Gibbous Moon by Katie Groom (The Cardinal Moon Saga #2) | Book Review ~ Guest Post from the Author on Criticism ~ Gift Card| #Paranormal #Thriller #Romance | @GoddessFish @katie_writes_ @CinnabarMothPub
A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me with the information for this tour.
Book Details
Gibbous Moon by Katie Groom Series: The Cardinal Moon Saga #2
Published by Cinnabar Moth Publishing LLC on October 3, 2023
Genres: Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Thriller
Format: eBook, Hardcover, Paperback
Pages: 272
Source: Goddess Fish PromotionsWerewolf and professor of literature Hugh spent nearly 200 years to find his soulmate, Zoie, but others betrayed him, working with rivals to take her away in only an instant. Revenge was swift and unsatisfying. More people need to pay for what was stolen from Hugh.
Zoie's death had been orchestrated by powerful beings in the supernatural world. Exacting revenge will require precision and planning.
Biding his time before acting, Hugh reverts to the patterns that finding true love had disrupted. Walking through life in a fog, he does his best to appear as if he is moving forward, though nothing feels the same.
As Hugh tries to start the next chapter in his life with Rosalie, he is haunted by the memory of Zoie. The literature professor cringes every time he's reminded that Rosalie doesn't like to read, but he tells himself that opposites should attract. That Rosalie can patch the hole left in his heart when Zoie died. His revenge will take time, and wallowing in grief won't help.
Just as Hugh is still focused on revenge, his enemies are still plotting to harm Hugh further. It's dangerous to oppose a bereaved werewolf, but even werewolves can be hurt.
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Excerpt from Gibbous Moon
Zoie quickly flew down closer, taking in everything that was going on around her. Hugh had a death grip on her body, and a terrified crowd of hotel employees had gathered in the lobby. One of them was on the phone—undoubtedly calling for emergency help. Not only was it obvious to Zoie that she was dead, but Hugh had literally crashed through a wall of glass to get to her. One police car was not going to cover this.
Stevie and Hugh’s best friend Cade were trying to convince Hugh to leave. They tried to plea from every angle—any excuse to get him to comply. “No!” Zoie cried. “Don’t leave me.” She couldn’t imagine that Hugh would even consider leaving her there.
“You need to leave her, and you need to go,” Cayden stated as they knelt down in front of Hugh. Their face was so full of genuine concern. It became obvious to Zoie that this was the best choice.
Zoie placed her feet on the pool deck and walked over to Hugh—despite everything going on, she noticed that her shoes didn’t make that strange squelching sound that they should have. So her guess was right, then; she was dead.
Hugh ignored Cade’s pleas, but Zoie inched closer and put her hand on his shoulder. She lied, “It’s okay, Hugh. Go.” It was in his best interest and in the best interest of their world for Hugh to leave.
Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.
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Purchase Links for Gibbous Moon
Amazon – OneLink for every country
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My thoughts on Gibbous Moon
Katie Groom’s “Gibbous Moon,” part of The Cardinal Moon Saga, seamlessly melds elements of the paranormal thriller and romance genres, resulting in a tale of enduring love, betrayal, and a quest for vengeance. This book delves into the life of Hugh, a werewolf and literature professor who has spent nearly two centuries searching for his soulmate, Zoie. However, the joy of finally finding her is brutally ripped away by betrayal, as she is taken from him in the blink of an eye.
The plot revolves around Hugh’s unquenchable thirst for revenge, driven by the belief that many must pay for the theft of his beloved Zoie. Her orchestrated death, a conspiracy by powerful beings in the supernatural world, sets the stage for a meticulously planned retaliation. The author skillfully portrays Hugh’s internal struggle as he vacillates between his love for Zoie and his attempt to move on with Rosalie, a woman who seems to be his antithesis. It’s a conflict that captures the complexity of his character.
The story picks up where “Fixed Moon” left off, and while not having read the previous book initially led to some confusion regarding the characters and world-building, the narrative eventually smoothed out. It’s worth noting that revisiting “Fixed Moon” may offer a more comprehensive perspective on “Gibbous Moon.”
Katie Groom’s writing is engaging and charming, with a narrative that weaves together a wide range of characters. This creates a rich, intricate world where paranormal elements blend seamlessly with romantic themes. The book is a testament to the author’s storytelling prowess, keeping readers engrossed as the plot unfolds.
“Gibbous Moon” should appeal to fans of Sookie Stackhouse novels and those who enjoy paranormal thrillers with a romantic twist. It successfully combines suspense, romance, and the supernatural into an enjoyable reading experience, making it a worthy addition to The Cardinal Moon Saga.
I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
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I love my Amazon Kindle Unlimited Subscription. So many books, so little time!
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About Katie Groom
Katie Groom grew up in rural Pennsylvania, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from PITT and her master’s in Employment and Labor Relations from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In 2016, she decided to move to Alabama in order to avoid as much snow as possible (and to advance her career in Human Resources).
When she isn’t working, Katie enjoys reading, writing, jokingly critiquing movies and TV, and campaigning that the plural of moose should be meese. She also loves to take in live music (especially Hanson) and traveling, with the goal of reaching each of the continents. Katie’s favorite pastime, however, is spending time with her beloved Shih tzu, Delta.
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Guest Post from the author of Gibbous Moon, Katie Groom
Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from!
A phrase that I live by is “Don’t take criticism from someone that you wouldn’t take advice from”. This applies to my career (both day job and writing), relationships, and hobbies. Heck, it even comes into play with what I’m wearing or how I spend my money.
Lots of people are going to criticize your writing. Reviewers, readers, agents, family, friends, your publisher. It’s up to you to decide what to take in and what to do with it.
Many people tell you that there’s only two options: You can take it and get angry and lash out or even internalize it and get upset, or you can take it and work with it and make improvements.
There’s a third: just ignore it.
If you wouldn’t reach out to someone for advice, why would you bother taking their criticism to heart?
If someone has never written a book and doesn’t usually read your genre, and they are trying to tell you that they think your writing is boring or lacks inspiration or whatever it is that they are putting out there to bring you down, just remind yourself to ignore it. You wouldn’t reach out to them for advice on your book, right? They neither write nor read your genre. So why would you bother taking criticism from them in this situation?
It’s like taking advice or criticism about your latest romantic relationship from someone who never had a relationship that’s lasted longer than a week. If you’re looking for something long term, that person has no experience with that, and their points would be moot.
So the next time you read that one star review that’s criticizing your work inside and out, remember that you didn’t write that book for them. It just was not for them. It was written for someone else. Who, you ask? The readers that did enjoy it. Those that it connected with. Or maybe even yourself.
Since the work didn’t connect with that person, just let it wash away like shampoo going down the drain in the shower.
Just remember: Never take criticism from someone that you wouldn’t take advice from.
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Purchase Gibbous Moon online from a local bookstore.
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Easy Amazon Info Link
Amazon – OneLink for every country
If the above link does not take you to your country, here are a few more:
Please send me a note if your country isn’t listed and you would like to purchase using my links. Using my link does not change the price you pay. Amazon pays me a minimal amount out of their share.
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Giveaway!
Katie Groom will award a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Visit more stops on this Goddess Fish tour for extra chances to win!
Official Tour Page for Gibbous Moon
Full Tour Schedule:
October 2: Joanne Guidoccio
October 3: Literary Gold
October 4: MacKade ~ V.V. Strange
October 4: travel the ages
October 5: Hope. Dreams. Life… Love
October 6: Sandra’s Book Club
October 9: Fabulous and Brunette
October 10: The Writer’s Blog
October 10: Author Deb Bailey
October 11: Gina Mitchell – review
October 12: Westveil Publishing
October 13: The Avid Reader – review only
October 13: The Key of Love
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Goddess Fish Virtual Book Tour Host
[…] Gina Mitchell […]
Beautiful cover! The perfect read for this time of year!
This looks like a very interesting book.
I really like the cover art. Looks great. Sounds like a good story.
Thanks for sharing. This book sounds good.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Gibbous Moon, this sounds like a book and series that I will enjoy reading
I think Gibbous Moon has a cover that is very striking!
Thank you so much for reviewing this book and featuring the author’s guest post today.