Seventeen-year-old Margot Allan was a respectable vicar’s daughter and madly in love with her fiancé Harry. But when Harry was reported Missing in Action from the Western Front, and Margot realised she was expecting his child, there was only one solution she and her family could think of in order to keep that respectability. She gave up James, her baby son, to be adopted by her parents and brought up as her younger brother.
Now two years later the whole family is gathering at the vicarage for Christmas. It’s heartbreaking for Margot being so close to James but unable to tell him who he really is. But on top of that, Harry is also back in the village. Released from captivity in Germany and recuperated from illness, he’s come home and wants answers. Why has Margot seemingly broken off their engagement and not replied to his letters? Margot knows she owes him an explanation. But can she really tell him the truth about James?My thoughts:This is a lovely, bittersweet story of young love, war, family, hope and redemption. Having given her son James to be raised by her parents as theirs, Margot’s heart is breaking. Her fiancé Harry has somehow survived the war, despite being reported as missing, and now she must decide whether to tell him the truth about James.Margot returns home for Christmas, seeing James happily ensconced as the baby of the family and coming face to face with Harry for the first time.She wrestles with her decision, spends time with her siblings, parents and friends, trying to decide what the right thing to do is.This was a truly lovely book, the story was moving and a little heartbreaking, it was also educational – I didn’t know adoption was legal until the 1926 Adoption Act – and the thought of all those young women forced into giving away their babies before then were wronged.Although James is one of the lucky ones, his grandparents love him and treat him as they do the rest of their children, which makes Margot worry even more – will this destroy his happiness, if she and Harry married and took him with them?I was gifted a copy of this book by the publisher and if you’d like to see the special edition I received, I’ve shared it over on Instagram.
Tag: YA
Blog Tour: Poisoned – Jennifer Donnelly*
Beautiful Sophie, with lips as red as blood, skin as pale as snow, and hair as dark as night, is about to come of age and inherit her father’s throne. But Sophie’s stepmother wants rid of her – beautiful she may be, but too weak and foolish to reign. And Sophie believes her, as she believes all the things that have been said about her – all the poisonous words people use to keep girls like her from becoming too powerful, too strong.
When the huntsman carries out his orders of killing Sophie, she finds a fire burning inside her that will not be extinguished, and sets off to reclaim what was taken from her.
Jennifer Donnelly turns her feminist eye to this most delicious of fairy tales and shows Snow White as she’s never been seen before.
Jennifer Donnelly is the author of seven novels and a picture book for children. She grew up in New York State, in Lewis and Westchester counties, and attended the University of Rochester where she majored in English Literature and European History.
Jennifer’s first novel, THE TEA ROSE, an epic historical novel set in London and New York in the late 19th century, was called ‘exquisite’ by Booklist, ‘so much fun’ by the Washington Post, a ‘guilty pleasure’ by People and was named a Top Pick by the Romantic Times.
Her second novel, A GATHERING LIGHT, won the Carnegie Medal, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Borders Original Voices Award, and was named a Printz Honor book. Described as ‘rich and true’ by The New York Times, the book was named on the Best Book lists of The Times (London), The Irish Times, The Financial Times, Publishers Weekly, Booklist and the School Library Journal.
REVOLUTION was named a Best Book by Amazon, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and the Chicago Public Library, and was nominated for a Carnegie Medal. The audio edition was awarded an Odyssey Honor for Excellence.
In 2014, Jennifer teamed up with Disney to launch the bestselling WATERFIRE saga, an epic series about six mermaids on a quest to rid the world of an ancient evil. The first book in the series, DEEP BLUE, was released in May, 2014; the second book, ROGUE WAVE, launched in January 2015.
Jennifer Donnelly lives in New York’s Hudson Valley with her husband, daughter, and two rescue dogs.
My thoughts:
This was a very good retelling of Snow White – but with a bit more bite and a princess that was determined even if a bit naive.
The seven dwarves are given a bit more in terms of personality, and the charming prince is anything but. Instead it is up to Sophie herself to defeat her stepmother and the evil King of Crows to regain her heart and her throne.
I really enjoyed this book, I love a fairy tale retelling with a bit more bite, and a princess who saves herself.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Blog Tour: When Life Gives You Mangoes – Kereen Getten*
A summer she can’t remember A friendship she won’t forget.
Nothing much happens in Sycamore, the small village where Clara lives – at least, that’s how it looks. She loves eating ripe mangoes fallen from trees, running outside in the rainy season and escaping to her secret hideout with her best friend Gaynah.
There’s only one problem – she can’t remember anything that happened last summer. When a quirky girl called Rudy arrives from England, everything starts to change. Gaynah stops acting like a best friend, while Rudy and Clara roam across the island and uncover an old family secret.
As the summer reaches its peak and the island storms begin, Clara’s memory starts to return and she must finally face the truth of what happened last year.
My thoughts:
This was a beautifully written, moving and sensitive story about loss and friendship. Clara has blocked out the painful memory of last summer and lives with the knowledge that something is wrong, but unsure what it is.
Making a new friend and reconnecting with her uncle, who doesn’t leave his house, starts to slowly help her recover the memories and explore her grief.
Powerful and bittersweet, this is a stunning piece of fiction and belongs on a bookshelf in every home.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Spotlight: Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse – Sherrill Joseph
To celebrate the release of the next exciting book in the Botanic Hill Detectives mystery series, Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse is going on tour!
We have an excerpt for you to read and a chance to win a signed, personalized paperback copy of the book, and some matching book swag!
Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse
Publication Date: October 20, 2020 (Today
Genre: MG Mystery/ Middle Grade
(For fans of Nancy Drew type mysteries)
In 1945, Isabela de Cordoba’s great-grandfather, the famous silent movie actor Lorenzo de Cordoba, mysteriously hid a legendary, multimillion-dollar emerald somewhere on the family’s sprawling Eucalyptus Street estate. Seventy years later, the gem remains concealed. Nicknamed the “Green Curse,” the emerald is blamed for the Southern California familia’s numerous, untimely deaths.
On her twenty-first birthday, Isabela receives a secret letter with a cryptic poem. These documents from the long-deceased Lorenzo invite her to hunt for the gemstone. But first, she must decipher the poem’s eight stanzas for clues.
To assist, Isabela hires her thirteen-year-old neighbors, the four Botanic Hill Detectives—twins Lanny and Lexi Wyatt, and their best friends, Moki Kalani and Rani Kumar. Eerie footsteps inside the mansion, unexplained occurrences in the adjacent cemetery, and the mysterious tenant in the backyard casita challenge them. But they ingeniously make progress on the poem’s meaning with startling discoveries. Sliding wall panels, a secret room, and hidden passages reveal much. The detectives aren’t the only ones looking for the emerald. The perilous race for the de Cordoba treasure is on!
Add to Goodreads
Excerpt
Lanny is awakened at four a.m. by the sound of footsteps coming from the room overhead. He and Moki head to the third floor to explore:
Their eyes had adjusted to the darkness. Lanny pointed to the door of the suspected room and flashed Moki an A-OK sign. They turned off their flashlights, noticing the room’s door was slightly ajar, and listened for any sounds. Nothing but the mournful “who-who” sound of the resident barn owl in the old magnolia tree outside. They waited two more minutes, shivering and wishing they hadn’t forgotten their bathrobes and slippers. Still no sounds came from the room. Even the owl became silent. Moki felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
Finally, Lanny pushed the door open slightly and slipped into the room. Moki followed.
Available in paperback and for Kindle!
About the Author
Sherrill Joseph will be forever inspired by her beautiful students in the San Diego public schools where she taught for thirty-five years before retiring and becoming a published author.
She has peopled and themed the Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries with children and adult characters of various abilities, races, cultures, and interests. Sherrill strongly believes that children need to find not only themselves in books but others from different races and social situations if all are to become tolerant, anti-racist world citizens.
In addition, the author created her detectives—patterned after her own fifth-grade students and twelve-year-old twin cousins—to be mature, smart, polite role models that will appeal to parents, teachers, but especially to kids who seek to realize their greatest potential with courage and self-respect.
Sherrill is a lexical-gustatory synesthete and native San Diegan where she lives in a 1928 Spanish-style house in a historic neighborhood with her poodle-bichon mix, Jimmy Lambchop. Other loves include her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. She can’t leave out dark chocolate, popcorn, old movies, purple, and daisies. Having never lived in a two-story house, she is naturally fascinated by staircases. Sherrill is a member of SCBWI and the Authors Guild and promises many more adventures with the squad to come.
