Tag: drama

Categories
Books

Review: Embrace

Embrace (The Gryphon Series, book 2) by Stacey Rourke

I give this book a 5.

LoveIt

This second installment of the Gryphon Series was so good; I’m still kicking myself for taking so long to finish it and even longer to review it. I had to go back and refresh myself on the story because so much time had passed, but life happens and things don’t always work out the way you want, something the heroine of this story knows all too well.

Celeste is busy going to school, working a job, training and fighting demons, and being a loving family member. So why would romance even be on her mind? Maybe because she purred at a guy, yea. The underworld has a new leader and a new battle is starting. In the midst of this, apparently, romance is in the air and not just with her…Oh and she has a whole new set of powers that are driving her crazy as well as new “friends” to help or hurt her cause.

I like that this book started right where the other ended and didn’t waste a lot of time trying to catch the reader up on what happened in the first book. I get the feeling, however, that even if I hadn’t read the first book, I would still have been entertained by this one.  I like the Garret family more and more. Even with all their powers, they are still just an average family doing the best they can, but the battle with evil is beginning to take its toll in this tight-knit group. The punches, the laughs, and the tears keep on rolling in this series. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

See my review of book 1 in this series: The Conduit.

This review has been posted to GoodReads.

If you’d like to obtain a copy of this book, try this link.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

 
Categories
Full Moon Sample Sundays

Sample Sunday 09

samplesunday

Here is approximately 100 – 150 words from a randomly selected original piece for your enjoyment. These samples may include excerpts from my Eternal Curse Series, but will currently exclude excerpts from EC: Giovanni’s Angel. Please visit the ECS blog to read samples from that installment of the series.

It’s Like the Full Moon chapter 2(wip)

“Your sweet little Virgil is my problem,” snapped Teddy. “He’s never late. You know he’s only late because he doesn’t want you to go.”

“Oh Teddy, be nice please,” asked Rebecca.

“Yeah, Teddy,” said Lisa, “be nice.”

“Oh you stay out of this Judas. I thought you were on my side,” Teddy declared.

“I have to spend two weeks abroad with your sister; right now I’m on her side,” explained Lisa, as she made puppy dog faces at him. Finally, there was a frantic knock at the door. TiTi Lucy stood up to answer it. She opened the door and there stood Virgil panting and searching for air, tightly holding onto a small bouquet of yellow roses.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
WIP Updates

WIP Update 06

WIPU

As promised, here’s what’s happening with Solomon’s Swords.

So when I originally got the idea to start this story, I was thinking that it would be a simple mini-epic fantasy adventure, but now- who knows? I just keep coming up with all these twists and plotlines and backstories.

First, I’m no pushover. I’ve had some pretty good back stories for my other characters and books, especially my Eternal Curse Series, but have always been able to weed out the best and most important parts to keep for the story, while using the rest as build up material on my blogs or in marketing. The problem I’m having now is that most of the back stories I’m coming up with are so good that I feel that they must be told along with the rest of the story.

Second, I know a waste of words when I see it and I write it. I know that sometimes books are extending solely for the purpose of producing or selling more units, but I’ve never felt a need to break up a story for that reason. At this point, I think this story might be becoming so much more that I originally anticipated. This could possibly be another series for me, but I still trying to launch my first series.

Lastly, I’ve literally written two chapters of this story that don’t even mention the characters from the original conceptual idea. I know how this new material will eventually line up with those original ideas, but I am at a loss trying to figure out why I can’t develop my original ideas more without developing these new ideas first. I’ve always been able to work on story ideas in a categorical manner, but I’ve never been bound by chronology. With this story, I can’t seem to move forward with developing the back story first and then moving on.

Ok, so enough babble about my creative difficulties, here’s what’s going on with the story.

Solomon, the sword maker, is now the descendent of an illegitimate king who just so happens to have been pure of heart, unlike other kings of his time…but that’s only the beginning.

I have now developed the world in which this story will take place. There are 5 true kingdoms, 1 false kingdom, and a desert. There are also some differences in how days, years, and seasons are experienced in this world, but there’s nothing reminiscent to the world of Game of Thrones here.  The world of my six kingdoms is called Plenar to which I have an overcomplicated meaning for. Please ignore my bad grammar. Right now, I’m writing the way to talk when I fell anxious and excited.

Also, I’ve developed the legend of a philandering Prince which will be the centerpiece of the conflict that later arises. There is now a mysterious meteor shower, a civil war, and of course a curse that only be broken with the proper use of Solomon’s Sword.

Don’t get too excited. 90% of this is still in outline form, but like I said I do have two first draft chapters and so much more to do.

Next, month I hope to be able give some more details and revisit: It’s Like the Full Moon, The Eternal Curse Series, and Unexplainable.

Feeling a little lost about what’s going on in this post? Just see the side panel and search My Topics, WIP Updates, to get all caught up. Also check my WIP tab to see what else I may be working on.

Do you have a WIP update to share?

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords