**************Nothing good happens when people keep secrets.***************
Paige Bryant’s dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer died along with her mother.
Drowning in grief and plagued by guilt, Paige is blindsided by a provision in her mother’s will
that sends her to live with the father she never knew. Forced to start over in a new town and at
a new school where she’s now the principal’s daughter, Paige is convinced that her life can’t
possibly get more complicated—until fate throws her into the path of the only boy her guardian
tells her is off-limits.
Despite two years on the straight and narrow, Cade Matthews can’t escape his time as a
juvenile delinquent. With his dad behind bars, Cade’s feelings of anger and betrayal are as
relentless as the rumors he’s trying to outrun. The only person not listening to the gossip is the
new girl with her own set of troubles, including a father who will never give Cade a fair shake.
As Paige tries to adjust to her new life and an uncertain future, a set of unopened journals
reveals a dark family secret. When tensions rise to a boiling point, can Paige and Cade make
peace with the past before it destroys them?
Cade slides off the rock and moves to stand in front of me. The rain has stopped. “Tell me about your mom.” Everything in my body threatens to shut down, as if he just pulled the fire alarm on my soul. “What was she like?” Unable to look him in the eyes or grasp a cohesive sentence that consists of more than three words, I stare at the dirt and mumble, “She was amazing.” Cade’s tenor is soft when he asks, “What made her amazing?” “How much time do you have?” Leaning in, he whispers, “As much time as it takes.”
“Dude, you’ve got total stalker eyes,” Jared says after the song comes to an end. “Shut up,” I growl. “I get it,” he says. “But unless you’re willing to go over there and talk to her, you need to holster the daggers you’re throwing at that guy.”
What I want is to know more about this girl. This mix of hurricane and humility that I’ve never experienced before. She’s sassy and self-reliant, tenacious and timid, and beneath her moments of boldness, deep down where she thinks no one can see, this girl is wounded.
“What does your tattoo say?” Without a word, Cade draws back his sleeve to reveal three words: Live Every Day.
Paige tilts her face to the ceiling. Tears leak from the corners of her eyes and I swipe gently at the wetness with my thumbs. “Why are you crying?” “I’ve been so lost since my mom died,” she whispers. My heart aches at her pain, and I want to make things better for her. But sometimes things just hurt and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Mom wasn’t a perfect human being—none of us are—but in my eyes, she came pretty close. She was selfless, always trying to do the best she could for me, even when I didn’t appreciate it or even notice. She impacted my life in a million little ways by merely being a part of it. When I think of it like that—I finally get it. I finally understand the one thing I didn’t before. I thought my grief was a punishment for all I had done wrong, for not being able to save Mom. But the truth is—my grief is proof that I loved her, and that she loved me in return. And that, by any measure, isn’t a punishment. It’s a gift.
I glide across the floor, my powerful legs propelling me effortlessly into the air as I leap, my arms brushing the air gracefully in a grand jeté before I land once more. For a moment, I close my eyes, losing myself in the rhythm, dissolving into the joy exuding from every limb. I whip my leg powerfully in a double fouetté en tournant followed by three more as pure bliss pulses through me. As I move, I envision all I’ve endured—the pain, the emptiness and the longing for a world I’d lost without warning—and I imagine it dissolving into the floor beneath me. In its place springs hope and love and endless possibilities. There’s room now for all that. There’s room for the happy, confident girl who’d been exiled the day her world crumbled beyond her control.
Paige’s Top Ten Tips about Moving to a Small Town
1. Find the coffee shop. There’s always one in a small town and identifying where you can get your daily caffeine fix is essential.
2. Be open to making new friends. No one wants to sit alone in the school cafeteria.
3. Prepare to stand out. Being the new girl in school comes with a lot of unwanted attention, especially when you are the principal’s daughter.
4. Join the dance team or be prepared to say no—repeatedly.
5. Stop trying to figure out why your mom sent you here. It’s your home now, don’t fight it.
6. Every small town has its annual traditions. Embrace them and take your little sister to visit Santa.
7. Get used to talking about your feelings. Everyone is going to want you to do that.
8. Rumors and gossip travel fast in a small town. Watch what you say and don’t believe everything you hear.
9. Be open to possibilities. Maybe things didn’t turn out the way you expected, but change can bring new beginnings.
10. Don’t write off the bad boy in town. There’s likely more to him than meets the eye. (wink)
Hi book-lovers! And welcome to my stop on the blog tour for.
The Thirteenth Gauradain, hosted by Ya Bond Book Tours
K. M. Lewis
Author: K. M. Lewis
Publication Date: June 7, 2019
Publisher: self publish
Page Count: 295
Format: eARC
Genre: Science Fiction, Apocalyptic
Synopsis
Da Vinci’s secret pales. Michelangelo concealed an explosive truth in his famous Creation of Man fresco in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. Everything we have been taught about Eve is wrong—she didn’t cause the fall of man. Instead, Eve carried a far more devastating secret for millennia; one that will change the world forever.
