Suburbia is a jungle, filled with lots of vicious creatures.
Take the Paradise Heights Women’s League board. Lyssa Harper should have warned golden-haired DILF du jour Harry Wilder what he was getting into when she invited him to meet the mommies who run their suburban, gated community. At least he brought cupcakes. Since meeting the former Master-of-the-Universe turned stay-at-home single dad, Lyssa has been his domestic Sherpa, teaching him the ins and outs of suburban life. She just didn’t realize her friends would show up at his house unannounced with casseroles, leopard-print bikini briefs, and plans to rearrange his kitchen cabinets.
The truth is, if Harry and his wife, the neighborhood’s "perfect couple," can call it quits, what does that mean for everyone else? Lyssa’s husband, Ted, is a great father, but he pays her Pilates-pumped momtourage more attention than he does his own wife. Her friends gossip about the neighbors while ignoring their own problems: infertility, infidelity, and eating disorders.
When Harry sets boundaries with his new fan club, he is exiled from the neighborhood’s in-clique. But Lyssa refuses to snub him. What she never expects is the explosive impact her ongoing friendship with Harry will have on her close-knit pals—and on her marriage.
My Thoughts - This was an extremely quick read. I have nothing in common with these stay at home moms, they are rich as I am not. They are mean and catty and I hope I am not. This was an interesting book. My husband once told me nothing is as it appears and that came to mind when I was reading this. You think they have perfect lives in the beginning but quickly realize they do not. This is perfect for those who like Desperate Housewives.
Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.
What does forgiveness mean to you? Do you fully comprehend the power you can unleash by choosing to let go of a past hurt? Is it possible to forgive your worse enemy for a hurtful wrong done to you?
These are the questions posed in Andy Andrew’s book The Heart Mender. The story is based on actual events that took place over fifty years ago and were discovered accidentally by the author.
While excavating a stump from his Gulf of Mexico island home, Andrews found a can containing buttons from a Nazi navy uniform, a ring that had obvious German connections and several mysterious photos. Unable to find the genesis of the items, the author begins to question long time residents of the community for answers. He discovers a story that proves the power of forgiveness.
In 1942, Helen was a widow living and working in a small town along the Gulf of Mexico. Embittered by a difficult childhood and the loss of her husband who was killed in a German air raid while training RAF pilots in England, Helen cannot see beyond her own pain. When she finds a wounded German U-boat sailor lying on the beach near her home, her first inclination is to leave him to die—or beat him to death herself.
But somehow she finds it in her heart to reluctantly drag him to her cottage, where for the next few weeks, she allows Josef to recover from his injuries. Over time, he shares with Helen his own story of loss and heartbreak, and together they come to a place of forgiveness that frees them both to discover what joys lie ahead.
But what happens next challenges Helen and Josef in ways neither of them could ever imagine.
Andrews’ writing is easy and appealing, and the story he found quite by mistake makes for an amazing book. He treats his characters with a gentle respect and engages the reader in his own tale of discovery.
The Heart Mender is published by Thomas Nelson and is available at most bookstores.
Tawdra Kandle is stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of four children who range in age from 9 years to 21 years. She and her husband of over 22 years live in central Florida, where he is in seminary. Tawdra spends most of her precious free time writing and reading, and she loves to travel. She is also a resident writer for Taking Time for Mommy. View more of her Articles HERE. You can also follow Tawdra on twitter and her blog, Publishing Quest
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Giveaway will end July 4th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S and Canada 18+
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Margaret and Patrick have been married just a few months when they set off on what they hope will be a great adventure-a year living in Kenya. Margaret quickly realizes there is a great deal she doesn't know about the complex mores of her new home, and about her own husband.
A British couple invites the newlyweds to join on a climbing expedition to Mount Kenya, and they eagerly agree. But during their harrowing ascent, a horrific accident occurs. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Margaret struggles to understand what happened on the mountain and how these events have transformed her and her marriage, perhaps forever.
A Change in Altitude illuminates the inner landscape of a couple, the irrevocable impact of tragedy, and the elusive nature of forgiveness. With stunning language and striking emotional intensity, Anita Shreve transports us to the exotic panoramas of Africa and into the core of our most intimate relationships.
