Train Station Bride Interview with Holly Bush

  

         Today, I have the pleasure of hosting another stop in the Train Station Bride Blog Tour. For today's stop, I will be interviewing Holly Bush, the author of Train Station Bride. So what are you waiting for read on!

 If you want to see yesterday's stop, when I reviewed Train Station Bride click here.

Author Bio

        I grew up in a home where I was surrounded by books. There was not a room that did not hold a bookcase, stack or shelves of books. My father didn't care what we read, although he did, as long as we read something, even a comic book. His stack of books beside his reading chair that sat next to a sunny window was a strange mix of westerns, political intrigue, current affairs, science fiction and the odd biography. Books made me curious, comforted me, excited me, scared me and gave me glimpses into lives and worlds beyond my reach. What a gift - the written word - what a gift!

 

 

The Interview

LL: Lace and Lavender Hints (Me)

HB: Holly Bush (author of Train Station Bride)

LL: Tell us a bit about yourself.

HB: Hello! First I’m very glad to be talking to you and your followers. I’m married with two daughters and live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I work full-time in the Quality Department for a large farming company.

LL: Why did you decide to become a writer?   

HB: I’m not sure I decided to become a writer. I think the writing found me. I see characters doing things or going somewhere and that is often the basis for my books.

LL: What was your main inspiration to write Train Station Bride?

HB: I had a vision in my head of a young woman, formally dressed for the late 1800’s, stepping off of a train onto a busy platform in a mid-western town. She was Julia. I began writing when I figured out why she was getting off of the train at that stop.

LL: Why did you decide to write a romance novel?

HB: I’m a big fan of Happily Ever Afters. News, politics, work and even family is sometimes stressful and when I relax, I want to think of something that is hopeful and happy.

LL: If you could sum Jake into five words, what would they be?

HB: Stubborn, loving, smart, loyal and handsome!

LL: What is your all-time favorite book and why?

HB: That’s a tough question. To Kill a Mockingbird is probably number one for me. The story and the characters felt real when I read it for the first time years ago and have stuck with me. A close second is Mary Balogh’s Slightly Married and John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany.

LL: What was your biggest challenge when writing Train Station Bride?

HB: Time is always a challenge for me. I write on the weekends and work like a nut all week in the evenings to do my marketing, clean the house and keep some clean undies in the drawers. We’re empty nesters and thank goodness my hubby does the cooking!

LL: Do you have any advice for new authors and aspiring writers?

HB: Join a writing group. I think my writing made great strides by listening to others read their works and hearing the group make comments. Just be careful to get in a ‘positive’ group. There’s nothing worse than being with a bunch of negative nellies!

LL: Is there anything else you would like to say to your fans and readers? 
HB: I can’t thank folks enough for taking a chance on a new writer. I’ve been very fortunate to receive great reviews and have had good sales so far. All the people that take the time to post a review on Amazon or B & N or GoodReads or just tell a friend about my books have a huge impact on my ability to reach new readers. I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Where to find Holly

 Website | Blog | Twitter

Buy Links

 Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | All Romance E Books | I tunes | Kobo | Reader Store

Interview with Kea Noli Author of Pearl Lover

      Today I am fortunate to be able to welcome Kea Noli, the author of Pearl Lover to my blog for an interview.

LL: Me (Lace & Lavender)

Kea: Kea Noli (Author of Pearl Lover)

Kea Noli

The Interview

LL: Tell us a bit about yourself.

Kea: Sarah, I am Australian by birth but American by choice.  Pearl Lover reveals a lot about me.

LL:Why did you decide to become a writer?

Kea: When I was a designer in the building industry, I was frustrated because of the bureaucracy, permits, licenses, and inspections. I quit my job, and said: “to hell with all that” and I started writing.

LL:How long did it take you to write Pearl Lover?

Kea: Seven months, after about 4 years of shredding manuscripts.

LL:What was your main inspiration to write Pearl Lover?

Kea: To challenge the status quo on the traditional ideas of jealousy.

I’d had enough of romances with hysterical females venting negative emotions. 

Another inspiration—the famous Rudolph Nureyev and the Ballets Russes inspired me.  Kolya Kosov is modeled after Nureyev.  The Ballets Russes (Ballets Russia) was a 20^th Century Company.  Most of the ballets produced in the west can be traced back to the Company’s influence.  Pearl Lover is a contemporary story with the rebirth of Ballets Russes (images of some dancers on the wall behind me).

LL:If you could sum Nixie Veidt into one word, what would it be?  

Kea: Imp

LL:What is your all-time favourite book and why?

Kea: Atlas Shrugged.  Because after I discovered it, I ran away from home.

LL:What were your main challenges when writing Pearl Lover?

Kea: To be dramatic in all scenes. 

LL:What is your advice to new authors and aspiring writers?

Kea: If you do not know the answer to a problem, look beyond yourself.  Do not think that there is something wrong with you, just because you cannot work it out.  Find the answer.  I found that comment in Fiction Writing by Ayn Rand. 

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

Kea:  Seriously, I have been writing for about 5 years, living frugally, on breadcrumbs, so to speak, but I have one purpose—to succeed as a writer—that means to write

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

Kea:I enjoy emails from my readers.   

Read Kea Noli's Pearl Lover for yourself:











Pearl Lover (Amazon Kindle)
Goodreads

To read my review of Pearl Lover Click Here

Interview With Michael Diack Author of The Super Spud Trilogy

      Though the Super Spud Trilogy is outside my genre and I won't be reviewing it, the story is so unique that I couldn't not interview the author. The interview is included below; enjoy!

LL: Lace and Lavender (Me)
MD: Michael Diack

The Interview

LL:Tell us a bit about yourself.

MD:   Hi, my name is Michael Diack and I’m 26.  I studied geology at theUniversity of Manchester and, after graduating, I was lucky to find a job in Oman working for a geophysical company. I enjoy table tennis, music, films, football, sailing and writing about magical potatoes with a taste for adventure and humour.  I’m also a proud geek and I enjoy computer games and playing a four hour game of Risk with my friends.  I always wanted to be a volcanologist, likePierce Brosnan in Dante’s Peak, but I enjoy my current job and lifestyle.  I released my debut novel back in April 2012as a paperback and e-book for Kindle.


LL:Why did you decide to become a writer?

MD:   I can’t say I decided to become a writer, the Super Spuds was justsomething I had in my head and I knew I needed to write the story.  Writing makes me happy and I’m always writing, whether its short stories, Super Spud adventures or just plans forother novels, ideas are constantly flowing. I’d need to sell a few more copies first before I’d consider myself a writer properly, for now I’m just a debut author trying to stand out from thecrowd.


LL:How long did it take you to write The Super Spud?
MD:    I wrote the novel at university and it took me about a month.  I knew what I wanted to write and the idea sjust flowed out easily, especially because I was referencing and paying tributeto lots of films and television shows. Drawing comparisons between the human world and the Super Spud world isone of the most enjoyable aspects of writing these stories.  The editing phase was much harder and took along time, I had to fully nail down the magic rules and ensure that the concept of walking, talking crisp packets didn’t come across as too unbelievable.  


LL:What inspired you to write a novel about potato chips?


MD:   I wrote the book at university when I was 19.  I guess the target audience at the time ofwriting were fellow students with the same kind of humour as me.  Initially, there were lots more sexualinnuendos and some mild swearing, in time I took these out and tried to makethe book much more approachable for all age groups.   Now there are no swear words, the Super Spudequivalent version of sex is holding hands, and the graphic violence is comicin its depiction.  My gut tells me thecore target audience it will appeal to is still the student generation (18-25),and the best reviews have been from reviewers of this age range, but I honestlyhope adults will find it enjoyable and younger readers, too.  It came about after I remembered a shortstory I had written at primary school: Colin and Lucy are crisp packets whocome to life after their use-by date and try to find the rubbish tip.  At university, bored during a lecture onrocks, I remembered the story and wrote it when I got back to my house.  


LL:In your book the characters travel all over the world, where is your favouriteplace to travel?

MD:   I’ve been fortunate to have travelled a bit with friends and family, andon geology field trips to some amazing places. I’d love to go to New Zealand one day, to Hong Kong and I’d also like totravel around Europe by train.  I work inOman and it would be great to travel this country with my friends, I think ithas a great tourist potential because it has retained its Middle Eastern culturea lot more than Abu Dhabi or Dubai, who have just built skyscrapersgalore.  Oman is still untouched, and isa beautiful landscape of dunes, canyons and wildlife.


LL:What is your all-time favourite book and why?

MD:  The Hobbit.  I love everything byTolkien and I always re-read The Hobbit every year.  For me, it’s the perfect adventure story andit’s a credit to Tolkien’s skill that the book isn’t even that long.  Everything is described so well without theneed for a 1,000 pages and every page is exciting to read.  I also love The Silmarillion. 


LL:What were your main challenges when writing Super Spud?

MD:   Obviously,the book is about magical crisp packets so there has to be a sentient amount ofdisbelief, but I was always worried the reader wouldn’t be drawn in by th econcept, or overly scrutinize a certain aspect of the magic rules.  This was the biggest challenge for me, butonce I had nailed down the strict rules and stipulations regarding the Super Spuds, the whole book was enjoyable to write. I knew what I wanted to write and the book was finished in first draft in about a month.  The editing phase took much longer and involved large re-writes, and major changes.   Another challenge was trying to find thebalance between what I personally found funny.  I enjoy the process of writing about Super Spuds so much, sometimes I’ll write something just for my own amusement, then go back, read it, and realise only I would laugh and promptly delete it. I’m sure now there are bits I wrote I didn’t mean to be funny, and other parts I wrote thinking it was funny but no-one cares.  Feedback from the story would be great though, what readers liked and what they didn’t like, so I could make the next set of adventures even more fun.


LL:What is your advice to new authors and aspiring writers?

MD:   If you truly believe in your work then never give up on it.  I’d think about an editor as well, not justfor the proofreading but the professionalism they bring to the story as awhole, noticing plot flaws and being truly honest with you.  Everything my editor did was to make thestory better so take all feedback as positive and don’t be down if the editorsays some things they don’t like about the story.  If something doesn’t work in your book, insteadof trying to write around it and forcing it in, just delete it.  As for new authors, you’re probably busymarketing like me on various forums and contacting book bloggers – so eventhough you’re my competition, good luck and hope your book sells well.


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

MD:     Most of my time is spent working in Oman, but on my leave I pretty much just hang out with friends and play board games, do sport or go out at nightand have fun.  I work for 6 weeks and then get 3 weeks off, so I have a lot of time off to pretty much be a studentagain and just sleep in and relax.


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

MD:  I’d like to say amassive thank you to anyone who has bought the book and enjoyed thestories.  Reading the reviews and thefeedback is amazing and I’d be more than happy to discuss the book with readers,or take suggestions for new flavour types they’d like to see in the forthcomingnew set of adventures.  For now, I needto keep busy marketing and get the book out there to build up the fan base.  I’m working on a new set of Super Spudstories, which will bring back the same characters (and some you thought died)and see more wacky humour and crazy adventures. The next story will have less characters overall and an emphasis on onebig plot, rather than each chapter being a different adventure. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amazon (Paperback)
Amazon (kindle)

War Horse

       Last night I had the privilege of going to see the play War Horse which is currently being hosted in Toronto, Canada by Mirvish, and so I just had to write about the experience which was to put it in a word, phenomenal.War Horse, as you may or may not know started like many great stories do, as a book. The novel War Horse was written by Micahel Morpugo in 1982 and then adapted both as a film and as a play. Though I haven't read the book yet, I watched the movie version of War Horse, which was released in 2011, earlier this year and immediatley fell in love with the story.

      

      If you're not familiar with War Horse, here's a description from the Mirvish's theatrical trailer:

"This powerfully moving and imaginative drama, filled with stirring music and songs, is a production of phenomenal inventiveness. At its heart are astonishing life-sized puppets created by South Africa's Handspring Puppet Company, who bring breathing, galloping, charging horses to life on stage."

 -Mirvish

     The play adapts the story beautifully, and the puppetry of the Handspring Puppet Company is simply amazing, they truly brought the horses to life.  From the beginning to the end I was completely immersed in the story, wonderstruck by how well it was executed. The acting is superb, and the music is so beautifully integrated that I forgot there was actually an orchestra playing just below me in the orchestra pit until the end of the play. As for the set, I felt as if I was truly frolicking in the English fields with Joey and Albert as they grew up and standing right beside them on the front lines of the First World War. I absolutely urge you to go and see War Horse; it is beyond extraordinary.

      As a further note, I would just like to credit all the amazing writers who were involved in the production of War Horse:

• Micahel Morpugo who wrote the original novel
• Lee Hall and Richard Curtis who wrote the screenplay for the film
• Nick Stafford who adapted the original novel, for the National Theatre of Great Britain's production of War Horse

War Horse the book (movie cover)

Interview with Colleen Conally (Author of Seductive Secrets)

       About a month ago I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing Colleen Connally's debut novel, Seductive Secrets. At the time I had been searching for a good historical romance and had the good fortune of discovering it on smashwords, though it is now also available on Amazon. I haven't read a historical romance nearly as good as Connally's Seductive Secrets since, and am super excited to be able to share my interview with her; happy reading!

The Interview 

LL: Lace and Lavender (Me)
CC: Colleen Connally

LL: Tell us a bit about yourself.

CC: I'm a Southern girl now living above the Mason/Dixon line—along way from home. If anyone had ever told me I would end up living in Boston when I was young, I would have thought they had lost their mind. When I say I grew up in the South, I mean the deep, rural South...on a farm. I grew up surrounded by lots of animals and fields and fields of cotton and soybeans. I loved every minute of it. I never thought about leaving my home. Then I fell inlove with a Yankee. That was twenty-seven years ago. But as the saying goes, you can take the girl out of the country, but not the country out of the girl!


LL: Why did you decide to become a writer?

CC: As with most things in life, a dream. Writing has always been a dream of mine. I’ve always been an avid reader.  I love getting caught up in another world if only for a few brief hours. Although I don't think there was a precise moment when I decided to become a writer, I believe it was always in me. Although when I went to college I majored in a different field, my heart lay with English literature. The writers in these courses inspired me probably from the time of Romantism. I would read for hours authors' works such as Jane Austin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, andEmily Dickerson. 

LL: How long did it take you to write Seductive Secrets?

CC: From the time I began to the last edit...probably a year.The way I write it doesn't necessarily mean it took a full year, but I would go to a certain point and let it sit for a time. Then I would go back to the manuscript.

LL: What was your main inspiration to write Seductive Secrets?

CC: My love for history draws me to write historical stories andI can’t help but write romance. I believe in the power of love. Seductive Secrets is the first book in a series that will deal with just how powerful love can be in life. I believe Seductive Secrets holds several strong connections with the power of love—Julian and Alyce, Julian and Roland, Alyce and her best friend Charles. I mention Charles here because one of the underlying inspirations inwriting Seductive Secrets was the character of Charles. I had a conversation with someone one dear to me who is gay. During this particular conversation, they mentioned that growing up gay they didn't have any positive role models to look up to especially in books. Things are changing, but it got me thinking. I can write a positive gay character. Once I decided on the course of action, Charles was created along with it, the challenge of having a major secondary character gay in a regency romance. But I love this character and believe Charles added another dimension to the story.


LL: If you could sum Alyce into five words, what would they be?

CC: Compassionate, loyal, innocent, feminine, mysterious.


LL: Are you planning to write more romance/historical fictionnovels in the future; if so can you give us an idea of what they might beabout?

CC:  I have a few things coming up. I'm in the midst of completing my second novel under Colleen Connally. Broken Legacy hopefully will becompleted at least by December. I have a couple of series set during the American Revolution under my name Jerri Hines. Ruse of Love which will be released August 7th. It is the second book in the Winds of Betrayal Series.Then in September, Another Night Falls will be released in the Tides of Charleston Series. Excited about both of these upcoming releases! If you like fantasy, I have an epic fantasy series, Whispers of a Legend under my pen name Carrie James Haynes, you might enjoy as well. ]


LL: What is your all-time favourite book and why?

CC: Hard question.  I love so many books and authors. I love all the classics from Jane Eyre to Wuthering Heights. Two of my favorite romance books include Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen Woodwiss and Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. I'm a huge fan of Lord of the Rings and the Kent Family Chronicles by John Jakes. I hold a certain writer's envy pertaining to two particular writers I admire, Suzanne Collins and J. K. Rowlings. I love their originality and their seamless flow of words. But if you hold me to my all-time favorite book has to be To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I believe it’s my Southern roots that adds a draw to the story. I've read the book many, many times and each time it touches me.


LL: What is your advice to new authors and aspiring writers?

CC: Very simple...just write. Don't stop.


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

CC: I would love to say travel the world. I love to travel, but that doesn't happen as often as I would like. Instead, I read and let the books take me to places I've never been. My children are older. My youngest is going to college in the fall. So a new chapter in my life will begin. I will have to adjust to empty nest syndrome, but I'm sure my husband and I will manage. We love to garden, play with our doggies and watch sporting events.


LL: Is there anything else you would like to say to your fansand readers?

CC: I so appreciate everyone who has taken the time to read oneof my books. I hope my books can supply a few hours of escape from the worldoutside. Enjoy and thank you.

To read my review of Seductive Secrets click here.

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)

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)

The Gathering

Rating: 3/5

Title: The Gathering

Series: Book one of Darkness Rising

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Page Count (hardcover): 359

Official Book Description:

     Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students–for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.

      Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya’s determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya’s home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts experiencing “bad vibes” about certain people and things. It does’t help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret…and he’s interested in one special part of Maya’s anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark

My Thoughts:

      After hearing wonderful things about #1 New York Times Best Selling author Kelley Armstrong I decided that I simply had to find out for myself what all the buzz was about. So, when I noticed The Gathering while perusing the YA section of the library I decided to check it out. Perhaps I've just been reading too many classics lately but in my opinion The Gathering just wasn't that amazing. Now that's not to say that I won't read the rest of this series, or that I won't read any of her other books, but what's for sure is that Kelley Armstrong's The Gathering just didn't strike a chord within me.

     I think one of my main problems in The Gathering arose from a lack of connection to the characters. Yes, Armstrong did have decent character development and certainly went into great depth when describing the background history of Rafe (the love interest), but I just didn't form enough of a deep connection with Maya (the protagonist) to really understand her point of view. What I believe truly hindered my connection with Maya was the lack of foreshadowing to who she was. Though Armstrong did include a bit of foreshadowing, she simply threw in what would have been very intriguing clues, after she revealed what Maya was, which prevented the development of a truly intriguing mystery of her identity.

     I applaud Armstrong for creating a world in Darkness Rising that is completely removed from all of the vampire and werewolf content that most YA books are based upon today. I found it rather refreshing not to have to hear all about another girl's discovery of vampires, and was pleasantly surprised to discover the book was based upon Aboriginal Mythology (not sure if mythology is the correct term but you see where I'm going). And I absolutely loved the setting of the novel, which was located in a small, remote town in the Bristish Columbia's Canadian wilderness.

    Despite the fact that I'm not head over heels in love with The Gathering, I am looking forward to following the rest of the series. I'm curious to see what happens to Maya as her journey continues and whether or not Amrstrong's writing style improves! 

      

If you want to check out The Gathering for yourself; click on the link below!   

Amazon

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