#BookReview: The Book of Heartbreak by @excusemyreading

Synopsis: A Middle Eastern legend get a magically romantic modern makeover perfect for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

A young woman must find a way to end the curse on her heart before it claims her forever in this delightfully witty fantasy romance.

Sare Silverbirch has already had her heart broken three times. A fifth heartbreak will stop her heart forever. Such is the nature of the curse she was born under, which forces her to live a life without letting anyone get too close.

When her mother dies unexpectedly and her heart breaks for the fourth time, Sare begins to urgently question the curse. Where did it come from? Why her? And rather than accept it, could there be a way to break it? 

Her questions lead her to Istanbul where she meets Leon, a seer who helps her track down the mysteries of her mother’s past. But Sare’s heart is a fragile thing and their blossoming romance poses a great risk to her survival. Especially when she discovers that her fate is in the hands of celestials beyond this earthly realm.

Now the heavens are stirring, for they have a stake in Sare’s destiny—and they don’t like their plans being overturned. 

The Book of Heartbreak is a dazzling, haunting romantasy sure to break—and mend again—the hearts of readers everywhere.

#WeekBlast: Ivy Leigh Ever After by @lynchgael @RABTBookTours #Giveaway

Middle Grade Fiction

Date Published: Feb 24, 2026

Publisher: Small Circles Press

Ivy Leigh’s a feisty eleven, almost twelve-year-old who could never imagine using a fist to solve a problem. But that was before. Before Momma died. Before her BFFs, Lizzie and Ruthie, started pressuring her to change. Before they told her that Michael, the cutest boy in school, has a crush on her. And, before two jealous bullies—Rachel and Winona teamed up to badger her on the bus and at school. Rachel calls her ‘Poison Ivy.’ Winona shoves her into a crowd at school. Hurt and humiliated, Ivy Leigh, on impulse, fights back. It’s a mistake she instantly regrets.

Ruthie and Lashonna know these bullies. They know their backstories and where they’ve come from. But they’re not the only ones. A cast of quirky characters like Mr. Winters, the wannabe cowboy next door who speaks his advice in the language of old-world slogans. There’s Miss Aurelia, an old hippy, whose eyes don’t work so well anymore, but who has a special kind of wisdom she shares with Ivy Leigh. And there’s Momma’s best friend, Miss Neola, who takes Ivy under her wing, and helps her understand that bullies have struggles too.

In the end, Ivy stands up for herself, not with a fist, but with a heart, walking in the shoes of Rachel and Winona, Lizzie and Ruthie, and even Grandma and her sister, Viv, who all struggle with loss and loneliness and sometimes misunderstanding too. Ivy soon learns that through all of this, she has never been alone, that Momma is still living in her midst, under that strawberry moon they both loved so much.

#BookReview: The Sea Witch (Salt & Sorcery, #1) by Eva Leigh

Synopsis: From a world where women are forbidden to use magic and the only freedom is found on the Caribbean high seas comes a swashbuckling romantasy from USA TODAY bestselling author Eva Leigh.

Condemned as a witch, sentenced to die, Alys Tanner uses her innate magical power to flee Puritanical New England. Stealing a ship, Alys becomes captain of The Sea Witch, leading its all-female, sorcery-wielding pirate crew. But the colonial British navy is in hot pursuit. The navy fights for a choke hold on the Caribbean and will destroy anything they cannot control, especially witches.

When Ben Priestley, a headstrong naval navigator, is inadvertently captured by the lady pirates, dangerous truths are revealed. A quest that could turn the tides against the navy’s might ignites a reluctant partnership between the by-the-books prisoner and the fierce witch pirate captain. While they brave backstabbing pirates, perilous tropical islands and monster-filled seas, Alys and Ben’s mistrust grows into unexpected desire as they battle an enemy that will stop at nothing to rule the waves.

#BookBlitz: Arranged Marriage to a K-Pop Idol by Bianca Rowena @XpressoTours #Giveaway Prizes: -$35 USD gift certificate for Barnes & Noble (US only) -bookbox with a signed copy of the book and special items in it related to the book (INT)

Arranged Marriage to a K-Pop Idol
Bianca Rowena
Publication date: April 28th 2026
Genres: Dystopian, Romance, Young Adult

He who controls the media, controls the world.

In a world where a young woman only has two choices, marry by age 18 and procreate naturally, or be thrown into a fertility prison, AnAn finds herself in an arranged marriage to K-Pop Idol Taejung, who is running from the paparazzi and his government.

Can Taejung and AnAn stop the One World Nation’s plot to use K-pop concerts and fans, to win the world election, or will Taejung be pulled back into the K-pop world he left behind, and AnAn lose her first love?

#BookTour: You're Not the Problem by @lorimontry @RABTBookTours

Personal Development / Self-Help

Somatic Healing / Mind-Body Wellness

Trauma-Informed Personal Growth

Date Published: April 25, 2026

If you’ve tried to plan, push, or hustle your way out of stress and anxiety and found yourself back in the same exhausting cycles, this book is your invitation to stop blaming yourself and start understanding yourself.

In You’re Not the Problem: You’re the Possibility, you’ll learn:

1. Why feeling stuck is not a failure, but an intelligent adaptation
2. How your nervous system has been running the show, and how to begin creating safety and more room inside to respond
3. How to relate to yourself in real time: see yourself, meet yourself, talk to yourself, understand yourself, and support yourself so your inner world becomes steady and trustworthy
4. Simple, practical steps to restore your energy and reconnect with your true self

This book is your companion for the first phase of the Freedom Formula. It is the roadmap to guide you out of survival mode and into the clarity and resilience you need to create lasting change.

#BookReview: Vicious Princess (The Trials of Death and Honor, #1) by @karolinawilde

Synopsis: There are only three rules at Ezkai Always obey your instructor. Never leave the Castle Grounds without permission. Don’t ever screw your instructor.

I break one before orientation even begins. Can you guess which one?

When I arrive at the unforgiving fae city with the snowy mountains looming over it, I have two 

Join the legendary Order of ancient soldiers.
Climb the ranks and gain the power I need to avenge my family’s murder.
But before I can join the Order, I must survive six months of ruthless training. Failure means exile… or death.

That, I can handle despite being the only human among the brutal, beautiful fae who would love to see me bleed. I’ve survived worse–my body is riddled with a thousand scars that serve as a reminder.

What I didn’t expect?

The hot, mysterious soldier I spent one passionate night with… is now my instructor.

When he offers to mentor me—recognizing the ambition burning inside me—I know I should say no. It’s too risky.

But I want what he’s offering. I want to rise to the top. And maybe… I want him, too.

Vicious Princess is a seductive, blood-stained romantasy for fans of Fourth Wing, Throne of Glass, and Kushiel’s Dart, where power, passion, and vengeance collide.

#CoverReveal: No Straight Lines to the Stars (An Unlikely Journey from Lifeguard Tower to Laundpad) by @Kennasaman @RABTBookTours

An Unlikely Journey from Lifeguard Tower to Launchpad

 

Narrative Nonfiction/Inspirational

Date Published: August 4th, 2026

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

No Straight Lines to the Stars is the inspiring true story of a young lifeguard who dared to believe his life could reach far beyond the horizon.

On the beaches of Southern California, Ken Kisco learned that preparation saves lives. From rip-current rescues to split-second emergencies, he discovered that courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to act in spite of it. Those early lessons in resilience and composure pushed Ken to believe he could accomplish anything . . . including his lifelong dream of reaching the stars.

Through relentless perseverance and unwavering faith, Ken rose into the heart of America’s most advanced space and defense programs, contributing to human spaceflight initiatives and supporting groundbreaking technologies. His unusual start as a lifeguard helped advance his career, distinguishing him from his Air Force and Navy peers. Yet, his toughest challenges were personal—he faced deep disappointment when a space mission was canceled and learned lessons about trust and integrity from a romance-turned-ruse.

Ken’s journey reveals that success is rarely linear. Setbacks became launchpads, adversity became refinement, and purpose became a compass. Part memoir, part inspiration, and part behind-the-scenes look at America’s quest for the stars, this is the unforgettable story of a man who proves that bold dreams, combined with grit and heart, can launch an ordinary life into an extraordinary one.