Bunny's Reviews: September 2022

Friday, September 30, 2022

Kingdom Come Review Spotlight

Welcome to the book tour for the beautiful fourth installment in the Birth of the Fae series, Kingdom Come! Read on for more details and a chance to win a FairyLoot Crate!

Kingdom Come is the fourth book in Danielle M. Orsino’s Birth of the Fae series. If you’re not reading this series, you are honestly missing out.

Book three ended with things moving in a promising direction – Queen Aurora and King Jarvok have found love with each other. The future looks bright...on paper, but what does the future really hold for these characters? With her scheming bishops lurking in the shadows looking for their opportunity to strike, danger looms. But it seems that the bishops aren’t the only trouble lurking waiting for a chance to create some chaos.

From the very beginning, this book will engage you and have you page-turning to find out what happens next. Queen Aurora has quite a bit on her shoulders. The unifying of the two factions, the ins and outs of the marriage, the day-to-day issues of the kingdoms, and a surprise element walking around. Her dreams are haunting her as well. The darkness that they promise...can it be put off? Can it be prevented? Or is it set in stone? After years of war, peace is a wonderful thing to seek for, but after all that has happened is it truly attainable?

The characters are engaging and the ones you have come to despise will continue in that vein. Queen Aurora is unpredictable at times in this book. She gets upset with the wrong people, and continues to be naive. She gets a much-needed shake though which is good. It might just be too little too late though. The plans are being laid while she chooses to live in denial. I’m glad that she has others that are more trustworthy and watchful surround her though.

The author weaves a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you wonder what will be the downfall of them all? Brace yourself, there are going to be some tragic moments ahead so make sure you grab a box of tissues...you’re going to need them. My jaw was on the floor. Literally. I wanted to be angry with certain elements and situations that unfolded, but it all lends toward the bigger picture.

One thing is for sure though...there will be another book in this series and I’m eager for it to find out what happens next. Where is the author taking this story? These characters? Will there be retribution? Will any of the questions burning in your mind be answered? I’m sure they will be. LOL!

I’m rating this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. I’m taking off half a star because I felt that Queen Aurora’s naivety went on just too long. I needed her to wake up sooner and stop having such blind faith in her bishops. If you have read the series to this point, you’re not going to want to miss out on what happens next! So dive in!

Thank you to the author, Danielle M. Orsino, and R&R Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Kingdom Come (Birth of the Fae #4)

Publication Date: May 30th, 2022

Genre: Fantasy/ Fae

All is peaceful in the Veil, which is usually when everything falls apart…
Queen Aurora of the Court of Light and King Jarvok of the Court of Dark have fallen in love despite all odds. A relationship of political convenience has turned into something real and tangible for the two monarchs. After centuries of conflict and mistrust, the two Courts are about to unite as one: the Court of the Fae. But not every Fae is happy about the impending union.
Queen Aurora’s most trusted advisors have never lost touch with their old Angelic ways. These bishops still believe that Virtues and Power Angels were never meant to mix. According to them, Queen Aurora is no longer suitable to rule. As they mount a complex coup d’état to grasp the throne, a new threat to the monarchy makes their move.
Will the entire foundation of peace crumble with one last act of betrayal? Or will the bond between Court of Light and Dark prevail in the face of danger?

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About the Author

Danielle M. Orsino is a fantasy novelist whose lifelong vision to create whimsical realms that her readers can escape to. Her compelling word-weaving pays homage to a multitude of personal muses, from Chris Claremont and George Pérez (both famous comic book writers) to Anne Rice and Wonder Woman.

The creative spark of storytelling has been with Danielle ever since she was a child, but martial arts and her nursing career took center stage into adulthood. Then, on a day like any other, it was reignited during the most unexpected of moments: while treating one of her patients. Seeing that they longed for a distraction during their arduous treatments, the floodgates of inspiration soon burst forth. So, Danielle took it upon herself to tell them a story; a fantastical narrative that would leave the confines of that IV room’s walls and land upon a page. Before she knew it, what started as an imaginative tale to pass the time, turned into book, followed by an entire series: The Birth of Fae. This awe-inspiring series includes Locked out of Heaven (Book One), Thine Eyes of Mercy (Book Two), and From The Ashes (Book Three), all of which are published by 4 Horsemen Publications, Inc. And with an unwavering passion for cosplay and comics, it was a unanimous decision to place her on the cover of each book in all her Fae cosplay glory. The Birth of Fae also features Los, an affable chameleon dragon inspired by her fun-loving Yorkie named Carlos.

When writing wasn’t at the forefront of her mind, Danielle was a successful Martial Artist. Some of her achievements include “1999 World Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee”, “Female Martial Artist of the Year”, “WKA World Champion Silver Medalist 2008”, and numerous more. She has also garnered hundreds of martial art tournament wins, various other national and world titles, and features on big-name channels like TLC and CBS. She even had the rare opportunity to perform for former U.S. President Bill Clinton and collaborate alongside Vincent Lyn and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. From there, she pursued her Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science, and she is now a Licensed Practical Nurse who focuses on Lyme disease research.

This “New Queen of the Fae’s” unmatched world-building and masterful Fae-origin retellings have led to an ever-growing queendom of “Fae-natics”. To begin embarking upon a quest in an epic world unlike any other, visit Danielle M. Orsino’s official website at http://www.BirthOfTheFae.com. You can also connect with her on Instagram (@BirthOfTheFae_Novel) and Twitter (@BirthOfTheFae).

“After summoning this world into existence through an imaginative force of will, Danielle has scoured every inch of the landscape several times over. Critics often praise a story’s world building by saying that it feels “lived in.” Well, the world of the Fae certainly seems like that because Danielle herself has happily lived there for years as she worked to put all of this together… My favorite part of this story is that it is gloriously depicted in vibrant images.”

-Clete Barrett Smith, New York Times Bestselling Author of If We Were Giants, Aliens on Vacation series, and Magic Delivery

The Birth of the Fae | Instagram | Twitter

For a chance to win a FairyLoot Crate, click the link below (US Only)

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Book Tour Schedule

September 26^th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

Balancing Books and Beauties (Review) https://balancingbooksandbeauties.wordpress.com/

FUONLYKNEW (Spotlight) http://fuonlyknew.com/

Nesie’s Place (Spotlight) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com

Liliyana Shadowlyn (Spotlight) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

@booksintheirnaturalhabitat (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/booksintheirnaturalhabitat/

September 27^th

Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.com/

Latisha’s Low-Key Life (Review) https://latishaslowkeylife.com/

@latishaslowkeylife - https://www.instagram.com/latishaslowkeylife/

@happily_undignified (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/happily_undignified/

@itsabookthing2021 (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/itsabookthing2021/

Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com

Book Reviews by Taylor (Spotlight) https://www.bookreviewsbytaylor.com/

September 28^th

@gryffindorbookishnerd (Review) https://www.instagram.com/gryffindorbookishnerd/

@amber.bunch_author (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/amber.bunch_author/

I Love Books & Stuff (Spotlight) https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com

Stine Writing (Spotlight) https://christinebialczak.com/

September 29^th

better_0ff_read (Review) https://www.instagram.com/better_0ff_read/

The Faerie Review (Review) http://www.thefaeriereview.com

Freelance Writer, Janny (Spotlight) https://freelancewriterjannyc.com/

On the Shelf Reviews (Spotlight) https://ontheshelfreviews.wordpress.com

@mels_booksandhooks (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/mels_booksandhooks/

Cocktails & Fairytales (Spotlight) https://www.facebook.com/CocktailsFairytales

September 30^th

Cheryl’s Book Nook (Review) https://cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com/

Bunny’s Reviews (Review) https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/

@brandidanielledavis (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/brandidanielledavis/

Lecari’s Live Journal (Spotight) http://www.lecari.co.uk

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

Book Tour Organized By:

R&R Book Tours

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Old Sins Review Spotlight

Welcome to the book tour for Old Sins by Lynne Handy! Read on for more details and exclusive excerpt!

Prepare to be taken across the seas to the picturesque Ireland in Old Sins as Lynne Handy unfolds a mystery that will take you into the past to reveal it's dark origins.

Maria Pell is currently residing in an Irish village working on creating new poetry and studying prehistoric people. For the most part, all seems well in this quiet little village...as long as you're willing to ignore the bizarre neighbor next door. He owns the cottage she's staying in, so that's a bit hard to do. But we must always do our best, yes?

Things take a dark twist though when a young girl goes missing and is found murdered. Who could have done this heinous crime? Why was the young girl targetted? These questions and more will pummel the people of this small village, but more is to come unfortunately. This once quiet village is going to be rocked again and again as someone is intent on hurting the people who live there. If Maria isn't careful she just might end up being one of the many victims.

Old Sins is a mystery novel that will grab you from the beginning and keep you coming back to find out what happens next. The start of this book is shocking and revealing at the same time. Then you're pushed to go deeper with Maria. What Maria experienced as a child has molded her into the individual that she is in the story.

Maria is really an interesting character. She's complex without being overly so. She's flawed and acknowledges this frequently throughout this book. She tries not to let hypocracy blind her, but there are moments when it does blind her a little.

The twisted nature of the mystery in this book will have you page-turning as more girls go missing. With the appearance of Maria's "estranged beau" new information gets brought to light. While there might be tension and drama between them, he definitely brings a fresh set of eyes to the situation at hand.

As this puzzle of a story begins to come together, pay close attention. The author is dropping clues here and there to lead you to who the culprit is. On one hand, I found it hard to believe, but on the other hand...my jaw was just on the floor. The title ties into the story beautifully.

This book absolutely engaged me from beginning to end. The author wrote an exceptional story with engaging characters. I look forward to more of this author's work in the future. I'm choosing to rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to the author, Lynne Handy, and R&R Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Keep reading for an excerpt from this novel and be sure to check out my fellow bloggers as they share their thoughts on this novel.

Old Sins (A Maria Pell Mystery)

Publication Date: August 23rd, 2022

Genre: Thriller

Battered by her archeologist lover’s betrayal, poet Maria Pell flees to an Irish village to study prehistoric people and write her next volume of poetry, but her sanctuary is invaded first by her moody cousin and then by her Togolese lover who unexpectedly show up on her doorstep. When the discovery of a girl’s body on a rocky shore reawakens Maria’s devastating childhood memory of finding a dead baby floating in a stream, her days become haunted by this child’s death. As teenage girls disappear, villagers are terrified that sex-traffickers are targeting their community. With crimes to be solved, both past and present, Maria risks her life to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Excerpt

In the summer of 1988 when I was ten, I found a baby girl caught in the cattails of a stream running through my parents’ property. At first, I thought she was another baby Moses waiting to be discovered in the bulrushes. It was when I knelt to free her from the fronds that I saw her ashen face, her vacant eyes, and knew she was dead.

I see it all in slow motion now: I, in a yellow sundress, scrambling to my feet, knowing something was horribly wrong that a baby had been thrown in the creek. I ran toward my house crying, “There’s a dead baby in the creek!”

My academician father was sitting in the porch swing, reading a newspaper. He threw it down and came running. The kitchen door banged behind my mother. “John? What is it?”

I ran to her and pressed my face against her chest.“It’s a dead baby,” I sobbed.“She’s wearing a pink dress.”

“A pink dress?”

My mother folded her arms around me and stared after my father, who admonished her to stay where she was. I’m sure my mother looked at the baby afterward, but not on the day that I found her.

No one ever claimed her. No one ever admitted throwing her in the creek. The town called her Baby Doe. The coroner said she’d been alive when she went in the water. She had been a throwaway child. Until finding her, I had not known that children could be so unloved they would be discarded. I was so distressed that my parents sent me to a psychiatrist who told my mother that I had merged my psyche with that of the unwanted infant and feared no one would ever want me.

How many times during my childhood had my mother asked if I knew how much she and my father loved me? Taken literally, it was a difficult question to answer, so I had kept silent. How do you measure love? Fear of abandonment helped form the woman I became, and in some ways, I remained stuck emotionally in my tenth year.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

The eldest child in a farm family, I grew up in western Indiana where the tall corn drove me inward to create fantasy worlds. Books were my salvation. I was drawn to poetry in the beginning. Wordsworth and other poets taught me that metaphor, sound, and cadence made a good poem. From authors like Dickens, I learned that rhythmic sentences advanced plot. Hemingway taught me about verbs. Upon graduating from library school, I worked as a librarian in Illinois, Texas, and Michigan. In retirement, I co-founded Open Sky Poets, a collaboration of poets in the western suburbs of Chicago, and published poems and short stories in literary journals. I self-published three novels—two are mysteries. Current projects involve a mystery series with author Jake Westin, who, like Christie’s Miss Marple, somehow lands in the middle of murder investigations. I live in a brick house with roses in front and two rescue dogs who bark at passersby.

Lynne Handy | Twitter | Instagram

Facebook | BookBub | Goodreads

Book Tour Schedule

September 26^th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

@books_inthecity (Review) https://www.instagram.com/books_inthecity/

Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.com/

@genoviareadingco (Review) https://www.instagram.com/genoviareadingco/

@readitandsteep_ (Review) https://www.instagram.com/readitandsteep_/

September 27^th

@jacleomik33 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/jacleomik33/

@gryffindorbookishnerd (Review) https://www.instagram.com/gryffindorbookishnerd/

Rambling Mads (Review) http://ramblingmads.com

@better_0ff_read (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/better_0ff_read/

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

September 28^th

@mels_booksandhooks (Review) https://www.instagram.com/mels_booksandhooks/

@evelovesbooks_travel_art (Review) https://www.instagram.com/evelovesbooks_travel_art/

Stine Writing (Review) https://christinebialczak.com/

Nesie’s Place (Spotlight) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com

@fle_d (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/fle_d

September 29^th

@bookish_elise (Review) https://www.instagram.com/bookish_elise/

@mysticforestcrafts (Review) https://www.instagram.com/mysticforestcrafts/

Bunny’s Reviews (Review) https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/

Sadie’s Spotlight (Spotlight) http://sadiesspotlight.com/

Read & Rated (Spotlight) https://readandrated.com/

September 30^th

@amber.bunch_author (Review) https://www.instagram.com/amber.bunch_author/

@amysbooknook8 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/amysbooknook8/

Liliyana Shadowlyn (Review) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

Book Reviews by Taylor (Review) https://www.bookreviewsbytaylor.com/

@bookscoffeehappiness (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/bookscoffeehappiness/

Book Tour Organized By:

R&R Book Tours

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Island of Dreams Spotlight

Welcome to the book tour for historic fiction novel, Island of Dreams by Harry Duffin. Due for release early this Winter!

Island of Dreams

Expected Publication Date: December 1st, 2022

Genre: Historical Thriller/ Historical Romance

A love story set against the backdrop of the 1950’s Cuban Revolution.

In May 1939, when Professor Carl Mueller, his wife, Esther, and their three children flee Nazi Germany, and find refuge on the paradise island of Cuba, they are all full of hopes and dreams for a safe and happy future.

But those dreams are shattered when Carl and Esther are confronted by a ghost from their past, and old betrayals return to haunt them.

The turbulent years of political corruption leading to Batista’s dictatorship, forces the older children to take very different paths to pursue their own dangerous dreams.

And – among the chaos and the conflict that finally leads to Castro’s revolution and victory in 1959, an unlikely love begins to grow – a love that threatens the whole family.

Having escaped a war-torn Europe, their Island of Dreams is to tear them apart forever.

Coming Soon!

Excerpt

May 1939, Havana, Cuba

‘It’s so warm, Papa. It’s still night, but it’s so warm!’

Professor Carl Mueller smiled down at his daughter, holding his hand at the rail of the S.S. St Louis, the ship that had been their refuge, their salvation, as it slipped slowly through the darkness towards the sleeping city. A sense of relief washed over him, like the caress of the tropical breeze.

‘We’re in the Tropics, Anna. It’s always warm here.’

Anna gazed at the shimmering lights of the city strung out along the shore. 'Look! It's like one of Mama's diamond necklaces!'

'She hasn't got them anymore!' snapped her elder brother, Hans, in German. 'We had to sell them to get on the boat!'

'Because of your stupid Nazis!' replied Anna fierily.

'The Nazis are not stupid!'

'Children, children, don't fight!’ said their father firmly, but gently. 'And please remember we must speak English now.'

Hans snorted his annoyance, but said nothing.

As the deep throb of the engines slackened below their feet, they fell quiet. The scent of wet palms and exotic blooms filled Anna's nostrils. She breathed deeply. At twelve years old her life was beginning again. She breathed deeply once more. It was the smell of freedom.

‘It looks so beautiful, Papa. Our new home.’

‘It isn’t our home!’ retorted Hans. His father looked at him. Hans continued in English. ‘Germany is our home, isn’t it, Father! Our Fatherland.’

‘Perhaps one day, my son, it will be again. Until then...’ Professor Mueller’s voice tailed off.

