Book & Author Details: Rumpled Rhett by Rachel Rossano (Once Upon a Duchy, #3) Publication date: August 31st 2021 Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Romance Synopsis:
Rhett is a Huntsman, skilled, secretive, and mysterious. A wanted man, he spends his life on the move. His sole retreat is the outskirts of an isolated village in the northern reaches of the duchies. Then one fall, he arrives to find his hovel burned to the ground and the village reeve offering a new arrangement.
Catherine knows her father, the village miller, only cares about what she can bring him. The latest scheme of marrying her to the Huntsman is not the miller’s first attempt to sell her. Cat’s dread wanes when she meets the Huntsman. There is something honorable about him, and he treats her with respect, unlike her father or brother. Perhaps she can escape her father’s influence forever.
Despite his suspicions, Rhett agrees to the deal and frees Cat from her father’s tyranny, at least for a time. But can he protect her when enemies from his past catch up to him?
Rachel Rossano specializes in clean romantic fiction set in historical-feeling fantasy worlds. She also dabbles in straightforward historical romance and not-so-strict speculative fiction. A happily married mother of three children, she divides her time between mothering, teaching, and writing. She endeavors to enchant, thrill, entertain, and amuse through her work. A constant student, she seeks to improve her skills and loves to hear from readers.
Thankyou to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for The Spellworker, the first book in Victoria Lamb’s new YA Fantasy series.
The Spellworker
Book One in a rich and suspenseful YA fantasy adventure series, from the author of the award-winning WITCHSTRUCK. Perfect for fans of Holly Black, Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo.
Princess Fiamma is the girl with the serpent tattoos, born to guard the Book of Tongues, a magical text nobody living knows how to read.
Raised in royal privilege, it’s a shock when the Citadel comes under attack and Fiamma is forced to flee in disguise with the Book of Tongues. Her only companion is Hurth, a handsome but surly soldier who doesn’t bother to hide his contempt for a ‘spoilt princess’.
A time when reading is forbidden, and books are dangerous
Fiamma may be spoilt but she knows her duty. She must not allow the Book to fall into the evil hands of the Spellworker, whose powerful magic can kill with a single word.
A perilous journey through occupied territories
Together, she and Hurth must search for a mysterious place where the Book has always been taken in times of danger. But worse than Hurth’s disdain and the hardships of the journey are her own deepest fears about the Book, which has started whispering to her in the night, teaching her how to read it …
Is the Book turning her into a Spellworker too?
As she faces her destiny, and learns the true meaning of the serpent tattoos she bears, Fiamma has to decide how far she’ll go to protect the Book’s secrets.
A compelling tale of Good versus Evil in a world where what you see is definitely not what you get.
The Spellworker is a very promising start to a new gripping fantasy series Book Of Tongues. The book has it all- starting from an absolutely gorgeous cover, a feisty heroine who obviously has a lot to learn about life and life hardships, an interesting world with a mysterious, ancient book that has to be protected at all costs, and an epic journey.
Princess Fiamma recently lost her father and is now the Last of the Guardians of the Book of Tongues, her people’s secret text. Unfortunately, the language it was written in hasn’t been spoken for five generations,so whatever knowledge he book conceals, it isn’t likely to be immediately useful in the battle against the Norda. The Citadel which has been a home for Fiamma’s people for centuries, is about to fall, not least thanks to the intervention of a strange man who appears to chant incantations. The Council fears he might be a Spellworker, so Fiamma’s advisors insist that it is her duty to take the book to the mythical Isles of Weralph, a place that may ony exist in songs and legends ofher people, so that the book doesn’t fall into wrong hands. Fiamma will stand a much better chance of saving this ancient source of wisdom if she travels accompanied by one person only- the councilmembers chose a sixteen year old boy Hurth, a quiet, surly warrior, who doesn’t particularly like Fiamma.
Victoria Lamb’s writing style is both beautiful and easy to follow. I was gripped by the mystery straight from the beginning. As promised by the blurb, the journey Fiamma and Hurth undertake is indeed full of dangerous adventures and it’s obvious that despite their mutual dislike they have to cooperate in order to do their duty. Once the Book of Tongues starts talking to Fiamma, teaching her how to read it, the ancient magic may be within her reach, but it’s not all that simple and straightforward.
When we first meet Fiamma, it is clear her privileged background made this intelligent girl quite stubborn (you can call it determined, if you prefer) and taught her to take a lot of things for granted. She needs to learn a lot about real life to become a better personandabetter future leader. Luckily, she has Hurth to share the journey with. They both learn to trust each other and whoknows their friendship may turn into something more in future.
