Gio Peters
Author
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Third Time's the Charm
The Kingdom of Ura, Book One
As the third son of the third son, Niamh Nestor is supposed to get a fae power on his sixteenth birthday. Instead he gets sentenced to a reform school for magically inclined youth, for committing a minor offence. At Carpathian Keep, he discovers a miserable world. The heads of the institution are sadistic, the teachers are cruel, the charges are mean and what is the painful sensation he feels on his neck in the evening?
The Keep hides deadly secrets, and Niamh must figure them out and escape before he and the few friends he makes bite the dust.
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My typical hope for a newly published author is to find a decent plot line and a book I can actually finish, but I was absolutely thrilled when I found myself in an imaginary world so rich that it felt like I was reading something akin to Game of Thrones. I had forgotten all about the real world and quickly found myself rooting for Niamh. The minor characters were absolutely fascinating with a faerie, an ogre, shape-shifting, vampires, and I can’t even name all of the spectacular characters that were skillfully woven into the plot. I didn’t think it could be done, but somehow, every time that I thought I knew exactly what would happen next, there was an unpredictable twist! At one point, I started hating Niamh for how much he cried, but somehow I found myself forgiving him and loving him, time after time, until he grew up. I can’t say much else without giving it away, but this is the book every fantasy lover should read!! You won’t be disappointed.
I should note that the main character is a young gay male but from the approach of a nearly middle aged woman, I found the entire story tastefully done and completely relatable so if you are thinking twice I about it—take the plunge and enjoy the mesmerizing world that Mr. Peters has gifted us.
Praise & Reviews
First off, fantasy is not my preferred genre. So if I'm giving this book 5 stars, it must be special. Gio Peters is an excellent writer and storyteller. He knows how to describe a world, characters, and situations in a vivid and compelling way. The plot sucked me in quickly and held my attention throughout. I empathized with the young fae hero and felt his pain. The fact that LGBTQ+ characters, in all their glorious diversity, populate this book is a rare treat and makes this book all the more important. Highly recommended!
A fascinating new novel by a very creative author Gio Peters, this is a must read for fans of this genre.
This story is engaging as the main character Niamh Nestor immediately reaches out and grabs my heart. It's his sixteenth birthday and the day he will discover what his fae power is.
I had tears in my eyes as Niamh is bullied and tortured by the local bullies a trio of teen witches. Their accusations land Niamh in Carpathian Keep a reform school for youths that dare to go against the current day's rules.
Niamh eventually realizes that he is trapped at Carpathian Keep along with the other charges and there is no way out. The author skillfully develops Niamh’s character from a scared kid to an amazing young man that is able to stand up for himself and the friends he has made at Carpathian Keep.
The descriptions of the places are skillfully written to set the scene so that you can see it and feel as if you are there. There is a wide variety of LGBTQ+ characters that you love and love to hate that add depth to the story. These characters also assist throughout the story that help add to the story building and give you a different perspective on the happenings at the reform school.
This is all I can say without giving away spoilers and that wouldn't be fair to anyone. So GRAB yourself a copy and read this amazing story today.
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About Gio Peters
Gio Peters is a South African author with a love of fantasy, and Victorian and Edwardian classics. His writing combines both of those genres, blending them into historical fantasy novels. He aims to provide LGBTQ+ people, especially gay and bisexual men, with heroes they can identify with.