Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts

5 Apr 2020

Review - Screamcatcher: Web World by Christy J. Breedlove

  Title: Screamcatcher: Web World

  Author: Christy J. Breedlove

  Synopsis:

  When seventeen-year-old Jory Pike cannot shake the hellish nightmares of her parent’s deaths, she turns to an old family heirloom, a dream catcher. Even though she’s half blood Chippewa, Jory thinks old Indian lore is so yesterday, but she’s willing to give it a try. However, the dream catcher has had its fill of nightmares from an ancient and violent past. After a sleepover party, and during one of Jory’s most horrific dream episodes, the dream catcher implodes, sucking Jory and her three friends into its own world of trapped nightmares. They’re in an alternate universe—locked inside of an insane web world. How can they find the center of the web, where all good things are allowed to pass?


I received a free e-book copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts:

I'd like to thank the author for offering me a copy of Web World because I had a lot of fun reading this mystical gem of a YA. I'm sure Jory, Darcy, Choice and Lander – the four teenagers who get caught in the web of the dreamcatcher wouldn't call their adventure "fun" but it evoked in me a certain kind of nostalgia with its distant similarity to the movie Jumanji.

Since Jory lost her parents she suffers from nightmares. In the daytime she helps out in her grandfather's novelty shop but her nights are ruined by the recurring bad dream. When her friend, Choice first visits the store, his eyes wonder on the giant old-looking dreamcatcher that hangs from the ceiling and he immediately thinks if nothing else, that will help Jory to rest well and from then on trouble is guaranteed.

With two mates of theirs, the 16 year-old Darcy and the streetwise Lander they end up inside a world of night terrors from where they can only escape if they work together. I have nightmares sometimes, but nothing like with what these teenagers have to face. What I really liked in this book was that it works with Native American folklore and legends. It's not something that is normally covered in my everyday reading and so it was extremely fascinating for me to read about what creatures were the natives afraid of.

This book has horror elements. Not many, but the few it does give it spice. I don't want to give much away but something happens to one of the members of the group that gave me the creeps. This incident and its consequences kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

The novel is quite unputdownable, one action scene follows the other and you wait for the end to know how the band will fare during the last challenge. The team seems very experienced despite the fact that they are teenagers, for example Jory knows a lot about lore, plants, tracking, while the boys help out with the practical side of things. Darcy is a bit of a hindrance but at times I felt sorry for her because the others didn't handle her with much patience.

There's a love story in there somewhere too, but it wasn't overdone, which I was glad to see. To be honest, I don't even know when was the last time I've read a YA book without a love triangle or overemphasized soppy love-drama. This was just perfect, keeping all emotions at bay and very realistic. 

All in all, I definitely recommend this book if you'd like to try something fresh. Web World is a unique tale presented in a very enjoyable way.


Next in the series:



21 Feb 2019

Cover Reveal - Whispers of Shadow & Flame by L. Penelope

Today let me present you the cover reveal for book 2 in L. Penelope’s Earthsinger Chronicles, 

Whispers of Shadow & Flame

The first book in the series, Song of Blood & Stone was named one of TIME Magazine’s top 10 fantasy books of 2018. 


Read my review of the book here.

Check out the sequel's cover and a giveaway below!
 

Title: Whispers of Shadow & Flame (Earthsinger Chronicles, Book 2)

Author: L. Penelope

Published by: St. Martin’s Press

Release Date: October 1, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Book Description:

The cursed will face the gods. They have nothing to lose.

"A master class in fantasy world-building.” - TIME Magazine on Song of Blood & Stone

The Mantle that separates the kingdoms of Elsira and Lagrimar is about to fall. And life will drastically change for both kingdoms.

Born with a deadly magic she cannot control, Kyara is forced to become an assassin. Known as the Poison Flame in the kingdom of Lagrimar, she is notorious and lethal, but secretly seeks freedom from both her untamed power and the blood spell that commands her. She is tasked with capturing the legendary rebel called the Shadowfox, but everything changes when she learns her target’s true identity.

Darvyn ol-Tahlyro may be the most powerful Earthsinger in generations, but guilt over those he couldn’t save tortures him daily. He isn’t sure he can trust the mysterious young woman who claims to need his help, but when he discovers Kyara can unlock the secrets of his past, he can’t stay away.

Kyara and Darvyn grapple with betrayal, old promises, and older prophecies—all while trying to stop a war. And when a new threat emerges, they must beat the odds to save both kingdoms.


Pre-order the paperback today!




Catch up on the Series:

Song of Blood & Stone, Earthsinger Chronicles Book 1  – Special Edition Paperback releases July 16, 2019. (Ebook & hardcover available now).

About the Author:

L. Penelope is an award-winning fantasy romance author. Equally left and right-brained, she studied filmmaking and computer science in college and sometimes dreams in HTML. She lives in Maryland with her husband and furry dependents. Sign up for new release information, exclusives, and giveaways on her website: http://www.lpenelope.com.



Cover Reveal Giveaway:

L. Penelope is giving away a signed, hardcover copy of Song of Blood & Stone. Open internationally.



22 Jan 2019

Review - The Oddling Prince by Nancy Springer


Title: The Oddling Prince

Author: Nancy Springer

Synopsis:

In the ancient moors of Scotland, the king of Calidon lies on his deathbed, cursed by a ring that cannot be removed from his finger. When a mysterious fey stranger appears to save the king, he also carries a secret that could tear the royal family apart.

The kingdom’s only hope will lie with two young men raised worlds apart. Aric is the beloved heir to the throne of Calidon; Albaric is clearly of noble origin yet strangely out of place.





I received a free ebook copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts: 

I've seen tons of three-star reviews about this book on Goodreads. Tons. However, after reading it I feel I have to take it in my hands to do justice to The Oddling Prince because to me it didn't come across as mediocre as review writers generally make it out to be.

There are two princes in this story who share a strong bond. One of them, Albaric, is from a faraway land. He comes to Calidon to save the king's life, yet his motive for the heroic act upsets king Bardaric a good deal after his recovery. Aric, the prince of Calidon, tries to shield Albaric from his father's wrath but the king's behaviour pains the foreign saviour none the less. Still, when the kingdom is threatened by inside and outside forces alike, everyone must stand on the same side to prevent its demise.

Going into the book knowing that it is a fairy tale and a celtic one at that, I expected nothing less from the writing style than to reflect the genre and the historical quality. Ms Springer's sentences are beautifully composed and her descriptions are nothing short of poetic. It's true that some might find the style a little dense, hard to get used to, but it all depends on the person's reading history and even if it's new to someone it doesn't mean it can't amaze after getting through the initial bumps while getting accustomed to it in the beginning. 

I actually saw some reviews that say The Oddling Prince is written in 'old English'.


Old English is what Beowulf was written in, even native speakers cannot really read and/or understand it now. Talk about exaggeration...

The truth is, this is a character-driven novel and those who pick it up to read action packed fantasy fiction can be disappointed. It is not usual for a fantasy story to lean that heavily on its characters vs the plot and therefore it was a risky choice from the author, but believe me when I say that it works in this case. There is little travelling in the novel, basically there is one setting (the castle) but it feels enough (the only part when the princes left the castle seemed superfluous to me to be honest). 

There's some sword fighting though and dangerous situations at times, the book doesn't completely lack action, only it's not as important in it as the relationship of the characters.

Speaking of characters... We have a male protagonist, which is very rare in YA. Aric is endlessly kind, goodhearted and caring. He doesn't have one bad quality. Many reviewers deemed him flat, but again, we are talking about a fairy tale the genre is not exactly famous for complex characters, since very often these tales are based on a fight between good and bad and there is no in between. Aric's one-sidedness was therefore absolutely acceptable to me. His love for Albaric warmed my heart.

The ladies of The Oddling Prince were so lovely! Aric's mother and his bride, Marissa, were both smart and wise and they understood their male companions so well. They had so much strength and insight, they were my favourites. 

As you can see I liked The Oddling Prince a lot and this was me trying to defend its merits. I just thought it deserved a champion and it might as well be me... 


27 Jun 2018

Review - Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf


Title: Bring Me Their Hearts

Author: Sara Wolf

Publication Date: June 5th, 2018

Synopsis:

Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.

Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.

Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.

So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.

Winner takes the loser’s heart.

Literally.


My Thoughts: 

Zera is missing her heart because it holds her humanity, at least that's what she thinks. It's not easy to walk with an empty hole in your chest in a world where a missing heart marks you as a monster. 

She cannot even walk around at her leisure to start with: she is bound to Nightsinger the witch; the very one who took her heart. She doesn't hate her, no. Nightsinger practically saved Zera's life by turning her into the creature she is today. But ohh, how much she yearns to be whole again with the organ that beats in a jar on the mantelpiece... Getting back the heart would mean freedom for her.

However, like everything, the heart has a price. The witches would like to prevent another war between them and the humans, and to do so the Prince Lucien has to become what Zera is: a heartless. No one is better fitting for the job than Zera. Take a heart to own yours again the only thing she doesn't know is that the bloody and dangerous game will have a pitfall that she may just not be able to avoid.

This YA fantasy novel was fun. I usually enjoy stories that involve witches, that's why I requested this title in the first place (and because of the Snow White vibes of course). The witches here can turn into white ravens and those parts when they appeared in flocks on the sky or on the barks of a tree were very sinister, despite the fact that witches are not bad creatures in this novel. 

Actually there is no evil and good side in the war that is about to break out either. Humans and witches simply cannot live with each other; humans are terrified of witches because a hysteria is created by Gavik, the evil duke and witches still hold grudges against humans for the purifications they do (a consequence of the hysteria).

Even though the plot is a bit predictable the story flows well, it's easy to understand the motivations of the characters and to sympathize with them because of their hardships. Lucien is a headstrong prince, I think they are a good match with Zera, who is determined but, despite her heartlessness, suddenly gets attacked by unwanted feelings that she has yet to understand. 

The newly found family relationships and friendships warmed my heart. I especially liked two side characters: Y'shennria and Malachite, Zera's 'aunt' and the bodyguard of prince Lucien. The letter was utterly adorable and would have been a better love interest in my opinion than the prince (ooops, I'm giving away my preferences...).

Going into this book I didn't know this is only the first instalment in a series, but as it turned out, it is. If you generally like YA fantasies, give this one a try. It's a sweet classic story with a twist.




About the Author:

Sara Wolf is a twenty-something author who adores baking, screaming at her cats, and screaming at herself while she types hilarious things. When she was a kid, she was too busy eating dirt to write her first terrible book. Twenty years later, she picked up a keyboard and started mashing her fists on it and created the monster known as Lovely Vicious. She lives in San Diego with two cats, a crippling-yet-refreshing sense of self-doubt, and not enough fruit tarts ever.




Author Links: 

Website: http://sarawolfbooks.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sara_Wolf1
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/authorsaraw/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorsarawolf/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sara-Wolf-476490705731978/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6862831.Sara_Wolf
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sara-Wolf/e/B00BVOVP08/



Blog Tour Organized by:


1 Jun 2018

Book Beginnings and the Friday 56 #17

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.
  

My current read is:

by Sara Wolf

 

Synopsis:

Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.

Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.

Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.

So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.

Winner takes the loser’s heart.


Book Beginning:

"King Sref of Cavanos watches me with the deadened eyes of a raven circling a corpse – patient, waiting to devour me the second I let my guard down."

King Sref seems to be a dangerous fellow. And this is a very powerful first sentence.

  
The Friday 56:

"The prince studies me, or rather, my mask. My eyes behind the mask. It feels as if he's trying to peel away the layers of my defenses, my secrets, like a bird of prey peeling back skin and muscle from a kill." 

 What is it with this book and birds? Haha :)


What are you reading this week?

 

15 May 2018

Review - Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Title: Red Queen (Red Queen #1)

Author: Victoria Aveyard

Synopsis:

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. 

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance - Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

My Thoughts:

I  think the hype around Red Queen is well-deserved. The book is a solid fantasy that transports the reader to a cruel world where the colour of people's blood decides about their place in the social hierarchy, since it renders them weak or strong from the moment they're born.

When Mare Barrow finds out she is special, she realizes her exceptional state can serve the Red cause. Only by that time she is involuntarily put on display at the Silver Court where the Royal Family does everything they can to hide her 'otherness'. A power play begins that shatters families and turns hearts.

Red Queen would have been a very quick read for me had I not signed up for a scheduled read-along that featured this title. The story pulls you in and you want to know what happens next. There are quite a few twists and turns along the way; there was a part towards the end that left me kinda shocked because it put Mare and Cal (the crown prince love interest no. 1) in an entirely unexpected situation.

I loved how varied silver powers were in the story. They were like superpowers and they came in all shapes and kinds: someone could temper with nature, others could control metal or force people's mind to yield to them. These powers were amply used in the story for a myriad of purposes good and bad. I found that creative.

The politics are intriguing. Silvers are desperate to hold onto power but Reds even without abilities are able to scare their overlords. I can't wait to see if later they'll manage to weaken the evil royals' grasp on the realm.

You cannot help but care for the characters and you'll find yourself trying to put yourself in their shoes. I found Cal especially fascinating because he struggles between two sides all the time and I myself couldn't figure out what I'd have done had I been in his place.

There are truly spiteful characters as well, like the Queen and Evangeline, Cal's betrothed. You'll love to hate them, I'm sure.

The story is rich, the characters make an impression, the world building is superb and I was not bored for one minute when I was reading this book. What's more to ask? I do recommend it to every fantasy-lover!


26 Apr 2018

Red Queen Read-Along Update #2


Synopsis:

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. 

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.
But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance - Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.


This read-along is coming to an end on Monday but I promised you a second update before I post my review so here we go.

I'm currently in chapter 24, on page 306 out of 388 

BUT I'll only summarize my thoughts about chapters 12-21 now to leave something to reflect on in my review too.

There have been quite a few twists along the way regarding the characters. Mare, of course, as one would expect, joined the Red Guard; no surprises there. On the boy front however, I don't even know what to think. Both the princes stand on the opposite side to where I would have imagined them to stand. And Kilorn – he is an enigma to me. In the beginning of the book he was straight out scared of fighting in the war and now he is in the midst of things completely willingly. Go figure. 

Actually I don't mind getting something else than what I expected, it keeps the whole situation interesting and it keeps me guessing. I have this feeling Maven is not who he makes himself out to be. There is a reason why the line "Anyone can betray anyone" appears in the book so many times and I'm about 70% sure Maven is leading Mare by the nose. Then again, maybe I'm mistaken, we have yet to see if I'm right or not. 

The politics is intriguing, especially because all of the characters are caught up in its net. You can't help but look at the happenings from two angles – the thing is, on some level I understand Cal's reasoning too. There are no clearly good choices, nothing is white or black and probably whatever happens, there will be bloodshed.

We still don't know much about Mare's power, my main question – why does she have it?? – hasn't been answered yet. I'm not sure we'll get an explanation in this book, maybe in the next one...? 

I'm still captured by the Red Queen and can't wait to see how the first book ends. A non-cliffhanger ending is too much to hope for right??


A character I like: Julian!! Let him be okay, please.

A character I hate: (and NOT love to hate!) Evangeline. She is clearly jealous of Mare and she has anger management issues. 

A character I want to see more of: I will go with more characters here, Mare's brothers. We only know them from Mare's thoughts and from a brief meeting when Mare visited her home once. I'd like to know more about them.

I hope you enjoyed this update post, you can expect my full review of the Red Queen next week!

12 Apr 2018

Red Queen Read-Along Update #1


Synopsis:

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. 

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance - Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.


As you already know, I've joined Brittani's Red Queen read-along at Hope, Faith & Books.

The read-along started on April 2nd and we read 7 chapters each week, which means by Monday I should reach chapter 15.

It's not a fast-paced read-along at all, it allows me to make progress with other books as well, that's why I dared to join it in the first place.

I'm currently in chapter 12, on page 116 out of 388.


My thoughts about the story so far:
  
(With some details but without spoilers. 
The information I've included here appears in the synopsis too.)

I'm happy with almost everything in this novel up to this point. The idea of a fantasy world where social hierarchy is built on the colour of one's blood is frightening but at the same time fascinating, especially with the added plus that Silvers have certain kinds of power.

Our protagonist, Mare, is a Red girl and since she hasn't learned any crafts, she is expected to join the army on her 18th birthday. Mare has other plans but soon she is forced into a third alternative that seems even worse than the war. Because of an unfortunate accident she has to give up who she is and face a joyless life in a world where she doesn't belong. 

Where I am in the story Mare has already started to be invlved in court life and her power got revealed but she doesn't understand how it works yet (me neither, haha). I guess later it will make sense and she'll be able to use it intentionally too.

The Red Guard was briefly introduced, but she hasn't got in touch with them so far at the palace. I'm curious how that'll happen.

At the moment Mare is very preoccupied with thoughts about her family who she can't go home to. It's absolutely understandable, I feel for her. She also has to learn how to play her role at the court because if she messes it up, her life will be in danger. There is real peril here, that's why this fantasy adventure is so thrilling so far.
 

A character I like: Cal. He's swoon-worthy. He seems to be a good person and probably hates his situation as much as Mare hates hers. Match made in heaven (?)

A character I love to hate: Queen Elara. Boy, I've got some Cersei vibes here. Bring it on, evil queens are the best.

A character I want to see more of: Kilorn. Okay... do I really want a love triangle here? No. Do I want him to be saved from the horrors of the war and be around Mare? Yes. I guess you see my dilemma here.


And finally... Last Friday when I featured Red Queen in my Book Beginnings post some of you wanted to know what happens on First Friday (yes, I didn't forget :). I promised I will let you know in this update post because it's not really a spoiler... So here we go, brace yourselves!

"We get to the foot of the hill, where the crowd is thicker, pushing and prodding on all sides. First Friday attendance is mandatory, unless you are like my sister, an "essential loborer"."

"Inside the open-topped arena is just as hot as out, and Kilorn, always on his toes, leads me to some shade. We don't get seats here, just long, concrete benches, but the few silver nobles up above enjoy cool, comfortable boxes."

"Kilorn and I don't really see eye to eye on the Feats of First Friday. For me, watching two champions rip into each other is not enjoyable, but Kilorn loves it. Let them ruin each other, he says. They are not our people.

He doesn't understand what the Feats are about. This isn't mindless entertainment, meant to give us some respite from grueling work. This is calculated, cold, a message. Only Silvers can fight in the arenas because only Silvers can survive the arena."

So what happens on First Friday is a display of Silver power in order to remind the Reds who is the boss. Ouch.

Goodreads | Amazon

I hope you enjoyed this update post. Have you read Red Queen? Are you planning to? 

Happy reading!

9 Apr 2018

Book Blitz - Death Island by Kelsey Ketch


Title: Death Island

Author: Kelsey Ketch

Genre: NA Historical Fantasy

Release Date: December 31st, 2017

Synopsis:

Her family name tainted by her great-grandfather’s crimes of piracy, Meriden Cummings is far from the typical 18th century woman. A social outcast, she works in a carpentry shop in a small village, where the people barely tolerate unconventional behavior.

However, her life takes a turn after a gang of pirates attack her village and her blood reveals an ancient map adorned with Mayan glyphs leading to Death Island. An island legends say is ruled by the Mayan god of the underworld, Ah Puch. Her great-grandfather had sought after the island before he vanished without a trace. Now, Meriden is about to journey across the sea to understand her family history.

There are only a few problems: her growing feelings toward a mysterious stranger linked to her great-grandfather’s past; a greedy band of pirates after her great-grandfather’s legendary treasure; and a contract she has unwittingly signed in blood with Ah Puch himself.

***Excerpt***
I paced the deck with the few men that stayed behind on watch. It was growing late, and Captain Connell’s curfew was quickly approaching. Soon all the crew would return to the ship, stumbling drunk and fucked out of their minds, but calmer than they had been for a while. Some reason, my body twitched in excitement. I’d been anxious since Meriden left with the last group. There was a knot in my gut the moment she stepped off the dock, and the feeling hadn’t gone away since. 

I causally walked to the starboard bulwark, catching sight of the harbormaster’s window. The candle still burned as it had been long before night fall. Odd, I thought. The knot in my stomach twisted even tighter. I haven’t seen the harbormaster work his books this late into the night. I leaned against the gunwale and squinted a little, trying to focus my vision. The candle was nearly spent, and underneath the dripping wax laid what possibly could be a hand, but it was too far to tell. As I eased back, my gut squirmed like a bunch of worm snakes. I needed to be sure all was well, for Meriden’s safety and the rest of the crew. 

Neglecting to ask Swan’s permission, I slipped down the main deck, across the gangway, and headed straight for the harbormaster’s office. The street was as quiet as the grave when I reached the door. I raised my hand to knock, only for the door to push open on the first tap to the solid oak. I swallowed the lump that crammed its way into my throat. This wasn’t good. I drew my working knife and stepped inside. 

“Hello,” I called. “Anyone still here?” 

It felt stupid walking into the dark hallway without knowing if I might end up dead or accused of theft, but my gut told me to keep pushing forward. I turned right into the room with the burning candle still flickering inside. The office was clean and uncluttered except for the few stacks of paper on the desk. On top of which laid the harbormaster, as if he merely fallen asleep in his desk chair. My eyes refocused again at his outstretched arm. A trail of hot, liquid wax ran across the flesh of the harbormaster’s hand, which didn’t even stir the man awake. My heart pounded with adrenaline, and I pushed the man up by the shoulder. 

A maroon-colored pool poured onto his books from what looked like a dagger wound to the harbormaster’s shoulder. A serious wound, but not one that should have killed. It was the discoloration of the man’s skin and the vomit around the mouth that gave me a better idea what had brought on the man’s demise. I’d seen the signs many times before from men who died in blackish waters as well as a few victims that died at Baker’s hand. 

Snake venom.
 
About the author:


Kelsey Ketch is a young-adult/new-adult author, who works as a Wildlife Biologist in the state of North Carolina. During her free time, she can often be found working on her latest work in progress or organizing the New Adult Scavenger Hunt, a biannual blog hop. She also enjoys history, mythology, traveling, and reading.

For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.
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Book Blitz Organized by:  YA Bound Book Tours


You guys already know about my sailing/pirate book obsession that I've developed lately. Death Island is on my radar at the moment it looks super interesting.