The Bone Bride - Book Review

 

The Bone Bride: A Short Story

by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:

Grimm's Fairy Tales meet Dark Epic Fantasy.

A high-born girl learns she’s been sold as a bride to a dead goblin prince.

Being betrothed to a goblin prince is bad enough—they’re all ugly and horrid and live in dark tunnels underground. But being betrothed to a dead goblin prince? That’s an immediate death sentence!

Nineteen-year-old Rowan attempts to flee when she learns about her arranged marriage. But there’s no escaping a contract signed by the dreaded Goblin King.

Now, all the dark magic in the Realm is against her. The gruesome King of Death himself will be looking for her soon.

Rowan’s only hope is to convince the fair Nicholas—the boy she planned to run away with—to destroy her marriage contract. But it must be done before the sun rises.

And already, the sky is brightening with light.

Please note this 30-minute short read is a Dark Fantasy with Grimdark elements and unreliable narrators.

What did I think of it:

This is a really cool read!

It is atmospheric and dark. It reminded me of old Irish ghost stories in mood and the way it was told, and I was drawn in from the start.

The story has several viewpoint characters and I liked reading them all. I was eager to find out what would happen and if Rowan would escape the marriage her father arranged for her.

The story ends in a way that has me eager to get my trotters on the next book. You bet I'm stalking Destefano's facebook page!

Why should you read it:

It's a beautiful, atmospheric short story.

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Valiant - Release Day Book Review (repost)

Valiant
by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
The Valiant was supposed to save us. Instead, it triggered the end of the world.

Earth is in shambles. Everyone, even the poorest among us, invested in the Valiant’s space mining mission in the hopes we’d be saved from ourselves. But the second the ship leaves Earth’s atmosphere, our fate is sealed. The alien invasion begins. They pour into cities around the world through time portals, possessing humans, forcing us to kill one another.

And for whatever reason, my brother is their number one target.

Now the fate of the world lies in the hands of me, a seventeen-year-old girl, but with the help of my best friend, Justin―who’s suddenly starting to feel like more―maybe if we save my brother, we can save us all...

What did I think of it:
You can bet I pre-ordered this book after seeing the cover and reading the blurb. Then I was offered an Advance Reader Copy, and I just couldn't say no to the chance to read it early.

The book begins with a prologue to explain the situation and what is at stake: After the launch of the Valiant aliens attack earth and for some reason they're particularly interested in Sara's brother Gabe. Only minutes into the invasion he is killed. Then Sara meets an alien who sends her back in time and tells her it is important to keep Gabe alive if humanity is to survive.

And that's where the story really kicks off: Launch of the Valiant is near, Sara knows what's coming, and knows she has to keep her brother alive.

I was immediately drawn into the story which is a thrill ride of dangerous situations for Sara and her friends. As they barely escape one attack, the next danger is already waiting for them. This book is about 400 pages long, but with all the action it felt much shorter. I couldn't put it down, I had to know what would happen next, and if Sara and her friends manage to keep Gabe alive and out of the hands of the aliens.

In between the fighting, fleeing, and planning their next move Sara starts to realize she might be feeling more than friendship for her best friend Justin. This storyline takes second place (as it should in such a dangerous situation), but is very sweet. I also liked Sara's relationship with her friend Natalie which is one of mutual support. During their adventures they also meet other people, but when the aliens can take over a human body, who can you really trust?

All in all this is a really awesome, action-packed read, with twists and turns I didn't see coming and that kept me on the edge of my seat.

The book ends in a way that makes it work as a standalone, but it also made me more than eager for more. You bet this book ends up on my keeper shelves once my print copy arrives.

Why should you read it:
It's a thrilling and suspenseful YA SciFi read.


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A Ghostly Affair - Book Review

A Ghostly Affair
by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
A GHOSTLY AFFAIR: One haunting tale of romance and revenge, told in four short stories.

ONE: A Dark And Twisted Heart
Katrina is so beautiful, she's almost perfect. She only has two flaws. She's possessive. And she's dead.

TWO: A Long and Wild Hunt
Trapped in a cursed forest with the boyfriend who murdered her wasn't how Katrina planned to spend the Afterlife. She might be a ghoul and hell-bent on revenge, but that doesn't mean she has to be miserable. Or does it?

THREE: A Dark And Wicked Night
One wicked night. One blast from a silver horn. Then the Wild Hunt begins as the Faery King summons all the dead to rise from their graves and join him.

FOUR: A Long And Wretched Curse
Girlfriend. Victim. Ghost. Katrina has been all of these things. Now, the Faery King wants her to become his Queen. But she’s seen what the King does when a ghost disobeys him. He turns the ghost to ash and erases him from existence.

For fans of AND I DARKEN by Kiersten White and MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs.

Please note, this set was previously published as The Dark Heart Boxed Set.

What did I think of it:
I read the first two short stories in this bundle when they just released and loved them, but didn't read the other two. So when I saw this bundle I thought it was time to reread the first books, and finally read the others as well.

This is a great read.

Destefano knows just how to create a creepy, dark atmosphere to go along with this bittersweet tale of death, love, and redemption. The first book is told from the viewpoint of William. He has dark secrets he is hiding, but it seems his murdered love Katrina won't stay silent and is set on teaching him a lesson. This book is haunting and disturbing in a good way.

