Review: 
​Hannah’s destiny will take her far away from the desert where she and her father tended a goat herd in the fifth century.  Hannah is first stolen from her father by slave traders and taken to Alexandria where she is bought by Tarek.   Luckily, Tarek’s father, Alizar is a patient man with a secret of his own.   Alizar sees that there is more to Hannah than meets the eye.  Even as a slave, he sends Hannah to be educated at the Great Library under Hypatia.  Unfortunately, Alexandria is in the midst of religious turmoil and Hannah was raised as a Jew.  As religion and power clash, Hannah is sent away again to the Temple of Isis where she is trained as a priestess and sent on a mission to gather a tablet that will help secure the pagan faith.
​
As soon as Hannah’s story began, I was completely hooked.  Fierce, brave and full of hope, Hannah’s character is instantly endearing.  The journey that Hannah is sent on is full of high-stakes, adventure and cunning skill.  There is a lot going on in this book and it kept me just wanting more and more.  I loved being taken back to ancient Alexandria, I could picture the marketplace, the Great Library, chariot races and Alizar’s house perfectly.  Then the beauty and mystery of the Temple, I could imagine the dancing priestesses in full costume.  As Hannah chases the Emerald Tablet her fate becomes entwined in her mission and the excitement increases.  History, magic, adventure and romance intersect in this epic tale about a young women’s journey.  

Read An Excerpt: 

WRITTEN IN THE ASHES
K. HOLLAN VAN ZANDT
 
This excerpt is continued from Buried Under Books on Oct 14th.

“No,” whispered Alizar. “A magician or possibly a priest. I suspect he seldom has visitors. It could be the first time in half a century he has even spoken to outsiders.”
The priest nodded his head, as though he understood. Then he said, “Fruit we have for you, our guests.” Then he whispered to the crouching boy with the staff who leapt to his feet and rushed off, returning with a tray of the most beautiful food any of them had seen in weeks. There were perfect white grapes, blood oranges, dates, figs, glassy plums, and a sweet red fruit that Hannah had never seen before that looked exactly like a tomato.
When they had eaten the feast and praised the food to their host, Alizar opened his palm and rained silver coins on the straw mat before them. “We would like to consult the Oracle of Amun-Ra,” he said. “Can you take us there?”
Omar-the-Goat pressed his lips together and cast his limp gaze down to the floor for a long time. “No oracle,” he said.
“No oracle?” asked Alizar.
“No oracle,” said the old priest, scooping up the coins with his good hand as though he could see them perfectly, dropping them into the leather satchel at his hip. “No, no, no oracle today. Come tomorrow.”
Alizar began to protest, but Omar-the-Goat shook his head and resolutely held up the palm of his hand. “Tomorrow, tomorrow,” he said, and then he shooed the men and children out of the room as though they were chickens.
So.
The next nine days played out in precisely the same manner. Every morning the caravan would awaken to the flaming desert sun and the round, peaceful eyes of the children watching them sleep. The children would then rush them into the city to see the blind old priest who would feed them fresh fruit and announce happily when they inquired about the Oracle of Amun-Ra, “Tomorrow.”
“What should we do, Alizar?” asked Gideon. “The Kahmsin winds are approaching. If we do not leave soon, I fear we will be stranded here.”
Alizar poked at the campfire with a stick, and a spray of sparks flew up and vanished in between the constellations. “The full moon approaches. I believe this is why he is making us wait.”
“What if I go exploring the cliffs to the north of the city? I have seen people up there,” said Tarek, “and dwellings.”
“No, I think we should be patient,” said Alizar. “If by the full moon he does not agree to take us to the oracle, then I permit you to explore, Tarek.”
Tarek let out a sigh but did not argue.
On the morning of the full moon, the caravan gathered at the mouth of the city and followed the children to see Omar-the-Goat. Right away, the routine shifted. Alizar smiled a knowing smile at the others as the children proceeded to lead them, not up the stairs like before, but behind the little town of Aghurmi and up a steep slope where a row of little huts stood huddled together like doves on a short branch. Eventually they came to a wide vista overlooking the entire valley where a large rectangular temple made of the same ruddy clay as everything else rose up impressively. Its twenty or so columns of red granite ornamented with intricate hieroglyphic carvings depicted stories of fishing, hunting as well as scenes of prayer and feasting. A mammoth granite obelisk taller than any in Alexandria stood in the courtyard beside a shimmering spring just as Alexander the Great had described in his journals.
“Omm Beyda,” whispered Alizar.
The Temple of Amun-Ra.
The children scattered and disappeared with whoops of excitement, leaving the caravan outside the temple to wait in the growing heat of the day. At first they stood and paced eagerly, but as time wore on they realized that an immediate audience with the oracle was not in store. Tarek took out a sheet of parchment and a sprig of charcoal he had sharpened on a stone and began to take impressions of the carvings. Hannah and Alizar opted to recline against the shade of the wall and chat while Gideon and Jemir played several rounds of tipstone, a game where two opponents used alabaster balls rolled at a distance toward a triangular configuration of twenty rectangular stones, ten white and ten black, in attempts to tip the opponent’s stones while leaving their own upright. Tarek remained reticent, seated on the wide cliff overlooking the palace of the king and queen with its four sprawling courtyards and tremendous statues set at specific intervals to catch the sunlight, statues that according to legend would speak at certain times of day.
“Do you imagine we will be going home soon, Alizar?” Hannah’s eyes looked hollow and dim. In the last several days, her optimistic curiosity had been replaced with deepening concern.
Alizar placed a hand on her shoulder. “Do not worry, Hannah. We will be back even before the moon turns another cycle. You will see.”
“If you say so.”

About the Book: 
A Song of War: A Novel of Troy
​by Christian Cameron, Libbie Hawker, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, Stephanie Thornton, SJA Turney, and Russell Whitfield

Foreward by Glyn Iliffe
Publication Date: October 18, 2016
Knight Media, LLC
eBook & Paperback; 483 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Ancient History/Anthology


Troy: city of gold, gatekeeper of the east, haven of the god-born and the lucky, a city destined to last a thousand years. But the Fates have other plans—the Fates, and a woman named Helen. In the shadow of Troy’s gates, all must be reborn in the greatest war of the ancient world: slaves and queens, heroes and cowards, seers and kings . . . and these are their stories.
A young princess and an embittered prince join forces to prevent a fatal elopement.
A tormented seeress challenges the gods themselves to save her city from the impending disaster.
A tragedy-haunted king battles private demons and envious rivals as the siege grinds on.
A captured slave girl seizes the reins of her future as two mighty heroes meet in an epic duel.
A grizzled archer and a desperate Amazon risk their lives to avenge their dead.
A trickster conceives the greatest trick of all.
A goddess’ son battles to save the spirit of Troy even as the walls are breached in fire and blood.
Seven authors bring to life the epic tale of the Trojan War: its heroes, its villains, its survivors, its dead. Who will lie forgotten in the embers, and who will rise to shape the bloody dawn of a new age?

Buy The Book: 

Amazon | Amazon UK | Kobo

Review: 
The Trojan Wars are steeped history through myth, legend and epic tales.  A Song of War brings together seven stories from throughout the war by seven different authors.  Each story, or song, took me chronologically through the War, which made the songs flow together melodically.  I enjoyed the changing perspectives, bringing forth different views from different sides.  I especially liked that some of these characters were people that history has swept to the background.  While the stories of Helen, Menelaus, Achilles, Paris, Hector and Odysseus were exciting and action packed, it was the stories of Cassandra, Briseis and Penthesilea that were the most insightful, heartfelt and brought true passion from all sides. 

I truly enjoyed this anthology format for reading.  Each author showed their own voice through their characters, yet there was still one full story pulled together through each verse.  I was impressed with how each story was able to pull out a different emotion: greed, sacrifice, torment, tragedy, vengeance, thoughtfulness and hope.  I think this is a great example of anthology style of writing, I enjoyed the focus not being on one character or point of view, but the experience as a whole.  I can’t wait to read more from this historical fiction team.
 
This book was provided by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. 


​About the Authors:
CHRISTIAN CAMERON was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1962. He grew up in Rockport, Massachusetts, Iowa City, Iowa,Christian Cameron and Rochester, New York, where he attended McQuaid Jesuit High School and later graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in history.
After the longest undergraduate degree on record (1980-87), he joined the United States Navy, where he served as an intelligence officer and as a backseater in S-3 Vikings in the First Gulf War, in Somalia, and elsewhere. After a dozen years of service, he became a full time writer in 2000. He lives in Toronto (that’s Ontario, in Canada) with his wife Sarah and their daughter Beatrice, currently age four. And a half.

LIBBIE HAWKER was born in Rexburg, Idaho and divided her childhood between Eastern Idaho’s rural environs and the greater Seattle area. She presently lives in Seattle, but has also been a resident of Salt Lake City, Utah; Bellingham, Washington; and Tacoma, Washington. She loves to write about character and place, and is inspired by the bleak natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain region and by the fascinating history of the Puget Sound.
After three years of trying to break into the publishing industry with her various books under two different pen names, Libbie finally turned her back on the mainstream publishing industry and embraced independent publishing. She now writes her self-published fiction full-time, and enjoys the fact that the writing career she always dreamed of having is fully under her own control.

KATE QUINN is a native of southern California. She attended Boston University, where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance detailing the early years of the infamous Borgia clan. All have been translated into multiple languages.
Kate has succumbed to the blogging bug, and keeps a blog filled with trivia, pet peeves, and interesting facts about historical fiction. She and her husband now live in Maryland with two black dogs named Caesar and Calpurnia, and her interests include opera, action movies, cooking, and the Boston Red Sox.

VICKY ALVEAR SHECTER is the author of the young adult novel, Cleopatra’s Moon (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2011), based on the life of Cleopatra’s only daughter. She is also the author of two award-winning biographies for kids on Alexander the Great and Cleopatra. She is a docent at the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Antiquities at Emory University in Atlanta. The LA Times calls Cleopatra’s Moon, “magical” and “impressive.” Publisher’s Weekly said it was “fascinating” and “highly memorable.” The Wall Street Journal called it “absorbing.”

STEPHANIE THORNTON is a writer and history teacher who has been obsessed with infamous women from ancient history since she was twelve. She lives with her husband and daughter in Alaska, where she is at work on her next novel.
Her novels, The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora, Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt, The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan, and The Conqueror’s Wife: A Novel of Alexander the Great, tell the stories of history’s forgotten women.

SJA TURNEY lives with his wife, son and daughter, and two (close approximations of) dogs in rural North Yorkshire.
Marius’ Mules was his first full length novel. Being a fan of Roman history, SJA decided to combine his love of writing and love of the classical world. Marius’ Mules was followed two years later by Interregnum – an attempt to create a new fantasy story still with a heavy flavour of Rome.
These have been followed by numerous sequels, with three books in the fantasy ‘Tales of the Empire’ series and five in the bestselling ‘Marius’ Mules’ one. 2013 has seen the first book in a 15th century trilogy – ‘The Thief’s Tale’ – and will also witness several side projects seeing the light of day.

RUSSELL WHITFIELD was born in Shepherds Bush in 1971. An only child, he was raised in Hounslow, West London, but has since escaped to Ham in Surrey.
Gladiatrix was Russ’s first novel, published in 2008 by Myrmidon Books. The sequel, Roma Victrix, continues the adventures Lysandra, the Spartan gladiatrix, and a third book, Imperatrix, sees Lysandra stepping out of the arena and onto the field of battle.

Reunion on Neverend

ISBN: 978-0-9672984-3-6
Paperback: $15.99
E-book: $4.99

Science Fiction
ReAnimus Press
320 pages
October 1, 2016

  “One part mystery, one part other worlds    
    adventure... thoroughly entertaining      
    joyride.”  —  Science Fiction Chronicle
​

Lan has come home to a high-school reunion in the underground colony of Neverend, at the edge of humanity’s reach. An ancient secret waits there, one involving instantaneous access to far-flung planets. Also in Neverend is his high-school sweetheart, Tessa, who is in the way of people who have stumbled onto this ancient technology and plan to use it for their own purposes.

Fortunately for her, Lan is no longer the boy he used to be. And fortunately for Lan, Tessa is no longer the girl she used to be.


Review:

​Lan has returned to his childhood home within the underground colony on Neverend.  He is wary about returning to the closed in caverns and tight spaces that always made him feel claustrophobic, but he really wants to track down his high school girlfriend, Tessa.  Upon arriving, Lan reunites with old friends Parke and Carrie who inform him that Tessa has been holed up in her father’s museum.  Tessa has been being threatened into selling the museum and is pretty sure that someone has been breaking in.  After learning about Tessa’s troubles, Lan is determined to help; and luckily Lan now has just the skill set to help Tessa with her unique issue.
A fast paced, fun mystery with plenty of adventure and excitement.  Set in a mesh of other worlds, Reunion on Neverend successfully took me far away. The world building was magnificent and I could picture the volcanic cave formations on Neverend and the homes and shops carved out of them.  For me, the best part was the mix of characters and how they worked to solve Tessa’s museum mystery.  I knew Lan was hiding a secret from the very beginning, his unbecoming demeanor camouflaged his overwhelming knowledge and physical capabilities. Paired with his much larger friend, Parke, they made an intimidating duo.  Once the group gets together to outwit a duo interested in Tessa’s museum for maniacal means, action, adventure and comedy prevail.  Lan’s means of frustrating the thieves was ingenious and hilarious.  Usually I’m not huge on space adventure, but this science fiction mystery was perfect for me.
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

Author Biography of John E. Stith

Science fiction and mystery author John E. Stith writes across many worlds. His books have been translated to French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Russian and are even available in braille for the sight-impaired.  His stories have been categorized as “Hard science fiction,” a label given to those stories thoroughly researched to play fair with the rules of science; something any die-hard SciFi fan can appreciate.

It was during the summer Science-Math Institute for High School Students at Cloud State College, John served as editor for the school paper, but several more years would pass before the urge to write, strengthened by years of loving to read, was too compelling to ignore.  His stories vary, but his books are packed with suspense, mystery, and humor.

Stith holds a B.A. in physics from the University of Minnesota, has served as an Air Force Officer, where he worked at NORAD Cheyenne Mountain Complex. The passion for science runs in his family, as his father George worked at the White Sands Missile Range on such projects like the rocket sled.

He has appeared on a live nationwide PBS broadcast or Science-Fiction Science-Fact (SF2) and his work has also been sold to film and television. His novel Reckoning Infinity was chosen as one of Science Fiction Chronicle’s Best Science Fiction Novels,  Redshift Rendezvous was picked as a Nebula Award nominee and Manhattan Transfer received an honorable mention from the Hugo Awards and a nomination from the Seiun Award in Japan.

Stith is a member of Science-Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Writers Guild of America (WGA), International Thriller Writers, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers (RMFW), Colorado Author’s League and Mensa.  He currently lives in Colorado Springs.


​Q&A with Author John E. Stith

You’re re-releasing nine of your novels in just under a year! Can you share what inspired this decision?

Since originally published by Tor Books and Ace Books, most of these books were available in ebook form, but some haven't been available in paper for more than a decade, so I felt it was time to correct that. ReAnimus Press specializes in bringing back SF that has been unavailable for a while (e.g. Jerry Sohl) and re-releasing works that have been in print all along (e.g. Ben Bova).


You write both sci-fi and mystery - do you have a preference for one over the other?

I love both. Some of my work even blends the two. Deep Quarry features a private eye. The protagonist in Death Tolls is an investigative reporter. Naught for Hire is a futuristic private eye tale, Reckoning Infinity is a space exploration and Manhattan Transfer  deals with a very unusual form of first contact-- kidnapping.


What are your initial thoughts when thinking about your book(s)?

I often start a book with a trio of concerns. First, is an emotional issue that's currently important to me. Next is the kind of story I want to tell and then finally, I pick a setting that interests me and supports the first two elements.

For example, while writing Death Tolls, personal responsibility was an important issue for me. I had been on a Dick Francis kick and thought it would be fun to use a mystery plot that echoed some of his plots. And finally, a lightly terraformed Mars seemed an interesting backdrop. Redshift Rendezvous centers on a hijacking. REUNION ON NEVEREND is set at a high school reunion in a space-equivalent of a small-town environment.

Any special research you had to do for these various titles?

I almost always wind up picking projects that require more knowledge than I already have, partly because I enjoy constantly expanding my horizons. Memory Blank necessitated knowing more about Gerard O'Neil-inspired L5 orbital colonies and Death Tolls required media and reporting research. Redshift Rendezvous also required research into relativity because most of the novel takes place aboard a hyperspace craft where the speed of light is ten meters per second. That means relativistic effects like redshift happen when people run. Flipping a light switch causes a room to slowly fill with light.


What fascinates you most about writing?

That it seems almost universal. When I worked in software engineering, people would ask what I did for a living.  I’d run into some people already in the business, but many of the others had zero interest in the field. When I mention to strangers that I'm a writer, it seems like half the time I find they've written stories or want to write, and in many cases,  have sold their work already.

Do you have a favorite author?

Robert Heinlein is really high on my list for several reasons--fun characters, interesting ideas, thoughtful speculation, and pure storytelling power.

How has your education, profession or background helped you in your writing career?

My degree is in physics, and part of what drives my efforts to make my stories convincing, not with quite the nuts and bolts aspects of THE MARTIAN, but closer to the ENDER'S GAME portion of the spectrum.


What do you hope readers most get out of your books?

Enjoyment, excitement, entertainment, insights and information. I love appealing to all the senses, including the sense of wonder and the sense of humor. I want readers to care about my characters and constantly wonder what's on the next page.


How has writing your novels changed your life?

It's brought me into a wonderful and diverse group of other writers, a few a bit cantankerous, but many generous, thoughtful people who have written more astonishing and uplifting books than I can hope to read in a lifetime.

About the Book:
Publication Date: September 26, 2016
eBook; 302 Pages
ASIN: B01KUC6N9Y
Genre: Historical Romance/Medieval
Series: Avelynn (Book Two)


Avelynn: The Edge of Faith, a stand-alone Viking Romance from author Marissa Campbell.
It’s the year 871. Charges of treason, murder, and witchcraft follow Avelynn into exile as she flees England with Alrik. Arriving in Wales, they find refuge among Alrik’s friends in the Welsh nobility. Cast out by his half-brothers, Alrik seeks to regain his honor and earn favor with the gods. When war threatens, Alrik embraces gold and the opportunity for his crew to become mercenaries, aiding the Southern Welsh kings in their fight against Rhodri the Great.
Desperate to return home, Avelynn seeks to find a way to prove her innocence, but she is pitted against Alrik as their desires for the future clash. With battle looming, Avelynn’s faith in their relationship is further tested through a bitter struggle with Marared, a jealous lover from Alrik’s past. Marared’s threats turn deadly, and Avelynn runs afoul of magic and sorcery, causing her to question her beliefs and role as priestess.
When Avelynn and Alrik are betrayed, Avelynn is captured and Alrik is charged with regicide. The two become separated, a chasm of greed, deceit, and ambition driving them apart. In an act of harrowing faith, Avelynn will stop at nothing to find her way back to Alrik and break them both free from Wales’s bloodthirsty grasp.

AVELYNN: THE EDGE OF FAITH is a stand-alone novel and #2 in the Avelynn series.
​
Amazon (Kindle) | Barnes & Noble (Nook) | Kobo

Review: 
Avelynn is on the run from her homeland in England for accusations of treason, witchcraft and murder With the help of her Viking betrothed Alrik, she has landed in Wales.  Alrik has pledged his men to help with the Southern Welsh King in their campaign against Rhodri the Great.  However, news of Avelynn’s crimes won’t take long to catch up to her, and there is a price on her head.  Combined with troubles from Marared, Alrik’s former lover, Alrik and Avelynn are being chased by trouble from all ends.
​
I am so glad to return to Avelynn’s world!  Successfully transporting me back to Medieval Wales, Edge of Faith picks up right where Avelynn left off.  I missed her headstrong, courageous, willful and confident nature which is continued full force in Edge of Faith.  I also forgot how steamy the romance was between Avelynn and Alrik, their love has not diminished at all; plus there are some other amazingly sexy scenes that I won’t spoil for anyone.  The danger, suspense and magical mayhem made for a good pace and were blended together seamlessly well.  Avelynn’s devotion to the Goddess as a high priestess does not waver even though she is in a Christian land, her rituals continued to draw me in with rich descriptions that took me to the Otherworld.  The uncertainty that follows Alrik and Avelynn drew me in and kept me glued to the pages, especially with the threats of dark magic.  Overall, a magically enchanting historical romance with an open ending that makes me ready for book three.
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​About the Author
Marissa Campbell is a published freelance author, and co-author of the award-winning, spiritual self-help book Life: Living in Fulfillment Every Day. Her debut historical fiction AVELYNN, was published through St. Martin’s Press, September 2015. Look for the second book in the AVELYNN series, releasing Fall 2016. She is a proud member of the Historical Novel Society, Romance Writers of America, Writer’s Community of Durham Region, and local critique group B7. When she is not writing, she is busy looking after her wonderful children, spending time with her fantastic husband, hanging out with her awesome friends, teaching yoga, dancing, laughing, and having fun!
For more information visit http://marissacampbell.com. You can also follow Marissa Campbell on 
​Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+,Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram.

