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Monday, 4 March 2013
Review ~ Legacy of the Clockwork Key by Kristin Bailey {Giveaway}
Welcome to my tour stop of the Legacy of the Clockwork Key by Kristin Bailey and hosted by Shane at Itching For Books. I'm very happy to have been part of this tour as this book was just amazing! Please read on for my Review and to enter a fantastic giveaway courtesy of Author, Kristin Bailey and our tour host. Please follow the remaining stops, tour schedule can be found here.
About The Book
Legacy of the Clockwork Key
by Kristin Bailey
Series: The Secret Order #1
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Book Description
A teen girl unravels the mysteries of a secret society and their most dangerous invention in this adventure-swept romance set in Victorian London.
When a fire consumes Meg’s home, killing her parents and destroying both her fortune and her future, all she has left is the tarnished pocket watch she rescued from the ashes. But this is no ordinary timepiece. The clock turns out to be a mechanical key—a key that only Meg can use—that unlocks a series of deadly secrets and intricate clues that Meg is compelled to follow.
Meg has uncovered evidence of an elite secret society and a dangerous invention that some will stop at nothing to protect—and that Meg alone can destroy. Together with the handsome stable hand she barely knows but hopes she can trust, Meg is swept into a hidden world of deception, betrayal, and revenge. The clockwork key has unlocked her destiny in this captivating start to a trilogy.
Kristin Bailey wrote a FANTASTIC debut novel! The Legacy of the Clockwork Key, the first book in the Secret Order Trilogy was so enjoyable that I could not put the book down! It was fast-paced filled with so many mysteries that you can't get enough of! Each turn of Meg's adventure has you eagerly anticipating for more.
Meg is a recently-orphaned young woman, now working as a maid at Lord Rathford's manor. Meg's life is mundane, boring and tiresome as her daily activity is repeated day in and day out without a change, that's how the Lord wants his manor ran...no changes...everything remains the same. Meg craves for any type of change no matter how little, so she decides to get the pocket watch she found near her burnt home working.
When Meg seeks the help of the Tinker boy, Will, they open up a whole new world filled with mystery, intrigue, danger and a secret society. Meg finds out that her Grandfather had faked his own death and maybe even still alive, that the tarnished and seemingly-broken pocket watch she possessed was not broken nor a pocket watch after all, it's a mechanical master key to solving this entire secret society's mystery. Meg and Will sets out on a journey to try and find her Grandfather and along the way solve the mystery that pushed her Grandfather to fake his own death.
The Legacy of the Clockwork Key is an amazing read! The plot and the concept of it's story is very original that it's unlike any other book I've read. Even the introductory chapters had a purpose and was not at all boring. The plot was fascinating and their adventure (without giving away spoilers) were filled with original aspects that reading this story was not only enjoyable but exciting. It's one of those books that have you gripping your seat, and biting your nails as you eagerly anticipate their next move.
The characters were relatable, I really enjoyed the fact that there was no instant love and you see the growth of their attraction...slowly but surely. I enjoyed the fact that the attraction between them slowly unfolded in front of you, not only are you told about the romance, you feel it! I think that's a really important aspect of any romance within any book. There are far too many books nowadays that have instant love so you don't actually feel the romance, you are more told about it.
The Legacy of the Clockwork Key by Kristin Bailey is an adventurous steampunk novel that has the readers participating in Meg and Will's tumultuous journey. It's an extremely enjoyable journey that finished way too soon, that's how much I enjoyed this book! I am eagerly anticipating the consecutive books in this trilogy.
Paperback Princess Review
Kristin Bailey wrote a FANTASTIC debut novel! The Legacy of the Clockwork Key, the first book in the Secret Order Trilogy was so enjoyable that I could not put the book down! It was fast-paced filled with so many mysteries that you can't get enough of! Each turn of Meg's adventure has you eagerly anticipating for more.
Meg is a recently-orphaned young woman, now working as a maid at Lord Rathford's manor. Meg's life is mundane, boring and tiresome as her daily activity is repeated day in and day out without a change, that's how the Lord wants his manor ran...no changes...everything remains the same. Meg craves for any type of change no matter how little, so she decides to get the pocket watch she found near her burnt home working.
When Meg seeks the help of the Tinker boy, Will, they open up a whole new world filled with mystery, intrigue, danger and a secret society. Meg finds out that her Grandfather had faked his own death and maybe even still alive, that the tarnished and seemingly-broken pocket watch she possessed was not broken nor a pocket watch after all, it's a mechanical master key to solving this entire secret society's mystery. Meg and Will sets out on a journey to try and find her Grandfather and along the way solve the mystery that pushed her Grandfather to fake his own death.
The Legacy of the Clockwork Key is an amazing read! The plot and the concept of it's story is very original that it's unlike any other book I've read. Even the introductory chapters had a purpose and was not at all boring. The plot was fascinating and their adventure (without giving away spoilers) were filled with original aspects that reading this story was not only enjoyable but exciting. It's one of those books that have you gripping your seat, and biting your nails as you eagerly anticipate their next move.
The characters were relatable, I really enjoyed the fact that there was no instant love and you see the growth of their attraction...slowly but surely. I enjoyed the fact that the attraction between them slowly unfolded in front of you, not only are you told about the romance, you feel it! I think that's a really important aspect of any romance within any book. There are far too many books nowadays that have instant love so you don't actually feel the romance, you are more told about it.
The Legacy of the Clockwork Key by Kristin Bailey is an adventurous steampunk novel that has the readers participating in Meg and Will's tumultuous journey. It's an extremely enjoyable journey that finished way too soon, that's how much I enjoyed this book! I am eagerly anticipating the consecutive books in this trilogy.
Loved It! A Must Read!!!
About The Author
Kristin Bailey
Kristin Bailey grew up in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley in California. As a kid she enjoyed visiting the beach, camping and skiing with her two brothers.
Now she is a military wife and mother of two young children. She is also terrible about spoiling her pets. She has one fluffy mutt, two cats who think they own the world, and a fish tank with some really plump little fish and a pair of snails who are secretly ninja assassins.
In the course of her adventures, she has worked as a zookeeper, balloon artist, and substitute teacher. Now she enjoys writing books for teens who enjoy mystery and adventure as much as she does.
~ Giveaway ~
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This tour was presented to you by
Saturday, 2 March 2013
What's a Witch to do? by Jennifer Harlow {Excerpt & Giveaway}
What's a Witch to Do?
by Jennifer Harlow
Series: A Midnight Magic Mystery #1
Release Date: March 8, 2013
Publisher: Midnight Ink
Genre: Paranormal Mystery/Romance
Book Description:
Book Description:
Mona McGregor's To Do List:
- Make
2013 potions/spells/charms - Put girls to bed
- Help with Debbie's wedding
- Lose 30 pounds before bachelorette auction
- Deal with the bleeding werewolf on doorstep
- Find out who wants me dead
- Prepare for supernatural summit
- Have a nervous breakdown
- Slay a damn demon
- Fall in love
With her to-do lists growing longer each day, the last thing Mona McGregor—High Priestess and owner of the Midnight Magic shop in Goodnight, Virginia—needs is a bleeding werewolf at her front door. Between raising her two nieces and leading a large coven of witches, Mona barely has time for anything else. Not even Guy, the handsome doctor who’s taken an interest in her.
But now there’s Adam Blue, the sexy beta werewolf of the Eastern Pack who’s been badly hurt, warning Mona that someone wants her dead. Hell’s bells! A demon is stalking her, and Mona starts to suspect her coven members and even her own family could be responsible for it. With two attractive men and a determined demon after her, Mona teams up with Adam to find out who really wants her dead.
... and who really wants her.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
But now there’s Adam Blue, the sexy beta werewolf of the Eastern Pack who’s been badly hurt, warning Mona that someone wants her dead. Hell’s bells! A demon is stalking her, and Mona starts to suspect her coven members and even her own family could be responsible for it. With two attractive men and a determined demon after her, Mona teams up with Adam to find out who really wants her dead.
... and who really wants her.
Excerpt
Judging from the twenty voicemails, and house phone ringing off the hook, I’d say the demon woke up the whole town. Every witch he came within fifty feet of felt him. I know this because it’s in the book right in front of me Auntie Sara brought over. I sit at the kitchen table with Cora curled up in my lap as I scan the pages. She hasn’t let me go since I retrieved them from the office. Sophie was throwing ingredients into the cauldron as Cora watched. I think it was a protection spell. I just grabbed them and brought them downstairs with me into the kitchen where we’ve set up camp.
Adam hands Auntie Sara a cup of coffee, which she takes with shaky hands. Sophie sits across from me staring at her sister, face made of stone. Adam plops down in the empty chair beside me, sliding a coffee cup over. “Thank you,” I say.
He nods. “So…a demon. I thought they were just myths.”
“Says the werewolf,” I say with a crooked smile. It’s all I can muster right now.
“I cannot believe you lied to me,” Auntie Sara says to me.
I had no choice but to tell her everything. “I’m sorry.”
“What do you know about demons?” Adam asks me.
“Not a whole lot. It’s not something I ever thought would come up. They’re rare, at least the kind I think this one is.”
“There’s more than one type?” Adam asks.
“There’s the kind you summon and the kind that just sneaks through the dimensional cracks,” Auntie Sara instructs. “With the latter you get your basic demonic possession. They’re too weak, so they need a host body. The summoned kind is a specific demon. They have specific traits and powers, depending on who was called.”
“What do they look like?” Adam asks.
“Human,” Sophie says. All eyes dart to her in surprise. “He’ll look like whoever gave the blood for the ritual.” Auntie Sara, Adam, and I all share a concerned look, and Cora grasps me harder. “The murder of something innocent, usually an animal, helps open the doorway. It comes out of the portal, looking like a demon. It’s…” She shakes her head and winces. I get a chill. “It’s unnatural. It doesn’t belong here and can’t survive, so the witch gives her blood and it takes human form.” She looks down at the table away from our stares. “Um, it’ll look, sound, act, even bleed like us. I guess it sort of is us. Just…a little more. And powerful.”
“So it can be killed,” Adam says.
“It’s not as simple as that,” I say. “It’s like a psychic on steroids. If she summoned the demon in charge of fire it can make you spontaneously combust from twenty yards away. If it can read in its dimension, it can invade your mind and trap your consciousness inside yourself.”
“And it’s strong,” Sophie adds. “Probably as strong as you. And it heals fast too.”
My stomach clenches again. “What—what else do you know about them, honey?”
“People can’t tell what they are, but we can because we’re from here and they’re from there. They don’t like us because of it. And they don’t like it that they have to listen to the person who brought them here. But they only have to do one thing, and they’re free. We can trap them, though, with sigils and spells. They can’t hurt us then. Not even with their brains. And they don’t like certain smells, and silver hurts them real bad.”
“An—anything else, honey?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
She just shrugs.
I clear my throat. “Okay um, girls why don’t you go in the living room and pop in a movie?”
Cora burrows deeper into my chest. “No, I don’t want to leave you,” she cries.
“I’ll be in here. I’ll be able to see you the whole time, okay?”
“Come on,” Sophie says as she stands. “We’ll watch Toy Story 3.”
I manage to extract the child from my body and get her to her feet. A stoic Sophie takes her hand and leads her into the living room. Oh hell, what on earth am I going to do? “Mona, how did she know all of that?” Auntie Sara asks. “You don’t think—”
“Auntie Sara, that is a not now question, okay?” The telephone starts ringing again, sending splinters into my already throbbing temples. “Can you just field calls for me?”
“And what am I supposed to tell them?”
“The truth?” My brain is swimming. I rub my temples to focus. “Tell them we’re having an emergency meeting in the morning, time and location in an e-mail to follow.”
“Okay,” Auntie Sara says as she stands. She grabs the portable phone and walks out.
I glance at the girls sitting on the couch, then at Adam. He plays with his cup but his weary eyes stay on me. “Are you okay?” he asks.
I don’t know what it is about those words, or maybe it’s his gentle expression, but I almost burst into tears. Tentatively, he places his hand over mine, squeezing it. No, not now. I gasp and cover my mouth but a few tears make it to my eyes. I shut them. Using all my willpower, I push them away. If I break now I won’t be able to pull myself together again, so I do what I do best. I swallow my emotions so deep an archeologist couldn’t find them. I pull my hand away and wipe the stray tears off my face. Problem. Fix the problem first. “Um, what did you find out from Cheyenne? What time did she get to the bar?”
“She was there when I got there at 10:30. We talked until about 12:30, when I walked her to her car. We woke at 4:30, so she had plenty of time to summon it.”
“What did she say?”
“About you? Not a lot. She thinks you’re prissy, unimaginative, and holier than thou. Her words, not mine.”
“I don’t give a shit what she thinks about my character flaws! In between the make-out sessions did she give you any indication she hates me enough to do all this?”
“I don’t know. I couldn’t get much out of her, I’m sorry.”
I stand, practically making the chair fall back. “Well, I can’t do much with sorry, can I?”
I can’t breathe in here. I need to breathe so I can think. I stalk into the backyard, taking in huge gulps of air. Instantly, I feel like a jerk. I can’t keep doing that. He is in no way, shape, or form deserving of mu ire.
Even still, a second later he steps outside to check on me. “Mona?”
“I’m sorry,” I say, “I’m so sorry. I don’t mean to speak to you like that, I really don’t. I’m not normally like this, I swear.”
“I know.”
“I have no idea what I’m doing, Adam. A killer? Now a demon too? What the hell am I going to do?”
“We’ll figure it out.”
“How? I can’t think. I can’t…” Shit, the tears are trying the damndest to get out. I take a ragged breath. “I am so scared.”
“I know.” He steps toward me, and the next thing I know his arms are around me, pulling me into his warm body. Dear goddess does this feel wonderful. He’s so solid and even smells good, like hyssop and soap. “I know,” he whispers. He simply holds me, my head on his shoulder and hand against his racing heart. I just want to melt into him. For a fleeting instant all the world fades except for me and him, and I can actually believe everything will be okay as long as he never lets me go.
But only for an instant. I’m too realistic for false hope. Lust, be gone. I pull away, my back straightening to gain some respectability back. “Thank you. That helped.”
“Happy to oblige,” he says, for some reason unable to look at me.
I step away and turn my back to him. Okay, I can think now. This is good. “So, um, I have a request to make of you.”
“Anything.”
I knew he’d say that. “I need you to take the girls away from here. Take them to Jason’s or your house or wherever, and keep them safe for me.”
“That’s not a good idea.”
I spin around. “The hell it isn’t! There is a fucking demon here to kill me!”
“Then you come with us.”
“I can’t! I can’t leave everyone here with a demon on the loose. Just take them and go!”
“I am not leaving you alone here!” he says with enough force to punch through a wall.
“This isn’t your fight.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“The game has changed. It’s far too dangerous around me now. Just take them and go! Please!”
“No. I made a promise and I take promises very seriously.”
I throw my arms up. “I absolve you! Take them and go!”
“No!” Sophie shouts from the door. I turn around as she leads her sister toward us. “If you send us away, we’ll just come right back! We will!” she says, voice shaking. “I can protect you! I can! I know what to do! Please!” She looks at Adam, eyes wild. “Don’t take us away. Please, don’t take us away.”
“Sophie—” I say, my voice breaking along with my heart.
“We are not going anywhere,” Adam says to Sophie. “I promise.”
“You can’t—” I say.
He grabs my arm and yanks me away from the girls, all but dragging me to the other side of the yard. “Now, you listen to me,” he says in a low voice. “You are letting your fear cloud your judgment, and you are scaring the hell out of those girls there. More than even the demon is. Is that what you want?”
“No, but—”
“We are not leaving, do you hear me? Do not mention it again.” He takes a deep breath to regain his composure. “Look, I know you’re used to doing everything on your own, but you cannot do this alone. You can’t. So, I am here to protect you and those girls so you don’t have to. But to do that, we all need to be here. Together. A cohesive unit working together. A pack, okay? And since you aren’t thinking clearly right now, I’ll do it for you. If you die, who will take care of them? They need to be near you, a strong you. If they go away, and you die, they will never ever recover. They have lost too damn much already.”
“It could kill them to get to me,” I whisper.
