Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful!
One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at Flashlight Commentary, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. I've decided to join in this year and will link to their posts down below.
So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....
M.J. Rose's covers are always gorgeous so it was no surprise to me that the cover for her next installment in The Daughters of La Lune would be jaw dropping. I love how each cover has similarities to the others in the series, but also changes certain aspects, such as the landscape at the bottom, the woman looming above, and the overall color scheme. The shading of this one seems a little darker, and I'm curious to see if that is due to a darker nature within the story or just to utilize a different color palette. Either way I'm in!
Here's the synopsis:
In this riveting and richly drawn novel from “one of the master storytellers of historical fiction” (New York Times bestseller Beatriz Williams), a talented young artist flees New York for Paris after one of her scandalous drawings reveals a dark secret—and triggers a terrible tragedy.
In the wake of a dark and brutal World War, the glitz and glamour of 1925 Manhattan shine like a beacon for the high society set, which is desperate to keep their gaze firmly fixed to the future. But Delphine Duplessi sees more than most. At a time in her career when she could easily be unknown and penniless, like so many of her classmates from L’École de Beaux Arts, in America she has gained notoriety for her stunning “shadow portraits” that frequently expose her subjects’ most scandalous secrets—for better or for worse. Most nights Delphine doesn’t mind that her gift has become mere entertainment—a party trick—for the fashionable crowd. Though her ancestor La Lune, the legendary sixteenth-century courtesan and—like Delphine—a witch, might have thought differently.
Then, on a snowy night in February, in a penthouse high above Fifth Avenue, Delphine’s mystical talent leads to a tragedy between two brothers. Horrified, she renounces her gift.
Devastated and disconsolate, Delphine returns to her old life in the south of France where Picasso, Matisse, and the Fitzgeralds are summering. There, Delphine is thrust into recapturing the past. First by her charismatic twin brother and business manager Sebastian in his attempts to cajole her back to work and into co-dependence, then by the world famous opera singer Emma Calvé, who is obsessed with the centuries-old Book of Abraham, written by the fourteenth-century alchemist Nicolas Flamel. And finally by her ex-lover Mathieu, who is determined to lure her back into his arms, unaware of the danger that had led Delphine to flee Paris for New York five years before.
Trapped in an ancient chateau where hidden knowledge lurks in the shadows, Delphine questions and in many ways rejects what and who she loves the most—her art, her magick, her family, her brother, and Mathieu—as she tries to finally accept them as the gifts they are and to shed her fear of loving and living with her eyes wide open.
Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week:
To change things up this year, I've decided to do a monthly post on 5 books from my insane wish list that I am most excited about getting to. Some might be new, some old and some out of print...my wish list has it all! I'll pick a theme each month and share my wish list post on the last Friday of the month. I know a number of excellent reviewers who will be doing similar posts and I'll be sure to link to their posts as well so you can see all the goodies we're excited about and, hopefully, add a few new book to your own wish list.
For January I've decided to highlight what I call unusual mysteries. These aren't your run-of-the-mill whodunits but books with unreliable narrators, touches of mysticism to deepen the mystery or complicated circumstances that you don't find in just any story. I'll link the titles to Goodreads where you can read reviews and find the various ways to purchase a copy if it sounds like your style. I really hope you enjoy and let me know if you've read any of these or have other unusual mysteries you would add to the list.
For fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, an electrifying thriller that will take you into the dark spaces that exist between a husband and a wife.
When the police started asking questions, Jean Taylor turned into a different woman. One who enabled her and her husband to carry on, when more bad things began to happen...
But that woman’s husband died last week. And Jean doesn’t have to be her anymore.
There’s a lot Jean hasn’t said over the years about the crime her husband was suspected of committing. She was too busy being the perfect wife, standing by her man while living with the accusing glares and the anonymous harassment.
Now there’s no reason to stay quiet. There are people who want to hear her story. They want to know what it was like living with that man. She can tell them that there were secrets. There always are in a marriage.
The truth—that’s all anyone wants. But the one lesson Jean has learned in the last few years is that she can make people believe anything…
New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl, Mary Kubica returns with an electrifying and addictive tale of deceit and obsession
In downtown Chicago, a young woman named Esther Vaughan disappears from her apartment without a trace. A haunting letter addressed to My Dearest is found among her possessions, leaving her friend and roommate Quinn Collins to wonder where Esther is and whether or not she's the person Quinn thought she knew.
Meanwhile, in a small Michigan harbor town an hour outside Chicago, a mysterious woman appears in the quiet coffee shop where eighteen-year-old Alex Gallo works as a dishwasher. He is immediately drawn to her charm and beauty, but what starts as an innocent crush quickly spirals into something far more dark and sinister than he ever expected.
As Quinn searches for answers about Esther, and Alex is drawn further under Pearl's spell, master of suspense Mary Kubica takes readers on a taut and twisted thrill ride that builds to a stunning conclusion and shows that no matter how fast and far we run, the past always catches up with us in the end.
