Contents of blog copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2023
I've been gone a while. I started reading fanfiction to escape and I got sucked in an abyss.

I have no idea if someone else is hosting similar challenges. I just grabbed some of what I have hosted before.

Here's to a happy year of great reading
Jan2023: Not much has changed. Writing a fanfiction now O_o as well as reading but I bought 7 new books in December and hope to get those read soon. Crossing fingers about adding challenges (late!)

Monday, April 20, 2015

Q is for . . . Quinn's Christmas Wish (paranormal Christmas)

Quinn's Christmas Wish
by Lawna Mackie

Series: Bandit Creek 
Publisher: self-published (CreateSpace) 
ISBN: 978-1468008098 
Release Date: November 2011 
Genre: Paranormal Christmas  
178 Pages

format available: ebook, paperback 

Series' website | Author's blog | Twitter

Book Blurb
As far as twelve-year old Quinn is concerned Christmas has lost its magic. Since his father’s death life has lost its sparkle. His mom is now a widow struggling to put food on the table. Quinn is no help, and the mysterious illness afflicting him only makes things worse. Even Christmas, complete with decorated trees, ribbons and bows has no meaning…then along comes Jazira.

Jazira doesn’t know what happened to her former self, the eleven-year old little girl. She drowned, didn’t she, along with half the other folk of Bandit Creek in 1911? Somehow, she’s grown four furry legs complimented with a large wolf head and body. Scared and alone, she reaches out to Quinn and a strong bond is formed. Jazira learns Quinn, and his mother, are threatened by a wealthy powerful citizen of Bandit Creek. She is determined to protect her new family, no matter what.

Christmas Eve finds Quinn staring up at the adorned tree and muttering a quiet prayer. Will the Spirits of Christmas grant his wish, or will the evil surrounding Bandit Creek prevail once again?

My Thoughts
We're in Montana, 1912 and chapter one introduces us to Quinn:
Dried leaves crunched beneath twelve-year old Quinn’s weight as he sank to his knees. His throat burned and he swallowed hard, his breath catching in his chest. He would not cry. He wouldn’t! In slow motion, he watched a drop of his crimson blood splatter against the carpet of fallen leaves. Anger and hurt brought unshed tears to his eyes.
Interesting. We also learn about "The Flood" and
A year later, murder, superstition, possession, and mysterious illnesses engulfed the town and survivors of the flood.
I'm looking forward to reading more about Quinn, his anger and hurt, and the flood. Except chapter two jumps to Samuel Campton checking his trap lines at Lost Lake. When he gets there, there is a wolf floating on a chunk of ice. Except the lake hadn't frozen yet. The wolf is really struggling so he goes to shoot it, to put it out of its misery.
Unexpectedly, the wolf lifted its head and stared directly at him. Its eyes glowed, turning from red to gold and boring straight through to his soul. He got the impression the creature was pleading for salvation and a chance to live.
Yes, Samuel saves the wolf and it runs off. Weird. Of course, you've read the description but I had forgotten what it said by the time I started reading (I just needed a Q book that was on the short side).

Chapter three brings another character, Amanda, she runs the boarding house. Doesn't own it mind but does the cooking and cleaning. When another women calls for her we find out she in also Quinn's mother.

Dang,  it sounds like Quinn barely made it to the boarding house, bloody nose, cuts on his face, too weak to stand. I'm thinking there is a bully in town! He's all "sorry momma, it happened again" and I'm all what? but Amanda is so calm except when she sees a stranger riding into town. It's Samuel and he carries Quinn home for Amanda. Isn't that nice.

Amanda's husband died in the flood. Samuel thinks she's hot. See where this is going? That's what I thought but it's 1912 so maybe not. Samuel doesn't come to town much but the owner of the boarding house offered a free meal for helping with Quinn so he stays the night. And to make sure he gets to see Amanda again, he tells her he'll be back tomorrow to stock up her wood pile.

This is very sweet and I'm thinking the whole book will be like this and am wondering where the wolf fits in. Then the wolf howls and there is a drunk man in Samuel's way as he's going to the boarding house and he tells him
"You should have let the she-beast drown...Things found in Lost Lake should stay in Lost Lake.”
Yay! I'm really going to enjoy this. Back to reading. . .


Once started, finished. Sure it was a short book but it was also intense and interesting and they totally went there ;-) I loved the interactions between characters and the way the wolf is portrayed. The evil spoken of is in Lost Lake as well as walking on two feet. It is the personification of all the bad stereotypes of the "wealthy and privileged".

The author mentions that there may be a sequel and I hope one is written. It seems that this is actually book 7 of a multi-author series so maybe we'll run into Amanda, Quinn and Samuel again.

And the wolf. The wolf is very important.


Disclaimer: This was a private purchase but the review is not written any differently than if I had received a complimentary review copy. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and may differ from yours. Book information courtesy of the author, series' website and amazon.


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2015

3 comments:

Anna (herding cats-burning soup) said...

Ooo that sounds like one I need to check out :D Thanks for the intro!

Lawna Mackie said...

Just wanted to say thank you so much for taking the time to review my book! I do have plans to write a sequel to Quinn's Christmas Wish.

Thanks again!

Lawna Mackie

Book Dragon said...

Thanks for the comments Lawna, I'll look for it.

Anna: totally check it out - the wolf is just as great as the other characters. Even the ones I hated.

Disclaimer

In accordance to the FTC guidelines, I must state that I make no monetary gains from my reviews or endorsements here on Book Dragon's Lair. All books I review are either borrowed, purchased by me, given as a gift, won in some kind of contest, or received in exchange for an honest review.