The Page Unbound

Keeper of the Bees: Excerpt

Keeper of the Bees
by Meg Kassel
Genre: YA Paranormal
Release Date: September 4th 2018
Entangled Teen

Book Summary

“Beauty and the beast like you’ve never imagined!” —New York Times bestselling author Pintip Dunn

KEEPER OF THE BEES is a tale of two teens who are both beautiful and beastly, and whose pasts are entangled in surprising and heartbreaking ways.
Dresden is cursed. His chest houses a hive of bees that he can’t stop from stinging people with psychosis-inducing venom. His face is a shifting montage of all the people who have died because of those stings. And he has been this way for centuries—since he was eighteen and magic flowed through his homeland, corrupting its people.

He follows harbingers of death, so at least his curse only affects those about to die anyway. But when he arrives in a Midwest town marked for death, he encounters Essie, a seventeen-year-old girl who suffers from debilitating delusions and hallucinations. His bees want to sting her on sight. But Essie doesn’t see a monster when she looks at Dresden.

Essie is fascinated and delighted by his changing features. Risking his own life, he holds back his bees and spares her. What starts out as a simple act of mercy ends up unraveling Dresden’s solitary life and Essie’s tormented one. Their impossible romance might even be powerful enough to unravel a centuries-old curse.

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Excerpt

“Will I see you again, Dresden?”

My throat goes dry and raw and aching. “Do you want to?”

However she answers will be excruciating. There will be no recovering from this encounter. From the memory of her touch and her wide, trusting eyes. Good gods, from her embrace.

She nods.

I am doomed. “I’ll find you later. I’ll…” What? Knock on her door and ask her aunt if I can invite her to the movies? Not in this universe. “I will see you again, Essie. I’m not sure when.”

“I’ll look for you,” she says, finally releasing her hold on my T-shirt. “Be careful.” And she’s gone, disappearing into the woods, back toward the trail.

About the Author

Meg Kassel is an author of fantasy and speculative books for young adults. A graduate of Parson’s School of Design, she’s been creating stories, whether with visuals or words, since childhood. Meg is a New Jersey native who lives in a log house in the Maine woods with her husband and daughter.

As a fan of ’80s cartoons, Netflix series, and ancient mythology, she has always been fascinated and inspired by the fantastic, the creepy, and the futuristic. She is the 2016 RWA Golden Heart® winner in YA and a double 2018 RITA® finalist for her debut novel, Black Bird of the Gallows.

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Magic Born: Guest Post and Giveaway

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Magic Born
Rayanne Haines
(The Guardian Series, #2)
Publication date: June 6th 2018
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Maria Del Voscova is a powerful witch with a past. When she’s asked to become a member of the elite Guardians she knows she can’t risk sharing the truth about her messed-up family. But we don’t always get what we want. Sometimes, we don’t always know what we want.

Though Mar absolutely knows she doesn’t want Neeren, King of the Parthen. She alone sees the darkness in him and it reminds her too much of the past. She knows better than to fall for his stoic, tortured soul façade.

She’s training to be a Guardian, a shadow; tasked with keeping the balance between good and evil in the world. It’s what she wants—to be better than her family was.

But the past has a way of catching up to Mar and the future has a morbid sense of humor. On her first mission, she’s kidnapped by the enemy she’s been running from her entire life. Thankfully the guardians look after their own. As it turns out, so does Neeren.

As Mar finds herself caught between the past and the future; between blood and bond; between the light and the dark, she realizes her only chance at surviving may be in trusting a man who is the most dangerous of them all.

Goodreads / Amazon

From the Author:

I remember being fourteen years old and being taken through a fence by my horse, Razzle. He was a good horse. But that day something spooked him and no matter what I tried, he decided there was no way I was staying on his back. He’d had enough.

As puberty hit, I started feeling that way about expectation. I wanted it off my back. The idea of finishing high school to go to college to get a 9-5 job ate away at the fiber who I knew I was. I wanted to chase wild horses and wild adventures. I’m certain I was an author before I knew what the word meant.

My parents raised me to be tough and independent, to work hard. Living on a farm, you worked – period. To this day, my mother is the strongest woman I’ve ever met. Her strength was a benchmark for me as I a struggled through divorce, single parenting, re-educating myself, and building the career I wanted, not what society expected of me.

When I began writing seriously I started with poetry. A great poet can change the world with one line. I write poetry to empower women. I soon discovered I wanted to write fun stories about kick-ass women and alpha men who loved them. Along came expectation. A serious poet, a true feminist couldn’t write romance. To that, I scoff. The women in my family, the strong women I know, have never been defined by expectation. Have never allowed the judgments of others to shape our path.

I write romance, where happily ever after is found because of the heroine’s strength and resiliency, not despite it. Everything I write is shaped by the experiences I had growing up surrounded by strong women and by the resiliency I discovered in myself when I became a single mom. If I had to go back in time and tell my younger writer self, anything, it would be—don’t change. Follow the path whatever it looks like. Life is going to be hard. It’s going to test you. You’ll be lonely sometimes. The world will expect things of you that you don’t have to give. You know who you are. Buy some good pens—The stories will come.

Rayanne Haines

Author Bio:

Rayanne Haines grew up on a small horse ranch in Alberta. She spent most of her youth re-enacting scenes from Anne of Green Gables to attentive audiences that included pygmy goats and roan stallions. The horses were thrilled. Her father could never figure out why it took her three hours to clean the barn.
Her mother is an avid reader and instilled a love of literature in her at a young age. She has always been fascinated with learning people’s stories.
She has a fondness for mountains and rivers and all the creatures that live within them.
She believes in magic and the search for great love. She loves to write about strong women who will accept nothing less.

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The Soul Keeper: Excerpt Giveaway

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The Soul Keepers
Devon Taylor
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: August 28th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

“A fantastic high-stakes adventure on a ghost ship sailing forever into eternity, where every soul is (literally) worth fighting for—what’s not to love? Devon Taylor weaves an endearing tale of friendship and loss with heart-stopping action and a whole lot of terrifying monsters. You’ll root for Rhett and his fellow reapers through every twist and turn!” —Rin Chupeco, author of The Bone Witch and The Girl from the Well

Full of danger, stormy otherworld seas, ghost ships, and terrifying monsters, this thrilling debut novel is perfect for fans of Taran Matharu and Neal Shusterman.

Death is just the beginning.

After dying in a terrible car accident, Rhett awakens in the afterlife and is recruited to join the crew of theHarbinger, a colossal seafaring vessel tasked with ferrying the souls of the dead. To where exactly, no one knows. But the crew must get the souls there, and along the way protect them from vicious soul-eating monsters that will stop at nothing to take the ship and all of its occupants.

Rhett and his new friends have a hard enough time fighting back the monsters that grow bolder and more ferocious every day. But then a new threat emerges, a demon who wants something that Rhett has. And if she gets it, it could mean the end of everything… for both the living and the dead.

Chosen by readers like you for Macmillan’s young adult imprint Swoon Reads, The Soul Keepers is a pulse-pounding, cinematic adventure by debut author Devon Taylor.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

Excerpt:

The light swallowed him up, and so did the ship.
Rhett waited for his eyes to adjust, but they didn’t need to. They didn’t burn or water from the brightness. He could see just fine. Nevertheless, the light was so intense that it hammered into his retinas, shining off the white metal of the walls. If he had been alive, he might have been blinded.
He stepped farther in, following the foggy shape of Basil’s shoul- ders into the brilliance. Their feet clanged on the floor. Rhett felt himself reaching out in front of him, prepared to slam into some oncoming mass.
Then he did run into something: Basil.
“Oy! Watch where you’re going,” Basil hissed. Rhett took a step back. He heard an iron screech and Basil’s voice again. “Through here.” And all at once the light was gone, replaced by an unsettled orange
glow that was constantly wrestling with the shadows. Firelight. Rhett shifted on his feet and heard the creak of wood beneath him. Whatever metal hallway they’d gone through to get inside the ship was gone. They were now standing in a large, open cavity.
There were splintered wood floors and wooden railings that went all the way around the periphery. The most curious thing was in the middle, jutting up out of the floor and connecting with the ceil- ing, almost like a support. It was a ship’s mast, complete with the worn-out, weather-beaten sail. Up at the top, where the mast met the ceiling, Rhett could see the crow’s nest, a rickety basket that leaned precariously to one side.
Rhett didn’t quite know what to make of it. And in the gloom of the torches that were leaning away from the outer walls, it was hard to say that he was still on the same boat. Had Basil performed an- other one of his party tricks and sent them somewhere else? To an- other point in time altogether? Was that even possible?
He didn’t know. He didn’t know anything about how any of this worked. Was this hell? Was this some kind of punishment?
All at once, Rhett wanted to weep. But when he imagined the pressure behind his eyes, imagined the tears falling down his face, it was only an image that floated up in his mind. His body stayed calm and still and . . . lifeless. There was no sweat on his hands, no tremble in his fingers. His body betrayed nothing of the chaos that was erupting in his head.
Desperately, he looked to Basil, who had given him that tiny bit of comfort back in the woods. But Basil was smiling, watching Rhett and allowing that internal panic to play out.
Basil said one thing, leaning in with his arms folded: “Welcome aboard the Harbinger.”

Author Bio:

Devon Taylor was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and currently lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and two daughters. His day job consists of sneaking around the house with ninja-like stealth to avoid waking up his kids. When not writing, reading, or tediously typing out text messages with all the correct spelling and punctuation, he spends his time with his family. THE SOUL KEEPERS is his debut novel.

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Project Prometheus: Promo

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Project Prometheus (Assassin Fall #2)
by Aden Polydoros
Genre: YA Thriller
Release Date: August 28th 2018
Entangled Teen

Book Summary

The Academy stole everything from Hades, their perfect assassin. Angry and leaving bodies in his wake, he finds two other ex-assassins doing the exact same thing.

Tyler and Shannon once killed for The Academy. Now they’re tracking and hunting down its scientists. So why is The Academy only after Hades?

Shannon will do whatever it takes to protect Tyler, even if it means teaming up with a former rival. While she seeks answers to her past, Tyler wants to learn the truth about the mysterious white room, which no one has ever seen except him.

As for Hades? He simply wants revenge.

They all need answers, even if it means returning to the organization where it all started.

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Book One

Project Pandora (Assassin Fall #1) by Aden Polydoros

Release Date: August 1st 2017

Book Summary

Tyler Bennett trusts no one. Just another foster kid bounced from home to home, he’s learned that lesson the hard way. Cue world’s tiniest violin. But when strange things start happening—waking up with bloody knuckles and no memory of the night before or the burner phone he can’t let out of his sight— Tyler starts to wonder if he can even trust himself.

Even stranger, the girl he’s falling for has a burner phone just like his. Finding out what’s really happening only leads to more questions…questions that could get them both killed. It’s not like someone’s kidnapping teens lost in the system and brainwashing them to be assassins or anything, right? And what happens to rogue assets who defy control?

In a race against the clock, they’ll have to uncover the truth behind Project Pandora and take it down—before they’re reactivated. Good thing the program spent millions training them to kick ass…

Project Pandora (Assassin Fall #1) on Goodreads

About the Author

Aden Polydoros grew up in Long Grove, Illinois, and now lives in Arizona. He is a writer of young adult fiction. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys reading and going on hikes in the mountains. Aden Polydoros is a 2015 Gold Medalist in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and has published two short stories in Best Arizona Teen Writing of 2015. PROJECT PANDORA (Entangled, 2017) is his debut novel.

Author Links

Goodreads│Twitter

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Embassy Review

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Embassy (Recovery #1)

By S. Alex Martin

Publication Date: January 2014

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 330

Arman Lance was supposed to travel the galaxy with his father, not watch him die. He was supposed to experience the adventures from his father’s stories, not isolate himself from the world. He was going to join the Embassy Program, fly across the galaxy, and find Ladia Purnell, a girl from another planet whom he loved years before.

Clinging to his fading hopes and dreams, Arman joins the Embassy Program to fulfill that last promise. If he can reach Ladia, he’ll never have to worry, never have to feel alone. But it doesn’t take long for his plan to fall apart when he’s confronted by his fellow Embassy recruit, Glacia Haverns, the ever-smiling adrenaline junkie who decides it’s her job to show Arman there’s more to life than chasing a desperate obsession.

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Check the rest of the series on Experience Daliona!

Embassy blew me away. Martin clearly thought this book out with amazing detail to bring different meanings to each page. I have high expectations for any science fiction novel. I grew up watching every show and movie I was allowed. Then I was venturing into reading sci-fi and now writing it. What I hope to achieve in my own book is what Embassy offers. I had a good feeling about this one and it paid off. Embassy is packed full of those intriguing science fiction elements that broaden the way you see the future. Along with the confident tone of scientific elements, is the strong backbone of emotional turmoil and challenges that can interest anyone.

Martin does an excellent job of world building as well. The imagery given allows the reader to expand in their imagination, without the over-exhaustion of too much detail. Certain details are still explained clearly and were very exciting to read. Such as a game invented called Hologis, a holographic dodgeball type of game that I would likely last one minute in. The overall pace and first person point of view works really well with the clarity of what Arman is facing. Another note, though it’s not important to everyone, was my love of all the character names, planets, and so on. They weren’t too complicated for one. I can find myself reading a book and getting confused or lost in all the different words that try to be different from every other book. Embassy may have a larger than life world but it seemed more exciting than overwhelming.

Characters were refreshing. I use that word a lot but it fits. Arman is complicated, not always likable, but creative and chasing a love from years ago. Suffering a tragic loss and feeling his own guilt over what happened, he isolates himself and leaves everything behind. Including his family that are also suffering from the loss. Like I said, not always likable. Arman adapts and grows to his new ship life. Another character, Glacia, was my favorite. She, along with others, make Arman gain perspective about how he had been spending his life and the opportunities in front of him. Glacia is tough, smart, and was a very real character to easily connect with for me. I really enjoyed this book and encourage others to check it out! I know that I’ll be adding the rest of the series to my list of what to read next!

S. Alex Martin grew up fascinated with astronomy and reading Harry Potter. His books reflect his vision for the future of humanity in the way of space exploration. He hopes to help inspire that same love of the final frontier in another generation to do his part to help progress humanity a little further.

In the words of Stephen Hawking: “There should be no boundary to human endeavor.”

August 20th

The Page Unbound | Review

Patriotic Bookaholic | Guest Post

August 21st

Rebecca R. Cahill | Audio Excerpt

Journal of the Lost One | Review

August 22nd

Just Books | Interview

A Striking Viper, Caught in a Tangled Web | Audio Excerpt

August 23rd

Books & Broomsticks | Guest PostTreestand Book Reviews | Excerpt

August 24th

tothestarsonwings | Review

Colleen’s Conclusions | Excerpt

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That One Moment: Character Interview

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THAT ONE MOMENT

By PATTY WISEMAN

Genre: Fiction / Romantic Suspense

Date of Publication: May 8, 2017

Number of Pages: 258

Scroll down for Giveaway!

Ricki Sheridan traveled a long way to seek refuge at Wolf Den’s Lodge high in the mountains after a devastating betrayal. Heartbroken, she signed up for a survivalist backpacking trip to live off the land and forget.

An injury on the first day puts her in the capable hands of the handsome trail boss, Kory Littleton. The attraction is instant, mutual, and terrifying. She trusted her emotions once and vowed never to make the same mistake again.

Kory’s heart, trampled and bruised, is unprepared to ever love again, until his unexpected reaction to Ricki reveals some things are worth taking a chance on.

When evil finds its way back into Ricki’s world, their fragile bond is tested, forcing them to face their greatest fear: can a wounded heart ever trust anew?

Betrayal. Desire. Revenge. Which one prevails?

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AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | SMASHWORDS

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OFAUTHORS | PATTY WISEMAN WEBSITE

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Praise for That One Moment:

Patty Wiseman, as well as anyone and better than most, sure knows how to write the three basic ingredients of a page-turning and unforgettable novel: mystery, suspense, and romance.

— Caleb & Linda Pirtle ~ Here Comes a Mystery

“It was pure perfection!” — Jessa, Amazon Reviewer

“Author Patty Wiseman does a good job of injecting so much action into just the first two pages that I had high expectations for this story. And That One Moment does not disappoint.”

— Natasha Jackson for Readers’ Favorite

INTERVIEW WITH RICKI SHERIDAN

Main Character from THAT ONE MOMENT

By Patty Wiseman

From the written word, main character Ricki Sheridan has materialized in person to introduce herself and talk to us about her journey through the pages of That One Moment. Welcome Ricki!

Thank you! You can’t imagine how it feels to rise from the pages of a book and actually talk with you. I am very delighted to be here.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you live, what do you do for a living?

Dallas, Texas is my home and I make my living as a game warden. I’ve always wanted to work outdoors and I love animals, so it was a perfect fit for me.

Wow, a game warden. That’s pretty cool. So, tell me what is the first thing a person would notice about you?

That I wear a gun. Most people turn their attention to the weapon on my hip first, or my uniform. If I’m in civilian clothes, I’d say my short, curly hair.

What is your biggest vulnerability?

Trust is an issue with me. Since childhood, it seems betrayal follows me in every relationship. Especially men. I’ve suffered the worst betrayals imaginable. It tends to make you put up a wall, think the worst, you know, glass half empty.

Do you believe in true love?

Well, what is love anyway? Isn’t it opening your heart to someone, baring your soul, your very essence. Think about it. It’s kind of like open-heart surgery. The doctor exposes your pulsating heart. It’s out there, beating where everyone can see. To find true love, you must be willing to trust that person fully. I believe it can happen. My journey in That One Moment is about learning to trust again. It’s difficult. Love and trust. To me, they are the same thing.

The protagonist in That One Moment, is he the one who betrayed you?

Russ, yes. I spent two years of my life with blinders on. How naïve of me. I didn’t see the signs, wanted to believe I’d found the man I wanted to spend my life with. Boy, was I wrong. How can you live so close to pure evil and not see it? I beat myself up over my stupidity. I am in law enforcement. You’d think I could spot the kind of man he really was. The heart plays tricks on you. But for me—never again.

Are you telling us there is no happy ending in That One Moment?

If there is a happy ending it is hard fought. I ran. Ran from my broken heart to the Rocky Mountains. I thought I could clear my mind, set myself right, start over. But, evil followed me, and I was alone. Except for…well, I can’t tell you that, now can I? I will tell you there are two compatriots in That One Moment who I’ve grown very fond of. I can tell you about them. Wolf owns the mountain lodge and Martha is a long-lost love who comes back into his life. Talk about trust issues! Forty years worth. But I count them among my best friends now that this journey is over. They want me to tell their story.

Ricki Sheridan, we’ve enjoyed talking with you and hearing your story. As we wave good-bye, we wish you well and are looking forward to discovering if you find your happy ending.

Award Winning Author Patty Wiseman is a native of the Seattle, Washington area and attended The Wesleyan College in Bartlesville Oklahoma. Northeast Texas is home now, along with her husband Ron. She is the president of East Texas Writer’s Association, a Lifetime Member of the Worldwide Who’s Who for Professional Women (and named VIP for 2013), and a member of the Northeast Texas Writer’s Organization, East Texas Writer’s Guild, and Texas Association of Authors.

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TWO SIGNED PRINT COPIES, TWO eBOOK COPIES

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August 14-23, 2018

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CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR

8/14/18	Book Trailer	Texas Book Lover
8/14/18	Excerpt	The Clueless Gent
8/15/18	Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/16/18	Character Interview	The Page Unbound
8/16/18	Author Interview	Margie’s Must Reads
8/17/18	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
8/18/18	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
8/18/18	Excerpt	All the Ups and Downs
8/19/18	BONUS Review	Hall Ways Blog
8/19/18	Author Interview	Books and Broomsticks
8/20/18	Review	A Page Before Bedtime
8/20/18	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/21/18	Scrapbook Page	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
8/22/18	Review	Dressed to Read
8/23/18	Character Interview	Carpe Diem Chronicles
8/23/18	Review	The Love of a Bibliophile

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Her Revolution Review

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Her Revolution
by C.S. Hand
Genre: YA Dystopian
Release date: August 8th 2018

Summary

For fans of Divergent, Red Rising, and The Hunger Games comes a gripping new tale of ambition, treachery, and love.

When what appears as a prank on arrogant ambassadors at an exotic vacation city turns out to be the first tremors of a revolution, the Enlightened Council of Castillia turns to its 11-year old undefeated military prodigy and her loyal Guardians for help.

After all, it was Innocence who liberated the Jewel of All Cities in the first place. Everyone knows she will be the last to let it slip from her grasp.

But why would anyone want to leave Castillia? Its laws are just. Its Council is democratically elected. It has liberated more cities than any other Republic, past or present.

But Castillia has enemies, that’s for sure.

Sedition is the favorite trick of the southern Republic Ausonia. In fact, the exotic vacation city used to belong to Ausonia—and they have always wanted it back.

But could those hedonists really organize anything between all their dancing and drinking?

Or has Vesper, the mighty Republic to the North finally woken from its slumber? It has plenty of old scores to settle with Castillia and it’s palm-lined streets.

Squashing the uprising and re-uniting the town and her city could be the perfect way to end the most legendary military career Castillia has ever known and begin a new, exhilarating life as a prominent politician.

But it also might just be the perfect way to start what Innocence has secretly always yearned for: her own Empire.

It’s 50% off on launch day for the eBook (August 8, 2018)

Amazon

Review

Her Revolution is a gripping science fiction and dystopian themed book. Definitely one that demands your attention with descriptive scenes and steadily changing events throughout. A quiet room is a must when reading this for sure.

I was intrigued by the characters and C.S. Hand’s poetic style of writing. From the beginning, this seemed more New Adult with some phrasing and context in the book. It surprised me since the character is young in comparison. Most of the plot was quite interesting but could get a bit wordy at times. I do enjoy the artistic style of writing but found myself skipping the quotes before the chapters. Of course, that could be because I tend to overthink poems or quotes and could spend hours getting lost reading more.

Overall, this first person narrative could be chilling and calculating in her planning and perspective. I recommend it for those that want to read a challenging and chess-like point of view.

About the Author

C. S. Hand loves philosophy, literature, and science-fiction and fantasy books. He studied British Romanticism at Cambridge before leaving to translate great science-fiction and fantasy books. You can read more about his 3 great loves here.

Author Links

Website│Goodreads

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The Hope of Azure Springs: Book Blitz

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THE HOPE OF

AZURE SPRINGS

RACHEL FORDHAM

Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance
Date of Publication: July 3, 2018
Publisher: Revell

Number of Pages: 336

ABOUT THE BOOK: Seven years ago, orphaned and alone, Em finally arrived at a new home in Iowa after riding the orphan train. But secrets from her past haunt her, and her new life in the Western wilderness is a rough one. When her guardian is shot and killed, Em, now nineteen, finally has the chance to search for her long-lost sister, but she won’t be able to do it alone.

For Azure Springs Sheriff Caleb Reynolds, securing justice for the waifish and injured Em is just part of his job. He’s determined to solve every case put before him in order to impress his parents and make a name for himself. Caleb expects to succeed. What he doesn’t expect is the hold this strange young woman will have on his heart.

Welcome to the charming town of Azure Springs, Iowa, where people care deeply for one another and, sometimes, even fall in love.

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Baker Book House * Amazon * Barnes & Noble

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PRAISE FOR THE HOPE OF AZURE SPRINGS: “In her promising first novel, Fordham assembles an endearing cast of characters in the rugged Midwest plains for a tale about surviving and thriving. . . .Fordham depicts heartbreaking emotional and physical suffering, while beautifully illustrating the power in simple acts of kindness to foster healing, hope, and happiness.”

—Booklist

EXCERPT: PROLOGUE
FROM THE HOPE OF AZURE SPRINGS

Iowa, 1881

She dead?”

Em heard a man’s voice from somewhere above her. A strange thumping pulsed through her with each word he spoke. Her throat burned, screaming for water, but she could not cry out.

“There’s life in her. Not much of it though,” a second, raspier voice answered. She felt a hand press against her throat and then move over her body, gently probing. “She’s bleeding pretty bad.”

“Gunshot?” the first voice asked.

If only her eyes would open, and she could see them. Straining, she struggled to pull her heavy eyelids open. Finally, bits of light darted in front of her eyes, but she could not focus. The faces above her were fuzzy and indiscernible.

Fear swept through her, suddenly waking her battered body. Afraid the men from before had returned, she opened her eyes wide, finding strength that only moments before she had lacked. With thrashing arms, she flailed at the men. Her arms flopped about but offered little defense—she was too weak from blood loss. And then they moved no longer, subdued by large, strong hands.

“Easy, girl. We aren’t going to hurt you. We just want to help. Take you into town, that’s all. There’s a good doctor there.” The man’s deep voice sounded gentle, but still she did not trust him. Voices could be deceiving. Arms could hurt as well as help. She knew these things well.

Soon she felt her body being raised above the ground, and moments later the hard planks of a wagon became the resting place for her injured frame. Too weak to move, she lay looking at the sky, wishing there were a way to end the agony, but knowing that for Lucy she would fight on.

Once the wagon lurched forward, she lost track of everything again. The wheels bouncing over ruts made her pain so intense that everything closed around her and then faded to black.

Click here to read Chapter One of The Hope of Azure Springs

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rachel Fordham started writing when her children began begging her for stories at night. She’d pull a book from the shelf, but they’d insist she make one up. She hasn’t stopped since. She lives with her husband and children on an island in the state of Washington.

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Alice (The Wanderland Chronicles) Comparison Reviews

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Alice

The Wanderland Chronicles

By J.M. Sullivan

Publication Date: August 7th 2018
Publisher: Bleeding Ink Publishing

Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tale Adaptations

Pages: 360

ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR QUEEN

Ever since the outbreak of the Plague, life hasn’t been easy, and for seventeen-year-old Alice Carroll, it just got worse. Her sister, Dinah, has contracted the ‘un-deadly’ Momerath Virus and without a cure, will soon be worse than dead. She’ll be momerath.

Alice must leave the safety of the Sector and venture into Momerath Territory to find the antidote – if it exists. Chasing a rumor about a mysterious doctor with the cure, Alice falls down the rabbit hole into Wanderland, where ravenous momerath aren’t the only danger lurking.

Coming August 7th 2018!

Becca

Alice is a fast paced, apocalyptic zombie tale with a kick ass heroine. This Wanderland is not your typical Wonderland, and the deeper you follow Alice down the rabbit hole, the more dark it gets. This is not the tale you grew up with. Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles is about a girl who is set out on a mission to save her sister whom she suspects is sick with a virus. A virus that changes you into a momerath. Alice’s journey leads you to Chess, a handsome and charming young man, whom decides to help her as she searches for the doctor who rumors say, is on the hunt for the cure. Their paths take Alice to meet the Red Queen, whom is just as violent and terrible as she is in the original Wonderland tale. And the question is, does the Red Queen actually want to help Alice find a cure? Or is the Red Queen more evil than Alice realizes?

If you are a fan of Wonderland tales, then this tale sure won’t disappoint. One thing I loved about reading it was that it was so refreshing to read a story that was based on a fairy tale, and yet did not fall into the typical fairy tale category. It honestly felt more like a horror/supernatural story with just slight hints of the original. In fact, JM’s story is very creative and unique, which is one thing I just loved about it. Another thing I enjoyed was figuring out which characters came from the original story. I had a lot of fun with that! And speaking of characters, my favorites are Chess and the Red Queen. They are both cleverly written and fans of Wonderland will simply love them!

There’s so much to love about JM Sullivan’s Alice. It’s action packed, with amazing world building, and characters to die for!

Haley

Alice runs headfirst in her mission with no hesitation. First, she needs to find a mysterious doctor that is rumored to have the cure. Second, bring it back and save her sister Dinah. Overall..don’t die? It seems love can make you do the impossible and become anything in the process. That’s what happens to Alice. I have to say even I underestimated her when the book first began. Despite, Alice’s experience going out into the momerath territory with Dinah, she seemed unprepared to last a day. Her determination moves her forward though. With the help of a speedy and joking boy named Chess, she has her first clue.

A bug. A building. A queen. Just maybe a cure. Alice becomes the wandering of Wanderland and unfolds secrets about the plague.

I read Alice In Wonderland as a young kid and watched the movie but never really got into the characters and story enough to love it. I really liked the characters in this book though. They’re complicated. All mostly crazy as you would expect in this world. Some spout nonsense that somehow can make sense and even convinces Alice at some points. Others take a shine to Alice and become allies to her mission.

What I most enjoyed in this book were the play on words and characters from the original Alice books. J.M. Sullivan cleverly ties in characters and expands on their background in this chilling tale. I mean chilling. Knowing the old characters may bring you recognition of who they are but the twists and turns to them keep this story surprising. Alice finds herself fighting nearly every moment to survive not just against the plague-ridden momeraths but the monsters yet discovered. There’s even more to unfold. Alice was always going to be part of the story versus just discovering it. While I’ll shy from too many spoilers, expect to end this book on a cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more.

J.M. Sullivan is a Science Teacher by day, and an author by night. Although known to dabble in adulting, J.M. is a big kid at heart who still believes in true love, magic, and most of all, the power of coffee.

If you would like to connect with her for a healthy dose of sparkle, positivity, and a touch of crazy, you can find her on Twitter or Instagram @jmsullivanbooks.

July 23rd

Hall Ways Blog | Review w/ Audio Excerpt 1

A New Look On Books | Guest Post 1

The Faerie Review | Review

July 24th

Just Books | Audio Excerpt 2

The Page Unbound | Comparison Review

Ishiee’s Book Blog | Author Interview

July 25th

Books and Ravens | Guest Post 2

Everywhere and Nowhere | Author Interview 2

Rebecca R. Cahill | Audio Excerpt 3

July 26th

Descendant of Poseidon Reads | Review

Budgie Bigelow’s Blog | Author Interview 3

July 27th

Turn The Page | Review

Queen Of My Fairytale | Review

Book Tour Organized By

Kiss of the Royal: Promo and Giveaway

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Kiss of the Royal
by Lindsey Duga
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: July 3rd 2018
Entangled Teen

Summary:

In the war against the Forces of Darkness, the Royals are losing. Princess Ivy is determined to end this centuries-long conflict once and for all, so her new battle partner must succeed where the others failed. Prince Zach’s unparalleled skill with a sword, enhanced by Ivy’s magic Kiss, should make them an unstoppable pair—but try convincing Zach of that.

Prince Zach has spent his life preparing for battle, but he would rather be branded a heretic than use his lips as nothing more than a way to transfer magic. A kiss is a symbol of love, and love is the most powerful weapon they have—but try convincing Ivy of that.

With the fate of their world on the line, the battlefield has become a testing ground, and only one of them can be right. Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan—but try convincing their hearts of that.

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Purchase links can be found HERE!

About the Author

Lindsey Duga developed a deep love for courageous heroes, dastardly villains, and enchanting worlds from the cartoon shows, books, and graphic novels she read as a kid. Drawing inspiration from these fantastical works of fiction, she wrote her first novel in college while she was getting her bachelor’s in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University. By day, Lindsey is an account manager at a digital marketing agency based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. By night, and the wee hours of the morning, she writes both middle grade and young adult. She has a weakness for magic, anything classical, all kinds of mythology, and falls in love with tragic heroes. Other than writing and cuddling with her morkie puppy, Delphi, Lindsey loves catching up on the latest superhero TV show, practicing yoga, and listening (and belting) to her favorite music artists and show tunes. KISS OF THE ROYAL is her YA debut novel.