Thursday, 4 November 2021

Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan Book Review

 

Title: Once Upon a Wardrobe
Author: Patti Callahan
Publish Date: November 2nd, 2021
Publisher: Harper Muse
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for review

“Where did Narnia come from?”

The answer will change everything.

Megs Devonshire is brilliant with numbers and equations, on a scholarship at Oxford, and dreams of solving the greatest mysteries of physics.

She prefers the dependability of facts—except for one: the younger brother she loves with all her heart doesn’t have long to live. When George becomes captivated by a copy of a brand-new book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and begs her to find out where Narnia came from, there’s no way she can refuse.

Despite her timidity about approaching the famous author, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with the Oxford don and his own brother, imploring them for answers. What she receives instead are more stories . . . stories of Jack Lewis’s life, which she takes home to George.

Why won’t Mr. Lewis just tell her plainly what George wants to know? The answer will reveal to Meg many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she was giving to her brother—the story behind Narnia—turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope.


Penelope's Review

I initially picked up this book because I love The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in particular, of course. I hadn't read anything by Patti Callahan before but I heard great things so I decided to give it a shot. And wow. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. There is hope, love, and fierce imagination woven into every word. There is something in this book for everyone, regardless of age or proclivity. 

George is an 8 year old boy with a fatal heart condition, who loves to read and wants to know how C.S. Lewis created Narnia. Where did it come from? His older sister Megs, sets out to find answers and ends up asking Mr. Lewis and his brother directly at their home. Instead of a direct answer, she gets stories. Stories about C.S. Lewis's (aka Jack's) life. She writes these stories down and then brings them home to George. While she initially thinks she is doing this only for George's sake, she soon realizes that she is getting much more out of these stories than she could have possibly imagined. 

This book is magic in a way that I find difficult to describe. It made me feel more mature and more like a child simultaneously. It filled me both with sadness and with joy. But hope, most of all. I highly recommend this book to all who feel like they've been missing something recently. It may help you find what you're looking for. 

Rating: 5/5 Devils!







Wednesday, 3 November 2021

Alien's Captive by Tina Moss Blog Tour + Giveaway!

Hi everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the ALIEN'S CAPTIVE by Tina Moss Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 About the Book:

Title: ALIEN'S CAPTIVE (Earth Brides & Alien Warriors, #1)

Author: Tina Moss

Pub. Date: October 26, 2021

Publisher: City Owl Press

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 180

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon

Read for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited Membership!

All I’ve wanted since my abduction from Earth’s first long-range space flight is freedom from my alien captives. But when I’m sold off to a Rhonar warrior, I learn I'm not the only one enslaved on this hellish planet, and survival comes at a cost.

The dominant alpha alien they call Xelan may be my new master, but his fair dealings—and devilishly sexy charms—give me hope for the future.

If I can strike an agreement with the battle-scarred warrior, perhaps together we can change the destiny of those bound in chains.

And if I can’t—well, I haven’t backed down from a fight yet.

However, as enemies line up to destroy the alien warriors and subjugate the galaxy, I discover that the universe has a sense of humor.

Fated mates are real. And Xelan declares me his.

How can I attain my freedom if I’m tied to another being? Even if his possessive growls and single-minded attention ignite my desires in ways I’ve only dreamed, I cannot be his.

But how long can I fight the pull of a mating bond before I lose my head—and my heart—to the heat burning between us?

Only the stars know.

Alien’s Captive is a sci-fi romance launching two new series in the world of the Rhonar alien warriors. Will they find their brides? Steamy seduction, alien abduction, enemies-to-lovers, and a HEA guaranteed.

EXCERPT: 

AVA

I was inside Stella’s dog crate. And my head throbbed. Why those thoughts came to mind as I blinked my eyelids open? No idea. Slowly, I pushed aside the remnants of my messy bun to find a lump. Apple-shaped and tender to the touch, it had to be the source of my headache.

“Genius deduction, professor. What other gems did you glean from that?” I shook my head at the question, sending a fresh rush of pain to my temple and neck.

