 Orphan Black meets Margaret Atwood in this twisty supernatural thriller about female power and the bonds of sisterhood Josephine Morrow is Girl One, the first of nine “Miracle Babies” conceived without male DNA, raised on an experimental commune known as the Homestead. When a suspicious fire destroys the commune and claims the lives of two of the Homesteaders, the remaining Girls and their Mothers scatter across the United States and lose touch. Years later, Margaret Morrow goes missing, and Josie sets off on a desperate road trip, tracking down her estranged sisters who seem to hold the keys to her mother’s disappearance. Tracing the clues Margaret left behind, Josie joins forces with the other Girls, facing down those who seek to eradicate their very existence while uncovering secrets about their origins and unlocking devastating abilities they never knew they had. (From the publisher's description) Goodreads  My thoughts: Girl One was one of my most anticipated reads for the first half of the year and I'm sure it wil remain in the top five most memorable ones. Any good science fiction novel has to be a blend of several elements: an interesting scientific concept, a 'what if...?' which is plausible and fascinating to discuss, an interesting plot or unusual characters, and a strong message related to our society. Girl One has all three of them and definitely deserves your attention. This is a story of a young woman, Josephine Morrow, looking for her estranged mother Margaret, who disappeared (was kidnapped?) from their home. The search turns into a journey of self-discovery that breaks and re-makes every idea Josie had of her past and present. Josie is number One of the nine babies, miraculously conceived by parthenogenesis (self-conception, 'virgin birth') in the Homestead, a commune of like-minded, progressively thinking women and a scientist who helped the project to take off. The commune was destroyed by a ravaging fire, in which two people died- Fiona, the youngest of the nine girls and Dr Bellanger himself. The remaining mothers and their daughters conceived without male DNA scattered all across the country and went on with their lives. Josie finds her mother's enigmatic notes, hidden in what remains after a similar fire consumed their ordinary flat, and sets outs to find the rest of the girls. This is a well-written thriller with a tight plot and multiple twists and turns as there are a lot of things Josie has to discover about her past, the Homestead Project, and the only family she has ever had. Since there were 9 original girls, it does take some time , and some characters contribute less than the others to the development of the story. Then again, there are also some sinister, horror-like scenes that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The writing is really vivid and you can easily see the book turned into a TV show in future. Josie is a very likeable character. She is strong, she is caring, she is flawed, and this is what makes her so interesting. She discovers and re-discovers the strength and selflessness of her mother-daughter bond and a powerful connection to her 'sisters'. She grows during this trip, takes responsibility for her own actions and her road companions and works through some complex feelings. The events are told from her point of view and I wonder what kind of effect having multiple POVs would have had on the book. The thriller side of the book is quite strong, but this gripping journey also comes with thought-provoking social messages- the way the girls come into their own powers, test and learn their ethical boundaries is a perfect metaphor for the relationship our society has with its scientific discoveries and technological progress. There is also something else - we are all different, but there is no need to be afraid of our diversity. We can be free and independent, and enhance each other. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion. 
