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Sentinals Awaken Book Tour

Cover Blurb

Global Book Award Silver Medal, Wishing Shelf Book Award Bronze Medal, Readers Favorite Finalist.
Sentinals Awaken is the first book in the saga of Remargaren, a vibrant, ancient world of high fantasy suffused with magic and adventure. As a three thousand-year-old threat reemerges, only one man has the power to awaken the world's greatest protectors and restore order to the realm. He just doesn't know it yet. When Jerrol Haven, a captain in the King's Rangers, discovers treason at the highest level, he knows immediately that the knowledge puts his life at risk. And indeed, though he expected the ailing King to shield him, the ambitious Crown Prince sentences Jerrol to death. What hold does the Prince have over his weakened father, and who or what is he protecting? Now, with signs that her veil is weakening and the Ascendants are creeping back into power, the goddess, Leyandrii, has returned and is in dire need of Jerrol's help. For though he doesn't know it, Jerrol possesses a rare gift: By chance, he touches a revered Sentinal tree and awakens Birlerion, one of the Lady's personal guard who have been sleeping in the strange, tall trees since they were last called to battle. Aided by Birlerion, Jerrol flees and begins his journey to help Lady Leyandrii save Remargaren once more. But time is running out: As it was with the King, the old guard Lords are everywhere being usurped, attacked, and assassinated. Jerrol must unravel the mystery of the Ascendants' return, stop the sinister force that is dividing good families through bloodshed and betrayal, and rescue the King—and his troubles are only just beginning.

Other Titles By the Author

Helen Garraway

Author Bio

Helen Garraway is the USA Today Bestselling author of the award winning epic fantasy Sentinal series which was first published in 2020, followed by the first book of the fantasy romance SoulMist series, SoulBreather, released in 2022 as part of the Realm of Darkness boxset. She first started writing the Sentinals series in 2016, though she has always been a lover of fantasy books, so she wrote what she enjoyed, epic fantasy. An avid reader of many different fiction genres, a love she inherited from her mother, Helen writes fantasy novels and also enjoys paper crafting and scrapbooking as an escape from the pressure of the day job. Having graduated from the University of Southampton with a Degree in Politics and International Relations, she remains an active member of their alumni.

The Book Tour

Day 1 - Favourite Quotes

“Sometimes familiarity breeds contempt.” (Andrew Bell)

“Am I dead?” Jerrol asked, confused by her words. “Not quite, you are my Captain, and you have yet to fulfill your duty.” (Sophie Jupillat Posey)

His grey and black uniform blending into the velvety shadows. (Yvonne Marrs)

“Captain? Is it time?” the man asked, his silver eyes burning bright. (Eleanor Dixon)

"The journey is just beginning.” (Michelle Marshall)

I do love it when people make curses from their lore. “Ascendant’s Balls!" (Eryn McConnell)

"I am surrounded by people who want to act first and think later." (Kirsty McKay)

Day 2 - Character Summaries

Jerrol: Such promise, just needs to focus. Others (in the book, as well) share my opinion. “I believe he is capable of anything. He always follows his own rules. You should know that, you’ve been there, you’ve paid the price for his mistakes.” (Andrew Bell)

Captain Haven: The novel starts off with Captain Haven figuring out problems in the realm and so his POV is the one I followed the most closely. He is an intrepid, brave character who follows his moral code all throughout the story. He is loyal to a fault and helps whoever he can along the way. I enjoyed how he wants to help the king, the Lady, the common folk and the Guardians all at once. And he manages to do so pretty successfully. He is a bit reckless, but it makes him endearing. His befuddlement about how to complete his duty and wake the Sentinals is also a nice touch. The Sentinals he does manage to awaken are good supporters and their loyalty keeps him safe on more than one occasion. The way he is endearing to most of the ancillary characters, and is so loathed by the villains show he is squarely a hero. One of my favorite scenes was when he officially became the Lady’s Captain and adopted the garb and powers of the Sentinals. Never once does it go to his head, he just keeps moving forward trying to respect his oath. His interactions with the Lady and her Sentinals are always wholesome and he does learn a little more about the lore along the way. (Sophie Jupillat Posey)

Jerrol: Jerrol is the main character, and therefore the one most readers would have as their favourite. He must succeed against the odds stacked against him - many times, and those many times, he does. I'm not sure that the story is not too far-fetched, but as a fantasy, anything goes. He is not of typical hero build, but the hero comes in all shapes and sizes. As the King's trusted man, you know that he absolutely must succeed - and this encourages us to wish him well, even in a farcical and/or impossible situation. (Yvonne Marrs)

Jerrol: Having met Jerrol as a young boy in the prequel to this story, I feel particularly close to him. His steadfast loyalty and bravery, peppered with a tendency to find trouble before it finds him, make him the perfect hero. I love the way we follow him on his quest, never wavering, though frequently beset with questions and doubts. We know what is in his heart and it is strong and pure. He is the epitome of an adventure hero and never fails to fulfill the promise that is hinted at in the very first scene. (Eleanor Dixon)

Lady Leyandrii : A powerful and mysterious presence in the novel. She inspired the Sentinals to respond to her call and her decision to banish magic from the world directly led to the events that unfold in the story. She's a complex character, seeming at different points to be a positive or negative force and I found her a constant source or interest to me. (Michelle Marshall)

Jerrol and Jennery: I liked the friendship between Jerrol and Jennery, it’s nice to see deep platonic friendships in books. Mind, the Arifels may have stolen the show, just for sheer weirdness! (Eryn McConnell)

I love characters with a mystical and spiritual feel and Lady Leyandrii is one such character that is shrouded in mystery and leaves the reader wanting to know more about her and the history of the Sentinals. I am very much interested in her back story which I hope the Author will share in later books. She is a complex and powerful character who commands such devotion from her Sentinals, and from the people who remain faithful to her legend, that you cannot help but wonder whether she is all that she seems or if she carries a dark side to her nature too. (Kirsty McKay)

Day 3 - Favourite Excerpts

“The forgotten are stirring, The time is at hand, Beware those who rise Thy will to enslave. Stand firm and true My people to save.” (Andrew Bell)

“He stopped on the threshold as seven pairs of eyes swiveled to him. He took a deep breath and entered the room. “Please sit. ‘Black Door,’” he said smoothly, watching Simeon slump in his chair. “What did you do?” Alyssa leapt up in concern. Jerrol walked forward. “Maybe Reid would like to explain? No? ‘Blue Stone.’” He waited as Reid collapsed tothe floor.” (Sophie Jupillat Posey)

Berlerion slugged the chancellor and he folded to the floor. (Yvonne Marrs)

Jerrol stiffened and lifted his eyes to her face, taking in her flawless complexion and sparkling emerald-green eyes. He swallowed as he realised who stood before him, speaking of his death so casually. She was the Lady Leyandrii, the deity worshipped by at least three of the four kingdoms of Remargaren. (Eleanor Dixon)

He had dreamt of the Lady last night. It was as if she was determined to give him his orders all at once. He had a head full of information, and yet it was all just out of reach as his brain busily catalogued and filed it all away; maybe once he made sense of it all he might be able to access it. (Michelle Marshall)

“In the time before the Veil descended, there were three Guardians of the realm. The Guardians lived in a beautiful palace. The walls were made of the whitest marble, threaded by veins of crystal which glistened in the golden sunshine. It towered over the city which sprawled down the hillsides below it, and the golden spires reached for the sky.” His audience sat listening wide-eyed; they were ensnared in his word pictures, enspelled by the magical world and the splendour he was describing. The fire flared unnoticed, casting shadows against the walls. “When the Lady newly ascended to her Guardianship, she was advised to recruit a personal bodyguard for her safety. And with that, she stood and commanded, and fully two hundred and forty men and women stood forward and pledged their allegiance to her. And as each one pledged she accepted and blessed them, and as they straightened up before her their tabards shimmered a silver-green and their eyes took on a silvery hue.” Birlerion ducked his head, keeping his eyes shielded, and Jennery stared at him wide-eyed. “They were hers for life. They protected her against all threats, but in the end, they were unable to protect themselves from her.” The listening men stirred in expectation. Jerrol’s brow creased, and he glanced at the barkeep. The ’keep raised his eyebrows and shrugged. “As time passed, a group of educated men calling themselves the Ascendants began to share their idea for an alternative way of life. To challenge the grip the Guardians held over the world.” Jerrol shifted at the blatant twisting of the story, staring in amazement as the men in the bar drank in his every word. His grip on Birlerion tightened; the Sentinal was rigid. “But the Guardians would not release their hold,” the Father proclaimed, his voice ringing across the bar, “and the Ascendants challenged the rule of the Guardians. In desperation, the Lady destroyed her family’s power by shattering the Bloodstone. For when she cracked the Bloodstone, she caused the Veil to descend, forcing her family and the Ascen‐dants out of this world and into exile. But her Sentinals could not follow where she led. She had placed a curse on them, tying them to the land, forcing them to stand in front of her altar and set down roots and never move again. They became the sentinal trees you see today scattered across Vespiri.” (Eryn McConnell)

The Lady, her guards and the Ascendants had all disappeared, leaving the world in peace and without magic. And yet the Sentinals were magical. How could people doubt, when the trees stood as proof before them, the tall silvery trunks smooth and silky to the touch, unviolated. No child could scamper up these trunks. (Kirsty McKay)

Day 4 - Video Interview

Day 5 - Reviews

Overall rating: 4 stars. The beginning of an epic fantasy by Author Helen Garraway. A beautifully written adventure, bursting with intrigue, colour and energy. I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the rest of the series. (Andrew Bell)

Overall rating: 4 stars. The book begins with what seems like a petty feud between a king’s ranger, a chancellor and a power hungry prince. However, we soon find out there are much darker happenings occurring in the background. The stakes of the plot are set early on with the king imparting the oath to Jerrol. We follow his journey as he struggles to uphold the oath to the Lady and fulfill her wish: awaken the Sentinals. The plot moves fairly quickly and smoothly, with events soon spiraling out of control. The ancillary characters cast is quite large, especially as more Sentinals are added to the mix. Jennery, Lady Alyssa, Taelia and Birlerion are a few of the standouts and my favorites. Their struggles and motives stand out clearly as well as their dialogue for the most part. Some of the others were harder to keep track of. Jerrol gets to shine as the star of the intrigue; he is solving a troubling mystery in the kingdom and he discovers interesting powers and lore throughout the way. All the scenes felt necessary and added intrigue. I am excited to read more in this series! (Sophie Jupillat Posey)

Overall rating: 4 stars. A tale of the supernatural, with magical and mystical moments of the adventure. Main character Jerrol's fate in the heat of his battle will keep the reader interested throughout the story. (Yvonne Marrs)

Overall rating: 4 stars. Helen Garraway has produced a wonderful, fantasy world which rings true with every description of its countryside and architecture. Though set thousands of years in the future, Remargaren is a world totally devoid of technology, where horses are the primary form of transport, weapons are knives and swords, and the magic and myths are slowly unveiled as we accompany Jerrol on his quest. I found the lore a little confusing at first, and some of the pace slightly disjointed, but despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to continuing the series. (Eleanor Dixon)

Overall rating: 4 stars. In this magical and mystical fantasy novel, Helen Garraway creates a world that the reader is at once drawn into. The premise of the story is beautifully crafted and has a fairy tale feel. I love the idea of people being asleep within the trees! It definitely appealed to my sense of childlike wonder. I could picture the imagery clearly and the characters are interesting, in particular for me, The Lady, who possesses such power over the world, both in the past and present settings. (Michelle Marshall)

Overall rating: 4 stars. This was a slow starting story, and at the outset I found it confusing. Jerrol and Jennery are similar names and I wondered why the horse was not named. I also found myself wondering why the people did not believe in the Lady, when it’s clearly true. The pace did pick up and there is evidence of solid world building going on. I like the idea of the Sentinals being put into trees to protect the land. The whole propaganda and the dystopian element of the government taking over was good. I found it refreshing for a fantasy. I didn’t pick up much sense of what the world looked like as there was not much description, most information was given in the form of dialogue. This was tough for me personally, as I'm not a very visual person. (Eryn McConnell)

Overall rating: 4 stars. Fans of the Witcher series will certainly enjoy Sentinals Awaken. The plot is highly engaging and moves forward at a good pace, although some readers may find it a little slow to start with. This is not a negative critique, as with books of a similar ilk such as The Witcher, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, the reader does need to spend some time familiarising themselves with the world the author has created, its systems and history. Therefore a level of detail needs to be provided in the first few opening chapters to enable this to happen. This ensures that the reader is fully grounded into the story as opposed to immediately thrusting a reader straight into the thick of the action which only leaves them feeling confused and dissatisfied by the end of the book. The author, I feel, manages this well, and it did not take long for me to settle into the story and remain gripped within its pages. I thoroughly enjoyed Book One and loved its cast of mythical characters. This has all the promise of a great epic fantasy series and I am genuinely looking forward to reading the next book. (Kirsty McKay)