The Empress Chronicles' Release Day Blitz

Thanks for stopping by to celebrate the release of 

The Empress Chronicles!

Published by Diversion Books

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In this dazzling first book in the EMPRESS CHRONICLES series by the author of THE MOMENT BEFORE, one courageous girl seeks keys to the past to unlock the future…

When city girl Liz is banished to a rural goat farm on the outskirts of Portland, the 15-year-old feels her life spiraling out of control.  She can’t connect to her father or his young girlfriend, and past trauma adds to her sense of upheaval.  The only person who seems to keep her sane is a troubled boy who is fighting his own demons.  But all of this changes in one historical instant.

*

One-hundred fifty years earlier, Elisabeth of Bavaria has troubles of her own.  Her childhood is coming to a crashing end, and her destiny is written in the form of a soothsaying locket that has the ability to predict true love.  But evil is afoot in the form of a wicked enchantress who connives to wield the power of the locket for her own destructive ends.

*

When Liz finds a timeworn diary, and within it a locket, she discovers the secrets and desires of the young Bavarian princess who will one day grow up to be the legendary Empress of Austria. It is in the pages of the diary that these two heroines will meet, and it is through their interwoven story that Liz will discover she has the power to rewrite history—including her own…

Readers of books like Rachel Harris’s MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY will love THE EMPRESS CHRONICLES

About The Author

Suzy Vitello is a proud founding member of a critique group recently dubbed The Hottest Writing Group in Portland, and her short stories have won fellowships and prizes (including the Atlantic Monthly Student Writing Award, and an Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship).

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/suzyvitello

website: http://www.suzyvitello.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuzyVitelloBooks

Twitter: @suzy_vitello

Self Published Sunday Welcomes Jan Harman

Today's guest is Jan Harman - the author of Brush of Shade.  

Background:

My family didn’t have much fun money when I was growing up. It was a rare treat for us when we got a burger from a fast food place. Going to the movies was even rarer. But what my sister and I did get was book money, so we could buy a book off our school’s equivalent of the Scholastic Book list.  I poured over those pages with my red pencil in hand rating each book with stars. When the books would finally come in, I’d lose myself in those worlds. To this day, one of my favorite things to do is to stand in the aisle of a book store and contemplate my selection. Throughout my childhood, characters and stories always stirred around inside my mind often distracting me from my tasks. My parents were practical people, so when it came time to pick a college major, it had to be something that would get me a real job not something artsy. Regrettably, my characters took a backseat while I pursued a career as a computer programmer. But all that changed when health concerns for my two daughters transformed me into a homeschooling mom. When my three kids were tackling a creative writing assignment, I would task myself with producing an example. Over time, bits and pieces of a story formed. Characters spoke to me at odd hours of the day, but life was hectic and the characters had to wait.  Then one day I broke my arm and had to have surgery. Knowing I was bored out of my mind, my daughters, now in high school and college, pleaded with me to work on my story because they were still waiting to see how it all played out. The result of this labor of love is my debut novel Brush of Shade.

My writing process:

I’m supposed to have a process? A few months ago that very concept would’ve made my fingers freeze over the keyboard. You see, based on how things flowed or didn’t for several years with my first book, I never developed any set habits. I’m embarrassed to admit that when it came time to start the second book in the series, I slammed straight into an imaginary brick wall. With Brush of Shade, I had a compilation of descriptions, events, and characters plus all the internal interactions that had been batting about inside my skull all those years. I was a published author now. I was supposed to know what to do next. I read countless author postings on Goodreads looking for direction. I picked up books on the writing process. I got so bogged down that for the first time that I could remember the characters stopped speaking. When my kids, now all at college, called home, they kept asking how the second book was going. I had to change the subject. Was this what writer’s block felt like? Something had to change. Somebody had to have the answers. So I turned to my characters and asked them pointed questions. Wow, XYZ event in the book sure was intense. How are you doing now? Do you feel stronger, older, wary, afraid, happy, depressed, angry, or vindictive? Are you suffering from post-traumatic stress or do you think you’re invincible? While we’re on the subject, tell me what you’ve given up and do you want it back? What are you willing to do or willing to sacrifice to save those you love? Once I realized that my characters were no longer the same, plot highlights began to take shape. With a rough outline in mind, I started the story, allowing the characters and their reactions to events to shape all the parts in between. My process I’ve discovered is messy. I allow every idea its moment on the page, knowing that what I’m creating is a crude draft. Each day I reread what I wrote the day before, allowing my mind to become energized by the drama on the pages. While I might pause to edit the glaring errors, usually I leave behind a trail of track changes filled with my gut reactions. After more brutal passes through the story than I want to think about at this point, I hope I will eventually create a book worthy of being a reader’s temporary home.

Brush of Shade description:

Olivia Pepperdine has a love hate relationship with quiet. Silence reminds her of the accident that killed her parents and left her trapped in a mangled car. On that isolated stretch of road with the weight of all that silence pressing against her mind and body, something sinister had kept them company. Since that night a voice haunts her nightmares and snakes out to torment when she is alone and vulnerable.

Still recovering physically and mentally from the loss of her parents, high school senior Olivia finds herself living with an aunt she hardly knows in a small town in the middle of no-where. Spring Valley, Colorado should hold the connection to her father she longs for, but that longed for connection turns out to be more than Olivia ever imaged. Behind closed doors things in this sleepy community are far from ordinary. One by one fundamental truths are stripped aside as everything she ever believed about her family is called into question.

Determined to embrace normal even if it means ignoring the flashes of movement she’d been seeing out of the corner of her eye since her discharge from the hospital, Olivia is unnerved by the local residents. From the moment Olivia and her Aunt Claire arrive at the local gas station where strangers gawk and pay for her purchases to the spine-tingling electric shock that lifts her off the pew at her parent’s wake, the voice, half-truths, and an impossible rescue draw Olivia deeper into a web of secrets and the realization that the accident that had killed her parents might have been a cover for murder.

An after school job at Hattie’s quirky tourist shop brings Olivia into the life and arms of Shade, a guy who could put Prince Charming and the sexiest man in Hollywood to shame. Mesmerizing eyes unlike anything she has ever seen reveal the depth of his emotions that he can’t keep hidden while his irresistible drawl whispers to her wounded soul. Noble to his core, Shade is determined to treat her like a kid sister despite the connection between them that fills the empty places in her heart.

But Shade, like the residents of the valley, hides a secret, one that compels Olivia to take on an inherited responsibility that upends the future she’d envisioned. Secrets, hidden chambers, and an ancestor’s alliance propel Olivia into a world where voices are both weapons and instruments of comfort. As the line between sanity and fantasy blurs, Olivia must dig deep to unearth the courage to redefine normal, even if belief in the paranormal may be more than her troubled mind can handle. It might very well be the straw that sends her back into her cushioned world of prescription drugs and psychiatrist visits. To keep Olivia safe, Shade pledges his life to her side in a move that could rob her of her will and turn the elders against him.

Undercurrents within the quaint western town surge to the surface as those that oppose centuries of traditions begin to plot their rise to power. When the threat risks the lives of those close to her, Olivia must learn the identity of the people out to destroy the valley or face losing what could become the permanent place to call home that her heart has been searching for.

Excerpt:

“No, Olivia isn’t ready,” Aunt Claire argued.

“That might not be a concern if we don’t get her help soon. Sorry, Claire, I’ve got to follow her orders. I’ve got to save the legacy.”

“Don’t use that ploy to get your way. Again no oaths have been given.”

“What is he . . .” I couldn’t finish. Fire engulfed me, scorching my insides. I doubled over writhing in my aunt’s arms as sweat lathered my body

.

“Go,” Aunt Claire ordered, pulling a blanket tight around my shoulders.

I lolled against her side, not fully comprehending the strange scene unfolding outside the window. Shade had tossed his heavy coat into the back seat and was standing outside, shaking hard in the middle of a blizzard wearing an unzipped, stadium jacket. Snow streaked across the windshield, piling up along the edges and making it difficult for me to see outside. The next gust swallowed his body.

I strained against Aunt Claire’s hold. “Make him come back inside. He’ll freeze to death.”

“Olivia, listen to me. He’s alright. Trust us. Trust Shade. Everything will be fine.”

When had I finally crossed the line over to the side of crazy? My scream couldn’t get past my narrowed throat. I shrank back, shoving frantically at my aunt’s restraining arm as translucent hands, with no real fixed shape, reached out for me. A whimpered scream became a faint sob as washed-out blue eyes swam into focus.

“Claire, don’t attempt to drive. It’s too dangerous. Shad and my father are coming. They’ll get you home. Come with me, Olivia.”

“Come?” I squeaked, too terrified to mount a struggle as hot hands, that blended with the gray of the seat cushion and then changed over to the navy blue of my sweater, pulled me against a ghostlike chest.

“Trust me, Livi. I will protect you.”

Purchase link:  http://amzn.to/13Zzx5y

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TheWhisperersChronicles

Review of The Runner by J.M. Johnson

I received a copy of J.M. Johnson's debut novel, The Runner in exchange for an honest review.  The Runner is a Young Adult Dystopian novel with a touch of science fiction and fantasy.  

Amazon's book description:

Ten years ago the president of the United States declared that global warming had reached a tipping point from which it would not recover. In answer to this dilemma, modern technology was shut down. The elderly and other volunteers could opt to live out the rest of their lives in a virtual world, but all others were left to fend for themselves. 

Seventeen-year-old Avi Bloom lives in a world in which each family must contribute one child as a runner. A runner risks life and limb to travel from village to village delivering news and other small items. Avi is one run shy of retiring when she discovers that whole villages are disappearing, leaving only a few dead bodies and the youngest children behind. Now, Avi must find out who or what is responsible for these missing people as she goes on a journey and discovers friendship, love, and betrayal. She also discovers that the forces behind these disappearances are much larger and more frightening than she could ever have imagined.

What I thought:

There are several characters in this story and the author knows them well. Johnson did a good job giving each character a distinct personality and voice.

The main character is Avi Bloom, a runner for her village.  Her mother is dead. Her father is missing and she knows statistically a runner's life expectancy isn't very good.  When it comes to danger, she knows how to handle herself. Avi is no fainting flower. She's tough and smart.

Johnson did a great job imagining her world.  The descriptions are vivid and compelling.  I particularly liked the inclusion of the Amish as well as what seems to be "preppers."  It was easy to believe that these folks would be prepared to survive.  

I like a story where the author swiftly introduces the action and Johnson did precisely that.  She moves the tale at a quick pace but in doing so, I felt as though some of the relationships weren't as developed as they needed to be. For me, this created a bit of a disconnect.  I wish that the author had spent just a little more time showing how certain relationships/feelings evolved. 

The Runner is the first book in the series.  The ending was a bit disappointing in that it was more of a set up for the next book in the series. That being said, the author leaves the reader curious as to where the story will lead.  

3 1/2 stars
  

Of Dreams and Shadow Book Tour

December 09, 2013

Romance with Flavor

www.romancewithflavor.com

Fantasy Book Lane

http://www.fantasybooklane.com/

A Mama's Corner of the World   

http://www.amamascorneroftheworld.com

December 10, 2013

Books Direct

http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com.au/

Taking It One Book at a Time 

http://takingitonebookatatime.blogspot.com

December 11, 2013

Paranormal Romance Fans for Life

www.paranormalromancefanforlife.blogspot.com

Theresa Stillwagon

http://tstillwagon.wordpress.com

December 12, 2013

Mom With A Kindle

http://momwithakindle.blogspot.com/

Eclipse Reviews

http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com

December 13 

3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!

http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com  

Booker Like a Hooker

http://bookerlikeahooker.blogspot.com/

December 16 

So Much To Write

http://somuchtowritesolittletime.com

Sapphyria's Book Reviews

http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/

Tanya Searle, author of Aquila: From the Darkness

I'm happy to welcome YA author Tanya Searle.  She is a full-time student, wife and mother living in southwest England. Her love of reading led her to pen her first novel, Aquila: from the darkness. She is currently working on the sequel, Aquila: into the light.

Me:  So Tanya, I have to know - Where did you get the idea for your novel?

Tanya:  The idea for the novel originally came from my fascination with flying; not aeroplanes and helicopters - actual flying. I mean the feelings born of childish dreams and the arc of a trampoline bounce. The novel started as images, random flashes in my mind involving wings and the ocean. The story was already formed before I put fingers to keys. I only realized how long it was once I started typing.

Me:  Tell us a little about the main character.

Tanya:  Aqua, the main character, is seventeen; stubborn and impulsive. She lives a quiet life in the English countryside. Working as a labourer on her mother's organic farm she spends her weekdays among fruit and vegetables. But at the weekends she indulges in her secret pastime - flying. She also hangs out with her gorgeous best friend, Aaron, who has no idea that Aqua isn't exactly a normal teenage girl. Aqua's heritage is a mystery even to her. She wants to know where she came from... and during the novel, she finds out.

Me:  You are working on the sequel.  When do you anticipate it will be released.

Tanya:  Yes. The sequel, Aquila: Into the Light, should be out by Spring 2014. I am posting regular updates on twitter and my blog. I'm really excited that I will be sharing the next stage of Aqua's life with everyone.

Thanks for stopping by and for sharing a sneak peak of Aquila: From the Darkness:

Early birds get up before the sun. So I guess that’s

what I am, an early bird.

The sky is not quite dark, with slender veins

of purple and gray, when I rise. I like the quiet the

early morning brings. I like the fresh moist air

and the dew covered grass. I like getting to the

bathroom before my mother.

We share the small, bare space of a room;

cracked magnolia wall tiles and stripped wood

floor. There is no shower; just an old bath tub with

a cutting of garden hosepipe and shower nozzle

attached to the taps. I did it myself, for my own

sanity. My mother considers showers a modern

notion, designed for city folk whose lives are fast and

stressful and the opposite of ours. I consider them a necessity.  

Tanya can be found:

http://tanyalouisesearleauthor.blogspot.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/T.L.SearleAuthor?ref=hl
https://twitter.com/search?q=%40trumslouise&src=typd&mode=users


Purchase links:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon




  

It's a Novel November with Doug Solter, Author of My Girlfriend Bites!

I'm pleased to welcome Doug Solter to Novel November.  He is sharing an excerpt of his novel My Girlfriend Bites. 

“Bree opens her mouth and another strong howl roars from deep inside her. She mimics the wolves cries with perfection. Seriously? This is not happening. That waiter must have been pissed and slipped a drug into my fettuccine because those sounds can not be coming from my date."

After his "dream" girl rejects him, 16-year-old Aiden tries to commit suicide, yet mysteriously survives. Now he feels like a loser with zero possibility of finding the perfect girlfriend. Enter Bree, the creepy girl with too much hair who's rumored to be cloned from a frozen prehistoric cave girl that scientists discovered in Canada. But when he accepts a ride from “Cave Girl” during a storm, Aiden discovers this weird girl not only has a kind heart. She's also cute.

Aiden offers to help Bree in Algebra and the two become friends. When Aiden pushes that friendship into a date, Bree accepts. On a romantic night at the zoo, Bree and Aiden fall in love as the animals watch. Unlike Aiden, they can smell what Bree really is.

Bree decides to tell him her deep, dark secret. Her family are werewolves hiding from the Demon Skins, a mysterious new enemy hunting down all the werewolf packs on earth. Aiden struggles with Bree's revelation, but chooses to stand by the girl he fell in love with. But standing by his new girlfriend will be the biggest test of his life.

Too bad Bree can't turn a coward into a fearless werewolf. That bite thing is only a myth.

This forces Aiden to do the unthinkable...believe in himself.

After his "dream" girl rejects him, 16-year-old Aiden tries to commit suicide, yet mysteriously survives. Now he feels like a loser with zero possibility of finding the perfect girlfriend. Enter Bree, the creepy girl with too much hair who's rumored to be cloned from a frozen prehistoric cave girl that scientists discovered in Canada. But when he accepts a ride from “Cave Girl” during a storm, Aiden discovers this weird girl not only has a kind heart. She's also cute.

Aiden offers to help Bree in Algebra and the two become friends. When Aiden pushes that friendship into a date, Bree accepts. On a romantic night at the zoo, Bree and Aiden fall in love as the animals watch. Unlike Aiden, they can smell what Bree really is.

Bree decides to tell him her deep, dark secret. Her family are werewolves hiding from the Demon Skins, a mysterious new enemy hunting down all the werewolf packs on earth. Aiden struggles with Bree's revelation, but chooses to stand by the girl he fell in love with. But standing by his new girlfriend will be the biggest test of his life.

Too bad Bree can't turn a coward into a fearless werewolf. That bite thing is only a myth.

This forces Aiden to do the unthinkable...believe in himself.

*****

“Dinner Date with Bree”

            The brick walls inside the big Italian restaurant amplify all the background noise by a factor of ten. I do my best to concentrate on Bree, who raises her voice to tell me what music she likes.

            The conversation dies.

            I smile.

            Bree smiles.

            I don’t know what else to talk about. The restaurant? The tablecloth?

            Ask Bree if she can speak Italian?

            That’s stupid. Don’t ask her that.

            I scratch an itch on my leg and notice a small crescent moon tat on top of Bree’s foot. Never noticed that before.

            She flexes her ankle. “Do you like it?”

            “Like what?” I ask.

            “The tattoo?”

            “Yeah, I do. Why the moon?”

            “Because the moon is magical. It gives light to the darkness,” Bree says. “Can’t you feel its energy in the air when there’s a full moon? The night becomes so alive. So vibrant. You can always feel it.” She pauses. “I find it super hard to sleep during a full moon. How can you sleep with all that energy seething through your body? Sometimes you have no choice but to run through the woods.”

            Wait. Is Bree telling me that she runs around in the woods in the middle of the night? That’s so Cave Girl weird.

            “Do you do that?” I ask.

            “Do I do what?”

            “Run around in the forest in the middle of the night?”

            The hint of surprise on her face gets covered up quickly. “I didn’t say that. No, I’m saying that I understand why some people do. The hospital emergency rooms have busy nights on a full moon because people run around in the middle of the night and bump into things. That’s what I meant. I wasn’t talking about me at all.”

            “Okay.”

            “I’m super serious. I just like the moon. That’s all,” Bree says, a weird nervousness coming from her that I haven’t seen before.

            “So you’re only a moon enthusiast and that’s all.”

            “Yes.” She giggles. “A moon enthusiast. I like that.” Bree gulps down some water from her glass.

            “There’s a lot of suicides during a full moon.” The words roll off my tongue, and I instantly tense up the moment my brain catches it. Suicides? Why did I bring that up? Now that doesn’t make me sound depressing to be around, does it?

            The table falls silent.

            My stomach burns. I’ve destroyed this date. Blew it up in my own face. Why do I keep saying stupid things? I should have printed some awesome one-liners I could say to a girl and slip those into my pocket. I suck at improv.

            “Even the moon can’t cure everyone’s darkness,” Bree says, her eyes searching mine.

            Why is she looking at me like that? Does she suspect that I tried to — no way. How could Bree possibly know that?

            “I don’t believe in all that witches and wizards stuff. I think it’s a bunch of old superstitious crap made up by people to scare other people. And to sell them Halloween junk at grocery stores.”

Bree sips more water. “You don’t believe myths could be based on the truth?”

            “Nope. And I don’t believe in Bigfoot either.”

            Our waiter comes over. I order fettuccine Alfredo and salad. Bree takes more time, scanning the menu as her mouth twitches to the side.

            “I’ll take the veal Parmesan,” Bree says.

            “Our chef’s signature dish. Excellent choice,” the waiter says.

            “But I want it without the sauce and cheese on top.”

            “Breaded veal without the Parmesan?”

            “Yes, and what side dish comes with that?”

            “A side order of pasta marinara with our vegetable of the day.”

            Bree’s eyes wince. “I want meatballs instead.”

            “Side order of spaghetti and meatballs? We can do that.” The waiter writes it down.

            “No pasta. Only the meatballs. And can you leave off the veggies and just add more meatballs?”

            The waiter shoots me an unhappy look. I pretend to look out the window. The man rips off an order slip, crumples it up, and starts again. “I have a breaded veal without sauce or cheese with a double order of meatballs. What dressing would you like on your salad?”

            Bree bites her lip. “No dressing, but can you put an obscene amount of bacon bits on it?”

            “Bacon bits instead of dressing?” The waiter looks at Bree like she’s gone insane.

            “An obscene amount. Yes.”

            “I’ll put your order in right away,” he says with a slight hint of mockery in his voice as he takes away our menus and leaves.

            Bree leans forward. “What’s the plan for after dinner? You said something about a surprise?”

             Amazon  Barnes & Noble  Kobo  Smashwords   Amazon UK   Amazon CA

Doug Solter is a screenwriter and author of two young adult novels. He respects cats, loves mountains, and has enjoyed a glass of sangria on the streets of Barcelona. He directed three short films, two rap videos, and worked in local television for twenty years.  Doug began writing screenplays in 1998 and became a 2001 semi-finalist in The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. His script Father Figure was one of 129 scripts left from 5,489 entries. His tenth script, Rail Fan, became a quarter-finalist in 2009. Soon after, Doug made the switch to writing young adult novels in 2008. Doug lives in Oklahoma where he spends time with friends, good music, and the characters in his head who won't leave.

Author website  Goodreads  Twitter  Facebook  Tumblr  Google+

                

            

Book Review: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Amazon's Book Description:

You stop fearing the Devil when you're holding his hand...

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White's sleepy, seaside town...until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet's crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet's grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet's already so knee-deep in love, she can't see straight. And that's just how River likes it.

               What I Thought:

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is one of those novels that I had to mull over before writing my review.  There were things I loved about the novel. First of all, I loved the cover. It felt moody and dangerous and brought to mind old Gothic tales. I loved the first line: “You stop fearing the devil when you hold his hand.”       I loved the description of the Citizen – the neglected mansion that serves as a backdrop for much of the story. I loved that there was this creepy quality the author was able to maintain throughout most of the book. I loved the concept of the story – then again, maybe not.  Therein lies my problem.

The main character is Violet White. She and her twin brother are on their own, living in the Citizen while their artistic parents paint in Europe.  She's quirky and lonely and vulnerable.   In other words, she’s pretty much the perfect girl for the bad-boy River West.  River is a lying liar who lies.  He possesses supernatural powers which he uses to manipulate others.  It’s this manipulation that bothers me.   Perhaps it’s because the author presented him in such a way, that I found myself wanting him to be redeemed.  Surely, he couldn't be all that bad – yet, he was.  He’s the guy that parents have nightmares about and that teenage girls want to fix...

Back to Violet:   Violet’s reaction to River made me cringe. I wanted to pull her from the pages of the book and give her a good shake.  Good Golly Miss Mollie! Get that girl some common sense! 

About the climax:  It didn't hit the right notes for me.  It just felt too convenient.  Without going into detail (you may want to read the book and I don’t want to spoil it), there are worse things than River West - hard to believe but true.

