A Literary Vacation

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Review: The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Pub. Date: October 3rd, 2017
Pages: 352

Genres: Historical Fiction / Fiction / Biographical

Synopsis

An incredible story of dangerous and hidden friendships, ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice.

The year is 1739. Eliza Lucas is sixteen years old when her father leaves her in charge of their family's three plantations in rural South Carolina and then proceeds to bleed the estates dry in pursuit of his military ambitions. Tensions with the British, and with the Spanish in Florida, just a short way down the coast, are rising, and slaves are starting to become restless. Her mother wants nothing more than for their South Carolina endeavor to fail so they can go back to England. Soon her family is in danger of losing everything.

Upon hearing how much the French pay for indigo dye, Eliza believes it's the key to their salvation. But everyone tells her it's impossible, and no one will share the secret to making it. Thwarted at nearly every turn, even by her own family, Eliza finds that her only allies are an aging horticulturalist, an older and married gentleman lawyer, and a slave with whom she strikes a dangerous deal: teach her the intricate thousand-year-old secret process of making indigo dye and in return -- against the laws of the day -- she will teach the slaves to read.

So begins an incredible story of love, dangerous and hidden friendships, ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice.

Based on historical documents, including Eliza's letters, this is a historical fiction account of how a teenage girl produced indigo dye, which became one of the largest exports out of South Carolina, an export that laid the foundation for the incredible wealth of several Southern families who still live on today. Although largely overlooked by historians, the accomplishments of Eliza Lucas influenced the course of US history. When she passed away in 1793, President George Washington served as a pallbearer at her funeral.

This book is set between 1739 and 1744, with romance, intrigue, forbidden friendships, and political and financial threats weaving together to form the story of a remarkable young woman whose actions were before their time: the story of the indigo girl.

What Did I Think About the Story?

One of my favorite aspects of book blogging is coming into contact with other delightful bloggers and readers, as well as the wonderful people who work within the publishing world at large. When I saw the cover of The Indigo Girl I knew I had to showcase it for one of my Thursday Cover Crush posts. After that, one of my favorite bloggers - Amy at Passages to the Past and Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours - hooked me up with Lauren Maturo - a Senior Publicist at Blackstone Publishing - who offered to send me a copy of the book to review! I was so excited to read this story about a true woman from history that I knew nothing about, and I'm so glad I did because she was truly a young woman before her time.

As you can read from the synopsis, Eliza Lucas was put in a tremendously difficult situation and one that no one seemed to think she could really handle without assistance from others. In Natasha Boyd's hands, however, we get to meet a young woman with an unbelievable amount of determination and bravery, one that refused to let anyone tell her what she could/couldn't or should/shouldn't do. I can't imagine having the fortitude to tackle such a monumental task by myself ever, let alone at her age and in the time period in which she lived, but she did it and she did it without compromising who she was, which was a woman who was incredibly intelligent and resourceful and quite able to handle herself while also keeping her kindness and fairness with everyone she dealt with. She refused to just be married off to the highest bidder and fought tirelessly to make her family's plantations not only sustainable but thriving. If the true Eliza was even half as admirable as this one then her story really needs to be told more often.

I will admit that the overall story did lag somewhat for me in the middle. The attention given to the actual growing of the plants and what it took to create the indigo dye - which was a very complicated process and one that not many people knew about - just wasn't as interesting to me as I would have hoped. This aspect has nothing to do with the writing style and is more about the fact that planting and harvesting just aren't that fascinating to me, but it did affect my enjoyment of these sections of the story nonetheless. There was also a lot of repetitiveness when it came to Eliza's complicated feelings towards both a childhood friend and a new friend and there were times where it felt like those storylines could have been sped up somewhat or at least not discussed as much when there wasn't any new advancements in the situations to move the storylines along.

With the above being said, what this young woman accomplished was remarkable and I'm very glad I learned her story. I really appreciate that the author's writing felt very authentic given the time period and that she didn't overdramatize the romantic storyline that develops slowly and sweetly. The author also included a nice author's note at the end of the book - which I always love and appreciate - giving the reader a little more information about the true Eliza and her more famous sons. I absolutely loved the excerpts of Eliza's letters that were also interspersed throughout the narrative. I'm still amazed that Eliza's story hasn't been told more in our American history and I really hope this changes. I'm also excited to see what Natasha Boyd might write next as I enjoyed how she brought Eliza's story to life.

What Did I Think About the Cover?

It's GORGEOUS!! As I said above, I actually picked this for a cover crush post earlier this year which led to the publicist reaching out and offering me a copy! The colors are just so beautiful and I love the sort of inky way the colors swirl around, leaving Eliza's face purposefully blank. Is this so we can discover her within the pages? Maybe, maybe not, but regardless I love it!

My Rating: 3.5/5.0

Thank you to Lauren Maturo of Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a free copy of The Indigo Girl in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine alone. For more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads HERE.

Monday, December 18, 2017

Audiobook Review: Horns by Joe Hill

Publisher: HarperAudio
Pub. Date: February 16th, 2010
Length: 13 hours, 55 minutes

Genre: Fiction / Horror / Mystery / Thriller / Supernatural

Synopsis

Ignatius Perrish spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. He woke up the next morning with a pair of horns growing from his temples.

At first, Ig thought the horns were a hallucination, the product of a mind damaged by rage and grief. He had spent the last year in a lonely, private purgatory, following the death of his beloved, Merrin Williams, who had been raped and murdered under inexplicable circumstances. A mental breakdown would have been the most natural thing in the world. But there was nothing natural about the horns, which were all too real.

Once, the righteous Ig had enjoyed the life of the blessed. But Merrin's death damned all that. The only suspect in the crime, Ig was never charged or tried. And he was never cleared. Nothing Ig can do or say matters. Everyone it seems, including God, has abandoned him. Everyone that is, but the devil inside. . . .

Now Ig is possessed of a terrible new power—a macabre talent he intends to use to find the monster who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. It's time for a little revenge . . . it's time the devil had his due . . .

What Did I Think About the Story?

Man, I have become somewhat obsessed with Joe Hill since I read his novel, Heart-Shaped Box, a few months ago. I had previously listened to the audiobook version of his graphic novel series, Locke and Key, which was exceptional, but it wasn't until I read his full-length novel that I knew I wanted to read, listen, absorb...whatever you want to call it!...all of his stories. I can't seem to get enough! I've purchased all of his books, including his newest collection of short novels, Strange Weather, which I read as soon as it came out (review to come soon!). I decided to check out the audiobook version of Horns from my library, just to see how it might compare to the audiobook version of Locke and Key and to change up the way I'm experiencing Hill's novels, and I'm so glad I did because the narrator took this already intriguing and unique story and made it even better!

I am continually amazed at how interesting and unusual Joe Hill's novels are, and just how much heart is infused into the horrifying elements of his stories. There are so many layers to what unfolds as the stories progress. In the case of Horns, it starts off with this intriguing concept of our main character, Ig Perrish, waking up with small horns growing out of his head. Right away he learns that when he comes into contact with people they don't seem concerned by his appearance and, stranger than that, they can't seem to keep themselves from telling him their deepest, darkest secrets, the kind of depraved things that people don't like to admit to themselves, let alone say out loud to someone else. If he touches someone Ig can actually see the person's memories, usually something pretty bad that they've done or hidden from others. On top of all this, he can manipulate people, get them to do stuff they would never willingly do normally. It's all quite twisted and Ig, grief-stricken and angry as he is, gets more upset as he finds out what really happened to Merrin, who was involved, and how much has remained hidden while everyone assumed he was the killer. And as his knowledge and anger grows so do the horns and Ig's revenge....

Layered beneath this main situation is a tender first-love story, one that had a tragic ending but is quite beautiful when you discover all the pieces. Ig really is an exceptional character, kind and giving to a fault before Merrin's death and, funny enough, easy to manipulate by those that he cares about (which the worst characters, we discover, use to their advantage). There's also the fact that Ig's father and brother are both famous musicians (who play the HORN!) but Ig has never been able to play successfully because of his asthma. However, he does have a huge love of music and that musicality weaves throughout the story.

The narrator of Horns was phenomenal! He kept the tension thick - even screaming when a character was described as doing so! - and did an exceptional job of appropriately balancing the depravity and beauty interlaced within the overall story. He altered the voices between characters as I always appreciate and kept me wanting to listen to more even when I knew I had to stop. I can't think of anything else I would want in an audiobook narrator.

While I didn't love this audiobook as much as Hill's Locke and Key series (that would be really hard to do as it was the best audiobook I have ever listened to), Horns came in not far behind. It is an exceptional story with so many elements - the supernatural, horror, mystery, thriller, romance - and I can't really think of anything I would have wanted changed. It's just a really interesting and unusual story!

What Did I Think About the Cover?

The cover doesn't really do anything for me. It's okay and obviously fits the story well, but it doesn't really draw the eye.

My Rating: 4.0/5.0

I borrowed a copy of Horns from my library's Overdrive account. All opinions are mine alone. To find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads HERE.

Friday, December 15, 2017

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.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Cover Crush (Holiday Edition): Christmas Bells by Jennifer Chiaverini

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.

Now that it's December all I can think about are the upcoming holidays and hot cocoa and snow, even thought I live in Florida and it very rarely has that "holiday feel" outside. To help me get in the mood, I've decided to highlight holiday-themed covers all month long!

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

Come on, can you think of a cover that screams "old-fashioned Christmas" more than this cover?! I mean, you've got a beautiful Christmas-red border of bells and holly and a snow-covered winter wonderland scene in the middle. There's even a horse-drawn sleigh! Can't you just hear the carols being sung?! I also love the sense of dimension given by the border and top corners of the center imaged being tucked into it. All together it's just a really beautiful cover!

What's the story about, you ask? Let's read the synopsis and see.....

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini celebrates Christmas, past and present, with a wondrous novel inspired by the classic poem “Christmas Bells,” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day / Their old familiar carols play / And wild and sweet / The words repeat / Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

In 1860, the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow family celebrated Christmas at Craigie House, their home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The publication of Longfellow’s classic Revolutionary War poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride,” was less than a month hence, and the country’s grave political unrest weighed heavily on his mind. Yet with his beloved wife, Fanny, and their five adored children at his side, the delights of the season prevailed.

In present-day Boston, a dedicated teacher in the Watertown public school system is stunned by somber holiday tidings. Sophia’s music program has been sacrificed to budget cuts, and she worries not only about her impending unemployment but also about the consequences to her underprivileged students. At the church where she volunteers as music director, Sophia tries to forget her cares as she leads the children’s choir in rehearsal for a Christmas Eve concert. Inspired to honor a local artist, Sophia has chosen a carol set to a poem by Longfellow, moved by the glorious words he penned one Christmas Day long ago, even as he suffered great loss.

Christmas Bells chronicles the events of 1863, when the peace and contentment of Longfellow’s family circle was suddenly, tragically broken, cutting even deeper than the privations of wartime. Through the pain of profound loss and hardship, Longfellow’s patriotism never failed, nor did the power of his language. “Christmas Bells,” the poem he wrote that holiday, lives on, spoken as verse and sung as a hymn.

Jennifer Chiaverini’s resonant and heartfelt novel for the season reminds us why we must continue to hear glad tidings, even as we are tested by strife. Reading Christmas Bells evokes the resplendent joy of a chorus of voices raised in reverent song.

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

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Audiobook Review: Abandon by Blake Crouch

Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Pub. Date: July 7th, 2009
Length: 11 hours, 23 minutes

Genres: Fiction / Dual Timeline / Mystery / Suspense

Synopsis

On Christmas Day in 1893, every man, woman and child in a remote gold mining town disappeared, belongings forsaken, meals left to freeze in vacant cabins; and not a single bone was ever found. One hundred thirteen years later, two backcountry guides are hired by a history professor and his journalist daughter to lead them into the abandoned mining town so that they can learn what happened. With them is a psychic, and a paranormal photographer—as the town is rumored to be haunted. A party that tried to explore the town years ago was never heard from again. What this crew is about to discover is that twenty miles from civilization, with a blizzard bearing down, they are not alone, and the past is very much alive.

What Did I Think About the Story?

Okay, so this synopsis hooked me right away, and the idea of a totally abandoned ghost town and a search for what really happened made me need to buy this audiobook when I saw it was on sale. Add to that the fact that I really enjoyed the show based on the author's book series, Wayward Pines, and I just knew I was in for a treat. While I will say that the audiobook was good, it was definitely nothing like I was expecting.

The story goes back and forth in time, between the Christmas of 1893, when Abandon was a struggling little town still occupied by its townspeople, and 2009, when a small group of people (the ones described in the synopsis) set off to explore Abandon and to try and figure out what really happened in 1893. The history professor is an expert on the town and it has been his life's mission to not only discover what happened but to see if he can find a cache of gold bars rumored to have been in Abandon when everyone left. This back and forth style was excellent as the author often left off on a cliffhanger of sorts between switching timelines, keeping you drawn into the action and drama, while also advancing both stories at an interesting pace. Sounds good, right? Well, it was. It just wasn't what I wanted it to be.

I think my biggest "disappointment" (that word is a bit strong but is the best I can do) is that there were hardly any ghostly element involved. There is one point where the psychic starts having a breakdown of sorts, saying that there are too many voices calling out to her, but that's about it. Both storylines are more about intense greed and the horrific consequences that can result from that greed. Some of the characters are unbelievably depraved and do some horrifyingly cruel things, all led by their lust for riches, and I appreciated how vivid the author painted some of the terrifying and sad scenes (I felt like I could really see the people struggling in the snow storms and feel the claustrophobia of those trapped within caves). I also thought that, while the narrator did an excellent job voicing the characters, his narration was somewhat monotone and lacked the tension that the actions being described should have had (at least until the end...his voice grew in angst somewhat as the story neared its finality).

Abandon was a good audiobook, don't get me wrong. It just wasn't a great one. Some of this feeling might stem from my disappointment in the fact that this wasn't the ghostly story I wanted and was expecting based on the synopsis. The past wasn't very much alive, other than in the 1893 storyline, which our modern characters obviously don't get to witness. It felt very grounded in reality and the here-and-now and, for our modern characters, the past ended up really being more of a side note to a robbery gone horribly wrong than the main driving force. I will also say that I thought the ending - of both storylines really - was surprising and quite sad. Overall, given the author's ability to transport the reader and vividly showcases the worlds he's creating, I will definitely read more by Blake Crouch. I think I just need to keep a very open mind about what the stories might actually be about.

What Did I Think About the Cover?

When I first saw the cover, I didn't notice the person peeking out between the wooden slats, so thought it was pretty plain. Once I saw those peering eyes I thought it was quite eerie! There's a lot of trapping and attempts at escape going on in this story, so it does fit it well.

My Rating: 3.0/5.0

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

Monday, December 11, 2017

Spotlight on Blood of the Stone Prince by M.J. Neary

Publisher: Crossroad Press
Pub. Date: September 23rd, 2017
Pages: 325

Genre: Historical Fiction

From the alchemy labs of fifteenth-century France comes a tale of one beauty and three beasts on a macabre journey through the Parisian underworld. After sixteen years of priesthood, Monseigneur Desmoulins secretly wishes for excommunication. Fed up with sacristy intrigues and tedious inquisition proceedings, he keeps himself amused by dissecting rats, playing with explosives and stalking foreign women. Some of his dirty work he delegates to his nineteen-year-old protégé Daniel Dufort nicknamed Stone Prince, who plays the organ at the cathedral. The gaunt, copper-haired youth looks may look like an angel, but his music is believed to be demonic, pushing the faithful towards crime and suicide.

To keep themselves safe amidst urban violence, the master and his ward take fencing lessons from Lucius Castelmaure, an alcoholic officer facing a court martial. Their alliance is tested when a Wallachian traveler implores them to entertain his terminally-ill daughter Agniese, whose dying whim to is be buried inside the Montfaucon cellar alongside felons and traitors. The three men jump at the chance to indulge the eccentric virgin in the final months of her life.

Raised in the spirit of polyamory, Agniese has no qualms about taking all three men as lovers. In a city of where street festivals turn into massacres, it's only a matter of time before the romantic quadrangle tumbles into a pit of hellfire. Filled with witch-hanging, bone-cracking, gargoyle-hugging humor, Blood of the Stone Prince is a blasphemous thriller for the heretic in each one of us.

Read M.J. Neary's imaginary interview with the main character from Blood of the Stone Prince, Daniel Dufort, on "History Imagined" HERE

Buy the Book

Amazon

About the Author

An only child of classical musicians, M.J. Neary is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed expert on military and social disasters, from the Charge of the Light Brigade, to the Irish Famine, to the Easter Rising in Dublin, to the nuclear explosion in Chernobyl. Notable achievements include a series revolving around the Anglo-Irish conflict, including Never Be at Peace and Big Hero of a Small Country. She continues to explore the topic of ethnic tension in her autobiographical satire Saved by the Bang: a Nuclear Comedy. Her cyber mystery Trench Coat Pal, set in Westport, CT at the dawn of the internet era features a cast of delusional and forlorn New Englanders who become pawns in an impromptu revenge scheme devised by a self-proclaimed Robin Hood. A revised edition of Wynfield’s Kingdom, her debut Neo-Victorian thriller, was recently rereleased through Crossroad Press. Wynfield’s War is the sequel following the volatile protagonist to the Crimea. Sirens Over the Hudson, a social satire set in Tarrytown, NY during the Great Recession, is colored with the same dark misanthropic humor as the rest of her works. Her latest release Blood of the Stone Prince is a macabre tale of one beauty and three beasts set in the late 15th century France.

Friday, December 8, 2017

Stone Circle by Kate Murdoch

Pub. Date: December 1, 2017
Publisher: Fireship Press
Pages: 286

Genre: Historical Fiction / Romance / Fantasy

Is the ability to read minds a blessing or a curse?

When Antonius’s father dies, he must work to support his family. He finds employment as a servant in the Palazzo Ducal, home of Conte Valperga. Sixteenth-century Pesaro is a society governed by status, and Antonius has limited opportunities.

When a competition is announced, Antonius seizes his chance. The winner will be apprenticed to the town seer. Antonius shares first place with his employer’s son.

The two men compete for their mentor’s approval. As their knowledge of magic and alchemy grows, so does the rivalry and animosity between them. When the love of a beautiful woman is at stake, Antonius must find a way to follow his heart and navigate his future.

Praise for Stone Circle

"Murdoch presents a delightful romance, feathered with light touches of fantasy. The development of her love triangle is gratifying, and even secondary characters offer stark dramatic moments…" -Kirkus Reviews

"Kate Murdoch’s characters are so greatly human, that it’s easy to sympathise with them: to cheer them on during hard times and to admonish them for being foolish. Her characters’ interactions with each other and their individualities helped shape the book into something wonderful; at the same time she excels at pacing the story with her characters, all within a framework designed to help readers understand the world of seers and alchemy she has created." -Readers’ Favorite (5 Stars)

"Kate Murdoch's STONE CIRCLE is a stunning historical fantasy debut set in Renaissance Italy, packed with rich imagery, well-developed characters, and an enthralling plot. The execution of the love triangle is both captivating and refreshing, weaving love, jealousy, and rivalry into a complicated but realistic story of one young seer's journey into alchemy and adulthood. I can't wait to read more by Kate Murdoch." -Madeline Dyer, author of the Untamed series

Book Trailer

About the Author

Kate Murdoch is a Melbourne-based writer and artist. Her short-form fiction is regularly published

in Flash Fiction Magazine, Eunoia Review, Sick Lit Magazine, Ink in Thirds and Spelk Fiction. She also writes for her blog at https://kabiba.wordpress.com/.

Kate’s first novel is Stone Circle, a beautifully imagined work of historical fiction. An earlier version of Stone Circle was widely-acclaimed on the HarperCollins UK website, Authonomy, where it was chosen by the editors as the “one to watch” and ultimately ended up ranked 16th out of more than 10,000 manuscripts.

For more information, please visit Kate Murdoch's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

It's Giveaway Time!!

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 3 paperback copies of Stone Circle! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form HERE.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on December 21st. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US & Canada only.
– 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!