‘I want to explore everything, Papa!’ Anna said excitedly. ‘I shall learn Spanish and learn everything about Cuba!’

Her father smiled at her again, but beneath the smile there was deep sadness. There was one person who could teach Anna everything about the island. A charming, lively, intelligent man who would make the perfect guide to their new home. He didn’t know if the man had ever returned to the island, his home, but if he had, Carl Mueller fervently hoped that they would never meet him.

The cab splashed to a halt, waking Freddie Sanchez as he was thrown against the back of the driver’s seat. Streetlights dazzled him from the wet, empty sidewalk. He felt disorientated and a little sick. That last daiquiri was one too many. The last half dozen, really.

‘Thank you, Carlos,’ he muttered, groping for the door handle. ‘Put it on my tab.’

‘Señor Sánchez –‘

‘Mañana, Carlos. Mañana, I promise.’

‘I have a family to keep, Senor Sanchez –‘

‘You’re a lucky man, Carlos. A lucky man. I have no one.’

He stumbled from the cab, ignoring the muttered Spanish oath behind his back. Freddie understood. Being half-Cuban, of course he understood. But at such moments he leaned on his English side and played the colonial.

The cab squealed into a turn and roared back along the deserted sea-front towards the casinos.

Leaning against the harbour wall to support himself, Freddie remembered falling headlong down the stairs of the Hotel Nacional, and the young policeman catching him, saving him from breaking his neck.

‘You have to be more careful, Senor Sanchez’, said the young man as he helped him to a taxi.

‘Thanks, Ramos,’ he had said. ‘I’m...er, just a little tired.’

Freddie recalled the flash of gleaming white teeth, the sarcastic smile. Why did he still pretend with people like Ramos, who must know as many gutter secrets as anyone on the island. Ramos could care less about him being a drunk, so why did Freddie pretend? Perhaps because the years of excess still hadn’t quite left their tell-tale traces, and the last thing to leave him was his vanity. From his medical training, Freddie knew he'd been born lucky. He had a constitution like the sea wall he was leaning against. Solid, resistant, able to take anything that life threw at him. In body at least, if not in mind. Certainly not in mind.

The klaxon on the S.S. St Louis broke into his self-pity. Out in the dark ocean, like a birthday cake ablaze with candles, the S.S. St Louis stole into the arms of the harbour, the smoke from its stacks ghostly wraiths against the night sky. It looked as if it was headed straight towards the second-floor window of his tiny room by the harbour.

Nearly a thousand refugees, the papers said, escaping from the Nazis. German families like the one he once knew as a student in London. Where were they now? Safe, he was certain. Professor Carl Mueller's family would be safe...Despite the warmth of the night, at the thought of that family, Freddie shivered. After so many years, the cold chill of self-disgust still lingered.

About the Author

Harry is an award-winning UK screenwriter, who won the Writers’ Guild Award for Best TV serial, while writing for Granada Television’s ‘CORONATION STREET’. Before that, in 1985, he was on the first writing team for the BBC’s ‘EASTENDERS’.

Before beginning his career writing drama for television, Harry spent a dozen years working in British theatre, as stage manager, writer, designer and director, working with actors such as Nigel Hawthorne, Anne Reid and Lesley Manville.

After script-editing the BBC’s HOWARDS’WAY, he freelanced for series like DISTRICT NURSE, THE BILL, BOON, THE BRETTS, EMMERDALE.

In 1994 he became Head of Development at the UK independent company, Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment. As the script executive he was responsible for seven major television series, included ‘SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON’ starring RICHARD ‘JOHN BOY’ THOMAS, and ‘TWIST IN THE TALE’, featuring WILLIAM SHATNER. He also wrote the film, RETURN TO TREASURE ISLAND.

In 1998 he was the co-creator of the UK Channel Five teen-cult drama series ‘THE TRIBE’, which ran for five series, numbering 260 episodes. ‘THE TRIBE’ has been sold world-wide, and all series is on YouTube.

His first novel, CHICAGO MAY, is the first book of a two-part series. He has also written JAIL TALES, about his wife’s 20 year career in the prison service, and the novel BIRTH OF THE MALL RATS, the prequel to THE TRIBE.

He has just finished his third novel, ISLAND OF DREAMS, to be published on December 1^st 2022.

