GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ I Smell Sheep: April 2023

Sunday, April 30, 2023

Cozy fantasy LGBTQ+: The Hex Next Door (Witches of Moondale #1) by Lou Wilham + giveaway

Lou Wilham has written a truly 'magical' story, and on May 3rd will be revealing a brand-new special hardcover edition! Visit one of our Bookstagram hosts for a chance to win a signed hardcover!

The Hex Next Door (Witches of Moondale #1)
by Lou Wilham
Genre: Cozy Fantasy/ LGBTQ +
Publication Date: Special Edition Coming Soon
Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing
What’s a little necromancy between family?

For the Crow Witch, Icarus “Rus” Ashthorne, Moondale seemed the perfect hiding place. But like they always say, you can’t go home again, and Rus finds out quickly that nothing is how she remembered, while at the same time very little has changed. Then she comes face to face with the only woman she’s ever loved, Az Elwood, and… well, things get messier than she thought they ever could.

The Elwoods are a staple of Moondale, respected, feared, powerful, and Azure Elwood was always happy with her place amongst them. Happy to play the part of the good little witch, until Rus Ashthorne. Eleven years ago, Rus got on a bus and left Azure behind, but she’s back, with two little girls trailing her like ducklings, and enough unspoken things between them to drown the town.

Now witch hunters are knocking at their proverbial door, the council of magic is being a real pain in the ass, and Rus wonders how much magic it’ll take to protect the people she loves from herself and the danger following her.

A LGBTQ+ cozy urban fantasy novel for fans of The Ex Hex, and October Daye.


About the Author
Website
Born and raised in a small town near the Chesapeake Bay, Lou Wilham grew up on a steady diet of fiction, arts and crafts, and Old Bay. After years of absorbing everything, there was to absorb of fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi she’s left with a serious writing/drawing habit that just won’t quit. These days, she spends much of her time writing, drawing, and chasing a very short Basset Hound named Sherlock.

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@LouWilham @RRBookTours1 @midnighttidepub #RRBookTours

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@lou_wilham @shannon_of_rrbooktours #rrbooktours #rrbthehexnextdoor #thehexnextdoor #cozyfantasy #fantasyromance #lgbtqfantasybooks #witchyreads

Book Tour Schedule
May 1st
R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com
Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com
May 2nd
Rambling Mads (Review) http://ramblingmads.com
May 3rd
@ameliaveganreader (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/ameliaveganreader/
@sharingthebooklove (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/sharingthebooklove/
May 4th
Liliyana Shadowlyn (Review) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/
Mx. Phoebe’s Viewpoints (Review) https://mxphoebesviewpoint.wordpress.com/
I Smell Sheep (Spotlight) http://www.ismellsheep.com/
May 5th

GIVEAWAY
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Saturday, April 29, 2023

5 Sheep Book Review: My Midlife Crisis, My Rules (Good To The Last Death Book 4) by Robyn Peterman

My Midlife Crisis, My Rules (Good To The Last Death Book 4)
by Robyn Peterman
Pages: 296
My midlife crisis. My rules. And if it doesn’t put me six feet under, I plan to live it up in style—possibly for the rest of eternity…

After a Luke Skywalker/Darth Vader moment, I discovered I do indeed have a father. He comes with a hell of a lot of baggage, but I’ve decided to keep him. Not only do I have a father, I have a kickass new sister, a ghostly family, and super powers to boot. If you add to the mix that I’m dating the Grim Reaper, it’s a freakin’ party.

The only thing standing in the way of my happiness is the Angel of Mercy, though Angel of Misery is more appropriate. She’s responsible for almost everyone I have loved, and who has loved me being taken away. With the help of family and friends, I will track her down and show her exactly what a perimenopausal hot flash looks like in action.

Job — Death Counselor — Supergluing ghosts back together and solving their issues is rewarding. For real.

Mission — Bring the seriously evil Angel of Mercy to justice without dying or getting anyone else killed in the process.

Team — A bunch of certifiable Immortals, including one who re-homes vibrators. Yes, you read that correctly.

How to do this? — Wing it. Wine, my Demon boyfriend, a houseful of deceased squatters, and good friends by my side will help.

Midlife’s a journey. I will enjoy the ride. The crisis is happening whether I’m ready or not.

