Book & Author Details: Calling Quarters by Jen Stevens (Beacon Grove, #1) Publication date: October 7th 2021 Genres: Contemporary, New Adult Synopsis:
I was raised to believe that towns full of witches were only in movies, and those spell books my aunt studied were just a silly pastime. I had no idea of the important role I play in a coven with zero knowledge of my existence, or the sacrifice my parents made by leaving behind everything they knew to protect me.
In the wake of my aunt’s mysterious death, I have no other choice but to return to my birthplace for answers. But Beacon Grove is a twisted place where distrust spreads like cancer, lies fester, and the truth is nearly impossible to find.
One thing I’m sure of is the danger that Remy Winters and our inexplicable connection pose to me as one of the Quarters of the Watchtower coven. Through painstaking research and placing my trust in this man who has been trained since birth to hunt me, I learn that my family is far more intertwined with the tight-knit town than I originally thought.
I could be exactly what they need to save their beloved Quarters, but admitting what I am to those who have been brainwashed into fearing me could put my life at risk.
Calling Quarters is a twisted tale of corruption, lies, and a love story written in the stars.
Jen Stevens was born and raised in Michigan where she enjoys the weather of all four seasons in a single day. After obtaining her Bachelor’s degree, she quickly realized the corporate world wasn’t for her and instead took on the daunting role as her daughter’s snack maid. Reading has been an obsession for a long as she could remember, while writing has always been an escape. Jen could quote The Office word-for-word and proudly refers to herself as a romance junkie. She could live off anything made of sugar and has recently obtained the title of Lady. Most of all, she loves connecting with readers!
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about which we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.
The book I’m waiting for this Wednesday is…
Nettle & Bone by T.Kingfisher
Description:
This isn’t a fairy tale where the princess marries the prince. It’s one where she kills him. Hugo & Nebula Award-winning author T. Kingfisher weaves a subversive and original fairytale in Nettle & Bone.
After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra—the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter—has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself.
Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince—if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning.
On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra’s family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last.
Publisher: Tor Books
Expected Publication Date:April 26, 2022
256 pages
Fiction / Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends
T. KINGFISHER writes fantasy, horror, and occasional oddities, most recently including The Twisted Ones and Swordheart. Under a pen name, she also writes bestselling children’s books. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, dogs, and chickens who may or may not be possessed.
Happy Publication Day to A Spindle Splintered by Alix E.Harrow!
USA Today bestselling author Alix E. Harrow brings her patented charm to a new version of a classic story, splicing the threads of the Sleeping Beauty stories
“Sleeping Beauty is the worst fairy tale, pretty much any way you slice it. It’s aimless and amoral and chauvinist as shit. Even among the other nerds who majored in folklore, Sleeping Beauty is nobody’s favorite. The romantic girls like Beauty and the Beast; vanilla girls like Cinderella; goth girls like Snow White. Only the dying girls like Sleeping Beauty.”
It’s Zinnia Gray’s twenty-first birthday, which is an extra-special occasion, because it’s the last she’ll ever have. When she was young, an industrial accident left Zinnia with a rare condition. Not much is known about her illness, but the main fact for Zinnia is that no one who has it has lived to twenty-two.
Her best friend is intent on making Zin’s last birthday special with a full sleeping beauty experience, complete with a tower and a spinning wheel. But when Zinnia pricks her finger, she founds herself cast into another world, with another sleeping beauty, just as desperate to escape her fate.
Publisher: Tordotcom
Publication Date: October 5th,2021
Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure
128 pages
About the author
Alix E. Harrow is an ex-historian with lots of opinions and excessive library fines, currently living in Kentucky with her husband and their semi-feral children. She won a Hugo for her short fiction, and has been nominated for the Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy awards. Find her at @AlixEHarrow on Twitter.
…
and for those who are already looking forward to reading the sequel:
A Mirror Mended (Fractured Fables#2)
Zinnia Gray, professional fairy-tale fixer and lapsed Sleeping Beauty is over rescuing snoring princesses. Once you’ve rescued a dozen damsels and burned fifty spindles, once you’ve gotten drunk with twenty good fairies and made out with one too many members of the royal family, you start to wish some of these girls would just get a grip and try solving their own narrative issues.
Just when Zinnia’s beginning to think she can’t handle one more princess, she glances into a mirror and sees another face looking back at her: the shockingly gorgeous face of evil, asking for her help. Because there’s more than one person trapped in a story they didn’t choose. Snow White’s Evil Queen has found out how her story ends and she’s desperate for a better ending. She wants Zinnia to help her before it’s too late for everyone.
Will Zinnia accept the Queen’s poisonous request, and save them both from the hot iron shoes that wait for them, or will she try another path?
Thank you to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for The Village Inn of Secret Dreams by Alison Sherlock.
The Village Inn of Secret Dreams
Brand NEW from the bestselling author of The Village Shop For Lonely Hearts.
After escaping her parents’ unhappy marriage to sleepy Cranbridge a long time ago, Belle Clarke dreams of staying at The Black Swan Inn forever.But with the rundown Inn threatened with closure, Belle may be forced to leave, unless a buyer can be found … quickly. So, when her oldest friend Pete Kennedy returns from working abroad with a plan to save the Inn, Belle should be overjoyed. The trouble is, Pete has some rather radical ideas for the renovation which Belle disagrees with. But when a snow storm hits, Belle and Pete are forced to put aside their differences and work together to help the village. Can Belle realise her dreams to stay in Cranbridge and can Pete ever stop running from his past?
As they try to save The Black Swan Inn, secrets are revealed and just maybe they’ll finally find out how they really feel about each other.
My thoughts: A sweet and relaxing, clean romance with a focus on community spirit and friendships!
First of all, I adore the title and the cover-lovely and atmospheric, they do set you in the right mood for reading this book. The Vilage Inn of Secret Dreams is the third book in the Riverside Lane series which focuses on four friends (Amber, Lucy, Belle and Molly) who live in a picturesque village of Cranbridge. If you have read the previous stories, you will be delighted to see the familiar faces. If not,don’t worry, it can be easily read as a standalone.
This time it’s Belle Clarke’s turn to find her own happily-ever-after in her beloved Cranbridge. Belle has a propensity for wearing dark colours as if she doesn’t want to draw any attention to herself and once you get to know her family story, it’s easy to understand. She was sent away by her parents to live with her uncle and aunt, the owners of the only pub in the village. The Black Swan is in a desperate need of renovation and, to be honest, a new chef, as Belle’s aunt can’t cook to save her own life. The financial situation is so desperate that it looks like the pub will have to be sold. What will Belle do then and where will she live? Pete Kennedy, Amber’s future brother-in-law and Belle’s childhood friend, comes back home from Singapore and offers to buy the inn out, but he and Belle may have slightly different ideas about the inn’s future…
I really enjoyed the setting and the heart-warming focus on the community this book has. Alison Sherlock touches upon some heavy topics-e.g. loneliness in the old age, youth unemployment, marital strife- but she does it with a light hand and sensitivity.
The protagonists were sweet and it was very easy to root for them. Belle, perhaps, was a bit quick to jump to conclusions, but otherwise, their romance developed naturally and realistically. I really sympathised with the main characters-Belle for her desire to live in a safe, friendly place she calls her home and give her best to the community, and Pete for his courage to try something new and then being able to learn from his mistakes (he is really a very likeable character!). You can’t write a book about a village without a large cast of secondary characters, but it didn’t feel overwhelming or confusing at any point- quite the opposite. Grandma Tilly and Amber are probably my favourite, but it was a hard choice to name just a few.
Can’t wait to come back to Cranbridge for the next story!
Author Bio – Alison Sherlock is the author of the bestselling Willow Tree Hall books. Alison enjoyed reading and writing stories from an early age and gave up office life to follow her dream. Her new series for Boldwood is set in a fictional Cotswold village and the first title was published in July 2020.
Book & Author Details: City of the Dead by Greg Jolley (The Obscurité de Floride Trilogy, #3) Publication date: October 1st 2021 Genres: Adult, Suspense Synopsis:
Jayden has just seven nights to rescue her ownership of the Cimetière du Dernier Vol. cemetery in the backwaters of Northern Florida, by any means necessary, including murder.
