Magical Realism | Whispers & Wonder

The Hollow Gods by A. J. Vrana

FEATURED

Review Spotlight

Ladies of Grimdark: The Hollow Gods by A. J. Vrana

June 23, 2020

FEATURED

The Hollow Gods is budding author A. J. Vrana’s beautifully surreal, captivating, and genre-bending debut novel. At its heart, it’s a tale of suspending your disbelief and opening your heart to the mysteries the world has to offer, accepting what’s meant…

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★ QOTD: Do you enjoy stories that linger well af

★ QOTD: Do you enjoy stories that linger well after turning the final page? ★
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Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today I have the pleasure of hosting the incredible A. J. Vrana for my monthly LADIES OF GRIMDARK feature, and while her captivating and intellectual, genre-bending debut THE HOLLOW GODS isn't necessarily a Grimdark tale, it most definitely is Dark Fantasy and Magical Realism at its finest. Coming next month, this is a must-read for those who love stories that linger and make you think. I very much appreciate books that leave a lasting impression, causing me to change my mind about potential meanings several times over. The deeper I dig, the more I discover, and I absolutely love finding hidden meanings in things that appear straightforward on the surface. THE HOLLOW GODS does this exceedingly well...and it's open-ended conclusion had me champing at the bit for more. HEY, VRANA! GIVE ME MORE!
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Here's a snippet from my review of THE HOLLOW GODS by A. J. Vrana:
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The Hollow Gods is budding author A. J. Vrana’s beautifully surreal, captivating, and genre-bending debut novel. At its heart, it’s a tale of suspending your disbelief and opening your heart to the mysteries the world has to offer, accepting what’s meant to be is what’s meant to be. Told in a contemporary tone, this book delves far down the psychological rabbit hole, urging readers to question the realities of our own world, insisting we embrace the unknown and the inevitable. As human beings, we strive to perfect although we are flawed, to seek answers that should remain shrouded in shadow, to force reason by suppressing wonder and faith; The Hollow Gods promotes the idea that the cycle of history will repeat itself until we learn to just let go and enjoy the ride. A tale of mysteries and folklore with splashes of horror, all balanced with rakish humor, this Dark Fantasy/Magical Realism blend is truly a unique and engrossing read.
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RATING: ★★★★½
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⇢ Visit my blog for the full review and incredible interview!
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@a.j.vrana @theparliamentpress #whispersandwonder #thehollowgods #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #instabook #bookphotography #readersofinstagram #darkfantasy #magicalrealism #sff

★ QOTD: Are you a fan of retellings? ★ . Happy

★ QOTD: Are you a fan of retellings? ★
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Happy Monday, everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.
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I'll be honest with you, retellings are a hit or miss for me. My favorites happen to be the ones that are more...'inspired by', rather than a slightly alternate version of the tales we've all come to love and cherish. I appreciate when authors take liberties to make the tales I adored as a child more adult, more edgy. It's just so refreshing. HEART OF THE FAE by Emma Hamm ticked all the boxes of what I admire most about retellings in every possible way. A tale of compassion and determination, Hamm creates a dazzling, magical world filled with stunning characters that feel very familiar, yet fresh. Inspired by Beauty and the Beast, it presents an organic, slow-burn romance, courtly intrigue, tension and danger—all things I look for in fantasy novels. This is exactly how a retelling should be told. I highly recommend. Until tomorrow 💕
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@emmahammauthor #whispersandwonder #heartofthefae #theotherworld #emmahamm #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #instabook #bookphotography #bookaholic #booklove #coverlove #sff #fantasy #fairytales #retellings #magic #romance #beautyandthebeast #readersofinstagram #writersofinstagram #tbr #amreading #amreadingfantasy #alwaysreading #readindie

★ QOTD: What are some of your favorite Urban Fan

★ QOTD: What are some of your favorite Urban Fantasy adventures? ★
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Happy Sunday, everyone! Today we're kicking off the GUILD OF TOKENS Book Tour presented by Storytellers On Tour (@sot_tours). Be sure check out all the other stops, linked in my post on the blog. I've had the pleasure of reading this highly imaginative urban fantasy tale of adventure, secrets, magic, and betrayal in the past, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So, this time around, Jon joined me over on Whispers & Wonder for a great chat about his book, the art of storytelling, and what lies ahead.
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⇢ Visit my blog for the all the tour info, more info about the book, and the interview.
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Here's the blurb:
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She wants to level up her humdrum existence. But her next quest could spell life or death. All Jen Jacobs has achieved in life is loneliness. So when she stumbles across a real-life game of epic quests on the streets of New York, she jumps at the chance for some excitement and gold tokens. Little does she know that the items she strives to collect hold a darker purpose… After a particularly harrowing quest pairs her up with Beatrice Taylor, a no-nonsense and ambitious mentor, Jen hopes she’s on the path to becoming a big-time player. But as she dives deeper into the game’s hidden agenda, she realizes Beatrice has her sights set on the Guild, the centuries-old organization that runs the Questing game. And the quests Jen loves are about to put both of them in grave danger. Will Jen survive the game before powerful forces cut her real life short? Guild of Tokens is a thrilling new twist on conventional urban fantasy. If you like determined heroines, gritty cityscapes, and vampire-free adventures, then you’ll love Jon Auerbach’s rollercoaster tale.
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@jaauerbach_author #whispersandwonder #storytellersontour #guildoftokens #jonauerbach #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #instabook #bookphotography #bookaholic #booklove #coverlove #sff #fantasy #urbanfantasy #nyc #readersofinstagram #writersofinstagram #tbr #amreading #amreadingfantasy #alwaysreading #readindie

★ QOTD: Do you enjoy books steeped in folklore?

★ QOTD: Do you enjoy books steeped in folklore? ★
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Happy Saturday, everyone! I'm a sucker for all things myth and folklore...I just can't seem to get enough of it. UPROOTED by Naomi Novik was the first book of hers I read, and I instantly fell in love with the charming world she crafted. Pulling in lore from Eastern European histories, but twisting everything to make it her own had me flying through these pages like the wind. A cautionary tale expressed with darker flavors, this book checked all the boxes of what I look for in a fairytale-esque story. The stunning leather bound edition pictured above comes from the lovely folks over at Grim Oak Press, featuring interior illustrations from Donato Giancola and some beautiful silver gilded pages 😍
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@naominovik @grimoakcommunity #whispersandwonder #qotd #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #instabook #uprooted #naominovik #sff #fantasy #folklore #magic #tomance #igreads #igbooks #bookphotography #bookaholic #booklove #coverlove #readersofinstagram #amreadingfantasy #tbr #amreading #alwaysreading #readersofinstagram

★ QOTD: What are some books that present fresh t

★ QOTD: What are some books that present fresh twists on the afterlife? ★
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Happy Friday, everyone. Anyone doing anything fun this weekend? Planning for Self-Published Fantasy Month is in full force, and this weekend we'll be making some huge leaps! Stay tuned, more info is on the way! So, last year I had the pleasure of reading Sarah Lampkin's TO DREAM IS TO DIE, the first installment in her Dead Dreamer series. This book is one novel that steps so far out of the bounds of what's expected of the NA Paranormal subgenre, and I absolutely adore it. It's by no means a light and airy romance, but a unique and creative tale of a woman whose spirit separates from her physical body as she sleeps—a resulting consequence of prior harrowing accident—and her journey for truth. Mysteries, dangers, and local legends aplenty, it sweeps readers on a excursion filled with twists and turns, making it near impossible to put down. If you're looking for something so unique and gripping, I highly suggest you give this beautiful book a shot. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 💕
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@slampkin.author @theparliamentpress #whispersandwonder #qotd #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #instabook #todreamistodie #deaddreamer #sarahlampkin #sff #fantasy #paranormal #newadult #igreads #igbooks #bookphotography #bookaholic #booklove #coverlove #readersofinstagram #amreadingfantasy #tbr #amreading #alwaysreading #readersofinstagram #readindie

★ QOTD: What are some of your favorite 'Chosen O

★ QOTD: What are some of your favorite 'Chosen One' stories? ★
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Happy Thursday, everyone!
I remember first picking up THE WARDED MAN (also known as THE PAINTED MAN) by Peter V. Brett and just falling in love with the immersive world he had crafted. As a character-driven fantasy tale, his cast takes center stage, and throughout the five-part Demon Cycle series readers witness such profound growth and evolution, you can't help but become invested in their futures. Arlen Bales leads the pack, beginning as a young, naive country boy, who transforms into the one to save them all. I don't know about you, but I love me some perfectly executed tropes! I think my favorite part of Arlen's character is the constant internal struggle he faces. Yes, he's The Chosen One, but he's so beautifully flawed, and not only does he know it, he lets all those around him know it, too. If you haven't yet read this series, I highly suggest you give it a try. Until tomorrow. 💕
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@pvbrett #whispersandwonder #qotd #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #instabook #thewardedman #thepaintedman #demoncycle #petervbrett #arlenbales #thechosenone #sff #fantasy #epicfantady #igreads #igbooks #bookphotography #bookaholic #booklove #coverlove #readersofinstagram #amreadingfantasy #tbr #amreading #alwaysreading

★ ARTIST SPOTLIGHT ★ . Happy Wednesday, everyo

★ ARTIST SPOTLIGHT ★
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Happy Wednesday, everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve had the pleasure of hosting a Windows Into Worlds spotlight, and this month is extra special. I was beyond thrilled to have the chance to chat with Stas Borodin, fantasy illustrator and author. I’ve been following Stas’ work for quite some time, and seeing his illustrations inside Michael R. Fletcher’s Black Stone Heart sparked my need to expand the feature from solely cover artists and designers to interior illustrators, as well. Incredible artist and author, awesome guy – a huge thank you to Stas for stopping by to have a chat.
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⇢ Visit my blog for to read the interview!
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@stasborodinfantasy #whispersandwonder #windowsintoworlds #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #sff #fantasy #fantasyart #fantasyillustrations #artistspotlight #authorspotlight #bookart #igbooks #bookphotography #bookaholic #booklove #amreadingfantasy #tbr #amreading #alwaysreading #readindie

Happy Tuesday, everyone. No QOTD today, but I just

Happy Tuesday, everyone. No QOTD today, but I just wanted to send a huge shoutout to Luke Tarzian for being the amazing person he is. Not only is he an incredible author who has some of the most intelligent and complex stories he shares with the world, but he's always willing to throw himself into the line of fire to defend those he calls friends. Luke, I can't tell you how much I appreciate everything you do. I'm so grateful our paths have crossed. Everyone, if you're looking for something so completely out of the box, a story that makes you think, a story that leaves lingering emotions, a story that is so beautifully told, you should really give VULTURES a read. I've had the pleasure of reading this mind-bending book, and I thoroughly recommend you give this one a shot. Here's the blurb:
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After decades of war the demon Te Mirkvahíl is dead. But its progeny endure, spilling from the Heart of Mirkúr, sowing death across the land of Ariath. If the people are to finally know peace, the Heart must be destroyed. Theailys An believes he can do just that with The Keepers' Wrath, an infamous power focus wrought in Ariath's yesteryears--but the weapon first must be reforged. War spares no one...
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Serece never intended to get involved in Ariath's war. But history and demons have a way of pulling strings. When she learns Theailys An, a man whom she abhors, bears striking similarity to the first creator of The Keepers' Wrath, Serece departs her mountain world for Ariath to ascertain the truth. From patience, hope...
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For millennia Behtréal has walked the world alone. Rewriting history to resurrect his people is easier said than done. But Ariath holds the key--soon The Keepers' Wrath will be remade. Truth from madness...
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As paths converge and a shadow falls across Ariath, one thing becomes increasingly and horrifyingly clear--these events have played out many times before.
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@luketarzianwrites #whispersandwonder #qotd #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #instabook #vultures #shadowtwins #luketarzian #sff #fantasy #darkfantasy #igreads #igbooks #bookphotography #bookaholic #booklove #coverlove #readersofinstagram #amreadingfantasy #tbr #amreading #alwaysreading

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