Synopsis

What if a woman ruled Germany in 1914? This alternate history explores that very question. An elaborate attempt to rid Germany of the Hohenzollerns has left a young sole heiress, Christiana, to take the throne of the German Empire. But this is no typical princess, hidden away in a gilded cage. This college educated, expert fencer, and accomplished equestrienne is not the meek little girl the politicians think they will be able to control. She has her own ideas how to rule!

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Excerpt

Anna, Christa, and Louise Margaret retired to the sitting room in their guest quarters. A light snow was just beginning to fall, but the Prince of Wales had assured them that the weather would be clear enough for their travel to the English mainland in the morning.

“So, Christa,” began Maria Anna. “What do you think of Queen Victoria and her family?”

“Oh, Mama! They are all so very nice. The Queen is the most amazing woman! To think that she rules over one-quarter of the entire world! It is staggering! Mossy, as you know, is my best friend but I will be writing to the English princesses as well.” Turning toward her elder sister, she added, “And of course I will write to you and my niece, Margaret, and to little Arthur and Patricia when they are older. They are all so sweet.”

“What did you think of the young princes?” asked Louise Margaret.

“The sons of the Prince of Wales, Albert Victor and George, were very kind to me when we went shooting,” answered Christa diplomatically. “The other boys also were pleasant but, aside from croquet and a few other pastimes, they pretty much stuck together and played their own games away from the girls.”

“Christa, come sit with your sister and me,” said Maria Anna, sitting down on a divan, patting the space next to her. Christa could not help but note the somewhat serious tone in her mother’s voice, as if she was about to discuss an important matter. Christa glanced at Louise Margaret with an inquiring look as her elder sister took a seat in a plush, winged chair nearby, but her older sister gave no response.

“What did you think of Prince Henry?” asked Maria Anna.

“Henry?” Christa frowned. “Why do you ask about Henry?”

“You are getting older, Christa,” responded Louise Margaret. “In a few short years you will be presented at court and then…” Christa’s sister looked over at their mother.

“You will need to begin preparing for your eventual engagement and marriage,” finished Maria Anna.

“Marriage?” answered Christa slowly, with a puzzled expression. A moment later it struck her. “Oh, Mama! You cannot possibly mean to Prince Henry!” she exclaimed, leaping to her feet and biting her lower lip, her fists clenched at her sides in agitation.

“Christa, calm yourself! Lower your voice and sit down!” insisted Maria Anna. Christa stubbornly remained standing.

“Sister, it is the duty of parents of the high born to arrange appropriate marriages for their children,” put in Louise Margaret, soothingly. “Surely you understand this.”

“Henry is a prince of the British royal family,” added Maria Anna, archly. “You are both of equal station and he is an entirely appropriate match.”

“B-but to Henry? Why, the boy absolutely loathes me, Mama! And I think he’s a nasty little fool!”

“Christa!” exclaimed both her mother and sister.

“He doesn’t want to marry me any more than I want to marry him!” continued Christa. Another thought popped into her head. “Wait, does Henry know about this?” she asked accusingly. Her mother and sister glanced at one another, but neither responded. “Well, no wonder he hates me! He blames me for this arrangement,” murmured Christa, answering her own question.

“Henry will do his duty as a royal prince, as you must do as a royal princess,” responded Maria Anna, haughtily.

“Mama, I am telling you right now that I will not, under any circumstances, marry Henry of Edinburgh!”

“Christa!” exclaimed her mother once again.

“Well then, if not Henry, whom do you think you are going to marry?” asked Louise Margaret.

“I have not yet decided if I will get married,” answered Christa, calmly.

“What?!”

“Oh, I may marry and have children someday, but first I have other plans.”

Louise Margaret and her mother again looked at one another. “Such as?” asked Christa’s older sister.

“I plan to attend university.”

“Oh, Christa! Don’t be absurd!” exclaimed her mother.

“Christa, women cannot attend university in Germany,” pointed out Louise Margaret. “Not even those of noble birth.”

“No, but they can in Great Britain and France. There are even proposals to open Austrian universities to women. It is only a matter of time before German universities admit women as well. Please excuse me, Mama, Louise Margaret,” concluded Christa. “We are departing early in the morning and I must prepare for bed.” With that, Christa ended the discussion by striding purposefully out of the room. Maria Anna and Louise Margaret stared at Christa in astonishment as she departed, and then turned toward each other with stunned looks on their faces.

“What am I going to do with this child?” moaned Maria Anna.

“Oh, Mama,” soothed Louise Margaret, reaching over and patting her mother’s hand. “Christa is still young. She will come around.”

“Oh, no, my dear. You do not know this girl as I do. She is the epitome of stubbornness,” sighed Maria Anna. “There is too much of your father in her.” She stood, walked over to the window, and watched the tiny snowflakes waft in the frosty breeze.

“Perhaps she shouldn’t marry,” mused Maria Anna, with a bitter chuckle. “I think she probably would drive any future husband mad.”

Guest Review by Nora

What do you do when everything in your life changes in one fell swoop? When do you go from being a forgotten royal way down in the line of succession to being the queen? This is the question that confronts Christiana in the book, ‘Iron Maiden,’ by J.T. Maicke, and the question that she will have to answer all on her own.

For much of her life, only one thing was expected of Christiana: to marry a prince and have children. As a daughter of the royal house of Hohenzollern and cousin to the Kaiser, Christiana’s family considers her well-behaved so long as she does not bring any embarrassment to the family.

However, in this, Christiana does not always succeed.

Rather than wanting to marry and serve as a bargaining chip for her cousin in international politics, Christiana—or ‘Christa,’ as she is called by her family—wishes to carve her own path in life.

From a young age, she enjoys pursuits that many people in that time would not have thought fit for a young woman of her social standing. She hunts, she fights, and, worst of all, she wishes to go to University.

Christa chases her dreams and finds herself securing many of them, becoming college-educated and regularly winning saber duels, but her carefree lifestyle is abruptly shattered when tragedy knocks at her door one chilly Easter morning.

The Kaiser and his entire family are assassinated, wiped out simultaneously in what becomes the bloodiest day in German history. Utilizing her unique training, Christa escapes her own assassin, becoming one of the only members of her family to survive. As one of the few royals left—and the only one eligible to become queen—Christa must step up and lead the country through the many dark days ahead.

‘Iron Maiden’ is a knockout of a novel that I found myself absolutely loving! If you love alternative history, like me, you will definitely love this book! I’m giving it five stars across the board!

About the Author

A self-described Germanophile, J.T. Maicke writes historical fiction novels that take place in Germany or among German-American communities in the Midwest. He has spent most of his life studying German history, geography, language, culture, customs, and cuisine. Maicke also spent several years living in and traveling throughout Central Europe, and he has visited many of the locations depicted in his novels. Maicke’s debut novel was ‘The Humble Courier.’

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Synopsis

Phishing: When hackers send malicious emails designed to trick people into falling for a scam.

