2 Girls & A Book - Blog

The Wheels of Cady Grey by Paul L. Arvidson

6/30/2022

Author: Paul L. Arvidson
Narrator: Sarah-Jane Rose
Length: 6 hours 43 minutes
Publisher: Paul L. Arvidson⎮2020
Genre: Thriller
Series: Cady Grey Mysteries, Book 1
Release date: November 7, 2020

Get in the way of ruthless people and it’s gonna get you killed.
“Forget all you know about disabled people. This novel will blow everything you knew out of the window. A story of strength, intelligence, love and disability.”
Cady Grey is invisible. One of the ‘perks’ of being in a wheelchair. Sometimes it’s better that way, ‘specially when you’re a sweary, spitty teenage girl who’s main aim is getting through high-school in one piece. But when a sinister shell company wants to knock their school down and is prepared to stop at nothing. Cady and her friends are the only ones invested enough to care and smart enough to investigate. Regardless of the danger, Cady finally gives up being invisible to fight. And she discovers that getting in the way of politicians and their schemes might just get her killed.
“Cady, with spark, snark and enthusiasm will capture your heart in such a way you will want her to be your best friend. She is a voice, hero and visibility for a young disabled generation, a guide for us all and a mystery to solve. Grab your copy of a thriller unlike any other!”
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About the Author: Paul L. Arvidson
Paul Arvidson is a forty-something ex lighting designer, now SFF author who lives in rural Somerset, UK. He spends his non-author time bringing up his children, fighting against being sucked in to his wife’s chicken breeding business and preventing Morris the Dashund contributing to his typing. His SFF works form ‘The Dark Trilogy’. Dark is the first book in the trilogy and came out in 2017. The sequel Darker came out in 2018 and the series will be completed by a final book in 2019. There will not be a prize for guessing its title.
Website

About the Narrator: Sarah-Jane Rose
I trained as an actor in London and spent almost 30 years in the Theatre. During that time I also worked in the Wine Trade with restaurants and sommeliers to create great wine lists. I always tried to keep my two lives separate, but for 2021 I am bringing my two worlds together in perfect balance. I am not two people, I am one person who works as a narrator and voice actor, as well as a wine consultant.

Join me this year as I am embark on Wine and Words, a place to bring together my two favourite things. I will be providing live feeds and online events about books and wine, follow me on Instagram for regular updates and live feeds @sarajaneroseuk.
Website

The Tailor of Riga by Jonathan Harries

6/20/2022

Author: Jonathan Harries
Narrator: Jeff Bachar
Length: 6 hours 54 minutes
Publisher: Jonathan Harries Ink⎮2022
Genre: Historical Fiction; Action/Adventure
Series: Tales of the Sica, Book 1
Release date: May 26, 2022

had absolutely no intention of getting into the family business. As I told my father the night he enlightened me on what my ancestors had been up to for over a thousand years, “Sticking a curved dagger into someone’s liver ain’t quite my cup of tea.”
As it turned out, I had no choice. When your family’s been assassinating reprobates and other loathsome individuals for seventy generations, you have a certain obligation.
So, while it was a little disconcerting to hear how dear old granny would have become a prostitute if Grandpa Joe hadn’t whacked one of Germany’s top agents just before the start of World War I, it certainly piqued my interest. Of course, as I discovered, prostitution and murder were pretty de rigueur for my family.
After all, it was my great-grandfather who was hired by the British secret service to kill Jack the Ripper and my mother’s cousins who took part in the attempted assassination of Lenin.
My only regret when I finally took up the family sica was not eliminating Jean-Bedel Bokassa just before he crowned himself Emperor of the Central African Empire and ate my two friends.
But we all make mistakes.

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A Word with Jonathan Harries

Before working with Jeff on The Tailor of Riga, I’d only turned one other novel into an audiobook.
The experiences were totally different. Jeff was collaborative, open to suggestions, and very thorough with his research into characters and accents. We communicated early and often and he was always willing to change anything that made me uncomfortable. In my previous experience with an audiobook they sent me a bunch of chapters to listen to rather than comment on and I felt more like an observer than a participant.

All of the family members in the book are real and were present at the places mentioned in the time frame. As I wrote in the preface, the story is about what could have happened rather than what did. There was very little fodder in the genealogical studies I did on my family. In fact it was only when I learned that my great grandfather had immigrated to England from Riga at the same time of the Jack the Ripper murders, changing both his name and profession, that the idea of a 2000-year-old family assassination business popped into my mind

I suffer more from disappointment than burnout. I have two or three manuscripts that are perhaps a few chapters from completion that I suddenly lost interest in. I think most of the issue had to do with the characters in the story. As much as I tried to know them, I think they always ended up being somewhat elusive that left them feeling like strangers.

I am not an audiobook listener but that is not by choice. I’d love to listen to audiobooks, but I suffer from ADHD. I walk a lot which is the perfect venue for listening, but I find my mind wandering and I end up missing so much content that it becomes impossible to follow the story. For some reason I can focus when I read and so that’s the medium that works best for me.

I’ve only written one stand-alone novel and I certainly hope to write more. The obvious answer – at least to me – with a series, is getting to develop the characters. Even though my great-uncle Leon is only briefly mentioned in the Tailor of Riga, I am now on book three using him as the central character. I only knew him briefly as a child, but he had such a powerful personality and repertoire of stories of exotic travels and mysterious women that his character flows seamlessly through whatever situation I insert him into.

Food and drink feature prominently in my books—mainly Indian food, which I absolutely love. My father lived in India for about five years and developed a taste for both Northern and Southern Indian cuisines. Luckily Indian food is one of the dominant cuisines of South Africa, and so he got me into eating it from an early age. I’ve visited India countless times both on business and vacation and have learned to cook different dishes. Both my sons are curry fanatics, too, which I find very gratifying. In my first series, the Roger Storm books, you’ll find the characters knocking back martinis. I absolutely love martinis – although I’ve stopped as I got to love them a little too much during the early days of COVID – and think of them as the quintessential drink. I prefer gin martinis, though I will substitute vodka on occasion. The thing that bugs me most about some restaurants is when they serve a martini in a round or stemless glass. There is no more perfect glass than the traditional V-shape with a long stem and round base. I consider it a crime to serve a martini in anything else.

My own question: Describe your writing style.
I always think of myself as an Uber driver. I drop my characters off at a certain location, pick them up when they’re done, and transport them to the next place.

I certainly don’t consider listening to books as “cheating,” or see it as inferior to “real reading.’’ That’s like thinking emails are a lazy person’s answer to letters or texts the tools of the loafer. On the contrary, they are simply the utility of the electronic age, which you can either embrace or be swallowed up by.

When I write I am totally focused on the words as they appear on the page and never even consider what they’d sound like in an audiobook or if they’d appear on a TV series. If I did, I think it would be better to write the story in a script format, which would at least be cleaner. If I did have “audiobook” in mind, I might write less dialogue and use more descriptive language, which I think – and this is pure conjecture – may be easier for the narrator. I’d love to know the answer to this question.

I always try to start the “next” novel as soon as I feel like I’m getting to the end of the one I’m currently writing. This generally means there is no actual moment for celebration. I’ve also found that friends and family who were all full of congratulations and good wishes after the first few books now barely batter an eyelid when I announce that I’ve just finished the next one. Jerry Della Femina, a famous old ad guy that you’ve probably never heard of, said, “Creative people always put their faces up to be kissed and end up getting them slapped.” That’s not to say that if I hit a million sales I wouldn’t break out a bottle of 1996 Dom Perignon from my imaginary cellar.

About the Author: Jonathan Harries
Jonathan Harries began his career as a trainee copywriter at Foote, Cone & Belding in South Africa and ended it as Chairman of FCB Worldwide with a few stops in between.
After winning his first Cannes Lion award, he was offered a job at Grey Advertising in South Africa, where he worked as a copywriter and ended up as CEO at age 29, just before emigrating to the US. Like most immigrants in those days, he started once again from scratch. After a five year stint as Executive Creative Director of Hal Riney in Chicago, he was offered a senior position at FCB. Within ten years, he became the Global Chief Creative Officer and spent the next ten traveling to over 90 countries, racking up 8 million miles on American Airlines alone.
He began writing his first novel, Killing Harry Bones, in the last year of his career and transitioned into becoming a full-time author a year ago, just after retiring from FCB. He’s been writing ever since while doing occasional consulting work for old clients.
Jonathan has a great love of animals, and he and his wife try to go on safari every year. They’ve been lucky enough to visit game reserves in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Tanzania, India, and Sri Lanka.
Website

About the Narrator: Jeff Bachar
Jeff Bachar is a professional voice artist who delights in helping authors bring their stories to life for listeners. He studied acting at the North Carolina School of the Arts and has a BFA from DePaul University’s Theatre School. In addition to audiobooks, Jeff specializes in commercial and political voiceover as well as museum audio tour narration. With a master’s degree in Public Health, he excels at health-related narration for corporate videos, e-learning, and explainer videos. When he is not in his recording studio, Jeff loves to explore the world and its many diverse cultures with his family. He can be reached at jjbachar@me.com

Cassius & Ellendarra by D.C. Armstrong

6/11/2022

Author: D. C. Armstrong
Narrator: Nathaniel Priestley
Length: 7 hours 44 minutes
Publisher: D. C. Armstrong⎮2022
Genre: Fantasy
Release date: Apr. 19, 2022

Cassius alone stands between the realm of Evlontus and complete destruction in this riveting tale of swords, magic, and deception that rewrites the classic theme of good versus evil.

Imprisoned within Cassius’ soul lives a terrifying dark force threatening to destroy all existence. As his control over it weakens, it is up to his brother, King Magnus, along with his deceitful machinations, to repress and vanquish the evil entity and restore balance to the realm. Total annihilation looms over Evlontus, and the brothers’ efforts begin to unravel due to the interference of two soldiers, Japheth and Ellendarra.

When the truth is finally revealed, destiny takes them down an unexpected path toward the ultimate battle between good and evil.

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DREAMCAST

About the Author: D. C. Armstrong
D. C. Armstrong is the author of Cassius and Ellendarra, and the upcoming sequel The Last King of Evlontus. A fan of character-driven stories, her work is light in the details and fast-paced but epic in scale nonetheless.
Website

About the Narrator: Nathaniel Priestley
Narrator for Penguin Random House, W.F Howes, Strathmore Publishing, Audible Studios, StoryTec, HarperCollins, RNIB and many independent authors.
As heard on Qatar Airways, Lenor Europe, Rockwool, Radio Manx, Channel 103 and many more.
Website

Love and Other Sins by Emilia Ares

6/7/2022

Author: Emilia Ares
Narrators: Karissa Vacker, Will Collyer
Length: 10 hours 7 minutes
Publisher: SERA Press⎮2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance; Young Adult
Release date: Nov. 11, 2021

Mina’s life is going according to plan; she’s acing AP Calc and is perfectly content with her nonexistent social life. Though only a high school junior, Mina knows time is an investment, and she’s putting all her capital into academics. Oliver, a child abuse survivor who grew up in the foster care system, is ready to burn down his old life and start from scratch - complete with a new name and emancipation papers - in LA. When the two are thrown together through circumstance and develop an unexpected connection, they discover how hard it is to keep the past in the past.

Content warning: sexual assault, recollections of child abuse, discussions of suicidal thoughts, and mention of miscarriage.

Buy Links
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About the Author: Emilia Ares
Emilia Ares is an American film and television actress known for American Horror Story (2011), NCIS (2003), Bosch (2014), and Follow Me (2020). Love and Other Sins is her debut novel. She graduated UCLA with a BA in Economics, and a minor in Russian. Literature and storytelling have always been her true passion.
Website

My Top 10 Favorite Audiobooks
1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
2. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
3. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
4. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
5. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
6. The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
7. A List of Cages by Robin Roe
8. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
9. Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
10. Love and Other Sins by Emilia Ares (I’ve listened to my book over ten times now. I love it so much. If you don’t enjoy your own story, then what’s the point, right?)

About the Narrator: Karissa Vacker
Karissa is an Audie Award Finalist and AudioFile Earphones award winning narrator based in Los Angeles by way of Texas. She is a classically trained actor with credits from major regional theaters and also enjoys a career in film and TV.
Karissa has narrated over 100 books in-studio for Penguin Random House, Hachette, Brilliance, Tantor, Dreamscape, Harper Collins and Scholastic, among others. She excels at narrating YA fiction, women's fiction, and suspense/thrillers.
Website

About the Narrator: Will Collyer
Will Collyer, an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator, is a film, television, and stage actor. He has starred in television shows such as Melrose Place, Charmed, CSI: Miami, and Boston Public, as well as numerous films and plays. He holds a BA in theater arts from the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television.
Website

Woman Over The Edge by Quinn Avery

6/3/2022

Author: Quinn Avery
Narrator: Raquel Beattie
Length: 8 hours 59 minutes
Publisher: Jennifer Naumann⎮2022
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release date: Apr. 21, 2022

Perfect for fans of Don’t Lie To Me and The Night She Disappeared, award-winning author Quinn Avery’s newest book, Woman Over the Edge follows Mia’s decades-long search for her sister’s killer.

Mia Hughes is only 16-years-old when she loses her sister after a summer storm catapults their boat into the rocky shoreline. Only Ben, Mia’s best friend along for the boat ride, is conscious after the crash. When he goes looking for help he discovers Mia covered in blood...and no sign of Bella. With no memory of what happened before she was found, Mia spends the next 22 years haunted by Bella's disappearance, only to encounter a series of tragedies that she knows have to be tied to her sister...and to Ben.

Blending the non-stop action of Those That Wish Me Dead, the shocking revelations of The Couple Next Door, and the deceptive family drama of The Last Thing He Told Me, Woman Over the Edge will most definitely keep you on the edge of your seat.

Buy Links
Buy on Audible⎮Libro.fm⎮Chirp⎮Nook

Quinn Avery Raquel Beattie

About the Author: Quinn Avery
Quinn Avery is an award-winning author who has written 38 novels, both romantic suspense and mystery/thriller. An avid fan of the beach, a good book, and Dave Grohl, she enjoys traveling and spending her free time with her favorite people and biggest fans...her husband and children.
Quinn also writes romantic suspense as Jennifer Ann.
Website

About the Narrator: Raquel Beattie
Raquel Beattie speaks conversational Spanish and she’s comfortable with beginning French. She can do a range of voices and select accents, including American Southern and Mexican. She loves the craft of storytelling and has narrated over 45 books from her home studio. She loves spending time with her husband and three kids, getting outside in nature, hanging with friends, dark humor, and eating good food. “I’m not a foodie per sé, but I really appreciate simple and tasty meals,”she says, as she goes to Whataburger for the hundredth time. Hey, one can like their burgers and still have a discerning palate. She’s complex that way.
Also narrating as Allie Lake.
Website

Interview with Raquel Beattie

What about this title compelled you to audition as narrator? I love thrillers and mysteries and the audition manuscript was enough to get me hooked! I wanted to know what happened! Just from the audition script, I knew this would be a fun book to immerse myself in.
How did you decide how each character should sound in this title? Definitely a character's personality and attitude informs how they will sound. Sometimes I'll use a similar character I've seen in a movie or someone I know, but many times, the author has given me enough to really see that character.
How do you manage to avoid burnout? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for narrating? Even though I love my job, it's still a job. I have 3 kids, so I schedule work carefully in order to keep a good work/life balance. I don't take myself too seriously, I take breaks, and I take time for other hobbies.
Have there been any characters that you really connected with? Yes! Actually there have been many characters who I've resonated with. One book I narrated had a lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers story that reminded me of mine and my husband's story.
Who is your “dream author” that you would like to record for? Blake Crouch! His books are incredible.
What bits of advice would you give to aspiring audiobook narrators? Get coaching, keep growing, and keep going. Don't give up. Be a clear and reliable communicator, and be kind.
How did you wind up narrating audiobooks? Was it always your goal or was it something you stumbled into by chance? I stumbled on it by chance! I moved to a new state and I felt lost. I got an adult education course newsletter in the mail and thought this might be a good way to meet people in a new place. I found a course titled "Make Money With Your Voice." I had some acting background and it sounded fun, so I signed up. I loved it, kept learning and getting coaching, and it snowballed from there.
Did you find it difficult to “break into” audiobook narration? What skill/tool helped you the most when getting started? I don't think I'd be where I am today if I wasn't so stubborn. I did one book, then another, and I didn't think about "failing." I just thought, "Where do I want to be in 5 years? Regretting that I didn't keep going, or doing my nth book?" Also, actively learning and seeking out expert information gave me confidence and expertise to start and keep going.
A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theater. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career? There are some fabulous narrators who don't have a background in theater, but invested in coaching and are now killing it. Even people with acting backgrounds should get some narration specific coaching.
What type of training have you undergone? I have trained with many renowned narrators who also coach and I have attended many narrator conferences and workshops. Coaching and continuing education is an investment worth making.

The Synesthete by S.L. Michaels

6/3/2022

Author: S. L. Michaels
Narrators: Loganne Digma, Jackson Lawrie
Length: 7 hours 21 minutes
Publisher: S. L. Michaels⎮2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance; YA
Release date: Mar. 30, 2022

It wasn't supposed to be this way....

For Alina LaRosa, what was supposed to be the start of a glorious new life at a new life at Ravenswood Academy quickly spirals into a disaster. Bullies, rich arrogant guys, and to top it off, she discovers she's homeless!

With no one to turn to and no where to go, until who should offer a helping hand but her teacher...Mister Thorburn.

To Nicolai Thorburn, Alina LaRosa was supposed to be just another student, but time spent living together caused his "professional " façade to crumble...and one fateful day, in his sunset-drenched classroom, a very dangerous emotion is born. But how long can one man turn a blind eye to his heart?

Can you keep a secret?

Buy Links
Buy on Amazon

Meet S.L. Michaels (Author) & Narrators Loganne Digma, Jackson LawrieIt

About the Author: S. L. Michaels
Hey, hey, hey, I'm S.L. Michaels, and I wrote The Synesthete.
Growing up in the 90's, I loved reading. Taking trips to the library was better than going to Disney World. My favorite books were the entire series of The Classics of Wishbone. Frankenstein and The Odyssey, Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, and The Babysitters Club Little Sister Series.
After a tragic breakup in 2011, I turned to writing when a night-in with my family watching the movie Inception motivated me to write. Inspired, I took to writing Inception Fanfiction and from there my passion for writing has only continued to grow.
I love story telling. I love crafting new ways for a couple to get together, what are their obstacles going to be, and how are they going to overcome those obstacles so that they can be together
I live a quiet life in the forests of Northeast Florida, with my four-old-son. Nothing means more to me than my family and I cherishes every moment spent with them.
You can find me on YouTube at my channel 'write on'.
Website

About the Narrator: Loganne Digma
LOGANNE DIGMA is a passionate voice actor, director, and singer based in Orlando, Florida.
Starting at the young age of 13, Loganne found herself interested in the art of voiceover and began pursuing it as a hobby throughout various forms of media on social platforms. After voicing in an animated web series named "Twelve", she went on to audition for other indie projects ranging from animated films to audiobooks.
It wasn't until the age of 15 when she decided she wanted to continue voice acting as a career path. With 2 years of experience and projects now under her belt, she began researching a proper studio setup, equipment, and spent more time developing and harnessing her skills. On top of building her acting capabilities, she took an interest in audio engineering and video editing which soon grew to support her financially as a part-time job.
She's the director of an online dubbing studio named "Helvetica Dubs" that has received millions of views. Through this studio, she was able to even further develop her voice acting skills and gain additional experience from voicing in her own projects. Furthermore, she has expanded her skills into producing content as a WEBTOON Ambassador.
Loganne continues her training and practice in acting by taking remote classes and workshops that dive even deeper into the art of voiceover. Through these classes, she has further developed her skills and booked roles in video games and animated projects.
She attends the University of Central Florida for a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre Studies with a minor in Marketing.
One of the biggest takeaways Loganne has gained in her journey as an actor and producer is that age does not limit one's talents. As long as you have the passion, enthusiasm, persistence, and drive, anyone can accomplish their goals.
Website

About the Narrator: Jackson LawrieIt's been quite the journey since I started back in 2015, and I feel as if I've grown so very much since those days of old. I have had the wonderful opportunity to have met and befriended so many amazing people through my involvement in the voice acting/animation community on YouTube and otherwise, and truly it has been a grand ride! To those out there feeling depressed, lost, or oppressed, I ask you to stay strong and challenge you to find your passions in life, to feed off of them and use them to give yourself a greater purpose in the tough world that we live in.
I have found my passions through my struggles, and through hope, and I desire to develop them into something grand. I enjoy participating in stories in any way that I can, and so voiceover has been a great outlet for me to thrive. I thank all who watch and enjoy my content for what it is, and will do my best to give flavor to any projects I have the blessing to be a part of!

Freebie Alert ~ of The Blood by Cameo Renae

6/1/2022

Title: Of the Blood

Author: Cameo Renae

Genre: YA Dark Fantasy

Cover Designer: Jay Villalobos - Covers by Juan

Edited by: Victoria Schmitz - Crimson Tide Editorial

Publication Date: May 15^th, 2020

Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR

Blurb:

Raised in a war-ravaged continent, temptation comes to Calla Caldwell in the form of a charming and mysterious stranger. Giving in to his intimate seduction, her world is forever changed by a single bite.

Calla quickly learns the handsome stranger is vampire prince, Trystan Vladu. His bite was an attempt to claim and save her from a plot of vengeance generations in the making. However, the claws of that ancient vendetta are scraping ever closer.

Thrust into a new nightmare by the Prince of the corrupt kingdom of Morbeth, Calla is captured, tortured, and starved in the dank confines of his dungeon. While in captivity, she takes part in a sÃ©ance with a witch of light where she contacts a departed relativeâ€”a Princess of Incendiaâ€”who bequeaths a gift to Calla that will tip the scales of good and evil . . . if she can learn to harness it.

With a dark tapestry of secrets, lies, and murder unraveling around her, Calla must learn to embrace the power roiling through her veins, or be snuffed out by the strangling fist of a malevolent darkness.

FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!

Cameo Renae, was born in San Francisco, raised in Maui, Hawaii, and now resides with her husband and children in Las Vegas.

She's a daydreamer, caffeine and peppermint addict, who loves to laugh, and loves to read to escape reality.

One of her greatest joys is creating fantasy worlds filled with adventure and romance and sharing it with others. It is the love of her family and amazing support of her fans that keeps her going.

One day she hopes to find her own magic wardrobe and ride away on her magical unicorn. Until then...she'll keep writing!

Author Links:

Facebook | Blog | Website | Twitter | Fan Club | Newsletter

Amazon | Goodreads | BookBub

FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!

Wolf Marked by Harper A. Brooks

6/1/2022

Title: Wolf Marked
Author: Harper A. Brooks
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Cover Designer: Trifbookdesign
Publication Date: September 9^th, 2021
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR

Blurb:

From USA Today Bestselling Author Harper A. Brooks comes a gripping tale of deadly curses and the strength of fated love.

The cycle of the moon can bring love... or death.

Time is running out for Astrid. If the wolf-shifter doesnâ€™t find her soulâ€™s mate before her twenty-fifth Blue Moon rises, the consequences will be fatal. With only three weeks left, things arenâ€™t looking good... until Erec, a smooth-talking rogue wolf, lands at her feet.

The strange spark between them leaves Astrid wondering if this mysterious man could be the one meant to break her curse. But can she trust him?

From the moment Jerrick killed the only man Erec ever looked up to, Erec vowed to stop the crazed wolf. Partnering with the west-side pack seemed the logical move to accomplish that goal. But he never expected to fall for the alphaâ€™s beautiful daughter, and now this lone wolf is wondering if she could be the one to save him from the curse.

With imminent dangers looming and the swirling patterns on their skin marking them for death, can Astrid and Erec save the west-side pack from the encroaching pack before their last Blue Moon rises in the sky?

Each book in the Shifters Unleashed series can be read as a standalone:

*Tiger Claimed

*Wolf Marked

99 CENTS FOR A LIMITED TIME!

Harper A. Brooks lives in a small town on the New Jersey shore. Even though classic authors have always filled her bookshelves, she finds her writing muse drawn to the dark, magical, and romantic. But when she isn't creating entire worlds with sexy shifters or legendary love stories, you can find her either with a good cup of coffee in hand or at home snuggling with her furry, four-legged son, Sammy.

She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

RONE Award Winner

USA TODAY Bestselling Author

International Bestselling Author

Author Links:

Amazon | Twitter | Goodreads | Website

Instagram | Facebook | Bookbub | Reader Group

99 CENTS FOR A LIMITED TIME!

Review of River of Ashes by Alexandera Weis & Lucas Astor

5/27/2022

River of Ashes
by Alexandrea Weis & Lucas Astor
(St. Benedict, #1)
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication date: August 2nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Psychological Thriller

“A psychological portrait akin to Lord of the Flies.” ~Midwest Book Review

SOME TRUTHS ARE BETTER KEPT SECRET. SOME SECRETS ARE BETTER OFF DEAD.

ALONG THE BANKS OF THE BOGUE FALAYA RIVER, sits the abandoned St. Francis Seminary. Beneath a canopy of oaks, blocked from prying eyes, the teens of St. Benedict High gather here on Fridays. The rest of the week belongs to school and family—but weekends belong to the river.

And the river belongs to Beau Devereaux.

The only child of a powerful family, Beau can do no wrong. Star quarterback. Handsome. Charming. The “prince” of St. Benedict is the ultimate catch.

He is also a psychopath.

A dirty family secret buried for years, Beau’s evil grows unchecked. In the shadows of the haunted abbey, he commits unspeakable acts on his victims and ensures their silence with threats and intimidation. Senior year, Beau sets his sights on his girlfriend’s headstrong twin sister, Leslie, who hates him. Everything he wants but cannot have, she will be his ultimate prize.

As the victim toll mounts, it becomes clear that someone must stop Beau Devereaux.

And that someone will pay with their life.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60553298-river-of-ashes

Preorder:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/39XSdAz
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/river-of-ashes-alexandrea-weis/1141117946?ean=9781645480983

My Review

5 STARS

River of Ashes will forever haunt me. This psychological thriller has tormented my nights my days and filled my days with trepidation. This shocking psychological thriller is a masterpiece is not for the faint of heart. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, I could not put this book down. I had to know what made Beau Devereaux tick.

Some truths are better kept secret.
Some secrets are better off dead.

The blurb says it best, Beau Devereaux is an “American Psycho!” His twisted sense of self-worth and penchant for pain oozes from the pages and leaves you feeling dirty for having shared space with him. He is the epitome of evil. This dark, twisted, thriller is quite the page-turner from beginning to end.

The ending (no spoilers) is poetic. Karma is a BITCH!

Meet the Authors

Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, PhD, is a multi-award-winning author of over twenty-seven novels, a screenwriter, ICU Nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Having grown up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable. A member of the Horror Writers Association and International Thriller Writers Association, Weis writes mystery, suspense, thrillers, horror, crime fiction, and romance. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans where she is a permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and rescues orphaned and injured animals.

http://alexandreaweis.com/
https://www.facebook.com/authoralexandreaweis/
https://twitter.com/alexandreaweis
https://www.instagram.com/alexandreaweis/

Lucas Astor is from New York, has resided in Central America and the Middle East, and traveled through Europe. He lives a very private, virtually reclusive lifestyle, preferring to spend time with a close-knit group of friends than be in the spotlight.

He is an author and poet with a penchant for telling stories that delve into the dark side of the human psyche. He likes to explore the evil that exists, not just in the world, but right next door behind a smiling face.

Photography, making wine, and helping endangered species are just some of his interests. Lucas is an expert archer and enjoys jazz, blues, and classical music.

One of his favorite quotes is: “It’s better to be silent than be a fool.” ~Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird)

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Author Spotlight ~ Elora Canne

5/19/2022

EN ROUTE The Best Is Yet To Be
by Elora Canne
Genre: Travel Memoir with a dash of Stealth Help
Release Date: 3 February 2022

EN ROUTE covers the challenges and elations of travelling in a campervan, fighting off cabin fever and coyote’s and peeling away relationship detritus as Elora and her husband travel the world.

A sizeable segment of their travels included family and friends which came with its own humour of entanglement and unexpected train rides. Included are the growing pains endured along the way as Elora discusses her angst in coping with what should be a memorable adventure. EN ROUTE spans a period of about 10 years, beginning with immigration trials andtribulations from South Africa to Australia with two teenage boys. New discoveries emerge about each other whilst the family adapts to their new surroundings.

Part of Elora’s learning curve was discovering how to live with herself and the decisions she has made as she navigates the challenges of her marital rifts. Elora covers revealing nuances about her and her husband, James, committing themselves to each other despite their, sometimes, apparent distaste for each other.

Other relationships that were cemented through their travels were with Elora’s mum and sister as they re-learnt to simply be together in trying times. The infamous in-law relationship is also tentatively touched upon.

The sudden loss of Elora’s dad plays a poignant role in how she managed to cope with the impact of his death on her psyche.

As she reflects on the transience of love in all its forms, Elora’s self-empowerment grows into finding peace; finding voice and mightily so.

Their travels crossed the lands of South Africa, America, Europe, United Kingdom, Ireland, Asia and, of course, Australia. Included in these tales are stories of crime, love, loss, pets, friends, tourist highlights and treasure troves of magick.

Sometimes sombre; sometimes humorous; always enlightening. En route suggests on the way and the sub-title suggests the thrill of hope and pleasure and better things to come. What do I mean by that? Change does not only occur outwardly as time evolves our circumstances, but also inwardly, in a way that is not openly shown. This unraveling is a magical mix of discovering past heritage and losing yourself in imagination of yesteryear and folklore. A travel memoir that intertwines humour, quirky facts and the treasures in each of our relationships across all whom we encounter on our trip around the sun. A gap year that will have you packing your bags and leaving on the next flight into the
unknown.

Meet the Author

Retired from 20+ years in the childcare industry, Elora now spends her semi-retired time writing, paddleboarding and reading, reading, reading! Elora's writing process began with a blog of her and her husband, James', gap year travels. As the years' travels wore on, she realised there was a lot more to write about with the evolving of their relationship as time lapsed. Enter EN ROUTE a self-published memoir of road trips and relationships.

Elora speaks with raw openness about her relationships across all dynamics. She reveals nuances that expose her insecurities and resultant growth with naive honesty. Elora shows us how she copes with mother-guilt, people-pleasing and intimacy with an unusual blend of insight, pain and resolution. Her candid disclosures are sometimes sombre, sometimes humorous and always enlightening.
Social Media Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elora_canne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eloracanne
Blog, Playlist and more: https://linktr.ee/elora_canne