Cover Crush: A People's History of the Vampire Uprising by Raymond A. Villareal

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. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.

 

So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....

 

 

 

 

This is such a simple cover but I just can't stop looking at it. I think it's the eye staring out at me! I think the bright red definitely makes me think of blood, especially next to the huge words "vampire" under the eye, and I love that white is used for the wording so it really stands out. I think the uncluttered cover also gives the illusion of a history book. But there again is that eye that won't look away! I don't know, I just like it!

 

Let's see what this "history" book has to teach us...

 

 

A virus that turns people into something somehow more than human quickly sweeps the world, upending society as we know it.
This panoramic thriller begins with one small mystery. The body of a young woman found in an Arizona border town, presumed to be an illegal immigrant, walks out of the town morgue. To the young CDC investigator called in to consult the local police, it's a bizarre medical mystery.

More bodies, dead of a mysterious disease that solidifies their blood, are brought to the morgue, and disappear. In a futile game of catch-up, the CDC, the FBI, and the US government must come to terms with what they're too late to stop: an epidemic of vampirism that will sweep first the United States, and then the world.

Impossibly strong, smart, poised, beautiful, and commanding, these vampires reject the term as derogatory, preferring the euphemistic "gloamings." They quickly rise to prominence in all aspects of modern society: sports, entertainment, and business. Soon people are begging to be 're-created,' willing to accept the risk of death if their bodies can't handle the transformation. The stakes change yet again when a charismatic and wealthy businessman, recently turned, decides to do what none of his kind has done before: run for political office.

This sweeping yet deeply intimate fictional oral history--told from the perspectives of several players on all sides of the titular vampire uprising--is a genre-bending, shocking, immersive and subversive debut that is as addictive as the power it describes.

 

 

Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):



Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Erin at Flashlight Commentary
Heather at The Maiden's Court
Stephanie at Layered Pages
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired



Created by Magdalena of A Bookaholic Swede

 

 

Cover Crush: The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell

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.....

Okay, I'm going to admit right here that I purchased a copy of this book as soon as I saw this cover. I just couldn't help myself! And, let me tell you, as gorgeous as the picture above looks, it cannot even touch how beautiful it looks in person. On top of all of the imagery drawing your eyes around the cover, tempting you into wondering how they might all fit into the story, the center keyhole showing the eye is actually a cut out! When you open the cover you get a gorgeous picture of a woman. It really is quite stunning and I can't help but keep staring at this cover. It's my new favorite!

Reading below to learn what you can expect from the story behind this alluring cover....

Inspired by the work of Shirley Jackson and Susan Hill and set in a crumbling country mansion, The Silent Companions is an unsettling gothic ghost story to send a shiver down the spine...

Newly married, newly widowed Elsie is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husband's crumbling country estate, The Bridge.

With her new servants resentful and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie only has her husband's awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. But inside her new home lies a locked room, and beyond that door lies a two-hundred-year-old diary and a deeply unsettling painted wooden figure – a Silent Companion – that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself..

Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):


Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Meghan at Of Quills & Vellum
Erin at Flashlight Commentary
Heather at The Maiden's Court
Stephanie at Layered Pages
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired



Created by Magdalena of A Bookaholic Swede

Review: Strange Weather by Joe Hill

Pub. Date: October 24th, 2017
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 448

Genres: Fiction / Mystery / Thriller / Suspense / Paranormal / Horror / Short Stories

Synopsis

A collection of four chilling novels, ingeniously wrought gems of terror from the brilliantly imaginative, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman, Joe Hill


“Snapshot” is the disturbing story of a Silicon Valley adolescent who finds himself threatened by “The Phoenician,” a tattooed thug who possesses a Polaroid Instant Camera that erases memories, snap by snap.

A young man takes to the skies to experience his first parachute jump. . . and winds up a castaway on an impossibly solid cloud, a Prospero’s island of roiling vapor that seems animated by a mind of its own in “Aloft.”

On a seemingly ordinary day in Boulder, Colorado, the clouds open up in a downpour of nails—splinters of bright crystal that shred the skin of anyone not safely under cover. “Rain” explores this escalating apocalyptic event, as the deluge of nails spreads out across the country and around the world.

In “Loaded,” a mall security guard in a coastal Florida town courageously stops a mass shooting and becomes a hero to the modern gun rights movement. But under the glare of the spotlights, his story begins to unravel, taking his sanity with it. When an out-of-control summer blaze approaches the town, he will reach for the gun again and embark on one last day of reckoning. 


Masterfully exploring classic literary themes through the prism of the supernatural, Strange Weather is a stellar collection from an artist who is "quite simply the best horror writer of our generation" (Michael Koryta).

What Did I Think About the Story?

I'm not afraid to admit that I've become something of a super fan of Joe Hill's stories. The audiobook version of his graphic novel series, Locke & Key, is still the best audiobook I've listened to to date and this year alone I've either read or listened to three more, including this newest short novel collection, Strange Weather (don't worry, I've purchased all of the rest, save 20th Century Ghosts, so I'm sure I'll be all caught up by the end of next year). My review of the audiobook version of Horns will post next week in fact.  With each new read/listen my love of the way he can spin a story and awe at his uncanny ability to make something quite horrific feel very down-to-earth and relatable through his complex characterizations grows exponentially. He draws me into these fantastical worlds each and every time and not only entertains me but makes me think about the deeper underlying messages as well. These abilities are all too evident in Strange Weather, four unique and intriguing stories bunched loosely together by the unpredictability and power of weather.

All four of these stories, described accurately as short novels as they really are well developed for such short lengths, had something to keep my attention drawn to the page. Joe Hill leaves no room for fluff and each line is clearly well thought out and developed so you jump into the story and stay along for the ride, nearly breathless, until it's over. They each have satisfying conclusions as well, so I never felt like I was only getting part of a story but was witnessing the progression, from beginning to end, of the odd and horrifying situations each of the characters were going through. I can't really ask for anything else in a story collection and was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed each story as I've never been a huge fan of collections before and typically enjoy one or two stories out of a bunch.

Even having enjoyed all of the stories, my favorite (because there always has to be a favorite, right?) and the one that really got me thinking the most was Loaded. This might be because I've always lived in Florida and so have seen first hand the often backwards way people look at guns and the gun laws here. It could also be because this story in particular seemed relevant and realistic to the often twisting and scary world we currently live in. I won't say too much in case I give anything away, but I will say that it deals with gun ownership and violence, mental illness and the effect military service might have on the psyche of a person returned from active duty, and the immense influence and reach of the media. Like I'm sure you would expect, things get quite out of hand and it really makes you question who should have access to guns and whether guns are needed to protect you from the exact people who maybe shouldn't have guns but do. The last line actually gave me chills!

My next favorite story was Rain, which, while not actually grounded in our current reality (it hasn't started raining crystal nails yet that I know of) there is enough of the realistic to make it seem like something that could happen, which is terrifying. What I enjoyed most about this story was the evolution of the mystery surrounding what - and who - caused the crystalized rain as well as seeing how our current modern world could devolve if this sort of chaos happened. The very worst and the very best would come out of people and it was really interesting seeing just what side of the coin the various characters ended up falling on.

The other two stories - Snapshot and Aloft - were wonderful as well, leaning much more to the fantastical side of things than the realistic. Snapshot is a sort of ode to the 80s, which I loved, showing an overweight, shy adolescent stand up to his fears and grow up a little as he tries to stop a very unusual and sinister man. Aloft was a really interesting way of looking at overcoming fear and learning to move on, both from situations that might not be emotionally good for you and from situations that might actually kill you. I really enjoyed disappearing into these strange worlds and seeing the moralistic sorts of messages within the fantastical.

Strange Weather was my first foray into Joe Hill's short story collections and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.    As I said above I've never been a huge fan of short stories before as they often feel like only part of the story, however this has changed my thinking somewhat and I'm now kind of excited to see what other collections I might find. It seems that Hill's writing translates well whether it's a story under 100 pages, one over 400, or an audiobook to listen to on your commute. He seems to be able to do it all!     

What Did I Think About the Cover?

I actually picked this cover for a Cover Crush post not long ago and like it as much now as I did when I first saw it. I especially love all of the images embedded within the silhouette of the falling man. This is such a captivating cover for me and really highlights the many strange and unexpected elements of the stories you'll find within.


My Rating: 4.0/5.0

I purchased a copy of Strange Weather for my own library. All opinions are mine alone. For more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase your own copy, see Goodreads HERE.

 

 



Review: Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Pub. Date: December 22nd, 2009
Pages: 384

Genre: Fiction / Thriller / Paranormal Suspense / Horror

Synopsis

Aging, self-absorbed rock star Judas Coyne has a thing for the macabre -- his collection includes sketches from infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy, a trepanned skull from the 16th century, a used hangman's noose, Aleister Crowley's childhood chessboard, etc. -- so when his assistant tells him about a ghost for sale on an online auction site, he immediately puts in a bid and purchases it.

The black, heart-shaped box that Coyne receives in the mail not only contains the suit of a dead man but also his vengeance-obsessed spirit. The ghost, it turns out, is the stepfather of a young groupie who committed suicide after the 54-year-old Coyne callously used her up and threw her away. Now, determined to kill Coyne and anyone who aids him, the merciless ghost of Craddock McDermott begins his assault on the rocker's sanity.


“Wild, mesmerizing, perversely witty….A Valentine from hell.”—Janet Maslin, New York Times

What Did I Think About the Story?

After listening to the audiobook version of Joe Hill's graphic novel Locke and Key - which I still consider the best audiobook I've ever listened to (see my review) - I went out and bought all of his novels. At that point they all sat on either my Kindle or my physical shelves waiting to be read, like so many others. Every time I mentioned wanting to read a scary story my boss raved about Heart-Shaped Box. She brought it up every...single...time! Finally, I decided it was time to give it a shot. I was in the mood for something scary and this fit the bill after all. I am now kicking myself for waiting so long! Not only is this story terrifying, especially in the beginning, but it ended up being so much deeper than I expected.

From the very beginning there is a "bump in the night" kind of creepiness that sets in, making this reader feel incredibly unsettled (which is great when reading a scary story!). As the synopsis states, Judas Coyne receives a ghost attached to an old man's suit that he purchased online, a ghost that it turns out has a personal vendetta against Judas. And boy oh boy does he start terrorizing Judas and his girlfriend, Georgia (real name Marybeth), from the moment that box arrives. As Craddock, the ghost, starts popping up around Judas's house he doesn't just stand around spooking people, no. He starts taking over their minds (turns out Craddock was a sadistic hypnotist when he was alive), herky-jerky moving around the house, whispering in ears and trying to get Judas and the people around him to either kill themselves or kill Judas. This in particular I found terrifying because how do you stop a ghost, who has this particular ability, from taking over your mind? And when Judas starts hearing horrible things - including dead people! - on the phone and through the radio I nearly jumped out of my skin!

Once Judas determines he is going to go on a road trip to confront the woman who sold him the ghost the scope and depth of the story builds. The actual race to find a way to stop this ghost before death literally catches up to them allows the tension to get tighter and tighter. Beyond that, Judas's reevaluation of his life and what he has done in his past makes this become a redemption story, one about a  man facing all the bad things he's done in his past and forgiving himself for these past mistakes (figuratively putting his ghosts to rest) in order to try and move on and have a better life....if he can survive, that is. On top of this there's even a love story component - if an unusual one - and I was really happy to see a true building and acknowledgement of affection between Judas and Marybeth. I'm not going to give anything away about the ending, but I will say I would never have thought of the story ending that way.

Heart-Shaped Box has just about every component I can think of wrapped up in one thrilling package, something I didn't expect at all and which I absolutely loved! There's definitely scares and grit and gore, but there's so  much more than that. I am now a forever fan of Joe Hill and cannot wait to read his other novels! 

What Did I Think About the Cover?

It's not a favorite cover but, after reading the story, it does fit what is going on. Craddock talks throughout the story about taking Judas down a road that would clearly lead to hell and, in one insanely creepy part, someone - who happens to be dead, mind you - calls Judas to say he's stuck on the side of the road and could he come and help him. Judas also physically goes on a road trip to try and stop Craddock and, metaphorically, he also has to travel down the road of self awareness and forgiveness before the story ends. So lots of roads this could represent!


My Rating: 4.5/5.0

I purchased a copy of Heart-Shaped Box for my own library. All opinions are mine alone. You can find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, on Goodreads HERE.

 

 



Audiobook Review: The Tale of Halcyon Crane by Wendy Webb

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Pub. Date: March 30th, 2010
Length: 9 hours, 50 minutes

Genres: Mystery/ Fiction/ Paranormal

Synopsis

A young woman travels alone to a remote island to uncover a past she never knew was hers in this thrilling modern ghost story


When a mysterious letter lands in Hallie James's mailbox, her life is upended. Hallie was raised by her loving father, having been told her mother died in a fire decades earlier. But it turns out that her mother, Madlyn, was alive until very recently. Why would Hallie's father have taken her away from Madlyn? What really happened to her family thirty years ago?

In search of answers, Hallie travels to the place where her mother lived, a remote island in the middle of the Great Lakes. The stiff islanders fix her first with icy stares and then unabashed amazement as they recognize why she looks so familiar, and Hallie quickly realizes her family's dark secrets are enmeshed in the history of this strange place. But not everyone greets her with such a chilly reception―a coffee-shop owner and the family's lawyer both warm to Hallie, and the possibility of romance blooms. And then there's the grand Victorian house bequeathed to her―maybe it's the eerie atmosphere or maybe it's the prim, elderly maid who used to work for her mother, but Hallie just can't shake the feeling that strange things are starting to happen . . .


In The Tale of Halcyon Crane, Wendy Webb has created a haunting story full of delicious thrills, vibrant characters, and family secrets.

What Did I Think About the Story?

This is the third novel I've read/listened to by Wendy Webb (I've also read The Vanishing and The Fate of Mercy Alban) and what I've really come to appreciate about her novels is her utter ability to spook me. She has this way of using bumps and creaks and whispers to raise the hair on the back of my neck and I just find that so delicious! She has this innate ability with descriptions to completely wrap the reader/listener into the story, which can be a little unnerving given the author's propensity for thrills and chills. Before beginning any of her books I know, from the descriptions and past experience, that I'm in for a treat, and The Tale of Halcyon Crane was no exception.

I actually purchased a paperwork copy of the book years ago, but already having three (!) paperback books I'm reading right now, as well as an eBook, I thought I'd have a better chance of getting to The Tale of Halcyon Crane more quickly if I listened to it on my commute. The narrator, Cassandra Campbell, was exceptional and hit all the qualities that I've come to love in an audiobook narrator. She was able to keep the tension taut when the story required it, but also give levity and humor to the descriptions and dialogue when needed. I think my absolute favorite part of her narration, which is partly her skill and partly Wendy Webb's wonderful writing, was her depictions of the giggling and whispering ghosts, and, most of all, their spooky, slightly sinister, singing. I am not ashamed to admit that there were a few times I got a slight shiver when listening to those portions of the narration.