About The Girl in the Castle
• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (September 27, 2016)

International sensation Santa Montefiore presents the first book in a trilogy that follows three Irish women through the decades of the twentieth century—perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Hazel Gaynor.
Born on the ninth day of the ninth month in the year 1900, Kitty Deverill is special as her grandmother has always told her. Built on the stunning green hills of West Cork, Ireland, Castle Deverill is Kitty’s beloved home, where many generations of Deverills have also resided. Although she’s Anglo-Irish, Kitty’s heart completely belongs to the wild countryside of the Emerald Isle, and her devotion to her Irish-Catholic friends Bridie Doyle, the daughter of the castle’s cook, and Jack O’Leary, the vet’s son, is unmatched—even if Jack is always reminding her that she isn’t fully Irish. Still, Jack and Kitty can’t help falling in love although they both know their union faces the greatest obstacles since they are from different worlds.
Bridie cherishes her friendship with Kitty, who makes her feel more like her equal than a servant. Yet she can’t help dreaming of someday having all the wealth and glamour Kitty’s station in life affords her. But when she discovers a secret that Kitty has been keeping from her, Bridie finds herself growing resentful toward the girl in thecastle who seems to have it all.
When the Irish revolt to throw over British rule in Southern Ireland, Jack enlists to fight. Worried for her safety, Jack warns Kitty to keep her distance, but she refuses and throws herself into the cause for Irish liberty, running messages and ammunition between the rebels. But as Kitty soon discovers, her allegiance to her family and her friends will be tested—and when Castle Deverill comes under attack, the only home and life she’s ever known are threatened.
A powerful story of love, loyalty, and friendship, The Girl in the Castle is an exquisitely written novel set against the magical, captivating landscape of Ireland.

Purchase Links
HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

​Review: 
Kitty Deverill was born on the ninth day of the ninth month in the year 1900.  Kitty spends most of her days with her grandparents in the Castle Deverill.  Her Anglo-Irish family has been cursed, since the Deverill land was taken from the O’Leary’s, the Deverill men are cursed to stick around as ghosts until the two families can combine.  Kitty is the third daughter of Maude Deverill and Maude seems to have forgotten about her, Kitty is free to roam when she escapes her Governess, Mrs. Grieve.   Kitty spends her days with Bridie Doyle, the daughter of the castle cook and Jack O’Leary.  Kitty’s station is life causes tension with Bridie and as Jack and Kitty form a relationship, feelings among the trio change.  Soon, the Irish revolt to overthrow the British and Jack joins the Irish cause.  As an Anglo-Irish, Kitty might seem to be in a strange situation, but her Irish roots grow strong.  Through the attacks, Castle Deverill is put under siege and the home Kitty loves becomes vulnerable. 

From the curse on the very first page, I was hooked.  I have always loved a good curse.  Then, I was introduced to Kitty.  Kitty is completely charming and enchanting with a dash of mischievousness a good dose of rebellion and plenty of intelligence.  I loved reading about her growing up.  The magic and whimsy of Ireland is showcased through the writing, picturesque descriptions of the landscape and castle bring County Cork and Castle Deverill to life.  Some of the best parts for me were the ghosts, grumpy Castle ancestors who sometimes give Kitty a helpful or hurtful push.  Most of all, I enjoyed the character interactions as Kitty, Bridie and Jack come-of-age.  With insight into a unique time in Ireland’s history, plenty of drama, romance and heartfelt passion for what you love, The Girl in the Castle is an absolute delight that I had a hard time putting down.

This book was received for free as part of the TLC blog tour. 

​About Santa Montefiore
Santa Montefiore was born in England. She went to Sherborne School for Girls in Dorset and studied Spanish and Italian at Exeter University. She has written sixteen bestselling novels, which have been translated into thirty different languages and have sold more than two million copies worldwide.
Find out more about Santa at her website, and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

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About the Book
Title: Monsterland
Author: Michael Phillip Cash
Genre: Horror / Action
Welcome to Monsterland – the scariest place on Earth. All guests can interact with real vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by an actual werewolf on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville. Wyatt Baldwin, a high school student and life-long movie buff is staring bleakly at a future of flipping burgers. Due to a fortuitous circumstance, Wyatt and his friends are invited to the star-studded opening of Monsterland. In a theme park full of real vampires, werewolves and zombies, what could possibly go wrong?


Review: 
​A plague has spread across the world affecting parts of the population and turning them essentially into zombies.  Dr. Vincent Conrad has the perfect solution for the World’s zombie problem.  Countries have them contained, but cannot come up with a decision on how to move forward.  After Dr. Vincent discovered the last of the populations of Vampires and Werewolves, he has decided to open theme parks- Monsterland- across the world with attractions such as Vampire Village, Werewolf River Run and Zombieville.  With a mission stated to research and find a cure, Monsterland opens with a bang.  Lucky enough to land a special invite- Wyatt Baldwin, his brother and a few classmates are among the first guests.
This is a Young Adult paranormal, a bit like Jurassic Park but with Monsters. I really liked the theme park idea, but some of the monsters fell a little flat.  Although, they were probably as realistic as monsters could get; if Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies existed, the Werewolves would hide in the thick Everglades, the Vampires would be a dying breed who can only turn others with sex and can survive on animal blood and the Zombies would be plague victims able to be killed by any normal means. I was not surprised by how quickly they revolted once they realized they were prisoners in Monsterland.  The suspense built quickly and the action quickly turned gory.  Steeped with teen drama, many of the students were more interested in their relationship status.  Dr. Vincent was the most intriguing character.  His intentions seemed devious from the start, but I had no idea how far he would take it.  I was very surprised by the ending when his plan came to the surface.  Another character that shone for me was Wyatt’s best friend, Melvin.  Melvin is completely obsessed with Werewolves and is not afraid to be exactly who he is.  I think he probably came out with the best deal. Overall, a good concept with a bit of a different twist on the classic monsters and some good parallels to concentration camps.
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

Critically praised, beloved by readers, In the Land of Armadillos has an evocative new cover and title, They Were Like Family to Me. Now in Paperback! Available October 4.






​


 1942. With the Nazi Party at the height of its power, the occupying army empties Poland's towns and cities of their Jewish citizens. As neighbor turns on neighbor and survival often demands unthinkable choices, Poland has become a moral quagmire—a place of shifting truths and blinding ambiguities.

 Blending folklore and fact, Helen Maryles Shankman shows us the people of Wlodawa, a remote Polish town. We meet a cold-blooded SS officer dedicated to rescuing the Jewish creator of his son's favorite picture book; a Messiah who appears in a little boy's bedroom to announce that he is quitting; a young Jewish girl who is hidden by the town's most outspoken anti-Semite—and his talking dog. And walking among these tales are two unforgettable figures: silver-tongued Willy Reinhart, commandant of the forced labor camp who has grand schemes to protect "his" Jews, and Soroka, the Jewish saddlemaker, struggling to survive.

Channeling the mythic magic of classic storytellers like Sholem Aleichem and Isaac Bashevis Singer and the psychological acuity of modern-day masters like Nicole Krauss and Nathan Englander, They Were Like Family to Me is a testament to the persistence of humanity in the most inhuman conditions.

“One of the most original and consistently captivating short story collections to have appeared in recent years…(They Were Like Family to Me) is a singularly inventive collection of chilling stark realism enhanced by the hallucinatory ingredient of top-drawer magical realism, interrogating the value of art, storytelling, and dreams in a time of peril and presenting hard truths with wisdom, magic, and grace.” —Jewish Book Council

“Moving and unsettling…Like Joyce's Dubliners, this book circles the same streets and encounters the same people as it depicts the horrors of Germany's invasion of Poland through the microcosm of one village…Shankman's prose is inventive and taut… A deeply humane demonstration of wringing art from catastrophe.” —Kirkus Reviews

“...by turns forthright and tender, oblique and intimate, brutal and ethereal…Though each story stands beautifully on its own, it is the completed tapestry of interwoven details that finally reveals the entire picture and provides the full emotional depth of the collected stories…The author’s greatest accomplishment is in leaving the horror to speak for itself, and instead giving voice to the enchantment.” —Historical Novel Society


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About the Book: 
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Zoe Whittaker is living a charmed life. She is the beautiful young wife to handsome, charming Wall Street tycoon Henry Whittaker. She is a member of Manhattan’s social elite. She is on the board of one of the city’s most prestigious philanthropic organizations. She has a perfect Tribeca penthouse in the city and a gorgeous lake house in the country. The finest wine, the most up-to-date fashion, and the most luxurious vacations are all at her fingertips.
 
What no one knows is that five years ago, Zoe’s life was in danger. Back then, Zoe wasn’t Zoe at all. Now her secrets are coming back to haunt her.
 
As the past and present collide, Zoe must decide who she can trust before she—whoever she is—vanishes completely.


Review: 
Zoe Whittaker seems to have a charmed life.  She is the chair of a foundation for orphaned children, CARE, an issue that has deep meaning to her since she was adopted; and is married to Henry Whittaker, a Wall Street guru.  Her marriage to Henry has taken her off the streets and into a fancy high-rise, she is able to travel the world and focus on what she really cares about.  However, after a successful charity benefit for CARE, Zoe’s past come racing back for her.  Five years prior, Zoe wasn’t even Zoe.  She was Hilary Lawlor and she was running away from a mess in California.  Now, she is afraid that she has been recognized at the benefit; especially when she is almost run over by a car and her apartment is broken into.  Zoe wants nothing more than to feel secure and tied down, so she tries to look into her birth mother’s whereabouts.  However, Henry seems unsupportive and has been becoming controlling, questioning her actions and who she is with.  Now that Zoe thinks about it, Henry has many secrets in his past too; a dead wife that Zoe has never seen pictures of, dead parents and a very dedicated maid that will not say a word to Zoe.  All at once, Zoe tries to find out who is trying to kill her, uncover her own past and dig deeper into the man her husband seems to be.
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Several mysteries wrapped into one, The Vanishing Year kept me up late into the night with its many twists and turns.  Zoe is a very real character, with a lot of trauma in her background.  She has used her newfound wealth in order to do good; however she is constantly on the lookout for anyone from her past.  Some of her naivety seemed overdone, and I had some parts of her mystery figured out early on.  Zoe did grow on me though, as soon as she started coming into her own and getting out of her apartment, she began to question things.  While Zoe was so focused on hiding her own past, she didn’t seem to push Henry into revealing any of his.  Henry seemed to be the one hiding more than Zoe, and his past is locked up tighter.  The suspense rose in the second half of the book as Zoe concentrates on finding her birth mother.  Slowly, inklings of something more disturbing than what Zoe can imagine are being teased out and while I had an idea of who might be behind it all, I had no idea of why or to what extent until the very end where I was speed reading along to see what would happen!  Overall, a slow building psychological thriller and mystery with a whirlwind ending.
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

About the Author: 
Kate Moretti is the New York Times bestselling author of Thought I Knew You, Binds That Tie, and While You Were Gone. She lives in eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two kids. Find out more at katemoretti.com, or follow her on Twitter (@KateMoretti1) or Facebook (KateMorettiWriter).
 
THE VANISHING YEAR by Kate Moretti
Atria Paperback | ISBN: 9781501118432 | On sale: September 27, 2016 | 304 pages | $16.00
eBook: Atria | ISBN: 9781501118449 | On sale: September 27, 2016 | 304 pages | $11.99

FIND KATE ONLINE:
Website: www.katemoretti.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katemorettiwriter
Twitter: @KateMoretti1
Instagram: @katemoretti1
 
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