Author Interview (And a giveaway!) : Izzy James and Max!

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Max by Izzy James, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Max

Series: The Yorktown Christmas Time Travel Series
Author: Izzy James
Publisher: Bent Knee Press
Release Date: December 2019
Genre: Christian Romance, Time Travel

Trapped in his conservatory for 250 years by the curse of an enraged woman, Max appears to Olivia
just before Christmas.

Olivia is a young woman waiting for the right man to recognize her strengths and talents. Can Olivia
help Max break the curse without breaking her heart?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

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Author Izzy James Q&A

Me:  Where did you get your inspiration for "Max"? 

Izzy:  I was walking through Yorktown. I love that place. As I passed Thomas Nelson’s house I could almost see him and his wife having tea in their garden. “And what would you think of us now, Mr. Nelson?” I thought. And the story was born.

Me:  Whose character was easier to write, Max or Olivia's?

Izzy:  Max. It’s not always true that the male character is easier to write, but this time he was. He stepped into being for me that day in Yorktown.

Me:  What advice would you give to an aspiring author of writing time travel?

Izzy:  Research a lot. Use primary sources and don’t rely on what you’ve seen in movies.

Me:  Who do you relate to most, Olivia or Max? 

Izzy:  I relate to both of them, but if I have to choose, probably Olivia. As a general rule I don’t have Max’s confidence. Olivia’s path has had some serious rocks in it and she perseveres. I am like that. Life is not perfect, and yet, I have so much to be thankful for.

Me:  Would you say you're a history buff and do you plan on writing more historical fiction? 

Izzy:  I am a huge history fan. Living where I do, in coastal Virginia, I don’t know how I could have escaped it! J  I write mostly historical fiction. My series starting with The Shopkeeper’s Widow and the Yorktown series all take place in coastal Virginia during the 1770s.

Me:  What is bringing you joy today? 

Izzy:  The fresh cold weather. The sunlight as it glints off the water outside my window. The warmth of the tea in my cup. The knowing that I am not alone because the King of the Universe has allowed me to be His.

About the Author

Izzy Jamesis the pen name of Elizabeth Chevalier Hull. Elizabeth grew up in coastal Virginia surrounded by the
history of the founding of our nation. She lives there still with her fabulous husband in a house
brimming with books.

Connect with Izzy by visiting izzyjamesauthor.comto follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a print copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift card!

(1) additional winner will receive a print copy of the book!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 24, 2023 and will last

through 11:59 PM EST on January 31, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the

giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Open internationally. Void where

prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

New Release & Giveaway: Crown of Oblivion by Julie Eshbaugh

Crown of Oblivion 

by Julie Eshbaugh

Best book I’ve read this year! Crown of Oblivion by Julie Eshbaugh was an incredibly action packed YA novel from beginning to end! Raw, fresh and unique, this story unfolds in a dystopian setting with themes of injustice, inequality and horrors that people should never have to witness. I was completely enthralled in Astrid’s world and couldn’t get enough of her experiences. The world building was done quite nicely; not over done like some fantasy novels can be, but enough for me to envision the surroundings and still develop my relationship with the main character!

Astrid, an Outsider, is forced to become a surrogate to the princess… she takes all the punishments that the princess deserves for breaking rules and such. My heart immediately broke for Astrid but at the same time, I was intrigued. How does this girl take this pain and suffering and move past it? The Race of Oblivion definitely distracts her well enough.



This race is brutal and cold, and threatening and vicious. Making it worse, the racers are given Oblivion. A drug that makes them lose all memories before even starting the race. The unfolding of each moment is built with such anticipation that I found it very hard to put the back down (and I’m in a fast paced online course at the moment).

I enjoyed Astrid’s encounters with all of the side characters greatly. Just enough interaction but not too much to make the story drag. The action took precedence. Left and right, Astrid was challenged and though some characters helped her in unexpected ways, Astrid ultimately pulled herself through, giving us our desired clever and brave heroine. With family elements throughout, the story felt real and relatable. There is a very, very slow burning romance weaved into this story, but it does not have the spotlight by any means. It does, however, help to see that even in the darkest of times, love shows itself, in many shapes and forms.


Eshbaugh’s latest release is nothing short of compelling and an absolute thrill ride. Crown of Oblivion is a story that I won’t soon forget and nor should I… the ending hints at a sequel ;) This is perfect for any dystopian fan of The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner series and more. Get ready for the race of your life!

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

**Giveaway**

Did you miss your chance at the amazing pre-order giveaway?!  Well fret no more! I have an extra set of all that's included in the giveaway: Signed bookplate, HeyAtlasCreative designed enamel pin, postcard with book quote and a cut out bookmark of Astrid!  All of this with a hardback copy of Crown of Oblivion!!  

Rafflecopter

  U.S. Only - Ends 11/20/2019

Winner will have 24 hours to respond to notification or another winner will be chosen!

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Review - A Curse so Dark and Lonely

By Brigid Kemmerer

Hardcover, 496 pages

Published January 29th 2019 by Bloomsbury YA

I’m not going to make you wait until the end of this review to find out whether or not I recommend this book.  I will, without hesitation, recommend “A Curse so Dark and Lonely” as one of the best Beauty and the Beast retellings I’ve read to date, although it is very loosely based upon the classic fairy tale.  As a matter of fact, I will recommend ACsDaL as one the best retellings I’ve read, ever. Brigid Kemmerer has masterfully created a whole new plot with multiple settings, but still sprinkles pieces of the classic throughout.  This book is sure to keep every single reader sitting upright, with their fingers on the edge of the next page, ready to flip.  

Harper, our heroine of the story is wild but clever.  Defiant but loyal. Young but fearless. She doesn’t let her Cerebral Palsy slow her down at any point in this story, which is inspiring on so many levels.  I feel that Kemmerer keeps her character true and credible from the beginning to the end. I never felt like she acted younger or older than her age. She would make wrong decisions, like a normal teen would, but wasn’t melodramatic over anything.  Contrary to the classic tale where Beauty is prisoner and falls in love with her captor, ACsDaL holds its own creative twist. This young maiden or DC native, rather, doesn’t take anything lying down, and that makes this prince react differently from every other prince you’ve ever known.

Our beloved Prince Rhen wants his curse to be broken a million times over.  With the help of his loyal (and dashingly swoon-worthy) Guardsman, Grey, they’ve tried the same tactic of finding a girl to break the curse with no success.  With Harper, things are made different because she makes them so, from the first moment she places her feet on Emberfall’s soil, and this ultimately gives us a very changed prince.  Kemmerer did a marvelous job of weaving past events and flashbacks with present day problems as they arose, giving Rhen and Grey strong characters with even stronger voices.

Grey was such an added bonus to this story and I couldn’t help but feel a strong connection to him.  A loyal guard as well as a true ally and friend to both Rhen and Harper, Grey really helped to tie this fantasy together in a whole new fashion.  Grey never waivers with dignity or honor but adds humor and flare with his quick wit and unending devotion for his prince. His swordsmanship and agility are impressive and I can see why he had to be a main character.  I dare say Grey was as much of a newly added book boyfriend as was Rhen.

While the noble characters of this revamped fairy tale grabbed hold of my heart and warmed it so, the malevolent Lilith dominated her own scenes throughout the story, crushing my heart to near its breaking point.  I think I specifically remember one scene where I was actually holding my breath as I read. Though she was not the only villain of the story, when she appeared, Lilith was vile and unsympathetic to say the least and definitely earns the reputation she was given.  I once read that every story should have a major conflict that the story is rising to, there should also be smaller conflicts that your characters need to overcome to keep the story engaging and suspenseful. Kemmerer does this with perfection.

As the story unfolds and secrets are spilled left and right, the reader is thrust into more fierce and engaging subplots than from any other retelling I’ve read before.  With all of that said, the ending will surprise the reader the most. I hope you enjoyed my review of “A Curse so Dark and Lonely” by Brigid Kemmerer. I also hope you come out alive in the end.  I admit that the book hangover is real with this one!

FAWKES by Nadine Brandes Tour and International Giveaway!

Fawkes

by Nadine Brandes

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: July 10, 2018

Genre: Young Adult, Fanasy, Historical Fiction

Synopsis:

Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the king of England.

Silent wars leave the most carnage. The wars that are never declared, but are carried out in dark alleys with masks and hidden knives. Wars where color power alters the natural rhythm of 17th century London. And when the king calls for peace, no one listens until he finally calls for death.

But what if death finds him first?

Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did. But all Thomas knows is that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn’t do something soon, he’ll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot—claiming it will put an end to the plague—Thomas is in.

The plan: use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Igniter King.

The problem: Doing so will destroy the family of the girl Thomas loves. But backing out of the plot will send his father and the other plotters to the gallows. To save one, Thomas will lose the other.

No matter Thomas’s choice, one thing is clear: once the decision is made and the color masks have been put on, there’s no turning back.

 My Thoughts:

From the very first chapter Fawkes had me hooked and that doesn’t happen a lot.  The world building created by Brandes was incredible and she painted the picture so vividly that I felt like I was watching the story unfold in my mind.  Where others may have thought the story to start slow, I felt drawn in and immediately immersed into the story and its characters. 

I usually feel a close connection to the MC of any story I read and Fawkes was no exception.  Thomas was designed to be flawed.  Though he was plagued, he pushed forward, not letting it cripple him.  He stands as a strong willed and determined protagonist that will not settle until the truth is uncovered.  Man, do I love books like this!  The hunt is on for the truth and Thomas is relentless.  The setting in 17^th century London was perfection and Nadine did that time period justice, from describing London’s weather to the mannerisms of the town’s people. 

The rich history on Guy Fawkes made my history-loving heart beat harder and I immediately wanted to do more research once finished Fawkes.  I knew nothing about the Gunpowder plot until reading this book!  When a historical fiction lights a fire like that, I know it was a five star read for sure! 

The magic of the story was a whole other fantastical element of the book.  I’ll be honest and admit that I was a bit apprehensive about the magic because “color power” didn’t seem that unique or impressive, at least not compared to ancient magic or witchcraft and wizardry or Greek mythology but let me say, I STAND CORRECTED!  The way Brandes depicts this magic is new and fresh and exquisitely woven into the story.  It couldn’t have been more intricately thought out!  I was completely blown away!  Seriously guys, I think I have a new mentor for writing whether Nadine realizes this or not!  Haha

With a hell of a lot of fantastical and magical chapters, family ties, whispered revolutions and a slow burning romance, Fawkes is my favorite read of the year! 

 TOUR SCHEDULE

Blog tour schedule link: http://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2018/08/tour-schedule-fawkes-by-nadine-brandes.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nadine Brandes once spent four days as a sea cook in the name of book research. She is the author of the award-winning Out of Time Series and her inner fangirl perks up at the mention of soul-talk, Quidditch, bookstagram, and Oreos. When she's not busy writing novels about bold living, she's adventuring through Middle Earth or taste-testing a new chai. She and her Auror husband plan to live in a Tiny House on wheels. Current mission: paint the world in shalom.

BOOK LINKS

•       Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36576048-fawkes

•       Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0785217142//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=thequ03-20&linkId=53e59379a81c5b24f91938952bc34555

•       Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fawkes-nadine-brandes/1127480853#/

•       Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Fawkes-Nadine-Brandes/9780785217145?a_aid=nadinebrandes

•       Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/fawkes

•       IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780785217145

•       iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/fawkes/id1312670880?mt=11

GIVEAWAY

•       Prize: 1 copy of FAWKES by Nadine Brandes

•       INT!!!

•       Starts: 8/19

•       Ends:  9/6

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d9681b86317/?

Ink, Iron and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare

Goodreads Synopsis:

Can she write a world gone wrong?

A certain pen, a certain book, and a certain person can craft entirely new worlds through a branch of science called scriptology. Elsa comes from one such world that was written into creation, where her mother―a noted scriptologist―constantly alters and expands their reality.

But when her home is attacked and her mother kidnapped, Elsa is forced to cross into the real world and use her own scriptology gifts to find her. In an alternative Victorian Italy, Elsa finds a secret society of young scientists with a gift for mechanics, alchemy, or scriptology―and meets Leo, a gorgeous mechanist with a smart mouth and tragic past. She recruits the help of these fellow geniuses just as an assassin arrives on their doorstep.

In this thrilling debut, worlds collide as Elsa unveils a deep political conspiracy seeking to unlock the most dangerous weapon ever created―and only she can stop it.

My Thoughts:

This story starts out a little slow and may confuse some readers, so I suggest paying attention to what you’re reading. Don’t do what I do, and skip over any details to get to the quotes. I don’t know why I do that, because the details is what really draws you into the story but sometimes I just get bored and need to skip ahead, so I don’t put the book down at all.

The setting was quite unique and I really enjoyed that. I also enjoyed that scriptology was included in this story. Alchemy has been done and mechanics have been done more times than I can count, but scriptology was something new and I was intrigued. However, the scriptology aspect could have been explore a bit more, to draw readers into more of the magic. 

The relationships between the characters were spot on. Not too complex and not too many characters to follow. I thought the romantic interest could have developed a little sooner but all in all, the romantic scenes definitely satisfied me. 

One thing I will be hopeful for in book 2: I want to see more of Faraz. I feel like he has a lot going on in the background and I want to see him put his alchemy to work! As well as a romantic interest for him. He seems to be the most diverse character and I would like to hear more about his culture, wishes and desires. 

In closing, I was really reminded of The Mortal Instruments while reading the series. You have your main character Elsa who has multiple gifts and a master of all of them and is a lot like Clary from TMI. You have Leo, whom is arrogant and secretive like Jace. Porzia is just like Izzy, with all of that sass. Faraz seems to be the sole unique character here. There are even small children in the house; Porzia’s siblings just like Izzy’s, leaving plenty of expansion for future books. The traveling through portals was very similar as well. I’m not complaining about this, just stating my senses. I adored TMI and love the similarities that are in Ink, Ivory and Glass as well. I think Clare tweaked her story more than enough to make hers unique and strong in many other ways. I can’t wait for book 2!

Gwendolyn Clare's debut novel -- INK, IRON, AND GLASS -- is the first in a steampunk duology about a young mad scientist with the ability to write new worlds into existence, out now from Imprint. Her short stories have appeared in Clarkesworld, Asimov's, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies, among others, and her poetry has been nominated for the Rhysling Award. She holds a BA in Ecology, a BS in Geophysics, a PhD in Mycology, and swears she's done collecting acronyms. She lives in North Carolina with too many cats, too many ducks, and never enough books.

Presenting... Caraval by Stephanie Garber! An Audio Book Review from Macmillan Audio & Giveaway!!!

Goodreads Review:  Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

If you've thought this book won't live up to the hype... think again.  Caraval turned out to be exactly what I was expecting it to be and thanks to Stephanie Garber, Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio for making that happen!  There was no disappointment at all, and when a book gets a lot of hype, myself and a lot of fellow readers that I've spoken with are hesitant that the book won't live up to the hype.  Well guys... this one does!!!  

I love that the setting starts on a gloomy island, with her sister getting in over her head and her father is less than pleased.  You immediately get back story on Scarlett and her sister Tella, which I love.  I'm not a huge fan of when a book goes to chapter 2 or even 3 sometimes before you actually learn about the character.  Garber elaborates on her details of expression for each character where you can visualize each person and even hear the accents!  I was able to review Caraval through an audio book version from the lovely Macmillan Audio and I was able to hear Julian's sexy accent materialize, even if Rebecca Soler was the person behind his voice! lol May I just say, that Soler is the best voice actress that I've come to hear thus far in my audio book journey and I've listened to a lot.  

Once the characters, Scarlett, Tella and Julian all reach Caraval, the fun really begins.  Legend is no ordinary person, or ring master.  He is full of secrets and surprises that are not always good and safe and I loved every second of it!  The adventures in Caraval unfold to us as fast as a carousal, or a magical carousal is more like it!  Hahaha The characters that are exquisitely woven into the story present themselves with life, magic and a certain darkness that draws you as the reader into the story more and more.  Garber has a dark side, do not be fooled by her niceness!  Which, by the way if she actually reads this review, Stephanie, I want you to know that you are one of the nicest authors I've had the pleasure of reading tweets and instagram posts from, but I know there's something inside of you because, I mean come on!?  You wrote Caraval!!!  The story itself unfolds eerily, magically, and suspense-fully that it will be very hard to not turn the next page or to press stop or pause on your audio book.  If I may, the audio book, brings this book to life even more if it's possible and I would know, because I had the ARC and the audio book, so the reading could continue as much as possible! I would highly recommend buying the audio book version from Macmillan Audio!

I can't wait for the next installment, or at least I hope there will be one!  Garber may or may not lead you into thinking there will be another one hehehe.  May the excitement of Caraval live long and prosper!!!  Wait, can that saying go along with another installment of a novel?  Well, I say it can and this is Justicereads blog so there!!  Good bye my fellow friends and followers.  I hope you have enjoyed my review of a very magical Caraval and my biggest hope is that it will make you want to read it more than you may have already felt!! Bwahahaha!!! *Laughing evily**

And if you were kind enough to read my whole opinionated review, that I must return the favor with a giveaway!!  One lucky person will win an ARC copy of Caraval and some bookish goodies!!! Three other lucky winners will each win one amazing ARC from 2016, Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige, Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Gasglow and The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner. Enter the rafflecopter below for your chance! 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/eca09b3a3/?

From Goodreads:  Hi! Thanks so much for stopping by this page. I’m only on this site occasionally, so if you’d like to send me a message, please use the contact form on my website: http://stephaniegarberauthor.com. 

I can also be found on Twitter, and I love connecting with readers. If you're looking for more information about my books, I try to update my website on a regular basis.