Excerpt Reveal- A ROSE IN THE HIGHLANDS By Heather McCollum With A Giveaway!

I am so excited that I get to share an exclusive excerpt from A ROSE IN THE HIGHLANDS by Heather McCollum!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Heather McCollum, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a $15 Amazon Gift Card, International, courtesy of Entangled Publishing and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

About the Book:

Title: A ROSE IN THE HIGHLANDS (Highland Roses School)

Author: Heather McCollum

Pub. Date: September 24, 2018

Publisher: Entangled: Amara

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 399

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Kobo

1684, Scottish Highlands

Englishwoman Evelyn Worthington is resolved to build a school for ladies in her brother's newly purchased Scottish castle. But when she arrives, not only does she find the castle scorched by fire, but a brawny Highlander bars her entry.

Clan chief Grey Campbell would rather die than see his family home, Finlarig Castle, fall into English hands, so Grey must win the battle of wills with the beautiful Sassenach who flashes a bill of sale before him.

When the war between Evelyn and Grey escalates, passions flare. But outsiders have their own plans for Finlarig. After secrets are revealed, and muskets are lit, the fates of the Campbell Clan, the school, and a possible future for Grey and Evelyn are in as much jeopardy as their lives.

Excerpt:

Black soot scorched upward around the door, the glass windows burst out, the remaining shards like jagged teeth set in a series of open-mouthed screams. Had the captain mistakenly set her castle ablaze? She flattened her hand to her chest and straightened as James came to the door.

“The storm is upon us, milady. Best to get you three inside. I will help ye in while Thomas holds the horses.”

“Thomas won’t be able to hold the horses by himself if they spook,” Evelyn said, placing her hand in James’s. “We will be fine.” Had he not seen the soot? Perhaps it had been a trick of the shadows. But the smell of smoke was no shadow.

“Scarlet,” Evelyn said as a sprinkling of rain misted her face. “The school… the castle…”

Astonishment made her mind race faster than her mouth could form words. What had happened? How could she make a profitable school and sheep farm if the castle was uninhabitable? Please let only the outside be scorched.

Her sister climbed out, Molly bringing up the rear, and then James and Thomas hurried to the horses. With the storm upon them, they would unhook and shelter the animals, retrieving the carriage when it had passed.

Evelyn stood waiting for another flash of lightning. “’Tis impossible to see anything,” Scarlet called as more rain shot down. “Hurry.” She linked her arm in Evelyn’s as they strode toward the steps leading into the keep. Large pines and winter-bare trees, which grew just outside the wall, bowed and bucked overhead. The horses whinnied as Thomas and James led them around to what looked to be stables. Rocks bruised Evelyn’s feet through her slippers, and she shot up the first step, her bare fingers on the wet stone.

Looking up, Evelyn stopped.

“God’s teeth,” Scarlet said beside her.

God’s teeth, indeed. Standing at the top of the steps, illuminated by a flaming torch, was a man dressed in a kilt, his arms and chest bare. Perhaps it was the darkness around him, or the fact that she stood below on the steps, but the man looked larger than any human she’d ever seen, like a Scottish legend come to life. Broad across the shoulders and tall, power radiated out from his braced stance. His arms were corded with muscle. She couldn’t tell the color of his hair, but it was dark and free of the wigs that were so popular in England. Her heart sped at the obvious strength and finely wrought features of his fierce face. With this man at the school, they’d have no worries about bandits or thieves. Perhaps she could hire him.

“Hello, sir. I am Lady Evelyn Worthington of Hollings Estate in Lincolnshire.” He held a torch where he stood under the eaves, frowning. Had she woken him? She blinked against the brightness of the flame and the rain in her eyes but managed a smile. “Are you the caretaker of the castle?”

His voice came as if from the storm above: hard, cold and booming. “Get the bloody hell out of my bailey.”

About Heather:

Heather McCollum is an award winning, historical romance writer. She currently has seventeen published novels and is a member of the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood of 2009 Golden Heart finalists. She is a 2015 Readers’ Choice winner and a member of Heart of Carolina Romance Writers.

The ancient magic and lush beauty of Great Britain entranced Ms. McCollum’s heart and imagination when she visited there years ago. The country’s history and landscape have been a backdrop for her writing ever since.

When she is not creating vivid characters and settings, she spends her time educating women on the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. She has recently slayed the cancer beast and resides with her very own Highland hero and three spirited children in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Instagram

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will win a $15 Amazon Gift Card, INTERNATIONAL.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: MANOR OF SECRETS and a Giveaway!

I am so excited to have my friend, Katherine Longshore here today to take us on a tour of The Manor! I freaking love Katherine's writing! I'm normally not a big contemporary/historical girl but her storytelling is magical! Make sure to enter the giveaway below for a copy of the book!
Haven't heard of MANOR OF SECRETS? Check it out!

MANOR OF SECRETS

Author: Katherine Longshore

Release Date: January 28, 2014

Pages: 320

Publisher: Point (Scholastic)

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble

The year is 1911. And at The Manor, nothing is as it seems . . .

Lady Charlotte Edmonds: Beautiful, wealthy, and sheltered, Charlotte feels suffocated by the strictures of upper-crust society. She longs to see the world beyond The Manor, to seek out high adventure. And most of all, romance.

Janie Seward: Fiery, hardworking, and clever, Janie knows she can be more than just a kitchen maid. But she isn't sure she possesses the courage -- or the means -- to break free and follow her passions.

Both Charlotte and Janie are ready for change. As their paths overlap in the gilded hallways and dark corridors of The Manor, rules are broken and secrets are revealed. Secrets that will alter the course of their lives. . . forever.

Now on to the post!

The Manor stands at the crest of a hill in the Weald of Kent, just a few miles from Ashdown Forest (made famous by A.A. Milne’s Hundred Acre Wood), and Hever Castle (Anne Boleyn’s childhood home).  A high stone wall separates the estate from the road, making it accessible only by the long, narrow drive, monitored by the gatekeeper whose cottage presides over the entrance.

Once through the gate, the drive proceeds across a wide expanse of lawn dotted by centuries-old trees, and up to the house itself—a 19^th Century renovation of a Tudor mansion.  The brick façade glows red in the summer sunshine, accented by the glimmer of glass in the windows.  The roof is garnished with so many chimneys of twisting brick-work that it looks like a birthday cake.

How you enter The Manor depends on who you are.  Nobility, family friends and relatives, as well as the family doctor, lawyer and vicar all enter by walking up the great stone steps to the massive oak door, to be greeted by the butler.

Tradesmen, deliveries, servants and prospective servants follow a track around the side of the building and into a brick-walled courtyard, where they will knock on the kitchen door and admitted by Harry, the hall boy, or some other lowly person.

The commoner will then walk the brick floored corridor, catching a glimpse of the still room (where cordials and sweets are made), and perhaps stop in the doorway of the servants’ hall. 

This room is dominated by a long, scarred wooden table, though there is a cozy fireplace (unlit during this long, hot summer) and an upright piano at the far end.  Perhaps a newspaper has been left on the table, or an empty cup and saucer.  In the center of the table are two jugs—one of water and one of beer—for the servants to refresh themselves when needed.

The next room is the kitchen, and attached to it the scullery (where dishes are washed and birds are plucked).  These rooms are rarely quiet.  Janie, the kitchen maid, starts the servants’ breakfast before dawn, and Mollie, the scullery maid, often doesn’t finish washing up until after ten at night.  This room, with its heavy work table, two stoves, two sinks, and a myriad of pots, pans, bowls, tools and knives, provides the food for thirty household staff and the Edmonds family upstairs, who at present are only three, but when the boys are home and guests invited, can be as many as twenty expecting a seven-course dinner—not to mention cooked breakfast, elevensies, luncheon and tea.

Almost opposite the kitchen is the servants’ staircase—the back way to all upstairs rooms and, eventually, the attic rooms of the female servants.  And a little further down the hall is a short staircase that opens up into the entrance hall.

This is the first room at The Manor the upper class guest will see.  Two stories high, with a checkerboard marble floor and a sweeping carpeted staircase, the entrance hall was designed to impress.  It’s filled with light from the giant front windows, and with decorative palm trees that are all the rage in 1911.

Compared to the controlled chaos downstairs, this part of the house is silent.

Compared to the contrasting odors of shoe polish, coal dust, kedgeree and fresh bread in the servants’ corridor, the entrance hall and all of the upstairs rooms are scented by lavender, wood polish, silk and opulence.

To the left is Lady Edmonds’s sitting room—the perfect position to watch all the goings-on at The Manor.  Just past it, below the stairs, is the gun room, and then the dining room—flashing with silver and crystal.  Up the stairs, the hall is thickly carpeted and its length is decorated with the works of famous painters—van Dyck, Turner, Waterhouse.

At the far end of the hall, where the shadows start to creep in and you can just see the seam of the servants’ door, is Charlotte Edmonds’s bedroom.  Her bed is central, the wardrobe, with a tea gown on display, is just behind the door.  Her dressing table, with its intricately-framed mirror, stands next to the window, which looks out over the green of the lawn, the lake kept secret by the trees, and the Weald in the distance.

The Manor is fictional, of course.  But it’s based on reality.  Its location is that of a country manor turned school turned luxury apartments called Swaylands.  The grounds are similar to Swaylands, Basildon Park and Polesden Lacey in the south of England.  The entrance hall is a combination of Petworth’s marble hall and grand staircase.  The kitchen was inspired by the one at Petworth, and the rooms and paintings are reminiscent of all of these properties as well as Ham House and Blickling.  Most of these places can be enjoyed virtually by visiting the National Trust (https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/)

Thanks Katy! This was an awesome tour of the Manor!

About Katherine:

Katherine Longshore grew up on the northern California coast. At university, she created her own major in Cross-Cultural Studies and Communications, planning to travel and write. Forever. Four years, six continents and countless pairs of shoes later, she went to England for two weeks, stayed five years and discovered history. She now lives in California with her husband, two children and a sun-worshiping dog.

Website/Blog/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

5 Signed finished copies of MANOR OF SECRETS US Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here’s the Tour Schedule!

Week One:

1/27/2014- Fiktshun- Guest Post

1/28/2014- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

1/29/2014- Good Books and Good Wine- Review

1/30/2014- Hobbitsies- Review

1/31/2014- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Interview

Week Two:

2/3/2014- A Glass Of Wine- Guest Post

2/4/2014- Mundie Moms- Interview & Review

2/5/2014- Read My Breath Away- Guest Post

2/6/2014- Page Turners- Review

2/7/2014- Tales of a Ravenous Reader- Guest Post

Review- Dark Triumph by RL LaFevers

Dark Triumph

Robin LaFevers

Release Date: April 2, 2013

Hardcover: 400 pages

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

ISBN:  0547628382

Source: ARC from the publisher

Rating: Obsessed!!!!!!!!!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

From Goodreads.

Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. Naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, the convent views Sybella as one of their most dangerous weapons.

But those assassin’s skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. Her father’s rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother’s love is equally monstrous. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?

This heart-pounding sequel to Grave Mercy serves betrayal, treachery, and danger in equal measure, bringing readers back to fifteenth century Brittany and will keep them on the edge of their seats.

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!!!! I laughed, I cringed, and I cried (ugly and happy tears) oh did I cry!

Ok had to get that out there hehehehe. No but really I was so in love with this book! I loved Grave Mercy I absolutely fell for Duval and I was sure there was no way that Robin was going to top my love for Grave Mercy with Sybella’s story in Dark Triumph but hell if she didn’t!

I was always intrigued with Sybella in Grave Mercy I know most people didn’t like her or, trust her but I always did. I knew there was something about her and why she acted crazy. Her story was absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking! What that poor girl had to go through was just nuts! No wonder why she seemed a little off balance in Grave Mercy. Oh and her unexpected ally as stated in the synopsis above? I will not say who it is but it’s someone we all know and love from the first book and as much as I love Duval; he sure came close to taking that spot as #1 in my heart. He didn’t but he came really close! ;)

Oh and for those fans of Grave Mercy don’t fret all of the characters from the first story are in this one as well and some new ones that you will absolutely adore!

I had a hard time picking just one passage in this story I has 12 bookmarked lol and I wanted to share without posting a certain someone’s name. So certain someone's a name is be redacted in this passage…..

---nods in agreement, then grins. “I’ve never met a lady who enjoys her work as much as I enjoy mine.”

“My work?”

“Killing. Assassin-ing.”

“What are you implying?”

He looks puzzled at the anger in my voice. “That you are very good at what you do. It was a compliment, nothing more.”

Of course, he would mean it as a compliment. “Just how many other lady assassins have you met?”

“Other than you? Only Ismae. And she seemed to approach her duty with more earnestness than true joy, whereas you come alive with a knife in your hand.”

Hotly uncomfortable with his assessment, I fall silent.

Do I enjoy killing? Is it the act itself that brings joy? Or do I embrace the sense of higher purpose it gives me?

Or is it that I simply enjoy doing that at which I excel, and there are few enough skills that I possess?

Go buy this book y’all you will not be disappointed!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Review- The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

The Madman’s Daughter

Megan Shepherd

Release Date: January 29, 2013

Hardcover: 432 pages

Publisher: Balzer + Bray  (Harper)

ISBN:  0062128027

Source: ARC from the San Francisco Book Review

Rating: Obsessed!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

From Goodreads.

In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

I never read HG Wells’s the Island of Dr. Moreau but I have seen many of the movie adaptations and I loved them all! The idea of a man playing God and creating these animal/human hybrids was creepy and very intriguing. So I was really excited when I got Megan Shepherd’s book The Madman’s Daughter! I couldn’t wait to see what the daughter of this evil monster could be like and I was not disappointed! Not in the least! This book was everything I thought it was going to be and more! Megan’s writing was beautiful and the love story was heartwrenching!

I loved Juliet’s character she was a brave and almost fearless in times when women should have been subservient. She has to deal with the truth of what her father has done and that of her very own nature. She had help along the way; her childhood friend and crush Montgomery and also a dashing stranger name Edward who survived a shipwreck. I absolutely loved both of the guys but in the end Edward did steal my heart. He was a tortured soul and I just wanted to heal his heart and wounds.

I promise if you love a historical story with a supernatural twist and a mystery that keeps you reading until all hours of the night you will love this one! Oh and the ending? That ending killed me! I can’t wait for book 2 in the series!

I chose a passage which I call “The Waterfall Scene” lol

In the morning Edward was gone. The coals were cold in the light filtering through the screen of water. The cave looked different in daytime, without shadows clinging to the dark corners. It was only a damp outcropping, bare except for clumping moss near the puddles and more spiders than I cared to notice.

The knife, which Edward had left by the fire while we slept, was gone too.

I peered through the gap in the falls. A young man’s naked form bathed in the shallows of the pool. I jerked back with a gasp, embarrassed to see Edward undressed. I’d never seen a man naked before. The memory of his body against mine all night and the brief, unreturned kiss made me feel suddenly very warm.

I splashed water on my face from a puddle. Went to check on my dress. Washed the cuts on my arms. No matter how I tried to busy myself, I couldn’t stop throwing glances at the waterfall.

“Oh, dash it.” I tiptoed back to the gap. My heart thumped in my ears.

He had his back to me. He waded up to his chest and ducked underwater, whooping as he came up, holding his hurt rib lightly. I’d never seen him so carefree. And I’d certainly never seen him so…exposed. He didn’t have Montgomery’s impressive physique, but there was something undeniably strong in his wiry arms. Arms that held me last night.

I fanned a little air onto my face.\

Make sure you check out the trailer!

Dying to Read (14)- The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Hey y’all thanks for stopping by to see my Dying to Read post and of course as always I have to give credit to the lovely Jill over at Breaking the Spine for the Waiting on Wednesday Meme!

This week the book I’m dying to read is The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd! I love historical fiction with a paranormal edge and this sounds right up my alley plus I loved the Island of Dr. Moreau! And if you check my sidebar you'll see I couldn't wait any longer heehe and peeps it's everything I thought it would be and more!

The Madman’s Daughter (Madman’s Daughter Trilogy #1)

Megan Shepherd

Release Date: January 29, 2013

Hardcover: 432 pages

Publisher: Balzer + Bray (Harper)

ISBN: 0062128027

Goodreads

Amazon/Barnes& Noble/The Book Depository

London, 1894. Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns her father is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations were true.

Juliet is accompanied by the doctor’s handsome young assistant and an enigmatic castaway, who both attract Juliet for very different reasons. They travel to the island only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: he has created animals that have been vivisected to resemble, speak, and behave as humans. Worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Juliet knows she must end her father’s dangerous experiments and escape the island, even though her horror is mixed with her own scientific curiosity. As the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father’s genius—and madness—in her own blood.

So what do you think? Will you be adding this to your pile? What are you dying to read this week?

Dying to Read (12)- Chantress by by Amy Butler Greenfield

Hey y’all thanks for stopping by to see my Dying to Read post and of course as always I have to give credit to the lovely Jill over at Breaking the Spine for the Waiting on Wednesday Meme!

This week the book I’m dying to read is Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield! I am seriously dying to read this one! I loved the synopsis! I really hope this one stands up because a spell-singer??? How cool does that sound?!? And the cover is gorgeous!

Chantress

Amy Butler Greenfield

Release Date: May 7, 2013

Hardcover: 336 pages

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster)

ISBN: 1442457031

Goodreads

Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

Sing and the darkness will find you.

Shipwrecked on an island seven years ago, Lucy has been warned she must never sing, or disaster will strike. But on All Hallows Eve, Lucy hears tantalizing music in the air. When she sings it, she unlocks a terrible secret: She is a Chantress, a spell-singer, brought to the island not by shipwreck but by a desperate enchantment gone wrong.

Her song lands her back in England — and in mortal peril, for the kingdom lies in the cruel grasp of a powerful Lord Protector and his mind-reading hunters, the Shadowgrims. The Protector has killed all Chantresses, for they alone can destroy the Shadowgrims. Only Lucy has survived.

In terrible danger, Lucy takes shelter with Nat, a spy who turns her heart upside-down. Nat has been working with his fellow scholars of the Invisible College to overthrow the Lord Protector, and they have long hoped to find a living Chantress to help them. But Lucy is completely untrained, and Nat deeply distrusts her magic. If Lucy cannot master the songspells, how long can she even stay alive?

Beguiling and lyrical, dangerous and romantic, Chantress will capture readers in a spell they won’t want to break.

 So what do you think? Will you be adding this to your pile? What are you dying to read this week?

Dying to Read (6)- Dark Triumph by RL LaFevers

Hey y’all thanks for stopping by to see my Dying to Read post and of course as always I have to give credit to the lovely Jill over at Breaking the Spine for the Waiting on Wednesday Meme!

This week the book I’m dying to read is Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers! I love Robin’s first book Grave Mercy and I can’t wait to read the second book and go on a journey with Sybella and a certain someone who can’t be named as of yet (but I  know the secret lol)! 

Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2)

Robin LaFevers

Release Date: April 2, 2013

Hardcover: 400 pages

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

ISBN: 0547628382

Goodreads

Amazon/Barnes & Noble/The Book Depository

Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. Naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, the convent views Sybella as one of their most dangerous weapons. But those assassin’s skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. Her father’s rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother’s love is equally monstrous. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for? This heart-pounding sequel to Grave Mercy serves betrayal, treachery, and danger in equal measure, bringing readers back to fifteenth century Brittany and will keep them on the edge of their seats.

So what do you think? Will you be adding this to your pile? What are you dying to read this week?

Something Strange and Deadly Blog Tour & Giveaway

Hey y’all! So we’re super excited to host Susan Dennard today. Jaime read Something Strange and Deadly and absolutely loved it check out her review here! For our tour stop we asked Susan to write a scene from Daniel’s POV about Eleanor and what she sent back is more than we expected; it’s way more! It’s so awesome we laughed so hard we cried! Daniel is one funny dude J

Ok since the scene is super long and really awesome we’ll keep this short so you can read it here’s the scene…… Oh and make sure to enter the giveaway for a signed copy below!

********************POST REMOVED PER PUBLISHER'S REQUEST**************

Awesome right? Susan will have this posted on her site after this week if you’d like to visit her there http://susandennard.com/ and stop by Itching For Books for the rest of the tour stops!

Also check out the trailer! J

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And remember to order your copy today!

Jaime's Review of Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly Trilogy #1)

Susan Dennard

Hardcover: 400 pages

Release Date: July 24, 2012

Publisher: Harper Teen

ISBN: 0062083260

Source: ARC from the Sacramento/San Francisco Book Review

Rating: Obsessed!!!!

From Goodreads.

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia… Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper— The Dead are rising in Philadelphia. And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother. Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

Holy crap I loved this book! I mean really, really loved it! I read it in a day and a half. I would have read it straight through if I hadn’t started it so late. Susan Dennard has created a world in historical Philadelphia where zombies walk the streets Necromancer’s lurk behind the scenes, and a girl bred from high upbringings longs for a life of adventure and a little bit of danger. This story has it all romance, mystery, danger, comedy, and gorgeous boys! Seriously y’all when this one hits the bookstores go and get it!!

I absolutely loved Eleanor she was an amazing MC! She didn’t put up with anyone’s lip well except for her mother who was a royal pain. She was willing do anything to find her missing brother Elijah even if it means going to someone below her class like the Shadow Hunters. I fell in love with Daniel one of the hunters almost immediately! I loved his quick wit and sharp tongue but most of all I loved his immense protectiveness over Eleanor even if she did fight him every step of the way. I also loved Jie she was quite a character a Chinese girl dressing as a boy who could kick some major ass.

I loved how the story bounced back and forth between Eleanor’s time with the Shadow Hunters and then her time with the people society or her mother deemed appropriate. You could always tell she never wanted to be with those people and that she had the heart of a Shadow Hunter and a scholar. I will admit there were a few things that I did  figure out early but that didn’t stop me from reading I was so involved in this story and this world that I didn’t want it to end! I am already dying for book 2!!! So again I loved this book and I will be telling everyone I know that they must read it!!!!

Before my passage I wanted to share a little bit that made me literally snort I was laughing so hard. Susan during some research found this absolutely ludicrous position that ladies during that time period stood in it’s called a Grecian Bend. I’ll post a picture below ;)

Mama wanted me to remember my Grecian bend. It was the most popular stance for ladies these days: bottom thrust back and high, chest pushed forward and low. Supposedly, it was an enticing pose to the modern man. I couldn’t imagine why since it made us look like a camel who expected at any moment to be ridden by our masters.

I’ve chosen a passage between Eleanor and Daniel because the two of them made me laugh and 

swoon J

“Varmint!” I spat out the first word I could find and prayed he couldn't see my scarlet flush. “You rude low-class varmint! Don’t you ever touch me again.”

He gripped his elbow to his stomach, massaging the joint and muttering under his breath.

“What’s that?” I demanded. “What are you grumbling about?”

His lips curved into a frown. “I said I ain’t a varmint, and I ain’t gonna hurt you.”

“Aw,” I simpered, pouting my lower lip dramatically and trying to hide my own discomfort. “Did I hurt your feelings? Well, you shouldn’t take it personally, Mr. Sheridan. No one cares about my opinion.”

Daniel’s frown vanished, and the angles of his jaw eased into a gentle sadness. “Maybe I care.”

His words astounded me, and a strange flutter whirled through my chest. Had he just complimented me?

