Blog Tour: Here They Lie by D'Ann Burrow

Hi everyone!!  I was so honored to get to participate in this blog tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours! 

This is a really great book and I cannot wait to share my review with ya'll.  Also, don't forget to check out the giveaway going on too!  Thanks again!

Title: Here They Lie by D’Ann Burrow 
 Series: (The Bloodstone Legacy #1) 
Publication date: October 5th 2015
Genres: New Adult, Southern Gothic

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Book Synopsis:

Reese Everett’s aunt picked a bad time to die. Just weeks after a car accident left Reese’s mother unable to travel, her aunt’s house needs to be emptied and sold, leaving Reese as the only member of the family who can do the job. She typically wouldn’t balk at the opportunity to sift through her aunt’s collection of antiques, but when she arrives in Devil’s Vale, Georgia, she discovers the family house in a state of disrepair she won’t be able to handle alone.
Colton Waters is back in Devil’s Vale – whether he likes it or not. After he loses his acceptance to medical school with no explanation, he’s left with a single job offer…one that will return him to the hometown he’d hoped to escape.When an errand to help his sister ends in a meeting with Reese neither will easily forget, Colton takes a job as her temporary handyman.
The longer Reese stays in town, the more she realizes the condition of her aunt’s house isn’t the only thing she hadn’t expected when she made the trip to Devil’s Vale. Reese isn’t the only gifted member of the family – her aunt Kate has been practicing the family business…the business Reese has been sworn never to discuss.
After a ghostly visitor arrives one night, Reese and Colton learn Kate wasn’t the only one practicing the darker arts. They begin to uncover secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Here They Lie won the Young Adult Romance Writer’s 2014 award for New Adult fiction.

My Review:

I really love a book that gives so much ado to Southern history.  Actually, I really love any history; but I can't help but be partial to Georgia history because I am from GA!
It's also really cool when you're reading a book and you see the town you live in mentioned as being only 30 minutes away from the fictional setting.  That is almost as good as seeing your state on TV!   That is a great way for me to share a intimate familiarity with the book, Here They Lie.  

As I was saying, I love history and it is amazingly cool that the main character, Reese, is an anthropologist, or at least one in the making.   Reading the beautiful descriptions of the old houses and the town of Devil's Vale; you can definitely tell the author is a huge Southern history fan.   She does such a wonderful job of world building that you really feel as if you are taking a stroll through town. 

Besides the wonderful world building, the characters are also interesting too.  Each person in Devil's Vale seems to have some sort of magical power that again makes the story that much better.  Devil's Vale is this tourist town based on pretend magic (according to the tourists) which in reality is real magic!  It is very creative!

The area of the town is what adds to this intense ghostly feel of the story.  The dark swamps, with the silent forests, and the very bumpy and old dirt roads just makes it feel like someone is always watching.  And yes, there is this creepy fog.  Even, as I write this right now, living on a bumpy dirt road, there is fog everywhere surrounding my house.  Its is freaking awesome!

The plot was also a pretty creative one too!  You get pulled into the story  and swept up with the characters as the past and future seem to collide together.  Even as you get to know some of the more prominent characters, there is this nagging sensation that nothing is as it seems. 

However, the pace did seem to move a little slow at times.  But instead of the tempo, we get more in depth with the history of Devil's Vale and its inhabitants.  It seems to be a fair trade.

There was also a couple other areas that I didn't enjoy- like the alternating point of views.  It was confusing without a sub title telling who was talking at the time.  There was one time, it was talking about driving the jeep through the woods to the house and I literally didn't know who it was: Reese or Colton, especially since they both have a jeep.  
Another irritation was the amount of sex going on in this book.  Now let me explain myself first.  I am not a prude; I love erotica and try to experience all types of genres.  However, it just seemed like our two main characters would have sexual relations at the drop of a hat.  And that's cool ; but we are talking about major plot events that were pretty sad and devastating and they seemed to getting ready to do the dirty jig.  
It just seemed to stretched; instead of letting it just happen.  

Other than these mishaps, I still enjoyed Here They Lie very much.  It has lots of twists and turns, with such a cool understanding of ghosts it was hard not to love this book.  It is full of rich history and it has my home state in it.  I am really loving the Southern Gothic genre and I think Here They Lie is a great asset to the genre.

Buy Links Here:

Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01638N2I4
iBooks:   https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/here-they-lie/id1046047369?ls=1&mt=11
Kobo:     https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/here-they-lie
BN:         http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/here-they-lie-d-k-burrow/1122740209?ean=2940150953215
Google Play:   https://play.google.com/store/books/details/D_K_Burrow_Here_They_Lie?id=74ulCgAAQBAJ&hl=en



Connect with the Author:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter |

D’Ann Burrow once told her preschool teacher she wanted to be a witch when she grew up. That simple comment signaled the start of a life-long fondness of things that go bump in the night. As she grew older, she could most often be found with her nose buried in a book, and she was especially fond of the Nancy Drew series as well as anything by Christopher Pike or Stephen King. Occasionally she’d take a trip to the world of the classics where The Scarlet Pimpernel and A Little Princess reigned among her favorites. She’s lost count of the times she’s read Little Women.
Today, D’Ann enjoys the world of Supernatural, stories about guys with fangs, and she’s seldom met a disaster film she hasn’t liked. When she grows up, she’d like to work at the Haunted Mansion. Until then, watching Ghost Hunters will have to count as research.
D’Ann writes about secrets people keep. Even the bravest heroine or a guy with a heart of gold has a few skeletons in the closet they’d rather not share with the world. When those secrets get out, things get interesting.
A Texas native, she knows making great guacamole is an art form. As a theater mom, she’ll happily chat about Broadway musicals by the hour. Molly and Lizzie, the family furry ones, are frequent stars of her Instagram account.

Giveaway Time

Tour wide giveaway:

2 x $15 Amazon gift cards (International)

2 x Signed copies of Here They Lie (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Sisters' Fate by Jessica Spotswood {Book 3 The Cahill Witch Chronicles}

Title: Sisters' Fate
Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles
Author: Jessica Spotswood
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Date of Publication: August 14 2014
Source: bought, young adult, historical fiction, hardcover, 368 pages


From Goodreads:

A fever ravages New London, but with the Brotherhood sending suspected witches straight to the gallows, the Sisters are powerless against the disease. They can’t help without revealing their powers—as Cate learns when a potent display of magic turns her into the most wanted witch in all of New England.

To make matters worse, Cate has been erased from the memory of her beloved Finn. While she’s torn between protecting him from further attacks and encouraging him to fall for her all over again, she’s certain she can never forgive Maura’s betrayal. And now that Tess’s visions have taken a deadly turn, the prophecy that one Cahill sister will murder another looms ever closer to its fulfillment.

My Thoughts: 
Cate has really stepped into her shoes, so to speak.  She has come into her own as a woman, as a witch, and as a sister.  We have watched this character grow throughout the series to turn into a very powerful and interesting person.
In fact, each sister has contributed to this series in some big and small way to shape it into a fine historical fiction and exciting magical novel.

I wasn't really feeling this cover picture.  I just felt it lacked something.  I am not sure what, and the model is beautiful but I don't know if that is what I pictured Cate to be like.  Of course, this doesn't take away from the novel at all.  I was just not into this cover picture.

But the overall plot did deliver very well.   There are a few twists and turns that I wasn't expecting but for the most part everything fell into place of how the plot was going in the first two books.  We lose some characters I wasn't expecting to and gained a few allies that I was hoping for.
The conflicts between the sisters and Maura comes to a final battle in this story and we are shocked by the turnout.  I feel guilty for the way I felt about Maura even though she deserved it and yet I feel like she may have redeemed herself as well.  I would have liked for more to happen between the sisters as allies before the ending but again, I understand the way it played out too.  Besides, when it comes to series finales I think we will always find something we wanted more just because we really don't want it to end.

Remember how there is always two sides to every story?  Well, I really love how our author does that.  She shows us that even though the Brothers are the worst people in charge, some of the extreme thoughts of the witches aren't the greatest idea either.  Mrs. Spotswood, instead, details one extreme to the next showing us that it is always better to find a compromise or meeting ground.

Another point that I loved about the third book is that there is some revolutionary thinking ( for this time period anyways) where we find the women and men coming together to argue points about breaking away from those in charge.
Besides being a paranormal romance novel, Sisters Fate is truly a great historical novel giving us a look into how women were treated back in this time period.  Yes, witches were feared and hated but girls and women were treated terribly too.  It is a great novel for someone looking for a magical story but is a very rousting historical fiction.

All in all, I was pretty satisfied with how Sisters' Fate ended the series.  There were some things I would have liked to see more of and characters I didn't want to lose but overall the story was carried through very well.  I believe we were given what we needed and that is the most important part of a story.  Getting what I needed from it not just what I wanted or wished for.

It was a wonderful series and I look forward to anything else that Mrs. Spotswood will bring us in the future!

Get your own copy at: 

Amazon

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Book Review: Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood {Book 2: The Cahill Witch Chronicles}

Title: Star Cursed
Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles
Author: Jessica Spotswood
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Date of Publication: June 18, 2013
Source: bought, hardcover 384 pages



From Goodreads:

With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves.
Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war.
In the highly anticipated sequel to Born Wicked, the Cahill Witch Chronicles continue Cate, Maura and Tess's quest to find love, protect family, and explore their magic against all odds in an alternate history of New England.

My Thoughts:

 I wonder if anyone else is ready to have Maura turn herself into a frog or just vaporize herself.  I am so ready for that girl to just disappear!!!  I dislike Maura immensely and I don't really know if I can ever forgive her for the mistakes she has made.  And yes, I gave her the benefit of the doubt in the first book but I just really want to destroy her now!
Oh well.  Enough of my ranting...On to my review.

Star Cursed is a roller coaster ride of emotions with so much happening in this book you never have time to get bored with it.  We become privy to more secrets concerning the Cahill witches and learn more of the other characters as well.  
Just like Born Wicked, Star Cursed is a character driven story with a wonderful cast of protagonists and antagonists that we come to love and hate respectively.    Spotswood is amazingly talented at writing the many different aspects of a character's thought process.
We are able to visually see the characters work through their anger, their happiness and all of their problems as we go through the plot.   It's almost impossible not to feel empathy for Cate as she tries to stand in for their Mother when dealing with her sisters.  I even see Cate assuming a "parental" role in the lives of the other witches that are introduced in the novel.  

Besides such stunning descriptions of the historical era,  the author is also able to give us an interesting story  with some intense foreshadowing for what is to come in the series.   This leaves us feeling creepy and tingly as we go through the plot.  The oracles bring a certain horror factor to the story as well as the setting of Harwood Asylum and its inhabitants.  But the most frightening aspect of the story is the Brothers exerting their power more and more everyday.  
Star Cursed will not leave you disappointed as the reader gains new allies and losing more than we were willing to give up.  In this sequel we are forced to understand the true meaning of sacrifice.  
And betrayal.

Get your own copy at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

Connect with Jessica Spotswood:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter |

Book Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Title: Born Wicked
Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles
Author: Jessica Spostswood
Publisher: Speak
Date of Publication: Jan. 8 2013
Source: bought, paperback, 352 pages


Goodreads Summary:

A gorgeous, witchy, romantic fantasy by a debut author! Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and the Beautiful Creatures series!
Everybody thinks Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave. Then Cate finds her mother's diary, and uncovers a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. But if what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe--not even from each other.

My Thoughts: 

I was a little confused when I first started reading Born Wicked.  I seriously thought this book was set in present time and I could not figure out why everything seemed so off.  But once I realized it was more in the late 1800's early 1900's, then everything seemed to make so much more sense.  And actually, I think the story wouldn't have been as interesting if it were a present day novel.  
This was a time period where there really were witch hunts and women being wrongly accused of witchcraft; so to actually be a witch and growing up in this time period is pretty darn scary and exciting.  

I actually love historical fiction and it made me giddy to know that Born Wicked was one.  But it is much more than just that too.  There is also a huge alternate universe feeling to the novel because of the views expressed by the characters.  Women are treated terrible in the US (which back then that wasn't unfathomable) but they are treated exceptionally well in places like Dubai.  They are even allowed to wear trousers!!  Oh I love my trousers and couldn't imagine not wearing them; although I think it would be fun to have the beautiful dresses as well. 

I loved the world building as we learn more about the past and why things are so bad now for women from the men called the Brotherhood.  There is so much mystery surrounding the witch hunts and there is definitely more to it and just what those in control would have us believe it to be. 
The author did a wonderful job of creating characters that we can relate to but still have this magical component to them that makes them even more interesting.  The three sisters are hard not to love and I find I enjoy each one because of their different personalities and how they meld together to work.  Of course, until they don't.  I mean they are sisters and sisters argue.  Right?  

My favorite has to be Tess.  I just love how quiet and soft spoken she is but so intelligent.  And she is the youngest as well.  I feel like Cate, the oldest and the one telling the story, sometimes forgets that each one has a personality that she loves as well.  She is just so worried about them all the time, she forgets to actually enjoy their company as well.  As a mother, I can completely understand that.  Sometimes the worries and frantic nerves can take over and we forget to enjoy the simple things too.  

I believe the character development was done beautifully.  It is probably the strongest point of the book.  We see Cate in all her glory when she is strong and when she feels like everything is falling apart.  I just want to reach into the book and give her the comfort that she needs so much.  I don't believe she makes all the right decisions but at the same time, I don't know how she could have made any other decision as well.  

And of course there is a love interest.  There is a love triangle but I don't think it is as pronounced as I worried it would be.  I think Paul could be a good guy (though he gets on my nerves) and I think Finn is the absolute most adorable funniest guy there is.  I even love the name more too: Finn.  Plus, he is a bookseller and come on, what is not to love for that!!!???  He is definitely a triple threat. 

I am a sucker for all books about witches and magic and Born Wicked was a great story that had me hooked into instantly.  I feel like there is so much more in the story, hidden between the lines, about women's suffering through the ages, but is told from a magical standpoint.  There are a few surprises throughout the book that will shock you and have you shaking your head but all in all I really loved Born Wicked!   I am starting the second book as soon as I finish this review!  I hope it is as good as the first!

Get your own copy at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

Connect with Jessica Spotswood:

Goodreads | Twitter | Website| 

Book Review: The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness { All Souls Trilogy}

Title:  The Book of Life
Author: Deborah Harkness
Series: All Souls Trilogy
Publisher: Viking Adult
Date of Publication: July 15, 2014
Source: bought, hardcover, 561 pages


From Goodreads:

The highly anticipated finale to the #1 New York Timesbestselling trilogy that began with A Discovery of Witches
After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. In the trilogy’s final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences. In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the hills of the Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.
With more than one million copies sold in the United States and appearing in thirty-eight foreign editions, A Discovery of Witches andShadow of Night have landed on all of the major bestseller lists and garnered rave reviews from countless publications. Eagerly awaited by Harkness’s legion of fans, The Book of Life brings this superbly written series to a deeply satisfying close.

My Thoughts:

I first have to say this is probably one of the best birthday gifts I could ever receive!  But it was bittersweet too because I didn't want to let go of these characters yet.  I feel like I could go back and start this series all over again and still find some new morsel that I might have missed the first time around.  

I love Deborah Harkness so much!  I love her writing style because it can illicit different emotions from me at the same time!  I am like a bundle of nerves and calm all the same time!!   The many ways she includes the history and the facts about past is so soothing to me but the excitement and adventure that Diana goes on does cause my heartbeat to speed up.  I have always enjoyed reading historical fiction and I believe there are many parts of The Book of Life that could make it in that genre.  Every time I pick up something from Deborah Harkness it makes me want to travel to London and major in English and History right  then and there.  She gives it this romantic side that  I  have always felt but others might not have until now.  I finally found someone like me!!!  

Besides the glorious writing style, the characters are something else that will absolutely sweep you off your feet.  Matthew and Diana, our main protagonists, are amazing creatures who would do and say anything for each other and the people they love.  It is sobering to see that devotion played out through the book's pages.  But they are not afraid to stand up to each other for what they believe is right, no matter who they might upset.  A perfect example is Diana dealing with Baldwin.  Can I admit secretly that I really like Baldwin-even though he is a perfect ass.  He reminds me of someone that is very rough around the edges but still has that good spot when it comes to his family.  I am sure we all know someone like that.  All of the characters interact with each other so well in the final book but it was a definite journey throughout for them to get where they needed to be.  So we see a lot of character growth in the trilogy, especially where Diana is concerned.  She learns to love herself and truly accept everything about herself. 

The plot lines in this huge and complicated but very interesting story is amazing in itself.  Just as Diana is a weaver, so is Mrs. Harkness as she tells a story of love, magic, deceit and mystery to capture all of our senses and make us think through the major workings of science and history.  We learn to combine the two, along with creativity as we delve deeper into The Book of Life.  There were times some of the technical terms confused me and I had to rush off to grab a dictionary but I still understood the basic facts.  And still enjoyed the story immensely.


I loved this book more than I can really explain because there is so much that it brings and I feel like I am getting so much in just one story.  I love historical fiction and I feel like it is hugely a part of that (minus the creature part), I love stories that can combine fantasy with science and check -we got that too.  But it is a paranormal romance story too.  There are just so many great aspects to the story I believe there is truly something for everyone.  

I have to give The Book of Life five stars and more if I could!  I am sad to see it end but I am very happy with the ending and I feel like we definitely received the information we needed to feel okay to say goodbye.  I would love to see some short novellas about the other characters that we love so much.  Hopefully, down the road we might get some more insight to the others in the magical world of All Souls Trilogy.

Get your own copy at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

Connect with the Author:

Goodreads | Twitter | Website| Facebook |

Blog Tour: Book Review: Hedge Witch by Simon Kewin

Hi All!  This is my stop on the Blog tour for Hedge Witch by Simon Kewin.  I want to thank the author as well as Xpresso Book Tours for allowing me to be a part of this fun event!  And don't forget to click on the banner to go to the list of tour stops along the way!  Have fun!

Title: Hedge Witch
Series: The Cloven Land Trilogy {Book 1}
Author: Simon Kewin
 Date of Publication: April 2014
Source: received from author, Xpresso Book Tours 
Genre: fantasy, young adult


Book Synopsis:

Fifteen year-old Cait Weerd has no idea she’s being sought by the undain: sorcerous creatures of necromancy that feed off the spirit of the living. She doesn’t know the undain need her blood to survive. She doesn’t even know she’s a witch, descended from a long line of witches. Cait Weerd doesn’t know a lot, really, but all that’s about to change.
At Manchester Central Library she’s caught up in sudden, horrific violence. In the chaos she’s handed an old book that’s been hidden there and told to run, hide the book or destroy it. It contains all the secrets of the undains’ existence. They and their human servants want to find that as much as they want Cait.
What’s more, she learns that the fate of two worlds is at stake here. Just what she needs. Along with definitely-not-a-boyfriend Danny, she has to decide what the hell to do. Run, fight or just hope it all goes away.
It’s only then she learns who she really is, along with the terrible truth of what the undain have been doing in our world all this time …

My Thoughts:
The cover alone is pretty darn amazing!  I love the abstract piercings and the blue hair/eyebrows!  I think the cover really does the story justice and hooks you in with the beautiful artwork on it.  I also love that the main character thrives with individuality.  I really enjoyed the story line, especially with the parallel world that is there to help our main character, Cait, as well as hinder her too.
Who doesn't want a basement of old and rare books?  Yes, please!  That is a pretty cool scene and the action literally starts up in just the first few pages, grabbing our attention and not letting go.
I liked Cait but I wished she believed in herself more at the beginning of the story, as well as toward the middle.  I would have liked for a little bit more confidence from her.
I also loved the Old World tone to it.  As I read it, I felt like it was written as a classic, instead of this day and age.  I think it was the authentic British slang used throughout it.  I really felt like I was a part of the English culture, and loved having that feeling.  This story just had this cozy feel to it as I read it.  But that isn't to say it read slowly.  On the contrary, there were fast paced scenes in it with lots of action and other scenes that really captured my imagination.  The plot line flowed easily for me and was really easy to get caught up in the story threads.
I have always been a fan of witches and the lore that surrounds them.  I love that Hedge Witch built upon that and also bringing in its own magical essence too.

All in all, Hedge Witch is a great book with some very interesting characters that will make you laugh and groan all at the same time!  The Grandmother is pretty cool and I love the witches from the other world as well.  I can't wait to see how everything plays out in this series!  And way to go on such a cliffhanger ending!! How can you leave us like that??? How???

 Purchase your copy at:
| Amazon |


Connect with Simon Kewin at:
Website| Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

A little about our Author:

Simon was born on the misty Isle of Man but now lives deep in the English countryside with his wife and two daughters.
He writes science fiction and fantasy as well as some stories that can’t make their minds up.
Find out more on his website at simonkewin.co.uk.

Book Review: The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

Title: The School for Good and Evil
Series: The School for Good and Evil # 1
Author: Soman Chainani
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date of Publication: May 14, 2013
Source: bought for the Kindle


Goodreads Summary:

“The first kidnappings happened two hundred years before. Some years it was two boys taken, some years two girls, sometimes one of each. But if at first the choices seemed random, soon the pattern became clear. One was always beautiful and good, the child every parent wanted as their own. The other was homely and odd, an outcast from birth. An opposing pair, plucked from youth and spirited away.”
This year, best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to discover where all the lost children go: the fabled School for Good & Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. As the most beautiful girl in Gavaldon, Sophie has dreamed of being kidnapped into an enchanted world her whole life. With her pink dresses, glass slippers, and devotion to good deeds, she knows she’ll earn top marks at the School for Good and graduate a storybook princess. Meanwhile Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks, wicked pet cat, and dislike of nearly everyone, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil.
But when the two girls are swept into the Endless Woods, they find their fortunes reversed—Sophie’s dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School For Good, thrust amongst handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.. But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are…?
The School for Good & Evil is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale is to live through one.

My Thoughts:

The minute I seen the cover of this book I went straight to Goodreads and put it on my "To Be Read" List right away.  This was months before it came out and then I promptly forgot about it.  Until I seen where it had been released and then purchased it for my Kindle.
I honestly think this story would have been great as a graphic novel or comic book idea.  It definitely has that feel to it anyways.  I know the Kindle had a few illustrations in it, but I think this book really needed many more for it to truly come into its own.  Did the actual copy have more of a comic book feel to it?  Not sure so feel free to leave me comments if you know.

So I realize this was written more for middle school aged children as the target audience than for adults but I still felt like this was done rather poorly.  It was really long, which I don't think many adults and some kids would mind, but I think there are a few kids that would have given up on it long before it ended.  I almost did but I still had hope for it.
I know it seems like I am just bashing the book and I am really not trying to; I just found some points of the book to be lost upon me.  Like the plot.  I understand the curse upon the town and I really liked the foreshadowing of how it plays out in the beginning but towards the end it seemed like everything just went haywire.  There were just way too many story lines in the plot and it made the book seem rushed together, instead of flowing gracefully.    I think we could have done without a few hooks and maybe a bit more understanding as to what is really going on in the story.
But after all that is said, I didn't hate the book.  There were areas that were pretty good and had potential to be even better.  I liked how the fairy tales had come alive, if you will, and combined with the Reader to really live out their own fairy tale.  That idea has promise.   What young person hasn't imagined living their own fairy tale?
I also liked the secrets behind the guards at the School, as well as the teachers and the headmaster as well.  The fantasy that was involved was also one reason I still held out hope for the book.  I loved the fairies, wolves, trolls, and the magic that decorated the pages of the book.
Since this was targeted towards middle-school ages, it does have some funny scenes in it involving farting, which I don't have a problem with since I have a house full of boys.  It was funny.
But being an adult, I found that The School for Good and Evil almost had a satirical edge to it.  I mean the way everything is over the top good and over the top evil almost seems like the author is aiming for satire.

Through it all, I did feel like the author was trying to point out a moral lesson here and there, albeit cliched moral lessons.  Obviously, beauty is only skin deep is at the forefront as we witness Sophie's transformation through the book.  And another is : Don't judge a book by its cover as we see everyone including Agatha herself, finally see what is truly inside Agatha.  Of course there are others....

The plot was weak but the characters were interesting and it was hard not to fall for some of them.  Although I found myself rooting for the Evil school kids more than I did the Good kids.  And the secondary characters are really what stole the show for me.  The witches, like Dot, Hester, and Anadil, were fun to watch interact with Sophie.
I didn't find myself  falling in love with the main characters too much at all.  Sophie irritated me to no end and Agatha took to long what everyone in the Reader world already knew.  I don't know if I agree with the ending or not.  I am really torn on it.  I think  there are some reasons an antagonist can come back from the dark side, so to speak, but I wonder if this antagonist had just did too much already?
Then I wonder if things will go back to the way they are or will our protagonist see their friend for what they truly are?
Many questions left unanswered for me.  I want the answers for them but at the same time  I just don't know if I can read the second book if it doesn't has more substance to it than the first.

I had to give The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani :

Get your own Copy:
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The Mother's Curse & Daughter's Justice blog Tour: Days of fun filled Fantasy with Thaddeus Nowak!!! {Giveaways, Reviews, Teasers, Interviews, & Great Books}

Got you interested yet?? Are you just dying to read it?  Well hurry and go grab a copy for just 99 cents and you can become a part of Stephenie's world with ghosts, magic, witches, and much more!


Hi All!  I want to welcome you to the Mother's Curse Blog Tour hosted by Novel Publicity & Co.  These guys have put together some amazing and really entertaining fun activities going on this week for the author Thaddeus Nowak, and his two highly entertaining  books, Mother's Curse and Daughter's Justice.

