Fire on the Island by J. K. Hogan Review, Excerpt & Giveaway!!

Fire on the Island

J.K. Hogan

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publication Date: August 2, 2012

Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing

ISBN: B008RO8BZM

Buy It!

Amazon -Only $3.99!!!

Description:

“She who wields the mark is the barrier between man and monster.

She is the daughter of gods, the mother of man, protector of all.

Vigilati Usque Ad Mortem”

All Isla Macallen wanted was a simple existence on her little Scottish island, free from her

mother's insanity and the prying eyes of neighbors. What she got was embroiled in a war for the

souls of mankind. A war of good versus evil, of witches versus demons, and Isla learns that she

alone can end it.

Dr. Jeremiah Rousseau was a self-proclaimed nomad, traveling the world researching

paranormal phenomena. He doesn't expect his research to lead him to Scotland, and to the

woman who will turn his world upside down.

Together with a facetious shapeshifting animal spirit guide, Jeremiah and Isla discover that she is

part of an ancient bloodline bred to protect the gateways between the human world and the spirit

world, to keep evil demons from destroying them. They must find the key to defeating Alastore,

the demon king, and closing the gate before Samhain, when the veil between the worlds is lifted.

Alastore does everything in his power to eliminate them but, unbeknownst to all of them, Isla is

the only one with the ability to stop him for good.

Review

Rating:

‘Fire On The Island’ was a very deep story about a woman who experienced a very tragic childhood that left her alone and unsure of where she came from or what she was for that matter. On the island that she lives on, the natives began spreading rumors about her, saying that she’s a witch. Those rumors are what catch Jeremiah’s attention. Jeremiah has spent his life working on studying and following paranormal activity and has come across a book he is trying to translate about a group of ancient witches he believes to be from the same island where these rumors have surfaced from. 
So when his editor insists he take a vacation the island is his chosen spot. There he meets Isla she runs Expeditions a place that runs outdoor activities, hikes, kayak tours, and such.
Jeremiah and Isla begin to see each other and Jeremiah discovers Isla is the woman the natives believe is a witch. 
It turns out Isla is a witch and she has no idea but horrible things begin to happen and Isla has to tap into her powers to stop them. 
‘Fire On The Island’ was such a unique story. It was a paranormal tale of witches and demons. However there was also an underlying story about family problems and not knowing who you are or where you came from. I really loved Isla’s character she was so strong, unique, and funny. She was everything you usually hope to find in a main character.
I enjoyed the plot because I really felt like it was fresh and new. I finished this book very quickly; it kept my attention from the very first page. Something intriguing was always happening. ‘Fire On The Island’ is a definite page turner.
I love when paranormal books have that family element to it. Where the whole group bands together to fight the evil force and that’s what happened here.
I would recommend this book for any paranormal fans.

Author Bio:

J.K. Hogan has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, beginning with writing cast lists and storylines for her toys growing up. When she finally decided to put pen to paper, magic happened. She is greatly inspired by all kinds of music and often creates a “soundtrack” for her stories as she writes them.

J.K. resides in North Carolina, where she was born and raised. A true southern girl at heart, she lives on a farm with her husband and their three horses, one miniature donkey, one cat, and two champion agility dogs.

In addition to writing, she enjoys training and competing in dog sports, spending time with her large southern family, camping, boating and, of course, reading! Please feel free to visit J.K.’s contact page—she’d love to hear from you!

Excerpt:

Curious about this great book? Check out an excerpt here 

:)

Giveaway!

As a part of this sweet blog tour, we are giving away a copy of Fire on the Island!

Woohoo!

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below!

Good luck!!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

The Fire of Dawn Blog Tour : Review, Excerpt & Giveaway!! 7/24

The Fire of Dawn

V.V. AKU

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publication Date: April 1st 2012

Publisher: VA Publications

ISBN: 9789081877114

Buy It!

Amazon -Only $2.99!!!
Smashwords
Createspace

Description:

It’s the last day of the summer holiday in The Hague when Leah Koopmans’s carefree life as a teen is brutally flipped upside down. Her pale skin turns a dazzling gold, her senses heighten, and her muscles possess an uncanny strength. But with these exhilarating new powers comes a thirst that can only be quenched by one thing: human blood.

While her body craves for fresh victims and her heart drowns in guilt, she meets inhumanly handsome Max Machiavelli, who claims that Leah is an immortal like him. Infatuation ignites into blistering passion when Leah joins his coven in Amsterdam. But as the mysteries shrouding her sudden change to immortality unravel, she quickly learns that her aversion to taking life isn’t the only thing that sets her apart from this group of herculean strangers.

From the picturesque canals of Amsterdam to Corsica’s limestone cliffs and the untamed Siberian wilderness; from first loves to fierce battles, The Fire of Dawn is an extraordinary tale packed with romance, betrayal, and bloodsucking suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very last page.

Review

Rating:

When I first began’ The Fire of Dawn’ I thought it was going to be another cheesy vampire novel about some girl who becomes a vampire and has to save the world while falling madly in love with a bad boy vampire. The same story we’ve been told oh so many times. However I was happily surprised by this intensely detailed portrayal of immortals trying to rebuilds their covens after being separated and suffering a loss from an attack from their enemy, The Brotherhood. 

Leah is the key to getting the covens back together and she possesses a great amount of powers. The question is will she use her influence to help get revenge on The Brotherhood?

I really enjoyed this book; it was fresh and had a good story line. Yes it hinted at the characters being vampires but they stated that they are simply immortals, which is in my opinion something new. It was a nice difference for me to read a book about a new paranormal group not vampires. I did think the book started out a bit slow and it really took me a while to get into it. At one point I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get into it honestly, but I kept with it and read some more. I finally got pulled into the story and really got hooked onto the plot and I was not disappointed. 

I really loved the plot and the characters; I think they really made the story for me. I like how they regarded one another as family and not just friends or members of the same coven. I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Fire of Dawn’ and the writing was great. It was a very thrilling story. 

Author Bio:

V.V. Aku has always believed in beautiful stories. She found the man of her dreams and her way in complex China, and wrote a fairytale of her own: The Fire of Dawn－a scintillating tale about strength, self-discovery, and a girl who dared to follow her heart.

Born and raised in The Netherlands, V.V. Aku (Veerle Ackerstaff) soon discovered that the world was a place worth exploring. After graduating high school, she set out to travel the globe until she finally touched down in China. On the border of Tibet she met Anzi Aku, a wild, Black Yi man who lives at the foot of the Himalayas. She joined his clan and tries to find her place
among the tribe and its shamans. When she’s not researching the clan’s mythology on vampires, she shamelessly gives in to the compulsion to write about the countless characters that haunt her dreams.

V.V. Aku is the author of The Fire of Dawn and Black Dusk. She has been the creator of stories since the age of three, and has a Post-Graduate Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults from The University of Cambridge ESOL. After nearly a decade of working as an English language teacher and TEFL trainer in China,Thailand, The Netherlands, and the UK, she
now devotes all her time to writing, her family, and practicing Kung Fu. The Fire of Dawn is her debut novel.

Excerpt:

Curious about this great book? Check out an excerpt here & here!

:)

Giveaway!

As a part of this sweet blog tour, we are giving away a copy of Fire of Dawn!

Woohoo!

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below!

Good luck!!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Chasity recieved this book from the author in exchange for any honest review. All opinions are that of the reviewer. We were not compensated for this review.

Book Tour Review & Giveaway: Enslaved In Shadows by Tigris Eden 6/28

Enslaved In Shadows (Shadow Unit #1)

Tigris Eden

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Suspense

Publication Date: June 18, 2012

Publisher: Book Rhythm

ISBN: 9780985636

Buy It!

Amazon-Only $4.99!!!
Smashwords

Description:

A man's Past leads to his Future......
Agent Stone of the Shadow Unit's job is simple, most days. Work in the Shadows, police his own Kind. 
When an unwanted assignment turns out to be his darkest fantasy from the past, Draven can't help but be conflicted by the memories of the past and his responsibilities in the future. But his decision has been made.
The Heart of a woman is Tested........
Jes can't let the tall dark agent back into her life. 
How can she trust any man after what she's endured. Years of abuse have broken her down and she doesn't have room for more. The man she turns to for help hasn't abused her physically but he's tormented her emotionally. A past betrayal left her scarred, but also brought her life. 
Can she accept him into her heart and trust him again? 
One will survive and adapt, the other will realize hearts can be mended even if it’s a bit too late. 
The road to forgiveness sometimes only brings more pain. Unexpected events set their lives on two separate tracks leading to one outcome. Lives will be changed and an emotional battle to save their souls will leave them both trapped and enslaved in their need for one another.

Review

Rating:

From the moment I opened up ‘Enslaved In Shadows’ I was hooked. To say this book was steamy is an understatement. The passion and intensity between Jes and Draven is so addicting and woo hoo hot! However that is not the only reason I loved this book, ‘Enslaved in Shadows had a great story line, and gave you an action packed thriller to keep you wanting more. I was a bit skeptical when the story began to unfold and it was vampire, werewolves, and immortals because let’s be honest that has been more than a little overdone lately. With that being said I was proved wrong, this book was fresh and new. 

It had a lot of great action happening and crazy twists and turns that you would never see coming. Draven clearly fought his wolf and was convinced she was not the one for him but when she turns back up in his life it is clear to him it is destiny. Jesminda, or ‘Jes’ thinks the complete opposite she figures he has wronged her once she won’t let it happen again. Especially after all the hell she went through with her ex-husband.

Jesminda and her daughter’s lives are in grave danger and unfortunately Draven is the one assigned to protect her. Can this end well? ‘Enslaved in Shadows was so unbelievably amazing and not to mention a little hot to handle you will not be able to put it down once you begin it. I recommend it to anyone who loves paranormal romances or anyone who needs a good steamy getaway!

Author Bio:

My name is Katina Jewel Hernandez pen name Tigris Eden. I am eternally 29 years old. I love to write, read, and listen to music, watch movies, and travel. My biggest goal right now is to be waited on hand and foot. Possibly a group of hot cabana boys, maybe two or three door men, a butler and personal chef and driver, for now. I adore oatmeal crème cookies and long walks to my pillow. I’m pretty laid back and I love to laugh.

 I’m an ex-military brat, and have been to a number of wonderful places. I’ve been writing for as long as I was able to put pen to paper. I use to write music and play flute. So if it wasn’t music notes jumping at me to be put on paper it was words. True story: When I was growing up in Germany my father and I watched a lot of musicals. Sound of Music, Annie…. You name it I’ve watched and probably know the words by heart. Anyway, I thought life was a musical and my first day of school I sang the entire day. Whether it was hello, my name is Katina or can I go to the restroom. Two years later I was asked to write about my very first day of school. When I wrote my story the teacher didn’t believe me, told me I was a big story teller. So I’ve been telling stories ever since, whether it was with music or words.

 I live in Cypress, Texas with my Husband LL and my boys Darryl Joseph and Andrew and a newly acquired puppy name Kastor. When I’m not writing, I’m balancing payroll taxes, moving state wages, or answering that age old question. “Why don’t my wages in box 1 equal what’s on my pay stub. 

Giveaway!

As a part of this sweet blog tour, we are giving away a copy of Enslaved in Shadows!

Woohoo!

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below!

Good luck!!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Chasity recieved this book from the author in exchange for any honest review. All opinions are that of the reviewer. We were not compensated for this review.

Review: Sinful Magic by Jennifer Lyon

  Sinful Magic

Jennifer Lyon

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Publication Date: May 31, 2011

Publisher: Ballantine Books

ISBN: 9780345520084



Description:

Roxanne “Roxy” Banfield refuses to be like her mother, a fertility witch who uses sex as nothing more than a magical weapon. Roxy rejects that life and is determined to become mortal to pursue her dream of real love and a family. All she has to do is avoid meeting the one man whose sensuality can release her powers. But steering clear of this magnetic stranger is easier said than done.
Wing Slayer Hunter Kieran “Key” DeMicca channels the dark violence that lives inside him into a popular comic book series about an ancient dragon named Dyfyr, but only Key knows that Dyfyr is real. Lately he finds himself drawing images of a young woman in peril, and assumes that she’s just a product of his imagination—until he meets Roxy. Struck by her beauty and her resemblance to his sketches, he feels compelled to protect her. As steamy magic, lethal danger, and timeless love collide, Roxy must become what she swore she would never be- and awake a part of Key that will threaten to destroy them both.

Review:

Rating:

‘Sinful Magic’ is a delicious intoxicating novel. Once you start it, I promise you will not be able to put it down. Jennifer Lyon creates a world of danger, fantasy, action, and loves so strong it could kill. ‘Sinful Magic’ continues the Wing Slayer novel saga, the fourth novel is the story of Kieran or ‘Key’.

Key has always been the darker, mysterious one in the group. He is famous for the dark comics he creates including his dragon Dyfyr. His way of releasing the dark and evil of the blood lust and the curse was always drawing.

Roxy is looking for a comic series to make into a television series. She goes about looking into Key’s comics but that’s when all hell breaks loose. Roxy is a fertility witch but she has no desire to be a witch at all. See she doesn’t believe her mother used her power the right way and she doesn’t want to be like that. So if she doesn’t find her awakening her chakras will die off and she will become human and that is something she wants more than anything.

So what happens when Key turns out to be her awakening and he needs her to awaken his dragon?

There were so many different elements to this plot; I was in love with it. So many twists and turns happened; this book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Roxy and Key’s love is so unbelievably strong and passionate it just captivates you from the moment they meet.

I love the world Jennifer Lyon creates, these Wing Slayer Hunters grip your attention and don’t let go. These books are romantic, adventurous, with some very well placed humor, and they have a great plot of fantasy. I would recommend ‘Sinful Magic’ to anyone! Trust me you do not want to miss this series, Jennifer Lyon truly created a new level of paranormal excellence I cannot wait for the next installment!

*Chasity recieved this book from the author in exchange for any honest review. All opinions are that of the reviewer. We were not compensated for this review.

Talented by Sophie Davis Book Tour- Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway!

Talented

Sophie Davis
Genre: YA

Published: January 2012

Publisher: Tudor Rose Press

ASIN: 00804XJBA

Buy It!

Amazon 
Barnes & Noble

Description:

Talia Lyons is Talented.  She possesses the ability to read the minds of others and manipulate their thoughts.  Ever since she witnessed the brutal murders of her parents, Talia has spent her life honing her abilities, with her heart set on vengeance.  Now she is poised to face the man responsible, but duplicity causes Talia to doubt herself and her powers.  In the wake of this betrayal, Talia turns to a boy who can mimic her Talents, a boy who truly understands her inner turmoil.  But even he can’t help Talia when she’s forced to choose between saving herself or avenging the lives of her parents.

Review:

Rating:

 When I first picked up ‘Talented’ I wasn’t sure if I could really get into it. From the summary it didn’t entirely sound like my kind of book and I was a bit skeptical to be honest. However I was proven wrong very quickly, ‘Talented’ was a very good book and it pulled my attention in. Talia, is talented, like the rest of the kids that she went to school with and now she is training to become a hunter. She is working very hard to put her special abilities to good. Also on a more personal level she wants to get her revenge on the man that killed her parents, Ian Crane.

           The elements in this book really make you think outside of the box. They have a lot of elements that are very futuristic and it really makes you start thinking what if our world really functioned like that or turns into that. A lot of the things were very cool to read about. Some of the technology that she created in this book is very advanced and would be awesome if they really had, I’m sure it would help the government and Special Forces.

                I really liked the plot in this book, you see a teenager girl trying to find her place in the world without her parents and really trying to find people to trust. Meanwhile she had these talents that she is putting to use and a hunter and fighting hard to become part of the Agency. It was a really nice dynamic and I really enjoyed the book, it had a lot of twists and turns that kept you on your toes.  It was a wonderfully written book and the ending kept you hanging therefore I am dying to read the sequel! I give it four stars!

Book Excerpt:

Read the first chapter of Sophie Davis book here!

About the Author:

Sophie moved to Washington, D.C. after graduating from Penn State University to pursue a career in the Sciences.  After deciding to actually write down one of the stories she makes up in her head, Sophie began the long journey towards her first full-length novel, Talented.  Caged is her second novel, and the second in the Talented Saga.  When Sophie isn't hunched over her computer, she can be found shopping in Georgetown, running in Rock Creek Park, or at the local dive bars in her Columbia Heights Neighborhood.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Review: Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

Tricks

Ellen Hopkins
Genre: Non Fiction/Addiction

Expected Publication: December 6, 2011

Publisher:  Margaret K. McElderry Books

ISBN: 1416950079

Buy It!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Description:

Five teenagers from different parts of the country. Three girls. Two guys. Four straight. One gay. Some rich. Some poor. Some from great families. Some with no one at all. All living their lives as best they can, but all searching...for freedom, safety, community, family, love. What they don't expect, though, is all that can happen when those powerful little words "I love you" are said for all the wrong reasons.

Five moving stories remain separate at first, then interweave to tell a larger, powerful story -- a story about making choices, taking leaps of faith, falling down, and growing up. A story about kids figuring out what sex and love are all about, at all costs, while asking themselves, "Can I ever feel okay about myself?"

Review:

Rating:

Ellen Hopkins is by far one of my favorite authors out there, her books are so truly unique and I’m addicted to her books. ‘Tricks’ was the one that I read most recently and I have to say it may be my favorite one so far. ‘Tricks’ touched on such a deeply disturbing issue that affects teens all over the world, teens that comes from all different kinds of backgrounds and you don’t really realize it affects them but it does. Teenage prostitution happens every day all around the world and ‘Tricks’ touches on this subject in every way possible. 

It takes six different teenagers from very different worlds and shows how every event or tragedies in their lives lead them down the dangerous and slippery slope of prostitution. Ellen’s books are so amazing they share real life drama and sad stories you wouldn’t want to face but many families have. 

I love the way she writes it is so unique and it makes her books stand out against the rest. ‘Tricks’ was such a captivating story with so many twists and turns that it will keep you on the edge of your seat , anxious to turn the page until the very end. I promise you will not be able to put this book down, it will pull you in and not let go. Excellent work by Ellen Hopkins yet again and I cannot wait for another book from her.

I give it five stars!

*Chasity bought this book, and loved it! All opinions are that of the reviewer. We were not compensated for this review.

The House on Blackstone Moor Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

The House on Blackstone Moor

Carole Gill
Genre: Gothic Romance/Paranormal

Expected Publication: May 2, 2012

Publisher: Tudor Rose Press

ASIN: 00804XJBA

Buy It!

Amazon 
Amazon UK

Description:

“They say my father was mad, so corrupted by evil and tainted by sin that he did what he did. I came home to find them all dead; their throats savagely cut. My sisters only five and eight were gone as well as my brother who was twelve. My mother too lay butchered in her marriage bed. The bed her children were born in…”

Young Rose Baines discovers the savage murders of her family by her mad, incestuous father.

She is plunged into a nightmare of hell and is incarcerated in two madhouses after which she is helped to obtain a position as governess at Blackstone House.

The house is located on haunted moorland. Nothing is as it seems for Blackstone House and its inhabitants have hideous secrets. There is unimaginable horror there but there is love too--love that comes at a terrible price.

The story is as haunting as it is terrifying and will remain with the reader long after its disturbing tale has been told.

Review:

Rating:

 ‘The House on Blackstone Moor’ blew me away. This book is so intensely dark and twisted and will take you on a journey that will change you forever. Rose, is a young woman who goes through hell and back nearly literally, her family is brutally murdered by the hands of her own father. After years of being tortured in many ways by her demented father she loses her whole family and before she knows what is happening she is admitted to a insane asylum. She doesn’t know where to turn and who to trust. She just focuses on getting out of the hell whole she calls home for the time being. The only person she really confides in is her doctor, Dr. Bannion and he gets her a job outside of the asylum. She is to a governess to a well-established family, or so it seems.

After she moves in with this family and begins to take care of the children she slowly starts to realize things that are very strange the problem is she has nowhere else to go and she simply adores the children. What is a girl to do when she has no family left and everyone is convinced she is crazy?

This book is so intriguing and dark, it contains so many gothic elements and the story keeps taking so many twists and turns that you will have absolutely no idea what is going to happen next. It is in a certain way a paranormal romance but definitely a lot different than a lot of the other ones out there. I truly could not put this book down, I finished it in three days between going to work, that it how captivating it was. It was amazing and deliciously dark, I loved it.

Guest Post:

Starting Out As a Writer

by Carole Gill

I think writing picked me. There I was an eight year old kid, saturated with sci-fi films (my parents were huge fans) and my fourth grade teacher had us write a story.

“Just write a story, children.”

I wrote about Martians invading earth in order to take the children back to Mars. The teacher sent for the Principal and asked me to read it to the class, so I did.

That was actually the first time I remember writing a story. I wrote another one about that time, which was surreal. A child climbs inside of a huge globe in the library or museum and inside is outer space.

My parents were proud and delighted. Their joy eventually was tainted with worry when I became the first Goth. Yes, that’s right you might as well hear it from me today, I am the first Goth of the modern Goths.

I began reading Poe at eleven and wrote about death and the next world, about cemeteries and graves, too. 

My parents saw my teacher and my teacher said they shouldn’t worry ‘it has to come out.’

It did.

I wrote more, a lot more. But then life happened. It just got in the way of my writing for a long time. I only turned back to it about twelve years ago.

My first marriage was over, my mother was gone—I had cared for her for twelve years. I found myself, for the first time in my life, on my own. I joined a local writer’s workshop, and was encouraged to really go for everything.

I was chosen by North West Playwrights of England for further development and found that to be a great experience. I think my writing got very dramatic and my dialogue skills improved.

Three years ago is when I really knuckled down and began sending stories in for publication. Some were rejected, but I carried on. 

I wrote stories and novels. I wrote a crime novel which was ridiculous and a love story which was worse, but I kept on, exploring and reading lots while I did.

Horror was a natural for me, what with being the first Goth and everything and besides, my first marriage was a Hammer film. Yes, it really was! As a matter of fact, I remember writing a story that was inspired by that horrific marriage on Valentine’s Day 2009.

I will be delighted to send it to anyone that would like to read it. It is on Amazon with another story, but as the theme is domestic abuse it would be my pleasure to provide it for free.

Horror that exists close to us is what I find terrifying. No Count in Transylvania is going to drag us to hell with him. Chances are no boogey man will jump out at you either. ‘The monstrous husband,’ is real horror.

I write from the heart. I think every writer should write what they feel, what they have lived through.

‘Write what you know’ is too simplistic; I think the meaning there is to write about what you feel. Isolate an emotion and watch it come to life. A master at doing that is the great Stephen King. He depicts bullies brilliantly for instance.

Life’s experiences, all the things you’ve lived through, will all be stored in your own mind files. As a writer you tap into those files because that’s where your soul is too.

I think of that kind of writing as coming from the heart. Heart/soul—it’s your center. It’s the core of your being. It’s what makes you, you.

Write things you feel, and watch what happens. It will be real; it will read real and feel real to you and to others.

You’ll know what your expectations are, but don’t try to do too much too soon. You have time. Time is your friend not your enemy, you can use that time to grow as a writer!

About the Author:

I wrote my first story at age 8. It was sci-fi but as both my parents were sci-fi fanatics it wasn’t a surprise.

I continued to write however life got in the way as it often does, and it wasn’t until 2000 that I turned back to writing. I joined a local writer’s workshop and was greatly encouraged to keep up with my writing and to send things out.

Shortly afterwards, I was selected by Northwest Playwrights of England for further development but found I preferred fiction writing.

Widely published in horror and sci-fi anthologies, The House on Blackstone Moor is my first novel. It is a tale of vampirism, madness, obsession and devil worship.

Set in 19th Century Yorkshire, its locales include Victorian madhouses as well as barren, wind-swept Yorkshire moors. The story is a marriage of horror and gothic romance. I think it can best be described as being gothic paranormal romantic horror.

I suppose you could say I want to put the Goth back into Gothic.

Living in the area the novel is set in, was very beneficial. Also, as a great admirer of the Brontes and frequent visitor to the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth, I found myself nearly obsessed with recreating the gothic romantic narrative.

Having been employed in a hospital which had been historically a workhouse and asylum in Victorian times, I was able to add great realism to the depiction of the asylums as described in my novel.

The sequel, Unholy Testament, is the confession of a demon to the woman he loves. It is nearing the end of its first draft and will be released shortly. 

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Review: My Week With Marilyn by Colin Clark

My Week With Marilyn

Colin Clark
Genre: Non Fiction

Published: October 1, 2011

Publisher: DeCapo Press

ISBN: 978-1-60286-149-7

Description:

Imagine sneaking away to spend seven days with the most famous woman in the world… 

In 1956, fresh from Oxford University, twenty-three-year-old Colin Clark began work as a lowly assistant on the set of The Prince and the Showgirl, the film that united Sir Laurence Olivier with Marilyn Monroe. The blonde bombshell and the legendary actor were ill suited from the start. Monroe, on honeymoon with her new husband, the celebrated playwright Arthur Miller, was insecure, often late, and heavily medicated on pills. Olivier, obsessively punctual, had no patience for Monroe and the production became chaotic. Clark recorded it all in two unforgettable diaries—the first a charming fly-on-the- wall account of life as a gofer on the set; the other a heartfelt, intimate, and astonishing remembrance of the week Clark spent escorting Monroe around England, earning the trust and affection of one of the most desirable women in the world. Published together here for the first time, the books are the basis for the upcoming major motion picture My Week with Marilyn starring Michelle Williams, Judi Dench, and Kenneth Branagh. 

England was abuzz when Monroe arrived to shoot The Prince and the Showgirl. She hoped working with the legendary Olivier would give her acting further credibility, while he hoped the film would give his career a boost at the box office and some Hollywood glamour. But Monroe, feeling abandoned when Miller left the country for Paris, became difficult on the set. Clark was perceptive in his assessment of what seemed to be going wrong in Monroe’s life: too many hangers-on, intense insecurity, and too many pills. Olivier, meanwhile, was impatient and condescending toward her. At a certain point, feeling isolated and overwhelmed, Monroe turned her attention to Clark, who gave her comfort and solace. Before long, she escaped the set and a remarkable true adventure took place. Monroe and Clark spent an innocent week together in the English countryside and Clark became her confidant and ally. And, like any man would be expected to, he fell a bit in love. Clark understood how best to handle Monroe and became Olivier’s only hope of getting the film finished. Before long, young Colin was in over his head, and his heart may well have been broken by the world’s biggest movie star. 

A beguiling memoir that reads like a fable, My Week with Marilyn is above all a love letter to one of our most enduring icons.

Review:

Rating:

When I first seen the preview for this movie, I was immediately hooked. Being that I am a huge Marilyn Monroe fan I knew that I just had to see it. However when I found out that it was taken from a book, as most amazing movies are. At least in my opinion they are. I then knew I had to read the book and the book became much more important to me than the movie did and to this day I am writing this having just finished the book and still have not seen the movie. I do have the movie sitting on my dresser right next to me but I am the kind of woman that believes the books are so much better and I must read them before even beginning to watch the movie. 

Now with that being said, ‘My Week with Marilyn’ is a book showcasing Colin Clark’s story of his week with Marilyn which he titled, “My Week with Marilyn” in its other releases as well as his own personal diary entries which were titled, “The Prince and the Showgirl”, those were written while he worked as a 3rd Assistant Director on the film, starring Marilyn Monroe and Sir Laurence Oliver. This was the first time both forms had been put together as a book; they had both previously been released separately. 

I was very excited to start this book; I couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would hold in it, I mean imagine actually getting to spend a week with Marilyn Monroe! This book had to be good! The first part of the book, which is ‘My Week with Marilyn’, is extremely intriguing. You get to see everyone who was a part of that movie and what their role is. You see from Colin’s point of view what his take is on everyone including everyone in Marilyn’s party, which includes herself. At this point in time she was married to playwright Arthur Miller. This book did not portray Arthur as a very kind fellow, more of an egotistical self-centered jerk. Colin felt sorry for Marilyn in most of the book; he stated numerous times that the people surrounding her were so terrible for her and this I completely agree with and I believe they were a great contribute to her demise. 
The Strasbergs, Milton Greene, and Hedda were the people that were her team. Lee and Paula Strasberg were her acting coaches on this film although Paula was the only one present; Lee was always contacted by phone when big problems arose. Milton Greene was her partner in Marilyn Monroe Productions and the man who got her out of her wretched contract with 20th Century Fox; he was in charge of getting her to the studio each day, which proved to be a great burden considering she was always late. Hedda was a secretary and really no help at all considering she was drunk most of the time. 
Colin worked for Sir Laurence Oliver but somehow got twisted up into Marilyn’s life. He said she was just so hypnotizing no one could stay away from her. He feared for her well-being during the filming, because Milton’s way of helping her cope was to continuously feed her pills she did not need. In the end the film turned out to be torture for everyone. 

I really enjoyed reading the first half of this book, the way he told his story of his week with her was wonderful, even though I do believe it was only a few days that they interacted and not a full week. However once I got halfway through the diary entries I lost a lot of interest, it seemed he was writing the same thing over and over again. Marilyn was late and seemed confused, Sir Laurence Oliver was getting more and more upset and didn’t know what to do about it. That was the general idea of every diary entry. Don’t get me wrong I did enjoy a lot of the diary entries but it was hard to read through all of them, with the same repetition it had.

It also doesn’t tell you much about Marilyn that you probably don’t already know, so if you are looking for a story of her life this isn’t it, this is a story of the filming of ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’.

Overall it was a wonderful book and a wonderful insight into the filming of ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’ which was intriguing. It is a nice piece to read and have if you are a Marilyn fan, I must say.
I give it four hearts.

*Chasity  received a copy of this book from DeCapo Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are that of the reviewer. We were not compensated for this review.