Phishing test: When organizations send deceptive emails to their own staff to test their response to phishing attacks.

It all started with a cat video. A video that Tess Miller, a sassy and talented greeting card writer, shouldn’t have clicked on. But cat videos are her kryptonite. And how was she to know the video embedded in the email was a phishing test designed to take down the company she works for?

The infuriating man who tricked and humiliated her? Aaron Sinclair, cybersecurity consultant brought on by her paranoid boss to whip their company into peak security shape. A dark-haired man with a dark past, and an unrelenting thorn in her side.

Buried beneath their mutual animosity, however, is an attraction they both have reasons to fight. Thanks to Aaron, Tess’s boss has labeled her a high security risk and her professional reputation is at stake. A fierce battle of wits ensues as Tess uses every trick not to fall for Aaron’s random phishing tests.

With the end of Aaron’s six-month contract fast approaching, Tess is faced with the looming risk of losing not only her job but also her heart to the man who has tested her in every way possible.

Perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Katherine Center, Phishing for Love is a swoony, laugh-out-loud, enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance.

Amazon

Review

This book was the right book to read at this moment. I needed a sweet romance with a little bit of tension between the main characters to liven my day.

Aaron has a troubled past, which has him job hopping to not form any attachments. He thinks that this is the answer until he meets Tess. Tess has a sassy mouth and the chemistry between these two lights up the pages. They may not succumb to their desires until much later in the book, but the heat between them kept me reading late into the night.

Tess is in a relationship that seems to be going nowhere. Will it continue? She also has a caring family that just wants to see her happy. Her sister may have her own issues, but they love each other at the end of the day and only care about each other’s happiness.

This romance is full of wit, snarky comments, friendship, emotional pasts, and so much more. It engaged me and made me smile, laugh, and fall in love with the characters. And Grandma is a hoot with her issues with Google! I won’t even go into her other comments that can be misinterpreted…you will have to read the book to discover those gems.

I do wish that the ending reflected a little more of what happened other than a brief mention in the epilogue. But the epilogue does tie everything up for us. And I didn’t recognize the tie to her previous book with Lucas and Nina until I read a few other reviews. So, while not a series, it could be considered a spin-off.

This is a delightful romance; we give it 4 1/2 paws up.

About the Author

Lara Martin writes books about imperfect people living messy lives, falling in love and getting their perfect happily-ever-after. She’s lived in South Africa and Australia and now calls a cozy village in England her home. She’s tried a variety of amazing and awful jobs: video game reviewer, graphic designer, insurance claims agent (she has no idea how she landed this one), proof reader, feature writer, and magazine editor. She lives with her husband (always the first reader of her novels), two slightly terrifying teenagers, and the requisite psychotic cat. When she’s not writing, she can be found haunting local coffee shops.

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Synopsis

When Defending the Homeland Means Defending Your Heart.

Siberia 1581. When Umey, a young outcast woman, stumbles on a ravaged village, she uncovers a plot that threatens to devastate her beloved homeland. It’s furs—soft gold—the invading Cossacks crave, and the greediest of them is Yermak, the man who saved her life and raised her.

Armed with fearsome muskets, the Cossacks plunge deeper into the Siberian forest, crushing the tribal folk who stand in their way. Although prejudices are arrayed against her, Umey emerges as a tribal leader, albeit a reluctant one. She and Alexey, a Russian soldier who has seen too much war, are soon caught in an unfolding crucible of destruction where their courage and incipient love will be tested in a final collision with Yermak and his horde.

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Praise

“I was immediately drawn in by the atmospheric and descriptive effort that Czech put into his writing to bring the wilds of Siberia to life. I was fascinated by the customs and tribal people as well as the beauty of nature … Umey’s gentle but unwavering courage makes her a protagonist whom you grow to feel deeply for during the adventure. Overall, Kiss of Frost and Flame is a work that fans of historical adventures and cross-cultural writing are sure to enjoy as much as I did.”-K. C. Finn, author of Caecilius Rex and The Book of Shade 

Excerpt

The first metallic rays of the rising sun peeking above the hilltops caused Umey to stir, but it was the low, husky warble of a snow bunting that woke her. Perched on a bare branch a few feet away, the little white and black bird tilted its head as if to say, you do not belong here. When she stretched, it flew away.

Outside of her cedar tree shelter, the sun glinted from a dazzling layer of hoarfrost that coated the bare boughs of birch and poplar with a delicate skin of purest white. Thick, snowy shawls mantled the scattered pines and cedars. Against the azure sky, the awakening world resembled a crystal palace like the kind found in the tales of ice castles and princesses that Mama had once told her.

Umey studied her surroundings. White-clad peaks loomed to the north, while snow-covered ridges and valleys lay to the west. If she followed the ridges and valleys, she was certain she would eventually reach the flatlands where reindeer roamed. With luck, she might even stumble across a trail left by the herders. Luck! That was her Russian half thinking of such. Samoyeds did not believe in luck. They believed in skill and patience.

A horse neighed from far behind her, the sound carrying in the still air. Umey shaded her eyes and scanned the horizon. A single horse appeared, tiny in the distance. From the animal’s movements, its rider seemed to be following the path left by her skis. They would lead him to where she had bedded for the night, and after that he would find more telltale tracks.

Mother Forest! It had to be one of the Cossacks. What if Bugatov or Ivan Koltso tracked her? Whoever it was, he must have left the Cossack camp while she slept and made up ground on her.

Umey maneuvered along the next ridge. Using her ski pole as a sort of rudder, she glided downhill. The bottom of the ridge formed into a ravine. She glanced at the next slope. Too steep to climb. Better to stay down here.

Cattails poked out of the snow on the ravine’s floor. Animal tracks led in and out of the cover provided by the long stems. Water trickled at the base of the ‘tails and splashed over her boots. The ravine appeared to be the bed of a half-frozen stream.

The height of the ravine’s walls began to diminish. She took her eyes off its floor for a moment to look behind her and missed the thick, broken tree branch poking through the snow. Her ski hooked the branch, and with a loud cracking sound sent her sprawling. The contact with the frozen ground drove the wind from her. Pain knifed her chest and she clawed at the snow in agony until her breathing returned. She kicked out of the bindings and discovered her left ski had snapped near its tip. Muttering a Samoyed curse, she tossed the useless slats aside.

The horse neighed again, now much closer. She had laid in the snow for too long. Escape from the horseman would have to be on foot.

“Umey! I am coming for you!” the rider called, his words echoing among the hills.

Bugatov! That grating voice belonged to Stefan Bugatov!

Umey began to run. The wet snow dragged at her boots and slush speckled her trousers. The ravine’s floor widened and opened to a vast, flat, white expanse that glistened under the sun. She skidded to a stop. An ice-covered lake stretched into the distance. Patches of wind-driven snow laced its surface.

“Mother Forest, protect me,” she murmured as she dashed onto the lake, her arms twirling for a moment to keep her balance. Under her, the lake’s glazed surface groaned. The ice she slid over appeared grayish-white, not the stronger clear layer needed to support much weight. Bubbles, looking like boiled eggs, hung suspended inches below the surface. She knew what it meant. The combination of water from the stream flowing under the ice, the warm caress of wind, and the bold eye of the sun had weakened the lake’s coating in this area. Gray ice, soft and deadly.

From behind her, the crunch of the horse’s hooves as it broke through the crusted top layer of snow at the lake’s edge sent her heart skipping.

The wind carried Bugatov’s raucous shout of triumph. “Umey! Stop, or I will shoot you.”

She spun about to face him, her hands clenched. In his heavy bearskin coat, he appeared more beast than man. Frost rimed his beard and snot had frozen in his mustache. He clutched a pistol in one fist and held the leash in the other. Foam flecked his horse’s jaws and neck; a loop of saliva hung from its mouth. Gouts of white air blew from its nostrils and its whicker more a whimper of pain. Bugatov had ridden it hard to catch her. She doubted the poor horse was strong enough to carry him back to Koltso.

“Go ahead and shoot me,” she cried. “Then you can explain to the tsar what happened.”

Guest Review by Nora

A masterpiece of fiction from author Ken Czech! ‘Kiss of Frost and Flame,’ is a novel of pure genius from an author who always writes such wonderful books. Czech has a talent for atmosphere and setting that is unparalleled! I noted this when reading his last book, ‘The Tsar’s Locket,’ and time has only improved his craft.

‘Kiss of Frost and Flame,’ takes place in Western Siberia, in the year 1581.

Living on her own in the forest, Umey’s only thoughts are of survival and hunting. Though this is not always how she has lived, she finds the freedom edifying, and prefers to make her own rules and live in her own way. However, it is into this relatively peaceful life that chaos comes knocking.

Umey accidentally stumbles across a village that has been burned down, it’s people slaughtered.  Almost as soon as she discovers the village, she is attacked by what she thinks are Tatar warriors. Barely managing to escape, she is hit by a musket ball and almost dies before being taken in by a nearby village of Voguls.

As the Voguls care for her and nurse her back to full health, Umey believes that she owes them a debt of gratitude. She agrees to find out everything that she can about the attack on the village. In doing so, she travels to a nearby Russian army outpost, where she meets the man that will change her life forever.

Although he is not really guilty, Alexey Danilov was tried—and nearly executed—for treason against the Tsar. After being saved at the last second and sent to fight in the wilderness, Alexey knows that he must follow the rules if he is ever to earn back his rank of Lieutenant.

But falling in love with Umey is not in his game plan. Of course, things don’t always go as planned.

This story is not just a romance, but an action-filled historical novel that will keep any reader guessing from start to finish!

About the Author

Ken Czech is a retired history professor whose passion has turned to writing fiction.

His previous novels include BEYOND THE RIVER OF SHAME (All Things That Matter Press, 2017); LAST DANCE IN KABUL (Fireship Press, 2018); and THE TSAR’S LOCKET (Fireship Press, 2020). As a member of the Historical Novels Society, he has attended HNS conferences and workshops.

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Giveaway

This giveaway is for 2 print or ebook copies; print is open to the U.S. only. The ebook is open worldwide.

This giveaway ends on Feb 8, 2024, at midnight pacific time.

Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Synopsis

Alien swarms.
Ceaseless wars.
Hive worlds, pirates and conflict without end.

For hundreds of years, the Conviction has kept these threats at bay. So why now are its forces suddenly disappearing?

Adroa is a bleak, backwater world on the edge of known civilisation, with every day a struggle to survive for Ellie and her two siblings. Yet when a heavily armed Conviction soldier falls from the sky and into her lap, she must face dangers even greater than the ravenous Rike swarms that threaten to consume her and her entire colony.

Something is stirring in the dark between galaxies as the greatest military power humanity has ever known empties its garrisons and leaves its worlds undefended. Can a simple melon farmer rebuild her shattered home in peace, or will Ellie and her family be dragged into a galactic conflict that could determine the future of the Conviction itself?

In this romantic, action-packed space opera of life and love, C.J. Watson weaves a captivating story of upheaval in a cold and uncaring universe – and the tenacity of those fighting to survive another day.

Amazon

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

Excerpt

Four: High Score

Ellie saw the captain was indeed out as they crested the top of the ramp to the spaceport’s main platform. It was next to impossible to miss him and his distinctly booming voice as it carried across the distance.

Ellie could see he’d already dealt with many of the larger farmers as large stacks of shipping containers were being loaded up the ship’s ramp by their respective mechs.

It was surprising, however, to see a number of the ship’s heavy loaders carrying many separate payloads out of the cargo hold. Giant construction haulers floated by above them with a throaty rumble. Of course, Ellie expected some offloading; it was the one delivery of the year that brought people whatever they may need from off-world. But as quadrupedal loaders stomped past the two of them and their little cart, Ellie could make out construction supplies, large metal and plasteel plates, as well as bags of instant cement stacked high atop one another. Even some large panels of framed glass moved past, reflecting the world in their mirrored finish.

Ellie tilted her head in curiosity. Almost all the buildings outside the area immediately surrounding the spaceport were earthen or wooden or else small, prefabricated dwellings like her own, a necessity of self-reliance on the tiny fringe colony. Metal for building material was used almost exclusively for swarm bunkers.

Not that it did the Sayers much good.

Ellie screwed her eyes shut, turning her head away from the procession and batting away the thoughts. Emotions welled deep down as she’d yet to fully process her grief over the loss of the Sayers and the multitude of emotions between which she’d been flung during her ordeal with Hunter.

But right now, Ellie couldn’t afford to let it affect her mood. She slammed the window shut on the emotional storm clouds gathering in the distance, simultaneously trying to harden her heart and soften her smile. Soon, she would have all the time she needed to process her emotions. But now was the critical moment that would determine what she would be able to feed Jonathan and Alayna for the next year.

Ellie nudged the cart and Jonathan along, pulling to one side and joining the short line of smaller farms shuffling forward bit by bit. Even at the back of the line, only a handful of people stood ahead of them.

“Are you okay with taking the cart the rest of the way?” Ellie turned to ask Jonathan softly.

Jonathan simply nodded, taking the full weight of the yoke so Ellie could slip under. Facing her back to the line ahead, Ellie tugged on the bottom of her skirt and straightened all the frills along its edges. She took care to pull up and position her bosom as well as she could, letting her natural curves accentuate the fullness of her chest and the graceful silhouette of her neck.

Reaching up, she quickly retied her ponytail, ensuring it looked fresh and making sure her fringe was swooping down just low enough to cover one eye perfectly.

“How do I look?” Ellie asked.

“You look… You look good,” Jonathan replied.

Ellie smiled at him, running her fingers through his hair one last time to straighten it neatly.

Ellie took position next to him, doing her best to stand easy and look casual. They shuffled along as the line progressed. Ellie did her best to discreetly listen to the deals the other farmers were cutting with the captain, specifically the prices they were negotiating for their goods so she’d have an idea of the window in which she had to manoeuvre. The captain held a monopoly over their prices as their primary link to space, excluding the occasional prospector or explorer. They were prices that could be decided on his whim and were affected by his mood. What they were able to negotiate the year before was no guarantee of what they’d get today.

But try as she might, their voices naturally dropped to an almost conspiratorial level when it came to actual negotiation. Ellie could make out the sounds, but not the words. The distance, noise of the heavy machinery and general bustle of the area proved too much for her ears to overcome.

“Captain, please. The colour is only due to nitrates in the soil. Trees can’t be rotated like other crops; the fruits more than make up for it in their extra size and juiciness from the rains!”

Ellie turned her head slightly, careful not to look over-interested in the scene playing out. The farmer ahead of her had raised his volume, a distinct note of desperation and pleading entering his voice.

A cold stone dropped in Ellie’s stomach. The farmer had just made a grave mistake, tipping his hand and letting his desperation show. No one liked a charity case except for the captain, and even then, only for all the wrong reasons.

“Ah, Mr Thomas, how many years have we been trading? I fully understand the difficulty of farming, and if it were up to me, I’d be paying you all twice the asking price currently on the market,” the captain replied, his words sympathetic, but his smile predatory. His tone indicated he knew that everyone else was aware of what he was doing. And yet he’d put on the theatrics anyway because there was nothing anyone could do about it.

“But the only ones I can sell it to are the colonies that don’t grow enough for themselves. Why, the cost of fuel alone to fly your produce all the way to Etheria, or even Newgate Station, let alone the cost of crew and maintenance… Imagine if I were to go to all of that expense, only for half the stock to rot on the shelves for not being ‘pink’ enough,” he said, holding up one of Mr Thomas’s Pink Lady apples that was almost entirely a pale yellow.

“Why, such a thing would ruin me. And then how would you or the rest of the colony feel when I have to close up shop and can’t make a run next year, or any other year, for that matter?”

“But…” Mr Thomas began, indignant but unsure of his footing.

“Now listen here. I can offer you twelve dols per tonne,” he continued as if Mr Thomas hadn’t said anything at all. “That seems more than fair; since each apple is, as you said, so much larger than last year’s, it should be much easier to hit that same weight with fewer fruits. Oh, and no need to thank me directly. Just keep it to yourself that I cut you such a good deal, yes?” he finished in that slimy, coy tone.

Ellie tried not to baulk, very aware she would already be in the captain’s peripheral vision. Twelve dols a tonne was nothing short of thinly veiled robbery.

Mr Thomas seethed, clearly backed into a corner.

“You’re a wretched bastard, Captain,” he said in earnest, holding out his hand.

The captain smiled.

“Why thank you. I take that as a compliment. Wouldn’t make it out here to buy up your slop if I wasn’t,” he said, nodding once.

Two blue circles appeared over the backs of their hands to confirm the transaction. The light had barely dissipated before Mr Thomas snatched his hand away and stormed off, a dark cloud hanging over his expression.

Grabbing his coat with both hands, the captain pulled down to straighten it before turning to acknowledge Ellie.

Captain Slackvore was a complete dichotomy of character. He wore a long, brown trench coat, tattered in places and well-weathered. Its creases ran deep, and its surface was cracked from years of use. Yet underneath, he wore vibrant, tailored pants and a complexly embroidered vest, the material a shimmering purple interlaced with intricate floral patterns, and its shades perpetually shifting from slightly lighter to slightly darker than the rest of the outfit. Equally ornate boots with black velvet trim worked together with a dark, wide-brimmed Stetson to vertically frame the odd man.

A slimy smile that always made Ellie feel as if she was on the wrong end of a bad deal she couldn’t understand hung below a pair of cunning, calculating eyes. His exact age was unclear. Older than Ellie for sure, but still far younger than one would expect of a man running a pirate crew. Then again, the man exuded a fierceness not difficult to pick up on.

“Melon girl!” he bellowed in welcome, a deep, booming voice scratched raw by the various questionable spirits Ellie knew the crew brewed, and occasionally sold.

“Captain Slackvore! It is so good to see you!” Ellie responded with a bright smile and a light, excited tone. Stepping forward, she threw her arms around his shoulders and pressed her entire body tightly against his, pretending the scene with Mr Thomas hadn’t just happened.”

Review

Sometimes, I like to try a genre or book that is a little out of my normal reading sphere. This novel is a cross between science fiction, fantasy, romance, and maybe even a little dystopian, and it was a delight to read.

Ellie is a tough young woman. She is only 21 but is taking care of her two siblings and trying to make it as a melon farmer on a planet that doesn’t have a lot going for it. One of her siblings, Alyana, is a bit of a hothead. So, the nickname she is tagged with from Jake (more on him in a moment) is more than appropriate. He calls her Spitfire. Jake is a savior, but does he have an ulterior motive? He has combat skills and is able to help Ellie and her family in some difficult situations. I like how he was raised to be kind and see the goodness in people. It does seem to contradict his career path, which is never fully defined, and we are left to guess what he did before coming to this planet.

I was taken away to a world that has little hope for anyone. The inhabitants are attacked by something called a Rike. We are never really told what a Rike is or why it attacks the people of the planet. The best description is some sort of beast that bleeds purple. We do know that everyone does what they can to protect themselves from this creature, including adding turrets to their homes to fight them off.

I admired Ellie for doing what she needed to do for her family to survive. It isn’t easy accepting Jake’s help, and she is suspicious about his true intentions. I can’t blame her; why should she trust him? But I think she is going to be surprised at how easily he will fit into her life if she will allow him to.

The author does a good job of building this world and bringing it to life, from the dark and gritty characters to those with compassion. While there are many unanswered questions, this is the first book in a series, and I have a feeling all of those will be answered soon.

There is an epilogue that gives a hint as to what Jake might be running from in his life. Only future books will tell.

We give this book a solid 4 paws up.

About the Author

When he’s not running various I.T. departments for his day job, he can be found spoiling both his partner and their many, many cats somewhere around the desolate hellscape of Sydney, Australia.

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Synopsis

If the fate of unrequited love survives fifty-one years, nine months, and four days in Gabriel García Márquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera, it leads the way for HER: The Flame Tree, a spare, remorseless love triptych that sweeps through the rich panorama of two generations of colonial and post-colonial Vietnam. The hopeless love of a young eunuch for a high-ranking concubine is one of this novel’s three stories that illuminate the oriental mystery of Vietnam, as epic as it is persevering,

Despite a rich trove of documentary films, Western readers know little of the spiritual face of Vietnam. Framed between 1915 and 1993, HER: The Flame Tree begins in Huế, the former imperial capital Vietnam. It is in the Purple Forbidden City, that Canh, the young eunuch, fulfills his vow to be near the girl of his dreams, a villager-turned imperial concubine.

