30 April 2019

Finale - Coming Soon

Finale - Caraval #3
by Stephanie Garber





What they say: Welcome, welcome to Finale, the third and final book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Caraval series!

Welcome, welcome to Caraval...all games must come to an end.

It’s been two months since the last Caraval concluded, two months since the Fates have been freed from an enchanted deck of cards, two months since Tella has seen Legend, and two months since Legend claimed the empire’s throne as his own. Now, Legend is preparing for his official coronation and Tella is determined to stop it. She believes her own mother, who still remains in an enchanted sleep, is the rightful heir to the throne.

Meanwhile, Scarlett has started a game of her own. She’s challenged Julian and her former fiancĂ©, Count Nicolas d’Arcy, to a competition where the winner will receive her hand in marriage. Finaly, Scarlett feels as if she is in complete control over her life and future. She is unaware that her mother’s past has put her in the greatest danger of all.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun―with lives, empires, and hearts all at stake. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win...and those who will lose everything...



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29 April 2019

Recent Release - Trace

Trace
by Pat Cummings




What they say: In  a debut novel that's perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Erin Entrada Kelly, award-winning author/illustrator and educator Pat Cummings  tells a poignant story  about  grief, love ,adn the   untold stories that echo across time. 


Trace Carter doesn’t know how to feel at ease in his new life in New York. Even though his artsy Auntie Lea is cool, her brownstone still isn’t his home. Haunted by flashbacks of the accident that killed his parents, the best he can do is try to distract himself from memories of the past.

But the past isn’t done with him. When Trace takes a wrong turn in the New York Public Library, he finds someone else lost in the stacks with him: a crying little boy, wearing old, tattered clothes.

And though at first he can’t quite believe he’s seen a ghost, Trace soon discovers that the boy he saw has ties to Trace’s own history—and that he himself may be the key to setting the dead to rest.


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28 April 2019

Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy - New Release

Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy
by R. Scott Boyer


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YA Fantasy
Date Published: April 24, 2019
Publisher: Koehler Books

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Purchase Links:

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * iTunes * IndieBound

When sixteen-year-old Bobby Ether is abducted and brought to the secluded Jade
Academy in Tibet, monks teach him and other special students how to tap into
their Anima—the universal energy that connects all living things. But the
headmistress of the academy is secretly exploiting the students, looking for
genetic triggers to create a new breed of humans with metaphysical abilities.
As his powers increase, Bobby is thrust into a cesspool of conspiracy, lies,
and betrayal. A jade amulet left by his clairvoyant grandfather may provide
answers, but what exactly is his family's connection to this mysterious place?

Can Bobby master his talents in time to uncover the truth? If not, his fate—and the
fate of the entire Jade Academy—may be sealed.


Praise for Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy:

"Tragedy, mystery, and suspense make this scientific coming-of-age story a fascinating read." --Clarion 5-star review


"Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy is a thrilling action-packed adventure you never want to end." --IndieReader 4.5 stars


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Author Spotlight:

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R. Scott Boyer graduated from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley in 1996.
In 2008, he became fascinated with the idea of blending young adult fantasy
with new-age fiction and thus began his journey as a writer. While maintaining
a full-time job, he couldn't help but envision the kind of book he wanted to
read. This exploration led to the creation of the Bobby Ether YA fantasy
series, which combines spiritual elements with ancient myths and legends to
create fun, fast-paced stories tailored for young adults but suited for
adventure lovers of all ages.


Through his writing, Scott likes to explore various spiritual and metaphysical themes,
including karma, serendipity, communion with nature, and the interconnectedness
of all living things. In his free time, Scott likes to play basketball and
tennis, as well as bike with his rescue dog, Patch. Over the years, Scott has
been involved with a number of volunteer youth organizations, including United
In Harmony, YMCA summer and winter camps, various basketball programs, and
C5LA.


Raised in Santa Monica, California, Scott still resides in the Los Angeles area close
to his family.




RABT Book Tours & PR

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27 April 2019

Coming Soon - Pig the Stinker

This looks too cute!!

Pig the Stinker
by Aaron Blabey




What they say: Pig the Pug and his best friend Trevor are back for another hilarious adventure in the bestselling series!

In this hilarious adventure, Pig the Pug STINKS! Pig likes to be smelly, so he rolls around in the garbage, laps up spoiled milk, tracks dirty paw prints all over the house, and even sticks his head in the toilet! But enough is enough! Pig's owner tries to get him to take a bath, but Pig refuses! Pig has a plan to stop up the tub, but when it backfires, will Pig get clean after all? 

Rich with author-illustrator Aaron Blabey's signature rhyming text and unforgettable illustrations, Pig the Stinker is a laugh-out-loud story that teaches Pig -- and readers -- an important (and hilarious) lesson, just like in the five previous books in the series (Pig the PugPig the WinnerPig the ElfPig the Star, and Pig the Fibber).

