Review: Star Cursed

Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book certainly picked up the pace more than the first one did. I found the pickup spot a little jarring, actually.

This part of the trilogy has me feeling more for the burden Cate has placed upon herself, and the sacrifices she's made. Maura, is definitely my least favorite character, especially with all her petty jealousy, deception, and malice. She's power hungry, and corrupted. Tess is still sweet, though not so innocent anymore, given her situation. I can't say much or I'll give things away, but I still think she's my favorite of the three.

There are many secrets, and some betrayals in this book. We finally learn a bit more about Cate's family and her mother, although not much. The alternate history setting is still a bit unusual to read, but intriguing.

A lot of the story feels like set up for the third book, and while it moves fast, it did get a bit repetitive.

The last scene while not completely unexpected, had me angry for Cate. It's going to be quite the journey to the end of this war the Cahill sisters are fighting and I am interested to see how it ends.

I recently purchased the third book in the series and am waiting for my online order to arrive, so I'll get to see how it ends relatively soon

Review: Born Wicked

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Melissa's Musings:

My husband bought this for me as a Christmas gift and it's my first read of the new year. I have to admit, it started out a bit slow. I wasn't really interested in Cate, Maura and Tess. As the story goes on it gets to be more interesting.

The setting is an alternate history of sorts. It reminds me a lot of the setting of the Handmaid's tale, with the religious undertones, the Brotherhood, who control the actions (and minds) of the women in the town. Plus there's the counterpart of the Sisterhood. Secret is, they're all witches and they're working against the Brotherhood.

Cate has a lot on her shoulders, given that before her mother died, she made a promise to keep her sisters safe and to keep them together. Little did she know there was a great deal of danger and sacrifice on her part required to do that. It turns out, Cate and her sisters are part of a prophecy of tells of three sister witches who are meant to bring about a second coming for the witches of the world.

There are many secrets, between many different characters in this story. It highlights perfectly just how imperfect we all are.

I think of all the characters Tess, the youngest sister, and Finn, are my favorites. Tess for her sweet, innocent nature, and Finn for his bookishness and love of learning. The romance between he and Cate is sweet, and had me rooting for them.

The one thing missing is the true nature of their skills with magic. Cate spends a lote of time controlling her sister's use of it, and understandably so, but this left me wanting. When it comes to stories that involve magic, I really like for that to be explored fully, and it wasn't here. I have a feeling and hope that will pickup in book 2.

I'm intrigued to see what happens next and am very glad to have book 2 waiting for me to start. Since this story picked up the pace towards the end, I'm really hopeful that the next installment in the series will keep the momentum going.


Has anyone else read this? Or has anyone started any new series they want to share that are worth checking out?

Review: Spelled

Title: Spelled

Author: Betsy Schow

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Published: June 2, 2015

Format: E-ARC

Pages: 352

Dates Read: June 6-8

Source: Recieved via Netgalley

in exchange for an honest review

Add on Goodreads

My Rating: 3 Stars

Snippet That Stuck With Me: N/A 

Synopsis: 

Fairy Tale Survival Rule #32: If you find yourself at the mercy of a wicked witch, sing a romantic ballad and wait for your Prince Charming to save the day.

Yeah, no thanks. Dorthea is completely princed out. Sure being the crown princess of Emerald has its perks—like Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin heels. But a forced marriage to the brooding prince Kato is so not what Dorthea had in mind for her enchanted future.

Talk about unhappily ever after. 

Trying to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally backfires, leaving the kingdom in chaos and her parents stuck in some place called "Kansas." Now it's up to Dorthea and her pixed off prince to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse...before it releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story.

Melissa's Musings

The first thing that drew me to this book was the cover. I was browsing Netgalley, and came across Spelled, saw the cover and thought "Hmm, that looks interesting."

I'm not all that big on retellings and don't read them all that often, but when I read the sysnopsis for this, it seemed like it would be fun.

And it is.

 From the very beginning the story is full of curiosity, action and adventure. Dorothea is looking for a way to escape her boring palace life, where she is literally trapped by a curse. Fire is banished from the palace and she isn't even allowed outside beyond the courtyard, not even for a little while.

Little does she know that one tiny wish can have a huge impact on her life and the lives of those around her. 

The first thing that I liked, as I read were all the interesting plays on words and puns. There are a ton of them so I'll only give one example, UPS = United Pegasus Service. This one actually made me laugh out loud just because it was the slightest bit out there and Dorothea was so annoyed at the time, so the juxtaposition of the two made me giggle. There are also cute little plays on words like some of the substitute swear words, ie "pixed" and "glammed."

Plus, there are guidelines and quotes from other famous fairytale characters at the beginning of each chapter. These are a fun way to modernize the fairy tales.

There are also countless references to every possible fairy tale you can imagine. It's like a serious mashup of every fairy tale ever written interspersed within this story. And while these references, and the language and quotes are a lot of fun at first, I do have to say I did eventually grow bored of these, about halfway through. They just started to get tired, and eventually lost their sparkle.

As for the characters, I'd have to say my least favorite is probably a toss up between Rexi and Dorothea. Rexi lives up to her description and by the other characters and is rude and has a charred exterior. Dorothea fits the spoiled princess role a little too well. I was disappointed not to see more growth from her throughout the story. And while most of the time the main character is what keeps you reading, for me it was all the other characters that kept me going. I felt like they were more interesting.

Especially Hydra. With her large collection of ever changing heads and constant personality switches to go along with them , I feel like she brings a lot of life and fun to the story.

There is a lot of action and adventure. Plus there's the emphasis on fashion, beauty and just the idea of being a princess, so it makes the story equally relatable to both guys and girls. The ending is left open for a sequel, so I imagine there will be one. 

And I'm definitely willing to read it. As much as the quotes, quips and references do get a bit old  they've left me curious to see what will happen to this cast of crazy characters. I just hope that in the next part of the story Dorthea really starts to grow into her own a lot more and mature as a character.

Have you read Spelled? Did you enjoy it? Are there any other versions of retellings you'd recommend that I read?

Review: The Witch of Painted Sorrows

Title: The Witch of Painted Sorrows

Author: M.J. Rose

Publisher: Atria Books

Published: March 17, 2015

Series: Daughters of La Lune #1

Format: Kindle ARC

Pages: 384

Date Read: February 24, 2015

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley 

in exchange for an honest review

Add To Your TBR list on Goodreads

My Rating: 2 Stars

Synopsis:
 Possession. Power. Passion. New York Times bestselling novelist M. J. Rose creates her most provocative and magical spellbinder yet in this gothic novel set against the lavish spectacle of 1890s Belle Époque Paris.

Sandrine Salome flees New York for her grandmother’s Paris mansion to escape her dangerous husband, but what she finds there is even more menacing. The house, famous for its lavish art collection and elegant salons, is mysteriously closed up. Although her grandmother insists it’s dangerous for Sandrine to visit, she defies her and meets Julien Duplessi, a mesmerizing young architect. Together they explore the hidden night world of Paris, the forbidden occult underground and Sandrine’s deepest desires.

Among the bohemians and the demi-monde, Sandrine discovers her erotic nature as a lover and painter. Then darker influences threaten—her cold and cruel husband is tracking her down and something sinister is taking hold, changing Sandrine, altering her. She’s become possessed by La Lune: A witch, a legend, and a sixteenth-century courtesan, who opens up her life to a darkness that may become a gift or a curse.

This is Sandrine’s “wild night of the soul,” her odyssey in the magnificent city of Paris, of art, love, and witchery.

Melissa's Musings:

When I first got approved for The Witch of Painted Sorrows, I was thrilled. Both because it was my first time ever requesting a book from Netgalley, and being approved, and because the premise of this book seemed so interesting.

I'm sad to say my interest in the synopsis was misguided.

As a main character, Sandrine didn't really do much for me. I wasn't all that interested in her. She just didn't feel fleshed out enough. Of what we learn about Sandrine, most of her personality is clouded over by the secrets of the life that she's running from, and then further complicated by the family history that she's run into by coming to Paris.

I was more intrigued by her grandmother. She too, was a frustrating character, in the sense that she only hints at things that Sandrine needs to know, but doesn't come right out and say them. Sadly, she her role is quite diminshed as the story progresses.

The most frustrating part of reading this book is that every time it seemed like Sandrine's grandmother was finally going to tell her the truth about the history, and why Paris isn't a good place for Sandrine to be, the author throws in some useless detail to distract the story and never gets to revealing anything of importance. One scene where Sandrine and her grandmother are in a restaurant, is particularly aggravating. They are eating and it seems like Sandrine is finally going to learn about her family history the story turns to the atmosphere of the restaurant, and then it weaves back around, and just as they are going to discuss the curse a rock comes right through the window where the two are sitting. There are a few other instances of this, but the restaurant scene is the one that most stuck out for me.

One of the parts of the book that I did enjoy was the authors world building in terms of the setting. I really felt that I was back in Paris in the Belle Epoque of the late 1800's. There are several well placed mentions of literature  of the time throughout the story. And of course there is all of the exploration of the art of the time, which is of course central to the story and the family curse. As frustrating as the distraction of it was, the setting in the restaurant scene also helped paint the picture of the time and the world that Sandrine and her grandmother were living in.

There is a romance between Julien and Sandrine that is important to the story but it fell flat for me. The love scenes between them do have an element sensuality, but overall there is too much to be learned about Sandrine's secrets and not enough foundation apart from the physicality to become caught up in their romance.

The witchcraft/occult element of the story is a bit more dark and twisty than I was expecting. Normally the stories I read about witches have to do with the exploration of their powers. This story is ultimately about how La Lune posesses Sandrine and gets her to do disturbing things to ensure that she can be with Julien. I won't go into detail because I don't want to spoil it for anyone.

There's an element of religion to the story as well, so you see both the light and dark sides of Sandrine's predicament. I'll let you guess which one wins out in the end.

The end of the story is predictable. I was rooting against the ending, but I understand why it has to play out that way because that's the best way to set up the rest of the trilogy.

Overall, I was not impressed. The story felt half-hearted. Sandrine isn't an interesting enough main character for me to want to read on about what happens in the rest of her story. And while the history, art, and setting of the time are intriguing, they aren't enough to keep me reading either, unfortunately.

Before this story, I had not read any of M.J. Rose's other works. After reading this, I'm not sure I will read any of them.

I'd love to hear other thoughts and opinions on this novel. Have you read it? What did you think?

Jumping Back in to Reading and Blogging

Hello everyone!!

It's been quite a while since I last posted. I've got to blame life for that. I got married about a month ago and so life was consumed by work and wedding planning and trying not to go crazy between the two.

Married life for me isn't all that much different than before, seeing as my husband and I are in a long distance marriage at the moment. I know I've probably mentioned it before, but he lives in Canada, and I live in the US. We are working toward being able to live together, but it's a long, arduous process full of paperwork.

In the meantime, we are status quo in that respect, until that changes.

I am hoping to dive back into reading more often now that my favorite season is almost here. It's the first day of fall tomorrow, and I'm excited. Fall just screams reading to me, with chilly nights, candles, and rain, (which is much needed in my area)

I've already stocked up on several new and delicious pumpkin scented candles. I have my cozy stars blanket at the ready and I just ordered some new books today as well.

Even though I've already read Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness, I had to order it to complete the series, since I recently just bought Shadow of Night and The Book of Life. I also ordered the first three books of Melissa De La Cruz's Beauchamp Family series (Hopefully there will be more?)

I got into the TV series, Witches of East End last year and love it, so I know I will love the books too.

I have an 3 day weekend coming up this weekend and am hoping to us a good chunk of time reading these awesome books that are headed my way.

So this blog should soon be active again, I have a long commute, which doesn't leave a lot of time for blogging, but I'll at least try to be posting on a semi regular basis.

I'm also hoping to do a review of my wedding invitations soon, as I was so thrilled with them.

Is there anything you would like to see here on the blog, or anything you feel I need to know after my long hiatus?

Book Tour Review: Her Loving Husband's Curse

Hello fellow readers I must start with apologies as I was supposed to have this review posted some time ago and had a scheduling mix up on my end. Read on to discover my thoughts about this book.

Title: Her Loving Husband's Curse

Author: Meredith Allard

Series: Loving Husband #2

Publisher: Copperfield Press

Published: April 20, 2012

Format: Kindle

Pages: 284

Source: Received from Author in 

exchange for an honest review

Synopsis:

How far will you go to protect the one you love?

Finally, after many long and lonely years, James Wentworth’s life is falling into place. Together with his wife, Sarah, the only woman he has ever loved, he has found the meaning behind her nightmares about the Salem Witch Trials, and now they are rebuilding the life they began together so long ago.

But the past is never far behind for the Wentworths. While Sarah is haunted by new visions, now about the baby she carried over three hundred years before, James is confronted with painful memories from his time with the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears. Through it all, the persistent reporter Kenneth Hempel reappears, still determined to prove that the undead walk the earth. If Hempel succeeds in his quest, James and Sarah will suffer. Will the curse of the vampire prevent James and Sarah from living their happily ever after?

Her Loving Husband’s Curse is Book Two of the Loving Husband Trilogy. Book One, Her Dear & Loving Husband, is now available from Copperfield Press

Melissa's Musings:

My Rating: 4 Stars

I was pulled in from the very first page. I was immediately enthralled with James and Sarah's story. Their love story is very romantic, but not too overly done. It's simple realistic, and true.

I have the first book on my kindle, I had purchased it a while ago when it was free on Amazon. I had hoped to read it before I read this book for the tour, but I ran out of time. Her Loving Husband's Curse works well as a stand alone novel, but I did feel a slight lack of connection as I knew there was more to the story and that there were details that I was missing. The lack of cohesion in the story from my not being able to read the first book in the series in time was very slight, and not enough to detract from my enjoyment of the book.

I always enjoy when an author incorporates smells, colors, and other small touches into a story. Here it was smells. The author pointed out that Sarah's "smell" for James was strawberries and cream, and that their daughter Grace smelled like cinnamon. As much as I enjoyed this detail, I did feel that it was mentioned a few too many times and was over done.

There is a great deal of history that is intertwined with this story, which makes it both an enjoyable and somewhat educational (in a sense) read. I paid close attention to the author's descriptions and references to the Trail of Tears. It's not something I remember learning much about in school so those parts were particularly interesting.

I also enjoyed all the different paranormal elements and characters that are woven into this series. There are vampires, witches, werewolves, and ghosts. Sometimes such an eclectic mix of paranormal characters can make a story crowded. That's not the case here. I think this may be due to the fact that the author does such a good job of seamlessly weaving the paranormal aspects into the story overall that you really focus more on the characters as they are, not what paranormal species they are.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable series. I look forward to reading this series in its' entirety and to reading more from this author.

Review: Salem VI: Rebecca's Rising

Title: Rebecca's Rising

Authors: Jack Heath, John Thompson

Publisher: Pressque Publishing

Published: July 16, 2012

Format: E-book

Pages: 336

Source: Received from publisher/author

in exchange for my honest review

My Rating: 4 Stars

Add To Your TBR Shelf: 

Synopsis:

Having stepped off the fast track of primetime network television news, John Andrews has chosen a quieter life as editor of Salem News, a small paper in a quiet New England town. Life is perfect until Andrews’ wife is killed in a tragic accident. After several years of trying to numb the pain with alcohol, Andrews is visited by the spirit of a long dead ancestor who opens a door to a shocking family history. After he experiences a surreal glimpse into the past, Andrews must confront the question of whether he is losing his mind or whether for several hundred years his ancestors have been engaged in a secret battle with a coven that worships Satan. Fueled by the need to understand whether his wife's death was really an accident or something far more sinister, Andrews, along with his beautiful assistant editor, risk everything to discover a truth so horrifying it threatens to destroy everything and everyone he knows and loves.

Melissa's Musings:

If you've been a reader of the blog for a while, you'll know that I love books that have to do with witchcraft and magic. Mainly because I like the character's exploration of their history and their powers, if there are any. While there were some powers, they were kept to a minimum, and this book focused mainly on the historical aspects of the story. The fact that one of the authors is descended from these two families makes it more realistic. I'm not sure if this adds to the story for me, or not though. I don't think it effects my enjoyment of the story itself at all, it's just one of those neat facts to hold on to and remember about the book.

I read The Crucible in high school and remember that Rebecca Nurse was a central character in that story. She plays a central character here too, only this time in ghostly form. At first her character is a little unsettling, as she just makes John seem like he's losing it. But once you get into the heart of the story, you see that Rebecca Nurse is a powerful character, even if she doesn't actually say anything at all.  

The rest of the cast of characters is equally interesting. All I'll say is that  almost none of them are what they seem, based on first impressions.

I read this story in short bursts, as it was my go to book on my Kindle during lunch at work. I was always left wanting more, and wish that I had been able to read it all at once. The fact that I couldn't read it all at once helped me to enjoy it even more.

The story itself is really engaging. I don't think I've read a story that has a character descended from two powerful families like these in quite a while. I enjoyed seeing the reach of these families and their effect on a town in modern times. Part of what I enjoyed were the intricacies that come with being descended from such powerful families, and the other part was learning about all of this important history in the context of a modern story. I also like that this story focused more on the history and less on powers. I got more of the "why they did it" kind of back story, and I like that.

While there are some blips and minor inconsistencies, they don't detract too much from the story. The story is blended together quite well, and I couldn't really tell that it was written by two different authors. The plot itself is full of action and adventure. There are some tender moments too, but I have to admit that some of these fell short for me. There is a bit of romance between John and Amy, which is subtle. While the subtlety is nice, I wish there had been more to it. I'm hoping that this will be explored further in book two.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am excited to see what follows in book two of this series.

Have you read this? What are some other books about witchcraft that you would recommend?

Blog Tour Stop: Author Interview with Mark All and Giveaway!

Hello everyone!

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour presented by Pump Up Your Book. Read on to learn more about Mark All, and his book, The Spellcaster's Grimoire, and enter to win!

About The Spellcaster's Grimoire:

Title: The Spellcaster's Grimoire

Author: Mark All

Publisher: Imajinn Press

Published: February 28, 2013

Format: Paperback

Genre: Paranormal Thriller

Pages: 224

Synopsis:

Bestselling witchcraft author Trish Sinclair has a shameful secret: she's a lousy spellcaster, and the spells in her books belong to others. So when a dying warlock entrusts her with an ancient and powerful grimoire, she runs for her life from his murderer, psychotic witch Kate Cavanaugh. Kate pursues Trish relentlessly to obtain the grimoire, which holds spells to command the fearsome power of a magic crystal hidden in town-and Kate is determined to have that power. When the town coven refuses to help Trish protect the grimoire, she is forced to turn to cynical warlock Aidan McCarthy, who has a secret agenda of his own, and Rain Devereaux, a novice witch whose spellcasting abilities are even worse than Trish's. As Kate unleashes the elemental might of tornadoes and ice storms on the trio, they desperately struggle to defeat her. But Kate is too powerful, and she manages to steal the grimoire and unearth the crystal. Trish knows Kate will use the stone's power to exact her deadly revenge on Aidan and the town coven unless Trish can manifest her latent magical abilities to save them.

The Interview:

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Do you have any unusual talents or hobbies?

I’m a full-time author after a career in computer-based training. Mostly for healthcare information systems, although I also did a flight attendant training video for a major airline. Before that, I had some unusual jobs, from gravedigger to FM radio announcer to professional rock guitarist. “Professional” meaning I played in a

band for a living, not that I toured with Bon Jovi or anything!

When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?

When I wrote a short story for a middle school English class assignment, I realized that creating my own scary adventure was even more exciting than reading books and watching movies. The teacher—and the class—loved my stories, and I knew I’d found my bliss.

Where did the inspiration for The Spellcaster's Grimoire come from?

I wanted to write a story about a lost book full of magic for a long time. That’s always been a popular motif in storytelling, the forgotten or hidden eldritch tome or artifact that holds mystical powers both great and terrible. I think it’s a metaphor for the power within us.

What made you choose to write a book of this genre?

As a kid I loved scary and science fiction movies and books. Buffy the Vampire Slayer came along and put all that in a fun, cool, modern context, which influenced me and probably several generations of paranormal and urban fantasy readers and writers. A movie called The Craft was also inspirational. It was hip and smart, but scary. Then I picked up a book by Kelley Armstrong and discovered the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy genre.

There are lots of books that deal with witchcraft and magic on the market. What makes yours different from all the others? Where did your inspiration for the type of magic the characters use come from?

My books are written like fast-paced, action thriller popcorn movies. I try to keep the reader on the edge of her seat on the roller coaster—and then yank her off. They’re also grounded in very realistic and familiar settings to make them believable, with just that one supernatural element. The characters’ dialogue is, I hope, smart and witty and current, but appropriate to the danger they’re in.

Who is your favorite author?

Stephen King is still my favorite, although I read a variety of genres. I like Kim Harrison, Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs, Dean Koontz, and many more.

Do you have writing routine? A special pen, a certain type of music, time limits?

I write in the mornings, when I’m fresh. Since I’m a musician, I can’t listen to music without becoming involved in it and distracted from writing.

Do you enjoy edits/rewrites, or not?

I love rewrites. The first draft is magic, I set myself free and write as quickly as possible, trying to keep up as my mind generates the story like a movie in my head. Sometimes I’ll intentionally overwrite, so I’ll have more material to choose from during the editing stage. In revisions, you can fix things that don’t work, amp up things that do, and polish. But mostly, I cut. You can cut to make the writing tighter and to achieve a fast, page-turning pace.

Do you do a lot of external research in the process of writing? If so, what's the most interesting thing you've uncovered in your research?

I envy people who research thoroughly, but I hate and avoid it. I used to want to write Michael Crichton type science fiction thrillers, and even bought a college level robotics text. I quickly came to the conclusion that I did not have the background to

do that. Nor can I write about cops or soldiers, I’m doing good to just get around in traffic. So I write about the supernatural and magic, which I can just make up, and about everyday people we can all relate to, who stumble into dangerous situations and have to do the best they can.

Which character was your favorite to write and why?

The protagonist of the current book is usually the author’s stand-in for herself or himself and ends up working through some external problem that’s symbolic of an internal issue the writer has—which the writer then gives to the character in some exaggerated form. But of course all characters are facets of the author’s mind, and if

you’re not enjoying writing one of them, you probably need to change that character so that you do enjoy writing her. Especially since the reader won’t likely want to spend time with that character, either!

So Trish Sinclair is my favorite in the Spellcaster’s Grimoire. She’s met with outward success in her life, but feels like a fraud, like she hasn’t lived up to her own standards and those she imagines her mother had for her. Then she’s thrown into a situation, partly of her own making, that forces her to fulfill her potential.