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Giveaway will end June 27th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S and Canada. 18+ Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.
What do a 20th century light healer, a would- be debutante teen and a wandering gypsy have in common? A story of human brotherhood released only through the colliding dogmas surrounding their shared tragedy from long ago. Lark Jennison is a free thinker and imagines she has wings! Set in the 1970's in a small southern town laced with folk mysticism, faith healings and the evangelistic zeal of the era, Swimming with Wings is her coming of age story.
Orphaned, seventeen-year-old Lark and her brother are the last generation of the illustrious Jennison lumber family, and her uncanny ability to read a person, along with her eccentric creativity, shine a spotlight of scrutiny upon her. When she falls for Peter Roma, a "river gypsy," she finds in him an equal, but is soon disturbingly set on a collision course with his fanaticism. The drowning accident that had killed their fathers remains a mystery, a harbinger of ill feelings between the Romas and the Jennisons. Is Peter Roma, a scammer, a real gypsy or Lark's personal savior?
His grandfather had been a mystical light healer and heralded the rising tide of a new age; however, Peter's "being saved" interpretation of this leads him into a cult and a world of corruption.
In the end the question becomes who will save who? Lee Libro's writing style is southern lit with a modern twist and has been compared to that of Alice Hoffman. In Swimming with Wings the mystique of Practical Magic meets the human angst of Flannery O'Connor. Readers will enjoy an arresting blend of literary fiction, mystery and romance and ultimately a story about searching for direction, the hidden influences of ancestral roots and the forces that shape belief.
My Thoughts - Have you ever read a book that when it ended you said wow... I need to tell everyone about this? This is that book for me. This book was unique. Lark is a peculiar girl, I had to know about her, what made her tick. Libro paints such amazing picture in your head, you ARE THERE. I found out later that she is actually a painter. This was an in depth thought provoking book. My favorite part is how she handles spirituality, it neither bogs you down nor offends. Beautifully written and this is one for a book club!
Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.
From Amazon - After enduring torture and the loss of loved ones during the brief but deadly Faery War, Sookie Stackhouse is hurt and she's angry. Just about the only bright spot in her life is the love she thinks she feels for vampire Eric Northman. But he's under scrutiny by the new Vampire King because of their relationship. And as the political implications of the Shifters coming out are beginning to be felt, Sookie's connection to the Shreveport pack draws her into the debate. Worst of all, though the door to Faery has been closed, there are still some Fae on the human side-and one of them is angry at Sookie. Very, very angry...
Here is the promo for Season 3 of Trueblood - The series that is based on the books.The
t.v. series is a lot darker than the books IMO I wouldn't watch this with your little ones around
My Thoughts - Oh I LOVE the Sookie Stackhouse books. I devour them very quickly although this one left me slightly disappointed. I didn't hate it and I'm glad I read it BUT compared to her other books I believe it could have been so much better.
She spent so much time trying to catch the reader up on the previous books it was quite aggravating. This book is the 10th book and would never be considered a stand alone book so why catch everyone up? Expect that they read the 1st 9. A little catching up is fine but I felt like it was a hundred pages of the book.
I did enjoy the Alexei story line, very cleaver and I was a little happy for Bill... I guess. The subplots were good once she got on with the story but as much as I love Eric, he lost a couple points in my mind. Still love him but he I just hated to see him the way he was in this book. I'm looking forward to the next segment of the series!
Love all things Swedish like Eric? I added my Swedish Meatball recipe on my
Forty seven year old Marge Christensen finds her husband, Gene, dead in their garage, slumped over the steering wheel of his still running BMW. The police rule the death a suicide. Marge does not believe Gene killed himself. Although likely suspects for murder and fraud do not abound in the suburban community of Bellevue, Washington, with perseverance and basic sleuthing, Marge discovers the truth in spite of the doubts and cautions from the police, her two adult children, and hovering and obsessively attentive neighbors.
On a quiet spring afternoon, Marge Christensen discovers a body buried in a park in suburban Seattle. She has no intention of getting involved, until her friend's husband is arrested for the crime. With perseverance and a disregard for her own safety, Marge discovers what really happened
My Thoughts - Looking at the covers and reading the titles I genuinely didn't think I was going to like these at all. I didn't think I could identify with the main character who is forty seven woman because I'm a bit younger. BUT These books are VERY well written and I couldn't help but be sucked in and I enjoyed both! Wonderful curl up on the couch and get away kind of books!
Patricia Batta is kind enough to allow me to give two winners a copy of each book!
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Giveaway will end June 20th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.
Sixteen- year - old runaway Reagan has always wanted a place to belong. She's never had a real home of her own, but maybe she can borrow someone else's. At least for a little while...
At the nursing home where Reagan works, Miss Beverly Truman's fond memories of Harmony, Texas, seem to fill an empty space inside the girl. After Miss Beverly passes away, Regan travels to Harmony, pretending to be the woman's granddaughter, and is taken into the home of Beverly's surviving brother.
Still, Reagan is afraid to trust the gruff kindness show to her by Jeremiah Truman and the warm friendship offered by another teenager named Noah, who dreams of being a rodeo star. She keeps her distance from Noah's sister, Alex McAllen, who's the town sheriff and busy with her own stormy relationship with the volunteer fire chief Hank Matheson.
But when prairie fires threaten Harmony, Reagan learns the true meaning of family, friends, and home...
My Thoughts - This is the first in an Trilogy of a small town’s founding three families (the McAllen, Matheson and The Truman’s) This book has a great story along with great subplots as well. I became emotionally attached to the characters and I feel this book really embraces small town life. I HIGHLY recommend it!
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Jodi Thomas and Berkley publishing group and allowing me to giveaway a copy of this wonderful book.
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Giveaway will end June 13th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only. No Po Boxes
Disclaimer - I received this book for my honest opinion, no other compensation was received.
Every Boat Turns South is the story of Matt Younger, a 30-year-old boat delivery captain, who returns to Florida from the Dominican Republic to make a confession to his dying father.
With two companions, a cook named Jesse, and Phillip, a French mechanic, Matt tells his father how he set off from West Palm Beach on board Stardust, a 40' trimaran that will be tested as much as the crew. Matt Younger reveals how, instead of sailing Stardust in one outside shot to St. Thomas, he drifts through the Bahamas, arriving in the Turks & Caicos, just as the Trade Winds switch against him. There, in Cockburn Harbor, Matt's brush with a drug pilot will take him off course to the Dominican Republic where the dreams that enchant these three sailors are paid for in lust, betrayal, and violence.
When Matt meets Rosario, a sensuous Dominican woman, he believes she can help him outdistance his guilt over his role in the premature death of his brother who was the father's favorite son, yet Rosario has her own dream of escape which she must negotiate just as Matt presses her to leave with him for St. Thomas.
Every Boat Turns South is, in part, a meditation on dying, on love and forgiveness as well as an adventure odyssey of the wayward flesh and the returning spirit, and on how one re-invents and denies the past in order to redeem the present.
My Thoughts - I was a giddy girl when I started reading this book. I love boating and
part of this story takes place in my stomping grounds here in Florida.
This book is beautifully written and full of action. The main character Matt is the kind of guy trouble seems to find. Actually, all of the characters are well rounded and well written. I don't want to give any thing away but I will say this is a book I will read over and over again.
In Amy Sohn’s smart, sexy, satirical peek into the bedrooms and hearts of Prospect Park West, the lives of for women come together during one long, hot Brooklyn summer. Frustrated Oscar-winning actress Melora Leigh eager to relieve the pressures of raising her adopted toddler, feels the seductive pull of kleptomania; Rebecca Rose, missing her formerly robust sex life, begins a dangerous flirtation with handsome neighborhood celebrity Lizzi O’Donnell, former lesbian (or "hasbian"), wonders what draws her to women despite her sexy husband and adorable baby; and Karen Bryan Shapiro consumes herself with a powerful obsession—snagging the ultimate three-bedroom apartment in a well-maintained, P.S. 321–zoned co-op building. As the women’s paths intertwined (an sometimes collide), each must struggle to keep her man, her sanity . . and her playdates.
My Thoughts - I found myself laughing entirely too much, even at times I shouldn't have.
It reminded me of Desperate Housewives. This is another one great for the beach and there is plenty to talk about. Great Book Club Pick. They even offer a Reader's Guide HERE
Disclosure - A product was given for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given
Rachel Watkins has her hands full. Her mother had been the town midwife, but after her daughter Alice died under her care, she refused to assist in a childbirth ever again. Since then Rachel has assumed the work. She also takes care of Alice's six-year old, Charlotte, because the child's father was lost in World War I. But Rachel's principal job is running the boardinghouse that is the family's main source of income. One day, Charlotte befriends a stranger ill with influenza, a man who has taken refuge in an old cabin in the woods nearby. Although badly scarred by wounds suffered in the War, he is strong and slowly recovers. When he gradually takes on odd jobs around the house, Rachel accepts his help. She is drawn to him despite his disfigurement, and his voice is comforting, vaguely familiar...
About Author
Dorothy Garlock is the author of over 50 novels that have sold over 15 million copies and are published in 15 languages. She lives in Iowa.
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Giveaway will end May 30th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only. No Po Boxes Disclosure - A product was given for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given
Battling his own personal demons, Police Chief Jonah Westfall knows the dark side of life and has committed himself to eradicating it. When a pair of raccoons are found mutilated in Redford, Colorado, Jonah investigates the gruesome act, knowing the strange event could escalate and destroy the tranquility of his small mountain town. With a rising drug threat and never-ending conflict with Tia Manning, a formidable childhood friend with whom he has more than a passing history, Jonah fights for answers—and his fragile sobriety.
But he can’t penetrate every wound or secret—especially one fueled by a love and guilt teetering on madness.
From best-selling author Kristen Heitzmann comes a spellbinding tale of severed connections and the consequences of life lived alone.
My Thoughts - I can't believe I haven't read any of Kristen's books yet. Her characters are memorable and rich. It does start off a little slow. (DO NOT put it down!) It will pick up then you won't be able to put down! This was thought provoking and
full of unexpected twists and turns. You will want to know the whos and whys of this suspenseful book.
I recommend it for sure.
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Giveaway will end May 30th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only. No Po Boxes
Early one summer morning, Matthew Bishop kisses his still-sleeping wife Marissa, gets dressed and eases his truck through Milwaukee, bound for the highway. His wife, pregnant with their first child, has asked him to find the antique cradle taken years before by her mother Caroline when she abandoned Marissa, never to contact her daughter again. Soon to be a mother herself, Marissa now dreams of nothing else but bringing her baby home to the cradle she herself slept in. His wife does not know-does not want to know-where her mother lives, but Matt has an address for Caroline's sister near by and with any luck, he will be home in time for dinner.
Only as Matt tries to track down his wife's mother, he discovers that Caroline, upon leaving Marissa, has led a life increasingly plagued by impulse and irrationality, a mysterious life that grows more inexplicable with each new lead Matt gains, and door he enters. As hours turn into days and Caroline's trail takes Matt from Wisconsin to Minnesota, Illinois, and beyond in search of the cradle, Matt makes a discovery that will forever change Marissa's life, and faces a decision that will challenge everything he has ever known.
Elegant and astonishing, Patrick Somerville tells the story of one man's journey into the heart of marriage, parenthood, and what it means to be a family. Confirming the arrival of an exuberantly talented new writer, THE CRADLE is an uniquely imaginative debut novel that radiates with wisdom and wonder.
My thoughts - I was surprised when I was reading the story that it is in fact two stories. They were so far apart that I wasn't sure how they were going to be brought together. This is a short, rather quick read, but Somerville packs a lot into it. I would definitely recommend this. Perfect book club read.
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Giveaway will end May 16th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only. No Po Boxes
Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion, no other compensation.
Tragedy hits the Allenhouse family on a hot summer night in Ohio when a mother of four vanished. Eight-year-old Vada virtually grew up overnight and raised her three younger sisters while her father lost himself in his medical practice in the basement of their home.
Now, Vada is a grown woman, still making her home with her father and sisters. Her days are spent serving as an errand girl for Cleveland’s fledgling amateur orchestra; her evenings with Garrison Walker, her devoted, if passionless, beau.
Dizzying change occurs the day the Brooklyn Bridegrooms come to town to play the Cleveland Spiders and a line drive wallops the head of a spectator. The fan is whisked to the Allenhouse parlor, and questions swirl about the anonymous, unconscious man.
Suddenly, the subdued house is filled with visitors, from a flirtatious, would-be sports writer to the Bridegrooms’ handsome star hitter to the guilt-ridden ballplayer who should have caught the stray shot. The medical case brings Dr. Allenhouse a frustration and helplessness he hasn’t felt since his wife’s disappearance. Vada’s sisters are giddy at the bevy of possible suitors. And Vada’s life is awakened amid the super-charged atmosphere of romantic opportunity.
My thoughts - When I first saw the cover I thought the women were all looking for grooms but the BrideGrooms is the name of the baseball team that comes to town. Each woman has her own story with the potential suitors from the team. Very well written story and I was able to connect with the characters.
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Giveaway will end May 9th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only. No Po Boxes Disclosure - This product was given for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for my honest opinion, no other compensation.
When Jacob left home for a new life, he pretty much forgot all about Maryfield, North Carolina. But Maryfield never forgot him. Or forgave him.
After a failed business venture in Boston, Jacob Logan comes back to the small Southern town of his childhood and takes up residence in the isolated house he grew up in. Here, the air is still. The nights are black. And his parents are buried close by. It should feel like home—but something is terribly wrong.
Jacob loses all his belongings in a highway accident. His car is stolen from his driveway, yet he never hears a sound. The townspeople seem guarded and suspicious. And Carl, the property caretaker with so many secrets, is unnervingly accommodating. Then there are the fireflies that light the night skies . . . and die as they come near Jacob’s home. If it weren’t for the creaking sounds after dark, or the feeling that he is being watched, Jacob would feel so alone. He shouldn’t worry. He’s not.
And whatever’s with him isn’t going to let him leave home ever again.
My Thoughts - I haven't read a book quite like this in ages. I absolutely loved it!
This psychological thriller reminded me of Stephen King with out all of the bad language (although there is a little). I literally could not put this book down. I had to know why the fireflies stayed off of the property. Dansky's Firefly Lane had a nice easy flow to it. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to read a fantastic book!!
Journey Back to Regency England -- Land of the Undead!
Readers will witness the birth of a heroine in Dawn of the Dreadfuls -- a thrilling prequel set four years before the horrific events of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. As our story opens, the Bennet sisters are enjoying a peaceful life in the English countryside. They idle away the days reading, gardening, and daydreaming about future husbands -- until a funeral at the local parish goes strangely and horribly awry.
Suddenly corpses are springing from the soft earth -- and only one family can stop them. As the bodies pile up, we watch Elizabeth Bennet evolve from a naive young teenager into a savage slayer of the undead. Along the way, two men vie for her affections: Master Hawksworth is the powerful warrior who trains her to kill, while thoughtful Dr. Keckilpenny seeks to conquer the walking dead using science instead of strength. Will either man win the prize of Elizabeth's heart? Complete with romance, action, comedy, and an army of shambling corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls will have Jane Austen rolling in her grave -- and just might inspire her to crawl out of it!
Book Trailer - This is a little gory so you may not want the little ones looking over your shoulder.After this Trailer, I'm ready for the Movie!
My Thoughts - This book was a lot of fun! I hadn't read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies but I will now. Something about adding the supernatural to a classic story is hilarious to me.
I loved this book so much I want to share it with one of my readers!
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Giveaway will end May 9th at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only. No Po Boxes
Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion, no other compensation.
"Admissions. Admission. Aren't there two sides to the word? And two opposing sides...It's what we let in, but it's also what we let out."
For years, 38-year-old Portia Nathan has avoided the past, hiding behind her busy (and sometimes punishing) career as a Princeton University admissions officer and her dependable domestic life. Her reluctance to confront the truth is suddenly overwhelmed by the resurfacing of a life-altering decision, and Portia is faced with an extraordinary test. Just as thousands of the nation's brightest students await her decision regarding their academic admission, so too must Portia decide whether to make her own ultimate admission.
Admission is at once a fascinating look at the complex college admissions process and an emotional examination of what happens when the secrets of the past return and shake a woman's life to its core.
Listen to an Interview by author Jean Janff Korelitz
My thoughts - There is a lot to say about this book and I strive to keep my reviews short because
most of my readers are busy moms. Let's start with what I wasn't too crazy about. Yes I know this book is about the college admission process but at times I felt it was bogged down with too much information I frankly couldn't care less about. Yes I know you need background information but it almost took away from
the story... almost. The story was good even with this. I loved when she started her romance with John Halsey and ended her long term passionless relationship with the professor. I think it was the shake up that Portia needed in her life. Poor Portia's life revolves around the admissions process, no one really cares about who she is, only what she does. This is a perfect book club book, like I said, so much to discuss!
If you decide to use this for your book club, here is the link to the reader's guide
Buy It!
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Valerie form Hatchett book group is kind enough to allow me to give away 3 copies to Mommy Reads too Much Readers! Just tell me you want it!
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Giveaway will end May 2nd at 11:59pm. The winners will be chosen by random.org and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to U.S. & Canadian residents 18+ only. No Po Boxes
Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion, no other compensation.
Interview with Author Kirsten Kelly, Author of Halith
WHAT MADE YOU START WRITING THIS TYPE OF FICTION? I grew up reading the classic fantasy and science fi ctions novels such as Lord of the Rings and The Dune series and while I enjoyed the character development, I was just so drawn to the worlds in which the characters lived. I wanted to create not just a story, but a whole world that the reader could be involved with throughout the book. WHY DID YOU MAKE THE LEAD CHARACTER, A WARRIOR, FEMALE? I never really thought about it in the beginning. I wasn’t trying to make some feminine statement with this book. I knew I wanted to write an epic adventure and that I wanted certain elements in the story. It wasn’t until I was watching a television documentary that touched on a mystery of ancient female warriors that Halíth was born. WHERE DID YOU GET THE INSPIRATION FOR SOME OF YOUR CHARACTERS? Some of the characters were developed little by little throughout my life. Certain aspects of my friends, acquaintances, co-workers, etc were the driving force behind some of the idiosyncrasies that I included in the main and supportive characters. Even people I met for a few minutes sometimes became a part of a character. SO THE PIZZA DELIVERY MAN MIGHT BECOME A DWARF? Exactly! A Dwarvish pizza man and an Elvish plumber! All kidding aside though, every day I really do get inspired by the real world and my immediate surroundings. BESIDES EVERYDAY INSPIRATION, HOW DID YOU CREATE THE WORLD OF AÉSSYRA? I wanted to go throughout history and fi nd interesting beliefs or groups of people that maybe time forgot, and add a little magic to them. For instances, the main evil of the book comes from a prophesy of the Haddu. What people may not realize is that the Haddu really was a mythological religious group who followed the god Haddad, or also called Ba’al, in ancient Syrian folklore THERE SEEMS TO BE SENSE OF LEAVING YOUR READER WANTING MORE AT THE END OF THE BOOK. WAS THAT HOW YOU INTENDED IT? Yes it is. I wanted to stay wholly in Halíth’s perspective, as if the reader were a comrade invited along for the adventure. I hope that, by the end, the reader truly empathizes with her, gets into her heart, and sees there is always hope and fun, even in the dimmest of times. I think this aspect is really some of the more powerful magic in the story. IF YOU HAD TO BRIEFLY DESCRIBE HALÍTH TO A READER, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO KNOW ABOUT THE BOOK? That karma fl ies faster than a 747? No, seriously, what I mean to say is that life, and what we experience---every trial, every passion---is age old, though perhaps dressed up in a different costume this time. Now we may not have the burden of such a grandiose destiny as our heroine, Halíth, but we all have one. This book is about how we embrace our individual destiny. It is about the human spirit. BESIDES EVERYDAY INSPIRATION, WHO INSPIRED YOUR WRITING? WHAT AUTHORS? Honestly, I must confess that most of my reading has been classic novels. While I adore fantasy, it has not been my bread and butter, so to speak. I think that D.H. Lawrence may have inspired me more than anyone. I am in awe of how he is so in tune with the inner-workings of the mind and heart, even in the bleakest scenes. Lawrence can put us into the business of coal mining, and make it so very human, and make it come alive. I think he has made me appreciate the depth of character in a novel---how heroic and tragic and fragile a person can be.