As the modern-day world suffers the cataclysmic effects of the “Plagues of Egypt”, Avery Fitzgerald, a statuesque Astrophysics major at Stanford, discovers that she is mysteriously bound to five strangers by an extremely rare condition that foremost medical experts cannot explain. Thrust into extraordinary circumstances, they race against time to stay alive as they are pursued by an age-old adversary and the world around them collapses into annihilation.
Under sacred oath, The Guardians—a far more archaic and enigmatic secret society than the Freemasons, Templars, and the Priory—protect Avery as she embarks on a daring quest that only legends of old have been on before. Avery must come to terms with the shocking realization that the blood of an ancient queen flows through her veins and that the fate of the world now rests on her shoulders.
This book is currently on sale for only $0.99 through July!
**********Click the AmazonIcon to Purchase***********
The Thirteenth Guardian is an apocalyptic action-packed roller coaster ride from start to finish! The author delivers a creative Ya Mystical Realism novel.
Imaginative background information with astonishing theories proposing new presentation of cultural art and artifacts. This book explores Themes of conspiracy theories, ancient civilization, mythology and religion, along with secret societies.
The storyline follows a cast of six character with a genetic code, all the way through disastrous event happing to the world aground them The author delivers the book using multiple POV’s to keep the reader satisfied up until to the very end. Appealing atmospheric world building makes this an entertaining read.
Imaginative Ya science fiction, apocalyptic, mystical realism novel
K.M. Lewis has lived in multiple countries around the world and speaks several languages. Lewis holds a graduate degree from one of the Ivy League Universities featured in his book. When he is not writing, Lewis doubles as a management consultant, with clients in just about every continent. He does much of his writing while on long flights and at far-flung airports around the globe. He currentlyresides on the East Coast of the U.S with his family.
Social media: twitter.com/kmlewisbooks and instagram.com/kmlewisbooks
I am happy to be hosting a stop on the blog tour for WHAT WE DO FOR LOVE by Anne Pfeffer! I have an excerpt with you today check it out and enter to win the giveaway below
What We Do For Love
Anne Pfeffer
Publication date: May 21st 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary
“If Lorelai Gilmore of Gilmore Girls was dropped into a thriller, it might resemble this appealing novel.”–Kirkus Reviews
What We Do For Lovewon the Chick Lit category and made finalist for Best Cover Design/Fiction in the 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Awards!
Thirty-eight year old Nicole Adams has given up on finding love. Instead, the single mother focuses on the things she cherishes most—her sixteen-year old son Justin, her friends, and her art.
When she convinces a prominent Los Angeles museum to feature a piece of her work, a large-scale installation, she thinks her life has finally turned a corner.
Then Justin brings a girl, Daniela, home to live with them. Daniela’s angry parents have thrown her out of the house, because she’s pregnant with Justin’s child. Shattered, Nicole takes Daniela in and, in so doing, is drawn into the inner circle of Daniela’s family—a frightening world of deceit and violence.
Nicole struggles to keep life going as normal. Forced to deal with people she doesn’t trust or like, fearful for the future of both her son and the grandchild they’re expecting, Nicole wonders if she can do what she tells Justin to do: always have faith in yourself and do the right thing.
—
What We Do for Love won the Chick Lit category of the 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and finalist for Best Cover Design/Fiction!
Funny how one’s life can make a U-turn.
My life made two. In a single day.
I started that day as a mere potter—yes, a person who hand-makes vases and dinner plates for a living—wearing borrowed clothes and driving to the most important interview of my life. A few hours later came U-turn number one: the board of directors of CCMLA, the Contemporary Crafts Museum of Los Angeles, offered me a place in their upcoming show!
In an instant, I had become an artist. I pondered this fact wonderingly as I drove home that afternoon. I was to provide them with a brand-new, never-before-seen mural in ceramics, an installation piece. My wall would be located at the entrance to the exhibit, the first thing you saw as you walked in. This was my chance, an incredible opportunity.
I was an artist!
It didn’t bother me that desperation clearly underlay the board’s decision. All the better when I saved the day with a great contribution to their show!
I hoped.
Flushed with success, I revved my ancient Toyota, Bernice, up to twenty-two miles per hour. We practically skipped over the potholes as we barreled our way up the Trail of Terror. This was the name my son Justin had given the rutted, one-lane road that wound its way up the side of Laurel Canyon to our house.
Of course, I was a fill-in, hired at the last minute. I’d gotten this job when Miriam Fletcher, a customer of mine who happened to be on the museum board, moaned to me that an artist had dropped out of a show scheduled to open in six weeks. “We’re in such a pickle! We don’t know what to do!” Though her crepey neck revealed a senior citizen, Miriam otherwise projected youth, running long acrylic nails through her cropped, bleached and spiked hair, her copper earrings swinging.
My cue to pipe up. “I’m sure I could help you!”
Miriam trained her eyes upon me. She had recently ordered customized hand-made pieces from me to give to her granddaughters—a miniature tea set for the youngest and a statuette of a mermaid for her older sister.
“You do such beautiful ceramics work, Nicole!”
“What you’ve seen is my commercial work, which I do through my business Clayworks. I create as an artist under my own name.” That is, Ihopedto create as an artist under my own name, if I could ever get the proper start.
And now I had. I could hardly wait to tell my son the news. After sixteen years of single motherhood and hard work, struggling to support myself and Justin, I couldn’t blow this chance. And yet, I’d never done anything like this before.
A twelve-by-nine foot mural. In just six weeks.
You can do this, I told myself. I had to. Letting the museum—and myself—down was unthinkable.
I could practically hear the snap-crackle-pop of my nerves.
I pulled into what we called the car park, an open space situated beside the house at the top of the Trail of Terror, big enough to park a half dozen cars. Justin’s Ford Focus wasn’t there.
When he got home from school, which should be any minute, we would raise a toast, our champagne glasses filled with sparkling apple cider.
The day was unseasonably hot, and I was boiling in Bernice, her air conditioner long dead. Thank heavens my hair had stayed up all day in the deliberately loose knot that I’d coaxed it into this morning, with pretty little bits of hair hanging down around my face. A chignon, according to the YouTube tutorial. One more degree of humidity and my whole head would have coiled itself into a giant Brillo pad right there before the entire board of directors.
And thank goodness I’d been able to borrow my sister’s striking red-and-orange color-blocked linen dress, which had given me just the boost of artist/business woman confidence that I’d needed. Now though, its linen skirt was hopelessly creased and hiking up around my hips. I bounded out of the car and proceeded along the circuitous route that we all used to enter the house, going through the rickety side gate, and past what was technically our front door, which no one ever opened. Instead, I followed the path that ran along the side of the house toward the yard and pool, giving a glance to my irises and roses, which grew under our bedroom windows.
The white, yellow, and purple irises stood tall and elegant, but it was the roses I really loved—the fluttery, home-grown variety that came in every color of the sunrise. I would have to harvest some for tonight’s dinner table.
As I reached the yard, I stepped from the cool shade of the side path into direct, hot sunshine. The sliver of Los Angeles ahead of me that appeared on clear days like this one, the perfume of herbs and blooming plants, the swimming pool that shimmered invitingly—except for my college years, this had been home all my life. Along with my sister Caroline, I’d inherited the small, dilapidated house on its magnificent parcel of land in the Hollywood Hills. At today’s prices, neither of us could have ever afforded to buy it.
Entering the house as always through the French doors off the living room, I waltzed into my bedroom. It was the beginning of a new era. Soon there would be no more making pottery on consignment! No more sets of dinnerware for twelve!
I shouldn’t get ahead of myself. Of course, I would continue to operate Clayworks. Those dinner sets paid the bills after all. Still though, there was now a chance I could taper off the business over time, if I could sell some of my more creative pieces. Imagine me, finally, at age thirty-eight, beginning to show in museums and galleries!
I changed into my regular daywear—a sleeveless cotton blouse, long flowy skirt in the coolest feather-light cotton, and Teva sandals.
My old friend Mike Sawyer would be over to eat with me and Justin, as he did most weeks, once or twice. Maybe I’d give them both my wonderful news at the same time.
No, I couldn’t wait that long to spill the news. I knew I would tell Justin the minute he walked in.
Hearing the muffled noise of a door opening, I sprinted to the kitchen, where my son, home at last, would for sure want to hear all about it.
I stopped short when I saw that Justin was not alone.
Author Bio:
Hi! I grew up in the desert around Phoenix, Arizona, where I had a bay quarter horse named Dolly. If I wasn’t riding, I was holed up somewhere reading Laura Ingalls Wilder or the Oz books or, later on, Jane Eyre and The Grapes of Wrath. Horses eventually faded as an interest, but I ended up with a lifelong love of books and reading.
After college and eight years of living in cold places like Chicago and New York, I escaped back to the land of sunshine. I now live in California, one mile from the Pacific Ocean, with my dachshund Taco. I have worked in banking and as a pro bono attorney, doing adoptions and guardianships for abandoned children.
As a writer, I’d always been interested in children’s books, since they had meant so much to me as a kid. I’ve found I especially like writing books about teens and twenty-somethings, an age where you make so many decisions about who you are and how you want to spend your life.
Good Morning Bookish Friends and Welcome to the Cover Reveal Of A Midnight Clear.
💀Six stories of not-so-merry Yuletide whimsy from the authors of Black Spot Books.
💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀
COVER REVEAL FOR A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
JUNE 10, 2019 Publisher: Black Spot Books Release Date: November 15, 2019
Six stories of not-so-merry Yuletide whimsy from the authors of Black Spot Books. http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2019/05/trailer-cover-reveal-midnight-clear.html
A woman so cold she hardens to ice on a winter’s eve. Risen from his grave before his time, a winter god alters the balance between seasons. A wolf’s holiday season is interrupted by a strange curse. From a murder at the Stanley Hotel to demons of Christmas past, present, and future, and a mad elf and Santa’s Candy Court, the authors of Black Spot Books share their love for winter holidays in this collection of dark winter tales, destined to chill your bones and warm your heart for the Yuletide season.
You can purchaseA Midnight Clear at the following Retailers:
Sam Hooker writes darkly humorous fantasy novels about thing like tyrannical despots and the masked scoundrels who tickle them without mercy. He knows all the best swear words, though he refuses to repeat them because he doesn’t want to attract goblins.
Alcy Leyva is a Bronx-born writer, teacher, and pizza enthusiast. He graduated from Hunter College with a B.A. in English (Creative Writing) and an MFA in Fiction from The New School. He has been published in Popmatters, The Rumpus, Entropy Mag, and Quiet Lunch Magazine.
Laura Morrison lives in the Metro Detroit area. She has a B.S. in applied ecology and environmental science from Michigan Technological University. Before she was a writer and stay-at-home mom, she battled invasive species and researched turtles. INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS
Cassondra Windwalker is a poet and novelist writing full time from the coast of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. She is supported by a tolerant husband, three wandering offspring, a useless dog, and a zombie cat. Her hobbies include hiking, photography, and having other people’s demons over for tea. FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | GOODREADS Dalena Storm has lived in India, Japan, Germany, and on both coasts of the United States. She currently resides in a converted general store in the woods of Western Massachusetts with a rare Burmese temple cat, a purring black fluff-beast, a professor of magic, and an infant with an astonishing ability to resist sleep. INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS
Seven Jane is an author of dark fantasy and speculative fiction. Seven is a member of The Author’s Guild and Women’s Fiction Writing Association. She also writes a column for The Women’s Fiction Association and is a contributor to The Nerd Daily.
Hello BookishFriends, Today is my Stop on this Month long Mega Tour
Welcome to the month-long mega tour for Charlie Laidlaw’s newest book, The Space Between Time, due for release on June 20th! There will be fantastic bloggers participating, who will be posting interviews, excerpts, reviews, and other exclusive content!
Additionally, there are loads of goodies being given away, so be sure to enter at the bottom!
The Space Between Time
Expected Publication Date: June 20th, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/ Dark Comedy
There are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on Earth…
Emma Maria Rossini appears to be the luckiest girl in the world. She’s the daughter of a beautiful and loving mother, and her father is one of the most famous film actors of his generation. She’s also the granddaughter of a rather eccentric and obscure Italian astrophysicist.
But as her seemingly charmed life begins to unravel, and Emma experiences love and tragedy, she ultimately finds solace in her once-derided grandfather’s Theorem on the universe.
The Space Between Time is humorous and poignant and offers the metaphor that we are all connected, even to those we have loved and not quite lost.
It wasn’t an afternoon that I like to remember, and not just because of my shrieking tantrum. Once I’d calmed down, Mum told me I’d been very silly, because it was all make-believe on a cinema screen. I reminded her that she’d cried when Bambi’s mum died, and that was a film and a cartoon. Mum said that it wasn’t the same thing at all. But I wasn’t being silly because I wasn’t old enough to know the difference between pretence and reality.
Dad had looked pretty dead on the screen. The blood on his chest had looked pretty real. If it had been a different dead person, I would have been OK. Children don’t really know where make-believe ends and the real world begins and, partly because of who I am, it’s remained pretty hazy ever since. I also don’t like to remember that film because it was the moment when I realised that our lives were about to change, and I didn’t know if that would be a good thing.
Sounds strange, yes? Here’s something stranger: I am a child of the sea, I sometimes think, and have done ever since we first moved to live beside it. I feel subject to its vagaries and tempers, with its foaming margins framed against a towering sky. I am familiar with its unchanging mood swings. That’s how I like things; I find the familiar comforting. I find change threatening.
I am the daughter of someone who, not long after that ghastly cinema outing, became one of the most famous actors of his generation and, importantly for me, the granddaughter of a rather brilliant but obscure physics professor. But despite their overachievements, I have inherited no aptitude for mathematics and my father positively hated the idea of his only offspring following in his thespian footsteps. He knew how cruel and badly paid the profession could be. But I still look up to my grandfather, and think of his ludicrous moustache with affection.
Gramps once told me that there are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on Earth. Just think of all those sandpits, beaches and deserts! That’s an awful lot of stars. He then told me, his only grandchild, that I was his shining star, which was a nice thing to say and why I remember him talking about sand and stars. On clear nights, with stars twinkling, I often think about him.
I still believe in my grandfather, and admire his stoic acceptance in the face of professional disdain, because I believe in the unique power of ideas, right or wrong, and that it’s our thoughts that shape our existence. We are who we believe ourselves to be.
I gave up believing in my father long ago, because speaking other people’s words and ideas seemed like a lame excuse for a job, even if he was paid millions, and met the Queen on several occasions. She must have liked him because she awarded him an OBE for services to film, theatre and charity. Charity! Who the hell told the Queen that?
I stopped believing in him one Christmas Day, a long time ago, when he simply didn’t turn up. It wasn’t his presents that I missed, or even his presence, but the warm, fuzzy feeling of being important to him. During that day of absence and loss I concluded that his wife and daughter couldn’t much matter to him, otherwise he’d have made a bigger effort to get home. That Christmas Day, my father was simply somewhere else, probably in a bar, immaculately dressed, his hair slicked back, the object of male envy and the centre of every woman’s attention for miles around.
In that respect, Dad was more tomcat than father, except that by then his territory, his fame, stretched around the globe. I know this: by then he had a Golden Globe to prove it. He gushed pheromones from every pore, squirting attraction in every direction, and even women with a poor sense of smell could sniff him out.
I feel mostly Scottish, but am a little bit Italian. It explains my name, Emma Maria Rossini; my dark complexion, black hair, the slightly long nose, and thin and lanky body. Obese I am not, and will never be, however much pasta I eat, and I eat lots. It also explains my temper, according to some people, although I don’t agree with them, and my brown cow’s eyes, as an almost-boyfriend once described them, thinking he was paying me a compliment, before realising that he had just become an ex-almost-boyfriend.
But mostly I am a child of the sea. That’s what happens if you live for long enough by its margins: it becomes a part of you; its mood echoing your mood, until you know what it’s thinking, and it knows everything about you. That’s what it feels like when I contemplate its tensile strength and infinite capacity for change. On calm flat days in North Berwick, with small dinghies marooned on the glassy water, and loud children squealing in its shallows, it can make me anxious and cranky.
The sea, on those days, seems soulless and tired, bereft of spirit. But on wilder days, the beach deserted, or with only a hardy dog-walker venturing across the sand, with large waves thundering in, broaching and breaking, then greedily sucking back pebbles into the foam, I feel energised: this is what the sea enjoys, a roaring irresponsibility, and I share in its pleasure. We are all children of the sea, I sometimes think, or we should be – even those who have never seen an ocean or tasted its saltiness; I can stand for hours and contemplate its far horizons, lost within myself, sharing its passion. In the Firth of Forth is the ebb and flow of my past and my existence, wrapped tight against the west wind. It is what I am, placid and calm, or loud and brash.
This book was received as an ARC, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own
Charles Laidlaw, delivers a compelling, intriguing, thought-provoking, and well-written read here that totally captivated and immersed me into the storyline. Emma Maria Rossini is the main protagonist of the story. Immediately you were drawn into Emma’s narrative, and the world she is in. Laidlaw has masterly created an engaging and and thoughts provoking book.
The book is an exploration of many emotionally resonant themes of anxiety, depression and suicide. Laidlaw also skillful captivates the Reader with comedic timing and dialogue. Over all what really grabbed my attention was how the author’s execution of Emma character development, from a young girl to a woman. Emma perceptions of her childhood and her parents. Through Emma’s eyes we see her world unravel, and we become full invested with her hardships and struggles. Laidlaw writing style continually makes the characters jump of the pages.
I really enjoyed the concept of having every chapter began with an equation, the solution of which is the chapter number and the chapter title is mostly related to a theorem. Eg.; The last chapter is called The Chandrasekhar Limit and there is an equation too, the solution of which is the chapter number.
I definitely will be recommending this book to my family and friends
“He was our star, we circled in uneasy orbit. Mum was a moon; I sometimes felt like a small piece of space junk.”
EMMA
I was born in Paisley, central Scotland, which wasn’t my fault. That week, Eddie Calvert with Norrie Paramor and his Orchestra were Top of the Pops, with Oh, Mein Papa, as sung by a young German woman remembering her once-famous clown father. That gives a clue to my age, not my musical taste.
I was brought up in the west of Scotland and graduated from the University of Edinburgh. I still have the scroll, but it’s in Latin, so it could say anything.
I then worked briefly as a street actor, baby photographer, puppeteer and restaurant dogsbody before becoming a journalist. I started in Glasgow and ended up in London, covering news, features and politics. I interviewed motorbike ace Barry Sheene, Noel Edmonds threatened me with legal action and, because of a bureaucratic muddle, I was ordered out of Greece.
I then took a year to travel round the world, visiting 19 countries. Highlights included being threatened by a man with a gun in Dubai, being given an armed bodyguard by the PLO in Beirut (not the same person with a gun), and visiting Robert Louis Stevenson’s grave in Samoa. What I did for the rest of the year I can’t quite remember
Surprisingly, I was approached by a government agency to work in intelligence, which just shows how shoddy government recruitment was back then. However, it turned out to be very boring and I don’t like vodka martini.