Daisy has had to roll with a lot of punches lately and not all of them are bad. She now has a father even if it’s totally unconventional, a sister who was already one of her best friends, ghosts galore that she wouldn’t trade for the world and the cherry on top – superpowers! Daisy is totally in love with her man, the Grim Reaper aka Gideon and things are looking for her if she can just track down the psycho Angel of Mercy and stop her from killing or hurting anyone else that she loves which is easier said than done.

Daisy’s relationships tend to be complicated since her Gram who raised her is a ghost, her dad is an archangel, and her mom is a ghost as is her ex-husband so she just rolls with the punches and tries to find the best plans to keep everyone she loves safe. Candy aka Karma might just be my favorite character of all. She doesn’t care what anyone thinks except for Gram of course and she is a hoot.

Peterman’s writing is hilarious and easy to read which makes this series a must-read! Even though her characters are supernatural, you can easily relate to them and the little tidbits of information that Jennifer and Tim share are to die for.

Getting 5 sheep






Denise B

About the Author:

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NYT and USA Today best selling author, Robyn Peterman writes because the people inside her head won't leave her alone until she gives them life on paper. She writes snarky, sexy, funny paranormal and snarky, sexy, funny contemporaries.

Her addictions include laughing really hard with friends, shoes (the expensive kind), Target, Coke with extra ice in a Yeti cup, bejeweled reading glasses, her kids, her super-hot hubby and collecting stray animals.

A former professional actress, with Broadway, film and T.V. credits, she now lives in the south with her family and too many animals to count. Writing gives her peace and makes her whole, plus having a job where she can work in her sweatpants works really well for her.

Friday, April 28, 2023

Excerpt: Witches & Walk-In’s (A Castle Point Witch Series, #1) by Tammy Tyree + giveaway

Witches & Walk-In’s (A Castle Point Witch Series, #1)
by Tammy Tyree
April 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal
Betty Burke has just awakened from a long coma, but there’s a problem; she’s not Betty.

Whip-smart Hypnotherapist Alexandra Heale leads a double life. A natural-born witch, she lives under a death sentence, with a cauldron full of secrets.

When she tries to help Betty; a woman possessed by a traumatized spirit, Alex finds herself under attack – and in danger of being exposed.

Against her better judgment, she enlists the help of Deputy Sheriff Blake Sheraton, a man she’s sworn to hate, with dark secrets of his own – if only he could keep her secrets and ignore his pledge to uphold an evil law.

The paranormal world of demons & spirits is about to descend on peaceful Castle Point, and only one witch can stop the unthinkable.

Even if it costs her life.


1
Betty
The cool air tickled my arms. Tiny hairs rose with the gooseflesh. Small mounds of pimpled thermometers popped up over my arms, chest, and neck.

I heard a beeping sound, faint at first, then slowly it became louder and closer. The scent of cleanser assaulted me, harsh and chemical.

My eyes stayed firmly shut as if glued at the seam, or tiny weights held the lids down. My breath came in rhythmic, even bursts.

What was that in my mouth? My tongue wiggled and slammed against the hard plastic. I couldn’t taste anything other than stale, rotting breath, but I could tell something was firmly lodged in my mouth.

What the hell was it?

Why was it there?

I forced my eyes open a fraction. Moonlight filtered through the splintered cracks of my heavy lids and shattered against my eyes. Too bright! I closed them again, only long enough for my tongue to push up against the plastic in my mouth.

I could feel it now, not just in my mouth, but going down my throat. A swell of panic ran from my toes to my nose. I wanted to gag.

Spurred by the beeping beside me, louder now, my eyes flew open. I tried to sit up. I couldn’t move. I laid back against the softness of what must be a bed and peered around the room.

A hospital room.

I felt a heaviness as if underwater, the weight of my arms, legs, and chest making it difficult to see or breathe. The scent of cleanser pierced the back of my nose as I tried to breathe.

What was that thing in my mouth and down my throat? I forced my eyes to open wider, but they burned and felt gritty like someone had sprinkled fine sand under the lids. I blinked several times to clear the grit. My eyes took a while to adjust.

I looked down and saw a tube coming out of my mouth. My heart rate sped up. The beeping beside me kept pace as it beat faster and faster.

Why did I wake up in a hospital?

Was I in an accident?

The beeping sped up again, fast enough to send a wail of high-pitched signals through my room and into the adjoining hallway.



The large door burst open, startling me, which made the beeping speed up yet again. A nurse with short dark hair, dark-circled eyes, wearing pink scrubs with multicolored cartoon puppies on her shirt rushed in.

“Betty! Oh my god, she’s awake!” she practically screamed, to whom I couldn’t imagine. I assumed she was talking about me, however, as she leaped to the beeping machine and pressed a button to stop the noise.

Much better.

But… Betty?

Was that my name?

About the Author:
Demons, witches and ghosts - oh my!

Tammy (she/her) writes about what she knows - ghosts, hauntings, entities, witches, demonology and the paranormal!

A Clinical Hypnotherapist, Tammy infuses; tales from her actual case files of demonic possession and entity attachment with her knowledge of ancient demonic lore and witchcraft into artfully woven fiction and memoir.

Her upcoming 'Castle Point Witch Series' is due to release in early 2023 and promises to be full of paranormal goodness.

Her memoir 'Dead Men Still Snore' is a page-turning, award-winning true story of love, loss and channelling her husband's messages from the other side.

Visit https://tammytyree.com/ for more info about Tammy, her work and to receive updates for future books!

Happy reading!

GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)
10x ebook copies of Witches & Walk-In’s
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Epic Fantasy Excerpt: Smoke and Stars by Michelle Schad + 2 giveaways

Smoke and Stars
by Michelle Schad
April 21, 2023
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Page Count: 286
Five years have been lost to a void in Reven Si’ahl’s mind. Now, everything Reven was is barreling at him faster than he can process it. Family, love, enemies, demons, and nightmares he can’t control plague him at all hours. The more he learns about his previous life, the more he questions his sanity.

Stuck with the small handful of survivors from the Phoenix Empire, Reven finds himself offering advice to his nephew, asking advice of his son, Kaleo, and learning that sometimes family can be your biggest enemy.

Meanwhile, the Kormandi King, Demyan, finds himself in need of the bard’s aid again as he is left to sort out how to escape a nation hell bent on killing people with Power. By sheer luck, and with the help of Idris Acai - an assassin and Reven’s other son - the miraculous is achieved until reaching Tierra Vida with the others. What should be a warm family reunion turns into Reven’s greatest nightmare when Kaleo is taken by the Queen of Torment herself, Madhavi. Now Reven has to accept his new role, and go rescue his urchin before it's too late.


Excerpt Two
​“What is that?” Tondra demanded. She looked down into the hole to see the flat
stone that took so much attention. Only part of it showed, the rest still firmly set into the
moist earth.
“A Grove Stone, general,” the soldier replied. “An old one, but it still radiates.”
“Are there others?” Tondra frowned, squatting down to get a closer look. Time
had worn some runes away and pocked the stone with holes as if acid had eaten it
away. But if it still radiated, that meant it still worked.
“At least one more, general. It’s… old. It would take ages to regrow a Grove here.”
“But that gives me an idea of where that fool brat has gone.”
“Where, general?”
“Tierra Vida.”
“From here, ma’am?”
“That brat pulls off the impossible like a roach."

About the Author:
Website-FB-Twitter
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From a young age, there have been voices inside of Michelle’s head. No, not those kinds of voices – or, maybe they are; who really knows? Rather than fear those voices, Michelle wrangled them like wild mustangs on the prairie, make each one bend to her will in its own time. Well, what does that mean?
It means that Michelle has been writing stories of the fantastic, the horrific, and the mysterious for as long as her little fingers have been able to hold a pen and probably longer, but memory only goes back so far. In a world that passes for ‘normal’, she is all of the ‘normal’ things one might expect: mother, wife, keeper of fur-babies. She is also a student of life, meaning if there is something to learn, she will learn it, thus making her a veritable font of only partially useful knowledge.
The whimsy and ChAoS that actually controls the rest of Michelle’s existence has earned her a place in two different arenas so far: Bards and Sages Quarterly and Corrugated Sky Publishing. While wielding the unwieldiness of words is her primary function, she is also an avid crafter, collector of “creepy” ball-jointed dolls, and can run through a Target in under an hour with only two extra items from her intended list. Talent!

2 GIVEAWAYS
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Thursday, April 27, 2023

Pre-order: The Royal Gauntlet (Game of Gods #3) by Nicole Sanchez

We’re so excited to share the synopsis and new teaser for the epic finale in Nicole Sanchez’s romantic fantasy, THE ROYAL GAUNTLET. Check it out and be sure to pre-order today!

The Royal Gauntlet (Game of Gods #3)
by Nicole Sanchez
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Release Date: May 13th
I need no shelter from the storm. I AM THE STORM. As the newly returned Goddess of Spring and Queen of the Underworld, Daphne should be focused on fixing her kingdom, not battling the rogue Fate who's been manipulating all their lives. But Posey has the mortal and immortal realms trembling in her grasp, and chaos reigns supreme. Freed from her murderer’s chokehold, Daphne has finally reunited with her beloved husband, Essos, the King of the Dead. As the worlds around them fall apart, Daphne must protect the child growing inside her. The Queen and King of the Underworld have everything to fight for and everything to lose. Loyal gods and goddesses flock to their side, prepared to use all their power to fight fate itself. It may not be enough. Fighting Posey on multiple fronts in the mortal realm, Solarem, and the Underworld has them spread thin. As shocking secrets come to light, friends turn foe, and immortality itself comes into question, Daphne must decide just how much–or who–she’s willing to sacrifice in an endgame that no one may win.


Catching Up with the Series:

About the Author:   
Nicole Sanchez has been writing stories on any scrap of paper she could get her hands since before middle school. She lives in New Jersey with her high school sweetheart and love of her life along with their two quirky cats. When she isn't writing or wielding the Force, she can be found traveling the world with her husband or training for her next RunDisney Event.
Connect with the Author:

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Science Fiction Author Dagmar Rokita: 5 unknown Sci-Fi movies you probably missed in 2022

5 unknown Sci-Fi movies you probably missed in 2022

2022 seems to be a hit or miss for sci-fi movies. We get excellent "Predator: Prey," awful "Moonfall" and messy "Jurassic World: Dominion" that broke the hearts of many "Jurrasic Park" fans (including me). All movies mentioned above have been put on the back burner by "Avatar 2". It caught the attention of all cinema-goers and sparked many debates.

In this post, I'm going to set the blockbusters aside and focus on some lesser-known sci-fi movies.

1. "Vesper"
Directors: Kristina Buozyte, Bruno Samper
Genres/Themes: biohacking, postapocalyptic, dystopian


“Vesper” is a vision of the future after the collapse of civilizations and ecosystems. A 13-year-old girl named Vesper and her disabled father try to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. On their way, they meet Camellia. Vesper uses her bio-hacking skills to help their new companion and get a chance to live in a new, better future.

This movie captivated me with its atmosphere. The slow pace lets me focus on the well-thought-out plot and father-daughter relationship.

2. "After Yang"
Director: Kogonada
Genres/Themes: androids, family, AI, loss

“After Yang” is based on a sci-fi story by Alexander Weinstein. It tells a story of a family and their friend, Yang. Yang is an android and when he breaks down, Jake (the father) wants to bring him back to life. Jake discovers that their friend knows more than everyone thought.

“Yang” doesn’t need any big expensive special effects to tell a sad but suspenseful story. The futuristic aesthetics is very simple and credible, the movie focuses on common everyday life but there’s still a gentle feeling of anxiety. Something is up.

3. "Dual"
Director: Riley Stearns
Genres/Themes: satire, illness, clones


Sarah, the main character, receives a horrifying diagnosis – a terminal disease. She decides to clone herself. Later, it turns out that the diagnosis was a mistake. Sarah is absolutely fine, but she has a great trouble – the clone is alive and well too. The law says that only one of them can live on. Sarah and her clone prepare for a duel to the death.

The movie surprised me with a simple but original idea and a pretty specific sense of humour. Is a big chunk of action and entertainment.

4. "The Deal"
Director: Orsi Nagypal
Genres/Themes: postapocalypse, dystopian, family


Earth and natural resources were destroyed by a pandemic. The Bureau builds a new totalitarian society and established “The Deal”. By accepting it, people get job, healthcare and housing but after 20 years they have to die. A mother and a daughter need to escape The Bureau and break the deal.

Even if that movie really isn’t a masterpiece, it bribed me with its gloomy atmosphere and interesting worldbuilding.

5. "Deus"
Director: Steve Stone
Genres/Themes: space, message from the space, Mars


Spaceship "Achilles" is supposed to study a mysterious object on Mars. The object sends a transmission with one word – Deus (latin word for "God")

I know "Deus" turned out to be a quite dull movie with overused tropes but it's my guilty pleasure. All this creepy stuff from outer space has a special place in my heart and Deus satisfies my basic needs.

Bloodstained Skies: The Core Of Rage
by Dagmar Rokita
March 19, 2023
Genre, keywords: sci-fi, grimdark, military, space opera
Length: 70 000 words
After years of tension, war has finally come to the Union worlds. Hordes of rebels, seeking revenge for their lost worlds, ravage the Peripheral Zones.

One of the leaders of the rebellion is Charon Antares, a strict and shrewd warrior who doesn’t accept any weaknesses or cowardice. He has been struggling for years to liberate his planet, Zetherion, from the Union control. When another one of his braver mission ends in disaster, the rich and powerful sovereign plans to deprive him of his authority. To save his status, Antares agrees to execute her insane order that may cost the lives of thousands of his people.

A young and easy-going girl named Cerridwen lives in a peaceful world. One day, by accident, she comes in Antares’s way. When she finds out about the tragedy that happened to her family, she vows revenge, but without collaboration with Antares and the rebels, she will not be able to fulfill her plan.

Meanwhile, a group of the Union scientists decides to end the rebel’s invasions, once and for all - they build a deadly, inhumane weapon out of sight of the government.

Content warnings: graphic violence, abuse, gore, drugs

For fans of Dune, Halo, Star Wars, Warhammer


About the author:
Website
Email: dagmar.rokita@skiff.com
Dagmar Rokita is a Polish writer and artist. She writes and illustrates dark sci-fi series called "Bloodstained Skies." There are two things that inspire her: the imaginary world of geek culture and the deepest corners of human psychology. Huge doses of heavy metal and history are her creative fuel. She wants to become a famous artist because she needs money to buy sophisticated food for her cat.

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Cozy Fantasy Mystery Author: Elle Hartford talks Beauty and the Beast, New and Old + giveaway

Beauty and the Beast, New and Old

Many of us know the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast. But wait, would that be the 1991 animated film, or the 2017 version with Emma Watson? Or maybe when you picture the Beast, you see the original 1946 black-and-white monster . . .

We’re used to stories being reused in movies. And while some might complain about it, the truth is that stories have been retold for centuries! Movies aside, there are countless folklore versions of Beauty and the Beast from different cultures and times.

Don’t worry though, I won’t list all of them out here. After all, that work has already been done! Check out this page on “Beauty and the Beast, folktales of Aarne-Thompson-Uther type 425C,” put together by retired professor D L Ashliman. It has a European focus and doesn’t contain every tale from all over the world, but it’s still very thorough.

Oh, and what’s that “type 425C” stuff? Basically, that’s a label folklore scholars use to identify a story that follows a Beauty and the Beast plotline. Every fairy tale out there has a label and archive like the one linked above.

Of course, none of this takes into account the vast number of YA, fantasy, or romance books which retell Beauty and the Beast. There are probably too many to count, especially if you consider Beauty and the Beast as a theme rather than a prescriptive outline. Some of my favorites include:

- The Fabled Journal of Beauty, by Boyd Brent (a creative and adventurous retelling)

- Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley (a classic! She also wrote an earlier version, Beauty)

- Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna by Maia Chance (a historical murder mystery version!)

I’ve also written my own retelling, which blends the original story with cozy mystery and cozy fantasy themes. Beauty and the Alchemist takes the idea of curses and seeing beyond appearances and adds a dash of murder to the mix. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I’m pleased to be offering the expanded special edition this month! You can find it wherever you buy ebooks.

Beauty and the Alchemist (The Alchemical Tales Book 1)
by Elle Hartford
Genre: Cozy Fantasy Mystery
In this magical mix-up of fairy tales and murder, Little Red Riding Hood solves the mystery at the heart of Beauty and the Beast . . .

What does it take to overcome a curse?

Traveling alchemist Red settles into life as a shopkeeper in rural Belville and expects to focus on her potions. But crime stops for no woman. Neither does Red’s friend, police officer Thorn! When a beastly criminal escapes to a nearby abandoned castle and is found murdered, Thorn immediately suspects Luca, a meek-mannered bookseller–not to mention Red’s best friend.

Red knows that there’s more to the castle–and the murder–than meets the eye. But as she rushes to prove Luca’s innocence, she’s beset by a not-dead-yet ghost, a beautiful and ill-tempered suspect, and a horde of mysterious mist creatures that terrify the town. Oh, and then there’s the series of lost books that hold the key to the castle’s curse! If Red and her friends can’t find the books and solve the mystery, Luca might not be the only one in trouble. But in idyllic Belville, appearances can be deceiving. Red will need all of her alchemical prowess and all the help she can get in order to uncover the truth behind this twisted tale.

This special second edition includes a new epilogue, recipes, and a sneak peek at book two of The Alchemical Tales.

**On Sale for Only .99cents!!**


Excerpt 1: A Haunting Discovery
When we hit the third corner, I stopped dead. It felt as though a bucket of ice-water raced down my back. The darkness was so thick that even with my goggles, I could barely see beyond my own hand. The front of the castle stretched away into inkiness.

Officer Thorn, already a pace ahead and nearly disappearing, looked over her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“Something here,” I mumbled incoherently. “There’s something wrong with being here. Don’t you feel it?”

“To tell you the truth, I’ve never been haunted, so I wouldn’t know what it feels like,” Thorn replied blithely.

I sucked air into my lungs. The fastest way out of here is forward, I reminded myself. Gritting my teeth, I began following the officer once more. “Just stay close, okay? No bounding off after evidence or what have you.”

She looked back and grinned, her long teeth flashing. “The sooner we catch Owl, the better.”

“I don’t think Owl is what’s making these shadows,” I said.

Thorn was impervious. “Then it could be Gloria alone, and that’s worse. See, Red, your problem is—”

I never got to hear what my problem was, unfortunately. The grass we’d been edging along gave way to a stone patio set a few inches below the surrounding ground, and I stumbled. With that jarring step came recognition of the fact that we were right in front of the castle’s main entrance, and another bone-penetrating chill.

“Wh-wh-whatever it is y-you want to s-see, it must be h-here,” I said, my teeth chattering.

“It’s just a little cold, Red. Are all islanders such wimps?”

“Hush, and look around!” I insisted. I was starting to think that maybe Thorn hadn’t ever been haunted simply because she refused to see anything other than what she wanted to.

“It’s the front of the castle,” she informed me matter-of-factly. She began stalking about the patio, with me close on her heels. “I was on the inside team during the search earlier, so I missed this. Nice carvings on the doorway. Old and worn down, but they’ve held up well considering. Good sturdy door. See that ironwork across the front? Guess we’re not dealing with the fey, eh? And what’s this—gems inlaid in the doors, too. Surprised those haven’t walked off over time. Maybe they’re locked down—get it? Ha ha. What’s this?”

I’d only been paying half-attention to Thorn’s monologue, but the repetition of the phrase in a new tone of surprise caught my ear. I turned from looking over my shoulder to see that Thorn held something small and rectangular in one large hand.

“Did you just find a book?” I asked, startled.

“Did I?” She handed the object to me for inspection. As I took it, though, the air around us thickened. I had to hold the slim volume very close to my face to see the bark binding. My gaze drifted over the title and the gold leaf to notice that, rather than blackness, a silver fluidity filled my vision.

“Why is it foggy?” I tucked the book into a pocket in my cloak for safe-keeping and frowned as I looked up. Officer Thorn looked just as surprised as me. I could see her face well, despite the cloudiness, because the moonlight had reappeared. It bounced off the water in the air. The world was brighter now, but it was also much closer.

Officer Thorn’s club rose, sending swirls ricocheting through the air. “Never mind the fog, Red. Look here, at the corner of the doorway. Doesn’t that look like—”

Again, I was destined not to hear the officer’s thoughts. Only fair, really, considering how often she interrupted mine. But I wasn’t thinking that at the time. At the time, I was screaming like a banshee, because something had grabbed me from behind.

About the Author

Website-Facebook-TwitterElle adores cozy mysteries, fairy tales, and above all, learning new things. As a historian and educator, she believes in the value of stories as a mirror for complicated realities. She currently lives in New Jersey with a grumpy tortoise and a three-legged cat.

Find more stories of Red and her friends at ellehartford.com. And while you’re there, sign up for Elle’s newsletter to get bonus material, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, and terrible jokes!

Giveaway
$10 Amazon giftcard,
Signed Papeback of Beauty and the Alchemist
- 1 winner each!
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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Monday, April 24, 2023

Fae Fanany Romance: Rule of the Aurora King (Artefacts of Ouranos #2) by Nisha J Tuli

Welcome to the tour for the gorgeous next installment in the Artefacts of Ouranos series, Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli!

Rule of the Aurora King (Artefacts of Ouranos #2)
by Nisha J Tuli 
Publication Date: April 6th, 2023
Genre: Fantasy Romance/ Fantasy/ Fae
“I am not his conquest. I am not his to claim. I am my own castle.”

Freed from the golden clutches of the Sun King, Lor now finds herself in the hands of Nadir, the Aurora Prince. Convinced she’s hiding something; he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make her talk. But Lor knows the value of secrets—she’s been keeping them her entire life—and she’s not letting hers go without a fight.

When Lor and Nadir team up to search for a lost item that holds the key to her past and her future, she isn’t sure if she can trust him. All she knows is she won’t fall for his promises and make the same mistakes again.

Lor also hasn’t forgotten her vow to destroy the Aurora King. As Atlas hunts her across Ouranos, Lor plots to bring down the Imperial Fae who took everything. But she soon realizes that the future of the continent is about so much more than just her shattered legacy.

The Rule of the Aurora King is the second book in the Artefacts of Ouranos series and combines romance, intrigue, action, and adventure. If you love enemies to lovers, fated mates, and fake dating, don’t miss this exciting next installment!
Available Here!

Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos #1)
Ten women. A deadly contest. Only one can win the Sun King’s heart.

Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King’s rule. Her only desire is to get free and pay him back for every moment of misery she’s endured.

When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight as she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she’ll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge.

But Lor doesn’t belong in the Sun Queen Trials. Not only does she not understand why she was freed, she isn’t a citizen of the Sun King’s court. The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is wiped off the gameboard, permanently.

Now Lor must win, because if she loses, she dies. Or worse, she’ll be sent back into the hands of the Aurora King.

This glittering fae romance is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer Armentrout, and Raven Kennedy. Trial of the Sun Queen is the first book in a series with an eventual happy ever after.


About the Author
Website
Nisha J. Tuli is a Canadian fantasy romance author, whose books feature kick ass heroines, swoony love interests, and slow burns with plenty of heat. Fans of The Princess Bride and A Court of Thorns and Roses will find themselves at home in her worlds.

She loves to draw upon her Indian heritage to bring her stories to life, weaving together vibrant and compelling characters, settings, and plotlines. Her first novella Wicked is the Reaper became a BookTok hit, which she followed up with two more novels, including her latest, Trial of the Sun Queen, the first in a new series.

Nisha wants to leave her readers breathless and begging for more and enjoys making her characters suffer before giving them a much-deserved happily ever after. When she’s not writing or exploring, Nisha can be found enjoying travel, food, and camping with her partner, two kids, and their fluffy Samoyed.

Twitter: 
@NishaJT @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours #RuleoftheAuroraKing

IG: 
@nishajtwrites @rrbooktours #rrbtruleoftheauroraking #ruleoftheauroraking #trialofthesunqueen #artefactsofouranos #nishajtuli #romanticfantasy #fantasyromance #faefantasy #romantasy

Book Tour Schedule
April 24th
R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com
I Smell Sheep (Spotlight) http://www.ismellsheep.com/
@_kellymariewrites (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/_kellymariewrites/
@squeakeysundergroundlibrary (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/squeakeysundergroundlibrary/
Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com
April 25th
@fathomsamidstthelines (Review) https://www.instagram.com/fathomsamidstthelines/
I Love Books & Stuff (Spotlight) https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com
Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com
@abookworld___ (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/abookworld___/
April 26th
Bookworm Bunny’s Reviews (Review) https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com
@ameliaveganreader (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/ameliaveganreader/
@read_dog_reviews (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/read_dog_reviews/
April 27th
Liliyana Shadowlyn (Review) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/
@read.em.if.you.got.em (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/read.em.if.you.got.em/
April 28th
@bingingbooksandcoffee (Review) https://www.tiktok.com/@bingingbooksandcoffee
Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

Book Tour Organized By:
R&R Book Tours

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Book Review: Prophecy of a Vampire by Tania Gold + giveaway

Prophecy of a Vampire

by Tania Gold
March 29 2023

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
ISBN: 978-1509248247
ASIN: ‎ B0BS4JXXSS
Number of pages: 254
Word Count:66572
Cover Artist: Diana Carlile
One prophecy, a thirst for blood, and a tangled web of lies…

It’s been almost a century since Zachary Philips was turned into a creature of the night. A brooding man with a thirst for freedom and for blood. When he hears of the prophesied Vampire Queen being reborn, he hatches a plan to gain his freedom. Soon, their lives collide and although they are opposites, their sizzling sexual chemistry binds them together.

It doesn’t take too long before Ivy Litt finds herself ensnared by Zachary. She also realizes she can’t stay away from him. If only she knew about the web of lies he was spinning.

Will Zachary’s past and cry for freedom ruin his one chance of happiness, or will Ivy’s thread of humanity change the course of what could be something special?


The start of a new saga is always fills me with excitement, I do love the building of a world from scratch and making it all come to life on the pages. Prophecy of a Vampire has a lot to sink your fangs into, some more work to go hopefully, and I look forward to it.

Day walking vampires are always fun to read about, they won't burst or sparkle (even though I love ALL vampires), but these can just walk among us. The ones you need to keep your eyes on. I like that. Lots of interesting ways these vamps also make the change to being undead; such clever takes on some old friends.

The world itself, though, needs more hashing out, more depth and more action, please! I want to read ass kicking and wigs splitting, blood and some guts coming out. I've been on a John Wick binge so watch out world for my pencil coming to get ya! I digress. Overall I liked what we have here. But in the coming books, give me more. More of it all and please more of that steamy romance we all want!

Getting 3.5 Sheep





KD

Excerpt:
“Ivy, there is nothing you can do about it anymore. You might think that what you did was bad, but you protected yourself and it also happened to be in the natural way, for a vampire, that is. Which you are now, so you must learn to understand, and live with the knowledge that this will be a part of your future. You will get angry, you will get thirsty, and that thirst will be to kill whoever stands in your way. In this case, the mutts were advancing on you, and you did the natural thing and retaliated with fangs.”

I give her another light squeeze, which then turns into my thumb, rubbing circles on her shoulder, just as I have done in the past. I feel her loosen up a little and all the anxiety and distress fleeing her body.


About the Author:
Website-FB-Twitter
TikTok-Instagram
Goodreads

Growing up with a passion for writing, Tania Gold, a wife and mother of two from Sydney, Australia, has always enjoyed delivering exciting stories to an audience. An avid reader of Fantasy and Romance novels, she had dreamed of creating her own world full of exciting and loveable characters.



Tweet:
Zachary Philips is a creature of the night. When he learns the Vampire Queen has been reborn he hatches a plan. Soon, their lives collide and their sizzling sexual chemistry binds them together. https://amzn.to/3Z59Xha #PNR #VampireRomance

Tour Giveaway
1 ebook copy winner's choice of ePub or PDF version
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Book Review: Immortal Ink: A Tattoo Coloring Book Paperback – Coloring Book by Tania Maia, El Rose, François Gautier

Immortal Ink: A Tattoo Coloring Book Paperback – Coloring Book
by Tania Maia, El Rose, François Gautier
April 4, 2023
Publisher: Plume
96 pages
More than just a coloring book, Immortal Ink is a true celebration of tattoo art.
 
Featuring 45 incredible designs from talented tattoo artists, each illustration is as inspiring as it is fun to color. With artwork in eight different styles including Americana, Japanese, blackwork, and steampunk, each daring design offers you the opportunity to unleash your own creativity as you add your choice of stylish color. The accompanying text delves into the history and ethos of each genre and explores the rich and fascinating symbolism behind individual elements used in every spectacular piece.

Beautiful and distinctive, Immortal Ink will celebrate an art form that has captivated us for generations.

Great coloring options and learning opportunity! Immortal Ink covers popular tattoo styles and describes the meaning behind some of the iconic symbols used. Below is an example of how each tattoo coloring artwork is presented. One page is the explanation (in this case, Americana style) and then the artwork on the opposing page.


I was surprised at the quality of the paper used. It is cardstock and the thickest coloring book paper I've encountered. The book is smaller than most adult coloring books, but with tattoo art, this doesn't cause an issue with details. Immortal Ink has simple and complex coloring pages. So any age can enjoy.



If you enjoy coloring and learning, then try this one out!

5 "Tattooed" Sheep





SharonS

About the Illustrators
Tania Maia is a Brazilian fashion designer and graduate from Santa Marcelina University in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She left the fashion profession to become a full-time tattooist in 2014. She has participated three times in the New York Empire State Tattoo Expo in New York City and has traveled around the world as a guest artist in different studios. In January 2018 she opened her own studio, Forasteiros Ink, in Lima, Peru. She teaches a successful online course in digital tattoo design, specializing in blackwork.
     
El Rose began tattooing professionally in 2016. Her style is illustrative blackwork, with delicate linework and lots of stippling. El creates most of her tattoos freehand, drawing them directly onto the skin rather than using a stencil and using the contours of the body to influence the design.

François Gautier is a French artist who has a passion for creation in all forms. After studying in the applied arts, product design and architecture sectors, he set up a workshop to experiment in illustration, design, sculpture, and glasswork. He now focuses on illustration, which he views as his favorite means of expression. He is the creator of three other coloring books: Dark Art (2021), Dimensions (2022), and the forthcoming Dark Art Gothica.