Category: blog tour

Stephanie Caye grew up in Michigan wanting to be a famed, reclusive novelist.

Then she moved to Texas, got a job in tech, started volunteering with shelter cats and dropped both “famed” and “reclusive” from her childhood dream.

She now lives in Montreal–happy to have four seasons again–still working in tech, still volunteering with cats, and still writing.A former recipient of a University of Michigan Hopwood award, her urban fantasy novel The Flaws of Gravity was published in 2022. The sequel comes out this fall.

BBNYA Semi-finalists: The Crew – Sadir S. Samir

Nov 18, 2023 ramblingmads

Kings of the Wyld meets Deadpool in this action-packed fantasy adventure set in an Arab-inspired landscape.

Varcade fled to the deserts of Harrah to escape his past as an Educator, a member of an order of zealot warrior-monks that aims to shape the world according to their sacred Teachings by force. Varcade makes his living as a reckless sword-for-hire, caring only about himself, until his self-centered lifestyle is turned on its head when he is contracted to recruit a misfit team of unruly assassins and take out the mighty Bone Lord of Akrab.

But the Bone Lord is aware of the plot and sends her band of Dusters to stop them; individuals who have gained bizarre and lethal magical powers by snorting the pulverised bones of dead gods. Hunted by Educators and Dusters in a city-state where an escalating conflict between the human and demon population threatens to boil over in a civil war, will Varcade and his ragtag crew save Akrab from the cruel Bone Lord, or will they make things even worse?

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SADIR S. SAMIR spent his first years in the Middle East before moving to Sweden. A passion for storytelling manifested early in childhood, and he always knew that would be his guiding light in life growing up. That passion eventually led him to the video game industry where he’s been working as a game writer and a producer for over a decade. Now he lives in the medieval city of Uppsala, where he writes tales of the fantastical and bizarre.

Blog Tour: A Power Unbound – Freya Marske

Nov 18, 2023Nov 17, 2023 ramblingmads

Jack Alston – Lord Hawthorn – would love a nice, safe, comfortable life. He renounced magic after the death of his twin sister. But with the threat of a dangerous ritual risking every magician in Britain, he’s drawn reluctantly back into that world.

Now Jack is living in a bizarre puzzle-box of a magical London townhouse, helping its owner Violet track down the final piece of the Last Contract before their enemies can do the same. And to make matters worse, they need the help of writer and thief Alan Ross. Cagey and argumentative, Alan is only in this for the money. He’s loud in his hatred of the aristocracy and their unearned power . . . and unfortunately, he happens to be everything that Jack wants in one gorgeous, infuriating package.

When a plot to seize unimaginable magic power comes to a head on Jack’s own family estate, Jack, Alan and their allies will become entangled in a night of champagne, secrets and bloody sacrifice – and the foundations of magic in Britain might be torn up by the roots before the end.

Filled with magic, murder and romance, A Power Unbound is the thrilling third book in The Last Binding trilogy by Freya Marske. Start the series with A Marvellous Light and A Restless Truth.

My thoughts: all good things must come to an end, and so we come to the final book in the The Last Binding trilogy. The gang is all here, and all trying desperately to stop their enemies from finding the last piece of the Contract – the knife, and stealing magic from the magicians.

Jack, Lord Hawthorn, has seen what can happen when you do just that, but he can’t tell anyone, thanks to a fiendish spell. But having to return to his ancestral home, the scene of his sister’s death, might change things.

As events begin to get worse – and they’re all threatened with arrest, Jack must stop his evil cousin George, and Edwin’s horrible brother Walter, on home turf.

But he’s distracted by the journalist Alan Ross, aka Alonzo Rossi, who infuriates but also bewitches him. Could this man, with the ability to negate magic, be the love he’s needed for so long? And can they stop the scheme and save magic?

Delightful, very spicy, full of the humour and adventure this trilogy is known for, as the gang attempt to out-think and out-scheme their enemies with some disguises and misdirection. A fitting end to a series I have thoroughly enjoyed.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

BBNYA Semi-finalists: The Blood of Crows – Alex C. Pierce

Nov 17, 2023 ramblingmads

Ren is a thief and a con-man. You want something stolen, big or small, he’ll get it. No matter how well it’s protected. All while being the only person in the city without any magical knack.

There’s just one rule: He doesn’t kill people.

Murder is rare in the walled city of Lenmar, thanks to the magic-eating Inquisitors that can sniff out and track any individual by their particular knack. So, when a serial killer starts killing the nobility leaving no trace for the Inquisitors to follow, Ren becomes the prime, and only suspect.

All Ren wants to do is stop a serial killer, clear his name, and protect the people he cares about.

To do that, he’ll have to pull one more high-stakes heist— And steal the proof he needs from the very people who want to catch him.

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Alex C. Pierce is the father of 2 wonderful children (+ 1 dog and 2 cats), Husband to another wonderful person, Writer, and Salary Man among millions.

Growing up, Alex wanted to be either a Writer or a World Renowned Thief. Deciding between a career of morally grey choices, complex planning, difficult execution, lies, and misdirection, or potentially going to jail? Alex naturally gravitated toward writing.

His debut book The Blood of Crows, a Fantasy Thriller with heists, murder, and magic eating monsters, came out May 26th, 2022. The sequel, The Blood of Queens is targeting a 2024 release.

He has numerous other stories in varying stages of being outlined and revised, spanning genres from Science Fiction, to Urban Fantasy, to Fantasy Thriller.

He lives in Canada and is a life-long reader and writer, and lover of all things magical.

Blog Tour: The Legionnaire – Samantha Traunfield

Nov 17, 2023Nov 19, 2023 ramblingmads

TheLegionaire copy

Discover the epic military fantasy where magic determines your place in life. “This grim, passionate tale will scorch readers.” – Kirkus recommended review

We’re celebrating the release of The Legionnaire by Samantha Traunfeld! Read on for more details!

9781958607183

The Legionnaire

Publication Date: November 14, 2023

Genre: NA Epic Fantasy

Saiden, a Blood-Cursed legionnaire—blessed by both the God of Life and Goddess of Death—is a paradox. Called both “death-bringer” and “world-ender,” she is surprisingly careful about taking lives and proving herself to be a monster. Torn between her loyalty to her queen and the need to protect her people, Saiden struggles to decide who she is going to be in a world that has already cast her aside.

Queen Loralei is hiding the fact that she’s been blessed by the God of Life while navigating the manipulative and dangerous landscape of ruling a kingdom. When she discovers a mysterious prisoner in her dungeons, she begins to unravel a complicated plot that shadows her reign and would change the course of history.

Mozare, gifted by the Goddess of Death with the powers to control shadows, is hiding lots of secrets in the dark. As Saiden’s legionnaire partner, he would do everything to protect her—even if that means killing the queen she swore to protect to save her from a fate worse than death.

With friends and enemies becoming indistinguishable from each other, can these three individuals survive long enough to fulfill their destinies without losing those closest to them, or will their missions irreparably ruin them—and possibly the entire kingdom?

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Samantha’s love of stories began when she was about 12—could read a whole book in a day and wrote lots of stories featuring cute ghosts. Now she writes stories about badass women, sharp weapons, and banter-y relationships.

When she isn’t writing she’s usually cuddling her dog, starting a new craft project she might not finish, or trying to figure out how video games work.

There’s a 94.6% chance you can find her curled up in a bookstore somewhere (math is not her strong suit), but if you don’t, you can find more information on her website.

Samantha Traunfeld

My thoughts: I really liked Saiden, she’s the ultimate soldier but also kind and protective of her friends. She hides because of the undeserved reputation and the rumours about her gift, something she never uses and was born with.

Assigned to guard the Queen, Lorelai, as she’s crowned, the two women bond and Saiden gives Lorelai self-defence lessons. There’s a growing anti-monarchy movement, one that involves people close to both Lorelai and Saiden, but they’re unaware. Saiden gets drawn into the movement and is horrified by their plans, but it’s too late to stop them.

With some really shocking twists, and characters you want to root for, this is intelligent and interesting fantasy examining power, how it’s given and how it’s used.

Book Tour Organized By:

R&R Book Tours

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

Blog Tour: Pass The Cyanide – Karmen Špiljak

Nov 17, 2023Nov 17, 2023 ramblingmads

A deadly feast, a mobster restaurant and a family get-together with fatal results.
Savour the spicy tang of dark and twisted tales in Pass the Cyanide, a follow-up to the award-winning collection of culinary mysteries, Add Cyanide to Taste.
From an old friend hiding a deadly secret to a ravenous house with an appetite for friends, Špiljak masterfully blends the allure of food and the thrill of mystery. Each story is a rich and satisfying
serving of crime, with a twist that will leave you wanting more.
A must-read for fans of culinary noir and foodies who love a pinch of danger with their suspense. All recipes included are cyanide-free.
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Karmen Špiljak is a Slovenian-Belgian writer of suspense, horror and speculative fiction.Her short fiction has been awarded and anthologised. Her short story collection, Add Cyanide to Taste, won the
2022 IndieReader Discovery award for best short stories/Fiction. She lives in Belgrade with her husband, two mischievous cats and an undefined number of literary characters.Find out more – Website

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My thoughts: a series of food related darkly comic short stories, ranging from a chef whose sous chef has had enough, to one that uses a secret ingredient no one must find out about, a mobster who wants only good reviews and a mother who drugs the PTA. Each one is amusing and entertaining, I like when supposedly ordinary people snap and do terrible things. There are also recipes for some of the dishes included but all thankfully poison free!

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

BBNYA Semi-finalists: The Beckoning Void – Patrick LeClerc

Nov 16, 2023 ramblingmads

Emelia DuMond is an actress, climbing from her humble beginnings to success on the stage of Victorian London. And to the attention of the Ghost Society, a secret organization who seek to defend the world from threats of the paranormal. After centuries of seeking, the sinister Disciples of the Void seek an arcane book of great power. A power that could tear the veil between dimensions and plunge the world into a dark, unspeakable future.

Now she has recruited an aging soldier of fortune burdened by a conscience, the sword wielding daughter of an Afghan brigand and an airship whose captain escaped slavery during the Civil War by stealing a Confederate vessel.

Can Emelia and her band of plucky outcasts save the world from a cult of fanatics intent on unleashing an ancient horror?

“The Beckoning Void” is a tale of cunning plots, flashing swords, skillful piloting, witty repartee and eldritch dread.

Amazon UK USA Canada

Patrick LeClerc makes good use of his history degree by working as a paramedic for an ever- changing parade of ambulance companies in the Northern suburbs of Boston. When not writing he enjoys cooking, fencing and making witty, insightful remarks with career-limiting candor.

In the lulls between runs on the ambulance –and sometimes the lulls between employment at various ambulance companies– he writes fiction.

His work can be found at inkandbourbon.com

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Blog Tour: The Canterbury Tails – Trudie Pabor

Nov 16, 2023Nov 15, 2023 ramblingmads

Carol Flynn and Jack Wallis are living and working in the same square mile, eighty years apart. In the twenty-first century, Carol is afraid of potential dangers lurking in the outside world and locks herself away safely at home. Longing to improve her mental health she keeps a diary and rehomes a dog to help her go outside and meet other people.

When out walking Biddy, her Bichon Frise, she sees a poster protesting the closure of the local social club and unwillingly finds herself co-opted onto the committee to save it.

In the twentieth century, Jack is on the home front as the first line of defence for the aeroplane factory, fighting the dangers that invade his world. He has made a special human connection and wants to explore it before time runs out.

When Covid 19 threatens the closure of the social club on their housing estate, saving it could acknowledge Jack’s affections and provide the community Carol is trying to find.

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Trudie Pabor lives on the outskirts of Coventry. Having worked as a secondary school teacher in various schools for twenty-four years, she now helps university students to achieve their goals. Whilst obtaining a master’s in creative writing, she made several contributions to a university anthology and has continued to write since.

Trudie enjoys cycling to work and takes inspiration from the world around her. ‘You never know what you are going to see that will spark your imagination!’ A background in secondary education shaped her first novel ‘The Malady of Miss Maybely’, and her experiences of living in Coventry have heavily influenced her second novel ‘The Canterbury Tails.’

My thoughts: so a book with lots of dogs was always going to appeal to me, and I love history too, which added to the appeal of this book with its dual timelines.

Carol is a recovering agoraphobe (with good reason) who gets a dog, Biddy, to help her go outside and even meet people. And she does; Arthur, who is almost 100 years old and his dog George, Jackie and her excitable pup too. These people are her first friends, and they help her come out of her shell and get involved with saving the local social club. Until the pandemic forces them to cancel their plans.

Jack is living through WW2, working in an aeroplane factory and drinking a quick pint at the pub before catching his train home to Rugby. That’s where he meets Billy. Drawn to one another, they become friends, sharing a shift as night watchmen on the factory roof, and a meal in the pub.

As lockdown lifts, Carol starts looking into the area’s history, drawn into Jack and Billy’s story by a chance discovery. Jackie does some digging too, and Arthur offers up his memories of the war years. Can they piece together the story?

A sweet and charming story of friendship and community at challenging times in recent and not so recent history.

Please click on the link to follow the tour

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

BBNYA Semi-finalists: The Anarchist’s Wife – Margo Laurie

Nov 15, 2023 ramblingmads

This year, the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is celebrating the books that made it into Round Two with a mini spotlight blitz tour for each title. BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.
If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

In 1920, anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were accused of a robbery and double murder at a factory in Massachusetts. The case became one of the most notorious miscarriages of justice of the twentieth century.

The Anarchist’s Wife is a poignant historical fiction novella which reimagines this American tragedy from the perspective of Rosa Sacco. Her husband was likely innocent of the crime he was accused of, but his possible involvement in anarchist violence was a murkier question.

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Margo Laurie studied history at university and is a member of the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme. She is the author of the Christmas ghost story New York Miracle and the historical fiction novella The Anarchist’s Wife about the 1920s Sacco-Vanzetti case. She lives in the North West.