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Mario Routi

Blog Tour: “Rebecca Newton and The Last Oracle” by Mario Routi {Win a KINDLE!}

Title: Rebecca Newton and The Last Oracle

Author: Mario Routi

Published: February 20th, 2015

Publisher: Oak Tree Press UK

Find the Author: Goodreads

The Epic tale continues and Rebecca’s limits are tested to the max!

Princess Leylah, daughter of Rebecca Newton and King Turgoth, is growing up and so is her power to foresee future events as she has the greatest gift imaginable: She is the Oracle! While trying to come to terms with her unique powers, she finds herself nurturing deep feelings for Alexander, Lady Felicia and Lord Leiko’s son. But how does he feel about her?
Meanwhile, Cronus and the Titans are preparing a master plan to take over Earth with the help of the Sartani and they are calling on the armies of ancient evil entities to assist them in seizing control of the Sacred Flame in order to free themselves.
At the same time in the Elysian Fields, Zeus and the other Gods are struggling to figure out what their enemies are planning since they cannot interfere unless the Titans are released.
Rebecca, Bull the Minotaur and their friends, face their greatest challenges ever in the Land of the White Sun and Tartarus, where they will need to go on a perilous quest – a matter of life and death for their loved ones.
Will the newly discovered Oracle of Utopia be able to uncover the plans in time to save all the worlds?

An explosive collision between Good and Evil… A never-ending conflict… A romance that becomes lethal… A duel that will determine the future of all the worlds!

About Mario Routi:
Mario’s first novel, Orizon, was a bestseller in his native Greece and was subsequently translated into English.  Rebecca Newton and the Sacred Flame was published in the UK in 2014. Mario has been writing since childhood. He has studied liberal arts at Universities around the world and entered a career in business.  A fan of soccer and martial arts, Mario now lives in Central London with his family. His official website is www.mariorouti.com and he is on Twitter @MarioRouti 


GUEST POST by Mario Routi

WHY
FANTASY?
Crime, romance,
thriller, horror. Stories fall under many genres, some of them more than one,
but there will always be one genre of literature that I feel a special
affection towards:  Fantasy.

Fantasy is an escape, for the brain, the soul and the spirit. It
builds the imagination and expands knowledge, while being fun and entertaining.  It provides enough adventure to make you want
more, but enough substance to make you think.
It’s these aspects, in my opinion, that mean we should be encouraging kids
to read fantasy from as young an age as possible. The worst, most off-putting
thing for a young reader just starting out in the world of adult novels is to
become bored. And that can be a problem. The leap from children’s literature to
adult novels can be daunting for some young readers, used to the fast action
and plotting of most children’s books. Faced with adult literature that is
brooding and slow, some young people are immediately put-off.
Fantasy keeps the right
balance. There are many wonderful fantasy books that children will enjoy, but
to recommend a book, one has to consider their age. Most of Jules Verne’s books are
ideal for smaller
children, of ages 8 to 11, and once a
child reaches that age, The
Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien is a must, as well as the first part of C. S. Lewis’ Narnia. The Percy Jackson
and the Olympian books by
Rick Riordan and the Harry
Potter series also great ways to get kids into fantasy.
I believe that every
teenager should be encouraged to read The
Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien and His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman – in my opinion, both of these should be added to the
school curriculum.  The list really is
endless: Neil Gaiman, Terry
Pratchett, the
Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer; all of these are great books to give to a reader who may be sceptical
about fantasy.
As an author, I find fantasy the most
creative and exciting genre
to write in, but it also presents its own difficulties.  You need to
really let your imagination run wild, 
forget the limits you face in everyday life and focus on creating a
world removed from our own.   Most importantly, you need to make it
real in the hearts of your readers. It’s the genre where the writer feels like
a god, as he is the creator of everything. It’s limitless!

Mario
Routi



** GIVEAWAY **
(UK RESIDENTS ONLY)

To celebrate the publication of Rebecca Newton and the Last Oracle, I have a brand new kindle and a copy of the book to give away to one lucky reader!
 To be in with a chance of winning, simply tweet your answer to the following question to @LittleMemoirs and @MarioRouti using the hashtag #RebeccaNewton:

‘If you were granted one superpower, what would it be?’

TWEET!



Have you read Mario’s books?


Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!


happy reading!

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Book Review: “Rebecca Newton and The Sacred Flame” by Mario Routi




Title: Rebecca Newton and The Sacred Flame

Author: Mario Routi
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy / Mythology 
Release Date: April 8th, 2014
Published by: Oak Tree Press


I received this from Oak Tree Press in exchange for an honest review. As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias. 

Rebecca’s life is about to change!


In the beginning, the ancient Gods created not just the earth. They also created three other worlds: the Elysian Fields, a paradise where they themselves live; Tartarus, the dark world of demons and Titans, ruled over by the ancient deity Cronus; and finally the Land of the White Sun, where all the heroes and creatures of myth dwell – Centaurs and Minotaurs, Cyclopes and Gorgons, Amazons and flying horses! In this land the Creator planted the Sacred Flame, the Cosmic Source that keeps the universe in balance and must be protected from the Dark monsters and Evil Gods who desire to seize it, in order to destroy all the worlds.


Hearing that Rebecca is charismatic, Turgoth, ruler of the kingdom of Beast, arranges for her abduction. When the two of them come face to face, they realise that there is a strange bond between them and their destinies become entwined forever. But although they start to share deep feelings for each other, they are doomed to fight on opposite sides…


Rebecca Newton and the Sacred Flame is a tale of epic wars, grand passions, mythical creatures and ancient Gods – an adventure story which reaches to the core of what we mean when we speak of “Good” and “Evil”.

I haven’t read many books heavily influenced by mythological elements, but I was keen to start delving into more genres that opened up some myths and legends within YA literature. 


Right from the start, I was amazed by the effort that had gone into creating such an imaginative and creative world surrounded by mythological creatures, worlds and the elements of good and evil. Rebecca (name-twin!) is a courageous, bright main character who really comes to life on the pages. Although the story is mostly set in the Land of the White Sun, Rebecca starts her training after leaving Earth to become something much, much greater. 
But when she is abducted, things get troublesome very quickly for her and all that awaited her on the other side of everything she knew. Meeting Turgoth, the ruler of the kingdom of Beast, was an eye-opening moment. They form a sort of special bond with each other, although their doomed relationship whatever it may be is struck by the fact that they will be fighting against each other regardless of that connection. 
Ancient Gods come to life in this magnificent, wildly spectacularly world where everything is as far from real-life as possible. It’s a book you can just escape to be among mythical creatures and a story of bold characters and an unforgettable adventure. Rebecca’s character development was by far my favourite and although I didn’t get a chance to connect as well with the rest of the characters, the story itself made up for it. 
For fans of adventure, imaginative myths and fascinating journeys. It was a lovely change from a contemporary read and I look forward to delving into the myth-worlds more in the future! 





 The moments with Rebecca and Turgoth were a highlight for me, but there were so many little moments that I loved that I couldn’t possibly write them all down. 

Fans of mystery, love and an epic adventure. A great escape to another world, for YA fans definitely. 


Have you read Rebecca Newton and the Sacred Flame?

What did you think? 

Tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter!

happy reading!

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Preview: “Rebecca Newton and the Sacred Flame” by Mario Routi

Title: Rebecca Newton and the Sacred Flame

Author: Mario Routi
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy
Release Date: April 8th, 2014
Published by: Oak Tree Press

Rebecca’s life is about to change!


In the beginning, the ancient Gods created not just the earth. They also created three other worlds: the Elysian Fields, a paradise where they themselves live; Tartarus, the dark world of demons and Titans, ruled over by the ancient deity Cronus; and finally the Land of the White Sun, where all the heroes and creatures of myth dwell – Centaurs and Minotaurs, Cyclopes and Gorgons, Amazons and flying horses! In this land the Creator planted the Sacred Flame, the Cosmic Source that keeps the universe in balance and must be protected from the Dark monsters and Evil Gods who desire to seize it, in order to destroy all the worlds.
Hearing that Rebecca is charismatic, Turgoth, ruler of the kingdom of Beast, arranges for her abduction. When the two of them come face to face, they realise that there is a strange bond between them and their destinies become entwined forever. But although they start to share deep feelings for each other, they are doomed to fight on opposite sides…
Rebecca Newton and the Sacred Flame is a tale of epic wars, grand passions, mythical creatures and ancient Gods – an adventure story which reaches to the core of what we mean when we speak of “Good” and “Evil”.

 ‘Aeons ago, the Creator created both the Titans and the gods.  He saw them first in his dreams and visions and, after he had created them, they lived on with him, long before the universe was born.
He loved them and cared for them as if they were his children, teaching them the great creative arts.  When the Gods started painting and sculpting, the Creator watched their efforts proudly and said nothing, knowing not to intervene, like a prudent father anxious not to discourage his children’s imaginations.’
 ‘He took a deep breath and walked further into the stinking blackness ahead.  A terrible coldness seeped into him as he travelled farther from the sun and light.  Occasional movements in the stale air brushed against his skin, making even him jump with surprise.  Darkness as thick as black fog wrapped itself around him.  The walls were no more than damp dirt, the same as the ground that he could feel beneath his feet.  The place was one huge catacomb filled with corners, steep grades and slopes.
                He crossed several openings.  Some were small and forced him to crouch in order to pass through them, while others were high enough to allow a monster entry.  His inability to see made them minutes seem like hours.  As he stumbled on, he felt invisible hands brushing against his skin, but when he went to grab them there was nothing there.  Occasionally, he touched something soft and repulsive before it slid silently from his grasp but he could not see anything in the darkness surrounding  him.’

*************


Mario is a cool, mysterious and slightly sloppy guy. He sneaked to the third planet from the sun more or less forty+ years ago, taking advantage of a tender moment between his lovely parents, using them as his Portal.


As a child, he wrestled and boxed every day with his dear brother, but without really hurting each other. During his youth years, he worked hard to persuade friends and teachers that he was just a normal guy who was indeed from this world, and not some dangerous alien.

Submitting to the demands of contemporary society, he was forced to study several stuff, here and there, in order to penetrate the business world, escaping a few years later to become an author.

Having written a few dozen articles, a script or two and a couple of best selling novels, he created his own world, one which lives inside his skull, where he continually tries to persuade his characters that he is not a god but just their creator, so they should see him more like a father, just as his beloved Earth children do. He is proud of his characters, viewing them as individual, autonomous creatures, not bound or guided. 

He currently flows between the Earth and the Land of the White Sun, wandering in the deepest places of both worlds, bringing his readers back tales of the adventures of his heroes. 

Meanwhile in reality, his biggest problem is forgetting where he has parked his car, (or his spaceship), while his greatest worry is reserved for how his favourite soccer team will fare.

**********

I’ll be reading Rebecca Newton and the Sacred Flame soon and wanted to share some amazing teasers from the novel! It looks like the perfect fantasy read, and I’m loving that genre at the moment!


What do you think of Rebecca Newton and the Sacred Flame?


Tell me in the comments or on twitter!


happy reading!

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