The novel begins with an expatriate Vietnamese man living in the United States who journeys back to Vietnam to search for the adopted daughter of a centenarian eunuch of the Imperial Court of Huế to find out who she really is. His world takes on a new meaning after he becames a part of her life.

Phượng. Her name is the magnificent flame tree’s flowers that grace the ancient capital of Huế. Her father, mentor of Canh the young eunuch, was a hundred-year-old grand eunuch of the Imperial Court, who had adopted and raised her since she was a baby. Their peaceful world suddenly changed when one day, sometime in the early years of the Vietnam war, Jonathan Edward came into their lives. On his quest to search for his just deceased lover’s mysterious birth, there he met Phượng, an exquisite beauty.

Through the eye of her father, history is retold. Just before the fall of the French Indochina during the last dynasty of Vietnam, a young eunuch hopelessly fell in love with a high-ranking concubine. Once the eunuch had secured the concubine’s trust, it became a fatal attraction. The eunuch died. The concubine, still a virgin, lost her mind. Her father said she was possessed by the young eunuch’s spirit who had been madly in love with her.

HER: The Flame Tree does not have the flavor of historical fiction, plot-heavy and sexually graphic. Rather, it is atmospheric and impressionistic, in the style of Snow Falling on Cedars. The magnificent poinciana flowers, which grace the ancient capital of Huế, symbolize farewell in Vietnamese adolescent romance. Its symbolic image befits Phượng for her magnanimous nature and grace, and the scarlet blossoming flowers when Jonathan Edward bids Phượng farewell is beauty without sadness—Wait and Hope.

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Praise

“In this almost folkloric saga of a royal eunuch, his adopted daughter and the tragedies and triumphs of love in their lives from the days of the emperor’s court to the war with America, Khanh Ha takes us deeply into the heart of traditional Vietnam in a tale told in such lushly poetic, descriptive language that it immerses the reader deeply and sensually into the gorgeousness of the land, the texture and taste of food, and the complex humanity of the characters. Her: The Flame Tree is an intricately woven, seductively fascinating story of family, sacrifice, loyalty and redeeming love in the face of heart-breaking loss that breathtakingly weaves the lives of individuals we come to know and care about into the saga of Vietnamese—and American—history.” —Wayne Karlin, author of Memorial Days

“Ha evokes a visceral image of Vietnam . . .  A vivid study of a country’s fraught history and how its people struggled to make sense of it.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Her: The Flame Tree is a beautiful novel, rich with evocations of natural setting in coastal Vietnam; remembered action going back more than a hundred years; and characters both extraordinary and poignantly ordinary, developed by layer upon layer of stories.”—Elizabeth Harris, judge and author of Mayhem: Three Lives of a Woman

“Early in Khanh Ha’s latest novel Her: The Flame Tree, the author describes a book made of delicate leaves of gold. Such a volume would be ideal to record this shimmering and often tender tale of love, loss, and memory.” —Steve Evans, author of The Marriage of True Minds

Excerpt

Miss Phượng met the last concubine of Emperor Tự-Ðức when the woman was very old, in the final year of her long life. When the emperor died in 1883, she was only fifteen. She told Miss Phượng she was one hundred and twenty-three now. Small, birdlike, white hair parted in the middle, braided in two small plaits on the sides of her head.

She took Miss Phượng by the hand and led her into the cottage, which sat behind a bamboo hedge in the back of the mausoleum. She served tea from a tiny blue-flowered pot the size of her hand. The nougats she offered were made of egg whites and brown sugar and chopped nuts. Brittle, they melted quickly in the mouth.

“I used to make them for the emperor,” she told Miss Phượng. “A long time ago.” Then regarding Miss Phượng, she nodded, “See the banyan out there?”

It dwarfed the cottage with its shade, like an immense pavilion. Miss Phượng traced its tortuous roots to the steps of the concubine’s home.

“It was a little tree when I came,” the old woman muttered.

“Yes,” Miss Phượng said, “trees outlive us. My father had a magnolia planted outside the Trinh Minh Palace during his service as the grand eunuch for the imperial family. He would be three years older than you, Madam, if he still lived.”

In the deceased emperor’s personal room the old concubine sat down on the carved rosewood bed. Hunched between the parted panels of the yellow mosquito net, she sat amidst her husband’s belongings—the bed, its embroidered mat, the porcelain pillow, the tea, the rice liquor, the areca-nuts and betel leaves and a tiny pot of lime. They were here for him when he returned in spirit.

For one hundred and eight years she replenished them every morning so that when he arrived nothing was missing, nothing was stale. He could read his favorite books. He could write, as was his passion, in his annals, each page of which was a thin leaf of gold. He would find again his gold swords, jade shrubs, his chess men in green and white jade, chopsticks made of kim-giao white wood that turned black against any sort of poison. They were arranged there under glass.

Miss Phượng took the old woman’s hand and led her out of her haunt, passing candle-lit nooks and corners and the eternally mildewed air of the sunless chambers.

©Khanh Ha

Guest Review by Nora

A spellbinding novel from one of the greatest authors of our time– ‘Her: The Flame Tree,’ by Khanh Ha, is a one-of-a-kind story that allows the reader to travel deep into the heart of Vietnamese history.

Minh is a Vietnamese man now living in America who returns to his home country to seek out one very special woman and learn her story. Phuong is the adopted daughter of a former court eunuch who spent much of her life caring for her elderly father. Of both Vietnamese and French descent, Phuong knows nothing of her birth parents and has only ever known the love of her adopted father, Canh. But Canh has a storied history as well, and the novel unveils these three different timelines as it goes along.

From the halls of the palace of the Imperial Emperor to the packed streets of the marketplace, ‘Her: he Flame Tree’ takes you on a journey that you won’t soon forget.

I’m a huge fan of Khanh Ha’s writing and have enjoyed several of his books in the past, which is why I had a feeling I would enjoy this one. As an author, he has an undeniable way of crafting an atmosphere that makes the reader feel immersed in the story.

Between that creative blend of Vietnamese and American culture that Ha is so great at illustrating, and the strength and power of the characters, this book was a strong five star read for me!

I can’t imagine a better way to spend a winter evening than enjoying a book by this stellar author. This, being one of my first books of the year, was such a treat for both the heart and mind. I simply cannot wait to read whatever Ha comes out with next! I’m sure it will be extraordinary!

About the Author

Award winning author Khanh Ha is a nine-time Pushcart nominee, finalist for The Ohio State University Fiction Collection Prize, Mary McCarthy Prize, Many Voices Project, Prairie Schooner Book Prize, The University of New Orleans Press Lab Prize, Prize Americana, and The Santa Fe Writers Project. He is the recipient of the Sand Hills Prize for Best Fiction, The Robert Watson Literary Prize in Fiction, The Orison Anthology Award for Fiction, The James Knudsen Prize for Fiction, The C&R Press Fiction Prize, The EastOver Fiction Prize, The Blackwater Press Fiction Prize, The Gival Press Novel Award, and The Red Hen Press Fiction Award.

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Giveaway

This giveaway is for 3 print or ebook copies and is open to the U.S. only.

This giveaway ends on Feb 22, 2024, at midnight pacific time.

Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Synopsis

On paper, Zoe Zeng has made it in New York’s fashion world as a fashion columnist at Chic. But life in New York City isn’t as chic as Zoe imagined. Then one day, Zoe receives a job offer at FitPick, an app startup based in Silicon Valley. With her current career at a dead end, Zoe accepts the offer and swaps high fashion for high tech, haute couture for HTML. She soon realizes that in an industry claiming to change the world for the better, not everyone’s intentions are pure. With an eight-figure investment on the line, Zoe must find a way to revamp FitPick’s image despite Silicon Valley’s elitism and her icy colleagues. Or the company’s future will go up in smoke—and hers with it.

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Review

I stayed up way too late trying to finish this book! I didn’t make it and had to finish up the next day. Yes, it was that good!

This book reminded me that while women have come a long way in this world, there are plenty of men out there who still try to hold us back. This book may hit some trigger points for people, but everything that happened is what you see in this world today. It is a shame that we haven’t moved past the point where people do not treat each other respectfully and only look out for their own interests.

Zoe is young and has a lot to learn, but that doesn’t stop her from jumping into a new career across the country. I appreciated her zeal for the job and also for championing the underdog in the influencer world. She may have been naive at various times, but I think her inexperience was actually a plus in this situation. She could think outside the box. Plus, fashion is her world and she knew what would or wouldn’t work.

There are friendships that are formed along the way for Zoe, and even some interoffice romance. Zoe is true to herself, or at least does her best, and seeks out the same in those around her. She has to navigate a few sticky situations but does it gracefully and without too many blunders. She is a character that I really admire, even when she is having a pity party.

While I have had a bit of a reading slump so far this year, this book engaged my soul and reenergized my love for reading.

We give this book 5 paws up.

About the Author

Born and raised in Singapore, Kyla Zhao graduated in 2021 from Stanford University with an MA in Communications (Media Studies) and a BA in Psychology. Right now, she works in marketing at a tech company in Silicon Valley, California.

Besides novel writing, Kyla has an extensive magazine editorial portfolio. Previously, she was a fashion and lifestyle writer at Vogue Singapore. She has also written for the Singapore editions of Harper’s Bazaar and Tatler, covered the Asian Television Awards, and interviewed personalities such as singer Nathan Sykes.

Above all else, Kyla hopes to champion Asian representation in her works and write the characters of color that she rarely got to read about when she was young.

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Synopsis

A photographer on the brink of fame. A dictator with a dangerous agenda. Used to hiding behind her camera, can this skilled artist capture the truth and still escape with her life?

Margo McAllister is mere hours from her dream. In Italy, to compete for a prestigious award, the young photographer turns down a corrupt politician who offers her an insane sum to brush up his reputation with a clever portrait. But her plans crumble to dust when she’s slipped a blackout drug cocktail, awakens to $40,000 in damages to her hotel room, and is summarily bounced from the contest.

Suddenly, a beggar with no options, Margo travels to the despot’s personal castle to earn enough money to cover her debts and get her life back on track. And while she quickly discovers the property is crawling with secrets and lies, she fears the oligarch’s creepy propositions and rough demands indicate he believes she’s a captive with no way out…

Can Margo escape to freedom by capturing the face of evil?

Portrait of Deception is the dark and gritty second book in the Southwest Suspense women’s fiction series. If you like tough females, relentless action, and hints of steam, then you’ll love Kathryn Dodson’s twisted adventure.

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Review

This book packed a lot into the pages! There is mystery, suspense, travel, deception, family, and friendship. Sounds like a mixed bag, but it works.

Margo ends up in a situation in Italy. Part of that is her fault, but most of it is not. It is the egomaniac that sees her and decides she must be his. Umm, yeah, right, dude, that isn’t how it works in the civilized world. However, this situation causes even bigger issues down the road. I felt bad that Margo had to take on this assignment just to clean up the mess in Italy, but on the flip side, it brought her closer to her aunt and taught her that there is more to life than her photography.

There are quite a few scumbags in this book. But there are several redeeming characters that, while we don’t know all of the details in the beginning, their stories unfold, giving you another perspective to consider. Yes, I’m being vague, but to say too much would give away some plot twists.

I didn’t want the story to end, and I felt like there could be more to come in Margo’s world.

This book kept me up at night because I couldn’t put it down. We give it 5 paws up.

About the Author

I am currently working on my ninth novel. I earned a B.A. in English with a creative writing specialization from Southern Methodist University.

After college, I traveled, earned an MBA and a PhD, and worked as a nonprofit, corporate, and government executive before seriously picking up the pen again.​

Originally from Texas, I’ve had the good fortune to live in Spain, Mexico, Tanzania, and several US states; and the good sense to end up in Carlsbad, California. I love travel, fiery food, hanging out with my neighbors in the front yard on Friday evenings, and reading everything from management books to magical realism. My greatest accomplishment may be raising a son who loves to read.

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Synopsis

Two men. One wrong choice.

Tempia Wade’s life had jumped the rails.

One fateful night, she believed a stranger’s lie rather than the assurance of a trusted friend. For her lapse in judgment, she paid an agonizing price.

Her now-bankrupt life featured shattered dreams, ruined friendships, and the loss of a promising relationship. Now, two years later, the twenty-three-year-old prayed for a second chance with the man she had fallen for at first sight.

Would Cory Sanders finally overlook her egregious mistake in accepting a next-day date and liaison with another man? Or would she have to truly accept life without him?

Amazon

Excerpt

After installing HVAC systems at a new apartment complex, twenty-eight-year-old Cory Sanders should’ve headed home, eaten a sandwich, and stretched his five-foot-eleven-inch frame onto his king-sized bed. But today he sought diversions at a friend’s pool hall. The short trek across the parking lot led him inside a large yet cozy space teeming with some of his favorite folks. As his eyes adjusted to dim lighting, he stepped up to the counter of the juice and coffee bar.

Glancing at Cory, a middle-aged woman, brown eyes alert, paused her conversation with a customer. “Wait till I tell Dan who stopped by on a late Friday afternoon,” she said to Cory. “Of course, neither he nor our sons will believe me.”

Miss Laura’s husband, Dan, had been Cory’s father’s best friend since their HVAC training program days. He and his youngest son worked for Cory’s father’s heating and cooling business, while his wife helped their oldest son, Scott, run his pool hall.

“Keep our secret, Miss Laura, or someone will demand I show up more often.”

She winked as she laughed. “If anyone asks me, I’ll say you were just winding down from a tough workday.”

