Excerpt Tour + Review + #Giveaway: Belega by Dianne Hartsock @GoddessFish

Belega

by Dianne Hartsock

GENRE: Erotic Fantasy Romance (M/M)

BLURB:

The Karthagans have regained their ancient powers of manipulating nature, but at the price of madness. In their lust for control, they've destroyed their island and most of their race. They come now to Belega, where one of them, Camron, seeks domination over the known world. The Mage has come from the northern continent of Sennia to bring peace but finding his strength no match for the coming struggle, he passes his abilities on to Natan, who only desires a simple life.

Now only Natan has the ability to stop Camron, but the personal cost is more than he imagines. It is only with the combined strength of his friends, his Karthagan lover, Kavi, and his deep desire to bring lasting peace to the earth, that he finds the courage to overcome Camron and restore balance to the world.

Excerpt:

The sun glared off the white bricks of the courtyard and sent stabs of pain through Natan’s closed lids. He found himself alone, although occasionally the murmur of voices would reach him then fade into the distance. Not like yesterday, when there were voices all around him and unkind hands when someone would brave to touch him.

They had dragged him across the courtyard, stripped him to the waist, then shackled him to a stake with his arms stretched above his head. Soldiers had beaten him, and he supposed they would have killed him outright for being a sorcerer, if superstition raised by the scar on his chest hadn’t kept them from it. Bad luck to kill a man with a diseased mind.

Natan’s laugh was a croak in his parched throat. They intended to let the elements do the job for them. He’d shivered in the freezing cold during the night and now the sun seemed determined to bake the life from him. He winced at a pang of hunger, but that pain he could ignore. He’d been hungry before. It was the desperate thirst that could drive a man insane. A grim smile split his cracked lips.

His mind wandered in the afternoon heat, and he went over his every decision since leaving Belega, quickly determining he’d made many mistakes. But he could find no trace of madness in his actions. Would he, though, if he looked deeper? His thoughts kept returning to the suspicion in Kavi’s eyes when he’d looked at him, and at last he hung his head in defeat. If Kavi believed him mad then surely he must be.

His eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry, Gregor,” he whispered as sorrow touched his soul. He’d failed his mentor. He thought of Bryon and knew how disappointed he’d also be. “I’m sorry, Father.” Dry sobs wracked him. He could no longer feel the hurt of his tortured body from the anguish in his heart.

Natan flinched when fingers brushed his face, and he stiffened for the blow. Instead, a flask was pressed to his lips and drops of glorious water trickled on his swollen tongue. When the flask was withdrawn, he threw his head back against the stake and fought to slow his hard breathing. He knew he had to wait a moment for more of the life-giving liquid, but every second brought agony. At last, he was allowed a few more swallows.

The chain rattled above his head, and suddenly his arms were free. He fell heavily to the ground, jarring his knees, but strong arms went around him as he was helped to his feet. Someone muttered in his ear, but he still felt dazed and couldn’t make out the words. He tried to open his eyes, but the fierce light stabbed at him again. He was guided to a horse, helped to mount, so he lay along the horse’s neck and threaded fingers through its mane.

My Review:

Belega is the first book in a new series The Karthagans by Dianne Hartsock. Belega starts off with lots of action. Belega starts off right in the middle of a war. The action never lets up with battle after battle that takes us all the way to the end.

There are a lot of characters in Belega that help to fight the many battles that take place. Belega is filled with magic that takes you a way to the other side as so many are injured in battle and need to be brought back as it is not time for them to leave just yet as they are still needed in this world for a little bit longer.

Belega kept me glued to the pages as I raced to the end to see how it all was going to turn out in the end. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as I wanted to know what lay ahead for Natan and Kavi. The descriptions were well written making it very easy to see it all play out in my head as if I was right there on the battlefield with them.

I highly recommend Belega to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy! Grab a copy of Belega today and join the battle!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Dianne grew up in one of the older homes in the middle of Los Angeles, a place of hardwood floors and secret closets and back staircases. A house where ghosts lurk in the basement and the faces in the paintings watch you walk up the front stairs. Rooms where you keep the closet doors closed tight at night. It’s where her love of the mysterious and wonderful came from. Dianne is the author of m/m romance, paranormal/suspense, fantasy adventure, the occasional thriller, and anything else that comes to mind.

She now lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. Dianne says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee in her hands, which kindles her imagination.

Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

Connect with Dianne Hartsock

Goodreads ~ Instagram

Blog ~ Facebook ~ Facebook Author Page 

 

Giveaway:

$15 Amazon/BN GC 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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