I hissed through my teeth. The pain sucked, but it distracted me. “Coping mechanism.”

My head throbbed harder. Yeah, that psych degree was paying off now. Nothing like self-diagnosis in the midst of a crisis. I sucked in a breath. In, two, three. Out, two, three.

“Okay, then, stop stalling and assess.” I’d already registered the cage. Thin metal wires twisted around each other like the threads of a fine woven rug. Except these strands created braided bars that ran vertical and parallel to each other. My face rested on the bottom panel where I laid in a tight ball. Metal beneath my cheek, metal braids around me. I sat up, jostling the delicate balance between numbness and blinding pain. It zapped behind my eyes this time.

“Damn it.” I chanced looking up. The crown of my head to the cage’s top panel was less than an arm’s length away. I reached for it, needing to know if it too were as infallible as it looked. My fingers grazed more metal.

Reality crept in. It’s edges toying with my senses.

I wasn’t in my sweet Samoyed’s crate. I couldn’t be. Stella was with my parents back on Earth. The big fluffy mush had wanted to come with me on the trip. I had seen it in my girl’s sad eyes when we had to say goodbye. But space was no place for a dog. I wasn’t even sure if it was a place for humans. But I wanted to find out. That was my goal in taking the job. After endless hours of researching the human condition, I needed to escape theory for practice.

“Yeah, you escaped alright. Look where you are now?” I bit my tongue. I could have taken that teaching position on the Big Island, one of Earth’s last paradise refuges after the atmospheric holes made most of the planet inhabitable. But no. I didn’t want to go back into the classroom. It was the mysteries of space for me. And now, where was I?

I stared through the metal bars. “Yeah, where am I?”

Darkness pervaded the space. I could make out a thin strip of light from under a doorway.

But even that seemed strange, as if the door were curved somehow. The air smelled stagnant like it had been trapped too long in one place. Well, I could relate.

So badly I had wanted to escape my humdrum life, to have a shot at a real adventure and maybe, even make a difference in the world. When the Unicus power couple offered me a seat on the first deep space flight, I didn’t hesitate for a second. Their company helped humanity’s survival, and they wanted me— me— to aid in the creation of an off-world colony. It was everything I’d dreamed. My civilization psychology expertise, sociology post-doc, hell even the old undergrad philosophy classes would come in handy. It was like I’d built my entire professional life for that chance.

And now, it was gone.

Tears stung the backs of my eyes, but I placed my palms firmly over my lids and refused to let them fall. You’re not done yet. Think!

I took another shuddering breath and tried to sort through my thoughts. The last thing I remembered was having coffee in the ship’s mess hall. We’d been about four months out at that point and past the solar system. The stars had appeared even brighter so far from home, and yet, they felt incredibly lonely. Like me. It had always been difficult for me to connect with others, preferring books to friends. But this trip had been an opportunity to connect with like-minded people. The crew were efficient, and my fellow scientists, experts, and such were nice enough.

Still, I’d been…disconnected. It was like being an extra in a movie. Even when I had a speaking line, it rang hollow.

As I’d sat alone, sipping the caffeine elixir that forced a small smile from my otherwise glum mood, an alarm blasted through the ship. “All hands to stations. All hands to stations.” The mug had fallen from my grip, cracking on the table and spilling coffee all over the floor. I’d hopped back in time to avoid the mess on my jumper. Not that the solid gray one-piece wouldn’t be improved by some color. Still, I’d managed to get my feet under me and run toward… Where was I supposed to go?

Before I could figure it out, something hard and heavy slammed into the ship.

The impact sent me careening through the mess hall as the ship dove at a harsh angle. My shoulder collided with the bottom of the table, a ringing noise sounded in my ears, and then nothing.

Pulling at the front zipper on my jumper in the present, I angled the garment down my left shoulder. Mottled purple bruises ran almost to my elbow. I sighed and readjusted my clothes.

No matter how hard I tried, I could recall nothing more.

We must have been attacked. It was the only way to explain my current confinement.

As I came to terms with that realization, a burst of light from the curved doorway illuminated the space. I blinked against it, waiting for my eyes to adjust.

When they did, I wished they hadn’t.

A creature stood before me unlike any I’d ever seen. It had to be almost seven feet tall with a round body encased in an insect-like shell, long spindly legs, and four lanky arms topped with lobster-style claws. My gaze traveled up to a face with a pair of antennas, wicked mandibles, and egg-sized eyes.

I screamed.

“Ceassse your whining, ssslave,” the bug-man hissed at me.

It took my mouth a half second to catch up with my brain, and I continued to scream, until… “I understand you?” Humanity had long been capable of translation technology. Babbler units were the most popular and often installed in the brain stem at birth with an adjuster function behind the right ear lobe. I knew all this, and yet, the sheer shock of comprehending this bug-man’s words tossed me to the stone age.

It isss clear you do.” The monster stalked closer and opened my cage door.

Oh hell no. I shrunk to the back of the metal contraption, as far as I could get from the bug beast. I knew the possibility of aliens when I started the journey into space. What none of my fellow space travelers or I counted on were bugs-based aliens. I didn’t even like bumblebees, and at least they were important for the ecosystem.

Okay, I was spiraling. This was a panic attack waiting to happen. Breathe.

When that lobster like claw reached inside the cage, no amount of self-talk would keep the fear at bay. I screamed and did not stop. That didn’t prevent the creature from latching onto my ankle and pulling me through the opening. I grabbed at the braided bars, not caring for a second how they cut into my palms.

“Let go!” I held on with everything I had. It didn’t help.

“Foolisssh Terran.” Bug-man tugged me free like I weighed nothing. He dragged me toward the curved doorway and beyond, only releasing his grip after I’d been thoroughly caked in dirt. “Now, you will behave.”

I scrambled to my knees. Everything throbbed. My head had never stopped, and now, I could add an overall ache to the growing list of injuries. Trying to ignore my pain, I looked around to get a better idea of my circumstances. A translucent wall surrounded me in a full circle like a fishbowl of thick plastic. The ground was all dirt, and to the side the bug-man stood, calling in his loud hissing voice, “Special threats today!”

My brows rose toward my hairline.

He glanced at me, the bulbous eyes growing larger, and a sick smirk twisting his thin lips.

“Fresssh and rare!”

Nauseous threatened to bring up the coffee I’d had who knew how long ago. Tears threatened, starting at the corners, but I wouldn’t let them fall. Not yet. I had to think of how the hell to get out of this.

From beyond the translucent wall, another figure stood. Almost the size of the bug-man, I could make out his dark brown hair. He appeared to be more humanoid, but it was hard to tell as the fish-bowl effect of the wall distorted everything on the outside. Either that or this new figure was built like a pretzel.

If that was the case, I’d still take my chances with twisty humanoid over bug-man. I started to crawl toward the newcomer when the bug-man skulked toward me, his lobster fist raised. “You think to essscape?”

This time there was no stopping the tears or the cry that tore from my heart.

I was never going home.


*** DON’T STOP NOW! Be sure to pre-order HERE so you don’t miss the full story of the ALIEN’S CAPTIVE! Or join my Patreon and read it before anyone else 

 

About Tina Moss:

Tina Moss is a USA Today Bestselling Author of urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and sci-fi romance. She lives in NYC with a supportive husband and corgi Bear, though both the males hog the bed and refuse to share the covers. Her corgi Chuck now lives in her heart. When not writing, she enjoys reading, watching cheesy horror flicks, and traveling. As a 5’1″ Shotokan black belt, she firmly believes that fierce things come in small packages.

 

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

 

Patreon Promotion:

Tina has a promo on my Patreon too that if anyone signs up in the $10 tier, they receive the eBook and a signed paperback. It runs until the end of October: https://smarturl.it/tinamosspatreon

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of ALIEN’S CAPTIVE, US Only.