Cory chuckled. “Sounds like the perfect plan,” he said. “One pomegranate slush, please. And Miss Laura, let your son know adding slushes to the juice menu was an excellent idea. If he asks, tell him to add grilled cheese, hamburgers, and hot sausage sandwiches.”

“More approval will swell his head. Thank God, he won’t inquire.”

“I bet you he’d consider those suggestions if he did.”

“Serving food ain’t happening on my watch. This mama has enough tasks without piling on more. We’ll hold off on a food menu until Scott quits his day job.”

As Cory left the counter, Miss Laura snuck in, “See you next Friday.”

While sipping his slush, Cory peered around the cavernous room and took in the lively atmosphere. Ten pool tables were strategically set up to maximize solo and group play. Walking across the space, he passed a group of men ribbing each other. A fifty-something man pocketed a ball then spotted Cory. “Lookee here. Grab a pool stick, son.”

Cory sat on a seat close to the action and pointed at the bald, clean-shaven man. “Not today. I just came to watch you masters clean the table.”

“Take notes,” another man said. “Stu left this little boy hanging in the pocket.”

With that, Cory realized he had chosen the correct diversion after all. His bed and sandwich could wait until later that evening. These lively antics might delete a tiresome woman from his mind. Last year, he had purged her from his heart, but no matter how hard he tried, he could never seem to evict her from his mind. He hoped that changing his long-established habits might help.

Review

Of all of the books in this series, this has been the best one. While all of the stories have their pros and cons, this one felt smoother with the writing. The characters were ones that I could relate to in a way. While I haven’t gone through the same situations, I understand betrayal.

Tempia and Corey have a bumpy start to their relationship. While there is attraction, Quince’s underhandness separates them before they ever get started. Quince is NOT a likable character. He is only in a relationship with Tempia to get at Corey. Some friend, right? Quince is selfish and cares only about himself. Sadly, Tempia realizes this too late. But she is able to extract herself from this situation. Now, if she and Corey can find their way to one another.

I think both of these characters have trust issues. They also have parents that, while they want the best for them, can be overbearing. I know that most parents care about what happens to their children, but they are adults and have to learn some of these lessons themselves. Even if it is the hard way. But that is what makes these characters endearing: the willingness to adapt and become better people through their normal lives.

We give this book 4 1/2 paws up!

About the Author

E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play Pajama Party. Thirty-one years later, she adapted the play into Pajama Party: The Story, a companion book to the second book in the five-book standalone Hope series.

Jackson’s favorite pastime is reading fiction. She enjoys taking the journey along with the characters in the books. That also led to her unorthodox approach to story writing. Her vision for each book she writes is to immerse readers into the storyline so they become connected with each character.

“The Write Way: A Real Slice of Life” is the slogan on her Facebook author page. She feels that if every person reading her books feels connected to the characters, her job is done.

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Synopsis

Is there hope for this love between friends?

Pamela Hayes is a smart, successful business owner with a supportive family and a thriving bakery. She should be the happiest girl in the world. But she can’t shake the melancholy that accompanies every conversation she has with her best friend, Mark. Pamela doesn’t know how much longer she can hide her true feelings.

Why can’t Mark see how perfect they would be together? She would make a much better girlfriend than the one he currently has. Pamela prays he’ll come to his senses soon and realize he’s with the wrong girl. But when her dream comes true, it isn’t the fantasy she had envisioned.

There is trouble in paradise from the start, and all the red flags she’s been ignoring are starting to threaten her confidence…and her relationship with Mark. She’ll have to rely on family and her faith in God to help her secure the hope she so desperately needs.

Amazon

Excerpt

Motes reflected in the sunlight that beamed through an eastern bedroom window. Background noise filtered past closed doors. Turning over in bed onto her stomach, Pamela Hayes yanked a beige satin comforter off the floor with one hand. That same hand then tossed a navy-blue neck pillow upon the bed. Footsteps on the other side of the door grabbed her attention.

Mom’s on her Saturday-morning prowl. Five, four, three, two, one …

Anna Hayes’s head poked inside her daughter’s bedroom. Hallway lighting bathed her trim figure in artificial brightness. “Morning, babe. Touching base before I go.” Her warm gaze surveyed the tousled bed. “From the tangled cover, it looks like you had a rough night.”

With a hand covering her yawn, Pamela shook her head and turned onto her side. “Just my normal Friday night tug-of-war. It’s my preferred method of winding down.”

Anna’s soft laugh sounded like music. “Any special plans today?”

Leaning on her elbow, Pamela rested her face on spread fingers as she gazed at her mother. Forty-eight-year-old Anna wore desert-green ankle boots, cropped white pants, and an oversized olive-green sweater. A brown suede bag hung over her shoulder.

“You look like a dream, Mom. If I didn’t know otherwise, I’d think you were going out with someone special.”

Laughter flitted through slightly parted lips. “I’m late. Give me a quick rundown on your activities for today.”

Oh boy. I had hoped she wouldn’t ask. Better mention my afternoon expedition last.

“Shopping for a spring wardrobe around noon. My jeans are tatty. And then, shooting the rapids.”

The door opened wider as Anna grasped the doorknob. “Water rafting somewhere near South Town?”

“Oklahoma City. The spring season begins today. It’s safe, Mom. Stop frowning.”

“I’m sure they take safety precautions. But promise to be extra careful. I can do without mental pictures of my twenty-five-year-old daughter drowning.”

Pamela flopped onto her back. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Thank you. I love surrender whenever I hear it.” Anna checked her watch. “I’ll be out late. Don’t hesitate to call if you need me.”

After those parting words, her mother floated out of the house. Her all-day Saturday excursions had begun late last year. A seeming whim had developed into a lengthy pattern.

After the front door lock clicked, a sleepy Pamela hid her head beneath the sheets and immediately fell back to sleep.

Review

Pamela and Mark might be best friends, but are they right for each other? Or is it just Pamela’s desire? There is a whirlwind relationship culminating in their wedding, but it doesn’t take long after the honeymoon (like the same day!) to realize that there might be issues. Communication will have to be worked on if this relationship will work.

I wasn’t wild about Mark at first. He was very self-involved, and it was evident when he knew nothing about Pamela’s business and interests. It doesn’t take too much for him to realize that he is going to have to step up his game and get to know his wife. Pamela ran away from their issues from the start instead of staying and talking to Mark about it, despite their list of relationship “rules.” Granted, she only ran away for a few hours, and I can understand her desire to take a breather to think about the situation. However, that is a bad precedent to start at the beginning of a marriage.

Things do settle down, and we see them work through many issues and situations to strengthen their relationship or at least give the appearance of becoming a stronger couple. I don’t know if they ever truly resolve their issues to my satisfaction, but this isn’t my relationship or how I would handle things, and I know that everyone has their own approach to dealing with issues.

There are a few surprises along the way, and I like that Pamela is growing her business with Mark’s help. Although, I felt like he was trying to take it over at times. I know he has the experience and was trying to be helpful, but I think he could have gone about it differently.

There are family issues to deal with as well. Mark isn’t fond of his parents. Pamela is torn between her divorced parents. I think this helps us to understand why Mark and Pamela approach situations the way that they do.

Overall, we give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play Pajama Party. Thirty-one years later, she adapted the play into Pajama Party: The Story, a companion book to the second book in the five-book standalone Hope series.

Jackson’s favorite pastime is reading fiction. She enjoys taking the journey along with the characters in the books. That also led to her unorthodox approach to story writing. Her vision for each book she writes is to immerse readers into the storyline so they become connected with each character.

“The Write Way: A Real Slice of Life” is the slogan on her Facebook author page. She feels that if every person reading her books feels connected to the characters, her job is done.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Synopsis

1858. Magic and danger surround Twilight Wild Adams, but she doesn’t really notice—until her 16th birthday. Upon reading her special birthday letter filled with secrets from her beloved GrandMama—abolitionist and champion of a covert mystical sisterhood—everything changes.

Opening her eyes, Twilight speaks out against slavery. But almost everyone around her wants her to keep her beliefs to herself.

Doing what she knows is right and believing her emerging powers will guide her, she rushes in with wild conviction to stop the enslavement of children at a wicked plantation, only to discover what the captives know all too well—survival isn’t freedom.

Richly historical, low fantasy, high tension—Wild Conviction is a coming-of-age, socially conscious, epic adventure with touches of magic and love.

• Sprinkled with Magical Realism.
• Laced with Southern Gothic.
• Steeped in the heated tensions of antebellum America.

Note: For this novel, the author created a scenario within a historical setting in which the terms Rich-tone and Pale are used for skin tone—and without historical and contemporary derogatory terms.

Amazon

Excerpt

Chapter 1

New Realm ~ And An Exchange

Wednesday, June 16, 1858

Late Afternoon Memphis

From her shrine honoring beloved GrandMama, Twilight Adams lifted a book of poetry by Phillis Wheatley, pressed it to her chest, and whispered, “It’s time.”

Gingerly, she opened the book and removed her patient gift: a letter that GrandMama, four years ago and near death, had tucked inside.

This was Twilight’s birthday—another one her mother and sisters celebrated by ignoring it.

“By the full moon, I wish they cared.” She sighed, then kissed the letter. “Doesn’t matter. All that matters is this gift, full of love, waiting for me.”

As she’d done countless times, she traced her forefinger along the swooping blue inscription on the back of the folded paper:

Open On Your Sixteenth, Not Before, My Darling Twilight

She took a breath, turned over the tidy dense package of overlapping pages, then slid a letter opener under the rose wax seal embossed with the image of a doe beneath the sweeping branches of a tree. Carefully unfolding the letter, she was surprised to find small gifts: three tiny gems—rose quartz, black obsidian, lapis lazuli—and a thin ring. The gems she recognized as GrandMama’s. The ring was unfamiliar. Positioning the gems and the ring next to GrandMama’s Bible on the small bedside table she had made into a shrine, she, excited, began reading the long-awaited words.

As she read, she could feel GrandMama’s maternal caress. She could hear her soothing voice. But the words jarred her to her very core. After reading twice to be sure, she pressed the letter to her heart, then sank to the floor.

If another Earth realm exists, I’m certain I’ve left the place I know and entered that new world.

She read aloud GrandMama’s final words to her:

Burn this letter.

Instead, she buried it in her left pocket, patted another secret in her right pocket, and strode from the bedroom to the yard. Her electrified mind worked to untangle the letter’s words and how they stitched together her identity.

Who am I?

GrandMama, you told me a lot in my birthday letter, but not nearly enough. It’s time I see what I’ve purposely avoided.

In one swift move, she leaped onto her palomino mare, Spirit. With gliding strides, Spirit nearly flew along the streets—expertly weaving through the relentless march of wagons, gigs, pedestrians, and riders—to the despicable marketplace Twilight called Atrocity Square.

On the auction block, muscles taut, a young man stood. Though Twilight was seated atop Spirit on the far edge of the crowd, she sensed the youth’s quiet defiance, the restraint of his fever to break free, to know for once his life, unowned. Witnessing a person being auctioned caused her to shudder with fury. Raised until age twelve by her abolitionist GrandMama, Twilight wondered how it could be that in America people were sold, bought, owned. She’d always hated slavery. Now, ignited by her birthday secrets, she hated it to the gates of hell.

Two stinky men stood near her. She’d been ignoring the one who first yelled abuse at the enslaved youth on the block then turned to yap lewdly at her. Relentlessly he spewed his wretched breath and words through his missing front teeth. She reached inside her right pocket where, waiting and loaded, a pistol hid. She’d never shot any living thing, not even a heckler. And she didn’t plan to. But if her life, or her virginity, depended on it, she could. Gallatin had taught her well. A sharpshooter, she’d aim to wound. Regardless, being female, she’d probably be noosed for shooting any man, even a predatory breathing manure heap like this one.

Review

This coming-of-age story has a lot of intricate details woven into the story. It is set in the 1850s when times were much different from what we know today. Twilight has just turned 16, and a letter left to her by her grandmother tells of powers and a secret that could jeopardize her whole life.

Twilight is idealistic and wants better for everyone, regardless of race. She is against slavery and seeks to educate and free all those that she can. Her plans are thwarted when she marries Jackson. He is a slick operator and says all the right things but then does the opposite. His father is a piece of work, too. He believes that all pale men are superior to everyone else. He doesn’t even consider anyone else human other than pale men. Not even women!

This book covers about three to four years. It does jump forward, and not every single day is reflected, but if it were, this book would be even longer than it is already. The story moves steadily, not fast, but not too slow. I did feel like there were some parts that were superfluous, such as detailing when different states seceded from the Union during the Civil War. I skimmed those parts. But I do appreciate the author’s attention to detail and to be historically accurate.

I felt like the story picked up at the end as it was all coming to a head. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t go into much detail. I think the book has a happy ending for Twilight, especially when she was at such a low point due to various events.

We give the book 4 paws up.

About the Author

An author of stories and poetry as portals to possibilities, Mary Dezember writes to inspire champions to find their magic for a new and better day.

Mary believes it helps to make life magical, even if that means simply cuddling a cat, donning a tiara, talking with a unicorn, channeling the muse, or reading a good book. She lives in the Land of Enchantment.

A lover of the beauty and power of language, she states: “We spell words and, arranged well, words can put a spell on us.”

Her debut novel, Wild Conviction: Sixteen is Power (Brilliant Moon Press), and her two books of poetry—Earth-Marked Like You (Sunstone Press) and Still Howling (CreateSpace Independent Publishing)—explore the rite of passage to identity, including the hero’s emotional and intellectual quest.

She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature with an emphasis in Comparative Arts from Indiana University. Professor Emeritus of English at New Mexico Tech (New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology), she is a scholar of the arts, literature, and writing.

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