October 07, 2023

When Ghosts Call Us Home

 





Title - When Ghosts Call Us Home
Author - Katya De Becerra
Release Date - October 3rd 2023
Genre - YA Horror

Synopsis
  Haunting of Hill House meets found footage horror in this edge of your seat thriller that explores the power of family ties and the trauma that lurks there.

When Sophia Galich was twelve, she starred in her older sister Layla’s amateur horror movie Vermillion, which recorded raw footage of her very real reactions to scenes her sister concocted in their old Californian house on the coast – Cashore House.

In the years after the film’s release, Sophia’s relationship with her sister became more strained, while her memories of the now
- infamous house fueled her nightmares. Vermillion amassed an army of fanatical fans who speculated about the film’s hidden messages, and it was rumored that Layla made a pact with the devil her soul in exchange for fame and arcane knowledge. Sophia dismissed this as gossip...until Layla disappeared.

Now, Sophia must study the trail of clues Layla has left behind,
returning to the very place where it all began. As she gets closer and closer to Cashore House’s haunted heart, she must once again confront the ghosts of her childhood. But the house won’t reveal its secrets without a fight


Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Review:
When Ghost Call Us Home was incredibly atmospheric in the most spookiest way. The cover of this one incapsulates the feeling of this book perfectly, beautifully haunting but forever watching. It also contained one of my favourite tropes of an unreliable narrator. Because our main character Sophia was a child when she starred in her sisters horror movie she is unsure of what was real and what was special effects, she can only go off what was told to her and her foggy memories. Everything from the writing, the on page dialogue, the location was just perfect for this fall spooky time. You don't want to miss out on this one this Halloween session.

I would like to thank TBR Tour's, the author and netgalley for my copy of When Ghost Call Us Home.

Favourite Quotes
"I could never shed this feeling of being constantly watched while in this house, and I don't mean Layla's ever-present camcorder. Ite really felt like the house itself was watching me"

 

 "I hate jump scares, too," he admit. "But I do like to watch horror when I'm feeling down. There's something morbidly attractive about people have a way worse day than I am"

 

 "Over the years, I've learned that -for the most part- our ghosts stay silent. But there are times when our busy, exhausting world quiets just enough for the ghosts to emerge."








Katya de Becerra writes atmospheric young adult horror featuring determined characters, complicated families and enigmatic places. Critics called her debut What The Woods Keep “a thoughtful and compelling horror fantasy” (The Bulletin) and “a narrative that will keep readers enthralled” (Booklist), while her second novel Oasis earned a starred review from Booklist. Katya regularly publishes short fiction in anthologies and literary magazines. She is also co-editor of the anthology This Fresh Hell, which reimagines and subverts horror tropes in new and unexpected ways. As a child, Katya wanted to be an Egyptologist, but instead she earned a PhD in Cultural Anthropology and now works at a university, where she teaches and researches as well as supervises graduate students in Anthropology, Creative Writing and Education. Katya is a short version of her real name, which is very long and gets mispronounced a lot. Her third novel, When Ghosts Call Us Home, is forthcoming in 2023.






I would like to Thank TBR Tours, Katya De Becerra, and Netgalley for a copy of the book for review and blog tour purposes.
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Pets In Space 8




Title - Pets in Space 8
Author - R.J. Blain, Susan Hayes, Honey Phillips, Skye MacKinnon, Arizona Tape, Carol Van Natta, Tana Stone, S.J. Pajonas, Carysa Locke, JC Hay, Gail Koger and Elva Birch
Genre: Science Fiction Romance Anthology
Age category: Adult 
Release Date: 3 October 2023

Synopsis
 Join the PETS IN SPACE crew!

Blast off into adventure with the eighth installment of PETS IN SPACE, a dynamic anthology of 11 never-before-seen science fiction romance stories! Rocket through the multi-verses brimming with heart-pounding escapades, swoon-worthy romances, and the best pet sidekicks ever!

Each story will pull you into the far-flung corners of the cosmos with intrepid heroes and heroines you’ll want to cheer for as they fight to save their world and find their happily ever afters. You’ll adore the furry, feathered, and scaly friends who have come to help their brave human companions on their quests.

This limited-edition anthology includes novellas by some of the biggest names in science fiction romance including USA TODAY bestselling authors R.J. Blain, Susan Hayes, Honey Phillips, Skye MacKinnon, Arizona Tape, Carol Van Natta, Tana Stone, S.J. Pajonas, Carysa Locke, JC Hay, plus award-winning authors Gail Koger and Elva Birch.

The Pets in Space 8 authors continue their vital support of Hero-Dogs.org, the non-profit charity that provides trained service dogs for disabled U.S. veterans and first-responders.

