Blitz | Killer Runway by Daria White

Killer Runway
Daria White
(Bianca Wallace Mysteries, #2)
Publication date: January 25th 2022
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery

Bianca’s determined to live a normal life in Edenville with her family, and she has no intention of getting involved in another case. While attending a fashion show, a model, also a childhood friend of her sister, collapses off the runway. Dead. Not the show Bianca planned on attending.

Detective Sims shows up to solve the case, but Bianca can’t keep silent. Too many clues are surfacing, and with a month-long fashion event in town, the suspects remain in Edenville. There’s no harm in Bianca investigating one more time, though Detective Sims wants her to stay away.

Can she discover the motive behind this unexpected death? Bianca’s life at risk with another killer isn’t wise. Not to mention the lives of her loved ones.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

Bianca returned to her seat. “I know, Mel. It’s just unnerving. She’s almost seventeen, has a boyfriend, and close to graduating high school.”

A hmm escaped Melanie’s lips. “I know. I still can’t believe it, but enough of that. We’re here to support Sherry and have some fun!”

Bianca giggled at her sister’s enthusiasm, forgetting the empty nester syndrome that was creeping up her spine. Once 112’s song concluded, the lights dimmed. A shush took over the room, and Bianca crossed her legs. Melanie practically squealed in her seat. Spotlights and special lighting highlighted the catwalk. Then Bianca heard a woman’s voice over the microphone.

Thanks to the camera zooming in, Bianca could get a better look at the image on the monitor. The woman was curvy, with long, strawberry-blonde hair and a bright smile dancing across her full face. Though she had only talked to her through Zoom when she hired her, Bianca recognized Giselle Porter. “Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. I’m your host, Giselle, and I’m happy to present to you this evening, our Clique Classic fashion showcase!”

The audience applauded and cheered.

“Amazing!” Melanie squealed.

Giselle continued. “We’ll be including our classic pieces this evening. “I’m also pleased to announce that since the scenery of this Edenville has struck me, I want our models to have their pictures taken around town after tonight’s first show! So… we’re going to be in Edenville for the next month!” The crowd cheered again.

“All month? That’s amazing!” Melanie exclaimed to her sister over the applause.

Bianca’s lips parted, speechless. Imagine how much publicity a month-long fashion event would bring to the town? Were more models attending? That would be a perfect networking opportunity for Bianca, since she did the graphics for the fashion show. Giselle already wrote a five-star review on her website. It was a matter of time before new clients came Bianca’s way.

Giselle said, “For tonight, we’re going to give you a preview of our upcoming summer line!”

More cheers, and whoops erupted from the crowd. Bianca giggled at the excitement. While she purchased nothing from Clique Classic herself—too out-of-the-box for her simple taste—the clothing line had a few items that piqued her interest. When she spotted Alyssa making her way back to her seat, Bianca stood to her feet. She noticed Alyssa looked back a few times, but she didn’t break her stride. When her daughter reached her, she touched her arm.

“Everything okay?” she asked her.

Alyssa shrugged. “Sure I guess. I thought I saw… I’m sure it was nothing.” She sat in her chair and adjusted in her seat.

“What? Something happen?” Melanie leaned over to hear.

Bianca sat next to her daughter. She didn’t know why her mind returned to the man from the day before. Sandy brown haired man who’d been looking for Sherry. “What did you see?”

Alyssa shook her head. “I couldn’t tell Mom. Like I said, it was probably nothing. There’s a lot of people here, anyway.” Alyssa tucked a curl behind her ear, and while Bianca didn’t want to accuse her daughter of not telling the truth, her mother’s intuition sensed there was more to the story.

“Here we go!” Melanie pointed to the stage.

Bianca refocused and joined in the cheering as the first line of models came from behind the sheer curtains. Hands on their hips, the women walked the catwalk as if they owned it. Black and white were their colors. A platinum blonde wore a block-colored dress, black and white. The other woman’s hair was jet black, long, and she was wearing a striped black-and-white dress.

“I love the stripes,” Melanie chimed in her ear, despite the loud music.

Bianca pointed to the platinum blonde. “I think I like hers better.”

Melanie nudged her shoulder as the next set of models joined the stage. The first two exited.

Giselle continued. “Short and sweet is the cool, summery look here, ladies and gentlemen. Our models are wearing khaki elastic shorts with red-orange jungle print tops, which look so cute with their open necks and cap sleeves. You can’t go wrong in this simple yet stylish outfit.”

The audience applauded once more.

Alyssa’s mouth dropped. “I love it!”

“Not bad,” Bianca commented, although she couldn’t see herself in red-orange. Covering her mouth, she stifled her giggle.

“There’s Sherry!” Melanie exclaimed while pointing towards the stage.

Bianca smiled while admiring Sherry’s outfit. Her knee-length, pearl-white dress with a jewel neckline was breathtaking. Her shoes? Red pumps. The camera zoomed in on Sherry’s face briefly, showcasing her flawless complexion. Bianca had to ask her about the red pumps. The height of the heel was perfect.

“Is she okay?” Alyssa asked.

Bianca blinked, focusing back on Sherry’s face. The model touched a hand to her forehead for a moment, but then placed a hand on her hip. She continued her model walk, swaying to the runway music.

“If you’re looking for an ensemble on a special night out, you’ll love this sleek yet stylish pearl white dress,” Giselle said.

Bianca stared at Sherry. The woman lost her balance but tried to play it off. She forced a smile and continued.

“Something’s not right,” Melanie said.

“I know.” Bianca couldn’t pinpoint it, but despite Sherry’s flawless makeup, she looked pale.


Author Bio:

Daria has lived in Texas for most of her life. She never liked reading as a kid. In fact, she almost hated it. However, as she grew up that all changed. Though she received her degree in healthcare management, Daria kept her writing as a hobby. She meant it to be private and her own way of expressing herself. It never crossed her mind to publish until she was in college. She took a chance and published. It worked!

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:
XBTBanner1

Blitz | Falling for the Suitor by Holly Kerr

Falling for The Suitor
Holly Kerr
(Suitor Science, #1)
Publication date: January 25th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

I never expected to fall for The Suitor.

I actually trip on the hem of my dress.

It wasn’t my idea to come on the reality show, because who really falls in love after twelve weeks? I’m not good at love… or being camera-ready 24/7. The other contestants know all about the First Date Rose, how to get The Suitor alone on a group date, and they all have a plan on how to best win his heart. It’s not going to be easy playing nice with them.

But when I meet The Suitor— Grayson Grant, former player on and off the field, and with the smile that can light up a city—it’s the spark between us that makes me forget all the reasons I didn’t want to come on the show.

I’m going to win this.

Unfortunately, twenty-five other women think the same thing.

Falling for The Suitor is the first in the new Suitor Science Series, a charmingly sweet, swoony, and laugh-out-loud romantic comedy full of sparks and power surges.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

One step, then another; a shuffle hop as a surge of excitement overshadows my nerves, and I grin in a foolish sort of way.

Closer up, I see I was wrong; he’s more than cute. And taller than I expected. The blond hair gleams in the light, the eyes—I think… blue—crinkle at the corners. He’s a younger Brad Pitt, with a little Chris Evans thrown in, and the easy charm of Chris Pratt. He’s all the Chrises rolled into one baseball-playing, suit-wearing, nicely shaved, really cute…

And then the way his gaze tracks my every move, his smile growing with my every step like he’s looking forward to this as much as I am, makes things tingle that haven’t tingled in a very long time.

Finally, I’m standing before The Suitor, as nervous as Cinderella at the ball. “Hi.” I take a deep breath and my smile widens. “Hi.”

I completely blank on his name.


Author Bio:

Holly Kerr is the author of fifteen chick-lit, romantic comedy, and women’s fiction novels, but don’t ask her to explain the differences in the genres. She grew up a farm girl but now calls Toronto home, where she lives with her three very tall children, following their sports exploits like any dutiful mother.

She’s a lover of Marvel movies, Star Wars movies…really, any movies, and has a surprising amount of worthless pop culture info stored in her head. She likes oceans over mountains, tea over coffee, and can mix a darn fine dirty martini, with extra olives, of course.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:
XBTBanner1

Blitz | Spindrifts by A-M Mawhiney

Spindrifts
A-M Mawhiney
Publication date: November 24th 2021
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult

Racism, climate change, and violence are in the past. The new world values respect and collaboration with others. But are there secrets lurking in the shadows of the Land of Hope? What truth about the past is being covered up?

When fifteen-year-old Fania returns from Immersion, she is shattered to learn that the next phase of her education is at home with Alicia, her granny. She had hoped for something far grander that would prepare her for an important role with the Earth Project. Their two strong personalities clash as Fania begins to learn more about the past and her family’s role in it.

As Fania grows in confidence and power, she starts to wonder exactly what secrets Alicia is keeping in her underground lab. After Fania discovers the truth, she finds her calling: one that has the power to change everything.

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

EXCERPT:

Fania’s Journal: An excerpt from Spindrifts by A-M Mawhiney © 2021

I’m supposed to write in my journal every day. Sure. Like that’s the best use of my time. They said it’d be a private place to think, but I’ve wondered about that. I can think in my head without writing my thoughts. Just in case, I always use my disconnected tablet for the real journal, encrypted with three protective codes and in a language I developed myself. I know this might be over the top, but I’ve felt better knowing no one can read my actual journal. So, people can read how excited I am about my apprenticeship, but privately I’m totally dissed. I really want to learn about people From Away, and instead I’m apprenticing with Granny, my great-grandmother, who’s spent most of her life close to home in her research laboratory, two miles down an ancient mine shaft. It used to be where they studied mysteries of the universe! How the heck did that work?

I’ve always loved Granny. I’ve felt as though we’ve had a special relationship, and I’ve missed spending time with her. I just never thought they’d give me a responsibility so far removed from what I really want to be doing.

Ezma told me I’ve many skills and a strong aptitude for analytical thinking. I know what that means. It means sitting in an underground lab every day for the rest of my life. I guess I wasn’t very good at hiding my feelings because Ezma felt she had to remind me what Granny does is very important. Then she asked me a curious question.

“Do you know what she does?”

Well, of course I do! I explained, “Granny is the researcher who found the serum. She said it was a fluke.”

That comment made Ezma laugh, hysterically almost. “Well, Fania, you’ll find there’s a lot you can learn from Alicia. I hope you’ll keep an open mind.”

When I boarded the transport to head home after two years at Immersion, my patch reminded me to change my timer back to the village’s schedule. The health patch is a misnomer; it’s actually an up-to-date example of bio-merged nanotechnology. This latest gen’s so far advanced compared to the primitive models my grandparents used when they were young—those things they wore on their wrists. Now the healer implants the technology at birth where it merges with our brainwaves. It has reciprocal transformational capabilities, but I’ve been told there are limitations so it can’t change the basic personality or natural abilities of anyone. The patch transmits and receives communications, monitors personal health data, and provides all my reading materials. Everyone in our territory has them, so far as I know.

Author Bio:

A-M Mawhiney was deeply moved by the events of 2020 and the cries from advocates fighting for equity and justice for people living precarious lives because of structural barriers and discrimination. As a former social worker and academic she has spent her career seeking ways to improve lives of marginalized learners through inclusive education for all students. Mawhiney has hope for a better future for us all. Her vision of what this might look like inspired her to write Spindrifts.

Anne-Marie lives in Sudbury, Ontario, in the territory of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek in the Robinson-Huron Treaty Area, with Dave McGill and their canine companion, Charlie.

Website / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:
XBTBanner1

Review | The Book of Living Secrets by Madeleine Roux

Perfect for fans of The Hazel Wood, this genre-bending page-turner from New York Times bestselling author Madeleine Roux follows two girls who transport themselves into the world of their favorite book only to encounter the sinister alternate reality that awaits them.

No matter how different best friends Adelle and Connie are, one thing they’ve always had in common is their love of a little-known gothic romance novel called Moira. So when the girls are tempted by a mysterious stranger to enter the world of the book, they hardly suspect it will work. But suddenly they are in the world of Moira, living among characters they’ve obsessed about for years.

Except…all is not how they remembered it. The world has been turned upside down: The lavish balls and star-crossed love affairs are now interlaced with unspeakable horrors. The girls realize that something dark is lurking behind their foray into fiction—and they will have to rewrite their own arcs if they hope to escape this nightmare with their lives.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

I was really into this book for a good chunk of it, I so enjoyed the banter and relationship between Adelle and Connie and the story seemed to be really moving along. When they get pulled into the book; however, there’s definitely some loss of momentum. I would have liked more solid worldbuilding and the story itself really slowed down.

That being said I loved how spooky it was and for the most part it was really fun. Being pulled into your favorite book is always a fun idea to give a spin, and when it concerns two best friends, that adds another layer to it. At times some of the events were a bit confusing which did detract from the reading experience. However, I did enjoy it overall and think with some slight tweaks it could easily be a five star read for me.

Happy reading!

Blitz | My Forever by Tiffany Patterson

My Forever
Tiffany Patterson
(Townsends of Texas, #3)
Publication date: January 7th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Savannah

I was only eighteen years old when I thought I had found my happily ever after.

After the tragic death of my mother, I married the love of my life, Ace Townsend.

Yes, we were young and idealistic, but we had it all figured out. He was going to be a fighter pilot in the Air Force. I would go to medical school to become a doctor for people who couldn’t afford healthcare. People like my mother.

But, like everything else in my life, that dream fell apart when I realized Ace was better off without me.
So I left.

Sixteen years later, I’m forced to return to Harlington, Texas. Not for my sake, but to save the one person in my life who matters to me the most.

Even if it means confronting my estranged husband and abiding by his stipulation to move in with him temporarily. If that’s what it takes for him to sign the divorce papers so that I can receive my inheritance and save an innocent life, I’ll do it.

I just have to keep my heart locked away for the next six months.

That’s proving to be easier said than done.

My Forever is an interracial romance (BWWM) and is book three in the Townsends of Texas series. This book contains mature, steamy love scenes. Happily Ever After is guaranteed.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

It suddenly felt as if the entire room stopped to turn and look in my direction.

Slowly, I let my gaze travel over the rest of the room. That was when I realized this wasn’t any ordinary night out at the bar. The streamers and signs congratulating Lena Clarkson on her album’s success hung in the distance.

I blinked, and Lena Clarkson herself stood before me. I knew her music well and was a big fan. Under any ordinary circumstance, I would’ve been elated to meet her.

This wasn’t an ordinary situation.

I could feel Gabriel’s eyes on me, but even his glare wasn’t what had my heart pounding and my blood pressure rising.

I could feel his brother nearby. Ace was somewhere in the room. The way the hairs on my arms and neck stood up and the zap of electricity in my stomach were my indications.

It astounded me that, even after all of these years, I could still feel him whenever we were in the same room.

I wouldn’t allow myself to look around to search for him. No matter how much I wanted to see his face.

I kept my gaze on Lena.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize this was a party.” I paused, forcing myself to remember why I was standing there in the first place.

Aiden. My subconscious whispered to me, reminding me. I blinked. “I-I just need some help.” I didn’t know why I phrased it that way. I meant to ask for a phone.

But before I could correct myself, Lena moved closer, her face taking on a concerned expression. “Hi, it’s not a problem. Are you from around here?” she asked. “What’s your name?”

I opened my mouth to answer but got interrupted.

“Savannah.” Ace’s voice pierced through the crowd and music. He pushed past his younger brother and Lena, barreling down on me. “She’s my wife.”

My breathing halted altogether. The edge in his tone was so cold it could’ve iced over a Texas summer.


Author Bio:

I have always been fascinated by storytelling, books, and reading. After years of diving in between the pages of one romance book after another, I decided to try my hand at writing. I haven’t looked back since. I enjoy bringing my readers stories of hope, perseverance, and most importantly, love. When I’m not writing you can find me enjoying time with friends, hiking, or daydreaming about my next novel.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:
XBTBanner1

Blitz | A Wallflower’s Guide to Becoming a Bride by Eva Devon, Tamara Gill and Stacy Reid

A Wallflower’s Guide to Becoming a Bride
Eva Devon, Tamara Gill, & Stacy Reid
Publication date: October 14th 2021
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance

A Wallflower’s Kiss by Eva Devon

Lady Ophelia is the last of her sisters to be unmarried! She knows she has to find a husband, but she’s been on the shelf for three seasons. When she finds a mysterious guide in Hatchards she forms a plan!

It just so happens that her brother’s best friend is happy to help her practice the instructions in the guide. Until they’re caught of course! Can the guide lead to happy ever after, or will scandal ruin Lady Ophelia’s chances?

A Brazen Agreement by Tamara Gill

Miss Sutton Howard needs to marry, and soon, there are only so many years a lady can endure the title of Wallflower. After a disappointing first season and the many that followed, her sixth will be her last and most successful. The Wallflowers Guide will ensure her season ends well. All she needs to do is find a gentleman suitable to be her husband.

Logan Carleton, Earl Jersey, knows it’s time to find a wife, if only the one woman he had lost through no fault of his own several years ago, wasn’t still on the market and complicating his life in London. Their bickering is no use, and before they cause another scandal, they must work together to gain what they both desire, spouses, just not with each other.
But when two people are thrown together with an entwined history, complications arise, along with desires that may not be smothered a second time no matter how hard they try.

A Duke at Midnight by Stacy Reid

Miss Sarah Bellamy hopes to meet a gentleman at midnight, before she settles into the respectable and lonely life of a governess to two little girls. And her dreams come true. In the dark of the night, she is willingly seduced by a devastatingly handsome gentleman.

One night of bliss to discover he is not only a Duke but her future employer. A difficult adjustment to be so near and yet so far from the man of her dreams. She tries to suppress all hopes of more but finds herself inexorably drawn to the one man she knows she cannot have…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

Only 99¢ for a limited time!

SNEAK PEEKS:

A Brazen Agreement by Tamara Gill

When decidedly on the shelf, a lady must sometimes take matters into her own hands and throw rules aside and do what one must to gain a husband.

Sutton raised her brows. Well, what did that mean? Was the guide giving her permission to misbehave? She pursed her lips in thought before the sound of another patron talking nearby caught her attention. Sutton slammed the book closed and quickly slid it back under the bookcase just as a couple passed her farther down the aisle. Sutton left the store, walking back to Hanover Square with determined strides, her maid hard on her heels. One must take one’s life into her own hands if one were to gain a husband.