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26 April 2019

New Release - Soul Remains


Soul Remains
by Sam Hooker





Fantasy (Humorous)
Date Published: 23 April 2019
Publisher: Black Spot Books


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Buy Links

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Kobo * iBooks


It’s Dark in the Old Country.

Where do goblins come from? Why do they only turn up in the Old Country, and why do they like swearing so much? In the second book of Terribly Serious Darkness, Sloot Peril—a “hero” who’s staunchly averse to heroics—goes searching for answers. Much to his chagrin, he finds them.

Everything changed after the Fall of Salzstadt, but try telling that to the people of the city, whose capacity for denial is unmatched. They have yet to acknowledge that Vlad the Invader cut a bloody swath through their city, that the dead are walking the streets, or that the Domnitor—long may he reign—has fled to wherever despots go on very long vacations while goblin infestations take care of themselves.

The worst of villains holds all of the power, unspeakable dark forces are on the rise, and everyone wants to kidnap the Domnitor—long may he reign—for their own nefarious ends. If all of that weren’t bad enough, Sloot’s got the fate of his own soul to worry about.

Can his girlfriend help him save the Old Country from annihilation? Is Myrtle really his girlfriend? If all goes well for Sloot—which it never does—he might just sort it all out before the Dark swallows them all up.

Excerpt:


Life After Afterlife

There is a common misconception among the living that death is the end of it. Go vigorously onto the business end of a sword, wear the colors of a west-end boulderchuck team into an east-end pub, or simply hang around long enough for your organs to start switching off, and that’s the end of the line.
On the contrary, there is such a thing as death for the dead. No one is really sure how long it takes, but eventually, each and every ghost withers away and ceases to be.
“So that’s it then,” said Sloot after an indeterminate amount of time. “I’ll be a ghost until I’m nothing.”
“Well, not nothing,” said Hans. “Not necessarily.”
“Something else, then?”
“Well, there’s considerable debate on the topic. Especially among the philosophers.”
As if things weren’t already bad enough, thought Sloot. He knew it was coming. It was only a matter of time before—
“Did someone say philosophy?” Arthur appeared in the doorway, his moustaches standing on end.
Oh, no, thought Sloot. “Please, nobody say any—”
“Hans was just telling us that no one knows whether ghosts are really gone after we fade away.”
Arthur’s eyes were wild, like a lion who hadn’t eaten in a week. Geralt must have resembled a porterhouse.
“Portnoy the Sacrilegious once chained himself to the doors of the cathedral to prove the impossibility of life after death! He was wrong, obviously, but his arguments are sound if applied to life after death after death.”
“Well said, Arthur,” Sloot blurted. “I think that’s all that anyone can—”
“Malarky,” said Hans. “You’re saying there’s nothing beyond the Hereafter, based on a theory that there is no Hereafter?”
“I’ve still got a few more questions—” Sloot began.
“It’s not that simple!” Arthur was pacing around the room and gesticulating wildly. Myrtle had always refused to indulge him in that while he had her possessed. “It makes sense in light of his Treatise on Bedtime Disobedience—which he wrote when he was eight—but only if you understand the finer points of Mauler’s Unticking Clock. I can solve this in … seventeen moves!”
“I’m sure you can,” said Sloot, “but I really need to ask Hans about—”
“I studied Mauler in college,” said Geralt. “The Unticking Clock is a metaphor for the struggle between hunger and apathy. I hardly think it applies—”
“That’s where you’re wrong!”
Sloot wandered off. He could never stomach philosophy for this very reason. Even if you didn’t know anything about Nutter’s Hungry Clock or whatever, you could join in the conversation with your angriest voice. Philosophy, as far as Sloot could tell, was the art of determining who could have the loudest opinion while not doing anything useful.


Author Spotlight:


Sam Hooker writes darkly humorous fantasy. He is an entirely serious person, regardless of what you may have heard. Originally from Texas, he now resides in southern California with his wife, son, and dog.






Giveaway:

3 signed copies of Peril in the Old Country, the first book in the series. 



RABT Book Tours & PR
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25 April 2019

Cover Love - Descendant of the Crane

I LOVE this absolutely beautiful cover. It's just so striking!

Descendant of the Crane
by Joan He




What they say: Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, dreaming of an unremarkable life. But when her beloved father is found dead, she’s thrust into power, suddenly the queen of a surprisingly unstable kingdom. What’s more, Hesina believes that her father was murdered—and that the killer is someone close to her.

Hesina’s court is packed full of dissemblers and deceivers eager to use the king’s death for political gain, each as plausibly guilty as the next. Her advisers would like her to blame the neighboring kingdom of Kendi’a, whose ruler has been mustering for war. Determined to find her father’s actual killer, Hesina does something desperate: she enlists the aid of a soothsayer—a treasonous act, punishable by
death, since magic was outlawed centuries ago.

Using the information provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust her family, Hesina turns to Akira—a brilliant investigator who’s also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of Yan at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?


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24 April 2019

Whatcha Reading Wednesday - Summer of a Thousand Pies

Cute middle grade story...

Also how pretty is the cover?!

Summer of a Thousand Pies
by Margaret Dilloway




What they say: A heartfelt contemporary middle grade novel, perfect for fans of The Thing About Jellyfish and Fish in a Tree, about a girl who is sent to live with her aunt and must try to save their failing pie shop.

When twelve-year-old Cady Bennett is sent to live with the aunt she didn’t even know she had in the quaint mountain town of Julian, she doesn’t know what to expect. Cady isn’t used to stability, or even living inside, after growing up homeless in San Diego with her dad.

Now she’s staying in her mother’s old room, exploring the countryside filled with apple orchards and pie shops, making friends, and working in Aunt Shell’s own pie shop—and soon, Cady starts to feel like she belongs. Then she finds out that Aunt Shell’s pie shop is failing. Saving the business and protecting the first place she’s ever really felt safe will take everything she’s learned and the help of all her new friends. But are there some things even the perfect pie just can’t fix?

Summer of a Thousand Pies is a sweet and satisfying treat of a novel full of friendship, family, and, of course, pie. 



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23 April 2019

Review - Romanov

Romanov
by Nadine Brandes



What they say: The history books say I died.

They don’t know the half of it.

Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov was given a single mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family’s only salvation. But the leader of the Bolshevik army is after them . . . and he’s hunted Romanov before.

Nastya’s only chances of survival are to either release the spell, and deal with the consequences, or enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn’t act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya’s never dabbled in magic before, but it doesn’t frighten her as much as her growing attraction for Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her . . .

That is, until she’s on one side of a firing squad... and he’s on the other.



I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: I read Romanov a while ago so it feels like I've been waiting ages to write this review. To say I really enjoyed Romanov feels a bit strange considering what happens and the historical aspects, but I did enjoy Nastya's story in all its complicated and heartbreaking glory!

The story is about the infamous Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov (Nikolaevna) and her family and their fall from grace. We meet Anastasia, Nastya to her friends and family, in the midst of the Russian Revolution as the Romanov's face their dramatic decline and the collapse of the Russian monarchy.

If you're expecting lots of dramatic action than Romanov probably isn't the book for you because yes we see history or a version of it depicted on the pages, but the story is really about family, courage and love. Despite everything going on around her Nastya manages to find the good in people even when living in exile. 

I don't know enough about Russian history to be able to comment on the truths in the story and the elements of poetic license but I enjoyed the lighter moments and the hint of forbidden romance. As for the outcome well don't worry no spoilers here but I knew certain events were coming but I kept hoping something would change things. I remember watching the cartoon version of Anastasia years ago and always held out hope that maybe she did escape and was living freely out there somewhere. 

My favourite part of the story was Nastya. I liked her positivity mixed with realism and how she's portrayed as very different to how certain military people would have wanted her and her family to be seen.

4 Stars in my Sky!

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22 April 2019

Rereading a Fav Series - Half Bad

Every now and again (aka when I find the time) I love to reread a fav book series and this time I'm working my way through Sally Green's Half Bad trilogy!



#1 Half Bad:




Wanted by no one.
Hunted by everyone.

Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?

Half Bad is an international sensation and the start of a brilliant trilogy: a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive. 



#2 Half Wild: 



"You will have a powerful Gift, but it’s how you use it that will show you to be good or bad."

In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, seventeen-year-old Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most powerful and violent witch. Nathan is hunted from all sides: nowhere is safe and no one can be trusted. Now, Nathan has come into his own unique magical Gift, and he's on the run--but the Hunters are close behind, and they will stop at nothing until they have captured Nathan and destroyed his father.


#3 Half Lost: 



This is the final battle.

The Alliance is losing the war, and their most critical weapon, seventeen-year-old witch Nathan Byrn, is losing his mind. Nathan’s tally of kills is rising, and yet he’s no closer to ending the tyrannical rule of the Council of White Witches in England. Nor is Nathan any closer to his personal goal: getting revenge on Annalise, the girl he once loved before she committed an unthinkable crime. An amulet protected by the extremely powerful witch Ledger could be the tool Nathan needs to save himself and the Alliance, but this amulet is not so easily acquired. And lately Nathan has started to suffer from visions: a vision of a golden moment when he dies, and of an endless line of Hunters, impossible to overcome. Gabriel, his closest companion, urges Nathan to run away with him, to start a peaceful life together. But even Gabriel’s love may not be enough to save Nathan from this war, or from the person he has become.

