Hey Action/ Adventure fans! This week we’re celebrating the release of Steven Jacob’s exciting novella, Kickback! Here’s a sneak peek and a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!
Kickback (Chris Hunter #1)
Publication Date: January 27th, 2020
Genre: Adventure/ Novella
When Chris Hunter is called to search for a missing executive in Vietnam, he uncovers a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top of the organization.
Chris Hunter is an off-the-books fixer for Greater Dragon Asia, an international investment fund. He speaks four languages and is skilled in weapons use and hand-to-hand combat. He served in the U.S. Army for nearly a decade and understands how to operate under the radar. Now he uses his skills to take care of the jobs that no one wants but that need doing in an organization with billions of dollars under management.
Kickback is the first Chris Hunter adventure.
Excerpt
The apartment was shrouded in darkness, he could see vague shapes, outlines that could be anything from a sofa to a table to a refrigerator and all the other sundry that populate an urban apartment. There was something else, too, that struck him immediately. There was a sickly-sweet smell, as of something rotting, like someone left a slab of steak on the counter for a week.
Chris felt along the wall until he found a switch and flipped on the lights. He closed his eyes against the sudden onslaught of light and only opened them a few seconds later, slowly blinking to adjust to the illumination. What he saw when he opened them fully knocked him back a step.
There was a dead body sitting in a chair in the middle of the kitchen.
Steven Jacob is an international attorney who has lived and worked in Southeast Asia for over ten years. He speaks Vietnamese and is familiar with the history, norms, and cultures of the region. He grew up in the United States and lived in several places in the West. He went to school in Utah and California. He has been writing since the second grade when he discovered epic fantasy and science fiction, though he doesn’t write in those genres now. He has published several books independently.
Jo Tregiarri just keeps coming with these great novels! I am continually impressed with the imagination she shows in the stories she creates and the worlds she builds. This on was called Ashes, Ashes and it was great!
Synopsis: Epidemics, floods, droughts – for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wilds of Central Park. But when she’s rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can’t continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There’s something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her.
This book was a really fun dystopian to dive into. Lucy was a likable main character that was just trying to survive after mass plagues, earthquakes, tsunamis, and storms hit the Earth and wiped out a lot of the population. The survivalist in me was loving all the realistic ways that Lucy would live her day to day life and how she accustomed herself to a new way of living after everything she has known changed.
There were parts that built suspense so well that I found myself starting to sweat while reading because I was worried about what was going to happen next. The relationships built were very real and the plot felt like it flowed very smoothly.
I am a big fan of dystopian books or things to do with either the world ending or post-apocalyptic worlds where people have to learn to adapt to a new way of survival.
If I could sum this up, I would say that it was a mixture of Divergent (the social aspect) and The 5th Wave (dystopian world aspect) with a little bit of Maze Runner thrown in (villain aspect).
I would recommend this read for anyone that wants a fun dystopian adventure with a lot of stakes at hand.
A fantastic cover for an exciting upcoming debut novel by author, Sherrill Joseph! Read more about Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets below!
Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets (A Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries #1)
Expected Publication Date: February 1st, 2020
Genre: MG/ Middle Grade/ Mystery (Ages 9 – 12)
World-famous Egyptologist Dr. Winston Thornsley died suddenly two months ago in disgrace. His widow, Ida Thornsley, remains convinced her husband was falsely accused of stealing an ancient burial urn he discovered in Egypt last summer, but local and federal law enforcement officers are stumped.
Mrs. Thornsley, desperate for answers, calls in her thirteen-year-old neighbors, the Botanic Hill Detectives—twins Lanny and Lexi Wyatt, Moki Kalani, and Rani Kumar. Their exciting mission? To find the urn and its real thief, bring the criminal to justice, and exonerate Dr. Thornsley so his spotless reputation can be restored.
A roomful of venomous snakes, the poisoned Egyptian pond, and Dragon Pit Man are just a few of the tests awaiting the four tech-savvy teenagers. As the detectives begin to unravel the sinister plot, the mystery takes a dangerous turn. Answers are at their fingertips—if they can only convince their parents to let them solve the case.
“Here we go again. An aftershock! I’ve been afraid this would happen,” said Dr. Kurtz. She rapidly surveyed the room full of terrariums. “And one of my assistants just called to say he’s found a somewhat hidden but large crack from this morning’s tremor on one of our venomous snake enclosure’s glass panes. It’s a major emergency. Come out with me quickly boys—now! I have to attend to this immediately,” she shouted behind her, as she grabbed her tool bag, yanked open the heavy door, and fled outside and down the breezeway to the enclosure.
Unfortunately, Moki and Lanny weren’t as fast as Dr. Kurtz. The door banged shut in their surprised faces and locked. They were trapped in a windowless room.
As if that weren’t bad enough, the power failed simultaneously, and the room went pitch black. Both boys froze, helplessly surrounded by three walls of venomous snakes they could still hear but no longer see.
Egyptian Secrets, in paperback and eBook, will be available for purchase on Amazon, February 1, 2020!
About the Author
Sherrill Joseph’s debut novel, Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets, had been inside her head for decades. The mystery genre took hold of her as a fifth grader when she discovered Nancy Drew and Phyllis A. Whitney mysteries. Years later, it still hasn’t let go.
After graduating Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English literature and a master’s in education, Sherrill spent the next thirty-five years as a K-12 literacy teacher. When she retired from teaching in 2013, the Botanic Hill Detectives and their mysteries finally sprang to life.
Forever inspired by her beautiful students in the San Diego public schools, the author has peopled and themed the Botanic Hill Detectives mysteries with children of various abilities, cultures, and interests. She strongly believes that embracing diversity is the key to a better world.
Sherrill is a native San Diegan where she lives in a ninety-year-old house in a historic neighborhood with her bichon frisé-poodle mix, Jimmy Lambchop. In addition to her dog, the city of San Diego, reading and writing, the author loves her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. She must also include dark chocolate, popcorn, old movies, staircases, the color purple, and daisies. She is a member of SCBWI and the Authors’ Guild and promises many more adventures with the squad to come.
Welcome to the blog tour for exciting Adventure Thriller, Dawn of the Assassin, by Bill Brewer! To celebrate its launch, we have loads of exclusive content including a guest post from the author, and an AMAZING giveaway to enter — A signed copy of the book and a $25 Amazon Gift Card (U.S. Only)! International readers will have a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
Dawn of the Assassin
Expected Publication Date: October 15, 2019
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Thriller
Dawn of the Assassin is an action/adventure thriller in which David Diegert, a young man of mixed race from a dysfunctional family, is coerced into becoming a hitman for an immensely wealthy, powerful man.
Thrust into violent situations, he surprises everyone, including himself, with how deadly he can be. After successfully completing trial missions, Diegert is selected for an advanced training program. The fate of the one person he loves, the reputation of his trainer and his own life depend on his ability to prevail in the final challenge of the program, the tournament of assassins.
With fast-paced writing, immersive action scenes, and surprises for Diegert around every corner, Dawn of the Assassin, is sure to keep thriller fans turning the pages.
“Just remain calm. They may not take anything or find us very interesting.”
“These guys are pussies. Let’s kick ass.”
“Oh no, you don’t. You start a fight with them, and they will simply scuttle the whole boat, leaving us without even a life raft.”
“Bullshit.”
The Somalis shouted for them to stop talking. There were three pirates on board and three more in the skiff. The small size of their open-hulled, rundown old boat surprised Diegert. It wasn’t more than ten feet long, and Diegert wouldn’t have wanted to cross a Minnesota lake in that thing, let alone the Indian Ocean.
One of the pirates went belowdecks and searched for valuables. The other two stayed above and kept their AK-47s in their hands. The pirate belowdecks let out a loud ululation and rejoiced for whatever he had found. The pirate guarding Barney shouted down to him, and when the other pirate shouted back, he couldn’t stop himself and went down below. The single pirate on deck was also distracted by what was going on below. Diegert seized the moment. He elbowed the pirate in the chest, bashed him in the mouth, grabbed the back of his head, and drove his face into a cleat on the mast, splitting his cranium on the rigid piece of metal.
Barney motioned for Diegert to stop, but the younger man stripped the AK off the dying pirate and descended into the cabin. The two pirates belowdecks were so amazed with the case of guns they’d found that, when they turned to see who was coming, Diegert struck the first one with a buttstock to the face. The second received a hand blade strike to the larynx. Both were dazed, and Diegert wrapped the strap of the AK-47 around the first guy’s neck and backhauled him over his shoulder. The force of the maneuver broke the pirate’s neck, and Diegert knew it when he heard the vertebrae snap. The second guy was coughing and struggling to breathe. Diegert noticed a knife on the man’s belt. He grabbed the man’s knife, slashed his throat, and plunged the blade into his chest. The pirate crumpled to the floor as blood bubbled out of his neck.
Three down, three to go. Diegert took the AK-47s and ascended the stairs. He tossed one to Barney and proceeded to the stern where the pirate’s skiff was tethered to the Sue Ellen. The men in the skiff were confused by the commotion on board. Diegert took full advantage of their lack of communication and their expectation that sailors wouldn’t fight back to open fire with the AK. The volley of bullets cut down two while striking the legs of the third.
With the dull illumination of the stern safety light, Diegert could see the third man was wounded, having fallen onto his back in the boat. Diegert’s weapon had a flashlight taped to it. Turning it on, he could see the remaining pirate better. The guy was young, maybe fifteen or sixteen, yet he had a rifle and was pointing it in Diegert’s direction. The defender of the Sue Ellen hesitated to see if the boy made any gesture of surrender. When the wounded pirate leveled his barrel at Diegert, he sealed his fate. With a rapid burst, the young sea robber’s life ended with bullets to the chest and head.
From the moment the second pirate went down into the cabin until the last shot was fired, barely two minutes had passed, and six lives had ended. Diegert’s adrenaline was on full blast, and he was still on point, making sure there were no other threats.
“Relax,” said Barney. “They’re all dead and we’re OK.”
Bill Brewer is a member of the Faculty of the College of Health Sciences and Technology at RIT where he serves as the Director of Exercise Science within the Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition. His areas of instruction include Anatomy & Physiology as well as numerous courses in Exercise Science.
Bill is a family man, happily married and the proud father of a son and two daughters. He lives in the South Wedge of Rochester NY. and loves to find outdoor adventure in the Adirondacks and in the Frontenac region of Ontario, Canada.
I have been reading a lot lately and managed to get another book on my July TBR completed! This one was called Jamie James And The Curse Of The Ancestors by Roy Aronson.
Synopsis: Jamie wants to become a veterinarian. He travels to Nelspruit near the Kruger National Park in order to gain work experience with a wildlife vet. He has a secret mission that is, in fact, his primary mission. Two hundred years ago an ancestor of his whipped a black slave to death. The slave’s mother placed a curse on the family whereby all the male descendants will die violently before their fiftieth birthday.
Jamie endeavors to try and have his family released from the curse. In the process, he meets Samantha, the love interest in the story, and Shadrak, who becomes his friend and who is also the son of a Sangoma.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book because ….*intense build up*…. I judged this book on its cover *audience gasping*. I had an earlier version of the book and the cover is not what the current one is now. All covers aside, the book was really good! I really enjoyed the adventures that Jamie James embarks on in Africa and all the relationships he creates with the people around his father’s Vet office.
I believe that this book would be an amazing read for the middle grade level. It is not quite advanced enough for YA or Adults but would be great for ages 9 to 14. It reminded me of these books I used to read as a kid (don’t’ remember the names now but they were about a Vet’s daughter and her rescuing a bunch of animals). With proper marketing, I think this book could be great and I think it should be read by more people.