For several moments I was too flustered to speak, and the air was thick with our silence---as if the words I wanted to say were there, but invisible. Daniel shifted his weight, his eyes still on mine.

At last he flashed a grin, and the strange moment passed. He gave a mocking bow, but he was too near me to go far. When he lifted his head back up, his face was somber once more.

Oh and here’s the Grecian Bend picture as promised don’t laugh too hard ;)

Add Something Strange and Deadly to your Goodreads shelves.

Pre-Order your copy now!

Jaime's Review of Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Gilt (The Royal Circle #1)

Katherine Longshore

Hardcover: 416 pages

Release Date: May 15, 2012

Publisher: Viking (Penguin)

ISBN: 0670013994

Source: Sacramento/San Francisco Book Review

Rating: Really Liked

From Goodreads.

In the court of King Henry VIII, nothing is free— and love comes at the highest price of all. When Kitty Tylney’s best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII’s heart and brings Kitty to court, she’s thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat’s shadow, Kitty’s now caught between two men—the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat’s meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head.

Remember how I said I wasn’t a fan of historical fiction? I may be changing my mind after reading Gilt by Katherine Longshore! Then again I love all things Henry VIII and that time period so I may be biased when it comes to this book. Also and I know Katherine will groan when I say this but I loved the show The Tudors c’mon Henry Cavil and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers need I say more ;) ;)

The thing I loved about this book was it was historically accurate (or as accurate as it could be) Katherine being a history buff did her research and did it well! That being said Catherine Howard wasn't my favorite of Henry’s wives and I actually couldn’t stand her in the book either; she was a selfish obnoxious brat. I actually felt myself feeling really sorry for poor Henry marrying such a horrible person heck I would have chopped her head off too! I adored Kitty though the MC she was brave and selfless, sometimes a little naïve in the ways of the court but, she held her ground against some pretty big rivals. The one thing I didn’t like about her was her protectiveness of Cat, I would have told on her in a heartbeat and saved myself lol she was never a true friend only a social climber. There were a good amount of handsome men in this book but only one captured mine and Kitty’s heart his name was William and he was *sighs* perfect. What I really loved about William and Kitty’s relationship was that it started outside of court so we got to see them as they were, and not twisted into some deception or game of Cat’s because that chick loved her games. I mean William thought Kitty was beautiful covered in mud which coincidentally just happens to be the passage I’m going to share with you ;)

Ok so before the passage I just wanted to say that Katherine is writing the next book in The Royal Circle trilogy and, she said it takes place 20 years before Gilt. If my math is correct that would mean it’s around the middle of Catherine of Aragon’s reign, a few years after the birth of Mary.  So maybe the next two books are about the first Catherine and Anne Boelyn??? (One can hope)

Here’s the passage between William and Kitty J

I wiped at the mud ineffectively. William coughed. If he started laughing again, I thought I might smack him.

“It’s a lovely color on you, Kitty,” he said.

Lovely color. It was a horrible color. Reminiscent of bodily functions. In spite of myself, laughter burbled in my chest.

“I look frightful,” I admonished him. “Mud is a color flattering to no one.” I caught a smile creeping across my own lips.

“Monks’ habits are often that very brown.”

“We don’t see many monks around here, anymore,” I reminded him. Not since King Henry had shut down all the religious houses. “Besides, I don’t think I’d be accepted into a monastery.”

“Oh, really?” he asked with a grin. “Skeletons in your cupboard?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Actually,” he said “I find secrets get in the way.” And suddenly his expression opened. Vulnerable. I could read everything he was thinking. He looked shy. And hopeful.

“That’s good,” I said. “Because I have none.” None of my own, anyway. I looked away to hide the hope my own face reflected.

Westminster Palace stared back at me from its empty eye sockets. I remembered what William had said before I fell into the mud.

“Is it really more beautiful up close? I asked. From Lambeth, it didn’t look beautiful at all.

“I didn’t mean Westminster,” he said quietly. I felt his gaze on my face and couldn’t move. Could hardly think. “I meant you.”

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