Sherrill Joseph | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Giveaway:
2 lucky winners will receive a signed, personalized paperback copy of the book, and some matching book swag (US only this time)! Giveaway will be open until October 31st!
Blog Tour Schedule
October 26th
Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com
@the.b00kreader (Review) https://www.instagram.com/the.b00kreader
The Faerie Review (Review) http://www.thefaeriereview.com
Jennifer Mitchell, Bibliolater (Spotlight) https://www.jennifermitchellbooks.com
October 27th
Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com
Didi Oviatt (Spotlight) https://didioviatt.wordpress.com
On the Shelf Reviews (Spotlight) https://ontheshelfreviews.wordpress.com
Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com
Sophril Reads (Spotlight) http://sophrilreads.wordpress.com
October 28th
LauraLoopyLou (Review) https://www.loopyloulaura.com/
Stine Writing (Review) https://christinebialczak.com/
Banshee Irish Horror Blog (Spotlight) www.bansheeirishhorrorblog.com
October 29th
The Consulting Writer (Spotlight) https://theconsultingwriter.wordpress.com
Tsarina Press (Spotlight) https://www.tsarinapress.com
Book Dragons Not Worms (Spotlight) https://bookdragonsnotworms.blogspot.com/?m=1
October 30th
Lunarian Press (Interview) https://www.lunarianpress.com/
Meli’s Book Reviews (Review) https://melisbokreviews.wordpress.com/
Rosie Writes (Spotlight) http://rosemariecawkwell.wordpress.com
Blog Tour Organized By:
Blog Tour: Stonechild – Kevin Albin*
Where do we go to when we die?
Imagine human consciousness embedded in the molecules of a
statue. So, when the statues of London come to life, it is a spectacle like non other, and they come with a specific message, and an offer we cannot refuse.
As the world reels in this wonder of science and religion, Molly Hargreaves has other plans and she
sets out to prove that things are not as they seem.
Chased, captured and confined, Molly confronts the statues and her own fears. But who can she convince?
The people are welcoming, the Government has succumbed, and the police try to act, but how do you shoot stone and metal?
Be prepared to be run ragged around London on a mystery worthy of the great Sherlock Holmes.
A word puzzle for the readers of Stonechild and with a prize to be drawn on the 10th December,
which is Human Rights Day. Here’s the link with all the details.
I served 25 years with the police in the UK, eight years of which were with a tactical firearms team. In 2002, I took a career change, and retrained as an International Mountain Leader
working across the globe guiding on mountaineering trips and expeditions.
I have led many trips to the jungles of Borneo, my favourite destination, an enchanting place that has sadly seen much deforestation. My trips were based on education and conservation.
In 2011, I won the Bronze in the Wanderlust Magazine World Guide Awards for my work.
It was whilst working on a corporate training day in London, when I pictured a statue coming to life
to give my clients the answer to the clue they were working on. The rest grew from there.
My hope is that my writing will continue to spread the word on conservation and protection of all
species.
I live in France.
My thoughts:
This was an interesting idea – London’s statues come to life and appear to be concerned about the environment, but could there be something worse afoot?
I loved Shakespeare quoting his own plays and showing off – an actor as ever, and Florence Nightingale getting a bit high and mighty, then playing down Mary Seacole’s work – as she probably did in life.
But all it takes is one young woman who can see through their claims and with a little help, from Sherlock Holmes (confusingly his reanimation is never fully explained, as he’s rather fictional) and soon Molly is revealing the truth of these historic figures reappearance.
This was a clever, interesting read – I can see Molly going on to solve further mysteries with her brother.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Blog Tour: Her Dark Sins – T.R. Tells*
What happens when an ominous phenomenon forces people’s negativity to manifest into demonic creatures called Umbra Shades that spread Apathy Syndrome to its victims? In a violent and corrupted world ruled by negative intentions, a seventeen-year-old girl with the ability to purge these demons wants nothing more than a better tomorrow…
But will she be able to protect her loved ones and save humanity with it?
In a violent and corrupted world ruled by negative intentions, a seventeen-year-old girl with the ability to purge these demons wants nothing more than a better tomorrow…
But will she be able to protect her loved ones and save humanity with it?