Tucholke excels at creating atmosphere.   I could almost feel the “evil” peering into my window and for all the struggles I had with Violet and River, I enjoyed her writing style. 

My Rating:  3 1/2 stars

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Author:  April Genevieve Tucholke

• Print Length: 369 pages
• Publisher: Dial (August 15, 2013)
• Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC

Review of UnEnchanted: An Unfortunate Fairy Tale, Volume 1

On occasion, I troll Amazon's Free Kindle e-book section.  Typically, I take the story for a quick test drive - you know - using the Look Inside function.  I check out  the reviews and let me just say up front, I don't pay a lot of attention to the bad reviews, because honestly, I think there are mean people out there that like to find fault. (I will concede that there are novels that probably deserve poor ratings.)  I also don't pay too much attention to the five star reviews - especially, when the reviewer can't seem to string more than a couple words together.   All this brings me to the purpose of this post:   

I recently downloaded UnEnchanted:  An Unfortunate Fairy Tale, Volume 1
by:  Chandra Hahn
                                                   
                                          
                                                                                 
The Synopsis:

Mina Grime is unlucky, unpopular and uncoordinated; that is until she saves her crush's life on a field trip, changing her High School status from loser to hero overnight. But with her new found fame brings misfortune in the form of an old family curse come to light. For Mina is a descendant from the Brothers Grimm and has inherited all of their unfinished fairy tale business which includes trying to outwit a powerful Story from making her its' next fairy-tale victim. To break the fairy tale curse on her family and make these deadly occurrences stop, Mina must finish the tales until the very Grimm end.

FYI:

This is a self published novel.  There are some grammatical errors that the author acknowledges per her website.  

What I thought:

I'm one of those people who can get caught up in a good story.  If that happens, chances are my mind will not pay too much attention to a misplaced comma or an occasional grammatical error.  I register it and I move on.  That being said,  I enjoyed the author's writing style.  Her characters were well developed and she did a good job weaving in the back-story.  She took the same fairy tales i heard as a child and gave them a fresh twist.  In regards to Mina, the main character - Hahn created a character with which the reader can identify.  I found her moments of fear, happiness and heartbreak believable. I was disappointed when the story was over  and can't wait to read the sequel.  In short, I was totally enchanted! 

My rating:  

 

st finish the tales until the very Grimm end.

Review of The Bond (Sphere, Episode 2)

 by Isaiyan Morrison

Description:

As a new Carrier in training, Tayla has a lot to learn. Still unable to accept that her mother who walked out on her and her father years ago was a Carrier herself, her new friends, Darrien, Sina, and Iris, began to reveal how important her mother was in the Carrier world. However, their explanations only create more questions about her mother and why she secretly passed her gift onto Tayla at such a young age.

Still trying to get used to the fact that her gift is the strongest gift that any Carrier could possess, Tayla finds herself the center of an up and coming war between Light and Dark Carriers. She meets Cody, Darrien's older brother and enemy who tells her that not only will her gift bring destruction if she chooses a side, but by not choosing a side she can be like him - a Rogue Carrier with no allegiance.  

Learning now that her power can tip the scales in the up and coming war Tayla is forced to choose. Will she fight for the Light Carriers or will she fight for the Dark Carriers?

What did I think?

In The Bond (Sphere, Episode 2), Isaiyan Morrison continues the story of Tayla, a teenaged girl who is coming to terms with the fact that she, like her mother, is a Carrier.  The story moves quickly and is full of intense action.  The introduction of Cody, a rogue Carrier, only added to the fun.  

Ms. Morrison continues to do a good job weaving in the backstory while offering tantalizing hints of what's to come.  She has set the stage for the next installment and I look forward to reading it!

While not yet available, The Bond (Sphere, Episode 2) will soon be released.  For more information regarding the release date, be sure to check Isaiyan's website-

 http://www.isaiyanmorrison.com/   

This is a serial with each episode roughly between 14,000-18,000 words long.