Bea Reviews Ash and Quill & Smoke and Iron, Books 3 & 4 in The Great Library series, by Rachel Caine

Publisher: Berkley Books

Series: The Great Library #3

Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: Trade paperback, June 12th, 2018
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Play | iBooks* | Kobo | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone and Paper and Fire unite to save the Great Library of Alexandria from itself in this electrifying adventure in the New York Times bestselling series.

Hoarding all the knowledge of the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets. But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its tyranny....

Jess Brightwell and his band of exiles have fled London, only to find themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit. But Jess and his friends have a bargaining chip: the knowledge to build a machine that will break the Library's rule.

Their time is running out. To survive, they'll have to choose to live or die as one, to take the fight to their enemies--and to save the very soul of the Great Library....

Giveaway! The Cold Eye by Laura Anne Gilman

The Cold Eye is the second book in the Devil's West trilogy and it was fantastic. The trade paperback has just been released and the author is giving away a copy to a US reader. But there's a twist! Laura Anne wanted to do something a little different so I came up with what I hope I will be something fun.

To enter, you will need to have read either The Cold Eye or the first book, Silver on the Road. Why? Well, in order to enter, you will need to write a poem, any style, or song lyrics inspired by or based on one of the books or the series so far. Pick a character, an event, an image, anything from the books that appeals or calls to you. Nor do you need to write something long, it can be short. Now, the winning entry will NOT be judged on quality. Have fun with this, don't stress. I'll use random.org to pick the winning entry. Put your work in the comments below and leave a way for me to contact you if you win.

The giveaway ends March 28th at 11:59PM Eastern time. US only. No purchase necessary. VOID where prohibited. Please read my Giveaway Policy and Privacy Policy. The winning comment will be chosen by random.org.

Go wild! Have fun!

Blurb ~

In the anticipated sequel to Silver on the Road, Isobel is riding circuit through the Territory as the Devil's Left Hand. But when she responds to a natural disaster, she learns the limits of her power and the growing danger of something mysterious that is threatening not just her life, but the whole Territory.

Isobel is the left hand of the old man of the Territory, the Boss—better known as the Devil. Along with her mentor, Gabriel, she is traveling circuit through Flood to represent the power of the Devil and uphold the agreement he made with the people to protect them. Here in the Territory, magic exists—sometimes wild and perilous.

But there is a growing danger in the bones of the land that is killing livestock, threatening souls, and weakening the power of magic. In the next installment of the Devil’s West series, Isobel and Gabriel are in over their heads as they find what’s happening and try to stop the people behind it before it unravels the Territory.

Early Review: The Cold Eye by Laura Anne Gilman

Series: The Devil's West #2
Publisher: Saga Press
Source: the author and the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: January 10th, 2017
Challenges: Finishing the Series Reading Challenge | NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

In the anticipated sequel to Silver on the Road, Isobel is riding circuit through the Territory as the Devil's Left Hand. But when she responds to a natural disaster, she learns the limits of her power and the growing danger of something mysterious that is threatening not just her life, but the whole Territory.

Isobel is the left hand of the old man of the Territory, the Boss—better known as the Devil. Along with her mentor, Gabriel, she is traveling circuit through Flood to represent the power of the Devil and uphold the agreement he made with the people to protect them. Here in the Territory, magic exists—sometimes wild and perilous.

But there is a growing danger in the bones of the land that is killing livestock, threatening souls, and weakening the power of magic. In the next installment of the Devil’s West series, Isobel and Gabriel are in over their heads as they find what’s happening and try to stop the people behind it before it unravels the Territory. (less)

Excerpt: Silver on the Road by Laura Anne Gilman, an Alternative History Novel

This book came out last year in hardcover and now it's releasing in paper back. I enjoyed it so much that I asked the author, Laura Anne, if I could do an excerpt. isn't that a gorgeous cover? You can check out my review here then go down and read the excerpt. Book two, "The Cold Eye", comes out in January and I'll be reviewing it in December.

Laura Anne Gilman is the author of the popular Cosa Nostradamus urban fantasy series of novels and novellas, and the Nebula award-nominated The Vineart War trilogy. Her newest project is the Devil’s West series from Saga / Simon & Schuster, beginning with 2015’s Locus-bestseller SILVER ON THE ROAD, and continuing with THE COLD EYE.

Review & Giveaway: Silver on the Road by Laura Anne Gilman

Publisher: Saga Press
Series: The Devil's West #1
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A heroic fantasy by an award-winning author about a young woman who is trained in the art of the sinister hand of magic, but at what price?

Isobelle, upon her sixteenth birthday, makes the choice to work for the devil in his territory west of the Mississippi. But this is not the devil you know. This is a being who deals fairly with immense—but not unlimited—power, who offers opportunities to people who want to make a deal, and they always get what they deserve. But his land is a wild west that needs a human touch, and that’s where Izzy comes in. Inadvertently trained by him to see the clues in and manipulations of human desire, Izzy is raised to be his left hand and travel circuit through the territory. As we all know, where there is magic there is chaos…and death.

Interview with Laura Anne Gilman & A Giveaway

I am delighted to have author Laura Anne Gilman here today. She kindly sat down and answered some questions for me and she's giving away an ARC of her forthcoming book, "Silver on the Road". I've been reading her for years, enjoying her epic fantasy, her urban fantasy, her PNR (under the name Anna Leonard), and her mysteries (under the name L.A. Kornestsky).

By the time she was fourteen, Laura Anne Gilman knew she would be an editor, a teacher, or a writer.

By thirty, she was all three. She's a little focused that way (when not being distracted by -oooh shiny!).

After fifteen years working in NY publishing, Laura Anne became a full-time writer, with more than twenty novels under her various bylines, including the SILVER ON THE ROAD, the Nebula Award-nominated Vineart War trilogy, and the 10-book, 4-novella Cosa Nostradamus series. She is also a serial short fiction writer, but her friends seem to like her anyway...

She's also the mystery writer L.A. Kornetsky.

Jax & Bea Review The Midnight Queen by Sylvia Izzo Hunter

Publisher: Ace
Series: Noctis Magicae #1
Format Read: Print
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 2, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

In the hallowed halls of Oxford’s Merlin College, the most talented—and highest born—sons of the Kingdom of Britain are taught the intricacies of magickal theory. But what dazzles can also destroy, as Gray Marshall is about to discover…

Gray’s deep talent for magick has won him a place at Merlin College. But when he accompanies four fellow students on a mysterious midnight errand that ends in disaster and death, he is sent away in disgrace—and without a trace of his power. He must spend the summer under the watchful eye of his domineering professor, Appius Callender, working in the gardens of Callender’s country estate and hoping to recover his abilities. And it is there, toiling away on a summer afternoon, that he meets the professor’s daughter.

Even though she has no talent of her own, Sophie Callender longs to be educated in the lore of magick. Her father has kept her isolated at the estate and forbidden her interest; everyone knows that teaching arcane magickal theory to women is the height of impropriety. But against her father’s wishes, Sophie has studied his ancient volumes on the subject. And in the tall, stammering, yet oddly charming Gray, she finally finds someone who encourages her interest and awakens new ideas and feelings.

Sophie and Gray’s meeting touches off a series of events that begins to unravel secrets about each of them. And after the king’s closest advisor pays the professor a closed-door visit, they begin to wonder if what Gray witnessed in Oxford might be even more sinister than it seemed. They are determined to find out, no matter the cost…