The Sleeping Giant (The Acadian Secret, #2)

The Sleeping Giant (The Acadian Secret, #2) By
Tammy Lowe
Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication date: September 21, 2022
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Time-Travel, Young Adult
Summary:

When a tormented man begs 17-year-old Elisabeth London to travel back in time to save his life, she reluctantly agrees. Assuming Scotland is the destination, she ends up in Ancient Rome instead. 

The good news is she finds the man; now a bold 17-year-old named Aquarius. The bad news is he’s an indentured slave, sentenced to death in the arena, and doesn’t even know her yet. 

Elisabeth helps Aquarius escape and becomes an outlaw herself. Armed with her wits and his rock sling, the new friends are on the run from a relentless slave dealer, Rufus Leptis.

Elisabeth soon realizes she’s not here to save Aquarius from Rufus, but from the doomed city of Pompeii. Although trying to be brave, the thought of remaining in Aquarius’ swashbuckling world a minute longer than necessary is inconceivable.

At least, it used to be.

Before that darn, happy-go-lucky slave stole her heart.

—

EXCERPT:

The thundering sounds all around them seemed to fade into the distance as Elisabeth stood pinned against the side of the cliff. Her gaze darted up to the grassy overhang. There were only two ways off this ledge; the tunnel or the rushing river that would sweep them over the falls within seconds. 

About to hyperventilate, Elisabeth buried her face in David’s back. Every millisecond moved at an unbearable speed. She held her breath as the inevitable moment drew nearer. Their only chance would be if Rufus didn’t step outside of the tunnel, but that would take a miracle. David looked prepared to fight, but from the side of a mountain ledge with a giant of a man? That could end up a bigger disaster.

She pushed a pile of rocks aside with her foot and shuffled as far along the ledge as possible so David could step back and they’d be flush against the wall. When they heard Rufus grumbling, she knew he had to be near the end of the tunnel. Her leg muscles tightened. Elisabeth wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go.

The Magi Menagerie (The Magi Menagerie, #1)

The Magi Menagerie (The Magi Menagerie, #1) By Kale Lawrence
Publication date: September 7, 2021
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, New Adult, Young Adult
Summary:

Some stars aren’t meant to be followed.

For seventeen years, Ezra Newport and his parents were habitual immigrants, traveling from their Ottoman Empire home across 20th century Europe. 

As the Newports migrate to Belfast, Ireland, Ezra wants nothing more to settle into a consistent life and lay the foundation of his architectural dreams. 

But after a strange, mechanical bounty hunter murders his mother and prompts the disappearance of his father, Ezra discovers that his parents had actually been on the run. Now, their enemies are targeting him, and they won’t stop until he is dead.

In a moment of desperation, Ezra’s fate collides with the Third Order of the Magi, a secret society dedicated to using their supernatural powers to protect their communities. With increasing violence around the world, the Magi are fairly certain they know who’s behind the attacks on Ezra and his family since the same group could also be threatening their own existence.

Both Ezra and the Magi’s survival hinges on knowledge only Ezra’s father has and the key to saving them could be buried within history itself. In a race across continents and time, both Ezra and the Magi must secure an ancient Babylonian artifact before hell is unleashed on the world. And, against all odds, Ezra must decide where his allegiances truly lie, despite what is written in the stars.

Only $1.99 for a limited time!

—

EXCERPT:

Ezra

A blinding white light illuminated the compartment then faded just before a concussive shockwave sent the scene around them into oblivion. Reeling in confusion, Ezra found himself lying prostrate in a barely conceivable jumble of his former surroundings. Splintering glass shattered around him. 

Book Blitz: Haskell Himself

Haskell Himself By Gary Seigel
Publication date: January 19, 2020
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Historical, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
Summary:

Meet Haskell Hodge. At sixteen he’s already garnered some fame as a former child actor and star of a popular cereal commercial. But that doesn’t do much for him when he’s dumped at his aunt’s house in the suburbs of Los Angeles to face an assortment of neighborhood bullies. 

He thinks he might be gay. In fact, he could be the only gay person in the valley, maybe on the entire planet. Even if he does manage to find a boyfriend, their relationship would have to be secret and invisible. 

After all it’s 1966. And though Time Magazine claims the sexual revolution is in full swing, the freedoms straight people are enjoying don’t seem to apply to everyone. And as much as Haskell attempts to hide his true self, carefully navigating the tricky and risky terrain of being queer, he’s still taunted and teased relentlessly. 

