Book Review: Wicked Magic

 

Earlier this month I read an ARC (advanced reader copy) of Wicked Magic (A touch of Darkness, book 1) , written by Candace Osmond and Rebecca Hamilton.

Every Wicked Born must accept whatever fate the Sorting Ceremony grants them…

Being the Daughter of a Light High Priestess means Lydia Laveau has one fate: the life of a light witch. But when her ceremony chooses her for the Dark Faction—something deemed impossible—her world crashes down around her.

Soon, Lydia finds herself wrapped up in a clandestine whirlwind of blackmail, illegal magic, and betrayal. She has one goal: keep her head down, get through her five year pledge at the school for dark witches, and return to the human world she calls home.

But when she meets Anson Abernathy, a drop dead gorgeous third year Wicked Born accused of murder, she finds herself drawn to him…and all the danger that comes with their attraction.

Can Lydia survive her five-year pledge without unraveling centuries of tradition? Or will her own secrets unlock answers that threaten her very existence

I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into this novel. Being a fan of witches, magick, books like Harry Potter, I knew I would love this book from the start. It did not let me down! It was so good, that when I finished the roller coaster ride I would have lit a cigarette if I smoked. 😉

Lydia is certain of her life and its path. Turn eighteen, have her sorting ceremony, attend Arcane Academy and then get back to the human world and be a reporter with her best friend. But her life and her plans make a drastic turn when she is sorted into the Dark Faction, instead of the Light.

She is thrown into a world where she can’t trust anyone, aside from the small few who befriend her. But even when it comes to them she can’t know who to fully trust. Her fellow students dislike her, as she’s not ‘one of them’. On top of that she falls for Anson, who allegedly murdered another student, and the Dark Dean is pressuring her into an event she wants nothing to do with. Lydia is trying to find her place, get through her five years, but it’s hard when she’s being black mailed over a secret she can’t risk getting out.

Wicked Magic flows so well, is full of twists and surprises, and kept me wanting more. I needed to know the answers: who could Lydia trust, what was Anson really capable of and what are the Dark Dean’s real motives.

I can’t wait for book two, and to see what fate has in store for Lydia.

 

 

Early Review: The Blackened Soul by Candace Osmond

OMG!!!!

Yes. Just yes.

I can honestly say that the third installment in the Darktides series is just as wonderfully well written as the first two. Like the others, there is something always happening, the characters develop  more as the series goes on and the story line keeps you on your toes! And wanna know one of my favorite things?

The books are consistent! That is so huge in a series! I have read books where the author has gone way off base with the plot/characters/etc… But Candace has written these in such a way that I feel like I am just reading one big book, not three.

Book Blurb:

 Dianna’s in over her head.

The Queen is her ship now. Hers to sail with a crew to keep safe as they voyage across the Atlantic to stop Maria’s evil plan of killing her mother. The stress of responsibility, her pregnancy, and helping Henry deal with his PTSD has become a nightmare from which she has nowhere to run. Henry is suffering, refusing to let her in, and Dianna is worried that their love won’t survive the tumultuous journey ahead.

Just when she thinks all hope is lost, a massive storm hits and threatens to sink The Queen. By some miracle of fate, Dianna survives and finds herself alone, stranded on an island to fend for herself. But she soon discovers that the isle may not be as deserted as she thought.

Can she charm her way to safety and find her crew? Or will she be forced to stay on the island forever? 

Dianna certainly has a lot on her plate. She is pregnant, learning how to be captain on her ship, The Queen, and  trying to help Henry, who is dealing with an inner darkness/PTSD. On top of that, she is trying to get to England and save her mother from her evil half sister, Maria.

Things are hard enough for her and she certainly doesn’t have it easy. During a massive storm, she is washed overboard. She survives but finds herself stranded on an island, alone and worried about the fate of Henry and her crew.

But the island is not as deserted as she thinks.

Enter Benjamin Cook. A pirate on his brother’s ship, The Black Soul. He takes her aboard the ship, and finds herself yet again trying to befriend its crew and trying to escape with her life. She learns some terrifying truths about the ship: it and the crew are cursed. Thanks to the greedy Captain Cook who stole a siren heart, his crew and ship are tethered to the island- and have been for a hundred years.

She faces horrid weather, evil pirates, magic, breaking a curse, a siren and even a Kraken. But she does it and survives it all with friends new and old at her side.

The title of the book works in a few ways, and I really like that. For starters, the first thing I thought of was Henry. He is having a really hard time with what happened on Kelly’s Island and what Maria had done to him. He has night terrors and has  attacked Dianna. The guilt makes him retreat further into his darkness.

Then there is the new ship, The Black Soul. Very fitting seeing as how it a) looks like it is charred and b) Captain Cook is insane. His soul is tainted from greed and evil.

I am very excited for the fourth and final book in the series, A Siren’s Call. I am anxious to see how Dianna’s story is going to play out and how everything will tie up. Will she save her mom? Will she kill her sister or grant her mercy? What about the siren who she owes a favor? And what of Benjamin? Did the curse really break and will she see him again? So many questions! Oh yes, I am very anxious already for this book!

The Blackened Soul is available on June 25th. However you can pre-order The Blackened Soul on Amazon as well as pick up the first two books if you haven’t already!

 

 

Book Review: The Devil’s Heart by Candace Osmond

Hey everyone!

I am back from an awesome trip away. I came home feeling refreshed and inspired. For the next few weeks I will be writing about Toronto Comic Con, posting author interviews and more! 🙂

So, when I was packing for my trip, I decided to take my e-reader. I didn’t expect I would have a chance to do any reading, but I took it just in case. It was good thing I did, as I missed my second flight to Toronto, and had a three hour wait in Halifax.

So I took out my Kobo and started reading a book I was anxious to start. The Devil’s Heart by Candace Osmond. Book one in the Dark Tides series.

When Dianna Cobham accidentally breaks an enchanted ship-in-a-bottle she’s washed away to 1707 Newfoundland and taken prisoner aboard a pirate ship captained by the infamous Devil Eyed Barrett. Dianna fights to survive by proving herself indispensable to the crew, all the while forging a secret plan to get back home.

But when Dianna learns of the Devil’s vengeful mission to seek and kill her ancestors, her hopes for returning to the future transform into an elaborate plot to save her lineage. Can she charm the Devil’s heart and change his mind before it’s too late? Or will she sacrifice herself to save the man hidden underneath it all?

The book blurb sounded yummy and right up my alley!

Part of the appeal for me was the setting. I’m an East Coaster and my dad was from Newfoundland. It is a stunning place. I also love the ocean and the sea, and I was looking forward to diving into this book! I wasn’t far into it when I was thinking “Thank God there is going to be another book.” I was loving it and wanted more.

Candace is a fantastic writer and story teller. Her style of writing is beautiful. I eagerly devoured each line. During my stay in Toronto (to see Mr. C)  I finished this book. For the first time I was thankful he likes to read his Facebook feed at night and in the morning. I felt guilt free grabbing my Kobo. 😉

This story had so much to offer. An adventure, mystery, romance, pirates, characters with layers, magic and time travel. What a yummy combination!

I loved Dianna, the heroine in the story. She was believable in her actions with finding herself thrust in the past. She also didn’t let the men of the 1700’s treat her like women were treated at the time. The crew learned to trust and love her. I especially loved Captain Devil Eyed Barrett. There was much more to him than meets the eye. I don’t want to spoil the fun, so I will just say that the more I learned about him, the more I loved him. The supporting characters were also well written and developed. I especially loved Finn, a burly Scotsman.  He was loyal to the Captain, and became like a big brother to Dianna.

The big baddie in the story was a villainess. It was so refreshing to read a novel that had a female playing the bad guy. She was a pirate who was bad for the fun of it. She took what she wanted and didn’t look back.

The story flowed well and as a whole I thought it was excellent. It ended on a cliffhanger, so thankfully book two The Pirate Queen will be out next month! I am hitting Amazon soon to pre-order. I can’t wait to read more of their journey and see where their adventure takes Dianna and the mysterious pirate.

I will be doing an interview with Candace soon, so be sure to keep your eyes out for that! I can’t wait to chat to her as a writer and as a fan of her work! 😀

 

Rambles about King Arthur Legend of the sword

I did something last week that I have never done before- went to the same movie at the theater twice.

It isn’t often that I get to go to the movies. The cost of a night out adds up pretty quickly. So to see the same movie days apart is just something I don’t do. Until now, that is.

Mr. C is away working, and I knew he would be gone when Charlie Hunnam’s new flick ‘King Arthur Legend of the Sword’ was released. I asked one of my best friends well in advance if she would be my date for it.

I had heard that the critics were not happy with it, but I have long ago learned that you can’t listen to someone’s opinion when it comes to movies and tv. One must simply see it for themselves. 😉

About halfway through the movie I wondered why the hell would there be so many bad reviews of it. I get that it opened at a time where other big movies were coming out. All the nerds were in line for the new ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ movie. ( And yes, I am seeing it as soon as Mr. C comes home). I talked to my friend Jo-Anne over at Inspiration Pie about the movie afterwards and she agreed with me; she had loved it too. We chatted about it for ages one night on our little writing getaway…but more on that another day.

I loved the take on King Arthur, and Charlie Hunnam did a fantastic job in the role. Many of his fans know him from Sons of Anarchy as Jax Teller. Not once did I think about that role. He took on Arthur and made this role his own. Not only did he nail it, Jude Law and Eric Bana also did a terrific job in their roles as well.

The music was phenomenal. I’m a sucker for any type of Celtic music, and each piece suited the scene it was played in. The scenery and cinematography were  amazing. I felt as if I were there in that world.

I felt the fantasy aspect of it, with humans controlling magic as well as the sword having it’s own powers. Bit of a spoiler: I think one of my favorite parts was when Excalibur took over Arthur. The Mage is someone I want to see again if this movie gets a sequel. She was one of the few female characters and not a love interest, thank God. I wasn’t there to watch a romance, even though I love them. For me, this was all about Arthur, his rise to becoming king and his friends who had his back.

I know that anything in life, especially movies, can not please one hundred percent of the people one hundred percent of the time. I loved it so much that two days later I asked another best friend to go see it with me, and we did a few days later. I think I loved it more the second time.

I really hope that Guy Richie continues with these movies. Even just one more would be great. I want to see the Round Table finished with its seats filled; to see Merlin and to see what evil comes at him next. If you see it, I hope you get lost in its tale like I did.

Have you seen this yet? What were your thoughts?

 

From The Book Pile: The Seventh Crow

Nothing says I am back in the book realm like staying up until 2 a.m reading a book. I am back in my reading groove and it is thanks to this novel by Sherry D. Ramsey, which is published by Dreaming Robot Press.

This YA novel is great for tweens and adults.

 

I bought this book about a year and a half ago when it first came out. I was very excited to get it and start reading it. But thanks to my reading slump, it never happened until this past week. (Tsk tsk, I know).

Tuesday night I stayed up until 2 a.m, because like any bookworm knows, it is hard to put a good book down. The following day after work, I ate supper and sat down to finish it. I suffered through heavy lids (gee, I wonder why I was so tired 😉 ) in order to finish it because I JUST HAD TOO.

This is a blurb about The Seventh Crow:

When you can’t remember most of your life, you’d better be prepared for anything. The day a talking crow meets her on the way home from school, fourteen-year-old Rosinda is plunged into a forgotten world filled with startling revelations: magic ability flows in her veins, she’s most comfortable with a sword in her hand, and the responsibility for finding a missing prince rests solely with her.

While dark forces hover in the background and four forgotten war gods from Earth’s past plot to reclaim long-lost power, Rosinda struggles with waves of slowly-returning memories as she searches for clues about her past and the true identity of her family; a search that takes her back and forth between two worlds. In a race against time to recover her memory, find the prince, and rescue her loved ones, Rosinda has only her friend Jerrell and an unusual trio of animals as companions. And as the gods prepare to bring her world to war, Rosinda is unaware that the shadow of betrayal lurks within one whom she trusts the most…

If you are a person who loves magic, quests, adventure, secrets, kick ass girls, talking animals, fantasy, then this novel is for you! Seriously, get it now. I fell in love with the characters and I hope that someday there will be a sequel.

After finishing it, I mulled it over for sometime. Thinking of what Rosinda would do next, wondering what her companions would be like were they to stay by her side. I spent the rest of the evening thinking about this and other things. The story stuck with me.

One aspect I loved was that the story line was fast paced. I love fantasy but often the books I pick out drag on. I stay with them because between all the pages of scenery description there are wonderful fun moments. With The Seventh Crow, I wasn’t bored.  It is just the perfect kind of fantasy for me to read.

As much as I love a good plot, I am very character driven. These characters were all unique in their own way, and all played a part. I especially loved Rosinda. If you read this novel, you will too. Trust me.

 

Book Review: The Murder Prophet

Back Cover: Kit Stablefield is a detective with a secret and a crush on a guy she knows only online, in a future where magic is a part of everyday life. But when millionaire Aleshu Coro walks into the offices of Darcko and Sadatake with a message from the Murder Prophet and fourteen days to live, everything changes.

Suddenly Kit is questioning the decisions of her past, trying to find out if the man she loves is, in fact, a man, and hunting for a murderer and a mysterious seer. With her eighty-six-year-old grandmother insisting on helping out, and a sentient goose who simply won’t stop pestering her to watch his “killer” video game moves, Kit has more than her hands full as she races against the clock to prevent Coro’s murder…and possibly her own.

My rating: 5 out of 5

My Review: I am a HUGE fan of Sherry D. Ramsey, and not just because I happen to know her in real life. I have read quite a few of her stories, including her break out novel ‘One’s Aspect To The Sun.’ And even though some of her stories aren’t typically in the genre I read, she never fails at capturing my attention and drawing me deep into the world she has created.

If you love science fiction and fantasy, then this book is for you! It has an intriguing story line with strong and interesting characters.

This novel has so much that I loved. I was hooked right at the beginning when we met Trip, a talking goose who is addicted to video games (and happens to have KILLER ninja moves). Then there is the mysterious man who goes by LemurCandy, an AI with some pep, a group of co-workers who are all very different but manage to work well together, magic, and a mystery when a millionaire has his life threatened.

‘The Murder Prophet’ is full of twists, suspense and secrets, and I was engrossed in the story. The only reason why I hadn’t finished this quicker is because life got in the way. (It has an unfortunate way of doing that sometimes, doesn’t it?)

This was a great read overall. I am really looking forward to the next book and finding out what adventures Kit Stablefield goes on next!

I really wish I could convey just how much I loved this story. With being home sick, I’m not functioning at high capacity. 😉 So if you really want to see for yourself how good it is, go grab yourself a copy and dive in! 🙂

Oh, and as for my Goodreads challenge of reading thirty books this year, I’m on track and this makes five books finished. How many books have you read so far this year?