“Mona, if that thing wants them, and is as powerful as you say it is, it won’t matter where they are. It will find them and use them anyway. At least here they have you, and me, and an entire army of witches in this town to go through first. And I will die before I let anything happen to any of you. Do you believe me?”
I absolutely do. I shake my head.
“Good. Then trust me on this. Then we’re sticking together. We will be cautious, but we will not let fear rule our lives. We stick to the plan. We fortify this place and ourselves as best we can, we find who summoned this thing, and stop her. Together. You…and me. I am not going anywhere. I swear it to you.”
I have the strongest urge to hug him again, among other things I won’t admit to. He’s so sincere I can’t help but feel…relief. At least that’s what I think it is. It’s a new sensation. Take me awhile to get used to it. “Okay,” I whisper. “Okay.”
“Then let’s get started.” He turns away from me and walks over to the girls, picking up Cora as if it was the most natural thing and holding his hand out for Sophie. She looks at it, but after a second of indecision, puts her hand in his. He leads them inside, off to find a way to save my life.
This time I let the tears flow. Because I can.
About The Author
Jennifer Harlow
Jennifer Harlow spent her restless childhood fighting with her three brothers and scaring the heck out of herself with horror movies and books. She grew up to earn a degree at the University of Virginia which she put to use as a radio DJ, crisis hotline volunteer, bookseller, lab assistant, wedding coordinator, and government investigator. Currently she calls Northern Virginia home but that restless itch is ever present. In her free time, she continues to scare the beejepers out of herself watching scary movies and opening her credit card bills.
~ Giveaway ~
Sunday Post
Sunday Post is a weekly feature hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Reviewer. It's main purpose is similar to that of a Sunday newspaper; recap of the week gone by, additions to your library and what is going on in the book blogging community.
Addition to my Library
Inspired by The Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews and In My Mailbox hosted by The Story Siren
Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Legacy by Cayla Kluver
Sacrifice by Cayla Kluver
The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead
Blog Recap ~ Feb 11-28, 2013
Know Me Better ~ Weekly Meme
Sweetest Taboo by Eva Marquez ~ Promo Post
Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater ~ Review
Radiant by Christina Daley ~ Release Day
Forty Days by Stephanie Parent ~ Release Day
Accession by Terah Edun ~ Cover Reveal
Drowning in you by Rebecca Berto ~ Cover Reveal
Stitch by Samantha Durante ~ Promo Tour
Faster We Burn by Chelsea M. Cameron ~ Cover Reveal
Feature & Follow Friday ~ Weekly Meme
Awaken by Jamie Guerard ~ Cover Reveal
Juliana Haygert (His Allure Her Passion) ~ Author Interview
Boys of Summer by CJ Duggan ~ Promo Tour
The Samantha Project by Samantha Karpinske ~ Promo Tour
Know Me Better ~ Weekly Meme
Hereafter by Jennifer Snyder ~ Review
Bitter Angel by Megan Hand ~ Cover Reveal
Top Ten Tuesday (Favourite Characters in the Paranormal Genre) ~ Weekly Meme
Terra by Gretchen Powell ~ Review
Rachel Deagan (The Prophecy) ~ Author Interview
Spirit by Shauna Granger ~ Cover Reveal
Awakened by Inger Iversen ~ Release Day
Disconnect by Imran Siddiq ~ Release Day
Laura DeLuca (Morrigan) ~ Author Interview
The Moonsongs Series by EJ Wesley ~ Review
Know Me Better ~ Weekly Meme
Forged in Grace by Jordan E. Rosenfeld ~ Guest Post
Rhiannon Hart ~ Author Interview Part 2
Tracy Deebs & Emily McKay Signing ~ Event Announcement
Don't Fear The Reaper by Michelle Muto ~ Guest Post
Top Ten Tuesday (Authors That I'd Put in my Auto-Buy list) ~ Weekly Meme
Fields of Elysium by AB Whelan ~ Book Blast with $50 Giveaway!!!
Guardians Inc - The Cypher by Julian Rosado-Machain ~ Book Blast with $100 Giveaway!!!
