Dust

GIVEAWAY

SWANSON, KARA

DUST

The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale.

Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real -- since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Clair'es desperate search points to London...and a boy who shouldn't exist.

Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins.

The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan -- and herself.

My Review:

I'm flying high on pixie dust after this incredible read (well, listen.) Dust is brilliantly imaginative. An exceptional retelling...well, more like a carry on after the book ended. A flightless Peter Pan stuck in London. Along with his Lost Boys who are now foe. Even Captain Hook and his pirates are lurking about. And the pixies!!!! Some of my favourite parts feature the pixies!!! I'm rambling, aren't I? Sorry, it's just that this book has me discombobulated. 

It's darker and edgier than a traditional Peter Pan story -- you might say a more grown up version since, away from Neverland, Peter is in peril of growing up. It's ironic and funny with so many clever twists and nods to J. M. Barrie's characters but still fresh and alive in its own right. 

This is more than the traditional battle between good and evil. It goes deeper -- finding a balance between light and shadow and learning to believe in yourself. Even that goes deeper -- to trusting in who you were meant to be, created for a glorious, unique purpose. Simply stunning. I got teary-eyed in places.

And then...it was over all too soon and...GASP!!!!...it ends with a cliffhanger!!!!!! And we have to wait until the summer to find out what happens next in Shadow. Now, normally I abhor cliffies, but this book was so captivating I'm not bothered at all. Yes, it's that brilliant. (I may be over using that word in this review but I can't help it because it's all so very...brilliant!)

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Natasha Soudek -- one of the best book performances I've come across.   

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for an ebook or paperback copy 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Dust, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winners announced on Saturday March 20  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

Mark of the Raven

GIVEAWAY

BUSSE, MORGAN L.
MARK OF THE RAVEN

Dreamwalker. Nightwatcher. Lady of Ravenwood.
Lady Selene has come into her family's power. But has she inherited a gift or a curse?

Lady Selene is heir to the House of Ravenwood and the secret family gift of dreamwalking. As a dreamwalker, she can enter a person's dreams and manipulate their greatest fears or desires. Soon after the gifting, however, Selene discovers that the Ravenwood women have been secretly using their gift to gather information or to assassinate those responsible for the fall of House Ravenwood to the Dominia Empire hundreds of years ago.

As she becomes more entrenched in Ravenwood's dark past, Selene longs to find out the true reason behind her family's gift, believing that its original intent could not have been for such evil purposes, but she is torn about upholding her family's legacy -- a legacy that supports her people. Selene's dilemma comes to a head when she is tasked with assassinating the one man who can bring peace to the nations -- but who is also prophesied to bring about the downfall of her own house.

One path holds glory and power and will solidify her position as Lady of Ravenwood. The other path holds shame and likely death. Which will she choose? And is she willing to pay the price for the path chosen?

My Review:

Whoa! I'm not quite sure how to write a review for this one! A bit of a departure from my usual reading material because, though I love fantasy, I'm rather picky about which books I choose. A speculative fiction story either grabs me or it doesn't and I'm not sure I can even tell you what the yay or nay factors are but I can tell you that Mark of  the Raven not only grabbed me, it swallowed me whole and refused to regurgitate me until the very end...which is more of a beginning, really. Agh! There's so much I want to say and so much I can't say...ha! I'm like Lady Selene, bound by secrets I cannot share.

Busse has done some really creative world-building -- a kind of Medieval fairy tale ambiance with a lot more edge! I mean, seriously -- a dreamwalking would-be-assassin heroine?! What a hook! And I liked Selene right from the start, even though the burden of her gifting  is beginning to blacken her soul. Such inner turmoil as she struggles with wanting to be the kind of dark leader her mother claims she needs to be while not quite able to let go of what is true and noble and kind. Some parts of her story were hard to read and I kept shouting at her to find a better way but unfortunately, she wasn't dreamwalking in my dreams so it didn't do her (or me) any good!

Grand Lord Damien is the stuff legends are made of.  The kind of hero who puts the welfare of his people before himself. Eager to carry on his father's legacy and bring peace to the nation, he attempts to unite the seven ruling Houses in order to create a stronghold that will keep their common enemy from invading their lands. Treachery, politics, secret alliances...Busse spins an intriguing tale around the age old theme of good versus evil which includes a compelling inspirational thread.

This is the first book in The Ravenwood Saga, and like most fantasy novels, the story doesn't exactly draw to a conclusion as much as it lines things up for the next book. So definitely a cliffhanger ending, but there's enough resolution to keep me somewhat satisfied until Flight of the Raven releases in April 2019.

Book provided by Baker's Publishing Group and Graf-Marting Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Mark of the Raven, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca.  If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 12 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Fawkes

GIVEAWAY

BRANDES, NADINE
FAWKES

Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father's plot to assassinate the King of England.

Silent wars leave the most carnage. The wars that are never declared, but are carried out in dark alleys with masks and hidden knives. Wars where color power alters the natural rhythm of 17th century London. And when the king peace, no one listens until he finally calls for death.

But what if death finds him first?

Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did. But all Thomas knows in that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn't do something soon, he'll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot -- claiming it will put an end to the plague -- Thomas is in.

The problem: Doing so will destroy the family of the girl Thomas loves. But backing out of the plot will send his father and the other plotters to the gallows. To save one, Thomas will lose the other.

No matter Thomas's choice, one thing is clear: once the decision is made and the color masks have been put on, there's no turning back.

My Review:

History and mystery clash in a fantastical tale of magic and mayhem! Loved the historical setting and the ingenuous color magic that brings an interesting edge to 17th century England. And the allegory behind the White Light is sheer brilliance. Political intrigue provides a convoluted plot full of action and danger as Thomas struggles to find his place in a society that scorns him. His desperate desire to belong leads him on a treacherous journey of self-discovery. Fawkes is written completely from his point of view which was an interesting switch for me as it's not often I read a book from just a male point of view...especially an adolescent male!

I listened to the audio version courtesy of my public library and the narrator is fantastic! Like watching a play only with your eyes closed. (lol) And excruciating at times when I wanted to go faster over a particularly exciting part. One of the perils of listening versus reading -- someone else sets the pace for you!

This is the first book I've read by Nadine Brandes -- I think that makes three new-to-me-authors in the last two weeks! -- but I'be heard fantastic things about her Out of Time series so I'll be hunting them down next. I do love me some great Young Adult fantasy and this author seems to fit the bill!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Fawkes, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December 2 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Unraveling

GIVEAWAY

ELLA, SARA
UNRAVELING

What happens when happily ever after starts to unravel?

Elilyana Ember doesn't believe in true love. Not anymore. After defeating her grandfather and saving the Second Reflection, El only trusts what's right in front of her. The tangible. The real. Not some unexplained Kiss of Infinity she once shared with the ghost of a boy she's trying to forget. She has more important things to worry about -- like becoming queen of the Second Reflection, a role she is so not prepared to fill.

Now that the Verity is intertwined with her soul and Joshua's finally by her side, El is ready to learn more about her mysterious birth land, the land she now rules. So why does she feel like something -- or someone -- is missing?

When the thresholds begin to drain and the Callings, those powerful magical gifts, begin to fail, El wonders if her link to Ky Rhyen may have something to do with it. For light and darkness cannot coexist. She needs answers before the Callings disappear altogether. Can El find a way to sever her connection to Ky and save the Reflections -- and keep herself from falling for him in the process?

My Review:

This is definitely a case where you need to have read the first book in this trilogy in order to get the most out of this one. Sara Ella left  us with a doozy of a cliffhanger in Unblemished. Lots of dangling loose ends are picked up in Unraveling...and then promptly unravel again so yes...you can look forward to another cliffhanger and we'll have to wait until Unbreakable releases in May 2018 to finally get full resolution for this cast of intriguing characters. But this author weaves such an exceptional tale I can forgive her the nail-biting frustration of cliffie endings.

And goodness, but she has a scary clever mind! The intricacies of the plot! Every wall in her house must have been turned into a story board so she could keep all of it straight! It's a challenging read but not confusing (as long as you've read Unblemished!) So many twists and turns -- including the romance. Sob -- yes the dreaded love triangle continues on from book one and it's left me quite addlepated.

There is a fairy tale quality now that El is queen of a kingdom in grave peril and the battle of good vs evil is even more treacherous than ever. And, of course, the power of true love is challenged at every turn. I have to confess to being totally struck-dumb-stunned in places. So much so that I'd close the book in disbelief, take a few cleansing breaths before starting up again, only to find I'd read it right the first time! Sheer brilliance!

If you like TV shows like Once Upon a Time and kick-butt heroines on a quest to save the world(s) then Unraveling might just be your perfect literary match!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like the chance to win a copy of Unraveling, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to the comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday September 10 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Unblemished

GIVEAWAY

ELLA, SARA
UNBLEMISHED

Eliyana can't bear to look at her own reflection. But what if there were only one reflection -- one world? What if another world exists where her blemish could become her strength?

Eliyana is used to the shadows. With a birthmark covering half her face, she just hopes to graduate high school unscathed. That is, until Joshua hops a fence and changes her perspective. No one, aside from her mother, has ever treated her like he does: normal. Maybe even beautiful. Because of Joshua, Eliyana finally begins to believe she could be loved.

But one night her mother doesn't come home, and that's when everything gets weird. Now Joshua is her new, and rather reluctant, Guardian. Add a hooded stalker and a Central Park battle to the mix and you've gone from weird to otherworldly.

Eliyana soon finds herself in a world much larger and more complicated than she's ever known. A world enslaved by a powerful and vile man. And Eliyana holds the answer to defeating him.  How can an ordinary girl, a blemished girl, become a savior when she can't even save herself?

My Review:

Sheer brilliance! I am gobsmacked over this being a debut novel! It's astounding! Every detail of this parallel world is so carefully thought out. And the plot is so complicated -- the twists and turns have twists and turns! And yet I never felt lost -- well, occasionally my brain felt scrambled -- and my questions had questions -- but otherwise this was an easy fantasy to navigate through.

I love the way Sara Ella delivers the story -- the blend of real and alternate worlds. And the way she uses easy-to-picture pop culture references to build quick images that help set the stage....and give us a glimpse into El's droll sense of humour. Like: "Things are looking up. I'm not going to smell like a hobbit today." (p.119) I do so love a heroine with a clever wit.

And poor El has to live by her wits when her world implodes just weeks before her eighteenth birthday! Told entirely from her viewpoint -- first person, present tense no less (not a favourite of mine but somehow it works here) -- I was so captivated by her story it consumed me. It's the kind of book that is so good you can't wait to read more but you don't want to read more because it will be over much too soon.

 There are so many reader's-heart-stops-beating-as-she-collapses-on-floor moments that I still feel like I'm riding a tilt-a-whirl. I was constantly stunned. Gasping out loud. Had to stop reading in places while I wrestled with the whole 'need to know but don't really want to know' conundrum.

And can we say love triangle? Nooooooooo! Yes! Nooooooooo! Yes! Wait. What??????? Stay tuned for book two? And there it is...the dreaded cliffhanger of an ending. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of resolution and tons of answers covered in Unblemished BUT there are loose ends left dangling. And my mind is whirling with all the possibilities and ramifications and I'm not sure how I'll manage the wait until Unravelling releases this summer.

 GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Unblemished please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the  subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday January 22 2017. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

Songstone

GIVEAWAY

GOLDFINCH, LENA
SONGSTONE

Kita can meld song into stone. In a world with no written word, storytelling--the ability to meld (or magically impress) song into stone--is greatly honored. The village honors her master as their medicine man, but Kita knows he's secretly a sorcerer who practices black magic using drops of her blood. She fears he'll use her beautiful gift for a killing spell, so she conceals it from him. Each day, his magic tightens around her neck like a rope. His spells blind the villagers, so they can't see him for what he really is.

