Harmony Kent's Blog, page 65

#NewBook: Eventide by Mae Clair

Hi everyone. Today, it gives me great pleasure to host fellow author and friend Mae Clair, who is showcasing her latest book, Eventide. Take it away, Mae >>>

Hi, Harmony! Many thanks for welcoming me today to your blog. It’s fantastic to be here promoting my new release, Eventide. The book is part mystery and part supernatural suspense and uses dual timelines to examine the lives of people living in the same house, in separate centuries.

 

My main character (in the present) and her sister are both empaths. Everyone has a measure of empathy in them, but some people have it in abundance. It’s easy for them to tap into the feelings of others and put themselves in another’s shoes. This can be a good—allowing an individual to see multiple sides of a given situation—but there are also drawbacks.

 

When empathy becomes too strong, it can be overwhelming. A person with strong empathic abilities has to learn to disconnect. Otherwise they can drown in the sorrow. It’s great to be able to feel elation and happiness, but empaths often tap into misery, desperation, and fear.

 

Madison Hewitt, the lead in Eventide is rebuilding her life after witnessing the murder of her husband three years ago. Because of her empathic abilities, she experienced a complete shutdown when she witnessed his death. Afterward, she spent three years in a care facility, never speaking a word. You can learn more about what happened to Madison in the previous book, End of Day.

 

In Eventide, she is thrilled to be independent again, the new owner of property located outside of town. But no sooner does she move in, then she senses someone is watching her. Someone who knows about her past and isn’t ready to let her forget.

 

Madison breathed deeply, savoring the quiet. Already, the air grew heavy with the heady mustiness that blooms around water at dusk. She loved the smell. Relished the fickle skip of breeze wafting from the creek. A few bats flitted between trees. Further away, a mourning dove cooed from somewhere among the branches.

 

As much as she enjoyed being outside, there was still unpacking to do. Maybe later, she’d relax on the balcony with a glass of wine and watch night settle. Alcohol didn’t mix well with meds, but she’d been off her pills long enough. She deserved the treat.

 

Warmed by the thought, she headed toward the house. The sight of a dead squirrel sprawled by the front door crushed her sense of tranquility.

 

“Damn.” The animal must have been injured, crawled up on the porch, and died. It was an odd place for a wild creature to seek shelter in the waning moments of life, but the area was infested with small rodents. The poor thing had probably tussled with a fox or a raccoon. She peered closer but didn’t see a mark on it. As unpleasant as the task was, she’d have to dispose of it. Part of living so far from town meant dealing with the occasional critter in her yard or home.

 

Inside, she located a trash bag and a pair of plastic gloves. When it came time to put the carcass in the sack, she averted her eyes. The little body hung limp in her hand, faintly warm through the thin layer of her gloves. She bundled the bag shut and glanced to the rickety floorboards, praying she wouldn’t discover blood.

 

A chill prickled her spine.

 

The squirrel’s body and tail had concealed a single word stenciled in capital letters on the doormat. One that might have been inviting under other circumstances, but now seemed sinister.

 

WELCOME

 

Madison glanced over her shoulder, the swiftly falling night abruptly unsettling. She sprinted across the driveway to the detached garage, then dumped the bag in a trash can. Of course, no one was watching her, but it was hard to squash old fears.

 

How many women survived seeing their husband butchered with a knife? How many people knew what it felt like to be murdered?

 

This is just the beginning of problems for Madison. To get to the root of her troubles, she’s going to have to unearth what happened to the people who occupied her home during the late 1800s when it belonged to a family named Stewart. Curious? I hope so. J

 

Hopefully, you’re curious enough to order Eventide which is available from all major booksellers online. You’ll make this author very happy. Thank you in advance for your consideration! J

 

Universal Purchase Link

 

BLURB:

 

The darkness is coming . . .

The old house near Hode’s Hill, Pennsylvania is a place for Madison Hewitt to start over—to put the trauma of her husband’s murder, and her subsequent breakdown, behind her. She isn’t bothered by a burial plot on the property, or the mysterious, sealed cistern in the basement. Not at first. Even the presence of cold spots and strange odors could be fabrications of her still troubled mind. But how to explain her slashed tires, or the ominous messages that grow ever more threatening?

Convinced the answer lies in the past, Madison delves into the history of the home’s original owners, only to discover the origin of a powerful evil. An entity that may be connected to a series of gruesome attacks that have left police baffled. No matter where she turns—past or present—terror lingers just a step away, spurred on by a twisted obsession that can only be satisfied through death…

 

Order Eventide HERE

Connect with Mae Clair at BOOKBUB and the following haunts:

Amazon| BookBub| Newsletter Sign-Up

Website | Blog| Twitter| Goodreads| All Social Media

 

And, in case you missed it, here’s my review for this fantastic read >>>

 

Thanks to NetGalley and Lyrical Underground for an ARC of this book.

I have read all of Mae Clair’s Hodes Hill books, and this one is by far my favourite. I loved the mix of the supernatural with typical ghosts spiced up with a deadly and terrifying ghoul. All in all, this is a great series that works well both to read as a run on and for each book to stand alone, although you get more by seeing the character progression throughout the series if you read them in order. Having read of Madison, the main character, in previous books and seeing her struggle through the eyes of others, it is nice to see her getting a book to herself, and what a strong heroine she turns out to be.

The plot runs both in the past (1800s) and in the present day and gives you plenty of mystery, suspense, and twists in both timelines. While I sussed out that something was up with the historical brothers early on, I completely failed to work out what it was, so kudos to the author for that bit of cunning.

I highly recommend this book and will be reading more from this writer. A solid five star read.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.

4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.

3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.

2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.

1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

#BookReview: The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Hi everone,

Today, I share my first review for 202o! This was a free ARC book via NetGalley, and I loved it. I’ll let the book description and the review say the rest >>>

About the Book:

‘A gripping novel . . . Beautiful and chilling’ Madeline Miller, author of Circe

BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick 2020



On Christmas Eve, 1617, the sea around the remote Norwegian island of Vardø is thrown into a reckless storm. As Maren Magnusdatter watches, forty fishermen, including her father and brother, are lost to the waves, the menfolk of Vardø wiped out in an instant.

Now the women must fend for themselves.

Eighteen months later, a sinister figure arrives. Summoned from Scotland to take control of a place at the edge of the civilized world, Absalom Cornet knows what he needs to do to bring the women of Vardø to heel. With him travels his young wife, Ursa. In Vardø, and in Maren, Ursa finds something she has never seen before: independent women. But Absalom sees only a place untouched by God and flooded with a mighty and terrible evil, one he must root out at all costs.

Inspired by the real events of the Vardø storm and the 1621 witch trials, Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s The Mercies is a story about how suspicion can twist its way through a community, and a love that may prove as dangerous as it is powerful.

 

My Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Panmacmillan for a free ARC of this book.

I haven’t read any of Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s books before this one. The book premise pulled me right in, even if the cover didn’t, as the imagery fails to show the brilliance of the narrative.

Apparently, the author has written previously in YA and children’s literature. All I can say is that I’m delighted she has now produced an adult book. This is a fantastic read. The author has obviously done her research well and transplanted this into spectacularly gripping fiction. I will be looking out for more books from this writer.

As the description shows, this story is set in 1617 and centres around a small island off Norway. The conditions are bleak, and to survive, everyone must pull together. Unfortunately, after tragedy strikes in the form of a deadly storm, zealous witch-hunters break into the new-found and fragile solidarity of the survivors–mostly women–and bring yet more pain and destruction in their determination to dominate. Set amdist this dramatic time and place are two women who discover an unlikely love for one another. This only adds to the tensions and need for secrecy. Another even more deadly storm brews–this one on the earth rather than from the heavens, but no less menacing for its man-made ferocity.

I found the world building, scene setting, plot, pacing, and character development excellent. This was a book I could not put down. Usually, I shy away from historical fiction because it’s just not my thing … The Mercies, however, managed to grab me by the neck and didn’t let go until I’d finished every last word. In short, I loved this book. If you want tension, suspense, a hint of a thriller, and strong female characters, then this is the book for you. Don’t worry about the genre. Seriously, go read this book. I give it a solid five stars and want to see more adult fiction from Kiran Millwood Hargrave.

Expansion Pack: Character Archetypes + a trick

Check out some great writing tips over at Story Empire today from Craig Boyack >>>

Hi gang. Craig here with you again. Last year sometime, I wrote a series here about The Hero’s Journey. This is a link to PART ONE. Then I went on to write several Expansion Packs. Those are easy e…

Source: Expansion Pack: Character Archetypes + a trick

Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore – Christmas Book Fair – #Reviews #Mystery James J. Cudney, #Memoir Brigid P. Gallagher, Children Annika Perry, #Romance Harmony Kent

Oh Baubles got some love just before Christmas over at Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore. I’m well late reposting because, firstly, I was away and unable to use the internet or my computer, and secondly, I ended up unwell (four viruses back to back and the last one triggered my asthma). Anyhoooo, here it is at last … Sorry, Sally! And a HUGE thank you!

Featured On the Reef ~ Harmony Kent @harmony_kent

Oh Baubles gets some unexpected love On the Reef over at Sarah Brentyn’s place today. I’d be delighted if you could check it out >>>

    On the Reef is a series featuring fabulous indie authors from around the blogosphere and beyond. Titles, covers, and blurbs that catch my eye, new releases, great reads… Basical…

Source: Featured On the Reef ~ Harmony Kent @harmony_kent

To series or not to series? That is the question.

Check out Staci Troilo’s post on whether to write a series or not over at Story Empire today >>>

Ciao, amici! It’s time for another Friday Writing Question. Today’s is a simple one: Series or Standalone? I’ve written both single titles and sprawling sagas, and I can see a ben…

Source: To series or not to series? That is the question.

How to Publish with KDP: Overview and Invitation

Hi everyone … if you’re an indie author, you won’t want to miss this upcoming series >>>

Hello SErs. Harmony here. From January 2020, I plan on running a post series dedicated to taking a step-by-step look at how to get your finished manuscript from your computer and on sale on Amazon …

Source: How to Publish with KDP: Overview and Invitation

Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore – Christmas Book Fair – New Book on the Shelves #Paranormal #Fantasy Wake-Robin Ridge Book 4: The Light by Marcia Meara

Marcia Meara has a new book out, and it is getting some love over at Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore today >>>

Delighted to feature the latest book by Marcia Meara – Wake-Robin Ridge Book 4: The Light the latest in the Paranormal fantasy series. About the book The Magic is Back! For Robert MacKenzie C…

Source: Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore – Christmas Book Fair – New Book on the Shelves #Paranormal #Fantasy Wake-Robin Ridge Book 4: The Light by Marcia Meara

Finding your author’s voice

Check out this thought-provoking post on finding your author’s voice by Craig Boyack over at Story Empire today >>>

Hi, Gang, Craig with you again. I need to come up with a post, and this one has been gnawing at me for a while now. Recently, I struggled with a section of a draft I’m working on, and the bes…

Source: Finding your author’s voice

Presenting: Oh, Baubles by @harmony_kent #NewRelease #ChristmasNovella #ChristmasRomance #CleanRomance

My latest book, Oh Baubles, gets some love over at Mae Clair’s place today