Friday, December 29, 2023
Review: World of Misery (Cursed World #2.5) by Kate L. Mary @kmary0622
World of Misery
Cursed World #2.5
Published: December 26, 2023
Publisher: Twisted Press, LLC
Genre: Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian
Thursday, December 28, 2023
Book Trailer Blitz: Stone Bridge by Linda Griffin @LindaGriffinA @pumpupyourbook
Rynna Dalton is welcomed to Stonebridge by the ghostly presence of her mother's murdered cousin Rosalind, but both Rosalind and Cousin Ted warn her against marrying Rosalind's son.
Title: Stonebridge
Author: Linda Griffin
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Publication Date: November 1, 2023
Pages: 256
Genre: Ghost Story/Romance
After the death of her mother, Rynna Dalton comes to live with her imperious great-grandmother and her bookish, disabled cousin Ted at Stonebridge Manor. Almost immediately she is aware of a mysterious presence, which she believes is the spirit of her mother’s murdered cousin, Rosalind. Rynna is charmed by Rosalind’s lawyer son Jason Wyatt, who courts her, and she agrees to marry him. Meanwhile Ted and Rynna become good friends. But Stonebridge holds secrets that will profoundly affect her future. Why is Ted so opposed to the match? Why does Rosalind seem to warn Rynna against it? And how far will Jason go to possess Stonebridge—and the woman he professes to love?
Buy Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
Book Excerpt:
She crept in the door of the music room, where she could barely make out the shape of the piano in the darkness. A quick, furtive glance behind her and then she switched on the flashlight and swept the beam around the still room. Nothing lurked in the shadows. She tiptoed to the piano and ran the light across the keys. No visible strings or wires.
She heard a faint murmur and snapped off the flashlight. She ducked back from the door and hid in a shadowed corner where she was sure she couldn’t be seen with the overhead light off. She waited and heard nothing more. The sound had been almost inaudible, perhaps just the old house creaking or settling.
She held her arm close to her face so she could read the faintly luminous dial of her wristwatch. It was 2:15. Easy enough to wait where she was for a few more minutes. If the pattern held, the practical joker would fall right into her trap. She leaned against the wall and kept her breathing steady and quiet. Just a few minutes more, a little patience. The house was quiet, peaceful, waiting.
Someone was in the room.
Rynna snapped on the flashlight.
No one was there. She had not heard anything to suggest anyone had come into the room, and nothing had touched her, and yet for a split-second she had been absolutely certain someone was a few feet away. She’d had such a strong kinesthetic sense of a presence that the flashlight was on before she had time for conscious thought.
She switched it off again, feeling foolish, but damn it, she had detected something. The sensation was so vivid she had a lingering memory of the other person’s scent. Or did she detect something tangible now? A faint trace of perfume? Something unfamiliar and s suggestive of roses. Now I’m imagining things, she told herself sternly. She hoped the light hadn’t given her away and she still had time to wait undiscovered for the trickster to appear.
She leaned back against the wall and waited, listening to the silence. The house was almost too quiet, as if nobody lived there. Nothing creaked or shifted or fluttered in the darkness. But for the knowledge that she didn’t have long to wait, the silence would have gotten on her nerves. As it was, the hair on the back of her neck prickled. She shivered a little. Like most old houses, Stonebridge was drafty.
The silence was oppressive and in some way alive. An inexplicable chill ran down her spine. She saw nothing, heard nothing. She didn’t even have a definite sense of someone else in the room. She was simply unnerved for no reason. For a few seconds more she stayed in the shadows of the music room and then, with an almost physical sensation, her composure shattered.
Rynna fled. She ran for the stairs and clambered up them, slipping and stumbling in the dark, half-choked by terror and gasping for breath. At the top of the stairs, she ran full tilt into someone hurrying down the hall, and before she had time to register who it was, she screamed.
Book Trailer:
About the Author
Linda Griffin knew she wanted to be a “book maker” as soon as she learned to read and wrote her first story, “Judy and the Fairies,” at the age of six. She retired as fiction librarian for the San Diego Public Library to spend more time on her writing. She has had stories of every length from short shorts to novellas published in numerous literary journals, and Stonebridge is her eighth book from the Wild Rose Press. She enjoys the three R’s — reading, writing, and research–as well as Scrabble, movies, and travel.
Author Links
Sponsored By:
Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Sunday, December 24, 2023
Saturday, December 23, 2023
Friday, December 22, 2023
Review: Imperial Stardust (The MacLee Chronicles #2) by Jina S. Bazzar @Jina_Bazzar
Imperial Stardust
The MacLee Chronicles #2
by Jina S. Bazzar
Published: December 22, 2023
Publisher: Jina S. Bazzar
Genre: Space Opera, Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
Thursday, December 21, 2023
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Review: World of Rot (Cursed World #2) by Kate L. Mary @kmary0622
World of Rot
Cursed World #2
Published: December 20, 2023
Publisher: Twisted Press, LLC
Genre: Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Book Blast + #Giveaway: A Curse of Magick by Diane Gallagher @diane_writes @GoddessFish
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Diane Gallagher will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
“A desperate princess, a handsome warrior, and an ancient magick to determine their fate.”
As daughter to the High King, love doesn’t come easily to Gráinne. Having turned down hundreds of suitors, she is being forced to marry Finn, an old, ugly yet powerful general. While outside the marriage hall, Gráinne bumps into Diarmuid, Finn’s handsome foster son. From that moment, Gráinne knows if she is to have any chance at love, he is the one she must marry. She begs him to take her away from this unwanted wedding. When Diarmuid refuses, Gráinne, desperate, places a curse on him; help her or die.
Diarmuid is a warrior who only wants to serve loyally, but when the princess sets her sights on him and casts her curse, he must make the most difficult choice of his life. Does he help her, taking their chances with a vengeful Finn, or does her refuse her, leaving her to her fate, and risking his own death?
With both their lives on the line, Gráinne and Diarmuid must fight to use Ireland’s ancient magick to escape from Finn, either bringing them together in passion or in death.
A Curse of Magick is a passionate tale of love, betrayal, revenge, and redemption. A retelling of an ancient Irish myth, A Curse of Magick takes the love and romance of Romeo and Juliet, and the exhilaration of King Arthur, and mixes it together for a satisfying adventure all will love.
Free to read on Kindle Unlimited – Amazon
“Look, up ahead. It’s the River Shannon.” Sure enough, Gráinne had caught a glimpse of the river sparkling in the distance.
“Then, come on,” Diarmuid shouted as he galloped past her.
Without need of encouragement, Fáelán took off at a gallop close behind Diarmuid.
“Come on, Fáelán, don’t let him beat us,” Gráinne shouted. She felt Fáelán respond beneath her, and they rode as one, hoofbeats hot on the trail of Diarmuid. With each drum of the horse’s hooves on the hardpacked road, Fáelán drew closer and closer until they were even. From the corner of her eye, she saw Diarmuid glance over at her, a grin on his handsome face and one hand holding his cap tight on his head.
“Hyaa!” he shouted, urging his own horse on.
Gráinne grinned. She knew Fáelán was a match for any other beast. As if he knew her thoughts, Fáelán leapt forward in a new burst of energy at Diarmuid’s shout, and pulled ahead, leaving Diarmuid and his horse behind. They rounded a bend and came to a skidding stop right at the edge of the river, with Diarmuid close behind.
Gráinne slid from Fáelán’s back, both of them panting hard. Diarmuid jumped from his horse and landed hard on the grassy bank. He stumbled towards Gráinne, catching his footing just before knocking into her. She watched him struggle to his feet and face her, a breathless grin stretched across his face. She grinned back and they stood, face to face for a few moments, gulping at the cool morning air.
About the Author:
Diane Gallagher is a novelist and Druid priest. She is the author of three novels: A Curse of Magick, Greenwich List, and the Bastard of Saint Genevra. She has long roots stretching into her Celtic past, although she splits her life between two islands—Vancouver Island on the west coast of Canada, and Sicily off the toe of Italy’s boot. She writes young adult romance based on ancient Celtic myths of the powerful women of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. She currently teaches creative writing at Cherry Hill Seminary.
Connect with Diane Gallagher
Giveaway:
$15 Amazon/BN GC
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Monday, December 18, 2023
Sunday, December 17, 2023
Review: CHRYSIX (The Fall Gauntlet #3) by J. A. Merkel
The Fall Gauntlet #3
by J. A. Merkel
Published: December 10, 2023
Publisher: Worlds Apart Media
Genre: Young Adult, Apocalyptic, Post Apocalyptic, Dystopian
Saturday, December 16, 2023
Review: Small Town EMP: The Complete Series by Grace Hamilton
Small Town EMP: The Complete Series
by Grace Hamilton
Published: October 17, 2019
Genre: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic
Friday, December 15, 2023
Review: Survive the Conflict (Small Town EMP #3) by Grace Hamilton
Survive the Conflict
Small Town EMP #3
by Grace Hamilton
Published: October 17, 2019
Genre: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic
Blurb Blitz + #Giveaway: Light of the Gods by Miriam Newman @miriamnewman @GoddessFish
Light of the Gods
by Miriam Newman
GENRE: Fantasy Historical Romance
BLURB:
In ages gone by, the gods of the mountains had split the earth in two. Now that passage must form a barrier against invaders. Javrik, clan chieftain’s son, has known his wife for only a month when he must defend her. Arman, soldier from a far-off land, finds himself fighting for people he never knew existed. The lives of nomads, raiders, warriors and lovers are changed forever in the shadow of Grandfather Mountain.
Excerpt:
It was a happy homecoming group at table that night although, inevitably, most people spoke of war.
“These are good,” Javrik acknowledged, sitting next to Sarai with his brother on his other side, both of them eating her sweet rolls. The only rule of the home seemed to be that the men must leave their boots on the porch, to save cleaning for the women. But she could see that her husband had changed into clean clothes, and washed his beard and his hair. They still curled faintly, looking like spun gold as they dried. In a crowd of men coming in, many with wives and children, he stood out.
It was pretty clear, though, that Jerisi held court.
“Sarai‘s father,” he told the assemblage, “returned to prepare stone throwers.”
There was a murmur of approval.
“You have the timber and rope to make them.” He spoke directly to her, but obviously to everyone else as well. “And the rocks. We will harvest rocks from your ground like a crop and shoot them from atop Grandfather Mountain and Little Man on anyone below.”
He rubbed his hands gleefully, provoking a laugh at the table. “That should take out a good number.”
“What else can they throw?” someone asked.
“Oh, pretty much anything. Flaming balls of pitch. Severed heads.”
The laughter this time was robust.
“UGGHHH!” Most of the women protested, but they, too, were laughing.
Jerisi, already well into his cups, raised a tankard. “Drink to their deaths, my friends!”
So, this was war. Unconsciously, Sarai leaned towards Javrik, who was less inebriated than some others—but not much.
“Ugly stuff, isn‘t it?” he commiserated. “And I‘m afraid you haven‘t seen anything yet.”
“And I thought you were the civilized ones,” she teased. “That‘s what they tell us in the mountains.”
“Oh, no.” He leaned back. “We only pretend.”
She had dressed for dinner in the bright colors the other women favored, and worn her hair as Sange suggested, intricately braided and held with rich-looking combs. Well, she had fed him, gotten him drunk, dressed like a woman looking for attention...there was only one thing left to try. If he rejected her again, she didn‘t know what she would do. A woman might have an abusive husband or a drunken one, which was bad enough. But to have one who simply didn‘t care about you was the kiss of death, since you were shackled to him for life.
“Where do we sleep tonight?” she asked, letting her leg touch his beneath the shelter of the table.
“Upstairs,” he said, not moving his leg. “Do you want me to show you?”
At last, she thought. The man was not made of stone, after all. Her fingers curled anxiously inside her palms, but the weight and warmth against her thigh was very real.
“Yes,” she murmured. “Yes, I do want that.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Fantasy poetry driven by myths and legends has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I was published in poetry before catching the romance writing bug. I bring that background to my writing along with a lifelong addiction to horses, an 18 year career in various areas of psychiatric social services and many trips to Ireland, where I nurture my muse. My published works range from contemporary fantasy romance to fantasy historical, futuristic, science fiction and historical romance. Currently I live in rural Pennsylvania with a “motley crew” of rescue animals. You can see my books at www.miriamnewman.com.
Connect with Miriam Newman
Website ~ Blog ~ Email ~ Facebook
Twitter ~ BookBub ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon
Blog – The Celtic Rose
Website – Dark Castle Lords
Giveaway:
$20 Amazon/BN GC
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.
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