So, grab your space helmet to discover adventure and love — buy Pets in Space 8 today!

Except:

This post is written by Honey Philips who wrote The Cyborg Way which is one of the stories included in Pets in Space 8.

Meet Ellie and Levi!

In The Cyborg Way, the settlements on the terraformed Mars (still a work in progress) are coming along slowly.

Ellie is one of the rare human females who has taken Earth Government’s offer to claim a homestead on Mars. She and her mother had intended to work the claim together, but Ellie’s mother passed away before she could make the trip. Ellie is determined to succeed, not only for herself but in honor of her mother. Because of her past, she prefers to remain isolated but that doesn’t mean she isn’t lonely. Her only visitor is the gruff, attractive cyborg ranger in charge of her territory.

Levi was a soldier in the Earth military. Because all he knew was military life, he chose to become a cyborg after he was terribly wounded, even though it meant giving up his humanity. Although life on Mars is cold and lonely, he likes being useful and is resigned to his existence - until a pretty new settler arrives in his territory. He knows she’d never be interested in a cynical older soldier like him, especially one who is no longer human, but he is determined to watch over her and keep her safe.

 This is when Ellie and Levi (L-485) first meet:

Ellie had seen some of the cyborg rangers in town before she left, but this was the first time she’d ever been close to one. Her eyes widened as he came to her side and she looked up at him - way up - his sheer size making her feel ridiculously small, and he immediately took a step back.

“Um, hi. I’m Ellie.”

“I am L-485.”

He looked down at her, and her breath caught as their eyes met for the first time. His were stern and grey and might have been intimidating, but instead she felt an immediate connection to the big male. For a brief second she thought she saw a similar response on his face, but then he looked away, his face hardening.

“You have not completed your habitat,” he said gruffly.


Pets in Space links:

Hero Dogs Charity

Proud supporters of Hero-Dogs.org, Pets in Space® authors have donated over $18,000 in the past seven years to help place specially trained dogs with disabled veterans and first responders. 10% of all pre-orders and the first month’s royalties of Pets in Space 8 will again go to Hero-Dogs.org. Open your hearts and grab your limited-release copy of Pets in Space 8 today and help this worthy charity! https://www.hero-dogs.org/

 The Authors:

- R.J. Blain: https://www.thesneakykittycritic.com/

- Susan Hayes: https://susanhayes.ca/

- Honey Phillips: https://www.honeyphillips.com/

- Skye MacKinnon: https://skyemackinnon.com/

- Arizona Tape: https://arizonatape.com/

- Carol Van Natta: https://author.carolvannatta.com/

- Tana Stone: https://www.tanastone.com/

- S.J. Pajonas: https://www.spajonas.com/

- Carysa Locke: https://www.carysalocke.com/

- JC Hay: https://jchay.com/

- Gail Koger: http://www.gailkoger.com/

- Elva Birch: https://www.elvabirch.com/



This is my post during the blog tour for Pets in Space 8. Blast off into adventure with the eighth installment of Pets in Space, a dynamic anthology of 11 never-before-seen science fiction romance stories!

This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours and the tour runs from 3 till 16 October. You can see the tour schedule here: Tour Schedule





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October 02, 2023

Burning Secre

 


 



Title - Burning Secret
Author - RJ Lloyd
Release Date - June 28th 2022
Genre - Historical Fiction

Synopsis
   Burning Secret is a dramatic and compelling tale of ambition, lies, and betrayal inspired by actual events.
 
Born in the slums of Bristol in 1844, Enoch Price seems destined for a life of poverty and hardship—but he’s determined not to accept his lot.
Enoch becomes a bare-knuckle fighter in London’s criminal underworld. But in a city where there’s no place for honest dealing, he is cheated by a cruel loan shark, leaving him penniless and facing imprisonment.
Undaunted, he escapes to a new life in America and embarks on a series of audacious exploits. But even as he helps shape history, Enoch is not content. Tormented by his past and the life he left behind, he soon becomes entangled in a web of lies and secrets.
Will he ever break free and find the happiness he craves?
• • • • •
Influenced by real people and events, Enoch’s remarkable story is one of adventure, daring, political power and, in the end, his search for redemption.


Except:
An hour later, Price escaped the dark, rancid claustrophobia of the crowded court and stepped briskly into the weak, late afternoon sunlight, which had penetrated low along one side of Portugal Street. Wrapping his rough, woolen overcoat tight against the bitter cold, he turned to shake Rosenthal by the hand, thanking him heartily for securing a further adjournment and reprieve from prison.

