Spin the Dawn

{The Blood of Stars #1}

by Elizabeth Lim

Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books

Release date July 9, 2019

Pages: 416

Ya Fantasy

#ya fantasy # magical

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

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This book was received as an ARC from NetGalley,in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own

This story follows Maia Tamarin, a girl with aspirations to be a tailor, but because she was born female all she can hope for is to make a good match in marriage. However, when her father, a renowned tailor in his own right is summoned by the royal court, Maia decides to pose as a boy to save her father from becoming even more ill on the journey. Aware that the penalty of death is imposed for her actions, she’s determined to overcome the hardships to become the best tailor. Except she’s one of twelve tailors eyeing the coveted position. Despite her skills, she becomes caught up in the schemes of saboteur tailors and is saved by the royal court magician Edan, who has seen through her disguise; his motives unclear. Her final challenge is the most difficult: crafting three dresses for the king’s bride-to-be using the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars. Her journey will set her on a path that she never imagined,

Maia Tamarin, has aspirations to be a tailor, in world where women are subservient. Born the only girl in a family of three older brothers, with a Father as Tailor. She sacrifices everything to protect her family. In a turn of events she seizes the opportunity for a one in life time chance to become a Court Tailor. Maia decides to pose as a boy and Travel to court In disguise as her brother .while there she must avoid court intrigue and schemes of saboteur tailors .She must face her final challenge crafting three dresses for the king’s bride-to-be using the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars.

Her journey will set her on a path that she never imagined..

This is one of those books that you just have to read to know what feeling I’m getting at. It sucks you in and keeps you hungry for more until you reach the mind-blowing ending. It’s a unique and unforgettable magical storyline. Masterfully created spellbinding world. I devoured this one as fast as I could and was completely drawn into the lives of these characters.  I turned those pages as fast as I could and then slowly took in this beautifully written page turner.

What I especially liked is Elizabeth Lim imaginative writing style. I feel in love with the overall premise of the novel, and the quick pace it kept me engaged.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more books by this author

#book-review #Ya Fantasy#YA Fiction

As Silver Is to the Moon
R. A. Watt
Publication date: April 28th 2019
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

New school. First love. A psychotic werewolf that wanted me dead. And it was only week one in Santa Isadora.

For fifteen-year-old Teavan Laurent and his older sister Suzanne, Santa Isadora seemed like a sleepy and idyllic California town to finish high school after their unexpected move west from New York City.

As he struggles to make friends in a town shrouded in secrets, Teavan soon finds himself the target of an irrational tormentor and rumored-to-be werewolf. The revenge-obsessed psycho vows to wipe out Teavan and his small family due to past wrongs beyond Teavan’s control or knowledge. The twisted legacy left to him by his late grandfather brings Teavan at odds with everything he knows to be true—or at least everything he thought to be true.

The impossible truth of the tale begins to gain traction at his first wolf sighting, and Teavan and Suzanne soon find themselves in the crosshairs of the dark and secretive lycan world of Santa Isadora.

Stalked by a legend that shouldn’t exist, Teavan must decide how far he is willing to go to save those that he loves and come to terms with what lurks from within.

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—

EXCERPT:

The room felt crisp and refreshing as I crawled back into the cozy warmth of my covers. The comforting presence of my dog Honey’s stretched curled form was gone. “Honey”?

Only the sounds of occasional thunder and rain could be heard, along with the violent, howling winds. The big oak tree in the yard was flailing back and forth, looking like it could lose a limb.

“Honey?”

Listening for the familiar sounds of her padded footsteps, I was alarmed when I heard banging on what sounded like the front door. I almost jumped out of bed.

Who could be here, in the middle of a storm, in the middle of the night?

An uneasy feeling slid over me as I made my way to the hall, electing to keep the lights off so I could see out the windows.

Answering the door to our apartment back home at two in the morning usually meant some drunken idiot was at the wrong door and couldn’t get their key to work. But out here, there could be no mistake.

Maybe it was the outer screen door banging in the storm. The gusting winds would most likely rip it off its hinges if it weren’t pulled tightly closed. As I reached out to unlock the bolt, an unmistakable knock came from the other side, sending my heart racing.

Someone was there.

I’m not proud to admit it, but I panicked a little. A bead of sweat trickled down my cheek. Lightning occasionally illuminated the room from the front windows.

Crap.

Maybe someone needed help. Maybe someone was being chased by a wolf. Maybe it was the wolf. Except a wolf couldn’t knock on a door.

But a werewolf could.

I tried to laugh at myself to ease my own tension.

On either side of the big wooden door was a floor-to-ceiling privacy window, with white curtains covering each one. I tried to look through the somewhat transparent lace, but I couldn’t see anything, just blackness outside.

If whoever was there saw my movement, I would have no choice but to open the door.

Chancing it, I ever-so-slightly moved the curtain aside to look out on the porch. I could see nothing until the next flash of lightning lit up the sky.

A wrinkled, elderly woman sat in an antique wooden wheelchair outside our front door. The winds blew her long, white hair in all directions, but she was looking down.

My head snapped back with my heart in my throat. Surely she needed help, but she almost looked scarier than some guy dressed in black. The image of her wheelchair and wild hair flying all about terrified me.

How did she get up the steps, alone, in a wheelchair?

Author Bio:

Ryan is a husband and a father of three children. A lover of food, wine, sunshine, skiing, and fiction.

Although his background is in finance, he has always had a love of books, particularly fiction, since a young age and has been an avid reader ever since. Ryan’s favorite books are deep, engrossing novels that may not necessarily win Pulitzer Prizes, but are difficult to put down.

Reading should be fun, absorbing, and a step away from our ordinary world. No matter what the critics say about the book on your nightstand, if you don’t look forward to reading each night it’s not the right book for you!

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Stranger Rituals
Kali Rose Schmidt
Publication date: July 9th 2019
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult

A fighter with a venomous grudge.
A monster with an immortal curse.
A girl with a terrible gift.

All three out for blood in a land torn apart by harsh gods and holy wars. Each entwined with the other, on their own quests for vengeance, and yet held together by strange links to sinister pasts. As their fates unravel, a dangerous romance blooms, and violent darkness beckons.

At turns both darkly humorous and utterly morbid, STRANGER RITUALS is the startling first novel in Kali Rose Schmidt’s dark new series.

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Author Bio:

Kali Rose Schmidt is an author, mother, and villain lover. She likes bloody tales of monsters, yoga with the lights off, and anything that goes bump in the night.

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#cover-Reveal

BY: STEPHANIE GREY

Justice watches from the shadows…

 

Throughout history, the world has witnessed cruel, gruesome, and twisted murders at the hands of the most notorious serial killers. For those who were never caught—Jack the Ripper, the Atlanta Ripper, and the Cleveland Torso Murderer—their crimes will live on in infamy as their identities are forever chased, but never revealed. 

It’s 1947 in Washington, D.C. and a dangerous murderer has boldly discarded two headless bodies nearby the White House and the Jefferson Memorial. With no leads, Detective Clive O’Reilly is feeling desperate. When a stranger convinces O’Reilly to join him at a local pub, he is treated to a wild tale about Prudence Blackwood, an immortal who seeks vengeance for those murdered by history’s most notorious serial killers. 

Initially in disbelief over her existence, O’Reilly is surprised to discover that she’s very real and she’ll be assisting in the investigation. 

But Prudence has unorthodox methods. With the body count rising, O’Riley will have to find a way to work with her to stop the most brutal killer in D.C.’s history before more victims are added to the list.

 

 

 

DIGITAL ARCS OF THE IMMORTAL PRUDENCE BLACKWOOD:

Book reviewers and bloggers interested in reviewing the book may request a digital ARC of The Immortal Prudence Blackwood. ARCs are available through NetGalley and at the publisher’s website.

 

 

Title: The Immortal Prudence Blackwood

Author: Stephanie Grey

Genre: Suspense 

Publication date: September 12, 2019

Publisher: BHC Press

 

Available Formats: 

Hardcover: 978-1-64397-032-5, $26.95

Softcover: 978-1-947727-83-0, $15.95

Ebook: 978-1-948540-33-9, $7.99

 

LCCN: 2018948482

 

 

 

 

The Immortal Prudence Blackwood releases on September 12, 2019 in hardcover, trade softcover, and ebook. Preorder is currently available from select retailers.

 

 

The Inspiration Behind The Immortal Prudence Blackwood With Author Stephanie Grey

 

 

 

I wish I could say it was a misty and stormy night when the idea for an immortal woman who eliminates the world’s most notorious, unidentified serial killers struck me, and that I had an amazing tale. But the truth isn’t quite so mysterious and exotic. That’s how it normally goes, right? 

It was quite hot outside, which was normal for a March day in Hawaii. It’s difficult to get into a dark frame of mind when the sun is constantly shining and there’s a beautiful, blue ocean view from your window. 

On that particular morning, I was reading the news and stumbled across an article titled, “Rabbit hole leads to incredible 700-year-old Knights Templar cave complex.”

This cave, found underneath a farmer’s field in Shropshire, UK, was concealed by a rabbit hole. The article explained the caves were linked to the Knights Templar, a Catholic military order that was founded in 1119. Over time, the Templars’ military influence faded and, by 1307, the French King Philip IV plotted to bring down the Knights Templar. Most were arrested on charges including heresy and dozens were later burned at the stake. Pope Clement V disbanded them in 1312.

The owners of the property sealed the entrance to the caves in 2012 after black magic ceremonies were conducted there.

Reading this amazing story and seeing the incredible photographs immediately made me think about a woman living in the 1700s discovering an ancient cave covered in glyphs. But…you can’t just have a story about a woman finding a really old cave. Where would she go from there?

For the next few days, I mulled over ideas about this woman’s destiny. I caught a TV show about a man who had a scarf with blood on it and was trying to prove that his ancestor was the real Jack the Ripper. The man’s lead was a bust, but that’s when I knew what the woman would do: she would murder the serial killers whose identities were never discovered, thus evading capture. She would be the reason why the gruesome crimes stopped. 

It didn’t take long for me to narrow down the woman’s name to Prudence Blackwood and write her history. However, it did take a month to research the murderers I wanted to include, as well as the history of each time period featured in the book. The “modern day” portion of the story takes place in 1947, and I am so very grateful for my grandmother, Barbara Thomas, for her immense help and knowledge of that time period. 

I love Prudence’s story and I sincerely hope that readers will love it, too. If you’re interested in seeing the photographs that inspired me, please visit this website.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Stephanie Grey is a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a degree in journalism. Writing has always been present in Stephanie’s life. From a young age, she has been writing short stories for her family to enjoy. When she entered high school, she decided that she would one day write a full-length novel. She finally achieved her goal and is the proud author of three novels, including The Immortal Prudence Blackwood. She continues to write and hopes to be able to share her stories with the world for many years to come.

EXCLUSIVE DIGITAL CONTENT!

Be sure to visit The Immortal Prudence Blackwood’s publicity page to download free exclusive digital content!

 

 

The Scarecrow & George C
Mia Kerick
Publication date: June 3rd 2019
Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, New Adult, Romance

High school senior Van Liss is barely human. He thinks of himself as a scarecrow—ragged and unnerving, stuck, and destined to spend his life cold and alone. If he ever had feelings, they were stomped out long ago by his selfish mother and her lecherous boyfriend. All he’s been left with is bitter contempt, to which he clings.

With a rough exterior long used to keep the world at bay, Van spooks George Curaco, the handsome new frycook at the diner where he works. But George C senses there is more to the untouchable Van and refuses to stop staring, fascinated by his eccentricity. When Van learns that George C is even more cold, alone, and frightened than himself, Van welcomes him to his empty home. And ends up finding his heart.

Their road to trust is rocky and, at times, even dangerous. And looming evil threatens to keep them apart forever.

Fair warning: You may want to strap in. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

*All proceeds of this book go to charity: True Colors United.
“True Colors United implements innovative solutions to youth homelessness that focus on the unique experiences of LGBTQ young people.”

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Author Bio:

Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—one in law school, another a professional dancer, a third studying at Mia’s alma mater, Boston College, and her lone son, heading off to college. (Yes, the nest is finally empty.) She has published more than twenty books of LGBTQ romance when not editing National Honor Society essays, offering opinions on college and law school applications, helping to create dance bios, and reviewing scholarship essays. Her husband of twenty-five years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about this, as it’s a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled people in complex relationships. She has a great affinity for the tortured hero in literature, and as a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with tales of tortured heroes and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to her wonderful publishers for providing her with an alternate place to stash her stories.

Her books have been featured in Kirkus Reviews magazine, and have won Rainbow Awards for Best Transgender Contemporary Romance and Best YA Lesbian Fiction, a Reader Views’ Book by Book Publicity Literary Award, the Jack Eadon Award for Best Book in Contemporary Drama, an Indie Fab Award, and a Royal Dragonfly Award for Cultural Diversity, a Story Monsters Purple Dragonfly Award for Young Adult e-book Fiction, among other awards.

Mia Kerick is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology. Contact Mia at miakerick@gmail.com or visit at http://www.miakerickya.com to see what is going on in Mia’s world.

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