Highlight Poetry #3

I Hold You in My Heart

By: Gin Bourgeois







Courtesy of Gin Bourgeois





I hold you in my heart

For my arms just shan’t

From the very early start

This sickly sweet torment

A quench-less thirst

A hunger I cannot Fill

Loving anguish, turned curse

Is for you what I feel

As I daze in your eyes so green

I am consumed with you

The most beautiful I have seen

And ache the very touch of you

The heart alone has its reasons

To succumb to such forbidden silent devotion

Unbearable loving emotions

A secret unexplained I dare not to mention

You are the treasure I hide to keep

Buried in my chest’s own heartbeats

The one & only so many do seek

The one who would make me complete

A barely audible whisper

Surround my thoughts of lust & sin

A dream state I relish to linger

Shivers overtaking my skin

Desire of lips tenderly touching

Hands passionately holding

A sweet embrace quietly waiting

Patience painfully persisting…

So close yet, away from my reach

I will be waiting for all seasons passing

Shall life be kind to grant me my wish

I vow to give you my heart forever loving

What is meant to be,

Will always find its way

So I hope, beg & pray

Fate to bring you to me one day 

…I hold you in my heart…

A Brief Commentary

        This poem was submitted to me by Gin Bourgeois of Gin Rhymes for today's Highlight Poetry post. First off, being a hopeless romantic I absolutely love the subject of this poem; the torment of unrequited love which the speaker faces and her/his final decision to hold the object of their love in their heart. In this poem Bourgeois places a great focus on the tactile imagery of love, lips touching in a kiss, a 'sweet embrace' and holding hands, which only adds to the beauty of her/his love as we are confronted with her loneliness at the end as she begs for her love to take notice of her longings. I think that this is a poem which can bring each of us back to a time in our lives when we felt as the speaker does; a true mark of this poem's beauty.

      What imagery stood out for you in this poem, was it the tactile imagery of love, the audible imagery of quiet whispers, or something entirely different?

Pearl Lover Review

Rating: 3.5/5

Title: Pearl Lover

Author: Kea Noli

Page Count (ebook): 176

Page Count (paperback): 275

Official Amazon Description

    A beautiful girl. A wicked mother. A twisted love triangle.

    In this thrilling romance, Nixie Veidt is forced to choose between money and love. She must stay faithful to the bureaucrat she married to save her inheritance, but her love belongs to a Russian dancer. When she hires the dancer for her company, she puts it all on the line. Will she lose everything? Or does love really conquer all?

     Is it moral to love two men? Be prepared for an unconventional ending (extended description)

My Thoughts

     I'll have to admit in the beginning I definitley struggled with how to rate this book and I can't say I had made any more of a definitive decision by the end of the book. So, finally I decided that instead of struggling any longer with whether I should rate it a three or a four, I would just settle on three and a half.

     Pearl Lover was a unique reading experience; and not in a bad way. In Pearl Lover Noli proved that she is very good at enticing the reader. Similar to Kolya continually offering love just when Nixie thinks they are over, in her book Noli kept offering intriguing details about the triangular romance between Kolya, Morten and Nixie, that made it impossible for me to put the book down. One of the reasons I liked Pear Lover so much was because of these intriguing details, that were purposefully thrown in here and there; I just had to keep reading to find out who she would choose Morten or Kolya! And then there is that cover, I mean what is not to love about it!? The far off look in her eyes, the stark contrast between the hat and the backdrop and of course, the pearls! In my opinion this cover gets an A+.

    Unlike most of the other books I have read Pearl Lover continually alters between multiple perspectives. In the beginning of the book the story is told from Nixie's perspective in addition to Morten's and Voclain's (a friend of Nixie's father) perspectives, but as the story progresses it is mainly told through Nixie's and Kolya's perspective. Personally, I found that due to the continual switching between characters, the first forty five pages of the book were immensley confusing. For some reason after that, things started to make sense, whether that was due to the less frequent changes in perspective or the fact that I just got used to Noli's writing style (a writing style which I have now grown quite fond of) I'm still not quite sure. I would have definitley rated Pearl Lover higher had it focused upon one or two characters rather than multiple characters, because I find that I connect better with characters when there are fewer perspectives. I felt by the end as if I still didn't really quite understand some of the characters, this could have quite possibly been the author's intent, but regardless it has left me a bit confused. Overall, I would recommend Pearl Lover to anyone who likes to read novels which are told from multiple perspectives, while dealing with a variety of very real issues that artists face on a day to day basis.

If you want to read a further discussion of this book cover, and about what my readers thought made a book cover great click here.

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Pearl Lover (Amazon Kindle)
Goodreads

Interview with Jennifer Kitchens (Author of A Lady By Any Other Name)

Today I have the pleasure of sharing my interview with Jennifer Kitchens, author of A Lady By Any Other Name. I am currently quite swamped with reviews so I won’t be posting a review on this novel but I couldn’t resist sharing the interview with you. I always find it so interesting to hear about the different writing experiences of authors, how they come up with the ideas, what their favourite books are etc. So without any further ado, check out the interview below!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a stay-at-home mom who loves everything to do with romance. Growing up in California I started my obsession with regency romances by borrowing books from my grandmother who adores them. I left home for college and found my own true love. We now have two wonderful little boys and I spend all my free time (which isn’t much) either reading or writing romance novels.

Why did you decide to become a writer?

To be honest, it was a suggestion by my husband. I would often make up stories in my head, whether they be sequels to books, alternate endings, or the like. He suggested I try to write a book of my own and I tried it. Only recently after when I put in focused effort to work on and complete this story did I realize just how much I enjoyed it.

How long did it take you to write A Lady By Any Other Name?

That’s a complicated question. I know, it seems like an easy one, but I had a stilted experience writing. I started writing it about four years ago and worked on it on and off for a few months. Then I had our second child and the book got put on the back burner…or maybe back in the pantry – for a while. About eight months ago, long after I started reviewing books, I decided to pick up my own manuscript once again. So in total it took about a year of fitting it in between raising my kids and running a review blog to complete the book.

What was your main inspiration to write A Lady By Any Other Name?

My husband was my biggest supporter in writing period. But for this story itself…I wanted to write something fun and sweet and exciting that I would let my daughters (if I ever have any) read. I wanted to give them an example of a clean romance that was an enjoyable book. I hope someday to have a daughter who can grow up to read it. Until then, I’ll have to be satisfied with other people’s daughters reading it. J

If you could sum Nicole Farrington into five words, what would they be?

Kind. Naïve. Impetuous. Resilient. Sweet.

What is your all-time favourite book and why?

This is a terrible question (especially for someone who is also a book reviewer). I’d have to say The Twelve Days of Christmas by Regina Scott. I love Christmas stories and the balance between the romance and reality is wonderful. I love the give and take of the relationship. Simply sweet!

What were your main challenges in writing your first novel?

I had a hard time not getting discouraged. I often would end up putting it down for days or weeks at a time, losing focus or feeling like it would never be good enough. Thankfully I had a wonderfully supportive husband who was always there to read through the chapters and tell me to keep going. I also struggled to figure out how to write from a male perspective – another thing my husband helped me to figure out.

What is your advice to new authors and aspiring writers?

Keep going. Whatever stage you’re in – outlining, writing, editing, re-editing, finalizing, publishing, etc –don’t give up. If you keep at it, you will get to the end.

What do you do in your spare-time when you’re not writing?

Reading. J As a book reviewer, I spend hours reading new books. But aside from all that…I love experimenting making gourmet jams (I have a cookbook out with some of my favorite recipes), spending time with my kids, and just plain being with my husband. Late nights at home with my hubby are the best – playing monopoly, watching bad movies, eating the sweets we told the kids they couldn’t have, and just keeping the romance alive.

Is there anything else you would like to say to your fans and readers?

Thank you so much for reading this and I hope you check out my book. Let me know what you think – I’m always happy to hear from readers and fans.

If you want to read A Lady By Any Other Name Click Below

Amazon (paperback)
Amazon (Kindle)

If you want to read Candy in a Jar (Kitchen's Cookbook) Click Below

Amazon (paperback)
Amazon (Kindle)

This Dark Endeavour

Rating: 5/5

Title: This Dark Endeavor

Series: Book One of The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein

Author: Kenneth Oppel

Page Count (paperback): 298

Official Amazon Description

   
     Victor Frankenstein leads a charmed life. He and his twin brother, Konrad, and their beautiful cousin Elizabeth take lessons at home and spend their spare time fencing and horseback riding. Along with their friend Henry, they have explored all the hidden passageways and secret rooms of the palatial Frankenstein chateau. Except one.

     The Dark Library contains ancient tomes written in strange languages and filled with forbidden knowledge. Their father makes them promise never to visit the library, but when Konrad becomes deathly ill, Victor knows he must find the book that contains the recipe for the legendary Elixir of Life.

     The elixir needs only three ingredients. But impossible odds, dangerous alchemy and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn.

      Victor knows he must not fail. Yet his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science and love?and how much he is willing to sacrifice.

Show More

Show Less

My Thoughts

      This Dark Endeavor is a work of literary art. From the cover, to the plot, to the characters; Oppel was spot on! One of a book's most important assets is its cover, and in this case, This Dark Endeavor certainly has bragging rights! Between the handsome character sketch of Victor on the front, to the haunting buildings eclipsed by unsettle clouds and the blurred edges; I do believe I was completely enthralled with this book before I even read the first page. Having read Kenneth Oppel's previous series; Silver Wing, as a child, I was already familiar with the depth of Oppel's writing and This Dark Endeavor was no exception. Written in the first person perspective of Victor Frankenstein, This Dark Endeavor is truly captivating, allowing you to witness the story first hand through Victor's rebellious mind. There was never a single moment while reading the novel in which I felt bored of the story, with brilliant cliffhangers at the end of chapters and an excellently paced plot (not to fast and not to slow), which was filled with completely unexpected twists ensured that I couldn't stop turning the pages. If you're in search of a wickedly good, well-written YA book with a hint of romance, I urge you to pick up This Dark Endeavor; you won't regret it!

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Highlight Poetry (#2)

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening

Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

 

A Brief Commentary

     This is perhaps one of Robert Frost's most famous poems and one of my absolute personal favourites; regardless of what season I'm in. Frost amplifies the romanticism of winter in this poem bringing to mind imagery of snowy forests, farmhouses covered in snow, frozen lakes collecting each crystal snowflake, all the while carrying the deeper undertones of the weary traveller. You can truly feel the traveller's desire to give into the temptations of sleep and even death as he gazes out at the "lovely, dark, and deep" woods. The desire to be free of worry and drift among the falling snowflakes is palpable as is his weary realization that he still has a great literal and metaphorical distance to go before he reaches the peace of sleep and death.

    In your opinion what do you feel Frost is trying to communicate in this poem? What imagery does it bring to your mind?





Interview with Saga Berg (author of the Nordic Faries Series)

You may have noticed (or not) that within the past week or so I’ve been writing a lot of reviews on the Nordic Fairies series. If you have been reading those reviews than you’ll know I completely fell in love with series! So naturally, I’m super excited to be able to share my interview with Saga Berg (a.k.a the author of the Nordic Fairies series) today! Go ahead scroll down and check out the interview for yourself!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

     I live with my boyfriend in the south of Sweden, in a small village on the country side, population approximately 1 000. My house is from the 1920‘s and from the window where I sit and write Nordic Fairies I have a view over an old church from the tenth century, which is the same century Svala and Viggo turned Liosálfar.

      I’ve studied and worked in marketing for many years, and even though I’ve written stories all my life, Nordic Fairies is my first published work. Writing is definitely what defines me.

      English is only my second language, but I learned it early, and I’ve always been fascinated by what a rich language it is. My native tongue is Swedish, as is Svala and Viggo’s.

       I’m currently working on the fourth part of Nordic Fairies. There will be a fifth part as well, and then we’ll see.

Why did you decide to become a writer?

    According to my parents, I said I wanted to become a writer at the age of 7. I don’t recall having said this, but I’ve created stories in my head for as long as I can remember. When I was 13, my father gave me an electric typewriter, and I started writing my first novel on it.

Why did you decide to write a series of novellas instead of one novel?

     It was how the story about Viggo and Svala made sense to me. I liked the idea of going back in to one specific moment in time in each part and explore that it separately. Dividing the novel into parts helped structure the plot better. I suppose when all parts are out it would also work as a full novel.

     I initially had the idea for part one, two and four, and I came up with the idea for part three and five while writing the first two parts.

What was your main inspiration to write Nordic Fairies series?

     This was one of those stories that just came to me. It happens sometimes and it is something of a mystery even to me.

If you could sum Svala into five words, what would they be?

    Strong, independent, kind, unselfish and loyal

What is your all-time favorite book and why?

    Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood. I love Atwood’s writing style, and especially her ability to unfold a story by going back and forward in time in a seamless manner. She’s the author who has inspired me most. There is something about the way she tells a story that appeals to me, she is very subtle and never obvious, which I like. I love almost all of the Atwood books I’ve read, but with Cat’s Eye I could relate a lot to her main character.

What were your main challenges in writing the Nordic Fairies series?

    Currently, how to end it; I still haven’t decided. I have a few different outcomes in mind, both happy and sad, but I simply can’t decide on which one to go with.

     I also keep getting new ideas, so it’s sometimes difficult to limit myself to the plot and staying on track, but other than that, the Nordic Fairies series has been an absolute joy to write.

What is your advice to new authors and aspiring writers?

     To write. I know this sounds evident, but writing a lot is the best way to develop and grow as a writer. Also to ask someone who is not a close friend or family to give honest feedback on your work. Don’t get offended by harsh criticism, take it in and learn from it.

What do you do in your spare-time when you’re not writing?

     I love to travel and learn about other cultures. I also spend a lot of time with my friends and family. Though, to be honest, I never completely let go of my writing, it’s always there in the back of my head. If I’m not writing, I’m usually plotting in my mind.

Is there anything else you would like to say to your fans and readers?

     I want to thank everyone who’s read the series and given me such wonderful feedback. I’m overwhelmed by the response on The Nordic Fairies series so far, and I never dreamed so many would fall in love with the story and its characters. I’ve always created stories because I love to write, and learning that others love what I write as well came as a pleasant surprise to me. It is such a strong motivator to continue writing on the story.

     The fourth part will be out sometime after the summer, though I can’t say when since I’m still working on it, Part four will take us back to the 80’s where Svala and Viggo end up in High School together with their daughter, Freja, who is then the same age as Svala.

     For those of you who haven’t read Nordic Fairies yet, you can go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble and get the first copy for free, then decide from there if you want to continue reading the story.

My Reviews of the Nordic Fairies Series

The links to the novellas on Amazon Barnes & Nobles etc. can be found at the bottom of the respective review.



Nordic Fairies (the first novella)



Freja (the second novella)





Döckálfar (the third novella)

Döckálfar

Rating: 3/5

Title: Döckálfar

Series: Book Three of Nordic Fairies

Author: Saga Berg

Page Count (ebook): 53

Official Goodreads Description

     The third part of Nordic Fairies, Döckálfar, continues where the second part, Freja, left off. Alrik comes to visit Svala and warns her about the dangerous path Viggo is on, infiltrating himself with the Döckálfar. We learn what happened to Viggo during World War II and get more information about his relationship with Amanda Jones. Viggo also contacts Svala with some unexpected news and insist they meet up. Svala then receives some more unexpected information about Amanda and Viggo, leaving her unsure about who she can trust.

