About the Book: 

Naliyah by Shauna Kelley

Genre: Paranormal YA

ISBN: : 978-1500851767

Book Length: 195 pages

Publisher: Create Space

Lenora Scheid can tell you much of human nature. After more than a century of traveling from warzone to warzone, she has experienced more than she can handle of mankind’s thirst for blood and power…she cannot, however, tell you what she is.

Not exactly human, but not precisely vampire either, Lenora’s whole life has been spent under the watchful eye of her father. With only her dreams of a mysterious blue‐eyed man as company, she has little choice but to follow her father across the world despite his refusal to help her understand her true nature.

As Lenora reaches the end of her tolerance with their life of travel and death, she comes face to face with her blue‐eyed man and everything changes. Can this man save her from a life of brutality? Or will the secrets kept from her for so long destroy them both?

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About the Author: 

Shauna Kelley lives near Baltimore, Maryland with her husband and beloved mutts. Dedicated aunt, adventurous baker, and action movie fanatic, she spends her days writing, teaching, and crocheting.

Kelley’s first novel, Max and Menna, was a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award finalist for Young Adult Fiction in 2010. Naliyah is her third novel. Kelley delights in the opportunity to interact with readers. Find her online at www.mmshaunakelley.blogspot.com.


Contact Links 
Website: www.mmshaunakelley.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ShaunaKelleyAuthor
Twitter: Shaunak101
Amazon: amazon.com/author/shaunakelley

Review: 
Not quite human, but diseased with the need to drink blood in order to survive Lenora and her father have roamed the world for centuries.  Following wars, conflicts and plagues Lenora and her father feed on the blood of the dying and witness the worst of humanity.  Lenora is kept in the dark to the particulars of her condition, she knows nothing of the history, culture or needs of her people or why she has been having dreams of a particular boy with haunting blue eyes.  When a need for a break from death brings Lenora and her father to Ireland, Lenora is brought face to face with the boy from her dreams and her father turns violent. 

A new twist on vampires with a distinctive plot, conflict and characters.  Lenora is particularly intriguing, her condition being kept secret from her until a certain age and not even being able to remember several decades of her childhood.  I felt strongly for her character, especially with the subject of her naliyah, or soul mate.  The conflict within the book was also surprising, it was not a battle between the creatures and humans, and in most cases the death that they brought was welcome, but an internal struggle within Lenora, her family and the rest of her kind.  Though Lenora and her naliyah, Micheal are instantly thrown together the romance is perfectly sweet and not without a lot of danger.  I'm really interested in where this will go next.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.  

About the Book: 
This is the complete Steampunk Fantasy novel – all four parts of the serial in one volume!

Human life has value.
The poor living in the gutter is as valuable as the rich living in a manor.
The scoundrel is no less valuable than the saint.
Because of this, every life a reaper takes must be redeemed.

Raven has lived by this first tenet since she was trained by her father to become a reaper. But since his death, she’s been spending years redeeming the lives she’s taken. By her count, she’s even and it’s time for that life to end. If she settles down and becomes a wife, she might just feel human again. But on the way to the life she thinks she wants, the baron of New Haven asks her to complete a task which she cannot ignore… Just when Raven decides to give up on her life as an assassin, she’s pulled right back in.

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Review: 
Raven is trained as a reaper; one who assassinates people, but must save a life for every one taken.  She lives in a world with steam-powered horses and other devices.  Raven is on her way into town to fulfill her debt and ask the man she loves to marry her.  When out-of-control steam horses fly by her carrying a young boy, Raven springs to action saving his life.  The young boy ends up being a baron, Darius,  but one that is cursed.  Now Raven will have to protect the Darius and find a way to lift the curse with the help of the Woods Witch. With the Captain of the Guard 

Chronicles of Steele: Raven is exciting and fast-paced, filled with suspense and danger.  Raven's character is awesome, her training as a reaper makes her fierce and independent. I loved that a lot of her skill is showcased as she is running from the Guard and protecting Darius.  It was sweet to see the relationship between Raven and Darius grow and to see Raven's softer side.  I am also intrigued by Darius' condition.  It will be interesting to see if it is a gift or a curse. Suspense builds as  Raven is just always one step ahead of the Guard.  I liked learning more about Raven's back story and her skills.   Another mystery is introduced with the appearance of life-like automatons in the southern part of the country and danger as everyone discovers just how the Wood's Witch plans to eradicate the curse from Darius. The ending had the perfect touch of romance, but still leaves some questions to be answered; hopefully with Chronicles of Steele: Darius!

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.  

About the Author: 
Pauline’s Newsletter Sign Up http://eepurl.com/Oe2Fn

Pauline Creeden is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.

Follow Pauline Creeden:
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About the Book: 



Title: School of Deaths

Author: Christopher Mannino

Genre: YA Fantasy

Thrust into a world of men, can a timid girl find bravery as the first female Death?

 Thirteen-year-old Suzie Sarnio always believed the Grim Reaper was a fairy tale image of a skeleton with a scythe.  Now, forced to enter the College of Deaths, she finds herself training to bring souls from the Living World to the Hereafter. 

 The task is demanding enough, but as the only female in the all-male College, she quickly becomes a target.  Attacked by both classmates and strangers, Suzie is alone in a world where even her teachers want her to fail.

Caught in the middle of a plot to overthrow the World of Deaths, Suzie must uncover the reason she’s been brought there: the first female Death in a million years.


Review: 
Thirteen year-old Suzie Sarnio seems to be slowly wasting away, so thin that she can count every bone, everyone around her seems to think that she has an eating disorder.  When death comes knocking, Suzie is not surprised.  Suzie is brought to the School of Death, contracted to learn how to ferry souls onto the next world.  When Suzie gets to the School, she learns that she has an even greater obstacle to face than suddenly being a Death, she is the only female Death to enter the School in one million years and the last female that trained as a Death, Lovethar, was brutally murdered.  With a hard road set before her, Suzie not only has to prove herself as a female Death, but solve the mystery of the last female Death.

Suzie is a wonderful protagonist for this unique middle-grade paranormal fantasy.  In a world of boys, Suzie holds her own and strives to prove herself.  She deals with bullying, exclusion, loneliness and extreme odds with courage and creativity. The mystery of Lovethar  was intriguing.  I wanted to know what happened to this one other brave woman in a men's world and her tragic demise.  I was really interested in the history of this in-between world, the war between the Deaths and the Dragons and the mysterious Elementals.  Suzie's new world is left in a state of transition at the end with questions left unanswered, so I am sure we'll be seeing more of Suzie in the future installments.  

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.   

About the Author: 

Christopher Mannino’s life is best described as an unending creative outlet.  He teaches high school theatre in Greenbelt, Maryland.  In addition to his daily drama classes, he runs several after-school performance/production drama groups.  He spends his summers writing and singing.  Mannino holds a Master of Arts in Theatre Education from Catholic University, and has studied mythology and literature both in America and at Oxford University.  His work with young people helped inspire him to write young adult fantasy, although it was his love of reading that truly brought his writing to life. 

 Mannino is currently working on a sequel to “School of Deaths” as well as an adult science fiction novel.


All purchase links can be found at 
http://www.christophermannino.com/school-of-deaths.html#.U81VLPldWSo

www.ChristopherMannino.com
http://poetsfire.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CTMannino
https://twitter.com/Ctmannino
Amazon
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8108129.Christopher_Mannino

Read an Excerpt: â€œSuzie, my gawd, you look like death.”

Crystal hadn’t changed. The smiling redhead with large blue glasses and the ever-present smell of cherry bubblegum was her best friend. She was grateful Crystal had spent the summer away. “Did you have a nice summer? How was Colorado?”

“My summer was great. Colorado’s cold. Geesh, what happened to you, Suzie?”

“I’ve been sick,” said Suzie. Not a complete lie, obviously something was wrong with her, but she didn’t know what.

“Sick?” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “You look like you’re dying.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Crystaaal. Suzieee,” shouted a voice from across the parking lot.

“Oh gawd, it’s Monica,” said Crystal. “Let’s go inside quick.”

Suzie and her friend started to walk away, but the tall, lanky girl with small eyes caught up to them. Monica. She wasn’t too bad, if you ignored her whiny voice and her inane stories.

“Hiii guys,” said Monica. “I missed youuu this summer. Did you lose weight? The funniest thing happened the other day…”

Suzie realized the worst of the day was over. She got teasing looks from the kids and concerned frowns from the teachers, but like Monica, most people were too wrapped up in their own little world to pay any attention to her. Even Crystal eventually stopped asking questions.

“Tell me again, do you like the way you look?”

“I’m sorry, what?” she asked.

Suzie snapped to attention. The day had blurred by, and she was sitting in Dr. Fox’s office, wearing a hospital gown.

“Suzie, I asked if you like the way you look?”

Suzie was cold and annoyed. The office smelled of bleach, and the fluorescent light overhead hummed like a dying fly. Dr. Fox glanced up from her notes and smiled a dry, lifeless smile she probably practiced in front of a mirror.

“No, Doctor.” She repeated the same answers she had given last time, and the time before. “I despise the way I look. I’m a damned skeleton. You can see every bone. I love to eat, I don’t purge, I hardly exercise, and I actually feel fine.”

“Yes, that’s the strangest part,” interrupted Dr. Fox. “Every test seems to indicate that you’re at the peak of health. No lanugo, no joint issues, no skin problems, and your stomach and the rest of you are actually functioning fine. I’ve almost completely ruled out anorexia, but your weight is still drastically low. It’s like your calories are vanishing into some other dimension.” She laughed. “My husband wishes that would happen with me.”

“May I get dressed now?”

About the Book: 
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
St. Martin’s Press
Formats: eBook, Paperback

Series: Spymaster Chronicles
Genre: Historical Mystery



Winter, 1558: Elizabeth I has ascended the throne but the first days of her reign are already fraught with turmoil, the kingdom weakened by strife and her ability to rule uncertain.

Summoned from exile abroad at the new queen’s behest, Brendan Prescott arrives in London to face his shattered past. He soon finds himself pitted in deadly rivalry with his life-long foe, Robert Dudley, but when a poison attempt overshadows the queen’s coronation, Elizabeth privately dispatches Brendan on a far more dangerous assignation: to find her favored lady-in-waiting, Lady Parry, who has vanished in Yorkshire.

Upon his arrival at the crumbling sea-side manor that may hold the key to Lady Parry’s disappearance, he encounters a strange, impoverished family beset by grief, as well as mounting evidence that they hide a secret from him. The mystery surrounding Lady Parry deepens as Brendan begins to realize there is far more going on at the manor than meets the eye, but the closer he gets to the heart of the mystery, the more he becomes the quarry of an elusive stranger with a vendetta— one that could expose both his own buried identity and a long-hidden revelation that will bring about Elizabeth’s doom.

From the intrigue-laden passages of Whitehall to a foreboding Catholic manor and the prisons of the Tower, Brendan must risk everything to unravel a vendetta that strikes at the very core of his world, including his loyalty to his queen.

The Tudor Vendetta is the third book in Gortner’s Elizabeth I Spymaster Trilogy.

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Review:  
Queen Mary has died and the time has finally come for Elizabeth to take the throne.  However, her ascension comes with much turmoil with yet another change in religious views and many subjects who do not believe that Elizabeth is the rightful heir.  With her rise, Elizabeth's loyal spy, Brendan Prescott has also been summoned out of exile and back into Elizabeth's service.  An early attempt on Elizabeth's life along with the disappearance of Elizabeth's favored lady-in-waiting, Lady Parry, spurs Elizabeth to send Brendan on another life-threatening mission to a secluded estate in Yorkshire.  Brendan will have to uncover a secret of the Queen's as she finds the truth about Brendan.

