Dream Walker Review Spotlight

 Welcome to the book tour for Brittany Gossin's Dream Walker! Read on for more details!

 Dream Walker is a young adult/coming of age romantic fantasy novel that will grip you from the beginning, but then allow you to settle in for a mostly engaging storyline. Get ready to meet Ella as she works to discover who she is and protect those she comes to care for, but only after tragedy strikes.

Dream Walker by Brittany Gossin is one of those books that lassos you from the beginning, hits you with some jaw-dropping moments and then shifts forward to the world we are all familiar with.

Dream Walker begins with a world at war. Nightmares are running rampant and destroying everything in their path. Their power has grown to the point that keeping them at bay is becoming harder and harder. A difficult decision for the Queen is at hand, and it is one that she must yield to...or else all will be lost.

The story transitions at this point to the Earth realm that we are familiar with. Ella is a high school student. She’s awakened from a terrible nightmare of her own. The scene that plays out will grip you and have you wondering...is this real? What happens if this thing that hunts her harms her in the dream? Will it transfer to the real world when she wakes? If she does at all?

Cue loads of tension and drama, right? Those are the best kinds of books the ones that keep you on the edge of your seat and page-turning to find out what happens next.

Of course, author Gossin allows the story to settle in for awhile after some chaotic scenes that play out. Ella suffers a horrific tragedy that forces her on the run, but with a little help she escapes death, but one question remains and it will continue to go unanswered for a time.

As Ella embarks on unlocking her magic she is going to have quite the road ahead of her. Accessing her magic won’t be easy and she’s already been given a clue that something will keep her from it. Of course, she doesn’t pay much attention to this mention because she feels overwhelmed in the moment.

While there are surprises along the way, the pacing of the story slows down quite a lot. We’re going to get moments of turmoil and chaos as Ella and others like her are thrown into the deep end to prepare themselves for the fight coming, but there is also a sense of underlying drama. There is someone looking to exploit them and this one safe place. Who is this mysterious person? And who is their inside helper? Like Ella doesn’t have enough on her plate to deal with. Things just keep piling up.

Wondering where the romance angle comes in? Well, it sparks pretty quickly. He’s older (by a few years), but wait! What’s this? Is there a second potential interest? Why yes! We think there is! Who will be the one who gets the girl?! Well, you’ll just have to read to find out. Though it is weird for Ella to talk about/think that Ethan has shared “so much” with her in private. He’s shared a thing or two here and there, but this girl needs to slow her roll. She’s acting like he’s been sharing his life story with her until someone else shows up. Not the case at all and it makes her sound...a touch delusional.

Ella is an interesting character, and she’s growing little by little, but I need girlfriend to get her head in the game and stay focused. She’s got a big fight ahead of her, and it’s coming from more than one front.

Dream Walkers has a lot of good things in it, and it’s an engaging story for sure. I loved the horror elements especially and the dynamic cast of fantasy characters. Readers who enjoy a good romantic fantasy novel will not want to miss out on the beginning of this new series.

Dream Walker (Realm of Dreams #1)

Publication Date: July 2, 2024

Genre Romantic Fantasy

• Found family

• Secrets and betrayal

• Closed-door spice

• Magic, fae, elves

• Dragons and demons

• Slow burn

In the aftermath of a harrowing nightmare, seventeen-year-old Ella Windsor must face a chilling reality as the wounds from her dreams appear on her body. To add to her terror, she witnesses the intrusion of a nightmarish creature come to life, lurking on her high school campus.

Faced with no choice but to escape the nightmares and search for why she’s the only one who can see them, Ella ventures into the mysterious Astral Realm. Alongside Ethan Wessex, a stunningly gorgeous Lieutenant of the Queen’s Astral Guard with his own air of mystery, Ella discovers a realm on the brink of war.

Azvameth, the King of Nightmares, harboring secrets of his own, seeks dominion not just over the Astral Realm but every waking world. With the assistance of other dream walkers, including the devastatingly handsome Cole, a Fae Prince, and Rhea, a feisty Elven female, each armed with latent magic, Ella may prove to be the missing piece in destroying Azvameth and saving her precious Mortal and Astral Realms.

In this epic romantasy, Ella grapples with love and betrayal, torn between the mysterious Ethan and the potential true love of Cole, all while embarking on a journey of self-discovery and found family. The nightmares have awakened, but so has she.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON & THE AUTHOR’S WEBSITE

 

Tour Organizer: @rrbooktours

Fate of Water and Wind Review Spotlight

To celebrate the release of Wrath of Suns and Shadows this week, we are going to back to the start! Check out Fate of Water and Wind by Lashell Rain!

 Fate of Water and Wind is the first book in the Osparia series by Lashell Rain and readers who enjoy epic romantasy novels are not going to want to miss out on this book.

Fate of Water and Wind lures readers in first with a truly beautiful cover. Readers’ attention will be captured by the beautiful dark turquoise, blues and black that dominate this cover. A wing, black as night spreads it’s way across the cover of Fate of Water and Wind from the left. While swirling up from the bottom, to the right and cresting toward the center is a cascade of water. In the background are trees and branches that fill the void created by these two images. They are all symbols of what readers will find in this book concerning the characters and situations they will find themselves in.

Fate of Water and Wind is a multiple POV novel that focuses mainly on Emelyn. Both Emelyn and Ace lost much in the war that ravaged their lands. But the war has been heavier on one particular race in the process. The Ember Fire Fae are on a quest for power and they intend to bring subjugation to all of the people in the process. But they fear the prophecy of the Peacebringer. But who is this mysterious Peacebringer? That is a question that many have sought to discover the answer to, but none of done so...until one selfless act toward another creature...reveals a secret long held.

Now, everything that Eme has known has been upended. A place that she once called home is no longer home, and the people her family once cared for turned on her in a heartbeat. Now? The danger is marching to the place of the one other person that she cares about and will threaten to take even that from her.

Fate of Water and Wind is a truly gripping romantasy novel. One thing I feared was that we were going to get saddled with an overly sassy and snarky character. Thankfully author Rain has sympathy for us readers and gives a pretty well-balanced character.

Eme is an interesting character, who despite the amount of loss that she has experienced in her life comes off as pretty well balanced. She has a heart and it shows. Especially when she performs an act of kindness that she didn’t have to do. My favorite scene in this book? It’s probably the scene that plays out with that act of kindness and the revelation that follows. The revelation? Yeah, it had my jaw on the floor. But at the same time...it leaves you and Eme with a question that appears to be left unanswered, but it isn’t.

Now, as this book is a romantic fantasy novel you can expect romance and some sex scenes. The scenes give you details, but not anything overly graphic. So readers, those of you who have the belief “the steamier the better”...this won’t be the case with these scenes. Sorry. LOL! You get a couple bites of sexy-time deliciousness and then the story moves on whether you want it to or not. LOL! We can all commiserate together later.

Fate of Water and Wind altnernates POV between Eme, Ace, Kade (Fire Fae), and the shadowy man who has a deeper connection to Eme than she will be ready to realize. The story, as we said earlier, is the primary focus of the story. We get several chapters with Ace, and let me tell ya, he gets up to quite a bit of fun with the ladies. LOL!

Kade, while he only gets a handful of chapters is a truly interesting character. I would have loved to have more chapters focusing on him, but that’s not the case with this book. There is something about Kade that leads me to believe that there is more to him than meets the eye. He’s dangerous, but author Rain lets readers know this one fact – Kade may be dangerous, but his sister? She’s much, much worse.

That being said! Kade’s sister, Valla, doesn’t make an appearance in this book, but we get hints about her. We’re hoping that Valla will make an appearance in book two, because just the hints about her character is building a lot of interest and intrigue.

We get a nice variety of fantasy creatures throughout this book. We get fae (of all kinds), dryads, orcs, Brownies, and towards the end of the book we get to see our first dragon. Cue excitement, right?! LOL! As this book draws to a close the intensity really begins to ramp up. You’re going to be page-turning through the final chapters where you will be left wondering – “What happens next?!” Well, while this is just book one, we are celebrating the release of book two, so you can go out and grab it as soon as you finish book one and dive right in.

Fate of Water and Wind by Lashell Rain is an engaging fantasy novel filled with thrills, drama, and romance. You’ll be eagerly looking forward to book and discovering what happens next as Eme learns who she is and begins the process of working towards helping those who need her most.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Thank you to the author, Lashell Rain, and R&R Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this book. We look forward to what comes next!  

Fate Of Water And Wind: The Osparia Series Book One

Publication Date: February 2023

Genre: NA Fae Fantasy Romance

• Multiple POV

• Fantasy Creatures

• Fated Mates

• Morally Gray Males

• Chosen One

• Enemies to Lovers

How do I bring peace when I’ve never known it?

For over a century, as war waged, Emelyn and Ace have been in hiding and constantly moving, knowing that Ember’s emperor is searching for them with the suspicion that Ace is more than a Sky Elf. But the truth has been revealed and now Emelyn has to save a world she doesn’t have a place in. When a mysterious man of shadows saves her, claiming to be with the rebellion against Ember, Emelyn can’t deny the draw she has to him—in particular the way his shadows touch the deepest parts of her soul.

Fate of Water and Wind is a sexy, action-packed and captivating new adult fae fantasy romance story and is the first installment of The Osparia Series.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

Selfish Desires Spotlight

 

We're celebrating the release of Selfish Desires by Michelle Hall this week! The big day is August 23rd!

Selfish Desires

Publication Date: August 23, 2024

Genre: Contemporary Romance

❤️Second Chance

🧊Morally Gray MMC

❤️Spice in Ch2

🧊Light BDSM

❤️Destroy her to protect her

🧊Groveling

❤️40 Somethings

🧊“Good girl/sl*t/wh*re”

❤️Third act oopsie baby

The love of my life, the person I trusted most, abandoned me in the worst way possible. There was no warning, not a single clue—just pure, devastating abandonment. I was left to pick up the pieces of my shattered heart.

To survive, I fled. I left behind everything and everyone I knew and loved, all in the desperate hope of forgetting him.

But then Vincent came back, and all the healing I thought I had achieved crumbled in an instant. He begged for my forgiveness, claiming he had no choice in what he did. Yet, I knew he always had a choice—and he chose wrong.

He said everything he did was to keep me safe. But safe from what?

Emotions I thought I had buried resurfaced, and while my mind screamed no, my heart whispered otherwise.

How could I give a second chance to the man who ruined me? How could I even consider it?

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

Triggers:

Accidental Pregnancy

Kidnapping

Attempted Murder

Drugging

Abandonment

Sexual Degradation

The Price of Vengeance Review Spotlight

 Welcome to the final day of the book tour for the novel, Price of Vengeance by Kurt D. Springs. Looking for a new scifi novel to sink your teeth into? Then Black Phoenix Book Tours has something for you right here. Vengeance is a dangerous thing...what price are you willing to pay to have it?

 Price of Vengeance is a deep space scifi novel by Kurt D. Springs. This novel will take readers to a planet and a people in the fight for their lives. A young man, orphaned as a child is about to have his entire life disrupted yet again when an alien intelligence utilizing dangerous bugs to threaten the place he calls home.

Price of Vengeance will grab readers attention with a cover depicting a soldier in the forefront. It can be assumed that the soldier is Liam himself. He’s holding a weapon and walking forward as if to exit the cover. Behind him is a trio of soldiers off to his right (our left) jogging along as if in a hurry. The ground appears to be wet from a recent rain, and the lights are lit on buildings and signs behind them.

While the cover doesn’t depict a sense of chaos and danger that will be found within the pages of Price of Vengeance, it’s there. So while the cover may not give you the chaotic vibes you’re looking for that will tempt you to dive into this book, go ahead and give it a chance.

Price of Vengeance will give the false impression of “not being that long” of a book due to it’s small number of chapters, but these chapters are chonky! LOL! We would have preferred shorter chapters though. We say this because it would have helped spread things out more throughout the story without everything taking place in the first chapter or two.

As Price of Vengeance kicks off we’re immediately introduced to Liam and the individuals who will become his foster/adopted family. Liam is a small child when his biological parents are killed. It’s tragic, learning of their quick departure. You’ll worry that Liam and Randolf will have some tension in the beginning, but author Springs is quick to assuage those fears.

We don’t spend any time watching Liam develop over the years. Instead author Springs has readers leap frog ahead in time in Price of Vengeance to “present” day of Liam being a grown man serving in the military.

The fight is still on going against the chitin, but many things have changed. The planet that they live on has become more isolated. They’ve been cut off and have no means of getting off the planet or anyone being able to come in. The military might that the people used to have has been destroyed due to one person’s actions. Their quest for power. Now, the next move in this deadly game of chess is at hand.

Price of Vengeance has a slow start, but the story will gradually pick up steam. Author Springs will drop hints here and there to readers that...something is going to go bad sooner than later. This can be in the simplest form of Liam, especially, taking great pains to cover for someone else. That sense that you’ll feel in those scenes especially? Hold on to them. You’re still going to find yourself with your jaw on the floor, but you’ll probably recover a little quicker.

Price of Vengeance descends into a military drama fraught with chaos and a lot of death. Keep your eyes peeled for traitors and lots of betrayal, especially in the first round of chaos that reigns. No one is going to know who to trust. There will be some sparks of romance in the beginning, but author Springs makes sure to keep it as a passing thing that only gets more attention closer to the ending.

Price of Vengeance will focus on Liam fighting for his life, getting revenge for what has happened to his family, and doing his best to bring down an evil that threatens them all.

Throughout the Price of Vengeance author Springs explores Liam’s uniqueness and his abilities that he has had since he was a child. Now, Liam has help to improve what he has and what he knows if he is going to face off with the intelligence behind the chitin that are invading the city and killing it’s people.

Piece by piece this story becomes more interesting and engaging. Liam is the focus of the story, but author Springs also shifts to his brother from time to time as well, so that readers can get things from his perspective. Also, we get viewpoints from Azurius, the dangerous enemy who is looking to conquer the planet in the name of the Rebellion. Azurius has his own collection of secrets, and one by one they will come to light.

As Price of Vengeance draws to a close author Springs is quick to remind us readers – this is just the first book in the Dreamscape Warriors series. Liam and his brother may be getting a nice little “happy ending” for right now, but there is another player getting ready to step into the game. Does this mean that Liam and Randolf will be pushed to continue the fight? Or will there be someone new? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.

4 out of 5 stars

Price of Vengeance

by Kurt D. Springs

Black Phoenix Book Tours

August 13-16

 What is the price of vengeance?

One could understand why Liam was angry. He was orphaned at the age of two by a group of giant carnivorous insects called the chitin. Taken in by High Councilor Marcus and his wife, Lidia, Liam was raised with their older son, Randolf, in New Olympia, the last remaining city on the planet Etrusci.

As an adult, Liam becomes a soldier. After being cut off from the city, Liam finds that there is an alien intelligence behind the chitin. To defeat it, he must discover who he is and how to use his powers. Then, Liam discovers that a traitor, responsible for his birth parents' deaths, had murdered his beloved foster parents. Will the price he has to pay in his quest for vengeance prove to be an even more unbeatable foe?

Universal link for the book on Amazon

About the Author

Kurt D. Springs is presently an adjunct professor of anthropology and archaeology in New Hampshire. He holds a PhD. in anthropology from the State University of New York at Buffalo, as well as a Master of Literature in archaeology from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and a Master of Liberal Arts in anthropology and archaeology from the Harvard University Extension School. His main area of interest is megalithic landscapes in prehistoric Ireland.

Kurt also writes reviews on Kurt's Frontier.

Professor Springs currently lives in Manchester, New Hampshire.

https://kurtsprings.com/
https://twitter.com/kurtsprings1
https://www.facebook.com/Price.of.Vengeance.1
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7824275.Kurt_D_Springs
https://mewe.com/kurtsprings/posts
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kurt-d-springs

Black Rose Writing's Social Media

https://www.blackrosewriting.com/
https://twitter.com/brwpublisher
https://www.instagram.com/blackrosewriting/
https://www.facebook.com/blackrosewriting
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2042349-black-rose-writing

 

Hell's Beginning Review Spotlight

 

Welcome to my stop on Black Tide's Book Tour for Hell's Beginning by John T.M. Herres. Hell's Beginning is one of those spine chillers that will have you biting your tongue the next time you think about trying to get in the last word. You just never know...that person could be a killer you just barely escaped. 

 Hell’s Beginnings by John T.M. Herres is an 80s slasher film that meets the modern era with a supernatural twist. We hope you’re not squeamish because this book? Yeah, it’s bloody. You’re going to love it.

Hell’s Beginnings is a stand-alone horror novel by author John T.M. Herres. This book lures readers of horror in with a cover that is sure to pique many an interest. You’ll first notice an individual standing in the rain. He’s wearing a gray hoodie with the hood pulled to hide his face. His hands appear empty, but that doesn’t mean that you should underestimate this guy by any means. This character appears innocuous enough, but what lies deep within him makes him more than a force to be reckoned with.

Hell’s Beginning starts off in a rather dramatic fashion. Someone has already been taken captive, and she’s found herself in a bad way. You’re going to be thinking “Well, do we get to find out how she got to be in the predicament she’s in?” The answer? Of course, you will! What you’ll learn? That maybe...just maybe...she should have kept her mouth shut. But...alas, pride is a terrible sin...and this case? It seals her fate in the worst way possible.

Hell’s Beginning doesn’t take long to throw a lot of gore and horror in your face. You’re going to be taken along for the ride as this mysterious main character abducts Sharon and hauls her off to force her to experience unthinkable terrors. Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a story if we didn’t get some backstory on Sharon as well.

The first half of the story focuses heavily on this mysterious bad guy who is out to have his pound of flesh. You get the sense that there is a true darkness about him, but author Herres does an excellent job of keeping the true depths hidden in shadows. It’s not until later on in the story that you’re going to get a glimpse.

Readers who enjoy gorey horror are going to devour this book. The first half especially is heavy on the gore factor. The first half of Hell’s Beginning reads much like one would expect an 80s or even 90s slasher horror movie to play out.

In Hell’s Beginning, you’re getting the woman who unwittingly provokes a killer. You wonder exactly how it is all going to play out for her. Is it going to be a long drawn-out torture session? Or does author Herres have something more insidious in store for us readers? And Sharon, too, of course. Well, one thing is for sure and that is that heads are going to roll.

Hell’s Beginning brings the horror in spades as the chapters transition between the killer (still shrouded in mystery) and other characters who will soon find themselves trapped in his orbit. The killer in Hell’s Beginning is literally an equal-opportunity killer. Author Herres throws all the fresh meat into the grinder and turns a few chapters in this book into a literal free-for-all.

To be fair and honest with you, there is some content in this book that even we were taken aback by. Why and what was it? Well, it wasn’t the gore or the violence. No, it was when a young underage girl gets drawn into the mix and appears to be heading toward a sexual situation with a much older guy. Those particular scenes were flirting with disaster by dancing the line, but author Herres keeps things relatively above board...barely.

Are there other sexual situations in this book? Yes, but they all happen off-page. You’re given a hint that something is about to transpire, but you’ll have to use your imagination for those scenes.

Just when you think that Hell’s Beginning is going to be just a full-blown slasher story, author Herres says “Sit tight. There’s more.”

We know what you’re thinking...more? What more could there be? The body count is mounting, the final two are here. Where can the story go from here? Well, wait for it. Hell’s Beginning is going to take a twist that you’re not going to see coming, but it is absolutely going to glue you to the pages.

Hell’s Beginning starts out slasher style, but it morphs into something more that helps to better explain why the killer is an “equal opportunist” when it comes to those encroaching on his temporary lair.

The pace of Hell’s Beginning, even from the beginning, is pretty good. It moves at a decent pace and will keep readers engaged to find out who’s going to make it and who won’t. But when the big reveal comes along the storyline really begins to pick up the pace. It transitions into a race against the clock in more ways than one.

Also, author Herres begins to weave in more of a supernatural twist to help guide the characters in this story, because without that guidance? Well, things could have gotten a lot worse. For sure Hell’s Beginning is packed with twists, turns, surprises, and drama that you won’t see coming.

Pros:

• Engaging storyline
• Twisted
• Slasher movie vibes
• Interesting characters

Cons:

• The sexual angle with the underage girl

4.5 out of 5 stars

Black Tide Book Tours

August 6-9

SPINE-CHILLING ABDUCTION HORROR AT ITS VERY FINEST!

When a stranger arrives in Charity Falls, Utah, he has one intent: get a drink and some rest before hitting the road again. An altercation with a lush brings back dark memories, and the woman's final taunt tips him over the edge. He abducts and drags her off to an abandoned farm.

There, he introduces her to pain and suffering, on a journey into her darkest nightmares, and his bloodthirsty fantasy. However, the farm isn't as secluded as he had hoped, and he is forced to deal with several others who have wandered too close to his lair.

When just two innocents remain, only a battle of survival will decide who will walk away.But, the killer strikes again, and only one who has been close to the horrors will know what must be done. Someone must put an end to the reign of terror that has begun.

Universal link for the book on Amazon

About the Author

John T. M. Herres was born May 26, 1965, to a military family.

His father served in the Air Force, and the family moved around a great deal during John's younger years – which meant a constant change of circumstances.

John tries to use these experiences to add richness and realism to his writing.

Influenced by such authors as Robert E. Howard, Stephen King, Dean R. Koontz, and James Patterson, his genre of choice became action/fantasy-adventure populated by barbarians inspired by Conan, et al, set in rich, exotic landscapes, though he dabbles in other genres.

John's writing has emerged and matured into works with three-dimensional characters, action sequences that read like a movie scene with great visuals for the reader, and plot lines that pull the reader deep into both the action and the psyche of his heroes.

John has written several poems and is dabbling with a sci-fi story, as well as some short stories in the horror genre.

Having lived in the Great state of Texas a majority of his life, he currently resides in Mississippi. His works-in-progress include "Tales of The Barbarian" and "Challenge of The Velah" which he is hoping to have published at some point.

Recently, a few of his writings have been accepted for publication by J Ellington Ashton and HellBound Books.

He also has self-published a poetry book through Xlibris (warning), available on Amazon and other online retailers. On his Amazon Author page one will find links to several Anthologies that include some of his short stories.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=John-T.-M.-Herres

Publisher's Social Media

https://hellboundbookspublishing.com/
https://twitter.com/HellBoundBooks
https://www.instagram.com/hellboundbooks

The Blood Prince Review Spotlight

 

 The Blood Prince is the first book in Ayla Marie’s YA fantasy series, and readers who enjoy gripping storylines with engaging characters are not going to want to miss out on this book.

The Blood Prince cover lures readers in with a simplistic cover. In the top right and bottom left corners draping across this book’s cover appears to be a length of red fabric. Tucked into the bottom of it appears to be a ring or some other piece of jewelry. In between these fabric pieces are gray and dried-out leaves. Are these symbols of things that we will find in the story? Guess we’ll have to see.

As The Blood Prince begins to unfold readers are immediately introduced to Leo as he’s on a job. He’s on the prowl to fulfill his latest hit. His name is known and feared by many, but not his true name – Leo. No, his “street name” was given to him because of his eyes “The Blood Prince.” Loving the fact that we get the tie-in to the title so quickly in the story.

He’s a successful killer, so you’d think that his skills are in high demand. Well, they are, but he’s kept on a leash. All he wants is to be able to live in peace with his siblings, but that’s not to be the case. Due to his secret, and the fact that his kind and others like him are “outlawed” by the king, he lives with the threat of death hanging over his head all the time.

If it weren’t for that one fact he’d probably be able to demand more pay for what he does. However, instead, he finds himself exploited and taken advantage of by the man who “hires” him as a mercenary/hitman. It’s heartbreaking to know the kind of squalor that he and his siblings are forced to live in.

With all of them living their lives as best that they can with only each other, things seem fine. Until they’re not. Author Marie is going to set up a scene with the siblings in town, and you are immediately going to know that something is about to go wrong. It doesn’t take long for things to go left (as we knew they would) and chaos erupts.

Their fragile peace? Shattered and destroyed forever. But The Blood Prince just keeps getting better. Because now is the time that secrets are coming to light. The truth about who Leo is coming out little by little, but the big reveals? Those are later on in the story.

The Blood Prince focuses heavily on Leo as he is the main character and focus of the story. But you get scenes that include his siblings, and when they find a new place...it shifts to his siblings. Cael is one of the other characters who will gain the spotlight when tragedy strikes the family. What is it exactly? Well, it’s something major to create a “forced” shift to another character in the story. Curious? LOL! Then grab this book!

Moving forward The Blood Prince does continue to shift POV between three characters. It’s nice to get some new ones, though I would have liked a few chapters with the younger sister of Elana’s. She would have brought some freshness to the story in the form of her kindness. However, as it is we get to see Elana evolve and develop. Unfortunately, we’ll also see the devolution of the relationship between the siblings as one appears to lose himself to “brainwashing.”

The Blood Prince is an engaging YA fantasy novel that gives readers just enough details to keep them engaged without taking it to the point of being too much for younger readers. There is violence in this story, but it’s not overdone or overly bloody. You get just enough to stimulate your imagination to piece together images of what is going on.

Readers are going to enjoy how realistic the characters are and how truly engaged in the story you will become with each turn of the page. The deeper the story goes the more intrigued you will become at why certain characters are treated better than others. There is history there, and some of it has been twisted, but the truth will win out. We get the backstory in certain places, and we get a bit of a history lesson as well. The more that is revealed in The Blood Prince, the more you’re going to become eager to discover what takes place in book two.

The Blood Prince is going to end on a cliffhanger. Readers who don’t like cliffhangers...it’s okay! LOL! It will just make sure that this book sticks with you so that you go grab book two! LOL!

The Blood Prince is a fantasy novel for readers who like fantasy novels, but lean more towards low fantasy. This is an engaging story, and you’ll look forward to all the twists, turns, revelations, and what comes next.

Pros:

• Page-turner
• Engaging
• Interesting characters
• Dynamic situations

Cons:

• None of merit

The Street Between the Pines Review Spotlight

 My fellow readers of horror. We are here today to present you quite a treat in connection with Black Tide Book Tours. When it’s Black Tide you just know that it’s going to be good. Welcome to the book tour for, The Street Between the Pines.  

 The Street Between the Pines is that book that will have your jaw on the floor, your eyes bugging out of your head, and your mind absolutely blown. Yes, The Street Between the Pines is that good.

The Street Between the Pines by J.J. Alo is a mind-blowingly good horror thriller that will keep you glued to the pages until the very end of this book. Brace yourself for a wild ride of thrills, danger, destruction, and more than one close call with death. Well, for Curtis at least. Not everyone in this story will be so fortunate.

The Street Between the Pines quickly grabs your attention with its cryptic cover decked out in night vision colors of green, white, and black. The first thing that is going to catch your eye is the image of a bat-faced creature. It appears to be looming over everything as it sits between two towering pine trees. Waiting for unsuspecting prey to come it’s way to be mercilessly devoured. Their last moments were filled with terror.

As your eyes travel downward through the trees you’ll next notice vehicles parked on either side of the road. Are these vehicles abandoned? Or are they simply parked there waiting for their owners? Some of whom may never return to drive them again. Perched on one vehicle on the left-hand side of the cover you’ll notice a cat. While walking the road you’ll see a man holding a shotgun. 

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Who is this man you ask? Well, you’ll have gained a clue from the blurb, but that’s just a single clue as to what awaits you deep inside these pages.

The Street Between the Pines is a thrilling horror novel packed with suspense, drama, and tons of twists. Your mind is going to want to go off in one direction concerning what begins to unfold from the prologue, but just be patient. The truth will be revealed and when it is...it will blow your mind!

The Street Between the Pines starts out innocently enough. An elderly man, Frank, is at home, waiting for his wife to return. The news is reporting a storm heading up to Connecticut and the Northeast. Frank is watching the game and has no idea that danger is making its way closer to his house. Strange things begin to take place. Little by little author Alo lures you in with each turn of the page. The anticipation builds and just when this wave is about to crest and break...BAM! Author Alo shifts the story to who will be the main focus of this story – Curtis.

You’re probably going to splutter a bit because you’re going to want to know what happens next, but you’re going to have to wait. It’s coming. Don’t worry. LOL! While The Street Between the Pines focuses mostly on Curtis, author Alo deviates here and there to other characters in the story. We’ll get to see some of the neighbors as they discover strange happenings in their neighborhood.

Stray cats aren’t an unusual phenomenon, but they become one when their numbers mysteriously increase. They’re seen leaving the scene of a crime. They are found lounging out in the middle of the road. Curtis even takes a moment to help one that gets injured during an explosion. Will this good deed come back to reward him at a later time? Guess you’ll have to discover that answer for yourself.

As you read this novel you’ll learn quite a bit about Curtis. Due to some past mistakes, life has gotten to be pretty hard for him. Not just him though, his wife and child as well. Money is tight, the job is demanding, he’s rarely home, and now they’ve been getting letters about “imminent domain.” Talk about a pressure cooker in a situation. Any more and things will probably explode…

A Chocolate is Announced Review Spotlight

 A Chocolate is Announced is the seventh book in author Amber Royer’s Bean to Bar mystery series. Felicity is back with family and friends in this page-turner mystery as a fun weekend takes a deadly turn. It’s supposed to be a murder-mystery weekend with fun role-playing, and the showing off of Logan’s own chocolate creations. But things will take a turn when someone turns up dead, and the body count just continues to climb.

A Chocolate isAnnounced holds firm to the style of the series with the cover of it appearing hand-drawn. On the cover Is the depiction of a hotel lobby, which accurately fits in with the storyline. In the right-hand corner, you’ll notice a table with stacks of chocolate bars, and then to the left is an adorable ferret peering out at the reader. The cover does a good job of piquing one’s interest in the story and also setting the stage for what is to come.

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A Chocolate is Announced begins innocently enough. Felicity, Chloe, and Felicity’s former nemesis, Ash are all working together to create a short video clip for the weekend announcement. Things seem to have hit a bit of a snag, but they manage to eventually get what will be the perfect cut.

The beginning of AChocolate is Announced is slow going. Author Royer is setting the stage by bringing in each of the potential victims and the killer into the hotel that Felicity’s aunt Naomi has been working on renovating. Some of the characters will be more interesting than others, but they are all harboring secrets that they wish to keep hidden. The big question will be – how are they all connected?

Piece by piece AChocolate is Announced begins to come together. The guests for the weekend have all arrived, but there is something strange going on. Several of them have asked Felicity the exact same question. Literally word for word. Does this sound rehearsed to you? Or was this a specific line that the soon-to-be killer informs them all to say?

Of course, there are a couple of flies in the chocolate...so to speak. LOL! A couple of the characters aren’t exactly going to fit in with the rest of the guests, but it all plays to something bigger. The bigger aspect of it all is that they each have secrets that they are all trying to keep as locked up tight as possible.

A Chocolate isAnnounced gives readers a “primary” murder and then...things just go south from there. Author Royer throws in quite a few twists, and keeps readers on their toes as the game is afoot. Who is the killer? What is their motive? How is Felicity going to get through this weekend with her soon-to-be in-laws and sister-in-law?

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Okay, okay. The sister-in-law angle of the story is quite the doozy. Dawn, Logan’s sister, is quite the brash character. She speaks her mind, which is all well and good, but she just comes off as...rude! It’s wild. It’s literally like she’s looking down her nose at Felicity because Felicity isn’t a “trained professional.”

Knightley, Felicity’s lop rabbit, gets a few moments in this story, but we’re getting a different animal “mascot” in this story. We get the adorable little critter featured on the cover. Just makes you want one, right? LOL! But that’s not the only adorable creature who will show up at the hotel over this fraught weekend. Nope, we get a former police beagle, too. His name is just too cute, and he more than earns a treat or two through his own hard work in this story.

The murder in thisbook is a true puzzle that will keep readers guessing as to how it went down and who the killer is. That is one of the fantastic elements concerning this book. You get a new book that is intended to give Felicity and her friends clues as to who the killer is. Then you have a seemingly impossible murder to solve.

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Of course, what fun would a straight-forward murder be? Well, it would still be fun piecing together the mystery of who committed the murder out of a number of guests, but when you throw in some extra drama? Well, it definitely takes things up a notch.

Author Royer throws out more than a few red herrings in this story, but that’s really true to this author’s form. So, no complaints there. While the pacing of the beginning is slow, things gradually pick up in pace. The more intense things get and the higher the drama builds the more drawn into the story you’re going to become.

A Chocolate isAnnounced is definitely a good addition to the series, and will absolutely leave you wanting more of Felicity and company. Why? Because the reveals are always unexpected. We love trying to accurately guess who the killer is. Unfortunately, we have yet to guess accurately, but that does not dull our enjoyment by any means necessary.

Readers who enjoy a fun cozy mystery novel will not want to miss out on A Chocolate isAnnounced. Packed with familiar characters, gripping mystery, delicious foods, and so much more this is sure to be a delight for many a reader who has enjoyed the series thus far.

4.5 out of 5 stars