Tag: YA

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Cover Reveal: Shade of Light – Kimberly Grymes

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We are so excited to share this stunner! Pre-order Shade of Light by Kimberly Grymes and stay tuned for the book tour in October!

Shade of Light Zoomed Out Cover_2

Shade of Light (Three Shades Trilogy)
Expected Publication Date: October 24th, 2023
Genre: YA Dark Fantasy

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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Author Note:

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

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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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Blog Tour: My Summer With the Hermit King – William Todd

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A Summer with Hermit copy

Welcome to the tour for A Summer with the Hermit King by William Todd. Read on for more details!

hermit ebook cover 1

A Summer with the Hermit King

Publication Date: December 2022

Genre: YA/ Cozy Mystery

Year: 1888. Diminutive sixteen-year-old Auggie Rose decides he can no longer take the physical and mental abuse at the hands of other boys living at the orphanage. He decides to leave and cast his lot living as a recluse on the nearby beautiful Presque Isle, a peninsula on the shores of Lake Erie. After sneaking out in the middle of the night, on his way to the peninsula, he witnesses a murder at the hands of ‘the man with a limp’.The murderer initially does not know he was witnessed. Not knowing what else to do that wouldn’t jeopardize him being sent back to the orphanage, Auggie tries as best he can to put the incident out of his head and so begins his new life adjusting to the wilds of Presque Isle. To that end, Auggie is helped along by Joe Root, a hermit himself and a curiosity among the locals, who has been living on the beaches of Presque Isle for decades. He is also befriended by kitchen help, Maisy, who works at a resort at the entrance to the peninsula. Over time, his relationship with Maisy blossoms into more than just friendship as he adjusts to his new life. During this time, he also slowly begins to realize that the murder he had witnessed is part of a larger plan that has something to do with the peninsula itself. Auggie inadvertently inserts himself into the investigation and is befriended by Will Weston, the detective investigating the murder. As businesses around Presque Isle are being bought then shuttered by a mysterious businessman, one of these owners is murdered. It is then that Auggie begins to realize that whatever nefarious plan ‘the man with the limp’ has, it is putting his life and the lives of those closest to him in mortal danger.

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About the Author

William Todd has been writing for over 20 years, primarily gothic horror stories in the style of Lovecraft, Poe, and Shelley. Loving all things Victorian, he was inspired to read (and later to write) by Arthur Conan Doyle. The first book he ever read cover to cover was Hound of the Baskervilles, which also fed his appetite for horror. William Todd has written two short story compilations of gothic horror, Dead of Night and Beyond the Gossamer Veil and one sci-fi/horror hybrid genre Something Wicked This Way Comes. He has also written multiple Sherlock Holmes pastiches, Murder in Keswick, A Reflection of Evil, Mystery of the Broken Window, and Elementary—a short story compilation, which were picked up for republish by Spellbound Publishing, LTD. Three of his short stories were part of MX Publishing’s New Sherlock Holmes Stories with proceeds going to a charity for special needs children housed in Undershaw, the very home Conan Doyle penned Hound of the Baskervilles. Writing for the books was a special privilege because his daughter, Alina, has Down Syndrome. In 2022, he published his first YA/historical novel A Summer with the Hermit King, which was an Amazon #1 New Release, and he has started yet another Sherlock Holmes compilation. When not writing (which isn’t often!) William spends his time walking the trails and beaches of Presque Isle in his home of Erie, Pennsylvania, and spending time with his family.

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May 22nd

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https://aubreywynne.com/ – Feature

https://www.instagram.com/brandikaedesigns/ – Feature

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May 23rd

https://www.instagram.com/louturnspages/ – Review

https://www.instagram.com/caffeinatedbookowl/ – Review

https://lshadowlynauthor.com/ – Feature

https://www.instagram.com/okuta.otherside/?hl=id – Feature

http://ramblingmads.com – Feature

May 24th

http://www.thefaeriereview.com – Review

https://www.tiktok.com/@bratzlibrary?_t=8YgzeawOzHu&_r=1 – Review

http://readsandreels.com  – Feature

May 25th

https://www.instagram.com/countrymamaswithkids/ – Review

https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com – Feature

May 26th

https://www.instagram.com/amanda_coffee_books/ – Review

https://www.instagram.com/books_coffee_and_pao/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D – Review

https://www.instagram.com/bingingbooksandcoffee/ – Feature

https://www.instagram.com/read.em.if.you.got.em/ – Feature

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Cover Reveal: Twisted Bond – Katlyn DeRourn

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We are so excited to share this GORGEOUS cover with all of you today. Twisted Bond by Katlyn DeRouen is available for pre-order now and is due for release in October!

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Twisted Bond (Twisted Series #1)

Expected Publication Date: October 18, 2023

Genre: YA Fantasy

✨Found Family

✨Hidden Royalty

✨Friends to Lovers

✨Chosen One

Three Girls.

Three Lives.

One Bond.

After almost a decade apart, Cammie, Hannah, and Sabina never expected their paths to cross again so suddenly. But when Cammie is plagued by memories of a person she has never met, she has no choice but to reach out to the friends she lost touch with years ago.

A charismatic stranger—by the name of Caelan—claims he holds the answers to her mounting list of questions. Instead, Cammie winds up in a comatose state. With Caelan’s help, Sabina races against time to find the man in Cammie’s memories who holds the key to an unseen world… before her friend is lost within her own mind forever.

Meanwhile, Hannah finds herself fighting for her life after being thrust into the middle of a war between beings rumored to be myth. In the midst of the chaos, one element holds true… fate pulled them back together for a reason. Will the trio uncover the truth they seek? Or run from an answer they fear will shatter their world as they know it?

Pre-Order Here

About the Author

Author

Katlyn DeRouen is a multi-genre author who dabbles in science fiction, fantasy, and romance. Driven by her love of the written word, she penned her debut book of poetry in 2019, which received an outpouring of glowing reviews. Encouraged by the support of her readers, she allowed her imagination to take her to the stars and back with countless new engaging characters and compelling novels. She lives in Kansas with her husband and two fur babies where she can always be found getting lost in a story.

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Blog Tour: Where The Lightning Goes – Jackary Salem

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After a powerful wizard tears Elle’s soul apart and steals her memories, she’s locked in a house to rot. Her only remaining memory is of falling from the sky, though even that raises more questions than it answers. Upon her escape, she falls into a world that’s equal parts vicious and beautiful. Magic is everywhere, everyone is out for themselves, and every truth is accompanied by a lie. Her lack of memories grows maddening and painful. She’s positive that the key to recovering her memories is in the sky-castle from her dreams, but getting there will require magic she doesn’t have. Traversing an enchanted painting, stealing a sword from a dragon’s den, and outwitting a demon are only the beginning. And this time, she’s got more than freedom and memories on the line.

Without magic, there is no survival.

Goodreads Storygraph

Jackary Salem is a fantasy author from Kingsport, Tennessee. She majored in neuroscience at Berea College with equal emphasis in biology and psychology. Her passions are writing, editing, and her cat, Chihiro. She’s currently working as a full-time author and developmental editor. To connect with Jack, you can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, email her at , or sign up for her newsletter at http://www.jackarysalem.com.

My thoughts: This was an interesting read, I liked Elle, her determination to get answers and find her memories, learn magic and find out where “home” was. Her bickering accomplices – wizard Adair and his heart turned person Leslie, who teach her magic and try to encourage her, were also fun. A lot happens very quickly and you have to keep up as Elle escapes various obstacles and prisons, aiming to reach the castle in the sky, while being pursued by a demon who serves the castle’s master.

A fun adventure fantasy story for younger teen readers who liked Percy Jackson or similar books.

*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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Book Blitz: The Timewalker Archives – Emily VanderBent

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TheTimeWalker copy

This gorgeous special edition by Emily VanderBent is now available for preorder and contains both Crimson Time and Fractured Past. The Timewalker Archives will make a beautiful addition to any bookshelf!

This special edition includes:

  • An exclusive cover designed by @jeaninecroft with diamond 3D lettering
  • Full color character art by @colouranomaly
  • Colored pages including a signing page, book playlist, note from the author, and title page
  • 3 bonus scenes (one woven directly into the story and two in the book’s back matter told from Kolt and Teo’s perspective)
  • In-text graphics including articles, letters, and newspaper clippings
  • Exclusive trace pages designed by @marissamillerbooks

The Timewalker Archives Cover

The Timewalker Archives

Expected Publication Date: May 25, 2023

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy

Tropes

  • Time Travel
  • Historical Descendants
  • Secret Society
  • Hidden Abilities
  • Deadly Competition
  • Slow Burn
  • Forced Proximity
  • Rivals to Lovers

Unlikely alliances, ancient lineages, and a rich history shrouded in secrets propel Adelaide Anson in her search for the only thing that matters—the truth behind the fire that claimed her parents’ lives.

When a mysterious letter appears promising answers, she finds herself joining the exclusive time traveling order of the Red Rose Society. As she makes her way from the French Revolution to the American Civil War and back again, Adelaide is left wondering who she can trust, and more importantly, who she’ll be. With danger and dashing companions at every turn, her emerging ability to see fragments of history leads her on a path to uncover the answers she seeks—and some she did not ask for.

While time unravels in ways she never thought possible, she’s forced to examine her role in history’s making. But as she quickly learns, the truth comes with a price and some secrets are better left buried.

Adelaide’s tale of twisted time will leave her asking the ultimate question—is protecting the past worth sacrificing your future?

The Timewalker Archives Vol. 1 combines Crimson Time and Fractured Past, the first two books in a young adult historical fantasy series perfect for fans of NBC’s Timeless and Alyson Noël’s Stealing Infinity.

Preorder Here!

About the Author

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Emily VanderBent is a natural-born storyteller. As a writer and historian, she desires to celebrate women in history. Through her books, VanderBent uses elements of history to creatively engage readers with the past. She hopes her writing will encourage young women to fearlessly pursue their passions and own the narrative of their individual story.

While living in the real world, Emily dreams of days long past and stories yet to be told.

Emily VanderBent

Instagram: @emilyvanderbent_author

Twitter: @emvan6

TikTok: @emilyvanderbent_author

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Blog Tour: If Tomorrow Doesn’t Come – Jen St. Jude

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We Are Okay meets They Both Die at the End in this YA debut about queer first love and mental health at the end of the world-and the importance of saving yourself, no matter what tomorrow may hold.

Avery Byrne has secrets. She’s queer; she’s in love with her best friend, Cass; and she’s suffering from undiagnosed clinical depression. But on the morning Avery plans to jump into the river near her college campus, the world discovers there are only nine days left to an asteroid is headed for Earth, and no one can stop it.

Trying to spare her family and Cass additional pain, Avery does her best to make it through just nine more days. As time runs out and secrets slowly come to light, Avery would do anything to save the ones she loves. But most importantly, she learns to save herself. Speak her truth. Seek the support she needs. Find hope again in the tomorrows she has left.

If Tomorrow Doesn’t Come is a celebration of queer love, a gripping speculative narrative, and an urgent, conversation-starting book about depression, mental health, and shame.

Amazon Goodreads

Jennifer Cox, via author’s website

Lambda Literary Fellow Jen St. Jude (she/they) grew up in New Hampshire apple orchards and now lives in Chicago with her wife and dog. She has served as an editor for Chicago Review of Books, Just Femme & Dandy, and Arcturus Magazine. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her cheering on the Chicago Sky and Red Stars. If Tomorrow Doesn’t Come is her first novel.

My thoughts: oh, Avery, you poor sweet darling, I just wanted to give her such a hug. She’s really going through it, and as someone with depression who struggled at uni to start with, I had such empathy for her. And then the world was due to end. Which is such a metaphor for how it feels when you’re suicidal and everything looks great from the outside. Except for Avery and her family and everyone else, the world is about to end.

There’s a whacking great space rock heading for Arizona, and while Avery is in New Hampshire, it’s still not great news. And she’s finally going to tell best friend Cass that she’s in love with her and always has been. Because no time like the actual apocalypse.

In those last few frantic days, Avery and Cass have their very own love story and oh it is so sweet and the fact that they won’t get to be together for very long is heartbreaking. As is the very fact that Avery’s family are adorable, her college roommate actually turns out to be lovely and Avery doesn’t actually want to die any more.

Look, this book broke me, it will probably break you, more queer love stories that don’t involve anyone dying or the world ending please. But do read this one, because it’s delightful but keep the tissues handy as I cried at least twice.

*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 Blog Tour: Sunbolt – Intisar Khanani

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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 are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website http://www.bbnya.com or 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.

The winding streets and narrow alleys of Karolene hide many secrets, and Hitomi is one of them. Orphaned at a young age, Hitomi has learned to hide her magical aptitude and who her parents really were. Most of all, she must conceal her role in the Shadow League, an underground movement working to undermine the powerful and corrupt Arch Mage Wilhelm Blackflame.

When the League gets word that Blackflame intends to detain—and execute—a leading political family, Hitomi volunteers to help the family escape. But there are more secrets at play than Hitomi’s, and much worse fates than execution. When Hitomi finds herself captured along with her charges, it will take everything she can summon to escape with her life.

Amazon: Canada USA UK Goodreads

Intisar Khanani grew up a nomad and world traveler. She has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah, on the coast of the Red Sea. Intisar used to write grants and develop projects to address community health and infant mortality with the Cincinnati Health Department, which was as close as she could get to saving the world. Now she focuses her time on her two passions: raising her family and writing fantasy. She is the author of The Sunbolt Chronicles, and the Dauntless Path novels, beginning with Thorn.

My thoughts: I already love Thorn so this was a treat to read. Hitomi is such a great protagonist, thief, spy, agitator against a corrupt ruler. Oh, and has secret magical powers. Ones she has to use to escape capture by a Fang (basically a creepy vampire) who seems intent on killing her slowly.

But she isn’t alone, having saved the lives of a family and distracted the guards from finding her friends, she makes a new friend in a fellow prisoner and escapes to possible freedom and safety. It’s only a short novella, and there’s still more to come, which I cannot wait for. It ended on such a cliffhanger, I need to know more moment. Definitely worth reading if you like fantasy adventures, with smart mouthed heroes.

*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: Soul Sucker – Kayla Maurais

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SoulSucker copy

Welcome to the tour for Soul Sucker by Kayla Maurais! Read on for more, and make sure to visit one of our Bookstagram hosts for a chance to win a hardcover edition and some other bookish goodies!

OFFICIAL SUCKER COVER

Soul Sucker

Publication Date: February 17th, 2023

Genre: YA Sci-fi/ Fantasy

If the horror planet they’re trapped on doesn’t kill them first, their sibling rivalry just might . . .

For siblings Dash and Shea, stealing and selling rare artifacts across the galaxy is the family business. Meticulous planner Shea yearns to make her father proud, while chaos comedian Dash secretly wishes to be a normal teen.

When Dash fails to return from a classified heist on a planet in the Realm of Shadows, his negligence falls on Shea, and it’s up to her to rescue him. Again. Locating her brother is tricky enough, but upon her arrival Shea discovers that not only has Dash lost the portal key that was meant to deliver them home, the vile creature he was sent to steal has latched onto him and now feeds on his soul.

To save her brother, Shea must enlist the help of a runaway spellcaster in order to find the cure. Nobody else can guide them across a treacherous terrain filled with viscera-laden rivers and forests lurking with carnivorous predators. Relying on someone else means being vulnerable for the first time. And as Shea’s confidence in herself and her tolerance for her brother’s mistakes start to waver, she must decide what’s more important—being the perfectly-polished leader her father raised her to be, or letting her guard down to save her siblingship and her little brother’s soul.

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About the Author

Author

Kayla Maurais is a Young Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy author from New England. She first started writing creatively when she was thirteen. Since then, she’s gone on to get a Masters in Screenwriting. When she isn’t writing, Kayla enjoys spending time in nature and going on road trips to discover new places. She is also a certified TEFL teacher, birth doula, and an intuitive empath.

Kayla Maurais

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Blog Tour: Fountain Dead – Theresa Braun

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FountainDead copy

There is now an audio edition of Fountain Dead by Theresa Braun, and like the gorgeous new cover, the story will give you chills!

COVER

Fountain Dead

Publication Date: April 4th, 2023

Genre: Mature YA/ Paranormal/ Ghost Story

Narrator: Keira Grace

Mark is uprooted from his home and high school in the Twin Cities and forced to move with his family into a Victorian in Nowhere-ville. Busy with the relocation and fitting in, Mark’s parents don’t see what’s unfolding around them—the way rooms and left behind objects seem alive with a haunted past. Of course, Mark keeps his ghostly encounters to himself, all the while sinking deeper into the house’s dark, alluring, and ultimately terrifying history. As romantic entanglements intensify, the paranormal activity escalates. Past and present come together. Everything is connected—from the bricks in the walls to the hearts beating in their chests, all the secrets of Fountain Dead are finally unearthed.

Available on Audible

Paperback: Amazon

About the Author

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Theresa Braun has a Master’s degree in English literature and lives in South Florida where she has been teaching literature and writing for over 20 years. Traveling, ghost hunting, and all things dark are her passions (when she is not coming up with romantic subplots). She has presented at HWA conferences, as well as Utah Quills Conferences. Her published works include both novels and short stories that have appeared in various horror fiction publications. In 2018, she was included in a Best Speculative Fiction anthology.

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Book Tour Schedule

April 24th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

Cocktails & Fairytales (Spotlight) https://www.facebook.com/CocktailsFairytales

@itputs.the.book.upon.the.shelf (Review) https://www.instagram.com/itputs.the.book.upon.the.shelf/

@bookishlyrieka (Review)https://www.instagram.com/bookishlyrieka/

Liliyana Shadowlyn (Spotlight) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

@paulalearmouth (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/paulalearmouth/

April 25th

I Love Books & Stuff (Spotlight) https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com

@ameliaveganreader (Review) https://www.instagram.com/ameliaveganreader/

@squeakeysundergroundlibrary (Review) https://www.instagram.com/squeakeysundergroundlibrary/

@emilyinthearchives (Review) https://www.instagram.com/emilyinthearchives/

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

April 26th

@amanda_coffee_books (Review) https://www.instagram.com/amanda_coffee_books/

@fathomsamidstthelines (Review) https://www.instagram.com/fathomsamidstthelines/

@margiebythebookcase (Review) https://www.instagram.com/margiebythebookcase/

@seetaylorreview (Review) https://www.instagram.com/seetaylorreview/

@adlynsreadingcorner (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/adlynsreadingcorner/

Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com

April 27th

@demigodreading19 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/demigodreading19/

@mymagicalbookself (Review) https://www.instagram.com/mymagicalbookself/

@itsabookthing2021 (Review) https://www.instagram.com/itsabookthing2021/

@nerdybookmama (Review) https://www.instagram.com/nerdybookmama/

@literaryinspired (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/literaryinspired/

April 28th

@my_books_and_coffee (Review) https://www.instagram.com/my_books_and_coffee/

Books + Coffee = Happiness (Review) https://bookscoffeehappiness.com/

@get.outside.and.read (Review) https://www.instagram.com/get.outside.and.read/?r=nametag

Book Reviews by Taylor (Spotlight) https://www.bookreviewsbytaylor.com/

Stine Writing (Spotlight) https://christinebialczak.com/

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BBNYA Blog Tour: The Reaper’s Quota – Sarah McKnight

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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 are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website http://www.bbnya.com or 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.

Meet Grim Reaper #2497. Behind on his work, he must complete his quota of thirty Random Deaths or face termination in the worst way. Faced with an insurmountable task and very little time to complete it, Reaper #2497 struggles to hang on to the one thing he’s not supposed to have – his humanity.

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Goodreads

Sarah McKnight has been writing stories since she could pick up a pencil, and it often got her in trouble during math class. After a brief stint teaching English to unruly middle schoolers in Japan, she decided she wasn’t going to put off her dream of becoming a writer any longer and set to work. With several novels in the making, she hopes to tackle issues such as anxiety, depression, and letting go of the past – with a little humor sprinkled in, too. A St. Louis native, she currently lives in Pennsylvania with her wonderful husband and three cats. You can find her on Twitter @mcknight_writes and http://www.sarahmcknightwrites.com.

My thoughts: a Reaper is someone who, for whatever reason, committed murder while alive and is now fated to collect the souls of the dying. Oh, plus 30 random deaths that they have to pick themselves. Talk about a moral dilemma. At least it is for Reaper #2497, formerly known as Steve. He’s not a cold blooded killer, and is having trouble making his monthly 30. Especially after meeting Heather, a living person who can see and speak to him.

He tries, with plenty of black humour, to pick 30 fairly awful humans or at least ones with only a few years left to live. Should a Reaper feel guilt? Well Steve does. And that’s not going to end well. He can’t find a loophole or an answer to his problem anywhere at Reaper HQ and the Big Boss is getting cross with him. What’s a Reaper to do?

Blackly comic and smart, this is an entertaining read that asks a pretty pertinent question – could you follow an order blindly like Reapers are supposed to?

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