As you can tell from the book synopsis, there are quite a few family mysteries for our main character, Hallie, to discover and work through during the story. Being that there are quite a few paranormal elements involved, I wasn't able to successfully guess where the story would take me, which I very much enjoyed. I just sat back, went along for the ride, and delighted in learning about the inhabitants of this isolated island, both in the present and the past, and how so many of them connected in unexpected ways. I think the author did a remarkable job of fleshing out all the characters we come across, both with vivid descriptions and through the various paranormal gifts Hallie and her family members possess, as well as completely immersing the reader in this somewhat confining, claustrophobic environment.

The Tale of Halcyon Crane is a wonderfully spooky story about learning who  you really are, coming to terms with your past, and laying old ghosts (both figuratively and literally) to rest. I was already a big fan of Wendy Webb's writing and continue to be so, but more than anything else I am so excited to have found an audiobook narrator that I love. I'll definitely be reading and listening more to both of these women in the future.

What Did I Think About the Cover?

I like it, although I'm not really sure who the girl on the front is supposed to be. Hallie was very young when her father took her away from the island, so I don't think that's her. It could be one of the myriad of ghosts that inhabit her family home, but I'm not sure which one would most fit that figure. However, no matter who it is supposed to be, the ghostly eeriness is evident and I think it fits the overall feel of the novel very well.


My Rating: 5.0/5.0

 

I borrowed a copy of the audiobook of The Tale of Halcyon Crane from my local library using the Overdrive app. All opinions are my own. You can find out more information about the book, including other reviews and where you can purchase your own copy, on Goodreads.

 

 



Excerpt of Aphrodite's Choice by Christy English

APHRODITE’S CHOICE
By Christy English

 



Excerpt 2, Chapter 2

 

Up Irving Street, Addy’s house sat on its double lot, surrounded by the flower garden the lawn service kept so carefully tended. She caught the scent of primroses as she came through the front gate. The house rose above her on a little hillock, its red brick and cheerful white shutters reminding her of what it felt like to come home. There was something about this place that moved her as nothing had in millennia.

            Maybe she was getting sentimental.

            As soon as she stepped onto her own property, her fear eased. She laughed at herself as she strolled up the front walk. Her imagination might just be running rampant.

The dappled shade of linden trees covered the flower-strewn walkway, and the morning sunlight streamed through the Tiffany glass on the front door, making the window gleam with jewel tones of red, blue and gold. As she basked in a patch of sunlight on her front porch, Clive opened the door.

            “Madam, do you intend to come inside?”

“Good morning, Clive.”

            Addy caught the eye of her butler, who glowered at her, his close-cropped hair almost military in its precision. But Clive Jennings had never been a military man. He had spent the years before he met her working for the royal family of Great Britain. Addy had stolen him away from his position as footman during a state dinner at Buckingham Palace, and he had never looked back.

            “There is tea in the breakfast room, Miss Stanfield.”

            “Thank you, Clive. I think I’ll just have a bath.”

            “Yes, Madam.”

            As amusing as Addy found him, Clive did not find her entertaining at all. It had been ten years since he had come across the pond to try to civilize her and her household, and thus begin civilizing the wilds of North America. He knew that she rarely, if ever, spent a night away from home. He also knew that she spent every night with a different man. Clive was too well-trained to raise an eyebrow, much less ask her where she had been.

            She never knew how Clive worked his magic, but by the time she had gone upstairs and entered her bedroom suite, hot Darjeeling tea was waiting for her, with milk, sugar and lemon. He had sent up fruit and croissants as well, knowing that both were her weakness. Addy didn’t need to eat, but she always enjoyed it.

            She kicked off her shoes, and stripped off last night’s party dress. Mina, her assistant, came out of the bathroom where she had started drawing Addy’s bath.

            Mina was a girl of Punjabi descent, with dark brown eyes and black hair that hung to her waist like a river of silk. Her mother had an obsession with vampire fiction in general and with Dracula in particular, and Mina had the curse of her name to prove it. Addy knew she was running late, because Mina was frowning.

            “Your appointment with Juliana is at ten,” Mina said.

“Juliana knows I’m always late to morning meetings. I’ll pay her to wait. Why are you really annoyed?”

            “My mother called.”

            “Ah.”

            Addy slipped into the deep marble tub that took up most of the floor space in her bathroom. A skylight let in the morning sun, and a vase of yellow roses from the hothouse stood on the vanity table, giving off their lingering perfume. Addy sighed as the warm water caressed her skin.

She loved hot baths. Before the 20th century, she hadn’t had a decent bath in the Western world since Rome. As a blonde, she did a lot of work in the West, so plumbing was just one more thing to love about the modern age.

            “Mom wants to know if you’ll come to her charity event at the Met this August.”

            “No one goes to New York in August.”

            Mina glowered. “I know that. You know that. Try telling that to my mother.”

            Addy washed her back with the rose-scented, goats’ milk soap she loved. “Send her a check. Tell her I’m in Europe that month, along with the rest of the world.”

            “The Europeans come here,” Mina said.

            “Good. Then I’ll have the Continent to myself.”

            “You, and a million other Americans from Iowa.”

            “Do they have a million people in Iowa?” Addy asked.

            Mina’s glower faded and a smile lurked at the corner of her mouth. “I could look it up.”

            “No need,” Addy said. “I love Americans. I look forward to spending August on the Riviera with them.”

            “You’re scheduled to visit Lake Como.”

            “Right…well, no Americans there.”

            “Only the occasional oil baron and movie star.”

            “Do they still have American oil barons?”

            Mina laughed, the last of her bad mood slipping away. “Every time I talk to my mother, I ask her why she named me Mina.”

            “But you know why.”

            “That damned book.”

            “Vampires and their ilk are indeed damned,” Addy said. “If you want, just change your name in court. I’ll pay for it.”

            Mina smiled then, her brown eyes warming behind her gold-rimmed glasses, making her look as young as her twenty-three years.

            “I’d better hang onto it. My mother would kill me.”

Addy sighed. Modern women, with all their freedoms and responsibilities, often allowed themselves to be bogged down by nonsense. As if, having the burdens of family and society removed, they insisted on creating new burdens, even minor ones, to hold themselves back. She climbed out of the sunken tub, and Mina turned away.

The girl would learn one day that life was too short. Change what you hate about your life, and move on. She had told Mina that mantra, again and again, but so far, her wisdom had fallen on deaf ears. Maybe the girl would figure it out tomorrow.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

Publication Date: May 20, 2016
eBook; ASIN: B01FZQ80F0

Series: The Goddess Diaries #1
Genre: Fantasy/Mythology/Paranormal/Romance

 

 

Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, still walks the modern world. No longer thronged by worshipers, Aphrodite heals the bodies and souls of the men she touches, one man, one night, at a time. But not everyone thinks of her as a long-dead myth. Someone is stalking her. The men who have hunted her kind as witches for centuries have passed their hatred on to their sons.

As she flees her enemies and tries to warn her sisters of the danger facing them once again, Aphrodite is followed by one of the members of the Brotherhood, a man who has been given the task of killing her, and any of her sisters who cross his path. But it does not take her long to discover that Steven Wharton is not a murderer, and his soul is one she has known before.

In this paranormal romance, a goddess’s past is brought to life, from the Greek city of Corinth to the shores of the island of Cyprus, at the court of Versailles to the burning city of Persepolis. But it is not until she meets Steve that Aphrodite falls in love for the first time. As she faces an ancient enemy, Aphrodite discovers that the love she feels, not the love she gives, is the root of her soul. And that love might even be the path to her freedom…

 

 

Buy the Book

 

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Ever since Christy English picked up a fake sword in stage combat class at the age of fourteen, she has lived vicariously through the sword-wielding women of her imagination. Sometimes an actor, always a storyteller, Christy works happily with Sourcebooks Casablanca to bring the knife-throwing women of her novels to life. A banker by day and a writer by night, she loves to eat chocolate, drink too many soft drinks, and walk the mountain trails of her home in western North Carolina.

Please visit her at http://www.ChristyEnglish.com. You can also find Christy on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

It's Giveaway Time!!

To win an eBook of Aphrodite’s Choice by Christy English, please enter via the Gleam form HERE. 5 eBooks are up for grabs!

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on September 9th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

– Giveaway is open Internationally.

– Only one entry per household.

– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

 

Good Luck!!

 

 

Aphrodite's Choice Blog Tour Schedule

 

Monday, August 29

Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, August 30

Review at Luxury Reading

Wednesday, August 31

Review & Excerpt at The Silver Dagger Scriptorium
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, September 1

Review at 100 Pages a Day
Review & Guest Post at Historical Fiction Obsession

Friday, September 2

Review at Just One More Chapter
Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Monday, September 5

Review at Broken Teepee
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Tuesday, September 6

Review at A Bookish Affair

Wednesday, September 7

Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Interview at A Bookish Affair
Excerpt at Buried Under Romance

Thursday, September 8

Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Excerpt at A Literary Vacation

Friday, September 9

Review at Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne

  











Spotlight on Sacred Legacy by Kat Flannery + Tour-wide Giveaway!!

Publication Date: July 31, 2016
Imajin Books
eBook & Paperback; 202 Pages
 
Series: The Branded Trilogy, Book 3
Genre: Historical/ Romance/ Western/ Paranormal


“Tsura is a Chuvani, and with that comes great power…


Desperate to escape the memories that haunt her, Tsura Harris returns to Jamestown, the very place her mother forbade her to go. A gifted Chuvani, Tsura has sworn off all magick, thus making her vulnerable to the Renoldi clan, who wish to kill her and take the pendant that is the key to her power.

Red Wolf is hell-bent on living his life on the sea, until he runs into Tsura on the docks. His pride wounded from her rejection years before, he hoped to never see her again. But when the evil Corsair, Romulus Black, demands to know where she is, Red Wolf must protect her, as is his duty.

But is duty and honor his only reason, or does Red Wolf still carry a flame of love in his heart? And will Tsura finally discover her destiny?

Praise for Sacred Legacy

“One of the few stories that captured me from beginning to end.” —USA Today bestselling author, Rosanne Bittner

Buy the Book

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Kat Flannery’s love of history shows in her novels. She is an avid reader of historical, suspense, paranormal, and romance. When not researching for her next book, Kat can be found running her CHASING CLOVERS has been on Amazon’s Bestsellers list many times and was #62 over all their titles. LAKOTA HONOR and BLOOD CURSE (Branded Trilogy) are Kat’s two award-winning novels and HAZARDOUS UNIONS is Kat’s first novella. Kat is currently hard at work on her next book.
three sons to hockey and lacrosse. She has her Certificate in Freelance and Business Writing. A member of many writing groups, Kat enjoys promoting other authors on her blog. She’s been published in numerous periodicals. Her debut novel

For more information please visit Kat Flannery’s website. You can find Kat on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

It's Giveaway Time!!

 

To enter the Sacred Legacy Giveaway for a $100 Amazon Gift Card, please see the GLEAM form HERE.

Rules

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on August 19th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

 

Giveaway is open internationally.

 

Only one entry per household.

 

All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

 

Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

 

 

Good Luck!

 

Sacred Legacy Blog Tour Schedule

 

 

Sunday, July 31

Tour Kick Off at Passages to the Past

Monday, August 1

Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Wednesday, August 3

Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Friday, August 5

Review at Back Porchervations

Wednesday, August 10

Review at The Book Junkie Reads

Thursday, August 11

Spotlight at Book Nerd

Monday, August 15

Review at The Silver Dagger Scriptorium

Wednesday, August 17

Guest Post at The Silver Dagger Scriptorium

Thursday, August 18

Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Friday, August 19

Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

 

 

 



Book Blast: The Forgotten Flapper by Laini Giles

The Forgotten Flapper: A Novel of Olive Thomas (Forgotten Actress Series, Volume 1)

Publication Date: August 1, 2015
Publisher: Sepia Stories Publishing
Formats: eBook & Trade Paperback
Pages: 411

Genre: Historical Fiction/Biographical


A presence lurks in New York City’s New Amsterdam Theatre when the lights go down and the audience goes home. They say she’s the ghost of Olive Thomas, one of the loveliest girls who ever lit up the Ziegfeld Follies and the silent screen. From her longtime home at the theater, Ollie’s ghost tells her story from her early life in Pittsburgh to her tragic death at twenty-five.

After winning a contest for “The Most Beautiful Girl in New York,” shopgirl Ollie modeled for the most famous artists in New York, and then went on to become the toast of Broadway. When Hollywood beckoned, Ollie signed first with Triangle Pictures, and then with Myron Selznick’s new production company, becoming most well known for her work as a “baby vamp,” the precursor to the flappers of the 1920s.

After a stormy courtship, she married playboy Jack Pickford, Mary Pickford’s wastrel brother. Together they developed a reputation for drinking, club-going, wrecking cars, and fighting, along with giving each other expensive make-up gifts. Ollie’s mysterious death in Paris’ Ritz Hotel in 1920 was one of Hollywood’s first scandals, ensuring that her legend lived on.

Buy the Book

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

 

 

About the Author

 

 

A native of Austin, Texas, Laini Giles grew up the daughter of bookworms, and became a Nancy Drew devotee early on. When she realized there might be no escape from hairy tarantulas and bad guys with guns, she put her detective dreams on hold and wrote about them instead, finishing her first mystery novel with custom illustrations when she was eight. It was this love of mystery combined with a love of old MGM musicals and The Marx Brothers that led her to check Kenneth Anger’s Hollywood Babylon out of the library during her formative years. Ideas began to simmer.

A graduate of the University of North Texas, she put the writing on hold for a while when real life
got in the way (i.e.—she met and married her Canadian husband and headed north for maple-flavored goodies and real beer). She highly recommends moving to another country and not being able to work for a year for finishing any novels you may have laying around.

Laini and her husband live in Edmonton, Alberta with their three gray girl cats, nicknamed The Supremes.

For more information visit Laini Giles’ website and blog. You can also find her on Twitter and Goodreads.

The Forgotten Flapper Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, August 3

Kick Off & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, August 4

Interview at The Maiden’s Court

Wednesday, August 5

Book Blast/Spotlight at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Thursday, August 6

Review at Book Nerd

Friday, August 7

Book Blast/Spotlight at What Is That Book About

Monday, August 10

Review at Book Babe

Tuesday, August 11

Book Blast/Spotlight at Room With Books

Wednesday, August 12

Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Thursday, August 13

Review at Beth’s Book Nook Blog

Friday, August 14

Spotlight & Giveaway at To Read, or Not to Read

Saturday, August 15

Book Blast/Spotlight at Please Pass the Books

Monday, August 17

Book Blast/Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Tuesday, August 18

Book Blast/Spotlight at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, August 19

Review at A Book Drunkard

Thursday, August 20

Spotlight & Giveaway at View From the Birdhouse

Friday, August 21

Book Blast/Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Monday, August 24

Review at A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, August 26

Review & Giveaway at Raven Haired Girl

Thursday, August 27

Book Blast/Spotlight at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

 

 

 

 



Spotlight on Haunted by Lynn Carthage

Publication Date: February 24th, 2015
Kensington Books
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 288

 

Series: Book One, The Arnaud Legacy
 

Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal

 

Sixteen-year-old Phoebe Irving has traded life in San Francisco for her stepfather’s ancestral mansion in rural England. It’s supposed to be the new start her family needs. But from the moment she crosses the threshold into the ancient estate, Phoebe senses something ominous. Then again, she’s a little sensitive lately—not surprising when her parents are oblivious to her, her old life is six thousand miles away, and the only guy around is completely gorgeous but giving her mixed messages.

 

But at least Miles doesn’t laugh at Phoebe’s growing fears. And she can trust him…maybe. The locals whisper about the manor’s infamous original owner, Madame Arnaud, and tell grim stories of missing children and vengeful spirits. Phoebe is determined to protect her loved ones—especially her little sister, Tabby. But even amidst the manor’s dark shadows, the deepest mysteries may involve Phoebe herself…

 

 

Praise for Haunted

 

 

“If you like American Horror Story, you will love Lynn Carthage’s Haunted. Carthage delivers a spooky, fun trip across the pond. Loved!” -Danielle Paige, New York Times bestselling author of Dorothy Must Die

 

“Erika Mailman has crafted a remarkable neo-Gothic thriller with a twist you’ll never see coming.” -Michelle Gagnon, author of Don’t Look Now

 

 

Buy the Book

 

 

Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon (Paperback)
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
IndieBound

 

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Lynn Carthage is a novelist living in Sacramento, California, near where the Gold Rush launched. Under her real name, she was a Bram Stoker Award finalist. Born in Vermont, Lynn has lived in Maine, Ireland, and Arizona. She reads voraciously, loves anything French, gets “itchy feet” to travel on a regular basis, and finds peace in the woods, in meadows, in nature. She has always been
HAUNTED is her first young adult novel, and will be followed by the next two books in the Arnaud Legacy trilogy.

fascinated by how history allows us to imagine how people of the past lived and breathed and felt.

 

For more information please visit Lynn Carthage’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

 

 

Haunted Blog Tour Schedule

 

 

Tuesday, February 24

 

Review at Bibliophilia, Please

 

Wednesday, February 25

 

Spotlight at Paranormal Book Club

 

Thursday, February 26

 

Interview & Giveaway at Reading Lark

 

Friday, February 27

 

Review at 100 Pages a Day
Review at I Heart Reading

 

Monday, March 3

 

Review at Quirky Book Reviews
Guest Post at The Reader’s Hollow

 

Tuesday, March 4

 

Spotlight & Giveaway at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

 

Wednesday, March 5

 

Spotlight at The Lit Bitch

 

Thursday, March 6

 

Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

 

Saturday, March 8

 

Review at A Dream within a Dream

 

Sunday, March 9

 

Interview at Jorie Loves a Story

 

Monday, March 10

 

Spotlight at What Is That Book About
Spotlight & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

 

 

 

 

 



The Witch of Napoli Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway!

Publication Date: January 15, 2015
Palladino Books
Formats: eBook, Paperback

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Synopsis

Italy 1899: Fiery-tempered, erotic medium Alessandra Poverelli levitates a table at a Spiritualist séance in Naples. A reporter photographs the miracle, and wealthy, skeptical, Jewish psychiatrist Camillo Lombardi arrives in Naples to investigate. When she materializes the ghost of his dead mother, he risks his reputation and fortune to finance a tour of the Continent, challenging the scientific and academic elite of Europe to test Alessandra’s mysterious powers. She will help him rewrite Science. His fee will help her escape her sadistic husband Pigotti and start a new life in Rome. Newspapers across Europe trumpet her Cinderella story and baffling successes, and the public demands to know – does the “Queen of Spirits” really have supernatural powers?

Nigel Huxley is convinced she’s simply another vulgar, Italian trickster. The icy, aristocratic detective for England’s Society for the Investigation of Mediums launches a plot to trap and expose her. The Vatican is quietly digging up her childhood secrets, desperate to discredit her supernatural powers; her abusive husband Pigotti is coming to kill her; and the tarot cards predict catastrophe.

Praised by Kirkus Reviews as an “enchanting and graceful narrative” that absorbs readers from the very first page, The Witch of Napoli masterfully resurrects the bitter 19th century battle between Science and religion over the possibility of an afterlife.

What Did I Think About the Story?

My first thought when reading the above synopsis and beginning The Witch of Napoli was that this was going to be Alessandra's story, from her perspective, about her powers and the various people in her life either supporting her or trying to stand in her way. What you actually find when you begin reading the story is that this is the recollections of Tommaso Labella (the reporter mentioned in the synopsis) of the fateful events that shaped his life and brought him into Alessandra's exciting orbit. It opens in 1918 shortly after Alessandra's death and then goes back in time to 1899 and the summer that changed everything for both of them.

Tommaso is young, impetuous and ready for adventure when he first meets Alessandra, a 40-year-old, poor and uneducated medium who can not only speak to the dead but levitate inanimate objects and materialize spirits that can interact with other people. He becomes enamored by her and follows along, photographing her séances for a Naples newspaper, as various men attempt to either prove her abilities to be real or prove she is a very talented trickster and as her fame around the world continues to grow. Tommaso is an incredibly endearing character and once I got used to hearing about the events through his perspective I very much enjoyed tagging along as he traveled the continent for the first time and began to grow into the reporter and man he is destined to become.

