Skydreamer by Sheryl Winters review tour #giveaway @WintersSheryl @RoanePublishing @GoddessFish

It's back to blogging after the holiday weekend. On this Monday we bring a very cool tour to our readers today. Dragons! We are the final stop on the Skydreamer Review Tour hosted by Goddess Fish Promotions. There's our review and a tour-wide giveaway. Good luck and thanks for stopping by.

Skydreamer by Sheryl Winters

Paranormal romance

Paperback/eBook, 380 pages

Published March 30th 2015 by Roane Publishing (first published March 26th 2015)

Jaden is one in a million, a fire talent capable of bonding with a fire Esprit and creating fireballs of enormous proportions.

Draven Winterbourn is the devilishly handsome king of the Dragon-Changers, capable of changing into an enormous dragon. A man responsible for keeping the laws of his people.

When the two meet it was more than fate, it was true love.

So how can everything go so wrong between a couple who love so much?

Buy Links: 

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Bookstrand | All Romance eBooks | Kobo

Excerpt

“Draven Winterbourn and Jadelentha Zarie, please place your hands on top of the Iyardar Stone.”

After a moment’s hesitation, I touch the crumbly gray stone with shaking hands and Draven’s large tan fingers cover my own.

Electricity travels from the stone, passing through the tips of my fingers and zipping through my entire body. His hold on my hands tightens and soon, my fingers feel as if they have been placed in a vice grip—one that grows progressively tighter, until I am forced to channel Esmay.

Sparks shoot into the palm of his hand and he lets go. The look he gives me does not bode well for our impending marriage.

Laughter erupts in fits and snorts behind us, but a sharp hand movement by the queen silences them.

I shouldn’t have done this. I’ve made a big mistake. I fold my arms against my chest, feeling sick. The longer I stand there, the more determined I am to leave. Humiliated in front of dragons and humans and whatever else is standing behind us. Let him find another bride—someone who wants to be mortified and have her hand crushed.

“Draven and Jadelentha, you are about to enter an exclusive contract for marriage. What say you?”

I glare at the stone to avoid their eyes, suddenly furious I ever let Isla and a stupid rock decide my life.

For once in your life, make a decision for yourself.

“I have some questions.”

The dragons behind us begin whispering. Soon, the room rumbles with sound.

Beside me, the queen’s teeth clench, a sure sign I’ve annoyed my soon-to-be-mother-in-law. “Now?” she practically shrieks.

What if she changes into a dragon and eats me? Despite what Isla says, I am positive she can do it.

Face the fire, Jaden. Turn and face him.

Rating: 5 of 5 LOVED IT!

Cover comment: Nice mix of colors, especially with Jaden's hair. Not crazy about the thin font used for author's name.

Book source: I received a promotional copy.

I began reading Skydreamer on a Saturday morning and found that I simply couldn't put it down. This easily became a one sitting read. Author Sheryl Winters has created quite an engaging fantasy with lots of romance, action, and dragons. The world intrigued me and kept me completely engaged in it. 

First off, I thought the idea of Esprits, the special abilities the human girls had, were extremely cool. These talents disembark from their hosts, have names, and can do things like babysit. COOL. Jaden is a Fire Talent (hers is named Esmay), her twin sister Isla is a Water Talent (hers is named Icia) and their little sister Adania is an Earth Talent (she's learning and can conjure a small dirt golem, Mr. Dirty). These sisters are immediately likable and their backstory makes them sympathetic. I'm so glad the story is told by the twins. Reading from both of their perspectives helped immerse me into their incredible world. I wound up loving them both (and their little sister too).

After enduring the loss of their parents, the sisters, 18, want to enter a contest to try and win a large monetary prize. Money would help the girls support Adania and pay for her education. Surprisingly, Jaden takes the top honor. Family is a strong theme in this book, with both the humans and the dragons. The winner also winds up marrying a Dragon-Changer King. The trials Jaden and her friend endure may be brutal but they're interesting. 

Did I say there were dragons? Yes, I did. King Draven Winterbourn first comes across as mysterious and the looks he shared with Jaden will excite anyone who enjoys romance. Their wedding ceremony is not only cute, it's funny (well, I don't think the Queen found it humorous but you'll have to read the book) and I knew Draven would be swoon worthy. He was (as was his twin, Ra'von).

Life puts the Zarie girls through changes and I enjoyed seeing them change and deal with the different situations which popped up. Winters kept me entertained with her twists and turns. The party scene and ending certainly caught me by surprise. Since I feel so strongly about this book, I will mention I felt there could have been more worldbuilding with both the worlds of the Dragon-Changers world and the humans. There were also mentions about an impending war with orcs, the 'whispering' of dignitaries, and threats made by the girls' uncle, all of which I viewed as foreshadowing, but did not find followed through by the end. 

There's so much to love in Skydreamer. From the fantastical people and places to the writing style, I loved it! The various emotions I felt throughout reading were proof. I laughed, got teary eyed, I wanted to ride on the back of a dragon and ice dance with Isla. I can only hope that Sheryl Winters will continue this with a series. There was such a large cast of characters including the children, I bet there are plenty more tales to tell. I would love to read more of Isla's wonderful ice talent and Ra'von. My list goes on. I know one reader who will surely grab them up--me! 

About the author

Sheryl Winters lives in a small town in Alaska. She grew up in the midst of old country story tellers, so you might say writing comes naturally to her. She is known for writing paranormal romances with a twist. Her writing inspiration often comes from the great outdoors of Alaska and she enfolds bits of it into her stories. She never set out to be an author only a story teller. Some days she succeeds better than others.

Ms. Winters Links: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway

Sheryl will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway