The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour: Archives

First and foremost, I’d like to give a big thank you to all of the talented authors who signed up to be a part of the blog tour and gave thoughtful, inspiring interviews. This whole show was for you, and I hope you found a few new readers and author friends along the way.

Second, on behalf of all the authors, I’d like to express our gratitude to the readers who followed this tour. I hope you all enjoyed learning a bit more about your favorite books.

And last, I’d like to say a special thanks to my co-host, the ever-inspiring Kate Evans. Thank you for yet another successful blog tour. It’s always a joy to collaborate with you!

The following list contains the original blog tour interviews for all our authors and books. For ease of access, you can always view it on my Events page, under the Past Events section.

The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour

Monday, February 8 – The Earl and the Artificer by Kara Jorgensen

Tuesday, February 9 – The Curious Tale of Gabrielle by Zachary Paul Chopchinski

Wednesday, February 10 – Rise of the Storm by Christina Ochs

Thursday, February 11 – Oak and Mist by Helen Jones

Friday, February 12 – A Case of Deceit by J.L. Phillips

Monday, February 15 – The Fairy Wren by Ashley Capes

Tuesday, February 16 – The Cogsmith’s Daughter by Kate M. Colby

Wednesday, February 17 – Going Through the Change by Samantha Bryant

Thursday, February 18 – The Trouble with being a Movie Star’s Wife by Z.N. Willett

Friday, February 19 – The Dream World Collective by Ben Y. Faroe

Monday, February 22 – The Dagger and the Rose by Bill Hoard

Tuesday, February 23 – Wandering on the Treadmill by Wendy Ogilvie

Wednesday, February 24 – Lady, Thy Name is Trouble by Lori L. MacLaughlin

Thursday, February 25 – The Art of Survival by Kate Evans

The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour: Ashley Capes

We’re back for the second week of the 2016 2K Indie Book Tour! Head over to Kate Evans’s site to read all about Ashley Capes and his genre-defying novel, The Fairy Wren.

Source: Indie Author: Ashley Capes

Indie Book Review: Crossings by Ashley Capes

Crossings by Ashley Capes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I have read by Ashley Capes (the first was The Fairy Wren, which I gave 5 stars), and it was every bit as fantastic. Capes’s books straddle the line between genres – they are a unique blend of supernatural and thriller, with a dash of crime mystery. Point blank: readers who enjoy any one of those genres should be reading Ashley’s books.

Crossings follows Lisa, a volunteer wildlife ranger, as she investigates a local farmer’s claim that he saw a giant white kangaroo. As the novel unfolds, the mystery of the white roo grows increasingly more complex and is complicated by other troubling occurrences in Lisa’s life. Mainly, her abusive ex-boyfriend comes back into town, right about the same time as mutilated animal corpses begin showing up outside her house. Lisa must get to the bottom of these brutalities as well as the mystery of the white roo, all while dealing with the declining health of her elderly father.

As I raved in my other book review, Capes has a phenomenal ability to craft realistic, flawed characters. Lisa is not perfect – she sometimes lets her emotions get the best of her, but she has strong redeeming qualities (such as her compassion for animals), too. Likewise, the side characters are well-developed and complex, and they have established, significant relationships with Lisa and each other. One of my favorite qualities in a novel is when characters feel like real people, flaws and all, and Ashley Capes delivers.

I cannot say much more about the plot without revealing spoilers. However, for those plot-oriented readers, I will say this. The plot contains a few twists and turns – nothing comes out of no where, but the journey is still fun and you will be guessing several times. While the ending is satisfying, it does leave some questions unanswered. For me, this isn’t a bad thing, and I’m happy to come to my own conclusions. However, I imagine some readers will find this frustrating and feel a small lack of closure.

Overall, Crossings is a gripping cross-genre novel with the perfect blend of supernatural elements and thriller style. Once again, Capes has crafted realistic, flawed characters that lead the reader through a story with just the right amount of twists and turns. If you love supernatural, thriller, crime, or mystery and you haven’t read Capes’s work yet, you’re missing out.

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If you are interested in reading Crossings and would like to help sponsor my writing and research, you can purchase it through my Amazon Associates Store. By doing this, you will not pay a cent extra, nor will the author receive a cent less, but I will receive a small commission on the sale. Simply click the book’s title or the book’s image.

Indie Book Review: The Fairy Wren by Ashley Capes

The Fairy Wren by Ashley Capes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Fairy Wren by Ashley Capes is a fantasy novel. It follows Paul Fischer during one of the worst times of his life. Paul is separated from his wife, about to lose his bookstore, nagged by a shady friend, and dealing with an Italian runaway. On top of all of that, he receives a mysterious phone call that makes him concerned for his ex-wife and seems to be stalked by a fairy wren, who appears to be more than just a normal bird.

Paul is the working person’s hero. While he is not in a blue collar field, he has that “real” person charm, which is most strongly reflected in his fights (both literal and figurative) with the rich real estate tycoons. Paul is a complex, imperfect character, and I mean “imperfect” in the best way. He is flawed, and he recognizes it. He reacts poorly under stress, and he quickly becomes the underdog that the reader cannot help but root for.

There are a lot of secondary characters in The Fairy Wren, and Capes does a fantastic job of balancing them. Each character feels fleshed out, even the ones we do not see often, and fits firmly in his/her place in the community. Likewise, the relationships between Paul and the supporting characters feel organic and filled with history. This chemistry makes the story that much more compelling.

As far as the plot goes, there is a lot going on in The Fairy Wren. Paul’s life is falling apart, piece by piece, and he is juggling conflict from all angles. However, Capes masterfully leads the reader down each path and manages to interweave them in a way that is simultaneously creative, sensible, and satisfying. There is rarely a dull moment in the novel, and with the wide variety of Paul’s problems, there is something that will interest nearly every reader in this novel.

That being said, my one critique of The Fairy Wren is that I think the author’s classification of it as a fantasy novel isn’t entirely accurate. There are fantasy elements, most notably at the end, but the rest of the novel reads much more like literary fiction, or perhaps light magical realism. Likewise, there is a thriller element to the novel, especially with the plots around Paul’s friend and Paul’s ex-wife. This was a pleasant and captivating surprise, and I think advertising the thriller edge might attract even more readers.

Overall, The Fairy Wren is a compelling and complex novel. It grapples with serious themes—everything from life, death, and love to financial problems, psychological imbalance, and criminal activity. The novel is captivating and will pull readers through to the end quickly. With the diverse plot points, there is something for everyone (specifically readers of fantasy, literary fiction, magical realism, and thrillers) in The Fairy Wren.

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If you are interested in reading The Fairy Wren and would like to help sponsor my writing and research, you can purchase it through my Amazon Associates Store. By doing this, you will not pay a cent extra, nor will the author receive a cent less, but I will receive a small commission on the sale. Simply click the book’s title or the book’s image.

Indie Book Review: The Winter Garden by Kara Jorgensen

The Winter Garden by Kara Jorgensen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Winter Garden (The Ingenious Mechanical Devices Book 2) by Kara Jorgensen is the sequel to The Earl of Brass. While it is not necessary to have read The Earl of Brass to understand and enjoy The Winter Garden, I highly recommend it. Not only is it an exciting and intriguing read (see my review for more), having read The Earl of Brass gave me a better understanding of the world of The Winter Garden as well as gave me a creative respect for the way Jorgensen interwove the lives and stories of the characters from both novels.

The Winter Garden begins with young scholar Immanuel Winter saving Emmeline Jardine from drowning. In order to save Emmeline’s life, Immanuel must use a mysterious family heirloom, and after he does so, he and Emmeline are inexplicably bound together. Eventually, Immanuel and Emmeline are taken captive and must work together to escape and later discover the identity of their captor and how to permanently free themselves from the threat of his clutches.

Once again, Jorgensen has crafted complex and realistic characters. Immanuel and Emmeline could not be more different: he is a thoughtful, compassionate scholar and she is a self-interested, spoiled socialite. However, both characters are sympathetic and both learn to overcome their weaknesses and evolve into the people they are meant to be. Likewise, the supporting characters are well-rounded and have excellent chemistry with the protagonists and each other.

My favorite aspect of The Winter Garden is that Jorgensen expanded into new facets of the steampunk genre. In The Earl of Brass, Jorgensen featured steampunk technology, biomechanical limbs, and even explored a fantastical utopian society. In The Winter Garden, Jorgensen explores the “darker” side of steampunk, introducing readers to deadly mechanical devices, a spiritualist society, and a touch of what the “real world” would deem magic. These new subjects ramp up the styling and tone of the novel and set it apart from The Earl of Brass, while still keeping it true to the world Jorgensen created.

While some of the steampunk elements of the story are new, Jorgensen revisited similar themes from The Earl of Brass (albeit in different ways). Once again, the reader is introduced to a loving, respectful homosexual relationship, this time between two of the main characters. Likewise, Jorgensen revisits feminist themes, providing strong, female characters and reminding the reader that one can be a strong, capable woman and still have traditionally feminine values (ie: appreciation for fashion and desire to be a wife and mother). Additionally, Jorgensen grapples with questions of responsibility and power and how they should be executed in ethical ways.

The Winter Garden is an engaging, theme-driven novel full of vivacious characters and fantastical steampunk elements. If you are looking for a novel that is clever, thought-provoking, and just plain beautiful in the imagination, look no further.

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If you are interested in reading The Winter Garden and would like to help sponsor my writing and research, you can purchase it at my Amazon Associates Store. By doing this, you will not pay a cent extra, nor will the author receive a cent less, but I will receive a small commission on the sale. Simply click the book’s title or the book’s image.