Friday, January 29, 2016

Hazard of Shadows by Mike Phillips ~ Book Spotlight


Title: Hazard of Shadows (Chronicles of the Goblin King #2)
Author: Mike Phillips
Genre: Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Damnation Books
Release Date: August 1, 2015

The enchanted creatures of legend still exist, taking refuge from an age of camera phones and government labs in a secret place called the World Below. After leading a revolution against Baron Finkbeiner, the despotic ruler of the World Below, Mitch Hardy has taken the throne. Unknown to him, ancient powers are at work. The Lords of Faerie seek to revenge the death of Baron Finkbeiner and recover the mysterious Blade of Caro. Soon Mitch is fighting for his life against hellish monsters, the likes of which he never imagined.

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Meet the Author


Mike Phillips grew up on a small farm in West Michigan, living much the way people did at the turn of the century. Whether it was growing fruits and vegetables or raising livestock, Mike learned the value of hard work and responsibility at a young age.

While his friends spent their summers watching reruns of bad sitcoms, Mike’s father gave him a very special gift. He turned off the television. With what was affectionately referred to as “the idiot box” no longer a distraction, Mike was left to discover the fantastic worlds that only exist in books. When not tending sheep, gardening, building furniture, chopping wood, or just goofing off, Mike spent his time reading.

With all that hard work at home, Mike was always eager to go to school. He excelled as a student and went on to pursue a career in the sciences. Working as a Safety Engineer in the Insurance Industry, Mike soon became bored with the corporate grind. Writing engaged him like nothing else. After a few novels and numerous short stories, he thought getting published would be a pretty neat idea. And so, here it goes…

   

Tour Schedule

Tuesday, January 19 - Book featured at My Bookish Pleasures
Wednesday, January 20 - Interviewed at Literal Exposure
Thursday, January 21 - Book featured at CBY Book Club
Friday, January 22 - Book featured at Bound 2 Escape
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Monday, January 25 - Book featured at Mikky's World of Books
Tuesday, January 26 - Interviewed at The Review From Here
Wednesday, January 27 - Guest blogging at The Dark Phantom
Thursday, January 28 - Guest blogging at Mythical Books
Friday, January 29 - Book featured at Hot Off the Shelves
________
Tuesday, February 2 - Book featured at A Title Wave
February 3 - Book featured at Harmonious Publicity
February 4 - Interviewed at The Writer's Life
_ _______
Monday, February 8 - Book featured at The Zen Reader
Wednesday, February 10 - Book featured at The Book Refuge
Thursday, February 11 - Interviewed at Author C.A. Milson
Friday, February 12 - Guest blogging at I Smell Sheep
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Monday, February 15 - Book featured at A Taste of My Mind
Wednesday, February 17 - Book featured at The Literary Nook
Friday, February 19 - Interviewed at As the Page Turns
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Monday, February 22 - Guest blogging at Inkslinger's Opus
Tuesday, February 23 - Book featured at Lover of Literarture
Wednesday, February 24 - Book featured at The Revolving Bookshelf
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Monday, March 7 - Book featured at Around the World in Books
Tuesday, March 8 - Book reviewed at Books That Hook
Wednesday, March 9 - Interviewed at I'm Shelf-ish
Thursday, March 10 - Guest blogging at All Inclusive Retort
Friday, March 11 - Interviewed at Deal Sharing Aunt
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Monday, March 14 - Book featured at The Book Czar
Tuesday, March 15 - Book reviewed at Cover2Cover
Wednesday, March 16 - Book featured at Bent Over Bookwords
Thursday, March 17 - Book featured at Voodoo Princess
Friday, March 18 - Guest blogging at Write and Take Flight

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Moonlight Over Paris by Jennifer Robson ~ Review


Title: Moonlight Over Paris
Author: Jennifer Robson
Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction
Length: 352 Pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Release Date: January 19, 2016
Source: Amazon Vine
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by: Jasmyn


USA Today and internationally bestselling author Jennifer Robson takes readers to 1920s Paris in an enthralling new historical novel that tells the riveting story of an English lady who trades in her staid aristocratic life for the mesmerizing salons and the heady world of the Lost Generation.

It’s the spring of 1924, and Lady Helena Montagu-Douglas-Parr has just arrived in France. On the mend after a near-fatal illness, she is ready to embrace the restless, heady allure of the City of Lights. Her parents have given her one year to live with her eccentric aunt in Paris and Helena means to make the most of her time. She’s quickly drawn into the world of the Lost Generation and its circle of American expatriates, and with their encouragement, she finds the courage to pursue her dream of becoming an artist.

One of those expats is Sam Howard, a journalist working for the Chicago Tribune. Irascible, plain-spoken, and scarred by his experiences during the war, Sam is simply the most fascinating man she has ever met. He’s also entirely unsuitable.

As Paris is born anew, rising phoenix-like from the ashes of the Great War, Helena realizes that she, too, is changing. The good girl she once was, so dutiful and obedient, so aware of her place in the world, is gone forever. Yet now that she has shed her old self, who will she become, and where, and with whom, does she belong…?


This was an incredibly beautiful story. Helena has had a very rough few years - from being left by her fiance and then blamed for it to almost dying of fever. But since she has decided to really live her life, she leaves England behind for the sights and sounds of Paris and art school - sounds like a great idea.

And it was. Watching Helena really come into her own and learn to live life to the fullest was so much fun. Her artist friends are colorful, but not so much that they become caricatures. You fall in love with all of them and the little circle of friendship that they develop. They all have their own very unique personality and histories that have brought them together in one place. Most of the story involves all of them growing and learning together - and it all just seemed incredible natural. But once in awhile it became a little drawn out. Not much but just enough to notice.

There's a love interest, a grumpy professor, and an eccentric aunt that all have important roles to play in Helena's life. Not everything turns out the way I expected. Some pleasant and unexpected surprises are included and Helena doesn't get everything and all that she hopes for. But that is also the beauty of the story.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Monday, January 25, 2016

The Unmoving Sky by K.L. Hallam ~ Cover Reveal and Giveaway


Title: The Unmoving Sky
Author: K.L. Hallam
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller
Publisher: Leap Books
Release Date: May 16, 2016



There is nothing darker than the woods, until you meet your worst fear.

Jackson Bower has a lot on his mind lately. His younger brother hasn’t been the same since his mother’s death. His father’s drinking is out of control. Then there’s Jackson’s girlfriend and the grief that ties them together even as it threatens to drive them apart.

He distances himself, hoping for a little perspective at the family lodge. But when their father gets drunk and dangerous, he and his brother escape into the woods.

Night creeps in, and the rains come fast. Artie slips down a ravine. He’s wounded and the brothers seek shelter in a cave, only to find someone else already taking refuge there.

A desperate man with plans to destroy their town.

Jackson must get him and his wounded brother out of the cave and over the mountain to warn everyone in time. Without getting them both killed first.



Meet the Author

K.L. Hallam, an air force brat as a young child, who moved around to more schools than she can list,
gathering the stories that would connect to her heart. She writes MG, YA, and short fiction, or anything she hasn’t tried, a member of SCBWI, a singer and songwriter, illustrator and mother of two teenagers. She lives in New York City and spends her mornings writing in a Jazz club.

Follow K.L. Hallam on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and her website.





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Saturday, January 23, 2016

Elementals: The Blood of the Hydra by Michelle Madow ~ Cover Reveal


Title: Elementals: The Blood of the Hydra
Author: Michelle Madow
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Release Date: April 18, 2016
Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing
Series: Elementals #2
Format: eBook and paperback
ISBN: 9781311296788




A DEMIGOD WHO CAN KILL WITH A TOUCH. IT’S AN ABILITY THAT MUST BE KEPT SECRET FROM EVERYONE, EVEN FROM THOSE TRUSTED MOST.

Finding out that her new school had her in a special homeroom for witches was strange enough, but now Nicole must face the realization that she has the rare power to kill with just a touch. It’s a secret she needs to keep not only from the Head Elders, but from the super-sexy witch Blake, who she’s had undeniable chemistry with even before he broke up with his long-term girlfriend, the vengeful witch Danielle.

Now Nicole and the four others gifted with powers over the elements, including Blake and Danielle, must stop a series of monsters that they previously believed to be dead from rising once again and destroying the mortal world. Three magical items are needed, including the blood of the slain hydra – ingredients that they must journey to the dangerous, mystical islands in Greece to retrieve.

The monsters they face on this journey will be more threatening than anything they’ve encountered yet. But with the fate of the world on their shoulders, it’s up to the Elementals to return home victorious. Will they find the ingredients they need? Can Nicole and her friends pull off this mission while the tension between her, Blake, and Danielle threatens to ruin everything? And how long will it be until Nicole is forced to use her ability to kill in front of everyone, revealing the true darkness of her powers?

Find out in The Blood of the Hydra, and join the Elementals on their next journey in their quest to save the world – or die trying.



Rafflecopter for Cover & Blurb Giveaway: 
 Michelle is offering one lucky winner a signed paperback of Elementals: The Prophecy of Shadows! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:

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Meet the Author:

Michelle Madow has always loved writing stories, but the possibility of being an author used to feel more like a dream than a reality. She didn’t share her stories with anyone until her junior year of college, when she signed up for an Intro to Creative Writing course. Her teacher and classmates read the first chapter of a book idea she had, and they loved it so much that they told her she had to finish the book so they could find out what happened next. By the end of the school year, Michelle finished that book, which would later be published as her first novel, Remembrance.

Michelle grew up in Baltimore, and now lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where she writes books for young adults. Some of her favorite things are: reading, pizza, traveling, shopping, time travel, Broadway musicals, and spending time with friends and family. Michelle has toured across America to promote her books and to encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing. Someday, she hopes to travel the world for a year on a cruise ship.

Connect with Michelle:
Facebook: /MichelleMadow
Twitter/Instagram: @MichelleMadow
Email: michelle@madow.com

Visit Michelle online at http://www.michellemadow.com/, and be sure to sign up for her newsletter and follow her on Amazon to get instant updates on her books!



Friday, January 22, 2016

Funeral Games by Jay Allan ~ Book Spotlight


Title: Funeral Games (Far Stars #3)
Author: Jay Allan
Genre: Adult, Science Fiction
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: January 19, 2016


The Far Stars stands on the edge of a precipice. The forces of Governor Vos have surged forth, conquering worlds and imposing the emperor’s brutal rule over millions. Only one thing stands in the way of total victory: Marshal Augustin Lucerne’s newly created confederation. Vos has a simple plan: assassinate the marshal and manipulate his generals to fight over his legacy, destroying one another in the process.

But another threat lurks—Arkarin Blackhawk. The smuggler and mercenary has been the marshal’s ally, working in the shadows and unraveling Vos’s plans. The governor can only hope the mysterious adventurer continues to resist a formal position with the confederation.

Or he can have Blackhawk assassinated, too.

Because if Blackhawk succeeds Lucerne, the black-and-gold imperial flags will be stained red with blood. Blackhawk’s past is a dark and dangerous one, and if he is put at the helm of the confederation armies, the brutal imperial general he once was may rise again.

The Far Stars is facing the final battle. The imperials seem unstoppable. But if Blackhawk somehow survives—and can come to grips with the horror deep within him—he just might be able to save the Far Stars from the iron hand of the empire.


Meet the Author
Jay Allan is a former investor and the author of the Crimson Worlds series and the first two books in the Far Stars series, Shadow of Empire and Enemy in the Dark. When not writing, he enjoys traveling, running, hiking, and reading. He loves hearing from readers and always answers e-mails. He currently lives in New York City.


Tour Schedule
Tuesday, January 19 – Book featured at 3 Partners in Shopping
Book featured at Harmonious Publicity
Wednesday, January 20 – Book featured at Cover2Cover
Thursday, January 21 – Book featured at Bent Over Bookwords
Friday, January 22 – Book featured at Hot Off the Shelves
Guest blogging at Write and Take Flight
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Monday, January 25 – Guest blogging at Mythical Books
Tuesday, January 26 – Book featured at Bound 2 Escape
Wednesday, January 27 – Interviewed at I’m Shelf-ish
Thursday, January 28 – Book featured at The Dark Phantom
Friday, January 29 – Guest blogging at Voodoo Princess
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Monday, February 1 – Book featured at Confessions of an Eccentric Bookaholic
Tuesday, February 2 – Guest blogging at The Literary Nook
Wednesday, February 3 – Guest blogging at Curling Up by the Fire
Thursday, February 4 – Shadow of Empire and Funeral Games Reviewed at WTF Are You Reading
Friday, February 5 – Book featured at Live Love Books
Interviewed at PUYB Virtual Book Club
Interviewed at Deal Sharing Aunt

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

What She Wanted by Julie Anne Lindsey ~ Cover Reveal


Title: What She Wanted
Author: Julie Anne Lindsey
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Release Date: July 9, 2016

It seems Katy has been waiting for her eighteenth birthday all her life. Raised by a grandfather who never got over losing Katy’s mother to cancer at a young age, she’s dreamed of a life free of the burdens of her family’s tragedies. But just before her birthday, she learns tragedy isn’t finished telling its story . . .

Before she can begin her new life, Katy’s grandfather suffers a heart attack, a box of her mother’s keepsakes, including a journal written to Katy while she was in her mother’s womb, at his side. Believing the only thing her grandpa loves enough to live for is her mother’s memory, Katy reads to him from the journal every night at the hospital. Night after night, line after line, Katy begins to see herself as her mother saw her in her dreams. Buoyed by her mother’s undying love and conviction, Katy vows to make her mother’s sacrifice mean something and promises to fulfill all her mother’s requests. Even the hard ones. Especially those . . .

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Meet the Author

Julie Anne Lindsey is a multi-genre author who writes the stories that keep her up at night. She’s a self-proclaimed nerd with a penchant for words and proclivity for fun. Mother of three, wife to a sane person and Ring Master at the Lindsey Circus, most days you'll find her online, amped up on caffeine and wielding a book. Julie started writing to make people smile. Someday she plans to change the world. Julie is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW), Sisters in Crime (SinC) and the Canton Writer’s Guild.

Right Kind of Mistake Book 2 by Rebecca Thomas ~ Cover Reveal


Title: Right Kind of Mistake Book 2
Author: Rebecca Thomas
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Leap Books
Release Date: July 19, 2016


Unlucky in love, Haylie Keene can’t believe she’s dating another hockey player--especially her ex boyfriend’s former teammate. Sexy as hell Cam Erickson is impossible to resist, but Haylie's doubts keep her from jumping in with her whole heart. And when her ex makes a play to win her back, she’s completely torn.

Cam doesn't know the meaning of giving less than a hundred percent, whether it's to win a hockey game or Haylie’s heart. So when it looks like she might choose her cheating ex over him, he’s unwilling to sit the bench while she makes up her mind.

When Haylie realizes she might lose Cam, she knows she must fight to keep him. But can she thaw the ice around his heart before the last buzzer sounds on their relationship?


Meet the Author
Rebecca Thomas has a love-hate relationship with Alaska, where she lives with her bush pilot husband and two teenaged sons. When she’s not reading, writing, or playing board games, she’s cheering for her sons at their hockey games and tennis matches.

A reluctant reader as a child, Rebecca didn’t become interested in books until her teen years when she discovered historical romance. Now she loves all sub-genres of romance and can’t decide which one is her favorite.

Rebecca earned a bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Alaska and she was employed in the airline industry for several years before working in her current position as a program manager in higher education.

Follow Rebecca on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and her website.

Monday, January 18, 2016

The Society by Jodie Andrefski ~ Cover Reveal

Title: The Society
Author: Jodie Andrefski
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: May 3, 2016


Welcome to Trinity Academy’s best-kept secret.
The Society.
You’ve been handpicked by the elite of the elite to become a member. But first you’ll have to prove your worth by making it through Hell Week.
Do you have what it takes?
It’s time to find out.
Samantha Evans knows she’d never get an invite to rush the Society—not after her dad went to jail for insider trading. But after years of relentless bullying at the hands of the Society’s queen bee, Jessica, she’s ready to take down Jessica and the Society one peg at a time from the inside out.
All it’ll take is a bit of computer hacking, a few fake invitations, some eager rushees…and Sam will get her revenge.
Let the games begin.




Meet the Author
Jodie Andrefski has been passionate about reading ever since she was a little girl, when she used to climb trees to escape with a favorite book. She now lives and writes in a small town in Pennsylvania with her teenage daughter. Though still an avid reader, she now prefers a comfy chair over the crook of a tree. An unapologetic coffee fiend, she's even happier if her java comes with pie. Jodie often draws on her background in education and mental health counseling to bring real world experience to her writing. She is a firm believer in the magic of a first kiss, and insists that you should never, ever give up on your dreams.

Author Links:
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Thursday, January 14, 2016

The Secret to Letting Go by Katherine Fleet ~ Cover Reveal


Title: The Secret to Letting Go
Author: Katherine Fleet
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: February 1, 2016


One summer can change everything... 

Haunted with guilt after his girlfriend’s death, Daniel Hudson has no interest in committing to anyone. At the end of the summer, he’ll be leaving Florida for a new start in college. If only he could avoid the mysterious new girl in town, who seems every bit as naive and eccentric as she looks. Trouble is, she’s hard to ignore, with her beautiful piercing eyes, pitiful-looking dog, and unsettling tendency of finding trouble.

Clover Scott lived her whole life off the grid and arrives on the Gulf coast in search of her grandparents. She never expected to nearly drown, or get caught in a hurricane, or fall in love with the boy who rescues her. Now, she has a chance to rewrite her life’s story, to finally fit in somewhere, but Daniel wants answers about her past. When the police start asking questions about the disappearance of her parents, she must make a choice: go to jail or confess her secrets—even if they might destroy her chance at a happily-ever-after.


Meet the Author

Originally from Newfoundland, Katherine Fleet gave up the cold winters of Eastern Canada for the
year round warmth of the Caribbean. The slower pace of island life has given her time to pursue a long-time goal—becoming an author. When she’s not writing, she spends her time baking, chauffeuring her three amazing, talented kids around, and having sun-filled adventures with her husband and wonderful friends in Curaçao. She is also a very thankful breast cancer survivor. In 2007, she joined RWA and has enjoyed the support and camaraderie of the YARWA and OIRWA writing communities. She’s participated in NaNoWriMo since 2012 and is an active supporter of the associated Young Writers Program. She is represented by super-agent Carrie Pestritto of Prospect Agency. The Secret to Letting Go is her debut novel. You can connect with her at www.KatherineFleet.com.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Greta and the Lost Army by Chloe Jacobs ~ Cover Reveal


Title: Greta and the Lost Army (Mylena Chronicles #3)
Author: Chloe Jacobs
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fairy Tale Re-Telling
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: February 1, 2016


A fate as unavoidable as love itself… 

After spending the last four years trapped in a place of monsters, demons, and magick, the last thing the fierce teenage bounty hunter Greta expected was to ever be back on Earth. But a rare opportunity gives her and the Goblin King Isaac the opportunity to do just that. Now she’s home. With a boy in tow. And her parents have lots of questions.

Although Greta finally has her heart’s deepest wish—to see her family again—every step she takes to reconnect with them drives her further away from Isaac. Greta and Isaac planned for her to return to Mylena and become his queen, but she’s not sure if she can go back to that harsh world, though staying on Earth means giving up the boy she loves.

But a powerful enemy refuses to let Greta escape. A demon who will stop at nothing to destroy her and everything she loves. Even if it means following her to Earth and forcing her to face a fate as unavoidable as love itself.


Meet the Author
Chloe Jacobs is a native of nowhere and everywhere, having jumped around to practically every Province of Canada before finally settling in Ontario where she has now been living for a respectable number of years. Her husband and son are the two best people in the entire world, but they also make her wish she'd at least gotten a female cat. No such luck. And although the day job keeps her busy, she carves out as much time as possible to write. Bringing new characters to life and finding out what makes them tick and how badly she can make them suffer is one of her greatest pleasures, almost better than chocolate and fuzzy pink bunny slippers.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Ward Against Disaster by Melanie Card - Review


Title: Ward Against Disaster (Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer #3)
Author: Melanie Card
Genre: New Adult, Fantasy
Length: 276 Pages
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: January 19, 2015
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Ward de'Ath should be dead by now. Instead, he’s chasing after a soul-eating creature—that he unleashed— and is bent on stopping her before she slaughters more innocents. Fortunately, Celia Carlyle remains by his side, a nobleman's gorgeous and deadly daughter, who is…well, dead.

Celia claims she’ll champion Ward wherever he goes, even when she thinks his quest is hopeless. He can only hope her pledge comes from her heart, and not because she’s bound to him through his magic.

When they enter Dulthyne, they stumble upon a dark power that threatens the entire town. Ward, with his unreliable necromancy, is determined to help but finds himself ensnared in the lure of white-hot magic…blood magic he struggles to resist. But if Celia’s love is a lie, it might just doom his soul to the dark arts forever.


I really enjoy how this series is evolving with one exception - Ward is a little whiny in this one. He is constantly overthinking everything he does with thoughts of how worthless and unpowerful he is. Even though everyone around him is trying to fix his idea of his personal worth, it just seems to do nothing. In fact, Celia begins to wonder about his powers and where they come from, and we get a pretty cool reveal as to what Ward can really do.

Ward, Celia, and Nazarius are tracking Allette to try and end her wave of murder. She leads them to Dulthyne where they discover something far more sinister than anything they could have imagined. This is going to be a no holds barred fight for Ward's very soul and it is super intense.

But wait, what about Allette? Well, she's in there just making the whole situation even worse. I really enjoyed this adventure but I wish Ward would stop wallowing a bit and just suck it up and do what needs to be done. Maybe after the crazy (totally didn't see it coming) cliffhanger ending, book four will see him finally come into his own.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*


Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer