#BookReview: A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher @UrsulaV

A dark retelling of the Brothers Grimm's Goose Girl, rife with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic

Cordelia knows her mother is unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms, and her mother doesn't allow Cordelia to have a single friend—unless you count Falada, her mother's beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him. But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren’t sorcerers.

After a suspicious death in their small town, Cordelia’s mother insists they leave in the middle of the night, riding away on Falada’s sturdy back, leaving behind all Cordelia has ever known. They arrive at the remote country manor of a wealthy older man, the Squire, and his unwed sister, Hester. Cordelia’s mother intends to lure the Squire into marriage, and Cordelia knows this can only be bad news for the bumbling gentleman and his kind, intelligent sister.

Hester sees the way Cordelia shrinks away from her mother, how the young girl sits eerily still at dinner every night. Hester knows that to save her brother from bewitchment and to rescue the terrified Cordelia, she will have to face down a wicked witch of the worst kind.

#BookReview: House of Glass by @sarahpekkanen

On the outside they were the golden family with the perfect life. On the inside they built the perfect lie.

A young nanny who plunged to her death, or was she pushed? A nine-year-old girl who collects sharp objects and refuses to speak. A lawyer whose job it is to uncover who in the family is a victim and who is a murderer. But how can you find out the truth when everyone here is lying?

Rose Barclay is a nine-year-old girl who witnessed the possible murder of her nanny - in the midst of her parent's bitter divorce - and immediately stopped speaking. Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney, appointed to serve as counsel for children in custody cases. She never accepts clients under thirteen due to her own traumatic childhood, but Stella's mentor, a revered judge, believes Stella is the only one who can help.

From the moment Stella passes through the iron security gate and steps into the gilded, historic DC home of the Barclays, she realizes the case is even more twisted, and the Barclay family far more troubled, than she feared. And there's something eerie about the house itself: It's a plastic house, with not a single bit of glass to be found.

As Stella comes closer to uncovering the secrets the Barclays are desperate to hide, danger wraps around her like a shroud, and her past and present are set on a collision course in ways she never expected. Everyone is a suspect in the nanny's murder. The mother, the father, the grandmother, the nanny's boyfriend. Even Rose. Is the person Stella's supposed to protect the one she may need protection from?

#PrintCoverReveal for My Dark Prince by Parker S. Huntington & L.J. Shen

Title: My Dark Prince

Series: Dark Prince Road #3

Authors: Parker S. Huntington & L.J. Shen

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers/Second Chance/Amnesia

Sleeping Beauty Retelling/Fake Relationship

Release Date: February 9, 2025

BLURB

From Wall Street Journal bestsellers L.J. Shen and Parker S. Huntington comes a twisted second-chance romance between a prince haunted by a dark secret and his reluctant Sleeping Beauty.

Oliver

I don’t usually trap women with amnesia into marriage.

But I guess there’s a first time for everything.

When the woman of my dreams falls into my lap, I can’t help but wonder what else she can do in that position.

She’s here. In my house. At my mercy.

And she thinks we’ve been lovers the entire decade we spent apart.

Briar and I have always been unfinished business.

Now it’s time to seal the deal.

Briar

I’m marrying a beautiful monster.

A crooked fraud. America’s wealthiest bachelor.

He claims we’re in love, yet all I taste in our kisses is hate and lust.

I don’t remember why or how.

But I do remember he’s the enemy.

Now, I’m stuck inside a nightmare.

And Oliver will do anything to keep me in the dark.

Authors’ Note: My Dark Prince is a standalone enemies-to-lovers Sleeping Beauty retelling, in which a damaged billionaire with a dark past and his childhood sweetheart fall in love—literally. It is set in the decadent Dark Prince Road universe.

#ReleaseBlitz: From Best to Bested by MN Bennet @RRBookTours1

From Best To Bested

Publication Date: January 13, 2025

Genre: Dark MM Romance/ Fighting

Pitch Black Romance

Hero to Zero

Forced Proximity

Fight Club Vibes

Roman Grayson has turned his prison stint into an opportunity of fame by becoming the reigning champion in an underground fight club. But when he’s dethroned by a new inmate, Roman quickly loses everything that made his incarceration bearable. From the extra perks of being champion, to the authority of keeping fellow inmates in line, all the way to his best friend being forced to room with the man who stole everything from Roman.