Can’t wait to read the continuation of this exciting series!
Thank you to Rachel and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest answer.
Author Bio
– Historical and YA paranormal authorof the RNA award-winning novel WITCHSTRUCK, Victoria Lamb is addicted to the supernatural, and on dark nights has been known to sneak out and howl at the moon. She also writes thrillers as Jane Holland, and other fiction as Betty Walker, Elizabeth Moss and Beth Good, among others. Victoria’s most recent novel is THE SPELLWORKER, first in a fab new YA epic fantasy series called THE BOOK OF TONGUES.
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist: break into the Ice Court – a military stronghold that has never been breached – and retrieve a hostage whose knowledge could change Grisha magic forever. To succeed would mean rich beyond his wildest dreams – but he can’t pull it off alone . . .
A convict with a thirst for revenge. A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager. A runaway with a privileged past. A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Together they might just be unstoppable – if they don’t kill each other first.
Published September 29th 2015 by Henry Holt & Company
This was a buddy read with Yesha from Books Teacup and Reviews.
Check out her wonderful review of this fantasy must-read. Her amazing, spoiler-free reviews of the Shadow and Bone trilogy introduced me to the Grishaverse. Once you get a glimpse of this original world, you are hooked on its magic.
My thoughts:
The setting The Six of Crows duology is set on the island of Kerch, which is to the left of Ravka, the country introduced in Shadow and Bone. It’s capital Ketterdam is a city where trade and profit-making are literally venerated (their god Ghezen is a god of Commerce). It’s all about money, contracts, speculation. While rich, respectable and unbearably greedy merchants rule, the city has its underbelly the Barrel, where gangs divide the profits flowing from relieving unsuspecting tourists of their hard-earned cash, from gambling parlors and brothels. The Barrel lives by its own rules and the only way to survive there is not to trust anyone or show any weakness.
Kaz Brekker is a rising star in this criminal world, a leautenant in a gang called Dregs, who have been using an image of crows as their symbol. He is a mastermind behind an impossible heist, commissioned by one of the members of the City Council. The aim of the heist is to break into the Ice Court, an unpenetrable palace in Fjerda (a country famous for its military spirit and hatred of everything related to Grisha, the practitioners of a special kind of matter-manipulating science/magic).
My first question when I started reading the Six of Crows duology was whether it is possible to read it as a standalone. Yes, although there are some references to the civil war in Ravka and Ravkan refugees unknowingly getting themselves into ‘indentures’ (practical slavery) in Ketterdam. The events that caused the war are not mentioned and we learn the three main groups of Grisha powers on the go (Corporalki- controlling human body, Etherealki-controlling elements such as water, wind, fire, light, and Fabricators-controlling/transforming/inventing materials). The focus in this book is on Kaz’s brilliant heist, but the larger political context gradually reveals itself as you keep reading.
Some of the main characters have Grisha powers, although only one of them had formal training. For the others, dealing with their ‘gift’ is a part of their character arc. It is very clear that Grisha are born and live in all parts of this fictional world. Generally speaking, there is more diversity (in various aspects) than in the previous trilogy and the book is all the better for this.
The main characters
The story is told from multiple perspectives, mosty from the point of view of the six heisters, named in the book blurb: A convict with a thirst for revenge- Matthias A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager-Jesper A runaway with a privileged past- Wylan A spy known as the Wraith -Inej A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums-Nina A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes- Kaz
Despite the large number of protagonists, they are all well-developed. We learn about their past and what life experiences made them into what they are, we get to know their beliefs and their motivations, what they look like and how they think. Yesha also made an excellent point about the multiple points of view creating a sense of suspense and contributing to the overall rhythm of the book.
IfI had to choose my favourite character, it would be Inej with her special kind of kindness and vulnerability A victim of human trafficking, this former acrobat endured terrible things and yet, never lost her religion and her conscience. Quiet and agile, she scales the Ketterdam walls and roofs, collecting useful information. She’s also a feared fighter, known for her knife-throwing expertise. What I liked about Inej is her tenacity, honesty, wisdom and ability to see the best in other people.
Inej has a special, very complicated relationship with Kaz, who is carrying a lot of trauma from his dark past. His main motivation for building up his criminal career and ruthless reputation is revenge,but somewhere behind this terrifying facade is a person who cares for his team. Gradually, we learn about the harrowing past events that made Kaz see trust as the greatest weakness possible. Ironically, we also learn to trust the brilliance of his plans.
