 Book Details: Book Title: Free Pizza by G.C. McRae Category: Middle-Grade Fiction, 360 pages | Genre: Humorous Fiction Publisher: MacDonald Warne Media | Release date: May 1, 2019 Format available for review: print & ebook Tour dates: May 1 to 17, 2019 Content Rating: PG (No sex or drugs, occasional profanity.) Book Description: Brian McSpadden is always hungry. Does he have a disease? Worms? Does it have something to do with his being adopted? He spends his days at his crazy friend Danny’s house, hoping for snacks, but nothing seems to fill the void. Then Brian receives a mysterious birthday card that says, Free Pizza. He soon discovers the card has nothing to do with food and everything to do with the big questions in his life: where did I come from, why did my mother give me up and is there anyone out there who will like me the way I am? Buy the Book: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble Add to Goodreads REVIEW by LAWonder10: This is a good book portraying what many adolescence experience. It is, primarily, about a twelve-year-old boy and his friend and the mayhem they experience one summer. It is also about insecurities and "finding oneself". Brian has an additional challenge since he is adopted. However, this story strongly suggests each individual has issues each has to overcome. Brian receives a Free Pizza card on his birthday that is not free pizza at all. This is just one event in a very confusing, yet spectacular, time period surrounding his twelfth birthday. It is surely one he will remember! This story is well-written, with humor, action adventure and mystery included within iuts pages. However, I would not recommend it to those I am close to because of the occasional profanity, I feel, ruined it for older elementary and young adult reading. Although profanity is ramped in society, I feel it should not be encourage, especially among children. It is a poor use of literary content. The characters were developed well and the scenes were easily visualized. The Book Title and Cover were eye-catching. I offer a Three and a Half Stars rating. *This book was gifted me with no requirement for a positive review. This is my honest review.  GUEST POST: Wiggle Room by G.C. McRae When I do author visits to schools, kids and teachers often ask about my process. And I wish I had a straight forward answer for them. In planning for writing fiction, I never seem to get it just right. I either plan too much or too little. If anybody saw the dumb corners I paint myself into, they’d wonder how I ever got a single chapter out into the world. Obviously, you can’t plan everything. You still have to leave a little creative wiggle room for the actual writing process. But the wiggle room is my downfall. My brain takes any hint of freedom as license to deviate from all my careful preparations. I think I know where I’m going. But the truth is, I have flung myself into a foreign country. Things are fine when I’m on the plane and in the taxi. But the moment I step out onto the street, I notice there are wild dogs peeing on lampposts. Street vendors are trying to sell me monkey brains on a stick. And oh, look, I’ve left my wallet in the departing taxi. To get myself back on track, I think, I just need to write a tighter outline. Check it more often, put myself on a shorter chain. Well, with my latest book, Free Pizza, the chain was far too short. The outline I wrote was so detailed it was impossible to deviate from it without ruining the whole thing. The book gave me a cramp every time I tried to work on it. While I was shaking my cortices out, waiting for the cramp to ease, I started on another book, Kana and the Red Pilot. I know, I thought, I won’t write an outline at all! I’ll just have fun wiggling all over the computer screen! Things went well for a hundred pages. I had a great time breaking rules, introducing characters on the fly, abusing the rules of grammar and storytelling for dramatic effect. But when I wrote a crazy scene without any lead-up or precedent, I had to call time out. Why had I written this? What might happen next to justify it? That’s when an outline became my best friend - in order to save my characters the embarrassment of having their impassioned conversations and tender moments obliterated with the click of the Delete button. After Kana, I returned to Free Pizza, determined to fix it. And the only way to fix it was going to involve some bolt-cutters. The first thing I did was chop out half of the story. It was my favorite half, but I consoled myself by thinking I could use it for a sequel later, so, no loss. With a simpler arc, I now had the wiggle room I needed to flesh out the characters and situations in a light-hearted way. Whew! Catastrophe averted. Story completed. And, I must say, done far better than my outlining brain ever imagined. So how much outline do you need? How much wiggle room? The answers seem to be different for each book. And though I resent what seems like wasted time running after taxis and working things out to the last detail, somehow things always seem to work out.   Meet the Author: G.C. McRae is the bestselling author of two young adult novels, three illustrated children's books and a collection of original fairy tales. His writing is fall-down funny, even when the theme is darker than a coal-miner’s cough. McRae reads to anybody at any time, in person or online, for free, which probably explains why he meets so many people and sells so many books. In his latest work, Free Pizza, McRae spins the highly emotional themes from his decidedly unfunny childhood into a brilliantly comic yarn. After being given up for adoption by his teenage mom back when single girls were forced to hide unplanned pregnancies, his adoptive parents didn’t exactly keep him under the stairs but, well, let's just say, there were spiders. A lot has changed since then. McRae’s own children have now grown and he runs a small farm with his wife, who is herself an award-winning writer. CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ LibraryThing  Win... 1 of 15 prizes from the author of “Free Pizza”. Two winners will receive a print book. Three winners will receive a print book + $20 Amazon GC and 10 winners will receive an ebook copy of Free Pizza (open to USA & Canada / 15 winners total! (ends May 25, 2019) Th Enter, Click on the Rafflecopter link Below: RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWEAY! 
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Mummies, pyramids, and cool hieroglyphics make awesome movie props, but the ancient court of Amarna is full of over-sized scorpions, magical amulets, and evil deities determined to scare unwanted visitors away. If Jagger and Aria are toreturn safely home, they must find nine soul-infested gemstones, defeat an evil general, save the royal family, and figure out how to rescue themselves! Armed only with Jagger’s knowledge of history and a few modern objects mined from his pockets and Aria’s sparkly purse, the siblings have exactly one week to solve supernatural riddles and rescue the royal family. If they can pull it off, Jagger Jones just might return to Chicago a hero. Link toGoodreads | ~ Pre-order Link: Amazon 
ABOUT the AUTHOR:
Malayna Evans is the author of the middle grade time travel series, Jagger Jones. Malayna earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago and has used her background to craft a tale loaded with historical details, attested ancient actors, and a magical adventure full of gods, mummies and wriggling creatures. Malayna enjoys a busy life of reading, writing, and playing in Oak Park, Illinois with her two kids, a spoiled rescue dog named Caesar, and a dwarf hamster named Pedicure. Instagram | Twitter | FB | Website 
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  Book Details: The Haunting of Elmwood Manor (a Pekin Dewlap Mystery) by Pamela McCord Published by: Acorn Publishing | Publication date: March 1st 2019 Genres: Middle-Grade, Mystery Synopsis: Pekin Dewlap hasn’t seen a ghost since she was twelve. But she’d do anything to get them back. Starting a ghostbusting business with her two best friends, Amber and Scout, seems like the perfect way to accomplish her goal. Of course, playing with ghosts isn’t high on their wish list, so Pekin has to do some arm-twisting to get them on board. Once committed, Pekin and her friends find themselves in deep, trying to solve the disappearance of fourteen-year-old Miranda Talbert. Miranda went missing in 1918, and her spirit has wandered the halls of Elmwood Manor for the last hundred years. In the midst of finding Miranda, discovering her budding feelings for Scout, and consoling a terrified Amber, Pekin is met by an angry ghost set on thwarting her plans. Will the Ghosties be able to help Miranda, or will Pekin’s business die before she solves the mystery? Goodreads | ~ Purchase: Amazon | B&N | iBooks:  REVIEW by VICKIE:  The Haunting of Elmwood Manor - Pamela McCord I absolutely love this creative story. The storyline is fantastic and the characters convey so many emotions. There is anger, confusion, fear, love, sadness and happiness. I felt all the emotions strong because the characters are so well-developed. My heart was racing and I couldn't put it down. The book cover and title are great. They are a perfect fit for the story. I highly recommend this story. Teen age and older readers will love it. I give this book a literary rating of Five Stars. reviewed by Vickie   AUTHOR BIO: Pam was born in Arkansas several decades ago. She’s not sure if that makes her a Southern Girl or if moving to Southern California when she was five revokes her Southern Girl card. She started writing later in life when she was challenged by a friend to create a book out of his story idea. Reaching the first 5,000 words was a milestone, but with time and hard work she managed to finish an entire book, much to her surprise. Since then, she’s written several novels, in several genres. Romance, middle grade and paranormal comprise most of her work. Pam has spent over 40 years working as a legal secretary at a law firm in Orange County, California. Aside from writing, she follows the stock market, buying, selling and trading stocks and options. In contrast to that, she loves trips to Las Vegas where she can spend many happy hours at the Pai Gow tables. She shares a condo with her very own My Cat From Hell TV star, Allie, who manages to exude just enough affection to make her scary feral ways tolerable. Author links: Website | Facebook |  Giveaway: Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)
Enter by clicking on the Rafflecopter Link Below!    Paperback, 267 pages | ISBN: 1946700304 (ISBN13: 9781946700308) Published April 2nd 2019 by Tantrum Books Baseball is Roger McGillicutty’s whole life. That is until he wakes one Saturday to find he is no longer a normal eleven-year-old boy. He’s a five-foot-tall praying mantis. Roger has school on Monday, the carnival comes to town next week, and his baseball team is poised to play their biggest rival in one week. Being a giant bug will seriously cramp Roger’s style! To Roger’s surprise, his parents and friends are supportive. Even his dog isn’t spooked. But not everyone’s thrilled about Roger’s change. Some people are frightened and others would like nothing more than to squash him into the ground like the bug he is. And when Little League officials oust Roger from baseball, his world collapses. When a reporter from the city comes snooping around rumors of a man-sized baseball-playing praying mantis, Roger must choose between hiding his true self or being the hero he’s always wanted to be. ADD to GOODREADS | ~ Purchase Links: Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | EXCERPT: Slowly, carefully, and as quietly as possible, Roger staggered across the room to the mirror over his dresser. As prepared as he was, it was still a shock. A triangular emerald-green head looked back at him, with two enormously round green compound eyes on either side. Two long, thin antennae stuck out of the top of his head. He could move them around if he tried, kind of like wiggling his ears (which he didn’t have anymore and couldn’t wiggle when he did). His mouth was … he didn’t know what the heck his mouth was. It was a weird mess of powerful-looking cutting and crunching things and some even weirder tentacle things. Roger wiggled the many separate bits around and then quickly stopped, deciding it wasn’t quite as gross if he wasn’t moving it. He folded his arms tightly together in front of him, side by side. He had done it without really thinking about it, but his odd posture suddenly made him realize what he had become. “I’m a praying mantis,” he said in his new buzzy voice. “A big, frigging praying mantis.”  AUTHOR BIO: Tom Alan Brosz actually is a rocket scientist (sort of), having done design and engineering work in the private space industry back before the private space industry was cool. His qualifications for writing this book are that he has experience in raising children who like bugs, and raising pet mantises for those children. Normal-sized mantises, of course. Website | Twitter | Goodreads  One (1) winner will win a Starbucks Gift-card! Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway by clicking the link below. RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY!    Metl: The Angel Weapon by Scott Wilson Publication Date: March 5, 2019 | Publisher: Month9Books Thirteen-year-old Caden Aire spends his days working in the fields and his nights sleeping in a horse stable, all under the watch of Metl—Earth's mysterious and artificial second moon, a looming relic of humanity's lost era. But Caden's simple life changes when one night, a fiery red X suddenly appears on Metl's surface, and the same red Xs start glowing on his palms. Now Caden must find the only person who knows what's happening to him, but he doesn't have much time. Metl has started on an impact course with Earth, and to stop it, Caden will have to face both the unsettling truth about his world… and about himself. Link to Goodreads | ~ Purchase Links: Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks  METL: The Angel Weapon - Scott Wilson This story has so much happening in it you just have to keep reading to see what will happen next. I really like the friendship between Caden and Annika and how important Deber is to Caden. The characters are well-developed. It is easy to feel their emotions. I was never sure who to trust with all the twists and turns the story takes. The title and book cover are perfect for the story and I love the illustrations in the book. I recommend this book to other readers. I give it a literary rating of 5/5 written by vickie    Scott Wilson works as a translator and editor for the Japanese news-entertainment website SoraNews24. He runs ScottWritesStuff, a creative writing livestream on Twitch, and in his free time can be found playing video games and Magic: The Gathering with friends. Metl: The ANGEL Weapon is his first novel. He lives in the Japanese countryside with his wife. Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTub  Giveaway Details: - One (1) winner will receive a Starbucks Gift Card Click on this Rafflecopter Link to Giveaway, to enter!    Metl: The Angel Weapon by Scott Wilson Publication Date: March 5, 2019 | Publisher: Month9Books Thirteen-year-old Caden Aire spends his days working in the fields and his nights sleeping in a horse stable, all under the watch of Metl—Earth's mysterious and artificial second moon, a looming relic of humanity's lost era. But Caden's simple life changes when one night, a fiery red X suddenly appears on Metl's surface, and the same red Xs start glowing on his palms. Now Caden must find the only person who knows what's happening to him, but he doesn't have much time. Metl has started on an impact course with Earth, and to stop it, Caden will have to face both the unsettling truth about his world … and about himself. Purchase Links: Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks     Scott Wilson works as a translator and editor for the Japanese news-entertainment website SoraNews24. He runs ScottWritesStuff, a creative writing livestream on Twitch, and in his free time can be found playing video games and Magic: The Gathering with friends. Metl: The ANGEL Weapon is his first novel. He lives in the Japanese countryside with his wife. Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube
 
Book & Author Details:
The Haunting of Elmwood Manor (a Pekin Dewlap Mystery) by Pamela McCord Published by: Acorn Publishing | Publication date: March 1st 2019 Genres: Middle-Grade, Mystery Synopsis: Pekin Dewlap hasn’t seen a ghost since she was twelve. But she’d do anything to get them back. Starting a ghostbusting business with her two best friends, Amber and Scout, seems like the perfect way to accomplish her goal. Of course, playing with ghosts isn’t high on their wish list, so Pekin has to do some arm-twisting to get them on board. Once committed, Pekin and her friends find themselves in deep, trying to solve the disappearance of fourteen-year-old Miranda Talbert. Miranda went missing in 1918, and her spirit has wandered the halls of Elmwood Manor for the last hundred years. In the midst of finding Miranda, discovering her budding feelings for Scout, and consoling a terrified Amber, Pekin is met by an angry ghost set on thwarting her plans. Will the Ghosties be able to help Miranda, or will Pekin’s business die before she solves the mystery? Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42770560-the-haunting-of-elmwood-manor-a-pekin-dewlap-mystery?ac=1&from_search=true Purchase: Amazon: https://books2read.com/u/mZLaZR?store=amazon B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130546375 iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/the-haunting-of-elmwood-manor/id1452018257?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 
AUTHOR BIO:
Pam was born in Arkansas several decades ago. She’s not sure if that makes her a Southern Girl or if moving to Southern California when she was five revokes her Southern Girl card. She started writing later in life when she was challenged by a friend to create a book out of his story idea. Reaching the first 5,000 words was a milestone, but with time and hard work she managed to finish an entire book, much to her surprise. Since then, she’s written several novels, in several genres. Romance, middle grade and paranormal comprise most of her work. Pam has spent over 40 years working as a legal secretary at a law firm in Orange County, California. Aside from writing, she follows the stock market, buying, selling and trading stocks and options. In contrast to that, she loves trips to Las Vegas where she can spend many happy hours at the Pai Gow tables. She shares a condo with her very own My Cat From Hell TV star, Allie, who manages to exude just enough affection to make her scary feral ways tolerable. Author links: https://www.pamelamccordbooks.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pamela.mccord.9 
GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
Book Details:
Darcy The Dog Who Talked by Liane Carter Category: Adult Non-fiction, 152 pages Genre: Pets / Memoir (told from dog's perspective) Publisher: Independently published Release date: June 18, 2018 | Tour dates: Nov 26 to Dec 21, 2018 Content Rating: PG (mild language - such as hell, bloody, damn) Book Description: I'd never adopted a dog before. I had no idea what to do and this dog needed someone who did. An abused dog and a clueless human, we embarked on a journey of love, struggles and joy. "Every abandoned Darcy dog needs a Liane." - Teresa Roberts, Veterinary Nurse, Hertfordshire, England
MY REVIEW: (LAWonder10) This book a delightful tale of the true experiences and memoirs of Darcy, the Dog Who Talked and her owners, with her owner's interpretations of she perceived as Darcy's thoughts. Darcy was a "special case" at the animal shelter which Liane volunteered at. When Liane and her husband, Lee, decided to adopt a dog, Darcy was an unlikely candidate, yet, stole Liane's heart with the total support of Lee. This is not only a story of a strong love relationship of various individuals, but of the blessings which can be experienced by adopting , loving and caring for any who may seem undesirable because of imperfections. This is a tale one can laugh with, share compassion with and cry with. Liane does an excellent job in creating emotions and in relating this story in a captivating way. The reader can feel a part of her experiences. Her first book of Tammy, the Little Cat with a Big Attitude was great and very well-written, but I feel this one is even written better!, which says a lot! I offer a Five Stars rating. *This book was gifted me, with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review. 
About the Author:
Devoted to giving her readers smiles, tears and tension in both her poignant non-fiction and fast-paced fantasy adventures, Liane Carter bares her soul. Author of The Chronicles of Joya, The Dream Devils, Darcy: The Dog Who Talked and Tammy: The Little Cat With A Big Attitude, she has written features and a weekly column for Costa Blanca News, articles for Writing Magazine, and has taught over 150 writing workshops. She pours her innate joy into her books and also expresses it in nature, playing instruments, creating art and dancing. Connect with Liane: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest
Giveaway:
Prizes: 1st prize: An 11 x 14 inch print of Tammy: The Little Cat With A Big Attitude book cover signed by the author and the illustrator, an 11 x 14 inch print of Darcy: The Dog Who Talked book cover signed by the author and the illustrator, a signed paperback of Tammy: The Little Cat With A Big Attitude, a signed paperback of Darcy: The Dog Who Talked, and a $10 Amazon GC 2nd prize: A signed paperback of Tammy: The Little Cat With A Big Attitude, a signed paperback of Darcy: The Dog Who Talked, and a $10 Amazon GC 3rd prize: Paperbacks of Tammy: The Little Cat With A Big Attitude and Darcy: The Dog Who Talked (Giveaway ends Dec 29, 2018) 
Blog Tour & Giveaway for TAMMY THE LITTLE CAT WITH A BIG ATTITUDE by Liane Carter! [Ends 12/29/18]11/24/2018 
Book Details:
Book Title: Tammy The Little Cat With a Big Attitude by Liane Carter Category: ** Adult Non-fiction, 140 pages Genre: **Pets / Memoir (told from cat's perspective) Publisher: Independently published |Release date: September 28, 2018 Format available for review: print and ebook (mobi) Tour dates: Nov 26 to Dec 21, 2018 Content Rating: PG (mild language - hell used three times like 'What the hell'. 'Bloody' used 6 times) Book Description: I was snatched from my mum when I was only two weeks old, and what happened next was bigger than any kitten could imagine. "A gently witty and charming story which draws the reader in from the word 'go' to a truly entrancing feline perspective on human well-intentioned but frequently misguided behaviour when taking on a new pet." - Mary Ashton, retired veterinary surgeon "A heart-warming story that really has unique perspective on the ever-important animal-human bond (and how our pets really feel about us)." - Sommer Pari, licensed veterinary technician
MY REVIEW: (LAWonder10) Although this is listed as Adult non-fiction, I have chosen to include it in Middle Grade and YA. This tale begins with a sixteen year old girl who has finally persuaded her mother to allow her to have a kitten for he Birthday present. What appears to be hopeless is obtained with slim hope the kitten will survive. This is a very entertaining true to life experience of the relationship between a girl and a cantankerous cat, over the space of many years. It will be difficult for any reader, whether a cat lover or not, to resist this love story! **The story is presented from the girl's dramatic portrayal of this actual event, and from what she perceived the kitten would say if she could verbalize it... After all, actions speaks louder than words, especially in this case! There was a continual, steady "flow' to the story and it was easy to follow. The only negative I found was toward the end it got slightly "wordy" and the ending could have had more strength to it. **This is highly recommended for all readers twelve-years-of-age and older. I offer a Four and a Half Stars rating *This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review. 
About the Author:
Devoted to giving her readers smiles, tears and tension in both her poignant non-fiction and fast-paced fantasy adventures, Liane Carter bares her soul. Author of The Chronicles of Joya, The Dream Devils, Darcy: The Dog Who Talked and Tammy: The Little Cat With A Big Attitude, she has written features and a weekly column for Costa Blanca News, articles for Writing Magazine, and has taught over 150 writing workshops. She pours her innate joy into her books and also expresses it in nature, playing instruments, creating art and dancing. Connect with Liane: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest
GUEST POST: Limitless Reading and Writing
It’s been a journey. I was blessed to be raised in a house where my parents were avid readers and so was my eldest sister. It felt the most glorious treat, like living in ‘grown-up land’, to read all of their books as well as my own. My sister loved Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Shakespeare. My mother loved historical fiction, romance and biographies. And my father loved westerns, war books, thrillers and Wilbur Smith. We were also blessed with a library at the end of our road and, at least once a week, I would walk with four books in my arms and the memories and feelings they’d given me floating around in my heart, along with the anticipation and excitement in my stomach about the next four books waiting for me. I dreamed of writing children’s fiction, to create worlds I could wander in, yet had a belief that ‘other people’ did that. So instead I wrote reams of poetry. As an adult, when I finally heard my soul’s howls that she longed to write books, I started writing children’s fiction. Two of my best friends urged me to write books for adults yet writing for adults seemed too scary. I didn’t believe in myself enough, and my friends seemed to believe in me way too much. So the first book I published was a fantasy adventure for a middle grade audience. The second book, more suitable for aged 12 upwards, was leading me to an adult audience. I was surprised by how much the teachers loved reading the book for themselves when I visited a school to do some writing workshops and book signing. I had started working on the sequel to this second book, when our dog, Darcy, died. My husband asked me to write a book about her to remember her, and a close friend asked me to, as well. Grief from her passing grabbed me and kept hurling me into voids, floods of tears and physical pain. I couldn’t focus on the sequel. So …. I wrote about Darcy. I wanted it to honor her and be as honest as possible. I set it out in alternate scenes writing in my voice and allowing Darcy’s personality and perspective to shine through in the scenes written by her. I laughed, smiled and sobbed as I wrote. Halfway through the four year journey from start to publication of Darcy: The Dog Who Talked, I told a friend I was thinking of writing a book about our cat, Tammy. I told her a couple of things about her and my friend laughed out loud and said, ‘You have to. I want to read it.’ And so I did. Once again, I wrote it in both my voice and Tammy’s, and this time there was more laughter and less tears. And without realizing, I find myself having published my first two books for adults.
Giveaway:
Prizes: 1st prize: An 11 x 14 inch print of Tammy: The Little Cat With A Big Attitude book cover signed by the author and the illustrator, an 11 x 14 inch print of Darcy: The Dog Who Talked book cover signed by the author and the illustrator, a signed paperback of Tammy: The Little Cat With A Big Attitude, a signed paperback of Darcy: The Dog Who Talked, and a $10 Amazon GC 2nd prize: A signed paperback of Tammy: The Little Cat With A Big Attitude, a signed paperback of Darcy: The Dog Who Talked, and a $10 Amazon GC 3rd prize: Paperbacks of Tammy: The Little Cat With A Big Attitude and Darcy: The Dog Who Talked (Giveaway ends Dec 29, 2018) 
Book Details:
The Journal of Angela Ashby by Liana Gardner Published by: Vesuvian Books } Publication date: September 25th 2018 Genres: Middle-Grade, Paranormal Synopsis: A Middle Grade “Death Note” “With great power comes great responsibility.” ~Voltaire I have great power. That’s what she told me. The old fortune-teller at the school carnival. I thought I was doing the right thing … with the magic journal she gave me. But nothing could prepare me for what happened next. Or, for what I unleashed. At a school carnival, a mysterious fortune-teller gives twelve-year-old Angela Ashby a journal and warns her to use it wisely. Nothing prepares Angela for the journal’s power—when she pours her heart onto its pages her desires come true. She tests the journal by conjuring a gnome, a unicorn, and a farting fairy and then uses it to stop the school bullies in their tracks. But the unintended consequences alienate her best friend and puts her favorite teacher in danger of losing her job. After she shares her deepest desire of all—that her parents get back together—her adversary steals the journal, and Angela fears she will use it to bring mayhem to the entire school if she doesn’t get it back. Goodreads | ~ Purchase: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | 
AUTHOR BIO:
Liana Gardner is a two-time teen choice award-winning author of the Misfit McCabe series and finalist in 2018 International Book Awards for Children's Fiction. Daughter of a rocket scientist and an artist, Liana Gardner combines the traits of both into a quirky yet pragmatic writer and in everything sees the story lurking beneath the surface. Engaged in a battle against leukemia and lymphoma, Liana spends much of her time at home, but allows her imagination to take her wherever she wants to go. She fostered her love of writing after reading Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and discovering she had a great deal in common with the character Jo. The making up of stories, dramatic feelings, and a quick temper were enough for her to know she and Jo would have been kindred spirits. Liana volunteers with high school students through the International Trade Education Programs (ITEP). ITEP unites business people and educators to prepare students for a meaningful place in the world of tomorrow. Working in partnership with industry and educators, ITEP helps young people "think globally and earn locally." Her debut Middle Grade novel, 7th Grade Revolution, launched 10/24/2017 and will be followed by The Journal of Angela Ashby out 9.25.2018. Currently she is working on a chapter book series as LK Griffie, with creator Luke Matthews and co-authors Olivia Claire and Jared Cross, entitled Timmy and the Golden Lion Tamarin. In addition to the children's book series, she is working on a Middle Grade series which will be released under the name Liana Gardner, with the first book titled, The Star Warriors and the Secret of the Red Key. Her most recent YA novel, Speak No Evil, will also be released under the name Liana Gardner. Author links: Twitter | Website | Facebook | Goodreads |
GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
Book Blurb:
Nine-year-old Samuel lives alone in a once-great estate in Surrey with the family’s housekeeper, Ruth. His father is dead and his mother has been abroad for months, purportedly tending to her late husband’s faltering business. She left in a hurry one night while Samuel was sleeping and did not say goodbye. Beyond her sporadic postcards, Samuel hears nothing from his mother. He misses her dearly and maps her journey in an atlas he finds in her study. Samuel’s life is otherwise regulated by Ruth, who runs the house with an iron fist. Only she and Samuel know how brutally she enforces order. As rumors in town begin to swirl, Samuel wonders whether something more sinister is afoot. Perhaps his mother did not leave but was murdered—by Ruth. Artful, haunting and hurtling toward a psychological showdown, The Boy at the Keyhole is an incandescent debut about the precarious dance between truth and perception, and the shocking acts that occur behind closed doors. Purchase Links: Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble ~ ADD To Goodreads:
MY REVIEW: (LAWonder10)
Samuel missed his mother so much! Hus father had recently died and their finances were critical, so his mother went across the ocean to get investors to help... at least that is what the housekeeper, Ruth, says. It has been months and only four postcards, but no other word from her. What is taking so long? Why couldn't he have gone with her? His best friend puts some strange ideas in his head which "feed on" his suspicions. He is getting frantic and "out of control"! This is a mystery/suspense story which addresses to subject of tragedy, grief, psychological situations, dysfunction, desperation, and assumptions, which are not always correct. The Book Cover and title are "fitting". The cover is done uniquely. The characters are very real, allowing the reader to feel a part of the take. The scenes are well-portrayed. At first I had a hard time"getting into it", but as the story progressed, interest increased, and the ending is very profound. I offer a Four Stars rating. The publisher sent this to me, with no request for a positive review. This is my honest review.
PRAISE For The Book:
“A fiendishly efficient, gorgeously written, nasty little thrill ride of a psychological thriller. I couldn’t put it down, and it’s entirely possible that I’ll never sleep again. A true tour-de-force of a debut novel.”–Lyndsay Faye, author of The Gods of Gotham and Jane Steele “The Boy at the Keyhole is sinister and tight, amusing and intense, an emotional story of a sweet boy in a precarious psychological place. A fun and wicked read that is impossible to put down!”–Matthew Sullivan, author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
About the Author:
Stephen Giles is the Australian author behind the lauded children's series "Anyone But Ivy Pocket", penned under the pseudonym Caleb Krisp. The series, published in the US by HarperCollins/Greenwillow and the UK by Bloomsbury, appeared on the New York Times Best Seller List, has been translated into 25 different languages and was optioned by Paramount Pictures.Prior to selling his first book, Stephen worked in a variety of jobs to supplement his writing including market research, film classification and media monitoring. "The Boy at the Keyhole" is Giles' first work for adults and the film rights for this book have been acquired by New Regency.
Amazon Page | Goodreads |
GIVEAWAY! (my own)
1 Print copy of The Boy at the Key Hole for ONE LUCKY WINNER!(U.S./Can. ONLY) 
Naomi doesn't expect anything unusual from her annual family trip to visit her grandparents in Ireland. What she expects is to celebrate her thirteenth birthday, hang out with her friends Ciara and Shehan, and deal with her gran's Alzheimer's. What she finds is a country hit by an unexpected virus that rapidly infects the majority of the Irish population over the age of twenty-one.
Amnestic-Delirium Syndrome (ADS) starts off with memory loss, but the virus soon turns its victims aggravated, blank, or violent. Naomi and her friends must survive on their own, without lucid adults, cut off from the rest of the world, until a cure is found. But there are whispers that ADS is not terrestrial, and soon Naomi and her friends learn the frightening truth: we are not alone Link to Goodreads | Purchase Links: BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks
Guest Post: Which of the characters in this book do you relate to the most? In what ways?
Because I usually write in first person I’m continually placing myself directly in the point of view of the main character(s). In first person you see and experience everything through that one character (more than one character when writing in alternating first person which I’ve done in some of my other books) so you can’t help but feel close to them. It’s almost like being an actor – you need to develop a deep understanding of someone to write from their point of view and know what they’ll say and do in various situations. In Stricken the main character is twelve turning thirteen-year-old Naomi Seiler so she’s the character I related to the most. But there are other reasons I feel close to Naomi too. Like me, she’s a middle class Ontario girl with Irish background. I didn’t visit Ireland until I was an adult but because I spent so much time there in my twenties—and still visit yearly—I really related to Naomi’s feelings in Chapter One: “Because we spent every July in Dublin, my time in Ireland felt sort of like another life. One with a different house and different friends. But even those differences felt almost normal to me.” Unlike me, Naomi’s a hockey player and avid fan of the sport. I can probably count on one hand the number of professional hockey games I’ve sat through in my life. I’m not a big sports fan in general but my Dad passionately LOVES the Montreal Canadiens and my brother was a goalie as a kid so I definitely grew up in a hockey-loving family. It’s hard not to have some awareness of hockey in Canada; it’s knitted so deeply into the fabric of this country. I think Naomi is stronger and surer of herself than I was at her age. I don’t mean that she’s not scared when the memory virus in Stricken picks up steam and society starts to fall apart, because of course she is, but for the most part she holds herself together. In many ways writing from Naomi’s point of view came very naturally—her fears, her loyalty to her friends, how close she is to her parents. I hope readers will feel they can relate to her too.
Giveaway Details:
 Title: Nocturnal Meetings of the Misplaced Author: R.J. Garcia Genre: Young Adult Mystery | Number of Pages: 326 Publisher: The Parliament House | Publication Date: May 1, 2018 Summary: Mystery surrounds the town of Summertime, Indiana, where fifteen-year-old Tommy Walker and his little sister are sent to live with relatives they’ve never met. Tommy soon makes friends with Finn Wilds, a rebellious local who lives with his volatile and abusive stepfather, who also happens to be the town’s sheriff. Finn invites Tommy to late night meetings in the woods, where Tommy gets to know two girls. He forms a special and unique connection with both girls. The meetings become a place where the kids, who don’t fit in at school, or home can finally belong. As the group of friends begin to unravel clues to a cold case murder and kidnapping— they learn the truth is darker and closer than they ever imagined. Even if they live to tell, will anyone believe them? iTunes | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Kobo MY REVIEW: (LAWonder10) Fourteen year old, Tommy, and his four-year-old little sister, Isabel, was soon to arrive at their Uncles' home...an uncle they never had met! They had always lived in Chicago. They had no idea what their life would be like in the small town of Summertime, Indiana. Restless an fearful of the unknown, somehow, Tommy would protect Isabel. Trepidation filled Tommy and silence encompassed Isabel as his Uncle Holden and his wife Reese,. tried to make "small talk" on their way to their "new home". After arriving Uncle Holden introduced them to his neighbors, Finn, (Tommy's age) and his younger siblings, one the same age as Isabel...little did they each know these would become devoted close friends. Tommy's uncle soon led them to a pink bedroom upstairs for Isabel and in the basement was Tommy's small room...he'd had much worse. At the bus stop Monday, Tommy joined Finn as they boarded the bus. Soon the bus stopped and two young girls got on. One was cute and blond -Silence - and the other not s noticeable and had a mouth full of metal - Annie. The four of them would become the young "Mispalced Nocturnals.". This is an eerie, mysterious, young love, and unexpected friendship tale The suspense and mystery builds until the very end of the story. Things are not always as they seem! Although the story is told by two different individuals, the "flow" is not interrupted and it is easily discovered who is telling his part of the tale. The mystique deepens and the suspense builds as the tale nears its end. It will surely keep the reader's attention. This covers many subject matters such as: bullying, abuse, addiction, first date, first kiss, new environment, human frailties, deceit, trust, loyalty, and childlessness, plus, more. The characters,and scenes are both depicted very well and the reader almost feels as if he.she is there among them. The Book Cover is a great "fit" but not eye-catching to the"browser". The Title is intriguing and fits well. *Beware: there is sometimes strong language but no real profanity. I offer a Four and a Half stars rating. *This book was gifted me with no expectations of a positive review. This is my honest review.  R.J. Garcia is a wife, and proud mom of two smart kids. She earned her MSW and worked with foster children and as a school social worker. Writing has been her other great love. She has published several non-fiction pieces. She has been writing short stories for as long as she can remember. To her amazement, those short stories became novels! Author's Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram Presented by Beach Bound Books
Book Details:
Book Title: The Blue Moon Narthex by N.J. Donner Category: Middle-grade Fiction (Ages 8 to 12), 360 pages Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Steele Page Press | Release date: February 7, 2017 Content Rating: PG (Some violence between forces of good and evil, but it's not bloody or gory) - Tour dates: June 4 to 29, 2018 Book Description: It’s 1919 and thirteen-year-old Cole McCarthy just wants more time with his father, who is a busy railroad executive. But a horrific train accident leaves Cole’s stepmother as his only family. Alone and lost, Cole wanders his family’s estate and runs into an old family friend who gives him a special object that belonged to his father. Cole just wants to be a kid, not the owner of the most powerful object in the world. The Blue Moon Narthex is made from tangible bits of Karma and gives Cole the power to transport himself and control Karma. Now, Alsin Gideon, traitor of the Legion of Karma, is on rampage to take Cole’s narthex and add to his body count. For their safety, Cole and two of his prep school friends are pulled into the enormous secret headquarters of the Legion, which operates like an underground 1920s spy organization. While living at the secret location, Cole learns about the secret double life of his father. With the pressure to find his role within the legion, maintain a strained relationship with his stepmother, and live up to a daunting legacy left by his father Cole, withdraws and makes secret plans to take on his father’s enemies. Alsin Gideon cleverly taunts Cole, to meet him at a prearranged battle meant for his father. Cole’s anger and determination boil over and he is willing to risk his powerful tool and Karma’s stability for the hope of getting his parents back. Will Cole, along with his friends, be able to work together to bring back his parents, keep Karma’s in balance, and stay alive? 
About the Author:
N.J. Donner is a dad who loves to tell stories and create worlds. He has created 3D models of parts of the Legion’s secret headquarters and drawn extensive maps of the underground world where the Legion operates. He loves to explore and to figure out why and how things work, including Karma. When he's not writing, N.J. runs a successful steel fabrication business in the Midwest. He loves to travel with his wife, Amanda, and their three children. Six books are planned for the series taking the three main characters and the Legion of Karma to new continents and new adventures across the world. Connect with the author: Website ~ BookWebsite ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
Giveaway:
Prizes: Win 1 of 10 prize packages that contains a signed copy of The Blue Moon Narthex, a mug, bookmark, lapel pin, and stickers and tattoos (open to USA & CAN - 10 winners) (ends July 7, 2018) 
Blog Tour Kick-Off: Selah's Painted Dream by Susan Count Blog Tour & $25 Giveaway! [Ends 5/29/18]5/3/2018   Title: Selah's Painted Dream (Dream Horse Adventures, Book 3) | Author: Susan Count | Publisher: Hastings Creation Group | Publication Date: May 7, 2018 | Genre: Children's Novel | Number of Pages: 174 Description: Thirteen-year-old Selah’s life is about as perfect as it gets. She has horsy friends at school, and on weekends, she rides her black mare on Grandpa’s farm. Training the horse to do upper-level liberty work is what makes her heart beat. But one word can ruin a perfect life—moving. A move would separate her from her horse, so she plots to get her name on the farm mailbox instead. She’s sure she could persuade Grandpa—except he’s overly distracted by a sheep-loving neighbor. Determined not to let Grandpa's new sweetheart take her place in his heart, Selah puts her hope in a painted dream horse from Grandpa’s past. When she snugs up the girth and buckles on her spurs, Selah rides to win.  MY REVIEW: (LAWonder10) Selah was going through difficult changes physically and emotionally at the tender age of thirteen. On top of those changes within her body, she had a few more very disturbing changes within her family. To "cap it all off" , those she thought were her friends. she began to question. This is a story of a girl and a horse facing drastic changes, during the girls difficult formative years. Selah is forced to grow up and face change in what she once felt was a solid foundation. This story is filled with adventures, emotional situations, and reads a lot like real life. Selah evolves from a spoiled, self-centered child into a courageous, more mature individual as she discovers she does not control life and must adjust to changes. The characters are very well portrayed and realistic, as are the background scenes. The reader will certainly get "caught up" in Selah's story. This is an ideal book for Summer Reading Programs for ages 8 to 14 years old. The Book Title is very fitting and the cover image is very colorful and eye-catching to a "browser". I offer a Four and a Half Stars rating on this novel. *This was sent to me with no request for a positive review. This is my honest review.. Other Books in The Series:  A story of love and determination in the face of adversity that will steal your heart. Twelve-year-old Mary longs to have a horse of her own, but she's limited to reading horse books. A talented artist, she spends her days on a blanket in the grass sketching the horses at the farm next door. She falls in love with one of the foals and is outraged to learn the filly is considered worthless as it was born lame. Mary befriends and enlists the help of twelve-year-old Laura, whose family owns the horse farm. Against the better judgment of the farm manager, a brief reprieve is negotiated for the foal's life. The girls conspire to raise money to save her, but time is running out. Sadly, it appears the expensive surgery the foal needs has little chance to correct the problem anyway. Mary isn't about to let her own disability hold her back. She sacrifices what she holds dear - the trust of her papa, to gain her heart's desire. But she could lose everything in her struggle to save the foal. TxAuthors Best Book Award Winner for 2017 - Juvenile - Coming of Age Feathered Quill - 2017 GOLD Award - Children's Fiction - Animals Purple Dragonfly - 2017 First Place - Disability Awareness  A delightful read. Plenty of twists and turns which makes the book a great little adventure. Selah embodies perseverance, hope, determination, compassion, and spunk. Twelve-Year-Old SELAH'S quest to be equestrian superstar is impossible without a horse. Then she spots buzzards circling in the grasslands behind Grandpa's farm. They're stalking a horse trapped in wire and Selah is its only hope. But the mare she rescues might be a bigger challenge to her dream than not having a horse at all. When an old friend of Grandpa's and a world renowned horse trainer offers to work with the wild and defiant mare, Selah jumps at the opportunity. She trains with a fierce determination to equal the equestrian talent of the deceased grandmother who instilled the love of horses in her. But when the horse causes mayhem at the trainer's facility, he sends them home. Selah must gather her courage and face up to the trainer or watch her dreams gallop away. American Horse Publications - FIRST PLACE - Equine Fiction..... Feathered Quill - GOLD Award.....Readers Favorites - GOLD Award.....   About the Author As a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Texas Association of Authors, I take studying the craft of writing seriously. Revision is my super-power.Instilled with the need to create, I love building projects and writing adventure stories. I’m a life-long equestrian and owned by a Rocky Mountain Horse. I adore grandchildren, horses, bunnies, mochas, and forest trails. I’ve published three books in an equestrian series. I write at an antique secretary desk that occupies a glass room with a forest view. Fittingly, it once belonged to the same wise grandmother who introduced me to the love of reading via Walter Farley's horse books. That desk has secret compartments which hold memories, mysteries, and story ideas. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Goodreads BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY! Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or $25 PayPal cash prize, winner's choice Giveaway ends: May 29, 11:59 pm, 2018 Open to: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Susan Count and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel free to send an email to stacie@BeachBoundBooks.com. a Rafflecopter giveaway  |
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