I originally picked this book up because it was a space fantasy with royalty, dystopian vibes, and a dash of clean romance (sound familiar). It's been on my TBR so I was glad when I got the moment to pick it up. Now that I've read it, I wish I'd gotten to is sooner.
This story starts on Earth, but you quickly end up on an alternate planet that feels very earthlike. There are seven ruling families that play deadly games in order to gain power. The main character, Ana, is the sole heir (and the sole target of the council's wrath) to her families seat. All of this happens in an academy. So that's right, you get the academy trope in there too.
The romance has all the teenage angsty vibes you'd expect in a young adult book. Without giving anything away, I didn't like her initial boyfriend, but I could see why Ana liked him. Honestly, I'd expect teenagers to fall for him, so it was a believable romance.
While some characters are easy to figure out if they are on Ana's side or against her, others are not so easy to spot. It made for an interesting read with all the twists and turns. The Hunger Games vibes near the end was an additional treat I didn't see coming.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was happy the next one was already available to read.
Click the button to start reading today!
Book Review of The Botanist's Game
Shadows & Starlight Book 2
Synopsis:
Haunting visions, blackmail, and poison. Only one can win the botanist's game.
Anabella Halt won the challenge and healed Adam Rockwell for the whole planet to see. She proved that she is no imposter. In one year, she will be ready to seize her family's long vacant council seat. There's only one problem… Ana faked the entire thing. She can't heal a papercut.
Now, Adam's dangerous father and the most powerful military man on the planet, suspects her secret. He's willing to overlook it for a small favor-- a marriage to his son and a strategic alliance. Ana wants to say no, until he offers to free her friend Samuel from prison. It's an offer she can't refuse. But Ana has bigger plans. She will discover who hired her betrayer and hunt them down. Only then will she be truly free.
★♥★
THE BOTANIST'S GAME is the second book in the Shadows & Starlight series. If you loved the royal court intrigue of Cruel Prince and the sci-fi, interstellar twist of Cinder, this series is for you!
Review:
With an arranged marriage to her boyfriend protecting her, the story leans away from the Hunger Games vibe. Instead it centers on the Rockwell family and Ana's inability to use her healing powers (or so she thinks). And really it starts feeling like a LitRPG story because of the bizarre dreams Ana starts having.
Ana really grows in this story. She becomes comfortable in her surroundings. Not everything is new. And now she has a team of friends (and bullies) that anchor her to her knew situation.
What I really liked about this story, is you get to see Samuel more. As her advisor, he becomes an integral part of her everyday life. He has a mysterious protective vibe but he's also super nerdy and loves to read books.
The story was fun and the ending was surprising to me.
Again I was happy the next book was already available to read.
Click the button to start reading today!
Book Review of Rule of Shadows
Shadows & Starlight Book 3
Synopsis:
Six names. Six responsible for her fate.
Even if Ana had every name, her path would be difficult. The guilty are powerful, protected, and dangerous. But Ana only has three of the names she needs. In order to claim the rest, she must grant Lady Jacobs three favors.
In doing so, Ana will descend deeper into the dark, glittering world of the Royal City and further away from the protective walls of the Academy. Who will win this game of shadows and crowns?
★♥★
RULE OF SHADOWS is the third book in the Shadows & Starlight series. If you loved the royal court intrigue of Cruel Prince and the sci-fi, interstellar twist of Cinder, this series is for you!
Review:
Rule of Shadows is all about Ana claiming her seat on the council. Now you get to see outside the walls of school (because Ana drops out). She's in the city trying to survive against other families with far more power and support than she does.
This story is all about Lady Jacobs. Of all the rulers of the six families, she is the scariest one. I would not last around her and I don't know how Samuel dealt with her all those years. All Ana want's is to know who killed her family and Lady Jacobs is willing to help her ... for a price.
This book was a perfect blend of political intrigue, royalty, and urban fantasy. With each book, I just kept wanting to read the next book more. Thankfully, I could.
Click the button to start reading today!
Book Review of Fallen Kingdom
Shadows & Starlight Book 4
Synopsis:
The council is dead. Bellaton has fallen.
