logo
Wrong email address or username
Wrong email address or username
Incorrect verification code
back to top
Search tags: curiosity-quills
Load new posts () and activity
Like Reblog Comment
review 2020-04-16 13:17
Chronology
Curiosity Quills: Chronology - Various Authors

An Anthology

 

This is a collection of 25 stories that span a broad range of time. The authors are meant to be well known, though I only recognize a couple of names, like Piers Anthony.

 

The first story, Draconic King by James Wymore, is a well written Fantasy tale of the dragonslayer kind (with some differences), others include a story of a succubus spirit of a volcano, a weird story of an encounter with a ready meal and others covering a wide spectrum from Fantasy to Victorians.

 

The common factor holding them together is that the authors are all established names with credits behind them. This shows in the quality of writing in the stories. Recommended for those who enjoy a well written short story.

Like Reblog Comment
show activity (+)
review 2018-05-02 06:31
Trust
The President's Daughter - Micky O'Brady

 

Alix has had so much taken from her.  Her body is not the same.  Her relationships with others' are not the same.  Her feelings about herself and what she can accomplish are not the same.  But all of this is about to change.

 

Sam and Ian are men in her life that help her in some way.  Whether it be emotional, physical, or mental - they both serve a purpose.  She cares about both of them deeply.  The question now remains, who can help her move on to her future?

 

This book was fast paced and exciting!  I loved every page and devoured it like candy.  I think the characters themselves are deep and rich.  I love the setting, it gives the writer a lot to enrich the story for the reader.  The book overall was one of the best I have ever read.  I am so excited for the next installment to this new heart thumping series.  I give this a 5/5 Kitty's Paws UP!

 

 

***This early copy was given in exchange for an honest review, by Netgalley and its publishers.

Like Reblog Comment
show activity (+)
review 2018-04-19 16:46
The Faraday Files Book #3: The Heartreader's Secret
The Heartreader's Secret - Kate McIntyre
The Timeseer's Gambit (The Faraday Files Book 2) - Kate McIntyre
The Deathsniffer's Assistant - Kate McIntyre

Outstanding yet again! The Faraday Files is one of my most favorite series! The 1900s alternate steampunk London (Darrington City) and the diverse cast of characters found a place in my heart in Kate Mcintyre's debut, The Deathsniffer's Assistant, and I've been watching the characters struggle and cry, laugh and grow, sacrifice and persevere ever since. 


The Deathsniffer's Assistant - Kate McIntyre 

 

But before I get into my review of Kate's newest release, book three, The Heartreader's Secret, I'd like to give you a brief overview of the first two books.

 

In the first book, The Deathsniffer's Assistant, we're introduced to the very eccentric and hard-hearted Olivia Faraday, a Deathsniffer (someone who hunts murderers) and her overly sensitive assistant, Christopher Buckley, a WordWeaver (transcribes thoughts directly to page).

Chris and his sister, Rosemary recently lost both of their parents in the Floating Castle accident and Chris has had to take on the responsibility of not only raising Rosemary but trying to keep her safe and out of the hands of the enemy that want to harness her unique and very strong gifts. Chris and Rosemary have been living on the savings that their wealthy parents left them but the money is starting to run out so Chris has to find a job to support them. He's never had to work before so he has absolutely no experience doing anything and Olivia Faraday, who's in need of an assistant to help with her investigations, is the only employer willing to take him on. So there begins the start of an unexpected but fond and spirited comradeship...

 

The Timeseer's Gambit (The Faraday Files Book 2) - Kate McIntyre 


In book two, The Timeseer's Gambit, Olivia and Chris have their hands full hunting for someone using bound elementals to kill young priests and trying to find evidence to save Dr. Francis Livingstone who's been falsely accused and is now standing trial for the thousands of deaths caused by the falling of the Floating Castle. In his personal life Chris is struggling with his sexual identity and the mixed feelings he has for both Rachel Albany and his childhood friend, Will.

