Tag Archives: coming of age

Giveaway – Letting Go by Jacquie Biggar @XpressoTours @JacqBiggar

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Letting Go
Jacquie Biggar
(The Defiant Sisters, #1)
Publication date: October 21st 2022
Genres: Coming of Age, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

A coming-of-age novel about the pain of misconceptions and learning from them.

When life gives you lemons…

Izzy

Mom is barely in the grave and the prodigal child is here to pick the bones clean.

I don’t want her here. My sister’s defection is a wound that won’t heal, and her return simply rubs at the scabs covering my heart.

I’ve managed just fine without her. She can go back to her fancy college and forget about us- that’s what she does best anyway.

If only I didn’t need her help. Or miss her so much.

Renee

The day my dad committed suicide I ran. I’ve been running ever since.

Going home is supposed to be the answer. Instead, it makes me question every thoughtless decision I’ve made.

My sister hates me. My little brother barely knows me. And Simon… is engaged.

None of it matters- or so I tell myself. I’m here to make amends and face a past haunted by regret.

As long as I can convince myself to stay.

Letting Go is a young adult romance dealing with tragedy, restitution, and love in all its aspects. The story relates to sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers.

Goodreads / Amazon

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SNEAK PEEK:

Izzy

The shock of finding Renée on the doorstep is fading, taken over by the sheer hypocrisy of her arrival. Why now? It’s a little late if she wants to make amends. Not a word for two stinking years and she shows up thinking I’m going to be grateful she’s here?

Not in this lifetime.

The warm sincerity of her embrace, though… it tries to weaken the resentment I’ve fostered since she walked out on her family, leaving me to pick up the pieces.

“I don’t want you here,” I snarl, unable to hide my bitterness. I’d rather act as though I don’t care.

Renée eyes me warily, rubbing a reddened palm. I feel a childish delight to have caused her even a minuscule amount of the pain she’s caused me.

“I’m aware,” she says calmly, bending to pick up a bulging overnight bag. “But I’m here now, so let’s make the best of it—for Mom.”

Red hot rage rises from the pit of my stomach to spit and steam from my ears. “Do. Not. Use Mom against me. You lost that right a long time ago.”

Months of caregiving flicker behind my eyes. My father’s suicide did something to Mom. She shouldered the blame and wore it like a hairshirt, ripping the blinders away from their relationship to show the fractures in the foundation. She shut down. Stopped eating, washing, and caring. It was left to me to get Benjamin off to school, clothes washed, and a semblance of normalcy when everything was insane.

“You should have called.” Renée’s empathetic gaze gets on my last nerve.

I whirl away before I plant my fist in her face. “Your room is the way you left it. You can stay the weekend, then I want you to leave. Ben doesn’t need to get his hopes up.” And neither do I.

Author Bio:

Jacquie Biggar is a USA Today bestselling author of romance who loves to write about tough, alpha males and strong, contemporary women willing to show their men that true power comes from love. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and loves to hear from readers all over the world!

In her own words:

“My name is Jacquie Biggar. When I’m not acting like a total klutz, I am a wife, mother of one, grandmother, and a butler to my calico cat.

My guilty pleasures are reality tv shows like Amazing Race and The Voice. Every Monday night, I can be in my armchair plastered to the television laughing at Blake’s shenanigans.

I love to hang out at the beach with DH (darling hubby) taking pictures or reading romance novels (what else?).

I have a slight Tim Hortons obsession, enjoy gardening, everything pink, and talking to my friends.”

She has been blessed with a long, happy marriage and enjoys writing romance novels that end with happily-ever-afters.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Amazon / Pinterest / Newsletter


Giveaway!
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Giveaway – A Reservoir Man by L J Ambrosio @iReadBookTours

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I am excited to share L J Ambrosio’s Guest Post for A Reservois Man and to be a part of this I Read Book Tours tour.

Guest Post By L.J. Ambrosio, Author of “A Reservoir Man”

Sherry @ Fundimental

Title: “Michael’s Relationships With People”

In the novel, Michael’s relationship with his parents is extremely simple, they love each other. Though Michael always thinks of his parents as the two separate individuals, “Francis” and “Andy,” he never dares call them anything except their proper titles, Mom and Dad. Michael never discusses his life choices with his parents, they always support him in his life’s endeavors, they understand him through the bad and the good. Michael’s relationship with them, though sometimes imperfect, is ideal for his character as a young man coming of age.

In Michael’s first year of college, he develops a very strong relationship with Claire. A marriage of the two characters seems likely at this time.  Michael at the same time develops a relationship with a male character named Raphael. Within six months, both relationships end, though Claire and Michael remain friends. These two relationships are symbolic of so many relationships Michael has in his life, people come and go constantly. Somehow, their departure is Michael’s choice.

Michael finds at the end of his life the most unconditional relationships with his children and even his dogs, like Buddy. Though it was a difficult road to bring the children up alone, they both become very successful and stand by him. This is true even of the character, Buddy, with whom Michael reaches one of the greatest moments of catharsis and truth in his entire life. One of the greatest disappointments Michael has in his life, is in the sheer number of friendships where he genuinely sought to help someone, in these instances, the vast majority of these people vanish and never offer anything in return.


 


 

Join Us For This Tour From:  Sep 6 to Sep 26 

Book Details:

Book Title:  A Reservoir Man by L.J. Ambrosio
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 340 pages
Genre: Fictionalized Memoir
Publisher: Self-Published, Amazon
Publication Date: May 25, 2022.
Content Rating: PG-13 +M: There is a few explicit sex scenes, some mentions of sexual abuse, some bad language   

Continue reading →

Giveaway – Kingdomless by Michelle Garyfalakis @m_garyfalakis @iReadBookTours

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Join Us for this Tour:  May 16 to June 3, 2022
 
Book Details:

Book Title:  Kingdomless (The Evamore Series Book 1) by Michelle Garyfalakis
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 422 pages
Genre:  YA Fantasy Romance
Publisher:  Self-Published
Release date:   January 2022
Content Rating:  PG-13 +M: There is a scene where our main character is held at knife point and her attacker grabs her breasts without consent. The word ‘nipple’ is used in this situation. This is the reason for the added “M” in the rating.
 
 

 

 Book Description:

The remnants of the United Kingdom of Garth, once ruled by the legendary Dynasty of Evamores are in the throes of conflict. Ten years ago, King Wren of the West discovered Raelle washed up on the shores of the Balour Sea, with no memory of the first nine years of her life. She was brought back to the castle and dutifully cared for and cherished by the king and his three older sons. On her nineteenth birthday, the Western Kingdom’s adoptive princess is secretly sent away by her stepmother to marry King Veras as a token of peace between the kingdoms. But, the Northern King has other plans.

As Raelle’s amnesia melts away with the help of a northern storyteller, she discovers more about the Kingdom of Garth, magic, the lovetie connection of the Evamores, and her role in the grand scheme of things. She is confused, angry, and curiously comfortable in the North.

A dark shadow overcasts all of the kingdoms, and the threatening influence of the fallen god Kellar seems to spread among the people, inciting disorder and violence. While the fate of the kingdoms may rest on Raelle’s shoulders, she can’t help but feel kingdomless. Betrayal is everywhere, from her own adoptive family to her newfound friends. Fearless, observant, witty, and determined, she is town between her attraction to King Veras’ good nature and the unexplained pull to the Tracker Calak. The challenge that she faces is not simple. As the old gods, laws and magic awaken, so does her own sense of self. There is a choice to be made, step into the role expected of her, or dive into the unknown and make her own destiny.

This YA fantasy novel asks the readers important coming of age questions, captures the attention with witty dialogue, relatable characters, and a world that is reawakening its forgotten magic. The readers will be entranced and hungry for more (and perhaps a piece of chocolate cake).

 

BUY THE BOOK
Amazon ~ Audible
add to goodreads
 
 
Meet the Author:

MICHELLE GARYFALAKIS was born and raised throughout Ontario, Canada. She currently lives just outside of Hamilton, Ontario with her husband, four kids and Snowy (their friendly Samoyed-Border Collie). When she isn’t obsessively typing out new stories on her computer, you can find her drinking coffee with a friend, snacking on some guacamole or binge watching Outlander (again). Michelle loves finding creative ways to communicate with people, and her passion for storytelling is the newest addition to that list. 

connect with the author: website  ~  facebook  ~  instagram ~ twitter ~ bookbub ~ tiktok ~ goodreads
 
 
 
Tour Schedule:

May 16 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / giveaway
May 16 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review / guest post / giveaway
May 17 – Character Madness and Musings – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 17 – Leels Loves Books – book review / giveaway
May 18 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight
May 18 – My Reading Getaway – book review / author interview / giveaway
May 19 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
May 20 – Wottaread – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 23 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
May 24 – Freda’s Voice – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 24 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
May 25 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – book spotlight / giveaway
May 25 – Cheryl’s Book Nook – book review / giveaway
May 25 – Living in a Bookworld – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 26 – Writer with Wanderlust – audiobook review / guest post / giveaway
May 26 – Westveil Publishing – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 27 – From the TBR Pile – book review / giveaway
May 31 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / guest post / giveaway
May 31 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
June 1 – The Page Ladies – book review
June 1 – Sadie’s Spotlight – book spotlight / author interview
June 2 – She Just Loves Books – audiobook review / giveaway
June 2 – Books for Books – book spotlight
June 3 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway:
 

KINGDOMLESS by Michelle Garyfalakis Book Tour Giveaway


 

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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Giveaway – The Secrets We Conceal by S R Fabrico @iReadBookTours @StacyRowe1

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Join us for this tour from Apr 11 to Apr 29, 2022!

Book Details: 

Book Title:  The Secrets We Conceal by S.R. Fabrico
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  300 pages
Genre: Coming of Age, Women’s, Psychological and Family, Relationships Abuse/Child Abuse
Publisher:  S.R. Fabrico
Release date:  March 15, 2022
Content Rating:  R. Maybe more PG-13 +M. There are 3 chapters of sexual abuse and approximately 5 total curse words.


Book Description:

A riveting coming of age story, that will make you laugh, cry and root for Laura to find happiness.
Laura Shirk is a normal, happy, go-lucky, little girl playing with Cabbage Patch dolls and Legos. Until she isn’t. Set in the late 1980s-early 90s, a visit to her aunt and uncle’s house changes everything.

What follows is a nerve-racking story shedding light on child sexual abuse. As the tragedy unfolds, Laura mutters through life concealing her secret from everyone. Feeling alone and isolated, she struggles to navigate her younger years wondering if she can or will ever find happiness.

Then, Laura meets ‘the perfect man’ for her. Can he heal her heart and break down her steel walls?

The Secrets We Conceal, S.R. Fabrico’s debut novel is a riveting coming of age story that beautifully conveys how love and strength can heal all wounds. 
 

Buy the Book:
Amazon
B&N ~ iBooks
BookBub
add to goodreads
 

 Meet the Author:

Born a raised a Yankee who loves NY style pizza and Philly cheesesteaks. I was introduced to the amazing world of Southern BBQ after moving to Tennessee where I live with my husband and two children. My family is my main priority, everything I do is for them. I attended college in the 90’s and received a degree in mathematics with a minor in secondary education, I went on to coach cheerleading and dance for 20 years and won a Hip Hop Dance World Championship. Anything and everything creative are my absolute favorite, so writing has always been a hobby. When I’m writing, I like to wife hard, mom hard, paint, read good books and watch good movies.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram 
 
Tour Schedule:

April 11 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
April 12 – Pick a Good Book – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
April 13 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / giveaway
April 14 – Lynchburg Reads – book review / giveaway
April 15 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
April 18 –Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
April 18 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
April 19 – Splashes of Joy – book review / giveaway
April 19 – My Fictional Oasis – book review 
April 20 – StoreyBook Reviews – book review / giveaway
April 21 – @twilight_reader – book review / giveaway
April 22 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
April 22 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
April 25 – Books for Books – book spotlight
April 26 –Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
April 27 – The Page Ladies – book review / giveaway
April 27 – My Reading Getaway  – book review / author interview / giveaway
April 27 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
April 28 – Ravenz Reviewz – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
April 29 – Leels Loves Books – book review / giveaway
April 29 – Novels Alive – book spotlight / giveaway
April 29 – Novels Alive – book review 

Enter the Giveaway:
 

THE SECRETS WE CONCEAL Book Tour Giveaway


 
  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
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  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Graphic Novel – The Nightmare Brigade by Franck Thillez #FranckThillez #Papercutz

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I haven’t done many, if any, graphic novels, but The Nightmare Brigade by Franck Thillez, with Yomgui Dumont (Illustrations) made me think of Scooby Doo and the gang, so I had to have it.

Do you read grahic novels?

The Nightmare Brigade #1: The Case of The Girl from Deja Vu

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I jumped at a chance to read The Nightmare Brigade by Franck Thillez because it made me think of Scooby Doo and the gang and I love them.

I haven’t read a lot of graphic novels, but I used to read a lot of comics as a kid. Reading The Nightmare Brigade brought back those memories. The illustrations are awesome, so richly detailed that I found myself investigating each panel for clues as to what is terrifying Sarah in her nightmare. That’s when I found out that what happens to the dream brigade in the dream, happens for real, whether it’s an injury, death, or anything else. But, they do have special powers, whether it is walking for someone who can’t walk, being able to go through walls, or flying. Each power will be needed to help those who are having the nightmares…and, eventually getting rid of their nightmare permanently.

There is even more danger than them being real in the dream, they must prevent anyone or anything from following them out and, if things go terribly wrong, they could be stuck in someone’s dream…forever. The Nightmare Brigade deals with real issues, mystery and danger.

I think this is a fantastic glimpse into an adventure series that will delight middle graders. You will not get all the answers, but when I found out about Esteban it only whet my appetite for more. There is more going on than first meets the eye.

To sum it all up…I loved it. I think the youngsters will too. And, they will get a bit of knowledge on the brain, nightmares and dreams.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Nightmare Brigade by Franck Thillez.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The Nightmare Brigade is a dream team led by Professor Angus. With his two young sidekicks, 14 year-olds Esteban and Tristan, they have one goal: help people get rid of their worst nightmares. With unique skills, the team members can literally infiltrate their patient’s nightmare to seek its root and destroy the cause. Things are shaken up a bit, however, when they meet the young Sarah. The Brigade has a feeling they have seen her before… Then, an insomniac is invading other’s dreams. How does he do it and how can he be stopped? It’s a paranormal story you won’t want to sleep on!

This first volume in The NIghtmare Brigade features a diverse cast of adolescents tackling themes that everyone faces as they grow up: fears of aging, abandonment, and death. It creates page turning intrigue by weaving outer mysteries with character secrets. Intended for readers eight and up, this dazzling horror mix is perfect for fans of Stranger Things, Tim Burton, and Inception, and is sure to become a reader favorite for school and home libraries alike.

ABOUT FRANK THILLEZ

Franck Thillez, a former engineer in new technologies, is the author of about fifteen successful crime novels. With the adaptation of his novel “Room of Death” (wonner of the SNCF prize for French crime fiction), Franck Thilez is also a screenwriter.

ABOUT YOMGUI DUMONT

After having completed his studies in applied arts, Yomgui Dumont has worked wherever he was able to move a mouse and a pencil: cartoons, multimedia, advertising, and the press. His first series are Raph’ and Potetoz, Chamres noires, and E;cole de PAN. He has published around twenty graphic novels and teen novels.

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Series Finale – The Immortals by Jeff Altabef @jeffaltabef

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The Immortals

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

‘Better to die with light than live in the darkness.’

“All great revolutions and movements start with a few people meeting in secret, hatching plans to change their worlds. More often than not, it ended in failure and the death of those involved.”

A prophecy: A boy made of light will end Eden from the darkness and break the curse that strangles it and the world.

It has been a while since I read the last book in the series, Ghost King, but everything came back to me pretty quick. It all began when someone dreamed up The Red Death (Book I), a plague that quickly took over the world.

“…We treated the world so shabbily that is was bound to fight back…”

I love books that hint at the real world, yet keep me living the fantasy.

I have almost two pages of notes and I know I can’t use them all. It would spoil everything for those who want to enter the world of The Red Death. The Red Death kills all those who were in their twenties and older. Everything is connected. If one world falls, they all fall, so the darkness must be faced head on. It starts with Eden.

We first meet Thorn and Rose, as they look out at Eden, hoping to have found a home, but it was not to be. As they travel through life, they are complete opposites and end up with opposing goals. Thorn had grown tired of war, but Rose was so driven to take Eden, he wondered why?

Thorn and Rose are the Immortals…chosen by the Devil. Wilky has come a long way, from a bumbling young man who couldn’t communicate, to a king. The Painted Ones, The Cursed Tribe…they were counting on Wilky and Aaliss to save them, and what they would do would cross all realms.

Aaliss had felt the Creator had deserted her because she was surrounded by death and then, Wilky returns from the Ghost Rider’s realm, a grown man. They needed to return to Eden to stop her uncle and his evil plans. He was a traitor. Aaliss is in love with Eamon, but when his father died, he became king and they both had a different road to take. Would they come together in the end?

I love this: Man had their chance and had screwed up the world so badly, it would take a girl to set things right. Could that apply to today?

“…for all who passed, so we can live in the light.”

I know not all will survive and when they called off the names of those who had fallen, I shared their sorrow. Much was sacrificed for those who chose to do the right thing.

The story was unpredictable, the battles crossed realms, the characters ranged from evil to angelic, the magic crossed all boundaries, the prophecy came to life and The Red Death…well, you will need to get the details for yourself. The series is complete, the story told and the characters live on…in everyone’s mind who has read it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Immortals by Jeff Altabef.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Most believe the Immortals are a myth, a folk story meant to frighten children, but Wilky and Aaliss discover the truth is even more frightening than the myths.

Wilky, once a boy filled with light and a healer, is now the Ghost King, drawn to darkness and violence. As powerful enemies descend on Eden, he must find another, the true child of light, to help him save Eden and keep the world from descending into darkness. Does he have time? Can he still be trusted? Will he instead succumb to power and darkness?

Meanwhile, Aaliss is pushed to the limit to bring justice to Eden, and joins with the most unlikely of allies. In the end, she must accept the magic inside her, or all will be lost. Will she pass her ultimate test?

EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS the thrilling conclusion to the multiple award-winning “Red Death” series of epic fantasy/dystopian adventures, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very last page.

ABOUT JEFF ALTABEF (from Amazon)

Jeff Altabef lives in New York with his wife, two daughters, and Charlie the dog. He spends time volunteering at the writing center in the local community college. After years of being accused of “telling stories,” he thought he would make it official. He writes in both the thriller and young adult genres. Fourteenth Colony, a political thriller, was his debut novel. Shatter Point, a thriller, published by Evolved Publishing was his second novel. It won the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Best Thriller, Fall 2014.

Jeff’s first Young Adult novel, Wind Catcher: A Chosen Novel, is being published on March 23rd by Evolved Publishing. He’s very happy and proud that his co-author is his teenaged daughter, Erynn Altabef. Wind Catcher has won the 2015 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal for Coming of Age Novels, the 2015 Beverly Hills Book Award for Best YA Fiction and a Mom’s Choice Award.

As an avid Knicks fan, Jeff is prone to long periods of melancholy during hoops season. Jeff has a column on The Examiner focused on writing and a blog designed to encourage writing by those who like telling stories.

You can follow Jeff on Facebook, Twitter, or join his newsletter!

MY JEFF ALTABEF REVIEWS

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  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
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Books From The Backlog – Freak of Nature by Julia Crane @juliacrane2

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Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Freak of Nature (IFICS, #1)

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

Donate Body to Science. Check.
When seventeen-year-old Kaitlyn checked the box, she never suspected she’d have her life–and her body–stolen from her. She awakens one day in a secret laboratory to discover that her body is now half-robot and is forced to hide her own secret: that she still has human emotions and a human mind. If the scientists who made her find out, they’ll erase what remains of who she was.

Kaitlyn finds an unlikely ally in Lucas, a handsome, brilliant scientist who can’t get over the guilt he feels knowing she was once a vibrant, beautiful young woman. He never expected a science project to affect him the way she does. As he tries to help her rediscover her past, he finds himself falling for the brave girl struggling to find her place and acceptance between the human and computer worlds.

Goodreads Ratings: 3.59  ·  3,202 ratings  ·  567 reviews

I added Freak of Nature by Julia Crane to my TBR on 1.17.13. I had read Cinder by Marissa Meyer and loved it, so when I saw this cover and read the blurb, I thought I would like this one too. I have been reading more science fiction in the last couple of years and have been really enjoying it. I look forward to reading more. Do you have a favorite science fiction author you would like to share with us?

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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Giveaway – The 8th Island Trilogy by Alexis Marie Chute @_Alexis_Marie @iReadBookTours

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Join Us for this Book Series Tour from Jul 7 to Aug 10, 2020!
“A Wrinkle in Time meets The Princess Bride.” – Review by Lee Lee Thompson, The Perpetual You Magazine

“Chute’s novel weaves STAR WARS-like characters with a WONDER-like message to form an enrapturing read for booklovers of all ages.” – US Review of Books

“Fast and bizarre… Never a dull moment.“ – Foreward Reviews

SERIES DETAILS:

Series Title:  The 8th Island Trilogy by Alexis Marie Chute
Category:  Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs) (368 to 448 pages)
Genre:  fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher:  SparkPress.
Release dates:   Jun 2018; Oct 2019; Apr 2020
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.



Series Description:

The 8th Island Trilogy includes Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun. Over the three books, we follow the adventures of a quirky family, the Wellsleys. The main characters are frumpy senior citizen Archie, his daughter-in-law, Tessa, and his ill fourteen-year-old granddaughter Ella.

Archie, searching for his missing son, accidentally transports his family—and a cruise ship full of people—to a magical planet. There, they uncover the truth: all worlds are dying. Yet hope is not lost. A way to restore all that will soon be destroyed is revealed, along with the realization that Ella will play a role no one could have imagined—especially not her.

On the mysterious island of Jarr-Wya, many races of creatures battle for dominion and magic lurks around every corner. When the world falls dark, that is when bravery must shine the brightest, and the Wellsleys will reveal the strength they never knew they possessed—as well as the power of love to save the day.


Books in the 8th Island Trilogy:



Book Details:

Book Title:  Above the Star by Alexis Marie Chute
Category:  Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 368 pages
Genre:  fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher:  SparkPress.
Release dates:   Jun 2018
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.


Book Description:

When frumpy senior citizen Archie goes in search of his missing son in the Spanish Canary Islands, he stumbles upon a higher mission: locating a magical cure for his ailing fourteen-year-old granddaughter, Ella. Using a portal-jumping device called the Tillastrion, Archie and a stone-headed creature named Zeno are transported to Jarr-Wya, a magnificent yet terrifying island in a connected realm―along with Ella and her strong-willed mother, Tessa, who accidentally stow away on this not-so-secret quest.

What they find on Jarr-Wya is an island tortured by a wicked Star anchored in the sea, and a raging three-way battle for dominion between the stone-wielding Bangols, the fiery Olearons, and the evil Millia sands. Ella’s wit and resourcefulness emerge in this new world, while Tessa is forced to confront her long-buried secrets and a confusing new love triangle. When Ella is captured, Tessa and Archie―with the help of a company of peculiar allies―set out to save her and unravel the terrible mystery of her cure. A mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night adventure of three unlikely heroes, Above the Star reminds us that even the smallest act of bravery can transform our lives and the fates of the worlds around us.



Book Details:

Book Title:  Below the Moon by Alexis Marie Chute
Category:  Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 448 pages
Genre:  fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher:  SparkPress.
Release dates:   Oct 2019
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.

Book Description:

Ella Wellsley is not your typical teenager. Cancer left her mute, but not powerless. Trapped in a parallel dimension, Ella rallies her strength to join her family―her mother, Tessa, her grandpa Archie, and her magical boyfriend―in locating the cure to her illness. This cure is entangled in the fate of all worlds, and threatened by the presence of an evil Star anchored in the sea. The Star has thrown life everywhere into chaos―and it is Ella who holds the key to unlocking its mystery.

Caught in a web of betrayal, mistaken identities, secrets, and love triangles, Ella, Tessa, and Archie must overcome their troubled pasts to ensure a future for all worlds. On this journey―armed with unearthly abilities and unexpected allies―each member of the Wellsley family will learn the power of love in the face of their greatest fears.


Book Details:

Book Title:  Inside the Sun by Alexis Marie Chute
Category:  Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 384 pages
Genre:  fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher:  SparkPress.
Release dates:   April 2020
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.
Book Description:


All worlds are dying, and it’s up to one broken and dysfunctional family from Earth―the Wellsleys―to save the day.

Cancer-ridden Ella celebrates her fifteenth birthday beneath an enchanted mountain, but it is what lies even farther below―the mysterious Star in the sea―that demands she grow up quickly. While Ella grapples with the sacrifice she must make and the lies she is forced to tell, her mother, Tessa, is hell-bent on protecting her.

Through bizarre encounters, love-sick Tessa realizes that she is not the lonely orphan she believes. Her husband, Arden, and father-in-law, Archie, are not the only ones with magical bloodlines. This revelation changes everything. As Archie chooses to embody his unexpected ancestry, he learns that leading the charge in the ultimate battle against evil won’t be as easy as he thought. He’ll need his family―and the strange allies he has gained―by his side to give Ella enough time to set things right.

Can they defeat the unstoppable Millia sands―and another unexpected foe―before everything they hold dear is destroyed? Or will their adventure tear them apart for good? The finale to The 8th Island Trilogy will hold you spellbound until the final page, and long after.



Meet the Author:

Alexis Marie Chute is an award-winning author, artist, photographer, art curator, filmmaker, and public speaker. She has received over 40 noteworthy distinctions for her visual and literary work. Her award-winning fantasy series The 8th Island Trilogy includes, Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun. The series has been described as “A WRINKLE IN TIME meets THE PRINCESS BRIDE” by The Perpetual You magazine, and “Fast and bizarre… never a dull moment” by Forward Reviews. The 8th Island Trilogy “weaves STAR WARS-like characters with a WONDER-like message to form an enrapturing read for blooklovers of all ages” – US Review of Books. Chute’s bestselling memoir, Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy After Loss, was a top Kirkus title of 2017 and received a plethora of other literary distinctions. The memoir was accompanied by the feature documentary of the same name, which has screened internationally for the last three years. Chute received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and Design from the University of Alberta, Canada, and studied at Media Design school in Auckland, New Zealand. She graduated valedictorian with her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, USA. Chute is a highly regarded public speaker. She has presented on art, writing, bereavement, and the healing capacities of creativity around the world. Contact the Author/Artist for bookings info@alexismariechute.com When not in her art/photo studio or at her computer, Chute loves to spend quality time with her family, read fiction and non-fiction, watch reality TV, paddleboard, and canoe. She is not a winter person but lives in frosty Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with her husband and their three living children.

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


Tour Schedule:

July 7 – Splashes of Joy – series spotlight / guest post / author interview / giveaway
July 7 – Working Mommy Journal – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 7 – fundinmental – series spotlight / giveaway
July 7 – Corinne Rodrigues | Booksnista – series spotlight / giveaway
July 8 – Leels Loves Books – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 8 – Book Bustle – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 8 – Living in a Bookworld – series spotlight / giveaway
July 9 – Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 9 – I’m Into Books – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
July 10 – Falling Into A Good Book – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 10 – She Just Loves Books – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 13 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 13 – Books and Zebras – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 14 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 14 – Cheryl’s Book Nook – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 15 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 15 – Blooming with Books – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 16 – Working Mommy Journal – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 16 – Books and Zebras – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 17 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 17 – Writer with Wanderlust – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
July 20 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 20 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 20 – Adventurous Bookworm – book review of Above the Star / giveaway
July 21 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway
July 21 – Stephanie Jane – series spotlight / giveaway
July 21 – Leels Loves Books – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 22 – T’s Stuff – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
July 22 – She Just Loves Books – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 22 – Blooming with Books – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 23 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of Inside the Sun / guest post / giveaway
July 23 – Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 24 – Falling Into A Good Book – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 24 – Books and Zebras – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway
July 27 –  Book Bustle – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 27 – Adventurous Bookworm – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 28 –  Working Mommy Journal – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway
July 28 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 28 – Library of Clean Reads – series spotlight / giveaway
July 29 – 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
July 29 – Blooming with Books – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway
July 30 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 30 – Cheryl’s Book Nook – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway
July 31 – She Just Loves Books – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway
Aug 3 – StoreyBook Reviews – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Aug 3 – Leels Loves Books – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway
Aug 4 –  Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway
Aug 4 – Cheryl’s Book Nook – book review of Inside the Sun / guest post / giveaway
Aug 5 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway
Aug 5 – Adventurous Bookworm – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway
Aug 6 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway
Aug 6 – Olio by Marilyn – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Aug 7 – Falling Into A Good Book – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway
Aug 7 – Jazzy Book Reviews – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 10 – Books for Books – series spotlight
Aug 10 –Book Bustle – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

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One Sentence Review – Pawned by Laura Bickle @Laura_Bickle

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Pawned is not my first book by Laura Bickle and it won’t be my last.

Pawned

Amazon / Goodreads

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

Pawned by Laura Bickle is a wonderfully done fantasy of angels and demons, dragons and the mob, and the humans that inhabit a richly developed world, where everything revolves around Raz, his cousin, Carl, and Bert, a demonic lizard, and the magical pawn shop that he lives in, where things are sold and bought, and traded for favors.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

For fans of Stranger Things and the works of Neil Gaiman, Pawned is a Young Adult novel that blends dark fantasy adventure and noir — on the New Jersey boardwalk.

You can hock almost anything at my family’s pawn shop…even your own soul.

You think running a pawn shop full of cursed objects with your dad and grandpops is cool? Try it for a week and get back to me. Now try picking up any random object and seeing its creeptastic history play out right before your eyes — yup, that’s my little “gift.” It’s my job to sort out what’s haunted and hexed from what’s not, and do my best to keep all of us — including Bert, our ice-cream-truck-driving-lizard demon — employed.

So it wasn’t all sunshine, roses, and possessed samurai swords even before grandpops’ heart attack — but now things are garden-gnome levels of bad. Dad made a deal with the wrong end of the dark side to save grandpops’ life, putting my whole family smack dab between the forces of evil and our friendly local blow-your-pawn-shop-to-smithereens mobsters. And Lily next door…I shouldn’t even be thinking about Lily.

All I ever wanted was to get out of this crap town and away from my messed-up family, and instead it looks like I’m gonna have to use every scrap of magic in this joint or there won’t be any family left to leave behind…

ABOUT LAURA BICKLE

Laura Bickle

Laura Bickle grew up in rural Ohio, reading entirely too many comic books out loud to her favorite Wonder Woman doll. After graduating with an MA in Sociology – Criminology from Ohio State University and an MLIS in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she patrolled the stacks at the public library and worked with data systems in criminal justice. She now dreams up stories about the monsters under the stairs, also writing contemporary fantasy novels under the name Alayna Williams.

Her work has been included in the ALA’s Amelia Bloomer Project 2013 reading list and the State Library of Ohio’s Choose to Read Ohio reading list for 2015-2016.

Stalk Laura Bickle:  Website  /  Facebook  /  Twitter

MY LAURA BICKLE REVIEWS

The Dragon’s Playlist

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

One Sentence Review – Rite of Passage by Emily Martha Sorensen @CleanYAFantasy

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I have read a lot of Emily Martha Sorensen’s short stories and was happy to read Rite of Passage.

Rite of Passage

Amazon / Goodreads

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

The twins are turning twelve years old and will have a choice to make, but it is not a choice like human children make and it will definitely be life changing…but this ends in a cliffhanger and you will have to read more….

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Rite of Passage by Emily Martha Sorensen

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Twelve-year-old twins Jaeda and Kaedin are preparing for their society’s rite of passage. Kaedin’s hoping to get magic. Jaeda just wants to survive. But neither are prepared for the surprise awaiting them.

“Rite of Passage” is a 1,900 word short story. It can be purchased here, or read on the author’s website for free.

ABOUT EMILY MARTHA SORENSEN

Emily Martha Sorensen

Emily is a prolific writer with many titles to choose from. She writes of fairies, dragons, fantasy, science fiction, steampunk, world peace in short stories and flash fiction.

You can find her on Goodreads & Amazon

MY REVIEWS FOR EMILY MARTHA SORENSEN

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!