Cover Reveal: "While I Was Away" by Stylo Fantome

Title: While I Was Away

Author: Stylo Fantôme

Genre: Romantic Drama
Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs

Release Date: March 21, 2019

Blurb

You were in a car accident.

They say true love can last forever.

You hit your head, which caused your brain to swell.

Can span any distance, stretch across time, last beyond death.

The pressure against your skull damaged your brain.

Which leads one to wonder …

The damage left you unresponsive to most kinds of stimuli.

If you fall in love in your dreams,

And this unresponsive state is what's known as a coma.

Can you find that love when you wake up?

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Author Bio

Crazy woman from a remote location in Alaska (where the need for a creative mind is a necessity!), I have been writing since ... forever? Yeah, that sounds about right. I have been told that I remind people of Lucille Ball - I also see shades of Jennifer Saunders, and Denis Leary. So basically, I laugh a lot, I'm clumsy a lot, and I say the F-word A LOT.

I like dogs more than I like most people, and I don't trust anyone who doesn't drink. No, I do not live in an igloo, and no, the sun does not set for six months out of the year, there's your Alaska lesson for the day. I have mermaid hair - both a curse and a blessing - and most of the time I talk so fast, even I can't understand me.

Yeah. I think that about sums me up.

Author Links

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Blog Tour+ARC Review: "To Best the Boys" by Mary Weber

To Best the Boys

by Mary Weber
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: March 5th 2019

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of Pinsbury Port receive a mysterious letter inviting all eligible-aged boys to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. Every year, the poorer residents look to see that their names are on the list. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive. And Rhen Tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink and parchment are created from, using her father’s microscope.

In the province of Caldon, where women are trained in wifely duties and men are encouraged into collegiate education, sixteen-year-old Rhen Tellur wants nothing more than to become a scientist. As the poor of her seaside town fall prey to a deadly disease, she and her father work desperately to find a cure. But when her Mum succumbs to it as well? Rhen decides to take the future into her own hands—through the annual all-male scholarship competition.

With her cousin, Seleni, by her side, the girls don disguises and enter Mr. Holm’s labyrinth, to best the boys and claim the scholarship prize. Except not everyone’s ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the maze.

REVIEW

I received a printed ARC in exchange for an honest review. 
Rhen Tellur lives in a male-dominated society which kind of reminded me of The Handmaid's Tale minus the too creepy vibe. But the prejudice is clear. When the chance to enter the Labyrinth comes, where only boys can enter she will risk everything in order to change her life and also save her sick mother. 

While there is romance, it comes second to Rhen's attempt to fight her way through the contest, trying to save her mother. It's a testament against societies where women are treated badly, and they are excluded from work and science. Rhen's POV is strong and eager to fight while also she has her fears because she breaks tradition.

Really recommended.

About the author:

Hi. I write books. I eat things. I kiss things. I believe in mermaids.

I'm also the author of the Storm Siren Trilogy, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow series, and the March 2019 release, To Best the Boys. When not working, I sing 80’s hairband songs to my three muggle children, and ogle my husband who looks strikingly like Wolverine. We live in California, which is perfect for stalking aging movie stars while wearing fanny packs and sweatpants.

For those who like to know such things (mainly my mom), Storm Siren was featured in the Scholastic Book Fair and my novels have been endorsed by such nice humans as Marissa Meyer, CJ Redwine, Shannon Messenger, and Jonathan Maberry (in fact, Marissa Meyer and I have a fun interview in the paperback of her book, CRESS). Also, Boba tea & sweatpants are life. {We can chat about life (in sweatpants over tea, obviously) in my Newsletter.

Review: "Honor Bound" (The Honors #2) by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre

Honor Bound by Rachel Caine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

summary from GoodReads

Zara Cole was a thief back on Earth, but she’s been recently upgraded to intergalactic fugitive. On the run after a bloody battle in a covert war that she never expected to be fighting, Zara, her co-pilot Beatriz, and their Leviathan ship Nadim barely escaped the carnage with their lives. Now Zara and her crew of Honors need a safe haven, far from the creatures who want to annihilate them. But with two wounded Leviathan to treat, plus human and non-human refugees to help, they’ll have to settle for the nearest outpost, called the Sliver: a wild, dangerous warren of alien criminals. Zara’s skills from the Zone may be invaluable. However, Zara discovers that the secrets of the Sliver may have the power to turn the tide of the war they left behind—but in the wrong direction. Soon Zara will have to make a choice: stand against the ultimate evil or run from it. But she’s never walked away from a fight.

Honor Bound is the second installment in Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre’s thrilling and fresh space saga. 

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AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY

REVIEW

In the amazing sequel of the phenomenal writing duo, Zara Cole, Bea, and their living spaceship/space whale Nadim will embark on a journey full of mysteries, adventure, and unstoppable action.


After the ending of the first book Honor Bound begins with Zara, Bea Nadim and the fellow Elder Typhon traveling to the Sliver where they hope to help their ships and also escape the Phage. A space-station full of aliens, different cultures, countless of different cultures, sexual preferences and behaviors, Zara and crew will have to fight through aliens, scams, a mysterious mafia-like boss and travel deep into space.


I enjoyed thoroughly the story! I love Zara and her POV. She is almost unstoppable with strength, sass and deep sensitivity, especially towards Nadim. I love that space whale so much! Also, the action didn't let me put the book down not to mention that the book ended on a cliffhanger! How am I supposed to wait now?


Still, trouble is brewing on Earth too and I fear that the problems which will be caused will be far greater than the danger I left Zara to face in that planet. I WANT MY SWEETS TO BE SAFE!

Totally recommended along with the first book if you love Star Trek with a twist!




About the authors:

Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. She likes all kinds of books, emo music, action movies and Doctor Who. She writes all kind of fiction in multiple genres, both YA and for adults.

Rachel Caine is the NYT, USA Today, and #1 WSJ bestselling author of more than 50 books in several categories and genres, including adult thriller and adult urban fantasy/SF as well as books for young adults ages twelve to eighteen.

She is the winner of several national awards, and most recently was a finalist in both the International Thriller Writers awards and the Killer Nashville awards for her debut thriller novelStillhouse Lake.

Cover Reveal: "Luca" (Chicago Blazers #2) by Brenda Rothert

Today we are sharing the cover reveal of LUCA by Brenda Rothert. This is a contemporary romance, standalone that will be releasing on April 23rd. It is the second title in the Chicago Blaze hockey romance series. Pre-order your copy now for only $2.99!

Luca by Brenda Rothert

Releasing April 23

Chicago Blaze, #2

Pre-order on Amazon | Nook | Kobo | Apple Books

Book Blurb:

Abby

I only have one love now—the home furnishings business I’m building into an empire. Maybe money and success can’t love me back, but they keep what’s left of my heart safe. One-night stands are my way of scratching the occasional itch I get for something more. And no one’s better for that than a sexy as sin hockey player I’ll never see again after one very hot night together.

Luca

I used to love two things: hockey and women. But now my nieces and nephew are my top priority, because I’m raising them after tragedy stole their parents. Somehow I balance single parenthood and my career as a forward for the Chicago Blaze. There’s no time for women, until I get knocked on my ass by Abby Daniels. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted, but her devastating past may end us before we even get started.

Add the book to your TBR Pile now!

Follow Brenda's newsletter for exclusive details!

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Brenda Rothert is an Illinois native who was a print journalist for nine years. She made the jump from fact to fiction in 2013 and never looked back. From new adult to steamy contemporary romance, Brenda creates fresh characters in every story she tells. She’s a lover of Diet Coke, chocolate, lazy weekends and happily ever afters.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Wattpad | Amazon

Release Day Blitz+ARC Review: "Talen" by Shay Savage

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  In a world plagued by constant earthquakes and volcanic debris, people in the valley struggle to survive while those on top of the hill want for nothing. This is where I come in. I spend my nights plundering supplies in the walled city of Hilltop, and I trade them to the valley people below. I’m not a thief.  I prefer to be known as the head of Lost and Found. When I discover a beautiful but dangerous competitor in my territory, I also learn she knows more about me than she should. Is she a spy sent by my father, or is she a rebel like me? I don’t trust her, but together we’ll discover secrets that may destroy what’s left of our world. There have always been those with wealth and those without. My name is Talen, and I’m here to even the score.

 

♦ ♦ ♦

♦ ♦ ♦

I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Talen lives in a world set after the apocalypse. When the volcano in Yellowstone exploded, the world changed and the planet destabilized. As Talen tries to survive he will discover that his own past can come back and haunt him and also that love can be found even in the most unexpected places.

Talen was an interesting character. You may see, especially in the cover a badass man but to me, despite his ruthlessness, he was actually quite shy and wanted to find someone who could understand him. The story moves fast and the ending is quite hopeful. Truly I wouldn't mind having other stories set in this world and even interconnecting with each other. 

Shay Savage knows how to weave human nature and bringing it from its higher peak to its lowest end.

  Shay Savage is an independent author from Cincinnati, Ohio, where she lives with her family and a variety of household pets.  She is an accomplished public speaker and holds the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster from Toastmasters International. Her hobbies include off-roading in her big, yellow Jeep, science fiction in all forms, and soccer.  Savage holds a degree in psychology, and she brings a lot of that knowledge into the characters within her stories. From the author: “It’s my job to make you FEEL.  That doesn’t always mean you’ll feel good, but I want my readers to be connected enough to my characters to care.” Savage’s books many books span a wide variety of topics and sub-genres with deeply flawed characters.  From cavemen to addicts to hitmen, you’ll find yourself falling for these seemingly irredeemable characters!

♦ ♦ ♦

ARC Review: "Never-Contented Things" by Sarah Porter

Never-Contented Things by Sarah Porter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

A new YA standalone novel about dark faeries with surefire appeal by Sarah Porter, the critically-acclaimed author of Vassa in the Night and When I Cast Your Shadow. 

Seductive. Cruel. Bored
Be wary of… 

Never-Contented Things
A Novel of Faery

Prince and his fairy courtiers are staggeringly beautiful, unrelentingly cruel, and exhausted by the tedium of the centuries—until they meet foster-siblings Josh and Ksenia. Drawn in by their vivid emotions, undying love for each other, and passion for life, Prince will stop at nothing to possess them.

First seduced and then entrapped by the fairies, Josh and Ksenia learn that the fairies' otherworldly gifts come at a terrible price—and they must risk everything in order to reclaim their freedom.

“Sarah Porter is a genius. Her language is lush and dangerous, and her books burn with the beautiful, ferocious intensity of a bonfire in the darkest night. Read Never-Contented Things with the lights on. Then read it again.”—Brittany Cavallaro, New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Charlotte

“Sarah Porter’s Never-Contented Things creates a creepy new world like none I’ve seen before. Eerie, edgy, and filled with mystery, Porter takes us to the depths of the magical and psychological.”—Danielle Paige, New York Times bestselling author of Dorothy Must Die

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AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY

REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

So...this was one of the hardest books I have read so far in 2019. At first, I couldn't understand what was happening but quickly everything went down in an epic fashion that left me reeling from fear and also checking under my bed if there is anything staring back at me.

Ksenia (which is a Greek name by the way) and Josh are two orphans fostered in a group home. They love each other with Josh loving his Kezzer more, despite the curious glances, the bullying, and the shit people give them. And when the mysterious Prince and his entourage appear?

Let's just say that everyone gets weirder and weirder.

Parallel worlds, changelings and a murderous Fae that makes Cardan looks like a sweet little kitten. There are POVs which are separated in parts and the emotional turmoil everyone has in here will make you cringe but also roots for them.

And yet despite the eye in the hat, the house and Josh's wrong choices the story is one huge symbolism about finding the power to move on even after tragedy hits. How to learn to lean on your friends and the family you didn't know how easily you could lose.

Sarah Porter's writing is gritty, terrifying and absolutely captures the scope of being human in a monstrous world.

About the author:

I write stories that seem to me to be quite true enough for all practical purposes. Among them are VASSA IN THE NIGHT, THE LOST VOICES TRILOGY, and the forthcoming WHEN I CAST YOUR SHADOW and TENTACLE AND WING. Realism makes little sense to me and I experience more truth in the fantastic. I always have new novels underway, both Young Adult and Grownup/ Literary/ Speculative. When not writing my own weird stuff, I can often be found leading creative writing workshops with amazing young NYC public-school writers via Teachers & Writers Collaborative. Or I might be drawing, or gardening, or wandering wraithlike through the streets. I live in Brooklyn, land of mystery, with my awesome husband Todd and our two cats, Jub Jub and Delphine. 

Represented by Kent D. Wolf of the Friedrich Agency.