Jina Bazzar’s debut fantasy novel Heir of Ashes reads at a pace that left me breathless. The action is non-stop, and if you enjoy a powerful female protagonist, you’ve found her in Roxanne Fosch. The book was just re-released by Creativia Publishing (congrats, Jina!) and I’m delighted to share my review.
But, of course, I had to learn a little more about Jina first. She was gracious enough to answer two questions. The first focused on her writing style and how she went about developing a plotline that’s so rip-roaring fast-paced and full of action! The second question was more personal. Jina is visually challenged, and I was curious about how that hampers her as a writer, as well as how it’s made her a better writer.
Here are her answers:
I’m a fan of anything fantasy. I also enjoy adventure/action-packed books. Add a little fairy magic and you get the perfect mix. So when I decided to give writing a try, it was no surprise I got the fantasy/action/fairy combination. I knew who my protagonist was, I knew she would be fighting for her freedom. I had the introduction, a vague notion of the middle, and the ending in mind. That’s as far as planning went.
When I type, I let the story flow. Yes, I do lots of revisions but the pantser style feels somewhat gratifying.
As for my blindness, let me first say that being blind isn’t as hard as people believe it to be. Picture this: I see by touch, smell, sound (I don’t lick things, though I’ve been told I eat lunch while cooking). It’s a lot slower than just focusing your eyes at a point and sending that image to your brain. On the plus side, because I depend on my other senses to see, I’ve developed a sharper focus. I don’t have stronger hearing, I just pick up on the smallest nuances.
I can’t say being blind interferes with my writing, though I feel like I have an advantage other writers don’t: when I’m done typing, I turn on the automatic reader, lean back and listen to the flow. Most times, I can tell when the reader needs to take a breath – I add a comma here – or when the words jar, or when I need to add/delete something.
I do have a few peeves I believe I could manage if I could see:
Book formatting. No matter how many word tutorials I go through, I can’t get it right. Last year I thought I had it, but then a beta sent me an e-mail asking about the weird format.
Another peeve is the spell checker. If it doesn’t agree with my word choice, it highlights and suggests a similar sounding word. By and buy, cant and can’t, seize and cease, its and it’s… you get my point. Before I became aware of this evil plot, I’d correct and move on. But on the umpteenth revision, I realized some words sounded different, depending on where they fell in a sentence (remember, I pick up on small nuances).
And so I started checking some words letter by letter before correcting or not. That’s when I learned I had another foe: auto-correct.
And now, on to the review of Heir of Ashes.
If you’ve been looking for an electrifyingly fast-paced, paranormal book with a kick-ass female protagonist, this is it! Hold on to your seat and get ready for the ride. Never a dull moment and no mushy stuff in this book. She’s saving men more than they’re saving her.
Roxanne Fosch had preternatural abilities, but she doesn’t know the extent of her power and has only a sketchy idea of her past. Her adolescence was spent in a government research facility as a test subject, a place she escaped from a year before the book’s opening page.
Roxanne dreams of a normal life, and she wants to understand who and why she is, dreams and questions that will have to wait. The book is basically a chase as the morally corrupt researchers and their paramilitary goons try to recapture Roxanne. But the book is much more complex than that as other factions and interest groups help and hinder her. She has little trust for anyone, and the reader is left to question motives as well.
The story is told in 1st person from Roxanne’s point of view, and therefore the reader gets to experience some of the vulnerability that she rarely shows on the outside. She’s one tough cookie when baring her face to the world. This dichotomy makes her interesting and thoroughly believable. All of the characters are well-rounded and the dialog is natural and effortless.
A world full of preternatural beings is a given in this book with minimal backstory as to how this came to be, though Roxanne’s ancestral origins are eventually revealed. There are parallel worlds, werewolves, vampires, shapeshifters, Celtic fae (called the fee), and other monsters. The range of powerful abilities covers a wide spectrum where some, like Roxanne’s, are yet to be fully defined.
Above all, the action is non-stop, and there were plenty of times when I had no idea how Bazzar was going to get her protagonist out of the mess she put her in. Not all of my questions were answered about Roxanne’s journey, the other characters, and the factions at play, but this is the first book in the series, and I could see the preparation for book two.
I highly recommend this book to readers of speculative fiction, and anyone who loves high-action, fast-paced stories, and powerful female protagonists.
