Monday, March 25, 2024

Amethyst, The Shallows ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Pop-Up Blog-Hop Spotlight & Giveaway!

AMETHYST, THE 
SHALLOWS
by
Kellye Abernathy

YA / Magical Realism / Coming of Age
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Page Count: 296 pages
Publication Date: February 6, 2024


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"This is a night for being brave."

In the aftermath of a devastating sickness that shatters their close-knit beach town, six lonely kids are drawn together during the unpredictable autumn equinox. Among them are fourteen-year-old Lorelei, who yearns to be an oceanographer, and her peculiar younger brother, Tad, who possesses an otherworldly curiosity.

When Lorelei has a strange and almost deadly encounter in a sea cave, her loyal boyfriend, Casey, cannot reconcile her fantastical experience with the rational world. Condi, Lorelei's best friend, understands ocean magic but isn't free to share what she knows. Kait, a girl from Ireland, regrets her impulsive move to America--all because of an odd occurrence involving her deceased boyfriend's lost surfboard. When tides turn and the moon shifts, Isaac, the new kid in town who despises the ocean, is forced to face the truth--a profound and powerful magic lives in the deep.

Guided by a wise surf master, mystical old women known as the Beachlings, and an open-hearted grandmother, six kids embark on transformative adventures that challenge their beliefs about possibilities and the intense nature of love.

Amethyst, the Shallows is the companion novel to The Aquamarine Surfboard.

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Kellye Abernathy's passions are writing and serving trauma survivors as a yoga teacher and practical life skills advocate. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary English Education from the University of Kansas. Her home is in land-locked Plano, Texas—where she’s dreaming of her next trip to the sea!


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Friday, March 22, 2024

Frowns and Gowns ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Book Blitz, Review, & Giveaway!

 
FROWNS AND GOWNS
The Mischief Series, Book 5
By AMANDA M. THRASHER

Children’s Chapter Book / Fantasy / Fairies
Publisher: Progressive Rising Phoenix Press
Page Count: 236
Publication Date: September 12, 2023


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Embark on a Magical Adventure with Lilly, Boris, and Jack!

Get ready to join Lilly, Boris, and Jack on an unforgettable journey filled with excitement, laughter, and a touch of mayhem. Brace yourself for a whirlwind of mishaps as these three fairies plan a magnificent magical ball, only to encounter an unforeseen disaster! Experience the magic of friendship with Lilly, the quick-witted and resourceful fairy, Boris, the mischievous fairy with a heart of gold, and Jack, the troublemaker with a curious, adventurous spirit on their latest adventure.

Throughout, Lilly, Boris, and Jack teach the true meaning of friendship and teamwork. Together with their friends, they'll overcome challenges, learn valuable lessons, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Don't miss out on this enchanting tale!

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HALL WAYS REVIEW: Oh, my heart. Frowns and Gowns is the fifth book in Amanda M. Thrasher’s The Mischief Series, but it’s the first I’ve read, and I am hooked. Time spent between the pages is a perfectly sweet and magical place for young readers (and Mimis) to escape the real world for a while. Even though my oldest granddaughter is only four, I am already imagining her staying a week at Mimi’s and Granddad’s, and my reading this chapter book to her – one sparkly minute at a time.

What struck me was the respect and politeness the little fairlings show for each other and for the adult fairies and creatures in their lives. They mostly follow the rules (I’m looking at you, Boris and Jack), and they often think about the consequences of their actions and encounters with others. Reading Frowns and Gowns made me realize how much I value, and miss, thoughtfulness and consideration.

What terrific examples these young fairies set for readers. Sure, there’s mischief in the mix because that’s life, but it is fun and funny and delightfully descriptive. And the sweets! I could definitely relate to Boris and his affinity for the foods prepared for and presented to the fairies. I’ll have one (or six) of everything, please.

Jumping in so late in the series, there were definitely a few things that piqued my curiosity, so I must go back to the beginning to find out what’s so special about Lilly, why is the invisible Agent Chester assigned to her, and what kind of danger could there possibly be in this lovely mushroom patch (beyond the friendly, but stinky, moss ball attacks)?

The librarian in me appreciates that Thrasher stretches the vocabulary level so that young readers (or those absorbing the story through a read-aloud) are exposed to more robust word choices than the norm. Plus, there are so many talking points and scenes that can springboard into other activities. This series would be a great addition to any classroom or school library. (And Mimi’s library, too.) 



Award-winning author Amanda M. Thrasher was born in England and moved to Texas, where she lives with her family. She writes YA, general fiction, middle grade, early reader chapter, and picture books. She is the founder and CEO of Progressive Rising Phoenix Press.


PROGRESSIVE RISING PHOENIX PRESS



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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

The Desk from Hoboken ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Spotlight & Giveaway!

THE DESK FROM HOBOKEN
A Genealogy Mystery, #1
by
ML Condike

Mystery / Women Sleuths / Forensic Genealogy
Publisher: Harbor Lane Books, LLC
Date of Publication: March 5, 2024
Number of Pages: 446 pages 

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After a personal loss, forensic genealogist RaeJean Hunter accepts what she believes is a straightforward case to ease back into the game: a student at Connecticut College has found human remains on the school campus. The College hires RaeJean to confirm their tentative identification that it’s a woman named Mary Rogers, whose cause of death has never been determined.

Unfortunately, it becomes downright dangerous. Someone thwarts her investigation of the same case that inspired Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Mystery of Marie Rogêt.” Still, she meets relatives, some helpful and others not, amid escalating threats. Using her skills, including DNA analysis, historical records research, genealogy mapping, and guidance from a mystical antique desk, she follows every clue.



ML Condike’s novel, The Desk from Hoboken, is the first in a genealogy mystery three-book series. She also has short stories published in five anthologies. ML Condike completed Southern Methodist University’s Writer’s Path in Dallas in 2019 and is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime North Dallas, Granbury Writers’ Bloc, and Key West Writers Guild.






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1st: signed paperback and Corgi plush toy
2nd: signed paperback and $25 Amazon gift card
3rd: choice of $25 gift card or signed paperback
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Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Reap the Wind ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours First Line & Giveaway!

REAP THE WIND
by
JOEL BURCAT

Action-Adventure / Suspense / Climate Change / EcoThriller
Publisher: Milford House Press, an imprint of Sunbury Books, Inc.
Date of Publication: February 6, 2024
Number of Pages: 215 pages 

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REAP THE WIND is THE PERFECT STORM meets THE FIRM.

Reap the Wind is a thrilling action/adventure novel that follows three lawyers as they embark on a treacherous journey from Houston to Cincinnati during a catastrophic hurricane. Josh Goldberg is on a mission to be with his girlfriend for the birth of their child. Along the way, they'll face terrifying obstacles like tornadoes, hailstorms, and driving rain. But the real danger may come from within as they struggle to survive each other's company. His two travel companions—his best friend, a drug-addicted lawyer, and his conniving boss who has her own agenda.

Don't miss out on this unforgettable odyssey that might just be a suicide trip.


PRAISE FOR REAP THE WIND:

"Reap the Wind is a bold, bracing and blisteringly original take on the legal thriller form. Joel Burcat has fashioned a seminal tale focusing on the nightmare of all road trips in which a storm raging outside the car is matched only by the storm raging within. Burcat dares to tread on the hallowed ground of John Grisham and Scott Turow and ends up blazing a fresh, daring literary tale of his own. Not to be missed!"
—Jon Land, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

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Joel Burcat is an award-winning author of three environmental legal thrillers: Drink to Every Beast (illegal dumping of toxic waste), Amid Rage (a coal mine permit battle), and Strange Fire (a fracking dispute). His most recent book, Reap the Wind, is about three lawyers trying to drive from Houston to Cincinnati in a climate change-induced hurricane.

He has received a number of awards, including the Gold Medal for environmental fiction from Readers’ Favorite for Strange Fire, and as a Finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards for Amid Rage. He has written numerous short stories. Burcat imbues his novels with facts to educate his readers about critical environmental issues while they are being entertained by the story.

Burcat’s books are infused with realism developed over a forty plus year career as an environmental lawyer.


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Monday, March 4, 2024

To Rescue a Witch ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Book Trailer and Giveaway!

 

TO RESCUE A WITCH
by
Lisa A. Traugott

Historical Fiction / Action & Adventure / Witch Trials
Page Count: 398 pages
Publication Date: March 1, 2024


It’s 1739. An abused girl accused of witchcraft must be defended by a man married to an actual witch.

William MacLeod, a fierce Scottish lawyer with a kind heart, takes on a daunting task—rescue young Annaliese from the clutches of her tormentors in the untamed wilds of Virginia colony and deliver her safely to her aristocratic father in London. But lurking in the shadows are enemies eager to expose MacLeod’s own wife, Fiona, as a witch with a dark secret.

Their perilous journey takes an unexpected turn when their ship wrecks, and Annaliese’s haunting nightmares and unexplained Devil Marks trigger suspicion among the crew. Tension peaks when MacLeod must become Annaliese’s unwavering protector in a witch trial, where Fiona’s clairvoyance and a murder are unveiled.

To Rescue a Witch navigates themes of betrayal and redemption, in a spellbinding narrative that blends history, magic, and the unyielding resilience of the human spirit.


Check out the NEW book trailer!



Lisa A. Traugott is an award-winning author and World Championship public speaker semifinalist and spoke five lines on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She lives in Austin with her husband, two kids, and English bulldog, Bruno.


Website ◆ Blog ◆ Facebook ◆ Amazon
Goodreads ◆ BookBub ◆ Instagram

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Autographed paperback copies
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