T.R. Tells chose the pen name created as a play on words “T.R “TELLS a story”. She lives in upstate New York with her Bachelors from Southern New Hampshire University in Fiction and Creative writing. When she isn’t writing novels, ideas, short stories, or finished with her classes; she’s usually scrolling through one of her streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Funimation etc). She’s a fan of Anime, RPG, and JRPG games; anything historical or fantasy (books or T.V. shows) – she can go on for hours talking about it or really anything that she is passionate about.
She’s a fan of Anime, RPG, and JRPG games; anything historical or fantasy (books or T.V. shows) – she can go on for hours talking about it or really anything that she is passionate about.
T.R. Tells feels a passion towards it and hopes that (even if it’s just one person) feels the amount of effort, love, and determination that is expressed in her writing.
My thoughts:
This was really interesting, and reminded me a bit of Buffy – teenage girl battles monsters, monsters as metaphors for life. Or just it was pretty kickass.
Hira is a strong, determined protagonist, she never backs down from doing what’s right – whether that’s stopping bullying in school or literally fighting terrifying mind controlling monsters that few people can see. She also somehow finds time for her family, school and friends.
I really enjoyed this book, it launches straight into the action and the risk Hira is in if she can’t defeat the Umbra Shades – their Master is coming. (See, very season one Buffy – a very good thing as far as I’m concerned, and yes I am old).
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Blog Tour: Disenchanted – Brianna Sugalski*
A Breton princess at the peak of the French Renaissance, Lilac lives prisoner in her parents’ castle after a wicked secret is revealed on the eve of her tenth birthday soirée. Years later, her coronation ceremony looms, and between the riotous townsfolk and scheming nobleman bent on snatching the throne, Lilac prepares for the worst…
Until a mysterious letter arrives from The Witch of Lupine Grotto, detailing a curious offer to cure her darkness forever. Lilac begrudgingly trades her coronet for a cloak and ventures into the forest Brocéliande in pursuit of the impious enchantress at the edge of town. With only the protection of an inherited dagger-and, unsolicited help of the sardonic stranger who inserts himself on her quest-she must traverse Brocèliande and return in time to claim her rightful position as sovereign monarch.
This is the story of a cursed princess,
A crestfallen killer,
The town that wants them to burn,
And the witch that can save them both.
Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | Book Depository|Goodreads
With an education in Mass Communication–and an engrossment in all that is curious and bewitching–Brianna Sugalski is an author and blog editor at the Parliament House Press.
The Filipino-American author was born and raised on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, but travels the country every few years with her husband and two children. She admires the luminaries of the Victorian Era; growing up reading period literature, folklore, and fables has inspired her to paint vibrant settings of nature and narratives that readers will hopefully enjoy.
Ultimately, she aspires to make her own readers laugh, to challenge their perspectives on society and systemic prejudice, and to help them discover the magical meaning of their own powers within.
Website | Twitter | Amazon | Instagram
INTL Tour-wide Giveaway!
Enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a book of your choice from Book Depository (up to $22 USD) + an ebook of Disenchanted!
Breton, the language spoken in Brittany, North West France, where the story is set, is actually closer to Cornish than French, as it is a Celtic language not a Latinate one like English or French. It originated when Celts from Cornwall and Wales migrated there, taking their languages with them.
Over time the language changed, and some Bretons speak both French and their native tongue, which is sadly not as many as in the past.
I thought it might be fun to see what English, Breton, French and Cornish words associated with this book look like, as some have similarities and some are very different!
I tried to get a pronunciation guide but it can be tricky with minority languages and I was a bit wary of some of the slightly strange ones on Google. But even without knowing exactly how the words are pronounced, you can easily see the differences and similarities in the different tongues. I am endlessly fascinated by linguistics, so I hope you enjoyed my nerd out!
My thoughts:
This was a really fun read, and came at just the right time, I really needed something enjoyable and not too taxing on my poor old brain. Lilac is a great heroine, a bit naive but very brave and determined – even though she’s been locked up in her parents’ castle for a decade she enters the forest (Brocéliande) without a second thought.
Her relationship with Garin is great fun, they have a real back and forth and she drives him nuts! It reminded me a bit of Tangled, only without the frying pan!
I loved all the elements of folklore and the humour, it made me laugh out loud a few times. Honestly it’s just a really fun, modern take on the fairy tale, with a princess who can, mostly, rescue herself.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Book Spotlight: To Reap the Spirit – Sarah Lampkin
Congrats to author Sarah Lampkin on the release if the third installment in her Dead Dreamer series, To Reap the Spirit!
Read on for an excerpt, schedule details, and a chance to win a digital collection of all 3 books!
To Reap the Spirit
Publication Date: October 13th, 2020
Genre: New Adult/ Urban Fantasy
Sanguis daretur. Ignis invocavit.
The third installment in the haunting Dead Dreamer series.
Somehow Brenna Whit has survived to her junior year at Nephesburg College. Despite all odds, she’s fought against the Gatekeepers and lived. But the battle for the Fade has only just begun.
New pieces have been added to the board.
The Fade opens to the Veil.
And a Shade from the past returns.
With Brenna’s secret out, everyone is after her: dead and living alike. Those from across the sea have come and they’re determined to regain control of their broken faction.
Questions will be answers
Fires will be lit
Chaos will reign
Add to Goodreads
Excerpt
Angrily, I turned and rushed back to the lone tree of the cornfield. Without any hesitation, my arm dropped, releasing my built-up rage with my power. The seal instantly shattered, destroying all evidence of the Gatekeepers’ influence.
The voices quietly whispered their thanks as they were finally free. But one voice remained. The man wailed and cried, alone and trapped within me.
Something cawed from the branches above, and I glanced up. My left eye winced as I noticed a raven was staring at me. It cawed again, before flapping its wings violently, yet staying in place.
“Give it to me,” a voice demanded.
Before me stood a spirit. No, something else. Her energy radiated a power that felt familiar yet foreign. The energy almost matched the soldiers from the graveyard before. Her black hair was pulled back in intricate braids. And her ebony skin seemed to glow with markings unfamiliar to me. Her beauty was breathtaking, and so was her power.
“Give. It. To. Me,” she demanded once again.
Snapping out of my trance, I took a step back. “Give you what?”
The woman held her hand out, waiting. Biting my lip with narrowed eyes, I took a step forward, reaching for her outstretched hand. Immediately she snatched my hand, holding tightly before vanishing. The raven cawed loudly once more before everything went silent. I was alone again. The man’s voice no longer cried, and the woman was gone.
“What is going on,” I murmured.
The Parliament House | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Dead Dreamer Books
Eighteen-year-old Brenna Whit is entering college as a freshman and starting to meet new people, but she hides a dark secret. Because of an accident that happened three years ago, her spirit wanders the Fade whenever she falls asleep. It’s something she wants to keep hidden from the world, but when she sees someone watching her in spirit form, she fears the secret’s out. With new friends, possibly new enemies, school, and a new crush, Brenna has too much to worry about for just her freshman year of college.
Perfect for those who enjoy Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatura
Brenna Whit teeters the line between the living and the dead. Now that she’s back for her sophomore year at Nephesburg College, she’s determined to focus on the waking world. But when her own soul is trying to kill her and a new Dead Dreamer is fighting for power, Brenna is dragged back into the world of the dead.
The Gatekeepers are doing everything they can to restore the power they once held over the town of Nephesburg. With a mysterious set of twins arriving in town to help them prepare, Brenna must decide what’s important: continuing to hide her secret or reveal herself and fight for what she believes is right. The decision could end up leading to a permanent death for Brenna so she must choose wisely.
Classes have begun…
The battlefield is set…
Let the fight for the Fade begin.
About the Author
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Sarah Lampkin is a 2015 graduate from Lynchburg College [University of Lynchburg] with a master’s degree in English. Since graduation, Sarah now lives in Northern Virginia working in the IT field as a Technical Writer while continuing her research for her graduate school thesis. When she isn’t working, Sarah continues her Celtic mythology research and Gaelic studies, while working on the Dead Dreamer series.
Dead Dreamer | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Click the link below for a chance to win a digital collection of the Dead Dreamer series!
Book Tour Schedule
Reads & Reels (Guest Post) http://readsandreels.com
It’s a Novel Life (Review) https://lifesanovelty.blogspot.com/
The Faerie Review (Guest Post) http://www.thefaeriereview.com
Cocktails & Fairy Tales (Spotlight) https://www.facebook.com/CocktailsFairytales
@bearpiglovesbooks (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/bearpiglovesbooks/
October 13th
@the.b00kreader (Review) https://www.instagram.com/the.b00kreader
I Smell Sheep (Guest Post) http://www.ismellsheep.com/
Dark Whimsical Art (Spotlight) https://www.darkwhimsicalart.com/blogs/news
PoptheButterfly (Spotlight) https://popthebutterfly.wordpress.com
October 14th
@a.p.reading (Review) https://www.instagram.com/a.p.reading/
@joanna.zoe (Review) https://instagram.com/joanna.zoe?igshid=1xipr7pa6a9zl
@dreaminginpages (Review) https://www.instagram.com/dreaminginpages/
@BETTER_OFF_READ (Spotlight) http://WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/BETTER_0FF_READ/
Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com
October 15th
Dash Fan Book Reviews (Spotlight) https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/
Tranquil Dreams (Review) https://klling.wordpress.com/
Horror Tree (Guest Post) https://www.horrortree.com
Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com
Misty’s Book Space (Spotlight) http://mistysbookspace.wordpress.com
October 16th
The Magic of Wor(l)ds (Guest Post) http://themagicofworlds.wordpress.com
Book Dragon Girl (Interview) https://bookdragongirl.com
Entertainingly Nerdy (Review) https://www.entertaininglynerdy.com
Lunarian Press (Spotlight) https://www.lunarianpress.com/
Sophril Reads (Spotlight) http://sophrilreads.wordpress.com
Blog Tour Organized By:
Blog Tour: Winter Light – Martha Engber*
Mary Donahue of suburban Chicago is a kid on the cusp of failure during the brutal blizzard winter of 1978-79, the end of a hard luck, hard rock era sunk in the cynicabrutal blizzard winter of 1978-79, the end of a hard luck, hard rock era sunk in the cynical aftermath of the Vietnam War.
Though a smart, beautiful kid, she’s a motherless girl raised by an uneducated, alcoholic father
within an extended family of alcoholics and addicts. Aware that she’s sinking, she’s desperate to
save herself and so reaches out to anunlikely source, Kathleen, a nice, normal kid from English class.
But when the real storm hits, the full force of a harsh adult world almost buries Mary. Only then does she learn that the only difference between life and death is knowing when to grasp anextended hand.
Martha Engber’s next novel, WINTER LIGHT, will be published Oct. 6, 2020, by Vine Leaves Press.
She’s also the author of THE WIND THIEF, a novel, and GROWING GREAT CHARACTERS FROM THE
GROUND UP. A journalist by profession, she’s written hundreds of articles for the Chicago Tribune
and other publications. She’s had a play produced in Hollywood and fiction and poetry published in
the Aurorean, Watchword, the Berkeley Fiction Review and other journals. She’s also a freelance editor, workshop facilitator and speaker.
She currently lives in Northern California with her husband, bike and surfboard.
Giveaway to Win an e-copy of Winter Light (Open INT)
Giveaway to Win a Book Club Chat from Martha Engber (Open INT)
Giveaway to Win a free hour book development consultation with Martha Engber (Open INT)
My thoughts:
This is a heartbreaking book, poor Mary, with her dead mother, deadbeat drunk dad and useless older brothers, except Danny.
Failing through life, she meets and befriends Kathleen, who with her loving and intact family, is Mary’s opposite. Their friendship offers her a glimpse at a better life.
But tragedy enters Mary’s life again and she freefalls. Luckily Kathleen’s kind mother is still on her side and in the lowest reaches of her despair, Mary calls her.
This is sad, and at times, hard to read. Thankfully there is rescue there for Mary and she’s young enough that all the darkness can’t completely overwhelm her.
Moving and powerful, this is a striking and effective novel about love, trust and pain.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Giveaway T&Cs
Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box
below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random
Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
Book Blitz: A Cut Twice as Deep – Wendy L. Anderson
Congratulations to Wendy L. Anderson on the release of her Viking adventure, A Cut Twice As Deep! If you enjoy Norse mythology, you will love this!
Read on for an excerpt and a chance to win a paperback copy of the book!