Reeling from the coronation and its deadly aftermath, Ana has little time to recover. She is now the sole surviving member of the council and the number one suspect. Bellaton has never been more dangerous.
As the Seven families vie to fill their vacant council seats, rebel forces stir in the capital streets... and below them. Is peace still possible? How far will Ana go to save herself, her friends, and the world she's grown to love?
★♥★
FALLEN KINGDOM is the fourth book in the Shadows & Starlight series. If you loved the dystopian world of Hunger Games and the royal, sci-fi twist of Cinder, this series is for you!
Review:
This was the best conclusion to the series.
Each book just built on top of the next as the stakes grew. There were many characters lost, but some were gained. I defiantly mourned the loss of one that I didn't care that much about. It was still sad Ana had to face that loss in the way that she did.
The story built up as dystopian stories do with a full revolt against the establishment. Even though Ana was the catalyst to the uprising, she wasn't at the front lines like Katniss. Instead she took her abilities to the academy where she used her abilities to heal the wounded. It was a nice change from the warrior-like persona most dystopian hero's take on.
If you can't tell, I really enjoyed this series. Overall, I read all four books in about a week and a half. They were easy to read and a great escape from reality. I highly recommend checking this series out if you have gap in your reading schedule.
Click the button to start reading today!
If you love the space opera with mythological dystopian vibes check out
The Progenitor Chronicles.
Keep in touch! Sign up for the Wright newsletter to access the latest blogs, projects, sales, and more. As a thank you, you'll receive the prequel to The Progenitor Chronicles, Time Crystal, for free.
Click the image below to start reading today!
Time Crystal
The Progenitor Chronicles
Synopsis:
A forbidden crystal. A dying planet. Can a man with earth powers save a civilization?
Oren overflows with worry. After becoming the keeper of an ancient prophecy, the young king fears he may never understand its meaning in time. But when a mysterious girl falls through a portal with a forbidden crystal, the tree loving royal becomes desperate to save millions from annihilation.
Rushing to the opposite end of the galaxy, Oren hopes he can stop the star from exploding in time. When his bickering team disobeys him, the leader of the planetary coalition resolves to keep everyone alive.
Can Oren save an entire sector of space from ruin?
Time Crystal is an enthralling short story prequel in The Progenitor Chronicles young adult space fantasy series. If you love elemental powers, portals through time, and deep bonds of friendship, then you’ll love Sara Wright’s captivating adventure.
Sign Up for Sara Wright’s newsletter to portal to another galaxy today!
The reviews are the thoughts of Sara Wright about books that she's read and recommends to her readers. The choice is yours as to whether you'd like to purchase and read them too.
Sara Wright is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. If you go through them, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to to you.
May 6, 2024
Book Review of The God Heist: An Oceans of Sand Novella
Book Review of The God Heist
The God Heist by Jennifer Flory
An Oceans of Sand Novella
Synopsis:
A disillusioned thief. A dreaded gift. An impossible heist to pull.
Jehn fears the day when his people will receive a moonstone from their goddess, Atoille, which will bestow a sand gift upon everyone. His rough upbringing on the street, pulling cons to survive, has taught him that people can’t be trusted.
When the dark god steals the moonstone and Jehn accidentally becomes the only recipient of its power, he must harness his unwanted gifts to recover the moonstone.
Jehn will have to master his new powers and dig up every skill he learned on the street if he’s going to cross the ocean of sand, infiltrate the dark god’s dwelling, and take back the moonstone.
Can he really pull a heist on a god?
Get this ebook for FREE with newsletter sign up at jessicaflory.com !
Review:
This was a fun prequel adventure through the Oceans of Sand. It features the reluctant hero, Jehn, who doesn't want his people get receive the powers to manipulate the sand. The irony is he ends up being the only one with the gifts.
Honestly, after having read the Oceans of Sand, I wasn't sure if this character was going to cave to the dark side or not. His reasons for not wanting the sand gifts are sound. But it still gave me pause which is the brilliance of this story.
