Celticlady's Reviews

02 May 2020

Kingdom Above the Cloud by Maggie Plant Grand Finale Blitz! #KACPrism

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops

you'll find snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Author Interview

What inspired you to write KINGDOM ABOVE THE CLOUD?

It really started with a daydream. What if there was a world full of characters who had mastered either a deadly sin or a fruit of the spirit? I started designing characters and imagining scenes, and it took on a life of its own. By the time I was done writing it, it was a deep dive into my Christian faith on a scale I never expected!

Bookworm Lisa - Review

"The descriptions of life in a village where everyone lives in a treehouse are beautiful. . . . I found a lot of symbolism for Christianity. A loving creator who doesn't force your decisions but asks for you to follow him. He loves unconditionally. The book was a great contrast between good and evil, the consequences of living in a corrupt society."

Rockin' Book Reviews - Review

"I love all the imagination throughout this story. Adia sounds like a great place to live. It was fun to follow Tovi through all of her adventures. The fantastical places in the story were interesting and great to hold the attention of the reader. . . . I highly recommend this story to other readers who enjoy a great adventure."

Rincón de Joss - Guest Post Here

How to Build a World from Scratch

When I started writing Kingdom Above the Cloud, I had images in my mind of characters and scenes. I jumped right in, never considering important details about the world they live in. . . . There is so much to consider when creating a fantasy world. If I were starting all over, I would follow these steps. . .

Tell Tale Book Reviews - Review

"Kingdom Above The Cloud, author Maggie Platt's first book in her Tales From Adia series, was a fairly quick read and a much different take on fantasy than usual. If you have kids or grandkids in the right age group you should check this story out."

Jorie Loves A Story - Excerpt

A throat cleared behind her, and she turned away from the ridge expecting Silas. A dark-haired stranger stood close behind her, and her heart thudded in sudden fear. She scrambled to her feet, sending loose rocks plummeting toward the boulders below.

“I’m so sorry to startle you,” he apologized, holding his hands out as if to prove he meant no harm. Even in her terrified state, the first thing she noticed was there was no heart on his palm. “I was walking by, and you looked upset. Are you all right?”

Wishful Endings - Guest Post

Introducing Adia!

Kingdom Above the Cloud’s main character, Tovi Tivka, grew up in Adia. When the story begins, she is there among the treetops, wistfully yearning for more out of life and answers to her deepest questions. To get you better acquainted with this setting, here are some common questions I receive about Adia. . .

Paper Ink & Lizard - Review

"Kingdom Above the Cloud was a quick and satisfying read, bringing to mind one of my childhood favorites, The Mirror of N’de by L. K. Malone. The characters were very well developed and the world was painted with symbolism. Tovi’s character arc was beautifully rendered, and I found myself seeing aspects of myself in the character. . . . I would recommend it to anyone who loves allegories such as The Chronicles of Narnia, fantasy lovers, and anyone wanting a good, comforting read."

Christy's Cozy Corners - Guest Post

THE 5 FANTASY WORLDS THAT SHAPED MY WRITING

I have moved homes approximately 7 billion times. As any frequent mover knows, heavy books often don’t make the cut. No matter how much you love them, they end up in the Good Will pile after you’ve moved them house to house a few times.

So, despite deep connection with my books, only a few have survived from my childhood. Most of my shelves are full of books that I have collected in just the last 2 years since moving into my current house. However, when I look at the oldest beat-up volumes, I can’t help smiling. These well-loved, dog-eared, creased and worn-out books all have fantasy elements and made me the writer that I am today. . .

A Baker's Perspective - Spotlight

Locks, Hooks and Books - Excerpt

As the early dawn haze ran away from the light and the birds began to wake, Tovi Tivka sprinted along a familiar ridge never pausing to consider the danger should she fall. Her breezy yellow dress billowed in her wake, as did the long waves of her dark blue hair. She was petite in every way, short and wiry. She had an angular nose, a stubborn chin, and dark brown eyes with one small purple star on the edge of her left iris. To her left was dense forest. To her right, a cliff that fell to boulders far below. Under her tough, bare feet was the hard-beaten path she had run every morning for the last six months.

Library Lady's Kid Lit - Review

"Maggie Platt has crafted a well-written allegory. . . there are characters to love and characters to hate. There are fantasy elements in this allegory, making it a good book for fantasy lovers. Kingdom Above the Cloud is book one in the Tales from Adia series. I look forward to reading future books."

Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post...

Kingdom Above the Cloud
(Tales from Adia #1)
By Maggie Platt
YA Fantasy, Christian, Allegory
Paperback & ebook, 239 Pages
April 17th 2020 by Ambassador International

What if the nine Fruit of the Spirit and the Seven Deadly Sins were locked in a battle for control?

Abandoned as infants, Tovi and her twin brother were raised by an eclectic tribe of warm, kind people in a treehouse village in the valley. After her brother's sudden disappearance Tovi questions her life and her faith in an invisible King. Ignoring her best friend Silas' advice, she decides to search for her brother in the kingdom on top of the mountain.

Above the cloud, the Council of Masters receives their orders. Tovi and her brother are the objectives. King Damien has a plan and Tovi is the key. The Council of Masters want her, but will she remain unscathed?

Amidst the glamour of the kingdom above the cloud Tovi is torn between her own dark desires and unanswered questions. It starts with a snake and a crown. When the ring is complete, will her life be over?

(Affiliate links included.)

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Christianbook

About the Author

Maggie Platt is a writer, traveler, cancer survivor, and dreamer. Her greatest joys are being Auntie M to her amazing nieces and nephew and sitting with students and friends over cups of coffee and deep conversations. She works at her alma mater, Anderson University, and she lives in a cozy little cottage nearby where students come to sit on her couch just to laugh, cry, and talk about life.

Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive a signed print copy of Kingdom Above the Cloud, map of Adian, bookmark, and sticker (US only)
Ends May 6, 2020

ENTER HERE

01 May 2020

Secret Sisters Club by Monique Bucheger Official Cover Reveal with Giveaway!

When Monique isn’t writing, you can find her playing taxi driver to one or more of her 12 children, plotting her next novel, scrapbooking, or being the “Mamarazzi” at any number of child-oriented events.

Even though she realizes there will never be enough hours in any given day, Monique tries very hard to enjoy the journey that is her life. She shares it with a terrific husband, her dozen children and 3 in-law kids, eleven granddarlings, 5 cats, and many real and imaginary friends.

She is the author of five published books (and several unpublished ones) and is in two anthologies. You can find more about Monique and her works at: www.moniquebucheger.blogspot.com

~ Facebook ~ Website ~
~ Twitter ~

Twelve-year-old BFF’s Ginnie West and Tillie Taylor, want to be sisters. Ginnie's widowed dad plus Tillie's divorced mom could equal a lifetime of round-the-clock girl talk and slumber parties. Too bad Dad vowed to never marry again. Ginnie and Tillie come up with the perfect scheme to change his mind: ‘Operation Secret Sisters’ (aka OSS). After all, if they can’t get Dad to move on, Tillie can’t move in.

And now for the Cover

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~ Universal Amazon Link ~

Join the Tour for this Audio book here

To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page

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Murder, Just Because by Yolanda Renee Book Tour and Giveaway!

It’s a pleasure to be participating in author Yolanda Renee’s MURDER, JUST BECAUSE Blog Tour through MC Book Tours today.

The author is offering an awesome tour-wide international giveaway. More information on the giveaway is listed below.

MURDER, JUST BECAUSE
by Yolanda Renée

◊ Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
◊ Publisher: Yolanda Renee
◊ Series: Detective Quaid Mysteries
◊ Paperback: 291 pages
◊ Print & eBooks
◊ ISBN-10: 0985820632
◊ ISBN-13: 978-0985820633
◊ Contains explicit sex & graphic violence

"While this book does contain explicit sexual language and graphic violence, it could easily be taken from the daily headlines. The content is plausible and realistic as we look at the world around us. The events in the book are not overly done but give a pragmatic look at the terrifying actions killers can and sometimes do take."

It was a matter of beginner’s luck, but rookie detective Steven Quaid’s career and reputation as an elite investigator skyrocketed when he captured one of the most sadistic serial killers in Alaskan history: Stowy Jenkins, AKA the Snowman. But that was ten years ago.

And now…Jenkins is back. Escaped from prison and on the move, his bloodlust is stronger than ever, and his methods of torture are even more horrifying than before. As his bloody rampage continues and the number of mutilated bodies mounts, terrified Alaskans increasingly doubt Quaid’s ability to catch the killer again. The detective’s reputation is on the line, and he’s going to need a lot more than luck, because this time, Jenkins is driven by more than the thrill of a random kill.

This time, it’s more personal. He’s out for revenge…and his ultimate target is Quaid. In a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, Jenkins starts picking off the people in Quaid’s life…slowly, gradually tightening his circle of corpses and drawing ever closer to the most important person in Quaid’s life...his wife. Can Quaid do the impossible again? Can he outmaneuver the killer, or has the detective's luck finally run out?

Author Yolanda Renee

For those who aren’t familiar with the author, here’s a bit of background on her in her own words.

At one time Alaska called to me, and I answered. I learned to sleep under the midnight sun, survive in below zero temperatures, and hike the Mountain Ranges. I’ve traveled from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, and the memories are some of my most valued. The wonders, mysteries and incredible beauty that is Alaska has never left me and thus now influences my writing.

Despite my adventurous spirit, I achieved my educational goals, married, and I have two handsome sons. Writing is now my focus, my newest adventure!

For more on Yolanda and her writing, you can connect with her here:

Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This tour-wide giveaway is for a complete set of the Detective Quaid Mystery series books for one winner, paperback copies of MURDER, JUST BECAUSE for five winners, and a Kindle copy of MURDER, JUST BECAUSE for 10 winners.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. If the widget doesn’t show up, just click HERE and you’ll be directed to the widget.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow Yolanda on her week-long tour HERE. You never know what you might find out. Do you enjoy watching a character grow from one story to the next?

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30 April 2020

Bigfoot Lives... In Idaho Bigfoot Lives Book 1 by Becky Cook Book Tour and Giveaway!

Bigfoot Lives... In Idaho

Bigfoot Lives Book 1

by Becky Cook

Genre: Nonfiction, True Story Encounters

It’s late at night and you are sitting around a campfire when someone starts telling yet another Bigfoot story.

You ask yourself – are they really real?

If you have ever wondered if Bigfoot exists, this is the book to read to find out. He not only exists, he lives and thrives here in Idaho.

This book captures a cross section of stories from across the state. They tell the tale of sightings – the smell, the size, where they were and how it happened.

"… he was easily seven and a half feet tall and roughly 800 pounds of muscles and hair – not any fat on him. It had both dark hair and dark eyes and it was obviously a male. It seemed unconcerned … "

“If he wanted to he could have ripped me in half,”

So what really happened? Are they really real?

Read the book and decide yourself.

Goodreads * Amazon

Bigfoot Still Lives... In Idaho

Bigfoot Lives Book 2

Bigfoot Still Lives in Idaho is a compilation of eye witness stories from people just like you who have seen Bigfoot here in Idaho. They describe the terrain, the sounds, the smells, and the circumstances. Whether you believe in Bigfoot or not, this book will have you at least open to the option of their existence.

Goodreads * Amazon

Bigfoot Lives Forever in Idaho

Bigfoot Lives Book 3

All of us have had moments where life is suspended in time, when life seems frozen in an amazing snap shot. Occasionally we pull that experience out from the recesses of our mind - to look at it, to savor it, and to experience it again. It is at times like these when you wonder if you really saw what you think you just saw, like those times where you just can’t quite believe your eyes – like say, when you saw your first Bigfoot.

“It was bigger than anything I have ever seen – really tall and furry from head to toe! It was just so surprising – I didn’t expect to run into anything on a trip to the bathroom.”

“They are smart, and they can sit still for a really long time. Besides, they have the whole forest to hide in; no wonder people don’t see them real often.”

“I didn’t believe in Bigfoot, I thought it was a hoax. Now I believe it and I look at every bear track differently. I know they are up there. It’s one thing to think you see it and it’s another thing entirely to have one scare you half to death! Why lie when the truth is so much more amazing?”

Read along as more stories are told of the amazing Bigfoot who have been seen right here in Idaho – some of them near your own home.

Goodreads * Amazon

Becky Cook is an award winning author and speaker. She has entertained many groups - large and small - and never seems to have trouble holding the interest of those in the audience.

Website * Facebook * Amazon * Goodreads

$25 Amazon gift card

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Storiebook Charm A Spellbound Novel 1 by Melissa Bourbon Book Tour and Giveaway!

Storiebook Charm

A Spellbound Novel 1

by Melissa Bourbon

Genre: Light Paranormal Romance

From National Bestselling author Melissa Bourbon comes a small town magical story with a heart-stopping hero, a sigh-worthy romance, beautiful writing, and characters that jump off the page. Get ready to be charmed by Storie and Reid, and watch out for the twist!

Storie Bell is a witch. Not the kind that lives in Harry Potter's world. No, she is more like Glinda, the good witch of the North, minus the munchkins and Dorothy. But a witch trying to blend in in a small southern town is no easy feat. She’s grown up believing that mortals and witchcraft don't mix.

Storie thinks the biggest threat to her future—opening The Storiebook Cafe, where happy endings begin— is Reid Malone, the very man she ran away from years before. He seems hell bent on getting in the way of her bookstore’s grand opening. But when a mysterious woman from Storie’s past shows up and makes claims that leave Storie confused, she rethinks her entire future.

Goodreads * Amazon

Melissa Bourbon, the author of the Magical Dressmaking Mysteries (A Seamless Murder, A Killing Notion, A Custom-Fit Crime, Deadly Patterns), sometimes answers to her Latina-by-marriage name, Misa Ramirez. She gave up teaching middle and high school kids in northern California to write full-time amid horses and Longhorns in north Texas. She fantasizes about spending summers writing in quaint, cozy locales, has a love-hate relationship with yoga and chocolate, is devoted to her family, and can’t believe she’s lucky enough to be living the life of her dreams.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

29 April 2020

Face of Fortune by Colleen Kelly-Eiding Blog Tour and Giveaway!

FACE OF FORTUNE BY COLLEEN KELLY-EIDING

Publication Date: February 1, 2020
Phase Publishing
Paperback & eBook; 405 Pages

Series: The Shadows of Rosthwaite, Book Two
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

Charlotte Pruitt, an auburn-haired beauty whose soul is as wild as the northern mountains she loves, lives day to day, hoping against hope that James Clarke still lives. The love of her life and father of their son had attacked a nobleman whom he caught attempting to rape Charlotte. Pursued by soldiers and attempting to escape, James plunged into a raging river and was last seen being pulled under by the torrent.

James who had fought to protect her and little Jack, is gone. Courage, strength, intellect, and a keen wit would have to be her guardians now.

A weaker person would crumble under the pressure of running a business, raising a child alone, fending off unscrupulous men, while always aware that the horrific villain, Edward Hawkes is still alive and bent on her destruction. Instead, Charlotte focuses on those less fortunate than herself. She becomes dedicated to helping Jane Rourke, a weaver, who is falsely accused of crimes and sentenced to death. Charlotte is offered a way to save Jane Rourke, but at a terrible price to herself. And what of Hawkes? How will she save herself and little Jack?

From the dark and gritty streets of Spitalfields, hiding secrets both good and evil, to the haunted moors of Devon, and to the perilous heights of the northern English mountains where Charlotte’s greatest test will come, this epic saga of human kindness, passionate love, and horrifying evil never ceases to enchant…and terrify.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

About the Author

Colleen Kelly-Eiding is a member of the Screen Actors’ Guild-American Federation of TV and Radio Artists, and Actors’ Equity. Her husband is an actor, as are their two adult daughters. Theatre, acting and above all, storytelling, are part of her family’s DNA.

Colleen, was in the first class of women at Kenyon College in Ohio when the school went co-ed. She also studied drama and political science at the University of Manchester in England. She later received an MFA in acting from the University of Minnesota. She has been an actor, director, casting assistant, 3rd grade teacher, and audiometrist.

Favoured by Fortune and Face of Fortune have been occupying Colleen’s imagination for a quite a long time. After both daughters graduated college, she and husband Paul became empty nesters. The time seemed right for Colleen to bring young Ms. Pruitt, our heroine, to life and let Charlotte tell her story.

During her time in Manchester, Colleen fell in love with the country. When she returned to England to do research for her series, she was beyond elated. She interviewed a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum, spent time researching indictment records from the 1760‘s at the Guild Hall in London, and walked the route that the carts of the condemned travelled from Newgate Prison to the Tyburn Tree. Visiting the tiny village of Rosthwaite, located in the beautiful Borrowdale Valley in the Lake District, where much of the action takes place, helped give context and inspiration to Colleen.

Colleen continues to act for stage and film. She studies sculpting and ceramics. And enjoys traveling to Comic Cons around the world, where her husband is a frequent guest.

Her series of historical novels is titled The Shadows of Rosthwaite. Watch for the second book in the series, Face of Fortune, set for release February 1, 2020. Published by Phase Publishing, LLC.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, April 20
Review at Passages to the Past
Review at WTF Are You Reading?

Tuesday, April 21
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books

Wednesday, April 22
Feature at Just One More Chapter

Friday, April 24
Review at Books and Zebras

Monday, April 27
Feature at I’m Into Books
Review at History + Fiction + Adirondack Spirit

Wednesday, April 29
Feature at CelticLady’s Reviews

Thursday, April 30
Review at Jessica Belmont
Feature at Books In Their Natural Habitat

Saturday, May 2
Review at Historical Graffiti

Monday, May 4
Review at YA, It’s Lit

Tuesday, May 5
Feature at The Book Junkie Reads

Thursday, May 7
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks (Book #1)

Friday, May 8
Review at A Darn Good Read
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks (Book #2)

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a paperback copy of Face of Fortune! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on May 8th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Paperback giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.

Direct Link: https://gleam.io/competitions/npf3Q-face-of-fortune

Deadly Legends A Boxed Set feat. Silent Echoes and Silent Obsession by Melissa Bourbon Book Tour and GIveaway!

Deadly Legends

A Boxed Set feat. Silent Echoes and Silent Obsession

by Melissa Bourbon

Genre: Romantic Suspense

National Bestselling author Melissa Bourbon brings dark twists to two Latin-American urban legends guaranteed to keep you up into the wee hours. With riveting suspense, sigh-worthy romances with heart-stopping heroes, beautiful writing, and characters that jump off the page, these thrilling romantic suspense novels will have you believing in curses and ghosts.

For the first time, Silent Echoes and Silent Obsession are together in this boxed set. Get ready for a thrill-ride…

Silent Echoes

Something deadly waits in the shadows…

On a Texas night twelve years ago, Vic Vargas kissed Delaney West so deeply that she almost came apart. Later that same night, evil crept into Delaney’s room as she slept – and everything in their world fell apart. Now Vic is a rancher living a half-empty life punctuated by one-night stands and a strained relationship with his 11-year-old son.

Then Delaney returns to San Julio, and the past comes rushing back… along with the silent echoes of that night so long ago. Livestock are dying. Some say coyote, but others whisper another darker word. Chupacabra. Bloodsucker.

The past hasn’t disappeared – nor has the instinctive desire that snaps and crackles between Delaney and Vic. And as those emotions ignite, so does the evil that hibernated for the last twelve years. The evil that waited for Delaney to return to San Julio… and to Vic Vargas.

Silent Obsession

Johanna Rios is a woman whose past has come back to haunt her.

The ghost of la Llorona is said to haunt the riverbanks, always searching for her drowned child. She also haunts high school teacher Johanna Rios, whose own mother believed so deeply in the legend she tried to drown her daughters. And now the ghost has become real, a young woman murdered, and the safe world Jo created is falling apart.

Since returning home from his last tour of duty to become a school principal, Ray Vargas has fought his attraction for his employee, the sensual woman who’d once been the girl next door. But the Llorona Killer will not stop until he claims his final victim—Johanna—and Ray will do anything to protect the woman he’s come to love.

With a serial killer out to prove the curse is real, will Ray and Johanna’s future be drowned in the ghostly waters of the past? Or will the power of their love give them the strength to stop a killer…and heal their wounded hearts…?

Goodreads * Amazon