Category: blog tour

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Entwined – A.J. Rosen*

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Avery Montgomery doesn’t even know if she wants a soul mate. As a member of the Hellenicus—a race founded in antiquity and descended directly from the Greek gods—Avery’s attending her first Gathering where she’ll gain the ability to entwine her thoughts with her destined soul mate and be tied to them forever.

But all is not as it seems at the Royal Court. There are severe and strange looks from the elders, whisperings from the ancient Dodona tree, and encounters with spirits who seem to know Avery better than she knows herself.

Throughout these whirlwind events at Court, Avery finds herself torn between her feelings for the wise and protective Vladimir and the passionate, fun-loving Adrian.

Unwilling to surrender her independence or to betray her heart, Avery must decide once and for all if she’ll give in to her desires and risk the wrath of the Gods.

Because who are you if your destiny lies with another person?

About the Author

A.J. Rosen is a twenty-three-year-old Indonesian Wattpad Ambassador who splits her time between full-time school, three part-time jobs, and writing YA fantasy.

She’s the founder of online movements like #ilovemyflaws (which supports victims of bullying) and #CareforCancer (which supports the loved ones of those battling cancer).

She currently lives and studies in Singapore. Entwined is her first novel.

My thoughts:

This was a fun Royal romp, inspired by Greek mythology and the Platonic myth of soul mates.

The Hellenicus are descended from the Greek gods and have a caste system, which feels a bit odd, but allows the story to unfold.

Avery is attending her first Gathering, which aims to unite the soul mates separated by the wrath of Zeus (according to Plato). Except Avery’s not keen on this.

I found the location a bit random – a small town in Alaska, instead of a Greek island retreat, which would have been my choice, but I supposed it’s remote enough that locals might not question all these people rocking up for a few weeks.

It was certainly a interesting and entertaining read, which developed nicely and had some great characters, like Vlad and Adrian. I also loved Avery’s sweet best friend Kris.

The next in the series is being written by a different author so it will interesting to see how someone else develops and adds to the narrative.

*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, books

Book Blitz: Familiar – T.J. Blake

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For the living, it’s closure. For the departed, it’s the last chance to expose the truth.

For as long as she can remember, Arabella has communicated with those who exist only in memory.

Being the centre of attention growing up was uncomfortable, and now, as a renowned psychic medium, it is becoming more of a struggle. Arabella’s ability and reputation always made it impossible to hold onto lasting relationships, but with those who no longer walk this earth, that’s not the case.

Arabella returns to where it all began fifteen-years before – on the very same stage. After an evening reconnecting loved ones and exposing untold stories, Arabella can’t help but wonder about the one unclaimed ‘friend’, and their cryptic message.

In an unexpected turn of events, Arabella finds herself the subject of morning headlines and at the centre of Detective Barnes’ investigation.

Can Arabella use her ability to prove her innocence and uncover the truth about the past?

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Living in Surrey, UK, some say that T. J. Blake has many split personalities – by day he’s a content marketing specialist, by night he could be any one of his deceptively complex characters.

His latest persona is Arabella, a psychic medium in “Familiar”.

He has a BA with Honours from Kingston University in Creative Writing with English Language & Communications and is author of the five-star psychological thriller, ‘DECEPTION – A Love of Lies’.

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Eternal Dusk – Victoria J. Price*

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Angels are disappearing. Witches are gathering. An ancient darkness is rising.

It’s been just over a month since eighteen-year-old Fia Aldridge has returned to Earth from the parallel world of Ohinyan.

She thought she’d be safe back in London—and that she’d be protecting her friends from Erebus, the ancient darkness that was calling to her.

But when she discovers angels are going missing at the hands of a local witch coven, she knows she has to find a way back to Ohinyan and warn her friends, even if it means Erebus will be waiting.

Little does she know, the darkness is about to be set free—and he’s only interested in one thing: finding Fia.

Find out what happens next in the thrilling sequel to The Third Sun: Daughter of the Phoenix Book One. A richly woven tale drawing on ancient myths and legends, bursting with adventure, elemental magic, angels, witches, shapeshifters and slow burn romance.


Victoria lives in leafy Surrey, in the South East of England. She loves fairy tales, myths and legends, and grew up creating stories both in words and pictures. When she’s not writing you’ll find her exploring with her husband and their two dogs, searching for beautiful hidden places and secret picnic spots.

My thoughts:

This was an interesting take on angels and witches and other worlds. Tropes that are very popular in fantasy fiction at the moment.

Instead of being all powerful agents of some form of God, these angels are just one among many peoples living in Ohinyan, a magical world that exists alongside Earth, and with windows between both worlds, windows that only angels and some witches can use to travel between.

Fia fell through such a window and found herself in Ohinyan, now she’s the champion who will unite warring factions and save their world as the sun dies and another takes its place.

A fun, diverting fantasy romp with romance and magic along the way.

*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, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Crackle & Fire – Russ Colchamiro*

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Angela Hardwicke isn’t just any private eye.

She’s a PI from Eternity, the cosmic realm responsible for the design, creation, and maintenance of the Universe.

When accountant Gil Haberseau hires her to find an intern with stolen corporate files, Hardwicke soon finds herself embroiled in a deadly case of lies, intrigue, and murder, clashing with vengeful gangsters, MinderNot rallies, and a madman who’s come a long way to get what he wants.

In Russ Colchamiro’s thrilling Sci-Fi mystery Crackle and Fire, Angela Hardwicke learns once and for all that when it comes to being an intergalactic private eye, there’s no telling what threats she may face on-realm and off… including the demons that lurk deep within her soul.

Goodreads Pre-Order Link

Russ Colchamiro is the author of the rollicking space adventure, Crossline, the zany SF/F backpacking comedy series Finders Keepers: The Definitive Edition, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, and is editor of the SF anthology Love, Murder & Mayhem, all with Crazy 8 Press.

Russ lives in New Jersey with his wife, two ninjas, and crazy dog Simon, who may in fact be an alien himself. Russ has also contributed to several other anthologies, including Tales of the Crimson Keep, Pangaea, Altered States of the Union, Camelot 13, TV Gods 2, They Keep Killing Glenn, Thrilling Adventure Yarns, Camelot 13, and Brave New Girls.

He is now working on the first novel in a new series featuring his hardboiled private eye Angela Hardwicke, and the first of three collaborative novella projects.

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My thoughts:

A crime thriller with a twist, set on a world similar to ours in some ways, but wildly different in others.

PI Angela Hardwicke is looking for a missing person but a lot of details haven’t been divulged and she’s also been tasked with finding missing fireworks by one of the individuals tasked with maintaining the entire galaxy. Could these two cases be connected?

Armed with a quick brain, a team of brilliant friends and allies, and y’know a gun or two, she’s in a race against time to solve both mysteries and save the universe.

Funny, fast-paced, and full of twists this is an excellent sci-fi crime noir.

*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, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Doors of Eden – Adrian Tchaikovsky*

ramblingmads

I’m on the bookstagram tour for Adrian Tchaikovsky’s amazing new book The Doors of Eden today, pop over there and follow the tour!They thought we were safe. They were wrong.Four years ago, two girls went looking for monsters on Bodmin Moor. Only one came back. Lee thought she’d lost Mal, but now she’s miraculously returned. But what happened that day on the moors? And where has she been all this time?Mal’s reappearance hasn’t gone unnoticed by MI5 officers either, and Lee isn’t the only one with questions. Julian Sabreur is investigating an attack on top physicist Kay Amal Khan. This leads Julian to clash with agents of an unknown power – and they may or may not be human. His only clue is grainy footage, showing a woman who supposedly died on Bodmin Moor.Dr Khan’s research was theoretical; then she found cracks be-tween our world and parallel Earths. Now these cracks are widening, revealing extraordinary creatures. And as the doors crash open, anything could come through.

Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire before heading off to Reading to study psychology and zoology. For reasons unclear even to himself he subsequently ended up in law and has worked as a legal executive in both Reading and Leeds, where he now lives. Mar-ried, he is a keen live role-player and occasional amateur actor, has trained in stage-fighting, and keeps no exotic or dangerous pets of any kind, possibly excepting his son. He’s the author of the critically acclaimed Shadows of the Apt series, and the Echoes of the Fall trilogy. Children of Time was the winner of the 30th Anniversary Arthur C Clarke Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.

Twitter

My thoughts:

This is an epic book, exploring the many worlds theory and the idea of other Earths.

I loved the wise cracking Dr Kay Amal Khan and the rats (obviously super intelligent rats are going to appeal to me!) and the Cousins.

I felt for Lee, I would be like her, trying to understand what’s going on, despite not fully grasping all the science (maths is my weak point).

Gripping, clever, funny and highly enjoyable.

*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, books, reviews

Blog Tour: You Let Him In – J.A. Andrews*

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The only thing she was guilty of was trusting him

All Jenny Clifton ever wanted was to be the ideal wife and mother. When she married Michael in a fairytale wedding, followed by the birth of baby Daniel, her life was complete.

Yet just three years later, the shine has faded. Now, money is tight, and the occasional argument has become daily screaming matches between Jenny and Michael.

Something needs to change… and it does, when Michael is killed in a brutal hit and run, breathing his last with a stranger holding
his hand.

Lonely and distraught, Jenny strikes up an unlikely friendship with the witness to the accident, clinging to the connection with the man who watched Michael die.

But as she uncovers the secrets that her husband was keeping, Jenny realises that her perfect life may have been a perfect lie – and worse, that her new friend may be harbouring dangerous secrets of his own…

A gripping, twisty psychological thriller packed with suspense and a jaw-dropping
ending. Fans of T.M. Logan, C.L. Taylor and K.L. Slater won’t be able to put this one down.

JA Andrews is an author of dark psychological thrillers with books published by Hera, having given up gaming journalism to write novels. When he’s not thinking about sinister plot lines, he often enjoys kickboxing, traveling abroad to sunny climates and reality television shows.

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My thoughts:

This is a gripping thriller that starts with what appears to have been a terrible accident that brings Gary into the lives of widowed Jenny and her son Daniel.

As Jenny struggles to cope with Michael’s sudden death and overbearing mother, Gary becomes a friend, someone she can talk to about her grief. But Gary is not who he seems.

At first I couldn’t work out where this was going, but as Michael’s secrets and lies unravelled and Gary’s behaviour got weirder, it all started to come slowly together.

A nasty little thriller with the insidious way Gary worms his way in and manipulates Jenny with his overt kindness and apparent charm.

*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, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Unravelled – Briony Marshall*

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“For crying out loud! I can’t even cast on now.“

Claire has never unravelled anything before, being a confident knitter. But now, to her dismay, everything she creates is a disaster, riddled with dropped stitches and glaring holes. It’s almost as if her hands have a mind of their own. Maybe it’s because her longest relationship to date has just ended, or perhaps it has something to do with the fact her career is on the ropes.

“Don’t get frustrated with your needles! The problem lies with the knitter, not the knitting,” said Adrian, owner of Oddballs wool shop. Following his advice, in the desperate hope it will cure her woolly woes, Claire begins to turn her life around. Her grand plan involves FishTank, the online dating site. She convinces Adrian that if they sign up and find love, their problems will be solved (and she’ll have at least one area of her life sorted!). The trouble starts when he has far more luck in the romance department than she does.

But it’s little wonder Claire can’t throw herself into dating. She’s already found her perfect match.

A must-read for avid knitters and those with a passion for crafting, this comical yarn will melt any reader’s heart.

Will they? Won’t they? Romance enthusiasts will be rooting for the pair to be knitted together, forever!

Buy

Briony Marshall is an author from the West Midlands in the UK. She is a graduate of the University of Wolverhampton with a degree in ‘Creative and Professional Writing with English’. Briony currently lives at home with her mum, dad, fiancé and fur brother: Bob the Dog. When Briony is not writing, she’s crafting, and when she’s not crafting, she’s drinking coffee.

My thoughts:

A rom-com with needles and yarn!

I can’t knit to save my life but it brings Claire and Adrian together, and introduces her to the Stitch & Bitches too.

This is the story of what to do when The One turns out to be a zero and everything seems to be falling apart. Including your knitting.

A really fun, enjoyable read with a happy ending, something I really need sometimes.

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

blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: We Just Clicked- Anna Bell*

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Izzy’s always played by the rules. But now, it’s time to break them…

Izzy Brown has always dreamed of making it big on Instagram, but her followers just aren’t growing. So when her colleague and fellow ‘influencer’ Luke suggests they fake date to boost their profiles, Izzy says yes – against her better judgement. Now Izzy’s profile shows a confident, glamorous thirty-something with the perfect boyfriend, and her followers are shooting up by the thousands.

So what if behind the scenes, things are a little different? Izzy can’t stop bickering with Luke, his habit of checking his quiff in EVERY SINGLE mirror is driving her insane, and she’s hiding a secret heartache. But everyone tells a few fibs on social media, right?

Then Izzy runs into Aidan, the mysterious stranger who saved her the day her world fell apart two years ago – and major sparks start to fly. Izzy’s sure she can have the online success she’s always dreamed of, whilst falling in love in real life. After all, Aidan doesn’t use social media… what could possibly go wrong?

My thoughts:

A fun, entertaining rom com of a novel about falling in love, the perils of social media and why you really should stick to the truth.

This was a lovely, enjoyable read, perfect for when you want something light and pleasurable to read before bed, in the bath, or slumped on the sofa needing distraction from post-lockdown worries. *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, books, reviews

Blog Tour: The Mountains Sing – Nguyên Phan Quê Mai*

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Born in 1920, Tran Dieu Lan and her family lost everything when the Communist government came to power in North Việt Nam.

Forced to flee with her six children, she knows she must do whatever it takes to keep her family alive.

Fifty years later, her country is again at war, and her young granddaughter Huong grieves the loss of her parents, who have disappeared to the South along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Vivid, compelling and deeply moving, THE MOUNTAINS SING introduces a Vietnamese voice to the post-war literary canon.

Drawing on her family history, and the stories of other survivors, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai’s debut novel in English, brings to life the true human cost of a devastating war, and the improbable power of hope to sustain us when all seems lost.

With echoes of Homegoing and Pachinko, this is a standout new novel from a celebrated Vietnamese poet.

‘The Mountains Sing is my search for lost Vietnamese history. I researched for it my whole life and wrote it when I was 39 years old. I wrote it with everything I had…’

BORN IN VIETNAM in 1973, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai grew up in the aftermath of the war and witnessed its devastation on her country. She worked as a street seller and rice farmer before winning a scholarship to attend university in Australia.

She is the author of eight books of poetry, fiction and non-fiction published in Vietnamese, and her writing has been translated and published in more than 10 countries, most recently in Norton’s Inheriting the War anthology.

Her work has received the Hanoi Writers Association ‘Poetry of the Year’ Award (2010). She lives with her family in Jakarta.

My thoughts:

This is an incredibly moving and compelling read, I’m the first to admit I know very little about Vietnam and its history, so this family saga is very fascinating and interesting.

You can see the author’s poetic roots in some of the lines, which read so beautifully on the page, conjuring full colour images in the mind.

Moving back and forth between Duen Lan’s past and her granddaughter’s present in the aftermath of the American invasion of Vietnam and the ensuing war, unites the two generations in their family’s long fight to survive against what often seem like insurmountable odds.

I was reminded of Jung Chan’s Wild Swans, the family memoir, even fictionalised as here, is powerful and emotive, drawing you into the lives of these unforgettable characters.

*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, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Kissing Daisy Parker – Michael Milton*

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First loves. Last chances. Street Fighter II.

Daisy is a Sylvia Plath reading, Robert Smith devotee, planning on a summer of Australian beaches with or without her two favourite boys. Obsessed gamer and jealous boyfriend Greg needs the prize money from the Scottish Street Fighter II championships to join Daisy in Oz. She wouldn’t really go without him. Would she?

Scottish-born, English-accented Junaid is the couple’s best friend. Haunted by that school dance and terrified of the future, he finds himself falling for his best friend’s girl. When a disastrous event at the video game tournament brings Daisy and J closer together, Greg attempts the ultimate redemption.

Each makes decisions which alter the course of their friendship, and their lives, forever. But do the answers to life’s biggest questions truly lie in kissing Daisy Parker?

Buy

Michael Milton spent the first 25 years of his life pretending to be other people. After switching drama school for university, he travelled the world as an English teacher and returned home to complete his MA in Creative Writing.

His stories have been long and short listed for the Fish Prize, the Bath Short Story Award, the Mogford Prize and the Emerge Impact Creative Writing Prize. Kissing Daisy Parker is his first novel, and yes, he can beat you at Street Fighter.

My thoughts:

This was a delightful read about finding yourself and your place in the world. Set in the 90s, complete with a soundtrack of The Cure and the sound effects of Street Fighter, three friends spend their gap years travelling the world and discovering who they want to be.

A really enjoyable book, that made me laugh but also with some heart stopping moments. An accomplished first novel and a great addition to recent YA publications.

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