Archive for June 27, 2013

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Looking for a fun summer read. I recommend you try Copper Cauldron. It’s a fast read, filled with romance and danger, angels, witches, and an evil wizard.

A magical battle of good vs. evil.

Read on for an inside look and my review.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Copper Cauldron

by Terri Talley Venters

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BLURB:

 

Penelope Manchester, a good witch with one green and one blue eye, awaits her destiny: a warrior of God with the face of an angel, the heart of a saint, and eyes which match her own. St. Michael the Archangel flies into her life and sweeps her off her feet. Meanwhile, an evil sorcerer captures witches, steals their powers and most of their nine lives, and shrinks them to the size of a doll–a Nürnberg, doll. But when he turns two of the Manchester witches into dolls, the Manchester clan fights back with St. Michael and divine intervention. Armed with the legendary copper cauldron, a fire breathing dragon, and an arsenal of spells, good battles evil.

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Enjoy this Excerpt!

“The battle against the devil, which is the principle task of St. Michael the archangel, is still being fought today because the devil is still alive and active in the world.”

–Pope John Paul II

Prologue

“Can you tell me a bedtime story, Great-Grandma?” Penelope asked.

The nine-year old girl looked at her great-grandmother whose eyes matched her own, one blue and one green. She lay in her pink bedroom on the second floor of the ancestral mansion located in the Garden District of New Orleans. Penelope, born in this house, represented the seventh generation of Manchester Witches to live here.

“Of course, my dear. Which story would you like to hear? Or do I even need to ask?” Violet said, smiling.

“You know the one, my favorite,” Penelope answered. She laid her small head down. Her long black hair spread across the pillow.

“I love this story too. Once upon a time, there was a young woman named Penelope. Her beautiful long black hair hung to her tiny waist. Her pale skin gave her a beautiful, youthful complexion. She possessed the most unique and treasured eyes, one blue and one green. One day, she will meet her one true love, her soul mate, her destiny. He is a warrior of God, with the face of an angel, the heart of a saint, and eyes which match her own,” Violet said.

“Thank you, Great-Grandma. When are Mommy and Daddy coming home?” Penelope asked.

“Your parents are busy fighting bad people. I hope they’ll be home very soon.”

“Why didn’t Grandma Beatrice go with them this time?” Penelope asked.

“Beatrice wanted to stay behind and keep an eye on us,” Violet replied.

“Why do we have to keep our powers a secret?” Penelope asked.

“Because it scares people,” Violet said.

“Am I really the youngest Manchester Witch to receive her powers?” Penelope asked.

“Yes, you are. You will be a very powerful and very good witch. It is part of your destiny. Your true love will be very powerful too. But your children will be even more powerful than you,” Violet explained.

“When can we go see another Church of St. Michael?” Penelope asked. She looked over at the wall behind her great-grandmother. She stared at the painting of St. Michael the Archangel, her family’s patron saint.

“We just went to the one in Charleston. How many St. Michael’s churches do you want to visit?” Violet asked.

“I want to go to all of them.”

“What is your infatuation with St. Michael the Archangel?” Violet asked.

“He’s the one I’m going to marry. He is my destiny,” Penelope said, smiling as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

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My Review

Copper Cauldron opens with Penelope at bedtime. Her great-grandmother Violet tells her favorite bedtime story about Penelope, a young witch with one blue eye and one green eye. She is descended from a long line of Manchester witches with this unique trait.

One day, she will meet her soul mate, her destiny.

He will be a warrior of God, handsome and pure of heart, with eyes like hers.

Flash 20 years later. Penelope has grown into a beautiful young woman and she is obsessed with the churches of St. Michael.

Ever since she was young, she’s believed St Michael is her soul mate and she searches for him all over the world.

While on vacation and visiting yet another church, she sees a man slip past her vision. When she looks up to a portrait of St. Michael she is stunned. The man could be his spitting image.

She searches, but never sees him again.

Penelope meets up with her friend, Cat, a Manchester witch from the Scottish line, who’s with her on vacation.

Cat needs a rare ingredient for her potions and they head to a biergarten in Nurnberg to get it.

There, they meet the charming wizard, Marcus.

He is all too eager to assist these beautiful witches and lures them to the cellar.

Penelope gazes upon the walls lined with dolls. Something twitches in her memories.

Cat’s powers of foresight save them from the clutches of the evil sorcerer, but he’s not finished with them yet.

He’ll come for them, for all of the witches. No one is safe, and they rush to prepare for his coming.

Copper Cauldron is a fast read. Only around 100 pages.

It starts like a happily ever after fairy tale and quickly becomes a race to defeat an evil wizard, bent on stealing all of their powers so he can be immortal.

I really liked Penelope. She never gave up on her destiny, even when her mother scoffed at her childish dreams, and it seemed like she would never find him.

She stuck to her guns and would not settle for anyone less.

When it looks like all is lost, Penelope becomes her strongest. She doesn’t falter, and steps bravely towards her destiny.

I read this book quickly, only pausing once to cool off in the pool. A great summer read for all ages.

4 Stars

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Giveaway

Copper Cauldron Book Cover Banner copy

Terri will be awarding bookmarks or magnetic bumper stickers to randomly drawn commenters at each stop and a $10 Wild Child Publishing GC to a randomly drawn commenter at the end of the tour.

Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning!

You can find the tour stops here.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

copper cauldron Terri Talley Venters

Terri received her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Master’s degree in Taxation from the University of Florida. She is a licensed CPA and a Second Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. She lives in St. Augustine, Florida, with her husband, Garrison, and their two sons.

Terri is the daughter of Leslie S. Talley, author of Make Old Bones which is also available from Wild Child Publishing.

On the first of each month, Terri also posts free short stories on her website. Learn more about the books in her Elements of Mystery series at http://www.elementsofmystery.com/ as she weaves her way through the Periodic Table of Elements.

http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/paranormal-c-84/copper-cauldron-p-417.html

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