In a desperate attempt to win back his title and respect, Roman challenges the new reigning champion to a rematch, but Ezra Delgado only wants one thing from Roman. His pride. Roman has more enemies than he can count in the form of hostile inmates, angry guards, and a corrupt warden who’d gladly see Roman dead so long as it made a profit. If he wants to survive, Roman will have to decide how much of himself he’s willing to sacrifice for Ezra’s entertainment.

#BookTour: eMortal by Steve Schafer @RRBookTours1

eMortal 

  Publication Date: November 19, 2024 

  Genre YA Science Fiction 

  The 2024 Page Turner Awards SCI FI BOOK OF THE YEAR that's "unputdownable."

She made him. He's just code. She's almost sure. ...But what if he's real? When Liv entered a contest to code an advanced AI, she never anticipated what her creation might become-Breck is thoughtful, self-aware, and incredibly. . .human. And she certainly never intended for him to learn the truth about his existence or the fact that his world ends when the contest closes in six days. But he does learn. And he revolts. Liv's efforts to save him fall on deaf ears. Nobody believes her. Breck's efforts to outrun his fate only complicate his situation. What neither of them know is that someone else is watching. Intensely. When they get involved, both Liv's and Breck's worlds are turned upside down. . .

#ReleaseBlitz for Daring Destiny by Kaylene Winter @GiveMeBooksPR

Title: Daring Destiny

Series: Charming Irish #2

Author: Kaylene Winter

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Billionaire/Opposites Attract/Friends to

Lovers/Accidental Pregnancy/Nerdy MMC

Release Date: January 13, 2025

BLURB

Daring Destiny is a sweltering saga of billionaire intrigue, opposites-attract, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers with an unexpected life-changing twist.

Before I founded my AI tech company, I spent my high school years silently pining over Astrid Gustafsson, the unattainable ice-blonde beauty. Fast forward a decade and I’m shocked when she asks to collaborate on a secret project. The opportunity is too enticing to pass up.

Our newfound friendship quickly ignites into a wildfire of desire, and my passion for Astrid intensifies, leaving me eager to risk everything for our future. The challenge is, relentless demands of my high-stakes empire threaten to smother the flames of our burgeoning romance.

When fate dramatically intervenes, will a life-changing twist dare us to embrace our destiny?

#ReleaseBlitz for Indiscretion by Vi Keeland @GiveMeBooksPR

Title: Indiscretion

Author: Vi Keeland

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Release Date: January 13, 2025

BLURB

He's her boss. She's his greatest temptation.

The first time I met Dawson Reed, we wound up in bed.

The problem was, neither of us knew the other were there.

When I woke up in the middle of the night and found a stranger next to me, instinct kicked in and I attacked the intruder.

Only it turned out, the man wasn’t an intruder at all.

Dawson had rented this cabin, too. Apparently, a system glitch allowed a duplicate booking.

We’d soon find out we were in town for the same wedding, and Dawson was the groomsman I’d been warned about. He was as tall, dark and jaw-droppingly gorgeous as my best friend had described. Though she was also right when she’d said you two will hate each other.

When daylight rolled around, Dawson and I attempted to straighten out the mess we found ourselves in. But it proved to be more difficult than we initially thought. Since it was a holiday weekend, there wasn’t a single room available for more than fifty miles.

I suppose things could be worse than sharing a cabin for a weekend with a handsome man you despise.

Like maybe him winding up being your new boss?

#BookBlitz: The Vigilante by James Peifer @RABTBookTours

 

Vigilante Justice / Thriller

Date Published: February 18, 2024

Publisher: ‎Peifer House Publishing

 

James Greaney is an Irish American combat veteran who leads a force against evil.

He must protect the innocent and suppress and punish criminals.

Government authorities and law enforcement agencies were inadequate and had allowed a crime wave to plague communities across the Nation. James was forced to act without due process or the rule of law.

He became the Vigilante.

#BookBlitz: Passions by @moonstruckwrite @XpressoTours A signed paperback of Passions, a candle, coffee tumbler, sticker, and a pair of fluffy reading socks

Passions
Sheritta Bitikofer
Publication date: January 10th 2025
Genres: Adult, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

His world was dark until she brought the light…

Chloe Kaspin has two dreams. Find a quiet place to recover from an abusive ex-boyfriend, and to make a living as a writer. The first dream is fulfilled when she inherits her beloved aunt’s cabin in the Georgia mountains. Now the second dream is up to her. Then she finds mysterious notes critiquing her work. Has a dangerous stranger managed to invade her refuge? Or is her cabin as haunted as the townsfolk say it is?

Gavin Caras immigrated from England to Georgia in 1733. While pursuing his dream of being a writer, his entire family is wiped out by a mysterious infection. Only Gavin survives, not only alone, but with a hunger that can only be satisfied by blood. For generations, he’s managed to hide in the basement of the cabin he built. But now his cabin is occupied by a woman who shares at least one of his passions: the world of the written word. Late one night, he finally reveals himself to her, not a ghost, but a man driven by an unholy hunger, a passion he would die to end if he could.

The autumn winds may be chilly but Gavin warms Chloe’s heart. Then children go missing in the nearby town. Has Gavin been lying to Chloe? She’s willing to help him find a way to end his blood-lust, but the cost may be too high. Chloe and Gavin can’t rewrite the past. Can they survive to write a new future together?

#BookishDiscussion: Recommend a Book to Someone – And Make THEM Write a Review of It!

Discussion Post: Recommend a Book to Someone – And Make THEM Write a Review of It!

There’s something about book recommendations that is inherently exciting. The moment someone recommends a book, it’s like they’re opening up a new world for you. But have you ever thought about the next step? After recommending that book, how do you feel about the person reading it and writing a review? That’s right—what if, after recommending a book, you made them write a review of it?

We’re in an age where book reviews are more important than ever. Authors, publishers, and fellow readers rely on reviews to gauge interest and build hype for upcoming releases. As a book lover, we all know how much we rely on recommendations, but should the person who recommends a book push the recipient to actively review it as well? It could be a game-changer for a lot of reasons!

#BookReview: Only the Guilty Survive by Kate Robards

A podcaster digs into strange connections between a cult’s mass suicide and the murder of a local beauty queen in this twisty psychological thriller about true crime culture, perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Lisa Jewell. The mass suicide of a cult known as The Flock sent shockwaves through the small rural town of Iola, Michigan. Led by the charismatic Dominic Bragg, The Flock camped at an abandoned bird sanctuary before their sudden and shocking demise. The deaths came just weeks after one of their members, Laurel Tai, a local pageant queen, was abducted. The town turned its blame and fear onto the sole survivor, Claire Kettler–Laurel’s best friend. Burdened by grief and unanswered questions about her friend’s murder and her fellow cult members’ deaths, Claire can’t help but wonder what really happened, especially when the cult leader is nowhere to be found. When podcaster Arlo Stone begins poking around ten years later, determined to uncover the truth about the cult and Laurel’s murder, Claire is propelled back into action. In a desperate attempt to puzzle out the past and keep her secrets from being spilled for the entertainment of thousands of listeners, Claire must dig into a tangle of unanswered questions before time runs out and history repeats itself. 

#BookReview: Dark Restraint (Dark Olympus #7) by Katee Robert

Ariadne Vitalis is in trouble. She's betrayed her father―and his benefactor―and now she's left to rely on the questionable mercy of Olympus to keep her safe. As with everything in this city, mercy comes with a price. For Ariadne, that means a marriage to Dionysus. She has no choice but to agree, even if there's only one man she's ever wanted―a man she's feared just as much as she desires. The Minotaur never had any illusions about Minos's plans. He was willing to get his hands dirty as long as the old man kept his word―at the end of this, the Minotaur would be given Ariadne as a reward. Nowhere in that deal was her walking down the aisle to a different man. She's meant for him, and he means to have her. Ariadne knows better than to encourage the Minotaur. Her relationship with her new fiancé might be more friendship than burning passion, but she is all too aware of how much fiery passion can hurt. She and the Minotaur are no good for each other. She can never forgive him for what he's done, and he can never change. But when his hands are on her body and his wicked words are whispered in her ear, she might just be willing to let all of Olympus burn…

#BookReview: The Dryad Storm (The Black Witch Chronicles #5) by @laurieannforest @HarperCollins

The New York Times bestselling series!

Magical forces clash and Erthia hovers on the brink of ruin in the can't-miss finale of Laurie Forest’s epic fantasy series, The Black Witch Chronicles!

Who can survive the Shadow storm?

Black Witch of prophecy Elloren Gardner Grey has unleashed her powers and embraced her legacy as a Dryad and guardian of the Forest. But the losses—of life, of love—have been almost too great to withstand as the Shadow continues to devour the world. With only a tattered shred of hope remaining, the Bearers of the Wand of Myth must battle their way back to each other to mount a final stand.

