Hi, lovelies!! It gives me great pleasure today to host Kyrie Wang and her new book, “Enemy’s Keeper: Forbidden Ties,” here on FAB!! For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.
Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $15 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back daily to interact with Kyrie and to increase your chances of winning!!
Thanks for stopping by!! Wishing you all lots of good luck in this fabulous giveaway!!
Enemy's Keeper: Forbidden Ties
by Kyrie Wang
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Young Adult Fiction - Historical
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
1075 A.D. England
Nine years after the Norman Conquest
Orphaned during a rebellion against William the Conqueror, Heather's life is just settling down when her childhood sweetheart disappears to save the son of a murdered Norman knight.
This quarrelsome son, Matthew, is determined to destroy the English rebels who decimated his household. Heather stays out of it—until she is accidentally entangled with a young rebel leader named Toby.
As she is whisked off through the forests of medieval England, inhabited by a dangerous but misunderstood tribal society, Heather is forced to take a side. Her decisions will put into peril everything she holds dear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT ONE:
AD 1075 England, nine years after the Norman invasion.
Someone banging on the watermill’s door jolted Heather awake. She struggled to open her eyes. From downstairs, the rapping on the wood was like thunder echoing within the stone walls.
“Marie?” Heather croaked as she sat up.
There was no answer. In the ember’s glow on this crisp October night, she looked next to her and saw that Marie was missing. Heather’s stomach clenched with fear. Marie was a nine-year-old orphan that she had been entrusted to hide in this watermill, safe from Ransley Buckner’s soldiers. But her straw mattress was now empty.
Fists continued to pound on the door downstairs. Heather was on the intermediate level of the building, which didn’t cover the entire lower floor space; it granted her a view of the entryway below. Icy with panic, she pushed to her bare feet and ran for the staircase. Suddenly, what felt like a small boulder slammed into her chest, and Heather gasped. It was Marie, who had covered her nose with both hands in pain. She had already been downstairs.
“Is it Spencer?” Heather cried with a burst of hope. Spencer was her best friend and someone she loved dearly; he had brought Marie to the watermill for hiding. Heather began to hurry down the steps again in her ragged tunic, but Marie grabbed her arm.
“It’s not Spencer,” she murmured, scowling. “I looked through the cracks in the door.”
The large wooden door rattled against its frame with even stronger banging. The plank of wood bolting the door shut jumped within its supporting brackets from the force. Muffled shouting echoed from the other side, and it was not friendly. Although Heather didn’t know who the men were, dread washed down her scalp, feeling like a downpour of needles as she feared the worst. Pushing Marie away, she whispered, “Go hide, now!”
For six days, Heather had sweated over the nightmare scenario of Ransley Buckner’s soldiers finding Marie here at the watermill before Spencer could return. Heather had never wanted to hide the child, but Spencer hadn’t given her a choice; he had simply left the girl on Heather’s doorstep. Buckner and his men had already killed most of Marie’s family in the evolving revolt against William, the Norman duke who had seized the English throne. As a rebel leader, Buckner opposed William’s rule and had targeted Marie’s household for being loyal to the king. Tonight, his men were likely still pursuing the girl.
As Marie scurried into the shadows, Heather’s fingers groped for the dagger around her waist—not that she knew how to fight, but she didn’t dare think about that now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MY BOOK REVIEW:
This book, “Enemy’s Keeper: Forbidden Secrets,” is an interesting, intriguing, entertaining historical read!!
This book is book one of the Enemy’s Keeper Book Series. This book is a great opening and start of a new series. However, full disclosure, this book does end on a cliffhanger and with many questions still unresolved. So, this book does require an investment into the series, as you’ll want to keep reading to find out what happens.
This book is full of well-detailed and intricate worldbuilding, that at times feel a bit heavy handed, are all important, and necessary to the setup of the series.
I appreciated the author’s extensive well-researched historical content that feels genuine and authentic.
This book is also full of important, valuable themes and lessons such as good vs. evil, doing the right thing, treating others with respect and kindness, working together, unity, justice, equality, and compassion.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it!! I think all young adult readers and historical fiction fans will like this book too!! So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading – you won’t be disappointed!!
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR BIO:
.jpg)
Kyrie Wang is a physician in a rural town in Quebec, Canada. She loves learning about medieval history and has been writing fiction since age eight. When not writing, she also enjoys drawing concept art for her novels, playing guitar, and biking with her daughter and husband.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CONNECT WITH KYRIE:
Website:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077985827399
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AuthorKyrieW
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/authorkyriew
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22310681.Kyrie_Wang
Goodreads Book Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60656767-enemy-s-keeper
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BOOK BUY LINKS:
.jpg)
Amazon US Kindle eBook:
Amazon US Paperback:
Amazon US Hardcover:
Amazon CA Kindle eBook:
https://www.amazon.ca/Enemys-Keeper-Forbidden-Ties-Book-ebook/dp/B09VWFKZPF
Amazon CA Paperback:
https://www.amazon.ca/Enemys-Keeper-Forbidden-Ties/dp/0228864526
Amazon CA Hardcover:
https://www.amazon.ca/Enemys-Keeper-Forbidden-Ties-Book/dp/0228864534
Barnes and Noble Paperback:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/enemys-keeper-kyrie-wang/1141245055
Book Depository Paperback:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Enemys-Keeper-Kyrie-Wang/9780228864523
Indigo Chapters CA Paperback:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/enemys-keeper-forbidden-ties/9780228864523-item.html
Smashwords eBook:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1138056
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFO:
Kyrie will be awarding a $15 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner’s Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those fabulous community outreach projects and awesome giveaways on here**
This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions. Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.
Thank you for sharing your review of Enemy's Keeper: Forbidden Ties, this sounds like a book and series that my teen-aged grandchildren and I will enjoy reading.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by, Bea! The ebook is currently 99cents on all online retailers, if you are still interested. Have a great week!
DeleteI liked the excerpt. Sounds like a good read.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading, Rita! The book is on a summer sale for 99cents until the end of August :)
DeleteSounds super interesting to read,I love suspense love stories.I checked on amazon and its only 99 cents for the ebook just wow!!also theres a 15$ gift for the lucky winner of the raffle,more post about this blog the more chances of winning😍
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by :)
DeleteThis sounds like a really great book that my daughter would love to read!
ReplyDeleteThank you ❤️ the ebook version is on sale for 99cents :)
DeleteThis sounds like a great story.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sherry!!
DeleteThis sounds good.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by, Debbie :)
DeleteHi Ally, I really appreciate your time in reading and reviewing my book. I would be delighted to send you the sequels too if that interests you. Just email me at authorkyriew@gmail.com and I'll keep you updated! I am currently working on rewriting book 2 as I wrote it 7 years ago , and I've changed quite a bit as a person since then (including becoming a mom!)
ReplyDeleteHave a great rest of the week!
Great excerpt, Enemy's Keeper: Forbidden Ties sounds like a great book for me to read and enjoy! Thanks for sharing it with me! Thanks, Fabulous and Brunette for sharing your review! Have an awesome TGIF!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. I do hope you enjoy my book :)
DeleteWhat is your favorite way to relax?
ReplyDeleteHi there, sorry for the delayed response. I'm currently vacationing in the Canadian Rockies and I have spotty reception!
DeleteSpeaking of the Rockies, taking a walk in nature is my favorite way to relax. :)
What is the best book you've read so far in 2022?
ReplyDeleteI am currently on a nonfiction reading streak to help improve my writing. The Anatomy of Story by John Truby has been "truly" (I can't resist that pun sorry) helpful as it breaks down everything that makes a story- theme, plot, characters, scene, dialogue- and analyzes what works with case-based examples. I am applying what I've learned for book 2 of my series!
DeleteWhat story of yours did you find it difficult to write?
ReplyDeleteI have tried to rewrite the prequel of the Enemy's Keeper Series which I wrote when I was around 16 years old. Unfortunately I've changed so much as a person now in my adulthood that the entire plot structure of the prequel no longer stands up to my liking. It is, however, very interesting to see how my teenage mind once functioned! A true time capsule wrapped up in a novella.
ReplyDeleteI have given it up for now in favor of spending my time on the sequels. Maybe one day I will go back to that prequel and make it a bonus freebie for my newsletter subscribers.
What's your best memory from 2022 so far?
ReplyDeleteI just finished making that memory in Banff, Alberta and the surrounding Canadian Rockies! It was the first "real" family getaway we've had since summer of 2019. The Canadian Rockies was absolutely stunning and got to ride a horse for the first time, peppering the experienced rider leading the group with horse and donkey Qs to help me write from Matthew's POV in book 2 of my sequel. She was very interested in the plot surrounding Matthew and Kato in book 2. Yay!
ReplyDeleteWhat are you looking forward to in the second half of 2022?
ReplyDeleteI will have changes in my day-job by November 2022 that will grant me more free time to write. Right now things are very busy in the healthcare sector (catching up on surgical cases post-covid and other reasons) and I work in 2 hospitals, one in a major city and another in a rural community in Québec. So in addition to being a mom...I fly every other week!
DeleteWhat fiction tropes are your pet peeves?
ReplyDeleteInsta-Love. Rather, it's insta-LUST because how can you "love" a potential partner right after meeting him or her?
ReplyDeleteWhat is your favorite setting to write in?
ReplyDeleteMedieval times. I have always liked the medieval times because of... the Zelda series video games (shameless confession) which I grew up playing with my friends. One controls the character, the other reads the walk-through 😀
DeleteAs I got older and and learned about the political and religious setting of medieval England (introduced to me thanks to high school history in the USA, where I grew up), the era became even more fascinating because of constant upheaval, switched alliances, marriages to bind the fates of 2 countries etc. As a Chrisitian, I am particularly interested in how medieval Christians viewed themselves and their enemies... particularly when their enemies are also professed Christians. The Norman Conquest of England is a perfect example of that tension, as both Normans and Anglo-Saxons had converted to Christianity by the Conquest. In reading contemporary writings of the time, much of their thinking involved God and His will. Their daily lives were influenced by their faith.
Although religion is not the main focus of my Enemy's Keeper series, I do explore this topic particularly through the character of Toby, who believes his mission to overthrow a tyrant conqueror king is glorifying God.
Do you have any more books you are planning to release this year?
ReplyDeleteNone, sadly! Dayjob is demanding until the end of 2022. But I am almost daily working on Enemy's Keeper Book 2: A Traitor's Heart :)
DeleteIf one of your books was made into a Hollywood movie, who do you picture portraying the main role?
ReplyDeleteFun question! Heather is very difficult to cast because I have such a precise vision of her. I think a teenaged Kiera Knightly is the best I have in mind right now.
DeleteHow much writing do you do in a day?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete(Previous response deleted because of typo!)
ReplyDeleteIt really depends. As I work in 2 hospitals and am a mom, most of my writing tends to be in bedside notebooks with a refined version eventually making it into Microsoft Word. I can probably average 5 hrs of Microsoft Word time a week, if I don't do any of my my other hobbies.
Do you have any other new books planned for this year?
ReplyDeleteHi there! I already answered this question previously on this blog post :) Unfortunately, I have nothing else planned for this year.
DeleteOops sorry!
DeleteNo problem!
DeleteHow long have you been a writer?
ReplyDeleteI started writing fiction in 3rd grade after loving the Boxcar children books! After that, I wrote videogame fanfics throughout childhood, but nothing serious until the Enemy's Keeper series.
DeleteThe prequel of the Enemy's Keeper series, Seeker, was published with an ISBN in 2010 before ebooks were a big deal. The paperbacks were sold for charity at my medical school's talent show and I made around 200$ which at the time made me really proud ;). (The book is currently not available for sale because the writing no longer represents my style).
A medical license and a baby later, I'm pursuing the author life more seriously!
What is a line of dialogue that stuck out to you and you'll always remember?
ReplyDelete"Kindness isn't bought." - Evelyn Marcotte from my novel :)
DeleteIs there a particular event or moment that inspired you to be a writer?
ReplyDeleteNot really! I've had stories swirling in my head since as long as I can remember, so I started writing fiction when I was 8 years old.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great blurb and excerpt. The book sounds very interesting. Great cover.
ReplyDeleteThank you and thanks for stopping by!! 😊
DeleteWhich of your characters do you relate to the most and why?
ReplyDeleteHeather, although my personality is "divided up" and different aspects of me are magnified in the different characters. I identify with Heather's low self esteem while also greatly with Toby's drive to please his relatives in hopes of being loved. Matthew grew up rich and had all his material needs met, but is lonely and doesn't know it (something I went through in a younger phase of my life).
ReplyDeleteAll the characters' flaws and strengths derive from my own, for better or for worse! It makes writing difficult sometimes, but also creates authentic characters.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
ReplyDeleteInteresting question! I would choose the homing pigeo,n as they are dedicated to delivering their story no matter what trials may bring. Even the risk of death. That's stamina.
DeleteI share with you the story of Cher Ami, who saved lives:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cher_Ami
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
ReplyDeleteIt took me 8 years for 4 books with a 1 yr hiatus due to having a baby. I wish I can write faster but I do have a busy dayjob also.
DeleteNow I'm rewriting books 1 and 2!
Really nice cover and excerpt, looking forward to reading this!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much 😊
DeleteWhat part of the book was the most fun to write?
ReplyDeleteThe final chapter of the book :) Unfortunately I can't talk much about it without spoiling but it's when my protagonists get closer.
DeleteI am working on a 2nd edition of the book that will have a much expanded ending, so it won't end on such a cliffhanger. I had a word count cap at 75k with my assistant self- publishing company, Tellwell.ca (their editing and proofreading package only covered 75k words unless I paid even more for each additional word), but in the 2nd edition I will no longer use their services and not be subject to a word cap!
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
ReplyDeleteI write all over the place. Sometimes on napkins, on various electronics on an app called Evernote, bedside notebooks (I have 3-4 because I misplace them), envelopes, etc. Eventually the "cream of the crop" makes it to a Microsoft Word document!
DeleteIf you could meet your characters, what would you say to them?
ReplyDeleteHang in there!! You will be put through many trials, but the best is yet to come :)
DeleteWhat was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
ReplyDeleteHow much time it takes to learn marketing properly! Preparation for marketing book actually begins even once before, as it takes time to collect reviews from Advanced readers. Honestly I'm still overwhelmed by the marketing aspect.
ReplyDelete