My Thoughts

    I think perhaps that my opinion and rating of Döckálfar would have been higher had Freja and Döckálfar both been one book. I think that the main problem with Döckálfar was that, if it was torn apart from the series, the reader would be entirely lost. Though all books in a series will inevitably have very close ties between them and they usually make far more sense when read together, they also need to be able to stand on their own because whether they are novella or novel length each book in a series is just that, its own story.

     Though I don't think Döckálfar is capable of being a stand alone novella as it reads more like the next chapter of Freja it was nevertheless, a good read. When you pick up Döckálfar expect a well-written novella that goes much deeper into Viggo's past, even switching to his perspective at times (rather than continuing from Svala's perspective which is more prominent in the first two novellas). Being a huge stickler for character development, something which I never seem to stop talking about, I tuly appreciated how Berg placed a lot of emphasis on Viggo in this novella. Overall, I
think Döckálfar is definitley worth a read, though to fully appreciate it you really have to read the first two novellas in the series first.

Click Below to Read it Yourself

Amazon
Smashwords
Goodreads


My Previous Reviews of This Series

 

 Nordic Fairies (the first novella) 

Freja (the second novella)


 

Pearl Lover- A Peek at the Cover

Author: Kea Noli

A Comment on The Cover

    Recently I received a request to review Pearl Lover by Kea Noli, I have to confess I haven't started it just yet but with a cover like this I can hardly wait! I always find it so refreshing when I self-published book has a good cover. There are just too many good, self-published books out there with horrendous covers that don't get nearly enough attention because the cover isn't enticing. Just looking at this cover and her mysterious eyes, I feel like I want to know more about her, who is she? what is she thinking?

    I know your not supposed to judge a book by its cover but for some reason everybody does anyways. So I'm curious, what do you think makes a good cover?

If this cover makes you want to read the book as much as me click on the link below; Pearl Lover is going to be free this weekend on Amazon!

Amazon

This Side of Paradise

Rating: 5/5

Title: This Side of Paradise

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Page Count (Paperback): 276

Official Amazon Description

     This Side of Paradise is the book that established F. Scott Fitzgerald as the prophet and golden boy of the newly dawned Jazz Age. Published in 1920, when he was just twenty-three, the novel catapulted him to instant fame and financial success. The story of Amory Blaine, a privileged, aimless, and self-absorbed Princeton student, This Side of Paradise closely reflects Fitzgerald's own experiences as an undergraduate. Amory Blaine's journey from prep school to college to the First World War is an account of "the lost generation." The young "romantic egotist" symbolizes what Fitzgerald so memorably described as "a new generation grown up to find all Gods dead, all wars fought, all faiths in man shaken." A pastiche of literary styles, this dazzling chronicle of youth remains bitingly relevant decades later.

My Thoughts

     This Side of Paradise can only be described as a literary masterpiece and a brilliant commentary on Fitzgerald's society. Like The Old Curiosity Shop I loved the character development in This Side of Paradise. Though physically the plot followed the life of Amory from his childhood to around his early thirtes or late twenties, Fitgerald also went into great depth about the transition from boy to man that Amory made mentally. I really enjoyed following this progression as he delved deeper and deeper into Amory's inner journey to discover himself. I definitley didn't agree with all of Amory's opinions on the world but in his philosophical musings both within himself and with the other thinkers around him, Amory presented strong arguments to back all of his opinions.

        One of the wonderful things about Fitgerald's focus on the mind in This Side of Paradise was that it got me thinking. Whenever Amory presented one of his well supported opinions, I would have to stop and think about how I felt and why; in every sense of the phrase This Side of Paradise was most certainly thought provoking.

       Beyond the philosophical and thought provoking nature of this work I also extremely enjoyed the wry wit and candid thoughts of Amory. One of my favourite quotes from the novel was,  "Every author ought to write a book as if he were going to be beheaded the day he finished it" (211). I suppose one of the reasons I was so struck by this quote was because I absolutley agreed with the philosophy behind it, so many authors hold back when writing for fear of what people might think,  truly lessening the impact of their work. But if authors wrote as if they were going to be beheaded the day they finished it there would be no need to hold back for fear of society's reaction and in my opinion, there would be a lot more thought provoking and truly great books in the world today.

Click below to read it yourself:

Amazon

     

Highlight Poetry (#1)

 

A Bit of an Introduction to Highlight Poetry

     For a little while now I've been itching to start a meme but everytime I set about thinking up a theme or a name for it, I'd inevitably end up with an idea that somebody else had already come up with. Eventually I decided that I wanted to focus on something that is important to me and not recognized nearly enough; poetry. And bingo! Highlight Poetry crossed my mind as a good self-explanatory name for a meme that focused on highlighting (acknowledging) poetry. So when I searched "Highligh Poetry" in both the regular google search engine and google's blog search engine and could not find any results for a meme name "Highlight Poetry" I knew I had found the name for my meme!

The First Poem of Highlight Poetry

Embarking at Night

F. Scott Fitzgerald

1920

"We leave to-night...

  Silent, we filled the still, deserted street,

    A column of dim gray,

  And ghosts rose startled at the muffled beat

    Along the moonless way;

  The shadowy shipyards echoed to the feet

    That turned from night and day.

  And so we linger on the windless decks,

    See on the spectre shore

  Shades of a thousand days, poor gray-ribbed wrecks...

    Oh, shall we then deplore

  Those futile years!

              See how the sea is white!

  The clouds have broken and the heavens burn

    To hollow highways, paved with gravelled light

  The churning of the waves about the stern

    Rises to one voluminous nocturne,

                  ...We leave to-night."

 

A Brief Commentary Providing a Bit of Context

    I discovered this poem a couple of days ago while reading  F. Scott Fitgerald's This Side of Paradise. For those of you who are not familiar with Fitzgerald's works, This Side of Paradise is a ficitonal novel about a rather egotistical young man named Amory. Though the novel itself is not a book of poetry, through the character Amory, Fitzgerald writes several poems of which Embarking at Night was one . At the point in the novel when this poem is included, Amory is heading off to fight in the first world war and is presumably writing the poem about his emotions while he waits to embark in the night on the journey of a soldier.

    I absolutley love this poem, I think it is beautifully written, providing haunting imagery of a soldier's restless wait before he heads off to war. Through this poem Fitzgerald allows the reader to feel as if they themselves are mourning the futile years ahead and the "poor gray-ribbed wrecks" that will fall during the war. I felt as if I was truly transported to another time, while reading this poem, like I could hear the waves breaking upon far off shores and the feel the soldier's fear as he prepared to embark.

What are your thoughts? What struck you most about Emarking at Night?

To learn more about how you can get involved in Highlight Poetry click here.

Freja

Rating: 4/5

Title: Freja

Series: Book Two of the Nordic Fairies

Author: Saga Berg

Page Count (ebook/novella): 43

Official Amazon Description

     Four months have passed since Svala met Viggo in New York, and she hasn’t heard from him since. When Viggo appears in a popular interview on TV, Svala and her friends gather in Svala’s and Trym’s living room to watch. Svala with the hope Viggo will give her a sign, and let her know how he is doing. He doesn’t. Instead, something happens during the interview that takes Svala completely off guard. On national television, she is reminded of a painful memory from their past.

     In the second part of Nordic Fairies, the public display of Viggo and Svala’s most painful secret from their past forces Svala to remember her past. Driven by guilt, Viggo breaks the rules and tries to contact her, but his attempt leaves Svala with more questions than answers.

     What is he up to? And what exactly is going on between Viggo and his co-star actress, Amanda Jones?

My Thoughts

     I had a few minor concerns about Berg being able to live up to the promising start that was the first nordic fairies novella. But after finishing Freja, the second installment in the series, all of my doubts were banished, and I am now hopelessly addicted to the series! In my opinion Freja was even better than the first novella in the series. Not only is the transition from the first novella to Freja seemless but the plot develops wonderfully. This novella goes into greater depth as to what it means to be a Nordic Fairy and places a larger emphasis on character development (a.k.a. you get to learn more about the intriguing romance between Viggo and Svala!!). In total Freja is a must read for any fans and sceptics of the first novella, and anyone who is looking for a way to break out of reading the vampire/werewolf young adult trend.

Click Below to Read it Yourself

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
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My Previous Reviews of this Series

Nordic Fairies (the first novella)

Nordic Fairies

Rating: 3/5

Title: Nordic Fairies

Series: Book One of Nordic Fairies

Author: Saga Berg

Page Count (ebook/novella): 43

 

Official Amazon Description

What would you do if your lover since a thousand years back in time reappeared after two years apart as a famous movie star, and you couldn't get to him?

Svala and Viggo have spent a hundred lives together over the last thousand years. As Liosálfar, Nordic light fairies, their job is to do good and to uphold a balance in the mortal world. A balance, often compromised by the Döckálfar, Nordic dark fairies.

In this life, Svala turns on her TV and learns that Viggo has become a popular movie star. This is not only highly unexpected, it indicates something is wrong and that Viggo is attempting to contact Svala before their assignments are carried out, an action which is strictly forbidden.

Svala seeks him out, but not without breaking a few rules of her own, and learning that things are not always as they seem.

My Thoughts

      I think the only truly appropriate way to describe saga Berg's first novella is, short and sweet. The first installment in the Nordic Fairies series of novellas is certainly intriguing. It gives you just enough of glimpse into what the rest of the series holds that you want to keep reading; it nearly drove me mad with curiosity when it ended just when I was getting into the story. The hint of romance between Viggo and Svala, as well as the original plot offered a taste of what I am hoping will develop to be a truly satisfying read. Overall I simply can't wait to see if Berg follows through after reading such a promising start!

Click Below to Read it Yourself!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

Goodreads

Fading Green Glitter

     While perusing the internet for a new, different nail art design that I hadn't tried before I came across a youtube video published by, frmheadtotoe (From Head to Toe), which showed how to do a fading effect on nails (she referred to it as the gradient effect). I've seen this technique used quite a bit in various nail art blogs and so I decided I should finally give it a try. To see frmheadtotoes's video click here.

The finished fading effect on my nails.

Nail Polishes I Used:

• Sally Hansen Ultimate Shield Base and Top Coat
• Wet n Wild Wild Shine in Hallucinate (Sparkley polish)
• Simply Sweet (the green nail polish, no colour name was given on the bottle)
• Sally Hansen Clear

Let's Get Started!

Step 1: Paint all of your nails with a clear polish to protect your natural nail and to add shine to the lower portion of the nail which won't be painted with the coloured polish.

Step 2: Using a translucent (not opaque) polish (I used the simply sweet green polish), paint the top three quarters of your nail making sure you have left a portion of your nail unpainted near the base;  do not paint the entire nail!

Step 3: Next paint a second coat of your coloured polish in the top portion of your first coat. Make sure you leave the lower part of the first coat of polish visible.

Step 4: Continue this pattern of painting just above the bottom of the previous coat of polish until the tip of your nail has a much darker colour than the base.

Step 5: Add Sparkles!!!!! Paint a sparkly coat of polish over the entire nail once it has dried to make the fading appear more natural and thats it, you now have a beautiful fading effect on your nails!