Showing posts with label Magic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Magic. Show all posts

Friday, July 21, 2017

Happy release: The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night

The Crowns of Croswald
by D.E. Night
-Fantasy, Middle Grade
Release date: July 21, 2017
Amazon | Goodreads

In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret...

For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic—and her life—is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.


Excerpt:

Prologue

In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret...

For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic—and her life—is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.

Read more excerpt (here).

Monday, November 2, 2015

Happy Release & Giveaway: Fathomless by Anne M. Pillsworth

Fathomless
(Redemption's Heir #2)
by Anne M. Pillsworth
Just released: October 27, 2015
Amazon | Goodreads

Meet Sean...

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Anne M. Pillsworth
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

My protagonist, Sean Wyndham, started fictive life as his father, which sounds like a time travel conundrum, doesn't it? The truth is that I wanted to write a series of supernatural adventures set in H. P. Lovecraft's cosmos-spanning milieu and mythology. I meant to start in Lovecraft's beloved Providence, Rhode Island, which is also my beloved (adopted) home. The star would be police detective Thomas O'Conaghan, with comic relief from son Sean and Sean's BFF, Eddy (Edna) Rosenbaum. I think there was also a bulldog and far too many snakes for a smallish apartment.

By way of "practice" for the initial novel, I decided to write a short story about Sean's first (calamitous) venture into magic. The story kept growing, with Sean and Eddy and the villainous wizard Simon (later Redemption) Orne shoving Tom O'Conaghan out of center stage. O'Conaghan was demoted from protagonist to minor character, and Sean got a new father, Jeremy, a fierce if perpetually perplexed defender of his son.

The novel that became Summoned, first in the REDEMPTION'S HEIR series, was originally titled, um, er, provisionally, Sean's First Spell. Sean thought that sounded like a little kid's picture book. He made me change the name to Servitor, a "servitor" of the Outer Gods being the monstrous familiar conjured by said first spell.

In those early days, a role-playing game was a big part of the book. Astute beta readers pointed out that the game was soon eclipsed by Sean's involvement in REAL magic. Subsequent drafts nixed the game, and Sean decided that Summoned would be a much cooler title.

As main character, Sean does pretty much boss me around. I'm told he has my voice, or I have his. Certainly he does whatever I would do in his situation, although with greater recklessness and much greater magical aplomb. For example, I would want to respond to an ad for magical apprentice, answerable by email though published in a newspaper from 1895. But Sean actually does respond. I would like to visit Devil Reef on a hot August night when merpeople lounge there among the gray seals. Sean hops in a boat and heads off.

As the series develops, repeated near-catastrophes are making him more cautious, but he'll always thrill to the lure of the uncanny -- and go down the dark staircase or up into the haunted attic. He, and I, wouldn't have it any other way.

~end

Guest post created by Anne M. Pillsworth, author of Fathomless
© 2015. All rights reserved.

About the author:
ANNE M. PILLSWORTH's novel Summoned began the Redemption's Heir series, set in the same world as her short story "Geldman's Pharmacy," which received honorable mention in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, Thirteenth Annual Collection. She currently lives in a Victorian "trolley car" suburb of Providence, Rhode Island, with her wife.

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Anne M. Pillsworth
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

READ more about this world...

--~ Book Giveaway courtesy of publisher ~--

WIN a copy of this book!

Open to US only.

Offer ends: November 30, 2015

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. ADD this book to your Want To Read list on Goodreads (here).

2. LEAVE a comment.

AND, leave your email.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Contest has ended - (winner is here)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Thursday, February 19, 2015

The Glass Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg

The Glass Magician
(The Paper Magician Trilogy #2)
by Charlie N. Holmberg

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Blog
Twitter @CNHolmberg

Published: 2014
Publisher: 47North
Genre: Fantasy, Magic, YA
Paperback: 222 pages
Rating: 4

The Paper Magician Trilogy:
The Paper Magician
The Glass Magician
The Master Magician - June 2015

Three months after returning Magician Emery Thane’s heart to his body, Ceony Twill is well on her way to becoming a Folder. Unfortunately, not all of Ceony’s thoughts have been focused on paper magic. Though she was promised romance by a fortuity box, Ceony still hasn’t broken the teacher-student barrier with Emery, despite their growing closeness.

When a magician with a penchant for revenge believes that Ceony possesses a secret, he vows to discover it…even if it tears apart the very fabric of their magical world. After a series of attacks target Ceony and catch those she holds most dear in the crossfire, Ceony knows she must find the true limits of her powers…and keep her knowledge from falling into wayward hands.

The delightful sequel to Charlie N. Holmberg’s The Paper Magician, The Glass Magician will charm readers young and old alike.


My two-bits:

I did not read book one of this series and found that it is a good idea to do so before reading this one because it jumps right into the continuation of the life of an apprentice magician and the kind of world she lives in. I was not too clear on the make-up of this magical world, but got a general sense of it later. I will have to go backwards to find out more background in book one, The Paper Magician.

In any case, this story describes the Glass Magician and what is involved in having such talent. Some of the Paper magician qualities were described as well. I would think crafters and those who enjoy origami or other paper-related hobbies would get a kick out of reading those bits.

A touch of romance and mystery are also included along with some evil bad guys. I am guessing book three will elaborate and possibly resolve some of these issues.

~*~

* review copy courtesy of Goodreads First Reads

* added this to my Bookish Bingo challenge - square: 2014 Release I Missed

Friday, August 12, 2011

Hunted by the Others by Jess Haines

Hunted by the Others
by Jess Haines

Visit Jess:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Fan Forum

Published: 2010
Publisher: Zebra
Genre: Magic, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires
Paperback: 352 pages
Rating: 5

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Shiarra Waynest's detective work was dangerous enough when her client base was strictly mortal. But ailing finances have forced her to accept a lucrative case that could save her firm - if it doesn't kill her first. Shiarra has signed on to work for a high-level mage to recover an ancient artifact owned by one of New York's most powerful vampires.

As soon as Shiarra meets sexy, mesmerizing vamp Alec Royce, she knows her assignment is even more complicated than she thought. With a clandestine anti-Other group trying to recruit her, and magi being eliminated, Shiarra needs back-up and enlists her ex-boyfriend - a werewolf whose non-furry form is disarmingly appealing - and a nerdy mage with surprising talents.

But it may not be enough.

In a city where the undead roam, magic rules, and even the Others aren't always what they seem, Shiarra has just become the secret weapon in a battle between good and evil - whether she likes it or not...

Zombie sighting:
I felt especially cheesy for getting Damien a gift card and a movie, but I figured he'd get a laugh out of Zombie Cheerlieaders from Outer Space and might forgive me if I gave him something cool later.
- page 126, chapter 18


Series:
Hunted by the Others
Deceived by the Others
Taken by the Others

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): belt
Fun ride with a mix of vampires, werewolves and magic in the modern day.

What really grabs me with this book is the amusing cast of characters and how they interact. Despite differences the good guys come together to solve the mystery.

--~ Book Giveaway courtesy of author ~--

signup to win this book


~*~

* review copy courtesy of author

* part of August Thrills-n-Chills event

Monday, December 6, 2010

Reminder: Great Haul-idays Books

j u s t
a
r e m i n d e r

If you haven't already, comment on my Chronicle Book Haul-idays post and you could win my selected books too!

AND

Chronicle Books has a current special going down...

35% off + free shipping until December 12th!

Use the code FRIENDS at checkout!

Go here for details.

AND

and something random...

an illusion to amaze and astonish - you well it did me ;-D



 
Imagination Designs
Images from: Lovelytocu