C.J. Brightley's Blog
March 26, 2023
Protected: The Frost and the Flame Kickstarter Perks!
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June 13, 2022
Protected: Finnglas of the Horses Kickstarter Perk
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March 9, 2022
The Shield and the Thorn is up for preorder!
Pre-order The Shield and the Thorn today!
CLICK HERE! CLICK HERE for the signed hardback!
The Wraith saved the Fair Lands.
Now he must save Fair hearts.
When Lord Fenton Selby is accosted at his own back door by Miss Crocus Firethorn, a beautiful Fair maiden looking for the Wraith’s young ally Juniper, he’s torn as to whether to trust her any more than she trusts him. His charm and kindness quickly win her affection, until she finds out Fenton has known her cousin Juniper’s whereabouts all the time.
Now Fenton must find a way to regain her trust, while a cunning new enemy, terrifying monsters, and risky bargains with several Fair lords all threaten their futures and their lives. It will take both Fenton and the Wraith to soften Fair hearts before they all come to ruin.
The Shield and the Thorn is the final book of the completed duology The Wraith.
Early reviewers say:
“The story you wanted about Fenton and the mysterious, fierce fae woman who stops him on his doorstep at sword point. A story of bargains won and lost, dances that can save one and trap the other, but mostly a story about the deep power of friendship and sacrificial love. If you loved Theo, come spend time with Fenton. As delightful of a romp as getting to enter the land of the fae yourself.” ~ JA Andrews, author of The Keeper Chronicles
“If you’re in need of an escape (and who isn’t right now), Brightley’s world – charming, and brimming with adventure, magic and romance – is a joyous destination to disappear into. Lord Selby is a hero to fall in love with.” ~ Charlotte E. English, author of the Tales of Aylfenhame series
“Where The Wraith and the Rose danced through courtly intrigue in a Victorianesque land, The Shield and the Thorn dances deeper into the Fair Lands, exploring the failure of the Fair King, the toxic boredom of Fair lords, and the deep ache for justice from the Fair people. Fenton shines in his new key role, with a lovely lady, new Fair lord dynamics, and life-threatening peril. Willowvale, irascible, proud, vile Willowvale, is the absolute best part of the book for me. Brightley shows us what real forgiveness and grace look like page after page, and we see that love truly can conquer even the hardest of hearts.” ~ Alora Carter, author of The Little Morsel
Get the signed hardback! CLICK HERE for the signed hardback!The post The Shield and the Thorn is up for preorder! appeared first on C. J. Brightley.
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December 31, 2021
Protected: The Scarlet Pimpernel
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July 29, 2021
The Wraith and the Rose is up for preorder!
Pre-order The Wraith and the Rose below and scroll down for preorder perks!
CLICK HERE for more options Signed Paperback Signed hardback Amazon Kobo B&N Nook Smashwords iBooks SCRIBD
This gorgeous reimagining of The Scarlet Pimpernel is the newest release by C. J. Brightley (owner/curator/etc. of Phoenix Crate). With frightening Fair Folk and a delightfully noblebright hero, this reimagined tale of heroism and derring-do has already received some lovely accolades by ARC readers.
“All you folks weighed down by doom, gloom, murder and sorrow can lift your spirits with this fantastic, light Victorian Fae Romp. Seriously. If you’re looking for Jane Austin does magic, this is for you. Particularly, if you’ve ever wondered what Jane and Bingley’s marriage was like (if they lived near the border to Fairy obviously). The lead MC is Victorian perfection, so sweet it hurts your teeth. And the lead male has the charm and money of Bingley with more spunk, fire and warmth. Theo is my absolute favorite. Between debutant balls ruined by a grumpy Fairy, stolen children, a Scarlet Pimpernel-esce masked magical hero and the pending destruction of the magical world, the sweet charm and handsome manners will delight and uplift. Also. THAT COVER. growl” – Jessica
“It is utterly delightful. Brightley, as always, does a magnificent job with her creation of the fae and their land.
My abso-freaking-lute most favorite part of this book is Theo, one of the main characters. He is vibrant, funny, kind, and just… the very best person. I want a Theo friend. Everyone should have a Theo friend. …
I loved the ending, but I can’t say more because I don’t do spoiler reviews. I’ll just say it was clever and satisfying and leave it at that. The attention to detail made this world feel perfectly regency/Victorian-esque. It is a charming story, and the perfect comfort read.” – Constance
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February 17, 2021
Protected: Pangur Bán, the White Cat Preorder Perk
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January 4, 2021
Pangur Bán, the white cat is up for preorder!
This incredible children’s fantasy by acclaimed author Fay Sampson is being republished by Spring Song Press. Both ebook and paperback versions will be released March 16, 2021.
Pre-order it below and scroll down for preorder perks!
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“Now! Now you shall see what happens to those who would break the spell of mermaids!”
Fleeing the king’s justice for his accidental crime, the monk Niall has been bewitched by mermaids in the underwater realm, while vengeful Princess Finnglas is in the grip of a terrifying sea monster. Pangur Bán, the white cat, is desperate. He must rescue them—but how?
Only Arthmael can do it.
But who is Arthmael? And where is he? Can Pangur Bán find him in time?
Beautifully written, wilder and less safe than Lewis’s Narnia, this beloved allegory is newly republished. Whether you’re discovering it for the first time or rediscovering that book you loved as a child, Pangur Bán, the White Cat delivers breathless fantasy and spiritual depth for young readers and adults.
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September 28, 2020
Clean Fantasy StoryBundle!
The Lord of Dreams is in a clean fantasy StoryBundle! Here’s the official announcement:
THE CLEAN FANTASY BUNDLE – Curated by Emily Martha Sorensen
Emily says:
My favorite books are the kind that you can pick up at any age, old or young, love when you first read them, and then continue to enjoy for decades to come. What’s even better is when you know you can hand them to anyone in your family and share the fun together.
Here you will find a bundle of those books in many varieties of fantasy. Some are set in our world. Some are set in others. Some are aimed at young adult readers. Some are aimed at adults. All are clean and appropriate for anyone over the age of thirteen.
Prophecy and Secrets of Fathara bring you tales of epic fantasy adventures.
Curse Breaker: Enchanted and Dragon Eggs: The Complete Series show main characters struggling to parent a small child alongside complications that arise from their magical reality.
A Fairy Tale and The Lord of Dreams show the dangers (and great fun!) of adventuring into the realm of the fae.
Schooled in Magic holds a unique magic school with a protagonist from our world.
Horrid / Harbor weaves a delightful original fairy tale.
The Virgo Curse and Aquarius is a young adult paranormal romance with no vampires in sight (gasp!), only a magic system with terrible consequences.
Decision Points is a young adult anthology featuring short stories by Kevin J. Anderson, Lois McMaster Bujold, Orson Scott Card, and many other excellent authors.
I invite you to dive into these adventures that are easy to share with others in your life. – Emily Martha Sorensen
Head on over for details about how to purchase some or all of these books for a fantastic price! This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://storybundle.com/cleanfantasy. You can, of course, always find The Lord of Dreams on Amazon and other retailers (including as an audiobook!). I haven’t read the other books in the bundle, but you can see reviews on the page where you check out. Which of the books are you most looking forward to reading?
The Lord of Dreams
When a fairy king grants a human wish, there's more at stake than dreams. When a fairy king grants a human wish, there's more at stake than dreams.
Claire Delaney has a good life, despite her adolescent angst. But she wants more. In a moment of frustration, she wishes to be "the hero."
What she actually wants is to be the center of attention, but what she gets is a terrifying Fae king demanding that she rescue an imprisoned fairy, facing fantastical dangers and hardships she could not have imagined.
Yet the dreams--and the rescue--are only the beginning of her journey. She is at the center of the king's audacious gamble to end the war that has raged in Faerie for half a century.
Order Now! About the Book PrologueWhen Claire was seven she had a very strange dream.
Impossibly tall trees towered above her, the sound of their distant rustling like whispers. The air in the dappled shadows was cool and still, broken only by a murmuring of unseen water. Claire looked down at her bare feet, skin pale against the deep green moss covering the earth. Static made her pink nightgown cling to her slim legs.
Where was she?
A fluttering overhead caught her ear, and she looked up, her eyes searching the shadowed branches. Nothing was visible, but the whispering of the leaves seemed to increase ominously. She began walking carefully toward the sound of water, chewing her lip.
What was this place?
Her feet padded on the moss as if it were thick green carpet, soft and cool against her skin. She made her way through some brush, the leaves parting before her invitingly.
Screech!
The sudden cry behind her made her start in fear, and she froze, looking back into the shadows. It was darker, as if the sun had not only disappeared behind a cloud, but descended to the horizon in a matter of moments.
Her heart thudded erratically, and she whimpered a little. Another angry cry behind her gave wings to her feet.
She flew through the brush, tiny twigs and leaves slapping her in the face and across the arms. She glanced behind her once, not sure what she expected to see.
Green eyes glinted in the twilight.
Claire cried out and stumbled when her foot hit a nearly-buried rock. She fell headlong, her hands splashing into a pool of water.
“You aren’t right. You’re not what you’re supposed to be!”
Claire looked up to see a boy of about her own age glaring down at her.
“There’s a… a…” She pointed helplessly behind her, too terrified to look for the eyes of the creature that had pursued her.
“Yes. A cockatrice.” The boy’s blue glare intensified. His eyes were rimmed in red, and she had a fleeting thought that perhaps he had been weeping. “You should know better than to wake a sleeping cockatrice.” His eyes flicked behind her with a frisson of fear, and he grabbed her shoulder. “Back you go, then.” He pushed her into the pool of water, hurrying her deeper while glancing over his shoulder. A final shove sent her flailing, the water closing over her head. Her last glimpse of him was of his silver-white hair plastered down by water, one arm flung up against a beaked maw that struck with cobra-like speed. Claire screamed, water filling her mouth.
She woke, trembling and sweaty, tangled in her blankets.
Details Author: C. J. BrightleySeries: The Lord of Dreams
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Egia, LLC
Publication Year: 2017
ASIN: B01MQVCYQM
Order NowDirect from the Author!Signed Paperback!
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February 12, 2020
Is it February already?!
I’m giving away a paperback of The Woodcutter by Kate Danley! I very much enjoyed this book last year, and I hope you will too! Click here.
Deep within the Wood, a young woman lies dead. Not a mark on her body. No trace of her murderer. Only her chipped glass slippers hint at her identity.
The Woodcutter, keeper of the peace between the Twelve Kingdoms of Man and the Realm of the Faerie, must find the maiden’s killer before others share her fate. Guided by the wind and aided by three charmed axes won from the River God, the Woodcutter begins his hunt, searching for clues in the whispering dominions of the enchanted unknown.
But quickly he finds that one murdered maiden is not the only nefarious mystery afoot: one of Odin’s hellhounds has escaped, a sinister mansion appears where it shouldn’t, a pixie dust drug trade runs rampant, and more young girls go missing. Looming in the shadows is the malevolent, power-hungry queen, and she will stop at nothing to destroy the Twelve Kingdoms and annihilate the Royal Fae…unless the Woodcutter can outmaneuver her and save the gentle souls of the Wood.
Blending magic, heart-pounding suspense, and a dash of folklore, The Woodcutter is an extraordinary retelling of the realm of fairy tales.
Here’s the giveaway link again.
Late last year, I organized my fiction collection by color, and somewhat to my surprise, I like it! I could see how it would be frustrating if I had to regularly search through them, but all my To-Be-Read books are on a separate shelf in my bedroom, so the ones in the living room are mostly for decoration and occasional reread purposes. It’s not really a problem if I have to spend an extra minute or two looking for something.
I’m delighted to report that I’ve finally had a breakthrough about A Long-Forgotten Song 4 (with the help of my dad, my brain-storming buddy). I’m really excited to start pulling all the threads of this complex story together. If you haven’t read this series yet, it begins with Things Unseen.
Finally, Phoenix Crate (run by yours truly) is featuring The Lady of Kingdoms, the second book in Suzannah Rowntree’s Watchers of Outremer series. I’ve read this second book, but not the first (yet! It’s on the TBR shelf!), and it stands alone very well, although you’ll want to go back and read the first! Plus, isn’t the cover incredible?! I’m looking forward to the third book when it comes out!
As you may be able to tell, I’ve been having fun with Instagram/Bookstagram pictures lately! I don’t think of myself as a photographer, but I do enjoy color. If you’re on Instagram, I’d love to connect there! I’m @CJBrightley, and I also run the @PhoenixCrate page.
Have a wonderful week!
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January 21, 2019
What I’m Reading #13
It has been over a year since I’ve posted book reviews! But I’ve been reading, so brace yourselves… book recommendations are coming!
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The Last Motley by DJ Edwardson
I discovered this book when it was selected by an online book club. Isn’t the cover magnificent? I was excited to read it, but didn’t know what to expect. There is plenty of adventure and heroism in the book, but in many ways it’s not about the adventure and heroism – it’s about love and family, about choosing to be kind when we don’t feel we have much to offer (and the cost is terrifying), and about fatherhood. I found it heartwarming and noblebright, and I’m looking forward to reading more from DJ Edwardson. I might get a paperback just for the joy of having the book on my shelf, too.
A hunted child. A magical curse. The end of the world.
Every century a motley is born. Though only children, their patchwork skin marks them as dangerous, especially to those who know about the first motley. That one nearly destroyed the world.
But a chance meeting with a warm-hearted tailor may hold the key to breaking the curse.
Old legends spring to life. Nightmares walk the land. But heroes may be found in the most unlikely of places.
Will this be the last motley?
If you enjoy epic quests and endearing characters, you’ll love this original fantasy novel from Grace Award finalist DJ Edwardson.
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I actually picked this up for a few cents at a local library sale, thinking that I recognized Donita’s name from somewhere but unable to remember from where. I read the book, loved it, and then realized that this series came out when I had just started working and my fantasy reading had slowed a bit. It’s a bit younger than the other books here – aimed at grades 4 through 8, it’s a clean, adventurous, Christian fantasy with great messages and endearing characters. I really enjoyed it, and plan to get the rest of the series for my daughter when she’s just a little older.
One Dragon Egg Holds the Key to the Future.
When Kale, a slave girl, finds a dragon egg, she is given the unexpected opportunity to become a servant to Paladin. But on her way to The Hall, where she was to be trained, Kale runs into danger. Rescued by a small band of Paladin’s servants, Kale is turned from her destination.
Feeling afraid and unprepared, Kale embarks on a perilous quest to find the meech dragon egg stolen by the foul Wizard Risto. But their journey is threatened when a key member of the party is captured, leaving the remaining companions to find the Wizard Fenworth, attempt an impossible rescue, and recover the egg–whose true value they have not begun to suspect.
Weaving together memorable characters, daring adventure, and a core of eternal truth, Dragonspell–the first book in the Dragon Keepers Chronicles–is a finely crafted and welcome addition to the corpus of fantasy fiction.
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All That We See Or Seem by Kristina Mahr
Last year I was asked to participate in the launch party for this debut novel by the publisher, Uncommon Universes Press. I’m not really a book blogger, and I don’t normally do launch parties, but I really like UUP and what they’re doing. There’s a lot of overlap with noblebright, and we’re in some of the same Christian author/publisher groups, so I see how awesome they are behind the scenes, too. Plus, just LOOK at that cover!
I really enjoyed the book, and I’m looking forward to more from Kristina Mahr. The prose was lovely, and the plot and action drew me on quickly. The main character, Reeve, is a bit immature and self-centered, but that’s part of the story. She makes assumptions, and she makes mistakes. It may have a bit more young-adult angst than some readers may prefer (more than I generally prefer), but it was creative, well-written, and engaging. I’m not sure whether it’s noblebright yet… one character is, several aren’t, and I’m not entirely sure about the main character. She’s flawed, but as the story continues in the sequel, there is a lot of room for growth. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel when it is released!
Every night, seventeen-year-old Reeve Lennox finds herself under a noose.
By day she is a lady of Acarsaid’s royal house, daydreaming of adventure and love. But every night in sleep she wanders through a nightmarish city, an invisible witness to the screeches of monsters and the screams of their victims. Her only consolation is Bran, a battle-torn young man with a selfless heart and eyes that reflect the stars.
Yet while Reeve falls deeper into her dreams, in truth she is engaged to Arden, a mercurial nobleman who has long been cured of his belief in love and breathes fire and flattery like other people breathe air.
Torn between two lives, Reeve struggles to remember what’s real. Until night and day collide, with a revelation that threatens all of Acarsaid.
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Miss Mabel’s School for Girls by Katie Cross
This was wonderfully written, and I’m looking forward to continuing the series. It was not noblebright… or at least, it isn’t yet. I’m not sure that it’s trending in that direction. But it’s not grimdark either (yet). It’s pretty clean, but there is a dark sense of growing danger. It is clearly the first of a series – the end of the book is a clear turning point, but it’s not the end of the story. The scale of the story has been quite limited so far, tightly focused on the main character and her need to break the family curse that threatens her life. But near the end, there is the promise/threat of a much wider world, with correspondingly larger dangers. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Never underestimate the power of a determined witch.
Letum Wood is a forest of fog and deadfall, home to the quietly famous Miss Mabel’s School for Girls, a place where young witches learn the art of magic.
Sixteen-year-old Bianca Monroe has inherited a deadly curse.
Determined to break free before it kills her, she enrolls in the respected school to confront the cunning witch who cast the curse: Miss Mabel.
Bianca finds herself faced with dark magic she didn’t expect, with lessons more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. Will Bianca have the courage to save herself from the curse, or will Miss Mabel’s sinister plan be too powerful?
Miss Mabel’s School for Girls is the first novel in The Network Series, an exciting new fantasy collection. A gripping tale about the struggle to survive, it will take you to a new place and time, one you’ll never want to leave.
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Lady of Dreams by W.R. Gingell
You know I love everything W.R. Gingell writes. Everything. So I really have no logical reason why it took me so long to get to Lady of Dreams. It was every bit as wonderful as her other books. Clovis is a fascinating narrator, and her observations of the other characters are delightful. W.R. is working on the sequel now, and I’m very much looking forward to reading it.
To dream from a distance, or wake and risk losing it all?
Confined to her couch, Clovis Sohn spends her days and nights dreaming, drifting further away from the outside world with each passing day. But Clovis’ dreams are also real, giving her a glimpse into the lives of those around her…
When a moment of unthinking sympathy twines Clovis’ dreams with the bored, playful composer Yong-hwa, she must decide whether to keep dreaming in the comfort of her chaise lounge, or to awaken into a reality that is by no means so sure or familiar as her dreams.
What have you been reading lately? Have you discovered any new authors?
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Related posts:
What I’m Reading #7
Light in the Darkness: A Noblebright Fantasy Boxed Set (first set of mini reviews)
Light in the Darkness: A Noblebright Fantasy Boxed Set (second set of mini reviews)
