Book Spotlight - Last Gate of the Emperor 2: The Royal Trials Book by Kwame Mbalia + Giveaway

 

About The Book:

Title: THE ROYAL TRIALS (LAST GATE OF THE EMPEROR #2)

Author: Kwame Mbalia & Prince Joel Makonnen

Pub. Date: July 19, 2022

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 272

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

From Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel David Makonnen comes an Afrofuturist adventure about a mythical Ethiopian empire. Sci-fi and fantasy combine in this epic journey to the stars.

Yared has traveled a long way to find his place in the universe. Light years, even. Though the battle of Addis Prime is over, the spacefaring Axum Empire is still fractured. The kingdom once gave their technology away free of charge, to better humankind. Now, having been missing for over a decade, they’re returning to the planet where their galaxy-spanning civilization began―Earth.

But they find the planet in disarray. Old Earth’s atmosphere is a mess of junked shuttles and satellites. This is especially true of Debris Town, an orbital flotilla where poor spacefarers―left to rot by the Intergalactic Union that rose up in Axum’s place―have taken to piracy to survive.

Yared is set to speak at the opening of the Royal Trials, a competition of the best exo pilots in the Sol System. But on the day of his speech, the pirates launch an attack!

The siege sets off a chain of events that will lead Yared into the depths of Old Earth―and the jaws of a cruel betrayal. There’s more to the pirates―and Debris Town―than anyone saw coming.

Grab book 1 LAST GATE OF THE EMPEROR now!

About Kwame Mbalia:

KWAME MBALIA is a husband, father, writer, a New York Times bestselling author, and a former pharmaceutical metrologist in that order. He is the author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, a Coretta Scott King Honor book. He lives with his family in North Carolina. Visit him online at kwamembalia.com.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads

 

About Prince Joel Makonnen:

PRINCE JOEL MAKONNEN is the great-grandson of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I, the last emperor of Ethiopia. He is an attorney and the co-founder of Old World/New World, a media and entertainment company focused on telling powerful African stories that inspire global audiences through film, TV and books. He lives with his wife, Ariana, in Los Angeles.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE ROYAL TRIALS (LAST GATE OF THE EMPEROR #2), US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

7/5/2022	BookHounds YA	Excerpt/IG Post
7/6/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt
7/7/2022	Ya Books Central	Excerpt
7/8/2022	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt/IG Post
7/9/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt

Week Two:

7/10/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
7/11/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktours	IG Post
7/12/2022	Little Red Reads	Review
7/13/2022	Nerdophiles	Review/IG Post
7/14/2022	Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog	Review/IG Post
7/15/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
7/16/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review

Week Three:

7/17/2022	The Erudite Labyrinth	Excerpt
7/18/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
7/19/2022	Locks, Hooks and Books	Review
7/20/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review/IG Post
7/21/2022	The Bookwyrm's Den	Review
7/22/2022	Books and Zebras	Review/IG Post

Book Review - Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain

 

In 2018, Morgan Christopher's life has taken a turn for the worst. She takes the fall for a crime her boyfriend has committed and in the process her dream of finding a career in art has been put on hold. She feels that her world is closing in around her until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer she couldn't refuse. They can get her released from prison immediately if she can restore an old post office mural. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration but, she is desperate to be free. As she begins to work on restoring the mural she discovers that the painting has a few secrets buried.

In 1940, Anna Dale is an artist from New Jersey, who wins a national contest to paint murals for a post office in Edenton, North Carolina. Anna is desperate for a change of scenery after her beloved mother has passed away. She is hesitant at first to work in a town where prejudices run deep but, she finds herself entwined with the townfolk. As she works on the mural, she realizes everyone has secrets that they will stop at nothing to keep hidden.

This was my second novel by the author and I thought this novel was enjoyable as my first. The book followed the same basic format as the other novel with the dual timelines.  I thought this was an interesting read but, I was still confused on how someone can be so nice in front of you but, then take any chance to harm you when given the opportunity. The novel reminds me that you can never know someone's true nature. Overall, the book had a few twists and I would be interested in reading more books by the author.

Book Review - Never Come Back by David Bell

 

Leslie Hampton assumed that her daughter Elizabeth would care for her son, Ronnie, who has special needs when the time came. Elizabeth doesn't want to be responsible for taking care of Ronnie as she wouldn't be able to live the life she wants. When Leslie dies unexpectedly, Elizabeth is consumed by grief and guilt. 

The police determined that Leslie was strangled to death, and they suspect that Ronnie had a violent outburst. Elizabeth can't believe that her brother is capable of murder. However, when a stranger is named in Leslie's will, Elizabeth feels that her mother might be keeping secrets from her. As more secrets start to unravel, a dangerous stranger from Leslie's past claims to have answers but, not without a price.

I thought the book was an interesting read. I was able to guess some of the twists but, overall, the book kept me entertained. I didn't really care for Elizabeth at times because I felt like she kept herself closed off from others. The story did move slowly but, I would still be opened to reading other books by the author.

Book Spotlight - Next Door to Happy by Allison Weiser Strout + Giveaway

 

About The Book:

Title: NEXT DOOR TO HAPPY

Author: Allison Weiser Strout

Pub. Date: June 12, 2022

Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 192

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

Twelve-year-old Violet Crane is an only child in a lonely household who longs to be part of the gregarious family that's just moved in next door.

With a mother struggling with anxiety, a father who recently moved out, and no siblings to commiserate with, socially awkward Violet Crane feels like she is starting middle school with less going for herself than that of your average kid.

When the rambunctious Walker family moves in next door, Violet can't help but wish she could become a part of their household--everyone and everything seems so normal compared to her own.

After she meets them, Violet falls in love with all five Walker siblings and especially with Mrs. Walker, who is nothing like her own mother. Violet and Reggie, the black sheep of the Walker family, find that they have an easy understanding of each other, and it doesn't hurt that they are in the same grade at school.

But then Violet overhears a conversation between Reggie and his mother in which she tells him that she doesn't feel like Violet is an appropriate friend. Violet is devastated until she faces a truth--no person, family or friendship is perfect--and realizes just how lucky she is.

About Allison Weiser Strout:

Allison Strout is a writing tutor for middle school and high school students. Next Door to Happy is her debut novel. She lives in New York City and Maine.

Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of NEXT DOOR TO HAPPY, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

7/4/2022	Log Cabin Library	Excerpt
7/4/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
7/5/2022	Yabookscentral	Excerpt
7/5/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt
7/6/2022	BookHounds YA	Excerpt/IG Post
7/6/2022	Little Red Reads	Review/IG Post
7/7/2022	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt/IG Post
7/7/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktours	IG Post
7/8/2022	Midnightbooklover	IG Post
7/8/2022	beersbooksandboos	Excerpt/IG Post/TikTok Post

Week Two:

7/11/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
7/11/2022	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
7/12/2022	Locks, Hooks and Books	Review
7/12/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
7/13/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	Review/IG Post
7/13/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
7/14/2022	@enjoyingbooksagain	Review/IG Post
7/14/2022	The Bookwyrm's Den	Review
7/15/2022	hodophile_z	IG Review
7/15/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review/IG Post