Outlaw Girls by Emily Gale & Nova Weetman -a review

Outlaw Girls by Emily Gale, Nova Weetman

Kate and Ruby live in the High Country in Victoria. They’re both daring, quick-thinking and prepared to break the rules, and they’re both brilliant horse riders—they’d probably be great friends. But they live in different times, more than 140 years apart.

While galloping through the mountains, Kate rides headlong into a thrilling experience that transports her from 1878 to the future, where she meets Ruby. Kate and Ruby return to 1878, where Kate is secretly taking supplies to her brother Ned and the rest of the Kelly Gang, who are in hiding from the police. Together the girls work to confuse the police and keep the gang from being found and arrested. But the looming disaster makes things less clear-cut for Ruby.

They’re about the have the ride of their lives!

Outlaw Girls is an exciting, fast-paced time-slip novel, narrated by both Ruby and Kate, about family, friendship, loyalty and betrayal, the complexity of right and wrong, and working out what matters most.

Published 27 February 2024|  Publisher: Text Publishing  |  RRP: AUD$16.99

Buy it at: Dymocks |  Booktopia |  A&R  |  Abbey’s  |  QBD

My Blurb (4 / 5 stars)

I love time travel. I love reading a modern character transplanted into the distant past. And this idea of time travelling horses and encounters with the infamous Kelly family sound absolutely fascinating! I have to admit that I don’t thin my 9-yo boy found it that fascinating. We read about 50 pages together and he had so many questions. He is a rather advanced reader for his age but there were just concepts in this book, he was unfamiliar with and it was a bit much for him.

While I found myself mostly disliking these 2 girl protagonists, I do admire their grit! It’s just that these girls are so far from my own personality and would probably be those I’d stay away from at school because I’d just be too intimidated by them. Their loyalty and love for family (Kate) and friends (Ruby) are admirable though misplaced in case of Ruby. I just found her so frustrating though she did finally grow up at the very very end. I feel that reading this as a mother of a teenager fully coloured my perspective and I may not find these characters are frustrating otherwise. I have to admire her persistence though or is that stubbornness?!

Overall, Outlaw Girls is a fun but thought-provoking read. On the surface, it was a great adventure being had by the girls. Reading between the lines, I’d suggest to not be afraid to ask all the hard questions to get into the heart of things in your discussions.

My thanks to Text Publishing gifting me a copy of this book in exchange of my honest thoughts

About the authors

Emily Gale’s much-loved books include The Goodbye Year, The Other Side of Summer and its companion novel I Am Out with Lanterns, the Eliza Boom Diaries series, Steal My Sunshine and Girl, Aloud, as well as her middle-grade collaborations with friend and fellow author Nova Weetman, Elsewhere Girls and Outlaw Girls.

Find author on:  goodreads  | website |  X |  instagram

Nova Weetman is an acclaimed writer of many books for young adults and children. Her middle-grade novels include The Secrets We Keep, The Secrets We Share, Sick Bay, The Edge of Thirteen and The Jammer, as well as Elsewhere Girls and Outlaw Girls with Emily Gale.

Find author on:  goodreads  |  website |  X |  instagram

Blog Tour: Of Light and Shadow by Tanaz Bhathena

Of Light and Shadow
Tanaz Bhathena
Publication date: May 23rd 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

When they don’t give us our birthright, we steal it.

Roshan Chaya is out for justice. Abandoned by her parents at birth and adopted by the kingdom of Jwala’s most notorious bandit before his brutal murder, she is now leader of the Shadow Clan, a gang of farmers-turned-bandits impoverished by the provincial governor’s atrocities and corruption. Roshan’s goal: to avenge her adoptive father and earn back rights and dignity for her people.

Prince Navin has always felt like an outcast. Second in line for the throne, he has never been close to his grandmother, Queen Bhairavi of Jwala. When a night out drinking with friends leads to his capture by the infamous Shadow Clan, Navin schemes to befriend Roshan and use her as a means to escape. His ploy, however, brings Navin closer to the corruption and poverty at the heart of Roshan’s province, raising questions about its governor and Navin’s own family.

To further complicate things, the closer Roshan and Navin get, the harder it becomes to fight their growing attraction. But how can they trust each other when the world as they know it starts to fall apart?

Set in a magical world inspired by the badlands of 17th century India, this standalone epic fantasy novel by Tanaz Bhathena is packed with political tensions, dangerous schemes, and swoon-worthy romance that asks the age old question: can love conquer all?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

Author Bio:

Tanaz Bhathena is an award-winning Zoroastrian author of contemporary and fantasy fiction. Her books include Of Light and Shadow, Hunted by the Sky which won the Ontario Library Association’s White Pine Award and the Bapsi Sidhwa Literary Prize, and The Beauty of the Moment which won the Nautilus Award for Young Adult Fiction. Her acclaimed debut, A Girl Like That, was named a Best Book of the Year by numerous outlets including The Globe and Mail, Seventeen, and The Times of India. Born in India and raised in Saudi Arabia and Canada, Tanaz lives in Mississauga, Ontario, with her family.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

My Blurb (3.75/5 stars)

The novel opens with immediate action followed by somewhat comedic appearance of the prince. I knew straight away that this was going to be quite fun to read and possibly in one sitting. This didn’t quite happen because… kids! I did finish real quick though because I just needed to.

Told from dual perspectives of Roshan Chaya and Prince Navin, there were sparks though cautiously dampened by their circumstances. I admire Roshan for her strength and courage but I love that Navin learnt and developed so much through the novel and despite the magical assistance, the somewhat realistic ending with legal system and politics.

I love the setting and the magical system and wish there could be more. This is noted as a standalone but maybe we’ll meet other characters from the same universe?

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Accomplished: A Georgie Darcy novel by Amanda Quain -a review

Accomplished: A Georgie Darcy novel by Amanda Quain

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Georgiana Darcy should have been expelled after The Incident with Wickham Foster last year – at least if you ask any of her Pemberley Academy classmates. She may have escaped expulsion because of her family name, but she didn’t escape the disappointment of her big brother Fitz, the scorn of the entire school, or, it turns out, Wickham’s influence.

But she’s back for her junior year, and she needs to prove to everyone – Fitz, Wickham, her former friends, and maybe even herself – that she’s more than just an embarrassment to the family name. How hard can it be to become the Perfect Darcy? All she has to do is:

– Rebuild her reputation with the marching band (even if it kills her)
– Forget about Wickham and his lies (no matter how tempting they still are), and
– Distract Fitz Darcy — helicopter-sibling extraordinaire — by getting him to fall in love with his classmate, Lizzie Bennet (this one might be difficult…)

Sure, it’s a complicated plan, but so is being a Darcy. With the help of her fellow bandmate, Avery, matchmaking ideas lifted straight from her favorite fanfics, and a whole lot of pancakes, Georgie is going to see every one of her plans through. But when the weight of being the Perfect Darcy comes crashing down, Georgie will have to find her own way before she loses everything permanently—including the one guy who sees her for who she really is.

Published 26 July 2022  |  Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia  |  RRP: AUD$26.99

Buy it at: Dymocks |  Booktopia |  A&R  |  Abbey’s  | QBD

My Blurb (4 / 5 stars)

Being a big fan of Pride and Prejudice, I was terrifically excited to see a retelling from a likeable minor character, Georgina Darcy. I’m not usually a fan of contemporary YA but this (!) I had to read. Set in today’s New York, it’s not necessary for language to be Austenesque and all we expect is that these characters to be true to the originals. Amanda Quain has done a great job fitting these characters into today’s world of teen (including fan-fics and instagram!).

Accomplished is a very easy and fast read. It is what I would termed fluff or brain candy because it was just so easy for the eyes & brain but so much fun to read. I must admit that I wasn’t too keen on Georgie to begin with but she did have her issues to deal with and she matured in the end and grew on me somewhat. Her naivety and very low self-esteem were to her detriment but the amount of time she spent lamenting over her ruined life and Wickham I really could have done less with. I just don’t like the fact that we’re giving Wickham more air time lol

I loved seeing Georgina Darcy growing up and owning it. I loved seeing Fitzwilliam Darcy from her sister’s perspective and their relationship. I also loved seeing (what little there was to see) Fitz with Lizzie Bennet. A cute retelling though possibly not for the hardcore fan of the classic. It was an entertaining & comfortable read for a grey day.

My thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for this copy of book in exchange of my honest thoughts

About the author

AMANDA QUAIN is a writer, indie bookseller, and general life enthusiast. When she’s not shouting about her favorite new books, she loves theatre, baking, rock climbing, marching band, and the overall pursuit of adventure. If forced to choose, Amanda’s favorite Austen hero is Edward Ferrars, though she’ll always have a soft spot for Mr. Bingley. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband and her cat. ACCOMPLISHED is her first novel.

Find author on:  goodreads  |  website  |  twitter  |  instagram

The Omen of Crows Nest by Catherine Constantine – a review

The Omen of Crows Nest
Catherine Constantine
Publication date: May 4th 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

No blood. No body. No murder.

That’s what the police found after Penelope spun her bizarre tale. In a hysterical state, she said her father was butchered and eaten by a mob of birds ~ in her bedroom.

They claim she’s crazy.
That she suffers from delusions.
Penelope is dead set on proving them wrong.

After being institutionalized for eight months, Penelope is out and more determined than ever to find answers to her so-called hallucinations. With her father’s untimely disappearance, she’s convinced her family is hiding something sinister.

THE OMEN OF CROWS NEST is the latest masterpiece by the award-winning author Cathrina Constantine, and is sure to leave fans of fantasy gasping!

Goodreads / Amazon

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My Blurb (3/5):

I just love it when covers draw my eyes and when the description is just as interesting; we got a winner! I just adore that red swirls and purple silhouettes and seriously, that mystery behind Penelope’s breakdown really needed to be explored.

The novel opens as Penelope is at the end of her time at the institution. She is determined to return home as she has missed her brother and sister terribly. But even more so, she is determined to find out just what it is her family is hiding from her. Because of her fears of being institutionalised again, she could trust no one. Not even the best-friend-boy-next-door she’s fallen for. In the meantime, she’s got to face society (school!) where everyone knew where she’s been the last few months.

It’s an easy novel to read, language-wise, and fairly easy to dive into. Characters were mostly likeable though the mystery behind their motivations made some questionable. However, I did feel like it was a really long read because there was just nothing happening in the middle and the end was rather swift. I did like the action & reveal at the end but I do wish there was a bit more action in the middle and more romance(!) as I happen to like this trope.

My thanks to Xpresso Tours for ecopy of book in exchange of my honest thoughts

Author Bio:

I am blessed with a loving family and forever friends. My world revolves around them.

I grew up in the small village of Lancaster, NY, where I married my sweetheart. I’m devoted to raising 5 cherished children, and now my grandchildren.

I love to immerse myself in great books of every kind of genre, which helps me to write purely for entertainment, and hopefully to inspire readers. When not stationed at my computer you can find me in the woods taking long walks with my dog.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Slipping the Noose by Meg Caddy -a review

Slipping the Noose by Meg Caddy

The way out is through.

Anne Bonny is chained up in the hold of a prison ship, nursing nine-month-old Molly. The baby is all she has left of Calico Jack, the swaggering pirate captain who loved her and stole her away to sea—and who now hangs from a gibbet. When armed men rip the child from her grasp, Bonny can do nothing and Molly seems lost. But Anne Bonny was not cut out for despair. She will plan for escape and rescue, and the plan will become action. And the streets of London will belong to her and her daughter—and the ragtag remnants of Calico Jack’s crew.

Anne Bonny looms large in the history of piracy on the high seas. But history, having left the notorious female buccaneer languishing in a Jamaican jail, then carelessly mislaid her. Fortunately we have Meg Caddy to imagine her subsequent exploits and whereabouts, and to bring them so vividly and rakishly to life.

Published 3 May 2022|  Publisher: Text Publishing |  RRP: AUD$24.00

Buy it at: Dymocks |  Booktopia |  A&R  |  Abbey’s  |  QBD

My Blurb (4 / 5 stars)

As I began to read this novel, I felt that I have jumped into the middle of a story. This prompted me to check Goodreads which notes (at the bottom of the book description; I had to click on ‘more’ to see) that this book is a sequel to Devil’s Ballast which, errr, I have yet to read, oops! This kind of ruins the read a little for me… I stopped reading to read Devil’s Ballast first which didn’t turn out to be what I quite expected before jumping back into Slipping the Noose.

The good thing is that after I read Devil’s Ballast, I have readjusted my expectations and actually enjoyed Slipping the Noose. I have become acquainted with some of the characters, especially Anne, and understood her feelings a lot more which I then can sympathise with. It’s a suspenseful read with 2 perspectives (Bonny’s & Read’s) which really got me on the edge of my seat waiting for when or where these will culminate. The final pages were utterly wonderful and I got to wondering if we will see these characters again.

While the plot in this novel will stand on its own, I do highly recommend that you read Devil’s Ballast first as it will make clear of who some characters are and how they relate to each other. Do not expect a swashbuckling adventures as these novels aren’t quite those but they are action-packed with its own twist. Highly readable and thoroughly enjoyable!

My thanks to Text Publishing for ecopy of book via NetGalley in exchange of my honest thoughts

About the author

Meg Caddy is a part-time bookseller and a full-time nerd. Their fantasy novel Waer was shortlisted for the 2013 Text Prize and the 2017 CBCA Book of the Year Award, and their historical fiction Devil’s Ballast was shortlisted for the 2020 Readings YA Book Prize. They are currently undertaking a PhD in queer fiction.

Find author on:  goodreads  |  facebook |  twitter |  instagram

Blog Tour: You Should Have Seen This Coming by Shani Michelle – an Excerpt + giveaway INT

You Should Have Seen This Coming
Shani Michelle
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: April 12th 2022
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult

A teen girl who sees visions of the past must use her gift to save a kidnapped classmate in Shani Michelle’s high-stakes YA thriller You Should Have Seen This Coming!

Hayden sees the past. Just touching an object will occasionally give her flashes of the previous owner’s memories. And if that memory happens to be a deeply hidden secret, then she has no problem making you pay for your crime, in cash.

Cassie sees the future, and it sucks. She will randomly wake up from dreams filled with disasters that she feels compelled to stop, and she would really like to stop watching her boyfriend fall in love with someone else!

But when Cassie tries to warn Hayden that her latest blackmailing scheme is a trap, she knows she’s really in trouble. All her visions warn her of the upcoming kidnapping, nothing she does stops it. And it’s all Hayden’s fault!

Can Hayden’s gift help her find Cassie before it’s too late?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

Author Bio:

Shani Michelle is the author of YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THIS COMING. She also works in TV news. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her husband, family, friends, reading, watching way too much TV, and coming up with new story ideas. (She’s also written several rom-com and middle grade novels as Shani Petroff)

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GIVEAWAY! a print copy of You Should Have Seen This Coming
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EXCERPT

No one does a good saunter anymore. I shake out my arms and loosen my body before I
meander into the girls’ locker room Tuesday morning, doing my best to channel an old-timey
sheriff in a Western film. Time to show the elite who’s boss.
Brooke Tamison and Fiona Gavini are standing off to the side.
Both look up as I approach.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” I ask, stopping right in front of them.
Brooke’s whole body goes rigid. “We’re in the middle of something, Hayden. Get out,”
she commands. Her dark green eyes narrow into slits and her nostrils flare. She’s perfected the
look of someone in charge, I’ll give her that.
A for effort, but she’s not fooling anyone. She’s scared of me. The little tremble in her
voice is a dead giveaway. I can’t really blame her. In my two months and change at Lightsend
High, I’ve developed quite the reputation.
“Just what I need,” Fiona mumbles, throwing her head back, hitting the locker behind
her.
I cringe. She couldn’t have meant to hit it that hard. I almost ask her if she’s okay, but
then I remind myself that she’s the enemy. One of the school’s we-think-we’re-above-the-law-
and-better- than-anyone crowd. The ones I can’t stand. The ones I’m taking down.
She lets out a sigh. One of defeat? Surprise? Disgust? It’s hard to tell.
“You know . . .” I shake my head. “If you’re gonna have a clandestine meeting, you really
should come up with someplace more original. You’re making it too easy. It’s like you want to
be caught.”
I take a seat on the wooden bench in front of them.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about or what you ‘think’ you know,” Brooke says,
using her fingers to make quotation marks, “but this is between Fiona and me.”
She puts her hands on her hips and glares down at me, but regardless of our positions,
we both know who’s in power.
I make sure to give her my sweetest smile. “Now it’s between the three of us, isn’t it?”
She knows she’s in trouble. They both do. I am the school’s self-appointed Robin Hood.
Taking from the rich, spoiled, and corrupt, and giving to the poor—i.e., me. It’s the only after-
school activity I find remotely entertaining.
“How do you keep doing this?” Fiona asks.
Now it’s my turn to play clueless. “Doing what?”
She sighs again.
We both know what she’s talking about. She wants to know how I keep finding out all
this dirt on everyone. If I told her, she wouldn’t believe me, so I don’t bother to explain.
Not that this instance needed any noteworthy skills. Not with Brooke. She’s a special
kind of egomaniac. The kind that doesn’t believe anyone will dare cross her. The kind where
you just have to wait, listen, and watch, and you’ll have something on her in no time.
“You’re just as bad as all the people you hate,” Fiona tells me.
She’s saying this to me?
I don’t dignify it with an answer.
Not when the people she’s talking about told so many brutal lies about Leighton
Chutney that she’s now being homeschooled. Or hit a dog with their car and just left it there. Or

put laxatives in Kristoff McLeigh’s protein shake before his big football game with all the scouts
watching.
Not even the same playing field.
I get justice. Or at least, a little revenge. So what if I pocket something on the side?
“Stop talking,” Brooke hisses at Fiona, before turning her attention to me. “You don’t
have anything on us.” The glare she flashes could make blood turn cold.
“No?” I ask, plucking the thumb drive Fiona’s been holding from her hand. She really
should have stashed it in her bag.
“Two cheaters for the price of one. Well, price of two. You can both pay up,” I say, lying
back on the bench. I want to take in and savor every second of this. Sure, there are people at
Lightsend who’ve done worse than Brooke, but this is personal. Brooke’s the one who went
Mean Girls on me when I started school here. The compliments on my clothes that everyone
knew were really insults. The whispers. Trash talk. Blocking my car in for hours. Spilling coffee
on me. And little Miss Fabulous Fiona was always along for the ride. “Or if you prefer,” I
continue, “I can let Mr. Thadwell know that one of the school’s top students got there by
cheating, and another had a side business that helped her do it.”
“That drive proves nothing,” Brooke scoffs.
“Come now,” I say, matching her condescending tone. “Do you really think this is all that
I have on you?”
Truthfully, yeah, it is. But she doesn’t need to know that. I’ll find something else. I
always do.
I toss the drive up in the air and then catch it in my palm. Right as it smacks my skin, my
whole body shudders.
Now? Really??
There’s nothing I can do but watch.

The Liars Beneath by Heather Van Fleet – a review

The Liars Beneath
Heather Van Fleet
Publication date: January 27th 2022
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult

A romantically dark YA thriller set in the backdrop of Iowa’s suspenseful farmlands.

After a tragic accident ends her best friend’s life, 17-year-old Becca Thompson succumbs to grief the only way she knows how: by wallowing in it. She’s a fragment of the person she once was—far too broken to enjoy the summer before her senior year. But when Ben McCain, her best friend’s older brother, returns home, Becca must face her new reality head on.

She isn’t interested in Ben’s games, especially since he abandoned his sister during the months leading up to her death. But when he begs for her help in uncovering the truth about what really happened the night of his sister’s death, Becca finds herself agreeing, hoping to clear up rumors swirling in the wake of her best friend’s accident.

An unhinged ex-boyfriend, secret bucket lists, and garage parties in the place Becca calls home soon lead her to the answers she’s so desperate to unveil. But nobody is being honest, not even Ben. And the closer Becca gets to the truth—and to Ben—the more danger seems to surround her.

Clearing her best friend’s name was all she wanted to do, but Becca is quickly realizing that the truth she craves might be uglier than the lies her best friend kept.

Goodreads / Amazon

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My Blurb (3.5/5):

The Liars Beneath sounds like just my kind of read. I was totally in the mood for a romantic suspense and this did not disappoint. I pretty much just devoured it in a day, really. I loved this BFF’s brother trope.

To begin with, I was really frustrated with the protagonists, Becca Thompson. So she had some concessions for wallowing after the death of her BFF but then her continual stubbornness and blindness about Ben McCain nearly drove to the wall. However, I guess that was got me to keep reading because I just couldn’t wait for the scales to drop from her eyes and heart. I love a good slow burn 😉

The mystery itself is rather slow going til the last third of the book when things were shaking down. It took some time for Ben to get Becca to cooperate and then, it took some more time because they had trust issues to begin with. In the end though, I loved that Becca learnt so much and developed to be such a strong character especially when it comes to Ben.

The Liars Beneath was a fairly easy read especially after Becca has gone over the wallowing in grief hurdle. As the story is told solely from Becca’s perspective, it’s only then that I feel the story begins. There were some flashes from the past which I found hard to read because they all seemed to be tinged with sadness. However, I enjoyed the mystery twist and definitely, am on board with the romance.

My thanks to Xpresso Tours for ecopy of book in exchange of my honest thoughts

Author Bio:

Heather Van Fleet is a stay-at-home-mom turned book boyfriend connoisseur. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, a mom to three girls, and in her spare time you can find her with her head buried in her Kindle, guzzling down copious amounts of coffee.

Heather graduated from Black Hawk College in 2003 and currently writes Adult contemporary romance. She is published through Sourcebooks Casablanca with her Reckless Hearts series and Bookouture with her Red Dragon series.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest

The King of Koraha by Maria V. Snyder -a review

The King of Koraha (Archives of the Invisible Sword #3) by Maria V. Snyder

Shyla fears for her life when the King unexpectedly summons her, but the true reason proves to be even more terrifying… The nail-biting finale of the award-winning fantasy series by New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder.

‘You can join me or you can die.’

Hard on the heels of trouble in Zirdai city, Shyla Sun-Kissed and Rendor are ordered to report to the King of Koraha – a summons that is deadly to ignore. The King holds the key to Koraha’s existence, but a formidable new enemy threatens Koraha’s very survival and the King desperately needs Shyla and Rendor’s help.

Wielding a terrifying and unknown magical power that can convert opponents into devoted soldiers, the mysterious army is hellbent on usurping the crown. Shyla and Rendor are tasked with discovering who in the seven hells these insurgents are. And what their real endgame is.

Trekking through the punishing conditions across the searing surface of Koraha, and facing numerous unseen foes and untold danger, they must follow the clues to uncover the truth before it’s too late. The fate of the King and all the citizens of Koraha rests in their hands…

Published 1 December 2021|  Publisher: Harlequin Australia  |  RRP: AUD$19.99

Buy it at: Dymocks |  Booktopia |  A&R  |  Abbey’s  | QBD

My Blurb (4 / 5 stars)

Nearing the end of book 2, The City of Zirdai, I was confused because everything seems to be sorted but this was supposed to be a trilogy! Of course, if you’ve read book 2, you’d have come across the little tidbit at the end which brings us to this third and final book of the series, The King of Koraha. What is obvious to me is that I’ve been so focused on the little bit of this world, Zirdai, while Maria V. Snyder is concerned on the whole universe, Koraha. The problem that we encountered in books 1 & 2, in Zirdai, is not contained… it is part of a bigger problem which needed to be fixed. Who better than the Invisible Sword!?

Shyla and Rendor led the way to investigate this threat to Koraha. As always, Shyla inadvertently walked herself into trouble. This was a bit frustrating to read but a good laugh for after because really, it’s part of her charm. And I just love how her Invisible Sword friends (Rendor included) banded together to support her and each other. In the end, the story is brought full circle back to the first book as Shyla accepted that fact that “with great power comes great responsibility”.

The King of Koraha definitely will not disappoint fans; so many twists and turns as per Snyder’s trademark where each chapter ends with another question that readers will want immediate answers to, this is a unputdownable finale. With plenty of romantic moments between Shyla and Rendor, this turned out to be a very heartwarming read 😉

My thanks to Harlequin Australia for this paperback copy of book in exchange of my honest thoughts

About the author

When Maria V. Snyder was younger, she aspired to be a storm chaser in the American Midwest so she attended Pennsylvania State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology. Much to her chagrin, fore­casting the weather wasn’t in her skill set so she spent a number of years as an environmental meteorologist, which is not exciting…at all. Bored at work and needing a creative outlet, she started writing fantasy and science fiction sto­ries. Over twenty novels and numerous short stories later, Maria’s learned a thing or three about writing. She’s been on the New York Times bestseller list, won a dozen awards, and has earned her Masters of Arts degree in Writing from Seton Hill University, where she is now a faculty member. Her favorite color is red. She loves dogs, but is allergic, instead she has a big black tom cat named…Kitty (appar­ently naming cats isn’t in her skill set either). Maria also has a husband and two children who are an inspiration for her writing when they aren’t being a distraction. Note that she mentions her cat before her family. When she’s not writing she’s either playing volleyball, traveling, or taking pictures. Being a writer, though, is a ton of fun. Where else can you take fencing lessons, learn how to ride a horse, study martial arts, learn how to pick a lock, take glass blowing classes and attend Astronomy Camp and call it research? Maria will be the first one to tell you it’s not working as a meteorologist.Readers are welcome to check out her website for book excerpts, free short stories, maps, blog, and her schedule at MariaVSnyder.com.You can also follow Maria on Facebook and Goodreads.

Find author on:  goodreads  |  website  | facebook  | instagram

Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar -a review

Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar

In the darkness of night, magic awaits…

The Nutcracker for adults, perfect for fans of Robert Dinsdale’s The Toymakers, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus and Stephanie Garber’s Caraval

’It was a rainy day that the magic came, and once magic has entered your life, you stay in its glittering clutch forever’

Nottingham, 1906

Marietta Stelle longs to be a ballerina but as Christmas draws nearer, her dancing days are numbered. At the wishes of her family, she will be obligated to marry and take up her place in society in the New Year. But when a mysterious toymaker, Dr Drosselmeier, purchases a neighbouring townhouse, it heralds the arrival of magic and wonder in her life. Although Drosselmeier’s magic is darker than Marietta could have imagined…

When he constructs an elaborate theatrical set for her final ballet performance, Marietta discovers it carries a magic all of its own. As the clock chimes midnight, Marietta finds herself walking through a land of snow-topped fir trees leading to a frozen sugar palace silent with secrets and must find a way to return home.

In the darkness of night, magic awaits and you will never forget what you find here…

Published 27 October 2021|  Publisher: Harlequin Australia  |  RRP: AUD$29.99

Buy it at: Dymocks |  Booktopia |  A&R  |  Abbey’s  | QBD

My Blurb (4 / 5 stars)

A gorgeous cover and who doesn’t love story of The Nutcracker, Midnight in Everwood is a scrumptious delight combining dreams, love, and magic. A protagonist who loves to dance and dares to dream. A world full of glitter and luscious delectable desserts. Strong female characters who persevere and fight for their freedom.