So first off I would like to entice you with a small interview with the author, Thaddeus Nowak, who writes some really great fantasy novels with the hero being a strong and very magical girl who learns to overcome her faults to become one of the strongest people the world has ever seen!
After the interview, make sure to enter the giveaway for a lot of cool prizes including signed copies of the books.  Also please make sure to grab your e copies of these two books for 99 cents each!  What a great deal!!

~~~~~~Interview~~~~~~

Please enjoy this interview with Thaddeus Nowak, author of the exciting and beautifully written YA fantasy, Mother's Curse, and its sequel, Daughter's Justice. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including a Kindle Fire, $450 in Amazon gift cards, and 5 autographed copies of each book.

1. Stephenie surely defies stereotypes. Born a princess, but a tomboy. Cursed as a witch, but a likable relatable character all the same. How did you go about creating her character?
Stephenie was born in my imagination many years ago.  It was during a time I was struggling with another story. To help "get my creative juices flowing," I started to write random scenes with random characters.  One scene I wrote was about a young girl who was alone in a public house where a conflict broke out, and she had to fight her way out.
Well, I kind of fell in love with the character and had to find out who she was, where she was going, and why she was alone in the world.  In making that discovery, I crafted the current story arch that is the Heirs of Cothel Series.  It took some time to work out her past and what her life would be like growing up as a witch and how the damaged relationship she has with her mother would affect her.  Based on those factors, her break from what would be typical for a princess seemed natural.
Which then led me to think of the girls I had grown up with and the women I know today; many of them are tomboys and are not afraid of getting dirty and running about the woods.  So it just seemed natural that Stephenie would be that way as well: a strong young lady who has her own motivations and agenda, but is compassionate and can sympathize with others, even if she cannot fix all of their problems.
As a bit of trivia, many aspects of that original scene are in Mother's Curse.
2. Did you face any special challenges writing a female lead character, given that you are a male author?
Yes and no.  I grew up surrounded by girls.  My family had the only boys in the neighborhood for many years, so all my friends were female and that does give me something to draw from.
When writing Stephenie, I try to get into her head and see the world through her eyes.  Occasionally, I need to refocus and make sure she would really react in a particular way.  The good thing is I have had her in my head for so long that I usually have a pretty good idea of what to write for her.  My bigger challenges come with some of the other female characters and making sure I am true to them.
3. The tension between Stephenie and Sergeant Henton is one of my favorite parts of the book. How did you develop their relationship using such subtlety and not hitting us over the head with cliché romantic dialogue?
I am glad the subtlety of their relationship is being noticed.  I had one reader tell me they were worried that I might fall into one of the overused traps they see in so many YA novels.  Once they realized I had not done that, they were ecstatic.
I can say this approach in the story is very much me.  I am something of a romantic, but I don't care for most of the stories dubbed as "romance".  Do people act in stupid ways when they are trying to attract other people?  Of course, but too many stories seem to force stupid decisions upon the characters to ratchet up the tension.  Too many times, that is done through obvious misunderstandings that could be resolved with half a minute of conversation that the characters work very hard to avoid.
My goal is to never have a character deliberately sabotage their relationships for stupid reasons (at least not a character I respect).  If things work or don't work, I want there to be more substance to the reasons.  I want the investment in the relationship to be greater, and so the emotions stronger.  Perhaps I've watched too many classic movies, but there is something very powerful about what is never said aloud between people.
4. The Kingdom of Cothel is at war. Could you tell us more about the front lines Stephenie is so desperately trying to escape to?
At the opening of Mother's Curse, Cothel, and most of the other countries to the west, are fighting against an invading army that sailed in from the Endless Sea.  These invaders have many witches and warlocks in their ranks and are overwhelming the holy warriors and soldiers of the people who live around the Sea of Tet.  These Senzar invaders have killed royal families and left countries without rulers.  Stephenie's father was quick to join the battle because his oldest daughter was married to the crown prince of Esland and one of the first to be killed.
The Senzar spent most of their focus driving toward a prominent mountain range in the middle of the land between the Sea of Tet and the Endless Sea to the west.  Their main forces have yet to cross over Cothel's boarders.  However, they are on the doorstep of the country and Cothel's forces are low on supplies and reinforcements.  Stephenie's desperation is to reach her father and brother, the King and Crown Prince, because she fears her mother is plotting something that could put them and the people of Cothel at risk.
5. Although firmly rooted in the fantasy genre, Mother's Curse and Daughter's Justice remain quick-paced engaging reads not mired in the details of exotic lands or creatures. Why did you decide to depart from the genre with regards to this important aspect of storytelling?
While some fantasy novels feature lengthy descriptions and details about the various inhabitants, to me Mother's Curse, Daughter's Justice, and the subsequent books that will be in the series, are foremost about the main characters: Stephenie, Henton, and Kas.  The backdrop of the world, while important, really is a backdrop and I have tried to embrace the idea of less being more.
I am proud of the world I have created, but I am also willing to let the nuances soak in over time as they become relevant to the story.  For those who like to find out more about the lands Stephenie has to explore and the history I have created for those lands, I try to put some extra information up on my website.  I've been adding to it slowly, but have had requests for more information and will work to increase the frequency of the postings.
6. Which authors, film makers, and other sorts of storytellers serve as your primary influences in crafting this book series?
This is a good question.  In all my reading, I cannot recall consciously thinking I would like to expand on a specific idea in my own stories.  I am certain all the things I have read have had significant subconscious influences.  I grew up with a mixture of the classics (Isaac Asimov, Tolkien, Ursula Le Guin, and Arthur C. Clarke) and contemporary writers such as Joel Rosenberg, Barbara Hambly, Jane Lindskold, and Kate Forsyth.  There are, of course, many more I did not list.
From TV and movies, I would tend to pull more influences from the scifi realm.  For conscious influences, I would say I really liked the whit and humor of Farscape and how the characters got along.  The only thing I can say I remember the actual spark of the idea was from the movie High Spirits.  That movie lent me the idea that over many years ghosts would fall into a trance and continually relive an aspect of their lives, no longer aware of the world around them until something disturbed their environment.
7. How did you write the interactions between Stephenie and her mother without wanting to strangle the latter? And how did you craft such a formidable villain despite her maternal relation to our loveable hero?
Well, first off, I love my own mother, so no parental issues there.  I do know she got a few questions when other people first saw the title and read Mother's Curse, but having been an early reviewer of the story, she's also a strong supporter.
For Stephenie and her mother, I wanted the interaction between the two of them to be very toxic and antagonistic.  Years of mutual hate meant they knew how to push each other's buttons and get under the other person's skin.
Some of it I think I may have pulled from my experiences working in sales and dealing with difficult customers, but mostly it came from the number of years I worked in what was effectively the advanced support team of a crisis management center.  Our job was to help people recover large computer systems that were in real trouble.  It was high pressure work and not everyone could handle the customers who were themselves under incredible stress.  A big part of the role was simply human psychology, empathizing with the customer and helping to make sure they knew you had their best interests at heart.  It was really more managing the people than actually working to repair and troubleshoot the databases.
A natural side effect of learning how to help reassure people in a crisis is an insight into how one could hurt people.  Hopefully, I've managed to put those years of experience to good use in making believable villains.
8. Have any experiences, personal quirks, or people you know worked themselves into your writing? If so, how and where?
Well, not so much in Mother's Curse or Daughter's Justice.  There is a lot of me in the characters, especially when it comes to the pragmatic nature of several of them, but I did not really draw from any other people.  As a kid, I spent a fair amount of time gaming with my friends and that has lent me the ability to quickly imagine another person, craft some personality traits, and put on a different hat to play that part.
However, the next book, tentatively titled Daughter's Revenge, will feature someone close to me in the pages.  I've had numerous requests to include a character for our horse, Dollar (original show name was Silver Dollar due to a white mark on his withers about the size of a silver dollar).  So, in book three, look for Stephenie and others to spend some time on horseback, and Dollar to be along for the journey.
9. When not writing, what do you like to do with your free time? Tell us something whacky and cool!
Free time?  I don't quite understand the question. :-)
I have had to narrow down my list of hobbies and "want-to-dos" considerably over the years.  There is just not enough time in the day.  However, the primary activities I keep up with include:
Hiking.  Though we lack any mountains to make it challenging, I try to spend time on a couple local trails.  It is excellent time for working out specific plot details in my head.  This year I have two different vacations planned, both of them involve a week of hiking with my wife.  One will be in North Carolina, and the other will be on the west coast.
I often mix photography in with the hiking.  My wife and I are generally landscape photographers who want trees and mountains in almost every shot, though I do like shooting soft water.  I'll definitely post a few shots of my vacations online after each of those trips.
I also try to keep fit at the gym, but that unfortunately slips from time to time.  However, I need to get back into proper condition to hike 15+ miles a day in the mountains with about 35 pounds of gear (cameras, lenses, and a tripod gets heavy).
And of course, I read a lot of novels when I can.  Though lately that has also been hit and miss.  I always feel guilty reading something else when I can be working on my own novels.  But sometimes I just have to take a day or so of solid reading and knock out a book simply for the joy of it.
10. What's next for the Heirs of Cothel Series, and when can we expect book three?
Book 3 is tentatively titled Daughter's Revenge.  I will let the title imply what it will.  As I have already alluded to, Stephenie and others will be going on another road trip, this time using horses.  She will learn more about herself and continue to grow as a person.  There will be a couple of new characters introduced, but aside from that, I don't want to give too much away.
Regarding the release date, the first two books have released in the first quarter of the year.  I am am aiming to move that up some, but a lot of things have to come together with the proper timing to make that happen.  I will definitely keep everyone posted about when to expect book 3 on my website as things get closer.

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Mother's Curse and Daughter's Justice eBook editions are just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing either or both of these fantastic books at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes.

The prizes include a Kindle Fire, $450 in Amazon gift cards, and 5 autographed copies of each book.

All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment--easy to enter; easy to win!

To win the prizes:

    

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BONUS:  The sequel is also discounted to 99 cents

    

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Mother's Curse is a coming of age story about the youngest Princess of Cothel and her efforts to save her father and brother from her mother's schemes, while at the same time, coming to terms with what it means to be a witch. Get it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or iTunes.

Daughter's Justice continues Stephenie's journey of discovery, where she must overcome national opposition to her being a witch as well as lead her friends and protectors on a mission to stabilize her countries finances. Get it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or iTunes.

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

Thaddeus Nowak is a writer of fantasy novels who enjoys hiking, photography, and the outdoors. Visit Ted on his website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.


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*Stay tuned for some more exciting features I have planned for you.  Throughout the next few days, I am going to randomly post some great things all about this fantastic YA fantasy writer that everyone needs to learn more about!

Book Review: Spellbinding by Maya Gold

Title: Spellbinding
Author: Maya Gold
Publisher: Scholastic Inc. Point
Date of Publication: April 1, 2013
Source: Net Galley & publisher
Format: Kindle, paperback, 272 pages
Links to Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | 


Book Synopsis:

Salem is the bewitching backdrop to this lush, fast-paced tale of one girl discovering the source of her powers.
It is during a routine school project that Abby Silva--sixteen and nearly friendless--makes a startling discovery: She is descended from women who were accused of witchcraft back in 1600s Salem. And when Abby visits nearby Salem, strange, inexplicable events start to unfold. Objects move when she wills them to. Candles burst into sudden flame. And an ancient spellbook somehow winds up in her possession.
Trying to harness her newfound power, Abby concocts a love potion to win over her longtime crush--and exact revenge upon his cruel, bullying girlfriend. But old magic is not to be trifled with. Soon, Abby is thrust headlong into a world of hexes, secrets, and danger. And then there's Rem Anders, the beautiful, mysterious Salem boy who seems to know more about Abby than he first lets on.

A reckoning is coming, and Abby will have to make sense of her history--and her heart--before she can face the powerful truth.

My Thoughts:

I really really love this cover!  I think the cover art is what grabbed my attention first before the synopsis did.  I love how the model's hair is free flowing wildly behind her with all the candles and all the blue.  Love it!
I really had high hopes for this novel because I really love reading about witches and the history of Salem and whatnot.  The description makes the book sound very powerful and Abby an interesting character.  


Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with her very much.  She had parts where I wanted to learn more about her and other parts where she just really bored me.   I also felt like the story played up to this extreme confrontation yet I didn't really feel that great about it.    I really didn't feel too many connections with any of the characters.  I did enjoy the job at the New Age shop and the owner.  I felt like she needed to be a more important part of the story because she was so informed on so much.  
There are some pretty funny parts though.  I really enjoyed the way Abby dealt with her dad having a girlfriend.  That was interesting  and definitely hot!  (Excuse the pun)  I could understand why she would be upset especially since it seemed that she was invisible when it came to her family.  

Other than that, I really could not get into this story.  I tried and tried, up to the very end, but I just felt like this story promised a lot and didn't execute at all.  Even now as I write this review, nothing really stands out for me that I have to tell you about.  It was just boring for me.  Abby seemed silly at times, other times she seemed lost.  I thought Remy would be more of a intrigue for me but he turned out to be just as flat.  

Now with that being said, Maya Gold is a good writer.  She has a talent that we can see, even in this story, it just needs to be developed a little more.  I love the idea about descendants of the accused witches of the Salem Witch Trials in modern settings.  Spellbinding just didn't do it for me.   But someone much younger than me could possibly get into this story more and maybe even connect with the characters a lot more too.  I think this story would be okay for someone in the late middle grades into high school too.  So maybe it is the age difference that caused me to lack the enthusiasm for the book as I read it.    

Overall, I expected much more from this book and felt it lacked a lot of ummph! that I was hoping for in lieu of the description.  It wasn't a terrible book for me but it wasn't an outstanding one either.  It definitely didn't stand out as a book that I will read again, and probably in a few months I doubt I'll remember much about it.  Nothing really jumped out at me in the plot and made take extreme notice.  No warm fuzzy feelings, no tingling at the back of my neck,  just nothing.  
I gave it 2 hearts.

Connect with Maya Gold:

| Website | Goodreads | 

Book Review: Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

Title: Carnival of Souls
Author: Melissa Marr
Publisher: HarperCollins 
Date of Publication: April 4, 2012
Source: bought, hardcover, 306 pages
Links to buy: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository|

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures--if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.
All Mallory knows of The City is that her father--and every other witch there--fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable.While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.
From Melissa Marr, bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series and Graveminder, comes a brand-new tale of lush secrets, dark love, and the struggle to forge one's own destiny.

My Thoughts:

This was a Christmas present for me and I am so happy my wonderful hubby got it for me!
 Carnival of Souls is a gritty, dark, sexy story about daimons and witches and their interactions or lack thereof.  The Carnival is this death match  competition that allows the lower class daimons a chance to raise up in stature in the City, an alternate plane where daimons live and reside.

There are many characters in this book and each one has their own secrets that adds to power of this story.  Everyone in this extremely entertaining novel has something to lose and we see how far they are willing to go to gain their dreams.  To the death?  Killing someone they love?  These are all concepts that get priority in Carnival of Souls as we travel through the City with Kaleb, the lower ranking daimon, and Aya, one of the higher class ones.  It is interesting to see how they each look at living in the City and how their outlooks may vary but how they also come close to seeing eye to eye.

Then there is Mallory, which is our main protagonist.  She is the one the story really centers around, and is an  important to the central theme of the story.  Mallory lives with the witches in the human world and is on the run from daimons.  She doesn't have the life what we could call normal; instead she learns to fight and trains living in fear that a daimon will find her and her father.

Okay, I love this book!  Sorry I just needed to get that out of the way.  I stayed up all night reading it because I seriously could not put it down.  Every time I tried to, I just had to pick it back up to see what else happened in the City.  Did Kaleb make it through another fight?  Did Aya make it?  And Mallory....

I literally loved every character in this book.  Well except villains.  But I will say this, Marr can write a villain.  She makes them appealing, frightening, and highly intelligent.  And I can see why they are the way they are.  If that makes sense.  I can understand why they have turned to their evil ways.  That is superb writing, plain and simple.  To make us see the antagonists' plight and in some ways, sympathize with their pasts.

And to that extent, there is a lot of gray area in this book.  And I LOVE IT!
I hate when a story is so black and white; good vs. evil, blah blah blah.  I find when we see a lot of gray area in the plot we find it more interesting and more grabbing.  Besides, human nature is a total gray area anyways.  Everyone has a little evil in them and goodness in them too.  So I get a real kick out of themes that  recognize that you can only have light if you have darkness and vice versa.

So I have a confession to make:  this is the first Melissa Marr book I have ever read. I know, I suck!
But now that I have read something from her I think I am going to go back and add every single book she has out on my TBR list because this is one talented woman!
If I could say one thing that I wished this story could have been it would be longer.  Oh how I wished it would have been much longer.  But now that I think about it is probably a good idea that it wasn't so I actually got sleep.

I am telling you if you like things like Supernatural (but were always kinda rooting for the ones Dean and Sam were hunting) then you should definitely give this book a try.  And yes it has romance in it too, some very strong romance that makes it that much better!  I am so sorry I am fan-girling here but I love this story so much!
Actually just watching the book trailer on the Goodreads page, makes me want to read it right now again and again!  Which also makes me think the Carnival has that Spartacus kind of feel to it too.  But not quite as gruesome (because it does fit into that YA genre) but definitely a gladiator esque feel to it.

So I am  giving this five hearts (as if you had to guess).  I wish I had like a rating that was more than five hearts that I just reserved for those novels that captured my heart and won't let it go!  If you guys have any idea what I could do let me know.   Also, have you read any Melissa Marr books?  Did you love this one as much as I did?

Connect With Melissa Marr:

| Goodreads | Website | Enter the Carnival | Twitter |