Review - Utterly Charming by Kristine Grayson

TITLE:     Utterly Charming     
AUTHOR:    Kristine Grayson
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 308 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sourcebooks, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   In the tradition of New York Times bestselling author Susan Anderson, comes a fresh and funny story of eternal love that already has the romance world buzzing.


In this thoroughly unique and irresistible romantic romp from a talented new author, a struggling Seattle lawyer, desperate to keep her fledgling law firm from going under, takes a case involving a strange but incredibly attractive man. Before she knows it, all of Nora's wishes come true, along with the realization that her client is Prince Charming...the real Prince Charming. There's just one problem: despite being a gorgeous hunk, he's a 1,000 year old magician who still has to deal with a Sleeping Beauty and one wicked stepmother before he and Nora can have a future together.

MY TAKE:    Kristine Grayson has obviously been having fun taking beloved fairytales and legends and giving them settings in the present.  She has done it again by providing the age-old tale of Sleeping Beauty and her Prince Charming several fun twists and new possibilities.  


Earlier this year I read Wickedly Charming and fell in love with Ms. Grayson's storytelling.  I liked her explanation that there are several Prince Charmings!  They are all from the same family and are the heroes for many of the lovely Princesses in the tales.  


So on to Utterly...  Sleeping Beauty is really named Emma and has been in her glass coffin for 1,000 years - being fought over by Aethlelstan Blackstone the Wizard (aka Prince Charming) and her wicked witch stepmother Ealhswith.  Their epic battles have been waged these many centuries and will finally come to an end when the lawyerly Nora takes charge of the situation.


This was a fun romp through fairytale land with many characters popping up.  The Fates were a real hoot as they tried out modern Punk wear.  One of my favorites had to be Sancho Panza.  The magical dwarf was hysterical and frankly stole the show for me.  I want much more of him!  Another part that had me laughing was when Nora's mother's boyfriend Jeffrey Chawsir had to convince Sancho and Emma that he knew he wasn't that Geoffrey Chaucer since they had both known the famous author.  The fact that Jeffrey also happened to be a professor of medieval studies just added to the humor.


The love story that was supposed to be Aethlelstan/PC and Emma/SB wasn't quite what the legends had made of it.  When the wizard and his sidekick Sancho meet up with Nora for the first time, sparks start to fly and Blackstone finds out that he's met his match.  The romance was sweet and made for a light, enjoyable read.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

You can find your copy at:  

Amazon, Kindle, The Book Depository, Barnes & Noble, Nook

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - The Goblin King by Shona Husk

TITLE:    The Goblin King     
AUTHOR:    Shona Husk
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 319 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sourcebooks, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Cursed by a Druid millennia ago, Roan lives a bleak existence in the Shadowlands, desperately trying to retain his soul and not succumb to the goblin horde. When a beautiful human summons him to grant a wish, he sees a glimmer of hope. But will she ever agree to be his queen?

MY TAKE:    I wasn't sure what to expect from a story that has a goblin as the romantic male lead.  My mental picture of what goblins look like was rather vivid.  I am glad to say that I have a new image in my mind thanks to Roan, the Goblin King.


Shona Husk has created a very un-fairytalelike fairytale romance.  Her characters are original and engaging.  I admit that I thought Eliza was a pain in the beginning.  She couldn't stand up for herself and somehow allowed herself to be placed in a very compromising situation.  Her own stupidity put her life in the hands of a man she didn't love or respect who was using and manipulating her for money. Her development and growth throughout the story was welcome and enjoyable.  I don't do well at all with weak female leads.


Roan was interesting and sexy, even when he was in his goblin form.  He had all of the right character traits that a woman wants in her hero:  honor, loyalty, intelligence, sex appeal, etc....  I was on his side from the very beginning and rooted for him to succeed.  


