Spirit Warriors – The Burning by Della Connor @del_connor @Booktrope #Bookreview

The Burning by D.E.L. Connor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Burning is book #3 of The Spirit Warriors #YA series, set in Montana around a group of teenagers and their connections to animal spirits revered by the Native Americans.

The evil spirit of a once powerful medicine man known as the Machayiwiw is hunting narrator, Emme . She is a powerful descendant of Golden Flower, an Indian girl whose spirit is currently trapped inside a vulture. Emme and her friends Charlie, Ollie and Bets are spirit warriors called to face a big battle against this evil spirit. They are being taught the skills they need, and are helped via visions, from the ancient Indian chiefs they are building knowledge of the Machayiwiw.

During their preparations they must face other domestic dramas, Emme’s family are falling apart and she’s also finding where her future lies in her own love triangle.

This book is a building of the storylines, adding background depth, I thought there was going to be much more action with the Machayiwiw. I really enjoyed all the spirits and stories from the ancient tribesmen. However at times I felt some of the dialogue was too stiff and a little unrealistic. Roll on book #4.

This review is based on a free copy of the book given to me by the author.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

View all my reviews on Goodreads

#RomancingSeptember Day 21 The Burning by @del_connor

Welcome to Day 21 of #RomancingSeptember

Today our guest is Della Connor and her book The Burning

The Burning – D.E.L. Connor

Where is your home town?

I live in Lufkin, Texas, affectionately known as being “behind the pine curtain.” This area of Texas has huge towering pine trees, gets lots of rain, and an occasional hurricane! Remind me again why I live here! Ha Ha. Really, it is a quiet, picturesque town with some of the best people you would ever like to meet. I was raised in Eastern Montana where the cattle outnumber the people!

How long have you been writing romance?

I started writing romance about two years ago. I have loved romance stories for many years. My grandmother read Harlequin romance books and when she was done, she gave them to me by the sack full. My mother was appalled and called them trashy, smutty books! I was a teenager then and excited at the prospect of reading a trashy book. I quickly learned that Harlequin romances were the least trashy of all, but I never told my mother that!

What is your favourite sub-genre of romance?

My favourite sub-genre of romance would be young adult or new adult. I like the innocence of first love and everything that goes with it. First love is felt so acutely and passionately, and remembered forever.

Tell us about your Spirit Warriors series

Spirit Warriors is a YA fantasy series about five friends, who by no coincidence, are brought together to fight an evil spirit who has plagued a Native American tribe for centuries. Emme, who narrates the story, has a battle within her heart. Will it be Charlie, her first forbidden love, or Jack, who sets her blood on fire? It’s a story of the power of friendship, and love, even in the midst of loss.

What special talents do the teenagers in this book have?

Cool ones! They can shift their spirits into their chosen animals. Charlie into Hercules the Grizzly bear, Emme into Eros the osprey, Bets into Electra the mountain lion, Ollie into Zephyr the coyote, and Lilly into Arion, the wild mustang horse.

Who or what are they fighting?

They are fighting the machayiwiw. He is an evil spirit that has plagued Charlie’s tribe for centuries, exacting revenge for something that happened hundreds of years ago.

The romance is a sweet love triangle tell us about the characters involved.

Emme, the narrator, grew up with Charlie. He is her protector, having left his tribe at a young age to be with her. Charlie is her first love, but the Spirit Warriors who guide Charlie have told him in no uncertain terms that Emme is not his true love. So, is it Jack? He is Charlie’s best friend, who moved back to the family ranch from Australia. Emme feels protected and loved with Charlie, but she can’t deny the spark of fire between her and Jack. Book 3, The Burning finally answers the question! Teaser alert! Book 4, The Lamenting has a huge wedding in it!

Are there any other romantic attachments running through your series?

The other friends, Ollie and Bets also have love interests. Ollie comes out to his friends about his sexual orientation and he has a boyfriend, Raymond. In The Burning, they work to stay together as high school ends and college looms. Bets has a boyfriend, Joe, who none of the other friends like. In fact, Emme, threatens to kill him if he ever hurts Bets!

Tell us what you are working on at the moment.

