Reading Recommendations & Spring Updates

Greetings from my reading nook/writing lair!

I’ve been reading lots during the cold weather, haven’t you? Such a pleasant way to pass the time. I'm grateful for the warmth of spring (not that it will stop me from reading!).
 

• Confession: I’m a big Kindle reader. I know, it’s no replacement for the feeling of a book in your hands and the scent of ink and paper, but the thing lights up so I can read in bed, and it holds a LOT of books. Now that I’ve confessed, I’ll tell you that I recently read 13 books in a series. Michelle Vernal’s Guesthouse on the Green series is about a quirky Irish family who run an inn. I can’t remember ever laughing out loud so much while reading! I got the series from Kindle Unlimited—which is part of the reason I put up with punctuation and spelling errors that infested the first several books. The newer ones are better in that regard. BUT I totally recommend the series if you like family stories with romance, laughs, and a lot of heart.                                                                           
  

   

• New book alert! I just finished Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson this morning. It was fantastic! It had a fun, Princess Bride tone, a steadfast heroine on a quest to save her love, piracy, a talking rat, magical spore seas, and a cast of unique/odd characters. You don’t want to miss this one!                                                                                 
• Finally, a Kindle Vella recommendation! It’s YA fairy tale/fantasy/romance—hence, my cup of tea—entitled A Forest of Stolen Memories, by Callie Thomas. Vella’s episodic format is perfect for a fast-paced, magical story like this one. Here’s the blurb:
  

A royal wedding turns to disaster when a curse goes awry. A victim of the Sorcerer's prophecy, Roselyn's memories are instantly erased, leaving her panicked at the altar. Confused, she flees to the place her prince fears most--the enchanted Mistbrooke Forest. Danger lurks closer than she can imagine, forcing her to seek help from a dark stranger who may be the key to recovering her lost memories. Can she break the curse without breaking her heart?

Click here to start reading A Forest of Stolen Memories for free!

What is this Kindle Vella thing, you may be wondering ...

Kindle Vella is a serialized reading platform where writers release stories in short episodes. Each episode can range from 500–6,000 words. The first three episodes of any story are free to access for all readers. After that, episodes are unlocked using paid tokens. (Amazon hands these out free pretty often.) You can access Vella using the Kindle app. Easy peasy and so fun! If this sounds good to you, I invite you to check out my story, The Gingerbread Queen. It's 39 episodes long, and available from beginning to end now. Here's what it's about:   HANSEL & GRETEL'S TALE CONTINUES. Years after fleeing the witch's gingerbread cottage, Gretel returns to hide from townsfolk who accuse her of being the witch's successor. Handsome baker Lukas offers the only recipe to repair the crumbling cottage. Soon, Gretel's innate magic ignites, as does the spark between her and Lukas. Could it be her fate to become the next cruel witch to reign over the forest--and to lose any chance of a happily-ever-after with Lukas?   Click here to start reading The Gingerbread Queen!    In other news ... I'm extremely excited to announce that I have a story featured in an upcoming anthology, The Sun Still Rises! This charity collection of YA fantasy stories celebrates the light found in dark places, just as late author Lani Forbes  embodied hope in difficult times during her fight against a rare form of cancer. Her spirit shines on through these beautiful, bittersweet tales full of fallen stars and fae princes, werewolves and magic wielders, samurai and smoky skies. Other authors include Ronie Kendig, Jill Williamson, Julie Hall, S.D. Grimm, Laura L. Zimmerman, and more! The book will be released on June 20, 2023, and all proceeds will go to support Lani's husband and children.  Find out more here     And if you're wondering what else I've been up to, I'm still working on my bridge troll novel. Check back for more about that soon!  Stay cozy, reader friend!  ~Carrie   P.S. For all the latest news (and a free short story), subscribe to my email newsletter by visiting the newsletter tab of this site.