Synopsis

 

Rose Hawthorne: The Irish Wanders follows Rose, a celebrity author in her early seventies, who dislikes the limelight but does like Hermes scarfs, round violet sunglasses, and old colonial hotels. One day, she receives a letter asking her to visit Newgrange, Ireland and discover something that has been hidden there for a thousand years.

She asks her granddaughter Samantha to accompany her, but she hadn’t expected her to continually post photos of their progress on her Instagram account. An encounter with an old love and an unexpected discovery leads Rose deeper into the past, where she finds she must make a hard decision about her future.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for free via Kindle Unlimited 

 

 

Excerpt

 

Sam glanced at her grandmother’s well-lined face. It was flushed and her green eyes were shining. It was nice to see her so excited and not worrying about books or people following her around Toronto.

Rose turned to her large floral Louis Vuitton bag, snapped it open and reached her hand inside.

“Let’s take a look, shall we.”

“This is so exciting!” said Sam peering inside.

“KNOCK. KNOCK.”

Sam gasped involuntarily, turned her gaze away from the bag and looked to her left. The guide from Newgrange was standing under an umbrella and banging on her window. What did she want? Had she realized that her grandmother had taken something?

It was a good thing the windows had fogged up a little; the woman couldn’t see inside very well.

Rose snapped her bag shut, and Sam carefully rubbed her hand on the steamy window. A woman’s grim ruddy face and large nose pushed up against the window.

Sam rolled down the window a little. “Um, what can I do for you?” she asked stiffly, feeling the first stirring of panic start to bubble up down in the pit of her stomach.

“I was wondering if I could have a word with you,” the woman said.

Sam gulped and glanced at Rose, who gave her a look that said it wasn’t time to explain anything.

“About what?” Sam said to the woman cautiously.

“It’s about something that was found in Newgrange. I’m glad I caught you before you drove off.”

 

 

About the Author

 

Shannon O’Gorman is a retired ESL teacher who has recently completed her second walk on the Camino de Santiago. She is currently training her dog to accompany her on a Camino one day.  She lives in California with her husband and daughter when the university is not in session.

 

Website * Instagram * Facebook

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Set in the shadows of the Spanish Inquisition, this is the coming-of-age story of José Alfaro, a young refugee who forms a powerful bond with the mysterious Pirate Captain Toledano. It’s also a dynamic pirate adventure on the high seas, with hand-to-hand combat and ship-to-ship action, and the powerful story of a dark time in history when people took different paths to survive.

José Alfaro is a cocky, rambunctious teen in the 16th-century colony of Santo Domingo, pulling pranks and dodging the authorities. One day, José’s mischief lands him in serious trouble.

Hoping for a fresh start, he stows away on the Laqish, not knowing that it’s a pirate ship. From his hiding place, he watches the pirates divide their loot and plan their attacks on long days at sea. He also takes note of the respect they have for their captain, the intimidating Toledano.

But the captain has a secret―like José, he is a Jew. For him, piracy is not about the gold; it has a different purpose.

Under the tutelage of the ship’s quartermaster, José learns the intricacies of pirate life. But when he can, the captain finds ways to pull José away from the crew, to teach him about his ancestors.

 

 

Amazon * Barnes&Noble * IndieBound

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Review

 

Review by Nora

 

A one-of-a-kind graphic novel where the fight for justice never takes a backseat. 

‘Jose and the Pirate Captain Toledano,’ by Arnon Z. Shore is not only a graphic novel, but a full world that readers of all ages can escape into for fun and adventure.

The story centers around Jose, a teenage boy living in the colony of San Domingo with his father. Though his father is the treasurer of the colony, he is immediately arrested when the Spanish Inquisition discovers that he and Jose are Jewish. Only barely managing to escape arrest himself, Jose makes it onto a ship where he stows away.

Once he is found, he quickly discovers that the ship is, in fact, a pirate ship belonging to a man called Captain Toledano. Toledano rescues Jose and eventually takes him under his wing. After telling Jose that he, too is Jewish, Toledano begins trying to teach the boy the ways of their shared faith, although Jose is not sure that he is interested.

Of course, Jose’s main interest is in saving his father from prison, and Toledano wishes to punish the head of the Inquisition in San Domingo, a man who caused him great pain in the past.

