In a society where self-preservation is as much an art as a science, Norah and Arthur are learning how to co-exist in their new little world. Though they hardly know each other, everything seems to be going perfectly—from the home they’re building together to the ring on Norah’s finger.
But survival in this world is a tricky thing, the air is thicker every day and illness creeps fast through the body. And the earth is becoming increasingly hostile to live in. Fortunately, Easton Grove is here for that in the form of a perfect little bundle to take home and harvest. You can live for as long as you keep it—or her—close.
This book is just so interesting and wild and such a good read! Plus that cover should be enough to intrigue you. I really am a sucker for a good cover and will willingly admit that that is what first drew me to this one. And I’m glad I listened to that because it’s also a really great story.
So, surprise surprise, this is another book that I don’t really want to get much into. It’s just something that you have to let unfold around you as you read it. But just be prepared for an extremely ephemeral and haunting read. It’s one of those books that is just so well written that you could see the events actually unfolding.
This book is both an excellent read as well as one that will make you take a moment to think once you’re done. And that moment might turn into something longer because it’s really one of those stories that will stick with you long after. So this is definitely one that I recommend you pick up!
Caroline Hardaker lives in the north east of England and writes quite a lot of things. She earned her BA (English Literature) and MA (Cultural and Heritage Studies) from Newcastle University, and her main problem is limiting herself to one idea at once, or maybe two ideas, or three…
Caroline’s debut poetry collection, Bone Ovation, was published by Valley Press in 2017, and her first full length collection, Little Quakes Every Day, was published by Valley Press in November 2020.
Caroline’s debut novel, Composite Creatures, will be published by Angry Robot in April 2021. It’s available to pre-order now (please do take a look!)
Caroline’s poetry has been published worldwide, most recently in Magma, The Interpreter’s House, The Emma Press, Neon Magazine, Shoreline of Infinity, Eyewear Publishing’s Best New British and Irish Poets, and Contemporary British Poetry from Platypus Press. This blog was set up in late 2015 and you can see some of her publication credits since then via the Poems and Stories section.
ASIN : B0879J44XZ Publisher : Tor Books; 1st edition (April 13, 2021) Publication date : April 13, 2021 Language : English
A legendary serial killer stalks the streets of a fantastical city in The Helm of Midnight, the stunning first novel in a new trilogy from acclaimed author Marina Lostetter.
In a daring and deadly heist, thieves have made away with an artifact of terrible power–the death mask of Louis Charbon. Made by a master craftsman, it is imbued with the spirit of a monster from history, a serial murderer who terrorized the city with a series of gruesome murders.
Now Charbon is loose once more, killing from beyond the grave. But these murders are different from before, not simply random but the work of a deliberate mind probing for answers to a sinister question.
It is up to Krona Hirvath and her fellow Regulators to enter the mind of madness to stop this insatiable killer while facing the terrible truths left in his wake.
You can purchaseThe Helm of Midnight at the following Retailers:
Praise for The Helm of Midnight
“The Helm of Midnight transports readers to an intensely unique and creative world, with interwoven secrets and heart-pounding action. Bloody, ambitious, and absolutely riveting.” ―Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
“A mysterious and mind-ripping journey through the mystic depths of time and the darkness of the human psyche.” ―Matt Wallace, author of the Sin du Jour and Savage Rebellion series
“Beautiful and vicious, The Helm of Midnight will snare you with its intriguing mystery and then enthrall you with its rich characters and inventive world.” ―Megan E. O’Keefe, author of Velocity Weapon
Review
This. Book. Is. So. Good. And it’s honestly what I’ve needed. I don’t know about you, but reading for me this year has been weird so far. I’ve just found myself so stressed and all over the place and honestly my reading has done the same thing. And this book just reeled me right back in with a style that just really takes it back to what I love to read most. I mean I loveeee fantasy, as you can probably tell, but I also love a really intricately woven story and world as well as some dark murderous aspects. And this book delivered.
Ok, now this book is fantasy but it’s not TOO fantasy. So fantasy wary readers I urge you to give this one a try. And fantasy lovers, like myself, I also urge you to read this because you’ll still love it. Especially if you’re into a sort of steam punk, serial killer, almost want to say anime (you know that niche) vibe. Plus I really loved the characters. So there’s just a really excellent combination of character development, plot (which sometimes gets lost in fantasy I will admit), and world building (yay!).
Now, I just have to say I need more now. I mean, I know we’re getting more to this series but I’m an impatient person at heart. Especially when I really find something I like. But alas, I shall wait. And I hope to convince you to wait along with me.
About the Author
Photo Credit: Jeff Nelson
The open skies and dense forests of the Pacific Northwest are ideal for growing speculative fiction authors–or, at least, Marina Lostetter would like to think so. Originally from Oregon, she now resides in Arkansas with her spouse, Alex. In her spare time she enjoys globetrotting, board games, and all things art-related. Her original short fiction has appeared in venues such as Lightspeed, Uncanny, and Shimmer Magazine. Her debut novel, NOUMENON, and its sequels, NOUMENON INFINITY and NOUMENON ULTRA, are available from Harper Voyager. Her first fantasy novel, THE HELM OF MIDNIGHT, is forthcoming from Tor. In addition, she has written tie-in materials for Star Citizen and the Aliens franchise. She is represented by DongWon Song of the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, and she tweets as @MarinaLostetter.
Lilac Girls introduced readers to Caroline Ferriday, an American philanthropist who helped young girls released from Ravensbruck concentration camp. Now, in Sunflower Sisters, Kelly tells the story of her ancestor Georgeanna Woolsey, a Union nurse who joins the war effort during the Civil War, and how her calling leads her to cross paths with Jemma, a young enslaved girl who is sold off and conscripted into the army, and Ann-May Wilson, a southern plantation mistress whose husband enlists.
Georgeanne “Georgey” Woolsey isn’t meant for the world of lavish parties and demure attitudes of women of her stature. So when the war ignites the nation, Georgey follows her passion for nursing during a time when doctors considered women a bother on the battlefront. In proving them wrong, she and her sister Eliza venture from New York to Washington, D.C., to Gettysburg and witness the unparalleled horrors of slavery as they become involved in the war effort.
In the South, Jemma is enslaved on the Peeler Plantation in Maryland, where she lives with her mother and father. Her sister, Patience, is enslaved on the plantation next door and both live in fear of LeBaron, an abusive overseer who tracks their every move. When Jemma is sold by the cruel plantation mistress Anne-May at the same time the Union army comes through, she sees a chance to finally escape–but only by abandoning the family she loves.
Anne-May is left behind to run Peeler Planation when her husband joins the Union Army and her cherished brother enlists with the Confederates. In charge of the household, she uses the opportunity to follow her own ambitions and is drawn into a secret Southern network of spies, finally exposing herself to the fate she deserves.
Inspired by true accounts, Sunflower Sisters provides a vivid, detailed look at the Civil War experience, from the barbaric and inhumane plantations, to a war-torn New York City to the horrors of the battlefield. It’s a sweeping story of women caught in a country on the brink of collapse, in a society grappling with nationalism and unthinkable racial cruelty, a story still so relevant today.
From Southern spies to nurses on the northern battlefields, Sunflower Sisters weaves an exquisite tapestry of women determined to defy the molds the world has for them. The journeys of Jemma and the Woolsey sisters will have readers celebrating those who came before us, who fought for what they knew was right, and became timeless women ahead of their times.”—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours and The Book of Lost Friends
“Sunflower Sisters marks the third installment of Martha Hall Kelly’s tales of the formidable Woolsey Women, with this chapter unfolding across the plantations, battlefields, and parlor rooms of one of history’s most dramatic moments. The Civil War roils as a sweeping backdrop and an era of both heartbreaking and inspiring humanity. Kelly’s vivid prose, stunning historical research, and heartfelt, compelling characters make this a gripping, page-turning read.”—Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Queen’s Fortune
Review
To say I was excited for this book was a little bit of an understatement. I mean, I literally started reading it as soon as it came in the mail. There’s just something about this story that pulls you right in and forces you to become invested in the characters and their lives.
This book is just so beautifully written and I really love how all of the stories come together. And it’s such a timely story that is done artfully. There wasn’t a single main character that I wasn’t invested in and I really just enjoyed the setting. I don’t want to get into too much of the plot though because I want you to be able to just fall into it and let the story unfold around you.
Also, although this is technically the third book in this series feel free to read them out of order! While the books follow the same family they are set in separate time frames so you can run out to the bookstore and get Sunflower Sisters right now!
About the Author
Martha is a native New Englander who lives in Litchfield County Connecticut. She worked as an advertising copywriter for many years, and raised three wonderful children who are now mostly out of the nest. Her debut novel Lilac Girls, about Connecticut socialite Caroline Ferriday who championed a group of Ravensbruck Concentration Camp survivors known as The Rabbits who survived WWII Nazi experiments, was her first novel and an instant New York Times bestseller. The prequel to Lilac Girls, Lost Roses, was also an instant NYTimes bestseller. It features Caroline’s mother Eliza Ferriday and her fight to save a group of Russian women, former aristocrats who lost everything in the Russian Revolution. The Lost Roses paperback published March 3rd, 2020 and the third book in the series, a Civil War novel about Caroline’s great grandmother’s family, arrives spring 2021.
As the site of a former military base, there have always been rumors that East Township High School was the site of experiments with space and time. For years, students have whispered in the hallways of a doorway created within the school, one that can access multiple timelines and realities, a place known as the Down World.
As the new kid in school and still reeling from the unexplained death of her brother Robbie, Marina O’Connell is only interested in one thing: leaving the past behind. But a chance encounter with handsome Brady Picelli changes everything. He will lead Marina to a startling discovery. The Down World is real and the past, present, and future are falling out of balance.
Brady is determined to help Marina discover what really happened to her brother. However, what is taken from one world, must be repaid by another. And Marina is about to discover that even a realm of infinite possibilities has rules that must be obeyed.
This book was right up my alley! You know, that very niche alley that everyone has. And I am glad to say that it didn’t disappoint! I was so invested in the story throughout and I just thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of this one. Plus it’s just so bizarre, which I of course love an appreciate.
This is just one of those books that you’re going to find difficult to put down. Now, I can’t get into it too much cause spoilers would be a no-no but this world is so complex. And as more and more unfolds you’re going to be lured even further into the book. Plus there is a dark undercurrent throughout the story that creates a… purpose?… to the plot.
Down World really blew me away and provided me with something that felt fresh. Which I really needed right now because I’ve been *mildly* slumping for what feels like forever lately.
About the Author
Rebecca Phelps is an actress, screenwriter, novelist, and mom based in Los Angeles. She is the co-creator of the website novel2screen.net, which analyzes film and television adapted from other material. Down World, the recipient of a Watty Award for Best Young Adult Fiction, is her first novel. To hear more about the Down World trilogy, follow Rebecca on Instagram @geminirosey, or on Twitter @DownWorldNovel. Happy reading!
Queenie’s Place by Toni Morgan Publication Date: December 6, 2018 Adelaide Books Publishers Paperback & eBook; 302 pages Genre: Historical Fiction
Queenie’s Place, set in rural North Carolina in the early seventies, is the story of an unusual sisterhood between a thirty-something white woman from California and a fifty-something black woman from the south. From the moment Doreen Donavan sees the ìWelcome to Klan Countryî sign outside Goldsboro, North Carolina is one culture shock after another. She thinks the women she meets on the military base, where she and her family now live, are the dullest, stuffiest, most stuck-up women sheís ever run across, and frankly, they donít think much of her either. Sheís hot, miserable, and bored. Then one day, BAM, her car tire goes flat, right in front of a roadhouse outside the town of Richland, near where MCB Camp Puller is located. Inside, Queenie is holding forth at the piano. The place is jumping. Besides the music, thereís dancing and the best barbecue in North Carolina. Doreenís husband, Tom arrives and must practically peel her out of the place. Queenie doesnít expect to see Doreen again, but Doreen comes back and their unlikely friendship begins. Without warning, Queenieís place is closed, the women accused of prostitution and bootlegging. A born crusader (she cut her teeth demonstrating against the Vietnam Waróyes, even with her husband over there), Doreen quickly dons her armor and saddles up. Things donít go quite as planned.
This book features such a beautiful combination of powerful women and friendship. You know, sometimes you’ve just got to read a book that makes you feel empowered and this was the perfect book for that. And given the times it just has such an important message to spread. Plus the writing just draws you in anyways.
I feel like the content in this book is, sadly, still so prevalent today. The book has a heavy focus on racism and segregation and I just find it such an important topic to discuss and have open conversations about. Plus the story just draws you in and makes you become so invested in the characters. It’s not often that I find myself so invested in the main characters, but I couldn’t help but get drawn into the two mcs lives and friendship.
This book just has so much going for it that all successfully comes together into one amazing story. There is a complexity to the story as the characters evolve through not only their interactions with one another but also the decisions they make. There is a strength in this book that really just hooks you.
About the Author
A longtime military spouse, TONI MORGAN has lived in many parts of the US and also for nearly four years in rural Japan. There she had the good fortune to work part-time in a Japanese pottery factory. That rich experience led to the first in her WWII trilogy ECHOES FROM A FALLING BRIDGE, which gives a unique view of life in rural Japan during the war. Second in the trilogy is HARVEST THE WIND, partially set in a Japanese internment camp in Idaho’s Magic Valley. The third in the series is LOTUS BLOSSOM UNFURLING, which continues the saga after the war ends. She also wrote PATRIMONY, and TWO-HEARTED CROSSING, companion books set in Montreal Quebec Canada during the Quebec Separatist Movement and 20 years later, in northern Idaho. Her novel QUEENIE’S PLACE is a 2019 National Book Award in Literature nominee. Her short stories have appeared in various literary magazines and journals, and her short story “Tin Soldier” was included in MOORING AGAINST THE TIDE, a creative fiction and poetry textbook published by Prentice Hall. Her most recent release is BETWEEN LOVE AND HATE, a collection of short stories, including Pushcart Prize nominee “The House on East Orange Street” and the aforementioned “Tin Soldier.”
Emil and Brighton Rey defied the odds. They beat the Blood Casters and escaped with their lives–or so they thought. When Brighton drank the Reaper’s Blood, he believed it would make him invincible, but instead the potion is killing him.
In Emil’s race to find an antidote that will not only save his brother but also rid him of his own unwanted phoenix powers, he will have to dig deep into the very past lives he’s trying to outrun. Though he needs the help of the Spell Walkers now more than ever, their ranks are fracturing, with Maribelle’s thirst for revenge sending her down a dangerous path.
Meanwhile, Ness is being abused by Senator Iron for political gain, his rare shifting ability making him a dangerous weapon. As much as Ness longs to send Emil a signal, he knows the best way to keep Emil safe from his corrupt father is to keep him at a distance.
The battle for peace is playing out like an intricate game of chess, and as the pieces on the board move into place, Emil starts to realize that he may have been competing against the wrong enemy all along.
Has this week both been THE LONGEST week and flown by at the same time or is that just me? I feel like I’m just losing all sense of time but I’m super glad I’m getting in this review today! Because I really love these books. And I may have been waiting for Infinity Reaper since last year. Just saying. And dare I say it… I may have loved this one even more than book one!
You know why I love these books so much? It’s simple, the world building is just divine. Plus I mean the story is amazing too but you know, priorities. And I just love that I got to know even more about this complex world in Infinity Reaper. But this picks right up following book two and we are taken on an adventure that is going to make you go through some emotions so buckle up!
Sorry this review may be a smidge shorter than normal, but my brain feels like it’s about to implode so I’m leaving it at this. Remember, I’m losing all sense of time. Plus allergies. So. Much. Pollen. But anyways, GET THIS BOOK AND READ IT ASAP!
About the Author
Adam Silvera is the New York Times bestselling author of More Happy Than Not, History Is All You Left Me, and They Both Die at the End. His next book What If It’s Us is co-written by Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda) and releases on October 9th, 2018. He writes full-time in New York City and is tall for no reason.
The Earl’s Lady Geologist by Alissa Baxter Publication Date: February 28, 2021 Vinspire Publishing Series: Linfield Ladies Series, Book One Genre: Regency Romance
Cassandra Linfield is a lady fossil collector who declares she will never marry as no man will ever take her studies seriously. When circumstances force her to travel to Town for the Season, Cassy infiltrates the hallowed portals of the Geological Society from which she has been banned. She is horrified when she comes face to face with her nemesis, the infuriating Earl of Rothbury.
Lord Rothbury is a gentleman-geologist with a turbulent romantic past. After a youthful disappointment he vows never to fall in love again, and makes the decision, instead, to seek out a convenient wife when he returns to England from his geological travels abroad.
Brought together by their close family ties, Cassy and Rothbury collaborate on a geological paper and discover a powerful attraction. Marriage, however, is the one subject they cannot agree upon. But when Cassyís life is threatened, the two realise that love matters more than their objections.
ìA gentle Regency romance, full of sweetness and intelligence. Alissa Baxterís writing is period perfect.î -Mimi Matthews, USA Today bestselling author of The Matrimonial Advertisement
ìThe Earlís Lady Geologist by Alissa Baxter deftly weaves together the charm of a traditional Regency romance, fascinating information on scientific society of the time, with a quiet subtext about the challenges faced by women interested in pursuing science. This first book in a new series is wonderfully satisfying on many levels!î -Mary Jo Putney, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author
ìWhile immersing the reader in the mores and life of the Regency era, Alissa Baxter manages to write strong, independent heroines whom modern-day women will cheer and root for. Plus the addition of little details that wrap around the plot and the characters make reading her books all the more special because you never know when you might land on a little Easter egg morsel in the beautiful and engaging prose. Historicals with heart and engaging characters that read realóthatís what you get in Ms. Baxter’s books.î -Zee Monodee, USA Today bestselling author
ìA truly traditional Regency romance, with lots of witty banter, very reminiscent of Georgette Heyer. Recommended for anyone who likes a completely clean traditional Regency, with strongly authentic writing, historical accuracy and a satisfying romance. Baxterís writing is excellent, and her dialogue, manners and settings are true to the era. A spirited heroine, a brooding hero, lots of sparkling banter and an authentic Regency settingówith added fossils! Great fun. From Lyme Regis to the drawing rooms of London, Alissa Baxter takes the reader back to the time of Jane Austen.î Mary Kingswood, author of traditional Regency romances
Review
There were so many things about this book that made me go: Yes, this is a me book. And I have to say that it lived up to my own internal hype! I really loved this book and it was honestly the best thing for me with how stressed I have been lately. You know, it’s just one of those books you can curl up with and enjoy all of the regency drama and romance.
You know, I’m already a sucker for a good regency romance but I’m even more of a sucker for a regency romance with a stubborn and willful woman and a stiff and curt man. And boy oh boy did I hit the jackpot with these two MCs. And phew, when the sparks started going off they flew. Plus it was just such a fun journey to take with these two and see as their characters grew and progressed.
So yeah, this was a really amazing read and one that I really hope a lot of people pick up. it has so much to offer, has those endearing regency qualities, and is overall an amazing read. Plus it’s not terribly long so it’s a pretty quick read!
About the Author
Alissa Baxter was born in a small town in South Africa, and grew up with her nose in a book on a poultry and cattle farm. At the age of eleven she discovered her motherís collection of Georgette Heyer novels. The first Heyer novel she ever read was Sylvester and she was hooked on Georgette Heyer after that. She read and reread her novels, and fell totally in love with the Regency period and Heyerís grey-eyed heroes! After school and university, where she majored in Political Science and French, she published her first Regency novel, The Dashing Debutante.
Alissa travelled overseas and worked as a flight attendant in Dubai before she moved to England, where she did an odd assortment of jobs while researching her second novel, Lord Fenmoreís Wager, which she wrote when she moved back to South Africa. Alissaís third Regency novel, A Marchioness Below Stairs, is the sequel to Lord Fenmoreís Wager.
Alissa has lived in Durban and Cape Town but she eventually settled in Johannesburg where she lives with her husband and two sons. Alissa is also the author of two chick-lit novels, Send and Receive and The Blog Affair, which have been re-released as The Truth About Series: The Truth about Clicking Send and Receive and The Truth About Cats and Bees.
Book Title: Covet Author: Tracy Wolff Publisher: Entangled Teen Release Date: March 2, 2021 Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy
“I choose you.”
— Tracy Wolff
I may have reached my breaking point. As if trying to graduate from a school for supernaturals isn’t stressful enough, my relationship status has gone from complicated to a straight-up dumpster fire.
Oh, and the Bloodletter has decided to drop a bomb of epic proportions on us all…
Then again, when has anything at Katmere Academy not been intense?
And the hits just keep coming. Jaxon’s turned colder than an Alaskan winter. The Circle is splintered over my upcoming coronation. As if things couldn’t get worse, now there’s an arrest warrant for Hudson’s and my supposed crimes—which apparently means a lifetime prison sentence with a deadly unbreakable curse.
Choices will have to be made…and I fear not everyone will survive.
“Everything’s a secret, Grace, whether we know it or not.”
— Tracy Wolff
The Crave series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order: Book #1 Crave Book #2 Crush Book #3 Covet Book #4 Court
You know, when Crave first came out my middle school Twilight obsessed self squealed in anticipation. And I had still been squealing in anticipation for Covet as well. This series just never disappoints and I can legitimately blame it on many sleepless nights. Plus there’s just so many twists and turns that continue to make the series interesting instead of one of those series where you know what’s going to happen throughout the entire series just after the first book.
“There’s just him and me and everything remembered and forgotten that stretches between us.”
— Tracy Wolff
You know what I think sets this series apart from other YA series? It’s the fact that everything is just so well set up and then all your hopes and dreams are Crushed (heh heh, see what I did there? Yes, I know I need sleep). And it’s not even that you wind up hating the characters like in some other 180-degree ya/fantasy books (you know which ones), which makes this even more wild because it’s reflective of life in a way. And I guess what I’m trying to say is that I really appreciate that. Things change. People change. And our relationships change. Which is something you don’t often see portrayed after our character finds their *true one.* But yeah, this review got off the rails but I also don’t want to spoil anything. But just expect the same top tier storytelling, lots of Drama WITH a capital D, and So. Much. Happening.
“Because of who you really are.”
— Tracy Wolff
So you know how we’ve all been *im*patiently waiting for Covet? Well, I still want more. And I would still do some . . . unseemly . . . things to get my hand on Court. It’s just I kind of need to know what’s going to happen and how this will all turn out. But it’s ok. We don’t have THAT long to wait. Right? Yep. Just gotta keep telling myself that. And in the meantime I hope you all read this and join me in feeling this way.
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Tracy Wolff is a lover of vampires, dragons, and all things that go bump in the night. A onetime English professor, she now devotes all her time to writing dark and romantic stories with tortured heroes and kick-butt heroines. She has written all her sixty-plus novels from her home in Austin, Texas, which she shares with her family. tracywolffbooks.com.
The Sky Worshipers by F.M. Deemyad Publication Date: March 2, 2021 History Through Fiction LLC Hardcover, Paperback, & eBook Genre: Historical Fiction
In the year 1398 A.D., Lady Goharshad and her husband, King Shahrokh, come across an ancient manuscript in the ruins of Karakorum, the Mongol capital. The manuscript chronicles the era of Mongol invasions with entries by three princesses from China, Persia, and Poland who are captured and brought to the Mongol court.
After being stolen from her family at the Tangut Emperor’s coronation, Princess Chaka, the Emperor’s youngest daughter is left with no choice but to marry Genghis Khan. Thus, the Tangut join Genghis as allies. She is the first to secretly chronicle the historical events of her time, and in doing so she has the help of an African eunuch by the name of Baako who brings her news from the war front.
Princess Reyhan is the witty granddaughter of the last Seljuk King in Persia. She is kidnapped by Ogodei, Genghis’s son and heir, who falls in love with her. The romance does not last long, however, since a Mongol beauty wins Ogodei’s heart, and Reyhan is sidelined. Reyhan continues the tradition of recording the events in secret, turning her entries into tales.
During the Mongol invasion of Poland and Hungary, Princess Krisztina, niece to Henry the Pious, is taken as a prisoner of war by the Mongols. Reyhan learns about Krisztina’s predicament through Baako and asks Hulagu, Genghis’s grandson, to help free her. Krisztina has a difficult time adjusting to life in Mongolia, and at one point she attempts to run away but is unsuccessful. When the child she is bearing is stillborn, the Mongol court shuns her. She is able to return to her homeland in old age but comes back to Karakorum and writes her final entry in the journal.
Through beautiful language and powerful storytelling, this fact-based historical novel lays bare the once far-reaching and uncompromising Mongol empire. It shows readers the hidden perspectives of the captive, conquered, and voiceless. It brings to light the tremendous but forgotten influence of Genghis Khan and his progeny, while asking readers to reconsider the destruction and suffering of the past on which the future is built.
“The author’s in-depth research is evident throughout The Sky Worshippers. For readers who enjoy a lush blend of historical fact and fiction, this novel details the smells, sights, sounds of a pivotal era in time, uniquely told through the eyes of three captive princesses.”†- Gina Wilkinson author of When the Apricots Bloom
“F.M. Deemyad immerses the reader into the 13th Century world of Genghis Khan. It’s an unforgettable story of survival and strong women as we experience life through the eyes of the conquered-and the conquerors. In The Sky Worshipers, history comes vividly alive.”†- John DeDakis, Novelist, Writing Coach, and former Senior Copy Editor for CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer”, http://www.JohnDeDakis.com
“In this stunning saga, F. M. Deemyad takes us on a thrilling journey as Genghis Khan and his sons sweep across Asia and Europe, worshiping the sky while they conquer one nation after another and capture women to enslave and marry. The women’s stories, rich with architectural, historical and cultural detail, hold an important message for all of us who have inherited privileges as the result of our ancestor’s atrocities. A great read and a phenomenal debut!”†- Raima Larter, Author of Fearless and Belle o’ the Waters
“The Sky Worshipers by F.M. Deemyad draws us into Genghis Khan’s conquests through the eyes of three women ripped from their homes and thrust into royal service. This lyrical novel is a vivid imagining of hearts and minds of women who left their marks on history, despite history’s failure to acknowledge their contributions. It allows us to connect with timeless striving for a world of compassion, equal opportunity, and celebration of diversity. A beautiful novel.”†- Lisa L. Leibow, J.D., Co-Founder, Board President, Chief Operating Officer, The Scheherazade Project
“An illuminating telling of Mongol conquest and the people who lived-and died-making decisions that shaped half the world. The broad strokes of time are revealed through the perspectives of single bristles of the brush. Cleverly imagined and carefully rendered, The Sky Worshipers is an engaging, personal look at one of history’s momentous eras.”†- Zach Powers, author of First Cosmic Velocity
Review
This was such an interesting and historical driven story. I’ve always found myself easily lured into stories that chronicle this time in history and this one was no different. And even without the history the story on its own is amazing and beautifully told.
You know, I’m always a sucker for a good female driven historical fiction. And The Sky Worshippers takes it a step further and covers a time that is rarely talked about in books (well, at least from a woman’s perspective). And the story in itself is just really amazing and engaging. There is a wide time period covered, but you don’t feel as if anything is lacking. The storytelling is beautiful and you really get drawn into the story. Well, not only the story but also the time period as the things you learned in history come to life.
I really enjoyed this one and hope to see more from Deemyad in the future. This was a beautifully written historical fiction and I found myself not wanting to put it down. Plus, like I said, it was a wonderfully woman centric story in a time period where women were easily forgotten.
About the Author
F.M. Deemyad was born in Kermanshah, Iran. She grew up in the capital, Tehran, attending bilingual schools run by Christian and Jewish minorities. Her father, born and raised in India, had come to Iran when he was in his late twenties. Being the son of a linguist who had taught English Literature in India for a number of years, he exposed the author in her preschool years to the English language, and she learned to love classic literature under her fatherís instructions. She received her Masterís degree in Writing from Johns Hopkins University in 2016. She currently resides with her husband in Maryland.
TITLE: The Thirteenth Fairy (Never After, #1) AUTHOR: Melissa de la Cruz PUBLISHER: Roaring Book Press RELEASE DATE: December 1st, 2020 GENRE(S): Middle Grade Fiction–Fantasy
Real life and fairy tales collide in Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy, book one in the new middle-grade Never After series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Descendants series, Melissa de la Cruz.
Nothing ever happens in Filomena Jefferson-Cho’s sleepy little suburban town of North Pasadena. The sun shines every day, the grass is always a perfect green, and while her progressive school swears there’s no such thing as bullying, she still feels bummed out. But one day, when Filomena is walking home on her own, something strange happens.
Filomena is being followed by Jack Stalker, one of the heroes in the Thirteenth Fairy, a series of books she loves about a brave girl and her ragtag group of friends who save their world from an evil enchantress. She must be dreaming, or still reading a book. But Jack is insistent–he’s real, the stories are real, and Filomena must come with him at once!
Soon, Filomena is thrust into the world of evil fairies and beautiful princesses, sorcerers and slayers, where an evil queen drives her ruthless armies to destroy what is left of the Fairy tribes. To save herself and the kingdom of Westphalia, Filomena must find the truth behind the fairytales and set the world back to rights before the cycle of sleep and destruction begins once more.
I have been a huge fan of Melissa de la Cruz for an incredibly long time, but when I picked this book up I realized that I have never actually read any of her middle grade books. And I’m glad it was this one that I picked up first because, well, fairies, but also it was incredibly funny and still felt like de la Cruz to me. Plus it has so many odes to classic fairy tales and nursery rhymes that I couldn’t help but fall in love with what I was reading.
There’s just so much to love with this one. We’ve got some diversity with our main characters, you’ll find yourself chuckling throughout, and there are classic story elements you know and love made fresh. Plus the overarching fairy tale this one is based off of is Sleeping Beauty. And if you know me you know that’s my favorite (naps, all I have to say). So I always get excited when I see a reworking of this story because it’s not the same “tale as old as time” as we much more frequently see in books.
But I am digressing with this review, so to wrap it up: there is plenty of adventure and fantasy throughout this one that you won’t be able to much else other than furiously flip through the pages. And it’s just a really well written and well done middle grade book that will have appeal for middle schoolers and adults alike.
About the Author
Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
Up for grabs, we have ONE (1) physical copy of The Thirteenth Fairy (Never After, #1) by Melissa de la Cruz. This giveaway will run from March 1st to March 8th at 11:59 PM CST and is open to US residents only.
