 2019 IPPY SILVER MEDALIST – YOUNG ADULT  Book Details: Meet Me in the Strange by Leander Watts Published by: Meerkat Press | Publication date: March 27th 2018 Genres: Coming of Age, Fantasy, Young Adult Synopsis: Meet Me in the Strange is an intoxicating adventure set in a glittery, retro-futuristic world of glam rock, spectral aliens, and gender-bendy teens. Davi is mesmerized by a girl at a concert, who appears to lose herself in the power of the otherworldy music of Django Conn. Later, through a chance meeting, Davi becomes friends with the girl, Anna Z. She is like no one Davi has ever met: she loves to talk, talk, talk and has grandiose theories of the next evolution of humans and a strange phenomenon she calls the “Alien Drift.”But danger lurks around every corner, because Anna Z is on the run, and her cruel and controlling older brother is determined to find her, at any cost. Davi faces a daunting decision, go on living a safe existence at the magical Angelus Hotel, which has been in the family for generations, or help Anna Z escape her troubled past. When the two take off to follow the concert tour of their glam-rock idol, Django Conn, Davi and Anna Z will face the biggest threat of their young lives. Goodreads | ~ Purchase:Now in Paperback! Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo  AUTHOR BIO: An avid musician, Leander Watts has played and sung for decades in a wide variety of bands. His interests range from garage rock to skronky jazz, from baroque organ to Appalachian gospel. The first rock concert he attended was David Bowie on the Diamond Dogs tour in 1974. He teaches writing and literature at the State University of New York at Geneseo (his alma mater). Leander Watts is the author of STONECUTTER, WILD RIDE TO HEAVEN, TEN THOUSAND CHARMS, and BEAUTIFUL CITY OF THE DEAD. Author links: Blog Site | Goodreads  GIVEAWAY Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)
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  Slippers And Thieves (Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #4) by Christina Bauer Published by: Monster House Books Release date: November 26th 2019 Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult Synopsis: Years ago, Elle—never call her Cinderella—escaped her evil step family in order to build a new life for herself in Manhattan. Today, Elle’s awful past is a distant memory. In fact, Elle even attends West Lake Prep, an exclusive high school where regular humans mix with members of the Magicorum, such as fairies, shifters and witches. Although she still must live in hiding from her evil stepfamily, Elle has always found ways to get whatever her heart desires. That is, until Alec Le Charme. Alec is the heir to the Le Charme dynasty of high-end jewelers. He’s also kind, charismatic, has a knee-melting smile. Elle has fallen for him, hard. Unfortunately, thanks to Elle’s evil step family, Alec is absolutely off limits. In fact, if Elle and Alec so much as kiss, it will start a magical chain reaction that would end in powerful factions of witches and wizards going to war. As a result, Elle and Alec vow to stay friends, no matter what. Then West Lake Prep holds a masquerade ball. Identities get mixed up and forbidden kisses are finally shared. Time for the Magicorum to go to war, and for Elle to confront her hidden past in ways she never thought possible. Goodreads B&N Amazon Kobo Google Play
Alec – Age Fifteen Clarissa leads me to the L’s loading dock. She asks me to wait (again) while she tries to find someone to answer a few questions (again.) So I hang by the back wall and stare out across a small and empty lot. In New York, this counts as a Zen moment. A girl steps onto the concrete. She’s about my age and clearly a Cinderella template. Now I’ve met my share of possible Cinderellas. This girl is singular in how she combines so much in a single glance. She’s both fierce and sweet, gentle and rough, lovely and simple. In fact, a bubble of life and light seems to surround her. Beside her, a few boxes sit on a broken wagon. A bunch of human girls stand close by, along with an elf. The girls all wear passes for tonight’s Le Charme Extravaganza. My pulse speeds. Every corner of my soul becomes awash with one thought. How can I approach this girl? With extravaganza fans around, I can’t step out as Alec Le Charme. A plan forms. I scan the dock. Excitement zings through my limbs. Sure enough, a worker’s jacket hangs on a nearby wall hook. True fact: it’s amazing what you can get away with when you wear a uniform. I slip on the jacket and march out to meet the girl. “Hello.” I wave in her direction. “Hey, I need to drop these off and…” My perfect girl looks around. “Everyone’s gone.” "That’s right. There was an elf and some humans here before. Lucky for me, they’ve all taken off. I gesture toward the boxes. “Can I help you?” “That would be great.” Her face brightens with a dazzling smile. Inside my soul, emotions shift. Desires align. This girl. Returning the grin, I hoist up one box on my shoulder. The other goes under my arm. I could use magic, but these aren’t too heavy. Soon I’m setting them both onto the edge of the loading dock. The girl takes out a little scrap of paper. “Um, can you…” “Sure, I’ll sign for them.” I scratch out my signature. For once, I’m glad my writing is an unreadable mess. I’m not ready to reveal who I really am. Yet. “Thanks.” She takes in a shaky breath. “I’m Elle.” I grin. “Elle.” She gestures to my jacket. “And you’re Fred.” “I am?” I look down at the jacket. Sure enough, the name Fred is written on my chest. “I mean, I am.” Elle blushes. “Thanks for helping me with the boxes.” “Any time.” “I should probably get going.” Elle takes a step backward, but the pavement here is really uneven. She missteps and starts to topple. On reflex, I move forward and catch her. A second later, I’ve got Elle in my arms. An electric charge pulses through me. Threads of connection wind between us. Is this magic? Do I really care? The moment stretches on. I should really let Elle go. yet I don’t. It’s not like I want to kiss her. I mean, I do want a kiss, but it’s more than that. Together—it’s like we’re meant to fit this way. I shake my head. I’m only fifteen and Elle looks about the same age. That’s early too get feelings for someone, isn’t it? It’s an effort, but I release her. “You almost took a tumble there.” “Yes, thanks for your help. Again.” Think, think, think. There must be some way to keep her here.  ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too. Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates WEBSITE | GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER Tour Schedule HERE.  Giveaway Details: Tour-wide giveaway (INT)
Enter by clicking on the Rafflecopter link below. RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY!    Book Details: Wingless and Beautiful by Jerilee Kaye Category: YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 290 pages | Genre: Romance Publisher: KIX Creative Publishing House. Release date: November 2019 Tour dates: Nov 21 to December 4, 2019 Content Rating: PG-13 : some curse words and there are kissing scenes. There is one love scene in the end, but non-explicit and non-descriptive. Book Description: Beautiful Allison Harley is far from perfect. She was a victim of domestic violence that left her physically scarred and emotionally broken. Hunter Vaugh was handsome, rich and brilliant. He was a golden boy who thought he was invincible until a tragedy took away his perfect life… along with his ability to see. When they met, Allison was running away from her nightmares, and Hunter thought he had no reason to undergo the treatments needed to recover his eyesight. He was blind, but he saw how beautiful she was, and she gave him a reason to live… a reason to see again. She was his angel, and he was hers. Hunter went away with a promise that once he returns, he will be able to see her, protect her… be the guardian angel she deserved. But once he got his eyesight back, can he look past the scars that her nightmares left her? Will he keep the promises he made her? Or will he go back to his perfect life and leave her in the hands of the new angel, who took care of her when he left? Mark your calendars! Jerilee Kaye's new release will be available on November 21, 2019! Pre-Order Today: Amazon  Meet the Author: Jerilee Kaye was born under the sign of Leo in the year 1979. She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Legal Management from De La Salle University. She has post-graduate qualifications in the fields of Product Management, Project Management and Procurement. She is a Certified Senior Professional in Supply Management from NLPA, Pennsylvania and is currently working her way to an MCIPS certification from CIPS UK. She manages a global supplier portfolio for multi-national and government entities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. She is also an entrepreneur, managing a photography and printing company with her husband. She is married to her first love, Sam, who she's been dating since she was 16. They are blessed with two beautiful angels, MarQuise Justine Jerilee and Sir Alfred IV. When she's not buried under stacks of paper at work, or engrossed with her writing, she spends some down time playing golf, kicking her husband's butt on a judo match and learning to play the piano. Connect with the author: website ~facebook ~twitter ~ instagram Here is the tour schedule  Giveaway Details: Win one of three ebooks of WINGLESS AND BEAUTIFUL (3 winners) (Open Internationally) (ends Dec 11) RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY!    Book Details: The Abyss Trilogy by A.C. Ward Genres: Dystopian, Fantasy, Young Adult Book 1 - Avoiding the Abyss Synopsis: Aubrey has always been told she isn’t special. If only that had remained true. Aubrey grew up as part of the rebel movement, protected but lonely. All she wants is her mother’s love, but without an ability she’s worthless in her mother’s eyes. When she’s captured by the government, Aubrey sees an opportunity to prove her worth. Instead, she realizes that her mother has been withholding many truths. Aubrey experiences an acceptance outside of the rebels that her heart has yearned for, and a discovery. She has an immunity that has never been seen before. But Aubrey isn’t immune, she’s absorbing powers as the key to the Abyss—a portal into the demon realm. Her mother finally sees purpose in her daughter and hopes to use it for her cause. Aubrey isn’t as certain. If she doesn’t gain control of her ability, she’ll open the gateway to hell and destroy everyone she’s come to care about. Including herself. The first installment in the Abyss trilogy, a coming of age YA dystopian fantasy. Perfect for fans of dystopian worlds, apocalyptic prophesies, and demon lore. Download now to find out if Aubrey will succeed in Avoiding the Abyss.  Book 2 - Approaching the Abyss SYNOPSIS: A new prophesy. Demons on the loose. Then the angels come to kill them all. After her mother abandons her, Aubrey doubts her abilities more than ever. She failed to close the Abyss. Desperate to prove herself, Aubrey enters the demon realm only to trigger a new disaster. She releases the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. These angels are uncompromising in their purpose; to massacre humanity. Aubrey alone has an immunity to match the angels, but it isn’t enough. She is faced with making a pact with a demon, or worse, her own mother. Aubrey must decide or lose those she care about. Will her choices prevent the apocalypse, or are they actually the steps leading to the end? The second installment in the Abyss trilogy, a coming of age YA dystopian fantasy. Perfect for fans of dystopian worlds, apocalyptic prophesies, and angel lore. Download today to find out if Aubrey will avoid Approaching the Abyss.  Book 3 - Accepting the Abyss SYNOPSIS: The angels and demons are defeated. Aubrey knows true happiness. Then the Devil comes to destroy it all. Aubrey had never dreamed that life could bring such joy. She has a family, friends, and is falling in love. She’s even mended her relationship with her mother. Together they’re working to change the way abilities are viewed. But a final prophecy looms, one that threatens to destroy the world. The Devil offers her a deal; to choose her own happiness over the life of an innocent. Lucifer is charming, compelling, but not to be trusted. Neither are many of those Aubrey has grown to care about. Aubrey has more to lose than ever before. Will she find a path to save humanity, or do all choices lead to the end? The third installment in the Abyss trilogy, a coming of age YA dystopian fantasy. Perfect for fans of dystopian worlds, apocalyptic prophesies, and devil lore. Download now to find out if Aubrey will end up Accepting the Abyss. Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48273293-avoiding-the-abyss Purchase: Book 1: https://books2read.com/u/4j1Qal?store=amazon Book 2: https://books2read.com/u/bPRj0J?store=amazon Book 3: https://books2read.com/u/bzvwWD?store=amazon  AUTHOR BIO: Amanda Ward is a little worried that her internet search history is on some sort of watch list. For Death Daydreams, she researched serial killers, hidden rooms, death, suicide, and third-story falls. Her next work in process is only making it worse. Amanda lives with her husband, daughter, and various pets - dog, cat, gecko, fish, and tarantula. When she's not writing she's watching Netflix or rereading her favorite manga. She'd love to hear from her fans. You can contact her at wardabooks@gmail.com. Author links: Instagram | Amazon | Facebook | Website |  GIVEAWAY DETAILS: Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)
To Enter, Click on link RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY!    The End of the Magi By Patrick W. Carr Christian Historical Fiction Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 384 Pages November 5th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers SYNOPSIS: Centuries before the magi arrived in Bethlehem, a prophecy sets a young magus on his path . . . Following his vision of the coming Messiah, the prophet Daniel calls forth a select group of men who will count down the calendar until the arrival of Israel's promised king. Centuries later, as the day draws near, Myrad, a young magi acolyte, flees for his life when his adoptive father and others are slain by a ruthless Parthian queen. Equipped with very little, in haste Myrad escapes the city and, searching for a way to hide from the soldiers scouring the trade routes, tries to join the caravan of the merchant Walagash. The merchant senses that Myrad is keeping secrets, but when the young man proves himself a valuable asset, an epic journey filled with peril, near captures, and dangerous battles begins. With every day that passes, the calendar creeps closer to the coming Messiah. And over everything shines the dream of a star that Myrad can't forget, and the promise that the world will never be the same. (Affiliate links included.) Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Christianbook | Publisher (Affiliate links included.) Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Christianbook | Publisher (Affiliate links included.) Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Christianbook | Publisher REVIEW BY LAWonder10: Myrad was a cripple, yet when his mother died, the magus, Gershon, took him in and adopted him. He raided him as his son, and taught him in the ways and knowledge as a magi acolyte.. Their close relationship ended in the terrible day at the palace, where the newly pronounced queen had him and others slaughtered. Myrad fled to this fathers house to grab a few important and sacred belongings, barely fleeing from there with hos life. He had to obtain the shelter of a caravan in order to avoid being caught and slayed. many regarded his crippled body as a curse and refused his plea to join them. However after endlessly searching, and through his persistence, the merchant Walagash allowed him to join them. Little did any of them realize what events would take place in the upcoming months and years.... Would Myrad be able to honor his father and fulfill his dreams? This is an excellent story in honor, integrity, greed, perseverance, and in overcoming obstacles. It is a well-written tale, using creative imagination concerning an event in history which is vaguely addressed. The characters are well portrayed and feel very real. The events and scenes are well defined and visualized with relative ease. The Book Cover is too dark to effectively attract "the browser's eye". However the Title is very interesting and fitting to the book content. I did find it disconcerting that some important parts were left out of a well-known biblical event. A couple of other places in the story is not in accordance to most individuals understanding, yet is left open to interpretation. The author used that to create his own, interesting, scenario. I offer a solid Sour Stars rating and recommend this book, especially for holiday reading. *This book was gifted to me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.
"Carr retells the story of the Magi in this bustling biblical adventure . . . . Myrad's divine vision of the star and his arduous trek battling his own physical problems to pay homage to the Messiah capture the majesty of biblical narratives and will appeal to Christians well versed in scripture."-- Publishers Weekly "Patrick Carr brings us a captivating tale in The End of the Magi. Based on the Holy Bible, he weaves a fictional tale of the adventures of a group of magi from the east looking for the Messiah. Myrad is a strong main character even though he doesn't see himself as strong. He has great character traits and these help him find triumph over tragedy. . . . The End of the Magi is a great holiday read and gives us much to think about in our journey to know God better."--Fresh Fiction  ABOUT the AUTHOR: Patrick W. Carr is the author of the acclaimed fantasy series The Staff and the Sword. A Cast of Stones won the 2014 Carol Award for Speculative Fiction and the 2014 Clive Staples Award. A Cast of Stones and The Hero's Lot were both finalists for 2014 Christy Awards. He teaches high school math and makes his home in Nashville, Tennessee, with his incredible wife, Mary, and their four sons. Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | 
TOUR SCHEDULE: November 18th: Launch Locks, Hooks and Books - Review (print) Paulette's Papers - Excerpt Rockin' Book Reviews - Review (print) November 19th: Christian Chick's Thoughts - Excerpt Remembrancy - Review (print) I'm Going on an Adventure - Review (print) November 20th: A Baker's Perspective - Review (print) Library Lady's Kid Lit - Review (print) Inspirational Reading Adventures - Review (print) November 21st: Kimber Li - Review (print) Wishful Endings - Review (print) Faithfully Bookish - Review (print) November 22nd: Christy's Cozy Corners - Review (print) J. L. Mbewe - Excerpt Daughter of Increase - Review (print) November 25th: Pause for Tales - Review (print) Splashes of Joy - Review (print) Backing Books - Review (print) November 26th: The Heart of a Scribe - Review (print) Reading Is My SuperPower - Review (ebook) Bookworm Lisa - Review (print) November 27th: Tell Tale Book Reviews - Excerpt Red Headed Book Lady - Review (print) The Shelf Life - Review (print) Worthy2Read - Review (print) November 28th: For Him and My Family - Review (print) Hallie Reads - Review (print) Labor Not in Vain - Review (print) November 29th: Heidi Reads... - Excerpt Paper Ink & Lizard - Review (print)   If you love books like Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s American Gods or Good Omens, Joe Hill’s Nos4A2, or Stephen King’s (Richard Bachman) Blaze, then you’ll love Awakening!  Awakening: Rise as the Fall Unfolds by Carissa Andrews Publication date: November 12th 2019 Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Urban Fantasy Synopsis: The final five angels have been located and averting the apocalypse means somehow recreating the birth of Christ. Morgan never expected total annihilation would come down to the actions of five misfit angels. But as each one’s hidden angelic power unfolds, so does the sinister truth… the entire Jesus storyline has been wiped from the collective consciousness, leaving a tear in the fabric of reality. The final five need to figure out how their gifts are meant to fit together in order to set things right. However, coming to terms with the responsibility resting on their shoulders doesn’t come easy. To make matters worse, the demons have found them and unless they get on the same page quickly, the darkness will consume them all. But how can they make things right when the thing that’s missing happened more than 2000 years ago? One thing’s for sure. If they fail, existence ceases. Goodreads | ~ Purchase: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play |
Carissa’s Top Ten Favorite Supernatural Reads Being a reader, as well as writer, it's SUPER hard to pick some favorite books. I had to brainstorm like a crazy person and get as many of them down as possible. Once that was done, I was able to see a common theme about them: supernatural reads! As it turns out, I love to both read and write books with a genre bending quality that pulls in elements of the supernatural through them. Let’s see if we share some of the same awesome love for supernatural reads! 1. Nate Temple Chronicles, by Shayne Silvers – So good and so, so funny! If you are trying to decide between this or his Feathers and Fire series, I can honestly say – Nate Temple is where it’s at. Start here! 2. Rise of the Seer, by Brandon Barr – I bought this book when Brandon was still alive and trying to raise money for his family before his passing. It was a good read and one that I still recommend in honor of his legacy. 3. Blood, Flesh, Bone Trilogy, by Juliet Vane – Juliet is a friend of mine and I adored this series! I love anything with ghosts and hauntings and supernatural occurrences. Bonus: if you like music, too, you’ll love this series! 4. The Lux Series, by Jennifer Armentrout – Oh, what to say about this series… It reminds me of Roswell (old TV show) in a way. My BFF turned me on to this series and I have to admit, I really enjoyed the twists and turns! About mid-series it wandered a bit, but it came back around. If you love supernatural beings (or aliens), you’ll enjoy this read. 5. Beautiful Creatures, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl – It’s been a while since I read this series, but I loved it! Obviously, it went on to become a movie as well, so I must not have been the only one! HA! 6. House of Night Series, by PC and Kristin Cast – I read this series as it came out years ago and to this day, it still lingers with me. It was post Twilight and probably one of the first true “academy” books outside of Hogwarts. 7. The Witch, by Christopher Pike – This one is a super throw-back to my childhood. I read this book when I was a kid and fell in love with all things witchy because of it. It doesn’t look like they have it in digital format, but the paperback is still out there! 8. The Relic, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child – Oh to read the supernatural twisty turny books by Preston and Child. I love this duo and if you only watched the really craptastic movie of this book, you are sorely missing out. It was SO well written and intriguing. If you haven’t yet read the Pendercast books, get started with this one. Super good! 9. The Sookie Stackhouse Series, by Charlaine Harris – I read the Sookie Stackhouse books well before TrueBlood was a thing. I loved Sookie and her quirky town and all the crazy things that went on there. I haven’t yet had the chance to read her Midnight Texas books, but I can tell you, the show had me until mid-season and I binned it after the vampires got insanely action porny. (I am a plot driven girl and if you throw in weird action sequences for the sake of it, I bounce.) LOL! 10. Twilight Saga, by Stephenie Meyer – When I was pregnant with my daughter, and just before I started writing Pendomus, I watched an episode of Ellen where Stephenie Meyer was talking about New Moon coming out and the impending movies. I hadn’t yet heard of the books and instantly thought I needed to read them. (I was, after all, about to be housebound by a new baby.) Once I started reading them, they took off with my imagination and it was a wild ride until the end. Looking back, every author has to start somewhere, and while many critics give Stephenie a lot of slack over this series, I think for a first-time author, she did incredibly well. No, she nailed it, in fact. Her job as an author is to spellbind her readers – and she did that with flying colors. There you have it, my friends! My absolute supernatural favs.
 Carissa Andrews is a freelance writer, award-winning graphic designer, indie author coach, and internationally bestselling author from Crosslake Minnesota. She is the President of the Lakes Area Writers Alliance, a 501c3 nonprofit for writers in central Minnesota, as well as the owner of Author Revolution, LLC – an organization geared toward helping new authors navigate the waters of indie publishing. For 2020, Carissa has her sights set on becoming a NYT or USA Today Bestselling Author with her upcoming series, The Windhaven Witches. You can learn more about Carissa, her services, and her upcoming novels by visiting her websites: Website 1, Website 2, or Website 3 Author links: Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter |  Giveaway Details: Tour-wide giveaway (US only)
RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY!   Resurrection Girls Ava Morgyn Hardcover, 272 pages Published October 1st 2019 by AW Teen ISBN: 0807569429 (ISBN13: 9780807569429) SYNOPSIS: Olivia Foster hasn’t felt alive since her little brother drowned in the backyard pool three years ago. Then Kara Hallas moves in across the street with her mother and grandmother, and Olivia is immediately drawn to these three generations of women. Kara is particularly intoxicating, so much so that Olivia not only comes to accept Kara's morbid habit of writing to men on death row, she helps her do it. They sign their letters as the Resurrection Girls. But as Kara’s friendship pulls Olivia out of the dark fog she’s been living in, Olivia realizes that a different kind of darkness taints the otherwise lively Hallas women—an impulse that is strange, magical, and possibly deadly. ORDER NOW: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound | ~ Add on Goodreads! REVIEW by LAWonder10: Olivia and her parents have simply been going through the motions of being alive since the death of the young brother, three years ago. The association they had with friends are, now, non-existent. The house across the street has been abandoned for years, since the man living there hung himself in the bedroom. Currently, someone is moving into it. Olivia discovers the occupants are three generations of women. The youngest girl, Kara, soon becomes a "force to be reckoned with". Due to Karen's persistence, Olivia cannot remain a recluse in seclusion. She, also, becomes reunited with her former best friend, who is persuaded to become a part of a dark secret Kara has. Olivia is shortly confronted with a choice to become a part of the dark secret. Will she allow herself to be pulled into the darkness, or will she immerse into reality before it is too late? The characters in this story are intriguing and the morbidity of being stuck in such grief is strongly felt by the reader. This message depicts the severity one might face if he/she doesn't take necessary steps to get through the grieving process in a healthy way. This tale will certainly keep the reader "on the edge of his/her seat" ! I love the uniqueness and message of the story, but it did slightly get repetitious in a few places. I would not want my Young Adult reading this, even though this type of language and topics are prevalent in society. ^^ READER BEWARE: Although this is written as a Young Adult book, there is a lot of profanity, plus, a couple of sexual situations, although not explicit. For this unique and well-written novel, I offer a Four Stars rating. This was gifted me with no suggestion of a positive review. This is my honest review.  ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ava Morgyn is a long-time avid reader and writer of young adult fiction. She studied English Writing & Rhetoric at St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX, and now lives in Houston—city with the most rain, best food, and worst traffic—with her family. When she isn’t at her laptop spinning darkly hypnotic tales, she can be found making fairy houses, talking to her crystals and plants, hunting for delicious new vegan recipes, or bothering her dog. She also blogs regularly about the devastating journey of child loss at ForLoveofEvelyn.com. Website | Twitter
  Pax Novis by Erica Cameron Publication Date: November 4, 2019 | Publisher: Entangled Teen SYNOPSIS: Cira Antares is deeply loyal to two things: Pax Novis—the cargo ship captained by her mother that transports supplies across war-torn star systems—and her personal mission to save war orphans. But hiding them as stowaways on the ship is illegal, and if any of them were found, not even her mother could protect Cira from the consequences. She has successfully kept her secret…until supplies start to go missing. Food. Clothing. Tools. All signs point to her stowaways, but they wouldn’t do anything to risk exposing themselves—or her. Especially not Riston, the oldest of the group and someone Cira has grown close to. Someone she might even be falling in love with... And petty thefts are only the beginning—whole ships are disappearing now. Not caught in a firefight. Not destroyed by another planet. Vanishing. Without a trace. And Pax Novis is next. Link to Goodreads |~ Purchase Links: Amazon | Amazon Australia | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | B&N | iBooks | Kobo
Pax Novis Excerpt #4 “Aye, aye, Captain.” Relieved, Cira left before Erryla thought of some other assignment to give her and headed straight for the medical bay. It was a short walk; the team that designed the PCCSs must have thought the bridge crews would sustain an inordinate number of life-threatening injuries, because the med bay was only a corridor away. As much as Cira appreciated not having to go far to reach Adrienn’s office, it didn’t make sense to have medical a whole deck away from engineering, the second-most accident-prone area on the ship. The arrangement did, however, make Cira’s stowaway conspiracy a whole lot easier to manage. The on-duty nurse looked up as Cira walked into the over-bright, too-white room, but only said, “Ze’s in zir office,” before immediately returning her attention to her patient. Nodding thanks the nurse couldn’t see, Cira strode toward the first door on the far wall and waved the ID chip in her flesh-and-blood wrist in front of the door’s sensor. A second later, the door split and slid open with a familiar shhhush. “Have you seen your mother since breakfast?” Adrienn asked before she could speak. “Only one of them. Which one are you looking for?” “Meida, not the captain.” “Then I can’t help you. Cap’s the only one I’ve seen.” Cira sat in the worn chair in front of Adrienn’s desk. “Something wrong?” “No, just a small glitch in the power running to a modpod of med supplies I’ve been tasked to keep an eye on.” Adrienn shrugged and ran zir hand through zir brown hair. Ze’d recently started cutting it almost to the skin on either side of zir head, letting the middle section grow a few inches. It had taken Cira weeks to get used to the switch from zir shoulder-length locks, the last in a series of physical changes as Adrienn had slowly transitioned, but now it was hard to imagine zem with any other style. “Just wanted her to look at it before we left port in case we needed to grab a part before we cleared Mitu.” “Speaking of clearing Mitu…” Cira cocked her head and waited. Ze shook zir head, no words needed. There weren’t any new passengers for Cira and Adrienn to worry about. But Adrienn was still tapping at the arm of zir chair and avoiding her eyes. It was another few seconds before ze asked, “Do you ever wonder if it’s worth it?” “No. It’s worth it.” They’d given five orphans her age or younger a place to call home. Twelve others had been given a ride, a new name, and a chance at a real life. Maybe it wasn’t much on a galactic scale, but it was something good for Cira to hold on to. There were days she desperately needed to feel like she was doing something to help others survive that chaos, when it got too hard to handle her guilt over having something as rare as safety and her anger at how little the quadrant was doing to help the children who hadn’t asked to be born into this mess. In some moments, she felt simultaneously crushed by privilege and strangled by the restrictions of her position. She’d been born into safety while the rest of the quadrant was consumed by chaos. It wasn’t fair, and yet she could do so little about it. One day she wanted to go further, to push for institutional changes that would allow everyone in the PSSC the freedom to help when aid, succor, or even just a free ride could be offered. She knew, though, that she couldn’t do any of this alone. “You don’t think so?” she asked, a little hesitant to hear the answer. “It’s—” Ze exhaled sharply, biting at the ring pierced through zir lip. “I’m a doctor. I love being able to help people, and I swore an oath that I would always do what I could, but the longer this goes on, the greater the probability becomes that someone will catch on or something will go wrong. The two of us are risking everyone on this ship—almost two hundred people. At what point does it stop being worth so many lives to help one more?” Cira looked down at her hands, watching her mechanical fingers intertwining with her flesh ones. Jaelena had started this whole enterprise. Four cycles ago, Cira was a brand-new ensign and Adrienn a restless junior doctor. They’d intervened when a drunkard had been abusing a little girl, saving seven-year-old Jaelena. Adrienn and Cira had tried to get station security involved at first, but it had quickly become clear that leaving Jaelena there would mean more of the same for the underfed, badly bruised child, and that had been more than Cira could take. She had watched so many refugees—many of them children—disappear from stations where they had previously been fixtures, and she knew few of them had “moved on to a different home” like her mothers had tried to insist. Cira didn’t know all the atrocities of the war, but she wasn’t naive enough to believe that. Although she accepted that there were certain realities she couldn’t change, Cira hadn’t been able to look into Jaelena’s gray eyes and refuse to help. Neither had Adrienn. With a lot of subterfuge and more credits than Cira wanted to think about, they’d come up with a plan. It almost hadn’t worked. Only Adrienn’s quick thinking had kept the dockmaster from checking their last-minute addition to the cargo manifest. Ze’d been committed to this endeavor from the beginning and in it to the end. “What happened?” Cira met and held zir hazel eyes. “Something must have happened. You wouldn’t just change your mind and start questioning everything. Not after all this time.” “Jaelena died.” Ze swiped up on zir screen and the text flashed to the wall display. “No, she— What?” Cira stared, trying to make sense of it. Adrienn had highlighted Jaelena’s name in bright yellow, but ze hadn’t needed to. Her name was one of the first. Jaelena Aarin. Heart stuttering, Cira started reading the report, quickly skimming it for details. Investigations are ongoing, but leaked video feeds from security stations and planetary defense networks have confirmed the truth. In apparent violation of the terms of warfare established in the peace summit of 3785, Pavonis S-class warships have destroyed most of the capital city on Oweba, the fourth planet in the Arae System. Hundreds died in the initial attack, and thousands have died since as medical personnel are limited and most of their supplies have been destroyed. From the timing of this attack, it can be hypothesized that the Pavonis Coalition ordered this as retaliation for the destruction of their research facility on Surka, a moon on the outer edges of their home system. Names of those confirmed deceased have been listed below. It sounds like Ladadhi. She shouldn’t have looked up those vids after meeting Riston three cycles ago, but curiosity had eaten at her. There had only been around six weeks between learning about Riston’s home city and Cira looking it up. Once she started digging for details, she hadn’t stopped. She hated to think of herself as an expert on the incident, but she practically was. So much about the description of what happened on Oweba sounded like the reports immediately following the attack on Ladadhi, the attack that had left Riston an orphan. Now, another attack, too much the same, had killed Jaelena  ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Erica Cameron is the author of books for young adults including the Ryogan Chronicles, the Assassins duology, and The Dream War Saga. She also co-authored the Laguna Tides novels with Lani Woodland. An advocate for asexuality and emotional abuse awareness, Erica has also worked with teens at a residential rehabilitation facility in her hometown of Fort Lauderdale. Website | Twitter | Facebook    Book details: In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety (The Cecily Taylor Series, #2) by Krysten Lindsay Hager Publication date: September 3rd 2019 Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Synopsis: Cecily feels like she has it all: great best friends, the beginnings of a career as a model/actress, and she’s dating her favorite singer, Andrew Holiday. Then Cecily’s best friend Lila begins to ditch her every time Lila’s boyfriend calls. Cecily feels lost, but she and Andrew begin connecting more and she’s never been in a relationship where she felt so understood. Andrew even begins to confide in her about his anxiety. Soon Cecily experiences her own anxiety on a magazine photo shoot, but she manages to impress the magazine staff. Just when it seems like all her dreams are coming true, everything comes crashing down when a photo of Andrew with another girl appears online. He swears nothing happened, but Cecily is crushed. She feels like she’s lost two of the people closest to her. Was her perfect relationship real or was she in over her head?Goodreads | ~ Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | IndieBound |  AUTHOR BIO: Who knew all those embarrassing, cringe-y moments in middle school and high school could turn into a career? And who would have thought that daydreaming in math class would pay off down the road? Krysten Lindsay Hager writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends...Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, Competing with the Star, Dating the It Guy, and Can Dreams Come True. True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book and the Dayton Book Expo Bestseller Award for children/teens. Competing with the Star is a Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist. Landry in Like is a Literary Classics Gold Medal recipient. Krysten's work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times, Springfield News-Sun, Grand Blanc View, Dayton Daily News and on Living Dayton. Author links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
   Find Me Their Bones (Bring Me Their Hearts 2) by Sara Wolf Publication Date: November 4, 2019 | Publisher: Entangled Teen SYNOPSIS: No one can save her. In order to protect Prince Lucien d’Malvane’s heart, Zera had to betray him. Now, he hates the sight of her. Trapped in Cavanos as a prisoner of the king, she awaits the inevitable moment her witch severs their magical connection and finally ends her life. But fate isn't ready to give her up just yet. With freedom coming from the most unlikely of sources, Zera is given a second chance at life as a Heartless. But it comes with a terrible price. As the king mobilizes his army to march against the witches, Zera must tame an elusive and deadly valkerax trapped in the tunnels underneath the city if she wants to regain her humanity. Winning over a bloodthirsty valkerax? Hard. Winning back her friends before war breaks out? A little harder. But a Heartless winning back Prince Lucien’s heart? The hardest thing she’s ever done. The Bring Me Their Hearts series is best enjoyed in order. Add to Goodreads | ~ Pre-Order: Kobo | iBooks | B & N | Amazon | Other Books in Series   ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sara Wolf lives in Portland, Oregon, where the sun can’t get her anymore. When she isn’t pouring her allotted life force into writing, she’s reading, accidentally burning houses down whilst baking, or making faces at her highly appreciative cat. She is also the author of the NYT bestselling Lovely Vicious series. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads   Winner of the 2019 Independent Press Award! #1 Bestseller in "Coming-Of-Age" Fiction #1 Bestseller in "Asian-American" Literature  The Heart of Aleppo: A Story of the Syrian Civil War by Ammar Habib Published July 26th 2018 | 252 pages BOOK SUMMARY: From the ashes of the Syrian Civil War comes this story of hope, love, and courage... After standing for over 7,000 years, Aleppo's ruin came overnight. Separated from his family during the night the rebels attacked the city, thirteen-year-old Zaid Kadir is lost in the middle of a war zone. Alongside his friends, he is forced to survive the dangers of a civil war he does not even fully understand. Zaid witnesses the destruction of the brutal Syrian Civil War as it grows more deadly by the day and rips his city apart. However, as he braves this destruction, as he desperately tries to survive this catastrophe, he discovers something. Zaid realizes that it is in the darkest hours when humanity's spirit of hope burns brightest. REVIEW by LAWonder10: This "stand alone" novel is a bittersweet tale of family, friendship, war, and sacrifices. It is a highly recommended reading material for Young Adults and Adults alike. It raises several good discussion points. It is ideal reading for Book Clubs. Zaid's life wasn't ideal, but he did enjoy a close relationship with his family and had some very close friends. He was teased a lot, and was always the last chosen on a team, but he had great family support. Zaid's closest friends were Fatima and her slightly older bother Salman. They had grown up together. While Zaid's dreams were "shot down" by his teacher and others, he was encouraged all would work out until that dreadful day when suddenly he began living a nightmare! Would any of their dreams still happen? Author Ammar Habib has effectively aided the reader to experience, in a small degree, the horrors of war many have to frequently experience in their own country, in their own neighborhoods. War caused by greed and inhumanity of some. The author has created very real characters and very realistic scenes, easily visualized. The Book Cover and Title depict the story contents well. This is very touching and action -packed. It has a strong message of valiance, integrity, and ethics. These are values greatly lacking in today's world. Although the message was powerful, there was too much consistent, repetitious detail which cause me to lose interest in the last parts of the story, wanting to just get to the end. The ending was very powerful! For the above reason, I offer a Three and a Half Stars rating. *This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review. MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS: ~ "Spoiler"~ It is inspiring that there are people in the world who write of and value integrity, humility, concern for others, honor, spirituality, and commitment. It is sad there are others who view humility, integrity and honor as weaknesses and of little importance. Who are also, greedy for power and wealth, regardless how they have to obtain it. It is so sad, so many individuals see violence as appealing and as strength when it is just the opposite. As a society, we are caught up in being judmental and "stomping down" anyone who may seam a threat to what we want. Although the characters in the book appear to me Muslim, they look to their God for all humanity, not just for them. They also see the wrong in the corruption of others who claim to be Muslim, and how they abuse the teachings of the Qu'oran. They also give credance to those not of their faith, who are good people. This is the religious tolerance we need to all feel. If everyone would "look past" his/her prejudices, each would discover there are more each of us agree on than disagree. WE would better value each other as human beings.  ABOUT the AUTHOR: Ammar is an award winning & bestselling author originally from Lake Jackson, Texas. Writing has always been a passion of Ammar’s since he was in elementary school. Ammar enjoys crafting stories that are not only entertaining, but also have something useful to say to the reader. He is also the founder/editor-in-chief of Thriller Magazine. Ammar presently resides in his hometown. He lives with his family, all of whom are his biggest fans. Website | Twitter | Goodreads |
For the Schedule, Click HERE!    Book details: The Brutal Time (Angelbound Origins #6) by Christina Bauer Published by: Monster House Books Publication date: October 29th 2019 Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult Synopsis: As the Great Scala, Myla Lewis is the only being who can move Purgatory’s souls to Heaven or Hell. It’s a big job. Too bad Myla goes through assistants faster than a hot knife through brownies. Not that it bothers her much; Myla’s always been a solo fighter. Then comes the problem of the fading angels. Millions of Heavenly residents are dying. According to a prophecy, the only way Myla can save them is by traveling back in time, meeting King Arthur, and creating her own knights of the round table. The catch? Doing so might end the after-realms in a bloody demonpocalypse…. Yipes. Myla and her main squeeze, Lincoln, aren’t afraid of taking a few chances (in between kisses). But with so much at risk, the stakes may be too high, even for them. And the biggest challenge of all? Finding those knights. Because Myla Lewis doesn’t play well with others. At all. "These books don't just capture your attention, they straight up demand it. Christina Bauer has created a fascinating and unique world that you do not want to miss out on." - Bookhalolic Brittany Goodreads | ~ Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play
“I love the Angelbound Origins world and just can’t seem to get enough of it!” – The Avid Reader "These books don't just capture your attention, they straight up demand it. Christina Bauer has created a fascinating and unique world that you do not want to miss out on." - Bookhalolic Brittany  Angelbound THE BRUTAL TIME Book launch - Series Discount The first five Angelbound Origins books have been boxed up and discounted to celebrate the launch of book six, THE BRUTAL TIME! The collection includes Angelbound, Scala, Acca, Thrax, and The Dark Lands … all at one value price! SEE IT ON: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Apple Books / Kobo / GooglePlay 
Story Ideas In My Near Future - By Christina Bauer, Author As part of launching my new book, BRUTAL TIME, the lovely folks at Rockin’ Book Reviews asked me to discuss my latest story ideas. Happy to share! To begin with, I develop stories using boards on my Pinterest page. These days, I’m up to hundreds of boards and thousands of pins. So there’s that. Now for what’s actively in development: More Myla-Lincoln Stuff Angelbound Origins was my first book release and the new instalments are usually my biggest launch of the year. BRUTAL TIME marks my 2019 release in this series, while the 2020 title is called QUASI REDUX. In BRUTAL TIME, I’m exploring hidden parts of my main character, Myla, and her personality. It goes places you may not expect!!! In QUASI REDUX, I’ll ask questions about the core nature of Myla’s relationship with her main squeeze, Lincoln. In REDUX, Myla asks that she no longer have supernatural powers … and she gets her wish. But in the process, time gets rewritten so she and Lincoln never met. It will be It’s a Wonderful Life meets Lord of the Rings. Essentially, it asks what would have happened if Myla and Lincoln had met a different way. New Pixieland Diaries Series Outside of Angelbound, I work a bunch of different worlds. Right now that includes Dimension Drift (dystopian) and Fairy Tales of the Magicorum (urban fantasy). In spring 2020, I’m launching a new series that’s more fantasy-heavy called the Pixieland Diaries. The main character is a pixie named Calla who loves to play pranks and has a crush on her best friend, an ice elf named Darius. Why Pixieland? I wanted to do a series that was light-hearted and fun … Calla is just a blast to write in terms of her sassy voice … and there aren’t enough books about pixies and elves, in my humble opinion. All in all, everything I write is focused on the kind of thing I want to read: kick-ass fantasy chicks doing awesome stuff with hot guys in cool settings. I’ve been fortunate so far that some folks like to read it. Thanks for being one of them!   AUTHOR BIO: Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too. Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates Stalk Christina On Social Media – She Loves It! Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Web site
   Book & Author Details: Panic (Mass Hysteria #1) by Dawn Brazil Publication date: October 29th 2019 Genres: Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult Synopsis: Mass Hysteria is a trilogy of young adult romantic/science-fiction serial novels that tell a continuous story. The books must be read in order, to fully understand the unfolding story. High school can be hard, especially when your favorite horror movie becomes your reality… High-School senior, Elizabeth calculates the likelihood of finding love to the probability of starring in a slasher film with her best friend, until she meets Brian Thompson. Love isn’t the only thing that eludes Elizabeth, however. Several threatening notes that promise her demise make a long life also questionable. When Elizabeth’s best friend shares an article about the death of a girl in Italy, she dismisses it. As more girls are murdered, and cryptic messages are tucked in her locker, she realizes something sinister might be at play. Why? Each of the slain girls look like her. Add to Goodreads | ~ Purchase: Amazon |
Here are a few tweets for twitter: "I’m a fighter. I should be able to master the social landscape of female teenagerdom, but seems I can’t. I flounder, a lot…Today, that changes". #MassHysteria #YoungAdult "I’m painfully aware something is off with me. On a scale of weirdness, I’m not Pinhead. I’m more Carrie, without the powers". #Mass Hysteria #YoungAdult "I’ve watched people for years and though I can’t always replicate the emotion, I can tell, most of the time, when people are being fake. I can’t with him." #MassHysteria #YoungAdult   AUTHOR BIO: Dawn wants to live in a world fully inhabited by fictional characters. She thinks fictional characters are cooler than real people. Except herself, of course. But since the world is not comprised of dreamy book boyfriends, she creates them for everyone to fawn over. Her debut novel, Finding Me, book 1 in the Finding Me series, released on March 3rd 2016. When she is not writing, she can be found with her nose in a book - swooning over another book boyfriend, drying up tears from a recent heartbreak, or shouldering a wound she received in battle. She also loves to create magic in the kitchen with an array of inspiring dishes she pulls from Pinterest. Dawn lives in South Texas with her sports obsessed husband, three technology infatuated teenagers, and her great, big, colossal imagination. She is a master juggler and is working on two other Young Adult standalone novels - a high fantasy tearjerker and a science fiction story with a romance that will make your heart ache. And she is passionate about superheroes - especially Wonder Woman! Author links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS
   Book Details: Dorothy In the Land of Monsters (Oz ReVamped, #1) by Garten Gevedon Publication date: October 11th 2019 Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult Synopsis: Shifters, Zombies, and Vampires? Oh my! My name is Dorothy Gale, and I think I might be dead. When my dog Toto and I got swept up in a twister, we landed in hell. A very colorful hell. Like a rainbow dripping in blood. Now it looks as though this dreadful underworld plagued with vampires, zombies, and shifters will be the site of my eternal damnation. They say this terrifying land called Oz isn’t hell or purgatory and escape is possible, but first I must survive the journey down the blood-soaked yellow brick road to the only place in Oz where vampires dare not tread—The City of Emeralds. With enchanted footwear and the help of my three new friends—a friendly zombie, a massive shifter lion, and a heartless axe murderer of evil night creatures (who also happens to be the hottest guy I’ve ever seen)—Toto and I have a chance to make it to the Vampire Free Zone. When we get there, I must convince the most powerful wizard in this magical land of monsters to send us out of this radiant nightmare and back to the world of the living. They say he’s just as frightening as this monstrous land, that he detests visitors, and even the most horrifying creatures cower in his presence. But I must seek him out. And when I find him, I’ll do whatever it takes to make him send me home. Add to Goodreads |~ Purchase: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo |
The thick wall that surrounds the city looks like a fortress from the outside, but from the inside it is a beautiful creation of intricate design. If what the Guardian said is true, it was magic that carved the homes from the gargantuan stone. Like the rest of Emerald with its grand estates of lush farms and emerald mansions, the homes inside the wall are elegant with a magical touch. Crystal walls with doors that open and close like a camera shutter divide large rooms. Each home has wide open spaces with elegant décor and its own aesthetic unique to its residents and their species. With my emerald goggles on, I can see the magic that lights the room I pass. Inside, a busy shifter rabbit cooks dinner over an emerald stove run on magic in a kitchen that opens into a very large family room. While her children hop around and play, three of them argue over a toy. The shifter rabbit yells at her fighting kids to quiet and turns away from the pan to resolve their tiff. As she separates her little ones, a magic hand made of green glittering mist emerges from the kitchen wall, lifts her spoon, and stirs the vegetables she is sautéing. My mind is blown. That’s maybe the most convenient appliance ever. Talk about a smart home. I bet Alexa has that ability someday. The bubbles drift lower, Werelion already about fifty feet below me, and I pass more apartments, most with curtains drawn but some have zombies or shifters puttering about their homes. I float past a balcony where a man stands drinking out of an emerald bottle. Shirtless, only wearing loose pants that hang from his hips, his warm, dark skin sports an elaborate tattoo of a snake that circles around from his low waistband to his torso, covering his chest and back, with its head curling around his neck. He leans on the balustrade looking out at the city. Silky brown hair falls in waves just above the head of the snake at his chiseled jawline. When our eyes meet, he smiles at me and winks, oozing promises of debauchery. Why are all the attractive guys in this realm playboy types with such cheesy game? If that’s what works for the men around here, what is wrong with the women of Oz? Or it could be they hate it as much as we do in the civilized realm. I don’t know of a single woman who wants that kind of approach. “Human, zombie, or shifter?” he asks as I float by. “Human,” I say, and he smiles a lazy half-grin, his smoldering eyes roaming over my body. A shudder creeps down my spine. “Meet me at the Copper Jewel tonight,” he calls as I float away relieved to be leaving his presence. The bubble picks up speed and whisks us through the bustling streets above the heads of pedestrians. None of them act like it’s strange how close we are, as if flying low in a bubble over the streets of the city is commonplace. Although I suppose it would be in a city like this—a city made of emeralds, run on magic, and grown from the ground by a wizard. Even Toto’s eyes are wide as we zoom through the spectacular city in a bubble. Restaurants and taverns advertise ‘Fresh Brains!’ and ‘Fresh Kills!’ Shops and markets with cheerful signs and displays advertise products like ‘Zombie Cream — Now with Methanol!’ and ‘Artisanal Brain Bars — Jam-Packed with Happy Thoughts. Now in Munchkin Flavor!’ We weave in and out of buildings, floating around corners, and flying down street after street until we reach the main road that gleams with vivid green magic. On one side of the street, boutiques and cafés bookend zombie spas and shifter groomers. On the other side stands a large skyscraper with high-ceiling apartments. As our bubbles circle the building, spiraling up toward the top, I see entire floors are rainforest, or desert, ice and snow, beaches—it boggles my mind how even with magic, a beach and ocean could appear on the thirtieth floor. The bubble brings me all the way to the pinnacle of this unique shifter building, the entire top of which is a resplendent aviary brimming with shifter birds. Daedal carvings in the crystal catch the light of the sun and reflect in iridescent clouds that drift off the top of what is the tallest building in the city by far before it disperses over the land. This is the beacon of light that led us here. As we descend, I realize I’m being given a tour. It brings a smile to my face and gives me hope. If the wizard’s magic is controlling this bubble as the Guardian implied, I’d take it as a good sign we’ve proven ourselves enough to at least get a decent welcome. From the top of the tallest tower, we glide toward the city’s center, and halfway there I spot it—right in the middle of the bejeweled metropolis stands an emerald palace grander than the grandest palace ever built in the civilized realm. The Palace of Versailles has nothing on this place. The Taj Mahal doesn’t even compare. It’s enormous. If this city is about the size of the island of Manhattan, this palace is all of Central Park. —“Dorothy in the Land of Monsters” Oz ReVamped #1 | Chapter 15 - The City of Emeralds, pgs. 177-180   AUTHOR BIO: Garten Gevedon lives in New York City with her family. She's a sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal author who loves taking fairy tales and turning them inside out. You can visit her online at www.gartengevedon.com. Author links: https://twitter.com/gartengevedon http://www.gartengevedon.com/ https://www.instagram.com/gartengevedon/ https://www.bookbub.com/authors/garten-gevedon https://www.goodreads.com/author
   Not Guilty by C. Lee McKenzie Publication Date: October 25, 2019 | Genre: Young Adult SYNOPSIS: A blood-smeared knife. One young man’s word against another. A lifetime dream crushed. The evidence points to Devon Carlyle. He was there when it happened. Everyone knows he had it in for Renzo Costa. And Costa says Devon was the one. In the judge’s rap of a gavel, Devon’s found guilty of assault. The star of the Oceanside High’s basketball team loses his shot at the one thing he’s worked so hard for—the championship game where college scouts could see how good he is. Now he makes his great shots in Juvenile Hall with kids far different from those that have always been in his life. Angry? Hell, yes. He’s bent on finding who did the crime. He’s bent on making them pay because he’s Not Guilty. But can he prove it? Buy Links: AMAZON | B&N | KOBO | SMASHWORDS | Goodreads | Other young adult books: Sliding on the Edge, Princess of Las Pulgas, Double Negative, Sudden Secrets 
….It has been my pleasure, C. Lee!   ABOUT THE AUTHOR: C. Lee McKenzie has a background in Linguistics and Inter-Cultural Communication, but these days her greatest passion is writing for young readers. She has published five young adult novels: Sliding on the Edge, The Princess of Las Pulgas, Double Negative, and Sudden Secrets. Not Guilty is her most recent one. Sometimes she likes to jump into the world of the fantastic and when she does, she writes for the middle-grade reader. Some Very Messy Medieval Magick is the third book in the time-travel adventures of Pete and Weasel, with Alligators Overhead and The Great Time Lock Disaster being the first two. Sign of the Green Dragon, a stand-alone, takes the reader into ancient Chinese dragon myths and a quest for treasure. When she’s not writing she’s hiking or traveling or practicing yoga or asking a lot of questions about things she still doesn’t understand. You can connect her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and at her Website.
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