Book Spotlight - The Blue Moon Narthex by N J Donner

Book Details:

Book Title: The Blue Moon Narthex by N.J. Donner
Category: Middle-grade Fiction (Ages 8 to 12) 360 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Steele Page Press
Release date: February 7, 2017
Tour dates: June 4 to 29, 2018
Content Rating: PG (Some violence between forces of good and evil, but it's not bloody or gory)

Book Description:

It’s 1919 and thirteen-year-old Cole McCarthy just wants more time with his father, who is a busy railroad executive. But a horrific train accident leaves Cole’s stepmother as his only family. Alone and lost, Cole wanders his family’s estate and runs into an old family friend who gives him a special object that belonged to his father.

Cole just wants to be a kid, not the owner of the most powerful object in the world. The Blue Moon Narthex is made from tangible bits of Karma and gives Cole the power to transport himself and control Karma.

Now, Alsin Gideon, traitor of the Legion of Karma, is on rampage to take Cole’s narthex and add to his body count. For their safety, Cole and two of his prep school friends are pulled into the enormous secret headquarters of the Legion, which operates like an underground 1920s spy organization. While living at the secret location, Cole learns about the secret double life of his father.

With the pressure to find his role within the legion, maintain a strained relationship with his stepmother, and live up to a daunting legacy left by his father Cole, withdraws and makes secret plans to take on his father’s enemies.

Alsin Gideon cleverly taunts Cole, to meet him at a prearranged battle meant for his father. Cole’s anger and determination boil over and he is willing to risk his powerful tool and Karma’s stability for the hope of getting his parents back.

Will Cole, along with his friends, be able to work together to bring back his parents, keep Karma’s in balance, and stay alive?

To follow the tour, please visit N.J. Donner's page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy the Book:

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Meet the Author: 

N.J. Donner is a dad who loves to tell stories and create worlds. He has created 3D models of parts of the Legion’s secret headquarters and drawn extensive maps of the underground world where the Legion operates. He loves to explore and to figure out why and how things work, including Karma.

When he's not writing, N.J. runs a successful steel fabrication business in the Midwest. He loves to travel with his wife, Amanda, and their three children.

Six books are planned for the series taking the three main characters and the Legion of Karma to new continents and new adventures across the world.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Book Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

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Ends July 7, 2018

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Book Spotlight - The Last Dance by Lonna Enox

Book Details:

Book Title: The Last Dance by Lonna Enox
Category: Adult Fiction, 226 pages
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Women Sleuths
Publisher: Lonna Enox Publications
Release date: June 24, 2016
Tour dates: June 18 to July 13, 2018
Content Rating: PG-13 + M

​Book Description:

Saddle Gap, a quiet little town in southwestern New Mexico, seems the perfect place for Sorrel Janes to start her life over. But within a few days, she finds herself entangled in two murders, the object of harassment, and the number one suspect in a murder. Will her past terrors destroy her future dreams? Amid the evolving conflicts, she resolves to reconstruct her new life and find happiness. Detective Chris Reed is equally resolved to solve the murders as well as Sorrels secrets. Neither of them suspects where the steps of this dance will lead, but they are too stubborn to sit this one out.
​
To follow the tour, please visit Lonna Enox's page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads

Watch the trailer:

Meet the Author:

Lonna Enox is a former high school and college English instructor. She grew up on a ranch in New Mexico, where she learned to love critters, reading, and "wide open" spaces. She is a wife, mom, and grandmother, as well as the proud owner of 4 rescue pets--3 cats and a dog. Aside from an early stint as a newspaper reporter, she also spent 10 years as a freelance magazine writer. She is happiest exploring a wildlife refuge, cuddling little ones and critters, or snuggled up reading a good mystery. Lonna is a professional writer with over 250 printed articles in a variety of national and regional magazines. She has written in several genres and The Last Dance is her debut mystery.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends Jule 21, 2018

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Blog Tour / Promo Post - Bound to her Blood Enemy by Tora Williams

Norman heiress, Matilda Comyn is desperate to escape her grasping guardian and reclaim her inheritance. After a lifetime of being let down by men, she wants to rule her lands on her own terms. She can’t escape without help and battles her mistrust when compelled to join forces with a Welsh spy.

Huw Ap Goronwy has a rival claim to Matilda’s castle and has sworn a blood oath against the Comyns. When his king rules they must marry, he struggles to reconcile his attraction with his need for revenge. But they must form a truce if they are to seize their castle.

Risking capture and death, they will only succeed if Matilda learns to trust, and Huw allows his love for Matilda to overcome his need for revenge.

Purchase Links
Amazon (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07D6FT4HH
Amazon (US): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D6FT4HH
The Wild Rose Press Catalogue: https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/paperback-books/5938-bound-to-her-blood-enemy-paperback.html

Author Bio – 

Tora lives in Shropshire in the United Kingdom. On childhood holidays her interest in history was fired by exploring castles in Wales and the Welsh borders, and she would make up stories about characters living there. When she started writing, it seemed only natural to turn to the settings that inspired her as a child. In her free time, when she can drag herself away from reading, she enjoys walking and cycling.

Social Media Links – Blog: http://www.torawilliams.uk/blog

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ToraWilliamsAuthor/

Twitter: @ToraWilliams1

Blog Tour / Extract - Disco Sour by Giuseppe Porcaro

In the aftermath of a continental civil-war, nation-states have collapsed, the European Union™ holds on, preventing anarchy.

Bastian Balthazar Bux is a leading member of The Federation®, the European network of civil society and local governments. Bastian has just been unexpectedly dumped through an app, the BreakupShop™ service. Heavy hearted, he just wants to drink, get on with work and forget his romantic woes.

However, he discovers that Nathan Ziggy Zukowsky is planning to sell Plebiscitum®, a dating-style app that is meant to replace elections with a simple swipe, at the same conference he is invited to attend in Chile. Haunted by the ghosts of his recent relationship, he finds himself without his all-important Morph® phone, just a few hours before embarking on his trip to try to save democracy.

Will he make it to his conference on the other side of the world? Will he stop Zukowsky from selling his app? And will he ever find a way to deal with his breakup?

Goodreads ¦ Amazon

Excerpt :

‘He must be kidding. This logo is a joke,’ I heard a voice behind me say.

It was Nathan, Nathan Ziggy Zukowski. The alleged illegitimate son of Roman Polanski. Everyone knew that. Born in Paris, raised in Krakow. A real shark but very much beloved because of his personal history and his manners. Sandra insisted on inviting him to Thessaloniki. He had initiated a set of new projects that I had not yet understood.

I could again feel my pleura screaming. My left lung was pushing it, following my accelerated heartbeat.

‘Bastian likes old Soviet Pioneer badges,’ he continued.

I kept staring at my Morph®. Motionless.

‘This guy is turning The Federation. into a kolkhoz,’ he kept going on. ‘What will he do next? Establish a Politburo?’ He was blowing full steam ahead.

I took a deep breath, turned to him and said, ‘Firstly, Soviet iconography has been de-ideologised by younger generations in post-communist regions.’

‘Man, we finally get to meet again.’ He smiled.

‘Secondly, what counts is not what you think about the logo,’ I said, cutting him short.

‘I thought you were hiding or something,’ he continued and tried to hug me.

‘Nathan, you have no idea…’ I stared at the pinball table beside him. The petals of a rose marked points for the winners. A tattooed girl was painted on the top of the rose as the final prize, a reminder of the gender-biased past I had thought completely finished. She had black curly hair, and the images flooded in.

Nevertheless, I continued. ‘The League™ is changing politics and will help us all move towards a solid postwar democracy.’

‘Democracy, as you know it, is doomed,’ he replied.

Holy Mary-Inanna, I thought, he’d transformed himself into another populist who would recite some bullshit about destroying political parties, getting rid of the elites, online voting, and so on. I was sick and tired of those people.

‘My new app, plebiscitum. , will allow anyone to express their opinions anytime, anywhere, and will include geolocalisation systems,’ he replied.

‘Basically Tinder. but for politics,’ I said.

‘Exactly, you’ve got it. Politics will be as easy as swiping. Likes, dislikes, matches,’ he said.

‘Fucking bullshit, Nathan,’ I replied.

‘And poof! Magic. No need for elected representatives,’ he continued.

‘Must I always remind you that you have no sense of strategic understanding, Bastian?’ He was smiling, calm and happy like a sheep peacefully grazing among orchard grass.

‘What we need is neither fewer parties nor fewer politicians,’ I said.

‘We need parties mobilising the people and being mobilised by the people.’

‘Sure. Like some wannabe politicians in this bar tonight,’ he said.

‘And why wouldn’t people blame them? They caused a major part of the mess and the war.’

‘You won’t get me over there, Nathan,’ I said.

