A Thousand Words A Million Books || A Young Adult Book Blog: Fairy-Tale

Showing posts with label Fairy-Tale. Show all posts

Breathtaking Writing in a Dark, Atmospheric World / Review: The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Title: The Hazel Wood
Author: Melissa Albert
Publication Date: February 8th 2018
Publisher: Penguin Books UK
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 1 on 2 of The Hazel Wood Duology
I Got A Copy Through: Penguin India (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Barnes and Noble || Wordery || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice's life on the road, always a step ahead of the strange bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice's grandmother, the reclusive author of a book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate - the Hazel Wood - Alice learns how bad her luck can really get. Her mother is stolen away - by a figure who claims to come from the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: STAY AWAY FROM THE HAZEL WOOD.
To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began . . .

Going into this book, I honestly did not know what to expect. I’m so much more of a fantasy fan than horror/ mystery (which I THOUGHT this book was about – it wasn’t.) Yet EVERYBODY I knew was RAVING about this book and I knew it would be one I’d read. Soon.

As I sit on the other end, having absolutely DEVOURED this phenomenal debut novel, I AM IN AWE. The hype, my fellow bookworms, IS REAL. Melissa Albert brought to LIFE the words ‘Dark Fairy Tale’ with stunning writing and a world filled with Stories, consequences, revelations, twists and it was a whole new experience, reading The Hazel Wood.

Let’s break it down:

1. The Hazel Wood started off in the normal world, slowly introducing us to Alice, the protagonist and her life. We’re introduced to her mother, Ella, Finch, the boy who has everything but is battling his own loneliness and slowly, by the time we’re halfway through, we’re introduced properly to the insanity that is the Hinterland and every kind of Story and Creature that comes with it.

2. The world building and the writing complemented each other SO WELL. It was this dark world, that had all kinds of fairy tale creatures coming out of the woodwork at all times and I LOVED THE ATMOSPHERE OF IT ALL SO MUCH.

3. I absolutely loved Melissa Albert’s characters as well. Alice was headstrong, feminist and honest. Finch had a kind but broken heart and a head filled with fairy tales. I also loved Ella, Alice’s mother, and I love the to the ends of the earth for each other, whatever the consequences relationship they had and I WISH we had seen more of her throughout the book.

4. CAN WE ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW ABSOLUTELY STUNNING BOTH THE U.S AND THE U.K COVERS ARE? It captures the delicious creepiness of this book and I love it so much.

This book was NOTHING like I expected it to be – it was so much more. It was flawless, in every sense of the word, dark but in a fairy tale kind of way and the characters were so realistic. I honestly cannot believe I EVER had doubts about this book and I NEED THE SEQUEL.

The Hazel Wood was, in all honesty, a perfect combination of dark fairy tales, impressive world building and breath-taking writing in a dark, atmospheric world and I was HOOKED on it.

Melissa is the founding editor of the B&N Teen Blog and an editor at B&N Reads. She reads books, worries about strangers' dogs (they look thirsty), and gets mad at people who block the escalator. You can find her on Twitter @mimi_albert.

What are some of your favourite book inspired by fairytales?

Have you read The Hazel Wood? What do you think of it?

An Enchanting and Immersive Fairy Tale Retelling // REVIEW: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Title: The Bear and The Nightingale (Winternight #1)
Author: Katherine Arden
Publication Date: January 12th 2017
Publisher: Del Rey Books (Penguin Random House)
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 1 on 3 of the Winternight Trilogy
I Got A Copy Through: Penguin India (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Infibeam || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Kobo || Books A Million || Google Books

Blurb Description: NATIONAL BESTSELLER - A magical debut novel for readers of Naomi Novik's Uprooted, Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, and Neil Gaiman's myth-rich fantasies, The Bear and the Nightingale spins an irresistible spell as it announces the arrival of a singular talent with a gorgeous voice.
At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn't mind--she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse's fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.
After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.
And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa's stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.
As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed--this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales.

“I am only a story, Vasya.”

I had heard GREAT things about this book before I dove in. Some of my favourite humans in the book world told me that it was intriguing, magical and that it would suck me in and when I finally picked it up, I was SO EXCITED for all the wonder it would hold.

The Bear and the Nightingale is an enchanting and spell binding Russian fairy tale retelling with a witty, courageous protagonist, magic, family and death and I LOVED IT.

My only problem with this book was the pace for three-quarters of it – The Bear and the Nightingale was JUST SO SLOW. Especially during the middle parts when the novelty of the world wore off, I feel like the book itself had stagnated, with nothing at ALL happening. I’ll go into it in more detail below.

Image result for the bear and the nightingale quotes

MY THOUGHTS:

1. Katherine Arden’s writing was SPECTACULAR throughout the course of the book. I was in awe of her ability to bring Russia, winter and magic come to life through her ever changing viewpoints. It was lush, enchanting writing and this story wouldn’t have worked without it.

2. I fell in love with Vasilisa Petrovna and her courage, her need to be independent and her fiery loyalty. She knew what was right and fought for it and she had such a big heart. It’s so difficult to explain her as a character because she feels real to me and I can’t do her justice. She was a genuine, headstrong girl who believed in herself and in the simple magic all around her.

3. The pace of this book for the first three quarters was SO SLOW. I usually understand why the beginnings of books are so slow but when everything happened with Father Konstantin, his icons, and Vasilisa’s stepmother, I still enjoyed the book as a whole, but I really had to push through to reach the end. I wish all the events happened at a better pace than they did because then this book would have been a definite five star.

4. LET’S JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY THAT IS THE COVER OF THIS BOOK. I’ve been reading it for days and I’ve haamd it for months and I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH IT.

“Nothing changes, Vasya. Things are, or they are not. Magic is forgetting that something ever was other than as you willed it.”

5. I loved Vasya’s family, especially Alyosha. I feel like we didn’t get to see enough of her other siblings – Kolya, Olga, Sasha and her half-sister, Irina – but I did love the understated bond between all of them. I loved Alyosha and his silent protectiveness about his sister most of all.

6. The last hundred or so pages of this book (from the start of part three, really) were ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. I adored where the story progressed, the fairy-tale brothers that were really introduced and everything else about it. It was delightfully charming and I loved it.

It did take me more than my usual time to get through this book, not because I didn’t love it but because it was a slow paced book.

The Bear and the Nightingale was a fascinating, immersive book that really transports you into the world Katherine Arden has created and keeps you entranced. 4 stars.

Born in Texas, Katherine attended Middlebury College, where she studied French and Russian literature. She has lived abroad in France and in Moscow, and is fluent in both French and Russian. She has also lived in Hawaii, where she spent time guiding horse trips while writing The Bear and the Nightingale. She currently lives in Vermont.

What are some of your FAVOURITE Fairy Tale Retellings?

Have you read The Bear and The Nightingale and it's sequel? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THEM?

I'd absolutely love to hear from you <3!

ARC Review: Land of Neverendings by Kate Saunders

Title: The Land Of Neverendings

Author: Kate Saunders

Publication Date: October 3rd 2017

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone

I Got A Copy Through: Penguin India (THANK YOU!)

Buy Links: Amazon IN || Amazon US || Amazon UK || The Book Depository || Wordery || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Kobo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Emily felt wide awake - but this had to be a dream. A soft light glowed from the middle of Holly's empty bed. It came from a little tent - striped red and white, not more than knee-height, and with shadows moving about inside it. Never in all her life would Emily forget the strangeness of what she saw next . . .
When Emily's sister Holly dies, she is surprised to find that she misses her toy bear, Bluey, almost as much as Holly. Bluey was Holly's constant companion, and Emily used to make up stories about him and his escapades in the magical (and very silly) world of Smockeroon to entertain her. And the only person who seems to understand Emily's grief is Ruth, her kindly next-door neighbour.
But then very strange things start to happen. Emily dreams of talking toys visiting her bedroom, telling her that they have come from Smockeroon, and have a message for her from Bluey. A terrible black toad, who stinks of sadness, begins to stalk Ruth's house. And when a parade of penguins wearing plastic moustaches marches through their kitchen - well, Emily has to begin to wonder whether this is all a dream after all. But why are the toys here, and what could Bluey possibly be trying to tell her?
This stunning novel will tickle your funny bones as much as it pulls on your heartstrings, and is a true classic in the making.

Actual Rating 4.5 Stars

When I first read this title, I believed that this book was some kind of Peter Pan Retelling. A land based on the imagination of children with the called "Neverendings" - can you blame me.

This is basically me saying that without actually reading the synopsis, I went in thinking that I'd be getting a Retelling of one of my favourite fairy tales, but I got something much different and much better!

The Land of Neverendings is a hilarious and gorgeously imagined children's book where toys live their own lives and are reunited with their owners when they leave our world.

My Thoughts:

1. Since I've almost crossed the realm of teenage-Dom, this book was a very quick and fun read for me. I loved getting into Emily's mind, feeling the grief and loss of losing her sister, losing her one old friend and making new ones and also watching her reactions as the toys and their imagined stories came to life in front of her very eyes.

2. The toys in this book were HILARIOUS. There were refined penguins who opened up a bed and breakfast, nun barbie dolls, various societies that had been formed among the toys and even a prison doll who only knows how to get in trouble.

3. Amidst all the hilarity, I especially loved that there was loss of a loved one too young being dealt with in an affirming and yet real manner.

4. Which of course, bring me to Ruth, our main character, Emily's elderly next door neighbour who lost her son in a drunk driving accident. I loved the support that they were able to give each other, the no questions asked belief and most of all, the chocolate biscuits.

Image result for the land of neverendings

5. Another character I TRULY loved was Martha, Emily's new friend. I loved her honest goodness that wafted off the page, her unwavering loyalty and her kindness. She makes me think ofall the brilliant friends I made in middle school.

Despite the fact that this is a children's book I still loved every second of reading it.

The Land of Neverendings is a hilarious, show stopping marvel from a true creative genius. 4.5 stars.

Kate Saunders (born 1960) is an English author, actress, and journalist. The daughter of the early public relations advocate Basil Saunders and his journalist wife Betty (née Smith), Saunders has worked for newspapers and magazines in the UK, including The Sunday Times, Sunday Express, Daily Telegraph, She, and Cosmopolitan.

She has also been a regular contributor to radio and television, with appearances on the Radio 4 programs Woman's Hour, Start the Week, and Kaleidoscope. She was, with Sandi Toksvig, a guest on the first episode of the long-running news quiz program Have I Got News For You.

Saunders has also written multiple books for children and for adults.

What were some of your favourite stories as a child?

What were some of your favourite fairy tales?

Which one of your childhood toys would you like to meet in real life?

A Strong Female Cast // ARC Review: Girls Made of Snow And Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

Title: Girls Made Of Snow And Glass
Author: Melissa Bashardoust
Publication Date: September 5th 2017
Publisher: Flatiron Books (Macmillan)
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
I Got A Copy Through: Macmillan International (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Amazon US || Amazon UK || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Frozen meets The Bloody Chamber in this feminist fantasy reimagining of the Snow White fairytale
At sixteen, Mina's mother is dead, her magician father is vicious, and her silent heart has never beat with love for anyone—has never beat at all, in fact, but she’d always thought that fact normal. She never guessed that her father cut out her heart and replaced it with one of glass. When she moves to Whitespring Castle and sees its king for the first time, Mina forms a plan: win the king’s heart with her beauty, become queen, and finally know love. The only catch is that she’ll have to become a stepmother.
Fifteen-year-old Lynet looks just like her late mother, and one day she discovers why: a magician created her out of snow in the dead queen’s image, at her father’s order. But despite being the dead queen made flesh, Lynet would rather be like her fierce and regal stepmother, Mina. She gets her wish when her father makes Lynet queen of the southern territories, displacing Mina. Now Mina is starting to look at Lynet with something like hatred, and Lynet must decide what to do—and who to be—to win back the only mother she’s ever known…or else defeat her once and for all.
Entwining the stories of both Lynet and Mina in the past and present, Girls Made of Snow and Glass traces the relationship of two young women doomed to be rivals from the start. Only one can win all, while the other must lose everything—unless both can find a way to reshape themselves and their story.

Use the words ‘feminist,’ ‘fairy tale,’ and ‘retelling’ AND YOU KNOW THAT I WILL BE A READER OF THAT BOOK, REGARDLESS OF ANYTHING ELSE.

After Frozen (GO SISTER POWER!) the new Cinderella movie came out, I was so disappointed that it wasn’t more… feministic. I expected Disney to have seen the pure joy that women around the world faced when true love’s kiss didn’t mean Prince Charming’s and to have changed Cinderella, but it was the absolute same as before. *continues weeping*

In any case, it was after that that I began STRONGLY BELIEVING that all Fairy Tales SHOULD BE MORE FEMINISTIC so that little girls will grow up knowing how to be strong, independent women.

And so when I first read the description of Melissa Bashardoust’s Girls Made of Snow and Glass, I KNEW I WOULD HAVE TO READ IT. And when I got approved to read an advance reader copy, I was OVER THE MOON.

Surprisingly, this book took me a really long while to get through. The book was slow paced and filled with introspection and I found myself skipping the long LONG descriptions that came after a few exchanges between characters.

Let’s break this down:

THINGS I REALLY LIKED:

1. A FEMINISM AND LGBT FILLED FAIRY TALE RETELLING: Did you get all of those words? A FEMINIST. LGBT. FAIRY TALE. RETELLING. Really, can you ask for more? I already read one Snow While retelling earlier this year, Forest of A Thousand Lanterns and I LOVED IT for its Asian cast and anti-heroine but this one WITH MAGICAL POWERS SOUNDED JUST AS GOOD. I was so happy that this book turned the traditional fairy tale into a feminist book because WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT THAT?

2. STRONG FEMALE CAST: Most of the book was centred around strong female characters trying to find their way or themselves, and I loved it. Mina (the Queen/ Stepmother), Lynet (the Princess) and even Nadia were all characters that were so well done.

THINGS THAT REALLY COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:

1. THE PACE: THIS BOOK WAS VERY SLOW. It took me days and days to get through it purely because of how utterly slow paced it was. Like I mentioned before – there just wasn’t much HAPPENING in the book and it was filled with introspection from both Lynet and Mina about the SAME THINGS.

I found myself skipping parts of the inner monologues as I got to the latter half of the book because they were the SAME and I wasn’t learning any new information from them

I honestly felt that if the pace of this book had been different, the book itself would have been so much more enjoyable.

2. DID I ALREADY SAY THE PACE?

3. T-H-E -- P-A-C-E:

And that’s it. I absolutely love what Melissa Bashardoust’s book did for feminism in fairy tales considering HOW MUCH we need it, but I would be giving this book a lot higher of a rating if the book was faster paced. 2.75 stars.

Melissa Bashardoust (pronounced BASH-ar-doost) received her degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley, where she rediscovered her love for creative writing, children’s literature, and fairy tales and their retellings. She currently lives in Southern California with a cat named Alice and more copies of Jane Eyre than she probably needs. Girls Made of Snow and Glass is her first novel.

As much as I appreciate you all, I'm not active on Goodreads, so if you'd like to get in touch, please see the contact page on my website above. Thanks and happy reading!

Wow! My second Snow White Retelling Review this week! :O

What's your favourite fairy tale, and what's your favourite retelling of that fairy tale?

Do you think that faity tales, especially ones with Princesses should have a more feminist touch to it?

I'd love to hear from all you lovelies!

An Unpredictable, Diverse and Dark Fantasy // ARC Review: Forest Of A Thousand Lanterns by Julie C Dao

Title: Forest Of A Thousand Lanterns (Rise of the Empress #1)

Author: Julie C Dao

Publication Date: October 10th 2017

Publisher: Philomel Books (Penguin Random House)

Part of a Series?: Yes, 1 on 2 of the Rise Of The Empress Duology

I Got A Copy Through: PRH International (THANK YOU!)

Buy Links: Amazon IN || Amazon US || Amazon UK || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: An East Asian fantasy reimagining of The Evil Queen legend about one peasant girl's quest to become Empress--and the darkness she must unleash to achieve her destiny.
Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng's majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?
Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins--sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute.

When I heard people raving about this Diverse Reads book on Twitter, and after reading the synopsis I IMMEDIATELY added to my wish list. Julie Dao is such a sweet person and it just made me want to immerse myself in her world more.

In A Few Words: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns was a dark, lush fantasy that will make readers root for an anti-heroine that we grew up hating. It was gorgeous, powerful and filled with diversity. I couldn’t recommend it more.

Let’s break it down:

WRITING:

Julie Dao’s writing was impressive. While the beginning of the story was slow, it was the writing that kept me at it. It wasn’t overly complicated writing, but it still had this gorgeous flow that kept you hooked. In the more intense scenes (no spoilers) that come later in the book, it made me feel what Xifeng felt. Her hopes, her desperation, her need to be something better than everybody else.

It’s the kind of writing that makes you believe and it doesn’t get any better than that!

IDEA:

If you don’t know, this book is a reimagined re-telling of Snow White. I’m not going to spoil anything, but this book IS NOT the tale you heard as a child, hence the word RE-IMAGINED. It was a very dark and different perspective on the story, and since I’m a dark and twisty person always searching for the worst boy and most cunning girl in books, THIS WAS MY CUP OF TEA!

PLOT:

FOTL started off slowly. I put it down a few times, but I would recommend you to keep at it until Xifeng reaches the capital because THAT’S WHEN IT REALLY PICKS UP. After she enters the palace, and a world filled with romance, politics, betrayal and making it ahead is when the books really picks up. Xifeng is a classic manipulator, plotter both subtle and effective and it was SO GOOD.

I loved how destiny, ancient stories and otherworldly powerful beings played a role in this just as much as the Emperor, Empress and other members of the palace.

It was SO WELL plotted out, and I’m so excited for the second book.

CHARACTERS:

I initially didn’t get Xifeng. She seemed to be this oh-so-beautiful girl who wanted to be good and pious but was secretly conspiring to achieve a foretold destiny that would involve her being the OPPOSITE of good and pious.

But then, as she accepted that the girl she was trying to be couldn’t exist in the life she wanted to make, I FELL IN LOVE WITH HER. She was ruthless, unafraid to get what she wanted and yet cared so deep. She didn’t want to be just another name forgotten by the sands of time and I RESPECT THAT SO MUCH. I especially loved the ending of her story because GO ANTI HEROINES.

Since the whole story was told from Xifeng’s point of view, I didn’t get to know the other characters much but they were ALL stunning secondary characters. I liked Lady Sun’s evil machinations, the Empress and her kind heart and Emperor Jun’s ability to see both brains and beauty. I didn’t like Wei, but then I always knew I wouldn’t.

CONCLUSION:

If you’re looking for that unpredictable, diverse and dark fantasy book, go throw this book to the TOP of your TBRs and Wish lists. Forest of A Thousand Lanterns will have you spell bound with its intense writing, captivated by its ruthless main character and in love with the world you’ve been transported to.

Julie C. Dao (www.juliedao.com) is a proud Vietnamese-American who was born in upstate New York. She studied medicine in college, but came to realize blood and needles were her Kryptonite. By day, she worked in science news and research; by night, she wrote books about heroines unafraid to fight for their dreams, which inspired her to follow her passion of becoming a published author. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is her debut novel. Julie lives in New England. Follow her on Twitter @jules_writes.

Julie is represented by Tamar Rydzinski of the Laura Dail Literary Agency.

Who is your favourite Disney Princess and what are some of your favourite Non-Disney Fairytales?

Have you heard about Forest of a Thousand Lanterns or even had the chance to dive in?

What did you think of it?

I can't WAIT to hear from you!

BLOG TOUR: Cinderella, Necromancer by F.M.Boughan - Interview + Giveaway

Hi Everyone, and welcome to my stop on the Sunday Street Team Blog Tour for Cinderella, Necromancer! This book sounds absolutely amazing and I'm so excited that I'm able to share this interview I had with the author, F.M.Boughan, today as a part of the SST tour.

I hope this medieval Cinderella Retelling with magic catches your attention and that you add this book to your TBRs!

We’d Love To Get To Know More About You:

If you had to travel the world, which five fictional characters would you choose to take with you?

Hermione Granger to keep everyone on track, Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel because she seems incredibly cool and could help get us out of any trouble, Flynn Rider so that he could haggle at markets for us (the smolder! THE SMOLDER!), C-3PO because he could speak all the languages to help us get around and make sure we follow the right customs, and… hmm, let’s say... Caro from Song of the Current, because if we’re traveling the world, it might be helpful to have someone in our group who can sail. A river cruise here and there sounds nice!

Would you rather be locked in a library or in a bookstore?

I’m going to say library, simply because I think the chairs would be more comfortable, there’d be better places to sleep, and there’d definitely be a washroom. And I wouldn’t have to worry as much about dropping a book on my face and accidentally bending the cover when I get tired… thanks, library binding!

That is, unless we’re talking a chain bookstore with a coffee shop inside, in which case I’ll take the bookstore. Food takes precedence, people.

What are your top two ice cream flavours?

The company So Delicious makes an incredible cashew milk ice cream called “Salted Caramel Cluster.” It’s so good, it should be illegal, I’m telling you. (Not sponsored! I wish…) Also, anything with peanut butter. I am weak for salty-sweet flavor combinations!

And now, moving onto your masterpiece:

4. For those readers who haven’t heard about Cinderella, Necromancer yet, could you tell them a little of what the book is about?

Let’s face it. The title isn’t exactly subtle. Haha! It’s a fairy-tale retelling of the Cinderella story, but this time, there’s no fairy godmother coming to save her. Cinderella gains the power to fight back… but this power has a cost beyond anything she could have imagined.

5. What does your everyday writing routine look like? What’s the most you’ve ever written in a day?

A couple of years ago during NaNoWriMo, I wrote just over 11K in one day. It was terrible. I don’t recommend it. My wrists ached like they were going to fall off and my eyes felt like they were bleeding. Also I have no idea if what I wrote made any sense. Do not attempt!

Typically, I do promo work in the morning or other less-brain-heavy tasks, then do my actual writing in the afternoon. Preferably at a coffee shop (fewer distractions than at home), but it doesn’t always work out that way.

I call it quits after I’ve made word count (usually the target is between 1.5K-5K, depending on what I’m working on and how much time I have to complete it) and then set it aside until the next day. I do more promo/marketing tasks & email answering in the evening.

6. If you could give one piece of advice to your main characters, what would it be?

Would it be cliche to say “have courage and be kind?” I know that’s a quotation from the live-action Cinderella movie that Disney made a few years ago, but when I was watching it, I realized that the saying would also apply perfectly to my main character, Ellison. (For comparison purposes: I first drafted Cinderella, Necromancer back in 2012!)

7. If you could pick one favourite quote from Cinderella, Necromancer, what would it be?

It would be something with spoilers!!!!!!! I can’t give you that! Hahaha. But I am, to be quite honest, particularly fond of my opening chapter. This line...

The blood of my enemies drips down my forearms, fleeing the confines of the spaces between my fingers, traveling toward freedom on the cold, stone floor.

...didn’t change from the very first time I hand wrote it in my notebook, and as it took shape, so did the entire rest of the story. The first chapter is called “The Ending,” after all...

F.M. Boughan is a bibliophile, a writer, and an unabashed parrot enthusiast. She can often be found writing in local coffee shops, namely because it’s hard to concentrate with a cat lying on the keyboard and a small, colorful parrot screaming into her ear. Her work is somewhat dark, somewhat violent, somewhat hopeful, and always contains a hint of magic. Her debut YA fantasy, CINDERELLA NECROMANCER, publishes Sept. 5th, 2017 from Month9Books.

Twitter || Bookstagram

Title: Cinderella, Necromancer
Author: F.M. Boughan
Publication Date: September 5th 2017
Publisher: Moth 9 Books
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
Buy Links: Amazon US || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Chapters Indigo ||

Description: Cinderella, Necromancer is Chime meets Anna Dressed in Blood and was inspired by a real medieval grimoire of necromancy from 15th-century Germany.
Ellison lost her mother at an early age. But since then, her father has found love again. He's happy and doesn't quite notice that Ellison does not get along with his new wife or her mean daughters. When Ellison discovers a necromantic tome while traveling the secret passages of her father's mansion, she wonders if it could be the key to her freedom. Until then, she must master her dark new power, even as her stepmother makes her a servant in her own home. And when her younger brother falls incurably ill, Ellison will do anything to ease his pain, including falling prey to her stepmother and stepsisters' every whim and fancy.
Stumbling into a chance meeting of Prince William during a secret visit to her mother's grave feels like a trick of fate when her stepmother refuses to allow Ellison to attend a palace festival. But what if Ellison could see the kind and handsome prince once more? What if she could attend the festival? What if she could have everything she ever wanted and deserved by conjuring spirits to take revenge on her cruel stepmother?
As Ellison's power grows, she loses control over the evil spirits meant to do her bidding. And as they begin to exert their own power over Ellison, she will have to decide whether it is she or her stepmother who is the true monster.