July 9, 2012

The Mayfair Moon Blog Tour: Review + Character Interview


Title: The Mayfair Moon (The Darkwoods Trilogy #1)
Author: J.A. Redmerski
Published: January 6, 2012
Format: Kindle ebook, 352 pages
Rating: 5/5
After a nightmarish encounter with a werewolf, seventeen-year-old Adria Dawson loses her sister, but gains the love of a mysterious young man and his legendary family.

Strange and tragic things begin to happen in the small town of Hallowell, Maine: residents come down with an unexplainable ‘illness’ and some disappear. In the midst of everything, Isaac Mayfair is adamant about keeping Adria safe, even from her sister whom he has warned her to stay away from.

As unspeakable secrets unfold all around Adria, impossible choices become hers to bear. Ultimately, no matter what path she takes, her life and the lives of those she loves will be in peril. As she learns about the werewolf world she also learns why her place in it will change the destinies of many.

My thoughts, reactions & feelings.
The Mayfair Moon J.A. Redmerski was entirely exceptional from the storyline, to the characters and mostly the werewolf lore. Even before I reached the end I knew I would want more. 


The writing was magnificent.

  • Sometimes a story and idea is great, but for me, the writing and the execution of this said story in words needs to come off the page and take me there. Redmerski did this, hands down. I was hypnotized by the story effortlessly. The more I read, the more I couldn’t just get enough! Redmerski set the pace beautiful, easing me along side the main character. 


Adria was kick-ass, bad-ass and all around amazing.

  • I absolutely adored Adria! She has this snarky voice complete with the perfect amount of sass and a stoic personality. I was able to relate to her in so many ways. As the story went on, I saw Adria’s toughness and her capability thinking on her feet while still thinking things through. Make no mistake that Adria is a strong character and it’s obviously seen especially with everything that Adria’s put through. She handles everything with an immense amount of maturity. What I liked most about Adria is the fact that she’s an overall good person.

The romance was lovely.

  • Redmerski can write some sweet and swoon-worthy moments without giving too much or too little. I love Adria and Isaac, the tension, the chemistry, the strong attraction and all the feelings. It was amazing and exhilarating. I love them together and I’m sure other readers will too. I couldn’t help root for Adria and Isaac.

One of the best werewolf books I’ve read in a long long time!

  • I fell in love with the werewolves aspect of this book. The Mayfair Moon werewolves were not just any ordinary type of wolves I’ve been reading about. They are terrifyingly scary with hairy fur and razor sharp teeth and claws that stand at least six to seven feet tall. Then there is this war between two werewolf packs and though both are just as frightening, the tension was thrilling. Their world was quite complex, but ultimately interesting. Redmerski definitely developed this part of the book very well.

The ending was crazy good.

  • It was explosive and the plot twists! Wow, they were truly unexpected! I never saw it coming. It was crazy and intense and Redmerski put me on an incredible ride. I was surprised and shocked and all kinds of mind-blown from that ending. 



Overall, The MayFair Moon was was dark and dangerous, sexy and exciting all at once.  If you love werewolves, a good romance and crazy twists, this book is definitely for you! 



*Thanks to Jessica for providing a copy for me to review :)

Purchase The Mayfair Moon: Kindle || Paperback

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Character Interview with Adria Dawson!

Hi Adria! Thanks for stopping by my blog! I'm super excited to have you here! Let's start off with a few easy questions and go from there.

I hear you like Ian Somerhalder and Jared Padelecki! Is this true and what brought this on? (BTW, I love Ian!)
  • Hi Jessirae! Thanks for having me. And yes, it’s true. I have a thing for…well, Sam Winchester more than the actor who plays him (though I do love Jared, too). Sam is my soft spot between the Winchester brothers. As far as Ian Somerhalder, well he’s (please don’t tell Isaac I’m saying this stuff!) sexy, sexy.

 - Don't worry Adria! I won't tell Isaac. Your secret is safe with me! ;)

I like to read a lot of books and I noticed you read too. Do you have a favorite book?
  • I don’t read as much as I’d like to. My friends back in Georgia engulfed three or four books a week! I’m lucky to read one every two weeks. My favorite book ever is Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

I've always wanted a sister. So I have to ask, what's the best thing that you love about your sister, Alex?
  • Alex was my best friend until…well, you know. But what I loved most about her was that she took care of me. Our mom wasn’t so great at that sort of thing, so I guess I’ll always love Alex for taking on the role of my mother, but still being my sister and my best friend, too.

Moving is always tough. What's the one thing you miss about Georgia?
  • Gah! I hate moving! I think what I miss the most about Georgia is the southern atmosphere, the sort of country-city living, summertime that doesn’t last a week like it seems to do in Maine so far. Maine and Georgia are two completely different worlds, but I have to say that things have not turned out so bad.

Can you tell me what was going through your mind the moment you saw Isaac Mayfair?
  • Honestly? Well, I thought he was too hot for my blood. I mean I’ve seen a lot of hot guys and just like anybody else, thought to myself, “Wow…,” but there was too much going on in my life at that moment for me to be too drooling over him…too much.

 - I completely understand, Adria. You were going through so much all at once!

I thought you were really brave in The Mayfair Moon, Adria. How do you battle fear and anxiety while facing such menacing supernatural creatures such as werewolves?
  • Thank you, Jess – that really means a lot to me. But I guess the way I got through most of it was because of experience. Sort of. I kind of grew up around abuse and chaos and maybe over time I learned how to overcome traumatic situations easier than someone who has never really had to face something like that before. But I was still terrified, trust me. I doubt much in the human world can really ever prepare someone to be face to face with a real, living, breathing werewolf. 

Just so my readers know, how gorgeous is Isaac? Is he drop dead sexy? ;)
  • *blushes so frickin’ hard!* Yeah, he’s pretty hot. But really what makes him irresistible to me the most are those bewitching eyes of his and that grin he likes to show when he’s screwing with my head! I can’t resist it.

 - I'm sure every girl out there can't and will not be able to resist Isaac's charm! *giggles*

So I have to admit that I have a major crush on Nathan. (Please don't tell him!) Do you think I have a chance? ;D
  • *grins hugely* Girl, I’m telling you he’s a wild card! I admit it; he’s hot-to-boot, sweet like honey and has a long list of girls that want a piece of him. But between you and me, your so frickin’ cute and have the kind of happy, outgoing personality that Nathan happens to like, so yes, I think you definitely have a chance. ;-)

 - OMG! Adria, you do not know how happy this makes me! *jumps up and down* I adore Nathan to bits.

Now for some This or That questions:
Day or Night? I love the day
Indoors or Outdoors? Definitely outdoors
Summer or Winter? Summer!
Coffee or Tea? Tea (with lemon)
Pizza or Hamburgers? Pizza
Werewolves or Vampires? Heh. I’ll take a werewolf over a vampire any day. ;-)

Thank you so much, Adria, for stopping by! It's been a pleasure to have you on my blog! I can't wait to read more about you in KINDRED!
  • Awesome, Jessirae! Thanks again for having me. Now I’m off to… coughtellNathanshelikeshimcough *runs away squealing with laughter*

- *sigh* I should have known that you were going to tell him, Adria. That's the last time I confide in you! I may have to tell Isaac your secret after all, LOL!

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I hope you guys enjoyed my interview with Adria! <3 She's a sweet girl, but don't underestimate her! She's hangs out with werewolves and she can throw a mean punch or two ;) And whatever you do, don't tell her your secrets! She'll tell. *stomps away*

Check out the other stops on the tour HERE.
And look out for Book 2 in The Darkwoods Trilogy: Kindred coming 7/20!

About the Author: 
J.A. Redmerski is a  Contemporary Fantasy and YA writer - author of THE MAYFAIR MOON and DIRTY EDEN. She’s  a mother, werewolf & zombie fanatic, book addict and a happy hermit obsessed with the Universe. Oh, and AMC's "The Walking Dead". 

Jessica started her first novel at the age of thirteen and has been writing something ever since. Generally, she loves characters in life and on paper. She pays attention to people, especially those whose personalities make them different from the rest of us: the drug addict roaming the Laundromat that talks to himself, the young, inattentive mother in the park with the meanest kid on the playground - (the entire cast of 'Swamp People') - characters fascinate Jessica and she hopes that it shows in her  literary work. 

Some authors that inspire Jessica are Neil Gaiman, Cormac McCarthy, Max Brooks, Anne Rice, J.K. Rowling, Richard Matheson, William R. Forstchen, Carrie Ryan, Stephenie Meyer and Lisa Smedman.


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3 comments:

  1. Hey, Jessirae! Awesome review and interview!!! More swoon worthy guys? COUNT. ME. IN.
    Added it to Goodreads! Woo! Sounds great! I have a new thing for werewolves (even though I haven't really read any) BUT STILL.
    <3

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  2. Thanks for having me, Jessirae. And Adria wants me to tell you that she didn't say anything to Nathan! LOL :-)

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  3. I've been really curious about this one! Thanks for the great review, sounds like the writing is excellent!

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