Forbidden Forest
The Legends of Regia
Book One
Tenaya Jayne
Genre: YA Fantasy romance, PNR
Publisher: Cold Fire Publishing LLC
Date of Publication: 2012
ISBN: 0988275716
ASIN: B009JVTLA6
Number of pages: 264
Word Count: 77,000
Cover Artist: Erika Doucesse
Book Description:
Born in shame. Cast from society. Shape Shifter/Elf hybrid, Forest must fight for any respect she can get. Targeted in her youth by a vampire noble who placed an illegal slave mark on her, she is forced to obey him, no matter what.
Slipping the grip of her master and abandoning the prejudice of Regia, her native world, Forest takes a job on Earth, guarding the portal, using her skills as a warrior to enforce Regia's laws. Now, called home for a black ops mission, Forest must put aside her own prejudice to transport the vampire prince, Syrus, through enemy territory in a time of war.
Prince Syrus, mage and master of the Blood Kata, wants Forest more than he's ever wanted anything. In spite of their mutual mistrust, their attraction cannot be denied. Through the danger of their mission, and the secrets they both keep, it doesn't matter what they feel. Forest is forbidden.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/Y2FtqAk64VA
Excerpt:
Forest pressed her back against the cool concrete wall, wanting to remain aloof from the entity of the crowd. She chose her position in the shadows, out of the paths of the roving, multi-colored spotlights. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the undulating human pheromones flying around on the air. At the beginning of every shift, she allowed herself a few minutes of this alien/human experience, though she didn't fully comprehend the combination of dancing, drinking, and ear-breaking sound waves. They loved it, however, and never seemed to deviate from the recipe.
These were the people she was sworn to protect. She had developed a light affection for the human race and considered them a benign, if not slightly silly, bunch of creatures. Her religious passion for her job was rooted in hatred of that which harmed the humans, not a superhero tendency to protect the weak.
Forest opened her eyes and focused all her senses to sniff out the illegal suckers that tried to sneak through the portal. She was in the zone tonight, and not for the first time did she feel that hers was the best job in existence. It was a shame she couldn’t legally kill suckers in her native world.
Over the next two hours, Forest didn’t move from the wall. She monitored the light traffic through the portal: two shifters and one elf, each of which nodded to her respectfully as they passed. Yawn. The shifters left the club to enjoy the delights of Austin’s nightlife elsewhere.
The elf would have been breaking Regia’s law had he left the club, but he dutifully seated himself at the bar and ordered a fuzzy navel. He wore a plaid, porkpie hat, pulled down over the tops of his pointed ears. Forest didn’t know him personally, but she had seen him in here before. The bartender surveyed him with narrowed eyes as the elf nervously tugged his hat down further and ordered a few more girly cocktails.
Intent on making sure that not one sucker was able to sneak past her, Forest was blindsided by the drunk bubba who had been trying to catch her eye for the last twenty minutes. He had finally decided to stagger over to hit on her.
“Hey babe, you’re too beautiful to look so lonely. How’s ‘bout I buy you a drink?”
“How’s ‘bout I call you a cab instead?” Forest mimicked his drawl.
“Only if you share it with me, Darlin.” He leaned in closer, and Forest’s throat began to sting from the noxious fume of booze mixed with his natural musk.
“While I appreciate the offer, Jethro, it seems only right to inform you that I’m not actually attractive at all. If you leaned in a little closer, you’d see that you’ve fallen victim to the effect of beer goggles. A hag like me can’t take advantage of a stud like you.”
As he leaned in, Forest instantly enlarged her nose, pockmarked her skin, evaporated her front teeth, and added a large black mole with a long hair sprouting from it for good measure.
“You’re no hag, baby! You’re the sexiest little thing in…I…uh…" He stumbled backward. “Good grief! Sorry, sorry…” he stammered, retreating. “I’ve gotta quit drinking,” he mumbled as he turned away.
Forest chuckled to herself once he absorbed back into the crowd. Being a shape shifter sometimes had unusual perks.
My Review
I wanna start with- Gimme book two! LOL I loved this one! The author did a fantastic job weaving a new world for me to immerse myself in. This book has great things all packed in, action, supernatural elements, fantasy elements, great romance, suspense that kept me on my feet, and some really great writing! I loved the characters! Syrus and Forst are fantastic as leads, and I seriously giggled a lot. And I loved how the characters got each other, there was no dominant submissive, hide in the corner wile I protect you and tell you to come out moments. Of course there's alpha-ness, but it's done so damn good in here that I may be scarred for everyone else in the future. I loved their friends and secondary characters as well. And let me say, there's an even longer list of bad guys, this author takes the cake on writing a lot of well written villains!
So anyways, the book is mainly about Forest a half elf shifter, and she is from Regia, but her hybrid status makes her low man on the totem pole. What everyone else is doing, degrading her, she is learning about having powers from both lines, the shifter and the elf. She is bad ass. Finally because of this, she gets to work with the law side of her world, and she is to guard a portal between Earth. But there's also someone or something to get in the way, like a mark at birth tying her to crazy vampers. And in trying to get away from one vamp she is going to another and meet a wizard. LOL it's really great. Oh and we can't forget the wolves who get thrown in there too. SEE there's so much damn goodies in here I forget to breathe! So, I won't talk too much more other than to say I have a lot of intention of not only rereading this book, I will be buying every book from this series! ASAP! I want more!! :) Well done, and I can't wait to see what's in the future! I'm really sorry I am writing this review today, because I would have put this book in my Best of 2015 list! :) 5 PAWS!!