 


The Heartreader's Secret - Kate McIntyre 


Then we come to Kate's newest masterpiece, The Heartreader's Secret. Chris's attraction to both Rachel and Will come to a roaring head in this book. We get an in-depth view of how conflicted Chris is with his sexual identity. He really struggles with reconciling his real feelings with his need to conform to society's expectations. On top of that, Emilia, a very brilliant engineer, poc and girlfriend to one of Chris and Olivia's good friends, Maris, has gone missing. Maris, a police officer, is absolutely devastated and she's convinced that something bad has happened to Emilia. On Maris's request, Chris and Olivia travel to the last place Emilia was working which happens to be Olivia's childhood home, Miller's farm. They've traveled under the guise of investigating the suicide of one the stable hands so as not to alert potential suspects that they're on their trail. As Chris and Olivia search for clues to Emilia's dissapearance, we also get a front row seat to the discord between Olivia and her mother and we learn the real reason why Olivia has given up her family legacy to be a Deathsniffer.

So that's a little background on the series thus far. It'a a spectacular series and each book just gets better and better! If you like mysteries with a dash of steampunk, then you should really give this series a try. I guarantee Darrington City and its diverse and eccentric inhabitants will reel you in like they did me!

*I received this ARC from the publisher, Curiosity Quills Press, and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

 

 

AMAZON

 

 GOODREADS 

 

Like Reblog Comment
text 2018-04-15 05:40
Reading progress update: I've read 100%.
The Heartreader's Secret - Kate McIntyre

This series is soooo good! I hate that I finished the book already. Now I have to wait for book #4. : (  Review to Come...

Like Reblog Comment
show activity (+)
text 2016-10-18 05:31
Strange Truths by S.D. Wasley Released Today!

 

For those of you following my "Alice England" posts, Strange Truths is a new YA mystery story by Sasha Wasley featuring Alice. It released today and can also be found on NetGalley if anyone is interested in checking it out. I'm really looking forward to reading/ reviewing my copy and finally finding out all about the mysterious Alice England. : ) 

 

 

Strange Truths 

Synopsis:

 

Why did she have to be so goddamn weird?

 

Mikey Warrender’s goals are within his grasp. On track for a spectacular swimming career in the last months of his senior year at school, his life seems ideal. A successful Senator father, a pretty, popular sister, and a girlfriend who acts and looks, well, perfect. They’ve had their share of trouble in the form of Mikey’s late twin, but that trouble died with Toby and now things can finally get back on track.

 

Until Alice England. Mikey couldn’t have been less interested in a friendless undertaker’s daughter who sees strange things and always speaks the truth—until she starts stalking him at school. Alice has reason to believe Tobias Warrender was reluctant to take that fatal dose of crystal meth. What’s more, she insists Mikey is grieving for his twin. Curious, Mikey lets Alice in—just for a moment—and before he knows what’s happening she’s wedged her foot in the door and busted his world wide open.

 

Alice leads him through a series of discoveries that make him look more closely at his own carefully constructed reality. Innocent yet knowing; kind yet devastatingly honest, Alice effortlessly unravels Mikey Warrender’s falsely safe world—and what really happened to Toby.

 

Strange Truths is a coming of age detective story that will appeal to adults both young and old(er), especially lovers of classical mystery with a twist.

 

 

Strange Truths

Excerpt:

 

It seemed like the girl Jasmine had identified as Alice England, the undertaker’s daughter, started haunting Mikey’s life. He’d never noticed her before, but now she was everywhere: in the hallways and library, passing by the pool building when he was running a swim squad meet, or outside his classroom window. He started looking for that particular burnt-red shade of her hair in amongst the throngs of students in the cafeteria, assembly hall, and locker room. She was always alone. Jasmine must be right in saying she had no friends.

She sure had the look of a genuine loner. Her gait was vague and preoccupied, her gaze trained absently on her own private thoughts… except that she had now developed an odd awareness of Mikey. She would lift her eyes to observe him as she passed him in the hall, her eyes invariably dropping to his chest. He hadn’t yet bothered to remove the Saint Cosmas pendant from the chain he always wore around his neck, so either the girl admired his physique, or she was interested in the saint medallion. Alice’s persistent staring irritated him, but not enough to make him remember to take the pendant off.

 

A few weeks after the funeral, while Mikey was in the school’s office organizing a day pass for his next swim meet, Alice came in. She handed a note to the receptionist.

 

“It’s for Mr. Cameron. I can’t attend the kayaking weekend because I work in my family’s business on Saturdays and Sundays. My father has signed it.”

 

The woman told Alice she would pass it on, but the girl didn’t leave right away. He checked her face. She was looking at him. Her solemn gaze remained on him until Mikey grew uncomfortable and glanced away, but when he looked back, she was still watching him, her eyes on his pendant. Unexpectedly, she raised her hand and took hold of a pendant at her own throat, holding it up to show him. Saint Cosmas. Mikey did a double take.

