Tim and Adelaide Smithfield are haunted by memories of loss too raw to
forget, and too painful to remember. Their 11-year-old daughter,
Michaela, has her own set of sensory processing challenges, not to
mention an overwhelming sense of guilt that she might be at the root
of her parents’ problems.
The sprawling ranch house on the outskirts of the quaint West Texas town
of Big Spring promises a fresh start for a young family on the verge
of collapse.
But the house is haunted by memories of its own… and a guilt that West
Texas’ famed thunderstorms can’t wash away.
Sara is a mother of four, animal lover and advocate, and conservationist.
Little House on the Prairie, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, and Lonesome
Dove are among her favorite shows/movies and books. Sara holds her
B.A. in History and is the author of the historical romance series,
An Everlasting Heart, from 5 Prince Publishing and recently debuted
into the children’s book realm with Chunky Sugars (5 Prince Kids),
written for her own chunky baby.
Eileen has never been interested in love. Ever since her father’s
abandonment, she’s vowed to never experience such pain again. But the
enchanted forest has different ideas. When the continuously shifting
pathways lead her to a mysterious stranger, Eileen finds her promise to
fiercely guard her heart increasingly difficult to keep.
One night when she becomes lost in a storm, the enchanted forest’s
pathways lead her to the castle, home to the kingdom’s Dark Prince,
where Eileen finds herself entangled in what many consider an
opportunity but which Eileen believes to be a curse: competing for the
Dark Prince’s hand through a series of tests that judge one’s royal
worth. Eileen is neither royal nor interested in becoming a princess.
But the mysterious stranger she met in the woods has his own reasons for
helping her succeed, but the cost of his assistance may be too high:
that of Eileen’s heart, the one thing she’s vowed never to give.
Inspired by “The Princess and the Pea”
Praise for the Book
“This was SUCH a cute book! The characters were very well
developed…The supporting characters were just as endearing…as the main
characters. The descriptions of surroundings were impeccable, I could
just see the environment and feel the feelings that were invoked by
them. The plot was really well thought out, the ideas were super
creative, and I love the general fairy tale feel…I couldn’t put it down,
I just fell in love with the characters and I can’t WAIT for the next
one!”
“I ADORE the creativity in this book! The forest is so magical and
has so many enchanting moments throughout the story. I loved being
transported into a fairy tale theme as I read; it was a perfect escape
into a sweet and charming era! I absolutely loved the direction the
story went and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the adventure Eileen
stumbled upon. There are so many fun characters in the story, each with
unique personalities! This is such a darling story about loyalty,
romance, friendship and all with a fairytale feeling!”
“This is a delightful story of romance and adventure, centered near a
magical forest that guides its travelers to discover not only its own
enchantments, but also to find true love along the way. It is also a
story of growth and overcoming one’s weaknesses, and of going forward
despite one’s fears. Both of those things are inspirational to me, and I
found myself relating to the characters and hoping for their success.
An enjoyable journey to give hope to your heart!”
“I really enjoyed this story. The characters are fun and delightful
and they were well developed. I liked that it was only loosely based on
an existing fairy tale and branch out in interesting ways to create
romance and drama. I get really bored with the same re-telling over and
over and this was fresh and new.”
Excerpt
A knock sounded on the door. I bit back a sigh, both of impatience and relief. “Come in.”
I gasped as the door swung open, for it wasn’t Alaina who stood there but—“Aiden?”
He beamed, his eyes
lighting up as they settled on my face. Warmth seeped over me to see him
again after all these weeks, and my heart performed several cartwheels
as he stared at me, his expression tender.
“Aiden!” I fell into his arms, burrowing myself against him.
He nestled against my hair.
“It’s wonderful to see you. I admit I thought it’d be much longer
before our paths crossed again, and I’m pleased that’s not the case.”
I tipped my head back to gape up at him. “Wait, what are you doing here?”
“An excellent question; one I was about to ask you. May I come in?”
I slowly nodded. He shut
the door behind him, his eyes never once leaving my face. The shock of
seeing him at the palace of all places slowly subsided and I tentatively
smiled. “I can’t believe you’re here. I never thought I’d see you
again.”
He returned my smile with a
lopsided one of his own and my insides fluttered. “I promised we’d see
each other again. How are you?”
I sighed. “I’m in a bit of a predicament.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Indeed. So you’re a secret princess keen on trying to persuade the prince to marry you?”
I pulled a face. “No, this is all some horrible misunderstanding.”
“Is it?” He folded his arms and leaned against my bedpost. “And how did a common girl end up in such a plight?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. A secret danced within his dark eyes, taunting me. “You don’t happen to know the answer, do you?”
He chuckled, and the warm
sound I’d fiercely missed washed over me. “I do, actually.” His smile
widened. “I’ve really missed you, Eileen. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Why am I here?” I pressed my hands on my hips and glared at him, demanding he answer me.
He straightened and came
over until he stood directly in front of me, enveloping me in his warmth
and causing the strange sensations that only came from him to fill my
heart. “It so happened I witnessed your unexpected arrival last night.”
“What are you even doing here?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m a member of the court.”
My brow furrowed. “I don’t understand. How does your being a member of the court explain why I now find myself trapped here?”
“Because thanks to my
position, it wasn’t difficult to convince the guards that you’re one of
the princesses come here to woo the prince.” He winked.
I gaped at him, my heart pounding furiously. With each beat my insides burned, my anger searing and poisonous. “You told them what?”
He frowned. “I told the guards that you’re a princess.”
“You mean to tell me,” I hissed through gritted teeth, “that it’s your fault I’m tangled in this dangerous mess?”
Perplexity twisted his expression. “Mess? It’s an opportunity.”
“An opportunity for what, exactly? To be executed?”
He rolled his eyes. “Why so dramatic?”
My fists tightened. “If I’m
caught posing as a royal, what do you think will happen? You think the
royal family will merely have a good laugh before releasing me? No,
they’ll send me to the gallows.” My blood chilled. I needed to escape. I
stomped to the door, but Aiden blocked my exit.
Author Camille Peters
Camille Peters was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah where she
grew up surrounded by books. As a child, she spent every spare moment
reading and writing her own stories on every scrap of paper she could
find. Becoming an author was always more than a childhood dream; it was a
certainty.
Her love of writing grew alongside her as she took local writing classes
in her teens, spent a year studying Creative Writing at the English
University of Northampton, and graduated from the University of Utah
with a degree in English and History. She’s now blessed to be a
full-time author.
When she’s not writing she’s thinking about writing, and when’s she’s
not thinking about writing she’s…alright, she’s always thinking about
writing, but she can also be found reading, playing board games with her
family and friends, or taking long, bare-foot walks as she lives inside
her imagination and brainstorms more tales.
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from Clean Wholesome Romance and is sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
I have been reading the Scion Chronicles since the beginning, The Daughter of Nothing by Eric Kent Edstrom. Sister of Shadows is the third book and all I can say is Eric did not let me down.
The evil of humanity oozes from the pages in the third book, Sister of Shadows by Eric Kent Edstrom. I am loving the series and can hardly wait to see how he wraps it up in the fourth and final book.
Sister of Shadows picks up where Child of Lies left off, so reading in order is necessary. I have loved each story, watching the children struggle to survive as they discover who they really are and why they were ‘born’.
The topic raises ethical and moral issues, while pointing out how power and money corrupt and some people will stop at nothing to get what they want.
I have a lot of notes, but because this is the third book, I tossed them to the wind. I will not spoil all the twists, turns and surprises that Eric has piled onto these resilient children. I have watched them grown and develop into young adults, pushed beyond anything they ever could have conceived. I have watched their leadership skills rise to the forefront, their maturity and creativity grow at a fast pace, forced because of their circumstances.
They make a run for freedom, for life, and the treachery and danger that follows them kept me in suspense, wondering who will survive, because Eric doesn’t hesitate to kill off his characters. I hope they haunt him at night. LOL One of my favorite newbies is Meow Meow and if you read the story you will see why. This girl is off the charts, afraid of nothing.
I find the story unique and original, and it sticks in my head. It is hard to surprise me with something new and different, so this is a refreshing story. A story that keeps on giving a high level of tension and pacing, keeping my total attention.
I laughed, I cried, I raged and I sighed…knowing Eric has more to come.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Sister of Shadows by Eric Kent Edstrom.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Escape. That is all Jacey cares about as the riveting story of the Scions continues.
Escape is in their grasp. The Scions now have a way off the island—a ship—but they have no place to go.
With
an enemy hiding in their midst, and shaken by murder, kidnapping, and
an impending military invasion, time for escape is running out.
A fast-paced rollercoaster of a novel, Sister of Shadows will keep you breathless all the way to the shocking finale.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR .
Eric is an author, songwriter, husband, father, and guitarist. He is the author of YA SF series The Undermountain Saga, which includes Undermountain, Afterlife, and Starkiller.Eric loves working out with kettlebells and eating pretty much anything with peanut butter. . Stalk Eric: Website / Twitter / Goodreads .
I am not a huge scifi fan, but after reading The Heights of Perdition by C S Johnson, I knew this was a series that I really wanted to finish. Thankfully, C S Johnson agree. So…here we are on The Breadth of Creation, Book II of the Divine Space Pirates Trilogy. You will want to read them in order.
The Breadth of Creation by C S Johnson is the second book in the Divine Space Pirates trilogy. I loved the first book and was ecstatic when I received the rest of the series. It’s rare when I do finish a series and this is one where I felt I had to know the ending. So let’s get started.
the Breadth of Creation picks up where The Heights of Perdition by C S Johnson left off.
Aerie is anything but predictable and that makes for some exciting reading. I like a person that bucks the system and shows some independence. After all, it is thinking outside the box that brings about advancement.
The Heights of Perdition made me think of the Patrick Swayze movie Red Dawn. I loved it, so it was easy for me to get lost in Aerie’s world.
To keep from spoiling things for you, I will only tell you that Aerie feels something in her life is very wrong. And that is putting it mildly.
Rebels, dissenters and the religious are ready to fight for their right to live in freedom. It’s the usual debate of those who wish to rule and use an iron fist to do it. Outlaw religion, the arts and anything else that helps people to dream of what could be. But…how far can you push someone before they push back?
C S John has created a believable world that shows both sides of humanity, with all the gray areas popping up, because that’s life. It could be our future. Lots of food for thought and seeing that the trilogy is complete, I will not have to wait to see how they resolve their lives. That is always a plus in my book.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Breadth of Creation by C S Johnson.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Life in the United
Revolutionary States has never been easy for Aerie St. Cloud. Recovering
from recent injuries and unable to recall the last few weeks of her
life, she feels haunted by a growing absence in her memory. Stepping out
in search of the truth, she is determined to get the answers she
seeks—even if they only bring her more pain.
After losing Aerie,
Exton Shepherd once more faces the temptation to take his revenge
against the URS, and General St. Cloud in particular. With the help of
his family, community, and Aerie’s long-lost mother, Merra, he leads
them into battle to reclaim the Ecclesia’s outpost of Chaya in hopes of
finding inner peace.
Surrounded by secrets and deception, and
plagued by their own shortcomings, can Aerie and Exton find their way
back to each other without sending the world into further chaos?
ABOUT C S JOHNSON
C.
S. Johnson is the author of several young adult novels, including
sci-fi and fantasy adventures such as the Starlight Chronicles series,
the Once Upon a Princess saga, and the Divine Space Pirates trilogy.
With a gift for sarcasm and an apologetic heart, she currently lives in
Atlanta with her family. Find out more at http://www.csjohnson.me.
There never was a heroine like Jefferson Ball. And, thankfully, there may
never be.
She is, simply, the most powerful humanized female dog in a universe full
of them. Faster, stronger, more attractive to boys. Unbeatable as a
lover. Unfortunately, her brains are not up to this quality, but
don’t tell her that.
About the only one who can is Major Hamilton Pomeranian, the diminutive
ex-soldier who is Jeff’s best friend and conscience. When she gets
too big for her limited clothing, Hamilton tells her what for. And
it’s usually only after that point that they are able to escape
from whatever convoluted situation they find themselves in.
This potential collection will have readers both laughing and awestruck at
the events that happen. And, hopefully, you will be one of them.
David Perlmutter is a freelance writer based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
He is the author of America Toons In: A History of Television
Animation (McFarland and Co.), The Singular Adventures Of Jefferson
Ball (Amazon Kindle), The Pups (Booklocker.com), Certain Private
Conversations and Other Stories (Aurora Publishing), Honey and Salt
(Scarlet Leaf Publishing), The Encyclopedia of American Animated
Cartoon Series (Rowman and Littlefield, forthcoming) and Orthicon;
or, the History of a Bad Idea (Linkville Press, forthcoming).
For the Power by Debbie Cassidy (For the Blood #2) Publication date: February 5th 2019 Genres: Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Reverse Harem, Urban Fantasy
SYNOPSIS
Take the journey, find the lock that fits the key and get some damn answers.
Get from point A to point B. Stick to the mapped-out route and take shelter at the pre-planned times. It sounds simple enough, now if only we’d factored in getting attacked by djinn and having to take a detour through The Wilds.
With obstacles at every turn, the last thing the fangs and I need on our arse’s is a new breed of Feral, but it looks like that’s exactly what fate us about to throw at us.
This trip is going to be anything but dull, but with the Fangs as back up, I may just make it to the Bunker in one piece and finally get some answers.
Whoever said road trips were fun can go suck it!
The Vampire Diaries meets The Walking Dead in this Post-Apocalyptic Urban Fantasy with a slow burn Why Choose romance
ABOUT DEBBIE CASSIDY
Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head – in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.
David Perlmutter is a freelance writer based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
He is the author of America Toons In: A History of Television
Animation (McFarland and Co.), The Singular Adventures Of Jefferson
Ball (Amazon Kindle), The Pups (Booklocker.com), Certain Private
Conversations and Other Stories (Aurora Publishing), Honey and Salt
(Scarlet Leaf Publishing), The Encyclopedia of American Animated
Cartoon Series (Rowman and Littlefield, forthcoming) and Orthicon;
or, the History of a Bad Idea (Linkville Press, forthcoming).
On Tour with Prism Book Tours Book Tour Launch for Stuck By Samantha Durante Note from the Author I am *so* thrilled to be kicking off the Stuck (Stitch Trilogy, Book 3) tour! We’ve got lots of awesome stops planned with exclusive Stitch Trilogy content you won’t find anywhere else, plus a big giveaway to celebrate the arrival of the long-awaited conclusion of the series! I’d be so honored if you would follow along with Prism Tours and share in the excitement! In case you’re new to the series, here’s a short (fan-produced!) trailer to whet your appetite:
Hi Sherry! Thank you so much for having me back at Fundimental and for all of your support with the series! Your enthusiasm for the Stitch Trilogy has meant *so* much to me, and I hope your readers will love it just as much!
1. What made you decide to be a writer?
I don’t know if it was a *decision* so much as a compulsion! I’ve always loved to write, ever since I was a kid. I got away from it for a few years in college and afterwards, but even as a software engineer, I managed to“sneak” writing into my job. So when it came time for a major life change (moving back across the country to be near my family), I knew it was a good time to see if I could shift gears and get back to doing what I’d always loved.
2. Tell us how you choose your covers.
A LOT goes into choosing covers for my books – my cover designer must groan whenever my name pops up in his inbox. 🙂 The Stitch Trilogy has been particularly challenging since it spans the genres of dystopian sci-fi and paranormal romance, and (in Book 1 especially) has some major twists that completely change the direction of the story. So it was hard to find a design that incorporated all that, plus hinted at major plot points and introduced the characters, and created a theme that would still be relevant for the remaining books in the series. (In fact, I have a whole guest post devoted to this topic which you can find at another stop on this tour!) In the end, though, I think we managed it –readers have been very vocal about their love for the covers!
3. How do you choose names for your characters and do you have a favorite?
The names for my characters tend to just “come to me” – I can’t really explain it. It’s almost like apart of the character and not something I “choose.” But I do also try to be deliberate about looking up the meanings of the names to make sure they fit who that character is. I think my favorite would have to be Alessa,the protagonist in the Stitch Trilogy. (In fact, I’ve had loved ones tell me to just stop pretending like it isn’t my favorite and go ahead and give it to one of my children, lol.) I just think it’s such a pretty name and not very common, so it feels sort of futuristic and appropriate for science fiction. Also, the meaning is “defender of the people” which I think is pretty fitting for a heroine!
4. If the series were ever made into a movie, who would the actors/actresses be?
Ooohh, this is another one that I could (and, in fact, did) write an entire post about (in another guest post for this tour!). 🙂 My favorites for Alessa and Isaac are Emmy Rossum and Alex Pettyfer, who I chose specifically because they look like those characters (obviously) but they also aren’t household names, so they could really become Alessa and Isaac, if I was ever so lucky to see Stitch on the big screen. But it’s so hard to pick!! These characters all originated in my head, so no one is really perfect for the role, and I’m always open to suggestions! Who do you see when you picture these characters??
5. Do you have a favorite author? What are you reading now?
I have several favorite authors, but the one I’ve been most loving in recent years is Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander books. Her character building is just so, so good; I love all of her main characters and am so invested in everything that happens to them. I just can’t put those books down, and I wish they would go on forever and ever and ever. I’m also (like half the population of planet Earth) a HUGE Game of Thrones fan, so I am eagerly awaiting GRRM’s next release!
6. Tell us something personal about yourself.
Even though much of my series revolves around the characters’ grief, I actually did not have much personal experience in that department when I wrote the first two books of the trilogy. And then, shortly after I published Shudder in 2013, I lost my first child, Alana, at birth to a cord accident, just two days before her due date. Needless to say, I have since become intimately acquainted with grief and all of its ravages and quirks. (And reading back, I’m surprised at how well managed to capture the experience of grief in Books 1 & 2 – I have to chalk that up to reading what had been written about it from other, more talented writers!) So that enormous loss and learning to live with the absence of one of the people I love most in this world has really changed my perspective as a human being and given me a deeper level of insight into my writing. My hope is that that really shines through in Book 3 and resonates with readers who have experienced losses of their own. :’-)
Thanks for joining us!! Samantha
Stuck (Stitch Trilogy #3) By Samantha Durante YA Dystopian, SciFi Paperback & ebook, 306 Pages December 15, 2018
MY REVIEW
I remember when I first saw Stitch, Book I of the Stitch Trilogy by Samantha Durante. I had to have it! I fell in love with the story and the characters and have patiently waited as each book became available, then devoured it.
The Engineers manufactured world is the total opposite of the dystopian world of poverty and desolation the rebels live in. Myself, I love rooting for the underdog and the rebels need my help. Here I come guys.
I love that Alessa and Isaac act together, but what about Joe? I think he will be playing a very important part in the story, I just won’t be able to tell you about it. LOL
“Poor bugger got stuck.”
And the monsters were born!
Extermination, extinction, a virus, the end of the world, a man-made apocalypse, secrets, unlikely allies, and a very special girl.
This is one of those books that gets my motor running into overdrive. The elite feel they are the be all end all and to hell with everybody else. OMG! I knew the evil bastards would do something, but I didn’t see that coming. Could it be true?
The writing of the trilogy took place over a five year time span. I think it would have been better if I went back and read the series from the beginning and I will be doing that some time. I have a feeling it will change my rating.
That being said, once the previous books began to come to mind, I was able to bring myself up to date. The story became intense and I was happy to add Alex and Deion to my group of friends. I found it easy to get lost in their world, their struggles, their regrets, loss, hope and love. the writing made the story unfold as if I was watching it on the big screen.
As Samantha Durante brings the trilogy to a close, it brought tears to my eyes. I felt happy with the characters endings. BUT, man oh man, Joe…well, I saw that , and Lizzie, oh Lizzie…I can’t tell you any more without ruining it for you.
If you love having your emotions ramped up to a fever pitch, if you love white knuckled reading, if you love apocalyptic/dystopian novels and are looking for an original storyline, you may want to grab the Stitch trilogy.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Stuck by Samantha Durante.
4 Stars
ABOUT THE BOOK
3, 2, 1… BOOM.
Things are finally looking up for the Resistance. Sure, Alessa is still processing the revelation that the best friend she’d presumed dead is miraculously alive, though far from well… And her boyfriend is being manipulated under threat of blackmail. But her quest for justice against those behind the systematic extermination of the world population is so close to victory she can taste it.
And then in a matter of seconds, everything Alessa believes in is shaken to the core. Months of preparation are obliterated. The people she cares for most are lost.
But Alessa is still standing. And Paragon must pay.
The odds are grim, but unexpected allies surface in the most unlikely of places: A new pair of citizens still under the colony’s rule who notice something amiss in the latest drama. An old adversary who realizes the error of her ways. And a veritable army of inhuman power and terrible strength, with an insatiable thirst for vengeance. The trustworthiness of each of these factions is yet to be proven, but without many other options, Alessa may have to take what she can get. Especially since the Engineers, never to be outdone, also have a few more tricks up their sleeves…
The long-awaited final installment in the riveting Stitch Trilogy, Stuck will have readers gripping their seats as Alessa and a handful of intrepid survivors usher their harrowing journey to a close, risking everything as they endeavor – once and for all – to set things right.
Samantha lives in Westchester County, New York with four of the five
loves of her life – her husband, son, younger daughter, and cat – and
carries her fifth love, her stillborn daughter, in her heart. An avid
reader herself, Samantha’s dream is to bring the same delight to readers
that other authors have brought to her life. In addition to penning
novels and writing candidly about grief, she is also a sometimes
freelance writer/consultant – though more often than not these days
she’s on full-time mom duty! A former software engineer, Samantha said
goodbye to the corporate world in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial
dreams and lifelong love of writing. Learn more at www.samanthadurante.com.
– 1 First Place Winner will receive: Signed Print Copies of All 3 Books in the Trilogy, a Limited-Edition Stitch Scarf, Bookmarks, and a $15 Amazon Gift Card
– 3 Second Place Winners will receive: eBook Copies of All 3 Books in the Trilogy for You *and* a Friend, plus a $5 Amazon Gift Card
– Open internationally
– Ends December 27th
