The malevolent and ruthless mage, Dante Asano is defeated but victory came at a horrific price. Before Wisp and his companions could intervene, Dante possessed Pendra Thorn’s body. In order to stop Dante without killing Pendra, a magic sleep spell was cast. A glass coffin warded with powerful spells encased her body while her mind fled to a favourite memory; unfortunately, Dante is also trapped with her. The magical coffin will only keep her alive, and Dante contained for a short time. A desperate plan to undertake a treacherous journey across an unknown sea means Wisp and his companions must disband. Some journey with Wisp to find an ancient spell to release Pendra and banish Dante’s spirit. Those left behind must guard Pendra in a city under threat. An ancient evil casts a shadow over Edra causing burgeoning unrest and setting the inhabitants against one another. Wisp’s journey must be successful not only for Pendra’s sake but also for Edra itself.
I was lucky to be part of the beta reading team for Wisp II and was entrusted with an early copy before release. This a highly imaginative fantasy book with many aspects to it to keep you entertained. It is the second in the series continuing the tale from the first book which I read and enjoyed also.
The story begins with the news of the death of the senior law enforcer Nether Green. Could this be a murder case? Marsh fairy law enforcer Wisp is drawn into the mystery and must try and discover what has happened. Alongside this, there is a change in the tone of writing – becoming darker – in the sections devoted to Pendra who is sealed in a glass coffin. We are whisked away on a trip across the Great Sea to Samoyer, (Wisp’s father’s homeland,) to find a spell to separate Dante from Pendra.
There are times when Park’s writing takes you to a very special place drawing you into the narrative beautifully. An author to watch, a talent in the making.
I enjoyed the amusing dialogue which gave the protagonists a distinct voice and style.
I’d recommend reading the first in the series before continuing with WISP II.
My recommendation: 5 stars. Read this if you like dark fantasy tales which are full of intrigue, mystery and murder! A definite recommendation for fantasy readers, and may also be of interest to LGBT YA Fiction readers due to the (continuing love story between Wisp and Finn.)
Congratulations to Adele Marie Park for two new releases – Wisp II – Sea Dragons,(which is currently on preorder and releases 18th July,) and Adele is a contributing author in This Is Lockdown which is also on preorder and releases 20th July.
Wisp II – Blurb
The malevolent and ruthless mage, Dante Asano is defeated but victory came at a horrific price. Before Wisp and his companions could intervene, Dante possessed Pendra Thorn’s body. In order to stop Dante without killing Pendra, a magic sleep spell was cast. A glass coffin warded with powerful spells encased her body while her mind fled to a favourite memory; unfortunately, Dante is also trapped with her. The magical coffin will only keep her alive, and Dante contained for a short time. A desperate plan to undertake a treacherous journey across an unknown sea means Wisp and his companions must disband. Some journey with Wisp to find an ancient spell to release Pendra and banish Dante’s spirit. Those left behind must guard Pendra in a city under threat. An ancient evil casts a shadow over Edra causing burgeoning unrest and setting the inhabitants against one another.
Wisp’s journey must be successful not only for Pendra’s sake but also for Edra itself.
Congratulations to Adele. I had the pleasure of beta reading Wisp II,(an imaginative, dark fantasy,) and looking forward to reviewing it soon. And it’s lovely that she is a contributing author in This Is Lockdown.
Author bio – Adele Park
I love writing, it`s my passion. My genres include fantasy, horror, urban fantasy, and a mixture of all those. I love telling stories;period. I am married to my wonderful wife, who is my rock. Our daughter and our dog, german shepherd collie cross, are also my passions. To experience a moment of pure love is to experience the world. Creativity is something I couldn`t live without. I am also a Supernatural geek, and love my music. Punk, Goth, Rockabilly and visual Kei music from Japan.
The paranormal is my normal. oh, and I also totally believe in faeries.
An anthology and compilation of diaries, short stories, flash fiction, contributions from the ‘isolation writers,’ plus poetry written during the time of lockdown in the UK. This Is Lockdown is written from a writer’s perspective highlighting the simple pleasures of day-to-day life during such an uncertain and frightening time. It also gives a glimpse of the blogging, writing world. The book showcases several authors and their thoughts on what it is like to experience ‘isolation’ as a writer. I also discuss the handling of the pandemic and my thoughts on what might happen next. In the final part of the book I include my latest short story idea: a YA romance and various short pieces of poetry, and flash fiction inspired by the pandemic.
I’m pleased to announce that Adele Marie Park is to be a contributing author in my new project: This Is Lockdown, a compilation of diaries, short stories, poetry and flash fiction to be released soon.
Here is her touching poem which will no doubt resonate with many.
Rain falls on parched empty streets, A child’s face framed by a window, eyes watch, No school today no chance of play either, A frown creases an unlined brow, Not understanding, but sensing echoes of adult fear, Something is very wrong in this new world, The grown ups cry and they shout, She turns away from the grey wet streets, And wishes and wishes for the old world again.
Soon, Adele will be releasing the second in her series: Wisp II, which I had the pleasure of beta reading recently. I look forward to featuring her soon with her new release.
Bio:
Adele Marie Park was born in the north-east of Scotland, and at the age of six months, she moved to live with family on the Orcadian island of Rousay.
Her childhood was surrounded by the tales and legends of old, and these became the themes and beliefs she’s carried with her through life as they now emerge and live within the pages of her books.
Adele’s first published book is Wisp. A tale of murder, passion and intrigue set in the mythical world of Edra.
She has won awards for her short stories and many have been published in successful anthologies.
Her writing crosses genres between fantasy and horror but is always character driven. Transforming the pictures and characters in her head as if by magic onto the pages of her books. Her belief in magic, faeries and the paranormal has never wavered.
She connects with people through her writing and her wish is for them to live every moment of the story and feel as if they have been on the journey with the characters.
When not writing, she enjoys painting and playing music. Her preferred instrument is the guitar although she has been known to play the tin whistle.
Goodreads Synopsis: Come along for a chilling ride on a ghost ship, experience eerie daydreams and psychotic killers, explore haunted houses, and send the deceased to their final destination.
And that’s just a quarter of the thrills.
Edited and compiled by Amazon bestselling author Dan Alatorre, this anthology of scary tales brings together the minds and pens of twenty authors, including bestseller Allison Maruska (The Fourth Descendant), bestselling author Jenifer Ruff (Everett), Lucy Brazier (PorterGirl), J. A. Allen, Juliet Nubel, TA Henry, Ann Marie Andrus, Heather Hackett, Barbara Anne Helberg, Scott Skipper, Joanne R. Larner, Christine Valentor, Adele Marie Park, Curtis Bausse, Annette Robinson, Frank Parker, Eric Daniel Clarke, and Maribel C. Pagan.
Perfect for Halloween or any time, these stories will make you think twice before walking alone on the beach at night, reading a diary, or innocently watching a train from your car.
Consider yourselves warned.
NOTE: Warning! American and British spelling ahead. A few stories words are olde English, too. The story The Death Of Mrs. Billen by Mr. Alatorre is from his novel An Angel On Her Shoulder, used with permission.
My review:
I intended to read The Box Under The Bed around Halloween time but I was so busy I didn’t get round to it. I’ve made up for that now, I enjoyed the Box Under The Bed very much. Without a doubt anthologies are an excellent way to discover new authors. All of the stories were a little different, some scarier than others, some gory, and there were even little touches of humour to be found. So, I’d say there is something for everyone in this anthology compiled and edited by Dan Alatorre.
There are twenty authors in all, three of which are members of the #ABRSC – Dan Alatorre, Lucy Brazier and Adele Marie Park.
Plus stories from: Jennifer Ruff, Allison Maruska, J.A. Allen, Juliet Nubel, T.A. Henry, Anne Marie Andrus, Heather Hackett, Barbara Anne Helberg, Scott Skipper, Joanne R Larner, Christine Valentor, Curtis Bausse, Annette Robinson, Frank Parker, Eric Daniel Clarke, Maribel C Pagan, and Carrie Ann Alexis.
Would I recommend it? Yes, indeed I’ve rated this anthology four stars.
I read The Box Under The Box anthology as part of my #ABRSC Christmas Read and Review.
Next up, I will be reading an ARC of Lizzie Chantree’s Ninja School Mum which is being published by Crooked Cat Books in Jan 2018. I will be hosting Lizzie on my blog as part of her blog tour in the New Year.
Bye for now, happy reading! If you’d like to join in the #ABRSC read and review comment below, I’d love to hear from you. It doesn’t have to be a scary story! All genres welcome! xxx
Fellow Administrators of our Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club #ABRSC on Facebook, myself, my good friends Colleen Chesebro and Debby Gies. Click on Colleen’s and Debby’s photos to be directed to their awesome blogs. These ladies rock!