But Elloren and her allies are not only facing Mage Vogel's advancing forces—the armies of the Eastern Realm will stop at nothing to see the Black Witch struck down.

With Elloren's bonded mate prophesied to kill her, Shadow demons rising, and the ties between allies unraveling, can this fracturing world unite to face down the coming storm?

Read all the books in the Black Witch Chronicles!

*Also available in print in The Rebel Mages anthology

#BookBlitz: Summer's Seduction by C.L. Briar @RRBookTours1

Summer's Seduction: A Sinful Seasons Novel Publication Date: December 31, 2024 Genre: Dark Romance/ Dark Fantasy Romance

Witches

Greek Gods

Vampires

Blud Play

Dark & Spicy

Mental Health

Morpheus couldn’t be trusted. He was the son of Hypnos, the god responsible for aiding Demeter, killing witches, and stealing my little sister. Morpheus had the rest of them fooled with his smug grin, sharp cheekbones, and golden eyes glinting with sex and privilege, but I saw through his cocky smirk. Hades thought Morpheus would keep me in line, prevent me from making thing worse for The Underworld in this war, but neither of them realized just how far I was wiling to go to save my sister. The first hint of her fear scented the air. A piece of me crumpled at the knowledge that I was the cause of it. I wished to the depths of my soul that this could’ve been different. In another life, another rebirth, perhaps we might’ve stood a chance. 

#BookReview: The Stars of Ember (Night Lore, #2) by Genesis Batista

A QUEEN. A VAMPIRE. A DEADLY ATTRACTION.

Queen Atreya thought surviving the arena was the hardest battle she'd ever face. She was wrong.

When the magical wards protecting Ember shatter and her husband threatens everything she loves, Atreya is forced to make an impossible trust Ronan—a dangerous vampire who delights in tormenting her—or watch her kingdom burn.

Their mission is cross the hellscape of Ferenz to find help from her greatest enemy, the notorious Rebel King. But nothing about Ronan is what it seems. Bound by a blood vow and promised a ring that could let him walk in daylight, he serves the very man Atreya has spent her life hating.

As they journey through the wasteland together, Atreya discovers that surviving the monsters isn't her biggest challenge—it's resisting her growing attraction to the vampire who holds both her fate and her heart in his deadly hands.

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout, THE STARS OF EMBER is a dark fantasy romance filled with sizzling tension, dangerous magic, and enemies-to-lovers passion that burns hotter than dragonfire.

In a world where magic strikes like lightning and desire cuts deeper than steel, some temptations are worth dying for...

#BookBlitz: Tale of the Seasons’ Weaver by D. Wallace Peach @XpressoTours #Giveaway $25 Amazon gift card

Tale of the Seasons’ Weaver
D. Wallace Peach
Publication date: January 9th 2024
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

“Already the animals starve. Soon the bonemen will follow, the Moss Folk and woodlings, the watermaids and humans. Then the charmed will fade. And all who will roam a dead world are dead things. Until they too vanish for lack of remembering. Still, Weaver, it is not too late.”

In the frost-kissed cottage where the changing seasons are spun, Erith wears the Weaver’s mantle, a title that tests her mortal, halfling magic. As the equinox looms, her first tapestry nears completion—a breathtaking ode to spring. She journeys to the charmed isle of Innishold to release the beauty of nature’s awakening across the land.

But human hunters have defiled the enchanted forest and slaughtered winter’s white wolves. Enraged by the trespass, the Winter King seizes Erith’s tapestry and locks her within his ice-bound palace. Here, where comfort and warmth are mere glamours, she may weave only winter until every mortal village succumbs to starvation, ice, and the gray wraiths haunting the snow.

With humanity’s fate on a perilous edge, Erith must break free of the king’s grasp and unravel a legacy of secrets. In a charmed court where illusions hold sway, allies matter, foremost among them, the Autumn Prince. Immortal and beguiling, he offers a tantalizing future she has only imagined, one she will never possess—unless she claims her extraordinary power to weave life from the brink of death.

In the lyrical fantasy tradition of Margaret Rogerson and Holly Black, D. Wallace Peach spins a spellbinding tale of magic, resilience, and the transformative potency of tales—a tapestry woven with peril and hope set against the frigid backdrop of an eternal winter.

#BookBlitz: Broken Faces by Chris Karlsen & @jenniferconner1 @RABTBookTours #Giveaway

 

Historical Fiction

Date Published: 10-10-2024

Publisher: Books to Go Now

 

Amidst the devastation of World War I, a young American woman named Abigale Belorman discovers a profound calling: to restore hope to the WWI wounded soldiers. In France they were called ‘Gueules Cassees’, or ‘Broken Faces’. Using her sculpting skills, she begins crafting intricate masks that conceal the scars of war, offering a semblance of normalcy to those who have endured unimaginable suffering.

Colm Harp, a skilled metalsmith, is driven by his own wounds and a personal tragedy to join Abigale's mission. His younger brother, Danny, has returned from the war with devastating facial injuries, and Colm is determined to give him a chance at a life worth living. Together, Colm and Abigale embark on a journey of compassion and resilience, their work becoming a beacon of hope for countless wounded soldiers.

 As they navigate the challenges of war-torn Europe and the limitations of early 20th-century medicine, Abigale and Colm discover the transformative power of human will. Their story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the enduring power of love, and the extraordinary lengths people will go to make a difference in the world.

 War changes all their lives, but if you can improve one person’s life, is yours not for the better? What if you could help hundreds? What would you give up?

#BookBlitz:Twins with Love x2 by Mr. B's Books @RABTBookTours

 

Children's Book

Date Published: March 13, 2023

Publisher: MindStir Media

 

This wonderful rhyming story about two little girls born as twins and the magic of that special bond and their magnetic love that lasts forever. Whether together or apart, they can see, sense, and feel each other's feelings hardwired to their hearts. The colorful illustrations bring a unique feeling of love, care, and kindness.

Mr. B's Books by Michael Barnes - Rhyming books that teach kindness and compassion, making the world a happier place.

#BookReview: Sought By Fate (Chronicles of the Fates #1) by Monica Ageno

In a realm where society is ranked by the magic they wield, the elite are known as the Fate Blessed, the middle class as the Fate Gifted, and the powerless as the Forgotten.

Storm, the First Commander of the army. He is admired and feared in equal measure. His instructions are executed without question, exactly to his liking. Engulfed in a relentless battle against a Dark Mage, Storm has no room for complications. His life was perfectly adequate; until she walks in, then suddenly his previously orderly existence is plunged into turmoil.

Feylin, bearing forbidden magic and surrounded by those with powerful abilities, must stay hidden to survive. Her initial admiration for Storm quickly transforms into a burning hostility, revealing that emotions can be as dangerous as any spell. With powerful forces plotting her downfall, Feylin must navigate a perilous path to protect her heart, her secrets, and her life, or risk losing everything.

Fans of "A Court of Thorns and Roses," "The Name of the Wind," and "The Priory of the Orange Tree" will be captivated by this tale of power, passion, and peril. 

Perfect for readers who crave strong heroines, forbidden magic, and heart-pounding suspense. Get your copy today and dive into this epic fantasy brimming with magic, romance, and adventure.

#BookReview: After Oz by Gordon McAlpine

Gripping and emotionally riveting, this whimsical tale is an empowering and timely retelling of The Wizard of Oz where one little girl is forced to face head-on the prejudices of the Midwest in the late 19th century.

Kansas, 1896. After a tornado destroys the Gale family farm, 11-year-old Dorothy goes missing. As the days pass by, the Gales are increasingly terrified the worst has happened. But when the girl turns up unharmed four days later, the townsfolk breathe in a sigh of relief. That is, until Dorothy herself relates her account of the events that took place after her disappearance. 

In vivid detail, Dorothy describes a fantastical land and its magical inhabitants, from the scarecrow, the tin man, and the cowardly lion to the wizard and the witch. Her recollections are not only regarded as delusional, but also as pagan and diabolical in nature, especially when the body of a local spinster is found. 

Making connections between the evil witch Dorothy claims to have defeated and the ill-tempered old crone, authorities find what they believe to be incriminating evidence, sentencing Dorothy to the Topeka Insane Asylum.

When 28-year-old psychologist Dr. Evelyn Grace Wilford arrives at the asylum to interview Dorothy, she begins to wonder if Dorothy truly committed the crime or if something unfathomable has really occurred. 

In a small town full of insidious secrets, will Evelyn be able to save Dorothy from her terrible circumstances? Or is something menacing lurking just out of sight?