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Saturday 9 July 2016

Promo Blitz - The Brothers' Keepers by John H. Paddison and Charles D. Orvik



The Brothers' Keepers
Author: John H. Paddison and Charles D. Orvik
Genre: Literary Fiction

Book Description:
The Brothers’ Keepers, a modern literary novel, is a collaborative work written by John H. Paddison and Charles D. Orvik. Based on the book’s tone, theme, and literary intention, which are similar in style to Sherwood Anderson’s classic Winesburg, Ohio, this work will prove to be a significant contribution to contemporary literature.

As a novel dealing with the saga of one family, the work closely analyzes an ongoing cultural myth of small Midwest American towns and families—that is, the idea and ideal of family values that have come to symbolize that geographic region. Much like Richard Russo recently did in his novel Empire Falls, the story emerges from within a historical framework. The story takes place in the Northeastern part of North Dakota, in the fictional town of Farmington, during and after the Great Depression. The storyline develops around the neglect and then abandonment of five young boys—the Lambson brothers—by their alcoholic mother and their drifter father, and indeed by society in general. Having been exhaustively researched, the novel details in a sensitive yet realistic way the brothers’ development under very adverse physical and social conditions and the five boys’ eventual outcome. Events of the story are structured so as to extract meaning from the youngsters’ trials; the narrative voice is sensitive yet forceful in adding understanding of their tribulations, thus bringing light to two social ills that plague America today—child neglect and child abuse.

Set primarily in the post-depression Midwest, the novel follows five young brothers--Dewey, Duane,Lloyd, Leeland, and Darrell Lambson—from childhood to adulthood. Their parents essentially abandon them in the late 1930s. The narrative focus of the novel is the detailed description of the Lambson boys’ day-to-day struggle to survive physically, emotionally, and socially. After their father leaves them, the boys live on a dilapidated farm on the outskirts of the agricultural community of Farmington, North Dakota with their alcoholic mother. In her own pursuit of escape, she often leaves the children to their own means for extended periods of time. The brothers’ hardships form a strong, familial bond between them—the only definition of family that they can construct from their aberrant circumstances. The broader narrative, though, becomes an attempt to understand how a society that traditionally has always placed so much emphasis on family and family values, at least seemingly, can condone such treatment of the five youngsters. This probing of social responsibility is relevant to today’s society, with children increasingly becoming the victims of abuse and neglect.

Buy Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10785902-the-brothers-keepers?from_search=true&search_version=service

CBY'S Saturday Current Reads - Lost Amidst the Cosmic Storm by Mike Phillips


MY SATURDAY CURRENT READS IS:


Genre: YA Fantasy
Expected Release Date: Fall 2016

Book Description:
It’s a bold new world that no one was ready for…

When the first colony reached the planet that would become their new home, tragedy struck. The sun exploded, sending solar flares of incalculable magnitude into space, destroying the colonist’s fragile technologies and leaving them helpless. One of the colony ships crashed in an ocean near a cluster of islands. Another was lost somewhere in the world. The last was flung deep into the endless void.

The survivors of the first ship began their new lives. Hoping against all hope that they could find their sister ship, the people of the islands made their way to the continent. There they found great beasts of burden, strange creatures that seemed almost tame, creatures that would take them over the vastness of the new world. But all was not to end happily. The alien night came and the colonists were attacked by terrible beasts. That is where this story begins.

The children survived. As their parents died, they escaped to safety. Nearly fifteen years later finds the children living in the world, still searching for the lost colony. But the children were too young to know their own history, and have built a mythology about those they seek and the strange world they find themselves in. This story tells of the children’s last journey through the wilderness, and what happens when they finally find their brethren and rescue.

Friday 8 July 2016

Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway - Eternal Mercury by Elaine Pinter

Eternal Mercury
Author: Elaine Pinter

Book Description:
Chelsee Taylor has been in love with her boyfriend, Max, since they started kindergarten together. She has no idea that high school graduation will be the last perfect day of her life. After a tragic car accident, she refuses to accept Max's death because she can still feel his presence. No one believes her and she is completely alone. But all of that changes the moment she meets Blake Andersen. It's not just that he believes her . . . or even just that he's so understanding . . . but why is Max's presence so strong when she's with Blake?

Eternal Mercury is two intertwined books in one. Book one follows Chelsee’s bittersweet journey and book two uncovers Blake’s story of redemption. In the end, it is Max who will inspire them both to trust fate, live life, and finish well.

 Buy Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28177376-eternal-mercury?

Promo Blitz - The Miracles & Millions Saga by Ella Carmichael




The Miracles & Millions Saga
Author: Ella Carmichael
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Date Published: June 2016

Book Description:
Who is Dorothy Lyle?

She’s a woman who appears super-normal at first glance. She resides in a modest house in a small Irish town, and commutes to a typical office. She’s a lone parent who misses her children now that they are at college. Yet Dorothy is so much more than the obvious. She is a powerful psychic who has been masquerading as normal for twenty years. She is also a woman who has been avoiding men since a nasty breakup and divorce left her reeling in shock while still in her twenties.

The winds of change begin to blow around Dorothy as she approaches her fortieth birthday. An unfortunate affair of the heart means that her daughter, Diane, has distanced herself from her former home and doting mother. Dorothy wonders if some extra cash might alleviate the immediate problem.

Enter the lottery and one hundred and eight-five million tax free dollars.

How easy do you think it is to hide your true self when you unexpectedly become the fortieth richest woman in your own small country? How feasible do you think it is to avoid all dating and romantic involvements when you are single, and literally rolling in cash? How practical do you think it is to stay safe when so many of those around you seem to resent your good fortune?

This box set contains the following three books:

DOROTHY LYLE IN AVARICE – BOOK 1. Join Dorothy on the first leg of her rollercoaster journey as she discovers what an emotionally charged and complicated experience dealing with unexpected wealth can be. Clairvoyance may in handy on occasion, but it doesn’t help you decide who gets what!

DOROTHY LYLE IN COLOUR – BOOK 2. Relax with Dorothy as she begins to truly enjoy her wealth and changes in fortune. Only for her new-found pleasure to be jeopardised by a tarot card reading of all things! Once again, change is afoot, although this time it’s of a sinister nature.

DOROTHY LYLE IN HELP – BOOK 3. Watch what happens when Dorothy concedes that she cannot protect herself alone, and sets out to hire professional help. Ever wondered what it would be like to come face to face with your other half? The half you weren’t fully aware was even missing. And if he happened to be in a bad mood at that momentous moment, do you think it might colour your judgement? Read on, folks, and find out the answers to these questions and about a hundred more.

MIRACLES AND MILLIONS: TWO MINDS, TWO BODIES, TWO HEARTS, ONE SOUL

Buy Links:


Thursday 7 July 2016

Book Blast & Giveaway - A Second Chance by Dana K. Ray



A Second Chance
Author: Dana K. Ray
Publisher: eLectio Publishing
Pages: 352
Genre: YA/New Adult/Inspirational

Book Description:
A past she can’t forget…

Raven will do just about anything to forget a horrific event from the past that still haunts her. Forced to attend church because of a promise she made at a party, she is immediately attracted to the young, handsome preacher but is unconvinced of his promises of a better life.

A future he refuses to accept…

Matthew has everything planned out until Raven walks into his church and turns his life upside down. Repulsed by her lifestyle, yet fascinated by her beauty and charm, he finds himself drawn to her by a force he can’t explain.

Raven and Mathew’s unlikely friendship leads them through escalating troubled waters that threaten to doom their growing relationship. Will they survive to learn valuable lessons of grace, forgiveness and love?

Buy Links:


EXCERPT

Raven staggered into her bedroom and fell on the bed. Darkness pressed into her on every side. A shard of light sliced through the room. She tried to focus on the ceiling, but the room spun around her. She slid to the edge of the bed until one foot lay flat on the floor. It was supposed to stop the spinning. It didn’t.

Oh, God. If You keep me from puking, I swear, I’ll never drink again.

It was an empty promise, as deceiving as the alcohol. The numbness was too short. All too quickly, she’d end up in the same position, praying the same stupid prayer, talking to a God she didn’t know.

Teresa appeared. Raven smiled and reached out to her best friend. Teresa came closer. Her face was white and her lips were blue. Raven’s smile faded as terror filled her.

“I’m sorry,” Raven whispered and blinked away the tears, then gave her head a gentle shake to rid herself of the ghost. Wrong move. Teresa vanished like a vapor, but her stomach churned in protest. She looked back at the ceiling, pushed the thoughts of Teresa out of her mind, and focused on not puking.

Teresa was back with a vengeance, haunting her this time, calling to her...

“Raven.”

Raven rolled on her side and pulled the pillow over her head to muffle the girl’s voice. The shrink said the memories would fade. They didn’t.

“Raven.”

Startled, she sat up and tried to focus on something. Her heart pounded as hard as her head did. She must’ve been dreaming.

“Raven.” There was pounding. “Get the door,” her sister yelled.

Raven turned. Hailey stood in the doorway of her room. Is it morning? Did I sleep? Am I still buzzed or hung over? She sat motionless for a moment. Her head throbbed. Cotton mouth. I’m hung over.

“The door?” Raven asked, but Hailey had already disappeared.

Raven crawled across the bed, peeked out the window, and looked down at the front porch. Travis, the preacher boy, pounded on the door again.

“I’ll kill him.” The doorbell shrilled through the house, intensifying the pounding in her head.


About the Author
Dana K. Ray has been writing gutsy, true to life stories since she became a teenager. She and her husband reside in the Midwest with their four children and four dogs. She loves writing, mochas and Oreo’s. A Second Chance is her first published novel. Absolution, the first in the Luciano Series, is scheduled to be published in July, 2017. Dana loves to connect with her readers and other aspiring authors at www.danakray.com.

Author Links:




***GIVEAWAY***

Dana K. Ray is giving away a $10 Gift Card!

Terms & Conditions:
•    By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
•    One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive $10 Amazon Gift Certificate
•    This giveaway begins July 5 and ends on July 29.
•    Winners will be contacted via email on July 30.
•    Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!


Book Blast Organised by:
 http://www.pumpupyourbook.com

Wednesday 6 July 2016

Blog Tour Guest Post - Mrs. Parsley Makes a Delivery and Other Stories by Julian Padowicz

http://ravenswoodpublishing.blogspot.co.uk/p/mrs-parsley-makes-delivery-and-other.html


Mrs. Parsley Makes a Delivery and Other Stories
Author: Julian Padowicz
Release Date: July 5, 2016
Keywords: magic, fantasy, good witches, children’s books, middle-grade books, chapter books, magical grandmothers & godmothers
Categories: Children’s Stories/Magic/Fantasy
Pages: 138
ISBN: 978-1533167637
Imprint: Sunquills

ONE LINER: Mrs. Parsley helps the likes of Santa and The Tooth Fairy in carrying out their duties. But, lacking their magic powers, she must improvise with the help of her magical cat.

Book Description:
Mrs. Parsley is a good-witch who, with the help of her magical cat, Laptop, substitutes for the likes of Santa, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy, and the various Fairy Godmothers, when they have more work than they can handle. However, since she does not have the specialized magic powers that they possess, she is challenged to find creative ways to carry out these duties.

Buy Links:

Release Blitz - Legacy of Truth by Christy Nicholas



Legacy of Truth
Druid's Brooch Series, #2
Author: Christy Nicholas
Genre:
Historical Fiction / Historical Fantasy
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Release Date: July 6, 2016

Book Description:
Set in late 18th century Ireland, Esme must grow up quickly in small, isolated northwestern town. Her parents are leaving for America, abandoning her and her sister to fend for themselves. As she struggles to find her place, she finds it difficult to keep hold of what's left that's precious to her.

Once married and in a new town, Esme's only friend, Aisling, helps her through difficult times, as her Traveler husband stays away longer and longer plying his trade.

While Esme has had some comfort in her small family, she must now find comfort on her own, as her treacherous sister tries stealing the family heirloom to sell, a brooch reputed to have mystical powers, which had been left to her by her grandfather. Esme must learn to cope with her dwindling family and growing despair in order to keep the brooch safe.

 Legacy of Truth is available for $.99 during pre-order and the first week of release only. After that the list price is $5.99


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30283385-legacy-of-truth?from_search=true&search_version=service

Tuesday 5 July 2016

Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway - Caught Bread Handed by Ellie Alexander



Caught Bread Handed
Author: Ellie Alexander

Book Description:
Welcome to Torte—a friendly, small-town family bakeshop where the oven is heating up as high as the body count…

Jules Capshaw is still chewing over her husband Carlos’s return to Ashland, Oregon. Could there be too many cooks in the kitchen? Whatever is stirring between those two will have to wait. Despite the Oregon Shakespeare Festival being dark for the winter, the bakeshop is bustling, the dough is rolling, and there’s no rest for the weary… especially when murder is thrown into the mix.

When Mindy Nolan, the owner of a new restaurant in town, turns up dead, the batter at hand thickens. Jules knows that there was bad blood between Mindy and others in town, and tracking the killer could prove to be an unwelcome treat. And to top it all off, there’s Carlos, who is pleading—with those delicious dark eyes and sexy Spanish accent—for Jules to take him back. Is home where the heart is or will she make a fresh start… and risk getting burned?

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Vintage Books (for signed copies)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26114338-caught-bread-handed?ac=1&from_search=1&from_nav=true

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway - Raven’s Peak by Lincoln Cole



Raven’s Peak
World on Fire
Book 1
Lincoln Cole
Genre: Horror/Paranormal Thriller
Date of Publication: 7/4/16
ISBN: 9780997225976
Number of pages: 280
Word Count: 76,000
Cover Artist: MN Arzu

Book Description:
A quiet little mountain town is hiding a big problem. When the townsfolk of Raven's Peak start acting crazy, Abigail Dressler is called upon to find out what is happening. She uncovers a demonic threat unlike any she's ever faced and finds herself in a fight just to stay alive.

She rescues Haatim Arison from a terrifying fate and discovers that he has a family legacy in the supernatural that he knows nothing about. Now she's forced to protect him, which is easy, and also trust him if she wants to save the townsfolk of Raven's Peak. Trust, however, is considerably more difficult for someone who grew up living on the knife's edge of danger.

Can they discover the cause of the town's insanity and put a stop to it before it is too late?

Buy Links:

Monday 4 July 2016

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Wings of War by Karen Ann Hopkins

Embers
(Wings of War #1)
Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Publication Date: March 15th, 2015
Genres: Dystopian, Paranormal, Young Adult

Book Description:
There are descendants of angels walking among us. Ember is one of them. 

Embers is an epic paranormal adventure/romance about a seventeen year old girl who discovers that she’s immune to fire and any other injury when she’s in a horrific car crash that kills her parents. Following a violent episode with her aunt’s boyfriend, Ember flees Ohio to live with an old relative in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Ember’s exuberance at escaping a bad home life soon turns to trepidation when she learns that she’s a Watcher, a descendant of angels.

While Ember is instructed about her heritage and the powers that go along with it, she strikes up friendships with two teenagers who live in a frightening walled compound in the forest. Inexplicitly drawn to one of the young men in particular, an impossible romance develops. But it’s cut short when Ember discovers that her new friends are fighting on the opposite side of a war that’s been raging between two factions of Watchers for thousands of years. When the compound’s inhabitants threaten the townspeople, Ember takes action, sealing her fate in the ancient battle of good versus evil, and the grayness in between. Ember is up to the challenge, until she realizes that she isn’t only fighting for the lives of the locals and the souls of her new friends. She may be one of the few champions willing to make a stand for all of mankind as the rapture approaches and the end of days begin.

Embers is the first novel in the dark and gritty YA paranormal romance series, The Wings of War.
The complete series:
Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ Amazon UK
**Grab Embers – book 1 – for only 99 CENTS for a limited time! (UK link)**

https://www.goodreads.com/series/135612-the-wings-of-war

Saturday 2 July 2016

Book Blast & Giveaway - Chasing Fireflies by Taylor Dean

Chasing Fireflies
Author: Taylor Dean

Book Description:
My sisters think I’m crazy. 

But, I’ve never forgotten the mysterious woman from my childhood who told me Paul is the name of my one true love.

She told me to search far and wide for him.

I haven’t stopped looking ever since.

When I stumble across an article about a successful American entrepreneur named Paul who lives and works in China, I’m intrigued. When the opportunity to teach English in China presents itself on the same day, I know it’s not a coincidence.

It’s destiny.

My sisters say I’m chasing a dream. 

Just like the fireflies we tried to catch on the warm summer evenings of our youth, the dream seems beyond my grasp. Will my quest for the elusive Paul always be just short of fulfillment?

My sisters tell me it’s a fool’s errand. 

Until I remind them of the day we saw the Red Bird. The memory silences them. The Red Bird Incident remains inarguable—and proves my search for Paul is not a silly fantasy. I will find Paul . . . I will.

Buy Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26301660-chasing-fireflies

BOOK REVIEW: Infinite Time by H.J. Lawson

Infinite Time
Author: H.J. Lawson
Genre: Young Adult Sci-Fi
Date Published: June 1, 2016

Book Description:
Save the girl.
Save the day.
Save yourself.

The mission sounds easy enough, but it is anything but easy for Parker Jenkins. Yesterday, ordinary, poverty-stricken Parker was an ordinary high school kid, getting bullied relentlessly and trying to get by. Today, he's a time traveler with gifted powers expected to carry out the extraordinary. Teaming up with another time traveler, Scarlet, they must save an innocent girl on the run before the villains kill them all. If they don't, their present-day selves will die. But can the ordinary perform the extraordinary?

Buy Links:

Friday 1 July 2016

Blog Tour Promo - In the Shadow of the Gods by Rachel Dunne



In the Shadows
Author:
Rachel Dunne
Release Date: June 21, 2016
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Genre: Fantasy/Action Adventure
Format: Paperback/Ebook

Book Description:
A breathtaking talent makes her debut with this first book in a dark epic fantasy trilogy, in which a mismatched band of mortals led by a violent, secretive man must stand against a pair of resentful gods to save their world.

Eons ago, a pair of gods known as the Twins grew powerful in the world of Fiatera, until the Divine Mother and Almighty Father exiled them, binding them deep in the earth. But the price of keeping the fire lands safe is steep. To prevent these young gods from rising again, all twins in the land must be killed at birth, a safeguard that has worked until now.

Trapped for centuries, the Twins are gathering their latent powers to break free and destroy the Parents for their tyranny—to set off a fight between two generations of gods for control of the world and the mortals who dwell in it.

When the gods make war, only one side can be victorious. Joros, a mysterious and cunning priest, has devised a dangerous plan to win. Over eight years, he gathers a team of disparate fighters—Scal, a lost and damaged swordsman from the North; Vatri, a scarred priestess who claims to see the future in her fires; Anddyr, a drug-addled mage wandering between sanity and madness; and Rora and Aro, a pair of twins who have secretly survived beyond the reach of the law.

These warriors must learn to stand together against the unfathomable power of vengeful gods, to stop them from tearing down the sun . . . and plunging their world into darkness.

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ Kobo

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27064416-in-the-shadow-of-the-gods?from_search=true&&search_version=service

Blog Tour Guest Post - The Quest for Merlin: Magimakía (Book 1) by Rafael Lovato

http://ravenswoodpublishing.blogspot.com/p/m.html


The Quest for Merlin
Magimakía (Book 1)
Author: Rafael Lovato
Release Date: June 30, 2016
Keywords: young adult fantasy, goblin hero, angels and demons, witchcraft, RPG games, elves fairies trolls, merlin series
Categories: Young Adult/Fantasy/ Action Adventure
Pages: 286
ISBN: 978-1530797950 & 1530797950
Imprint: Howling Wolf

ONE LINER: ‘Magimakía - the Quest for Merlin’ is the first book of a contemporary fantasy series for young adults that explores the universe of RPG and MMORPG where a naive, bullied 15 year old boy, without any knowledge of magic, tries to find the mage Merlin and save the Order of Mages and Witches from destined extinction.

Book Description:
“The Quest for Merlin" is the first book of the Young Adult fantasy series "Magimakía", goblin word meaning "The Great Battle of Mages and Witches."

Follow Oliver’s journey, a skinny, naive 15 year old boy who knows nothing about magic, let alone how to survive high school as a bullied and outcast teen, as he attempts to help save the Order of Mages from destined extinction.

Kidnapped by a midget goblin and his troll cohorts, Oliver’s only hope is to learn the whereabouts of the all powerful Merlin who has been missing for over 500 years.

With the help of two witches, Avery and Violet, Oliver begins his journey in a world full of potions, spells, and bubbling cauldrons, learning a lot about witchcraft and magic.

You will be spellbound as you are transported into this amazing landscape where anything could happen, as tragic events unfold that could keep Oliver from saving Merlin and the entire world of Mages and Witches!

Buy Links:

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway - Love, Alchemy by Eden Ashley



Love, Alchemy
Author: Eden Ashley
Genre: New Adult Romance/Fantasy
Publisher: Eden Ashley
Date of Publication: July 1, 2016
ASIN: B01ENMA95G
Number of pages: 300
Word Count: 60,000
Cover Artist: Laura Gordon

Book Description:
Daveigh Little is preparing for college, planning to leave behind the tiny hick town she’s spent her entire life in once and for all. But plagued by a trouble at home and school, Daveigh makes a series of bad choices that land her in hot water with a local kingpin. Suddenly, people around her are dying and Daveigh finds herself on the run.

And then there’s Ethan. Fresh out of the academy, Ethan Remington represents the authority Daveigh has come to despise, but she is inexplicably drawn to the handsome rookie of few words. From the first moment she laid eyes on him, Daveigh knew Ethan was different. She just didn’t realize how different. Reasons of his own have led Ethan into the tangle strands of danger with the town of Harpey…but those reasons aren’t nearly as mysterious as Ethan’s origins or the irresistible passion between them.


Buy Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29777714-love-alchemy

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway - The Mannequin Offensive by Kirsten Weiss



The Mannequin Offensive
Rocky Bridges
Book 1
Kirsten Weiss
Genre: Mystery/Suspense (paranormal)
Publisher: Misterio Press
Date of Publication: July 1, 2016
ISBN: 1-944767-02-9
Number of pages: 328
Word Count: 72,300

Book Description:
After an overseas assignment goes bad, all Rocky Bridges wants is out of the global security business. No more personal protection gigs. No more jaunts to third world countries. No more managing wayward contractors. But when her business partner is killed, Rocky must investigate her own company and clients.

Rocky’s no PI, but she’s always trusted her instincts. Knife-wielding mobsters, sexy insurance investigators, and a Russian-model turned business partner are all in a day’s work. Now her inner voice has developed a mind of its own, and she finds herself questioning her sanity as well as reality as she knows it. Rocky can’t trust those around her. But can she even trust herself?

The Mannequin Offensive is a fast-paced novel of mystery and suspense.

Release Day Sale .99

Buy Links: