ILLUSION (Heirs of Watson Island Trilogy #3)
Author: Martina Boone
Publication Date: October 25, 2016
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 480
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads
Description:
Barrie
must rescue her beloved and her family from evil spirits in the
masterful conclusion to the Heirs of Watson Island trilogy.
Caged
by secrets all around her and haunted by mistakes that have estranged
her from Eight Beaufort, Barrie Watson is desperate to break the curse
that puts her family in danger—without breaking the beautiful magic that
protects Watson’s Landing. To do that, she must heal the rifts that
have split the families of the island apart for three hundred years,
unravel the mystery of the Fire Carrier and the spirits he guards, and
take control of forces so deadly and awe-inspiring they threaten to
overwhelm her.
With
the spirits that cursed Watson Island centuries ago awake and more
dangerous than ever, she finds an unlikely ally in the haunting and
enigmatic Obadiah, whose motivations and power she still can’t read—or
trust. His help comes at a price, however, plunging Barrie into a deadly
maze of magic and wonder, mystery and intrigue that leads through
history to places she never imagined she could go.
PERSUASION (Heirs of Watson Island Trilogy #2)
Author: Martina Boone
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Pages: 464
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Description:
Beautiful
Creatures meets The Raven Boys in the spellbinding second novel in the
Heirs of Watson Island trilogy that “skillfully blends rich magic and
folklore with adventure, sweeping romance, and hidden treasure”
(Publishers Weekly, on Compulsion).
Grieving
the death of her godfather and haunted by her cousin Cassie’s betrayal,
Barrie returns from a trip to San Francisco to find the Watson
plantation under siege. Ghost-hunters hope to glimpse
the ancient spirit who sets the river on fire each night, and reporters
chase rumors of a stolen shipment of Civil War gold that may be hidden
at Colesworth
Place. The chaos turns dangerous as Cassie hires a team of
archeologists to excavate beneath the mansion ruins. Because more is
buried there than treasure.
A stranger filled with magic arrives at Watson’s Landing claiming that the key to the Watson and Beaufort gifts—and the Colesworth
curse—also lies beneath the mansion. With a mix of threats and
promises, the man convinces Barrie and Cassie to cast a spell there at
midnight. But what he conjures may have deadly consequences.
While
Barrie struggles to make sense of the escalating peril and her growing
and forbidden feelings for Eight Beaufort, it’s impossible to know whom
to trust and what to fight for—Eight or herself. Millions of dollars and
the fate of the founding families is at stake. Now Barrie must choose
between what she feels deep in her heart and what will keep Watson’s
Landing safe in this stunning addition to a series filled with “decadent
settings, mysterious magic, and family histories rife with debauchery” (Kirkus Reviews, on Compulsion).
Persuasion is
the enchanting second installment in a young adult paranormal series
that will leave readers begging for more. The story picks up where the
first book left off - Barrie returns to Watson Island to find the
plantation overrun with ghost hunters and reporters all trying to get a
piece of the paranormal action and the story of lost treasure. When
Cassie hires a team of excavators to dig up the land beneath the mansion
- they find a lot more than they bargained for. Then a stranger with
magic shows up on the island and convinces Barrie and Cassie to cast a
spell on the ground beneath the mansion - but what they've conjured
might just prove to be deadly.
After reading and loving the first book in this series so much, I have to admit that I was both incredibly excited and a little wary to read this book. I was afraid that it wasn't going to live up to the expectations and hopes and I had from the first one. Luckily, I didn't need to worry. Unlike some second installments in series, this book was just as good as the first - and continues to keep this series at the top of my all time favorites list. Barrie continues to be a great main character for the series. She's intelligent, determined, devoted, and willing to do anything to protect who and what she loves. We get to see her character grow even more in this book - both emotionally and mentally. I enjoyed watching her handling difficult situations with a more level head and with greater maturity. The bit of romance threaded throughout the novel continued to be juicy - I loved watching Barrie and Eight together as their relationship continues to grow and change. Cassie remains another great character in the story and seems to be the one always causing trouble for Barrie.
The plot was once again original and full of fascinating twists and mystery. I always try to figure out what's going to happen next or what's really happening in a story before the characters do, but I wasn't able to do that with this book. There were lots of turns and surprises sprinkled throughout the novel, which is always a huge plus for me. I was easily pulled back into the world of Watson Island from the very beginning of the book, and I didn't resurface until I had finished the entire things - which ended up only taking a few hours since I couldn't stop reading. The author's writing style along with the detailed descriptions and imagery made the book come to life right before my eyes - it felt like I was right there beside Barrie while everything happened. I absolutely adored the Southern Gothic feel that it has - I think it brings everything together perfectly and adds that certain "je ne sais quoi" to the series as a whole. Overall, this is a magnificent second book in a phenomenal series that continues to surprise and impress me. I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the next book - the wait being the only downside (why does it have to be so long?!). I very highly recommend this book and series to fans of the genre along with those who enjoy fantasy, paranormal, ghost stories, mysteries, and suspense/thrillers. If you haven't read these books yet - do it - now! I promise you won't be disappointed.
After reading and loving the first book in this series so much, I have to admit that I was both incredibly excited and a little wary to read this book. I was afraid that it wasn't going to live up to the expectations and hopes and I had from the first one. Luckily, I didn't need to worry. Unlike some second installments in series, this book was just as good as the first - and continues to keep this series at the top of my all time favorites list. Barrie continues to be a great main character for the series. She's intelligent, determined, devoted, and willing to do anything to protect who and what she loves. We get to see her character grow even more in this book - both emotionally and mentally. I enjoyed watching her handling difficult situations with a more level head and with greater maturity. The bit of romance threaded throughout the novel continued to be juicy - I loved watching Barrie and Eight together as their relationship continues to grow and change. Cassie remains another great character in the story and seems to be the one always causing trouble for Barrie.
The plot was once again original and full of fascinating twists and mystery. I always try to figure out what's going to happen next or what's really happening in a story before the characters do, but I wasn't able to do that with this book. There were lots of turns and surprises sprinkled throughout the novel, which is always a huge plus for me. I was easily pulled back into the world of Watson Island from the very beginning of the book, and I didn't resurface until I had finished the entire things - which ended up only taking a few hours since I couldn't stop reading. The author's writing style along with the detailed descriptions and imagery made the book come to life right before my eyes - it felt like I was right there beside Barrie while everything happened. I absolutely adored the Southern Gothic feel that it has - I think it brings everything together perfectly and adds that certain "je ne sais quoi" to the series as a whole. Overall, this is a magnificent second book in a phenomenal series that continues to surprise and impress me. I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the next book - the wait being the only downside (why does it have to be so long?!). I very highly recommend this book and series to fans of the genre along with those who enjoy fantasy, paranormal, ghost stories, mysteries, and suspense/thrillers. If you haven't read these books yet - do it - now! I promise you won't be disappointed.
COMPULSION (Heirs of Watson Island Trilogy #1)
Author: Martina Boone
Release Date: October 28th, 2014
Pages: 433
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads
Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.
All
her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where
she lives with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises
to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of
prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead—a prison guarded
by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding
families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became
compulsions.
Stuck
with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she
cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy.
With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants
before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her
family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never
expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who
isn't what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and
Barrie dead.
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM2oYiojxvQ
Martina
Boone was born in Prague and spoke several languages before learning
English. She fell in love with words and never stopped delighting in
them. She’s the author of SIBA Book Award nominated Compulsion, book one
in the romantic Southern Gothic trilogy, the Heirs of Watson Island,
which was an Okra Pick by the Southern Independent Bookstores Alliance, a
Kansas State Reading Circle selection, a Goodreads Best Book of the
Month and YA Best Book of the Month, and an RT Magazine Best of 2014
Editor’s Pick. The second book in the trilogy, Persuasion, will be
published in October 2015.
She’s also the founder of AdventuresInYAPublishing.com, a three-time Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers site, the CompulsionForReading.com book drive campaign for underfunded schools and libraries, and YASeriesInsiders.com,
a site devoted to the discovery and celebration of young adult
literature and encouraging literacy through YA series. She is also a
founder and permanent mentor at 1st5PagesWritingWorkshop.com,
helping to shepherd aspiring writers into the publication process and
help them find the right starting point for their novels in progress,
Locally in her home state of Virginia, she is on the board of the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia, helping to promote literacy and adult education initiatives.
She
lives with her husband, children, and a lopsided cat, she enjoys
writing contemporary fantasy set in the kinds of magical places she’d
love to visit. When she isn’t writing, she’s addicted to travel, horses,
skiing, chocolate flavored tea, and anything with Nutella on it.
(2) winners will receive hardcover sets of COMPULSION, PERSUASION, & ILLUSION - US Only!
Thanks for the giveaway! I would love to own these books!
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