Taking Enoch’s outstretched hand, Rosenthal pulled him near to avoid being overheard. His mellifluous tones now turned venomous as he hissed a cautionary note. ‘My dear, dear friend, I may have delayed your lodgings at the debtors’ prison, but I’ve shortened your stay by not one day.’ Releasing his grip, Rosenthal continued as if cheerfully taking leave of a favourite cousin on a summer lawn. ‘May I wish you and your dear wife a prosperous New Year.’ Then, lowering his voice, ‘Should my services be again required, ensure my fees are settled in good time.’

‘Will I be assured of justice?’ enquired Enoch.

‘You will receive the law, sir. Justice must wait a higher authority.’ Tipping his silk top hat, Rosenthal bade his client farewell.

Glad of his freedom, Enoch made his way towards Covent Garden. By the time he reached King Street, the milky afternoon sky had darkened to deep indigo, and by the flickering gaslights, specks of frost sparkled on the damp cobblestones. The gutters were strewn with litter from the flower market and the putrid detritus discarded by itinerant costermongers, the last of whom were loading their barrows. The streets were now quiet, with few passers-by.



Limited time discount!
For a limited time Burning Secret is only 99 cents! You can grab your copy here:









Roger is the great-great-grandson of the main character, Enoch Price. A former senior police officer and detective, he has used his investigative skills to fashion this dramatised account of his ancestor’s extraordinary life. Fifteen years of genealogical research and interviews support the various factual strands of this pacy novel.
Roger graduated from both Warwick and UWE and has been a non-executive director with the NHS, social housing, and other charities. He is retired and lives in Bristol with his wife. He travels, writes and produces delicious plum jam from the trees on his award-winning allotment.





This is my post during the book blitz for Burning Secret by R J Lloyd. Burning Secret blurs
the line between fact and fiction, a retelling of the extraordinary life of Harry Mason - deceit,
violence, power and wealth.


This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours and the tour runs from 2 till 7 October. You
can see the tour schedule here: 
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September 23, 2023

Which Way To Anywhere

 

 



Title - Which Way to Anywhere
Author - Cressida Cowell
Release Date - September 19th, 2023
Genre - Middle Grade Fantasy

Synopsis
   From the #1 internationally bestselling author of  How to Train Your Dragon  and Wizards of Once comes an out-of-this-world adventure where magic and reality collide!

    K2 O’Hero is a seemingly ordinary boy—after all, he and his twin sister, Izzabird, have been sworn to keep their family’s Magical history a secret. Not even their infuriating stepsiblings, Theo and Mabel, know that Magic exists. They believe K2 to be the most hopeless person they have ever known.

    But K2 has a secret gift: He draws maps of worlds that are beyond the wildest imaginations. Worlds with six hundred moons, burning rivers, and dark, twisty jungles alive with plants that hunt by the smell of fear. But what K2 doesn’t know is that the maps he draws are real .

    When their baby sister, Annipeck, is kidnapped, the warring stepsiblings will have to use K2’s gift to find a crossing point into one of those worlds and embark on a daring rescue mission.


Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Review:
I do not often reach for middle grade books when I'm looking for something to read but I'm glad I was given the chance to review Which Way to Anywhere by Cressida Cowell. This is defiantly a book series I would purchase for my son when he is gets to the reading stage. Which Way to Anywhere had a perfect mix of loveable characters and not so loveable characters who we follow through an alternate universe on a high stakes adventure. With portals, robots, an entire world of never seen creatures and magical abilities, Which Way to Anywhere is brimming with excitement and whimsical fun. Pick this up for the child in your life, or even yourself and enjoy the fun magical adventure.  

Favourite Quotes
"When vegetation attacks I absquilootely DEPLORES it..." 

 

"..she had opened the door to the airing cupboard to find it already occupied by a long, lean, see-through gentleman in old-fashioned dress and a large Viking hat keeping warm in there. She wasn't frightened, only a little sorry for him, because the ghost was weeping gently and was polite, requesting she find him some for of 'Cure', before handing her the pillow card she was looking for..." 

"You don't really appreciate the ordinary m

 

oments... A peaceful day. Rain on your roses. A delicious sandwich, one of the really good ones. Lovely, quiet, ordinary moments. Take a big deep breath and enjoy the ordinary moments, people. They're more wonderful than you think."   







Cressida Cowell grew up in London and on a small, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland. She was convinced that there were dragons living on this island, and has been fascinated by dragons ever since. She has a BA in English Literature from Oxford University, a BA in Graphic Design from St Martin’s and an MA in Narrative Illustration from Brighton. Cressida loves illustrating her own work, but also loves writing books for other people to illustrate as the end result can be so unexpected and inspiring. Cressida has written and illustrated eight books in the popular Hiccup series. The unique blend of child centred humour and sublime prose made Hiccup an instant hit. How to Train Your Dragon is now published in over 30 languages. A DreamWorks Animation feature film is out in March 2010. Also the author of picture books, Cressida has won the Nestle Children’s Book Prize 2006 and has been shortlisted for many others. Cressida lives in Hammersmith with her husband and three children.





I would like to Thank TBR Tours, Cressida Cowell, and Netgalley for a copy of the book for review and blog tour purposes.
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September 22, 2023

The Society for Soulless Girls

 

Title - The Society of Soulless Girls
Author - Laura Steven
Release Date - September 19th, 2023
Genre - Young Adult Thriller/Mystery

Synopsis
   A sapphic enemies-to-lovers retelling of Jekyll & Hyde, this dark academia thriller follows two roommates who must solve an infamous cold case of serial murders on their campus after an arcane ritual gone wrong prompts another death.
   
    Ten years ago, four students lost their lives in the infamous North Tower murders at the elite Carvell College of Arts, forcing Carvell to close its doors.
​
    Now Carvell is reopening, and fearless freshman Lottie is determined to find out what really happened. But when her beautiful but standoffish roommate, Alice, stumbles upon a sinister soul-splitting ritual hidden in Carvell’s haunted library, the North Tower claims another victim.
​
    Can Lottie uncover the truth before the North Tower strikes again? Can Alice reverse the ritual before her monstrous alter ego consumes her? And will they give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between them?

    Exploring possession and ambition, lust and bloodlust, femininity and violence, The Society of Soulless Girls is perfect for fans of The Secret History, A Lesson in Vengeance, and The Grimrose Girls.

Representation: Sapphic, Queer, Asexual, Autistic, Neurodiversity
Trigger Warnings: sexual harassment, on page animal death, suicide, self-harm, violence, murder, physical abuse

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Review:
A Society for Soulless Girls is an amazing young adult dark academic book. We are given a dual perspective, Lottie and Alice, throughout the book, along with beautiful descriptions. Usually, I have a hard time visualizing what I am reading, but Laura Steven’s described these dark academic vibes, old buildings and surroundings, right down to the smells and feelings. I felt like I was right there with the main characters, smelling what they were, and feeling what they felt. One of my favourite lines was the description of Lottie’s father sounding like sunshine and honeybees. I did not connect with Lottie as much as I did with Alice. She is introverted and finds love and comfort in libraries.

Laura Steven’s made sure we had really great Sapphic and ace representation. And she did not shy away from some very loved tropes from enemy to lovers with a nice slow burn, grumpy/sunshine, and, of course, the one bed trope. 

If you are looking for a beautifully written Jekyll and Hyde retelling containing Sapphic main characters on a dark academic exclusive boarding school back drop, I highly recommend you give A Society for Soulless Girls a go. You will not regret it.







Laura Steven is an award-winning author from the northernmost town in England. She has published several books for children and young adults; her debut novel The Exact Opposite Of Okay won the inaugural Comedy Women In Print Prize in 2019, while The Love Hypothesis was optioned for TV by an Emmy-winning team. Her books have been widely translated, and her work has appeared in The i Paper, The Guardian and Buzzfeed.



I would like to Thank TBR Tours, Laura Stevens, and Netgalley for a copy of the book for review and blog tour purposes.
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September 20, 2023

The Final Haunt

 

 


Title - The Final Haunt (The Spirit Chasters #4)
Author - Kat Mayor
Release Date - September 19th, 2023
Genre - Adult Horror

Synopsis
Third Eye Redesigned
Casey faces a long, arduous recovery. Her near-death experience has left her with the loss of her human sight. It has also left her with abilities she never had before.

SCI Realigned
The Spirit Chasers are back, investigating the most haunted locations in America. After all, these ghosts aren't going to cross themselves over. This season they take on the legendary Hillendahl Mansion and an abandoned psychiatric hospital, as well as homes with an evil and bloody history.

Investigation Rewind
Some places are too evil -- Enchanted Hill should be left alone. Lurking in the background is a demonic entity they just can't escape. If they brave it, they're going to need every supernatural gift at their disposal to defeat an ancient evil that threatens to destroy them all.






Start the series for free!


“Some places are too evil. Some places should be left alone.”


The Spirit Chaser is available for free here:







I am a native Texan and have lived in the Houston area for most of my life. I am a wife and mom who loves to read. When I’m not kicking an idea around in my head for a story, I read and review books on Goodreads. Occasionally, I sleep. Author of The Spirit Chaser Series and Murder of a Mommyvlogger. Author of the Circles series under the name KM Montemayor.






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