Book Tour Sign Up: Shades of Night by Rachael Boucker (Jan 23 – 27) Genre: Dark Fantasy @EerieRiver @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours

December 1, 2022December 1, 2022Reads & Reels Leave a comment

Dark Fantasy Lovers!

I’m organizing a book tour for a brand-new dark fantasy called Shades of Night by Rachael Boucker and I am looking for people to host! The tour will run from Jan 23 to the 27th, and we have only 5 physical review copies available. Digital for everyone. How epic is this cover though?!

Sign up below!

Shades of Night (The Night Order Series #1)

Publication Date: December 3, 2022

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Publisher: Eerie River Publishing

Fated for greatness; Destined for pain.

A prophecy of beauty, untold power and the strength to save them all.

They said I was destined to save every witch, my entire race, but life is never that cut-and-dried. I am Aramay Shenade, or Shade for short. After a demon attack left me scarred, the Night Order elders declared the prophecy was broken, discarded and my destiny along with it.

No longer tied to fate, my sister Dellena and I, chose our own path, cutting down every demon that crossed it. That was until the fateful day I pulled the demon-cursed Nora from the mud and the world around us began to unravel.

War is upon us and the demons are gathering. Now I must walk the path of a destiny I thought had abandoned me.

Will I be able to correct the tides of war before the demons destroy us all?
I can only hope those I hold dearest will not be sacrificed in the struggle.

TW: Mentions of sexual assault, torture, death, and violence.

About the Author

Rachael Boucker doesn’t know how she got on this planet, but she sure doesn’t know how to get off it.
She’s settled in the Forest of Dean UK, a hub for peculiar beings, with her human Richard (enslaved in a long term relationship) and three hybrid semi-sentient miniatures.
With a tentative connection to the hive mind, Rachael listens in on strange stories spanning multiple dimensions, and passes these eavesdroppings off as fiction, mostly horror and fantasy. Sci-fi can be triggering, dredging up memories of the spacebound life she left behind, but she does occasionally indulge in this genre. Look out for her Night Order dark fantasy series, being published by Eerie River Publishing.

Rachael Boucker

Cover Reveal Sign Up: New Normal by Michelle Paris (Dec 9th) Genre: Women’s Fiction @Maparis916 @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours

November 28, 2022Reads & Reels Leave a comment

Hey Bookworms!

I’m organizing a cover reveal for an upcoming release called New Normal by Michelle Paris. The reveal will be on December 9th and I am looking for people to host!

Sign up below!

New Normal

Expected Publication Date: Spring 2023

Genre: Women’s Fiction/ Light-Hearted

Publisher: Apprentice House Press

After the sudden death of her husband, Emilie Russell just wants to feel normal. But being a middle-aged widow doesn’t come with a how-to manual. Her well-meaning friend, Viv, believes the cure to all that ails is simple: a new man. So, she sets Emilie up with her handsome and charming new neighbor, widower Colin. There’s only one problem with the plan—Colin is gay.

Emilie embarks on a rollicking journey of self-discovery with Colin as her mentor and best friend. From learning to swipe right without cringing while midlife dating in constricting shapeware to cougar moments in Key West, Emilie reenters the dating pool with both humorous and soul-crushing results.

With the encouragement of her friends, including a new furry one, plus a little therapy, Emilie begins forging a new life, one where she exchanges tears for laughter, and one that maybe—just maybe—includes the courage to find love again.

Coming Soon!

About the Author

Michelle Paris is a Maryland writer who believes laughter can heal the heart. Her debut novel, New Normal is loosely based on her own experience as a young widow. Her personal story of overcoming grief was featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. And her essays about grief and mid-life dating have appeared in multiple editions of the Chicken Soup for the Soul inspirational book series as well as in other media outlets. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, the Maryland Writers’ Association, and the Women’s Fiction Writers’ Association. Currently, Michelle is enjoying chapter two of her life with her new husband, Kevin, who keeps her from being a cat lady but only on technicality.

Book Tour Sign Up: Unanimity (Spiral Worlds Book #1) by Alexandra Almeida (Jan 23 – 27) Genre: Sci-Fi Fantasy @AAlmeidaAuthor @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours

November 27, 2022December 1, 2022Reads & Reels Leave a comment

Hey Book Dragons!

I’m organizing a book tour for the first novel in the Spiral Worlds series, Unanimity by Alexandra Almeida. The tour will run from January 23rd to the 27th and we’re looking for hosts. We have physical copies for reviewers in Australia and digital editions for everyone.

Sign up below!

Unanimity (Spiral Worlds Book #1)

Publication Date: October 18, 2022

Genre: Science Fiction/ Sci-Fi Fantasy

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Shadow is a reluctant god with a broken mind and a death wish. He used to be Thomas Astley-Byron, an affluent young screenwriter whose creativity and idealism saved a world from the brink of collapse. Together with Henry Nowak, an AI expert, Tom created heaven on earth by inventing a Jungian simulated reality that helps humans confront their dark sides. The benevolent manipulation platform turned the two unelected leaders into beloved gods, but now everything is failing. The worlds suffer as a sentimental Tom descends into his own personal hell, becoming the embodiment of everything he despises and a shadow of his former self.

His journey from an optimistic, joyful Tom to a gloomy Shadow is paved with heartache and sinister interference from emerging technology. Humans and bots fight for his heart, but their aims differ: some want to own it, some to dissect it, and others to end its foolish beat. Estranged from the love of his life—the activist poet Nathan Storm—Tom fails to realize the biggest threat comes from within. None of the sticky stories that steer his life end well.

Now, a young goddess—Estelle Ngoie—has been appointed to replace him, and unlike Shadow, Stella takes no prisoners, and her heart bleeds for no one.

Who’s pulling on Shadow’s heartstrings? Are their intentions malign or benign? It’s all a matter of perspective, and Shadow has none left.

The Series Themes

An epic tale spanning across six days—one per book—and forty past decades of life lived across ten worlds and two universes.

Weaving sci-fi elements with social commentary and queer romantic suspense, Spiral Worlds explores the nature of consciousness and how it’s connected to a not-so-secret ingredient—story. As software consumes the world, intelligence is nothing but the appetizer; the human heart is the main course.

“I adored this work by Alexandra Almeida from cover to cover for its modern take on fantasy and the subversion of so many typical themes and ideas that have become tired and overdone in the genre.” “The queer storytelling elements are included beautifully and never made into a gimmick or overdone for the sake of themselves, and as such, they flow naturally with the fantasy and emotional elements of the narrative. I would not hesitate to recommend Unanimity as a sensational opening novel to a very promising series.”

Goodreads

About the Author

Alexandra Almeida has over 25 years of experience in technology, strategy, and innovation. In her role as Chief Transformation Officer, she acts as a senior advisor to enterprise executives. Alexandra is an experienced speaker at events such as SXSW, Gartner Symposium, and the Women in Tech Series.

For the time being, and to protect her creative freedoms, Alexandra prefers to write using a number of pen names.

Her debut fantasy novel, released under another pen name, has received the following awards and recognition:
– Reader’s Favorite Awards – Gold Medal Winner – Young Adult – Fantasy – Epic
– Reader Views Awards – 1st Place – Fantasy
– CIPA EVVY Book Awards – 2nd Place – Fiction – Mythology
– B.R.A.G. Medallion Recipient
– Eric Hoffer’s Da Vinci Eye Awards Finalist for Best Cover Artwork
– The Wishing Shelf Book Awards Finalist – Books for Adults
– Awesome Indies Approved

Spiral Worlds

Book Tour Sign Up: Copper Waters by Marlene M. Bell (Jan 16 – 20) Genre: Mystery/ Suspense @ewephoric @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours

November 20, 2022November 29, 2022Reads & Reels Leave a comment

Hey Guys!

I’m organizing a tour for an upcoming release called Copper Waters by Marlene M. Bell. The tour will run from January 16th till the 20th and I am looking for hosts. We will have physical ARCS for reviewers in the US and digital for international readers.

Giveway Bundle ($225 Value)

William Morris Design Tapestry Throw – Acanthus Leaves Made in USA
34 oz. Hammered Copper Water Bottle
5×7 Handcrafted Suede Journal (blank pages)
$50 VISA Gift Card
Autographed Copper Waters

Sign up below!

