The paperback edition of Pas de Deux is now available through createspace and Amazon. Follow the life of Elena Gleason as she gets more than she bargained for upon meeting the mysterious Anastasios thanks to a magical locket.
Special thanks to Kostis Petridis who designed my amazing cover. If you’d like to contact him about book cover designs or other graphic art, you can visit his website by clicking here.
This is a friendly reminder that Pas de Deux is available at midnight on November 18th in ebook form, with both paperback and hardcover editions to follow. Grab a copy and get sucked into the life of Elena, who wants nothing more than to become a ballerina in the New York City Ballet, but somehow ends up entwined with a depressed stranger who hopes she can save him from his solitude.
Date Started: November 10, 2016
Date Finished: November 11, 2016
Synopsis: (From Amazon)
FIRST SHE WAS WATCHED.
In this breathtaking new story from the astonishing imagination of James Patterson, a girl has to save herself from an army assembled just to capture her – and maybe save the planet while she’s at it.
THEN SHE WAS THREATENED.
Maximum Ride is a perfectly normal teenager who just happens to be able to fly, the result of an out-of-control genetic experiment. Max and the other members of the flock – five kids who share her remarkable ability – have been asked to aid a group of environmental scientists studying the effects of global warming. The expedition seems like a perfect combination of adventure, activism – and escaping government forces who are watching the flock all the time.
THIS IS HER FINAL WARNING.
But even in Antarctica, enduring in the harshest weather on our planet, Maximum Ride is an irresistible target in constant danger. For whoever controls her powers could also control the world. . . .
Maximum Ride is James Patterson’s greatest character, a heroine who manages to be human and fearless at once. The Final Warning is an unrelenting new adventure from the writer Time magazine has called “The Man Who Can’t Miss.”
Review:
Everything I’ve previously said about the Maximum Ride books, good depth and characterization, good pacing, is all true in this one as well. What is even better about this book is the information and knowledge given about a very serious issue going on in our world, something that we are all obligated and responsible to work towards stopping. I think this book would be excellent to teach to middle schoolers to get them thinking about world issues.
That being said, the book is rather light in comparison to the others. There aren’t lots of fight scenes and everything seems a bit more subdued than we are used to the flock experiencing. Many Amazon reviews seem to dislike this novel, and it isn’t a typical Maximum Ride book. Full of political awareness, this book doesn’t really fit with the other three as well as it could have. The antagonist seems like a side plot thrown in so there is some sort of fighting tension, a chance to see what happens due to global warming in action, and the antagonist is far too easily thwarted.
Author Biography: (From Amazon)
James Patterson received the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community at the 2015 National Book Awards. His other awards include two Emmys, the Edgar Award, and the Children’s Choice Award for Author of the Year. He is a tireless champion of the power of books and reading, exemplified by his new children’s book imprint, JIMMY Patterson, whose mission is simple: “We want every kid who finishes a JIMMY Book to say: ‘PLEASE GIVE ME ANOTHER BOOK.'” He has donated more than one million books to students and soldiers and has over four hundred Teacher Education Scholarships at 24 colleges and universities. He has also donated millions to independent bookstores and school libraries. Patterson will be investing proceeds from the sales of JIMMY Patterson Books in pro-reading initiatives.
Date Started: November 8, 2016
Date Finished: November 10, 2016
Synopsis: (From Amazon)
In MAXIMUM RIDE: SAVING THE WORLD AND OTHER EXTREME SPORTS, the time has arrived for Max and her winged “Flock” to face their ultimate enemy and discover their original purpose: to defeat the takeover of “Re-evolution”, a sinister experiment to re-engineer a select population into a scientifically superior master race…and to terminate the rest. Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel have always worked together to defeat the forces working against them–but can they save the world when they are torn apart, living in hiding and captivity, halfway across the globe from one another?
Review:
This book is full of very realistic feelings of our flock towards what they are up against. Tensions are high and the flock is on edge wondering why someone would want to end them, and end the world. There are very realistic relationship developments through this novel, with characters having to step aside and pause because they are unsure of what they should be doing– something that everyone should feel is okay to do in a tense situation.
Stronger united, no one wants the flock to split apart, and they realize how much of a liability it can be. Another great lesson one learns from this book is that children have power. Being young doesn’t mean you don’t have a voice.
I just realized this book isn’t listed as YA on Amazon, but I can assure that is its classification.
This book is a great continuation of the last book, and the wonderful ending makes me wonder what is in store for the flock in book 4 and on.
Author Biography: (From Amazon)
James Patterson received the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community at the 2015 National Book Awards. His other awards include two Emmys, the Edgar Award, and the Children’s Choice Award for Author of the Year. He is a tireless champion of the power of books and reading, exemplified by his new children’s book imprint, JIMMY Patterson, whose mission is simple: “We want every kid who finishes a JIMMY Book to say: ‘PLEASE GIVE ME ANOTHER BOOK.'” He has donated more than one million books to students and soldiers and has over four hundred Teacher Education Scholarships at 24 colleges and universities. He has also donated millions to independent bookstores and school libraries. Patterson will be investing proceeds from the sales of JIMMY Patterson Books in pro-reading initiatives.
Date Started: November 7, 2016
Date Finished: November 8, 2016
Synopsis: (From Amazon)
Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride and the other members of the “Flock”–Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel–are just like ordinary kids–only they have wings and can fly. It seems like a dream come true–except that they’re being hunted by half-human, half-wolf “Erasers” who can fly, too.
In Book 2 of the series, the Flock members are taken under the wing of an FBI agent and try to live “normal” lives by going to school, making friends–and continuing their relentless search for their parents. But the Erasers return, forcing the Flock to abandon their search and make their escape once again. The voice inside Max’s head keeps telling her that it’s up to her to save the world, but this is especially challenging to do when she is faced with her ultimate match: a newer and better version of herself, Maximum Ride II. Max’s heart-stopping quest to investigate the mind-blowing mystery of her ultimate destiny continues in the scariest, strangest, and funniest James Patterson novel yet.
Review:
This book does so well at showcasing what most adolescents want in life: freedom, fun, security. Max is like most other teenagers, uncertain of herself, unsure what she is doing and how to get there, yet with the added fantasy elements of her amazing life. This book also shows that adults often underestimate the abilities and desires of younger people, disregarding how capable they can be, and what they would be willing to do to get what they think they need to feel whole.
The characters really drove this book more than the action, in my opinion. The issues of trust were very well laid, especially trusting yourself/your instincts versus people you’re uncertain of. Everyone has a point in time when they aren’t sure they can trust others, or what they are doing.
Though the fantasy parts of this novel are random sprinkled about, the humanizing and deep characterization of our flock makes this book more than worth the read.
Author Biography: (From Amazon)
James Patterson received the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community at the 2015 National Book Awards. His other awards include two Emmys, the Edgar Award, and the Children’s Choice Award for Author of the Year. He is a tireless champion of the power of books and reading, exemplified by his new children’s book imprint, JIMMY Patterson, whose mission is simple: “We want every kid who finishes a JIMMY Book to say: ‘PLEASE GIVE ME ANOTHER BOOK.'” He has donated more than one million books to students and soldiers and has over four hundred Teacher Education Scholarships at 24 colleges and universities. He has also donated millions to independent bookstores and school libraries. Patterson will be investing proceeds from the sales of JIMMY Patterson Books in pro-reading initiatives.
Date Started: November 3, 2016
Date Finished: November 7, 2016
In a Golden Age where spark reactors power the airways, and creatures of Light and Shadow walk openly among us, a deadly game of Alchemists and Warlocks has begun.
When an unusual cargo drags airship-pilot Elle Chance into the affairs of the mysterious Mr. Marsh, she must confront her destiny and do everything in her power to stop the Alchemists from unleashing a magical apocalypse.
Review:
You’ll never believe how I happened upon this book. I found this, in hardcover, for sale in the dollar store. Not your usual dollar store find. Looked interesting, so of course I’m going to purchase it! I certainly got more than a dollar’s worth of entertainment from it.
From the beginning Elle was interesting, but she didn’t have a strong personality, and was far too wishy-washy for my personal tastes. She was quick to anger, but far too easy to apease. I wish that Elle’s thoughts and feelings were gathered organically instead of being very stark and sudden in most cases.
The source of power was interesting, and the bits of added in Roman/Greek mythology were quite intriguing, though I, like Elle, found how the power transferred slowly and the three stages were kind of odd. I found Marsh a far deeper and empathetic character in most situations. Although I wish there had been more time spent on rounding out Elle’s character, instead of making her seem like a hotheaded spoiled brat, Marsh’s characterization almost made up for it.
If not for the age of the characters, I would likely place this book within the young adult genre. There were several times that I was uncertain why Schwarz decided to use higher language than the rest of the novel seemed to be written in, though it did not personally hurt my reading, it may hurt others. All in all, I did enjoy this book, and intend to read the rest in the series
Author Biography: (From Amazon)
There is nothing about Liesel on Amazon, therefore, there will not be anything here, either.
Now available for pre-order on kindle, Amy S. Brown’s debut novel, Pas de Deux.
Kindle Release: November 18, 2016. Paperback to follow.
Elena Gleason is driven. She’s spent countless hours of her seventeen years honing her abilities to become a ballerina in the New York City Ballet. Yet when she is whisked off to a remote manor house by a magical locket, and trapped with a dark haired stranger, Elena realizes more than her future in ballet is at stake. Anastasios has lost his spark, and is searching for a muse to infuse his spirit when Elena falls into his life. Skeptical of Anastasios’s claims, Elena continues to seek a way out of the manor, and learns the perils of his profession. Despite knowing the risks, Elena won’t stop fighting for the future she wants.
I’ve been diligently working on Pas de Deux for years. It’s gone through many changes, and I’m quite pleased with what it has become. I hope that many of you enjoy inhabiting the world of Elena and Anastasios as much as I do.
The Pas de Deux tab on the far right will now take you first to an information page about this novel, with the drop down link taking you to the posts I’ve put up about this novel and a small bit of the process I’ve gone through to get it where it is today.
Date Started: October 27, 2016
Date Finished: October 30, 2016
Synopsis: (From Amazon)
When an apprentice from the Mapmakers’ Guild goes missing, Matt and India are employed to find him. Going undercover as a married couple, they discover that not everyone at the guild is what they seem, and the lad’s unearthly maps caused jealousy, suspicion and fear.
With one of the apprentice’s magic maps in their possession, India and Matt must use their wits and India’s fledgling, untried magic to find him. But the more they investigate, the more sinister plots they uncover, including a link between the Mapmakers’ and Watchmakers’ Guilds, and an ancient magical treasure buried beneath the streets of London.
As the net of suspicion widens and enemies draw closer, it’s not just the apprentice’s life that’s in danger, but Matt’s too. Someone will go to great lengths to prevent him discovering the name of the man who can fix the watch keeping him alive. Great lengths indeed.
Review:
I will start out by saying I did find some grammatical issues in this novel, though they did not detract in any way from the story being presented.
The relationships really endear me to this series. There is so much more than what is being said when you read between the lines of interactions between everyone. Learning more about the hereditary passing of magic was quite useful, and it’s been quite enjoyable learning more about the various types of magics as India does.
It’s refreshing that India seems to care so little about romance, though there is clearly something brewing. She seems resigned to being a spinster, but she doesn’t allow herself to make poor choices, instead using that situation to her advantage, acting as a strong, independent woman. Romance is still possible for her, but she doesn’t intend on seeking it as a solution for what to do with her future, which I really adore.
I had not figured out the mystery by the time the plot wrapped up, though I had suspected partial involvement by the time it was revealed. I believe the special collection mentioned in this novel will potentially play a pivotal role in one of the future books in this series, though I could be wrong.
I really enjoyed seeing India become even more independent and knowledgeable in this novel, and I would recommend this book highly.
C. J. Archer is such a great, wonderful person on top of being a great author. She has a fan group on Facebook, CJ Archer’s Ministry of Fans, where people who like her books can talk about them, and Ms. Archer interacts with her fans frequently (which makes her even more endearing). If you are like me and adore her books, join the group and chat with like minded individuals.
Author Biography: (From Amazon)
C.J. Archer has loved history and books for as long as she can remember and feels fortunate that she found a way to combine the two. She has at various times worked as a librarian, IT support person and technical writer but in her heart has always been a fiction writer. While she has written historical romance in the past, she now writes exclusively in the historical fantasy genre (with a large dose of romance). She has several series which occur in the same Victorian-era “world”, one after the other. Each series can be read alone, but it’s more fun to start at the beginning with THE EMILY CHAMBERS SPIRIT MEDIUM TRILOGY. Follow that up with all 9 FREAK HOUSE books, then the MINISTRY OF CURIOSITIES series. GLASS AND STEELE, her newest series, is set in an entirely different alternate Victorian London.
Subscribe to C.J.’s newsletter to be notified when she releases a new book, as well as get access to exclusive content and subscriber-only giveaways. Join via her website: http://www.cjarcher.com
She loves to hear from readers. You can contact her through email cj@cjarcher.com or follow her on social media to get the latest updates on her books:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CJArcherAuthorPage
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cj_archer
Tumblr: http://freakhouseresidents.tumblr.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcjarcher/
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4615377.C_J_Archer
Date Started: October 23, 2016
Date Finished: October 27, 2016
Synopsis: (From Amazon)
India Steele is desperate. Her father is dead, her fiancé took her inheritance, and no one will employ her, despite years working for her watchmaker father. Indeed, the other London watchmakers seem frightened of her. Alone, poor, and at the end of her tether, India takes employment with the only person who’ll accept her – an enigmatic and mysterious man from America. A man who possesses a strange watch that rejuvenates him when he’s ill. Matthew Glass must find a particular watchmaker, but he won’t tell India why any old one won’t do. Nor will he tell her what he does back home, and how he can afford to stay in a house in one of London’s best streets. So when she reads about an American outlaw known as the Dark Rider arriving in England, she suspects Mr. Glass is the fugitive. When danger comes to their door, she’s certain of it. But if she notifies the authorities, she’ll find herself unemployed and homeless again – and she will have betrayed the man who saved her life. With a cast of quirky characters, an intriguing mystery, and a dash of romance, THE WATCHMAKER’S DAUGHTER is the start of a thrilling new historical fantasy series from the author of the bestselling Ministry of Curiosities, Freak House, and Emily Chambers Spirit Medium books.
Review:
I honestly wasn’t sure what I thought this book was going to be like, but it was far better than I had anticipated. I absolutely adore the depth that Ms. Archer puts into her characters, their backstories, their desires. While it is often plot that drives a story, the deep characterization is what makes the reader truly feel for this heroine, who is far more outspoken and forward than most women (especially those looking for a husband) would be in that time period, which makes her all the more intriguing. I love the relationships between characters, and the so obvious tension that no one is willing to push pass to address.
I absolutely love how important clocks are, and I had almost thought we were going to end up with a steampunk vibe, but although there is a bit of connection it is not enough to consider this novel that genre. While there might be something supernatural going on, the events are expertly entwined with coincidences and knowledge that the heroine would have that it isn’t obvious.
Though Ministry of Curiosities is still my favourite of her series, this is my second so far. India is a very strong female lead, someone that I found myself wanting to rally behind and see accomplish great things, and find happiness in life, even if she thinks she’s “spinster age”. If you have the chance, I highly recommend this book.
Author Biography: (From Amazon)
C.J. Archer has loved history and books for as long as she can remember and feels fortunate that she found a way to combine the two. She has at various times worked as a librarian, IT support person and technical writer but in her heart has always been a fiction writer. While she has written historical romance in the past, she now writes exclusively in the historical fantasy genre (with a large dose of romance). She has several series which occur in the same Victorian-era “world”, one after the other. Each series can be read alone, but it’s more fun to start at the beginning with THE EMILY CHAMBERS SPIRIT MEDIUM TRILOGY. Follow that up with all 9 FREAK HOUSE books, then the MINISTRY OF CURIOSITIES series. GLASS AND STEELE, her newest series, is set in an entirely different alternate Victorian London.
Subscribe to C.J.’s newsletter to be notified when she releases a new book, as well as get access to exclusive content and subscriber-only giveaways. Join via her website: http://www.cjarcher.com
She loves to hear from readers. You can contact her through email cj@cjarcher.com or follow her on social media to get the latest updates on her books:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CJArcherAuthorPage
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cj_archer
Tumblr: http://freakhouseresidents.tumblr.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcjarcher/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/cjarcher/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4615377.C_J_Archer
Amy S. Brown 