Excerpt #2:
As
he followed me down out of the attic, with me guiding him to the
bottom, my attention returned to the trunk. Bryan Tierney was handsome,
but this trunk had belonged to my mother, and now all I could think
about was what I might find inside. Maybe Avery’s ring? Or some clue as
to where she had gone.
“Now
I have a question for you,” he said as he lifted it onto the table.
“And if you don’t want to answer, feel free to bitch-slap me. I deserve
it.” He was laughing with his eyes again, their blue intensifying.
“Ask, then.” I pulled the key out of my pocket, suddenly feeling a bit shy.
“Why
did your mother run away? Your grandmother told me a little about
her—that she disappeared, leaving you behind.” He was standing close
enough for me to feel the warmth radiating off his body and it sent a
tingle up my spine . . . a good one that made it hard to think about
anything else.
I
stared at the key in my hand. “I don’t know. I’m hoping to find
something in this trunk that will tell me what happened. Why she
abandoned me. My father vanished before I was born. His mother told me
that he went out to Timber Peak on a hunting trip and was never seen
again. He wanted to marry my mother, but . . .”
Bryan
motioned to the table. “Do you want me to step away while you open
that? Or leave? I can understand this might be a private affair.”
I
considered his question. There was always the chance something in the
trunk would make me burst into tears. Or maybe . . . maybe it was just
garbage, or old memories that I wouldn’t relate to. After a moment I
said, “No, stay. I barely knew her. I was three when she left.”
As
I fitted the key into the lock and turned it, the air grew thick. Mist
began to rise around me—the kind that always signaled some spirit
near—and I opened myself up, searching for where it came from. As I
creaked back the lid, I saw a light jacket, folded and sitting on the
top of whatever else was in the trunk. I recognized it—my mother had
worn it the day when she spun me around in the grass. As I slowly pulled
it out of the trunk I noticed there was something on it. Spread across
both sides of the chest was a reddish brown stain surrounding what
looked like a bullet hole. As I stared at it, a faint cry rose up and I
glanced over to see a young woman squatting beside the table. She was
weeping, her hands raised to ward off something. Bryan was watching her,
too.
“Who is that, Kerris?” His voice was so soft I could barely hear it.
Horrified,
I watched the cowering ghost. “My mother. That’s my mother, Tamil. And
that means . . . that she never ran away. She’s dead, and I think the
blood on this jacket is hers.” I turned to him, stammering out the
words. “I think my mother was murdered.”
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Autumn Thorns
Author: Yasmine Galenorn
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Publisher: Jove
Whisper Hollow Book #1
ISBN:
0515156248
ISBN13: 9780515156249
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: PublisherIn an all-new series, New York Times bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn invites readers to Whisper Hollow, where spirits walk among the living and the lake never gives up her dead…
Fifteen years ago, I ran away from Whisper Hollow, Washington, a small town on Crescent Lake in the Olympic Peninsula. But truth is, if you were born here, you can never really leave. I’m Kerris Fellwater, and when I returned, I inherited my grandmother’s house—and her gift. As a spirit shaman, it’s my responsibility to drive the dead back to their graves, because around Whisper Hollow, people—and secrets—don’t always stay buried.
When I was little, I was told my mother ran off. But now it looks like she was murdered. With the help of my mysterious neighbor Bryan, we begin to unravel the mystery of her disappearance, and in doing so, unearth a dark force seeking to bury Whisper Hollow. Now I must work with the dead, rather than against them, because our enemy will do whatever she can to destroy the town, and she means to start with me.
The blurb for AUTUMN THORNS reminded me a lot of Indigo court so going into the book I thought it might be too similar for me to really enjoy, but I was in for a surprise. The characters felt different, the setting felt different and the storyline was it's own.
Kerris was my kind of heroine. She jumps into danger, but knows when she needs help and asks for it. She is strong and determined to get down to the nitty gritty, she's dependable and she's a loyal friend. She was just all around likable and fun to get to know. I really enjoyed watching Kerris and Bryan's connection grow. I knew right away what they meant to each other when Bryan showed. Watching Kerris not get it for a bit was a bit frustrating, but when everyone was on the same page their relationship was clearly strong and meant to be.
The world building was so great that after reading AUTUMN THORNS I felt like I had visited Whisper Hollow. There was tons of danger involved in the whole book and the plot moved at a nice pace. There was a lot of investigative work going on as Kerris and her friends tried to solve the mystery. On the subject of friends, I loved Peggin and can't wait to see her in the next book.
I have loved some of Yasmine's series—Indigo Court—, enjoyed some of her series—Otherworld/Sisters of the moon—, and liked ok, but probably won't continue others—Fly By Night. I am happy to say that the first book in the Whisper Hollow series, AUTUMN THORNS, has made my love list and I am hoping that continues when I pick up book 2.
I gave it 4/5 stars
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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Yasmine Galenorn is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of the Otherworld Series (Sisters of the Moon) and the Indigo Court Series. She currently resides in Washington State with her husband.
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