Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway - Curse of Stars by Donna Compositor

 

Curse of Stars
(Diamond Crier #1)

Author: Donna Compositor
Publication Date: February 19th, 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult 

Book Description:

Sabi Perez is the last Diamond Crier, only she doesn’t know it. Not until a crazed ruler from another world comes to collect her priceless tears and won’t take no for an answer. 

Living in New York, Sabi’s seen some nasty things, but the lengths to which her captor will go to keep his crown are things found only in the darkest nightmares. Afraid and alone, Sabi finds solace in her cellmate, Anya, and Cabal, a fellow Crier who also has powers, a rare combination that buys his favor from the ruler. Only it’s a favor he doesn’t want.

In a fit of rage, power erupts out of Sabi, the same power Cabal has, and a spark of hope ignites. Together they may have a chance at escape, something no other Crier has done. Except a ruler hellbent on draining them of every last diamond tear isn’t their only hurdle. If they escape they’ll be hunted to the ends of the earth, if they survive the trek to safety. If they stay the ruler will leech them dry. Sabi would rather die trying than lie down and die, even if that means running away into even more danger.

“. . . vividly imagined and deftly plotted dark fantasy . . .” BookLife Prize in Fiction

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Barnes & Noble ¦ Kobo ¦ iBooks

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Shattering Truths by Kyrian Lyndon

 

Shattering Truths
(Deadly Veils, #1)

Author: Kyrian Lyndon
Publication Date: January 30th, 2017
Genres: Suspense, Young Adult

Book Description:

She was left fighting her demons alone . . .

For sixteen-year-old Danielle DeCorso, the old house in Glastonbury was an eerie place to grow up. Coping with mental health challenges exacerbated by a traumatic family dynamic, Danielle watches from the window for two men in a dusty black sedan who keep circling the house and harassing her with phone calls. The two predators drugged her and her cousin, Angie, and then lured them from Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport to a secluded cottage on Long Beach West. She remembers feeling dizzy, the room spinning. She recalls screaming, crying, fighting, and then slipping in and out of consciousness. Angie, however, has no recollection of the incident.

When Danielle attempts to jog Angie’s memory and convince their best friend, Farran, that the two strangers had victimized them, no one seems to believe her. Alone in her pain, Danielle remains guarded, obsessed, and withdrawn. Soon she is sinking deeper into a tumultuous world of adolescent isolation and change. Grief, guilt, and anger send her spiraling into an even darker place.

Tormented by terrifying nightmares, she fears she will lose her sanity, or possibly her soul. Is she having post-traumatic stress hallucinations, as one of her friends suggest, or are her recurring nightmares as real as they seem? Trapped in an unyielding emotional bondage, Danielle continues the fight to reclaim her power. Startling revelations awaken her newfound spirit, inspiring a once naïve girl to grow into a woman of defiance and courage.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Barnes & Noble ¦ iBooks ¦ Smashwords

Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway - The Adventures of Grant Scotland by Dan McClure

The Unlikely Spy

(Adventures of Grant Scotland, Volume One)

Book Description:

The Adventures of Grant Scotland series is an entertaining mix of fantasy, mystery and espionage featuring a hero whose many faults provide almost as much challenge to him as the formidable obstacles he must face as he attempts to impose sanity upon a world rapidly descending into chaos. Collected in this volume are the first three books in the series: Spy for a Dead Empire, Spy for a Troubled King and Spy for a Wayward Daughter.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

February Favourites

Welcome to my February Favourites.

Here, you will find a list of the movies and books I watched and read in February and my favourite among them.

Books Read:

Favourite:

She's Like a Rainbow

Author: Eileen Colucci
Genre: YA / NA Coming of Age

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Movies Watched:

Favourite:

Blog Tour Interview & Giveaway - Behind Picket Fences by Hend Hegazi

Behind Picket Fences

Author: Hend Hegazi

Genre: Fiction - contemporary

Book Description:
Behind Picket Fences exposes four families from behind their comfortable lifestyles and smiling faces. Sharing the same neighborhood, even spending time together, no family knows the truth about the difficulties the others face.

On the outside, Sidra and Farris have the biggest house and the most expensive cars. What no one sees is their struggle to accept an unfulfilled dream. If they do not adapt to the blows of fate, their malcontent may give birth to deception. 

Mariam and Morgan’s modest home exudes the rich scent of family. With children playing in the yard, they seem picture perfect. But financial struggle is their continuous battle, and their only solution may produce an envy which is more destructive than hunger.

Summer and Porter enjoy youth and the freedom of self-employment. But discontentment and mental instability linger between them. If they are not able to bridge the gap, their search for happiness may have a fatal end.

May and Hasan enjoy peace and true happiness. Illness cares not, however, of letting them relish in their blessings. Only patience and time will prove if this unwelcome visitor is simply passing by, or if it will tear their world apart.

An honest portrayal of love and family, Behind Picket Fences opens our eyes to the difficult truths hidden behind each happy facade.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Spotlight - The Cherokee Kid by David Tienter

The Cherokee Kid

Author: David Tienter
Release Date: January 25, 2016
Keywords: western, bounty hunters, Cherokee kid, action, adventure, Wild West, 1800’s
Categories: Action/Adventure/Western

Page Count: 156
ISBN: 978-1542621465
Imprint: White Stag 

ONE LINER: On the run from a posse and bounty-hunters, The Cherokee Kid is drawn into the problems of a widow with two small children and if forced to protect them from a greedy cattle baron.

Book Description:

On the run from a posse and bounty-hunters, The Cherokee Kid is drawn into the problems of a widow with two small children and if forced to protect them from a greedy cattle baron. Only his lightning draw and nerves of steel can protect the small family from the forces massed against them. This is western action on the cutting edge.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ CA ¦ Createspace

Book Blitz & Giveaway - The Piper's Price by Audrey Greathouse

The Piper’s Price
(The Neverland Wars #2)

Author: Audrey Greathouse
Published by: Clean Reads Publishing
Publication Date: February 21st 2017
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Young Adult 

Book Description:

Peter is plotting his retaliation against the latest bombing. Neverland needs an army, and Peter Pan is certain children will join him once they know what is at stake. The lost boys and girls are planning an invasion in suburbia to recruit, but in order to deliver their message, they will need the help of an old and dangerous associate—the infamous Pied Piper. 

Hunting him down will require a spy in in the real world, and Gwen soon finds herself in charge of locating the Piper and cutting an uncertain deal with him. She isn’t sure if Peter trusts her that much, or if he’s just trying to keep her away from him in Neverland. Are they friends, or just allies? But Peter might not even matter now that she’s nearly home and meeting with Jay again.

The Piper isn’t the only one hiding from the adults’ war on magic though, and when Gwen goes back to reality, she’ll have to confront one of Peter’s oldest friends… and one of his earliest enemies.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Barnes & Noble ¦ iBooks ¦ Kobo

Blog Tour Tens List & Giveaway - Reignited (Reawakened 0.5) by Colleen Houck

Reignited

(Reawakened 0.5)

Author: Colleen Houck

Book Description:

A sibling rivalry.
A forbidden romance.
A spell that changes everything.

In Heliopolis secrets abound and passions ignite as chaos rises.

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Tiger’s Curse series and Reawakened comes a novella full of celestial marvel, passion, betrayal, and evil that will grow to reign over humanity forever.

Before Lily and Amon met, before the cosmos was in chaos and needed three brave brothers to fight off evil, there were four siblings who helped rule the earth.

Each sibling had a special gift. Osiris, the god of agriculture, helped mortals to grow and thrive in their natural environment. Isis, the goddess of creation, fostered health and wellness. Nephthys, the seer, was able to keep the balance between all living beings and the universe. But Seth, the youngest sibling, was left without any special powers. The Waters of Chaos, which granted each god’s talent, were running dry, and Seth was paying the price.

As time passed, however, Seth’s determination and willfulness resulted in a very special gift, one that should have granted him the ability to enact wondrous change. But Seth’s competitive childhood gave him a heart so cold and vacant that instead, his gift brought about great evil.

Seth was now the god of unmaking, the creator of disorder and destruction. And he was ready to seek his revenge, dominating all who got in his way.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ Book Depository

Blog Tour Spotlight - Stones Don't Speak by Gry Finsnes

Stone’s Don’t Speak
Author: Gry Finsnes
Release Date: February 25, 2017
Keywords: romance, war, resistance movements, illegal newspapers, life in a war zone, choosing country, loyalty
Categories: Romance/War Historical

Page Count: 311
ISBN: 978-1542621458
Imprint: White Stag

ONE LINER: Norwegian pianist, Ellen, avoids the Nazi rulers of Norway, while working for the resistance and looking for her German sweetheart Friedrich, who has disappeared.

Book Description:

1941, Norway. The population tries to cope with the German occupation. After her successful debut concert as a pianist, Ellen Langmo, resists the Nazis who want to use her talent in their endeavor to convince people that Hitler’s ideas are right. At the same time the resistance movements begin to take form and her friends want to involve her. Trying to escape the conflicting and dangerous demands, she flees from Oslo to Stavanger on the West Coast where life is calmer. She is still looking for Friedrich but tries to accept his death when she has a strange encounter.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ CA ¦ Createspace

Blog Tour Promo & Giveaway - College Life 101: Freshman Orientation by J.B. Vample

College Life 101: Freshman Orientation
Author: J.B. Vample
Genre: NA Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: December 18th, 2015

Book Description:
Leaving home for the first time to attend college is stressful enough. But when the roommate lottery of Paradise Valley University strikes, it produces couples who have absolutely nothing in common; causing personality clashes which takes the stress to a whole new level. Dismay hits Sidra Howard, the prim and proper princess, when she contemplates spending an entire semester with Chasity Parker, the troubled beauty with a sharp tongue and even sharper claws. Malajia Simmons, a boy crazed, attention seeking diva, is no happier. Not only does she get stuck with the upper bunk bed, she has to share a triple room with Alexandra Chisolm, a nosey and overbearing, self proclaimed “know-it-all”. But even the meddling Alexandra isn’t as bad as Emily Harris, the shy, mommy’s girl with a non-existent backbone.

Coming to college to escape her home life, Chasity hopes to get through the semester without any problems. Her hopes are tainted once she begins to have to resist the advances of a determined football star, on top of dealing with family drama which seems to have followed her. Alexandra’s need to fix everyone’s problems not only rubs her roommates the wrong way, it also causes her to fall blind to the problems brewing with the boyfriend that she left behind. Eventually she’ll be forced to face the issues head on. Emily’s refusal to come out of her shell is too much to handle for party girl Malajia, whose main purpose is to have fun and be seen. The same doesn’t apply to Sidra, who’s more concerned with trying to keep her over-the-top stress level under control.

These five young women try to handle family drama, pressure, and conflicts; all while trying to maintain their grades. They quickly learn that college life isn’t what they expected and must adapt to their new environment if they ever hope to make it through their first semester.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ iTunes ¦ Kobo

Book Spotlight - Remnants (Brandon Fisher FBI series, Book 6) by Carolyn Arnold

Remnants
Author: Carolyn Arnold
Series: Brandon Fisher FBI series, Book 6
Published by: Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc.
ISBN (e-book): 978-1-988353-49-4
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-988353-50-0
ISBN (hardcover): 978-1-988353-51-7
ASIN: B01MUAA8JL
Pages: 260

Book Description:
All that remains are whispers of the past…

When multiple body parts are recovered from the Little Ogeechee River in Savannah, Georgia, local law enforcement calls in FBI agent and profiler Brandon Fisher and his team to investigate. But with the remains pointing to three separate victims, this isn’t proving to be an open-and-shut case.

With no quick means of identifying the victims, building a profile of this serial killer is proving more challenging than usual. How is the killer picking these victims? Why are their limbs being severed and bodies mutilated? And what is it about them that is triggering this killer to murder?

The questions compound as the body count continues to rise, and when a torso painted blue and missing its heart is found, the case takes an even darker turn. But this is only the beginning, and these new leads draw the FBI into a creepy psychological nightmare. One thing is clear, though: the killing isn’t going to stop until they figure it all out. And they are running out of time…

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ iBooks ¦ Kobo ¦ Google

Cover Reveal - Myths of Mish (Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles #2) by Katie Hamstead

Myths of Mish
(Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles #2)

Author: Katie Hamstead

Genre: YA Space Opera/Scifi/Fantasy

Release Date: March 14th, 2017

Curiosity Quills Press

Indiesphere Feature - Full-Out by Jenifer Ruff

Full-Out

Author: Jenifer Ruff

Genre: YA Mystery

Book Description:

Lauren is an elite gymnast training full-time to qualify for the Olympic team, when an unexpected and terrifying incident changes everything in her world. Forced to abandon her identity, she has no choice but to become someone else, somewhere else, and face high school for the first time. A brand new scene of cliques, competitive cheerleading, and teenage drama would shake anyone, but that isn't the worst of Lauren's problems.

The secret she’s hiding could get her killed.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Bookvie: A Dog's Purpose - out January 27th, 2017 (USA)

Who's in it:
Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid, Peggy Lipton

Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway - Sealed Up by Steve Dunn Hanson

Sealed Up
Author: Steve Dunn Hanson
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 402
Genre: Action/Adventure/Suspense

Book Description:
The Da Vinci Code unsettles. SEALED UP shakes to the core!

UCLA anthropologist Nathan Hill, in a funk since his young wife’s death, learns of staggering millennia-old chronicles sealed up somewhere in a Mesoamerica cliff. This bombshell rocks him out of his gloom, and he leads a clandestine expedition to uncover them. What are they? Who put them there? No one knows. But, self-absorbed televangelist Brother Luke, who funds the expedition, thinks he does. If he’s right, his power-hunger will have off-the-charts gratification.

Striking Audra Chang joins Nathan in his pursuit and brings her own shocking secret. As they struggle through a literal jungle of puzzles and dead ends, she finds herself falling in love with Nathan. Her secret, though, may make that a non-starter.

When a shaman with a thirst for human sacrifice, and a murderous Mexican drug lord with a mysterious connection to Brother Luke emerge, the expedition appears doomed. Yet Nathan is convinced that fate—or something—demands these inscrutable chronicles be unearthed.

And if they are . . . what shattering disruption will they unleash?

Intricately layered and remarkably researched, this enthralling suspense-driven and thought provoking tour de force begs a startling question: Could it happen?

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Spotlight - Hidden Death by David Tienter

Hidden Death
Author: David Tienter
Release Date: January 20, 2017
Keywords: death, murder, suspense, thriller, killer, mystery, adventure
Categories: Suspense/Thriller

Page Count: 186
ISBN: 978-1542537384
Imprint: Black Hawk

ONE LINER: Life has always been quiet in the small rural town of Tindale. But there is a hidden evil beginning to show its strength and malice. 

Book Description:

Life has always been quiet in the small rural town of Tindale. But there is a hidden evil beginning to show its strength and malice. One secret is revealed and soon the death toll mounts.

Matt Smith must uncover the secret ring of criminals to stop the killing and to keep all he knows and loves safe.

This is the third in the Matt Smith Mystery series.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ CA ¦ Createspace

Blog Tour Spotlight - The Magician’s Workshop by Christopher Hansen & J.R. Fehr

The Magician’s Workshop, Volume One

Authors: Christopher Hansen, J.R. Fehr

Published by: Wondertale, California

Publication Date: November 8, 2016

ISBN: 1-945353-11-2

ASIN: B01MQGHGBH

Genre: Coming of Age, Fantasy, Magic

Ages: 12 and up.

Length: 85,000 words / 290 pages

Book Description:
Everyone in the islands of O’Ceea has a magical ability: whatever they imagine can be brought into existence. Whoever becomes a master over these powers is granted the title of magician and is given fame, power, riches, and glory. This volume of books follows the journey of a group of kids as they strive to rise to the top and become members of the Magician’s Workshop.

Layauna desperately wants to create beautiful things with her magical powers, but all she can seem to do is make horrible, savage monsters. For years she has tried to hide her creations, but when her power is at last discovered by a great magician, she realizes that what she’s tried to hide might actually be of tremendous value.

Kai just wants to use his powers to have fun and play with his friends. Unfortunately, nearly everyone on his island sees him as a bad influence, so he’s forced to meet them in secret. When one of the creatures they create gets out of control and starts flinging fireballs at their town, Kai is tempted to believe that he is as nefarious as people say. However, his prospects change when two mysterious visitors arrive, praising his ability and making extraordinary promises about his future.

Follow the adventures of Kai, Layauna, and a boatload of other characters as they struggle to grow up well in this fantastical world.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Book Blast & Giveaway - The Rise of Miss Notley by Rachael Anderson

The Rise of Miss Notley

Author: Rachael Anderson

Book Descritpion:

When Miss Coralynn Notley’s father barters her off to the first titled gentleman to come along, she realizes she must flee her home or be forced to wed a despicable man. Driven by desperation, she applies for the position of housekeeper at Tanglewood Manor, the home of the handsome Mr. Jonathan Ludlow. The moment Jonathan sees Miss Notley, he is intrigued. She is far too young and inexperienced, yet there is something about her that that inspires a certain hope within him. Does he dare offer her the position of housekeeper or will doing so result in catastrophe?

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK