Review - Krampus: The Yule Lord by Brom

TITLE:    Krampus: The Yule Lord

AUTHOR:   Brom

INFO:    Fiction, 381 pages

GENRE:  Paranormal/Mythology

PUBLISHED:   Harper Voyager, 2012

SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Santa Claus, my dear old friend, you are a thief, a traitor, a slanderer, a murder, a liar, but worst of all you are a mockery of everything for which I stood.

You have sung your last ho, ho, ho, for I am coming to take your head. I am coming to take back what is mine, to take back Yuletide...

The author and artist of The Child Thief returns with a modern fabulist tale of Krampus, the Lord of Yule and mortal enemy of Santa Claus.

One Christmas Eve in a small hollow in Boone County, West Virginia, struggling songwriter Jesse Walker witnesses a strange spectacle: seven devilish figures chasing a man in a red suit toward a sleigh and eight reindeer. When the reindeer leap skyward taking the sleigh, devil men, and Santa into the clouds, screams follow. Moments later, a large sack plummets earthward, a magical sack that will thrust the down-on-his luck singer into the clutches of the terrifying Yule Lord, Krampus. But the lines between good and evil become blurred as Jesse's new master reveals many dark secrets about the cherry-cheeked Santa Claus, and how half a millennium ago, the jolly old saint imprisoned Krampus and usurped his magic.

Now Santa's time is running short, for the Yule Lord is determined to have his retribution and reclaim Yuletide. If Jesse can survive this ancient feud, he might have the chance to redeem himself to his family, to save his own broken dreams...and help bring the magic of Yule to the impoverished folk of Boone County.

MY TAKE:    I like it when an author takes familiar (or unfamiliar) characters or tales and shapes them into something new and original, without taking away from the roots of the story. Brom seems to have this talent in abundance. He weaves the Nordic mythology in with Christian belief to provide us with a fun and riveting book.

While not really knowing what to expect from this book, I dove into it as a "holiday read" and became completely engrossed. I will say up front that this isn't a tale for small children or the faint of heart. We have quite a dark mash-up of magic, mayhem and myth with a healthy dose of violence - of course, I've heard the desire to kill Santa Claus isn't all that uncommon..

I'm not going to rehash the plot or storyline here, but I will say that if you like supernatural tales with some horror, comedy and human interest thrown in, you'll enjoy this tale. You will also enjoy the fantastic artwork that adorns the pages as well as the cover. 

  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Krampus: The Yule Lord is Available NOW at:

AMAZON/BARNES & NOBLE/KOBO/THE BOOK DEPOSITORY

Born in the deep dark south in the mid-sixties. Brom, an army brat, spent his entire youth on the move and unabashedly blames living in such places as Japan, Hawaii, Germany, and Alabama for all his afflictions. From his earliest memories Brom has been obsessed with the creation of the weird, the monstrous, and the beautiful.

At age twenty, Brom began working full-time as a commercial illustrator in Atlanta, Georgia. Three years later he entered the field of fantastic art he’d loved his whole life, making his mark developing and illustrating for TSR’s best selling role-playing worlds.

He has since gone on to lend his distinctive vision to all facets of the creative industries, from novels and games, to comics and film. Most recently he's created a series of award winning horror novels that he both writes and illustrates: “The Plucker”, an adult children’s book, “The Devil’s Rose”, a modern western set in Hell, “The Child Thief”, a gritty, nightmarish retelling of the Peter Pan myth, and his latest concoction, "Krampus, the Yule Lord", a tale of revenge between Krampus and Santa set in rural West Virginia.

Brom is currently kept in a dank cellar somewhere in the drizzly Northwest. There he subsists on poison spiders, centipedes, and bad kung-fu flicks. When not eating bugs, he is ever writing, painting, and trying to reach a happy sing-a-long with the many demons dancing about in his head.

