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Cover Reveal: A Vengeful Shade – Kimberley Grymes

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We’re thrilled to share the cover and a teaser for A Vengeful Shade, the second book in the Three Shades trilogy by Kimberly Grymes!

AVS_paperback ebook cover

A Vengeful Shade (Three Shades Trilogy #2)

Expected Publication Date: TBA

Genre: YA Dark Fantasy

Old threats resurface along with new ones, the mystery of the third Shade unravels, and Adele and Rune struggle to adapt to their new life of normalcy.

Book two continues with Adele trying to find her place living a somewhat normal life. While Rune struggles to help the angels rebuild their once beloved city in the Angel Realm. Little do they know their fight against evil is far from over. Vengeance is in the air for all those that have betrayed the Queen of the Under Realm.

Cover

Shade of Light (Three Shades Trilogy)

Publication Date: October 24th, 2023

Genre: YA Dark Fantasy

✨ Medieval Fantasy World
✨ Morally Gray MCs
✨ Unexpected Twists
✨ Magic
✨ Angels & Demons

Not all monsters are evil. Some choose to do better. So, which one am I?

Eighteen-year-old Adele believes she’s a monster because of her ability to infiltrate minds. She has come to terms with the fact that she may be alone for the rest of her life in order to avoid hurting others. For years, she’s been kept captive at Castle Forge, living comfortably under the watchful eye of a tyrant general. But after secretly witnessing her aunt heal someone with her blood, Adele knows the only way to get answers is to escape. Even if that means leaving behind the one person who’d shown her compassion during her captivity.

She travels far to her childhood village, and while trying to uncover the mysteries of her past, she encounters the Shade. The same mysterious attackers who changed her life eight-years ago. The Shade have been raiding Adele’s childhood village, capturing its inhabitants for their queen, the ruler of the Under Realm. It isn’t long before Adele realizes these attackers possess similar powers, drawing more questions about who she is, where she comes from, and how she’s connected to these evil beings.

After a childhood friend is captured and taken to the Under Realm, Adele must decide whether to stay and help the village or return to Castle Forge, where a dear friend might be in danger from the general’s wrath. With evil all around, Adele must choose who she wants to be and what her future holds.

This young-adult dark fantasy story promises a captivating and thrilling journey filled with action, suspense, and unexpected twists. Book one in the THREE SHADES TRILOGY explores themes of self-discovery, acceptance, and the power of choice as Adele navigates a dangerous medieval world to find her place in it.

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CW:

This book/series is young adult fiction and appropriate for 14+ years of age to read. It is considered “dark” fantasy, but appropriate enough for teens to read. There are mildly violent scenes, but nothing that falls into the “gore” or “horror” category. And the magic is more abilities that can either be used to help other or for torturous reasons.

This is a story that takes place in a medieval fantasy world with arrows, swords, and other non-gun-like weapons.

If you enjoy “dark” fantasy TV shows such as Wednesday, Vampire Diaries, or Shadow and Bone then you’ll be okay with the level of “darkness” in Shade of Light.

About the Author

Kimberly Grymes loves being sucked into science-fiction, fantasy, mystery, and paranormal worlds.

After many, many years of reading books and watching other people’s stories on TV and film, she finally took the plunge and started writing and sharing her own stories, starting with her debut novel, Isoldesse. She’s also released a companion novella, The Red Umber Forest. Besides storytelling, Kimberly enjoys baking, crafting, and taking bookish pictures for her Instagram page.

She and her family live on the outskirts of Wichita, Kansas with their two crazy miniature pinschers, Cori and Jubilee.

Kimberly Grymes

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Book Blitz: Death Rattle – Carter Pugh

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DeathRattle copy

The perfect book for Halloween! Check out Death Rattle by Carter Pugh, where murder mystery meets urban fantasy!

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Death Rattle

Publication Date: September 10, 2023

Genre: Murder Mystery/ Urban Fantasy

Murder Mystery meets Urban Fantasy in this coming-of-age tale where nothing is as it seems. Meet Clarke Carpenter, a thirty-year-old nanny and student who desires a life more substantial than her own, full of magic and wonder. After moving to the city, hoping to overcome her insecurities and claim a more vibrant life, her world unexpectedly upturns when she is accused of murdering her roommate. Clarke’s dreams of a fairytale existence are obliterated…or are they? Follow along in this thrilling first installment of the Death Book series as Clarke discovers the mystery of who she is.

Available on Amazon

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Blog Tour: A Fool’s Errand – D.E. King

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Welcome to the book tour for A Fool’s Errand by D.E. King. Read on for more details!

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A Fool’s Errand (In All Jest #1)

Publication Date: October 2020

Genre: Epic Fantasy/ Young Adult

Watching over the kin and scraping up what work she could, was Lani’s lot, and she’d come to terms with it. Up until she stumbled on Ashantha dying in the town’s wood storage cave, that is.

There in his final breaths, he pleads with her to protect a jewel he has given his life over.

In those moments, her life changes forever as she becomes unwittingly linked to his secret society of Jesters.

The amulet Lani takes possession of is the key to an eight-hundred-year-old secret previously hidden behind a magic barrier that has begun to crack.

What begins as a journey to find answers quickly becomes a matter of life and death as she runs from Derk assassins sent to retrieve the jewel at any cost.

Far from home, halfway across Dharatan, Lani must find the only person Ashantha told her could be trusted with the amulet and free herself of its deadly burden.

A Fool’s Errand is Book 1 in the In All Jest series, an epic fantasy series by fantasy author D.E. King. Book 3, Spire of Fools is out November, 2023. 

Available on Amazon

About the Author

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D.E. King writes epic fantasy novels, starting with the In All Jest series.

His novels are available in eBook, paperback and hard back book formats from worldwide retailers as well as his own stores at http://www.kingdarryl.com. Get exclusive behind the scenes news, discount coupons, and more by joining Darryl’s Reader’s Group at http://www.kingdarryl.com

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BBNYA Semi-finalists: Jiddy Vardy – Ruth Estevez

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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.

1779

On tumultuous waters a girl is born as pirates board the ship…

Jiddy Vardy is a survivor.

Rescued at birth, she grows up in Robin Hood’s Bay, a community which harbours a dangerous secret that could get you killed.

Always the outsider, with her dark skirt and hair, at sixteen Jiddy is clever, brave and headstrong, soon risking her life and freedom to play her part in the Bay’s clandestine activities.

Then, just as romance blossoms and Jiddy finally feels like she belongs, figures from the past threaten to tear her world apart, and she has to decide where her loyalties truly lie.

A thrilling tale of one girl’s search for identity and love, set against a backdrop of wild seas, smuggling and violence.

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Ruth began her career in theatre and television around the UK, working in props, acting and stage management, before becoming a fiction writer. Theatres and TV companies include Opera North, Harrogate Theatre-in-Education Company, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, and ITV’s Emmerdale.

Ruth has taught scriptwriting at Manchester Metropolitan University and was previously a scriptwriter on the Children’s TV series, Bob the Builder.

Ruth now writes for adults and young people and her published novels include historical fiction: Jiddy Vardy, Jiddy Vardy – High Tide and Meeting Coty, contemporary: Erosion, and YA: The Monster Belt. Place and identity feature strongly in all Ruth’s work.

Currently, Ruth is also Project Coordinator of the Portico Sadie Massey Awards for young readers and writers, an annual short story and book review competition based at the historic Portico Library, Manchester.

Instagram: ruthestevezwriter

Twitter: @RuthEstevez2

Facebook page: @ruthestevezM

Website: www.artgoesglobal.wordpress.com 

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Blog Tour: The Stepmother – Sally Rigby & Amanda Ashby

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She’ll do anything to protect her family…
Libby Curtis never wanted children, until she met Nathan, a gorgeous widower with two young children. Now ten years later she can’t imagine her life without Sam and Sienna – she’d do anything for her precious kids. Anything….
So when a missing teenager is found lying on the side of the road, Libby’s first thoughts are for her own kids. Are they safe? Are they home?
What Libby doesn’t expect is for her children to be involved in the girl’s disappearance. But when she discovers an item in her stepson’s car linked to the victim Libby’s fears increase.
She can’t believe that the sweet boy she’s raised could do something like that. But if not Sam….who?
Libby must discover the truth before her family is ripped apart. But someone is determined to make sure their secrets stay hidden – even if the consequences are deadly…
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Amanda Ashby and Sally Rigby are a crime writing partnership. Both authors live in New Zealand, have been friends for eighteen years and agree about everything (except musicals). They decided to collaborate on a psychological thriller which they then entered into a competition, run by Boldwood, and which they won!

Facebook (Sally) Facebook (Amanda)
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My thoughts: I knew from the authors that this would be good, full of twists and turns, with characters you want to trust but aren’t sure of. And boy, does this deliver.

Libby is a paramedic and step-mum to teenage twins Sam and Sienna. Her marriage to Nathan seems solid but recently she thinks he’s been hiding things. Then a young woman is attacked, and Libby is first on the scene – the victim is a friend of her children and she can’t help but see her own kids in the same situation.

Being secretive is part of being a teenager, but Libby’s worried. Is Sam involved with what happened to Heather? Is Sienna up to something, having been spotted hanging around Heather’s house.

Then there’s Gemma, arrived in town investigating a serial killer from years ago, that might have links to Libby’s family. Can Libby keep it together and protect her family if one of them is a criminal?

The plot gets intense, twists and turns abound, I was totally hooked, utterly gripped and there were a few “no” gasps, especially towards the end as all the secrets came to light.

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

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Blog Tour: The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic – Breanne Randall

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For fans of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls this charming debut novel and TikTok sensation is packed full of romance, charm and plenty of magic…
Revelare witches are cursed. As long as they use their magic, they are doomed to four heartbreaks.
So far, Sadie Revelare has experienced three – the devastating departure of her mother and the loss of her brother. And the most painful heartbreak of all: Jake McNealy, her first love. Ever since, Sadie
has done everything she can to protect herself from more pain.
But now Sadie’s beloved grandmother is sick. And without her, Sadie isn’t sure she will have the strength to keep her family and her magic together.
As Sadie’s carefully structured life begins to unravel, Jake returns to town after a decade away. And in the face of a final heartbreak that could tear Sadie apart, she must decide once and for all: is love more important than magic?
The perfect read for anyone looking for a cosy and warm, witchy novel to curl up with this autumn.
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Breanne Randall is a freelance writer by trade and an author by vocation. She
graduated with honors with degrees in English Literature, Psychology, and Religious Studies, and her articles have been published in national magazines such as Parents, Fit Pregnancy, Good Housekeeping, Family Circle et al. as well as regular contributions to sites such as Disney Family, SheKnows, Bustle, et al. A seasoned traveler, she imbues her stories with the magic and culture collected from the over forty countries she’s visited.
Breanne lives in the sleepy foothills of Northern California with her husband, two daughters, and a slew of farm animals. When she’s not writing, you can find her wandering the property searching for
fairy portals or serving elaborate stuffed animal tea parties.
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My thoughts: this was a very sweet and charming book about family, love and letting go. Sadie has to keep control of everything, she can’t let life just happen. But when her beloved grandmother, Gigi, is diagnosed with end stage cancer, she has to finally realise she can’t control everything.

With her family members – including her estranged brother, and long lost mother, finally coming home, and her ex-boyfriend back in town, can Sadie learn to love again, and banish her family’s curse for good?

Sadie’s family all have witchy gifts, some more useful than others, and there’s a curse to go with it. But Sadie can save herself and twin Seth, if she can figure out what she needs to do by the full moon.

Interspersed with the recipes Sadie uses in her cafe, there is a gentle love story as well as that of Sadie and her family, rebuilding their bonds after years apart. Super cosy and lovely.

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

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Blog Tour: To Be Continued – Grace Woods

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ToBeContinued copy

Welcome to the book tour for spicy romance, To Be Continued by Grace Woods. Read on for more details!

TBC Book One Cover

To Be Continued (To Be Continued Series #1)

Publication Date: July 2023

Genre: Billionaire Romance

They are worlds apart.

He’s a billionaire. He’s handsome. He leads an international oil company. She’s a teacher. She’s practical. And she’s an environmentalist.

They’re from different worlds, but when they come together, they forge a sensual, edgy world of their own—a world of play and pleasure, a steamy romance with an intimacy so intense that even the logical, independent Ashley Barris loses track of what is real.

Almost.

What is true? What is fantasy? Does it matter that lines are blurred as Luke opens her world and she opens his?

Ashley must choose between rapture and righteousness, between her values and a love so real that everything is perfectly unreal.

Get ready for a spicy romance where smart meets sexy!

Available on Amazon & Audible

About the Authors

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Grace Woods is the nom de plume for two female authors brought together by a desire to deliver wildly sensual, unexpected love stories steeped in respect and revelation. They are mentors, mothers, wives, risk-takers, businesswomen, avid readers, and lovers of nature. Individually, like the women they write for, they contain multitudes. Together, as Grace Woods, they are a force for telling smart and sexy stories.

Grace Woods

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BBNYA Semi-finalists: Immortal Revenge – F. Anne Fischer

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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.

400 years ago, a single event sparked a long-simmering feud between John and Renphor. Now, the two vampires’ lives will become impossibly intertwined in modern-day Philadelphia, leading to a final showdown. As the two try to adapt to a quickly changing world, everyone around them will get swept up in their schemes.

The feud will only end when one of them is destroyed – but as they lose the support of friends and lovers, which one will successfully navigate a world where everyone is lying?

Amazon UK USA Canada

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F. Anne Fischer is a biochemist by day, and author, poet, and dragon collector at night. She lives in Czechia with her very opinionated cat, Agatha, and visits the local castles as often as possible.

Her writing covers a range of topics, but a recurring theme is “what would really happen if you took these extraordinary creatures, and made them exist in the world as it currently is?” She hopes that her readers enjoy her take on it.

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Blog Tour: Moroccan Traffic – Dorothy Dunnett

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Upwardly mobile and smart Wendy Helmann, Executive Secretary, is in Marrakesh with her mother while her boss, Chairman of Kingsley Conglomerates, conducts very delicate if slightly dubious takeover negotiations.

But while Morocco is a romantic place, Wendy finds herself side-tracked from its attractions by the antics of Rita Geddes and a few peripheral problems such as kidnapping, explosions, industrial espionage, murder and car chases across the High Atlas mountains . . . Enter Johnson Johnson and his yacht Dolly.

Dorothy Dunnett (1923-2001) gained an international reputation as a writer of historical fiction. She later turned to crime writing with the acclaimed Dolly books, aka the Johnson Johnson series. She was a trustee of the National Library of Scotland, and a board member of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. In 1992 she was awarded an OBE for her services to literature. A leading light in the Scottish arts world and a renaissance woman, Dunnett was also a professional portrait painter and exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy on many occasions.

My thoughts: the final Dolly book, and it brings the return of Rita Geddes from the first book – Tropical Issue – but now she’s the head of a large corporation and not a make up artist. Whose company is the target of a hostile takeover. But first there’s total chaos, with kidnappings, car chases and other crazy things.

Secretary Wendy Helmann, and her crazy mother, who might actually be a spy or something, are in town too, to assist with the takeover, until they get dragged into the nuttiness. It might be Johnson Johnson’s most outrageous outing yet.

Packed with references to the previous books in the series, this is a hilarious, totally over the top and delightful read.

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

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BBNYA Semi-finalists: Heliotrope – Palmer Pickering

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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.

Teleo is a retired soldier descended from Mages, who were cast out of power generations ago. After years of war and sorrow, he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life on his farm and work his stonemason’s craft.

His wife and daughter had been murdered during a war raid several years earlier and his young son stolen by the enemy side. He spent years unsuccessfully searching for his son and returned home broken-hearted. At the local castle, he comes upon a war orphan stolen by his side from the enemy and rescues him from abuse, adopting him as his foster son.

Teleo is working at the castle when he finds himself in the middle of a coup. This launches a journey to protect his new family, uncover the secrets of the ancient ways, and reclaim the magic of the Mages.

A cast of lovable characters:

Teleo – A gritty warrior who would do anything for you, unless you cross those he loves, then you will meet his blade.

Dinsmora – A reclusive herbalist who weaves shadows.

The fosterling – Orphan who forms a family and softens the toughest of hearts.

The animals – Characters in their own right who carry burdens and bring glory.

Magic:

Magic was outlawed generations ago but lingers in the blood of the kingdoms. There were good reasons it was outlawed and reasons it must rise again.

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Palmer has been writing fiction since she was eight. She received her BA in American Studies from Wesleyan University, with concentrations in Religion and Race Relations.

She currently works in Silicon Valley in the gaming industry and high tech. In addition, Palmer holds a certificate in Chinese Acupressure, is a certified solar panel installer, and studied Tibetan Buddhism with the 14th Dalai Lama.

She lives and writes in the magical redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, California.