Gina Rae Mitchell

Book Review: Hand of the Gods (The Sahra Chronicles #2) by Miriam Newman | #Historical #Fantasy #Romance @GoddessFish @miriamnewman

A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me with the information for this tour.

Book Details

The Sahra Chronicles: Hand of the Gods by Miriam Newman
Series: The Sahra Chronicles #2
Published by DCL Publications on December 19, 2023
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fantasy
Format: eBook
Pages: 199

Those who survived the Battle of Grandfather Mountain are said to be in the Hand of the Gods. No one will need that more than Sange, sister of Arak clan chieftain Javrik.

Drawn to Arman Garimandi, the Omani cavalry officer who saved her people during the siege, she shocks her family by marrying him despite her brother's caution that someday he will break her heart.

Blindly in love, she follows Arman to two different forts where he is ordered. At the first, danger comes unexpectedly in the form of another woman And at the second, she finds herself an unwitting pawn--possibly even a prisoner--between two powerful nations.

Source: Goddess Fish Promotions

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt from Hand of the Gods

“Come on,” he said to Sange. “I think Javrik has nearly gotten that loom done. What do you do next?”

He didn’t care, but he knew she did and it might make ordering her back more palatable.

“Boil the pods,” she replied happily. “That’s when the silk comes out. We’ll pull it with combs and put it on the spinner he built.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Then we put it in hanks and leave it to dry. I’ll dye it later. Muti Ani sent me dye.”

“Dry the pods a little,” Sarai suggested. “I’ll fry them with some fatback.”

That got Arman‟s straying attention. “You what?”

“Fry them,” she said. “With fatback. It makes them crunchy.”

“Aren’t those things worms?”

“Well, yes,” Sarai said, looking at him quizzically. “But they’re dead. We boil them first.”

“But they’re worms.”

“But they’re dead.”

Well, he had heard Araks ate anything and he’d had some exposure to a few of their delicacies. Sheep testicles and muzzle meat came to mind, but he drew the line at worms, in any condition.

“They’re good,” Sange added. “You can put them in stew, but it’s too hot right now. They’ll be better the other way.”

“No thanks,” Arman said.

“Children love them,” she replied. “They will be a treat for Noa.”

“Get’em started young,” he muttered.

“What?”

“I said…yes, I guess he’ll like them.”

“We don’t much like your fish paste, either,” Sarai informed him.

“Well, but that’s fish.”

“It’s rotten. It stinks.”

Oh, the gods. Worms and rotten, stinking fish. He glanced at Noa, riding in front of his mother. She held him in one arm, handling the reins with the other.

Touching one heel to his horse, he put him into a jog, not even trotting. That should be safe enough.

Beside him, both women—riding bareback—cantered their horses past, laughing, horseshoes glittering in the sun.

Some days, it was hard to remember who was in charge.

Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Purchase Links for Hand of the Gods

B&N

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Thoughts on Hand of the Gods

In “Hand of the Gods,” the second installment of The Sahra Chronicles series, Miriam Newman delivers an enthralling blend of historical fantasy and romance. Set against the backdrop of post-war turmoil, the narrative follows Sange, sister of Arak clan chieftain Javrik, as she navigates the complexities of love and loyalty in a world shaped by divine intervention.

The aftermath of the Battle of Grandfather Mountain leaves survivors whispered to be in the Hand of the Gods, a notion that holds profound significance for Sange and her people. Despite warnings from her brother, Sange finds herself irresistibly drawn to Arman Garimandi, an Omani cavalry officer hailed as a hero for his actions during the siege. Their forbidden romance defies societal norms, leading Sange on a journey fraught with peril and passion.

Newman skillfully weaves together themes of sacrifice, betrayal, and resilience as Sange grapples with the consequences of her choices. The tension mounts as she accompanies Arman to various forts, only to face unexpected challenges that threaten to unravel their bond. Through vivid prose and meticulous world-building, the author transports readers to a richly imagined landscape where alliances shift like sand dunes and fate hangs in the balance.

At its core, “Hand of the Gods” is a captivating tale of love tested against the backdrop of political intrigue and supernatural forces. With its dynamic characters and gripping plot twists, this novel will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment of The Sahra Chronicles. Newman’s masterful storytelling invites readers to lose themselves in a world where destiny is written in the stars, and the gods hold sway over mortal affairs.

I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love my Amazon Kindle Unlimited Subscription. So many books, so little time!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Guest Post by Miriam Newman, author of Hand of the Gods

Character interview

I just have to go with this one. Arman Garimandi, the male protagonist of Hand of the Gods, is one of my most favorite characters, even though I didn’t expect him to be.

His history is complicated, and that’s saying a lot for a character in historical fantasy romance, where you not only have to deal with personality but some light fantasy, as well.

He hasn’t had it easy. Born to a drunkard father and a mother who finally gave up trying to save him, Arman was raised dirt poor on a remote island before being called up for military service. It was there that he found himself, but at a great cost. By the time he meets my female protagonist, Sange, he has a lot of baggage.

But I love this man. Despite his self doubts, tragedies and some bad decisions, he is solid, smart, duty bound and decent. Sange is young and sheltered and will have difficulty adjusting to the world into which he takes her, but he gives and gives without fail. He really is the definition of a hero.

Come meet him in Hand of the Gods.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If the above link does not take you to your country, please let me know, and I’ll get a link for you.

Using my link does not change the price you pay. Amazon pays me a minimal amount out of their share. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giveaway!

Miriam Newman will award a randomly drawn winner a $20 Amazon/BN gift card.

Visit more stops on this Goddess Fish tour for extra chances to win!

Official Tour Page for Hand of the Gods

Full Tour Schedule:

February 5: Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
February 5: Readers Roost
February 6: Tina Donahue Books – Heat with Heart – spotlight
February 6: Long and Short Reviews
February 7: Kit ‘n Kabookle
February 7: Fabulous and Brunette
February 8: Gina Rae Mitchell – review
February 8: Literary Gold
February 9: Sandra’s Book Club

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to like, follow, share, and comment!
You can find me on most Social Media sites:

Twitter/X          Facebook

Pinterest            Instagram

Bluesky              Threads (link in Insta Bio)

 

If you would like to review books for Goddess Fish Promotions, please click the link below:

Goddess Fish Virtual Book Tour Host