Character Madness and Musings

Ovidius by Karin Mabry Genre: Literary Fiction, Fantasy 'Ovidius' follows the lives of members of the Ovidius community, a neighborhood surrounding The Ovidius Zoo, home of Worthington the Tiger. The animals of Ovidius communicate with each other using mental telepathy, unbeknownst to humans. Some, like Godiva the Cat and Sam the Bird, tweak the agreed-upon system to fit their agendas, Godiva, to write poetry, Sam, to wreak havoc. Others, like Philodendrum the Bullfrog and Xavier the human, friend of Godiva, are just trying to figure out who they really are. Written in the fix-up style, ‘Ovidius’ is a beautiful reflection on animals, spirituality and being wild and free. Goodreads * Amazon Hi! Hope you are well and taking good care of yourself and loved ones during these challenging times. Writing 'Ovidius', my first novel, was a game-changer for me. I wrote a series of novellas then combined them into a fix-up novel, becoming utterly enamored of the medium of th...

Terra Nova by M.T.G. (Terra Nova, #1) Publication date: July 28th 2020 Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult Evangeline is living the life of a normal teenager—going to school and hanging out with friends—until mysterious, severe symptoms begin appearing. After passing out in the middle of a party, life as she knows it spirals beyond her grasp. She is then diagnosed with a rare, genetic blood disorder that causes her body’s white blood cells to kill the red ones. In the delirium of her deteriorating health, a door to a parallel world opens before her; however, once she steps through it, the portal closes, and she is unable to return to Earth. The place Evangeline now finds herself in is called Terra Nova, a world wherein vampires rule supreme, with no traces of humanity left to speak of. Curious but afraid, she quickly learns that Terra Nova is not the shadow-side of Earth, but rather the tragic result of government experimentation. In order to survive, she must keep her mind open...

Crossroads by Mary Ting Publication date: March 2nd 2014 Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult * * * READERS FAVORITE GOLD AWARD WINNER 2012–YOUNG ADULT * * * Based on dreams the author had in high school-chapter 1 & 2. Protecting her was his duty. Falling in love was forbidden. Loving her was all that mattered, even if it meant he would be exiled for all eternity. Claudia Emerson’s life is about to change. It seems like a tragic coincidence when her good friend, who shares the same first and last name, dies in a car accident. Grief brings tumultuous dreams—but these are more than simple dreams. In sleep, Claudia travels to another world called Crossroads. There, she meets Michael, a Nephilim–half angel, half human. Meeting him and being there changes her forever. It marks her as special, and that may not be a good thing. Now fallen angels and demons are after her, and it is up to Michael and the other Nephilim to protect her. Her dreams become a nightmare as secrets are revealed ab...

Witches, Spiders, and Schemes Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic Series Book 4 by Elizabeth Pantley Genre: Magical Cozy Mystery  A magic mirror to an enchanted world. A mysterious ghost. A hilarious, perpetually annoyed witch. A brave, sassy cat. Two unexplained deaths and a mysterious community filled with secrets. Can Hayden and the people of Destiny Falls solve the mystery and return the community to its peaceful, enchanted existence?   Hayden’s adventures in Destiny Falls continue in book four of the Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series. Starting with a strange old woman at a cave and her father’s mysterious ferry journey, there are secrets to be unwound. The enchantments in Destiny Falls are showing cracks, and Hayden suspects that it’s tied directly to her family, which has a history that’s more complex than she realized. When two bodies are found floating in the bay it’s clear that the mysteries surrounding Gladstone and the ferry are more dangerous than people re...

Your Vileness by R.R. Orange Publication date: November 18th 2021 Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Young Adult Amandine Klinghoffer is a daring young detective working on her first independent case in the fabled kingdom of Glamwein. Was there a murder in the royal palace? And if so, who stands to benefit from plaguing the prince with ghosts? Prince Ivan, the lazy, cowardly, good-for-nothing embarrassment of the realm is hiding something. He would rather profess his undying love for Amandine than give her any useful information. He is obviously using romance to distract her from finding the truth. As Amandine investigates with Ivan’s “help” she begins to suspect a plot that threatens the fate of the entire kingdom and its magical beings. Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo EXCERPT: The staircase terminated in a heavy wooden door that concealed whatever lay ahead. It looked like an ordinary door, but she sensed foreboding and gloom as if they were etched into its woode...

The Witches of Crannock Dale Mara of the League Book 1 by Thomas M. Kane Genre: Fantasy When an enemy army threatens eleven-year old Mara’s home, she makes up her mind to save her family, one way or another. But when the knights protecting her village arrest her favorite aunt for witchcraft, she discovers that the difference between friend and foe may not be as obvious as she once thought. This is a story of war and espionage, set in a low fantasy world. It is also about a child getting to know her mother and father in a new way. Goodreads * Amazon The Rebels of Caer City Mara of the League Book 2 Throughout five years at a strict boarding school, Mara has turned to her friend Annie-Rose for comfort. Now Annie has disappeared. Mara teams up with two other students – bold Gretchen and soft-spoken Ginny -- to find her missing friend. Together, Mara, Gretchen and Ginny take on a conspiracy involving some of the most dangerous people in their world.   Goodreads * Amazon The H...