Ballet resides in your bones; it courses through your blood. For a dancer, it is the very essence of our identity, stripped down to its rawest, most intrinsic parts; you cannot leave it behind no more than you could forsake your own soul. Feel it. Feel the exquisite pain that comes from the purest form of love, for that is what it means to dance ballet.

This tale is told from the perspective of the ballerina, Marietta Stelle, as she struggles between her dreams of dancing and her parents’ expectations of an advantageous marriage. An encounter with a mysterious new neighbour caused her to stumble into a truly magical world which at the start reminds me very much of Narnia. However, this world holds its own darkness disguised under a blinding crisp shiny surface.

A very easy read with a likeable protagonist who developed a backbone and an enchanting magical universe; Midnight in Everwood is a wonderful and dreamy read -perfect for that Christmas vibe.

My thanks to Harlequin Australia for this paperback copy of book in exchange of my honest thoughts

About the author

M.A. Kuzniar spent six years living in Spain, teaching English and travelling the world which inspired her children’s series The Ship of Shadows. Her adult debut novel Midnight in Everwood was inspired by her love of ballet and love of The Nuctracker. She lives in Nottingham with her husband, where she reads and writes as much as can.

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The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker -a review

The Keeper of Night (The Keeper of Night #1) by Kylie Lee Baker

I am too dangerous to let live any longer.

It is written in the Book of Ankou, decreed by the High Reaper himself.

Death will come to find me…but I will no longer be there.

Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers, who despise her due to her mysterious mother and even more mysterious Shinigami powers, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can.

When her failure to control her developing Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan in search of the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers. Accompanied by her younger brother, the only being on earth to care for her, Ren enters Yomi, the Japanese underworld, to serve the Goddess of Death…only to learn that here, too, she must prove herself worthy.

Determined to earn respect, Ren accepts an impossible task — find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons. With help from only her brother and a new ally who might be less than trustworthy, Ren will learn how far she’ll go to claim her place at Death’s side.

Published 27 October 2021|  Publisher: Harlequin Australia  |  RRP: AUD$19.99

Buy it at: Dymocks |  Booktopia |  A&R  |  Abbey’s  | QBD

My Blurb (4 / 5 stars)

As I grew up reading a tonne of manga, I’m always keen for any Japanese inspired fantasy novels. The Keeper of Night is a beguiling tale, set in the beginning of the 19th century Japan, of a mixed race child seeking her place and identity in worlds that neither recognise nor welcome her.

The story is told solely from main protagonist’s, Ren’s, view, so readers are privy to all her thoughts; from her confusion as to her identity, her desperate dream to feel that she belongs, to her destructive intent to do and sacrifice all to be loved. By definition, Ren is a monster without any feelings but, in fact, she feels too much and darkness is ever encroaching. In her journey, she is accompanied by her half brother who loves her & wants the best for her and an enigmatic ally who appears to also wants her to have what she wants but why is he being so helpful?

I found author’s prose to be beautiful and I have really enjoyed this book. There was just something mesmerizing even if, now that I’ve finished and am reflecting upon the it, it was all very heartbreaking and very very dark. As a migrant myself, I can sort of sympathise with protagonist’s struggle in seeking her place of belonging though I obviously have no wish to do the things she did! That twist at the very end just crushed me. I look forward to its conclusion in the next book.

My thanks to Harlequin Australia for this paperback copy of book in exchange of my honest thoughts

About the author

Kylie Lee Baker grew up in Boston and has since lived in Atlanta, Salamanca, and Seoul. Her writing is informed by her heritage (Japanese, Chinese, and Irish), as well as her experiences living abroad as both a student and teacher. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing and Spanish from Emory University and is currently pursuing a Master of Library and Information Science degree at Simmons University. In her free time, she watches horror movies, plays the cello, and bakes too many cookies. The Keeper of Night is her debut novel.

Find author on:  goodreads  |  website  |  twitter  | instagram