‘One of the key problems today is that politics is such a disgrace. Good people don’t go into government,’ he replied.

‘I refuse to throw politicians in your technological trash bin just because some of them caused a mess,’ I said.

‘Man, you are just a cheap idealist full of passion. When it comes to controlling human beings, there is no better instrument than lies. Because, you see, humans live by beliefs. And beliefs can be manipulated. The power to manipulate beliefs is the only thing that counts.’

‘I might be full of passion, but you are full of shit,’ I said.

‘Calm down, be Shinto, man. You will tell me if I’m right or wrong when the moment comes,’ he said.

And he left me with a sense of fear and anger I could not explain. I would have preferred to have simply punched the guy in the face with no mercy right then and there. He belonged to that dangerous class of human being that seems to preach good to cover their more nefarious intentions.

Being angry is a weird state of mind. I didn’t express it often, but it festered in my chest and left little space for anything else. It made me irrational, and I lost the clarity with which to keep up the fight.

In truth, I suffered in confrontational situations even though I had to handle them every day. My 6-steps-diplomacy™ would have clearly recommended avoiding highly emotional situations. And I repeated

to myself, ‘If you are involved in a discussion that’s already emotionally charged or argumentative, your attempts to be diplomatic will go unheard.’ But I had no clue or any further tips on how to handle it.

I was lost. I was totally worn out.

About the author:

As a political geographer, Giuseppe Porcaro has been interested in how the intersection between technology and politics is moving towards uncharted territories in the future. He has recently published a series of scientific articles about how the internet of things and algorithms will change policymaking. He also focused on narrative-building and political representations in the European Union

Disco Sour is his first experiment with fiction and was inspired by a mission to Chile he had in 2013. Back then, he was Secretary General of the European Youth Forum, the platform for youth organisations advocating for youth rights. And on his way to Santiago, he missed three connecting flights across two continents within the span of 72 hours.

Giuseppe now works as the head of communications for Bruegel, an international think tank specialising in economic policy. During the rest of the time, he DJs, reads, dreams, writes.

Twitter ¦ Facebook ¦ Website

Blog Tour / Guest Post - To Die in Vienna by Kevin Wignall

Welcome to the blog tour of To Die in Vienna by Kevin Wignall . I am your host today and I have a special post from the author for you! 

A Writer Writes

One of the things writers often get asked in interviews is for a piece of advice they’d give to aspiring writers. Over the years, I’ve boiled it down to two essential rules, but I thought today I’d open it out for those of you who are interested in putting pen to paper.

A writer writes. This is the first of my two essential rules, and it might seem flippant but it’s actually vital. A writer writes. They don’t talk about it, they don’t find excuses for why they can’t write (a surprising number of first novels have been written in trying circumstances), they do it. If you don’t start the novel, you’ll never finish it.

A writer reads. I’m suspicious of any aspiring writer who isn’t also a voracious reader. Reading other people is how you first learn what works and what doesn’t, both for you and for the wider market – so for example, if you didn’t enjoy “The Girl on the Train”, it’s a good challenge to ask yourself why so many other people did.

But don’t write for the market. Over the last two years or so, you’ll have seen lots of books marketed as “the next Girl on the Train”. It’s something publishers do, and if you happen to have submitted a book about a psychic detective just after there’s been an unexpected smash hit about a detective with paranormal powers, you might get picked up because of it. But jumping on a bandwagon is a notoriously tricky thing to pull off, and you’ll be selling your talent short in the process.

And don’t write for Hollywood. A lot of aspiring writers will come up with a concept that “will make a great film”. Really? Then go and make a film. Write for your readers, not for those imagined film-makers out there. And for what it’s worth, Hollywood has its own way of deciding what will work on film, and it very rarely revolves around concepts or plots. To Die in Vienna had a couple of competing offers before we settled for selling to Focus Features and Jake Gyllenhaal, but everyone involved talked about how much they loved the characters – the plot was almost incidental.

Allow for the wood and the trees. What I mean is, accept that you might be too close to your writing, and the book might not be good enough. This is tough because a lot of good writers will often fear their book isn’t good enough. If you don’t have a trusted reader (one who’ll be brutally honest) and you’re not sure, leave it alone and read it fresh in six months – if it still looks good to you, it probably is.

Following on from that, don’t be in too much of a rush. Be prepared to leave that book alone for six months while you work on something else. If your first book is turned down by everyone, don’t be in a rush to publish it yourself on Kindle, write the next book instead. Take your time.

And finally, my other essential piece of advice, never forget that you’re telling a story. Imagine that you’re sitting by the fire telling your story to a few listeners. Are they hooked? Might they be getting bored? Are you including too much detail? Storytelling lies at the heart of everything we do, and you ignore that at your peril. No one owes it to you to turn the page – you have make them want to turn it, and the next, and the next after that…

About the Book

He’s seen something that could get him killed. But what?

Freddie Makin is a spy for hire. For a year he’s been watching Jiang Cheng, an academic whose life seems suspiciously normal. To Freddie it’s just a job: he never asks who’s paying him and why—until the day someone is sent to kill him, and suddenly the watcher becomes the watched.

On the run from whoever wants him dead, Freddie knows he must have seen something incriminating. The only trouble is, he has no idea what. Is the CIA behind all this—or does it go higher than that? Have his trackers uncovered his own murky past?

As he’s forced into a lethal dance across Vienna, Freddie knows one thing for sure: his only hope for survival is keeping the truth from the other side, and making sure the secrets from his past stay hidden.

AMAZON

Book Musings - Rainy Day Friends by Jill Shalvis

Starting over was her plan. Getting derailed by secrets wasn’t...

RAINY DAY FRIENDS

A Wildstone Novel

Jill Shalvis

William Morrow/Harper Collins

Following the USA Today bestselling author of Lost and Found Sisters comes Jill Shalvis' moving story of heart, loss, betrayal, and friendship

Six months after Lanie Jacobs’ husband’s death, it’s hard to imagine anything could deepen her sense of pain and loss. But then Lanie discovers she isn’t the only one grieving his sudden passing. A serial adulterer, he left behind several other women who, like Lanie, each believe she was his legally wedded wife.

Rocked by the infidelity, Lanie is left to grapple with searing questions. How could she be so wrong about a man she thought she knew better than anyone? Will she ever be able to trust another person? Can she even trust herself?

Desperate to make a fresh start, Lanie impulsively takes a job at the family-run Capriotti Winery. At first, she feels like an outsider among the boisterous Capriottis. With no real family of her own, she’s bewildered by how quickly they all take her under their wing and make her feel like she belongs. Especially Mark Capriotti, a gruffly handsome Air Force veteran turned deputy sheriff who manages to wind his way into Lanie’s cold, broken heart—along with the rest of the clan.

Everything is finally going well for her, but the arrival of River Brown changes all that. The fresh-faced twenty-one-year old seems as sweet as they come…until her dark secrets come to light—secrets that could destroy the new life Lanie’s only just begun to build.

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My Musings :

I have always said this. And I will repeat again - Jill Shalvis never disappoints me! And it is shown in her book once again why she is a hit with her readers. She is a must read for me and that will stay the same forever.

The starting was bittersweet with a mix of humour. I understood Lanie's situation and I really felt for her. Her introduction to Mark and his family had me giggling in stages. I never knew what the author was going to get the characters to do next. At times, I would be sniffling with tears in my eyes and in other times, I would be happy with a soft smile on my lips. The emotions evoked by her masterful writing is varied. And that's the greatest point in her writing.

Another winning point is the way she articulated her characters. Every time they get to me and this one was no exception. Lanie and Mark are equal in the betrayed category albeit in different ways. Lanie was a bit more paranoid than Mark. I loved them equally because of their soft characters. And do I have say anything about the twins? They are the show stealer. They are adorable and I enjoyed them! And add to that fact, the family members are various and colourful, then you are sure to have a wonderful supporting cast.

When River was introduced, I was suspicious of her role and it was verified towards the end.But I really felt for both Rain and Lanie. It twisted my heart to see them be impacted that way. Overall,the book has a delightful feel inspite of the unhappiness in the past lives of the characters. I truly enjoyed another Jill Shalvis book. 

I received a copy of the book voluntarily for reviewing.This doesn't impact my opinion or thoughts.

My one line review : A complete emotional entertainer.

My rating : 5/5

My reread factor : 4/5

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis writes warm, funny, sexy contemporary romances and women’s fiction. An Amazon, BN & iBooks bestseller, she’s also a two-time RITA winner and has more than 10 million copies of her books sold worldwide.

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Book Spotlight - Out of Time by Thomas William Lowrie

Book Details:

Book Title: Out of Time (A ray Lafayette Novel) by Thomas William Lowrie
Category: Adult Fiction, 264 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction, Military and War
Publisher: Mindstir Media
Release date: December 4, 2017
Tour dates: May 28 to June 22, 2018
Content Rating: PG-13

Book Description:

Well, here I go again. All alone except for this suitcase of mine. I’m headed for a new place with new people. Not so bad considering it’s 1944. Lots of guys are in my shoes. We’re in the middle of World War II. Still not so bad. I’m a fireman in the Army Air Corps whatever they’re calling themselves these days. Once again, not bad at all. But I was born in 1963. There’s the bad part.

I was not born with the name Ray Lafayette, but that’s what they call me. I didn’t have kids or smoke a pipe. Hell, I didn’t even like coffee. I do now.

I was born into a different life than this, one with a lot of attachments. Now I carry my life in one bag. One really important bag.

In this time, people call me pal or buddy or sir, good lord they call me sir all the time.

I have friends in this time, and they are the best but do they know me like they think they do? Simply put, NO! Would they die for me? Every bit as much as I would die for them.

To say these folks are tough or strong is an understatement. Superhumans? I don’t think so. They were ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. I didn’t have heroes before this. I didn’t understand them until now.

Since this event has started, I have experienced many things I can’t explain. There is only one other person who has any knowledge of my situation, and I can’t find him. The last words from him were vos non unum, you are not alone.

There was a time I missed all the things that made my life easier as I thought. Here I have no cell phone, no internet, no rock music, no almost anything. As bad as that sounds, I’m not sure if I want to leave here.

To follow the tour, please visit Thomas William Lowrie's page on iRead Book Tours.
​

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Books-a-million

Add to Goodreads

Watch the book trailer:

Meet the author:

Thomas William Lowrie is a WWII writer and author who has published two military novels, He Was and Out of Time.
​
He has lived outside of Las Vegas most of his life, but his best memories are of the days fishing in South Texas. Summer vacations were the best. That is also where he found his best friend and wife, Tina. He could not have done any of this without her. Of course, Ray pecking at his brain for years had something to do with it too.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends June 30, 2018

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Blog Tour / Excerpt - Beyond the Moon by R J Wood

This is my stop during the blog tour for Beyond the Moon by R.J. Wood. This tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 11 till 24 June. See the tour schedule here.

Beyond the Moon (The Voyages of Jake Flynn #2)
By R.J. Wood
Genre: Fantasy/ Science Fiction/ Sword and Space/ Space Fantasy
Age category: Middle Grade/ Young Adult
Release Date: June 1, 2018

Blurb:
Beyond the Moon picks up after the battle above the ice planet Nystal, where Earth-kid Jake Flynn and crew have recently escaped from the Crimson Cabal. Their voyages continue on the other side of the galaxy where magic has displaced technology and monsters are real. Jake continues to grow in his new abilities to channel energy and fly tall wooden ships in space, but struggles with having been named the Justicar, a prophesied champion of the light. Pushing forward, he sets course for new planets in search of allies who will stand with him and help stop the cabal from resurrecting a long dead queen. To succeed, Jake must learn more about channeling and how to balance his new and unwelcome responsibilities with the continued search for his missing parents and a way home to Earth.

Aided and mentored by the young Life Magian, Starla Silvertree, her aged protector, Ottomeyer Riversend, and assisted by veteran sailors Jehnna Marik and Captain Billy Goldbar, Jake must make heavyweight decisions with deadly consequences.

Unicorns, ghost ships, pirates, space battles, magi wielding lightning and fire, dinosaurs, and a Valkyrie – Jake must face them all in this epic sword and space adventure. By the end, Jake will take another step toward adulthood, discover truths about his parents’ fate, suffer the death of a comrade, and muster the courage to charge into a final showdown with the terrifying snake-woman, Celia Sable.

You can add Beyond the Moon to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can buy Beyond the Moon here:
- Amazon ebook
- Amazon paperback

Excerpt :

The room at the top of the Sun Tower was circular. Its wood floor was mostly covered by a round white rug. Above her, a large chandelier hung from the cross supports of the conical roof. Simple benches of light birch were placed before each of four large lancet windows that faced the directions of the winds. Sisters of the order would come here for prayer and contemplation, to watch the sun rise in the East or set in the West, to look out over the blue ocean to the South, or to gaze upon the green forest to the North. Starla came for none of these thing.

The Mother stood alone at the north window where she watched the battle below. Tamara Fallingleaf’s face was folded with the wrinkles of a thousand years. Her eyes held the wisdom of them all. She was dressed in dark green robes, the hems and sleeves embroidered with silver thread. The gray and green sash tight around her waist ended in a single tassel double bound with gold. Upon her head, pressed into her gray hair and forehead, was a circlet of hand-worked Duranium adorned with glittering emeralds. A thick silver chain hung from her neck and disappeared beneath her robe

Starla approached. She found it strange to see The Mother here by herself. Usually, she was surrounded by guards, servants, and the other high-ranking Life Magi that served as her advisors and aids. Now everyone was gone, and for a reason that Starla could not begin to comprehend, The Mother wanted to speak to her, the lowest of her children, for the very first time, right now.

Starla paused a few feet away and gulped for air. Seconds seemed like hours as she waited to be acknowledged. She listened to the din of the battle outside. Her heart pounded away in her chest with such strength that she heard it. She wondered how long the youthful Blade Dancer with green eyes would live this day; how long she herself would live. It would have been nice to know his name.

She did her best to push back the fear. Finally, she could take no more and for a third time that day she broke discipline and spoke to The Mother first.

“Mother, you sent for me?”

The elder woman made no reply and continued to watch the battle unfold at the temple gates. Starla had heard some of the others talking outside. There was still a small chance. The terrain made it difficult to attack any but the one wall. Life Magi could not harm others themselves, their vows forbid it, but they could keep the Blade Dancers alive and return them to battle quickly.

The smaller temple force might hold out that way long enough for help to arrive from Strongbow province or a Corsair ship. It was a fleeting hope. Even if word had already been sent, it would take days for any ground force to arrive here by land, maybe the Sisters of the Horn could be here faster. Until then, they were outnumbered twenty to one.

“They’re cutting down the heartwood trees,” the older woman said calmly. Starla’s heart jumped into her throat.

“The trees?” she asked weakly, unable to even comprehend such a despicable action.

“The last was bonded to Tara Mosswood. When it fell, she collapsed and toppled from the gatehouse. She was my first student. I don’t know if you knew that.”

Starla did not know that, but she knew Sister Mosswood as a stern and gray-haired instructor that disliked mirth in the classroom. The loss was unbelievable. That anyone would target the heartwood trees was unimaginable. Life Magi bonded with heartwood trees as part of their initiation. The bond gave a Life Magian her connection to the greater forest and circle of life; it also gave a Life Magian their extended longevity. As long as the tree lived, the magian did as well, and vice versa. Nearly all of the Life Magi planted and bonded to heartwood trees near the temple. The emotions gathered as tears in Starla’s eyes and her throat tightened further.

“I didn’t know Sister Mosswood well,” she squeaked.

“She had a keen mind and a dry wit at times,” Tamara said, “a bit of a prankster in class, but she did not show that side often later in her life. The world will miss her. I…will miss her.” She turned from the window, and gave Starla a long look. Starla could no longer hold back the tears and they began to stream down her cheeks.

“We are pacifists, Mother, why would someone do this to us? We are no threat to anyone, it goes against every–” she didn’t finish the emotion too strong.

“It is partly my own fault child. We grew lax and overconfident. When I was a girl, the remnants of a second outer wall sat beyond the clusters of heartwoods. We were also better hosts then, and this temple opened its doors to enclaves from the other magi orders.” She sighed. “The wall was eventually removed instead of repaired, and the other orders were pushed away.” She shook her head. “I wish that I had time to tell you everything child, but they will reach my tree soon. It is enough for you to know that the forces of the Destroyer are at our gates and the Creator needs your service. Is it true that you chose the ancient way and have bound yourself to a young tree somewhere deep in the heart of the forest?”

“Yes,” Starla said as she wiped a tear with her hand. “It is a tradition of House Silvertree that goes back thousands of years to the first Life Magi to come from our house.”

“Well, your house traditions seem to have spared your life this day, the Creator be praised. I suspect within the hour you will be only one of a few Life Magi still living.”

Check out Destiny’s Gambit (The Voyages of Jake Flynn #1)!

A resourceful boy takes a glowing sailboat across the stars to search for his long-missing parents and becomes the target of pirates and an evil cabal with a sinister agenda.

You can buy Destiny’s Gambit here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Smashwords

About the Author:
R. J. Wood has been creating stories and adventures for others since 1979. A bard at heart, he trained in Drama (BA) and History (MA) while at university. He currently lives near Snoqualmie Falls in Washington State with his wife and children. There he does a little fishing, some adventuring, and of course, his writing.