The Goblin King was a fun read that I enjoyed delving into.  For even more of this story, I was excited to find out that Summons: A Goblin King Prequel is now available for FREE at Amazon as well as for the Nook at Barnes and Noble. 
  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Grab yourself a copy: 

Amazon,  Kindle, The Book Depository, Barnes & Noble, Nook

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Guest Post - Bri Clark's Road to Publication

Please welcome author Bri Clark to One Book Shy as she tours the blogosphere with her new book:

Glazier 
 My Road to Publication by Bri Clark

I did the whole query letter; find an agent, got 150 rejection letters thing. Two times, I had a partial ms request both times they said it was a great premise but needed more work. And guess what they were spot on. I did that for about a year. Worked on my magna opus Glazier a total of three years before it was contracted with Astraea Press and released July of 2011.

However, Glazier was not my first published work, Familial Witch was and Caffe’ Seduzione shortly after. These are two novellas that I have contracted novel length sequels for now. Eternal Witch and Mafia Seduzione.

The thing about my road to publication was I did what everyone else was doing. I followed the blogs, wrote, rewrote query letters, had a very neat excel spreadsheet of the agents I sent to. Oh yeah I’m anal organized. I even had columns for the dates when they received the query and how long it took them to respond. Then thought when I wanted to scream and yell Nay!! after yet another form rejection I could post that it took them 6 weeks and one day not the 4 they claimed. Not exactly professional…and it wasn’t working for me at all either.

Why… you ask cause it wasn’t my way…the Bri way…the Belle way. I’ve lived my whole life making my own path then sashaying down it in a pair of wedge heels.

I’m known as the Belle of Boise because I’m a sassy southern belle living in Boise ID. My whole life I’ve always achieved what I sought. So I took all the knowledge I gained over three years and on a spur of the moment whim went to the Idaho Book Extravaganza, took some workshops, met and made good friends/ mentors in Aaron Patterson, Vincent Zandri and Maryanna Young.

I told them that in the next year I’d attend IBE as a published author. Guess what--I am. By then I should have 4-5 books released. The Indie publisher route with Stone House Ink and Astraea Press is where I have found my path now. Working with these houses has been some of the best experiences in my life. Stone House Ink suits me well in that they do it their own way…forging their own path in publishing. Astraea Press provides the support system and guidance I need in the form of a large group of other female authors…and Phil. Sorry Phil you know I love you.

Would I work with an agent? Totally. Would I go the traditional route? Absolutely. Would I leave my publishers in the dust my wedges drum up? Heck no!

If there is one thing I am it’s I’m loyal to a fault, like a tick on a coon dogs back my Paw Paw always says.

Bri Clark is a real example of redemption and renewal.  Growing up penniless in the South, Bri learned street smarts while caring for her brother in a broken home.  She watched her mother work several jobs to care for their small family.  Once her brother could fend for himself, Bri moved on to a series of bad choices including leaving school and living on her own.   Rebelliousness was a strong understatement to describe those formative years.  As a teenager, her wakeup call came from a fight with brass knuckles and a judge that gave her a choice of shaping up or spending time in jail.  She took that opportunity and found a way to moved up from the streets.  She ended up co-owning an extremely successful construction business.  She lived the high life until the real estate crash when she lost everything.  She moved west and found herself living with her husband and 4 kids in a 900 square foot apartment.  She now fills her time, writing, blogging, leading a group of frugal shoppers and sharing her southern culture.  Her unique background gives her writing a raw sensibility.  She understands what it takes to overcome life’s obstacles.   She often tells friends, “I can do poor.  I’m good at poor. It’s prosperity that I’m not used to.”  Bri and her husband Chris live in Boise.  Bri is known as the Belle of Boise for her true southern accent, bold demeanor and hospitable nature.

Bri boasts several positions in the publishing industry. An author, professional reviewer, blogger, and author platform consultant she enjoys all aspects of her career from the creation of story to the branding and marketing needed to make her books successful.

Her latest book is Glazier, a romantic fantasy adventure novel with espionage, genetic powers, underground bases and a ginger beauty with memory issues that take you on a ride that begins in Vermont and comes to a head in Egypt.

Visit her at Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/Bri_Clark or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/TBriClark.

You can find out more about Bri at http://briclarkthebelleofboise.blogspot.com/.  

Glazier is available now:  Amazon (hardcopy & ebook), Barnes & Noble (ebook)

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.