In The Blogosphere
Pls click on the event button for more info and/or to sign up
A Matter of Fate by Heather Lyons {Giveaway}
Hi Everyone! Thank you for stopping by on my stop of A Matter of Fate tour by Heather Lyons organized by YA Bound. Please continue to visit the remaining stops, tour schedule can be found here. Please continue to read till the end for your chance to enter A Matter of Fate's giveaway, courtesy of Heather Lyons and YA Bound.
A Matter of Fate
by Heather LyonsSeries: Fate Series #1
Date Published: August 30, 2012
Publisher: Cerulean Books
Genre: YA Paranormal
Book Description
Chloe Lilywhite struggles with all the normal problems of a typical seventeen-year-old high school student. Only, Chloe isn't a normal teenage girl. She's a Magical, part of a secret race of beings who influence the universe. More importantly, she's a Creator, which means Fate mapped out her destiny long ago, from her college choice, to where she will live, to even her job. While her friends and relatives relish their future roles, Chloe resents the lack of say in her life, especially when she learns she's to be guarded against a vengeful group of beings bent on wiping out her kind. Their number one target? Chloe, of course.
That's nothing compared to the boy trouble she's gotten herself into. Because a guy she's literally dreamed of and loved her entire life, one she never knew truly existed, shows up in her math class, and with him comes a twin brother she finds herself inexplicably drawn to.
Chloe's once unyielding path now has a lot more choices than she ever thought possible.
About The Author
Heather Lyons
Heather Lyons has been putting stories to paper since she was a little girl. Her first "published" book was a humorous retelling of The Princess and the Pauper. After detours in archaeology and teaching, she is now writing and living in Southern California with her husband and three sons. She likes cupcakes, baseball, hockey, reading, and collecting far too many handbags.
Friday, 1 March 2013
Feature & Follow Friday
The Rules:-
- You MUST follow BOTH hosts Rachel @ Parajunkee and Alison @ Alison Can Read
- You MUST follow BOTH Featured Blogs of the week (linked below)
- Do your own Feature & Follow Friday post answering the question of the week and link to it at the bottom of this post
- Follow and comment on other participants Feature & Follow Friday posts!
This week's Featured Bloggers
Confess your blogger sins! Is there anything as a newbie blogger that you've done, that as you gained more experience you were like - oops?
Signing up to too many book tours. I did not know that I'd be allowed to participate in pretty much all the ones I signed up for, so I did not think to add the dates until I got accepted, now each time I sign up I put a tentative booking on my calendar so I don't request to participate in another tour on those dates.
Requesting way too many ebooks from Netgalley and not reviewing them in a timely manner. I now don't even look through Netgalley (I get too tempted) unless I've got space in my calendar to review them.
Author Interview ~ Natasha Slight {Guardians of the Grimoire}
Thank you for stopping by at my stop of the Guardians of the Grimoire tour by Natasha Slight, hosted by CBL Book Tours. Today we have Natasha here today with an Author Interview. Please read till the end to have the chance to enter the giveaway, courtesy of the Author and CBL Book Tours. Please also follow the remaining stops, tour schedule can be found at the end of this post. Thank you for stopping by, and please welcome, Natasha Slight...
Author Interview
Tell us a little bit about yourself
First, I’d like to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to be here. I’m a stay-at-home mom and I currently live in Montreal. For the past fifteen years, I have traveled frequently as my daughters and I followed my husband on his work travels. We’ve lived in Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Germany with side trips to the Cayman Islands, the South of France, Paris, and the Netherlands. Living in countries where I could not work, I stayed home raising my daughters and spent a lot of time reading. I love to travel and you could say that I was bitten by the traveling bug when I was young. From the time I turned eight years old, my family and I moved around the country numerous times and I was able to discover the many wonderful sights Canada offers as we drove from the East Coast all the way to the West Coast. Imagine spending 3,000 miles in a teeny, tiny car with a family of five. I also lived in Haïti, once when I was eight years old and a second time in my early twenties.
Throughout my travels, I discovered my love of learning new languages. I speak French, English, and Creole. I’ve also tried my hand at Mandarin, Spanish, and German. I’m an autodidact, so learning a language comes with ease.
My passion for reading developed into writing books one rainy afternoon. I’d just finished reading yet another book, when the idea of writing a book suddenly dawned on me. I decided to try it and quickly realized that this was what I wanted to do. It was the best decision I ever made.