A Cut Twice as Deep
Publication Date: October 7th, 2020
Genre: Viking Adventure/ Sisterhood/ Romance
The bond between sisters is one forged in blood and fire. Twin sisters, Liana and Deirdre were inseparable like the two halves of a double-bladed axe, making the pain of having to leave each other a cut twice as deep. Their father, Gorsedd Gunnarson, King of the great country of Svartur Rokk, did not care about twin bonds or his daughter’s preferences and severed the pair with a single blow. Both Liana and Deirdre have been sold to the highest bidders for ships, weapons, and alliances. For Gorsedd Gunnarson these are very profitable and advantageous marriage arrangements, but the twin sisters would be torn from each other lives and sent to lands far apart forever!
Liana is forced to leave her childhood sweetheart and marry a stranger. Sweet, timid Deirdre would be wed to a Viking warlord. One would leave her home on a ship and the other on a horse. Both would travel great distances to new lands. Given no choice but to embrace the lives planned for them, they find that the future holds more than they could ever have suspected. In a land where blood and ice reign, danger and betrayal war with love and hope, as they fight to find happiness in a ruthless world ruled by the sword and axe.
Add to Goodreads
Excerpt
Liana recalled with great detail, the smoky room, and the flickering torches in iron sconces on the walls. Remembered the smell of sweaty men, oiled leather, damp fur, wood smoke, and roasting meat. Heard the rattle of sword and thump of drinking horns and the pounding of eating knives on the worn, beaten tables. Shadows crouched in the dark corners of the hall. She could see clearly in her mind’s recollection, how her father had suddenly stood after eating and drinking for hours and raised his large drinking horn on high. He smoothed his hand over his long greying blonde beard, straightened the black bear fur cloak on his broad shoulders, and roared for silence. As all eyes trained on King Gorsedd, the conversation and laughter quieted.
“This night!” Gorsedd Gunnarson’s deep voice boomed out and the men stilled to listen. “We celebrate!” The men roared in response and then quieted.
“Raise your mead horns and drink to my daughters!” The men raised their horns and cheered loudly sloshing mead on the tables and over their hands.
This was strange behavior coming from their father and Liana and Deirdre exchanged surprised glances as they moved slowly toward the front of the room. Pulled forward by this uncustomary sentiment, their father had their full attention.
“Tonight!” Gorsedd boomed again, waiting for the men to quiet down and regain everyone’s attention. “We celebrate the betrothal of both my daughters! Drink to our good fortune! SKOL!”
All eyes turned to stare, and the men drank to Liana and Deirdre.
“Skol!” they all shouted then quieted as Gorsedd began to speak again.
“For my eldest Liana, I have arranged a marriage contract with Tiernan Lachlan of Lochlannach and Kearn Mac An-Bharain of Noreg for Deirdre.”
He gestured toward strangers in the hall and bellowed.
“Welcome men from Lochlannach to Svartur Rokk my great mead hall where the warriors are more skilled at sword and drinking! These men will be taking Liana across Loch Indaal to marry Tiernan Lachlan!”
Loud cheers rang out and the men raised their drinking horns in salute, sloshed mead into their mouths, and banged their daggers on the tables.
Both Liana and Deirdre stared in wide-eyed shock at their father with their mouths falling open. This was the first time they had heard this news, and both girls stood stunned, disbelieving their ears. They turned and looked at each other, terror written on their identical faces. The men at the tables murmured and some continued to cheer, a few fell to grumbling.
Deirdre staggered in disbelief and her frightened gaze stayed fixed on Liana while she slammed down the pitcher of mead she had been holding onto the nearest table. Her furious gaze flew back and forth between their father and Deirdre.
iBooks | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Amazon
Click the link below for a chance to win a paperback copy of the book. This giveaway is open to international entries and will end October 10th!
About the Author
Wendy L. Anderson is a Colorado native and mother of two boys. A devout reader of the classics, fantasy, sci-fi and historical fiction, she has decided it is time to write down the fantasies from her mind. Writing about everything from fantastical worlds to the stuff of her dreams she takes her stories along interesting paths while portraying worlds she sees in her mind’s eye. Her goal is to deviate from common themes, write in original directions and transport her reader to the worlds of her creation.
Wendy L. Anderson | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads
Book Blitz Organized By:
ramblingmads 