Welcome to her world, where life among the dead goes on forever.
Jayden has the means, and certainly knows the ways. But the clock is ticking. On the seventh night, the annual Grand Soirée is to be held. If she can pull it off, her future is secure. The problem is the four chairs that she must fill as her part of the event, a planned money-making scheme involving a grim act of necromancy. Four messengers will be put to death and sent over to acquire lucrative market knowledge for the attending gullible investors.
Can anyone stop her?
Two escaped victims are trying. April Danser and her twelve-year-old criminal partner Kazu, both mangled and frightened, have only a few nights to derail Jayden’s deadly train of murder and madness. At times teaming up with other residents of the cemetery – a ghastly cast of recluses – April and Kazu are in the fight of their lives, not only to end Jayden’s deadly plans, but also to survive her repeated attacks.
Taking place during seven nights in the once famous cemetery, City of the Dead is a dance between good and evil with everything at risk, including life and sanity.
Greg Jolley (also published under Gregory French) earned a master of art in writing from the University of San Francisco. He is the author of sixteen novels and one collection about the fictional, film industry-based Danser family. He currently lives in the Very Small town of Ormond Beach, Florida.
It’s Monday! What are you Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn from Book Date, a place to share and discuss what we’ve read in the past week and what we’re in the middle of or are planning to read this week.
What I read / listened to last week:
Fool me Twice at Christmas by Camilla Isley
There are two types of relationships: fake and real.
Chuck and Kate’s used to be real, oh-so-real. But after she broke his heart four months ago, leaving him, it became all just pretense for the sake of their entwined families.
With parents who are best friends and business partners, it’s not easy for Chuck and Kate to announce they’ve split up. But with the holidays looming over them, they can no longer keep pretending.
They head home for Christmas, determined to tell the truth—and end up accidentally engaged instead. The more they try to pull apart, the more the Universe seems to push them back together, shortening the road to the altar. And when just-for-show kisses stir up forgotten feelings, things get even more complicated.
The Last House on the Needless Street by Catriona Ward
Anyone who’s read the book will agree with me, it is very difficult to review without giving away essential plot points. Definitely well-written and memorable.
In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three.
A teenage girl who isn’t allowed outside, not after last time. A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory. And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible.
An unspeakable secret binds them together, but when a new neighbor moves in next door, what is buried out among the birch trees may come back to haunt them all.
What I am reading/listening to now:
The Village Inn of Secret Dreams by Alison Sherlock
After escaping her parents’ unhappy marriage to sleepy Cranbridge a long time ago, Belle Clarke dreams of staying at The Black Swan Inn forever.But with the rundown Inn threatened with closure, Belle may be forced to leave, unless a buyer can be found … quickly. So, when her oldest friend Pete Kennedy returns from working abroad with a plan to save the Inn, Belle should be overjoyed. The trouble is, Pete has some rather radical ideas for the renovation which Belle disagrees with. But when a snow storm hits, Belle and Pete are forced to put aside their differences and work together to help the village.
A homicide detective’s violent family history repeats itself in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of murder, secrets, and retribution.
For more than twenty-five years, Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert has tucked away the nightmarish childhood memories of her parents’ murder-suicide…Until her younger sister, Erin, is killed in a crime that echoes that tragic night: innocent witnesses and a stormy marriage that ended in gunfire. There’s just one chilling difference. Erin’s husband, Justin, has vanished.
Bree knows how explosive the line between love and hate can be, yet the evidence against her troubled brother-in-law isn’t adding up. Teaming up with Justin’s old friend, former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler Matt Flynn, Bree vows to uncover the secrets of her sister’s life and death, as she promised Erin’s children. But as her investigation unfolds, the danger hits close to home. Once again, Bree’s family is caught in a death grip. And this time, it could be fatal for her.
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling (Rachel Hawkins)
…well, October is the Halloween month…
Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.
That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all.
Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.
How did your last week go and what are you reading this week?
Thank you toRachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Camilla Isley’s new fabulous rom-com Fool Me Twice at Christmas!
Fool Me Twice at Christmas There are two types of relationships: fake and real.
Chuck and Kate’s used to be real, oh-so-real. But after she broke his heart four months ago, leaving him, it became all just pretense for the sake of their entwined families.
With parents who are best friends and business partners, it’s not easy for Chuck and Kate to announce they’ve split up. But with the holidays looming over them, they can no longer keep pretending.
They head home for Christmas, determined to tell the truth—and end up accidentally engaged instead. The more they try to pull apart, the more the Universe seems to push them back together, shortening the road to the altar. And when just-for-show kisses stir up forgotten feelings, things get even more complicated.
Now, with the midnight hour approaching, will Chuck and Kate’s relationship turn out to be fake or real?
I always look forward to reading Camilla Isley’s latest book as I’m a big fan of her writing style and her sense of humour and this one was just adorable. Fool Me Twice at Christmas is a perfect romcom with relatable, lovable protagonists and lots of hilarious misunderstandings in the storyline.
Kate and Chuck are heading home for Christmas holidays. They used to be childhood friends, then they became a couple for the joy of their home town, where everybody knows and roots for them,and then…I guess they just fell into a routine…until the break up. When your parents and your ex’s parents happen to be not just best friends, but also business partners (they co-own a chocolate factory), it isn’t easy to comeclean and tell them you aren’t together anymore. Kate and Chuck aren’t exactly stalling, they are trying to find the right moment to announce the news…But what can you do when things just keep happening and the whole situation is rapidly getting out of control?
The pace was flawless. The story is told from aternating points of view, so we get an insight into the feelings of our star-crossed duo and see how perfect they are for each other. It isn’t just fun and jokes, there’s a great message behind it: love and relationships need attention, work, willingness to communicate and compromise. I love this friends-to-lovers trope, mixed with the second chance one, all in a delicious comic package from a very talented author.
If you are looking for a sweet, clean romcom with the festive spirit, but mostly focusing on the relationship, Fool me Twice is perfect. Can’t wait to read Camilla’s next book!
Thank you to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
Author Bio – Camilla is an engineer turned writer after she quit her job to follow her husband on an adventure abroad. She’s a cat lover, coffee addict, and shoe hoarder. Besides writing, she loves reading–duh!–cooking, watching bad TV, and going to the movies–popcorn, please. She’s a bit of a foodie, nothing too serious. A keen traveler, Camilla knows mosquitoes play a role in the ecosystem, and she doesn’t want to starve all those frog princes out there, but she could really live without them.
Giveaway to Win 3 x e-copies of A Christmas Caroline by Camilla Isley (Open INT) *Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
Book & Author Details: The New Billionaire Boss by Tina Gabor Publication date: September 28th 2021 Genres: Comedy, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance Synopsis:
My life was finally on track. Until my boss’s brother transferred to our office.
From the minute I met the broody, handsome, and infuriating Aiden Bronson, he was destroying all of my carefully made plans.
First, he hijacked my Uber. Then, he caused an accident that left me out of work for months.
Except, the disastrous day we spent together turned into the most fun day of my life.
And now, I can’t stop thinking about him. And that kiss…
I doubt he feels the same about me, and even if he did, any future together is hopeless.
He’s not allowed to date employees. And without any family to fall back on, I can’t risk my livelihood.
But when he becomes my new boss, and we get trapped together in a beach house, I don’t know if I can resist risking it all.
THE NEW BILLIONAIRE BOSS is book one of the Bronson Billionaire Romance Series,but can be read as a complete standalone!Guaranteed to have you swooning and breathless. It includes a fierce and funny heroine and a charming, playboy hero.
Are you like me?Do you enjoy funny, contemporary romances with spicy love scenes?
Because if you do …
You’ve landed in the perfect place.
I’m Tina Gabor, and it’s so much fun getting to write the books I love reading. Gorgeous men and fierce, feisty, and funny women are my jam.And since there’s nothing like a love story with a dash of sun and fun …
I set most of my in Southern California and Florida. I grew up in South Florida, and now I live in Southern California with my fiancee and a stray cat we named Fred.
To get special deals on new releases and updates on what your favorite book couples are doing after the story ends, go to SparksFlyRomance.com/Tina
Book & Author Details: White Ibis: A Horror Novella by Wendy Dalrymple Publication date: October 1st 2021 Genres: Adult, Horror Synopsis:
Obsession. Lies. Greed.
Chelsea is thirty-two, vain and self-absorbed, driven in life only by want and her obsession with being the best. However, despite wanting to portray an outwardly perfect image, things at home are crumbling between her and her boyfriend, Brendan. Together they harbor a secret that has been slowly chipping away at their relationship, and now, things have come to a breaking point.
One day at yoga class, Chelsea meets a woman named Damaris who is exactly like her; beautiful, confident and reaching high to be her best self. Damaris and Chelesea become instant best friends and bond over healthy eating, fitness and their love of luxury items. As Chelsea’s heart hardens toward her boyfriend, her obsession with the enigmatic Damaris only blossoms.
As one bad decision turns into another, Chelsea begins to think she is being followed by a white bird. Her new best friend Damaris suggests a girls weekend in New Orleans to get away from it all and Chelsea readily agrees. Unfortunately for Chelsea, it soon becomes clear that she can’t run away from her problems and finds herself tumbling head-first into a downward spiral instead.
“Something like that.” Damaris smiles down at the bird. She quietly mouths something to the creature and gives me a side-eyed grin. For a moment, the bird freezes, and it almost seems as though it can understand her. Damaris raises her hand in the air and the bird takes flight, the darkened tips of its wings now on full display.
“That was so cool.” My words come out breathy and hitched as I place a hand to my heart. “How did you do that?”
Damaris shrugs. “It’s no big deal.”
And so it began. Chelsea and Damaris. Damaris and Chelsea. Instant best friends. I’m positively smitten with this beautiful, interesting girl who is so magnetic, she even draws animals to her. It is strange to admit, but even I can’t ignore the fact that maybe I was forming a little bit of a crush on her. Damaris. Yoga goddess. Smoothie aficionado. Animal whisperer. My new best friend.
Author Bio:
Wendy Dalrymple crafts highly consumable sweet romances and Florida gothic horror. When she’s not writing happily-ever-afters and tropical thrillers, you can find her camping with her family, painting (bad) wall art, and trying to grow as many pineapples as possible.
Book & Author Details: Atlas Memorial: Love, Lust & Saving Lives by Krista Harper Publication date: September 29th 2020 Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance Synopsis:
Recent college graduate Stella Reynolds has sworn off men in order to focus on passing her nurse residency, but when she gets caught up in a steamy love triangle between a gorgeous new physician and the playful paramedic next door, her ability to concentrate takes a backseat to love and lust.
Will she miss out on a chance at romance and risk losing her nursing career before it even begins? Or will she pick the best suitor while also mastering her nursing skills in a high stress unit?
It’s just another day of love, lust and saving lives at Atlas Memorial.
Here’s what you can expect from Atlas Memorial:
Quirky & Hilarious Female Lead
Sexy New Physician vs Swoony Paramedic Love Interest
Fast-Paced Urban Hospital Setting
Medical Romance
Laugh-Out-Loud Romantic Comedy
** PRAISE FOR ATLAS MEMORIAL **
“Stella’s quirky, accident-prone, relatable, and downright adorable.” – Melinda Clayton, Author of The Cedar Hollow Series
“I gave this story five stars because it was fast-paced, engaging and I had to read straight through it to find out how it ended.” – Goodreads Review
“I really enjoyed this story and following Stella through her new career and her trouble with men. I struggled trying to decide if I was team Travis or team Ryan!” – L.M. Reid, Author of Hard to Hate
Krista Harper is a contemporary romance and romantic comedy writer.
The first in her family to attend college, she received a practical degree in nursing before pursuing her MFA at the age of 40.
A Chicago native, Krista currently resides in the Colorado mountains with her husband, two kids and four rescues, where she enjoys being nature adjacent.
Quirky & Hilarious Female Lead
readingtonic 