Double Becky Bookworm Review - Bracelet of Bones by Kevin Crossley-Holland + The Spear of Odin by Kieron Dann

Due to my week away in Wales I had plenty of time on my many long train journeys to delves into the mass of fiction on my Kindle. So I finished not one but two books, one historical fiction and another norse fantasy. Click on the covers below to be taken to my review of each - exclusively for the Fantasy Guide.com. Enjoy!

Battles with the Blurbs - Soul Chaser - V2

Yep, as predicted I wasn't happy with last version so after another period of rewrites I've done another one which is what I'm aiming for but I'm buggered trying to get it to fit into 100, this time it's the 190 mark hehehe.
Have another read and let me know what you think please - you might also get a taster for where I want Jenny's journey to go over the entire novel.

Millions believe that after death they will go to heaven.

Very rarely do they consider going to Asgard, home of the Viking Gods.

That is where Jennifer Wallace is taken after her soul was claimed by a Valkyrie of Odin.

Her cause of death is unknown but deemed traumatic as it has left her with no memory of her mortal life.

Several years on Jennifer is beginning to find peace in her Afterlife and is even training to become a Valkyrie herself.

Yet the tranquillity of Asgard is shattered when Jennifer witnesses the first of many devastating attacks against her Valkyrie sisters. Even the Gods, including Odin himself, are disturbed by the unknown dark force that threatens them.

Jennifer must master new powers and make new allies when she is entrusted with the secret location of an object sacred to Odin which may prevent the encroaching war that all fear will come.

Will she prove worthy when the quest to save their future will uncover the truth about her past?

A past that even the all-knowing god Odin has yet to realise may turn out to be the biggest danger of all....

Battles with the Blurb - Soul Chaser rewrite

As I've been on my lengthy train journeys across the border to Wales to learn how to be a good librarian and run a successful library I've had plenty of time to think some more about my plot for Soul Chaser. Currently have a draft idea for chapter fourteen which sees things getting serious for gods and valkyrie alike but also the introduction of a new possibly influential character to Jenny's journey. Things aren't set in stone yet but I like the way this new chapter nicely evolved out of all that's happened before.<br>
On a slightly different note I've also been tinkering with the blurb for Soul Chaser. Yes I can hear writers and authors gasping in horror. I know its pointless having a perfect blurb when the novel isn't finished but hey it set some fireworks off in my imagination as to where I want Jenny to go during the novel. I did seek some advice in the form of the writers and artists year book guide to getting published and they advise an average of 100 words. So that's what I set my word count as. After six attempts I got it down to 103 but to me it still lacked he intrigue needed to get a reader from the back cover to the first page. So after several more attempts I've got a draft I'm fairly happy with of 123 words.
The reason I'm rewriting the blurb is because the current one is too poetic, vague and long. It says alot about nothing effectively.

So here is my twelfth draft I hope you approve. Please do share any thoughts or suggestions in the comments section.

"Millions believe that after death they will go to Heaven.
Very rarely do they consider going to Asgard, home of the Viking gods.
That is where Jennifer Wallace was taken after being claimed by a Valkyrie. Her cause of death is unknown but traumatic enough to leave her with no memory of her past life.
Six years on she is content and training to be a Valkyrie herself.

That peace is shattered when she witnesses an unknown force beginning random devestating attacks on her sisters.

Jennifer will have to untangle a web of ancient lies to unmask their attackers.

What will she do when the truth reveals more about her past?

Will it be in time to save her future?"

Becky Bookworm Book Review: The Bone Thief by V M Whitworth

I do love it when I come across a historical novelist who's finally breathing some fresh air in to the genre by introducing new mystery and excitement in one small part of the wide berth of english history that is often overlooked and forgotten. Such as the period after the death of King Alfred the Great? We all remember him but do many remember what happened after he died? Who ruled? How did the country cope? Did the Vikings return with a vengeance? Or did everything settle down and become peaceful? These are the types of questions I think spawned the idea of The Bone Thief in the marvellous mind of author V M Whitworth. She debuted her first fiction novel at the Jorvik Viking Festival in York this year (2012) sadly I was at a nordic textile event and unable to attend but thanks to the wonders of online selling I still managed to get my hands on her book. It really was a genuine delight to read with such refreshing characters bursting full of life I really do recommend it to anyone who has a taste for history and adventure.

Please click on the cover below to be taken to my full review available exclusively on the Fabtasy Guide.com site.