Harry Duffin

Book Tour Schedule

September 26^th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

@its_b.e.l.l.e (Review) https://www.instagram.com/its_b.e.l.l.e/

Timeless Romance Blog (Spot) https://aubreywynne.com/

September 27^th

@amber.bunch_author (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/amber.bunch_author/

Stine Writing (Spotlight) https://christinebialczak.com/

@gryffindorbookishnerd (Review) https://www.instagram.com/gryffindorbookishnerd/

September 28^th

Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com

Bunny’s Spotlights (Spotlight) https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/

September 29^th

Liliyana Shadowlyn (Spotlight) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

@calmstitchread (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/calmstitchread/

Cocktails and Fairytales (Spotlight) https://www.facebook.com/CocktailsFairytales

September 30^th

The Faerie Review (Spotlight) http://www.thefaeriereview.com

@fariha_binte_islam (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/fariha_binte_islam/

@bookreviewsbytaylor (Spotlight) https://www.bookreviewsbytaylor.com/

@bookreviewsbytaylor (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/bookreviewsbytaylor/

Book Tour Organized By:

R&R Book Tours

Friday, September 23, 2022

Autumn of the Grimoire Spotlight

We are celebrating the official release of the highly anticipated novel by J.L. Vampa, Autumn of the Grimoire and we're thrilled to be part of the launch! Read on for more details and a chance to win a fantastic giveaway!

Autumn of the Grimoire (Sisters Solstice Series #1)

Expected Publication Date: September 22, 2022

Genre: Gothic Fantasy/ Dark Fantasy Romance

Publisher: Phantom House Press

Some witches cast spells. Others slay kings.

A mysterious Grimoire. A marriage full of dark secrets. A History sculpted by a quartet of ancient Sister witches.

For three hundred years, Sister Autumn has incited wars, burnt villages, killed kings, and released plagues at the bidding of the Grimoire. Meanwhile, her Sister Winter, Sister Spring, and Sister Summer have brought forth only peace.

When an Order from the Grimoire sends Agatha to the Kingdom of Merveille, she already anticipates the worst. Unless she wants to face the wrath of the Goddess, Agatha must keep her head down and do as she’s commanded.

But when the Grimoire Orders her to marry a pompous prince and play the role of a peasant “accepted” by vicious aristocrats, she finds herself at the center of a war between the classes and an age-old prophecy.

Within the court, many players harbor dark secrets—including her new husband. With her newfound influence, Agatha joins forces with the city’s Blacklisted in order to blur the lines between the common man and the elite, unravel the mysteries in her marriage, and decide once and for all if she will defy the Grimoire and face the brutal consequences.

As secrets unfold, will Agatha continue to slay on behalf of the Grimoire, or forge an uncharted History with her unlikely allies?

Add to Goodreads

Teaser

The gargantuan doors closed with an ominous clank and Prince Thackery stalked toward her, stopping only a stride away. “How dare you stand there and deign to say nothing?” he ground out.

Her nerves bent a knee to her fury at his unexpected outburst. Agatha let a spiteful smile adorn her lips. “And what would you have me do, then? Throw myself at your feet and argue that I am worthy to be your bride?” Surprise flashed across the prince’s face at her gall, but he swiftly shoved it away. She swung an arm out wide. “Or would you have me faint upon the chaise because of my utter fortune to be your betrothed?” She took a step closer to him. “Because I will do neither of those things.”

His lip curled. “A bit bold for a peasant, aren't we?” Agatha cursed her cheeks for heating. Perhaps she was a fool not to play the part of a meek little mouse, but she couldn’t stop the storm of rage bubbling up inside of her. “I do not wish to marry you any more than you wish to marry me.” A muscle in the prince’s jaw flexed. “Then help me fight this madness! Deny the proposal that has been asked without my will.” Agatha snickered. “And risk the loss of my head at the hands of our darling Crown?” She crossed her arms at her chest, matching the prince’s stance. “I think not.”

©JL VAMPA

Pre-Order on Amazon

About the Author

J.L. Vampa’s four-book New Adult Fantasy series, SISTERS SOLSTICE, will begin on September 22, 2022. Jane Lenore (J.L.) Vampa is a published author of Dark Fantasy and Victorian Gothic fiction. J.L. also owns a macabre-style bookish shop, Wicked Whimsy Boutique. She lives in Texas with her musician husband and their two littles who are just as peculiar as they are.

JL Vampa | Instagram | Twitter | Wicked Whimsy Boutique