In my author newsletter this month, I put out a call for Clean Fantasy Books. Below you’ll see those books, as well as some that couldn’t fit into my newsletter.
See More Books at Clean Indie Fantasy November Part 2
Author: Erica
Blog Tour: October by J. Grace Pennington
Today is the day! For what? The release of J. Grace Pennington’s new book, October. Yep, she named her book after the month we are in. Check out the great giveaway, and the other posts in this countdown!
About the Book
For Emily Baxter, life is simple. Her world is made up completely of school, church, and the community in the small farming town she calls home. All that changes one fateful Sunday, when a new girl shows up at Pleasanton Baptist—a girl unlike anyone Emily has ever seen. A girl with long red hair, crystal green eyes, and style and posture like royalty.
A girl named October.
The months that follow are filled with magic—the magic of ordinary things, of finding pictures in the stars, of imagination and a new sense of beauty. But as time goes by, Emily begins to sense that her enchanting new friend may have secrets that could break the spell. Is October really all she seems to be?
About the Author
Grace Pennington has been telling stories since she could talk and writing them down since age five. Now she lives in the great state of Texas, where she writes as much as adult life permits. When she’s not writing she enjoys reading good books, having adventures with her husband, and looking up at the stars.
Preorder here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076JMZCYX/
Excerpt
We laid in silence for awhile, watching the stars appear one by one, adjusting slowly to the cooling temperature of the summer air.
“What should we do tomorrow?” I asked at last.
“Whatever we want.”
I giggled. “What will we want?”
She poked my shoulder. “We can’t decide now, silly. That messes up the magic.”
“Magic?”
My question had been in the most teasing tone possible, but her reply was as serious as I had been silly. “Whenever a decision is made in the heat of the moment—when we allow ourselves to be carried on joy or sorrow or mere simplicity and quiet—whatever it is, a moment of magic is created. Not always good magic, of course. But magic, nonetheless.”
From anyone else, it would have been the most absurd thing imaginable. I would have laughed. But here, under the stars, with that hint of wonder I had never heard in anyone else her age—I believed it.
“Then let’s have a magical day tomorrow,” I said.
It was dark, but I could feel her smile.
Character Spotlight
Emily Baxter
Despite not being the title or central character, Emily is the protagonist of “October.” She is the narrator, the one through whose eyes we see the story—and October herself.
So who is Emily?
Emily is a small-town, seventeen-year-old girl who lives with her parents and her younger brother. She goes to school and does her homework. She goes to church every Sunday. She goes to the mall with her friends. She hangs out with her cousin, Jax, who lives just down the road from her.
She’s a good girl. Sheltered. Respectful. She loves reading, particularly books about dragons. She loves the color teal. She loves poetry. She loves spring, when the leaves come back to cover the nakedness of the trees. She loves her parents, but finds them difficult to talk to, especially her mother. Like many girls, she feels much more affection for her father. She loves her little brother, but mostly writes him off as a somewhat annoying little kid.
She’s very close with her cousin, and somewhat close with her best friend, but still doesn’t feel quite like there’s anyone who can really relate with her on a deeper level. Especially now—in that awkward period on the brink of adulthood but not seeming able to quite break into it. She knows who she is, but she doesn’t seem to have that undefinable something that brings someone out of the innocence of childhood and into the grown-up world.
Enter October Blake. A beautiful, somewhat mysterious, slightly older girl who shows up unannounced in Emily’s hometown and immediately captures her heart. Could October be the friend she’s always hoped for?
Giveaway
Grace has generously offered a paperback book of her new book as her giveaway prize. You can enter at this link.
Tour Schedule
October 25, 2017
Bookish Orchestrations – Introductory post
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae – Character Spotlight
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima – Character Spotlight
Lisa Swinton – Queen of Random – Book Spotlight
Audrey Rich – Book Spotlight
October 26, 2017
Frances Hoelsema – Excerpt
Jaye L. Knight – Character Spotlight and Excerpt
Morgan Elizabeth Huneke – Review
October 27, 2017
Liv K. Fisher – Author Interview and Excerpt
Opinions, Thoughts, and General Rambling – Character Spotlight and Excerpt
Leila’s Bookshelf – Book Spotlight
Britbear’s Book Reviews – Guest Post
October 28, 2017
Rebekah Lyn Books – Excerpt
In the Bookcase – Review
Roxbury Books – Character Spotlight and Excerpt
Grace Pennington – Special author’s post
October 29, 2017
Bookish Orchestrations – Giveaway Winner
Clean Romance: The Nobleman’s Daughter
England, 1819
While British high society primps and plays, the impoverished citizens of London languish. But there are those fighting for the freedom of common citizens—including two members of the aristocracy who secretly champion revolution. In the drawing rooms of the upper class, Lady Amanda and Lord Nathaniel flirt and tease with the best of them as she pretends to win every heart in London for sport, and he, to conquer them. But in truth, their flirtation is merely a façade designed to keep their clandestine actions hidden from the ton—and from each other. When Nathaniel presents himself as a potential suitor, the attraction between the two is undeniable—but the faces they portray to the world are not enough to win each other’s hearts.
While their crusade for London’s poor unites them more deeply than they could imagine, Amanda and Nathaniel struggle to trust one another with their true ideals and identities. But when the call to action leads Amanda into the path of danger, she can only hope that Nathaniel will see through her frivolous pretense. Because now, only the aid of the suitor she loves most—but trusts least—can save her.
Check out this fantasy blog’s list of East Asian Fantasy
I noticed this in a fantasy book group today, and thought the idea was wonderful. I mean, I love Asian based fantasy. (I enjoyed reading about qi and how it relates to fantasy. And with the Asian SciFi Fantasy promo organized by author JC Kang coming up, excellent timing!
See the list here: http://fantasy-faction.com/2017/adding-to-the-to-be-read-east-asian-fantasy
What are some books that you’ve enjoyed set in an Asian setting?
Chuseok Festival of Books
I remember the Scholastic Book Fair at school. It was one of my favorite events. (I also enjoyed browsing those book flyers.)
Chuseok is sometimes called the Korean Thanksgiving. It’s a three day major harvest festival holiday in the middle of August.
Our harvest here at the Roxbury is, of course, books.
First up, here is a title I first discovered on Wattpad. I remember laughing a lot.
For five hundred years a vengeful dragon has been sealed in stone, until a princess makes a terrible mistake unleashing him to fulfill a destiny centuries in the making.
BUY ON AMAZON
This next one I haven’t read yet, but it is on my to be read list.
Rin is a Kitsune, or at least she was until a witch’s spell turned her human. To regain her powers, Rin must make the lord’s son fall in love with her before the next full moon. She thought it would be easy, her kind have been seducing humans for centuries. But Hikaru is different. He’s handsome, intelligent, and kind –the opposite of everything she’s assumed about humans. The plan is to seduce him and get back her powers, there’s no room for love.
BUY ON AMAZON
Another book I discovered first on wattpad is by author JC Kang. His epic fantasy series infuses Chinese culture with elves and dragons.
Only the lost magic of Dragon Songs can save the realm. Only a naïve girl with the perfect voice can rediscover it.
Blessed with an unrivaled voice, Kaiya dreams of a time when music could summon typhoons and rout armies. Maybe then, the imperial court would see the awkward, gangly princess as more than a singing fool.
When members of the emperor’s elite spy clan uncover a brewing insurrection, the court hopes to appease the ringleader by offering Kaiya as a bride.
Obediently wedding the depraved rebel lord means giving up her music. Confronting him with the growing power of her voice could kill her.
BUY ON AMAZON
A Stand-alone Novel from the BESTSELLING Kpop romance series.
Corrine Miller-Hayden has a secret. As captain of the cheer team and a Texas beauty queen, she wouldn’t dare tell anyone about her closet K-pop music obsession.
That is, until she runs into her Minji, her ultimate bias, at a fan gathering. She never dreamed she’d touch Minji, let alone accidentally take his phone.
When they meet again at a pep-rally, it’s not like Corrine imagined. She thought she’d be showing off, but instead she becomes the target of a dye-filled water balloon attack. Abby was supposed to be her best friend, not the girl who openly shamed her in front of the whole school.
Minji saves her, not only from embarrassment, but from her own stuck-up self.
Can she love Minji openly, and keep her fangirling a secret?
Fed up with a string of bad blind dates, health blogger Alyssa Wu wants to drown her sorrows in ice cream. But there’s one more evening she must endure—a fake date with her best friend Barry Chang. They must convince her family they’re in love, an act which may (or may not) be easy to pull off, thanks to the magic of some mistletoe.
Librarian Chloe McAlister finds solace in her books—and hats—but doesn’t know where to turn when her longtime crush gets engaged. On a whim, she signs up for a speed-dating mixer and convinces her best friend, Dill Thomas, to attend. All goes as planned until she realizes Dill means more to her than she thought … and he goes and falls for someone else.
When she was nine-years-old, Katie knew she wanted Chris to give her her first kiss. It wasn’t because she was in love with him (no way, he was her best friend! Besides, she was in love with his fourteen-year-old big brother), it was because she could make him do anything she wanted.
Besides, it didn’t really mean anything. It was only a kiss after all.
Twenty-four-year-old photographer’s apprentice Regina has always felt like the plain, dull orange next to the shiny red apple that is her best friend Lana. But then she meets Ben—the first guy to ever break Lana’s heart, and the first guy to ever make Regina feel that he only has eyes for her. As Regina finds herself falling hard for Ben, she also finds herself breaking all the rules of best-friendship. Will she give up the love of her life for Lana, or will she finally realize that she deserves her share of the spotlight, too?
When Sparks Fly can be read as a standalone novel, but it is also a prequel to Ines Bautista-Yao’s other book Only A Kiss.
This next book I only recently discovered. I reached out to the author, and I’m delighted to bring this book to the festival. Kpop, Ghosts, and a Nine tailed fox is what caught my eye.
Update: Content Warning. The author had told me he would give the book the rating PG13. After reading, the dragons feel that the book is really R. Adult language, sexual situations/sexual abuse.
Yubin knows she’s different than the other girls in the pop group SIITY. Yes, they all got sucked into the same machine, giving up schooling and signing ridiculously long contracts before anyone knew if they’d be successful, but that’s how pop stars are made in Korea. Yubin is supposed to be thankful for that, but she isn’t. She doesn’t even like the girls she performs with.
She’s more connected to her former schoolmate Jieun, even though all they ever do is text. Over the last two months, Jieun has become her confidant and best friend, connecting Yubin to the real world in a way she desperately needs. Now that SIITY is going to appear on the reality show The Incredible Race: Asia, Yubin will need that connection more than ever, which is why she’s devastated to discover Jieun has been dead five years and is actually haunting her.
If that weren’t enough, Yubin’s not the only SIITY member with issues. Rena’s father is emotionally abusive. Somi has a learning disability, and after a near death experience, Tae-eun becomes a nine-tailed fox woman. The only way they’ll survive the show, each other, and the supernatural currents buffeting them is to work together and win the hearts of their fans. Because if they don’t, they have nothing to go back to even if they survive what’s trying to kill them.
Sixteen-year-old Jae Hwa Lee is a Korean-American girl with a black belt, a deadly proclivity with steel-tipped arrows, and a chip on her shoulder the size of Korea itself. When her widowed dad uproots her to Seoul from her home in L.A., Jae thinks her biggest challenges will be fitting into a new school and dealing with her dismissive Korean grandfather. Then she discovers that a Korean demi-god, Haemosu, has been stealing the soul of the oldest daughter of each generation in her family for centuries. And she’s next.
But that’s not Jae’s only problem.
There’s also Marc. Irresistible and charming, Marc threatens to break the barriers around Jae’s heart. As the two grow closer, Jae must decide if she can trust him. But Marc has a secret of his own—one that could help Jae overturn the curse on her family for good. It turns out that Jae’s been wrong about a lot of things: her grandfather is her greatest ally, even the tough girl can fall in love, and Korea might just be the home she’s always been looking for.
Evangeline lost her mother to cancer, and her father is rarely home. Lonely and unhappy, she wishes someone would be there for her. A short time later, she is transported to Joseon era Korea.
This could be any Korean drama fans dream. Believing she is dreaming, she quickly accepts her new circumstances. Besides, it doesn’t hurt that Beom is handsome and reminds her of her favorite actor.
As for Beom, he’s not sure what to make of the maiden who mysteriously materialized before his eyes. But one thing he knows for sure is, he must help her return home to her world; yet the longer he is with her, the more he wants her to stay. When the time comes, will he be able to let her go?
Eun Na is working hard to help her father pay off a debt to a merciless lord when she meets two very different men by chance. One is a well-meaning noble who doesn’t believe in magic. The other: a mysterious stranger who is forced to take the ethereal form of a ghost each night.
The lonely sea dragon,Yong, wants a bride.
Chung Jo wants her father to regain his sight.
They will strike a bargain, and Chung Jo travels to Yong’s palace beneath the sea.
What are some of your favorite books? Tell me in the comments. (Readers, don’t forget to check to see if something interests you!)
Review: All that Makes Life Bright
All That Makes Life Bright: The Life and Love of Harriet Beecher Stowe
When Harriet Beecher marries Calvin Stowe on January 6, 1836, she is sure her future will be filled romance, eventually a family, and continued opportunities to develop as a writer. Her new husband, Calvin, is completely supportive and says she must be a literary woman. Harriet’s sister, Catharine, worries she will lose her identity in marriage, but Harriet is determined to preserve her independent spirit. Deeply religious, she strongly believes God has called her to fulfill the roles of wife and writer and will help her accomplish everything she was born to do.
Two months after her wedding Harriet discovers she is pregnant just as Calvin prepares to leave for a European business trip. Alone, Harriet is overwhelmed–being a wife has been harder than she thought and being an expectant mother feels like living another woman’s life. Knowing that part of Calvin still cherishes the memory of his first wife, Harriet begins to question her place in her husband’s heart and yearns for his return; his letters are no substitute for having him home. When Calvin returns, however, nothing seems to have turned out as planned.
Struggling to balance the demands of motherhood with her passion for writing and her desire to be a part of the social change in Ohio, Harriet works to build a life with her beloved Calvin despite differing temperaments and expectations.
Can their love endure, especially after -I do-? Can she recapture the first blush of new love and find the true beauty in her marriage?
My Review
I’m one of those readers out there that knew very little about Harriet Beecher Stowe. I knew she was an early American author, but that was it. So I began this book with no expectations, other than I expect good things from author Josi S. Kilpack.
This book is one of Shadow Mountain’s A Proper Romance, and I was delighted to be allowed to receive an ARC in exchange for a review.
One of the things I enjoyed about this fictional account of Harriet’s early married life as that she was very real. All those feelings of inadequacy, of being overwhelmed with domestic duties, of being a wife, of motherhood–all those are real. As well as the very real need to write, and to create.
When Harriet marries widower Calvin Stowe, she embarks on a new chapter in her life. Both of them have to find the intricate balance on this path of life. And Harriet could not have made the difference she did had her role been different, and this book does a wonderful job on showing the wisdom God has in who he calls to the task.
As a side note, at the end of the book, Ms. Kilpack shares info on what parts were real, and which were fictionalized.
Review: Dongeng by Anna Tan
Exiled. Powerless. The world he grew up in is changing—he feels it, feels the devastation being wrought. But what can he do so far away from home?
Lost. Afraid. She’s being enlisted to help save Alam Dongeng—a magical world she knows little about. How can she tell stories she doesn’t even know?
Worried. Confused. He’s long forgotten his grandfather’s stories—it’s familiar, but he’s never really believed in them. Why should he start now?
~
Dongeng tells the story of Sara and Helmi’s awakening to magic in their own country. There’s a war to protect Alam Dongeng, helmed by the Orang Bunian and Garuda. But are the ranks of Hantu really their enemies? They may very well be fighting the wrong battle.
A sequel to Coexist, Dongeng draws you into a whole new realm of fairy tales.
Roxbury Books Rating: PG
My Review:
This was my first look at Maylasian fairytales, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I appreciated the descriptions, although I did wish a few times for a glossary.
Over all, I enjoyed the story. I liked Sara and Helmi, and their relationship. I liked Helmi’s parents. I liked how Sara linked the fairy lands of the West with those of Asia.
Some parts of the were confusing, especially when it was filling in the backstory. By the end I could piece things together. I feel like the wrong characters were center stage to what could have been a stronger story about Abdul Mansoor and Aria.
I am a fan of blending cultures. After all, we share a beautiful world. Different families come together and create new families, blending together what was, what is, and what will be.
I definitely would love to learn more about Maylasia, and her stories.
Thank you, Anna Tan, for this wonderful story.
Review: The Yard Sale by Shirley Jamiel
Synopsis: It was late fall and the family decided to have a yard sale to make some extra spending money. Little did they know their most valued treasure would be stolen. Who took 5 year old Cindi and how does the family pull together to solve her mysterious disappearance?
Roxbury Book Rating: R Contains reference to a sexual crime against a minor.
My Review:
This is an inspirational story about family and faith.
It is written in third person omniscient, and that might throw off some modern readers. We never fully get into the characters heads as the narrator shares their thoughts and what is going on. There’s bits of info dumping, but the info is pertinent, and it is easy to follow when the POV shifts.
There are multiple mentions of faith, God, and prayer.
Possible Spoiler Alerts below.
I really liked the character Cindi. She’s a smart 5 year old, and her quick thinking really saves her. There’s one scene in which the kidnapper stops at cheap motel for the night. While the reader is aware what the evil man is up to in the bathroom, and what his intentions are for the child, it never goes into detail. Due to the nature of the crime I would rate the book R.
Despite the nastiness of the scene, this is one of the scenes that Cindi starts to really shine. When the evil man joins her in the room, he’s not aware that she has hidden herself under the bed, and that the shape in the bed is her doll. One of my favorite scenes though is when she drops a pack of allergy pills into his drink and is able to escape.
At the time of my writing this, there are a few typos and format issues with the book. But these are minor and should not interrupt the flow of the story.
This book is currently available at B&N, Apple, and Kobo.
Book Review: K-Love (A Korean Drama Series, Book 1)
Chase has been set up. She finds herself on a blind date with a Korean hottie, and all because her mom obsessively loves Korean romance dramas. It turns out that Daniel Bak is actually really dreamy, but things take a turn for the worse when Chase happens upon stolen research on her university professor’s laptop. It throws her into the arms of wealthy corporate heir Hyun Tae, who also happens to be Daniel’s best friend.
Caught between both men, and hunted down by a vengeful CEO, Chase must rely on Hyun Tae’s protection. But when the drama settles, where will her heart land?
My Review:
I loved this book. I loved Chase’s mother, Chase, Hyun Tae, Daniel, and Jooh Suh. Each character fit in nicely.
There were a few things to note: the authors are human. There are a few errors (omissions and typos.) I mention this only so that readers that have trouble turning off their internal proof-reading app, they are aware, so that hopefully the little hiccups won’t distract too much from an otherwise fun story.
The other issue would be there’s Korean phrases written out so readers could attempt to pronounce it, but no translation was given. This does not distract too much from the story though. (But moving forward I would hope a glossary is added.)
Overall, this was an excellent book. If you like Korean dramas, you’ll enjoy this. If you like adventure and romance together, you’ll like this. However unlikely a romance is between an American college student, and a Korean chaebol (rich heir to a big company), or celebrity is, this is still fun. After all, aren’t books supposed to give us a break from daily life and allow us to dream?
Chase’s mother asks Korean student, Kim Hyun Tae if he’d go on a blind date with her daugher, Chase. He says no, but his best friend Daniel says yes. And so begins the simple love triangle present in many Kdramas.
Chase meets Hyun Tae first, and this should have been a hint to me that he was the actual male lead. (I couldn’t decide at first if it was Hyun Tae or Daniel, because of which one accepted the blind date.) He’s polite, she’s a klutz.
Daniel asks her out on the blind date via a text, while she’s in heading to her first class–gym. There she meets Daniel. (Kdrama watchers, you can probably guess how that goes.) Daniel recognizes her, but doesn’t introduce himself yet. This boy has a secret to keep, and he plans to keep it.
Of course, love never runs smooth. We have spies, and a company take down in the works, all while Chase, Hyun Tae, and Daniel have to navigate love.
Grab your copy, and let me know what you think. 🙂
You can visit Devon Atwood and Alice Cornwall at their blog.
Review: Lies Jane Austen Told Me
Synopsis as seen on GoodReads:
Ever since Emma read Pride and Prejudice, she’s been in love with Mr. Darcy and has regarded Jane Austen as the expert on all things romantic. So naturally when Emma falls for Blake Hampton and he invites her home to meet his parents, she is positive an engagement is in her future. After all, Blake is a single man in possession of a good fortune, and thus must be in want of a wife.
But when it turns out that what Blake actually wants is more of a hook-up than a honeymoon, Emma is hurt, betrayed, and furious. She throws herself deeper into her work as CMO of Kinetics, the fastest growing gym franchise in the nation. She loves her work, and she’s good at it, which is why she bristles when her boss brings in a consultant to help her spearhead the new facilities on the East Coast. Her frustration turns to shock when that consultant turns out to be Blake’s younger brother, Lucas.
Emma is determined not to fall for Lucas, but as she gets to know him, she realizes that Lucas is nothing like his brother. He is kind and attentive and spends his time and money caring for the less fortunate.
What she can’t understand is why Lucas continues to try to push her back into Blake’s arms when he so clearly has fallen as hard for her as she has fallen for him. It isn’t until Lucas reveals to Emma that he was adopted into the Hampton family that she begins to understand his loyalty to Blake as well as his devotion to the child April-she is Lucas’s biological niece.
Emma opens up to Lucas about the feelings of abandonment she has harbored ever since she was a child and her mother left the family. As she helps Lucas deal with his past demons, she is able to exorcise some of her own.
Realizing that her love life is as complicated as anything Jane Austen could have dreamed up, Emma must find a way to let Blake know that it’s time for him to let her go and to let Lucas know it’s time for him to love her back.
My Review:
I enjoyed this book. The story was entertaining. The ending was adorable.
I did find some of Emma’s inner dialogue a bit redundant. It made it harder to see her growth, which for me was the downside of the book.
Overall an entertaining read, that I would recommend.
This book is schedule for release November 7, 2017, from Shadow Mountain Publishing. I received an ARC in exchange for a review.
Roxbury Books 