Set in modern-day Europe, the final book in the Half Bad trilogy is more than a story about witches. It’s a heart-achingly visceral look at survival and exploitation, the nature of good and evil, and the risks we take for love.

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21 April 2019

Am Reading - What I Like About Me

This cute story released back in Feb and I've finally found the time to read it...

What I Like About Me
by Jenna Guillaume




What they say: You know all those movies where teenagers have, like, THE SUMMER OF THEIR LIVES?

This summer is probably not going to be that.

Source: Everything that's happened since yesterday ... 

The last thing sixteen-year-old Maisie Martin thought she'd be doing this summer is entering a beauty pageant.

Not when she's spent most of her life hiding her body from everyone.

Not when her Dad is AWOL for Christmas and her gorgeous older sister has returned to rock Maisie's shaky confidence. And her best friend starts going out with the boy she's always loved.

But Maisie's got something to prove.

As she writes down all the ways this summer is going from bad to worse in her school-assignment journal, what starts as a homework torture-device might just end up being an account of how Maisie didn't let anything, or anyone, hold her back...

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20 April 2019

Cute and Coming Soon - Her Royal Highness

Aww this cute LGBTQ story releases 7th May!

Her Royal Highness - Royals #2
by Rachel Hawkins




What they say: Millie Quint is devastated when she discovers that her sort-of-best friend/sort-of-girlfriend has been kissing someone else. And because Millie cannot stand the thought of confronting her ex every day, she decides to apply for scholarships to boarding schools... the farther from Houston the better.

Millie can't believe her luck when she's accepted into one of the world's most exclusive schools, located in the rolling highlands of Scotland. Everything about Scotland is different: the country is misty and green; the school is gorgeous, and the students think Americans are cute.

The only problem: Mille's roommate Flora is a total princess.

She's also an actual princess. Of Scotland.

At first, the girls can barely stand each other--Flora is both high-class and high-key--but before Millie knows it, she has another sort-of-best-friend/sort-of-girlfriend. Even though Princess Flora could be a new chapter in her love life, Millie knows the chances of happily ever afters are slim . . . after all, real life isn't a fairy tale . . . or is it?

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19 April 2019

Coming Soon - There's Something About Sweetie

This beauty releases May 17th!

There's Something About Sweetie
by Sandhya Menon




What they say: Ashish Patel didn’t know love could be so…sucky. After he’s dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up.

The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl—under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he’ll be taking his date on “fun” excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. Kill him now. How is this ever going to work?

Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she’s also fat. To Sweetie’s traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death.

Sweetie loves her parents, but she’s so tired of being told she’s lacking because she’s fat. She decides it’s time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she’ll show the world (and herself) what she’s really made of.

Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there’s an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?


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18 April 2019

Never a Bride - Review

More historical romance to make you smile and bring out the smelling salts...

Never a Bride - Duke's Daughters #4
by Megan Frampton



What they say: She's a deliciously scandalous woman who is no man's bride…

He's a black sheep, forced to return home.

Together, they enter a make-believe betrothal that shocks London society…

After twelve years in Her Majesty's Navy, Griffith Davies must leave his sea-going life of outrageous freedom behind, forced to rejoin London society as the heir to the Duke of Northam. But though he is now shackled to the land, he has no desire to wed some innocently dull young thing. Who best to shield him from the matchmakers than a woman as notorious as he?

Lady Della Howlett's reputation was tattered years ago, so entering into a false engagement with Griffith is hardly going to make matters worse. What's one more shock to the ton to set their tongues wagging? And this pact certainly has its pleasures; the passion Griffith commands in her goes well beyond their agreement. Could her feelings might be more honorable than she'd first imagined?

Soon, Griffith and Della are arousing more than scandal; they're courting heartbreak. And more than their reputations could still be at risk.

Releasing 29th April!



I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: It's no secret I'm a fan of a cute historical romance and I do love me a MF book so I was excited to get my hands on Never a Bride

Lady Della is hilarious! She's sweet scandalous, funny and determined. I found myself laughing at her schemes and how she bossed Griffin around. I've enjoyed reading her sister's mishaps in love, but Della may be my fav!

Griffin is very set on his life going a certain way, but life has other plans and he has to return to a lifestyle he hates but meets the charming and lets be honest, kinda bossy, Della, he's hooked. All hail the captain!

The romance is fast paced, dramatic and naughty in parts but it made me smile throughout!

4 Stars in my Sky!

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17 April 2019

Whatcha Reading Wednesday - Wicked Saints


Wicked Saints - Something Dark and Holy #1
by Emily A. Duncan






What they say: An instant New York Times bestseller!

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings. 

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy.
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