 From the blurb: From the author of The Orphan Witch and The Lost Witch comes a new tale about a witch, a book of magic and a beguiling and powerful creature whom she must free, even if it puts her life and soul at stake. Aline Weir, a witch who can talk to ghosts, has kept her talents hidden ever since a disastrous middle school slumber party, choosing to be invisible and use her powers in secret to help lost souls reunite with the keys to send them home. All the while, she finds solace in a bookstore and the three mysterious women who run it… until Aline discovers the book of Mischief, and her powers are enhanced. Living a solitary life until the age of thirty, Aline’s life takes an unexpected turn when the wrong (or perhaps right) person witnesses her using her powers and she is invited to a town that doesn’t exist on any map. Arriving in Matchstick, Aline learns of a lost magic that desperately needs to be found and only her unique powers can do it. But what she’s not told is that Magic is a person. One that is dangerous and seductive and has been waiting for a witch with a power like hers for centuries. Publication Date: September 26, 2023 Publisher:St. Martin's Griffin Purchase Link  My thoughts: What a sweet and charming story! I loved everything about this book straight from the beginning of the story- a young girl who is desperately trying to fit in with her classmates, her selfish, oblivious parents who simply don't see her, three sisters bookstore owners who give her unconditional love and acceptance...and magic that helps lost souls find their way home- how can you not fall in love with the story? Paige Crutcher's simple and elegant writing style draws you in and makes you care about Aline's lonely, solitary life and the comfort she finds in making a new friend called Dragon. But years pass and when our Alin is thirty, it seems once again that everyone is leaving her- her parents move abroad, the Moirai sisters go on longer and longer trips, and Dragon hasn't been seen for a long time. When a suspicious looking stranger invites Aline to visit a hidden magic town Matchstick and find out where Dragon is, Aline doesn't have to think long before embarking on this new, enchanting adventure. If you are a fan of witchy stories with slow-burn romance and lots of riddles, here is a perfect book for you. Paige Crutcher's writing left me spellbound and I know I'll be looking forward to reading her next book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.  PAIGE CRUTCHER is the author of The Orphan Witch and The Lost Witch. She is a former journalist, and her work appears in multiple anthologies and online publications. She is an artist and yogi, and when not writing, she prefers to spend her time trekking through the forest with her children, hunting for portals to new worlds.
The North Wind
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My thoughts:
My first time reading Alexandria Warwick and I'm really glad to have discovered this talented author! The North Wind is an original new adult fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast as well as the Hades and Persephone myth. Well, Wren, the protagonist of the North Windis much more strong-willed, outspoken, and feisty than the traditionally meek Persephone, and this is exactly what I loved about this charcter. Twenty three year old Wren and her twin sister Elora lost their parents to starvation in their tiny village of Edgewood. Wren was forced to learn to hunt and steal to make sure she and her much softer sister survive the crual and harsh world they live in. Once in a few decades King Boreas, the North Wind, leaves his citadel in the deadlands and crosses the Shade boundary that separates the world of dead and living and comes to Edgewood to pick his human bride. Wren would do anything to save her sister and that includes deceiving the North Wind and taking Elora's place. Wren finds out that the Shade and the protection it offers is weakening and the bestway to assuage it is to feed it human blood, made stronger by the wedding vows given by an immortal. Boreas may be reserved and broody, and sorely lacking conversation skills, but he is hardly the monster Wren imagined him to be, despite his power to judge and punish human souls for their violent actions in life. This is the third re-telling of the Hades and Persephone myth I've read in a couple months (the other two were Neon Gods and Light Destroyer) and I must say I liked this Hades most of all. Bit by bit we get to know our characters, their history and their disposition, and the romantic tension grows in a suspenseful slow-slow burn. If you love the hate-to-love trope, you will appreciate the development of Boreas and Wren's relationship. The book is a bit on a lengthy side, so if you can't wait to get to the spicy scenes, you'll have to be patient. Don't worry, they'll be worth your wait. Overall, I liked the dark and atmospheric world- building and the flawed nature of the protagonists (Wren is battling her alcoholism in quite a realistic way). The book was also engaging and original. I would recommend it to anyone who loves Beauty and the Beast retellings intertwined with some elements of Greek mythology, new adult fantasy and the enemies-to-lovers trope. Thank you to Giselle fro XBT, the publisher and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.  From New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer comes a brand-new blockbuster fantasy series about a kingdom divided by corruption—and the girl who will risk everything to bring the system crashing down. The land of Kandala is recovering from a devastating plague, with a cure so rare that only the wealthy can afford it. Tessa is one of the many in the lower class, whose parents were killed for distributing the cure on the black market. She continues their legacy by stealing supplies to give to those in need, along with help from her partner, the suave and mysterious Weston Lark. As rumors spread that the cure no longer works, Tessa hatches a dangerous plan to infiltrate the castle and break down the class barriers for good. Set in a fantasy world startlingly similar to our own, Brigid Kemmerer's new series illuminates the divide between those with power and those without. . . and what happens when someone is brave enough to flip the system.  My thoughts: Absolutely loved it! Fans of Bridget Kemmerer are going to be delighted with this new series. A spellbinding tale of love, trust, and courage, Defy the Night is set in a fictional Kingdom of Kandala, where people are dying of mysterious fevers. The only real cure, Moonflower, grows in only two sectors of the vast country ruled by young King Harristan and his brother, King's Justice Corrick. Unfortunately, the poor do not always have the means to buy the cure, while all the rich care about is a steady, reliable supply. Nobody wants to die and nobody wants to see someone they love suffer. Tessa Cade's father was an apothecary who tried to distribute the elixir made of Moonflower petals to as many people as he could. When Tessa's parents were kiled by the patrol, Tessa found courage to continue rtheir work by stealing supplies, preparing potions and giving them away to the most needy. She is added by her faithful partner Wes, Weston Lark, someone she trusts with her life, even though she's never seen his face without a mask. Both of them know it's a drop in the ocean, as people are becoming more and more desperate and ready to revolt...  The story is told from two equally compelling points of view: Tessa's and Corrick's. Based on the blurb I expected Tessa to be more of an adventurous risk-seeker, while she turned out to be somebody extremely compassionate and people-oriented, kind and...soft. Corrick appeared to be a more complex character- he's torn between what he sees as his brotherly duty and his desire to lead his life according to his principles, a normal human desire to trust/be trusted and the need to be seen as a strong ruler capable of maintaining order. Although Harristan remains a bit of a mystery in this book, it is clear he's a multi-dimensional character. The main intrigue in the book is the disease itself and our protagonists trying to find the best way to defeat this cruel and relentless enemy, while also helping to keep the country stable. A large portion of the book is set in the Royal Palace, so expect a fair share of political intrigues. One of the topics raised in the book is that it isn't easy to lead a safe and prosperous country, let alone a country ravaged by a health crisis. Bridget Kemmerer's writing style is as entertaining and captivating as always. The pace is fast, although the book isn't all about action- there's the emotional side: affection, friendship, loyalty, grief, and worry. The twists kept me on my toes and there's clearly plenty of them coming in the next book, which I'm already looking forward to!  Brigid Kemmerer is the New York Times bestselling author of the Cursebreaker series, Call It What You Want, More Than We Can Tell, Letters to the Lost, and the Elementals series. She was born in Omaha, Nebraska, though her parents quickly moved her all over the United States, from the desert in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to the lakeside in Cleveland, Ohio, and several stops in between, eventually settling near Annapolis, Maryland. www.brigidkemmerer.com / Twitter and Instagram: @BrigidKemmerer
#Book Blitz #Daughter of Hades Collection by Dani Hoots #Fantasy #New Adult @Xpresso Book Tours12/7/2021
Daughter of Hades Collection
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- Only 99¢ for a limited time! -- EXCERPT: Hello and welcome to the Underworld. My name is Chrys, and I am the daughter of Hades. May I take your coat? I really wanted to say that to the group of recently deceased that stepped up to my father, begging him not to send them to Tartarus, the place of eternal torment—pretty much where all the bad people went. Beside Father was Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Aiakos, the other judges of the dead. I sure as Cronus didn’t want to be judged by that deadly trio. First off, they had been here longer than I had, since Zeus appointed them, and although nothing really ages here after death, they seemed to be older and grumpier than ever before. And I, unfortunately, had to witness today’s session of pleas because “I needed to learn the ins and outs of the business in case anything ever happened.” At least, that is what my father, Hades, kept telling me. Father sat there, quiet, as the three stooges (that’s what I called them in my head, if they ever found out, I would be in so much trouble) examined the next contestant. The man before them was on the fence of being sent to either Tartarus or the Asphodel Meadows, which was why he was being judged. I already knew my father’s decision, since he was quite predictable when it came to judging people. It would be Tartarus. Father always took a long while, as if his decision hadn’t already been made. He could have finished judging today’s deceased already if he didn’t take his time about it. It annoyed me tremendously, which I knew he could tell as I sat there nervously fighting with my dress sleeves. One of the men went down on his knees. “Please, have mercy on me. I never meant to do those things, had I known— “ “Had you known, you would have been perfect, right?” Hades interrupted with a scowl. “Done everything you could to be in paradise? There are no second chances here, the gods have given humans a chance to obey them, a chance to live in paradise. It is not our fault you don’t see the signs.” I let out a brief yawn, trying to cover it with my hand, but my father noticed right away and gave me one of his cold looks. I tried my hardest to sit up straight, to appear as though my mind hadn’t drifted off to thinking about meeting up with my friends Huntley and A.J., or what I told Father was “being tutored about modern Earth affairs” by these friends of mine. Really, we just hung out and tried not to get into trouble. Tried was the key word there. “Tartarus. Send in the next one,” Hades ordered. 
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by:  Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's RandomResources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Raven Fire, the final instalment in Emma Miles' breathtaking Fire-Walker epic fantasy series.  Raven Fire Is prophecy real; can Arridia and Joss defeat a god? Evil never sleeps, and neither can the fire spirits who have guarded Kesta and her family so faithfully for more than fourteen years. United in a desire for peace, the four lands beneath the sky have enjoyed relative stability, but under the surface stirs unrest. Greed, ambition, disquiet, rebellion; and the ever-present threat of Geladan’s crazed god discovering she has been fooled. Quiet Arridia is a Raven Scout, dedicated to the principles and hopes of her parents. When an opportunity presents itself to come home, she grasps it, longing to settle and find the love she has patiently waited for. Fun-loving Joss is drawn to the court of Elden with all its colour, noise, and intrigue; but has he taken on more than a young man can survive? Raven Fire is the final part of the breath-taking Fire-Walker saga. If you could, would you dare to change the world? Purchase Links UK / US  My thoughts: Raven Fire is the perfect conclusion to Emma Miles'wonderful Fire-Waker series.The previousbook are Raven Tower, Raven Coven and Raven Storm. I'm very lucky to have been invited to participate in this blog tour, as, unbelievably, I had never heard of this series and it was one of the most fascinating surprises this year. You can read Raven Fire without reading the previous books, but trust me, the world building is so good and the character building is so solid that you'd better start from the beginning and get immersed in this epic journey. The world building is incredibly detailed and all pains have been taken to help the reader understand the geography and culture of the four distinct lands that are dealt with in the series. The blurb for Dark Tower describes them in this way: 'Four lands beneath the sky. A haven of peace, a kingdom of plenty, ravaged islands, and a nation of cruel, dark magic.' Obviously, things have changed quite a lot since the first book (no spoilers!), but the narrative includes storylines from various places and I was really grateful to the author for clearly naming each chapter with its protagonist and the place they're in. The characters are well-differentiated. This is an epic fantasy book, so a large cast of characters is almost a must. Still, they all had unique voices and distinct personalities. The events takeplace fourteen years after the previous book, so here we have the old generation and their children who are also fighting their battles, fighting for peace and freedom (women slavery is one of the most prominent topics in the series). I was glad to see Kesta and Jorrun's children grow into brave and responsible leaders. King Bractius's children Lucien, Scarlett and Eleanor are also among the key players in this final book. There is a prophecy and an epic battle against Evil ( a large part of the story is the prparations forthe battle). You might be surprised about how the things play out in the end. Personally, I found the way EmmaMiles ties all the loose ends very satisfying, although there is a potential for more stories and future spin-offs. The whole series is extremely well-written and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Hope Emma decides to re-visit this marvellous fantasy world in future.... Thankyou to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.  Author Bio I often get asked when I knew I was a writer; the answer is always. A writer is what I am, it’s in my soul. There have been times in my life when I couldn’t write, and times when my writing has been the only thing that kept me going. I think I always longed for something deeper from life, something more meaningful, and I found it in my imagination and in the music of words. It was poetry which first caught my attention, and whilst my younger cousins called for ghost stories it was animals I first wrote of. I think I gravitated toward fantasy because of the freedom it gives, I could create my own worlds and decide my own rules. My Wind’s Children trilogy was born from an image that came to me whilst daydreaming, of a young man sitting alone below a bridge. I didn’t know who he was; it turns out neither did he, but we found out together. I’m now working on my eleventh book and love writing more than ever, it’s an addiction, an obsession, but one I now share with my wonderful writing family. My beta readers, my editor, and you, my readers, having you with me on my journey means the world to me. I write as much as I can around work, but I also try to squeeze in a ridiculous amount of hobbies! I’m a wildlife photographer and do a little archery. I paint, sculpt with clay, withies and driftwood, preferring to be outdoors if I can. I still have a love for the theatre, having started out in life studying backstage crafts, and a great love for language. I speak a little French, Romanian and Italian, ma non molto bene! Thanks for reading this. If you read any of my books and love them, please come say hello and tell me, you’d be surprised at how much that means to an author. Take care of yourself. Em x Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/EmmaMilesShadow https://mobile.twitter.com/EmmaMilesShadow 
Warlocks of the Black Oak: Books 4-6
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- EXCERPT: Seattle, Washington November, Present Day Bryce Jackson slid her damp palms on the wool fabric of her pantsuit and hoisted herself from her stool in the Singing Kraken Tavern. Pushing her drink away with resolve, she eyed him again. That’s it. No more waiting. She was here to do one job. Better get it done fast. For half an hour already, she’d been observing him while aimlessly twirling the straw in the lowball glass of her diet soda. Not once did she break her focus. She had watched him order his beer. Then, she’d studied his reflection in the faded mirror behind the bar while he exchanged casual banter with the bartender serving him. He had flirted with at least three women dropping on him. First, she saw the whisper in the blonde’s ear. The girl, a tall beauty covered in swirling tattoos, had laughed before kissing him on the mouth. Minutes after, he’d swapped phone numbers with a gorgeous black woman in regal yellow silk. Then, there was the small purple-haired girl, who had playfully tousled the dark curls from his forehead, before jumping to straddle his lap as he’d let his fingers trail lazily on her naked thigh. Without question, he was hot. The bar was full of millennials. Seattle hipsters with beards, expensive tattoos, upscale hiking garbs, glittery dresses matched with combat boots, and the occasional 12th man football paraphernalia. Despite the variety bordering on outrageous, he managed to stand out from the crowd. Not at all trendy but bad boy classic. Basic jeans, black-t-shirt, and motorcycle leather jacket. The hair, which he raked back a few times, a little too long. Lips curled with both amusement and lust at the gaggle of women crowding him. No doubt sex radiated from him. And power. 
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by: #Book Blitz #Savage Wolves and Dangerous Deals by Daniele Annett #Urban Fantasy @Xpresso Book Tours1/4/2021
Savage Wolves and Dangerous Deals
-- EXCERPT: Jordy’s stare burns through me as he takes a step forward until we’re little more than an inch away from one another. His hand comes up to wrap around the column of my throat, his hold possessive. He runs his thumb over my jaw and slowly over my bottom lip. I stay still the entire time, waiting to see what this beautiful boy will do when his anger rides him like this. When his wolf’s eyes illuminate his gaze. “You and César are mine.” I quirk a brow. His teeth scrape over his bottom lip, his canines seemingly larger than normal. “Say it.” “Say what?” His grip tightens just enough to be a warning. “You’re mine.” 
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Tristan
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My thoughts:
Tristan by Jennie Lynn Roberts is a fabulously imaginative fantasy story set in an original world. If you are looking for a new series, full of adventures and well-rounded, interesting characters, Tristan is a book for you! Tristan is a Captain of Royal Guards entrusted with the protection of the King himself. At the beginning of the book a tragedy strikes and the King is assassinated with Tristan standing but a few feet away. Added to Tristan's shame and guilt is the fact that his childhood friend, a royal guard himself, Val, appears to have betrayed the King and his fellow soldiers and got involved with the treacherous Princess Alana, who has recently joined the royal family in order to secure peace. Tristan and his faithful Hawks are demoted and exiled, while Val is captured and is awaiting execution. When Tristan is given one chance to redeem himself by tracking Val's accomplice, he doesn't hesitateeven if the person in question is Val's younger sister Nim, his companion of childhood games. Nim's flight from the new King's vengeful Chancellor is heart-breaking. Once she find out that Val is still alive, she becomes a woman on mission: she must save her kind and loyal brother or die trying to do it. The world created by Jennie Lynn Roberts is spellbinding. It has been such a long time since I visited afantasy world so carefully constructed. It is quite complex, but the author doesn't fallinto the trap of an infodump. She doesn't tell, she shows and involves her readersin the adventures of her fascinating characters. I really enjoyed getting to know the protagonists and, yes, I will always have a sweet spot for a strong, reserved male lead and an equally strong, but so feisty female protagonist. The secondary characters are equally interesting and it was so much fun getting to know the Hawks with their unique abilities and unique dispositions. I adore slow-burn romance and friends-to-lovers trope and this one surpassed all my expectations! There was enough time and enough adventures for the characters to test their ideas of what they already believed in their hearts- that they belong together and that the trust they placed blindly in the nobility of each other's intentions was justified. I am really looking forward to the second part of the Hawks and cannot recommend it highly enough to all lovers of the fantasy genre. 
If you would like to know what other bloggers thought of Tristan, here is the full blog tour schedule:
March 22nd –Sascha Darlington’s Microcosm Explored >> Guest post –Jazzy Book Reviews >> Excerpt –Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books! >> Review March 23rd –Iron Canuck Reviews & More >> Excerpt –Viviana MacKade >> Guest post –Adventures in Writing >> Excerpt March 24th –Book Briefs >> Review –Reading Tonic >> Review –Sadie’s Spotlight >> Excerpt March 25th –The Avid Reader >> Interview –My Fiction Nook >> Guest post –Lindsey’s Library >> Review March 26th –BookishKelly2020 >> Review –Sara In Bookkland >> Interview –Ingrid´s Book Blog >> Review –Cranky The Book Curmudgeon >> Review
Tristan
-- EXCERPT: Her wings hurt. Not just a low background thrum. Nor the deep throbbing ache she’d left behind hours ago. No, this was constant, stabbing agony as something wrenched deep inside her with every flex of her right wing. The rest of her was faring only slightly better—throat and wrists bruised to deep purple, a clump of her long dark hair was missing. And, down her right side, a blistering burn surrounded by pits and pockmarks, flanked a deep laceration through her wing. The harsh results of catching herself against the blazing rafters in her frantic flight to freedom. Nim flew in a haze of pain, hardly aware of her surroundings. Focusing everything she had on moving forward. Staying low against the trees. Eventually she had to take a break. The frantic pace and constant pain were making it hard to think, and she needed a moment to assess and plan. She had fled into the sky, taking nothing other than the clothes on her back and Val’s ring clenched in her fist. No thought other than to get far away. She had flown at least a mile before she felt safe enough to hover, just for a few seconds, and tuck the ring into the small pocket in her waistband. But now she was past the initial rush of panic, and tiring fast. She desperately needed a moment to regroup. She allowed herself to drop down a few feet so that she was in amongst the top of the trees and flew jerkily toward a massive beech, thankfully still thick with leaves in reds and golds as autumn approached. A good place to hide. The kind of place she and Val had loved to play when they were children, pretending to be warriors with Tristan. Hurt followed the thought, swift and brutal. She pushed it all away—there would be time for self-pity after she survived.
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by: #Book Blitz (Jan 22-26) #Enemies to Lovers by Brittni Chenelle #Giveaway @Xpresso Book Tours22/1/2021
 Book & Author Details: Enemies To Lovers: Series Starters Set by Brittni Chenelle Publication date: January 22nd 2021 Genres: Adult, Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal, Young Adult  Synopsis: Their most dreaded rivals might be their greatest need. But with peril dogging their every encounter, will they give into dangerous desires? Box set: 750+ pages of angsty enemies-to-lovers adventures with daring heroines and their foes destined to become forever partners. Princess Charlotte’s whole world changed one morning over breakfast. With her mother announcing a rushed arranged marriage to a humorless prince, she’ll do anything to stop the wedding – including shooting him with an arrow. But after the kingdom is invaded and a sinister plot to capture her discovered, can she convince her unwanted suitor to help keep her out of enemy hands? Reina Bennet won’t stop believing that she’ll eventually get her abilities. But when her childhood champion grows up into a smug superpowered bully, her escalating rivalry with her ex-friend gets them both kicked out of school. And after he ends up in a rebel group at their new academy, can she put aside her grudges for a chance at a fresh beginning? Princess Sinna of the Shadow Court fears her fated mate means certain death. So when a magical ceremony reveals him as the powerful vampire king, she’s eager to prove she can be a worthy Hunter by killing him. But can she stop herself from falling hard as she tries to seduce him into a fatal embrace? Enemies To Lovers: Series Starters Set is a kickass collection that includes the YA fantasy Kingdom Cold, the new adult fantasy The Fae & The Fallen, and the adult paranormal romance Chaste Blood. If you like strong women, diverse characters, and emotionally-charged conflicts, then you’ll adore Brittni Chenelle’s bestselling sensations. Buy Enemies To Lovers: Series Starters Set to turn animosity into passion today! Goodreads Purchase Amazon  AUTHOR BIO: Brittni Chenelle is a USA Today Bestselling Multicultural Fantasy Author who specializes in multi-POV romances. She loves to explore the blurred lines between good and evil and believes wholeheartedly in a great story's ability to bring people together. When she's not writing, she can be found at her home in South Korea where she spends far too much time consuming coffee, dark chocolate, and videos of animals doing human things. Visit www.BrittniChenelle.com to browse her complete catalog, including upcoming books. Author links: https://brittnichenelle.com/ https://www.facebook.com/BrittniChenelle/ https://twitter.com/brittnichenelle https://www.instagram.com/brittnichenelle/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwzp6zYM7UuAN6_K3AR4qqA https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8249137.Brittni_Chenelle    |
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