Giveaway – Merged by Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl @jimnstephbooks @XpressoTours

Merged
Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl
Published by: Month9Books
Publication date: September 17th 2019
Genres: Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Seven of our country’s most gifted teens will become Nobels, hosts for the implantation of brilliant Mentor minds, in an effort to accelerate human progress.

But as the line between what’s possible and what’s right, draws ever blurrier, the teens discover everything has a cost.

Scientists have created an evolved form of living known as Merged Consciousness, and sixteen-year-old Lake finds herself unable to merge with her Mentor.

Lake, the Nobel for Chemistry and Orfyn, the Nobel for Art, are two from among the inaugural class of Nobels, and with the best intent and motivation. But when Stryker, the Nobel for Peace, makes them question the motivation of the scientists behind the program, their world begins to unravel.

As the Nobels work to uncover the dark secrets of the program’s origins, everyone’s a suspect and no one can be trusted, not even the other Nobels.

As the Mentors begin to take over the bodies and minds of the Nobels, Lake and Orfyn must find a way to regain control before they lose all semblance or memory of their former selves.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

EXCERPT:

Depending on your point of view, I’m either famous or infamous. I’m called by many names: Ward of the State, Orphaned, Foofool (only by Sister Mo), and Kevin. That last one makes me feel like I’m wearing someone else’s clothes. Tight and loose in all the wrong places. So, I came up with my own name, though no one has ever connected it to me. The identity of street artists should never be revealed.

I flick turpentine at a rat that’s getting a little too curious about my brushes. The alley smells like something died, making me wonder if there’s a body in the dumpster. Michelangelo cut up dead people to better understand how we’re built. If he was willing to do that for his art, I can endure this stink for one night. I breathe through my mouth and get back to work.

After four straight hours, the painting is coming along great, and I know I can finish it before people start heading out for their nine-to-five jobs. I paint madly, getting lost in the scene, moving from figure to figure, jersey to jersey. It’s my best work yet, and I want this one to last.

At least, for a few days.

Author Bio:

Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl are a husband-and-wife team who write YA novels and stories of mystery and adventure from their cabin in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Their debut novel, Merged, will be released by Month9Books on September 17, 2019.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram



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Giveaway – The Last Huntsman by Page Morgan @PageMorganBooks @XpressoTours

The Last Huntsman
Page Morgan
Publication date: September 9th 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

No women. No children. No torture. The Huntsman has his rules.

For years, Tobin has done his emperor’s bidding, eliminating threats to the Empire of Morvansk. But when he is ordered to kill the lovely Princess Mara, Tobin’s absolute loyalty ends. The emperor’s punishment is swift and lethal, and Tobin is left with only one desire: vengeance.

Stay quiet. Stay hidden. Stay free. These are the rules Ever lives by.

Raised as a boy by her overprotective father, Ever has something the Morvansk emperor covets: mirror magic. With it, she can see anyone, anywhere, through the mirror’s glass. The emperor stole her mother years ago for this same magic, and now, he wants Ever, too.

When Ever’s mirror shows the wounded rebel huntsman approaching her village, she’s compelled to help him. But as Tobin and Ever grow closer, and their secrets intertwine, they’ll have to follow the rules they’ve always lived by—or break free from them, once and for all.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

The shriek of a bird drew my eyes to the trees above. When I looked down, Mara stepped into the clearing. The call of the nuisance bird muted, as did everything else in the world surrounding the glade. She came through the tall grasses, her lavender colored skirts gathered in her hands to keep the hem from getting soiled against the ground.

I closed my eyes and forced forward the image of my mother. Of Kinn, of Lael. The worst five minutes of my life were about to unfold, and I had to keep those three faces present if I had any hope of following through.

I opened my eyes as Mara searched the glade for Orin, the man she believed had beckoned her there. She lifted her face to the sun, most likely chilled from the walk through the dim forest.

Mother.

Kinn.

Lael.

I looked into the hushed wood. Her ladies would have made plenty of noise had they followed, and her guards’ steel swords and metal fixtures would have been a clattering racket. She’d come alone, just as the note had bid.

She fiddled nervously with the front tucks of her skirt, not seeing me as I stood. I parted the flexible pines and stepped past the young green needles, coming to the edge of the brook’s banking. It was then that the princess spotted me. She let out a small yelp and dropped her skirts. Covering her mouth with her hands, Mara released her breath.

“Huntsman, you frightened me.” She lowered her hand and sent me a small smile, though it quickly fell. “What are you doing here? You didn’t…did you read the note you delivered this morning?”

Don’t look at her. Don’t listen to her.

“Forgive me, of course you didn’t. Are you hunting?” she asked as I stepped across the three rocks in the brook and into the glade.

The sun hit me, and my legs turned to dead weight. They didn’t want to move any closer. My hands, too, stayed heavy at my sides. The blade with the prince’s crest was inside my trouser waistline, and my own personal blades were where I always kept them.

“I’m meeting the prince,” she said, her voice notched louder. “It’s not very indecent, considering we are to be married,” she added with a half smile.

I strode through the grass toward her, pushing the slab of stone in my chest lower to crush the rapid beating of my heart. Mara’s shrewd eyes narrowed. My presence made her nervous, yet she didn’t back away as I came to within a foot of her.

Mother.

Kinn.

Lael.

“The prince is not coming.”

Mara looked sideways at me. “How do you know this?” Her facial muscles went slack. “You’ve done something to him.”

“I’ve already told you,” I said. Level. Clear. “The emperor did not send me to kill the prince.”

She wanted to believe me. Just like she believed me the other night when I said we were friends. I could see it in the way she shifted her bottom lip side to side, gripping the inside of it with her teeth.

“Then why have you followed me here?” she asked.

There was not supposed to be any conversation. I’d been taught to be brief, to make sure the target knew who had come for him and why, and then to finish before the target could beg or offer money in return for leniency.

“I didn’t follow you.” I reached inside my jacket and gripped Orin’s blade, the gold of the crossed hilt cool under my hot, sweaty palm.

She stared at me with a confused grimace, paying no attention to my hand.

“I led you here,” I said. “It is Emperor Frederic’s order, princess. I am only his servant.”

The last sentence spilled out of my mouth unintentionally, and with it, I caught the first whiff of my decaying will. The Huntsman didn’t explain himself. The Huntsman didn’t make excuses.

I pulled the dagger and stepped forward so swiftly Mara didn’t know to resist. She was taller than me, but I was stronger and faster; I wrapped my arm around her neck and her knees buckled, her chin wedging tight inside my crooked elbow. She screamed, but my bicep and forearm squelched it into a sputtering croak.

Mother.

Kinn.

Lael.


Author Bio:

Page is the author of THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED, THE LOVELY AND THE LOST, and THE WONDROUS AND THE WICKED, young adult gothic thrillers critically acclaimed by Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus, School Library Journal, VOYA, and The Bulletin. Page’s novels have been an IndieNext selection, a Seventeen Magazine Summer Book Club Read, and a #1 Amazon bestseller. Her next book, THE LAST HUNTSMAN, is a reimagining of the Huntsman and Magic Mirror from the tale of Snow White. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and their three daughters, an English Pointer, an arrogant cat, two boring bearded dragons, a one-eared bunny, a bunch of chickens, and during the summer and fall, their neighbor’s two sweet horses.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Giveaway – In Over Her Head by Lindsay Hager @KrystenLindsay @XpressoTours

In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety
Krysten Lindsay Hager
(The Cecily Taylor Series, #2)
Publication date: September 3rd 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Cecily feels like she has it all: great best friends, the beginnings of a career as a model/actress, and she’s dating her favorite singer, Andrew Holiday. Then Cecily’s best friend Lila begins to ditch her every time Lila’s boyfriend calls. Cecily feels lost, but she and Andrew begin connecting more and she’s never been in a relationship where she felt so understood. Andrew even begins to confide in her about his anxiety. Soon Cecily experiences her own anxiety on a magazine photo shoot, but she manages to impress the magazine staff. Just when it seems like all her dreams are coming true, everything comes crashing down when a photo of Andrew with another girl appears online. He swears nothing happened, but Cecily is crushed. She feels like she’s lost two of the people closest to her. Was her perfect relationship real or was she in over her head?

Goodreads / Amazon

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Join the blog tour here!

EXCERPT:

“Good luck at the photo shoot tomorrow,” he said. “You’ll be great.”

I stared out the window on the ride back to the hotel taking in all the sites. As I walked into the hotel I felt a new air of confidence. Instead of just reading about someone going out with a pop star to some fabulous rooftop hotel restaurant and being in the big city, I was living it. This was my life and not some YA book heroine’s. Tomorrow I was off on a modeling shoot. I was living a dream and proving how I was ready for a big life. This was my destiny. I could do this.

****

My alarm went off and at the same time an alarm went off in my brain saying, no, I could not do this. What was I thinking? Me, model? That’s where people take photos of you for the sole purpose of other people looking at them, which encouraged judgement and evil comments. People don’t just keep those comments to themselves anymore. Oh no, they grab their phone or laptop or whatever device helps them spew out unhelpful and cruel comments on people’s appearances online for all the world to see.

My stomach felt like spewing all over the nice hotel sheets I was wrapped in. Why did I ever think I was up for this? Those strangers online would destroy me within seconds. Girls like Harlow who were born with an undeniable beauty could do stuff like this and even then, I had seen strangers criticize her online when she posted selfies.

Being anxious always made all my senses go nuts. I ate two slices of toast and then my stomach did a weird flipping thing. Oh no, not today. Looking over at the clock I realized it was almost time for us to leave. Come on, stomach. You’re fine. Just relax and…nope, time to hit the bathroom. Why can’t I just be a big girl and go to this stupid shoot which most girls would kill to do without my stomach freaking out?

Author Bio:

Who knew all those embarrassing, cringe-y moments in middle school and high school could turn into a career? And who would have thought that daydreaming in math class would pay off down the road?

Krysten Lindsay Hager writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values.

She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends…Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, Competing with the Star, Dating the It Guy, and Can Dreams Come True. True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book and the Dayton Book Expo Bestseller Award for children/teens. Competing with the Star is a Readers’ Favorite Book Award Finalist. Landry in Like is a Literary Classics Gold Medal recipient. Krysten’s work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times, Springfield News-Sun, Grand Blanc View, Dayton Daily News and on Living Dayton.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Giveaway – In Over Her Head by Krysten Lindsay Hager @KrystenLindsay @XpressoTours

In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety
Krysten Lindsay Hager
(The Cecily Taylor Series, #2)
Publication date: September 3rd 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Cecily feels like she has it all: great best friends, the beginnings of a career as a model/actress, and she’s dating her favorite singer, Andrew Holiday. Then Cecily’s best friend Lila begins to ditch her every time Lila’s boyfriend calls. Cecily feels lost, but she and Andrew begin connecting more and she’s never been in a relationship where she felt so understood. Andrew even begins to confide in her about his anxiety. Soon Cecily experiences her own anxiety on a magazine photo shoot, but she manages to impress the magazine staff. Just when it seems like all her dreams are coming true, everything comes crashing down when a photo of Andrew with another girl appears online. He swears nothing happened, but Cecily is crushed. She feels like she’s lost two of the people closest to her. Was her perfect relationship real or was she in over her head?

Goodreads / Amazon

Are you a book blogger?
Join the blog tour here!

EXCERPT:

“Good luck at the photo shoot tomorrow,” he said. “You’ll be great.”

I stared out the window on the ride back to the hotel taking in all the sites. As I walked into the hotel I felt a new air of confidence. Instead of just reading about someone going out with a pop star to some fabulous rooftop hotel restaurant and being in the big city, I was living it. This was my life and not some YA book heroine’s. Tomorrow I was off on a modeling shoot. I was living a dream and proving how I was ready for a big life. This was my destiny. I could do this.

****

My alarm went off and at the same time an alarm went off in my brain saying, no, I could not do this. What was I thinking? Me, model? That’s where people take photos of you for the sole purpose of other people looking at them, which encouraged judgement and evil comments. People don’t just keep those comments to themselves anymore. Oh no, they grab their phone or laptop or whatever device helps them spew out unhelpful and cruel comments on people’s appearances online for all the world to see.

My stomach felt like spewing all over the nice hotel sheets I was wrapped in. Why did I ever think I was up for this? Those strangers online would destroy me within seconds. Girls like Harlow who were born with an undeniable beauty could do stuff like this and even then, I had seen strangers criticize her online when she posted selfies.

Being anxious always made all my senses go nuts. I ate two slices of toast and then my stomach did a weird flipping thing. Oh no, not today. Looking over at the clock I realized it was almost time for us to leave. Come on, stomach. You’re fine. Just relax and…nope, time to hit the bathroom. Why can’t I just be a big girl and go to this stupid shoot which most girls would kill to do without my stomach freaking out?

Author Bio:

Who knew all those embarrassing, cringe-y moments in middle school and high school could turn into a career? And who would have thought that daydreaming in math class would pay off down the road?

Krysten Lindsay Hager writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values.

She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends…Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, Competing with the Star, Dating the It Guy, and Can Dreams Come True. True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book and the Dayton Book Expo Bestseller Award for children/teens. Competing with the Star is a Readers’ Favorite Book Award Finalist. Landry in Like is a Literary Classics Gold Medal recipient. Krysten’s work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times, Springfield News-Sun, Grand Blanc View, Dayton Daily News and on Living Dayton.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Grand Finale DawnSinger by Janalyn Voigt #DSPrismTour @JanalynVoigt

We have company in from out of town and will be giving him the grand tour, so no Sunday Memes Post this week. Hope you enjoy learning about DawnSinger and don’t forget to enter the great giveaway at the end of the post.

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Grand Finale for DawnSinger By Janalyn Voigt

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops you’ll find snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch; – Note from the Author

Dear Friends,

Welcome to this book tour of DawnSinger, an epic medieval fantasy adventure. Fantasy will always be my first love, although I’ve become a multi-genre author. That’s a fancy term for a storyteller. If I could turn the clock back to the Middle Ages, I’d be a bard. Author Linda Windsor, an endorser of DawnSinger, named the story bardic fiction. I consider that high praise indeed. . .

Colorimetry; – Excerpt

Now for a stormy moment in flight…

A crosswind caught Kai’s wingabeast as lightning flared too near. Shrilling, the winged horse tilted in flight, and Kai’s stomach lurched. A gust snatched the hood from his head and roared in his ears. He blinked to clear the stinging rain that drove into his eyes. Thunder boomed like a timpani, shaking the air. Flecht shuddered beneath him, and Kai placed a calming hand on his wingabeast’s straining neck. He did not like this long flight through the wild night any better than did Flecht.

Paper Ink & Lizard – Review

DawnSinger is an epic tale that unfurls in a world that is different, yet so familiar. A high fantasy world with flying horses, spirits, and mind magic, Janalyn Voight was able to create a world that is fresh and new in the fantasy genre. . . . Overall, DawnSinger is a satisfying read, and has a subtle message at the end that will leave the reader thinking afterwards.”

Heidi Reads… – Excerpt

Shae put up her hood and left the shelter of the stronghold to follow the graystone path. A chill wind rippled through the folds of her cloak, and she shivered. Overhead, clouds unfurled in a pearling sky. She passed into green scented shadow, where notes of damp moss and ripe humus met her.

She shouldn’t have yielded to temptation and escaped into nature unescorted. In earlier days, she had roamed the grounds in freedom with no one caring. She couldn’t get used to the strictures placed on her now that she’d grown older. When would she learn to be more like Katera? She couldn’t remember her winsome twin ever causing their mother concern.

Remembrancy; – Review

“Jannalyn [Voigt] vividly paints a picture of her fantasy world with descriptive words and phrases. It’s not challenging to imagine this land filled with wondrous beauty and creatures as well as barren and desolate places. Shae, kai, and a handful of others undertake an epic quest to save their beloved people and king. I enjoyed both of these elements of the story. . . . Now that I’ve gotten the cadence of this mystical, magical world, I’m not ready to leave it yet.”

Jessica Belmont – Review

“Epic Christian Fantasy? Yes, please. DawnSinger is an inventive novel with beautifully descriptive prose and dialogue. I absolutely love the imagery and symbolism woven through the book. . . . I highly recommend checking out this original and inspiring novel.”

Uplifting Reads – Excerpt

Flecht quivered under Kai’s hand. Shae must have communicated to the beast the tension he read in her face. Why did she stare at the naked branches of the small, white tree? He drew his brows together but didn’t speak. Her eyes, so green they reminded him of deep shadows in an old forest, told him nothing. As she settled the cloak upon her shoulders, burnished tangles cascaded down her back. She looked beautiful and far too grown.

Something had upset Shae—that much seemed obvious. Equally obvious was her desire for privacy in the matter. Well, he didn’t question such things. He already held enough secrets to quell any desire for more.

Bookworm Lisa – Review

“The story is a war between good and evil. Shae is guided by the light of the God she worships. She has companions who will do anything to protect her and keep her from fulfilling an ancient prophecy. There is plenty of action and adventure that will thrill fantasy lovers. . . . I am now invested in the story and look forward to having good prevail.”

Library Lady’s Kid Lit – Review

“The plot shows the draw of evil and the difficulty even the good have of resisting its pull. Voight did an excellent job of creating an alternate universe and having things remain consistent within that world. The book does have a bit of a surprise ending and I look forward to seeing how that surprise plays out in future titles in the Tales of Faeraven series.”

Hearts & Scribbles – Excerpt

He smiled. “Your heart speaks truth. I am a wayfarer…and I am more.” He stroked the tears from her cheeks, feather-light, like the touch of a draft.

“Peace.” The whispered word brought infinite comfort.

Shae closed her eyes and breathed deep.

“Remember, Shae, you must look to the light.”

She opened her eyes, ready to ask how he knew her name.

She knelt alone in the Allerstaed.

JeanBookNerd; – Guest Post

Funny how childhood memories embed themselves in your mind, but only parts of them. I can still feel the rough paper as I turned another page in a novel from my parent’s bookcase. A precocious reader, I’d advanced long ago into adult books. I don’t remember this one’s title, but the story followed the journeys of Sir Francis Drake, an early explorer. Specific phrases are lost to me, but the vivid imagery remains. I can still hear the ship’s creaking, bask in sunlight breaking through the clouds, and taste sea salt on my lips. . .

jypsylynn; – Review

“I became invested in the outcome because I cared about the characters. I see their quest as allegorical to some biblical tales and symbolic of the eternal good vs. evil battle. . . . The plot is thrilling with action and drama at every turn leaving readers wanting more. Overall, Dawnsinger is a well written adventure steeped in thoughtfully planned fantasy that fans of the genre will surely enjoy.”

Tell Tale Book Reviews – Review

DawnSinger is the first book in the series and in true fantasy fashion there is an epic quest, terrible dangers, betrayal, a taste of forbidden love, and even more importantly the story gets darker as the conclusion draws nearer. . . . I enjoyed DawnSinger, its characters and strange creatures, and I look forward to returning to the land of Faeraven in the next book in the series…”

I’m Into Books – Excerpt

Shae landed in Flecht’s saddle with a thump as Kai deposited her with more speed than grace. He bent and then straightened, and she caught the glint of metal.

Kai pressed something into her palm, and her fingers curled around a knife’s hilt. “They’ll need to dismount to attack with swords. I’ll defend you, but if things go badly, take Flecht and follow the weild to the inn. You’ll see it just back from the banks. You can trust the innkeeper.”

Kai strode from her before she could point out that she had no idea how to fly a wingabeast. His sword rasped as he drew it from its sheath.

Teatime and Books – Review

“Oh wow, I really loved this book! . . . If you love a good fantasy with loads of adventure, then this is the book for you!”

Faithfully Bookish – Excerpt

“Only the cold and weariness that comes at such altitudes—and wind shears. But I know the passes well.”

He didn’t mention the possibility of encountering wingabeast riders bent on killing them, but she knew it existed. Even now, the dark riders might track them.

She closed her eyes to pray with zeal but soon fell into the languor of warmth and drowsiness. “My thanks,” she said, her tongue thick with sleep.

“Thanks?”

“You protected me this night.”

“Sleep, Shae.” She heard the smile in his voice. “Tomorrow’s journey will try our strength.”

The Caffeinated Bibliophile – Review

“The biggest factor in whether I like a Fantasy book is the world building. Janalyn gets it right. She creates such a beautiful and interesting world. She definitely made the world of Faeraven unique filled with interesting creatures and characters. . . . I really liked Shae and Kai’s characters. I felt that we could relate to them. . . . Overall, I really enjoyed the story. Suspense, murder, drama and action were just around the corner in every chapter. . . . I think this book would also be great for teens as it read more like a YA book. Great for adults and teens alike.”

Reading On The Edge – Excerpt

“Kai.” A voice rasped from the carved bed that dominated the room. “You have brought her?”

Shae started. In a combination of weariness and awe of Torindan, she had all but forgotten the purpose of her visit.

The musician came away from the window, and light slanted across him to reveal a lithe figure and features of surpassing beauty. Vibrant hair of gold sprang above a well-formed brow. Fathomless eyes held her. Shae caught her breath, and her hand went out in a blind motion.

Jorie Loves A Story – Spotlight

J. L. Mbewe – Excerpt

A foul wind breathed over Shae, and the hair on the back of her neck raised in warning. A hissing from the broken stairway sent prickles walking over her skin. Eyes gleamed in the shadows, and long shudders traveled her spine.

Somewhere, something shrieked.

Shae stumbled on the stone stair suspended between a dark void and a wall of living stone. She called for Kai, but her voice made no sound. Where was he?

“Find the light and be saved…” The whispered words stirred the air.

Daughter of Increase – Review

“This was a beautifully written Christian fantasy. I enjoyed the bits of scripture thrown into the story, it really made them come alive in a more action-packed way. The writing was interesting and the characters kept me hooked. I also enjoyed the world and different places in the world. . . . Such a fantastic read and can’t wait to read that sequel!”

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post, if you haven’t already…

DawnSinger (Tales of Faeraven #1) By Janalyn Voigt Fantasy, Christian Fantasy Paperback & ebook, 342 Pages June 29, 2012 by Harbourlight Books

The High Queen is dying…

At the royal summons, Shae mounts a wingabeast and soars through the air to the high hold of Faeraven, where all is not as it seems. Visions warn her of danger, and a dark soul touches hers in the night. When she encounters an attractive but disturbing musician, her wayward heart awakens.

But then there is Kai, a guardian of Faeraven and of Shae. Secrets bind him to her, and her safety lies at the center of every decision he makes.

On a desperate journey fraught with peril and the unknown, they battle warlike garns, waevens, ferocious raptors, and the wraiths of their own regrets. Yet, they must endure the campaign long enough to release the DawnKing and the salvation he offers into a divided land. To prevail, each must learn that sometimes victory comes only through surrender.

GoodreadsAmazonBarnes & NobleChristianBookHarbourlight/Pelican

; About the Author Janalyn Voigt is a writer and professional speaker with a photography habit and a passion for travel. Her unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and fantasy creates worlds of beauty and danger for readers. Tales of Faeraven, her epic fantasy series beginning with DawnSinger, carries readers into a land only imagined in dreams. She is represented by Sarah Joy Freese of Wordserve Literary.

WebsiteGoodreadsFacebookTwitterPinterestYouTubeInstagram

;

Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive a fantasy-themed basket, hand-painted Pegasus mug, hand-crafted beaded votive candle bowl, dark chocolate bar, and a Tales of Faeraven bookmark (US only)

Ends August 28th, 2019

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#BooksFromTheBacklog – Ghost Storm by Jessie Costin #jessiereneewrites

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Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Ghost Storm by Jessie Renee was published on 9.3.15 and has sat in my Documents on Kindle for, well, probably, almost that long. Why it took me so long to visit Hidden Bay, I can’t say for sure, but, now that I have, I would like to return again…and again.

Ghost Storm (Hidden Bay, #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I was so happy to visit these wonderful characters and Hidden Bay, where nothing is at it seems and there is a special someone that will help to soothe the lost souls, maybe even find a little romance in Ghost Storm, an engrossing supernatural tale that left me wanting to revisit them.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Melodie thought Hidden Bay was just another stop in her nomadic life. That soon she’d be moving on again.

But as soon as she arrives, strange things begin to happen. There’s Blake, the guy who’s so familiar, though she’s sure she’s never met him; there’s the man who keeps appearing, who may not be a man at all; and there’s the blackouts.

Except that in the blackness, she’s going somewhere. Somewhere other. Somewhere dark, and wet, and full of pain.

And if she doesn’t work out what it all means soon, it could be too late. For her. For Blake. Perhaps for the whole town of Hidden Bay.

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Giveaway – Fate of Dragons by Alisha Klapheke @alishaKlapheke @XpressoTours

Fate of Dragons
Alisha Klapheke
(Dragons Rising #1)
Publication date: March 27th 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

An Earth Queen desperate to wake her magic.

An elven prince fighting a ruthless betrayal.

A flood is coming. The Sea Queen has a mad plan to drown the world.

Only the magic of the Earth Queen can stop her. Vahly, the last human, was born to fill that role and wield the power necessary to battle the rising oceans and save the dragons and elves.

But Vahly is the world’s biggest disappointment. She possesses no magic whatsoever.

When she finds an ancient scroll that mentions a human power ritual conducted deep in the homeland of the elves, she gathers her dragon allies and journeys to see the king of that great forest-dwelling race.

Welcomed by a handsome royal cloaked in dark magic, will Vahly find answers or will a twisted and powerful elven lord destroy her chance at saving the world?

Goodreads / Amazon

Only 99¢ for a limited time!


Author Bio:

When USA Today Bestselling author Alisha Klapheke isn’t busy creating new fantasy worlds, she teaches martial arts (specifically Muay Thai kickboxing, Krav Maga, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu), loves on her two amazing kids, and travels the world with her ninja husband. *Alisha made the list November 2, 2017

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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#BooksFromTheBacklog – Dark Promise by Julia Crane & Talia Jager @juliacrane2 @TaliaJager

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Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Today I am sharing one that has been hanging around in Documents on my Kindle for a very long time, Dark Promise, Between Worlds Book I by Julia Crane & Talie Jager. Why? They tend to get lost through all the one clicking I used to do. I still have trouble controlling myself, but I am trying to be choosier. There isn’t enough time to read them all.

Published 7.28.12 by Valknut Press, LLC

Dark Promise was free when I created this post, but be sure and check for the ‘0’

There is more than one cover and I am curious which you like more. They are both gorgeous in their own right and I cannot choose my favorite. How about you?

Dark Promise (Between Worlds, #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Rylie is special. Her mother gave her up when she was a baby to keep her safe, but now her birthday is approaching and there is nowhere to hide.

I was quickly intrigued…faeries…I haven’t read a lot of them. Once she met Kallan I became hooked. Even though there is a triangle, it doesn’t bother me, the guys are two separate beings and that just adds to my curiosity…which will she choose…and why.

My only problem, I was just getting hot and heavy into the book and it ended. I need more.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Rylie has it all – great friends, dream boy, loving family. But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, her perfect little world shatters. A stranger claiming to be her real mother appears with a secret: Rylie is a faery whose powers will be unleashed on her birthday. Captured and forced into a new life, Rylie struggles to keep everything she loves and discovers a terrifying truth: some promises cannot be broken.

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Books from the Backlog – The Fire of Dawn by V V Aku #VeerleAku

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Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

The Fire of Dawn by V V Aky was published in April 1, 2012. I don’t remember where I got it from or how long it has sat on my Kindle, but, all I can say is, I wish I had more of her work to read. It appears this is the only book she has written. Also, be sure and check out her bio. I had to include it, seeing I found it so fascinating.

Look at this gorgeous cover!!!!!!!!!!!

Cover Design by Vincent Bogers and Derek Murphy. Amazing job guys!

The Fire of Dawn

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

BLEW MY MIND over this mesmerizing, riveting, totally engrossing vampire story that had me in tears over one character’s death and I was unable to stop reading until I got to the last word, and it is even better when the story is told in one novel, no waiting.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

It’s the last day of the summer holiday in The Hague when Leah Koopmans’s carefree life as a teen is brutally flipped upside down. Her pale skin turns a dazzling gold, her senses heighten, and her muscles possess an uncanny strength. But with these exhilarating new powers comes a thirst that can only be quenched by one thing: human blood.

While her body craves for fresh victims and her heart drowns in guilt, she meets inhumanly handsome Max Machiavelli, who claims that Leah is immortal like him. Infatuation ignites into blistering passion when she joins his coven in Amsterdam. But as the mysteries shrouding her sudden change to immortality unravel, Leah quickly learns that her aversion to taking life isn’t the only thing that sets her apart from this group of herculean strangers.

From the picturesque canals of Amsterdam to Corsica’s limestone cliffs and the untamed Siberian wilderness; from first loves to fierce battles, The Fire of Dawn is an extraordinary tale packed with romance, betrayal, and bloodsucking suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very last page.

ABOUT V V AKU

V.V. Aku has always believed in beautiful stories. She found the man of her dreams and her way in complex China, and wrote a fairytale of her own: The Fire of Dawn-a scintillating tale about strength, self-discovery, and a girl who dared to follow her heart.

V.V. Aku

Born and raised in The Netherlands, V.V. Aku (Veerle Ackerstaff) soon discovered that the world was a place worth exploring. After graduating high school, she set out to travel the globe until she finally touched down in China. On the border of Tibet she met Anzi Aku, a wild Black-Yi man who lives at the foot of the Himalayas. She has joined his clan and tries to find her place among the tribe and its shamans. When she’s not researching the clan’s mythology on vampires, she shamelessly gives in to the compulsion to write about the countless characters that haunt her dreams.

V.V. Aku is the author of The Fire of Dawn and Black Dusk. She has been the creator of stories since the age of three, and has a Post-Graduate Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults from The University of Cambridge ESOL. After nearly a decade of working as an English language teacher and TEFL trainer in China, Thailand, The Netherlands, and the UK, she now devotes all her time to writing, her family, and practicing Kung Fu. The Fire of Dawn is her debut novel.

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Giveaway – Knightmare Anarchist by Shami Stovall @GameOverStation @GoddessFish

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KNIGHTMARE ARCANIST by Shami Stovall

GENRE:  Young Adult Fantasy

BLURB

Magic. Sailing. A murderer among heroes.

Gravedigger Volke Savan wants nothing more than to be like his hero, the legendary magical swashbuckler, Gregory Ruma. First he needs to become an arcanist, someone capable of wielding magic, which requires bonding with a mythical creature. And he’ll take anything—a pegasus, a griffin, a ravenous hydra—maybe even a leviathan, like Ruma.

So when Volke stumbles across a knightmare, a creature made of shadow and terror, he has no reservations. But the knightmare knows a terrible secret: Ruma is a murderer out to spread corrupted magic throughout their island nation. He’s already killed a population of phoenixes and he intends to kill even more.

In order to protect his home, his adopted sister, and the girl he admires from afar, Volke will need to confront his hero, the Master Arcanist Gregory Ruma.

A fast-paced flintlock fantasy for those who enjoy How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell, Unsouled (Cradle Series) by Will Wight, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan.

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EXCERPTS

I outlined a fresh grave for the cemetery as bells rang from the isle’s tower, signifying the start of the celebrations. The soil reeked of ammonia and rot, but the crisp morning breeze washed the scent away, dispersing it over the ocean. I removed my shirt, allowing the wind to cool me while I worked.

Every ten years, the people on the Isle of Ruma gathered to watch the fledgling phoenixes bond with a few chosen mortals. Lamplighters did their duty despite the glorious sunshine, each lamp’s fire representing the flames of phoenixes. Merchants cleared their horses and carts from the main road in anticipation of the crowds.

This was my second Day of Phoenixes. A decade ago, on my fifth birthday, I missed the bonding ceremony to attend my father’s trial. He was convicted of murder, but because he hadn’t been born on the island, he was taken to the mainland for final judgement. That was the last time I saw him.

Although the last Day of Phoenixes had been inauspicious, I intended to change that. Once I had finished digging a shallow grave, I would make my way into town.

I slammed the shovel’s head into the dirt and scooped deep. The cemetery sat near the edge of the island, far from those gathering to observe the hopeful students trying to win the favor of the phoenixes.

Tradition stated that anyone who handled sewage, waste, and dead bodies wasn’t allowed to attend the bonding ceremony, which was just my luck. After my father was sent away, I could’ve been given to any profession for apprenticeship. I could’ve gone to the carpenter and learned the craft of woodworking, or I could’ve gone to the silversmith and learned the art of fine metal work, but misfortune hounded me like a shadow. I was given to the gravekeeper, slated to dig corpse-holes until the end of time, forever exiled from the festivities.

I still intended to go. Even if it meant ignoring the traditions of the isle—something unheard of on our tiny spit of land—no one could stop me from proving myself to a phoenix. No one.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Shami Stovall relies on her BA in History and Juris Doctorate to make her living as an author and history professor in the central valley of California. She writes in a wide range of fiction, from crime thrillers to fantasy to science-fiction. Stovall loves reading, playing video games, entertaining others with stories, and writing about herself in the third person.

  • Website: https://sastovallauthor.com/
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/GameOverStation/
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SAStovall/
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  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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