Bittersweet
(Faerie Song Trilogy, #2)
Release Date: 03/24/15
Summary from Goodreads:
To save the Faery world and her mother’s life, Lorelei sacrificed
everything, and the dangerous bargain she made in Nevermore had lasting
repercussions. Now safely back in her own world, Lorelei seems the same to her
highschool friends and her supernatural boyfriend. Yet love across dimensions
is complicated, especially when an invisible Veil between the two worlds—the
only bridge that links the pair, is sealing, threatening to separate Lorelei
and Adrius forever.
Determined to find a solution, Lorelei resorts to using her new found
powers. But when her friends succumb to the same mysterious illness that nearly
took her mother’s life, Lorelei can’t help but wonder if her own dark magic is
responsible. Still, the nightmares from Nevermore continue their icy hold.
Someone from Adrius’s past arrives, determined to destroy Lorelei’s world
starting with those closest to her, and Lorelei is forced to choose between her
family and friends and a love that was ill-fated from the start.
“One kiss and now you
believe you love this creature? Preposterous. I will not have it. She has you
hexed. Bewitched from your right mind. That is the only reasonable explanation
to account for such impudence. Such lusting can only be derived from dark
magic. It seeps from her pores, can you not feel it?” Mab, the Queen of Air and
Darkness surveyed me with cold disdain before refocusing her wrath on her
son.
“I would never do that,”
I blurted. “I’d never use magic to force someone into loving me.” Venus and I were
very different that way.
Mab snarled. “Do not
address me unless I have given you permission to do so,” she said. “I am the
queen of this court. And you are nothing more than a whelp on the verge of
losing her life.” Her cutting glare flicked back to her son. “I cannot allow
this. You traipsing across lands following this…” she waved her hand in my
direction. “It is madness. I prayed that after you'd taken a taste you would
have been satisfied, satiated of such empty hollow carnal delights and moved on
to saner tasks. Like serving your mother.”
“You removed me from
your court, Mother. I no longer serve you,” Zanthiel replied evenly.
Mab’s voice lowered, and
grew sickly sweet. “My darling, it was but to show you your love for me. Your
loyalty lies within you still. It merely needed a subtle reminder.”
“By way of banning me
from my home, and resigning me to live among thieves, shadows and the dead. It
is an odd way of demonstrating motherly love.”
“There are many
expectations of you. You cannot fulfill your duty with your mind blinded by
your heart. This unhealthy obsession has you transfixed, Zanthiel. Can you not
see? She has you immobilized.” Her voice grew louder and the rafters latterly
shook. “And to what end?”
She looked at me, but I
wasn’t certain she wanted me to answer, so I remained silent. I studied the
chains enclosing Zanthiel’s hands and ankles. Could I break them open, dissolve
them? What if something went wrong, and I hurt him instead? No, it wasn’t the
right time. I glanced over at her statuesque guards, their skin blue from
decades of cold. Two of them were studying me with a vile mix of curiosity and
hunger. One caught my eye and he ran a bloated tongue across his chaffed lips.
My stomach turned over.
“I am hers for as long
as she requires my assistance. It has always been that way. Fated by prophecy.
You know this to be true, Mother.”
He was having trouble
speaking and yet his expression held that same icy glare. By looking at him
you’d never know what pain he was in. But I knew him on a deeper level. I was
beginning to see through his façade, like a smokescreen of glamour, I saw
behind the mask. The fear and loathing and the inexplicable suffering as the
iron ate into his flesh like acid.
The queen’s eyes
narrowed and grew impossibly colder. “Why have you come? Surely you did not
expect a grand and hospitable welcome. What purpose drew you into my court to
face imminent death? Do speak now, whelp,” she said with sudden impatience.
“And know that if you are caught lying I will cut out your tongue and feed it
to the trolls.”
I shuddered, having no
doubt she actually would. “We have a… request.”
I glanced at Zanthiel,
blood seeping from the iron chains binding his wrists and ankles. I couldn’t
let him continue to suffer. The poison would eventually seep into his
bloodstream and kill him. Then she'd direct her wrath at me.
I took a tentative step
forward, not fully convinced I wouldn’t be cut down where I stood, for being so
bold.
But she leaned back
against her throne and tapped a broken fingernail impatiently. “You have my
full attention. Come out with it. What is this request of which you speak?”
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Fire
& Ice (Book One):
(cover linked to Goodreads)
Buy Links:
Michele
Barrow-Belisle is chocoholic author and artist living in southern Ontario,
Canada with her super-sweet husband, brilliant son and a ridiculously
affectionate cat. Often told by teachers to stop dreaming and get her head out
of the clouds, Michele still spends much of her time lost in make-believe
worlds, populated with fascinating and occasionally terrifying characters. Her
passion for fantasy extends beyond her writing into her clay figure sculpt-ing,
creating miniaturized replicas of the paranormal beings she writes about.
Michele is as passionate about reading as she is about writing. When she’s not
reading or writing, she can be found sculpting tiny fairy desserts in polymer
clay. She also loves mocha lattes and watching fireflies at twilight. Did we
mention she loves chocolate?
So Fire & Ice was optioned for a
Movie! Exciting! What can you tell us about that?
Well,
as you can imagine we’re all super excited about it! And I’ve had a lot of
conversations with the producer, who luckily wants to keep me on board in
adapting the book to script. That doesn’t always happen, so I’m very grateful.
I think it’s a dream most writers have, but it was equally important for me
that my stories remain as true to the book series as possible. Hopefully we’ll
be able to release more info soon! It’s so hard keeping things secret, lol.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
In the recesses of my mind, I would say yes, since
writing was always something I loved to do. But it only submerged to the
forefront of my awareness after several story idea sparks came to me, refusing
to be ignored. Once I started writing again, it was like a drug... thoroughly
and utterly addicting.
How long have you been writing?
Well, for nearly as long as
I've been able to write, I've been making up stories and characters in my head.
Writing them down just seemed the next logical step. And once I started, I wasn’t able to stop. I have
four more manuscripts, not so patiently waiting for final revisions before they
can be released. If I could writer shorter books, I’d be able to release them
more often, lol. But my characters seem to have too much going on for that to
happen.
Who and what were your favorite childhood
authors and books?
There were so many stories
and authors I adored. From Dr. Seuss to Judy Blume there were countless stories
I got lost in. The Narnia series, and several others by C.S. Lewis, The Hobbit
and The Lord of The Ring by Tolkien, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Lord of
The Flies by William Gerald Golding, Christy by Catherine Marshall, The
Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, Flowers in the Attic by Virginia Andrews, Diary
of Anne Frank, Jane Austins books, Beverly Cleary books, everything Nancy Drew,
not to mention a ton of sweetheart romances read in my teen years... too much
information?
What do you love reading now?
Many of the books I enjoyed
as a child, such as Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, I very much enjoy them today. J.K.
Rowling's Harry Potter series,... loved it. Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga...
loved that too, Anne Rice, Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith, Fallen, Stardust by
Neil Gaiman. I might add I adore the movies made from all of these books as
well. That's the tip of the fiction iceberg. I also love reading metaphysical
non-fiction books that question the nature of reality. So many books, so little
time...if only there were more hours in a day. But at some point I have to make
some time to actually write!
When can we expect to see the third
book in the series released, and do you think there will be more adventures
with Lorelei, Adrius and Zanthiel?
It’s
funny because I planned the series as a trilogy, but I have a hard time seeing
it coming to an end. I think the third book will be out next year, at the
latest. And as for future books, I’m keeping the doors wide open. There is so
much to tell and some of the characters may even want their own spin off
stories… so we’ll just have to see. I’m staying open to all sorts of p
possibilities! ;)
I’d
like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read the
first two books, and especially to those who loved it. Your excitement and
words of encouragement make all the difference!
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