Like everyone of my generation and beyond I have been heavily influenced by film. I like to think of my books as movies in my mind. I developed my creative writing through fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal RPGs. My degree in drama helps me with story, characters, and especially dialogue. Having an advanced history degree is excellent for plots and characters, but it also helps me with world building.

You can find and contact R.J. Wood here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Instagram

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Beyond the Moon. One winner will win a $25 Amazon Gift card.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
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Blog Tour / Book Musings - Chilling Tales of the Unexpected by Ann Girdharry

Welcome to the blog tour of Chilling Tales of the Unexpected by Ann Girdharry. Today's my stop and I am reviewing it for my post.

Four twisty, short reads.

Addictive works of suspense,
That will leave you breathless and give you goose bumps…

Trading with Death
What sacrifice might we make for those we love? In the face of death, will we be selfish or selfless?

Tell Me a Secret
Deceit, lies and secrets – how well do we know those close to us?

Sweet Justice 
We follow Tess as she confronts the dark side…
​
Written on the Apple Tree 
A moment from a past life, a possession, or a simple meeting between strangers?

Purchase from Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07D76P82X

View on Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40198220-chilling-tales-of-the-unexpected-boxed-set

My Musings :

First thing I have to say that I usually don't enjoy short stories. I don't know why but they always fail to engage me. Now you are wondering, then why I picked up this book? The blurb is the reason I was curious about it. It caught my attention and I was very apprehensive when starting the book. After I finished the first tale, I literally shook my head. I had various reactions. Read on to know more!

Trading with Death

From the start, I was feeling chilled and creepy. That was very much reflective of the imagery provoked by the author'r writing. Towards the end I was feeling poignant.

Tell Me a Secret

 This one had me feeling the thrilling suspense vibe till the end.

Sweet Justice 

Oh my! Tess's actions literally had me holding my breath and feel the tension in the air. She is one strong girl.

Written on the Apple Tree 

This had me at the soulful past and my heart was broken a bit at the end. 

Based on my reactions, I am sure you would have figured out what I am going to say. I loved the stories! If all short ones were like these, I would jump in to grab and read them all. The author's writing perfectly caught me in her web and the imagery and the emotions evoked had me feel like I had sat through a lengthier read. The characters were well figured out and didn't feel like reading about strangers at all. The author has perfected the art of writing short tales and I am sure I will like other works too. 

I received the book for reviewing purposes which doesn't change my thoughts on it.

My one line review : A cornucopia of emotions in short bursts.

My rating : 5/5

My reread factor : 4/5

Author Bio 

Born and educated in the UK, Ann Girdharry is a trained psychotherapist and has worked as a manager in the not-for-profit sector for many years.
Today she lives in Montpellier, France with her husband and two children.
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She writes suspense and thrillers, is a book reviewer and occasionally blogs for the Huffington Post UK. Her crime thriller novel, GOOD GIRL BAD GIRL, was an Eric Hoffer Book Award Finalist 2017. Two of her thrillers are READERS’ FAVOURITE Five Star Books.
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Social Media Links –

follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AnnGirdharryAuthor/

follow on Twitter www.twitter.com/GirdharryAnn

follow on Goodreads www.goodreads.com/AnnGirdharry

follow on Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ann-girdharry

Forever Summer Reading Blog Event - Q & A with Mia Sheridan

Hi! Welcome to my blog. Today I am taking part in the Forever Summer Reading Blog Event. And my post is the Q & A session with Mia Sheridan. 

About Mia Sheridan:

Mia Sheridan is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her passion is weaving true love stories about people destined to be together. Mia lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband. They have four children here on earth and one in heaven. Find out more about Mia and her books at miasheridan.com.

And let's move on to get to know her! 

Favorite book set at the beach?

Mia: I really loved On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves – an awesome survival romance!

Is there a subgenre or trope that you have never written but would like to?

Mia: I’ve always been fascinated by Fantasy – the world building seems like so much fun!

What is your all-time favorite summer tune?

Mia: The Boys of Summer by Don Henley.

What is your best summer memory?

Mia: I have so many, but one is watching the royal wedding of Diana and Charles as I sat on my grandparent’s porch with my grandma drinking ice tea.

If you could choose a vacation destination for the couple in your new book, where would it be and why?

Mia: The south of France! It’s where my husband and I went on our honeymoon and I’d love to go back . . . even if only in my mind! <3

More than Words by Mia Sheridan will be on sale on June 12, 2018.

Buy Link: https://www.forever-romance.com/titles/mia-sheridan/more-than-words/9781538727386/

#ForeverSummerReading Sweepstakes

Book Spotlight - The Enigma Dragon by Breakfield & Burkey

Book Details:

Book Title: The Enigma Dragon: A CATS Tale (The Enigma Series Book 9)
Authors: Charles V Breakfield and Roxanne E Burkey
Category: Adult Fiction, 360 pages
Genre: Thriller, TechnoThriller
Publisher: ICABOD Press
Release date: Oct 5, 2017
Tour dates: May 28 to June 22, 2018
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (There are some descriptive sex scenes but not throughout)

Book Description:

Do the vast amounts of information and technology available hold humans hostage? Does analog communication create a vulnerability?

The political climate in the world is unnerving. North Korea is running missile tests, but where are they getting their deadly supplies? Meanwhile, terrorists are hiding in plain sight, using American technology that is out on display in libraries and museums for the world to see, but are using analog methods to gather and assemble their information. No internet searches equal no red flags which lets the bad guys believe they are operating undetected. But the Cyber Assassin Technology Services (CATS) team is on the job. As Juan and Julie Rodríguez send their operatives out across the globe to track down these foot soldiers also known as Analog Information Mules, they'll discover the horrible potential treats, and learn about each other along the way.

Mike and Marge control ePETRO, an oil shipping business with offices in London and New York, but they don't have the same business goals in mind. Marge intends to sell the North Koreans uranium in addition to oil obtained illegally from the government-sanctioned Middle East. But Mike may have other plans, mainly, keeping the profits of these sales for himself. Then there is the mysterious Steven Christopher, who oversees the AIMs, and is working several angles behind the scenes. Steven is the only one trusted by both Marge and Mike, but why?

The CATs team has feet on the ground, with Ernesto and Tyler following two women through Washington, D.C. as they visit the Smithsonian looking for nuclear fusion processes and down the Texas coast where a dangerous package makes its way onto a ship bound for Asia. Jamie, an Irish man with a heartbreaking past, joins the team in Texas and finds not only a new job, but acceptance. George and Summit travel across Asia following the oil and some suspiciously mislabeled furniture. After a rocky start at being paired up, Mercedes and Brayson head to Panama and are watching a previously known Dark Net data center, but Mercedes is soon extracted to help out in D.C. She quickly becomes embroiled in Steven Christopher's world. Brayson is left behind alone in Panama and, still recovering from a lost love, learns that he can't truly be a part of the team until he has forgiven himself.

While Juan stays with Quip and his supercomputer ICABOD, tracking his team members and relaying constantly updated information at the team's nerve center, Julie heads to London. Julie finds herself in the center of all the trouble as she goes undercover in the ePETRO offices. When Julie disappears, Juan drops everything to find her. Quip loops his wife EZ, a Unified Communications expert, to help monitor and control the CATS team movements so that operatives can find the culprits in their different theaters of operation.

Award-winning authors, Breakfield and Burkey, take readers on a new techno-thriller adventure with their 9th book in The Enigma Series. The Enigma Dragon is a chilling journey across four continents, and twelve cities that uncovers terrifying possibilities of what is to become of our world if the CATS team cannot defeat our enemies.

To follow the tour, please visit Breakfield & Burkey's page on iRead Book Tours.
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Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ EBG ~ Kobo ~ Signed copy

Add to Goodreads

Watch the book trailer:

Meet the Authors:

Charles Breakfield
Charles holds a master’s degree and works for a high-tech manufacturer as a solution architect, functioning in hybrid data/telecom environments. A long-time technology geek, Charles enjoys writing, studying World War II history, travel, and cultural exchanges. He’s also a fan of wine-tastings, riding his Harley, and continues developing his woodworking skills. Now included in people on the move in Dallas Business Journal.

Roxanne Burkey
Roxanne has two passions – working with technology and writing. She enjoys working to drive optimized customer experiences with technology in her role with a high-tech manufacturer. Texas is home for her and her family. When time permits Rox likes gardening, hiking, sewing, refinishing antiques, exploring, wine-tasting, and traveling. She loves to listen to people which often results in odd treasures that come to life in her stories. Now included in people on the move in Dallas Business Journal.

Connect with the authors: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram

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