Opposites Attract
-- EXCERPT: Living with Josh is as great as I expected. We move from roommates to friends seamlessly over the next fortnight, and inside me there’s a little spark of hope that the next progression might happen just as naturally. Unfortunately Josh shows no sign of being interested in me romantically. And trust me, I’ve been searching for signs more actively than UFO enthusiasts search the night sky. Because there is no way I’m going to put myself out there and risk all the potential awkwardness unless I’m absolutely certain my feelings are reciprocated. One Saturday night we’re heading out the door together when Brandon arrives. I swear Brandon spends more time at our apartment than he does at his own. Josh seems to enjoy his company, so I’ve bitten back my complaints. “We were just going to grab some frozen yogurt. You want to come?” Josh asks him. Brandon flinches. “Probably not a good idea.” I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. It’s not just that I want to spend time alone with Josh. Somehow, when Brandon’s around there’s always this weird tension buzzing between him and me, and not just when we’re trading insults. It’s like antimatter—one of those phenomena science can’t find an explanation for. Josh ducks back into his room and emerges holding a red baseball cap and dark sunglasses. “Here.” He thrusts them at Brandon, who puts them on. I raise an eyebrow. “Is there a reason why you’re dressing Brandon up like that even though it’s mid-January, forty degrees, and dark outside?” “We’ve got to cover up Brandon’s beauty or the girls start mobbing him,” Josh says. I roll my eyes. I have to concede, Brandon is male-model gorgeous. However it’s egotistical of him to assume that females can’t control themselves around him. “Yeah, I understand. I struggle with the urge to mob Brandon daily.” My words are deep-fried in sarcasm. “And yet you find the strength to resist,” Brandon says. “It’s my superpower,” I reply. We head into the elevator, also known as taking your life into your own hands. I swear the metallic groaning and creaking gets worse every time. Brandon stands next to the door, and as I lean past to press the button I catch a hint of his cologne. He smells like a fresh mix of lemon and cedarwood, two of my favorite scents. I have to restrain myself from shuffling closer to him. After just mocking the idea of mobbing him, planting my nose on his skin might be slightly hypocritical. We make it to Frozen Palace and I volunteer to queue up while Brandon finds a booth near the back and Josh heads to the bathroom. I’m studying Frozen Palace’s poster that’s inviting me to suggest my own new flavor of yogurt, when a guy sidles up behind me. “Excuse me, is that Brandon Seaton you just came in with?” I turn to look at the guy. He’s the pure definition of a jock, in letterman jacket and jeans. His two friends standing beside him are dressed identically. “Um…yeah.” My shoulders have hunched up automatically. I force myself to unclench. “Oh, my God, I thought so.” “Do you know him from somewhere?” I ask. He gives me a weird look. “Yeah, I know him from football.” “Oh, do you guys play on the same team?” The guy’s look morphs into astonishment, and he starts to chuckle. “Yeah, sure we play on the same team. I’m the starting receiver, didn’t you know?” He and his friends crack up laughing. Heat tracks up my cheeks. Jocks. I frigging hate them. Especially when I’m the butt of a joke I don’t understand. And I really don’t understand what’s going on now, because as I collect our orders and weave my way back to the table it’s like I’ve stumbled into one of the sixth dimension’s alternative universes. I can hear Brandon’s name echoing around, like the walls are whispering it. I put the tray on the table with a thump. Brandon looks at my face and frowns. He’s taken off his sunglasses but his cap remains in place. “What’s up?” I don’t want to admit I’m hallucinating his name. I’m about to tell him I ran into his friend, when suddenly the friend turns up at our table. “Sorry to disturb, but can I grab an autograph?” He thrusts a pen and napkin at Brandon. My forehead wrinkles in confusion as Brandon puts on a smile. I know Brandon well enough to know it’s a fake smile. But he obediently picks up the pen and signs the napkin. “Your friend wanted to know if we play on the same team,” the guy chortles. Brandon glances at me. I give him a flat glare back. “Yeah, she’s not really into football,” he says. Sidling back in my seat while he talks to the idiot guy, I shield my phone from scrutiny while I google Brandon. What I read makes me swallow hard. Twice. Right, so apparently there are some negatives about determinedly remaining ignorant about everything in the football universe. Like not knowing your roommate’s brother is the FREAKING STARTING QUARTERBACK FOR THE NEW YORK GOLIATHS. 
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by: #Blog Tour #Book Review of Things are Looking Up by Maxine Morrey @rararesources @Boldwood Books30/5/2021
 Thank you to Rachel from Rachel'sRandom Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Things Are Looking Up, an uplifting and heartwarming romance by Maxine Morrey.  Things Are Looking Up What if what you really need is right there in front of you, if you just take a moment to look up? Milly has been waiting for this moment forever and finally it’s just an hour away – an interview with Vogue magazine and the opportunity to get her Louboutin-clad foot in the door. There’s just one problem – totally engrossed in her mobile phone, Milly doesn’t see the bus that is fast approaching – until it’s too late… When Milly next opens her eyes, the consequences of her accident become clear. Everything she has worked for and dreamed of suddenly feels out of reach. But there is one bright spot on her horizon – the reappearance of her ex Jed, in all of his six-foot-four, broad-shouldered glory, with the most piercing ice blue eyes Milly ever saw. Once used to working in a whirlwind, Milly now has the chance to reconsider how to live. Will she rush back to the treadmill, get her head down and back to business, or is there a whole other life waiting for her, if she’ll just look up to see it? ‘Read yourself happy’ with Maxine Morrey’s latest uplifting, page-turning, heart-warming romance, guaranteed to brighten up your day. Purchase Link  My thoughts: Sweet, sweet, sweet... Things are looking Upis exactly what it promises to be in the blurb - it is an uplifting story of a workaholic girl hit by a bus while on her way to a breakthrough job interview. Milly wakes up in a hospital. She's just spent a week in coma just because she couldn't take her eyes off her phone, reading work-related messages. Her family tell her she needs to slow down and reassess her priorities in life and for once, flatless, jobless, and without any prospects to ever make it again in the demanding fashion journalism world, Milly is ready to do just that - look up from her phone and take stock of her life. Enter Jed, a perfect ex-boyfriend (almost an ex-fiance), still hot and handsome, even richer and more successful than he used to be, and to top it all sweet, kind, and understanding. If you love a good second-chances story, you are going to be delighted with this one. Second chances in life, but also family, friends, and romantic relationships. As Maxine Morrey aptly put it, sometimes you are just not ready for the first chance. I found Milly's life before the bus accident very relatable. Life of a freelancer is hard, hectic, and full of constant pressure. Milly's family are worried she is giving all of herself, working for people who take her effort and her sacrifices for granted, while Milly is oblivious to how replaceable she is to them. Until that special moment of realization that put things into perspective. This isn't an anti-career book - after all, Milly rebuilds her life, she just does it in a way that makes it more balanced and gives her more happiness and personal fulfilment. Jed did seem a bit too perfect to be true, but, well...a girl can dream. There is also a lot of drama with the new woman in Jed's life - you didn't think he would still be completely free and unattached four years after he and Milly broke up? The book is mostly about Milly's personal growth and life changes, but there is also plenty of intense romantic feelings, misunderstandings that could have been cleared much sooner had the characters talked (and listened!) to each other. My only niggle is that sometimes things were a bit too spelled-out, but it was still an enjoyable read and I would definitely like to read another book from Maxine Morrey. Hope it comes out soon! Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random resources, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.  Author Bio: Maxine Morrey is a bestselling romantic comedy author with ten books to her name including Winter’s Fairytale and the top ten hit The Christmas Project. Her eleventh book is being released by Boldwood in 2021. She lives in West Sussex. Her first novel for Boldwood, #No Filter, was published in November 2019. Social Media Links Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaxineMorreyAuthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/Scribbler_Maxi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scribbler_maxi/ Newsletter Sign Up Link: http://bit.ly/MaxineMorreyNewsletter Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maxine-morrey  Thank you for reading the post! Have a wonderful Sunday! 
Play For Me
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo -- EXCERPT: Jack Clio stood to the side of the dance floor, sipping a flute of champagne and looking so stunning she nearly broke my heart—again. I wanted to study her, take all of her in for a few minutes before I broke the spell and actually talked to her. What do you say to the only person who ever really mattered after you dumped her with no explanation whatsoever? After the way she dropped on her ass when I caught her attention at the concert, I had to wonder how she was going to react to talking to me. Then again, maybe she went down because of the booze she’d been drinking. I barely took my eyes off her from the moment I spotted her in the front row at the show, so I saw how she finished her flask then finished off her friend’s. Now she had a half-full glass of champagne in her hand, and I couldn’t tell if she was swaying to the music or trying to remain upright. Jesus, tipsy or not, her beauty stunned me. That dress she had on wore me out. All that delicate lace hinted at her pretty curves and showed off her legs, which her sexy sandals emphasized. I couldn’t guess the length of her hair since she was wearing it up, but I was glad she apparently hadn’t cut it. The style exposed the neck I’d loved touching and kissing, making her shiver and snuggle closer to me for more. As the memories washed over me, I smiled before I heard Dakota talking from somewhere behind me. “Oh, yeah, I’d like to tap that,” he said, and I wondered which girl would be the starter for his evening. Then he boiled my blood. “That redhead in the blue lace dress is one seriously sexy woman.” “I think she’s spoken for, dude. You’re going to have to look somewhere else,” Tron said as he materialized next to me. “Just ’cause there’s a goalie doesn’t mean you can’t score,” Dakota said with a laugh. I flexed my fists as I considered clocking him when Tron put a restraining hand on my arm. Clenching my jaw, I didn’t turn my head to look at him, but I uncoiled slightly. Of the three other guys in the band, I was closest to Tron. He was steady and levelheaded, and he didn’t mind at all that I didn’t drink much and never spent private time with the army of groupies who followed Balefire like it was their job. “She belongs to the monk, Dakota. That’s one goalie you don’t want to mess with.” “The monk has a girl? How did I not know this?” Dakota turned a wide-eyed stare on me. “With any luck, I’ll have that girl, so back off,” I growled. “You haven’t made a move yet? That makes her fair game.” Dakota took a step in Clio’s direction. “I invited her to this party, so no, she’s not fair game. If you don’t want me to mess up your pretty face, back the fuck off,” I gritted out, staring him down. Dakota raised his hands in surrender. “Whoa, man. No need to get your shorts in a knot over a woman. The room is full of ’em.” His eyes wandered the room and all the ladies on offer. “Why, there’s another sweet little number walking over to talk to Red. The brunette off-limits too?” “Knock yourself out. I’ll even introduce you,” I said. Maybe with the buffer of other people, I could survive this initial reconnection with Clio. Then again, maybe it was a much bigger deal to me than it would be to her. For all I knew, Harrison Barnes had fed her a truckload of shit about me, and now she couldn’t give a flying fuck if I talked to her or not. “You’ve been stirred up about seeing her again since you found her friend and set up this opportunity, dude. Probably better do something about it now that you have the chance,” Tron said quietly into my ear. I nodded and turned to Dakota. “Let’s go talk to some nice girls for a change.” “Seriously? What fun will that be?” The stricken look on Dakota’s face cracked me up, and I felt lighter than I had all night. “God, you’re such a fuck boy. If Clio’s friend is too nice for you, I’m sure you can find the girl who belongs with the red bra you kept from the show.” “You saw that, did you?” A grin broke over his face. “Bet her phone number is written in great big digits over the inside of the cups.” “Nah, they’re all lace.” I raised a brow and waited for the punch line. “It’s written along the straps. Since all the VIPs in the front row got invited to this little soiree of ours, I know she’s here somewhere. But first, the angel in the naughty black leather dress.” I burst out laughing at the melodramatic villain way he rubbed his hands together, and we were all right again. Glancing back to where Clio and her friend stood, I sucked in a breath, squared my shoulders, and willed my feet to move. Walking beside me, Tron snorted out a laugh. “Jesus, dude, she’s a beautiful woman, not a firing squad. Relax already.” 
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The Devil I Don’t Know
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo -- EXCERPT: “By the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.” I steel myself for the assault. Instead, his dry lips barely ghost over mine and then he’s turning us to face the small crowd comprised of only my family and the two men I assume are his. I can hear the priest speaking behind me, but I’ve blocked out the words again. My mother is crying while my father sits stoically by her side. I can’t look at my brothers and sister. My gaze, instead, locks on Granda. His expression is one of satisfaction. Why wouldn’t it be? He got what he wanted. He rises from his seat. “Come to my office.” He turns on his heel expecting us all to follow. My—I swallow hard--husband places his hand on my lower back, and I flinch at his touch. I hear a heavy sigh at my side. Like a sheep being led to slaughter, I leave the music room and enter my grandfather’s lair. I stand near the desk, out of the way. I’m surprised to discover the only people who arrive behind me are my new husband and the huge, terrifying man. My grandfather scowls at his appearance. “You may leave.” The man merely ignores the command and positions himself against the wall, arms crossed, with a bored expression on his face. My jaw nearly drops at the blatant disregard. “I’m afraid Pierce doesn’t take orders from anyone but me,” my husband says, drily, his voice deep and low. A vein throbs near my grandfather’s temple and his face turns the color of a ripe tomato. No one disobeys him. At least not without suffering the consequences. With a deceptive calmness he moves to his desk and picks up a pen lying on top of a piece of paper. My eyes land on it. Certificate of Marriage. “Sign.” He holds the pen up in front of me. I stand frozen, unable to move. With my signature, everything is final. There’s no undoing any of this. I can’t do it. There’s a flash of movement and then blinding pain. Tears spring from the impact of Granda’s hand across my face again. On its heels is a roar of rage. I turn my head in time to see my grandfather pinned against the wall, clawing at my husband’s hand wrapped around his throat. “I don’t give a fuck how powerful you think you are. If you ever touch my wife again, I’ll slit your throat and bury your body where no one will ever find it. Do you understand?” he growls. Granda’s face is turning deep purple. He manages a short nod…and my husband releases him. He coughs and chokes and desperately tries to suck in air. Utterly disregarding the man gasping for breath, my husband turns and in a blink he’s standing before me. He towers over my slight frame, and I have to crane my neck to look up at him. A shadow of brutality lingers in his eyes. He reaches out and despite myself, I flinch…again. He merely picks up the pen my grandfather dropped and holds it out to me. “Our marriage is a business arrangement, so I understand your being opposed to it. Neither of us wants this, but one thing I can promise is that I will never lay hands on you in anger.” I shiver at his gruff tone. Wait. If he doesn’t want to be married to me either, then why did he do it? My eyes travel over his shoulder to latch onto my grandfather, who’s still rubbing his neck and glaring at me. Next they move to the massive man who remains lurking in the corner. He’s staring at Granda. His continued silence and steely glare unnerve me. There’s an alert readiness in his body as though he’s waiting to dive into action and defend his boss. At last, I turn my gaze back to my husband still holding the pen in his hand. I fully take him in again. His dark hair is swept back off his forehead, his eyebrows a sharp slash over eyes that bore into me. A chill dashes across me at their intensity, and I could almost lose myself staring into them. They’re the color of my father’s favorite cognac. Despite the ferocity he displayed only moments ago, they seem almost gentle now. In a move that surprises me, I reach out and take the pen. Our hands brush. Before I change my mind, I scribble my signature on the line above my printed name. I can feel my husband’s eyes on me. He takes the pen from my fingers, his skin gliding along mine. Goosebumps travel up my arm. Confused over my reaction, I hastily take a step back while my husband—Emilio—signs his name next to mine. He rolls up the certificate and tucks it into the inner pocket of his suit. It’s final. I’ve signed my life over to a stranger. A man who, only moments ago, showed me how brutal he is. Despite his promise, I don’t know if I can trust him. Dear God, what have I done?
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by:
Brutal Blueblood
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Magician Rising
-- EXCERPT: Jeff scowled. If this punk stole something, would he get fired? If it was the wrong thing, maybe. So Jeff stopped at the end of the aisle, straightening cans, just close enough to notice the kid was muttering to himself. Jeff sidled closer. But that didn’t stop the boy from pulling something off the shelf, ripping it open, and eating it right in front of him. Oh, hell no. “Umm, are you going to pay for that?” The kid ignored him, jamming another handful into his mouth. “Hey, kid, I said…” Jeff trailed off. The kid was shoving batteries into his mouth, chomping on them like they were carrot sticks. What the fuck? As he stared, the kid dropped the package of AAs and ripped into another. Chewing and snorting like a pig as he ate. “Is this some sort of reality TV show?” Jeff looked over his shoulder. “Kevin? Maggie? You can come out now, I’m not buying this. It’s not funny. You can stop now.” But no one answered. There was no hey, you got me. No hidden camera crew came out and explained what was going on. Just some weird kid making his way through a twenty count package of batteries. Must be drugs then. People did all sorts of crazy things on drugs. That’s it. Jeff didn’t like being pushy, but he was going to have to put his foot down. If the boy was high, there was no telling what other crazy stuff he was going to pull. Jeff tapped on his shoulder. “Excuse me, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” The kid turned and smiled in a rictus of jagged teeth, ringed with blood. His pupils were constricted into sharp points that didn’t meet Jeff’s gaze as he crammed the last handful of batteries into his mouth. Oh, shit. 
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by:
The Day We Die
-- EXCERPT: The noises of the crowd and the mayor’s voice fade into the background, and for a moment, the only sound that cuts into my head is the frenzied beating of my own heart. The stage blurs in and out of focus, and my breathing quickens and my heart thunders like a racehorse. I clench my hands into tight fists, trying to quell the tremors racing through them. This is it. In a few minutes, I will be Branded. An adult—though not in age. I’ll know my fate, my future; everything that means anything. I inhale. Exhale. The air squeezes out of me in one quick rush, and for a split second, I can’t breathe. Fear wraps its unforgiving fingers around my heart, chilling it to the core. Then, a hand on my arm. A whisper of a voice in my ear. “It’ll be okay. Here.” It’s the boy beside me. I shake my head vigorously, and the thundering applause rushes back to my ears. It’s loud. Very loud. I blindly accept whatever the boy is offering me, and a round tablet drops into my palm. He gently holds on to my hand behind his back, smiling and waving fearlessly at the crowd. His expression is brave and bright, his unfamiliar fingers warm around mine. I squeeze them until I’m sure I’ve cut off his circulation, but he doesn’t let go—just gives me a gentle squeeze in return. I look wordlessly at him, my dry tongue unable to make a sound. He’s taller than me, wearing a black tux. Blond, tousled hair frames a good-looking face—sharp jawline, arched brows, a charming twinkle in his eye. As he waves, his gaze sweeps to me…and a quiet, grim smile plays at his mouth. His steady eyes sharpen as they meet mine, boring into my soul. Blue eyes. Soft blue. 
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by:
The Hidden Princess
-- FREE for a limited time only! -- EXCERPT: The shopkeeper grabbed the doll from among the top shelves. “Here you go.” He handed it to her. Just then, her fingers met his, and she heard the shopkeeper’s voice. “Where did this hideous and filthy-looking girl come from? Good thing I noticed her fast, lest she would get my dolls tainted with her hands. Let’s hope she leaves soon.” She gazed at the shopkeeper, whose mouth remained closed. Those words stung. Even though the shopkeeper never said them, Penny knew they held more truth than those he said. These were his thoughts, and she was reading them when she accidentally touched him. Then she felt dizzy, and a gloom fell over the store as if something had suddenly blocked out the sunlight from the windows. But it wasn’t the windows. It was the shopkeeper. His form emitted an ominous light and right above his head, she saw black mist rising, forming the shape of a face with eerie glowing eyes. It stared straight at Penny. “Penny…Penny….” Penny heard an insidious voice calling her. Stop! Stop! She willed her mind to look away. “Penny…Penny!” A force pulled her back and she almost crumpled to the floor if Thomas had not held her firmly. “Are you alright?” he asked. “There’s someone–!” Penny pointed toward the shopkeeper, who was frowning at her. The eerie face and black mist were gone. “What is it?” Thomas asked. It took her a while before she spoke again. “I don’t know. It was there a while ago.” As she looked down, she saw the doll lying on the floor. She picked it up and slowly stroked any dust off it as if it were a real girl. “How much is it?” he asked the beleaguered keeper. “Four silver pieces.” Thomas handed the silver to the shopkeeper. A look of relief appeared on his face as he took the money. The horror of the black mist weighed heavy on Penny’s mind as she made her way out. She recalled the mean thoughts of the shopkeeper. For a moment, she had believed the outside world was different and she finally found a place she belonged. Penny blinked hard as her eyes began to water. Suddenly, the streets seemed less joyful than before, and the sounds of the people and activities seemed drowned out by the memory of the black mist. That voice. It called her name. She knew for certain it was no hallucination. It was the first time such a vision had occurred. She never saw it when she touched others before, although there weren’t really that many, to begin with. There were only a few who could tolerate standing within inches of her. She must have drifted off in her thoughts because the next thing she knew, she had fallen behind Thomas and someone bumped into her from the side. “Watch where you are going, you–!” A rough-looking man said. “Hey, little girl, are you lost?” “No.” “Don’t be afraid, I just want to help. Let me take you home.” He grabbed her by the arm. “Stop it, let me go!” Penny tried to pry his fingers free. “This must be my lucky day. I wonder how much this girl would fetch.” She heard the man’s voice, yet his mouth remained closed. She stared at the man, who stood there, frozen in time. Not just him. The entire town had come to a standstill. A ball was floating in the air, as the boy who threw it waited an eternity for it to fall back down. Then, the surroundings turned black, and the black mist appeared around the man’s frame. The eyes of the black misty face shone a pale white. “Penny…Penny…” spoke the insidious voice. “NO!” Penny screamed and forced her eyes shut. At once, the darkness lifted, and the sounds of reality replaced the heavy silence. “Get away from me!” she screamed with her real voice audible. “Hey!” A familiar voice said, and the rough-looking man turned around, his face meeting head-on with a big fist. The man fell to the ground before Penny. “Touch her again, and you will never touch anything for the rest of your life!” The man crawled to his feet and bolted. “Penny, didn’t I tell you not to—Penny? Penny!” Penny ran off before Thomas could finish his sentence. Penny kept running. All she wanted then was to get as far away as possible from this place, from the prejudice, the black mist. She didn’t know how long she ran before Thomas finally caught up with her. “Penny, it’s alright now.” He wrapped his hands around her head, and she tucked her head in his tummy. “What happened, Penny? Please tell me.” Penny told Thomas about all that had happened. The black mist, the eerie face. Although Thomas understood little of it, he listened, for he knew there was always much truth in what she said. The world wasn’t as great as Penny thought out to be. It broke his heart she had to learn this fact on her first outing. The outing had come to an end, and they returned to the castle. The one happy thing the outing brought her was the doll she bought. She gave her a name. Cinder. And she became Penny’s companion ever since. She thought of the boy named Canyon, and how he was the only person without disdain for her, though, she wondered if it would be the same way if she touched him and read his mind. But most of all, she wondered about the black mist. What was it? And that eerie face. Who, or rather, what was it? What disturbed her most was the fact that it called her name like it was reaching into her mind. 
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Ethan’s Empire: Laying Down the Rules
-- EXCERPT: That was one piece of information I would have preferred not to know. His lips on hers, his hands touching her body. The images replayed in my mind until I thought I would go insane. Pacing with a glass of bourbon in hand, I tried to calm myself while I waited for her to arrive. I thought she would have the courtesy to come and speak with me, but she avoided me like the plague and it did nothing but piss me off more. I held my glass a little too tightly as I stared at the door to her room. My anger raged as I thought about them together. Not able to stand it any longer, I walked toward her, the sound of my footsteps filling the apartment. There was no hesitation, and when I reached her room, I barged right in, ready to confront her. As soon as she came into view, she disarmed me. Seeing her standing there, barely dressed, stopped me in my tracks. I tried to avert my eyes, but it was an impossible feat. My gaze remained fixated on her and there was no controlling it. When she shouted at me, I didn’t even flinch. There was a battle raging inside of me. My mind was screaming at me to stay away from her, but my heart was having none of it. 
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