Saturday, November 9, 2024

The Locket's Revenge by LE Richmond - blog tour and giveaway

About the Book

Book: The Locket’s Revenge (Chronicles of the Undersea Realm Book 2)

Author: L. E. Richmond

Genre: YA Fantasy (Little Mermaid Retelling)

Release date: October 22, 2024

A Trinket Could Unleash a Tempest

Locklyn Adair thought that finding the Sea Enchantress would lift her family’s curse. But the ramifications of her desire for a tail reach further than she could ever have dreamed. Now the entire Undersea Realm is in peril, as Circe, armed with the locket capable of controlling the Loch Ness monster, journeys to the North Sea in pursuit of revenge.

Darin Aalto’s specialty is tracking down treasure. When it looks as though a magical locket has fallen into evil hands, he joins Locklyn and her crew on an expedition to recover it, hoping to find a key to his past identity along the way. Despite having no memory of the Mermaid leading the quest, he wonders if she was more than a friend all along.

As a vengeful enchantress, fiery monster, and impending war threaten the Undersea Realm, Locklyn and Darin must decide what they are willing to sacrifice in order to stop the locket’s revenge.

Click here to get your copy!

My review

It is the life we live, rather than the body in which we live it, that Is of true value.

This book picks up right where THE MERMAID’S TALE ends. And wow does it deliver. Book one does end on a cliffhanger, and I was thrilled the author doesn’t waste any time in moving right into this continued adventure with even more stakes, twists, and surprises. I did appreciate the author working in some great reminders of the first book’s key points. Even though it has only been a month since I read book one, it’s been a year since it was released.

Locklyn, Darin and company are back. En route to stopping the sea witch from releasing destruction. The plot moves fast and I am still a fan of the characters. Even the villains. Each are so well done and there is a great variety in personalities. The dual POV carries the story to different levels. Especially with both he and Locklyn’s differences. For fear of spoilers, I don’t want to say much else, but know you are in for one amazing adventure.

Definitely start with book one, THE MERMAID’S TALE, so you have the history and character’s motivations. This is a great series that has adventure, heart, mermaids, monsters, and so much more!

I received an eARC from the publisher for tour purposes. All views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

L.E. Richmond was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest by an American writing teacher and a German bookseller. Her childhood largely consisted of imagining stories for her Playmobil

characters and checking out as many books from the library as would fit on six library cards. Now she spends her time chasing three little Muggles, reading aloud to the hazel-eyed young man who has her heart, and attempting to transfer the stories in her head into words for others. Her passion is for words and stories that thrill the soul, and she is endlessly amazed by the One who not only used words to bring this world into being but also crafted the most epic story of all time.

More from L.E.

Somebody is going to die. But they didn’t at first.

Minor spoiler alert, a character is going to die near the end of The Locket’s Revenge. But in my first draft of this story, this person didn’t die. It wasn’t until I was going back through and trying to flesh out the book a bit that I realized that this character needed to die. My family knows that I am a discovery writer, but they still laughed when I told them how so-and-so squeaked through alive on the first draft, but the death sentence came in the second one. To me, this is actually one of the most fun things about being a discovery writer. During the drafting process, I get to experience the story for the first time, just like any reader. Most of the time, I don’t actually know what is going to happen next. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, October 31

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 1 (Author Interview)

Wishful Endings, November 1

Artistic Nobody, November 2 (Spotlight)

Fiction Book Lover, November 3 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 4

A Reader’s Brain , November 5 (Author Interview)

Inklings and notions, November 6

Simple Harvest Reads, November 7 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, November 8

Stories By Gina, November 9 (Author Interview)

Min Read and Reviews, November 9

Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 10

Holly’s Book Corner, November 11

Guild Master, November 12 (Spotlight)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, November 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, L.E. is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and a signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

GIVEAWAY LINK

Monday, October 7, 2024

The Immortal Abyss - blog tour review and giveaway

About the Book

Book: Immortal Abyss (Duology Book 2)

Author: Katherine Briggs

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release date: September 17, 2024

Seize the throne. Seek the legend and conquer the Abyss.

Nations rise and fall in the aftermath of war over the Eternity Gate. The corrupted desert throne stands empty, and the Immortal Abyss awakens. Drought ravages the continent, and people long for the rebirth of a starpalm, who will rise from among mortals and end their judgment.

Orphaned at birth, Tol grew up hiding in the farthest corners of the desert, training under powerful rebel fire wielders. She now dedicates her life to the Rebellion’s cause to seize the throne and Abyss from the surviving dynasty and deliver both to the coming deity.

Chosen as the Rebellion’s messenger, she travels to reach sympathizers capable of identifying the starpalm. Familiar figures haunt her dreams, and her path twists with every step she takes. Can Tol fulfill her purpose and summon a legend? Or will her country perish under the judgment of the twin gates?

Click here to get your copy!

Review

“I will prevail in my own way.”

I love it when book 2 is just as well done as the first book. The action does not stop. The pacing and characters (a new cast of characters!) are so well done and the fire wielding magic is so cool.

I had highlights on so many pages. Not only to remind myself of the different levels of well developed magic abilities, but to remember the well done phrases and characters.

I loved Tol. I love and appreciate brave, strong email FMCs. She is a fire wielder and has a quest to deliver a message for the Rebellion but she is in for a wild ride full of secrets, fire, drought, hidden identities and so much more.

The author did an amazing job with planting important details throughout the book. And the twists and turns did not stop. I can’t wait to see what Briggs will do next.

About the Author

Katherine Briggs crafted her first monster story at age three. Since graduating from crayons to laptop, she continues to devour and weave fantasy tales while enjoying chai tea. She, her coadventurer husband, and rescue dog reside outside Houston, where she classically educates amazing middle school students, teaches ESL to adults, and enjoys studying other languages.

More from Katherine

Hello friend!

Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t overcome something difficult in your life? Maybe it was a bad habit you wanted to outgrow, a closed door you wished to open, or a choice you needed to make.

Within God’s will, Jesus in Matthew 19:26 says, “With God, all things are possible.” (ESV)

This is why I wrote The Immortal Abyss. Like you, I have felt stuck in my limitations and circumstances. My protagonist Tol, an orphan, strives to carve a new life for herself by joining a rebellion and bringing reform to her corrupted country. But how can she serve her cause if she can’t overcome her weakness in her fire gifting?

Like Tol, we can’t rise above challenges alone. So, what do we do?

Ask God for help and thank Him for promising to never abandon us.
Seek friends who will reciprocate spurring one another on to persevere.
Remain focused on our purpose.

If you’re looking for an adventure fantasy that will encourage you to never give up on what is good, please enjoy The Immortal Abyss, sequel to The Eternity Gate and conclusion to The Threshold Duology.

Cheers to journeying across forbidden lands, meeting new friends, taming dragons, and overcoming the impossible!

~ Katherine Briggs

P.S. If this encouraged you, please join my story newsletter by visiting my website. As a welcome gift, you also will receive my science fiction and fantasy short story collection, Experiments and Enchantment.

Blog Stops

The Lofty Pages, September 28

Artistic Nobody, September 29 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 30

Inspired by Fiction, October 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 2

A Reader’s Brain, October 3 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, October 4 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 5

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 6 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, October 7 (Author Interview)

Min Reads and Reviews, October 7

Inklings and notions, October 8

Fiction Book Lover, October 9 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, October 10 (Author Interview)

Denise L. Barela, October 11 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Katherine is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and a hardcover copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

GIVEAWAY LINK IS HERE!

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Ignite by Kara Swanson -- blog tour/giveaway

About the Book

Book: IGNITE

Author: Kara Swanson

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: August 20, 2024

Can Mara survive in a world where the fire in her veins is worth killing for?

In a frozen wasteland suffocating beneath a dying sun, Mara is a young phoenix raised by her father to explode at his command. He’s the only one who can help her control her fire, and Mara desperately follows his orders to protect their phoenix family from relentless human hunters.

Her sheltered existence is shattered when her family mysteriously vanishes, thrusting Mara into a perilous quest to find them. Along the way, she unravels a devastating truth: her people may not be the innocent victims she’s been taught to believe.

When she comes face-to-face with the kindhearted Eli, she begins to wonder if the humans aren’t the monsters she’s always feared. What if the greatest danger doesn’t lie in the icy world outside—but in the truth of who Mara really is?

Fire and ice collide in this thrilling tale of a phoenix girl born with the power of a dying sun.

Click here to get your copy!

REVIEW

This book is absolutely gorgeous. Every page, every sentence is crafted so well. I was amazed by each character and especially the gloriousness that is Mara. Of course I can’t go into details about the plot or even name my favorite characters for fear of spoilers but trust me, this is one amazing book.

When I first heard about this book last year, I was intrigued by the premise and title. I was on the street team for this book. I was blown away by the sincere kindness of the author. I wanted to help even more so I signed up for the tour. This book was everything I thought it would be and more. Twists and turns that had me cheering one minute and deeply concerned the next. A fire rising triumph.

I cannot wait for book 2.

About the Author

Kara Swanson writes stories about fairy tales and fiery souls. She spent her childhood a little like a Lost Girl, running barefoot through lush green jungles which inspired her award-winning Peter Pan retellings, Dust and Shadow.

She is also the cofounder of the Author Conservatory (authorconservatory.com) where she has the honor of teaching young writers to craft sustainable author careers.

You’ll find Kara with her toes in California sand as a SoCal resident, belting Broadway show tunes on weekend drives to Disneyland with her delightfully nerdy husband, or chatting about magic and mayhem on Instagram.

More from Kara

This story is one that has lived a hundred lives, a little like the phoenix it’s about —dozens of iterations and nearly eight years discovering Mara’s story. In this icy world beneath a dying sun, I was able to craft a story of a young phoenix girl who was more terrified of her own fire than the dangers of the frozen wasteland outside her underground hideaway. Who has been convinced by the father she loves that her flame is only capable of pain and damage — until suddenly, he disappears. And for the first time, she ventures out of her hideaway to discover that the frozen world outside is actually dying for her flame. And that the parts of herself that she has feared and run from…that there may be beauty, even there. That she can choose to rise from the ash of a world that doesn’t understand her, and use the fire in her veins to bring warmth and healing.

I hope you enjoy the adventure!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 27

By the Book , September 27

Texas Book-aholic, September 28

Live.Love.Read., September 29

Inspired by Fiction, September 30

The Lofty Pages, September 30

Hannahbandanarama, October 1

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 1

Faery Tales Are Real, October 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 3

Min Reads and Reviews, October 3

Wishful Endings, October 4

Book Zone Reviews, October 5

Simple Harvest Reads, October 5 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 6

Where Faith and Books Meet, October 7

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 8

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, October 8

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, October 9

Blogging With Carol, October 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kara is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

GIVEAWAY LINK

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Hidden in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard

Hidden in the Night

Author: Elizabeth Goddard

Publisher: Revell

336 pages

FYC FYI: I received a paperback copy from the publisher. All views and opinions are my own.

Summary

At the behest of her ailing mother, former FBI special agent turned rare-book collector Ivy Elliott arrives in Alaska to secure an unpublished Jack London manuscript kept secreted away for decades. But when she arrives, she learns the manuscript is gone--taken by the granddaughter of the woman who possessed it. Ivy sets off in pursuit, not just to save the manuscript but to save the vulnerable girl, who was previously trafficked and has no idea what she's getting herself into.

Joining forces with Alaska State Trooper Nolan Long, Ivy must battle a blizzard, sabotage, and the worst of an Alaskan winter as the search goes on. But every answer they find only raises more questions--and the danger to their lives and to the missing girl may only be the tip of the iceberg.

Review

Wow! I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. Romantic suspense is one of my favorite genres. This book starts with such a page-turner, I knew the rest of the book would be just as strong. Since I had read the previous book in the series, I knew I would be in for an entertaining ride.

Ivy and Nolan are great characters. Their chemistry was perfect. And I loved the Alaska setting. (I really need to visit there!) The author does a fantastic job of having that also be a critical factor of the story.

There were so many twists and surprises, and I enjoyed each one. It kept me reading, needing to find out how it could possibly end!

Purchase links

Amazon affiliate links: Kindle / Paperback / Audio

Author links

Website / Amazon author page

Saturday, June 1, 2024

Chromatic by Ashley Bustamante blog tour review

About the Book

Book: CHROMATIC

Author: Ashley Bustamante

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: May 7, 2024

Light is Found in Every Hue

Magus is dying from the inside out, and only the destruction of the barrier can save it. Even color magic can’t defend against earthquakes, strange weather patterns, and erratic wildlife behavior.

After discovering hundreds of captive Yellow magic-users, Ava and Elm fight to set them free. However, new dangers and unexpected enemies await at every turn, forcing them to face their greatest challenges yet. The calamities inside the barrier slowly manifest in the outside world as well, pulling citizens from both sides of the battle into the fray. In this new war, they may not all make it out alive.

Elm and Ava must confront the growing darkness and create a future in a world that has been all but stripped of hope. Can Magus be restored, or is it already too late?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Ashley Bustamante has created stories from the moment she could scribble and staple sheets of paper together. She simply cannot recall a time when writing was not a force in her life. When not running through lines of dialogue in her mind, she enjoys taking photographs and spending time with her husband, three children, and any furry, feathered, or scaly creature she can find. She currently works at Arizona State University.

More from Ashley

Sitting down to write the final installment of the Color Theory series was an emotional experience. I wanted to do well by my readers and do well by God. And of course, I wanted to stay true to the story I set out to write in the beginning.

One of the difficult things about writing this book is that I knew the characters were going to have to face higher stakes and deeper pain than ever before. Given the situation they are in, it had to be that way. But, in spite of what Ava, Elm, and crew will face in Chromatic, this is ultimately a story of hope and triumph.

As I’ve watched the struggles of the world right now and seen what so many readers are going through, I knew I wanted to tell a tale of perseverance. No matter how bleak our circumstances may be, we can still find the light.

I hope you enjoy Chromatic!

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 23

Artistic Nobody, May 24 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, May 24

Texas Book-aholic, May 25

Through the Fire Blogs, May 26 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 27

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 28

Blossoms and Blessings, May 29 (Author Interview)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 30

Blogging With Carol, May 31

Beauty in the Binding, June 1 (Author Interview)

Min Reads and Reviews, June 1

Labor Not in Vain, June 2

Guild Master, June 3 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, June 4 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Vicky Sluiter, June 5 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Ashley is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a hardcover copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2b9d4/chromatic-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, December 15, 2023

The Gilded Curse by Marilyn Turk - blog tour/giveaway

About the Book

Book: The Gilded Curse

Author: Marilyn Turk

Genre: Historical Suspense

Release Date: July 31, 2023

In early 1942, a mysterious telegram draws Lexie Smithfield back to the island her mother thought was cursed. Now the only heir to the dwindling family fortune, Lexie plans to sell the family’s vacation “cottage” in the Millionaire’s Village on Jekyll Island. But someone else is interested in the cottage and is getting more desperate to find what they’re looking for, even to the point of murder.

Lexie’s childhood friend, Russell Thompson, is now the Jekyll Island Club’s superintendent and the keeper of members’ secrets, especially one that would shatter Lexie. When he learns Lexie is in danger, he stays close to protect her, but soon discovers an attraction to Lexie he didn’t expect.

Could the danger be from someone they know or is it possible that the threat of Nazi invasion on their coast is a reality? Or is the island really cursed?

Russell and Lexie must work together to discover the real danger and keep from getting hurt or killed in the process.

Review

I really love historical fiction, and when there is a mystery and well written mystery and some romance, I love it even more. I enjoyed the plot and setting was perfect for a suspenseful story. I was pleasantly surprised. I love books themed with curses. They are intriguing. Lexie and Russell were great characters that added depth to the story.

I received an ebook for tour purposes. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Award-winning author Marilyn Turk writes historical and contemporary fiction flavored with suspense and romance. Marilyn also writes devotions for Daily Guideposts, Walking in Grace, and contributes to other Guideposts publications. She and her husband are lighthouse enthusiasts, have visited over 100 lighthouses and also served as volunteer lighthouse caretakers at Little River Light off the coast of Maine.

When not writing or visiting lighthouses, Marilyn enjoys reading, walking, boating, fishing, gardening, tennis, and playing with her golden retriever. She also sings in the choir at her church and leads a women’s Bible study group. Marilyn and her husband have a combined family of four sons, one daughter, and four grandsons. She’s still hoping for a granddaughter someday.

She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Faith, Hope and Love Christian Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Word Weavers International, and the United States Lighthouse Society.

Marilyn is also the director of the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference.

More from Marilyn

When my agent told me a certain publisher was looking for Southern Gothic novels,

I wondered what those were. What I found out was that they were gothic-style novels set in the South, usually an old antebellum mansion, for example, “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte.” Think “Jane Eyre” or “Wuthering Heights” set in the southern United States. I had just visited Jekyll Island, Georgia and toured the Millionaires’ Village there, so those mansions came to mind. These homes, which were actually vacation “cottages” of the rich and famous, were built in the Gilded Age of the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is said that the 100 members of the club represented most of the wealth in America at that time. However, the members aged and passed away, leaving their wealth or debt to their descendants, the Great Depression caused many to lose their fortunes, then two world wars wreaked havoc on the country, so most of those homes were abandoned. Thanks to ongoing renovation efforts by the state of Georgia, many have been rebuilt. My main character in The Gilded Curse, Alexandra Smithfield (Lexie), inherits one of those abandoned mansions right at the start of World War II. The family fortune gone, she intends to renovate and sell the mansion she hasn’t seen since childhood since her mother believed the island cursed, due to some tragedies that happened to their family while there. So Lexie is “cursed” in two ways – by inheriting something she can no longer afford to keep and by the imagined curse her mother believes. When suspicious events happen around her cottage, she wonders if her mother was right.

Today, you can take tours of the Millionaires’ Village and see the former “cottages” of Pulitzer, Vanderbilt, J.P. Morgan, etc. You can also stay at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, renovated and now part of the Jekyll Island Club Resort. Some of the characters in my book were real people who lived in 1942, particularly the Maurice sisters, two single sisters who loved the island and never wanted to leave it, even when the President of the United States wanted the island vacated during the war. One interesting thing about the Maurice house: efforts to renovate it have met one obstacle after another, leading some people to believe the sisters’ spirits are still there and very particular about what they want done to their house.