Against a Brightening Sky by Jaime Lee Moyer

Delia Martin, Book 3

Synopsis: A ghost princess and a woman with nothing but a name to her fortune might change the course of history.

By 1919 the Great War has ended, peace talks are under way in Paris, and the world has been forever changed. Delia Martin, apprentice practitioner of magical arts, and her husband, Police Captain Gabriel Ryan, face the greatest challenge of their lives when fragments from the war descend on San Francisco.

As Delia prepares to meet friends at a St. Patrick’s Day parade, the strange ghost of a European princess appears in her mirror. Her pleasant outing becomes a nightmare as the ghost reappears moments after a riot starts, warning her as a rooftop gunman begins shooting into the crowd. Delia rushes to get her friends to safety, and Gabe struggles to stop the killing—and to save himself.

Delia and Gabe realize all the chaos and bloodshed had one purpose—to flush Alina from hiding, a young woman with no memory of anything but her name.

As Delia works to discover how the princess ghost’s secrets connect to this mysterious young woman, and Gabe tracks a ruthless killer around his city, they find all the answers hinge on two questions: Who is Alina…and why can’t she remember?

Against a Brightening Sky is the thrilling conclusion to Moyer’s glittering historical fantasy series.

Review: I enjoyed the series and it’s true that I was curious about the further adventures of our beloved Delia. It must be said that the period of the history and the presence of the ghosts, as well as the investigations, are really attracting. While writing my review and by reading the summary, I realized that this was the last volume of the series, which is quite sad because I have not really had that feeling of a real conclusion, but it does not change the fact we still have once again a great time with the story.

Delia will face this time the ghosts of princesses, including one that is quite persistent. Her presence will be even more alive when our heroine discovers a young woman during a riot and a massacre that will leave her two guards for dead. Indeed, it seems that Alina knows nothing of her past and she only gives her name if indeed it is the real one. Delia will then ally with Dora and her husband Gabe to try to understand what is happening. Yes, because it seems that all the recent events are linked to the young woman and it is true that we’re very intrigued by all that is happening. To this can be added a story in relation to Russia, the post-war period, missing princesses and an investigation of course full of danger.

I was quite curious to discover the identity of Alina and why she had lost her memory. It was interesting to discover the dreams of Delia and to understand the past of the unknown young woman. However, I admit that I dropped the story for a few passages at a moment but I took pleasure in following the set and to discover a new survey such as this one. Yes, because as always, we follow alternately the POVs of Delia and Gabe, realizing slowly that everything is finally bounded.

So it was a pleasant reading and I was happy to see all the characters again. If this is the last volume, it was a pleasant surprise but I might have liked a slightly wider conclusion.

 

4 

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Against a Brightening Sky de Jaime Lee Moyer (VO)

Delia Martin, Tome 3

Résumé (traduction personnelle) : Le fantôme d’une princesse et une femme qui ne connait que son nom pourraient changer le cours de l’histoire.

En 1919, la Grande Guerre a pris fin, les pourparlers de paix sont en cours à Paris, et le monde a été changé pour toujours. Delia Martin, apprentie pratiquante des arts magiques, et son mari, le capitaine de police Gabriel Ryan, font face au plus grand défi de leur vie lorsque des fragments de la guerre arrivent sur San Francisco.

Comme Delia se prépare à rencontrer des amis au défilé de la Saint-Patrick, l’étrange fantôme d’une princesse européenne apparaît dans son miroir. Son agréable promenade devient un cauchemar lorsque le fantôme réapparaît quelques instants après une émeute, l’avertissant qu’un homme armé sur le toit commence à tirer sur la foule. Delia se précipite pour mettre ses amis en sécurité, et Gabe lutte pour arrêter le massacre.

Delia et Gabe réalisent que tout le chaos et le carnage n’avait qu’un seul but : sortir Alina de sa clandestinité, une jeune femme sans aucun souvenir de quoi que ce soit, en dehors de son nom.

Comme Delia travaille à découvrir comment les secrets du fantôme de la princesse sont connectés à cette jeune femme mystérieuse, et que Gabe poursuit un tueur impitoyable autour de la ville, ils réalisent que toutes les réponses reposent sur deux questions: Qui est Alina … et pourquoi ne se souvient-elle de rien ?

Against a Brightening Sky est la conclusion palpitante de la série de fantasy historique de Moyer.

Avis : J’avais beaucoup apprécié la série et c’est vrai que j’étais curieuse de découvrir la suite des aventures de notre chère Delia. Il faut dire que la période de l’histoire et la présence de fantômes, de même que celle des enquêtes donnent vraiment envie. En écrivant mon avis et en lisant le résumé, je me rends compte que ce tome était le dernier de la série, ce qui est assez triste parce que je n’ai pas vraiment eu ce sentiment de conclusion réelle mais cela ne change pas le fait que l’on passe encore une fois un très bon moment avec l’histoire.

Delia va devoir faire face cette fois ci à des fantômes de princesses et notamment un qui est assez persistant. Sa présence va être d’autant plus vivante dès lors que notre héroïne découvre une jeune femme lors d’une émeute et d’une tuerie qui laissera pour morts ses deux gardiens. En effet, il semblerait qu’Alina ne connaisse rien de son passé et qu’elle ne se rappelle réellement que de son nom si tant est qu’il est vrai. Delia va alors s’allier avec Dora, et son mari Gabe pour essayer de comprendre ce qu’il se passe. Oui, parce qu’il semblerait que tous les évènements récents soient reliés à la jeune femme et c’est vrai qu’on reste intrigué par tout ce qu’il se passe. A cela, on peut rajouter une histoire en rapport avec la Russie, la période post guerre, des princesses disparues et bien sur une enquête pleine de danger.

J’étais assez curieuse de découvrir l’identité d’Alina et la raison pour laquelle elle avait perdu la mémoire. C’était intéressant de découvrir les rêves de Delia et de comprendre ainsi le passé de la jeune inconnue. J’avoue avoir cependant lâché l’histoire pendant quelques passages mais j’ai pris plaisir à suivre l’ensemble et à découvrir une nouvelle enquête telle que celle-ci. Oui, parce que comme précédemment, nous suivons alternativement les problèmes de Delia et de Gabe, en réalisant petit à petit que tout est finalement lié.

C’était donc une lecture agréable et j’étais contente de retrouver tous les personnages que j’apprécie. Si c’est le dernier volume, c’était une agréable surprise mais j’aurais peut-être aimé avoir une conclusion un peu plus large.

 4 

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A Barricade In Hell by Jaime Lee Moyer

Delia Martin, Book 2

Synopsis: Delia Martin has been gifted (or some would say cursed) with the ability to peer across to the other side. Since childhood, her constant companions have been ghosts. She used her powers and the help of those ghosts to defeat a twisted serial killer terrorizing her beloved San Francisco. Now it’s 1917—the threshold of a modern age—and Delia lives a peaceful life with Police Captain Gabe Ryan.

That peace shatters when a strange young girl starts haunting their lives and threatens Gabe. Delia tries to discover what this ghost wants as she becomes entangled in the mystery surrounding a charismatic evangelist who preaches pacifism and an end to war. But as young people begin to disappear, and audiences display a loyalty and fervor not attributable to simple persuasion, that message of peace reveals a hidden dark side.

As Delia discovers the truth, she faces a choice—take a terrible risk to save her city, or chance losing everything?

Review: I was excited to discover this new novel by Jaime Lee Moyer and read more Delia Martin’s adventures. Then it must be said that the mix of ghosts, investigations in a different century, can only be a pleasure to read.

Delia is now married to Gabe, like his friend Jack and the two couples evolve over time. Jack now has a child while Delia has lost hers and tries to continue her life even if nothing is simple after such a tragedy. But Delia and Gabe deeply love each other and it helps them go through the trials of their life. Yet they will have to be welded more for this new story coming in their way. It appears that the officer is haunted by a little girl that his wife is not able to drive away and the spirit is determined to get a message across. In addition to appear and interact with objects, she is also able to invade the dreams of the young man, leaving him with nightmares he does not remember thereafter. Delia and Dora therefore team up to try to find a solution to this problem but in addition to this, they will find themselves at the heart of an investigation that could put them all in danger. In fact, people all over town are disappearing and are then found dead a few days later, all in a strange way and everything tends to show that a newcomer in town is responsible. But this also means that it is very dangerous.

I was excited to discover this new story and I must say that I took a great pleasure in discovering everything. I was immediately grabbed by the story that the author presents here and I was curious to see how everything was linked at the end of the book. The investigation was fascinating to follow and I was eager to see the resolution of the story and for that, Jaime Lee Moyer won her challenge. If you are looking for really big bad guy, do not hesitate because the one staged here is really terrible! Oh yes, because he/she works with impunity and manipulates everyone with a great natural. I was also very touched by the Delia’s story and the loss of her child and it’s true that I was sad for her whenever certain events or actions made ​​me think of it. But our heroine is strong and Gabe is always there for her. But these are not the only ones to go through a bad patch and it is the same for Dora and it is true that we can only sympathize with respect to their situation.

In the novel, we meet new characters with pleasure, such as an Asian spiritualist who seems to have more power than we would believe and who I think will take a prominent place in the rest of the story. I have many questions about him and hopefully we will learn more about him soon. There is also this little cat who befriends Delia and who manages to see spirits and fights like a tigress to help her mistress. Yet another character? Oh yes because he remains present all along the chapters and this is not one of the lesser. Indeed, it is a new police officer who will be able to help with his neutral nature Delia, Gabe and especially Dora in their investigations and even more. It’s a simple character, natural, who does not know much about what’s going on but he takes a place in our hearts little by little and I’m curious to find him soon.

You’ll understand that this is a very good second novel and I hope to read soon the next volume. In fact, I look forward to it. If you are looking for a good investigation, intriguing characters mixed with ghosts, do not hesitate!

4-5 

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A Barricade In Hell de Jaime Lee Moyer (VO)

Delia Martin, Tome 2

Résumé (traduction personnelle) : Delia Martin possède un don (que certains qualifieraient plutôt de malédiction) avec la possibilité de scruter dans l’au-delà. Depuis son enfance, ses compagnons ont été des fantômes. Elle a utilisé ses pouvoirs et l’aide de ces fantômes pour vaincre un tueur en série tordu qui terrorisait sa bien-aimée San Francisco. Maintenant, nous sommes en 1917, le seuil d’une ère moderne et Delia vit une vie paisible avec le capitaine de police Gabe Ryan.

Mais la paix se brise quand une étrange jeune fille commence à hanter leurs vies et menace Gabe. Delia tente de découvrir ce que ce fantôme veut, comme elle devient empêtrée dans un mystère entourant une évangéliste charismatique qui prêche le pacifisme et la fin de la guerre. Mais quand des jeunes commencent à disparaître, et que le public affiche une fidélité et une ferveur qui n’est pas imputable à la simple persuasion, ce message de paix révèle un côté sombre caché.

Alors que Delia découvre la vérité, elle fait face à un choix-prendre un risque terrible pour sauver sa ville, ou risquer de tout perdre ?

Avis : J’étais très impatiente de découvrir ce nouveau roman de Jaime Lee Moyer afin de connaître la suite des aventures de Delia Martin. Puis il faut dire que le mélange de fantômes, d’enquêtes le tout dans un siècle différent, ne peut être qu’un grand plaisir.

Delia est maintenant mariée avec Gabe, tout comme son amie à Jack et les deux couples évoluent au cours du temps. Alors que Jack a maintenant un enfant, Delia a perdu le sien et essaie de poursuivre sa vie même si rien n’est simple après une telle tragédie. Mais Delia et Gabe s’aiment  profondément ce qui les aide à traverser les épreuves. Pourtant ils vont devoir être encore plus soudés pour cette nouvelle histoire qui se présente à eux. Il semblerait que le policier soit hanté par une petite fille que sa femme n’est pas en mesure de chasser et cet esprit est bien déterminé à faire passer un message. En plus d’apparaitre et d’interagir avec les objets, elle est aussi capable d’envahir les rêves du jeune homme, ne lui laissant que des cauchemars dont il ne se souvient pas. Delia et Dora font donc équipe pour essayer de trouver une solution à ce problème mais en plus de cela, elles vont se retrouver au cœur d’une enquête qui pourrait bien les mettre tous en danger. En effet, des personnes un peu partout en ville disparaissent et sont retrouvées ensuite mortes quelques jours plus tard, tous d’une manière assez étrange et tout tend à montrer qu’une nouvelle arrivante en ville est la responsable. Mais ceci signifie aussi qu’elle est très dangereuse.