 

Alice nodded.

 

He did extra laps in the morning and bailed on the after-school session. It wasn’t a squad meeting, so he figured it was okay to skip. Mikey waited at a street corner between the school and Tranquility Funerals. He’d fobbed Jasmine off. She’d wanted to go for shakes with their friends, but Mikey couldn’t stand some of the girls in the group. He had no desire to sit through an afternoon with their inane, high-pitched remarks in his ears. Things were a little tense between them all around. Jasmine had been quiet on the topic of Mikey skipping Simona’s birthday party, and although she couldn’t argue with his reasons, he still got the feeling she was disappointed with him. He was already in trouble with her for developing an allergy to her favorite perfume. She had mostly stopped wearing it, but every few days she tried a small splash just to test him. He invariably fell into a violent sneezing fit within moments of meeting her. He knew that pissed Jasmine off, although she pretended not to mind.

 

The refusal to go with her to Harlem Shakes tipped the scales. She got pouty and cold, and within a couple of minutes of leaving with her friends, Jasmine texted him to say she felt hurt and abandoned. He knew when she was fishing for an apology, and gave her one, excusing his behavior by saying his shoulder was playing up again. His nagging case of swimmer’s shoulder was a convenient excuse whenever he needed time out from Jasmine―or any kind of excuse for poor boyfriend behavior.

 

There she was. Alice England. He spotted her walking toward him, on her way home, her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. She gazed at the ground with a thoughtful frown on her face, carrying a battered canvas satchel like the ones kids used in the seventies and eighties.

 

“Hey,” Mikey said when she was just a few steps away.

 

Alice’s head came up and she regarded him with interest. “Hello, Michael.” Her eyes flicked to his pendant―like she was making sure it was still there. She stopped beside him.

 

“You walking home?” he asked.

 

“Yes.”

 

“I’m heading your way. Mind if I walk with you?”

 

Alice shrugged, but then stared with renewed interest. “You waited for me?”

 

Mikey reddened, although he wasn’t sure why he should feel flustered. “Yeah, I guess. I figured you had something you wanted to say to me.”

 

It was an accusation turned back on her. Alice took it calmly and considered his words without a hint of embarrassment.

 

“Do you miss your brother?” she asked.

 

Mikey nearly choked. Not one other kid at school had mentioned Toby since he died, although they all knew about it. A couple of Jasmine’s girlfriends had given him hugs and whispered that they were sorry, and Mikey’s buddy Flynn had punched his arm and then slung his own arm around Mikey’s neck for an instant to show recognition of the event―but that was as much as any other kid had done. Alice waited, her eyes on his face, alight with curiosity.

 

“I wasn’t close to Toby,” Mikey said.

 

“That’s not what I asked,” she remarked, but apparently without sarcasm or any kind of hidden meaning.

 

“I don’t miss him because I wasn’t very close to him. That was implied.”

 

She resumed walking and Mikey walked with her. He checked to see if anyone was around, watching them. He didn’t exactly want to be seen with Alice England.

 

“It must have been rather a relief,” she said. “He was in trouble a lot.”

 

“You saw the news, huh?” The level of bitterness in his own voice surprised even him.

 

Alice shook her head. “I read one article. Tobias was addicted to drugs and I think he got caught stealing to pay for them a few times. Is that right?”

 

Mikey didn’t speak. This was what they were going to discuss? Toby’s rap sheet? Was the girl feeding the press or something? He shot her a suspicious glance but dismissed the idea a moment later. She was too weird to have cut a deal with the press. A girl like Alice wouldn’t even know where to begin. But he could interrogate, too.

 

“Why are you so interested in my pendant?” he asked.

 

For the first time, Alice’s honest eyes spoke of some kind of connection with him―because he’d been so blunt with his question, Mikey figured.

 

“It’s because I realized Tobias was a twin when I was tending to his body. Your mother supplied a Saint Damian pendant for him to wear. I know about the Saints Cosmas and Damian, the patron saints of twins.”

 

Alice’s light, sweet voice made her sound fragile. It had a vaguely hypnotic effect. He focused on her words.

 

“You’ve got a Cosmas, too.”

 

“Yes. They usually give Cosmas to the firstborn twin.”

 

“Firstborn by nine minutes,” Mikey answered.

 

“Four minutes,” was her reply.