For More Information: Visit Brom's Website

 October 27

Book featured at Harmonious Publicity

October 28

Interviewed at Review From Here

October 29

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November 2

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November 3

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November 4

Interviewed at Literal Exposure

November 5

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November 6

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November 9

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November 10

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November 11

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November 12

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November 13

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November 16

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November 17

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November 18

Book featured at The Revolving Bookshelf

November 19

Book featured at Voodoo Princess

November 20

Book reviewed at I'm Shelf-ish

~~~~~ 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.

Spotlight - Margaret Kerr Series by Candace Robb + GIVEAWAY

I'd like to welcome Candace Robb back to One Book Shy today as she wraps up this fabulous blog tour with Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. Thank you both for letting me be a part of it. 

You may recall that I reviewed the first book: Trust Betrayed earlier in the tour. I must say that I am even more enamoured of our intrepid detective Margaret and am looking forward to starting the third book. I will plan on doing reviews on both of these books in the near furture. For today we shall shine a spotlight on these next two installments in The Margaret Kerr Series.

The Fire in the Flint

“Intrigue abounds…. Robb’s captivating blend of history and mystery vividly evokes medieval Scotland.” —BOOKLIST 

 Scots are gathering in Murdoch Kerr’s Edinburgh tavern, plotting to drive out the English forces. Margaret takes her place there as innkeeper, collecting information to pass on to William Wallace—until murder gives the English an excuse to shutter the tavern. The dead man was a witness to the intruders who raided chests belonging to Margaret’s husband and her father, the latest in a string of violent raids on Margaret’s family, but no one knows the identity of the raiders or what they’re searching for. Margaret’s uncle urges her to escape Edinburgh, but as she flees north with her husband Roger, Margaret grows suspicious about his sudden wish to speak with her mother, Christiana, who is a soothsayer. Margaret once innocently shared with Roger one of Christiana’s visions, of “the true king of Scotland” riding into Edinburgh. Now she begins to wonder if their trip is part of a mission engineered by the English crown...

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / GOOGLEPLAY / ITUNES /  KOBO / POWELL'S BOOKS / THE BOOK DEPOSITORY


A Cruel Courtship

  

“This is history as it should be told!” —GOOD BOOK GUIDE 

 In late summer 1297, Margaret Kerr heads to the town of Stirling at the request of William Wallace’s man James Comyn. Her mission is to discover the fate of a young spy who had infiltrated the English garrison at Stirling Castle, but on the journey Margaret is haunted by dreams—or are they visions?—of danger. He who holds Stirling Castle holds Scotland—and a bloody battle for the castle is imminent. But as the Scots prepare to cast off the English yoke, Margaret’s flashes of the future allow her to glimpse what is to come—and show her that she can trust no one, not even her closest friends. A CRUEL COURTSHIP is a harrowing account of the days before the bloody battle of Stirling Bridge, and the story of a young woman’s awakening.

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / GOOGLEPLAY / ITUNES /    KOBO / POWELL'S BOOKS / THE BOOK DEPOSITORY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR    

Growing up, Candace Robb wanted to be a ballerina, tap dancer, folk singer, journalist—but on the day that she walked into Liz Armstrong’s undergraduate class on Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde, that all changed. A gifted teacher, lively, witty, always laughing even when cringing at a lazy response, Dr. Armstrong launched into the opening stanzas, and within a few lines Candace’s ears adjusted to the middle English—and she was hooked. Chaucer’s psychological study of the two lovers was a revelation to her. The next quarter was The Canterbury Tales. That clinched it. Candace went on to graduate work in medieval history and literature, and ever since she’s been engaged in bringing to life the rich culture of the period, from the arts to the politics. 

She is the internationally acclaimed author of thirteen crime novels featuring the sexy, brooding, clever Owen Archer, who solves crimes for John Thoresby, Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England, and the young Margaret Kerr, searching for her missing husband and her role in a Scotland overrun by English soldiers. 

Candace is currently under contract with Pegasus Books for a new crime series set in 15th century York, the Kate Clifford mysteries, which will debut in 2016. Writing as Emma Campion, Candace has published two historical novels about the women of the English court in the 14th century, A Triple Knot and The King’s Mistress. 

 Born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Candace grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has lived most of her adult life in Seattle, Washington, which she loves for its combination of culture, natural beauty, and brooding weather so like Yorkshire, Wales, and Scotland, which she visits as often as possible. 

She has taught the art of writing the crime novel in the University of Washington’s certificate program, and offers workshops in writing the historical novel and in creating and plotting the crime series. Candace (and Emma) blog about writing and medieval topics at A Writer’s Retreat, ecampion.wordpress.com.

Catch up with Candace at:  

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

Please join Margaret Kerr as she tours the blogosphere for her Margaret Kerr Mystery Series, from October 12-23, with HF Virtual Book Tours, and enter to win one of three (3) Sets of A TRUST BETRAYED and THE FIRE IN THE FLINT in eBook. Ends tonight at 11:59 EST, so don't wait to enter!

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, October 12

Interview at The Writing Desk 

Tuesday, October 13

Review at Worth Getting In Bed For (A Trust Betrayed)

Spotlight at Just One More Chapter 

Wednesday, October 14 Review at Book Nerd (A Cruel Courtship) 

Spotlight at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book 

Thursday, October 15 

Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf (A Trust Betrayed)

 Spotlight at Buried Under Books 

Friday, October 16 

Review at Worth Getting in Bed For (The Fire in the Flint)

Monday, October 19 

Review at A Book Geek (A Trust Betrayed) 

Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews 

Review & Interview at Singing Librarian Books (A Trust Betrayed) 

Tuesday, October 20'

Review at Singing Librarian Books (The Fire in the Flint) 

Spotlight at The Lit Bitch 

Wednesday, October 21 

Review at Singing Librarian Books (A Cruel Courtship) 

Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews 

Thursday, October 22 

Review at Worth Getting in Bed For (The Fire in the Flint) 

Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection 

Friday, October 23 

Review at A Chick Who Reads (A Trust Betrayed)

Review at History From a Woman's Perspective (A Trust Betrayed) 

Spotlight at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

GIVEAWAY

To win one of three (3) Sets of A TRUST BETRAYED and THE FIRE IN THE FLINT in eBook, enter using the Rafflecopter Widget below. 

Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on October 23rd. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open internationally. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~ 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 - A Trust Betrayed by Candace Robb (The Margaret Kerr Series) + GIVEAWAY!!

TITLE:    A Trust Betrayed

AUTHOR:   Candace Robb

INFO:    Fiction, 231 pages

PUBLISHED:   Diversion Books, 2015
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

ABOUT THE BOOK:   "Thirteenth-century Edinburgh comes off the page cold and convincing, from the smoke and noise of the tavern kitchen to Holyrood Abbey under a treacherous abbot. Most enjoyable." - THE LIST

In the spring of 1297 the English army controls lowland Scotland and Margaret Kerr's husband Roger Sinclair is missing. He'd headed to Dundee in the autumn, writing to Margaret with a promise to be home for Christmas, but it's past Easter. Is he caught up in the swelling rebellion against the English? Is he even alive? When his cousin Jack is murdered on the streets of Edinburgh, Roger's last known locations, Margaret coerces her brother Andrew, a priest, to escort her to the city. 

She finds Edinburgh scarred by war - houses burnt, walls stained with blood, shops shuttered - and the townsfolk simmering with resentment, harboring secrets. Even her uncle, innkeeper Murdoch Kerr, meets her questions with silence. Are his secrets the keys to Roger's disappearance? What terrible sin torments her brother? Is it her husband that she glimpses in the rain, scarred, haunted? Desperate, Margaret makes alliances that risk twists love and loyalties, and that, until tested, we cannot know our own hearts, much less those of our loved ones. 

MY TAKE:    I jumped at the chance to be a part of this blog tour. I've been a Candace Robb fan for years. I appreciate the chance to review this series although I'm not really sure what I was expecting. I knew this was a completely different series, but I think it is very unfortunate that fans of Ms. Robb's blockbuster Owen Archer series (such as myself) immediately compare Margaret Kerr to Owen - without meaning to. It's hard not to expect this new protagonist to be just like him and to be engaged with her right away. She is truly her own person in her own new kettle of fish. 

Admittedly, Margaret is hard to become attached to - in the beginning. She is a bit of a pain and I didn't gel with her "woe is me" aura. BUT, as the story progresses and she starts showing what she's actually made of, I got to like her. (I'm reading the 2nd book now and I can definitely say that I'm liking her more and more all the time.) The storyline continues to build and I'm enjoying this series. I think readers need to stay with her and she'll become beloved too.

I think any fan of historical fiction and her writing, knows that Candace Robb is a master at bringing history to life for us. Medieval Scotland is one of my favorite time periods to read about. The obvious extensive and meticulous research she does shines through in her stories. 

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / GOOGLE PLAY / ITUNES / 

KOBO / POWELL'S BOOKS / THE BOOK DEPOSITORY

The Fire in the Flint (Book Two)

“Intrigue abounds…. Robb’s captivating blend of history and mystery vividly evokes medieval Scotland.” —BOOKLIST Scots are gathering in Murdoch Kerr’s Edinburgh tavern, plotting to drive out the English forces. Margaret takes her place there as innkeeper, collecting information to pass on to William Wallace—until murder gives the English an excuse to shutter the tavern. The dead man was a witness to the intruders who raided chests belonging to Margaret’s husband and her father, the latest in a string of violent raids on Margaret’s family, but no one knows the identity of the raiders or what they’re searching for. Margaret’s uncle urges her to escape Edinburgh, but as she flees north with her husband Roger, Margaret grows suspicious about his sudden wish to speak with her mother, Christiana, who is a soothsayer. Margaret once innocently shared with Roger one of Christiana’s visions, of “the true king of Scotland” riding into Edinburgh. Now she begins to wonder if their trip is part of a mission engineered by the English crown...

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / GOOGLEPLAY / ITUNES /  KOBO / POWELL'S BOOKS / THE BOOK DEPOSITORY

 

A Cruel Courtship (Book Three)

“This is history as it should be told!” —GOOD BOOK GUIDE In late summer 1297, Margaret Kerr heads to the town of Stirling at the request of William Wallace’s man James Comyn. Her mission is to discover the fate of a young spy who had infiltrated the English garrison at Stirling Castle, but on the journey Margaret is haunted by dreams—or are they visions?—of danger. He who holds Stirling Castle holds Scotland—and a bloody battle for the castle is imminent. But as the Scots prepare to cast off the English yoke, Margaret’s flashes of the future allow her to glimpse what is to come—and show her that she can trust no one, not even her closest friends. A CRUEL COURTSHIP is a harrowing account of the days before the bloody battle of Stirling Bridge, and the story of a young woman’s awakening.

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / GOOGLEPLAY / ITUNES /    KOBO / POWELL'S BOOKS / THE BOOK DEPOSITORY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR    

Growing up, Candace Robb wanted to be a ballerina, tap dancer, folk singer, journalist—but on the day that she walked into Liz Armstrong’s undergraduate class on Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde, that all changed. A gifted teacher, lively, witty, always laughing even when cringing at a lazy response, Dr. Armstrong launched into the opening stanzas, and within a few lines Candace’s ears adjusted to the middle English—and she was hooked. Chaucer’s psychological study of the two lovers was a revelation to her. The next quarter was The Canterbury Tales. That clinched it. Candace went on to graduate work in medieval history and literature, and ever since she’s been engaged in bringing to life the rich culture of the period, from the arts to the politics. 

She is the internationally acclaimed author of thirteen crime novels featuring the sexy, brooding, clever Owen Archer, who solves crimes for John Thoresby, Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England, and the young Margaret Kerr, searching for her missing husband and her role in a Scotland overrun by English soldiers. 

Candace is currently under contract with Pegasus Books for a new crime series set in 15th century York, the Kate Clifford mysteries, which will debut in 2016. Writing as Emma Campion, Candace has published two historical novels about the women of the English court in the 14th century, A Triple Knot and The King’s Mistress. 

 Born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Candace grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has lived most of her adult life in Seattle, Washington, which she loves for its combination of culture, natural beauty, and brooding weather so like Yorkshire, Wales, and Scotland, which she visits as often as possible. 

She has taught the art of writing the crime novel in the University of Washington’s certificate program, and offers workshops in writing the historical novel and in creating and plotting the crime series. Candace (and Emma) blog about writing and medieval topics at A Writer’s Retreat, ecampion.wordpress.com.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

Please join Margaret Kerr as she tours the blogosphere for her Margaret Kerr Mystery Series, from October 12-23, with HF Virtual Book Tours, and enter to win one of three (3) Sets of A TRUST BETRAYED and THE FIRE IN THE FLINT in eBook!

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, October 12

Interview at The Writing Desk 

Tuesday, October 13

Review at Worth Getting In Bed For (A Trust Betrayed)

Spotlight at Just One More Chapter 

Wednesday, October 14 Review at Book Nerd (A Cruel Courtship) 

Spotlight at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book 

Thursday, October 15 

Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf (A Trust Betrayed)

 Spotlight at Buried Under Books 

Friday, October 16 

Review at Worth Getting in Bed For (The Fire in the Flint)

Monday, October 19 

Review at A Book Geek (A Trust Betrayed) 

Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews 

Review & Interview at Singing Librarian Books (A Trust Betrayed) 

Tuesday, October 20'

Review at Singing Librarian Books (The Fire in the Flint) 

Spotlight at The Lit Bitch 

Wednesday, October 21 

Review at Singing Librarian Books (A Cruel Courtship) 

Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews 

Thursday, October 22 

Review at Worth Getting in Bed For (The Fire in the Flint) 

Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection 

Friday, October 23 

Review at A Chick Who Reads (A Trust Betrayed)

Review at History From a Woman's Perspective (A Trust Betrayed) 

Spotlight at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

GIVEAWAY

To win one of three (3) Sets of A TRUST BETRAYED and THE FIRE IN THE FLINT in eBook, enter using the Rafflecopter Widget below. 

Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on October 23rd. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open internationally. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to join me again on the 23rd where I'll be spotlighting the 2nd and 3rd books:  

The Fire and the Flint and A Cruel Courtship.

~~~~~ 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 - Ghost For Sale by Sandra Cox

TITLE:    Ghost For Sale
AUTHOR:   Sandra Cox
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 178 pages
PUBLISHED:   Lyrical Press, 2015
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS: Caitlin King can't believe that her shopaholic cousin actually bought two ghosts off of eBay. But she can't ignore the truth when she starts seeing sexy Liam O'Reilly, who's been dead for over a hundred years. He's a fascinating specter, and the more time Caitlin spends with him, the closer they become - sending them both spiraling into a star-crossed tailspin. No matter how desperately they long for each other, there's just no future with a guy who's already stopped breathing. 

In order to help Liam and his twin sister, Anna, leave their earthly limbo and cross over into the light, Caitlin must find the ghost of Anna's fiance. But a malevolent spirit is dead set against Anna moving on. Now Caitlin will have to unravel the mystery surround the twins' past lives in order to keep Liam's spirit safe - even if it means sacrificing her heart in the process. 

MY TAKE:    I had high hopes that this book would be a fun, quick read. The premise sounded entertaining. Unfortunately it just didn't live up to what I had thought it would.

The biggest issue I had would have to be the characters. I just could not get enthused about or warmed up to Caitlin. I just really didn't care for or about her. She's a spoiled little rich girl with way too many men in her life. She, along with the men and other characters were simply one dimensional. I didn't connect with a single one. 

I did score it a little higher than "just OK" because my curiosity was peaked by the mystery of why Liam and Anna were being held here. That part of the story is interesting.
  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Ghost for Sale can be found at

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

~~~~~ 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 - Ever After by Odessa Gillespie Black

TITLE:    Ever After (Cursed)
AUTHOR:   Odessa Gillespie Black
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 236 pages
PUBLISHED:   Lyrical Press, 2015
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:  In order to fully inherit a millionaire's fortune, Allie Knowles must survive a month on her property - easier said than done when the enormous house is haunted by a violent ghost who claims to know Allie. But the true mystery lies with Cole Kinsey, the handsome groundskeeper. Cole and Allie have never met, though he's been driving her wild in her dreams for years. Yet now, every effort to get closer to him pushes him further away..

Cole has only ever loved one soul and that love has endured for centuries. Now that soul rests within Allie's body and it takes everything in his power not to confess the truth. For her presence has put them both in mortal danger. Racing against the clock, Allie will have to break the ghost's curse - or history will be doomed to repeat itself. 

MY TAKE:   I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read for me as I became pretty engrossed, fairly quickly. It had a lot of the elements that I look for - romance, mystery, a nasty ghost and a hero. I do like me some handsome heroes. The love through time is also something I am drawn to.

What didn't make this a "great" book for me was the feeling of being in a loop at times, going in circles. It jumped around for a bit and I don't like the getting lost feeling when I'm in a story. 

That being said, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. I like the characters and their interaction and am anxious to see what is in store. 

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Ever After is now available at any of these fine literary retailers:

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / BOOK DEPOSITORY / POWELL'S BOOKS

~~~~~ 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 - Starry Knight by Nina Mason

TITLE:    Starry Knight
AUTHOR:   Nina Mason
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 248 pages
PUBLISHED:  Kensington, 2015
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:  Can these star-crossed lovers bridge two worlds?

British aristocrat Vanessa Bentley has beauty, fame, and fortune, but she gets no respect for her decision to become a paranormal investigator. Determined to prove the naysayers wrong. Vanessa ventures to the misty moors of Caithness, Scotland. There stands the immense Castle Barrogill, where a vampire is rumored to be stalking the dungeons - a vampire Vanessa is determined to find. She'll just have to get past the resident shape-shifter...

Callum Lyon is the gorgeous reclusive astrologer and faery knight who guards the castle. For free-spirited Vanessa, seducing him proves to be easy. After all, he was once a breeding drone to a Queen. But astrologically, their differences are harder to overcome Will Vanessa's mission - and Callum's secrets - be more than their burgeoning love can take? Or will flesh - and blood - win over the ghosts that haunt them both?

MY TAKE:  The blurb on this book jumped out at me and seemed to have many of the elements I look for in a story: historical, fantasy, romance, Scotland, knights, castles - need I say more? While it did have all of those things, Starry Knight was just an OK afternoon's read. It did what a good book is supposed to do, entertain the reader, but it didn't grab a hold of me like I'd thought it might. 

Ms. Mason has created an alternate/adjacent world that I believe has a lot of promise in the stories to come. Her building the imagery was done quite well. I could picture the scenery as she was describing it and could easily place myself into the setting. It was somewhere I'd be interested in being. 

What didn't make this a "great" read for me, is well, pretty much Vanessa and the political/environmental messages. I could not connect or empathize with the woman. She'd say one thing while doing the opposite. Her "cause" seemed to be first and foremost with her when it was convenient. She had the spoiled brat thing down to an art form.

As for the political and environmental slant, it is not that I am not also very concerned about doing what is right for our world. I just don't want to be bombarded with it throughout a story that I'm reading to escape reality and be entertained. I am of the same mind when it comes to the political vein. 

All in all, I think many readers will enjoy this story and the ones to come. As I noted, the author is quite adept at world building and creating a place you want to go back to. 
  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

You can grab your copy of Starry Knight at the fine literary retailers below:

 Amazon / Powell's Books / Book Depository
Kobo / Barnes & Noble

~~~~~ 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.