Rather than give in to the irrationality of this hate, Haskell fights back, eventually finding an unlikely outlet to vent his frustration and angst—playing a bully in a screen test for a major motion picture. If he plays his cards right, it could catapult him into Hollywood stardom. 

Of course, like most things in life, it comes with a heavy price Haskell’s not certain he’s willing to pay.

—

EXCERPT:

Bonanza

That evening, Mom brought in meatballs, calzones, and a Caesar salad from Lombardi’s. I waited until we had devoured all the food before I reminded Mom of Hope’s ill-temper and childish behaviors.

“What bothers me is that Aunt Sheila hardly ever corrects her. Not even a slap on the wrist or a ‘Go to your room.’”

“Aunt Sheila does what she has to do.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “If Al Capone had been Sheila’s child, she would have sent him to bed early without his hot cocoa and biscotti and have come up with some lame excuse for his murder spree.”

“Oh, Haskell, parents may treat their children a little differently in California, and she’s not six any more. Hope is nearly nine years old. Wait and see. You’ve never had a sibling. It will be a healthy change.”

Book Blitz: The Council of Nereth

The Council of Nereth By T.J. Amberson
Publication date: December 2, 2018
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult
Summary:

Six months have passed since the Council of Nereth was formed. The land is at peace. The people are thriving, secure in the knowledge that Raelin, the evil sorceress who once ruled over them, is no more. 

Like the other members of the Council of Nereth, Edlyn has returned home to live and work, waiting for the time when the council will meet again. 

Busy serving the people and restoring the manor of her childhood, Edlyn keeps her deepest wishes hidden away in her heart. 

On Edlyn’s eighteenth birthday, a messenger from the capitol arrives to her home and delivers devastating news: Maddock has gone missing, and the worst is feared. 

Edlyn rushes back to the capitol to join the other council members in a desperate search for Maddock. Soon, a ghostly attack confirms the terrifying truth that evil forces are upon Nereth once again. With time running short, Edlyn and her companions must find Maddock and save Nereth before it is too late.

—

EXCERPT:

“I am afraid there is no time,” the man interrupted. He crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him. “I apologize for the abruptness of my visit, but I must implore you to hurry. My name is Dalton. I am the new Chief Officer. I was sent by Sir Briac to escort you to the capitol without delay.”
For one instant, Edlyn stood in stunned silence. Then her heart thudded in her chest, and she lunged across the room for her still-damp cloak. “Of course. I shall ready myself immediately.”

“Oh, Miss Edlyn.” Lancy wrung her hands. “I do hope that the cause for your summons is nothin’ too serious.”

“It must be of great importance. The council was not scheduled to meet for another month yet.”
Edlyn hung her sword over her side. As she donned her boots, she raised her head and addressed Dalton again. “Did Sir Briac say anything to you about why we are being so urgently summoned?”
“It is in regards to Sir Maddock.”

Book Blitz: The Viking’s Captive

The Viking’s Captive (Clan Hakon #2) by Quinn Loftis
Publication date: November 27, 2018
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Historical, Young Adult
Summary:

Prophecy spoken. 

Alliances broken. 

Will duty come before love? 

The Viking’s Captive is the exciting sequel toThe Viking’s Chosen by USA Today Bestseller Quinn Loftis. 

Two worlds collide in this epic historical fiction centered on an undeniable chemistry that smolders against the odds. 

Richly written and injected with moments of humor, this action-packed romantic tale will leave you breathless. 

Novels in The Clan Hakon Series Include:
The Viking’s Chosen (February 12, 2018)
The Viking’s Captive (November 27, 2018)
The Viking’s Consort (Fall 2019)

—

EXCERPT:

“If you vomit on my lap, I will most likely throw you overboard,” Dayna, my incredibly helpful sister, told me for the fourth or fifth time.

“If you hadn’t come running after me like a sodding fool, you wouldn’t have gotten yourself captured. Then you wouldn’t even be on this boat, and you wouldn’t have to worry about me vomiting on you, now, would you?” I asked as I clutched my midsection. My stomach seemed to think it should take its cues from the ocean upon which we sailed. It rolled and flipped just like the waves.

“First, if I hadn’t come after you, then that would make me a coward and not much of a sister, so that was never an option. Second, if I hadn’t gotten captured, then you would be all alone with no one to hold your hair while you vomit, now, wouldn’t you?”

Book Blitz: The King in the Stone (Two Moon Princes, #2)

The King in the Stone (Two Moon Princes, #2) By Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: July 25th 2016
Buy Link: Amazon
Summary:

A full moon,
A silver key,
And the unbending passion of two young lovers
will bring hope to a defeated kingdom
and, through their sorrow, deliver a king
who will change its fate.

Vivid visions have haunted Andrea since her arrival in northern Spain. In her visions, the ruins of the medieval village she’s excavating comes alive, and, around the fires burning in the no longer buried hearths, she sees people dressed in furs sharpening old fashioned swords. 

Even more upsetting for her that the headaches her visions leave is the fact that Julián appears in them—Julián, the king from her world whose rejection she is trying hard to forget. 

But when a slide bury Andrea under the mountain, Julian comes searching for her. Soon after they are reunited under the mountains, the full moon opens a portal and sends them back a thousand years into the past, to a time right after the Spaniards have been defeated by the Arabian invaders. 

Separated by a bitter winter, Andrea and Julian are caught in opposite sides in the battle between the Spanish last unconquered settlements and the Arabian army. A battle for survival that will determine the fate of a kingdom and demand of them the ultimate sacrifice: As the Arabs close on the mountains, Julián makes a decision that will break Andrea’s heart and change them forever.

♥ ♥ ♥

Sequel to:

—

EXCERPT:

In the following excerpt from The King in the Stone, Julián makes a fateful decision.

I don’t know how long I remained by the cliff staring down at Andrea’s broken body, so unnaturally still in her white shroud of snow. I don’t know how long I remained by the cliff lost in a world of my own. A world beyond feelings, beyond reason.

A world in which, I came to believe, time could flow backwards, and as long as I didn’t move, didn’t breathe, it was still possible to reverse its course. Andrea would rise from the ledge and climb to my side, and her blood would be warm again inside her body and not a red stain over the snow.

I don’t know how long I remained by the cliff dreaming impossible dreams. Then somewhere down in the valley, a horse neighed and broke the spell.

Book Blitz: A Criminal Magic

A Criminal Magic by Lee Kelly
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Release Date: February 2, 2016
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

THE NIGHT CIRCUS meets THE PEAKY BLINDERS in Lee Kelly’s new crossover fantasy novel.

Magic is powerful, dangerous and addictive – and after passage of the 18th Amendment, it is finally illegal.

It’s 1926 in Washington, DC, and while Anti-Sorcery activists have achieved the Prohibition of sorcery, the city’s magic underworld is booming. Sorcerers cast illusions to aid mobsters’ crime sprees. Smugglers funnel magic contraband in from overseas. Gangs have established secret performance venues where patrons can lose themselves in magic, and take a mind-bending, intoxicating elixir known as the sorcerer’s shine.

Joan Kendrick, a young sorcerer from Norfolk County, Virginia accepts an offer to work for DC’s most notorious crime syndicate, the Shaw Gang, when her family’s home is repossessed. Alex Danfrey, a first-year Federal Prohibition Unit trainee with a complicated past and talents of his own, becomes tapped to go undercover and infiltrate the Shaws.

Through different paths, Joan and Alex tread deep into the violent, dangerous world of criminal magic – and when their paths cross at the Shaws’ performance venue, despite their orders, and despite themselves, Joan and Alex become enchanted with one another. But when gang alliances begin to shift, the two sorcerers are forced to question their ultimate allegiances and motivations. And soon, Joan and Alex find themselves pitted against each other in a treacherous, heady game of cat-and-mouse.

A CRIMINAL MAGIC casts a spell of magic, high stakes and intrigue against the backdrop of a very different Roaring Twenties.

♥ ♥ ♥
QUIZ:

What Role Would You Play in A CRIMINAL MAGIC?

Lee Kelly’s A CRIMINAL MAGIC takes place during the Roaring Twenties, the age of guys, dolls, molls and crime bosses. But in this story’s Jazz Age, magic instead of alcohol is prohibited. Sorcerers work hand in hand with gangsters in every aspect of their illegal dealings – from hiding robberies and murders to underground performance magic shows – as Prohibition Unit agents struggle to uphold the letter of the law.

If you were around during the Prohibition of magic, which type of player would you be? Take our quiz and find out!

QUIZ

1. Which one of these vacations most appeals to you? 

a. A week at an all-inclusive resort in Hawaii with my family, with beautiful beaches, golf courses and lots of down time.
b. A long weekend in Las Vegas with a handful of my closest friends.
c. A ten-day backpacking trip by myself through New Zealand.

2. Most Friday nights I can be found: 

Book Blitz: Nora & Kettle

Nora & Kettle by Lauren Nicolle Taylor
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Historical
Release Date: February 29, 2016
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

What if Peter Pan was a homeless kid just trying to survive, and Wendy flew away for a really good reason?

Seventeen-year-old Kettle has had his share of adversity. As an orphaned Japanese American struggling to make a life in the aftermath of an event in history not often referred to—the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and the removal of children from orphanages for having “one drop of Japanese blood in them”—things are finally looking up. He has his hideout in an abandoned subway tunnel, a job, and his gang of Lost Boys.

Desperate to run away, the world outside her oppressive brownstone calls to naïve, eighteen-year-old Nora—the privileged daughter of a controlling and violent civil rights lawyer who is building a compensation case for the interned Japanese Americans. But she is trapped, enduring abuse to protect her younger sister Frankie and wishing on the stars every night for things to change.

For months, they’ve lived side by side, their paths crossing yet never meeting. But when Nora is nearly killed and her sister taken away, their worlds collide as Kettle, grief stricken at the loss of a friend, angrily pulls Nora from her window.

In her honeyed eyes, Kettle sees sadness and suffering. In his, Nora sees the chance to take to the window and fly away.

Set in 1953, NORA AND KETTLE explores the collision of two teenagers facing extraordinary hardship. Their meeting is inevitable, devastating, and ultimately healing. Their stories, a collection of events, are each on their own harmless. But together, one after the other, they change the world.

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

“Keeps?” She swings around, hair hanging over her eyes and in her mouth. “Come here, let me show you something.” She shuffles closer, looking a little scared. I pull out a hairbrush from the bag I brought home last night. “This is a hairbrush.” She squints at it, waiting for it to do something.

“It’s for your hair, so it’s not so, um, hard to manage…” She tips her head to the side, looking for all intents and purposes like a puppy about to have its first bath. She’s our first and only girl resident. “Come sit in front of me.” I pat the ground gently, and she slides backward.

“Don’t be scared. I’m not going to hurt you,” I reassure, although I’m not one hundred percent sure that’s true. “Keeps, what did I say when you came to live here, when you became a King?”

“Dat I could stay as long as I wanted and dat you would keep me safe,” she replies warily.

Release Day Blitz: The Empress Chronicles (The Empress Chronicles #1)

The Empress Chronicles (The Empress Chronicles #1) by Suzy Vitello
Age Group: You Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: September 4th, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

When city girl Liz is banished to a rural goat farm on the outskirts of Portland, the 15-year-old feels her life spiraling out of control. She can’t connect to her father or his young girlfriend, and past trauma adds to her sense of upheaval. 

 The only person who seems to keep her sane is a troubled boy who is fighting his own demons. But all of this changes in one historical instant.

One-hundred fifty years earlier, Elisabeth of Bavaria has troubles of her own. Her childhood is coming to a crashing end, and her destiny is written in the form of a soothsaying locket that has the ability to predict true love. But evil is afoot in the form of a wicked enchantress who connives to wield the power of the locket for her own destructive ends.

When Liz finds a timeworn diary, and within it a locket, she discovers the secrets and desires of the young Bavarian princess who will one day grow up to be the legendary Empress of Austria. It is in the pages of the diary that these two heroines will meet, and it is through their interwoven story that Liz will discover she has the power to rewrite history—including her own…

♥ ♥ ♥
Teaser:

Review: The Wind Whisperer

The Wind Whisperer by Krista Holle
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: October 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

At fifteen, Anaii is the most important member of her tribe—and the most mysterious. Ever since Anaii can remember, the spirits of the wind have whispered of fertile hunting grounds and imminent enemy attacks. But when her people are ambushed by a brother clan without any apparent cause, the spirits remain eerily silent. 

As the village prepares to retaliate, Anaii is pressured by her best friend, Elan, to marry him. It’s an old plea—Elan has spent a lifetime loving her, but Anaii only sees a childhood playmate out of an imposing warrior. Stifled by Elan’s insistence, Anaii escapes into the forest where she meets Jayttin, the beautiful son of the enemy chief. 

Enamored by Jayttin’s carefree spirit and hope for peace, she repeatedly sneaks away to be with him, but when her deception is discovered, Elan is devastated. Pledging his lifelong affection, Elan gives her a passionate kiss, and Anaii begins to see her friend in a new light. While Anaii is tormented over which man she must choose, the wind whispers of a new threat that could destroy both tribes. Only a union will afford a chance at survival, but the reality of that union is based on one thing—which man Anaii chooses to die.

♥ ♥ ♥

I decided to read "The Wind Whisperer" by Krista Holle, even though it seemed like it would be something out of my comfort zone, and I'm glad I did. This could read as historical fantasy fiction (which isn't a normal read for me), as it takes place in a Native American tribe, and we are immersed in that world.

Anaii is special to her tribe. She was left there by a mother, who was also an outsider, and even from the start, her blue eyes set her apart from the brown-eyed tribe. When you throw in that she can speak to the wind, she's definitely unique. Yeah, the girl talks to the spirits of the wind. Which is a pretty cool talent, since she can ask them about anything (as long as it happens within a certain radius, the spirits can only see so far) and they'll tell her what's going on.

This special skill makes her a prized possession for the chief of her tribe, although it makes others wary of her. The chief holds her on this high pedestal where she is a part of his council, even though she is just a young girl, and that doesn't sit right with everyone. Most of the men think she's this weird abomination, and the women think she's lazy since she doesn't help out with the normal women's work.

Review: Gone with the Wind (Gone with the Wind #1)

Gone with the Wind (Gone with the Wind #1) by Margaret Mitchell
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Release Date: September 1, 1936
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Set against the dramatic backdrop of the American Civil War, Margaret Mitchell's epic love story is an unforgettable tale of love and loss, of a nation mortally divided and its people forever changed. 

At the heart of all this chaos is the story of beautiful, ruthless Scarlett 'O' Hara and the dashing soldier of fortune, Rhett Butler.




♥ ♥ ♥

Even though it has been over 30 years since I first read Gone with the Wind, the story and the characters have stayed with me. At that time, I was interested in the love story between Rhett and Scarlett. They were strong characters who were a perfect match and I wanted Scarlett to forget about Ashley and let Rhett sweep her away. There were times I thought Scarlett to be a spoiled, selfish person who was so irritating that I wanted to scream.

Now that I am older, I have a different perspective on the story. I still think that Scarlett and Rhett are a perfect match and if Margaret Mitchell had written a sequel, they would have overcome all the things that happened between them and lived happily ever after. However, there is so much more to Gone with the Wind. It is the story about friendship, forgiveness, and survival.

Cover Reveal: Forty Nights (Neima's Ark #2)

YA Bound Promotional Event

Forty Nights (Neima's Ark #2) by Stephanie Parent
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Historical, Retelling
Release Date: September 2013

Book Description:

Neima, her family, and her grandfather Noah have found themselves trapped aboard an ark as a great flood destroys all life in the world. As their time aboard the ark lengthens, food begins to run out, wild animals grow restless, and family tensions become as much of a threat as the flood outside. In the second and final installment of Neima’s Ark, the stakes are higher, the conflicts are greater, and Neima finds herself facing a choice as impossible as the destruction all around her.

Promotional Event: An Italian Obsession

Reading Addiction Promotional Event

An Italian Obsession by Kfir Luzzatto
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Historical, General Fiction
Release Date: September 3, 2012
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N ♥ Smashwords

Book Description:

In the lax atmosphere of middle-class post-war Italy, sex and drugs are easy to come by. Roberto tries to find his own balance, but a crush he had for Alessandra in elementary school is reignited and the course of his life is changed forever.

It's the 1970’s, a time of political upheaval driven by disillusioned young people. Roberto is caught up in the times. He makes a new start, but his past catches up with him. Finding himself accused of a crime, he must defend himself even when he isn’t sure he committed it. A vivid snapshot of European post-war society, this novel is viewed through the eyes of a young adult coming of age.

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:
The dormitory resembled a noisy beehive when I got there. Almost everybody had already returned from vacation and the boys exchanged pleasant memories and jokes. It surprised me that I was happy to see them; but, somehow, it felt like home and they had become a much closer family to me than my own flesh and blood. At least, they shared my predicament.