Too many things! Book 4 in the Spirit Warrior Series, The Lamenting is in editing, and I have started on the final book, The Ensouling. I am writing a couple of romance stories that I am working on when I get creative burn out! They probably won’t be out until I finish the Spirit Warriors series.

Where can readers find out more about you?

Just about anywhere. I have social media covered! Here are the links.

www.dellaconnor.com

https://www.facebook.com/DelconnorSpiritwarriors

http://www.amazon.com/D.E.L.-Connor/e/B00HVRGF4A

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7460124h

https://twitter.com/del_connor

https://instagram.com/delconnor/

Find the book here

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0145QA4LO/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Burning-Spirit-Warriors-Book-ebook/dp/B0145QA4LO/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440575874&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=The+Burning+Della+Connor

Find out more about Della and her writing in a few hours with Stephanie’s post http://stephanie-hurt.com/

 

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT CookieBooker reviews Spirit Warriors: The Scarring By D.E.L. Connor

Today’s review comes from our Young Adult reviewer CookieBooker, who blogs at https://cookiebookreviews.wordpress.com/

Cookiebooker has been reading Spirit Warriors: The Scarring by D.E.L. Connor

The second novel in the Spirit Warriors, and just like the first, left me feeling multiple emotions.

All the characters have returned and have become more confident with their shifting, although, the more they practice, the more likely they are to be noticed by people. They can’t afford to be shot in their animal forms by hunters because then, both the animal and the human spirit will be gone.

Every time, I become more attached to the characters and it makes the read so much more intense as the feeling of reality is still there. You learn more about the characters Emme, Ollie, Charlie, Bets. Charlie and newcomers Jack and Raymond.

The cover for this is beautiful, the mix of colours fit perfectly and both warm and cold colours are incorporated.

I recommend this book to teens+ because of the adventure, relationships between the characters and the story itself.

Spirit Warriors: The Scarring is a fabulous book and once more, I could see this as a film.

Thank you D.E.L Connor for sending me the book to read and review, it was fantastic.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Spirit Warriors: The Concealing by Della Connor

Today’s book review is from a new team member who will be reviewing YA books for us. Cookiebooker blogs at https://cookiebookreviews.wordpress.com/

Cookiebooker chose Spirit Warriors; The Concealing by D.E.L Connor

Spirit Warriors: The Concealing by D.E.L. Connor

Spirit Warriors: The Concealing left me with a whole load of contrasting emotions.

I love all the characters and the novel has a great idea behind it. It has the perfect description and immediately you, as the reader, are given the image of the world of Emme and her friends. Their friendship has been written in such a way that made me feel, alongside the description, I was there with them.

So much can happen, and it does. Spirit Warriors contains all the action you could possibly wish for in a novel, not too much or too little and everything has the sense of reality, the feeling of “I’m there with them”.

As the reader, there is the opportunity to catch on to things before the characters, but not here, this novel allows the reader to work out some parts before the characters but otherwise you are left in the dark until the right time.

This book is perfect for someone looking for adventure and friendship.

I love the cover because it’s very detailed and colourful. The cover also hints at the plot of the book, not enough to be able to say “I know exactly what this is about”, but just enough to win the interest of the reader to pick up the book and delve into the story.

I was glued to the book from the moment I began reading it and was sad when it ended, because it ended.

I can very easily visualise this book as a film, the descriptions are detailed enough to make it a great opportunity for a film.

Amazing.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Good Deeds Challenge Year 2, Week 29

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I am into my second year.

This week I’ve been doing the following;

November 2nd – Day 2 of Mystery November saw Della Connor’s book Spirit Warriors: The Scarring, second book in her series and definitely getting into the mystery role. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5LW

Poppies are still being sold all over and I donated more money to the appeal this afternoon.

November 3rd – My morning at school helping children learn to read. Day 3 of the mystery Tour, The Singing Bowl by Roy Dimond the epic journey around the world that a monk takes to find a lost book. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5LU

November 4th – Day 4 of the Mystery book tour and it The Ties That Bind by E.L. Lindley. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5QS Sorting out a pile of book reviews for the December issues of the magazines I write for.

November 5th –  A Single Step by Georgia Rose is our Day 5 book on the mystery tour. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5UJ Spent all day inside in the warm reading like a demon to get another book read and reviewed.

November 6th – Off shopping, saw our oldest child still at the bus stop, picked her up and made a detour to college, spotted the bus broken down in town, picked up a second child on route. Did the embarrassing parent thing, wound down the window to tell other students that the bus had broken down, was only allowed to do this once!  Day 6 on the mystery tour Terry Tyler and Nobody’s Fault. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5ST

November 7th – Mystery Book Tour Day 7 and it’s the turn of Carol Hedges with her book Diamonds & Dust http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Pt

November 8th – It’s the turn of Geoffrey West today on the Mystery November tour with his book Doppelganger http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5LK

This week my good deeds have all been around the book tour as I’ve been really busy promoting it, but of course I’m always reading books in the back ground for authors.

My Book Reviews In November Issues of Fleet Life & Elvetham Heath Directory

I’m really lucky in that I have another outlet for my book reviews where I can help spread the word to others about some of the books I’ve read.

I get a page in each of these monthly local magazines, which benefit from on-line versions to reach a world wide audience.

This month’s Fleet Life books were;

The Soul and The Seed – Arie Farnam

Stranger at Sunset – Eden Baylee

Frenzy – Mark King

Seaside Dreams – Melissa Foster

How I Changed My Life In A Year – Shelley Wilson

View the online version http://www.fleetlife.org.uk. Click on the online directory tab and load the magazine. Find my reviews on page 27

This month’s EHD books were;

Lost Souls – Penny de Byl

Spirit Warriors: The Scarring D.E.L. Connor

The Landland Chronicles – Dallad Sutherland

Patriot – A.S. Bond

Bend With The Wind – Suraya Dewing

View the online version http://www.ehd.org.uk. Click on the online directory tab and load the magazine. Find my reviews on page 6

Please note this is a voluntary task I get no monetary rewards for my reviews and the editors decision about which books we use is final.

Mystery Book Tour Day 2 #MysteryNovember Spirit Warriors: The Scarring by D.E.L.Connor

Please welcome to the mystery book tour, Della Connor and her book Spirit Warriors: The Scarring

Where is your home town?

I live in a small town in Texas about 90 miles north of Houston. We jokingly say that we live “behind the pine curtain.” This area is home to immensely tall pine trees that seem to isolate us from the big cities, which are just a short distance from us.

This is book 2 in your series when did you start writing them?

I had the idea for the series about twenty years ago but I didn’t start writing them until 2012. I am a late bloomer or as I like to say I never grew up I just grew old.

What is your favourite sub-genre of mystery?

I would have to say historical mysteries. I love history, old places and buildings, and people who have been gone a long time.

Where is your book set?

In the state of Montana in the present time. If you have never been there you must add it to your bucket list. Words can’t properly describe the beauty of Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park.

Introduce us to the main characters in the book.

Emmeline Rima Belrose: Emme is the storyteller of the books. She is strong-willed, brave, and fierce. Her spirit animal is the majestic soaring osprey, Eros.

Charlie Hunt: Charlie is a seer and a gifted medicine man. Charlie is the leader of the group. He has the visions and the powers that guide the others. He is Emme’s protector, as he alone knows how valuable she, and her gifts, are to his people and to the future of their tribe. His spirit animal is the fierce grizzly, Hercules.

Lilly Grayson: Lilly is soft, petite, and kind. She is loved for her kindness and grace. She loves cheerleading and barrel racing with her spirit animal the beautiful mustang Arion.

Betsy Ross: (Bets) Bets is the beauty of the group with reddish blond hair and green eyes. She is the questioner of the group, always wanting to know why, and then wanting to make things better. Her spirit animal is the graceful mountain lion, Electra.

Lachlan Jackson Arrington: (Jack) Jack moved back to the family ranch in Montana when he was in high school. He came from Australia after his father was killed in a car accident. He is not a part of the spirit warriors, but he knows about them and he helps them. Jack is the listener and solver of the group. He is the one the others turn to when they need to talk about something. He is also the one to come up with solutions when things get tough.

Oliver Graves: (Ollie) Ollie provides all the fun of the group. He always has a joke or a smile to share. Ollie’s spirit animal is the fast coyote, Zephyr. Read more about them here: http://dellaconnor.com/character-bios/

 

What is the element of mystery in the book?

The kids must find and destroy an evil spirit, the machayiwiw, before he kills Emme. The only problem is they don’t know where or in what body they will find him.

What unusual skills do the children have?

Emme, Bets, Charlie, Lilly, and Ollie all have the ability to move their spirits into an animal host.

Tell us a bit about Em’s new power.

Emme has discovered that in addition to her ability to move her spirit to her osprey Eros, she can communicate with animals.

What was the best bit about researching this book?

Reading all of the Native American stories. They have stories to explain everything from the stars in the skies to the water in the rivers. I have started adding the stories to my blog. Read about the origin of summer and winter here: http://dellaconnor.com/native-american-stories/

Where can readers find out more about you?

My website www.dellaconnor.com, my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DelconnorSpiritwarriors, or follow me on twitter: del_connor and instagram: delconnor

Find a copy of Spirit Warriors; The Scarring here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com This book will be down to 99c November 8th -10th

I reviewed this book here on the blog. Follow the link to read the review http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5FG

Good Deeds Challenge Year 2, Week 28

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I an into my second year.

This week I’ve been doing the following;

October 26th – Posted a guest author piece for new author Mark Giglio. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5UF Spent all day getting lost in Moscow Bound by Adrian Churchward a mystery set in Moscow and very good.

October 27th – Posted my review of Moscow Bound and began reading Restless Spirits by Kathy Bryson

October 28th – Driving test day today for my eldest, so we were all on tender hooks, bought flowers for her instructor praying for a pass. Yay she did it! Fab book review today with a great picture gallery of Back Packs and Bra Straps, Savannah Grace’s second book about her family backpacking around some beautiful and eye-opening parts of the world. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Qu

October 29th – Walked into town and picked up litter on both legs of my journey.

October 30th – There are big celebrations of the war veterans this year with the anniversary of the start of WWI. The annual Poppy appeal is getting extra support and I bought my own poppy today and gave to the poppy appeal charity.

October 31st – Cleared leaves from a shared pathway and spent a little time out in the warm autumn afternoon. Gearing up for the start of the mystery November book tour tomorrow.

November 1st – Mystery November is off with Joanne Phillips and her book Murder at the Maples. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5OZ We have this awesome imaginary tour bus covered in my orange roses going all over the world each day to pick up the tour authors. Overnight Saturday I magically drove from the UK to Texas making sure I didn’t fall asleep and end up on the Grand Prix race track in Austin. The bus is picking up Della Connor for Sunday’s book Spirit Warriors: The Scarring.

Good Deeds Challenge Year 2, Week 21

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I an into my second year.

During my week I’ll also being updating you on My Kindness Challenge which I’m also doing. I read about a new challenge to make the world a better place to live in. “Speak Kind Words, Receive Kind Echoes” see the inspiration on  The Kindness blog . During my learning process I’m donating money to charity for my slip-ups to make me work harder to achieve results. I earn no money from any of my book reviews, so having little to spare should focus my mind.

September 7th – Today it has been the turn of Victoria Steele on the Romancing September tour and her book As My Heart Beats – Beckoning, here is a link to her post http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5E7

I’ve been in to work this morning to catch up on lots of paperwork and to leave the place tidy for my colleague.

September 8th – Cecily Gates promotes her book An Imaginary House by the Sea in todays Romancing September tour. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Fw

School is back and my Monday helping out at school starts again.

September 9th – It’s Debbie Peterson’s turn today with her book Spirit of the Knight. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Bq

Dropped of a birthday present to my God Daughter and picked up litter on the way home.

September 10th – June Kearns joins us on the Romancing September tour with her brilliant book The 20’s Girl, the ghost and All That Jazz. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5DA

I’m reading How I changed my Life by Shelley Wilson, this is my September treat read that I recently bought, I always like to give myself a treat after the summer holidays and the rush and stress of the return to school. Shelley tells us about Emotional Freedom tapping, a way to relieve stress particularly, here is a link to a website with a very useful video on tapping. http://eft.mercola.com/

Walked to town to do my shopping it was such a lovely day I detoured through three parks and picked up litter along the way.

September 11th – Today we have some poetry on the Romancing September tour, Pamela Beckford chats about her book Love – Lost and Found. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5xv

Took two big bags full of books to the charity shop and found that several local book shops are having a sale. Who can resist?

September 12th – Adrienne Vaughan talks about her book The Hollow heart in today’s Romancing September. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Aw

Went back to the book shops, books at 50p were calling to me, staggered out with another 14 books, had the sales assistant helping me out taking books to the till so that I could browse some more. The sale goes on for another 2 weeks, so I intend going back for more. Visited the local country market and bought chutney and a cake.

September 13th – It’s Della Connor’s day today as she tells us more about Spirit Warriors: The Concealing in Romancing September. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5xH

Had a walk out this evening and picked up more litter. Have invited author Shelley Wilson to write a series of posts for October about changing your life for the better.

 

Romancing September #RomancingSeptember – Day 13

Welcome to Day 13 of Romancing September Across The World Tour. Today our guest is Della Connor. Catch up with more from Della in a few hours with the second part of our tour when Stephanie chats to her.

1)Where is your home town?

A small town in East Texas about 90 miles north of Houston. We call this part of Texas the “Piney-woods”. Right now it is hot and humid, a typical summer in Texas.

2)How long have you been writing romance?

I am a new author so I would have to say a short time! I have read romance novels since I was a teenager and my Grandmother would gift me her paperback Harlequins.

3)What is your favourite sub-genre of romance?

I guess since I write young adult, I would have to say young adult or new adult. I like the innocence and forever-ness of first love.

4)Tell are where your book is set.

It is set in present day Montana. I grew up in Montana and the pure beauty and majesty of that state gives you something to write about!

5)Who has been teaching the children about the Native Americans?

In my first book of the series, The Concealing, Archie who is the Native American grandfather of one of the five main characters tells the stories to the characters as they are growing up. He spends a lot of time with the kids and teaches them many things including how to build a tepee and how to do Native American dances. He also teaches them how to fight.

6)What games do the children like to play?

The characters have one game in particular that they play all the time. It is actually a re-enactment of Custer’s Last Stand or The Battle of Little Bighorn. Each of them has an assigned character that they play and of course we all know how the game ends.

7)Who is the dangerous spirit?

The machaywiw is an ancient Native American Medicine Man gone bad, so to speak. He is extremely powerful and has used his supernatural powers to exact revenge on a tribe who denied him the powers of their chief’s daughter.

8) Why does Charlie need to protect Emme?

He is Emme’s protector as he alone knows how valuable she, and her gifts, are to his people and to the future of their tribe. Charlie wants nothing more than to be with Emme for the rest of his life. But first he has to make sure that Emme lives to have the rest of her life – See more about the characters at: http://dellaconnor.com/character-bios/#sthash.mvqf3O1Q.dpuf

9)Tell us what you are working on at the moment.

I am 50,000 words into Book 3 in the series called The Burning. Here’s a teaser: “I don’t know. We didn’t get that far. I suspect she is here now because the time is drawing near to battle the machayiwiw.” I put my head in my hands. “Jack, in all likelihood I will die and possibly the others as well. Don’t you see why it just isn’t fair for me to lead you on? Do you want to spend your life like Golden Flower pining away for the love you lost? Can you imagine how hard it is to be left behind when everything you loved has left? I won’t do that to you. I can’t do that to you.” I stared at my boots. “Emme, I would gladly live what is left of my life alone to have you be mine in everyway possible for even a day or even just an hour. It would be the best hour of my life and the memory of our love could get me through the rest of my life. The thought of you waiting for me, would carry me through all the seasons of my life, until forever.” My eyes filled with tears and my voice cracked. “Oh… Jack.

10)Where can readers find out more about you?

On my new and improved blog. As you can tell I am proud of it! Come have a look. http://www.dellaconnor.com

Find a copy of Spirit Warriors: The Concealing here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Find out more about Della from Stephanie Hurts blog and all our Romance writers http://stephanie-hurt.com