Nine
of Stars
A
Wildlands Novel
Laura
Bickle
On Sale Date: December 27, 2016
ISBN: 9780062437662
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Publisher: Harper Voyager
About
the Book:
Following
on the heels of her critically acclaimed prequel novels Dark Alchemy and
Mercury Retrograde comes the first installment in Laura Bickle’s dark
contemporary fantasy series, Nine of Stars, a Wildlands Novel
As the daughter of an alchemist,
Petra Dee has faced all manner of occult horrors—especially since her arrival
in the small town of Temperance, Wyoming. But she can’t explain the creature
now stalking the backcountry of Yellowstone, butchering wolves and leaving only
their skins behind in the snow. Rumors surface of the return of Skinflint Jack,
a nineteenth-century wraith that kills in fulfillment of an ancient bargain.
The new sheriff in town, Owen
Rutherford, isn’t helping matters. He’s a dangerously haunted man on the trail
of both an unsolved case and a fresh kill—a bizarre murder leading him right to
Petra’s partner Gabriel. And while Gabe once had little to fear from the mortal
world, he’s all too human now. This time, when violence hits close to home, there
are no magical solutions.
It’s up to Petra and her coyote
sidekick Sig to get ahead of both Owen and the unnatural being hunting them
all—before the trail turns deathly cold.
About
the Author:
Laura Bickle grew up in rural
Ohio, reading entirely too many comic books out loud to her favorite Wonder
Woman doll. After graduating with an MA in Sociology-Criminology from Ohio
State University and an MLIS in Library Science from the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she patrolled the stacks at the public library and worked
with data systems in criminal justice. She now dreams up stories about the
monsters under the stairs. Her work has been included in the ALA’s Amelia
Bloomer Project 2013 reading list and the State Library of Ohio’s Choose to
Read Ohio reading list for 2015-2016.
She dreamed of an ache in the marrow of her bones, so much
deeper than frost.
In her dreams, Petra had dropped into Skinflint Jack’s
hand-dug cellar, his underground ossuary. It was cold and silent there, and her
breath made ghosts in the darkness. Light emanated from the bodies on the bed,
from beneath their parchment-thin skin, moving like drifting fireflies
underneath the surface. The bodies sat upright, heads turned toward her with
empty gazes.
Petra would have run away, but she was pinned to the wall.
Bones laced over her body like shackles, splitting through the skin of the dirt
to wrap around her wrists, ribs, and legs. She tried to turn her head, but it
was enclosed in a helmet, the Stag’s skull, and she blinked through the eye
sockets of the Stag.
What had he seen? What had he done? She struggled against
the weight of the bones, torn between wanting to know and wanting not to know.
Jack’s wife stood, walking across the floor to Petra in a
dress of black lace. Bits of her skin fluttered to the floor, disturbed by
Gabe’s autopsy efforts. In her hands, she held the Star of Antimony, gleaming
in the shifting low light.
“What happened to you?” Petra asked, her tears blurring
her gaze. The tears slid down her cheek, underneath the skull-mask.
The woman didn’t answer; only gazed at Petra with those
empty, vacant eye sockets.
And Petra realized that her mouth had been sewn shut.
Review:
Wow. This book captivated me from the very first page. The author's use of language to paint a picture with words is truly astounding. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Stellar character and a thrilling world that will leave you on pins and needles.
5/5
Tour Giveaway
Signed print copy open to US
Shipping
I am so excited for this one. I loved her alchelmy series and can't wait to dive into this one. Thanks for the post and the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteSig is super-excited that you're joining him for more adventures, Dawn! :-)
DeleteThanks so much for hosting me today! I appreciate it!
ReplyDelete