Girls*Heart* Books: GHBT- Of Legacies Series by Victoria Escobar Tour- Review of 'Of Sparta', Excerpt/Spotlight & Giveaway

Of Sparta
Of Legacies #2
By- Victoria Escobar
Genre- YA Fantasy

She was the strongest of Gaea’s Servants. Miera had been trained from childhood to be Faithful always to the Goddess. She had been taught with Faith they would always be protected. She had never wavered from that course. She hadn’t counted on the consequences of that choice.

As Ariadne’s birthday draws closer darkness closes in on Sparta. Monsters, both Tainted and Pure alike, were vying for pieces of their island. Doubt and fear grew like pestilence. Death was unavoidable.

Sparta sat on the brink, but of what Miera wasn’t certain. There was no record, no precedence for her to consult. There were no living patrons of the Goddess to seek council from. She only had instinct and Faith. If she could not maintain the balance Sparta would fall before Gaea’s return.

How did the lost lead the people out of darkness?

And now an Excerpt from Of Sparta:

“High Patriarch! High Patriarch!” A page boy ran through the halls screaming.

“Calm yourself boy.” Thalia grabbed his arm. “What’s wrong?”

He pointed out the windows. Black smoke billowed towards the sky. “The corn is on fire. I was commanded to come fetch you before it reaches the cotton.”

“Go get the horses ready,” Miera gave an apologetic look to Sasha and Nasya. “I must go.”

“I go with you,” Thalia stepped to Miera’s side. “I have sworn it Miera.” She added before Miera could protest.

Miera nodded and turned to Sasha, “continue down this hall…”

“What is all this noise?” Leonidas strolled down the hall.

“Never mind.” Miera squeezed Sasha’s arm as she passed. To Leonidas she said, “I must go, Sasha needs to talk to you.”

She ran as fast as she could out to the waiting horses. A car might be faster in any other circumstance but depending on where the field was burning it wouldn’t have been convenient. Thalia boosted her up then took to her own mount and they raced from the South gate of the city.

The smoke was thick and blowing in their faces with the north wind as they got closer. There were people running towards and running away from the fire. Most of them were running away. But Miera saw the gleam of precious metals on arms and heads as they raced by. The Envoys and the Thaumaturges were trying to get there as well.

There was no visible fire. Smoke billowed out of a perfectly spherical circle the size of a football field. It wasn’t trying to spread. This was something else. Miera felt it a second too late.

“Ambush!” Miera wheeled her horse even as dozens of wolves howled and formed from the black smoke. Thalia jerked her horse between Miera and the black predators. Their gleaming red eyes were unnerving.

“Get out of here!” Thalia shouted at her drawing her swords.

“I’m not leaving you,” Miera replied even as the wolves lunged.

“In Gaea’s name!” Thalia caught two of them on her blades even as Miera called down lightning. The smoke still billowed and seemed to thicken making it impossible to see through. Even more impossible with them swirling around in it.

Miera heard the cries of the Envoys and Thaumaturges that had caught up with them and felt the draw on Gaea as their training kicked in and they fought back. For a brief moment it felt like they were winning. Even though the numbers were impossibly stacked.

Then the smoke parted for a second and Miera saw a man dressed all in black with billowing black hair and endless black eyes. Crows flew about him and Miera tried to count their number before the smoke closed again. She had counted enough for death.

And now Lana's review of Of Sparta!

Of Sparta is the second in the Of Legacies Series by Victoria Escobar. This novel takes place before the events in Of Gaea and follow Miera, a new character and servant of Gaea who must somehow stop a war between the Tainted and the Pure before Ariadne's birthday.

If I'm honest, I think I like this one even better than Of Gaea. I really liked Miera's character and I was very excited to see some characters from Of Gaea in here, too (LEO!!!! *flails*).... I'm going to say, though, it's really hard to talk about this book without spoiling the entirety of Of Gaea... It's really well done and I was very excited to get back in this series! I can't wait for the final book in this trilogy.

My Rating:

Born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but with the ability to claim eight states as home; Victoria Escobar writes fiction from her current home in New York. She writes whatever comes to mind and because of such has a variety of genres written including Young Adult, New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, and Contemporary Fiction.

In spare time if not with family, and friends Victoria enjoys curling up with a book from a favorite author with music playing. If not reading or writing she spends time drawing, sketching, crocheting, or some other random art project. She enjoys staying busy, but most of all enjoys staying creative.