Release Blitz - The Black Hand by Jonathan Dunne

The Black Hand

Author: Jonathan Dunne

Book Description:

In the aftermath of Ireland’s most deadly gang war, Dublin’s ruling family has scattered to the wind.

Into the void steps a criminal genius known only as The Black Hand. His organisation’s powerful grip is ruthless, bloody and barbaric.

With Europe’s biggest crime in play, The Devil needs a distraction. And The Black Hand needs Jacob Boylan to return to Irish shores. He will stop at nothing to provoke Dublin’s most lethal criminal out of hiding.

But has the wily genius misstepped? As all eyes are on Jacob, the Dublin exile carefully plans a gangland wipeout, for he is nobody’s pawn.

Buy Links:

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

5 Days Only - Pride Meets Prejudice by Rachel Anderson FREE on Amazon

Rachael Anderson is running a 5-Day FREE Promotion for her book Pride Meets Prejudice. The book will be free starting tomorrow May 23rd through May 27th.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Blessing of Luna by Blaise Ramsay

Blessing of Luna

(Wolf gods #1)

Author: Blaise Ramsay

Publication Date: April 20th, 2018

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

Book Description:
Lonely. That’s how it felt when Damien Pierce returned to Big Timber, Montana. It had been his childhood home until the day he was hit by a speeding car only to learn he wasn’t badly hurt. The experience landed him the label of the town freakshow.

Following the death of his foster mom, Damien soon disconnected from the world around him. That was at least, until he met her. She looked human but something about made her appear otherworldly to him. He knew he shouldn’t but he wanted her. He would do anything to get to know her. To have her.

Jillian Styles was immortal. Cursed by a dark god never to find rest. A shifter capable of taking the form of a beautiful wolf. She had searched for her lover’s reincarnated soul for centuries only to find he was nowhere to be found. When she meets Damien, her world is turned upside down. She falls in love with him instantly and begins to pursue him.

However, Damien soon learns the darker part of Jill’s world. He finds himself on the hit list of the same vampire Lord responsible for killing Jill’s lover and reigniting the flames of an old war. His daughter desires Damien and vows to have him at any cost.

With the help of Alexander Kain, the mysterious wolf shifting soldier, Damien will learn what he thought he knew was only tip of the paranormal iceberg. He soon finds himself in the eyes of a vindictive and rage-filled dark god.

If you like hot lycanthrope guys, overly possessive vampire chicks, vindictive gods, strong female leads and some hot sex scenes, this book is for you.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Barnes & Noble ¦ Kobo

BOOK REVIEW: The Assassin of Oz by Nicky Peacock

The Assassin of Oz

The Twisted and the Brave, Volume 2
Author: Nicky Peacock

Book Description:

Monsters and madmen and murderers, oh my! A club of serial killers calling themselves Oz is stalking the streets of London. Alone and desperate, 17-year-old Halo finds herself drawn into the middle of their blood-soaked storm of murders. Struggling to survive, Halo must contend with both known and unknown killers, put her trust in the most unlikely of devilish places, and play by a new set of rules if she is to become the Assassin of Oz. Gavin, a young US homicide detective, has moved to the UK to catch the serial killers, Tin Man, Lion, Scarecrow, and The Munchkin Masher but soon finds himself two steps behind the headline-grabbing murderers and one step behind vigilante group, Wonderland. Stalked by death and danger, both Halo and Gavin are going to need all the brains, heart, and courage they can muster to take down Oz.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Nicky Peacock hits home again with this high intesity, adrenaline fuelled adventure about a young girl on a mission to wipe out an organisation of ruthless murderers that goes by the name of Oz. I thought the first book in the series, Lost in Wonderland, was as good as it could get, but in steps 17-year-old Halo equipped with all the necessary skills required to take down an army, and all she had to do to get her abilities was make a deal with the devil - literally. All Halo has ever wanted is a loving family and a place to call home. Instead, she got Jack, her abusive stepdad. After her mother abandoned her, she was left to deal with Jack's fist. But one day, things take a turn, and Halo finds herself with blood on her hands - Jack's blood. Soon after Jack's death, a strange fella enters Halo's life and promises to protect her as long as she comes work for his company, Oz. He calls himself the Wizard of Oz. Scared and alone and with nowhere to turn, Halo becomes an unwilling member of Oz, joining a ank of murderers who terrorise the streets of London.

It's not long before Halo realises that Oz isn't for her, and when she refuses to kill for the Wizard, she's executed, only to end up in hell with an offer on the plate that she can't refuse. Agreeing to return to the world of the living, Halo has a new set of rules to live by, but this time, she's a willing client, especially since she's tasked to wipe out the same organisation that ended her life. With vengeance on her mind, Halo will let nothing get in her way of demolishing the Wizard of Oz and his minions.

I loved this book. It was a quick and fun read. The characters were multifaceted and there were no dull moments. I can't fault it. I've got no complaints. It was a very satisfying read, which is rare for me, so this was a great treat. I wasn't so fond of the Alice in Wonderland references in Lost in Wonderland, but the references to the Wizard of Oz in this book is very fitting and does well in complementing the story.

I definitely recommend this book. I certainly look forward to exploring other books by Nicky Peacock. She's delivered a well-written and intriguing series. Nicely done.

VERDICT

Award: Platinum

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Source: Publisher

May 2018 Movie List

Here is a list of some of the movies coming out in May 2018

May 10th (UK)

Stars: Melissa McCarthy, Gillian Jacobs, Debby Ryan

Movie Description:
After her husband abruptly asks for a divorce, a middle-aged mother returns to college in order to complete her degree.

May 11th (UK / USA)

Stars: Gabrielle Union, Billy Burke, Richard Cabral

Movie Description:
A woman fights to protect her family during a home invasion.

May 15th (UK)

Stars: Josh Brolin, Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin

Movie Description:

Foul-mouthed mutant mercenary Wade Wilson (AKA. Deadpool), brings together a team of fellow mutant rogues to protect a young boy of supernatural abilities from the brutal, time-traveling mutant, Cable.

May 24th (UK)

Stars: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke

Movie Description:

During an adventure into a dark criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his future copilot Chewbacca and encounters Lando Calrissian years before joining the Rebellion.

FREE eBook & Giveaway - The Husband Maker by Karey White

The Husband Maker

Author: Karey White

Book Description:
Charlotte’s a girl with nicknames. She may not love being called Charles or Chuck, but the hardest nickname to take is the one she was given in college, the one that’s followed her now for too many years. They call her “the husband maker” and sadly, it fits. Every guy she's dated since high school has gone on to marry the next girl they date. Not two or three girls down the road. The very next one.

Is she doing something wrong or is she just cursed?

When Kyle Aldsworth enters the picture and sweeps her off her feet, Charlotte begins to hope that maybe she's not destined to be single forever. A senator’s son with political aspirations of his own, Kyle's wealthy, handsome, and in need of a wife. Will Charlotte be disappointed yet again, or will she finally be able to make a husband for herself?

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Cover Reveal & Giveaway - Highland Honor by Madelyn Hill

Highland Honor

Author: Madelyn Hill

Genre: Historical Romance (Scottish)

Date Published: May 16th, 2018

Book Description:

Lady Honor can heal everything but a broken heart . . .

Lady Honor does not believe in marriage. Her father’s death broke her mother’s spirit and took her from her daughters emotionally well before her own death. When Honor is attacked in the forest, she keeps the event to herself, lest her lairds search for the man and strike him down. As a healer, she’ll do anything it takes not to cause harm. Rumors of attacks in the Highlands forces the lairds to increase guards and security measures. When Bryce Calder is assigned to protect Lady Honor, she fights the burgeoning attraction for the man, knowing she’ll never risk her heart to love.

Warrior Bryce Calder trusts no woman. Women only strive to better themselves through cunning, as his father warned throughout his childhood. When he is asked to escort Lady Honor while she gathers healing herbs, he is vexed. Training the men and protecting the clan are his duties, not following the sharped-tongued lass about the wood. With each passing day, Bryce becomes enchanted by Lady Honor, despite his father’s words, but his unworthiness halts any proclamation of his desire.

An unlikely partnership develops during the frequent trips to the forest and work in the apothecary. The walls each has erected to protect their hearts and their future crumbles. Until a stranger arrives at the keep. Lady Honor’s secret is threatened to be revealed putting in jeopardy the growing romance between the ardent healer and the reluctant warrior-suitor.

Pre-Order Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

About the Author
Madelyn Hill has always loved the written word. From the time she could read and all through her school years, she'd sneak books into her textbooks during school. And she devoured books daily. At the age of 10 she proclaimed she wanted to be a writer. After being a "closet" writer for several years, she sent her manuscripts out there and is now published with Soul Mate Publishing. And she couldn't be happier!

A resident of Western New York, she moved from one Rochester to another Rochester to be with the love of her life. They are busy with their 3 children and a puppy named Cannoli! They love to cook, go to the movies, and hang out with friends.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Facebook ¦ Twitter ¦ Pinterest ¦ Goodreads ¦ Amazon Page ¦ Instagram

***GIVEAWAY***

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Cover Reveal Organised by:

$250 Bring On The May Flowers Cash Giveaway

Win big during our $250 Bring On the MAY Flowers Cash giveaway event!

You have the option of choosing between $250 PayPal Cash OR a Gift Card of choice!

This event was organized by The Kids Did It & The Mommy Island and sponsored by awesome bloggers, authors, and Etsy shop owners!

Kick off your shoes and relax while you enter to win our May Cash event!

 

***GIVEAWAY***

ONE entrant will be selected from the entry form to win $250 PayPal cash OR a $250 gift card of choice.

Open for entry WW, 18 years and older from 05/10/18 at 12:01 a.m. ET thru 05/31/18 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.

A winner will be chosen after/around June 01, 2018. The winner will have 24 hours to respond to notification email to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected. See Rafflecopter for official rules. The Kids Did It & The Mommy Island are responsible for sending the winner their prize via PayPal or e-gift card. The winner has the option of choosing between PayPal and an e-gift card of choice. Prize may be less than $250 if you choose a gift card with fees. Twitter 'Egg' profiles and dummy accounts are ineligible for entry and will be blocked. Authentic accounts only are eligible to win. Follow The Kids Did It on Facebook and Twitter then enter for a chance to win! 

 
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Book Blitz & Giveaway - Discovering April by Sheena Hutchinson

Discovering April
(Discovering Trilogy #1)
Author: Sheena Hutchinson
Publication Date: April 27th, 2015
Genre: New Adult Romance

Book Description:

April Landau thinks she has everything she’s ever wanted. Her high school sweetheart, a house she can’t afford, her bipolar tabby cat, and she’s all set to begin her Junior year of college. Just when she least expects it, her life gets thrown for a loop. When things between her and her long time boyfriend unravel, she becomes stuck in a downward spiral of emotion. Finally, opening her eyes to the fact that she may have given up more than she ever could have imagined in this relationship. She finds herself struggling to keep her head above water.

Enter April’s next door neighbor— Jared Hoffman. He’s her complete opposite. A high school drop out who was forced to take over his parent’s business after their untimely death. It’s no surprise this tragedy affected him greatly, causing him to recede almost completely from society.

But he has one secret. A secret he’s been carrying around for years.

What happens when their worlds collide? Can an old friendship be the one thing that brings these two back to life?

A New Adult love story filled with drama, sex, death, and the complications of all the above.

* This is the first book in the Discovering Trilogy (chronologically). Each can be read as their own novels with individual stories. But, the cast of characters will overlap throughout each book. *

On sale for 99¢ for a limited time only!

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Promo & Giveaway - Inspired by Susan Schaefer Bernardo

Inspired

Author: Susan Schaefer Bernardo

Genre: MG/YA Fantasy/Mythology

Release Date: May 2018

Publisher: Inner Flower Child Books

Book Description:

Rocket Malone is not thrilled with the direction her life is taking. Her mom has just remarried, and they are moving from their hip cottage in Venice Beach to her stepfather’s home in Hollywood. Her best friend, Gillian, has a new friend and a new boyfriend, and Rocket feels left behind. When she finds out that her mother is pregnant with twins, she is furious. 

All of these problems are quickly overshadowed when Rocket discovers that she is descended from the Greek muses, and is therefore obligated to serve as an apprentice to the nine mythological sisters. Rocket sees herself as smart but not creative, and apprenticing to the muses does not come naturally to her. She tries to help several people, but just cannot find the right person to aid. 

Along with the fun, intelligent story about Greek gods, muses, and other mythological figures, Inspired captures the trials and tribulations of discovering oneself while dealing with the challenges of middle school. Rocket does not want her life to change, but she must adapt, learning to share her mom and her best friend while finding new ways to create her own joy. 

Rocket and her friends have some very serious problems. Rocket’s father committed suicide; her mother is in the midst of a high-risk pregnancy. Her friend Ryan lost his sister in a car accident and then was abandoned by his father; the home he shares with his mother is destroyed in a fire. These issues are thoughtfully addressed in the story as the adolescents learn not to blame themselves, to accept what is, and to help one another through the hardest parts. 

Inspired is delightful, insightful, and charming as it encourages kids to face their obstacles and chase their own passions.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Publisher

BOOK REVIEW: Forbidden Tides by Kyla Stan

Forbidden Tides

Author: Kyla Stan

Book Description:
Some would say I look like a mermaid, the essence of nautical beauty. I looked in the mirror and saw a monster....

Astrid Murphy, born with strange webbed hands and a thirst for saltwater, feels like a freak. She desires to look and feel normal, just like her family. But Astrid doesn’t realize that she’s meant to be the next ruler of the Deep Clan, a race of merfolk who are dying from pollution and overhunting. She is the only one who can save them.

Zander’s mission was to find Astrid and bring her home. Not fall in love with his target. Surrounded in a web of danger, a forbidden love between clan daughter and warrior blossoms. Zander knows they can’t focus on each other, and the Deep Clan must come first.

But it’s the one enemy Astrid never expected who will tear it all down. Her father. The one person who was supposed to love and protect her, will do anything to keep her from fulfilling her destiny with Zander. Even kill.

As Astrid and Zander fight for their world, they learn the true depth of what it means to love, the power of hope, and what it means to be free.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Forbidden Tides is my first mermaid themed book, and a jolly good read it was. Having been born with webbed hands, what Astrid Murphy considers a deformity, she has always longed to be normal. Not only is she ostracised at school, but she also has to endure suffering and rejection from her own father, Finnegan Murphy, who is disgusted by her abnormality as she is a constant reminder of the Sirenia, a race of merfolk, who he deems to be vicious creatures and an abomination to life, thus, he has made it his life's mission to annihilate the Sirenia race. Unbeknown to Astrid, her deformity is not a deformity at all but rather an inherent feature of her heritage. Astrid is half human and half mermaid. Having learned the truth about her origin, Astrid has to decide whether or not to rise to the occasion and guide her kind to safety.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I had no expectations going in, and while I do have some reservations about the book, particularly the mid section, overall, I thought the story was engaging. Astrid and Zander were likable characters. I think many people will be able to relate to Astrid in the sense of feeling like an outcast because of your difference and attempting to alter your image in a bid to fit in and be accepted. There were a lot of important messages and themes addressed in the book that I appreciated. There was one thing about the story I found disturbing and very unexpected. It's one thing to capture and sell the merfolk, but it's another thing entirely to have the population consume these beings. Given that these creatures are described as human-like from the waist up, it was a provoking thought to have running through my mind. Thankfully, this topic wasn't explored in depth.

From the moment this book began it reminded me of a TV show I started watching recently called Siren. There were a lot of similarities in the depiction of the merfolk. These aren't the sweet and friendly creatures we are told about as children or that we often see depicted on screen. These vicious and feral creatures are all about survival of the fittest. Being the first to have captured a Sirenia, Finnegan knows all too well about the danger these creatures pose. The fishing industry are hunting these creatures and are attacking their food supplies just to draw them out of the deep, and it's up to Astrid and Zander to bring them back to safety. Finnegan, however, has different plans and will go to any lengths to get what he wants, even risking his daughter's life. Zander's mission and the objective of the story was well established at the start of the book, but we lose sight of this somewhere in the middle with the focus shitting to Astrid and Zander and their blossoming romance. Don't get me wrong, I love a good romance between characters - it's a definite plus - but it shouldn't be at the extent where it overshadows or sabotage the plot, which I felt it did. I wasn't too fond of the mid section of the book. Honestly, I did lose interest and my focus did shift in and out as I was reading. Fortunately, the book did take a turn in the right direction and got back on track.

For the most part, I did enjoy the story, and I'm glad I got the chance to read it.

VERDICT

Award: Silver

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Source: Author

Book Spotlight & Giveaway - The Forbidden Groom by Sarah Gay

The Forbidden Groom
Author: Sarah Gay

Book Description:

Cole isn't looking for love. In fact, it's forbidden by his PR firm and agent until a new contract can be negotiated with the Texas Titans. His resolve is tested when he lays eyes on Maggie, the spunky caterer. Ever since she caught him from falling, he can't seem to stop himself from falling for her.

Maggie, a Park City Firefighter, needs a change of scenery. When an offer comes in to possibly take over a successful event planning business in sunny Dallas, Texas, she jumps at it. After a group of NFL players crash her first event, Maggie's amazing opportunity fizzles. Cole, the handsome football player has ruined her employment prospects and wounded her pride. She may find the true love she has always dreamed of if she can forgive him.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Release Day Giveaway - The Redeemed Groom by Taylor Hart

The Redeemed Groom

Author: Taylor Hart

Book Description:

Sloane Kent, famous Country music star, is only in Jackson, Wyoming for one reason: lay down the music for his next album. Since his mother’s passed away and his girlfriend’s left him, there’s been no music, no feeling…nothing. While on a run, he witnesses what a appears to be a young woman who needs help and finds himself hopping on a Greyhound Bus headed for Las Vegas.

Hope Jones does not need a celebrity super star’s help and when he gets on the bus and tries to make friends with her…she turns him down flat. But when she discovers he’s fleeing from a stalker….she decides to listen to his story. Too bad … he lied about it to get her talk to him. Good thing she tells him to go away! But after reluctantly sharing dinner with him at a bus stop, breaking down in Rawlin’s Wyoming, and hypothesizing about having thirteen children together and living in a broken down fire station, she finds herself more and more intrigued with the famous Country Music Star.

When her ex-fiance tracks her down and puts both of their lives in jeopardy, Hope has to make a choice—trust in Sloane or lose everything.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway - Magnetic by Carissa Miller

Magnetic
Author: Carissa Miller
Publication Date: September 10th, 2017
Genre: YA Contemporary

Book Description:

When Elle Christiansen’s rebellion leads to her father’s expulsion from a parsonage in small-town Ohio, the forlorn pair is forced to move to Oklahoma to live with an aunt neither of them has ever met. Here she encounters her aunt’s neighbor—Maverick Mason, the quietly confident son of a wealthy oil tycoon who infuriates her as much as he inexplicably draws her in…

Maverick slowly gains Elle’s trust and coaxes her out from the seemingly impenetrable walls of self-protection she erected around her heart when her mother was murdered. He convinces Elle to confide the secrets of her tortured past: that she saw her mother’s murder before it took place, and she was the one who found her, bleeding to death at the end of a lonely dirt road. Together the unlikely pair begins to unlock the secrets of not only Elle’s sordid past, but her mother’s and grandmother’s as well, to uncover decades of greed, corporate corruption, lies, and murder. Quickly, the sobering realization hits: if they do not solve her mother’s murder, Elle will undoubtedly suffer the same fate. As she continues her journey toward truth alongside the boy she is magnetically drawn to in a way both frightening and uncontrollable, Elle finds the road she is most afraid of going down—that one lane dirt road where her mother was murdered—just might be the only place she can truly find redemption.

Magnetic tells of the enduring pain of living with unsolved violent crime. Inspired by debut author Carissa Miller’s true-life events, it’s a haunting account of a young girl’s struggle in the aftermath of shattering loss. With an unraveling love story, puzzling mystery, unexpected twists and turns, and a gripping pace that will keep you turning pages, our heroine takes you on her journey as she learns one of life’s great lessons: facing your fears instead of running from them, is the only way to truly find freedom.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

eBook Sale Promo – $2.99 or less

FREE eBooks

Taken by Fae

Book Description:

Penelope Rose wants freedom to make her own choices, and freedom from her arranged marriage. She finds escapism through storybooks about faeries. But when she finally meets one, will she discover they're as benevolent as she's read? Or is there a much darker twist to her fairy tales?

Amazon Link

Alphas Unleashed: Part One

Book Description:

Sara Cole has been running her whole life, from the vampires that hunt werewolves like her, and from the feral and dangerous male werewolves that have experienced nothing but violence, and know nothing but inflictingviolence on others.

Connor and Marcus are two strong alpha wolves joined by past pain at the hands of vampires. They tried to move on, searching for years for mates without finding a single female werewolf left alive. So now, day and night, they hunt vampires. But when they stumble across a curvy female werewolf, alone and afraid, their desire engulfs them, and they’ll do anything to make her theirs, even if it means sharing.

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99 Cent eBooks

Jax Starlight

Book Description:

When the Exodus ships left earth, we all thought we had a chance at starting over, finding a new world to build a colony. Only that didn’t happen. We crashed on an inhabited planet and woke up to a nightmare we can’t escape. There’s something different about this world. It’s changing me. I’m stronger, faster, and…

I know what some would say, but they’ve got it all wrong. No one in their right mind would want this power and the responsibility that comes with it. Definitely not me. I’m not a superhero. I’m just Jax, freak extraordinaire, and this is my story.

Amazon Link      

$2.99 eBooks

The Coven Princess

Book Description:

Your blood does not define you.

Harley Torrance's parents were killed in a home invasion when she was three. Adopted by a nice couple, Harley begins to develop strange powers. At fourteen she brews a potion so strong it gains the attention of the Coven King, and changes her world forever.

She's not human, she's a witch.

Now a part of the magical community, Harley must learn to control her powers lest the Darkness already in her blood overcomes her. Can she dampen her lust for power in order to stop the Dark from taking over the Coven and killing everyone in their way?

Amazon Link

Book-A-Day Giveaway - Win a $15 Amazon Gift Card

Book-A-Day Giveaway

April 30th - May 30th

Thanks to the wonderful sponsors of CBY's group giveaway.

Sponsors Showcase

Click the names to learn more about the sponsors

Lucinda E. Clarke

***GIVEAWAY***

One winner gets a $15 Amazon Gift Card.

Ends May 30th, 2018 (11.59 p.m. GMT)

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