It is very vanilla (and by that, I mean there is no swearing in it). Another great thing about it is that it has a diverse range of characters. And I learned a little about the geography of Africa.
I do believe that the name Jamie James was a little odd. This may just be my personal preference but for some reason, when I hear this name, I picture a white rapper. Yep, this is definitely just a “me” thing.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and would pass this on to my little cousins to read because I believe that they would enjoy it.
Hey everyone! So a while back, I set up my first blog tour with David Reiss for his book Fid’s Crusade and today if the official start date! The tour will run from July 14th to July 20th so I encourage everyone to follow along and go check out all the blogger’s posts and Youtuber’s videos!!
And David said that he will be doing a giveaway where you can win a physical copy of his book! The way he wants you to enter is by commenting on the blog posts and Youtuber’s videos! You can find everything you need at the Rafflecopter link!
Here is my video where I talked about the book in my wrap up when I first read it!
I am so excited about this and am looking forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts on the book! David is a great author and he wants to thank everyone participating as well.
Hey bookworms! I hope you all had a great weekend! I spent it doing a lot of reading and celebrating Canada Day so I had Monday off of work. I read The Kill Code by Clive Fleury over the weekend and it was a good one!
Synopsis: It’s the year 2031. Our future. Their present. A world decimated by climate catastrophe, where the sun’s heat is deadly and the ocean rises higher every day. A world ruled by the rich, powerful, and corrupt. A world where a good man can’t survive for long.
Hogan Duran was a good man once. He was a cop, forced to resign in disgrace when he couldn’t save his partner from a bullet. Now Hogan lives on the fraying edges of society, serving cruel masters and scavenging trash dumps just to survive.
But after four years of living in poverty, Hogan finally gets a chance to get back on his feet. He’s invited to join the National Security Council, the powerful paramilitary organization responsible for protecting the rich and powerful from the more unsavoury elements of society. All he needs to do is pass their deadly entrance exam, and he’ll be rewarded with wealth and opportunity beyond his wildest dreams.
But this ex-cop’s path to redemption won’t be easy. The NSC are hiding something, and as Hogan descends deeper and deeper into their world, he starts to uncover the terrible truth of how the powerful in this new world maintain their power…and just how far they will go to protect their secrets.
In a world gone wrong, can one man actually make a difference, or will he die trying?
This was a fast paced, action adventure and I am here for it. I really enjoyed the way it incorporated the futuristic technology and feel of past dystopian books I have read. It had elements of The Hunger Games and Divergent, two series I really love.
There are parts that had me thinking I knew what was going on only to be revealed that I was wrong and I was happy about that because the book kept surprising me. I couldn’t figure it out too quickly but it just kept moving and in a good direction. I hate when there is a book that I can figure out right away. I’m sure anyone who reads my reviews has heard me say this before.
I like reading books about a futuristic earth where resources are depleted because we never took the time to actually care about our planet. They are like little jabs at us as a population to get our priorities together (which I think we need that little kick in the butt, right?). At least if it gets to that point, after reading all of these books, I will be prepared for this type of future. But I would much rather just imagine it then have it as a reality.
Overall, this was a great, quick read full of action and adventure with twists and turns that no one could see coming!
Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the author in ebook format to read and give an honest review.
And guess what? We had the pleasure of conducting an author interview to go along with this review! Check it out below.
Author Interview
What is your top read of 2019 so far?
That’s a tough question. Probably “The Lost Man” by Jane Harper. It’s an eerie thriller set in the Australian outback. It’s beautifully written and has, as one of its main characters, a man called Bub. In my humble opinion, any author who is brave enough to call a central character Bub deserves high praise whatever the quality of the book.
What is your favorite book friendship?
John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” has, as its principal protagonists George Milton and Lennie Small. They are two displaced migrant ranch workers who move around California trying to find work in the Great Depression. George and Lennie have, at first sight, a totally unequal relationship. George is bright, whereas the bulky Lennie is slow-witted. But they need each other and both benefit and enjoy the other’s company. I remember when I first read the book feeling incredibly sad for days after I completed it. I couldn’t get it out of my mind.
Most anticipated book release of 2019?
Well, here’s an easy one. The sequel to Kill Code: A Dystopian Science Fiction Novel. I’m writing it and am hoping I will get it finished early enough for publication before 2020.
How many books are in your TBR Pile?
Four, and I doubt I’ll get to them soon because I have to finish my next book.
Who is your favorite author?
That’s like asking: ‘What is your favorite restaurant’. It’s an impossible question, and the answer depends on the time of day, and the last good book I read.
How did you start writing?
I was forced to write at school. At first, I hated completing essays about questions like: “What did you do in your holidays?” But my English teacher was very supportive and told me that one day I would be an author. Every writer needs that sort of encouragement!
Where is your favorite reading spot?
Lying in a hammock, by a river.
How long have you been an author?
The first book I wrote was back in 2012, though I had written screenplays before that. That book, called ‘The Boy Next Door,’ is for sale on Amazon, and aimed at the young teens market. It’s very different from Kill Code, but is still has science fiction elements. Give it a read.
What do you like about reading?
I imagine I like what most people like who read fiction—the ability to escape from this crazy world to another completely different place.
If you had to describe yourself in a book title, what would it be?
An Alien in Miami.
Check out my Booktube Real Talk tag video where I answer questions regarding books and the bookish community!
Hey bookworms! Sara has been busy reading lots of books and she has another review ready for us! She recently read Windsworn: Gryphon Riders – Book One by Derek Alan Siddoway.
Synopsis:Eva has never swung a sword. She’s never flown through the open sky on a gryphon or dreamed of being a hero. She’s content with a quiet life — two feet firmly on the ground, working in her foster-father’s forge. But that’s all about to change.
When Eva discovers a young thief hiding in her woodshed with a stolen gryphon egg, the shy, timid girl is forced to leave everything she’s ever known to become Windsworn — elite warriors who ride fierce gryphons into battle. As she struggles to learn the ways of the Windsworn, Eva finds herself caught in a plot to destroy the gryphon riders and plunge the kingdom into war, a plot that somehow involves her deceased parents.
In the face of growing danger, can Eva conquer her fears and unravel the secrets of her past in time to save the Windsworn?
This book is about a young blacksmith’s daughter named Eva. Through a strange series of events, she finds herself in possession of a Gryphon egg, which hatches only for her. She is then swept off into an adventure to learn about her new life, as a trained Gryphon Rider, protectors of the kingdom.
This book was a really fun read. I was engaged and staying up too late to read JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER for the whole book. I really enjoyed Eva as our main character and her struggles with what should have been a dream, but really felt like a chore. All the main characters in this book were unique and well developed.
I enjoyed that the plot never felt predictable. I never knew exactly where it was going next, or what was coming around the corner. The world that the author created feels cozy and believable. I’m eager to learn more about it in the sequel, as well as the implications of Eva’s special Gryphon.
My only complaints about the book would be the fact that the author seems to have leaned too heavily into their other favorite series for their inspiration. The beginning feels a lot like Eragon, and the final chapters felt a lot like the final chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. I think the author has created their own world here with unique characters and needs to be more careful with pulling elements from others in the genre, as it felt very familiar.
Overall, I really enjoyed it, and I’m looking forward to the sequel. Where this world goes and how Eva develops after the ending of this book can only get more intense and engaging. Great book! Wonderful for junior readers too.
Disclaimer: This book was sent to us by the author in ebook format in exchange for an honest review.
I made my latest TBR video where I talk about all the books I will be reading in June and the buddy reads I will be taking part in. The new TBR jar also commences its journey with me.
The Onyx Crown is an exciting foray into the world of African fantasy. From the searing heat of the desert to the vastness of the savannah, it tells the story of three children–Sania, Gesi, and Jorann who grow up in a pre-medieval era of wars and successions, not fifteen years after the greatest king in the history of the continent has been deposed and assassinated. They must overcome the traumatic circumstances of their birth as well as many dangerous trials to fulfill the destiny bestowed upon them as infants. Can mere children use their courage, wits, and uncanny abilities to defeat legendary warriors, entire tribes, provinces, and kingdoms–allowing them to lead the worthy to the greatest prize of all, the Onyx Crown?
The popular thing to do these days is to call it a “mid-life crisis.” For me, it was more a matter of self-reflection. Everyone eventually gets to the point where they take a critical look at their life; to see what they’ve done, what they’re currently doing, and what they can possibly do in the future.
I won’t delve into my own results ad-nauseum, but I’ll just say that this is how most bucket-lists are likely conceived. I personally believe that having accomplishments to look forward to are much better for the soul than having a long list of things already accomplished. You see it all the time—a person in impeccable health retires early, and like clockwork, his health deteriorates. Some might attribute this to their being less active physically, but I suspect otherwise. My current love of motorcycles is the result of my own mid-life bucket list, along with getting a pilot’s license and taking a month long trip to Africa, and it was by far the easiest of the three to accomplish (the other two are still in progress). After a four-day class, including about twelve hours of actual instruction on a bike, I was ready to see if riding was all of the fun and fulfillment that it seemed to be.
First however, I had to buy my first bike. This was almost a nerve-wracking as my first ride; I was absolutely clueless but forced myself to try to look as if I knew what I was doing. It’s a self-preservation tactic. No one wants to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous dealers, similar to when people shop for cars. Finally, I found a nice “beginner-friendly” Honda CTX700 (I’m sure I was robbed) and was ready to take it for a spin. This was when I learned that riding on a closed course with instructors and traffic-cones is a totally different experience than riding on a major US interstate highway. It’s not even in the same league. For one, there were no impatient motorists (cagers, we call them) on the practice range, either sitting on your rear tire with their bumper or swerving into your lane without so much as a glance. There was no crosswind blowing twenty MPH as you traverse a long bridge. And none of the famous potholes which force you to keep one eye on the pavement and while the other stays on the traffic in front of you. All of these things kept my knuckles white for most of the first month as I struggled to get comfortable with this new sensation of being on the open road.
With all of these concerns, was the decision to ride worth it? For me, the answer is and will always be a resounding YES. I’ve heard from people time after time who don’t understand the fascination or enjoyment some of us get from riding and to be honest, it’s tough to explain with mere words. The best I can do is to ask them to imagine something they’ve done in their life that makes them alert and exhilarated all at the same time. Some may answer an insane roller coaster at their favorite theme park; others may get that same feeling from taking a trip to a new and unfamiliar city. This is the ‘kick’ some of us get from riding—it’s like ziplining into a haunted house. It’s freedom in its purest form. I bought my second (grown up) bike last year, and as the summer approaches, I can’t wait to see what adventures the open road has in store for me.
Giveaway!!!
For your chance to win a digital copy of this exciting new fantasy, click the link below!
Alan Hurst is an author and entrepeneur. Hurst who spent most of his childhood reading Asian wuxia fiction, Marvel comics and encyclopedias is delving into trilogy territory with THE ONYX CROWN. He briefly studied religion at Harvard. Later, he settled in Washington, DC where he founded a software consulting firm, hosted the Urban Nation Radio podcast, and occasionally played the World Series of Poker. When not writing or enjoying time with his family, he prefers to take his Ducati motorcycle out for the occasional spin!
I recently uploaded my Booktube Newbie tag video so check it out below if you are interested. I would love it if you subscribed but that is completely up to you!
Welcome to the blog tour for the highly anticipated follow up novel in The Order of the Crystal Daggers series, Prince of Secrets and Shadows! Please read on for an exclusive excerpt, purchase details, and of course, a fab giveaway to enter!
But wait, there’s more! Today I am also revealing the stunning cover for book #3, Heart of Hope and Fear with a little teaser!
Prince of Secrets and Shadows
Publication Date: December 4th, 2018
Genre: YA/ Historical Fiction/ Adventure/ Romance
“How do I know you’re telling me the truth?” The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him, but if I did not find a way to break free of him, I would risk doing even more harm.
Ferdy met my gaze with his. “I promise you this, Ella, that as of now, I will never lie to you again.” He leaned forward and kissed me again, and I stood there, letting him, desperately debating whether I could trust him or not. His promise burned through me, his words scorched into my being. It was so tempting to believe him, more tempting than anything else I had ever faced in all my life.
Freedom was only freedom if I could trust it to be true.
PRAGUE, 1870
After joining the Order of the Crystal Daggers, led by her dauntless grandmother, Lady Penelope, Eleanora Svobodová set out to save her kingdom from oncoming devastation.
And she failed.
Following the attack on Prague Castle, Eleanora is determined to redeem herself. She sets out to win Karl’s trust while distancing herself from Ferdy, whose secrets and lies have done nothing to stop her from falling in love with him. As she struggles to let him go, questions about the mission and her mother’s past cause a rift between Amir and Lady Penelope and add to the growing discord between Eleanora and her brother.
But when a cunning provocateur arrives in Prague, Eleanora discovers there is an even more deadly game afoot, one that reaches into Amir’s past and threatens Lady Penelope’s future. Now, the members of the Order must work together if they are to uncover the true enemy hiding in Bohemia.
Can they work together despite their divisions? Or will their division lead to even more destruction?
With spies, secrets, and suspense, Prince of Secrets and Shadows is the second book in The Order of the Crystal Daggers, a spy adventure series from C. S. Johnson.
“I told you the truth about your grandmother’s past, including some of the secrets she carries,” Harshad said. “But you are still not any more inclined to trust her with your secrets, are you?”
I blushed at his perception and shook my head. “No.”
He nodded. “I thought as much. Trust is a process, especially in a fallen world.”
Perhaps for once, I understood why Harshad wanted me to remain silent while he talked. Everything he said was intentional, designed to tantalize the mind. I was suddenly appalled when I realized how much I had likely missed in our sessions before.
I hoped I would be able to make up for it, after our mission was over.
When he did speak again, it seemed as though ages had passed. “You really are so much like Dezda. I wanted to see for myself how different you are, and that required time.” His voice was much more of a whisper, and I knew he was taking a risk, and letting me know one of his secrets. “I know you are different enough that I can freely admit that I came to regret training Dezda. I did not want to make the same mistake with you.”
“This is not a mistake,” I said, but I felt my resolve weaken. I remembered how Ferdy told me that the Order of the Crystal Daggers was full of assassins, and I had nothing to say in return. He was likely right. I did not know if I was comfortable having the talent to kill someone.
Harshad seemed to agree with my unspoken concerns. “Fighting is contrary to your nature.”
“Being stubborn and contrary is not.” A wry grin appeared on my face, and I was suddenly determined to change the subject. “Besides, Lady Penelope says that Society can only exist when people do things that are unacceptable to save it.”
“That does not mean you must be such a person.”
“I do not agree,” I said. “I am free to see the truth of such a calling, even if it is uncomfortable.”
“This is not what you want.”
I did not know how to respond; Harshad was right. I had my doubts about the Order, about working with people who, as Lady POW said, would fail me.
But I was at the castle when Karl and Lord Maximillian’s attack commenced. If I had done nothing at all, if I had backed away from Lady Penelope’s offer, if I had jumped at the chance to travel abroad and find a husband, or if I had taken enough of her money to start up Liberté with Ben, I would not have been able to save Ferdy.
And he was worth it. Protecting Ferdy was worth it.
Here is the unbelievably gorgeous cover for book #3 in the series, called Heart of Hope and Fear! I also have a little teaser for you below!
“What about the Order?” I hesitated to ask, knowing Amir had painful memories of his own. “I wanted to be free before. Lady Penelope pointed out that this is the opposite of what I wanted. I can’t help but feel she is right.”
“Wanting to be free is not a sin in itself,” Amir told me softly. “Only when that is everything and held to the highest priority is it so. We are loyal to the truth, Eleanora, but the truth is complicated, and freedom can be painful.”
PRAGUE, 1871
In the battle between the past and the present, one girl must stand and fight for the future.
Following Lord Maximillian’s escape and Karl’s disappearance, Eleanora Svobodová and the other members of the Order of the Crystal Daggers have plenty to keep them preoccupied. Just as the Emperor calls for a tripartite council to determine the sovereignty of Bohemia, war breaks out in France, and Lady Penelope prepares the Order to come face to face with their true foe at last.
But then Eleanora discovers the startling truth about her mother’s last mission in Prague.
Can she rescue the prince, save the Emperor, and still protect her friends and family?
Ferdy’s mother narrowed her eyes at me. “I am relieved to hear that you have made such a study of both my sons of late, Lady Eleanora. I confess, I was surprised to hear of your engagement to Karl through the papers.”
“I regret to inform you, Your Highness, that Karl made the arrangements with the papers. I did not agree to an engagement.” I did not need a mirror to know my face had flushed over in red.
“Well, that’s not entirely true,” Ferdy interjected. “Ella has agreed to marry me.”
“What?” Lady Penelope, Empress Maria Anna, and Amir all turned to look at me. The heat in my cheeks exponentially increased.
“I love her, and she loves me,” Ferdy continued, clearly indifferent to how uncomfortable he was making me. It was scandalous that he would love me at all, but the way in which he presented his claim on my heart was more than inappropriate—especially given that we had to find his brother, who was, in the eyes of Society, the one who was rightfully engaged to me. “We would like to speak with the archbishop while we are here.”
“Today?” The empress gaped at him.
“Yes.” Ferdy stepped down from before the throne to stand beside me. He took my hand in his and brought it to his lips.
“Ferdinand … ” Empress Maria Anna looked from Ferdy to me, and then back at her son. She seemed aghast at the idea, and I did not know what to do to calm her fears—if I could do such a thing at all. My own stomach was turning and twisting into knots.
“I have fallen deeply under her spell, Mother, and I would hate to fall even further into scandal and temptation,” Ferdy continued, watching his mother carefully. “It would be such a stain on our family’s virtuous history.”
The former empress blushed as she looked at me, and I was too shocked to assure her Ferdy and I were not engaged in an affair; even if I had, I worried Ferdy would divulge more of our stolen moments together, just vague enough to let everyone assume the worst.
I only felt some measure of relief when Amir gave me a small smile. From where he stood behind Lady Penelope, I could see the somberness as well as the sincerity of his approval.
Suddenly, I did not want to know what Lady Penelope was thinking; I deliberately kept my face turned away from hers.
“It was only a few days ago that my life was endangered as I made my way back to Silesia,” Ferdy said, so smoothly I did not even call him on his lie. “Life is so fragile, Mother, and I have been waiting for Ella for so long.”
He looked back up at his mother, resolved and proud, but still pleading for her approval.
Ferdy had told me once before that I was the one who was more determined between us, but as his fingers curled into mine, in a manner that was both so seductive and yet so innocent, I wondered if he had been lying.
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C. S. Johnson is the award-winning, genre-hopping author of several novels, including young adult sci-fi and fantasy adventures such as the Starlight Chronicles, the Once Upon a Princess saga, and the Divine Space Pirates trilogy. With a gift for sarcasm and an apologetic heart, she currently lives in Atlanta with her family. Find out more at http://www.csjohnson.me
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Prince of Secrets and Shadows
