BBNYA Spotlight | MURDER IN VELVET by Sarah Wynne

About the Book:

MURDER IN VELVET
BY SARAH WYNNE | SEPTEMBER 1, 2023
GENRE: MIDDLE GRADE

13-year-old Grace loves her new charity shop coat. In fact, it’s perfect. Except for one tiny thing. When she wears it, she sees visions of the previous owner’s life ... and their murder! Grace and her best friend, Suzy, decide to investigate but digging up the past reveals secrets some people want to keep hidden. Can Grace stay one step ahead and solve a fifty-year-old murder or will she become the killer’s next victim? A gripping story of secrets and murder for fans of fast-paced middle grade thrillers.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | THE STORY GRAPH

[The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is celebrating the books that made it to the semi-finals with a mini spotlight blitz tour for each title.

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 16 finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.]

About the Author:

Sarah Wynne is from Chester in the northwest of England and lives with her husband, son and their little white ball of chaos, Daisy the dog. She spent over 10 years working as a primary teaching assistant but now writes full-time and provides editorial services to writers of children’s fiction. When she’s not writing she’ll usually be found with her nose in a middle grade book (or researching which book to read next or talking about books!).

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | BLUESKY 

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BBNYA Spotlight | MASQUERADE FALL by Estella G. Fogg

About the Book:

MASQUERADE FALL
BY ESTELLA G. FOGG | JANUARY 3, 2023
GENRE: HISTORICAL FANTASY

Recently orphaned Elodie Di Silva is about to make her debut into Society, sponsored by her mother's friend's family. Quietly grieving, she allows Lady Beaumont and friends to guide her. But with the arrival of Lady Beaumont's enigmatic son, Lord Lucan Beaumont, who sends chills down Elodie's spine, she senses her debut is about to be derailed.

Stalked by day, and haunted by night by glimpses of a dark-haired man, who is somehow both stranger and familiar to her, Elodie vows to discover his secrets, and why she is so drawn to him.

But things are not what they seem.

Elodie's history with Raphael Blackmore, Duke of Mistbourne, is more complicated than she could ever have imagined.

Thrust into the bright lights of the Ton, Elodie navigates masquerade balls, picnics and house parties - where revelations will present one final fateful choice. She must decide whether to spread her wings and embrace the truth of her past... or allow the gilded cage of lies to close around her, locking her in an unwanted future.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | THE STORY GRAPH

[The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is celebrating the books that made it to the semi-finals with a mini spotlight blitz tour for each title.

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 16 finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.]

About the Author:

When not searching the backs of wardrobes for Narnia, the bottom of the garden for fairies, or exploring yet another Castle, E.G. can be found with her nose in a book or a pen in her hand.

Having previously worked at Cardiff Castle, she now writes full time while looking after her four children.

She lives on the beautiful South Wales coast with her husband, children and crazy dog.

Her debut book 'Octavia Bloom and the Missing Key' won a bronze award in the wishing shelf book awards and placed in the top ten of the Book Bloggers' Bovel of the Year awards 2021. Her first book for older readers 'Where Fate Whispers' has been nominated in the Write Blend book awards, and also the Indie Ink awards.

E.G. Tudor also writes under the names 'Estelle Grace Tudor' & The Pseudonym 'Estella. G. Fogg'.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM 

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BBNYA Spotlight | HEALER'S BLADE by Kyrie Wang

About the Book:

HEALER'S BLADE
BY KYRIE WANG | JUNE 30, 2023
GENRE: YOUNG ADULT

2023 Page Turner Book Awards - FINALIST
2023 Wishing Shelf Awards - FINALIST

Enemy's Keeper Book 1

A healer on the run. A rebel knight after her heart. Will she betray him to save the England she loves?

Eighteen-year-old healer Aliwyn is consigned to solitude after medical failures leave her alienated from her village. With a rebellion against William the Conqueror rumbling on the horizon, she longs to practice her medicine in peace.

But when she agrees to hide an orphaned Norman girl, Aliwyn is plunged into the bloody war over the fate of England – a war she’s done her best to avoid. A daring escape from enemy arrows entangles her with the young rebel leader, Tobias, and she is swept into a world of rival factions and secret alliances. Faced with the insurgent army, she must make difficult choices about treating those she despises. Worst of all, Tobias's compassionate nature turns her perceptions of the enemy upside down.

After she unravels the fiery secret underpinning the rebel army, Aliwyn is challenged to take fate into her own hands and save England from sweeping destruction. Can she find the courage to fight for what she believes? And can she resist the magnetic charms of the man she’s vowed to defeat?

Step into a riveting & magic-free YA fantasy adventure with an authentic historical setting and irresistible slow-burn romance. Set in medieval England rocked by the early introduction of gunpowder and populated by Celtic-inspired tribes, Healer’s Blade is a page-turning read that’s perfect for fans of alternative history.

If you like stories with high stakes, political intrigue, and nail-biting action but prefer them to be free from language and sexual content, grab Healer's Blade today!

AMAZON | GOODREADS | THE STORY GRAPH

[The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is celebrating the books that made it to the semi-finals with a mini spotlight blitz tour for each title.

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 16 finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.]

About the Author:

Hailing from the unpredictable snowstorms of Quebec, Canada, I'm a medical mystery detective (fancy words for "pathologist, MD") by day and a dreamweaver of historical fantasy by night. Pencil on paper makes me cry and laugh, and every book I write is living another life!

I have a PASSION for crafting stories that explore the humanity common to us all. Where people find their authentic selves, goodness prevails, and the forgotten and voiceless rise as heroes.

Somewhere between sleuthing with my microscope and crafting hamster toys with my girl, I sit down and type. You'd never catch me without (quality dark) chocolate in my bag and I would bike in Canadian January to a froyo store.

Just ask my best friend of 11 years- she was the cashier!

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM 

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Blog Tour | WELCOME TO DORLEY HALL by Alyson Greaves

About the Book:

WELCOME TO DORLEY HALL
BY ALYSON GREAVES | PUBLICATION: OCTOBER 8, 2024
GENRE: ADULT FICTION

____________________________________________________________________

Mark Vogel is like the older brother Stefan Riley never had, until one day he disappears, and Stefan has to adapt to life without him. But, one year later, when he runs into a girl who looks near-identical to Mark, Stefan becomes obsessed. He discovers that other boys have disappeared, too, dozens over the years, most of them students of the Royal College of Saint Almsworth, many of them troubled or unruly before their disappearance.

What is happening to these boys? Who are the handful of women on campus who bear a striking resemblance to some of those who went missing? And what is the connection to the mysterious Dorley Hall?

Stefan works hard to get into the Royal College for one reason and one reason only: to find out exactly what happened to the women who live at Dorley Hall, and to get it to happen to him, too.

A closeted trans girl attempts to infiltrate a secret underground forced feminisation programme.

Content note: this story engages with some reasonably dark topics, including but not limited to torture, manipulation, dysphoria, nonconsensual surgery, and kidnapping. While it isn't intended to be a dark or dystopian story, the perspective characters are carrying a lot of baggage, and the exploration of the premise might be triggering for trans readers.

AMAZON | GOODREADS

"I won’t give away spoilers but lets just say this is a real cringe and love book.
You cringe and you turn the page. You cringe and you turn the next.
I sort of kind of loved it!"
-GirlLovesToRead
"Book 1 did its job: introduce the premise, and the characters, and leave me wanting more explanations."
-Sly Fox Reviews


TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

Alyson lives in a very small flat in a very large city and writes fiction with trans themes and characters. Her Twitter is twitter.com/badambulist

*Content sent by @TheWriteReads for this blog's publication. This is a free ad.

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Book Review | SONGLIGHT by Moira Buffini

SONGLIGHT
BY MOIRA BUFFINI | PUBLICATION: SEPTEMBER 3, 2024
FABER | GENRE: YA FANTASY
RATING: ★★★★✬

____________________________________________________________________

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Songlight is an extraordinary debut from a renowned screenwriter. A cinematic masterpiece in storytelling, the explosive first book in the Torch trilogy is the hottest release of the decade!

They are hunting those who shine . . .

Don’t be deceived by Northaven’s prettiness, by its white-wash houses and its sea views. In truth, many of its townsfolk are ruthless hunters. They revile those who have developed songlight, the ability to connect telepathically with others. Anyone found with this sixth sense is caught, persecuted and denounced.

Welcome to the future.

Lark has lived in grave danger ever since her own songlight emerged. Then she encounters a young woman in peril, from a city far away. An extraordinary bond is forged. But who can they trust?

The world is at war. Those with songlight are pawns in a dangerous game of politics. Friends, neighbours, family are quick to turn on each other . . .

When power is everything, how will they survive?

An extraordinary debut – the first in a trilogy – from an award-winning, internationally acclaimed screenwriter, Songlight promises to set the world alight!

____________________________________________________________________

In the realm of dystopian fiction, SONGLIGHT emerges as a profound exploration of a social cancer, if you may. The novel, set in a world where the possession of 'songlight' marks individuals as 'unhuman,' delves into the dehumanization and persecution faced by those who are different. The narrative is a stark reflection of the propaganda-fueled wars and the obscured agendas of the State, a theme that resonates with the current global political climate.

What makes SONGLIGHT so commanding is the ability of the author to incorporate the well-trod tropes and characterization in a story that feels both refreshing and incredibly attractive. Buffini's characters are a testament to her brilliance, with even the antagonists being crafted with such depth that they add to the richness of the story. In simplest terms, her villains are the real villains and not just clichéd evil characters. It is filled with good characterizations of the players, lots of emotions, intrigue and a few twists which kept this reader intact.

The author has also shown extraordinary attention to detail in creating a world that is both concise and plausible. The stowed finish swerves into unexpected territory both emotionally and politically. Her presentation of events is straightforward – equivalent to that of a filmmaker – who aims to illustrate a period in a traditional society. The plot is a labyrinth of emotions, politics, heartbreak, and betrayal. The heartache sequences are extremely intense and difficult in the same way, the relief these characters provide urges the readers to be more sympathetic. Equally, the author challenges readers to consider the roots of dogmatic views, providing a window into the factors that shape such convictions.

The narrative's power to mirror contemporary issues is particularly striking, as it encourages a dialogue about the beliefs we hold in this present times. SONGLIGHT is a mirror held up to our society, a call to examine our beliefs, and a reminder of how powerful literature is to stir the soul and ignite the mind. As the story reaches its climax, the tension is palpable, with Moira Buffini masterfully conveying a sense of immediacy that binds the reader to the fate of the characters. The cliffhanger ending leaves one eagerly anticipating the next installment, a testament to the author's mastery to engage and captivate her audience. She has crafted a world that is as haunting as it is enlightening, and her work stands as a beacon in the genre, illuminating the path for future explorations of dystopia.

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

Moira Buffini is one of the UK’s leading playwrights and screenwriters. Most recently she wrote the screenplay for The Dig (directed by Simon Stone), which earned her a Bafta nomination, and co-created and showran the Hulu TV series Harlots, which ran for three seasons. Moira’s other film work includes Jane Eyre (directed by Cary Fukanaga) Tamara Drewe (directed by Stephen Frears) and Byzantium (directed by Neil Jordan). She has also written four plays for the National Theatre, including Welcome to Thebes (Writers Guild Award nominee), and Dinner (Olivier nominee), which later transferred to the West End. Her other plays include Handbagged, for which she won an Olivier Award.
Photo from Faber website, no infringement intended.

*Thanks to Faber and The Write Reads for the eARC
in exchange for this unbiased review.

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Blog Tour | PERCEPTION CHECK by Astrid Knight

About the Book:

PERCEPTION CHECK
BY ASTRID KNIGHT | PUBLICATION: 24 MAY 2022
GENRE: FANTASY

Her favorite tabletop roleplaying game is real, and her kidnapped childhood best friend is trapped in a far off land. Will she be able to save her? Let's roll initiative!

Violet Spence wants nothing more than to have a normal life. After witnessing her childhood best friend get abducted by monsters, that’s easier said than done. At twenty-three years old, Violet cannot seem to move past that fateful night ten years ago. Her only solace is Mages of Velmyra, a tabletop roleplaying game filled with goblins, fairies, and all-powerful magicians. But of course, that’s all fantasy.

Or, so she thought. As it turns out, the land of Velmyra is very real and the home of the monsters that took her best friend.

With the help of her friends (and the creator of the game itself), Violet must navigate the once-fictional creatures and powerful mages of Velmyra to retrieve a set of ancient relics—all in the hopes that the journey will lead her back to her friend. But for Violet, fighting monsters and magic workers doesn’t seem nearly as terrifying as confronting her own demons. And she’ll soon realize fighting the battle within herself can be just as tough as those fought against demigods.

Perception Check is the magical first installment of the Mages of Velmyra Saga, great for fans of Dungeons and Dragons, Critical Role, and The Magicians. With endearing and hilarious characters, an exploration of mental health and trauma, LGBTQ+ representation, gut-wrenching twists, and a whirlwind of an ending, you will never want to leave the world of Velmyra.

NOTE: Perception Check deals with the topics of mental health (specifically depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidality) with mentions of childhood sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and animal violence.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | THE STORYGRAPH

"Honestly this novel made my inner nerd so happy."
-A Reader Lives a Thousand Lives
"With endearing and hilarious characters, an exploration of mental health and trauma, LGBTQ+ representation, gut-wrenching twists, and a whirlwind of an ending, you will never want to leave the world of Velmyra."
-elementarymydear

[BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.]

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

    

Astrid Knight is an author and storyteller with a love of fantasy and all things strange. A graduate of Adrian College, Astrid has served as a contributing writer for anthologies such as In the Wake of the Kraken and Welcome to Simmins, Detective Spencer. She is best known as the writer of the Mages of Velmyra Saga. They are also a co-founder and player on the RPG Twitch channel, Atlaran Adventuring Company. To get all news on the Mages of Velmyra Saga or any other projects Astrid is involved in, follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @AstridKWrites. You can also find them on their website, astridknight.com.

*Content sent by @TheWriteReads for this blog's publication. This is a free ad.

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Blog Tour | SONGLIGHT by Moira Buffini

About the Book:

SONGLIGHT
BY MOIRA BUFFINI | PUBLICATION: SEPTEMBER 3, 2024
HARPERCOLLINS | GENRE: YA FANTASY

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Songlight is an extraordinary debut from a renowned screenwriter. A cinematic masterpiece in storytelling, the explosive first book in the Torch Trilogy – the hottest release of the decade!

They are hunting those who shine . . .

Don't be deceived by Northaven's prettiness, by its white-wash houses and sea views. Many of its townsfolk are ruthless hunters. They revile those who have developed songlight, the ability to connect telepathically with others. Friends, neighbours, family will turn on each other in an instant. Lark has lived in grave danger ever since her own songlight emerged. Then she encounters a young woman in peril, from a city far away. An extraordinary bond is forged. But when power is everything, how will they survive?

An extraordinary new trilogy from an award-winning, internationally acclaimed screenwriter, Songlight promises to set the world alight!

AMAZON

> " This book and its characters will possess your heart and tear at your very soul."
-Claire Reviews
"It’s excellently well written, perfectly paced and the world building is just amazing."
-Hannah
"I didn’t want to put this book down and leave it."
-Sarah Reads


TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

     

Moira Buffini is one of the UK’s leading playwrights and screenwriters. Most recently she wrote the screenplay for The Dig (directed by Simon Stone), which earned her a Bafta nomination, and co-created and showran the Hulu TV series Harlots, which ran for three seasons. Moira’s other film work includes Jane Eyre (directed by Cary Fukanaga) Tamara Drewe (directed by Stephen Frears) and Byzantium (directed by Neil Jordan). She has also written four plays for the National Theatre, including Welcome to Thebes (Writers Guild Award nominee), and Dinner (Olivier nominee), which later transferred to the West End. Her other plays include Handbagged, for which she won an Olivier Award.

*Content sent by @TheWriteReads for this blog's publication. This is a free ad.

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Blog Tour | A ROSE AMONG THORNS by Ash Fitzsimmons

About the Book:

A ROSE AMONG THORNS
BY DONIA RUSTI | PUBLICATION: 19 APRIL 2022
GENRE: ADULT FANTASY

Rose Thorn should never be left unsupervised around plants. Potted things tend to die around her as if on principle. But when her great-aunt calls and asks Rose to watch her garden nursery for a few days, Rose can hardly say no. After all, Aunt Lily is the closest thing Rose has to a grandmother — and the only family she has left — so Rose doesn’t mind driving out to her tiny mountain town to look after the place.

Aunt Lily never mentioned anything about an inspection, however.

Rose is taken aback when an agent from an organization she’s never heard of arrives and panics to find Aunt Lily missing. As it turns out, Aunt Lily hasn’t been entirely straight with Rose. She’s not visiting a sick friend — she’s in danger and on the run. She keeps a hidden greenhouse on the property in which she grows highly regulated magical plants. And she’s an elf…as was Rose’s grandfather.

Though stunned to witness magic at work and shocked that no one ever divulged the family secret, Rose refuses to abandon the nursery until her great-aunt is safely home. But as she and the agent, now awkward housemates, try to keep up their cover story and find the missing grower, they realize that whatever led to Aunt Lily’s disappearance might not be the only magical crime in progress.

And while Rose has no green thumb, another talent of hers may be budding…

AMAZON | GOODREADS | THE STORYGRAPH

"At under 200 pages, this is the perfect entertaining quick read."
-KBookishlife
"It's about friendship and growing. It's about experiencing who you are and what you are capable of."
-Kealyn_Reads_LP
"...this is the perfect mix of cosy fantasy and cosy mystery where things happen because they happen and if you just buckle in for the ride, you’ll have a fun time, and I certainly did!"
-Dini Panda Reads

[BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.]

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

     

When not writing, Ash Fitzsimmons is an unrepentant car singer. She is the author of several contemporary fantasy series: Stranger Magics, The Crossing, Hall of Thorns, and its sequel series, The Wild Hunt. A second sequel series, Fortune's Child, will be released in 2024. You can find her at ashfitzsimmons.com.

*Content sent by @TheWriteReads for this blog's publication. This is a free ad.

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Blog Tour | No Funeral for Nazia by Taha Kehar

About the Book:

NO FUNERAL FOR NAZIA
BY TAHA KEHAR | PUBLICATION: OCTOBER 2023
NEEM TREE PRESS | GENRE: CONTEMPORARY FICTION

Nazia Sami is a celebrated author, but perhaps her greatest plot twist is yet to be produced. In her final days, she wields a pen one last time as she fills her diary with instructions for her sister, Naureen, and writes six letters to be delivered after her death. There is to be no funeral for Nazia. Instead, only six invitees are asked to attend a party, one of whom is a mystery guest. Over the course of an extraordinary evening, secrets are revealed, pasts reconsidered, and lives are forever changed. Perfect for fans of MOHSIN HAMID and KAMILA SHAMSIE, No Funeral for Nazia is a striking and inventive exploration of what death can mean for both the deceased and those left behind.

AMAZON | GOODREADS

"...the perfect must buy, must read novel..."
-Bookread2day
"The thing I loved most about the book was the complexities of the characters and that the women in this book break many of the stereotypes we have of what a Muslim woman is and does."
-Melanie
"Kehar’s novel is a bold exploration of death’s impact on the living, told through a culturally rich lens that spans complex family dynamics and societal expectations in South Asia."
-Hina Loves to Read


TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

Taha Kehar is a novelist, journalist and literary critic. A law graduate from SOAS, London, Kehar is the author of three novels, No Funeral for Nazia (Neem Tree Press, 2023), Typically Tanya (HarperCollins India, 2018) and Of Rift and Rivalry (Palimpsest Publishers, 2014). He is the co-editor of The Stained-Glass Window: Stories of the Pandemic from Pakistan. Kehar has served as the head of The Express Tribune’s Peshawar city pages and bi-monthly books page, and worked as an assistant editor on the op-ed desk at The News. Kehar’s essays, reviews and commentaries have been published in The News on Sunday, The Hindu and South Asia magazine and his short fiction has appeared in the Delhi-based quarterly The Equator Line, the biannual journal Pakistani Literature and the OUP anthology I’ll Find My Way. Two of his short stories appeared in an anthology titled The Banyan and Her Roots, which has been edited by the British writer Jad Adams. In 2016, he guest-edited an issue of The Equator Line, titled ‘Pakistan: After The Stereotypes’, that focused on new writing from Pakistan. Kehar curates Tales from Karachi: City of Words, an Instagram e-anthology that publishes flash fiction from and about Karachi. He recently compiled and edited the first print anthology of the initiative titled Tales from Karachi (Moringa, 2021). Based in Karachi, he teaches undergraduate media courses.

*Content sent by @TheWriteReads for this blog's publication. This is a free ad.

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Blog Tour | Terra Electrica: The Guardians of the North by Antonia Maxwell

About the Book:

TERRA ELECTRICA: THE GUARDIANS OF THE NORTH
BY ANTONIA MAXWELL | PUBLICATION: JULY 4, 2024
NEEM TREE PRESS | GENRE: MIDDLE GRADE

Book 1 in an action-packed dystopian adventure series set in the near-future post-melt Arctic.

The last ice cap has melted, and the world is on the brink of collapse. A deadly force—Terra Electrica—has been unleashed. It feeds on electricity. It is infecting civilization.

In this chaotic, rapidly changing reality, 12-year-old Mani has lost her family and community to the Terra Electrica. Armed only with some ancestral wisdom and a powerful, ancient wooden mask she was never meant to inherit so soon, she suddenly finds herself responsible for the fate of the world.

Can Mani piece everything together and harness her newfound powers in time to save humanity?

Amazon
Goodreads

"This is a wonderful mix of adventure, nature and the importance of understanding the limits of science."
-Margaret Pemberton
"Reading the apocalypse from a child’s point of view gives a very different feel to most dystopian novels."
-Fayth Brady
"Terra Electrica was an easy, adventurous read about a young girl who just wants to find the love and safety of a home as she once knew it."
-Rejitha


TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

Antonia Maxwell is a writer and editor based in North Essex and Cambridge, UK. With a degree in Modern Languages and a long-standing career as a book editor, she has a lifelong curiosity for language and words, and a growing fascination in the power of story – the way it shapes our lives and frames our experience.

*Content sent by @TheWriteReads for this blog's publication. This is a free ad.

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Blog Tour | The Templar Sword by Sam Clarke

About the Book:

THE TEMPLAR SWORD
BY SAM CLARKE | PUBLICATION: 07 JUNE 2022
GENRE: YA MYSTERY

An ancient sword has been missing for centuries. Recovering it would prove Noah's worth to his father and earn him a place at the Clearview Templar Academy.

When he stumbles across a Renaissance painting that holds a clue to the sword’s location, Noah’s dream seems within reach. As the death toll quickly mounts, it becomes apparent that others are hunting the sword – for far more evil ends. The future of the Templars, very much like Noah’s, is at stake.

Together with his friend Viggo and mischievously attractive Isabelle, Noah embarks on the deadliest quest of his life. The sword’s dangerous trail will take them from the canals of Venice, to the spires of Seville, to a gripping showdown in the underwater caves of the Caribbean.

A fresh, original adventure story. Can be read as a standalone novel or as the sequel to The Twelfth Ring.

Buy the Book:

Amazon
Goodreads
The StoryGraph

"I enjoyed Noah’s character and narration straight away. I like how the humour and his observations add to the tale and although it’s a great, interesting and exciting adventure story, there’s a lot of good humour that adds to the story and makes it even better."
-THE STRAWBERRY POST
"This writing was very good and the fast paced, action packed plot was both thoroughly entertaining and easy to read."
-Worlds Unlike Our Own

[BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.]

TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

About the Author:

    

Sam Clarke is addicted to rock music, coffee, and Japanese manga. Her gardening skills are abysmal and she is rumoured to have killed a potted cactus. She currently lives in London with two cats, two kids, and a husband. Her first book, The Twelfth Ring (a Page Turner Awards finalist and a BBNYA semi-finalist) reached #1 in the Amazon Young Adult Thrillers charts. Her second book, The Templar Sword (a Page Turner Awards finalist and Ink and Insights Judges' Favourite) was released on 7 June 2022 and hit the #1 New Release spot on Amazon US a week later.

*Content sent by @TheWriteReads for this blog's publication. This is a free ad.

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Blog Tour | The Light Between Us by Elaine Chiew

About the Book:

The Light Between Us
by Elaine Chiew
Publication: September 2024
Genre: Historical Fiction

The Light Between Us is a Southeast Asian historical romance that defies time and space as an archivist explores Singapore’s tumultuous past through a supernatural connection.

At work one night, photography archivist Charlie Sze-Toh receives a misdirected letter from Wang Tian Wei, a 1920s colonial era Chinese photographer. Through a mysterious digital folder and photographic plates, a conversation is sparked, leading to a romance that spans lifetimes.

In his time, Tian Wei scours a turbulent Singapore for his missing friend, Aiko, leading him to the perfumed chambers of a Japanese brothel. Meanwhile, in the modern day, Charlie struggles against a family dynamic dominated by her stepmother, a manipulative matriarch who uses family secrets as bargaining chips. Communication starts to become difficult and Tian Wei’s letters are tinged by the increasing threat of Japanese Occupation. Will one last fate-defying letter from Charlie allow Tian Wei to keep their love alive?

Inspired by her research into Singaporean historical archives, Elaine Chiew weaves Chinese mythology and early 20th century colonial Singapore into this speculative epic.

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"The setting is also wonderful, we get lovely descriptions and depictions of both present and past Singapore, right back to the 1920s."
-Stephenie
"While this isn’t my genre and romance isn’t my favourite to read, it was beautifully crafted and I thoroughly enjoyed being whisked away to places I can only imagine."
-HIPSTER


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About the Author:

    

Elaine Chiew is a writer, editor, creative writing teacher/mentor, and visual arts researcher. Her debut novel The Light Between Us (Neem Tree Press), long listed for the inaugural Cheshire Novel Prize, will be out May 16, 2024.

Her short story collection The Heartsick Diaspora (Penguin SEA 2019 & Myriad Editions UK 2020) explores the Malaysian and Singaporean Chinese diaspora living primarily in London, New York, and Singapore; it has been mentioned as a recommended read in The Guardian, The Straits Times Singapore, BookRiot and Esquire SG, been featured in literary festivals in Singapore, Malaysia and Kerala, received a Special Mention in the UK Saboteur Awards, and reviewed favourably in Malaysia, Singapore, UK and US.

She is also the compiler/editor of Cooked Up: Food Fiction From Around the World (New Internationalist, 2015).

Twice winner of the Bridport Short Story Competition in the UK, she has had numerous stories published in Singapore, US and UK anthologies, most recently with BBC Radio Four. Originally from Ipoh, Malaysia, she has a J.D. from Stanford Law School and was a corporate securities lawyer working in New York, Hong Kong and London. In 2017, she received an MA in Asian Art History from Goldsmiths, University of London. She is based in London. You can find her on X @ChiewElaine and IG @epchiew.

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Blog Tour | The Book of Perilous Dishes by Donia Rusti

About the Book:

The Book of Perilous Dishes
by Donia Rusti
Publication: February 2017
Genre: Historical Fiction

1798: A magical, dark adventure. Fourteen-year-old Pâtca, initiated in the occult arts, comes to Bucharest, to her uncle, Cuviosu Zăval, to retrieve the Book of Perilous Dishes. The recipes in this magical book can bring about damaging sincerity, forgetfulness, the gift of prediction, or hysterical laughter. She finds her uncle murdered and the book missing. All that Zăval has left her is a strange map she must decipher. Travelling from Romania to France and on to Germany to do so, Patca’s family’s true past and powers are revealed, as is her connection to the famous and sublime chef, Silica.

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"I can say that this is a fascinating world, filled with riveting characters, and a story that’ll keep you wondering and guessing throughout (I’m willing to bet until the last ten pages). But I feel confident in saying that it’s worth a shot."
-HC Newton, The Irresponsible Reader
"I quickly felt a connection with Pâtca, and felt drawn into the story...I admired her courage, determination and self-reliance."
-Tea And Books (Kelly P)


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About the Author:

    

DOINA RUŞTI, important contemporary Romanian novelist, is unanimously appreciated for epic force, for originality and erudition of her novels. She received all major Romanian awards, including the Romanian Academy Prize, and was translated into many languages (even in Chinese).

She wrote ten novels, including: Fantoma din moară (The Phantom in the Mill, 2008), Lizoanca (2009), Zogru (2006).

The novels Manuscrisul fanariot (The Phanariot Manuscript, 2015), Mâța Vinerii (The Book of Perilous Dishes, 2017) and “Homeric” (2019) can be a Phanariotic Trilogy (18th century). The most recent novel: Paturi oculte (Occult beds), 2020.

Good international reviews in: La Stampa, Stato Quotidiano, Il Venerdì di Repubblica. Il Libero, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Magyar Nemzet, La Opinion, Turia. Il Mercurio etc.

Doina Rusti lives in Bucharest, and is a professor and screenwriter.

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