From the second book onward we see the story through Katrina's eyes. She is brave, stubborn, and emotional. As she discovers she and the two people closest to her are trapped in a cursed faerie forest, she starts to plot a way out. The tone of the story changes a bit, from disturbing to spooky. I was eager to find out if Katrina would succeed to be happy in the afterlife she ended up in. Her impulsive decisions might not always lead to the best outcome.

All in all this is a wonderfully atmospheric bundle that mixes ghosts and faeries, making this a great read for a dark autumn night. You might reconsider taking a walk through the woods late at night after reading this though.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautiful, atmospheric read.


Buy from Amazon

Valiant - Early Book Review

Valiant
by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
The Valiant was supposed to save us. Instead, it triggered the end of the world.

Earth is in shambles. Everyone, even the poorest among us, invested in the Valiant’s space mining mission in the hopes we’d be saved from ourselves. But the second the ship leaves Earth’s atmosphere, our fate is sealed. The alien invasion begins. They pour into cities around the world through time portals, possessing humans, forcing us to kill one another.

And for whatever reason, my brother is their number one target.

Now the fate of the world lies in the hands of me, a seventeen-year-old girl, but with the help of my best friend, Justin―who’s suddenly starting to feel like more―maybe if we save my brother, we can save us all...

What did I think of it:
You can bet I pre-ordered this book after seeing the cover and reading the blurb. Then I was offered an Advance Reader Copy, and I just couldn't say no to the chance to read it early.

The book begins with a prologue to explain the situation and what is at stake: After the launch of the Valiant aliens attack earth and for some reason they're particularly interested in Sara's brother Gabe. Only minutes into the invasion he is killed. Then Sara meets an alien who sends her back in time and tells her it is important to keep Gabe alive if humanity is to survive.

And that's where the story really kicks off: Launch of the Valiant is near, Sara knows what's coming, and knows she has to keep her brother alive.

I was immediately drawn into the story which is a thrill ride of dangerous situations for Sara and her friends. As they barely escape one attack, the next danger is already waiting for them. This book is about 400 pages long, but with all the action it felt much shorter. I couldn't put it down, I had to know what would happen next, and if Sara and her friends manage to keep Gabe alive and out of the hands of the aliens.

In between the fighting, fleeing, and planning their next move Sara starts to realize she might be feeling more than friendship for her best friend Justin. This storyline takes second place (as it should in such a dangerous situation), but is very sweet. I also liked Sara's relationship with her friend Natalie which is one of mutual support. During their adventures they also meet other people, but when the aliens can take over a human body, who can you really trust?

All in all this is a really awesome, action-packed read, with twists and turns I didn't see coming and that kept me on the edge of my seat.

The book ends in a way that makes it work as a standalone, but it also made me more than eager for more. You bet this book ends up on my keeper shelves once my print copy arrives.

Why should you read it:
It's a thrilling and suspenseful YA SciFi read.


buy from bookdepository

Expected publication: December 4th 2018

The Frankenstein Saga by Merrie Destefano - Alert

Did you know you can get the entire Frankenstein Saga trilogy in paperback already?

Go get this beauty today!

Or you could get all three books separately in print or ebook*:

Shade - Dusk - Dawn

*Shade has already released in ebook, Dusk and Dawn are available for pre-order


Frankenstein meets Dracula in this Gothic retelling of Mary Shelley’s classic tale.

A holiday in Switzerland is supposed to lift Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin’s spirits. She wants to forget the past and have fun. In fact, everyone in her party is running away from one indiscretion or another—from her fiancé Percy Shelley to Lord Byron to Mary’s stepsister, Claire. But from the moment Mary arrives at Byron’s villa, she knows something is wrong. He rushes her indoors and forbids all of them to go out at night, claiming that the horrible weather has driven wild animals down from the mountains.

The only person who doesn’t seem to be running away from anything is a handsome, young Italian doctor, John Polidori. Instead, he is fervently pursuing local folk legends and a new scientific theory that claims people can be raised from the dead.

But it’s not until they all challenge one other to write ghost stories that the real danger begins. In a nightmare, Mary envisions a patchwork man animated by Galvanism and she begins writing Frankenstein. Likewise, fueled by local legends, John writes The Vampyre—one of the first vampire stories ever written.

What neither one of them knows is that they are conjuring a dark evil. Before long, all of their lives will be in danger—for neither of these characters are imaginary. Far from it.

For fans of the Netflix program, THE FRANKENSTEIN CHRONICLES, AND I DARKEN by Kiersten White, SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY by Susan Dennard, and BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA.

Dawn - Book Review

Dawn: A Re-Imagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (The Frankenstein Saga Book 3)
by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
A broken heart. An infamous holiday gone wrong. A deadly curse brought to life.

A holiday in Switzerland is supposed to lift Mary Wollstonecroft Godwin’s spirits. She wants to forget the past and have fun. In fact, everyone in her party is running away from one indiscretion or another—from her fiancé Percy Shelley to Lord Byron to Mary’s stepsister, Claire. But from the moment Mary arrives at Byron’s villa, she knows something is wrong. He rushes her indoors and forbids all of them to go out at night, claiming that the horrible weather has driven wild animals down from the mountains.

The only person who doesn’t seem to be running away from anything is a handsome, young Italian doctor, John Polidori. Instead, he is fervently pursuing local folk legends and a new scientific theory that claims people can be raised from the dead. But it’s not until they all challenge one other to write ghost stories that the real danger begins.

In a nightmare, Mary envisions a patchwork man animated by Galvanism and she begins writing Frankenstein. Likewise, fueled by local legends, John writes The Vampyre—one of the first vampire stories ever written. What neither one of them knows is that they are conjuring a dark evil. Before long, all of their lives will be in danger—for neither of these characters are imaginary. Far from it.

What did I think of it:
This is the last book in a series of novellas. The first set mood and atmosphere, the second raised the stakes, and this on is the thrilling climax of the story.

Mary and her friends are in serious danger. The sangsue are hunting them and have special plans for Mary. When tragedy strikes choices have to made, and an escape will have to be attempted.

This is a very fitting conclusion in my opinion. It's full of action, horror, heartbreak, and difficult decisions. I feared for my favorite character and for Mary. As things get more dire it was hard to see how things would end. Would there be an escape, or would Mary make different choices.

All in all a great read. I will definitely reread this series of novellas when I'm in the mood for some Gothic horror.

Why should you read it:
It's action packed Gothic horror.


Buy from Amazon

Dusk - Book Review

Dusk: A Re-Imagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (The Frankenstein Saga Book 2)
by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
A broken heart. An infamous holiday gone wrong. A deadly curse brought to life.

A holiday in Switzerland is supposed to lift Mary Wollstonecroft Godwin’s spirits. She wants to forget the past and have fun. In fact, everyone in her party is running away from one indiscretion or another—from her fiancé Percy Shelley to Lord Bryon to Mary’s stepsister, Claire. But from the moment Mary arrives at Byron’s villa, she knows something is wrong. He rushes her indoors and forbids all of them to go out at night, claiming that the horrible weather has driven wild animals down from the mountains.

The only person who doesn’t seem to be running away from anything is a handsome, young Italian doctor, John Polidori. Instead, he is fervently pursuing local folk legends and a new scientific theory that claims people can be raised from the dead.

But it’s not until they all challenge one other to write ghost stories that the real danger begins. In a nightmare, Mary envisions a patchwork man animated by Galvanism and she begins writing Frankenstein. Likewise, fueled by local legends, John writes The Vampyre—one of the first vampire stories ever written.

What neither one of them knows is that they are conjuring a dark evil. Before long, all of their lives will be in danger—for neither of these characters are imaginary. Far from it.

A relentless winter has driven the sangsue down from the Swiss Alps. They’re hungry, they’re soulless, and they were once human.

And one of them in particular, the King of the Sangsue, has been searching for someone like Mary for centuries. All it will take is one bite and she will be his forever…

Beware: There are monsters in this book; some of them are charming and some of them are devious, but every single one of them is deadly and would love to steal your heart.

What did I think of it:
The first book in this series of novellas ended with quite the cliffhanger, so I picked up this novella as soon as I could.

And there is a lot of action, drama, and suspense in this novella. Where the first novella slowly set the atmosphere and mood this one is raising the stakes and our heroine and her friends are in peril.

I was on the edge of my seat, and couldn't stop reading. Would Mary manage to keep herself and the others safe or would she be succumb to the dark temptation of the Sangsue?

Again this book leaves you hungry for more, so you bet I'll be reading the last book soon.

Why should you read it:
It's a thrilling Gothic horror.


Buy from Amazon

Shade - Book Review

Shade: A Re-Imagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (The Frankenstein Saga Book 1)
by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
A broken heart. An infamous holiday gone wrong. A deadly curse brought to life.

A holiday in Switzerland is supposed to lift Mary Wollstonecroft Godwin’s spirits. She wants to forget the past and have fun. In fact, everyone in her party is running away from one indiscretion or another—from her fiancé Percy Shelley to Lord Bryon to Mary’s stepsister, Claire. But from the moment Mary arrives at Byron’s villa, she knows something is wrong. He rushes her indoors and forbids all of them to go out at night, claiming that the horrible weather has driven wild animals down from the mountains.

The only person who doesn’t seem to be running away from anything is a handsome, young Italian doctor, John Polidori. Instead, he is fervently pursuing local folk legends and a new scientific theory that claims people can be raised from the dead.

But it’s not until they all challenge one other to write ghost stories that the real danger begins. In a nightmare, Mary envisions a patchwork man animated by Galvanism and she begins writing Frankenstein. Likewise, fueled by local legends, John writes The Vampyre—one of the first vampire stories ever written.

What neither one of them knows is that they are conjuring a dark evil. Before long, all of their lives will be in danger—for neither of these characters are imaginary. Far from it.

What did I think of it:
This is the first in a series of three novellas by Merrie Destefano. I love Destefano's writing, so you bet I jumped at the chance to get hold of an ARC of all three novellas.

This first novella is beautiful.

Destefano is a master at setting atmosphere and mood so I was soon engrossed in the story. Destefano managed to give the story a Gothic feel and I loved the building tension and otherness. Slowly you get to know more about all the people at the villa and slowly things shift from suspenseful to sinister.

The story is told from Mary's point of view, and I connected with her easily. The only thing I didn't get was why she is still engaged to Percy, whom I didn't like at all, but there were hints of a dark secret that might hold them bound together.

At the end of this novella things are seriously going wrong, and the ending is quite the cliffhanger. You bet I'll be reading the next novella soon, because I need to know what's next.

Why should you read it:
It's a suspenseful Gothic read.


Buy from Amazon

Fairytale Christmas - Book Review

Fairytale Christmas (The Fair Folk Saga #1)
by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
Three thousand years ago, a war began between the immortals and the mortals. It's a war that continues to this day...

Before history began, a legendary queen battled a foreign army, braved the death of her husband, and faced betrayal at the hand of someone she trusted. This is the story of Eire, Queen of the Faeries, the Immortal One, and the leader of the Tuatha de Danann.

To this day, her homeland, Ireland, bears her name, and this is the story of the war that drove the Immortal Ones into exile. It's also the tale of how she found help from an unexpected place, leading her to a love like she had never known before.

Fairytale Christmas is a story that spans thousands of years. It's also the beginning of all of our fairytales and legends; it's where mortals and immortals survive because they love one another, proving that love is the greatest gift of all.

This is the first installment in the Saga of the Fair Folk, a journey that lasts until the end of time.

What did I think of it:
I usually don't want anything Christmassy before December 6th, but the cover of this novella was too gorgeous to resist.

And luckily it also turned out less Christmassy than the title suggests, making it a beautiful read for any time of the year.

This is a story about Eire, Queen of the Faeries. It is a beautiful, bitter-sweet tale of betrayal, loyalty and love. I was hooked from the start and finished it in one sitting. I could easily picture Eire and the trials she goes through. There was one scene where things got a bit confusing, but apart from that this is a magical and suspenseful tale.

I will certainly keep an eye out for more.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautiful Fantasy read.


Buy from Amazon

A Long And Wild Hunt - Early Book Review

A Long And Wild Hunt (Dark Heart Chronicles #2)
by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
Trapped in a cursed forest with the boyfriend who murdered her wasn’t how Katrina planned to spend the Afterlife. She might be a ghoul and hell-bent on revenge, but that doesn’t mean she has to be miserable.

Or does it?

Someone or something has been singing at night, a voice that makes her wonder if there’s still hope. It actually makes her want to right one of her many wrongs. If she could help another ghost find its way out of this wood—to be buried on hallowed ground—then Katrina will know she’s not truly a monster.

But what if the magical creature who cursed this wood finds out her plans? And what if he offers her what she’s been longing for ever since she was murdered?

Revenge in the Afterlife isn’t what she expected.
​
Neither is love.

What did I think of it:
This story continues where A Dark Twisted Heart left off, but this time it's told from Katrina's point of view.

I liked this story and Katrina's thoughts on everything that happened. I also liked how she tries to stay in control of her afterlife.

What did throw me is that this story changed from a spooky, ghostly read into something more fantastical, and I had to adjust my expectations of the story midway. Not that this is a bad thing. I liked the developments, however unexpected they were for me.

All in all this is yet another cool read and an enjoyable follow up on A Dark and Twisted Heart. I will keep my eyes out for the next work by Destefano.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Halloween read.


Find buy links here

A Dark And Twisted Heart - Early Book Review

A Dark And Twisted Heart
by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
Katrina is so beautiful, she's almost perfect. She only has two flaws. She's possessive.

And she's dead.

William adores Katrina, but he almost forgets about her when he meets Adelle, with her gentle smile and winsome ways.
So what's he to do? He certainly can't be faithful to a dead girl.
Even though he loves her, so much so he visits her grave every day.
Even though she haunts him and constantly reminds him of the terrible thing he did.

Even though she might just drive him to do something terrible again. Very soon.

What did I think of it:
This is a really cool spooky read.

William is haunted by Katrina even while he's courting her best friend. What happened to make Katrina haunt him, and what will happen next?

I loved the mood Destefano creates in this short story. It drew me in and painted a vivid picture even though the world building is practically non-existent. It shines through in certain words and remarks though. Destefano's writing lends itself perfectly for this sort of story: atmospheric and disturbing.

A perfect read for Halloween.

Why should you read it:
It's a nice, spooky short story.


Releases October 1, 2017
Find buy links here

The Plague Carrier - Book Review

The Plague Carrier
by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
A teenage runaway’s post-apocalyptic world comes tumbling down when she discovers a survivor in a field of dead bodies.

Condemned as a runaway and sentenced to work as a Cleaner, fifteen-year-old Anna now spends her days searching for valuables in a field of dead warriors. Her life goes from bad to worse, however, when she stumbles upon a plague carrier, a boy her age who could kill her entire camp with a single drop from the flask he carries around his neck.

What did I think of it:
This is a short post-apocalyptic YA story.

Anna's life has fallen to pieces, but she stills keeps hope and keeps going on. Then a dangerous boy shows up and might destroy what little she has left. I loved that there's a minimum of worldbuilding, but that Destefano still manages to create a clear post-apocalyptic setting and atmosphere with well chosen words and descriptions.

This being a short story I can't tell too much without spoiling, but it was a great read, and I wouldn't mind reading more stories in this setting.

Why should you read it:
This is a quick and satisfying Post-Apocalyptic YA read


Buy from Amazon

Lost Girls - Book Review

Lost Girls
by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
Yesterday, Rachel went to sleep listening to Taylor Swift, curled up in her grammy’s quilt, worrying about geometry. Today, she woke up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised, and missing a year of her life.

She doesn’t recognize the person she’s become: she’s popular. She wears nothing but black.

Black to cover the blood.

And she can fight.

Tell no one.

She’s not the only girl to go missing within the last year... but she’s the only girl to come back. She desperately wants to unravel what happened to her, to try and recover the rest of the Lost Girls.

But the more she discovers, the more her memories return. And as much as her new life scares her, it calls to her. Seductively. The good girl gone bad, sex, drugs, and raves, and something darker... something she still craves—the rush of the fight, the thrill of the win—something she can’t resist, that might still get her killed...

The only rule is: There are no rules.

What did I think of it:
This is a really cool read.

Rachel's search for the truth and for what happened to her and to the other girls who went missing is suspenseful and I was hooked from the start. Slowly you discover what Rachel was involved in and it's exciting to read as well as disturbing. The things she uncovers are dangerous and she might not be able to trust those close to her.

If there's one thing I can say against this story it's that it briefly touches on a personal pet peeve: apparently only people who feel miserable/depressed are into the Goth scene... *grumbles*

That small pet peeve aside I loved this book. Rachel is an interesting heroine with surprisingly dark secrets. I liked discovering what was going on and was rooting for Rachel to find a way to deal with what happened to her. I also liked Rachel's interaction with her family, even though at times I was surprised by what she got away with after just having been missing for two weeks.

All in all this is a gripping and awesome read, and you bet I'll be keeping an eye out for Destefano's next book.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool, gritty and suspenseful YA read.


Buy from bookdepository

Writing in Different Genres by Merrie Destefano - Guest Post

Today I have Merrie Destefano dropping by with a guest post.
Her newest book Lost Girls released on January 3rd, 2017


Writing in Different Genres
By Merrie Destefano

I love writing and I very rarely turn away from an idea once it's been fully sketched out. Both AFTERLIFE and FEAST were adult novels because at that time, that was what I was reading. Then a fellow writer in my writer's group, Rachel Mark (author of DARKNESS BRUTAL) kept talking about YA books. She'd give me books to read or suggest books. We'd spend hours wandering through bookstores looking at new books and it didn't take long before I saw the beauty in young adult fiction. It had this sparkle that adult fiction didn't have. If I had to define it, I'd say that YA allows a writer more opportunity to write a literary story, which is what I love. I also feel like YA books have a strong emotional core. What the characters are feeling is as important as what they are thinking. I may have over-simplified that, but it's why I connect with them.

I'm an extremely emotional person and, to be honest, I feel like I've never truly grown up. I feel like I can relate to sixteen and seventeen-year-old people because there's this part of me that will never forget what it was like to be that age. Junior high and high school were not easy for me. Not because of the subject matter, although I wish I could have taken more English and art classes. Rather because of the student socio-economic structure. My parents weren't as rich as the parents of most of my schoolmates. I came from a blue-collar background, but I was surrounded by white-collar kids. It took me a long time to find a place where I fit in and, not surprisingly, that was with a rather rebellious group. So there's a lot of 'me' in Lost Girls. I felt very lost as a teen.

As hard as that experience was, I think it gives me an understanding for what many teenagers go through. I know now that we all feel like we don't belong at one time or another. There are a thousand stories that can be written that deal with how someone might try to compensate for the feeling of being an outsider. Even though I've written a few YA novels (some of them not published at this point), I'm just beginning to explore the writing landscape of what it means to be a teenager. There are all the classic coming-of-age themes, but so many more besides that. The good girl who falls for the bad boy. The bad boy who no one thinks can be redeemed. The runaway, the drug addict, the girl who goes to Mars by accident. LOL. Okay, I'm not actually writing a book about a girl who went to Mars by accident. But it would be fun to try!


Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano
Publication Date: January 3, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Teen

Fight Club meets Black Swan—Rachel wakes up in a ditch to find she doesn’t remember the last year of her life, and that everything—including herself—is vastly different than she remembers.

Yesterday, Rachel went to sleep listening to Taylor Swift, curled up in her grammy’s quilt, worrying about geometry. Today, she woke up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised, and missing a year of her life.

She doesn’t recognize the person she’s become: she’s popular. She wears nothing but black.

Black to cover the blood.

And she can fight.

Tell no one.

She’s not the only girl to go missing within the last year…but she’s the only girl to come back. She desperately wants to unravel what happened to her, to try and recover the rest of the Lost Girls.

But the more she discovers, the more her memories return. And as much as her new life scares her, it calls to her. Seductively. The good girl gone bad, sex, drugs, and raves, and something darker…something she still craves—the rush of the fight, the thrill of the win—something she can’t resist, that might still get her killed…

The only rule is: There are no rules.

Buy from:

Amazon.com - B&N - iBooks - Kobo
Amazon.com.au - Amazon.com/uk - Amazon.ca


About the author:
CURRENTLY A FULL-TIME NOVELIST and magazine editor, Merrie Destefano’s next novel, LOST GIRLS, releases on January 3, 2017. Her other novels include AFTERLIFE and FEAST, both published by HarperCollins, and FATHOM, which was self-published. The editor of Victorian Homes magazine, she has also been the editor of American Farmhouse Style, Vintage Gardens, and Zombies magazine, and was the founding editor of Cottages & Bungalows magazine.

With 20 years experience in publishing, she worked for a variety of publishing/broadcasting companies that include Focus on the Family, The Word For Today, and PJS Publications (now Primedia). Besides editing and writing, her background includes print buying, writing/producing radio promos, directing photo shoots, developing new products, writing jacket copy for books, creating sales media packets and organizing direct mail campaigns.

Born in the Midwest, she currently lives in Southern California with her husband, two German shepherds, a Siamese cat and the occasional wandering possum. Her favorite hobbies are reading speculative fiction and watching old Star Trek episodes, and her incurable addiction is writing. She loves to camp in the mountains, walk on the beach, watch old movies, listen to alternative music—although rarely all at the same time.