J’étais impatiente de découvrir cette nouvelle histoire et je dois dire que j’ai pris énormément de plaisir à découvrir le tout. J’ai été tout de suite happée par l’histoire que l’auteur nous présente ici et j’étais curieuse de voir comment le tout se retrouvait lié en fin d’histoire. L’enquête m’a tout de suite passionnée et j’avais hâte de voir la résolution de l’histoire et pour cela, Jaime Lee Moyer a parfaitement réussi son challenge. Si vous recherchez d’ailleurs un très bon vilain, n’hésitez pas, car celui mis en scène ici est vraiment terrible ! Oh oui, parce qu’elle œuvre en toute impunité et manipule tout le monde avec un grand naturel. J’ai été très touchée par l’histoire de Delia et la perte de son enfant et c’est vrai que ça m’a vraiment fait un pincement au cœur à chaque fois que certains événements ou actions m’y faisait penser. Mais notre héroïne est forte et Gabe est toujours là pour elle. Mais ce ne sont pas les seuls à traverser une mauvaise passe et il en est de même pour Dora et c’est vrai que l’on ne peut que compatir par rapport à sa situation.

Au cours du roman, nous rencontrons de nouveaux personnages avec plaisir, tel qu’un spiritualiste asiatique qui semble posséder plus de pouvoir qu’on ne le croirait et qui je pense prendra une grande place dans la suite de l’histoire. J’ai de nombreuses questions à son sujet et j’espère que nous en apprendront plus à son sujet très vite. Il y a aussi ce petit chat qui se lie très d’amitié avec Delia et qui parvient à voir les esprits et se bat comme une tigresse pour aider sa maîtresse. Encore un autre personnage ? Oh oui parce qu’il en reste un à vous présenter et ce n’est pas un des moindre. En effet, c’est un nouveau policier qui neutre psychiquement va pouvoir aider Delia, Gabe et surtout Dora  dans leurs enquêtes et voire même plus. C’est un personnage simple, naturel, qui ne connait pas grand-chose à tout ce qu’il se passe mais qui se fait une place dans nos cœurs petit à petit et je suis curieuse de le retrouver prochainement.

Vous l’aurez compris c’est un très bon second roman et j’espère pouvoir lire très vite le prochain volume que j’attends avec impatience. Si vous êtes à la recherche d’une bonne enquête, des personnages intrigants le tout mélangé avec des fantômes, n’hésitez pas !

4-5

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Interview with Jaime Lee Moyer + Giveaway

Welcome to Between Dreams and Reality, can you present yourself in a few words?

Thank you for asking me to be here.

I’m a writer, a poet, a reader, a feminist, a photographer, a dreamer, a cat lover, and a history geek. I love cinnamon more than chocolate, and I’m endlessly curious.

How would you describe the Delia Martin series?

 

I think of the series as a blend of historical fantasy and mystery that mixes ghosts, magic and murder. Delia has always seen ghosts, Gabe is dedicated to finding justice for those who can’t find it for themselves. The two of them make a perfect team. The fact they love each other deeply is a bonus.The books are also about friendship and loyalty, the family you make always being there for you and having your back, and of course, love. Everything I write is a love story in one way or another.

Who are some of your influences?

Every writer I’ve ever read has influenced me in some way, both good and bad, or taught me something about how to tell a story or use language. Some of those writers are Melanie Rawn, Barbara Hambly, Kate Elliot, Elizabeth Bear, Elizabeth Moon, Ursula K. LeGuin, Ray Bradbury, Robin McKinley, Andre Norton, and Neil Gaiman. There are more, but that’s a good start on a list.

Why did you choose this period for your books?

1915-1919 were interesting and exciting years for a lot of reasons. The war years (WWI) were really the dawn of what we think of as the modern age. New technology, new social attitudes, changing roles for women—all of those things were happening at once, and spreading across the entire country rapidly. It was a challenging time to be alive.

The Great War, as WWI was known at the time, brought changes of its own. Empires fell and vanished, new, horrible weapons were used for the first time. More than nine million men died in that war.

Another major reason was that spiritualism was flourishing between 1915-1919.  Not everyone believed in ghosts, but millions of people were convinced that spirits came back from the other side to impart messages to the living. Mediums, such as Delia and Dora, were believed to be the bridge between the two worlds.

It all came together to make this the perfect time to set these books.

What do you think about ghosts? And why use them in your books?

Do I personally believe in ghosts? I’m honestly not sure. The parts of me that are firmly rooted in science, in all the things I can see and touch and prove, don’t believe.

But the dreamer and storyteller in me keeps asking what if? Far, far too many people have seen or experienced things that can’t be easily explained away. Some of those odd things have happened again and again, and people have reported the same stories for generations.

And why not use ghosts in these books? Death is a part of everyone’s life, whether we will it or not. Ghost stories of one kind or another are a part of every culture in the world. Given who Delia and Gabe are, and what they do, ghosts fit.

So Delia, where’d she come from?

One night I had a dream about a young woman standing next to the train tracks, steam from the locomotive billowing around her and mixing with the fog. This woman, who turned out to be Delia, was looking back over her shoulder. She was watching for the person who’d been following her everywhere.

I couldn’t get that dream out of my head. Once I realized Delia was being followed by a ghost the whole book fell into my head.

What do you feel is your strength as a writer/storyteller?

I am my own harshest critic. Readers have told me that enabling readers to see what I saw while writing a scene, and to feel emotion right along with my characters, are two of my strongest abilities. I do the best I can and leave those judgments up to readers.

How many books do you intend to write for the series?

As many as they ask me to write. Delia’s Shadow and A Barricade In Hell are out now; the third comes out in 2015.  Time will tell how many more I write.

Did you need to do a lot of research for your books?

Lots and lots of research. A hundred years ago really is an entirely different age. I had to research clothing styles, furniture, cars, social attitudes, news of the day—everything. The world has changed so, so much since the 1910s.

What can you tell about the future books?

The third book, Against A Brightening Sky, is set in 1919. The Great War is over and a peace treaty is being negotiated in Paris. Ghosts—all casualties of the war—fill San Francisco’s streets in vast numbers: European kings and queens, princes and princesses and minor nobility, confused soldiers trying to find their way back home. Shadows of the conflict and echoes of the war’s aftermath reach across the world to San Francisco, and touch Delia, Gabe and Isadora in a very personal way.

Are there any other projects you’re working on or thinking about starting in the near future?

Just as sharks keep swimming, writers keep writing. Since turning in Against A Brightening Sky, I’ve revised a finished novel in another series, A War For Philadelphia, and started something brand new titled A Parliament Of Queens. It’s early days yet, but I have high hopes for both these books.

*****

About the Author: JAIME LEE MOYER’s Delia’s Shadow won the 2009 Columbus Literary Award for Fiction. Moyer has sold short fiction to Lone Star Stories, Daily Science Fiction, and to the Triangulations: End of the Rainbow, and Triangulations: Last Contact anthologies, and edited the 2010 Rhysling Award Anthology for the Science Fiction Poetry Association. Moyer lives in San Antonio with writer Marshall Payne, three cats, three guitars, and a growing collection of books and music.

Website: http://www.jaimeleemoyer.com

Twitter: @jaimeleemoyer

Delia Martin, Book 2

Synopsis: Delia Martin has been gifted (or some would say cursed) with the ability to peer across to the other side. Since childhood, her constant companions have been ghosts. She used her powers and the help of those ghosts to defeat a twisted serial killer terrorizing her beloved San Francisco. Now it’s 1917—the threshold of a modern age—and Delia lives a peaceful life with Police Captain Gabe Ryan.

That peace shatters when a strange young girl starts haunting their lives and threatens Gabe. Delia tries to discover what this ghost wants as she becomes entangled in the mystery surrounding a charismatic evangelist who preaches pacifism and an end to war. But as young people begin to disappear, and audiences display a loyalty and fervor not attributable to simple persuasion, that message of peace reveals a hidden dark side.

As Delia discovers the truth, she faces a choice—take a terrible risk to save her city, or chance losing everything?

Giveaway:

2 persons will be able to win 1 copy of Delia’s Shadow (trade paperback) and 1 copy of A Barricade in Hell (hardcover). The Giveaway is open to US/Canada only.

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