Not that anyone would want to help her. She was found in the forest as a baby and would have died if a village girl hadn't brought her home. But the villagers saw Kita's unusual coloring and decided she belonged to the mysterious tribe who lives in the forests of the volcano, a people feared for their mystical powers. So they fear her too. Now seventeen, she can barely admit her deepest longing: to know who she really is and where she belongs.

Then Pono, a young journeyman, arrives from the other side of the island. He's come to fulfill a pact between their villages: to escort a storyteller back to his village--a storyteller who'll be chosen at the great assembly. Finally, in Pono, Kita sees her one slim chance at freedom and she'll risk her life to take it.

A dark, twisty tale of sorcery, tummy-tingling romance, and adventure, inspired by the folklore of New Zealand's Māori people.

My Review:

Rich descriptive text creates vivid images of a lush island paradise entombed by dark magic. This is a gripping fantastical tale of the power of believing in yourself and the need to have some place -- and someone -- to belong to. 

Kita's village is caught in the thrall of her evil magician master. Only she can see him for what he really is though she is still powerless against him. It takes an outsider to show her that freedom is within her grasp.

The journeyman, Pono, is the perfect romantic match for Kita. Like fire and water, they clash often enough to keep things interesting, but when they connect -- ohlala, be still my wildly beating heart! Goldfinch knows how to create romantic tension.

A wonderful, fulfilling read with plenty of action for fantasy and romance fans fourteen and up.



Giveaway Opportunity:

Songstone is currently only available in e-book format. I'm offering it, and another fantasy by Lena Goldfinch, Aire in a two-for-one giveaway. OR, if you are willing to wait a few weeks the paperback copies of Songstone will be available. Winners choice -- 2 ebooks or 1 book book. :-) To enter the draw for these e-books, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 28 2013. Offer open to international readers. Good luck! 

WAIT -- DON'T LEAVE JUST YET. THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO WIN IN THE BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY:

The author is doing a sweet summer giveaway in conjunction with the blog tour! The giveaway is open internationally, and one winner (randomly drawn) will receive:

·       http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/15cee37/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Torrent

GIVEAWAY!!!

BERGREN, LISA T.
TORRENT

“Hold tight,” I said. “No matter what happens, do not let us go.”

“We won’t,” my dad said.

“Never,” Mom added.

And with a look at Lia, we laid our hands upon the prints.

Gabriella and Evangelia Betarrini are just two normal American teenagers. Normal except for the fact that they time travel to fourteenth-century Italy, where they’ve lived in castles they’ve seen as crumbling ruins, become swept up in historic battles, and fallen in love with handsome knights willing to do anything to keep them alive.

 They’ve returned to the present to save their father, just short of his tragic death, and now all four return to the place that holds the girls’ hearts, medieval Italy. But remaining there means facing great risk as the battle for territory wages on and the coming Black Plague looms. Can they convince their parents to stay and leave behind everything they’ve worked so hard to accomplish? And will the girls sacrifice their futures in an uncertain past? Or in facing death head-on, will they discover life as it was always meant to be lived?

My Review:

Stunning conclusion to The River of Time series. I was almost afraid to read Torrent because I just couldn't imagine how Bergren could possibly end the series to my satisfaction...but she more than succeeded. I'm not sure that I can find enough adequate words to express the immense pleasure and excitement --- the sheer exhilaration -- this read brought to me. It's like Bergren fine-tuned every ounce of her writer's craft and poured it all into this novel.

Torrent has it all -- drama, romance, comedy, action, suspense -- in a dizzying, page-turning extravaganza that I just couldn't put down. It's hard to write a review without giving anything away. Let's just say that there's more than one swoonworthy hero within these pages -- and the romance...Be. Still. My. Heart. Ooooohhhhh so romantical...beyond my expectations and unlike anything I've read in a long time. How's that for a bit of vague praise?

As larger-than-life heroines, Gabi and Lia continue to enthrall me, as they did everyone else in Sienna. And Bergren puts them through their paces as they face diabolical plots and imminent danger at every turn. The pacing in this novel is incredible -- a steady rush of action and adventure combined with tender and even comedic moments. This is an all round not-to-be-missed-very-good-read.

Giveaway Opportunity:

If you would like to win a copy of Torrent please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. The draw is open internationally and the winner will be announced on Sunday September 25. Good luck!

The Healer's Apprentice

DICKERSON, MELANIE
THE HEALER'S APPRENTICE

Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her -- a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill.

When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she's never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

I HAVE BEEN ANXIOUSLY (AND IMPATIENTLY) WAITING FOR THIS BOOK TO COME OUT FOR MONTHS! I HAVE A REAL PASSION FOR FAIRY TALE ADAPTATIONS AND HAVE NEVER READ A CHRISTIAN ONE. MELANIE'S DEBUT IS A STUNNING RENDITION OF SLEEPING BEAUTY.

THERE ARE SO MANY LAYERS TO THIS STORY AND TONS OF DISCUSSION OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOOK CLUB CHATS. IT IS CLASSIFIED AS A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL, BUT ANYONE WHO LOVES A FAIRY TALE ROMANCE WILL WANT TO DELVE INTO THE PAGES OF THE HEALER'S APPRENTICE. AND THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PICK FOR A MOTHER/DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB FOR MOMS AND THEIR TEENS.

RICH WITH DESCRIPTION, DICKERSON'S WORDS FLOW, CREATING A TANGIBLE WORLD THAT COMES ALIVE IN THE PAGES OF HER BOOK. AND THE CHARACTERS ARE EXCEPTIONALLY CRAFTED. THE HEROINE AND THE HERO BOTH HAVE NOBLE QUALITIES, BUT DICKERSON HAS DOUSED THEM WITH ENOUGH QUIRKS AND FAILINGS TO MAKE THEM REAL AND THEIR STRUGGLES BELIEVABLE.

THIS IS THE KIND OF BOOK YOU CAN LOSE YOURSELF IN. THE KIND OF BOOK YOU WANT TO READ ALOUD JUST TO HEAR THE FINELY-CRAFTED WORDS. IT'S THE KIND OF BOOK THAT UPLIFTS AND ENTERTAINS AND IS DEFINITELY THE KIND OF BOOK THAT SHOULD FIND IT'S WAY ONTO EVERY LIBRARY SHELF.

A HEALER'S APPRENTICE IS A BRILLIANT DEBUT NOVEL.

Sisters Red

PEARCE, JACKSON

SISTERS RED

The wolf opens its long jaws, rows of teeth stretching for her. A thought locked itself in Scarlett's mind: I am the only one left to fight, so now I must kill you.

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris -- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister, Rosie, from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and a blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt that her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Scarlett's only friend, Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax. But does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

THIS STUNNING TAKE ON RED RIDING HOOD IS AN INCREDIBLY GRIPPING READ, BUT BEWARE -- YOU WON'T WANT TO STOP ONCE YOU'VE STARTED. PEARCE KNOWS HOW TO BUILD TENSION WITH A TIGHT PLOT AND PLENTY OF ACTION. SISTERS RED IS VIOLENT AND PRETTY GRAPHIC IN PLACES (I FOUND MYSELF WINCING A TIME OR TWO) BUT IT ISN'T OVERLY DONE.

HOWEVER, THIS BOOK ISN'T ALL ABOUT FIGHTING WEREWOLVES. THERE IS A WONDERFUL ROMANCE WOVEN INTO THE PAGES AS WELL. PEARCE DOES A GOOD JOB OF CONVEYING THE EXCITEMENT, NERVES AND WONDER OF A NEW LOVE. THE ROMANCE BOTH SOFTENS AND INTENSIFIES THE TALE, ADDING AN ENTIRELY NEW DIMENSION.

EACH CHAPTER ALTERNATES POV BETWEEN THE SISTERS -- A GREAT TECHNIQUE TO DEVELOP CHARACTERIZATION AND IT DEFINITELY BUILDS SUSPENSE IN THE PLOT. BOTH SISTERS ARE BOUND TOGETHER BY A PAST TRAGEDY. THEIR DESIRE TO RIGHT THAT WRONG IS WHAT LEADS THEM TO HUNT AND KILL THE FENRIS. BUT IT IS THE DEPTH OF THAT DESIRE IN ONE OF THE SISTERS THAT NEARLY SEVERS THEIR RELATIONSHIP.

PEARCE HAS BUILT A VERY CLEVER LEGEND OF HER OWN AROUND THIS FAMILIAR FAIRY TALE AND HAS ARTFULLY PLACED IT INTO A MODERN SETTING. SHE CREATES IMAGERY WITH HER WORDS AND CUTTING DIALOGUE. CHARLES PERRAULT WOULD BE PROUD.

NOTE: SOME OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE

Chalice of Roses

BEVERLEY, JO

PUTNEY, MARY JO

HARBAUGH, KAREN

SAMUEL, BARBARA

CHALICE OF ROSES

From the bestselling and award-winning authors of dragon lovers comes an anthology of fantasy, romance, and eternal love. In these four new novellas, history and destiny spark passion, and all depends on the fate of one mystical cup: the Holy Grail.

A man must marry and summon the Grail to bring peace to England. A Regency lady must keep it safe from Napoleon's spies. A modern sorcerress must keep the Grail from falling into Nazi hands, and an American must put the chalice at risk to rescue her one true love. These are four passionate and enchanting stories of desire and destiny inspired by one of our most powerful legends.

FANTASTIC, FUN READ. EACH NOVELLA STANDS UNIQUE EVEN THOUGH THEY EACH HAD TO WEAVE IN SOME OF THE SAME STORY ELEMENTS. LOVELY MIX OF FANTASY AND REALITY AND THE ROMANTIC THREADS ARE ALL VERY SATISFYING. PLEASE NOTE: NOT INSPIRATIONAL FICTION SO THE LOVE SCENES ARE MORE 'FLESHED OUT' :-) BUT TASTEFULLY DONE. A GREAT ESCAPE READ.

A Curse Dark as Gold

BUNCE, ELIZABETH C.

A CURSE DARK AS GOLD

The gold thread shimmers in the fading light. It promises Charlotte Miller a way out of debt, a chance to save her family's beloved woolen mill. It promises a future for her sister, livelihood for her townsfolk, security against her sinuous and grasping uncle. It might even promise what she didn't know she needed: lasting hope and true love.

But at what cost?

To get the thread, Charlotte must strike a bargain with its maker, the mysterious Jack Spinner. But the gleam of gold conjures a shadowy past -- secrets and bonds ensnaring generations of Millers. And Charlotte's mill, her family, her friends, her love...What do those matter to a powerful stranger who can spin straw into gold?

In her brilliant debut, Elizabeth Bunce weaves a spellbinding fairy tale, spun with mystery and shot through with romance.

Winner of the William C. Morris YA Debut Award

THIS RETELLING OF RUMPLESTILSKIN IS INGENUIOUS!!!! BUNCE HAS CREATED A FAIRY TALE WORLD WITH BELIEVABLE FOLKLORE. HER LYRICAL WRITING CREATES THE MOOD OF SETTLING IN TO READ A CLASSIC FAIRY TALE -- BUT THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER. IT'S A STORY FILLED WITH COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS AND HAS ENOUGH TWISTS AND TURNS TO KEEP YOU GUESSING TO THE VERY END. AND, HOORAH -- SHE HAS ANOTHER BOOK COMING OUT IN THE FALL!!!!!!

Wings

Pike, Aprilynne

Wings

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful -- too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

INNOVATIVE. BEWITCHING. STRONG HEROINE. ALLUDES TO A SEQUEL.