**
Happy Reading!
I love that you give us a little behind-the-scenes creative context, Diana, before launching into a stellar review! It invests me so much more fully than a summary of something I’ve never heard of otherwise would!
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When I really enjoy a book, I like sharing something about the author and his/her process. Jina’s debut novel was impressive, and I look forward to more of her writing. 🙂 Plus she’s just a lovely person!
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A fascinating write! Jina is an amazing author! A wonderfully, endorsed review!
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Thanks for taking a look at the interview and review. She really is a wonderful writer and I was so impressed with her book. Thanks for stopping by and Happy December. 🙂
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I am looking forward to reading her book. Jina also has an excellent mindset. And you are such an inspiration, Diana!
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😀 I hope you enjoy the read!
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Certainly! Your review has me all fired up!
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Thank you!
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A great review, Diana! Congratulations to Jina, and best of luck with the book!
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Thanks for stopping by to check out the review, Inese. It’s an exciting book and such a wonderful debut for Jina. Have a wonderful week, my friend. 🙂
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Thank you Diana! Best of luck with everything!
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Thanks!
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I am not reading this review now, because spoilers or none I want to read it without influence 🙂 will revisit this post.
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Haha, I do that too. I enjoy reviews of books i’ve already read and often prefer to skip the ones i have on my immediate tbr.
I hope you enjoy Heir of Ashes. Happy writing and have a great weekend.
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Thanks, you too have a nice weekend.
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I’m glad I piqued your interest. 🙂 I try not to spoil the read, but can relate to the fun of going in without expectations. I hope you enjoy the read. 🙂
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Did you ever read a book after reading a review from a reviewer you held in high esteem. Do you read book reviews, for that matter.
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I do read book reviews from bloggers and will purchase a recommended book or series if there’s something that captures my attention. And especially if more than one reviewer recommends it. I’m also pretty clear about what I like, so I’m rarely disappointed. 😀
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More than one reviewer is a good criteria, I guess you read the sane bloggers.
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A great book review, Diana. It sounds like a book many would like. You didn’t say that I could find but it sounds like the kind Young Adults would favor. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thanks for stopping by, Suzanne. I agree that YA audiences would love this. It has the same feel as The Hunger Games. I hope you have a wonderful day, and Happy Thanksgiving!
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Hi Suzanne, thanks for reading Diana’s wonderful review. Strictly saying, Heir of Ashes targets the new adult audience, but i’ve seen some of the readers tag it as ya. It all comes back to the reader’s perception at the end. Thanks for the comment and have a great weekend.
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A fascinating interview with a strong author – no wonder her protagonist is so strong! I focused on every word she spoke about being blind and a writer. I applaud her determination and her ability to write a spell-binding tale – despite problems with formatting and good ole spell check.
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Thanks for reading and taking the time to leave this nice comment, Pam. Hope you have a nice day.
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Yeah, spell check is a problem for all of us, I think. I can’t imagine the extra work it requires for authors who can’t see. Jina is amazing, as is her book! Thanks so much for stopping by, Pam. Happy Thanksgiving to you. 🙂
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Excellent review, and interesting interview. Absolutely love your description of no mushy stuff – sometimes you just want a fast-paced thrill of a book! Happy Holidays, Diana!
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Thanks. I was thrilled to no end when Diana invited me over. Her review is one of the best I’ve ever had. Have a nice day.
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Thanks, Mary. I like including little interviews with my reviews and never get tired of learning about other authors. Yeah, no mushy stuff. It’s not that I’m anti-romance, but for me, too much swooning, ambivalence, and body-drooling makes me roll my eyes. Jina’s hints of romantic possibilities was perfect – just enough to show the MC’s loneliness and lack of trust. We’ll see what happens in book two. 🙂 Thanks for the visit and Happy Thanksgiving!
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Love the interview, Diana and Jina! And this story sounds fascinating–great review! Another add to my TBR list!
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Ha ha ha. You must have a mile-high TBR pile, Julie. Thanks so much for the visit and checking out the interview and review. It’s a fun book, for sure. And Happy Thanksgiving!
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Thanks for dropping by, Julie, and for the addition to that mounting pile.
Have a great thanksgiving!
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Great review, I can’t wait to read this now! BTW, Thanks for the follow 🙂
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Oh good! I’m glad the review enticed you to give it a try. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the main character and the ripping pace. Thanks so much for the visit, and I’m always happy to connect with book bloggers! Have a great day, and if you live in the US, Happy Thanksgiving. 🙂
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Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving to you too! 🦃🍗🍲🎉
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Thank you. Diana’s review is one of the best ive ever had. Happy thanksgiving!
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You too! 😊
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This sounds wonderful, Jina – how have I missed this book? It has several elements that always draw me in. Excellent review, Diana!
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Thanks for stopping by Teri and I’m glad you enjoyed the review. The book is right up your alley and such a fun read… in a nail-biting way. Ha ha. Jina does a great job with keeping the pace zipping along with all that mounting danger! I hope you get a chance to give it a try. 🙂
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Thank you, Teri. There aren’t any geeky futuristic tech stuff in there,but other than, you have all the supernatural mix. Hope you have a great thanksgiving.
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An interesting interview, Diana. jina’s experiences with word-processing highlight how much we (I) take for granted.
I do like the sound of Heir of Ashes, will have to seek it out.
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I agree, Cath. I take a lot of things for granted, and Jina’s determination is an inspiring reminder of what people can do when the put their minds to it. Plus she’s naturally talented. I was drawn into the story, but I also read with an eye for craft, particularly how she continually escalated the risk for the characters. I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
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Hi Cath, thanks for the visit.. I hope you do get around to reading. Have a Nice day.
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Sounds like some kick-ass review Diana! And Jina sounds awesome too! I’m with her on formatting – still something I hire out , lol. ❤
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Thanks for stopping by to read, Debby. The book was right up my alley and a pleasure to review. Yes, formatting. I’m getting better at it, but it still takes me 50 drafts to get it right before hitting publish. Lol. Happy Writing!
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Lol, I’ve heard so many nightmares! I’ve had many of my own nightmares and that’s with already having my books professionally formatted, lol. Glitches abound!
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Uggh, Debby, i’m with Diana here. I do lots of drafts and try a lot of things before giving up and finally asking someone else to do it for me. I have hopes though, one day someone will say “oh, this format is perfect!” well, they say hope is the last to die. lol.
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Lol, believe me I know Jina. When I calculate the man hours of frustration I’m happy to pay for formatting! 🙂
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This is a fascinating author interview, Diana. Advantages and disadvantages to being blind I would never have thought of. A great sounding book too.
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I’m always amazed at all the different kinds of obstacles people face and how they persevere and do what they love. It’s inspiring, and reminds me how little I have to complain about. Lol. The book is a blast for readers of speculative fiction and recommended. 🙂 Thanks so much for the visit. Have a wonderful week!
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Hi Robbie, thanks for reading. It’s no chocolate and sweet recipes there, but i assure i ate a lot of them while putting the protagonist between a rock and a hard place. It’s been a great journey so far. have a nice day.
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I loved the author’s answers to the questions. So upbeat despite her disability. The review is astounding!
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Thanks for stopping by to read, Jan. I love speculative fiction, of course, and enjoyed the story as well as observing Jina’s craft. She certainly seems like an upbeat person, and I’m so excited for her book. Have a marvelous Thanksgiving and Happy Writing!
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Thank you. Diana’s review is one of my best so far.
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For a debut novel, this sounds amazing. I do love kick-ass female protagonists and this one has a lot going for her. Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks for stopping by, Jacqui. Jina’s main character is a great female protagonist, tough but with a vulnerable heart beating inside her. The balance is wonderfully written. I hope you get a chance to give the book a try. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Hi Jacqui, thanks for dropping by and leaving the nice comment. Hope you have a nice thanksgiving with the family.
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I am in awe! Congratulations Jina, the book sounds like a lot of fun. One question though, do you write to music or would that be too distracting?
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Thank you. I don’t write to music, no. But i do a lot of thinking while listening to loud music. Or baking. Or baking while listening. Or cleaning with the music blasting…. lol, you get my point.
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lmao – yeah, I hear you. I’ve done that a time or two as well. Happy writing!
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Great question, Andrea. I’m in awe too, especially since this is Jina’s first book. She does a great job of upping the ante for the MC, which keeps the pace moving at breakneck speed. 🙂 I hope you get a chance to give it a try. Happy Writing, my friend!
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Happy writing to both of you as well. 😀
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Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll have to give it a read.
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Hi KL, thanks for visiting Diana’s blog and taking the time to read. I hope you do get around to reading Heir of Ashes.
Have a nice week.
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Besides being a fun read, Kathy, I felt like I learned a few things about how to escalate the character’s stakes. Jina does a great job of putting her characters in impossible situations! Ha ha. I hope you enjoy the read. 🙂
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Congratulations on your new book, Jina! ❤ Outstanding review by Diana today. I enjoyed having a chance to learn a bit about you and your writing. Sharing…
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Hi Bette, thanks for the visit and the good wishes. Diana’s review is one of the best i’ve ever had and very flattering.
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Thanks so much for visiting, Bette. 🙂 Jina is a wonderful author and sweet person (aren’t author’s lovely?!). Happy Thanksgiving, my friend. ❤
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Lovely, indeed! ❤ Wishing you and yours and all of our lovely author friends and readers a blessed and beautiful Thanksgiving! xo
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What a wonderful introduction to a talented writer…I could sense the excitement you felt as you read Jina’s words…her answers to your questions revealed a lovely person we would all love to know!
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I’m so glad she made time to answer a couple questions. Aside from her talent, she’s a wonderful person, kind and supportive of other bloggers. I not only enjoyed her book, but felt as though I was learning about upping the ante and creating a lot of pressure on the characters. She does it that well. Thanks for the visit and I hope you’re doing well. Have a lovely week, Kim. ❤
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Hi Kim, thanks for this lovely comment and for taking the time to read. Diana was very kind to invite me over her wonderful blog. I know I’ve been smiling like a loon for hours.
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…and now I’m smiling!
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Wow! I’m definitely hooked – fast paced action and a strong female character can do that to me. 😉 Great review, Diana! And all the best to Jina and her first book in this very promising series!
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Jina has a lot of natural talent, Sarah. And her book was a really fun read. I love Roxanne’s tough outer shell and inner vulnerability and was so pleased that romantic interests were at the bottom of her list of priorities. I’m too old for that drama. Ha ha. I’ll take the “fighting for her freedom” action any day. Thanks so much for the visit, my friend. Have a wonderful week!
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Oh, Diana, i love romance and drama. But there’s no way a person concerned for her freedom – desperate for her freedom would have time for romance – not in real life anyway.
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I totally agree. But you created a little romantic tension too even though Roxanne isn’t ready to trust anyone. It was the perfect balance. 🙂
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Hehe! Yes, romance can involve too much drama sometimes for my taste too! 😀 And fighting for freedom is always a good cause!
Have a fabulous and creative week too, Diana! ❤️
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Thank you, Sarah, I hope you give it a try.
Hope you have a nice week ahead.
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You´re welcome, Nina! Happy week to you too! 🙂
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Sorry!! That was autocorrect! I meant Jina of course!
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Haha. Auto correct doesn’t like me. I have no idea why.
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🙂 That darn autocorrect!
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Jina’s book sounds great! Gotta love a tough female 🙂
Best of luck!
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Oh my is she tough, Jacquie, but with a lot of emotional stuff going on inside. It was a great balance. Thanks so much for visiting and checking out the review. 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving. ❤
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Thank you.! I admit I hadn’t intended to create a tough protagonist, just someone who could take care of herself, but Roxanne had a mind of her own.
Thanks for visiting.
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Hi Diana. What a pleasure to meet Jina. The title is a great hook and thank you for describing how packed with action the story is — just what I like.
I admire that Jina diminishes the challenges she faces. She’s developed skills to deal with the lack of sight. However, I’m legally blind without my glasses. So I have some idea of what she faces. I think she’s positively heroic. Wishing her huge success. A great big hug to you both.
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In a way, the pace of Jina’s writing is like yours, Teagan – never a dull moment! And you are both positively heroic, in my book (pun intended). Thanks for the visit, my friend. Hugs back at you!
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I blush.
You are far too kind.
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yes, i agree. Diana is amazing.
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❤
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Hi Teagan, Thank you for this lovely comment. Diana’s review is one of the best i’ve recieved so far, and coming from another fantasy writer, it’s also very flattering. Thanks for dropping by and Have a nice day.
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Sounds great! Congrats, Jina!
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Hi Betsy. Thanks for the visit. I’m delighted to share my thoughts on her book – it was an exciting read. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
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Thank you!
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I can discern your joy from the way you have reviewed this book Diana, as this is your favorite genre. I am amazed at Jina’s talent and how she deals with her challenges with a smiling spirit. Wishing her great success with her debut fantasy novel and thanks for sharing a compelling review.
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You’re so right that I enjoy the genre, Balroop. And I love helping authors celebrate their success. Thanks for stopping by and adding to the fun. Have a wonderful day ❤
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Thank you, Balroop. Diana’s words made my day.
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Wow! A spell-binding review, Diana and high praise indeed from a gifted fantasy writer as yourself! I was breathless reading about Roxanne and the non-stop action … I like the idea of first person narrative and that through this Roxanne’s vulnerable side is revealed. Jina, I’m in awe … your book sounds fantastic, and I am impressed with the myriad of amazing beings that Roxanne encounters. Congratulations on this superb review and I imagine you’ll be smiling for days! It was interesting learning about your writing technique … yeah, another panster! I can well imagine that listening to the book, what you’ve written definitely allows you to pick up on nuances and cadence within the writing that many of us miss … but as you say formatting and same sounding words is still a huge issue. You have my respect for your patience and your positive spirit is inspirational. Wishing you the best with the rest of the series. 😀
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Thanks so much for the great comment, Annika. I really enjoyed the book and felt like I learned a few things about action … that technique of putting your characters in a tough spot and then instead of solving it, making it worse! Ha ha. It was a fun, fast read, and I was delighted to review. Have a wonderful week and Happy Writing!
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Annika, i not only have a big smile, but i’m also very flattered. Thank you for taking the time to read and leave this comment with all these beautiful words.
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Sounds gripping and quite exciting Diana. Nina has written a gem that could translate well to either TV or film.
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It could translate easily into film or TV, Jan. I could picture the scenes well, and yet Jina didn’t bog down her storytelling with lots of description. It was a fun read. 🙂 Thanks so much for the visit and Happy Thanksgiving (I’m assuming you’re in the US (?). Otherwise… just have a plain old wonderful week. ❤
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It sounds fun and with a string heroine the possibilities are endless. ☺️ I’m in the UK but thank you for your Thanksgiving wishes Diana. Same to you. ❤️
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Hi Jan,I have to admit that tv or film is something i’ve never considered. They seem to be the stuff of celebrities. I do hope one day i’ll be featured on the best seller list though.
Thanks for reading. Diana’s review sure made my day.
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Jina, you’ve written a marvellous book. Getting it adapted for TV/Film isn’t an impossibility. It certainly isn’t the sole domain of celebrities. These people had to start somewhere.
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That’s true, i just never thought about it.
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Jina and her book sound wonderful. Thanks Diana.
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Thanks for taking the time to read, Brad. This writer has some natural talent, and I’m excited to see what she comes up with next. Happy Thanksgiving!
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I would love to read her book and see what else Jina develops. Thanks for your generous sharing Diana.
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🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
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Thanks!
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I hope you do, and i hope you enjoy it if you do. Have a nice day, Brad.
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Thanks Jina.
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Thank you, Brad, for the kind word.
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You’re most welcome Jina.
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It was wonderful to learn more about Jina…she’s such an inspiration. Thanks for hosting, Diana!
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And thank you for stopping by, Jill. The action in this book starts on page one and doesn’t let up. I was happy to share. Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving, my friend. 🙂
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Diana made my day, Jill, possibly my week. Thanks for reading.
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What a terrific endorsement, Diana. Jina’s book sounds amazing and it is so interesting to learn about her success as a writer despite her visual challenges. Just goes to show you – talent cannot be suppressed in those who persevere!
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And Jina is quite talented too, Molly. I’m so happy for her success. Thanks for reading, my friend. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Hi Molly, thanks for the kind words. I suppose persistence and patience can beat all.
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Thank you Diana, for this wonderful opportunity to be featured here on your blog.
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You are very welcome! Your book is a great read that I’m happy to share. I hope you have fun with the comments and sell some books, too! 🙂 ❤
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