The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman

The Remaking
by Clay McLeod Chapman

Published: 2019
Publisher: Quirk Books
Hardback: 320
Rating: 4
Horror, Witches, Ghosts | Goodreads | Website

First sentence(s):
These woods whisper.

Zombie sighting:
Did anyone hear that? Her tummy? It must have sounded like a monster to everyone else, like a zombie clawing its way out from the ground.
-chapter 4, page 58

Inspired by a true story, this supernatural thriller for fans of horror and true crime follows a tale as it evolves every twenty years—with terrifying results.

Ella Louise has lived in the woods surrounding Pilot’s Creek, Virginia, for nearly a decade. Publicly, she and her daughter Jessica are shunned by their upper-crust family and the Pilot’s Creek residents. Privately, desperate townspeople visit her apothecary for a cure to what ails them—until Ella Louise is blamed for the death of a prominent customer. Accused of witchcraft, both mother and daughter are burned at the stake in the middle of the night. Ella Louise’s burial site is never found, but the little girl has the most famous grave in the South: a steel-reinforced coffin surrounded by a fence of interconnected white crosses.

Their story will take the shape of an urban legend as it’s told around a campfire by a man forever marked by his boyhood encounters with Jessica. Decades later, a boy at that campfire will cast Amber Pendleton as Jessica in a ’70s horror movie inspired by the Witch Girl of Pilot’s Creek. Amber’s experiences on that set and its meta-remake in the ’90s will ripple through pop culture, ruining her life and career after she becomes the target of a witch hunt. Amber’s best chance to break the cycle of horror comes when a true-crime investigator tracks her down to interview her for his popular podcast. But will this final act of storytelling redeem her—or will it bring the story full circle, ready to be told once again? And again. And again…

My two-bits:

Loved the elements of films, film-making and podcasts facilitating this horror story of witches and ghosts.

The story within a story within a story also draws you in.

~*~
* part of Fraterfest (here)

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

The Year of the Witching
by Alexis Henderson
narrated by Brianna Colette

Published: 2020
Publisher: Ace
Hardback: 368
Rating: 4
Fantasy, Horror, YA, Witches | Goodreads | Website

First sentence(s):
She was born breech, in the deep of night.

A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.

In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet's word is law, Immanuelle Moore's very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.

But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.

Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.

My two-bits:

The past, the present, relgion and women as an instrument of change drives this story.

Oh my, the witchery moment!

~*~
* Happy Halloween
* Listened to audiobook version.
* part of Fraterfest (here)

Witches and a Phantom in France

Mystérieuse!

~*~

Witches, wine, and revenge set in early 20th century France...
The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith | Goodreads
The Glamourist by Luanne G. Smith | Goodreads
The Conjurer by Luanne G. Smith | Goodreads | Release date: January 2021

For centuries, the vineyards at Château Renard have depended on the talent of their vine witches, whose spells help create the world-renowned wine of the Chanceaux Valley. Then the skill of divining harvests fell into ruin when sorcière Elena Boureanu was blindsided by a curse. Now, after breaking the spell that confined her to the shallows of a marshland and weakened her magic, Elena is struggling to return to her former life. And the vineyard she was destined to inherit is now in the possession of a handsome stranger.

Vigneron Jean-Paul Martel naively favors science over superstition, and he certainly doesn’t endorse the locals’ belief in witches. But Elena knows a hex when she sees one, and the vineyard is covered in them. To stay on and help the vines recover, she’ll have to hide her true identity, along with her plans for revenge against whoever stole seven winters of her life. And she won’t rest until she can defy the evil powers that are still a threat to herself, Jean-Paul, and the ancient vine-witch legacy in the rolling hills of the Chanceaux Valley.

~*~
Phantom doings...

The Phantom of the Opera
by Gaston Leroux
Classics, Horror, France | Goodreads
First published in French as a serial in 1909, The Phantom of the Opera is a riveting story that revolves around the young, Swedish Christine Daaé. Her father, a famous musician, dies, and she is raised in the Paris Opera House with his dying promise of a protective angel of music to guide her. After a time at the opera house, she begins hearing a voice, who eventually teaches her how to sing beautifully. All goes well until Christine's childhood friend Raoul comes to visit his parents, who are patrons of the opera, and he sees Christine when she begins successfully singing on the stage. The voice, who is the deformed, murderous 'ghost' of the opera house named Erik, however, grows violent in his terrible jealousy, until Christine suddenly disappears. The phantom is in love, but it can only spell disaster.

Leroux's work, with characters ranging from the spoiled prima donna Carlotta to the mysterious Persian from Erik's past, has been immortalized by memorable adaptations. Despite this, it remains a remarkable piece of Gothic horror literature in and of itself, deeper and darker than any version that follows.


For Love of the Phantom by Davyne DeSye | Goodreads
Skeletons in the Closet by Davyne DeSye | Goodreads
Phantom Rising by Davyne DeSye | Goodreads

This sequel to Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera begins just after Christine and Raoul leave the Phantom in his lair in the basement of the Opera House. After faking his own death to escape the authorities, the Phantom sets out to find Christine again, eventually following her to London. With a detective after the Phantom and Christine endangered when Jack the Ripper begins his killing spree not far from Christine's home, the Phantom must put his life at risk for his love.

Will Christine -- desperate for song (which her husband, Raoul, has forbidden in his jealousy) -- finally open her heart to the Phantom, as he desires?

~*~
* image source: Au bord de la Seine by Eugene Galien Laloue

* part of Paris in July (here)

The Hawkweed Legacy by Irena Brignull

The Hawkweed Legacy
by Irena Brignull

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Just released: August 15, 2017
Publisher: Weinstein Books
Genre: Paranormal, YA, Witches
Hardback: 384
Rating: 4

Hawkweed Prophecy series:
Hawkweed Prophecy
Hawkweed Legacy

Zombie sighting:
Like zombies, they shuffled to the door
page 462, chapter 23

First sentence(s):
She had been sleeping for months now, stirring only rarely to nibble on nuts and seeds. During her hibernation, she'd hardly woken from the dreams that had drifted her so far from the darkness of the hole in which she lay. But today she felt a shift in the temperature and a warmth on her back. It was spring.

From screenwriter Irena Brignull, the stunning sequel to her critically acclaimed YA debut, The Hawkweed Prophecy ("Full of romance, heart and suspense...completely absorb[ing]." -Madeleine Roux) about a young witch forced to choose between love and magic.

Poppy is discovering a purpose for her powers in Africa, but she is haunted by a vision of her own death. Taken in by a boy and his great-grandmother, a healer, they vow to keep her safe-even if that ultimately means holding her captive. But Poppy never stops longing for Leo and, when she feels his magic begin to spark, she will do anything to be reunited with him.

Desperate to regain Poppy's trust and bring her home, Charlock embarks on a plan to reunite Leo with his mother. What Charlock doesn't foresee are the string of consequences that she sets into motion that leave Ember all alone and prey to manipulation, the clan open to attack from other witches, Sorrel vulnerable to Raven's ghost, Betony determined to protect her son from his father's fate, and which leave both Leo and Poppy in terrible danger.

My two-bits:

The story continues with issues of sisterhood, friendship and love that swirl about in this tale of witches.

History of the mothers and their pasts is shared.

The use of magic and creates some action packed scenes.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of publisher

Happy Release: The Hawkweed Legacy by Irena Brignull

The Hawkweed Legacy
by Irena Brignull
-Fantasy, YA, Witches
Release date: August 15, 2017
Amazon | Goodreads
From screenwriter Irena Brignull, the stunning sequel to her critically acclaimed YA debut, The Hawkweed Prophecy ("Full of romance, heart and suspense...completely absorb[ing]." -Madeleine Roux) about a young witch forced to choose between love and magic.

Poppy is discovering a purpose for her powers in Africa, but she is haunted by a vision of her own death. Taken in by a boy and his great-grandmother, a healer, they vow to keep her safe-even if that ultimately means holding her captive. But Poppy never stops longing for Leo and, when she feels his magic begin to spark, she will do anything to be reunited with him.

Desperate to regain Poppy's trust and bring her home, Charlock embarks on a plan to reunite Leo with his mother. What Charlock doesn't foresee are the string of consequences that she sets into motion that leave Ember all alone and prey to manipulation, the clan open to attack from other witches, Sorrel vulnerable to Raven's ghost, Betony determined to protect her son from his father's fate, and which leave both Leo and Poppy in terrible danger.

Excerpt: Chapter 5

Young Charlock

Eighteen years ago...

Every year, the coming of spring was greeted by a celebration from the coven. On the last day of winter, the sisters wished for night to fall quickly for then the preparations would be over and the merriment could begin. As if mindful of its unpopularity, the sun hardly bothered to show itself through the clouds and day stitched to darkness almost seamlessly. Immediately, circle upon circle of candles were lit in readiness for the night’s festivities. For this eve was not for sleeping. The coven had taken to their beds that afternoon in order to remain awake the whole night through. Fires were burning and hogs roasting. Cider was being poured. Young witches were practising spells for their displays.

Now that they were seventeen, Charlock and her friend, Betony, were responsible for lighting the candles.

“We’re lucky there’s no breeze tonight,” murmured Charlock as she admired the tiny flames.

“Your sister has made certain of that, most likely,” joked Betony. “It is not just us she bosses but the weather too.” Charlock smiled, then looked around guiltily to see if Raven might be watching. “Don’t fear her so,” whispered Betony. “You are a Hawkweed too.”

Charlock shrugged. “Not the one that matters,” she said simply, without complaint.

It was true. She was the younger, softer sister, a witch with only moderate magic. Raven, on the other hand, was already the most powerful witch their clan had ever known. As if able to hear these silent thoughts, her sister turned her head and peered at Charlock from across the camp. Charlock waved her hand in nervous greeting but Raven only narrowed her eyes before returning her attention to her young daughter, Sorrel. Betony moved closer to Charlock in a show of solidarity. The pressure and warmth of her friend’s side against her own were comforting, as were Betony’s words.

(continue excerpt here)

Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye: A Novel by Tania del Rio and Will Staehle

Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye: A Novel
by Tania del Rio and Will Staehle

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website for Tania
Website for Will
Activity Booklet: (here)

Just released: November 24, 2015
Publisher: Quirk Books
Genre: Middle Grade, Paranormal, Steampunk, Witches
Hardback: 224 pages
Rating: 5

First sentence(s):
Warren the 13th tiptoed across the roof of the Warren Hotel, and the old slate tiles clattered like bones.

Meet Warren the 13th, a cursed 12-year-old Victorian bellhop who’s terribly unlucky . . . yet perpetually optimistic, hard-working, and curious. Orphan Warren’s pride and joy is his family’s hotel, but he’s been miserable ever since his evil Aunt Anaconda took over the management. Anaconda believes a mysterious treasure known as the All-Seeing Eye is hidden somewhere on the grounds, and she’ll do anything to find it. If Warren wants to preserve his family’s legacy, he’ll need to find the treasure first—if the hotel’s many strange and wacky guests don’t beat him to it! This middle-grade adventure features gorgeous two-color illustrations on every page and a lavish two-column Victorian design that will pull young readers into a spooky and delightful mystery.

PeekAbook:



My two-bits:
Loved the illustrations along with this story that has that gothic Edward Gorey feel to it.

It is playful with puzzle/riddle like sleuthing set in a hotel.

Treated to steampunkery scenes.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of Quirk Books

* SIGNUP to win a copy (here)

Escape from Witchwood Hollow by Jordan Elizabeth

Escape from Witchwood Hollow
by Jordan Elizabeth

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Blog
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter @JayliaDarkness

Published: 2014
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Genre: Fantasy, Witches, YA
Paperback: 180 pages
Rating: 4

First sentence(s):
Honoria slid her pencil tip over the textured paper, angling the graphite to shade her drawn tree.

Everyone in Arnn - a small farming town with more legends than residents - knows the story of Witchwood Hollow: if you venture into the whispering forest, the witch will trap your soul among the shadowed trees. After losing her parents in a horrific terrorist attack on the Twin Towers, fifteen-year-old Honoria and her older brother escape New York City to Arnn.

In the lure of that perpetual darkness, Honoria finds hope, when she should be afraid. Perhaps the witch can reunite her with her lost parents. Awakening the witch, however, brings more than salvation from mourning, for Honoria discovers a past of missing children and broken promises. To save the citizens of Arnn from becoming the witch's next victims, she must find the truth behind the woman's madness. How deep into Witchwood Hollow does Honoria dare venture?

PeekAbook:



My two-bits:

I found this to be a light witch-y tale perfect for getting into the Halloween mood.

There are flashbacks into history and flash forwards to the present that eventually gel in the end and leaves you with an a-ha moment.

Not too spooky or scary. However, can make you leery before walking in the woods.

About the author:

Jordan Elizabeth, formally Jordan Elizabeth Mierek, writes down her nightmares in order to live her dreams. With an eclectic job history behind her, she is now diving into the world of author. It happens to be her most favorite one yet.

When she’s not creating art or searching for lost history in the woods, she’s updating her blog. Jordan is the president of the Utica Writers Club. She roams Central New York, but she loves to travel.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of author

* part of the R.I.P. X challenge (here)

Silent Circle by Cassandra Larsen

Silent Circle
(The Witches Circle #1)
by Cassandra Larsen

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Facebook
Twitter @LarsenBooks

Published: 2014
Publisher: self
Genre: Fantasy, Witches, YA
ebook
Rating: 3.5

The Witches Circle series:
Silent Circle
Deceitful Circle
Shattered Circle - coming soon

First sentence(s):
Most teens get a car for their seventeenth birthday. Me? I get inducted into a freaky coven of witches.

“Most teens get a car for their seventeenth birthday. Me? I get inducted into a freaky coven of witches.”

When Emerson wakes up on her seventeenth birthday, she has no idea that her life will change forever. After her mother’s inexplicable suicide three years ago, she’s gotten used to the scorn and sideways looks of her classmates. She knows that everyone believes her mother was crazy, and that it’s only a matter of time before Emerson cracks herself. So when Emerson starts seeing auras and hearing voices, she begins to think that the rest of the town may be right.

That is, until Caiden, an enigmatic boy from her class, tells her that she’s a witch, just like her mother. With the truth revealed, a whole new world opens up to Emerson, a world she soon discovers holds its own dangers.

Caiden agrees to help Emerson navigate this secret world, training her to control her newfound abilities. But Caiden isn’t the only witch in town. When a rival coven shows up to recruit Emerson, she has to decide whether to join Caiden’s coven, or risk facing these dangerous witches alone.

My two-bits:

I felt this was a slow introduction to this world of witches, but interesting. My curiosity is always peaked when I come across male witches as we usually only see female ones in the forefront.

This story is a coming-into-witch story for the main character, Emerson. It is a totally new world for her so we get to learn about it as she does.

Most of the story though is high school related drama that Emerson encounters when trying to juggle a boyfriend, girlfriends and the secret witch world she is getting into.


About the author:

I graduated from The College of New Jersey with a degree in English Education. An avid reader of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, I have been dreaming up stories from a very early age. Silent Circle is my first novel. I live near Baltimore with my husband and son.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of author

* part of the R.I.P. X challenge (here)

The Witch of Bourbon Street by Suzanne Hayes Palmieri

The Witch of Bourbon Street
by Suzanne Hayes Palmieri

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Blog
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter @thelostwitch

Just released: June 30, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Fantasy, Witches
Paperback: 336 pages
Rating: 5

series:
The Witch of Little Italy
The Witch of Belladonna Bay
The Witch of Bourbon Street

First sentence(s):
When Serafina came across the sea
A casket girl of 10 and 3
She conjured for herself a life of dreams
And captured all hearts in New Orleans.

Situated deep in the Louisiana bayou is the formerly opulent Sorrow Estate. Once home to a magical family-the Sorrows-it now sits in ruins, ever since a series of murders in 1902 shocked the entire community. Now the ghosts of girls in white dresses shift in and out of view, stuck in time as they live out the past on repeat.

When Frances Green Sorrow is born carrying the "signs" of the so-called chosen one, it is believed she will bring her family back from the brink of obscurity, finally resurrecting the glory of what it once was and setting the Sorrows ghosts free.

But Frances is no savior.

Fleeing from heartbreak, she seeks solace in the seductive chaos of New Orleans, only to end up married too young in an attempt to live an ordinary life. When her marriage falls apart shortly after having a son, she returns home again-alone-just out of reach from the prying eyes of her family. But when her son disappears, she is forced to rejoin the world she left behind, exposing her darkest secret in order to find him and discovering the truth of what really happened that fateful year in the process.

Set amidst the colorful charm of The French Quarter and remote bayous of Tivoli Parish, Louisiana, Suzanne Palmieri's The Witch of Bourbon Street is a story of family, redemption, and forgiveness. Because sometimes, the most important person you have to forgive.... is yourself.

My two-bits:

Loved how this felt like a cozy read. What made this story cozy were the characters and how they interacted with each other. The sense of family and family herstory really pulled me in with all its the quirks and craziness.

The element of magic and otherworldliness felt natural in the Louisiana setting and with the characters involved. It was interesting to see how there was an acceptance of witches and their presence was not shunned.

About the author:

The Lost Witch
I always wanted to write books. I wanted to tell stories, and carry readers off with me to strange mysterious places… but life got in the way. At 22, I was a struggling, unwed mother on welfare who moonlighted as a cocktail waitress. My daughter and I collected food stamps and other social entitlements for several years. There never seemed to be enough money, and knowing I had to finish college I hustled to make ends meet. Education, and writing whenever I could, saved me.

I wrote everywhere: in journals, on napkins, on the inside of matchbook covers. After graduating from college, (walking across the stage with my baby on my hip!), I was awarded a Presidential Scholarship to Fordham; this scholarship allowed me to exit the welfare system for good. Also, being a single mother living alone in the Bronx would become the impetus for my debut novel The Witch of Little Italy, which hit shelves in March 2013. The rest is a story still unfolding. Stay tuned!

NEVER GIVE UP ON WHAT YOU LOVE. KEEP READING, KEEP WRITING, AND GRAB LIFE WITH GRABBY HANDS.

~*~
* * added this to my Books On The Nightstand Bingo challenge (details) with Time Travel

* added to my COYER challenge/scavenger hunt (details)

* part of my Armchair Summer Travel (details) - check it out to enter Armchair Summer Travel Book Box Giveaway

* review copy courtesy of BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge 2015 (details). @booksparks #SRC2015
Destination: Get jazzy in New Orleans

The Secret Journal of Ichabod Crane by Alex Irvine

The Secret Journal of Ichabod Crane
by Alex Irvine

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Facebook
Twitter @alexirvine

Just released: September 2014
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Genre: Mystery, Paranormal, Witches
Paperback: 208 pages
Rating: 5

“I am Ichabod Crane, born in the year 1747. It seems this is the year 2013 Anno Domini, and I have been given new life—how, I know not; why, I know not. I will discern the truth—if, that is, I can keep my head.”

In "Sleepy Hollow," a supernatural twist on Washington Irving's classic short story, Ichabod Crane has been pulled two-and-a-half centuries through time to find that he and detective Abbie Mills are humanity's last hope in the war against evil. Passionate, intelligent, and wryly funny, Crane has always used journals to collect thoughts and documents that may prove useful later, and The Secret Journal of Ichabod Crane offers an unprecedented look at the battle also raging inside his fascinating mind.

On the pages within, Crane shares new memories of the American Revolution; more amusing reflections on modern-day phenomena, from the Internet to Election Day; and private thoughts about Abbie, Katrina, and others. He also includes hidden case files; secret Freemason puzzles; selections from George Washington's mysterious Bible; and photos, letters, and drawings he has collected along the way. Filled with detail about past battles and vanquished monsters, as well as clues about those he and Abbie have yet to face, this journal is not just the ultimate repository for fans, but the key to Sleepy Hollow’s future—and the world’s.

My two-bits:

This is a treat to read as a supplement to the tv series. I would recommend watching the series, specifically season one first. Mainly because more descriptions, historical details and background stories are provided in relation to certain episodes in the show and would be more appreciated and understood.

I liked journal vibe created with illustrations, photos, newspaper clipping images and etc. along with the text.

As a fan of the show, I liked this read.

Also available: comic book series

Sleepy Hollow #1 (Of 4) Comic
by Jorge Coelho (Artist), Phil Noto (Artist), Marguerite Bennett (Author)

After dying on the battlefield during the Revolutionary War, Ichabod Crane awakes in present-day Sleepy Hollow, New York. His resurrection is tied to the reappearance of the Headless Horseman, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Realizing it is his mission to help stop the end of the world, Ichabod teams with Lt. Abbie Mills to meet each evil threat head on. When minor miracles start to sweep the town, they're glad something good seems to be happening for once.

No decapitations, no headless horseman, no worries, right? But as one by one the miracles start to backfire, more and more violently, Abbie and Ichabod must find time between saving the world to save the citizens of Sleepy Hollow...

-----> gonna wait for this series to be released in graphic novel form before reading it

BASED on tv series:

Sleep Hollow (2013 - present)
Created by: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci
Starring:
Tom Mison as Ichabod Crane
Nicole Beharie as Abbie Mills

Per IMDB:
Ichabod Crane is resurrected and pulled two and a half centuries through time to unravel a mystery that dates all the way back to the founding fathers.

My two-bits:

I am currently binge watching the first season on DVD and loving it. Perfect for watching this time of year.

This Season 2 poster has a YA book cover feel to it. I plan on catching up with season two soon.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of Blogging for Books

* added this to my Bookish Bingo challenge - square: Set in Autumn

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

A Discovery of Witches
by Deborah Harkness

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Music
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Tumblr
Twitter @DebHarkness

Published: 2011
Publisher: Penguin Books
Genre: Romance, Vampires, Witches
Paperback: 592 pages
Rating: 5

All Souls series:
A Discovery of Witches
Shadow of Night
The Book of Life

Deborah Harkness’s sparkling debut, A Discovery of Witches, has brought her into the spotlight and galvanized fans around the world. In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont.

Harkness has created a universe to rival those of Anne Rice, Diana Gabaldon, and Elizabeth Kostova, and she adds a scholar's depth to this riveting tale of magic and suspense. The story continues in book two, Shadow of Night, and concludes with The Book of Life, coming from Viking in July 2014.

My two-bits:

I have not read very many witch-based stories and was very impressed with this one.

The world-building has just the right blend of magic and lore to make it "real". Along with witches, vampire and daemon presence and history are introduced.

A romantic/love relationship between a witch and vampire drives most of this read along with alliances made to setup for the rest of this trilogy.

No gory scenes despite action scenes. So, curious to see if that will come in the next two books.

Loved how the witch house was incorporated into the story as a character. Like Hogwarts in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, the Bishop home had it mysteries, quirks and ghosts.

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
signup to win this book
~*~
* added this to my Bookish Bingo challenge - square: Witches

Dreaming of France - 9.22.14

Dreaming of France
meme created by An Accidental Blog
join this week's round and add your link here
Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to my blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it. Maybe we can all satisfy our yearnings for France, until we get there again.

~*~
Here's a book that looks like a good one for the upcoming Halloween season that I picked up from the library...

Babayaga
by Toby Barlow
-fantasy, historical, France
Amazon | Goodreads
The year is 1959, and strange events are brewing in Paris, a city where nothing (and no one) is as it seems.

We meet Will, who hails from Detroit and works at an international advertising agency, which is also a front for the CIA. Then there’s the enchanting Zoya, who could cast a spell with her looks—and, as a witch, she often does (she also recently impaled her ex on a spike).

Inspector Vidot, on the other hand, is a hardworking police detective who cherishes a quiet evening at home. Until he follows a lead on a particularly gruesome murder—and finds himself turned into a flea. And the adventure wouldn’t be complete without Oliver, a fun-loving American patrician who has come to Paris to launch a literary journal with the support of certain secretive friends.

Add a few chance encounters, a chorus of angry witches, and a weaponized LSD program, and you have Toby Barlow’s Babayaga: a wickedly sharp tale of the City of Light that’s part love story, part thriller, and pure brilliance.

~*~
* fyi: French word for witch is sorcière

Here's a cute etsy paper doll created by Altered Artifacts of Marie Antoinette dressed as a witch

Freebie: Spell Check by Julie Wright

~*~

~*~

Spell Check by Julie Wright

A skeleton is rattling its way out of the closet marked “FAMILY SECRET! KEEP OUT!”

Allyson Peterson believes that being hanged by the Salem High Witches is the absolute worst thing that can happen. But when her powers, wrested from the trolls of ancient Sweden, manifest themselves, she realizes that a prank hanging by vindictive cheerleaders is the least of her worries.

Ally accidentally sends her parents to the jungle to fight anacondas, turns her brother into a mute, and curses the entire cheerleading team with an illness that has no cure, proving that her spells need a little checking. Her Swedish grandmother shows up to help her through the worst part of all—surviving the Troll Trials and saving the guy of her dreams from a vengeance that has festered through-out generations.

The power is in her, if she can just get the magic right.

 

Grab your copy on Amazon

Author Julie Wright

Julie Wright (1972-still breathing) was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She's lived in LA, Boston, and the literal middle of nowhere (don't ask). She wrote her first book when she was fifteen. She's written sixteen novels--nine of which are traditionally published. Julie won the Whitney award for best romance in 2010 with her novel Cross My Heart. She is agented by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger Inc.

She has one husband, three kids, two salamanders, one dog, and a varying amount of fish (depending on attrition).

She loves writing, reading, traveling, hiking, playing with her kids, and watching her husband make dinner.

She used to speak fluent Swedish, but now speaks only well enough to cuss out her children in public.

She hates mayonnaise.

Visit Julie:
Amazon
Website
Blog
Goodreads
Twitter @scatteredjules

~*~
* freebie post sponsored by I Am A Reader Not A Writer

The Witch of Belladonna Bay by Suzanne Palmieri

~*~

The Witch of Belladonna Bay
by Suzanne Palmieri

Visit Suzanne:
Amazon
Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter @Thelostwitch

Just released: May 18, 2014
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Romance, Witches
Paperback: 368 pages
Rating: 5

Series:
The Witch of Little Italy
The Witch of Belladonna Bay

Bronwyn "BitsyWyn" Whalen hasn’t set eyes on the red dirt of Magnolia Creek, Alabama, for fourteen years—not since her mama died. But with her brother, Patrick, imprisoned for the murder of her childhood best friend, and her eccentric father, Jackson, at his wits’ end while her eleven-year-old niece, Byrd, runs wild, Bronwyn finds herself once again surrounded by ancient magnolia trees and the troubled family she left behind.

She becomes immersed in a whirlwind of mystery and magic as she tries to figure out what really happened that fateful night her friend died. And as her bond with Byrd deepens, Bronwyn must face the demons of her past in order to unravel her family’s uncertain future.

In Suzanne Palmieri's thrilling new novel, The Witch of Belladonna Bay, readers will learn if love and magic are enough to bring a broken family back together.

About the author:

Suzanne Palmieri Hayes is the author of The Witch of Little Italy and the forthcoming The Witch of Belladonna Bay (May, 2014).

She is also the co-author of I’ll Be Seeing You under the name Suzanne Hayes.

She lives by the ocean with her husband and three darling witches.

She is currently hard at work on her next novel.

My two-bits:

One of those gem of a books with lots of poignant and heartfelt statements and ponderings sprinkled throughout.

This story definitely had a magical feel to it with paranormal incidents and doings.

Loved how the characters loved each other - especially between the main characters Wyn and Byrd which was of the mother-daughter sort.

Really got a sense of the small town and its colorful array of townsfolk in regards to its relationship with Byrd.

~*~
Praise for the book:

"Suzanne Palmieri has crafted a riveting tale that will keep you up late at night guessing what will happen next. It is a story that will intrigue both male and female readers. Guys, don't let this one slip past you."—Jason Mott, New York Times bestselling author of The Returned

"Ms. Palmieri's authentic dialogue, and ability to paint a family in crisis, is both charming and layered. If you're a lover of Southern fiction, magic in its many forms, and the kind of storytelling that keeps you turning the pages, you've come to the right place, y'all."—Lesley Kagen, New York Times bestselling author of Whistling in the Dark

"Murder, mystery and magic meld in a novel of absolute enchantment. About the lies we tell, the love we struggle for, and the way we find our way back to our rightful place in the world, Palmieri's book is a stunner."—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You and Is This Tomorrow

"Magic weaves its way through this beguiling southern gothic, swirling from the moss-laden trees around the Big House through the misty and menacing Belladonna Bay, and settling into the hearts of Bronwyn and her niece, Byrd, whose Strange Ways most people just don’t understand. Reminiscent of Sarah Addison Allen’s Garden Spells, this bewitching tale of ghostly mystery, love and family ties will enchant you from the very first page and linger in the air around you long after the last."— Wendy Webb, bestselling author of The Fate of Mercy Alban

~*~
* added this to Bookish Bingo challenge

* review copy courtesy of Summer Reading Challenge 2014. It's not too late, join the reading challenge here. @booksparks #SRC2014!

Glamour by Andrea Janes (with giveaway)

Glamour
by Andrea Janes

Visit Andrea:
Amazon
Please note: Andrea is having a special $0.99 sale which will start 8:00 AM PST on May 25 and the price will increase $1 every 38 hours until May 31 when it returns to its normal Amazon price of $4.99.

Barnesandnoble.com
Kobo.com
OmniLit
BookExcerpt
Website
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter @SpinsterAunt
Find out about ghost tours led by Andrea

Just released: February 2014
Publisher: World Weaver Press
Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Witches
Paperback: 226 pages
Rating: 4.5

Stealing the life she's always wanted is as easy as casting a spell.

Townie.

That's what eighteen-year-old Christina Sundy is. All year round she lives in a one-stoplight town on Cape Cod, and when summer comes, she spends her days scooping ice cream for the rich tourists she hates. So when one of them takes a job in the ice cream shop alongside her, she's pissed. Why does a blonde and perky Harvard-bound rich girl like Reese Manning want to scoop ice cream anyway?

Something else weird is happening to Christina: tiny blue sparks seem to be shooting off her fingers. It isn't long before she realizes the truth about herself—she's actually a powerful hereditary witch. But her newfound powers are too intense for her to handle and, in a moment of rage, she accidentally zaps Reese into another dimension.

So that no one will notice that the rich girl has disappeared, Christina casts a disguising spell, or "glamour," and lives Reese's life while she tries to find a retrieval spell. But as the retrieval spell proves harder than anticipated, and as she goes about living Reese's life without anyone on the outside noticing the switch, Christina realizes that there's nothing to stop her from making the glamour permanent... except, of course, her fellow witches, a 16th century demon, and, just maybe, her own conscience.

My two-bits:

Modern story of witches in a small town on the east coast. In this instance, it is a of coming of age story for a witch who finds out about her abilities and learns to juggle it with coming to terms with herself and her life.

There are some cute moments, instances of female friendship bonding and an encounter with a demon that makes this a fun read about the witch world.

NOTE: extra treat at the end of the book - a reading group supplement that includes an interesting Q&A with the author.

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN my review copy of this book!

Open to US only.

Offer ends: June 30, 2014

TO DO: (2-parts)

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

OR

Tweet about this giveaway.

OR

Recommend this on Google using the mini-button at end of this post (g+1).

OR

Facebook or Instagram or Pinterest or Tumblr the Book Cover image.

2. TELL me what you did in comments.

AND, leave your email.

***optional: leave a comment or question for the author.

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

Contest has ended - winner is here

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

~*~
* review copy courtesy of World Weaver Press.

Meet: Tex, The Witch Boy

Tex, The Witch Boy
by Stuart R. West
~*~
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Stuart R. West
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
The Secret Origin Of Tex, The Witch Boy

First of all, thank you very much, Velvet, for letting me blab away on your blog about my YA trilogy.

The Tex, The Witch Boy series has been percolating in my mind for, well, years. Since high school (and I ain’t gonna’ tell you how long ago that was). Basically I’m Tex. Um… except for I’m not a witch nor was I instrumental in uncovering three killers (an unlucky and dangerous high school, that Clearwell High). But I share many traits with my main character, Tex. Like him, I was awkward, unsure of myself, lacking self-confidence and never knowing when to kick my inner censor on (something I still struggle with). Of course, I have to say, I wasn’t as brave as Tex, either. I didn’t stand up to school bullies, wish I would’ve. Actually, I did try once…didn’t work out so well for me. But that’s beside the point. Speaking of which, I’ve had a few readers suggest the incidents of bullying recounted in the first book seem over-the-top. Until they read the afterword. Trust me; every bullying incident either happened to me or a friend of mine. To this day, I still have a friend who doesn’t have full usage of several of his fingers. So…the secret origin of Tex, The Witch Boy? Exorcising my high school demons.

The Tex, The Witch Boy trilogy books are all YA paranormal, murder mystery, comedic romantic thrillers. And they all deal with social issues today’s teens face. It’s a lot of gist for the writer’s cavern, too. Tex, The Witch Boy (the first in the series and the print copy should be out in December) tackles high school bullying. Tex and The Gangs Of Suburbia deals with identity and senseless, random, horrifying high school violence. It’s based on a true story that happened at my old alma mater a couple years ago. It also introduces fan-favorite character, Elspeth. Until y’all read the books, I’d prefer to keep her shrouded in mystery. As it is, she threatened to hijack the entire series, so much so that she kicked and demanded her own spin-off tale. Since I’m afraid of her, I wrote it and it’s out in Summer, 2014. The third, and last, Tex book is Tex and The God Squad, also out this December. It’s my most ambitious of the trilogy in terms of issues and expansive ”set-pieces.” Topics include teen suicide, religion and gay and lesbian issues. Whew.

Okay, so we have a teen boy witch. I hear some of you asking, “But, Stuart, shouldn’t he be considered a warlock?” Nope. I did my research, even talked to a few bonafide witches. “Witch” is indeed the proper term. Why a witch, I hear you asking once again (man, you’re an inquisitive lot!)? Well, I thought the juxtaposition of having an already awkward teen boy discover he’s a witch too intriguing to ignore. Teens already face enough indecision about life; being a witch is the dramatic icing on the cake. (Truth time…at first I also considered having him be gay, but ultimately thought that was just stacking the book too much). And being a witch opened up all sorts of exciting story possibilities.

The uniting theme of the books is about high school friendships forged in the face of adversity, teens trying to carve out their existence in an overwhelming world. High school rocked my world a lot; I haven’t forgotten. In the books, I hope to touch on uncomfortable situations, missteps (and my protagonist makes a lot of them), every awful and awkward encounter that I remember like it was yesterday. I use humor as a cover for these instances, but underneath every clown’s mask lies a sad truth, I think.

I also wanted to create a series that has a male protagonist, books boys can enjoy as well as females. That’s where I started, at least. But it’s the female characters who take charge and kick butt. There’s Olivia, Tex’s friend (possibly girl-friend?), a radical who’s upset she’s not considered a suspect in the current murder investigation, thinks it’s sexist. I told you about Elspeth, whose faux-hawk is nearly as tall as her bravery and cynicism. Don’t forget Mickey, the unusual witch mentor, a hand-slapping, fried chicken-extorting (it’s complicated) elderly woman who could take down any of these kids with her ice-cold glare. That’s just the tip of the character iceberg in the world of Tex, The Witch Boy.

I tried to write the kinds of books I wished were around when I was in high school. They’re books that are fun, thrilling, surprising, and carry a strong message of hope. I’d love nothing more than to reach teens today, tell them they’re not alone, there’s nothing wrong with them. And stay strong.

Welcome to the wild world of Tex, The Witch Boy.

~end

Guest post created by Stuart R. West, author of Tex, The Witch Boy
© 2013. All rights reserved.

Visit Stuart:
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Stuart R. West
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
READ more about this world...

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
WIN a copy of this eBook!

Open to all.

Offer ends: January 5, 2014 ---> extended to Jan 12

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. ADD this book to your Goodreads Want To Read list.

OR

Tweet about this giveaway.

OR

Recommend this on Google using the mini-button at end of this post (g+1).

2. TELL me what you did in comments.

AND, leave your email.

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

Contest has ended - winner is here

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

-+0+o+ YA Paranormal Activity schedule +o+0+-

Giveaway: Salem Witch Trial by Kathryn Wesley

Salem Witch Trial
by Kathryn Wesley
A barn burns. A baby dies. And the good people of Salem, Massachusetts, begin to fear that Satan's hand lies upon their village....

Massachusetts, 1691: a patchwork quilt of lonely settlements, surrounded by primeval forest and marauding Indians. It is a fearful, tense place inhabited by religious purists who see the devil and his minions lurking in every shadow. It is also a tinderbox of envy and greed, repressed lust and jealousy, awaiting only the smallest spark to ignite into a monstrous blaze of madness. For Samuel Parris, Salem Village's new minister, that spark comes in the form of a young girl who, in hysterics, speaks the one word destined to tear this community apart: witch. Soon chaos erupts and the governor himself convenes a special court to ferret out the guilty. But before the Salem Witch Trials end, more than one innocent will swing from the hangman's rope....

Here is a fresh look at one of the most infamous chapters in American history. This adaptation of the brand-new CBS miniseries from Alliance Atlantis features an all-star cast and also contains rare historical material and an overview of the Puritan movement in colonial America.

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
Win a copy of this book!

Open to all.

Offer ends: November 13, 2011

TO DO:

SEND me a link to a picture of a witch.

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

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

Contest has ended - winner is here

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

Participant entries:

here's mine, a steampunk witch...


AimeeKay's witch:


Brandy's witch:


Chrystal's witch:


Debbie's witch:


Freda's witch:


Identityseeker's witch:


Janiera's witch:


Kara's witch:


Krysykat's witch:


MAD's witch:


Marybelle's witch:


Melanie's witch:


Teressa's witch:


Yiota's witch:


~*~
* image source of steampunk witch is from Noel Bagwell's site, learn about his alternate-earth steampunk adventure novel-in-the-works, Ætherworks

* image source of participant witches are in comments

-+0+o+ October Trix-n-Treatz schedule +o+0+-