A perfect Tudor intrigue plot with mysteries within mysteries.  I loved the view into Elizabeth's first days on the throne and her relationship with Robert Dudley.  Brendan is the perfect character to carry out Elizabeth's missions, he is well trained with a secret of his own that will keep him loyal to Elizabeth.  There were  many plots and conspiracies that were artfully brought together in The Tudor Vendetta that made this a fast-paced, entertaining read.  I just had to know what happened to Lady Parry?, who is the hidden boy?, is Brendan's nemesis still alive?   When I first picked up this book I didn't know it was part of a trilogy and I hate reading books out of order, but I did not feel lost at all, enough background information was given throughout the story and it did not feel like a huge info-dump.  I have already picked up the first two books from the library to see where the story begins!

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.  

About the Author: 
C.W. GORTNER holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California, as well as an AA from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco.

After an eleven year-long career in fashion, during which he worked as a vintage retail buyer, freelance publicist, and fashion show coordinator, C.W. devoted the next twelve years to the public health sector. In 2012, he became a full-time writer following the international success of his novels.

In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard at Hampton Court, learned about organic gardening at Chenoceaux, and spent a chilly night in a ruined Spanish castle. His books have garnered widespread acclaim and been translated into twenty-one languages to date, with over 400,000 copies sold. A sought-after public speaker. C.W. has given keynote addresses at writer conferences inthe US and abroad. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights, in particular companion animal rescue to reduce shelter overcrowding.

C.W. recently completed his fourth novel for Ballantine Books, about Lucrezia Borgia; the third novel in his Tudor Spymaster series for St Martin’s Press; and a new novel about the dramatic, glamorous life of Coco Chanel, scheduled for lead title publication by William Morrow, Harper Collins, in the spring of 2015.

Half-Spanish by birth and raised in southern Spain, C.W. now lives in Northern California with his partner and two very spoiled rescue cats.

For more information please visit C.W. Gortner’s website and blog. You can also connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads,Pinterest, and YouTube.

Publication Date: August 5, 2012
BearCat Press
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, AudioGenre: Historical Mystery

About the Book: 
Young American painter Theodora Faraday struggles to become an artist in Belle Époque Paris. She’s tasted the champagne of success, illustrating poems for the Revenants, a group of poets led by her adored cousin, Averill. When children she knows vanish mysteriously, Theo confronts Inspecteur Michel Devaux who suspects the Revenants are involved. Theo refuses to believe the killer could be a friend—could be the man she loves. Classic detection and occult revelation lead Michel and Theo through the dark underbelly of Paris, from catacombs to asylums, to the obscene ritual of a Black Mass. Following the maze of clues they discover the murderer believes he is the reincarnation of the most evil serial killer in the history of France—Gilles de Rais. Once Joan of Arc’s lieutenant, after her death he plunged into an orgy of evil. The Church burned him at the stake for heresy, sorcery, and the depraved murder of hundreds of peasant children. Whether deranged mind or demonic passion incite him, the killer must be found before he strikes again.

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Review:
In Bel Epoque Paris, Inspector Michel Devaux has been given a tip about several missing children.  The missing children are all street children, pickpocket, runners, children of the poor.  Michel figures the consequences of their lives have simply caught up to them.  American artist Theodora Faraday, part of a group of artists known as the Revenants, manages to save a young orphaned girl from a fire one night, only to have her cousin Averill find the girl brutally murdered and arranged in a gruesome artistic display the next day.  Michel suspects that the girl might be connected to the other missing children, and now suspects members of the Revenants as the murderers.  

