Blog Archives

Moodboard: The Bootlace Magician

10/14/2019

Bootlace Magician
by Cassie Beasley

Synopsis

Micah Tuttle--magician in training--lives and works at Circus Mirandus alongside his guardian, the ancient and powerful Lightbender.

The circus is a place filled with dazzling fire shows, stubborn unicorns, and magicians from every corner of the world. And Micah is doing everything he can to prove he belongs there. When a dangerous enemy from the past threatens his new home, Micah will have to untangle the mystery of his own potent magic, and he'll have to do it fast. With trouble this deadly on its way, every magician will need to be ready to fight. Even the youngest.

Good morning readers! Have I mentioned to you all how much I love doing moodboards? Especially for books! Below you'll find my addition for The Bootlace Magician - make sure to check out the whole series by Cassie Beasley!

0 Comments

Review: One Night Gone

10/4/2019

1 Comment

One Night Gone
by Tara Laskowski

Synopsis

It was the perfect place to disappear...

One sultry summer, Maureen Haddaway arrives in the wealthy town of Opal Beach to start her life anew—to achieve her destiny. There, she finds herself lured by the promise of friendship, love, starry skies, and wild parties. But Maureen’s new life just might be too good to be true, and before the summer is up, she vanishes.

Decades later, when Allison Simpson is offered the opportunity to house-sit in Opal Beach during the off-season, it seems like the perfect chance to begin fresh after a messy divorce. But when she becomes drawn into the mysterious disappearance of a girl thirty years before, Allison realizes the gorgeous homes of Opal Beach hide dark secrets. And the truth of that long-ago summer is not even the most shocking part of all...

Review

I was super intrigued about One Night Gone when the opportunity arose to read and review it. The cover conveys that there is something quite spooky happening. And while I wouldn’t describe what happens as “spooky” there was definitely an eerie feeling that accompanies you as you read Tara Laskowski’s debut novel.

A word that has been used to describe this book is “atmospheric” and that is the perfect way to describe this work! From the first page where we meet Maureen until the very end, the reader is able to actually place themselves on Opal Beach, feeling both the unsettling feeling of business unfinished and the beach air against your skin. Laskowski does a fantastic job in writing two characters in two different time periods in alternating points of view for her novel. I did not feel lost in the narration at any time, both characters conveyed a different feel for me as I read their stories, and the feel of the book itself provided itself an almost third background character. I say this because it is almost as if Opal Beach was more of a character in the book than a backdrop. It was truly gripping to read.

This book is more of a soul search for Allison than it is a thriller involving two women. Through finding out what happened to Maureen, Allison finds more of herself after her devastating divorce. It was truly a journey for the character and I enjoyed tagging along. So, as much as I recommend this book to everyone - keep this in mind when you pick up the book. Happy reading!

1 Comment

Spotlight: Bootlace Magician

10/3/2019

0 Comments

The magic is calling...

0 Comments

Review: Paranormal Texas

10/1/2019

2 Comments

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

5 Surprising Facts about Haunted Places in Paranormal Texas

It's only fitting that we begin October with a spooky introduction to the month. I have a life long love for all things paranormal and spooky. So, I jumped at the chance to review Tui Snider's Paranormal Texas travel guide. I was not disappointed! Well, except for the fact that I am from west Texas and therefore far (yes, very far) from Forth Worth and Dallas!

I thought this book was absolutely fantastic on different levels. First was the actual "guiding" of this book. This is a work that you're going to want to keep in your glove compartment if you find yourself traveling to the Dallas-Forth Worth area. The areas are laid out in a clean, organized, and interesting manner. It is easy to read and direct while still maintaining it's easy flow for reading. Secondly, I truly enjoyed Snider's humor laced throughout her words as she talks to us about these spooky places. I say "talking" because it truly feels as if a friend is talking to you, the reader, about the paranormal parts of Texas. Her work is so detailed and page-turning; it is definitely a work that can be enjoyed by readers wanting to enjoy a quick research dip into spooky places, or by the avid paranormal investigator looking to plan their next trip.

As I mentioned before, the only thing that I was truly disappointed about was that Snider has not written anything (yet?) about west Texas! And let's face it, if that is my only disappointment, that's pretty good!

Tui Snider is an award-winning writer, speaker, photographer, and musician specializing in offbeat sites, overlooked history, cemetery symbolism, and haunted lore. As she puts it, “I used to write fiction, but then I moved to Texas!”

Tui lectures frequently at universities, libraries, conferences, and bookstores. This fall, she will speak about the Great Airship Mystery of 1897 at this year’s UFO Congress and teach a course on Understanding Cemetery Symbols at Texas Christian University. She also shares weekly info-videos based on her research at her YouTube channel.

Snider’s writing and photography have been featured in a variety of media outlets, including WFAA TV, Coast to Coast AM, LifeHack, Langdon Review, the City of Plano, Wild Woman Waking, Shades of Angels and many more. She has several more books in progress.