That being said, Rain Devereaux, whom Trish and the hot warlock refer to as “Goth Girl,” was actually more fun to write. Young, snarky, and full of an optimism verging on naiveté, which the Heroine and Hero find both endearing and annoying.

How do you come up with your character names?

Character’s names often just come to me, and feel appropriate for that person. I also have a baby name book and a phone book. For some, I have an actor in mind and use a first and last name from different characters she’s portrayed. Hopefully no one will ever make that connection, because the character should have her own identity, and the reader should construct that character in her own mind. For that reason, I try to keep physical descriptions to a minimum, but it’s hard not to paint the details of the picture I see in my mind.

Please tell us a little bit about your journey to publication.

Aspiring writers should be aware that most published authors write from three to ten books before they’re producing publishable manuscripts. Revise each to the best of your ability at the time, send it out, but then move on—you’ll grow more by writing the next novel than by beating a dead horse. Of course, some people write great novels on their first or second time, you never know, and that’s what keeps us going.

I wrote three novels before I wrote my first published book, Mystic Witch. Try to find an agent, and if you can’t interest one, then look to the small presses. If it comes to it, self-publish, but only when you’re sure the novel is as good as other books on the market. There are some remarkable self-publishing success stories, and many advantages to doing it. I won’t rule it out in my future. But the big names are the exception, most self-published books sell very few copies. The real challenge is making people aware of your book out of all the hundreds of thousands being published.

What is the hardest part of being a writer?

Keeping going may be the hardest part. It’s a lot of work, there’s a lot of rejection, even for the big names, at least early in their careers. You have to love doing it.

Are there any common themes that you feel are particularly important to write about?

I believe each writer inevitably writes about what’s important to her, it’s as inescapable as the characters reflecting their creator. Whatever issues trouble us and we need to work through, or inspire a passion in us we want to communicate, will come out in our books. Most authors discover after writing a number of books that they all feature a “core theme” specific to that writer.

When you're not writing, what are your other hobbies/passions?

I was a working musician for years, and I still practice the guitar and record at home, and occasionally play gigs.

Are you working on any new projects?

I’m finishing a dark supernatural thriller, still with a love story, but more serious than my two Witches of Milton County books. It’s called Penumbra, and it’s about a washed-up musician whose songwriting partner returns from the dead to complete their final album—but the music turns listeners into homicidal maniacs. Don’t

worry, the Spellcaster’s Grimoire is nowhere near that dark, it’s an exciting but fun book!

Quick Fire round:

Coke or Pepsi? I don’t consume sugar or high fructose corn syrup, so it’s water and Starbucks for me!

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate! Usually as ice cream made with Splenda!

Rainy winter days or blazing hot summer days? I’ll take the summer—sunny skies fill me with hope.

Hard Copy or e-book? Hard copy. I admit I read e-books of novels I’m not sure I want to keep on my shelves. This saves money, but there’s at least one I’m going to have to buy the hard copy of after reading the eBook!

Favorite book? Stephen King’s It.

Last book you read? American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett.

What's a quote that inspires you? “Never quit, never quit, never quit.” -- Bill Clinton

What's your favorite comfort food? Macaroni and cheese!

About Mark All:

Mark All is the author of paranormal thrillers The Spellcaster’s Grimoire and Mystic Witch, published by ImaJinn Books in trade paperback and eBook formats.  He has won two international writing awards and contributed to Computer Legends, Lies & Lore.

Mystic Witch received a 5 Star review from the Paranormal Romance Guild, and 3½ stars (out of 4½ possible stars) from RT Book Reviews.

Mark is a full-time author after a career as an instructional systems designer at a Fortune 16 company. Prior to his work in computer-based training, he held jobs ranging from gravedigger to FM radio announcer to professional rock guitarist.

Mark presents writing workshops and taught his “Planning Your Novel” course at the Spruill Center for the Arts.

He earned a Masters degree in computer-based education and a Bachelor of Music cum laude.

You can visit Mark All’s website at www.MarkAllAuthor.com.

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The Giveaway:
One lucky reader will win a paperback copy of The Spellcaster's Grimoire!

The Rules:

This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada.

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Review: The Adventures of Stanley Delacourt

Title: The Adventures of Stanley Delacourt

Series: Hartlandia #1

Author: Ilana Waters

Publisher: Self Published

Published: August 10, 2012

Genre: Children's-Middle Grade

Format: Kindle

Pages: 244

Source: Received from author

Read:  February 23-25, 2013

In A Few Words: Questions authority

My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads: Add This To Your Goodreads Shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ten-year-old Stanley Delacourt loves his quiet life in the peaceful village of Meadowwood. At least, he does until his best friend is killed. Then the town library—where Stanley lives and works—is burned to the ground. The individuals responsible for both tragedies are a nasty group of soldiers. They work for the kingdom’s new leader, Christopher Siren. With the grown-ups too fearful to take action, Stanley vows to confront Siren. He plans to get answers and demand justice. Little does he know that his journey will involve sword-wielding knights, kidnapper fairies, and dark magic.

Stanley has only two allies back home: a witch named Meredith, and a young apothecary called Sophie. Can they help him discover the reason behind Siren’s crimes and end this terrible reign? Or is Stanley set to become the next victim in the tyrant’s evil plot?

Melissa's Musings:

This is a great adventure story. It begins with Stanley's work in the library, so I was instantly hooked, just based on that alone. There aren't enough stories that prominently feature libraries, so this was such a refreshing change.

The setting and language of the story is wonderful. It's easygoing, and comfortable. As I read I was immediately able to fall into Meadowood and imagine myself there, right along with the characters. The setting seemed like a mix of olden times (think medieval times) and more modern times.

The story starts out simply enough, Stanley, Sophie and Will enjoying a boat race together and a festival, but you can tell that there's something going on by the odd soldiers milling around. Then, when Will is killed after being out after "curfew" and then the library is burned down, Stanley knows he has to do something. He sets off on a quest to find out who the new ruler in place, Christopher Siren is, and what happened to the old king and queen. 

He faces a lot of trials and tribulations along the way. He also runs into all different kinds of magical creatures. There are subtle elements of magic throughout the story, right down to the very boots that Stanley is wearing. There's talk of vampires and vampire wars, witches, fairies, and much more. 

The magical element is perfect. It's done with just enough detail to keep the reader interested, but not so much as to overwhelm them. Sophie finding out she is a witch is also very fitting, given that she already has a job as an apothecary, and likes to write poems, it seems quite the natural fit that she becomes a witch. I particularly enjoyed the spin of her spells coming to her in her sleep, and her thinking of them more as poems than anything.

As Stanley gets further on in his journey, he is kidnapped and forced to work in one of Siren's factories, where several kids are nothing more than glorified paper pushers. Literally, they put papers into boxes. And they don't question it. They don't want anything more for themselves but to earn shiny metal discs and the promise of a better position if they earn enough of them.

At first Stanley tries to resist this, and tries to ask the others about their dreams, and whether they know that they are being forced to do these things for nothing, and give up on what they really believe in. But after an incident he too becomes numb and just goes along. You later find out that Hartlandia is under a spell. I thought this was a great way to demonstrate the fact that children should learn and think for themselves. They should question authority and not just do everything they are told. The story also demonstrates how easy it can be for kids to just forget about their dreams and "go along" if they are restricted enough.

This story is the perfect combination of magic, adventure, friendship, and the trials and tribulations of growing up. I can't wait to see what comes next in Stanley's adventure. I'd recommend this to lovers of magic, libraries, and easygoing characters/settings.

Black Lion Tours Presents: Witch in the Wind by Brenda M. Collins Excerpt and Review

Hello fellow readers!

Today I'm happy to be a part of the tour for Witch in the Wind by Brenda M. Collins. Read on for an excerpt and my review of this exciting book!

Brenda M. Collins'

Witch in the Wind

Everything happens in Bandit Creek when witches, warlocks and canine familiars slip through the portal from the magical world called THE OTHERLAND.

When murder strikes in Bandit Creek, and the victims aren’t who they seemed, powerful guardian warlock, Marcus Egan, is sent from The Otherland to investigate. What he doesn’t expect to find is Avalon Gwynn, the grieving daughter of the victims, who has no idea she’s an extraordinary, hereditary witch. And Avy’s pent up magical abilities have just been set free in the mortal world.

Can Marcus catch a killer while making sure Avy doesn’t bring Crow Mountain crashing down on the town—destroying Bandit Creek for the second time?

This is a sweet paranormal novella of approximately 50,000 words written for an adult audience but also suitable for young adult readers.

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Enjoy an Excerpt

Everything happens in Bandit Creek when WITCHES, WARLOCKS, and CANINE FAMILIARS slip the portal from THE OTHERLAND

(Excerpt from Chapter 2)

Marcus debated if he should fade into the background. In his line of work, his talent for making even another witch’s eye look past him without registering his presence was useful.

He felt another power surge. “What the—

The woman wasn't the magic source. Fierce, dark eyes locked on him, not in a friendly, or mortal, way. And the beast already knew Marcus was there. What the hell is a familiar doing here? Familiars couldn’t be summoned. They appeared only when gifted by a more powerful spirit in times of great danger. There hadn’t been such a creature around The Otherland for centuries. So who sent this one to the mortal world, he wondered. And why?

Pushing away from the wall, Marcus wandered over to the reception desk. By habit, he moved with quiet steps, yet the young woman seemed to sense his approach and turned in his direction. She pulled the cap from her head, pushed loose wisps of hair from her forehead, and looked up at him.

His breath stopped in his throat and his mouth watered. The little nymph was more than the usual pretty combination of golden blond hair and flawless fair skin. Her electric blue eyes, even smudged with fatigue, jolted his gut in a way he hadn’t felt since his teens, when his magical energy was working overtime along with his hormones.

He smiled and managed to keep his stance casual as he kept one eye on the familiar and one on the woman. She seemed startled for a second but then returned his smile with a brilliant one of her own. The familiar didn’t. He bared his teeth and growled.

“I mean you no harm.” He didn’t want the familiar to blow his cover so he stood completely still as he spoke to it directly.

To the woman he said, “Is he always afraid of strangers?”

The familiar rumbled again as if insulted.

“Only you as far as I know,” she replied. Her voice, a rich alto, wrapped around him like a siren’s song. “He was fine with me, and the sheriff, yesterday.”

He blinked trying to regain some control of his brain. “What’s his name?” He eased his hand, very slowly, towards the familiar murmuring reassurances that only the magical beast would understand.

“I don’t know really. I found him last night with no collar.” She shrugged and a light flush colored her cheeks. “I’ve been calling him Busby. You know, after the big furry hats the guards at Buckingham Palace wear. When I first saw him on my porch, that’s what he reminded me of.”

That answers one question, Marcus thought. He’s here to protect this woman. But does she know that? With his hand dangerously close to the familiar’s mouth, he let the beast scent the strength of his power. Warlocks were a level above most magical creatures, having been bred for generations as warriors. Of course, that didn’t mean the familiar wasn’t as strong, or even stronger. No one knew how familiars travelled from witch to witch and many assumed they were from the spirit realm.

Finally, the creature eased back on his haunches.

“Busby’s giving me a reprieve.” He very slowly withdrew his hand. To the familiar he said, “Giving me a chance, aren’t you, Busby. But you let me know who’s got the teeth when it comes to this woman.” He stepped back.

My Review:

4 Stars

This book is fantastic. It's paced well, and the romance between the two main characters Marcus and Avy is  perfect. It goes at just the right speed, not too fast so as to be insta-love, but not so slow that you're wondering if they're even worth reading about. 

The blending of the real and magical worlds is excellent. I really enjoyed the separation of the non-magical world from The Otherland. There was just enough information to keep you hooked and wondering about The Otherland, but not so much as to overwhelm you. The book does a great job of incorporating the rules of Wicca, especially it's main covenant "And harm to none." I really liked that the book took them time to lay out these rules and to continue to follow and mention them throughout. A lot of times in books that deal with witchcraft, the setup can be so quick that the rules like these are forgotten or passed over, but it shows that the author took her time in planning to incoroporate the Wiccan elements.

One thing that always sticks out  for me is an author's use of color in their descriptions. I'm not sure why, but this is a particular detail that I tend to gravitate toward. There are great mentions of color in this story as well. Particularly in the descriptions of auras and the characters eyes. People from The Otherland have unique eye colors that they have to hide when they are trying to pass as human, and the descriptions of these unique eye colors are excellent.

This story is actually part of a much larger series, but it works very well as a standalone story. Personally, I'm not quite interested in the rest of the series just the storyline for these particular characters. I can't wait to see what comes next for them.

This is an action packed story and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes stories with well written romance and witchcraft.

Meet the Author

Brenda M. Collins has wanted to write romance since she was twelve years old. At the age of twenty, she spoke to an editor in Toronto, Canada, who expressed an interest in her story; however, she soon realized it takes more than an idea to be an author. She joined a number of writing groups to learn about ‘the craft’ and completed two mystery manuscripts. To help her fellow writers develop strong business skills, Brenda has published articles, and delivered workshops to hundreds of writers, on career planning, professional networking and presentation skills. Her most recent article, entitled How to Improve your Presentations, is in the 2013 Writer’s Market (Brewer, R.L., ed. F&W Media Inc. p. 153).

Brenda’s debut novel, WITCH IN THE WIND, starts with a murder, but comes to life with witches, warlocks, a canine familiar and a magical dimension called The Otherland. For upcoming titles in The Otherland Chronicles, and other stories, keep an eye on Brenda’s website www.brendamcollins.com and follow her on Twitter.