BLOG TOUR and REVIEW for "Curse of Stars (Diamond Crier, #1)" by Donna Compositor

Curse of Stars
(Diamond Crier, #1)
by Donna Compositor
Publication date: February 19th, 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Sabi Perez is the last Diamond Crier, only she doesn’t know it. Not until a crazed ruler from another world comes to collect her priceless tears and won’t take no for an answer. 

Living in New York, Sabi’s seen some nasty things, but the lengths to which her captor will go to keep his crown are things found only in the darkest nightmares. Afraid and alone, Sabi finds solace in her cellmate, Anya, and Cabal, a fellow Crier who also has powers, a rare combination that buys his favor from the ruler. Only it’s a favor he doesn’t want. 

In a fit of rage, power erupts out of Sabi, the same power Cabal has, and a spark of hope ignites. Together they may have a chance at escape, something no other Crier has done. Except a ruler hellbent on draining them of every last diamond tear isn’t their only hurdle. If they escape they’ll be hunted to the ends of the earth, if they survive the trek to safety. If they stay the ruler will leech them dry. Sabi would rather die trying than lie down and die, even if that means running away into even more danger.  

~REVIEW~

***(3) out of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book more than I did.  The cover was gorgeous and the description sounded interesting.  But I just didn’t feel like it reached its potential in the story.  Right from the start, bad things happen to Sabi Perez, from being chased around New York by an unknown enemy, to being tortured and imprisoned in horrible conditions.  Things only go from bad to worse though, with very few pockets of happiness or hope.  I found almost the entire book to be very confusing, dark and depressing.  I didn’t feel as though the main character or the reader was given very much information about what was happening for most of the book.

The last two or three chapters, however, things finally seemed to look up, at least minimally, for the three main protagonists of the story.  Also, quite a few more things were explained.  There were several unexpected occurrences, in a variety of different areas, that finally made it seem like there might be a story worth following.  I’m definitely willing to read the sequel, but I hope it comes across as not quite so dreary and depressing as this novel.

I received a free eBook copy of this book from XpressoBooks, and have willingly provided an honest review.  

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Author Bio:

Donna has been writing since she was in the single digits when she first realized she needed to do something about all the thoughts in her head. After a stint with bad poetry she finally found her way to novels, mainly of the young adult fantasy variety. When she’s not cranking out more stories she works a regular 9 to 5, reads anywhere from 2 to 3 books a week, drinks copious amounts of tea, eats way too much, and makes her own beauty products because her skin turns into a sentient hive if she uses anything else. This is mostly because she lives in the desert where the air siphons water clean out of her. She lives with a man named Steve and several quadrupeds: three cats named Renfield, Sam, and Dean; and a MinPin named Malfoy. 

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BOOK BLITZ for "Shattering Truths (Deadly Veils, #1)" by Kyrian Lyndon

Shattering Truths
(Deadly Veils, #1)
by Kyrian Lyndon
Publication date: January 30th, 2017
Genres: Suspense, Young Adult

She was left fighting her demons alone . . .
For sixteen-year-old Danielle DeCorso, the old house in Glastonbury was an eerie place to grow up. Coping with mental health challenges exacerbated by a traumatic family dynamic, Danielle watches from the window for two men in a dusty black sedan who keep circling the house and harassing her with phone calls. The two predators drugged her and her cousin, Angie, and then lured them from Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport to a secluded cottage on Long Beach West. She remembers feeling dizzy, the room spinning. She recalls screaming, crying, fighting, and then slipping in and out of consciousness. Angie, however, has no recollection of the incident. 

When Danielle attempts to jog Angie’s memory and convince their best friend, Farran, that the two strangers had victimized them, no one seems to believe her. Alone in her pain, Danielle remains guarded, obsessed, and withdrawn. Soon she is sinking deeper into a tumultuous world of adolescent isolation and change. Grief, guilt, and anger send her spiraling into an even darker place. 

Tormented by terrifying nightmares, she fears she will lose her sanity, or possibly her soul. Is she having post-traumatic stress hallucinations, as one of her friends suggest, or are her recurring nightmares as real as they seem? Trapped in an unyielding emotional bondage, Danielle continues the fight to reclaim her power. Startling revelations awaken her newfound spirit, inspiring a once naïve girl to grow into a woman of defiance and courage.

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Author Bio:

Kyrian Lyndon is the author of Shattering Truths, the first book in her Deadly Veils series. She has also published two poetry collections, A Dark Rose Blooms, and Remnants of Severed Chains. Kyrian began writing short stories and fairy tales when she was just eight years old. In her adolescence, she moved on to poetry. At sixteen, while working as an editor for her high school newspaper, she wrote her first novel, and then completed two more novels at the ages of nineteen and twenty-five. 

Born and raised in Woodside, Queens, New York, Kyrian was the middle of three daughters born to immigrants —her father from Campochiaro, Italy; her mother from Havana, Cuba. She has worked primarily in executive-level administrative positions with major New York publishing companies. She resides on Long Island in New York. 

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REVIEW of "Spellweaver (Olive Kennedy, Fairy World M.D., #2)" by Tamara Grantham

***(3) out of 5 stars

**Warning: This review contains nothing much except venting and spoilers!!  So don't read this if you haven't read the book!**

I hated this book with the white-hot passion of a thousand burning suns!!  How in the world could Kull and Olive NOT be together??  It can’t be true.  I thought it was bad enough when Kull’s father forbade their relationship.  But now that King Herrick is gone and Kull is the apparent leader of the Wults, AND he seemingly blames her for not saving his father’s life (even though she couldn’t have done so) – it seems there is no way that they can ever be together.  It simply isn’t fair.

I (obviously) got very drawn into this story, much as I did in the first novel of the series.  However, I wasn’t as impressed with this one.  Everything that occurred just seemed like part of one endless pilgrimage for an intended purpose that was to no avail in the end.  Overall, there was way too much death and sadness in this tome for me.  (I’m such a lightweight when it comes to grief!) 

There was a lot learned about many secrets kept by various individuals, groups and species, all of which was extremely interesting, and possibly built more of the background for later storylines.  But the relationship between Kull and Olive was disappointing all along in this volume.  They didn’t really seem to make a connection or to further their relationship at all.  In fact, they seemed closer at the end of the last book than they did all throughout this one. 

The saddest part of the entire thing though, had to be that King Herrick probably realized right before he died how truly special and valuable is Olive.  She followed his orders and did as he asked, even though she knew that she (and Kull) would suffer the pain of watching him pay the ultimate price.  But she protected the Everblossom nonetheless and thereby saved Faythander.  Although a fat lot of good it seemed to do anyone!

(I’m going to go off and sulk now, until I can get up the courage to start volume three.  At least there are five more books in the series.  Maybe some redeeming event will happen at some point to make me feel better about things.)

I received a free eBook copy of "Spellweaver" from the author and have willingly provided an honest review.  

COVER REVEAL for "The Supernatural Pet Sitter (The Magic Thief, #1)" by Diane Moat

The Supernatural Pet Sitter
(The Magic Thief, #1)
by Diane Moat
Publication date: March 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Middle-Grade

Pepper is a 12 year old who pet sits magical  animals. When someone steals their magic,  Pepper must find the thief before the thief finds her! 

Add to Goodreads 

Author Bio: 

Diane is a Tennessee transplant, animal rescuer, and nurse.  Dog Gone was her debut novel, born from years of hearing animal rescuers say about animal abusers, “If only I could get my hands on that person...”  Diane is assisted by her many rescue dogs. 

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Lauren Baratz-Logsted for "The Adventures of Sherlock Bones"

Title: THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK BONES (#1): DOGGONE

Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Pub. Date: February 21, 2017

Publisher: Month9Books

Format: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 150

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | TBD | Kobo | Google Play Books | Indiebound

The Adventures of Sherlock Bones turns snooping on its floppy ear when one day, Dr. Jane Catson, a surgeon injured in the Cat Wars has an afternoon nap interrupted by a most unusual occurrence.

On the front lawn of her home, rather loud footsteps disturb her peace as Sherlock Bones, a Great Dane in a deerstalker claiming to be the greatest detective in the world arrives.

After a quick critical examination of the intrusive dog whose enormous body blocks the entire sun from view, Catson has her doubts. But that’s not all. The monstrously-sized creature makes an even more astonishing claim. He has come to live with her!

Before Catson can collect her thoughts into an intelligent rebuttal, Sherlock Bones has made himself quite at home, inventing things like a jetpack for her Castilian housekeeper-cook, a turtle named Mr. Javier and placing his gigantic food and water dishes next to hers.

But there’s no time for protest. The great detective and Dr. Catson have caught themselves their first case: A suspiciously dead human in a nearby abandoned building. Can Sherlock Bones and Dr. Catson crack the case before the killer strikes again? Or will their differences get in the way of solving Case File No. 1? One thing’s for sure, that would be a doggone shame.

Title: THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK BONES (#2): DOG NOT GONE

Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Pub. Date: February 21, 2017

Publisher: Month9Books

Format: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 150

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | TBD | Kobo | Google Play Books | Indiebound

After being introduced to Sherlock Bones, the Greatest Detective in the World, in Case File #1: Dogged to Death, Dr. Jane Catson - surgeon and veteran of the Cat Wars - is back to share an all-new mystery adventure with readers. Despite all of Jane's resistance, Bones is now living with her and her housekeeper/chef, the turtle with a jetpack, Mr. Javier. This time out, the mismatched duo's investigations lead them to a case involving murder, of course, and - wait for it! - Utah. If there's one thing readers can be certain of it's that in this world, the animals are always smarter than the humans. Also, did we mention...Utah?

~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Lauren Baratz-Logsted~

1)      What gave you the inspiration for the storyline? 

I love the Sherlock Holmes stories as much as the next person, which is practically everybody, in all their various permutations. But one day it occurred to me that one readership was being underserved: young readers. It was only natural, then, for me to want to create my own versions for a young audience and further natural for me to do it using a cat who’s also a surgeon, a turtle with a jet pack, and a Great Dane as the Great Detective himself, Sherlock Bones.

2)      Are there any hidden themes in the book that you hope readers will discover?

That we all have prejudices and it’s good to recognize that in ourselves and learn to work together with those who are different from us.

3)      Are any of the characters based on real people you know?

No.

4)      Who has influenced you most as a writer?

Thirty-plus books into my career, it’d probably be easier to come up with a list of people who haven’t influenced me! But if I can only pick one, it’s my daughter, Jackie.

5)      If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for game night, who would you invite, what would you play, what would you serve, and why?

I think that, with the three that spring first to mind, I’d have to have them on separate nights. First I’d have Jay Gatsby, but I don’t think we should play any water sports – I’d give him lots of really good champagne while warning him that Daisy just isn’t worth it. Next I’d have Jane Eyre; I think we’d have to play some game from the 1900s like Rigmarole and I suppose I’d serve her tea. I’d pick those two characters because their the stars of the books I come back to most frequently in life. Finally, for my third, I’d pick Winnie the Pooh. I’d serve honey, of course, but there’d be no game playing – I’d just want Pooh to give me a really big hug. I’ll bet Pooh gives the best hugs. 

About Lauren: 

Lauren Baratz-Logsted is the author of over 25 books for adults, teens and kids, including The Sisters 8 series for young readers which she created with her husband and daughter. She lives in Danbury, CT, with that husband and daughter, as well as their marvelous cat, Yoyo.

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Giveaway Details:

(1) winner will receive a pair of Great Dane Socks (pictured below) and a Bag of Wellness Brand Dor or Cat treats, US Only.

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Tour Schedule:

Week 1:

2/20/2017- Susan Heim on Parenting- Guest Post

2/21/2017- Boom Review Becca- Review

2/22/2017- Page Turners Blog- Excerpt

2/23/2017- Month9Books- Interview

2/24/2017- Lisa's Loves (Books of Course)- Guest Post

Week 2:

2/27/2017- So Few Books- Interview

2/28/2017- Don't Judge, Read- Interview

3/1/2017- S.E. Muir- Excerpt

3/2/2017-Mundie Kids- Excerpt

3/3/2017- I am not a bookworm!- Review

FREE eBook alert -- "Darla the Elephant has Bipolar Disorder (What Mental Disorder, #4)" by Jessie Shepherd & Martha B Fallis

Currently available as a FREE ePub download!

Click HERE to download your FREE copy!

Often when people are given a mental health disorder diagnosis the weaknesses are clear and overwhelmingly emphasized, while the strengths are ignored or forgotten. The mental health children's book series 'What Mental Disorder?' challenges the stigma against therapy and diagnosis. It enlists the reader to view the character as a whole being and not as a mental issue. Although there are aspects that the character will have to learn to cope with in order to function successfully in their life, there are also amazing traits that make them unique and remarkably accomplished. 

See my reviews for the other titles in this series:

Millie the Cat has Borderline Personality Disorder

Gordy the Rabbit has ADHD

Vinny the Fox has PTSD

FREE eBook Alert -- "Fire in the Woods" by Jennifer M. Eaton

FIRE IN THE WOODS is Star-Crossed meets Close Encounters of the Third Kind!

Get your copy HERE on Amazon Kindle - FREE for a limited time!

When a plane crashes in the woods near Jess’s home, the boy of her dreams falls out of the sky — literally. 

But David’s not here to find a girlfriend. He’s from another planet, and if Jess can’t help him get back to his ship, he’ll be stuck on Earth with nothing to look forward to but the pointy end of a dissection scalpel. But her father runs their house like an army barracks. and with an alien on the loose, Major Dad isn’t too keen on the idea of Jess going anywhere. 

Ever. 

So how the heck is she supposed to help the sweetest, strangest, and cutest guy she’s ever met? Hiding him in her room probably isn’t the best idea. 

Especially since her Dad is in charge of the squadron searching for David. 

That doesn’t mean she won’t do it. 

It just means she can't get caught. Helping David get home while protecting her heart —

that’s gonna be the hard part. 

After all, she can't really fall for a guy whose not exactly from here. As they race through the woods with Major Dad and most of the U.S. military one breath behind them, Jess and David grow closer than either of them anticipated. But all is not what it seems. David has a genocide-sized secret, and one betrayal later, they are both in handcuffs as alien warships are positioning themselves around the globe. Time is ticking down to Armageddon, and Jess must think fast if she's to save the boy she cares about without sacrificing Earth — and everyone on it. 

COVER REVEAL for "Myths of Mish (Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles, #2)" by Katie Hamstead

Hansel and Gretel Herrscher survived the witch in the woods, but the experience has made Hansel paranoid for the past ten years. He sees dark magic at every turn. When Gretel has a marriage arranged to a much older man, and Hansel discovers he's about to be sent halfway across the galaxy, he knows something sinister is afoot. 

Wilhelmine Nordon has plenty of experience with Hansel's quirkier side. So when she catches him and Gretel running away in the middle of the night, she follows to keep them from getting killed. The siblings have never left the capital of Mish on their own, so they need a babysitter. Except when she's discovered, Hansel gives her his usual cold shoulder, and Gretel secretly begs her to take them back. 

The problem is, Hansel's paranoia turns out to be well founded, and they're all being hunted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born and raised in Australia, Katie's early years of day dreaming in the "bush," and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughters, and their dogs.

She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing.

When her debut novel, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh, climbed into bestselling status, she believed she was onto something, and now has a slew of novels available, and is published through Curiosity Quills Press, Soul Mate Publishing, and REUTS Publishing.

Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports, and be a good wife and mother. She now works as an office lady at an elementary school to help support her family. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

BOOK BLITZ & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Summer Lane for "State of Allegiance (Collapse, #9)"

State of Allegiance (Collapse, #9)
by Summer Lane
Publication date: February 24th, 2017
Genres: Dystopian, New Adult

Be brave. Be vigilant. But above all, be loyal. 

In the wake of a dangerous but successful mission to Yukon City in Alaska, Cassidy Hart now finds herself back in California, at the naval air station in San Diego. Together, she and Chris now face their most terrifying threat yet: nuclear destruction. 

Surviving in a world gone nuclear is easier said than done. Faced with the prospect of being wiped off the face of the earth by Omega’s nuclear arsenal, Cassidy, Chris and their fellow rebel friends stage an incredible, daring journey into the Pacific Rim with the hope that they will be able to seize a weapon that could turn the tide of the war in the militia’s favor. 

The clock of the apocalypse is counting down.

Choices must be made. Relationships will be strained. True love will be put to the ultimate test.

It’s militias versus Omega. Hope versus destruction. 

Where does your allegiance lie? 

Choose carefully.

Goodreads / Amazon

Interview with Author Summer Lane

How does it feel to publish the 9th installment of the Collapse Series – and your 16th overall?

It feels unreal! When I was a kid, I always pictured myself as an author, sharing my stories with readers, but I admit I didn’t really think that would materialize until I was much older than I am right now. I’ve been really blessed – and I’ve worked really hard!

What’s a typical day in your life like?

I do manage a business, so while I do a lot more than simply write manuscripts, writing certainly is the base of everything that I engage in. I just got a German Shepherd puppy named Kona, and she gets me up early in the morning (earlier than usual, haha!), and I’ll start work then. If I have a good day, I’ll be done with work around 2:30 or 3. If it’s a long day, I’ll be working until 6.

What is State of Hope going to be like – and is it the last book in the series?

State of Hope is going to be long, intense and flushed with adrenaline. There are so many secrets to be revealed, so many character plots to be tied up neatly, and most importantly: Cassidy’s conclusion in this apocalyptic war. While Hope is indeed the final installment in the Collapse Series, it is not the last book in the Collapse universe. I certainly do have some plans for Cassidy in the future – they may not be as huge as Collapse, but trust me: I have plans.

How do you stay motivated and healthy in your career as a writer?

I stay motivated by keeping my eye on the prize: I remove negativity from my life, because nobody needs that. I try to surround myself with people who really care about me and support what I do. Staying healthy, for me, at least, is actually really difficult. My profession requires a lot of sitting, so I have to make an extra effort to get up, walk and move. It’s also tempting to snack on junk food working in an office (am I right?). I try hard to indulge only with healthy snacks: I have celery sticks and apples in the fridge, I like cheese, and any gluten-free cracker in combination. I also just discovered baked parmesan crisps. Oh, my heart!

Advice to aspiring authors?

Don’t let anybody bring you down. Never take no as a final answer. Work hard, and it will pay off, one way or another.

Author Bio:

Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of the Collapse Series, Zero Trilogy, Bravo Saga, Collapse: The Illustrated Guide and the adventure thriller, Unbreakable SEAL. 

Summer owns WB Publishing. She is an accomplished journalist and creative writing teacher. She also owns an online magazine, Writing Belle, where she has interviewed and worked with countless authors from around the globe. 

Summer lives in the Central Valley of California with her husband, where she enjoys reading, collecting tea, visiting the beach and the mountains, and counting down the days until she has her very own puppy (if you’ve read Bravo: Apocalypse Mission, you’ll understand). 

Website / Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!

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YALit GIVEAWAY Event!

YALit Giveaway Event!

A bunch of authors who got together to bring you a YOUNG ADULT Big Box of Paperbacks Giveaway! One lucky winner is going to win FIFTY (50) Young Adult Paperback Books! How’s that for an epic Book-Lover’s Prize?!

THIS BOX OF BOOKS IS VALUED AT OVER $500! And this giveaway is open worldwide! Our first giveaway went to a winner in ROMANIA – and yes, we’re willing to pay the insane shipping on this oversized, overweight package to get the prize to WHOEVER wins!

—

Here's a sneak peek from a couple of the sponsors:

Adrenaline Rush by Cindy M. Hogan

As I hurtled toward my destination at 500 miles an hour, I pulled out a notebook, placed it on the shiny mahogany table in front of me, and scribbled a quick to-do list. Pick out an outfit. Get folders and notebooks. Switch into fourth period drama. I chewed on the end of my pen. Oh yeah—just one more thing. Get kidnapped.

According to my pre-mission briefing, kidnappings were up in the States by five percent over the last five years. The significance of which didn’t hit me until I found that the statistics for kidnappings had remained static for a good thirty years. The spike caught the attention of the FBI, and they put their best men on it. The problem? Right when they thought they’d discovered the pattern of the kidnappers, it seemed to change.

We hit some turbulence, and the force of it pulled me out of my reverie. I sucked in a deep breath, my hands resting on the soft leather side arms of my big comfortable seat as the Gulfstream jet jumped. I let the rollercoaster feeling wash over me like a wave, forcing myself to enjoy every last tingle. I only had this flight and a few hours tonight to assume my new thrill-seeking alias—the one that would lure the kidnappers and save the day before the pattern changed again. I might as well make the most of it.

Chosen Wolf (Curse of the Moon, #2) by Stacy Claflin EXCERPT:

The full moon inched higher in the night sky, growing bigger and brighter by the moment. One by one, the members of the pack ran behind the Moonhaven mansion to remove their clothes before they tore to shreds as their bodies turned from men to wolves. Howls sounded in the distance.

Toby squeezed my hand, holding my gaze. “Maybe this will be the month you can finally shift again, Victoria.”

Sharp pains ran through my body. My right hip cracked. I bit my tongue, trying not to cry out in pain. My skin felt on fire as fur tried to poke through, but couldn’t.

His face tensed, a pained look in his eyes. “Are you shifting?”

I shook my head. There was nothing normal about this, and it was proving to be more difficult and painful than my other months of un-shifts. Each one grew worse than the last.

Toby scooped me up, carried me inside, and helped me onto my bed. “I can’t keep my wolf inside any longer. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” I fought to keep my voice steady. Tears threatened.

He brushed hair from my face and kissed my forehead. “Ziamara’s upstairs sleeping. She said to wake her if you need anything.”

“I’ll be fine.” I grimaced, the pain nearly choking me.

Toby cried out and the sound of ripping fabric tore through the room. He spun around and dashed out the door. The back of his shirt had ripped, and fur poked through the split material.

I gripped a pillow, squeezing it as hard as I could to distract myself from the pain. It didn’t work, and the pillow exploded, filling the air with white feathers.

A loud pop sounded and then a horrific pain shot through my shoulders. I slumped down and screamed, unable to take the pain.

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!

BOOK BLITZ for "The Piper's Price (The Neverland Wars, #2)" by Audrey Greathouse

The Piper’s Price
(The Neverland Wars, #2)
by Audrey Greathouse
Published by: Clean Reads Publishing
Publication date: February 21st, 2017
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Young Adult

Peter is plotting his retaliation against the latest bombing. Neverland needs an army, and Peter Pan is certain children will join him once they know what is at stake. The lost boys and girls are planning an invasion in suburbia to recruit, but in order to deliver their message, they will need the help of an old and dangerous associate — the infamous Pied Piper. 

Hunting him down will require a spy in in the real world, and Gwen soon finds herself in charge of locating the Piper and cutting an uncertain deal with him. She isn’t sure if Peter trusts her that much, or if he’s just trying to keep her away from him in Neverland. Are they friends, or just allies? But Peter might not even matter now that she’s nearly home and meeting with Jay again. 

The Piper isn’t the only one hiding from the adults’ war on magic though, and when Gwen goes back to reality, she’ll have to confront one of Peter’s oldest friends… and one of his earliest enemies.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

They found the forest’s hiking trail moments before breaking the tree line. “Where are we going, Peter?” He was heading toward a mobile home community next to the state park.

He continued to walk with confidence. His usual cocky stride looked surprisingly like the swagger of an ordinary teenage boy. “My friend lives here. Don’t worry. Don’t look like such a stranger here.”

She didn’t want to appear conspicuous, but Gwen was too baffled to help it. The unkempt lawns were boxed in by chain-link fences covered in varying degrees of rust. They passed a lawn littered with bicycles; on the other side of the gravel street, two different cars were parked on the lawn, clearly non-functional. Satellite dishes were on every trailer home. Despite all being painted differently, the track housing still managed to present a uniformity of depressing color.

Multiple houses had motorcycles out front or a dog milling around their yard. When she and Peter passed a pack of Rottweilers, the dogs ran up to the fence and began snarling until all the other dogs in the neighborhood were barking too. “Ignore it,” Peter advised her.

She was scared. This was not the sort of place she ever expected to visit with Peter. She didn’t trust his ability to protect her here. This wasn’t his world, but it wasn’t hers either. They were both out of their element. Peter just didn’t have the sense to realize it.

Winding down the gravel road, Gwen matched Peter’s pace almost step for step. They approached a blue-and-grey house. Like the others, it had wooden latticework around the bottom to help obscure the fact it didn’t have a foundation in the ground. The square house reminded Gwen of how she would take shoeboxes and try to turn them into homes for her dolls by decorating them. It was hard to fathom that she was walking up the plastic steps of the porch to knock on the door.

She waited, feeling her heartbeat in her throat, her toes, and everywhere besides her chest. Even the predictable noise of the door opening startled her.

A woman with a long, black braid and beige cardigan stood in the doorway. Gwen looked up at her, and then watched as the sharp features of her dark face dissolved into unadulterated shock.

“Peter?”

The startled woman ushered them in. She was just as uncomfortable with their presence in the trailer park as Gwen. Once inside, they stood in a living room full of old furniture, facing a kitchen with old electric appliances. There was no unity or romance to the orange recliner, chipped mixing bowl, off-white blender, dull toaster, and sunken couch. It was a bunch of old stuff that looked like it represented several decades of objects abandoned at Goodwill. The chingadera and bric-a-brac wasn’t any more cohesive: porcelain angles, an antique pot, a vase full of bird feathers, and a stopped clock made the place confusing and strange in the same way her grandmother’s house had been.

“What are you doing here?” she hissed, pulling her cardigan close and tossing her thick braid over her shoulder and out of her way. She had a shapeless housedress underneath the beige sweater, and a pair of black leggings insulating her legs as she stomped around, heavy-footed in her leather slippers. She looked comfortable, except for the unexpected guests who were putting her so ill at ease. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I need your help,” Peter said.

“They’re still keeping tabs on me.”

“That’s why I came in disguise.”

“You’re being irresponsible. You’re jeopardizing us both, and Neverland to boot.”

“I took all the right precautions. This is important.” Hollyhock and Foxglove wrestled their way out of the pixie purse and came twinkling out now that they knew they were safely inside.

“You brought fairies here?” she exclaimed. She leaned down and grabbed a hold of his arm, forcing him to look her dead in her dark eyes. Gwen wanted to leave. This wasn’t a friend, not anymore. This was a grown-up, and unlike Antoine the aviator, she was not amused with Peter’s wartime antics.

“What happens if they figure it out and come to question me?”

Peter scoffed. “You won’t tell them.”

“What if they threaten to arrest me? They could put me away forever until I told them what they needed to know, and nobody here would stop them.”

Peter broke free of her hold with ease; she wasn’t actually trying to restrain him. 

“Preposterous,” he declared. “If they did that, you would sit, stone-faced and silent in your cell until they all died.”

“What if they beat me?”

“You’d take the blows as though you were made of rock, and you would not speak.” Peter seemed to disregard the question.

“What if they tortured me and stuck blades under my nails?” she demanded.

“Then you would not even scream, but stay silent as a stone!” Peter insisted, hopping up onto a wooden kitchen chair at her dining table, looking down at the woman.

“What if they bring knives and cut off my fingers, one at a time, until I told them how to find you?”

Peter yelled right back, “Then you would steal their knives and scalp them all like the redskin princess you are!”

Her anger slunk off her face and out of her shoulders. She shook her head, frowning as a sad laugh escaped her. She clung to her sweater, blinking back tears, until, at last, she flung her arms around Peter. Still on the chair, he had to bend down to return the embrace.

“Oh, Peter,” she muttered, unaware of the tears slipping off her smiling face. “Oh, Peter.”

“It’s good to see you, Tiger Lily.”

Author Bio:

Audrey Greathouse is a lost child in a perpetual and footloose quest for her own post-adolescent Neverland. Originally from Seattle, she earned her English B.A. from Southern New Hampshire University's online program while backpacking around the west coast and pretending to be a student at Stanford. A pianist, circus artist, fire-eater, street mime, swing dancer, and novelist, Audrey wears many hats wherever she is. She has grand hopes for the future which include publishing more books and owning a crockpot. You can find her at audreygreathouse.com. 

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