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By Paullett Golden

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Historical romance, Regency romance, historical regency
Number of pages: 231
ASIN: B08BJFSBHS
ISBN: 9781735236001
Format: eBook (Kindle), paperback, audiobook (iTunes)
Publication date: July 20th, 2020
Publisher: Self-published
Type: Book, Anthology, Novella, Flash fiction collection

I received a free ecopy in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Paullett Golden and BookTasters!

Introduction

I’m not an avid romance reader… In fact, I dislike that all books have strong romance storylines. So, I read a few per year, and they must be different from the get-go. When I was offered by BookTasters to review A Dash of Romance by Paullett Golden, the charming cover caught my attention as well as the clever, sweet title. I read the blurb and… A regency-era romance with a lie surrounding their marriage, a big misunderstanding, and a young woman strong enough to write in those times?

Sign me up! I mean, yes, please, let me read this!

Let me tell you it didn’t simply meet my high expectations of a romance book… it exceeded them!

So, here’s my review and why you should totally give this book a read!

11 GIFs All Book Lovers Can Relate To | Edmonton Public Library

Blurb

With quills and fantasies, they write their future.

Percival Randall lives an uncomplicated life of luxury, as he likes it. Not even an ultimatum requiring marriage can tip the scales. A conniving young lady who compromises his name to force a betrothal, however, is an impediment to happiness Percival must confront.

Abigail Walsley dreams of publishing novels rather than marrying dashing heroes. An unexpected proposal and a subsequent Banbury tale tumble her into a betrothal with a man she has never met. Following her dreams proves a challenge with a marriage of inconvenience on the horizon.

This is the love story of Percival and Abigail, two dreamers who write their love story one scene at a time.

From second chance romances to mistaken identities, experience A Dash of Romance in this collection of one short novel and fourteen bonus flash fiction pieces.

The Positive Sides

First, let’s talk about the unusual format of this book. It’s an anthology featuring a short novel with a collection of flash fictions. I found it rather interesting! I enjoyed that there was a novel and that there were several flash fictions accompanied by drawings. It felt like a big treasure followed by smaller but amusing discoveries in the same world. Quite uncommon but highly enjoyable.

As for the writing, the choice of words is precise, and immersive in that era and each situation. Plus, several sentences were fun and well-written. I particularly loved this one, which, I think, is very reflective of an author with her characters and of a romance as well: “The good knight needed her as much as she needed him.” I’d say Miss Golden hit two birds with one stone here.

Moreover, the characters are charming, lovable, hilarious, strong, clever, and multidimensional. I loved them dearly and even believed in them as though they’re real, which I bet in the author’s heart and mind is true as well as mine now that I’ve read this great book. Also, I love that Abigail, the main character, is a writer herself. And she is part of a ladies’ literary society where the ladies talk about real writing issues and weaknesses, such as characters being one dimensional. It was wonderful to see our reality as writers and authors reflected in this book and I laughed. Speaking of Abigail, I love her strong and flawed personality with good values and feminism for her time. She’s also got a lot of courage as well as a head on her shoulders. Her father, the vicar, is charming and loving. As for Percival, her dandy knight, he’s hard to resist, funny, gentleman, but he’s got his own flaws which make him even more rounded as a character and intriguing… It’s like you’re discovering a new layer of him with each chapter.

Lastly, I curled up in bed with my Kobo every night and often told myself I’d read this book for fifteen minutes only because I was too tired… and each and every time I found it was an hour later!!! This is a huge compliment because usually I barely read for fifteen minutes when I’m that tired (and I have been exhausted these last weeks due to university and personal events) but this book had me hooked, laughing, smiling, and enjoying the moment. As pure and simple as this may be.

The Negative Sides

Alas, there is one negative point. I noticed that when Percival meets Abigail, he finds her drab… But in the next chapter when he talks to her, she’s suddenly interesting and charming. But then, this goes back to a reasonable balance in the following chapters… It was confusing and offsetting on the moment. However, it was not essential enough to take away a star or even a half star.

In Conclusion

As I mentioned, the single negative point isn’t worth taking a star off this delightful book, which leads me to giving it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars for all its amazing positive sides! It made me smile, laugh, stay up late to get to the next chapter! But most importantly, it made me stop aching for a while, made me forgot I cried a lot at night just while reading it, and it gave me friends I couldn’t wait to get back to as well as their misfortunes… or were they fortunes in the end? 😉

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on her Amazon author page and Goodreads. You can also add A Dash of Romance to your bookshelves on My Book Pledge, Goodreads, LibraryThing, and Storygraph.

Blood Pact by Courtney Maguire #CoverReveal

Blog Tours April 7, 2021 Leave a comment

(I think that cover is gorgeous and ominous, with those dark nuances and the writing reminiscent of Japanese writing style!)

About the Book:

In Hiro’s world, youkai are a supernatural story used to scare children into obedience, and to keep men out of back alleys and brothels. Until Sakurai Hideyoshi walks through his door with a fantastical tale of a samurai who had killed a thousand men and drank the blood of his enemies, a man that lived in darkness but sought beauty to keep it at bay.

A story both terrifying and romantic…and completely ridiculous.

Unless it is true.

Convinced something softer lurks behind Hideyoshi’s hard mask, Hiro follows him home. And discovers the story is real.

Only instead of the blood of his enemies, it is innocent blood taken.

Hideyoshi tells him never to return. Yet after Hiro’s mother is mortally wounded, Hiro runs back to the one being he knows with the power to save her. When Hideyoshi can’t, Hiro begs him for the next best thing: the power to avenge her.

As Hiro becomes youkai, he faces a new threat, something darker, older, and far more dangerous. With Hideyoshi at his side, Hiro must decide what he’s willing to sacrifice–and what he’s willing to do–to protect this new life before he loses everything for a second time.

If you like Bella Forrest, P. C. Cast, AJ Tipton, or Anne Rice, you will love this beautiful dark paranormal fantasy romance.

Publisher: City Owl Press (May 4, 2021)
Releases on: May 4, 2021
Genre: LGBTQIA Dark Historical Paranormal Romance
Language: English
ASIN: B091V1P3FT
ISBN: 9781648980831

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://mybook.to/BloodPact
B&N: https://smarturl.it/Youkai2BN
Kobo: https://smarturl.it/Youkai2Kobo
City Owl: https://smarturl.it/Youkai2CO
Add it on Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/3b3jec53

Love the Youkai Bloodlines Series? Join Maguire's Reader Group, Courtney's Coven: https://tinyurl.com/3yuh2vxc or sign up for her newsletter at the bottom of her website: https://www.courtneymaguirewrites.com/about

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Courtney Maguire is a University of Texas graduate from Corpus Christi, Texas.
Drawn to Austin by a voracious appetite for music, she spent most of her young adult life in dark, divey venues nursing a love for the sublimely weird. A self-proclaimed fangirl with a press pass, she combined her love of music and writing as the primary contributor for Japanese music and culture blog, Project: Lixx, interviewing Japanese rock and roll icons and providing live event coverage for appearances across the country.
Her first novel, WOUNDED MARTYR, is a 2019 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist in the Contemporary Romance: Short Category.

You can find her on social media or at www.courtneymaguirewrites.com

More Than Halfway Through My Novel and Other Projects

chit-chatting with Cat, My Projects, Nightshade (My Series), poetry December 7, 2020 Leave a comment

Miranda Kane

Get this: I’m at the 70% mark in my novel The Rise of a Heroine: Resurgence!!! Yup, I’m nearly at 3/4 and I think my progress amazing!

I never got this far in any of my books, but this one’s really hitting it (if I may say so what with Miranda being a boxing student).

I’ve been really stuck with the plot of the ending last week, BUT I found solutions and I’m ready to resume writing it. I’ll ?%$#$%? smash my goal and write “The End” soon. Hooray!

Miranda Kane and Thomas Lance are my lovelies and I can’t wait for you all to meet them and have my book in your hands, whether it be in physical, ebook, or audiobook!

(Melissa Benoist is my Miranda Kane’s faceclaim. And look, she’s ready, too!)

(Dylan O’Brien is my Thomas Lance’s faceclaim. Hmmm, Thomas is more doubtful about the whole thing, though… Hahah.)

Until then, wish me luck! I’ll go back to writing—it’s my last stretch with drafting!

I’m so ready for this! *punches her palm*

Secret Project

There’s also a secret project of mine I picked back up. It’s an old story that I… put away for a long while. I recently felt it in my bones again, you know? And I found solutions to the major blockage I had!

So, yeah, I’m actually excited about this. I’ll be shedding light on this project little by little. Hopefully, my progress will be easy (ha!) and steady (hm?).

Poetry Collection

Folks! I’m nearly done with my poetry collection. Yup! I wrote thirty poems or so, and I need about another 11 poems. After which I’ll polish them and send them to a professional editor. Soon, dears, soon you’ll be able to read them all in one place.

I’m also writing a new poetry collection, which is more personal in terms of themes and voice. And I’m starting one in French because hey, I live in Quebec, and we speak French first and foremost, so why not pair two of my favorite things?

World Building & Nightshade

Okay, get this: I picked up my Nightshade series again, but more for plotting and world building purposes. Why am I not writing it instead? Well, I find this story with the multiverse and the tangled storylines to be quite… intimidating. I don’t feel ready to tackle and do justice to this great series yet (I need more experience writing books), so I decided I’d still achieve progress by developing the plot (which sometimes gets messy) as well as the worlds we get to visit (and ain’t world building just fun?!?!??! YES!)

So, here I am, on a calm evening, scouring the Web for world building materials. And I found something quite interesting that turned out to be such an excellent surprise!

I ended up on Scribe Forge, and was hooked quickly by the collaborative work of authors and this genuinely interesting world building workbook.

So, you know what happened?

I purchased it. And I’m not mad. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised because not only is it really pretty (look at that fantasy cover! Actually, look at all their covers!), but for the hefty price (USD $20) it includes crucial information digested for you and classified according to their section (such as planets and space, society, resources, and more!) I mean, yeah, you get worksheets in those categories, sure, but real information and guidance on what to use to fill them. Uncertain about how to create a planet, its atmosphere and earth? Here you go, they’ve got you covered with important information on different atmospheres, types of earth, how lack of oxygen impacts the development of life, and so on!

I wasn’t expecting so much out of this workbook, in all honesty. Now I understand the price.

So far, I’m really pleased. I promise to use it for a while with Nightshade and then write a review about it for you, folks. Deal?

Gotcha!

See you next post, lovelies!

(Lily Collins is my Rosellia Rowland-Lovelace in my Nightshade series)

Halfway Through, A Writing Tip, and A New Focus

chit-chatting with Cat, My Projects, Tips September 28, 2020 Leave a comment

WOW, guys and gals!

Guess what I reached last week? That's right, 50% of my novel Rise of a Heroine: Resurgence! I'M AT 50%!!! HALFWAY THROUGH! I might not be done with it, but I count this as a big win. It's the farthest I ever got in a novel of mine, so this is huge. But also quite motivating and humbling, since it's proof of how I can succeed at this. I'm longing for the first draft. Speaking of draft, here's a picture of my thick baby printed out (of course, it's half of it since that's what I got but still it's pretty good, right?):

Thick Book (Copyrighted by Catherine Girard-Veilleux, 2020)

Honestly, this book baby of mine is ENORMOUS. It has 294 pages, imagine that! Need I remind you that's only… half of it?!

Here's the awesome cover my best friend made for me on Inkitt:

You can read the first 8 chapters here, too.

I always use Staples to print my books (or my progress at least) and I love their services. It's always ready in a day no matter how long or thick my document might be.

I prefer to print it out to edit it so I can see it better. But the truth is I hate to concentrate and narrow my eyes at the screen when revising; I prefer to hold the pages in my hands, and feel the book-in-the-making, you know? So it makes it more authentic, more real to me. But funny story is that due to its thickness, the rings for the binding I wanted weren't available; they were too small! So I had to pick my least favorite option, which is the ugly and large black plastic binding. Talk about chic… Anyways, at least I could choose a red cover. I don't know why but red always makes me think of Miranda Kane, probably because she's a boxing athlete and most boxing gloves are red. Or because she's fierce so red fits her. Either way, I'm glad I could get the red cover and the protective transparent cover.

Now, why would it need editing since it's halfway through? Well, I've noticed a few anomalies in how boxing works, mostly for students. I had a kind and generous interview with the head/director of the Fédération québécoise de boxe olympique, which is the reference in Québec. I thank him immensely for that. He informed me about how things worked and even used Miranda and her story as an example to describe her path. He was amazing and so understanding! Thanks to him, I now have essential information about the female boxing world and in general. So, due to these discrepancies, I decided to go over the half book I wrote and revised, fixing a few chapters and inconsistencies with the reality. Then, and only then, will I be able to go forth and write more realistically. Because something big is coming for Miranda Kane, and I have to be ready too, you know?

I have a strange way of writing books (which I'll make a post about), but in general, I write the story, then at a point when it feels critical and I'm moving through quicksand, I stop writing for weeks and do research instead about what's not coming qwell too me in the writing, so I do interviews and read documentaries (even watch a few!) and so on. But while I like to be familiar with the topic when I start writing, it's never to a deep point, it's on the surface. And when I can't go forward anymore, that's when I take a step back and do research. I found it helps me see more potential for a story and even gives me more excitement as I find so many new avenues for the story to go. Okay, it might cause more rewriting, of course, but overall, it doesn't bog me down in the beginning and prevent me from going ahead with the writing for fear of not knowing never never never enough. So many people stay in the research stage out of fear of committing to writing. Research is fun, don't get me wrong, I love research. But I prefer writing my stories. So I hit a compromise: write a certain percentage of the story and when I can't go on anymore because too many details elude me, then do research, and dig deep! Then with a better view of it all, come back and win!! Write it all in a fury with a deep passion like fire is after me. Because I'm so happy I get a better grip on the details and on the story world.

So, while unusual and risky, that's exactly how I do it. And so far it's going well, I went farther than any other novel I started. So I'll keep it, thank you very much.

By the way, I decided to focus my blog, Ad Librum Aeternam, more on my writing journey and writing tips because I feel I've got tips to give now being halfway through my novel, which is more than some achieve. I have two series of posts coming up as well: one is on writing comics and the second is on screenwriting. I think there's not enough free resources about these two fields and since I love them and am writing in them in my spare time, I figured we could go on these two journeys together. Of course, writing novels, short stories and flash fiction stay the main focus of my blog. Expect more writing tips along the way!

I can't wait to share with you what I learned so far!

Red Hood: A Book Review

Book Reviews August 20, 2020 Leave a comment

(Copyrighted by Catherine Girard-Veilleux, 2020)

Kobo

By Elana K. Arnold

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Adaptations, Retellings

Pages: 368

ISBN: 9780062742353

ASIN: B07S9S2SDV

Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook (Kindle & Kobo), Audiobook, Audio CD

Publication date: February 25, 2020

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Type: Book, Novel

*I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Balzer + Bray, Harper Collins Canada, and Edelweiss+!*

Introduction

As for an introduction, I wanted to start in a very mature and serious way: WHERE WAS THIS BOOK WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER?! IT’S EXACTLY WHAT I WISHED FOR ALL THIS TIME! I NEEDED IT!

Now that this main thought and raw emotions have been made clear, how about we explore further together the reasons why I feel this way towards this book?

Blurb

This story, told in second-person point of view, follows Bisou Martel. She lives with her grandmother, whom she calls Mémé, and dates a wonderful boyfriend, James. But on homecoming night, Bisou finds herself fighting a wolf… but instead of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, she finds a wolf in men’s clothing. She will learn truths about her heritage, her loved ones, and make strong friendships all while navigating her love life, her womanhood. All for the sake of living life on her own terms, and vanquishing wolves that hide in plain sight.

Oh, what courage you have.

All the better to end you with.

The Positive Sides

I've been yearning for such a book for so many years! WHERE WAS IT WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER?! So I would know I wasn't alone with such a dark imagination… Love, love it! I kept reading and reading and wanting to find out and pushing away my much-needed sleep. Do I regret it? Not a drop!

Thank you LOADS for this ARC. It's my new baby. YIS! Now, why is it my new baby?

First of all, it is MARVELLOUS. It's so rich in terms of vocabulary, darkness and raw emotions! I loved the ongoing theme of blood, pretty well done and ominous. The characters are also something I appreciated. Particularly the main character, Bisou—I really love the depth and intensity of her worries, fears, and thoughts, as well as the honesty and truth of her character. Plus, I love that she calls her grandmother “Mémé” instead of “Mami”. Just like mine. And her strong but kind and open-minded and loving description of Mémé reminds me so much of my own! I felt for this character right away. Sue me. Bisou’s female friends really made me smile and feel warm inside; all that camaraderie, all that friendship! Lastly, James, Bisou’s boyfriend, is so kind, gentle, and understanding. He’s precious!

As for the writing, can I say fabulous? The second-person POV is so refreshing and unique. It also draws you into the dark easier such as when she or you are assaulted in the woods. It is gripping and very well done. It made me realize I would love more novels like this. Moreover, the descriptions are enough, precise, and very poignant. You get to know everything you have to and it touches you. Love this style. It is not crowded, just beautifully done. The way you remember things is awesome, artistic, and gripping, too. The flashbacks are artfully brought about and done. As well as all the intense emotions we feel with Bisou and her situations. I feel them so deep in my heart. And dun dun dun… What an amazing surprise! We get the awesome Mémé’s POV, too. I was thrilled and read it in one go! Since this is a retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood”, should I say “I devoured it”?

I adore how dark and mature this book is. It even tackles womanly periods, assault, sex, and STDs. And I loved the raw fight where Bisou didn’t have time to look good and her dress fell off her. So rarely done and so very realistic. Something that struck me with great positivity is the girl’s periods. The deal of periods in YA always amazes me because it is unfortunately so rarely tackled. But it is a reality for girls, one new they must learn to navigate. This book made me feel content about this aspect of womanhood. Sexuality is present, too, and while sex makes me personally unease, I think it’s a good move to insert it in a YA book (with such respect, too!) Indeed, there’s even a full sex scene with proper words used and respect. Then, Bisou admits to her grandmother she had sex with her boyfriend, James, and Mémé informs Bisou about how she can decide for her own body. It’s awesome and great, an awesome model for young women and teenagers who wonder about sex and/or none ever told them about respect of their own body and so on. It was brilliantly tackled! I would recommend it to all teenagers (yes, boys, too) so they can get a better understanding of what having sex/making love means. Now, let’s talk about how the gore and dark issues, topics, and descriptions are perfect! Oh, and don’t forget this story is highly feminist <3!

Here’s my favourite quote (it hit me hard with truth): “It’s that we need men to stop becoming wolves.” (p. 243, hardcover)

The Negative Sides

Sorry, none. Next?

In Conclusion

Honestly? I loved it so much I purchased my own hardcover copy (see above picture) because I wanted it on my favourite collection shelf, and it’s never leaving this house. Ever.

This is the book I yearned and waited for when I was young (and even today). I needed to read something dark, feminist and thrilling for a young fantasy readership. Red Hood bumped up in my list of all-time favourites to the top with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Finally, Arnold wrote the book little me needed. That I still need. It will stay with me always, and I hope it can fulfill a young girl’s (or boy’s) desires, unfortunately considered weird and different. We’re not alone.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Miss Arnold! You reached out to a deep part of me and made me feel understood. I will never cease coming back to Red Hood.

For all these reasons, I give Red Hood a rating of 6 out of 5 stars. What? I can’t go above 5 stars? Just watch me! Okay, fine, but I still give it the highest rating possible, good? Perfect!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on Twitter, her Amazon author page and Goodreads. You can also add Red Hood to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Ochre Dragon: A Book Review

Book Reviews July 17, 2020 Leave a comment

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Fiction, Sci-fi

Pages: 436

ISBN: 9781627473934

Format: Paperback, eBook (Kindle)

Publication date: December 27th, 2018

Publisher: Tom Bird Retreats, Inc.

Type: Novel, Series

Introduction

When I saw that beautiful cover with three women and a dragon (a dragon, so great!) who all looked powerful and intriguing, I knew I wanted to review this book. I was kindly granted my request, but alas I don’t think this book fulfilled all of its promises. At least to me.

Read on to find what worked and what didn’t!

*I received a free ecopy in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to BookTasters and V. E. Patton!*

Blurb

On three distant worlds, three women journey towards their destinies. Before they started out, all three made a choice – to forget they share a single soul.

In tech-ruled post-Crack Earth, where magic doesn't officially exist, project manager Ali's humdrum life under the crumbling Melba Dome is becoming weirder by the day. Her fingers keep glowing, a snarky dragon takes up residence in her head, and people she thought were her friends keep trying to control, kidnap or assassinate her. To top it off, she can't figure out why her previously perfect memory is suddenly full of holes.

Meanwhile, on Heavens Gate, where magic and science have forged an uneasy alliance, research analyst Merindah is desperate to save her dying planet. What she lacks in magical ability, she more than makes up for in ambition, which comes in handy as she navigates family politics and feral deities. But when an impatient and not-so-extinct dragon begins to help her solve the puzzle of the Yarran journal, she realises her magic might not be as weak as she'd thought.

Finally, on Reverie, where magic rules unfettered, a young orphan becomes burdened with tainted magical gifts. Dee is alone, trapped in a waking nightmare. When she finally surrenders to the voices in her head, her out-of-control magic unleashes her dragon and propels her onto a path that could unravel the fabric of time and space.

Three women, three worlds – and their time is running out. Unless Ali, Merindah and Dee can reunite and unlock the secret of the Timegates in a single year, all is lost. They must each make unimaginable sacrifices to become the Key, the Gatekeeper, and the Fire who will save the Cosmos – or ignite Armageddon.

First though… they need to teach their soulmate dragons who's in charge!

The Positive Sides

The beginning of this book includes a beautiful, enchanting creation story. It’s magical and the most imaginative story I’ve read in a while—it’s intriguing. As for the writing, it is evocative with an enhanced vocabulary. Something I just crave! The descriptions are lengthy, detailed and crisp, which make them easy to picture. I love that we get clues and answers to a character’s situation from the other characters! All is connected very well, including the subplots. Wow! Another thing worth mentioning is that the women are older than what we usually see, too. Nice touch!

What about the characters? Well, first of all, I was surprised and delighted by the women run the planet of Heavens Gate. Such a good feminist take! It’s refreshing. Ali is so relatable to me anyway, what with her imagination and escapism, and also because she’s considered a weirdo. I loved her right away, then more and more. Plus, I connected so much with Merindah’s ambition. She was interesting to read. The bond between Ali, Merindah and Dee is so fun to unfold and discover!

But what really stood out to me, besides the graceful language, is the fantastic world-building. If you want to be transported out of this world, choose this book! The notions, concepts, and customs of the peoples we meet in this book are so different from ours. It’s a bit hard to grasp at first, but then you read and feel out of here. So pleasant! (Yes, this is escapism at its best, no regrets.)

The Negative Sides

This being said, if you want an easy read, look elsewhere. Everything sounds complicated and jumbled together. Moreover, the characters’ desires, thoughts and actions are overexplained. We often understand them from the context and their reactions, but now the author uses several paragraphs to explain them to us. It’s boring, and it also feels like she wants to cram the information in our head lest we forget. I found myself disconnecting from the story a lot. There is action and intense moments, but I fear it’s not enough.

In Conclusion

While the sheer idea, amiable characters and intense world-building made for a fun ride, the writing itself is too telling and explicative, it and weighs on the story instead of lifting it. Thus, I give Ochre Dragon a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5. I still recommend it to fantasy and world-building lovers, and even more if telling in stories doesn’t bother you. I think you’ll enjoy this read. But I’m not sure I’ll continue this series. Still, I’ll remember this book as having the best world-building I ever came across so far.

Cheers!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow him on Amazon author page and Goodreads. You can also add Ochre Dragon to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

*Please note this book review contains affiliate links. This means I receive a percentage off your purchase, but it doesn't cost you anything more should you buy the book via my links! Thank you.*

Witch’s Jewel: A Book Review

Book Reviews July 8, 2020 Leave a comment

Genre: Urban fantasy, YA, paranormal

Pages: 272

ISBN: 9798613448913

ASIN: B085ZWVJMH

Format: Paperback, eBook (Kindle & Kobo)

Publication date: April 17th, 2020

Publisher: Self-published

Type: Novel, Series

Introduction

When I was offered the chance to review this book, the first in the Kit Melbourne series, not only was I thrilled but it would be nearly a euphemism to say I jumped on it. An urban fantasy with a strong young woman with an intriguing, magical plot, a promise of action and a pretty good time?

How could I say no?

*I received a free ecopy in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Kater Cheek!*

Blurb

A sorcerous jewel. A mysterious uncle. Can a barista keep her magical heirloom safe from murderous crooks?

Kit Melbourne longs to quit her brother's coffee shop to pursue her artistic dreams. And despite the temptation to sell the sought-after enchanted gem she inherited from her uncle, she promises her family to protect it at all costs. But when her brother's tea-leaf reading predicts her imminent death, she's terrified to discover those who want it will kill to make it theirs.

Forced to dig into her late relative's murky past, Kit is doubly shocked when she learns the artifact's mighty power cannot be transferred unless its caretaker is dead. But despite her command of karate and fierce vampiric allies, her attackers show no sign of giving up their relentless lethal pursuit.

Has Kit's vow not to sell sealed her doom?

Witch's Jewel is the first book in the engrossing Kit Melbourne urban fantasy series. If you like strong female leads, high-stakes action, and nail-biting plots, you'll love Kater Cheek's enthralling tale.

The Positive Sides

Oh my God, the introduction! The very first sentence is intriguing, gripping, and full of mystery. That’s the first thing I notice (besides the gorgeous and colourful cover, that is)! The writing is smooth, entertaining, light, and funny but honest and dark at moments. I really enjoyed reading this book—it’s like a nice breeze on a warm summer day. As for the dialogues, they hit me as natural with the real expressions we use to tell things and it flows. It’s rather lovely and engaging.

Moreover, I love Kitley’s honest, friendly, and sassy voice. She injects jokes and cynicism here and there, which are loads of fun to read. Plus, I find entertaining how Kit isn’t always honest because she’s desperate for money as she’s broke. She might not be morally ambiguous, but sometimes she’ll take advantage of others or situations so she can have nice things, you know? Like food, for example. It was different from what I’m used to reading (and sick of as well!), but so refreshing! I really love the main character’s flaws and I can relate to her better. In addition to this, the way the subplots are all there, pushing the main plot is fantastic. This book reads so well!

As for the bindi, the magic jewel, I love how the things Kitley sees with it increase in intensity and clarity. It makes for good twists and turns that made me laugh and smile a few times. I also love that the author, Kater Cheek, uses creatures from foreign folklore like Kappa and Rusalka, which adds a nice diversity to the supernatural. She even explains why there are creatures from folklore and how come they’re here if they’re from overseas and frankly that was priceless. We’d all ask that and the way it was answered made me laugh in a beautiful way: I giggle snorted. Fabulous!

May I add something? I took this note in my Kobo, directing it personally to Kitley, the main character: “Omg gurl! You’re so oblivious to Fenwick! I ship them!” Isn’t that beautiful?! Come on, it’s sweet. I wanted to throw this note at Kitley’s head so bad, but alas. The romance really drew me in with so many feels and I’m not one for romance in stories. But it was very well laid out with a sad starting point I can relate to too well: too many bad heartbreaks and unrequited love.

Truthfully, I haven’t been this invested in a book and characters for a long, long while. Precisely a year, when my grandparents became ill and my grandma died. So this book is definitely a breath of fresh air—much needed in my case. And I am thankful for it. It made me smile, laugh, and anticipate the reading.

The Negative Sides

The only thing about this book is its middle. It’s not sluggish per se, since most of the subplots come together (and it’s brilliant!), but it was at a slower pace than what I prefer. I’m not taking any star off because of it, it’s more of a personal preference, yet I figured it was worth mentioning. Let’s move on!

In Conclusion

I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars for the refreshing heroine, the gripping story, the pleasure I had looking forward to reading it, and the way I continuously thought about the story and its characters—even when I wasn’t reading! It gave me something to look forward to in a hard time, and I am grateful. The author also gave us a thrilling action-filled fantasy book with tastes for everyone, in my opinion. Finally, I loved it so much I am going to purchase the paperback version to place much lovingly into my “favourite books” bookshelf. I recommend it to those who love action, fantasy, different heroines (and quite strong!), and a touch of romance.

What are you waiting for? Go on and read Witch’s Jewel to find out what Kitley’s going to do with the bindi… and what happens to her.

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow him on Amazon author page and Goodreads. You can also add Witch’s Jewel to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

I’m Listed in the Book Blogger Directory!

Book Reviews, chit-chatting with Cat June 29, 2020 Leave a comment

Hello folks!

As a book blogger and reviewer, it's always exciting to be featured in a directory or to know someone liked my review. And now, for all authors looking for easy access to true book bloggers who review the particular genre you write in (you know, the right reviewer for your story?), well you have the Book Blogger Directory – 2020 Edition by Deena Rae from BookReviews4U!

Indeed, my blog, Ad Librum Aeternam, is listed as part of this beautiful and highly useful book! Not only is it a thrilling honour, but I believe it will help authors looking for the right reviewers for their book(s). And it will do so in an easy, structured manner to help you find them quickly.

Here's the blurb:

This Book Blogger Directory listing blog address, contact information, where reviews are posted as well as standard turn-around time and book formats accepted. Indexes listing bloggers by accepted genre to easily find blogger amendable to your subject matter.

More than 200, all current as of June 2020. Index listing each genre linked to each blog that accept books in that category.

Now, if that's not enticing, I don't know what is, fellow writers!

Its ebook regular retail price is $4.99 USD and its introductory price is $3.99 USD (5,44 $ CAD). Also, it will be available on most platforms for a month before going into Kindle Unlimited. So grab it before it's gone on the other platforms!

I purchased a copy for myself, of course. Not only will it help me know other book bloggers, but it might be useful for my publication plan, too. See? I think this book is a great idea if you're looking for trusty, helpful, and friendly book bloggers.

Here's the pre-order link to all your favourite platforms: https://books2read.com/BkBlog2020

It releases on July 10th.

I hope you will find it an entertaining and useful read.

Do let me know in the comments what you think of this initiative. Will you use it? Are you part of it?

Let's discuss!

See you next post, lovelies!

The Young Adult Writer’s Journey: A Book Review

Book Reviews June 18, 2020 Leave a comment

Sub.: An encyclopedia for YA writers

By Janet Schrader-Post & Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds

Genre: Non-fiction, Writing, Guide

Pages: 199

ISBN: 9781944056988

ASIN: B07K3VZ2ZK

Format: Hardcover, eBook (Kindle)

Publication date: November 23rd, 2018

Publisher: Tell-Tale Publishing Group

Type: Book

*I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Tell-Tale Publishing Group and NetGalley!*

Introduction

It’s no secret that I’m writing young adult (a.k.a YA) novels and series. As soon as I saw this book on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it! Hopefully, it would give me advice and guidance on how to think like a teenager and what it is to be one now that I’m an adult. I was looking to supplement my knowledge both of the craft and my audience.

Guess what?

It did just that and more!

Let’s see how together, shall we?

The Positive Sides

The first and foremost attribute of this YA writing guide is really the knowledge of teenagers and how they feel and think. It is enlightening and well brought! Mostly to adults as we’re writing for teenagers, after all (even though a lot of adults read YA books too, but they’re not our main audience.) Then, I was surprised and overjoyed to find out there is a chapter about writing a series, yay! Also, did you know there are varieties of teen love? It’s wicked good to know! Plus, the explanations go into details such as what to consider with the first kiss scene—quite important for teens discovering love, in my opinion.

Now, what about the craft itself? Well, every stage of writing a novel is tackled such as the beginning, the sagging middle, the climax, the ending, and so on. Geography, both natural and manmade, and precise details like the kinds of crops in fields if you are in the country are touched upon as well. Insightful and a good reminder of how to world-build! The authors give information on writing craft in general such as POVs too, which is very useful. Moreover, there are informative steps-by-steps of the hero’s journey, falling in love, and more events and craft-related topics. The authors offer in-depth suggestions and explanations, which is something to love. You are not left wondering! Not everything is always explained in a step-by-step manner, but it is done so directly for what should be done and what should be avoided in writing YA. Super, super useful!

Something I particularly enjoyed about this book is the many examples. Diverse novels are mentioned as well as movies, comics, and video games (recent and well-known ones!) in order to make the concept of the hero’s journey clearer. It’s also filled with relevant and YA popular examples—quite contemporary ones at that too!

Lastly, the advice is direct and no nonsense. When it is not condescending (which happens frequently), it's very good, sound, and thoughtful. The explanations are of a similar nature: crisp, sharp, and straight-to-the-point.

The Negative Sides

All in all, I like the interspersed jokes but not the mean comments or ways of expressing themselves about bullied kids or rejects and so on. It sounds mocking. As someone who’s been badly bullied, this stood out in a very bad way.

Moreover, the drawings at the beginning of each chapter don't bring anything else to the plate. It doesn't add information, emotions, or else. They seem to play no important part except just to distract visually from the text.

In Conclusion

I greatly enjoyed this book! The Young Adult Writer’s Journey is filled with useful advice. Overall, I give it a rating of 4.5/5 stars—I took away .5 because of the condescending voice, mostly on sensitive topics. Otherwise, this book is SO useful and eye-opening. I will always recommend it as an excellent guide for YA writers of all types. You want to write YA? Look no further and pick up this book already!

If you want to learn more about the Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds, you can visit her page on Wise Words Publishing, you can also follow their publisher (owned by Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds) on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. You can visit their publisher, Tell-Tale Publishing Group. You can also add The Young Adult Writer's Journey to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Praising the Paradox: A Book Review

Book Reviews May 29, 2020 Leave a comment

Genre: Poetry

Pages: 112

ISBN: 9781597096171

ASIN: B07V26DRJB

Format: Paperback, eBook (Kindle)

Publication date: July 9th, 2019

Publisher: Red Hen Press

Type: Poetry collection

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Red Hen Press and Edelweiss+!

Introduction:

Schumann’s cover caught my eye with its different dimensionality and pleasing aesthetic. The blurb tugged at my interests and emotions, so I decided to give Praising the Paradox a chance. Poetry, you know, is something I can’t live without.

And this book left a positive memory in me.

Let’s see how together, shall we?

The Blurb:

This full collection of fifty-six poems reflecting on the concept of self, loss, fragility, and the constructs we must create in order to face the transient nature of life was named a finalist in the National Poetry Series, The New Issues Poetry Prize, The Four Way Books Intro Prize, and others. It was also listed as a "remarkable work" in the Tupelo Press 2012 open submission period.

The Positive Sides:

Let’s start with the beautiful and elegant cover. In my opinion, the caged bird in a woman's head really fits the poems' themes such as the feeling of entrapment and freedom, as well as exploration. It suggests pain yet something more, something to reach for.

Her raw choices of words make for a delicious read. She uses essential ideas like breakfast and morning mixed with notions of ennui and flowers and jackets with confusion. Different, lovely, and captivating in its own right. I love, just love the manner in which the author transcends ordinary things and concepts with deeper meanings such as freedom, routine, solitude, boredom, feeling trapped… Moreover, the author tackles topics that are hard to hear about, to admit and to think about. I both congratulate and thank her for this initiative. It was fun, good, and refreshing to read about such truths that are rarely seen. I don't necessary mean horrible things like (rape, racism, and others), no, I mean like our own redundancy, our inability to have compassion or the energy to care at some point in our lives, and so on. These are rarely touched upon, but she did. In addition to these topics, her extensive culture and knowledge show on the pages. Interesting!

As for the writing itself, I LOVE her line breaks. They make you want to read more, it's a nice "pause" and it always feels like some renewal. The words are well-chosen and the imagery is good.

But what about the poems themselves?

Central Ave. is the one that made me feel. It had deeper meanings and a hard one at that. The choice of words was well done.

Ode to Time, Lance and December Rain is so different (she wishes things we usually don't, and that's beautiful in its own way). I love the format like a staircase, it's long but the verses are short. Her thoughts and emotions and personality are exposed in this one. As well as the story surrounding this poem. And that makes it a beauty.

I (In the Absence of You-Meaning Me) goes well beyond the surface both in words and meaning. It's a fun read and it makes you ponder about the self, yourself. Loved the different approach here!

As If really got me. It seems to speak about pretence and the lack of knowing oneself and others. We keep up the pretence, as if…

Momentary Mother is sweet and delightful and just. So. True. Most of us will protect a child or at least make sure they're all right.

For a Single Summer. Wow. Just wow. About our fears, insecurities and how we want to leave them behind or get rid of them, forget them "for a single summer". How they impact our lives at home.

Facing the Rain. Love it! About our courage, our resilience, how we face the bad things in our life, how we dare Life and The Reaper to send us more problems, but to give us a new chance also.

The Mass Migration of 60 Million Monarch Butterflies May Soon Be History. What guts the poet has! She writes about such a hard and conflicted topic: why care about global things if we can't even care about ours first? Won't we be history too at some point? Ourselves first, and then if we still have compassion and energy, we'll care about bigger things. We always need to deal with bigger things (like one's beloved person suffering from dementia, her father, my grandfather… and others).

I have to admit the last few poems are heavy with meaning and emotions. I love them!

Finally, the last verse of the last poem really fits the end of this poetry collection. It's honest, it FITS, and it's true to her style.

The Negative Sides:

Unfortunately, while the poems are enjoyable to read, you forget them soon after. Why? They didn't make me feel anything. They were beautiful, well-crafted, but my emotions weren't stirred (except for Central Ave.)

In Conclusion:

For all these reasons, and the lack of emotional connection, I give Praising the Paradox a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. The first half wasn't really thrilling… But when it picks up, it's amazing!

I will definitely be on the lookout for more from Tina Schumann.

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on Facebook and her Goodreads author account. You can visit her publisher, Red Hen Press. You can also add Praising the Paradox to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

*Please note that some links are affiliate links. This means I get a percentage off your purchase if you buy through my link, without any extra costs to you! Thank you very much.