Book Spotlight - Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian + Giveaway

 

About the Book:

Title: CASTLES IN THEIR BONES (Castles in their Bones #1)

Author: Laura Sebastian

Pub. Date: February 1, 2022

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 528

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

A spellbinding story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown. Immerse yourself in the first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series.

Empress Margaraux has had plans for her daughters since the day they were born. Princesses Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz will be queens. And now, age sixteen, they each must leave their homeland and marry their princes.

Beautiful, smart, and demure, the triplets appear to be the perfect brides—because Margaraux knows there is one common truth: everyone underestimates a girl. Which is a grave mistake. Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz are no innocents. They have been trained since birth in the arts of deception, seduction, and violence with a singular goal—to bring down monarchies— and their marriages are merely the first stage of their mother’s grand vision: to one day reign over the entire continent of Vesteria.

The princesses have spent their lives preparing, and now they are ready, each with her own secret skill, and each with a single wish, pulled from the stars. Only, the stars have their own plans—and their mother hasn’t told them all of hers.

Life abroad is a test. Will their loyalties stay true? Or will they learn that they can’t trust anyone—not even each other?

Reviews:

"Enchanting...filled with captivating court intrigue and espionage." --Kirkus Reviews

“A page-turner that brilliantly blends magic, romance, and adventure. A twist ending leaves readers reeling but ready for the second installment in the planned trilogy.” --Booklist

"Sebastian excels at world building...and a few tantalizing open threads certainly warrant interest in the future two volumes in this trilogy." --The Bulletin

"Anextravagantly built series starter" --Publishers Weekly

 

 

About Laura:

Laura Sebastian grew up in South Florida and attended Savannah  College of Art and Design. She now lives and writes in London, England, with her two dogs, Neville and Circe. Laura is the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series: Ash Princess, Lady Smoke, and Ember Queen, as well as Half Sick of Shadows, her first novel for adults. To learn more about Laura and her books, follow @sebastian_lk on Twitter.

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

Giveaway Details:

 

3 winners will receive a finished copy of CASTLES IN THEIR BONES, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/31/2022	YABooksCentral	Interview
1/31/2022	History from a Woman’s Perspective	Review
2/1/2022	A Court of Coffee and Books	Review
2/1/2022	onemused	Review
2/2/2022	Star-Crossed Book Blog	Review
2/2/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review
2/3/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
2/3/2022	Celia's Reads	Review
2/4/2022	The Bookwyrm's Den	Review
2/4/2022	@lexijava	Review

Week Two:

2/7/2022	The Caffeinated Reader	Review
2/7/2022	The Reading Devil	Review
2/8/2022	BookBriefs	Review
2/8/2022	Momfluenster	Review
2/9/2022	The Momma Spot	Review
2/9/2022	@drewsim12	Review
2/10/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
2/10/2022	A Bookish Dream	Review
2/11/2022	More Books Please blog	Review
2/11/2022	Nerdophiles	Review

Book Review - Life Flight (Extreme Measures, #1) by Lynette Eason

 

Penny Carlton is used to high stress situations as an EMS helicopter pilot. However, when she was forced to land on a mountain in a storm with a critical patient and a serial killer is on the loose; her nerves are a bit frayed. She was able to escape the killer's grasp with the help of FBI Special Agent Holt Satterfield.

As Penny tries to put the day behind her, she realizes that she might still be a target. She finds herself under attack and then she finds out that Holt might have killed the wrong man. Penny and Holt will need to work together to catch him before he claims another victim.

I thought the story was an interesting and entertaining read but, I didn't care for any of the characters. I felt like there were a lot of characters with different backstory. I felt like the connection that Penny and Holt had was unrealistic and had no bond. I didn't really feel a connection between the pair. I thought that the novel had a lot of different side stories and I didn't like how they were all dragged out through the entire story only to be tied up neatly in the end. I loved the story itself but, the execution was a bit choppy. However, I would be opened to reading more books by the author.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

January 2022 Haul Part 2!

I can't believe that January is almost over! But, I would be glad for some warm weather. I been so lazy to apply any products. But on to the goodies!

I got a "new" bottle of perfume from Clinique called "Happy". I remember liking it when I was younger. I hope I still enjoy the scent. I wonder what scent memory this fragrance will evoke. Usually my favorite scents are tied to very specific memories.

I got a few masks and one from Dr. Jart+ I have good experiences with this brand so, I am excited to try this new mask. I got these individual mask ampoules from VT. It seems interesting and my skin has been needing extra attention lately. Speaking of extra attention to my skin, I got these Tula's Instant Facial wipes. I have tried the PHAT facial from Ole Henriksen and loved it, so I am hoping these work well too.

I got the earth body scrub from Tbg. and I am excited to try it. The body scrub smells like coffee but, the earth face mask smelled like tootsie rolls and smelled so delicious! I got a new facial oil from Herbivore called Lapis. It's this beautiful soft blue color. 

I got several lip products but, I am excited to try the Patrick Ta lip gloss in "She's Expensive". It looks like a beautiful nude clearish color but, I am surprised on how small the container is for how expensive it was. I guess Patrick did get the name correctly. I got the Nars Afterglow Lip Balm in "orgasm" which is also a soft nude peach color.

Is there anything you got this month that you are excited to try?

Book Spotlight - Combustible by Al Riske + Giveaway

About The Book:

Title: COMBUSTIBLE

Author: Al Riske

Pub. Date: May 16, 2021

Publisher: Al Riske

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 183

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, TBD, Bookshop.org

Read for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited Membership!

It’s that summer between the end of high school and the start of something else. Dean Stockton and Curt Hutton are best friends, and more often than not you can find them rowing on the Rogue River at dawn.

Together they experience something they will never be able to describe adequately. But then they won’t really need to. Not to each other. It’s that moment of swing when rowers find the rhythm and everything falls into place. The shell seems to lift right out of the water.

Enter Isabelle Smiley. She’s beautiful yet insecure, knowing yet innocent, and crazy about Curt in a way that no girl has ever been crazy about Dean. She wants Curt to choose a college closer to home than the one he and Dean have selected—and she can be persuasive.

“I’d never be able to hold out against a girl like Smiley,” Dean admits.

“Don’t say that,” Curt replies. “I told her she’d have to convince you, too.”

Everyone is conflicted in this story of friendship, lust, and life-changing choices. Only one thing seems certain to all of them: If Smiley strikes a match, Dean will catch fire.

Reviews:

"Sharply drawn and deceptively quiet, Combustible is an excellent novel that lingers in the mind long after completion. I loved it." - Mark Richardson, author of The Sun Casts No Shadow. 

"Combustible is a wonderful story ... The author did a great job of bringing each character to life ... I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light read with a satisfying plot and interesting characters."- Kristi Elizabeth, San Francisco Book Review

 

About Al Riske:

AL RISKE is the author of Precarious, Sabrina's Window, The Possibility of Snow, Then We'd Be Happy, and Combustible. He has worked as a newspaper reporter, magazine editor, and ghostwriter. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, he now lives in California with his wife, Joanne, and their dog, Bodie.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card, International.

10 Winners will win a finished copy of COMBUSTIBLE, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/17/2022	Rockstar Book Tours	Kickoff Post
1/17/2022	Mythical Books	Excerpt
1/18/2022	Writer of Wrongs	Excerpt
1/18/2022	YABooksCentral	Excerpt
1/19/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
1/19/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktour	IG Post
1/20/2022	BookHounds	Guest Post
1/20/2022	Jaime's Book World	Excerpt
1/21/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
1/21/2022	Wottaread	Excerpt

Week Two:

1/24/2022	More Books Please blog	Review
1/24/2022	@sunnydeelights	Review
1/25/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Review
1/25/2022	The Momma Spot	Review
1/26/2022	Coffee and Wander Book Reviews	Review/IG Post
1/26/2022	Fire and Ice	Review
1/27/2022	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post
1/27/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
1/28/2022	Karen Dee's Book Reviews	Review
1/28/2022	@jypsylynn	Review

Book Spotlight - When the World Turned Upside Down by K. Ibura + Giveaway

 

About the Book:

Title: WHEN THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN

Author: K. Ibura

Pub. Date: February 1, 2022

Publisher:  Scholastic Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 288

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

What do you do when the world shuts down? A heartwarming story of friendship and overcoming adversity in a time of COVID, When the World Turns Upside Down is about community, giving back, and understanding the world around us through the power of generosity from debut middle grade author K. Ibura.

Nobody expected a tiny little virus to change the whole world in such a big way, especially not Shayla, Liam, Ai, and Ben. But when school closes to keep everyone safe, their lives turn upside down. It is one thing to learn that the outside world isn’t safe, but why does it seem that the virus is causing trouble inside their homes too?

As they each struggle to adjust to life in quarantine, they discover they are not alone: their apartment building is full of people who need their help. Working together, they begin to see that there is power in numbers. When they cooperate, they can ease each other’s challenges and help their neighbors through tough times. It’s a lesson they’ll need when protests explode in the streets. Soon, each friend has to decide what it means to be part of a community—and how much they’re willing to do to make this world safer for everyone.

Set against the onset of COVID, When the World Turned Upside Down navigates issues of race and social justice in a heartwarming story of generosity, friendship, and the power of youth.

Reviews:

“When The World Turned Upside Down is as clear-eyed as it is engaging, as timely as it is timeless. I fell in love with every single student in this book. And days after reading it, each of them remains with me.” ― Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award-winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming“

A beautifully written story that will inspire young readers to work for positive change even in times of turmoil and stress. This book reminds readers that all of us can make an impact and find ways to shine bright.” ―Angela Cervantes, author of Pura Belpré Honor Book Lety Out Loud"

A hope-filled book dealing with the struggles children face in extraordinary times, K. Ibura has crafted a story perfect for young readers looking to make sense of current events. Timely and important." – Adrianna Cuevas, author of Pura Belpré Honor Book The Total Eclipse of Nestor López and Cuba In My Pocket

"A heartwarming call to action." -- Kirkus Reviews

  About K. Ibura:

K. IBURA is an essayist, science fiction and fantasy short story writer, and painter from New Orleans, Louisiana. The middle child of five in a family of human rights activists, she grew up in a hardscrabble neighborhood with oak and fig trees, locusts and mosquitoes, cousins and neighbors. Her short story collection Ancient, Ancient won the James Tiptree, Jr. Award for 2012. Ibura’s debut YA novel will be coming out with Alloy and Harper Teen in spring 2022.

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of WHEN THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/17/2022	YA Books Central	Excerpt
1/17/2022	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt
1/18/2022	For the Love of KidLit	Excerpt
1/18/2022	The Reading Wordsmith	Review
1/19/2022	Bibliosini	Review
1/19/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
1/20/2022	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review
1/20/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
1/21/2022	Books Are Magic Too	Review
1/21/2022	Pick a good book	Review

Week Two:

1/24/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
1/24/2022	Not In Jersey	Review
1/25/2022	Hauntedbybooks	Review
1/25/2022	The Book Review Crew	Review
1/26/2022	The Momma Spot	Review
1/26/2022	Bookhounds YA	Review
1/27/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review
1/27/2022	Perusewithcoffee	Review
1/28/2022	PopTheButterfly Reads	Review
1/28/2022	Cindy's Love of Books	Review