How to enter. Subscribe to Tina’s newsletter for your chance to win!

 http://smarturl.it/tinamossnews


Tour Schedule:

Week One:

10/25/2021

Rockstar Book Tours

Kickoff Post

10/25/2021

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt

10/26/2021

The Momma Spot

Excerpt

10/26/2021

BookHounds YA

Guest Post

10/27/2021

Sadie's Spotlight

Excerpt

10/27/2021

jaimerockstarbooktours

IG Post

10/28/2021

Angel's Guilty Pleasures

Guest Post

10/28/2021

Rajiv's Reviews

Review

10/29/2021

Don't Judge, Read

Review

10/29/2021

Books a Plenty Book Reviews

Review

Week Two:

11/1/2021

Karen Dee's Book Reviews

Review

11/1/2021

Coffee and Wander Book Reviews

Review

11/2/2021

More Books Please blog

Review

11/2/2021

_bookbound_

Review

11/3/2021

@curlygrannylovestoread

Review

11/3/2021

The Reading Devil

Excerpt

11/4/2021

@bookstagramofmine

Review

11/4/2021

The Phantom Paragrapher

Review

11/5/2021

#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog

Review

11/5/2021

I'm Shelfish

Excerpt





Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Bellocaro by P.S. Meraux Blog Tour + Giveaway!

Hi everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the BELLOCARO by P.S. Meraux Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About the Book:

Title: BELLOCARO

Author: P.S. Meraux

Pub. Date: October 11, 2020

Publisher: P.S. Meraux

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 670

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

Read for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited Membership!

"TWILIGHT MEETS PRIDE AND PREJUDICE" Bellocaro will transport anyone who enjoyed Twilight or loves a gripping paranormal romance... to a new world down South.

Fleeing the school jock who thinks she should be his, Skye Moon encounters a strange boy in the woods. After meeting the mysterious and captivating Thatcher Blue, she is dragged into a nightmare. Skye is targeted by a vampire who wants to kill her just for being near the alluring Thatcher.

With a target on her back, she doesn't know if she'll survive. Skye hopes that the dark-eyed boy from her premonitions will keep her safe, if he ever reveals himself.

She is astonished when Thatcher and his family come to the high school run by her mother. Thatcher has managed to keep the secrets of his monster family hidden for more than a century, but not from Skye. She rightly suspects the new kids are something other than 'kids.'

Complicating matters is the way Thatcher looks at her, like she means the world to him because he has visions too. The pair find themselves caught between danger and longing.

Will Thatcher save her?

Or like his visions have predicted -kill her?

Profoundly romantic and thrilling, Bellocaro captures the life and death struggle between disobeying your intuition and following your heart. Award winning, best selling author P.S. Meraux brings humor and heat to this vampire love story that will drive fans of books like Twilight or Shade of Vampire wild with enthusiasm.

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars!!! Finally, a book Like Twilight!
"Been waiting for this to whet my vampire fix. Was ready to dive into a new vampire romance. Hello Thatcher!!!!"-Gotta Love Books Blog
 
"P.S. Meraux takes you on an adventure with many defining moments and a flawed family of heroes. In a literary world overrun with supernatural creatures full of foreboding, Bellocaro puts a humorous spin on the crowded genre. The author's witty writing style had me laughing out loud."- Faerie Tale Books

"Bellocaro was fabulous. It's the perfect mix of romance, suspense and paranormal fantasy in one tidy novel ... I challenge you to read this book and not love it."- Get Lost In Fiction

"I re-read this three times after I finished reading it because I didn't want the story to end. The writing is so descriptive I felt like I was there."- Novel Society

"Seeing the relationship between Skye and Thatcher develop was spellbinding ... Bellocaro has set some high expectations, and is better than the other vampire romances in this sphere." - Bookworm Reviews
 
"...a sizzling vampire romance with unexpected twists, an unforgettable love that excites from start to finish. It's a perfect read for Twilight fans and vampire fans in general."- YA Book Season

"I can't even remember the last vampire romance I read that I loved as much as this one, Yes I can, it was a little novel called Twilight."- Just A Book Lover Reviews

"This is the kind of book you can re-read over and over again and not get bored. The plot is ingenious -- how do you fall in love with a guy who has already seen that he's going to kill you? The characters are great, even Thatcher annoying sister, Rane, has some funny bits and the ending will leave you left begging for more!"- City of Books

 

EXCERPT:

Whatever was coming — it was getting closer.

Feeling tense my eyes scoured the dark bushes, trying to discern whatever was in the gloom. Tegwyn’s admonishments rang out in my memory, “Nothing should be able to hurt you here, but don’t push it.” Should? Surely there weren’t wild animals on the island too, right?

There was a flicker of movement, a dark shape barely visible against the blackness of the surrounding forest it traveled through. I narrowed my gaze trying to figure out what it was. The shape slowed. Head dipping to the ground like it was sniffing at something or had caught a scent. A thudding heartbeat later I realized what it smelled was me.

Suddenly the massive bulk of a muzzle shifted through the conifers, jaw dropping to reveal a glistening row of sharp white teeth. The intimidating display of lethal-looking incisors must have been a foot long! 

Panting from its run, the creature came to a stop after passing by the last branch of a bald cypress. I used the word creature because it defied common sense. Having quickly caught its 

breath, the tongue pulled back in the muzzle and the paws began to move.

What I saw was freaking enormous, covered in dark fur. Paws the size of horse’s hooves were steadily coming closer. The monster was unquestionably more lupine than equine.

“Oh my God,” I huffed out a frightened breath, fearing I might hyperventilate. A chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the October evening breeze.

Calling it a wolf was an insult to nightmares. While it was shaped like one — it was like a wolf on steroids. The bad kind, that made the user ginormous, stupid, and overly aggressive. I imagined bulging, ugly veins hidden under the thick fur.

The clouds must have drifted past the moon, I didn’t dare take my eyes off the creature to make sure. Moonlight illuminated its fur revealing touches of gray and silver in the mud-splattered hide.

My earlier dark thoughts about stepping off the railing cast aside, now I really did wonder if this was to be my last night on Sceadu.

To the left I heard something else coming through the bushes, fast with more agile footsteps. Was there another one? My hands began to grow clammy against the cold metal.

“Oh crap!” I gulped, terrified.

Unexpectedly, as the noise of whatever followed the massive beast got closer, there was a flash of blue fabric in front of me. Then two things happened so swiftly I couldn’t tell which happened first.

“No chase! No!” A voice hissed in the gloom so softly I could have imagined it.

“What the hell—” the soft voice said a second later, sounding more aggrieved.

Darting through the branches of two mature cedars bounded another monster wolf. It shifted from the cover of the forest into the clearing with such speed that it took a moment to discern that it wasn’t alone; not one but two more giant wolves! Neither as big as the first but now swarming around it. Massive teeth nipped at the grayish creature like they were trying to bite it or halt it.

They seemed to perceive this nocturnal excursion with more intensity than their larger cousin, adamant in the attempt to get the monster wolf’s attention, trampling the weeds and grass in a slapdash manner.

Frightened out of my socks, I forgot there was nothing but a long drop behind me and lifted one foot off the rail with the intention of running like the wind, abruptly stumbling. I gasped and quickly tried to correct my mistake, wildly groping the metal rail with slick hands. My body vibrated with fear as I stared into the black abyss below.

Without warning, cool fingers gently encircled one wrist, locking it in place with the power of a vice. Another set grabbed the opposite forearm as I struggled to get my feet firmly back on the slippery perch.

“I’ve got you.”

Glancing up I saw a boy standing there. His strong hands kept me from falling to my death. A disgruntled expression traveled across his face, eyes becoming distant for several seconds as though assessing some inner thought and the grimace vanished, well almost. His mouth remained twisted down.

Staring in astonishment — my mind couldn’t function properly. Unable to fathom where he came from, I knew he shouldn’t be there. It wasn’t safe.

Incisors of the monster wolves were snapping and gnashing less than twenty-five feet away. Yet he acted as calmly as if we were alone. Didn’t he see them?

The smaller creatures seemed to be corralling the grayish wolf or altering its course. And the big one didn’t like it.

Rearing back on hind legs the monster wolf growled at the other two, immense jaws scissoring open and shut over their heads as if in warning. A deep snarl that erupted from the large mouth could have been saying, “Cut it out,” if it had a voice.

The wolf with the light brown fur ignored the warning, hurtling a muscular shoulder against the gray one’s exposed midsection. The big wolf made a gagging noise that sounded like a grunt. The second newcomer hoisted dark forepaws against the same area and together they succeeded in knocking the third backward. All three landed in an explosion of yelps, barks and snapping teeth.

I gasped.

“Are you okay?” the strange boy asked in an annoyed tone.

Too stunned by what I saw to speak, I merely nodded.

Clouds hid the moon again. The clearing fell into darkness. I squinted to see where the monster wolves were. I felt rather than saw my would-be rescuer’s head shift.

“Find him,” the boy hissed so quietly I thought I might have imagined that too. Who was he talking to?

The darker wolf growled lightly, head quickly swinging toward us before returning to the downed one, muzzle pushing against the muddy body forcing it to move with some urgency. The monster creatures merged into one shapeless blob in the shadows. Unable to see them but knowing they were out there only heightened my fear.

 

About P.S. Meraux:

I mainline coffee and chocolate, worry about the width of my hips and peruse too many cooking magazines. I suspect I wouldn't fret about one if I didn't indulge in the other. I'm obsessive about quality, so much so, I keep going back to tweak my earlier books, hoping to make them better. "Why are your characters flawed?" one reviewer asked. "Because people are," I replied. Although I'm very protective of them, hoping beyond measure that they'll find acceptance. Not ridicule. As a true 'GRITS' (girl raised in the south) people expect me to have bat-shit crazy relatives. The question here isn't IF, but rather, which side of the family are they on? Needless to say they offer a pool of inspiration into which I liberally dip. My characters are a bit OCD. Not in the vein of obsessive-compulsive, that would be too a la carte, mine are 'occasionally crazy or damaged.' And I think you'll enjoy them. As someone who understands wrestling with complex issues, it's easy to share their stories. I myself grew up with an ill mum, so I began creating imaginary friends at a young age to keep me company. In addition to writing and cooking, I'm an avid mountain climber who keeps up with an assortment of pets. As a life-long globe trotter, I can tell you that I like nothing better than a good story and a road trip. I hope you enjoy this one. Please let me know what works and what doesn't. I'm always interested in hearing feedback, reviews, comments, and questions are most welcome. Thanks in advance for your time and consideration. Happy reading.

 

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a $20 Amazon GC, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

10/25/2021

BookHounds YA

Excerpt

10/26/2021

Amani's Honest Reviews

Excerpt

10/27/2021

Living in a Bookworld

Excerpt

10/28/2021

Rajiv's Reviews

Review

10/29/2021

More Books Please blog

Review

 Week Two:

11/1/2021

100 Pages A Day

Review

11/2/2021

The Reading Devil

Excerpt

11/3/2021

The Phantom Paragrapher

Review

11/4/2021

My Fictional Oasis

Review

11/5/2021

Coffee and Wander Book Reviews

Review


Monday, 1 November 2021

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 


It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great Halloween! Today is November 1st and is one of my favorite days of the year because I can FINALLY get excited about Christmas without people thinking I'm weird lol! Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday and overall time of year. There's something so magical about all of the lights and sparkles and snow! The feeling is literally indescribable! I've already started my Christmas shopping (which is very odd for me, usually I'm much later despite my enthusiasm haha). So I should have plenty of time for my books this month which is amazing! I've got a whole stack to get through, so we'll see how it goes!

What I Read Last Week:




What I Am Currently Reading:



What I Am Reading Next: