  Book Details: The Away by Cassandra DeJesus Category: YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 224 Genre: Young Adult ~ Tour dates: April 12 to Apr 23, 2021 Publisher: Mascot ~ Release date: April 2021 Content Rating: This book is rated PG. Book Description: Sonia Peterson can't help but be excited for the bright future ahead as she nears the end of her last year of high school. But she quickly discovers that things are not what they seem in the quiet community of Glendale. After her neighbor's suicide and a slew of disappearances, Sonia's friend Devon divulges one of the town's best-kept secrets: at eighteen, residents are required to receive a serum that takes away their immoral impulses and imperfections, or they are exiled to a place called the Away. At first, Sonia can't believe what she's heard, but when her turn for the appointment comes, all of her worst fears are confirmed. Now, she must decide who she can trust and discover who is really at the core of the plot to rob Glendale's residents of their elemental human nature. Her journey takes her deep into the heart of the Away in pursuit of freedom for herself, her friends, and her community. Can she unravel the conspiracy before it's too late? Buy the Book: Amazon ~ B&N ~ Mascot ~ add to Goodreads  Meet the Author: Cassandra DeJesus is a first-time author. The Away came to her in a dream so strongly that she felt she had to write it. Cassandra’s highest education is a high school diploma with some college credits. Cassandra has worked in many different fields but has never found her true calling. It was at Bay Shore High School where she met her high school sweetheart and now husband, John DeJesus. They have two beautiful children together. Today, Cassandra continues to remain a stay-at-home mother for her two children. connect with the author: website (coming soon!) ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads 
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The Reclaimed Kingdom by Dana Claire
Publisher: Chamberlain Publishing House (February 14, 2021) ~ Tour dates: April 9-May 31, 2021 Category: Young Adult, Fantasy/Romance ISBN: 978-1792361357 ~ Available in Print and ebook, 310 pages BOOK DESCRIPTION: The Legend is true. The Fear is real. Under the cruel ministrations of its Queen, the Kingdom of D’Land is in peril. With King Harrison away in foreign lands and neighboring Kingdoms unwilling to intervene, there is no one to protect the people from poverty, harsh punishment, and unreasonable rules of law – except for the Band of Brothers. Struggling with the death of her mother and the legendary Syphon powers she inherited, seventeen year old Dru wants nothing more than to escape her old life and join the motley crew of ruffians, pilfering from the rich to feed the poor and pay their taxes. She’s able to do just that disguised as a lad, and even when her nature is discovered, nothing changes – except for the way her friend Hawkin treats her. But Dru’s new world is overturned when she and the Brothers seize the treasures of a Prince who threatens to reveal her identity. Together, Dru and her chosen family must find a way to reclaim her destiny and bring balance to the Kingdom. If not, there may be no hope left for anyone. Buy Links: Amazon ~ IndieBound ~
Reclaimed Kingdom by Dana Claire “Ms. Claire has such a talent for imaginative magic systems. The Syphon in this series has abilities I have not encountered before. The ability to take emotions and how she deals with them are quite intriguing. In this story, Dru makes an interesting heroine with her contrasts of her life as a brigand and thief with her previous life. She is very much a Robin Hood character without falling into the tired tropes that can come with that. The male main characters are so different. Hawkin is intense and unrefined. Dodge is softer and somewhat of a dreamer. They are both fiercely loyal and capable. The progression of their relationships with each other and Dru has made this a fabulous and compelling story.”- Aizlynne, Goodreads “Well Dana Claire did it again. Another captivating book in her new series that kept me up later than I should because I didn’t want to stop reading. I would tell myself “just one more chapter” before I knew it, I read 3 or 4 more. Dana Claire has a way of bringing her characters to life and the action and suspense adds to the magnetic pull of not wanting to put the book down. Hoping I won’t have to wait too long for the second book of “The Syphon Series” and looking forward to the second book in “The Blood-Light Trilogy”. I truly enjoy reading these books and submersing myself into the action pack plots with the spice of romance. Thank you Dana Claire for both of your terrific series. Thank you for introducing these characters to me and allowing me to follow their adventures and lives.”-D, Berry, Amazon “This was such a great book! Dana Claire did a wonderful job developing the characters in this story. The backstory paints such a great visual of the time period and the land where Dru and her Band of Brothers are living. You root for Dru right from the beginning and I looked forward to every twist along the way. I couldn’t wait to finish it. So far, Dana Claire’s books are knocking it out of the park for me…2 for 2!”- Craig Andrews, Amazon 
About Dana Claire
Author, Dana Claire, believes that a good story is made through strong character development. When readers become attached to the characters’ emotional state and are invested in their objectives, the readers are there for the long haul backing the characters and their emotions. How cool is it to read a book and think about the characters long after you’ve read the last page? She believes that the beauty of reading is that one can live a hundred lives within the stories of books. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be a vampire, slay a dragon, or use a time machine, there’s a book for that. Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ 
Tour-wide Giveaway for a $50 Amazon Gift Card. Giveaway is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ends on May 28, 2021 at midnight pacific. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only. 
Book Details:
Unwritten by Alicia J. Novo Publication date: May 8th 2021 ~ Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult Synopsis: Books whisper to Beatrix Alba. But they aren’t the reason she has never fit in. Bullied at home and school, she keeps a secret—a power of violence and darkness. When the spell that keeps her hidden fails, she’s catapulted into the Zweeshen, a realm where all tales live, and her dream of meeting her favorite characters comes true. But wishes are tricky, and behind its wonder and whimsy, the Zweeshen is under attack. A character is burning bookworlds in pursuit of a weapon to rule both stories and storytellers. To succeed, he needs a riddle in Beatrix’s possession. Now he’s hunting her down. Joining forces with William, a cursed conjurer, Beatrix must face an enemy who knows her every weakness in a realm where witches play with time, Egyptian gods roam, and Regency heroines lead covert operations. And with her darkness as the only weapon, she may have to sacrifice everything to save a world that rejects her. Goodreads ~ Pre-order: Amazon ~
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Unwritten Unwritten is a YA fantasy novel set in the Zweeshen, a realm where literary characters live after their stories end. When I was offered this post, I was delighted. As a fantasy writer, worldbuilding is crucial to any story, so I spent many hours developing the world of Unwritten. Eventually, I had so much material that I organized it in an “encyclopedia” that includes locations and customs and rules and artifacts. I created a mini language for Beatrix’s (the main character’s) mom, and I paid special attention to naming. But a writer doesn’t get to share those thoughts in a book, so I’m thrilled to have the chance to highlight some of the things you might not know—or even get to know if you read Unwritten. So here they are: 1. When I was offered this post, I was delighted. As a fantasy writer, world-building is crucial to any story, so I spent many hours developing the world of Unwritten. 2. In Unwritten, the Zweeshen is the realm where characters live and interact with each other after their stories end. The word Zweeshen is a close phonetical spelling for Zwischen (pronounced Zzzvishen), which “between” in German. The Zweeshen is the hub for all literary bookworlds, the in-between. 3. There are at least 40 references to specific characters, books, or authors in the Unwritten. Some are mentioned by name, some hinted at, and some hidden in plain sight. 4. A famous literary character speaks using only sentences from her/his book of origin. 5. Prologs are experts appointed by the Genre Guilds who help characters recently arrived in the Zweeshen learn the rules. They’re magically bound to answer any question asked. 6. The chapters in Unwritten are named after people or entities, while the part names are locations. 7. Eventually, I had so much material that I organized it in an “encyclopedia” that includes locations and customs and rules and artifacts. I created a mini language for Beatrix’s (the main character’s) mom, and I paid special attention to naming 8. There are rumored to be 1001 neighborhoods in the capital city of the Zweeshen, Læsting. Of those, one is invisible, and one hovers over the city, constantly changing location. 9. Neither time nor the seasons follow regular patterns in the Zweeshen. 10. In the Zweeshen, the moon is often a different color. It periodically collapses and is reborn in a different hue. I had so much fun creating this world and playing with its contrasts: the fun and the serious, the dark and the light. I hope Unwritten readers will enjoy the journey as much as I did. 
AUTHOR BIO:
Alicia has a weak spot for happy endings and transformative journeys. She spent her teenage years in Argentina and Europe, speaks several languages and loves to travel. An eclectic reader, she grew up on a diet ranging from Lucy M. Montgomery and Jane Austen to Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Raymond Chandler, Hermann Hesse, Jorge Luis Borges, and many classics. She's never been cured of reading a bit of everything and is as likely to geek out about Mr. Darcy as Dr. Who. She is a history and astronomy aficionado, who walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain, completed her Masters in the Netherlands and worked for Google in Ireland. She decided to become a writer at six but took a full, winding road here. Along the way, she learned if there’s one thing that cuts across cultures, one unifying thread that pulls everyone together, it's a good story. A big-city girl, she now lives in the Midwest, where she occasionally picks apples and pretends witches exist. Author links: Website ~ Instagram ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ 
Giveaway Details:
Tour-wide giveaway
WoE Is Us By D.K. Doulos
Christian Dystopian, YA, Sci-Fi ~ Paperback & ebook, 267 Pages March 30, 2021 by Ambassador International BOOK DESCRIPTION: Lyrian Wallace was only ten years old when the Malevolence struck on October 10, 2056. She thought the next decade had numbed her to the grief, the death, the bots, and the daily struggle for survival. She lost her parents when they became Sleepers, but like everyone else, she had pieced together a new family. Lyrian was almost content when the Alliance began taking them . . . The world always took things away from her. She could only live for today and never dared to hope for any heaven. But when her circumstances change, Lyrian must choose how she might live for both this life and the next. (Affiliate links included.) Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon | Bookshop | B&N | Book Depository
She walked out of the church auditorium and down the hallway into one of the empty rooms. It had once been a classroom for children, as evidenced by the cartoonish posters hung on the walls. As she changed into the black uniform, she studied the images pictured: an old bearded man on a boat with animals, another old bearded man holding two stone tablets, a third man in a cave with lions, and finally a smiling man seated with children gathered around him.
The pictures meant nothing to her. Maybe these men were supposed to be gods? She didn’t know. She had never attended any church as a child. It wasn’t something her family ever talked much about. Her parents were always busy with work, and she had only been ten years old when the Malevolence struck. She remembered her mother had talked to her once about God and heaven when her grandfather died. She remembered her mother’s tears and the tight hugs from that day. Her mother didn’t usually have time for hugs like that. When she was younger, she had imagined that heaven was like those hugs, but forever. Now she brushed those thoughts aside as simply the whimsical musings of a young child. She had cried many tears of her own since then, weeping helplessly for days after the Malevolence struck, consigned to watch her parents die as Sleepers. She had no hugs to comfort those tears, and so many painful, lonely days had followed. Long ago, she realized that this world was nowhere near any heaven.
Why Dystopias Need Jesus Over the years, I’ve read and watched many dystopian books and movies. Most, if not all, of these stories take place in a broken future version of our own Earth. Sometimes, as in the Divergent series, the setting is explicitly described as someplace we recognize (Chicago). In other instances, like Hunger Games, the world is obscured, but still familiar enough to feel it’s a devolution of our own society (Panem). The entire dystopian genre is built upon a world that’s bleak and dark. As a Christian, I began to ask myself: Where is Jesus in these stories? Let’s be honest. We hardly live in a utopia today, and Jesus is important to a billion people on the planet. The likelihood that all of these Christians and their descendants abandoning the faith is negligible. In fact, people often turn to God even more in difficult times. A dystopian future that lacks Jesus is simply unrealistic to me. When I set out to write my own dystopian novel, WoE Is Us, I wanted to make Christianity a prominent aspect for some of the characters and story. Sure, not everyone would care about Jesus. Even characters the readers like might be of an ambiguous faith identity. But I wanted to write a story where Jesus still mattered to people because I’m confident that will be the case. Christian readers should be able to find encouragement and comfort that, no matter how dark or bleak the future might get, Jesus will be with us “always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b NASB). That’s a dystopia I can believe in. 
About the Author
D.K. Doulos has written stories most of his life and is thankful he can use his talent in service to God. When he's not writing, he enjoys going camping, impersonating a grill master, and watching college football. Between epic cross-country family road trips, he lives in Texas with his wife and four children. Find out more about D.K. on his website (www.dkdoulos.com). Website | Series Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Tour Schedule April 12th: Uplifting Reads Bookworm Lisa April 13th: Rockin' Book Reviews Splashes of Joy April 14th: #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog Books Less Travelled Reviews April 15th: Candrel's Crafts, Cooks, and Characters Wishful Endings April 16th: Library Lady's Kid Lit Lady Hawkeye 
TOUR GIVEAWAY!
One winner will receive (US only): - A leather satchel (sized to carry a tablet, iPad, or Kindle) that’s similar to the one carried by the book’s main character - Bluebonnet scratch-made soap, inspired by the book’s Texas setting - Fredericksburg Juicy Peach scented wax melts, inspired by the book’s Texas setting - A $25 Amazon gift card Ends April 21, 2021 
COMING TO THEATERS MAY 7
New Major Motion Picture, MISSION STORIES, Launches Ambitious New Media Franchise!
Message from the Director:
When I initially approached Mission Stories I thought I may not be the best choice to direct because I did not serve a mission. However, as I developed these stories I recognized how much missionary work has touched my life. In fact, in one of these stories a character is based on me. Through this experience I’ve learned just how powerful love, faith, and forgiveness are and that redemption is available to all of us no matter the circumstances of our lives. Everyone has a story to tell and I believe in the power of sharing stories. I hope that audiences will be touched by the themes of mercy and redemption in these stories. - Bryce Clark
Salt Lake City – Excel Entertainment announced today the creation of a new media franchise, MISSION STORIES, focused entirely on telling stories of missionaries for The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints. The franchise launches with the theatrical release of MISSION STORIES, a moving retelling of three true stories of missionary work. The theatrical trailer for the film debuts on Wednesday, April 7 at missionstories.com and the feature film opens exclusively in theaters on Friday, May 7 distributed jointly with Purdie Distriution.
Assembled as an anthology of three stories told over four chapters, the project was created by the filmmaking team of Bryce Clark (writer, producer, director), Jason Allred (producer), Crystal Myler (writer) and Arthur Van Wagenen (executive producer) after meeting with a full room of former mission presidents and their companions. “We heard so many incredible stories -- story after story of events that cannot be simply coincidences,” explained Bryce Clark. “Every story shows that God has his hand in the work and people’s lives are being transformed and saved through this work.”
“People assume they know what a “mission story” depicted on the big screen will be like,” said Arthur Van Wagenen. “Our goal in this film and the entire MISSION STORIES franchise is to tell stories from not just the perspective of missionaries, but from the perspective of people who make the radical choice to become disciples of Jesus Christ.” The film tells three true stories, including “Hermanos” that focuses on a father overcoming a crisis of faith so that he can baptize his family. “Chuck” tells the story of a man questioning whether God truly loves him and learning to see himself as God does. Finally, “Full Circle” is told in the opening and closing chapters of the film, and shows that the power of faith applied over years or even decades can ultimately bear fruit in overcoming spiritual issues as serious as depression and addiction. “’Full Circle’ is an especially personal story for me because a character is based on me and the culmination of this story played out as we were developing this project,” explained Clark. “When people watch the film they’ll see when people struggle the Lord never gives up on them, and how the faith of others can help rescue them. I hope sharing this story may inspire others who are facing similar challenges.” “The MISSION STORIES film is only the first step in creating a full Mission Stories brand and media franchise,” said Van Wagenen. “We are creating an avenue where people can submit their own mission stories which can be shared with the world to help increase people’s faith and sense of worth.” Going forward, Mission Stories will become an incubator for up-and-coming writers and directors who will continue to tell these important stories for years to come.” For more information and to see the film’s trailer, visit missionstories.com # # #
Presented by Covenant Communications
  Havoc (Haven #2) by Mary Lindsey Tour Date: April 5-9, 2021 Publication Date: April 5, 2021 Publisher: Entangled Teen BOOK BLURB: For the first time in his life, Rain Ryland belongs. He’s found a home with the wolf shifters of New Wurzburg and is no-holds-barred in love with Friederike Burkhart, their soon-to-be alpha. But the ascension to power is never easy for a new alpha, and challengers will come from an unlikely source—and bring into jeopardy not just Freddie’s position as alpha but her blooming relationship with Rain. Rain has never shied away from a challenge—or a fight. And he’s ready to fight like hell for the woman he loves. But then a vision shows him that the biggest challenge of all to Freddie isn’t to her alpha status but against her life...and he’s the one who delivers the killing blow. Link to Goodreads ~ Purchase Links: Amazon ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~ B&N ~ iTunes ~ OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:  We all hold a beast inside. The only difference is what form it takes when freed. Rain Ryland has never belonged anywhere, He’s used to people judging him for his rough background, his intimidating size, and now, his orphan status. He’s always been on the outside, looking in, and he’s fine with that. Until he moves to New Wurzburg and meets Friederike Burkhart. Freddie isn’t like normal teen girls, though. And someone wants her dead for it. Freddie warns he’d better stay far away if he wants to stay alive, but Rain’s never been good at running from trouble. For the first time, Rain has something worth fighting for, worth living for. Worth dying for.  ABOUT the AUTHOR: Mary Lindsey is a multi award-winning, RITA® nominated author of romance for adults and teens. She lives on an island in the middle of a river. Seriously, she does. When not writing, she wrangles her rowdy pack of three teens, two Cairn Terriers, and one husband. Inexplicably, her favorite animal is the giant anteater and at one point, she had over 200 "pet" Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. The roaches are a long story involving three science-crazed kids and a soft spot for rescue animals. The good news is, the "pet" roaches found a home... somewhere else. ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Website ~ Goodreads ~ For Link to Tour Schedule click HERE.  |
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