Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Straight Browsing from the Library: The Thin Veil Series by Jodi McIsaac


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jodi will award signed print copies of all three books in the Thin Veil series to one randomly selected winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE BLURBS


It’s been seven years since the love of Cedar McLeod’s life left with no forwarding address. All she has left of him are heart-wrenching memories of happier times and a beautiful six-year-old daughter, Eden. Then, one day, Eden opens her bedroom door and unwittingly creates a portal that leads to anywhere she imagines.

But they’re not the only ones who know of Eden’s gift, and soon the child mysteriously vanishes.

Desperate for answers, Cedar digs into the past and finds herself thrust into a magical world of Celtic myths, fantastical creatures, and bloody rivalries. Teaming up with the unlikeliest of allies, Cedar must bridge the gap between two worlds and hold tight to the love in her heart…or lose everything to an ancient evil.

The first in the Thin Veil series, Through the Door is a pulse-pounding adventure that takes readers across the globe and deep into the hidden realms of Celtic lore.

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Cedar McLeod would like nothing more than to return to Tír na nÓg, help rebuild the mythical kingdom, and start a new life for herself and her daughter, Eden. But peace isn’t what Cedar finds after being reunited with her little girl.

Nuala—who kidnapped and terrorized Eden in her previous bid for power—has returned and is making a persuasive claim for the vacant throne. The devastation such a ruler would bring upon both the kingdom and the human world is unthinkable. With no one else to stake a convincing counter-claim, Cedar steps forward...but first she must prove her worth beyond a doubt.

Her opportunity comes when she is charged with finding an ancient treasure, the Stone of Destiny, and returning it to its rightful home. It is a quest that will lead her to question her beliefs, and push her loyalties to their limits. If she succeeds, Cedar could grant her new world and her new family a chance to flourish again. If not...destruction may be the only path ahead.

Into the Fire, the second book in the Thin Veil series, is a captivating blend of Celtic myth, mystery, and adventure that delves deeper into the ancient world first explored in Through the Door.

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Life just keeps getting more complicated for Cedar McLeod. As the recently crowned queen of Tír na nÓg, she’s trying to understand her magical new kingdom, even as she misses her life back on Earth. It doesn’t help that a dear friend has just betrayed her—a betrayal that almost cost Cedar and her family their lives. And things aren’t easy at home, either, as Cedar’s seven-year-old daughter, Eden, lost and lonely in Tír na nÓg despite her special powers, has become painfully distant.

Cedar vows to do whatever it takes to protect her family once and for all, and starts rounding up those who plotted against her. But then a new disaster breaks out: a mysterious sickness is plaguing the Unseen, Ireland’s magical creatures, including those Cedar knows and loves. With enemies still on the loose and not knowing whom she can trust, Cedar must race against time to reverse an ancient curse, in a journey that will take her from Tír na nÓg to Earth…and beyond.

Brimming with page-turning adventure, Among the Unseen—the exciting conclusion to Jodi McIsaac’s Thin Veil trilogy—weaves an enchanting, captivating spell.

ENJOY SOME EXCERPTS


THROUGH THE DOOR (BOOK 1)
“Shh, it’s okay,” Cedar said, rubbing Eden’s back. Tears were pricking at her own eyes, but she tried to hold them back. “Your father was a really good person.”

“But why isn’t he here?” Eden sniffed.

Cedar took a deep breath to steady her voice. “I don’t know, to be honest. I wish I did. He went away before he knew I was pregnant. He didn’t leave because of you, Eden. That’s really important for you to understand. When you came along, I tried to find him. But I couldn’t. I’m sorry.”

Eden pulled away, her face twisted. “It’s not fair!” Cedar tried to hug her again, but Eden yanked herself free and stormed down the hall. Cedar stood and watched her disappear around the corner. She’d give her a few minutes of alone time, and then go talk to her again. She listened for the inevitable slamming of Eden’s door. It didn’t come. Instead, Eden’s screams died off as suddenly as if she had run out of air. The apartment fell silent, a sharp contrast to the storm of six-year-old anger that had been raging only moments before.

“Eden?” Cedar called out. Nothing. “Eden?” she tried again, starting to walk down the hall.

“Mummy? Mummy!” came Eden’s voice.

Cedar quickly rounded the corner and saw Eden standing in the hallway outside her bedroom, staring open-mouthed through the gaping doorway. There was some sort of light reflecting on her face. It glimmered and shifted and created strange shapes and lines on her skin, casting her in an otherworldly glow. A slight breeze was lifting the edges of her sundress, brushing it against her legs. A small trail of fine sand crept through the doorway and was starting to collect around her feet.

“What is it, Eden?” Cedar asked as she moved to stand beside her daughter. Then her jaw dropped. “What the…?”

The two of them stood in shocked silence, looking into the room. The air in the open doorway was sparkling with a thousand points of light, like the surface of a pond catching the mid-afternoon sun. They could still see what was on the other side, but through a film. In this case, the film glittered and moved. Even more remarkable than the way the air had changed in the doorway was what was on the other side.

INTO THE FIRE (BOOK 2)


She felt certain that if she could only get inside Maeve’s private sanctuary, all of her questions would be answered.

She placed her hand on the rough wood of the door. “Open,” she whispered, feeling foolish. She glanced over at the tree under which the women were buried, then turned back to the door. “Mum?” she whispered. “It’s okay now. You can let me in. Let me in.” Nothing happened.

Cedar kicked at the door in frustration, and the wood creaked. Encouraged, she kicked it again. Then she took several steps back and flung herself shoulder-first into the door.

She was not expecting the explosion. A loud crack like a rifle shot ruptured the silence of the evening, and a force like a hot wind sent Cedar flying backward through the air. She landed hard on the gravel driveway amid a torrent of red sparks. Her head hit something hard, and she felt the darkness close in on her.

When she opened her eyes again, something was obscuring her view. She could see a rim of light in her peripheral vision. It surrounded the object in front of her like a halo. She recognized it as the porch light. The sky was black; night had fallen. She started to sit up and winced as a sudden burst of pain shot through her head.

“Wait,” the object said. “Let me help you.”

She felt herself being gently lifted into a sitting position. The world swam around her, and she closed her eyes, waiting for the pain in her head to subside. After a moment she opened her eyes again and blinked a few times. Gradually, the object in front of her came into focus. It was a man. He was kneeling beside her, his light gray eyes fixed on her with concern. He was handsome, though old enough to be her father. His shaggy brown hair was generously flecked with gray, his long face was lined and pale, and he was wearing a worn brown leather jacket over beige pants and a buttoned shirt. Behind him, the workshop looked as intact and impenetrable as always, despite the blast that had knocked Cedar off her feet.


AMONG THE UNSEEN (BOOK 3)


Irial was lying on a rock, tanning his perpetually pale skin, surrounded by seals. This island off the west coast of Ireland was never exactly warm, but his body seemed to be acclimatizing itself to the winds and chills. He had felt exhausted of late, so this chance to soak up some rare late-summer rays was a welcome opportunity. He stretched his thin frame and opened one coal black eye, absentmindedly running his hand through his black curls. At a glance, he appeared to be a normal human youth, with strong shoulders, a tight waist, and powerful legs. And yet there was something unearthly about the way all his pieces fit together. Once you set eyes on him, it was difficult to look away.

“Ladies!” he called. “It’s a beautiful day! Why don’t you shed the coats?”

The seal next to him made a sound that he thought was supposed to be laughter—or it might have been a sneeze. It twisted its head and strained its neck, as if trying to push something out. And then the seal’s skin split neatly down the middle, and a dark-haired, dark-eyed, and very naked woman eased her way out and lay down on the rock beside him, the sealskin tucked under one arm.

“Better?” she asked. Some of the other seals did the same, but the rest ignored him.

“Indeed,” Irial said, giving her an appreciative glance. He’d already tried with this one—Syrna, he thought her name was—without getting anywhere, but she did like to flirt. And flirting was something he’d been unable to do since realizing what he was, and what happened to the women who loved him.

“Shout if you see a human,” she murmured, resting her head on her arms and closing her eyes.

“You’ll have to keep watch yourself, my dear,” he answered. “I have a date with you in my dreams.”

“Are all gancanagh as lazy as you?” she asked, but he could tell she was smiling.

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never met another.”

Syrna opened her eyes and turned to look at him. “Really? You’ve never met another like yourself?”

“Hard to believe, I know, when you selkies all live in colonies. But I’m afraid I’m one of a kind. At least, as far as I know. Maybe hundreds of other gancanagh are out there charming the ladies and doing who knows what else.”


MEET THE AUTHOR


Jodi McIsaac grew up in New Brunswick, Canada. After stints as a short-track speed skater, a speechwriter, and fundraising and marketing executive in the nonprofit sector, she started a boutique copywriting agency and began writing novels in the wee hours of the morning. She currently lives with her husband and children in Calgary.

Website: www.jodimcisaac.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jodimcisaac
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jodimcisaac
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/jodimcisaac
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JodiMcIsaac

Buy THROUGH THE BOOK (Book #1): Amazon

Buy INTO THE FIRE (Book #2): Amazon

Buy AMONG THE UNSEEN (Book #3): Amazon

See The Thin Veil Series on Amazon.

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