Rose Petals and Snowflakes ~ Book Review

 Rose Petals & Snowflakes

The Austen Fairy Tale #1

By Kendra E. Ardnek

Rose Petals and Snowflakes is a delightful blend of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibilities and Snow White and Rose Red. With her father on his deathbed, Elinrose has to save her older half-brother James from a foolish decision. As an heir to the throne, James must be brought out of the Forest. No one ever leaves the Forest but Elinrose is hoping to barter for James's release even if it is her own life.

The price for James's release is marriage to another who was held by the Forest. But this is just the beginning of the troubles Elinrose and her sister Snowmari are to face, when they, along with their mother and niece end up in a small cottage in the Forest.

I really enjoyed how the familiarity of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility wove together so well with the fairytale-retelling of Snow White and Rose Red. I love the magical elements and how they affected the various characters and how they are portrayed. This is one book you don't want to miss reading.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Book Description:

The Austen Fairy Tale #1 

After their father's death, and thanks to their older half-brother's wanderlust, two sisters find themselves caught in the politics of a mysterious forest. Elinrose finds herself in direct conflict with the wood's Mistress, while Snowmari hides a deadly secret that could mean her death if found out. Can their bonds of sisterhood withstand these trying times? Or will they even make it out alive? 

Purchase Link: Amazon 

Add Book on Goodreads

Preorder #2: Crown and Cinder: Pride and Prejudice derails Cinderella (The Austen Fairy Tales Book 2)

Author Bio:

Kendra E. Ardnek is the self-proclaimed Arista of Fairy Tales. She lives in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her dragon babies and a massive herd of mini-giraffes, and she is still waiting for one of her fifty nutcrackers to come to life and marry her. When not writing, you can usually find her sitting in a random box, and she's frequently known to act before she thinks. 

Find her online at: 

Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || YouTube || Newsletter || Instagram || TikTok || Amazon 

Brothers, and Sisters, and Bears, Oh My! 

Six exciting new retellings of Snow White and Rose Red! 

Be sure to check out all the stops and books on this tour and be sure to enter the giveaway for details and the main tour: https://aristasdirectory.blogspot.com/p/six-frosted-roses.html

Gilded in Ice ~ Review

Gilded in Ice

Bastian Dennel, PI #2

By Sarah Pennington

This is the second book starring Bastian Dennel, a Private Investigator whose career took a positive turn when he solved the mysterious disappearances involving the Midnight Show. Now Bastian has a new case, a case that has grown cold when the missing person wasn't found when Bastian cracked the Midnight Show mystery. 

But when one of his younger twin sisters disappears and there is evidence of magic involved, Bastian has to split his time between his paying cold case and his personal case. But can he find Kona and solve the case?

This second book is as good if not better than the first. I really like Bastian and both his sisters. The story is one that draws the reader in from the very beginning and as the story progresses it just won't let you go. And who can say no to a story with an enchanted cat thrown into the middle of everything? This is set in a Jazz-like-era alternate Earth that has magical elements at play throughout this is delightful fairytale-mash-up-retelling of Red Rose and Snow White and East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

Now you don't have to read the Midnight Show to enjoy this book but it will add to the backstory as there are references to elements of that story. But Gilded in Ice can be read and enjoyed on its own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.

Book Description: 

Bastian has two new missing person cases. 

One is cold. 

The other is his own sister.

Since his success solving the Midnight Show disappearances, Bastian Dennel is sitting pretty. And with the new high-profile cold case that just got dropped in his lap, he’s pretty sure things will stay that way for a while. But when he finds out his sister has gone missing without a trace, he’s determined to find her and bring whoever’s responsible to justice — even if his only lead is a stray cat with a knack for vanishing unexpectedly.

Kona Dennel’s plans have already been upended, so when the talking cat she’d befriended asked her for help breaking an enchantment, she didn’t see any reason not to say yes. She didn’t expect to be trapped in a frozen mansion or to be drawn into conflict with a mysterious lady of the fair folk. Even the cat is hiding more secrets than she realized. It’ll take a skilled detective to untangle this web . . . but since Bastian isn’t here, Kona will just have to do it herself.

Secrets abound, and the one creature who knows the truth isn’t talking. Can Bastian and Kona outwit a fae who’s been at this for centuries? Or will thawing out the long-frozen truth drop them in over their heads?

A magical mystery reimagining Snow White and Rose Red and East of the Sun, West of the Moon in the jazz-age world of The Midnight Show. 

Purchase Link: Gilded in Ice

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Purchase Book 1: Midnight Show

Author Bio:

Sarah Pennington has been writing stories since before she actually knew how to write, and she has no intention of stopping anytime soon. She is perpetually in the middle of writing at least one or two novels, most of which are in the fantasy and fairy tale retelling genres. 

Sarah's first published work, Blood in the Snow, received a perfect score and Special Unicorn status in Rooglewood Press's Five Poisoned Apples contest. When she isn't writing, she enjoys knitting, photography, and trying to conquer her massive to-be-read list. 

Find her online at: Author Site || Wordpress Blog || Blogspot Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Amazon

Brothers, and Sisters, and Bears, Oh My! 

Six exciting new retellings of Snow White and Rose Red! 

Be sure to check out all the stops and books on this tour and be sure to enter the giveaway for details and the main tour: https://aristasdirectory.blogspot.com/p/six-frosted-roses.html

Quest of Fire: Shadows at Nightfall ~ Review and Giveaway

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for 

Quest of Fire: Shadows at Nightfall by Brett Armstrong, 

hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Shadows at Nightfall 

Quest of Fire #3 

By Brett Armstrong 

This book picks up with Jason and the old storyteller escaping from their accusers and heading back to rescue Aria. But most surprising to them as they make their escape is that Jason seems to be the target and not of capture but of death.

We, like Jason, are left to wonder why. As Jason continues on with his new companions, he hears further tails of Sir Cinaed's deeds of valor in the past. Can the quest that Sir Cinaed pursued all those years ago be parallel to the one Jason finds himself on now?

I really enjoyed this book and was not let down from the previous two books. This one jumps into the action from the first line and continues on to its rather surprising conclusion. I will admit I'm not sure if the series ends with this book or continues on. The way it ends it could go either way. Personally, I'm hoping for a fourth book.

Shadows at Nightfall is the third book in the Quest of Fire series and it should be read in order - so if you haven't read the first books, do so. And believe me, you want to read these books; they are excellent reading, especially if you are a fan of Speculative or Fantasy Fiction. Fans of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Bryan Davis, or Chris Walley will want to try these.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Title: Shadows at Nightfall 

Series: Quest of Fire #3 

Author: Brett Armstrong 

Publisher: Scrivenings Press 

Release Date: September 2021 

Genre: Christian Epic Fantasy

The shadows of Jason’s past have caught him. Having stepped into the Quest of Fire, Jason is pursued by a league of assassins formed of pure darkness. To his horror, he discovers these creatures also were contracted to eliminate Anargen and his friends as they sought to understand the Tower of Light’s oracle. To unravel the mystery of who wants him dead and how he fits into the ages-old quest, Jason must travel the lengths of the Lowlands. In the Ziljafu deserts, a secret awaits him that will shake him to his core. He’ll have to move fast and cling fiercely to hope, as Anargen’s story twists down a bleak path to almost certain failure.

The creatures of darkness in the Lowlands have long waited for men to spurn the High King’s laws. With few concerned for the light and everything falling apart around them, Jason and Anargen will face the shadows of night’s falling as their world hangs in the balance. 

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | BookBub

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brett Armstrong has been exploring other worlds as a writer since age nine. Years later, he still writes, but now invites others along on his excursions. He’s shown readers haunting, deep historical fiction (Destitutio Quod Remissio), scary-real dystopian sci-fi (Day Moon and Veiled Sun), and dark, sweeping epic fantasy (Quest of Fire). Every story is a journey of discovery and an attempt to be a brush in the Master Artist’s hand. Through dark, despair, light, joy, and everything in between, the end is always meant to leave his fellow literary explorers with wonder and hope. Always busy with a new story, he also enjoys drawing, gardening, and spending time with his wife and son.

CONNECT WITH BRETT: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(2) winners will receive a $10 Amazon gift card, print copy of Shadows at Nightfall, and Quest of Fire digital exclusives (map, theme music, and digital making of the direnoir poster)!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. The full tour schedule is linked below. The giveaway will begin at midnight September 20, 2021, and last through 11:59 PM EST on September 27, 2021. The winner will be notified within 2 weeks of the close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of the prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

As Long as We Live ~ Review

As Long as We Live

By Cortney Manning

Years ago a chance meeting altered the life of a Fae prince, offering him a friendship cloaked in anonymity and conducted through the means of a beloved pet. 

But when Pierre's father dies darkness and a seemingly endless winter fall upon the land. Could the secret friendship that he has maintained all these years be the key to saving all he holds dear? 

The night that the kindness of a stranger warned her of a danger she didn't know existed, Ivy has held dear the messages sent to her by her protector. As one of the few humans living among the Fae Ivy and her two sisters don't truly belong to either world. Humans distrust those influenced by the Fae and the Fae view humans as not their equals. But could those who find themselves not of any world save the one that has always been their home?

As Long As We Live is a lovely story that offers one all you would expect and hope for in a fairytale retelling. Danger, adventure, darkness, a promise of love, loss, and disappointment.   The characters are well developed and the story is well-paced. And then there is the Forgotten Realm a place corrupted so that if you stray from the paths that will trap you forever.

I received a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.

Book Description:

Three human sisters live in a Fae realm where every prince is blessed or cursed by a gift of magic, and royal rivalry threatens the future of the land. 

Ivy Durran, the oldest sister, is a resilient young woman who clings to her sunny resolve even in the darkest situation. When a terrible blizzard strikes the land, she feels responsible for protecting her sisters: adventurous Rose and vivacious Poppy. However, the storm drives an unexpected visitor to their doorstep, one who could bring hope or danger with his arrival. 

Meanwhile, Pierre, the newly crowned ruler of Concoria, strives to bring order to his frozen land and tranquility to his troubled brothers. Nevertheless, the deep magic of Concoria is not easy to tame. While Pierre would love nothing more than to escape into a simple life close to Ivy, the human lass he met years before, he instead shoulders his burdens and seeks healing for his kingdom and family. 

Dark magic, frigid storms, and deadly predators must be overcome if Ivy and Pierre have any hope of saving their families and their homeland. 

Purchase Link: Amazon

Add Book on Goodreads: 

Author Bio:

Cortney Manning resides in Florida but has always loved traveling the world. She holds a master’s degree in Victorian Literature from the University of Glasgow and has a not-so-secret love of fantasy as well. 

Her writing can be found on her website, on https://gohavok.com/, and in the Rooglewood Press anthology, Five Poisoned Apples. 

In her free time, Cortney enjoys walking, drawing, and afternoon tea. 

Find her online at: Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || Instagram || Amazon

Brothers, and Sisters, and Bears, Oh My! 

Six exciting new retellings of Snow White and Rose Red! 

Be sure to check out all the stops and books on this tour and be sure to enter the giveaway for details and the main tour: https://aristasdirectory.blogspot.com/p/six-frosted-roses.html

Runaway Lyrics ~ Review

Runaway Lyrics

By C.O. Bonham 

Snow and Rose are twins who though nearly identical physically couldn't be more different from one another. Both are skilled musicians but where Snow loves music, Rose loves the magic she creates from her music.  Both dream of leaving home and following their individual passions but the rhythm that joins them together is the very thing that could cost them their lives. 

When an airship brings their talents together and they save a life the secrets that have been hidden away from them are suddenly exposed. Snow and Rose are more than they had ever realized and the future of their kingdom, the earth, and humanity rests on them...  

Runaway Lyrics is a story of sisterhood and the bonds they share. If you are looking for a story that will take you into a world of love, magic, music, and betrayal you have found it. The story is well-paced and draws one in from the first few words "Morning is the most musical time of the day, Snow thought, as she shrugged on her dressing gown." 

Can two young women save themselves, the world, and those they love? Or will the evil threatening to consume them triumph in their stead? The music is there if they will open themselves up to it and all it can show them.  Prepare to be delighted!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion - All thoughts expressed are my own.                               

Book Description: 

What one sister has, she must share with the other . . . 

Snow loves music. She has spent her entire life learning, new instruments and memorizing new pieces, only to while away her life in a country manor with only her mother and twin sister as company. If only she could get out on her own and play in front of a real audience. 

Rose loves magic. The things she can do with music would amaze her twin sister, but whenever she shows her, Snow quickly forgets as if the event had never happened. If only Rose could get out on her own and work some real magic. 

When an airship crashes near their home Snow’s magical abilities awaken. Together the sisters must learn to use their magic, rescue a pair of cursed princes, and discover their own secrets. 

Discover the magic of music in this retelling of Snow White and Rose Red. 

Purchase Link: Amazzon

Add Book on Goodreads 

Author Bio: 

C.O. Bonham is the pen name for a commonly misspelled first name. She loves stories of all kinds, but really likes the ones that are weird, and outside the norm. A certified book geek, when she isn’t writing stories of her own, she is busy reading stories by others. A homeschool graduate with a degree in creative writing, her goal is to create stories that make people think, feel, and have fun. 

Visit www.cobonham.com to read author interviews, book reviews, and to hear about what she’s working on next. 

Sign up for her newsletter to make sure you never miss an update!

Brothers, and Sisters, and Bears, Oh My! 

Six exciting new retellings of Snow White and Rose Red! 

Be sure to check out all the stops and books on this tour and be sure to enter the giveaway for details and the main tour: https://aristasdirectory.blogspot.com/p/six-frosted-roses.html

White Wolf and the Ash Princess ~ Review with Giveaway

White Wolf and the Ash Princess

The White Wolf #1

By Tammy Lash

As a young child, Izzy came to into their home. She was hurting and afraid. And her memories are buried deep within her hidden away. But occasionally a fragment would escape and what Izzy remembers just further complicated things. What she does remember is Jonathan Gudwyne being there for her since she was brought to his home.

For years Jonathan has been her closest friend and her guardian but everything is about to change and nothing is quite what she has always believed it to be. But who does she believe when not only her present but her present and her past will be determined by what she chooses.

He has loved her for years, but the secrets he kept may divide them forever. But he made promises and the time has come to fulfill them. But will Izzy listen to him and hear the truth or will she believe the half-truths she's been told? And if he loses her forever can he find the will to go on without her?

White Wolf and the Ash Princess is an interesting story that is broken into parts. We are given glimpses into Izzy's past that are just enough to keep one's interest piqued. Who is Izzy? We like Izzy want to know the answer to this question. It is obvious as one progresses that both Izzy and Jonathan have been broken and the bond that they share gives them strength but it is also a hindrance. I for one am interested to see where exactly this series takes us in the next book.

Intriguing is how I would describe this book. It held my attention from the first word and I care about the characters. This book will touch you on an emotional level and you may need a tissue or two during your time within these pages, especially during a couple of scenes. This book is well-paced and paints a vivid scene to be enjoyed and explored.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations - all thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

The princess was the guardian of the light of the black wolf and the grey. White boar greatly desired her light, though the boars had possession of their own. When the princess refused to give up the light, both were given to the fire to do with them as it wished.

Memory loss prohibits Izzy from remembering her life before age seven when she suffered a terrible trauma that left her with physical scars. Crippling panic keeps Izzy from wandering beyond the stables but Tubs, the Gudwyne’s young stable boy, encourages Izzy to go beyond the property’s rock wall into a world that promises possible answers but also great danger.

Gifted with claws of copper and teeth of iron, the black wolf and the grey call him “White Wolf”; for he is the greatest of them with the power of flame and ash.

While running to escape his past, Jonathan Gudwyne rescued Izzy and took her in, but who did she belong to before he became her guardian?

With the touch of the wolf’s great paw, the girl rose out of the ashes a woman—a mighty warrior armed with a copper axe.

A mysterious cellar filled with secrets sets Izzy on a path to the New World where the Wendigo wanders and Water Panther swims. In the wilds of seventeenth-century America, Izzy and Jonathan discover the legends of the New World aren’t the fairytales of their library home in England.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3huEvWT

The Fearless Miss Dinah ~ Review, Spotlight and Giveaway

Welcome to the Takeover Tour for 

The Fearless Miss Dinah by Laura Rollins, 
hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

 The Fearless Miss Dinah
 Daughters of Courage #3
 By Laura Rollins
  

Miss Dinah Mulgrave knows that her London Season is coming to a close and she is no closer to achieving the love match she has always hoped for. Worse she has entangled herself in a bit of a scandal for which there is no solution but one - marry the gentleman with whom she's had a most unpleasant experience.                                                                                                                                                             

Lord Henry Stanton never wanted to marry but when his good intentions go awry he finds himself engaged to a most unsuitable miss. And he lays the blame for his situation squarely on her. 

But The Fearless Miss Dinah is much more than its opening as Dinah and Henry adjust to their new life together. Henry can't let go of the past and its disappointments. He's convinced that Dinah will be just a repeat of what he's experienced in the past and as such he refuses to let her into his life. Unfortunately, for Henry, Dinah isn't about to let herself be stuck in a marriage that has a bleak future ahead of it. 

This is an excellent read with characters who grab ahold of your attention and let it go until the very end. This is a clean read set during the Regency era and offers more than one unexpected twist to keep this reader up late into the night reading. If you have yet to read the first 2 books in this series don't worry as you will easily be able to get into the story without any difficulty. And there is a whole array of characters willing to let slip a few details about what came before so you'll want to pick up the previous books later to get caught up just because.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

ABOUT THE BOOK

 Title: The Fearless Miss Dinah
 Series: Daughters of Courage
 Author: Laura Rollins
 Publisher: Independently Published
 Release Date: August 25, 2021
 Genre: Regency Romance (Wholesome/Clean)

In his mind, nothing is more important than the plan.  In her mind, ruining the plan would be even better.

 Being foisted upon a man due to a misunderstanding is hardly the love match Miss Dinah Mulgrave envisioned for herself when she first arrived in London. Dinah’s situation only grows more tenuous when she meets his extended family—all living under one roof and all inclined to dislike her. Not only that, but her new husband, who is little more than a stranger, declares he is uninterested in romance or love. Ever. 

Lord Henry Stanton resigned himself to bachelorhood years ago and hardly sees how being forced to wed will change that. He may no longer hold the title ‘bachelor’, but he certainly doesn’t think having another individual living in his home along with his large family is reason to change his life or who he is. And that’s all Dinah will ever be to him—another family member under his roof. 

Dinah, however, is equally bent on their relationship being more. And as her sister and cousin have proved, one does not gainsay a Mulgrave. Not even one’s own husband. 

As the third stand-alone novel in a new series by author Laura Rollins, The Fearless Miss Dinah continues the Daughters of Courage series. This charming story is a light-hearted, clean and wholesome romance set in the Regency era (think: a clean Bridgerton). All books in this series have their own Happily-Ever-After and can be read apart but are best enjoyed in proper order. 

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Rollins has always loved a heart-melting happily ever after. It didn’t matter if the story took place in Regency England, or in a cobbler’s shop, if there was a sweet romance, she would read it.

Life has given her many of her own adventures. Currently, she lives in the Rocky Mountains with her best friend, who is also her husband, and their four beautiful children. She still loves to read books and more books; her favorite types of music are classical, Broadway, and country; she loves hiking in the mountains near her home, and she’s been known to debate with her oldest son about whether Infinity is better categorized as a number or an idea.

CONNECT WITH LAURA: Website | Facebook | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(2) winners will receive a paperback copy of The Audacious Miss Eliza (Daughters of Courage #1) and a $10 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight September 15, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on September 22, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.