Today I’m participating in the AIA Seal of Excellence award-winning Diamond Peak Series Tour. Lethal Inheritance, the first book in the series has also won a BRAG Medallion for outstanding Independent fiction. The tour includes free short stories, a ‘buy one get one free’ deal on the novels and a complete series ebook give away for those that take up the offer. Details are at the end of the post.
Tahlia Newland, the author says about the series. “These are no ordinary books. The magic within them is real. The powers of the characters are within your grasp and their success in their journey of self discovery can be yours.”
I have a review of the second book in the series, Stalking Shadows for you today.
If you are new to the series, check out my review of Book 1 Lethal Inheritance HERE
Stalking Shadows by Tahlia Newland
ebook, 380 pages
Published March 8th 2013 by Catapult Press
Age Group: Young Adult/ New Adult crossover
Series: Diamond Peak Series #2
Source: ecopy from Author
Summary:
Trainee Warrior Ariel Malony hopes that the great library at Sheldra holds the key to rescuing her mother, but in order to get there, she must negotiate a forest of evil spirits, escape a mind-numbing city of sparkling towers, travel through the treacherous gullies and ancient villages of Minion Hills, and avoid an attack by a demon lord intent on killing her.
At the same time, a battle rages between her heart and her mind. A relationship with her travelling companion, the enigmatic Nick, is just too tempting, but can they be together without Ariel losing her focus and falling to the demons? Her life is at stake, but also her heart. She risks encasing it in stone and denying herself the very sustenance she needs.
Will they make it to the safe haven of Sheldra, or will Ariel die at the hands of the yellow-eyed demon?
These are intense books. I read the first one a little over a year ago and I remembered that I really enjoyed it, so i was really excited when the author approached me and asked me to be a part of the blog tour for her second book. Stalking Shadows is a really good follow up Lethal Inheritance. I am not crazy about the cover but the story is wonderful! If you feel the same way about the covers as I do, look past it and read this series! It is a really great fantasy series. I called the first one Young Adult, but I think this one is more New Adult, or at the very least YA/NA borderline.
One of the cool things about the Diamond Peaks series is that a central message is focusing on the positive emotions. All of the different kinda of minor and major Rasas, or demons in this book feed on various different negative emotions. Some feed on fear, some on jealousy, and others on arrogance, pride or feelings of superiority. And to defeat them, not only do you need training and to be able to physically kick butt, but you have to be in control of your emotions and focus your positive energy for extra fighting power.
Stalking Shadows picks up where Lethal Inheritance left off, and Ariel and Nick are continuing their way up the mountain to defeat the big honcho demon. I like that each book focuses on a different Major Rasa Demon. This book was Amic- a demon that feed on feelings on arrogance and superiority. He would disguise himself as anyone that he thought you would look down upon, and feel like you were better than them. Some of the people he disguised himself as was pretty clever. But there isn’t just one big fight at the end of the story, the whole way up the mountain is a struggle. I love how vast the mountain is. Ariel and Nick run into cities, and towns and each are so different than the last. There are medieval towns and modern cities full of luxuries. It is whatever the people living there want. It makes for a very cool book.
There are multiple points of views in Stalking Shadows. For the most part it is just Ariel and Nick but a couple of chapters were told from Ariel’s mom’s POV as well. I liked having the different narratives, but I would have preferred them to have been marked so I knew right away who was speaking. It wasn’t overly confusing or anything like that but it would have just made it easier since sometimes the view points switched in the middle of a chapter.
Fans of fantasy will really like the Diamond Peak Series. I know I do. It is full of action, adventure, and lots of tentative romance. I love finding out more about this mountain, and I am so rooting on Ariel to kick major demon butt. She is great. She is not infallible but she learns quick and she is so determined. Thats what I love about her. Great Sequel.
Award winning author Tahlia Newland writes contemporary fantasy and magical realism with a metaphysical twist.
Two of her novels have received the Awesome Indies Seal of Approval for excellence in independent fiction and her young adult magical realism novel ‘You Can’t Shatter Me’ was awarded a B.R.A.G Medallion for an outstanding independent novel in 2013.
Tahlia has been writing full time since 2008. She is also a prolific reader and book reviewer. When not reading or writing you may find her being an extremely casual high school teacher or making decorative masks.
Tahlia is a bone-fide expatriate of the performing arts, with over 20 years experience in scripting and performing in Visual Theatre and Theater in Education. She has studied philosophy & meditation for many years, lives in an Australian rainforest and loves cats, but she doesn’t have one because they eat native birds.Connect with Tahlia:
@TahliaNewland / http://tahlianewland.com
If you buy book one, Lethal Inheritance, and send the receipt to tahlia.newland@yahoo.com before the 15th of December, she will send you book 2, Stalking Shadows, free of charge and enter you in a draw to win the rest of the series.
You can also pick up two short story prequels for the series FREE anytime. These books include chapters 1 & 2 of Lethal Inheritance, so you can try before you buy.
Download links for RUN, a FREE urban fantasy prequel to the Series.
Download links for Ariel’s Dream, a FREE YA urban fantasy prequel to the Series
Purchase links for Lethal Inheritance (Paperback available)
Purchase links for Stalking Shadows (Paperback available)
Purchase links for Demon’s Grip
Purchase links for Eternal Destiny
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kimbacaffeinate
I am a fan of dual pov’s with a few others mixed in. I like the sound of the paranormal elements and agree the cover would have had me passing on this series, so I am glad I read your review.
Christy @ Love of Books
I’m on the picky side when it comes to fantasy, but these sound really good. I like intense! 🙂
Bill Marantz
I am not a fan of this category of literature but this series certainly sounds a cut above the usual Sword & Sorcery kind of stuff. (But I agree about the cover.)