Cover Reveal - Relentless Habit by Karen Renee

Relentless Habit

(O-Town, #1)

Author: Karen Renee

Publication Date: September 1st, 2020
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:

Cecilia

I moved to Orlando for a fresh start.

Nobody could know my secret.

Catching the attention of the hottest DJ in all of Orlando wasn’t in the plan.

He’s got moves, and they’re not just good. They are good.

Like the beats he spins in the booth, I fall fast for him and his crazy family.

When he finds out about my past, it won’t just break my heart but also crush my soul.

Brock

The third time I saw her at a crowded club, I had to have her.

After our first kiss, I knew she was a habit I would never want to break.

Knowing what she hid from me reinforces what I’ve known for so long. Women cannot be trusted.

Even knowing the worst, I can’t stay away from her.

But when push comes to shove, will I be able to keep her safe?

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Barnes & Noble ¦ iBooks ¦ Kobo ¦ Smashwords ¦ Angus & Robertson

About the Author:

Karen Renee is the award-winning author of the Riot MC series, the Beta series, and upcoming O-Town series. She has been writing since she was a teen, but has only recently brought her dream to life. Karen spent years working in the wonderful world of advertising, banking, and local television media research. She is a Jacksonville native, as well as a proud wife and mother. When she’s not at the soccer field or cooking, you can find her at her local library, the grocery store, in her car jamming out to some tunes, or hibernating while she writes and/or reads books.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Goodreads ¦ Facebook ¦ Twitter ¦ Instagram ¦ Bookbub

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Book Blitz & Giveaway - August Fog by A.L. Goulden

August Fog

(August Fog, #1)

Author: A.L. Goulden

Publication Date: August 1st 2020

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction

Book Description:

Monica Waters has 31 days to choose between the love of her life or her soulmate. Juggling an unglamorous Hollywood career and a clumsy injury with an endless cocktail of antidepressants and dull daily routines, Monica moves through her thirties in a fog, avoiding the pain of her damaged marriage, broken body, and fragile mind.

Until he comes along.

When emerging artist Quinn Matthews moves next door, just coping with the downward spiral of life is no longer feasible. Their powerful connection ignites a relationship that will tip the boundaries of their perfectly balanced lives, sparking a mutual obsession and life-altering affair.

Monica tosses her prescriptions, striving to be free of their control, but with each passing summer day, dangerous secrets seep into their quiet suburban life, inching toward disaster. Sometimes the truth is hidden for a reason.

“This is a contemporary tale of a woman’s struggle to navigate love and mental illness, while defining where and how she will land on her own feet.” –Independent Reader

“A raw and honest look at the ugly secrets behind a flawed marriage and the stigmas of depression.”

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

BOOK REVIEW: Halloween Monsters by Eric Guth

Halloween Monsters

Author: Eric Guth

Genre: Children's Fiction / Picture Book
Publication Date: 3rd August 2020

Book Description:

Spooky. Informative. Fun!

Learn the facts and origins of famous Halloween Monsters. Each creature is formed with the objects that best represent them. Mummies, Vampires, Witches—discover several of the scariest and most iconic monsters that have been featured in the media, used as decorations and worn as costumes for decades. This collection is sure to be an enjoyable and informative experience for both kids and parents.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Lions and tigers and bears ... Oh, wait, nope, wrong monsters. The fantasical beasts featured in Halloween Monsters are the threads of myth, legend, folklore and fairy tale. Honestly, this book was very fascinating. It grabbed my attention from the get-go. I'm a huge dork when it comes to mythical creatures and this featured the most familiar and popular of them all. Most of the information I was already aware of, but there were some interesting facts revealed that gave me something to think about. Despite the fun facts, I found the presentation did somewhat slack and the graphics used did not compliment the story. The font was inconsistent throughout, some of which was a little difficult to decipher, which I found jarring.

I would have given it a higher rating were it not for the presentation. It would have been nice to see some cool illustrations as the topic at hand was intriguing. Overall, it was a fun read, which I would recommend to kids aged 7+.

VERDICT

Award: Silver

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Source: Author

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Queen of Fate & Fire by Annie Anderson

Queen of Fate & Fire

(Rogue Ethereal #6)

Author: Annie Anderson

Publication Date: July 28th, 2020

Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy

Book Description:

A crown I don’t want. A bargain I can’t take back. A life I refuse to sacrifice.

After four hundred years on my own, one would think I’d be able to walk away and never look back. I’d done it a thousand times before with nary an inkling of guilt. But with my brand new predicament, there is no way I can turn down the offered bargain—not if I want everyone I love to stay alive.

Now, all I have to do is trek through the very realm I nearly died to keep sealed. Sure. Because there’s no way that could go wrong.

Unseelie Court, here I come.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Cover Reveal - The Lost King by Frazier Alexander

The Lost King

(FyreSyde Publishing)

Author: Frazier Alexander

Publication Date: November 10th, 2020

Genre: Adult Fantasy

Book Description:

In an ancient place, in an ancient time…

King Athan vanishes at sea. His children, prince Thalos and princess Thara, drift apart with age, their kingdom falling into ruin. Thalos stubbornly clings to the past; Thara, resentful of her father, looks to the future. In the wake of this decline, a beautiful enchantress usurps the throne from the estranged siblings. She exiles Thalos to the edge of the world and slowly enslaves Thara’s mind.

In his exile, Thalos finds another castaway—an old comrade of his father. Together they begin a voyage in search of the lost king. Thara, meanwhile, resists the new queen’s coercive spells and finds a resistance of creatures still loyal to her father.

With a vast world of enchanted islands and beings between them, Thalos and Thara struggle to restore their family and rekindle the hope of the true king’s return.

About the Author

Along with creating his own mythological backdrop for his stories, Frazier is an amateur calligrapher, map-maker, and artist. He is currently working on his master’s in Medieval Literature at the University of North Texas.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Instagram ¦ Facebook

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BOOK REVIEW: Open Minds (Mindjack: Kira Book 1) by Susan Kaye Quinn

Open Minds

Series: Mindjack: Kira Book 1
Author: Susan Kaye Quinn

Genre: YA Fantasy / Dystopian

Book Description:

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.

Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Trying to fit into a world of mind readers isn't an easy task for Kira Moore, a zero who can't read thoughts or have her thoughts read by others. Ever the optimists, her family and her best friend Raf still think there's a chance Kira could develop her mind-reading abilities despite the fact that at the age of sixteen she is long past the usual age of transition. As Kira starts to accept the fact that she's destined for life as a zero, the unexpected happens: she jacks Raf's mind and controls his actions. This new-found ability terrifies Kira, who not only has a hard time trying to find her place in the world, but she now has to hide the fact that she poses a threat to everyone around her. Kira is determined to stay away from Raf and push her new ability to the side, however, Simon, a fellow pupil at her school, has other plans. Simon is also a mind-jacker. Feeling a little less isolated, Kira allows Simon to teach her the ropes but soon start to realise that keeping the secret of being a mind-jacker comes with no perks as it means she has to decide whether or not to pretend to be a mind-reader or a zero, which would mean betraying the trust of those she loves.

It's not long before Kira's secret life start to weight heavy on her, causing a disruption in her home and school life. When she discovers that she and Simon aren't the only mind-jackers in town and that Simon has been trying to recruit her to join an organisation rooted in keeping the identity of mind-jackers a secret in order to evade capture by an organisation her dad works for, she starts to wonder whether or not Simon is friend or foe and whether or not her she can trust her family.

I must admit, I have had this ebook in my library for some time now, and while it has taken me over two years to get to it, it was worth the read. It was a thrilling book full of action, drama and intrigue. It reminded me somewhat of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley with the whole concept of existing in a world where your thoughts aren't private. It's very intrusive and terrifying, the idea that everyone is sharing their mental space, yet what I found interesting was the fact that Kira's fear stemmed from the fact that society ostracises those who cannot read minds and not the fact that being a mind-reader would be mean losing one's identity in a sea of intercepting thoughts.

It was an enjoyable read with a formidable leading character. I loved that Kira wasn't perfect, neither were the other characters. They wee flawed and didn't pretend to be anything more or less than who they were. I should have liked Raf more than I did, being that he's Kira's love interest, but I found Simon more engaging as there were more levels and complexities to his character.

VERDICT

Award: Gold

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Source: Own copy

Book Blitz & Giveaway - The Game Maker by Kitty Thomas

The Game Maker

Author: Kitty Thomas
Publication Date: July 15th, 2020

Genre: Adult Dark Romance

Book Description:

I was too isolated. I was about to be evicted. I made a final desperate call to the man who ruined my life, but he didn’t come for me.

Someone else did.

And then there was Seven. When I first woke in the cell, I thought he was my captor, but he is a pawn, like me.

Seven is beautiful and kind. I want him so much I can barely breathe. He wants to protect me from our captor, but he can’t.

We are both locked inside a game neither of us can ever hope to win, and even though it’s wrong, I’m starting to want both men, not just the good one… the monster as well.

Buy Links:

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

BOOK REVIEW - Dragon's Breath by Michael Gordon

Dragon's Breath

Author: Michael Gordon

Genre: Picture Book
Publication Date: 26 April 2017

Book Description:

What happens when a Dragon doesn't brush his teeth? Well…we all heard about the ''dragon's breath’’. That's why learning proper dental care is really important for a little boy and his friend Dragon Joe.

* Teach the importance of brushing teeth in a cute and fun way
* Create more positive attitudes in preschoolers
* Perfect book for kids who love dragons
*Solutions that help keep teeth clean and healthy

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

George and his pet dragon, Joe, are the best of friends. They do everything together, execept one thing: Joe refuses to brush his teeth. When Joe's oral hygiene start to become a problem, George has to think up clever ways to convince Joe that brushing one's teeth is vital.

This was a jolly good read. I thought it was cleverly executed. George and the Dragon, Dragon's Breath ... Clever play on words. The book had a great message about oral hygiene, which is a common problem among youths, so it's a very important and relatable read. It's a book the whole family can read. Good illustration and rhythm continuity throughout.

VERDICT

Award: Gold

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Source: Own copy

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Inherent Fate by Alicia Anthony

Inherent Fate

(Blood Secrets, #3)

Author: Alicia Anthony

Publication Date: July 21st, 2020

Genre: Psychological Suspense

Book Description:

A discarded asset stripped of her identity…

An emotionally scarred ex-agent…

An innocent life hanging in the balance…

Who would you trust if the world was out to get you?

Losing Liv Sullivan in a Bureau operation gone bad turned ex-agent Ridge McCaffrey into a broken man. So when fate reunites him with the woman he thought was dead, he’ll risk anything to make her part of his life again.

Liv Sullivan returned to the States with two goals: end the FBI’s corrupt GenLink psychic intelligence program and reclaim the life it stole from her. But when the case against GenLink exposes a threat against Ridge’s son, the cost becomes too great. Refusing to destroy more lives, she leaves Ridge, and the chance to reclaim her identity, behind. 

But as a new generation of GenLink closes in, once-trusted allies become enemies, and long-buried secrets threaten.

Can Liv and Ridge end GenLink before echoes of the past destroy their future?

Inherent Fate is the compelling third installment in the Blood Secrets psychological suspense series. For fast-paced, emotionally intense story lines that keep you up past your bedtime, and intricate plots laced with romance, this award-winning series is for you.

Book 3 of 3. Series is best enjoyed in sequence.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Barnes & Noble ¦ Kobo

Book Blitz - Her Second Chance Cowboy by Makenna Lee

Her Second Chance Cowboy

Author: Makenna Lee

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Description:

Wealthy cowboy, James MacLachlan, is content running his massive family ranch and starting an equine therapy program for special needs children. After his mother died in childbirth, and witnessing his father’s destruction at the loss of true love, James sticks to casual affairs. Marriage and children are risks he won’t take.

Reese Turner visits Cypress Creek, Texas, to complete a photo assignment for National Geographic and buy back her grandparents’ cottage. After disastrous romances, she’s sworn off men to focus on her career. Marriage and the babies she longs for can wait. When she runs into an old flame, she decides she can live out a fantasy, then leave town to pursue her dreams. But love doesn’t play by the rules…

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Entangled Pub

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Falling for the Innkeeper by Meghann Whistler

Falling for the Innkeeper

Author: Meghann Whistler

Published by: Harlequin Love Inspired

Publication Date: July 21st, 2020

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:

She’s the home he never expected to find.

A battle for a charming Cape Cod inn…

But what happens when romance checks in?

Single mom Laura Lessoway won’t accept her mother’s plan of selling her late grandmother’s inn without a fight. But when big-city attorney Jonathan Masters arrives to arrange an offer from his client, she’s drawn to him. And working together as he helps with repairs only brings them closer. With his career and her home on the line, can they ever find common ground?

Buy Links:

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

Book Blitz & Giveaway - The Aftermath of Drifting Away by Audrey Beaudoin

The Aftermath of Drifting Away

(Fate, #1)
Author: Audrey Beaudoin

Publication Date: July 15th, 2020

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Book Description:

We survived the plane crash. 

We survived days on a raft in the middle of the ocean. Right when all hope to get rescued crumbled, we shared a kiss that left me heartbroken―my first and last kiss.

Or so I thought. Because we didn’t die. 

My plan is to never see Chris Ross again. To keep hanging out with his sister without crossing his path. Getting my life back together and working on my goals are the only things that matter. I have plans, and they don’t include love. 

But then he shows up at my workplace, asking for my friendship. When I learn something that changes everything, I’m determined to stay away and not let myself fall for him.

Too bad he’s persistent. Too bad I can’t stop thinking about the damn kiss. Too bad it’s nice having him around and being his friend.

If things were to change, they could get really complicated…

The Aftermath of Drifting Away is a sweet contemporary forbidden romance. It is the first book in the Fate series that can be read as a stand-alone.

Buy Links:

Amazon US  ¦ UK ¦ Barnes & Noble

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Where Loyalties Lie by Jill Ramsower

Where Loyalties Lie

Author: Jill Ramsower

Publication Date: July 15th, 2020

Genre: Adult Romance / Suspense

Book Description:

Tamir

My neighbors and students know me as a self-defense instructor.

Israeli ex-patriot. Former special forces. Retired soldier.

They see what I allow them to see.

Reality is far less attractive.

I still do the job that I love.

Something much uglier than teaching Krav Maga.

Only now, I work for myself instead of the government.

An independent contractor, if you will.

For those wealthy enough to hire me, my resume reads:

Israeli ex-patriot. Former special forces. Professional assassin.

Emily

There is absolutely nothing remarkable about me.

At least, that’s what my friends would say.

Waitress. Loner. Tequila connoisseur. Krav Maga student.

What they don’t know is an ugly secret forced me to abandon my past.

I left my family and everything I knew.

Hid myself away where no one would find me.

I thought I was safe. Untraceable.

I was wrong.

Now, there’s only one thing I can do if I want to stay alive.

Run.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

BOOK REVIEW - Screamcatcher: Dream Chasers by Christy J Breedlove

Screamcatcher: Dream Chasers

Author: Christy J. Breedlove

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publication Date: 24th March 2020

Book Description:

Seventeen year-old Jory Pike knows a thing or two about Indian lore from her half-blood Chippewa ancestry. She can trap, hunt and fish with the best of them. She has a team of three other teens friends called The Badlands Paranormal Society. Instead of bagging groceries or playing on I-pods, they think they can excel at banishing evil spirits. They hope to cleanse houses and earn fat paychecks for their services.

Dream catchers aren't just the chic hoops tourists buy at novelty shops--they work. And sometimes they clog up with nightmares until they collapse under their own evil weight, imploding and sending the dreamer into an alternate world. Jory uses her worst nightmare to enter the dream catcher world. She’s pulled her teammates in deliberately. Everything goes right on schedule but they’ve bitten off more than they can chew. Now Jory and her friends are there, trapped between the people who have confessed their sins to the Great Spirit and are seeking a way out, and the monsters and evil spirits, which are happy to keep them trapped in the web world forever.

They were once considered Seekers in the dream world. Now they’ve become vigilantes and call themselves Pathfinders. Is it spiritual enlightenment they after? Or have they now become fatally reckless?

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Jory Pike and the gang have returned with a mission that is quite literally a nightmare. As The Badlands Paranormal Society, they offer a service to all those in need of banishing evil spirits. Why? Because if they don't, who else is going to get their hands dirty and come to the rescue of those in need of help? As prepared as they believe they are, however, there are just some things one cannot prepare the mind for. Will they survive this time around? Only time will tell.

This was certainly an improvement from the previous book, particularly in character development. The dynamics of the characters and their relationship with one another was much more noticeable and their personalities came across a lot more, especially the supporting characters. I still couldn't relate much with characters and didn't connect with anyone other than Jory, but I did appreciate that the supporting characters had more of a presence. The characters appeared younger than their age, which would explain some of their releckless and immature behaviour in certain scenes. I got a Scooby Doo meets Goosebumps vibes a few times, which I believe was mostly down to the way the characters were portrayed. This did help lighten the mood as the characters did encounter some dark and dangerous missions.

It was definitely an exciting book that compels one to broaden their imagination. It's adventurous and intense and delves into a fascinating mythology that hasn't been explored enough. A good read indeed.

VERDICT

Award: Gold

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: Author

Book Blitz & Giveaway - A Spectacle of Souls by Jessica Julien

A Spectacle of Souls

(Circus of the Stolen #1)

Author: Jessica Julien

Published by: Bleeding Ink Publishing

Publication Date: July 7th, 2020

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

Book Description:

Caitlyn always thought she was just your average small-town waitress, but she’s anything but average. Suffering from frequent headaches and vivid daydreams, her oddities mask a secret hidden deep within her mind—one that could defeat even the cleverest of psychics.

When a mysterious circus arrives in town, Caitlyn is immediately drawn to it. While visiting the hypnotic show, she meets a seer who warns her of a gruesome future and urges her to stay away. But soon, Caitlyn finds herself ensnared in the show and the Ringmaster himself.

Recognizing Caitlyn’s powers for what they are, and believing they are the ones he has been searching for, the Ringmaster is determined to claim them as his own. Trapped within the circus and the Ringmaster’s devious grip, Caitlyn realizes that to escape the seer’s foretold fate, her only choice is to fight. Banding together with Bevier, an imprisoned psychic, Meg, an eccentric seamstress, and Daniel, a handsome magician, Caitlyn falls into the Psychic Realm to thwart the Ringmaster and stop the show before they succumb to his control and are trapped forever in his spectacle of souls.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Barnes & Noble ¦ Kobo

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Kaps by Christina Bauer

Kaps

(Angelbound Offspring #5)

Author: Christina Bauer

Published by: Monster House Books

Publication Date: June 30th, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Book Description:

Sometimes, you just have to punch a shape-shifting vampire Nazi. Like tonight, for instance.

Meet Princess Kaps: renegade, dragon shifter, and general pain in her royal parent’s backsides. Although Kaps pretends to love rock and roll, she’s actually obsessed with fighting the Audax, a group of shape-shifting vampire Nazis. And to slay herself some vampires, Kaps collects magical dragon relics.

Enter the L’Griffe–AKA the shifter mafia–who also hunt down supernatural artifacts. Kaps gets in their way and ends up with a price on her head. And things get tricky.

A bounty hunter named Mack comes to collect. Although he’s human, Mack knows all about shifter ways. And what he lacks in shifting power, Mack more than makes up for with a lethal combination of looks, strength, and smarts. After luring the princess away with an epic kiss, Mack slaps some supernatural handcuffs on Kaps, tosses her in a van, and heads off to L’Griffe headquarters with his quarry.

The fact that Kaps is really dragon royalty doesn’t bother Mack in the slightest. And the Audax don’t frighten him, either.

But that kiss with Kaps? It might be a problem.

“I am super intrigued by Kaps! She is independent, snarky and adventurous, and just a hint jaded. I can’t wait to see what terrible mischief she finds herself in during her own book!” – Smada’s Book Smack

Angelbound Offspring

1. Maxon

2. Portia

3. Zinnia

4. Rhodes

5. Kaps

6. Huntress

Buy Links:

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