Wednesday, October 24, 2018

The Scythian Trials by Elizabeth Isaacs - Book Tour & Review + Giveaway

The Scythian Trials
Elizabeth Isaacs
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication date: October 16th 2018
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction
Descendants of the Amazons, the Scythians work alongside prominent governments but answer to no one. Warriors living on the fringe of civilization, they live by one credo: Strength through Equality. Power through Knowledge.
Nya Thalestris is the brightest Scythian of her generation. Strong, capable, ruthless, she is sure to earn a spot in the Trials, a time-honored mating ritual responsible for the evolution of her species.
Abducted by their sworn enemy, the Drahzda, Nya is forever altered and spirals out of control. The Society sends in Jax Nickius. Infamous psychologist and one of the most brutal warriors of their kind, he discovers triggers planted in Nya’s mind. As Nya solidifies her spot in the Trials, Jax develops a plan to help her heal—while pursuing her as a mate. But, Nya’s attraction to Jax is at war with her instinct to never let anyone get too close.
During the Trials, Nya’s repressed memories surface, revealing a new enemy—one from inside the consulate walls—and a traitorous alliance on the horizon that could irrevocably change the course of history.
Since before the Bronze Age, the Society has managed to safeguard humanity from itself … until now.
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My Review
The Scythian Trials is a fascinating read. It tells the story of the descendants of Amazonian warriors who live alongside humans, known as Allos, but have nothing to do with them. They're strong, capable women who take care of themselves. But that doesn't stop them from fighting for the right to participate in the Scythian Trials, which is where they will find their mate. 
It sounds strange, but it's actually a very serious, very intense and intimate experience. And when I say intimate, I don't mean sexual (although there is some of that in the book); I mean more on an emotional level. 
Nya is one of the best female Scythian warriors, but she struggles with blocks in her memory. She has issues with certain things (like being touched), but she doesn't know why. So she works with Jax, who tries to help her unlock her memories and discover what happened.
Nya's past is not a pretty one, and when it comes back to haunt her, if you will, things get ugly real fast.
I really liked the story. I thought Nya was a pretty intelligent, strong-willed woman who just happened to be dealing with a lot of things she couldn't remember. She was determined, kind, and loyal to her friend Xari, who I also really liked.
Jax is a tough cookie, but he's also a really great guy who will do anything to make sure Nya is safe and happy and loved, even though she claims she doesn't want a mate. 
There are some interesting twists and turns, and some characters end up being bad when you think they're good, and vice versa. I liked how it kept me on my toes.
I also thought the world building was really well done. Even though it's set in real locations, you can get a visual on what each place looks like when the characters are there. 
And the plot was steady, not dragging or moving along too quickly. I was intrigued, then captivated, and it was a story I didn't want to put down, but had to. 
Now, there may be scenes in the story that might be triggering to some readers, so if you're sensitive to certain subjects, you may have a hard time with the book.
Overall, I thought The Scythian Trials was a pretty good read, and I did like it. I was hoping for maybe a little more, but it doesn't end on a cliffhanger, so that was a plus.
I give The Scythian Trials 4 stars.


Author Bio:
Elizabeth is an author, teacher, and publishing professional who began her career as a national presenter for Resource Profiles, where she developed teacher seminars designed to foster creative brain stimulation. Moving into formal education, she helped at-risk students improve their writing skills as well as created and implemented a creative writing/blogging program that centered on teaching the 21st-century learner. Works stemming from this initiative were published online and seen in over 40 countries.
Elizabeth receives invitations to speak nationwide at schools and book clubs. She co-founded the popular book site, Chirenjenzie, which reaches thousands of people throughout the world. The writer support and reader interest group promotes and interacts with followers on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and various other blog sites. Elizabeth has a Master's degree from Austin Peay State University, where she studied classical opera. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.
"The Light of Asteria" received Honorable Mention at the New York Book Festival. Her newest work, "The Scythian Trials" will be released in 2017 by Vesuvian Media.
For more information, please visit www.elizabethisaacs.com


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4 comments:

  1. Great review, Jasmine! This sounds well written and compelling! Glad you liked it! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. So glad you enjoyed The Trials, and thank you for participating in the tour.

    ReplyDelete

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