The six of crows are all more or less the same age- 17-18, although they do not behave or sound their age. The only character that still retained the spontaneity and recklessness of ‘just going for it’ was Nina. A witty and open-minded Heartrender (a Grisha who has a special ability/training to control a person’s blood pressure and heart), she is first and foremost a patriot of her country, a soldier. She’s excellent at foreign languages and can fit anywhere. She also shows a deep understanding and respect for other cultures. Nina is larger than life… She stayed in Ketterdam for a year to save a Fjerdan witch-hunter, strong and implacable Matthias.
The remaining two crows Jesper, a mysterious sharpshooter with a gambling addiction, and Wylan-I don’t want to give away Wylan’s secrets- provided a few twists I didn’t see coming at all. There was no way I could have guessed what the conflict with his father was about.
The plot and the pace The six main characters have their own storylines and yet it all comes brilliantly together in one very logical plot-the preparation for the heist (putting the crew together, getting the intel and necessary supplies), the heist itself, and it’s aftermath. We learn about the past which gives us a better insight into the characters, yet the progression of the story is always clear.
I really enjoyed the overall shape of the narrative, all the tension points coming in crescendo. The reader is almost lulled into thinking it’s all over…and then another twist changes the game! The heist itself was so fast-paced… You could feel the adrenaline running through the veins of the six crows. Things were being drilled, climbed, blown up, transformed, axed, and shattered, and I was just sitting there, turning pages compulsively, absolutely unable to put the book down. I was almost afraid to blink and miss a crucial detail.
Overall: I started missing this incredible Ketterdam crew as soon as I turned the last page. This book is quite rightly one of the most popular fantasy series in the YA category. Action-packed, with a brilliant plot, great world-building, diversity in characters, Six of Crows is 465 pages (or more, depending on your edition) of non-stop entertainment.
Finally… A huge thank you to Yesha for her thoughtful questions and insights that transformed this reading experience into something truly special.
A few spoilers from our buddy read / Our favourite scenes in the book:
(the text is in white- highlight it and you can see the spoiler!)
Yesha:
the deal talk between Kaz and Geels in the beginning,
the Hellgate heist (getting Mattias out of the Hellgate prison),
their entry to the ice court,
the way they discovered Yul-Bayur,
Nina and Matthias after that
the climax and the conversation between Kaz and Inej after the climax
the end.
Toni:
Kaz saving Inej when she got stabbed,
Nina and Matthias exchanging their names for the first time,
Inej …climbing the incinerator even after her shoes started melting
Inej finding Kaz’s gloves and giving them backto him– because she is the girl who ‘knows’ him
Inej telling Kaz she will have him without armour or not at all
Kaz surviving the underwater river by thinking about Inej and then promising to get back his girl
Book & Author Details: Of the Lilin by Paulette Hampton (The Sage Chronicles, #1) Publication date: September 1st 2021 Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult Synopsis:
While dealing with depression, Sage attempts to pull herself into the light. What she finds is better left in the dark.
After the loss of her mother and her stepfather’s mental breakdown, Sage Frankle agrees to move in with her aunt and cousin at the Englewood Inn. Soon, her aunt arranges for Sage to begin working through her trauma with a psychologist. As time passes, Sage finds that she is far from healing and begins to slip from reality into a realm of darkness she is unable to escape. After the arrival of her cousin’s intriguing acquaintance, Sage is forced to realize she is indeed trapped, not by her mind, but by her bloodline.
Paulette is an indie author who holds a Master of Arts in reading education. Her writing inspiration stems from watching fantasy and paranormal movies, as well as her real-life experiences with mental health issues. She hopes her readers will find humor in her stories, become curious about seeking peace through the present moment, and consider reaching out for help if they are struggling with their own issues.
Paulette loves drawing, watching a good thriller, kayaking, and eating chocolate…lots of it. She and her husband live in North Carolina with their two cats, Linda Hamm and Bree. Of the Lilin is the first book in her new upper YA paranormal series, The Sage Chronicles.
Book & Author Details: Don’t Forget To Breathe by Cathrina Constantine Publication date: September 1st 2021 Genres: Mystery, Young Adult Synopsis: Leocadia arrives home from school to find her mom’s body. Unaware that the killer still lingers, she rushes to her mother’s side, only to be grabbed from behind. And everything fades to black.
Leo has been battling personal demons after a year of retrograde amnesia. She’s been having vivid dreams of that day. And her dreams are getting worse—she’s starting to remember. Two more bodies are discovered and they are oddly linked to her mom’s unsolved homicide.
Leo befriends her new neighbor. He’s eager to visit Star Hallow’s notorious haunted mansion. It’s located on a deserted cul-de-sac where she once lived and where her mom was murdered. But it’s the Lucien Estate, the mansion next door to her old home, where they happen upon misty ghosts, ghosts that just might help to unravel the homicides.
Will Leo’s memories send her reeling into a relapse, or will she be able to overcome her demons to find her mother’s killer – only to become the next victim?
AUTHOR BIO:Cathrina Constantine is an International Best Selling and Award Winning Author. Her books have won Reader’s Favorite International Book Awards. New Apple Medalist Award. Literary Classics Gold and Silver Award. Literary Classics Seal of Approval. And recently 1st Place Top Shelf Award for YA/Mystery.
Cathrina loves to immerse herself in great books of every kind of genre, which helps her to write purely for entertainment, and hopefully to inspire readers. When not stationed at her computer you can find her in the woods taking long walks with her dog.
Book & Author Details: Find You There by Brianna Bennett Publication date: August 31st 2021 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance Synopsis:
Lyric Meadows is used to being overlooked.
Lovingly called Peanut for as long as she can remember, she uses ceramics to escape the high expectations of her parents. It also keeps her from having to tell them that she’s asexual, thereby disappointing them twice because she has no intention to work in music like they want or give them grandchildren. It’s not easy to conceal a part of who she is, but she’ll do it if it means maintaining some privacy.
Luca Sherwood is used to having his privacy invaded.
As the son of controversial politician Richard (Dick) Sherwood, the paparazzi is always up in his business, just waiting for a scandal to blast all over the social media. Unfortunately, Luca’s brother Rider does have something to hide, and it is something that could destroy their father’s career if the public ever learned of it.
Lyric and Luca are an unlikely duo with far more in common than they think.
One day, all of Lyric’s work at the studio is shattered by an apparent vandal. Devastated, she begins to wonder if her parents were right all along and she should just settle for singing. That is, until Luca volunteers to help her figure out the vandal’s identity. Her resulting romantic & sexual attraction to him is startling, but she’s going to need all the help she can get once she learns that the person who destroyed her artwork may be closer than she thinks.
AUTHOR BIO:Fanfiction was where it all began. It gave me the opportunity to stretch my creative muscles and work out crucial lessons in the craft. I spent several years writing for free, which helped me understand the realities of the writing world early on. Once I got to college, I did the one thing that most advisors tell you not to do: I majored in what I was passionate about, not what would be most practical. After graduating from college with a degree in Professional Writing, I took a year off and then enrolled in a double Master’s program. In the 3 years that followed, I dedicated myself to learning as much as I could about all areas of writing and publishing. Nowadays, I’m a medical receptionist, soon-to-be self-published author, Medium blogger, writing coach, and podcast host. I live and work in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about which we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
An effervescent, endearing, joyful contemporary romance of one young woman searching for her birth mother one summer, by New York Times bestselling author Emma Lord.
Nothing will get in the way of Millie Price’s dream to become a Broadway star. Not her lovable but super-introverted dad, who after raising Millie alone, doesn’t want to watch her leave home to pursue her dream. Not her pesky and ongoing drama club rival, Oliver, who is the very definition of Simmering Romantic Tension. And not the “Millie Moods,” the feelings of intense emotion that threaten to overwhelm, always at maddeningly inconvenient times. Millie needs an ally. And when a left-open browser brings Millie to her dad’s embarrassingly moody LiveJournal from 2003, Millie knows just what to do. She’s going to find her mom.
There’s Steph, a still-aspiring stage actress and receptionist at a talent agency. There’s Farrah, ethereal dance teacher who clearly doesn’t have the two left feet Millie has. And Beth, the chipper and sweet stage enthusiast with an equally exuberant fifteen-year-old daughter (A possible sister?! This is getting out of hand). But how can you find a new part of your life and expect it to fit into your old one, without leaving any marks? And why is it that when you go looking for the past, it somehow keeps bringing you back to what you’ve had all along?
Joyous, heartfelt, and brimming with emotion, When You Get the Chance is a novel about falling in love, making a mess, and learning to let go that will have you happy-sobbing and cheering all the way to the end.
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Expected Publication Date:January 4, 2022
Genre/Age Category: Romance/Young Adult Fiction
EMMA LORD is a digital media editor and writer living in New York City, where she spends whatever time she isn’t writing either running or belting show tunes in community theater. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a major in psychology and a minor in how to tilt your computer screen so nobody will notice you updating your fan fiction from the back row. She was raised on glitter, a whole lot of love, and copious amounts of grilled cheese.
Book & Author Details: Heroes with Heat and Heart: A 9/11 Charity Anthology Publication date: September 1st 2021 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance Synopsis:
Heal your heart with stories of love and heroism!
In honor of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, some of your favorite romance authors joined forces to create a charity anthology to raise funds to honor the memories of the heroes we lost that day. Starting in September, every single dollar without exception goes to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.
So grab a fan for some heat and tissues for some tears, and fall in love with the men and women first responders in this collection of heroic romances.
Featuring stories by Carina Alyce EmKay Connor Karigan Hale Lolo Paige LC Taylor Samantha Thomas
Thank you to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to participate in celebrating the publication day of The Ticklemore Tavern, the latest addition to Liz Davies’s charming Ticklemore series.
The Ticklemore Tavern Violet makes her own gin. Logan Cassidy sells it in his pub, The Ticklemore Tavern. It should have been a match made in heaven, especially since the pair of them fancy the socks off each other, and they are both young, free and single. Except… Logan’s mum, Marie, doesn’t think Violet is good enough for her son. No woman is, or ever will be. And when she becomes ill, Logan is torn between looking after his mum or following his heart. However, neither Logan, nor Marie, has taken the sheer force of nature that is Violet into account. What Violet wants, Violet gets. Usually… But maybe not this time, eh?
It wasovely tocomeback to one ofmy favourite fictional villages, see the familiar faces and catch up with what’s been going on in their lives, and, of course, see a new couple find their happily-ever-after.
This time it’s the turn of everyone’s favourite publican Logan who’s been focusing on running his business and taking care of his rather controlling mum Marie for too long. Logan’s father walked out from their lives when Logan was just five and Marie did a great job ofraising Logan on her own. But now he is 33 and enjoys having his own space and making his own decisions, so why isMariefinding it so hard to let him find a girlafter his own heart?
Meet Violet Archer- a successful gin distiller with lovely, vivacious personality. She is trying to expand her customer base by offering her product samples to local pub managers. When she meets Logan there is a definite spark and both of them are single and unattached. Seems like fates are smiling at her…If only his mother didn’tdislike her quite as much from the word go…If I were Violet, I would have run for the hills, but to Violet’s credit she isn’t easily intimidated and happens to think that Logan is worth fighting for.
I love Liz Davies’s easy, engaging writing style and her lovely sense of humour. Once again,she has created interesting protagonists with great personalities, as well as introducing new secondary characters in addition to the recurring cast. You’ve got to admire everyone’s favourite octogenarian couple- Hattie and Alfred. Hattie doesn’t mince her words and sees through Marie’s tricks straightaway.
Ticklemore is a fabulous community and it’s always a pleasure to see how much its inhabitants care for each other’s well-being and happiness. Can’t wait to read the next story in this lovely series!
Author Bio – Liz Davies writes feel-good, light-hearted stories with a hefty dose of romance, a smattering of humour, and a great deal of love. She’s married to her best friend, has one grown-up daughter, and when she isn’t scribbling away in the notepad she carries with her everywhere (just in case inspiration strikes), you’ll find her searching for that perfect pair of shoes. She loves to cook but isn’t very good at it, and loves to eat – she’s much better at that! Liz also enjoys walking (preferably on the flat), cycling (also on the flat), and lots of sitting around in the garden on warm, sunny days. She currently lives with her family in Wales, but would ideally love to buy a camper van and travel the world in it. Website: https://lizdaviesauthor.wixsite.com/home
Rora is a shapeshifter, a forestborn who swore to never return the deadly woods in which she was raised. But when Prince Finley, her best friend, is stricken with a magical illness, his only hope is a cure that lies deep in the wilderness of the forest.
How far would you go to save your best friend?
TO BE BORN OF THE FOREST IS A GIFT AND A CURSE.
Rora is a shifter, as magical as all those born in the wilderness—and as feared. She uses her abilities to spy for the king, traveling under different guises and listening for signs of trouble.
When a magical illness surfaces across the kingdom, Rora uncovers a devastating truth: Finley, the young prince and her best friend, has caught it. His only hope is stardust, the rarest of magical elements, found deep in the wilderness where Rora grew up—and to which she swore never to return.
But for her only friend, Rora will face her past and brave the dark, magical wood, journeying with her brother and the obstinate, older prince who insists on coming. Together, they must survive sentient forests and creatures unknown, battling an ever-changing landscape while escaping human pursuers who want them dead. With illness gripping the kingdom and war on the horizon, Finley’s is not the only life that hangs in the balance.
ELAYNE AUDREY BECKER graduated from Vassar College with a BA in Classics and history and continued her education at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland after time spent as an editor at a New York publisher. She grew up with a lake and woods as her backyard, spending long days outside and visiting national parks with her family.
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