the faulkner's apprentice by val muller

Title: Faulkner’s Apprentice
Author: Val Muller
Published: April 30th, 2013
Content Warning: Suggestive themes, non-graphic sexuality, and mild violence
Summary:
Lorelei Cecelia Franklin broke a twenty-year streak of bad luck when she won the L. Cameron Faulkner fiction contest. Apprenticed to the reclusive and famous author, Lorei will spend three weeks with the master of horror himself in the secluded mountains of Virginia. On her way to Faulkner's mansion, Lorei meets a leathery man who snares souls that desire too much, and everything in the mansion screams warnings against him. But with her lust for Faulkner, her appetite for fame, and her wish to protect her ailing mother, Lorei's chances for escape are slim.

My Say:
It is quite a long time since I've read such a chilling story. The Faulkner's Apprentice is actually will keep you up all night and assure you that you wont switch off your light while you're sleeping. At first I though loving dark places is such a weird and odd way to embrace creativity and inspirations. I love the character, Lorelei because she's willing to do anything to save the one she loves and achieve her dreams. It's quite a journey but I was intrigued by the storyline as well as the creativity of how the author relates the whole story and the characters. Sometimes I felt it was quite dragged a bit, but overall the story is good. I fully recommend to whoever loves horror book.

About the Author

English teacher by day, writer by night, Val grew up in cold and haunted New England, which seems to have colored her works with a tinge of the macabre. She currently lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and two corgis, a rambunctious and curious dog named Leia, and a kind and obedient (yet terrified) dog named Yoda. Val writes for children and adults and, when not performing her day job as an English teacher, attends book events and elementary schools to conduct writing workshops.

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black venus by james macmanus

Title: Black Venus
Author: James MacManus
Pages: 368
Rating: 3.5/5
Book Description:
Addictive as opium the voluptuous Haitian cabaret singer Jeanne Duval tortured and inspired Charles Baudelaire to create poetry that would forever change the world of literature. Their love played out against the backdrop of 19th-century Paris in the Left Bank cafes and taverns frequented by such giants as Édouard Manet, Honoré de Balzac and Alexandre Dumas.  Reviled by Baudelaire’s family, friends and publisher, Duval was Baudelaire’s muse, leading him to create the poetry whose dark and passionate imagery forever changed and influenced modern literature.

Baudelaire was squandering his small fortune on alcohol and women when he met Duval, who he called Black Venus and claimed as his mistress. Their fiery relationship became the catalyst for his work—without her he couldn’t write a word. Ironically, Duval scorned Les Fleurs de Mal—The Flowers of Evil—the slim volume of poems she inspired that outraged French morals causing Baudelaire and his publisher to be forced into a scandalous public trial for obscenity.  What hold did she have on him that he allowed her to betray him in every possible way, driving him into debt and opium addiction even as she openly slept with his friends?

My Say:
The book is totally a jurney that I thought it would never end. So much depth in it. I was facing a quite hard time to finish the book. It started quite boring at first and slowly blooming into something I love to be in. I love the Paris setting in it. The story brought me to many lovely places that I wish I would be. Paris is just lovely and I think it's a good place for some romance story to take place. Relationship between Charles and Jean for me, is so complex. The storyline is more than just about a person, its about how the character lived and move on. Charles went through so many hardships and scandalous moments. There were times I felt the book is so flat and there's so many details like been dragged too much. Nevertheless, I love reading a new thing like a historical romance/story.

About the Author

James MacManus, who was born in London, began his career with The Guardian first as a reporter in the London office and then as a foreign correspondent in France, Africa and the Middle East. Following a position on the diplomatic staff of the Daily Telegraph in London, he joined The Times, eventually rising to Managing Editor then Managing Director of The Times Literary Supplement. In 2006 his first screenplay became the major motion picture, The Children of Huang Shi, and in 2010 his critically acclaimed first novel, Language of the Sea, made its debut.

more than friends by jessica jayne

Title: Beauty and the Beast

Author: Carole Remy

Rating: 4.5/5

Book Description:
Jeni Acerna is a twenty-eight year old woman, whose longstanding sexual relationship with her best friend, Brian Hamilton, has been both blissful and troublesome. She has been unable to commit herself to another relationship because no one can compare to Brian in or out of bed. She has been in lust (and love) with him for years. But she is afraid to tread down the romantic path with Brian for fear of losing his friendship. After several months of not seeing each other, Jeni and Brian meet in Cleveland for a friend’s wedding. Their weekend getaway, however, is anything but normal. They agree to not have sex for the first twenty-four hours they are together. The first to beg for sex owes the other $500. Jeni’s intent is to see if there is something more to her and Brian that just unbelievable sex. After a tortuous night, their sexual attraction is more than either can bear. Their passion erupts and their sexual relationship picks up where it left off…hot and heavy. However, this time, Brian wants Jeni… and not just in his bed. Can he convince her the risk is worth taking?

My Say:
I like the book since it is short and the pace is quite fast. It has a verything in one story, romance, love, sex and frienship. I love all the characters, the chemistry is great and I felt every page of the book really captured my interest to read it in one sitting. I would say I want to read and learn more about the characters, but without it, I still like the book no matter what.

About the Author

Jessica is a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. She graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in English. What college major could possibly be better than one that makes you read novels and write about them! Now she is thrilled to be able to share all the stories floating around in her head! Jessica loves to travel and travel often! She’s a huge sports fan, especially college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes! She’s a wine-making (and wine-tasting) aficionado. She loves all music. And nothing is better than sunset at the beach! In the journey of life, she also married a wonderful man and had three beautiful (and sometimes crazy) children. Life is always an adventure.