Scarred Beauty
by Jennifer Silverwood
YA Dark Fantasy
ebook, 209 Pages
December 1st 2016
A Wylder Tale #2
Vynasha has become prisoner with the other wyld beasts of the castle, but she is not alone. In the howling darkness her majikal bond with the Dungeon Master, Grendall grows, awakening the dormant power in her blood.
Yet as she discovers the true nature of the other beasts, she learns she must embrace madness in order to free them all. Vynasha is willing to do anything to end the curse, even if that means transforming into a monster.
Burried secrets come to light in this seductive sequel to Craving Beauty, the Gothic retelling of the classic fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast, where nothing is exactly as it seems and the heroine must be her own hero.
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Excerpt
(Author’s Note: Vynasha finds herself imprisoned in the dungeons of the Prince’s castle, but she is not alone… Grendall, the gatekeeper is in the cell beside hers and his injuries prevent their escape…)
When she closed her eyes, she met the past again in the guise of vivid dreams.
Vynasha had gathered Wynyth’s latest crop of roses together but couldn’t find her father’s tow sack anywhere. It was the only thing large enough to carry her mother’s blooms to market and the sun wasn’t going to be forgiving if she let them sit unattended much longer. They needed new homes, water and human affection to stay fresh, and Grandmother Mayve’s tavern could provide that. So she was quite desperate as she upturned first the shed and then her bed in the loft above it. But she avoided asking the one person who could have answered her question. She knew what she would find when she walked into the cabin.
She wrung her skirts in her fists and glanced at the waiting pile of roses sitting on the bench just outside. After taking one last calming breath, she walked through the front door. She avoided looking at the silent, dispirited shape of the man who used to be her father.
“Father, have you seen the old mule sack?”
When he didn’t reply, she finally turned to Old Ced and frowned at the physical reminders of his change. Mother’s death had left him a fractured shadow of his former self. His hair and scraggly beard had grown white against his worry-lined face. He stared blankly into the hearth, his cloak tied about his neck as though he had just arrived, even though he had returned home the evening before. Old Ced had grown more and more distant, cruel whenever he did speak.
With a hard eye he lifted his watery gaze to peer through her and then, without a word, he looked to the cloak peg hanging just beside the door.
Vynasha spotted the corner of the rough sack sticking out beneath the billowing cloaks and she snatched it, desperate to leave Ced and his heartless eyes behind.
“Vynasha?” Grendall’s weary voice woke her and his fingertip brushed over hers. “What were you dreaming about?”
The slight comfort of his contact and the soft blue light shining at her through the hole was enough to orient her again. She released a shuddering sigh as she replied, “My father…”
“Not a good dream, then?”
“No,” she almost whispered. It had been so long since she’d spoken about Old Ced with anyone. After everything that had happened, it was a wonder she could dream of the past still. Her father and Ceddrych had disappeared after leaving the family to trade in the Eirwen Mountains. She’d spent the years after they’d left keeping her sisters and nephew fed. Six years after her father and brother had abandoned the family and the memory left her more shaken than it should have.
“Fathers can bring out the worst in us,” Grendall ground out, as though he could read her thoughts.
Vynasha smiled and sensed that somehow, he might understand better than most could. “Was your father a dungeon gatekeeper like you?”
His laughter was cut short by a low groan. “Seven hells, no. I am afraid I have fallen below his lofty standards for me. A sweet mercy he died before I chose my path. Were he still alive, he would have continued to make our lives a living hell. That bloody beast did not simply delight in the misery of others, he reveled in it. Your childhood sounds idyllic compared to mine.”
She smiled. “You must be feeling better.”
He did not answer, but his finger twitched and she could hear his sharp breath. This was her only warning before the door to her cell creaked open with a groan. She nearly ripped a fresh hole in her arm, trying to wrench it from the hole Grendall had made between their cells.
For one torturous moment, she envisioned the Prince’s gravelly voice and shadowed horns. Judging by their last conversation, she knew he would not want her speaking to Grendall or anyone for that matter.
“Who is it?” Grendall hissed through the space between their walls.
Vynasha shook her head as she scrambled to her feet, a difficult task thanks to the awkward position she had been lying in. She skirted the shadows as light filled the room and nearly barreled into the hunched figure who stepped through the door.
Do you create fanart?
Jennifer is offering extra entries on her tour giveaway and a special giveaway
during the Twitter Chat to one lucky artist! Post your fanart and share with
Jennifer on social media (@JennSilverwood on Twitter and Tumblr and
silverwoodj on Facebook). Look for inspiration and see her posts on Tumblr.
Book Trailer
Other Books in the Series
Craving Beautyby Jennifer Silverwood
YA Dark Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 239 pages
October 31st 2015
A Wylder Tale #1
Vynasha has spent the last four years tending her mother's roses and looking after her nephew. The fire that killed their family has left her scarred and put Wyll on the brink of death. Soon the first frost will come down from the mountains and she knows this winter will be his last.
Until a strange beggar appears on the road, telling her of the majikal Source that can heal her Wyll. With nothing left to lose, Vynasha braves the forbidden Wylder Mountains to seek out a cure and her fate.
A lost kingdom is uncovered by an equally lost girl, but the castle is not abandoned as she believes. Shadows cloaking unseen eyes watch. Tapestries whisper from the hidden corners, wondering if the one to break their curse has come. And a hungry beast waits, ready to devour her soul.
Wolfsbane's Daughter
by Jennifer Silverwood
YA Dark Fantasy
ebook, 52 Pages
February 25th 2016
A Wylder Tale Novella
Wolfsbane and his daughter Resha are on a never ending quest in the Wylder Mountains, to wipe out the wolves who destroyed their village. Before their enemies stole everything she loved, Resha cared for little beyond learning how to be a hunter. After, she learned a hunter must be prepared to fight as well as flee. Now she cares for nothing but revenge.
Until she discovers two majikal humans half frozen in the forest. Resha has a choice, to follow her instincts and leave the strangers to the wolves, or save them. Yet the enemy is on the prowl and there is little time for Wolfsbane's daughter to find safe haven before they are discovered.
About the Author
Other Books by the Author
Tour Schedule
December 1st: Launch
December 2nd: Magic & Machines & Nicole's Book Musings
December 4th: Wishful Endings & Falling Leaves
December 5th: Letters from Annie Douglass Lima & fuonlyknew
December 6th: The Silver Dagger Scriptorium & Bloggin' & Writing
December 7th: Mel's Shelves & Book Butterfly in Dreamland
December 8th: Grand Finale
December 9th: Twitter Chat 8-9 PM ET #ScarredBeauty
Tour Giveaway
3 winners to receive ebooks of all three books in A Wylder Tales: Craving Beauty, Wolfsbane's Daughter, and Scarred Beauty (extra swag to US winners)Open internationally
Ends December 12th
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I loved the book trailer.
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