Let’s Celebrate!
It’s been a little over a week since the release of An Ambassador’s Ploy, the third and final book in my Adventures in Eldnaire trilogy. So I just want to take a moment to do two things…
First, I want to celebrate and say thank you to everyone who participated in sharing about my book, reading and leaving reviews, or who simply cheered me on from behind the scenes.
I have to admit, the weeks leading up to this release have been pretty stressful for me, so I really appreciate all the prayers and encouragement.
I also had the honor of holding the “number one new release” banner from Amazon for over a week, which might not mean much, but it’s still super cool that all of my books have gotten it!
An Ambassador’s Ploy has also already reached seven reviews/ratings on Amazon, which is amazing!
Thank you to everyone who left a review (I’ll be sharing some of my favorite reviews on here soon, so if you haven’t left yours yet, be sure to do it asap so it can be included).
Sale Alert!
And second, I want to let you know that The Librarian’s Ruse is currently on sale!
From today until September 13th, you can get a copy of my first book, The Librarian’s Ruse, for only $0.99 on Amazon!
It’s book #1 in my Adventures In Eldnaire trilogy, but can be read as a standalone.
What Is The Librarian’s Ruse About?
Great question! Here is the book’s description:
ONE MISTAKE. TWO EMPIRES. COUNTLESS SECRETS.
Amelia’s peaceful life as a librarian is cut short when she and her older brother Leon are sent on an errand to Eldnaire, the capital city of the vicious Vilnarian Empire. After witnessing a crime carried out in the woods, Amelia and Leon enter the capital only to be faced with an impossible choice: tell the truth and risk imprisonment, or lie and face far worse if they’re caught.
One deception leads to a dozen more, and before she can put an end to the lies, she and Leon are swept up into Vilnaria’s high society. Amelia finds an unlikely ally in Vilnaria’s handsome new ruler, Emperor Kyvir. But as the secrets and scandals continue to pile up and danger closes in on all sides, Amelia must decide once and for all what matters more: the truth…or her life?
What Was The Inspiration Behind The Librarian’s Ruse?
I’m a huge fan of fairytales and fairytale retellings, but I especially love to retell stories that are often overlooked, so I ended up basing The Librarian’s Ruse off The Emperor’s New Clothes—telling the story from the swindlers’ point of view.
What sort of things will you find in The Librarian’s Ruse?
I don’t want to spoil the story for you if you haven’t read it yet, so I’ll try to keep things as vague as possible, but here are a few things you’ll find if you read The Librarian’s Ruse:
– Low fantasy (which means it’s more of a fairytale setting rather than an epic adventure like Lord of the Rings)
– Royal intrigue
– Sibling shenanigans
– Dangerous secrets
– A sweet/royal romance
– A complete fish out of water situation
– Mercenaries
– Mint tea
– And an intriguing case of mistaken identity
Is It Any Good?
That’s a totally fair question to ask!
But since I doubt that I can give a complete and unbiased answer, here are four reviews out of the 59+ I’ve received so far:
People who enjoyed the puckish, wholesome humor of The Princess Bride, the royal/political intrigue of Defy the Night, and the chaotic sibling dynamic of Twin Crowns will definitely love this book.
-L.T. Ellis
The Libarian’s Ruse is a light, quick, and rambunctious read. There’s no wild scramble to prevent the end of the world or all-powerful evil to conquer, but rather a fun political adventure with two vastly contradicting siblings. There’s an adorable balance of sweetness and sarcastic wit. Amelia is earnest, thoughtful, and unabashedly good. She’s levelheaded and brave but by no means fearless, making her character all the more loveable. While Amelia was wonderful, Leon was my favorite. He was snarky and bold with a dash of ambition that made me root for him even when his intentions weren’t the most honorable.
I’ve followed Thirzah’s work for some time now, and her debut novel does not disappoint! The story had a fun blend of contrasting fairytale themes. Leon reminded me of leads in fairytales where deception and wiliness were presented as resourcefulness (Aladdin, Puss in Boots, Rumpelstiltskin, etc.), and Amelia reminded me of fairytale leads who were rewarded for their virtue and honesty (Cinderella, Snow White and Rose Red, Lizina from The Colony of Cats, etc.). Whether the homage was intentional or not, it made me think of those two, primary themes in myths, and they go head-to-head as tangible characters in The Librarian’s Ruse.
-Audrey Laine
The novel was well-written in an easy-going pace, not overly descriptive and not over-dramatic. This, combined with the book’s shorter length, make it perfect for a YA audience who’s in search of a clean, fun read. This is the type of book that I would highly recommend to my younger sister (15) and her friends, though it would cater to a younger and older audience as well. In essence, it’s a treat for all ages and definitely the type of book I’d like to see more of on the market! Can’t wait for the second!
The day when you find a book like ‘The Librarian’s Ruse’ is a day to celebrate. You’ll be hard pressed to find a fantasy book that keeps to the standards of Thirzah’s work—it is a read that both your conscience and your sense of humor can feel good about. While the plot is serious and the characters do run into some danger, there are also a lot of opportunities to laugh—and there are few things I love more than when a book makes me laugh aloud!
-Kya Rayne
As to getting down to the nitty-gritty of story structure, it was a well done debut novel. The main characters had clear motives, the plot had a few twists—while remaining easy to follow, and the theme of the novel was integrated in a way that felt natural and never forced.
I will always cheer for characters that choose to take the high-road. Likewise, an author who chooses to write a book that I can genuinely recommend deserves a hearty round of applause. And an encore. Can we have another story, Thirzah?…Please 🙂
I loved this book! This book is filled with adventure, mystery and romance that is perfect for teens 12 and up! It is funny, interesting and sooooo well written! The dialogue was amazing, the plot line was spot on, basically I am obsessed with it and love it!!!!! There is some violence, mention of people getting killed or execution victims. (Only mentioned not described.)
-The Young Llama Reader
Over all, I love, Love, LOVE this book! And I need more!!!!!!!!! I totally suggest this short story to any Christian teen who loves a good fantasy adventure! (Now if you will excuse me, I need to go and re-read this book and love it all over again!)
Before You Go…
If you’d like to take advantage of the $0.99 deal, be sure to get your copy of The Librarian’s Ruse before 11:59 on September 13th!