Nine Candles of the Deepest Black - Book Review

Nine Candles of Deepest Black

by Matthew S. Cox

Published by: Curiosity Quills Press

Publication date: September 15th 2016

Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis:

She saw it coming. She knew it would happen―but no one believed her.

Almost a year after tragedy shattered her family, sixteen-year-old Paige Thomas can’t break free from her guilt. Her mother ignores her, doting on her annoying little sister, while her father is a barely-functioning shell. He hopes a move to the quiet little town of Shadesboro PA will help them heal, but Paige doesn’t believe in happiness anymore.

On her first day at school, a chance encounter with a bullied eighth grader reawakens a gift Paige had forgotten, and ingratiates her into a pack of local outcasts. For weeks, they’ve been trying to cast a ritual to fulfill their innermost desires, but all they’ve done is waste time. After witnessing Paige touch the Ouija board and trigger a paranormal event, the girls are convinced another try with their new fifth member will finally work.

Once the darkness is unleashed, it’s not long before they learn it will give them exactly what they asked for―whether they want it or not.

Review

Nine Candles of the Deepest Black by Matthew S. Cox is a fast-paced horror/paranormal novel with lots of magic.

The main character is Paige, who has been trying to heal after losing her older sister in a car crash, which she claims to have had a premonition about. Also trying to heal are her parents, who move to the supposedly quiet town of Shadesboro. There, Paige makes friends on the first day and they invite her to a Ouija game and later a spell-casting, which she doesn't believe in but agrees to do anyway.

In the spell, each girl asks for what her heart desires, but the spell is mostly infused with dark magic and intentions. Once the spell is cast, the girls realise that in order to get what they want, the magic will take something in return. They also release a demon.

The novel opens with a tense start especially in terms of conversation, however, Paige's sarcasm makes way for a light mood. "Now I know how sharks feel with those little fish clinging to their ass."

Paige is a likeable goth-character. I enjoyed seeing her transition from constant anger to kind and caring for her younger eight-year old sister, Melissa. Her character development is significant and realistic.

Other characters who also progress in the course of the novel are her parents. (Which I truly liked). Melissa is a fun and adorable character, who gives a lot of warmth to the mostly cold-inducing novel.

The part that bugged me though was the excessive description towards the end. I felt I wanted to know what's going on more than details about Paige. The parts behind the mirror were rather fuzzy and hard to imagine for me, as well. The grit at the end was a little over the top for me.

I also liked that the novel isn't purely good versus evil – I mean there is evil and a demon and all, but the original evil came in the form of greed and heartlessness.

"The sight of [the candles] stirred an odd feeling in the pit of Paige's gut. Rather than normal black-coloured objects, they seemed to absorb light, appearing to be candle-sharped holes in reality."

Nine Candles of the Deepest Black kept me cold and on edge all the time. Paige seemed to have a series of horrifying happening one after the other.

Overall rating: 3.75 stars.

Note: I received a free copy of Nine Candles of the Deepest Black in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour with Xpresso Book Tours.

Add the book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26832363-nine-candles-of-deepest-black?ac=1&from_search=true

Purchase via Amazon. 

About the Author:

Born in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.

Author links:

http://www.matthewcoxbooks.com/wordpress/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7712730.Matthew_S_Cox

https://www.facebook.com/MatthewSCoxAuthor

https://twitter.com/mscox_fiction

The Book Club Murders by Leslie Nagel – Book Review

The Book Club Murders by Leslie Nagel is the first instalment in The Oakwood Mystery Series. And damn that was a super-paced good read, perfect for a bibliophile and a mystery lover!

The story's main character Charlotte – Charley – Carpenter, the owner Old Hat, a clothing store, is part of a reading group focused around mysteries. She joins the rich-women's book club with the ulterior motive of attracting buyers to her vintage shop.

The book opens with the scheduled books to be read between August and December. The group of 8, called the Agathas Book Club, with each member labelled "an Agatha", tackles a book each month. Set in the small town of Oakwood, Ohio, the book also opens with the shocking revelation of a murder. 

The Agathas are shocked to discover that the victim is an acquaintance. They also realise that the victim was positioned in a way that reflects the murder of the book they were reading. Soon after, another dead body emerges, also linked to the book club members.

"Most of the Agathas seemed to be enjoying themselves, as if the poor woman had been killed for their entertainment. Be honest, Carpenter. You're just as curious as the rest of them."

Each character in the novel has a role to play:  corpse, amateur sleuth, killer, suspect, police officer, helping hand.

The detective investigating the killings is not-an-old-friend of Charley, but her high school crush Marcus Trenault. As soon as they meet, old love and trouble are rekindled. As the two suspect that the killings are done by a woman, Charley suggests that they are likely to have been committed by an Agatha and convinces Marc to use her as an informant to infiltrate the Book Club.

"Don't be fooled by the expensive armour, most of these women are scared to death, usually of one another."

Charley is a fun, slightly sarcastic character. She's smart, brave and passionate. She's also realistic and down to earth. At one point, she faces Marcus and tells him: "You owe me an apology."

I felt that The Book Club Murders was more crime and sleuthing than plain cozy mystery. I loved it nonetheless and would definitely pick up the next books in the series. I also enjoyed the romance aspect of the novel.

The imagery and emotions in the novel are well-written, with lots of "show don't tell".

I absolutely loved the mystery-book references and how the author brought in published mystery novels and used them in the murders. This book will have me picking up several mystery novels and adding them to my lengthy – possibly never-ending - to-be-read list.

"No one is going to believe that for a second. Look, this is the twenty-first century. Everyone watches CSI and Law & Order or whatever. If you start asking questions about who left when, and did you notice anyone acting suspiciously, how long do you think it's going to take before people figure out what you're really up to?"

And the mystery… that was plain wicked!

Note: I received a free advanced readers' copy (ARC) of The Book Club Murders by Leslie Nagel as part of a blog tour via Lori Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, in exchange for an honest review.

About the author:

Leslie Nagel is a writer and teacher of writing at a local community college. Her debut novel, The Book Club Murders, is the first in the Oakwood Mystery Series. Leslie lives in the all too real city of Oakwood, Ohio, where murders are rare but great stories lie thick on the ground. After the written word, her passions include her husband, her son, and daughter, hiking, tennis and strong black coffee, not necessarily in that order.

Connect with the author via her Website, Twitter and Goodreads.

Takhayyal #writingprompt 45: Starry Night

Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, Artists, Poets, Writers, Authors, Dreamers, Friends and Family; Welcome EVERYONE to Nadaness In Motion's bi-weekly picture-prompt writing challenge Takhayyal.

Today, I'm featuring student and artist Yomna Ibrahim El-Mahany, whose artwork I've been dying to share with you. The artwork is original, so if you'd like to use it in your post, please credit the artist and add her name in the caption.

 

Starry Night by Yomna Ibrahim El Mahany

Arabic for Imagine, Takhayyal is a challenge for writers of all ages and genres; a place to spark creativity and explore new genres.

Your post can be in English or Arabic, prose, poetry, short story, flash fiction; you name it and write it.

General rules:

·        No nudity, violence, and/or abuse.

·        Leave the link to your post in comments below OR post your piece as REPLY to this post

·        Your piece MUST be inspired in some way or other by the above picture

·        Multiple entries allowed

·        It is not required but it is a nice and encouraging gesture to comment on others' pieces.

·        Feel free to add your Twitter handle (@....) so I can tag you in my tweets!

Let's IMAGINE!

Alice and Claudio in a Tuscan Garden - Guest post by E. Graziani

Today, I'm featuring author E. Graziani as part of a blog tour for her new novel Alice-Angel of Time with a guest post.

Hello to my good friend Nada and all her followers. Many thanks for hosting me on this blog tour celebrating the launch of my newest title, the sequel to Alice of the Rocks… Alice-Angel of Time in which the conclusion of Alice and Claudio's journey will be available for all to read!

Book: Alice-Angel of Time

Author: E. Graziani

Publisher: Morning Rain Publishing

Publication Date: September 2016

Synopsis:

Their love transcends time, space, and conflict. 

Alice Ferro did not travel 500 years into the past to save her soulmate from persecution only to discover her journey had been in vain! Forced to return from 1512 Italy to 2029 Canada without him, she cannot focus on family, school, or friends as thoughts of Claudio constantly flood her mind. When she discovers her love’s future is dire, Alice decides she must return to the past to save him once and for all.

With some help, a bit of deceit, and a lot of determination, Alice sets off to rescue Claudio. Unfortunately, she hadn’t planned on things going so terribly wrong, and she soon finds her own life in peril.

Written with charm and intelligence, the sequel to Alice of the Rocks encompasses everything you could want in a young adult, time-travel romance. Adventure, true love, intrigue, and dynamic characters fill the pages alongside the elegant landscape of Renaissance Italy.

The theme of the tour is A Virtual Tuscany Tour with Ali and Claudio

I thought that since I recently traveled to Italy, that I would share some pics that relate directly back to my novel, Alice-Angel of Time. I hope they inspire you to pick up a copy! I also want to send out a huge thank you to Priya Prithviraj, of Writerly Yours for putting all this together. This blog tour would not have happened if it were not for Priya and Jennifer Jaquith, my managing editor at Morning Rain Publishing. Go to the Writerly Yours website for a full schedule of the entire tour – there are lots of interviews, reviews and other great stuff coming up!

In the meantime, I would like to share some inspirational pics with you – they are pictures taken by me, this summer when I travelled through Italy. 

Some of the sites we visited follow in the footsteps of our feisty heroine, Alice and her one true love, Claudio as they walked in Alice of the Rocks. 

Live every twist and turn in the plot, walk in the garden with them when they share their first kiss, and race through the streets of Renaissance Florence with them to escape the Medici guards. Its sequel was released on 15 September, 2016, and I am so excited for all my friends out there to read it - Alice-Angel of Time!

The first picture is of the Boboli Garden. This green oasis in Florence is the setting of Alice and Claudio’s first kiss, where they fall hopelessly in love.

The second is of a quiet spot in amongst the sprawling garden, where Claudio explains to Alice who she really is and where she comes from – it took a lot of convincing, but she finally did believe him.

I hope these lovely images of a calm garden in the city of Florence have pleased you – thanks to Nada Adel Sobhi for having me as her guest.

Keep up with the rest of the tour for more guest posts, book reviews and other posts at Priya’s blog here.

Find Alice-Angel of Time on Goodreads.

Author Bio

E. Graziani is a teacher, author, speaker and life-long learner. She enjoys incorporating strong female characters into her writing, to help inspire her readers. She has worked with the Alzheimer Society of Canada to raise awareness and educate people regarding this disease. Graziani regularly speaks to young people about her books, inspiration for writing and the publishing process.

Graziani has written War in My Town (Second Story Press), which was selected by Canadian Children's Book Centre as one of their "Best Books for Kids and Teens" - Fall 2015.

Graziani has written three other books, Alice of the Rocks and Alice-Angel of Time for young adults and Jess Under Pressure, a women's fiction novella (Morning Rain Publishing). She resides in Ontario, Canada with her husband and four daughters.

Connect with E. Graziani via Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, Her website.

Also, check out Nadaness In Motion's five-star book review of Jess Under Pressure.

Raging Waters by Nada Adel Sobhi - Poem

The sea is high,

Fury runs in its veins.

The colour

Deadly beautiful,

Calling swimmers to their doom.

Anxious,

Angry

Are the waves.

"Rage forth unto these mortals!

Rise! Rise!

And show no mercy!

Let them know fear."

I can hear Poseidon howl

From the unseen depths

"Let them see and feel

Our mighty fury!"

The colour seduces me.

But I know better.

Even a mermaid

Would lay low

From the mighty king's wrath.

And yet,

I cannot keep my eyes off it;

Never seen this hue of deadly turquoise.

Schools of fish

Rooted in their place,

The current too strong

Despite their number.

The colour calls to me,

But the waves warn me.

'Not today, little one.

We have no control!'

The wind blows strong,

From all directions.

A sail boat would flip over,

None to survive.

No breeze,

Nor water spray,

But bellowing wind,

A scorching sun,

And a deadly wave

Drenches me from head to toe.

I will heed your words.

"Come mortals!

Face me!

Face your demons,

In my once clean waters!"   

Photo credit: Nada Adel Sobhi. Location: North Coast km 87, Egypt

Written Sunday, 14 August, 2016 at 2 pm

Contemporary romance Dreams of Her Own by Rebecca Heflin - Book Review

Dreams of Her Own by Rebecca Heflin is the third and final instalment in the Dreams Come True Series. This time, the story revolves around Millie, an assistant to best-selling romantic author Darcy Butler.

Once I started the book, I couldn't put it down and once I finished it, I just wanted to start it all over again!

Full of events, the first chapter in Dreams of Her Own introduces Millie and her soon-to-be crush, Ian. I particularly like how Heflin introduces the reader to Millie.

"Lists were her life. They provided organisation, structure and a sense of accomplishment. She loved ticking things off her list so much that if she accomplished something that wasn't on the list, she'd write it down just so she could have the pleasure of marking it off."

I totally related to Millie in the lists and marking part. There were many times that I felt Millie was like me; although her series of unfortunate events were too much for a single person but believable for a book.

From the first chapter, we see how Millie views herself, no self-appreciation whatsoever, and Ian's reaction to hearing her voice for the first time. Total contrast and comedy, especially for the reader.

Also, in the first chapter, Ian rescues Millie from a truck running a red light. After the chapter is over, the reader realises that Millie and Ian will meet again soon but under different circumstances, making the reader all tingly and excited.

"He'd saved her from becoming another pedestrian versus motor vehicle death statistic."

Millie prefers to be invisible. Although of high intelligence, she is socially awkward. Her experiences in school and in life have prompted her to wear all brown to "blend in" and avoid being noticed.

"A twinge of guilt poked her. Not for eavesdropping, but for doing to Ian what people did to her: judging a book by its cover."

Heflin makes great use of the setting through her description of Darcy's house, the interior decorating. Her use of conversations between Darcy and Ian also gives the reader a closer view of the setting. I liked that technique.

Dreams of Her Own is full of beautiful imagery and quotes. It is also full of comedy and silly situations that happen to no one but Millie. It cracked me up and made me want to give her a hug.

"She'd never been so close to a man before. Unless you counted rush hour on the Brooklyn-Queens Crosstown."

Millie is an overall quirky character, with a big, loving and caring heart. The moment things may progress between her and Ian, Darcy and her friends immediately take it upon themselves to make sure she's ok, even if that means giving Ian a clear warning "not to hurt her."

One of the techniques Heflin used was other characters' description and thoughts of Millie: "She resembled some prim, uptight spinster from a gothic novel."

"She was one big accident waiting to happen."

Both Millie and Ian have troubled pasts. Millie was neglected, while Ian suffered from abuse in addition to his dyslexia, which he hasn't shared with anyone except the family who took him in after his mother's passing.

I like how Heflin gives Darcy, the protagonist in the first instalment in the series, and Laura, the main character in the second book, roles to play in Millie's life. It also gives a sort of connection and progression in the series.

Millie's curses are hilarious and all literature-related. "Hamlet and Ophelia!" "Catherine and Heathcliff!" "Friar Tuck!"

The chapters just flowed and the pace was quick and enjoyable. Millie witnessed major character development both inwardly and on the outside. Ian's character too developed into a better understanding of others. He learnt that he needed to trust others more, especially with regards to his dyslexia.

I finished the book in two sittings, although I could have finished it in one if it weren't for personal commitments. Although the third in the series, Dreams of Her Own can be read as a standalone.

Dreams of Her Own is a quick-paced contemporary romantic comedy, not devoid of steamy encounters, especially as Millie begins to learn more about sex, a topic she's only read about in romance novels and educational books. A must read by all means, although for ages 18 and above.

"She wore her mantle of brown as he wore his mantle of tough."

Note: I received a free copy of Dreams of Her Own in exchange for an honest review.

Check out my reviews of Dreams of Perfection (Book 1) and Ship of Dreams (Book 2) in the Dreams Come True Series. Each of these books can be read as a standalone.

About the Author:

Rebecca Heflin is an award-winning author who has dreamed of writing romantic fiction since she was fifteen and her older sister snuck a copy of Kathleen Woodiwiss' Shanna to her and told her to read it. Rebecca writes women's fiction and contemporary romance. When not passionately pursuing her dream, Rebecca is busy with her day-job as a practicing attorney.

Rebecca is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Florida Romance Writers, RWA Contemporary Romance, and Florida Writers Association. She and her mountain-climbing husband live at sea level in sunny Florida.

Connect with Rebecca Heflin via her Website,  Twitter and Goodreads.