A perfect historical mystery for this time of year, dark and intriguing.  Floats the Dark Shadow brought me through the underbelly of Bell Epoque Paris, vivid descriptions of the catacombs, occult practices, medical examinations and the teachings of Taxil.  I was also immersed into the beauty of the period with the vivid historical details of the buildings, artistry and people of the time  which created a contrast for brutality of the murders.  That being said, Yves Fey has not held back with the scenes involving the murderer and the chosen children, these scenes are horrific, yet just snapshots into the actions of the murderer.  A colorful cast of characters, including many real historical figures, creates a clash between artistry and science as well as heart and mind as Theodora becomes involved with Michel.  I loved the point of view of the murderer and actually wish that I could have read more.  The murderer's obsession with Joan of Arc and the interwoven theme of fire.   As in any well written mystery, Floats the Dark Shadow held me captivated through the end.

About the Author: 
Floats the Dark Shadow, Yves Fey’s debut mystery set in the dynamic and decadent world of Belle Époque Paris, has won the Silver Medal “IPPY” Independent Publishers Award in mystery, and both the Mystery and Historical Finalist Awards from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. It’s also nominated for ForeWord’s Independent Publishers BookTwitter of the Year Award in the Mystery Category.

Yves has an MFA in Creative Writing from Eugene Oregon, and a BA in Pictorial Arts from UCLA. She has read, written, and created art from childhood, and is an ardent movie buff. In her varied career, she has been a tie dye artist, go-go dancer, baker, creator of ceramic beasties, illustrator, fiction teacher, and now, novelist. A chocolate connoisseur, she’s won prizes for her desserts. Her current fascination is creating perfumes inspired by her new novel.

Yves has traveled to many countries in Europe and lived for two years in Indonesia. Currently, she resides in the San Francisco area with her husband and three cats, Marlowe the Investigator and Charlotte and Emily, the Flying Brontë Sisters.

Writing as Gayle Feyrer and Taylor Chase, she previously published four unusually dark and mysterious historical romances, The Prince of Cups, The Thief’s Mistress, Heart of Deception and Heart of Night. She plans to rerelease these with her own cover designs in the coming year. Her fantasy, House of the Twin Jewels, appears in Erotic Interludes.

For more information please visit Yves Fey’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

About the Book: 
Title: Spelled
Author: Kate St.Clair
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

Synopsis
Misfortune seems to follow the Sayers family. Georgia has tried to reestablish normality since her mother died, and she’s no closer to escaping her strange past when a mysterious fire destroys the only other high school in her tiny Texas town. Georgia is thrown into the company of Luke, a cryptic senior who brings her face to face with the truth about her heritage. Her loving, perfect mother created her family for the singular purpose of birthing five of the most powerful witches in the world, capable of terrifying magic. Now that she knows the truth, can Georgia keep her siblings safe? Who is behind the dark cult that’s after her family? And does Luke know more about her powers than even Georgia does?

Buy Links
Amazon | Black Hill Press




Review:
"The world we've opened is too big for me.  There are a million things I don't understand, and all of them can hurt me."


This young adult, paranormal novella, coming in at about 100 pages, packs in a lot of action right off the bat. Georgia Sayers is 16 years old, but has had a traumatic childhood.  Now, she lives with her four siblings and step-father.  Sometimes she still sees weird visions and gets weird feelings.  Some people still call her mother a witch.  When she feels a strong pull to a new guy at school, a whole new and dangerous world opens up to Georgia and her siblings that her mother tried to protect them from. 

This was a very engaging, fast-paced and fun story.  I wish it didn't end so quickly.  In the very beginning we are thrown into another tragic incident at a neighboring school, the rest of the book ties together that incident, all of the characters and the tragedy in Georgia's past.  Leading with this mystery left a lot to be answered in this novella.  I did enjoy Georgia's character, she easily to relate to and the way she discovers her abilities comes about in a natural way.  Though witchcraft is a popular genre, I felt like the story was very unique and there are many detailed accounts of spells and Wicca.  There is a layering on of mystery and thrills and secrets uncovered that kept me interested.  It was a little annoying that Georgia kept playing yo-yo with Luke, but that's a 16 year-old girl for you.  I'll be looking forward to the next book in the Amethyst series. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

About the Book: 
Maidens in the Night

By Mark Morey

Genre: Historical Crime / Mystery

 
It is Whitechapel in London, November 1888. Young, attractive prostitute Mary Kelly is stalked by someone, but who? Former client Joe Flemming, the serial killer Jack the Ripper who has murdered four or five prostitutes already, or someone else? She knows any man she meets could kill her, but she has no choice other than to work the streets.

Review: 
The stories of two very different women intersect at the height of Jack the Ripper's killing spree.  Michelle Finlay's husband died on her wedding night, leaving her in a fortunate position with money to spare.  Michelle takes up the cause of helping destitute women by training them for other available jobs. She also discovers very young girls who were kidnapped from their homes to work in brothels.  Upon trying to expose the fate of the young girls Michelle is set-up for the murder of one of the men who kidnaps the young girls. Mary Kelly is a young women who recently lost her husband in a mining accident.  With little money and no where to go, she eventually finds herself in Whitechapel working as a prostitute, Mary often comes across Michelle and an offer of a different life, but refuses to take it.  

This book was not really what I was expecting; from the blurb I was expecting a Jack the Ripper murder mystery.  However, the murders are not introduced to the end of the book and are not really integral to the plot.  The story really focuses on the plight of women at the time.  Michelle's character, though she has plenty of money, struggles to find jobs for women that would pay equal to prostitution.  She is also not respected when she tries to bring the story of the young girls in brothels out into the public.I did enjoy learning about one of the real life women of the time, Josephine Butler, who campaigned for the welfare of prostitutes.  Mary Kelly is left with no where else to turn after her husband dies and must continually work the streets in order to make ends meet.  I do have to say that I didn't really feel much or connect with either of the characters.  They kept making strange choices and didn't seem all that real.  I was also a bit confused by the eroticism of Michelle's character, it did make her seem more like a real person, but nothing was done with it except for a sexy scene randomly.  There was also no real climax to the story, Michelle is charged with murder early on, but is quickly found not guilty.  There are no other exciting points after that.  It may have helped to move the story along a bit if the Michelle and Mary's points of view were intertwined a little better.  Mary's character is not even introduced until a quarter of the way through and then it is like a different story. I think if the two women's stories were combined more effectively their experiences could have mirrored one another, even though they were in two different classes of society.  

This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.  


About the Author: 
I am part-time in the workforce and a part-time author, and writing technical documentation and advertising material formed a large part of my career for many decades. Writing a novel didn’t cross my mind until relatively recently, where the combination of too many years writing dry, technical documents and a visit to the local library where I couldn’t find a book that interested me led me consider a new pastime. Write a book. That book may never be published, but I felt my follow-up cross-cultural crime with romance hybrid set in Russia had more potential. So much so that I wrote a sequel that took those characters on a journey to a very dark place.

The Red Sun Will Come and Souls in Darkness were published by Club Lighthouse in mid-2012.  My next novel, The Governess and The Stalker will be published by Wings ePress in July 2014.  A sequel Maidens in the Night is due to be published later this year, and at the moment I am working on a historical fiction manuscript set in Italy during the 1930s.

 

Author Website: http://markmorey.blogspot.com.au/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/markmorey5

Available on Amazon - http://amzn.to/1mEmwgh

About the Book:
Publication Date: September 23, 2014
Thomas Dunne Books
Hardcover; 496p
ISBN-10: 1250047536 Genre: Historical/Fantasy/Fairy-Tale Retellings



The amazing power and truth of the Rapunzel fairy tale comes alive for the first time in this breathtaking tale of desire, black magic and the redemptive power of love

French novelist Charlotte-Rose de la Force has been banished from the court of Versailles by the Sun King, Louis XIV, after a series of scandalous love affairs. At the convent, she is comforted by an old nun, Sœur Seraphina, who tells her the tale of a young girl who, a hundred years earlier, is sold by her parents for a handful of bitter greens…

After Margherita’s father steals parsley from the walled garden of the courtesan Selena Leonelli, he is threatened with having both hands cut off, unless he and his wife relinquish their precious little girl. Selena is the famous red-haired muse of the artist Tiziano, first painted by him in 1512 and still inspiring him at the time of his death. She is at the center of Renaissance life in Venice, a world of beauty and danger, seduction and betrayal, love and superstition.

Locked away in a tower, Margherita sings in the hope that someone will hear her. One day, a young man does.

Award-winning author Kate Forsyth braids together the stories of Margherita, Selena, and Charlotte-Rose, the woman who penned Rapunzel as we now know it, to create what is a sumptuous historical novel, an enchanting fairy tale retelling, and a loving tribute to the imagination of one remarkable woman.


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Review: 
History, fairy tale and magic combine in this enchanting story to tell about the lives of three extraordinary women.  Charlotte-Rose de la Force was a lady in waiting in the court of Louis XIV, the Sun King.  After a few too many scandalous love affairs, she is forced to retire into a strict abbey.  While at the abbey, Charlotte-Rose meets one Sister, Sœur Seraphina,  who takes her under her wing while doing garden chores and tells Charlotte-Rose the story of the Petrosinella and la Strega.  Charlotte Rose, Sœur Seraphina and Petrosinella all share something in common and find comfort within the story.  The beautiful story also prompts Charlotte-Rose to write it down, becomming the author of the story later known as Rapunzel. 

I love stories like this, not only a fairy tale retelling, but the history behind the writing of the fairy tale and a bit of magic.  I was intrigued by each of the women's stories as they were unraveled.  Charlotte-Rose de la Force continually lived up to her name, continually pushing the boundaries for a woman of her time. La Strega, or Selena is a character that I ended up completely understanding, even though she was the witch.  Petrosinella or Margherita, was the perfect Rapunzel, but one that saved herself in the end.  The way that all of these characters stories were told, jumping back and forth through time, just kept me wanting more and constantly saying ' but what happened next?' The fairy tale was perfect, but even more I enjoyed the real history behind it's writer, I had no idea of the complicated origins of the story.  The Court of the Sun King was also brought alive through Charlotte-Rose's eyes as Louis XIV grows up, goes through several mistresses and makes difficult decisions of religion.  

A must read for historical fiction and fairy tale fans!

Reviews:
When Ava was a child she wished she had some magical powers, something special.  There was one time when she thought she could did do something special.  Now, Ava is content with being a regular girl in college, a regular girl who is failing her physics class and who keeps having recurring nightmare about being watched and chased by someone who moved extraordinarily fast.  Ava's physics teacher suggest a tutor, a grad student named Caleb.  After Ava meets Caleb, strange things start to happen, the man from her nightmare attacks her in real life and Caleb seems to be everywhere, following her around.  Ava finds out that Caleb might be something more than human, and he thinks that Ava might be something more, too.   

Ava is a great character.  Haven't we all wished that we were something more, something special?  Right when Ava is beginning to be comfortable with her life and becoming an adult, everything changes.  It is a very slow and suspenseful reveal to who is chasing her and how she is different.  When I finally found out what Caleb is and what Ava might be, it is a very unique and pleasant surprise.  I really want to know more about their race, the special things they can do, how Ava is dealing with her new-found abilities and how Ava and Caleb's relationship is developing.  I'm glad that this is the first of three.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

The Guardians picks up shortly after More with Ava and Caleb in a comfortable relationship, Ava is trying to live a normal life while still working on trying to improve and control her abilities. However, she is still watched by Protectors of the Race.  Caleb is called away on a few Guardian missions for the Race. When he doesn't return from a mission, Ava compels a Protector, Tiernan, to help her find him.  They find out that Ava has been set-up for murder and Caleb has been brainwashed to help the Rouges.  With the help of the Guardians they have to figure out who went to all this trouble and why.

A suspenseful  and exciting second book.  Everyone is on the run from everyone else, and no one seems to know why.  With the addition of Emma, who has the ability to implant memories and scramble thoughts, a new element of danger is introduced; can you even trust yourself and your own memories?  I loved that Ava's powers were fully explored within this book and that Caleb and Ava's relationship continued to grow.  I'm curious about the extent of the bond between two members of the Race.  Now I'm also curious about the full purpose of the Twelve , I'll have to see in the next installment. 

Ava and Caleb along with the rest of the Race and the Guardians have been forced into a war against Elias Borre, the creator of the Twelve. Elias wants to take over control of the Race and Ava has been put into the middle of it all.  She does not like that one bit.

A thrilling, suspenseful and exciting conclusion that had me second-guessing all the way through.  I enjoyed learning more about the Twelve and their special powers. It was also nice to see Ava grow as a person along with harnessing her powers. At first I thought Ava was going to make terrible decisions, but she turned out to understand more about her situation than I thought. The fighting scenes between Elias's army and the Race were intense and fast paced with lots of twist and turns.  A great ending to the series.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

About the Book: 

Tortured Souls by Kimber Leigh Wheaton 
(The Orion Circle #1) 
Publication date: June 29th 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:
Sometimes Rest in Peace isn’t an option.
Kacie Ramsey sees ghosts—and it’s ruining her life. Her mother left, her father blames her, and no matter how hard she tries, she can’t keep the ghosts away. Now a new power has emerged. Nightly visions of grisly murders and a relentless predator draw her to the brink of insanity.

When the phantom appears at a party, Kacie’s longtime crush, Logan, saves her. He invites her to join the Orion Circle, a group of supernatural hunters with chapters in schools all over the country. Through the Circle, Kacie learns to embrace her spiritual powers, and for the first time in her life she feels in control rather than a victim.

But the Foxblood Demon will not give up so easily. A demented serial killer in life who trapped the souls of the thirteen children he murdered, imprisoning them within the walls of his mansion. Now in death, he plots his return while drawing power from the pure souls of the children. He recognizes something in Kacie he’s never seen before—a medium powerful enough to provide a vessel for his tainted soul.

Kacie can’t ignore the tortured souls of the children crying out to her every night. With Logan at her side, she will fight the Foxblood Demon. But can they banish this powerful phantom, or will Kacie lose not only her body, but her eternal soul to the monster.

Goodreads

Purchase:
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--B&N

Review:

Kacie is different, she can see, feel and talk to ghosts.  This would be great except for the fact that no one in her family seems to understand her and her gift has made her mother leave her family.  Now Kacie is 15 and trying to navigate high school, but the ghosts keep interfering.  When Kacie's crush Logan realizes that Kacie can see ghosts as well, he invites her to the invitation only, super-secret club, Orion Circle, a paranormal investigative group.  Kacie flourishes within the group among people who understand her, as does her relationship with Logan.  Unfortunately, the spirit of a serial killer also sees Kacie's growth in psychic power and chooses her to latch onto and posses.  Kacie must harness her power to free the souls of the murdered children and banish the serial killer's ghost.

I would have devoured this book when I was in my early teen's!  It has everything I love, paranormal, ghosts, a secret society and a new romance.  As an adult I still enjoyed it, but there was an instant love connection (although Kacie and Logan also have a psychic connection, so I guess it's allowable!) and a lot of stuff I would have never been allowed to do when I was 15. Anyway, I loved the ghost hunting scenes and the fact that Kacie was able to help a lot of souls pass on using her gift.  Kacie grew a lot throughout the book and came around to accepting her abnormality along with finding a group that she fit in with, all great themes for a young adult novel.  The end was very suspenseful and fast-paced, a dangerous hunt to banish the serial killer, led by a group of girls!

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.  

About the Author: 
Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance and is a member of Romance Writers of America.

She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs and four cats. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Her house is filled with dragons, though she does lament that they are the porcelain, non-flying variety.

Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!)

Her debut novel, Shadow Fire, is the first book in the Light Chronicles series. Watch for book two, Stolen Moon, a standalone sequel, coming August 2014.

Author links: 
https://www.facebook.com/KimberLeighWheaton
http://www.kimberleighwheaton.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7885752.Kimber_Leigh_Wheaton
https://twitter.com/Cymberle