The Seer of York Series – Author Anthony Avina

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Magic rises again in England in the wake of the events of The Hiding in author Althea Lyon’s “Reawakening”, a collection of short stories set in The Seer of York universe.

The Synopsis

After centuries of suppression, the magic of England is

Reawakening

Return to the world of The Seer of York with this collection of new tales set in the aftermath of The Hiding.

Harper, Grace, Saqib, Heresy, and AJ bond as a team and as a family to save innocents, supernatural and human, despite hunters pursuing them.

Introducing Zero, a starlight cat with a bleak and painful past.

Demonic-possession

Faery circles

Pūcas

And more…

The Review

A compelling, haunting, and action-paced collection of short stories, the author marvelously showcases a modern-day York that has found the supernatural to be an everyday fact of life. The self-contained nature of each story allows readers to pick and choose which stories to read without risking losing too much background story from the main series while also paying respect to the original novel that began it all. The chilling nature of the threats facing the protagonists and the robust and emotional writing style the author brings to each story will resonate with many readers.

The flawed yet relatable nature of these characters, the substantial use of mythology and religion throughout human history, and the grounded nature of the supernatural made this book feel vibrant and alive on the page. The book’s slow exploration of some powerful themes, including but not limited to the blurred lines between what is considered good and what is considered evil, with many presenting as one thing and being another, allowed readers to engage with the stories on a whole other level.

The Verdict

Harrowing, memorable, and entertaining, author Althea Lyon’s “Reawakening” is a must-read collection of short stories. The stories themselves were fantastic, and with the holidays coming up, the gothic nature of Christmas in the Shambles was a personal favorite. The twists and turns in each story and the new additions to this universe’s growing mythos will make readers eager for more from this incredible author. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Alethea (she/ze) writes various forms of SFF, with a particular love for science-fantasy, dark fantasy, dystopias, and folklore. Many of her works take place at the intersection between technology and magic. She enjoys writing stories with subtle political and philosophical messages, but primarily wants her stories to be great tales with characters readers will love. She also has soft spots for found family, hopeless romances, and non-human characters. Her short stories can be found in a variety of publications and links for these are on her website.

Alethea lives in Manchester, UK with her husband, little Sprite, a cacophony of stringed instruments, and more tea than she can drink in a lifetime.

Bonus content for The Hiding & other works can be found on her website.

Socials: @AletheaRLyons

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A killer is loose in York, and a young woman must navigate the worlds of both humans and the supernatural in order to stop this ruthless killer in author Alethea Lyons’s “The Hiding”, the first book in The Seer of York series.

The Synopsis

Arcane archivist Harper has always been plagued by dreams of grotesque creatures and bloody deaths. When she bumps into a ghostwalker in the Shambles and has a visceral experience of his execution, she knows it’s a foretelling. Yet fear of the Queen’s Guard stops her speaking out. When her vision indeed comes true, the unusual markings on the ghostwalker’s corpse, combined with his neatly excised vocal cords, send a ripple of terror through York.

The witch hunt is on. As the body count rises, Harper knows her magic is the only way to find the killer – if she can avoid being hanged as a witch. To protect both human and supernatural, Harper walks the thin line between their worlds. She and her demonhunter foster-sister form a multi-faith team with a forensic scientist, a spirit Harper accidentally summoned, and a techno-witch, to catch the killer before more people die.

The Review

This was a compelling and fascinating read. The author does an incredible job of layering this story with mystery and intrigue. The infusion of the supernatural into the narrative felt very much integrated into the fabric of this world. The balance between this thriller, dark, and horror-filled storylines and the pops of humor and heart amongst the characters really brought readers into the narrative in a fun way.

Yet, it was the character development and setting that really made this story shine. Setting the narrative in and around the town of York and yet merging this shadowy, supernatural realm all around it allowed the town to feel like its own character. The banter and relationship between the main character and her sister will draw on the reader’s heartstrings, and the hint of romance that the author uses to shake up the main character’s world, even more, is also a great draw. Yet the complex themes of the blending of cultures and the hardship some face when met with criticism and judgment from overzealous minds really kept the narrative alive.

The Verdict

Heart-pounding, gripping, and engaging author Alethea Lyons’s “The Hiding” is a must-read horror/thriller that is not to be missed. The perfect way for horror fans to kick off the 2024 spring season, the twists and turns in the story and the shocking open-ended ending will leave fans eager for more. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy on March 5th, 2024!

Rating: 10/10