Although it deals with some heavy themes, ‘Jose and the Pirate Captain Toledano,’ is an entertaining and fun story for all ages. The historical aspects of the story are educational, without weighing down the swashbuckling adventure aspects.

This was a five-star graphic novel for me just based off of the story, but the art definitely adds to the overall appeal. Joshua Edelglass creates a stunning visual landscape that makes the reader feel as if they have been pulled into the story and makes you feel regret when it ends.

A wonderful adventure that just keeps on giving, ‘Jose and the Pirate Captain Toledano,’ is a work of art!

 

 

Read an excerpt here

 

 

About the Author

 

Arnon Z. Shorr is an author, screenwriter, and filmmaker of character-driven adventures and thrillers, where heroes grapple with the extraordinary, and in doing so, learn important truths about themselves.

Arnon spent most of his childhood between worlds: a Hebrew speaker in America, a private school kid in a rented two-bedroom apartment. Whenever he’d set foot in one world, his other foot would betray him as different. For that reason, he tells stories that embrace the peculiar, where encounters with the unexpected reveal who we are.

 

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About the Illustrator

 

Joshua Edelglass is a freelance illustrator from Massachusetts. He is also the Assistant Director of Camp Ramah New England. At Brown University, Josh wrote and drew the political cartoon, WorldView for The Brown Daily Herald. That experience gave him the bug for cartooning, a passion that has never left him.

Josh’s work has appeared in a variety of exhibitions, including Pow! Jewish Comics Art and Influence that ran at the Brooklyn Jewish Art Museum in Spring 2018. Josh was included in the Jewish Comix Anthology, published in 2014 by Alternative History Press. Josh was also included in SCI: The Jewish Comics Anthology vol. 2, which was published in the fall of 2018.

 

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Giveaway

 

There is a tour-wide giveaway for 2 print copies of this bookThis giveaway is for 2 print copies One for each of the 2 winners.

This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on July 1, 2022 midnight, pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Seventeen-year-old Maggie Warshauer wants is to leave her stifled life in Filliyaw Creek behind and head to college. An outsider at school and uncertain of her own sexual identity, Maggie longs to start again somewhere new. Inspired by a long-dead biologist’s journals, scientific-minded Maggie spends her days sailing, exploring, and categorizing life around her. But when her beautiful cousin Charisse disappears on prom night and is found dead at the marina where Maggie lives, Maggie’s plans begin to unravel. A mysterious stranger begins stalking her and a local detective on the case leaves her struggling to hold on to her secrets—her father’s alcoholism, her mother’s abandonment, a boyfriend who may or may not exist, and her own actions on prom night. As the detective gets closer to finding the truth, and Maggie’s stalker is closing in, she is forced to come to terms with the one person who might hold the answers—herself.

 

 

Regal House * Amazon * Powells

 

 

Excerpt

 

From Chapter 9

 

“What did you tell him?” Nat’s voice, never much of an instrument anyway, nearly disappeared in the slap of backwash against the dock. Out here at the end of B dock, I thought it would be quieter, but it’s never altogether quiet around water. I pressed the phone up tight against my ear.

“The same stuff.” I watched a heron lift one foot slowly and set it down slowly. “We were at OT, she showed up drunk. I said something about her dress being ripped.”

“He already knew about that. Hulky told him.”

Huh. “Well, Hulky couldn’t hardly keep inside his skin, looking at her.” I heard my own voice say that, like some of Dad’s old hillbilly talk.

The heron had its head pulled back as though it was going to stab something, then eased down and shook its neck-feathers. Nat didn’t say anything. I watched the bird and waited on him. First one to speak loses, so says Dad.

I waited some more, but I must have had more questions than Nat. “So what did you tell him?”

“Yeah, well, all that,” he said. “She was crying and messed up.”

“Did you tell him about what she did?”

“No.”

“Well, he must have known something, cause he was asking me about if we were close.”

“I told him Charisse followed you.” Nat was almost whining. “That’s all.”

“Oh, great.” I could see Vann putting that down in his little book.

“I just told him the truth. You took off and after a while she went the same direction, toward the lake. I never said anything before.”

“Why’d you now?”

“He was saying we looked good for it, Hulky and me. We were the last ones with her, the last ones to see her.” He was talking so fast I could hardly understand him. “We didn’t do anything to her. You know that. We shouldn’t look good for it. Anyway, Hulky probably told him too.”

I remember Vann asking, had I seen anyone when I was walking home.

Clouds underlit by lightning. Wisteria smell. Below the old plantation house, down by the fallen-in cabins, something white had come out of the woods and flashed past me. Big. I heard the leaves scatter, the drumbeat of hooves. It was one of the albino deer that show up around the lake—I realized that, even though my heart was hammering and I stopped on the path and listened before moving as quickly as I could down the hill to the lake, the wind banshee-howling in the shrouds of the sailboats.

“Anyway, they found her in your backyard.”

The great blue had stalked deeper into the water off the point. Now he was cocked like a gun—one foot up—then fast-fast he struck and brought up a good-sized fish.

“Some friend you are,” I said.

 

 

Review

 

This coming-of-age novel is coupled with an unreliable narrator, Maggie. Maggie is trying to figure out who she is in this small town with few friends and an obsession with nature fueled by a book by Carl Linaeus that details botany and insects and other parts of nature. Her living situation isn’t the best as her mother ran off when she was younger and she lives with her father on a houseboat. While this sounds like a wonderful life, plus it is a plus if she wants to study marine biology, things aren’t well as they could be with a father that tends to drink and become maudlin pining for his wife. But despite the dysfunctional family, it seems to work for them.

There is a mystery as to who killed Maggie’s cousin Charisse. The search and anticipation of waiting for the killer to be revealed is actually a twist in the tale at the very end and what you thought you knew to be true is not. While I may not have come to the same conclusion, I had my suspicions about how the story might end. There were multiple suspects, known and unknown, and the final revelation was not quite what I expected.

Maggie has a lot of angst for a teenager, but perhaps that is not surprising because she is a teenager and her actions and reactions were typical for someone of her age. She didn’t mind being alone but at the same time, she longed for friendships and perhaps even a boyfriend. Hopefully, things will change once she gets to college and into a larger town with more people. She is the kind of character that you want to see good things happen to in the future.

The story does flip around a lot and there are some chapters that were focused on nature or her adventures but didn’t do much to move the plot along. Perhaps they were designed to give us more insight into Maggie? I did find myself skipping through those chapters since I didn’t feel it added to the story but detracted it in a way. I also don’t think I would consider this a thriller. I do think it might be more literary fiction delving into symbolism for Maggie and her life.

Overall, it was an interesting read and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Valerie Nieman’s In the Lonely Backwater is being called “not only a page-turning thriller but also a complex psychological portrait of a young woman dealing with guilt, betrayal, and secrecy.” To the Bones, her folk horror/mystery about coal country, was a finalist for the 2020 Manly Wade Wellman Award, joining three earlier novels, a short fiction collection, and three poetry books. She has published widely in journals and has held state and NEA fellowships. She graduated from West Virginia University and Queens University of Charlotte and retired as a creative writing professor at NC A&T State University.

 

Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Website * Goodreads

 

 

Synopsis

 

A new quirky young adult horror fantasy novel from the author of James Rhyder and the Cave of Dreams.

Sixteen-year-old Chase Addams just had the worst birthday of his entire life. He was terrorized at school by a death god, spent the evening in a haunted house, and even faced off with an urban legend in the flesh. If this wasn’t enough to ruin the average person’s day, it ended with his best friend and girlfriend, Asra Saitou, being dragged off into the abyss by a mysterious arm wreathed in flames. Chase soon discovers this kidnapping is part of a hidden war between the lands of the living and the lands of the dead. What’s even worse for the self-described uncoordinated, sarcastic, smartass is everyone thinks he’s something called a guardian —one of the heroic spirits who are summoned to not only fight in the war but keep the conflict from spilling out into the different realms of existence.

Now, Chase must come to terms with what it means to be a hero, avoid the terrors prowling in the lands of the dead, maneuver the politics of an interplanar war, and of course try to find Asra. All of this before a lurking darkness consumes both worlds. However, in this cosmic conflict, nothing is quite what it seems.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

Review

 

This book is billed as a quirky YA horror fantasy novel and I would have to agree 100%.

The town of Witchland harbors all sorts of creatures and no one seems to think twice about it until Chase’s girlfriend is kidnapped and he discovers he may be a Guardian which helps protect these creatures (or some of them anyway) and he sets off on a quest to find his girlfriend and rescue her from whoever is holding her. He runs into all sorts of creatures/beings on this journey and learns a lot about himself in the process.

I chuckled at different scenes as he is learning how to use his powers, especially his new “weapon” which is a ring. I found that the various creatures/beings that they encountered could be quite frightening or your new best friend.

This book is not short on action either and for only being 16, Chase manages to get himself out of many scrapes that could have turned out worse for him.

While billed as horror, I didn’t find it frightening (like Stephen King) but I can see how it has a horror twist to the story with the different species Chase encounters and what they might do to him.

While not my normal genre, this was a fun read and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

David Brooks is the author of over 100 middle-grade and young adult fantasy novels, only two of which have been written and released. That is to say, he is an author with an entire notebook bursting with ideas, and never enough time to get everything written. James Rhyder and the Cave of Dreams was his debut novel.

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Scarlet’s life is pretty average. Overly protective mom. Great friends. Cute boy she’s interested in. And a father she’s never known – until she does.

When the FBI shows up at Scarlet’s door, she is shocked to learn her father is infamous serial killer Jeffrey Robert Lake. And now, he’s dying and will only give the names and locations of his remaining victims to the one person, the daughter he hasn’t seen since she was a baby.

Scarlet’s mother has tried to protect her from Lake’s horrifying legacy, but there’s no way they can escape the media firestorm that erupts when they come out of hiding. Or the people who blame Scarlet for her father’s choices. When trying to do the right thing puts her life in danger, Scarlet is faced with a choice – go back into hiding or make the world see her as more than a monster’s daughter.

Kate McLaughlin’s Daughter is a novel about trying right deadly choices that were never yours to begin with.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Bookshop

 

 

Review

 

What would you do if you found out you were the daughter of a serial killer? And how far would you go to help find the rest of his victims? That is what Scarlet is faced with when the truth is revealed.

This new YA book is told from the perspective of Scarlet, Jeffrey Lake’s daughter. Growing up she had no idea who she was and it isn’t until he is dying of cancer that the truth comes out. Her mother did a great job of protecting her, but maybe too good of a job since she is blindsided by the truth and it turns her life as she knew it upside down. To make things worse, he has told the FBI that if they bring his daughter to visit him, he will reveal more of the women that they didn’t find that he murdered. What a quandary for Scarlet, does she help bring peace to the families that don’t know what happened to their daughters, or does she continue her life such as it is?

This book reminded me of a series by another author that deals with how the families of serial killers are perceived by others. If you look at what we see in the media today, people are presumed guilty just by association and that isn’t fair to the innocent. However, the media likes to stir up controversy so this really isn’t anything new.

I was very surprised at how many times Scarlet and her friends would smoke pot and get high. I realize she has an anxiety disorder, but she does have medication for that. But by the end of the book, I wondered if the anxiety was caused by her mother and the lengths she went to in protecting Scarlet. And the fact that her mother could smell it on her and just let it slide was surprising considering she ran background checks on everyone that came into their lives.

This book made me think about how I would handle myself if placed in the same situation. Would I meet my father to quell the curiosity I have about him? Would I do this for the victim’s families to give them closure? It would not be an easy situation because you have to be on guard when dealing with a psychopath.

There is some information about the killings and what Jeffrey Lake did with these women that is a little hard to read, but sadly, is not uncommon when it comes to serial killers. There are some sick people in this world.

I felt that this was a somewhat realistic view of teen life and how people treat those that they have presumed to be guilty even if you were only 2 at the time. I admired Scarlet for wanting to bring the victims out and have people remember them for who they were, not just that they were a victim of her father’s.

We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Kate began her career as Kathryn Smith, writing best-selling, award-winning historical and paranormal romances. Then, needing a bit of a break from straight historicals, she became Kady Cross, author of The Steampunk Chronicles from Harlequin Teen. This award-winning series led to The Clockwork Agents — steampunk romances for Signet Eclipse under the name Kate Cross. Finally, a new career in Dark Fantasy led to The Immortal Empire series for Orbit, written as Kate Locke.

Regardless of what name she goes by, Kate loves stories that put character first and enjoys exploring every side of the people she creates — even if it makes them less likable.

An up-rooted Canadian, Kate lives in Connecticut with her husband, Steve, and their pride of cats. When not writing, she enjoys reading, movies, makeup, and poking around abandoned asylums.

 

Website * Twitter * Instagram

 

 

Synopsis

 

Everyone else in the tiny town of Enfield, Texas calls fall football season, but for the forty-three members of the Fighting Enfield Marching Band, it’s contest season. And for new saxophonist Anna James, it’s her first chance to prove herself as the great musician she’s trying hard to be.

When she’s assigned a duet with mellophone player Weston Ryan, the boy her small-minded town thinks of as nothing but trouble, she’s equal parts thrilled and intimidated. But as he helps her with the duet, and she sees the smile he seems to save just for her, she can’t help but feel like she’s helping him with something too.

After her strict parents find out she’s been secretly seeing him and keep them apart, together they learn what it truly means to fight for something they love. With the marching contest nearing, and the two falling hard for one another, the unthinkable happens, and Anna is left grappling for a way forward without Weston.

A heartbreaking novel about finding your first love and what happens when it’s over too soon. Ashley Schumacher’s Full Flight is about how first love shapes us—even after it’s gone.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Bookshop

 

 

Review

 

I could relate to this book like you wouldn’t believe! It may be 30+ years since I was in high school, but I was in the band and in a small Texas town and understood the dynamics of Friday night football, band competition, and small-town life.

Anna and Weston are destined to be together once they get past their hangups and controlling parents (at least on Anna’s side). However, these two are good for each other as they bring out the best in each other and push each other to strive for more than they thought they could achieve.

This novel encompassed many aspects of life from the teen perspective and I felt like these were spot on with what kids might experience in high school from friendship, bullying, pressure, and so much more. While the synopsis hints at what happens at the end, it still broke my heart and I admit to having a few tears running down my face. It was hard to imagine how I might have felt in the same situation.

I did feel like Anna’s parents were overbearing and while I know they were just trying to protect her, she also had given them no reason to go overboard with their judgments of Weston. It was a shame they took so long to get to know him because, in the end, that time wasn’t enough.

Make sure to have some tissue on hand for the last 15-20% of the book. You will need it.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

ASHLEY SCHUMACHER is a young adult author with a degree in creative writing from the University of North Texas. She lives in a small town with her antisocial but lovable husband and more books than is strictly necessary. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her belting Disney or Broadway songs, protecting her snacks from her greedy golden retriever, hand embroidering, or playing Mario Kart. Amelia Unabridged is her first novel. She lives in Dallas, Texas.

 

Website * Twitter * Instagram

 

 

Synopsis

 

A new quirky young adult horror fantasy novel from the author of James Rhyder and the Cave of Dreams.

Sixteen-year-old Chase Addams just had the worst birthday of his entire life. He was terrorized at school by a death god, spent the evening in a haunted house, and even faced off with an urban legend in the flesh. If this wasn’t enough to ruin the average person’s day, it ended with his best friend and girlfriend, Asra Saitou, being dragged off into the abyss by a mysterious arm wreathed in flames. Chase soon discovers this kidnapping is part of a hidden war between the lands of the living and the lands of the dead. What’s even worse for the self-described uncoordinated, sarcastic, smartass is everyone thinks he’s something called a guardian —one of the heroic spirits who are summoned to not only fight in the war but keep the conflict from spilling out into the different realms of existence.

Now, Chase must come to terms with what it means to be a hero, avoid the terrors prowling in the lands of the dead, maneuver the politics of an interplanar war, and of course try to find Asra. All of this before a lurking darkness consumes both worlds. However, in this cosmic conflict, nothing is quite what it seems.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

About the Author

 

David Brooks is the author of over 100 middle-grade and young adult fantasy novels, only two of which have been written and released. That is to say, he is an author with an entire notebook bursting with ideas, and never enough time to get everything written. James Rhyder and the Cave of Dreams was his debut novel.

 

Twitter

 

 

Synopsis

 

An allegory about one’s journey to self-actualization. When 17-year-old Alunsinag Bayani accidentally stepped into Driftland, he discovered he could switch places with his alternate self for 58 minutes. During the switch, his alternate self gives him the necessary push to find the courage and regain self-confidence. But trouble looms over Driftland when nightmares attack to diminish hope and dreams through fear. Can Alunsinag and his companions conquer their fears and save Driftland?

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

This shorter story is engaging and pulls us into an alternate reality where our excellent self merges with the self we know but only for 58 minutes at a time.

We meet Alunsiang that is like most teens and has a hard time in school with bullies, few friends, and just trying to fit in with the rest of the students. I love his passion for Michael Jackson and how it calms him down if he is anxious. His parents are loving but his father travels a lot and his mother works many hours as a nurse, but you can see the love for her son and husband from making sure they have good food to eat or listening to their issues. She also is observant and realizes that one of his classmate’s mother is possibly being abused. She is willing to go the extra mile to help her if possible.

Alunsiang does have nightmares and wonders if it is real or not. Asking for help from a teacher leads him down a path to save this alternate reality with his friend and they find another classmate might have some knowledge about this, and I wonder if the future books will show them working together as a team or will it tear them apart?

I enjoyed the variety of characters and their interests and backgrounds, it really rounded out the story. I really like this band of misfit friends and how their friendships formed over food, more specifically lunch. I look forward to reading the next two books in this series to see how the story plays out. We give this 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

I. S.A. Crisostomo Lopez is a writer based in the Philippines. She is married with four children. Her short stories “Si Lola Apura at si Lolo Un Momento” and “Ang Bisikleta ni Kyla” were published by Adarna House and Philam Foundation respectively. Her story “Passage” was anthologized in “Hoard of Thunder 2: Best Philippine Short Stories” by UP Press. Her latest work is the Driftland trilogy available on Amazon.

 

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James Dreadful and the Tomb of Forgotten Secrets (The Dreadful Series Book 2)

 

by Alan Creed

 

Category: YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 332 pages

 

Genre: Fantasy

 

Publisher: Creed Publishing

 

Release date: October 19, 2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

James Dreadful’s Epic Adventure Continues in Book Two of the Dreadful Series

After narrowly escaping a contract with his father’s evil servant Rekenhowler, James reluctantly decides to return home to the Cades Isles to live out the rest of his youth training to become a sorcerer. The only problem: James and his companions are adrift on the boat Persephone in the Realm of Shadows without a crew.

When a stowaway aboard Persephone informs James that his father—the Dark Lord—might have been mind-slaved by the mysterious, evil Cowl, James is shocked. The only proof that he will accept is the soul of his father, which he learns is lodged deep in the Tomb of Forgotten Secrets. In confronting his father’s soul, James can learn the truth about the Dark Lord—and if he is destined to become one himself.

​But before he can reach the Tomb, James must travel to Sarvelok, an island protected by raiders, to retrieve the key his uncle Oskar stole from him. Attacking the island would be suicide—but possible with the help of Rekenhowler. The price James will have to pay, however, is too high, but without it, will he ever learn the truth of his father—and his own fate?

 

Amazon

 

About the Author

 

Alan Creed fell in love with storytelling after seeing Star Wars for the first time as a child. When he was ten years old, his tutor asked him to write sentences containing three words: Ocean, Desert, and Jungle. Instead of sentences, Alan wrote a 103-page story entitled Journey through the Desert. That’s when he knew he wanted to be a writer. His 103-page story served as the source material for the Dreadful Series. Alan is currently working on the next installment in the James Dreadful series.

 

Website * Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

Enter to win an ebook copy of James Dreadful and the Tomb of Forgotten Secrets (The Dreadful Series Book 2) (three winners)(ends Feb 4)

 

JAMES DREADFUL AND THE TOMB OF FORGOTTEN SECRETS Book Tour Giveaway

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones in this thrilling fairytale retelling for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and All the Stars and Teeth.

Fi is a bookish treasure hunter with a knack for ruins and riddles, who definitely doesn’t believe in true love.

Shane is a tough-as-dirt girl warrior from the north who likes cracking skulls, pretty girls, and doing things her own way.

Briar Rose is a prince under a sleeping curse, who’s been waiting a hundred years for the kiss that will wake him.

Cursed princes are nothing but ancient history to Fi–until she pricks her finger on a bone spindle while exploring a long-lost ruin. Now she’s stuck with the spirit of Briar Rose until she and Shane can break the century-old curse on his kingdom.

Dark magic, Witch Hunters, and bad exes all stand in her way–not to mention a mysterious witch who might wind up stealing Shane’s heart, along with whatever else she’s after. But nothing scares Fi more than the possibility of falling in love with Briar Rose.

Set in a lush world inspired by beloved fairytales, The Bone Spindle is a fast-paced young adult fantasy full of adventure, romance, found family, and snark.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Bookshop

 

 

Excerpt

 

When they stepped through the opening, it felt as if they had entered an entirely different house. From here, they could look out over the lake, a view of the valley framed by carved archways of streaked yellow stone that led onto a crumbling balcony. The railing—constructed of a row of winding bronze roses—was badly tarnished, and Fi could see at least one patch where the wooden floorboards had fallen out altogether, leaving her peering down at the deep water below. She made a mental note to be careful where she stepped.

Fi could only imagine how beautiful this place must have been, even just a hundred years ago, before the last Witches had fled. It was the kind of building that probably could have stood another thousand years if anyone had been around to tend to it.

In the evening light, the floating specks of dust from the broken spell burned like flecks of gold, illuminating wall-to-wall bookshelves filled with all the things someone had hidden here: old vials of colored glass; fine porcelain teacups hand-painted with blushing roses; and spools of expensive fabrics dyed burgundy and cobalt, the trademark colors of the silk makers in southern Andar. Fi hadn’t seen craftsmanship like this since the antique shops of Pisarre. Darfell was rich in ore, wood, and wine, but most of its exports were raw materials. Artifacts like this had to be from Andar. The shelves bowed under the weight of ancient books with thick cloth bookmarks spilling over the yellowed pages.

“This is more like it!”

Fi glanced over at Shane, who had gone straight for the treasure. A weathered chest on the far side of the room spilled over with gold chains and ropes of jewels. A silver crown set with pink diamonds already sat askew on the girl’s head. Fi sighed. In that way, Shane was like every other treasure hunter she’d ever known.

Fi had just stepped around a hole in the creaking floorboards, making for the books, when something else caught her eye. A narrow alcove had been cut into the wall near the balcony, and inside sat a long, low table draped in black cloth. Something shone in the table’s center, something that gleamed like shards of white marble. No, Fi realized as she moved toward it—it was bone.

She drifted closer and stared down at the shattered pieces of a bone drop spindle, smooth and pure white as if they had just been polished. She couldn’t tear her eyes away. A few rust-red drops clung to the whorl, and Fi suddenly wondered whether this was the spindle from the story, the one that had been hidden in Briar Rose’s garden.

Her hand seemed to move on its own. Almost against her will, she found herself reaching for the broken piece of the shaft. She hissed as something bit into her finger, making her jerk back. Only now did she notice the snapped-off end of the spindle hidden under the other pieces, sharpened to a point.

Suddenly it was hard to think. Black slanted into the edge of her vision, and all the blood in her body seemed to be rushing the wrong way, leaving her faint. Fi stumbled backward onto the sagging balcony. Her legs trembled as if the floor had begun to shake. A drop of blood welled up on the tip of her finger. Fi stared at it, captivated, the words from the ruin’s door echoing in her mind.

A drop of blood, a drop of hope . . .

“Fi, watch out!”

Shane’s shout brought Fi back to herself in a rush. She hadn’t imagined it—the weathered boards under her feet were shaking and groaning. The balcony was collapsing under her weight. A great crack split the air as the support joists snapped out of the divots in the stone wall.

Fi jumped away, but she was too late. She felt a great heave in her stomach as the whole balcony collapsed, taking a large chunk of the room with it.

She threw her rope helplessly toward the carved archways. The metal ring bounced off the stone—and then she was falling, the breath crushed out of her. Shane threw herself down at the edge of the ripped-apart floor, her hand outstretched over the gap. The distance between them might as well have been a mile. All Fi could hear was the echo of Shane shouting her name as she plunged toward the lake.

At least I didn’t take any of the precious books down with me.

It was her last thought before she hit the water.

 

 

About the Author

 

Leslie is a YA author who loves girl heroes and adventurers. She grew up on fantasy books, anime, fanfiction, and the Lord of the Rings movies, and met her true love in high school choir. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.A. in creative writing, and currently lives in Colorado with her wife and two spoiled house cats.

 

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