Craving excitement and adventure, I ended up as a PR consultant, which is the fate of all journalists who haven’t won a Pulitzer Prize, and I’ve still to listen to Oh, Mein Papa.
I am married with two grown-up children and live in central Scotland. And that’s about it.
I have 2 signed copies of The Space Between Time to giveaway, 3 fun coffee mugs featuring all 3 of Charlie Laidlaw’s books, and 3 digital copies of the book in the winner’s format of choice! Amazing right? Click the link below to enter!
Far away and down a rabbit hole sits the magical world known as Wonderland. A safe haven for the souls who lived less than ideal lives in the waking world get to experience peace in their afterlife. Jessica is the newest member of this enchanted land, but after eating a cookie that took away her memories of who she was, she doubts herself at every turn.
Jessica participates in The Looking Glass Ceremony to find her new role in the afterlife, but fate has different plans. As the Queen of Hearts takes Jessica under her royal wing, plots of regicide bubble up from the depths of Wonderland. With the help of new and eccentric friends, Jessica might be able to stop the treasonous threats and bring true peace to Wonderland. But only if she heeds the cryptic words of the Caterpillar.
Familiar faces take on new roles in this fantasy retelling with a dark and romantic LGBT twist This isn’t the Wonderland you’ve experienced before, and you definitely don’t want to be late for it.
“I know you cannot forget what Wonderland is, but the days will grow harsh, and it never hurts to have a reminder. Wonderland, as I see it, is different than most picture it to be. It’s not as dark, or haunted, or frightening as the movies make it seem. Wonderland is calm and quiet. If I were to give it a color palette, I would mark it down as pastel. Have you ever seen chalk paint? It looks dusty and old, yet somehow lovely and calming. That’s what Wonderland is like. There are mountains to climb. Some with flowers and some with snow, and there are fields and forests to dance through. When I say it’s quiet, I mean there is nothing but silence. The feeling you get when you’re cold, and on the verge of crying, and there is nothing more you want to do than scream until your head falls on your pillow is the sound of Wonderland. But, the forests, oh the forests… They are everything you’d want to ask for. You cannot get lost unless you want to, and unlike most forests, you can walk barefoot if you please. The floor is covered in the softest moss, still cool with morning dew, and it protects your feet from harm. The air is warm and humid, making it the perfect weather for dancing. It you’re lost and wish to cry, there are places to hide away. Fairy ponds and cool lakes are scattered among the trees with fresh berries lining the shores. The water never stings your eyes, and you can dive for as long as you want, and the surface will only be an arm’s length away should you need air. Deep within the trees, you’ll find long abandoned buildings ranging from Victorians to cottages. Some are down to their foundations with ivy and other greens taking over their structures. Trees grow from their hearts, and the ceilings reach down to the floorboards. Others are still in living order with soft beds ready for your weary heads. You are alone for as long as you want in the forests, and at the lakes, and in the forgotten homes, but if you ever need companionship, the town is never far. Smiling faces and warm arms to fall into at every corner. There are cobblestones, wooden, and brick buildings along both sides of the streets. Alleys and alcoves, churches and spires, bookstores, bakeries, pubs, haberdasheries, dress shops, hat shops, tea shops, and anything else you could ever want line the streets. It you wander through the alleys long enough, you will find a hidden park tucked away in the corner along the brick wall guarding the townspeople from nothing for nothing can hurt you in Wonderland. The park is simple with a tall tree for climbing or shade, the greenest and softest grass for picnics or late night rendezvous to stare at the stars, and benches for lovers to sit on. There is a long table sitting off to the left side of the park with many chairs of varying styles and sizes, usually sitting unattended. Attached to the tree and the buildings before the park is a string of lit paper lanterns. They have never flickered in all the history of Wonderland. The rest of the world has more ruins for exploring, with castles made from pearl and crystal. Some have moonstone and opal, and others are made from cold stones without a glow. There are crashing oceans full of beasts thought to be mythical or extinct. There are places deep in the southern woods darker than the northern woods, yet not as dark as the ones in films. In those woods, there are faeries, fauns, fawns, mermaids, pixies, and whispers where the cold sets in, and one can sleep to forget themselves and their troubles. The faeries and pixies soothe your mind with dance and song while the mermaids invite you to swim and play in their icy cold waters while they caress your body. But, they cannot hurt you. Nothing can hurt you in Wonderland. Wonderland is where you go to heal, forget, and feel at home again. This is what my Wonderland is. It changes for every soul who goes there, but it shall always be for you.”
This book was received as an ARC from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own
Honeycutt has created a riveting , and gripping tale, that totally sucked me in from the start. She transforms Wonderland into a type of heaven, and rather than follow Alice, we follow Jessica Smith while she works to uncover the secrets of the Looking Glass. Once I started reading this one it was hard not to get totally wrapped in this Alice In Wonderland Retelling. The author writes a deliciously fun, and a compelling all consuming page-turner. The author catapults you into a raw and darkish world with deceit and political deception. In this memorable, highly original read familiar faces take on new roles in this fantasy retelling with a dark and romantic LGBT twist
What I enjoyed was the how the author created a storyline where exploration and acceptance is everywhere. Great world building and character development. The novels premise and the writing definitely intrigued me and kept me entertained. The authors development of its supporting characters are definitely worth noting with interesting.
The book cover is creative and fitting for the storyline .
I can highly recommend this book and I will be waiting anxiously for the next book in this series!
The book cover is creative and fitting for the storyline .
I can highly recommend this book and I will be waiting anxiously for the next book in this series!
Aislinn Honeycutt was born and raised in Northern California. Throughout their early teens to young adulthood, Aislinn could often be found writing and creating characters. During college, they found themself more attracted to theater arts than any other study and was proud to be apart of several plays and film projects produced by their peers. Their love for writing came from creating deeper backgrounds for characters they played on the stage and from the constant encouragements from strangers on the Internet. In 2015 they discovered their love for working with exotic animals in zoos and went back to school to earn certificates towards Zoo and Aquarium Sciences through the Animal Behavior Institute. When not writing or working, Aislinn can often be found playing video games and making digital art
Sailing and soldiering around the world has taken Caleb O’Shea far from his native Ireland, so he never imagined that a promise to see a fellow crewman safely home would practically land him on his brother’s doorstep. After spending years away from his family, Caleb isn’t certain what kind of reception he will receive when he steps foot in Natchez, Mississippi. The one thing he knows for sure is that he won’t stay long.
Since her sister was kidnapped by river pirates six months ago, Alanah Adams has taken special care to avoid drawing attention to herself. Those living in the rough-and-tumble settlement of Cypress Creek might even think she’s addled. But when she stumbles into Caleb and his friends in Natchez, she appears to be the picture-perfect lady.
Caleb only catches glimpses of the mysterious and beautiful Alanah before she disappears. But a chance encounter with her at his brother’s logging camp near Cypress Creek leaves him uncomfortable at the thought of the young woman traversing the dangerous area alone. At a crossroads in his life, Caleb must decide whether he wants to give up the worldly adventures he’s been seeking for one closer to home.
The Crossing At Cypress Creek is the third novel in Pam Hillman’s Natchez Trace series. Although it can be read as a stand-alone novel, I recommend reading the other installments.
The Crossing at Cypress Creek is an exciting story from 1791 Natchez, Mississippi. This is the third and final book in the Natchez Trace series, by the he author Pam Hillman. The Author has created an engaging historical, suspenseful romantic read.
I loved the premise of the novel, and the characters come to life seen through the eyes an adventurous Caleb and a heartwarming heroine, Alanah. In Hillman’s portrayal of the Natchez area you are presented the hardships of life during that time period. The characters are well developed and I am looking forward to reading the other books in this series about the The O’Shea brothers. The author delivers an exciting tale including river pirates, a kidnapping, and a daring rescue to a spiritual tale with just enough romance. Hillman writes with compassion and I could feel the tenderness, generosity and grace she has given her characters. What I really enjoyed was the heart of underlying moral concept of the storyline,
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading historical
Have a wonderful day !
CBA Bestselling author Pam Hillman writes Historical Christian fiction set in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Born east of the Mississippi and a hundred years too late, Pam still boasts of wrangling calves, milking cows and putting up hay, first as a child, and later with her own personal hero, Iran, on their family farm in Mississippi.
A voracious reader as a child, Pam especially enjoyed stories involving the great Westward expansion, and television shows such as Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, and Gunsmoke. The western writer, Louis L’Amour, kept Pam mesmerized with his tales of cowboys and Indians, mountain men and outlaws, prim schoolteachers, hot dry deserts, and boom towns.
Pam’s life in the country and her love of the old west bring authenticity to her work and depth to her characters, something that has been recognized many times in the industry through writer’s awards.
Her work has placed in dozens of writer’s contests, including being a four-time Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist with Claiming Mariah, her second novel, winning the Award for Best Inspirational. Other awards include the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, International Digital Award, and the EPIC eBook Award.
Pam lives in Mississippi with her husband and family.
Reading Nicholas Meyer’s very first Sherlock Holmes adventure, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, made me decide to become a writer.
Reading his latest simply made me a delighted and satisfied reader.” ―Michael Chabon
“Once again the game is afoot! Brilliantly rendered and ever-faithful to the Sherlockian Canon, Holmes, Watson and the world they inhabit come to vivid life in this story that is as entertaining, informative and enthralling as it is important and unexpectedly relevant to our modern world. This novel is tour de force that is not to be missed!” ―John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author
“The discovery of unpublished work by John H. Watson is always a cause for joy, and this case is essential―not just for its globe-trotting adventure…but also for its timely resonance.” ―Glen David Gold, bestselling author of Carter Beats the Devil
“Nicholas Meyer’s new novel brings some welcome new dimention to the characters of both Holmes and Watson, as well as delivering a suspenseful narrative enhanced by remarkable period detail. More importantly, the book’s main themes, painfully relevant to our current age, make it a surprisingly vital and urgent read.” ―Dennis Palumbo, author of Daniel Rinaldi series and screenwriter of My Favorite Year
“What a splendid book, what grand fun…A corking good read and a cracking good adventure that performs the delicious miracle of bringing back to life the greatest detective of them all.” ―Chicago TribuneonThe Seven Per-Cent Solution
“A gem…delightful reading for everyone.” ―Wall Street JournalonThe Seven-Per-Cent S
With the international bestseller The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, Nicholas Meyer brought to light a previously unpublished case of Sherlock Holmes, as recorded by Dr. John H. Watson. Now Meyer returns with a shocking discovery—an unknown case drawn from a recently unearthed Watson journal.
January 1905: Holmes and Watson are summoned by Holmes’ brother Mycroft to undertake a clandestine investigation. An agent of the British Secret Service has been found floating in the Thames, carrying a manuscript smuggled into England at the cost of her life. The pages purport to be the minutes of a meeting of a secret group intent on nothing less than taking over the world.
Based on real events, the adventure takes the famed duo—in the company of a bewitching woman—aboard the Orient Express from Paris into the heart of Tsarist Russia, where Holmes and Watson attempt to trace the origins of this explosive document. On their heels are desperate men of unknown allegiance, determined to prevent them from achieving their task. And what they uncover is a conspiracy so vast as to challenge Sherlock Holmes as never before.
This book was received as an ARC from Minotaur, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own
NICHOLAS MEYER’S, much awaited follow up to the Seven-Percent-Solution.
Holmes and Watson reunite to eradicate the greatest lie ever told, in this thrilling and surprising new tale. The author takes the famed duo and an intriguing woman, aboard the Orient Express from Paris into the heart of Tsarist Russia. where Holmes and Watson attempt to trace the origins of this explosive. In this engaging faced historical adventure the duo must uncover a conspiracy that challenges them as never before. The Author creates a tension-filled, thrilling read! The book is gripping, captivating, thought-provoking, with fabulous characters and a great storyline that I was immediately drawn into and devoured quickly.
The story was so darn entertaining and absolutely un-put-down-able!!!!
Happy Reading ** ✨*✨•.¸✨.•*✨
NICHOLAS MEYER is the author three previous Sherlock Holmes novels, including The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, which was on the New York Times bestseller list for a year. He’s a screen-writer and film director, responsible for The Day After, Time After Time, as well as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country among many others. A native of New York City, he lives in Santa Monica, California.
Nicholas Meyer(born December 24, 1945) is an American writer and director, known for his best-selling novelThe Seven-Per-Cent Solution, and for directing the filmsTime After Time, two of theStar Trekfeature film series, the 1983 television movieThe Day After, and the 1999 HBO original movieVendetta
Prepare
to be spellbound. Barbara Frances’ long-awaited third novel, “Shadow’s Way,”
takes you to the coastal, deep South, where the past and the present mingle in
a gothic tale of insanity, murder, and sexual intrigue.You’ll meet the
beautiful Elaine Chauvier, former actress and proprietor of Shadow’s Way, her
family’s antebellum home; the esteemed Archbishop Andre Figurant and his fallen
identical twin, Bastien; newly arrived Ophelia and Rudy, here to explore their
Chauvier roots and their ties to Shadow’s Way; and the mysterious Madame
Claudine. Under a veneer of piety and graciousness, i.e., the questions: What
is good? What is evil? What is reality?
Barbara
Frances has plenty of stories and a life spent acquiring them. Growing up
Catholic on a small Texas farm, her childhood ambition was to become a nun. In
ninth grade she entered a boarding school in Our Lady of the Lake Convent as an
aspirant, the first of several steps before taking vows. On graduation,
however, she passed up the nun’s habit for a college degree in English and
Theatre Arts. Her professors were aghast when she declined a PhD program in
order to become a stewardess, but Barbara never looked back. “In the Sixties, a
stewardess was a glamorous occupation.” Her career highlights include dating a
very gentlemanly Chuck Berry and “opening the bar” for a planeload of underage
privates on their way to Vietnam. Marriage, children, school teaching and
divorce distracted her from storytelling, but one summer she and a friend
coauthored a screenplay. “I never had such fun! I come from a family of
storytellers. Relatives would come over and after dinner everyone would tell
tales. Sometimes they were even true.” The next summer Barbara wrote a
screenplay solo. Contest recognition, an agent and three optioned scripts
followed but, weary of fickle producers and endless rewrites, she turned to
novels. Shadow’s Way is her third book. Her first, Lottie’s Adventure, is aimed
at young readers. Her second, Like I Used To Dance, is a family saga set in
1950’s rural Texas. Barbara’s fans can be thankful she passed up convent life
for one of stories and storytelling. She and her husband Bill live in Austin,
Texas.
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.
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
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.
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