18 February 2022

ASHES TO INK: A Memoir by Lisa Lucca Book Tour and Giveaway!


Join us for this tour from Feb 1 to Feb 21, 2022!

Book Details:
 
Book Title:  ASHES TO INK: A Memoir by Lisa Lucca
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+),  267 pages
Genre: Memoir
Publisher:  JuJu House Publishing
Release date:  October 2021
Tour dates: Feb 1 to Feb 21, 2022
Content Rating:  PG-13. There is some bad language (several f-words), sexual scenes (not explicit), and cigarette and marijuana smoking.
“Lisa Lucca weaves the past and present into a vividly written and important story with many layers: family secrets, fathers and daughters, love and sexuality, and at the core, forgiveness. What touched me most was the call to action to become the love of your own life. Read, learn, and become!” — Laura Munson, New York Times bestselling author and founder of the acclaimed Haven Writing Retreats.
​
“In this raw and gripping memoir, Lisa Lucca has perfectly captured the unique ripple effects of life with a gay parent. With little representation in popular media, people who grow up with (or find out about) LGBTQ+ parents/caregivers are often left to wonder if there’s anyone else who really understands. Ashes to Ink is proof we are not alone, and that love truly does win.” — Jordan Budd, Executive Director of COLAGE, National LGBTQ+ family organization

“Fresh, warm, sassy, and smart... Lisa’s voice is a delight! I was enchanted by this book.” — Alexia La Fortune, Author of Sex, Love, and Spirit

"Ashes to Ink… a power punch of a book written by the glorious Lisa Lucca. Filled with rage and anger and sorrow and more unleashed anger…and much humor and love...human emotion in each chapter. Lisa's memoir is all about LOVE, the wanting, the needing, the longing, the acceptance, the fear of love, the need for love. From a parent whose lifestyle flattens her to the seeking of love with men who challenge her (unconsciously) to finding the right one. This is a memoir about family - the down and dirty - about love, about searching... and forgiveness. This book is filled with so much truth, so many untamed feelings, so much rawness… a memoir that gives you ample time to hold your breath and exhale. Read it, devour it, allow yourself to creep into the uncomfortableness. Life is filled with discomfort and unease - Lisa gives us all the rare opportunity to see ourselves in the dazzling, and magnificent mirror she holds up for us." — Amy Ferris, Marrying George Clooney, Confessions from a Midlife Crisis
 
Book Description:

Acceptance struggles to emerge from a cocoon of family secrets . . .

After her parents' divorce in 1974, Lisa Lucca's idyllic Midwestern childhood is shattered when she learns her father is gay. Sworn to secrecy, she begins carrying the emotions of her family like a cracked bucket, making a mess as she embarks on a life of rebellious choices.

Decades later, faced with the aftermath of her father’s death, Lisa revisits the complicated relationship she had with him, delving deeper into the stories she’s held about love, sexuality, and the family she comes from with a shimmering clarity that arises from her grief.

A story of heartache and the power of forgiveness, Ashes to Ink shines a light on the challenges of living true to who we are, especially for single parents.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Indiebound ~ Target

Meet the Author:

Lisa Lucca’s work has been published in several publications and anthologies, most recently in Crone Rising. She is the co-author of the epistolary memoir, You Are Loved, with her partner, Mark Mathias, a love story she will continue telling in her next book.

She shares a home with Mark in the high desert of southern New Mexico where she continues her work as a life coach, and hosts a weekly public radio show, Live True, bringing insightful and engaging interviews to her listeners. The show streams globally at lccommunityradio.org where the shows are available in the archives.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodread
 
Tour Schedule:
 
Feb 1 – A Mama's Corner of the World – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 2 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 2 - Working Mommy Journal - book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 3 – Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 4 – Books are a Blessing – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 4 - Books for Books – book spotlight
Feb 7 – Lamon Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 8 – @booking.with.janelle – book spotlight
Feb 8 - @twilight_reader – book spotlight
Feb 9 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 10 – Gold Dust Editing & Book Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 10 - Westveil Publishing – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 11 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 14 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 15 – zoebooknotes – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 15 - Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight
Feb 16 – Sadie's Spotlight – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 17 – Kam's Place – book spotlight
Feb 18 – 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 18 - Celticlady's Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 21 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / giveaway
 
Enter the Giveaway:

ASHES TO INK by Lisa Lucca Spotlight Book Tour Giveaway


 

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17 February 2022

Jousting and Justice: Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic by Elizabeth Pantley Book Tour and Giveaway!

Jousting and Justice: Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic by Elizabeth Pantley

During the launch weeks there will be Amazon promotions running:

February 16 – 20 – Book 1 FREE - Falling into Magic 

February 21 – 27 – Book 2 at 99 cents - The Disappearance of Emily

About Jousting and Justice

Jousting and Justice: Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic 

Paranormal Cozy Mystery 5th in Series 

Better Beginnings, Inc. (February 15, 2022) 

Number of Pages 315 

Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09NQS83FP

An invitation to a medieval festival. A ferry ride to a mysterious island. A scheming, inept witch. An office break-in, an unidentified body, and a string of suspects. Can Hayden, her brave, sassy cat, Latifa, and the people of Destiny Falls solve the mystery and enjoy the festival?

 

Jousting and Justice follows the series format of combining two stories that blend into one. A murder mystery and the island mystery.

 

The Island Mystery: Hayden and all her friends get an invitation to a medieval festival - but it's on "the forbidden island." It's too enticing to pass up. Of course, strange things will happen once they get there! . . . You'll also learn the truth about the witch's sister!

 

The Murder Mystery: A dead body shows up in the most shocking place. First, they need to figure out who this dead guy is. Then, who killed him and why. There are so many twists and turns on the way to the answers! But we know that Hayden, Latifa, and their family and friends will figure it out and justice will be served.

 

Hayden’s many adventures in Destiny Falls will keep you guessing with each book in this intriguing series.

 

About Elizabeth Pantley

Elizabeth Pantley says that writing the Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic book series is the most fun she's ever had at work. Fans of the series say her joy is evident through the stories she tells. Elizabeth is also the internationally bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents. Her books have been published in over twenty languages. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, the beautiful inspiration for the enchanted Destiny Falls world.

Author Links

Purchase Link - Amazon -

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
February 15 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW
February 15 – eBook Addicts – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 16 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
February 16 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 17 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 18 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, GUEST POST
February 19 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
February 20 – Mythical Books – GUEST POST
February 21 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
February 22 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 23 – The Book's the Thing – SPOTLIGHT
February 24 – Tea Book Blanket - CHARACTER INTERVIEW
February 24 – Socrates' Book Reviews - REVIEW
February 25 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
February 26 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
February 26 – Cassidy's Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT
February 27 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 28 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT  
February 28 – Girl with Pen – SPOTLIGHT


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A Blessed Darkness by Elexis Bell Book Tour and Giveaway!

A Blessed Darkness
Elexis Bell
Publication date: February 22nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

A dark connection. A deadly responsibility.

Sparks fly when Elairie, a mixed-blood elf living on the edge of society and serving as a night guard, meets her latest prisoner. Strange auras surround them, and a magical gravity draws her to him, despite what her associates might say about his race. But the connection they share comes with a dark side.

When Beluroan learns that he and his guard are Blessed Ones, hand-crafted by the Gods to stop a madman from recreating the Blood Magic of old, his veins run cold. Threatened with a return to the magical slavery such magic commands, fear grips him, and memories of his childhood Master fill his mind.

But together, their potential power frightens even the Gods. Can they overcome the prejudices marring their land and master their new magic in time to stop the man trying to enslave their country? Or will they succumb to their own power?

Filled with grit and magic, this literary romantic fantasy will take you on a ride.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

—

EXCERPT:

The vision whisks us away from the cottage, and our spirits fly to a tiny camp deep in the forest. We stand with hands joined, staring at four Elves gathered around a campfire.

Fortune magic whispers through my mind, telling me these are the Elves who took my mother. My blood boils, and I grit my teeth.

One of them, a young woman with a shaved head, has the faraway look of someone in the grip of a vision. The others wait, staring into the flames.

When her eyes focus on the world before her, she hisses, “Fetch her.”

A form beside her separates from the shadows. A malicious smile spreads over his features, but darkness hides sunken eyes. He disappears into a tent only to return, dragging my mother along behind him.

My heart twists in my chest.

Dirty ropes bind her hands. A gash on the side of her face sucks in the light, and dried blood coats her skin.

“Mother!” I scream, voice breaking.

But she doesn’t hear me.

The woman with the shaved head steps closer to her. “What do you know and who did you tell?”

“All I know is that Gourmaht wants to renew the Blood Magic, and he’s somewhere in the Cargam Mountains. That’s it.”

The bald woman looms over my mother, leaning close. “Who did you tell?”

“No one.”

The woman steps back and motions to the shadowy man. His hand flies out, slamming into my mother’s face.

She stumbles backward, nearly toppling into the flames, and I gasp. Cold horror sweeps through me.

But my mother doesn’t make a sound.

She squares her shoulders, lifts her chin. A single tear trickles over her cheek, and blood flows from the gash on her face, now weeping once more, cascading to her tattered shirt.

The bald woman shouts, “Who did you tell?”

Mother’s words come out a whisper, “No one. I told no one. I couldn’t bear to speak of it.”

Finally, this satisfies them. The bald woman enters another vision. But fortune magic tells me it isn’t by choice. Waergou triggered it. The same man who traced Mother’s location.

When she snaps out of it, she says, “Gourmaht believes that she told no one. She has no one, after all, so who would she tell? Such a pitiful, lonely existence.”

Turning to the remaining two figures, she says, “Make it look like an animal attack. Provoke one if you can.”

Then, she vanishes into the tent behind her.

The shadow man shoves Mother to the ground, and my mouth falls open. Beluroan’s grip on my hand tightens.

Don’t let them do this.

The remaining Elves, two faceless figures, drag her to the edge of the firelight. Shadow wraps around them, hiding their faces.

I reach for a stick, anything to use as a weapon, but my hand passes through. Only my spirit stands here.

The Elves pull knives from within their cloaks and slash my mother’s arms, her stomach, her legs. A terrible scream erupts from me, but they hear nothing.

Mother bites her lip, silent and still. Blood trickles from her mouth where teeth pierce flesh.

I tug at Beluroan’s arm, desperate to go to her, to save her, but he pulls me into his arms.

“Elairie, we can’t do anything,” he gasps, voice cracking as he tucks my head against his chest.

They drag her past us, leaving a trail of blood glistening on leaves and broken twigs.

Author Bio:

I'm a nerd with a lot of hobbies and enough sarcasm and swear words to make a sailor blush, though, you'll never hear a word of it if I'm not comfortable around you. I've been an introvert since birth. When I'm writing, though, words come easily.

At the end of the day, I just want to write stories that make people feel something.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Newsletter


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Too Far by Lauren Fraser Book Blitz and Giveaway!

Too Far
Lauren Fraser
Publication date: February 12th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Something needs to change if their marriage is going to work. But how far is too far?

To the outside world, Lia Dahl has it all. Her business is thriving. She has a gorgeous husband and great friends.

Jaxon Dahl is everything Lia had ever dreamed of. Successful, handsome, committed. Marriage should have been the answer to the life she’d always imagined. But three years in and unfortunately, it’s not all smooth sailing. Somewhere along the way, she got lost.

How has she allowed herself to become invisible in their relationship when she is so confident everywhere else? Well, no more.

It’s time for drastic action to get this marriage back on track. This will either be the jumpstart they need or the final nail in the coffin.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

Where the hell was he? Lia Dahl pushed her empty glass of wine away and glanced at the clock again for the umpteenth time. 9 o’clock. Jaxon should have been home by six at the latest. Clearly, celebrating their third anniversary wasn’t a huge priority for him. Her gaze lingered on the ruined dinner she had carefully prepared. Good thing she’d taken the afternoon off. What a waste.

Lia pushed away from the table, catching a glimpse of herself in the dining room mirror as she walked past. She felt ridiculous standing there in the caged corset teddy she had bought especially for the night. When she’d seen it in Fredricks, she’d thought for sure it was the perfect thing to help get their relationship back on track.

Ever since Jaxon’s boss had dangled the possibility of a partnership in front of his nose, he’d been virtually non-existent at home. Tears welled up in her eyes. He’d promised he would be home early tonight.

Well, she was sick of it. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Lia grabbed her purse from the hall table and dug out her eyeliner. With a couple of swipes, her makeup was repaired. She gave herself another once over in the mirror. If Jaxon didn’t swallow his tongue, then there really was no hope for them. Grabbing her trench coat from the closet, she slid it on over her teddy and slipped her feet into a fierce pair of heels that would knock Jaxon on his ass when he saw them. She’d be damned if she’d sit here at home alone on their anniversary. The man needed a wake-up call, and he was damn sure going to get it.

Lia pulled her car up to Lincoln Towers. A few offices still remained lit. She scanned the rows of windows, tenth floor, fourth over from the right. Of course, her husband’s office was still one of the ones lit. She took a deep breath and got out of her car. The fabric of her coat rubbed against the peek-a-boo teddy and her nipples stood at attention. Shit, she really hoped this wasn’t a bad idea.

Walking towards the office building, a blast of cool air fired up the back of her coat. Damn it. Jaxon better bloody appreciate what she was willing to do for their relationship. At the front door of the building, she waited patiently for the security guard to let her in. She fought the urge to adjust her coat to ensure she was well covered.

“Evening, Mrs. Dahl. What brings you by this late?” the security guard asked. His curious gaze roamed over her.

She smiled. “Hi Charlie, I’ve come to drag my husband home. The man works far too much.”

“That’s for sure,” Charlie replied. He tipped his head towards the elevator. “You head on up. The man would have to be crazy not to want to rush home with you.”

She patted the old man on the cheek. “You are a sweetheart, Charlie.”

The foyer of Tanner, Kaufman and Company was unlit. From the dark hallway, light spilled out of a lone office. She shook her head. Jaxon was the only one still here.

Squaring her shoulders, she sauntered down the hallway. At the open doorway to Jaxon’s office, she stopped. His blond hair stood up in several directions, his tie tossed haphazardly on the chair, the neck of his shirt undone. He looked exhausted. Engrossed in what he was working on he didn’t even register that she was there.

With a quick glance down the hall to ensure they really were alone, Lia stepped into the office, closed the door behind her, and flicked the lock.

“Lia? What are you doing here?” Jaxon asked. His brow furrowed in confusion.

“What do you think I’m doing here?”

“Fuck, our anniversary,” he groaned. “Jesus, Li. I’m sorry, I completely forgot.”

Like a knife stabbing her in the stomach, his comment cut deeply. She’d bribed her employees to take her afternoon classes for her so she could sneak out early to make today special and he’d completely forgotten. What did that say about their relationship?

Drastic times called for drastic measures. There was no way she was going to let their relationship become an after-thought. She licked her lips and moved her hands to the opening of her jacket. “That’s why I came to you.” She eased the coat off her shoulders, slowly exposing the peek-a-boo top of her teddy. Jaxon’s eyes widened. “Lia?” he croaked.

“Hmm?” She lowered the jacket completely and dropped it on the floor. “Oops,” she said. Well, here goes nothing.


Author Bio:

Lauren has always been a dreamer, weaving stories to keep herself entertained. Through her stories she can travel anywhere in the world and money is not an object. Now, who wouldn't want that? Unfortunately, the demands of the real world pushed her dreams to the side for a while.

After talking to her children about going after what they wanted and not letting fear stand in their way, she realized she needed to lead by example and chase her own dreams. She enjoys going hiking, camping and paddleboarding with her husband and two daughters.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest


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A Dash of Death (A Cocktails and Catering Mystery) by Michelle Hillen Klump BOokTour and Giveaway!

A Dash of Death (A Cocktails and Catering Mystery) by Michelle Hillen Klump

About A Dash of Death

 

A Dash of Death (A Cocktails and Catering Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 1st in Series 

Setting - Texas Crooked Lane Books (February 8, 2022) 

Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages 

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1643859374 

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1643859378 

Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B094GN846Y

A Houston reporter-turned-mixologist mixes it up with murder in this series debut from Michelle Hillen Klump, superbly catering to fans of Diane Mott Davidson and Lee Hollis.

 

Bad news for Samantha Warren: The plucky Houston, Texas, reporter lost her job and her fiancé in rapid succession. But Sam has a way of making lemonade out of the bitterest of lemons. At a meeting of the local historical-homes council, she serves up the homemade bitters that she made as gifts for her wedding party. She intends to use that as her “in” to become an in-demand party mixologist. But the party’s over for one of the council members, who keels over dead soon after he sips the bereft bride’s bitter brew.

 

It turns out that the victim, Mark, was poisoned—his drink spiked with oleander. Since Sam mixed the drink that Mark imbibed right before his demise, she finds herself at the front of the suspect line. Now, she’ll have to use all of her reporter’s wisdom and wiles to clear her name.

Who could have wanted Mark dead? His wife, Gabby? His girlfriend, Darcy? Someone who wanted his seat on the council? Or another citizen of this sweet Texas town that holds some seedy secrets?

 

Job hunting, building her mixology business, and fending off late-night phone calls from her nearly betrothed don’t leave much time for sleuthing. But if Sam can’t “pour” over the clues to find the killer, it may soon be last call for her.

 

About Michelle Hillen Klump

Michelle Hillen Klump is a former newspaper reporter who covered government, courts and crime throughout Arkansas and Central Texas. Still a working journalist, she is also a member of Sisters in Crime. Her short fiction has appeared in Crimson Streets and Tales of Texas, volume 2, a Houston short story anthology.

Author Links

 
 
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
February 8 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT
February 8 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 9 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
February 9 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
February 10 – Christy's Cozy Corners – GUEST POST
February 10 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW  
February 11 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, RECIPE
February 12 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW
February 12 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 13 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT
February 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
February 14 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW  
February 14 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
February 15 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
February 15 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 16 – Nellie's Book Nook – REVIEW, GUEST POST
February 16 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
February 17 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 17 – Diane Reviews Books – SPOTLIGHT
February 18 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
February 18 – Dear Reader - REVIEW
February 19 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
February 20 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
February 21 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT  
February 21 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW


Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!

 
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16 February 2022

Wilder With You by Serena Bell Book Blitz and Giveaway!

Wilder With You
Serena Bell
(Wilder Adventures, #3)
Publication date: February 15th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Who knew pretending could be so hot?

It started as a joke. After all, I’d never pretend to date a woman just to get my mom and sister off my back.

I would, however, pretend to date her to get her ex-husband off hers.

Now the two of us, the wilderness warrior and the wedding planner, are stuck sharing a very small tent. I had no idea how fast things would heat up in here, or how hard it would be to keep my hands—among other things—to myself.

I also didn’t guess how quickly the news of our “relationship” would spread to my big, nosy family.

We can’t “break up” yet, because she’s planning my brother’s wedding and I’m his best man. Through venue visits, DIY disasters, and Vegas trips, we’re thrown together, and the chemistry’s off-the-charts. But the kicker is, I feel like she gets me.

Maybe that’s what scares me the most. I’m still reeling from the loss of my wife, and she’s still hurting from her ex’s betrayal. There’s no way this can ever be real.

But what if I’m starting to hope it is?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

I’m about to holler out that all the camping trip attendees need to gather ’round when I notice Jessa looks absolutely fucking miserable.

Yup, I’m looking at her again.

She’s a few people away from me in the circle. Her head’s ducked and her body language screams that she wants to disappear. Which I don’t understand, because when we left the staging area, she was bummed that her friend was bailing, but still seemed basically game. I admired her spirit—a lot of people cancel when their friends bail out. But since then something has obviously killed her moxie.

I want to know what.

And for fuck’s sake, I don’t want to want that.

Even all hunched up, Jessa’s prettiness and presence unsettle me, and I’m hit with a strong memory of that night at the Love for Books literacy fundraiser when I looked up and saw her. She was standing across the room, smiling and talking, eyes bright, lips red, slim body just curvy enough under her long black gown to make my own body come to life.

It was uncomfortable, like the feeling when pins and needles come back into a numb limb.

I didn’t want it, or the tug I felt, the sharp desire to walk across the room and steal her attention away from whoever she was talking to.
I looked away from her and refused to look at her again.

And when she said hi to me at the food table a half hour later, I was a dick to her.

Non-redeemably.

I’m thinking about all that—Jessa smiling, talking, waking me up with her aliveness, and then how she froze when I blew her off at the food table—when I hear a voice say, “Hey, Jessa.”

I raise my head to see the couple that we had to stop for. He’s a white guy dressed in what Portland hipsters think people wear in the woods, and she looks like she just came from the gym, but that’s not what makes my blood freeze.

I know him.

How do I know him? I haven’t put it together yet.

“Hi, Reuben,” Jessa says, her voice small and tight.

Jessa knows him, too.

“I don’t think you two ever officially met,” Reuben says. “This is my girlfriend, Corinna.” He turns to the woman beside him. She’s pretty in that way that a lot of guys go for: blond, blue-eyed, busty, and polished. She’s just a little too plastic for my tastes.

Jessa, standing on Reuben’s other side, is a hell of a lot more beautiful. Not that anyone asked me.

I’m not the most emotionally savvy dude on the planet—after all, I spend a lot of my free time alone with a knife—but even I can tell that something seriously ugly is going on here. The two women haven’t stepped forward, not even a millimeter, to greet each other. Or even looked at each other, really. Jessa looks like she’d like the earth to swallow her. And I get the strong feeling I’m about to find out why.

Reuben turns to Corinna. “Jessa’s my ex-wife.”

Oh, shit.

That’s why Jessa’s mood flatlined. Because when Reuben and Corinna got on the bus, Jessa realized she was about to have to spend three days with her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. And if Amanda’s intel is sound, Reuben cheated on Jessa…

I don’t think you two ever officially met.

Oh, fuck. Could that guy be any more of a dick?

My hands ball into fists, and it takes everything I have not to bury one of them in his smug, asshole face.

“Nice to meet you.” Jessa’s voice is even smaller and tighter. And I’m not gonna lie, it hurts my chest to hear it. I know divorce isn’t the same as death, not by a long shot, but that woman is hurting, and I’m way too familiar with that feeling.

Reuben rocks back on one foot, his arms crossing. Now I remember him from one of our parties. He wore a jacket with elbow patches and black-rimmed glasses. No joke.

A smug look settles on his face. “Jessa. Are you here by yourself?”

Afterwards, I’d wish I’d just punched him, because it would have been smarter than what I do next. Propelled by a force stronger than good sense and a lot faster-acting, I take a step to the side.

“She’s with me.”

And I drop an arm around Jessa Olsen’s slim, warm shoulders.

Then I look up to discover my sister and brother staring at me like I’ve grown another head—

Which honestly, would have probably surprised all of us—me included—less.


Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes contemporary romance with heat, heart, and humor. A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.

Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.

When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter


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The Ghosts of Thorwald Place by Helen Power Book Tour and Review!

 





Trust No One. Especially your neighbors.

Rachel Drake is on the run from the man who killed her husband. She never leaves her safe haven in an anonymous doorman building, until one night a phone call sends her running. On her way to the garage, she is murdered in the elevator. But her story doesn't end there.

She finds herself in the afterlife, tethered to her death spot, her reach tied to the adjacent apartments. As she rides the elevator up and down, the lives of the residents intertwine. Every one of them has a dark secret. An aging trophy wife whose husband strays. A surgeon guarding a locked room. A TV medium who may be a fraud. An ordinary man with a mysterious hobby.

Compelled to spend eternity observing her neighbors, she realizes that any one of them could be her killer.

And then, her best friend shows up to investigate her murder.

Praise for The Ghosts of Thorwald Place:

“[An] enticing debut . . . Distinctive characters complement the original plot. Power is off to a promising start.” —Publishers Weekly

“A creative, compulsively readable mystery—haunted by strange entities and told from the unique perspective of a ghost. I couldn’t put it down.” —Jo Kaplan, author of It Will Just Be Us

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller/Supernatural
Published by: CamCat Books
Publication Date: October 5th 2021
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 0744301432 (ISBN13: 9780744301434)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | CamCat Books

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 3

It takes forever for someone to find my body. At six, the elevator is called to the fourth floor, and an early riser greets the sight of my body with a shrill scream. He stumbles backward, clutching his briefcase to his chest. I get the impression that he’s never discovered a grisly crime scene before. I, on the other hand, am enveloped in the cool indifference that seems to accompany death.

He staggers back to his apartment, shrieking hysterically all the way. Several of his neighbors rush out into the hall. Each person is in various stages of undress. A pregnant woman wearing a silk bathrobe and only one slipper. A man whose face is coated in shaving cream, save for a single bare strip down his left cheek. The look of horror on their faces would have been amusing if I were in the mood for dark humor. The elevator doors slide shut, and I am launched to another floor, where I startle another early commuter. The elevator doors close on the stunned woman’s face, lurching toward its next stop. I’m destined for repetition. Perhaps this is hell.

The police finally arrive, call the elevator to the ground floor, and put it out of service. I have now informally met a quarter of the building’s occupants, which is more than I met in the two years I lived here. A handful of police officers form a perimeter, trying to block the sight of my corpse from the prying eyes of my nosey neighbors. I hover by the elevator door as forensic investigators get to work examining my corpse. I try not to watch—disgusted by the sight of my limp body, which is coated in blood that has begun to cake—but the process is mesmerizing. The flash of cameras, the murmur of voices, and the hypnotic movement of pencils as they scribble in pristine, white notebooks. The forensic experts step gingerly around the scene, careful not to disturb anything, as they scrutinize my body from all angles. As they work, I can’t stop staring at my face. My eyes are still open and glazed over with a milky white sheen. My skin is nearly white, a shocking contrast to the deep crimson gash across my neck. My lips are parted in a soundless scream. A forensic investigator in a white bodysuit steps in front of me, cutting off my view. Relief floods through me, and I turn away before the sight of my own corpse enthralls me once again. I know I gained consciousness only minutes after my death, because blood was still dripping where the arterial spray arched across the walls, looking as if an artist had decided to add a splash of color to the monochromatic gray. I was reluctant to leave my body, but I had no idea what else to do. I had no moment of shock, no moment of revelation where I realized I was dead. I knew it from the instant I opened my eyes and saw the world from the other side. A world which looks different in death. Everything is a little grayer, a little faded. Voices and sounds have a slight echo. It’s as though I’m experiencing everything through a thin film—some indescribable substance that separates the world of the living from mine.

But why am I still here? My body has been found; the police are clearly investigating. It won’t take long for them to figure out it was he who killed me. I leave the elevator and glance around the lobby. I don’t see any obvious doorways or bright lights to follow. How will I know where to go? I bite back the pang of disappointment when I realize that none of my lost loved ones are here to welcome me. No husband. No parents. No Grumpelstiltskin, my childhood dog. Where are they, and how do I find my way to them?

I’m self-aware enough to know that I’ve always feared the unknown, and it’s obvious that this hasn’t changed in death. Instead of searching for my escape, I stay locked in place, eyes glued to the crime scene investigators. After what feels like an eternity, the medical examiner deposits my body into a black bag and wheels it out of the building. I begin to follow. Maybe if I slip back into my body, I’ll awaken, and everyone will laugh, like this was all just one big misunderstanding.

I’ll spend the rest of my days wearing a scarf, elegantly positioned to hide my gaping neck wound, like the girl in that urban legend.

I slam into an invisible wall about a dozen feet from the elevator. Slightly disoriented, I shake my head. I press forward.

Again, I’m stopped by an imperceptible force. I reach out, and my hand flattens midair. I run my hand along this invisible barrier, but it seems to run as high as I can reach and down to the marble floor.

I follow the barrier, tracing my hand along it. It cuts across the entire lobby, but not in a straight line. It’s slightly curved. Beyond the wall, I can see the medical examiner exit the building with my body, leaving my soul behind. I slam a hand against the invisible wall once again, but there’s no give.

My attention is drawn by the sound of a familiar grating voice. Elias Strickland, the concierge, is speaking with a police officer who looks like he’s desperate to leave. The invisible wall can wait. I approach the pair to eavesdrop.

“We have excellent security here,” Elias says. His perpetually nasal voice is exacerbated by the tears that stream down his face. “How could this have happened? My residents will want an explanation immediately.”

“We have someone reviewing the security footage of the exits. If the killer left the building, we’ll have them on film,” the police officer says.

“If they left the building? Are you saying they might still be here?” Elias tugs at his cheap tie.

The killer might still be in the building. I look around and notice for the first time that the residents aren’t allowed to simply leave. Police officers guard the front door, questioning each individual before they allow them to go to work or to the spa or to do whatever they think is more important than mourning my death.

“What can you tell me about the victim? Ms. Rachel Anne Drake?” the police officer asks.

“Well . . .” Elias runs a hand through his thinning, brown hair. “She is—was—an odd one. She rarely spoke to anyone. She kept to herself. I think I was her only friend in the building.”

I stare at him, just now realizing that the tears streaming down his face are for me. I feel a pang of guilt. I’ve never considered us “friends.” I interact with him once every few weeks—only when I have mail to pick up or complaints about the security guards.

Elias continues, “She even had her groceries delivered. I haven’t seen her leave the building in months.”

The police officer suddenly looks interested. He pulls a small, wire-bound notebook from his pocket and uncaps his pen.

“Do you think it’s possible that she may have been hiding from someone?”

“Possibly . . . She was always really interested in the security in the building. Like that was the main reason why she moved here, not the fabulous party room or the services I provide as concierge.” I wince in pity as he says the word with a dreadful French accent. He should have picked a line of work that he could pronounce.

“Did she have any visitors?”

“There was a man who used to come around, but I haven’t seen him in a few months,” Elias says. At the police officer’s prompting, he continues on to describe him. I realize he’s talking about Luke.

The police officer asks a few follow-up questions, and I’m surprised by just how much Elias knows. He knows the date and time of my weekly grocery deliveries, that once every couple of weeks I’ll treat myself to pizza delivered from the greasy place down the street, and that I get a haul of books delivered every time BMV Books has a sale.

“Well, if you think of anything else, please contact us immediately.” I peer over the police officer’s shoulder to look at the scribbles in his notebook, but he’s used a shorthand that I can’t decipher.

A nearly identical police officer emerges from the security office holding a flash drive. He glances at the concierge, then turns to his partner and begins speaking rapid French.

“The video doesn’t show anybody leaving the building between one and two this morning. But apparently, there was a power outage for about five minutes, and the killer could have left during that window.”

“No! That power outage happened before I died. The power came back, and then he killed me.” I blink and glance around. I hadn’t thought I’d be able to speak.

It makes no difference. Neither police officer reacts to the sound of my voice. I look at Elias, but he’s watching the officers intently. I turn my attention to the rest of the people milling about, but none of them seem to have heard me either. But I’m not yet discouraged.

I approach the pot-bellied man standing the closest to the crime scene tape. He cranes his neck to see into the elevator.

“THERE’S NOTHING TO SEE HERE!” I shout into his face. He doesn’t react. I try to shake him, but my hands fall through his fleshy body. I feel nothing—no chill, no warmth—as I slide my hands through him. I examine his face, but it’s clear that he doesn’t sense me in the slightest.

I strategically progress through the lobby, shouting at each bystander, attempting to reach them through any means.

I try everything I can remember having seen in movies about ghosts—from waving my hands through their heads to shouting obscenities in their ears. No one reacts. No one so much as shivers.

I’m angry, disappointed, and beginning to feel helpless. I brace myself, preparing to do my calming breathing technique, but there are no symptoms of a panic attack. My body is overcome by the numbness of being incorporeal. I could get used to this. I suppose I’ll have to.

I glance around, noticing that the police officers have long gone, and they’ve been replaced by a cleaning crew of four burly men who are crammed into the elevator. They’ve already bleached the walls in an attempt to remove all trace of my messy execution. The lobby is nearly empty now. Only Elias stands at his station, compulsively wringing his hands in between fielding calls from curious residents and the media.

I survey the expansive, high-ceilinged lobby. Unlike the rest of the building, it was designed with the sole purpose of impressing visitors. The floors are marble, polished to near perfection. The wallpaper is a pale blue with gold foil accents in the shape of falling leaves. A hefty, ornate clock is the only decoration on the stretch of the wall across from the front desk. There are two wing chairs and a sofa positioned underneath it. It serves as a sort of waiting area, though in my two years living in this building, I’ve never seen a single person sitting out here.

I can only access half of the lobby, so I need to find a way around this invisible barrier. I approach the elevator and look down the hall to the right. I tentatively step through the wall. I’m in the guest suite that’s reserved for visitors of building residents. The bed is neatly made, with the corners of the bedspread tucked tightly. There’s a lounge area sparsely decorated with cool tones. A gray, leather couch is angled toward an impressively-sized TV.

The room is windowless, but a single painting of a blue sky over a grassy field hangs on the wall opposite the door, creating the illusion of something beyond.

I stride across the plain gray rug and easily pass through this wall as well. I’m in the ground-level parking garage, which is located below the building. I continue to walk until I slam against the barrier. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s disorienting.

I place my hand on the barrier and follow it around until I reach the wall twenty feet from where I entered. The barrier is clearly circular. Is it meant to keep me contained? I shake my head at that thought, then I continue to follow the barrier through the wall, out of the garage, and into the library.

With gorgeous oak-paneled walls and towering bookshelves, the building’s library is quite a sight to behold. The leather couches look comfortable, with antique copper lamps strategically positioned between them. I’ve been down here several times over the last two years, but I never dawdle. I usually grab a handful of books and hurry back upstairs to the safety of my apartment, where I can actually relax and enjoy my reading.

I walk through the room divider into the “party” area. The dim overhead lights reveal a bar in the corner, which is framed by tall mirrors, making the room seem larger than it actually is. I scan the rest of the room. Circular tables are set up around a polished dance floor. I quickly hit another barrier only a few feet into the room.

I follow this barrier, clockwise, until I’ve made an entire lap of the enclosure. I was right. It is a circle. There are no breaks or gaps in the wall; nothing I can slip through to escape. What is this barrier? Who put it here? I have so many questions and no one to answer them.

Back in the lobby, the cleaning crew has finished their sterilization of the elevator. A starchy-looking woman stands in Elias’ face, complaining loudly about the inconvenience of having only one operating elevator. I’m glad that my death is nothing more than a disruption to her “busy” life. Shouldn’t she be disturbed that a brutal murder occurred hours ago in that very elevator? That the killer hasn’t even been caught? Hell, she should be worried that it’s haunted.

She spins on her heel and leaves a bedraggled Elias in her wake. She scowls at the cleaners, who are gathering their supplies and politely averting their eyes from her shrewd gaze. She presses the elevator button and boards the other one, which was already idling on this floor. She didn’t even have to wait five seconds. I’d love to see what a convenient elevator experience is like for her.

After she’s left, Elias tips the cleaners and reactivates the elevator. The doors slide shut, as if sealing my fate.

A man in snug jogging shorts strolls into the building, salutes Elias, and heads to the elevators. Elias nods and returns to his station. I decide to head over toward him to see what exactly he keeps behind the desk. It lies just beyond the invisible wall, so I might be able to see what he always stares at so intently on his computer.

Just as I reach the edge of the invisible barrier, a powerful sensation of vertigo overcomes me. My skin begins to crawl. I stare down at my arms in astonishment. My entire body is vaporizing, shredding into a million pieces, wisps of flesh fading into the world around me. I squeeze my eyes shut tightly, willing the end to come quickly.

***

Excerpt from The Ghosts of Thorwald Place by Helen Power. Copyright 2021 by Helen Power. Reproduced with permission from CamCat Books. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:




Helen Power is obsessed with ghosts. She spends her free time watching paranormal investigation TV shows, hanging out in cemeteries, and telling anyone who’ll listen about her paranormal experiences. She is a librarian living in Saskatoon, Canada, and has several short story publications, including ones in Suspense Magazine and Dark Helix Press’s Canada 150 anthology, “Futuristic Canada”. The Ghosts of Thorwald Place is her first novel.

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My Review

Rachel Drake, the protagonist of The Ghosts of Thorwald Place, is an agoraphobic. She is hiding from the killer of her husband. When she receives a phone call that thoroughly frightens her. She packs a bag and flees the apartment and heads to the garage in the apartment building, Thorwald Place, that she resides in. Her car has been parked for nine months. She never makes it to the car before she is grabbed from behind and strangled. This is just the beginning of the story.

It appears that Rachel is tethered in the afterlife to the elevator in the building, constantly pulled from floor to floor and room to room watching the living. Each of the residents hides a secret, a wife whose husband strays from the marriage, a surgeon who has a locked room in her apartment where she lives along with her son, a man who has a hobby, looking at the apartments across the street with his telescope, a teenager who has an interest in the afterlife and the devil, and a medium who may not be who he says he is.

Each time she is pulled into an apartment, she is able to see more into her neighbor's lives. She is also trying to figure out who killed her, her best friend Catalina who has temporarily moved into the building to try to figure out who killed her friend, with the help of Rachel's brother-in-law who has moved into Rachel's apartment with the explanation that he is there to try to figure out who killed Rachel. Rachel can't have contact with any of these people because she is, well she is dead.

I love a good ghost story and this one is right up there with the best. The writing is top notch, and the plot is a new twist on a ghost story. This one kept me turning the pages. I loved it and highly recommend it!

I received the book for review purposes only.







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