An Heiress, an ancient prophecy, and a masquerade...
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Enter to WIN one of five eCopies from Rachel R. Smith
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Enter to WIN one of five eCopies from Rachel R. Smith
Reflection: The Stranger in the Mirror
by Rachel R. Smith
My rating: 5 stars
Series: Records of the Ohanzee - Book 1
Publication Date: May 9, 2015
Publisher: Rachel R. Smith
ISBN-10: 0996389210
ISBN-13: 978-0996389211
Genre: YA fantasy
Print Length: 265 pages
An Heiress, an ancient prophecy, and a masquerade...
Nerissa, the Heiress of Chiyo, prepares for the masquerade celebrating the twentieth anniversary of a thwarted assassination attempt on her family. Longing to be admired for herself and not her title, she arranges to switch costumes and enjoy the ball in blissful anonymity. But, when the fateful night finally comes, a prophetic warning of a second attack arrives too late, and the evening turns from revelry and romance to violence. After being pulled from the chaos by an enigmatic guardian, Nerissa learns that the Royal Family has been concealing a formidable secret for generations--and it is only one of many that are about to be revealed.
Nerissa, the Heiress of Chiyo, prepares for the masquerade celebrating the twentieth anniversary of a thwarted assassination attempt on her family. Longing to be admired for herself and not her title, she arranges to switch costumes and enjoy the ball in blissful anonymity. But, when the fateful night finally comes, a prophetic warning of a second attack arrives too late, and the evening turns from revelry and romance to violence. After being pulled from the chaos by an enigmatic guardian, Nerissa learns that the Royal Family has been concealing a formidable secret for generations--and it is only one of many that are about to be revealed.
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Reflection: The Stranger in the Mirror by Rachel R.Smith (Records of the Ohanzee, #1)
All she wanted was a chance to feel like a real girl, to be treated like a real girl, but the night of her great adventure turned into a night of her greatest nightmare. Will Nerissa, the Heiress of Chiyo and lone survivor of the royal family ever get over the burden of her grief and guilt? Saved from the attack on her family by a secret guardian, her survival must remain secret as her kingdom is overpowered by its technologically advanced neighbor. Will the mystical nature of Chiyo and the survival of Nerissa bring forth ancient prophecies to be fulfilled? Will it mean she will finally learn the secrets of her ancestors that have been hidden from her for so long in the magic of the crystals?Follow Nerissa’s often painful journey in Reflection: The Stranger in the Mirror by Rachel R. Smith as we travel through a world split by magic and technology, greed and deceit, to be witness to the rise of a strong-willed leader in the making.
Rachel R. Smith has blended dark and light, mystical aspects, and the growing pains of one girl, who only wanted to spread her wings for a few hours. This is fantasy, a world we can create in our own minds from the wonderful descriptions provided by this author who also changed POVs for more depth and a different take on the same events. From the amazingly magical cover to the very last word, Rachel R. Smith had me enthralled as she set the foundation for a new series that promises some surprising twists!
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The masquerade is over and the masks have been removed. But not everyone’s true face has been revealed…
Book TWO of The Records of the Ohanzee
Reflection: Harbinger of the Phoenix
by Rachel R. Smith
My rating: 5 stars
Series: Records of the Ohanzee - Book 2
Publication Date: September 28, 2015
Publisher: Rachel R. Smith
Genre: Young Adult Scifi | Fantasy
Print Length: 220 pages
The masquerade is over and the masks have been removed. But not everyone’s true face has been revealed…
King Casimer of Marise has assassinated the Royal Family of Chiyo and usurped the throne. He doesn’t know that the Heiress of Chiyo, Nerissa, is still alive and has joined the Ohanzee, a group of guardians who have secretly protected the country for generations. Disguising herself as a young man, Nerissa seeks a way to depose Casimer and restore her country’s independence. An uncanny stroke of luck leads her to the mysterious seer Shae, who has discovered a fragment of an ancient prophecy warning of events that will bring about the end of civilization. And Casimer has already set some of those events into motion.
With the future of not only Chiyo, but all of Renatus at stake, Nerissa and her six Ohanzee companions set out on a journey in search of the remaining fragments, where they will find unlikely allies and uncover new enemies.
King Casimer of Marise has assassinated the Royal Family of Chiyo and usurped the throne. He doesn’t know that the Heiress of Chiyo, Nerissa, is still alive and has joined the Ohanzee, a group of guardians who have secretly protected the country for generations. Disguising herself as a young man, Nerissa seeks a way to depose Casimer and restore her country’s independence. An uncanny stroke of luck leads her to the mysterious seer Shae, who has discovered a fragment of an ancient prophecy warning of events that will bring about the end of civilization. And Casimer has already set some of those events into motion.
With the future of not only Chiyo, but all of Renatus at stake, Nerissa and her six Ohanzee companions set out on a journey in search of the remaining fragments, where they will find unlikely allies and uncover new enemies.
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Coming Soon!
Book 4 - Fall 2016
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Rachel R. Smith lives near Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and the
cutest dog in the world, Sumo. When not writing, she plots to fill the
interior of their home with books and mineral specimens and to cover the
exterior with roses.
I did not start out my career with the intention of becoming a
writer. I am a scientist. I have been interested in the sciences, in one
form or another, since I was a child—except for a brief period of time
in Kindergarten when I wanted to be a florist. Hey, I was 5. I started
out wanting to be a paleontologist, digging for dinosaur bones in the
backyard. This wasn’t an entirely silly idea since fossils of ancient
sea life are abundant in southwestern Ohio. From first grade to sixth
grade I wanted to be an astronomer. It was in seventh grade that I fell
in love with chemistry. I have both a Bachelor of Science and a Master
of Science in Organic Chemistry, with a secondary focus on X-ray
Crystallography (the study of the three-dimensional atomic and molecular
structure of crystals). I have spent the first twelve years of my
professional career working as a materials scientist.The whole time I was following my scientific pursuits, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve had an on-going story running through my head. Whenever my mind began to wander, it would drift back to the same characters whose lives played through my mind like a movie. The best analogy I can think of is that my imagination is like a TV antenna tuned into the story of Renatus. I thought that this was normal and that every person daydreamed in the same way. I don’t even remember how it came up in conversation, but one day I mentioned something about the story and the characters involved to my mom. She was the one who told me that the average person does not have an unfolding saga rolling through their imagination. It was also she who suggested that I share the story and write a book.
It seemed like a good suggestion. So I write, not because I have an inherent passion for the activity of writing itself, but instead because I have a story I want to tell. Nerissa, Raysel, Rian, and all of the characters are almost as real to me as actual people. They have likes and dislikes, pasts and passions, even if not all of their experiences fit into the main story. When I write, rather than constructing events and settings, I just try to relate the events of the story as they appear in my mind. At this point, I have plans for three main story arcs, each composed of about 4 books, for a total of 12 in the series. I hope that you enjoy reading my story as much as I enjoy telling it!
I visited Rachel's website and found she has an amazing sense of humor! DEFINITELY Worth the visit!
Connect with Rachel R. Smith
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Another Special Tome Tender Exclusive Giveaway
Thanks to Rachel R. Smith
Enter to WIN One of FIVE eCopies of
Reflection: The Stranger in the Mirror
International where allowed
Ends February 1, 2016
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I am interested in your book. I hope I win a copy. Thank you for your giveaway.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how you have a story running through your head.I've never told anyone but I do too. I would see them, in my head, names, characteristics and their interaction in the story. Mine would change after a period of time and I would to another story. Different genres and sometimes they would go on quite a while and others shorter times. I always knew when it was time to move on. Thank you for sharing. Melody
Thanks, Melody! Since starting my blog, I'm learning that there are many other people who, like us, have other worlds living inside their imagination. Aside from using it as inspiration to write, I suppose it's also handy because we always have company--even when we're alone. ^_- Good luck in the giveaway!
DeleteSound like a really nice book. Beautiful cover.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I hope that you'll enjoy the story. ^_^
DeleteDo you design your own covers? Stunning.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I did try doing them myself at first, but there are definitely some things that are best left to the professionals. I am fortunate to have West Coast Design as my cover artist(s). Very talented and wonderful to work with!
DeleteAbsolutely love the cover.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance !
Thank you, as well! I'm very excited to have the giveaway hosted here on Tome Tender. Good luck!
DeleteThis sounds very interesting...thanks for the opportunity!
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds intriguing. Thanks for the offer.
ReplyDeleteI love the book cover!
ReplyDeleteThis book looks awesome! Good luck to all who win.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading this.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, the cover to this one looks amazing! Just like the kind of book I would love and enjoy reading so much. A nice lovely romance with a twist to it <3
ReplyDeleteOoh, super excited!
ReplyDeletethis looks a brilliant read!
ReplyDeleteThe cover for this book is simply gorgeous! Thanks for sharing. Yet another book to be added to my tbr list. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway :)
ReplyDeletesounds like an interesting read - love the cover
ReplyDeleteI love a story that can take you away to a magical place! I look forward to reading your books Rachel :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful cover!!! Sounds like a wonderful read. Thanks for the chance!!!!
ReplyDelete