I am pleased to announce you the new release of REUTS Publications and the work of a talented author, who combines the love of "Beauty and the Beast" with the mystery of "Jane Eyre". The "Rose Master" is a story of pain, love and forgiveness! I hope to enjoy it just like I did!
The Book
The day Anne Tinning turns seventeen, birds fall
from the sky. But that's hardly the most upsetting news. She's being dismissed
from the home she's served at since she was a child, and shipped off to become
the newly hired parlor maid for a place she's never heard of. And when she sees
the run-down, isolated house, she instantly knows why:
There's something wrong with Rosewood Manor.
Staffed with only three other servants, all gripped
by icy silence and inexplicable bruises, and inhabited by a young master who is
as cold as the place itself, the house is shrouded in neglect and thick with
fear. Her questions are met with hushed whispers, and she soon finds herself
alone in the empty halls, left to tidy and clean rooms no one visits.
As the feeling of being watched grows, she begins to
realize there is something else in the house with them--some creature that
stalks the frozen halls and claws at her door. A creature that seems intent on
harming her.
When a fire leaves Anne trapped in the manor with its
Master, she finally demands to know why. But as she forces the truth about what
haunts the grounds from Lord Grey, she learns secrets she isn't prepared for.
The creature is very real, and she's the only one who can help him stop it.
Now, Anne must either risk her life for the young
man she's grown to admire, or abandon her post while she still can.
REUTS - Goodreads
Book Review
Gothic novels always held a mysterious part on my selves. The "Rose Master" was my first book of the genre and I was not disappointed. Emotional, deep in Victorian style as also the mystery of both the Lord and the manor, the author manages to capture both the sense of the era and the characters' struggles.
We have Anne. She is a young servant who is sent to work at Roesewood Manor. Despite the secrets which lurk, literally on every corner, she is strong, confident on her work as also shy. I liked her witty attitude and the way her feelings envolved during the passing of the plot.
Then, it's Lord Grey. His name matches the mood, since he is a fine example of a tortured soul, who struggles with the choices he made and the past which haunts him. I will not say anything about *ahem* his... skills but despite his appearance he is determinated.
The setting fits the cover and the feeling Valentina tries to pass on the reader and the ending is truly satisfying, with the fleeting feeling of a new book and more adventures for Anne and August. I will be waiting eagerly for more from Valentina since her writting is really promising. :D
Author Guest Post
Manors and their Secrets: The Gothic Novel
Victorian England has always fascinated me. I was
raised on a diet of Gothic fiction of all sorts, but the ones that stayed with
me have always been the English novels like Jane
Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Rebecca and a host of others.
I think what caught my attention, more than anything
else in these novels, was the intimate atmosphere that the author created. In
all the novels I’ve ever loved, there is a real sense of place. In most cases,
this means a wonderfully spooky manor. For me, the scarier the manor and the
more secrets it holds, the better. Think of Jane Eyre’s Thornfield Hall, with
its whispers and forbidden rooms, or Manderley and its caretaker. There is
something about sitting with these novels and reading about the oppressive
atmosphere that the heroine (as it usually is a woman) is slowly submerged
into.
In The Rose Master, I wanted to give a nod to all of
these wonderful classics that made my childhood such an exciting and chilling
experience. With Rosewood Manor, I tried to bring in all of those elements:
secrets, oppressive atmosphere, isolation, and, of course, a sense of impending
danger.
Although the Gothic novel has become less common
than it used to be, it still has its devoted fans and you can count me firmly
as one of them. It is probably my favorite genre to read and definitely my
favorite genre to write. I hope that The Rose Master can bring to its readers
the sense of delicious fear that a Gothic novel is supposed to create.
The author
Valentina Cano is a student of classical singing who
spends whatever free time she has either reading or writing. She also watches
over a veritable army of pets, including her five, very spoiled, snakes. Her
works have appeared in numerous publications and her poetry has been nominated
for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Web. She lives in Miami, Florida.
Blood Red Road by Moira Young