As with the first book in this series, I was left wondering how they were going to pull off the heist. You have three friends, Jehn, the relucent hero, Duma, the gemologist best friend, and Keziah, the only one trained to fight against a God and his shadowy forces. It's clear from the start each character brings a unique skill that is necessary to complete the quest. However, they're inexperience and tension between the group members makes you question if they will succeed the entire time.
Keziah was a fun character because she was the one with all the skill. She had to watch Jehn learn the powers that she was supposed to receive. It makes for an interesting enemies-to-lovers trope because before this, they were friends or at least friendly.
If you want a short, clean enemies-to-lovers fantasy check out the God Heist!
Keep in touch! Sign up for the Monthly Wright newsletter to access the latest blogs, projects, sales, and more. As a thank you, you'll receive the prequel to The Progenitor Chronicles, Time Crystal, for free. Use the signup form below!
Time Crystal
The Progenitor Chronicles
Synopsis:
A forbidden crystal. A dying planet. Can a man with earth powers save a civilization?
Oren overflows with worry. After becoming the keeper of an ancient prophecy, the young king fears he may never understand its meaning in time. But when a mysterious girl falls through a portal with a forbidden crystal, the tree loving royal becomes desperate to save millions from annihilation.
Rushing to the opposite end of the galaxy, Oren hopes he can stop the star from exploding in time. When his bickering team disobeys him, the leader of the planetary coalition resolves to keep everyone alive.
Can Oren save an entire sector of space from ruin?
Time Crystal is an enthralling short story prequel in The Progenitor Chronicles young adult space fantasy series. If you love elemental powers, portals through time, and deep bonds of friendship, then you’ll love Sara Wright’s captivating adventure.
Sign Up for Sara Wright’s newsletter to portal to another galaxy today!
The reviews are the thoughts of Sara Wright about books that she's read and recommends to her readers. The choice is yours as to whether you'd like to purchase and read them too.
Sara Wright is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. If you go through them, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to to you.
April 22, 2024
Celebrating the 2nd Anniversary as a Published Author
I can't believe it's been two years since I published the Progenitor Chronicles. It's so crazy!
If I could go back in time like Xendara, I'd tell myself to publish my book sooner. The down side would be that I wouldn't tell the same story.
Think about it. All stories are a culmination of the authors experiences and life lesions—even in fantasy world. If I published a book when I was younger, this story may not have existed.
Every book written contains a small piece of the author that is given to the readers. It's probably why many artists suffer from imposter syndrome. They want to share their art, but don't want to feel exposed. But that is what authors do when they choose to publish.
Once I publish a book, it's not my story anymore—it belongs to my readers. They often find little gems inside that I never noticed. It's so amazing to me. And it makes sense. I'm basically story blind by the time I finish polishing everything.
The thing that makes this two year anniversary especially rewarding is that my journey to authorship has come full circle. Like Xendara, I've learned a lot. The uninformed, insecure, young girl that thought a writing career would be fun is finally allowing herself to enjoy creating.
The Progenitor Chronicles started as a map of a bi-nary star system drawn on a scrap piece of paper in a restaurant. As I cared for my grandmother, it bloomed into a story about love, healing, and hope. That moment is so symbolic, because this particular series helped be through some of the worst moments of my life.
By this time next year, I'll be moving on to new stories and characters. My only wish is that everyone who reads my stories are filled with hope, even if the characters and thrown into hopeless situations.
In celebration of this 2nd bookish anniversary, I am participating in a few bookish giveaways. Click below and win these fantastic books!
Thank you for celebrating my 2nd Anniversary as a published author with me!
~Sara Wright
A princess with secret powers. A conspiracy to exploit them. Will the superpowered princess plunge the galaxy into war?Xendara teems with anxiety. After disturbing visions of her first planetary aid mission, the young royal dreads leaving her home world. But when she comes across a shadowy figure aboard their spaceship, the semi-immortal girl falls apart when she helplessly watches her father assassinated.
Navigating the complex political landscape of their multi planet coalition, Xendara hopes to balance opposing forces. With relentless enemies watching her every step, the fledgling girl fears causing a conflict that her friends and family may not survive.
Can Xendara uncover her enemies’ schemes in time to save her friends?
The Progenitor is the captivating first book in The Progenitor Chronicles young adult space fantasy series. If you like elemental powers, deep bonds of friendship, and sweet romance, then you’ll love Sara Wright’s enchanting adventure.
Buy The Progenitor to plot your prosperous planetary adventure today!
Sara Wright is a science fantasy author who loves to add dash of sweet romance to her books.
Keep in touch! Sign up for the bi-monthly Wright newsletter to access the latest blogs, projects, sales, and more. As a thank you, you’ll receive the prequel to The Progenitor Chronicles, Time Crystal, for free. Use the signup form below!
Synopsis:
A forbidden crystal. A dying planet. Can a man with earth powers save a civilization?
Oren overflows with worry. After becoming the keeper of an ancient prophecy, the young king fears he may never understand its meaning in time. But when a mysterious girl falls through a portal with a forbidden crystal, the tree loving royal becomes desperate to save millions from annihilation.
Rushing to the opposite end of the galaxy, Oren hopes he can stop the star from exploding in time. When his bickering team disobeys him, the leader of the planetary coalition resolves to keep everyone alive.
Can Oren save an entire sector of space from ruin?
Time Crystal is an enthralling short story prequel in The Progenitor Chronicles young adult space fantasy series. If you love elemental powers, portals through time, and deep bonds of friendship, then you’ll love Sara Wright’s captivating adventure.
Sign Up for Sara Wright’s newsletter to portal to another galaxy today!
Sara Wright participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Some links used in this blog are affiliate links. If you go through them, Sara will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The choice is yours as to whether you’d like to purchase and read them.
March 5, 2024
Book Review of the Resistance Trilogy
Book Review of Resistance Trilogy
,Recruitment,,
by K. A. Riley
The Resistance Trilogy
Synopsis:
In the Valta, no matter what month you were born, everyone is assigned the same birthday. November 1st. It's the anniversary of the day when the government declared war on the Eastern Order.
The day you turn seventeen, the Recruiters come to take you away. And no one ever hears from you again.
It's October 31st. Today, Kress is sixteen years old.
Tomorrow, she'll be taken.
The good news? So will her best friend Cardyn, and Brohn, the handsome, enigmatic boy she's avoided all her life.
The bad news?
Recruitment isn't what any of them expected.
Weeks of training await. Military and psychological tests, escape rooms, hand-to-hand combat. The Recruits are told they're the key to winning the war. But with each day that passes, things begin to make less sense.
If only Kress had been able to bring her trained raven, Render, with her.
If only none of them had ever had to come to this place.
For fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent.
Review:
I picked up Recruitment for several reasons. One of them being the blurb. Before becoming a writer, I didn't pay much attention to book blurbs. At the moment, I am studying them like never before. This books blurb is ... "Wow! I really want to read this book, this story sounds exciting."
Now don't get me wrong, the over all story is great. The unfortunate thing is that it is a bit of a slow start. I spent a several chapters too many reading about the Valta and the world setup before the recruiters came to take the kids away. It was only then that you start to get answers about the dystopian world they live in.
Now you may wonder why I didn't DNF this book in the first couple of chapters. First, despite the beginning being slow, there is enough of a mystery to keep me going. Second, I read the reviews and people said that it was a slow start, but stick with it. Third, I am writing a similar book and this book regularly tops the Amazon bestseller charts. So I want my book to have similarly good results (aka: market research).
Now that you know my ulterior motive for reading this story, this is what I love about this part of the story.
First of all, Kress is an amazing character. She's not the most flashy, center of attention character. In fact, she is a bit of a loner that sits in the background (at least at the beginning of the story). She's a very relatable, down to earth girl, who loves her friends like family.
Despite not being the leader of her friends, her arc as the main character centralizes the more flashy characters. The author wasn't scared to throw problems at Kress that she couldn't solve without her friends. This goes to the very heart of who Kress is: the heart of the group. Her bird friend is cool, too, but you don't understand how amazing their connection is until the second or third book.
,
,
Render
,,
by K. A. Riley
The Resistance Trilogy
Synopsis:
Having escaped from the Processor, Kress and her fellow Seventeens go on the run. Guided by Render, they undertake a dangerous, enemy-filled journey west where they encounter the Insubordinates, a guerrilla army of counterinsurgents led by an unexpected but familiar field general. Now, Kress and her Conspiracy are preparing to expose the government’s lies about the Eastern Order and reclaim the democracy so many of them and their families died trying to protect.
For fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent.
Review:
Of the three books, this one is my favorite. It picks up a few weeks after the first one ends. It kind of gives me Maze Runner vibes as they cross vast areas of uninhabited scorched land without the zombie like humans. With the help of Render, they make they way through these lands, away from the processors to find help...if that's even possible.
The pacing in this book is faster. There is more tension as their supplies run out. And we get a glimpse of the outside world for the first time. Some answers are given, but more mysteries crop up. The one thing I would have loved more of was the romance arc for Kress. I know this was just a side plot to the story, but I would have liked a little more of the "butterfly" moments throughout. It would have settled the romance arc a little better.
Things I loved about this middle story:
Kella's character arc was spot on. She suffers a devastating loss which pushes her into a deep depression. The team of friends do everything possible to help her, but at the end of the day, she does what anyone who is suffering from depression would do. It made me feel for her so much.
,
Rebellion
,,
by K. A. Riley
The Resistance Trilogy
Synopsis:
Aided by the Insubordinates, Kress and her Conspiracy wage a daring counter-offensive against the Patriot Army in an effort to liberate the city of San Francisco. Outnumbered, facing impossible odds, and opposed by a powerful and ruthless enemy named General Ekker, Kress and her friends hope for help as they struggle to understand and control their emerging abilities.
For fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent.
Review:
Rebellion goes back to the slow pacing of the first book in the series. As the name implies it goes right into the building of the rebellion against the evil forces suppressing the people. The main characters find out secrets about themselves that they never considered.
The thing that is a little offsetting in this part of the story is the Major. The Major is a bit young to have the military expertise of a trained adult. The possible explanation for only comes out near the end, but it's glossed over with an off hand comment. While the Major is younger than the main characters, she conducts and speaks as if she had all the training of an adult. I found myself glossing over her age and pretending she was older than the main characters.
The major aside, the training and plot twists that the characters experience are interesting. One particular turn of events was the confrontation with one of the underlings of the ultimate bad guy. Kress is confronted with their emerging powers and finds someone who knows more about them then they know.
Things I loved about the third book:
There are a few plot twists in the book that made me really sad. You really feel it through Kress as she grieves. The author has a really good grasp on how to grieve loss. I found myself wondering if the situations were going to turn out okay. It's definitely the best plot twists of the entire series.
Overall I would recommend the Resistant Trilogy series to anyone who would love a unique dystopian fantasy with a little familiarity. Just be aware that the writing style won't be to everyone's taste.
Keep in touch! Sign up for the monthly Wright newsletter to access the latest blogs, projects, sales, and more. As a thank you, you'll receive the prequel to The Progenitor Chronicles, Time Crystal, for free. Use the signup form below!
Time Crystal
The Progenitor Chronicles,Synopsis:
Time Crystals are forbidden for a reason, but King Oren must use one to save a civilization.
King Oren’s only goal was to be a peaceful caretaker of the galaxy. But when a girl falls through a portal into his courtyard clutching a forbidden Time Crystal, his life changes.
With a cataclysmic event imminent, he must lead a group from his home system to the opposite side of the galaxy. Everyone looks to their seemingly immortal race for aid, but even with their elemental powers, they are far from perfect.
Armed with the Time Crystal, they seek to stop an exploding star from decimating an entire population. The problem is, he doesn’t know how to use the crystal. Even worse, he might die trying.
Will King Oren stop the star from exploding? Or will time unravel?
The reviews are the thoughts of Sara Wright about books that she's read and recommends to her readers. The choice is yours as to whether you'd like to purchase and read them too.
Please bear in mind that some links used in this blog are affiliate links. If you go through them and buy something, Sara Wright will receive a small commission at no extra cost to to you. These fees will be used to support further bookish transmissions.