Copper Waters: A New Zealand Cottage Mystery

Expected Publication Date: December 7, 2022

Genre: Mystery/ Suspense/ Light Romance

Antiquities expert Annalisse Drury and tycoon Alec Zavos are at an impasse in their relationship when Alec refuses to clear up a paternity issue with an ex-lover.

Frustrated with his avoidance when their future is at stake, Annalisse accepts an invitation from an acquaintance to fly to New Zealand—hoping to escape the recent turbulence in her life.

But even Annalisse’s cottage idyll on the family sheep farm isn’t immune to intrigue.

Alec sends a mutual friend and detective, Bill Drake, to follow her, and a local resident who accompanies them from the Christchurch airport dies mysteriously soon after. A second violent death finds Annalisse and Bill at odds with the official investigations.

The local police want to close both cases as quickly as possible—without unearthing the town’s dirty secrets.

As she and Bill pursue their own leads at serious cost, the dual mysteries force Annalisse to question everything she thought she knew about family ties, politics, and the art of small-town betrayal.

Coming Soon!

About the Author

Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, photographer, and she raises sheep in beautiful East Texas with her husband, Gregg, three cats and a flock of horned Dorset sheep.

The Annalisse series has received numerous honors including the Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (Spent Identity,) and FAPA— Florida Author’s President’s Gold Award for two other installments, (Stolen Obsession and Scattered Legacy.) Her mysteries with a touch of romance are found at marlenembell.com. She also offers the first of her children’s picture books, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! Based on true events from the Bell’s ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb.

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Something Special for Your Holiday TBR: The Truth About Elves by Ekta R. Garg – Genre: Holiday Fiction @EktaRGarg @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours #HolidayBooks #BookTwitter

November 15, 2022Reads & Reels Leave a comment

We have something special to share today and you’re going to want to add The Truth About Elves to your Holiday TBR! Read on for an exclusive excerpt and more details!

The Truth About Elves

Publication Date: October 19, 2022

Genre: Holiday Fiction/ Novella

As a bartender in Las Vegas, Curtis seems to have the dream life. He’s single, lives close to the Strip, and only has to worry about when to pick up the next extra shift. No one knows the truth about what happened ten years ago, and no one knows how he spends three months every year: as a part-time elf for Santa Claus.

When Curtis went to the Arctic Circle the first time, he thought he could escape the unthinkable. Now, the anniversary of the worst day of his life is coming up, and he’s been asked to do the unbelievable. If Curtis wasn’t a man of his word, he would turn his back on the whole thing. But Mr. C. took Curtis in when he had nowhere else to go, and now the boss is calling in a favor—the kind that will make Curtis face the memory of the unimaginable.

If you’ve ever wondered whether holiday magic is real, come find out. Embrace the season and the power of forgiveness along with Curtis as he discovers The Truth About Elves.

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

January 29, 2015

Villas at Desert Pointe Apartments

Las Vegas, Nevada

You probably don’t know this, but Santa is nothing more than a glorified chauffeur.

Sure, all the books and movies portray him as a jolly guy who spends Christmas Eve going around the world distributing gifts. That description isn’t far off. I mean, Mr. C. definitely has a big heart. He treats all us elves fairly, and even though he works us hard (especially once Thanksgiving hits) he isn’t a slave driver.

Oh, yeah, me. I’m Curtis. An elf. No, I don’t have pointy ears, I’m not three feet tall, and I don’t act like a doofus. I’m right around five-foot-ten and look like your average Joe. Brown hair. Green eyes.

We do have some dwarves—you know, little people with small body trunks and short limbs. They get custom-made counters and work stations. Need a special box to sit on at meal time. No pointy ears though. Not a single one. Or two, I guess; nope. Just people who are…well, little.

The majority of us elves are normal. We have lives back in the rest of the world when we’re not doing our Quarter Force shifts, and there’s definitely variety here. Diversity, the affirmative actioners would call it. People from all over, from all walks of life, from every slice of the social strata.

They came to the Arctic Circle for the same reason I did. Working for Mr. C. became the absolute last resort we had. For me, after the plane went down… Well, let’s just say every door on all of my other relationships had slammed shut.

And, no, we’re not angels in heaven. We’re alive, holding down regular jobs back home on the Continents and using our work for Mr. C. as a way to look at ourselves in the mirror again. Except for the fact that we deliver gifts to all of the people in the entire world in a single night, we’re nothing like what the movies would have you believe.

Like all that stuff about Mr. C. riding in a sleigh with reindeer? Please. Has anyone stopped to think about the fact that a sleigh can’t even support the weight of gifts for every single person in the world? And how are eight reindeer supposed to pull a sleigh that heavy?

Yeah, yeah, I know, the sleigh is magic, the reindeer are magic, and so is Santa Claus. Mr. C. makes the job look like magic, but as for the rest of it? I guess it makes for good box office sales during the holidays.

Mr. C. does go around the world but not in a sleigh. He uses a Concorde. Why do you think they grounded the entire fleet? Mr. C. worked a deal with the FAA and the other aviation organizations across the world. They would let him have the planes, and he would keep their workforce employed.

That part of the deal has worked out pretty well. And Hollywood didn’t get everything completely wrong. Mr. C. does use reindeer. They shuttle supplies between warehouses in the compound.

You didn’t actually think we made all those toys and wrapped everything in one building, did you?

For those assigned to the Final Quarter Force—October to December—we get to see everything come together on the back end of things, but work for Mr. C. goes year-round. Quality control of products, flight maneuver exercises, vetting of wrapping paper vendors, and paperwork. Mounds and mounds of it. The First Quarter Force deals with most of it, and Second Quarter finishes up (although Mr. C. really prefers that First Quarter get it all done.)

When I came on board eight years ago, I started as part of the First Quarter. If I’d had a choice, I would have lobbied to stay with First. But one thing you learn with Mr. C. is that you don’t get many choices. Freedom, yes. Choices, no.

Puchase Here and on Amazon

About the Author

Since starting in niche publishing in 2005, Ekta has written and edited about everything from healthcare to home improvement to Hindi films. She became a freelance editor in 2011 to cement her essential belief that words can change people and the world. A writing contest judge, podcaster, and reviewer, Ekta blogs original fiction, book reviews, and parenting adventures from The Write Edge (http://thewriteedge.wordpress.com). Her holiday novella, The Truth About Elves, released in October 2021 from Atmosphere Press.

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Book Tour & Giveaway: The Syren’s Mutiny by Jessica S. Taylor – Genre: Fantasy/ Pirates/ Mythology @AuthorJessicaTaylor @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours #TheSyrensMutiny

November 7, 2022Reads & Reels Leave a comment

We’re celebrating the release of the highly anticipated dark fantasy The Syren’s Mutiny by Jessica S. Taylor. Read on for more info and a chance to win a signed copy of this extraordinary book! Be sure to visit our hosts to enter!

The Syren’s Mutiny

Publication Date: November 9th, 2022

Genre: Dark Fantasy/ Pirates/ Mythology

“It’s frightful bad luck to have a woman aboard.”

Brigid knew the superstition, but when her father tried to marry her off, she had no choice but to stowaway on a ship bound for Bhodheas. When she’s discovered and discarded, her fate seems sealed…until she’s saved by the ocean and its queen.

Transformed into a syren and given new life, Brigid now has the power to seek revenge on those who wronged her.

Caelum has spent his entire life trying to help those who couldn’t help themselves. After years suffering the cruelty of his pirate father, saving others from a similar fate was ingrained in him. But when he’s unable to save a young girl from being thrown overboard for hiding away, he’s devastated.

Until one day, when he’s thrown into the water by unforeseen forces, he comes face to face with the past, and maybe, with his future.

But there’s a darkness lurking on the seas they both call home. And Caelum and Brigid have no idea just how intertwined their stories really are.

Content Warning:

This book contains dark and adult themes. Possible trigger warnings include: violence, drowning, death, dismemberment, torture, brief/non-explicit references to child kidnapping and deaths, mentions of past domestic violence, mild sexual content, and mentions of arranged marriages.

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

Brigid

Abruptly, the ship diverted from its course, turning hard toward the rocky cliffs on the other side of it. Even in the water, there was a sickening crash and the sound of splitting wood as the nose of the ship rammed into the jagged peaks.

We kept singing.

The ship began to turn, its side now scraping along the rocks as well. Men, driven mad by our song, began jumping overboard as the ship started to take on water and dip lower beneath the waves. While still close to the shore, the water here wasn’t exactly shallow, and the ship would sink in its entirety.

We circled, diving deep as bodies began tumbling in the water, the panic induced by our song preventing them from seeing reason and turning toward the cliffs for refuge. Sorcha looked over at me, her eyes wide as she processed the scene in front of her. She still seemed intimidated, yet interested.

I motioned for her to follow me. As we swam up closer to the surface, gleeful that these men would feel our wrath, a body crashed into the water in front of me. A man, based on the broadness of his shoulders and the general bulk of his frame. His body twisted, his limbs flailing as he sank through the water.

I stopped short, letting go of Sorcha, who continued swimming up toward the surface with the others. I swished my tail to hold myself steady as I stared at him. Instead of flailing, he was trying to steady himself. He righted his large, muscular body and finally turned in the water to face me. His eyes widened, but he didn’t seem afraid of me.

Another man splashed into the water in between us, diverting my attention. This man, once the bubbles around his form dissipated, was terrified. His eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to scream, but only more bubbles came out. He furiously tried to kick to the surface, but Maira was faster. Swimming down between us from the surface, she lunged forward, grabbing his leg and pulling him down into the depths. He kicked, still releasing a stream of bubbles from his mouth as he flailed about furiously.

With Maira gone into the depths, I turned my attention back to the man from before. He was closer to the surface now, almost close enough to breach it. Flicking my tail, I used my power to surge up, wrapping my talons around his ankle just as his head surfaced.

I could not let him escape. This man seemed a powerful swimmer, and if I let him go, I had no doubt he would survive. And given how closely he had seen Maira and me, I couldn’t let that happen. In the moment, I was grateful Sorcha had continued to the surface and wouldn’t have to watch this. I wasn’t sure she’d have the stomach to witness this death up close.

I yanked hard on his boot, pulling him back beneath the waves. Down, down, down we went before I released him. I wanted to see his face, this man who had not seemed afraid of us. Had he seen us before?

Tilting my head to the side, I looked at the man more closely as he calmly treaded water, not trying to get back to the surface. His face was familiar to me…somehow. I swam slightly closer to him, whipping my tail in the water, impressed when he didn’t back away. We stared at each other for a moment longer before it clicked in my head. The bright green eyes staring back at me, the dark hair floating in the water, the chiseled and strong face. While he had aged some, I knew that face, those eyes.

The boy from the ship.

Caelum.

My eyes widened, and my stomach twisted again, my heart in my throat. I never thought I would see him again after being thrown overboard. He had fought to try to save me, even knowing he would be punished by the captain for it. My mind was spinning, trying to process the man before me as I studied him.

He was still oddly calm, keeping himself upright but never trying to go back toward the surface. He studied me back, his eyes roving over my body and stuttering on my tail before traveling back up to my face. He seemed resigned to his fate. His gaze was intense, and I wondered if he recognized me as well. I doubted it, as he had only seen me for a brief moment. But I had remembered him.

His cheeks began to bulge, a sign he was running out of time under the water, and he finally cast a glance upwards to the surface before looking back to me. But still, he didn’t make a move.

In an impulsive moment, I knew I couldn’t let my only savior, the only redemption to men, drown because of us. Because of me. Before I could stop myself and think about the betrayal my family would surely feel, I rushed toward him, grabbed him under the arms, and pulled his chest against mine as I propelled us toward the surface. He would not die on my watch. I would not be the cause of his ruin.

Not after he had suffered trying to save me on that ship.

Purchase The Syren’s Mutiny Here!

About the Author

Jessica was born and raised in Kentucky, but has been moving with the waves and is currently residing in southern Maine with her husband and cat, Nebula. Jessica’s love of reading and writing began at a young age with the help of her grandmother and her local library, and she hasn’t looked back since. Similarly, her love for pirates, mermaids, and all things fantasy have only grown more intense with time.

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