For fans of Shirley Jackson, Neil Gaiman, Roald Dahl, and Edward Gorey, a beguiling and disarming debut novel from an award-winning British author about a mysterious group of children who appear to a disfigured recluse and his country doctor,and the startling revelations their behavior evokes.
In a sprawling estate, willfully secluded, lives Morgan Fletcher, the disfigured heir to a fortune of mysterious origins. Morgan spends his days in quiet study, avoiding his reflection in mirrors and the lake at the end of his garden. One day, two children, Moira and David, appear. Morgan takes them in, giving them free reign of the mansion he shares with his housekeeper Engel. Then more children begin to show up.
Dr. Crane, the town physician and Morgan's lone tether to the outside world, is as taken with the children as Morgan, and begins to spend more time in Morgan's library. But the children behave strangely. They show a prescient understanding of Morgan's past, and their bizarre discoveries in the mansion attics grow increasingly disturbing. Every day the children seem to disappear into the hidden rooms of the estate, and perhaps, into the hidden corners of Morgan's mind.
The Children's Home is a genre-defying, utterly bewitching masterwork, an inversion of modern fairy tales like The Chronicles of Narnia and The Golden Compass, in which children visit faraway lands to accomplish elusive tasks. Lambert writes from the perspective of the visited, weaving elements of psychological suspense, Jamesian stream of consciousness, and neo-gothic horror, to reveal the inescapable effects of abandonment, isolation, and the grotesque - as well as the glimmers of goodness - buried deep within the soul.
“The Last September is a wonderful, glowing book populated by characters that become a part of your life long after the last page has been turned. It is the type of novel writers admire and readers long for.” —Jason Mott, author of The Returned
Brett has been in love with her husband, Charlie, from the day she laid eyes on him in college. When he is found murdered, Brett is devastated. But if she is honest with herself, their marriage had been hanging by a thread for quite some time.
All clues point to Charlie’s mentally ill brother, Eli, but any number of people might have been driven to kill Charlie--a handsome, charismatic man who unwittingly damaged almost every life he touched. Brett is determined to understand how such a tragedy could have happened--and whether she was somehow complicit.
Set against the desolate autumn beauty of Cape Cod, The Last September is a riveting emotional puzzle that takes readers inside the psyche of a woman facing down the meaning of love and loyalty.
Like Girl on the Train and Gone Girl, Remember Mia is a riveting psychological suspense, exploring what happens when a young mother’s worst nightmare becomes devastatingly real…
First I remember the darkness. Then I remember the blood. I don’t know where my daughter is.
Estelle Paradise wakes up in a hospital after being found near dead at the bottom of a ravine with a fragmented memory and a vague sense of loss. Then a terrifying reality sets in: her daughter is missing.
Days earlier, Estelle discovered her baby’s crib empty in their Brooklyn apartment. There was no sign of a break-in, but all traces of seven-month-old Mia had disappeared. Her diapers, her clothes, her bottles—all gone.
Frustrated and unable to explain her daughter’s disappearance, Estelle begins a desperate search. But when the lack of evidence casts doubt on her story, Estelle becomes the number one suspect in the eyes of the police and the media.
As hope of reuniting with Mia becomes all she has left, Estelle will do anything to find answers: What has she done to her baby? And what has someone else done to her?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Check out these lovely blogs for more books to add to your wish list:
Magdalena at It's a Mad Mad World shared her top 5 haunted house wish list books HERE.
Stephanie at Layered Pages shared 5 of her most anticipated Historical Fiction/Classic re-telling novels HERE.
Heather at The Maiden's Court shared her top 5 wish list novels set in Colonial/Revolutionary America HERE.
Erin at Flashlight Commentary shared her 5 WWI wish list books HERE.
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired Books shared her wish list HERE.
Publication Date: September 8, 2015 St. Martin’s Press Formats: eBook, Paperback, Hardcover Pages: 320 ISBN13: 978-1250063939
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance
Synopsis
One extraordinary Saxon noblewoman and one fearless Viking warrior find passion and danger in this dazzling and sensuous debut.
Marissa Campbell’s debut novel is a winning combination of romance, history, and adventure sure to appeal to fans of Diana Gabaldon.
It is 869. For eighteen years, Avelynn, the beautiful and secretly pagan daughter of the Eadlorman of Somerset has lived in an environment of love and acceptance. She hasn’t yet found a man to make her heart race, but her father has not pressured her to get married. Until now. With whispers of war threatening their land, her father forces Avelynn into a betrothal with Demas, a man who only covets her wealth and status. The dreaded marriage looming, she turns to her faith, searching for answers in an ancient ritual along the coast, only to find Alrik the Blood-Axe and sixty Viking berserkers have landed.
Alrik is unlike any man she has ever known, strong and intriguing. Likewise, he instantly falls for her beauty and courage. The two stumble into a passionate love affair, but it’s more than just a greedy suitor who will try to keep them apart.
As the Saxons and Vikings go to war, Avelynn and Alrik find themselves caught in the throes of fate. Can they be true to their people as well as to each other?
What Did I Think About the Story?
Avelynn is one of my favorite characters I have come across in a while. When the novel first opens she is almost too smart and willful for her own good, especially given the time she lives in. But being raised and educated to believe she was meant for more than the traditional roles of a well-born girl, not only expected to run her father's estate when he is gone but to become a pagan high priestess (this, of course, hidden from most everyone since the move to Christianity would find her burned for that designation), she is not willing to let her father broker a marriage to a man she doesn't love, even if it might keep her safe from the invading Vikings. This spirit doesn't fade but deepens and matures, even when Avelynn is faced with a murderous and conniving fiancée and uncle determined to take everything away from her or with the possibility of having to leave the world she has always known behind to escape to freedom with Alrik. Through it all her faith, strength and determination to set all the wrongs that befall her right and claim what is hers never waivers and she remains true to herself. Given all that happens to her during the novel I find this remarkable and I was cheering her on the whole way.
The mysticism and traditions of Avelynn's pagan faith are fascinating and very well developed. This sort of otherworldly aspect was a wonderful counterpoint to the more solid and real dangers and obligations that she faced in her life. I found it interesting that the "savage, blood-thirsty" Vikings seemed to have more respect for Avelynn's religion than her English Christian counterparts. Through the novel it was made perfectly clear that there were horrid individuals on both sides of the battle, but kindness and loyalty too.
Sensitive readers should be warned that there are quite graphic battle and sex scenes throughout Avelynn. I found them perfectly fitting given the context of the novel but thought it should be noted for those that are squeamish about that sort of thing. The passion between Avelynn and Alrik is palpable and watching it develop and deepen into true love and respect was very satisfying.
The book ends with just about every possible storyline left waving in the breeze unresolved. Going over what those are would give away too much of the surprising plot twists but I will say I am very eager to see what happens next for Avelynn, Alrik and many of the other characters. Being that Avelynn seems resolved to take a stand against those that have wronged her, I have a feeling the next book is going to be choked full of action and conflict.
Loving history as much as I do, I really wish the author had included an author note of some kind at the end of the novel, giving the reader a better idea of what was fact and where the story moved off to fiction. The battle strategies, celebration traditions and both Christian and Pagan worship practices are very well drawn and I will have to look further into whether these are true to history or not. I plan to do just that as having read Avelynn has sparked an interest in Medieval history and I cannot wait to learn more about it.
What Did I Think About the Cover?
I like it a lot! The girl on the front looks somewhat like the Avelynn I kept picturing in my head, with the long blonde hair in a loose, sort of messy braid. The Viking ship off the coast fits the portions of the novel where Avelynn and Alrik come together in secret and the raven plays a big part in Avelynn's early visions of the devastation to come. Not my favorite cover ever but definitely eye-catching.
My Rating: 4.5/5.0
Thank you to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for providing me with a free copy of Avelynn in exchange for an honest review. Be sure to continue below for more information about the author, the book, the rest of the blog tour and your chance to win a copy!
Praise for Avelynn
"Marissa Campbell brings a long-forgotten era splendidly to life in this adventurous and passionate debut.” – Susanna Kearsley, New York Times bestselling author
“Avelynn is a captivating tale of star-crossed lovers. He is a Viking and she is a Saxon. Their struggle to be together will lead you on an exciting journey through a background filled with rich and detailed description.” – Connie Mason, New York Times bestselling author of Viking Warrior
“Marissa Campbell’s Avelynn is a fast-paced, rollicking historical novel whose irresistible heroine starts out as the willful daughter of a Saxon earl and evolves into a warrior and leader, as fierce as she is passionate.” – Barbara Rogan, author of A Dangerous Fiction and Suspicion
“A hot-blooded tale of Viking invasion, Saxon valor, and a love that conquers kingdoms. Get ready to be bewitched by the bold, brave Avelynn.” – Barbara Kyle, author of The Queen’s Exiles
Marissa Campbell is a published freelance author, and co-author of the award-winning, spiritual self-help book Life: Living in Fulfillment Every Day.
Look for her debut historical fiction Avelynn coming September 8th, 2015, from St. Martin’s Press.
Currently hard at work on the second book in the Avelynn series, she is a proud member of the Historical Novel Society, Romance Writers of America, Writer’s Community of Durham Region, and local critique group B7.
When she is not writing, she is busy looking after her wonderful children, spending time with her fantastic husband, hanging out with her awesome friends, teaching yoga, dancing, laughing, and having fun!
Thanks again to the lovely Amy at HF Virtual Book Tours I have one paperback copy of Avelynn up for grabs! This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only and all you have to do is enter your name and email address on the giveaway form HERE. Please be sure to enter BOTH your name and email address so I can contact you if you are the winner.
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That's it! I'll pick a winner on October 8th and the winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email before I have to pick another winner.
Good Luck!!
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