Which would mean she had to be determined and go after what she wanted. She stopped on the footpath in thought. Did she like any gentleman enough for her to behave in such a way? To act instead of waiting for the gentleman to always come to her?

Sutton started off again, stepping around a large gentleman before slamming directly into a wall of muscle. She stumbled back, her footing beyond redemption before she landed with an oomph on the flagstone path. “Oww,” she complained, stopping herself from rolling a little and rubbing her behind in a most unladylike way. She glanced up, about to give a set down to the oaf who had run into her before the words dried up in her mouth. The horrified sight of Lord Jersey met her eyes. Logan Carleton. Of course, it was him she had slammed into. No one else would get in her way like that man did.

Ass that he was.

A Duke at Midnight by Stacy Reid

“Are you suddenly shy?” she asked in a tone rich with warm amusement. “I assure you, I am aware ladies and gentlemen alike attend masquerade balls to indulge in their wicked sides, the sides they would normally leave to languish and collect dust motes.”

Detecting the wistful hunger in her voice, Robert was struck with the sudden desire to fulfill her needs. And perhaps in doing so he might fulfill some of his needs, soothing the chill of loneliness that had lived with him for five years. “Should I confess it to you your sensibilities will be shocked.”

Her soft laugh was one of curiosity and want.

“I daresay no one has ever tried to shock them before. Please do your worst; I am made of stern stuff.”

Robert was becoming increasingly charmed. “I am glad I listened to my cousin, or I would have missed meeting you.”

“Clearly you procrastinate to spare my sensibilities. My good sir, I came here tonight to find a rake like you.”

“And you are so certain I am a rake, hmm?”

“A gentleman would have returned inside the instant I sat unwittingly in the dark beside him,” she said huskily.

“Very well then,” he drawled. “Will you be my lover for the night?”

Her sigh was one of relief and pleasure. There was no hesitation or doubt in her. Here was a woman who knew what she wanted and was about to take it.


Author Bio:

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, Eva Devon, was raised on literary fiction, but quite accidentally and thankfully, she was introduced to romance one Christmas by Johanna Lindsey’s Mallory novella, The Present. A romance addict was born. She devoured every single Lindsey novel within a few months and moved on to contemporary and paranormal with gusto. Now, she loves to write her own roguish dukes, alpha males and the heroines who tame them. She loves to hear from her readers. So please pen her a note! evadevonauthor@gmail.com

Tamara is an Australian author who grew up in an old mining town in country South Australia, where her love of history was founded. So much so, she made her darling husband travel to the UK for their honeymoon, where she dragged him from one historical monument and castle to another.

A mother of three, her two little gentlemen, a future lady (she hopes) keep her busy in the real world, but whenever she gets a moment’s peace she loves to write romance novels in an array of genres, including regency, medieval, and time travel.

Tamara loves hearing from readers and writers alike. You can contact her through her website at http://www.tamaragill.com.

USA Today Bestselling author Stacy Reid writes sensual Historical and Paranormal Romances and is the published author of over twenty books. Her debut novella The Duke’s Shotgun Wedding was a 2015 HOLT Award of Merit recipient in the Romance Novella category, and her bestselling Wedded by Scandal series is recommended as Top picks at Night Owl Reviews, Fresh Fiction Reviews, and The Romance Reviews.

Stacy lives a lot in the worlds she creates and actively speaks to her characters (aloud). She has a warrior way “Never give up on dreams!” When she’s not writing, Stacy spends a copious amount of time binge-watching series like The Walking Dead, Altered Carbon, Rise of the Phoenixes, Ten Miles of Peach Blossom, and playing video games with her love. She also has a weakness for ice cream and will have it as her main course.

To be the first to hear about my new releases, get cover reveals and excerpts you won’t find anywhere else, sign up for my Newsletter @ https://www.stacyreid.com/#newsletter/

Sign up now for chances at free books, fun stuff, secret book info and more at evadevonromance.com


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:
XBTBanner1

Blitz | Lightning Crashes by Marla Holt

Lightning Crashes
Marla Holt
Publication date: January 18th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The Tower Card: Upheaval, Crumbling Foundations, Chaos, Awakening
The Sun Card: Enlightenment, Joy, Success, Vitality

Rachel Ferrer fled the church when she was eighteen, burying her trauma to chase her dreams, only to have them thwarted when her husband died shortly after their son was born. Now she and her tarot-reading roommate do their best to get by.

Nicolas Rivera should be happy. He answered his call to the ministry and has held a position in the church he grew up in for more than a decade. He’s married and he loves his kids, but something in him has shifted and the life he thought he wanted doesn’t feel like it fits anymore. When his childhood best friend’s widow reappears in his life, Nicolas tells himself that his desire to be near Rachel is altruistic.

Until it isn’t.

Rachel and Nicolas have been on the periphery of each other’s lives for years, but when their worlds collide, attraction sparks, lightning crashes and the walls they have been hiding behind begin to crumble.

Lightning Crashes is an exvangelical romance that examines what happens when we build our lives on faulty foundations and what can happen when we leave that behind and step into the sun. Follow Rachel and Nicolas down the path of temptation, through their yearning slow-burn, and into their happily ever after.

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

EXCERPT:

Rachel lifted the quilt covering Nicolas and slipped beneath it. He made as much room for her as he could, but his legs were already hanging over the far arm, his back pressed against the cushions.

Rachel didn’t need much room as she snuggled into his side, tucking the quilt back around them. “It’s freezing in here,” she said, her voice husky and low, her breath feathering against his neck.

“You need to check your insulation,” he said. “And probably get new windows.”

“I’ll get right on that,” she said in a voice that implied the opposite.

She shivered, and Nicolas allowed himself the indulgence of pulling her closer against him. In the name of keeping her warm. “What are you doing up?”

Rachel’s hand found his waist under the blanket, her fingers icy against his bare skin, but he didn’t dare flinch, lest he scared her off. “I wanted to see if you showed up. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“It’s good you got some rest.”

“More like I sobbed myself to sleep in Naomi’s bed, but yeah, sleep was good. How are you?”

He sighed, at a loss for words to describe how he was feeling. His face ached, his body felt drawn, like he’d worked out too hard without enough food afterward. Nicolas couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten. He wasn’t even sure he had a digestive tract anymore. Who had room for food when they were filled with heartbreak and betrayal? Was it possible to be yawning open with emptiness and full of dread and darkness all at the same time? It felt like the same thing, and yet entirely different.

Rachel’s hand was playing over his torso in a way that she probably didn’t even realize she was doing, but in a way that was distracting, allowing temptation to edge in on the periphery.

Author Bio:

Marla Holt believes in second chances, romance, and the radical notion that everyone deserves a happily every after. She’s living her own fairy tale, writing contemporary romance novels in her Kansas farmhouse with her husband, three boys, three cats, and flock of imaginary sheep. Follow her at marlaholt.com or on Instagram as @marlaholtauthor

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Newsletter


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Hosted by:
XBTBanner1

Review | Extasia by Claire Legrand

From New York Times bestselling author Claire Legrand comes a new, bone-chilling YA horror novel about a girl who joins a coven to root out a vicious evil that’s stalking her village. Perfect for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Grace Year.

Her name is unimportant.

All you must know is that today she will become one of the four saints of Haven. The elders will mark her and place the red hood on her head. With her sisters, she will stand against the evil power that lives beneath the black mountain–an evil which has already killed nine of her village’s men.

She will tell no one of the white-eyed beasts that follow her. Or the faceless gray women tall as houses. Or the girls she saw kissing in the elm grove.

Today she will be a saint of Haven. She will rid her family of her mother’s shame at last and save her people from destruction. She is not afraid. Are you?

This searing and lyrically written novel by the critically acclaimed author of Sawkill Girls beckons readers to follow its fierce heroine into a world filled with secrets and blood–where the truth is buried in lies and a devastating power waits, seething, for someone brave enough to use it.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The beginning of this book immediately drew me in and started the book off super strong. The setting and world the book is set in is dark and much of the ways of this world are very twisted, especially towards women – as they are essentially punished for what has happened to the world.

The writing was super atmospheric and perfectly illustrated the world and characters. That being said, not everyone is going to like it. There are times that certain characters and their behavior don’t exactly match with their personalities, but it wasn’t quite enough to detract from the story itself.

Be aware that this story very much takes on themes of religion and misogyny. Women in some ways are treated as objects, nothing more and for many that may be hard to read.

If you’re looking for dark horror that has a touch of weird, this will definitely fit the bill.

Happy reading!

Q&A | Shawn Peters

Happy release day to The Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters! To celebrate its release I’m excited to bring you all a Q&A I was able to have with Shawn about the book and his writing experience/process. If you haven’t already make sure you check out my review for The Unforgettable Logan Foster. Also, huge thanks to Shawn for answering my questions and thank you to the publisher for reaching out to me about reviewing this title!

Shawn Peters has spent more than two decades writing professionally for television and advertising. Married and a father of two kids, Shawn is by his own description a suburban-dad trope-fest. He enjoys coaching his kid’s teams, playing old-dude softball, and comparing IPAs with other dads. In his spare time, Shawn makes ultra-nerdy Dungeons and Dragons puns on Twitter under the handle @DnDadJokes. 

Social Links | Author Website | Twitter

What inspired this story?

I wish I could say,  “This one thing happened and suddenly I was inspired to write,” but it didn’t. The books really grew out of three different things coming together at the same time. The first was my own personal experiences as a pre-teen. I was a kid with a semi-photographic memory— I could remember fine details of things I’d read and even recall where I’d seen them on the page— and I loved comic books, obsessing over the heroes’ and villains’ powers. So about seven years ago, when all the Marvel and DC movies were coming out months apart, the 12-year-old nerd inside me was in superhero heaven. The second was that around the same time, I was noticing how people’s views of neurodiversity were shifting to a strength-based understanding. My wife was a 5th-grade teacher at the time, and she’d come home with stories of how kids with Asperger’s Syndrome — now known as part of Autism Spectrum Disorder— were thriving when in an environment where everyone wasn’t expected to learn the same way. Our best friends at the time had a son who’d been diagnosed with high-functioning autism and over years of our families spending time together, my conversations with him always sparked my imagination because of the way his mind worked. And the last piece was that at that time, I had one child who was just starting to age out of middle grade books while the other was just entering his tween years. So I was reading so many wonderful stories, both from my own childhood and the new generation, but I wasn’t seeing kids like my friend’s son as the heroes in these adventures. So that’s where the idea of a neurodivergent orphan with a one-in-a-billion memory getting adopted by superheroes all mashed-up and became this book. 

How long did the writing process for this book take?

It’s funny, because the time it took to “write” the book and the time it took to get the book to “done” are sooo different. I outlined the book in less than a month and then I gave myself a year to write a first draft, committing to writing at least one page every day. As a full-time creative director in the marketing world, plus a father of two who was coaching town sports, on the board of my congregation, and a guy who still wanted to occasionally watch a Red Sox game, I felt like that was doable. One year later, I had my first draft, but then spent another six months revising, sharing with a few readers, and then finally tightening it up before I started the querying process. But still, it would take another four years of rejections, revisions, sharing it with my wife’s class full of kids and using their feedback to fuel more changes, plus a whole lot of general perseverance before I signed with my agent in the summer of 2019 and sold the book early in 2020, right before the world and the industry all changed in a big way.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

The easy answer is I’d love to be able to fly, because I’m afraid of heights and I think that would go away if I had that power. But the deeper answer is that I’d love the ability to make an idea “real” all at once. Somewhere between what Green Lantern can do with his ring and what a lesser-known superhero named Firestorm could do by rearranging atoms. I’m an idea guy, and I come from an improv background. So the ability to go from concept to reality in a snap would certainly be something I’d sign up for. However, I don’t think it would necessarily help with my writing. You still have to create a book by writing words after word. 

Do you have any upcoming books in process?

I’m happy to report there’s a sequel to THE UNFORGETTABLE LOGAN FOSTER that is due out from Harper Collins next year, though there’s no release date yet. The story picks up a month after book one ends, and we get to see the fallout of Logan’s first adventure as he and his found family are adjusting to their new lives together. Logan is in a new school, makes some new friends, and finds out some new information that might lead to unraveling the mystery of how he became an orphan, and who his real parents might be. Plus there’s a cute dog and a ton more awful dad jokes from his foster father. Beyond that, we will have to see if Logan’s story continues, but in the meantime, I’m working on another MG book about a kid who is having an ultra-rough start to a school year that could get a little better or a whole lot worse when he ends up in possession of a very special smartphone. That’s my current work-in-progress, but I’m learning quickly that it’s a writer’s job to always be writing the next thing.

There are a lot of powerful themes in this book that many kids deal with in real life, what would you say to your readers who are neurodivergent and may see themselves in Logan?

Thank you! This means a lot to me, because while this book is a funny and action-packed adventure, I do believe it has an actual emotional core in it. I hope that neurodivergent readers and any other kid who feels that their strengths aren’t appreciated by those around them will relate to Logan. As I mentioned earlier, I was able to have more than 100 fifth-graders — my wife’s students at the time— read the book before I even had an agent. The enthusiasm they had for the book gave me a lot of faith in the story I was telling, but it was the reaction of her students who were on the spectrum that told me this was a book that I needed to get out into the world. They were the kids who kept raising their hands during our Q&A session, always asking the most insightful questions or proposing conspiracy theories about what might happen in future books. All that said, neurodiversity is… diverse. I know that Logan isn’t a fair representation of every kid who identifies as having ASD, let alone ADHD, Dyslexia, Tourette’s and others; that would be impossible. But I do hope any and all readers get the message that everyone is the hero of their own story, and that every person has something in them that is a unique talent or strength, if they just lean into it and surround themselves with people who appreciate it.

What are your favorite writing tools?

I really don’t have any, other than an uninterrupted hour of relative quiet and focus. I outline, draft and rewrite in Microsoft Word, and when I revise, I often make a handwritten list of things I want to address and then put checkmarks— multiple sometimes— as I address them. Truly, I think feedback is my favorite writing tool. The opportunity to share it and hear what other people think is the gift a writer cannot give to themselves. It doesn’t mean I act on every single piece of feedback I get, but I view all of it as a potential source of making the work better. I’m pretty sure that isn’t something every writer feels.

How did you decide on the narrative style of the book?

When I first was outlining this book, I wasn’t sure if I was going to write it in the first or third person, in the present or past tense. That came after the actual story itself. I had recently read PANORAMA CITY, a brilliant novel by one of my oldest friends, Antoine Wilson, and I was struck by how strong the voice of the protagonist came through when it not only came from their own mind, but it was directed to a specific recipient. The more I thought about Logan, the more I realized he would want to relate the facts of his adventure in a very particular way, and the idea that he was catching up a long-lost relative seemed like motivation for why he’d be retelling it. In my first drafts, Logan was sharing the story with the mother he never knew. But it felt cliche, and a little off, and that was confirmed when I shared it with the kids in my wife’s classroom. I asked them if they felt Logan was speaking directly to them in the book and they admitted it didn’t… after all, none of them were possibly his mother. The second they said it, I knew he had to be writing to another kid; someone who could actually be reading the book. That’s when the entire “World’s Best Big Brother”  t-shirt came in, and I wove the idea that Logan was looking for their anonymous younger sibling into the entire book. It was a subtle shift, but it made a huge difference and brought his voice forward in all kinds of new ways.

What takeaways do you want your readers to have from this book?

I sort of hinted at it above, but I hope readers get that Logan is someone who finds people who like him — love him even — exactly how he is, and that the things that make him different are also what make him special, even if not everyone recognizes them. I’m hoping that for kids who relate to Logan, that will be a meaningful message and they’ll feel represented on the page. But I also hope it might open the eyes of kids who aren’t at all like Logan and create some empathy in the middle of all the dad jokes and Superhero action.

Who would you recommend this book to?

I so badly want to reply, “Anyone with at least one vowel in their first or last name” but that seems greedy and not very helpful. I’d say that this is a book for kids who are reluctant readers, but who do love comic books and graphic novels, as I think THE UNFORGETTABLE LOGAN FOSTER is a bridge for those readers, especially with the wonderful art by Petur Antonsson sprinkled throughout the book. But I’d also say this book is one that teachers and librarians can share with kids who might see themselves as “different”, whether that’s because of neurodivergence or the simple everyday realities of being a tween, as Logan’s story should resonate with them. I also think this is one of those books that parents of those kids might enjoy too, whether they’re reading to their children or just interested in books for that age— because there are a lot of references in it that might speak to them even more than the kids.

Lastly, do you have anything else you want to share with readers regarding this book?

Just that even though this is a fictional book, and I don’t have any valid reason to believe that superheroes are real, I am sure that superpowers are a thing. I mean, just look through TikTok and you see people who can do things that seem impossible: single-armed pull-ups, sketching an entire portrait of a famous person upside down in one minute, solving Rubik’s Cubes while juggling them, playing keyboards hooked up to computers so that when they play a song, it draws a picture on the screen. I tend to think most of us have something at least close to a superpower if we embrace it and work at it and share it with others. So I guess what I’m saying is, don’t keep your superpowers to yourself.

Check out The Unforgettable Logan Foster on Goodreads!

Again I want to give a huge thank you to Shawn for taking the time to answer my questions. I hope you all had as much fun reading his answers as I did. Make sure you check out The Unforgettable Logan Foster!

Happy reading!

Review | Kirins: The Seer of Serone by James Priest

This is a novel, The Seer of Serone, by James Priest, telling of tiny magical beings dwelling the world over. They are kirins.

It is a quiet summer’s day in the domain of Yorl and Moger kirins, tree-dwellers in the central part of North America. Speckarin is magician to the Yorls, living on Rogalinon, a towering and majestic oak. His apartment is carved into one of its larger branches, his door opening onto the gathering platform.

But this story opens far from that idyllic setting, at Stonehenge, the hanging stones, the citadel of kirin magic. There Fairmean, a depraved magician, commits an act of pure and unadulterated vengeance, imperiling every kirin on Earth.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

I really enjoyed the settings in this book, an Earth where magical being dwell among humans. The cast of characters are pretty across the board and varied. The different racies portrayed are well structured and come across in a very realistic way.

I would say that this book could be read by a number of age ranges, including some younger readers that were looking for a fun fantasy read that wasn’t too complicated in nature.

The pacing of this story was also really well done, never really getting to slow or things wrapping up too quickly. In all I think a lot of people looking for fantasy with a wide range of characters that is an easy read will really enjoy this one.

Happy reading!