Tag Archives: Book of the Week 2017

Jun 16 2016

BOTW: ‘Serpentine’ by Cindy Pon

Sorry I haven’t posted a book feature for so long!

I love the artwork on this cover, and the story sounds interesting too. It’s going on my YA reading list! I think the sequel is due out in September…

‘Serpentine’ by Cindy Pon

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Blurb:

SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.

Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell.

When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time.

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Find all buy links on Goodreads

Visit Cindy Pon’s website

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And a quick reminder to writers: submissions for ‘Insignia: Asian Fantasy Stories’ will close June 30. I hope to see some more great stories come in during the next two weeks. 🙂

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Feb 19 2016

BOTW: ‘Stone-Cold Fox’ by Hailey Edwards

Has anyone read the Black Dog Series? Looks pretty cool!

Stone-Cold Fox (Mai Hayashi #1)

By Hailey Edwards

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Blurb:

Mai’s plans for a weekend of cosplay fun and games at Fan Expo come to a screeching halt when a smokin’ hot fae with a vendetta against her father decides the best revenge is claiming her for his own.

Her father cost Ryuu everything: his home, his family…and his mate. Ryuu wants his pound of flesh, and he’s willing to take it out of Mai’s hide, bite by sensuous bite.

While she’s quick to bare her teeth and snap at Ryuu’s gentling hand, she sheathes her claws once he offers her secrets about her life and her father that rock the foundation of her world.

Caught between Ryuu’s tender persistence and her father’s iron will, Mai’s not sure who to trust, but before it’s all over this kitsune will show them both why she’s one stone-cold fox.

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| Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AUS |

| Goodreads |

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About the Author

A cupcake enthusiast and funky sock lover possessed of an overactive imagination, Hailey lives in Alabama with her handcuff-carrying hubby, her fluty-tooting daughter and their herd of dachshunds.

You can also connect with Hailey at:

Website: HaileyEdwards.net

 

Oct 3 2014

Book of the Week: ‘Third Vampire Shadows’ by Zhu Hsia

A Korean vampire story! This one’s going on my reading list for October.

 

Third Vampire Shadows by Zhu Hsia

 

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Blurb:

Ji Sun, heir to the powerful Lee clan of vampires and brings disgrace to her kind by not only mixing with humans, but leaving the clan to marry one, and she is banished for ever from her family.

After five years, Ji Sun’s happiness is threatened. For although she has no intention of returning to her life as a vampire, she has not yet renounced her inheritance, for to do so is to risk stigmatization and a much shortened life. However, Mun Oh, her younger brother, now fifteen years old and already a formidable bloodsucker, is ordered by his parents to visit his sister and demand that she goes through the Ritual of Renunciation in his favor.

But the spoiled and capricious Mun Oh, accustomed to getting his own way the minute he wants something, and his teeth into any human he fancies, encounters more obstacles than he bargains for, especially from Ji Sun’s troubled and troublesome step-daughter Hyeon Jin, the unpopular school bully.

Hyeon Jin hates Mun Oh and would get rid of him at all costs if she could. When Hyeon Jin discovers Mun Oh’s secret, she thinks she has found the perfect weapon. Mun Oh, however, detects certain weaknesses under Hyeon Jin’s hard exterior and plays on them ruthlessly. And it seems for while, that he has the upper hand . . . But then the trouble-making bloodsucker Han Kyung makes his appearance. He is jealous of the handsome Mun Oh, and would do anything to reduce him in the eyes of the clan.

Events start to spiral out of control. Hyeon Jin discovers what it is like to be on the receiving end of hurtful behavior, and as Mun Oh gets more and more attracted by the human world, he soon transgresses the strict rules of the bloodsucking clan. He is to learn the secret of the Rule of Thirds the hard way. But will he have to pay the heavy price for his disobedience? Will this vampire romance blossoms? How is this third vampire going to overcome the dark shadows lurking around him?

It is down to Ji Sun to find a solution. She has to make a choice. But will she have to sacrifice her happiness and that of her beloved husband and step-daughter to do so?

If you’re a fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon, J.R Ward, Christine Feehan or Kelley Armstrong then you’ll love Zhu Hsia’s new dark fantasy book too. This book is for anyone that likes urban paranormal, fantasy, and some action & adventure elements in it.

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| Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AUS |

| Goodreads |

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Aug 14 2014

Book Preview: ‘Cinder’ by Marissa Meyer

Thanks to Holly Kench for putting me on to this YA series! Cinder is a unique play on the fairytale Cinderella, and set in a futuristic Beijing with humans, cyborgs, aliens, and a lot of cool technology.

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

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Blurb:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

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| Barnes & Noble | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AUS |

| Goodreads |

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Jun 19 2014

Book of the Week: ‘The Soulkeepers’ by G.P. Ching

Hi gang, this week we have a FREE YA paranormal book to share. The Soulkeepers is Book 1 in The Soulkeepers Series by G.P. Ching.

The Soulkeepers (Book 1) by G.P. Ching

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Blurb:

When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother’s car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can’t find his mother’s body. A beautiful and mysterious neighbor offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom.

But in exchange she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a protector of human souls. He agrees to her demands, desperate for any clue to the mystery of his mother’s disappearance. But soon Jacob finds himself trapped in a web of half-truths, and questions her motives for helping him.

* FREE on all Amazon Sites *

| Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AUS | Goodreads |

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More ‘Book of the Week’ Features (Young Adult):

Fire & Shadow by T.G. Ayer

The Rider Trilogy by Joyce Chng

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Both anthologies in The Insignia Series have Young Adult stories as well:

Insignia: Japanese Fantasy Stories by Various Authors

Insignia: Chinese Fantasy Stories by Various Authors

May 8 2014

Book of the Week: ‘Whisper of Sin’ by Nalini Singh

Our current Book of the Week is by paranormal romance author, Nalini Singh! This novella was released in February 2014 and is part of the Psy-Changeling Series. The heroine in this story is Ria, a Chinese-American woman.

 

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Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her phenomenal Psy-Changeling world as a woman in peril finds herself in the arms of a dangerously beautiful shapeshifter…

San Francisco is under threat from a violent gang…a gang that has no idea who they’re challenging. The DarkRiver pack of leopard changelings has already claimed the city as their territory, and they will fight with wild fury to protect its residents. Emmett, a lethally trained leopard soldier, isn’t about to let outsiders muscle in on his home ground—especially when they target a human named Ria.

Emmett has one word for the smart stranger with her curvy body and tough spirit: mine.

Possessive, dominant, unyielding in his demands and desires, Emmett is unlike anyone Ria has ever before met. But while the sexy leopard changeling makes her body ignite, his kisses molten and his touch addicting, she’s no pushover and she has a few demands of her own. This leopard has met his match…

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View this book on: |Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads |

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Apr 17 2014

Book of the Week: ‘Dead: A Ghost Story’ by Mina Khan

Here’s a great short story by Mina Khan, one of our favorite diverse authors. 🙂

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Dead: A Ghost Story by Mina Khan

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Blurb:

A multicultural ghost story dealing with the immigrant experience, in which Nasreen — the Indian-American protagonist — grapples with her life and death in West Texas.

| Amazon US | Goodreads |

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Apr 3 2014

Book of the Week: ‘Moonlit Dream’ by Crystal-Rain Love

Today’s book recommendation is a short werewolf romance with an Asian heroine. Moonlit Dream is Book 1 in the Moonlit Series, with two more books available. This novella appears to be perma-free on Amazon.

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 Blurb:

Pack numbers are low. The reigning pack leader, Rong, has demanded all un-mated Werewolves to breed each moon cycle. Ming yearns for her destined mate, but Jason has been locked away in prison for ten years. Desperate to stay true to him and avoid the new breeding law, Ming begs the pack leader to spare her from the ruling.

With a little magic, and a lot of faith, Jason is brought to Ming through a mystical realm. Now the two destined mates must run from the pack, which is hot on their trail; while Jason struggles to come to terms with his past, something he must do in order to give Ming a moon vow.

Ming’s fate lies in the decision Jason need to make with his heart and soul.

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| Goodreads | Amazon US |

Mar 13 2014

Book of the Week: ‘Affinity’ by LaVerne Clark

We’re featuring a light fantasy romance this week, Affinity by LaVerne Clark, published by The Wild Rose Press. It’s a fun, sexy story with some great original Japanese mythology used.

LaVerne is also a good friend of The Insignia Series and helped proofread Insignia: Japanese Fantasy Stories, so I’d like to give her a shout out here. Thanks, LaVerne!

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Blurb:

In the wrong hands, Jenna Thomas’ legacy could be a curse—in her mind it already is.

As a child, a routine x-ray awakened an abnormality in Jenna’s DNA giving her the ability to “call” creatures and take on their attributes. Labeled a freak since then, Jenna’s learned to keep everyone at a distance. But all that changes the day she saves a young boy from drowning, and the story goes viral.

Nick Hawke, an off-duty policeman, witnesses part of the drama. Captivated by Jenna’s exotic beauty, he decides to investigate, not sure what to believe. Jenna puts his cynicism to the test—even as the attraction between them grows.

As word of her extraordinary rescue spreads, a dangerous man who will stop at nothing to control Jenna’s abilities draws near. With her feelings for Nick putting him in danger too, can Jenna risk everything to protect them both?

 | The Wild Rose Press | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AUS |  Goodreads |

LaVerne Clark’s blog and Facebook page

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Thanks for stopping by! Hopefully next week we’ll have a preview of the new Insignia anthology, Insignia: Chinese Fantasy Stories. 😀

Mar 6 2014

Book of the Week: ‘Someone Like Me’ by Kelly Matsuura

I published a new short story on my website recently, so thought I would share it here today.

It is a free YA story, set in Australia but with Asian-Australian teens as the main characters. I call it a ‘concept’ story, because I plan to write a series based on these characters, and the short story is just a piece to get to know them better.

Anyway, the story is a PDF book (about 20 pages) that you can open and read straightaway, or save a copy for later. I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on possible adventure story-lines for the novel extension. 😀

~Kelly Matsuura~

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Trinh Pham is a sixteen-year-old girl with the unique ability to gender-shift. While other members of her family, including her cousin, Hongyen, have various superpowers, Trinh feels alone sometimes in her need to adapt to a second identity.

But when she meets cute animal-shifter Yuki Hasegawa, she finds someone who can understand and accept her for who she is. Girl or boy.

Read/Download ‘Someone Like Me’ here (Last ebook listed)

~Note: ‘Hell’s Village’ is also a YA Asian fantasy story, available on the same page~

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I’m always looking for more fantasy stories with Asian characters/settings to feature as ‘Book of the Week’. Please leave a comment if you have a recommendation.

And, I hope to have an update on ‘Insignia: Chinese Fantasy Stories’ next week as well. 😀