Tag: Bloodstone

Bloodstone Reviews, The I-Ching and Clocks! – Word Mongery and Musings

Thank you so much to Cynthia Morgan for featuring me at her awesome blog Word Mongery and Musings.

Do pop by to read the blog post in its entirety… I’m talking about reviews, The I-Ching and Clocks!

The variety of responses to Bloodstone have been varied, and thoughtful.. No two people will read a book and have the same opinion. That is the beauty of writing, reading and reviewing. Books are e…

Source: Bloodstone Reviews, The I-Ching and Clocks! – Word Mongery and Musings

September Book Reviews Part 2! @JacqBiggar @Marjorie_Mallon #writingcommunity #whattoread #mustread #indieauthors #bookreviews – Author D.L. Finn

Thank you so much to Denise Finn for this marvellous review of my YA Fantasy Bloodstone along with fab reviews for Jacquie Biggar’s Twilights Encore and The Rebel’s Redemption.

I appreciate it so much. xxx

indieauthors #bookreviews

Bloodstone (The Curse of Time, #1)

by M.J. Mallon

“Bloodstone” is a paranormal YA story that centers on 15-year-old Amelina. Her family life drastically changed after her father disappeared and then returned home a different man. Her once happy household was gone. When she gets an invitation to a mysterious place, she goes down a forbidden path by the river. Here she meets Ryder, who completely mesmerizes her after saving her from a robbery attempt. There were many great secondary characters, including her band members and cat, Shadow, but I think my favorite was Esme or the girl who lived in the mirror. There was a lot of depth in Esme, and the subject of self-harm was dealt with well. I’m a fan of rocks/crystals, so their importance in the story was a plus. The magic and darkness weaved into the plot of finding the truth contrasted with Amelina’s constant conflict. The poetry before each chapter was a nice addition, and I enjoyed the descriptive passages. The ending answered some questions, but not all. I look forward to reading the next book in this series to see what happens next. If you like a paranormal story told from a teen’s perspective who is not only finding herself but discovering her unique abilities, this is for you.

Read at source to see the full post:

Source: September Book Reviews Part 2! @JacqBiggar @Marjorie_Mallon #writingcommunity #whattoread #mustread #indieauthors #bookreviews – Author D.L. Finn

Autumn With An Author: Marjorie Mallon | Valentina Expressions

Thank you so much to Valentina for this lovely Autumn with an author chat.

1. Your latest publication “Bloodstone – The Curse Of Time” is an imaginative mystery book. What did you develop first the plot or the characters?

Thank you so much for inviting me to interview at your wonderful blog Valentina. My latest publication, Bloodstone The Curse of Time Book 1 is an imaginative YA fantasy mystery with paranormal, light and dark elements inspired by two sculptural artworks:

The Corpus Christi Chronophage invented by extraordinary British inventor Dr. John C Taylor OBE (who I had the pleasure of meeting in person in 2017.)

The extraordinary timepiece is situated on King’s Parade Cambridge opposite King’s College. I discovered Juniper Artland’s The Light Pours Out of Me by Anya Gallaccio while out with friends near my parent’s home in Scotland.

With regard to your question, I developed the characters first of all.  For me, characters are central to the story and I don’t tend to plot. I write organically from my imagination which brings interesting results!

Read the rest of the interview at Valentina’s blog…

Source: Autumn With An Author: Marjorie Mallon | Valentina Expressions

Promotion! Bloodstone (The Curse of Time Book 1) #sale #kindle #YA #Fantasy

So grab a bargain while you can – this offer is for a limited time period only – and is only available on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

If you don’t happen to be in the US or UK, don’t despair there are free kindle copies if you are signed up to KU. Or, alternatively sign up to my newsletter for the latest news about free offers.

Blurb

I didn’t think my life could get weirder, but I was wrong…

Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who is imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house.

When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden path where she encounters Ryder: a charismatic, perplexing stranger.

With the help of a magical paint set and some crystal wizard stones, can Amelina discover the truth about her family?

A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Bloodstone is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal.

Genre: YA Fantasy Paranormal Coming of Age Story

NEWSFLASH: Bloodstone is now available at a wide range of international bookstores including Book Depository, Barnes & Noble and Blackwells, in a range of formats including paperback and hardback.

If you’d like to find out more about Bloodstone check out the reviews on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58417468-bloodstone

If you can help by sharing your review on the relevant sites… Amazon, Goodreads, Bookbub, Barnes and Noble, etc, and miscellaneous places like TripFiction, I would be truly ecstatic!

Bloodstone (The Curse of Time #1)

Buying link: mybook.to/bstmm

Check out this amazing 5 star review on Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bloodstone-m-j-mallon/1139807581?ean=9784867510322

☆☆☆☆☆5 out of 5 stars.· 12 days ago  

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Crystals And Mysteries Galore

Bloodstone is the first book in The Curse of Time series written by M.J. Mallon. This is a young adult fantasy / paranormal, coming-of-age story of Amelina Scott. This book is a rollercoaster of a tale about a young lady working to find her own identity. Along the way she has to start to learn who she can trust and that the world is not at all what she believed it to be growing up.

When I first got the book I was more than hesitant about reading it. I am not into young adult fantasy books so to say. This was not my normal reading genre of tales to whisp me away in to hold my attention and keep me flipping the pages. I am very proud to say that I am pleased to have started and stayed with the book. Mallon is such an extremely talented author and really draws the reader into the book and the life of Amelina. After a while though, the book grabs you by the shoulder collar and just can not put it down!

Amelina is a really good character, as the story progresses her development, is a person who is capable of having a huge effect on those around her, and she learns of the powers she has had bestowed upon her. And then there is her Story companion who is Ryder, and he becomes very dislikeable as the pages turn. He is a negative influence on Amelina. I am very pleased you don’t realize he is a villain at his introductions since he is far from the normal build of the bad guy. It isn’t until the story unfolds you see his much darker side.

The last few chapters of the book actually had me on the edge of my seat and I want to know what will come next for our young heroine. I am very pleased to see that M.J. Mallon is already working on the sequel to this book and I know I will be getting my copy when it does.

This review was made possible by a copy provided to me by NetGalley.

  • Review Contains Spoilers: 
  • No
  • # Tags: 
  • Emotional,
  • Coming of Age
  • ✔ Yes, 
  • I recommend this product.

Thank you for all your support.

Happy reading!

Robbie’s Inspiration – Book review: Bloodstone, The Curse of Time #1 by M.J. Mallon

Thank you so much to Robbie Cheadle for this wonderful 5 star review of my Bloodstone for Rosie’s Book Review Team.

To read Robbie’s review please follow the link below:

https://wp.me/p7Uxin-4Ch

I’m thrilled to announce I now have 41 reviews overall on Goodreads for this YA fantasy!

Bloodstone https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58417468-bloodstone 

Bloodstone (The Curse of Time Book 1) Coffee and Bookish Chit Chat with MJ. Art Coming Alive #YA #Fantasy @NextChapterPB #Art #Inspirations

Coffee and Bookish Chit Chat with MJ – Themes in Writing – Inspirations

Art coming alive!
Art coming alive is one of the many fascinating themes explored in the Curse of Time series. The main protagonist Amelina, our young Krystallos heroine, is gifted a magical paint set from her aunt Karissa and when she paints with the crystal infused paint, the creature Eruterac comes knocking at her door like a Halloween nightmare in glorious, scary detail!

What are his intentions? Is this painted apparition real? Is he a friend, or a foe?

Image via Carolina Russo


Here’s a snippet from the book:

The paintbrushes were silent and so involved in creating they didn’t have the energy to talk. My hand moved of its own accord. Breathing deeply, I calmed down a little. The brush continued to make progress.

Before I knew it, the black splodges of paint I’d painted during my last session had moved together to form a dark, ominous creature dominating the centre of my painting. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was the creature from my dream. The face scowled at me, and I noticed a suggested movement as if the creature contemplated leaping out of the canvas in my direction at any moment.

This terrifying being deserved the term: hideous. No other word would do it justice. Lumps of earth were matted around its skull, convincing me that it wore dreadlocks. Worms fed on the rotting skin that hung from its skeletal frame. Many insects collected in the recesses of the creature’s decaying body.

Bloodstone (The Curse of Time Book 1 )

What do you think? Is the creature a nice guy?


The idea of art manifesting as a living albeit dead being came in part from Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray – the painted portrait representing the horror of moral disintegration. 
So, to find out if Eruterac really is a horror (there is no doubt he isn’t pretty to look at and he is disintegrating – a creature of skin, bones, worms…) read the book! 


Portraits of Eruterac, The Creature and Esme are both created by the amazingly talented artist Carolina Russo who I have had the pleasure of collaborating with.


Esme is a favourite character with my readers and with me!  

“This is a brilliant book for young adults interested in magic, super‐ natural, paranormal, fantasy and myth. I found it highly readable and the author’s imagination is phenomenal, as is the fluency of her language and the dazzling way she describes the curious events and characters in her story. I loved the idea of Esme, the girl trapped in the mirror” Review Quote Author S C Skillman

Esme is vulnerable, sensitive and trapped in a mirror, cursed by a spell. She is also trapped figuratively by her mental health and self harm issues of her past.

Excerpt: Esme and Amelina chatting…

Esme peered through the glass, standing up on tiptoes. Her eyes gleamed with a morbid curiosity as if we were chatting about some sinister TV drama.

I didn’t want to talk about it. So, instead, I played it down, saying, ‘As you know, the Crystal Cottage invited me to visit.’

‘You must go,’ said Esme, stretching to her full height to give weight to her words. ‘It’s a sign—dreams often are.’

‘Maybe. I dreamt I had set foot within the cottage, but it was just a dream, and I still haven’t found it in real life. I so badly want to escape, though. This house imprisons everyone, not just you, Esme.’

‘Yes, I know, but it’s worse being inside this glass, believe me.’ Esme pointed at herself, and I watched as her face fell, inch by inch, a chilling avalanche of sadness.

Bloodstone (The Curse of Time Book 1)

Some great news! Bloodstone now has wide distribution!

My YA Fantasy Bloodstone is available at Amazon and many leading bookstores worldwide including Book Depository, Blackwells, Barnes and Noble, in all book formats including hardback.

Amazon KU and link to buy a copy: Universal book Link: http://mybook.to/bstmm

I would really appreciate some reviews on Amazon. There are many on Goodreads but any Amazon reviewers out there please help!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58417468-bloodstone

For professional reviewers and book enthusiasts Bloodstone is currently available to read on Netgalley and and on Book Sirens for a limited time only, so please request your copy asap.

To download a free copy via Book Sirens click this link: https://booksirens.com/book/H4SI6L4/Q9PZX3A

To request a copy via NetGalley click this link: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/230784

If you can help by voting for the beautiful cover… it is in the Allauthor cover competition.

They say not to judge a book by its cover but I need you to do just that! If you liked the cover of my book, Bloodstone (The Curse Of Time Book 1), please vote for it for the Cover of the Month contest on AllAuthor.com!

Please take a short moment to vote for my book cover here: Click to Vote!

To read my latest author interviews:

Interview about the writing life of M J Mallon with Stacey at Whispering Stories:

https://www.whisperingstories.com/the-writing-life-of-m-j-mallon/

And to Camilla Downs for this wonderful feature on Meeting The Authors:

https://meetingtheauthors.com/2021/07/30/friday-with-friends-embracing-change-m-j-mallon/

https://booksgosocial.com/2021/07/27/interview-with-m-j-mallon-the-author-of-a-fantasy-novel-bloodstone/

Media Kit: https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.com/2021/07/17/media-kit-bloodstone-the-curse-of-time-book-1-nextchapterpb-ya-fantasy-release/

Bye for now, happy saturday!

Hope you enjoyed the book chit chat.

The Writing Life of: M. J. Mallon – Whispering Stories

Thank you so much to Stacey for this wonderful feature on her blog.

This week I am thrilled to be interviewing author M. J. Mallon, who will be sharing with us details of her writing life, telling us all about her new book ‘Bloodstone‘, which was released on 23rd June 2021 and answering a few fun questions too.

Source: The Writing Life of: M. J. Mallon – Whispering Stories

Of Bloodstone: The Curse Of Time Book 1 Review – Becoming The Muse

Thank you so much to Beaton for this wonderful review of Bloodstone and pictures of the Grasshopper! Love it!

Source: Of Bloodstone: The Curse Of Time Book 1 Review – Becoming The Muse

And for his wonderful blog tour post which you can read here: https://becomingthemuse.net/2021/07/21/book-blog-tour-bloodstone-mjmallon/

New Edition. The Curse of Time – Book 1 – Bloodstone #Review #YA #Fantasy @RichardDockett1

Source: New Edition. The Curse of Time – Book 1 – Bloodstone

Thank you so much to Richard Dee for promoting the new edition of my YA Fantasy Bloodstone in the Curse of Time series.

Pop over to his blog to read his 5 star review via the link above.

It’s time for another book review. This week, my choice is a recently re-released Y.A. Fiction adventure.

Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – New Book on the Shelves – #YA #Magic #Mystery – Bloodstone (The Curse Of Time Book 1) by M.J. Mallon | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

Thank you so much to Sally Cronin for this wonderful promotional New Book On The Shelves post for the rebranded new edition of Bloodstone, The Curse of Time Book 1. My magical YA fantasy inspired by two amazing sculptural artworks: the Corpus Christi Chronophage clock  in Cambridge England and the magnificent crystal grotto created by Anya Gallaccio’s The Light That Pours Out of Me in Juniper Artland in Scotland.

Thanks to Sally for adding the 5 star review from Sarah Northwood.

Source: Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – New Book on the Shelves – #YA #Magic #Mystery – Bloodstone (The Curse Of Time Book 1) by M.J. Mallon | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine