Book Blast & Giveaway - The Tigress and the Yogi by Shelley Schanfield

The Tigress and the Yogi
Author: Shelley Schanfield
Publisher: Lake House Books
Pages: 382
Genre: Historical Fantasy

Book Description:
A talking tigress.
A wandering yogi.
A young woman's harrowing journey through an ancient land where chaos threatens gods and mortals alike.

A tigress speaks to the outcaste girl Mala, and as she flees in terror, she encounters an old yogi. She offers him hospitality. As an untouchable, her very shadow may sully the holy man, but he accepts, repaying her kindness with stories that awaken her hunger for forbidden spiritual knowledge. Soon after he leaves, she is orphaned and enslaved, but the warrior goddess Durga appears in a vision and offers her hope.

Thus begins her quest for liberation, on which she meets gods and goddesses, high-born Brahmins and lowly keepers of the cremation grounds, outlaws and kings, and young Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who is prophesied to become the Buddha. She finds happiness for a brief time, but when she loses everything, her quest goes terribly wrong. She becomes an outlaw warrior, worshipping the dark goddess, Kali. She masters occult powers but descends into madness, misusing the supernatural gifts the goddess bestows, and when she again encounters the old yogi, she must decide whether to continue on the path of bloody vengeance or seek transcendence through the power of yoga.

The Tigress and the Yogi is an historical fantasy that brings to life the vivid mythical world of ancient India and transports the reader to the Buddha's time in a story filled with love and fear, anger and desire. This visionary novel creates a memorable portrait of a powerful woman, her extraordinary daughter, and the men they challenge and inspire. It examines the yearning for spiritual transformation and inner peace, and the ways in which the pursuit of wisdom and compassion can go terribly wrong.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N

BOOK REVIEW: Billy and Ant Fall Out by James Minter

Billy and Ant Fall Out

Series: Billy Growing Up, Book 2

Author: James Minter
Genre: Childrens Fiction / Middle-Grade

Book Description:

Arrogant pride makes a child feel so important that they would rather do something wrong than admit they have made a mistake. Could pride be playing a part in your child’s negative behaviour?

Billy Field says something nasty to his best friend Ant Turner, and they row. Ant goes off and makes a new friend, leaving Billy feeling angry and abandoned. Billy’s pride will not let him apologise to Ant until things get out of hand.
Is Billy the sort of person to have as a friend? Will it be possible for Billy and Ant to be mates again? Can they overcome their differences?

Billy And Ant Fall Out is the second title in the Billy Books series. Each book addresses a unique topic—bullying, arrogant pride, jealousy, lying, stealing, lack of self-belief, understanding money, and secrets. Written to help parents, guardians and teachers deal with the issues that challenge pre-teen children; each topic is presented in a gentle way through storytelling. Setting the issues in a meaningful context helps children to understand the challenges, and to see things from a different perspective. The books act as icebreakers allowing for discussions of difficult subjects. Additionally, each title is supported by a free activity book to reinforce the learning, while having fun.

Buying this book today will support your child in dealing with arrogant pride—a negative and unhelpful emotion.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

New Feature Announcement - Indiesphere

Calling All Indie Authors

As of 2017, I have changed my review policy to make life a little easier and to keep my TBR pile organised and only featuring books I am highly likely to read. I receive many requests from indie authors and I've noticed that many of the books are not edited to a professional standard, and it becomes hard to get through the books, and because of this, I'm forced to be a little more selective in my choices, thus, I have coined Indiesphere, a free promotional service for indie authors/publishers to have their books promoted on CBY.

What the feature includes:

• Book Details (cover, blurb, buy links etc)
• Author Details (bio, photo, social media links etc)
• Promo Details (excerpt, teaser, interview etc)
• Giveaway Details (if available)

Please note that not all book submissions are selected for a feature. There is a screening process, which includes me reading a sample chapter of your work. Once your work has been approved, you will recieve an email within a week of submission to confirm your feature date and to request any further info I may need.

Please note that I no longer accept requests for indie titles unless they have been promoted in the Indiesphere Feature. I hope to feature a book every Friday. Indiesphere welcomes all genres with a PG-13 or lower rating.

Submit Your Book!

BOOK REVIEW: Billy Has a Birthday by James Minter

Billy Has a Birthday

Series: Billy Growing Up, Book 1

Author: James Minter

Genre: Children's Fiction / Middle-Grade

Book Description:

Bullying is an issue in many children’s lives. This book will help to make your child bully-proof.

Billy Field celebrates his tenth birthday with his school friends, but Eddy Jost is upset at not being invited to the party. When Billy receives a special present from his granddad Eddy finds out, and wants it for himself. Using bullying tactics Eddy takes the present, leaving Billy devastated. And worse, Billy feels he has to keep his loss a secret from his parents and granddad.

Max Turner, Billy’s best friend's sister, wants to help Billy, and she tells Billy's granddad. Max and Granddad hatch a plan to recover the present.

What is Max’s plan? Does the bully get what's coming to him? Will Billy get his present back?

Billy Has A Birthday is the first title in the Billy Books series. Each book addresses a unique topic—bullying, arrogant pride, jealousy, lying, stealing, lack of self-belief, understanding money, and secrets. Written to help parents, guardians and teachers deal with the issues that challenge pre-teen children, each topic is presented in a gentle way through storytelling. Setting the issues in a meaningful context helps children to understand the challenges, and to see things from a different perspective. The books act as icebreakers allowing for discussions on difficult subjects. Additionally, each title is supported by a free activity book to reinforce the learning, while having fun.

Buying this book today will support your child in the battle against bullying; a destructive and unpleasant behaviour.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

CBY'S Saturday Current Reads - The Empty Room by Sarah J. Clemens

 MY SATURDAY CURRENT READS IS:

Genre: Mystery / Romance
Date Published: July 23, 2016

Book Description: 
Rain soaked and dreary, it was a 1901 abandoned Victorian that Dean and Elizabeth hoped would fulfill their dreams, even if the town of Eastbrook, Maine was trapped under a blanket of fog. The first neighbor they meet in town dashes those dreams when he raises a bizarre question: what happened to the last person who lived in their house? Under mounting pressure from the residents of Eastbrook to stop questioning the past, Dean and Elizabeth are driven deeper into the history of the house, and the town. When they discover what happened in Eastbrook, keeping the secret could save their lives, but uncovering the truth might be worth the risk.

A gripping psychological mystery, The Empty Room takes readers on a cat-and-mouse game where some secrets are better off hidden.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Website

Blog Tour Spotlight - Never Go Alone by Denison Hatch

Never Go Alone
Author: Denison Hatch
Publisher: Lookout Press
Pages: 300
Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Police Procedural

Book Description:

A rash of elaborate cat burglaries of luxury buildings in Manhattan has the police and mayor panicked. When a group of social media obsessed millennials—a loosely organized crew that call themselves “urban explorers”—are suspected in the heists, NYPD detective Jake Rivett is assigned the case.

Already undercover with one foot on each side of the blue line, Rivett is ordered to infiltrate the group and discern responsibility. Battling against both his own personal demons and misgivings regarding his superiors, Rivett dives deep into the urban exploration scene in pursuit of the truth. But what, and who, he finds—deep in the sewers, up in the cranes above under-construction skyscrapers, and everywhere else in New York—will change not only Jake, but the city itself.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Promo - Steal the Lightning by Tim Lees

Steal the Lightning: A Field Ops Novel
Author: Tim Lees
Release Date: January 17, 2017
Publisher: Harper Voyager Impulse
Genre: Paranorma & Urban

Book Description:
In the newest Field Ops adventure, god hunter Chris Copeland must track down an enigmatic figure distributing shards of deities to unwitting citizens across the country

Chris Copeland has a bizarre job, seeking out gods to convert into energy, but when he’s tasked with retrieving a deity from an elderly woman in New York, he’s truly out of his element. Before he can learn who sold her the dangerous object, she swallows a piece of it and goes into painful convulsions in front of his eyes.

Calling himself Johnny Appleseed, an elusive man has stolen fragments of gods and is traversing the country, peddling the contraband as a miracle cure to anyone desperate enough to believe him. With the help of his colleague, Angel, and a documentary filmmaker intent on exposing the Registry’s secrets, Chris must chase down the culprit and recover the stolen gods before all hell breaks loose.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Excerpt - The Empty Room by Sarah J. Clemens

The Empty Room

Author: Sarah J. Clemens

Genre: Mystery / Romance
Date Published: July 23, 2016

Book Description:
Rain soaked and dreary, it was a 1901 abandoned Victorian that Dean and Elizabeth hoped would fulfill their dreams, even if the town of Eastbrook, Maine was trapped under a blanket of fog. The first neighbor they meet in town dashes those dreams when he raises a bizarre question: what happened to the last person who lived in their house? Under mounting pressure from the residents of Eastbrook to stop questioning the past, Dean and Elizabeth are driven deeper into the history of the house, and the town. When they discover what happened in Eastbrook, keeping the secret could save their lives, but uncovering the truth might be worth the risk.

A gripping psychological mystery, The Empty Room takes readers on a cat-and-mouse game where some secrets are better off hidden.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Website

Blog Tour Excerpt - Wizardry Goes Wild by Sunayna Prasad

Wizardry Goes Wild

Author: Sunayna Prasad

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Date Published: February 20th, 2016
Publisher: Trafford

Book Description:
After months of living a normal life, thirteen-year-old Alyssa McCarthy faces magic again. Only this time, though, she is cursed with it, thanks to an old depressed skeleton named Errol. Alyssa’s time with her godfather, Alex, will never be the same again, as she can perform sorcery, but never control it.

From letting out enchantments at school to creating outdoor disasters, Alyssa is bound to face consequences. She can only get rid of her powers if she can boost her confidence levels and improve her bravery. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. She must measure those abilities with a special device called a skillometer. Will she be able to get rid of her unwanted wizardry?

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N

Cover Reveal - Crossroads by Laney McMann

 

Crossroads
(The CrossWorld Chronicles #1)

Author: Laney McMann
Publication Date: Winter 2017
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Blog Tour Promo & Giveaway - Journey to the Rift by Cathi Shaw

Journey to the Rift
Author: Cathi Shaw
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: November 3rd, 2016
Ink Smith Publishing
 

Book Description:
A dangerous quest into a forbidden land wasn’t exactly what Brijit Carnesîr was planning after her graduation from the Academy. For years she has looked forward starting her life as a member of the Coimirceoirí and she is thrilled to discover that she has been chosen as the Academy Apprentice of her year. But despite the fact that she has been longing to go to Séreméla and work with the Elders, it soon becomes apparent that her fate isn’t as rosy as it appears to be. First, she is paired up with a grumpy male apprentice from Stone Mountain, Weylon Forborrow. Second, it doesn’t take her long to discover that the Elders are not taking her to Séreméla, as tradition dictates. Instead, Weylon and her are sent to The Rift, a dead land tainted with evil. Even before they join the Elder royalty at Tèarmann, an ancient fortress on the cusp of the Rift, Brijit discovers that the Elders are hiding too many things. She is given the task of helping the Princess in birthing the long awaited Queen of the Elders but nothing is as it seems. There is talk of an old and forgotten Prophecy, Weylon is attacked by a creature from the Rift and her grandmother is killed, after revealing a secret that rocks everything Brijit knows about her past. Soon Brijit questions everything she had been led to believe and, worse, she realizes that the future of Séreméla and all of Five Corners is in jeopardy, unless she can find a way to save it!

Buy Links:

Kindle US ¦ Paperback US ¦ Kindle UK ¦ Paperback UK ¦ Kindle CA ¦ Paperback CA ¦ B&N ¦ Chapters Indigo

Cover Reveal - Wolves & Roses by Christina Bauer

Wolves & Roses
(Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #1)

Author: Christina Bauer
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication Date: March 28th, 2017
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Blog Tour Spotlight - Kracken by Ray Ellis

Kracken
Author: Ray Ellis
Publisher: NCC Publishing LLC
Pages: 367
Genre: Inspirational Science Fiction

Book Description:
The year is 135 New Reckoning. A Godless world is rebuilding itself.

When a stranger from Mike Stone’s past appears on his doorstep, his ordinary life is suddenly and violently destroyed. Mike’s past has come back to haunt him. Now with his family attacked and his home destroyed, Mike finds himself running for his life through a jungle-planet filled with terrors and a monster known only as the Kracken.

In the midst of the chaos, Ted Waters launches his plan for domination. In a post-apocalyptic world, Waters sets himself up as the sole leader of the emerging world government. Using children as slaves, he mines a new narcotic used to subdue the people’s will.

Kracken, the story of two men, two opinions and two bases of power set on a collision path. When the two collide, Mike finds himself confronted by the God he thought he left behind.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N

Promo Blitz & Giveaway - Cottage in the Mist by Dee Davis

Cottage in the Mist

Author: Dee Davis

Genre: Time Travel Romance
Date Published: March 2016

Book Description:
Mo Chridhe Gu Bràth. My heart forever.

Ancient words, a powerful legend, a timeless love…

Lily Chastain has lost everything—her family, her inheritance, and her fiancé.  Desperate to escape her pain, she heads for a remote castle in Scotland, but is trapped by a violent storm along the way. Injured and alone, she is drawn by a lighted cottage in the mist.  What she finds there will change her life forever.

Attacked by a vicious rival and betrayed by someone from his own clan, Bram Macgillivray finds himself alone and on the run.  His father is dead, his holding all but destroyed.  Wanting vengeance, he seeks out the help of his cousins, but finds instead a beautiful woman who calls to his heart.

After losing herself in an unexpected and wonderful night of sensuality, Lily wakes to find Bram gone.  But even more disturbing, when she leaves the sanctuary of the cottage, she finds that it has disappeared as well.

Separated by over five hundred years, yet tied together through a magic stronger than the bonds of time and place, Lily and Bram fight to find each other again.  And as Lily uncovers the secrets of the past, she must race to find a way back to save the only man she’s ever truly loved.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ iTunes ¦ Kobo ¦ Smashwords

Cover Reveal & Giveaway - Quanta Rewind by Lola Dodge

Quanta Rewind
(The Shadow Ravens #4)

Author: Lola Dodge
Published by: Ink Monster LLC
Publication Date: April 25th, 2017
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway - Blackwell by Alexandrea Weis with Lucas Astor

Blackwell
Magnus Blackwell Series
Book One
Alexandrea Weis with Lucas Astor
Genre: Paranormal thriller.
Publisher: Vesuvian Books
Date of Publication: 1/17/17
ISBN: 978-1944109240
ASIN: B01M7T4NQT
Number of pages: 300
Word Count: 71, 800
Cover Artist: Sam Shearon

Book Description:
Hell has a new master

In the late 1800s, handsome, wealthy New Englander, Magnus Blackwell, is the envy of all.

When Magnus meets Jacob O’Conner—a Harvard student from the working class—an unlikely friendship is forged. But their close bond is soon challenged by a captivating woman; a woman Magnus wants, but Jacob gets.

Devastated, Magnus seeks solace in a trip to New Orleans. After a chance meeting with Oscar Wilde, he becomes immersed in a world of depravity and brutality, inevitably becoming the inspiration for Dorian Gray. Armed with the forbidden magic of voodoo, he sets his sights on winning back the woman Jacob stole from him.

Amid the trappings of Victorian society, two men, bent on revenge, will lay the foundation for a curse that will forever alter their destinies.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Kobo ¦ Apple ¦ B&N