Cover Reveal: Madness Solver in Wonderland by E.E. Rawls

Hullo, friends! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? My first year of grad school was hectic, and I’m still working on getting out of my school brain and into my summer brain! Look forward to some more posts and updates soon, but today, I’m excited to bring you the cover reveal for a new book by E.E. Rawls.

Without further ado, the cover!

Book Blurb:

Teenage Madnes Hatter wants more to life than what his island hometown has to offer—and he definitely doesn’t want a boring future in hat-making, like his parents. But he sure doesn’t expect a well-dressed cat named Cheshire to suddenly pop into his life and make everything worse—giving him the power of the Madness Solver and making him the guardian and peacekeeper between Wonderland and Earth.

What the heck? When he said he wanted more to life, this wasn’t what he meant! Now, he’s the only one who can see Wonderland creatures as they walk the streets, and when there’s trouble, it’s his job to solve it. His friends, Alice and Harrey, think he’s going crazy.

But when a problem arises with the portals linking Wonderland to Earth, an old mystery is brought to light—the case of the death of the previous Madness Solver. Will Madnes meet the same fate, with the guardian power sapping away at his life? Wonderland’s ruler, the Red King, has cast a dangerous spell, and an ancient evil is rising. Madnes may not have long to save his friends and both worlds before it’s too late…

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | GOODREADS

The Book Release Tour begins June 1st! If you would like to help promote this book on your social media or blog, please sign up HERE.

Author Bio:

The product of a traveling family, who even lived in Italy for 6 years, Rawls loves to explore the unknown, whether it be in a forest, inside a forgotten castle, or within the pages of a book. She runs on coffee, cuddly cats and the beauty of nature to keep the story wheels of her mind turning as she crafts tales that will both entertain and inspire, creating worlds one can explore and quickly become lost within. Beware, you might not find your way back out again. Visit her online at:

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

Isn’t that cover gorgeous? I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to read this book! Let me know in the comments how you’re doing; I’d love to get caught up with you guys!

Cover Reveal: Come Marching Home by Hazel West

Hullo, friends! I have posted absolutely nothing since school started back up, but I’m back today with a cover reveal post. What’s even more exciting: this is a cover that I designed! Working with Hazel on this cover was really fun, and I’m excited about this cover reveal and book release.

Also, make sure to check the end of this post for information about getting pre-order goodies!

Let’s get on with the cover reveal!

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Here it is!

Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Ko-fi

Amazon

Come Marching Home is releasing October 13th! (EEK!) And here’s the blurb:

 

Pre-Order Info:

If you pre-order Come Marching Home or just order a copy of it by the end of October
(extending because the paperback won’t be available for preorder) You can email the receipt of
your purchase to sirwilliamssquire@gmail.com with your address and Hazel will send you a
goodie pack!

 

I am so excited to get to read this story! Isn’t that sticker adorable?? Are you as excited about this book as I am? Comment down below with your thoughts!

Tattered Slippers: The Midnight Show by Sarah Pennington

Hello, everyone! Today I’m back with another book review as part of the Tattered Slippers release tour! Today I have the opportunity to review The Midnight Show by Sarah Pennington. Over the summer, I was able to read Sarah’s other two published books, Mechanical Heart and Blood in the Snow, and let me tell you, they are AMAZING! I certainly had high expectations for this book, and it did not disappoint.

But I’m getting ahead of myself! To the review!

Description

This mystery is the case of his dreams — and her nightmares.

By day, Dayo Temitrope is a swinging singer, an up-and-coming star with a shining career ahead of her. By night, she’s . . . well, she’s not sure, but whatever she does leaves her every morning with sore feet and worn-out shoes. And after six months, she’s had enough.

Enter Bastian Dennell, a private investigator just trying to get by. When Dayo hires him to find out where she goes at night, he’s sure it’s his big break: his chance to establish himself and get the funds to pay off his family’s debt. Plus, he gets to work with his favorite singer, even if she isn’t exactly what he expected. What could be better?

But first he has to solve the case — which means navigating a tangled web of strange dreams, fair folk schemes, and show business. It will take all Bastian’s wits, along with the shining talents of Dayo herself, to figure out the truth before the curtains close for good on Dayo’s career.

A jazz-age-inspired twist on the Twelve Dancing Princesses from the author of Blood in the Snow.

Amazon | Goodreads

 

Author Bio

Sarah Pennington has been writing stories since before she actually knew how to write, and she has no intention of stopping anytime soon. She is perpetually in the middle of writing at least one or two novels, most of which are in the fantasy and fairy tale retelling genres. Sarah’s first published work, Blood in the Snow, received a perfect score and Special Unicorn status in Rooglewood Press’s Five Poisoned Apples contest. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys knitting, photography, and trying to conquer her massive to-be-read list.

Website | Blog | Second Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Amazon

 

My Review

Holy COW I loved this book!!! Where to start…

First off, the characters in this book were awesome! Dayo and Bastian were so well-developed, and I loved the interactions between them. They both have their own motivations, flaws, and strengths, and they really came to life. I also absolutely loved how their relationship shifted through the book, especially from working-relationship to friendship, and I absolutely ship them. 😀

And then there was the worldbuilding. Maybe I haven’t read enough books set in the Jazz Age, but this one was so fun! Everything, from the dialect used to the clothing descriptions to just the general liveliness, really came alive and was so easy to picture. One of my favorite aspects of Sarah’s books is the amount of detail she adds to her settings, and this one was wonderfully done.

And as a retelling, I absolutely loved the subtlety in this book! It’s very clearly a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, but it also develops its own storyline that differentiates from the original (even just by changing the setting!). An issue I’ve had when reading other Twelve Dancing Princesses retellings is that they try to focus on all twelve princesses. That’s a lot of main characters to keep track of, especially for me and my short attention span! So I absolutely loved that this book really only focus on Dayo and a few of the other girls, and it was extremely well done.

Overall, this is definitely one of my favorite books that I’ve read this year, and I HIGHLY recommend it! Go read it! 😀

 

Tour Info

Check out this link to see the full schedule AND enter the Tattered Slippers giveaway! Make sure you check out all the other posts for this book (including the author’s post here) and check out the other retellings that were in this release.

 

Have you read The Midnight Show? If not, you totally should! I plan to be back on my normal schedule next week (hopefully), so I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Tattered Slippers: The Dancing Princess by Kendra E. Ardnek

Hullo, friends! It seems that every time I post something exciting (like the cover reveal a few weeks ago), I can’t quite figure out what to post afterward! Luckily, this week, the Tattered Slippers release tour is going on! I’m so excited to have the chance to review not one, but two of these Twelve Dancing Princess retellings. Today I’m reviewing The Dancing Princess (A Twist of Adventure #5) by Kendra E. Ardnek. So let’s get on to the review!

Description

Plagued by nightmares for the last few years, Katrine only wanted answers. Instead, she finds herself trapped in a tangled web of melody as she tries to free a cursed king and his brothers. No one deserves existence such as theirs, but dare she risk her very life?

Amazon | Goodreads

 

My Review

This book was so much fun to read! It was fast-paced, the characters were intriguing, and the plot was intense. I’ve read a few of the other Twist of Adventure books (which you don’t have to do to read this one!), and I always enjoy the spin Kendra puts on the original fairytales. I especially enjoyed the magic system in this one.

I’d say my one complaint was that it was too short! I wish it had been longer so there could be more time to flesh out the characters and their storylines and to expand the plot. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this little book, and I highly recommend it to any fantasy fans out there!

 

Tour Info

There are so many awesome books to go for this tour! I’ll be posting again later this week, but check out this link to see the full schedule AND enter the Tattered Slippers giveaway! Make sure you check out all the other posts and keep a lookout this week for the other books.

 

Are you participating in the tour, and have you read this book? Comment down below to let me know your thoughts!

Twinepathy’s Birthday + Forcefield Cover Reveal Signups (!!!)

Hullo, friends! I am so excited about today’s post, but first I must say… It isn’t Tuesday! I have deviated from my new blogging schedule (both accidentally and on purpose) since today is the 4 year anniversary of Twinepathy‘s release. It’s hard to believe it’s been so long! And I’m very excited to announce that IDIA #3 is on it’s way! While I don’t have a release date set quite yet, I am planning a cover reveal for August 4th, and I need your help! There’s a sign-up at the bottom of this post, so if you’re interested in helping out with the cover reveal, please fill out the form.

As for Twinepathy‘s birthday, I give you all virtual cake! 😀

IDIA #3 Current Status:

Name: Forcefield

Pages: 59

Words: 16,599

Cheesy puns: at least 2 (so far…)

Sign-up link: https://forms.gle/XWxZZ6eG85gKpsge7

 

Are you excited about the cover reveal? I know I am! Can you believe it’s been four years since Twinepathy was released? Comment below with any questions, comments, or concerns, and make sure to share this form with anyone who may want to participate! I hope you’re all as excited about book 3 as I am! 😀 

Blog Tour: Beast of the Night by E.E. Rawls Review

Hullo, friends! Today I am participating in the release tour for Beast of the Night by E.E. Rawls. This book just came out, and it’s a fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Without further ado, let’s get into the post!

Book Blurb:

A one-armed, practical girl. A rude lord hiding a curse. A dark secret with the town’s fate hanging in the balance.

A Beauty and the Beast retelling with an Austrian twist and a new breed of curse.

When Rosen moves to Freudendorf—a secluded town in the Alps—with her dad, he vanishes on her and the debt collectors come to call: taking her into slave labor. As if that wasn’t bad enough, just when all her hopes and dreams for a normal life are ruined, a frail zombie-like butler purchases her: taking her to serve Lord Varick, who currently resides in the forbidden castle near the salt mines, where the Beast of the Night is said to roam.

Varick is handsome, with an attitude that’s the exact opposite. The servants aren’t human, and the castle itself is an ugly wreck. But if Rosen cannot solve the dark secret spreading beneath Freudendorf, and the curse holding Varick’s cold heart, then both they and the town will fall prey to a waiting evil—and worse, even lose their memory of it.

Book Purchase Links:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | GOODREADS

 

Author Bio:

E.E. Rawls is the product of a traveling family, who even lived in Italy for 6 years. She loves exploring the unknown, whether it be in a forest, inside a forgotten castle, or within the pages of a book.

She runs on coffee, cuddly cats and the beauty of nature to keep the story wheels of her mind running, as she writes tales that will both entertain and inspire others, giving them worlds they can explore and become lost within.

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

 

My Review:

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

There may be minor spoilers in this review, so be forewarned if you want to go into this book not knowing anything. No major plot points will be spoiled!

What I liked: The character building in this book was wonderful! I felt like I really got to know Rosen, and I loved that she didn’t let missing an arm stop her throughout the story. As someone who’s been reading and writing a lot about disabilities lately, it was so awesome to read a story where the disability wasn’t a major plot point. It was handled really well without being a main focal point, and I highly applaud the author for that!

The plot was done really nicely, too, and I especially loved some of the twists close to the end. I really liked the twists on the classic Beauty and Beast story, especially on the curse.

And can I take a second to appreciate how awesome the Austrian setting is?? The cultural aspects that came up were awesome, and the setting itself was beautifully described. I think it was a great choice and it played into the story really well.

What I didn’t: Personally, I’ve never been a fan of books with vampires, and while technically this book doesn’t have any vampires per se… they’re basically vampires. That wasn’t something I was really expecting, but if that’s not something that bothers you, then go for it! My only other issue was a few unanswered questions I had, but that could be because the author may be planning a sequel.

Overall, if this sounds like a book you’d be interested in reading, you should definitely check it out!

 

Blog Release Tour Schedule:

June 11^th

https://rawlse.wordpress.com/2020/06/01/it-has-finally-r…y-tale-retelling/ ‎-opening

http://www.jenelleschmidt.com -review

12th

https://bookslesstravelledreviews.wordpress.com -review & spotlight

13th

https://elizabethdragina.files.wordpress.com -review

15th

https://www.hsjwilliams.com/blog -spotlight

16th

http://www.djedwardson.com -spotlight

17th

https://www.rachaelritchey.com -review

18th

http://www.hlburkeauthor.com/blog -spotlight

19th

https://abigailfalangaauthor.wordpress.com -review & spotlight

Sarah Ashwood  -spotlight

20th

https://twitter.com/justviews -spotlight

21st

http://www.kylerobertshultz.com -spotlight

22nd

https://christinesmithauthor.com/ -review

http://www.jlmbewe.com/blog/ -review

23rd

https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com -spotlight

24th

https://triciamingerink.com/blog/ -spotlight

25th

https://theworldofthewriter.wordpress.com -review

26th

https://wordsofhannahkay.wordpress.com/  -review & spotlight

https://rawlse.wordpress.com/blog/ -closing

Blog Tour: The New Emperor’s Concerto by Hazel West

Hey guys! So today (a day late… oops!) I’m participating in the blog tour for Hazel West’s new book, The New Emperor’s Concerto. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Hazel on some projects lately, and I’m excited to read more of her writing! You can check out the full official tour schedule here. Also, her short story prequel for this book, The Butler’s Story, is free on Amazon this week during the tour, so go check it out! Also, make sure and go to the bottom of this post to read an excerpt from the book. Now, on to the post!

Synopsis

The year is 2228 and the world is on the cusp of World War Four. London is rife with anarchists and secret plots. It looks like dark days are coming for the British Empire. Darker than any that have been seen for decades.

But luckily England has some help.

Sir Lysander is the King’s Righteous Man-and all that entails. He’s the king’s right hand, and a red one at that, the man who stands in the shadows and does what needs to be done for the protection of his country.

Eidolon is a phantom, the anarchist group Apophis’s top retrieval expert. They need something, he gets it, no matter the consequence. Even though he’d secretly prefer to be in his flat with his cat and a good book.

They’ve been butting heads for a while, but in times like these loyalties are known to change and right now, any help is good help. They just didn’t count on being the only thing standing between England and the start of the next world war.

Goodreads | Amazon Kindle | Amazon Paperback | Smashwords

 

Author Bio

Hailing from Purgatory (aka, Florida) Hazel is an indie author, book wyrm, and coffee connoisseur. She typically enjoys writing books with an unconventional flair, probably with a bit of folklore and mythology, most definitely with a lot of siblings or brothers-in-arms. When she’s not writing, she manages an Etsy shop, drinks a lot of coffee, listens to music, haunts conventions, or just holes up like an eldritch horror and binges her favorite shows—for inspiration. If you meet this rare creature on the street, she has been known to respond to the offer of coffee and old bookstores. But it’s probably best you try to contact her online first.

Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Ko-fi*

*Anyone who donates or subscribes to Hazel’s ko-fi this month will be able to see an exclusive sneak peek of the next book in the Concerto universe, Requiem in Red.

 

Live Chat 

Hazel and Claire are doing a live Q&A on Thursday (tomorrow!) so be sure and check that out on Instagram!

 

Instagram Photo Challenge and Giveaway

Speaking of Instagram, there’s also an Instagram Photo Challenge going on!

The winner gets a signed copy of the book or the awesome swag pack below! Along with that, you can also enter this giveaway to win the same goodies.

Tour Schedule

Monday 4/20

Tour Intro – Hazel’s Blog

Book Spotlight at Claire Banschbach’s blog

Tuesday 4/21

The New Emperor’s Concerto as Gifs- Here at Character Purgatory

Book Spotlight & Author Interview at Not Unworthy

Book Spotlight at The World of the Writer

Wednesday 4/22

Book Review at The Page Dreamer

Author Interview at M. H. Elrich’s blog

Thursday 4/23

 Book Review at Worlds of Fiction

Book Spotlight at E. E. Rawls Blog

Author Interview at The Labyrinth

Instagram Live Q&A with Claire B. at 8:30 pm EST

Friday 4/24

Book Spotlight at The Labyrinth

Author Interview at Worlds of Fiction

Book Spotlight at E. Paige Burks’s blog

 

Excerpt

This was one of the labs, he saw instantly as he entered, long tables filled with glass and metal, beakers and vials, and things he couldn’t guess the use for. He could see some glass on the floor, but no sign of life.

He stalked into the shadowed room, his dark clothing keeping him hidden save for the metallic glint of the king’s crest he wore on the breast of his waistcoat, telling of his occupation. That, however, was enough for the second man in the room.

A ghostly shape appeared out of the shadows with a roundhouse kick, slamming the gun out of Lysander’s hand.

He leapt back, regaining his footing, and blocked the next punch thrown at him with his forearm, before kicking out and gaining a grunt as his heavy boot connected with his opponent’s hip.

“Intriguing,” Lysander said mockingly. “I was told you were a ghost and had begun to believe it myself with all the times you’ve evaded me in the past. But it seems you are only a man of flesh and blood like all of us. What a disappointment.”

A wicked smirk appeared on the face of the other man as he ducked backwards into a beam of ambient light from a skylight. A shock of unnaturally white hair fell over his pale eyes, giving him an otherworldly look despite his obvious corporeality. He gave a small bow.

“What a shame that I must disappoint one such as yourself,” he said. “I must say I am honored that King John would send his very own lapdog after me.”

Lysander lunged forward, and the other man skipped aside as if made of the shadows that crowded the majority of the room. Lysander stumbled into a metal table in his haste, hearing lab equipment crash to the floor. He cursed, wishing he’d had the foresight to bring his night vision gear. He heard a chuckle and spun around to see his opponent standing on another table, a gun in his hand. Lysander marveled at how he had gotten up there so fast and seemingly without any trouble. Perhaps he was a ghost after all.

“So sorry to cut this short, old chap, but I really must be going,” the pale man said and reached up.

Lysander dove for his gun on the floor, only to hear a shot ring out, and send his own weapon skittering across the floor. He leapt back and spun around, seeing the other man grabbing hold of a line with an automatic winch. He saluted Lysander as he was lifting off the floor and through the broken skylight.

So don’t forget to go check out the other posts in the tour, the giveaways, and of course the book itself! Have a wonderful day my friends, and if you’ve made it this far down the post, I offer you virtual cake as well!

Cover Reveal: Underground by Ashley Bogner

Hey guys! I’m so excited today to bring you the cover reveal for a book I’ve long been awaiting: Underground, book 2 in the Reintegration Trilogy! I reviewed the first book, Reintegration, a while back, and I really enjoyed it. Then I found out that Ashley Bogner was having the cover reveal for book 2… and here we are!

First, a little about the book:

Underground (Reintegration 2) by Ashley Bogner

Release Date:
August 24, 2019

Summary:
Katherine Holliday has left behind her life in the Federation. She is ready to start a new one with Matthew and the Intolerants. But it isn’t long before the Underground leaders send her on a mission that takes her back to the Federation. Katherine finds herself in City 1, with the help of new and unexpected allies, in an attempt to locate information that could help the Underground escape the Council’s battle plan called Project Endgame.

But the Federation has changed and the Council is more desperate than ever. While back in the Federation, Katherine uncovers a tangled web of deception and manipulation. Haynes isn’t the only one with secrets, and the question of who to trust becomes harder to answer.

And here’s the cover…

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Guys, you will not believe how excited I am about this book! Finally, here’s a little bit about the author. Be sure to check out the first book, Reintegration, too!

Ashley Bogner is a nerdy author who lives in Utah with her nerdy theologian husband who may possibly own more books than she does. She is a homeschool graduate who wrote her first “novel” when she was in fifth grade (which was really a thirty-page story about talking cats she is grateful no one will ever read). It’s a rare occasion when she isn’t writing—she works as a technical writer at her day job and writes novels in her spare time.

In 2017, she published her debut novel, Reintegration, a dystopian novel for teens. The sequel, Underground, is scheduled for release later in 2019. Ashley writes young adult science fiction and fantasy novels that explore themes of sacrifice, redemption, and hope. Ashley may or may not be the stereotypical author who loves fancy coffee drinks, chocolate, and lengthy chats about her favorite books.

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

Let’s talk! Have you read Reintegration? If not, do you plan to now? What do you think of the cover? Comment below with your thoughts! 

A Christmas Short Story and Release Tour Sign-Ups!

Hello, everyone! I apologize once again for disappearing for so long. It seems like just yesterday that the school semester started, and now it’s pretty much over. Where did the time go???

But in spite of the craziness of this semester, I’ve still been able to get some things done… like getting my Christmas short story, The Villain Who Saved Christmas, ready for publishing! There’s still a lot left to do, but I’ve set an official release date: December 24th. That’s only 10 days away, but I can’t wait for it to be out!

I posted about this story when I did the 777 Challenge, and I’m very excited to finally be sharing this with all of you. So here are the cover and the blurb!

This may be Becca’s last Christmas, and all she wants is a white Christmas. But with no snow in the forecast, her brother and sister know that might not happen… until they get the idea to track down supervillain Hypothermia for help. With his ice powers, he could create a white Christmas for their sister. There’s only one problem—they have to find him first. Can they discover where Hypothermia is hiding and convince him to make it snow?

So here’s where I need your help…

I’m not planning on doing official dates for a release tour, because I know how crazy this time of year is for everyone, and how last minute this is! Instead, if you want to help out, you can post whenever you want. The book will be releasing on December 24th, and I’m looking to have as many reviews then as I can, so feel free to share this post or the form below with anyone who may be interested!

Also, for the release, Twinepathy will be free on Kindle from December 24th-28th! If you haven’t gotten a copy of Twinepathy yet, that’s the perfect time to get a copy on Kindle.

I’m so excited to be sharing this book with all of you! Are you excited? Share any thoughts, comments, and questions you have below!

Finding Christmas Joy Review (And Release!)

Hullo, everyone! So today is the last day to submit your work for the fan art contest! I plan to announce the winners next Monday, so stay tuned for that! In the meantime, here’s a review of a fun short story that was released today!

My Review

This story was such a sweet short story!! The story didn’t drag like a lot of Christmas-themed stories seem to do, and it had such a great message. It felt just like a Hallmark movie (which is actually something the author herself mentioned in an Author’s Note and her review), except with a better theme to it: God provides true change, not the “spirit of Christmas.”

The descriptions were so vivid and I felt like I could picture everything so well in my head. I also loved the change of heart, although most of the characters other than Melonie weren’t very developed. I do think that a chance was missed to make give Patricia a little more development when she was talking to Melonie (view spoiler), but it was a short story, so I didn’t mind too much.

Overall, a fun, encouraging read, and a nice bit of Christmas in the middle of the summer!

I received a free copy for review from the author. However, I wasn’t required to provide positive feedback.

If you want to find out more about the release, check out Amanda Tero’s post on her blog, and if you’re interested in picking up the book for only $0.99 (e-book edition), check it out on Amazon!