Check out the fun guest post, my review, the book trailer and giveaway below...
The Isle of GoldBy Seven Jane
YA Fantasy, Pirates
Paperback & ebook, 284 Pages
October 9th 2018 by Black Spot Books
Summary
SuMystery, Myth & Magic Meet in an Epic Adventure of Two Women Lost at Sea—
and the Secret that Binds Them Together
AN ORPHAN DISGUISED AS A PIRATE SETS SAIL FOR A MYSTICAL ISLAND IN HOPES OF UNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES OF HER PAST
The year is 1716—the Golden Age of Pirates. An orphan who sleeps in the dusty kitchens of a quayside brothel, Merrin Smith is desperate to unravel the secrets of her past and find the truth about the events that brought her to the Caribbean island of Isla Perla as a child. Disguised as a sailor, and with the help of her longtime friend Claudette, Merrin joins the crew of the pirate ship Riptide, helmed by the notorious Captain Erik Winters. Tenacious and rumored a madman, Winters is known as much for his ruthlessness as for his connection to the enigmatic and beautiful proprietress of the Goodnight Mermaid, Evangeline Dahl, who vanished from Isla Perla two summers before.
At sunset the Riptide sails for the mythical island of Bracile, a place hidden between air and sea and that exists only for a moment every two years, and which has never returned any man who has sailed for its shores. The journey will be perilous and long, and it will take Merrin far away from the only home she’s ever known. Because she can read, Merrin will serve as the Captain’s apprentice, deciphering old texts for clues to the island’s whereabouts as the ship sails through haunted, frozen waters and into the very heart of the ocean. As she struggles to navigate the rough, seafaring life aboard a pirate ship, Merrin must keep her identity hidden from the scrupulous gaze of not only Captain Winters, but also Mister Brandon Dunn, the ship’s surly, legend-spouting quartermaster, and Tom Birch, the charming boatswain Merrin can’t help but feel drawn to.
As the Riptide makes its way to Bracile, Merrin begins to suspect that the men she has worked so hard to deceive may in fact be more connected to her than she would have imagined, and that perhaps her own past might have more to do with the Dunn’s legends and myths than she ever could have guessed.
In The Isle of Gold [Black Spot Books, October 9, 2018] Merrin Smith must face perilous waters, cursed sea goddesses, and the embodiments of some of the ocean’s most terrifying legends as she not only struggles to survive her journey, but to find the answers to the mysteries of her past.
A story where history meets fantasy, The Isle of Gold is an epic, emotional adventure of two women—one desperate to save herself, and the other determined to be rescued—and the secret which binds them together.
AN ORPHAN DISGUISED AS A PIRATE SETS SAIL FOR A MYSTICAL ISLAND IN HOPES OF UNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES OF HER PAST
The year is 1716—the Golden Age of Pirates. An orphan who sleeps in the dusty kitchens of a quayside brothel, Merrin Smith is desperate to unravel the secrets of her past and find the truth about the events that brought her to the Caribbean island of Isla Perla as a child. Disguised as a sailor, and with the help of her longtime friend Claudette, Merrin joins the crew of the pirate ship Riptide, helmed by the notorious Captain Erik Winters. Tenacious and rumored a madman, Winters is known as much for his ruthlessness as for his connection to the enigmatic and beautiful proprietress of the Goodnight Mermaid, Evangeline Dahl, who vanished from Isla Perla two summers before.
At sunset the Riptide sails for the mythical island of Bracile, a place hidden between air and sea and that exists only for a moment every two years, and which has never returned any man who has sailed for its shores. The journey will be perilous and long, and it will take Merrin far away from the only home she’s ever known. Because she can read, Merrin will serve as the Captain’s apprentice, deciphering old texts for clues to the island’s whereabouts as the ship sails through haunted, frozen waters and into the very heart of the ocean. As she struggles to navigate the rough, seafaring life aboard a pirate ship, Merrin must keep her identity hidden from the scrupulous gaze of not only Captain Winters, but also Mister Brandon Dunn, the ship’s surly, legend-spouting quartermaster, and Tom Birch, the charming boatswain Merrin can’t help but feel drawn to.
As the Riptide makes its way to Bracile, Merrin begins to suspect that the men she has worked so hard to deceive may in fact be more connected to her than she would have imagined, and that perhaps her own past might have more to do with the Dunn’s legends and myths than she ever could have guessed.
In The Isle of Gold [Black Spot Books, October 9, 2018] Merrin Smith must face perilous waters, cursed sea goddesses, and the embodiments of some of the ocean’s most terrifying legends as she not only struggles to survive her journey, but to find the answers to the mysteries of her past.
A story where history meets fantasy, The Isle of Gold is an epic, emotional adventure of two women—one desperate to save herself, and the other determined to be rescued—and the secret which binds them together.
“For as long as men have sailed the ocean, they have told stories about the sea,” says Jane. “It’s a place of mystery, myth, and magic—and this makes The Isle of Gold a perfect setting for an epic adventure that is not only a tale of historical fiction, but of the very evolution of a woman’s spirit as she seeks to find herself in a world of unpredictability and uncertainty.”
“There is an old saying that ‘the cure for anything is saltwater—tears, sweat, or the sea.’ In The Isle of Gold, Merrin’s journey requires all three.”
Praise for THE ISLE OF GOLD
“Part fairytale, part fantasy, part romance, Jane’s debut is full of colorful characters [and] a plot that will thrill the heart of any lover of magic, legends, and epic adventure.” —Booklist
"Jane weaves a tale of myth and magic . . . This tempting novel will entrance." —Publishers Weekly
"A delightful, well researched and evocative historical fantasy that succeeds in bringing a fascinating era to life.” —Midwest Book Review
"Jane weaves a tale of myth and magic . . . This tempting novel will entrance." —Publishers Weekly
"A delightful, well researched and evocative historical fantasy that succeeds in bringing a fascinating era to life.” —Midwest Book Review
Guest Post: Fill in the Blanks
- Evangeline’s proud face is my favorite thing about the cover of THE ISLE OF GOLD.
- The main reason Merrin must hide that’s she’s a girl is because women were considered extremely unlucky to take to sea, and having a woman on board a ship was a crime even among pirates.
- Merrin would describe the ship Riptide as remarkable and home.
- Those on the ship would describe Merrin as industrious and curious.
- The one thing Merrin is hoping to find on Bracile is herself.
- THE ISLE OF GOLD challenged me by making me learn how to sail a 17th century wooden ship as I wrote it.
- My favorite thing about the story is Erik Winters’ and his near-madness.
- Write every day, especially when you don’t want to is the one piece of advice I’d give to aspiring authors.
- Right now The Bird Box is the book waiting for me to read next.
- I have a love/hate relationship with audio books.
- Oranges is my go-to treat/snack when I’m craving something.
- I’m looking forward to watching every live action Disney recreation ever in the theaters.
- I last binge watched the Ozarks show.
- If you got in my car right now, you’d hear the novel A Discovery of Witches playing through my speakers.
- Fall is my favorite time of the year.
- Probably didn’t know that it was April Fools Day is what I did for April Fools Day.
- I like my pizza with cheese…lots and lots of cheese on top.
- The Bahamas is my favorite place to vacation.
- One thing I can’t live without is tea, and my cat Ferrous.
- I’m working on a super secret new project next, to be released in 2020.
My Review
THE ISLE OF GOLD is a story of swashbuckling pirates, danger on the high seas, old pirate tales, sacrificing for love, and the curse of Davey Jones. Pirate fans will find much to love about this tale, particularly the mix of pirate lore, fantasy, adventure, and romance.
I wasn't sure, as this story began, how I felt about it and the characters. Merrin is very timid in the beginning. However, I enjoyed seeing how she grows and changes as the tale unfolds, especially as she comes into her own in the end, and I grew to love her as well as these other characters. I loved the romance, as it starts as attraction on one end, then to friendship as these two work together and find a camaraderie, and then as more. The characters were very vivid and each had a presence on scene, which shows an author who knows her characters well and can make them rich and full. I also loved how the author kept several things mysterious and then unfolds pieces here and there. There were some lulls in the story, but you could feel an underlying suspense and tension even then. The adventure and danger had some intensity, making the book difficult to put down. I literally just held on and flipped pages as fast as I could the last third of the book.
I had a few issues witht he story. One is in regards to areas where the author info-dumped instead of letting the information come more naturally as the character shares it or as she learns it. The second is that the descriptions ran on longer than needed in several cases. The last are the two f-words that I didn't feel were needed at all.
In the end, was it what I wished for? I really enjoyed this story, even though the beginning was a little rough for me. It felt like I'd walked into a Pirates of the Caribbean movie with pirates carousing at the beginning and then off to adventure on the open seas with an impossible romance quest ahead.
Content: Some mild swearing (except for two f-words), innuendo, references to prostitution and other debaucheries of pirate life, and some violence.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Jean BookNerd Tours, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.
Book Trailer
About the Author
Seven Jane is an author of dark
fantasy and speculative fiction. Her debut novel, The Isle of Gold, was
published by Black Spot Books in October 2018.
Seven is a member of The Author's Guild and Women's Fiction Writing Association. She writes a weekly column for WFWA's Industry News newsletter, and is a regular contributor to The Nerd Daily.
She is represented by Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management and supported by Smith Publicity.
Seven is a member of The Author's Guild and Women's Fiction Writing Association. She writes a weekly column for WFWA's Industry News newsletter, and is a regular contributor to The Nerd Daily.
She is represented by Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management and supported by Smith Publicity.
PHOTO CONTENT FROM SEVEN JANE
Tour-Wide Giveaway
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