The Realm of Camellia Series is now Complete!

By Liz | February 28, 2023

Wow. I can’t believe I finally get to say this, but the Realm of Camellia Series is now complete!

As I did an interview Live on IG last night, I realized I have been writing in this world for about SIX YEARS. It’s crazy to think that this time has come to an end. I have been through A LOT in those six years, and I think Kira’s journey in Camellia reflects on that.

Her story was always about finding balance, and about finding light in the darkness. And I hope her story and messages resonate with people out there, because I know sometimes it can be hard to find that light in dark times. I am so proud of Kira’s growth as a character, and I will miss writing Thistle’s snarkiness, Zowan’s strength and wisdom, Anzu’s steady stoicism, and Jun’s confident banter.

I want to thank everyone who has joined me in this writing journey. Big thanks to Benjamin Thomas, my longtime beta reader, as well as Ben Daniels, Dan Foley, and Tori-Lynn Bell, the best writer’s group full of support, skill, and imagination. Another big thanks to Kimberly Grymes for joining me first as a reviewer, then beta reader, and writing buddy! Thank you to all the readers who have joined me throughout this epic journey, I hope you enjoy the final installment of Kira’s story.

It was more difficult than I predicted to finalize this series. I had invested so much in these characters and wanted to see their stories come to a proper close. There are some sad parts. There are some amazingly powerful moments. There are small but intense moments of love and family and friendship.

Enjoy, and thank you! I hope to see you all join in my next series journey, which I can’t quite tell you about yet! But now that The Starlight Dragon is out in the wild, I should be able to start working on the new series quite soon.

Get The Starlight Dragon now

Realm of Camellia Read-Along 99c Sale

By Liz | January 6, 2023 | Comments 0 Comment

It’s almost here!

I’m hosting a group read of the Realm of Camellia Series in my reader group, Liz’s Literati, where we’ll read all three books in the series leading up to the release of the fourth (The Starlight Dragon, February 28).

And because of that, all three books are 99c for a limited time, so you can grab your copy and join us!

Get the deal

and then…

Join Liz’s Litarati

What’s the Read-Along all about?

Starting January 9th I’ll be hosting a read-along of the entire Realm of Camellia Series, leading up to the release of The Starlight Dragon on February 28th. Join in if you’d like to do a group read of the books, whether you’ve read them before, or if this is the first time. We can discuss the chapters, discussion questions, your favorite characters, Q&A’s with me about Kira’s story, artwork, and, the best part–prizes!

All you need to do is join my Facebook group, Liz’s Litarati. I’ll use the hashtag #ROCReadalong on all the posts in case you miss any and want to go back.

Here’s the reading order:

The Starless Girl: January 9-January 23
The Storm King: January 24- February 7
The Gray Mage: February 8- February 25

Feb 28: The Starlight Dragon releases!

The Starlight Dragon Cover Reveal

By Liz | December 20, 2022 | Comments 0 Comment

It’s here! The Starlight Dragon is now available for Preorder, and you can finally see its beautiful cover:

PREORDER NOW

Spoilers Ahead

If you haven’t read the other books in the Realm of Camellia series, and don’t want them spoiled, stop reading now!

After a year of hard training, Kira’s time at Gekko-ji is coming to an end. Her ceremony is cut short when Tigran and his army arrive with a powerful weapon and new laws prohibiting magic.

Now everyone in the Realm of Camellia is in danger.

When strange magic starts appearing across the realm, Kira must decide whether or not to continue playing the political game.

Or become a rebel.

As more anomalies appear, Kira and her friends set out to undo the evil wrought by the same man responsible for separating Kira’s family. In order to defeat Tigran, Kira must delve into a centuries-old mystery and seek out allies both old and new.

Can she unravel the secrets of the past and save the realm from total darkness?

The epic conclusion to the Realm of Camellia Series.

Book & Tea Review: Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

By Liz | November 23, 2021 | Comments 0 Comment

Today I’ve got a tea-infused book recommendation for you! This post contains affiliate links.

The tea:
Plum Spice from Simple Loose Leaf Tea

The book:
Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

I managed to snag a signed copy at a local bookstore without even realizing it.

These two pair well because they’re both: Tart, bold, and with spice. And I thought the color perfect for this sometimes bloody tale.

This tea was in my November subscription box. I do love a good herbal tea for when I can’t have caffeine. It has coconut, apple, and cranberry pieces, as well as hibiscus, cranberry, and ginger. And of course that gorgeous color is from the hibiscus and cranberries.

“I leaned back, studying her as she finished my bun. A bit of icing covered her lip. Her nose was still red from the cold, her hair wild and windblown. My little heathen.”

Lou possibly is a little heathen, a strong-willed survivor with a snarky attitude who has been living in the attic of a theater (hiding from the other witches) until her unfortunate run-in with the witch-hunters, the Chasseurs.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said finally.
“A dangerous pastime.”

Serpent and Dove is YA Fantasy, rife with deadly magic, snarky characters, and a enemies to lovers romance that I actually enjoyed (seeing as how I am very selective of romance reads). I would definitely classify it as New Adult though, because of the 🔥 spicy scenes.

Towards the end, I immediately bought books 2&3 because I was hooked.

The intricate magic system fascinated me, since I always think fictional witches are interesting. Every bit of magic has a price. From broken fingers to losing memories, Lou must always sacrifice something.

The only thing that drew me out of the book from time to time was the thoroughly modern language Lou used sometimes. She was clever, and witty, and occasionally anachronistic.

So all in all, this book was definitely my cup of tea. And so was the cup of tea.

The Gray Mage is now available!

By Liz | August 31, 2021

It’s here! And the paperback JUST went live just in time despite a mysterious error I kept getting with Amazon’s system over the weekend.

The advance reviews of The Gray Mage have been too sweet, and several people have already said that this book is their favorite in the series so far!

With that said, no pressure when I write book #4 then, I guess, right?

I’m hosting a giveaway (US only, sorry) for signed paperbacks of The Starless Girl and The Storm King, and there’s only a few hours left. Two lucky people will win. Enter here:

E.J. Kitchens Spills the Tea on The King’s Spell

By Liz | June 17, 2021

Today I’ve got some fun book news to share with you, as E.J. Kitchens stops by to spill the tea on her new fantasy release, The King’s Spell.

Ok, E.J., spill it!

Magic, mystery, manners, and mischief–I love a good combination of these and so put all of them into my new release, The King’s Spell. It’s a “Jane Austen romance meets fantasy adventure” story with a cursed half-magic and a mischievous enchantress who must work together to save king and kingdom.

How about some tea?

A friend gave me tea from Norway–it is beautiful (with dried blue, red, and yellow flowers) and smells amazing, and tastes good! There are several important scenes with tea. Meredith does get to taste chai tea before disaster strikes one tea party.

Check out the book, and follow E.J. Kitchens on:

Website * Instagram * Facebook

The Alchemyst’s Mirror is LIVE

By Liz | October 27, 2020

Happy publication day to The Alchemyst’s Mirror! Now available in ebook, hardcover, and paperback.

I’m so excited to share this book with the world. It was my favorite book to write so far, and I think you’ll like it too. Petra and Maisie will be back in another Everturn Chronicles book, coming out in March 2021.

Don’t forget to check out the book’s Blog & Bookstagram Tour all week, with lots of fun things like recipes from the tea shop, interviews with me, and there’s even a giveaway for a hardcover copy.

Book & Tea Review: Heart of the Curiosity by H.L. Burke

By Liz | October 7, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

A book with heart, and a hearty tea

I’ve been in a reading slump for a while now. I don’t know whether I’ve just been busy with my new fall releases, or if it’s the social/political/health climate, or what. But I finally finished a book!

I chose this one because H.L. Burke writes fun and snarky characters, and I figured it would keep my interest until the end. And it definitely did. So today I have a book & tea review for you; keep reading to see which tea I chose to go with it and why!

This post contains affiliate links.

📖 The book: Heart of the Curiosity by H.L. Burke

Key points:
🌇 Awesome world building
👥 Great characters
🎭 Theater
🪄 Magic
⚙️ Steampunk
🥐 Pastries
🐌 Snails

Having read this author before, I knew I was going to be in for a fun yet heartfelt tale. And it was set in a theater, with characters who can do magic? Sign me up.

Leo and Muse find a home in The Curiosity Theater, their respective “knacks” (little magics) giving them jobs as a dancer (Muse can levitate) and a professional audience member (Leo can influence other people’s emotions).

When the theater becomes in danger of closing after a tragedy, their livelihoods, their home, and their happiness are all threatened.

Leo is a great main character, her scruples about using her knack on other people an excellent point of character development. And her love of pastries… Comes close to her growing love for another certain someone at the theater.

There are so many interpretations of what the title could really mean as you read the book; there is so much heart in this story and these characters. I definitely found myself actually smiling the last two chapters.

Where do the snails come in? I’ll let you read it to find out!

“Yes, people need food and shelter and goods and services, even buttons, but they need art as well. They need to smile and laugh and cry and see ideas expressed in ways that make them think and feel. They need The Curiosity, or at least what it stands for.”
– (Paxton) H.L. Burke, The Heart of the Curiosoty

☕ The tea: Rooibos Lemon Cloud by Adagio Teas

Tea choice inspired by the somewhat magical pastry shop that Leo frequents, this tea has a bold rooibos flavor with the right amount of creamy lemon. Great hot in this cool weather!

I’m careful not to oversteep this tea, because as with most rooibos teas, the hearty rooibos will overpower any flavor if left too long. I also like to use my disposable tea bags, because, again, the rooibos flavor can get intense, and I’m far too lazy to clean my usual teamaking stuff with soap everytime I use it!

The only thing this tea could be wanting is maybe some lemon peels for added flavor and vibe. But it’s a great decaf tea for anyone who likes lemon, with a hearty rooibos base.

Book Spotlight: Ashen by H.L. Burke

By Liz | September 30, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

Today I’ve got a closer look at a brand new book by H.L. Burke: Ashen. It’s a Cinderella retelling with a unique perspective that I’m excited to share with you!

Stealer of warmth, bringer of death. What if Cinderella had a secret that kept her locked away?

Unable to make her own body heat, foundling Lizbete survives in the tavern kitchen, drawing warmth from the fires, the sun—and sometimes, other living beings. Her days are spent cooking alongside the tavern owner and avoiding the suspicious gazes of the villagers in her small northern town. While she quietly longs for the handsome Brynar, she knows she has no chance with the mayor’s son, even if he invites her to the First Frost festival.

When sudden earthquakes strike Brumehome, blame falls upon Lizbete, and not even her friendship with Brynar can protect her. She finds shelter in the dangerous caverns of nearby Ash Mountain. There she discovers mysterious people with her same ability to draw heat—and a fiery doom in the mountain that slowly awakens with every quake.
Now the festival Lizbete thought to avoid is her only chance to warn the villagers. Yet even with Brynar at her side, can the strange girl dubbed the Ash Lizard hope to save the town that fears her?

A rugged YA Cinderella retelling set in a fantasy world with light steampunk elements.

You can get your own here:

Amazon – Nook – Signed Paperback

About H.L. Burke

Born in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic. Her obsessions include dragons and tales about inner beauty and character overcoming extreme circumstances. Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.

Connect with her here:

Website * Twitter * Email Newsletter * Facebook Page * Instagram

Book & Tea Review: The Cruel Prince and Dragonfruit Dream

By Liz | August 30, 2020 | Comments 0 Comment

Today I’m reviewing another book and tea pairing!

📚The book: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
🍵The tea: Dragon Fruit Dream by Adagio Teas

📚
The Cruel Prince is an exceptional story that draws you in just like getting tricked into a bargain to go into the land of Faerie! I could not put it down, and I have really been meaning to get the rest of the series.

I hadn’t read anything by Holly Black since reading Tithe as a teenager. I remember it being one of my favorite books.

I was fortunate enough to meet Ms. Black at a convention in February (one of the last public things I’ve gotten to go to! So glad I went) at Boskone in Boston.

The characters of The Cruel Prince are complex and I really enjoy that a lot of them are morally grey. The fae characters are very grey, and though they can be dark sometimes, I think it’s “realistic”, as realistic as writing fae can be.

I can’t wait to read the next one and see where all the scheming goes!

It pairs nicely with Dragonfruit Dream tea, an intoxicating fruit herbal tea from Adagio Teas.

I picked it because it has these cute little apple pieces which reminded me of the sweet fruit of the realm of faerie. It makes a great iced tea, and I used my Teavana Teamaker to steep it in.