First Chapter Review: Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

I won an ARC of Kelley Armstrong's Spell Bound a few years ago. I'm packing up books to move my office downstairs, so I came across this one in my pile and thought I would browse through it.

BLURB:  Savannah Levine is in terrible danger, and for once she's powerless to help herself. At the heartbreaking conclusion of Waking the Witch, Savannah swore that she would give up her powers if it would prevent further pain for a young orphan. Little did she know that someone would take her up on that promise.

And now, witch-hunting assassins, necromancers, half-demons, and rogue witches all seem to be after her. The threat is not just for Savannah; every member of the Otherworld might be at risk. While most of her fellow supernaturals are circling the wagons at a gathering of the council in Miami, Savannah is caught on the road, isolated from those who can protect her and unable to use her vast spell-casting talent, the thing she counts on most. In a story that will change the shape of the Otherworld forever, Armstrong gathers Elena, Clay, Paige, Lucas, Jamie, Hope, and other beloved characters, who soon learn that the greatest threat to supernaturals just may come from within.

COVER: I love everything about this cover. The color scheme is great. The model is dressed appropriately for the character and the genre. Neat details and perfect font.

FIRST CHAPTER: Savannah finds herself unable to cast spells. In frustration, she leaves a sleeping Adam in their motel room and heads outside where she is surprised by an unwelcome distraction and totally vulnerable.

KEEP READING: Let me say for the record that this is not a typical genre I am drawn to these days. Maybe fifteen years ago, but not so much what I read now. This I really liked, though. You can tell by the cover she kicks butt. You hear it in her voice as the narrator of this first chapter too. Just like Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a superb heroine many moons ago, Savannah will be so now. I'm eager to read the rest of her story.


Series: Otherworld
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Dutton; Reprint edition (June 26, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0452297990
ISBN-13: 978-0452297999


I received a copy of this book from the author. This first chapter review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: Portrait of a Conspiracy by Donna Russo Morin

Portrait of a Conspiracy is the first book in a new series by Donna Russo Morin. History, mystery, and art blend together in this story of a group of female artists who seek to find the missing member of their group and draw out conspirators who have created chaos in Florence.

After the brutal murder of Giuliano de' Medici, his brother Lorenzo seeks revenge on everyone involved. Despite the unrest in the city, five female painters secretly ply their craft. When a sixth member of their group goes missing and is rumored to have stolen a much sought after painting as she vanished, her friends venture out into the dangerous streets to find her. With the help of a young Leonardo Da Vinci, the women's art flourishes and they gain access to some of the most secretive places in Florence.

This novel is not for the faint of heart. Portrait of a Conspiracy starts out with the brutal murder of Giuliano. It is intense and it is bloody. The mix of historical and fictional characters against this backdrop is a character-driven reader's dream. You truly get to know these women, watch them flourish with Da Vinci's guidance, and go to place they never could have imagined they would go.

Morin has researched every detail of this fascinating novel and it shows. My only niggle is that I was over halfway through the book before I could begin putting the pieces together. I'm thinking this was on purpose to symbolize the chaos of the times, but it drove me a bit insane that the people and the happenings wouldn't just gel for me. There are a ton of characters to get to know, so that might have added to it.

That said, I will definitely be on the lookout for Book Two when it comes out.

If you're looking for a thrilling historical mystery, Portrait of a Conspiracy will fit the bill.


File Size: 2710 KB
Print Length: 298 pages
Publisher: Diversion Books (May 10, 2016)
Publication Date: May 10, 2016
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B01BN1QVJ8

I received a digital copy of this book from the author through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. This review contains my honest opinions, which I was not compensated for in any way.

I read this book for the following challenge:

Top Ten Tuesday Rewind: Top Ten Favorite Book Quotes

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they will post a new Top Ten list that one of the bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

This is a rewind week where we can go back and cover a topic we missed before. As a children's author, it should be no surprise that many of my quotes are from books for young people.

Top Ten Favorite Book Quotes

First Chapter Review & Giveaway: Madame Presidentess by Nicole Evelina

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours is touring author Nicole Evelina's novel, Madame Presidentess. Since I am familiar with Victoria Woodhull's story, I requested to review the first chapter.

BLURB: 

*Winner: U.S. Women’s History category – 2015 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction

Forty-eight years before women were granted the right to vote, one woman dared to run for President of the United States, yet her name has been virtually written out of the history books.

Rising from the shame of an abusive childhood, Victoria Woodhull, the daughter of a con-man and a religious zealot, vows to follow her destiny, one the spirits say will lead her out of poverty to “become ruler of her people.”

But the road to glory is far from easy. A nightmarish marriage teaches Victoria that women are stronger and deserve far more credit than society gives. Eschewing the conventions of her day, she strikes out on her own to improve herself and the lot of American women.

Over the next several years, she sets into motion plans that shatter the old boys club of Wall Street and defile even the sanctity of the halls of Congress. But it’s not just her ambition that threatens men of wealth and privilege; when she announces her candidacy for President in the 1872 election, they realize she may well usurp the power they’ve so long fought to protect.

Those who support her laud “Notorious Victoria” as a gifted spiritualist medium and healer, a talented financial mind, a fresh voice in the suffrage movement, and the radical idealist needed to move the nation forward. But those who dislike her see a dangerous force who is too willing to speak out when women are expected to be quiet. Ultimately, “Mrs. Satan’s” radical views on women’s rights, equality of the sexes, free love and the role of politics in private affairs collide with her tumultuous personal life to endanger all she has built and change how she is viewed by future generations.

This is the story of one woman who was ahead of her time – a woman who would make waves even in the 21st century – but who dared to speak out and challenge the conventions of post-Civil War America, setting a precedent that is still followed by female politicians today.

COVER: Very nice. I would expect a strong personality such as Woodhull to be the focus of the cover. The flag in the background is a nice complement. Would have liked if it weren't so dark, but its still a stunning cover.

FIRST CHAPTER: We first meet the Woodhull family when they are in the midst of turmoil. As this first chapter ends, Victoria is about to start a new chapter in her own life.

KEEP READING: Definitely! Long before Hillary Clinton championed for the rights of women and made history by being the first woman to secure the nomination for president, Victoria Woodhull dared to run for president of the United States.

A controversial character, a woman ahead of her time, the first chapter of Nicole Evelina's novel explores a change in Woodhull's life that left a mark on her. Told in first person, as any story about Woodhull must, this engaging narrative is exciting and disturbing. The reader can already see how these events will shape Woodhull's future.

I'm totally fascinated by this novel and will definitely continue with it.

Paperback: 428 pages
Publisher: Lawson Gartner Publishing (July 24, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0996763201
ISBN-13: 978-0996763202

Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

Giveaway

To enter the Madame Presidentess Giveaway for a paperback of the book and/or Victoria Woodhull Bumper Sticker, please see the GLEAM form below. 3 winners will receive a copy of the book and a bumper sticker. 7 winners will receive the Victoria Woodhull Bumper Sticker.

Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on August 26th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.


Madame Presidentess

I received a free digital copy of this book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Blast: Baseball’s Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them by Jonathan Weeks

Title:
Baseball’s Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them
Author: Jonathan Weeks
Publisher: Rowan and Littlefield
Pages: 408
Genre: Sports History

Baseball has had its fair share of one-and-out champions, but few clubs have dominated the sport for any great length of time. Given the level of competition and the expansive length of the season, it is a remarkable accomplishment for a team to make multiple World Series appearances in a short timespan. From the Baltimore Orioles of the 1800s who would go to any length to win—including physically accosting opponents—to the 1934 Cardinals known as the “Gashouse Gang” for their rough tactics and determination, and on to George Steinbrenner’s dominant Yankees of the late twentieth century, baseball’s greatest teams somehow found a way to win year after year.

Spanning three centuries of the game, Baseball’s Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them examines twenty-two of baseball’s most iconic teams. Each chapter not only chronicles the club’s era of supremacy, but also provides an in-depth look at the players who helped make their teams great. Nearly two hundred player profiles are included, featuring such well-known stars as Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, and Pete Rose, as well as players who were perhaps overshadowed by their teammates but were nonetheless vital to their team’s reign, such as Pepper Martin, Allie Reynolds, and George Foster.

With a concluding chapter that profiles the clubs that were on the cusp of greatness, Baseball’s Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them is a fascinating survey of what makes some teams dominate year after year while others get only a small taste of glory before falling to the wayside. Written in a lively style with amusing anecdotes and colorful quotes, this comprehensive book will be of interest to all fans and historians of baseball.

For More
Information

• Baseball’s Dynasties and
  the Players Who Built Them is available at Amazon.
• Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.

Book Excerpt:

With a roster full of superstars, the Orioles captured three straight pennants from 1894–1896. They followed with a pair of near misses, placing second in 1897 and 1898. Along the way, they developed a reputation as one of the nastiest teams in baseball. John Heydler, an umpire who would later ascend to the NL presidency, described the Orioles of the 1890s as “mean, vicious, ready at any time to maim a rival player or an umpire.” Infielder John McGraw was proud of that distinction. “We’d go tearing into a bag with flying spikes as though with murderous intent,” he boasted. “We were a cocky, swashbuckling crew and wanted everybody to know it.”

Pirates great Honus Wagner manufactured a tall tale about a harrowing trip around the bases against the Orioles. After driving a ball deep into the outfield, he claimed to have been tripped at first base by Jack Doyle and then knocked flat by Hughie Jennings at second. Climbing to his feet, he lumbered toward third, only to find John McGraw holding a shotgun on him. “You stop right there!” McGraw allegedly bellowed. Although Wagner’s story is obviously apocryphal, numerous reliable accounts confirm the fact that the Orioles resorted to underhanded tactics regularly. When they weren’t physically accosting opponents, they were treating them to streams of verbal abuse. Baltimore players were so free in their use of profanity that a resolution was adopted in 1898, imposing mandatory expulsions upon anyone using “villainously foul” language.

Even the groundskeepers at Baltimore were deceitful. Soap flakes were mixed with the soil around the pitcher’s mound to make the hands of opposing hurlers slippery when they reached into the dirt. Orioles moundsmen knew to keep untainted soil in their pockets. The infield was mixed with clay and rarely watered, creating a surface not unlike cement. Baltimore players chopped down on the ball, creating dramatically high hops that gave them a head start to first base (hence, the origin of the term Baltimore chop). The outfield was ruddy and riddled with weeds. Outfielders allegedly kept extra balls hidden out there in the event that the ones in play eluded them.

About the Author

Weeks spent most of his life in the Capital District area of New York. He earned a degree in psychology from SUNY Albany. In 2004, he migrated to Malone, NY. He continues to gripe about the frigid winter temperatures to the present day. A member of the Society for American Baseball Research, he writes about the game because he lacked the skill to play it professionally. He still can't hit a curve ball or lay off the high heat. Baseball’s Dynasties is his fourth nonfiction work.

For More Information

• Visit Jonathan Weeks’ website.
• Connect with Jonathan on Facebook
  and Goodreads.

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I'd Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed Me A Fully Loaded Gift Card

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they will post a new Top Ten list that one of the bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Ten Books I'd Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed Me A Fully Loaded Gift Card

Sounds superb and set in a time period I like.

Christmas and a harbor town. What could be better?

A Christmas time mystery might just be better than that.

I've always been fascinated with the story of the Titanic. 

Sister stories and family secrets make for great reads.

Need to catch up with one of my favorite authors.

Another favorite author I haven't read in a long time.

Love biographies and historical accounts.

Need my Downton fix.

This came highly recommended.

Musing Mondays - Aug 1

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme now hosted at Jenn's blog Books And A Beat that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: Make a sentence from some of the spines of the books on one of your bookshelves.

Happy August! Where is the summer going? I swear the kids just got out of school and we are only a few weeks away from a new school year.

Last week I reviewed A Simple Vow by Charlotte Hubbard. I have a couple of more tiny books to read for book tours, but other than that I am trying to catch up on my TBR pile. What does your TBR pile look like these days?

I'm also really frustrated. I know I brought my Kindle Fire cord home with me after vacation, but for the life of me I can't find it and my device is almost dead. Arg!

Looks like Jen from Books And A Beat came up with a random activity for us today instead of a question. Here's mine:

Once Was a Time To Kill A Mockingbird: Once Was a Time by Leila Sales and To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

How about this one...

This is the Story of You, Gena Finn: This is the Story of You by Beth Kephart and Gena Finn by Hannah Moskowitz and Kat Helgeson.

What sentences can you come up with from your bookshelf?