Website - http://www.merriedestefano.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/MerrieDestefano
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/merrie.destefano
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An Interview with Merrie Destefano + Giveaway

Today I'm interviewing Merrie Destefano. She's the author of the dark fairytale Feast and the imaginative Young Adult novel Fathom among others.


Welcome to Pearls Cast Before A McPig, Merrie.
Could you tell a bit about yourself and your books for those people who don’t know you yet?

Wow. Where to begin...I've loved reading fantasy and science fiction since I was very young, so writing in that genre feels natural to me. I also love plot twists and surprises and things that are a bit scary, so there's almost always a touch of that in my books. I like it best if there's a secret (or two!) at the core of the story that is slowly being revealed to the reader. At this point, I have two novels published by HarperVoyager: Afterlife and Feast. I also have several art books that I co-authored, published by Walter Foster: How to Draw Zombies, How to Draw Vampires and How to Draw Grimm’s Dark Tales. And I have a self-published YA novel, Fathom.

Have you ever been tempted to use people who’d been rude to you in real life as victims in your books?

Definitely! There was a girl who lived next door to me when I was young and who was a quite a manipulative little bully. I've obviously never forgotten her—or the times I challenged her, refusing to let her push me around. She crops up when I'm writing YA. Sometimes I'll use her last name or something similar, or I'll just use her personality.

Have you ever used other people you know as characters in your books?

I've unconsciously taken bits and pieces of people I know. For instance, the grandmother in Fathom is very much like my mother. Not exactly, but my mom was the inspiration. I love it when I hear readers say that they loved the grandma, because it reminds me what an interesting person my mother was.

Are there any other projects you’re working on or thinking about starting in the near future?

I have a whole list of books I'd love to write! Most of them have anywhere from ten to fifty pages already written. That's my test to see if a book deserves to be born—if I can put together a beginning that compels me to finish writing it, spending anywhere from 5 to 10 months immersed in the story. Right now, I'd just love to write a rendition of my favorite fairy tale, but I've also started a YA science fiction set in a nebulous near-future with echoes of the 1930s. And then I have an alien invasion story that I've started and those characters just sing off the page. So, I'm having a hard time deciding. I just finished writing a YA contemporary that took 5 months to complete and, right now, I'm taking a little breather from writing novels, doing some contract magazine editorial work instead.

Where can you be found when you’re not at your desk writing?

Well, when it comes to writing, I like to write on my Chromebook in local coffee shops (Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is my fave.) Or I might write a little on my iPad in the living room, while sitting on a comfy sofa. But edits are always done on my desktop. When not writing at all? I love watching movies and reading and decorating and having lunch with friends and walking my dogs.


What did you do to celebrate the release of your first book?

Unfortunately, there really wasn't much time for celebrating. I was writing my second book, Feast, and doing freelance (writing and editing) work, plus all the promotional work that goes along with a book release. But when I got the initial contract, I did go to a Coldplay concert. They’re my favorite band and it was apt reward, since I listened to their music the entire time I was writing Afterlife.

What is the best thing about being a published author?

I guess being published makes you feel a bit more validated. The writing is basically the same, before or after you've been published. But once someone pays you money and gives you a contract and then you actually see your book in a local bookstore, at that point you start to feel like maybe you really are a writer. I was in a bizarre situation when I finally got my first book contract. At that point, I was already the editor of a nationally-published magazine, so I'd had lots of articles published and had seen my magazine on bookstore shelves. But my heart has always been in telling stories and writing fiction, so having that validated was wonderful.

You have self-published several books. What are your thoughts about traditional publishing versus self publishing? Would you recommend self publishing to other authors?

Tough question! I have done some self-publishing and it seemed like the right thing to do at the time, but I still prefer traditional publishing. I'm not one of those people with a large, impressive platform, so my self-publishing sales aren't very big. Would I recommend it to other people? Sure. I'd just recommend that you try to do it professionally and realize that it might not open any doors to traditional publishing.

What authors have been an influence to you? And have you read any books lately that you want to share with us or have you been too busy with writing to read?

I'm continually influenced and inspired by other authors, especially those who seem to write books that cross genres. Books that have made a strong impression on me are: The Sky Is Everywhere, The Time Traveler's Wife, White Oleander, Origin, The Time Machine, Havah, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Replacement, Ashes, Ironskin, The Hallowed Ones, The Snow Child, The Road, Don't Breathe A Word, 17 & Gone, and Charm and Strange. I'm particularly attracted to books with a strong voice and unusual characters and a world I'm unfamiliar with. I long to get lost in a story that has all three of those elements.

Are there zombies or pigs in any of your books or will there be any in future books?

There are definitely zombies in my future! I was just asked to be the editor of the second issue of Zombies magazine. So, for the next month, I'll be eating, sleeping, and breathing zombies. In other words, I'll be having a blast!

Thanks so much for inviting me to be on your blog today! I really appreciate it. =)

Thank you for dropping by!
And I'll have to get hold of Zombie magazine, it sounds like my kind of magazine.



About Fathom:

Turning sixteen can be hell, especially if everyone in town thinks your mother killed herself and your sister. All Kira Callahan wants to do is swim, hang out with her best friend, Sean, and ignore the kids who torment her at school. That is, until one day when she gets invited to a party. For three minutes her life is wonderful—she even kisses Sean. Then somebody spikes her drink and some girls from out of town lure her into the ocean and hold her underwater.

Kira soon discovers that the group of wild teenagers who have come to visit Crescent Moon Bay are not as innocent as they seem. In fact, nothing is as it seems—not the mysterious deaths of her sister and mother, not her heritage, not even her best friend. And everything seems to hinge on the ancient Celtic legends that her mother used to tell her as a child.

Buy Fathom from Amazon here


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Giveaway:

Merrie kindly offered a digital copy of Fathom to one reader of my blog

The winner is Michelle W.

A winner will be picked at random on October 25th.
Open internationally to everyone who's legally allowed to enter this giveaway.

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Don't forget to leave a comment:
I decided to have an event wide giveaway on my blog for commenters.

At the end of this event I'll pick one commenter on any author post of this event at random and that person will win a book of his/her choice as long as bookdepository ships to where you live, you're legally allowed to enter, and the book costs no more than 10$

And drop by Between Dreams and Reality as well for more great author posts.

Fathom - Book Review

Fathom
by Merrie Destefano
ebook

What is it about:
Everything is changing . . .

Turning sixteen can be hell, especially if everyone in town thinks your mother killed herself and your sister. All Kira Callahan wants to do is swim, hang out with her best friend, Sean, and ignore the kids who torment her at school. That is, until one day when she gets invited to a party. For three minutes her life is wonderful—she even kisses Sean in the driveway. Then somebody spikes her drink at the party and some girls from out of town lure her into the ocean and hold her underwater.

Kira soon discovers that the group of wild teenagers who have come to visit Crescent Moon Bay are not as innocent as they seem. In fact, nothing is as it seems—not the mysterious deaths of her sister and mother, not her heritage, not even her best friend. And everything seems to hinge on the ancient Celtic legends that her mother used to tell her as a child.

What did I think of it:
I love everything Destefano has written so far, so when I got the chance to read Fathom I jumped at it of course.

And Fathom didn't disappoint.

I liked Kira (who's one of the two narrators of this story) from the start. She's haunted by the memory of her mother and sister and still has to find a way to cope with the loss. This makes her vulnerable, but it also made her strong in other ways. I very much enjoyed getting to know her and I wanted her to find happiness.

The other narrator in this story is Caleb. I really liked his voice. Caleb sounds more mature, more contemplative than Kira and even while you get to see inside his head he remains a bit of a mystery. I kept wondering what his motivations were and why he feels drawn to Crescent Moon Bay and to Kira.

The story is very suspenseful and it kept surprising me. Just when I thought I knew where things would lead, the story took a turn I hadn't seen coming. It was haunting, creepy and emotional. Destefano's writing gave it a fairytale-like feel that fitted the mythology she used in this story.

All in all this is a beautiful Paranormal Young Adult read and I hope Destefano will write more books in this setting.

Why should you read it:
It's a haunting Paranormal YA read


Buy it here

Waiting For Midnight - Book Review

Waiting For Midnight
by Merrie Destefano
(ebook)

What is it about:
From the author of Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles comes a collection of 16 short stories, full of the rich prose and plot twists that have become Destefano’s trademark. Written to keep you reading all night long, this combination of short stories and flash fiction contains a ghost story, a werewolf story, and a science fiction story, as well as two stories that feature characters from her novels, AFTERLIFE and FEAST. This collection is approximately 70 pages long.

Short stories included in this collection:

Set on an alien world, “Letters from Home” tells the tale of a mother’s love for her wayward son and the great lengths to which she’ll go to rescue him from another dimension.

“Learning to Hunt” features Ash, the Darkling dream-eater introduced in Feast: Harvest of Dreams, as he explores seventeenth-century Amsterdam, where his father teaches him how to harvest dreams.

“Waiting for Midnight” explores that dangerous territory between first love and obsession, all set in Primrose Wood, a forest where dark magic rules.

What did I think of it:
Ok.... There are now two authors who made me cry over a flower:
H.C. Anderson and Merrie Destefano!

Seriously:
This collection of short stories is absolutely wonderful.

Destefano's writing is beautiful and poetic and fit the almost dreamlike stories in this collection perfectly.

The stories range from touching to creepy and from beautiful to disturbing.

The first couple of stories are short stories: rounded and complete. In the Garden and Waiting for Midnight were my favorites of these stories. In the Garden is a bittersweet story about a garden and it's this story that had me crying over a flower.

Then there are a two stories told in three acts. Charlie Brown Doesn’t Live Here Anymore was my favorite here: it was both a funny and a sad tale about coyotes and dogs.

Lastly there were the Flash Fiction stories: short moments frozen in time. These were wonderful. Some were just perfect as they are, others were screaming to be expanded into longer stories, but all of them were powerful and so vividly described that even when the subject was far from mundane it felt real and alive.

The beautiful writing and the strong emotions in these short stories make sure I will reread this collection often and I'm hoping Destefano will decide to write more short stories (next to her full length novels of course).

Why should you read it:
This collection of touching and disturbing tales is beautifully written


Buy it here

Shameless Summer Giveaway Hop

Michelle Greathouse and some of her blogging friends are hosting a Shameless Summer Giveaway Hop.

I decided to hop along:


I'm offering a copy of either Afterlife or Feast by Merrie Destefano to one commenter.

Rules:
- Leave a comment telling me which one of these two book you would want to win
- Leave a way for me to contact you
- Last day to enter is June 15 2012
(a winner will be randomly selected soon after)

Open internationally and you don't have to be a follower to enter

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Hop on to more giveaways:

Top Pearls 2011

And here it is!
My post with my top reads for 2011.

As you might have guessed: Laura Bickle, Jess Haines, Gini Koch and Carolyn Crane again made it in my Top Pearls list of 2011, but because I just spend the last 4 days telling you how awesome their books are I will not talk about their books again, but name the other authors and books that rocked my reading world this year.

Ann Aguirre

I will confess I read Grimspace in 2010, but in 2011 I really discovered what an awesome author Ann Aguirre is.

Her Sirantha Jax series is an emotional rollercoaster ride with me loving Jax in Grimspace, loathing her in Wanderlust and loving her all over again in Doubleblind. I will most certainly be reading the other books in this series in 2012.

Enclave is my all time favorite Young Adult read! It has a wonderfully gritty post-apocalyptic story and world and Deuce is a really cool character. I'm impatiently waiting for the next book in this series.

Stone Maiden is a bittersweet, exotic fairytale and if you haven't read it yet: get the PDF free here (although I can really advice you to get it in print, it's beautiful).

I just started Aguirre's Corine Solomon series and I'm so going to get my trotters on all books in that series as well.


Ellen Connor

Ok, this is actually Ann Aguirre again, this time teaming up with Carrie Lofty to write some amazing Post-Apocalyptic Paranormal Romance.

It's the really amazing setting that makes this trilogy so utterly awesome, although the stories are really cool as well.

I can advice this trilogy to any reader of PNR who loves post-apocalyptic settings and I hope the Ellen Connor duo will decide to write more books together.


Marjorie M. Liu

I won the first three books of the Hunter Kiss series and the prequel novella in a giveaway and I must say I'm so glad I did. Liu's Hunter Kiss series is totally amazing. Maxine Kiss is a heroine I liked from the start and her demon pals are so cool. The stories are intense and full of action. At the moment I'm waiting impatiently for the 4th book in this series (which released this week) to arrive.

The Dirk & Steele series by Liu is just as wonderful as her Hunter Kiss series and so far I've read four books in this series and have a 5th book in my tbr-pile. I will most certainly try to get my trotters on the rest of the books in this series as well in 2012.


Some other amazing reads

Feast by Merrie Destefano: this is a wonderfully dark fairytale that draws you in and keeps you captivated from start to finish.

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder: An awesome Fantasy that caught me by surprise and made me fall head over heels in love with its heroine and her love interest.

A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang: So much mentions of bacon in this book, but that couldn't stop me from loving this story about Abby and the Incubus she falls for.


My favorite Zombie Read

Married with Zombies and Flip This Zombie by Jesse Petersen are both funny and full of zombie mayhem. A terrific combination.


Voodoo Bride's favorite reads of 2011

The Goblin King by Shona Husk: Who can resist a Paranormal romance where the hero is a goblin king?

Enemy Games by Marcella Burnard: This is a perfect mix of Scifi, adventure, suspense and romance.

Storm's Heart by Thea Harrison: Tiago is so amazing! Go read this book now if you want to read a PNR with a swoonworthy hero.

Petals and Thorns by Jennifer Paris: A wonderful BDSM retelling of Beauty and the Beast.




And lastly some series that deserve an honorable mention:


The Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh
The Persephone Alcmedi series by Linda Robertson
The Elder Races series by Thea Harrison
The Downside Ghosts series by Stacia Kane

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And that's my Top Pearls list for 2011!
Have a great New Year's Eve everyone and a wonderful 2012.

Feast: Harvest of Dreams - Book Review

Feast (Harvest of Dreams) by Merrie Destefano

What is it about:
Madeline MacFadden ("Mad Mac" to fans of her bestselling magical stories) spent blissful childhood summers in Ticonderoga Falls. And this is where she wants to be now that her adult life is falling apart. The dense surrounding forest holds many memories, some joyous, some tantalizingly only half-remembered. And she's always believed there was something living in these wooded hills.

But Maddie doesn't remember the dark parts -- and knows nothing of the mountain legend that holds the area's terrified residents captive. She has no recollection of Ash, the strange and magnificent creature who once saved her life as a child, even though it is the destiny of his kind to prey upon humanity. And soon it will be the Harvest. . . the time to feast.

Once again Maddie's dreams -- and her soul -- are in grave danger. But magic runs deep during Harvest. Even a spinner of enchanted tales has wondrous powers of her own.

What did I think of it:
As I loved Destefano's Afterlife I have been looking forward to reading Feast since I heard about it (and come on, who wouldn't want to read a book with the title: Feast, Harvest of Dreams).

With such high expectations there's always a chance that a book will disappoint, but Feast delivers, even though in a completely other way than I expected.

I had thought it would be much like Afterlife only in a different setting, but were Afterlife is a gritty, realistic Urban Fantasy, Feast is a dangerous and dark fairytale which grabs you and holds you until the very end. The worldbuilding is imaginative and beautiful, but still so real you could imagine to see the creatures from Feast sneak around outside your house on a dark autumn night. There are multiple viewpoints in this book, but Destefano is a master in getting you involved in the life of each of them, even the not so pleasant ones.

Voodoo Bride would have liked the romance to be a bit more present than it is, but otherwise this is a beautiful and haunting story and I hope Destefano will write more books like Feast.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautiful, dark fairytale