Starlight Bender
by Sofia Nedic
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GENRE: Fantasy
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BLURB:
Imani Stone has a secret—she possesses an ancestral power to bend starlight.
Having grown up in the lush, magical hills surrounding the ancient city of Lumenor, she is no stranger to star-gazing, potion-making, or tarot-reading. However, in the time of civil war in her city, Imani must hide her power to avoid being recruited by the queen’s legions or killed by the ruthless rebels. But everything changes once the city learns of an incoming army of warriors threatening to destroy Lumenor and steal their starlight crystal. Imani is met with a choice—remain in hiding and help her family or risk everything and join the queen’s legions.
But does she have what it takes to be a legionnaire?
Can she help save Lumenor, or will she be the cause of its demise?
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EXCERPT:
The ages-old rooftops of Lumenor stretched eastward, crowned by the white-gilded dome of Kirrah’s Temple. The goddess’ statue struck the skies beside it, her jewels gleaming in the night, rivaling the stars. Waterfalls of blue flower vines rushed down the tall stone fences of Old Town, and guards and folk crowded the streets, heading home after a night of drinking. Music spilled through tavern doors, singers’ voices blending with the subtle notes of lute and harp. The moonlight bathed the city in its silver gleam.
“The best thing you’ve ever seen?” Tain asked softly.
He crouched beside me and our elbows touched. I could almost taste the scent of mint and leather that was on his hair and skin. His demeanor was now gentle like the summer rain, contrasting with the quiet storm he carried when we were training earlier. It made me wonder which one of them represented the real him.
I sighed. “Second best,” I said. “Old Town is magnificent, but you should see the view from the very edge of the Mounds, the entirety of Lumenor stretched out before you. Nothing can best it. I stand by that.”
Tain was taken by surprise, staring at me in disbelief. He unrolled the sleeves of his shirt to protect his elbows from scratching against the stone. “In that case, you need to take me there. I would love to see it.”
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Sofia Nedic is a Slavic immigrant living in Austin, Texas with her husband and pup. She is a tech and fantasy nerd, and an avid enjoyer of ancient history, spirituality, and alchemy. When she is not working or crafting stories, she is exploring nature, reading books, visualizing her daydreams through AI art, or immersing herself in tarot and astrology.
Sofia visualizes the scenes and characters from her stories with AI art on her Instagram @starlight_bender.
Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Starlight-Bender-Archives-Book-ebook/dp/B0C9V599K3/ref=sr_1_1
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GIVEAWAY
Sofia Nedic will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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Thank you for featuring this excerpt today.
ReplyDeletethank you for the book review
ReplyDeleteIf one wish of yours could come true, what would it be?
ReplyDeleteGot this on the TBR list. Thanks for sharing the excerpt
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cover. Looks like an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteI really like the cover and excerpt.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the cover.
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