Tag / blog

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Highlight: Corners Untouched by Madness

Welcome to the blog tour for Corners Untouched by Madness by N. Daniel. Read on for an exclusive excerpt reveal, giveaway, and tour details!

Book Cover.jpg

Corners Untouched by Madness: A Personal Journey of Overcoming Mental Illness

Publication Date: October 1st, 2019

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/ Inspired by True Events/ Mental Illness

Publisher: Between the Lines Publishing

A raw story of courage and redemption.

Daniel settles for a mundane office job in the suburbs but is haunted with guilt. When a beautiful woman from his past appears, it ignites a chain reaction, setting him on a journey to confront his troubled history. Based on actual events, this inspiring story attempts to enlighten its audience with humor, passion and a lesson in perseverance. Will Daniel be able to brave his trauma and put his inner demons to rest? Or will he be consumed by the most cunning adversary of all? The truth.

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

As I navigated my way home through the darkened streets I could think only of Mei. I hadn’t ever really known her in school. Shy, quiet and extremely brilliant, she was in a class of her own. With raven hair, caramel skin, a round face and wire-rim glasses, she was the quintessential brainiac. From those innocent days she had grown into a beautiful woman with a mind as sharp as an acute angle. She made me feel like I was someone valuable. To most women I wasn’t worth the honesty of a rejection. They just ignored me. I was dying for Mei, but the fact that she lived in Baltimore was something of a problem. On lonely nights spent whittling away in my apartment I longed to know what she smelled like, what she tasted like, how her skin would feel against mine. It would have been heaven. I feared she would always remain an intangible muse, an archetype for the perfect female and, I suppose, to others, this would seem blown completely out of proportion. She was human after all, but the ideal of Mei was irresistible to me.

In high school I was no one, just a pot-smoking art student who had no reservations about making a complete ass of himself. Someone like Mei had no reason to talk to me and vice versa. When I did see her in the hallway, she was usually carrying her books and smiling with her friends. I was like a little kid with no money and his face pressed up against a warmly lit shop window. She was so desirable. Even if I had realized it back then, I still couldn’t compete with the other males in our class. So, I eventually gave up, taking harder drugs and letting my addictions lead me into an accidental overdose. I hit rock bottom. Piece by piece I rebuilt my life in an image more like hers. I got clean, went to college and graduated with distinction. Suddenly she had reappeared in my life, though up until now I seldom spoke of her. Who was she, really, and why had she made this entrance?

It started raining a little and the pavement glistened. I looked down at my ragged tennis shoes splashing through the puddles. I was home late. My cat was there to greet me at the door, and I paused by the cutting board on my kitchen counter. Placing my hands on the edge I stared into the woodgrain. I could feel her arms around me. It was love. It was hurt. It felt real but I was all alone. I reveled in the stillness and knew I was powerless. Pursuing her felt criminal. To catch her would be like capturing a butterfly, putting it in a jar and screwing down the lid. It wouldn’t survive for long. All I could do was stand there in silence, tracing the whorls in the wood, trapped by a figment of my imagination. Was she thinking of me too? Her virtual presence remained for several more sensual moments before fading into the small fissures that had formed around the edges of the board.

Walking into the bathroom I returned to the mirror and stared hard at my lanky frame. In the corner of my eye I caught a flash of a dark image lurking behind me. Startled, I shook my head and rubbed my eyes with my open palms. Was my mind playing tricks on me? I groaned.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I wondered aloud. For some reason I felt as though I would never really know. I pulled some pills out from behind my reflection and swallowed them down. Burrowing under the covers, sleep came quickly.

Available on Amazon and at Barnes & Nobel

Giveaway: For your chance to win a print copy of the book, click the link below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


About the Author

BioPIc-N.Daniel-1.jpg

N. Daniel currently resides in Downtown Minneapolis and works as a live-in caregiver for a quadriplegic individual. When he isn’t writing or caring for his client you can find him wandering the city’s skyways, music blasting in his headphones, or walking along the Mississippi river with family and friends. He frequently volunteers with outreach organizations in the Twin Cities community. His beliefs center strongly around charity, service to others and supporting causes that protect personal freedoms, especially for the disabled, the poor, those unfairly stigmatized by mental illness, and anyone who suffers. He is inspired by redemption stories, especially the character arc of Jean Valjean in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables.

N. Daniel | Facebook | Twitter

Blog Tour Schedule

November 25 th

Reads & Reels (Guest Post) http://readsandreels.com
The Magic of Wor(l)ds (Guest Post) http://themagicofworlds.wordpress.com
Crossroad Reviews (Spotlight) http://www.crossroadreviews.com
Splashes into Books (Spotlight) http://splashesintobooks.wordpress.com
Vick’s Bookish Writing Blog (Review) https://vicksblogcom.home.blog/

November 26 th

Didi Oviatt (Spotlight) https://didioviatt.wordpress.com

I Love Books and Stuff (Spotlight) https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com
On the Shelf Reviews (Spotlight) https://ontheshelfreviews.wordpress.com
Tsarina Press (Spotlight) https://www.tsarinapress.com

November 27 th

Book Dragons Not Worms (Spotlight) https://bookdragonsnotworms.blogspot.com/?m=1

Life’s a Novelty (Spotlight) https://lifesanovelty.blogspot.com/
Misty’s Book Space (Spotlight) http://mistysbookspace.wordpress.com
Books, Teacup, & Reviews (Spotlight) https://booksteacupnreviews.wordpress.com/

November 28 th

B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
My Bookish Bliss (Spotlight) http://www.mybookishbliss.com
The Bookworm Drinketh (Review) http://thebookwormdrinketh.wordpress.com/
The Faerie Review (Review) http://www.thefaeriereview.com

November 29 th

Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com
I’m All About Books (Spotlight) https://imallaboutbooks.com/
Port Jerricho (Spotlight) http://www.aislynndmerricksson.com
Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews (Review) https://heidilynnsbookreviews.blogspot.com
Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/

Blog Tour Organized By:

R&RButto200x200

R&R Book Tours

December is fast approaching and I wanted to make it an extra special month by creating a readathon and have all you bookworms participate! It’s called the Reindeer Readathon and it will be taking place from December 1st to the 31st! It is a team-based readathon and all the prompts you complete will count as points towards your team! The winning team will have one random person win a prize! Full details in the video below!

T3 Micro

Advertisements
by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Review: A Treason Of Thorns

This was the first book that I read for Harper Collins as part of their blogger program! It was A Treason Of Thorns by Laura Weymouth. I buddy read this with my friend Amanda from booktube!

20191124_2132074053760962701836487.jpg

Synopsis: Violet Sterling has spent the last seven years in exile, longing to return to Burleigh House. One of the six great houses of England, Burleigh’s magic always kept the countryside well. And as a child, this magic kept Violet happy, draping her in flowers while she slept, fashioning secret hiding places for her, and lighting fires on the coldest nights to keep her warm.

Everything shattered, though, when her father committed high treason trying to free Burleigh from the king’s oppressive control. He was killed, and Vi was forced into hiding.

When she’s given a chance to go back, she discovers Burleigh has run wild with grief. Vines and briars are crumbling the walls. Magic that once enriched the surrounding countryside has turned dark and deadly, twisting lush blooms into thorns, poisoning livestock and destroying crops. Burleigh’s very soul is crying out in pain.

Vi would do anything to help, and soon she finds herself walking the same deadly path as her father all those years before. Vi must decide how far she’s willing to go to save her house—before her house destroys everything she’s ever known.

I buddy read this with my friend Amanda and I enjoyed it. It had a very strong feeling of historical fiction mixed with fantasy. The main character was alright but my favorite was Wyn. He was a side character that acted kind of like a sidekick.

The magic represented in this book was really cool because it all came from the Great Houses. The magic was inside the Houses and they kind of acted as if they were humans with real emotions and reactions to things happening around them.

Violet had a strong connection to the house and could communicate in a sense with it. It was cool that she could do that but I found Violet, in general, a little annoying at times and I felt that she could have made better decisions.

There was one part that was really cool because I didn’t expect it and liked that they went in the direction they did. Sometimes a plot needs a little spark to get it progressing at a more likable pace for me.

If you like fantasy and have a strong affection for historical fiction (it reminded me of a very victorian era.), then you would probably like this book since it is very descriptive with all the scenery, building, and outfits etc. and deals with royalty.

Book Rating: 3.5/5

You can buy this book on Amazon and find it on Goodreads.

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by Harper Collins in physical format to read and give an honest review.

December is fast approaching and I wanted to make it an extra special month by creating a readathon and have all you bookworms participate! It’s called the Reindeer Readathon and it will be taking place from December 1st to the 31st! It is a team-based readathon and all the prompts you complete will count as points towards your team! The winning team will have one random person win a prize! Full details in the video below!

T3 Micro

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Review: The Forbidden Warriors

I read another book in this world and this one was by far the most developed! It was The Forbidden Warriors by Moud Adel.

TheForbiddenWarrior_5x8_Ebook

Synopsis: Mastoperia: A hidden continent with four factions divided and suspicious of each other, with a history of unresolved wars, each grounding themselves in their own unique culture, and magical power.

The Forbidden Warriors: The only force powerful enough to keep the factions from destroying one another. The secret to their power is a mystery, but the only way to hold on to it is by passing the power to a new generation every two and a half centuries.

As that time has arrived, each faction must offer a candidate to become the next generation of the Forbidden Warriors, but only one can be the leader. In a race for that leadership position, four candidates and their teams travel across a world mysterious to them, to hunt artifacts they know nothing about. The mission is not easy, their goals are not aligned, and the truth is far bigger than they could have imagined. A challenge none were ready for.

Will they choose their own interests, their factions’ or defy all that they know for the sake of their world.

I really liked where this first installment of the series took us! It was easy for me to jump into the world because I had read the 2 prequel novels. Even if I hadn’t, the author described it fairly well giving you an understanding of the environment and the multiple magic systems involved.

I liked the team based quest aspect to the storyline. It reminded me of the Hunger Games in the sense that they are all competing (and can’t stop even if there is a loss of life) to be the first team to collect the most artifacts. There was danger involved and the artifacts were not that easy to get which made it very interesting.

The team dynamic was well done as well. One thing I would note is that I did get a bit confused at times due to there being 16 different perspectives that you are following and trying to learn about. I think it would have been better if it focused on say 6 of them at the most so it would be easier to remember who is who. They also have names that start with the first same letter so that added an extra layer of confusion to it.

The romantic part of it felt like it spurred out of know where a little bit. I think that the relationships between existing faction members were more genuine and I think that it was a start to what could be a relationship but more work needed to be put into the dialogue between the two of them and I think it needed a little more build-up than just umping right into it.

Overall, it was a great first installment to this series and I am definitely invested reading all of them. The ending of this one was quite the cliffhanger so I need to know what happens next and will be waiting with anticipation for that next book to come out!

Book Rating: 3.5/5

You can buy this book on Amazon and find it on Goodreads!

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me in physical format by the author to read and give an honest review.

December is fast approaching and I wanted to make it an extra special month by creating a readathon and have all you bookworms participate! It’s called the Reindeer Readathon and it will be taking place from December 1st to the 31st! It is a team-based readathon and all the prompts you complete will count as points towards your team! The winning team will have one random person win a prize! Full details in the video below!

T3 Micro

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Review: Were we Awake

How is everyone? It has been a while since I have written a book review post but today I have one for you! I had the privilege of reviewing another one of Lorna Brown’s books and I am so glad that I did. This one was called Were We Awake by Lorna Brown.

48582491._SY475_

Synopsis: In each story of this collection, events make the characters understand that their world is not as it seemed.

In Hidden, the discovery of an affair between her father and aunt is only the start of finding hidden secrets for Hazel.

What it Means to Be Empty-Handed is narrated by a fourteen–year-old daughter of an alcoholic. Her denial and elaborate imagination starts to disintegrate when she lies to the wrong person.

In Crashing, a middle-aged woman lives a life of servitude until she hits teenage boy with her car.

A thirty-year-old murder takes its toll on the victim’s family in Walking A Country Road.
The stories are set in Boston and Ireland.

This was another book full of compelling short stories that draw you right in and keep you engrossed until the conclusion that sometimes will be happy and sometimes be chilling. You never really know which one you are going to get (which I loved).

There were definitely some stories that I liked more than others. For example, there is one story about a mother that cooks and cleans and takes care of her husband and son and they don’t treat her very well which made me feel so much for this woman. She deserved to be shown some love and respect for all the hard work she does for her family and I kept wanting to smack the son and father for not treating her better.

The best part about this collection is that as you read through them, you realize that they are all about different people in the same community so it is kind of like learning about all these family secrets that they try and keep behind closed doors. And of course, they are set in the author’s native country of Ireland which is a beautiful place and I love reading it.

I would recommend this book for anyone that wants a descriptive, family-driven fiction split into multiple perspectives.

Book Rating: 4/5

You can buy this book on Amazon and find it on Goodreads.

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me in an ebook format by the author to read and give an honest review.

December is fast approaching and I wanted to make it an extra special month by creating a readathon and have all you bookworms participate! It’s called the Reindeer Readathon and it will be taking place from December 1st to the 31st! It is a team-based readathon and all the prompts you complete will count as points towards your team! The winning team will have one random person win a prize! Full details in the video below!

T3 Micro

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Spotlight: Veiled By Desire

Congratulations to Candace Robinson on the release of this beauty! Veiled by Desire is the second installment of the Laith series and will be available on November 19th!

Read on for an exclusive excerpt and a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card, AND a digital copy of book #1, Clouded by Envy!

Veiled By Desire Cover

Veiled by Desire: A Laith Novel

Publication Date: November 19, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: The Parliament House Press

In Laith, when the moons are high, Tavarra is allowed to walk the land as a human for one day, losing her seahorse-like tail. But should she remain out of the water, a curse will overtake her, turning her into a beast with sharp fangs and long claws. A beast that, on some nights, takes the shape of a rampaging, uncontrollable monster.

Rhona, along with her village, are under a sinister leader’s control. Their leader has taken Rhona from the boy she loves, stripped away her abilities and, under the threat of killing everyone she loves, forces her on a dangerous task to retrieve a dark prism that will increase his already massive powers.

When Tavarra and Rhona cross paths, they discover they need each other. Rhona knows how to help the cursed sea creature, while Tavarra knows where to find the dark prism. They embark on a mission that could help them break Tavarra’s spell and save Rhona’s family and village. But with an untamable beast inside Tavarra, nothing is certain..,

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

Seven years of this. Tavarra closed her eyes and gripped the chains around the tree that bound her wrists together. She howled with urgency, screamed, and bared her fangs. As she stared up at the twin moons in the darkening sky, she knew her fate was coming. A fire spread throughout her entire body with a wicked touch, and she shook violently.

“The chains will hold this time,” her friend Eza said, landing on Tavarra’s shoulder. If Tavarra killed the pesky bat, there would be nothing, no one, and she had grown to love Eza after all these years.

“Get out of here, Eza! Now!” Tavarra screamed.

“I’ll be right here,” the bat murmured and flew up into the tree above. Eza looked incredibly similar to a fairy except for the thin blackened wings, fangs, and sharper-pointed ears. She was a little taller than the size of Tavarra’s hand from wrist to the tip of the claw on her middle finger.

Tavarra was trying to fight the change. She would win this time. As she breathed in the scents of Laith, Tavarra knew it was a lie, and indeed, she knew she’d failed when her skin began to stretch. She could feel her face taking on a new shape, and that was when the terror came because the night would be unknown to her. That was what haunted her the most. Tavarra held back the tears, unwilling to break, unwilling to bend and show weakness.

All that remained in her soul, heart, and existence, was hunger. She yearned and thirsted for blood, meat, and bones.

Amazon | B & N | Kobo | iBooks

Clouded by Envy (Laith #1)

37654382._SY475_

Brenik has always been envious of his twin sister, Bray. Growing up as fairy-like creatures, known as bats, everything came easier to Bray. While Brenik spent his time in her shadows, never feeling he was enough. After escaping their world of Laith, and living on Earth for ten years, Brenik attempts to strike a deal with the Stone of Desire to become human. Though true humanity is not an option, he will accept the curse that will alter him to get as close as he can.

Living in a tree trunk for the past year hasn’t been easy for Bray, more so after her brother disappears again. When a human boy and his brother, Wes, find her, a new friendship is struck. Through Wes, Bray learns there can be more to life than waiting within a tree. But worrying over where Brenik has vanished to always remains in the back of her mind.

When Bray reunites with Brenik, she realizes she must help him break the curse after she discovers the need for blood is beginning to overpower him. The curse not only damages those who get close to Brenik, but it could also destroy whatever is blooming between Bray and Wes.

Goodreads

Giveaway: Click the link below to enter for a chance to win a digital copy of book #1, Clouded by Envy, and a $10 Amazon gift card (North America Only)!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

image1

Candace Robinson spends her days consumed by words and hoping to one day find her own DeLorean time machine. Her life consists of avoiding migraines, admiring Bonsai trees, watching classic movies, and living with her husband and daughter in Texas—where it can be forty degrees one day and eighty the next.

Candace Robinson | Literary Dust | Twitter

Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads

Book Blitz Organized By:

R&RButto200x200

R&R Book Tours

December is fast approaching and I wanted to make it an extra special month by creating a readathon and have all you bookworms participate! It’s called the Reindeer Readathon and it will be taking place from December 1st to the 31st! It is a team-based readathon and all the prompts you complete will count as points towards your team! The winning team will have one random person win a prize! Full details in the video below!

T3 Micro

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Review: Ashes, Ashes

Jo Tregiarri just keeps coming with these great novels! I am continually impressed with the imagination she shows in the stories she creates and the worlds she builds. This on was called Ashes, Ashes and it was great!

20190813_1718037437956738979327003.jpg

Synopsis: Epidemics, floods, droughts – for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wilds of Central Park. But when she’s rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can’t continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There’s something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her.

This book was a really fun dystopian to dive into. Lucy was a likable main character that was just trying to survive after mass plagues, earthquakes, tsunamis, and storms hit the Earth and wiped out a lot of the population. The survivalist in me was loving all the realistic ways that Lucy would live her day to day life and how she accustomed herself to a new way of living after everything she has known changed.

There were parts that built suspense so well that I found myself starting to sweat while reading because I was worried about what was going to happen next. The relationships built were very real and the plot felt like it flowed very smoothly.

I am a big fan of dystopian books or things to do with either the world ending or post-apocalyptic worlds where people have to learn to adapt to a new way of survival.

If I could sum this up, I would say that it was a mixture of Divergent (the social aspect) and The 5th Wave (dystopian world aspect) with a little bit of Maze Runner thrown in (villain aspect).

I would recommend this read for anyone that wants a fun dystopian adventure with a lot of stakes at hand.

Book Rating: 5/5

You can buy this book on Amazon and find it on Goodreads.

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the author in physical format to read and give an honest review.

It’s already November! I am being pretty ambitious and will be trying to read 5 books this month. Check out what I will be reading!

T3 Micro

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Highlight: Nutmeg Street

Have you heard about Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets, by Sherrill Joseph yet? Check it out and don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom!

NutmegStreet-EgyptianSecretes_cover2(1)

Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets (A Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries #1)

Expected Publication Date: February 1st, 2020

Genre: MG/ Middle Grade/ Mystery (Ages 9 – 12)

World-famous Egyptologist Dr. Winston Thornsley died suddenly two months ago in disgrace. His widow, Ida Thornsley, remains convinced her husband was falsely accused of stealing an ancient burial urn he discovered in Egypt last summer, but local and federal law enforcement officers are stumped.

Mrs. Thornsley, desperate for answers, calls in her thirteen-year-old neighbors, the Botanic Hill Detectives—twins Lanny and Lexi Wyatt, Moki Kalani, and Rani Kumar. Their exciting mission? To find the urn and its real thief, bring the criminal to justice, and exonerate Dr. Thornsley so his spotless reputation can be restored.

A roomful of venomous snakes, the poisoned Egyptian pond, and Dragon Pit Man are just a few of the tests awaiting the four tech-savvy teenagers. As the detectives begin to unravel the sinister plot, the mystery takes a dangerous turn. Answers are at their fingertips—if they can only convince their parents to let them solve the case.

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

Uncle Rocky did his best to join the kids on the floor but resorted to an old, overstuffed club chair instead. No sooner had the man gotten settled when Rani’s face changed.

“What’s that?” she said.

Flashing lights were beaming into the attic through the little window and dancing wildly around the room. The group quickly clustered around the opening.

Lanny grabbed the binoculars hanging nearby and trained them on the source. It took some time before the light show stopped interfering with his vision. “It’s Mask Face! On the Quince Street Footbridge!” he shouted, lowering the binoculars.

Lexi yanked them from her brother, taking his neck along with the strap, and aimed them out the window. “You’re right. Eww! It’s creepy,” she replied as goosebumps ran down her arms.

The figure had turned the flashlight onto its mask, creating the illusion of a disembodied head floating across the bridge.

Coming Soon!

Egyptian Secrets, in paperback and eBook, will be available for purchase on Amazon, February 1, 2020!

For your chance to win a digital copy of the book, book swag — a bookmark, a sticker, and a post card, And a $25 Amazon gift card, click the link below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note: Prizes mentioned above are available to the U.S. only. A digital copy of Egyptian Secrets will be given away for international entries!

The giveaway will run from November 4th to November 7th. Good luck!

About the Author

photo01

Sherrill Joseph’s debut novel, Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets, had been inside her head for decades. The mystery genre took hold of her as a fifth grader when she discovered Nancy Drew and Phyllis A. Whitney mysteries. Years later, it still hasn’t let go.

After graduating Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English literature and a master’s in education, Sherrill spent the next thirty-five years as a K-12 literacy teacher. When she retired from teaching in 2013, the Botanic Hill Detectives and their mysteries finally sprang to life.

Forever inspired by her beautiful students in the San Diego public schools, the author has peopled and themed the Botanic Hill Detectives mysteries with children of various abilities, cultures, and interests. She strongly believes that embracing diversity is the key to a better world.

Sherrill is a native San Diegan where she lives in a ninety-year-old house in a historic neighborhood with her bichon frisé-poodle mix, Jimmy Lambchop. In addition to her dog, the city of San Diego, reading and writing, the author loves her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. She must also include dark chocolate, popcorn, old movies, staircases, the color purple, and daisies. She is a member of SCBWI and the Authors’ Guild and promises many more adventures with the squad to come.

Sherrill Joseph | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Book Blitz Organized By:

R&RButto200x200

R&R Book Tours

It’s already November! I am being pretty ambitious and will be trying to read 5 books this month. Check out what I will be reading!

T3 Micro

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Cover Reveal: Nutmeg Street

A fantastic cover for an exciting upcoming debut novel by author, Sherrill Joseph! Read more about Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets below!

Book Cover-3

Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets (A Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries #1)

Expected Publication Date: February 1st, 2020

Genre: MG/ Middle Grade/ Mystery (Ages 9 – 12)

World-famous Egyptologist Dr. Winston Thornsley died suddenly two months ago in disgrace. His widow, Ida Thornsley, remains convinced her husband was falsely accused of stealing an ancient burial urn he discovered in Egypt last summer, but local and federal law enforcement officers are stumped.

Mrs. Thornsley, desperate for answers, calls in her thirteen-year-old neighbors, the Botanic Hill Detectives—twins Lanny and Lexi Wyatt, Moki Kalani, and Rani Kumar. Their exciting mission? To find the urn and its real thief, bring the criminal to justice, and exonerate Dr. Thornsley so his spotless reputation can be restored.

A roomful of venomous snakes, the poisoned Egyptian pond, and Dragon Pit Man are just a few of the tests awaiting the four tech-savvy teenagers. As the detectives begin to unravel the sinister plot, the mystery takes a dangerous turn. Answers are at their fingertips—if they can only convince their parents to let them solve the case.

Add to Goodreads

Sneak Peek

“Here we go again. An aftershock! I’ve been afraid this would happen,” said Dr. Kurtz. She rapidly surveyed the room full of terrariums. “And one of my assistants just called to say he’s found a somewhat hidden but large crack from this morning’s tremor on one of our venomous snake enclosure’s glass panes. It’s a major emergency. Come out with me quickly boys—now! I have to attend to this immediately,” she shouted behind her, as she grabbed her tool bag, yanked open the heavy door, and fled outside and down the breezeway to the enclosure.

Unfortunately, Moki and Lanny weren’t as fast as Dr. Kurtz. The door banged shut in their surprised faces and locked. They were trapped in a windowless room.

As if that weren’t bad enough, the power failed simultaneously, and the room went pitch black. Both boys froze, helplessly surrounded by three walls of venomous snakes they could still hear but no longer see.

Egyptian Secrets, in paperback and eBook, will be available for purchase on Amazon, February 1, 2020!

About the Author

photo01

Sherrill Joseph’s debut novel, Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets, had been inside her head for decades. The mystery genre took hold of her as a fifth grader when she discovered Nancy Drew and Phyllis A. Whitney mysteries. Years later, it still hasn’t let go.

After graduating Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English literature and a master’s in education, Sherrill spent the next thirty-five years as a K-12 literacy teacher. When she retired from teaching in 2013, the Botanic Hill Detectives and their mysteries finally sprang to life.

Forever inspired by her beautiful students in the San Diego public schools, the author has peopled and themed the Botanic Hill Detectives mysteries with children of various abilities, cultures, and interests. She strongly believes that embracing diversity is the key to a better world.

Sherrill is a native San Diegan where she lives in a ninety-year-old house in a historic neighborhood with her bichon frisé-poodle mix, Jimmy Lambchop. In addition to her dog, the city of San Diego, reading and writing, the author loves her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. She must also include dark chocolate, popcorn, old movies, staircases, the color purple, and daisies. She is a member of SCBWI and the Authors’ Guild and promises many more adventures with the squad to come.

Sherrill Joseph | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Cover Reveal Organized By:

R&RButto200x200

R&R Book Tours

t’s already November….well tomorrow! I am being pretty ambitious and will be trying to read 5 books this month. Check out what I will be reading!

T3 Micro

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Books Spotlight: Murder In Montague

If you’re still searching for the perfect Halloween read, check out this collection of chilling tales! Murder in Montague Falls will have you reading long into the night!

MURDER IN MONTAGUE FALLS ebook front cover

Murder in Montague Falls

Publication Date: August 29, 2019

Genre: Anthology/ Noir/ Dark Fiction

WHITE HOT THRILLS! PITCH BLACK DEEDS!

3 TALES OF TEENS TACKLING THEIR DARKEST RITES OF PASSAGE

Acclaimed storytellers Russ Colchamiro, Sawney Hatton, and Patrick Thomas each present an original novella brimming with enough danger, intrigue, and murder to get readers’ blood pounding and hearts racing.

In Colchamiro’s RED INK, a paperboy with an overactive imagination witnesses a brutal killing on his route—or has he taken his fantasy spy games a step too far?

In Hatton’s THE DEVIL’S DELINQUENTS, a trio of teenage misfits in pursuit of success, power, and revenge practice amateurish occult rituals… with deadly consequences.

In Thomas’s A MANY SPLENDID THING, a sultry high school teacher enrolls one of her students to get rid of her husband. But will the young man really graduate to murder?

Goodreads

Here are some teasers from the book:

Red Ink

An infrared scope cut through the suburban tree line.

Perched on a high-angle branch in the neighbor’s spruce tree, Isaac could see her through the living room window, six houses away.

The M21 semi-automatic sniper rifle with fiberglass stock and 20-round box magazine was snug against his shoulder.

One bullet. One body.

Though camouflaged within a thicket of evergreen leaves, he had a clean shot.

“Come on,” he whispered, his eye against the scope. “Give me the signal.”

In perfect synchronicity, Isaac’s earpiece crackled. “Target confirmed. Kill shot approved.”

Devil’s Delinquents

Natalie exits her room with the ritual kit, locking the door behind her.

Her father, swathed in a cornucopia-pattern quilt, sits in his wheelchair in the den, positioned near enough the window so that he can be in the daylight. Maybe he enjoys it, but one cannot tell for certain since his face registers no enjoyment, nor any other emotion.

Natalie kneels down before him, flips up the quilt, and undoes the bottom three buttons of his shirt, exposing his stomach. Between her fingertips, she wields the double-edged blade for a safety razor. She carefully nicks the skin above his father’s belly button. She looks up at him, detects no reaction.

She makes intersecting six-inch-long slices into his stomach, then carves a large circle around the lines, working around the seeping blood. Upon finishing, she evaluates her work and nods.

“I’m going to bring you back, daddy,” Natalie says to him, kissing his knuckles. “I promise.”

Splendid Thing

Rosa went from smiling to bawling in less time than it took to blink. I pulled her in and held her against my bare chest. She pounded my ribs with her closed fists.

“Why won’t you understand! There is no other way! If we don’t kill him soon, you’ll come to school one day and find that he killed me. How are you going to feel then? Especially if he figures out that you’re my lover! You would follow me to the Pearly Gates.”

“Rosa, this talk of killing is crazy.”

She pushed herself back and slapped me hard across the face. “You think I’m crazy?”

Available on Amazon

Have you ever heard of a book having its own soundtrack? Well this one does!


About the Authors

Russ Colchamiro Headshot

RUSS COLCHAMIRO is the author of the rollicking space adventure, Crossline, the zany sci-fi backpacking series Finders Keepers, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, editor of the sci-fi mystery anthology, Love, Murder & Mayhem, and contributing author for his newest project, Murder in Montague Falls, a noir novella collection, all with Crazy 8 Press.

Russ has contributed to several other anthologies including Tales of the Crimson Keep, Pangaea, They Keep Killing Glenn, Altered States of the Union, Thrilling Adventure Yarns, Brave New Girls vols. 3&4, Camelot 13, TV Gods 2, and Footprints in the Stars.

He is now finalizing the first in an ongoing SFF mystery series featuring his hard-boiled private eye Angela Hardwicke and has several other SFF, crime fiction, and children’s book projects in the works.

Russ lives in New Jersey with his wife, their twin ninjas, and their crazy dog, Simon.

For more on Russ’s works, visit www.russcolchamiro.com, and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @AuthorDudeRuss.

Sawney-casual-smaller

SAWNEY HATTON is an author, editor, and screenwriter who has long loved playing in the dark. His published works include the Dark Comedy novel Dead Size, the YA Noir novella Uglyville, and the Dark Fiction short story collection Everyone Is a Moon. He also edited the Sci-Fi Horror anthology What Has Two Heads, Ten Eyes, and Terrifying Table Manners?

Other incarnations of Sawney have produced marketing videos, attended chili cook-offs, and played the banjo and sousaphone (not at the same time). As of this writing, he is still very much alive.

For more semi-unseemly insights into Sawney, visit his website at www.SawneyHatton.com or find him on Twitter and Facebook.

Patrick Thomas Headshot

PATRICK THOMAS is the award-winning author of the beloved Murphy’s Lore series and the darkly hilarious Dear Cthulhu advice empire.

His 40+ books include Fairy with a Gun, By Darkness Cursed, Lore & Dysorder, Dead to Rites, Startenders, As the Gears Turn, Cthulhu Explains It All, and Exile and Entrance. His is the co-author of the Mystic Investigators series, The Santa Heist, and the Jack Gardner mysteries.

Patrick is the co-editor of Camelot 13 (with John French), New Blood (with Diane Raetz), and Hear Them Roar (with CJ Henderson), co-created The Wildsidhe Chronicles YA series and is the creator of the Agents of the Abyss series.

He has had more than 150 short stories published in magazines and anthologies, with his work for YA and children including the Ughabooz books, the Undead Kid Diaries, the Joy Reaper books, and the Babe B. Bear Mysteries as Patrick T. Fibbs.

Visit him online at www.patthomas.net and www.patricktfibbs.com

Giveaway Time!!!

For your chance to win a print copy (US Only), or a digital copy (International) of Murder in Montague Falls click the link below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

MurderIn

Blog Tour Schedule

October 28th

Reads & Reels (Review) http://readsandreels.com

Viviana MacKade (Guest Post) https://viviana-mackade.blog/

Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/

Reviews and Promos by Nyx (Spotlight) https://nyxblogs.wordpress.com/

October 29th

Book Dragons Not Worms (Review) https://bookdragonsnotworms.blogspot.com/?m=1

Cup of Books (Review) https://cupofbooksblog.wordpress.com/

Ghoulish Life and Reviews (Review) https://ghoulishspirit.wordpress.com/

October 30th

B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com

Bibliolater (Spotlight) https://www.jennifermitchellbooks.com

October 31st

I Smell Sheep (Guest Post) http://www.ismellsheep.com/

J Bronder Book Reviews (Review) https://jbronderbookreviews.com/

My Bookish Bliss (Review) http://www.mybookishbliss.com

November 1st

Musings of a Final Girl (Review) https://musingsofafinalgirl.wordpress.com/

The Reading Chemist (Spotlight) https://thereadingchemist.com/

Kelly Lacey (Spotlight) https://lovebooksgroup.com/

Blog Tour Organized By:

R&RButto200x200

R&R Book Tours

Honesty you say?! Well, take a listen and let me be completely honest with you…..

T3 Micro

by Erik McManus | Breakeven Books

Book Spotlight: Welcome To Maravilla

WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING TOUR

 OF

 Welcome to Maravilla

welcometomaravillaJacket

Tour Begins October 14th

Book Summary

The tiny hamlet of Maravilla, New Mexico is not immune to modern-day problems. But the citizens of Maravilla have their own special problems, as well:

A developer wants to build a Christian-themed amusement park next to Maravilla’s historic church.

The county line runs right through the town, splitting it in two.

And the government is threatening to close their post office!

Into this muddle steps Jake Epstein, a young writer from the big city. Jake is seeking peace and quiet to finish his current project: a science fiction story in which adventuress Tai-Keiko must deliver the secret formula for Zeton-9—with the evil Krossarians in hot pursuit.

But then reality and science fiction converge—and Tai-Keiko finds herself in present-day Maravilla, face to face with a gobsmacked Jake.

Join Jake on this comic run along the dusty roads of Maravilla, and find out who won the fight between Father Ignatius and the heathen pig farmer. How a basketball game changed the fate of the town. And was that white flash in the sky a UFO? 

Print Length: 195 Pages

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Beeline Press (June 19, 2019)

ISBN-10: 1645400646

ISBN-13: 978-1645400646

Welcome to Maravilla  is now available to purchase on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and  IndieBound.

About the Author

Doug Clark 1

 R. Douglas Clark was born in Vermont, grew up in Colorado, attended college in Chicago, and received a Master’s degree in music from Brown University. Seeing no future for himself in academia, he spent a year in the Oregon woods, living in a primitive cabin, writing music reviews and cultural commentary for magazines and newspapers. Next stop, Eugene, Oregon where he spent 20 damp years as a bootstrap businessman, father and musician. On a vacation trip, he and his wife, Shelley, fell in love with sunny northern New Mexico and subsequently moved there. After four years running Boys and Girls Clubs in Chimayó and Abiquiú–and another four, running a U-pick raspberry farm–he retired to write fiction full time.

Find R. Douglas online: https://www.rdouglasclark.com/


Blog Tour Dates

October 14th @ The Muffin

What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Join us as we celebrate the launch the blog tour for author R. Douglas Clark’s book Welcome to Maravilla. Read an interview with the author and win a copy of the book.

http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

October 15th @ Book Santa Fe with Crystal Otto

Crystal Otto shares her thoughts about the sci-fi book Welcome to Maravilla by R. Douglas Clark.

http://www.booksantafe.info/booksantafeblog

October 16th @ Bring on Lemons with Carmen Otto

Middle Schooler Carmen Otto reviews R. Douglas Clark’s Welcome to Maravilla and explains to her friends why this is a great book for even young readers.

http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

October 17th @ World of My Imagination

Nicole Pyles reviews Welcome to Maravilla by R. Douglas Clark and delights readers at World of My Imagination with an opportunity to learn more about this fast-paced sci-fi novel!

https://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/

October 17th @ Selling Books

Don’t miss today’s author interview with R. Douglas Clark as Cathy Stucker finds out more about his latest release Welcome to Maravilla.

https://www.sellingbooks.com/

October 21st @ Memoir Writer’s Journey

Today’s guest author at Memoir Writer’s Journey is R. Douglas Clark with an article about _________. Join Kathleen Pooler’s audience as they learn more about Clark and his latest book Welcome to Maravilla.

https://krpooler.com/

October 22nd @ To Write or Not To Write

Sreevarsha reviews Welcome to Maravilla by R. Douglas Clarks and delights readers at To Write or Not To Write with her thoughts about this excellent novel!

http://sreevarshasreejith.blogspot.co.at/

October 23rd @ World of My Imagination

Learn more about R. Douglas Clark and his new book Welcome to Maravilla as he shares a few thoughts in an interesting interview with Nicole Pyles at World of My Imagination.

https://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/

October 24th @ Look to the Western Sky

Visit Margo’s blog today where you can catch today’s author spotlight and learn more about R. Douglas Clark and his latest book Welcome to Maravilla.

https://margoldill.com/

October 25th @ A StoryBook World

Don’t miss today’s publicity post at A Storybook World as readers at Dierdra’s blog are introduced to “Welcome to Maravilla” by R. Douglas Clark.

http://www.astorybookworld.com/

October 28th @ Breakeven Books

Today’s Book Spotlight at Breakeven Books is Welcome to Maravilla by R. Douglas Clark – don’t miss this great opportunity to add this lovely new novel to your collection!

https://breakevenbooks.com/

October 28th @ Lisa Haselton Reviews and Interviews

Lisa Haselton interviews R. Douglas Clark about his latest novel Welcome to Maravilla . Readers will delight in learning more about this science fiction story with it’s courageous characters!

http://lisahaseltonsreviewsandinterviews.blogspot.com/

November 2nd @ Author Anthony Avina

Author Anthony Avina interview R. Douglas Clark about his latest novel Welcome to Maravilla

https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/

November 12th @ Author Anthony Avina

Author Anthony Avina shares his thoughts after reading Welcome to Maravilla by R. Douglas Clark – don’t miss this review!

https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/

November 13th @ Bring on Lemons with Tara Forst

Wisconsin mother and book lover shares her review of R. Douglas Clark’s latest Welcome to Maravilla with readers at Bring on Lemons.

http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

I recently wrapped up the books I read in September and spoiler, there were some good ones!

T3 Micro