While Alessandra isn't as fleshed out as I would have necessarily liked (her backstory, feelings and experiences are all being given to us through Tommaso so they aren't as deeply drawn as if she was telling her story) it is quite clear to me that Michael Schmicker is an expert when it comes to the paranormal. Every single time I stepped into the room with Tommaso to witness the séances I was completely absorbed in what was happening and transfixed by the descriptions of not only the paranormal aspects shown but the detailed ways in which the investigators sought to catch Alessandra cheating and the various ways one could fake the paranormal activity being seen. I found these portions of the novel to be absolutely fascinating and at times terrifying, especially whenever the spirit of Savonarola made an appearance! The arrogant nonbeliever Huxley is another rather unsettling character as he will do anything to ruin Alessandra and anyone connected to her. We don't really get to learn exactly why he is this way but just hearing about how he plotted and manipulated situations to discredit her was enough to give me a chill when he popped back onto the scene.

Something else I found interesting was the tidbits of political and social commentary interspersed throughout the story, giving a  nice backdrop that showed the wide belief in the paranormal still existing in Europe during this time as well as the shift towards skepticism and proof men of science were exacting against these beliefs. Not knowing very much about Italy or its beliefs during this time I enjoyed the inclusion of this information to give me some background against how the characters reacted and responded to the world around them.

While not what I initially expected, The Witch of Napoli was nevertheless a very enjoyable read.  Even with not getting to hear Alessandra's story from Alessandra she was still a very intriguing character to say the least and it was easy to see how she could enchant most of the men around her. She makes a few questionable choices throughout the novel but this, for me, just served to make her seem more human. I am definitely excited to read more about séances and the paranormal and applaud Michael Schmicker for presenting a story wholly original and unlike anything I have read before.

What Did I Think About the Cover?  

While I can't say it reminds me of any specific part of the story I actually like it. It  makes me think of something hidden or mysterious and that definitely represents the overall feel of The Witch of Napoli for me.


My Rating: 3.5/5.0

 

Thank you to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for providing me with a free copy of The Witch of Napoli 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 how to win a copy of your very own!

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Michael Schmicker is an investigative journalist and nationally-known writer on the paranormal. He’s been a featured guest on national broadcast radio talk shows, including twice on Coast to Coast AM (560 stations in North America, with 3 million weekly listeners). He also shares his investigations through popular paranormal webcasts including Skeptiko, hosted by Alex Tsakiris; Speaking of Strange with Joshua Warren; the X-Zone, with Rob McConnell (Canada); and he even

spent an hour chatting with spoon-bending celebrity Uri Geller on his program Parascience and Beyond (England). He is the co-author of The Gift, ESP: The Extraordinary Experiences of Ordinary People (St. Martin’s Press). The Witch of Napoli is his debut novel. Michael began his writing career as a crime reporter for a suburban Dow-Jones newspaper in Connecticut, and worked as a freelance reporter in Southeast Asia for three years. He has also worked as a stringer for Forbes magazine, and Op-Ed contributor to The Wall Street Journal Asia. His interest in investigating the paranormal began as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand where he first encountered a non-Western culture which readily accepts the reality of ghosts and spirits, reincarnation, psychics, mediums, divination,and other persistently reported phenomena unexplainable by current Science. He lives and writes in Honolulu, Hawaii, on a mountaintop overlooking Waikiki and Diamond Head.

Connect with Michael Schmicker on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Praise for The Witch of Napoli

“Impressive…an enchanting, graceful narrative that absorbs readers from the first page.” -Kirkus Reviews

Giveaway!

 

To win a Paperback copy of The Witch of Napoli please fill out the form HERE.

 

 

Please note that the mandatory entry requires you to leave a comment below. If you do not leave a comment and then enter your name and email on the form you will not be entered. All other entries are optional.

 

I will pick a winner on March 2nd and email the winner for their mailing address. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before I have to pick another winner.

 

You must be 18 or older to enter.


Giveaway is open to US, UK and AUS residents.

 

Only one entry per household.

All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

 

 

Good luck!

 

 

 

The Witch of Napoli Blog Tour Schedule

 

Monday, February 16

Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, February 17

Review at Book Babe

Wednesday, February 18

Review at 100 Pages a Day – Stephanie’s Book Reviews

Thursday, February 19

Review & Giveaway at A Dream Within a Dream
Interview at Books and Benches

Saturday, February 21

Spotlight at Flashlight Commentary

Sunday, February 22

Review at Carole’s Ramblings

Monday, February 23

Review & Giveaway at A Literary Vacation
Interview at Boom Baby Reviews

Tuesday, February 24

Guest Post & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews

Wednesday, February 25

Review at Book Nerd

Friday, February 27

Spotlight at Let Them Read Books

Saturday, February 28

Spotlight at I Heart Reading

Monday, March 2

Review at A Book Drunkard
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Obsession

Tuesday, March 3

Review at Unshelfish

Wednesday, March 4

Review at Carpe Librum

Thursday, March 5

Interview at Carpe Librum

Friday, March 6

Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Monday, March 9

Review at Just One More Chapter

Tuesday, March 10

Review at CelticLady’s Reviews

Wednesday, March 11

Spotlight at The Never-Ending Book

Thursday, March 12

Review at Dianne Ascroft Blog

Tuesday, March 17

Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Wednesday, March 18

Guest Post at Historical Fiction Connection

Thursday, March 19

Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Friday, March 20

Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee