Book Review - Ruinsong by Julia Ember

Ruinsong by Julia Ember is about a young woman, Cadence, who must decide if she dares to stand up against her ruthless queen, Elene. Cadence was a small child training to be a principal singer for the palace. Her singing is imbued with magic and can be controlled and used depending on the song Cadence sings.

Cadence was chosen by the queen to be a mage for the palace. As Cadence is one of the most powerful mages in the castle, she is made to do the queen’s bidding, whether or not she wants to.  The queen’s latest request was for Cadence to host a concert to torture the country’s nobility. 

While Cadence doesn’t enjoy using her powers to hurt people, Cadence just accepts that this is her fate. That is, until she is reunited with her childhood friend, Remi. Remi is a noblewoman and has a deep hatred for the current queen. Remi and her family have ties to an underground rebellion. Cadence must decide if she will finally stand up for herself against the queen or continue doing Elene’s bidding.

The novel was a quick and straightforward read. It didn’t have any unexpected twists or turns. I was surprised that this was considered a “Phantom of the Opera” retelling as I would have never assumed that from just reading the book. The idea that magic can be conjured by singing was cool to me and I wish magic took a bigger role in the book. I also wish there was an epic magic showdown in the book at least once, or that the concept was explained in more detail. I was interested in learning more about their world. It seemed pretty basic and not much details about it were given other than magic is done by singing. I thought the ending seemed a bit rushed and felt disjointed. I did enjoy the novel and would be open to reading more books by the author.

 

Book Review - The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova

 

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova is about a family trying to live with the actions of their matriarch, Orquídea Divina. The Montoya family is used to having to go through life without any explanations from their matriarch. They know better than to ask Orquídea why even though she never leaves her home at Four Rivers, her supplies never seem to run out.

Orquídea sends her family an invitation to her “funeral” with strict instructions they must follow if they want to collect their inheritance. The family is confused because they didn’t know that she was ill or on her deathbed. Reluctantly, the family travels to Four Rivers in hopes to learn the secrets that Orquídea has kept closely guarded their entire lives. When everyone gathers, Orquídea mentions that everyone would be given an inheritance that they must protect and it will protect them in return. Instead of explaining more about her past or the inheritance, Orquídea turns into a ceiba tree, leaving the family to find answers  for themselves.

The gifts that her family members Marimar, Rey, and Rhiannon received from Orquídea seven years prior, all have manifested differently for them. Some of them were given special blessings or powers that they can wield. As they try to understand their budding powers, a mysterious figure that Orquídea has warned them about has started to hunt them down. The trio is desperate to save the rest of their remaining family and travel back to Ecuador, where Orquídea hailed from. They hope that they can understand more about their inheritance and why Orquídea fled from Ecuador and never returned.

The book is told from alternating points of views and timelines. It was confusing to keep track of the different characters as there were quite many of them.  I didn’t really like any of the characters and it was hard to remember how they each related to the story. Then there were characters that had many pages dedicated to them but didn’t serve any purpose to the main story.  The characters felt flat and bland. I wish they were fleshed out a bit more.

The story would jump from the past to the present. I found myself drawn more to Orquídea’s past than the current timeline. I thought it was more interesting and wished that the entire book just contained her life story as it was very interesting to me. 

The novel took a bit for me to get into. There would be pages and pages where nothing was happening. I didn’t care for the writing style as it seemed overly wordy and at times I would have to reread the same sentence a few times to understand what the author was trying to portray. I felt like the book was trying too hard and it fell flat for me. I wish the author spent more time explaining some of the magical elements. Instead, we were just told that the magical elements just exist with no further explanation. I can understand why some people would enjoy the book but it wasn’t for me.

Book Review - Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

 

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher is a retelling of a fairytale about a princess, Princess Fayette, who is trapped in a tower and the creature that protects it. 

When Toadling was born to her human family, she was stolen by fairies and switched with a Changeling.  She is taken to the swamp where she spends most of her childhood. Toadling is transformed from a human girl into a toad shaped being that can transform into an actual toad. She is surrounded and loved by the faeries at the swamp. They teach her how to use magic and coddle her. They are the only family she has ever known.

Toadling enjoys her time there and when she reaches adulthood, one of the fae asks her for a favor. Toadling is to return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn baby. She is given her mission and is offered training to help her succeed with her quest. However, as much as Toadling is prepared, nothing is as easy as imagined and something always goes wrong. Toadling fumbles the blessing and the faerie child’s power grows uncontrollably along with unleashing her evil side. As a last resort, Toadling placed the child under a curse that put her asleep to prevent her from using her evil powers.

Centuries have passed since Toadling was asked to pass her blessing to the child. A knight has stopped by a wall that is surrounded by brambles and thorns. He has heard that there is a curse and rumors of a hidden treasure beyond the thorn covered wall. Toadling is serving as the guardian of the wall and will stop at nothing to make sure that the curse isn’t broken.

I was excited to read the novella and was able to finish it in a day. I heard many good things about the author and was excited to read the book. However, I was a bit disappointed with the story. I found the novella hard to get into and the writing clunky and hard to follow. I found myself re-reading the same sentence a few times to try to understand what was going on.

There are a lot of things that I found confusing. For example, the timeframe and world the story takes place in. It wasn’t very clear to me when or where the story takes place. The family of the Princess was called a King and Queen but when they were describing the property they loved in, it seems like they were more like a lower level lord and lady.  The book was an okay read but I would be open to reading other books by the author.

Book Review - Lake Silence by Anne Bishop

 

Lake Silence by Anne Bishop is about a human woman, Vicki DeVine, who is trying to get her life back in order after going through a divorce. Vicki was awarded her husband, Yorrick’s, family resort as part of her divorce settlement. She decides to fix up the place and open it up as a resort for both humans and Others alike. She hopes that she can get enough visitors to help support herself.

In this world, humans and animals are not the only beings that populate the world. There are extraordinary creatures that are called Others. They can be elemental, vampires, shape shifters, and even other scary things that go bump in the night.  The area that her resort is located on, Lake Silence, is controlled by these Others. Human laws do not apply here. It is something that every visitor and resident of Lake Silence must remember because if someone breaks the rules, they will face the consequences. 

As Vicki hopes to finish renovating the resort and start over, her lodger, Aggie Crowe, found a dead body on the property. Aggie is a member of the shape shifting Crow Other group. Vicki worries that the dead body would cause more trouble to be stirred up and may interfere with her renovating plans.

Detectives are called to the scene to help figure out who the victim is. As they investigate the murder, it is made very clear that nothing human could have killed the victim based on the condition the body was left in. However, the detectives still try to pin the death on Vicki. Vicki is desperate to prove that she is innocent and tries to find out who is behind the murder. As Vicki enlists her friends for assistance, it is discovered that someone has broken one of the rules set by the Others, and the Others will stop at nothing to enact punishment.

The novel is a standalone but takes place in the same world as another book series by the author. The book was easy to follow even though I am not familiar with the world. It did move a bit slowly with chapters after chapters of nothing happening. There were a few things I had to learn, like the days of the week in this fictional world, and the different types of Others. The author included a nifty section detailing some aspects of the world to make it easier for readers who are not familiar with her books and characters. I was confused that they put the “Lady of the Lake” on the cover as she was a minor character and didn’t really have much to do with the plot. It was a bit annoying because I had picked up this book based on the cover alone. I guess this teaches me not to judge a book by the cover.

The book started off okay but after a few chapters in I couldn’t stand Vicki DeVine. She was an annoying, blubbering fool. She sits there and feels sorry for herself yet does nothing. The only thing she does is talk about how “yummy” her vampire lawyer is and about various characters’ “vigorous appendages”. This novel reads like amateur and juvenile fan fiction.  Vicki’s behavior doesn’t seem like it would be something a grown woman in her thirties would be acting like. She constantly mentions the sex thoughts about the men around her.  Some of the other elements in the book are just plain laughable. For example, the “club” that the bad men belong to is called the “Tie Clip Club”. That name  seems like something a child came up with, and does not jive with the adult theme of the book.

If the book didn’t include Vicki, I would have enjoyed it alot more. She was a completely useless character and I found her annoying. She and other characters kept mentioning she had body issues and anxiety but the story never did anything to address them. Instead, Vicki would just shut down around men who were mean to her. And for some odd reason, men either acted cruel to her or treated her really nicely. Those same men are the ones who make all of her decisions. It feels at times, she is just a secondary character in her own story.  While I am in no rush in reading more of the author’s books, I will say that she is skilled in creating detailed worlds. In my opinion, her main characters were not so great.

Book Review - The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton

 

The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton is about a young girl, Ella Durand, who gets to attend a magical school. Eleven year old Ella will be the first Conjuror to attend the Arancum Training Institute. The Arcanum is a magical school that is located in the clouds were Marvellers, people who can use magic, attend to learn and practice their magic.  There are a lot of different types of magic, like blending Indian spices to create elixirs, bartering with mischievous Irish pixies, and even knitting that can see into the future.

Ella is excited to be accepted into the school. However, she knows that being the first for anything isn’t always easy and a lot of people are not accepting of change. She tries her best to fit in but she is met with hostility by students and teachers alike. Ella eventually finds kindred spirits with two fellow students and her mentor, Masterji Thakur. Her roommate, Brigit, is a girl who hates magic and doesn’t want to be at school. She would rather be back in NYC with her guardian. Jason was assigned to be Ella’s guide around school and he likes being around magical creatures.

Just when Ella finally finds a community that is supportive of her, the unthinkable happens. A dangerous criminal, the Ace of Anarchy, escapes from her prison. It looks like she was able to escape with the help of a Conjuror. Everyone is worried what the Ace is up to and Ella becomes a person of interest. Ella’s support system crumbles when Masterji Thakur unexpectedly goes on vacation and isn’t available. She decides that she will have to rely on her friends and her growing powers, if she is to clear her name and find Masterji Thakur.

I thought that the book was an interesting read. I like that the author included characters and food from various cultures. I thought this was going to be a Harry Potter novel copy but it had a lot of good things going for it but the execution could have been better. The author did create an extraordinary sounding world. It seemed like a magical and amazing place. However, I wish the author went into more details about certain things. The author would use world specific terms or talk about something, without going into much detail about it. I felt like a lot of things were left unexplained, such as: why does that elevator appear for Ella? Do the people who lose their powers gain it back? Why were the conjurors left out? I am hoping that the author goes into more detail about it in the next novel.

At times, the book moved very slowly and nothing would happen. Towards the end of the novel, the plot starts to pick up but the interaction with the villain lasts like a blink of an eye. It did seem a bit random because the villain and Ella didn’t know each other. I wish the author went into more detail or provided more action packed scenes. While the characters were interesting and diverse, sometimes I had a hard time liking Ella. She was unnecessarily mean to Jason when he was trying to show her around the school. Then  another time she got mad and jealous over the attention Bridgit got when she won the mini planet toy. I would have liked it if Ella spent some time explaining why she felt certain ways. I am curious to read more about Ella and her classmates' newest adventure.

Book Review - Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall

 

Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall is about a young woman named Linden James, who is trying to find out the truth about her strange disappearance experience last year. 

The rural Caball Hollow is surrounded by the vast National Forest. It is home to the James family who own a farm and local eatery, the Harvest Moon Diner, in the area. 

The family is well known in the area for their delicious food and it’s an open secret that they’re witches. However, that isn’t the only “secret” they are keeping, this one not so open. Linden and every female in her family tree, is born with an unusual ability. Linden can taste what other people are feeling.

Linden usually loves her gift until it costs her her relationship with Cole Spencer to sour one night. The pair grew up together and then their relationship blossomed into a romantic one. Everything was going great between the two of them, until Linden did something she was told by her family she should never do. She decided to tell an outsider more about her secret ability. She thought Cole would be excited but she tasted his confused and fearful emotions instead. Then he started pushing her away and told her to go back home.

Linden was upset from her interaction with Cole and left him to go back home. She later decides that she shouldn’t let Cole get in the way of her plans. She decides to join her friends in the depth of the forest for a party. Everything was going well, until she woke up hours later in the woods with no memories of what happened that night. All Linden can recall are hazy bits that suggest that a lot more happened to her that night than she can remember.

A few months pass and now, it’s another hot day in summer and one of the hottest summers so far. Things seem to be going well, until another girl, Dahlia, goes missing in the forest. It seems to be very similar to Linden’s experience last year except this time, the missing girl is found dead. When her body is found, it is clear that the girl was murdered.

Linden knew Dahlia and Linden was also the one who found the body. She is determined to find out what happened to her friend. However, as she begins digging, it becomes clear that someone is trying to keep the past buried and they will do anything to keep it that way. Will Linden be able to find out the truth about her friend’s murder and her disappearance last year, and if there’s a connection?

The book was an interesting read and had some vivid imagery. It had some spooky and paranormal elements. However, I felt that the book was dragging some of the time and it took a while before the author got into the meat of the story. At times, there was a lot going on and it was hard to keep track of who was speaking and what was going on and how it related to the story.

The romance between Cole and Linden could have been fleshed out more. It seemed to me that they were once pretty close but then they had a falling out. It seems obvious that they both liked each other and Cole was always still friendly and nice to her even though they didn’t talk. Linden seemed to have feelings for Cole as well. I also didn’t understand why Cole pushed her away that night. If he knew “something”, it seemed that they had a strong relationship and they both trusted each other— It just seems weird that he wouldn’t tell her especially when she was so open with him.

I love the relationships and the scenes with Linden and her sisters and family. The dynamics were fun and most of the time, Linden was open and honest with her sisters. They did things together and they didn’t keep any secrets from each other. I do wish that the sisters had more of a role when Linden was searching for the killer. I did like side plots with Rowan’s and Hadrian’s cat and mouse antics with each other. They seemed like a cute couple and I liked their scenes together.  I also liked the scenes with Linden’s aunt, Sissy, I thought she was a fun character. I wished to learn more about her backstory and why she decided to come back home. The James family are portrayed as strong and powerful witches but they rarely showcased their abilities and didn’t help Linden with her quest to find answers.

I thought I would have been able to guess who the killer was and I was able to guess it towards the end. However, I didn’t get the motivation and that was surprising to me. I wished the author spent more time explaining the ending and certain loose ends.

Book Review - Bizard the Bear Wizard by Chrissie Krebs + Giveaway

 

  

Bizard the Bear Wizard by Chrissie Krebs is about a bear who is given magical powers. Bear was just an average bear who enjoyed sleeping and eating. He was content with his quiet life.  Everything changes when a tornado sweeps through the land.

The tornado took the wand from a neighboring powerful but eccentric wizard who is casting a spell, and lodges it into Bear’s head. Now he looks like a bear with a unicorn horn on his head. Bear isn’t excited, especially since the wand seems stuck. 

Bear and his friends realize that he is able to grant wishes because of his new appendage. When other animals find out, they travel to Bear to grant his wishes. He is overwhelmed and doesn’t want to cast any more wishes. So, when an evil wolf (unbeknownst to Bear) asks for his own wand, Bear is all too excited to get rid of the responsibility. Will Bear be able to see through Wolf’s wish in time and save the animals from harm?

The graphic novel was a fun and quick read. It was filled with humor and witty jokes. I didn’t care for the drawing style as it looked a bit silly. However, a young audience might not care about the drawing style as much as the story. The graphic novel teaches young readers that sometimes a situation can work out in their favor even if it's something they didn’t want. I would be open to reading more of Bizard’s adventures or graphic novels by the author.

 **Disclosure - I received a free unedited version of this book in exchange for an honest opinion** 

   

 

About The Book:

Title: BIZARD THE BEAR WIZARD

Author: Chrissie Krebs

Pub. Date: June 20, 2023

Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books/Holiday House

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Pages: 160

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/BIZARD

An ordinary bear gains extraordinary magical powers in this hilarious early graphic novel reader.

Bear was just an average bear, until the day a tornado lodged an out-of-control wizard’s wand in his head. Now he looks a bit like a cross between a bear and a unicorn. He is none too pleased, but it seems he might be stuck with the wand for the foreseeable future.  

Even worse, he now has the ability to grant wishes—something he wants no part of. He’d much rather spend his days dozing away. His friends give him a new name—Bizard the Bear Wizard—and he reluctantly accepts his new magical powers and starts granting wishes to everyone in the forest.

But when the evil wolf and his bad guys threaten them all, Bizard knows it’s time to embrace his magical destiny. Only he and his newly wanded head can save the day now. Along the way, Bizard’s friends, Fox, Owl, and Squirrel, all bring their own brand of kooky support to his antics as he uses . . . and accidently misuses, his powers.

From the talented author-illustrator Chrissie Krebs comes the first of two hilarious younger graphic novels about Bizard and his friends.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

 

About Chrissie Krebs:

Chrissie Krebs has illustrated several picture books, including Pig in a Wig, A Dinosaur Ate Dad's Hair, and There's Something Weird in Santa's Beard. She also illustrated Rodney Loses It by Gerard Bauer, which was named a CBCA Children’s Book of the Year for Early Childhood. She lives in Australia. Visit her at chrissiekrebs.net. 

 

Website | Instagram | Goodreads | BookBub

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of BIZARD THE BEAR WIZARD, US Only.

Ends June 27th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/12/2023	The Chirpy Bookaholic	Excerpt/IG Post
6/12/2023	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt
6/13/2023	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
6/13/2023	YA Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
6/14/2023	onemused	IG Post
6/14/2023	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
6/15/2023	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post
6/15/2023	@stargirls.magical.tale	IG Review
6/16/2023	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
6/16/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

6/19/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
6/19/2023	@get.outside.and.read	IG Review
6/20/2023	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
6/20/2023	FUONLYKNEW	Review
6/21/2023	Two Points of Interest	Review
6/21/2023	@enjoyingbooksagain	IG Review
6/22/2023	Nerdophiles	Review
6/22/2023	Jeff_of_allmedia	IG Review
6/23/2023	@evergirl200	IG Review
6/23/2023	Little Red Reads	Review/IG Post

Book Review - Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa

 

Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa is about a Mexican witch trying to open her own speakeasy during the Roaring Twenties, while providing for her family and coming to terms with her heritage. Luna, or Rose, depending who is asking, is a caucasian-looking daughter of an immigrant Mexican woman. Luna’s mother wants her to pretend to be White so Luna can have the best opportunities life can offer. They’ve both seen how society treats people who are different.

Luna is a descendant of a long line of magical witches which are based off of Mexican folktale. However, she is struggling to control and expand her abilities like her talented grandmother.  She wants to rely on her budding powers to make progress in her life, but it doesn’t seem that she is able to control her powers.

Luna is struggling to come to terms with her two different personalities along with handling her magical abilities.  During the day, “Rose” is a part time reporter at a newspaper. During the night, “Luna” is a partial owner of a nightclub.  Luna wants to own her own jazz nightclub outright, as she is tired of dealing with the crooked politicians and the deadly mobsters who run the underground nightlife. Even though Luna looks like a White woman, her loved ones still get targeted with violence because of the rampant sexism and racism. Luna wants to mitigate these risks by owning her own business with no ties to mobsters.

Utilizing her magical powers of charm, she is able to negotiate with criminals to keep her business running smoothly. As she’s making progress, she finds herself in the crosshair of someone who wants to harm her and her business to a greater degree than her “business partners”.  Luna is used to depending on herself but she finds herself overwhelmed. Will she be able to turn to her loved ones for help?

 

It was engaging seeing how Luna was trying to manage the two different sides of herself and trying to combine her heritage and her new life into one. I liked reading about her dreams of running her own business and how she overcame the people who were trying to stop her.

 

The book was packed with action on every page but it felt overwhelming at times. There were points though that I had a hard time following along. I felt the Spanish phrases and the terminology used during that time period made it hard to keep up with the pace. I would have liked a glossary or a translation of what something meant.

 

I also felt at times that the writing was choppy. A scene would transition to another scene without much warning or heads up that the story was moving in another direction.  It seemed as if the author wanted to broach many different social issues such as racism and sexism, but she touched the surface and didn’t really go anywhere with it.

 

I had a hard time connecting with the main character. I felt that the reader got a one dimensional look to her. The author didn’t spend much time giving her a background or explaining her magic in more detail. I felt like the novel lacked proper world building, which was confusing since she used a lot of 1920’s jargon. Luna’s thoughts were so muddled and repetitive that it made it confusing to me. The book had a lot of potential but it needed to be better edited to make the story easier to follow.

Book Review - Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert

 

Ivy was planning on spending her summer relaxing and doing things that every other teenager does at her age. However, when she gets into an accident and meets a stranger in the middle of the road, her summer vacation takes a turn for the weird. After a string of unsettling events, Ivy starts to question everything she believes to be true. She feels that her mother is a keeping something from her.

Dana always has been perceptive even as a child. When she was sixteen, her and her friends decide to learn and dabble in magic. As the fall deeper into the magic bubble, they realize that there is a dark force around them and it might be leading to unwanted consequences.

I thought this was going to be an interested read with the dual timelines. However, it was incredibly boring and unnecessarily long. The author wrote in a long winded flowery prose that took up too much time to read. After awhile, my eyes started glazing over. The novel could have been so much more interesting if the author had limited her metaphors. Not everything needs to be given nuanced description. I didn't really care for any of the characters and Ivy was very annoying at the end. I felt like she did a complete 360 personality wise.

 

Book Review - Kiara Fights Back by Marilyn Kaye

 

Kiara is known for speaking what's on her mind. She doesn't hesitate to let other people know what she is thinking. She is happy that she became friends with the girls of the Spyglass Sisterhood who appreciate her observations and judgment. 

When Kiara finds out that a fellow classmate is getting bullied online, she decides to take action. She is determined to find out who is behind the bullying and bring them to justice. She needs to rely on her friends and the magical spyglass to help solve the mystery.

I thought the book was an okay read. I personally got confused with the characters when I first read the book and had trouble keep track of the different girls and their personalities. I can't say I enjoyed Kiara, I found some of her inner commentary to be blunt and sometimes, mean. It made me wonder if she even likes her friends. However, I feel that the book did teach an important lesson about bullying, having empathy, and the importance of words. It also highlights the proper usage of social media along with standing up for others and for standing up and defending for your beliefs.

Book Review - The Age of Witches by Louisa Morgan

 

 

Bridget Bishop was accused of being a witch and was hanged for her crimes. Two hundreds years later, her legacy lives through two different lines. One woman is using her power to try to help women in need. The other woman is using her power to get more power and prestige by whatever means necessary.

Annis is a young woman in Gilded Age New York who finds herself caught in between a family feud.  Annis realized that she doesn't want to be a pawn and in the middle of feud. She decides she would use her own power for what she wants. Annis will have to find her own power without succumbing to the siren call of darkness.

The novel started off well and was very interesting. However, around the halfway part of the novel, I felt like the story was dragging on for a bit and felt boring. The novel had a slow burn and there wasn't much story wise. The book was filled with tons of historical details, details about horses, strong female leads, and bits of spells. If you like reading a cozy novel about two witches, then this would be your type of read.

Book Review - The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

 

In summer of1950, Flavia de Luce is a young girl aspiring to be chemist with a passion for poison. She becomes entwined in a mystery when a dead bird is found on their doorstep with a stamp pinned through its beak. Hour later, Flavia discovers a man dying in their garden and watches as he takes his last breath. Flavia is excited that a murder occurs at Buckshaw as she soon becomes invested in solving the case.

This isn't usually the type of book I would pick for myself. However, it was given as a recommendation to me. It wasn't a bad book but, it wasn't a book that suit my tastes. I found the boisterous Flavia to be annoying and overwhelming at times. I didn't care for the writing style and I found myself having to reread several parts of the story too many times. I was a bit turned off with scenes of  the "Oriental" magic trick and found this to be in poor taste. Some readers might find this series enjoyable, I do not.

Book Review - Matriarch by Adam Wing + Giveaway

 

 

About The Book:

Title: MATRIARCH

Author: Adam Wing

Pub. Date: December 1, 2019

Publisher: Adam Wing

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 124

Find it:  Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, TBD, Bookshop.org

Read For FREE With A Kindle Unlimited Membership!

The story is over. It’s already too late.

At the end of the Turkish War of Independence, a British soldier disobeys orders to return home. Setting out to explore a country he had only known as trespasser, he uncovers danger, mysteries, and magic—adventure, obsession, and true love.

One hundred years later, the soldier’s great-granddaughter sits at her great-grandmother’s deathbed while the old woman recounts this very tale; it is the last she will ever tell.

Secrets are revealed as past and present collide, and as one woman’s future draws toward its inevitable close, another finds hers thrown into uncertainty.

MY REVIEW:

During the end of the Turkish War of Independence, a British solider decides to disobey his orders to return home. He wants to stay in Turkey longer because he feels that his soul is searching for something.  He decides to explore the country as as visitor instead of an invader. As he begins his journey, he discovers secrets about magic and mysterious adventures. 

One hundred years later, the soldier's wife is lying in a hospital bed. She is dying and she decides that she will share the tale of how they met. This was the first time she ever spoke about their meeting and it might be the last time she could share it. However, as the she begins her story, secrets of the past start to collide with the future. As one woman's life is at the end, another finds herself in peril.

The author weaved an intricate and interesting story of two people meeting. I thought the story could use a bit of editing but, it was an entertaining read. I felt like the novella had a lot of promise to become something more. I wasn't fond of the ending as I don't like stories where the reader has to guess what will happen next. Overall, this was a good read and I look forward to reading other stories by the author.

About Adam: 

Man of many hats: teacher, engineer, editor, scholar, mountain climber, bar tender, student, world traveller, and through and above it all, writer, Wing has dedicated most his life to the craft of writing fiction.

Wing's published works include the novel, Icarus, and a book of short stories, Apoca Lypse Sink Ships, and he has fantasy work on the way.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will win a finished copy of MATRIARCH, US/Canada Only.

2 winners will win an eBook of MATRIARCH, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/4/2021	Two Chicks on Books	Guest Post
1/4/2021	Rockstar Book Tours	Excerpt
1/5/2021	Jaime's World	Excerpt
1/5/2021	JaimeRockstarBookTours	Instagram Post
1/6/2021	BookHounds	Excerpt
1/6/2021	BookHounds	Instagram Post
1/7/2021	Books A-Brewin'	Excerpt
1/7/2021	Books A-Brewin'	Instagram Post
1/8/2021	Fire and Ice	Review
1/8/2021	Fire and Ice	Instagram Post

 

Week Two:

1/11/2021	I'm Shelf-ish	Excerpt
1/11/2021	Three gals and plenty of books	Excerpt
1/12/2021	@minnesota_mailer	Review
1/12/2021	100 Pages A Day	Review
1/13/2021	Westveil Publishing / @thewestveilarchives	Guest Post
1/13/2021	Westveil Publishing / @thewestveilarchives	Instagram Post
1/14/2021	Adrienne Woods Books and Reviews	Excerpt
1/14/2021	Books and Zebras @jypsylynn	Review
1/15/2021	She Just Loves Books	Review
1/15/2021	Two Points of Interest	Review