“Camp’s prose is suspenseful and rich with feeling, highlighting an incredible heroine. VERDICT: Full of magic and numerous mythologies but still tied to the lush New Orleans setting, this Crescent City is one readers will not want to leave.” —Library Journal, STARRED“Savory…Renai’s second outing is as raucous as her first, and the magic is just as double-edged and slippery… Renai is a real standout of a heroine, a powerful African-American woman cutting through bad or desperate situations in living and dead realms of increasing chaos, armed with snark, courage, and a storm of magic drawn from deep within her. This will be a feast for all lovers of urban and dark fantasy.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED “The second Crescent City book (after The City of Lost Fortunes, 2018) once again displays Camp’s ability to weave different mythological beliefs in fascinating ways. Readers will relate to Renai as she learns her most trusted guides are unreliable in this fast-paced urban fantasy.” —Booklist, STARRED “In this second installment of his Crescent City urban fantasy series, Camp raises the stakes and broadens the scope of his alternate world…the richness and inventiveness of Camp’s vision and the vivacity, warmth, and compassion of his leading woman keep you alert to whatever’s happening next. As with the real New Orleans, once you leave this creepier but just as colorful variant, you’ll be eager to go back.” —Kirkus Reviews“What a joy it is to return to Bryan Camp’s weird, dark, vivid, gorgeous magical New Orleans. Highly recommended!” —Sam J. Miller, award-winning author of Blackfish City
“The magic and mythological heft of Bryan Camp’s debut doesn’t lose any momentum in Gather the Fortunes. He captures the essence and resilience of a still healing New Orleans by digging into the parts of a city too often ignored by the well-to-do and powerful. If The City of Lost Fortunes was a love letter to New Orleans then its next installment is an Earl King blue’s song.” —Brent Lambert, editor at FIYAH Magazine
Renaissance Raines has found her place among the psychopomps—the guides who lead the souls of the recently departed through the Seven Gates of the Underworld—and done her best to avoid the notice of gods and mortals alike. But when a young boy named Ramses St. Cyr manages to escape his foretold death, Renai finds herself at the center of a deity-thick plot unfolding in New Orleans. Someone helped Ramses slip free of his destined end — someone willing to risk everything to steal a little slice of power for themselves.
Is it one of the storm gods that’s descended on the city? The death god who’s locked the Gates of the Underworld? Or the manipulative sorcerer who also cheated Death? When she finds the schemer, there’s gonna be all kinds of hell to pay, because there are scarier things than death in the Crescent City. Renaissance Raines is one of them.
“Fate decides where you go when you die. She makes damn sure you get there.”
Bryan Camp’s The City of Lost Fortunes is the second in the series of The Crescent City Novels. Once again Camp takes back to the enthralling magical city of New Orleans, NOLA.
Renaissance Raines (Renai), is strong compelling protagonist, she is currently dead, and now is a psychopomp. A guide who lead the souls of the recently departed through the Seven Gates of the Underworld to the afterlife.
Renai is an amazing Independent charismatic woman. She finds her way among the shape-shifters, tricksters, and a wily sorcerer named Jack Elderflower, who has somehow managed to cheat death without having a soul. The more her adventure unfolds the more the thrilling intense the plot twist.
Camps well developed and vibrant characters, and interesting plots inspired by existing mythology and magic kept me engaged. This is a book that will draw you in and keep you turning the page for more. A thrilling inventive ride, with Old Gods and Demi Gods. Dark signature magical realism that is all unique to Bryan Camp’s writing. Well paced action-packed intense adventure, with creative fantasy world building. Camp delivers once again a complex multi layered storyline within the boundaries of The Crescent City and the Underworld.
What I really enjoyed is the edgy riveting urban fantasy that Camp
has created, I was immediately drawn into and devoured quickly.
From start to finish the story was so darn entertaining and absolutely un-put-down-able! The plot exceptionally fueled with twists and turns that leave you questioning who you should trust in the dark urban magical place called New Orleans ..
This is a sequel that can be enjoyed just as easily as a standalone story. I would definitely recommend this book and series to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy and urban magical realism.
JBN and HMH
This book was received as an ARC from in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own
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Photo Content from Bryan Camp
Bryan Camp is a graduate of the Clarion West Writer’s Workshop and the University of New Orleans’ Low-Residency MFA program. He started his first novel, The City of Lost Fortunes, in the backseat of his parents’ car as they evacuated for Hurricane Katrina. He has been, at various points in his life: a security guard at a stockcar race track, a printer in a flag factory, an office worker in an oil refinery, and a high school English teacher. He can be found on twitter @bryancamp and at bryancamp.com. He lives in New Orleans with his wife and their three cats, one of whom is named after a superhero.
Exiled beast charmer Leena Edenfrell is in deep trouble. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts on the black market—an offense punishable by death—and now there’s a price on her head. With the realm’s most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes him an offer he can’t refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.
If only it were that simple. Unbeknownst to Leena, the undying ones are bound by magic to complete their contracts, and Noc cannot risk his brotherhood of assassins…not even to save the woman he can no longer live
Maxym M. Martineau’s KINGDOM OF EXILES debuts a is fantastic fantasy world . with exotic beasts, magical secrets, and just the right romance that keeps you intrigued from start to finish.
Exiled from her homeland, and on the run from assassins, the female protagonists, is a “charmer,” who can summon beasts to assist her whe
Maxym M. Martineau’s KINGDOM OF EXILES, debuts is a fantastic fantasy world
written in the engaging dual perspective. The story unveils through the eyes of Noc, a cursed assassin with a secret past, and Leena, an exiled charmer with a formidable ex-lover who wants her dead. Great character development and epic world-building. The cast of characters is varied and expansive. This book is full of beasts, magic and lots of adventures. There are two main factions in the book: beast charmers and Cruor assassins. As their name probably indicates, Charmers are the race of beings with the ability to tame magical beasts and call on them whenever they please. Members of Cruor, on the other hand, are undead humans, raised again to live forever in the shadows and work as assassins. While everyone has their own unique, individual traits, there are a few things that make them assassins or Charmers.
I really enjoyed this adult fantasy, to me it had just the right amount of romance layered into an action packed epic fantasy.
I definitely would recommend this to anyone looking to read a new voice in adult fantasy
By the time evening fell, three things were certain: the gelatinous chunks of lamb were absolute shit, my beady-eyed client was hankering for more than the beasts in my possession, and someone was watching me.
Two out of the three were perfectly normal.
Sliding the meat to the side, I propped my elbows against the heavy plank table. My client lasted two seconds before his gaze roved to the book-shaped locket dangling in my cleavage. Wedging his thick fingers between the collar of his dress tunic and his neck, he tugged gently on the fabric.
“You have what I came for?” His heavy gold ring glinted in the candlelight. It bore the intricate etching of a scale: Wilheim’s symbol for the capital bank. A businessman. A rare visitor in Midnight Jester, my preferred black-market tavern. My pocket hummed with the possibility of money, and I fingered the bronze key hidden there.
“Maybe.” I nudged the metal dinner plate farther away. “How did you find me?” Dez, the bartender, sourced most of my clients, but brocade tunics and Midnight Jester didn’t mingle.
I shifted in the booth, the unseen pair of eyes burrowing further into the back of my head. Faint movement from the shadows flickered into my awareness. Movement that should have gone unnoticed, but I’d learned to be prepared for such things.
Interview with Maxym M. Martineau
Maxym M. Martineau’s debut fantasy romance novel is KINGDOM OF EXILES (The Beast Charmer). The novel will be published on June 25th 2019 by Sourcebooks.
Question – Please describe what the book is about.
Maxym M. Martineau – A fantasy romance novel with magic, beasts and assassins! Here’s the blurb:
Exiled Charmer Leena Edenfrell is running out of time. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts—an offense punishable by death—and now there’s a price on her head. With the realm’s most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes Noc an offer he can’t refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.
Plagued by a curse that kills everyone he loves, Noc agrees to Leena’s terms in hopes of finding a cure. Never mind that the dark magic binding the assassin’s oath will eventually force him to choose between Leena’s continued survival…and his own.
Q – Where did you get the idea?
MMM – Kingdom of Exiles started because of a dream I had about Noc, the main male character. I’ve always had particularly vivid dreams, so when he appeared all swathed in shadows, as he’s apt to do in the book, I just knew I had to write about him. In my dream, he told me about how he was physically incapable of being with the one he loved, and I wanted that to translate into a story, hence Noc’s curse.
Leena was born out of his descriptions of her, and the beasts were something I always dreamed about—creatures I’d see, worlds I’d get snippets of. It was really like pulling ideas together from several different dreams into one coherent story.
Q – What’s the story behind the title?
MMM – Actually, the title is something my publisher and I worked on together. Kingdom of Exiles was originally the Beast Charmer, which ended up becoming the series title. But the more and more we talked about Noc and Leena’s predicaments, and both of them being exiles in their own way, it was just the perfect fit.
Q – No spoiler, but tell us something we won’t find out just by reading the book jacket.
MMM – There is something like 25+ beasts referenced in some way, shape, or form in Kingdom of Exiles. I had no idea when I started exactly how many I’d include, and then it just sort of… exploded! I love all of them, and I’m so glad my publisher did, too, because this resulted in the creation of a bestiary appendix, which includes pronunciation guides, ranks, detailed descriptions and taming requirements for each and every one of them.
Q – Tell us about your favorite character.
MMM – This is like picking a favorite child! I can’t do it. Please, don’t make me. Gah… I suppose it’s a toss up between my main male character, Noc, and a secondary character, Kost. They’re both so angsty and brooding!
Q – If you could spend a day with one of your characters, who would it be and what would you do?
MMM – Leena. Don’t get me wrong, I love my other characters, but I’d love to spend the day with her so I could play with all the magical beasts she’s tamed.
Q – Are your characters based on real people, or do they come from your imaginations?
MMM – Imagination or dreams, really. Of course, there are some outside influences that always crop up. I’m a huge video game and anime nerd, so I’ll pay homage to certain quirks or traits of characters I love.
Q – How long did you take to write this book?
MMM – I’m a speed writer, I’ll admit it. I started concepting out the idea of this novel while I was in Pitch Wars with a different book, but truly didn’t start writing it until December or January of 2017, I believe. I made it a goal to finish it before my wedding in March, started editing after that, and then sent out a few queries but held off when I got into Query Kombat. Signed with my agent in September, went through revisions over the holidays, went on sub shortly thereafter, and had an offer relatively quickly. I ended up signing with Sourcebooks in July of 2018.
Q – What kind of research did you do for this book?
MMM – Not a whole lot. I do a lot of pre-writing, which I guess you could call research, but since it’s fantasy, I primarily rely on my imagination. Sometimes, I’d look up weapon terminology, clothing, etc.
Q – What did you remove from this book during the editing process?
MMM – I actually ended up adding about 20,000 words. O_O
Q – Are you a plotter or a pantser?
MMM – If you twist my arm, I’ll side with the pantsers. I typically only start with a vague notion of where I want my characters to end up, but as they start to develop on the page and make choices that surprise me, I’ll alter along the way. Which makes me want to say I’m a plantser? Is that a thing? I’m making it a thing. It’s a bit hard to not plot to some degree when writing a trilogy, even if it’s only, “I know he’ll get to Point A by midway and Point Z by the end of it all.” But I have never been a hardcore synopsis writer, sticky note gal, or outline type of person.
Q – What is your favorite part of your writing process, and why?
MMM – Pre-writing. In this stage, I do a lot of dreaming, build a lot of boards, fill out character sheets and design maps (I love to design maps!). I feel like this is when I truly get to build out characters and worlds that are three dimensional. That way, when they’re on the page progressing through the plot, their actions and quirks come naturally to me.
Q – What is the most challenging part of your writing process, and why?
MMM – This is a hard question for me to answer. I find all parts of the writing process validating and invigorating in different ways. Though I end up pulling my hair out the most during editing, so if I had to pick, that one.
Q – Can you share your writing routine?
MMM – Writing time? What’s that? I’m kidding, mostly. I work a full-time job and am the co-founder of a not-for-profit romance site on the side (All The Kissing), so I don’t have a lot of hours in my day. I will say, though, that I thrive under deadlines. Need edits in a week? I’m game. A rework of that chapter before it gets released? Done.
Q – Have you ever gotten writer’s block? If yes, how do you overcome it?
MMM – Absolutely. I usually have to walk away for at least a day, if not more. I’m the type of person who can write 5,000+ words in a sitting, so when I can’t get more than 100, I really flail. I end up calling my critique partners so I can talk through options and pain points, and that usually solves the problem. Sometimes I just know the section is going to be rough, and I push through just to make it to the next passage. When I come back for edits, it’s much easier to see what I missed or could do better.
Q – If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
MMM – Be active in your writing community! I feel like I made a ton of newbie mistakes early on because I simply had no idea what I was doing (heck, I still don’t). The difference between then and now is that I’ve got a support system of writers who are always there for me. My biggest frustration with my earlier self is that I fought getting on Twitter for so long. I had no idea what kind of community I was passing up.
Q – How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
MMM – Let’s see… three unpublished books and I dunno how many half-finished ones. Some I won’t go back to, some are ideas I’m waiting on until after I’m finished with this series.
Q – Do you have any writing quirks?
MMM – I don’t know if you’d call it a quirk, but I write best with music and coffee. Particularly moody music, and I love to come up with playlists for my books.
Q – Tell us about yourself.
MMM – I work as a social media and ad writer for a large tech company. I’m married with a baby on the way (yay!), and I will always have fur babies in my life. I’ve got two pups right now, and they’re my whole world. My husband is pretty cool, too.
Q – How did you get into writing?
MMM – My mother, actually. I used to have terrible nightmares as a child, and she taught me how to exercise that negative energy by writing down my experiences in a journal. As I learned more about myself and my dreams, they became less frightening and I ended up looking forward to sleeping just so I could come up with new story ideas.
Q – What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
MMM – Really, my interests vary. I used to be a competitive swimmer, then I got into rock climbing, then ballroom dancing, then fitness competitions… Basically, I love all sports. Reading, video games and anime have always been a constant, too.
Q – Apart from novel writing, do you do any other kind(s) of writing?
MMM – I do a lot of article writing for All The Kissing, as well as work on paid and organic social media outreach campaigns for my day job. It’s interesting to see how many different ways I can use my skill set.
Q – Share something about you most people probably don’t know.
MMM – I’m absolutely terrified of moths. I don’t know what it is about them, but I’m convinced that if they land on me, they will eat the clothes right off my body in a matter of moments and leave me covered in dust.
Q – Which book influenced you the most?
MMM – Hands down, Harry Potter. JK Rowling is my idol.
Q – What are you working on right now?
MMM – I just turned in edits for book two of the Beast Charmer series, so I’ll begin work on book three here shortly. Then after that, it’s editing again, and drafting for books four, five and six.
Q – What’s your favorite writing advice?
MMM – I don’t know if it’s advice from a specific person or rather just a sentiment, but embrace your own journey. There’s no one straight path to publication, and you can learn so much from simply being completely and totally invested in your own experience.
Maxym M. Martineau is a staff writer and editor by day, and a fantasy romance author by night. When she’s not getting heated over broken hearts, she enjoys playing video games, sipping a well-made margarita, binge-watching television shows, competing in just about any sport, and of course, reading.
Following her passion, Maxym earned her bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Arizona State University. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America, and currently lives in Arizona with her husband and their dogs. She is represented by Cate Hart of Corvisiero Literary Agency. Her debut, Kingdom of Exiles, is slated for release in June 2019.
“The lights.” Mother Mol grabs Dahlia’s arm as they creep further inside the hospital. “She
even blew out the lights.”
They inch through the darkness, clinging to each other out of necessity more than fear,
moving carefully around the bodies. The light from the full moon filters through the windows, casting long shadows along the walls. A man in a tweed jacket lies flat on his back in front of the double doors, the muscles in his face relaxed so he looks like he’s smiling. In the café nearby, the steam wand from the espresso machine screams. The outline of the barista drapes over the counter, and beneath her, another body lies curled like a sleeping child. Entire families slump against each other in the waiting rooms. The nurse behind the admit desk stares straight up at the ceiling, seeing nothing.
The women expected the usual two corpses. Nothing like this.
“We should leave, Sister,” Mol says. “The power to do something like this…the girl’s evil.” “What about ancient duty and dying breeds?” Dahlia tenses beside her. “If we don’t protect
her, who will?”
“She isn’t like us.” The grip on her arm tightens. “Look around you, child.”
“I’m not a child anymore, Mother Mol,” Dahlia hisses. “But when you found me all those
years ago, do you remember what you told me? You said I could fix the evil things I’d done. And this girl, she deserves that same chance, don’t you think?”
That fact is written on Dahlia’s bones. Pushing past Mol, she closes her eyes and lets the magic wake inside her, lets it pulse and spiral through the air, searching.
“Where are you, lady?” The words come out of her mouth and surprise her.
Mother Mol huffs beside her. “Novices.”
“There.”
Dahlia feels the baby’s fear well up inside her own body: how dark everything is, and how
lonely. She’s close, on the second floor maybe. The elevator on the far wall doesn’t work; the girl’s short-circuited the entire building. Dahlia cocks her head at Mol, and together they head toward the staircase at the end of the hall. They tiptoe around the nurses and doctors who lie sprawled on the steps.
At the top of the stairs, Dahlia hears it: a loud, enchanting wail. Zigzagging around more corpses, she races toward the sound. She’s not sure what it is, only that she’s desperate to hold that little girl, see her and know that maybe the Coven’s not doomed after all.
The baby lies in the room at the end of the hall. With the curtains drawn closed, it’s impossible to see anything, so Dahlia flicks her wrist, and the fabric draws apart to let the moonlight in.
The child’s father lies draped over the foot of the bed, hugging his wife’s feet. There’s a look of joy on his ebony face and tears of blood in his eyes.
He never knew he was dying.
The mother’s eyes are closed, neck bent low toward the infant cradled in her arms. Dahlia feels the sob sitting in her chest and lets it go. She thought this part would be easy, she’d heard about it so many times. But this mother wanted so badly to kiss her beautiful daughter, who cries like she has four lungs instead of two, and it doesn’t make sense. Dahlia bends down slowly and touches her lips to the mother’s forehead.
“Rest well,” she says, pressing her forehead against the woman’s. Her skin is cold. “We’ll take care of her.”
She hears Mol moving behind her as she bends her knees and takes the child in her arms.
“Sister, we cannot take her with us,” Mol says. It’s the first time Dahlia’s ever heard her frightened. “I’ve never seen this kind of carnage before, and I’ve seen terrible things. This isn’t natural. This child is our end. I know it.”
“Why would nature give us something we don’t need?” Dahlia asks, eyes fixed on the girl. Her grey eyes spark in the light. “If we let her die, we violate every law we swear to live by, don’t we? I can’t do that again. I won’t.”
“She could kill us all,” Mol says. “There’s no way to know what she’s capable of…”
Dahlia looks into the girl’s face, and the baby hiccups and turns her face away. Dahlia steadies herself and looks back at Mol just as the sirens start to blare in the distance.
“Unless we take her with us.”
**
NORTH CAROLINA, 2019
Mother Mol started telling me the story of my birth when I was like four. I blew out my birthday candles, and then she just hit me with that little nugget of knowledge. She wanted to ensure I knew that I’m the dark, evil force that might just kill us all.
“There’s only ever been one other witch born with a power like yours, and she nearly destroyed the Coven,” she said. “So, you must remain vigilant.”
And that was it, the end of the story.
Then when I was seven, I met that witch face-to-face. I mean, not really, because she’s like super dead, but pretty much. We were in the Gathering Room, just me and Airi and Amana practicing with Mother Calista, trying to levitate books, when I suddenly felt a freaking pipe organ going off inside my chest, and then the entire room evaporated.
This darkness swallowed me, and I was falling, falling through total and complete nothing. Then, I slammed into the ground, and all I could see was a woman, red hair billowing around her like we were underwater or in some kind of fluid dimension or something. Her green eyes flashed, and her grey gown flowed behind her as she walked toward me. As she stooped down and brought her face to mine, her name bloomed in my mind: Eurydice.
And then she spoke, and her voice echoed through my head so loudly my ears rang for actual days. Her words sounded like smoke.
“The Earth shall shroud in shadow. The dead shall rise again. In Wicker Creek, two lovers meet, and the future shall begin.”
She looked at me with this smile on her face, and I felt my magic curdle. I felt it bubble in my veins, like she hadn’t just dropped a stupid nursery rhyme in my lap, but instead, set off a toxin that turned me into a nuclear weapon.
Sister Dahlia and Mother Calista (total space cadet, by the way, but she can definitely see the future), said I’d been “called,” said the whole freaky vision thing meant there was some kind of destiny waiting for me in this Wicker Creek place that could “change our world forever.”
But Mol wouldn’t let me go, even after Dahlia begged her.
“If a witch doesn’t fulfill her calling, nature makes the world pay for it,” she told her, amber eyes blazing. “Everything around Mariah will start to sour, you know that!”
“If it’s a message from Eurydice, it’s better not to listen,” Mol insisted. “Besides, we don’t even know what kind of beginning she means. It’s far too dangerous.”
Then I walked down for breakfast the next morning and nearly set the house on fire because I short-circuited everything. And later that week when I practiced levitating again, the books swirled around the room like they were caught up in this violent cyclone and whacked Airi straight across the face. Dahlia said it was magic lashing out, the universe ramping up to tip us right over the edge because we refused to listen to it.
Mol finally let me go to Wicker Creek when all the windows in the greenhouse shattered because I dared to open the freaking door. She made Dahlia come with me as my Keeper, to better train me on how to handle my magical shit…and to ensure I keep it hidden from humans, because there’s never been a good time to be an actual witch in this world.
In ten years, I’ve only lost control once. And if you knew everything about my magic…well, you’d be pretty impressed by that, actually.
Mol reminds me I’m dangerous every year when we go back to the Coven for Solstice Gatherings. She swears if I don’t fight like hell to find the light in my magic, I’ll swallow the world. She says power like mine’s way too unpredictable to stay hidden for long.
“If you can’t control yourself, I will come collect you.” Mol growled that at me in eighth grade…right after everything went down in the woods with Finn and Shelley. “And I will do whatever it takes to make sure you do not threaten this world.”
It’s why I don’t tell her about Eurydice’s voice and the way it creeps into my dreams sometimes. It’s why I don’t tell her about the way my magic tore through him and how I thought he’d die right there, right then, if I didn’t pull him back from the edge I felt him tumbling toward.
She acts like I enjoy being a threat to the living world. But my whole life, I’ve only ever wanted to be one thing: Good.
The Lady Raven: A Dark Cinderella Tale Rebecca Henry Genres: Adult, Fantasy
The Lady Raven: A Dark Cinderella Tale Rebecca Henry
Publication date: December 5th 2017
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
In The Lady Raven, Rebecca Henry tells the tale of Zezolla, a little princess abandoned by her father into the hands of her evil stepmother and wicked stepsisters. A familiar fairy tale you may think but all is not as it appears. The reader is soon drawn into a web of witchcraft, lies and deceit, and gradually realises that this is no typical fairy tale but a dark and macabre take on one. Zezolla is treated with the utmost cruelty, neglected and vilified, and left to live in the damp cellars of the castle. The only friends Zezolla has are her beloved raven and her pet wolf. Her only comfort lies in the loyalty of the creatures of the forest and her mother’s hazel tree. Will Zezolla have the power to escape her torment and ultimately save herself from the unscrupulous clutches of the king? The Lady Raven is a compelling tale and one that is not for the faint-hearted.
Baldric bent down, whispering into his wife’s ear. “I am going to drown you in the river, my love. I want you to hear my words and know that it is I who will kill you. Do not think that I do not know what you did.” Before Avelina could protest, her face was plunged into the icy water. She tried pulling her head up, but Baldric was too strong. She began to buck her legs around like a mule, desperate to make contact with Baldric, anything to weaken his grip. Baldric climbed on top of her and pinned her body beneath his. “Die, Avelina.” he growled. Hands were flying all around him as he drowned his wife, the only woman he ever loved. Princess Avelina was a fighter and she determined to stay alive, but it was to no avail.
Baldric kept her head under the water well after her body stopped moving. Avelina’s betrayal caused Baldric’s love to turn to hate, just as water turns to ice in the frozen kiss of winter.
“Die, you lying witch. Die! You do not deserve the life you have. You do not deserve me. You have taken everything I’ve loved away and now I will take everything from you.” Baldric’s hands trembled with rage as he dismounted his wife’s limp body. Baldric arose, looking around the grounds to ensure that no witnesses could testify to his crime. Still, he would not suffer the consequence of murdering his wife. To seal his innocence, he gathered heavy rocks from the bank and shoved them in Avelina’s robes.
“They will think it a suicide and my hands will never be traced to her death.” He bent down to see her face one last time before kicking her corpse into the lake.
“I loved you mind, body, and soul. I would have loved you until my dying breath, but I will never think of you again. From this day forth, you no longer consume my heart. May you rest in hell, my love.” He watched her body sink; he was triumphant, sentencing her to the punishment that fitted the crime: death.
Before her body disappeared into the ultramarine water, he spat on her. One final act of defiance.
Excerpt
Zezolla entered the forest, twig in one hand, shattered glass in the other. She moved effortlessly through the night as if she herself had wings which carried her. She came to a clearing, a streak of moonlight shining on the frozen ground. “This is the spot, my love.” The raven flew into the sky circling Zezolla as she dug into the ground. “Remember the order, my princess. Plant the twig and then the glass.”
“I call upon the spirit of my mother. I command you to leave the grave in which my mother’s body rests. Awaken now and bring forth the tree of life!” Zezolla held her hands up to the moon invoking its powers. “I am the daughter of the witch Avelina. I invoke the powers of the night. Come to me, my mother’s spirit. I welcome you!” A silver mist traveled above. The raven flew down to his princess. “She is coming, princess.” Zezolla watched as a tiny branch came forth from the dirt. Slowly it grew, taller and taller. More branches came. Zezolla thought she saw the figure of a woman in the tree. Shards of glass formed together creating glass leaves, dangerous to anyone who touched it – anyone but Zezolla. The princess stood up amazed by the beautiful sight before her. “It is complete, my love. My mother is here and her spirit resides inside the tree.” A remarkable hazel tree stood before her, 15 feet tall with a small opening at the base big enough for Zezolla to fit through. She examined the leaves running her long fingers over the glass. “It cannot cut me my love.” She held out her arm for the raven to perch. “But it will be dangerous to anyone else who tries to touch it.”
The two men made it to the barrier, gasping in horror. “What entrance is this!?” cried out Jack. “This was never here. There has never been an entrance to the forest.” Jack backed away, terrified that Zezolla awakened a spirit inside the forest. “It’s just a narrow passage. It must have been caused by the cold ice.” concluded Edward logically.
Jack shook his head. “No, Hexe did this. She has opened the forest. Who knows what evil lurks inside? These grounds are now cursed.”
“If that is true then I will not venture in.” Edward turned to leave but Jack stopped him. “This might be valuable to me Edward. If Hexe possesses some magical entity inside the forest then I want it.” Jack grabbed Edward by the collar and moved him through the opening. Edward clung to his knife, jumping at the sounds around them. “There is a light coming from beyond the trees. Could be lightening. Let’s go see what Hexe is up to.” Edward tried to turn back, but Jack had a strong hold on him. “Courage man! You’re no better than a scared boy.” snarled Jack.
Zezolla, unaware of the servants approaching, entered the hazel tree. Edward ducked down behind a bush as he saw Zezolla disappear.
“We must leave now! I told you this would be our death! She is a witch! Did you just see how she
entered that glass tree?!”
Jack was too fascinated to leave. He had never witnessed true magic before. “I want to take a closer look.”
“What? Are you mad! If you go near that tree that will be the end of you!”
Jack did not listen to Edward and walked over to the magical tree which was shimmering in the moonlight. “I just want to see it. Stay where you are if you are afraid,” Jack snorted.
“To hell with curiosity. I don’t want to end up without my head like Princess Guinevere. Go on then, you fool! Go see your magical tree.”
The tree seemed to call to Jack, beckoning him forward. “It’s so beautiful. Look at the sparkling leaves.” He reached out to touch one. The branch moved slicing his finger off his hand. Jack screamed in pain, clenching his finger to his chest. He tried to run away, but the tree caught him in her branches.
Edward stayed hidden, watching in horror as Jack cried out for help. “Edward, help me!”
“Stupid fool. I told him not to get closer.” muttered Edward
The tree tightened its grip around Jack, cutting him as it squeezed. “Please! I am sorry! Please let me go!” The tree would not accept Jack’s pleas and brought down another branch lined with razor sharp leaves. “No! No! Please, I will do anything! I will protect the princess from her stepmother. I swear to protect her as long as I live! Please, spare me!” The branch came down, slicing Jack’s throat with a row of deadly leaves.
“She needs no protection. I am with her now.” said the tree.
AuthorQuestions and Answers
-Write a letter to your teen self
Dear Teenage Me,
They say your teen years are your golden years. The best time of your life. For you, it’s a struggle. You see life with the eyes of an adult not a sixteen-year-old. You want to fast forward, jump into the future. You know the best part of your life is yet to come, waiting around the corner of time. I’m writing you to say, you’re exactly right.
Keep believing, keep dreaming and reaching because you will have it all…
Love Always,
Your future self xx
-Handling negative reviews
This is such a greattopic,I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to write about it. Negative reviews are rejections against our soul. When an author writes, or a painter paints, or a musician plays her song…it is an extension of our inner self bleeding out onto our canvas. A piece of our soul gets transferred onto the page, preserving a bit of ourselves for all time. It’s too easy to inhale negative reviews like air, like oxygen. But they are not our oxygen they are just a passing whisper in the breeze. Nothing more. Negative reviews are opinions we hear louder than the positive ones. I choose to silence that noise and open my ears to the positives. I do, however listen to negative reviews as constructive criticism, hoping to always improve and better my writing. I’m an extremely sensitive person so this mind-set has taken me time to form and learn but once you do, you will be able to blink out the negative and focus on the positives. The reality is not everyone will like your work and that’s OK. Not everyone has to. Write for yourself and you cannot fail.
-Behind the scenes (this can be anything to do with the writing process–habits, research process, inspiration,etc)
My behind the scenes takes place in my head. I see something that interests me. Maybe a bride trying on her wedding dress in a clothing store window, or a woman working behind a jewelry counter or a lonely old man walking out of his cottage door. Then something inside me clicks and I’m imagining what their life is like. What their day will be like and all–of–a–sudden, they are characters in a book I am going to create. From there I take picture of images, places anything that coordinates with those future characters. I usually take three weeks to write a book, once I have the idea it pours out of me like water from a tap. It just comes and the deeper I get into my writing the morealive the characters become. I enjoy writing with my computer facing my garden so I can see my cats and dog outside sunbathing as I type. My kids and husband are so wonderful when I write. They give me the quiet and space I need as I compose my story, but they always come up totake a peekat the progress, adding their comments.
Author Bio:
Rebecca Henry is a newly published author. Her debut novel is The Lady Raven, A Dark Cinderella Tale, which was published in 2017. The Lady Raven, is for those who have an affinity for fairy tales retold with a link to witches, magic and the macabre. Her second novel, Louisiana Latte, a chick lit comedy was released February 28th 2019. Louisiana Latte, is a feel good comedy that focuses on the bonds of sisters, and how audacious life can be when you have a diva for one! Both books are available on amazon as well as Barnes & Noble.
Rebecca Henry is a world traveler living abroad in England. Besides being an author of two published books, Rebecca is also a podcast talk host on the show The Latte Talk. The podcast was inspired by her latest novel, Louisiana Latte and her diva sister Deb. She is a serious vegan, gardener, crafter, wife and mom who practices yoga. She loves to laugh, her drug of choice and loves all things witchy with a hint of the macabre. Her favorite holiday is Halloween and her favorite movie of all time is Practical Magic.
The Voiceless have been stripped of their
land, poisoned, and forced into war with kings for decades. It is said that they made a pact with demons of the seven hells and can change into giant, ferocious wolves. And seventeen-year-old Princess Isabelle is in love with one. She’s gone against all the rules and now finds herself encased in a world
filled with danger. She discovers that, despite going against everything her parents wished for her, her destiny doesn’t lie on a throne beside a foreign prince, but with a servant boy named Fray who harbors a chilling secret. Her feelings for Fray transcends every lie she’s been told about the Old
Kingdom beyond the Archway. But there’s a war going on and Izzy must choose a side . . . human or wolf…or doom herself forever.
Today I am posting my review on this early arc from Blink Publisher, and Edelweiss Books.
The Memory Thief
Lauren Mansy
Publisher:Blink
Publication Date:October 1, 201
Print Length:368 pages.
This book was received as an ARC from Edelweiss ,in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completelymy own
The Past is a Maze , She is the Key 🔑
They say memories are the same as living it,” he says, swinging his arm around me. “But you have to admit, Jules. Real life is so much better.”
In the city of Craewick, memories reign. The power-obsessed ruler of the city, Madame, has cultivated a society in which memories are currency, citizens are divided by ability, and Gifted individuals can take memories from others through touch as they please.
Seventeen-year-old Etta Lark is desperate to live outside of the corrupt culture, but grapples with the guilt of an accident that has left her mother bedridden in the city’s asylum. When Madame threatens to put her mother up for auction, a Craewick practice in which a “criminal’s” memories are sold to the highest bidder before being killed, Etta will do whatever it takes to save her. Even if it means rejoining the Shadows, the rebel group she swore off in the wake of the accident years earlier.
To prove her allegiance to the Shadows and rescue her mother, Etta must steal a memorized map of the Maze, a formidable prison created by the bloodthirsty ruler of a neighboring Realm. So she sets out on a journey in which she faces startling attacks, unexpected romance, and, above all, her own past in order to set things right in her world.
When seventeen year old, Etta Lark finds out that her mother is going to be condemned to death and her memories sold.
In the city of Craewick, memories have become a commodity.
Etta Lark is gifted with the ability to to take memories through touch. She needs to join forces with a rebel group. But first she must prove her her allegiance. To do so she must on a quest to steal to a neighboring realm. Etta, must overcome her guilty past actions.
Lauren Mansy creative storyline is gripping and faced paced. Inventive world building . The story weaves with flashbacks to the past and present. With just amount of Romance to make this YA Fantasy a very appealing read .
Ultimately the story is about love for the people close to you and overcoming guilt by putting things right.
In my opinion this book did have some plot holes, but this is the authors first novel.
What really grabbed my attention was the storyline concept. To me it was unique, and that is why after reading the book blurb I requested it from Edelweiss Books.
• Amazing concept and
• A lot of flashbacks
• I loved the character development, I especially enjoyed the main protagonist sacrifice and loyalty to help save her mother. The Author has expressed this is where her concept for her book came from.
• The pacing was a little off
• There was a lot of build up to events and places that never really went anywhere
Lauren lives in the Chicago area, where she’s spent years working with youth, from young children to high schoolers. When she’s not writing, Lauren is usually with her family or exploring the city to find the best deep dish pizza. The Memory Thief, which was inspired by Lauren’s own journey with her mother, is her first novel. Less
Today I have partnered with Rebekah Dodson in bringing you Clock City Book Blitz @rebekahdodson #New Adult, #Romance, #Steampunk, #Young Adult
Clock City Rebekah Dodson
(Realm of Elestra, #2)
Publication date: May 15th 2019
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Steampunk, Young Adult
Since Mom died and left me with my abusive, drunkard of a father I don’t have much of a life. My only sanctuary’s hidden in the woods. At least until I find a jeweled dagger and it transports me to somewhere called Elestra. I seriously can’t believe this isn’t some crazy dream, with mechanical horses, cat people, demons, and even metal dragons.
I just want to go home, but everything is a disaster in Clock City.
Who’s this mysterious girl who appeared in Elestra? Alayna wears strange clothes and keeps complaining about something called a “cell phone.” She even has a demon with her who’s sworn a life debt, and now I’m bonded to her to help save the kingdom.
I’m just Sebastian, a secret tinkerer. How am I supposed to help her, and the rebellion, save the city? My life has flipped upside down, and I don’t know if I have what it takes.
No matter what happens it’s up to us to show the world what freedom truly looks like.
Where do you get your ideas? Mostly from my muse, a close friend of mine, and watching people. And maybe a little from my students, lol
What is your writing process like? I get up at 4am most days and write 2500 words. My day starts at 6am, then I teach college classes from 9am-5pm five days a week. Some days it’s hard to get up at 4am, so I have to double up on weekends. Usually I get in about 10,000-15,000 words on a Saturday.
What is your writing Kryptonite? Quick burn romances. I can’t do it. My character talks and talk and fall in love SO slowly. It’s annoying sometimes.
How do you deal with writers block? I travel! Seriously. I take the train often, talk to people, go to big cities. I get tons of ideas!
Do you write under different pen names? Not yet!
When did you write and publish your first book? What was the name of your book? I wrote my frist book, Postcards from Paris, in December of 2013. I was in grad school at the time, and going through some rough things. I really poured my heart and some personal experiences into that book. A fellow students of mine started a publishing company and offered to publish it, and put a TON of faith into my work. Postcards was published on March 6, 2014! I’ve written a book a month ever since!
Who is your favorite author and Why? I love Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instrument series, but I’m also a huge fan of Stephen King, RA Salvatore, Terry Goodkind, David Gemmel, Nora Roberts, and Charlaine Harris. For India authors I adore Brooklyn Knight, Candace Osmond, and RA Steffan. Their books will ALWAYS be a one-click for me.
How many unpublished or half written books do you have? Probably at least 20. 30?
What kind of research do you do and how long before writing your book? I usually research as I write, to be honest. I rarely know what my characters are going to pull/do. The current series I’m working on it
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex? Not much, actually. My bestselling series, The Curse of Lanval, is from my male main character’s perspective, Guillaume Lanval. Most of my romances are from both male and female first person perspectives. I really enjoy writing from the male perspective, actually.
How long do you try to write daily? An hour or two. Some days I can only voice text a few sentences, but I get them in.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with good and bad reviews? All the time. The harsest one was when a reader gave me 3-stars before she “couldn’t remember the book.” That made me cry. I never advertise that book anymore, but I read it every few months and determine to be more interesting than that book. For good reviews I sometimes share them with the world, but primarily I have the same reaction. Every time someone leave me a review, good or bad, I just enjoy the fact someone read it!
What’s your favorite genre to read? Urban fantasy and high fantasy mostly, but I also love historical romances.
Do you hide secrets that only a few people will find or easter eggs in your books? OH yes. Most of my characters are related, and their worlds are fundamentally changed by Gill’s time traveling. I’m just hoping someone figures it out someday.
What was your hardest scene to write? In Postcards from Moscow, my ballerina, Jacqueline, was a pill addict, and I had to write a scene where Vasily, the man who loves her, finds her not breathing on a bathroom floor. He revives her, but then he walks away. It was so hard to write that scene because I wanted them to be together SO bad, but it wasn’t going to happen, not until Jaqui got her stuff together. A close second is the moment that Guillaume loses someone he loves in the my time travel fantasy, Merlin. When I had to kill that character I felt his anguish and I cried all the way through it with him.
Do you write with music in the background or does it have to be silent? I need music!! If it’s a fight scene for a fantasy novel, I’ve got to have some wacky Voltaire or Mary Cromwell or Shyfer James in the the background, maybe a little Cog is Dead or Steampunk Giraffe. I also love my 90’s romance songs (Savage Garden, Backstreet Boys, and Britney Spears) for romances. Sometimes you’ll even heard a little Five Finger Death Punch in there!
Do you have a favorite thing to snack on while you write? Gummy bears. It’s really an addiction at this point…
How much do your readers’ interests influence your writing? SO much. I actually have some fans that suggest directions and I almost always use them. My biggest fan is actually my beta reader now and I love her!
If you could tell your younger writing self anything…What would it be? PLEASE write that damn book and publish it, even though you don’t think you are good enough! I published my first book when I was 30, and I wish I hadn’t waited.
Any advice to other writers? Always get your product as polished as possible. Hire an editor, pay a lot for a cover. Find your tribe of other authors to support you and ask them for advice, often! Don’t pay for anything until people agree that it’s a good venture, otherwise you’ll waste a lot of money and time on poor quality professionals. Also, find your readers, and reward the crap out of them. Don’t lose those precious readers at any cost.
Author Bio:
Rebekah Dodson is a prolific author of over 30 romance, fantasy, and science fiction novels. Her works include the series Postcards from Paris, #1 bestselling Curse of Lanval series, Life After Us series, and several stand alone novels and short stories. She has been writing her whole life, with her first published work of historical fiction with 4H Clubs of America at the age of 12, and poetry at the age of 16 with the National Poetry Society. With an extensive academic background including education, history, psychology and English, she currently works as a college professor by day and a writer by night.
Hi Bookish, Today I have teamed up with the Author and Xpresso Tours to bring you this Book Blitz
Neliem Clare DiLiscia
Published by: Month9Books
Publication date: May 21st 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Half the population of the island of Madera are dead, killed by an unforgiving and indiscriminate plague. Oriana dreams of escaping her life of ruthless cruelty from the people who now rule over those who remain. No telling whom the plague will strike next, Oriana means to find freedom for herself and her people. Drawing strength from ancient tales of her enemy, young Oriana transforms herself from victim to warrior with the help of a mysterious and powerful dagger given to her by a kind and dying boy.
Years later, during her enemy’s betrothal ritual, Ezra, a boy she has never before seen, selects her as his mate. With servitude her only option, Oriana accepts the offer. Whisked away to a seemingly perfect world, Oriana discovers sinister secrets at every turn, including the identity of Tristan, a boy with whom she shares an undeniable but impossible connection.
Why would a boy she doesn’t know wish her to be his betrothed? Why does she feel such a strong pull toward a stranger? Someone in Ezra’s family not only knows the answer to both those questions, but also about the dagger Oriana possesses. He will do anything to stop the union. Now, with everything on the line, Oriana turns inward to find the strength she needs to seize the full power of the dagger so that she may protect herself and save her people.
I cringe; not wanting to confess the extent of my obsession of finding the boy I’ve convinced myself for too long never existed. After I’d miraculously healed from the fever, I went half mad looking everywhere for him. Like a maniac, I searched in every room, closet and under every desk at the schoolhouse for any indication where he might’ve gone. Then I took it one step further. Dressed like Neliem himself, I snuck at the crack of dawn into the Untouchable section of town which we are forbidden to enter. I scourged the marketplace, the temples of their false gods, the fields, the hills, our cave, any place I could think of, going as far as to risk my own life for weeks to find him. Just for the chance to see him and touch him again, I would’ve done anything. Me, who hated to be touched, ached for this boy the way a dying man aches for water in the desert.
Author Bio:
Clare Di Liscia grew up near the hills surrounding Dodger’s Stadium. For University, Clare attended KU Leuven, in Belgium. She graduated with a Film Degree from Cal State Northridge, earning Dean’s List recognition. Neliem won 1st place HM in SCBWI’s Sue Alexander.
Thank You so much Harper Teen and Edelweiss Books, for this early Arc, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own @gwendalyn_books_
Violet Sterling has spent the last seven years in exile, longing to return to Burleigh House. One of the six great houses of England, Burleigh’s magic always kept the countryside well. And as a child, this magic kept Violet happy, draping her in flowers while she slept, fashioning secret hiding places for her, and lighting fires on the coldest nights to keep her warm.
Everything shattered, though, when her father committed high treason trying to free Burleigh from the king’s oppressive control. He was killed, and Vi was forced into hiding.
When she’s given a chance to go back, she discovers Burleigh has run wild with grief. Vines and briars are crumbling the walls. Magic that once enriched the surrounding countryside has turned dark and deadly, twisting lush blooms into thorns, poisoning livestock and destroying crops. Burleigh’s very soul is crying out in pain.
Vi would do anything to help, and soon she finds herself walking the same deadly path as her father all those years before. Vi must decide how far she’s willing to go to save her house—before her house destroys everything she’s ever known.
Laura Weymouth’s gripping , A Treason of Thorns is a masterfully captivating, and gripping tale. I really enjoyed this utterly unique., this atmospheric historical fantasy. Weymouth spellbinding storyline progression, kept me interested from start to finish.
The main character, Violet Sterling is from a long line of caretakers of the magical house of Burleigh. It’s legacy demands devotion from its caretakers. They must forfeit family, love and sometimes life for the sake of the dark magic of the House.
Weymouth luminous fantasy of unspoken love, and the cost of freedom is one that you will not forget.
I have to say, I am a new fan of Weymouth Books. This is definitely a Book I am going to purchase a paper copy
What really stood out for me was the books premise, it is is unique in that it brings us to a world built entirely around this house,
Laura Weymouth is a Canadian living in exile in America, and the sixth consecutive generation of her family to immigrate from one country to another. Born and raised in the Niagara region of Ontario, she now lives at the edge of the woods in western New York, along with her husband, two wild-hearted daughters, a spoiled cat, an old soul of a dog, and an indeterminate number of chickens. She is represented by the inimitable Lauren Spieller of TriadaUS.
Print Length: 391 pages
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (May 21, 2019)
Publication Date: May 21, 2019
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B07DTB52HJ
Praise for GREGG OLSEN’S NOVELS
“Gregg Olsen’s Envy is a riveting page-turner that I could not put down. Like Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why, Envyexplores a serious topic–cyberbullying–in a fantastic, well-crafted story. Can’t wait for the next Empty Coffinnovel!” ―Nancy Holder, New York Times bestselling author of the Wicked saga, Dear Bully contributor
“Gregg Olsen’s Envy offers an interesting view on the devastating effects bullying can have, not only on the individuals involved from both sides, but on the community at large.” ―Bree Despain, author of The Dark Divine trilogy
“Sure to spice up your reading repertoire!” ―GirlsLife.com
“Olsen’s characters jump to life and his plots are so intricate you never see the killer coming….a definite hit!” ―RT Book Reviews
“Dark and addictive…” ―Jordan Dane, critically acclaimed author of In the Arms of Stone Angels
“Olsen writes with authority, drawing inspiration from actual headlines and crime…” ―Publishers Weekly
“WICKEDLY CLEVER! TWISTED.” ―Lisa Gardner
“OLSEN WRITES RAPID-FIRE PAGE-TURNERS.”―The Seattle Times
“GRABS YOU BY THE THROAT.”―Kay Hooper
synopsis:
No matter what you see, no matter what you’ve heard, assume nothing.
Adam and Sophie Warner and their three-year-old daughter are vacationing in Washington State’s Hood Canal for Memorial Day weekend. It’s the perfect getaway to unplug—and to calm an uneasy marriage. But on Adam’s first day out on the water, he sees Sophie abducted by a stranger. A hundred yards from shore, Adam can’t save her. And Sophie disappears.
In a nearby cabin is another couple, Kristen and Connor Moss. Unfortunately, beyond what they’ve heard in the news, they’re in the dark when it comes to Sophie’s disappearance. For Adam, at least there’s comfort in knowing that Mason County detective Lee Husemann is an old friend of his. She’ll do everything she can to help. She must.
But as Adam’s paranoia about his missing wife escalates, Lee puts together the pieces of a puzzle. The lives of the two couples are converging in unpredictable ways, and the picture is unsettling. Lee suspects that not everyone is telling the truth about what they know—or they have yet to reveal all the lies they’ve hidden from the strangers they married.
You can purchaseLying Next to Me at the following Retailers:
Photo Content from Gregg Olsen
Author:
Throughout his career, Gregg Olsen has demonstrated an ability to create a detailed narrative that offers readers fascinating insights into the lives of people caught in extraordinary circumstances.
A New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Olsen has written nine nonfiction books, nine novels, a novella, and contributed a short story to a collection edited by Lee Child.
The award-winning author has been a guest on dozens of national and local television shows, including educational programs for the History Channel, Learning Channel, and Discovery Channel. He has also appeared on Dateline NBC, William Shatner’s Aftermath, Deadly Women on Investigation Discovery, Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Today Show, FOX News, CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, MSNBC, Entertainment Tonight, CBS 48 Hours, Oxygen’s Snapped, Court TV’s Crier Live, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, and A&E’s Biography.
In addition to television and radio appearances, he has been featured in Redbook, USA Today, People,Salon magazine, Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times and the New York Post.
The Deep Dark was named Idaho Book of the Year by the ILA and Starvation Heights was honored by Washington’s Secretary of State for the book’s contribution to Washington state history and culture. His Young Adult novel, Envy, was the official selection of Washington for the National Book Festival.
Olsen, a Seattle native, lives in Olalla, Washington with his wife, twin daughters, three chickens, Milo (an obedience school dropout cocker spaniel) and Suri (a mini dachshund so spoiled she wears a sweater).
*JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*
Before I begin my review, I would like to thank Parliament House Press and Nicole Knapp for providing me with an eARC of this magical book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are completely my own.
B. V. All images are copyright of Parliament House Press.
You’ve heard of Neverland and its inhabitants… Fairies, pirates, mermaids and a boy who didn’t want to grow up. But you can’t always believe the stories.
Elena Hart arrives in London, bound for a new boarding school operated by her estranged uncle. A fresh start is exactly what she needs. But when strange things begin happening, things she can’t explain, she begins to wonder if she has lost her mind.
Until the night a strange girl appears in her room, claiming to be a fairy from Neverland, come to take her to the fantasy world at the request of its ruler.
Skeptical, Elena refuses. But the following night, a young man with strange green eyes appears, and though she tries to resist his charms, something about him draws her in and Elena is whisked away from the world she knows, to a world she always thought was make believe.
But when she arrives in Neverland, it is nothing like the stories and Elena realizes that she must figure out for herself who the true heroes and villains are.
Everything you thought you knew about the real story of Peter Pan is about to change. What if the villain is really not a villain after all.
An imaginative fairytale retelling with a creative dark twist on Peter Pan.With an unconventional cast of characters and brilliantly thought-up plot that takes the fairy tale you know as a child and upgraded it into a riveting YA novel. Nicole Knapp grabs your attention early on, when she masterly mixes first and third POV perspectives. Engaging fantasy world building, vibrant characters, and interesting plot. Knapp takes you to never land, in this adventures read. This was a fast read for me, and I was intrigued and curious to see where this inventive twist of of Peter Pan would take me.
I especially enjoyed the backstory, and the ending. I am looking forward to reading more of Knapp writing in the future.
Author
Nicole Knapp was born in Palm Springs, California on May 10th, 1990. She lived in California until the age of 16, when her family relocated to Oklahoma, where she currently resides. Nicole loved books from a very young age, and has been an avid reader all her life. At 24, she started freelance writing, which she continued for two years before deciding it was time to write something she was passionate about. Her first book, The Missing Piece, was released in August 2017. Her newest project, Hook & Crown, a dark and twisted retelling of Peter Pan, will be released Summer 2019 by The Parliament House.
Cover Reveal for the Kingdom of Mirrors & Roses Boxed Set.
Kingdom of Mirrors & Roses
A Limited Edition of Beauty and the Beast Retellings
Publication date:August 1st 2019
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, New Adult #Fairy Tales, #Fantasy, #New Adult BOOK DETAILS:
Kingdom of Mirrors & Roses: A Limited Edition of Beauty and the Beast Retellings
Publication date:August 1st 2019
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, New Adult
Synopsis:
Beauty and the Beast, but not how you remember it
Deep in the forest, a castle hides. No one knows who lives there, but rumors of a beast keep people away.
Cloaked in shadows, hidden from view, a prince destroyed by a curse shuts himself away from the world, ashamed of the beast he’s become.
And in the village, a beautiful girl with her nose in a book, yearns for something more.
True love is the only thing that can break his curse. True love is the one thing she’s looking for, but how can they find true love when neither knows the other exists?
Find out if love really can defy all odds in this set of thirteen captivating retellings of the classic fairytale, filled with love, hope and the strength of two people willing to do whatever it takes…
Kingdom of Mirrors & Roses: A Limited Edition of Beauty and the Beast Retellings
Publication date: August 1st 2019
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, New Adult
Beauty and the Beast, but not how you remember it
Deep in the forest, a castle hides. No one knows who lives there, but rumors of a beast keep people away.
Cloaked in shadows, hidden from view, a prince destroyed by a curse shuts himself away from the world, ashamed of the beast he’s become.
And in the village, a beautiful girl with her nose in a book, yearns for something more.
True love is the only thing that can break his curse. True love is the one thing she’s looking for, but how can they find true love when neither knows the other exists?
Find out if love really can defy all odds in this set of thirteen captivating retellings of the classic fairytale, filled with love, hope and the strength of two people willing to do whatever it takes…
One click now for your happily ever after.
Other books in the Kingdom of series…
Kingdom of Glass and Ashes (Cinderella retellings)
Kingdom of Salt and Sirens (Little Mermaid retellings)
Kingdom of Sand and Wishes (Aladdin retellings)
Kingdom of Mirrors and Roses (Beauty and the Beast retellings)
Kingdom of Thorns and Dreams (Sleeping Beauty retellings) coming soon
Happy Monday Bookish Friends, Today I joined with Vesuvius publishing , the Author Gareth Worthington and JBN Media Tours & Promotions Book Trailer Blast .
Make sure to Enter The Giveaway at the End of this post!
Series: Children of the Fifth Sun (Book 1)
Paperback: 414 pages
Publisher: Vesuvian Books (July 25, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1944109404 Praise for CHILDREN OF THE FIFTH SUN
“An action-packed, globe-hopping science fiction thriller… pedal-to-the-metal pacing and relentless action make it easy to turn pages…” ―Kirkus Reviews
“Insane! What Gareth did here was incredible! This author took a global look at America, China, and Russia, and added a species from another era into the mix, to create a well-researched novel of suspense, intrigue, with dashing individuals. The characters travel the world on a unique mission while trying to stay out of the line of fire as rogue government agencies from several different countries try to stop them. It’s a wild ride from California to Peru, from Egypt to Siberia. The amount of research put into this novel is on par with a Michael Crichton novel. The main character, Kelly Graham, reminded me of Dirk Pitt from Clive Cussler’s novels. Overall, an incredible read and a book I’m recommending.” ―Jonas Saul, Best-selling author of the Sarah Roberts Series, April 2017
Suspend disbelief and let yourself travel on a downriver, undersea, and overland adventure in this well-constructed novel. The author takes you on a fast paced journey full of intrigue, government secrets, unusual creatures and just a tad of romance. Superlatives abound and the literary illumination paints an image so clear you feel you are there with the characters. For those who know the author, there are bit of his personality revealed which makes reading the novel even more enjoyable. A bit Tom Clancy, a hint of Dan Brown — authentically Gareth in his debut work. ―Charity Scripture
“Scientist Worthington’s understanding of the complexities and possibilities of marine biology and endocrinology are evident.” ―Publishers Weekly, May 2017
***WINNER, SCI FI CATEGORY, 2017 LONDON BOOK FESTIVAL***
***2018 SILVER FALCHION AWARD FINALIST***
***2018 CYGNUS AWARD SHORTLIST (WINNER TBD)***
Genre: “Science Faction” – science fiction, action and adventure with fact-based science, theories and mythology
Book Blurb
IN ALMOST EVERY BELIEF SYSTEM ON EARTH, there exists a single unifying mythos: thousands of years ago a great flood devastated the Earth’s inhabitants. From the ruins of this cataclysm, a race of beings emerged from the sea bestowing knowledge and culture upon humanity, saving us from our selfish drive toward extinction. Some say this race were “ancient aliens” who came to assist our evolution.
But what if they weren’t alien at all? What if they evolved right here on Earth, alongside humans . . . and they are still here? And, what if the World’s governments already know?
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Kelly Graham is a narcissistic self-assured freelance photographer specializing in underwater assignments. While on a project in the Amazon with his best friend, Chris D’Souza, a mysterious and beautiful government official, Freya Nilsson, enters Kelly’s life and turns it upside down. Her simple request to retrieve a strange object from deep underwater puts him in the middle of an international conspiracy. A conspiracy that threatens to change the course of human history.
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Photo Content from Gareth Worthington
Gareth Worthington is a trained marine biologist and also holds a doctorate in comparative endocrinology. Currently, Gareth works full time for the Pharmaceutical industry helping to educate the World’s doctors on new cancer therapies. In his spare time Gareth has a number of passions, including: martial arts – he trained in Muay Thai at the prestigious EVOLVE MMA gym in Singapore and currently trains in MMA at Phoenix Sportkampf, Switzerland; playing acoustic guitar; studying ancient history; drawing; and most of all writing fiction.
An award winning author, he hopes to one day hang up the pharma hat and write full time.
Welcome my stop on the official,
MASSACHUSETTS, JULY 2003
Gwendalyn’s Books 