I wanna start with- Gimme book two! LOL I loved this one! The author did a fantastic job weaving a new world for me to immerse myself in. This book has great things all packed in, action, supernatural elements, fantasy elements, great romance, suspense that kept me on my feet, and some really great writing! I loved the characters! Syrus and Forst are fantastic as leads, and I seriously giggled a lot. And I loved how the characters got each other, there was no dominant submissive, hide in the corner wile I protect you and tell you to come out moments. Of course there's alpha-ness, but it's done so damn good in here that I may be scarred for everyone else in the future. I loved their friends and secondary characters as well. And let me say, there's an even longer list of bad guys, this author takes the cake on writing a lot of well written villains!
So anyways, the book is mainly about Forest a half elf shifter, and she is from Regia, but her hybrid status makes her low man on the totem pole. What everyone else is doing, degrading her, she is learning about having powers from both lines, the shifter and the elf. She is bad ass. Finally because of this, she gets to work with the law side of her world, and she is to guard a portal between Earth. But there's also someone or something to get in the way, like a mark at birth tying her to crazy vampers. And in trying to get away from one vamp she is going to another and meet a wizard. LOL it's really great. Oh and we can't forget the wolves who get thrown in there too. SEE there's so much damn goodies in here I forget to breathe! So, I won't talk too much more other than to say I have a lot of intention of not only rereading this book, I will be buying every book from this series! ASAP! I want more!! :) Well done, and I can't wait to see what's in the future! I'm really sorry I am writing this review today, because I would have put this book in my Best of 2015 list! :) 5 PAWS!!
Author Interview
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated or did you always just know?
My interest began around the age of eight. I had, correction have an overactive imagination. It can get to be an overload. Like pressure in a steam engine. Writing lets me assuage the excess in my head.
What inspired you to write your first book and what was it?
Two things at very different times. First would be my grandfather. He had a fantastic imagination and a very dry, quick wit. He made up stories to tell me and my brother when we were little. He always invited us to imagine with him. He’d start a story and then stop and ask us to continue the story as we wanted. He always believed in my imagination, and encouraged me to write.
I really began writing in my twenties, and I was inspired at that time by heartbreak. My toddler was not developing normally. I was in denial for a long time, but when I truly had to face there was something wrong, I needed to escape to help myself through the dark, painful time. So, I escaped into my own imagination.
That was ten years ago. Life is very hard with a special needs child. I’m not walking around with a broken heart now, but I still need to write. In fantasy, I control the world, and anything is possible. I need that when reality is crap. And it means a lot to me that I can give a few hours of escape to someone else through my stories.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I use snapshots of my own experiences in my books. For example, Forbidden Forest has a vicious abuser. I’ve known a few real abusers in my life. Leith’s character is not based on a particular person, but his actions and personality run true to classic abuser behavior.
How do you chose when/which characters die in your books?
Nice question! I have a personal rule to never kill a main character. Side characters and villains are free game. I feel that death should always serve a purpose to the story. I hate when other authors will kill characters that I love. J.K. Rowling, I’m still angry at you!
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Dawn Metcalf. Her imagination is unique. Reading her stuff is kind of like romance in the Twilight Zone.
Who do you look up to as a writer?
Nora Roberts, and not because she’s uber successful. Her work makes me happy. She always delivers a satisfying HEA. Her characters are fleshed out in every book, despite the fact she written a bazillion titles.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your book?
Not really. I’m always striving to improve my craft, so there are places, I would write better now. As far as the story itself, no.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I write romance, but I’m determined to keep my heat level at a PG-13. This is a challenge because when I write intimate moments, I have to focus primarily on the emotion the characters are feeling and not a rundown of his hand went here, or her mouth did this, etc. It would be easier to just throw it all out there, but I’m forced to convey the moment in different ways. I have to edit and rewrite my sex scenes more thoughtfully than most other parts of my work.
What book are you reading now? Or what genre?
I’m reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
Who designed the cover? And do you help with them?
Who designed the cover? And do you help with them?
Erika Doucesse is my cover artist. I design the cover in my head first and then I tell her what I want. I love working with her. She’s so talented, and she understands what I want to convey visually.
Did you learn anything from writing your books and what was it?
I learned a lot about myself. How to go the distance, and that I had it in me to go there at all. I learned where it’s important to be rigid and where to let go. I could write for hours on what I’ve learned personally and on the business end. If you give yourself over to writing, you might be surprised at what comes out of you. I was and sometimes still am.
If you could be one of your characters, who would you chose?
Probably Kindel, because he’s the only one I don’t torture.
Are there any books you think some of us should read, just because?
I highly recommend Gargoyle by Shelley Martin. It’s brilliant, different, and deserves a much bigger audience than it has.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Keep your eyes open! I know you’re all anxious for the next Regia book. Blood Lock will be out very soon! I love you all!
About the Author:
Nationally Bestselling author Tenaya Jayne has always walked a shaky line between reality and fantasy. A nomad by nature, she's lived all over the US, and now resides happily in the Midwest, with her husband and sons. She's an advocate for Autism awareness and women trapped in abusive relationships, and feels everyone has too much pain to not enjoy an escape into a fictional fantasy world. Her passions include reading, independent and foreign films, cooking, and moody music. For more about Tenaya and her books, visit www.tenayajayne.com
Tour giveaway
1 set of The Legends of Regia on Audible
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