 

“Four minutes; nine minutes―and we get the Saint Cosmas pendant as the reward for winning the race.” Mikey permitted himself a wry grin.

 

“As well as the traditional family name. Primogeniture, Michael Warrender the Fourth.”

Alice said this without a shadow of humor, and Mikey searched her face furiously for layered meanings. He couldn’t detect a thing. He didn’t know that word she’d said, but he knew exactly what she meant. It smarted, although he wasn’t completely sure why, and he got defensive.

 

“Okay, what about your twin?” he said, pulling his eyes away from Alice’s open face as he made his attack. “What happened to yours?”

 

Alice paused for a brief moment before answering. “My twin was born dead. Our umbilical cords were tangled around us both. My leg, and my twin’s neck.”

 

Mikey felt like a dumb jerk. Clearly, Alice was a little like a kindergartener: brutally honest and without much of a filter to make her interactions socially appropriate.

 

“You were lucky,” he said, for want of a better reply.

 

“I was. My leg’s no good, though.”

“What d’you mean?”

 

“The circulation to my leg got cut off and the muscles have never developed properly. I’ve had physiotherapy, but it’s just weak and inferior. It even looks strange.” She stopped and hitched up her skirt to reveal her bare leg.

 

Although it was an innocent gesture, the sudden feeling of his sexual interest spiking embarrassed him. Jesus, Michael, he rebuked himself. He didn’t know where to look, but Alice waited patiently for him to bring his eyes to the leg. Finally, he looked. There wasn’t anything too abnormal at first glance, but when he focused on what he was looking at, he saw spidery surface veins and some discoloration.

 

“It looks fine,” he said because she seemed to be waiting for a response.

 

Then Alice hitched her skirt on the other side so he could see both legs against each other. He saw how one creamy-colored thigh looked somehow much healthier than the other, which was bluish and blotchy. He also got a glimpse of bright green underwear. Again, the little surge of thoroughly unexpected and unwanted desire. Damn the girl for showing him her legs and underwear in such an ingenuous manner. It made him feel disgusting and guilty about having a physical reaction. If Jasmine had been the one hitching up her skirt to show him her smooth, tanned legs, she would have caught his eye and smirked flirtatiously. Alice was peering down at her own legs, observing their variation critically, as though she wasn’t quite convinced of her own story. She dropped her school skirt and lifted her head to look at his face again.

 

“Yes, so for me it was the leg, and for my twin, it was the neck. I imagine us doing a kind of synchronized swimming in the uterus, getting all tangled up.”

 

Surely this must be a joke? An odd attempt at humor? Mikey started to smile, waiting for her to grin or giggle, but Alice simply resumed walking. He scrambled to catch up.

 

“My twin had a Saint Damian’s pendant, but my parents didn’t bury her with it. She was just a tiny infant, and I’ve seen it many times―newborns that the parents want buried with a pendant or other jewelry they’ve bought specially. But jewelry can look wrong on a baby; it seems to take away from the innocence and purity. The parents usually change their minds when they see how big and ugly jewelry looks on their tiny babies.” Alice glanced at him.

 

“My parents kept my twin sister’s pendant. It belongs to me now.” The honesty in her face was almost physically painful for Mikey. “Your mother asked for the Saint Damian’s pendant back,” she added. “She told me she needed to keep that one small thing of his for you.”

 

Mikey’s chest suddenly felt like a cavern, barely holding up under its own hollow weight. He’d not felt a thing for Toby for a couple of years, well, nothing but contempt. But when he thought of Alice keeping her sister’s pendant, and his own mother keeping Toby’s pendant for him, he felt… well, he felt like…

 

“I’m home, now.”

 

“What?” he said in agitation. He went to run a hand through his hair but caught hold of it instead, tugging on it in an attempt to clear his head.

 

“I’m home.”

 

Alice stood neatly by the steps outside Tranquility Funerals. Next to the front door was a modest sign, an old brass plaque that read, England’s Funeral Parlor Est. 1906.

 

“Goodbye, Michael,” she said, turning around to climb the steps.

 

She went through a gate at the side of the house. Mikey wanted to call out to her, to stop her from walking away, but there was no reason he could think of to do so without looking irrational and crazy, so he just watched her go.

 

Enjoy!

"I hope you enjoyed the excerpt and would love to hear your thoughts on the book."

Sasha

 

Visit S.D. Wasley

Visit Alice on Instagram 

Visit England's Funeral Parlor

More posts
Your Dashboard view:
Need help?