Tell us about your book...
Guardians of the Grimoire, is a fantasy adventure written for young adults, packed with action from beginning to end. It is the first book in the Grimoire Trilogy, and will be followed with Defenders of the Grimoire andKeepers of the Grimoire. Although, written for young people, I’m happy to see that even adults are enjoying the book.
What is your writing style?
I like to write in third person POV. It just feels natural to me and many of the books that I’ve read are written in such a way. Like any other author, I also try to engage the reader’s imagination when writing. It is a quite a balancing act to be able to describe a scene and let some of the details go so that the reader’s imagination can fill in the rest.
What/who inspires you to write?
My inspiration comes from my life experiences, from the people I meet, and from everyday things like a movie, a song, a book, or even a dream. Places described in my books are often inspired from places I’ve visited. I have to say that medieval times are one of my favorites, so when I walk through a small medieval town, for example in Germany, I like to absorb the atmosphere of the place and imagine what it would be like to be living in past times in such a place.
What inspired you to write a young adult book?
Although, I read all genres, young adult books are my favorite. So to write my first book, I decided I would go with something I absolutely loved. I do plan to expand into other genres with later books, but right now, I’m having too much fun writing this young adult trilogy.
What is your favorite part of the book?
I love the fact that I have written three strong female leads. Male characters often lead the fantasy genre, so I wanted to do something different. Kerani, Tiluvia, and Cesca each have their own personality, quirks, and faults. I try to make them as realistic as possible, so that young people can relate to them.
Kerani is the leader of the trio, and she’s a feisty, strong-willed, sword-wielding princess. She doesn’t take no for an answer and is not afraid to stand up for herself. Tiluvia is quirky, fun, and always smiling. She’s my comic relief in the book. She’s also very sensitive to the moods of others around her. Cesca, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. Plagued by guilt and self-doubt, she’s someone who has to find her inner strength and learn to accept herself for who she is. She tends to be quiet and shy.
How personal is your writing?
When I began writing I never thought about this point, but I’ve realized that my writing has many of my personality traits in it. Kerani, Tiluvia, and Cesca to some extent each represent a small part of who I am. This can be scary and for an author it’s like laying your soul down for everyone to see. I like to think I used to be like Cesca, but have grown to become like Kerani. I do inject my humor into my writing and I’ve noticed that it especially comes out in the dialogues.
How did you come up with the title?
Unbelievably the title of the first book came to me while I was half-asleep. I already knew where the storyline was heading in the following books so the subject of guarding, defending, and keeping the Grimoire turned into the titles that I have now.
How did you come up with the concept of the book cover?
By experimenting. The very first cover I had for Guardians of the Grimoire I made myself. Then, I turned to professionals. I’m trying to stay away from stock photography, because I really want something that is unique to my book. I work with a photographer who helps me with the models used on the covers. For Guardians of the Grimoire I used my eldest daughter to represent Cesca. For Defenders of the Grimoire I will have a model that depicts Kerani, and for Keepers of the Grimoire, I will use a third model to depict Tiluvia. Once the proofs are approved, they’re then sent to a graphic artist who designs the cover with elements from the story. I want people to look back on the cover once they’ve read the book and recognize the images that stem from the story.
Do you work with an outline and how rigid are you with it?
I do work with an outline, especially with this type of story where there are subplots that I have to keep track of. But once I start writing, I let the characters guide me and if the story takes a turn, I make a note of it on my outline. I don’t force the story to go in a specific way I simply let it flow.
What was the hardest part about writing your book?
The most difficult part I had was when I realized that I had to kill off two of my characters in book 1. I had planned to have them in book 2, but things were consistently leading me away from my goal. I have images that I stick on my walls to help me remember how the characters look. When came the time to take them down, I felt a sense of loss, but what’s funny about this, was when my youngest daughter noticed the missing pictures. After seeing the pictures for almost three years up on my walls and getting to know the characters, my daughter had grown attached to them without even reading the book. When she realized why I had taken down the pictures, she squinted her eyes and gave me a look I’ll never forget. She was so angry that the story had taken such a turn, and today, she still hasn’t forgiven me.
What are you working on now?
I’ve finished writing Defenders of the Grimoire, and while it’s in the hands of my editor, I’ll be writing book 3 of the trilogy, Keepers of the Grimoire.
What support have you received since you’ve begun writing?
My husband and my daughters have been my biggest supporters. They’ve encouraged and helped me in so many ways and I am very thankful for their support. Outside of family, I have to thank my editor, Rosanne Cornbrooks Catalano, and my proofreader, Marlo Garnsworthy. These two ladies have provided me with priceless counsel and I’m so grateful to have their unending patience and help when it comes to editing and proofreading. I’ve taken their suggestions and applied it to my writing and I haven’t regretted any of it. Their insightful tips and advice has helped me become a better writer.
Another group of people I would like to say thank you to are the readers, book bloggers, and reviewers. Without your support, an author’s work would go unnoticed. If you want to help support an author, the best way to do it is to help spread the word. Share information about the author’s books with your friends, family, coworkers. A simple click on the ‘Like’ or ‘Share’ buttons or comment on a blog post, on Facebook, or even on the author’s Amazon page can also help spread the word. If you truly enjoyed the book and have a little time, you can even write a review. Reviews help other people find the author’s books and its little things like this that can help an author go a long way with their writing.
What are you most passionate about besides writing?
My favorite past time is reading a good book, but I’m also a movie buff. Friday nights are usually movie night at our house. I like to play board games with my kids, and I love to spend time in the kitchen with my youngest daughter whose passion for cooking I also share. We can often find her in the kitchen on Saturday mornings either making pancakes or baking up some type of dessert. Mostly, just spending time with my family is something that fills me with contentment.
What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?
No matter how hard the journey may become, never, never, never give up on your dream of becoming a writer. Give yourself a daily goal and if you can’t achieve it every single day, remember there is always tomorrow. Don’t be too hard on yourself, know that you can’t please every critic out there, and finally believe in your dream. Dreams don’t have an expiration date, so if something doesn’t work, you can always try again.
About the Author
Natasha Slight
Natasha Slight lives in Montreal, Canada with her husband and two daughters. Although, she has an aversion to -20 degree temperatures, she keeps warm and cozy, while writing in her home office. Being a stay-at-home mom and an avid reader and collector of books for many years, she traveled frequently, following her husband and his work. The settings in the stories she writes are enriched with details she has gleaned from her travels around the world. Armed with a quirky sense of humor, Natasha writes to inspire, tap into the mind, and unleash the imagination within. Guardians of the Grimoire is her debut novel.
About the Book
Guardians of the Grimoire
by Natasha Slight
Series: The Grimoire #1
Genre: YA Fantasy
| Book Description
Rumors have spread among the immortals of a book that controls all the magic in both the human and spirit worlds. So what is the Spirit Mother to do when Kaël, a corrupt spirit, attempts to steal the Grimoire from her temple?
With no other option, she instructs Gaïa, a benevolent spirit, to hide the Grimoire in the human realm and to train three young girls in becoming the new guardians. Kerani, Tiluvia, and Cesca are awakened to their destinies, and thrust into a perilous journey as they race to Gaïa’s island. Accompanied by the Kal’rana sisters, the girls discover the magic that lies dormant within them. But fate plays a cruel twist on them, as their magical abilities are unleashed before they are ready, and disastrous consequences follow suit.
In a land shrouded in magic, and filled with as many friends as there are foes, will the girls be able to fulfill their destinies? Or will the balance of magic be thrown into chaos?
With no other option, she instructs Gaïa, a benevolent spirit, to hide the Grimoire in the human realm and to train three young girls in becoming the new guardians. Kerani, Tiluvia, and Cesca are awakened to their destinies, and thrust into a perilous journey as they race to Gaïa’s island. Accompanied by the Kal’rana sisters, the girls discover the magic that lies dormant within them. But fate plays a cruel twist on them, as their magical abilities are unleashed before they are ready, and disastrous consequences follow suit.
In a land shrouded in magic, and filled with as many friends as there are foes, will the girls be able to fulfill their destinies? Or will the balance of magic be thrown into chaos?
~ Giveaway ~
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